States & UTs News

New Delhi: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP) has been engaged in rescuing two missing trekkers from Birthi Fall area in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh, officials said here on Wednesday.According to the 14th Battalion of ITBP, the rescue operation is in progress. The security personnel have spotted the two missing youths and provided them with water and food. Efforts are on to rescue them at the earliest, the officials said.The duo from Bareilly had gone on Khaliya Top trek when they got stranded at a difficult height near Birthi fall, Munsiyari. They somehow managed to call up for help following which their mobile battery went out of charge.Twenty-eight-year-old Vishal Gangwar and 30-year-old Santosh Kumar from Bareilly were reported missing on Sunday during their Khaliya Top trek."Condition of one of them was bad due to dehydration. Both were stranded for more than 48 hours and were short of food and water. The ITBP team provided them with food and drinking water," the ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey said.The ITBP team tried to call a rescue helicopter but steep gradient and forest and weather hazards made airlift impossible. The team is in the process of taking the trekkers to safety through the land route and the rescue operation is still on, Pandey further said.The trek is seven kilometer long and the Khaliya Top is located at an altitude of 14,500 feet. The trek route is covered with dense forest.As a first responder to any disaster or crisis in the Himalayan region, the ITBP made two teams to search for the trekkers. Finally, they were spotted on Tuesday evening by one of the teams. They were found near the Birthi Fall area which is away from the usual trekking route. —IANS

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP) has been engaged in rescuing two missing trekkers from Birthi Fall area in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh, officials said here on Wednesday.

ITBP Engaged In Rescuing Two Missing Trekkers In Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand

Dehradun: In a shocking incident, a woman was thrashed inside Jogiwala police checkpost in Dehradun. The woman, who is stated to be critical, is undergoing treatment in Coronation Hospital here. It has been alleged that the woman was taken to the checkpost by the police for interrogation in connection with a theft case, and was tortured and given electric shocks.The woman works as a servant in the flat where the theft took place. After a secret enquiry into the allegations of torture by the woman, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Janmejaya Khanduri has suspended the Jogiwala police checkpost in-charge Deepak Gairola. The SSP has ordered a thorough investigation in the case and said that action will be taken if other policemen were found to be involved in the matter.Devendra Dhyani, a resident of Mohkampur, had lodged a complaint of theft in the Jogiwala police checkpost on May 15. Dhyani is a retired scientist and lives in a flat in Mantra Apartment. In the complaint, he said that he along with his family had gone to Delhi on May 7 due to some work. Thereafter his neighbour on May 14 informed him that the door of his flat and almirah of the house are open.When the complainant returned to Dehradun on May 15, he found that cash, gold and silver jewellery were missing from the flat. Dhyani complained to the police which then reached the Nehru Colony house of Manju (victim), who used to work in the complainant's house, for interrogation.The victim said that three female and one male police constable came to her house. It has been alleged that the police during interrogation first thrashed her and threw away her belongings and then took her to the checkpost where they put ice on her apart from giving electric shocks. The victim was also beaten with belt and shoes and also abused. Later the woman in critical condition was dropped at her house. The neighbours took her to Coronation Hospital and admitted her.The relatives of Manju said that she continues to remain in critical condition and she is not even eating. They said that no stolen items have been found in the house of the victim. SSP Janmejaya Khanduri said that in the medical report, injuries have been found on the body of the woman. A thorough enquiry has been ordered in the matter. —IANS

 In a shocking incident, a woman was thrashed inside Jogiwala police checkpost in Dehradun. The woman, who is stated to be critical, is undergoing treatment in Coronation Hospital here. It has been alleged that the woman was taken to the checkpost by the police for interrogation in connection with a theft case, and was tortured and given electric shocks.

Woman Thrashed, Tortured In Dehradun Police Checkpost

Dehradun/New Delhi: Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (retd), who was the Aam Aadmi Party’s chief ministerial candidate in Uttarakhand assembly polls held in February this year, resigned from the party on Wednesday.The former army officer announced his decision to quit the party on Twitter, posting a soft copy of his resignation letter on the microblogging site.The AAP had suffered a rout at the hustings with Kothiyal losing his deposit from the Gangotri assembly seat.“I have been a member of the Aam Aadmi Party from April 19, 2021 to May 18, 2022. Keeping the feelings of ex-soldiers, ex para-military personnel, the elders, women, youths and the intellectuals, I am sending you my resignation on May 18,” Col Kothiyal said in his letter addressed to AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.Kothiyal is said to have been unhappy with the way he was being treated by the party post his electoral defeat. He had not been invited to a party meeting held in New Delhi recently to analyse its performance in Uttarakhand.AAP leader Jost Singh Bisht, who broke off his long ties with the Congress recently to join the Kejriwal-led party, said Col Kothiyal’s decision to quit the party was personal. “He (Kothiyal) was among the senior leaders of the party. His decision to resign is personal as he has mentioned no reasons for it. Our good wishes for him for a bright future,” said Bisht, who is coordinator of the state unit of AAP.Announcing the name of Kothiyal for his party’s chief ministerial candidate in August last year, Kejriwal had then said the decision to pick the former army officer as the party’s CM face was based on the feedback received from people of the state. The AAP had big plans for Uttarakhand as it fielded candidates on all the 70 assembly seats in the state and promised a slew of freebies to woo voters. However, the party could not open its account in the state. —PTI

Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (retd), who was the Aam Aadmi Party’s chief ministerial candidate in Uttarakhand assembly polls held in February this year, resigned from the party on Wednesday.

Ajay Kothiyal, AAP’s CM Face In Uttarakhand Assembly Polls, Quits Party

Pithoragarh: The district authorities in Pithoragarh have rescued two tourists from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, who had gone missing at Khaliya Top in the Munsyari area.According to Chief Minister's Office (CMO), as soon as the information was received Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami gave instructions to the Pithoragarh District Magistrate for speedy search and rescue of tourists.After the directions of Dhami to the Pithoragarh District Magistrate, both the tourists were rescued by the district administration.The Chief Minister had also Pithoragarh District Magistrate necessary medical treatment be provided to the injured duo and a helicopter was also arranged to send them for treatment.Khaliya Top Munsyari is a five-kilometer trek in which tourists from around the country participate.&nbsp;—ANI

The district authorities in Pithoragarh have rescued two tourists from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, who had gone missing at Khaliya Top in the Munsyari area.

UP Tourists Rescued By Uttarakhand Authorities From Khaliya Top

Gandhinagar: At least 12 labourers were killed when a wall collapsed at a salt packaging factory in Gujarat's Morbi district on Wednesday, officials said. The incident took place at Sagar Salt factory situated inside the Halvad industrial area, said state Labour and Employment Minister and local MLA Brijesh Merja. "At least 12 workers have died due to the wall collapse. Efforts to rescue others who might have been trapped under the debris are still on," Merja said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. "The tragedy in Morbi caused by a wall collapse is heart-rending. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Local authorities are providing all possible assistance to the affected," Modi tweeted. The PMO also informed on Twitter that a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each will be given to the next of kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 each, it added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter to express grief over the tragedy. He spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel over phone about the ongoing rescue work, he said.Chief minister Patel announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the kin of the victims and gave instructions to the district administration about the rescue and relief work, said a statement by his office.—PTI

At least 12 labourers were killed when a wall collapsed at a salt packaging factory in Gujarat's Morbi district on Wednesday, officials said.

12 workers dead in wall collapse at factory in Guj

Gujarat

Mumbai: The Maharashtra secretariat 'Mantralaya' reopened for the public on Wednesday, two years after it was shut following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.A government circular said the general public will be able to get entry to the government headquarters after 2 pm. In March 2020, after the outbreak of the pandemic, there was a lockdown and in the wake to COVID-19 cases in the secretariat, the premises was closed for the public.On April 2 this year, the Maharashtra government lifted all COVID-19 restrictions, including wearing of masks in public places. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on April 13 visited the state secretariat for the first time after recovering from a spine surgery which he underwent in November last year. He had then asked the state administration to focus on paperless governance with increased use of technology.—PTI

The Maharashtra secretariat 'Mantralaya' reopened for the public on Wednesday, two years after it was shut following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Maha secretariat reopens for public after 2 years

The Maharashtra secretariat 'Mantralaya' reopened for the public on Wednesday, two years after it was shut following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.



Maharashtra

Srinagar: The Nagpur Anti Terrorism Squad unit has arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir who had allegedly conducted a recce of Dr Hedgewar Smriti Bhawan of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, last year, an official said on Wednesday. Sheikh had allegedly conducted a partial recce of the Hedgewar Smriti Bhavan in Reshimbaug area of Nagpur and managed to send a video of the Bhavan to his handler in Pakistan, he said. The ATS recently took Raees Ahmed Sheikh Asadulla Sheikh (26), a resident of Awantipora town in J&amp;K's Pulwama district,&nbsp;into custody on a production warrant from J&amp;K and extensively questioned him over the last two days, he said. Sheikh told the investigators that a person named Omar, claimed to be the operational commander of JeM's Nawabpur (Pakistan)-based terrorist launching pad, was his handler. He came to Nagpur by a Delhi-Mumbai-Nagpur flight on July 13, 2021, and checked into a hotel in Sitabuldi area. The handler had assured Sheikh that a local man would contact and help him in the operation in Nagpur. However, Sheikh conducted the reconnaissance on his own as no person contacted him in Nagpur, the official said. On July 14, Sheikh took an auto-rickshaw and reached Reshimbagh area with the help of Google Maps. The location was sent by his handler, he said. His target was to conduct the recce of the Smriti Bhavan. He alighted near the Reshimbagh ground in the afternoon. Sheikh then switched on his mobile phone camera and held it near his head to show as if he was speaking to someone over the phone. He walked through the Reshimbagh ground while capturing its video, the official said. Sheikh shared the video with his handler on WhatsApp, but the latter got angry over its poor quality and instructed him to again shoot a video. However, Sheikh refused to do so citing police security and switched off the mobile phone, the official said.&nbsp;He then called the auto-rickshaw driver and asked to take him to a mosque. The auto driver dropped him at a mosque near Santra Market gate, where he stayed the whole day and returned to the hotel in the evening. On July 15, Sheikh went to Srinagar by a Nagpur-Delhi-Srinagar flight, the official said.The Kotwali police station in Nagpur had earlier registered a case against Sheikh under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).Earlier this year, the then Maharashtra Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey had transferred the probe into the case to the state ATS.—PTI

The Nagpur Anti Terrorism Squad unit has arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir who had allegedly conducted a recce of Dr Hedgewar Smriti Bhawan of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, last year, an official said on Wednesday. 

Jaish planned attack on RSS hq? Terrorist arrested for doing recce of site

Jammu and Kashmir

Delhi: The Delhi government has sought a detailed report from the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled civic bodies on the demolition drives being conducted by them across the city since April 1, officials sources said on Wednesday. This comes days after a series of anti-encroachment drives were conducted by the three civic bodies in different parts of the city including Shaheen Bagh, Jahangirpuri Madanpur Khadar, New Friends Colony, Mangolpuri, Rohini, Gokulpuri, Lodhi Colony, Janakpuri among others. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Monday held a meeting with all AAP MLAs at his residence and asked them to oppose such demolition drives of the BJP-ruled municipalities.Kejriwal had said the demolition drives in Delhi will render 63 lakh people homeless and that it will be the "biggest destruction" in Independent India, and accused the BJP of "misusing" power.—PTI

The Delhi government has sought a detailed report from the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled civic bodies on the demolition drives being conducted by them across the city since April 1, officials sources said on Wednesday.

Delhi asks report from BJP-run civic bodies on demolition drives

Delhi

Thane: &nbsp;A fire broke out on Wednesday in a godown where some chemicals were kept in Maharashtra's Thane district, a civic official said.No one was injured in the blaze which erupted around 7.30 am in the godown located at Mankoli in Bhiwandi town here, Thane Municipal Corporation's regional disaster management cell chief Avinash Sawant said. Some chemicals used for wood polish were stored in the premises, he said. Two fire engines were rushed to the spot and efforts were still on to douse the blaze, he said. The cause of the fire is not yet known, he added.—PTI

A fire broke out on Wednesday in a godown where some chemicals were kept in Maharashtra's Thane district, a civic official said.

Fire in Thane godown; none hurt

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel on Wednesday said he has resigned as the Gujarat Congress working president as well as from the party's primary membership. Patel submitted his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi."Today, after mustering courage, I am resigning from the party post and primary membership of the Congress. I hope my followers and people of Gujarat will welcome my step. I believe that I will be able to serve the state better after this step," he tweeted.—PTI

 Gujarat Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel on Wednesday said he has resigned as the Gujarat Congress working president as well as from the party's primary membership.

Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel quits Congress

 Gujarat Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel on Wednesday said he has resigned as the Gujarat Congress working president as well as from the party's primary membership.



Mathura:&nbsp;Three pilgrims were killed and 36 others injured when a bus carrying 60 people rammed into a truck on the Yamuna Expressway here, police said on Wednesday. Superintendent of Police (Rural), Shrish Chandra, said the accident took place near Bajna on Tuesday night when the bus carrying pilgrims from Shahdara area of Delhi rammed into a truck laden with building material from behind. The bus passengers were returning after offering prayers in Vrindavan.Police said the front portion of the bus was completely damaged in the accident and the devotees sitting in the front suffered serious injuries. The deceased were identified as Manak Chandra (55), resident of Ram Nagar, Shahdara, Subhash Chandra Sharma (60) , resident of Mansarovar Park, Shahdara, and Harpal Singh, resident of Gubari, district Hathras. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals where the condition of six was stated to be critical, police said, adding the bodies have been sent for postmortem.—PTI

Three pilgrims were killed and 36 others injured when a bus carrying 60 people rammed into a truck on the Yamuna Expressway here, police said on Wednesday.

Bus rams into truck on Yamuna Expressway, three killed

Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: Large swathes of north India witnessed a marginal drop in maximum temperatures on Monday and the weather department said thunderstorms and rain in parts of the region over the next few days are likely to bring further respite from the scorching heat. The mercury in Delhi, which recorded its hottest day of the year so far at 45.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, came down to 42.4 degrees Celsius, according to the India meteorological department.&nbsp; The automatic weather stations at Najafgarh, Mungeshpur, Sports Complex, Jafarpur, Ayanagar, Pitampura and Ridge recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius, 44.4 degrees Celsius, 44 degrees Celsius, 43.9 degrees Celsius, 43.4 degrees Celsius, 43.3 degrees Celsius and 43.1 degrees Celsius, respectively. On Sunday, the mercury leapt to 49.2 degrees Celsius at Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi and 49.1 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh. The IMD said a thunderstorm or a dust storm may further bring the mercury down by a few notches on Tuesday. The temperature will start rising again on Wednesday and may hit the 45-degree mark on Friday, it said. Maximum temperatures in Haryana and Punjab too came down by a few notches, even as they remained well above normal. In Haryana's Gurugram, the mercury came down to 44.7 degrees Celsius from 48.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, according to the meteorological department. Hisar recorded a high of 42.8 degrees Celsius, down from 47.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Sirsa's maximum temperature dropped to 41.8 degrees Celsius from 47.2 degrees Celsius a day ago. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a high of 42.6 degrees Celsius, down four notches from Sunday. The mercury settled at 41.7 degrees Celsius in Ludhiana, 42.1 degrees Celsius in Patiala, 41.8 degrees Celsius in Jalandhar and 41.4 degrees Celsius in Mohali. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a high of 41 degrees Celsius.The Meteorological Department in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla said thunderstorms and rain along with light hailstorms are expected in parts of the state from Monday to Wednesday. Rain and snowfall are likely in higher altitude areas of the state, it said. Due to fresh western disturbance in mid-troposphere levels with its axis at 5.8 km above the mean sea level, a light to moderate thunderstorm or rainfall is expected, it said. The mercury dropped by two to five degrees in most parts of Rajasthan, according to the weather department. Dholpur was the hottest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 46.1 degrees Celsius.The mercury settled at a high of 44.2 degrees Celsius in Alwar, 44 degrees Celsius in Churu, 43.9 degrees Celsius each in Karauli and Pilani, 43.5 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer, 43.4 degrees Celsius each in Kota and Phalodi, and 43 degrees Celsius each in Chittorgarh and Barmer. The MeT office has predicted dust storms in Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu districts during the next 24 hours. The dry spell in western Odisha ended with moderate to heavy overnight rains. Kotpad in Koraput district received 79 mm of rainfall between Sunday evening and Monday morning. Several areas in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal and Boudh received moderate rainfall, the MeT department said. It said rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and dusty winds is likely in Odisha over the next three-four days due to strong southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal towards northeast and eastern India. Bolangir recorded a maximum temperature of 42.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in the state, followed by 42.5 degrees Celsius in Subarnapur and Boudh. The mercury settled at a high of 35.8 degrees Celsius in Bhubaneswar and 35.6 degrees Celsius in Cuttack. Madhya Pradesh is also likely to receive respite from heatwave conditions, with the MeT department forecasting a drop in mercury over the next few days. The temperature is likely to fall by two to four degrees Celsius in the next three days, PK Saha, senior meteorologist with the IMD's Bhopal office. The monsoon is likely to arrive in Madhya Pradesh by mid-June, he said.—PTI

Large swathes of north India witnessed a marginal drop in maximum temperatures on Monday and the weather department said thunderstorms and rain in parts of the region over the next few days are likely to bring further respite from the scorching heat.

Mercury dips; more relief likely as IMD forecasts rains in next few days

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad has arrested four persons wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, officials said on Tuesday. Abu Bakar, Saiyad Qureshi, Mohammad Shoeb Qureshi alias Shoeb Bawa and Mohammad Yusuf Ismail alias Yusuf Bhatka, all residents of Mumbai, were on the run for 29 years, they said.&nbsp; The four were held from Sardarnagar area of Ahmedabad on May 12 following a tip-off, said Additional Director General of Police, ATS, Amit Vishwakarma.At present they have been booked for allegedly obtaining passports on the basis of forged documents for fleeing the country in 1993, and later they would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the blasts case, said another official. "To hide their real identities, they had obtained passports using forged documents. Interpol had issued a Red-Corner Notice against them on the request of the CBI which is probing the blasts case," Vishwakarma told reporters.It was not clear why they were visiting Gujarat, he said, adding that they were arrested under IPC sections 466 (forgery of record), 468 (forgery for cheating) and 120-B(criminal conspiracy) besides under The Passports Act.In the 1990s, these four used to work for gold smuggler Mohammed Dossa, a henchman of fugitive gangster and the blasts' mastermind Dawood Ibrahim, said&nbsp;Deputy Inspector General of Police (ATS) Deepan Bhadran. "To spread terror in India, Dossa sent them to a country in the Middle East to meet Dawood in February 1993.&nbsp;On Dawood's directions, they went to Pakistan to get weapons training. Pakistan's (spy agency) ISI also gave them training in the making and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs)," he said. All four were part of the conspiracy hatched by Dawood and others to carry out blasts in Mumbai, the DIG added. After the serial blasts, they obtained passports using forged documents and fled to different middle-eastern countries, said Bhadran, adding that the special Terrorist and Destructive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court, which tried the blasts case, declared them "proclaimed offenders.""It is a matter of investigation when they came back to India and what they were doing in Gujarat. Upon completion of their ATS remand in the forgery case, we will hand them over to the CBI in the blasts case," Bhadran said. Abu Bakar was also involved in the dumping of a consignment of weapons into the sea after the blasts, he said. At least 257 persons were killed and over 700 injured in the coordinated bombing that ripped through Mumbai on March 12, 1993. While the special TADA court in Mumbai convicted 100 of the accused, main conspirators Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon remain absconding.—PTI

The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad has arrested four persons wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, officials said on Tuesday.

On the run since 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, 4 arrested from Gujarat

Bhadohi: &nbsp;An SUV collided with a truck here in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving three members of a marriage party dead and 15 others injured, police said.The SUV was carrying a marriage party from Pakri village to Amvakhurd village when the accident took place, a police official said. Locals rushed the injured to the Maharaja Balwant Singh Government Hospital in the district from where seven have been referred to a trauma centre in Varanasi. The condition of some of those referred to Varanasi is critical, the official said.—PTI

An SUV collided with a truck here in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving three members of a marriage party dead and 15 others injured, police said.

Road accident in Bhadohi leaves three dead

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday gave his assent to the ordinance that gave effect to the Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, commonly known as the anti-conversion bill. The bill was passed in the assembly in December last year but was pending before the council where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is one short of a majority. The Karnataka government promulgated the Karnataka Protection of Right To Freedom of Religion Ordinance on May 12.The governor's nod came a day after the Bengaluru Archbishop, Peter Machado along with a Christian delegation called on him requesting him to hold back the ordinance and not to give his approval. According to the government note, the ordinance is for protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means. "Whereas the Karnataka legislative assembly and the Karnataka legislative council are not in session and the honourable governor of Karnataka is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action to promulgate the Ordinance for the purposes hereinafter appearing,” the gazzette notification read.The ordinance says that any converted person, his parents, brother, sister or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption or in any form associated or colleague may lodge a complaint of such conversion. The violators will be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term of three years but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine of Rs 25,000. With regard to mass conversion, the punishment stretches up to the imprisonment of either description for a term of three years but which may extend to ten years and "shall also be liable to fine of Rs one lakh". "The court shall also grant appropriate compensation payable by the accused to the victim of said conversion which may extend to maximum of Rs five lakh and shall be in addition to fine," the ordinance read. Further, whoever having been previously convicted of an offence under this ordinance is again convicted of an offence punishable under this ordinance will be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term of not less than five years and will also be liable to a fine of Rs two lakh. The offences committed under the ordinance are cognisable and non-bailable. Whoever desires to convert his religion, will have to give a declaration in Form-I at least thirty days in advance to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate specially authorised by the District Magistrate of his residing district or place of birth within the state.The religious converter who performs conversion ceremony for converting any person of one religion to another religion, should give thirty days advance notice in Form-2 of such intended conversion, to the district magistrate or the additional district magistrate, specially authorised by the District Magistrate of the district from where the proposed converter hails, the ordinance said. The District Magistrate, after receiving the information will notify proposed religious conversion on the notice board of the office of the District Magistrate and in the office of the Tahsildar calling for objections. If any objections are received within 30 days, he will get an inquiry conducted through officials of Revenue or Social Welfare Department with regard to genuine intention, purpose and cause of the proposed conversion."If the District Magistrate comes to a conclusion based on the said inquiry of the commission of an offence under this Ordinance, he shall cause the concerned police authorities to initiate criminal action for contravention of the provisions of section 3," the ordinance said. Machado on Monday alleged that some groups in Karnataka want to sideline minorities. The Archbishop had said that approaching court will be one of the options to stop the promulgation of the ordinance."If the ordinance is promulgated, then, we surely have to see ways and means of finding resources for us from different sides and legal route is also one of the things we may take to," he told reporters on Monday. The Congress Karnataka unit had been opposing the bill calling it "draconian" and "anti-constitution".—PTI

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday gave his assent to the ordinance that gave effect to the Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, commonly known as the anti-conversion bill.

K'taka guv gives nod to anti-conversion ordinance, violators to be jailed

Karnataka

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday held three back-to-back meetings with top officials of the security establishment to assess the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent killings of civilians, as well as reviewed arrangements for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra for which the UT administration will provide RFID tags to every pilgrim. While Lt Governor of J&amp;K Manoj Sinha was present in all the three meetings, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande attended the meetings to discuss the security situation in the UT. Senior officials from the Centre, paramilitary forces and the UT administration were also in these meetings., Later in a statement, the Union home ministry said the J&amp;K chief secretary informed the meeting that each pilgrim will be provided with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card and will be insured for Rs 5 lakh.Shah said a "hassle-free" journey for the pilgrims is a priority of the Modi government and directed that all arrangements, including additional electricity, water, and telecom facilities be made. The home minister also stressed for the enhancement of mobile connectivity along the yatra route as he directed that earth-moving equipment should be placed at vantage points to clear the route in case of landslides. This is the first yatra after the Covid-19 pandemic, and due to the high altitude, adequate arrangements will have to be made for yatris who have any health-related problems, he said. The home minister asked for an adequate number of oxygen cylinders, medical beds at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet and deployment of ambulances and helicopters to deal with any emergency medical situation.All categories of transport services should be increased during the Amarnath Yatra for the convenience of passengers.During the meeting, it was also decided to enable WiFi hotspots to ensure connectivity throughout the 39 km of the Yatra route from Pahalgam in South Kashmir. The other route is through Baltal in central Kashmir where pilgrims treks for nearly 15 km. The yatra, which presents a big security challenge for the government, could not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic and was cut short in 2019 just before the abrogation of Article 370. About three lakh pilgrims are likely to take part in the pilgrimage, scheduled to begin on June 30 and expected to end on August 11. About 12,000 paramilitary personnel (120 companies) in addition to the Jammu and Kashmir police are expected to be deployed along the two pilgrimage routes, one from Pahalgam and the other via Baltal, officials said. Drone cameras will help the security forces to ensure the protection of the pilgrims. Besides the Amarnath pilgrimage, the meetings also reviewed the security arrangement especially in the wake of several targeted killings, including of Kashmiri Pandits, in Kashmir. There has been a spurt in attacks on non-Muslims and outsiders living in the Kashmir valley since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019. The security review comes following a spate of killings in the Union territory.On May 12, Rahul Bhat, a government employee, was killed by terrorists inside his office in Budgam district. A day after, police constable Reyaz Ahmad Thokar was shot dead by terrorists at his residence in the Pulwama district. Also last week, four pilgrims were killed and at least 20 injured when the bus they were travelling in caught fire near Katra in Jammu. Police suspect a sticky bomb might have been used to trigger the fire. Bhat's killing triggered protests by members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who staged protests in the Valley demanding enhanced security and transfer of government employees to safer locations.On Sunday, the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a conglomerate of major J-K parties, urged Kashmiri Pandit employees not to leave the Valley as it was their home and it would be painful for all. Top officials of the ministries of health, telecom, road transport, civil aviation and IT took part in the meeting to discuss logistics for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva at an altitude of 3,888 metres.—PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday held three back-to-back meetings with top officials of the security establishment to assess the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent killings of civilians, as well as reviewed arrangements for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra for which the UT administration will provide RFID tags to every pilgrim. 

Amit Shah holds 3 meetings on J-K, including on Amarnath Yatra security

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled civic bodies in Delhi are set to be dissolved in the next five days, with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation's term set to end on Wednesday. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, the central government will appoint a "special officer" to run the new unified civic body until the first meeting of the corporation is held. The other two civic bodies -- North Delhi Municipal Corporation&nbsp;and East DMC -- will be completing their terms on May 19 and May 22, respectively.A senior SDMC official said the exercises of the deliberative wing, which is formed by the elected representatives, will cease to operate from Wednesday but the civic body will keep functioning its obligatory duties. "From tomorrow, there will no policy-making exercises in SDMC. Meetings of the SDMC house, standing committee will also not be carried out. The Union home ministry will issue a separate notification for dissolving the three civic bodies and unify them," the official told PTI requesting anonymity. He said normal functions of the municipality such as sanitation exercise and health-related services among others will continue and be carried out by bureaucrats. "After the three civic bodies are dissolved, the Union home ministry will appoint 'special officer' to the new unified body," he added. SDMC's standing committee chairman BK Oberoi echoed similar views and said that in the absence of the elected representatives, the executive wing, which comprises bureaucrats and other officials in the municipality, will continue to function. "Except for policy-making and meetings of different committees of elected representatives, the SDMC will keep discharging its functions normally. However, the public will find it difficult to get their works done as they generally approach the area councillor for any work," Oberoi said. A legislation to unify the three civic bodies was approved by the Lok Sabha on March 30 and by the Rajya Sabha on April 5. The legislation had become an Act after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the bill on April 18. The Act reduces the number of wards to 250 from the existing 272, which means that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will have to undergo a delimitation exercise before elections. The Centre will form a delimitation commission to carry out the demarcation of wards. Experts highlighted that given the current scenario, civic polls are unlikely to take place before early next year due to the delimitation exercise.The State Election Commission was scheduled to announce civic poll dates on March 8, but it had to defer the announcement. The then State Election Commissioner had said that the commission had an hour before they received a communication from the Centre regarding the unification of the three civic bodies. The move to merge the three civic bodies had triggered a political blame game with Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party terming it a tactic to delay the elections. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the BJP wanted to unify civic bodies only to delay the elections."In the guise of the bill, the BJP is killing democracy by stopping MCD elections. According to me, this is not the MCD reform bill, this is the 'Stop MCD Elections' Bill," Sisodia had said in Delhi Assembly. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta had said that the unification of three municipal corporations into a single entity will prove to be a milestone in the development journey of the city.—PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled civic bodies in Delhi are set to be dissolved in the next five days, with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation's term set to end on Wednesday.

Delhi civic bodies set to be dissolved, fresh elections unlikely soon

Srinagar: A burqa-clad terrorist walked up to a newly-opened wine shop in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, dropped a grenade inside through the porthole window, causing an explosion which killed one employee and left three others injured, the police said. A police spokesman said the attacker was riding pillion on a bike that stopped near the wine shop at Dewan Bagh in Baramulla around 8.30 pm. "The pillion rider wearing a Burqa walked to the window of the wine shop and dropped a grenade inside the shop through the porthole window and thereafter fled away on the bike from the spot," he said."Four employees of the said shop got injured. Among them one succumbed to his injuries," the spokesman said. He said the four employees have received splinter injuries in the terror attack. "All the injured were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital. However, one of the injured identified as Ranjit Singh, a resident of Bakra in Rajouri district, succumbed to injuries," he added.The other injured employees have been identified as Govardhan Singh, Ravi Kumar, both residents of Billawar in Kathua and Govind Singh, a resident of Kangra in Rajouri, he said adding Govind Singh has been referred to Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment.The spokesman said senior police officers immediately reached the crime scene. "The area has been cordoned and a search is going on."—PTI

A burqa-clad terrorist walked up to a newly-opened wine shop in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, dropped a grenade inside through the porthole window, causing an explosion which killed one employee and left three others injured, the police said.

Burqa-clad terrorist attacks J-K wine shop; 1 employee killed, 3 hurt

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Election Commission on Tuesday told the high court of Karnataka that the state government had taken away its powers, making it unable to hold elections to zilla panchayat and taluk panchayats as mandated by the Supreme Court. A vacation division bench of the high court comprising Justice SG Pandit and Justice MG Uma heard the Election Commission's petition on Tuesday. Following last week's Supreme Court direction to hold the ZP-TP elections immediately, the commission filed a memo before the high court to hear the pending petition citing emergency. The high court asked the commission's counsel why a memo was filed before it instead of following the Supreme Court's direction.The counsel submitted to the court that the state government had withdrawn the Election Commission's power on delimitation of constituencies and drawing up the reservation list. Without these the State EC was unable to announce the election schedule. The state had formed a separate panel for the delimitation and reservation even though the EC had completed the exercise on its own. The EC had challenged this before the high court.The court observed that a detailed examination of the petition was necessary and adjourned the hearing to May 23.—PTI

The Karnataka State Election Commission on Tuesday told the high court of Karnataka that the state government had taken away its powers, making it unable to hold elections to zilla panchayat and taluk panchayats as mandated by the Supreme Court.

Karnataka govt has taken away our powers, EC tells high court

Chennai: The work to rescue 2 workers who are still trapped in a stone quarry in southern Tamil Nadu resumed on Tuesday after a pause and Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 15 lakh each to the families of 2 deceased workers.Intense efforts are on to rescue the workers in the mishap site and the National Disaster Response Force and police and fire personnel are continuing the rescue operation, Stalin said. A solatium of Rs 15 lakh each would be provided to the families of two deceased workers, he said in a statement. While the government would provide Rs 10 lakh, the remainder of the assistance shall be borne by a welfare board for workers. As many as 6 workers were trapped in rubble after huge boulders fell on them on the night of May 14 in the 300 feet deep stone quarry at Adaimidhippankulam in Tirunelveli District.Subsequently, 3 workers were brought out by NDRF personnel and one of them succumbed to his injuries and the other two were being treated in a hospital. While the body of another worker was taken out of the debris late Monday night after halting rescue operations for sometime, 2 more workers continue to be stuck under mounds of rock fragments. The body of the fourth worker was pulled out by a National Disaster Response Force team, assisted by police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel. On Monday, officials had said that the work to rescue workers was put on hold considering 'unstable rocky upper surface'. It was continued later and the body of the worker was brought out.—PTI

The work to rescue 2 workers who are still trapped in a stone quarry in southern Tamil Nadu resumed on Tuesday after a pause and Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 15 lakh each to the families of 2 deceased workers.