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Wed, 28 June 2023
Heavy to very heavy rain in 6 Maha dists tomorrow
Timeline Refresh
23:20 Motorcycle grazes Aaditya Thackeray's car in Mumbai, nobody hurt
A motorcycle grazed the SUV carrying Shiv Sena-UBT leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray in Dadar area in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon, the police said.
Nobody was injured in the incident which took place near the Shiv Sena Bhavan, the Sena's headquarters, said an official.
Thackeray was not driving the SUV, he said, adding that as it had slowed down for taking a turn, the 28-year-old motorcycle rider who was on its right side lost control and the two-wheeler grazed the SUV.
The man fell down but did not suffer any injury. He was allowed to go afterwards, the official added. -- PTI
22:44 Heavy to very heavy rain in 6 Maha dists tomorrow
The Met department on Wednesday evening forecast heavy to very heavy rains in six districts of Maharashtra, issuing an 'orange alert'.
Mumbai, which was lashed by rains during the day, will witness relatively less intense showers on Thursday, the India meteorological department said in a release.
It issued an orange alert for the districts of Thane, Raigad, Palghar (all three adjoining Mumbai), Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Nashik, indicating the likelihood of heavy to very rainfall at a few places.
Mumbai is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall only at isolated places on Thursday. the IMD said, issuing a yellow alert for the city. -- PTI
22:31 Two men sentenced to death for raping, killing 5-year-old girl in West Bengal
Two men were sentenced to death by a special court in West Bengal's Jhargram district on Wednesday for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl.
Judge Chinmay Chattopadhyay of the special POCSO court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the two convicts.
The girl went missing from her home in Nayagram police station area on November 4, 2021, following which her family lodged a police complaint, Special Public Prosecutor Subhasish Dwivedi said.
During the course of the investigation, the police arrested her neighbouring, who led him to the other accused.
During interrogation, they pointed the investigators to the body of the girl, who was buried in a paddy field. The post-mortem examination confirmed that the girl was raped and then killed, Dwivedi said. -- PTI
22:18 Govt puts off TCS on overseas spends for 3 months
The government on Wednesday said that overseas spending using international credit cards will not be included under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme and hence, would not attract TCS.
Also, the implementation of a higher rate of tax collected at source of 20 per cent on overseas remittances under LRS, like tour expenses, has been deferred by three months and will come into effect from October 1.
However, Credit card spending overseas will not attract TCS from October 1.
The higher TCS rate will be applicable only when the LRS payments exceed the threshold of Rs 7 lakh.
The government, in Finance Bill 2023, had increased the rate of TCS from 5 per cent to 20 per cent for remittance under LRS as well as for the purchase of overseas tour programme packages and removed the threshold of Rs 7 lakh for triggering TCS on LRS.
These two changes were not applicable when the remittance is for education or medical purpose.
These amendments were to take effect from July 1, 2023. -- PTI
21:35 Authorities review medical care arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims
Authorities on Wednesday reviewed medical care arrangements made at various locations in Kathua and Samba districts, en route to Jammu for the Amarnath pilgrims, an official spokesperson said.
Director of Jammu Health Services Rajeev Kumar Sharma along with his deputy Sanjay Sharma and nodal officer Vijay Sharma visited the medical aid centres set up at different places in the twin districts to oversee the preparedness and facilities being made available for the pilgrims, the spokesperson said.
The annual 62-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas is scheduled to start on July 1.
The first batch of pilgrims are leaving for the valley from Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar base camp on June 30. At Kathua's Lakhanpur, the entry point of Jammu and Kashmir bordering Punjab, the director took a detailed review of necessary arrangements including signages needed for smooth medical facilities for the yatris.
He visited the Amarnath Yatra reception centre and medical aid centre, where he inspected the OPD stalls, interacted with the staff and enquired about the status of logistics. -- PTI
21:04 Kerala actor Prithviraj discharged from hospital after successful surgery
Kerala actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who was injured during a film shoot and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi, was discharged from the facility on Wednesday.
In a statement, the hospital said that during the surgical procedure, Prithviraj received treatment for the reconstruction and repair of cartilage, cruciate ligament, and meniscus injuries.
"Dr Jacob Varghese, director of orthopaedics and head of joint preservation at VPS Lakeshore, led the successful surgery. Following the surgery, he (Prithviraj) underwent a comprehensive physiotherapy regimen to aid in his recovery," VPS Lakeshore Hospital said in the statement.
Dr Varghese said that with proper care and therapy, Prithviraj is expected to make a full recovery within the next few months.
The actor got injured while shooting an action sequence for the movie titled Vilayath Buddha at Marayoor in Idukki district on Sunday afternoon. -- PTI
20:56 Many die as Rath catches fire in Tripura procession
Six people died and 15 others were injured as a Rath caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension wire in Tripura's Unakoti district on Wednesday, the police said.
The incident happened around 4.30 pm in Kumarghat area during the 'Ulta Rath Yatra' festival of Lord Jagannath, they said.
During this festival, the sibling deities -- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhdara and Lord Jagannath -- return to their abode, a week after Rath Yatra.
Thousands of people were pulling the Rath, made of iron, when it came in contact with a 133 kv overhead cable, the police said.
Six people died on the spot and 15 others received burn injuries, assistant inspector general (law & order) Jyotishman Das Chowdhury told PTI.
The injured were undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, he said.
Their conditions were stated to be critical, officials said. Chief Minister Manik Saha condoled the deaths. -- PTI
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20:15 Chandrayaan-3 launch scheduled for July 13: Officials
The launch of Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for July 13 at 2:30 pm, officials said on Wednesday.
This is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
It has a lander and rover configuration.
Chandrayaan-3 will be launched by the Launch Vehicle Mark-III from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and this is scheduled for July 13 at 2:30 pm, according to the officials.
The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit.
It has a Spectro-Polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth payload to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. -- PTI
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20:12 Rafales to take part in Paris Bastille Day parade
Three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will take part in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 14, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this year's Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour.
A tri-services contingent is also set to participate in the parade along with their French counterparts.
India procured 36 Rafale jets from France under an inter-governmental framework.
The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.
The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. In August last year, a French Air and Space Force contingent, including three Rafale jets, made a strategically crucial stopover at the IAF's Sulur base in Tamil Nadu as part of a mega military operation it carried out in the Pacific Ocean.
19:44 Nepal President Paudel discharged from hospital after cardiac treatment
Nepal's President Ram Chandra Paudel, who recently underwent treatment related to a heart condition, was discharged from the hospital in Kathmandu on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by his office.
Paudel, 78, was undergoing treatment related to the heart at the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre since June 17 after experiencing health complications.
"President Paudel has been discharged from the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre on Wednesday. He has returned to the President's residence," the statement from the president's office said.
According to the doctors involved in his treatment, the president's health condition is now normal. Paudel was airlifted to India on April 19 for treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
He returned to Nepal following his successful treatment for a chest-related ailment at the AIIMS. -- PTI
Gujarat ex-CM Shankersinh Vaghela meets SP chief Akhilesh Yadav/SP on Twitter
19:31 Former Gujarat CM Shankersinh Vaghela meets Akhilesh Yadav
Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Wednesday.
The Samajwadi Party tweeted a picture of the meeting, which took place at the Gyaneshwar Mishra Trust office, and called it a "courtesy meeting".
Talking to PTI, Vaghela said, "I had known Mulayam Singh Yadav for years. It is natural that I have good terms with (his son) Akhilesh...I have come to meet him and will let you know whatever transpires in the meeting."
In his long political career, Vaghela has been associated with several parties, including the BJP and the Congress. -- PTI
19:16 2nd NEET student dies by suicide in Kota in 24 hrs
The body of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant was found hanging in his hostel room in this Rajasthan city, police said on Wednesday.
This is the second suicide by a coaching student here in the span of 24 hours.
Circle inspector at Vigyan Nagar police station Devesh Bhardwaj said the teen was identified as Aditya Seth, a resident of Jaunpur city in Uttar Pradesh. was found hanging in his PG room in Sector - 2 of the area on Tuesday night.
A class 11th student, Seth was preparing for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test in a coaching institute for the last two months and living in a PG room, he said.
The police also recovered a suicide note from his PG room, wherein, the deceased claimed that he ended his life out of his own wish and that no one else was responsible for his action, Bhardwaj added.
Seth's parents, who reached Kota early Wednesday morning, told the media that Aditya was good at studies, adding that he would speak to them over the phone on a daily basis, but never shared that he was distressed.
His elder brother, who is now an engineer, also studied in Kota, they said. -- PTI
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19:02 16 students detained for ruckus inside Rajasthan University
Sixteen students were detained on Wednesday for creating a ruckus inside the Rajasthan University in Jaipur during its syndicate meeting.
The police used mild force to disperse the protesting students, a police official said.
According to police, the protesters gathered outside the VC secretariat during the syndicate meeting and accused the university administration of not acting in the interest of students.
Nine members of the National Students Union of India and seven members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad were detained, they said.
The agitating students have been assured that they would be allowed to give their representations after the syndicate meeting is over, deputy commissioner of police (east) Gyan Chand Yadav said. -- PTI
18:58 Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar shot at in UP
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was shot at by unidentified assailants in Deoband on Wednesday, the police said.
He had gone to attend a terhavi ritual at a supporter's home.
The attack occurred when Azad left the spot in his SUV.
"The assailants were in a car and opened fire on Azad's SUV from the right side. A bullet grazed his abdomen. He has been admitted to a hospital," superintendent of police (city) Abimanyu Manglik said.
The police sources said the assailants sped away from the spot following the attack.
Police are investigating the matter. -- PTI
18:42 Aurangzeb Lane renamed APJ Abdul Kalam Lane
The Aurangzeb Lane in Lutyens' Delhi has been renamed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane, New Delhi Municipal Council officials announced on Wednesday.
The NDMC approved the renaming of the road in a meeting of its members.
The NDMC had in August 2015 changed the name of Aurangzeb Road to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road.
The Aurangzeb Lane connects the Abdul Kalam Road with Prithvi Raj Road.
"An agenda item is placed before the Council to consider renaming 'Aurangzeb Lane' under the NDMC area as 'Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Lane' in terms of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 231 of the New Delhi Municipal Act, 1994," NDMC Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyaya said.
"The Council has approved the renaming of Aurangzeb Lane as Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam Lane," he added. -- PTI
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18:13 Goa beaches shut for monsoon, but tourists can still be seen
The onset of monsoon in Goa has prompted authorities to close the beaches for any kind of activities, but tourists still flock to the seafronts, though in lesser numbers.
Beach shacks were dismantled in the last week of May, while water sports activities were also closed by the State Tourism Department.
Tourists, however, have continued visiting the beaches, though in a lesser number.
"Hardly 20 per cent of tourists arrive here during the monsoon. There is no activity happening here. Warnings are also issued against swimming in the sea due to high waves," said Abdul Shaikh, a tourist taxi operator from Colva Beach in South Goa.
He said that the tourist season has almost closed down with no business for taxi operators.
At Colva Beach, tourists were seen enjoying the rain on Wednesday, while the private lifeguard agency engaged by the state government deployed its manpower to the fullest to ensure that there were no untoward incidents.
Kanwaljeet Singh from Ambala in Haryana who is in Goa with his friends Tejinder Singh and Surinder Singh said this is the best time to visit the coastal state. -- PTI
17:55 TN court extends judicial custody of minister Senthil Balaji till July 12
A court in Chennai on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji, who was arrested in a money laundering case, till July 12.
The minister appeared before principal sessions court judge S Alli through video conference from Kauvery hospital.
The judge, who enquired about the health of the minister, extended the custody of Senthil Balaji till July 12.
On June 14, minister Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Later, he was admitted to Omandurar government hospital in Chennai after he complained of uneasiness and chest pain during investigation.
The principal sessions court judge, who visited Senthil Balaji in the hospital, ordered him to be remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. -- PTI
17:34 Threat calls to Gadkari: Police to file chargesheet
The Nagpur police will file the chargesheet in a case registered under anti-terror law UAPA in connection with threatening phone calls made to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, a senior police official said on Wednesday.
A special NIA court in Nagpur on Monday accepted the request of the city police seeking 50 more days to file the chargesheet after the case could not be transferred to the National Investigation Agency, he said.
The NIA tried to transfer the case, registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, at the Dhantoli police station in Nagpur, and filed applications before special NIA courts in Bangalore and Nagpur, the official said.
However, both courts rejected the applications and directed the federal agency to approach the Supreme Court, according to a senior police official.
The NIA is yet to file the application with the Apex court, leaving the UAPA case in the hands of the city police, said the official.
The prime accused in the case has been identified as murder-convict Jayesh Pujari, alias Kantha, who was already behind bars.
He was taken into custody by the Nagpur police from a jail in Karnataka.
Following the registration of the case here, the Union ministry of home affairs issued a notification instructing the NIA to investigate the matter.
The offence was initially registered in Bangalore, and the NIA's Mumbai unit was told to handle the investigation. -- PTI
MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
16:57 Madhya Pradesh govt to open new medical colleges in six districts
Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to open new medical colleges in six districts namely Khargone, Dhar, Bhind, Balaghat, Tikamgarh and Sidhi.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held at Mantralaya in the state capital.
After the meeting, State Home Minister Narottam Mishra briefed mediapersons about the various decisions taken by the council of ministers.
"During the meeting, the cabinet approved the proposal to open new medical colleges in six districts of the state which include, Khargone, Dhar, Bhind, Balaghat, Tikamgarh and Sidhi. The council of ministers also approved the proposal of Rs 1335.20 crore for the construction of 33 new innovative CM Rise schools," Mishra said.
The cabinet also extended the date for transfers of employees and officers within the districts from June 30 to till July 7, he added.
The home minister further said that the council of ministers approved Rs 24000 crores for electricity subsidy. Exemption in destitute fee for procurement of summer moong and urad crops on minimum support price.
Besides, the cabinet approved Rs 1700 crore for two years in the fourth phase of Chief Minister's Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme.
Rs 190 crore approved for Seep Amber Complex Irrigation Project Phase 2 in Sehore's Bherunda. -- ANI
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16:28 Congress-affiliated DU teachers to boycott Modi's Jun 30 visit
A section of teachers affiliated with the Congress on Wednesday announced they will boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Delhi University on June 30 over his "silence" on the Manipur issue.
Prime Minister Modi will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the Delhi University's centenary celebrations on Friday.
In a statement, the Indian National Teachers' Congress said PM Modi has not uttered a single word on Manipur which has witnessed on and off violence for close to two months now.
"The INTEC has decided to boycott the Prime Minister's visit to protest against the apathetic attitude of the Indian government towards the Manipur crises and problems of teachers and students of the University of Delhi," the group said.
Many students and teachers from Manipur are mentally disturbed by the ongoing crisis and the DU administration is watching as a silent spectator like others, the group alleged. -- PTI
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16:23 Bakrid: Muslims asked to offer namaz in Joshimath
The police have asked Muslims in Badrinath to celebrate Bakrid in Joshimath, about 40 km away from the temple town.
The minority community residing in Badrinath mostly consists of migrant labourers working on reconstruction projects at the Himalayan temple.
"A meeting with members of the minority community, priests and contractors engaged in the projects was held on Tuesday. It was collectively decided that the 'namaz' of Bakrid will be offered in Joshimath and not in Badrinath," KC Bhatt, SHO, Badrinath police station told PTI on Wednesday.
No one has any objection to offering of namaz on the occasion of Bakrid outside the temple town in reverence to it, he said.
Badrinath is one of the major Char Dham destinations.
Talking to PTI, Badrish Panda panchayat president Praveen Dhyani said people of all communities agreed at the meeting held at the Badrinath police station to maintain the dignity of the town. -- PTI
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15:45 Train traffic disrupted in MP due to soil erosion after heavy rains
Train movement was disrupted on Itarsi-Jabalpur rail section in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday due to soil erosion in the area following heavy rains, an official said.
Rail traffic was stopped after information was received at around 10 am from a trackman about soil erosion under a bridge located on the Balu river between Narsinghpur and Kareli stations, Jabalpur railway division's senior commercial manager Vishwa Ranjan said.
Five long distance trains coming from Mumbai, Pune and other places were diverted to Itarsi-Bhopal route, he said. Rani Kamalapati Station (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Intercity train was terminated at Gadarwara station (Narsinghpur district), the official said.
"Train movement was disrupted on the down line on Itarsi-Jabalpur section following heavy rainfall, which caused soil erosion under the bridge," Ranjan said. -- PTI
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15:29 Baby elephant dead two weeks after being abandoned by its herd in Kerala
A baby elephant that was abandoned by its herd, including its mother, in Kerala's Attapadi forest range nearly two weeks ago, died on Tuesday night.
A forest officer on Wednesday said the exact cause of death of the one-year-old calf was not known yet as the report of the post mortem examination completed by afternoon would take time to be available.
However, veterinary doctors who were taking care of the calf for the past two weeks are of the view that it was suffering from some sort of infection, which may have resulted in the tragic outcome, the officer said.
"The calf was under our care. Day before yesterday it was fine. Thereafter, it showed some weakness and we took it for treatment. After that it appeared to be fine. But on Tuesday afternoon, it again showed signs of weakness. All possible treatment was given to it, but it died," he said.
"It probably had problems since birth, which may have been the reason for it being abandoned by its herd," he added. -- PTI
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15:09 Heavy rains lash Mumbai, man killed in treefall
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai on Wednesday and a man died after a tree fell in suburban Malad, officials said. In the last 24 hours, there were 26 incidents of tree fall, 15 of short-circuit, and five incidents of collapse/partial collapse of houses in Mumbai, as per the civic body.
The India meteorological department has predicted more showers, with moderate to intense rain spells in isolated places.
There was no report of any major water-logging in low-lying areas, according to officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Suburban trains on the Central Railway and Western Railway routes were running normally, though they were delayed by a few minutes, as per railway officials.
A 38-year-old man, identified as Kaushal Doshi, received injuries in a tree fall incident at Mamledarwadi junction in the western suburb of Malad, a civic official said.
He was rushed to the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital where doctors declared him "brought dead', the official said.
The island city, eastern and western suburbs received 12.44 mm, 42.41 mm and 40.46 mm rainfall respectively between 8 am to 12 noon on Wednesday, as per civic officials. -- PTI
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14:57 Sensex breaches 64K-mark in intra-day trade
Benchmark equity indices hit their record high levels on Wednesday, with the Sensex hitting the record 64,000 mark and the Nifty scaling the 19,000 mount amid a rally in the US and European markets and fresh foreign fund inflows.
Buying in market heavyweight stocks like Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank also aided the positive momentum.
Extending its previous day's rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 621.07 points to hit its all-time high of 64,037.10 during afternoon trade.
The NSE Nifty climbed 193.85 points to reach its lifetime peak of 19,011.25.
"Nifty made a new all-time high on June 28, triggered by buying from institutions and retail/HNI segments. Improving US economic data and hints from China about fresh stimulus measures have helped improve sentiments," said Dhiraj Relli, MD & CEO, HDFC Securities Ltd.
From the Sensex pack, NTPC, Tata Motors, Titan, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, HDFC Bank and Power Grid were among the major gainers. Wipro and Tech Mahindra were the laggards. -- PTI
14:49 ED summons TMCP state president Saayoni Ghosh in jobs scam
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued a summons to the state president of Trinamool Congress Chatra Parishad, Saayoni Ghosh, in connection with the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in the school recruitment scam, an official said.
Ghosh has been asked to appear before ED officers at their city office at 11am on June 30, he added.
"Ghosh's name has surfaced multiple times while questioning those arrested in the case. We have evidence about Ghosh's involvement in several dealings with one accused arrested in this scam. We have asked her (Ghosh) to bring a few specific documents on Friday," he said.
Earlier this month, the ED had summoned Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with the same scam.
Former Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, his close friend Arpita Mukherjee and several senior officials of the education department have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the scam. -- PTI
Rana Daggubati
14:06 ZEE5's new Telugu original 'Maya Bazaar for Sale' to debut in July
Streamer ZEE5 on Wednesday announced new Telugu show Maya Bazaar for Sale, a satirical drama revolving around families in a premium gated community.
The seven-episode show, which will debut on ZEE5 on July 14, is developed in association with actor Rana Daggubati's production banner Spirit Media.
It hails from writer and director Gautami Challagulla and is produced by Rajeev Ranjan.
The series features an ensemble cast of Navdeep Pallapolu, Eesha Rebba, Naresh Vijaya Krishna, Hari Teja, Jhansi Laxmi, Meiyang Chang, Sunaina and Kota Srinivas Rao among others.
Maya Bazaar for Sale chronicles the story of families, namely, the Pastry's, Gandhi's, the Hippies, the Bachelors and the Lovey-Dovey couple who move into premium villas in a gated community called Maya Bazaar', a press release stated.
"Their expectations of a prime and peaceful lifestyle are bulldozed by the government's declaration of the construction as illegal. Maya Bazaar for Sale envelopes the events that follow in the personal lives and the community living of the characters post this tragedy," the official plotline read.
Manish Kalra, chief business officer at ZEE5, said the show presents a yet another interesting narrative to the audience. -- PTI
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13:52 Maha to rename Bandra Sea Link after Savarkar
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday gave nod to rename the Versova-Bandra Sea Link after Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The decisions were taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The cabinet gave its nod for a proposal to rename the upcoming Versova-Bandra Sea Link after Savarkar and also decided to rename the MTHL as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Shivdi Nhava Sheva Atal Setu.
Shinde last month said the Versova-Bandra Sea Link will be named after Savarkar.
The upcoming 17-km sea link will connect Andheri to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link as part of the coastal road. -- PTI
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13:44 Heavy rains lash Kolkata, normal life hit
Heavy rain lashed Kolkata and its adjoining places on Wednesday affecting normal life and causing traffic snarls during morning office hours as the Met department forecast more heavy downpour in various areas in south and north Bengal.
Diamond Harbour recorded the maximum rainfall in the state at 214.3 mm, while Canning received 58.4 mm of rain during 24 hours till 8.30 am on Wednesday.
Both towns are in South 24 Parganas district of the state.
Kolkata received 40.4 mm of rain as the incessant downpour caused traffic snarls in the city and waterlogging in many areas during the morning hours.
Some schools declared a holiday owing to the situation as people had a tough time reaching their destination owing to less number of public transport available.
The Met department forecast heavy rain in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas till Thursday morning.
The weather office forecast heavy rain in the sub-Himalayan districts of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar for the next two days. -- PTI
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13:35 School bus catches fire in Maha's Palghar; students escape unhurt
Five school children travelling in a bus had a narrow escape after the vehicle caught fire in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Wednesday morning, fire officials said.
The incident took place at around 6.45 am near a college in Virar area, fireman Tejas Patil from Bolinj fire station said.
The bus, carrying five students, was on way to the school when it suddenly caught fire, following which its driver and conductor acted swiftly and helped the children come out of the vehicle, he said.
After being alerted, a team of four firemen rushed to the spot and it took them more than half-an-hour to put out the blaze, the official said.
The bus was completely damaged, he said.
A short-circuit was suspected to be the cause of the fire, the official said. -- PTI
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose
13:18 Governor shown black flag by TMCP at North Bengal University campus
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose was shown black flag by members of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the Trinamool Congress, when his convoy was entering the campus of the University of North Bengal in Siliguri on Wednesday.
The TMCP members also shouted "Go back" slogans.
They alleged that Bose was "running a parallel administration" from the Raj Bhavan and hence they were protesting his visit.
"We are not ready to allow this governor to hold today's meeting as he is not ready to accept an elected government. How can he do this? He is trying to run a parallel administration from the Raj Bhavan. He is also keeping the government in the dark while appointing the VCs.. this cannot go on," a student said.
Bose was entering the university campus when the TMCP members managed to show him black flag and also placards with "Go Back" written despite huge police deployment at the venue.
When contacted a senior police officer said that though nobody was detained or arrested in connection with the matter but "we are looking into the matter." -- PTI
12:53 Mumbai civic body to impose water cut from July 1
With the level of lakes supplying water to Mumbai going down due to inadequate rainfall in their catchment areas, the city civic body has decided to impose a 10 per cent water cut in Mumbai starting from Saturday, officials said.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has also appealed to citizens to save water and use it judiciously.
The southwest monsoon covered Mumbai on Sunday, its entry into the financial capital being two weeks.
Chahal told PTI on Wednesday that the BMC has decided to implement 10 water cut in Mumbai from July 1, as the stock in lakes supplying water to the city is about seven per cent.
Mumbai receives 3,800 millions of litres per day water from seven reservoirs namely Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi, located in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik districts.
According to a BMC report, the seven lakes had 7.26 per cent stock at 6 am on Wednesday. -- PTI
12:46 4 minors among 5 killed, many injured as truck falls into river in MP
Four minors and a woman were killed and many others injured when a truck in which they were travelling overturned and fell into a river in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on Wednesday, state home minister Narottam Mishra said.
The accident took place in the wee hours near Buhara village in Datia district when some people from Gwalior were going to Jatara in Tikamgarh district for a marriage ceremony, Mishra told reporters.
The truck carrying the people, belonging to Khatik community, overturned and fell into the Buhara river, he said. A 65-year-old woman, a boy aged 15 and three other children were killed in the accident, he said. Many others were injured.
Most of them were rescued and undergoing treatment in hospital, the minister said.
Rescue operation was underway at the spot, he added. -- PTI
12:09 Father of bride killed by neighbour on wedding eve in Kerala
In a tragic incident, the father of a bride was killed near Kallambalam in Thiruvananthapuram allegedly by their neighbour on the eve of her wedding, the police said on Wednesday.
Raju (61) was allegedly killed by his neighbour Jishnu whose family had come with a marriage proposal for his daughter two years ago but the same was rejected by the victim.
As the decorations for the marriage, which was to take place at Sivagiri in Thiruvananthapuram at 11.10 am, were being removed, the victim's cousin brother told media that the accused, his brother Jijin and their two friends attacked the bride's family after the wedding eve festivities got over and all the guests had left.
"They first came and attacked the bride and when her mother tried to stop them, she too was assaulted. That is when my brother intervened to stop them, but they brutally assaulted him and hit him on the head with a hand shovel," the relative of the deceased said. -- PTI
Amit Malviya/Twitter
11:39 BJP's Amit Malviya booked over tweet against Rahul
The Karnataka police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell chief Amit Malviya over his tweet against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Bengaluru's High Grounds police registered the case against Malviya under Sections 153A 120b 505(2) and 34 of the IPC following complaint by Congress leader Ramesh Babu.
More details soon. -- ANI
11:13 ED arrests IRS officer in money laundering case in Mumbai
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested an IRS officer, working as an additional commissioner of Customs and GST, in connection with a money laundering investigation, official sources said.
Sachin Sawant, who earlier worked with the federal agency at its Mumbai zonal office as a deputy director, was taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the agency launched raids at his premises in Mumbai and some others on Tuesday.
The officer, as per the sources, was posted in Lucknow.
The money laundering case against the Indian Revenue Service officer stems from a CBI FIR that was filed against him on charges of alleged possession of disproportionate assets. -- PTI
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11:04 Maha: Neighbours object to man bringing goat to his house
A section of residents of a housing complex in Maharashtra's Thane district objected to a man bringing a goat to his house ahead of Bakrid, police said on Wednesday.
The police rushed to the housing society located in Bhayander area following the incident on Tuesday evening. They held discussions with the residents and pacified them, a station house officer (SHO) at Mira Road police station told PTI.
A video of the incident went viral on social media platforms in which some people were seen shouting and preventing the man from taking the goat to his house.
The police official said the man informs the police every year in advance about the procedure of bringing a goat to his house ahead of Bakrid as he has no other place to keep it.
"The man takes the goat away the next day and the animal is not slaughtered at his residence," the official said.
The man has now been told to take the animal out of his house in the presence of police, he said.
No formal complaint has been received in this connection and no offence registered, the official said.
11:03 Uniform Civil Code can't be forced: Chidambaram
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Congress leader P Chidambaram said it cannot be forced on people by an "agenda-driven majoritarian government" as it will "widen divisions" among people.
The former Union minister claimed the prime minister was batting for UCC to divert people's attention from issues of unemployment, price rise and hate crimes. He also alleged the BJP was using UCC to polarise the society.
"The Hon'ble PM is making it appear that UCC is a simple exercise. He should read the report of the last Law Commission that pointed out it was not feasible at this time.
"The nation is divided today owing to the words and deeds of the BJP. A UCC imposed on the people will only widen the divisions," Chidambaram said.
Noting that a Uniform Civil Code is an aspiration, the senior Congress leader said, "It cannot be forced on the people by an agenda-driven majoritarian government."
"The Hon'ble PM's strong pitch for UCC is intended to divert attention from inflation, unemployment, hate crimes, discrimination and denying states' rights. The people must be vigilant," he said on Twitter.
Chidambaram alleged that having failed in good governance, the BJP was deploying the UCC to polarise the electorate and attempt to win the next elections.
"The PM has equated a nation to a family while pitching for UCC. While in an abstract sense his comparison may appear true, the reality is very different. A family is knit together by blood relationships. A nation is brought together by a Constitution which is a political-legal document.
"Even in a family there is diversity. The Constitution of India recognised diversity and plurality among the people of India," he said in the tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a strong push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asking how can the country function with dual laws that govern personal matters, and accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to "mislead and provoke" the Muslim community.
The UCC has been one of the three key poll planks of the BJP for a long time with the other being the abrogation of Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
UCC refers to a common set of laws that are applicable to all the citizens of India that is not based on religion and dealing with marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption among other personal matters.
The Law Commission had on June 14 initiated a fresh consultation process on UCC by seeking views from stakeholders, including public and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue. -- PTI
10:13 Sensex, Nifty touch all-time high levels in early trade
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty hit their record high levels in early trade on Wednesday amid a rally in the United States markets and fresh foreign fund inflows.
Buying in market heavyweight stocks like Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank also added to the positive momentum.
Extending its previous day's rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex advanced 299.97 points to hit its all-time high of 63,716 in early trade. The NSE Nifty climbed 90.75 points to reach its lifetime peak of 18,908.15.
From the Sensex pack, Titan, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, ITC, Larsen & Toubro, IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel and Infosys were among the major gainers.
Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HCL Technologies, Power Grid and NTPC were the laggards.
In Asian markets, Tokyo quoted in the green while Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading lower.
The US markets ended significantly higher on Tuesday.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.61 per cent to USD 72.70 a barrel. -- PTI
09:41 IIT Bombay breaks into top 150 in QS world ranking
The Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai has achieved a great milestone by coming into the world's top 150 universities in the latest edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking released on Wednesday, an official statement of IIT Bombay said.
QS Founder and CEO, Nunzio Quacquarelli also congratulated IIT Bombay for securing its highest rank ever and said that they've ranked 2900 institutions for this year's ranking system and there are 45 Indian universities that are appearing in the rankings.
The QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings that comprises the global overall and subject rankings.
Earlier, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore achieved its highest rank in 2016 with a ranking of 147.
According to the official statement, IIT Bombay has been ranked 1st in India and has moved significantly up from 177th rank last year to 149th rank this year in the QS World University Rankings, with an overall score of 51.7 out of 100. It is for the first time ever since its participation that IIT Bombay has been ranked within the top 150 in QS rankings. Overall, the Institution improved its 2023 performance by 23 places.
This year for the first time 45 Indian Institutions got ranked in QS World University Ranking.
The statement said that there were nine parameters in QS ranking, among which the Employer Reputation indicated the strongest one for IIT Bombay with a rank of 69 globally.
"The Institute has a score of 81.9 in employer reputation, 73.1 in citation per faculty, 55.5 in academic reputation, 47.4 in employment outcome, 54.9 in sustainability, 18.9 in faculty-student ratio, 4.7 in international faculty, 8.5 in international research network and 1.4 in international students, all scores out of a maximum of 100 points. Among these nine parameters, the Employer Reputation indicated the strongest one for IIT Bombay with a rank of 69 globally," it said.
Highlighting the performances of Indian Universities, QS Chief said that they have rated 2900 institutions for this year's ranking and there are 45 universities appearing in the ranking which is a 297% increase over the last nine years.
"I am delighted that we are launching the 20th edition of the QS world university rankings and I would like to congratulate Indian universities for improving performance. We have ranked or we have rated 2900 institutions for this year's ranking system and there are 45 Indian universities that are appearing in the ranking, which is a 297% increase over the last nine years," he said.
09:29 Goa witnesses heavy rains, IMD issues 'yellow' alert for coastal state
Heavy rains lashed parts of Goa in the last 24 hours and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'yellow' alert for the coastal state till Thursday, forecasting heavy showers at isolated places.
Several parts of Goa's capital Panaji, including the low-lying 18th June Road and Mala area, were inundated on Tuesday night due to incessant rains.
The flood waters receded by Wednesday morning.
The incessant rains and blocked drains had led to inundation, a senior official of the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) said on Tuesday.
CCP officials worked through the night to ensure clearing of the choked drains.
Incessant rains have been lashing Goa since the weekend, ending a long dry spell.
As per the IMD's website, heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places in the state till Thursday.
The IMD has issued a 'yellow' alert till Thursday, and a 'green' alert further for the coastal state.
It uses four colour codes for weather warnings 'green' (no action needed), 'yellow' (watch and stay updated), 'orange' (be prepared) and 'red' (take action)
.
The IMD has forecast squally weather with wind speed of 40-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph along and off the south Maharashtra-Goa coast till July 1.
It has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the south Maharashtra-Goa coast during the period.
As per IMD's weather bulletin issued on Tuesday evening, Goa has so far received 365.4 mm rainfall this season, much below the normal average of 803.3 mm.
The state has been witnessing heavy downpour since the last weekend, reducing the "monsoon deficiency" for the current month from 70 per cent to 54 per cent till Tuesday, the bulletin said. -- PTI
08:43 Rahul Gandhi meets motorcycle mechanics in Delhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday visited motorcycle mechanics' workshops in Delhi's Karol Bagh.
The former Lok Sabha MP posted pictures of his visit on Facebook, with the caption, "Learning from the hands that turn the wrenches, and keep the wheels of Bharat moving."
Gandhi was seen sitting alongside the mechanics in the workshop and interacting with them.
"These hands make India. Grease on these clothes is our pride and dignity. Only a people's hero works to encourage them. @RahulGandhi with bike mechanics in Delhi's Karol Bagh. 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' continues..." the Indian National Congress said in a tweet in Hindi.
Earlier this month, during his six-day tour to the US, Gandhi rode in a truck from Washington DC to New York with a Punjabi truck driver.
A month ago, he took a late-night truck ride and travelled from Delhi to Chandigarh with a Punjabi driver to understand their lives, experiences, and daily hardships.
Earlier on May 10, he went to Delhi University's PG Men's Hostel at lunchtime and ate food with them. -- ANI
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00:40 Several parts of Panaji flooded as rains lash city
Several parts of Panaji, Goa's capital city, were flooded on Tuesday night due to incessant rains.
The low-lying 18th June Road and Mala area were among the areas where severe waterlogging was reported, said a senior official of the Corporation of City of Panaji.
CCP workers were seen clearing drains blocked with garbage at night.
The incessant rains and blocked drains led to inundation, said the official.
Property was damaged at a few places but the situation would become clear only in the morning, he said.
Water gushed into several shops along the 18th June Road, one of the main commercial streets in the city.
Goa has been receiving rains since last weekend. -- PTI
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00:35 Madgaon-Mumbai Vande Bharat completes inaugural run in 10.15 hrs
The Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train completed its inaugural run on Tuesday night, covering a distance of nearly 600km between the two destinations in 10.15 hours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the semi high-speed train from Bhopal at 10.50 am, giving Goa its first Vande Bharat Express.
The train departed a few minutes later at 11.05 am from platform number 1 of Madgaon station and reached Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 9.20 pm, covering a distance of 586 km in 10.15 hours.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and some other dignitaries were present at Mumbai CSMT to welcome the train.
Its regular services will start from Wednesday (June 28).
At its every halt, the train on the picturesque Konkan Railway route was welcomed by the sound of drum beats with people showering flowers on it and shouting slogans.
According to the Central Railway, the Mumbai-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express (22229/22230) will be operated three times a week during the monsoon months given the difficult terrain and speed curbs on the Konkan route
It will run on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Mumbai and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Madgaon during the rainy season, said CR.
The train will run six days a week, expect on Friday, during non-monsoon months. -- PTI
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00:29 UP bans meat sale in open on Kanwar Yatra routes
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to prohibit sale of meat in the open along the routes fixed for kanwar yatra, which will commence from July 4.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued the directions in this regard while chairing a review meeting with senior officials, including police commissioners, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and superintendents of police, ahead of the upcoming festival season, an official statement said.
Adityanath said that this year due to "Adhimas" (additional month), the month of Shravan is of two months duration.
The festivals of Shravani Shivratri, Nagpanchami and Rakshabandhan will be celebrated during this period, he said.
"The traditional Kanwar Yatra will take place in the holy month of Shravan starting from July 4. Before this, Bakri Eid will be celebrated on June 29. It is clear that this time is sensitive from the point of view of law and order. So, we have to be constantly alert and careful." he said.
"Respecting the belief of devotees, meat should not be allowed to be sold in the open on the Kanwar route. The route should remain clean and sanitised. There should be provision of streetlights. Since the weather is hot, arrangements of drinking water should also be made," the CM said.
According to the statement, Adityanath asked the officials to install CCTV cameras on the yatra route and also deploy divers.
The places for setting up of kanwar camps should be marked in advance so that traffic is not obstructed, he ordered.
The chief minister also directed for ensuring that the sound of DJ, music, etc to be used during kanwar procession is as per the prescribed standards.
"Give permission to the organisers of the event. But ensure that everyone follows the rules and regulations," he said. -- PTI
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