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Sat, 31 August 2024
MP: 1,500 iPhones worth Rs 11 cr stolen from truck
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21:36 1,500 iPhones worth Rs 11 cr stolen from truck in MP
Some 1,500 iPhones worth Rs 11 crore were looted from a container truck in Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, following which one policeman was suspended and two were 'line attached' (taken off field duty) for alleged dereliction of duty, an official said on Saturday.
Those transporting the phones have claimed the loot was carried out after the driver of the truck was drugged and gagged on August 15, Sagar Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Uikey told PTI.
"We are verifying the claim of the transporters of some 1500 iPhones worth Rs 500 crore getting looted. Apple, which manufactures these phones, has not contacted police so far. I am at the spot, some 3 kilometres from the district headquarters, and videography of the truck is in progress," he said.
"The container was on its way from Gurugram in Haryana to Chennai. The loot began when the container was in adjoining Narsinghpur district. A case will be registered shortly after the initial probe is complete," Uikey said.
Sagar Zone Inspector- General of Police Pramod Verma 'line attached' Bandari police station in-charge inspector Bhagchand Uikey and assistant sub-inspector Rajendra Pandey and suspended head constable Rajesh Pandey on Friday for showing negligence in the case, the official said.
The personnel against whom action was taken had not registered a complaint when the driver of the truck approached them, the additional SP added.
IG Verma could not be contacted for comments. -- PTI
20:44 4 Mumbai cops suspended for 'planting' drugs on man
Four police personnel were suspended in Mumbai on Saturday after CCTV footage purportedly showing them planting drugs on a man during a raid went viral, a senior official said.
Those suspended included a police sub-inspector and three constables, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone XI) Rajtilak Roshan.
The policemen, attached to the Anti-Terror Cell of the Khar police station, raided an open plot of land in Kalina area of Mumbai on Friday evening and detained a man called Daniel, sources said.
But CCTV footage of the incident purportedly showed one of the policemen slipping something in the suspect's hip pocket.
Speaking to a local news channel, Daniel claimed that the policemen first threatened to frame him in a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case, but after realising that their actions were captured in a CCTV camera, he was released.
DCP Roshan told PTI that disciplinary action was initiated against the four cops for not following set procedure and for suspected actions as seen in the video, and they were suspended pending inquiry.
"They reached the spot after getting information about drugs, but everything (they did) is seen in the CCTV," he said.
An associate of Daniel alleged while speaking to the news channel that he was targeted at the behest of a builder over a dispute regarding the plot where the incident took place. -- PTI
20:28 Youtuber Rajat Dalal booked for rash driving
The Faridabad Police booked Youtuber Rajat Dalal for allegedly rashly driving a car on the Mathura road in Faridabad, a purported video of which had gone viral on social media, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint filed by Sarai Khawaja police station Head Constable Mahesh Kumar, the video showed the driver driving the vehicle recklessly at a very high speed.
Taking suo motu cognisance, with the help of cyber police, they contacted Kartik Chhabra, the person who made the video.
'Kartik Chhabda said that the incident took place on the Mathura road on February 25 and the video was made by him,' the head constable said in his complaint.
Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against Rajat Dalal under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Sarai Khawaja police station on Friday.
A senior police officer said that the 30-year-old Youtuber has 2.3 lakh followers on his Youtube channel. -- PTI
19:51 IBM cuts 1,000 jobs in China, could revoke ops
Tech giant IBM is making preparations for minimising business operations in China.
The current shift in IBM's business structure is reportedly due to the rising tensions between China and the US along with an ongoing decline in the Chinese economy, CNN reported quoting several local news sources.
According to report, IBM is cutting 1,000 jobs in China. Similar activities of revocation of business or relocation of operations have been witnessed by several tech companies in China.
Due to deteriorating relations between both countries because of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology, mostly due to security concerns.
Yicai, a Chinese state-owned financial media outlet according to CNN, reported on Monday that IBM was ending research operations in China entirely after 25 years, of being initiated in 1999.
However, a statement by IBM quoted in the CNN report mentioned that the company declined to comment on the issue of job losses or the retaining of any research staff in China.
"IBM adapts its operations as needed to best serve our clients, and these changes will not impact our ability to support clients across the Greater China region," the IBM statement said.
Jiemian, another state media outlet from China, wrote that the job cuts which would affect the staff of IBM in Beijing, Shanghai and Dalian in China -- were declared by Jack Hergenrother, an enterprise systems development executive from IBM.
According to the CNN report, Hergenrother had reportedly told IBM's staff that infrastructure business in China was 'in decline' and the research happening in the country would be shifted to other research labs run by IBM.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal in a report mentioned that some of the work being relocated by IBM may be undertaken by the labs in India.
In recent years a tech war between the world's top economic powers has become severe, making it difficult for US-based tech firms to do business in China.
The CNN report quoted David Hoffman, a senior advisor from Conference Board Asia saying 'It's a reality that market access for Western firms is constricting, if not closing in some sectors in China due to national security concerns'.
He added further in his statement that enterprises involved in IT, which refers to complex systems used by large organizations to manage operations, were one of those areas, especially because large state-owned and state-connected firms form the bulk of the market.
IBM in its most recent annual report claimed that revenue in the country fell by 19.6 percent last year. claiming that, after years of growth, China is no longer the promising land it once was for its industries.
The current shift in IBM's business structure is reportedly due to the rising tensions between China and the US along with an ongoing decline in the Chinese economy, CNN reported quoting several local news sources.
According to report, IBM is cutting 1,000 jobs in China. Similar activities of revocation of business or relocation of operations have been witnessed by several tech companies in China.
Due to deteriorating relations between both countries because of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology, mostly due to security concerns.
Yicai, a Chinese state-owned financial media outlet according to CNN, reported on Monday that IBM was ending research operations in China entirely after 25 years, of being initiated in 1999.
However, a statement by IBM quoted in the CNN report mentioned that the company declined to comment on the issue of job losses or the retaining of any research staff in China.
"IBM adapts its operations as needed to best serve our clients, and these changes will not impact our ability to support clients across the Greater China region," the IBM statement said.
Jiemian, another state media outlet from China, wrote that the job cuts which would affect the staff of IBM in Beijing, Shanghai and Dalian in China -- were declared by Jack Hergenrother, an enterprise systems development executive from IBM.
According to the CNN report, Hergenrother had reportedly told IBM's staff that infrastructure business in China was 'in decline' and the research happening in the country would be shifted to other research labs run by IBM.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal in a report mentioned that some of the work being relocated by IBM may be undertaken by the labs in India.
In recent years a tech war between the world's top economic powers has become severe, making it difficult for US-based tech firms to do business in China.
The CNN report quoted David Hoffman, a senior advisor from Conference Board Asia saying 'It's a reality that market access for Western firms is constricting, if not closing in some sectors in China due to national security concerns'.
He added further in his statement that enterprises involved in IT, which refers to complex systems used by large organizations to manage operations, were one of those areas, especially because large state-owned and state-connected firms form the bulk of the market.
IBM in its most recent annual report claimed that revenue in the country fell by 19.6 percent last year. claiming that, after years of growth, China is no longer the promising land it once was for its industries.
The alleged job cuts and shift in business operations came after three months of Microsoft (MSFT) confirming that, it has offered to relocate some of its employees.
The CNN report quoted a state media which had previously reported that the company had made such an offer to at least 100 staff members. -- ANI
18:59 EC defers Haryana polls to Oct 5; counting on Oct 8
The Election Commission on Saturday deferred the Haryana assembly poll date to October 5 from October 1, keeping in mind a centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community.
The counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly polls will now be held on October 8 instead of October 4, the poll body said.
It said the decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a 300-400-year-old practice in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.
The EC had received a representation from the national president of All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan for rescheduling the date for the Haryana assembly elections.
He said generations of families from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana visit their native village Mukam in Rajasthan on 'amavas' in the month of 'Asoj' for the annual festival in Bikaner in the memory of Guru Jambheshwar.
This year, the festival falls on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on the day, denying them their voting rights. -- PTI
Image only for representation
18:22 1962 war era mortar smoke bomb found in Assam
A mortar smoke bomb, believed to be of the 1962 Indo-China war era, was recovered from a river bed in Assam's Sonitpur district, a top police official said on Saturday.
The bomb, which was found in Dhekiajuli area, has been safely blasted with the help of Army personnel, he added.
Sonitpur Superintendent of Police Barun Purkayastha said the two-inch-long explosive was discovered by a person from Jougapur village while fishing in the Sesa river on Friday evening.
"The area comes under Missamari police station. The bomb most likely is Chinese-made and from the 1962 war," he said.
The war was fought in Arunachal Pradesh, neighbouring Assam.
Mortar smoke bomb is a type of ammunition used for variety of purposes, like creating a smoke screen to evade enemy fire or to prevent enemy reconnaissance and surveillance.
"It has been safely blasted with the help of an Army team from Missamari camp, led by Lietenant Colonel Abhijit Mishra," the SP added. -- PTI
17:48 Coaching deaths: 6 accused sent to CBI custody
A Delhi court on Saturday sent six people arrested in a case related to the drowning of three civil services aspirants in a coaching centre's basement in Old Rajinder Nagar to four days' Central Bureau of Investigation custody.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg sent Abhishek Gupta, Deshpal Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Parvinder Singh to the custody till September 4.
"Considering the submissions in the application and in particular the scope of investigation in terms of the order dated August 2, 2024 of the High Court of Delhi, custodial interrogation of the accused persons would be necessary for the purpose of investigation and for ascertaining the role played by various individuals who might have been involved in corrupt practices or criminal negligence," the judge said.
The judge passed the order on an application filed by the CBI seeking police custody of all six accused for four days for their interrogation.
The order was passed after the accused were produced before the court on expiry of their judicial custody granted earlier in the case.
The CBI has filed the case for various alleged offences, including criminal negligence, dereliction of duties and corrupt practices indulged in by any person, including officials of the local authorities. -- PTI
17:45 India's August rainfall 16% higher than normal: IMD
India recorded around 16 per cent more rainfall than normal in August, with rainfall over Northwest India recorded at 253.9 mm, the second highest in August since 2001, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Addressing a virtual press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the country recorded 287.1 mm of rainfall in August, compared to the normal 248.1 mm.
Overall, India has received 749 mm of precipitation against the normal 701 mm since the start of the monsoon season on June 1.
Several districts in the foothills of the Himalayas and the northeast experienced below-normal rainfall as most of the low-pressure systems moved south of their usual position, and the monsoon trough also remained south of its typical position, the IMD chief said.
Many states in the northeast, along with Kerala and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, experienced deficient rainfall, he added.
The IMD chief said that six low-pressure systems formed in August, two of which intensified into monsoon depression or deep depression.
There were 17 low-pressure system days this August, compared to the normal of 16.3 days.
From August 10 to August 22, the monsoon trough remained along its normal position, resulting in good rainfall over northern and adjacent central India, parts of eastern India, and the extreme southern peninsula, especially Tamil Nadu.
From August 23 to August 31, the trough shifted south of its normal position, causing very heavy rainfall over central and western parts of India.
No-break monsoon conditions were observed in August this year, despite an increasing trend of break days during the month, Mohapatra said.
He said the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) was very active during the second half of the month, leading to good rainfall over the Indian region. MJO is a large-scale atmospheric disturbance originating in tropical Africa and travelling eastward, typically lasting 30 to 60 days. -- PTI
16:35 Fake job scam: 47 Indians rescued in Laos
At least 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres in Laos have been rescued from the Bokeo province of the country, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian country said on Saturday.
Indian authorities have been cautioning its nationals against fake job offers in Laos and urged them to conduct thorough due diligence to avoid being deceived.
The Indian mission has so far rescued 635 Indians from the country and ensured their safe return to India.
In the latest case, the embassy rescued 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province, a statement from the Indian Embassy in Laos said.
'Of these, 29 were handed over to the Embassy by Laos authorities after their crackdown on illegal activities in Golden Triangle SEZ, while other 18 had approached the Embassy in distress, seeking help,' the statement, which was posted on X, said.
It said the embassy officials travelled from the capital Vientiane to Bokeo to liaise with local authorities for their rescue.
The statement added that Prashant Agrawal, the Ambassador of India to Laos, met the group upon their arrival to discuss the challenges they faced and to advise further course of action.
The embassy has undertaken and completed all procedural requirements of Laos authorities for their repatriation to India, the statement said, adding that 30 of those have already safely returned to India or are on their way, while the remaining 17 are only awaiting travel arrangements to be firmed up and would be leaving the country soon.
Agrawal emphasised that 'ensuring safety and well-being' of Indians was a matter of top priority for the Embassy, the statement said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last month discussed the issue of trafficking of Indian nationals with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.
The Indian embassy in Laos last month rescued 13 Indians, who were lured into certain cyber-scamming centres in the country and sent them back home.
In Saturday's statement, the Indian Embassy urged the Laos government to take action at their end against unscrupulous elements. -- PTI
15:29 RBI Governor: GDP growth slowing down due to...
The slowing of India's economic growth to a 15-month low of 6.7 per cent in the April-June quarter was due to 'lower' government spending in the wake of the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the recent Lok Sabha polls, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The RBI had projected a growth rate of 7.1 per cent for the April-June quarter of this fiscal.
"The Reserve Bank projected a growth rate of 7.1 per cent for the first quarter. However, the first advance estimation data released by the National Statistical Office showed the growth rate at 6.7 per cent," Das told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
The components and main drivers responsible for the GDP growth like consumption, investment, manufacturing, services and construction have registered a growth of more than 7 per cent, he said.
Only two aspects have pulled the growth rate slightly down. Those are government (both central and state) expenditure and agriculture, the RBI governor pointed out.
He said the government expenditure was low during the first quarter perhaps due to elections (April to June) and operation of model code of conduct by the Election Commission.
"We would expect the government expenditure to pick up in coming quarters and provide the required support to growth," Das said.
Similarly, the agriculture sector has recorded a minimal growth rate of around 2 per cent in the April to June quarter. However, the monsoon was very good and spread all over India except a few areas. So, everyone is optimistic and positive about the agriculture sector, he noted.
"Under these circumstances, we have reasonably confident expectations that the annual growth rate of 7.2 per cent projected by the RBI will be materialized in coming quarters," the governor asserted. -- PTI
Rahul Ram. Photo: Courtesy @indianoceanband/X
15:03 Indian Ocean co-founder Susmit Sen files complaint against former bandmates
Susmit Sen, co-founder of Indian Ocean, has filed a police complaint against former bandmates Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam over unpaid royalties, which the duo has dismissed as an arm-twisting tactic for 'illegal and unwarranted demands'.
Sen has filed the complaint along with Sunita Chakravarty, wife of Ashim Chakravarty, with whom he had formed the band in 1990.
Ashim Chakravarty died in 2009 following complications from a cardiac arrest, while Sen left Indian Ocean in 2013 and started his own band called Susmit Sen Chronicles.
Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd, the company that runs the Indian Ocean band, is also listed as an accused in the police complaint, which Sen lodged at Mukherjee Nagar police station in New Delhi on August 16.
A first information report (FIR) is yet to be registered in the case. The charges, made under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), include criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating, misappropriation, falsification of accounts, fraud against the Registrar of Companies (RoC) and authorities, among others.
"After forming the band, I was there with them for 23 and a half years... There was so much trust. And when it breaks, it's a very painful procedure. It is quite heartbreaking when your close friends, partners and colleagues behave like this," Sen told PTI.
Sen claimed that he has not received royalties or payments from the Indian Ocean since 2020, and Sunita Chakravarty has not been paid since 2021.
The complainants have alleged that they have been denied royalty payments amounting to over Rs 50 lakh each, based on calculations made two years ago.
After Sen's complaint became public, Ram and Kilam released a statement on Saturday and said they are surprised at the police case as the matter is already a pending matter in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
"We are saddened to learn from the media that a police complaint has been filed against us by Mr Susmit Sen (Former member of Indian Ocean) and Ms Sunita Chakravorty (Spouse of former Indian Ocean member Asheem Chakravorty). We have not seen a copy of the complaint as yet and thus cannot address it on it's merits," they said.
Sen said Ram and Kilam have not yet reached out to him to resolve the matter.
"There is another case that we filed in NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) in March 2023. At that point of time, the court had also asked them to resolve this matter amicably within themselves. But they did not reach out," Sen said.
He claimed the band members told them during the COVID-19 pandemic that they were not able to pay the royalties due to lack of work.
"So we asked for a balance sheet, which we rightfully can ask.And when we saw the balance sheet, they had done the business of Rs 1.5 crore. And since then, they have done a lot of work. So, now what is the amount, nobody knows. They are not disclosing it," he alleged.
Ram and Kilam have questioned the timing of the criminal complaint and called it an attempt to pressure them into settling the pending civil dispute.
"There is a pending matter in the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) between the share holders for more than a year. That case is still in process, and thus everything therein is sub-judice. It is thus quite a surprise to us that a police complaint has been filed with what appears to be the same issue considered by NCLT.
"Filing of a criminal complaint on what is evidently a civil law issue seems to be an afterthought and to arm twist us to agree to their illegal and unwarranted demands," they said.
The duo further said that they will cooperate fully with the police in 'any enquiry they choose to carry out'.
"We are quite aware that the complaints are essentially frivolous and malafide and completely confident about the legality of all procedures carried out by us," Ram and Kilam said.
As one of the most popular bands in the country, Indian Ocean is known for its unique blend of rock music with Indian classical, folk, and jazz influences, creating a sound that is distinctly their own.
Their debut album, 'Indian Ocean' was released in 1993, followed by 'Kandisa' in 2000.
Sen and Sunita Chakravarty, along with Ram and Kilam, are the four equal shareholders of Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd, which owns the band.
The company was formed in 2004 in New Delhi. -- PTI
14:18 Don't intend to oppose Kangana's film, but...: SGPC
After the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) sent a legal notice to Kangana Ranaut and the producers of the film Emergency, the general secretary of the committee said on Saturday that the matter pertains to not just Sikhs but also to the concerns of harmony in the country.
Gurcharan Singh Grewal, general secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee told ANI that they do not intend to oppose the film just because it has Kangana Ranaut, but it is based on their argument.
"Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had written to the Information and Broadcasting Minister as well as Censor Board. The letter stated that we do not intend to oppose the film just because it has Kangana Ranaut, our stand is based on our argument. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had also issued a legal notice and a few members also approached the high court to file their writ petition. We have come to know that the passing of Kangana's film has been stopped but we will get to know only on 6th September," he said.
He also said that Kangana does a lot of things to promote her film.
"She says that she is getting rape and death threats. All of these are film promotion stunts. But if the Censor Board has decided this (to not pass the film), it is a good thing because the matter pertains to not just Sikhs. It also pertains to the concerns of harmony in the country," he added.
Earlier, protesters burnt the effigy of Kangana Ranaut in Bathinda.
Meanwhile, a petition demanding the registration of a criminal case was filed on Saturday in Chandigarh against film actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut for allegedly misrepresenting historical facts and hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs in the film.
The case has been filed with the area magistrate under sections 302, 299, 196 part one, 197 part one BNS.
The next date of the case has been fixed as September 17, 2024. -- ANI
13:59 After Champai Soren, ex-JMM MLA joins BJP
A day after former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, ex-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislator Lobin Hembrom on Saturday crossed over to the saffron camp.
Hembrom was given membership of the BJP by the party's state chief Babulal Marandi in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
"The JMM has changed from what was it in Guruji's (JMM supremo Shibu Soren) time. Now, there is no respect for senior leaders in the JMM. So, I decided to join the BJP for development of Jharkhand and uplift of tribals," the former Borio legislator said at the saffron camp's state headquarters in Ranchi.
Hembrom was disqualified from the Jharkhand assembly under the anti-defection law with effect from July 26.
The former legislator, who had been vocal against his own party, contested as an independent candidate from the Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat, challenging JMM's nominee Vijay Hansdak.
Hembrom tasted defeat in the parliamentary elections.
The JMM had initiated proceedings under the anti-defection law against Hembrom in the Speaker's Tribunal.
Champai Soren joined the BJP on Friday, two days after he quit the JMM citing dissatisfaction with the party's current style of functioning and 'bitter humiliation'. -- PTI
13:20 Cow vigilantes lynch migrant worker in Haryana
Five people, who are part of a cow vigilante group, have been arrested for allegedly beating a migrant worker from West Bengal to death in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district over suspicion that he had eaten beef, police said on Saturday.
According to a senior police officer, Sabir Malik was killed on August 27.
Suspecting that the victim had eaten beef, the accused -- Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit and Sahil -- called Malik at a shop under the pretense of selling empty plastic bottles and then beat him, the officer said.
He added that after some people intervened, the accused took Malik to another location and beat him again, leading to his death.
Malik lived in a shanty near Bandhra village in Charkhi Dadri district and collected waste and rag for a living, the police said.
All the five accused have been arrested, they said, adding that two juveniles have also been apprehended in the matter.
A case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered against the accused, the police said. -- PTI
12:13 Doc rape: Bike-borne man blocks key Kolkata road
An arterial road in the northern part of Kolkata was blocked for nearly five fours on Saturday after a motorcycle-borne man allegedly rode into a barricaded area where a night vigil seeking justice in the rape-murder of a doctor was going on, police said.
The two-wheeler had a police sticker on it. The blockade on B T Road at Sinthi crossing near Rabindra Bharati University was lifted around 8.30 am, a police official said.
Alleging that the motorcycle-borne man was allowed to go by the police officials without being prosecuted, the participants of the night vigil resorted to the road blockade demanding that penal action be taken against the offender.
Traffic movement was normalised after the blockade was lifted by the agitators, the police said. -- PTI
File image
11:15 Odisha's new excise policy allows musical performance, orchestra in liquor shops
The new excise policy in Odisha allows musical performance and orchestra in licensed liquor shops in Odisha, an official release said.
But no dance performance will be allowed in licensed liquor shops, it said.
The new excise policy will be implemented from September 1 "No dance performance will be allowed in any 'ON' shop premises.
However, the 'ON' shops may conduct musical performance or orchestra within their licensed premises after obtaining necessary permission under Odisha Excise Rules, 2017," the new policy released on Friday said.
Odisha Excise Policy (excise fee, duty and margin structure along with regulatory guidelines) will be implemented from September 1.
The new policy also said that no new IMFL 'OFF' shop shall be sanctioned in the state during 2024-25 fiscal.
The new excise policy also mentioned that no new ON' shop license shall be granted for rural areas for the year 2024-25, except three star and above category hotels and beer parlours would be allowed to sell beer. -- PTI
The wreckage of the helicopter in Kedarnath/ANI Photo
11:08 Helicopter being airlifted crashes in U'khand, no reports of casualties
A helicopter, which was being airlifted by MI-17 aircraft to Gauchar airstrip for repair work, crashed in Kedarnath on Saturday, officials said.
While lifting the helicopter in need of repair work, the MI-17 plane started losing its balance and sensing danger its pilot dropped the helicopter into an empty space in the the valley.
"The plan was to take the helicopter to Gauchar airstrip on Saturday, with the help of MI-17 aircraft, for repair. As soon as it covered a little distance, the MI-17 started losing balance due to the weight of the helicopter and wind, due to which the helicopter had to be dropped near Tharu camp," district tourism officer Rahul Chaubey said.
There was no passenger or luggage on the helicopter, said the official adding that a rescue team reached the spot as soon as information of the incident was received.
"The team is inspecting the situation, " Chaubey said.
Rahul Chaubey stated that on May 24 this private helicopter landed in an emergency situation some distance away from the Kedarnath helipad due to some technical faults. -- ANI
Patra Chawl homebuyers' protest in Mumbai/File image/ANI Photo
10:59 Mumbai's Patra Chawl scam witness gets life, rape threat
Swapna Patkar, a witness in the money-laundering case related to Goregaon's Patra Chawl, has written a letter to additional director (Western Region), Enforcement Directorate alleging rape and life threats to her "for changing the statements given during the investigation of the case."
In the letter Patkar wrote, "I would like to bring it to your notice that the accused in the case and his touts/goons are constantly indulging in the witness threatening/tampering with me and may be with others as well. I am continuously being threatened and being pressurised to change my statements given during the investigations, I am also being pressurised for title of some lands and properties in the name of one accused, Sanjay Raut and his family members."
In past as well, Swapna Patkar has lodged a complaint with the Vakola police in Mumbai that someone threw a bottle into the premises of her residence on Wednesday and a letter was found in that bottle which threatened her against raising her voice in the court.
According to her complaint, "At around 1 am on Wednesday night, she heard the sound of a glass bottle breaking in the premises of her house."
On inquiring with her security staff, she came to know that a letter in Marathi was inside the bottle.
Notably, Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut is an alleged accused in the case. On June 28, 2022, Raut was summoned by the ED in connection to the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.
Patra Chawl, in the Siddarth Nagar area of Goregaon, a western suburb of Mumbai, went for redevelopment in 2008.
It had 672 tenants, and the housing units were spread across 47 acres. -- ANI
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10:46 Kolkata doc murder: FAIMA to hold peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar
The Federation of All India Medical Association will hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar here on Saturday against the rape and murder of a doctor at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
According to the statement issued by FAIMA, the protest aims to demand justice for the victim and press the government to expedite the enactment of the long-pending Central Healthcare Protection Act, which seeks to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals across the country.
"FAIMA is profoundly disturbed by this heinous act, which has not only shattered the medical fraternity but also exposed the alarming vulnerabilities that healthcare professionals face daily," a spokesperson for the association said.
"Our fight will continue until justice is served," Manish Jangra, founder and chief advisor of FAIMA, said.
Jangra said they have permission to protest at Jantar Mantar from 3 to 5 pm.
He added that members of the Resident Doctors of India from hospitals around Delhi-NCR, such as Aligarh and Rohtak, will also join the protest.
Earlier this month, resident doctors across the country went on an indefinite strike on August 12 after the body of the trainee doctor was found on the premises of the state-run hospital in Kolkata on the morning of August 9. -- PTI
Robert Vadra/File image
10:34 Robert Vadra flays Kangana Ranaut on remarks over farmers' protest
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra has slammed BJP MP Kangana Ranaut for her comments on farmers' protests and said she does not deserve to be in Parliament.
Addressing reporters in New Delhi on Friday, he said, "She (Ranaut) is a woman. I respect her. But I feel she does not deserve to be in Parliament. She is not educated. I feel she does not think about people. She thinks only about herself. She should think about women. My appeal is that the entire country should come together and move forward on the issue of women's safety."
Noting that the safety of women is the most important issue, he said all political parties must come together to address it.
Ranaut, the member of Parliament from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, on Monday posted on X a clip of her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, in which she suggested that a "Bangladesh-like situation" could have erupted in India during farmers' protests against three now-repealed farm laws but for the country's strong leadership.
She then alleged that "bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place" during the farmers' agitation. -- PTI
Bangladesh ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina/File image
10:18 Hasina's stay in India could further strain ties: BNP
Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that it's crucial to start a new chapter in the Indo-Bangla ties, which should begin with the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, as her continued presence in India could further damage bilateral relations.
The veteran leader, the second-in-command of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, emphasised his party's desire for strong relations with India, stating they are prepared to "move past previous differences and collaborate".
He also assured that the BNP would never permit any activities on Bangladeshi soil that could threaten India's security.
In an interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Alamgir said if the BNP is voted to power, it will review and re-evaluate the questionable Adani electricity deal signed during the Awami League regime, as it is putting tremendous pressure on the people of Bangladesh.
Claiming that it was a diplomatic failure on the part of New Delhi for failing to understand the psyche of the people of Bangladesh, Alamgir said that even after the fall of the Hasina government following a people's uprising, the Indian establishment is yet to reach out to BNP, even though China, the US, the UK, and Pakistan have already done so. -- PTI
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10:10 Mumbai train services disrupted due to overhead electric line breakdown
Train services Mankhurd and Vashi railway station at the Harbour line of Mumbai were disrupted on Saturday morning due to a broken overhead electric line, the railways said in a statement.
The fault occured at Mankhurd station.
Railways said that passengers are allowed to travel via the Transharbour Line using the same tickets and passes till the services resume.
"During this period, passengers are allowed to travel via the Transharbour Line using the same tickets and passes. This arrangement will be in place until the issue with the OHE is resolved," the Central Railways said.
The Railways further said that the services are running between CSMT-Vadala and Vashi-Panvel only.
"Down Services are not running between Vadala-Vashi. The process for rectification of OHE is going on. Due to defects at down line services of UP line are also impacted," CPRO Central Railways said in a statement. -- ANI
09:51 TN CM Stalin visits Apple, Google, Microsoft offices in US
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft and discussed opportunities for investment and partnerships.
The Chief Minister, currently on a visit to the USA to attract investments to Tamil Nadu, on Saturday described the visit to the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft as awe-inspiring.
"Discussed various opportunities and exciting partnerships. Determined to strengthen these partnerships and make Tamil Nadu one of the foremost growth engines of Asia! @TRBRajaa @Guidance_TN @TNIndMin #InvestInTN #ThriveInTN #LeadWithTN #DravidianModel," Stalin said in a post on the social media platform X. -- PTI
RG Kar Medical College and Hopsital principal Dr Sandip Ghosh (right)/ANI Photo
09:22 IMA suspends RG Kar ex-principal's membership
The Indian Medical Association Kolkata on Friday, suspended the membership of former RG Kar Medical College and Hopsital principal Dr Sandip Ghosh, amid a CBI probe into the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor earlier this month.
In an order, the Indian Medical Association said the committee constituted by IMA national president Dr RV Asokan suo-motu considered the rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Kolkata.
"The undersigned along with the national president has also visited the parents of the victim in their home. They had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in an appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them," the order stated.
"The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations' of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole," it said.
The order said the disciplinary committee of the IMA has "unanimously decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of the Indian Medical Association." -- PTI
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08:51 Factually not correct, narrative misleading: MEA on reports on B'desh floods
Amid reports blaming India for floods in parts of Bangladesh, the ministry of external affairs on Friday dismissed them as "factually not correct" and said the "narrative is misleading".
Spokesperson of the external affairs ministry Randhir Jaiswal said this in response to a query during the media briefing in New Delhi.
"We have seen the reports on floods in Bangladesh, its narrative is misleading, and suggests that India is somehow responsible for the floods. It is factually not correct, and ignores the fact mentioned in the (recent) press releases issued by the government of India, clarifying the situation," he said.
They have also ignored that we have a "regular and timely exchange" of data and critical information between the two countries, through existing joint mechanisms for water resources management, the spokesperson said.
In the last few days, some reports have suggested that the floods in parts of Bangladesh were caused due to the opening of gates of a dam in India, whipping up anti-India sentiments among the people. -- PTI
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08:27 2 leopards spotted in UP's Pilibhit, Rampur; rescue ops on
Two leopards have been spotted in Pilibhit and Rampur districts, causing panic among the locals, officials said on Friday.
An official said that the forest department has set up cages in both districts to catch the leopards.
The leopard that came out of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve area was seen sitting in a sugarcane field in Bilgaon village adjacent to Nagar Kotwali late in Pilibhit Thursday evening, an official said.
When the villagers saw the leopard, people from the surrounding villages also gathered at the spot.
"On receiving information about the wild animal reaching close to the human population, a team was immediately sent to the spot. Officials are engaged in the process of returning the leopard to the forest safely so that human-animal conflict or any unexpected incident can be avoided," Manish Singh, deputy director of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, told reporters.
Meanwhile, the villagers said that the people of Jamuna Jamuni village of Rampur district are also troubled by the terror of leopards because they have been seen roaming around the population area, sitting on the boring of a tubewell in the agricultural field and waiting for domestic animals. -- PTI
08:18 Hardcore Maoist involved in 18 encounters surrenders in Gadchiroli
A hardcore Maoist, Kedar alias Manya Kinjo Naitam, surrendered before the Gadchiroli police on Friday, an official said.
He was involved in at least 18 encounters in the region and has 34 cases against his name, which includes two cases of arson and eight of murder, the official added.
"He joined the Maoist movement in 2007 and was an active member of Tipadag Salam. He actively participated in West Sub Zonal Bureau of the outlawed CPI-Maoist in Dhanora," the official informed. -- PTI
Elon Musk/File image/Kyle Grillot/Reuters
08:13 Brazil top court orders suspension of Elon Musk's X
Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal or STF) of Brazil on Friday ordered the immediate and complete suspension of the operation of X, formerly Twitter, throughout the national territory.
Notably, Moraes on August 29 had asked Elon Musk to appoint a legal representative for his social media platform X in Brazil within 24 hours or face the consequences of a nationwide suspension.
The STF shared a post and said, "STF summons Elon Musk and X to appoint a legal representative within 24 hours, under penalty of suspension of activities in Brazil."
The STF had warned that the event of non-compliance would result in the suspension of the social network's operations in Brazil.
"In case of non-compliance with the determination, the decision provides for the suspension of the social network's activities in Brazil," the STF had said.
The suspension will be followed until the Court's judicial decisions are complied with and the fines applied are paid.
The order will also be valid until a representative of the company in the country is appointed, the court in its decision said. According to the decision, made in Petition (PET) 12404, the president of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), Carlos Manuel Baigorri, must take all necessary measures to ensure the suspension.
The rapporteur also ordered Apple and Google to take steps to block the use of the application by iOS and Android systems, in addition to removing it from their virtual stores, the decision added.
According to Moraes, the STF made every possible effort and granted every opportunity for X Brasil to comply with the court orders and pay the fines, which would avoid the adoption of this more serious measure. -- ANI
00:18 Amid protests, law minister to meet Bengal Guv
Amid nationwide protest over the Kolkata rape and murder case, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is likely to meet West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Saturday in Delhi, said the source.
According to the Source, "Union Law Minister is likely to meet West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose in Delhi. The Governor came to Delhi yesterday and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday. He was supposed to return today only but due to this meet he is staying back."
After the letter was received from the parents of the victim of the RG Kar horror, Governor rushed to Delhi and presented their grievances before the home minister.
The Governor apprised the home minister of the gravity of the situation and the public protest against the ghastly incident.
He is in frequent touch with the parents and the competent authorities. -- ANI
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