LIVE! 11 die during J'khand excise recruitment drive

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Sun, 01 September 2024

11 die during J'khand excise recruitment drive

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22:49 Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' release date postponed

The release of Kangana Ranaut-starrer Emergency has been postponed.

The movie, in which Ranaut portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was initially slated for release on September 6.

Taking to Instagram handle, trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared, "#BreakingNews... #Emergency postponed... Won't release on 6 Sept 2024. #ZeeStudios #KanganaRanaut". The film, a biographical political thriller, delves into the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who imposed a 21-month emergency period from 1975 to 1977.

Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Emergency' has been embroiled in controversies for some time now.

From facing backlash from several Sikh groups to not getting a green signal from the Central Board of Film Certification yet, 'Emergency' is clearly having a tough time ahead of its release.

However, amid the uproar, the film's team is quite optimistic.

Kangana Ranaut has revealed earlier that her much-anticipated political drama 'Emergency' is still awaiting certification from the Central Board of Film Certification.

On Friday, Kangana took to social media and revealed that her much-anticipated political drama 'Emergency' is still awaiting certification from the Central Board of Film Certification. -- ANI

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22:24 9-year-old among two injured in wolf attack in UP's Bahraich

A 9-year-old boy among two was injured in separate incidents of attack by a wolf in Bahraich, the police said on Sunday.

The first incident took place in Pure Dildarsingh village on Saturday night when Paras (9) was sleeping outside his house and a wolf attacked him, divisional commissioner Shashibhushan Lal Shushil said.

In another incident, in Dariakutti in Maikupur Gram Sabha around 4 am, Punnilal (55), who was sleeping outside, was also attacked by a wolf, Sushil said.

He said that villagers and the district magistrate said that it was a wolf attack but the forest team is yet to verify.

Both the injured are undergoing treatment in hospital and their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Sushil said out of a pack of six wolves, four have already been captured by the forest team.

"Wolves are being tracked with the help of drones, by placing traps and cages near the den of wolves near Kulela village of Mahsi tehsil. Two wolves were seen in the thermal sensor camera on Saturday. But due to late night, the teams running "Operation Bhedia" could not catch them.

It is expected that the attacking animals will be caught in a day or two", he added.

Divisional forest officer Ajit Pratap Singh said that Operation Bhedia is underway in the district and wolves are changing their location which makes it difficult to capture them. -- PTI

Eleven candidates died while undertaking physical tests during a drive to recruit excise constables in Jharkhand, police said on Sunday.

Physical tests under the Jharkhand excise constable competitive examinations began on August 22 in seven centres across Ranchi, Giridih, Hazaribag, Palamu, East Singhbhum and Sahebganj districts.

Four deaths happened in Palamu, two persons each died in Giridih and Hazaribag, and one person each in Ranchi's Jaguar centre, and East Singhbhum's Mosabani and Sahebganj centres, said IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar.

He said cases of unnatural death were registered and investigations were underway.

A total of 1,27,772 aspirants appeared for the physical tests till August 30, out of which 78,023 cleared it, he added.

Homkar said adequate arrangements, including medical teams, medicines, ambulance, mobile toilets and drinking water, were ensured at all centres.

Alleging that the deaths happened due to mismanagement by the authorities, the BJP youth wing demonstrated against the JMM-led government in Ranchi's Albert Ekka Chowk. -- PTI

A nurse at a government hospital in West Bengal's Birbhum district was allegedly molested and verbally abused by a male patient, weeks after the shocking rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.

"A man who came in with high fever late on Saturday night tried to outrage the modesty of an on-duty nurse at Illambazar block hospital. The hospital authorities immediately informed police who arrested him and sent him to Bolpur sub-divisional hospital for treatment," Birbhum chief medical officer of Health Himadri Ari said.

"The patient started abusing me as soon as he arrived," the nurse said, adding, "I ignored and started treating him, but suddenly he touched me inappropriately while I was administering saline."

On Sunday, doctors and health staff of the hospital staged a rally demanding round-the-clock security for medics.

A nurse who took part in the rally said, "Despite the R G Kar incident, not much has changed regarding our security." -- PTI

President Droupadi Murmu/File image

21:57 President Murmu on three-day Maharashtra visit from tomorrow

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Maharashtra for three days beginning Monday to attend a host of programs, according to an official statement.

She will grace the golden jubilee celebration of Shri Warana Women Co-operative Group at Warananagar, Kolhapur, on Monday, it said.

On September 3, the President will grace and address the 21st convocation of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) at Pune, said the statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday.

On the same day, she will grace the centenary year function of the Maharashtra Legislative Council at Mumbai.

The President will inaugurate the Buddha Vihar at Udgir, Latur, on September 4.

She will also address a gathering of beneficiaries of Shasan Aplya Dari' and Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojna' of the Maharashtra government at Udgir, the statement added. -- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of being a "mute spectator" in the face of "continuous attacks" on minorities, especially Muslims, and demanded the strictest action against "anarchist elements" behind such incidents.

His comments come in the wake of two incidents of mob violence in BJP-ruled Haryana and Maharashtra.

On August 27, a Muslim migrant from West Bengal was beaten to death allegedly by cow vigilantes in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri over suspicions that he had eaten beef.

Another person was injured in the attack.

In Maharashtra, an elderly man was abused and beaten up in a train on the suspicion of carrying beef.

He was travelling to Kalyan. Sharing screenshots of the two incidents, videos of which have been doing the rounds on social media, Gandhi said those who have climbed the ladder of power by using hatred as a political weapon are continuously establishing the rule of fear in the country.

"The hateful elements hiding in the form of the mob are openly spreading violence, challenging the rule of law. These miscreants have got a free hand from the BJP government, that is why they have developed the courage to do so," the former Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X. -- PTI

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader has been arrested for allegedly molesting a teenager in Almora district of Uttarakhand.

Almora SSP Devendra Pincha said on Sunday that Bhagwat Singh Bora, accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl, was arrested on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the incident, Bora, who was the block unit chief of the party's Salt region, has been expelled with immediate effect on the instructions of BJP's state president Mahendra Bhatt.

The SSP said the alleged incident took place on August 24 in the Salt revenue area, and an information regarding this was received on August 30.

Pincha said that a case has been registered against the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Section 74 (assault or criminal force on a woman to outrage her modesty) of the BNS.

Meanwhile, after recording the girl's statement, her medical examination was also conducted.

Attacking the ruling BJP over the issue, state Congress president Karan Mahara alleged the BJP government has given license to its leaders in the matter of atrocities against women.

State BJP president Bhatt termed the incident as very unfortunate and said the accused has been expelled from the party.

In a statement issued in Dehradun, Bhatt said the Pushkar Dhami government in the state is implementing a policy of 'zero tolerance' towards crime.

"In this case also, whether the accused is small or big, influential or associated with any political party, our government is taking the strictest action. As far as the organisation's side is concerned, the leader involved in the incident has been dismissed from all posts with immediate effect and shown the way out of the party," he said. -- PTI

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20:56 IndiGo begins daily flight services to Jaffna in Sri Lanka from Chennai

Domestic carrier IndiGo on Sunday started its daily flight services to Jaffna in Sri Lanka from Chennai.

Jaffna is the airline's second destination in the island nation after capital city Colombo and 34th international destination, IndiGo said.

The new daily direct flights from Chennai to Jaffna cut down the travel time to the city from Chennai to 75 minutes, IndiGo said.

IndiGo operates over 2,000 flights to 122 destinations including domestic and overseas.

This strategic route (Chennai-Jaffna) will strengthen the cultural and trade ties between India and Sri Lanka that have been marked by cooperation in the various fields such as commerce, infrastructure development and air connectivity, among others, IndiGo said.

"This short but a significant flight is a strategic addition, which is poised to further enhance trade and tourism between India and Sri Lanka.

"The new daily direct flights from Chennai to Jaffna promise a shorter travel time of just 75 minutes," said Vinay Malhotra, head of Global Sales at IndiGo.

The demand for travel between Chennai and Jaffna is evident, with over 21,000 passengers flying the route in just nine months last year, the airline said. -- PTI

An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 on the richter scale hit Morigaon town of Assam on Sunday evening, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

According to NCS, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Morigaon area at a depth of 23 Km at around 3:36am.

"EQ of M: 3.6, On: 01/09/2024 18:51:52 IST, Lat: 26.25 N, Long: 92.39 E, Depth: 23 Km, Location: Morigaon, Assam," the NCS wrote in a post on X. -- ANI

Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar/ANI Photo

20:31 All books glorifying Akbar will be burnt: Raj education minister

Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar on Sunday said all books glorifying Mughal emperor Akbar and referring to him as great "will be burnt".

The minister's statement came during his visit to Udaipur, where he was addressing a gathering during an event in the Vivekanand Auditorium of Mohanlal Sukhadia University.

He said comparing Akbar with Maharana Pratap is an insult to the Rajput warrior king and the pride of Rajasthan.

He referred to Maharana Pratap as people's protector, who never accepted to bow down, while Akbar got many people killed for his own gains.

So, calling Akbar "great" is an act of foolishness, he added.

Dilawar said there was no bigger enemy to the Mewar region and Rajasthan than those who praised Akbar in their school textbooks and called him "great".

The minister said, "We have seen the books of all classes. We have not found it (mention of Akbar as great) in the books yet. If it is there, then all the books will be burnt." -- PTI

Doctors in Bangladesh on Sunday announced a nationwide strike at public and private hospitals to protest the assault on medical professionals for their alleged negligence resulting in the death of a student at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday night.

The demonstrating doctors called for immediate legal and punitive action against the perpetrators of the assault while also demanding safety at workplaces as a precondition to return to work.

Doctors across the country announced a complete shutdown of all public and private hospitals starting September 1 with a four-point demand, including the arrest of those involved in the assault on doctors in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Saturday night.

"The sooner they accept our demand, the better. We will start giving treatment as soon as our demands are met," the protesting doctors told the media at the DMCH premises.

They said the nurses also expressed solidarity with doctors and refused to join work.

Asked who would take responsibility if anyone died for lack of treatment, the protesters said the administration would be responsible for any such incident. -- PTI

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said that efforts need to be made to change the "culture of adjournments" in courts to ensure swift justice. Addressing the valedictory event of the two-day National Conference of the District Judiciary here, she said that the pendency of court cases is a big challenge for "all of us".

"All possible efforts need to be made to change the culture of adjournments in courts," she said.

Murmu said all judges of the country have the responsibility to protect justice.

She said common people's stress level increases in courtroom settings, a phenomenon she coined as "Black Coat syndrome," and suggested it be studied.

She also expressed happiness over the increase in the number of women judicial officers.

The event was attended by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal. -- PTI

An FIR has been filed against the producers of 2023-Malayalam movie RDX over alleged embezzlement and non disbursement of profits.

The FIR has been registered against producers Sophia Paul and James Paul.

The case has been registered by Tripunithura police in Ernakulam at Hill Palace police station, under Sections, 120-B, 406, 420, 468, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

RDX: Robert Dony Xavier directed by Nahas Hidayath, released on August 25, 2023. Antony Varghese, Shane Nigam, and Neeraj Madhav starred in the film.

Anjana Abraham, a resident of Tripunithura, has alleged that producers, Sophia Paul and James Paul failed to distribute the promised profit margins to stakeholders.

Anjana claimed to have invested Rs 6 crore in the film's production after being assured of a full return on investment and a 30 percent share of total profits.

Gross GST collections in August grew 10 percent to about Rs 1.75 lakh crore, according to government data released on Sunday.

Goods and Services Tax revenues in August last year were Rs 1.59 lakh crore, while in July the mop-up was Rs 1.82 lakh crore.

In August 2024, domestic revenue grew 9.2 percent to about Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

Gross GST revenues from import of goods were up 12.1 percent to Rs 49,976 crore.

Refunds worth Rs 24,460 crore were issued during the month, registering an increase of 38 percent over the year-ago period.

After adjusting refunds, net GST revenue increase was 6.5 percent at Rs 1.5 lakh crore during the month under review. -- PTI

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury continues to be under treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for a respiratory infection, a party source said on Sunday.

The 72-year-old is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU), the source said.

Yechury was admitted to the AIIMS on August 19 for treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection.

The exact nature of his ailment was not revealed by the hospital. In a statement issued on Saturday, the CPI-M had said he is under the care of a team of specialist doctors who are treating him for respiratory infection.

Yechury had recently also undergone cataract surgery. -- PTI

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17:55 Woman killed, daughter hurt in militant attack in Manipur

A woman was killed and four others were injured when suspected militants launched a gun-and-bomb attack in Manipur's Imphal West district on Sunday, the police said.

According to the police, the militants fired indiscriminately from hilltop positions towards the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband killing the woman and injuring four others, including her eight-year-old daughter and a police officer.

The sudden assault on the unsuspecting village caused widespread panic, forcing many residents, including women, children, and the elderly, to flee to safer areas, the police added.

The body of the deceased woman, identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala Devi, has been taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for post-mortem examination.

Devi's daughter and police officer N Robert (30) have been admitted to RIMS while two others are recuperating at Raj Medicity. -- PTI

A laboratory technician has been arrested for allegedly molesting a minor girl at a state-run hospital in West Bengal's Howrah district, the police said.

The incident took place on Saturday evening at Howrah District Headquaters Hospital, where the 12-year-old girl was admitted last week, they said.

A family member of the minor claimed that she came out of the laboratory in tears, as the accused had touched her "inappropriately" and threatened her with dire consequences if she mentioned about the matter to anyone.

The laboratory assistant has been arrested and an investigation is underway, an officer said.

Meanwhile, members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI-M, on Sunday demonstrated at the hospital, demanding the resignation of the hospital superintendent. -- PTI

Opposition parties on Sunday targeted the Uttar Pradesh government after two of the three accused in the IIT-BHU gangrape case were released on bail, saying that it exposed the hypocrisy of the BJP-led dispensation's claims about women's security.

In a post on X, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav shared a video which claimed that the accused were granted bail due to the state government's weak perusal of the case.

The Opposition's attack came after photos of the two accused, Anand alias Abhishek Chauhan and Kunal Pandey, being accorded a warm welcome after being released from jail and cutting a cake went viral on social media.

Reportedly, Chauhan and Pandey were released from a Varanasi jail last week.

Allahabad high court Justice Krishan Pahal granted bail to Chauhan on July 2 and to Pandey on July 4.

Pandey's counsel told the court that he had no criminal history and had been languishing in jail since December 31 last year.

In his post on X, SP chief Yadav said people are fed up with the BJP's politics and "anarchy".

Today, the BJP's train has reached its last station and it would be good if before ending the journey, the party apologises to the country with folded hands, he said. -- PTI

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16:32 Bengal panchayat member molests girl; mob attacks his house

A mob vandalised the house of a panchayat member in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district for allegedly molesting a 10-year-old girl, the police said on Sunday.

A senior police officer said the accused was arrested on Sunday morning and a strong police picket was posted at Rajbari area of Rohanda panchayat of the district.

The girl was allegedly molested by the accused on Saturday evening.

She narrated her ordeal to her family members, who accompanied by other villagers accosted the accused. Enraged by the response of the accused, the mob vandalised the house of the accused and a shop owned by his brother in the area, the officer said, adding the police had to burst tear gas shells to chase away the crowd.

The accused was initially taken to the local police station and arrested on Sunday, the officer said. -- PTI

Air Marshal Tejinder Singh/ANI Photo

16:13 Air Marshal Tejinder Singh takes over as deputy chief of air staff

Air Marshal Tejinder Singh on Sunday took over as deputy chief of the air staff of the Indian Air Force, the defence ministry said.

After taking charge at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan), the Air Marshal paid homage to the bravehearts, who made the supreme sacrifice, by laying wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Singh was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 13, 1987.

He is a Category 'A' Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,500 hours of flying and an alumnus of the Defence Service Staff College and National Defence College, the ministry said in a statement.

He has commanded a fighter squadron, a radar station, a premier fighter base and was the Air Officer Commanding, Jammu and Kashmir.

"His varied staff appointments include Operational Staff at a Command HQ, Air Commodore (Personnel Officers-1) at Air HQ, Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Financial (Planning) at HQ IDS, Air Commodore (Aerospace Safety), Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Offensive) and ACAS Ops (Strategy) at Air HQ," the statement said.

Prior to his present appointment, he was the Senior Air Staff Officer, HQ Eastern Air Command of the IAF at Shillong, Meghalaya.

In recognition of his meritorious services, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2007 and the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2022 by the President of India, it said. -- PTI

Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra/Courtesy Instagram

15:50 Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra withdraws from Kochi seminar

Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra has withdrawn from the upcoming seminar in Kochi following her sexual harassment allegations against film director Ranjith. Mitra announced her decision on Sunday morning, citing the recent turmoil in her life and the intense media scrutiny surrounding the allegations as reasons for her break.

In her Instagram post, Mitra detailed the emotional toll the situation has taken on her.

"August has always made me feel it's 'august' presence..my birth month and the month of my mom's passing , my brother's birth month, and the month nd day of my very dear friend's passing. The 15th of August being our Independence Day and the day I moved out of my 'shashur bari' to start ( wasn't even sure how) afresh. This August too began with the #rgkarrapemurdercase infuriating all of us across territories, then the #jhargramelephantkilling to something I never felt would come out in the open after 15 odd years about the #malayalamfilmindustry incident and how I became an integral part of the entire #metoo movement .I had been hounded by press media across country narrating the said incident over n over n over again which took a heavy toll on me as it did back here when I took names of #bengalifilmindustry who's who ..REMEMBER?" she wrote.

She apologised for not being able to attend the seminar and expressed her intention to take time for herself. -- ANI

Assam TMC president Ripun Bora (left) with with party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee/File image

15:20 Assam TMC president Ripun Bora quits party

Assam Trinamool Congress president Ripun Bora on Sunday resigned from the party, claiming that the people of the northeastern state consider it as a "regional party" of West Bengal and are "not willing to accept" it as their own.

In a letter to All India Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the former Rajya Sabha member said he had offered many suggestions to party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to make TMC acceptable in Assam, but those were "not implemented".

"Assam TMC has great potential, but several recurring issues have hindered our progress, including the perception of TMC as a regional party of West Bengal. To counter this perception, we made several suggestions," Bora said in his resignation letter.

He claimed that he had suggested the need for an Assamese leader at the national level of TMC, declaring the residence of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Tollygunge in Kolkata as a heritage site and converting the Madhupur Satra at Cooch Behar into a cultural hub.

"Despite my repeated attempts over the past year and a half to secure an appointment with you and our chief Mamata Didi to address these concerns, I have been unsuccessful," said Bora, former Assam minister and state Congress president.

He said that he has served as the state president of Assam TMC for over two years and during this period, he interacted extensively with people across the state. -- PTI

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14:55 Heavy rain inundates Guwahati, normal life affected

A spell of heavy rain early on Sunday inundated several arterial roads and residential areas in Assam's Guwahati, disrupting vehicular movement and causing inconvenience to residents of the capital city of the northeastern state.

People were seen wading through knee-deep waters in some areas of the city while the water level reached up to the chest in several localities. Inundation was reported from Zoo Road, Nabin Nagar, Ganeshguri, Hedayetpur, Guwahati Club, Ulubari, Hatigaon, Gita Nagar, Maligaon, Lachit Nagar, Chandmari, Panjabari, Jorabat, Jatia, Jyotikuchi and Ghoramara and RG Baruah Road areas.

The three-hour downpour also led to waterlogging in GS Road, Anil Nagar, VIP Road, Tarun Nagar, Rajgarh Road, Jorabat, Rukmini Gaon, Survey and Chatribari areas in the city.

Vehicles on GS Road were stopped at Dispur from moving further towards Choy Mile due to flooding in Rukmini Gaon area.

They were also diverted through the Last Gate point along Survey-Beltola Road, which was also submerged.

Rainwater accumulated in hundreds of houses in the 'smart' city.

Traffic jams were reported from almost all localities in the city with vehicles stranded due to inundated roads.

Ambulances were stuck for hours with patients facing severe hardship. -- PTI

Marashtra CM Eknath Sindhe (R) with deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar (L)/File image

14:35 Mahayuti reaches consensus on 173 seats

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar held seat-sharing talks in Nagpur for the upcoming state assembly polls, which are likely to be held in October-November.

The meeting, which lasted for around three hours as per Bharatiya Janata Party sources, was held on Saturday.

"Yesterday's (Saturday) meeting was in line with the previous two-three rounds of initial discussions that took place. The final seat sharing will be sealed after another two to three meetings," the sources said.

Sources from the NCP said consensus has been arrived for 173 seats, with BJP getting the maximum share, followed by Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Ajit Pawar-led party.

The remaining 115 seats will be finalised soon in a meeting of Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, CM Shinde as well as senior NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, they added. -- PTI

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14:08 India's foreign exchange reserve touches fresh high of $681.7 bn

India's foreign exchange reserves increased by $7.023 billion, reaching a fresh record high of $681.688 billion, during the week that ended on August 23, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.

The previous record high was $674.919 billion.

The reserves have been on an upward trend for some time.

In 2024 alone, they have risen by approximately $60 billion cumulatively.

This buffer of foreign exchange reserves helps insulate domestic economic activity from global shocks.

According to the latest data from the RBI, India's foreign currency assets, the largest component of forex reserves, rose by $5.983 billion to $597.552 billion.

Gold reserves during the week increased by $893 million, bringing the total to $60.997 billion.

As per estimates, India's foreign exchange reserves are now sufficient to cover about a year of projected imports.

In the calendar year 2023, India added about $58 billion to its foreign exchange reserves.

In contrast, India's forex reserves saw a cumulative decline of $71 billion in 2022. -- ANI

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13:49 49 minority teachers in Bangladesh forced to resign: Association

At least 49 teachers belonging to minority communities were forced to resign in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to a minority organisation in the violence-hit nation.

The Bangladesh Chhatra Oikya Parishad, the student wing of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, said this at a press conference on Saturday, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

The organisation's coordinator, Sajib Sarkar, said in the students' violence that ensued for days following the ouster and fleeing of 76-year-old prime minister Hasina, minority teachers across the country faced physical assault, and at least 49 of them were forced to resign.

However, 19 of them were reinstated later, the report quoted him as saying. Sarkar added that religious and ethnic minorities have also faced attacks, looting, assault on women, vandalism of temples, arson attacks on homes and businesses, and killings during this period.

Bangladesh saw several incidents of violence against members of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities following the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government last month. -- PTI

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13:46 7 infiltrators from Bangladesh held in Tripura

Five Bangladeshis and two Rohingyas, who entered Tripura without valid documents, were arrested from two separate areas in the northeastern state, police said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, Government Railway Police personnel detained two persons from Agartala station on Friday, a senior officer said.

During interrogation, the two persons admitted that they were inmates in Cox's Bazar Rohingya camp in the neighbouring country, he said.

"Ramzan Ali and Azida Begum crossed the international border and planned to go to Kolkata by train," Agartala GRP station officer-in-charge Tapas Das said.

In another incident, five Bangladeshi infiltrators and two suspected Indian touts were arrested in Dhalai district on Saturday.

All the arrested Bangladeshis are residents of Moulvibazar and Sylhet districts in the neighbouring country, a BSF official said.

"The Bangladesh nationals entered India without valid documents and the two Indians are believed to be actively involved in facilitating illegal migration," he added. -- PTI

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 on the Richter Scale hit the Bay of Bengal on Sunday morning, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

According to NCS, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Bay of Bengal at a depth of 10 kilometres around 09:12 am on Sunday.

"EQ of M: 5.1, On: 01/09/2024 09:12:50 IST, Lat: 8.27 N, Long: 91.67 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Bay of Bengal," NCS said in a post on X.

Further details are awaited. Meanwhile, an earthquake of magnitude three struck the Noklak town of Nagaland in the early hours of Sunday.

According to NCS, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Noklak area at a depth of 10 kilometres around 3:36am.

"EQ of M: 3.0, On: 01/09/2024 03:36:39 IST, Lat: 26.24 N, Long: 95.03 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Noklak, Nagaland," NCS said in a post on X. -- ANI

Just In: An IndiGo flight (6E 7308) operating from Jabalpur to Hyderabad was diverted to Nagpur following a bomb threat.

"Upon landing, all passengers were disembarked and mandatory security checks were promptly initiated...,"said IndiGo.

More details soon. -- ANI

Three persons have been detained on charges of assaulting an elderly man in an express train near Igatpuri in Maharashtra's Nashik district on suspicion that he was carrying beef, the Government Railway Police said on Sunday.

Thane Central Railway deputy commissioner Manoj Nana Patil says, "The issue started over a seat in the train and then all of this happened. Relevant sections for threatening and not letting people deboard at a railway station were applied to the accused...We have filed the FIR at the residence of the complainant and his daughter in the presence of their relatives, as per the convenience of the complainant and also shot the scene of the incident on video according to the BNS...Three people have been detained so far. Further investigation is underway..."

The GRP initiated a probe after a video of the alleged incident, which took place earlier this week, surfaced on social media, an official said.

The video shows a dozen people assaulting a man and verbally abusing him inside a train.

According to the GRP, the victim, Haji Ashraf Munyar, a resident of Jalgaon district, was travelling to his daughter's house in Kalyan when he was allegedly beaten up by his co-passengers near Igatpuri on suspicion that he was carrying beef. -- ANI with PTI inputs

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12:39 1600 iPhones worth Rs 12 cr looted from truck in MP's Sagar

Around 1600 iPhones worth Rs 12 crore were stolen from a truck in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, police said on Sunday.

The initial probe suggests the involvement of the security guard who was accompanying the truck, said the police.

The truck was on its way to Chennai from Haryana, when the incident occured.

Pramod Verma, inspector-general of police of Sagar Zone, said, "We received information that 1,600 iPhones worth Rs 12 crore have been looted...The security guard is said to be the accused...Teams have been formed and we are investigating the matter..."

"The container was on its way from Gurugram in Haryana to Chennai. The guard called some of his associates and overpowered the driver," he added.

Investigation into the matter is underway and more details are awaited. ---ANI

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12:23 Security tightened in Haryana after murder of man over beef

After a migrant worker from West Bengal was allegedly beaten to death in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district over suspicions that he had eaten beef, the police increased security in the area to prevent further unrest or any untoward incident.

Badhra DSP Bharat Bhushan said that both SSB and state police personnel have been deployed in the district and that the police are closely monitoring social media posts.

"The victim, a resident of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, worked as a ragpicker. We have deployed a company of SSB and state police and are continuously monitoring social media," Bhushan said.

He added that seven people have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder.

"On August 27, we received information that some people in the slums of Hansawas Khurd village were consuming prohibited meat. We have collected a sample of the meat, which has been sent to an FSL lab. Future proceedings will depend on the lab report. During this period, based on suspicion, the complainants visited other slums, kidnapped two persons, and assaulted them. One person died and the other was injured," he explained.

"The police immediately took action and arrested seven suspects. Three have been sent to judicial custody, while four are in police remand. We are interrogating them, and if other names emerge, further arrests will be made," he added. -- PTI

A 28-year-old man was arrested here for allegedly posting a video with objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, police said on Sunday.

Vishal from Khaikheri village in Purkazi area was arrested on Saturday, circle officer Rajkumar said.

An FIR has been registered against him under Sections 352 (intentional insult with intention to provoke a breach of peace and 353 (statement conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.

Further investigation is underway, Rajkumar said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspecting Vande Bharat sleeper coach in Bengaluru/ANI on X

11:51 Ashwini Vaishnaw unveils prototype version of Vande Bharat sleeper coach

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday unveiled the prototype version of the Vande Bharat sleeper coach in Bengaluru at the BEML's facility.

The coach will undergo rigorous trials and tests in 10 days before rolling it out on the track for further testing, Vaishnaw told reporters.

The train is expected to be open for passenger operation in the next three months, he added.

The minister also laid the foundation stone for a new Vande Bharat manufacturing facility on the Bharat Earth Movers Limited premises. -- PTI

Breaking his silence over the sexual harassment allegations against him, actor Jayasurya on Sunday refuted the accusations and said that they have 'shattered' him, his family and everyone close to them.

The actor, who has been in the US with his family for the past one month, said he will face the allegations legally and his lawyers will take care of the proceedings in the cases against him till he returns.

'Due to my personal commitments, my family and I have been in America for the past one month, and during this time, two false allegations on the grounds of sexual harassment were made against me.

'Quite naturally, it has shattered me, my family and everyone who has held me close. I have decided to move forward with this legally,' Jayasurya said in a note put up on his Facebook page to thank all those who wished him on his birthday on August 31.

The first FIR against the actor was registered on August 28 under section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Cantonment police station here on a complaint by a female actor who has appeared in a handful of movies.

She had levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu, who held a prominent role in the actors' association, AMMA.

'In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable,' the woman had alleged in her Facebook post.

The second case was lodged at Karamana police station here under sections 354 and 354 C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint by another female actor who had alleged that Jayasurya molested her at a movie set near Thodupuzha during 2012-2013.

Reacting to the cases against him, Jayasurya, in his note, said, 'False allegations are easy to make for anyone who lacks a conscience. I only hope one realises that facing a false accusation of harassment is just as painful as the harassment itself.

'A lie always travels faster than the truth, but I believe truth will prevail.'

He said that he will return to Kerala as soon as his work in America is over and meanwhile, all the legal proceedings to prove his innocence will continue.

'I have complete faith in our judicial system,' he said and sarcastically thanked 'those who contributed to making this birthday the most painful one'.

'Let those who have not sinned throw stones, but only at those who have sinned,' he added.

Jayasurya is not the only one facing sexual harassment allegations in the wake of the Justice K Hema Committee report that was made public on August 19.

Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the cmmittee report.

Besides Jayasurya, the film personalities who are accused in cases of sexual assault or harassment include actors Sidhique, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and director Ranjith.

The Justice K Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry. -- PTI

In a shocking incident, a 9-year-old boy suffered major injuries after a mobile phone exploded in his hand.

The incident occurred in the village of Kalkoti Dewari in the Chaurai area of the Chhindwara district.

Father of the boy, Hardyal Singh, said he and his wife were working in the fields when the incident occurred.

He said that he was at home with his friends, watching cartoons on mobile phone that was plugged in for charging, and the device exploded, causing serious injuries to his hand and thigh.

"We were in the fields when the neighbour told us about the accident, after which we came running. After examining him, the doctor referred him to a hospital in Chhindwara. He has injuries on both his hands and thighs. Another child was injured and was treated at a local hospital," he said.

After treatment, the boy was shifted to the surgical ward, and he is in stable condition now, said Dr Anurag Vishkarma, District Hospital Chhindwara.

"After first aid, he has been shifted to the surgical ward. His condition is stable now. He has suffered deep injuries in his legs and hands," Vishwakarma told ANI.

10:00 K C Tyagi resigns as JD-U spokesperson

JUST IN: K C Tyagi has resigned as party spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad to be new national spokesperson, says Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United.

More details awaited. -- PTI

A 13-year-old girl in Farrukhabad has become pregnant allegedly after she was raped by a government school peon, police said on Saturday.

A first information report (FIR) has been lodged against the peon of the council school and his associate who allegedly helped him during the incident some months ago, the police said.

"The family of the 13-year-old girl has lodged a case against the accused men. The girl had gone to defecate at night when Pankaj and Amit of the village caught her and took her to an empty house where Amit raped her while Pankaj stood outside and kept a watch," a police official said, citing the complaint.

"The accused raped her by stuffing a cloth in her mouth. After this, the girl was threatened that if she complained, they would kill her. But when the girl became five-month pregnant, her mother came to know about the matter. After which the mother approached the local police," the official said.

An FIR has been lodged on charges of rape and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the accused, the police said.

Pankaj is a peon in council school and he got the job as the dependent of a deceased, they said.

Kayamganj Kotwali in-charge Inspector Ram Avatar said that initial medical check-up on the girl has been done.

"No one has been arrested yet. Arrests will be made soon in the case," the official added. -- PTI

09:36 Mpox cases in Pakistan rise to 5

The number of mpox cases in Pakistan has risen to five following confirmation of the virus in an air passenger at Peshawar while a suspected case of the deadly virus was detected in Karachi, health officials said on Saturday.

Dr Irshad Ali, Director, Public Health of the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said medical personnel at the airport detected two travellers returning from Jeddah displaying symptoms of mpox on Thursday and only one of them was confirmed to be have mpox.

The confirmed case involves a 51-year-old man from Orakzai, who is reported to be in stable condition and was transferred to Police and Services Hospital Peshawar for treatment.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and have implemented all necessary measures to control the spread," Dr Irshad said.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old individual was admitted to the designated hospital in Karachi following symptoms consistent with monkeypox making it a suspected case.

The patient, who recently travelled from Jeddah to Karachi, is presenting with a maculopapular rash across his body, The Express Tribune newspaper said.

"We are treating this case with the utmost seriousness and are prepared for all possible outcomes," said a spokesperson from the health department in Karachi.

Officials said, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded thus far.

Earlier even as confusion prevailed over exact number of confirmed cases, on August 19 there was an mpox case reported from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

It was a 47-year-old resident of PoK, who had recently returned from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. He was admitted to Islamabad's Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) with mpox symptoms.

Before that, Pakistan had reported three cases of mpox -- all from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan has taken precautions to tackle the virus and put in place a strict screening system at airports after it emerged that all the patients affected by mpox reportedly returned from abroad.

Laboratories were allocated for diagnosis in all provinces and the federal capital, an official said.

The official said cases were reported from Africa and travellers from Africa, America and the Gulf countries would be monitored.

Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, can spread through close contact and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease as a public health emergency of international concern on August 14 after the new variant of the virus was identified. -- PTI

09:20 Pune mandals send 3 Ganesh idols to Kashmir

Maharashtra's Pune city, where the concept of 'sarvajanik Ganeshotsav' or largescale public celebrations of Ganesh festival was born, will continue its tryst with expanding its gaiety and fervour to Kashmir for the second year in a row.

The initiative of Pune's seven prominent Ganesh mandals will see public festivities being held in Srinagar, Anantnag and Kupwara in the northern Union Territory, organisers said in Pune.

The 10-day festival will begin with Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7.

Amid the beating of traditional instruments like 'dhol tasha' last week, replicas of three Ganesh idols, namely Tambdi Jogeshwari, Guruji Talim and Tulshibaug Ganesh, were handed over to functionaries of mandals in Srinagar, Kupwara, and Anantnag, they said.

"The replica of the second 'manacha' (revered) Ganpati from Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganesh Mandal was given to the Ganpatyar Trust from Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The replica of the third 'manacha' Ganpati from Guruji Talim Ganesh Mandal's replica was handed over to the Kupwara Ganesh Mandal, while the replica of fourth 'manacha' Ganpati from Tulshibaug Ganesh Mandal was given to the Anantnag Ganesh Mandal from south Kashmir," one of the organisers said.

This initiative to take Ganeshotsav to J-K was spearheaded by Punit Balan, the festival chief and trustee of Bhausaheb Rangari Ganesh Mandal, along with six other prominent Ganesh mandals, namely Kasba Ganapati Mandal, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganesh Mandal, Guruji Talim Ganesh Mandal, Tulsibaug Ganesh Mandal, Kesariwada Ganesh Mandal and Akhil Mandai Ganesh Mandal.

Last year, the replica of Kasba Ganapati, the first 'manacha' idol in Pune, also known as the 'gram daivat' (village deity), was sent to the Valley and it was installed at the Ganpatyar Mandir in Srinagar's Lal Chowk for one-and-half days, Balan said.

"Initially, people were sceptical and even critical, but we successfully celebrated the festival in J-K. This year, we received requests from Anantnag and Kupwara. Therefore, three replicas have been sent there this time. The members from the mandals there came to Pune to take the idols. The festival in Anantnag and Kupwara will last for five days," he said.

These celebrations will have a positive impact on the Valley and bring about peace, and there are plans to introduce other festivals like Dussehra, Navratri and Diwali, Balan added.

Sandip Kaul, a member of a Ganesh mandal in Srinagar, said the festival returned to Kashmir Valley last year after 35 years.

"This year, the festival is being extended to Anantnag and Kupwara in the south and north of Kashmir, respectively. It will be a five-day festival. We are receiving good support and cooperation from everyone in the Valley regarding Ganeshotsav. We are thankful to the Pune mandals for their cooperation in this initiative," Kaul said.

Sandip Raina, a youth from Kashmir, said the restive region, which was once known for militancy, was now changing with both Muslims and Hindus supporting the Ganeshotsav initiative.

Srinagar's Ganpatyar Ganesh Mandal's Mohit Bhan said the festival will foster peace and social harmony, while Shrikant Shete from Kasba Ganpati Mandal claimed Ganeshotsav there was 'like bringing Pune's tradition to Kashmir'.

The massively-patronised festival holds special significance for Pune since the concept of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav was launched here by 'Lokmanya' Bal Gangadhar Tilak to mobilise the masses against the British and instil a spirit of patriotism. -- PTI

08:52 24 crocodiles rescued from rain-hit Vadodara

A total of 24 crocodiles were rescued from residential areas in Gujarat's Vadodara amid very heavy rains between August 27 and 29, which led to the water level in the Vishwamitri river that flows through the city rising, a forest department official said on Sunday.

The river is home to 440 crocodiles, many of which move into residential areas during flooding caused by water release from the Ajwa dam, Vadodara Range Forest Officer Karansinh Rajput said.

"Apart from 24 crocodiles, we also rescued 75 other animals, including snakes, cobras, five large turtles weighing nearly 40 kilograms and a porcupine during these three days. There are many residential areas close to Vishwamitri river," he said.

"The smallest crocodile we rescued was two feet long, while the largest was 14 feet long, which was caught on Thursday from Kamnath Nagar situated along the river. Local residents alerted us about this huge crocodile. Two other crocodiles, 11 feet long, were also rescued on Thursday from EME Circle and an open area near the Zoology Department of MS University," Rajput informed.

However, no incident of crocodile-human conflict was recorded during these days, when the region and most parts of the state witnessed heavy rains, he added.

"Usually, crocodiles do not attack humans. In the river, they survive on fish and animal carcasses. They may also kill and eat dogs, pigs or any other small animal. A video of one such encounter went viral recently," the RFO said.

Since the water level of Vishwamitri river has dropped significantly, the rescued crocodiles and other reptiles will be released in it, he said. -- PTI

IMAGE: A crocodile is being rescued by Forest Department from the campus of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, in Vadodara on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo

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