LIVE! Nepal's new currency to have disputed Indian places

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Tue, 03 September 2024

Nepal's new currency to have disputed Indian places

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23:55 DIAL asks SpiceJet to clear dues; airline says no immediate concerns on payments

Delhi airport operator DIAL has asked SpiceJet to clear its dues at the earliest, sources said on Tuesday even as the airline asserted that there are no immediate concerns regarding payments.

There was no official comment from DIAL (Delhi International Airport Ltd), which operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.

SpiceJet has been facing financial and legal woes, and aviation watchdog DGCA placed the budget carrier under enhanced surveillance last week.

The sources in the know on Tuesday said DIAL has asked the carrier to clear the dues at the earliest.

Details about pending dues could not be immediately ascertained. When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson said it continues to operate flights normally and that its "payment obligations to DIAL are being fulfilled as per our regular schedule".

The spokesperson also said that information suggesting that DIAL has issued a two-day deadline for payment is incorrect.

"Our communications with DIAL are ongoing and routine, and there are no immediate concerns regarding payments," the spokesperson added. -- PTI

Nepal's central bank is preparing to print new banknotes featuring the revised map that includes disputed territories with India within a year, a media report said on Tuesday.

Nepal Rashtra Bank has already forwarded the process of printing the banknotes with the new map, which includes Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, the bank's joint spokesperson Dilliram Pokharel was quoted as saying by online news portal Nepalkhabar.com.

The bank has already forwarded the process of printing the new notes, Pokharel said, adding that it would be completed in six months to one year.

However, when sought his response to the news report, the bank's spokesperson was not available for comments.

Nepal's cabinet led by then-Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on May 3 decided to print new banknotes with the inclusion of the new map showing these territories as part of Nepal. -- PTI

A 32-year-old constable of the Sashastra Seema Bal hailing from Uttar Pradesh allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Tuesday, the police said.

This was the second incident of suicide by a SSB constable in the last eight days in the state where the armed border guarding force is deployed for anti-Maoist operations.

The latest incident took place at around 3 pm at the SSB camp in Kosronda village, additional superintendent of police (Antagarh) Jaiprakash Barhai said.

"Constable Rakesh Kumar shot himself with his service rifle in the camp. He died on the spot," he said.

No suicide note was found and an investigation was underway to ascertain the exact reason behind the extreme step taken by Kumar, a resident Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, he said. -- PTI

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22:54 Brief encounter between security forces, terrorists in J-K's Rajouri

There was a brief gunfight between security forces and terrorists Tuesday evening at a village in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, security officials said.

They said the exchange of fire occurred around 7.30 pm when the police and Rashtriya Rifles personnel moved to the lower Karyote village of Thanamandi following information about suspicious movements.

They said the terrorists fired a few bullets on noticing the search parties and then took advantage of the darkness to flee in the face of retaliation.

No one was injured in the brief firing, the officials said, adding reinforcements were rushed to the area, and a massive search operation is underway to track down the terrorists.

Meanwhile, the police also carried out a thorough search operation in the Bani area of Kathua district after getting information about suspicious movement during the intervening night.

The operation ended peacefully with no trace of suspected persons, the officials said. -- PTI

RG Kar ex-principal Dr Sandip Ghosh (right)/ANI Photo

22:45 WB govt suspends RG Kar ex-principal after CBI arrest

The West Bengal health department suspended former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh on Tuesday, a day after the CBI arrested him for alleged financial misconduct.

Ghosh was suspended 26 days after the body of an on-duty woman medic, who was allegedly raped and murdered, was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Hospital on August 9.

"In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, he is placed under suspension... with immediate effect," an order said.

The Calcutta high court on August 23 ordered the transfer of a probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The direction came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali, who prayed for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into multiple counts of alleged financial misconduct at the state-run institute during Ghosh's tenure as its principal.

Ghosh served as principal of RG Kar Medical College from February 2021 to September 2023.

He was transferred from RG Kar in October that year but inexplicably returned to that position within a month.

He held his position at the hospital till the day the hospital doctor was found dead. -- PTI

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22:35 IS claims responsibility for Kabul suicide bombing

Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Kabul that resulted in six people losing their lives, Al Jazeera reported.

Notably, an explosion in Kabul on Monday killed at least six people, and injured 13 others, the Kabul police and Ministry of Interior Affairs said.

Sharing a post on X on Monday, Khalid Zadran, Kabul police spokesman had said, "An explosion occurred in the 6th security zone of Kabul this afternoon in the area of Qala-e-Bakhtiar, which was caused by explosives carried by a person. Unfortunately, six people, including a woman, were killed and 13 others were injured in the blast. The injured were taken to hospital and investigations are underway."

In a Telegram post on Tuesday, ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) said one of its members detonated an explosive vest in the Afghan capital the previous day (Monday), targeting the Taliban government's prosecution service.

The bomber waited until government employees finished their shifts and then detonated the explosive in the middle of a crowd, the post said, according to Al Jazeera.

ISIL claimed that the attack resulted in the deaths of more than 45 people and was revenge for "Muslims held in Taliban prisons."

Notably, the most notorious attack linked to ISIL since the Taliban takeover was in 2022 when at least 53 people, including 46 girls and young women, were slain in the suicide bombing at an education centre in a Shia neighbourhood of Kabul. -- ANI

Leading French cosmetic maker L'Oreal Paris on Tuesday said it has roped in Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt as its new global brand ambassador.

With this, Bhatt joins the brand's diverse roster of L'Oreal brand ambassadors like Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Eva Longoria, Kendall Jenner, Elle Fanning, Camila Cabello, and many others.

She will star in the French beauty brand's campaigns, starting in September 2024, said a L'Oreal statement.

Bhatt embodies the core values of L'Oreal Paris, representing inclusivity and empowerment, sharing the transformative power of self-belief with women all over the world, it said.

L'Oreal Paris Global President Delphine Viguier-Hovasse said: "I admire how Alia uses her global platform and role as a producer to push for inclusivity in the film industry and to shed light on Indian cinema worldwide.

"Her commitment to care for people and the planet makes her the perfect ambassador for female talent, entrepreneurship, and for the endless possibilities L'Oreal Paris seeks to open up by uplifting women's worth."

"The brand's celebration of women's empowerment resonates deeply with me, as it strives to ensure every woman feels valued and empowered. I am excited to collaborate with L'Oreal Paris to make a positive impact in the beauty industry and champion inclusivity for women," Alia Bhatt said.

A female passenger assaulted a female staff at the Air India Express counter in the Mumbai airport, and the passenger was later handed over to the police, according to a source. The incident happened on Sunday.

"On 1st September, a passenger at Mumbai airport misbehaved with a staff member of our ground operations partner. The duty manager promptly notified CISF, and the passenger was handed over to the police in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures," an Air India Express spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

The source in the know said passengers and staff involved were females. -- PTI

Zee Entertainment Enterprises on Tuesday moved the Bombay high court seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification to issue certificate for the film Emergency, helmed by Kangana Ranaut.

The court agreed to hear it on Wednesday.

Zee Entertainment is the producer of the film. Scheduled for release on September 6, the biographical drama is caught up in controversy after Sikh organisations including the Shiromani Akali Dal objected, accusing it of misrepresenting the community and getting historical facts wrong.

The petition before the high court claimed that the CBFC has "illegally and arbitrarily" withheld the certification.

As per a lawyer, the petition claimed that the Censor board was ready with the certificate, but not issuing it.

The plea was mentioned before a division bench of Justices BP Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla for urgent hearing.

The bench agreed to hear it on Wednesday. -- PTI

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje/File image

20:53 Cafe blast: Karandlaje apologises to people of TN

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday filed an affidavit before the Madras high court, apologising to the people of Tamil Nadu for her remarks made in light of the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru earlier this year.

Post the March 1 low intensity blast at the popular eatery in Bengaluru, Karandlaje had linked the people of Tamil Nadu with the incident and she was booked by the Madurai police over the matter.

She had moved the court seeking to quash the criminal proceedings against her.

In her affidavit filed before the bench of Justice G Jayachandran, Karandlaje said the remarks made about the people of TN was done "without any intention" to hurt their sentiments and feelings.

She said she has already retracted her previous comments and tendered "my profound apologies through social media platforms."

"I state that I have the highest respect and regard to the history, rich culture, tradition, and to the people of Tamil Nadu and I had or have no intention whatsoever to hurt the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu by any conduct of mine." -- PTI

20:40 Rupee falls 7 paise to 83.98 against US dollar

The rupee declined 7 paise to 83.98 against the US dollar on Tuesday, tracking a strong greenback against major currencies overseas and sluggish trend in domestic equities.

However, lower crude oil prices in international markets and foreign fund inflows capped the losses in the local unit, forex traders said.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened 3 paise lower at 83.94 against the American currency and traded in the range of 83.94-83.98 during the day.

It finally settled at 83.98 against the US dollar, 7 paise lower than its previous close.

On Monday, the domestic currency settled at 83.91. -- PTI

Former president of Atlas Cycles Salil Kapoor allegedly shot himself dead at his home in Lutyens Delhi area on Tuesday, police officials said.

Kapoor's body was found in a pool of blood near the puja room of his house on the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Road around 1 pm by his manager, they said.

According to a police officer, Kapoor shot in his head with a licensed revolver.

In a note recovered from the spot, the former president of Atlas Cycles purportedly mentioned a "financial burden" on him, he said.

His wife and three children were staying separately, the police officer said.

Kapoor's manager and his family stayed with him at the three-storey building, the police officer said, adding that Kapoor was immediately rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Forensic and crime teams have been called to collect the exhibits from the spot, the police said.

Kapoor was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police in 2015 in connection with a case of cheating Rs 9 crore.

He was booked in two separate cases of cheating. -- PTI

Actor Nivin Pauly was on Tuesday booked for the offence of rape on a complaint by a 40-year-old woman that he sexually assaulted her over a year ago in Dubai, police said.

An officer of Oonnukal police station, where the FIR under section 376 of the IPC was registered, said that there are six accused, including a woman, in the case.

The first accused is a woman and Pauly is the sixth accused, the officer said.

According to the woman, the incident occurred over a year ago in Dubai, the officer said, and declined to give further details.

Pauly is among the many actors and directors who are facing allegations of sexual harassment or rape by female actors following the publication of the Justice K Hema Committee report.

The committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.

Following the allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them. -- PTI

As theories -- conspiracy, and others -- swirl around us over the IC814 hijack and the series based on it that's dropped on Netflix, journalist Vir Sanghvi weighs in with his opinion.

'I doubt if the makers of the show were motivated by a desire to subvert the truth. I think they just did not know any better. They worked from a script that included these evasions and lies and because they knew nothing about the subject, believed, in their naivety, that this was what really happened...

'What is clear is that nobody involved in the show bothered to speak to anyone of consequence who was portrayed in it. They relied on the pilot's account for scenes set inside the plane and just made up the rest...

'So forget all the Hindu-Muslim stuff. That's just a social media red herring. Focus on the real question: Why did Netflix allow a whitewash job for the ISI to get made,' asks journalist Vir Sanghvi, in theprint.in, here.

While on the subject, read Rediff.com's review of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, by Sukanya Verma, here.

19:48 BJP wins lone RS seat in Tripura

BJP nominee Rajib Bhattacharjee on Tuesday won the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Tripura by a margin of 37 votes.

Bhattacharjee, the BJP's state unit president, got the support of 47 MLAs, while 10 legislators voted for CPI(M) candidate Sudhan Das.

The Congress, which has three MLAs in the 60-member assembly, abstained from voting in the election to the Rajya Sabha seat.

"Bhattacharjee, as expected, won the Rajya Sabha seat as all the MLAs from the ruling alliance voted for him," Deputy Speaker Ramprasad Paul told PTI.

The BJP leader thanked the legislators who cast their votes in favour of him in the election.

"I am thankful to all those MLAs who have supported me in the election and also extend special thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president for keeping faith in me," he said. -- PTI

Police in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district has issued a Look Out Circular against contractor Jaydeep Apte in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Rajkot fort, officials said on Tuesday.

An LOC is issued to airports and all other exit points to stop a person from fleeing the country.

Apte, a Thane-based sculptor, had executed the contract to make the statue.

Following its collapse on August 26, less than nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on the coastal fort, Malvan police registered a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences.

Patil was arrested from Kolhapur, whereas search was on for Apte, a police official said, adding that Malvan police has now issued an LOC for him.

The collapse of the statue of the iconic founder of the Maratha state triggered a huge political row ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra. -- PTI

The Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court alleging "unpardonable" non-cooperation by the West Bengal government in providing logistical support to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), tasked with providing security at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered.

Terming the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government as an example "symptomatic of a systemic malaise", the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a direction to West Bengal authorities to extend full cooperation to the CISF.

On August 20, the apex court had termed the rape and murder of a doctor at the hospital as "horrific" and issued a slew of directions including setting up of a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other health care professionals.

Besides, the top court had taken a serious note of mob violence at the hospital and the allegation that the Kolkata police fled the scene. It had ordered deployment of CISF personnel at the hospital to enable the striking doctors to resume work.

In an application filed in the case, the MHA said the plea "concerns the deployment of CISF personnel at the R G Kar Medical College, including the hostels where the resident doctors are staying, to ensure their safety". -- PTI

18:42 TRAI blocks 2.75 lakh spam numbers

As many as 2.75 lakh telephone numbers have been disconnected and services to 50 entities blocked as part of regulator Trai's massive crackdown against pesky calls and unregistered telmarketers.

The move came after Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) asked telcos to blacklist and disconnect unregistered telemarketers.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Trai said it has observed a significant rise in spam calls, with more than 7.9 lakh complaints reported against unregistered telemarketers in the first half of 2024.

In a bid to put a check on this, Trai had issued stringent directives to all access providers on 13th August 2024, and mandated access providers to immediately stop promotional voice calls from unregistered senders or telemarketers using SIP, PRI, or other telecom resources, according to the statement.

"Consequent of these directions, access providers have taken stern measures against misuse of telecom resources for spamming and blacklisted over 50 entities and disconnected more than 2.75 lakh SIP DID/mobile numbers/telecom resources. These steps are expected to have a significant impact on reducing spam calls and providing relief to consumers," Trai said.

Trai urged stakeholders to contribute to a "cleaner and more efficient telecom ecosystem", and said any unregistered telemarketer found to be misusing these resources will face severe consequences, including disconnection of all telecom resources for up to two years and blacklisting.

In a bid to tighten noose on pesky callers, Trai last week asked the industry if a higher tariff should be introduced for calls and text messages beyond a certain number in a graded manner.

In a discussion paper, the regulator has mooted telecom subscribers making over 50 calls or sending out even 50 SMS a day should be scrutinised as potential pesky callers. -- PTI

The Congress on Tuesday said it is in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party for an alliance in Haryana but nothing has been finalised yet.

Earlier, AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh welcomed reports claiming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has shown interest in the possibility of an alliance with Arvind Kejriwal-led party in poll-bound Haryana.

There were several reports claiming that Gandhi, in a meeting of Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) on Monday, expressed interest about the possibility of alliance with AAP for assembly polls in Haryana.

Asked about the possibility of an alliance with AAP, AICC general secretary in-charge of state Deepak Babaria said, "We are in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party, but nothing has been finalised yet. As soon as something is finalised, we will inform you."

Responding to another question, Babaria said, "We have to defeat the BJP and not allow votes to be divided."

His remarks came after a screening committee meeting of the party ahead of the CEC meeting later this evening.

On whether the Congress will field Vinesh Phogat in the upcoming Haryana Elections, Babaria said, "You will get a clarity by tomorrow."

The Congress' CEC had met in New Delhi on Monday and finalised the names of 34 candidates for the assembly polls in Haryana.

"Today, a meeting was held for Haryana by the Central Election Committee. A list of 49 names was presented by the state's screening committee, out of which 34 have been approved and 15 are pending," Babaria had said last evening.

Voting on 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and counting of votes will be undertaken on October 8. -- PTI

The temple town of Ayodhya, which had witnessed the historic 'pran pratistha' of Lord Ram in January this year, is all set to host four-day Deepotsav celebrations beginning October 28, the first such event after the consecration ceremony.

The Deepotsav celebrations will be held from October 28 to October 31, the UP government said in a statement.

In a grand and spectacular display of devotion and festivity, more than 25 lakh diyas will illuminate various ghats, including Ram Ki Paidi and Naya Ghat.

This year's Deepotsav in Ayodhya will be marked by modern lighting and artistic installations aimed at transforming the city into a visual glory. The celebrations will feature intelligent dynamic colour-changing LED panels and multimedia projections that will adorn not only the main venues but also various locations throughout Ayodhya.

Welcome gates, designed with thematic lighted arc pillars, will greet visitors at Ram Ki Paidi and Naya Ghat. Key pathways, including the Bhakti Path, will be illuminated with attractive lighting and floral decorations.

Additionally, the Gonda Bridge on the route from Ayodhya to Gonda and the Basti Bridge on the route from Ayodhya to Basti will be lit up, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

The entire Ayodhya Dham, including all major temples, will be adorned with special artistic decorations, with lighting taking centre stage. Over 500 significant sites in the city will feature eye-catching signage boards and 20 artistic installations will be placed throughout Ayodhya to enhance the festive atmosphere during the Deepotsav celebration.

Cultural programmes will be organised in multiple shifts each day, with the main event lasting 45 minutes. Over 100 artists will perform at Ram Ki Paidi and other key venues, bringing to life various episodes from the life of Lord Shri Ram. -- PTI

Amid a row over the web series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Subhashini Ali on Tuesday said the "Sanghis" are objecting to it fearing that the young generation will know that terrorists were set free by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

The web series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, was released on Netflix on August 29. The depiction of hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Delhi has stirred controversy with a section of viewers objecting to the 'humane' projection of the perpetrators.

Using hashtags #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood and #IC814, several X users shared posts claiming the filmmakers changed the names of the hijackers to 'Shankar' and 'Bhola' to allegedly protect the terrorists who belonged to a certain community.

In a post on X in Hindi, CPI-M Politburo member Ali, said, "For Sanghis, the problem with Anubhav Sinha's Kandahar series is not with the aliases of the hijackers, but with the fact that the new generation will know that during the 'Amrit Kaal' of Atal Bihari (Vajpayee), his foreign minister freed two bloodthirsty terrorists from jail and took them to Afghanistan, who gave birth to Jaish-e-Mohammed. Hijackers also got away".

Netflix India's content head Monika Shergill on Tuesday met Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju, during which the OTT platform's official was apprised of the sentiments expressed by a large section of society and the need to be sensitive while handling such topics. -- PTI

The Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday disposed of a Public Interest Litigation filed against Kangana Ranaut-directed film Emergency after being informed that it has not received the Censor board certificate yet, a lawyer said.

The petitioner, represented by advocate N S Ruprah, had claimed that the film violated the fundamental rights of the Sikh community.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the counsel of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) informed the court that the biographical drama had not yet been given a certificate, advocate Ruprah told reporters.

The film, thus, will not release on September 6 as scheduled, he said.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf then disposed of the petition, the lawyer informed.

The detailed order was awaited.

Amid protests by civil society organisations over the rape-murder of a trainee doctor, Bengali theatre personality Biplab Bandyopadhyay on Tuesday announced returning the state-instituted Best Theatre Director' award over the RG Kar Hospital issue.

Bandyopadhyay, eminent playwright and director, said in a statement that he is returning the award conferred on him earlier this year by the Paschimbanga Natya Akademi and the Rs 30,000 monetary grant.

The state government and the partisan police force want to hide facts following the rape and murder of a woman doctor in R G Kar Hospital on August 9, he alleged.

"I think the main criteria behind such awards is not one's talent and merit but sycophancy, unconditional support to the state. I did not realise this while accepting this honour in February," he said.

Bandyopadhyay said, "I felt ashamed and aggrieved as a human being and disturbed by the shameless hyper activism of the state after the R G Kar incident."

He said he cannot retain any state-instituted award after the R G Kar incident.

"I have intimated the Akademi (about his decision to return the award), he told reporters. One week back, a well-known theatre group in Malda district Samabeta Prayas' said it will return a Rs 50,000 state grant to protest the government's handling of the R G Kar issue. Saradindu Chakraborty, the head of the theatre group Samabeta Prayas, had said the grant was originally awarded to support a two-day theatre festival by his group in the district.

The state-run Paschimbanga Natya Akademi provides a grant of Rs 50,000 to theatre groups across the state to support and promote the group theatre movement.

Eminent theatre personality Kaushik Sen said, "The response to this horrific incident and the state's handling of it should be addressed in whatever way individuals or organisations see fit.

Earlier, six Durga Puja committees in West Bengal declined to accept the state's Rs 85,000 honorarium in protest against the RG Kar incident, further highlighting the widespread dissatisfaction with the state's response. The body of the on-duty post-graduate trainee, who was allegedly raped and murdered, was found in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

One civic volunteer was arrested by the police in this connection the next day. The CBI is now investigating the matter now on an order of the Calcutta High Court. PTI

Pakistan witnessed a sharp increase in terrorist activities in August 2024, with 59 attacks reported across the country, up from 38 in July, reported Dawn.

This surge in violence resulted in the deaths of 84 people and injuries to 166 others, as recorded by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think-tank, Dawn News reported.

The majority of these attacks occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with 29 and 28 incidents respectively. Punjab experienced two attacks during the same period. In Balochistan alone, 28 terrorist incidents were reported, causing 57 fatalities and injuring 84 people.

Yes, she Kangana Ranaut is playing former PM Indira Gandhi in the yet to be released film, Emergency. But it's still rather weird to see her bete noire's grandmother up there on her WhatsApp profile pic.

Meanwhile, the government has said that religious sentiments can't be hurt, explaining the delay in the release date of the film.

Few religious organisations have raised concerns about this. Religious sentiments cannot be hurt. There is some sensitive content in the movie, the government has told the media.

Emergency, in which Ranaut portrays Indira Gandhi, was initially slated for release on September 6. However, its release date, postponed multiple times earlier, has been deferred again as the movie is yet to get a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

16:11 A child gifts PM a sketch

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: As he arrives at a hotel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with a child who presented him with his sketch and also gives her his autograph.

PM Narendra Modi lands in Brunei Darussalam, which is a first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian PM. As a special gesture, the PM was received in Brunei Darussalam by the Crown Prince, Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah.

Modi said he was looking forward to his meetings with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the royal family to advance the historical relationship to new heights.

The prime minister expressed confidence in advancing India's historical ties with Brunei Darussalam and deepening its strategic partnership with Singapore as he began his three-day visit to the two countries.

Modi will meet Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the ruler of Brunei, at his official residence, the Istana Nurul Iman Palace.

The Istana Nurul Iman Palace, located near Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is the world's largest residential palace and has its name registered in Guinness World Records. It boasts 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms and 44 staircases made of 38 kinds of marble.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government moved the anti-rape Bill to divert attention from public anger and protests over the murder of a doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Speaking during discussion on the bill, the BJP leader said, "We will give full support to the new bill and will not seek voting on it."

He alleged that the TMC government failed to prevent incidents of rape and sexual abuse of women during its tenure. Adhikari demanded immediate enactment of the bill by the state government after its passage.

The Leader of Opposition cited media reports of sexual abuses and rapes in different parts of West Bengal in the past couple of years and alleged that in none of these cases, CBI had taken over investigations of these incidents and the state investigating agencies had "failed" to arrest and ensure stringent punishment for the culprits.

"We also want immediate enactment of the Bill after its passage. I demand the amendments suggested by me including taking action against the concerned police station for any failure to act on the complaint, my recommendations for taking action against the health official concerned if his failure is established in investigation should also be incorporated in the bill," he said.

Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay said Adhikari's reference to past incidents from media reports and BJP's other demand pertaining to the CM will be expunged from the House records.

At least three children have died at Raniganj village of Bihar's Araria district following a "mysterious fever" in the last three days, officials said. Although family members of the deceased claimed that the children died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), or brain fever, an illness locally known as "Chamki Bukhar", the district administration maintained that medical experts are trying to find out the exact reason behind the death.

The deceased were identified as Raunak Kumar (4), Ankush Kumar (2 months old) and Gauri Kumar (7). While Raunak Kumar died on Saturday, Ankush Kumar and Gauri Kumar died following the mysterious fever on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Villagers claimed that more children suffering from mysterious fever were admitted to the nearest government hospital.

Speaking to PTI, Inayat Khan, District Magistrate (DM) of Araria, said, "Yes, it is true that three children died in Raniganj village in the last three days. The family members have said that the children were suffering from cough and cold and pneumonia-like symptoms."

"A team of medical experts have been sent to the village to analyse the situation and also find out others suffering from cough and cold and pneumonia-like symptoms," the district magistrate said.

The civil surgeon of Araria district is monitoring the situation, she said. The exact cause of death of children is not known as family members have already performed their last rites, she said. Three more children from the same village, suffering from pneumonia-like symptoms, were admitted to the government hospital.

14:57 Anti-rape law: Mamata wants PM, HM to resign

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of all states that have "not been able to implement effective legislations to safeguard women".

Speaking in the assembly after tabling of the Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024, Banerjee said the Bill aims at quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment of the guilty.

"Rape is a curse against humanity and social reforms are required to prevent such crimes," she said. "Once this Bill is passed, we will form a special Aparajita Task Force from among police to ensure time-bound completion of probe, the chief minister said. Hailing the Bill as "historic and model for other states", Banerjee said that through this proposed legislation, her government has tried to plug the loopholes that exist in the central legislations in terms of speedy and effective disposal of justice to victims and their kin."

When BJP MLAs raised slogans demanding her resignation, she retorted, "What if I raise slogans against the prime minister and the home minister for the same reasons you are raising slogans against me."

States like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have abnormally high crime rates against women whereas in West Bengal, tortured women are getting justice in courts, she claimed.

Banerjee alleged that West Bengal was not consulted before passing BNS. "We wanted discussions on it after the formation of the new government at the Centre," she said. Banerjee told the Opposition to ask the governor to sign the Bill without delay, while asserting that it would be the state government's responsibility for its effective enactment.

"We want justice from the CBI and death by hanging of the guilty," Banerjee said over the rape and murder of the RG Kar medic while expressing her sorrow over the gruesome crime. The Bill was later passed unanimously amid some chaotic scenes on the floor of the House. PTI

14:20 Shobhaa De: 'Nari Hira Was A Superstar'

Shobhaa De pays tribute to another legend who passed into the ages on August 23 -- publisher, producer and entrepreneur Nari Hira. In conversation with Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar. Video: Rajesh Karkera.

Read/watch it here.

The victim's father, Siyanand Mishra

14:11 'Has Modi govt given OK to shoot cow smugglers?'

The father of the class 12 student shot dead on suspicion of cow smuggling speaks to ANI. Siyanand Mishra says, "My son, Aryan Mishra, was a student of Class 12. I was not aware of anything. Later, I got to know my son was shot on suspicion of cow smuggling. Who gives the right to shoot someone on the suspicion of cow smuggling? If the Modi government has given such a right, then, why? Five accused persons have been arrested in the case and the CBI in charge has resolved the issue."

A Class 12 student was allegedly chased in a car and shot dead in Faridabad on August 23 by a group of five cow vigilantes who mistook the boy for a cattle smuggler, police said on Tuesday.

All the five accused -- Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna and Adesh -- have been arrested, the police said.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that on the night of August 23, they had received information that some suspected cattle smugglers driving two SUVs were doing recce in Faridabad.

13:47 9 Naxals killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Nine Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, a senior police official said.

The gunfight broke out around 10.30 am in the forest along the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P told PTI.

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the operation, which was launched based on inputs about the presence of Naxalites belonging to its west Bastar division unit, he said.

The intermittent exchange of fire lasted for a long duration, following which the bodies of nine Naxalites clad in 'uniform' were recovered from the spot, he said.

Besides, a huge cache of weapons was also seized from the encounter site, he said.

Security personnel were reported to be safe and the search operation was still underway in the area, he added.

Bastar region comprises seven districts, including Dantewada and Bijapur. With this incident, 154 Naxalites have been gunned down by the security forces in different encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, the police said. -- PTI

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and discussed the upcoming assembly polls.

The meeting comes days after former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren joined the BJP after resigning from the JMM citing dissatisfaction with the party's current style of functioning and "bitter humiliation".

Soren met Kharge and Gandhi at the Congress president's residence in New Delhi. Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal and Soren's wife Kalpana Soren were also present during the meeting.

Though Soren termed the meeting as a courtesy call, preparations for the assembly polls later this year were learnt to have been discussed.

Champai Soren was appointed chief minister on February 2, following Hemant Soren's resignation and subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

He left the post on July 3, clearing the way for Hemant Soren to resume office on July 4 after being granted bail. The Congress and the JMM are part of an alliance government in the state. PTI

13:07 IIM-A executive courses top pay at 6 year low

The global slowdown is hitting salary structures for students at reputed management institutes.

A report in Times of India stated that IIM-Ahmedabad's one year MBA programme for executives (PGPX), this year, offered a maximum earning potential to Rs 54.8 lakh per annum, a six year low for the course.

In 2023 the highest ever maximum earning potential was Rs 1.08 crore.

The report however said that on the brighter side, the median maximum earning potential for the students increased from Rs 33 lakh in 2023 to Rs 35 lakh this year.

Quoting the data from Indian Placement Reporting Standards (IPRS) the Times of India report said that 126 out of 147 students opted for placements.

While 121 accepted offers, five remained unplaced. Three of them have opted for entrepreneurship whereas two are joining their family business.

More than 200 persons were relocated and nearly 90 others rescued after heavy rains inundated several areas in Hingoli district of Maharashtra's Marathwada region, while over 2 lakh hectares of land under cultivation got affected in neighbouring Nanded district.

Heavy rains have been pounding parts of the Marathwada region, comprising eight districts, since Sunday. At least four persons have lost their lives in rain-related incidents so far. According to officials, 45 revenue circles in Nanded district were affected by the downpour. Crops on more than 2 lakh hectares were affected and 25 animals were reported dead.

Crops in Nanded city, Ardhapur, Hadgaon, Degloor, Mudkhed, Kandhar, Loha and Naigaon were badly damaged due to the rains, they said. The crop loss survey will be undertaken after the rain stops, Nanded collector Abhijit Raut said in a release. Bharad, Malegaon and Dabhad revenue circles recorded 170 mm rainfall in just 12 hours on Monday, an official said.

The low-lying areas in Nanded city were inundated due to the incessant showers. In Vasarni's Panchavati Sai baba Kaman area, the water reached up to the second floor of a building and two residents were rescued from there, he said.

As a result of heavy rains in the catchment areas, water was discharged from several dams in Nanded district were opened on Monday, he said. Fourteen gates of Vishnupuri dam, nine out of 15 gates of Upper Manar project were opened and excess water was released into the Godavari and Manar rivers respectively.

The gates of various barrages in Nanded are kept open and discharge is being done to maintain the water level, he said. In Hingoli district, 218 residents were relocated and 87 people were rescued on Monday. Two residents. including a 10-year-old child drowned in Sarangwadi village.

A resident of Tembhurni of Vasmat tehsil got drowned and his dead body was recovered later on Monday evening, a district disaster management officer from Hingoli told PTI on Tuesday.

All 30 revenue circles in Hingoli witnessed heavy rains on Monday and the district recorded average rainfall of 141.70 mm, he said. Seventy-seven cowsheds were lost due to heavy rains and subsequent flooding in the district till Monday.

The crop loss survey will be carried out this week, district collector Abhinav Goel told reporters. Hingoli's district guardian minister Abdul Sattar reached the rain-hit villages of Sodegaon, Dongargaon Pul and Sawarkheda on Tuesday morning to take stock of the damages. Heavy rains lashed villages in 11 revenue circles in four districts of Marathwada region, a revenue department report said. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Sawaladbara circle received 101.50 mm rainfall, the highest in the region on Monday, while Loni, Pishor, Chincholi and Soygaon circles recorded above 65 mm rainfall, as per the official figures.

In Nanded, Ardhapur circle recorded 94.50 mm rainfall, followed by Pimparkhed 69.50 mm and Jaldhara 65.50 mm, the report said. In Hingoli, 92 mm rainfall was recorded in Amba as well as Kurunda circles. Adgaon circle in Parbhani's Jintur received 77.50 mm rainfall. PTI

WB junior doctors hold a protest

12:36 WB govt tables anti-rape bill. What does it say?

West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak on Tuesday introduced the anti-rape Bill at the state Assembly special session. Discussion on the Bill is expected to take place for around two hours in which BJP MLAs Sikha Chatterjee and Agnimitra Paul are scheduled to speak beside the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be the speakers for the government.

The proposed legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state. Additionally, it stipulates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape and gang rape.

Titled the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024,' the legislation aims to strengthen protections for women and children by revising and introducing new provisions related to rape and sexual offences.

A two-day special session of the Assembly has been summoned on Monday in the wake of the rape-murder of a woman medic at the state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital last month. PTI

A scene from IC814

12:15 Can't play with sentiments: Govt on IC814 series

Update: The head of OTT platform Netflix India, Monika Shergill, is meeting the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today. The meeting is being held in view of certain contentious issues on the web series based on the Hijacking of IC-814. The meeting will be held at Shastri Bhawan.

"Nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of the people of this nation. India's culture and civilization should always be respected. You should think before portraying something in a wrong manner. The government is taking it very seriously," said government sources on why the Netflix content head was summoned.

Sources added that the Netflix team has come to the meeting with research documents and footage that have been collected for reference. The OTT platform will be putting forward their view that the series is in accordance with publicly available resources, with the information taken from books and other government statements.

The Netflix series 'IC-814- The Kandahar Hijack' had trigged a row on social media over the depiction of the hijackers. Additionally, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had been filed in the Delhi High Court by Surjit Singh Yadav, Chief of Hindu Sena, seeking a ban on the Netflix series.

The PIL alleged that the series distorts the actual identities of the terrorists involved in the hijacking. The petition claimed that the miniseries erroneously assigns Hindu names such as "Bhola" and "Shankar"--names associated with Lord Shiva--to the real hijackers Ibrahim Akhtar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir.

BJP leader Amit Malviya also criticised the series, saying that the filmmaker Anubhav Sinha legitimised the criminal intent of the hijackers. "The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, legitimised their criminal intent, by furthering their non-Muslim names. Result? Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814," Malviya said in a post on X.

BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he was happy that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry have taken congizance of the issue.

"I vividly remember IC-814. I was very aware of that accident and very involved in following that. Every man and woman in India and indeed in South Asia knows that the hijack of IC-814 from Kathmandu was committed by Pakistan's ISI-backed terrorists. Now, nobody thinks that there were some people from India who did the hijacking. So how the people have Hindu names in that movie, I don't know. But I'm very happy that the I&B Ministry and the GoI have taken cognizance of this and have summoned Netflix," Chandrasekhar said.

National Disaster Response Force teams and local officials on Tuesday began dropping food packets, water bottles and other basic necessities for people in flood-affected areas of Vijayawada on Tuesday.

As many as six helicopters and drones have been deployed for distribution of food, which also included biscuits, fruits and milk and medicines, an official press release said.

"National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, Central forces and district officials are distributing food, water and other necessities through helicopters," said the release, sharing pictures of choppers being loaded with relief material.

According to a statement from the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), Ministers, IAS officers and IPS officers are engaged in relief activities ward-wise in the centrally located commercial city, where several neighbourhoods were inundated. As part of the relief work, basic necessities are being accorded priority while 43,417 affected people have been moved to rehabilitation centres.

As many as 48 NDRF and SDRF teams are extending relief while 197 medical camps have been set up.

In the wake of a depression in the Bay of Bengal, several parts of the state received record rains which resulted in unprecedented floods with Vijayawada being the worst affected. PTI

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has concluded its placement season for the academic year 2023-24, with 1,475 students securing placements, it said in a statement.

The overall average package offered during IIT Bombay placements 2023 - 2024 stood at Rs 23.5 LPA. Additionally, 22 students accepted offers with annual packages exceeding Rs 1 crore.

The Engineering and Technology sector recruited the highest numbers of students. In various engineering domains, 430 students were selected in 106 core engineering companies at entry-level positions.

Information Technology and tech hiring have slightly more this season compared to last year. Around 307 students have been offered IT/Software jobs by over 84 companies through campus placement, making the ITsector the second biggest recruiter after the engineering sector.

Compared to last year fewer selections, i.e. 117 consulting offers were made by 29 consulting companies. Trading, Banking, and Fintech companies were prominent recruiters. The finance sector has 113 offers from 33 financial service firms this year. Profiles in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Product Management, Mobility, 5G, Data Science and Analytics, and Education also saw brisk hiring trends.

This year, IIT Bombay witnessed a 12 per cent increase in the number of recruiting companies, with 543 companies registering for the placement process. Out of these, 388 companies participated actively, and 364 companies made offers. Notably, the institute recorded over 1,350 unique job profiles through the Job Announcement Forms (JAFs) submitted by the companies, it said in a statement.

The placement drive also saw a significant international presence, with 78 international offers being accepted by students across both phases of the placements.

This year IITB received 78 international offers from different firms based in Japan, Taiwan, Europe, UAE, Singapore, USA, Netherlands, and Hong Kong, which has increased from 65 in the previous year. However, the effect of war and subdued global economy was also reflected during the placement drive as the the IIT Bombay saw fever international recruiters.

Dr Sukanta Chakraborty, representing a joint platform of doctors, arrives at the CBI anti-corruption branch office in Kolkata to submit documents to CBI related to alleged financial irregularities in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

He says, "We will submit all the documents, all the complaints, all the replies from RTI or Swasthya Bhawan that we have received over the years. We will submit a compilation of them. We have already submitted digital complaints. I have come to give hard copies. We have heard that vigilance complaints are pending against Dr Sandip Ghosh. We hope for speedy justice for our sister. We want justice for her. We want immediate suspension of all those responsible for the crime and for covering up the crime and financial irregularities."

Netflix Series 'IC814' row: "Nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of the people of this nation. India's culture and civilization should always be respected. You should think before portraying something in a wrong manner. The govt is taking it very seriously," Govt sources on why the Netflix content head was summoned.

A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Delhi High Court by Surjit Singh Yadav, Chief of Hindu Sena, seeking a ban on the Netflix's series namely "IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack."

The PIL alleged that the series distorts the actual identities of the terrorists involved in the hijacking.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday condemned the drone bomb attacks on civilians as acts of terrorism and vowed a firm response.

Taking to X, Singh expressed his outrage, stating, "Dropping bombs on civilian populations and security forces using drones is an act of terrorism, and I condemn such cowardly acts in the strongest terms."

Singh's comments followed two separate drone bomb attacks in Koutruk and Senjam Chirang in Imphal West district, which resulted in the deaths of two persons, including a woman, and injuries to 12 others.

"The Manipur state government takes such unprovoked assaults with the utmost seriousness and will respond decisively to combat these forms of terrorism targeting the indigenous population," Singh said.

He emphasized, "We denounce all forms of violence, and the people of Manipur shall unite against hate, division, and separatism."

The use of drones in these bomb attacks marks the first instance of "hi-tech weapons" being employed in the state. While drones had previously been used by warring groups for surveillance and tracking militants, this represents a significant escalation, an official told PTI.

On the attack at Koutruk, the official said "police responded promptly." "There was mobilisation of armed miscreants in many places which had seen intense conflict in the past. When the attack started in Koutruk, immediately IGP, DIG and SP and other police forces rushed to the area to counter the situation.

Retaliatory firing and combing operations along with Army and central forces were conducted," a police statement said. It said police head quarters also gave instruction to all senior formations and all district SPs to remain vigilant, alert all forces in their respective districts and conduct joint operations by coordinating with central forces.

The Manipur government has ordered the state police to conduct combing operations and sanitisation in areas bordering Imphal West district where two persons were killed and 12 others injured in an attack by suspected militants. PTI

A class 12 student was allegedly chased in a car and shot dead on August 23 by a group of five cow vigilantes who mistook the boy for a cattle smuggler, police in Faridabad said on Tuesday.

All the five accused -- Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna and Adesh -- have been arrested, the police said. During interrogation, the accused revealed that on the night of August 23, they had received information that some suspected cattle smugglers driving two SUVs were doing recce in the city.

They mistook the victim, Aryan Mishra, and his friends, Shanky and Harshit, for those cattle smugglers and followed their car for about 30 kilometres near the Gadhpuri toll on the Delhi-Agra National Highway, a senior police officer said.

The accused told the police that when they asked the victim's car to be stopped, the driver accelerated, following which they opened fire and Mishra was shot dead near the Gadhpuri toll in Palwal, the police officer said.

All the accused have been sent to judicial custody after being presented in a city court, he said, adding that the illegal weapon and the car used in the crime have been recovered. Further investigations are underway, the police said.

A Class 8 student studying in a government-run school in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh was allegedly sodomised by his five seniors multiple times, police said on Tuesday.

The victim alleged that he was being sexually assaulted for nearly two years, they said.

"The Class 8 student and his family member lodged the complaint on Monday. The student had got admission in the government boarding school in July 2022 and was living in its hostel, where his five senior students sexually exploited him," Dehat (rural) police station in-charge Praveen Chouhan said.

As per the complaint, the boy was last sexually exploited in December 2023, he said. The accused were then booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 377 (unnatural sex), 294 (obscene act), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) besides provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

All the five accused and the victim are minors, Chouhan said. Further legal steps will be taken on the basis of facts emerging during the course of investigation, he said.

The student said that when he shared his ordeal to his father, the latter complained to the school principal about it. However, he did not take any action in the matter, following which they approached the police. PTI

10:23 1.23 mn electric vehicles sold so far...

Electric vehicle (EV) sales increased by 22.8 per cent year-on-year with 156,199 vehicles sold in August.

A total of 127,206 vehicles were sold in August 2023, reflecting a significant growth in EV adoption over the past year.

The sales, however, declined by nearly 13 per cent in August compared to July this year, primarily due to a high base effect and potential buyers delaying purchases in anticipation of festive season offers and clarity on government incentives.

"Sales are down due to a high base. Original equipment manufacturersare hesitant to invest without clear government policy on subsidies, and customers likely postponed their purchases to capitalise on potential subsidies," said Preetesh Singh, specialist in CASE and Alternative Powertrains at NRI Consulting & Solutions.

Samkit Shah, co-founder of Jitendra EV, an electric two-wheeler manufacturer, noted that customers were also waiting for the festive season."In India, the festive months are critical for vehicle sales. Consumers are more inclined to make significant purchases during this time, seeking discounts and favorable conditions. Studies indicate that many consumers adopt a 'wait-and-watch' approach, especially regarding EVs, until these festive months start in September, October, and November,' Shah said.

Despite this decline, August sales were still the third-highest monthly total this year, following March and July, which saw 213,000 and 178,900 vehicles sold, respectively, according to Vahan data from the ministry of road transport and highways.

The top five players collectively sold 81,824 vehicles in August: Ola Electric led with 27,517, followed by Bajaj Auto with 20,736, TVS Motor with 17,613, Ather Energy with 10,830, and Mahindra Last Mile Mobility with 5,128 vehicles. Overall, vehicle sales surpassed the 1.23 million mark in the first eight months of 2024.

-- Nitin Kumar/Business Standard

10:20 What goes up must come down. Markets decline

Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Tuesday due to emergence of profit-taking after a record rally. Weak trends from Asian peers also contributed to the tepid investors' sentiment in the domestic equity market during the early deals.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 78.28 points to 82,481.56 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dipped 23.6 points to 25,255.10. Among the 30 Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Infosys, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra and Titan were the biggest laggards. ITC, Sun Pharma, Hindustan Unilever and Nestle were among the gainers.

RG Kar ex-principal pokes his head out through the gates. File pic

10:14 Govt hospital conducts tests on RG Kar ex-principal

Doctors from B. R. Singh Hospital, Eastern Railway conducted the medical tests of former principal of RG Kar Medical Hospital and College, Dr Sandip Ghosh and three others arrested.

Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) anti-corruption branch had arrested Dr Ghosh and three others over alleged financial irregularities in the Medical College and Hospital.

The doctors from the B. R. Singh had left late night on Monday from the CBI's anti-corruption branch in West Bengal after conducting the medical examination of the arrested. Dr Ghosh was under investigation for alleged corruption and financial irregularities at the college and hospital, following a directive from a single bench of the Calcutta High Court, which ordered the CBI to probe the matter.

In addition to Dr Ghosh, two vendors, Biplav Singha, Suman Hazar, and the additional security to Dr Ghosh, Afsar Ali have been arrested by the CBI. Union State Minister Sukanta Majumdar said on September 2 that he had predicted the arrest of Dr Ghosh in the corruption case despite being doubtful of his arrest in the rape and murder case of the postgraduate trainee doctor.

In a video message posted on social media platform X, Majumder said, "The arrest was bound to happen and it was a demand of the people of Bengal... I already had doubted if the CBI could arrest Dr Sandip Ghosh in the matter of rape-murder due to the lack of evidence but in the case of corruption, Sandip Ghosh has been arrested, as I had predicted earlier."

Crew from a fishing vessel was rescued by coast guards. File pic

09:51 Rescue chopper with 4 crew crashes in sea

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) which saved 67 lives during recent cyclonic weather in Gujarat was launched around 2300 hours yesterday for the medical evacuation of a seriously injured crew onboard the Indian flagged motor tanker Hari Leela, about 45 kms from Porbandar into the sea.

This was in response to a request received from the Master of the vessel.

However, the ICG ALH helicopter with four aircrew onboard, during the said operation reportedly was forced to make an emergency landing at sea.

One crew has been recovered and search for the remaining 3 crew is in progress.

Aircraft wreckage has been located. The incident happened whilst the helicopter was approaching the vessel for the evacuation. Presently , ICG has pressed 04 ships, and two aircraft for search operation, says a release from the Indian Coast Guard.

09:28 Mamata govt to table anti-rape bill today

The Mamata Banerjee government will table the anti-rape bill in the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday. The proposed legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state.

Additionally, it stipulates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape and gangrape. Titled the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024,' the legislation aims to strengthen protections for women and children by revising and introducing new provisions related to rape and sexual offences.

A two-day special session of the Assembly has been summoned on Monday in the wake of the rape-murder of a woman medic at the state-run Kar Medical College and Hospital last month and the bill is scheduled to be tabled by state Law minister Moloy Ghatak.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that the special session was called without consulting them and it was a unilateral decision of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PTI

09:18 Jr docs continue sit-in near Kolkata Police HQ

Junior doctors of different medical colleges who participated in a rally to the Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar demanding the resignation of police commissioner Vineet Goyal, stayed put at nearby B B Ganguly Street even on Tuesday morning, more than 12 hours after they were stopped from marching further.

The doctors, who were joined by several common people as well as students from other educational institutions spent the entire Monday night on BB Ganguly Street, around half a kilometre away from Lalbazar, to stop them from marching ahead.

A huge contingent of Kolkata Police officers remained on guard on the other side of the barricade built with guardrails chained together and locked with padlocks.

The junior doctors had placed the replica of a spine and red roses on the barricade. The replica is to emphasise the duty of the police force to protect citizens, they claimed.

"This was not in our plan. We did not know that the Kolkata Police was so scared that they would put up this 9-feet high barricade to stop us. Our agitation will continue till we are allowed to reach Lalbazar and meet the CP. We will continue sitting here until then," one of the agitating doctors told PTI.

They continued shouting slogans seeking justice and protection for all, including doctors. The doctors started their march towards the Lalbazar at around 2 pm Monday holding placards which displayed illustrations of Goyal with texts calling for his resignation.

They also burnt an effigy of the police commissioner after they were stopped on BB Ganguly street. They also raised slogans, seeking exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the Kar Medical College and hospital. -- PTI

09:00 Alto K10, S-Presso prices slashed

Deepak Patel/Business Standard

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) on Monday, September 2, 2024, reduced the prices of certain variants of two mini cars, Alto K10 and S-Presso, by up to Rs 6,500 amid a significant drop in their sales during the last several months.

In August, MSIL sold a total 10,648 units of the two mini cars, recording a drop of 12.8 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y).

'The company announced a reduction in prices of select variants of Alto Kl0 and S-Presso with effect from today, September 2. Price of S-Presso LXI Petrol has been reduced by Rs 2,000 and price of Alto K10 VXI petrol has been reduced by Rs 6,500,' MSIL stated in a notice to BSE.

S-Presso LXI petrol was till date priced at Rs 5.015 lakh and Alto K10 VXI Petrol was priced at Rs 5.06 lakh. Now, with price reduction in effect, their prices have reduced to Rs 4.995 lakh.

The demand for small cars in the Indian market has been decreasing for the last several months. MSIL is the leading player in the small car segment.

In 2023-2024, MSIL was able to sell just 51,424 units of Alto K10 and S-Presso, recording a drop of 17.3 per cent Y-o-Y.

On August 27, during MSILs annual general meeting, its Chairman R C Bhargava stated that the demand for small cars -- hatchbacks and sedans -- is likely to revive by March 2026.

'We do expect the demand to revive. I think the nation has a need for small cars and we are waiting. Maybe by the end of 2025-26, we should have this segment coming back...' Bhargava said. 'We firmly believe that low cost and small cars are necessary in our economic and social conditions. A temporary setback in demand is not going to change our strategy.'

MSIL's overall wholesales have also dropped in July as well as August. The wholesales of MSIL in August stood at 143,075 units, which was a drop of 8.4 per cent Y-o-Y. This was due to the company dispatching fewer vehicles to dealers as the latter already hold a high number of unsold inventory.

08:40 UK partially bans arms export to Israel

The United Kingdom said it will suspend 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel, citing a 'clear risk' that the weapons could be used in serious breaches of international humanitarian law in the ongoing Gaza conflict, Al Jazeera reported.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated in the parliament on Monday that the partial ban covers items 'which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza' against Hamas but did not include parts for F-35 fighter jets.

Lammy clarified that it is not a complete ban on arms exports to Israel and that it continues to support Israel's right to self-defence, as per Al Jazeera.

"It is with regret that I inform the House [of Commons] today the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law," Lammy said.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that his country was 'disappointed by a series of decisions' made by the British government, including the decision regarding defence exports.

Katz said the move 'sends a very problematic message' to the Palestinian group Hamas and its patrons in Iran.

British exports amount to less than 1 per cent of the total arms Israel receives, and Lammy told parliament the suspension would not have a material impact on Israel's security.

According to Al Jazeera, soon after the Labour Party won the general election in July, Lammy said he would update a review on arms sales to Britain's ally Israel to ensure they complied with international law.

On Sunday, Israelis took to the streets in large numbers, demanding a ceasefire deal and the return of captives held by Hamas.

The protesters chanted 'Now! Now!' and demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a ceasefire deal with Palestinian group Hamas to bring the remaining captives home.

Scuffles between the protesters and security forces were reported on Sunday night in one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in Israel since the Gaza war began nearly 11 months ago, as per Al Jazeera.

Many protestors blocked roads in Tel Aviv and demonstrated outside Netanyahu's office in West Jerusalem.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of captives held in Gaza, said the death of the six hostages was the direct result of Netanyahu's failure to secure a deal to halt the fighting and bring their loved ones home.

"They were all murdered in the last few days, after surviving almost 11 months of abuse, torture, and starvation in Hamas captivity," the forum said. -- ANI

08:36 Nifty extends winning streak to 13 sessions

Sundar Sethuraman/Business Standard

The record-breaking gaining streak in the domestic markets extended to a 13th day on Monday, September 2, 2024, with growing optimism about rate cuts in the US keeping sentiment buoyant.

The benchmark National Stock Exchange Nifty 50 has risen nearly 5 per cent in the past 13 trading sessions between August 13 and September 2. The index had never gained for more than 11 sessions earlier.

After hitting a high of 25,334, the 50-share blue-chip index closed at 25,279, marking a gain of 43 points, or 0.2 per cent. The S&P BSE Sensex ended the session at 82,560, up 194 points, or 0.2 per cent.

Both indices reached new highs both on an intraday and closing basis, with consumer and software stocks leading the charge. BSE-listed firms combined market capitalisation rose by Rs 45,000 crore, reaching Rs 464.9 trillion.

Infosys and ITC drove the gains. Hopes for a recovery in rural demand after a good monsoon bolstered ITCs performance. Information technology stocks, including Infosys, also gained as they generate a major portion of their revenue from the US. However, some analysts cautioned that the bullishness in IT stocks might be irrational.

"Gains in IT stocks have now become momentum-driven. In the past few years, revenue growth in dollar terms has been in single digits," said Chokkalingam G, founder of Equinomics Research.

Foreign investors bought shares worth Rs 1,735 crore, while domestic institutions were also buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 356 crore.
Traders are expecting the US rate cycle could begin in September, with some speculating on a 50 basis-point cut, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

However, some experts believe that the equities rally could lose momentum even if the Federal Reserve implements a cut. Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. said that any interest rate reduction would likely be a response to slowing growth.

Analysts said that the US economy is not out of the woods yet, with elevated geopolitical and political uncertainty. Moreover, September has historically been a weak month for US equities.

The lack of revival in the Chinese economy despite multiple rounds of the stimulus also weighs on investors' minds.

In addition to the US elections, initial jobless claims, non-farm payroll data, and other macroeconomic indicators from around the globe will influence the markets trajectory.

"The Indian market continues to hold its ground and sustain new highs with marginal positivity. The positive trend is broadly maintained as domestic economic growth remains healthy and Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) numbers are well above the long-term average, indicating an uptick in earnings in the coming quarters," said Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services.

"However, volatility has increased as first-quarter gross domestic product growth has moderated, and a similar trend has been observed in corporate earnings. Also, August PMI readings were marginally below Julys numbers, indicating that caution is in the air," Nair added.

The market breadth was negative, with 2,262 stocks declining and 1,776 advancing. Two-thirds of Sensex stocks gained. The Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Midcap 100 indices ended with losses. Bajaj Finserv and Bajaj Finance were the best-performing Nifty stocks.

The Trinamool Congress students' wing on Monday suspended a senior member of the organisation following allegations that he was seen, along with the police, in a room in a state-run hospital where the body of a woman doctor was found on August 9.

Trinamool Chhatra Parishad state president Trinankur Bhattacharya said in a statement that Avik Dey, who is also a post-graduate trainee of SSKM Hospital, has been suspended from the organisation with immediate effect in the wake of 'certain allegations against him regarding the crime scene following the unfortunate incident at R G Kar'.

'TMCP has suspended him from the organisation... until the ongoing investigation is concluded,' Bhattacharya said in the notice.

A section of the media claimed, quoting some doctors, that a person, wearing a red shirt, seen in a video after the discovery of the body of the woman medic in the seminar hall of the hospital resembled Dey.

Although Kolkata Police claimed it was not Dey but one of their fingerprint experts, debates continued over the identity of the person in the red shirt.

Dey, however, has denied that he was present at the hospital at that time.

"We will wait till the CBI investigation is over before taking any further decision about Avik," Bhattacharya told PTI.

The surfacing of the video led to allegations and suspicions of destruction of crucial evidence after the crime. -- PTI

A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly molesting a minor girl and threatening to attack her with acid in Mumbai's Bhoiwada locality, a police official said on Monday.

According to the Bhoiwada police station official, the accused, Dashrath Ashok Ramane, stalked the 14-year-old girl, often tried to get close to her and harassed her on multiple occasions between August 6 and August 28.

On August 28, the accused followed the girl -- a student -- and grabbed her hand.

When she resisted, he threatened her with acid attack, said the official.

Fed up with constant harassment, the girl told her parents about the ordeal.

Following this, her parents caught Ramane and brought him to the Bhoiwada Police Station, where they lodged a complaint against him. -- PTI

A YouTuber-journalist and his brother-in-law were arrested here on Monday on charges of extortion, police officials said.

The arrested YouTuber has been identified as Kamlesh alias Fighter, and his brother-in-law Suraj Kumar alias Majnu, they said.

Kamlesh had allegedly formed a syndicate comprising over a dozen members for organised crime, mainly extortion, a senior officer said.

According to the Kanpur police, the matter stemmed from its ongoing probe against alleged extortionists including YouTubers and journalists in the city after the arrest of Avneesh Dixit, a TV journalist, who was sent to jail for attempting to grab the nazul land having market value of over Rs 1,000 crore in July.

Since then, about 15 FIRs have been lodged against over six dozen journalists and YouTubers so far, the police added.

"As many as five FIRs have been lodged at various police stations so far against the arrested YouTuber within a fortnight," additional commissioner of police (law and order) Harish Chander said.

With the arrest of YouTuber Kamlesh, the number of arrested journalists and YouTubers has crossed six, he added.

"The first FIR against Kamlesh and his aides was lodged with the Colonelganj police station on August 20 followed by four more FIRs," the additional CP said. -- PTI

00:49 Govt constitutes 23rd Law Commission

The government on Monday notified the constitution of the 23rd Law Commission for a period of three years, with a provision to appoint serving Supreme Court and high court judges as its chairperson and members.

The term of the 22nd law panel ended on August 31.

According to a law ministry order issued late Monday through a gazette notification, the panel will have a full-time chairperson and four full-time members including member-secretary.

The secretary of the department of legal affairs and the secretary of the legislative department will be its ex-officio members.

There cannot be more than five part-time members, according to the order. It said the chairperson/members "who are serving judges of the Supreme Court/high court shall perform their functions on a whole-time basis up to the date of retirement from the Supreme Court/high court or expiry of the term of the Commission, whichever be earlier".

The time spent by them in the performance of such functions as chairperson/ member of the Commission will be treated as "actual service". The order noted that in case "other category" of persons are appointed as chairperson or full-time members, the chairperson will be entitled a pay of Rs 2. 50 lakh (fixed) per month.

In case of members, a pay of Rs 2.25 lakh (fixed) per month will be admissible. -- PTI

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00:45 Manipur sees 2nd drone attack in 2 days, one hurt

A 23-year-old woman was injured after suspected militants launched a fresh bomb attack using a drone in Manipur's Imphal West district on Monday, the police said.

This is the second drone attack in two days. Monday's place of raid is located around 3 km from Koutruk where two persons were killed and nine others injured in bomb and gun attacks on Sunday.

At least two explosives were dropped from a drone on Monday evening at Senjam Chirang in which the woman was injured, they said.

She has been admitted to a hospital with injuries on her abdomen and her condition is stated to be stable.

The militants also fired indiscriminately on the village of Sejam Chirang from a hilltop prompting retaliation by security forces.

The death toll in the recent hooch tragedy in Odisha's Ganjam district increased to five as one more person undergoing treatment at a hospital died on Monday evening, the police said.

The deceased has been identified as Pradeep Behera (30) of Jenapur in Chikiti town. Behera was in ventilator support at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Suchitra Dash, superintendent of the medical establishment said.

He was also suffering from some other diseases, she said.

At least 15 people from Jenapur and Karabalua were admitted to the hospital on August 19 after they consumed spurious country-made liquor from a vendor selling it at Maundapur village.

While nine persons were discharged after being cured, five people died and two others were undergoing treatment at the medical college, sources said.

At least 16 people have been arrested in connection with the hooch tragedy and huge quantities of liquor seized in raids conducted by the police and excise departments, a police officer said. -- PTI

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00:32 5 new murder cases filed against ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

Five new murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet minister for the killing of five people during the quota reform protests in the country, according to media reports.

The cases, filed with Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate court on Monday, were the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs.

With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 89, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

The five more murder cases have been filed against Hasina, party general secretary Obaidul Quader, and 339 others, in connection with the deaths of five people during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the Tribune reported.

Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death toll to more than 600 since the massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in mid-July. -- PTI

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00:13 Woman scientist among 16 dead in rain-related incidents in Telangana

A man and his scientist daughter, who were washed away, were among the 16 people who died in the rain-related incidents in Telangana, which witnessed heavy downpour since Saturday.

N Aswini, a scientist, was working at the ICAR -- National Institute of Biotic Stress Management's School of Crop Resistance System Research in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Aswini along with her father N Motilal, died when the car they were travelling in was swept away while it was about to cross an overflowing stream in Maripeda mandal in Mahabubabad district in the early hours of Sunday, the police said.

The body of the woman was recovered on Sunday and later her father's body was also found after a search operation, a senior police official said on Monday.

They were proceeding in the car to Hyderabad to take a flight from the airport to Raipur, the police said, adding the vehicle was also found.

They belonged to Khammam district of Telangana. -- PTI

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00:03 IAF's MiG-29 aircraft crashes in Rajasthan, pilot safe

A MiG-29 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Rajasthan's Barmer on Monday night due to a "critical" technical snag.

The pilot ejected safely and no loss of life was reported.

A senior IAF official said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

"The pilot is safe. There was no loss of life or property on ground," he said.

The IAF later also posted an update on X after the incident.

During a routine night training mission in Barmer sector, an IAF MiG-29 encountered a "critical" technical snag, forcing the pilot to eject, the IAF said on X.

"The pilot is safe and no loss of life or property was reported. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered," it said. -- PTI

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