India

Lucknow, Sep 5 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday ordered a joint probe by the Divisional Commissioner and police Commissioner of Lucknow into the hotel fire incident.

The injured will be given proper and free treatment, he added.

A major fire broke out in the Levana hotel in Hazratganj area of the state capital this morning.

More than 20 persons have been shifted to a hospital in an unconscious state, sources said.

--IANS
amita/shb/

Patna, Sep 5 (IANS) At least 10 persons were missing after two boats collided in the middle of Ganga River in Patna's Shahpur locality, officials said on Monday.

The incident happened late on Sunday night and rescue operation was still continuing.

Officials said that around 55 persons had gone to the Gangahara island on the other side of the river to bring vegetables and food for cattle. While returning, their boat collided with another boat.

Sharif Alam, the SHO of Shahpur police station said: "They went to Gangahara island on Sunday night and returned from there around 8 p.m. Due to the strong current, the sailors of both the boats failed to control the boats, which resulted in the collision. 45 persons managed to swim to the shore while 10 are still missing. As it was late night, the SDRF team started the rescue operation but were unable to trace the missing persons."

The missing have been identified as Khiladi Rai, Kumkum, Preeti, Aarti, Chathu Rai and others. A majority of the victims belong to the Daudpur village. Due to the monsoon session, the water level of Ganga is near the danger level mark.

--IANS
ajk/dpb

Lucknow, Sep 5 (IANS) Lucknow,

More than 20 persons have been shifted to the hospital in an unconscious state. Hospital sources said that two women have succumbed to burn injuries. Official confirmation was awaited.

Several persons, including employees and guests have received burn injuries, even as fire tenders were trying to douse the flames.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior officials to personally supervise the rescue operations and provide proper treatment to the victims.

Fire personnel, meanwhile, were breaking open the glass panes to rescue those trapped inside the hotel. Several guests complained of severe suffocation since the smoke was filling the rooms.

More than 20 people were still trapped inside.

Ambulances have also been called in and nearby hospitals have been put on alert.

The hotel has a narrow approach road, which was causing problems in relief and rescue operations.

It is not yet known how the fire started.

--IANS
amita/dpb

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) The Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested two Afghan nationals in Noida and recovered 5 kg of heroin worth Rs 21 crore from their possession, sources said on Monday.

The Cell shared the information with Noida police and a joint team recovered the huge quantity of heroin.

"The heroin was kept in a car that was stationed in a garage. Jitu and Ashok, two mechanics at the garage were also held from the spot. They are residents of Bulandshahr. The heroin was kept in the trunk of the car which the accused would smuggle using a different vehicle," the sources said.

A number of Afghan nationals study in Greater Noida and there are possibilities that they might have been involved in drug peddling, the sources claimed.

The names of the arrested Afghan nationals are withheld as of now.

--IANS
atk/ksk/

Ahmedabad, Sep 4 (IANS) Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday declared that the city of Ahmedabad would soon be developed into the biggest sports city in the world.

Speaking at the unveiling function of the anthem and mascot for the 36th National Games at the EKA Arena, TransStadia here in Ahmedabad, Shah, said: "Ten years ago, when Modiji was the chief minister here, he started the Khel Mahakumbh. At that time Gujarat was nowhere in sports on the global map.

"Now, we have the Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest stadium in the world, and very soon we will have the world's biggest sports city too," Shah said, addressing over 10,000 people at the majestic venue.

The Home Minister, who is also the MP from Gandhi Nagar, led a power-packed audience at the glittering curtain-function, including Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur. The country's grandest sporting extravaganza will take place in six cities of Gujarat, from September 29 to October 12.

"Once upon a time, we Gujjus were mostly seen as just businessmen. But Modiji started Khel Mahakumbh 11 years back and that event has become so big that as many as 55 lakh youngsters took part in this edition. We even offered a whopping Rs 29 crore as prize money to the winners," Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel said.

"We are delighted that the National Games are back after 7 years and this one will be the biggest and grandest ever," Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said.

"It normally takes years to organise an event of this scale but Gujarat did this in less than three months. It is all thanks to the efforts of the CM, with IOA supporting our initiative in a big way. Over 12,000 athletes, officials and support stage will enjoy not only the sporting extravaganza but also the Garba here," he added.

Top dignitaries from the world of politics and sport were present on the occasion.

Aptly titled Saavaj, lion in Gujarati, the mascot represents India's cultural heritage while also giving a glimpse of a rapidly growing India which is set to become a global leader again.

The anthem of the Games, encapsulating the philosophy of Judega India, Jitega India, has been rendered by Bollywood star singer Sukhwinder Singh.

The lyrics of the national sports festival's theme song inspire the youth of the country to connect and conquer historic places like the Statue of Unity and Sabarmati. Embellished with impressive sports scenes, the theme song captures the heart of how athletes triumph despite adversity.

--IANS

bsk

Dubai, Sep 4 (IANS) Virat Kohli slammed his second consecutive fifty in as many matches as India posted a competitive 181/7 against Pakistan in the second Super Four match of Asia Cup 2022 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Pushed into batting first, Kohli top-scored with 60 off 44 balls, hitting four fours and a six, while running hard between the wickets and was superb against pacers in an innings where India reverted back to its aggressive attacking approach.

Kohli's knock came after the opening pair of captain Rohit Sharma and K.L Rahul came out all guns blazing in a 54-run opening stand. For Pakistan, spinners Mohammad Nawaz (1-25) and Shadab Khan (2-31) bowled eight overs between themselves and conceded just 56 runs. Pacers Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf had a wicket apiece.

Sharma gave India a rollicking start, dancing down the pitch to lift Shah over cover for four and ended the 10-run opening over with a pulled six over deep mid-wicket. He then elegantly lofted Hasnain for another four over mid-off.

Rahul joined the boundary-hitting party with a brace of sixes off Shah in the third over. A beautiful lofted off-drive went over wide long-off while a flicked loft off the wrists was slammed straight down the ground.

Sharma's carnage continued as he crunched a drive past cover for four and pulled Rauf on the very next ball over deep mid-wicket for six. Rahul got India's fifty in 4.2 overs by dancing down the pitch to hammer Nawaz down the ground for four.

Rauf broke the 54-run opening stand in the final over of the powerplay, as Sharma mishit a slower ball to point. India's second wicket fell on the very first ball post-powerplay as Rahul holed out to long-on off Shadab.

Suryakumar Yadav and Kohli got two fours each to continue India's high-risk approach. But Nawaz struck in the tenth over, having Suryakumar slog-sweeping straight to backward square leg.

With Nawaz keeping things tight, Kohli took to taking fours off Shah and Hasnain through pull and drive. Rishabh Pant hoicked hard off Shah and had an outer edge on a slog off Shadab for a brace of fours.

But the leg-spinner had the last laugh as Pant reverse-swept straight to backward point. In the next over, Hardik Pandya punched a cross-seam ball from Hasnain straight to a forward diving short mid-wicket to depart for a two-ball duck.

Deepak Hooda's first four was driven firmly through the gap between mid-off and extra cover off Rauf. He then arched back to ramp a bouncer from Hasnain over the keeper's head. Kohli got his fifty in 36 balls with some style, shuffling towards off-side and whipping Hasnain over deep mid-wicket for six.

The last two overs didn't bring a glorious finish for India as Deepak Hooda skied high to long-on off Shah while Kohli fell inches short of his crease while trying to complete the second run. But misfields in the deep on the last two balls gave India back-to-back fours and took the total above 180.

Brief scores: India 181/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 60, Rohit Sharma 28; Shadab Khan 2-31, Mohammad Nawaz 1-25) against Pakistan

--IANS

nr/bsk

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor commended the "strong speech" by party leader Rahul Gandhi, who attacked the Narendra Modi government's failure to control inflation, at the party rally here on Sunday.

A strong speech by @RahulGandhi at @INCIndia's #MehengaiParHallaBol rally roused the huge crowds thronging the Ram Lila Maidan. Now to take the message across the country in the #BharatJodoYatra!" he said in a tweet.

Tharoor, who is seen as a member of the G-23, seeking wide-ranging reforms in the party, is seen as a possible candidate in the elections to the Congress President's post next month.

In his speech at the rally, Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Central government, saying said fear and hate were on the rise in the country since the party came into power.

"Hate is the incarnation of fear. The hate takes shape in those who fear something. Those who don't fear have no sense of hate," he said.

Gandhi identified the fears that were rising in India as "the fear for future, fear of rising prices, and the fear of rising unemployment".

"The hate divides the society leading to weakening of the country. The BJP and RSS are involved in dividing the society, deliberately creating hate and fear in the country," he said.

--IANS
miz/vd

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Addressing the 'Mehngai Par Halla bol rally' at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Central government and said fear and hate were on the rise in the country since the party came into power.

"The condition of the country is known to all. Since the BJP came to power, hate, violence and fear are on the rise in the country.

"Hate is the incarnation of fear. The hate takes shape in those who fear something. Those who don't fear have no sense of hate," Rahul Gandhi said.

Elaborating further, he asked about the types of fears that were rising in India -- "The fear for future, fear of rising prices and the fear of rising unemployment," the Congress leader said.

"The hate divides the society leading to weakening of the country. The BJP and RSS are involved in dividing the society, deliberately creating hate and fear in the country.

"In the last 8 years since when the saffron party came into the power, the farmers, Dalit, poor, small scale industries, labourers, have got nothing. Only two industrialists are getting all the advantage.

"If you ask the rest of India's industrialists, they will also say the same thing that only two industrialists are getting the whole advantage," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also hit out at the media, alleging that the whole media belongs to only those two industrialists and they show what they like. "Media scares the country which creates the sense of hatred among the countrymen. That gives the advantage to the BJP and later the party returns it to them," he alleged.

Talking about unemployment in the country, Gandhi said that even these two industrialists can not give employment to the whole youth of the country. It is small scale industry and agriculture that gives employment in the country, but unfortunately the Modi government has broken their backbones and the spirit.

"The credit for what the country faces today on the economic and other front goes to the irresponsible Modi government. But we will not step back from our responsibility. We will work together with the poor and deprived people of the country and will be their voice.

"Unemployment will rise in the coming days. On the one hand, India faces the highest unemployment and on the other hand the sky rocketing prices are touching every Indian," said Gandhi.

Talking about the Congress Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said, "Media doesn't listen to us. Even in Parliament we are not allowed to speak on any issues. So we have left with just one option to go directly among the public to connect with them and raise their concerns."

"The Congress party has always stood with citizens of the country, raised their voice and fought their fight and will continue to do so till the tyrannical forces ruling the nation today get defeated," Rahul Gandhi said.

--IANS
avr/dpb

By Quaid Najmi
Mumbai, Sep 4 (IANS) Renowned industrialist Cyrus P. Mistry, of the multinational Shapoorji Pallonji Group and former Chairman of Tata Sons, was killed in a road accident on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway in Maharashtra's Palghar on Sunday afternoon.


Mistry, 54 is survived by his wife Rohiqa, their two sons, an elder brother Shapoor Mistry and other family members.

Also killed in the accident was Jehangir D. Pundole, of the famed 'Dukes' soft drinks and foods company and the Pundole Art Gallery in Mumbai.

Another couple in the vehicle - Pundole's brother, Darius D. Pundole and wife Dr. Anahita Darius Pundole - were critically injured and rushed to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi in south Gujarat, said an official of Palghar police.

The young industrialist Mistry's abrupt death comes barely two months after his father, Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, the Chairman Emeritus of the Group, passed away, aged 93, on June 28 in Mumbai.

Taking serious cognisance, the state government has ordered a probe into the incident that stunned the country's corporate world.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who handles the home portfolio, said he has spoken to the Director General of Police Rajnish Sheth and ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.

According to Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, the accident took place on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway, around 3.15 pm, barely a couple of hours' drive from Mumbai.

"Of the four persons in the Mercedes car, two - (Mistry and Jehangir Pundole) - were declared dead instantly and two others (Darius and his wife Dr. Anahita Pundole) who were injured critically, have been rushed to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi," he told media persons.

Palghar police officials said that the Mistry and the Pundoles apparently became victims of "over-speeding" as the car hit with full force a highway divider on the River Surya passing the national highway near Charoti, around 105 kms north of Mumbai.

The impact of the crash was so powerful that although the car's airbags popped open, they failed to save the occupants - killing two and injuring two others - and dark-grey Mercedes was left badly damaged.

The tragedy apparently proved to be a double loss for the Pundole brothers (Jehangir and Darius) whose father Dinshaw passed away last week, and they had gone to perform the post-funeral rites in Udwada, a coastal town in south Gujarat, though details are not available.

The police have provisionally termed it as an "overspeeding case" which may have resulted in the devastating accident, especially since Palghar and surrounding regions have been battered with heavy rains since Saturday.

The news sent shockwaves in Indian corporate and political circles and many reacted with initial disbelief this afternoon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expressed grief and shock over the tragedy and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Mistry's demise is a loss not only to his family but also the country's industrial world.

Nationalist Congress President Sharad Pawar, Congress state and central leaders, Shiv Sena leaders and other top politicians have condoled Mistry's demise.

NCP MP Supriya Sule expressed shock at the incident on Twitter. "Devastating News My Brother Cyrus Mistry passed away. Can't believe it. Rest in Peace Cyrus."

Other union and state ministers, senior leaders from Bharatiya Janata Party, the corporate world in India and abroad have condoled Mistry's death.

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

--IANS
qn/vd

Dubai, Sep 4 (IANS) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes talismanic batter Virat Kohli looks a lot calmer after returning from the one-and-a-half break to return for Asia Cup 2022. Shastri added that the break taken by Kohli after India's tour of England ended was a much-needed one.

Kohli, in a prolonged lean patch seen from him not scoring a century in international cricket since November 2019, began Asia Cup 2022 with a crucial 35 in the thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan in India's first Group A match. He then scored an unbeaten 59 in India's second Group A win over Hong Kong.

"Virat Kohli looks a lot calmer, he needed that break. When you are mentally tired, you are fighting against yourself. Your body tells you something to do, your mind tells you something to do, but you can't take it. The break could have helped him. The fact that he spent some time on the field would also help him," said Shastri ahead of India's Super Four match against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan left-arm pacer Wasim Akram urged fans from both teams to not go overboard irrespective of what the result is at the end of the match. "And that's where we experts have to suggest to fans from both India and Pakistan. The teams will compete, and they will give their 100 percent, day in and day out. But in the end, it's a game of cricket. Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose.

"Any team loses, just say 'bad luck, well tried, better luck next time'. Whichever team wins, 'well played'. We (fans) just go overboard, we players, once the game is finished, we move on very quickly. We have to motivate ourselves again. So that's very important for cricket fans, both sides."

Shastri agreed with Akram's comments, conceding the India-Pakistan contest is totally "over-hyped" from the outside. "It's over-hyped from the outside. There is no love lost. The players will go at each other's throats on the field. That's how it should be."

"There's a great rivalry. It's the biggest box office when it comes to a game of cricket. You look at the first game of the Asia Cup, every time these two teams play, it's massive."

--IANS

nr/bsk