Breaking News, May 26

Six people sustained minor burn injuries when a small cooking gas cylinder exploded in a house here on Friday night, officials said. Chief Fire Officer Pradeep Kumar Choubey said the incident took place in Chhalera village in Sector 44 and his department received information about it at 9:14 pm. "The small cylinder exploded after the connection tube caught fire while food was being prepared in the house located on the first floor," Choubey said. "Firefighters immediately left for the spot but were informed midway that the fire had been doused. When they reached the spot, they found that six people suffered minor burn injuries while dousing the fire," the CFO said.

A week after assuming power in Karnataka, the Congress on Friday released the list of 24 legislators who will be sworn-in as ministers to fill up all the vacant ministerial positions. The cabinet expansion will take place on Saturday noon with their swearing-in ceremony, according to Congress leaders. The Karnataka government can have 34 ministers. While 10 of them including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were sworn-in on March 20, the rest will be inducted on Saturday. Senior MLA H K Patil, Krishna Byregowda, N Cheluvarayaswamy, K Venkatesh, Dr H C Mahadevappa, Congress working president Eshwar Khandre and former Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao are among those who will take the oath on Saturday.

West Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda's vehicle was attacked in Paschim Medinipur district on Friday as members of the Kurmi community allegedly hurled stones at senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's convoy, in which she was travelling, officials said. The incident happened in Salboni where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend a party programme on Saturday. Abhishek, a Z-plus protectee, led a roadshow in Jhargram's Binpur and Gopiballavpur as part of his Trinamooley Nabojowar (new wave in Trinamool) campaign. Following the rally, he was travelling through Salboni when members of the Kurmi community, who are protesting demanding ST status, gathered on both sides of the road, a party leader said.

The Mizoram government on Friday banned the import of rohu from outside the state after receiving complaints that kerosene odour was found in some of the fish, according to a statement. Inspections were being conducted in markets across the state by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) after complaints were received about the smell of kerosene oil in rohu fish, it said. The imported rohus found during the inspection were seized by the FDA, and samples were sent to National Food Laboratory in Kolkata for a test, it added.

The Sengol was handed over to Lord Mountbatten and then it was presented to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 to symbolise transfer of power from British and wrong claims made in this respect by some people caused sadness, the head of a Tamil Nadu monastery said here on Friday. Speaking to reporters here, Tiruvavaduthurai Aadeenam, Ambalavana Desika Paramacharya Swami said the Sengol that that was away from the gaze of people would now be prominently displayed in Parliament for the world to see. This was the first response of the pontiff following the political controversy that erupted over the Sengol. To a question on proof for handing over the Sengol, the pontiff said there were evidences including photographs and reports that appeared in newspapers and magazines in 1947.

 The toss of Qualifier 2 between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians was delayed due to rain here on Friday. "Toss delayed due to rain. 7:20 PM IST umpires will inspect the ground," read an update from IPL. The toss will now take place at 7:45 PM IST and the match will start at 8:PM.
The winner of the game will meet Chennai Super Kings in the final here on Sunday.

 Five policemen, including the SHO of a police station in Udaipur, were suspended while the rest were shunted to police lines after a 25-year-old man died in their custody, officials said on Friday.
Surendra Singh Devra, a resident of Devro ko Kheri, had allegedly eloped with a woman following which, her family members lodged a kidnapping against him.
A team of Rajasthan Police detained Devra from Gujarat and brought him to Gogunda police station in Udaipur. During questioning, he fainted and was taken to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead, they said.

A man and his son were sentenced to life imprisonment till death by a court in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district on Friday for kidnapping and raping a 17-year-old girl for more than 50 days.
The POCSO court also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 each on the two convicts.
Sitaram Chaturvedi (55) and his son Govind Chaturvedi (30) abducted the girl on April 5, 2021 under Udai Mod police station. They held her captive for more than 50 days and raped her, Special Public Prosecutor Anil Kumar Jain said.

Veteran banker KV Kamath on Friday said there is a need to correct "compliance burdens" for businesses in the country and also reduce litigations. Kamath, who now chairs the government-promoted National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), said that the government needs to reduce the litigation and concerns on tax laws at a greater speed. "...the level of compliances and compliance burden that needs to be corrected," he said addressing an event organised by industry body Ficci here. He later elaborated that the government itself has identified issues on the compliances front when it spoke about simplification of various procedures for businesses. When asked if it is impacting investor confidence, Kamath replied in negative, reasoning that the investor class will come wherever it sees value.

Air India has relaxed the new norm related to the accumulation of privilege leaves for those employees retiring in the current and next financial years. In March, the Tata Group-owned carrier revised its policy with respect to privilege leaves for both permanent and full-term contract staff to align the policy with prevailing market conditions. From April 1 onwards, Privilege Leaves (PLs) accumulation limit for all employees is 60 days in a particular financial year. Against this backdrop, the airline has made a relaxation for staff approaching retirement. In his message to the staff on Friday, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson mentioned the airline deciding in March that all PLs beyond 60 days would be encashed. "Subsequently, many of you approaching retirement asked whether this could be deferred until your superannuation.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Friday said the new Parliament building was a welcome addition and looks "pretty damn impressive", amid criticism by the opposition over its inauguration. Abdullah, whose party's MPs have also announced to boycott the inaugural ceremony, said when he was the member of the Lok Sabha, many of his colleagues often spoke about the need for a new and improved Parliament building.

The former Odisha health minister Naba Kishore Das was gunned down by assistant sub-inspector of police Gopal Das due to personal grudge and anguish in stable mind, according to the police charge sheet in the case submitted on Friday. Gopal Das is the lone accused in the January 29 incident and the murder was a result of past enmity. Charges have been framed under sections 307 (attempt to commit murder), 302 (murder) and the Arms Act, it said. If proved in court the ASI may face prison term ranging from ten years to life behind bars and is liable to be fined.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao in Hyderabad on Saturday to seek the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's support to oppose the Centre's ordinance on control of services in the national capital. Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre's bid to replace it through a bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament. "Meeting Hon'ble CM of Telangana tomorrow in Hyderabad to seek support against unconstitutional and undemocratic ordinance passed by BJP government against the orders of Hon'ble Supreme Court," Kejriwal tweeted.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday held a review of the party's Uttarakhand unit, and asked senior leaders to work on removing shortcomings and broadening its mass base. She also said alleged that the attitude of the current BJP government in Uttarakhand was against the welfare of the people. The BSP is conducting a series of state-wise organisational reviews ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections. According to a statement issued by the party here, Mayawati emphasized on removing shortcomings in the unit and working to strengthen the party organisation in Uttarakhand. She instructed the cadre to go ahead and make the changes required.

The BJP will lodge a complaint with Delhi Police in connection with the alleged "stealing" of files from the office of special secretary (vigilance) YVVJ Rajasekhar at Secretariat building, party MP Manoj Tiwari said. In a joint press conference with the leader of the opposition in Delhi assembly Ramveer Singh Bidhuri, Tiwari said that if needed, BJP will also approach the court in the matter. 

 With Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing nine years in office, the Congress on Friday asked him nine questions on issues such as rising prices, unemployment and farmers' income, and demanded an apology for the "betrayal" during his tenure. The Opposition party also said the government should mark this day as 'Maafi Diwas'.

The country is likely to receive below normal rainfall in June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said while forecasting normal monsoon for the entire season. IMD Environment Monitoring and Research Center (EMRC) chief D Sivananda Pai said, "Below normal monthly (June) rainfall is expected over most parts of the country except some areas of south peninsular India, northwest India, extreme north India and some isolated pockets of northeast India, where above normal rainfall is expected."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy kicked off a week-long programme to distribute housing plots for 50,793 eligible poor women at Venkatapalem village in Guntur district under Amaravati area. Documents for plots worth up to Rs 10 lakh will be given away, including photographing and geo-tagging each of the beneficiary in their own plot, spread across 25 layouts covering 1,400 acres in Tadikonda and Mangalagiri Assembly constituencies.

An 80-year-old woman was mauled to death in her home by a leopard in Gujarat's Amreli district on Thursday night, a forest department official said. Mongiben Baraia, a resident of Sarovada village of Jafrabad taluka, was sleeping when she was attacked by the big cat, the official said. The leopard entered her home and held her by the throat resulting in her death, a Jafrabad range forest official said. The octogenarian was alone at the time, he said.

A passenger opened an emergency exit door during a South Korean flight Friday, causing air to gust inside the cabin before the plane landed safely, airline and government officials said. Some people aboard the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 aircraft tried to stop the person from opening the door but it was eventually opened partially, the Transport Ministry said. The plane with 194 people was heading to the southeastern city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju.

The Delhi High Court dismissed petitions by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against the Income Tax department's decision to transfer their assessments to the Central Circle instead of an ordinary assessment in a matter related to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. 

Police arrested a man and detained his 16-year-old son for allegedly stabbing a person to death at Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an official said. The 21-year-old victim, Ankit Shah, was assaulted with scissors by the father-son duo on Thursday night, senior inspector Kailas Barve of Valiv police station said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met Congress parliamentary party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi at their residence in New Delhi. Siddaramaiah is in the national capital to discuss matters related to the expansion of his Cabinet and this is his first meeting with Sonia Gandhi after the Congress formed government in the southern state.

In a suspected case of suicide, a 31-year-old divorce applicant was found hanging at her home here, police said on Friday. The woman's body was found hanging from a fan in her house at Sector 62 here on Thursday, they added.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar performed Bhoomi Poojan of "Smart Anganwadi" at Vyadhar village of Tilakwada taluka in Gujarat. It was adopted under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

A 39-year-old man was arrested for posing as an IB Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs and duping 38 job seekers of Rs 80 lakh, police said. Richard Tiplang Swer of Wahingdoh was arrested on Thursday, SP (City) Vivek Syiem told PTI. One vehicle with a siren and VIP beacon light, mobile, laptop and incriminating papers have been seized from his house at Wahingdoh, the SP said.

The Meghalaya High Court has directed the chief secretary and the Director General of Police to file additional affidavits indicating measures taken by the authorities to stop illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee while hearing a PIL on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction on the affidavits filed by the chief secretary and DGP pursuant to the order dated May 15 and told them to file additional affidavits.

Income Tax authorities on Friday launched coordinated searches across different locations in Tamil Nadu linked to state Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, police sources said.The searches were being held in cities including Karur and Coimbatore, at the premises of individuals allegedly linked to the minister, sources said without elaborating.

Acclaimed poet Munawwar Rana has been admitted to a hospital in Lucknow and is on ventilator support. 70-year-old Rana has been admitted to the Apollo Hospital after his health deteriorated following a surgery to remove gallbladder stones, said his daughter Sumaiya Rana. The poet was also suffering from throat cancer and undergoing dialysis.

The Bijnor police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested five members of a gang with a huge narcotics consignment that includes 72,000 capsules filled with drugs, and 2,000 injections worth Rs 10 lakh. The gang members were arrested during a raid at a mango orchard in the Mandi Dhanora area of the district.

Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of HD Kumaraswamy has announced his resignation from the post of the Janata Dal (Secular) youth wing following his defeat in the recently concluded Karnataka Assembly polls from the Ramanagaram Assembly seat. It is said he submitted his resignation to the JD(S) state president CM Ibrahim.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar said that the party workers will reach out to millions of households across the nation to present the report card of the work done by the Centre, on the nine years of the Narendra Modi government on May 30. "Our government is not just responsible but also answerable to the people of India. Therefore the government presents its report card to the people every year. This is the ninth year of our government which is in power with a full majority. It's a landmark year for us. PM Modi has provided stability, security, peace and prosperity," he told news agency ANI. 

Two associates of the banned Naxal organisation People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were arrested in Jharkhand, a police official said. "The police recovered a huge cache of arms and cartridges from the arrested Naxal's possession," said Aman Kumar, Supredentent of Police (SP) Khunti.