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Indore, Sept 2 (IANS) In a shocking incident, rodents bit two newborn babies inside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward of M. Y. Hospital in Madhya Pradesh, in which one newborn (baby girl) died, exposing the gross negligence at the government-run health system in the state.

The deceased victim’s condition had already deteriorated, and she died on Tuesday, a senior doctor in M. Y. Hospital told IANS. However, hospital staff maintained that the baby's fragile health condition led to her death.

The babies, born last week, were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharaja Yashwantrao Chikitsalaya (MYH), one of the biggest government hospitals in the state.

The incident came to light when the nursing team of the hospital saw the injured newborns and informed the hospital management. The administration then scanned CCTV cameras installed in the unit and found rats jumping in a swing near the newborns.

Following the shocking incident, a committee comprising six doctors has been set up to investigate the matter and submit its report within the next week, according to a statement issued by the Health and Family Department of the state government.

Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who also heads the state's Health Department, told IANS that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

Meanwhile, two nurses - Akanksha Benzamin and Shweta Chouhan have been suspended with immediate effect.

Ironically, the Health Department in its statement claimed that pest control at M. Y. Hospital is being conducted on a regular basis, once in 15 days.

It also denied allegations that pest control was last carried out in the hospital five years ago. However, contrary to the Health Department's claim, Dean of MGM (Mahatma Gandhi Memorial) Hospital, which is part of M. Y. hospital, Arvind Ghanghoria told media persons on Tuesday that a fine of Rs 1 lakh has been imposed on the pest control agency.

The incident has also sparked a political row as the opposition Congress has blamed the BJP government for neglecting healthcare in the state and has demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter.

"Even newborns are not safe in MP's biggest hospital. This incident shows the collapse of public health infrastructure under this government," said Congress MLA Umang Singhar, who is also the LoP in the state Assembly.

A senior doctor told IANS that the presence of rodents in the hospital isn’t a new issue.

This is not the first time the rodent menace has reared its head in government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh. In 2023 alone, multiple mortuaries across the state reported rodent attacks on human bodies.

In June, the ear of a 50-year-old man's body was found nibbled in Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital.

In May, the nose and hand of a 70-year-old accident victim's body were gnawed at Vidisha District Hospital.

In January, rats chewed on the eyes of two bodies stored at Sagar District Hospital.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court, on Tuesday, dismissed the petition of 'tainted and ineligible' School Service Commission (SSC) candidates, who moved the court a day before seeking to participate in the fresh recruitment process for school teachers in West Bengal.

The High Court also reprimanded such candidates for filling the petition and questioned their intention.

The court did not interfere in the list of 'tainted and ineligible' candidates, which was published by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Saturday evening.

The court observed that this is not a suitable case to interfere with the published WBSSC list.

At the hearing, the court questioned where the 'tainted ineligibles' who filed the petition had been for so long.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said, "Where were they (tainted and ineligible West Bengal SSC candidates) for so long? The moment the list was published, they came to the court. Enough is enough! How can you say that the 'tainted ineligibles' are not ineligible after publishing the list in compliance with the Supreme Court's order?"

As per the Supreme Court's order, the WBSSC published the list of 'tainted and ineligible' candidates.

The list contained 1,806 names along with their roll numbers.

According to the Supreme Court's order, the 'tainted and ineligible' candidates will not be able to appear in the SSC recruitment examination scheduled for September 7 and 14.

However, after the commission published the list, more than 350 'tainted and ineligible' candidates approached the Calcutta High Court on Monday, raising questions about the list.

The plaintiffs filed a petition to allow them to appear in the examination.

According to the petitioners, who decided that they were 'tainted' and on what basis are they being called 'tainted'.

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, the judge reprimanded the petitioners.

He asked whether they (tainted and ineligible' candidates) had gone to school by December 31, following the Supreme Court's order.

The judge asked that if they had not gone to school, why had they not come to court earlier?

Justice Bhattacharyya said, "You could not go to school after the Supreme Court's order on April 17. Why have you applied now?"

Advocate Anindya Lahiri and advocate Shakya Sen were present in the court on behalf of the 'tainted and ineligible' candidates.

They said that the conditions laid down by the High Court's division bench for the 'tainted and ineligible' candidates are not applicable to these candidates.

On the other hand, advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing the WBSSC, said that all the petitioners are 'tainted and ineligible' candidates.

"There is no point in arguing about this. There are allegations of OMR sheet tampering against all these candidates. SSC has compared the list recovered by the CBI with that. They got jobs by rigging the OMR sheet. These candidates got jobs by jumping ranks," Banerjee added.

Justice Bhattacharyya again wanted to know from the plaintiffs what they were doing all this time and questioned why didn't they go and tell the WBSSC that they were not ineligible candidates.

After not getting a satisfactory response from the petitioners, the high court dismissed their petition.

As a result, the 'tainted' candidates will not be able to appear for the examination scheduled on September 7 and 14.

The Supreme Court bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma had directed that 'tainted and ineligible' candidates will not be able to appear for the exam.

As per the Supreme Court's order, WBSSC made the list of names of such 'tainted and ineligible' job seekers public.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) As India looks toward a predominantly urban future, experts on Tuesday said state-level urbanisation policies would be critical in bridging gaps in how cities are defined, governed, and planned.

Highlighting Kerala’s comprehensive urban policy report, Debolina Kundu, Director at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), said: “Around 35 per cent of India’s population is urban, one-third is rural, and the rest lives in transitional spaces. This is where state urban policies become crucial, by identifying transitional areas and adopting definitions that are more dynamic and future-ready.”

Speaking at the Plenary Session at WRI India’s flagship event, Connect Karo 2025, here, she further said: “Take Kerala, for instance: while 48 per cent of its population was effectively urban in 2011, only 26 per cent was classified as such by administrative definition, with the rest spread across census towns that form the urban agglomeration.”

She added that while the Census provides a static snapshot once every decade, states can complement this with continuous assessment of urban and peri-urban transitions. This would allow for timely spatial planning, targeted infrastructure investments, and resource mobilisation.

Addressing the role of building climate-resilient infrastructure in cities, Umamaheswaran Rajasekar, Advisor, Urban Resilience, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), said, “Seventy per cent of losses to infrastructure are due to hydrometeorological events -- a number that will only rise with climate change, making management increasingly complex.”

“Storm drains, for example, require sustained investment and maintenance. Building resilience is not just about hard infrastructure; it’s also about enabling communities to withstand and recover from these shocks.”

Connect Karo 2025 brings together leaders committed to critical issues related to sustainable cities, clean energy, food, land and water, and climate action and finance.

The two-day convening is hosting more than 150 thought leaders, experts, academics, scientists and civil society members to discuss the most urgent development and environmental challenges of our times.

The convening offers a diverse range of sessions, exploring themes like urban resilience and economic development, air quality, India’s clean energy transition, food loss and waste, public spaces, heat mitigation, flood management, green skilling and much more.

The convening also included “Stories that Matter,” a vibrant exhibition highlighting the power of people-centred approaches in tackling climate and development challenges.

Speaking about the significance of the convening, Madhav Pai, CEO, WRI India, said, “At Connect Karo, WRI India brings together important stakeholders and convenes conversations on clean energy, food systems, public spaces, mobility and net zero transitions -- the building blocks of India’s low-carbon, resilient and equitable future.”

“We are not just on track but ahead in meeting our climate commitments,” said BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, at Connect Karo 2025.

“India is undertaking an unprecedented experiment to become a developed nation by 2047, while walking a low-carbon path. No country of our size has ever attempted this, and the India Development Model can become a role model for the world.”

Subrahmanyam further said, “Despite contributing only 3-4 per cent of cumulative global emissions, India is among the most climate vulnerable nations, facing devastating floods, heatwaves and other impacts every year. We are not just on track but ahead in meeting our climate commitments. The challenge now is making projects viable to unlock the trillions needed for a green transition.”

--IANS

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Ferozepur (Punjab), Sep 2 (IANS) Expressing concern over the meagre compensation given to the people for losses due to natural disasters, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday sought upward revision in the relief norms by the Centre.

The Chief Minister, who toured flood-affected areas of Ferozepur district in a boat to take stock of the situation at the ground level, said though substantial funds are available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) but the existing norms prescribed under the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs "remain grossly inadequate to compensate farmers, livestock owners, and vulnerable communities for the scale of their losses".

He said the notified norms are totally unrealistic as compared to actual losses suffered by the farmers. The per-acre compensation to the farmers for their loss due to the natural disaster was too minuscule in the wake of the exorbitant hike in the prices of agricultural inputs borne by the farmers to raise the crop, he said.

Aboard the boat with officers, the Chief Minister visited Gatti Rajo ki village and said the floods have caused grave damage to the crops, which are almost at the harvesting stage. So at least Rs 50,000 per acre should be paid to the farmers, he demanded.

Mann said he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his intervention to enhance ex-gratia for the families of deceased people to Rs 8 lakh from the existing Rs 4 lakh. Likewise, he said upward revision for ex-gratia for loss of limb or eye(s) has been sought from the existing Rs 74,000 per person, when the disability is between 40 and 60 per cent, to Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per person, when the disability is more than 60 per cent, from the existing Rs 2.50 lakh.

The Chief Minister said he had time and again raised the issue of enhancing the relief amount to be disbursed amongst the farmers with the Union government.

He said Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called him on Monday, after which he had apprised them about the entire situation. He said the state government is fully seized with the hardships of the flood victims and is extending a helping hand to them through rescue and relief measures.

However, the Chief Minister said the riders imposed by the Union government are barring them from helping the victims of this natural tragedy, which is unfortunate. He said the Union government must adopt a liberal approach to duly compensating the flood victims in this hour of crisis.

Mann said the floods have impacted more than 1,300 villages across the state and have affected lakhs of people. The heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of water from dams, have caused extensive flooding in more than 10 districts. He said the situation is still evolving as there is a grave concern that conditions may further deteriorate in the coming days. Mann said about three lakh acres of farmland, primarily paddy fields, have submerged under floodwater, leading to devastating crop losses just weeks before harvest.

In addition, the Chief Minister said there has been a widespread loss of livestock, which is severely impacting rural households whose livelihoods are heavily dependent on dairy and animal husbandry.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Hours after the Election Commission (EC) dashed off a notice to Pawan Khera over possession of two EPIC cards and sought clarification over his registration as a voter in two constituencies of Delhi, the senior Congress spokesperson, taking a jibe at the poll panel said, “Yet another confirmation of how the Election Commission functions to support the ruling regime.”

Taking it to X, Khera said, “District Election Office, New Delhi District has issued me a notice. Yet another confirmation of how the Election Commission functions to support the ruling regime. While our complaints of 'Vote Chori' are disregarded, the EC rushes to act against Opposition members. Why did the @ECISVEEP not issue a single notice to the 1,00,000 fake voters of Mahadevapura constituency, that were exposed by Rahul Gandhi? We will not stop exposing the EC’s wrongdoings in the Bihar SIR and other election processes.”

Earlier in the day, the notice issued by the New Delhi Electoral Officer shared the two voter ID cards in the name of Pawan Khera and stated, “Notice to Shri Pawan Khera for getting himself registered in the Electoral Roll of more than one constituency.”

The notice follows disclosure of Pawan Khera’s two voter IDs from two different constituencies – New Delhi and Jangpura Assembly seats.

Khera, the party’s media and publicity department head, responded to the revelations earlier in the day, saying that this was vindication of their ‘vote chori’ charge and also highlights the "systemic failure of the poll panel in preparing the electoral rolls."

Earlier in the day, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared photographs of the voter list from the two given Assembly constituencies and claimed that the Congress leader holds two active EPIC numbers.

Notably, Khera has been at the forefront of the party’s campaign against alleged voter fraud and voter list revision.

Khera, speaking to IANS earlier, refuted the charges and said, “This is exactly what we’ve been raising. I shifted from that region in 2016, yet my name was never deleted. The roll has been revised 4–5 times since then. If you go and check, you’ll see, it’s been 9 years since I shifted. This exposes how BLOs (Booth Level Officers) function during roll revision.

"Whether the question is raised by Anurag Thakur, Amit Malviya, or the Congress party, everything points to the Election Commission and the way it functions. That’s why the Congress is demanding transparency: Varanasi’s machine-readable voter list, Maharashtra’s booth-wise CCTV footage, we’re not getting any of these. That’s why we call it vote theft.”

--IANS

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Jaipur, Sep 2 (IANS) Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has said that the state government is committed to making the concept of Antyodaya a reality by ensuring maximum relief to the last person of society.

The upcoming Shahar Chalo Abhiyan, to be held from 15 September to 2 October, will be a milestone in strengthening basic facilities and accelerating services in urban areas, he said.

The Chief Minister was addressing a review meeting of the Urban Development and Autonomous Governance Department at the CMO on Tuesday. He directed officials to prepare an effective action plan for the campaign’s success and to ensure visible improvements in civic services across urban bodies.

Sharma instructed that pre-camps be organised between 4-13 September in all urban wards. Officers, in consultation with councillors, will identify local issues in advance to provide citizens with quick relief during the main campaign.

The CM said that during the campaign, priority will be given to improvement of sanitation systems in cities, new street light installations, stray animal control and issuance of birth and death certificates, beautification and maintenance of public spaces.

In addition, applications will be accepted for schemes like PM Swanidhi loan distribution and PM Suryaghar - 150 units free electricity scheme. Works such as the repair of community buildings, Anganwadi centres, and schools will also be executed on priority.

Highlighting the need for holistic development, Sharma said that the government is equally focused on the planned development of rural areas. He directed that future-oriented work should be undertaken to strengthen infrastructure in sanitation, drinking water, roads, and sewerage.

Minister of State for Urban Development and Self-Governance (Independent Charge) Jhabar Singh Kharra and senior officials of the department were present in the meeting.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Former India left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan believes a five-pronged bowling attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, along with all-rounders Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma could make for an ideal look in the Men's T20 Asia Cup, set to happen in the UAE from September 9-28.

India will play its Group A games against UAE and the high-stakes clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10 and 14 respectively. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will also face Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.

“In my mind, it will be Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, then two all-rounders in Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya, which makes it five bowling options plus Abhishek Sharma. According to me, Bumrah is definitely there, then Chakaravarthy is 100 percent because his record is amazing. Arshdeep is fantastic and has been our number one bowler in T20Is.”

“We have two excellent all-rounders in Axar and Hardik - both of who can play in top seven. While Axar works as a floater, Hardik works as a finisher. Obviously, on a particular day, things change. But when you have two all-rounders who do good batting and can give you four overs of bowling in a game, then you can run the game and field the combinations according to your needs.”

“There is no impact player rule, as it is only in the IPL. So here you have all-rounders and then one more good thing for the Indian team is that Abhishek Sharma does some bowling. So you have one more batter who can give you 1-2 overs of bowling if the ball is gripping a little,” said Pathan to IANS, in a virtual group interaction organized by Sony Sports Network, the official broadcasters of the 2025 Asia Cup.

Though the squad gives a strong look, India still need to settle on the number eight slot in the playing eleven. Pathan suggested that seam-bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube could be an option for that slot, with him, Hardik, Axar and Abhishek sharing the bowling workload. He added that India could also consider fast bowler Harshit Rana, who brings in the ability to clear the ropes, or go in with a specialist wrist-spinner in Kuldeep Yadav.

“Now the question of who comes at number eight is very easy. Here, it is also possible that at number eight, your batting line-up becomes so long that Shivam Dube can also come and stand there. It is not necessary that he plays at number eight and you can change that. He can come in the middle and plays against spinners well.”

“With that, you can do up and down with Axar and Hardik batting positions because you have so many batters now who can bowl in a game. If you want him number eight position, that's great. But if you don't want it, you can look at having Kuldeep Yadav. Also, you have another fast bowling option in Harshit Rana.”

Pathan further said India’s bowling combination for the Asia Cup will also be dictated by the dry conditions in Dubai, which gets heavy due in evening games and Abu Dhabi. “Now, which way does the Indian team go to? Which pitches do you get? I hope you get dry pitches because the weather will be very hot. We are talking about UAE, so spin can also come in the game.”

“Only thing is when dew comes, you have to keep in mind that your fast bowlers should be ready because you will need at least three of them, including Hardik. There are a lot of options and so right now, which plan will the Indian team go to, that will be the one to watch out for.”

While the focus is firmly on the bowlers in Asia Cup squad, Pathan was of the firm opinion that Mohammed Siraj, who is not included for the upcoming competition and Prasidh Krishna, currently in the stand-by players list despite being IPL 2025’s leading-wicket taker, will get opportunities to play T20Is in the lead-up to the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

“Yes, absolutely, they can get opportunities. You're talking about a total of 20 matches from now till the World Cup, so there are a lot of games coming up. In that time period, there will be lot of ups and downs in terms of performances to injury to management. I don't think the way Siraj's Test matches went in England, he'll stay very far away from contention.”

“I also don't think Prasidh Krishna will stay very far away because his last IPL was amazing and he just missed out on being here. There are guys like Yashasvi Jaiswal and a fantastic cricketer like Shreyas Iyer, who missed out as well.”

“There are many matches to go and each and every name I took will get an opportunity. But most of the guys will get an opportunity because according to me 20 matches are huge numbers,” he concluded.

Watch the highly anticipated 2025 Asia Cup from September 9 on Sony Sports Ten 1, Ten 5, Ten 3 Hindi, Ten 4 Tamil & Ten 4 Telugu channels, and SonyLIV.

--IANS

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Mumbai Sep 2 (IANS) Actress Shehnaaz Gill, who continues to enjoy immense popularity among fans, recently found herself at the receiving end of social media backlash.

The actress who was close to the late actor Siddharth Shukla faced criticism from a section of the public who accused her of forgetting him on his 4th death anniversary on September 2. A comment under her post read, “Shame on you for how you forgot Sidarth,” expressing disappointment over her not mentioning the late actor. Another user who echoed the similar sentiments wrote, “Shame on you who just want entertainment in the name of deaths.”

However, many fans of Shehnaaz jump to her defence, pointing out that grief and remembrance take different forms for everyone, and it is extremely personal to each one. One user in Shehnaaz's defence said that if she had brought up Siddharth's dinner post, people would have accused her of using his name for sympathy. Another pointed out that she should not be expected to mourn publicly to prove her emotions.

Fans also reminded trolls that Shehnaaz consistently honoured her bond with Siddharth in various ways, from their work to personal growth, and that silence should not be misinterpreted. The heated online exchange reflects the deep emotional connection that still holds for the late actor and Shehnaaz's place in their hearts as a part of the beloved "SidNaaz."

Tragedy struck in September 2021 when Sidharth Shukla passed away suddenly following a heart attack at the age of 40. His untimely demise left the nation in a state of shock. Shehnaaz Gill and Sidharth Shukla’s bond in the Bigg Boss season 14 was loved by many. Gill was seen obsessed with Shukla in the show, and their cute banters won fans’ hearts. Shehnaaz was seen breaking down at Sidharth's funeral. It was rumoured that Sidharth and Shehnaaz were all set to get married in December 2021.

--IANS

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Mumbai Sep 2, (IANS) Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan has always been admired for her style, and her latest photoshoot that screams vintage is proof of how Khan is rightly known for being classy, modern and graceful.

The actress recently unveiled a striking vintage-inspired look where she was seen donning a timeless black and white ensemble. Styled with retro glamour, she was seen wearing a ruffled headpiece and a sequined outfit complemented by elegant black gloves. Her soft curls, winged eyeliner and minimal makeup highlighted a natural beauty, giving her the aura of a 1950s diva.

Alongside being graceful and classy, Soha is equally known for her dedication to fitness. The fitness enthusiast has constantly shared glimpses of her intense workout routines on her social media account. From functional training to strength building, Soha makes sure to keep her sessions versatile. Soha Ali Khan had recently revealed how she integrates as many as 10 different workouts into her regime, ranging from yoga and Pilates to HIIT, ensuring her body gets a balanced workout.

The "Rang De Basanti" actress is always open to trying new trends and going by the same, Soha recently experimented with the much-hyped "ghee-coffee" shot. Sharing her honest review with fans on her social media account, she was seen preparing the ghee-coffee shot and admitted that while it gave her an initial energy boost, the routine was not something she could fully commit to in the long run.

Beyond being an actress and a fitness freak, Soha is a doting mother to her little baby girl, Inaaya Kemmu. Khan often shares adorable moments of the mother-daughter time on her social media account, which is loved by her fans. Soha, who follows Islam, married actor Kunal Kemmu, who practises Hinduism, but as parents, both of them make sure to teach their daughter the importance of every religion and celebrate every festival, irrespective of the origin, with utmost love and warmth.

-IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Veteran actor Dalip Tahil shared screen space with 'Bond' Pierce Brosnan in the 1988 adventure drama, "The Deceivers".

Commemorating the release anniversary of the film on Tuesday, Dalip shared on his official Instagram handle: "Today marks the anniversary of a very special film I did back in 1986-87, called "Deceivers". Based on the 'thuggies" of it starred 007 Pierce Brosnan, but long before he was James Bond!"

Recalling a meeting with Brosnan during a barbecue, Dalip shared that the Hollywood star told him that he had just missed being cast as James Bond; however, what happened later is history.

"At a barbeque I hosted during the shoot of Khajoraho Pierce told me he had just missed being cast as James Bond and understandably he wasn't too pleased about it. But of course, as destiny would have it, years later, he became the most iconic "Bond" ever," the 'Baazigar' actor added.

Congratulating Brosnan for pulling off the best "Bond" the world has seen, he concluded: "One of the earliest India-Hollywood collabs, and what a ride it was. I take this opportunity to congratulate Pierce for a magnificent career, and for pulling off the best "Bond" the world has seen. Wish you every happiness mate."

"Deceivers" starred Brosnan as William Savage, Shashi Kapoor as Chandra Singh, Saeed Jaffrey as Hussein, Shanmukha Srinivas as Hira Lal, Helena Michell as Sarah Wilson, Keith Michell as Colonel Wilson, David Robb as George Anglesmith, Tariq Yunus as Feringea, Jalal Agha as the Nawab, Manmohan Krishna as Old Rajput, Gary Cady as Lt. Maunsell, and Salim Ghouse as Piroo.

Made under the direction of Nicholas Meyer (of 7% Solution), "The Deceivers" has been produced by Ismail Merchant.

Penned by Michael Hirst, the story of the drama is based on the 1952 John Masters novel of the same name regarding the murderous Thuggee of India.

--IANS

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