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Maharshtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Indira Gandhi Hospital and met the people injured in the Bhiwandi building collapsed on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, he visited the incident site and said that the rescue operation is underway and as many as 12 people have been rescued so far. Eknath Shinde met with the injured labourers and inquired about their condition. He also inquired about the two children who survived the accident. The two children have been identified as Prem and Prince. Three people have died after a multi-storeyed building collapsed in Maharashtra's Thane on Saturday, said Thane Municipal Corporation. The CM has also given instructions to provide medical treatment to the injured at government expense. Earlier on Saturday, he announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the relatives of those who died in the Bhiwandi building collapse, said an official statement. CM Eknath Shinde also instructed the administration that the police, fir...

An Indian-origin crime gang boss is serving an eight-year-10-month prison sentence after admitting to drug smuggling and money laundering charges in a British court. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) said its officers proved that Raj Singh, 45, from Surrey in south-east England ran an organised crime group and regularly worked together with Waqas Iqbal, 41, to buy and sell Class A drugs and firearms. The duo also planned to launder money and send ketamine to Canada. In February, Raj Singh - whose full name is Rajinder Singh Bassi - pleaded guilty to charges of supplying Class A banned substance cocaine, conspiracy to supply Class B banned substance ketamine and money laundering at the Guildford Crown Court. He also admitted to assault in a separate matter, when he was involved in a pub fight in which he kicked a police officer's leg as she tried to restrain him. His sentence includes 16 months for causing actual bodily harm to the officer, who required significant rehabi...

A policeman has been arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping a woman on a false promise of marriage in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, police said on Saturday. An inspector posted in District Special Branch (DSB) Durg was on Friday arrested under section 376 2(n) (repeated rape) of the Indian Penal Code, Superintendent of Police (SP) Durg Abhishek Pallav said. According to the police, the accused cop was posted at Amleshwar police station six months ago, when he established physical relationship with a woman from the area by promising to marry her. However, the woman later found out that the accused was already married to someone else, they said. The accused even physically assaulted the victim a few days ago, following which she approached the police with a written complaint, the official said. The accused was arrested and presented before a local court that has sent him to jail, he added. from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/yiCaDw2 https://ift.tt/Tlqxg...

Vikas Walkar, the father of Shraddha Walkar who was allegedly killed by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala last year, on Saturday demanded that the case be fast-tracked so that he can perform her last rites. Speaking to reporters after a court here adjourned its order on framing of charges against Poonawala till May 9, Vikas said he would go on a hunger strike if the case is not fast-tracked within a month. The court also adjourned till May 9 the hearing on an application by Vikas urging the judge that his daughter's remains be handed over to the family for the last rites as required by tradition and culture. "I do not think the case is going to conclude soon. We are seeking fast-tracking of proceedings in the case. I have not been able to perform my daughter's last rites yet. In May, it will be a year since she died," Vikas said. He said his main priority was to perform the last rites of his daughter and that justice is done. "I'll go on a hunger...

A first information report (FIR) has been filed against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for his comment on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, which a local Congress leader said was derogatory. Mr Shekhawat, during a BJP "mahaakrosh sabha" event in Chittorgarh on Thursday, had called Mr Gehlot "Ravan of politics", saying people should throw this government out in the upcoming assembly elections. "If you want to end (the rule of) Ashok Gehlot, this Ravan of politics in Rajasthan, raise your hands and resolve to establish Ram Rajya in the state," the Union Minister had said. Mr Gehlot and Mr Shekhawat have been at loggerheads over the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam. Mr Gehlot has publicly accused Mr Shekhawat of being involved in the scam. Mr Shekhawat has also filed a defamation case against Mr Gehlot in a Delhi court for linking him with the scam, which is being investigated by the Rajasthan Police. The investigators have said S...

A three-month-old child has died 24 hours after he was administered a vaccine at a community health centre in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, a health official said on Friday. Ramgarh Civil Surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar said a medical board has been formed to ascertain the cause of the death. Viscera will be preserved for a detailed enquiry of the case, Kumar said, adding that a state team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) will probe the rare case of a child's death after vaccination. The child, Abhiraj Kumar, was administered the pentavalent vaccine, which protects children from deadly diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B, by paramedical staffers at the CHC at Patratu on Thursday and his condition deteriorated, a police officer said. The child was taken to a hospital, where he died early on Friday, he said. His parents, Bablu Sao and Lalita Devi, however, alleged that their son died due to negligence and unsafe vaccination and demanded that those ...

A gunman of a Congress MLA allegedly thrashed a toll plaza employee on Gurugram-Faridabad road, forced him into his car, and drove him to a police outpost, according to a police complaint filed by the toll plaza management. The incident happened at the Bandhwari toll plaza when NIT-Faridabad MLA Neeraj Sharma stopped there with his staff and a row erupted between them and the toll workers, police said on Friday. The entire incident was captured in CCTV footage which is purported to have shown the MLA's gunman and other staff thrashing a toll worker and forcing him into the MLA's car. The gunman, Constable Virendra, in his complaint, accused the toll booth worker of being drunk on duty and misbehaving with him when they reached the toll plaza. Both parties filed complaints against each other Thursday at DLF Phase 1 Police Station on Thursday, with police filing two FIRs on the basis of these complaints. As per the first complaint filed by Chetan Sharma on behalf of the Band...

The U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days in a sanctions enforcement operation, three sources said, and days later Iran seized another oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm. As oil markets remain jittery, the cargo seizure is the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran after years of sanctions pressure by the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program. Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising. Tehran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes while Washington suspects Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb. Maritime security company Ambrey said the U.S. confiscation took place at least five days before Iran's action on Thursday. "Ambrey has assessed the seizure by the Iranian Navy to be in response to the U.S. action," it said in an advisory to clients. "Both tankers were Suezmax-sized. Iran has previously responded tit-for-tat following seizures of Iranian oil car...

Multiple cases that have been registered in Tamil Nadu against jailed YouTuber Manish Kashyap are not politically motivated but because he disturbed "public order and national integrity" by circulating fake videos of migrant labourers being attacked in the southern state, the state government told the Supreme Court on Friday. In an affidavit filed before a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, the state government opposed Manish Kashyap's plea to club the FIRs lodged against him, saying he cannot "seek the shelter of the umbrella of constitutional rights". The state government claimed Manish Kashyap attempted to instigate violence between Bihari migrant labourers and the people of Tamil Nadu through false and unverified videos. "The registration of multiple FIRs was not done with any political intention, nor to suppress the constitutional rights of the accused, but with the intention to stop the spread of misinformation and to ensure that the person guil...

Several posts on the internet show heartwarming moments between humans and animals. In one such instance, Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan shared a picture of a man providing medical aid to a deer. The post has moved the internet and many people appreciated the efforts of the man. Mr Kaswan took to Twitter to share the post. The photograph shows a man taking care of a deer where the animal is seen wearing an oxygen mask and the man is holding an oxygen cylinder, ensuring that the deer is fine. In a world where you can be anything. Be kind to all. pic.twitter.com/UwZY6cpx9a — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) April 28, 2023 "In a world where you can be anything. Be kind to all," he posted along with the photograph. Since being shared, the post has amassed over 21,000 views and over a thousand likes. Social media users commented on the post with heart emojis, expressing their happiness and gratitude for the kind act. "Lovely!" said a user....

Amid fresh protests and a sit-in by India's grapplers demanding action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who they accused of sexual harassment, the BJP MP on Thursday released a personalised video saying he would wish to embrace death the day he feels helpless. "Friends, the day I introspect on what I gained or lost, and feel that I no longer have the strength to fight; the day I feel helpless, I would wish death as I won't be living a life like that. Instead of living such a life, I would wish that death takes me in its embrace," Brij Bhushan said in the video. Star Indian wrestlers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, among many others, are hiding an ongoing protest against the WFI chief, accusing him of sexual harassment and mistreatment of athletes. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha said the wrestlers should have approached the body earlier instead of taking to t...

A Delhi-bound flight in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin was scheduled to travel on Thursday was cancelled due to a technical snag, airport sources said. The Chief Minister was scheduled to leave for Delhi to invite President Draupadi Murmu on Friday for a hospital inauguration here. The private carrier was cancelled due to the technical snag following which the Chief Minister returned home. He is expected to leave early on Friday, the sources added. from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/u9vHWpb https://ift.tt/cJSLTIU April 28, 2023 at 01:46AM

Of the ten police personnel who lost their lives in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, five had joined the force after quitting the Maoists, a senior official said on Thursday. Ten personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and their civilian driver were killed after Maoists blew up a vehicle, which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in the Aranpur police station area of Dantewada on Wednesday afternoon, using a powerful improvised explosive device (IED). The blast site is located around 450km from state capital Raipur. Of them, Head Constables Joga Sodi (35), Munna Kadti (40), Constables Hariram Mandavi (36) and Joga Kawasi (22), and Gopniya Sainik (secret troopers) Rajuram Kartam (25) were once active as Maoists and joined the police after surrendering, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI. Sodi, a resident of Arlampalli village in neighbouring Sukma district, and Kadti, a native of Muder village in Dante...

The BJP on Thursday welcomed the Calcutta High Court order directing the NIA to probe into the violence during Ram Navami in West Bengal, while the ruling TMC stated that the central agency must act "impartially" and should not try to protect the opposition party's goons involved in the clash. Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP and others, the high court earlier in the day directed transfer of the investigation into violence at Shibpur in Howrah and Rishra in Hooghly district to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from the West Bengal Police. The petitioners sought an NIA probe as, they alleged, bombs exploded during the violence. "We have full respect for the judiciary. We will not comment on the court order. But we will like to say that the NIA must act impartially and not work only to protect the BJP goons involved in the violence. We have seen how central agencies like CBI and ED are only bu...

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association election will be held in June, three years after the term of previous office-bearers ended. Prof Imrana Naseem, who was designated as the chief election officer at the general body meeting of the association on March 16, said although the term of office bearers ended in April 2020, elections could not be held on one pretext or the other. Teachers at the university had been raising this issue for the past two years. Yet the university authorities kept postponing the election citing various reasons, including the Covid pandemic. Polling for various posts in the teacher's body will be held in the first week of June, Prof Naseem said on Thursday. A group of senior faculty members on Thursday launched a mass contact drive to highlight their demand for holding elections to various governing bodies of the university. A spokesperson of the association said, "Teachers would intensify their protest in the coming days if the un...

United States Pennsylvania has declared the Hindu festival of Diwali as a national holiday, Senator Nikil Saval tweeted on Wednesday. "The Senate voted unanimously to recognize Diwali as an official holiday! To all Pennsylvanians who celebrate this festival of light and connection: you are seen, you are welcome, you matter. Thank you, @rothman_greg, for the opportunity to join you in introducing this bill," Senator Nikil Saval wrote on Twitter. State Senator Greg Rothman and Senator Nikil Saval introduced a legislation to make Diwali an official state holiday in Pennsylvania in February this year, My Twin Tiers reported. Nearly 200,000 South Asian residents reside in Pennsylvania, many of whom participate in Diwali as a time of reflection and gathering, My Twin Tiers reported. "Thousands of Pennsylvanians celebrate Diwali each year, including many residents of the 34th Senatorial District," Rothman said, adding, "Recognizing Diwali as an official state holi...

A Brazilian court on Wednesday ordered the countrywide suspension of messaging app Telegram after its parent company failed to provide data sought by authorities on neo-Nazis operating on the network, officials said. In the framework of a probe into neo-Nazi activity on social networks, the court fined Telegram a million reais (about $198,000) per day for "not complying," and ordered the "temporary suspension of (its) activities," Justice Minister Flavio Dino said in a video sent to journalists. "There are groups called 'Anti-Semitic Front' and 'Anti-Semitic Movement' acting in those networks, and we know that this is at the core of violence against our children," he added, in reference to a recent spate of attacks in schools. Earlier this month, a man carrying a hatchet killed four children between the ages of four and seven at their school in the same week as two other, non-fatal school attacks. Last month, a 13-year-old boy killed a ...

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday denied all involvement in anti-government riots by his supporters in January as he appeared before federal police. The far-right leader is being investigated for his alleged role in masterminding and instigating the riots that sought the overthrow of his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, who returned to Brazil in late March after spending three months in the US state of Florida, was questioned for more than two hours at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, but left in a vehicle with tinted windows without speaking to reporters. Shortly afterward, Bolsonaro's spokesman Fabio Wajngarten told the press that the former president had "repudiated all the unfortunate events that happened in Brasilia" on the day of the riot. One reason the investigation was launched was because two days after the riot, Bolsonaro shared a video to social media of a prosecutor contesting the validity of Lula...

 Dismissed policeman Sachin Waze's plea seeking "specialized diabetic home-cooked food" in jail was on Wednesday rejected by a special court here, which said he was being provided a balanced diet in the prison. Mr Waze, a former Mumbai police officer, is an accused in the case of an explosives-laden sports utility vehicle (SUV) found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. On Monday, he filed an application in the special court hearing cases related to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for home-cooked food, citing his health condition. In his plea, Mr Waze claimed that a doctor from the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai asked the jail superintendent to provide him a strict diabetic diet, and also advised the former police officer to consume medicines without fail. Mr Waze submitted that the prison administration would not be...

UK Report Warns Of Pro-Khalistan Extremists in Britain; Calls for Government Action https://ift.tt/StPuH3q Zee News The report has highlighted the existence of "small, extremely vocal and aggressive minority of British Sikhs who can be described as pro-Khalistan extremists". https://ift.tt/s6TouXV April 27, 2023 at 12:01AM Zee News :World https://ift.tt/dsJQo5g

India and the four-nation bloc EFTA on Wednesday discussed ways to resume negotiations for a free trade agreement with a view to strengthening economic ties between the two regions. The subject came up for discussion during a meeting of high-level representatives from India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) here. Both sides "discuss the prospects of resuming their negotiations towards a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA)," the commerce ministry said in a statement. Free trade agreements between the two regions are officially dubbed TEPA. Under such pacts, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them, besides easing norms to promote trade in services and investments. The high-level delegations were composed of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal; Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Trade and Industry of Norway;...

Britain on Tuesday warned China against any attack on Taiwan, telling Beijing it risked triggering domestic and global turmoil if it failed to uphold its international obligations. In a set-piece foreign policy speech, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly restated that London wants to see a "peaceful settlement" to sovereignty claims. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary. Earlier this month, Chinese forces held military exercises simulating targeted strikes and a blockade of the island. But Cleverly said conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have a catastrophic impact on world supply chains, particularly of advanced semi-conductors. "A war across the Strait would not only be a human tragedy, it would destroy world trade worth $2.6 trillion, according to the Nikkei Asia," he added. "No country could shield itself from the repercussions," he told an audience at the Mansion House in the City ...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday interrupted a live television interview before returning and apologising, saying he had developed a stomach bug. The 69-year-old Turkish leader on Tuesday gave three campaign speeches heading into a knife-edge parliamentary and presidential election on May 14. He was due to close out the night by appearing live for a joint interview with Ulke TV and Kanal 7. However, his television appearance began more than 90 minutes behind schedule and then cut off in the middle of a question ten minutes into the show. The camera shook and the reporter asking the question stood up from his chair when the broadcast cut off. "Oh wow," an unidentified voice could be heard saying off camera. Erdogan returned about 15 minutes later to apologise for getting sick. "Yesterday and today were hard work. That's why I got a stomach flu," Erdogan said. "At one point, I wondered if it would be misunderstood if we cancelled the ...

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said on Tuesday her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi never broke the trust of the people. Addressing a public meeting here, Priyanka Gandhi said, "You all know Indira Gandhi. Her speciality was that she never broke your trust. Today, if you trust me then it is because of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders who really worked for you." Launching a scathing attack on BJP leaders, Priyanka Gandhi urged the people of the state to not get influenced by their words but rather look at the "conscience" of the leaders seeking votes. She said, "The Prime Minister came here and said the leaders of the Opposition want to dig his grave. What kind of talk is this? Every citizen of the country would like the health of the Prime Minister to be good." "The people of Karnataka should not vote on the words of any leader but of their conscience," She added. Targeting Chie...

A poster was put up in Dharashiv on Tuesday terming NCP leader Ajit Pawar as the future chief minister of Maharashtra. As per the visuals, the poster was seen on display at a crossroads in Dharashiv. Earlier reacting to NCP leader Ajit Pawar's statement about aspiring for the Chief Minister's post, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that there is nothing wrong with anyone wanting to be a Chief Minister, but not everyone can become a Chief Minister. "I have not seen Ajit Pawar's interview. There is nothing wrong with anyone aspiring to be a Chief Minister, many like it but not everyone can. We wish him all the best," Devendra Fadnavis said. Earlier in an interview, reacting to the question of whether NCP leader Ajit Pawar aspires to the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister in the 2024 elections, he said, "Why 2024, even now I am prepared for the post". In this regard, NCP leader Supriya Sule on Sunday said that everyone has ambiti...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 16 locations in Bihar, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as part of its investigation against a suspected module of the banned Islamist organisation PFI in Bihar's Phulwari Sharif, officials said. A spokesperson for the federal anti-terror agency said "a hoard of digital devices, along with bank transaction details, were seized during the searches conducted at the premises of PFI suspects...incriminating documents related to PFI and Indian currency of the face value of Rs 1 lakh were also seized." Locations in Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea and East Champaran districts of Bihar, South Goa district of Goa, Rampur and Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh and Ludhiana in Punjab were searched by the NIA officials. A total of 13 persons were arrested in this case in July last year and the investigation relates to the training of Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre in Phulwari Sharif in ...

 Russia needs an estimated 500 billion roubles ($6.1 billion) for the development of a drone project announced by President Vladimir Putin in February, the Russian RBC news outlet reported late on Monday. RBC, citing unnamed sources close to the project, said the strategy for the development of unmanned aircraft for the period up to 2030 must be approved by June 1 and include details on production and financing. "The amount of funding and its corresponding proportions will require a coordinated position of all departments - any figures are now speculative," the news outlet cited the sources as saying. In February, Putin said Russia must increase its own production of drones and create infrastructure for their widespread use. While Russia already produces a number of drones, they are not very advanced and Moscow has been chiefly using Iranian-made Shahed drones in its attacks on Ukraine. from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/AWhi2ax https://ift.tt/SpW...

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that it was "wrong" to state that he was raising questions over the 2019 Pulwama terror attack only after demitting office. His remark came in response to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that he was "levelling allegations after parting ways with us". "It is wrong to state that I raised this issue when I was out of power," he told reporters in Sikar in Rajasthan, adding that he had raised it on the day of the attack. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the terrorist attack on a convoy of security vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in February 2019. Mr Malik, who was then governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently alleged intelligence failures and that the central government denied aircraft for the movement of security personnel. To a question about the allegation that the CBI's recent summons to Mr Malik was l...

Sudan's battling generals have agreed to a three-day ceasefire, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday, after 10 days of urban combat killed hundreds, wounded thousands, and sparked a mass exodus of foreigners. Previous bids to pause the conflict failed to take hold but Blinken announced: "Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on April 24, to last for 72 hours." Blinken's statement came two hours before the truce was to take effect. It came after the UN chief warned Sudan is on "the edge of the abyss" following fighting between the rivals who have waged unprecedented battles in the capital, Khartoum, as well as elsewhere in the country. The fighting pits forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against those of his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid ...

Terrorists shot at and injured a shopkeeper in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday evening, officials said here. The ultras opened fire on Aqib Ahmad Dar (31) at Marhama in Anantnag district at around 9 pm, they added. Aqid Ahmad Dar was rushed to a hospital where his condition was stated to be stable. Police have taken cognisance of the incident. from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/Xe02GRL https://ift.tt/SpWhbGe April 24, 2023 at 11:06PM

Uttar Pradesh Police today found bloodstains inside the partially demolished office of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed in Prayagraj who was shot dead earlier this month. "I have examined myself, bloodstains, the knife was found near the staircase and next to the kitchen of Atiq's office," Satyendra Prasad Tiwari, Prayagraj Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP). "The FSL team is about to reach, and the investigation will be done. CCTV footage will also be examined," he added. Further investigation is underway. Moreover, on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a two-member judicial commission to probe the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's son Asad in an encounter in the State. The State government on Sunday announced the formation of a two-member judicial enquiry committee to probe the encounter in Jhansi. Asad along with his aide Ghulam in the Umesh Pal murder case was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special T...

Maharashtra on Sunday recorded 545 fresh coronavirus cases and two fatalities, the health department said. After the new additions, the state's COVID-19 tally rose to 81,61,894 and the death count to 1,48,504. A day earlier, Maharashtra recorded 850 cases and four fatalities. Mumbai saw 141 fresh cases and one fatality while another person died of COVID-19 in Ratnagiri. The case fatality rate in Maharashtra stands at 1.81 per cent. A total of 655 patients recovered from coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative recoveries in the state to 80,07,335. The current recovery rate is 98.11 per cent, a health department bulletin said. The state is now left with 6,055 active cases. With 8,278 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, the count of samples tested so far in Maharashtra has gone up to 8,68,93,709. The dominant variant of COVID in circulation is Omicron XBB.1.16. A total of 789 cases were found to be infected with this variant so far in Maharashtra, w...

A Pakistani drone shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) earlier was recovered near the international border in Punjab's Gurdaspur on Sunday. According to the BSF, the drone coming from the Pakistan side of the border was fired upon by the troops earlier. "A rogue drone, which had earlier intruded from Pak side and fired upon by alert BSF troops, recovered today by Gurdaspur Police," tweeted BSF Punjab Frontier. The drone was recovered by villagers in Dera Baba Nanak village while harvesting the field. Earlier on Thursday, BSF personnel intercepted a Pakistani drone near Bhariyal village of Punjab's Gurdaspur district. The drone spotted at the Bhariyal village post of the BSF, was observed flying inside Indian territory for five minutes before it was intercepted with illumination bombs. "The drone kept flying inside the Indian border for 5 minutes, during which 3 rounds of firing were done by BSF and an Ilu bomb was also fired, after which the drone fl...

Stone pelting broke out between people of two communities in Malpura in Tonk district of Rajasthan on Sunday, said officials. Sub-Divisional Officer Malpura, Mahipal Singh said that police officials were also injured in the incident. Giving details, Mr Singh said, "At the Malpura sub-division headquarters of Tonk district, the situation worsened after a scuffle in Nagori locality led to stone pelting between the two communities in which many people were injured and many vehicles were damaged by the miscreants, while some police personnel were also injured." Mr Singh also informed that the top officials of the police have left Tonk with the police force to check the situation at Malpura and they'll try to pacify the groups in the area. SDM Singh said, "In Malpura today, the day after Eid, the situation worsened after an argument developed between children. Stones were pelted at the police personnel who reached the spot, in which some police personnel were also inj...

Kenyan police said Sunday they had uncovered bodies of another 26 people believed to be members of a cult, bringing to 47 the number of corpses linked to the movement found in three days. "Today we have exhumed 26 more bodies and this brings the total number of bodies from that place to 47," said the head of criminal investigations in Malindi, eastern Kenya, Charles Kamau. On Saturday police sources said 21 bodies had been exhumed in Kenya in a probe into a cult whose followers are believed to have starved themselves to death. Officials had earlier reported seven deaths in connection with the investigation in eastern Kenya following the arrest of Makenzie Nthenge, who reportedly told followers to starve themselves in order to "meet Jesus". Nthenge, leader of the Good News International Church, turned himself in to police and was charged last month, according to local media, after two children starved to death in the custody of their parents. He was later releas...

Battles raging in Sudan have sparked several evacuation operations to rescue foreign citizens or embassy staff by road, air and sea. The main airport in the capital Khartoum has been the site of heavy fighting and is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that is battling the army. Some evacuations are taking place from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, an 850 kilometre (530 mile) drive from Khartoum. Here is an overview of what various nations were doing Sunday in efforts to take stranded citizens to safety. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia led the first reported successful evacuation with naval operations picking up more than 150 people including foreign diplomats and officials from Port Sudan on Saturday. Riyadh announced the "safe arrival" of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries -- Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso. United S...

Amritpal Singh, who the government describes as a Khalistani-Pakistan agent, had been on the run from the Punjab Police since March 18. He had escaped the police net in Jalandhar district by switching vehicles and changing appearances. Amritpal Singh was at the centre of a huge protest against the arrest of his aide in February. He claims to be a follower of the Khalistani separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and is known as "Bhindranwale 2.0" among his supporters. India's intelligence agencies say Amritpal Singh has been sourcing weapons from Pakistan through its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence and trying to divide Punjab on communal lines. Amritpal Singh had been allegedly leading young people towards "gun culture".  Before he went into hiding, Amritpal Singh roamed around with his private militia, all of them armed. He also maintained a large convoy of expensive vehicles without giving any account of the expenses and sources of money...

Amid the alleged gang-rape and murder of a Dalit girl in North Dinajpur district's Kaliagunj, SP North Dinajpur Sana Akhtar on Saturday said that the victim's post-mortem report given by doctors reveals that death was due to a poisonous substance. This comes after a Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in the North Dinajpur district of West Bengal. On Thursday, the locals found the body of the minor, who had gone missing. On Friday, locals staged a protest demanding justice for her. Giving details about the incident, SP Dinajpur said, "We found a body of a girl, and police reached the spot. Probe began. The Main accused, and his father was detained. The case was registered based on the family's complaint. Both accused were sent to 14-day police custody" SP also informed about the post-mortem report of the victim and said that the death was due to a poisonous substance, however, they'll ask doctors to clarify if there's any sexual injury. ...

Reacting to slogans glorifying murdered Uttar Pradesh gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed after offering prayers, Union Minister Ashwini Choubey said that such people should be shot at sight and Bihar needs Yogi Adityanath's model of government. This comes after Patna police on Friday said one of the men at the Jumma Namaz (Friday prayer congregations) raised slogans glorifying dead Uttar Pradesh gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed after offering prayers in Patna district. "After offering Jumma Namaz, one of the men shouted 'Atiq Ahmad Amar Rahe' and used slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath," Vaibhav Sharma, City SP, Patna, said. Reacting to this, Union Minister said, "The incident is unfortunate and it is regrettable to make such statements and slogans in Bihar, such people should be immediately shot and sighted." Hitting out at the slogans raised against UP CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi...

Asserting that the Narendra Modi-led government does not interfere in the affairs of the CBI, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said it was during the UPA regime the Supreme Court had pointed out that the CBI was a "parrot in a cage". Mr Singh was replying to a question seeking his reaction about the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoning former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik in connection with an alleged insurance scam. Mr Singh told reporters after a BJP programme, "The CBI is an autonomous institution. Let it act on its investigation. Nobody can interfere with it." The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government does not interfere in the CBI's affairs, he added. Asked for his response on Congress leader KC Venugopal's tweet about central agencies being the BJP's ''lapdog'', Mr Singh said, ''He is still carrying the mentality that used to be there during the Congress' time." The Union min...

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar was capable of becoming Maharashtra chief minister since he has vast administrative experience, the statement coming days after the two engaged in a verbal tussle. Notably, amid speculation surrounding his next political move, Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would "100 per cent" like to become the chief minister. He had also said that NCP can stake a claim to the post of chief minister "now also" instead of waiting for 2024. Mr Raut, a key aide of Uddhav Thackeray, also said some undeserving people had gone on to become the chief minister of the state by engineering splits, an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde whose rebellion along with 40 MLAs in June last year brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Mr Raut also said there is no difference regarding the chief minister's post in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress, and the al...

Delhi on Saturday logged 1,515 COVID-19 infections and six fatalities with a case positivity rate of 26.46, according to data shared by the health department here. With the new fatalities, the death count from the pandemic rose to 26,595 in the national capital, while the case tally is 20,32,424. Covid was the primary cause of death in one of the six fatalities on Saturday, the department said. Out of 7,974 Covid beds in the city, 385 are occupied, the data showed. The department did not issue a bulletin on Friday. The city saw three fatalities and 1,603 COVID-19 cases on Thursday with a positivity rate of 26.75. On Wednesday, Delhi reported six deaths along with 1,757 new cases of the disease with a positivity rate of 28.63. The national capital had recorded 1,537 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with a positivity rate of 26.54. On Monday, Delhi recorded 1,017 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 32.25, the highest in more than 15 months. The national capital had recorded a Cov...

Four Delhi Police personnel and one more person were arrested in connection with an incident of robbery in southwest Delhi's Sagarpur area, officials said on Friday. The accused have been identified as Delhi Police personnel Vijay Sharma, Deepak Yadav, Manjesh Rana and Ankit Kasana, and Manish Rai, a resident of Rohini, they said. According to police, the robbery took place on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday at the residence of a man named Rajnish. The victim alleged that four people entered his house, threatened him and fled with around Rs 10.40 lakh cash. On a statement by Rajnish, a case of robbery under section 394 (Voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code was registered and during the investigation, four Delhi Police personnel were apprehended and later arrested, a senior police officer said. Interrogation of the accused policemen revealed that Manish Rai was a former employee of Rajnish, he said. Robbed items were recovered...