LIVE
Thu, 18 July 2024
Delhi hospital killing: Juvenile was 'main shooter'
Timeline Refresh
22:50 Delhi hospital killing: Juvenile was 'main shooter'
Two people and a juvenile, who was 'the main shooter' in the GTB Hospital firing incident where a 32-year-old man was shot dead, were arrested in New Delhi on Thursday, officials said.
According to the officials, the juvenile and the two accused -- Foujan (20) and Saif (19) -- killed Riyazuddin in a case of mistaken identity in ward number 24 of the hospital on July 14.
"All three, along with their one more associate, went to GTB Hospital and killed Riyazuddin, mistaking him for notorious criminal Waseem," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary said.
The DCP said the two accused and the juvenile were nabbed from northwest Delhi's Brahampuri area.
"They were planning to flee the city. The main shooter is a juvenile, who frequently posts photos and videos posing with pistols on his social media accounts to gain followers," Choudhary said.
"All three are highly aware of technical surveillance and often resort to internet calls while planning or executing crimes. The shooter (juvenile) disclosed that he received a call from one Anas, who informed him about the Waseem gang's involvement in the murder of their common friend, Faiz.
"Anas also told them about the threats and abuses that were directed at Faiz's brother, Allu, by Waseem and his gang members while they were all in the jail," DCP Choudhary said.
The officer said that the juvenile was also angered by an attack on Kaif, another brother of Faiz, with a blade allegedly by Waseem gang members.
In response, Anas hatched a plan to attack Waseem, who was admitted at GTB Hospital and was 'deemed vulnerable', the DCP said.
"Anas provided them with two pistols, four magazines and 19 rounds of ammunition. The juvenile took one pistol and two magazines loaded with five rounds each, while another shooter took the other pistol with one magazine holding five rounds and another with four rounds. On the morning of the incident, Foujan surveyed the hospital to assess the situation," Choudhary said.
Following this, another accused Faiz, who was arrested from Loni in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, provided them with a motorcycle, the DCP said. Foujan, Saif, the juvenile and their associate, Shavej, used this motorcycle to reach GTB Hospital, where Foujan identified Waseem's ward, he added.
"The juvenile entered the ward and fired the first shot at the targeted person but his pistol got jammed before he could fire the second shot. Subsequently, another shooter fired three shots from his pistol. To ensure that their targeted person was dead, the juvenile repaired his pistol and fired another round. Throughout this, Saif stood guard at the ward's gate," the DCP said.
So far, six people, including one juvenile, have been nabbed in the GTB Hospital firing case, he added.
On Wednesday, Delhi Police arrested Moin (19), whom they identified as one of the key conspirators in the case, as he had conducted recce of the hospital for four consecutive days before the incident.
Earlier, the police on Monday nabbed two accused -- Faiz (20) and Farhan -- but said they did not fire the shots on July 14 evening, but provided logistic support to the main accused.
Farhan was arrested from Delhi's Chauhan Banger area. -- PTI
According to the officials, the juvenile and the two accused -- Foujan (20) and Saif (19) -- killed Riyazuddin in a case of mistaken identity in ward number 24 of the hospital on July 14.
"All three, along with their one more associate, went to GTB Hospital and killed Riyazuddin, mistaking him for notorious criminal Waseem," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary said.
The DCP said the two accused and the juvenile were nabbed from northwest Delhi's Brahampuri area.
"They were planning to flee the city. The main shooter is a juvenile, who frequently posts photos and videos posing with pistols on his social media accounts to gain followers," Choudhary said.
"All three are highly aware of technical surveillance and often resort to internet calls while planning or executing crimes. The shooter (juvenile) disclosed that he received a call from one Anas, who informed him about the Waseem gang's involvement in the murder of their common friend, Faiz.
"Anas also told them about the threats and abuses that were directed at Faiz's brother, Allu, by Waseem and his gang members while they were all in the jail," DCP Choudhary said.
The officer said that the juvenile was also angered by an attack on Kaif, another brother of Faiz, with a blade allegedly by Waseem gang members.
In response, Anas hatched a plan to attack Waseem, who was admitted at GTB Hospital and was 'deemed vulnerable', the DCP said.
"Anas provided them with two pistols, four magazines and 19 rounds of ammunition. The juvenile took one pistol and two magazines loaded with five rounds each, while another shooter took the other pistol with one magazine holding five rounds and another with four rounds. On the morning of the incident, Foujan surveyed the hospital to assess the situation," Choudhary said.
Following this, another accused Faiz, who was arrested from Loni in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, provided them with a motorcycle, the DCP said. Foujan, Saif, the juvenile and their associate, Shavej, used this motorcycle to reach GTB Hospital, where Foujan identified Waseem's ward, he added.
"The juvenile entered the ward and fired the first shot at the targeted person but his pistol got jammed before he could fire the second shot. Subsequently, another shooter fired three shots from his pistol. To ensure that their targeted person was dead, the juvenile repaired his pistol and fired another round. Throughout this, Saif stood guard at the ward's gate," the DCP said.
So far, six people, including one juvenile, have been nabbed in the GTB Hospital firing case, he added.
On Wednesday, Delhi Police arrested Moin (19), whom they identified as one of the key conspirators in the case, as he had conducted recce of the hospital for four consecutive days before the incident.
Earlier, the police on Monday nabbed two accused -- Faiz (20) and Farhan -- but said they did not fire the shots on July 14 evening, but provided logistic support to the main accused.
Farhan was arrested from Delhi's Chauhan Banger area. -- PTI
22:01 Centre junks report over 'zero dose' kids in India
The Union health ministry on Thursday said media reports stating that India has a high number of 'zero dose children', who did not receive any vaccine, in comparison to other countries based on UNICEF report depicts an incomplete picture of the country's immunisation data.
The ministry said they do not factor in the population base and immunization coverage of the countries compared.
The accurate and complete narrative of the immunization efforts of the government can be gauged through comprehensive understanding of the relative data and programmatic interventions, the ministry added.
The percentage coverage for all antigens in India is higher than the global average. In India, for most of the antigens, the coverage is more than 90 per cent, which is at par with other high-income countries such as New Zealand (DTP-1 93 per cent), Germany and Finland (DPT-3 91 per cent), Sweden (MCV-1 93 per cent), Luxembourg (MCV-2 90 per cent), Ireland (PCV-3 83 per cent), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (RotaC 90 per cent).
Even if India's coverage of 83 per cent is compared for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), which falls at the lowest bracket, it is much higher than the global figures of 65 per cent.
Among the compared countries, India is the only country having DTP-1 (Penta-1) coverage above 90 per cent and dropout children i.e., those that receive a first but not the third dose of DTP (Penta), are 2 per cent whereas this gap is much wider in other compared countries.
These figures are clearly reflective of focused programmatic interventions in the country within the folds of its wide socio-geographically diversity, the ministry said in the statement.
The number of zero dose children in India account for 0.11 per cent of the country's total population, it stated.
These statistics reflect the unwavering commitment of the government to continuously increase the scope and reach of the immunisation program of the nation. The country's Universal Immunisation Programme is the largest public health initiative, targeting a massive cohort of 2.6 crore children and 2.9 crore pregnant women annually through 1.2 crore vaccination sessions.
The Full Immunisation Coverage for FY 2023-24 stands at 93.23 per cent nationally. With consistent efforts to reach and vaccinate all eligible children against vaccine preventable diseases, the country has been able to achieve a noteworthy reduction in the Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) declining from 45 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 32 per 1000 live births (SRS 2020). In addition, India has widened the basket of vaccines with the introduction of six new vaccines under the UIP to increase breadth of protection since 2014, the statement said. -- PTI
21:30 Wanted criminal arrested in Italy, may be extradited
A wanted criminal has been arrested by Italian police and efforts are being made to extradite him, a senior Rajasthan Police official said on Thursday.
Additional Director General of Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Rajasthan police Dinesh MN said that wanted criminal, Amarjeet Vishnoi, was arrested from Sicily in Italy on July 8. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000, he said.
Vishnoi is an active member of the Rohit Godara gang with many criminal cases registered in various police stations of Rajasthan, the officer said.
A reference letter was earlier issued to verify if he was present in Trapani, Sicily, based on which he was arrested.
20:58 Part of under-construction bridge on Badrinath NH collapses
A part of an under-construction bridge on the Badrinath National Highway collapsed on Thursday, officials said.
There was no loss of life in the incident that occurred in the Narkota area near Rudraprayag, they said.
The frame of the bridge was being made by joining iron angles, when it suddenly collapsed around 4 pm, they said.
Some labourers working nearby had a narrow escape as they ran away when they realised that the frame was going to collapse, an official said.
National Highway Executive Engineer Tanuj Kamboj said a part of the frame of the under-construction bridge has collapsed.
Being built at a cost of about Rs 67 crore under the Chardham Road Project, the bridge has been under construction for the last three years.
Fortunately, when the frame of the bridge collapsed, there were no workers there, due to which loss of life was averted in the incident, the official said.
Iron rods had fallen while preparing the foundation of the bridge two years ago. The reasons for the incident are being investigated, he said.
The bridge is being constructed by a private company.
District Disaster Management Officer of Rudraprayag Nandan Singh Rajwar said that as soon as the information about the collapse of a part of the bridge was received, the disaster management team reached the spot and obtained information from the project manager of the RCC company Rupesh Mishra.
He said the disaster management team also conducted a search operation at the site of the incident but there was no loss of life in the accident. -- PTI
File image
20:26 Judge's messaging app hacked, criminals dupe his friends of Rs 1.10L
An additional sessions judge has filed a police complaint alleging that cyber criminals took control of one of his messaging applications for nearly six hours and also made calls from it dupe his friends of Rs 1.10 lakh, officials said on Thursday.
The judge of the Rohini district court has also requested a probe to ascertain why no one from the messaging platform attended to his complaint and how his mobile service provider forwarded calls from his number to an unknown number , they said.
The FIR in the case has been registered by the Rohini district cyber police under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 318(4) and 319(2) that pertain to cheating through dishonestly inducing a person by delivery of a property and impersonation.
In his complaint, the judge said at 12:35 pm on July 11, he received a call from the unknown number on his mobile-phone, and was told that a "courier boy" was waiting outside his house to deliver bank documents.
The additional sessions judge (ASJ) was asked to call the "courier boy" to allow him to handover the documents to the security guard at his house and a number was sent to his phone through SMS, according to the FIR shared by the Rohini cyber police.
The ASJ said he was expecting some documents and as he was "busy with his judicial work", he fell into their trap and called the number, the FIR stated. The judge has a screenshot of the SMS. -- PTI
Uddhav Thackeray/File image
20:13 EC allows Uddhav Sena to accept public contributions
The Election Commission on Thursday authorised the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray to accept voluntary contributions from public, days after it accepted a similar demand of NCP-Sharad Pawar.
In a communication issued on Thursday, the poll authority authorised the party to "accept any amount of contribution voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company" as per provisions of the Representation of the People Act which governs the contribution to all political parties.
The party had requested the Commission to issue a communication or certificate recording the status of the party for the purpose of accepting voluntary contributions from public.
A delegation of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) led by its general secretary Subhash Desai also met the Commission here Thursday.
Earlier, it had allowed the NCP-Sharad Pawar to accept public contributions. -- PTI
20:08 Fire at shopping mall in China kills 16
At least 16 people have died after a fire broke out in a shopping mall in southwestern China, Al Jazeera reported, citing state media.
The blaze started in the 14-storey commercial building in the city of Zigong, in Sichuan Province, on Wednesday night.
The firefighters were seen working at the site until early morning on Thursday, Xinhua News Agency reported.
However, firefighters and rescue teams successfully pulled 75 people to safety, reported Al Jazeera.
The fire started at the bottom of the building, which houses a department store, offices, restaurants and a movie theatre, state media, CCTV reported.
According to a preliminary investigation, construction operations triggered the fire; however, a more detailed inquiry to determine the specific cause is under way, the authorities said.
Videos of the fire spread on social media, showing clouds of thick black smoke coming out of the windows from the building's lower levels and engulfing the entire structure as they rose into the sky. -- ANI
Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa (middle)/ANI Photo
19:32 Court extends judicial custody of actor Darshan, 16 others in murder case
A special court in Bengaluru on Thursday extended till August one the judicial custody of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa along with his friend Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others in the Renukaswamy murder case.
All the 17 accused, including Darshan and Pavithra, were produced before the magistrate through video conferencing from Bengaluru and Tumakuru prisons, where they are lodged, as their judicial custody ended on Thursday.
The special public prosecutor argued that releasing the accused could hinder ongoing investigations, as more details needed to be collected.
The prosecution highlighted alleged attempts by the accused to destroy technical, physical, and scientific evidence, demonstrating a disregard for the law.
The prosecutor further disclosed the seizure of Rs 83.65 lakh in cash from the accused, and noted their use of multiple SIM cards registered under different names to contact various individuals before, during, and after the crime.
The prosecution stressed that granting bail could lead to the destruction of crucial evidence. -- PTI
File image
19:15 Leopard seen roaming around mall in Maharashtra
A CCTV camera has captured a leopard roaming around a shopping mall in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city of Maharashtra, sending the forest authorities in a tizzy, officials said.
The CCTV footage, which went viral on Thursday, shows the feline wandering outside the main gate of Prozone Mall located in CIDCO N1 area of the city in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting the forest officials to launch a search operation.
However, the animal has not been traced so far, they said.
The forest officials believe that this is the same leopard that was spotted in the residential areas of Ulka Nagari and Shambhunagar on July 15.
The forest department had installed cages in a bid to capture the big cat.
"But the leopard has now been spotted around 5 km away from the place where it was seen earlier. It shows that it crossed the Jalna Road area that passes through the heart of the city. On Wednesday, the animal was captured on the CCTV camera roaming around at the entry gate of the Prozone Mall," deputy conservator of forest Dadasaheb Taur said. --PTI
File image
19:06 Two terrorists killed as security forces foil infiltration bid in J-K's Kupwara
Two terrorists were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday, officials said.
The officials said security forces had received intelligence inputs about the terrorists' attempts to infiltrate into the Valley along the LoC in the Keran sector of the north Kashmir district.
The alert security forces noticed the movement of the terrorists and challenged them.
Two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire, they said. The operation is underway. -- PTI
IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother Manorama Khedkar/X
18:41 Puja Khedkar's mother in police custody till July 20 in land dispute case
A court in Maharashtra's Pune district on Thursday remanded Manorama Khedkar, mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, in police custody till July 20 after she was arrested for allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute.
Manorama was apprehended from a lodge in Mahad in Raigad district in the morning.
She was hiding there, the police said.
Manorama was then brought to the Paud police station in Pune district and placed under arrest.
She was produced before a local court which remanded her in police custody till July 20, said an official.
The police had launched a search for Manorama and her husband Dilip Khedkar after a video surfaced showing her allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil.
The Paud police in Pune rural have booked the Khedkar couple and five others under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita sections, including 323 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property), and the Arms Act.
"Manorama Khedkar was apprehended from Mahad in Raigad district and she was brought to Paud where, after the completion of formalities, she was placed under arrest," superintendent of police, Pune Rural, Pankaj Deshmukh, had said earlier. -- PTI
Nancy Pelosi. Pic: Reuters/Danny Moloshok
18:11 Pelosi privately tells Biden: You will lose
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a private conversation with US President Joe Biden, told him the polling shows that the president cannot defeat Donald Trump, reported CNN, citing four sources.
The former House Speaker said that Biden could destroy the Democrats' chance of winning the House in November if he continues seeking a second term.
President Biden, however, responded by pushing back, and told Pelosi that he has seen polls that indicate he can win, one source stated.
Another source described Biden as getting defensive about the polls, as reported by CNN.
However, at one point, Nancy Pelosi asked Biden's longtime adviser, Mike Donilon, to get on the line to talk over the data.
This phone call between Pelosi and Biden marks the second known conversation since the US President's disastrous debate on June 27.
While the exact date of the conversation was not clear, one source described it as being within the last week, as reported by CNN.
Reportedly, the former US House Speaker has spent the weeks following the debate listening to concerns from her colleagues.
In an interview last week, Pelosi said, "It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We're all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short."
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said, "President Biden is the nominee of the party. He plans to win and looks forward to working with congressional Democrats to pass his 100-day agenda to help working families," reported CNN.
However, a Pelosi spokesperson highlighted that the former House speaker has been in California since Friday and she has not spoken to Biden since.
Last week, former US President Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi had privately expressed 'concerns' about Joe Biden's 2024 campaign, highlighting the increasing 'difficulty' they foresee in his chances against Donald Trump, CNN reported.
18:09 I'm going for gold in Paris: PV Sindhu
Badminton ace PV Sindhu says she is "going all-out" in her quest to become the first Indian to win an unprecedented third individual Olympic medal in Paris, drawing on her experience from a successful past.
Sindhu stands on the brink of history as she pursues the gold medal in the upcoming Games, having won a silver and bronze in 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo edition respectively.
In an exclusive conversation on JioCinema's 'The Dreamers,' Sindhu spoke about her unwavering focus on making history at Paris, though it is going to be an extremely difficult task for the Indian star. "That third medal at Paris definitely motivates me, and I am going all-out to get that gold medal. For me, the Olympics is where I give my 200%," Sindhu said.
"The journeys in 2016 and 2020 were wonderful, filled with immense effort and unforgettable moments. "As I prepare for Paris 2024, it's a fresh start, and I have to give my 100% no matter what." Ranked among the world's top players, Sindhu draws from her past experiences to fuel her quest for gold. -- PTI
17:43 Fears of communal tension over Kanwariya eateries
Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi on Thursday said the Muzaffarnagar Police order asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion or caste.
Police in Muzaffarnagar have ordered all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners to avoid any "confusion".
Asked about the order which has drawn flak from the politicians and members of the civil society, Tyagi leader said the 'Kanwar Yatra', a pilgrimage undertaken by the Hindus during the month of Sawan of the Hindu calendar, has been crossing different areas of western Uttar Pradesh for ages and communal tension has not been reported.
The JD (U) leader said such discrimination on the basis of religion is wrong and will only widen the communal divide. "Kanwar Yatra has been crossing through the areas of western Uttar Pradesh for ages and communal tension has not been reported," Tyagi said.
"Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs as well welcome the pilgrims by setting up stalls. Muslim artisans are also involved in making the Kanwars... Such orders can increase communal tension," he added.
In the yatra, devotees, who are called "Kanwarias", carry pitchers of holy water on their shoulders, balanced on decorated slings known as Kanwars. Tyagi said the district administration should review its decision and take it back.
"Police should investigate that no anti-social elements should be running any shops, but there should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion or caste. It increases the divide in the society," he said.
"Such directives can increase communal tension. It should not be implemented," he added.
Muzaffarnagar Police chief Abhishek Singh earlier on Monday said, "About 240 km of Kanwar Yatra route falls in the district. All the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops."
"This has been done to ensure that there should be no confusion among kanwarias and no law and order situation arises. All are following this voluntarily," he told reporters. PTI
17:22 NEET results will hide candidates' identities
Update: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to declare by 12 noon of July 20 the centre and city-wise results of NEET-UG 2024 while masking the identities of aspirants.
As it strove to address the allegations of malpractices in the conduct of the examination, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said any order for conducting it afresh has to be on concrete conclusion that the sanctity of the entire process was affected.
The top court will resume hearing the arguments on July 22 on a batch of pleas seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the allegations of large-scale malpractices in the prestigious test held on May 5.
During the day-long hearing, the bench asked the counsel for the aspirants to establish their claim about extensive irregularities in holding the examination, including leak of question paper, warranting cancellation and a re-test.
The court said it prima facie appeared that the question paper leak was limited to Patna and Hazaribagh, and nothing of this sort can be said to have happened in Godhra in Gujarat. In Patna and Hazaribagh, the question papers allegedly got leaked, while in Godhra there were claims that a person involved in holding the test took money for filling up the OMR sheets of certain candidates.
Questioning the claims about leak of question paper on social media platform 'Telegram', the bench said, "You have to bear in mind that the idea of somebody doing this was not to make a national charade. People did it for money. So, it was not to bring disrepute to the exam and somebody was doing it to make money which is evident. Mass leakage requires contacts also at that level so that you connect to all such key contacts in different cities."
The bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra, which commenced the crucial hearing on a batch of petitions related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam, said it has "social ramifications".
Sir Geoffrey Boycott with his daughter Emma
17:06 Geoffrey Boycott undergoes successful surgery to remove throat tumour
England cricketing great Sir Geoffrey Boycott has undergone a successful surgery to remove a tumour from his throat, his daughter Emma said. The former England batter had undergone extensive chemotherapy for the same in 2002. But in May, the 83-year-old learnt his cancer had returned.
"Just to let everyone know my Father, Geoffrey, has successfully come out of surgery this evening after a 3 hour operation to remove his throat cancer. "Yet to see him but surgeon says it went well. He asked that I post an update," Boycott's daughter Emma tweeted from the cricketer's account on Wednesday.
In his illustrious career spanning 1964 to 1982, Boycott scored 100 first-class hundreds while amassing over 8,000 runs in 108 Tests at an average of nearly 48. Former Australia player and head coach Darren Lehmann reacted to the news along with ex-England players Alan Butcher and Michael Vaughan, who posted a red heart on X.
"Thanks for the update, please pass on our thoughts to the whole family and glad the surgery went well," Lehmann wrote, while Butcher wrote, 'Great news'.
16:49 4 dead, 20 injured as Chandgarh-Dibrugarh Express derails
Update: Four people were killed and 20 others injured when at least four coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed in Gonda on Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told PTI four people were killed in the accident in the state's Gonda district.
Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner GS Naveen Kumar said 20 persons have been injured in the accident. A 40-member medical team and 15 ambulances are at the spot and more medical teams and ambulances are being rushed there, he said.
Senior railway and local administration officials are at the spot to oversee rescue operations. The accident occurred at around 2:35 pm, railway officials said. According to the relief commissioner's office, the helpline numbers- Gonda: 8957400965, Lucknow: 8957409292 have been started. The Indian Railways has started the relief operation and medical vans have reached the accident site.
16:23 SC asks NTA to declare NEET-UG results on July 20
The Supreme Court directs NTA to declare centre-wise and city-wise results of NEET-UG 2024 by noon of July 20. The Supreme Court directs the NTA to publish on its website the marks obtained by the students in the NEET-UG examination and the identity of students be masked.
Representational image
16:18 Indian professor 'expelled' from ICME15 after raising questions on Vedic maths
Prof. Jayasree Subraman reportedly expelled from ICME15 conference in Sydney because, according to organisers other participants found her comments "threatening'. Read the report here.
Pankaj Singh, CPRO, North Eastern Railway
16:12 1 dead as Chandigarh-Dibrugarh train derails
One passenger has died and two are injured after several coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh express train derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda today. The incident took place in Pikaura which is located between Gonda and Jhilahi in Uttar Pradesh.
A rescue team has been sent to the site for relief operations. Some people are reportedly injured and visuals show passengers standing on the sides of the track with their luggage. Train number 15904 was heading to Dibrugarh in Assam from Chandigarh.
Pankaj Singh, CPRO, North Eastern Railway says, "A medical van of Railways has reached the spot and rescue operation has been started. Helpline numbers have been issued. It happened around 2.37 pm. As per initial info, 4-5 coaches derailed..."
Representational image
15:33 7 male and 5 female Maoists killed in encounter
An encounter between security forces and Naxals in Wandoli village on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border has resulted in the death of 12 Naxal cadres including 5 women.
One Divisional Committee member, Laxman Atram, in charge of the Tipagad Dalam, has been identified as one of the dead Naxal. Further identification of the naxals and area searches are ongoing.
The Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, said that various crimes, including encounters, arson and murder, had been registered against the dead Maoists. He also said that all armed formations and cadres in Uttar Gadchiroli have been neutralised by the police. Further, he said that after the operation, Uttar Gadchiroli is naxal-free now.
Neelotpal said, "All armed formations and cadres in Uttar Gadchiroli have been neutralised by the police. Uttar Gadchiroli is now naxal-free."
Additionally, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared a cash reward of Rs. 51 lakhs to the C60 commandos and Gadchiroli Police for conducting the operation successfully.
Earlier, seven C-60 parties led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police officers were sent near the Chattisgarh border in Wandoli village. On July 17, an encounter broke out between the Maharashtra Police C-60 team and Maoist insurgents in the forest area between Chhindbhatti and PV-82 in the border area of Kanker.
A heavy exchange of fire began on Wednesday afternoon and continued intermittently for six hours. The resulting firefight left 12 Naxal cadres dead. One police sub-inspector (PSI) and one jawan who sustained injuries are now out of danger, have been evacuated and shifted to Nagpur and are undergoing treatment there.
JD and Usha Vance at the RNC. Reuters/Jeenah Moon
15:07 Usha Vance's relatives in Andhra have a message...
Usha Chilukuri Vance is the talk of the town in the US ahead of the presidential elections, but she hails from a nondescript Andhra Pradesh village and a distant relative here wants her to remember her Godavari roots and contribute to India in whatever possible way.
Wife of JD Vance, Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate for the forthcoming 2024 US presidential elections, her origins are from a village in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, her relative said.
C Shantamma, a 96-year-old Vizag-based physics professor, who never met or spoke to Usha is hogging the limelight by virtue of being a distant relative.
"I am related to Usha through my husband (C Subramanya Sastry). She is the granddaughter of my brother-in-law who worked as an IIT professor," Shantamma told a vernacular news channel on Wednesday.
Subramanya Sastry's oldest brother, C Rama Sastry, is Usha's grandfather. Her parents, C Radhakrishna and Lakshmi, immigrated to the US around 1980.
According to the nonagenarian, who still teaches physics as an emeritus professor at a private varsity in Vizianagaram, Usha's family belonged to Vadduru village near Tanuku town in lush green West Godavari district.
She was delighted over Usha emerging as the spouse of a US vice presidential candidate from the Republican party, and conveyed her heartiest congratulations to the accomplished lawyer.
"I consider her a very important person. She would have had many powers. Also, she would have endured many difficulties," said Usha's grand aunt, noting JD Vance's contribution and efforts in enabling her success.
Calling Vance a helpful husband, she said the former would have helped Usha a lot in her career with a conducive atmosphere.
Further, she called on Usha to remember her Godavari roots and always chip in for India in whichever way possible from her end.
Vance, 39, was formally accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in US on Wednesday, making him among the youngest Americans to ever fill that role.
Trump and his running mate Vance will challenge President Joe Biden and his Vice-President Kamala Harris from the Democratic Party in the November 5 presidential election. PTI
A mob beats a cop. Reuters/Mohammad Ponir Hossain.
14:38 India issues travel advisory for riot-hit Bangladesh
India on Thursday advised its citizens residing in Bangladesh to avoid travel and minimise their movement after ongoing protests demanding reforms in the quota system in government jobs turned violent and left at least six people dead across the country.
The violence prompted the government to close all public and private universities alongside schools and colleges across Bangladesh for an indefinite period on late Tuesday asking residential students to leave dormitories. "In view of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Indian community members and members and the Indian students residing in Bangladesh are advised to avoid travel and minimise their movement outside their living premises," the Indian High Commission here said in a statement.
The mission also provided multiple 24-hour Emergency numbers for any assistance. There were approximately 7,000 Indians in Bangladesh, according to the high commission's website.
The clashes erupted on Monday as activists of ruling Awami League's student front confronted the protestors who insist the existing quota system was largely debarring the enrolment of meritorious students in government services. Demonstrators accused the ruling party's student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League of attacking their peaceful protests with backing from police. Student protesters have decided to enforce a complete nationwide shutdown on Thursday.
Fifty-six per cent of government jobs are reserved under the current quota system with 30 being for the descendants of the 1971 Liberation War freedom fighters, 10 per cent for backward administrative districts, 10 per cent for women, five per cent for ethnic minority groups and one per cent for the handicapped people.
Every year some 3,000 government jobs open up to nearly 400,000 graduates. The protestors waged the campaign for the reform of the system saying it was debarring meritorious students' recruitment in first-class and second-class government jobs. PTI
13:55 19 bodies recovered after landslide swept two buses into river in Nepal
Rescuers in Nepal have so far recovered 19 bodies, including that of four Indians, after two buses were swept into a swollen river following a landslide in the Chitwan district last week, sources in Kathmandu said on Thursday.
The landslide happened in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district on Friday. Out of 54 people, three people swam to safety soon after the incident.
Twenty-four people, including seven Indian nationals, were travelling on the first bus heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj. Another bus heading to Gaur from Kathmandu was carrying 30 people. The two buses plunged into the Trishuli River when heavy mudslides hit them. Bodies of nineteen people have been recovered from the Simaltal twin bus accident site so far. Out of 19 bodies, four corpses belong to Indian nationals, according to the Armed Police Force sources.
Five male dead bodies are yet to be identified. The local authorities in Nepal are coordinating with the Indian authorities in Bihar and UP to carry out rescue work. The search and rescue works continued on Thursday too, according to the police.
On Wednesday, the dead body of Indian national Vivek Kumar, 27, was recovered during the search carried out by security personnel. Earlier, three dead bodies belonging to Rishi Pal Shah, 28, Jay Prakash Thakur, 30 and Sajad Ansari, 23, were recovered from the accident site. The authorities have used high-quality sonar cameras, powerful magnets and water drones to assist in the rescue works. The bodies from the two buses were washed away down the Trishuli River as far as 100 kilometres.
Nepal's rivers are generally fast-flowing due to the mountainous terrain. Heavy monsoon downpours in the past few days have swollen the waterways and turned them murky brown, making it even more difficult to see the wreckage. Monsoon season brings heavy rains to Nepal from June to September, often triggering landslides in the mountainous Himalayan country. PTI
13:51 Remarks inciting violence often used against PM: BJP
The BJP on Thursday accused the Congress of often using remarks, which incite violence, against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said words like 'maut' and 'hinsa' should not be used in speeches to target political rivals.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited a write-up of an ex-IPS officer to highlight that rhetoric used for short-term political benefits at times incites violence as he referred to the killing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Targeting the Congress, Trivedi said its leader Rahul Gandhi used words like violence and murder in Parliament and had rationalised as throwing of some article at Modi's convoy during the poll campaign as an evidence of people's fear of the prime minister ending.
Modi's security was endangered in Punjab when the Congress ruled the state, he said, contrasting this with the security provided to Rahul Gandhi in sensitive places like Kashmir and Manipur. Someone who spoke of cutting Modi into pieces is a Congress MP now, and it was the Congress leader Sonia Gandhi who had used "maut ka saudagar" barb against him in 2007 when he was chief minister of Gujarat, he said.
Trivedi said Gandhi, as the Leader of Opposition, should show maturity in his speeches, and anyone not doing so is not fit for politics.
In this context, Trivedi referred to the Ishrat Jahan case, saying the CBI, which reports to the central government, changed its first affidavit that called her a terrorist for political reasons as she was targeting Modi. She along with her accomplishes were killed in an encounter. PTI
13:32 Ahead of Budget Cong reminds PM of 'asli 400 paar'
Flagging the issue of "decline in real wages", the Congress on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been delivered a "stinging rebuke by voters" in his efforts to reach "400 paar" in the Lok Sabha but the Budget offers him the chance to achieve "Asli 400 paar" of a nationwide minimum wage of Rs 400 per day.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said multiple data sources, including the government's own official statistics, are unanimous in showing that workers can buy less today than they could 10 years ago.
"A combination of slow wage growth and back-breaking inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages (wages adjusted for price rise)," he said in a statement.
Citing the government data of labour bureau's wage rate index, Ramesh said real wages for labourers stagnated between 2014 and 2023, and in fact declined between 2019 and 2024.
He further cited the Ministry of Agriculture's Agricultural Statistics to claim that under Manmohan Singh, real wages for agricultural labourers grew at 6.8 per cent each year, while under Modi, real wages for agricultural labourers declined by minus 1.3 per cent each year.
Citing Periodic Labour Force Survey Series, Ramesh said the average real earnings over time have stagnated between 2017 and 2022 across all employment types - salaried workers, casual workers, and self-employed workers He further cited data from Centre for Labour Research and Action to claim that real wages of brick kiln workers have stagnated or declined between 2014 and 2022 "Brick kilns involve intensive labour and are a low-paying work of last resort for India's poorest," he said. To deliver justice to 'Shramiks', and to dispel this cycle of stagnant wages, the Congress had guaranteed a nationwide minimum wage of Rs 400 per day of work in its 'Nyay Patra' manifesto, he said.
"The self-anointed non-biological PM has been delivered a stinging rebuke by voters in his efforts to reach 400 paar in the Lok Sabha. The Union Budget offers him the chance to achieve what the INC has called Asli 400 paar. A nationwide minimum wage of Rs. 400 per day is an idea whose time has come," Ramesh said. PTI
Representational image
13:16 Gunfight breaks out between security forces and terrorists in Kupwara
A gunbattle broke out between security forces and terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday, officials said. They said the encounter started near the LoC in the Keran sector of the north Kashmir district. The exchange of firing is going on and further details are awaited, the officials added. -- PTI
13:10 Woman falls to death after tomfoolery on parapet
A 35-year-old woman who worked as a cleaner died after falling from the third floor of a building here while joking around and sharing a light moment with a male colleague, police said on Thursday.
The incident took place on Tuesday morning at an office in the Dombivli MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) in Thane district and a video of it went viral on social media. The woman and her colleague were having fun when they both accidentally slipped from the parapet of the third floor office, an official from Manpada police station said.
The woman fell on the ground. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead, he said, adding the body was sent for post-mortem. Her colleague got stuck at the parapet after falling and survived with injuries, the police said. The Manpada police have as of now registered a case of accidental death and are conducting a probe into it, the official said. PTI
12:45 From one star to another...
Kim Kardashian shares this picture at the Ambani wedding last weekend. Kim looks glam and pretty, seen here with Aishwarya Rai. Kim who was in Mumbai for the wedding her sister Khloe Kardashian has been sharing pictures of the mega event since she returned to the US.
12:36 Re-test only on concrete footing: SC on NEET-UG
Any order for conducting the NEET-UG 2024 afresh has to be on the concrete footing that the sanctity of the entire exam was affected, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra commenced the crucial hearing on a batch of petitions related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024, saying that it has "social ramifications".
The top court adjourned the cases listed ahead of the NEET-UG pleas and said, "We will open the case today. Lakhs of young students are waiting for this, let us hear and decide."
The bench asked the petitioners seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the May 5 exam to show that the paper leak was "systemic" and affected the entire examination, warranting cancellation.
"Re-examination has to be on concrete footing that the sanctity of the entire test was affected," the CJI said.
On the issue of the ongoing probe, the bench said, "The CBI probe is on. If what the CBI has told us is revealed, it will affect the investigation and people will become wise." The hearing is underway.
Manorama Khedkar
12:23 Guess where Puja Khedkar's mother was found?
The Pune Rural Police have detained Manorama Khedkar, mother of IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, from a hotel in Mahad.
Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh confirmed, "We have detained her from Mahad. She is on her way here. We will question her and take further legal action. She was found in a hotel in Mahad."
Previously, on June 13, Manorama Khedkar received a show cause notice from Pune Police for misuse of a licensed gun. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar issued the notice after a viral video showed Manorama, the Sarpanch of Bhalgaon village in Ahmednagar, waving a pistol during a heated argument.
She was asked to respond within 10 days. A case has been registered against her under the Arms Act based on a complaint from a local farmer alleging threats from Manorama and others. On Wednesday, the Pune police issued a notice to Puja Khedkar, requesting her presence to record a statement regarding her harassment complaint against Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase.
Puja is expected to provide her statement on Thursday. This follows Puja's harassment complaint against Diwase with the Washim police, which led to her removal from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra on Tuesday.
Subsequently, she was recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, putting her training on hold. A letter from Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Gadre stated, "LBSNAA, Mussoorie has decided to keep your district training programme on hold and immediately recall you for further necessary action."
12:16 Telangana govt to launch farm loan waiver scheme
Telangana government will launch a farm loan waiver programme, part of its poll promise benefitting 70 lakh farmers, on Thursday, official sources said. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had earlier announced that the government would implement the loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh by August 15.
The loan waiver funds up to Rs 1 lakh will be deposited in the farmers' accounts at 4 pm on Thursday. The chief minister said Rs 7,000 crore in total would be credited to the accounts of farmers whose loans of up to Rs one lakh are being waived.
Crop loans of up to Rs 1.5 lakh would be waived by the end of July, and the loan waiver process would be completed in August when loans of up to Rs two lakh are dispensed with. -- PTI
Mr and Mrs Vance. Pic: Reuters/Gaelen Morse
12:13 I love Usha, Vance gets sentimental at RNC
US Republican vice presidential nominee J D Vance praised former president Donald Trump and promised to fight for working-class Americans cast aside and forgotten by the Democrats, as he made his debut at the Republican National Convention.
Vance, 39, formally accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination on the third day of the convention on Wednesday, making him among the youngest Americans to ever fill that role. Introducing himself to millions of Americans, the Ohio Senator channelled his humble roots in the Midwest as he assailed politicians like President Joe Biden.
Trump and his running mate Vance will challenge President Biden and his Vice-President Kamala Harris from the Democratic Party in the November 5 presidential election. Vance said for the last eight years, President Trump has given everything he has to fight for the people of our country. Trump didn't need politics, but the country needed him, he said.
Prior to running for president, he was one of the most successful businessmen in the world. He had everything anyone could ever want in life. And yet, instead of choosing the easy path, he chose to endure abuse, slander, and persecution, he said.
The author of the best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, about his impoverished family, said America's ruling class had destroyed communities like his hometown with trade agreements and foreign wars.
From Iraq to Afghanistan, from the financial crisis to the Great Recession, from open borders to stagnating wages, the people who govern this country have failed and failed again, he said. "Trump represents America's last best hope to restore what if lost may never be found again," he said. "I pledge to every American, no matter your party, I will give everything I have," Vance said. "To serve you and to make this country a place where every dream you have for yourself, your family and your country will be possible once again. He accused career politicians like President Biden, 81, of destroying communities like his with ill-fated trade policies and foreign wars. When I was in the fourth grade, a career politician by the name of Joe Biden supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, a bad trade deal that sent countless good American manufacturing jobs to Mexico. When I was a sophomore in high school, a career politician by the name of Joe Biden gave China a sweetheart trade deal that destroyed even more good middle-class jobs. And when I was a senior in high school, Joe Biden supported the disastrous invasion of Iraq," he said.
"And at each step of the way, in small towns like mine in Ohio, or next door in Pennsylvania, or in Michigan and other states across our country, jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war. Somehow, a real estate developer from New York by the name of Donald Trump was right on all of these issues while Joe Biden was wrong. Donald Trump knew, even then, that we needed leaders who would put America First," he said.
Vance said Trump's vision is simple: We won't cater to Wall Street, we'll commit to the Working man. We won't import foreign labour, we'll fight for American citizens."
The United States under the leadership of Trump will protect the wages of American workers and stop the Chinese Communist Party from building their middle class on the backs of hard-working American citizens. He said Biden and the other out-of-touch politicians in Washington gave Americans a country that was flooded with cheap Chinese goods, cheap foreign labour and deadly Chinese fentanyl.
"Joe Biden screwed up, and my community paid the price," Vance alleged. Vance said never in his wildest imagination would he have believed that he could be standing here tonight.
Vance said the country needs Trump as the president. "Some people tell me I've lived the American Dream, and they are right. But the American Dream that always counted most was not starting a business or becoming a senator or even being here with you fine people, it was becoming a good husband and a good dad, and giving my family the things I never had as a kid," he said.
In the speech, he charted his journey from a difficult childhood in small-town Ohio to the US Marines, Yale Law School, and finally the US Senate. Describing the evening as a night of hope and promising change, Vance threaded a sense of optimism throughout his speech.
One emotional moment came when Vance introduced his mother, Beverly, who struggled with drugs during his childhood but who he said had been sober for nearly a decade.
He also lavished praise on his wife Usha.
"I am married to the daughter of South Asian immigrants to this country, incredible people, people who genuinely have enriched the country in so many ways," Vance said.
"And of course, I'm biased, because I love my wife, but I believe that it's true. When I proposed to my wife, we were in law school, and I said, Honey, I come with USD 120,000 worth of law school debt and a cemetery plot on a mountainside in eastern Kentucky," he said. PTI
11:27 Assam floodwaters abate, 3.5L people affected
The flood situation in Assam improved on Thursday with water receding from several parts of the state even as over 3.5 lakh people in 11 districts remained affected, an official bulletin said on Thursday.
Major rivers, including the Brahmaputra river, continued to flow over the danger level at various places, it said. Altogether 3,55,400 people continued to reel under the deluge in Cachar, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karimganj, Nagaon, Nalbari and Sivasgar districts. Dhubri remained the worst hit with nearly 80,000 affected people, followed by Nagaon (77,500) and Cachar (72,000).
The number of affected people was over 4.04 lakh in 12 districts on Tuesday. The toll in this year's flood, lightning and storm in Assam was 113, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in the bulletin. Nearly 13,000 people have taken shelter in 66 relief camps, while another 19 relief distribution centres are catering to over 11,000 people. Cropland of 16,673 hectares remained inundated, while more than 1,63,800 domestic animals and poultry have been affected.
The Brahmaputra river continued to flow over the red mark at Dhubri, Disang at Nanglamuraghat and Rukni at Dholai. Damage to embankments, houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure has been reported from various districts, the bulletin added. PTI
11:04 Eats beef but holds Mahadev's pic: BJP on...
In an apparent attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan BJP chief C P Joshi has said those who "consume beef" show picture of Lord Shiva in Parliament. Joshi made the remarks at a party meeting in Dausa on Wednesday.
A video of his speech has surfaced on social media. "In the India-China fight, there is tension on the international border and Rahul Gandhi sits with the Chinese ambassador... One who consumes beef brings a picture of Mahadev to Parliament. This cannot be tolerated," Joshi said, without taking any names.
"If someone labels Hindus as terrorists, calls them violent, and opposes Ram Mandir, will we remain silent? Those who mock President Droupadi Murmu for her skin colour will continue to succeed if we remain a mute spectator," he said.
On July 1, Gandhi, while speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address held up pictures of Lord Shiva, Guru Nanak and Jesus Christ as he referred to Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and Jainism to underline the importance of fearlessness.
He also cited the attributes of Lord Shiva and teachings of Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Buddha and Mahavir to state that all religions and great people of the country have said "daro mat, darao mat (do not be scared, do not scare others)". Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had launched a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, accusing the leaders of the ruling party of dividing people on communal lines.
"Shivji says 'daro mat, darao mat', shows the 'abhay mudra' (the right hand held upright with the palm facing outwards), talks about 'ahimsa', but those who call themselves Hindus indulge in hatred, violence and untruths round the clock," Gandhi had said, pointing towards the BJP MPs. PTI
Aanvi Kamdar @theglocaljournal
10:44 Travel influencer dies shooting videos at waterfall
A travel influencer died after falling into a gorge while shooting a video near the Kumbhe waterfalls in the Mangaon district of Raigad on Wednesday, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Aanvi Kamdar (26), a resident of Mumbai. A travel influencer, Kamdar was fond of shooting reels. She had gone to the waterfalls with her friends to enjoy the rainy season at the waterfalls.
While taking photographs and videos of the waterfall, Kamdar's leg slipped, and she fell straight into a 350-foot-deep gorge.
As soon as information about the incident was received, the Sahyadri Wildlife Conservation Society and Mangaon police officers reached the location, along with the rescue forces.
Superintendent of Police Raigad, Somnath Gharge, said that the woman was alive after falling into the gorge and was rescued.
However, during the treatment, she passed away.
"While descending to rescue the woman from the gorge, there were big stones falling on us. At first, it seemed like the woman was not alive. However, after going closer, she was breathing, which confirmed that she was alive. She was immediately taken to the hospital. However, she died during the treatment," Somnath Gharge said.
The Jagannath temple in Puri
10:43 Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath temple reopened for shifting of valuables
The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened on Thursday for the second time in a week for shifting of valuables to a temporary strong room, officials said.
The treasury was reopened at 9.51 am, they said. After offering prayers before Lord Jagannath and his siblings, the members of a supervisory committee set up by the Odisha government for the shifting of valuables from the Ratna Bhandar, entered the temple around 9 am.
Speaking to media persons before entering the temple, the supervising committee's chairman and Orissa High Court former judge Justice Biswanath Rath said, "We sought the blessings of Lord Jagannath for smooth completion of shifting of all valuables stored inside the inner chamber of the treasury."
Last time, the treasury was opened on July 14 after 46 years. On that day, the ornaments and valuables of the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar were shifted to a strong room. -- PTI
10:16 Uttarakhand village boycotts Dalit families over drummer's no show
Dalit families of a remote village in Chamoli district were boycotted after a person from the community failed to turn up to play the drum at a temple due to illness.
The boycott was announced on Sunday by the local panchayat of Subhai village, located in the Niti Valley, near the India-China border.
There are about half a dozen scheduled caste families in the village which have been playing drums for generations at social, cultural, and religious festivals in the village.
However, when one Pushkar Lal could not turn up to play the drum at a religious event due to sickness, the local panchayat ordered the entire community's social boycott.
A member of the panchayat was caught in a video allegedly announcing the boycott and threatening the villagers with similar consequences if they did not follow the order.
According to the panchayat's order, the SC families were barred from using the forest and water resources in the village, buying essentials from shops, commuting in vehicles, and visiting temples.
The victim's families lodged a complaint at Joshimath Police Station, accusing two men, Ramkrishna Khandwal and Yashvir Singh, of being the architect of the order. -- PTI
10:14 IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother arrested
Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, has been arrested by the Pune police for allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute emerged.
The arrest of Manorama Khedkar came after a viral video that surfaced online recently, showing her brandishing a pistol while confronting local farmers over a land dispute in Pune.
The two-minute video shows Manorama, accompanied by her security guards, engaged in a heated argument with some people with a pistol in her hand in Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil.
An official said the incident was about a land parcel bought by Dilip Khedkar, a retired Maharashtra government officer. Locals had claimed the Khedkars had encroached on the land of neighbouring farmers.
Jaahnavi Kandula
09:47 US cop who laughed after Indian student's death fired
A Seattle police officer, whose insensitive comments and laughter following the death of an Indian student had caused outrage, has been fired.
Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, was struck by a police vehicle driven by Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave as she was crossing a street on January 23. Dave was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call. Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle.
In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and remarked that "Uh, I think she went up on the hood, hit the windshield, and then when he hit the brakes, flew off the car...But she is dead." After making these comments, Auderer "laughed hard for four seconds," the Disciplinary Action Report said.
Interim Chief Sue Rahr at the Seattle Police Department said in an internal email that the hurt Auderer's words have inflicted on Kandula's family "cannot be erased. The actions this individual police officer have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult".
Rahr said as the leader of the organisation, it is her duty to uphold the high standards necessary to maintain public trust. "For me to allow the officer to remain on our force would only bring further dishonour to the entire department. For that reason, I am going to terminate his employment," she said in the internal email. -- PTI
08:57 Biden tests positive for Covid amid poll campaign
United States President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing "mild symptoms", the White House said on Thursday.
"Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Biden will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the president's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation, she said.
The president was scheduled to speak at the Unidos event in Las Vegas on Wednesday afternoon.
"His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97%. The President has received his first dose of Paxlovid. He will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth," the White House said.
The president's physician, Dr Kevin O'Connor, said that Biden "presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise".
The president felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus, he said.
"Given this, the president will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals. PCR confirmation testing will be pending," the doctor said. -- PTI
08:20 Another encounter breaks out in JK's Doda, 2 soldiers injured
Two soldiers were injured in an encounter with terrorists in a forest village in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district early Thursday, officials said.
The encounter took place at Jaddan Bata village in Kastigarh area around 2:00 am when terrorists opened fire on a temporary security camp established in a government school for the ongoing search operations, the officials said.
They said security forces retaliated and the exchange of fire between the two sides continued for more than an hour.
Two soldiers suffered minor injuries in the terrorist firing, the officials said, adding efforts are on to flush out the terrorists.
A massive search operation was launched in Desa and adjoining forest areas following the killing of four army personnel, including a captain, by terrorists in a firefight on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
The operation entered fourth day on Thursday and also witnessed brief exchange of fire at two places in Desa forests on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Doda district, which was cleared of terrorism in 2005, has witnessed a series of attacks since June 12 when six security personnel were injured in a terror attack in Chattergala pass, followed by a firefight in Gandoh the next day which left one policeman injured.
Three terrorists were killed in a day-long operation in Gandoh area of the district on June 26, while another encounter occurred in Ghadi Bhagwah forest on July 9.
A total of 27 persons, including 11 security personnel, a village defence guard, and five terrorists, were killed in nearly a dozen terror attacks in six districts of Jammu province since the beginning of this year.
The dead also included seven pilgrims returning from Shiv Khori temple in Reasi district on June 9. -- PTI
Rakshit Shetty
01:15 Will fight against copyright case: Rakshit Shetty's Paramvah posts letter
Reacting to the copyright infringement FIR filed against actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty, Paramvah Studios has issued an open letter on its Instagram page stating that the production house has decided to fight the case in court.
The case was filed by MRT Music alleging that the production house had used two songs owned by it without any authorisation in the film 'Bachelor Party'.
Paramvah Studios was floated by Rakshit Shetty, who was named in the FIR.
The police said on July 15 that the complaint was filed against Shetty and his production house by Naveen Kumar, who is a partner at MRT Music, at Yeshwanthapura police station, alleging that two songs -- Gaalimathu and Nyaya Ellide -- were used in the comedy film without obtaining permission. A notice has been sent to the actor in this connection, the police added. -- PTI
00:55 IAF tells SC it has deposited compensation to HIV positive veteran
An Indian Air Force soldier, who contracted AIDS due to transfusion of contaminated blood at a military hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba in 2002, has received Rs 18 lakh and the residual amount of over Rs 1.41 crore awarded to him as compensation has been deposited with the apex court registry, the IAF has informed the Supreme Court.
The apex court, in a judgement delivered on September 26 last year on a plea by the veteran, had directed the IAF to pay him around Rs 1.5 crore as compensation.
The former soldier had taken ill during "Operation Parakram", launched in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, and was admitted to the hospital where he had to be administered one unit of blood.
The top court had in April this year dismissed a plea seeking review of its September 2023 judgement in the matter.
The veteran's petition alleging contempt of the directions issued by the top court in its 2023 verdict came up for hearing before the bench on Tuesday.
Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee said they have filed a compliance affidavit in the matter. -- PTI
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar/File image
00:37 Will ask my party colleagues: Pawar on Ajit's return
Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said a decision on the potential entry of any leader in his party will be a collective one, refusing to confirm whether Ajit Pawar will be accommodated if he chooses to come back.
Sharad Pawar spoke on multiple issues during his interaction with reporters in Pune when he was asked whether his estranged nephew and current deputy Chief Minister in the Mahayuti government will be welcomed back into the party.
Responding to a query, the Pawar senior said everyone has a place in the "house".
When reporters specifically asked if Ajit Pawar has a place in the NCP-SP, Sharad Pawar said, "Such decisions cannot be taken at the personal level. My colleagues who stood by me during the crisis will be asked first".
Ajit Pawar split the NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, in July 2023 when he led some MLAs loyal to him to join the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government, also comprising the Shiv Sena and BJP. -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances