Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka arrived in India on Sunday for a three-day visit, marking his first foreign trip since assuming office in September, news agency PTI reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with the Sri Lankan leader on Monday, with discussions expected to focus on trade, investment, energy, and maritime security. The Indian side is also likely to emphasise New Delhi's expectations that Colombo fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, PTI reported. Disanayaka was received at Delhi airport by Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan. In a post on X, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit would be an opportunity to further deepen India-Sri Lanka ties and add momentum to the people-centric partnership. "Warm and special welcome!" Jaiswal said, sharing photos of the Union Minister receiving Disanayaka. According to PTI, the Sri Lankan leader is also scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu during his visit. In addition, he will attend a business event in Delhi to promote investment and commercial linkages between India and Sri Lanka. He is also expected to visit Bodh Gaya. Sri Lanka is India's closest maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and holds a central place in Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)' and India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Friday. "The visit of President Disanayaka to India is expected to further strengthen the multi-faceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries," the MEA added. According to PTI, issues relating to maritime security cooperation are likely to feature prominently during Disanayaka's visit, sources familiar with the discussions said. India has been expanding its defence and strategic ties with Sri Lanka, amid concerns over China's growing military presence in the Indian Ocean. The docking of the Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship Yuan Wang at Hambantota port in August 2022 had sparked a diplomatic row between India and Sri Lanka. Another Chinese warship docked at Colombo port in August last year. India has been supporting various capacity-building initiatives for Sri Lankan defence forces, including providing indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessels. (With PTI inputs)
15 December,2024 10:12 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that portfolios will be allocated to the new ministers within the next two to three days. Addressing a press conference following the swearing-in of 39 legislators from the Mahayuti alliance, Fadnavis stated that the coalition partners had agreed to conduct a "performance audit" of the ministers during their tenure. According to news agency PTI, while Fadnavis did not provide a specific timeline, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said that ministers from his Shiv Sena would be given two-and-a-half years to prove themselves, and those who perform will progress. Meanwhile, Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar added that "non-performers" could be replaced in two-and-a-half months also. According to PTI, Fadnavis further stated that his Mahayuti government is focused on developing Maharashtra. "We have decided on the portfolio allocation, and it will be announced in two to three days. Our administration will focus on swift development," he said. The CM also responded to the criticism made by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which labelled the Mahayuti government as a "government of EVM (electronic voting machines)". "Our government came to power because every vote has gone for Maharashtra. My government works by the Constitution and respecting the dignity of the Constitution is our priority," CM Fadnavis said. Parbhani violence orchestrated: Fadnavis Additionally, he also announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be set up to investigate the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Massajog Village in Beed district. "The case has been given to the CID (crime investigation department), and an SIT will be formed to investigate. The culprits will be punished," CM said. According to PTI, he also condemned the recent violence in Parbhani, stating that it was orchestrated and that the stone replica of the Constitution had been desecrated by a mentally unstable individual, who has been arrested. "I have directed the police to take action against those protesters involved in stone pelting in Parbhani," he added. Fadnavis reiterated that he, along with Shinde and Pawar, had made it clear to the new ministers that they would be subjected to a performance audit. "A performance audit of ministers will be done, and all three of us have agreed to this," he said. CM also mentioned that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who were not included in the cabinet may be given organisational roles. Earlier in the day, MVA had targeted the Maharashtra Government over the plight of farmers, rising prices, unemployment, and the murder of the sarpanch. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, criticised the government for holding a "drama" session, with the winter session being reduced to just six days. "Earlier, the Nagpur session used to last anywhere between three weeks and a month," said the Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader. Fadnavis responded by stating that the Mahayuti Government was ready to address all issues raised by the opposition, but only if they raised them on the floor of the legislature instead of speaking to the media. (With PTI inputs)
15 December,2024 09:53 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentIn a historic move, 39 ministers were sworn in at Raj Bhavan on Sunday, marking it the first such event in Maharashtra’s second capital in 33 years, news agency PTI reported. The last cabinet expansion held in Nagpur took place in 1991 under the leadership of then Chief Minister Sudhakarrao Naik, when he expanded his council of ministers by inducting Shiv Sena rebels Chhagan Bhujbal and Rajendra Gole, who had shifted allegiance to the Congress. The ministers were then administered the oath of office by Governor C Subramanium, in a ceremony where Congress' Beed legislator Jaidutt Kshirsagar was also inducted. Bhujbal, a prominent name in Maharashtra politics, was notably dropped in the Devendra Fadnavis government when the new cabinet was formed on Sunday. Naik served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from June 1991 to February 1993, and later, under the leadership of Madhukarrao Chaudhary, the group of 12 Shiv Sena rebels, including Bhujbal and Gole, were merged with the Congress. However, both Bhujbal and Gole were defeated in the 1995 assembly elections from Mazgaon (Mumbai) and Buldhana, respectively. Meanwhile, the expansion of the new cabinet of Devendra Fadnavis comes 10 days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance government was formed. With the swearing-in of 39 new ministers, the total strength of the government now stands at 42, after including CM Fadnavis and his deputies Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar. BJP took the lion’s share of the cabinet positions with 19 ministerial berths, followed by 11 for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and nine for NCP. Of the 39 ministers sworn in, 33 have been appointed as cabinet ministers, while six will serve as ministers of state. The swearing-in ceremony took place on the eve of the state legislature's winter session, which is scheduled to be held in Nagpur from Monday. Chief Minister Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar were present at the event. Meanwhile, hours before the cabinet expansion, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) announced its intention to boycott the customary tea party held on the eve of the legislature's winter session. MVA leaders, comprising the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congress, convened a press conference at Ravi Bhavan in Nagpur, where they targeted the BJP-led government over a range of issues, including the plight of farmers, rising prices, unemployment, and the recent murder of a sarpanch. (With PTI inputs)
15 December,2024 09:13 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA total of 39 legislators from the Mahayuti allies were sworn in on Sunday as part of the first cabinet expansion of the 10-day-old Devendra Fadnavis-led government, with 16 new faces, while 10 former ministers were excluded. According to news agency PTI, just hours before the cabinet expansion ceremony, Deputy Chief Minister (CM) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar stated that some of the newly sworn-in ministers would serve a tenure of two-and-a-half years, highlighting the challenges in accommodating the aspirations of all hopefuls. Of the 39 inductees, 33 were sworn in as cabinet ministers, and six took the oath as ministers of state. The new council of ministers reflects CM Fadnavis' efforts to balance caste representation, including Marathas, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs), as well as regional representation across Maharashtra. With the inclusion of these new ministers, the strength of the Fadnavis-led cabinet has risen to 42, including the CM and his deputies, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and Pawar. One cabinet position remains vacant, PTI reported. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the largest alliance partner with 132 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, secured 19 ministerial positions: 16 cabinet berths and three ministers of state. The Shiv Sena received 11 berths, while NCP was allotted nine. Pankaja Munde, Aditi Tatkare among four women ministers Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the new ministers at a ceremony held on the eve of the state legislature’s winter session in Nagpur. The allocation of portfolios is awaited. The cabinet expansion saw the re-entry of key leaders who had served in Fadnavis' first term from 2014 to 2019, including BJP leaders Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Jaykumar Raval, Pankaja Munde, and Ashok Uike. The four women ministers who were sworn in on Sunday included Munde, Madhuri Misal, and Meghna Bordikar from BJP, and Aditi Tatkare from NCP. Munde and Tatkare took the oath as cabinet ministers, while Bordikar and Misal were sworn in as ministers of state. Prominent leaders who have been excluded from the new cabinet include Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of NCP, as well as Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of BJP. From the Shiv Sena, former ministers Tanaji Sawant, Deepak Kesarkar, and Abdul Sattar were not re-inducted. Anil Patil, Sanjay Bandsode, and Dharmarao Baba Atram of NCP also missed out on the opportunity. The swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur marked a historic moment, as it was the first such event in the city in 33 years. The last cabinet expansion held in Nagpur took place in 1991 under CM Sudhakarrao Naik, who inducted Shiv Sena rebels Chhagan Bhujbal and Rajendra Gole into his government. The event was attended by then Governor C Subramanium. Nine from western Maharashtra, seven from Vidarbha take oath In terms of regional representation, a majority (nine) of the new ministers come from western Maharashtra. They are Madhuri Misal, Makrand Patil, Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Hasan Mushrif, Chandrakant Patil, Shambhuraj Desai, Prakash Abitkar, Jaykumar Gore, and Datta Bharne. North Maharashtra follows closely with eight ministers, including prominent leaders such as Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and Sanjay Savkare. The Vidarbha region is represented by seven ministers, including Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Sanjay Rathod, Akash Fundkar, Ashok Uike, Indranil Naik, Ashish Jaiswal, and Pankaj Bhoyar while six represent the Marathwada region, including Pankaja Munde (BJP), her cousin Dhananjay (NCP), Atul Save, Sanjay Shirsat, Meghana Bordikar, and Babasaheb Patil. From the Mumbai/Thane region, prominent leaders such as Ganesh Naik, Ashish Shelar, Pratap Sarnaik, and Mangal Prabhat Lodha have been inducted into the cabinet. The coastal Konkan region is represented by five ministers, including Nitesh Rane, Uday Samant, Yogesh Kadam, Bharat Gogawale, and Tatkare. Among the first-time inductees are Kadam, Bordikar, Misal, Bhoyar, Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Manikrao Kokate, Jaykumar Gore, Narhari Zirwal, Sarnaik, Bharat Gogawale, Makrand Patil, Rane, Fundkar, Babasaheb Patil, Prakash Abitkar, and Sanjay Savkare. The induction of Babasaheb Patil, from NCP, marks a significant development, as it ensures representation for the Ahmadpur constituency in Latur district after 20 years. Patil, who won the seat in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, has become a cabinet minister for the first time. In 2009, Patil was elected for the first time from Ahmadpur on the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha ticket. In 2014, he unsuccessfully contested the election on the ticket of the undivided NCP. He won the 2019 elections. (With PTI inputs)
15 December,2024 09:11 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA 35-year-old woman and her partner have been arrested for allegedly killing her husband and disposing of his body in a drain in Rajasthan, police said on Sunday. According to news agency PTI, the body of a man with his head crushed was discovered by cops in a drain under the jurisdiction of Anta Police Station on Friday. The victim was identified as Dharmraj Bairwa, a 40-year-old labourer from Baran City near Kota. The police registered a murder case and questioned Bairwa's wife Guddibai, as she was the primary suspect in the case. According to Baran Superintendent of Police Rajkumar Choudhary, Bairwa's 12-year-old daughter told the police that on the day of his disappearance, her father had received a call and was asked to meet someone at Trimurthi Circle, PTI reported. Upon reviewing CCTV footage from the area, the police found the victim riding pillion with another man, later identified as Satyanarayan Bairwa, 47, a resident of the Simliya area. The police interrogated Satyanarayan, who allegedly confessed to killing Bairwa. Satyanarayan revealed that he had been in love with Guddibai, his sister-in-law, even before her marriage. He claimed Bairwa was an alcoholic and frequently assaulted Guddibai after consuming liquor, leading the couple to conspire to kill him, Choudhary said. Two arrested in Gurugram for killing friend to avenge assault Two people have been arrested for allegedly murdering their 20-year-old friend in retaliation for an earlier assault, the police said on Sunday. The victim, Yash Babu, left his home on Tuesday afternoon to meet a friend but did not return. His body was found the next morning in a bush in the Kadipur industrial area, following which a case was registered at Sector 10A Police Station, PTI reported. Following their investigation, the police arrested two accused: 20-year-old Lucky, a resident of Siwan district in Bihar, and 21-year-old Dhruv, a resident of Islampur village in Gurugram, on Saturday night. During questioning, the two claimed that Babu and his friends had previously assaulted Lucky. To avenge the assault, the duo invited Babu to a party, got him drunk, and then killed him with a sharp weapon and a brick, the police said. Both the accused were produced in a court, which sent Dhruv to police custody for five days and Lucky for two days, a spokesperson for Gurugram Police said. (With PTI inputs)
15 December,2024 08:41 PM IST | Kota | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday assured party workers that the ruling Mahayuti coalition would offer opportunities to legislators who were not included in the cabinet expansion, during this government's tenure, reported news agency PTI "We will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years," the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief said, while addressing a gathering of his party workers in Nagpur before the cabinet expansion. According to ANI, Pawar emphasised that every member of the coalition deserves a chance to serve as a minister, despite the limited number of ministerial positions available. On Sunday, the 10-day-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti ministry alliance in Maharashtra expanded its cabinet, swearing in 39 ministers, which brings the total number to 42. The distribution of the ministerial berths reflects the coalition's structure: BJP received 19 positions, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena got 11, while Pawar's NCP secured nine. Notable legislators who were left out from the cabinet include Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil from NCP, as well as Sudhir Mungantiwar from BJP. Among the 39 ministers, 33 were appointed as cabinet ministers, while six took oaths as the ministers of state. The Maharashtra council of ministers can accommodate a maximum of 43 members, including the chief minister. In the November 20 assembly polls, the Mahayuti swept to power, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the state. BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41. "Everyone feels like getting an opportunity to become minister. However, the ministerial berths remain limited while everyone deserves a chance," Pawar said. Reflecting on previous tenures, Pawar noted that some legislators had the chance to serve as ministers for one-and-a-half years during the previous Mahayuti government. "We have decided that during the five-year tenure of this government, we will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years, which means many will get a chance to become (cabinet) ministers and state ministers. Accordingly, many districts and regions will get representation," Pawar added. The week-long winter session of the state legislature is set to commence in Nagpur, Maharashtra's second capital, on Monday. (With inputs from PTI)
15 December,2024 08:18 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe 'Ram Temple project' at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya has been awarded the prestigious 'Sword of Honour' by the British Safety Council, the Chairman of the Construction Committee, Nripendra Misra, announced on Sunday, according to news agency ANI. Misra stated that the award is one of the highest recognitions in safety management. The British Safety Council evaluates safety processes, practices, and on-site activities during audits, and only those receiving a five-star assessment are eligible for the 'Sword of Honour' award. "Shri Ram Mandir project in Ayodhya Dham has won the prestigious 'Sword of Honour' award given by British Safety Council. It is one of the prestigious accolades in safety management. The British Safety Council conducts the audit of the process, practices, and finally on-site activity assessments," a statement issued by Misra read. According to ANI, Larsen and Toubro, the company responsible for the temple's construction, also received a 'Golden Trophy' from the National Safety Council in the United States for its safety measures during the project. The temple's construction is being carried out under the close coordination of Larsen and Toubro and Tata Consulting Engineers, with supervision by the Construction Committee of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The statement also mentioned that the construction of the first and second floors, including the Shikhar (spire) of the temple, is in its final phase, with completion expected by June 2025, ANI reported. The temple is being built using Bansi Paharpur stone from Rajasthan, with approximately 15 lakh cubic feet of stone, along with significant marble cladding. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the rituals during the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple of Ram Lalla. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir is being constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its length (east-west) is 380 feet, width 250 feet, and height 161 feet. It is supported by 392 pillars and 44 doors, with intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods, and goddesses on the pillars and walls. In the main sanctum sanctorum on the ground floor, the childhood form of Lord Ram (the idol of Shri Ramlalla) has been placed. The main entrance of Shri Ram Mandir is situated on the eastern side, which can be accessed by ascending 32 stairs through the Singh Dwar. The Shri Ram Mandir complex has five Mandaps (halls): Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prathana Mandap, and Kirtan Mandap. A historic well (Sita koop), dating back to ancient times, is located near Shri Ram Mandir. In the southwestern part of the Mandir complex, an ancient temple of Lord Shiva has been restored, and a statue of Jatayu has been installed. The foundation of the temple has been constructed with a 14-metre-thick layer of roller-compacted concrete (RCC), giving it the appearance of artificial rock. No iron has been used in the temple's construction. To protect against ground moisture, a 21-foot-high plinth has been built using granite. The temple complex includes a sewage treatment plant, a water treatment plant, a water supply for fire safety, and an independent power station. The temple has been built using traditional and indigenous technology. (With ANI inputs)
15 December,2024 07:40 PM IST | Ayodhya | mid-day online correspondentRajasthan Minister Jogaram Patel on Sunday commended Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's Parliament speech and called it "historic", reported news agency ANI. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech was historic. It will be remembered forever. INC and its members and their leader have time and again mocked the Constitution. The kind of language used by their leader is unconstitutional," Patel told ANI. On Saturday, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress during his reply to the two-day Constitution debate in Parliament and accused it of constantly disrespecting the Constitution and presented 11 pledges for India's bright future, noting that the government and people should follow their duties and the country's politics should be free of "parivarvad", stated ANI. PM Modi made repeated reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family and accused every generation of its leaders of disrespecting the Constitution, while responding to a two-day discussion in Lok Sabha on 75 years of the Constitution. Patel also said that ‘One Nation, One Election’ is the need of the hour and important for Indian democracy. "This is the need of the hour. This is very important for Indian democracy. Frequent elections create animosity, law and order problems also arise. If elections are held once, the government will get a chance to work fully for 5 years, so we believe that this is very important... Under the leadership of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, we are also moving towards one state-one election," Patel said. On Thursday, the 'One Nation One Election' bill was approved by the Union Cabinet paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the ruling and opposition parties, stated ANI. The INDIA alliance parties view the 'One Nation, One Election' policy as undermining the federal structure of governance in India. In contrast, parties within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have welcomed the bill. They argue that unifying elections will streamline the electoral process, save time, and facilitate a more unified approach to governance. Notably, in September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, which aims to unify elections at multiple levels in India, including Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days. The recommendations were outlined in a report by a high-level panel chaired by former President Kovind, stated ANI. (With inputs from ANI)
15 December,2024 05:05 PM IST | Jaipur (Rajasthan) | mid-day online correspondentThe Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has completed three years and witnessed a significant surge in devotees, with more than 19.13 crore visitors since 2021, according to data released on Friday. Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, told ANI, "Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust is using the offerings received in the temple to strengthen Sanatan Dharma. Along with this, food, clothes and books are provided to all the boys and girls engaged in Sanskrit education. Similarly, food is provided in hospitals and many other places." Devotees shared their experiences of visiting Kashi Vishwanath Dham, saying that while the temple is becoming crowded, they face no issues in performing their worship. One devotee remarked, "It feels very good to come to the temple and we get a lot of happiness and peace after seeing Mahadev. Everything inside the temple is arranged in an organized manner. We want to come here again and again." The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, has become a major centre of faith not only for Sanatanis across India but also for people around the world. The grand form of the ancient Lord Kashi Vishwanath Temple was inaugurated as Kashi Vishwanath Dham on December 13, 2021. Since then, the number of devotees has been steadily increasing. The offerings received by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust are specifically used to promote Sanatan Dharma, support hospitals, and provide food, clothing, and books to all boys and girls engaged in Sanskrit education, ANI reported. On December 13, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, a project aimed at enhancing the religious and cultural experience of devotees visiting the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Temple Trust also assists in organising other Sanatan events in the area. It is continually working to preserve cultural activities and strengthen art and culture, conducting creative experiments in this regard, ANI reported. "All of these topics will be promoted further as we enter our fourth year. Our fourth year is unique to us since our faith has four Vedas. Along with this, we will continue to work for the expansion of Sanatan Dharma," Mishra added. (With ANI inputs)
15 December,2024 04:59 PM IST | Kashi | mid-day online correspondentThe father of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash, who died by suicide earlier this week, pleaded for the custody of his grandson on Sunday and said that the family will immerse the 34-year-old's ashes only after his son gets justice. According to news agency ANI, Pawan Kumar also expressed his gratitude towards the police for arresting the accused in the case and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and others to ensure the custody of his grandson. Kumar further asserted that he still has not received justice as a new case has been filed against him, demanding maintenance for his grandson, ANI reported. "We don't know where she [technie's wife] has kept our grandson. Has he been killed or is he alive? We don't know anything about him. I want my grandson to be with us...I thank the police for arresting the accused... [But] I still haven't got justice as a case has been filed against me in the name of my grandson for maintenance. We appeal to PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders to ensure that my grandson comes to me...For a grandfather, his grandson means more than his son...The whole society, people are standing in my support..." Kumar told ANI. Meanwhile, Bikas Kumar Modi, the techie's brother, stated that two more arrests in the case were yet to be done. Modi also echoed his father's concerns regarding the late techie's son. "Our biggest concern right now is that we don't know where my nephew is. We couldn't find him in the photograph circulated by the police. We want to know where he is. I thank the Karnataka Police for arresting these three... Two other arrests are pending. I hope they will also be arrested soon..." Bikas Kumar Modi told ANI. Three people have been arrested in connection with the death case of Atul Subhash, who committed suicide by hanging alleging harassment by his wife, Nikita Singhania, Karnataka police said, adding that she has been arrested from Haryana's Gurugram, ANI stated. The other two accused, identified as Nisha Singhania, mother of Nikita Singhania and her brother, Anurag Singhania, were arrested from Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad, police officials said. All the three accused were sent to judicial custody as per the order of the court, police said. "Accused A1 Nikita Singhania has been arrested from Gurugram, Haryana. Accused A2 Nisha Singhania and Accused A3 Anurag Singhania were arrested from Allahabad and were produced before the court and given to judicial custody," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) White Field Division, Bengaluru, Shivakumar said. Pawar Kumar called for strict punishment for those who “harassed” his son, saying that his ashes will not be immersed till justice is served, as per PTI. “All those who harassed my son should be punished so that he gets justice, and his soul rests in peace. I will not immerse the ashes of my son till we get justice,” Kumar said while also thanking the Karnataka police on Sunday. Atul Subhash, 34, was found hanging in his house at Bengaluru's Munnekolalu on Monday. He left behind lengthy videos and notes, blaming his wife and in-laws for driving him to suicide through "false" cases and "persistent torture", stated PTI. (With inputs from ANI, PTI)
15 December,2024 04:04 PM IST | Samastipur (Bihar) | mid-day online correspondentAmid the ongoing tensions in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, the district administration on Sunday launched an anti-encroachment drive to clear public spaces of illegal structures, reported news agency ANI. The anti-encroachment drive aims to address encroachments in public areas, stated Sambhal SDM Vandana Mishra. The drive has been actively implemented in Chandauli for the past two months, the SDM added. "Anti-encroachment drive is being run against encroachment on public places. This drive has also been run in Chandauli for the last two months... A drive is being run against electricity theft also in Sambhal..," she said. Earlier on Saturday morning, an anti-encroachment drive was carried out in the Shahi Jama Masjid area, stated ANI. DM Rajender Pensiya told ANI, "In the morning, we came to check whether loudspeakers are causing unnecessary noise (pollution). It was seen that electricity theft is happening here in large numbers. Electricity theft is happening in about 15 to 20 houses and religious places. When we reached a mosque, we found 59 fans, a fridge, a washing machine and about 25 to 30 light points and the meter was found switched off. An intensive checking campaign is going on." Meanwhile, Lord Shiva and Hanuman temple in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal which had been closed since 1978 was reopened on Sunday. The temple premises were cleaned and arrangements for electricity were made. Moreover, CCTV cameras have also been installed for security reasons, stated ANI. Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, a patron of Nagar Hindu Sabha, had claimed that the temple has been reopened after 1978. Rastogi said that the temple was closed because no priest was ready to live there, ANI stated. The temple was found while inspecting information about electricity theft in the area earlier on Saturday. "We had received information that a temple in the area was being encroached upon. When we inspected the spot, we found a temple there," Sambhal Circle Officer (SO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary told ANI. SDM Mishra added, "We have written to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)... Police will be deployed near the temple." Police personnel were deployed outside the Lord Shiva and Hanuman temple which reopened after 1978 and a prayer ceremony (aarti) was performed on Sunday morning. (With inputs from ANI)
15 December,2024 02:33 PM IST | Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
