Breaking News, October 30 | HIGHLIGHTS

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP-led Centre on Monday of misusing probe agencies for political gains and asserted that the tactic would boomerang on the saffron party as people have now become aware of it.

The initial autopsy report of the Swiss woman whose decomposed body was found in West Delhi's Tilak Nagar has suggested that she died due to suffocation, police said on Monday.

Around seven kilograms of heroin, four cartridges and two drones were recovered in four separate search operations near the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, a Border Security Force official said on Monday.

Delhi: On ED summoning CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP Chief Virendraa Sachdeva says, "When the Liquor scam came to the fore, we were saying since starting that CM Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin in the scam. When SC denied the bail plea of Manish Sisodia and established that Rs 338 crore money trailing, so, Arvind Kejriwal has to tell that where have they spent Rs 338 crore...Arvind Kejriwal and his entire team who calls themselves honest, their faces have been unveiled,"

On ED summoning CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi says, "BJP is scared of AAP and the work being done in Punjab & Delhi by the government...Therefore, they are trying to frame AAP leaders in false cases and send them to jail. They want to finish the party..."

On ED summoning CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leader RP Singh says, "...Arvind Kejriwal should resign now because he is the kingpin of the complete liquor scam...There are officers who have said on record that every policy, every change in the policy was dictated by Arvind Kejriwal. He drafted the policy benefitting the liquor mafia..."

Taking a dig at the ruling TMC over the arrests of its ministers in corruption cases, the BJP on Monday suggested that the state of West Bengal may be on the brink of a constitutional crisis, which could necessitate the intervention of the central government to restore order.

Delhi: On ED summoning CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leader Harish Khurana says, "We've just received the news that ED has summoned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy case & asked to appear before them on 2nd November...This becomes even more important after the SC rejected the bail plea of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia this morning. Arvind Kejriwal is the mastermind & kingpin of the Delhi excise policy case..."

Arrested West Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick was on Monday night discharged from a private hospital after doctors found him fit and was immediately taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which had arrested him last week for his alleged involvement in the ration distribution scam.

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the wake of the train accident in Andhra Pradesh where 14 people were killed and 50 others injured.

Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal on Monday said that the state government will increase sugarcane prices and soon a decision in favour of cane farmers will be taken.

ED (Enforcement Directorate) summons Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to appear before them on 2nd November in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. 

A local court on Monday convicted four people, including gangster Randeep Bhati, in a 2013 murder case of a Samajwadi Party leader in Greater Noida and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

"Chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust in Gandhinagar. We discussed various aspects relating to the working of the Trust. Reviewed how we can leverage latest technology for the Temple complex so that the pilgrimage experience will be even more memorable. Also took stock of the various environment friendly measures being taken by the Trust," said PM Modi on X.

Punjab | Around eight dumps set up across Bathinda district by the Administration to collect stubble from farmers as a measure to combat the issue of stubble burning.

A truck ferrying air-conditioner units was gutted in a fire on Monday morning in Bhiwandi in Thane district, though no one was injured in the incident, a civic official said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Monday filed his nomination papers from the Indore-1 assembly seat for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, making a formal comeback to electoral politics after a gap of ten years.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday released a list of 17 candidates for the November 25 Rajasthan assembly elections.

A Delhi court on Monday ordered the framing of charges against former Bihar MLA Raju Singh, his wife and two others in a case of celebratory firing during a New Year's Eve party at a farmhouse here in which a woman died.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Monday visited Ramesh Nagar area to review the civic amenities in the area and directed the officials to ensure that garbage vulnerable points near Mansarovar Garden Chowk are removed, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday asked entrepreneurs to invest in the state, saying the government will ensure their security.

After appearing before ED in Delhi, Congress leader and son of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Vaibhav Gehlot says, "I told them that my company and I have nothing to do with FEMA...I have given answers regarding these allegations 10-12 years ago as well...I have been called on November 16..."

Fire breaks out at a motorcycle showroom in Asansol, West Bengal. More details are awaited.

Police arrests man who claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts at a Christian religious gathering in Kerala

Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls: "Lord Rama is eternal and true, and I believe that those who question him are against the principles of Sanatan Dharma," says BJP leader Gopal Bhargava on war of words between his party and Congress over Ram Temple.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday stressed on futuristic technology across all sectors for ensuring the country’s accelerated growth, emphasising on the role of students in achieving the goal.

Indefinite suspension of an MP could have very serious repercussions for people's right to be represented by a person of their choice, the Supreme Court said on Monday, and asked whether the Privileges Committee of Parliament could order AAP lawmaker Raghav Chadha's suspension from the Rajya Sabha for an unspecified duration.

Punjab: Fireworks at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the occasion of Parkash Purab of Shri Guru Ramdas.

Chhattisgarh elections | BJP national vice president and former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh says, "Bhupesh Baghel has realised that his Government is going away. He is trying to save it by making new announcements every day. But the people of Chhattisgarh know that he is a '40-day CM' and his announcements have no value."

Amethi: UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurates South West Asia's largest Beverage plant 'SLMG Beverages Pvt Ltd'; says, "After 2017 and double engine government, Uttar Pradesh is making its identity as the best destination for investment...This year when we conducted our Global Investors Summit in February...we have received investment proposals worth Rs 38 lakh crore so far in Uttar Pradesh."

Hamas has released a video purporting to show three women captured during its October 7 attack inside Israel. One of the women delivers a brief statement, likely under duress, criticising Israel's response to the hostage crisis.

In Hyderabad's Jalavihar, Telangana Minister and BRS leader KT Rama Rao says, "Congress says that KCR is a BJP agent and BRS is colluding with BJP. It tries to defame KCR and BRS by calling them the B team of BJP. It comes here and says this but is an ally of Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena considers itself a 'Hindu party' and considers Muslims its enemy and Congress is their ally. Such a party comes to Telangana and says that we (BRS) are with BJP..."

A special court on Monday convicted Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Tamil Selwan and four others to six months in jail and also fined them Rs 13,500 each for assaulting Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials in 2017.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday targeted Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a BJP event here, saying they "do not necessarily stick to their promises".

Taking serious note of vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and state information commissions (SICs), the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the state governments to take steps to fill the posts, saying otherwise the 2005 law on right to information will become a “dead letter”.

The Congress' top leadership on Monday discussed the names of probable candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly polls. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, AICC in-charge of the state Sukhjinder Randhawa, state unit chief Govind Dotasra, party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and the party's Rajasthan screening committee chief Gaurav Gogoi, among others, attended the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting for Rajasthan.

Amethi, UP: Union Minister Smriti Irani inaugurates Asia's largest Beverage plant 'SLMG Beverages Pvt Ltd'; says, "Not only Coca Cola, Thumbs Up, Sprite, Maaza, Limca, Minute Maid and Kinley water, all of these multinational brands came here with the help of one business unit of Amethi...We have not come here for revenge but with the intention of bringing change...In Amethi, more than 6010 MSME units are operational currently,"

Tel Aviv: Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy in an interview with ANI says, "We appreciate India's support. Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu have spoken. Clearly, in the UN resolution, we would have wanted India to vote against. It was an outrageous resolution. It didn't mention Hamas once. It didn't call for an immediate return of the hostages. It's like having a UN resolution three weeks after 9/11 and not mentioning al Qaeda or the Twin Towers being brought down by plane strikes. So, we appreciate the support of international friends who are standing by Israel's side and want Israel to defeat Hamas..."

Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Monday questioned the jurisdiction of the Delhi court trying a sexual harassment case lodged against him by six female wrestlers, claiming no alleged action or consequence happened in India.

A private bus with 23 passengers on board caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district on Monday, and no casualties were reported in the incident, police said.

A top Pakistani judge on Monday said that members of the powerful armed forces and judges of constitutional courts were "fully liable" under accountability laws like any other public servant.

On the Supreme Court rejecting the bail plea of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in the Delhi Excise Policy case, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi says, "...We respect the Supreme Court but we respectfully disagree with its decision. We will study the decision Supreme Court, our lawyers will study it. On the basis of that a decision on the next legal steps will be taken..."

Tel Aviv: Israeli government spokesperson Elyon Levy in an interview with ANI says, "At the moment, we know of at least 239 hostages. In Gaza, I say at least because we still have many missing persons and we don't know whether they were abducted or whether Hamas simply destroyed their bodies when it killed them. 239 innocent people, including 33 children under the age of 10, including 10 children under the age of 5. There are children inside the Gaza Strip. Their parents were murdered in front of them. They were ripped out of their parents' arms, and now they're being held in a dark tunnel in Gaza... Hamas released four hostages, and they did it because of pressure. They did it because of Israeli military pressure and international diplomatic pressure. And we're calling on the world all of Israel's friends around the world, including in India, to put all pressure on Hamas and all pressure on its supporters to release our hostages immediately because there is no excuse for abducting children from their beds and holding them for three weeks as hostages in a dark tunnel in the Gaza Strip..."

A court here on Monday dismissed the complaint against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem at an event here in 2021, citing that "no offence is made out".

A Delhi court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by AAP MLA Abdul Rahman and his wife against their conviction in a case of assaulting a government school principal in 2009.

Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Kalamassery blast | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says, "Doctors are hopeful. Hospitals are working with so much dedication. In connection with the investigation, what happened to Martin (man who surrendered before Police) has come out. The DGP is supervising the investigation. It is proceeding in a good way. All party meeting had a good response. Media did a good job in dealing with this. Kerala was able to stand alone in dealing with the incident."

Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi in her address at a public rally says, "For the women of Chhattisgarh, we are implementing Mahtari Nyay Yojana. Under this, for refilling every cylinder a subsidy worth Rs 500 will be granted. The government will directly transfer this amount into the bank accounts of the women in the households...,"

Maharashtra Police Cyber Cell is questioning rapper Badshah in Mumbai, in connection with the online betting company app 'FairPlay'. 40 celebrities including the rapper had allegedly promoted the FairPlay app.

The 23-year-old German-Israeli citizen Shani Louk, who was captured by Hamas militants during their October 7 attack and her body was paraded naked by militants, was confirmed dead by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Monday.

Read full story here.

Andhra Pradesh train accident: Latest ANI drone camera footage from the site of train collision in Vizianagaram. The first train crossed through the spot after restoration, earlier this afternoon.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to collect data from all states and Union Territories on social security schemes launched for persons with disability in comparison to those started for other sections of society.

Twenty-two parked private buses were burnt after they caught fire at a garage here on Monday, police said. The fire broke out when welding work was being carried out on the parts of one of the parked buses in the garage in Veerabhadra Nagar, they said.

BJP National President JP Nadda chairs NDA meeting in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram during his visit to the state

"We pay our deepest tribute to the venerable Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on his sacred Guru Pooja. His rich work, deeply rooted in the upliftment of society, his spiritual path espousing unity, the prosperity of farmers and the eradication of impoverishment, continues to illuminate the path of national progress. His timeless principles remain a beacon of inspiration for generations to come," said PM Modi on X.

Party's Central Committee called upon all party units to step up solidarity actions with the Palestinian people's struggle for a homeland and against Israeli genocidal aggression: CPI(M)

Veteran Congress leader Sarat Borkotoky, a former minister in the Assam government, died at a hospital in Guwahati on Monday, officials said.

An old mortar shell was found lying near a roadside drain here on Monday, officials said. The shell was noticed in Roopnagar area by some local residents who informed police, they said.

Kupwara: On INDIA Alliance, National Conference Vice President and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah says, "It is unfortunate that the condition of INDIA Alliance is not strong right now. There are some internal fights which should not be there, especially in the 4 to 5 states where there are elections... The way fight between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress surfaced and both said that they will contest all seats in UP, this is not good for the INDIA Alliance... Maybe we will meet again after the state elections, we will try to sit and work together..."

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds a roadshow in Budhni Assembly constituency.

Andhra Pradesh | The first train plies on the railway track after restoration at the spot of Vizianagaram train derailment accident.

Telangana: BRS MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy was stabbed in the stomach by an unidentified person during his campaign in Siddipet. 

MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy is safe. The incident took place in Surampally village of the Daulatabad mandal. He has been shifted to Gajwel. The alleged accused is in custody, we are investigating the matter: N Swetha, Siddipet Commissioner.

An influential Jewish group has felicitated Indian-American physician Dr Bharat Barai for his relentless effort to strengthen ties between India, the US and Israel and his stand against antisemitism.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is chairing a high-level meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday to assess domestic security issues for the UK amid the Israel-Gaza conflict and against the backdrop of widespread protests on the streets of the country.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain the bail plea of Leena Paulose, the wife of alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, in a Rs 200 crore extortion case, observing the allegations against her are serious.

Several construction workers fell from scaffolding at a building site in Hamburg on Monday, and five died, authorities said.

Nearly three kilograms of heroin along with four cartridges have been recovered from a field near the International Border in Punjab's Tarn Taran district, a Border Security Force official said on Monday.

While addressing a global conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters 2023, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "The most important silo which I want to talk about is prevention and deterrence...Prevention of illegal trade, smuggling, and prevention of those that are not at all desirable to any country's sovereign authority... Deterrence is also strengthened by the fact that you are alert, and you show dedication and commitment to completely destroy what you have caught and not again put it in the market. So prevention and deterrence is that particular area in which this global conference should give a lot of workable ideas.

Equity benchmark indices declined in early trade on Monday after a day's breather amid continuous foreign fund outflows and sluggish trends in global market. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 179.06 points to 63,603.74 despite a positive beginning. The Nifty dipped 49.25 points to 18,998.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met the family members of eight Indian nationals who were handed down death sentence by a Qatari court. Jaishankar conveyed to the family members that the government will make all efforts to secure the release of the Indians.

A spice trader from Rajkot in Gujarat has allegedly been duped of Rs 26.87 lakh by a businessman in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, police said on Monday. The accused businessman placed an order for spices from the trader and paid an advance of Rs 15 lakh for it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple development projects worth Rs 5,950 crore at a function in Gujarat's Mehsana district on Monday, the first day of his two-day visit to the state.

The Odisha Police has arrested Right to Information (RTI) activist-turned-politician Pradip Pradhan in connection with a mental harassment case filed by sprinter Dutee Chand in 2021.

Hundreds of people on Sunday stormed into the main airport in Russia's Dagestan region and onto the landing field to protest the landing of an airliner coming from Tel Aviv, Russian news agencies and social media reported. Authorities closed the airport in Makhachkala, capital of the predominantly Muslim region, and police converged on the facility.

The death toll from the blasts at a Christian religious gathering near this port city has risen to three, according to an official statement.

At least 48 people died when Category 5 Hurricane Otis slammed into Mexico's southern Pacific coast, most of them in Acapulco, Mexican authorities said on Sunday as the death toll continued to climb and families buried loved ones.

Iranian authorities arrested a leading human rights lawyer Sunday after she attended the funeral of a teenage girl who died after being injured weeks ago in a mysterious incident on Tehran's Metro.