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Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (IANS) One of the crew members of the container ship, 'MV Debi', that has been detained by the Customs officials at Paradip port following the recovery of cocaine valued at around Rs 220 crore in December last year, on Sunday reportedly jumped into the sea.

Sources claimed that the Vietnamese national had slit his hand before jumping off the deck.

He has suffered severe hand injuries while jumping into the sea. The crew member,working as the third engineer of the ship, was rescued and admitted to the Paradip Port Authority Hospital for treatment.

However, the doctors later referred him to SCB medical college and hospital at Cuttack for advanced treatment.

Police official on the condition of anonymity said the crew members are under mental depression and he might have tried to commit suicide.

However, Customs official or local police authorities are yet to issue any official statement in this connection.

Notably, Customs officials seized cocaine weighing 22 kg valued at around Rs 220 crore from the Panama registered container ship during a search on November 30 and December 1, 2023.

The Denmark-bound ship reached Paradip International Cargo Terminal at the Paradip port on November 29.

The ship with around 21 crew members has been detained since.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Jan 14 (IANS) Education, rights of women and queer groups have been among the worst affected due to the ethnic clashes in Manipur which have claimed many lives and left thousands of people displaced, according to Manipuri writers and activists associated with the Matai Society there.

Speaking at an interactive session in Kolkata organised by Varta Trust, a pan-India support service provider to the people from the queer community, on Sunday evening, Saki, who is associated with the Matai Society, said that the events of school and college dropouts have drastically increased in Manipur since the clashes broke out there.

"As per our calculation, if around 2 persons in Manipur are displaced from their roots or residence is somewhere close to 1,50,000, the number of dropouts from schools and colleges will be nothing less than 30,000. Several schools have been burnt down in the ethnic clashes. Of course, some of these students have been accommodated in some other schools, but the number is not adequate," Saki said.

He also said that the sphere of women rights and queer rights are the two other sectors which are badly affected because of the ethnic clashes.

He also said that trading has been affected in Manipur, mainly the supply of ginger and fermented fish from the state.

"This is precisely the reason why the price of ginger has shot up so much the retail markets nationally," Saki said.

According to him, the Moirang constituency in particular and Bishnupur district in general have received many displaced people right from May 3, and "the numbers are very high".

"Matai Society has started a trauma care centre for conflict affected children and youth since May last year. The centre also provided nutritional support, teachers for syllabus study, recycles books and toys and stationary items, among others," Saki added

--IANS

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Imphal, Jan 14 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, soon after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was flagged off in the state on Sunday, questioned whether it was time for politics by holding rallies in the violence-hit state.

When the situation is getting better in Manipur, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders are trying to make the situation more complicated, he alleged.

"Considering prevailing situation in the state, is it a time for politics by holding a rally ? This is the hour of protecting lives and properties, and providing comfort and relief,” Singh told the media on the sideline of a programme in Imphal.

Terming Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as ‘Bharat Todo’ (break India) yatra instead, he claimed that the situation in Manipur is gradually getting better and normalcy being restored.

"Whenever he (Gandhi) comes, problems crop up. If he comes, we have to be careful and alert so that he does not mess with the situation," Singh said.

Gandhi visited Manipur for two days in June last year, weeks after the violence broke out in the state on May 3, and visited a few districts and met the affected people lodged in relief camps.

Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi led 10-years governance as “anyay kaal” (period of injustice), the Congress on Sunday launched the 66-day long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal district. The yatra will culminate in Mumbai on March 20 after covering 6,713 km through 15 states. After the BJP Government gave limited permission to use the Hapta Kangjeibung Palace ground in Imphal for launching the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, the Congress shifted the launch venue to Thoubal's Khongjom War Memorial.

--IANS

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Gurugram, Jan 14 (IANS) The body of Divya Pahuja, a former Gurugram-based model and girlfriend of slain gangster Sandeep Gadoli that was recovered on January 13 -- eleven days after she was shot dead at a hotel here, was cremated on Sunday by her family members.

Divya, 27, was allegedly killed by Abhijeet Singh, the owner of Hotel City Point where she was staying.

Her family members performed the last rites here on late Sunday evening. Her body was brought to Gurugram after a medical board conducted an autopsy in Hisar on Sunday afternoon.

Divya's body was recovered from a canal in Tohana in Haryana's Fatehabad district on Saturday.

"After the postmortem of the body, it was handed over to the family members of Divya. They performed the last rites here in Gurugram," spokesperson of Gurugram Police, Subhash Boken, said.

Meanwhile, an accused in the case Balraj Gill, who was arrested on January 11 in Kolkata, has been sent to four-day police custody.

Gill had allegedly disposed of Divya's body after she was killed on January 2.

Following his arrest in Kolkata, he was brought to Gurugram, and presented on Sunday at a court that sent him to police custody.

According to the police, Divya and Abhijeet were in a relationship.

Abhijeet told the police that he killed her in a fit of rage after she refused to delete some of his objectionable photos from her mobile phone.

The police are, however, yet to recover the 'murder weapon' which was reportedly thrown away by Abhijeet after killing Divya.

Balraj Gill had revealed during the transit remand that he and Ravi Banga had thrown Divya's body in Bakhra Canal in Patiala.

Five teams of Gurugram Police were involved in tracking Balraj and Amit who had absconded along with Divya's body since January 2. Divya's body was identified by a tattoo on her back.

Also, a clue regarding the whereabouts of the body was received after the arrest of Balraj Gill.

In connection with Divya's murder, the police have so far arrested six persons including the prime accused, Abhijeet Singh, his aides Om Prakash, Hemraj, Balraj Gill, Parvesh, and a woman, Megha.

The woman had helped Abhijeet in hiding documents and personal belongings of Divya.

Om Prakash and Hemraj had helped Abhijeet to drag Divya's body into the boot of a BMW car.

Parvesh had supplied the murder weapon to Abhijeet. Divya came in contact with Abhijeet through a jailed gangster, Binder Gujjar.

Binder Gujjar is said to be the prime conspirator in the alleged "fake encounter" of gangster Sandeep Gadoli, along with the

Gurugram Police, which took place in Mumbai in 2016. Divya was the prime accused in the case.

Later, she was arrested in connection with the gangster's murder, and she spent seven years in jail.

She was granted bail last year in June by the Bombay High Court. Divya's family has alleged that her murder was conspired by Sandeep Gadoli's family members, along with Abhijeet.

--IANS

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Gurugram, Jan 14 (IANS) The residents of Millennium City on January 13 experienced the coldest day of the season with the mercury sliding to 2.7 degrees Celsius, the Met Office said on Sunday.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mercury rose by 2 notches on Sunday, with the minimum temperature recorded at 4 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature here on Sunday was 18 degrees Celsius.

On Sunday, dense fog was witnessed in the city with visibility dropping to less than 100 metres at many places in the morning hours, the IMD said.

The IMD has sounded an "orange alert" for Monday, predicting cold to severe cold wave conditions.

The weather office also predicted that cold conditions will continue for the next few more days in the city.

"The southern Haryana region, including Gurugram and Faridabad districts, will witness cold conditions and dense fog on Monday as well. The weather is likely to clear from Tuesday onwards. No significant change in minimum temperatures is likely over the region during the next two days and a rise by two to three degrees thereafter is likely," said an IMD official.

North India continued experiencing the cold wave conditions with the minimum temperature in Delhi dropping below 4 degrees Celsius on Saturday night.

The Met Office said that parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are likely to witness "dense to very dense" fog till Monday.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 14 (IANS) On Makar Sankranti morning, Mumbai Congress was rudely jolted awake when senior leader Milind M. Deora announced that he was quitting the Congress and later on Sunday afternoon, he officially joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.

The dapper, foreign-educated Deora did what many in the Congress and even the ruling MahaYuti felt was 'unimaginable' by discarding the tricoloured 'Hand' to grab the saffron 'Bow-and-Arrow' flag, and ending the Deora family's 55-year-long links with the Congress.

"I never thought I would ever leave the Congress. But the same Congress which had ushered in economic reforms in the country under the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is now abusing businessmen and industrialists and the good work of the government," said Deora in his acceptance speech as Shinde smiled broadly at the 'big catch' of the New Year, offered him party stole, a flag and flowers.

On his part, Shinde mouthed a filmy dialogue to forewarn 139-year-old grand old Congress of the political poaching shows planned ahead: "This is just a trailer, the main picture is still remaining."

Till late Saturday night, Deora and senior Congress leaders were in the denial mode with one leader terming the speculation over the upcoming defection as 'inconceivable'.

However, all political kite-flying ended as Makar Sankranti dawned and Deora perched himself in the Shiv Sena's lap, almost like a Pied Piper, with a horde of Congress leaders from the faction-ridden Mumbai and Maharashtra units tagging along.

For the Congress -- which had maintained a smug look when former CM Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and senior leader Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party had also split vertically in June 2022 and July 2023, respectively -- Deora's walkout came as the proverbial 'ill-tidings' at an inopportune time.

Deora's departure -- akin to the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindi in March 2020 -- could prove damning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ahead of the crucial civic, parliament and assembly elections due in 2024, when it would try to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The immediate trigger for the exit of Deora, 47 -- a two-time MP from Mumbai South -- is said to be the uncertainty over his nomination for the same prestigious seat in 2024, after the SS-UBT unilaterally staked claim over it.

Incidentally, his father, the late Murli S. Deora was a staunch Congress veteran enjoying excellent rapport with Sonia Gandhi and former PMs Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, and top leaders across the political and corporate honchos in India and world over.

Deora, who became MP at just 27, served as a junior minister in Manmohan Singh's cabinet for almost three years, from July 2011-May 2014, was Mumbai Congress President and had good relations with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Interestingly, Deora dumped the Congress on a critical day -- when Rahul Gandhi launched his Manipur-Maharashtra Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) -- and served to divert attention from the party's mass outreach initiative.

This has become a major pre-poll season exodus of sorts for the Congress as the MVA grapples with virtually a 'civil war' over the seat-sharing talks that could make or mar the fragile alliance. Maharashtra unit Congress President Nana Patole said that the BJP is rattled by Rahul Gandhi's BJNY which kicked off from Manipur and has taken away a strong associate with the threats of central investigative agencies.

Congress Legislative Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said that the timing of Deora's departure was intended to shift focus from the BJNY, and "even our Murli Deora will be pained by this".

NCP's Working President Supriya Sule said that the MahaYuti is getting in the Congress colours by taking away all talented leaders and wondered what would be the fate of their own workers.

SS-UBT Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut rued how today, "there's nothing like loyalty and ideology in politics, its all about power", and recalled his association with the late Murli Deora, "who was a great leader who knew what to do for the party".

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 14(IANS) The Madurai Police on Sunday said that the bull owners and tamers with passes issued by the police will only be allowed to entry the famous Avaniyapuram Jallikattu, which will take place on Monday, Pongal day.

Avaniyapuram Jallikattu is the famous bull taming event held annually in Madurai district as part of the Pongal harvest festival of Tamil Nadu.

Madurai City Police Commissioner J.Loganathan said that the passes with photo identity cards have already been issued and owners and tamers should also carry fitness certificates issued by the medical officer.

He said that if bull owners and tamers are found to be in an inebriated state, they will not be allowed to enter the arena.

He said that the police have informed the bull owners and tamers not to use knives or sharp weapons to cut the nose rope of the bulls.

“The district administration has already appointed a trained person to cut them. Police have also directed the owners of the houses along the Jallikattu venue not to allow any persons other than their relatives to witness the event from their premises,” he said.

He said that if any law and order situation arises due to the presence of strangers, the owners of the houses who permitted them inside will face stringent action.

He said that the bull owner and one assistant will be allowed to take the bull to the venue through Mullai Nagar and Avaniyapuram police station to join in the queue after midnight of Sunday to proceed towards the Jallikattu venue.

He said that traffic has also been regulated, anticipating huge crowds at the Jallikattu event.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will release the first installment to 1 lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) scheme under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) programme, an official said on Sunday.

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the first installment will be released on January 15 at 12 noon via video conference.

The Prime Minister will also interact with the beneficiaries of PM-JANMAN on the occasion.

In line with the Prime Minister's efforts towards the vision of Antyodaya to empower the last person at the last mile, PM-JANMAN was launched for the socio-economic welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) on November 15, 2023, on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

The PMO said that PM-JANMAN, with a budget of approximately Rs 24,000 crore, focuses on 11 critical interventions through 9 ministries.

It is aimed to improve socio-economic conditions of the PVTGs by saturating PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, electricity, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 25 (IANS) Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt hosted an intimate Christmas celebration at his residence, which was attended by his daughters Alia Shaheen, and Pooja, Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar and others.

The videos shows the ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ actress wearing a green coloured one shoulder dress, with her hair tied in a bun, and a Christmas Santa headband on her head.

Alia completed the look with silver stilettos and a matching small handbag.

Ranbir was wearing a white shirt with black sleeveless jacket, and beige coloured trousers.

The ‘Brahmastra’ actor completed his look with sneakers.

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, and Karan Johar were also spotted at the venue.

The video shows KJo giving a warm hug to sisters Alia and Shaheen. Shaheen wore a black satin dress for the celebrations.

KJo took to the Instagram Stories and posted a picture with Pooja Bhatt.

He wrote: “Was so happy to spend an evening with someone I have known 3 decades ... shared diets and crazy stories to how superbly she held herself with such dignity in big boss! Merry Xmas Pooja!!! Big love to you”.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 25 (IANS) Veteran star Sharmila Tagore was seen talking about her actor son Saif Ali Khan and revealed some interesting anecdotes about his college days.

In the upcoming episode of Koffee with Karan, Saif Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore will be seen as guests. From their iconic roles to family tales, this episode is a tribute to their regal legacy and a peek into their fabulous journey.

As Saif Ali Khan looked a little lost, Karan Johar asked: “Yes Saif, you are looking bewildered?”

“As I often am on this couch,” said Saif.

Curious as ever, Karan asked: “The story I really want to know is about the college.”

Spilling the beans, Sharmila said: “He didn't go to the university, he asked the air hostess out and they went off somewhere.”

‘Koffee with Karan’ Season 8 is airing on Disney+ Hotstar.

--IANS

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