What Ram Temple Chief Priest Said On Uddhav Thackeray's "No Invite" Remark

Reacting to the remarks made by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray that he has not received invitation for the inauguration event of Ayodhya's Ram Temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, Chief Priest at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Sunday said that invitations have been extended only to those who are "devotees of Lord Ram".

Speaking to ANI, Acharya Satyendra Das said, "Invitations are only extended to those who are devotees of Lord Ram. It is totally wrong to say that BJP is fighting in the name of Lord Ram, our PM is respected everywhere. He has done immense work under his tenure. This is not politics. This is his devotion."

Acharya Satyendra Das also lashed out at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on his remarks "BJP is left now to announce Lord Ram as their candidate".

"Sanjay Raut has so much pain that even he can't express that, they were the ones who used to fight elections in the name of Lord Ram. Those who believed in Lord Ram are in power, what nonsense he is talking about? He is insulting Lord Ram," Chief Priest said.

Earlier today, Shiv Sena (UBT faction) leader Sanjay Raut lashed out at the BJP amid the hoopla around the Ram Temple opening in Ayodhya next month, saying that it will seek votes in the name of Lord Ram ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

"The PMO and government should shift base to Ayodhya. They will ask for votes only in Ram's name because they have done nothing else," Mr Raut said.

Mr Raut added that Shiv Sena members put their blood and toil into the Ram Mandir movement.

"Balasaheb Thackrey and thousands of Shiv Saniks contributed to it," he said."Even we are devotees of Ram. In fact, we are the biggest devotees of Ram and our party has sacrificed a lot for the Ram temple. They have taken our country back by 5000 years," he said.

As per temple officials, the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya's Ram Mandir will be held over seven days, starting on January 16.

On the final day, January 22, after the morning puja, the deity of Ram Lala will be consecrated in 'Mrigashira Nakshatra' in the afternoon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Gujarat Man, 2 Daughters, Son Die By Suicide After Jumping In Front Of Train

A man, his two daughters and a son allegedly committed suicide on Sunday by jumping in front of a train in Botad district in Gujarat, an official said.

The incident took place at 6:30pm between Ningala and Alampur railway stations, Railway Protection Force sub inspector VS Gole said.

"As part of a suicide pact, the four jumped in front of a passenger train on its way from Bhavnagar to Gandhidham. The bodies of the man, his two daughters and a son were found along the tracks," he said.

The man, identified as Mangabhai Vijuda (42), was out on bail after getting arrested on charges of attempt to murder following a fight with a relative, as per police.

The others who died are his daughters Sonam (17) and Rekha (21) and son Jignesh (19).

They belonged to Nana Sakhpar village in the district's Gadhada taluka, he said.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem and further probe into why they took this extreme step is underway, the official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Man Dies By Suicide, Case Against Wife, Her Sister: Maharashtra Police

An offence has been registered against a 27-year-old woman and her sister for allegedly abetting the suicide of her husband in Maharashtra's Thane district two months ago, police said on Saturday.

Based on a complaint, the police on Friday registered an offence under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code against the two sisters, an official said.

Sachinkumar Mishra, a resident of Davdi village in Dombivili, committed suicide by consuming rat poison in October, he said.

As per the complaint, Mishra's wife Pooja frequently spoke to three men, raising doubts that she was having an extramarital affair, the official said.

The victim's sister-in-law Babita Upadayaya also threatened him saying that he would be beaten up and abducted if he interfered with his wife's friend, he said.

The man was allegedly driven to suicide because of his wife's behaviour and sister-in-law's threats, the official said, adding that no arrests have been made in this regard so far.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Unaware God Would Come": Welfare Scheme Beneficiary As PM Visits Her Home

Mera Manjhi, the tenth-crore beneficiary of the Centre's flagship Ujjwala Yojana expressed her happiness after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unexpectedly visited her residence on Saturday.

"I was not aware that he would visit us. He came to our home. We are feeling very happy. We were not aware that God would arrive in such a way," Mera said with a big smile on her face.

Amid his packed schedule during a day-long visit to Ayodhya, PM Modi took time to visit Mera's house, engaging in conversations with beneficiaries and inquiring about her well-being over tea.

PM Modi was offered tea at the home of the beneficiary of the flagship scheme that provides clean cooking fuel such as LPG cylinders to rural and deprived households, which otherwise had been using firewood, coal, and cow-dung cakes.

PM asked the beneficiary about everyone's well-being in her family and the benefits she got through the schemes of the government.

After the first sip of the tea, offered to him by Mera, PM, in a humorous way, asked her, "bahut meethi chai peete ho ap log (You people take so much sugar in your tea)."

To this, Mera said that she often makes tea mistakenly with lots of sugar. "Humesha hi ban jati hai," she replied.

Later on, the PM praised her, saying that he is very good at making tea.

"You make good tea. I am chaiwala, so I know how to make tea," he said.

Mera, while speaking to ANI, further expressed her delight over meeting PM Modi.

Later on, the PM took to X to share the video of him meeting Mera Manjhi and her family and said, "The experience of visiting sister Meera Manjhi's house in the city of Lord Shri Ram has become unforgettable!"

अयोध्या में उज्ज्वला योजना की 10 करोड़वीं लाभार्थी बहन मीरा जी के घर पर उनके परिवार वालों से ‘चाय पे चर्चा' हुई। इस दौरान यह जानकर मन को बहुत संतोष हुआ कि कैसे सरकारी योजनाओं से पूरे परिवार का जीवन आसान हुआ है। pic.twitter.com/NCTb4yXcaB

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2023

A large crowd gathered to greet PM Modi as he walked through the narrow streets of the temple town. He also took selfies with two children in Ayodhya and fulfilled their requests for autographs.

The Prime Minister even signed a painting that a boy showed him.

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was started in May 2016 to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households across the country. Under PMUY, a deposit-free LPG connection is provided to adult women from poor households.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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PM Modi To Be Welcomed In Ayodhya By Over 1,400 Artistes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be welcomed by various groups of artistes from across the country as he arrives to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and a new airport before the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22.

In a statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's office said more than 1,400 performers will present folk art and cultural programmes in a total of 40 stages set up along the route from the airport to the railway station, Ram Path.

According to the statement, Vaibhav Mishra from Ayodhya will welcome the prime minister on the land of Ramlala by blowing conches while Mohit Mishra from Kashi will beat a Damru.

Many artistes will present art forms of Awadhi and Vantangiya. While Ragini Mitra of Noida and Brajesh Pandey of Sultanpur will present Awadhi folk dance, Sahaj Singh Shekhawat of Gorakhpur will perform Vantangiya dance.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the Ayodhya railway station around 11.15 am and the newly constructed Ayodhya airport around 12.15 pm.

After this, the prime minister will participate in a public event where several development projects worth more than Rs 15,700 crore will be inaugurated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ram Temple's Consecration Ritual From Jan 16, Preparations In Full Swing

Preparations for the consecration ceremony of Maryada Purushottam Prabhu Shri Ram Temple are going on at a very fast pace. As this moment is coming closer, curiosity among the common people is also increasing.

It is noteworthy that the ritual process will continue on a large scale for seven days in Ayodhya, which will start on January 16. 

The deity of Shri Ram Lalla will be consecrated on 22nd January. On January 22, Shri Ram will be seated in his divinely grand temple with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Damodar Das Modi.

In view of this program, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is continuously visiting Ayodhya. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who reached Ayodhya on December 2 and 21, is continuously taking updates on the construction work of Ram temple. A large number of visitors from India and abroad will be present in this program.

Seven-day ritual program

January 16: Atonement by the host appointed by the temple trust, Dashavid bath on the banks of river Saryu, Vishnu worship and Godan.

January 17: The procession will tour Ayodhya with the idol of Ramlala, devotees will reach the temple carrying Saryu water in Mangal Kalash.

January 18: Formal rituals will start with Ganesh Ambika puja, Varun puja, Matrika puja, Brahmin Varan, Vastu puja etc.

January 19: Fire establishment, Navagraha establishment and Havan.

January 20: After washing the sanctum sanctorum of the temple with the holy water of Saryu, there will be Vaastu peace and Annadhivas.

January 21: After a divine bath with 125 urns, Shayadhivas will be done.

January 22: After morning puja, the deity of Ramallah will be consecrated in Mrigashira Nakshatra in the afternoon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tamil Nadu Top Cop Gets Threat Mail About 'Bombs Planted At 30 Spots'

The office of the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday received an e-mail claiming that 'bombs' have been 'planted in 30 spots' in Chennai, an official said.

As soon as the mail was received, which claimed that public places like the Besant Nagar and Elliots beaches formed part of the places under the target, it was brought to the notice of authorities and later forwarded to Chennai city police for appropriate action.

Chennai police have started a probe into the matter and appropriate action is being taken, the official added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Vinesh Phogat To Return Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards

Less than a week after Sakshee Malikkh announced her retirement from wrestling and Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri, Vinesh Phogat, the third top wrestler who was part of the protests against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has announced that she will return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.

Brij Bhushan, a BJP MP, had been accused of sexual harassment by many women wrestlers, and Ms Malikkh, Mr Punia and Ms Phogat had been at the forefront of the protests against him.

The wrestlers' decisions have been taken in quick succession in a span of six days since a panel led by Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan, won the elections to the Wrestling Federation of India by a landslide on Thursday, indicating a continuity of leadership in the body. The panel was suspended by the sports ministry on Sunday.

In an emotional open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Ms Phogat, who has won gold medals at both the Commonwealth and Asian Games, asked whether women wrestlers were made only to grace government advertisements and said she is returning the Khel Ratna - the country's highest sporting honour - and Arjuna Award so that they don't become a "burden on the path of living with dignity".

Ms Phogat has also said that the wrestlers were considered the country's pride when they won medals, but are now being labelled traitors because they spoke out for justice. "Prime Minister, I want to ask you, are we traitors?" she wrote.

'Daughter Of Your House'

In the letter, written in Hindi, Ms Phogat says, "Sakshee Malikkh has quit wrestling and Bajrang Punia has returned his Padma Shri. The whole country knows why the players who won Olympic medals for the country were forced to do all this; and you are the head of the country, so this matter must have reached you too. Prime Minister, I am Vinesh Phogat, a daughter of your house and I am writing this letter to you to tell you about the condition I have been in for the past year."

"I remember the year 2016, when Sakshee Malikkh won a medal in the Olympics, your government named her the brand ambassador of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'. When this was announced, all the women players of the country were happy and were sending congratulatory messages to each other. Today, ever since Sakshi had to leave wrestling, I am remembering that year again and again. Are we women players made only to appear on government advertisements," she asked.

Stating that winning an Olympics medal is her dream, which is now fading, she said that the lives of women wrestlers are nothing like the "fancy advertisements". 

Referring to Brij Bhushan's remark after the wrestling body elections that his dominance would continue, Ms Phogat exhorted the Prime Minister to spare five minutes to listen to the former WFI chief's comments. She alleged that the "exploiter" Brij Bhushan had admitted on television that he had made women wrestlers uncomfortable and had utilised every opportunity to humiliate them.

'Called Traitors'

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist said the wrestlers had been struggling on the streets for a year but were still waiting for justice. 

"When we won medals for the country, the whole country considered us its pride. Now that we raised our voice for justice, we are being called traitors. Prime Minister, I want to ask you, are we traitors," she asked.

The wrestler, who broke out in tears at a press conference after the results of the WFI election on Thursday, said no mother would like to see her daughter in the condition she finds herself in. 

Ms Phogat said she was ecstatic when she received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. "But now I want to get rid of the image of Vinesh receiving the award, because that was a dream and what is happening with us now is the reality," she wrote. 

Stating that the awards have no meaning in her life now, the wrestler said, "Every woman wants to live life with respect. Thus, Prime Minister sir, I want to return my Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to you so that these awards do not become a burden on us in the path of living with dignity."

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New Indian Penal Code Has Become "More Draconian": P Chidambaram

With President Droupadi Murmu giving assent to the three new criminal justice bills, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said the new Indian Penal Code has become "more draconian" and asserted that the successor government in 2024 must review these laws and remove the "draconian" provisions.

The three new laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act -- replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

In a post on X, former Union home minister Chidambaram said, "Just as the Christmas Day celebrations are coming to an end, we hear the news that the President has given her assent to the three criminal law Bills." The new Indian Penal Code has become "more draconian", he alleged.

"If you realize that the Code is more often than not used against the poor, working class and the weaker sections of the people, the law will become an instrument of oppression against these sections of the people," P Chidambaram said.

"Be it noted that the vast majority of prisoners (including under-trials) are poor and belong to the working class and the oppressed sections," he said.

Just as the Christmas Day celebrations are coming to an end, we hear the news that the President has given her assent to the three criminal law Bills

The new Indian Penal Code has become more draconian. If you realize that the Code is more often than not used against the poor,…

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 25, 2023

The new Criminal Procedure Code contains many provisions that are unconstitutional and violate Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution, he alleged.

"It is the poor and oppressed sections of the people who will bear the brunt of the new Penal Code and the new Criminal Procedure Code," he said.

P Chidambaram contended that instead of strengthening "due process of law", the new Criminal Procedure Code contains many provisions that severely restrict "freedom" and "personal liberty".

"The new provisions for arrest and police custody (that can extend custody up to 60 days or 90 days) will only lead to police excesses and custodial persecution," he said.

"One of the first tasks of the successor government in 2024 must be to review these laws and remove the draconian provisions," Chidambaram said.

President Murmu on Monday gave assent to the three new criminal justice bills which were cleared by Parliament last week.

While replying to a debate on the three bills in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the focus was on delivering justice rather than handing down punishment.

The three legislations aim at completely overhauling the criminal justice system in the country by giving definition of various offences and their punishments. These have given a clear definition of terrorism, abolished sedition as a crime and introduced a new section titled "offences against the state".

The bills were first introduced during the Monsoon session of Parliament in August. After the Standing Committee on Home Affairs made several recommendations, the government decided to withdraw the bills and introduced their redrafted versions last week.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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3 Convicted For Kidnapping Newborn From State-Run Hospital Near Mumbai

A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has convicted three people accused of kidnapping a newborn from a government hospital and sentenced them to five years and six months of rigorous imprisonment.

Additional sessions judge GG Bhansali found the accused Gudiya Sonu Rajbhar (43), her husband Sonu (49), and Vilas Kailas Srivastav (57) guilty of charges under Section 363 (kidnapping) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

Additional public prosecutor Varsha Chandane informed the court that on January 14, 2018, Gudiya kidnapped a baby boy within four hours of his birth from a government hospital and took him home.

The police later traced the accused and found the baby and reunited him with his parents, she said.

The accused couple had planned to give the infant to the third accused, Vikas Srivastav, the court was told.

Eighteen prosecution witnesses, including the police and experts, were examined during the trial.

The judge, in his order, noted that for the newborn baby, the company of his mother and breastmilk are like oxygen.

The court observed that the accused couple were parents to six children and had been in jail since 2018. Hence, it was appropriate to punish them for the period they had been in jail.

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3 Vivo-India Executives Arrested In Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested three vivo-India executives in connection with its money laundering probe against the Chinese smartphone maker and some others, official sources said on Saturday.

Interim CEO of vivo-India Hong Xuquan alias Terry -- a Chinese national -- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Harinder Dahiya and consultant Hemant Munjal have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

They were presented before a court which sent them to ED custody for three days, the sources said.

An email sent by PTI to a company spokesperson seeking comments on the development remained unanswered.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier arrested four people -- mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang, and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik -- in the case. They are in judicial custody at present.

The federal agency had filed a charge sheet against these four and vivo-India before a special PMLA court in Delhi. The court recently took cognisance of the charge sheet.

Special Judge Kiran Gupta summoned the accused on February 19.

The ED had claimed in its court papers presented for the earlier four arrestees that their alleged activities enabled vivo-India to make wrongful gains that were detrimental to the economic sovereignty of India.

It had raided vivo-India and its linked persons in July last year and claimed to have busted a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and multiple Indian companies.

The ED had then alleged that Rs 62,476 crore was "illegally" transferred by vivo-India to China to avoid payment of taxes in India.

The company had said that it "firmly adheres to its ethical principles and remains dedicated to legal compliance".

Lava International's Hari Om Rai had recently told a court that though his company and vivo-India were in talks to launch a joint venture in India a decade ago, he had nothing to do with the Chinese firm or its representatives since 2014.

"He has not derived any monetary benefit nor has he engaged in any transaction with vivo-India or any entity allegedly related to vivo, let alone having been associated with any alleged proceeds of crime," Rai's lawyer had told the court.

The probe agency filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR), the ED's equivalent of a police FIR, on February 3 after studying a December 2022 Delhi Police FIR against an associated company of vivo-India, Grand Prospect International Communication Pvt. Ltd. (GPICPL), its directors, shareholders and some other professionals.

The police complaint was filed by the Corporate Affairs Ministry alleging that GPICPL and its shareholders used "forged" identification documents and "falsified" addresses at the time of incorporation of the company in December 2014.

This company had its registered address in Himachal Pradesh's Solan, Gujarat's Gandhinagar and in Jammu.

The crackdown on the leading Chinese company came after the federal probe agency found that three Chinese nationals -- all of whom "left" India between 2018 and 2021 -- and another person from that country incorporated 23 companies in India in which they were also allegedly helped by CA Nitin Garg.

"The allegations (made by the Corporate Affairs ministry) were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them. In fact, it was a government building and the house of a senior bureaucrat," the ED said.

It said vivo Mobiles Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated on August 1, 2014, as a subsidiary of Multi Accord Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company.

The 23 companies incorporated in this country are found to have transferred huge amounts of funds to Vivo India. Further, out of the total sale proceeds of Rs 1,25,185 crore, Vivo India remitted Rs 62,476 crore or almost 50 per cent of the turnover out of India, mainly to China, the ED had alleged.

These remittances, it added, were made to "disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India".

The action is seen as part of the Union government's effort to tighten checks on Chinese entities that are allegedly indulging in serious financial crimes like money laundering and tax evasion while operating here.

These developments come amid a military stand-off between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that began more than three years ago. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Renowned Poet And Artist Imroz Dies At 97

Noted poet and artist Inderjeet, known as Imroz, known for his enduring relationship with poet Amrita Pritam, passed away in Mumbai on Friday at the age of 97 due to age-related issues, family sources said.

Alka Kwatra, Pritam's daughter-in-law, told PTI that his last rites were performed at the Dahanukarwadi crematorium at Kandivli in north Mumbai in the presence of family and close friends.

The funeral pyre was lit by Pritam's granddaughter.

Amiya Kunwar, a close acquaintance of Imroz, said he was suffering from health issues for some days and had been hospitalised.

Born on January 26, 1926 in Lyallpur, Punjab, Imroz met Amrita Pritam in the 1950s when she was already a well-established figure in Punjabi literature. They lived together for over 40 years until Pritam died in 2005.

Imroz began writing poems after Pritam started keeping unwell, and even after her death, he wrote several poems dedicated to her.

One of Pritam's most celebrated works, 'Main tainu phir milangi,' is said to have been dedicated to Imroz.

Noted artist Prakash Joshi said the passing away of Imroz is an end of an “era and a poetic dream”.

“The relationship between Imroz and Pritam was a beautiful chapter in the field of Indian art and literature,” Joshi said.

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New Covid Variant Found In 19 Samples In Goa, All Inactive Cases: Official

The JN.1 sub variant of COVID-19 was found in 19 samples that were tested over a period of time, but these are old cases and are no longer active, a top health official said on Thursday.

The first case of this variant was found in Kerala on December 8, after which the Centre urged states and union territories to maintain constant vigil, including monitoring and reporting district-wise cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in all health facilities regularly for early detection.

"All the 19 cases of JN.1 sub variant traced in Goa are not active. They are old cases and have crossed the window period. This variant was found during genome sequencing of samples collected from patients," state epidemiologist Dr Prashant Suryavanshi told PTI.

"All those with this variant had mild symptoms. They have recovered now. These samples were collected over a period of time," Suryavanshi added.

As on Thursday, Goa has 16 active COVID-19 cases, including four detected during the day.

A total of 193 samples were tested for the virus on Thursday, as per a bulletin issued by the state's Directorate of Health Services.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Congress' Key Meet Tomorrow To Discuss Polls, Seat-Sharing With INDIA Bloc

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will hold a meeting with top party leaders on Thursday to discuss party's strategy for upcoming Lok Sabha polls and chalk out plans on seat sharing with like-minded parties of the INDIA bloc.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi would attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

This is the first meeting of the top Congress leadership after the party's debacle in recently held assembly elections in five states.

The Congress has maintained that its morale is not down, even though the assembly poll results have been very disappointing and not as per expectations.

The party has already held a first round of analysis of the poll results and the CWC is likely to hold further discussions on the reasons of the defeat.

The party leadership is likely to evolve a new agenda to take on the BJP as its key thrust on caste census has failed to click with voters in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The meeting will take place at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi.

The meeting is being held at a time when the challenge before the Congress is to come out with an alternative positive agenda to counter the BJP in the next general elections.

Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday told MPs at the Parliamentary Party meeting that the assembly election results being very disappointing is an understatement as she urged them to channel their disappointment into positivity for next year's general elections.

This was the first time that Sonia Gandhi spoke on the recent assembly poll results.

"To say that the assembly election results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been very disappointing for our party is an understatement. The Congress President has already had a first round of reviews to understand the reasons for our poor performance and draw the needed lessons for our organization," she told the MPs.

She also said that the Lok Sabha elections will be held in the next few months and "we have our task cut out both as a party in our own right and also as a member of the INDIA bloc." The Congress is also holding a mega rally in Nagpur on the party's foundation day on December 28.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Centre Bans Anti-Cold Fixed Drug Combination In Children Below 4 Years

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has prohibited the use of anti-cold fixed drug combinations in children below four years of age.

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Rajeev Raghuvanshi asked the drug regulators of all states and Union territories to instruct the manufacturers of fixed drug combination (FDC) of Chlorpheniramine Maleate IP 2mg Phenylephrine HCL IP 5mg drop/ml to insert warning that "FDC should not be used in children below four years of age" on label and package insert/promotional literature of the drug.

In the letter, the DCGI stated that the FDC was declared as rational by the Professor Kokate Committee, and based on its recommendation, this office had issued NOC for continued manufacturing and marketing of the FDC on July 17, 2015, under the 18-month policy decision.

"Subsequently concerns have been raised regarding the promotion of unapproved anti-cold drug formulation for infants," he said.

The matter was deliberated in the Subject Expert Committee (SEC- Pulmonary) meeting held on June 6.

"The committee recommended that the FDC should not be used in children below four years of age and accordingly the firms should mention warnings in this regard on label and package insert. The recommendation of the SEC has been considered by this office," the letter stated.

"Accordingly, you are requested to direct all the manufacturers of said FDC under your jurisdiction to mention the warning 'FDC should not be used in children below 4 years of age' on the label and package insert/promotional literature of the drug," according to the DCGI's letter dated December 18.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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High Court Setback For Mukhtar Ansari's Son In Poll Code Violation Case

The Allahabad High Court has denied the anticipatory bail plea filed by Omar Ansari, the son of gangster Mukhtar Ansari.

Omar Ansari faces accusations related to the violation of the election code of conduct and controversial remarks made against officials.

Justice Samit Gopal issued the order rejecting the anticipatory bail application presented by Omar Ansari.

Senior advocates Gopal Swaroop Chaturvedi and Upendra Upadhyay, along with Additional Advocate General PC Srivastava and AGA Vikas Sahay, presented their arguments on behalf of the applicant.

An FIR was registered by Police Sub Inspector Ganga Ram Kotwali Nagar, Mau, on March 4, 2022.

The complaint detailed an incident on March 3, 2022, at about 8.30 pm, where Abbas Ansari, Omar Ansari, and organiser Mansoor Ahmed Ansari allegedly violated the election code of conduct during a meeting of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party near Paharpura. Approximately 150 people were reportedly present during the event.

The first anticipatory bail was denied by the High Court on October 17, 2022.

Subsequently, the petitioner challenged the charge sheet in the case, which was also rejected by the Allahabad High Court. A subsequent petition filed in the Supreme Court met a similar fate, leading to the submission of this second anticipatory bail application which was denied today.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Case Against Air Force Officer For Raping, Threatening 24-Year-Old Woman

The Delhi Police has booked an IAF officer for allegedly raping and intimidating a 24-year-old woman, officials on Monday said.

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and began the investigation into the matter.

"On September 23, last year, I came in contact with a 38-year-old Wing Commander and started talking with her. Last year, On November 12, he forcefully sexually abused her in Delhi after making false promises of marriage," read the FIR, PTI has a copy of the FIR.

The complainant told the Parliament Street police station on December 1 that the accused told her that he liked her a lot and wanted to get married to her.

"Despite repeatedly telling him, he continued to establish a physical relationship with me. I protested as everything was wrong and he must wait until we were married. He paid no heed and took me to his residence as well, where I met his parents," read the FIR.

She also told the police that the accused had lied to her about his marital status and family.

"I got to know about the truth about the accused on November 6 when I saw some photographs of him with another woman and two children on social media. I tried to contact him and his parents, but I was blocked from everywhere and no one responded to my calls. I visited his house in Ambala on November 16 where he raped me again and threatened me with dire consequences," the complainant told the police.

A police officer said that an FIR has been filed and an investigation has been taken up into the matter.

"We are were aware of the allegations. The officer is fully cooperating with the probe," said a PRO (Defence) at Palam.

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Biting Cold In Himachal, Lahaul Spiti's Kukumseri Shivers At -7.6 Degrees

Biting cold wave conditions gripped most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday as the mercury dropped marginally even as the dry spell continued.

The minimum temperatures hovered around freezing point at many places and stayed below normal at several places.

Kukumseri in tribal Lahaul Spiti district recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, while Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district registered a minimum temperature of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Reckongpeo (minus 0.3 degree Celsius), Narkanda (minus 0.1 degree Celsius) and Bhuntar (0.8 degree Celsius). The mercury stayed close to the freezing point at Kufri, Sundernagar, Solan, Mandi and Dalhousie.

The maximum day temperatures also stayed three to five degrees Celsius below normal at many places and Dalhousie, Chamba and Solan recorded a high of 8.4, 17.8 and 17.5 degrees Celsius, which were 6.2 degrees C, 4.5 degrees C and 3.5 degrees C below normal, respectively. Shimla recorded a high of 13 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

The local Meteorological station has predicted dry weather in the state for four days till December 21 and rainfall at isolated places in mid hills and rains or snow in higher hills on December 22 and 23.

The state received 45 mm post-monsoon rains from October 1 to December 17 against normal rainfall of 51.6 mm, a deficit of 27 per cent while the rain deficit during the month of December was 67 per cent.

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21 Bombs Planted Along Under-Construction Road Recovered In Chhattisgarh

Security forces on Saturday recovered 21 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Maoists along an under-construction road in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said.

The IEDs with pressure mechanisms were planted between Palnar and Saavnar villages where road construction is underway, a police official said.

A joint team of District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters, which are units of the state police, the Central Reserve Police Force's 85th battalion and 222nd battalion, which included bomb disposal squads, the elite CoBRA's 202nd battalion, and district police had launched an operation from their newly-set up Palnar camp to trace landmines, he said.

"During the operation, 21 pressure IEDs planted along the under-construction road at separate places were recovered. A major mishap has been averted. The IEDs weigh between 3 to 5 kilograms and were placed beneath the earth near the trees in a bid to harm patrolling security personnel," he added.

"In another incident in the district, security forces busted a Maoist transit camp in a forest near Pedda Korma village under Gangaloor police station limits following an encounter with Naxalites," an official said.

"We recovered explosives and other materials. The face-off took place at around 8 am when a joint team of DRG, Bastar Fighters, CRPF, and its elite unit CoBRA were out on an operation acting on inputs about the presence of leaders belonging to the Naxalites' Gangaloor area committee," he said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, a cache of explosives, medicines, Maoist literature, uniforms, and items of daily use were recovered from the hideout, the official informed.

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India-Made High-Speed Drone Successfully Flight Tested In Karnataka

The Defence Ministry on Friday said a successful flight trial of an indigenous high-speed flying-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was carried out in Karnataka's Chitradurga that propelled India into an elite club of nations to have the technology to produce such a platform.

The autonomous flying wing technology demonstrator has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

#WATCH | DRDO has successfully demonstrated the flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying wing UAV from the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga in Karnataka. With this flight in the tailless configuration, India has… pic.twitter.com/TpnUb3ApXI

— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2023

"The DRDO has successfully carried out a flight trial of autonomous flying wing technology demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the aeronautical test range in Chitradurga," the ministry said.

The successful flying demonstration of this autonomous stealth UAV is a testimony to maturity in the technology readiness levels in the country, it said.

"With this flight in the tailless configuration, India has joined the elite club of countries to have mastered the controls for the flying wing technology," the Defence Ministry said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented the DRDO, the armed forces and the industry for the successful flight trial of the system. He said the successful development of such critical technologies indigenously will further strengthen the armed forces.

This UAV is designed and developed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment.

The ministry said the maiden flight of this aircraft was demonstrated in July 2022, followed by six flight trials in various developmental configurations using two in-house manufactured prototypes.

"These flight tests led to achievements in the development of robust aerodynamic and control system; integrated real-time and hardware-in-loop simulation, and state-of-the-art ground control stations," it said.

"The team had optimised the avionic systems, integration and flight operations towards the successful seventh flight in the final configuration," the ministry added.

The aircraft prototype, with a complex arrowhead wing platform, is designed and manufactured with lightweight carbon prepreg composite material developed indigenously.

"Also, the composite structure, impregnated with fibre interrogators for health monitoring, is a showcase of 'Aatmanirbharta' in aerospace technology," the ministry said.

"The autonomous landing of this high-speed UAV, without the need for ground radars/infrastructure/pilot, showcased a unique capability demonstration, allowing take-off and landing from any runway with surveyed coordinates," it said.

The ministry said this was possible using onboard sensor data fusion with indigenous satellite-based augmentation using GPS-aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) receivers to improve the accuracy and integrity of GPS navigation. PTI MPB NSD NSD

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Speaker Guardian Of House, Government Will Follow His Directives: Minister

The government on Thursday all but rejected the opposition's demand for a statement from its top functionary on the Parliament security breach issue, saying the speaker is the guardian of the House and it will follow his directives.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government does not have the authority to issue a statement on the issue as it is the speaker who will take a call in the matter.

"The government follows the directives of the speaker. They (opposition) should refrain from politicising this issue. We are dealing with the matter with great sensitivity," Mr Joshi told reporters.

The treasury benches are not making an issue of what happened when opposition parties like the Congress were in power as the speakers of those times took decisions in their wisdom, he said, asking the parties protesting over the breach to cooperate with the government.

Some opposition members held up placards in the House on Thursday, demanding answers from Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue.

Government functionaries have noted that the security of Parliament falls in the speaker's domain and they have no role in it.

Speaker Om Birla had earlier asserted in the Lok Sabha that the security of the Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

On Wednesday, two people jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors' gallery, shouted slogans and released a coloured smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House.

Mr Birla said everyone is concerned about what happened in the House on Wednesday and asserted that the security of the Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

"It is our jurisdiction," he said and told the opposition members that he is ready to discuss the security breach issue with them again.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Over 2,000 Children Adopted By Indians, 224 By Foreigners This Year: Centre

More than 2,000 children have been adopted by Indians in the financial year 2023-24 so far while 224 children have been adopted by foreigners, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani informed the Parliament on Wednesday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Irani said the Women and Child Development Ministry had notified Adoption Regulations, 2022, which have been framed in line with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021), on September 23 last year.

The Adoption Regulations were framed keeping in mind the issues and challenges faced by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and other stakeholders, including the Adoption Agencies and Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs), she said.

According to the data shared by the minister, 3,142 children were adopted by Indians and 417 by foreigners in 2020-21, 2,991 by Indians and 414 by foreigners in 2021-22, and 3,010 by Indians and 431 by foreigners in 2022-23.

In 2023-24, 2,248 children had been adopted by Indians and 224 by foreigners till December 12, the data showed.

CARA has developed CARINGS, an online adoption platform for building bridges and creating links through a robust web-based management system designed to bring transparency in the adoption system and curtail delays at various levels. The CARINGS portal has been further simplified, Ms Irani said.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Hand Them To Hindus': RSS Leader's Big Remark On Disputed Religious Sites

Muslims and people belonging to other religions should voluntarily hand over all disputed religious sites to the Hindu community, senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar said.

In an interview with PTI, he said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was very clear when he said "there is no need to find Shivling in every mosque".

"Bhagwat's statement was aimed at putting an end to mutual conflict so that society can think and reflect while being free from hatred and violence,"  Mr Kumar said.

Indresh Kumar, who is the RSS' national executive member and patron of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, said temples belonging to the followers of 'Sanatan' were demolished by foreign invaders.

"What Mohan Bhagwat said is very clear. There is no need to search, the truth is in front of everyone. Everyone should accept that truth," he said "Muslims and people belonging to other religions should come forward and hand over the disputed religious places of Hindus to the Hindu community," Mr Kumar added.

Indresh Kumar said there is an atmosphere of happiness not only in the country but across the world with the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"Ram temple is for everyone...Ram temple (Ayodhya) is a national temple. Ram is for all and in everyone. India is a nation which accepts and respects all religions. Therefore, it is (right) to call it (Ram Temple) a national temple," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"She Is Not Eating Anything": Father Of Teen Help Tortured In Gurugram

A 13-year-old domestic help, who was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted by her woman employer and her two sons in the Sector 57 area in Gurugram, on Monday demanded that all three should be punished.

Police have not made any arrest in the incident that came to light on Saturday. A senior police officer said the probe is underway and action will be taken as per the law only after verifying the facts.

“I used to sweep the house, clean utensils and take care of their dog. But I didn't even get food on time. At the house, the woman and her two sons used to misbehave with me and beat me with iron rods and hammers. All three should be punished,” the victim, who is undergoing treatment in the Civil Hospital, told PTI.

The girl's father said she is still in shock and not eating or drinking anything.

The victim's parents have alleged that the accused tried to burn her body by pouring acid and that she was also bitten by the dog.

On the basis of a complaint by her mother, an FIR was registered against the woman, Shashi Sharma, and her two sons under relevant sections of IPC and the POCSO Act at women's police station in Sector 51 on Saturday.

The girl's father said that in June this year, she was hired by Shashi Sharma who paid her for only two months.

"After this, the woman stopped giving money and held my daughter hostage in their home where she was tortured. She was also sexually abused by her sons," the father said.

“I tried several times to meet my daughter but they did not allow me to meet her. They also threatened me. It was only the effort of the employers of my wife, who works as a maid, that my daughter was freed from the Sector 57 house,” he added.

Virendra Vij, DCP (crime against women) said that they are verifying all the facts in the matter and action will be taken as per the law.

“We are waiting for the medical report and are also verifying the victim's age. All three accused in the case are being questioned by a police team,” said DCP Vij.

When visiting the accused's fourth floor house in Sector 57, a person opened the door and said the matter is under investigation and claimed that all allegations are baseless. On asking his name, he refused and shut the door.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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3 Killed, 6 Injured After Vehicle Hits Tempo In Rajasthan's Bharatpur: Cops

Three people died and six were injured on Monday when an unidentified vehicle hit a tempo in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district, police said.

Lakhanpur Station House Officer Munshilal said the accident occurred near Hantara village on National Highway 21.

Hetram (38) and Pushpa Devi (35), who were travelling in the tempo, died on the spot, while Kambo Devi (50) succumbed to injuries in a hospital during treatment, he said.

Munshilal said that the injured were hospitalised.

The bodies have been handed over to the families after post-mortem examination, the official said, adding that no case has been registered.

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2 Teens Found Hanging From Tree In Udaipur: Police

A minor boy and a girl who were allegedly in a relationship were found hanging from a tree in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan, police said on Monday.

SHO Dilip Singh said the bodies of the duo, both aged around 16-17 years, were found hanging from a tree in Banjariya village in the Kherwara police station area on Sunday evening.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo were in a relationship, the SHO said, adding that the police suspected their deaths to be a case of suicide.

The bodies were handed over to their relatives after post-mortem on Monday, Mr Singh said.

A case has been registered on the matter and investigation is underway, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tamil Nadu Hospital Under Fire For Handing Over Baby's Body In Box

The mortuary at a government hospital here handed over the body of a baby in a cardboard carton much to the shock of the father, who struggled in vain to save his child during the floods last week.

The incident drew spontaneous criticism from several quarters prompting the hospital authorities to suspend a staff at the mortuary for negligence.

A senior official at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital on Monday said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

"I accepted the corpse given to me in a cardboard box on December 10 and took it to be laid to rest at the mosque with the help of volunteers," Masood Basha of Pulianthope said.

As he opened the box to bury the body he was shocked to see the stillborn child without being wrapped in a white shroud. "I had to obtain a white cloth, wrapped the body, and laid her to rest," Basha said.

A traumatised Basha said, "I couldn't save her... I didn't have the money to even bury the child. I cannot blame anyone except my misfortune." 

Recalling his efforts to save his child, he told media that his wife Sowmya developed preterm labour pains on December 6 at 11 am. He couldn't manage to get an ambulance to rush his wife to a hospital due to inundation and poor mobile connectivity, he said.

By the time he could arrange a vehicle to take her to a hospital, his wife delivered a stillborn baby at home. His initial attempt to seek medical assistance from a private hospital did not yield any result due to power failure.

He managed to take the mother and baby to the Kilpauk Medical College hospital with the help of the police. At the GH, the doctors confirmed that a stillborn girl child was delivered, and later sent the body to the mortuary.

Slamming the ruling DMK for the negligence, BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai said the once sought-after medical infrastructure in the country has today hit rock bottom under the DMK rule.

There were no ambulances to take his wife to the hospital on time and later, the body of his baby were handed over in a carton box by a Government Hospital in Chennai, he said.

"The State Government should realise that brushing this aside by announcing compensation or a namesake suspension is not an answer to the agony faced by people dependent on Government hospitals, and constructive steps to improve medical infra are the need of the hour," Mr Annamalai said in a post on the social media platform X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Driver Of School Van Rapes 7-Year-Old Girl In Jaipur, Arrested

A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man driving her to a private school here, police said on Sunday.

The accused was arrested after the minor's family registered a complaint in the three-month-old incident on Friday, they said.  The accused, Abdul Majid, 55, who operates a school van was arrested on Saturday, SHO Kishan Lal said.

The family have also named the school's owner and the principal in the FIR alleging they did not take action against the driver, police said. The family also alleged that the driver had threatened the girl's brother at knifepoint, Lal said.

The SHO said the incident happened nearly three months ago but there is no clarity over the place where the alleged incident happened. An FIR under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was lodged at the Jhotwara police station on Friday.

The matter is being investigated, the SHO said. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Free Bus Rides For Women, Insurance: Congress Fulfils 2 Telangana Promises

Acting quickly on its poll guarantees in Telangana, the new Congress government in the state has rolled out the free bus service for women. However, it will be a big financial challenge for the new government to fulfill all its pre-election promises given the state's economic health.

College students Sara and her friends are thrilled now that bus rides are free for women in the state.

"This is very thrilling and useful not just for young students and professionals but also for older women," Sara said.

"It will really help young girls from middle-class families to travel without worrying about money whether it is to colleges or to find jobs," said Pooja Yadav, a college student.

Within two days of taking oath as the Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy implemented two of the Congress guarantees - free bus travel for women and increasing the health insurance limit to Rs 10 lakh. The launch coincided with Sonia Gandhi's birthday.

The way Sonia Gandhi fulfilled her guarantee of the formation of Telangana state, the Congress government would strive to make Telangana a state known for people's welfare and development by implementing the six poll 'guarantees' within 100 days, Mr Reddy said.

He called December 9 a day of festival for Telangana as it was on December 9, 2009, that the then UPA government had announced the formation of Telangana.

It was Sonia Gandhi who made Telangana state a reality like a mother as per people's aspirations, he said.

Speaking to NDTV, Telangana's Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said: "We are very happy we could fulfill two promises in two days... As the Transport Minister, I am thrilled that women can now take bus rides for free."

The free rides in government buses will cost the Telangana government up to Rs 6 crore a day and approximately Rs 2,500 crore a year. The government is trying to assess the financial burden of implementing the other pre-poll guarantees.

Senior Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy lashed out at the previous BRS government for leaving "the coffers empty". 

"What we are realising is that the BRS government was lying. They have left the coffers empty. But we are committed to fulfilling our guarantees within 100 days," he said.

The Congress government intends to release a white paper on how the state went from surplus to massive debts between 2014 and 2023.

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Teen Help Stripped, Beaten, Bitten By Dogs, Locked Up At Gurugram Home

A 13-year-old girl working as a domestic help was allegedly beaten up, bitten by a dog, and forced to strip by the family she works for in Gurgaon's Sector 57, the police said on Saturday.

According to the complaint filed by the girl's mother, the woman of the house where the girl worked would often beat her with an iron rod and a hammer, while her two sons made her strip, filmed her nude, and touched her inappropriately, the police said.

The girl, who was held captive in a room with her mouth taped, was freed today when her mother went there with her employer.

The mother in her complaint said that her daughter was given food only once in 48 hours and had her mouth taped so she could not raise an alarm, the police said.

Her employers allegedly poured acid on her hands and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about her ordeal, read the FIR filed at the Sector 51 Women's Police Station.

A native of Bihar, the girl's mother said she had got her daughter a job on June 27 at the home of Shashi Sharma in Sector 57 with the help of a person who cleans vehicles nearby area.

The family wanted the girl to stay with them and offered to pay Rs 9,000 per month, a sum the mother got for only the first two months.

"I went to meet my daughter several times but was neither allowed to meet her nor talk to her on the phone," she said, adding that she could file the complaint only with the help of her employer, who accompanied her to free her daughter.

Following the complaint, Shashi Sharma and her two sons were charged with cruelty to animals, causing hurt, outraging the modesty of women, and criminal intimidation.

The three were also charged under Section 10 of the POCSO Act, and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, the police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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KCR Unanimously Elected Leader Of BRS Legislature Party In Telangana

Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was on Saturday elected as legislature party leader by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs.

The BRS Legislative Party met at Telangana Bhavan and unanimously elected KCR as their leader in the newly-elected assembly.

The meeting, chaired by BRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshava Rao, saw former Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy proposing Chandrashekhar Rao's name and former ministers T Srinivas Yadav and Kadiyam Srihari supporting it.

The meeting unanimously passed a resolution entrusting the responsibility of selecting the rest of the office-bearers on KCR.

KCR has undergone a successful hip surgery. BRS lost the assembly polls earlier this month with the Congress forming its first government in the southern state, which is also India's youngest.

BRS had been in power for the past 10 years.

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Seven Seas Navigator, First Cruise Of The Season, Docks At Mangaluru Port

The majestic "Seven Seas Navigator" gracefully docked at New Mangalore Port on Friday, marking the official commencement of the 2023-24 cruise season. The momentous occasion signifies a resurgence of maritime tourism in the region, much to the delight of local businesses and stakeholders.

The arrival of the "Seven Seas Navigator," carrying a vibrant contingent of passengers and crew, is a testament to the growing popularity of New Mangalore as a compelling cruise destination. The port expects to welcome a total of 10 cruise vessels during the current season, with arrivals continuing until the second week of May 2024. This influx of visitors is anticipated to contribute significantly to the local economy, generating revenue for various sectors, including tourism, hospitality, and transportation.

The Bahamas-flagged ship docked alongside berth no. 04, carrying 500 passengers and 350 crew members to the port at 7:00 am. The vessel's last ports of call were Fujairah, Mumbai, and Mormugao Port. The overall length of the ship is 173 meters, with a carrying capacity of 28,803 gross tons and a draft of 7.5 meters. It is owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Upon disembarking from the ship, the cruise passengers were given a traditional welcome with a "chenda" and "Yakshagana" performance. Tourists enjoyed taking photos of this Karnataka art form. Various arrangements were made to ensure the comfortable and pleasant experience of the cruise passengers, including medical screenings, multiple immigration and customs counters for swift movement, and buses and special taxis for transportation around Mangalore city.

The chairman of New Mangalore Port felicitated the master and the GM of the vessel in the presence of the Deputy Chairman and other senior port officers. In a reciprocal gesture, the master presented the chairman with a memento.

The port further entertained the passengers with a mesmerizing Bharatanatyam performance, delighting them and immersing them in India's rich cultural heritage. For the first time, passengers were welcomed by a dedicated VR (virtual reality) experience zone in the International Cruise Lounge, allowing them to embark on a virtual journey showcasing the modern infrastructure and handling at New Mangalore Port. A selfie stand by the Ministry of Tourism depicting the "Yakshagana" rich culture of Dakshina Kannada was a special attraction for the passengers to take selfies.

The passengers visited different tourist destinations, such as the Gomateshwara statue in Karkala, the 1000 Pillar Temple at Moodabidri, Soans Farm, Achal Cashew Factory, Gokarnanatha Temple, St Alloysius Chapel, and the local market. The ship departed at 6pm for its next destination, the Cochin Port. The passengers were gifted with souvenirs as a token of remembrance of their travels to Mangalore.

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Online Job Fraud, Sextortion: How Cyber Criminals Dupe People

With the national capital witnessing a sharp increase in cybercrime cases over the years, the Delhi Police has identified top five methods adopted by cyber criminals and cautioned people against them.

According to the Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations, or Cyber Crime Unit, of the Delhi Police, these crime methods are "fake TRAI or FedEx courier company callers", "home job or Telegram fraud", "sextortion", "fake family member or friend in distress", and "OTP or link-based cheating".

The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data showed that Delhi registered 685 cybercrime cases in 2022 as against 345 in 2021 and 166 in 2020.

Here are brief details of modus operandi followed by cyber criminals:

1) Fake TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) or FedEx (courier) company callers: Under this modus operandi, a person gets a recorded call from an unknown number and is told by the caller that his or her mobile number will be soon discarded. The caller will then ask the person to click '9', that will be linked to a fake call centre which is set up by the fraudsters in a room.

The potential victim is then told that the mobile number has been detected to have terror links and some money has been deposited into the person's account via hawala operators.

When questioned for authenticity, the caller asks the target to come on a Skype call and informs that he or she will be digitally arrested. Soon after, the target receives a fake notice from security agencies such as the CBI and the Income Tax.

Thereafter, the fraudsters show sympathy towards the target and promise help. If the target seeks their help, they take bank details in the garb of verification and ask the person to put some money into a fake government account number shared by them with the promise of returning the amount in two-three days.

According to police, a similar modus operandi is used by fraudsters posing as courier company agents from FedEx. This kind of cases of cheating is being reported for the past six months, an official said.

In these cases, a fake courier company agent usually tells a potential target that the parcel sent to them contains drugs. The agent then offers help to protect the person from any potential action by a security agency and take money.

2) Home job or Telegram fraud: In this, the potential target will get a message on his or her WhatsApp number with a part-time job offer. The target is told to open an account in Telegram and an organiser then adds the number in a group. The organiser then give some tasks, usually to follow certain social media accounts or like videos on social media platforms.

The potential target is promised thousands of rupees for a day's work. Initially, the person gets the promised money, starting from Rs 150 to Rs 300, for just clicks. Once a person starts working on a daily basis, he or she is asked deposit some money for certain tasks. Though initially a person gets some refund, once the prepaid amount is high, the fraudsters dupe the person. In this method, an official said, other members in the group usually encourage the potential target to invest more by stating that they have already done so. According to the officials, the accounts of other members in the group are actually handled by one person.

3) Sextortion: Under this modus operandi, the potential target gets a random video call on mobile phone. When the person attends the video call, he finds a woman engaging in obscene act. By the time the person disconnects the call, the fraudsters either record the video or take a screenshot of the video chat.

The person then receives a phone call from a person posing as a police officer and is informed that the woman on the call has lodged a complain against him. The person posing as a police officer then sends the screenshot of the video chat to the target and extorts money from him under the garb of settling the matter.

4) Fake family member or friend in distress: In this method, a potential target receives a call from an anonymous number and the caller claims to be an old friend or relative. The fraudsters may even use artificial intelligence (AI) to emulate the voice of someone known to the person. The caller will tell the other person that he is in distress and needs money.

The caller will ask the target to send the money to his account but the sender will find out later that the caller was lying. In this category, the fraudsters dupe women by creating profiles on matrimonial websites and once they gain a woman's trust, they ask her to deposit money on some pretext. The fraudsters stop taking calls after getting the money.

5) OTP or link-based cheating: This the most commonly used modus operandi by cyber criminals for years. Under this, a person usually gets a message of offers and links of prizes on mail. The person is asked to open the link and follow the procedure to get the money. People who are less tech savvy still get trapped in such operations. The fraudsters also send message about a courier and asks the potential target to deposit money in the account number shared by them.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Maoist Carrying Rs 2 Lakh Reward Arrested In Maharashtra: Police

A 32-year-old Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head was arrested in eastern Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Wednesday, a police official said.

Mahendra Kishtayya Veladi, the arrested man, was a resident of Bijapur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, he said.

The Maharashtra government had announced a total reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head, the official said.

Gadchiroli Police had specific intelligence that Velodi was moving suspiciously along the river banks near Damrancha with the intention of providing information about the movement of security forces to the Naxals, he said.

Accordingly, the district police including its C-60 commandos and CRPF personnel launched an operation and Veladi was arrested.

He admitted to keeping a watch on the security forces of Damrancha and Mannerajaram Armed Outposts with the intention of providing information to the maoists for targeting them during routine operations, the official claimed.

He was also involved in an attack on forest officials between Kapewancha and Nainer forests earlier this year, the official added.

Mahendra Veladi was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

He allegedly started working as a supply team member of the maoists in 2009 and also performed the sentry duty whenever maoists leaders visited the Cherpalli forest.

He was involved in an encounter in Sandra area in December 2017 and the murder of an innocent civilian in Sandra village in May 2023, according to police.

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High Court Refuses To Renew Passport Of Man Accused In Murder Case

The Karnataka High Court has upheld the Passport Authority's rejection of a man's application for the renewal of his passport for 10 years as he is facing a trial in a murder case.

The High Court has, however, said that he can approach the related court seeking the issuance of a short-validity passport as per law.

Santhosh Beejadi Srinivasa, 43, from Tumakuru, holds a Schengen area visa (for 27 European countries) but was unable to travel since his passport had just six months' validity left.

His passport will expire on April 10, 2024 and he has sought the renewal of the passport for the next 10 years.

However, his application was declined on account of the pending criminal case.

He then approached the High Court and Justice M Nagaprasanna gave the judgement on December 4 on his petition.

Referring to the criminal case, the court said, "The applicant is under a cloud. If an applicant of the kind in the case at hand, wants to walk over the clouds, the cloud over such applicant must walk away."

The question before the court was, "Whether the pendency of a criminal case would bar the issuance or renewal/re-issuance of a passport to a citizen of this nation?" To answer this question, the court referred to the Passports Act, 1967 and several provisions under it.

The High Court also specifically referred to the Government of India's Ministry of External Affairs notification of August 25, 1993, "GSR 570(E)" which deals with this kind of situation.

"It permits the issuance of a short validity passport, pursuant to the orders that would be passed by the concerned court according to the specified period and if no period is specified, the passport would be issued for a period of one year."

"Therefore, it is for the applicant against whom a criminal case is pending, in any court of law in the country, to approach the concerned court before which the proceeding is pending, and seek permission to travel; "If such permission is granted, it will have to be in tune with the conditions in GSR 570," the court said.

Santhosh Beejadi's mother died under unnatural circumstances and subsequently, he, his wife and his father were arrayed as accused in the case and charged with murder.

The court said that it was a case where he could even be given capital punishment and therefore cannot be given a passport for 10 years.

"Therefore, it is a case where the petitioner is one of the accused in an offence which can even result in capital punishment. The trial is in progress. The petitioner is not absolved of the crime, by any competent court of law even to this date," the HC said.

Santosh Beejadi's counsel had argued that he had been allowed to travel with the permission of the jurisdictional court earlier even while the trial was pending.

The High Couty, however, said, "It is an altogether different circumstance." The court said that the denial of re-issuance of the passport was in consonance with Section 6 of the Passport Act.

Sub-clause (f) of the Section says that "where proceedings in respect of an offence alleged to have been committed by the applicant are pending before a criminal court in India, the passport authority is empowered to deny the issue of travel document," the court said.

Rejecting the contention that other benches of the High Court had earlier ruled that the pendency of criminal cases should not come in the way of re-issuance or renewal of a passport, the court said that it "would be applicable only to the issuance of a fresh passport and not for renewal or re-issuance".

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Delhi's Air Quality 'Very Poor', Minimum Temperature At 14.6 Degrees

The air quality in the national capital was in the lower spectrum of the 'very poor' category on Monday while the minimum temperature settled at 14.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average.

Delhi's air quality was within the lower range of the 'very poor' category on Monday with a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) reading of 310 at 4 pm.

The forecast suggested that the air quality is expected to persist in the 'very poor' category from Tuesday to Thursday and likely remain in this range for the subsequent six days.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good' , 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded a high of 24.7 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average. The humidity levels oscillated between 58 per cent and 98 per cent on Monday.

The weather department has predicted mainly clear sky on Tuesday with moderate fog in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 25 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius respectively.

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INDIA Bloc Members To Meet Today Ahead Of Winter Session Of Parliament

With the Parliament's Winter Session set to begin on Monday, the leaders of various opposition parties of the INDIA bloc would meet in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out their strategy in both Houses.

Sources said that the INDIA alliance partners' parliamentary leaders would meet on Monday morning in Mr Kharge's chamber in the Parliament House.

The opposition leaders have been holding meetings during the Parliament sessions to evolve a joint strategy in both the Houses to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to start on a stormy note as the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra is on the cards on the first day itself.

This is the last full session ahead of next year's general elections and the BJP would like to clear all pending legislations during the Winter Session.

Among the bills pending before the Parliament include the new bills to replace the IPC, Criminal Penal Code and the Evidence Act besides the bill on appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.

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MPs Who Have Won Assembly Polls Need To Quit One Seat In 14 Days

Several of the MPs who contested the assembly polls and won will have to quit one of the seats in the next 14 days, else they stand to lose their Parliament membership, an expert said citing provisions of the Constitution. The BJP fielded 21 MPs, including Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste, in the assembly polls -- seven each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, four in Chhattisgarh and three in Telangana.

While 12 BJP MPs won, nine lost.

Congress had also fielded MPs A Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy, both of whom have won in Telangana.

The MPs who win assembly polls will have to quit one of their seats in the next 14 days.

"If they don't, on expiry of 14 days, they will lose their membership of Parliament. However, they can continue as a member of the state legislative assembly," Constitution expert and former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achari said, citing the Prevention of Simultaneous Membership Rule issued by the president in 1950 under Article 101 of the Constitution.

According to available results and trends, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel and Renuka Singh have won elections along with BJP MPs Baba Balaknath, Diya Kumari, Kirori Lal Meena (Rajya Sabha member) and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. RLP's lone Lok Sabha member Hanuman Beniwal also won the polls in Rajasthan.

Another Union minister, Faggan Singh Kulaste, has lost the assembly polls.

BJP MPs Ganesh Singh and Bhagirath Choudhary were among those who lost.

While counting took place in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana on Sunday, it will take place in Mizoram on Monday.

The BJP won in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and the Congress in Telangana. 

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Delivery Man In Noida Injured After Flower Pot Falls On Him From Building

A delivery executive of a private company was hospitalised with injuries after a flower pot fell on him from a high-rise apartment in Greater Noida on Sunday, police said. The incident took place in the afternoon at Gaur Atulyam society under Dadri police station limits, they said.

However, it was not immediately known from what height and due to what reasons the pot fell from the apartment.

The 32-year-old victim has been identified as Dharmveer Singh, a native of Firozabad district, a police spokesperson said.

"Singh had gone to the society for a delivery when suddenly a pot fell on his head, leaving him injured. The society's security personnel then rushed him to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment and is in stable condition," the spokesperson said.

The family of the delivery executive has been contacted, and they have reached the hospital, the police said.

Further legal proceedings in the case would be carried out once a written complaint is received, the police added.

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Ravi Gupta Appointed As New Director General Of Telangana Police

Senior IPS officer Ravi Gupta was on Sunday given the full additional charge of Director General of Police of Telangana following the suspension of incumbent Anjani Kumar by the Election Commission for violation of the model code of conduct.

Ravi Gupta is currently the Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

"Ravi Gupta is placed in a full additional charge to the post of DGP, Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Telangana, with immediate effect, until further orders", Telangana Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari said in a Government Order.

The Election Commission on Sunday ordered the suspension of Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar for violation of the MCC as the counting of votes was underway in the state, sources said.

They said the DGP, along with state police nodal officer Sanjay Jain and nodal officer (expenditure) Mahesh Bhagwat, met Anumula Revanth Reddy, the state Congress president and a candidate, with a bouquet at his residence in Hyderabad amid the counting of votes. 

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Jharkhand Woman Branded 'Witch', Killed By Family: Cops

A 48-year-old woman was beaten to death allegedly by her family in Jharkhand's Palamu district, suspecting that she was practicing witchcraft, police said on Saturday.

The woman's brother-in-law and his two sons were arrested in connection with the incident that happened at Basriakala village in Chainpur police station area on Friday night, they said.

The woman, a widow, was allegedly killed by her brother-in-law with a stick, Superintendent of Police Reeshma Ramesan said.

"He then threw the body in the village well with the help of his two sons," she said.

The stick used in the murder was recovered with blood on it, she said.

The body was sent to the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) for post-mortem examination, she added.

"A special investigation is being carried out in the case," Ms Ramesan said.

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India's Energy Needs To Double By End Of Decade, Says Mukesh Ambani

India, the world's third-largest energy consumer, will see its energy needs doubling by the end of this decade as it witnesses an unprecedented explosion of economic growth, the nation's richest man Mukesh Ambani said on Saturday.

Speaking at the convocation of Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU), Mukesh Ambani, who heads the nation's most valuable company Reliance Industries Ltd, said the Indian economy will become a USD 40 trillion economy by 2047 from the current USD 3.5 trillion.

"And to fuel this growth, the country will need enormous amounts of energy - clean, green energy that won't choke mother nature for the sake of human progress," he said. "In fact, India's energy requirement is set to double just by the end of this decade."

Mukesh Ambani is pivoting its largest fossil-fuel-dominated conglomerate to clean energy, investing billions of dollars in building giga factories to produce new energy ecosystems as well as generate renewable energy, and produce green hydrogen.

Addressing the convocation, he said in the next 25 years, India will witness an unprecedented explosion of economic growth, and it is a crucible to turn the vision of a clean, green, and sustainable tomorrow into reality.

"As India races to build a robust energy infrastructure to meet its energy goals, it faces three crucial questions: One: How can it ensure that every citizen and every economic activity in India has access to adequate, most affordable energy? Two: How can it rapidly transition from fossil fuel-based energy to Clean and Green Energy? Three: How can it de-risk the expanding needs of its fast-growing economy from a volatile external environment? I call these three questions the Energy Trilemma," he said.

Energy transition, he said, has become the most critical factor in ensuring India's transformation into a global leader in green, sustainable and inclusive development.

Expressing confidence in India developing smart and sustainable solutions to address this trilemma, he said this would be possible because extremely talented young minds have vowed to fight the climate crisis.

"They will design breakthrough energy solutions to build not just a strong and Atmanirbhar India, but also a safer and healthier planet," he said.

To students, he asked them to be fearless, never losing confidence in their own abilities and skills.

"Courage is the ship that can safely sail you across the stormiest seas. You will commit mistakes. But let that not worry or deter you. The one who succeeds in life is the one who corrects his mistakes and continues on his mission boldly," he said.

Also, they should dream big but be disciplined. "Your dreams should be big and ambitious. For they act as the propeller accelerating your life's journey. Set audacious goals for yourself and pursue them with commitment and passion. Take risks. But do not be reckless," Mr Ambani added.

But dreams come true only if you are hardworking and disciplined, he said, adding that the distance between dreams and reality is called discipline.

Also, students need to be curious and hungry for new knowledge. "Stepping out of the portals of this university does not mark the end of knowledge-seeking. Rather, it is only a new beginning. If you want to succeed in your chosen profession, you must remain a lifelong learner. Therefore, embrace curiosity, stay hungry for knowledge, and be open to new ideas. Remember, in the journey of self-improvement, the pursuit of knowledge is an endless adventure," he said.

Asking students to be empathetic, he said cultivating the power of the intellect is good but cultivating the power of empathy is equally important for both success and happiness in life. "Be caring, compassionate and generous at heart." Above all, they should be patriotic. "I am what I am in life because of India, because of Bharat. Wherever your life takes you, contribute your utmost to the greatness and glory of India. And know that you are truly blessed to be young in today's India... an India that is today marching ahead so confidently that the 21st Century is indeed going to be India's Century," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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ET Legal Awards: Karanjawala & Co Bags Law Firm Of The Year, 2 Other Awards

Karanjawala & Co. has been honoured with three awards at the Economic Times Legal Awards, 2023.

The ET Legal Awards for Law Firm of the Year Award, Award for Excellence in Litigation (Other Than Arbitration) Law Firm, and Award for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Law Firm went to Karanjawala & Co.

The advisory board for the ET Legal awards comprised Dr Lalit Bhasin, president of Society of Indian Law Firms; Sidharth Luthra, senior advocate, Supreme Court, and Rajeev Chopra, managing director, Legal Accenture.

The grand jury for these awards comprised former Chief Justice of India Justice UU Lalit, former Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra, Justice BN Srikrishna, retired judge, Supreme Court; Justice Deepak Verma, retired Judge, Supreme Court, and Justice Pratibha M Singh, judge of Delhi High Court, and Zia Mody, managing partner, AZB & Partners.

The jury members consisted of Justice AK Sikri, retired judge of Supreme Court; Justice AK Goel, retired judge of Supreme Court; Justice MR Shah, retired judge of Supreme Court; Justice Talwant Singh, retired judge of Delhi High Court; Indira Jaisingh, senior advocate; Amit Desai, senior advocate; Dr Maneka Guruswamy, senior advocate, and Dr Raghavender G, retired bureaucrat and IP law consultant.

Karanjawala & Company on its website says it is an exclusive full-service dispute resolution firm that handles litigation and arbitration on behalf of its clients. Founded by Manik Karanjawala and Raian Karanjawala in 1983, it operates out of three offices in Delhi.

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Depression In Bay Of Bengal To Become Cyclonic Storm By Tomorrow

The depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal will intensify into a cyclonic storm on December 3 resulting in heavy to very heavy rains in the northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and interior parts, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.

The city and its neighbourhoods in the adjoining districts saw sharp spells of rain late on Saturday.

Chief Minister M K Stalin said that following a forecast of heavy rains for the next two days, ministers, MPs, MLAs and local body members among others should help the people in the respective localities with their essential needs.

Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena reviewed the precautionary measures to be taken, with senior officials here.

South Central Railway announced the cancellation of 118 long-distance trains from December 3 to 7 due to cyclone Michaung.

Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards, almost parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast, and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of Tuesday, the IMD said in a bulletin.

The cyclonic activity would lead the winds to blow at a speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph.

According to S Balachandran, deputy director general of the Regional Meteorological Centre, here, heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur over Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts in Tamil Nadu.

Squally wind prevailing over the southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to become gales reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from December 2 night to December 4. Thereafter, it would gradually decrease.

From October 1 till date, the region recorded 34 cm rainfall against the normal 36 cm during the north east Monsoon period, so far, Balachandran said. Chennai recorded 62 cm against the normal rainfall of 67 cm during this period.

Cancelled trains include about 40 between Chennai and other destinations and those passing through the metro, a release said on Saturday.

Officials at the Chennai International Airport also reviewed the preparedness vis-a-vis Cyclone Michaung.

A meeting was chaired by Airport Director C V Deepak with concerned departments on Saturday to evaluate the preparedness for handling the situation, an official release said.

A number of measures have been initiated as a precautionary measure in view of the weather forecast. This includes the setting up of a core team consisting of members from various departments for close monitoring of the situation and to take necessary action as would be the requirement.

The updates regarding the system were being obtained regularly from IMD and shared with all stakeholders for better preparation, while the water level in Adyar river was also being monitored.

Airports Authority of India engineering departments have been instructed to carry out regular checks and actions as per standard operating procedures in place like clearing of drains, gratings, stocking/arranging sufficient men and materials for meeting the contingency, among others, it said.

"A Special Task Force of senior AAI officials is inspecting the airfield and terminal building regularly to ensure smooth operations in adverse conditions. The meeting followed up with operational area inspection. Airport Director advised all stake holders to be alert due wet runway conditions and changing visibility parameters," it added.

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Mumbai Civic Body Plans Cloud Seeding To Curb Air Pollution, Invites Bids

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday invited Global Expression of Interest (GEOI) for initiating a cloud seeding program for artificial rain to combat air pollution in Mumbai.

The deputy chief engineer (civil) of the BMC's environment department invited GEOI for running a cloud seeding program.

Reputed firms which have experience of undertaking cloud seeding in the last three years can submit their bids before December 14, the BMC said in a newspaper advertisement.

Cloud seeding is a technique aimed at enhancing the probability of rain.

A civic official told PTI that the selected firm will be appointed for three years. It will undertake cloud seeding whenever air pollution spikes in the city and the situation is favourable for such an attempt.

After receiving expressions of interest, the BMC will call for financial offers from the interested firms.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had recently directed the civic body to give the artificial rain technique a shot as a way of mitigating air pollution in the country's financial capital. The air quality in the city deteriorated sharply in the last two months.

Eknath Shinde had then said that the civic body had already approached a Dubai-based company.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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