India

New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devender Yadav said on Saturday that Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s nod to the ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal is a big setback for the former Chief Minister who is busy misleading voters with his “clean image” ahead of Assembly elections.

By making tall promises before elections, AAP Convenor Kejriwal is trying to fool voters and hide his tainted image, said Yadav.

Delhi Congress chief Yadav said that despite the Supreme Court granting Kejriwal bail with severe restrictions, he has been trying to project a “clean” image.

The DPCC chief also scoffed at the demand by former deputy CM Manish Sisodia that if the ED had got the LG’s permission to prosecute Kejriwal, then why the federal probe agency wasn’t showing a copy of the order?

Yadav said that when Kejriwal and his associates involved in the liquor scam face irrefutable evidence of their corrupt deeds, they blame everyone else, including the courts.

He also said that with the Delhi Assembly elections closing in, Kejriwal was getting desperate to influence the voters with various freebies, and his latest gimmick is the promise to help Dalit children get foreign education through the “Dr Ambedkar scholarship scheme”.

He said that Kejriwal, who came to power invoking the name of Dalits and contested the elections on the “jhaadu” symbol, had totally neglected the Dalits after getting their votes.

He said that Kejriwal’s “anti-Dalit” attitude was exposed as early as 2014 when the AAP government reduced the number of state scholarships for SC/ST/OBC students by more than 75,000.

The Delhi Congress chief said that Kejriwal’s stunt on “foreign education” scholarship was yet another misleading promise to attract voters of poor and backwards electorate.

He does not even acknowledge their existence in miserable living conditions in various slum clusters of the Capital, without even basic civic facilities.

Yadav said that Kejriwal had announced a number of freebies like Ladli Behna, free electricity and water, farm loan waivers, free ration, Delhi Mahila Samman Yojna and free laptops but none of these promises were fulfilled.

--IANS

rch/uk

Chandigarh, Dec 21 (IANS) A six-storey building collapsed in Mohali district in Punjab on Saturday evening, trapping several people under the debris, officials said.

The rescue operation was on to pull out people trapped below the rubble.

Two columns from the Army's local engineers unit have been requisitioned by the Mohali administration for the rescue operations.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and one person has been rescued and taken to the hospital.

"Operation is underway. The NDRF, police and fire teams are at the spot. The reason behind this mishap will be investigated," Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek told the media.

Authorities estimate between 10 to 11 people may be trapped under the rubble.

Further details are awaited.

--IANS

vg/vd

New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) A National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, in Ranchi has sentenced two persons to rigorous imprisonment in a CPI (Maoist) arms and ammunition seizure case of 2012, an official said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Prafulla Malakar of Patna district of Bihar and Anil Kumar Yadav of Gaya district of Jharkhand, have been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment (RI), with a maximum term of 15 years, along with fine for various offences.

Malakar has been sentenced to different jail terms and fines under Sections 121A, 414, 120(B) of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 17, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 & 26(2) of the Arms Act and section 17 of CLA Act.

The court has similarly pronounced the varying quantum of sentence against Yadav under Sections 121A, 386, 387, 120B of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 of the Arms Act and Section 17 of CLA Act.

A maximum of 15 years RI has been awarded to both the accused under Section 25(1-AA)/35 of the Arms Act. All the sentences will run concurrently.

The case relates to Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh, where, based on inputs, the local police had searched and arrested Prafulla Kumar Malakar from Silodar Forest near Chauparan in August 2012. The police seized one USA-made M-16 rifle, 14 live rounds, two mobile phones, and one bulletproof jacket from Malakar, a member of the Arms and Ammunition Supply Unit of the banned terror organisation, CPI (Maoist).

Further investigation led to the arrest of Yadav, a Zonal Commander of CPI (Maoist) who had come to collect/buy weapons from Malakar. The police seized Rs 9 lakh, two mobile phones, one 9 mm pistol and two live rounds from Yadav’s possession.

The NIA, which took over the case from the local police on December 17, 2012, filed supplementary charge sheets against Malakar and Yadav, as well as absconding accused Mantu Sharma, between 2014 and 2017.

--IANS

rch/uk

Hyderabad, Dec 21 (IANS) In a strong reaction to the stampede during the premiere show of "Pushpa 2" at a theatre in Hyderabad, the Telangana government on Saturday announced that it has decided not to allow visits of the actors to theatres and benefit shows ahead of the release of movies.

Making the announcement in the Assembly, Minister for Cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, however, said the government will continue to extend special incentives for the promotion of the film industry.

He also declared that the government will not increase the rates of cinema tickets.

The state government has been allowing an increase in the rates for big-budget movies featuring top stars. It also permitted an increase in the rates for "Pushpa 2: The Rule".

The minister’s announcement came after a statement by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre, which claimed the life of a woman and injured her son.

The minister said that actor Allu Arjun did not fulfil his commitment to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased.

Venkat Reddy announced that he would pay Rs 25 lakh to the family from the Prateek Foundation. He later visited KIMS Hospital, where eight-year-old Sri Teja is undergoing treatment and handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to his father Bhaskar.

He said the government would continue to bear expenditure for the treatment of Sri Tej, who remained in a critical condition. He assured the family that the government would do everything possible to save the boy’s life.

The Cinematography Minister said the film’s hero or any other member of the film unit did not meet the family or visit the injured child.

He also assured the Assembly that steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future.

After visiting the hospital, the minister said that the government would look into requests for enhancing cinema ticket prices and take a decision on a case-to-case basis.

Earlier, speaking in the Assembly, the Chief Minister came down heavily on actor Allu Arjun for visiting the theatre despite the denial of police permission and also conducting a ‘roadshow’ while arriving at the theatre. He claimed that Allu Arjun left the theatre only after a Deputy Commissioner of Police threatened to arrest him.

The Chief Minister said the actor also conducted a ‘roadshow’ by waving at people while leaving the theatre after the stampede.

He lashed out at the film personalities who made a beeline to Allu Arjun’s house after his release from jail but none of them met the family of the deceased or called on the injured boy.

--IANS

ms/vd

Nagpur, Dec 21 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the portfolio allocation to ministers will be released on Saturday night or Sunday.

He made this announcement at the press conference after the conclusion of a weeklong winter session of the state legislature.

Fadnavis had expanded his cabinet with the induction of 39 ministers from BJP (19), Shiv Sena (11) and NCP (9) on December 15, a day before the commencement of the winter session from December 16. He had said that the portfolio allocation will be done in two days.

However, the six-day winter session concluded without portfolio allocation. The ministers participated in the proceedings as a collective responsibility while moving the resolutions or presenting the supplementary demands or various legislative Bills as well as reports of state undertakings.

The MahaYuti sources said that the delay was due to the time taken by the alliance partners to arrive at a consensus on the allocation of ministries among themselves.

BJP has already rejected Shiv Sena’s demand to leave the home department for Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In addition, the BJP has also rejected Shiv Sena’s proposal to give revenue and housing departments to it. BJP will retain revenue while it is expected to give housing to NCP. After Ajit Pawar joined the MahaYuti in July 2023, the BJP had promised to give housing to it but it did not happen that time.

According to sources, the BJP is expected to retain home, revenue, energy, irrigation, rural development, labour, general administration, forest, cultural affairs, tourism, higher and technical education, tribal development and public work.

Shiv Sena is likely to get urban development, school education, public health, environment, transport, water supply, and public work only with regard to the functioning of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and industry.

NCP is expected to retain planning and finance, agriculture, cooperation, medical education, sports and ports, relief and rehabilitation.

--IANS

sj/uk

Kochi, Dec 21 (IANS) A court in Kerala's Ernakulam on Saturday turned down the demand by a popular Kerala actress, who survived a sexual assault in 2017, seeking to conduct the remaining proceedings of the case in open court.

The trial is currently in its final stages at the Principal District and Sessions Court in Ernakulam.

It was on December 12 that she had moved the court seeking an open trial but with her demand turned down, it remains to be seen what the next move of the actress is going to be.

Incidentally, the actress suffered a jolt when the key witness in the case, film director P. Balachandra Kumar passed away at a private hospital on December 13 after being unwell for a while. Kumar has been regularly appearing in the court whenever being asked during the trial.

Actor Dileep, a well-known figure in the Malayalam film industry, is one of the accused in the case. He was jailed for nearly three months in 2017 and is currently out on bail.

Earlier, the actress sought the intervention of President Droupadi Murmu, citing a lack of justice from the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court. She raised concerns about the unauthorised access, copying, and transfer of the memory card containing videos of the assault while it was in court custody.

Despite her appeals, no action has been taken against those responsible for the breach, she said.

The incident dates back to February 17, 2017, when the actress was abducted and assaulted in a moving car while travelling from Thrissur to Kochi after a film shoot.

Prime accused Pulsar Suni, a driver at film sets since 2010, recently secured bail from the Supreme Court after spending seven years in jail. According to the police, Suni had ties to Dileep, who is the eighth accused in the case.

Investigations revealed that actor Dileep held a grudge against the actress, allegedly because she had informed his former wife about his relationship with another actor. The case involves the brutal assault, orchestrated by Suni and his associates, after abducting the actress in a premeditated act.

--IANS

sg/vd

Chennai, Dec 21 (IANS) In two separate incidents, fishermen from Tamil Nadu were attacked by Sri Lankan pirates in the sea.

Fishermen leaders said that a group of three fishermen from Tamil Nadu were attacked and robbed by Sri Lankan pirates while fishing near Vedaranyam on Saturday.

According to reports, Rajkumar, Rajendran, and Nagalingam from Nagapattinam were fishing in their fibre boats when six Sri Lankan pirates in two boats ambushed them.

The pirates attacked the fishermen with sticks and knives, leaving them injured.

The pirates looted fishing equipment worth Rs 3 lakh, including fish, fishing nets, and GPS devices, before fleeing, fishermen leaders said.

Coastal police confirmed that the three fishermen sustained injuries in their heads and hands and also suffered internal injuries.

When the injured fishermen returned to shore, they were rushed to the Vedaranyam government hospital for treatment by other members of the fishing community.

In a separate incident, three other fishermen -- Kumar, Lakshmanan, and Jagan from Perumalpet -- were also attacked by Sri Lankan pirates while fishing near Kodiyakarai.

The pirates robbed them of fishing equipment worth Rs 1 lakh.

These fishermen also returned to shore to seek medical assistance and reported the incident to their community.

Fishermen association leaders from Nagapattinam highlighted that the fishermen had only recently resumed work after staying ashore for nearly a week due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and heavy rainfall warnings.

They expressed concern over the growing threats faced by the fishing community. It is worth noting that Tamil Nadu fishermen have been regularly arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Since June 16, 2024, the Sri Lankan Navy has reportedly arrested 425 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized 58 costly mechanised boats. Many of these fishermen remain detained in Sri Lankan jails, sparking widespread protests and calls for government intervention.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently raised the issue of these arrests with Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake during his visit to India.

The minister urged the Sri Lankan government to take measures to prevent further detentions and boat seizures.

A. Thajudhin, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Meenavar Peravai, emphasised the dire situation faced by fishermen and their families. “The livelihood of our fishermen is under threat. Thousands of families relying on fishing and related activities are facing severe hardship. A sense of fear has already gripped fishermen and their families about venturing out to sea,” he said.

Thajudhin also expressed concern over the Sri Lankan government’s decision to nationalise seized mechanised fishing boats. “This decision will devastate the industry, as many fishermen have taken loans to purchase these expensive boats, expecting to repay them through their earnings,” he explained.

Fishermen associations across Tamil Nadu are planning large-scale protests in coastal districts. They have written to the Prime Minister, urging him to intervene and end mid-sea arrests and the seizure of mechanised boats, which are critical to the livelihood of the fishing community.

--IANS

aal/uk

Chandigarh, Dec 21 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police’s Counter Intelligence (CI) Pathankot has busted a gangster module with the arrest of its two members, leading to the recovery of two sophisticated 9 mm Glock pistols along with four magazines and 14 cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Those arrested have been identified as Sunil Kumar, a resident of Rauwal in Batala, and Dilpreet Singh, a resident of Raimal in Batala.

Accused Sunil has a criminal history with a case under the NDPS Act registered against him. He was released on bail from the Gurdaspur Jail on February 27.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused had received the consignment of weapons from Ajnala of Amritsar following directions of their handlers and were instructed to deliver it further to an unknown party.

Further investigations are underway to uncover the source of the weapons and identification of more suspects involved in the network, he added.

Assistant Inspector General, Pathankot, Sukhminder Singh Mann said that information was received that accused Sunil Kumar and Dilpreet Singh are in touch with gangsters and recently they have received a consignment of arms and ammunition from them.

Following the input, the police laid a trap and arrested both accused after recovering arms and ammunition from their possession, he said.

Mann said efforts are being made to track the previous consignments received and delivered by the accused.

A case has been registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar. The arrested accused will be produced in the court in due course to obtain police custody.

--IANS

vg/vd

Kolkata, Dec 21 (IANS) As initiatives have started for another round of meetings for a permanent political solution in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong in north West Bengal, to be probably held in the next month, there is uncertainty over the presence of Anit Thapa-founded Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) at the talks.

On one hand, the BJP's two-time Lok Sabha member from Darjeeling Raju Bista, who is acting as a coordinator for arranging the proposed meeting, is against inviting the BGPM for the meeting.

The BGPM has a long-standing political alliance with the ruling Trinamool Congress and is the controlling party of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

The BJP is of the opinion that the GTA cannot be a permanent solution for ending the political crisis in the hills.

Bista was assigned the task of coordinating the proposed tripartite meeting by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent one-day visit to Siliguri in Darjeeling district this week to attend a programme on the occasion of the 61st Raising Day of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

On the other hand, the Trinamool leadership in Darjeeling, including the Siliguri Municipal Corporation Mayor Gautam Deb, contends that no meeting will have any fruitful outcome without the participation of the party controlling the affairs in the GTA. "This will create larger uncertainties towards achieving any permanent political solution," Deb said.

The Trinamool also has objected to the development of Bista getting the assignment for coordinating the proposed meeting. According to the party, such a meeting should be convened by the Union government, where the other two parties will be the state government and the GTA's controlling party.

However, the BJP also has its own logic in the matter. According to them, since the BGPM is not a recognised political party as yet, there is no justification for inviting them to the proposed meeting.

--IANS

src/vd

New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Former Congress leader and spiritual guru Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Saturday said that the daily attacks on temples in Bangladesh represent a height of atrocities against the Hindus. He also advised "anarchist" Rahul Gandhi to quit politics and become a gym trainer.

“The time for Bhagwan Shri Kalki’s incarnation is coming close with the rise in atrocities against Hindus,” Krishnam told IANS, criticising the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Pointing to the excesses against Hindus, the chairman of Sambhal-based Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust said, “The Puranas have clearly mentioned that Bhagwan Kalki Narayan will be born on the land with 68 pilgrimages, 19 wells with a Shivlingam in the middle. I am sure these landmarks will be discovered in the ongoing archaeological survey in Sambhal.”

“The Kalki Dham is being built, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has graced Sambhal with his presence and Sambhal has become famous in the entire world,” he said, calling these auspicious indicators of the possible arrival of Bhagwan Kalki Narayan.

Talking about the recent scuffle on Parliament premises, the former Congress leader said, “Rahul Gandhi appears to be in politics by mistake. To me, he seems more suitable to be a gym trainer.”

“Rahul Gandhi’s body language, his statements, his actions and image is that of an anarchist, wrestler or a fighter. His image is not that of a mature politician but that of a gym trainer. He wants to turn Parliament into a kabbadi arena,” he said.

My advice to him is to open a gym and pursue the profession of a trainer as he has failed to become a mature politician even after 20 years in politics, he said.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam also slammed Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge’s statement that Home Minister Amit Shah, who allegedly made anti-B.R. Ambedkar remarks, has been bitten by a rabid dog.

“This is the problem with Opposition leaders, they do not indulge in discourse and discussion. They only criticise decisions taken by PM Modi or HM Shah. There can be no justification for the use of such a capable Home Minister Amit Shah who works for the pride of the country and worked hard to remove Article 370 and fight Maoists,” he said.

--IANS

rch/skp