Breaking News, May 18 | LIVE UPDATES

The proposed Metro extension connecting Palam Vihar in Gurugram and Delhi’s Dwarka Sector 21 may get delayed further as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday asked the authorities to study the possibility of an underground link for the about eight-km-long route.

A devotee from Maharashtra on her way to Yamunotri died on Wednesday after being hit by a boulder rolling down the hill, police said. Shakuntala Bai Baburao Rinde (55) of Aurangabad district was hit by the rock between Bhangeligad and Bhairav temple, they added.

As the term of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) ended on Wednesday, civic authorities said after the unification of the three civic bodies, nearly 700 employees will become "surplus" and it will be a challenge for the new system to accommodate them. They said by May 22, all the three civic bodies will be dissolved, paving the way for a unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The North Delhi Municipal Corporation's (NDMC) term will end on May 19, while the EDMC will complete its term on May 22.

An assistant director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), based out of Hyderabad, died on Wednesday after an accidental fall from the dais of an auditorium here while reviewing security arrangements, police said. The accident happened when a team of the IB, ISW (intelligence security wing) of the Telangana police and other police officers were reviewing the security at the venue where a function to be attended by Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu is to be held on May 20, they said.

Passenger train services between India and Bangladesh will resume from May 29, an official order said. The train services between Kolkata and cities in Bangladesh were suspended in March 2020 as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.

Police on Wednesday arrested a Nagpur man for allegedly posting a derogatory remark on Facebook about Lord Shiva in the backdrop of the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque row in Uttar Pradesh, an official said. The accused, Charudatta Jichkar, a resident of the Ganesh Peth area, runs an audio recording shop and was called for questioning by the police after a complaint was received against him over the remark made in the context of claims that a 'Shivling' has been discovered inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque complex during a court-mandated videography survey of the premises, he said.

Chhattisgarh on Wednesday recorded 14 new coronavirus positive cases, taking the overall tally to 11,52,355, while the death toll remained unchanged at 14,034 as nobody succumbed to the infection during the day, an official said. Seven out of the 14 cases were reported in Raipur, followed by one each in Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa and five other districts.

Two labourers were severely injured after they allegedly fell off from a scaffolding erected along the Nirman Bhavan building here, police said on Wednesday. The two men -- Alim and Faizan both aged 20 -- had gone up the scaffolding to whitewash the building, they said.

The CBI on Wednesday arrested S Bhaskararaman, a close associate of Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram, in connection with a Rs 50 lakh alleged bribery case for clearing visas of 263 Chinese nationals working at Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd in Punjab, officials said. The bribery incident allegedly took place in 2011 when Karti Chidambaram's father P Chidambaram was the Union home minister.

Police have rescued three Alexandrine parakeets, commonly known as pahadi parrots, and over 120 Budgerigar birds from a building terrace in Pune city and arrested one person for their illegal confinement, an official said on Wednesday.

The Centre must bear the additional cost of coal imports as it has put "undue pressure" on states to import the dry fuel for blending purpose, the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) said on Wednesday.

Four people died when their car rammed into a water tanker on the Etawah highway on Wednesday, police said. The deceased, Azhar Ali, Raju, Mayank and Arvind, were residents of Auraiya district in Kanpur, Circle Officer of Akbarpur Prabhat Kumar said.

An Indian-origin Singaporean was jailed for 21 months and four weeks by a court here on Wednesday for several offences committed last year, including assault, harassment and hurling racist comments at police officers. Sanjeevan Maha Lingam, 43, on his birthday last year, September 24, punched a cleaning worker and fractured his jaw during an argument over the victim sleeping in a bin centre.

Hearing in the Gyanvapi mosque case could not take place in a court here on Wednesday as lawyers in the district were on a strike in protest against the remarks of a government official. The Banaras Bar Association and the Central Bar Association, Varanasi had decided to boycott work as they were upset over the remarks of a Special Secretary against lawyers, according to advocate Abhay Yadav, representing the Muslim side in the case.

In a first in the country, Kerala will launch a state-owned over-the-top (OTT) platform, 'CSpace', on November 1 offering film lovers an array of movies, short films and documentaries of their choice.

A student was killed and another seriously injured here after the gate of their school fell on them on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place at Banemau Primary School in Kunda area, they said.

Five people, including three women, died and five others were injured when the tractor-trailer they were travelling in turned turtle in Warangal district of Telangana on Wednesday, police said.

In a suspected case of suicide, a 32-year-old IT professional was found dead inside his rented apartment in a group housing society here, police said on Wednesday. The body was found hanging from a rope inside the fourth-floor apartment of the society in Sector 74, under Sector 113 police station limits, on Tuesday night, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the loss of lives in the wall collapse incident in Gujarat's Morbi and announced Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those deceased. At least 12 labourers were killed when a wall collapsed at a salt packaging factory in Morbi district on Wednesday. The incident took place at the Sagar Salt factory in the Halvad industrial area.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has asked the Centre and the state governments to clarify their stand on the alleged targeting of places of worship of Muslims in the country. The board has also decided to provide legal aid to the Intezamiya Masajid Committee and its lawyers in the Gyanvapi Masjid case and launch a nationwide agitation, if necessary, to apprise the public about the "real intention" of creating disputes over the places of worship.

The Russian Defence Ministry says that nearly 1,000 Ukrainian troops holed up in their last stronghold in Mariupol have handed themselves over. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 694 Ukrainian soldiers at the Azovstal steel plant have surrendered over the past 24 hours. That brings the total of Ukrainian troops who have left the plant this week to 959.

At least 12 labourers were killed when a wall collapsed at a salt packaging factory in Gujarat's Morbi district on Wednesday, officials said. The tragic incident took place at Sagar Salt factory situated inside the Halvad industrial area, said state Labour and Employment Minister and local MLA Brijesh Merja. "At least 12 factory workers have died. Efforts to rescue others who might have been trapped under the debris is still on," he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the two-day National Women Legislators’ Conference-2022, organised by the Kerala Assembly, at the legislative complex here on May 26. The event, being conducted as part of the nation-wide celebrations planned under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ marking the 75th anniversary of India's independence, would be attended by women representatives from various legislative bodies across the country including both Houses of Parliament and state legislative assemblies and councils.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre over the issue of inflation, saying it is "looting" people's income.  The wholesale price-based inflation soared to a record high of 15.08 per cent in April mainly on account of spiralling prices of food, fuel and other commodities. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) at 15.08 per cent is the highest in the new series. The WPI inflation has remained in double digits for the 13th consecutive month since April last year.

"I firmly believe there is no need for capital punishment," AG Perarivalan said hours after the Supreme Court ordered for his release, a judgement that was received with great jubilation by his family, relatives and several pro-Tamil outfits in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Initially handed capital punishment by a special court in Chennai which was later commuted to life term, Perarivalan said he first wants to "breathe," apparently the air of freedom, before thinking about his future. "I have just come out. It has been 31 years of legal battle. I have to breathe a bit. Give me some time," he said when reporters asked how did he feel as a "free bird" and what were his future plans.

Protesting Punjab farmers on Wednesday said they will be meeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for redressal of their demands, including a bonus on wheat and beginning paddy sowing from June 10. Farmer leaders said the Mohali deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police invited them for a meeting with the chief minister in Chandigarh. “The DC and SSP came to take us (for the meeting) and the message is from CM sahab,” farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said. “We are going for the meeting,” he added.

Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday said they are planning to bring a scheme offering incentives to those who collect glass bottle waste from beaches in the coastal state. There is already a ban on carrying glass bottles on beaches which needs to be implemented more strictly, he told reporters. But, some tourists leave broken glass bottles on the beaches. Several visitors and locals have complained of injuries because of it on the beaches, Khaunte noted. The state government, with the help of businessmen and tourism department, will introduce a scheme offering monetary incentives to those who collect such bottles from the beaches and hand them over to vendors. “We will also take beer manufacturers into confidence while drafting this scheme,” he said. 

BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP for allegedly targeting religious places to divert people's attention from issues like poverty, unemployment and inflation and cautioned that it will only weaken the country. She also said changing the names of the places associated with a particular religion will only create hatred. "In order to divert people's attention from issues like rising poverty, unemployment and skyrocketing inflation in the country, BJP and its associate organisations are specially targeting religious places and this is not hidden from anyone," Mayawati told newspersons.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora. A three-judge bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao said the trial is not going to be completed anytime soon. "The allegation made against the petitioner is that she planned the murder in view of the live in relationship of her daughter with Rahul Mukerjea, who was the son of Peter Mukerjea and his earlier wife," the bench said.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered release of A G Perarivalan, who has served over 30 years of life term in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao invoked its extraordinary power under Article 142 to grant relief to Perarivalan. "State cabinet had taken its decision based on relevant considerations. In exercise of Article 142, it is appropriate to release the convict," the bench said. Article 142 deals with enforcement of decrees and orders of the Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc.

Nine new Delhi High Court judges on Wednesday took oath of office, taking the total strength of the court to 44. Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi administered the oath of office to Justices Tara Vitasta Ganju, Mini Pushkarna, Vikas Mahajan, Tushar Rao Gedela, Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, Sachin Datta, Amit Mahajan, Gaurang Kanth and Saurabh Banerjee. The central government had notified the appointment of the newly sworn-in judges -- who were practising lawyers-- on May 13.

Partly cloudy sky and light rain are forecast for the national capital on Wednesday and the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 42 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature is predicted to rise and hit the 45-degree mark over the next few days, weather forecasters said. At the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, the minimum temperature settled at 29.6 degrees Celsius. 

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An SUV collided with a truck here in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving three members of a marriage party dead and 15 others injured, police said. The SUV was carrying a marriage party from Pakri village to Amvakhurd village when the accident took place, a police official said. Locals rushed the injured to the Maharaja Balwant Singh Government Hospital in the district from where seven have been referred to a trauma centre in Varanasi. The condition of some of those referred to Varanasi is critical, the official said. 

The CBI on Wednesday arrested S Bhaskararaman, a close associate of Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram, in connection with a Rs 50 lakh alleged bribery case for clearing visas of 263 Chinese nationals working at Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd in Punjab, officials said. The bribery incident is reported to have taken place in 2011 when Karti Chidambaram’s father P Chidambaram was the Union home minister. The CBI took Bhaskararaman for questioning late Tuesday night and he was placed under arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, the officials said. The agency has alleged that Bhaskaraman was approached by Vikas Makharia, the then associate vice president of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), for the reissue of project visas for 263 Chinese workers working at the Mansa-based power plant which was in the process of being set up.

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In a cabinet decision on May 17, the Uttar Pradesh government accepted the proposal to exclude new Madrasas from grant list.

Delhi govt seeks a detailed report from MCD over bulldozer action in the national capital starting from April 1

Mariupol appeared on the verge of falling to the Russians on Tuesday as Ukraine moved to abandon the steel plant where hundreds of its fighters had held out for months under relentless bombardment in the last bastion of resistance in the devastated city. The capture of Mariupol would make it the biggest city to be taken by Moscow's forces and would give the Kremlin a badly needed victory, though the landscape has largely been reduced to rubble. More than 260 Ukrainian fighters- some of them seriously wounded and taken out on stretchers — left the ruins of the Azovstal plant on Monday and turned themselves over to the Russian side in a deal negotiated by the warring parties.

Two men wanted in a murder case were nabbed nine months after they went into hiding, police said on Tuesday. Accused Amit Singh and Deep Chand alias Tinku, residents of Ujina village in Nuh district, had allegedly killed a youth on August 26 last year after which they were staying low-profile in Haryana's Bilaspur. The Farrukhnagar crime unit arrested them from Bilaspur Chowk on Monday evening. The police took them in remand after producing them before the court on Tuesday, an official said.

The removal of Imran Khan as the prime minister in April almost certainly portends a period of political instability, Pentagon top spy master has told lawmakers, also informing them that Islamabad will continue to develop new nuclear weapons delivery system. “Pakistan perceives nuclear weapons as key to its national survival, given India’s nuclear arsenal and conventional force superiority,” Lt Gen Scott Berrier, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a recent Congressional hearing.

A US military investigation found that American troops did not violate the law of war or deliberately cause civilian casualties in a 2019 airstrike in Syria that killed dozens of people, including women and children. It did find that the military committed procedural mistakes in the aftermath of the attack.

A group of students pursuing postgraduate courses in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Tuesday staged a protest against offline exams. The students, who raised slogans demanding that exams should be conducted online, held their protest in front of the office of the varsity's proctor on the first day of resumption of exams in physical mode. A section of students also boycotted their exams. Meanwhile, Jamia authorities said that as classes have been held offline, the exams will be conducted in physical mode as per schedule.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said he is hopeful that the Supreme Court will stay the order of the lower court on the Gyanvapi issue during the next hearing and do "complete justice". Owaisi said in his opinion a "grave procedural unfairness happened" when the Varanasi court limited the number of namazis to 20 and ordered to protect the area where a "Shivling" was said to be found.

By June 2022, India intends to deploy the S-400 missile defence system that it has received from Russia to defend itself against threat from Pakistan and China, a Pentagon spy master has told US lawmakers. India started receiving the delivery of S-400 missile defence system from Russia in December last year, Lt Gen Scott Berrier, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a recent Congressional hearing. As of October 2021, India’s military was seeking to procure advanced surveillance systems to strengthen its land and sea borders and boost its offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asked police to beef up security in the industrial town of Kharagpur and other places in Paschim Medinipur district to safeguard the border region from “armed miscreants” from across the inter-state border. Banerjee pointed to reports of arms were being smuggled into the district from neighbouring states like Bihar and Jharkhand via trains, and expressed doubts over the effectiveness of Government Railway Police (GRP) in checking the new trend.