Highlights: Odisha man, 22, sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping minor

A court in Odisha's Ganjam district sentenced a 22-year-old man to 20 years in jail on Saturday for raping a 15-year-old girl.

The special fast track court in Berhampur also imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on the convict, public prosecutor Abhinna Patnaik said. The court directed the State Legal Services Authority to pay ₹5 lakh to the rape survivor as compensation.

Amid the protest over the Agnipath recruitment scheme in the military, Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda on Saturday appealed to the youth to "understand the scheme thoroughly" while also suggesting that there are "some forces which do not want change to happen" in the country.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, vice president Omar Abdullah condemn killing of police sub inspector Farooq Ahmad Mir in Pulwama.

Internet services – which were already suspended till June 17 in parts of West Bengal's Murshidabad district – will remain suspended in just one block – Beldanga II – till tomorrow as a precautionary measure, said KS Raj Kumar, superintendent of police of the Murshidabad district,on Saturday.

Internet services were earlier suspended Beldanga, Rejinagar and Shaktipur police station areas from June 10 to June 17 in view of the violent protests against the remarks made by former BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.

Maharashtra on Saturday saw a decline in its daily Covid tally after 3,883 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours as against 4,165 infections seen a day ago. Two new fatalities were also recorded in the state.

Of these, 2,054 were from Mumbai and the two new fatalities were also from the capital city. Read full story

Delhi records 1,534 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, minor dip as compared to yesterday's tally. Positivity rate stands at 7.71 per cent.

The Rajasthan council of ministers on Saturday passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the Centre’s Agnipath scheme. 

"Experts say that there should be regular recruitment in the military so that the future of soldiers and their families could be secured. Therefore, the state government is of the view that the central government should have had a comprehensive discussion with all the stakeholders before introducing any such scheme," the government said in a release. 

Over 60 trains cancelled and two terminated due to prevailing law and order problem and threat perception to railway property and passengers in Bihar, says East Central Railway in latest bulletin.

Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh summoned by ED to appear on June 22 for the probe.

Kerala Police use water cannons to disperse BJP Yuva Morcha workers who are protesting in Kochi, demanding the resignation of CM Pinarayi Vijayan in connection to a gold smuggling case.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the war-damaged southern city of Mykolaiv on Saturday for the first time since the Russian invasion in a rare trip outside Kyiv, reported AFP.

“All 6 candidates of MVA will get elected (in MLC polls). Central govt misuses central agencies. During Rajya Sabha polls threats were given & now also it's being given. We're having a record of it and at the right time we'll present them before public,” says Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole.

"I appeal to Punjab govt and Central govt to provide security to Sikhs who are present there or bring them here (to India)," says Harjinder Singh Dhami, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on the attack on Gurudwara in Afghanistan's Kabul.

Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into entire Westcentral Bay of Bengal, most parts of northwest Bay of Bengal, some parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and some more parts of Bihar today, announces India Meteorological Department.

“I'm sad that govt ignored your voice & announced a new scheme that is completely directionless... I appeal to all of you to protest peacefully in a non-violent manner. Indian National Congress is with you,” writes Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on students' protest against Agnipath.

Our double-engine govt has empowered women in the last 8 yrs. Their empowerment is imperative for India's development. Today, from Army to mines, policies are being made keeping women's welfare in mind, says PM Modi in Vadodara.

Calling the terror attack a shameful and cowardly act, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take “swift and decisive” action to ensure the safety and security of the Sikhs residing in the gurdwara and the Afghan capital Read More

Delhi court on Staurday rejected bail plea of AAP minister Satyendar Jain arrested in money laundering case.

India has expressed deep concern over an attack by armed men on Gurdwara Karte Parwan in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Saturday morning and said it was closely monitoring the situation. Read More

Firing inside a gurudwara in Kabul, Afghanistan by ISIS terrorists, according to reports. The area has been cordoned off by security forces.

Ministry of home affairs has decides to reserve 10% vacancies for recruitment in CAPFs & Assam Rifles for Agniveers, 3 years age relaxation beyond upper age limit to Agniveers for recruitment in the two forces. For the first batch of Agniveer, age relaxation will be for 5 years beyond upper age limit. Read More

India's daily Covid-19 tally breached the 13,000-mark on Saturday as the country reported 13,216 infections in the last 24 hours, according to the Union ministry of health family welfare. The death toll saw an increase of 23 fatalities and now stands at 524,840, the ministry also informed. With latest additions, the overall Covid-19 caseload stands at 43,283,793.

Students' organisations in Bihar, led by the All India Students' Association, have called a 24-hour Bihar bandh on June 18 demanding an immediate rollback of the Agnipath scheme, protests against which have singed the country in the last three days after the new recruitment scheme in the military was launched by the government. Read More