Regional

Deoria, Dec 25 (IANS) There was chaos at Masihi Church in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria city when some anti-social elements entered its premises during Sunday prayer service, alleging that poor people were being tempted there to embrace Christianity.

After getting information, the police officials rushed to the spot and controlled the situation.

Confirming the incident, circle officer (CO), Deoria Sadar, Shreyas Tripathi said police have started a probe into the matter but complaints of conversion had no substantial grounds.

Father Rudra, the pastor at the church, alleged that some youths started videography after entering the church premises and also issued threats to those present there.

Meanwhile, the circle officer said police have got a video of the incident from some youths who were part of the chaos.

“We are identifying the miscreants for further investigation,” the cop added. He said no case has yet been lodged in connection with the incident.

--IANS

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Lucknow, Dec 25 (IANS) Continuing its crackdown on illegal construction linked to mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has sealed the New FI Hospital, owned by Siraj Ahmed, who, according to officials, is a close aide of Ansari.

The LDA also initiated the demolition of illegal structures in the parking area of the FI Tower, another property owned by Ahmed.

This decisive action comes after the LDA earlier issued a notice declaring two floors of the FI Tower, comprising 24 flats and one penthouse, as illegal. The notice also highlighted violations of building norms in the New FI Hospital.

Following the notice, the LDA moved on Sunday to seal the New FI Hospital and commence the demolition of illegal parking structures at the FI Tower. The demolition was carried out under heavy security, with LDA vice-chairman Indramani Tripathi personally overseeing the operation.

The LDA also registered an FIR against Ahmed, along with his associates Shoaib Iqbal, Monis Iqbal, and Michael, at the Kaiserbagh police station for violating building norms. While Monis Iqbal has already been arrested and jailed, authorities are actively searching for Siraj Ahmed and Michael.

Tripathi, meanwhile, said, “The crackdown on the illegally constructed building will continue as per the rules. This action is part of our drive against such construction.”

--IANS

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Mathura, Dec 25 (IANS) Two women devotees, both above 60 years of age, who reached Vrindavan for ‘darshan’ at Banke Bihari Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura died "due to illness", officials said on Monday.

The two women died on Sunday. One woman was from Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh) and the other from Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh). They died at two different spots at different times.

The Mathura police denied that the two deaths were due to crowd pressure at the temple.

However, sources said that both the women complained of uneasiness inside the temple and were taken to a hospital where they died.

Meanwhile, SSP Mathura Shailesh Pandey appealed to the aged, ill or young to not visit the temple at this time of the year when the footfall increases a lot.

The turnout in Mathura and Vrindavan rises substantially at the year's end. It is expected to rise further in the new year as devotees prefer an auspicious beginning of the year.

On Saturday, the number of devotees at Banke Bihari Temple was in lakhs and remained so on Sunday.

The passage towards the temple was chock-a-block.

“Police deny that the deaths were an outcome of crowd mismanagement. These two women died at different times at different places which were away from the temple premises,” said Pandey.

The SSP claimed that both women were above 60 years of age and had health issues.

The cause of deaths was presumably illness. They were shifted to hospital in Vrindavan but could not be saved. The family members have informed us that both had a history of illness,” he said.

--IANS

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Chennai, Dec 24 (IANS) A 25-year-old female techie was chained and burnt to death, allegedly by a transman, in the suburbs of Chennai, police said on Sunday.

The half-charred body of R. Nandini, 25, was recovered at Thalambur on Saturday night.

According to police, she was chained and had deep injuries from a blade on her neck, hands and legs.

Police on Sunday arrested a 27-year-old transman, who allegedly killed the woman for turning down his proposal.

The accused, identified as Vetrimaran, and Nandini, both natives of Madurai, had been working in a software company in Thoraipakkam for the last few months. They had become friends and later fell in love.

However, recently when Vetrimaran told Nandini about his gender identity and proposed to her, she turned him down.

Nandini had subsequently started a relationship with another man and this had enraged Vetrimaran. He wanted to take revenge by killing her.

On Saturday, Nandini’s birthday, the accused took her out saying he wanted to give her a surprise. The accused took her to an isolated place, tied her and after inflicting injuries with a blade set her ablaze, police said.

--IANS

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Patna, Dec 24 (IANS) A day after an undated video of DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran surfaced in which he allegedly made derogatory remarks about the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the BJP leaders in Bihar criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad for their silence on the matter.

"The leaders of Congress, JD-U and RJD should apologise for the way Maran insulted the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar should break their silence. The BJP has made a strong objection to the remarks and asked Dayanidhi Maran to apologize. If he does not apologise, the party leaders will launch an agitation," Bihar unit BJP president Samrat Choudhary said.

Criticising Maran, MoS Home Nityanand Rai said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is building the nation with the concept of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' but the leaders of INDIA bloc are discriminating over North and South India. Their attempt would not be successful. PM Narendra Modi gives respect to sanitation workers. Some people talk like this and create differences. Dayanidhi Maran should apologise to the nation."

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi said: "Will the leaders of INDIA bloc keep DMK out of the alliance now? Many people are engaged in the construction sector in Tamil Nadu and Dayanidhi Maran's toilet cleaners remark is highly objectionable. Why Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad are silent over the remarks of Dayanidhi Maran on the basis of state and language? Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin should take action against him."

Dayanidhi Maran, during an event, allegedly said that the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh used to come to Tamil Nadu and clean toilets.

"Those who speak Hindi come here and are involved in small-scale construction," he had allegedly said.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS) Five persons, from Maharashtra and Karnataka, were killed when two cars collided head-on in Telangana’s Narayanpet district on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred near Jaklair village in Makthal mandal.

Members of two families lost their lives in the crash. The victims hailed from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

According to police, two persons sitting in one car and three persons in another car were killed in the collision. Two women and a child were among the deceased.

Police shifted the bodies for autopsy. A police officer said they have registered a case and took up further investigation.

--IANS

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According to sources, the high command has also considered the candidatures of former DyCM Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil, former national general secretary C.T. Ravi, former minister and staunch Hindutva leader V. Sunil Kumar.

Presently, BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is holding the position of state president and his term has ended.

The discussion for a new chief has been going on since the Assembly elections in Karnataka in which the party suffered defeat five months ago. The opposition Congress is taking potshots at the saffron party for its inability to appoint the candidates for the posts of State President and the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislature.

The winter session would be held in December in the state and the party leaders are expecting that the high command will make a decision on this and save them from the criticism of Congress leaders. However, the party's top leadership is still focused on the elections of five states in the country.

Sources explained that the high command is treading cautiously as the strategy failed utterly in the Assembly elections and the infighting between former CM Yediyurappa and National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh was not allowing the party to take a decision in this regard. With both leaders wanting to bulldoze each other’s interests, it has become difficult for the high command as it did not want to lose ground in the state.

The top leadership snubbed Yediyurappa and gave prominence to Santhosh, sources said. A total of 72 new faces were given tickets to contest the Assembly elections and senior leaders Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi, K.S. Eshwarappa and a slew of others were denied tickets. PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah made maximum trips to the state and held massive rallies and road shows across the state.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after registering a thumping victory ridiculed that wherever PM Modi and Amit Shah went the Congress candidates won with a huge margin and BJP candidates were defeated in the surrounding areas as well. Not able to digest the defeat, the BJP high command had kept the state leadership at bay.

The high command does not want to burn its hands again and is not considering the proposals either by Santhosh or Yediyurappa in toto, sources said.

Sources explain that Shobha Karandlaje, once considered a protégé of Yediyurappa, is now close to Santhosh as well in the changed circumstances. Her work as a minister under Yediyurappa was appreciated and she hails from the Vokkaliga community. Shobha Karandlaje is known for fierce Hindutva comments.

Vijayendra on the other hand has already made a mark in state politics. He is projected as the Lingayat community leader. Vijayendra’s organisational capabilities are appreciated and he had ensured the victory of BJP candidates in south Karnataka districts where the saffron party never won earlier.

--IANS

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This is to check delay in handing over new projects and buildings.

To avoid expenditure over security and maintenance of ready buildings, the departments concerned will have to take over the property within 45 days.

At least 63 big ticket building projects, each commissioned with a budget of at least Rs 10 crore, are in the final stages of completion.

The need to speed up the handover process was felt as the Public Works Department cited difficulties it was facing due to the unwarranted delay.

Chief secretary D.S. Mishra has circulated the new SOP (standard operating procedure) through which the timeline for the handover process along with roles of the contracted agency and that of the government department which has outsourced the project, has been fixed.

A four-member committee headed by chief development officer will be constituted in each district to facilitate the handover.

A senior PWD officer said that a letter will be sent to the concerned department 30 days in advance of the official handover date to make a thorough inspection. "List of inventories of items that have been supplied along with the building plan will be provided. In case any defect or shortcomings are detected, PWD will have to be informed in writing. In case no written objection is received, after 45 days it will be deemed that official handover has been done," said the officer.

Similarly, a timeline for phase-wise handover will be prepared between two agencies in case a project comprises multiple buildings or components.

A district-level committee, comprising chief development officer, executive engineers of PWD, irrigation and power departments will also facilitate the handover of buildings and provide their opinion on the work quality.

Among the 13 medical colleges that are being established across the state, 12 are expected to be handed over to the health department in December, while 13 out of 18 Atal residential schools are also ready.

--IANS

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Gowda, who had openly expressed his displeasure regarding BJP's alliance with JD(S), is expected to meet the National President J.P. Nadda and other top leaders.

Recently, Gowda had stated that he was not consulted regarding the alliance with JD (S) party in Karnataka.

According to sources close to him, DyCM and State Congress president D.K. Shivakumar had approached him to join the party ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar had also spoken to him.

Sources explained that Gowda, once given prominence in the party failed to impress the high command with his performance.

After giving up his CM's post as per the party's instructions, Gowda was given the prestigious Railway ministry in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first cabinet.

Later, the ministry was taken back and he was made Union Minister for Law and Justice.

Afterwards, he was made Union Minister for Statistics and Program Implementation. He was made to step down from his post ahead of cabinet reshuffle in July 2021.

Gowda, who represents Bengaluru North Parliamentary seat, came to limelight after taking over as the chief minister after B.S. Yediyurappa was asked to step down following allegations of corruption.

Yediyurappa played a role in Gowda getting the coveted post. However, the sources explain that Gowda joined hands with former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda's family went against Yediyurappa resulting in his ouster.

Presently, Gowda is fearing that he might miss the ticket from Bengaluru North Parliamentary seat from the BJP as it is rumoured that the seat will be given to the JD (S) or independent MP from Mandya Parliamentary seat Sumalatha Ambareesh who will get the ticket from the saffron party.

The sources close to him explain that the disgruntled leader will take a call on joining the Congress after the talks with the party leadership.

--IANS

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An official spokesperson said the park would accommodate 60-70 production units that would work to manufacture 452 medicines and 23 starting materials.

“This budget includes Rs 460.6 crore for infrastructure, Rs 20 crore for zero liquid discharge systems, Rs 144.2 crore for land acquisition and Rs 10 crore for administrative, consultancy and programme management expenses,” the spokesperson said.

He said the government has created a corpus of land that will provide 94 plots of various sizes ranging from five to 50 acres.

“Out of the pharma park’s total area, the government will provide plots for industry setups in 53 per cent, while the remaining portion will be allocated for other facilities.”

The list of facilities includes dry port spanning 50 acres, a common facility area for processes like CETP/ STP and other utilities covering 70 acres, logistics and warehousing over 100 acres, institutional, testing and research and development spaces within 60 acres, road and transport infrastructure extending over 270 acres, as well as greenery and water resources over 250 acres. The park will also allocate 60 acres for residential (housing group) and 40 acres for commercial activities.

“The initiative is expected to generate more than 1.5 lakh job opportunities. Additionally, supporting industries related to pharma will also come up in the bulk drug park, which will indirectly create 3 lakh jobs,” he said.

Officials said that 12 types of relaxations are being extended to pharma sector entrepreneurs to attract investment. They said that steps have also been taken to build a favourable ecosystem for the pharma park.

--IANS

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