LIVE! India confirms invitation from Pak for SCO meet

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Fri, 30 August 2024

India confirms invitation from Pak for SCO meet

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23:07 India confirms invitation from Pakistan for SCO meet

India confirmed on Friday that it has received an invitation from Pakistan for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting to be held in Islamabad in October.

Pakistan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to the SCO's Council of Heads of Government meeting.

"Yes, we have received an invitation from Pakistan for the SCO's Council of Heads of State that is to happen. We do not have an update on that," a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in response to a reporter's question during his media briefing in New Delhi.

Pakistan holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and in that capacity, will be hosting the two-day in-person SCO Heads of Government meeting in October.

"Invitations have been sent to the heads of countries to participate in the meeting, which will take place on October 15-16. An invitation has also been sent to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at her weekly press briefing in Pakistan.

Some countries have already confirmed their participation in the meeting and their names will be shared in due course, she said.

The Islamabad summit meeting will be preceded by a ministerial meeting and several rounds of senior officials' meetings focused on financial, economic, socio-cultural and humanitarian cooperation among the SCO member states.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.

In July 2023, Iran became a permanent member of the SCO at an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping.

The SCO, as an influential economic and security bloc, has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations.

As part of this key regional group, both Pakistan and India can hold summit meetings.

India hosted the SCO Summit last year, organised virtually. It was attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif through a video link.

However, Pakistan's then foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, visited India in May 2023 to attend the in-person two-day meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa.

Zardari was the first Pakistani foreign minister to visit India in almost 12 years. Islamabad and New Delhi have a long history of strained relations, primarily due to the Kashmir issue as well as the cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. -- PTI

Photo: Kind courtesy @KhyatiShree_/X

22:32 Bikini-clad 'influencer' stopped from making reel

An 'influencer' was allegedly stopped by the police while shooting a reel, because she was wearing a bikini, at Padukere beach.

The woman had posted a reel about the incident, which has been picked up by local television channels and news outlets.

According to her, policemen refused to allow her to continue to shoot, as long as she was 'indecently' dressed. The incident occurred on Thursday evening.

However, the Malpe police told PTI that they have 'no record' of such an incident and that no policemen were assigned to stop the photo shoot.

Khyati Shree explained in her reel that she had come to Malpe Beach to shoot an Instagram reel. Her husband was shooting the video of her in a bikini on the beach when two policemen approached them. They were told that some people present there were objecting to the way she was dressed.

The woman said they had to leave the place soon after as they felt unsafe. She said their altercation had drawn the attention of a lot of people who started gathering at the spot. -- PTI

A couple was booked for allegedly assaulting an aggregator cab service driver after an argument over his car dashing their Audi vehicle, a Mumbai police official said on Friday.

A video which went viral on social media purportedly showed the man throwing the 24-year-old cab driver onto the ground, due to which the latter suffered head injuries, the official added.

"The incident happened around 11:20 pm on August 18 when Ola cab driver Kayamuddin Ansari was travelling towards Ulwe in Navi Mumbai with a passenger. He submitted a complaint of assault on Wednesday. As per the complainant, he was going from Asalpha metro rail station when an Audi car dashed his car from the rear," the Parksite police station official said.

"When Ansari got down to check if his vehicle had suffered any damage, the couple in the Audi car, identified as Rishabh Chakravarti (35) and his wife Antara Ghosh (27), got down and started abusing him. Ghosh also allegedly pulled the Ola cab device from Ansari's vehicle and left from the spot," he said quoting the complaint.

Ansari followed the Audi and his vehicle hit the luxury car at the entrance of a building opposite a mall in Ghatkopar, following which Chakravarti slapped him, the official said.

"Chakravarti lifted Ansari and slammed him to the ground, resulting in the latter suffering head injuries. Ansari was first taken to Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar and then shifted to state-run JJ hospital. His statement has been recorded. The assault on him has been captured by CCTV cameras at the entrance of the building," he added.

"Based on Ansari's complaint, a case was registered against Chakravarti and Ghosh. They have been issued a notice to remain present in court. Claims and counterclaims from both sides are being probed," the official informed. -- PTI

A vegetable vendor was arrested for allegedly molesting a 24-year-old woman at a market in Latur city of Maharashtra, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred on Thursday when she was buying vegetables from the accused, they said.

Following the incident, the Mahatma Phule Vegetable Market, where the incident occurred, remained shut on Friday after some Hindu organisations gave a 'bandh' call.

"In her complaint lodged at the Gandhi Chowk police station, the woman alleged that the vendor touched her inappropriately when she was buying vegetables from him at the market in the morning. Angry with his act, she slapped him and later approached the police with her family members," a police official said.

Based on her complaint, the police arrested the accused, identified as Azim Kazi, aged around 25.

The Latur unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and members of some Hindu organisations held a press conference on Thursday evening and demanded strict punishment against the accused.

They also gave a call for 'market bandh'.

Accordingly, the market remained shut. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he will return to power in 2029 for a record fourth consecutive term.

With some political pundits claiming that he may have lost his shine with the Bharatiya Janata Party not winning a majority on its own in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Modi told a gathering of leaders from the fintech industry that he will be there at their 10th annual event in 2029 as well.

The BJP had won majority on its own in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but in 2024 it did not get the required 272 MPs and the government is dependent on support from other National Democratic Alliance constituents.

The next general elections are due in April-May 2029.

"This is the 5th edition of Global Fintech Fest. I will come in 10th edition also," Modi said in his address.

The annual fest started in 2020 and the 10th edition will be held in 2029.

"I am confident that India's fintech ecosystem will enhance the ease of living of the entire world. Our best is yet to come...I met some of the startups here and entrusted them with 10 tasks as fintech is a very promising sector," he added.

Hailing Bharat's fintech innovation, Modi said, earlier foreign guests visiting India used to be amazed by its cultural diversity, now they are amazed by its fintech diversity as well.

Modi said Bharat's fintech revolution is widespread and one can witness it right from the moment one arrives at airport to street food and shopping centres.

In the last 10 years, the industry has received a record investment of more than $31 billion along with witnessing a startup growth of 500 per cent, he said, asserting that affordable mobile phones, inexpensive data and Jan Dhan Bank accounts starting with zero balance brought this revolution.

Taking a dig at Opposition, Modi said, many have expressed apprehension about India's fintech progress, saying villages don't have internet connection and electricity connection.

"When 'Saraswati Maa', the goddess of knowledge, was imparting wisdom, some self-proclaimed experts were already casting doubts. They would question how a fintech revolution could occur...they would even ask someone like me, a 'chaiwala'," he wondered.

Yet, in just a decade, India has witnessed a remarkable transformation, he said. -- PTI

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut on Friday said her film Emergency is still stuck with the censor board contrary to rumours that it has been cleared for release.

Ranaut, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, stars in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the film that is scheduled for release on September 6.

In a video message posted on X, the actor claimed that she and the members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) have been receiving threats.

She said she is under pressure to not show the assassination of the former prime minster by her security guards.

"There are rumours that our film Emergency has got a censor certificate. It is not true. In fact, our film was cleared earlier but it's certification has been stopped because of several threats," Ranaut said.

"People of the censor board are also getting a lot of threats. There is pressure on us to not show the assassination of Mrs Gandhi, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the Punjab riots. I don't know what we will show then, that there is a blackout in the film? This is unbelievable time for me and I am very sorry for this state of things in this country," she added.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday sent a legal notice to CBFC seeking to prevent the release of Ranaut's film, claiming it may 'incite communal tensions' and 'spread misinformation'.

It alleged the trailer of the film depicted 'erroneous historical facts that not only misrepresent the Sikh community but also promote hatred and social discord'. -- PTI

19:08 Akali Dal sends notice to stall Kangana's film

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in New Delhi has sent a legal notice to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) seeking to prevent the release of Kangana Ranaut's upcoming film Emergency, claiming it may 'incite communal tensions' and 'spread misinformation'.

It alleged the trailer of the film depicted 'erroneous historical facts that not only misrepresent the Sikh community but also promote hatred and social discord'.

'Such depictions are not only misleading but also deeply offensive and damaging to the social fabric of Punjab and the entire nation. It is apparent that Ranaut has chosen the subject of the Emergency not to make a genuine political or historical statement against Congress, but rather to target the Sikh community,' the notice sent on August 27 claimed.

It claimed the movie portrays the Sikh community in an 'unjust and negative light'.

The notice sought to 'immediately revoke the certification given to the movie and thereby blocking its release'.

'Further, given the potential of this film to incite communal tensions and spread misinformation, I, on behalf of my client hereby call upon CBFC to exercise its authority to prevent its release. A thick line must be drawn between the right to freedom of speech and the propagation of hateful content that threatens the harmony of our society,' advocate Manjeet Singh Chugh said. -- PTI

18:17 Sukesh Chandrasekhar gets bail in bribery case

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar in a bribery case related to the AIADMK's "two leaves" election symbol.

Special judge Vishal Gogne granted the relief to him on a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh.

Chandrasekhar has been accused of acting as a middleman for AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran and trying to bribe an Election Commission official to secure the party's two leaves symbol for the faction led by V K Sasikala.

Chandrasekhar will, however, remain in jail in other pending cases lodged against him.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

17:52 TRAI extends deadline on unverified SMS with web links to Oct 1

Telecom regulator Trai has extended the deadline for telecom operators to check transmission of SMSs that contain web links, which are not whitelisted, by a month to October 1, an official statement said on Friday.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had set a deadline of September 1 to block all messages containing web links or app download links, which are not whitelisted.

The regulator said that a one-month extension has been given in response to the requests by the telecom operators for additional time.

"Trai has granted a one-month extension to Access Providers to comply with its Direction issued on August 20, 2024, regarding the whitelisting of URLs/ APKs/ OTT links. The revised Direction mandates that all Access Providers ensure that traffic containing URLs/ APKs/ OTT links, which are not whitelisted, is not permitted with effect from October 1, 2024," the statement said.

Trai has brought in new rules with an aim to curb the misuse of SMS headers and content templates, ensuring a more secure and efficient telecom ecosystem.

The regulator has mandated telecom operators to ensure that all messages from sender to receiver are traceable from November 1 onwards.

A Delhi court on Friday ordered framing of charges for murder and other offences against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a case related to alleged murder of three people in the north Delhi's Pul Bangash area during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Rakesh Siyal said there was sufficient evidence against him to put him on trial.

"Sufficient ground is there to proceed against the accused person," the judge said.

A witness had earlier submitted in the charge sheet that Tytler came out of a white Ambassador car in front of the Gurdwara Pul Bangash on November 1, 1984 and instigated a mob by saying 'Kill the Sikhs, they have killed our mother', following which three people were killed.

The court ordered framing of charges for several offences, including unlawful assembly, rioting, promoting enmity between different groups, house trespass and theft.

The court has listed the matter for September 13 for formally framing the charges. -- PTI

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut shares a poem by Sahir Ludhianvi. Decipher as you may. Kangana was recently admonished by the BJP and gag order slapped on her after her comments on the farmers stir.

A deep depression that triggered torrential rains and floods in Gujarat on Friday intensified into cyclone Asna off the coast of Kachchh and the adjoining areas of Pakistan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

This is the first cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976.

The name Asna has been given by Pakistan. Between 1891 and 2023, only three cyclonic storms formed in the Arabian Sea during August (in 1976, 1964, and 1944), according to the IMD.

The 1976 cyclone originated over Odisha, moved west-northwestward, entered the Arabian Sea, followed a looping track, and weakened over the northwest Arabian Sea near the Oman coast.

The 1944 cyclone intensified after emerging into the Arabian Sea before weakening. In 1964, another short-lived cyclone developed near the South Gujarat coast and weakened near the coast.

The deep depression over Kachchh coast and adjoining areas of Pakistan and Northeast Arabian Sea moved westward with a speed of 6 kmph during the past 6 hours, intensified into cyclonic storm 'Asna' (pronounced as As-Na) and lay centered at 1130 hours over the same region, 190 km west-northwest of Bhuj (Gujarat).

It will continue moving nearly west-northwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea, away from the Indian coast, over the next two days, the weather department said.

A deep depression is a low-pressure system with wind speeds ranging from 52 kmph to 61 kmph, while a cyclone has wind speeds between 63 kmph and 87 kmph. A sea surface temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and above is needed for a low-pressure system to intensify into a cyclone.

Currently, the sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal is 28-30 degrees Celsius. It is around 27-28 degrees Celsius in the Arabian Sea. It's colder (below 26 degrees Celsius) in the west-central Arabian Sea and very warm (above 32 degrees Celsius) in the Gulf of Aden.

The Tropical Cyclone Heat Potential is high in the central Bay of Bengal but low in the northern and central Arabian Sea. The IMD on Thursday said these sea conditions suggest that the system will encounter colder waters in the Arabian Sea, so it's unlikely to intensify much.

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty marched higher to scale fresh lifetime closing peaks on Friday, tracking a largely firm trend in global markets and renewed foreign fund inflows.

Buying in index majors Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank and Infosys also fuelled the rally in equities. Rallying for the ninth straight session, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 231.16 points or 0.28 per cent to settle at an all-time closing high of 82,365.77. During the day, it jumped 502.42 points or 0.61 per cent to hit a record intra-day peak of 82,637.03.

The NSE Nifty soared 83.95 points or 0.33 per cent to hit a new lifetime closing high of 25,235.90, taking its victorious run to the 12th day in a row. During the day, it surged 116.4 points or 0.46 per cent to hit a new record intra-day peak of 25,268.35.

Among the 30 Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC, Power Grid, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel and Tata Consultancy Services were the biggest gainers. In contrast, Tata Motors, HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra and ITC were among the laggards.

As six columns of the Indian Army are conducting rescue operations in the worst-affected areas as the flood-like situation continues, an additional team of 350 sanitation workers from Surat reached Vadodara to clean the affected areas after flood.

The in-charge Executive Engineer, Surat Municipal Corporation, Mahesh Rathod said, "We have been working here for the last 2 days. We have 350 sanitation workers here. We clean the dirt from the affected areas. When we came here, we surveyed to find out where to start the work from..."

When asked about the challenges they faced Rathod said, "As we reached here first we surveyed the roads as from where the work to be started, and as we have prior experience working with Surat Municipal Corporation we worked on the basis."

Notably, six columns of the Indian Army are conducting rescue operations in the worst-affected areas as the flood-like situation continues in parts of the state due to incessant rainfall. The Army has been deployed to support the ongoing relief efforts.

"In response to the severe flooding in multiple districts, the Indian Army has swiftly mobilised its resources to support the ongoing relief efforts. Following a request from the Gujarat State Government, six columns of the Indian Army are undertaking rescue operations to the worst-affected areas to provide immediate Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)," the Army said in a statement on Thursday.

16:14 Champai Soren joins BJP

Two days after he quit the JMM, former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren joined the BJP on Friday. Soren along with a large number of his supporters crossed over to the saffron camp in the presence of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a ceremony in Ranchi.

The veteran politician visibly became emotional after he was welcomed into the saffron fold. The joining of the 67-year-old tribal leader to the BJP was seen as a shot in the arm for the saffron party's efforts to boost its connection with the Scheduled Tribes, a community which has been the main voter base of the JMM. He was a close aide of JMM supremo Shibu Soren.

Champai Soren quit the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday, asserting that the state government's present style of functioning and its policies compelled him to leave the party he served for many years. Champai has earned the nickname 'Jharkhand's Tiger' for his contribution to the fight to create a separate state in the 1990s.

Jharkhand was carved out of the southern part of Bihar in 2000. The elections to the 81-member assembly are due later this year. PTI

Update: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he bow his head and apologise to the people of Maharashtra who were hurt by the collapse of the Shivaji statue at Sindhudurg.

While addressing a gathering at Malvan in Maharashtra's Palghar district, the Prime Minister also criticised the opposition for not being apologetic as he extended his apologies for the incident.

"Those who consider Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as their deity and have been deeply hurt, I bow my head and apologise to them. Our values are different. For us, nothing is bigger than our deity," PM Modi said.

A 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the state's Sindhudurg district collapsed on August 26.

The Prime Minister further targeted the opposition for "insulting and abusing the son of the land" Veer Savarkar while adding that his "values" are different."Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name for us. Today I bow my head and apologise to my God Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Our values are different, we are not those people who keep abusing and insulting the great son of Mother India, the son of this land, Veer Savarkar. They are not ready to apologize, they are ready to go to the courts and fight," he added.

PM Modi earlier laid the foundation stone of Vadhvan Port in Palghar, Maharashtra. The total cost of this project is around Rs 76,000 crores. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 218 fisheries projects worth around Rs 1,560 crores during the event.

Floods have hit thousands of rice-growing farmers and life in general in the affected districts of Bihar.

Hundreds of students of government run schools are deprived of education as floodwaters entered their schools.

According to officials of the state education department, more than 250 schools including primary, middle and upper middle have been closed in view of the floods.

"In Patna's diara area (riverine belt) 76 schools were closed, while 80 schools were closed in flood affected pockets in Begusarai district. Dozens of schools were closed in Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Banka, Khagaria, Supaul, Katihar and other floods hit districts," officials said.

Taking note of the situation, the state government last week authorised all district magistrates to take a decision on the closure of schools. The education department secretary Baidyanath Yadav said, "DMs are authorised to take a decision to close schools in case of floods under the provisions of the disaster management rule."

District authorities have deployed 1400 boats in affected areas in the state to facilitate teachers reach schools after last week's incident when a young teacher of a government-run school drowned in the Ganga near Patna while trying to board a boat to reach school.

Officials said repeated floods since July disrupted education in more than 2000 government-run schools.

They said that classes are not possible in many flooded schools since last month.

Out of 9.41 million hectares, around 6.88 million hectares in the state -- including 76 per cent of north Bihar and 73 per cent south Bihar -- are vulnerable to flooding.

-- MI Khan in Patna

15:42 Modi apologises for Shivaji statue toppling

"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our deity; I apologise to him," PM Modi on collapse of warrior king's statue in Sindhudurg district.

Stepping up her attack on PM Narendra Modi, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad on Friday demanded an apology from the Prime Minister over the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse in Malvan, Mahrashtra.

"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who is worshipped in the whole of Maharashtra and India, to whom we call "public's king", his statue was made in Malvan's Rajkot Fort, which was inaugurated by PM Modi. First, of all, I want to ask PM Modi Ji about the bhumi-pujan he did for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in the Arabian Sea. Before that statue could be completed, his statue at Rajkot Fort in Malvan collapsed in just 8 months. It is clear that there is corruption in it. Modi Ji, when will you apologise (Modi Ji Aap Kab Maafi Mangenge)?" Varsha Gaekwad said.

The West Bengal BJP's woman unit staged a protest against the RG Kar rape and murder. The brutal murder of the junior doctor has fuelled several such protests.

The women were seen protesting with cut-outs of locks accusing the state administration of inaction on law and order.

On Friday BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul reacte to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement 'Bengal jalega, to poora Bharat jalega',saying that this is a language of an anti-national and UAPA act should be applicable on her.

Agnimitra Paul said, "The way she is saying things is a language of an anti-national. If someone else would have said such things then, a case under UAPA must have been registered. Our demand is that Advocate Vineet Jindal should tell the court to arrest her and case of UAPA should be filed against her. Mamata Banerjee has tried to cover up the case by calling it suicide and tampering with the evidence."

She further hit out at CM Mamata Banerjee and said that the main culprit Sandip Ghosh was not terminated but transferred to National Medical College and later OSD at the Health Ministry.

"This cunning behaviour won't work. When her cunning attitude has been caught then she is saying that she will burn everything. UAPA should be filed on her," she added.

During a Trinamool 'Chhatra Parishad' foundation day programme in Kolkata on Thursday, in response to BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call, the Chief Minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using his party to ignite tensions in Bengal over the Kolkata woman doctor's rape and murder case.

"Some people think this is Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh; they speak our language and share our culture. But remember, Bangladesh is a separate country, and India is a separate country. Modi Babu is using his party to incite violence here. If you burn Bengal, Assam, the North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi too shall burn! We will topple your government," Mamata Banerjee said.

14:53 CBI quizzes RG Kar ex-principal for 14th time

The CBI on Friday summoned former principal of Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh for the 14th consecutive day for questioning in connection with its probe into the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in the early hours of August 9. Ghosh, officials said, has already been quizzed by the agency for over 140 hours.

Besides the gruesome crime, Ghosh is also under the agency's lens in the financial misconduct case at the hospital in which the sleuths have already registered an FIR against him and other entities.

Agency officials also searched and questioned the former principal at his residence last Sunday.

Ghosh was seen walking inside the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, which houses the agency's eastern regional headquarters, at around 10.45 am. On Thursday, multiple CBI teams visited the state-run Kar hospital as part of its ongoing investigations.

The first of the three teams from the agency's Nizam Palace office probing the alleged financial irregularities reached the hospital morgue to inquire about its infrastructure, protocols involved in preserving dead bodies and conducting post-mortems, a CBI official said.

The five-member team spoke to hospital doctors and staff, including the head of forensic department and current vice principal, Dr Saptarshi Chatterjee, for further clarifications on the issues. The probes followed complaints by the hospital's former Deputy Superintendent Akhtar Ali of trafficking of unclaimed bodies, among other allegations of financial misconduct like corruption in disposal of bio-medical waste, nepotism in floating construction tenders and so on, during Ghosh's tenure as principal.

A second CBI team from Nizam Palace simultaneously searched the hospital store building where medical and purchase records are kept, the official said. Another CBI team on Thursday went to the chest department housed at the third floor of the hospital's emergency building where the victim was on duty that fateful night, inspected the crime scene and spoke to nurses and other hospital staff, it was learnt. So far, the probe has resulted in only one arrest, that of Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, who currently remains in judicial custody.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook his tour of Maharashtra the state Congress unit launched a protest against the state and central governments over the destruction of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg.

Youth Congress leaders and other party workers were detained by Mumbai police on Friday while protesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city, demanding a public apology from him over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue.

Several posters demanding an apology from the Prime Minister were put up in various locations by the Congress. These posters depicted the PM inaugurating the statue alongside another image showing the collapsed structure.

Mumbai Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaekwad reached the Shivaji Park in Dadar with a miniature statue of Shivaji Maharaj as a mark of protest.

Stepping up her attack on PM Narendra Modi, Varsha Gaikwad on Friday demanded an apology from the Prime Minister over the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse in Malvan, Maharashtra.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.

Banerjee, who wrote to Modi a few days ago on the issue following nationwide uproar over the rape and murder of a doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, sought mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of cases of rape/rape and murder.

Banerjee had on Wednesday said an amendment to existing laws will be passed in the state assembly next week to ensure capital punishment to convicted rapists.

Stating that she is yet to receive a reply from the PM on the issue flagged by her, Banerjee wrote that she has, however, received a communication from the Union Women and Child Development minister.

Maintaining that the letter by the WCD minister "barely attends the gravity of the issue" raised by her, Banerjee wrote, "The seriousness of the subject and its relevance to the society have not been adequately appreciated while sending out this generic reply."

The CM wrote that 10 exclusive POCSO (Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act) courts have been approved by the state government. She further mentioned that 88 fast-track special courts and 62 POCSO-designated courts are already functioning in West Bengal on state funding. Banerjee wrote that helpline numbers 112 and 1098 are functioning in the state and additionally, Dial-100 is extensively used in emergency situations. WCD Minister Annapurna Devi had on Wednesday said the situation of women in West Bengal has been "deteriorating" and slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for failing to implement central schemes such as fast-track courts and emergency helplines to deal with crimes against women.

Devi claimed that the fast-track special courts (FTSCs), which were allocated to West Bengal, are yet to become operational in the state. The WCD minister also said that the state "failed" to implement key emergency helplines -- the Women Helpline (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and Child Helpline. -- PTI

The Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) bill on Friday sought suggestions from stakeholders, experts and other institutions on the proposed law.

The bill seeks to reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal.

According to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the committee led by Bharatiya Janata Party's Jagdambika Pal has asked for "views/suggestions from the public in general and NGOs, experts, stakeholders and institutions in particular" considering the "wider implications" of the bill.

People have been asked to share their suggestions in writing in the next 15 days.

The memoranda and suggestions submitted to the committee would form part of the records of the Committee and would be treated as "confidential", it said.

Those who wish to appear before the committee, besides submitting views in writing, have been asked to specifically indicate so in their correspondence.

The bill is the first major initiative from the BJP-led NDA government aimed at reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal.

It proposes several reforms, including establishing a Central Waqf Council alongside state Waqf Boards with representation to Muslim women and non-Muslim representatives.

A contentious provision of the bill is the proposal to designate the district collector as the primary authority in determining whether a property is classified as Waqf or government land. -- PTI

Representational image

12:59 7-year-old boy mauled to death by pit bull; owner booked

A seven-year-old boy died after he was attacked by a pit bull while walking with his mother at Anjuna village in North Goa, an official has said.

Inspector Suraj Gawas from Anjuna police station told reporters on Thursday that an FIR has been registered against the dog's owner, Abdul Kader Khwaja, for negligence. Victim Prabhas Kalangutkar was walking with his mother when the pit bull, which had not been kept on a leash, attacked him. His mother works as a house help, the official said.

The child was rushed to Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries. Animal Husbandry Minister Nilkant Halarnkar said the state government has banned some aggressive dog breeds but their owners have got relief from the court.

The minister said he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to ban certain breeds of ferocious dogs and bring proper guidelines to manage them. PTI

"A deep depression over the Kutch coast and northeast Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next six hours. Thereafter, it would continue to move nearly west-northwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea away from the Indian coast during the subsequent 2 days," says India Meteorological Department.

Vistara will operate the last flight under its brand on November 11 and the full-service carrier's operations will be unified with Air India from November 12.

The government has given its nod for the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines as part of the Air India-Vistara merger. Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Air India is owned by Tata Group.

"Starting 03 September 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after 12 November 2024," Vistara said in a release on Friday.

Thereafter, Vistara aircraft will be operated by Air India and bookings for the routes operated by these planes will be redirected to Air India's website. "Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till 11 November 2024," the release said.

The merger of Vistara with Air India was announced in November 2022 and post-completion of the deal, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India.

Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan said the merger is about offering passengers more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network while elevating the overall travel experience.

The victim's family want protests to continue

12:26 CM has no children, she hurt us: RG Kar doc family

The Kolkata Police has denied claims made in some viral audio clips that had alleged that Kolkata Police had informed the RG Kar victim's parents that she had died by suicide.

Indira Mukherjee, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Central Division, Kolkata Police said that at no instant had the police called the incident a suicide. In a press briefing, Indira Mukherjee said, "We heard some audio clips that were played by many channels...No such comments have been made by Kolkata Police. We never said that it was a suicide."

The Deputy commissioner also clarified the Police's stand on claims made in certain reports that had alleged that different colour beadspreads were used to cover the victim's body which was a sign of foulplay.

"Some of the video clips are also making claims that the colour of the curtain or the bedsheet that is used to cover the body is different from the previously declared colour that is blue. Let me bring notice, that our photography and videography started at 12:25 PM on that particular day. Videography was done in phases at the time of seizure and when the forensic team arrived as well," the Deputy Commissioner said.

"And I assure you that the material used to cover the body was blue. Whatever data was with us is duly handed over to CBI," she added.

Meanwhile the Victim's father also distanced himself from the alleged viral audio clips, refusing to confirm that the voice on the clip was his. The victim's father said, "We don't know from where, how it (the phone conversation between the family and the assistant superintendent of the hospital) went viral. We will not take responsibility for it.''

On whether the voice on the phone is his, the victim's father said, "You say so, but I do not see it. This issue will not affect the investigation."

The victim's family however said they were hurt by comments made by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue. The victim's mother said, "I didn't like what she (Mamata Banerjee) said yesterday. The whole world stands by my daughter. They are protesting, agitating for justice. And she says we do not want justice. I want them (protestors) to continue the movement until they get justice. The Chief Minister said the family does not want justice! Mamata has no son or daughter herself, so she cannot understand the pain of losing a child. We are very hurt by her comments."

Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday reached the Police Morgue of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata for further investigation of the rape and murder of the Trainee doctor at the college.

CBI also had concluded a second round of polygraph tests on former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) principal Sandip Ghosh as part of their investigation into the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the institution.

The test was conducted by a team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL). CBI officials had also conducted a polygraph test on the arrested accused, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the incident.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited the site in Malvan where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed on August 26.

Pawar stated, "Everyone is saddened by what has happened. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our deity, and we are all proud of his legacy. The Chief Minister has held meetings regarding this incident. Efforts are being made to rebuild the memorial. Action will be taken against those responsible. No matter where they flee, they will be found. There is no point in debating whether it was the Navy or the PWD."

He added that the government is committed to ensuring that a grand and divine memorial for the Maharaja is rebuilt.

In a post on X, Ajit Pawar said, "A few days ago, the unfortunate incident involving the statue of the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan occurred. Today, I visited the site and reviewed the situation. I also inspected the fort. Shivaji Maharaj is our self-respect, our identity."

He mentioned that in the future, priority will be given to past experience when awarding contracts.

Earlier, Chetan Patil, the structural consultant for the Shivaji Maharaj statue that collapsed in Malvan, Sindhudurg, was arrested in Kolhapur, according to senior Kolhapur Police officials. -- ANI

A post office littered with parcels of the dead and missing, a special police unit deployed to stop 'selfie tourists' and patrols to check thefts in abandoned houses is all that remains in the three Wayanad villages that were wiped off during the deadly landslides that occurred exactly a month ago.

An eight-km radius of Punchirimattam, Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages in the district was devastated by at least two massive landslides that hurtled down with ferocious volumes of water and debris around 2 am on July 30 claiming more than 231 lives even as 218 different human body parts have been found, as per latest official data.

The Kerala state highway no 39 leading to these picturesque villages of the hill district of Wayanad, over 470 kilometres from state capital Thiruvananthapuram, bear a testimony to the heart wrenching tragedy as police vehicles, heavy earth movers, ambulances and rescue teams line up the stretch in anticipation of any emergency in view of the continuing downpour.

Houses -- many damaged or partially crumbled and some intact -- lay abandoned as the inhabitants have been moved by the government authorities to public shelters and rented houses, while a few others have shifted to the homes of their kin.

Some of the residents occasionally come to check on their houses with a hope to find their belongings that are buried under mounds of slush comprising huge rocks and tree trunks.

The 10-day long rescue operations has now ended with slim chances of finding more survivors, a civil defence official stationed in the area said.

Shalini G, the in-charge post master of the Vellarmala post office in Chooralmala, keeps staring at the pile of parcels and packets that she is not able to get delivered since the facility got functional again on August 7. Local postman Manikandan K showed PTI a parcel on Thursday that was addressed to a man living in Ajvad area which he will never be able to deliver.

"This man is dead. He was killed in the July 30 landslides. I knew him. There are more such parcels that we at this post office are not able to deliver for weeks now as the addressee is either dead or missing," he said.

The anguish for Shalini's husband Velayudhan PT, also a postmaster in the nearby Mundakkai village, is immense as every day he gets to know about more people whom he knew being reported dead.

The couple's 13-year-old, two-storeyed house in Chooralmala was damaged and rendered unlivable by the landslides.

"Me, my husband and son were sheer lucky to have escaped the disaster on the fateful night as it inundated our house till the first floor. We ran uphill and later got rescued," Shalini says as she looks at the pile of undelivered and unclaimed parcels placed neatly on her table in the single-room post office.

The mud splattered houses of residents in the three villages, schools and other buildings reflect a frozen frame of catastrophe with hanging half-cut pillars, muck pushed right up to the bedrooms, bikes and four-wheelers buried under slush apart from utensils, sofa seats, chairs, tables, toys, school bags, clothes, toothbrushes lying strewn all over the place.

A contingent of the 'Malabar Special Police', a unit of Kerala Police tasked to undertake specialised law and order duties, along with the local cops, patrol these abandoned villages on foot to keep possible crimes at bay. Officials say there were few incidents of theft being reported by the locals. There was a instance when Rs 4 lakh in cash was recovered from under the rubble.

Hence, the police teams keep patrolling the area, a government official at the spot said. At least four police pickets have been erected at the entry of the landslides-affected area in order to stop "selfie-seeking tourists" and curious onlookers who want to capture a slice of the disaster in their smartphones.

"Only the people who lived here are allowed to enter so that they can check on their houses. Tourists and other members of the public are not allowed in this area," Inspector Rajitkumar M said. Another policeman at the temporary police control room being run from a single-room house says people who prove their identity of being locals are only allowed to go inside along with their vehicle.

A revenue department team sitting at the 'incident command centre' is asked to check the credentials of those who claim they are locals but have lost their documents in the landslides, he said.

Officials informed that a special camp was held here and most of the residents who lost their Aadhaar card, ration card, PAN card and other vital documents have been given duplicate copies. A team of Kerala fire and rescue and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also stationed in Chooralmala to keep an eye on the swollen rivulet that runs down from the hills into these villages.

A senior district administration official says large hectares of cardamom, coffee, pepper, tea, coconut, areca nut and banana plantations in the affected areas of the district have been completely damaged in the landslides which is the biggest such tragedy in the state. PTI

11:08 Where have the goldsmiths disappeared?

Kurumbur in gold-loving Tamil Nadu was once a thriving centre for goldsmiths.Today their number is down to two.

A Ganesh Nadar finds out why. Read the report here.

11:04 'Chaplus Must Be Thrown Out'

"We used to give these boxers a hammering in the ring and now they are teaching youngsters how to defend. Come on man.

"Things are not functioning properly. Nowadays, they only have observers and the boxers are selected on the basis of their scores, there are no trials to decide who is the best," Olympian Vijender Singh tells Rediff.com's Harish Kotian in an exclusive interview. Read it here.

11:02 Fit bit

Tamil Nadu CM makes sure to get this steps right. MK Stalin posts this image on X writing, "Starting the day with a brisk walk in San Francisco, gearing up for the Investors Conclave this evening."

Manipur CM inspects an area in Bishnupur-Churachandpur. File pic

10:45 Peace in 6 months, promises Manipur CM

With ethnic violence gradually subsiding, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has promised to fully restore peace in the state in six months with the Centre's help, and also ruled out stepping down, saying he has neither committed a crime nor spawned a scandal.

In an interview with PTI Videos in Imphal on Thursday, Singh revealed for the first time that he has appointed an emissary to hold talks with Kuki-zo and Meitei leaders.

The clashes between the Kuki-zo and Meiti ethnic groups since May 2023 has left 226 dead, according to official count.

"All this can be solved with dialogue. Dialogue is the only way," Singh said. He identified the emissary as Dinganglung Gangmei, a Naga MLA and the chairman of the Hill Area Committee. Asked what kind of a deadline he has fixed for himself to restore peace," Singh indicated that along with dialogue, the Central government's involvement -- either through the home ministry or other agencies -- will be critical in bringing peace.

"I don't think it will stretch long. Within 5-6 months peace should return. It is our hope and I am also confident," said Singh, who is a Meitei and remains largely mistrusted by the Kukis.

During the interview he repeatedly emphasised that he does not want to identify himself as a Meitei when he is sitting on the official chair. "I am a CM for all."

While the Meitei-dominated Imphal appears fully normal, with streets buzzing with traffic and shops doing brisk business, the hills surrounding the capital's flat valley terrain remains out of bounds for all except its Kuki inhabitants. Singh said the origins of the conflict go back to his first term as chief minister in 2017-2022 when he cracked down on illegal drug trade and migration from neighbouring Myanmar, whose border is only about 100 kilometres from Imphal.

He implied that those hit by his crackdown conspired to destabilise his government and the state by fomenting Kuki-Meitei clashes. Kukis are mostly hill- dwelling Christian tribes while Meiteis are Hindus living in the plains and valleys.

Kuki tribes are also found in Myanmar. During the interview, conducted at his office, Singh showed satellite images to make the point that areas that were largely uninhabited in 2001 were teeming with population 15 years later. He said the pictures were evidence of illegal settlements, which were changing the demographics of the state.

Singh said a Manipur High Court decision in March 2023 recommending scheduled tribe(ST) status to Meiteis further fuelled anger among Kukis who felt their rights were being diluted, although the court order was not implemented by Singh's government. But by then agitations by Kuki student groups had begun, and soon it turned into all out violence.

The High Court itself withdrew the paragraph on ST status from its order in February this year. The conflict has also extracted a political cost on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been criticized by the opposition and his critics for not visiting Manipur to help soothe the people.

"PM coming or not coming has been made an issue by people. The PM may not have come but he has sent his home minister. And PM has so often spoken about Manipur, even from Lal Quila on Independence Day and whatever is being done here in terms of security, funding etc, is under his leadership only. In a complex situation a PM coming was not necessary," Singh said.

He also made it clear that he will not tolerate pro-Meitei militant outfits, such as Arambai Tengoll, which has openly advocated violence against Kukis.

"I told them you will not do any anti-national or communal act. You have to support the government. There should be no communal word from you. I gave clear warning you will not say anything.' Not one word has come from their mouth in 5 months. I will not let them be extremist, anti-national," he said.

Blamed by Kukis for fanning violence against them, Singh described Arambai Tengol as a cultural outfit which was forced to take up arms to protect the Meiteis when violence first erupted due to initial absence of central and state police forces to deal.

Singh, whose move to resign was dramatically foiled by his supporters who snatched and tore his resignation letter in full public view during the peak of the unrest last year, said he has no intention of quitting now.

"Why should I resign? Have I stolen anything? Is there a scandal against me? Have I worked against the nation or state? I have saved the state from illegal migration, illegal poppy cultivation. My job is to protect Manipur and people of Manipur. There is no question (of resigning)," he said.

He also rejected the demand of Kukis for a separate administration. Manipur is a small state, hardworking state.

"Our forefathers have a history of 2000 years. Many sacrifices were made to make this state. This state can't be broken or have a separate administration. We will not allow this, he said. However, one can look at what can be done through the autonomous councils with focus on development," he said. He added that it is very important to develop hill areas for which he will request the central government to give a special package. PTI

An IMA study has revealed that one-third of its respondent doctors, majority of them being women, felt "unsafe" or "very unsafe" during their night shifts, so much so that some even felt the need to start carrying weapons for self-defence.

A duty room was not available to 45 per cent of respondents during night shifts, found the online survey undertaken by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to evaluate safety concerns during night shifts among doctors in the backdrop of recent alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

With 3,885 individual responses, it is the largest study from India on this topic, the IMA claimed. The survey findings, compiled by Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Chairman, Research Cell, Kerala State IMA, and his team, have been accepted for publication in IMA's Kerala Medical Journal October 2024 issue.

The respondents were from over 22 states with 85 per cent of them being under 35 years while 61 per cent were interns or postgraduate trainees. Women constituted 63 per cent, aligning with the gender ratio in some MBBS courses.

"Several doctors reported feeling unsafe (24.1 per cent) or very unsafe (11.4 per cent), totalling one-third of the respondents. The proportion of those feeling unsafe was higher among women," the survey findings showed.

Doctors of age 20-30 years had the lowest sense of safety and this group largely consists of interns and postgraduates. A duty room was not available to 45 per cent of respondents during night shifts. Those with access to a duty room had a greater sense of safety. The survey found that duty rooms were often inadequate due to overcrowding, lack of privacy and missing locks, forcing doctors to find alternative rest areas and one-third of available duty rooms did not have an attached bathroom.

"In more than half the instances (53 per cent), duty room was located far from the ward/casualty area," the findings stated. "Nearly one-thirds of the available duty rooms did not have an attached bathroom, which means that the doctors needed to step outside during late hours to access these facilities," it said.

Suggestions to enhance safety included increasing the number of trained security personnel, installing CCTV cameras, ensuring proper lighting, implementing the Central Protection Act (CPA), restricting bystander numbers, installing alarm systems and providing basic amenities such as secure duty rooms with locks were given by the doctors.

"The online survey was sent to doctors, both government and private, across India through a Google form. There were 3,885 responses within 24 hours," said Dr Jayadevan. Doctors across the country, particularly women, report feeling unsafe during night shifts, the study said, highlighting there is substantial scope for improving security personnel and equipment in healthcare settings.

Modifications to infrastructure are essential to ensure safe, clean and accessible duty rooms, bathrooms, food and drinking water. Adequate staffing, effective triaging and crowd control in patient care areas are also necessary to ensure that doctors can provide the required attention to each patient without feeling threatened by their work environment, it stated.

Several additional factors were highlighted by doctors who participated in the survey. The lack of sufficient numbers of trained security personnel, inadequate lighting of the corridors, absence of CCTV cameras and unrestricted entry of unauthorised individuals into the patient care areas were among the most frequent remarks, the study said. Some doctors indicated the need to start carrying weapons for self-defence.

One doctor admitted that she always carried a foldable knife and pepper spray in her handbag because the duty room was located at the far end of a dark and deserted corridor.

Doctors who worked in casualty reported verbal and physical threats from people who were drunk or under the influence of drugs. Another doctor reported that she repeatedly experienced bad touch or inappropriate contact in a crowded emergency room.

The situation is worse in some smaller hospitals where there is limited staff and no security. Several doctors reported apathy from the administrators when security concerns were raised, a common excuse being that the seniors also had endured similar working conditions. Violence is predominantly experienced by junior doctors, who, being on the frontline, are particularly vulnerable but have limited involvement in administration or policy-making.

Senior faculty members bear the responsibility of implementing policies to improve patient care delivery as well as enhancing security measures, thereby creating a safer work environment for the junior doctors.

Doctors across the country have called for a Central Protection Law to prohibit violence in all healthcare settings and enforce airport-like security measures, ensuring a safer working environment and better patient care. -- PTI

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall today, Friday, in isolated areas of Gujarat's districts, including Kachchh, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, and Porbandar.

"Moderate thunderstorms/lightning with maximum surface wind speeds of 40-60 km/h (in gusts), accompanied by heavy rainfall (>15 mm/hr), are very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat, namely Kachchh, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, and Porbandar," the IMD stated.

The IMD also forecasted moderate rainfall in isolated areas of the districts of Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Amreli.

"Light thunderstorms or lightning, with maximum surface wind speeds of less than 40 km/h (in gusts), accompanied by light to moderate rainfall (5-15 mm/hr), are very likely at isolated places in the districts of Gujarat, namely Surendranagar, Rajkot, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Amreli."

09:33 PM@Maha: Palghar port ceremony, Fintech fest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra on Friday during which he will address Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 in Mumbai and lay the foundation stone of Vadhvan Port project worth around Rs 76,000 crore in Palghar, his office has said.

Modi will address GFF 2024 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai at 11 am and thereafter around 1:30 pm, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects at CIDCO ground, Palghar, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Thursday.

The Vadhvan Port aims to establish a world-class maritime gateway that will boost the country's trade and economic growth by catering to large container vessels, offering deeper drafts, and accommodating ultra-large cargo ships, it said.

Vadhvan Port, located near Dahanu town in Palghar district, will be one of India's largest deep-water ports and will provide direct connectivity to international shipping routes, reducing transit times and costs, the statement said.

The port is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses and contribute to the overall economic development of the region, it said.

PM Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 218 fisheries projects worth around Rs 1,560 crore, aimed at bolstering the sector's infrastructure and productivity across the nation.

These initiatives are expected to generate more than five lakh employment opportunities in the fisheries sector, it said.

He will also launch the National Roll Out of Vessel Communication and Support system at a cost of around Rs 360 crore. Under this project, one lakh transponders will be installed in a phased manner on mechanised and motorised fishing vessels in 13 coastal states and Union Territories, the statement said.

Police in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Thursday registered a case of `culpable homicide not amounting to murder' against a contractor for alleged substandard work on a stretch of 26.7 kilometres between Indapur and Wadpale on the Mumbai-Goa national highway, and also arrested a project coordinator.

The case was registered against Hukamichand Jain, Managing Director of Chetak Enterprises Limited; Awadhesh Kumar Singh, General Manager of the company, and Sujit Kawale, Project Coordinator Engineer, and others, the official said.

Kawale was arrested in the case, said Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police, Raigad.

At least 97 persons have been killed and 208 injured in 170 accidents on this stretch of the Mumbai-Goa Highway since 2020, he said. -- PTI

Chetan Patil, the structural consultant named in the FIR registered in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, has been arrested from Kolhapur, police said on Friday.

Patil was taken into custody late on Thursday night and was handed over to the Sindhudurg police for further investigation, said Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit.

According to the Sindhudurg police, Patil has been arrested in the case.

Patil, a resident of Kolhapur, had claimed on Wednesday that he was not the structural consultant for the project.

Speaking to the Marathi news channel ABP Majha, Patil, named in the FIR along with artist Jaydeep Apte, had said that he had submitted the design of the platform to the Indian Navy through the state's Public Works Department (PWD) but had nothing to do with the statue itself.

"A Thane-based company did the statue-related work. I was just asked to work on the platform on which the statue was being erected," Patil had said.

The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg on Navy Day (December 4) last year, collapsed around 1 pm on Monday.

The incident caused embarrassment to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government and invited criticism and protests from the opposition parties. Shinde said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy. -- PTI

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has assured Sikh community leaders that the state government would consider banning the release of Kangana Ranaut's upcoming film "Emergency" pending legal consultation, government adviser Mohammad Ali Shabbir said on Thursday.

A delegation from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, met Shabbir at the Secretariat in Hyderabad and requested for a ban on the screening of "Emergency".

The 18-member delegation submitted a representation, expressing deep concerns over the film's portrayal of the Sikh community, Shabbir said in a release.

The delegation alleged that the film depicts Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals, a portrayal that is "offensive" and damaging to the community's image, the release said.

Shabbir requested the chief minister to consider banning the film in Telangana.

Shabbir, who met Reddy, informed that the chief minister has said a decision will be taken on the issue after obtaining legal advice. -- PTI

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01:13 SpiceJet to furlough 150 cabin crew members for three months

Facing financial headwinds, SpiceJet has decided to furlough 150 cabin crew members for three months.

The budget carrier is operating with a reduced number of planes amid financial, legal and lessor woes. Currently, it has an operational fleet of around 22 aircraft.

A total of 150 cabin crew members will be sent on leave without pay for three months, an airline spokesperson said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, aviation regulator DGCA said the airline has been placed under enhanced surveillance.

"SpiceJet has made the difficult decision to temporarily place 150 cabin crew members on furlough for three months. This step has been taken in response to the current lean travel season and the reduced fleet size, with the long-term stability of the organisation in mind," the spokesperson said in a statement.

During this furlough period, the spokesperson said the cabin crew members will continue to retain their status as employees of SpiceJet, with all health benefits and earned leave intact. -- PTI

File image

01:04 MP's electric scooter showroom catches fire; 2,500 rescued, none hurt

A fire broke out in an electric scooter showroom housed in a multi-storeyed commercial building in Indore city on Thursday evening, prompting authorities to move nearly 2,500 people, including students attending coaching classes, to safer place, an official said.

Nobody was injured in the blaze which has been brought under control, but around a dozen vehicles kept in the Ola Electric showroom were damaged, he said.

The fire broke out in the showroom of the electric vehicle manufacturer housed in a 6-storey commercial building near Geeta Bhavan, assistant commissioner of police Tushar Singh said.

Around 2,500 people, who were present in the building during the fire, were moved to safer place.

They included six employees of Ola Electric's showroom and nearly 2,000 students of about 10 coaching classes operating from the building, he added.

The building has a car company's showroom along with other commercial establishments, but timely action by fire brigade personnel prevented the flames from spreading to other parts of the structure, Singh added. -- PTI

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has arrested three persons involved in the transportation of smuggled gold in Mumbai and seized 22.89 kg of the precious metal worth Rs 16.71 crore, officials said on Thursday.

Besides the yellow metal, Rs 40 lakh, which was sale proceeds of smuggled gold, was also seized from them, they said.

Based on specific information, Mumbai Zonal Unit of the DRI intercepted three persons, while they were moving smuggled gold from one place to another, according to a statement issued by the central agency.

A search of their baggage resulted in the recovery of 22.89 kg of smuggled gold, valued at Rs 16.91 crore, in various forms, which includes melted bars, egg-shaped capsules, strips and chains, it stated.

On further information that the sale proceeds of smuggled gold to the tune of Rs 40 lakh were kept in a house, the same was searched and the entire amount was recovered and seized under provisions of the Customs Act, said the DRI. -- PTI

A man has been booked for trespassing for allegedly trying to enter the Parliament complex on a fake entry pass, officials said on Thursday.

According to the police, a labourer of a civil construction site inside the Parliament complex was found carrying a fake entry pass while checking at one of the gates on Wednesday morning.

The man was later handed over to the Delhi police by Central Industrial Security Force officials.

He was subsequently taken to the Parliament Street police station, where he revealed that his pass had expired.

The police said the man was asked from where he got the pass and that further probe is on.

On August 16, a man scaled the wall of the Parliament Annexe.

He was caught by the CISF personnel and handed over to police.

The man was found to he mentally "unsound" as he could not even tell his name properly, officials said. -- PTI

A 24-year-old man, distributing milk in the early hours of Thursday, died after a speeding SUV driven by a teenage boy knocked down his two-wheeler in Goregaon area in Mumbai, the police said.

The incident took place in Aarey Colony around 4 am.

Navin Vaishnaw died after a Mahindra Scorpio which was on the wrong side collided with his two-wheeler, said a police official.

As the accused driver is 17 years old, a case was also registered against the SUV owner Iqbal Jivani (48) and his son Mohammed Faz Iqbal Jivani (21), he said.

After hitting the two-wheeler, the SUV hit an electric pole.

The teenage driver tried to flee, but he had sustained injuries and was caught by police. His blood samples were sent to a laboratory to ascertain whether he was under the influence of alcohol, the official said.

The police were also investigating whether the accused had partied with his friends before the accident. -- PTI

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