Chhattisgarh cabinet approves bills for reservation in different categories

The Chhattisgarh cabinet headed by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday approved two amendment bills paving the way for reservation in admissions and employment in proportion to population of various sections of the society in the state. The bills, once passed by the assembly and approved by the governor, will take reservation to above 76%, the highest for any state in the country.

Two revellers killed, 12 injured after car ploughs into wedding procession

MEERUT A wedding celebration in Meerut's Bafar village turned tragic when a speeding car rammed into a 'baraat' (groom's procession) on Wednesday night, killing two cousins of the groom and injuring 12 others. The injured were admitted to a nearby private hospital. Sisaula Khurd-village resident Prabhakar Choudhary's friends and relatives were dancing outside the banquet hall around 11 pm on Wednesday when the speeding car rammed into the revellers. The other 12 injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

7 school children killed in road accident in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar

Seven school children were killed and one injured in an accident when a truck collided with an auto-rickshaw in Kanker district in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Thursday, police said. The driver of the auto-rickshaw, in which the school children were returning home, was also injured. All children are aged between 5 to 8 years and the injured child, whose condition is serious, has been shifted to a government hospital in Kanker, officials added.

HC dismisses plea seeking action against VP, union law minister

The Bombay high court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation petition seeking action against India's vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar and union law minister Kiren Rijiju for their public statements against the Supreme Court collegium, the judiciary, and the apex court. The PIL was filed by advocate Eknath Dhokale. BLA chairman, advocate Ahmed Abdi, said the association approached the court with great anguish as the two senior officials had violated their oaths of office.

I’m not the CM face of Congress, working only to save future of MP: Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Thursday said he was not the party's chief ministerial face for the state's assembly elections later this year. This development comes days after several senior party leaders questioned posters declaring Nath as the CM face. “I am not chief minister's face of Congress but I am working hard to save the future of residents of Madhya Pradesh,” Nath clarified.

Village head gunned down in BIhar’s Gopalganj; Second in a week

Unidentified assailants on Thursday morning gunned down head of the Phulguni panchayat, Mohammad Quareshi, at Narayanpur village under Thawe police station of Bihar's Gopalganj district, triggering violent protest by locals, police said. This is the second murder of a mukhiya at Thave police station area in a week. So far, nine elected mukhia have lost their lives after winning election in the last 13 months in the state.

Punjab: 15 kg of heroin, ₹8.4 lakh drug money recovered from juvenile in Amritsar

A boy was caught with 15 kg of heroin in Amritsar, Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday. Police recovered ?8.4 lakh from the minor, who was detained at a police checkpoint on Ram Tirath Road in Amritsar. He said the mastermind of the trans-border narcotics smuggling racket, Resham Singh, is on the run. A case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in Amritsar.

Caterer beaten to death by DJ team after quarrel over plates at Delhi wedding

A 23-year-old catering staffer was beaten to death by members of a disk jockey team at a wedding venue in the Japanese Park in outer Delhi's Rohini in the early hours of Thursday after a quarrel that originated over handing over dinner plates quickly, police said adding that two of the suspects have been arrested. ?One of them picked up a plastic crate and smashed it on Thakur's head,? Rajneesh Garg, additional deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) said.

Bihar: Man allegedly beaten to death; village head’s son killed him, says family

A 32-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by the son of the village head of Domuhan panchayat in Bihar's Banka district on Wednesday evening. The man, a resident of Gowabakhar village, is survived by his wife and three children. The incident led to protests across the area after which the administration took necessary action to curb the rising tensions.

Patna AIIMS issued 2 death certificates, revived feud over man’s marital status

Patna's All India Institute of Medical Sciences issued two death certificates of a 39-year-old man, who died of Covid-19 in 2020, with different names of Rajeev Kumar Nirala's' spouse and revived a feud over his marital status. The woman claiming to be Rajeev Kumar Nirala's second wife, Puja Kumari accused Nirala's family of concealing his marital status when he married her in 2016. Prachi Priya was mentioned as Nirala's wife in the first death certificate issued to his father, Janardan Prasad. HT has copies of the two death certificates.

‘This election is all about Tipu vs Savarkar’: Karnataka BJP Prez Kateel

Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Thursday sparked a new controversy after he said the upcoming assembly election in the southern state is all about Tipu vs Savarkar. The Lok Sabha MP was addressing a public gathering in Karnataka when he blamed the opposition Congress for allowing Tipu Jayanthi celebrations in the state, calling them unnecessary. Karnataka is due for an assembly election later this year.

Robbers shoot at four during chain-snatching attempt in Patna

A group of criminals indiscriminately shot at and injured four persons including a girl during a chain-snatching attempt near Urja Auditorium gate no-2 under Shastrinagar police station in Bihar's Capital, Patna on Wednesday night, police said. Police said the incident occurred around midnight when three criminals intercepted a woman and tried to snatch a gold chain from her. However, four persons came for her safety and the criminals opened fire at them.

Tax officials inspect Adani Group facility in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh

The Himachal Pradesh excise and taxation department carried out an inspection of stocks at Adani Wilmar Ltd in Parwanoo town of Solan district late on Wednesday night. The entire goods and services tax input was adjusted through tax credit but no payment was made in cash. “We found many discrepancies while scrutinising the records. The raids are still continuing,” the joint commissioner, excise and taxation, south zone, GD Thakur said.

Maoist posters against MP, ex-MLA found in Bihar’s Aurangabad

A few purported handwritten Maoist posters threatening member of Parliament Sushil Singh and former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLA Ranvijay Singh were allegedly found in Aurangabad district in Bihar on Wednesday, police said. Station house officer of Goh police station, Kamlesh Paswan told HT that police did not find any posters when they visited the places but added that they are monitoring the situation and have begun an investigation.

Himachal: Four children of migrant labourers charred to death in Una district

Four children of migrant labourers were charred to death after a fire broke out in two shanties at Bane-Di-Hatti village in Gagret town of Una district late on Wednesday. Three brothers and sisters are among the victims. Ramesh Dass lost his daughter Neetu, 14, and two sons, Golu Kumar, 7, Shivam Kumar, 6, and their relative Kalidas's son Sonu Kumar, 17, in the blaze. All four children were sleeping in one of the two shanties.

Lawyer sent to jail for ‘making wild allegations against judicial system’

The High Court of Karnataka has sentenced an advocate to prison for one week for ?making wild allegations against the judicial system and the Judicial Officers in particular?. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi recently ordered that advocate K S Anil be taken into custody and again presented before it on February 10. The original criminal contempt case against Anil was filed in 2019.