India

Lucknow, Sep 19 (IANS) The iconic Burlington Crossing in Lucknow has been named after Ashok Singhal, the former international working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The executive committee of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has renamed six places, including roads, parks and a stadium after Hindu ideologues, freedom fighters, soldiers, late politicians, and social workers hailing from the city and outside.

According to official sources, the road leading to Meena Bakery Crossing in Rajajipuram has been renamed after noted Shia cleric Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar, who was the founder president of All India Shia Personal Law Board.

The trisection near the statue of Maharaja Suheldev Rajbhar at Lalbagh has been named after the Suheldev Rajbhar, the legendary king of the medieval India, who ruled in Shravasti and fought with the Muslim invaders.

Incidentally Suheldev Rajbhar is the ideologue of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a former ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

It has also been decided to rename a park in Azad Nagar Colony after a freedom fighter, though the name has not been finalised yet. The mayor will choose from the names of 1857 revolt heroes Mangal Pandey, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Babu Kunwar Singh.

A road in Aliganj area will be named after freedom fighter Sohan Lal Saxena, street near the Amiruddaula Public Library after artist Prof Sukhvir Sanghal, Alambagh Teripulia Trisection as Khalsa Chowk, a park in Sanjay Gandhi Puram Colony after Chandra Shekhar Azad, the street near Ashiana Power House as Digambar Jain Temple Marg.

The decision to rename the streets comes barely weeks before the municipal polls are scheduled in Lucknow.

--IANS
amita/dpb

Lucknow, Sep 19 (IANS) The parents of a man who kidnapped and killed a 21-year-old woman, have been arrested for helping their son, a jilted lover, in hiding and disposing of the body.

Harshit Shukla, arrested on Saturday, had forcibly taken the woman to his house on pretext of an outing and strangulated her to death when she refused to submit to his wishes.

Harshit's parents, Prem Chand Shukla, 60, and Madhuri Shukla, 57, were arrested from their residence in Pandit Khera locality in Krishna Nagar.

ADCP, Central Zone, Rajesh Srivastava said that the accused kept the body in his room on the first floor of his residence and locked it from outside.

After two days, a foul smell started emanating from the first floor and Madhuri came to know about the murder of the girl.

ADCP said that Madhuri then informed her husband about the same and the three of them tied the body in a blanket and then stuffed it in a plastic sack which they dumped near the tube well near their residence.

A day later, the body was recovered by the locals and police were informed about the same. The parents of the woman had also lodged a missing complaint in the case.

It mentioned that Harshit was harassing their daughter and that she had distanced herself from him about 10 months ago.

The woman had lodged a complaint against Harshit with the police in May after which he was arrested and released after seven days. The man started harassing the woman again in September following which she lodged another complaint on the day she had gone missing.

--IANS
amita/shs

By Yashwant Raj
Washington, Sep 18 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar begins his 10-day tour of the United States on Sunday that will be marked by another attempt to infuse new life into the stalled UN Security Council reforms process and steady bilateral ties with the US rocked by differences over Ukraine and a massive upkeep package for Pakistan's F-16 fighter aircraft.


Jaishankar will spend the first and longer part of the visit in New York, attending the annual high-level meetings of the UN General Assembly and meeting counterparts in bilaterals and multilaterals such as the BRICS (with Brazil, China and South Africa), G-4 (with Japan, German and Brazil), IBSA (with Brazil and South Africa) and SAARC (with all other south Asian countries).

The minister will head out to Washington DC on September 25 for the second and last leg of the tour for bilateral meetings, including with his counterpart Antony Blinken and other senior officials of the Joe Biden administration. He will also meet industry leaders and Indian Americans, some of whom have felt disappointed by New Delhi's refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The highlights of Jaishankar's UNGA meetings will be his address to a group of developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Small Island called L69, which is focussed on the reform of the UN Security Council.

The meeting will be based on the theme "Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council".

The UNSC reforms process has moved at a snail's pace since formal discussions started as Intergovernmental Negotiations. The last expansion of the elite club took place in 1965 with the addition of four non-permanent seats, taking the total to 15 -- five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.

India, which is now serving its eighth two-year term as a non-permanent member, wants a permanent berth in the expanded council, but it has watched the process drag with mounting irritation, which shows through the stronger language used by its leaders to demand progress.

The United States is planning to put its weight behind the process at UNGA.

"We will be having discussions with our P3 colleagues (with the other two permanent members France and the United Kingdom) as well as others on the way forward," US Ambassador to UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, had told reporters last week, adding, "The President will present a bit more on this in his speech. Secretary Blinken will also be engaging this week on the commitments we've made and how we see the process moving forward."

Jaishankar may also meet for the first time — or, as is most likely — not meet his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto at the conference of SAARC ministers. The annual ritual is marked by Pakistan's efforts to stage a showdown with the Indian delegation and minister.

In Washington, Jaishankar is scheduled to meet his counterpart Blinken and others in the backdrop of the recent differences over Ukraine and the proposed US aid package of $450 million to Pakistan to furbish its F-16s.

The US had pressed India to condemn the Russian invasion and not increase its oil purchase from Russia so as to not allow Moscow any relief from the severe economic sanctions the West has imposed.

India had done neither, not until later, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly told Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, "Today's era is not of war."

The remarks, which were noted approvingly by the US media, may pre-empt some of the tough discussions -- "frank" exchanges, as they are invariably noted in press communiques -- that could have taken place otherwise.

The Ukraine war has added an unforeseen and unwelcome wrinkle to a relationship that's seen remarkable progress in recent years. Strategic cooperation -- considered central to the relationship -- has seen a sharp upswing with quick and frequent meetings of the Quad.

A US package of $450 million for Pakistan's F-16s was seen unkindly by New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had conveyed the government's concern in a telephone call to his counterpart Lloyd Austin. The US took no note of it in its readout of the call.

Jaishankar is a veteran of India's ties with the US as former Ambassador to this country, and may have authored large parts of it. The next 10 days may prove to be another masterclass in diplomacy from India's top diplomat.

--IANS
yrj/arm

Guwahati, Sep 18 (IANS) A day after Assam Police arrested 17 Bangladeshi nationals from Biswanath district for violating visa norms by indulging in religious activities, DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said on Sunday that the state government has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) flagging repeated occurrence of such incidents.

The DGP said that many Bangladeshi clerics have already been barred from entering Assam for repeated violation of visa regulations.

"In lower Assam and in the Barak Valley area, there is a tendency to invite Bangladeshi clerics on tourist visa for religious preaching. These clerics often violate the visa norms and try to radicalise the Muslim youth of Assam in the name of religious preaching," he added.

On Saturday, Assam police had arrested 17 Bangladeshi nationals from Biswanath district for indulging in religious activities by violating visa norms.

Biswanath district SP Nabin Singh informed that the Bangladeshi nationals were camping in the Baghmari area under the Jinjia police station for the past few days. They carried out religious preaching in the riverine areas that fall in the district's interior parts.

The Bangladeshi nationals had entered India through the Coach Behar border in West Bengal in August and from there they went to Assam's South Shalmara district. The group was headed by religious teacher Ashraful Alom, who is a resident of the Sherpur district in Bangladesh.

After the police warned them to stop religious preaching in the area, the group left but returned to the state after a few days. This time, they went to Biswanath district and started religious preaching in the riverine areas.

Mahanta said: "We had earlier told the Bangladeshi clerics that the police will be strict next time. Though they entered India on tourist visa, the group never visited the tourist spots in the state."

"Radicalisation through religious preaching is neither good for Assam, nor for the country," he added.

--IANS
tdr/arm

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) Delhi Police have arrested a notorious criminal, who used to steal two-wheelers vehicles and later used them to commit robbery, an official said Sunday.

The accused, identified as Rahul Sharma (29), was previously found involved in six robbery cases and theft.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West), Usha Rangnai, said that in order to curb incidents of snatching and robbery in the North-West district, a team was constituted to deploy anti-snatching pickets and to nab the suspicious persons.

"On Saturday, the team positioned near Laxmi Bai College was checking vehicles when they noticed a Scooty, which was coming towards them, taking a U-turn in order to escape. The police swung into action and nabbed the rider, Rahul, after a brief chase," the DCP said.

After a search, a button actuated knife was recovered from Rahul possession, while the Scooty he was riding was also found to be a stolen vehicle.

The police have lodged an FIR under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act and apprehended the accused.

On sustained interrogation, Rahul confessed that he was roaming in the area in search of parked two-wheelers, so as to steal them and them=n commit robbery using them. He was evading arrest and was on the run in two cases of robbery and under the Arms Act.

Further efforts are being made to trace his possible involvement in other cases, the official said.

--IANS
uj/arm

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) Delhi Police have busted a gang of fraudsters and arrested four persons, including two women, who duped people in lieu of providing handsome salary for gigolo and masseur service, an official said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Shubham Ahuja, Udit Mehta, Neha Chhabra and Archna Ahuja, cheated more than 100 people in the last two years.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West), Usha Rangnani, said a complaint was received by the cyber police station wherein the complainant alleged that he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number, offering him a male masseur's job which included going to people's houses and give them massage on payment basis.

"When he contacted the given mobile number, he was asked to pay Rs 3,500 as registration fee. The complainant paid the amount through Paytm," the DCP said.

He was then induced to pay Rs 12,600 for buying a massage equipment kit, Rs 15,500 for preparing an entry card and Rs 9,400 for booking a hotel room.

For every payment, the complainant was promised that he will get back the whole amount in cash from their clients. After he paid Rs 9,400, the accused asked for more money to get another entry card made which the complainant refused and asked for refund.

In total, the complainant paid Rs 47,200 to the alleged persons but no such job was provided to him. Thereafter, he realised that he has been duped in lieu of job offer.

The police registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC and took up the probe.

During investigation, a team was constituted which obtained the beneficiary account details and mounted technical surveillance.

The details were scrutinised and based on the findings, a raid was conducted in the Janak Park area in Hari Nagar, from where the police arrested all the four accused persons besides collecting digital evidence, including seven mobile phones, one laptop, ATM cards and other documents which were later found to be connected to the fraud in the instant case.

On sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to post advertisements on social media platforms, WhatsApp and dating apps. They used to assure the victims that all the money would be refunded by their rich female clients at the time of first meeting in a hotel.

"Shubham Ahuja was the mastermind of the racket and ran his network from a rented premises in Janak Park," the DCP said.

He paid a salary of Rs 20,000 per month to manager Udit Mehta and Rs 15,000 per month each to both Neha Chhabra and Archna Ahuja, who worked as tele-callers, the official added.

--IANS
uj/arm

Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said that the National Educational Policy (NEP) 2020 recognises all Indian languages as national languages.

In his address at the 36th convocation ceremony of SASTRA deemed to be University at Thanjavur, he also said that the country has the knowledge capability to find sustainable solutions at global level.

Pradhan, who is also Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Minister, said that NEP 2020 recognises the positive impact of the mother tongue in fostering critical thinking and innovation, as well as its potential in terms of teaching methodology and learning outcomes.

He also said that entrepreneurship should be promoted and that bridging the gap between education and skills was important.

Pradhan said that initiatives were in place for harnessing and integrating knowledge in Indian folklore and old literature.

He conferred degrees of Doctor of Science on Krishnaswami Alldi, Professor of Mathematics, University of Florida, and Doctor of Letters on Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman, Bharathiya Basha Samiti, on the occasion.

--IANS
aal/vd

Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) Indian-American singer-songwriter Subhi and Kanishk Seth of "Rang Saari" fame have collaborated for an upcoming track titled "Laapata". This will be Subhi's first Hindi track after a series of English releases, including songs such as "In My Way", "Wake Me Up", "Define Me", "Better", and "Water Raft".

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Subhi has previously worked with leading digital platforms Y-Films (Yash Raj Films) and TVF (The Viral Fever) in India. Subhi's original composition "Lovely" is the title track of a series called "Zindagi In Shorts" and the song is also featured in one of the episodes.

"Laapata" will be Subhi and Kanishk Seth's first collaboration. Kanishk has produced the track and the track is mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane.

Subhi said: "'Laapata' is about feeling inspired and lost at the same time. I am grateful for the freedom I have to do what I love the most and at the same time, I realise how unpredictable and unknown this journey is. As I am getting older, and wiser, I am realising life is bittersweet. Many times I find myself feeling a little lost, questioning the purpose of my work and where it is taking me. "

"I keep reminding myself it is okay to feel lost, to wander, and in the process re-discover myself. 'Laapata' is about finding solace in feeling lost on a crossroad you've been on before."

Subhi also added: "When I created this song, it played in my head in a loop for days. That's when I knew I had to put it out there. I am so excited to share this song with the world. This is the first original song I have collaborated with Kanishk Seth on. I created the song and reached out to Kanishk. He liked the composition and came onboard as the producer."

"Originally I had a very different vision of how I'd like the music to be. Kanishk had his own ideas regarding how the track should sound. We started off by discussing ideas and with a lot of back and forth, landed at a sweet spot where we both fell in love with the track. I feel Kanishk did a fantastic job at producing the track and helped me complete the vision of the song."

Kanishk, about working on the track, said: "When I had started working on 'Laapata', I remember we had such different ideas in the beginning. Subhi had certain ideas that you will have to make it a momentabalistic yet a bit modern sounding track. And whenever I listen to the song I always imagine going on a road trip or just feeling lost at the same time very irrespective of life just like the lines of the song."

--IANS
ila/vd

Chandigarh, Sep 18 (IANS) Donning black T-shirts, students of Chandigarh University in Punjab's Mohali district continued to protest demanding justice over the alleged 'leaked objectionable videos' on Sunday.

Following protests by the students on Saturday night, a female MBA student of the private university was arrested by the police on Sunday morning on charges of making an objectionable video.

She has also been accused of filming her fellow hostellers and making the videos viral.

As the matter drew angry political reactions, the university authorities clarified that "no videos were found of any student which are objectionable, except a personal video shot by a girl which she shared with her boyfriend".

Also dismissing reports of suicide attempt by some students who were allegedly filmed, the authorities said "there are rumours that seven girls have committed suicide whereas the fact is that no girl has taken any such step".

Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Soni, who is leading the investigation team, categorically told the media that no attempt to suicide was reported after the incident came to light. Also, he said, so far there is no evidence of the video going viral.

"As per the investigation, the accused made her own video and shared it with her boyfriend. There is no video of other students made by her. There is no evidence of that so far. A lot of misinformation and rumours are doing the rounds. We should respect the modesty of the accused student as we are investigating the matter," he said.

Soni appealed to the people and the students to maintain calm and help the police probe the matter.

As per reports, the accused hosteller sent nude images and videos to her male friend in Shimla, resulting in the footage being circulated online.

As the news spread, a massive protest was staged on the university campus on Saturday night with scores of hostellers raising 'we want justice' slogan.

The police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

Amid the raging controversy, Chandigarh University Pro-Chancellor R.S. Bawa said there are rumours that seven girls have committed suicide. "No girl has attempted any such step. No girl has been admitted to the hospital," he said.

"Another rumour is doing the rounds that 60 objectionable MMS clips have been found of different students. This is totally false and baseless. During the preliminary investigation conducted by the university, only one personal video was found which was shot by a girl who shared it with her boyfriend," Bawa said in a statement.

He added that all mobile phones and other materials have been handed over to the police for further investigation.

Meanwhile, terming the incident as unfortunate, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a high-level probe into the matter.

The Chief Minister said that "daughters are our dignity and pride", adding that any such incident is highly condemnable.

He categorically said that anyone found guilty will not be spared and severe action will be taken against the perpetrators of this crime.

Requesting the students to maintain calm, Minister of School Education Harjot Singh Bains said, "The guilty will not be spared. It's a very sensitive matter and relates to the dignity of our sisters and daughters. We all, including the media, should be very very cautious."

Punjab State Women Commission Chairperson Manisha Gulati, who reached the university, said, "The probe is underway and law will take its course."

She also said that the commission will inspect all universities so that such incidents do not occur again.

Additional Director General of Police Gurpreet Deo told the media that a youth from Shimla is known to the accused girl.

"More details will be known once he is detained. Forensic probe of the girl's mobile phone will be conducted," he said.

Meanwhile, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tweeted, "The #chandigarhuniversity incident is shameful. Those responsible must be given exemplary punishment. The dignity & safety of our daughters should be of topmost priority. Hope police gets into action and sets an example against the culprits."

--IANS
vg/arm

Panaji, Sep 18 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with eight MLAs, who recently switched to the BJP from the Congress, will leave for Delhi later on Sunday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior saffron party leaders.

On September 14, former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes had jumped ship from the Congress to the BJP.

Sawant on Sunday attended a coordination meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after which he told mediapersons that he will be leaving for Delhi later on Sunday.

"All the eight new joinees and the state BJP President (Sadanand Tanavade) are also going to Delhi with me. We will meet the Prime Minister and also will try to meet Home Minister Amit Shah," Sawant said.

He added that the meeting with Prime Minister Modi has already been fixed, while the meeting with Amit Shah is yet to be finalised.

When asked whether a Cabinet reshuffle will take place after the meeting with the Prime Minister, Sawant said there are no such plans.

The BJP had 20 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly, which has now gone up to 28 after recent joinings. The BJP also has the support of two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs and three Independent members. Hence, the total strength of BJP+allies has gone up to 33 now, while the Congress has been reduced to just three MLAs.

--IANS
sbk/arm