LIVE! Jolt to AAP, 5 party councillors join BJP in Delhi

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Sun, 25 August 2024

Jolt to AAP, 5 party councillors join BJP in Delhi

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21:32 Authorities demolish house of rape accused in MP's Chhindwara

The local administration demolished the house of a man accused of raping a woman in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district, citing that the structure was constructed illegally on government land, an official said on Sunday.

The house of the accused, Mohammed Nafees, was demolished on Saturday, said additional superintendent of police Avdhesh Pratap Singh.

The accused, a resident of Meghdaun village under Chand police station limits, was arrested for allegedly raping a 34-year-old woman on August 11, he said.

Singh said the accused had also allegedly circulated objectionable pictures of the victim on social media and threatened her.

Chourai's sub-divisional magistrate Prabhat Mishra said they had received a complaint that the accused's house was on government land.

A probe revealed that the house was constructed illegally on 1080 sq ft of government land, and notices were served to the accused, he said.

He said since there was no response to the notices, the illegal structure was removed on Saturday. -- PTI

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva with 5 AAP councillors, who joined the saffron party/Courtesy BJP Delhi on X

21:07 Jolt to AAP, 5 party councillors join BJP in Delhi

In a setback for the Aam Aadmi Party, five of its councillors in Delhi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva welcomed them into the party.

Sachdeva stated that the councillors left AAP due to the party's corruption and its failure to contribute to Delhi's development.

"AAP's corruption and lack of action are the reasons these five individuals have joined the BJP. They all share a common intention: to contribute to the development of Delhi, guided by PM Modi's vision, and to work for the welfare of the people. We welcome such individuals," Sachdeva said.

The five AAP councillors who have joined the BJP are Ram Chandra, Pawan Sehrawat, Manju Nirmal, Sughandha Bidhuri, and Mamta Pawan.

In July this year, AAP MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar and former MLA Raj Kumar Anand also joined the BJP.

Anand, a member of the Dalit community, was a minister in the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

He quit the party over corruption issues after the AAP's convener was arrested in the excise case. -- ANI

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20:44 4 IEDs found in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum during anti-Maoist operations

Four powerful IEDs were found on Sunday during an anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, the police said.

The seizure was made during a combing operation launched jointly by Central Reserve Police Force, Jharkhand Jaguar and district armed police in Maoist-affected forest areas near villages such as Jimki Ekir, Murumbura and Hussipi bordering the Tonto and Goilkera police stations areas, superintendent of police Ashutosh Shekhar said.

The IEDs weighing 5 kg each were defused by the bomb disposal squad on the spot, he said.

Combing operations were underway till late in the evening, he added.

The IEDs were planted by Maoists to target security forces, the SP said. -- PTI

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20:26 Boiler blast in Maha steel factory: One of 22 injured workers dies in hospital

One of the 22 workers injured in a boiler blast in a steel factory in Jalna in Maharashtra succumbed to burn wounds at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday, an official said.

The blast took place in Gaj Kesari Steel Factory in Jalna's MIDC area on Saturday afternoon, leaving 22 workers injured, including seven critically, after molten iron fell on them.

They were rushed to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where Ramesh Bhaturam, who suffered 98 percent burns, died this morning, the official said.

After visiting the site on Sunday, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve said strict action must be taken against the factory management.

"I visited the factory and found that safety aspects were missing. I have also heard such mishaps take place frequently. The administration must look into this seriously," said Danve, who was accompanied by the company's director Ram Agarwal, Jalna Steel Association president Ghanshyam Goyal as well as his Shiv Sena-UBT colleagues Bhaskar Ambekar and Anirudh Khotkar. -- PTI

In the wake of many women actors narrating their horrific sexual assault experiences in the cinema industry, the Kerala government on Sunday formed a special team to probe the atrocities faced by them.

The government on Sunday formed a seven-member team after a high-level meeting of senior police officials was called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The chief minister's office said the special team will be headed by IG Sparjan Kumar and will include four senior women IPS officers of the state.

"Crime Branch ADGP H Venkatesh will oversee the functioning of the team," the CMO said in a statement.

Apart from Kumar, the team will include DIG S Ajeetha Begum, crime branch HQ SP Merin Joseph, coastal police AIG Poonkuzhali, Kerala Police Academy assistant director Aishwarya Dongre, AIG Ajith V and crime branch SP S Madhusoodhan.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government post the 2017 actress assault case, has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty. -- PTI

The Delhi police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly opening fire at a sweets shop in New Delhi, officials said on Sunday.

The police nabbed accused Vishu alias Kranti (25) after a brief exchange of fire, they said, adding he is believed to be a shooter of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang.

On Friday, two assailants opened fire at a sweets shop in Delhi's Tilak Nagar area at around 11.15 pm, according to officials.

The police said that bullets hit the front glass of the shop and no person was injured.

"An information was received that the accused in the sweets shop firing will come to Dwarka. A team was formed to arrest the accused. A trap was laid and the accused, when surrounded by police, started firing on the police party. He was overpowered," a senior police officer said.

The police said they recovered an automatic pistol and four empty cartridges from Kranti.

"Kranti, is a resident of the Kakrola village and is an active member of the Nandu gang," said the officer, adding that the accused is a history-sheeter. -- PTI

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on August 27 the bail plea of former Aam Aadmi Party communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on August 12 on the plea of Nair while noting that he has been in custody for two years.

Appearing for Nair, senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhary submitted before the court on August 12 that he was arrested on November 13, 2022, and he has challenged the trial court's July 29 order dismissing his default bail plea.

Earlier, on July 3 last year, the high court refused to grant bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money laundering case.

The money laundering case stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation FIR lodged after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a probe into the excise policy 2021-22 which was later scrapped.

The CBI has alleged that Nair met some other co-accused, liquor manufacturers and distributors at various hotels in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi for arranging "ill-gotten money through hawala operators" that was given to the AAP as a kickback in return for favours.

It was also claimed that businessman and co-accused Abhishek Boinpally was part of the meetings and was involved in the conspiracy to launder money along with another accused liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru. -- PTI

The Democratic Progressive Azad Party Sunday released its first list of 13 candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

This will be the maiden assembly elections for the party floated by the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The party's general secretary (organisation) RS Chib released the list.

The party has decided to field former J&K minister Abdul Majeed Wani from the Doda East assembly constituency, former MLA Mohammad Amin Bhat from Devsar, former J&K advocate general Mohammad Aslam Goni from Bhaderwah, DDC member Saleem Parray from Dooru and Muneer Ahmed Mir from Lolab.

The DPAP said DDC member Bilal Ahmed Deva will be its candidate from Anantnag West, Ghulam Nabi Wani (Nellora) from Rajpora, Mir Altaf Hussain from Anantnag and Qaiser Sultan Ganai (Jin) from Ganderbal.

Further, it said Ghulam Nabi Bhat would contest from Eidgah, Amir Ahmed Bhat from Khanyar, Nisar Ahmed Lone from Gurez and Peer Bilal Ahmed from Hazratbal. Amir Ahmed Bhat had recently contested the Lok Sabha polls from Srinagar but was unsuccessful. -- PTI

Bangladesh ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina/File image

18:44 Hasina party leader dies while fleeing to India

Ishak Ali Khan Panna, a former general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League and a member of the Pirojpur district Awami League, died on Saturday while attempting to flee to Meghalaya, according to the Dhaka Tribune.

Panna suffered a heart attack after slipping from a hill in Shillong, his nephew, Laikuzzaman Talukder Mintoo, chairperson of the Chirapara Par Satoria Union Parishad and organising secretary of the Kaukhali Upazila Awami League, confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.

Jasim Uddin Khan, a relative of the deceased, told the Dhaka Tribune that he last spoke to Panna three days ago.

Panna mentioned that he had returned to Dhaka on July 25, two days after staying at his residence on Shahid Fazlul Haque Road in Pirojpur town. Jasim said he later learned that Panna had died in Sylhet after crossing into India through the Tamabil border.

According to sources quoted by the Dhaka Tribune, Panna was accompanied by a leader from the central committee of the Awami League, originally from Chittagong, and another leader from the Jhalakathi Chhatra League during his escape.

The Chhatra League is the student wing of Sheikh Hasina's party, the Awami League. -- ANI

A total of 41 village panchayats in Maharashtra's Thane district have been declared tuberculosis-free, officials said on Sunday.

Among these villages, 13 are from Shahapur taluka, 9 from Murbad, 7 from Kalyan, and 6 each from Bhiwandi and Ambernath.

They were declared TB-free under the Tuberculosis-Free Village Panchayat initiative. Speaking at a function to mark this achievement, district collector Ashok Shingare emphasised the district's ambitious goal of becoming tuberculosis-free by March 31, 2025.

"We made a strong start but only 10 per cent of the target has been achieved. We must maintain vigilance to prevent tuberculosis from returning to these villages," he stated.

Officials said villages that remain tuberculosis-free for one year will be awarded a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and villages that maintain this status for two consecutive years will receive a silver statue.

Villages that manage to keep TB at bay for three consecutive years will be honoured with a gold statue. -- PTI

A 30-year-old man was thrashed to death in Punjab's Gurdaspur district allegedly by a pastor and eight others in an attempt "to get his body rid of the devil".

Samuel Masih, a resident of Singhpura village in Dhariwal in Gurdaspur, was suffering from seizures and used to scream, the police said.

His family invited a local pastor identified as Jacob Masih to their home to hold a prayer for Samuel on Wednesday, they said.

The pastor told the family that he was possessed by the devil.

Following this, the pastor along with eight others started beating him up, telling his family that it would "force the devil away" from his body, they added.

He assured the family that nothing would happen to Masih, the police said.

Samuel, a daily wager, was badly beaten and died on the spot. The family buried him the next day, the police said.

Two days after the incident, Samuel's mother and his wife filed a complaint against the pastor.

Samuel's body was exhumed for a post-mortem examination on Saturday.

The entire exercise was conducted under the supervision of duty magistrate Inderjit Kaur, the police said.

Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina/File image

17:38 4 more murder cases filed against Hasina, her aides

At least four more murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former cabinet ministers and aides, media reports said on Sunday.

A murder case was filed on Sunday against 76-year-old Hasina, former director general of Border Guard of Bangladesh Gen Aziz Ahmed and 11 others over the death of Abdur Rahim, an official of the then Bangladesh Rifles in 2010, state-run BSS news agency reported.

Rahim, then deputy assistant director of former BDR, was an accused in the case lodged over the carnage that took place in Pilkhana in 2010.

He died in jail custody on July 29 of the same year. Rahim's son advocate Abdul Aziz filed the case with the court of the Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Mohammed Akteruzzaman.

Another murder case was filed on Sunday against Hasina and 48 others for killing a student of the Military Institute of Science and Technology during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on July 18, the agency said.

Victim Shaikh Ashabul Yeamin's uncle Abdullah-Al Kabir filed a plea to Dhaka senior judicial magistrate Mohammed Saiful Islam's court Sunday, appealing to lodge a murder case against the 49 accused, it added.

Accepting the petition, the court ordered police to record the statement of the plaintiff and register the complaint as a first information report. -- PTI

A 24-year-old man allegedly committed suicide here after he could not perform well in the Police Constable Recruitment Exam, the police said on Sunday.

Yogesh Kumar from Saidpur Manjha village of Fatehganj East area hanged himself to death late Saturday, Faridpur police circle officer Gaurav Singh said.

Kumar's body was recovered from his rented room in Faridpur and no suicide note was found from the spot, Singh said.

Kumar's father, Ajaypal Yadav told the police that his son was preparing for the constable recruitment exam for the last five years.

According to the police, Kumar took the exam in Rampur district on Friday in which he performed poorly.

The body has been sent for post-mortem and further investigation is underway, the CO said. -- PTI

Union minister Chirag Paswan was on Sunday re-elected as Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas president for five years at its national executive meeting in Ranchi.

The decision was taken unanimously at the meeting, Paswan said.

"The national executive, in its meeting here, has re-elected me for the next five years," he said.

Paswan, the Minister of Food Processing Industries, said the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu Kashmir and Jharkhand was also discussed in the meeting.

In Jharkhand, the party may contest the polls either with national alliance partner BJP or on its own, he said. -- PTI

MoS for defence Sanjay Seth (L), state BJP chief Babulal Marandi (C), ex-Union minister Arjun Munda/ ANI Photo

16:29 Union min, Marandi among 12k booked over clash during rally

An FIR was registered on Saturday against 12,000 unnamed, and 51 identified individuals, for allegedly being involved in a clash with police personnel during a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha rally in Ranchi, officials said.

"FIR registered against 12,000 unnamed, and 51 identified individuals, for allegedly being involved in a clash with police personnel during a BJYM rally. Those named are BJP state president Babulal Marandi, former Union minister Arjun Munda, MoS Defense Sanjay Seth, spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo and others," the Ranchi police said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Jharkhand unit took out a 'Yuva Aakrosh Rally' in Ranchi against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's government on August 23 (Friday).

All BJP Jharkhand leaders, senior leaders, Union Minister Sanjay Seth, former Union Minister Arjun Munda, Babulal Marandi and other leaders participated in this youth protest rally.

Union minister Sanjay Seth said that corruption is at its peak in Jharkhand, youth are not getting employment, and women's safety is the biggest issue.

The Hemant Soren government will have to answer all these.

Assembly elections are going to be held in Jharkhand this year and BJP has fully prepared to corner the government. -- ANI

A pistol without magazine was recovered from a schoolbag of a 10-year-old student in Delhi's Najafgarh, the police said on Sunday.

The boy thought it to be a toy and carried with him to the school, they said.

According to a a senior police officer, the incident took place at a private school in the Deepak Vihar area on Saturday, following which the Najafgarh police station received a call.

On reaching the school, the police team found that a student of Class 6 had his father's licensed pistol in his bag.

The pistol was without magazine, the officer said.

The boy's mother, who had been called in by the school management, said her husband owned the licensed pistol.

"The woman said her husband had passed away a few months ago and she had kept the pistol outside to deposit it at the police station," the officer said.

The boy told the police team that he thought it to be a toy, the officer added.

The police verified the pistol's licence, found it to be valid, and determined that no cognisable offence had been committed in the matter. -- PTI

15:40 'Stree 2' crosses Rs 500 crore-mark worldwide

Horror comedy Stree 2, starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, has earned over Rs 500 crore worldwide in gross box office collections, the makers announced on Sunday.

Directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films, the Hindi film is the sequel to 2018's Stree.

The production banner shared the latest box office figures of Stree 2 on its X page.

"Stree 2 shatters records with a LEGENDARY and HIGHEST ever 2nd Saturday in history. Thank you to everyone for your continued love and support. Book your tickets now," the post read.

According to Maddock Films, the film has raised Rs 426 crore (gross) in India and Rs 78.5 crore (gross) overseas, bringing its total gross to around Rs 505 crore.

Its domestic net box office collections stood at Rs 361 crore, the makers added.

Released on August 15, Stree 2 clashed with Nikkhil Advani's Vedaa, starring Sharvari and John Abraham, and Mudassar Aziz's Khel Khel Mein, headlined by Akshay Kumar, at the box office but emerged as the highest earning film among the lot. -- PTI

File image/Courtesy Alchemist Aviation online

15:19 Search ops continue to trace missing trainer aircraft for 6th day in Jharkhand

Search operations are continuing in Chandil Dam for the sixth day on Sunday to trace the trainer aircraft that went missing after taking off from Jharkhand's Jamshedpur on August 20, officials said.

Teams of the navy and the NDRF are engaged in the operations at Seraikela-Kharswan district to locate the two-seater aircraft Cessna-152, they said.

Search is still underway in the dam, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Chandil) Subhra Rani said.

Bodies of the trainee pilot and his instructor, who were on board, were found in the dam on Thursday.

The officials said the bodies of trainee pilot Shubhrodeep Dutta and pilot-in-command Captain Jeet Satru Anand were handed over to their families after a post-mortem examination was conducted.

Alchemist Aviation Private Ltd, which owns the aircraft, had said in a statement that it was too early to comment about the reasons for the crash.

"The aircraft had 80 litres of fuel in it with an endurance of 4 hours 30 minutes, and the flying time was scheduled to be one hour," it said.

The plane lost contact with the Jamshedpur Air Traffic Control Tower around 11.10 am on August 20. -- PTI

Two people from Kanjar near Idukki have been arrested for allegedly causing the death of a newborn child after a circumcision procedure earlier this year.

The accused were arrested on August 22, police said on Sunday.

Both were, however, granted bail by a court in Idukki on Saturday.

According to the police, the infant died in January due to profuse bleeding after a circumcision procedure conducted by the accused.

The police had initially registered a case of unnatural death.

"There was no complaint from the family as they had taken the child for the circumcision. The arrest was made after a detailed post mortem report and an enquiry into the incident," the police said.

The incident came to light recently after the police made the arrest and subsequent court procedures. -- PTI

RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata/ANI Photo

14:48 Doc murder: Key accused undergoes lie detection test in jail

The lie detection test on Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the alleged rape and murder of a RG Kar Medical College trainee doctor, is underway at Kolkata's Presidency Jail where he is lodged, officials said on Sunday.

Two more individuals will undergo the test at the CBI office in Kolkata during the day, they said.

Four persons including former principal Sandip Ghosh underwent the polygraph test on Saturday, the officials said.

A team of polygraph specialists flown to Kolkata from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi is conducting the tests, they said.

The CBI earlier told the Supreme Court that the crime scene was altered by the time it took over the probe suggesting there was an attempt by the local police to cover up the rape and killing of the post-graduate medic.

The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department in the morning of August 9.

A civic volunteer of the Kolkata Police was arrested the following day.

The incident has sparked widespread protests. -- PTI

Four people were arrested on Sunday over the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Dharashiv.

The main accused in the case is still at large, an official said.

According to the official, the incident took place on Saturday afternoon when the teenager was going to a grocery shop.

Prime accused Vijay Ghadge (25), who knows the girl, invited her to his house.

Four other men were present at Ghadge's house. Citing the FIR, the official said Ghadge first raped the teenager following which two others sexually assaulted her.

The teen informed her family members about the gang rape after reaching home. They then filed a police complaint.

The police have arrested four persons, all farmers from the same locality, while Ghadge is on the run.

A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the official added. -- PTI

At least 37 people, including 11 pilgrims, were killed and several others injured in two separate bus accidents in Pakistan on Sunday.

The first accident occurred when a bus carrying 70 people, bringing Shia pilgrims back from Iran to Punjab province, veered off the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan province.

The Makran Coastal Highway is a 653 km national highway that extends along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast from Karachi in Sindh province to Gwadar in Balochistan province.

Most of the passengers were from Lahore or Gujranwala, according to police sources. About 35 people were injured in the accident.

According to district commissioner Lasbela Humaira Baloch, a rescue operation is being conducted.

In the second accident, 26 people were killed when a bus carrying 35 people fell into a ditch in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Qamar Nadeem of Edhi Foundation, which runs the largest private ambulance service, said.

So far, 26 people have been confirmed dead and three injured, he said. -- PTI

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13:54 300 booked for raising slogans during Pune protest

The police have registered a case against nearly 300 people after alleged objectionable slogans were raised during a protest outside the Pune district collectorate, an official said on Sunday.

A Sarvdharm Sambhav Mahamorcha' was organised on Friday to protest against the recent purported remarks by religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj against Islam.

During the protest, the alleged slogans were raised, the official said.

According to the police, the morcha was organised without permission and the slogans created communal tension and enmity between communities.

An offence has been registered at the Bundgarden police station against 200-300 people who had participated in the morcha, said a senior police official.

The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for unlawful assembly, promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race and language and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony and under the Maharashtra Police Act.

Ramgiri Maharaj had allegedly made objectionable remarks against Islam at Shah Panchale village in Sinnar taluka of Maharashtra's Nashik district during a religious event some days ago.

Multiple cases have been registered against him over the remarks. -- PTI

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13:35 Woman dies, 4 swept away in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan

A 45-year-old woman died and four people were swept away by strong water currents due to heavy rain in Rajasthan's Jalore district on Saturday.

The incident occurred when water from the mountain started flowing on the stairs of Sundha Mata temple in Jaswantpura area of the district, the police said.

Five devotees were swept away in the incident including the deceased Lakshmi Devi Ahari.

While three people were rescued, search for one missing person is ongoing, they said.

Heavy rain was recorded at some places in Udaipur, Dholpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Kota, Baran, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Tonk, Jalore, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur and Sirohi districts, during the last 24 hours.

According to the Meteorological department, the highest rainfall in eastern Rajasthan was recorded in Dausa at 144.0 mm and 65 mm in Raniwada (Jalore) of western Rajasthan, till 8.30 am on Sunday.

The weather department has predicted very heavy rainfall (above 200 mm) in some parts of Kota, Udaipur and Jodhpur division till Monday.

Rain activities in the state is likely to reduce from August 27, the Met department said. -- PTI

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13:12 Israel destroys thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels

About 100 Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck and eliminated thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for immediate fire toward northern and central Israel, said Israel Defence Forces in an X post.

"More than 40 Hezbollah launch areas were struck," said the post.

"We will do whatever is needed to defend our civilians and the State of Israel,' it added.

Bangladesh's former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi has been arrested in Dhaka as the police take stern measures against officials and ministers of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, according to media reports on Sunday.

The 76-year-old leader was detained late Saturday night from a house in the Piergoli area of the capital Dhaka around 3 am, The Daily Star newspaper quoted Paltan police station officer-in-charge Mollah Mohammad Khalid Hussain as saying.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained him and brought him to the Detective Branch office, according to The Dhaka Tribune.

Gazi was kept at the DB office as the police station is badly damaged following recent violence, Hussain said, adding that a group of people besieged the house after knowing his location there.

However, the police officer did not provide any details regarding the case for which he was arrested. -- PTI

Maharashtra Legislative Council LoP Ambadas Danve (right)/File image

12:47 Badlapur abuse: Maha council LoP held for protest

Maharashtra Legislative Council Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve was detained on Sunday after he protested outside the airport in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar against the Badlapur incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend a programme in neighbouring Jalgaon on Sunday.

PM Modi was supposed to reach the airport and move further to Jalgaon.

Speaking to media outside the Chikalthana Airport, Danve said, "The police are using force here. Are we terrorists that force is being used against us?"

The Shiv Sena-UBT leader asked why the police did not use their authority in the Badlapur incident and took swift action.

Nobody does anything when the offence is not registered in Badlapur for 12 hours, he said.

When asked why he and his supporters were protesting amid an elaborate security arrangement at the airport ahead of PM's Jalgaon visit, Danve said,

"We also care for his security. We respect him as he is the head of our nation. Let the police do their work, we will do ours."

The police then detained Danve and other agitators and took them to the MIDC Cidco police station.

The Opposition has been targeting the government after a male attendant allegedly sexually assaulted two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur town of Thane district. -- PTI

An 18-year-old woman was allegedly raped and forced to convert to Islam in Amethi, the police said on Sunday.

The police have arrested three people in the matter whose identities have not been disclosed.

The incident took place in Ramganj police station area on July 5 and the woman lodged a complaint on Saturday.

She alleged that she was lured by one of the accused and duped into signing some papers to convert to Islam, station house officer Yajendra Patel said.

"The woman said that when she refused to convert to Islam, the accused raped her multiple times," he said.

Based on the woman's complaint, an FIR was registered against five people under relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act on Saturday, the SHO said. -- PTI

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12:06 Two killed in explosion at firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul

Two persons were killed in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district on Sunday, the police said.

"Two persons died in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing factory at Natham in Dindigul district," Dindigul SP Pratheep said.

The exact reason behind what caused the explosion is not clear, the SP added.

Further details are awaited. -- ANI

Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith

11:57 Malayalam director quits over misbehaviour charge

Acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith on Sunday resigned as the chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy following allegations of misbehaviour levelled against him by a Bengali actor.

In an audio clip sent to a television channel, Ranjith said he doesn't want to continue in the position as it would adversely impact the reputation of the Left government in the state.

He also said he would fight the accusations against him legally.

"I have been targeted by a certain section of people since the day I took charge as the Chairman of the Academy. I need to prove before the society that the allegations are untrue. I have decided to move legally and bring out the truth," he was heard saying in the audio clip.

"Many people including the media are attacking me without understanding the truth. In this context, I have decided to step down from the post," Ranjith said.

The Bengali actress recently alleged that the award-winning filmmaker had behaved in an inappropriate manner when she came up for the shooting of a film which he had helmed. The filmmaker has rejected the actor's charge and said he was the "real victim" in the case. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

11:40 TMC's O'Brien urges Sitharaman to withdraw 18% GST on insurance premiums

TMC leader Derek O'Brien has urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to "urgently review" and withdraw the 18 per cent GST on health and life insurance premiums during the upcoming GST Council meeting.

O'Brien, in a letter dated August 24, demanded that the GST on health and life insurance premiums be withdrawn at the 54th meeting of the GST Council.

"The 18 percent Goods and Services Tax on health and life insurance premiums is a burden on 45 crore Indians comprising the middle-class," said O'Brien, the Trinamool Congress' leader in the Rajya Sabha.

"These insurance schemes provide financial security during times of distress, may it be an illness, accident, or untimely death. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all sections of society are able to afford this crucial social safety net," he said.

O'Brien also expressed fear that levying a high GST rate on health and life insurance might lead to many citizens not opting for insurance schemes or even existing policyholders not renewing their policies.

"The public at large, and especially the middle-class, has been severely impacted by this," he said. -- PTI

11:16 Emergency situation declared in Israel

Israel has declared an emergency for the next 48 hours amid the country's escalating tensions with Lebanon, according to The Times of Israel.

Israel's Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, declared an emergency.

This comes as a 'special situation in the home front', which enables the IDF Home Front Command to issue restrictions.

In emergencies, the legal term 'special situation' is used to give authorities more authority over the civilian population, simplifying attempts to protect them. It is valid for 48 hours, unless extended by cabinet ministers.

As tensions continue to rise, the Israeli public remains on high alert, bracing for the possibility of further incidents.

Earlier today, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari warned the Lebanese citizens who are in southern Lebanon of possible attacks by Israel in retaliation to Hezbollah strikes.

In a press conference, the IDF spokesperson said, "We warn the Lebanese citizens who are in southern Lebanon; we recognise that Hezbollah is now preparing to shoot widely into Israeli territory near your home. You are in danger. We attack and remove Hezbollah threats. Anyone who is near the areas where Hezbollah operates is required to stay away from them immediately."

"In the near future, Hezbollah will launch rockets, and possibly missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, towards the territory of the State of Israel. Accordingly, 'life-saving' instructions of the Home Front Command will be distributed in the various regions. The Home Front Command will update the areas where one must stay near the protected area or inside the protected area," Hagari said.

"The IDF is doing and will do everything necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel," he added.

After Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran last month, which resulted in promises of 'punishment' from Iran, Israel is preparing for a strong retaliation.

However, Israel has not denied or confirmed that it was responsible for Haniyeh's death, but it had previously threatened to execute him and other senior Hamas figures for their involvement in the terrorist attacks on October 7. -- ANI

Image only for representation

10:58 Coaches of Dhanbad-bound train uncouple in UP

At least 10 bogies of the Dhanbad-bound Ganga Sutlej Express train got uncoupled near Chakraj Mal area in Bijnor early on Sunday, officials said.

No passenger was hurt in the incident.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Dharam Singh Marchal told reporters that 'some bogies of a train headed to Dhanbad separated after decoupling from the engine and other bogies due to some technical problem at around 4 am'.

According to railway officials, the incident occurred when the coupling between two sleeper coaches separated.

The coupling of the Ferozepur-Dhanbad train was fixed and the train left for its destination, they said.

Over 200 candidates on way to give the Uttar Pradesh Police recruitment exam were travelling in the train and the local police and railway administration made arrangements to send them to exam centres through three buses. -- PTI

Photo: Courtesy @Sidhique/Instagram

10:11 Actor Siddique quits AMMA after rape accusation

Noted actor Siddique on Sunday resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A.) following sexual assault allegations raised by a woman actor on August 24.

Talking to a television channel, the senior actor said he had sent his resignation letter to the President of the organisation, Mohanlal.

"Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned," Siddique said.

A female actor had on Saturday alleged Siddique had sexually abused her after inviting her for a movie discussion.

The allegations came in the wake of the churn in the Malayalam film industry following the release of Justice Hema Committee report, which pointed towards numerous incidents of casting couch and sexual abuse in the field.

The report had revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty. -- PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday launched a search operation at the premises of former principal of RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the institute during his tenure, officials said.

The central probe agency is also searching 14 other locations in Kolkata, including that of the accused and their associates, they said.

The medical college came into media glare following the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in a seminar hall on August 9 in which a traffic police volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested. - -PTI

Pavel Durov. Photo: Albert Gea/Reuters

08:41 Telegram founder Pavel Durov detained at French airport

The founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, who had an arrest warrant issued against him, was detained by the French authorities at an airport outside Paris, CNN reported.

Officers from France's anti-fraud office, attached to French customs, took the French-Russian billionaire into custody on Saturday evening after he arrived at Bourget Airport on a flight from Azerbaijan, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.

Durov, 39, was wanted under a French arrest warrant due to the lack of moderation on Telegram, which allegedly led to the platform being used for money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing pedophilic content.

According to BFMTV, the Telegram founder had not regularly travelled to France and Europe since the arrest warrant was issued.

Notably, France issued an arrest warrant for Durov on charges of complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud due to the lack of moderation on Telegram and his failure to cooperate with law enforcement, the Moscow Times reported, citing French local media.

The Russian-born founder of Telegram, which he says boasts over 900 million users, is currently based in Dubai. He became a naturalised French citizen in August 2021.

Durov, who is also the founder of the VKontakte social network, left Russia in 2014 after he refused to share VKontakte users' data with Russian security services.

Later, Russia unsuccessfully attempted to block Telegram over its refusal to provide users' online communications to security services.

Telegram is widely used by Russian speakers. It has become a key platform for sharing information about the war in Ukraine and is reportedly used by the Russian military to communicate. -- ANI

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