Charminar police nab six, recover stolen vehicles in swift operation

The police caught Abdullah along with the three juveniles who admitted to stealing the vehicles and selling to Mahmood and Imran.

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 09:06 PM


Charminar police nab six, recover stolen vehicles in swift operation

Representational Image

Hyderabad: The Charminar police apprehended six persons including two people who purchased stolen property and recovered five motorcycles and scooters from them.

The arrested person Mohd Abdullah Khan (19) of Golconda along with three juveniles was stealing the motorcycles and scooters from different places in the city and selling it to two scrap dealers Mohammed Mahmood Khan (28) and Mohd Imran (34) of Golconda, ACP Charminar, Rudra Bhaskar, said.


On information, the police caught Abdullah along with the three juveniles who admitted to stealing the vehicles and selling to Mahmood and Imran. All the three are arrested and remanded.

Palguna named Chairman of All India Beach Football committee

For the first time, four eminent Telangana football personnel have been appointed as AIFF members

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 10:00 PM


Palguna named Chairman of All India Beach Football committee

GP Palguna

Hyderabad: GP Palguna, Secretary of the Telangana Football Association, has been appointed as the Chairman of All India Beach Football Committee by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday.

AIFF also appointed Shabbir Ali as Vice-Chairman of AIFF Technical Committee and Victor Amalraj as AIFF Technical Committee member and Palam Acharjee as Futsal Committee member.


For the first time, four eminent Telangana football personnel have been appointed as AIFF members as Telangana Football Association congratulated all four of them on their recognition.

Explained: What is ‘Viksit Bharat’ that is often mentioned by PM Modi, other cabinet Ministers?

Launching the initiative ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth’, Prime Minister Modi said every person in India, all institutions and organisations in the country must move forward with pledge that whatever they do should be for a developed India.

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 10:00 PM


Explained: What is ‘Viksit Bharat’ that is often mentioned by PM Modi, other cabinet Ministers?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photo: Twitter)

Viksit Bharat, the phrase that we have been hearing very often lately, in simple terms means “Developed/Advanced India”. It is a happiness-induced development model engineered by the Centre, which seems more relevant than the model of economic development, which India has been following for years. A resolution to this effect was passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2023.

Launching the initiative ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth’, Prime Minister Modi said every person in India, all institutions and organisations in the country must move forward with pledge that whatever they do should be for a developed India. “The focus of your goals and your resolution should only be for developed India,” said the Prime Minister.


What is the goal of this initiative?

The aim of the ‘Viksit Bharat’ initiative is to elevate India to the status of a “developed nation” by the year 2024, which will be the centenary year of India’s independence.

The initiative by the Centre is aimed at creating a blueprint for India’s development in the next 25 years. The project aims to elevate the country into a position of a global leader in technology and innovation, while becoming a model state for social welfare and human development.

How does the Centre plan to achieve this status by 2024?

The Centre plans to achieve this status by focusing on the important aspects such as structural transformation, increasing competitiveness, government reforms, organising labour markets and seizing opportunities in Green Revolution.

A special focus would be laid on all these aspects to ensure the desired growth and advancement of the country as well as its citizens.

According to the Prime Minister’s vision, Viksit Bharat @2047, the pursuit of turning Indian into a “developed nation” by the stipulated time of the year 2047 will actively involve the youth of the country for the formulation of national plans and goals of the country.

Bengal Dues Will Be Cleared If State Meets Centre's Requirements: Governor

Bengal Dues Will Be Cleared If State Meets Centre's Requirements: Governor

Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose is on a two-day official trip to Delhi (File)

Kolkata:

All dues of West Bengal will be cleared by the Centre provided the state government meets the requirements laid down by the Centre, Governor CV Ananda Bose said on Thursday after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Mr Bose, who is on a two-day official trip to the national capital, said discussions on the state’s law and order and other subjects were also held during his meeting with Shah.

“Whatever dues are there will certainly be given, provided the requirements laid down by the Centre are met. (The) state government has given answers to various queries raised by the Centre over the last few months. I also reviewed it at my level,” Mr Bose said in a video message released by the Raj Bhavan here.

“(The) matter has been taken up with the government of India. Whatever needs to be done to give justice to people will soon be done by the Centre under PM Modi,” he added.

Incidentally, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had given the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear the dues by Thursday, failing which she would start a 48-hour dharna in the city.

The state’s dues amount to a mammoth Rs 7,000 crore for several central government-run schemes including MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY), among others.

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

TS STEP to conduct Mega job mela in Khammam on February 3

The mega job fair will be conducted at Sardar Patel Stadium and it starts at 10 am. More than 65 companies will participate in the job fair offering over 5000 jobs

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 09:00 PM


TS STEP to conduct Mega job mela in Khammam on February 3

Collector VP Gautham released a poster of a job fair in Khammam.

Khammam: Telangana State Society for Training and Employment Promotion (TS STEP) is conducting a mega job mela in Khammam on February 3, informed district Collector VP Gautham.

He appealed to the unemployed youth to take advantage of the Job Mela. The mega job fair will be conducted at Sardar Patel Stadium and it starts at 10 am. More than 65 companies will participate in the job fair offering over 5000 jobs.


Youths aged 18 to 35 years with 10th class, intermediate, BA, BSc, BCom, PG all disciplines, diploma all disciplines, B Pharma, M Pharma, Hotel Management, drivers, BE, B Tech, M. Tech, MBA, MCA, MCS qualifications can attend the job mela.

Candidates interested to attend the job mela have to should register their names through the website https://forms.gle/aWH1uo5poS6RrT3D6 and contact the helpline numbers 8886711991, 9642333668 for any doubts.

US Clears Sale Of 31 MQ-9B Armed Drones To India For Nearly $4 Billion

US Clears Sale Of 31 MQ-9B Armed Drones To India For Nearly $4 Billion

The US has cleared the sale of MQ-98 Sea Guardian drones to India in a deal nearly worth $4 Billion. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency has delivered the required certification, notifying the US Congress of the possible sale today.

India had proposed to purchase 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US last year. The Biden administration’s approval is a landmark in the government-to-government deal.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region,” Defence Security Cooperation Agency said.

“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. India has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” the agency added.

Landmark Deal

The critical defence deal was in the works for close to six years and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit marked the final go-ahead and the government-to-government $3.99 billion deal was finalized. The 31 drones will be used by the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force.

The approval by the US agency comes at a time when media reports were circulating that the US had put the deal on hold over the alleged failed plot by an Indian national to kill India-designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The Biden administration’s sign-off indicates the deal’s progress, though the spokesperson of the US State Department, Matthew Miller, earlier, neither accepted nor denied the report and said, “Of course, Congress plays an important role in the US arms transfer process. We routinely consult with members of Congress on the foreign affairs committees before our formal notification so we can address questions that they might have, but I don’t have any comment on when that formal notification might take place,” adding that he has not seen reports appearing on this in the Indian press.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, in a press conference, tried to clear the air surrounding the report and said, “This particular matter relates to the US side. They have their internal processes in place and we are respectful of that. That is where I would like to leave my comment.”

The Predators

The Indian Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones and the Army and the Air Force will get eight each of the land version of the drones – SkyGuardian. The MQ-9B is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical, a private defence firm in the US, but the procurement is part of a government-to-government deal.

The proposed procurement had also figured in US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin’s talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Delhi in November. The Defence Acquisition Council last year accorded the Acceptance of Necessity or initial approval for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from the US under the foreign military sale route.

The drones, also ‘Predators’, are remotely-piloted aircraft systems, which can be used for offensive missions, reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence operations around the globe. They can fly over the horizon through a satellite for up to 40+ hours and termed as High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones.

The drone can also carry the laser-guided four Hellfire Missiles and 450kg bombs and is part of the landmark defence deal. The drones may see deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and on warships for missions in the Indian Ocean region. The use of remotely piloted systems marks a shift in warfare, where platforms like drones play an important role along with human-powered platforms.

No forest fee for Medaram jatara: Konda Surekha

Forest Minister Konda Surekha announced that vehicles passing through Eturu Nagaram reserve forest to reach Sammakka Sarakka Jatara (Medaram Jatara) from February 2 to 29 would be exempted from paying the environment impact fee

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 09:45 PM


No forest fee for Medaram jatara: Konda Surekha

File Photo: Forest Minister Konda Surekha

Hyderabad: Forest Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday announced that vehicles passing through Eturu Nagaram reserve forest to reach Sammakka Sarakka Jatara (Medaram Jatara) from February 2 to 29 would be exempted from paying the environment impact fee.

The State government was taking all measures to ensure that there was no inconvenience to devotees during the Medaram Sammakka and Saralamma Jatara. As part of this, the government had announced that the fee collected by the forest department will be suspended till the completion of the jatara, the Minister said, appealing the devotees not to dump plastic and other waste in the forests and ensure cleanliness.


Pant reveals he feared leg amputation after life-threatening car crash

Pant underwent initial treatment at a hospital in Dehradun and was later airlifted to Mumbai where he was under the care of a specialist consultant brought in by the BCCI.

Updated On – 1 February 2024, 09:25 PM


Pant reveals he feared leg amputation after life-threatening car crash

File Photo

New Delhi: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has revealed that he feared the amputation of his right leg in the aftermath of the horrific car crash which he survived 13 months ago.

Pant was driving from Delhi to his hometown Roorkee to meet his family when his car crashed into the median divider on the road in December, 2022. He had just returned from Bangladesh after playing a major role in India’s win in the second Test in Mirpur.


“If there was any nerve damage, there was a possibility of amputation. That is when I felt scared,” Pant said in Star Sports series ‘Believe: To Death & Back’ which documents his recovery.

“I had taken an SUV, but what I was seeing was a sedan,” he quipped as he remembered his mangled vehicle.

Recounting the initial moments after the crash, the 26-year-old said he was in excruciating pain as his right knee had dislocated, turning 180 degrees to the right as he lay face down.

“There was someone around so I asked if he could help getting the leg back in the position. He helped the knee get back in place.” Two persons Rajat Kumar and Nishu Kumar were able to pull Pant out of his SUV before it went up in flames.

“It was the first time I had such a feeling in life. At the time of the accident, I was aware of the wounds, but I was lucky as it could have been even more serious,” he recollected.

Pant underwent initial treatment at a hospital in Dehradun and was later airlifted to Mumbai where he was under the care of a specialist consultant brought in by the BCCI.

After undergoing surgeries to reconstruct all three ligaments in his right knee, Pant did his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

The big-hitter said the process is boring at best and frustrating at worst.

“I am focusing on recovery cut off from the world. It helps me in recovering fast, especially when the injury is so serious. For recovery you have to do the same thing every day. It’s boring, it’s irritating, it’s frustrating, but you have to do it,” he elaborated.

The swashbuckling batter, who was instrumental in India’s monumental win in the Brisbane Test in 2021 that sealed a famous series win in Australia, said the doctor gave him 16 to 18 months recovery time.

“Till the time I start playing cricket, I don’t want to plan much for the future. I asked the doctor how long will it take for me to recover. I told him that everybody is speaking different things, but you will give me the most clarity about it. “He (Doctor) said it would take 16 to 18 months. I told the doctor from whatever timeline you give me, I will reduce six months from it,” said Pant who is likely to play in the IPL for Delhi Capitals this season from March.

‘Will still drive because I love to’ 

Pant said everybody has been telling him not to drive again. “Nowadays I am told, ‘Yaar, don’t drive bilkul (at all).’ But no one was more scared than me. No one was more upset than me. “I will still drive because I love to. Just because there was a setback doesn’t mean that you do not do those things ever again.”

He said as a human being, he would want to add new things in life. “Not by eliminating what I like doing. The accident is a setback. How do you overcome that? By having the belief. That belief keeps growing and at times can border on the obsessive. But if you have belief in yourself, you can achieve anything.”

‘Fortunate to have a second life

Pant said he was bedridden for about a month and was itching to do normal things. He started moving around, albeit very slowly. “I didn’t think I would ever enjoy brushing my teeth.

The first time I took a bath, I didn’t feel like coming out. These small things gave me joy because I’m fortunate to have a second life. Not everyone is fortunate enough to get it,” said Pant.

“Doctors also said that there was no fracture after the accident… They always tell me I am lucky. Of course, it was such a horrific accident, the individual feels bad that this happened to me. How can I be lucky? But the other side is that despite the crash, I was alive.”

After a few months, Pant couldn’t resist the temptation to bat, and Delhi Capitals posted a picture of him batting as part of the country’s Independence Day celebrations.

He even reached the change room of DC in 2023 IPL. “I was thinking we could do things this way or that way. I was discussing some things with them (Capitals’ think tank). But since I was outside, it was different. When you are inside, you control certain things.”

Pant said he followed the 2022-23 Ashes, which he said was fun. “Because England have started playing in a certain fashion, something I am used to (playing),” he said, referring to the ultra-aggressive ‘Bazball’ strategy adopted by England after Brendon McCullum took charge as head coach.

“Rohit bhai says we will also play Rishball. He says you play that anyway, but we will get others also to follow you.”

11-year-old girl beheaded by uncle in Bengal’s Malda, people stage massive protests

An 11-year-old girl has been beheaded allegedly by her uncle in West Bengal’s Malda district, police said on Thursday.

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 09:36 PM


11-year-old girl beheaded by uncle in Bengal’s Malda, people stage massive protests


Malda: An 11-year-old girl has been beheaded allegedly by her uncle in West Bengal’s Malda district, police said on Thursday.

While the accused claimed he killed the girl as revenge for her father humiliating him and even beating him up in public several times in the past, police also suspect that she might have been raped before being murdered.


The torso and the head of the girl, who had been missing since January 29, were found in different spots in Malda city, a police officer said.

The accused, a 27-year-old man, was traced through a CCTV footage, in which he was seen with the girl just before she went missing. Her father lodged a police complaint, stating the girl went out of her house around 6.15 pm on January 29 but did not return home.

In the CCTV footage of Uttar Baluchar area, the girl was seen hopping on the motorcycle of the accused near her house.

When questioned, the accused at first gave misleading statements but later confessed to committing the crime and led the police to recover the head and the torso, the officer said.  The accused claimed he killed his niece at an isolated place within an hour of picking her up on his motorcycle as he wanted revenge because her father had humiliated him and even beat him up in public several times in the past, the officer said.

However, police also suspect that the girl might have been raped. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to Malda Medical College and Hospital.

The accused was arrested and produced before a court, which remanded him to 12 days in police custody.

Meanwhile, the incident has sparked a massive public outcry in the city, with people from all walks of life staging protests against the incident and shops remaining closed. The protesters demanded strict action against the accused.

Major political parties, including the BJP, TMC and the CPI(M) staged protest rallies and silent vigils to condemn the incident. Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP claimed that the girl could have been saved had the police acted swiftly.

“A girl child went missing on 29th Jan in Malda. Her family promptly informed the police and made a public appeal as well. However, police were occupied with making arrangements for CM’s sudden visit… Unfortunately, the mutilated & mangled dead body of the girl was found later on. The girl could have been saved had the police acted swiftly. This is the condition of public safety in West Bengal,” he posted on X.

BJP’s Malda (Dakshin) district committee vice president Mousumi Mitra alleged that such incidents have become routine in West Bengal as strict punishment is not awarded in such cases.
“We want exemplary punishment for the accused,” she said.

BJP workers staged a protest outside English Bazar police station. Ruling TMC, which took out a silent vigil in protest against the incident, demanded capital punishment for the accused.
“We condemn the incident. We want the accused to be hanged to death,” TMC’s Malda district committee general secretary Prosenjit Das said.

The CPI (M) submitted a deputation at the English Bazar police station over the incident, and brought out a protest rally.

CPI (M) English Bazar area committee secretary Tushar Goswami said, “All those directly or indirectly involved in the incident must be arrested and awarded strict punishment. Police should not be busy only with providing security to VIPs. They should also provide security to common people, especially girls and women.” A large contingent of police has been deployed in Uttar Baluchar area to maintain law and order.

Inspection of agri connections: CM warns of strict action

Referring to the recent inspection of agricultural connections at Mahabubnagar, the Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the officials.

Published Date – 1 February 2024, 09:32 PM


Inspection of agri connections: CM warns of strict action

Photo: X

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned officials that strict action would be initiated against them if they cause inconvenience to people and bring disgrace to the government.

Officials taking decisions without government approval would not be tolerated.


Referring to the recent inspection of agricultural connections at Mahabubnagar, the Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the officials.

The issue came up for discussion during a review meeting on Praja Palana applications at the Secretariat. “Did anyone ask them to inspect the agricultural connections? Who issued the orders?”, the Chief Minister asked TRANSCO Chairman and Managing Director SAM Rizvi.

He also enquired whether any action was taken against the officials. Energy Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu told the Chief Minister that the incident had come to his notice. DISCOM Director (Operations) J Srinivasa Reddy had issued the orders on his own and Superintending Engineer NSR Murthy followed the orders.

Srinivasa Reddy was dismissed from service and the SE was transferred, Bhatti Vikramarka said.