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15-Year-Old Domestic Help Found Hanging In Uttarakhand: Cops

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15-Year-Old Domestic Help Found Hanging In Uttarakhand: Cops

Police said a case was registered in the matter and further investigation is underway. (Representational)

Dehradun:

 A 15-year-old girl, working as a maid, was found hanging in a bathroom of a house in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun, a top police officer said on Thursday.

Police said a case was registered in the matter and further investigation is underway.

The incident took place in Race Course, a residential colony in Dehradun.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dehradun, Ajay Singh, said, “Police received information that a girl, about 15 years old, was hired to work as a maid. We learned that a family, identified by the surname Luthra, had hired her. The family owns a car and is into the sale and purchase business. They had hired a girl to take care of their two daughters.”

SSP added that the girl went missing when the family was in the process of moving into a new house.

A search was launched and she was eventually found hanging in the bathroom of a house in Dehradun.

“The minor girl employed as a domestic help was found hanging in the bathroom of a house. The CCTV footage of the immediate surroundings of the scene has been retrieved and a case has been registered. Further probe is underway,” SSP Singh said.

“Those present at the house (when the girl was found hanging) were taken into custody,” he said.

Further investigation is underway, he added.

More updates are awaited.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Karnataka Caste Census Submitted Before Polls, Irks Lingayats, Vokkaligas

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The survey was first ordered in 2014 by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Bengaluru:

A socio-economic survey report, submitted today, has set off a political row in Karnataka, even though its contents are yet to be made public. The survey, ordered by the previous Siddaramaiah government in 2017, has upset the politically dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga castes, who now want it to be shredded.

The 2017 socio economic survey report was submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today by Jaiprakash Hegde. The Chairman of the OBC Commission walked into Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru at 2.45 pm today — the last day of his tenure — and met Mr Siddaramaiah briefly, before addressing the media.

“We have submitted the report. The CM said he will table it in the next Cabinet and decide,” he said. The Chief Minister concurred, refusing to comment any further.

Sources said the findings could challenge the dominance of the Lingayat sect and the Other Backward Caste Vokkaliga community as the largest voting blocks in the state.

According to sources and reports published over the last few years, the survey puts Scheduled Castes as the most populous, followed by Muslims. Lingayats come next, followed by Vokkaligas and then other castes.

The report, therefore, has faced stiff opposition. A backlash from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga groups, which claimed the report as unscientific, has made publishing the caste data fraught with risk.

Even state Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who belongs to the Vokkaliga caste, had expressed his opposition earlier. The BJP, dominated by Lingayat leaders, is also on the same page.

Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA from Karnataka, said, “This survey is not scientific. This has displeased the Lingayats and Vokkaligas. We will oppose this. We will request the Congress government to redo this survey by going door-to-door and then we will accept it.”

In face of criticism from Lingayat and Vokkaliga leaders of the Congress as well, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suggested that the report be discussed in the cabinet first. Legal advice and the opinion of experts would be taken if there are anomalies, he promised.

HK Patil, Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said, “I have no comments to make either on the report or on the comments made by our colleagues. Everything depends on whether we accept it or not. We may receive it. We may take some time to study it. Anything might happen.”

During the survey, 54 questions were asked to 5,90,00,000 people from 1,30,00,000 families. The survey was first ordered in 2014 by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Rs 169 crore was spent on the project.

Though the report was ready in 2017, it was not accepted due to technical glitches, and successive Chief Ministers delayed accepting it.

The caste census in Karnataka is a delicate and tricky issue. With Vokkaligas and Lingayats raising a banner of revolt, it is not sure if the Congress government would be willing to publish it ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

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Andhra Pradesh: SP leaders protest against CBI notice to party chief Akhilesh Yadav

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The SP leaders including the state unit chief Pasam Venkateswarlu and Madhu Botta Yadav sat on a dharna in front of the Ambedkar statue.

Updated On – 29 February 2024, 10:08 PM


Andhra Pradesh: SP leaders protest against CBI notice to party chief Akhilesh Yadav

File Photo

Amravathi: Samajwadi Party (SP) of Andhra Pradesh staged a protest in Amravathi today against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) notice to the party Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav askng him to appear as a witness in a case linked to illegal sand mining.

The SP leaders including the state unit chief Pasam Venkateswarlu and Madhu Botta Yadav sat on a dharna in front of the Ambedkar statue.

They raised slogans against the central government ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meanwhile, the Samajwadi leaders also accused the BJP of ‘weaponising’ the central agencies in a bid to harass the opposition leaders.

The CBI, on Wednsday, asked Akhilesh Yadav to appear before the agency in a case related to sand mining. However, Yadav skipped the summons. According to the sources, the CBI in a High Court-referred case related to sand mining asked Yadav to join the investigation as a witness before the CBI in Delhi today.

He was summoned in connection with the CBI FIR lodged in January 2019, which is related to alleged illegal mining in Hamirpur between 2012 and 2016. In January 2019, an FIR was registered against several public servants, including the then-district magistrate, mining officer and others.

It is alleged in the FIR that government employees allowed illegal mining of minerals in Hamirpur. Akhilesh Yadav, was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017 and held the mining portfolio during 2012-13.

The CBI in its FIR had alleged that people were allowed to excavate minor minerals illegally, commit theft of the minor minerals and extort money from the leaseholders as well as from the drivers of the vehicles transporting minor minerals.

India

Karnataka govt extends deadline by two weeks to implement 60 pc Kannada rule

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The government had earlier given a deadline of February 28 in this regard.

Published Date – 29 February 2024, 12:45 PM


Karnataka govt extends deadline by two weeks to implement 60 pc Kannada rule

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar

Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka on Thursday extended the deadline by two weeks for the commercial establishments and other buildings to ensure Kannada-English is in a 60:40 ratio on the signboards.

The government had earlier given a deadline of February 28 in this regard. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said, “Considering that it takes time to change the signage, Karnataka government has decided to extend the deadline given to commercial establishments by two more weeks so that the 60 per cent signage in Kannada rule can be followed.

It is important that we uphold our mother tongue in utmost respect, therefore we expect this law will be duly followed, and we shall see compliance to it by the end of the two week extended period.”

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued notices to 55,178 industrialists to replace the signboards in Bengaluru city so far and 3,044 of them are yet to change the name plates.

The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, mandating the use of Kannada on 60 per cent space of signboards of all business and commercial establishments was passed by the Karnataka Assembly on February 15. The BJP had welcomed the bill and urged the government for strict implementation.

On January 5, the Cabinet approved an Ordinance to amend the Kannada Comprehensive Development Act to mandate 60 per cent usage of Kannada language in signage, and had issued a deadline of February 28 to adhere to the rule.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath had earlier warned that if the rule is not followed the establishments would be locked out and licences would be cancelled. Kannada organizations have warned that if the rule is not implemented they will take up massive agitation.

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Pandya Would've Been Axed From BCCI Contract, But This Assurance Saved Him

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File photo of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya© X (formerly Twitter)

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) list of centrally-contracted players due to not playing in domestic tournaments. While the move was welcomed by a number of experts, it also started a conversation surrounding all-rounder Hardik Pandya who was handed a Grade A contract despite not taking part in Ranji Trophy matches. According to a report by Indian Express, Hardik was handed the contract after he assured BCCI and selectors of his participation in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s and Vijay Hazare Trophy if he has no commitments with the national team.

Pandya injured his ankle during the Cricket World Cup 2023 and had remained out of action till making his return to competitive cricket in the DY Patil tournament.

“We have had discussions with Pandya, who has been told to play domestic white-ball tournaments when he is available. At this stage, according to the assessment of the BCCI’s medical team, he is not in a position to bowl in red-ball tournaments. So playing Ranji Trophy is out of the equation for Pandya. But he has to play other white-ball tournaments if there are no India commitments. If not, he will miss out on a contract,” the official told The Indian Express.

Earlier, former India pacer Irfan Pathan has questioned the BCCI’s decision to deny central contracts to Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer for ignoring a diktat to play Ranji Trophy, saying that players like Hardik Pandya have not been judged on the same parameter.

“If players like Hardik don’t want to play red ball cricket, should he and others like him participate in white-ball domestic cricket when they aren’t on national duty?” he questioned BCCI’s decision, in his post on X.

“If this doesn’t apply to all, then Indian cricket won’t achieve the desired results!” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

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Middle East

American veterans burn uniforms in tribute to Bushnell

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Footage circulating across the social media on February 29, 2024 shows several American war veterans burning their uniforms in tribute to Aaron Bushnell, a US airman, who recently died after setting himself on fire in protest at his country’s all-out support for the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip.

Footage circulating across the social media shows several American war veterans burning their uniforms in tribute to a US airman, who recently died after setting himself on fire in protest at his country’s all-out support for the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip.

The footage surfaced on Thursday. It showed the former troopers taking turns to drop their fatigues inside a burning trashcan. One is seen repeatedly stoking the flames, while leading the slogan, “Remember Aaron Bushnell, he’s not alone.”

The show of support for Bushnell is held in front of a large banner emblazoned with the words, “Veterans say: Free Palestine.”

Bushnell staged the act of self-immolation in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

The 25-year-old active duty airman was dressed in US military attire as he used a lighter to set himself on fire after dousing himself in a flammable liquid.

“I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people are experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all,” he said in a video he made while walking in front of the embassy.

“This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal. Free Palestine.”

The US has been contributing ample political, military, and intelligence support to the Israeli military onslaught that the regime began against Gaza on October 7, 2023 following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation staged by the coastal sliver’s resistance movements.

The American administration has so far vetoed three United Nations Security Council resolutions that have called for immediate cessation of the Israeli aggression.

Washington has also armed Tel Aviv with more than 10,000 tons of military hardware since the onset of the warfare.

The war has so far killed more than 30,000 people, mostly women and children.

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43 killed, Several Injured As Fire Breaks Out At Building In Bangladesh

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43 killed, Several Injured As Fire Breaks Out At Building In Bangladesh

Dozens killed as fire broke out at 7-storey building in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. (Representational)

Dhaka:

At least 43 people were killed and dozens injured after a fire blazed through a seven-storey building in an upscale neighbourhood in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka late Thursday, health authorities said.

“So far 43 people have died from the fire,” Bangladesh’s health minister Samanta Lal Sen told AFP after visiting the Dhaka Medical College Hospital and an adjoining burn hospital.

Sen said at least 40 injured people were being treated in the city’s main burn hospital.

Fire department official Mohammad Shihab said the blaze originated in a popular biriyani restaurant in Dhaka’s Bailey Road at 9:50pm Thursday (1550 GMT), and quickly spread to the upper floors, trapping scores of people.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control in two hours, he said.

They rescued 75 people alive, a statement from the fire service said.

The Bailey Road building houses mainly restaurants along with several clothing and mobile phone shops.

“We were at the sixth floor when we first saw smoke racing through the staircase. A lot of people rushed upstairs. We used a water pipe to climb down the building. Some of us were injured as they jumped from upstairs,” said a restaurant manager called Sohel.

Others were trapped on the rooftop and called out for help.

“Alhamdulillah. We are sending down all women and children including my wife and children. We all men are in rooftop. Fire service stands beside us. Fifty yet to be down,” wrote Kamruzzaman Majumdar, a professor of environmental science, in a Facebook post.

He was later rescued safely.

Fires in apartment buildings and factory complexes are common in Bangladesh due to lax enforcement of safety rules.

In July 2021, at least 52 people were killed including many children when a fire swept through a food processing factory.

In February 2019, 70 people died when an inferno ripped through several Dhaka apartment blocks.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India's Support "Far-Reaching": Mauritius PM On Launch Of New Airstrip

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India's Support 'Far-Reaching': Mauritius PM On Launch Of New Airstrip

New Delhi:

 Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth on Thursday, thanked his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, for giving a new dimension to ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Jugnauth today jointly inaugurated six community development projects in Mauritius via videoconferencing.

“Indeed, we are making history today on the Islands of Agalega, where the inauguration of a new airstrip, new jetty, and several other development projects. This event marks another great moment for the remarkable and exemplary partnership between Mauritius and India, the Mauritius Prime Minister said.

Mr Jugnauth said that the setting up of the facilities of the new airstrip and St James Jetty in Agalega is the fulfilment of yet another Mauritian dream which people of many generations have lived in their hearts.

“This could not have been possible without the assistance of India which has entirely financed these infrastructural projects,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to PM Modi for the special consideration that he has given to Mauritius since he assumed the responsibility as India’s Prime Minister. Lauding the role of the Indian community, he said that these people have strongly established themselves as a “global powerhouse of values, knowledge and success.”

Mr Jugnauth said, “I wish here to heartily thank Shri Narendra Modi Ji for giving a new dimension to the Mauritius-India relationship and partnership. I also wish to express my deep gratitude to you, Narendra Modi Ji, for taking time out of your busy schedule to honour us with your gracious presence on this momentous occasion.”

Expressing gratitude to PM Modi for his efforts towards Mauritius since assuming office, Mr Jugnauth said, “Modi Ji, I wish to convey to you the profound gratitude of the government and the people of Mauritius for the special consideration you have given to our country ever since you assumed responsibility as the Prime Minister of the Republic of India.”

“As your inspiring leadership and statesmanship radiates across the world, the people of India and the Indian community have strongly established themselves as a global powerhouse of values, knowledge and success. Today, the people of Agalega are very proud of the developments that are taking place on the island,” he added.

He said that India’s support to Mauritius is “far-reaching” and added that his country became the first nation to adopt the Jan Aushadhi Scheme.

Highlighting India’s support for Mauritius, he said, “India’s support to our republic is indeed far-reaching. and not later than yesterday, again, thanks to your special consideration towards our Republic, Mauritius became the first country to adopt the Jan Aushadhi scheme.”

Speaking about the benefits of the Jan Aushadhi Scheme for the people of Mauritius, he said, “This scheme will allow our country to source some 250 high-quality medicines from the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Bureau of India. It will ensure access to quality medicines from India for our population, especially the vulnerable.”

“The launching of this scheme in Mauritius will benefit our people at large and will impart further momentum to India’s partnership with Mauritius. It has been my vision and that of my government to spearhead development in every single part of our territory since our people remain at the heart of our development goals. We are translating that vision into reality,” he added.

The Jan Aushadhi Scheme (JAS) is a government initiative that aims to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices. The scheme was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in 2008.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was present during the inauguration of the projects. In an earlier press release, the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “The inauguration of these projects is a testimony to the robust and decades-old development partnership between India and Mauritius.”

“The projects will fulfil the demand for better connectivity between mainland Mauritius and Agalega, strengthen maritime security and foster socio-economic development,” it added.

The inauguration of these projects is significant as it comes after the recent launch of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and RuPay Card services in Mauritius by PM Modi and Mauritius counterpart Jugnauth on February 12.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Irresponsible": US Slams Putin's Nuclear War Remarks

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'Irresponsible': US Slams Putin's Nuclear War Remarks

Putin on Thursday has warned risk of nuclear war if West sent its troops to Ukraine amid war.

Washington:

The United States on Thursday denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warnings of a risk of nuclear war as “irresponsible,” but said there was no sign of greater risk.

“It is not the first time we have seen irresponsible rhetoric from Vladimir Putin. It is no way for the leader of a nuclear-armed state to speak,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

“We have communicated in the past privately and directly with Russia about the consequences of the use of a nuclear weapon,” he said.

But Miller added: “We do not have any sign that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon.”

Putin, in an address to the nation on Thursday, warned the West of “tragic consequences” for any country that sends troops into Ukraine to defend against Russia’s invasion.

“Everything that the West comes up with creates the real threat of a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and thus the destruction of civilization,” Putin said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)