Ashok Tanwar trains gun on Haryana Congress chief

Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashok Tanwar on Saturday hit out at Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and termed him a 'rubber stamp' president. Addressing a press conference in Sirsa, Tanwar said the 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' era was started by Udai Bhan's family as his father changed four parties in a day. “Udai Bhan will be known as the rubber stump Haryana Congress president like Phool Chand Mulana,” he added.

Gujarat: 16 Congress MLAs suspended after protests over Rahul’s disqualification

On Monday, 16 out of 17 Congress MLAs were suspended from the Gujarat assembly for protesting the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as an MP, wearing black outfits in the house. The MLAs were evicted by marshals and suspended till the end of the budget session on March 29. The speaker asked them to stop sloganeering and trooped into the well, but they refused.

TMC readies isolation ward, increases testing

Thane Municipal Corporation has readied an isolation ward at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa to deal with Covid-19 cases, as 33 new positive cases were recorded on Monday, taking the active cases in the city to 246. The civic body has carried out 26.80 lakh tests so far and is carrying out 2,500 tests daily. A 15-bed isolation ward has been prepared with five beds for ICU and arrangements for more beds if needed.

Madal Virupakshappa, BJP Karnataka MLA, arrested in bribery case

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Madal Virupakshappa was arrested on Monday after Karnataka High Court dismissed his bail application in a bribery case. He was accused of demanding and receiving bribes for allotting contract for supplying chemicals to KSDL. Rs 8.23 crore was seized from his residence and four more arrests have been made since then. Virupakshappa has resigned from the chairman post of KSDL.

Female cheetah from Namibia dies in MP’s Kuno Park due to renal infection

Female Cheetah 'Shasha' brought from Namibia to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park died due to renal infection, confirmed by the Cheetah conservation fund spokesperson Susan Yannetti. Autopsy will reveal the real cause of death. Four cheetahs were released in the wild while four were in enclosures and three remain in a bigger enclosure. 12 cheetahs from South Africa are in quarantine.

Helang-Marwari bypass project stuck in a limbo awaits IIT report

The construction of Helang-Marwari bypass, part of the Char Dham all-weather project, has been suspended by Uttarakhand's Chamoli district administration following the aggravation of Joshimath land crisis. The authorities are waiting for an expert report from IIT Roorkee to decide if the re-beginning of work would worsen the land crisis. The project aims to reduce the distance to the Badrinath shrine by 30km. Activists warn that the bypass construction could further destabilise the slope and worsen the land subsidence problem in Joshimath.

Portals of Yamunotri Dham to open on April 22

The portals of Yamunotri Dham, part of the Char Dham Yatra, will be opened on April 22 at 12:35 pm in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. The temple committee secretary announced the time of opening in the presence of other officials and priests. Uttarakhand CM has instructed authorities to complete preparations for the Yatra by April 15 and registrations have reached 6.4 lakh. The portals of Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath Dhams will open on April 22, 27 and 25 respectively. Yamunotri Dham is located at an altitude of 3,293 metres near the source of Yamuna.

Seven-year-old found dead in a sack; mobs blocks roads, torches Kolkata police vehicles

Seven-year-old girl found dead after being sexually molested by neighbour in Kolkata's Tiljala area. Local people stage protests and vandalise police vehicles, blockading roads and railway tracks. Three people, including a woman, detained for alleged involvement in vandalism, while a huge team of security forces dispatched to disperse protestors.

Drugs worth ₹32 cr seized in Assam’s Karimganj & Cachar; 5 arrested: Police

Drugs including heroin and Yaba tablets, worth ?32 crore were seized in Assam's Cachar and Karimganj districts on Sunday night. Three suspects were arrested in Karimganj and two, including a 50-year-old woman, in Cachar. 2.9kg heroin and 80,000 Yaba tablets, and suspected brown sugar worth ?2 crore were recovered.

SFJ chief’s threat to CM Dhami made through spoofed numbers: Uttarakhand police

Uttarakhand police have sounded an alert in view of a pro-Khalistani preacher and his aides entering the state. The police have also put up posters in villages near the Nepal border. Recorded calls of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, chief of Sikhs For Justice, made through spoofed numbers, threatened to raise Khalistani flags during G-20 summit at Ramnagar and warned chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Paramilitary Force and Anti-Terrorism Squad have been deployed in the district. Pithoragarh police found no evidence of a satellite phone used by Khalistani elements.

Bengaluru's Ejipura flyover makes it to Google monuments list, Twitter reacts

The unfinished Ejipura flyover in Bengaluru has become an internet sensation after it was marked as a must-visit monument on Google locations, sparking sarcastic reviews from users. Twitter users have shared their experiences of the 6-year-old project while one user even shared a love story connected to the flyover. 'Stonehenge' has since been removed from Google locations.

75% of second harvest of alphonso mangoes hit by heatwave

Unseasonal heatwave in Konkan has impacted the famed Alphonso orchards in Devgad and Ratnagiri districts, with farmers fearing a loss of up to 75% of the crop in the second ripening phase. Fruits have wilted and unripe mangoes have fallen to the ground, leading to a reduction in the price of the commodity. Farmers are already facing lower returns and have requested financial assistance from the government.

Banjaras hurl stones at Yediyurappa’s residence in Shikaripura; Sec 144 imposed

Hundreds of Banjara community members clashed with police at former CM BS Yediyurappa's residence in Shivamogga's Shikaripur, protesting against the state government's internal reservation recommendation to the Centre. Several were injured and posters of Yediyurappa and CM Basavaraj Bommai were burnt. Prohibitory orders have been imposed to prevent further untoward incidents. The protesters allege that the recommendation is a ploy to divide the SC communities and must be withdrawn.

BS Yediyurappa's home attacked; 'Banjaras misunderstood...', he says

Members of the Banjara community attacked former CM BS Yediyurappa's residence in Shivamogga, protesting the state government's internal reservation recommendation to the Centre. Police resorted to lathi charge and water canons to disperse the crowd, leading to several injuries. The Banjara community has urged the government to drop the Justice A J Sadashiva Commission report. The Basavaraj Bommai-led government has recommended a new breakup of the 17% reservation for the SC community.

Amit Shah chairs BJP core committee meeting in B'luru to discuss poll strategy

Amit Shah chaired a meeting with state BJP core committee and election management committee in Bengaluru on Monday. He lauded Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his immediate predecessor BS Yediyurappa for providing "good governance" and urged the people to form the BJP government with a full majority in the upcoming Assembly elections. Shah also praised the government's decision to scrap the four per cent OBC reservation for Muslims and distribute it to dominant communities. He urged the representatives coming to the assembly to spread the message of democracy, social justice and good governance.

Monday Musings: Pune Metro will soon expand service, it’s time people change mindset

Punekars have mixed feelings as the inauguration of the next stretch of Pune Metro Rail draws closer. The delay has already killed the enthusiasm of many and the city has been two decades late in its journey. Maha-Metro needs to start paying heed to last-mile connectivity, while commuters should start using the service. Metro has the potential to reduce traffic intensity, expand the city's economy, unify its markets and allow social integration.