India

Bengaluru, Feb 14 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu will visit Karnataka on Friday to attend the inaugural session of the 10th International Women's Conference (IWC), organised by The Art of Living in Bengaluru.

The International Women's Conference will be hosted by The Art of Living from February 14 to 16 at its International Centre.

Bollywood celebrities Sharmila Tagore and her granddaughter and popular actress Sara Ali Khan, as well as actor-turned-politician Hema Malini will also attend the conference.

An official statement from The Art of Living said, "It is rare to have a prolific personality like Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, speak on the subject of mind and consciousness -- something everyone is eagerly looking forward to."

"At a time when the world is witnessing profound shifts in leadership and gender roles, her presence at IWC underscores the significance of this transformative gathering in shaping an inclusive future-- not just in policy but in every sphere of life," the statement added.

At the IWC, legendary actress Sharmila Tagore and her granddaughter, actress Sara Ali Khan, will come together for a rare conversation about legacy, identity, and the evolving role of women in the film industry in a session titled "Circle of Wisdom".

Hema Malini will also share her perspectives as an artist, leader, and parliamentarian, making this conference a deeply personal and thought-provoking dialogue on balancing tradition with modernity in the public eye, The Art of Living said.

Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi and Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, as well as Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Shobha Karandlaje, will also attend the conference.

Industry leaders, including Radhika Gupta (MD and CEO, Edelweiss MF), Nivruti Rai (MD and CEO, Invest India), Priti Rathi Gupta (Founder, Lxme), Amisha Vora (CMD, Prabhudas Lilladher), Simi Sabhaney (Chief Growth Officer, Dentsu), and Sangeeta Jindal (Chairperson, JSW Foundation) will share their journey through the ever-evolving business landscape. They will also discuss the mindset and inner strength that helped them navigate life's challenges.

Inspired by a poem by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, IWC's theme, "Just Be", invites leaders to pause, reflect, and lead from a space of awareness.

The discussions at IWC will go beyond rhetoric, emphasising how stillness can become strength and authenticity can guide leadership.

Bhanumathi Narasimhan, the esteemed sister of global humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, chairs the International Women's Conference.

She leads The Art of Living's initiatives in women's welfare, child care, education, and environmental sustainability.

--IANS

mka/khz

Agartala, Feb 14 (IANS) A group of thieves broke into the CBI camp office here and took away not just files and other valuables, but almirahs, chairs, electric appliances, doors, and even windows, an official said on Thursday.

A police officer said that after receiving a complaint from the CBI, the police arrested six suspects and recovered most of the stolen items.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of the New Capital Complex (NCC) Subrata Barman said that the central probe agency’s camp office, located in the highly protected Shyamali Bazar quarter complex area, had been closed for over five months.

It was then the burglars broke into the CBI office and took away the furniture and other materials.

The theft came to light only when CBI officials visited the premises on February 11, and found themselves staring at bare walls with most of the furniture and other articles missing, the official told the media.

He said that following a complaint lodged by inspector Anurag of the CBI, the police launched an investigation under Sub-Inspector Jainal Hussain, leading to the detention of Biplab Debbarma and Raju Bhowmik.

Their questioning revealed the complete extent of the misdeed, resulting in four more arrests, the DDPO said.

The police successfully recovered eight steel almirah, seven wooden doors, four windows, a geyser, and four chairs, among other stolen items. The entire recovery process took place in the presence of an executive magistrate.

All six arrested are from adjoining Shyamali Bazar and Khejur Bagan area on the outskirts of the capital city. The detainees would be produced before the court.

Police officials continue to investigate if any more items,or unusual ambitions, were involved in the theft.

Few of detainees are also drug addicts

--IANS

sc/pgh

Gwalior, Feb 14 (IANS) A seven-year-old boy - Shivay Gupta - who was kidnapped in broad daylight while he was on the way to school with his mother in Gwalior on Thursday morning, has been rescued.

In a video statement late on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the police have rescued the boy safely, and he was being taken to his parents.

"Shivay Gupta was kidnapped from Gwalior this morning. An extensive search operation was carried out by several teams of police and the boy was recovered safely. Police team is taking the boy to his parents," Chief Minister said.

Without giving details about the kidnappers, Chief Minister said that accused persons have been arrested, and they will be given harsh punishment for the crime.

"I would congratulate Gwalior district police for this successful operation within very short period. The state government assured that accused persons will be punished as per the law," he added.

However, the Chief Minister did not reveal the identity of the accused persons and from where they were the boy was recovered, and the accused were arrested.

Notably, Shivay was kidnapped in the Muran area of ​​Gwalior on Thursday morning when his mother was going to drop the child off to school.

Suddenly, two miscreants arrived on motorcycles and threw chilli powder in her eyes. They then picked up the child forcibly and made him sit on one of the bikes, and sped away. This entire incident was captured on a CCTV camera.

The footage shows a youth waiting on his red colour motorcycle while his aide comes running with the child in his arms.

He then sits on the bike with the boy, and both speed off.

The video also shows the child's mother trying to chase them. The incident of broad daylight kidnapping of the boy had also sparked a political row as the opposition Congress raised questions about Madhya Pradesh’s law and order situation.

Terming the abduction of the child as a "shocking" and "dangerous" example of crime, Congress veteran and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the incident had once again exposed the state's deteriorating law and order situation.

"The courage of criminals in the state is increasing so much that they no longer have fear of the law. I hope that swift action will be taken, and the child will be handed over to his parents safely," Kamal Nath said earlier in the day.

Minister in-charge for Gwalior, Tulsiram Silawat, has spoken to Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana on phone.

--IANS

pd/pgh

Patna, Feb 14 (IANS) Renowned educationist Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, made serious allegations of corruption and irregularities in the 70th Preliminary Test (PT) of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on Thursday.

He claims to have gathered solid evidence proving rigging in the examination and asserts that the exam is certain to be cancelled by the High Court.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Khan Sir revealed that his team had been investigating possible misconduct in the BPSC exam since the beginning.

"We were always suspicious of fraud in the BPSC exam, but without evidence, nothing could be done. Now, after a month of effort, we have found undeniable proof that exposes the lies of the Bihar Public Service Commission. This exam will definitely be cancelled, and a re-examination will be conducted," he said.

He said that the BPSC conducted the preliminary exam on 13th December 2024, preparing three sets of question papers for contingency purposes.

“If any set was leaked, the commission could replace it with another. After the exam, the two unused sets were supposed to be deposited in district treasuries, as per protocol. However, our investigation revealed that the question papers were missing from the treasuries of Nawada and Gaya districts,” he claimed.

He also provided a detailed breakdown of how the alleged rigging occurred. The BPSC cancelled the exam at the Bapu Examination Centre on 13th December due to irregularities. A re-exam was conducted on 4th January 2024 for the affected candidates.

“As per the protocol, instead of destroying or properly storing the two unused sets of papers, BPSC used them for the re-exam held on January 4 at the Bapu exam centre,” he claimed.

As a result, the pass rate in the original exam (13th December) was only 6 per cent. However, the pass rate in the re-exam (4th January) shot up to 19 per cent—more than three times higher. This statistical anomaly, Khan Sir argues, is clear evidence of malpractice.

"This proves that BPSC conducted the re-exam without following security protocols. The question paper was already leaked, which is why the success rate was so high. This has ruined the future of thousands of deserving candidates," he alleged.

He further emphasised that he has consulted legal experts and is preparing to present the evidence in the High Court.

"Earlier, people said that without proof, the exam cannot be cancelled. But now we have undeniable proof. Legal experts believe that the High Court will have no option but to cancel the exam," he stated.

In addition to exposing the alleged fraud, he also accused a high-ranking BPSC official of being the mastermind behind the scam.

Khan Sir claimed that a Joint Secretary-level officer has been serving in the BPSC for 10 years, despite government rules mandating officer transfers every three years.

He also hinted at corruption within the commission, questioning why that officer was not transferred, and criticised BPSC over technical failures during the application process.

He claimed around 80,000 candidates were unable to complete their applications due to a server crash while making payments.

Despite repeated appeals, BPSC refused to extend the deadline or offer any resolution.

"The server issue was BPSC’s fault, but innocent students had to suffer. This is further proof of the inefficiency and corruption in the commission," Khan Sir said.

--IANS

ajk/dan

Imphal, Feb 14 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur is a belated admission by the BJP of their complete inability to govern in Manipur.

Rahul Gandhi in a post on X, said: "Now, PM Modi can no longer deny his direct responsibility for Manipur. Has he finally made up his mind to visit the state, and explain to the people of Manipur and India his plan to restore peace and normalcy?”

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh in a separate post on the X said: "On the 10th of February, the Congress was bringing a no-confidence motion. They knew the chief minister had lost the confidence of his own BJP and NDA colleagues."

Consequently, the Chief Minister was forced to resign on February 9, said Ramesh, also a member of Parliament.

He said that the requirement to convene the next session within six months of the previous one was violated on February 12.

"And today, they've announced the President's Rule. We will consult our party colleagues and hold internal meetings to discuss whether to demand midterm polls in Manipur. However, our immediate demand is for the Prime Minister to visit Manipur," the Rajya Sabha member said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), an apex body of Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur supported the imposition of President's rule in the trouble-torn state.

ITLF spokesman Ginza Vualzong said that the president's rule is more preferable than a change of Chief Minister.

"The Kuki-Zo do not trust Meitei anymore, so a new Meitei Chief Minister is still far from comforting. President's Rule will give a ray of hope to the Kuki-Zo, and we believe that it will be one step closer to our political solution,” Vualzong said.

He said: "With the President's Rule, I believe the groundwork to end violence will begin, which will pave the way for a conducive environment for political dialogue."

The ITLF, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), several other organisations of Kuki-Zo tribals, ten tribals MLAs belonging to Kuki-Zo community since the ethnic violence broke out have been demanding a separate administrations or a Union Territory for the tribals in Manipur.

--IANS

sc/pgh

Jaipur, Feb 14 (IANS) A legal complaint has been filed against popular YouTubers Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahabadia, Ashish Chanchlani, and Apoorva Mukhija in Kota over allegedly obscene and offensive remarks about parents in their comedy show 'India's Got Latent'.

The complaint, lodged by a group of lawyers at Nayapura police station, claims that the show promotes vulgarity under the guise of comedy, which they argue is an attack on India's social and moral values.

The complainants, including lawyers Ritesh Gurjar, Hemlata Sharma, Yash Kumar Nagar, Vishwas Shaktawat, Arvind Rathore, and Rukhsar Syed, emphasised that such content negatively influences society, particularly the youth, and erodes traditional values.

The episode in question was uploaded to YouTube on February 8 as part of stand-up comedian Samay Raina’s show 'India’s Got Latent', which has a global subscriber base of over 7.3 million.

Known for its bold comedic content, the show has now become the centre of controversy. Lawyer Ritesh Gurjar expressed concerns about the show's impact, particularly in Kota, a city renowned as India’s educational hub, where lakhs of students arrive each year to prepare for careers in medicine and engineering.

He argued that such content negatively shapes young minds, stating: "In our culture, parents are revered like God. Making indecent comments about them is an insult to our values."

The legal representatives demanded that a case be registered against the accused comedians, labelling them "anti-social elements", and called for the show to be permanently banned. Hemant Sharma, a veteran, condemned the episode, which was also shared on Instagram and other social media platforms. He stated that the accused comedians "crossed all limits of decency", making remarks that were "impossible to even listen to."

He further warned that such vulgar humour not only corrupts young minds but also encourages inappropriate behaviour and crimes against women.

Amid the backlash, Samay Raina responded to the controversy on Instagram. On Wednesday, he claimed to have removed all videos of the show from YouTube, asserting that his intention was only to entertain and make people laugh.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the incident has sparked a broader debate about the limits of comedy and the responsibility of content creators on digital platforms.

--IANS

arc/dan

Patna, Feb 13 (IANS) The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has approved 11,251 rural roads under the Rural Works Department, covering a total length of 19,867 km, during a Cabinet meeting here on Thursday.

The total cost of these projects is estimated at Rs 17,266 crore, aimed at long-term management and maintenance of deteriorated roads across all 38 districts for the next seven years.

The majority of the road projects were announced during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Pragati Yatra for the construction of new roads or repairing of existing roads.

Nitish Kumar is currently busy with the Pragati Yatra in Bihar, covering one district per day.

During the meeting, a total of 37 proposals from the Rural Works Department were passed, all related to rural road construction.

Besides, several proposals from other departments, including education, health, agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, urban development, infrastructure development, and public welfare initiatives.

The state Cabinet has approved funds for Samastipur for developmental projects, a new Auditorium and Science Bhawan to be constructed with an investment of Rs 47 crore in Magadh Mahila College Patna, a new educational building will be built with Rs 61 crore in Rajendra College, Chhapra.

The Cabinet has also approved grants under the School Uniform Initiative of the education department.

Under this initiative, students will receive funds for uniforms before the academic session begins to ensure they attend school in proper attire.

For the water supply in Bettiah, a total of Rs 61 crore was allocated to improve water supply infrastructure, funds were also approved to build a New Sub-Registry Office in Saharsa to improve administrative efficiency in the region, approval of domestic assistance rules for the retired Chief Justices of the High Court and the extension of Superintendent’s tenure of State Guest House, Patna for one year.

These decisions mark a significant push for infrastructure, education, and public welfare in Bihar, as the government aims to strengthen connectivity and enhance facilities across the state.

--IANS

ajk/pgh

Imphal, Feb 13 (IANS) In a case of fratricide, a CRPF jawan on Thursday gunned down two of his colleagues on the spot and injured eight others in Manipur’s Imphal West District before committing suicide by his own service arms, officials said.

A police official said that in an unfortunate incident that happened inside a CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) camp in Lamsang in Imphal West District, a jawan suddenly started indiscriminate firing.

“In the firing two CRPF jawans were killed on the spot and eight others injured. Later, the accused jawan also committed suicide by using the service weapon,” the official said.

The injured CRPF jawans were immediately shifted to the hospital in Imphal. All the CRPF personnel belonged to the F-120 company of the para-military force.

Senior officers of the Police and CRPF have rushed to the spot while a high-level investigation has been ordered.

Police officials have yet to confirm the cause of the incident. The incident occurred hours after President Droupadi Murmu imposed President’s Rule in the trouble-torn Manipur and the “60-member state assembly put under suspended animation”.

As part of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), thousands of CRPF jawans have been deployed in Manipur after the ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, 2023.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day on Thursday the outgoing Inspector General (IG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Manipur and Nagaland sector, Vipul Kumar along with IG designate, CRPF, Rajendra Narayan Dash called on Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan.

“The senior officials briefed the Governor on the deployment and operational activities of the CRPF in the region,” a Raj Bhavan official said.

--IANS

sc/dan

Hyderabad, Feb 13 (IANS) The Cyberabad police have arrested 10 more accused in connection with the attack on Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest C. S. Rangarajan.

Those arrested were from Srikakulam and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Bhadrachalam town of Telangana.

With this, the number of accused arrested in the case has gone up to 16. The police are on the lookout for more accused who are absconding.

Those arrested earlier include founder of Rama Rajyam organisation and main accused, Kovvuri Veer Raghava Reddy.

A resident of Manikonda in Hyderabad, Raghava Reddy is a native of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. He and the other accused have been remanded to judicial custody.

Police arrested him on February 10 after the priest lodged a complaint.

According to police, 20-25 people clad in black uniforms trespassed into the residence of Rangarajan at Chilkur near Hyderabad on February 7 and assaulted him. They wanted him to support their organisation financially as well as to recruit people into the “Rama Rajyam Army”. The matter came to light on February 8 after Rangarajan lodged a complaint.

Police said Veer Raghava Reddy, started "Rama Rajyam" in 2022 on social media platforms, including Facebook, and operated a YouTube channel.

He posted Bhagavad Gita slokas and motivated people to join the Army to protect Hindu Dharma. He also announced that individuals registering between September 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 would be recruited into the "Rama Rajyam Army" with a salary of Rs 20,000.

In response to this post, 25 members first met the accused on January 24, 2025 at Tanuku.

After four days of stay, they traveled to Kotappakonda, where they contributed Rs 2,000 each and had uniforms stitched by a local tailor. On February 6, after receiving the uniforms, they gathered in an independent house in Yapral, Hyderabad, and took photos and videos in uniform with the organisation's backdrop. The next day they traveled to Chilkur in three vehicles and assaulted Rangarajan.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy spoke to Rangarajan over phone and consoled him on February 10. A couple of ministers also called on the priest.

The Chief Minister warned that such attacks on priests will not be tolerated and ordered police officials to take stringent action against the assailants involved in the attack on the famous temple’s chief priest.

--IANS

ms/pgh

Jaipur, Feb 13 (IANS) A delegation from the Rajasthan government, led by State Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, embarked on an educational tour to Kerala to explore advancements in the Panchayati Raj system.

On the first day of the visit, Minister Madan Dilawar had a packed schedule, engaging in discussions and knowledge exchange with officials from Kerala’s Panchayati Raj Department.

During a meeting at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur, Minister Dilawar interacted with officials, professors, faculty members, and training in-charges, gaining insights into Kerala’s Panchayati Raj system.

The Kerala officials also delivered a presentation on the state’s governance model, highlighting their strategies for empowering local self-governance.

Madan Dilawar shared key initiatives undertaken by Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj Department, including Annapurna Rasoi – a subsidised meal scheme for rural communities, Rashtriya Gram Swarajya Abhiyan – a national program for strengthening local governance, lease distribution scheme – providing land rights to nomadic communities, ownership scheme – facilitating land ownership for rural populations and Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) – promoting rural sanitation and hygiene.

Additionally, he provided details about the training programmes conducted by the Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj Training Institute over the past year and the activities of its six state-level training centres.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Madan Dilawar emphasised that Rajasthan is placing special focus on rural cleanliness, with the goal of making the state a leader in rural sanitation within the next two years.

To achieve this, the government has implemented the revised Basic Schedule of Rates (BSR) for cleaning tenders, ensuring that sanitation workers receive fair wages rather than traditional honorariums.

He further highlighted that daily cleaning and garbage collection systems have been introduced in rural areas, similar to urban regions, to improve hygiene and sanitation.

The Rajasthan delegation included Jai Narayan Meena – Special Assistant to the Minister, Ashok Sharma – Private Secretary, Satish Gupta – Special Officer to the Minister and Jagdish Vijay & Dr. Surendra Godara – Representatives from the Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj Training Institute.

--IANS

arc/dan