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Body Of Indian Student Who Died In US Flown To Hyderabad

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Body Of Indian Student Who Died In US Flown To Hyderabad

Mohammed Abdul Arfath had been missing since March 7 this year.

Hyderabad (Telangana):

The mortal remains of Indian student Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who was found dead in United States’ Cleveland, earlier this month was brought to his residence in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Arfath was reportedly missing since March 7 and went to the United States in 2023 for a Master’s degree at Cleveland State University.

Earlier in April, Arfath’s father urged the government to bring his son’s body back to India after his death.

Following Arfath’s death, the Consulate General of India in New York said it is “anguished” to learn about the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath and is in touch with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into his death.

“Anguished to learn that Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio. Our deepest condolences to Mohammed Arfath’s family,” the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X.

It said that all possible assistance is being extended to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India.

25-year-old Mohd Arfath went to the US in May 2023 but had been missing since March 7 this year. His father, Mohd Saleem, said that after ten days, they received a phone call from an unidentified person who claimed Arafat had been kidnapped and demanded a USD 1200 ransom for his release.

Recently, the Indian community has seen a rise in such tragedies.

Earlier in April, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, an Indian student in Cleveland, Ohio, died and a police investigation is underway.

Earlier this February, an Indian student faced a brutal attack in Chicago. Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago stated that it was in touch with the victim, Syed Mazahir Ali, as well as his wife in India.

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

World

Slightest act against Iran’s interests will be met with ‘painful response’: Raeisi

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President Ebrahim Raeisi has warned that any slightest action against Iran’s interests will be met with an “extensive and painful response.”

Raeisi issued the warning during a telephone conversation with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, two days after Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at the occupied territories in retaliation for Israel’s terrorist attack against the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic premises in Syria.

“Now, we declare with conviction that the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response against all its perpetrators,” the Iranian president said.

Israel’s April 1 strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), demonstrated the regime’s “frustration” caused by its failure to achieve its declared goals during the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, he added.

Raeisi also complained about the inaction of the United Nations and its Security Council on the Israeli crimes in Gaza and their failure to condemn Israel’s terrorist raid on Iran’s consulate.

Therefore, he noted, the Islamic Republic “designed and conducted” a retaliatory operation against “the same centers that had done acts of mischief against us, exercising our legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

The Iranian chief executive further underlined the need for taking acts of deterrence, especially by Muslim countries, against Israel as it keeps committing crimes in Gaza.

The indiscriminate support of some Western countries for the Zionist regime is fueling tensions in the region, he asserted.

“The Zionists’ child-killing, genocide and horrific crimes have continued with the full support of the US and some Western states, while the oppressed and powerful people of Gaza are still victorious in the battlefield thanks to their resistance.”

‘A clear message’

Sheikh Tamim, for his part, praised Iran’s tactful measure in designing and carrying out the retaliatory operation against Israel, saying it sent a clear message to everyone.

He also referred to Qatar’s condemnation of Israel’s deadly attack that violated international agreements and conventions, as well as diplomatic norms.

As the globe is witnessing the highest level of convergence in support of the Palestinian cause, the Zionist regime is escalating tensions in a bid to divert the world’s public opinion from its Gaza crimes, he added.

He further hailed the unique relations between Iran and Qatar that are based on mutual trust, saying the two countries have been supporting each other in all circumstances.

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Arvind Kejriwal Sends "Not A Terrorist" Message From Jail, BJP MP Responds

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Arvind Kejriwal Sends 'Not A Terrorist' Message From Jail, BJP MP Responds

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in a money laundering case

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said in a message from jail that “he is not a terrorist”, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said today, targeting the round-the-clock surveillance on its leader’s daily activities and his meetings, even with his family members.

“Arvind Kejriwal has sent a message for the people of Delhi and the people of the country, for whom he worked like a son, a brother. His message is, ‘my name is Arvind Kejriwal, and I am not a terrorist’. You are not ashamed to behave like this? The Prime Minister is filled with so much hate that Mr Kejriwa’s meeting with his wife and other family members is taking place across a glass partition,” AAP MP Sanjay Singh told the media today.

Mr Singh was arrested in the money laundering case linked to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy and is now out on bail. Mr Kejriwal, who is behind the bars in connection with the same case, has now challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in Supreme Court.

Addressing the media, Mr Singh said Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann’s meeting with Mr Kejriwal was also held with a glass wall separating them. “The BJP and the Prime Minister have proved that their hearts are filled with hate. You are behaving with a Chief Minister in this manner? Round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, plans to harass, you are working round the clock to figure out how to lower Arvind Kejriwal’s morale, how to insult his family members and his party’s leaders,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal, he said, was made of a different clay. “He kicked an IRS job and pledged to serve the country. He resigned after 49 days in power over principles. This is Arvind Kejriwal. If you try to break him, he will only get stronger,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Mann told the media after meeting Mr Kejriwal yesterday, “It is very sad to see that Arvind Kejriwal is not even getting the facilities that a hardcore criminal gets. What is his crime? That he built schools, hospitals, mohalla clinics and gave free electricity to the public? You are treating him as if you have arrested a big terrorist of the country.”

Responding to AAP’s allegations, BJP MP from Delhi Manoj Tiwari said they are not calling Mr Kejriwal a terrorist. “Who is calling him a terrorist? We don’t know why Mr Kejriwal and his associates are calling him a terrorist. We are calling him corrupt. He is Delhi’s enemy. He has made the elderly weep for pension, he has made the poor weep for ration cards and he has made people weep for clean water and air,” he told news agency PTI.

Mr Tiwari said the AAP leader must have thought about the facilities in jail “before committing loot”. “The jail manual is the same for everybody. The law is taking its course.”

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"Accused Did 3 Recces Of Salman Khan's House, Fired 5 Shots": Mumbai Police

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'Accused Did 3 Recces Of Salman Khan's House, Fired 5 Shots': Mumbai Police

According to the police, the accused conducted reconnaissance of Mr Khan’s residence three times.

Mumbai:

Three recces done, five shots fired – Mumbai Police today shared details of the sensational firing incident near Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai home after arresting the two suspects involved in the crime from Bhuj in Gujarat. 

On Sunday at 4:55 am, two men on a motorcycle fired five rounds outside Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai’s Bandra, where the actor resides, and fled from the spot.

Vicky Gupta, 24, and Sagar Kumar Palak, 21 – both from West Champaran in Bihar – were arrested by Mumbai Police from the premises of a temple  in Gujarat’s Kutch district late Monday night. Deputy Inspector General of Kutch-West, Mahendra Bagadiya, confirmed that Gupta and Palak have confessed to their involvement in the firing incident. 

According to the police, the accused conducted reconnaissance of Mr Khan’s residence three times prior to the incident.

Both men, according to police sources, are part of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Bishnoi is currently in Tihar Jail for his involvement in several high-profile murder cases including that of musician Sidhu Moose Wala and Rajput leader and Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi.

How Were The Accused Caught

An earlier investigation by Delhi Police indicated that the scheme originated in the United States, where Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, entrusted the task of selecting shooters to Rohit Godara, another gangster also based in the US. This decision was likely influenced by Godara’s extensive network of professional shooters spanning several states in India, police said. 

Anmol Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the incident through a Facebook post. However, the IP address of the Facebook page that claimed responsibility for the firing incident was traced back to Canada. 

Police from five states – Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab – initiated a coordinated effort to apprehend those involved. An FIR was registered and using CCTV footage, the police managed to piece together crucial evidence and strategies a plan to catch the accused. 

Vicky Gupta and Sagar Kumar Palak had been residing in a rented accommodation in Panvel in Maharashtra’s Raigad. The two men had paid a deposit of Rs 10,000 for the house and had agreed to a monthly rent of Rs 3,500.

Sagar Kumar Palak’s prior stint in Haryana emerged as a focal point of the investigation, after reports of his affiliation with the notorious Bishnoi gang emerged. A multi-pronged approach was implemented in the search operation with 12 specialised teams formed to track down the accused. 

Teams were sent to Gujarat after the police suspected the accused might be hiding in the state. The police first reached Bhuj before travelling 58 km away to Nakhatrana where they caught the accused from a temple. 

The two accused were subsequently transported to Mumbai and presented before a magistrate court on Tuesday.

The crime branch petitioned for a 14-day custody of the suspects, citing the necessity for their interrogation to uncover details regarding the conspiracy and to identify the mastermind behind the whole incident.

The court approved the police custody request, granting a period of nine days (until April 25) for further investigation.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Lemons, doll, black magic material found near KCR’s Nandi Nagar residence

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According to sources, local people found lemons, vermillion, turmeric powder, a doll and other items in the plot on Tuesday afternoon.

Updated On – 16 April 2024, 02:24 PM


Hyderabad: Lemons, doll, black magic material found near KCR’s Nandi Nagar residence


Hyderabad: Panic gripped Nandi Nagar locality of Banjara Hills on Tuesday after some persons found lemons and other material generally used to perform black magic rituals at an open plot located next to the residence of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.

According to sources, local people found lemons, vermillion, turmeric powder, a doll and other items in the plot on Tuesday afternoon. As the news spread the police reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

The clues team reached the spot and took photographs of the scene.

The police are investigating the source of the material.

It is rumored that some people might have performed black magic rituals at the plot the previous night and left behind the articles.

However, the police have so far not confirmed the angle.

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Richa Chadha drew inspiration from Meena Kumari’s ‘Pakeezah’ for her role in ‘Heeramandi’

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She studied Meena Kumari’s character, drawing parallels between Sahibjaan and Lajjo.

Published Date – 16 April 2024, 02:01 PM


Richa Chadha drew inspiration from Meena Kumari’s ‘Pakeezah’ for her role in ‘Heeramandi’


Mumbai: Bollywood actress Richa Chadha, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming streaming series ‘Heeramandi – The Diamond Bazaar’, has revealed that she referred to the iconic performance of legendary actress Meena Kumari to craft her character in the series.

In the series, Richa essays the role of Lajjo, a courtesan with a captivating persona. She shared that she found inspiration in Meena Kumari’s portrayal of Shahibjaan in the timeless classic ‘Pakeezah’. She studied Meena Kumari’s character, drawing parallels between Sahibjaan and Lajjo.

Talking about her preparations for the character, Richa said: “Carefully observing, learning from and taking lessons from Meena Kumari ji’s character in ‘Pakeezah’ was a truly enriching and deeply transforming experience for me ahead of shooting for ‘Heeramandi’. In ‘Paakezah’, Meena Kumari’s character has a certain tragic depth and complexity that resonated with Lajjo, the character that I play in the show. I worked on the voice and diction, while studying Meena Jis work, to the point of imitation sometimes.”

“I felt like I was walking in the footsteps of a cinematic legend, and it was an honor to pay tribute to Meena Kumari ji through my portrayal of Lajjo,” she added.

‘Heeramandi – The Diamond Bazaar’ marks the webseries debut of auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and delves into the world of courtesans.

The series will Drop on Netflix on May 1.

India

"Unable To Be Fair": 50 Possible Jurors In Trump's Hush Money Trial Excused

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'Unable To Be Fair': 50 Possible Jurors In Trump's Hush Money Trial Excused

New York:

More than 50 prospective jurors were excused from the landmark trial of former president Donald Trump on Monday after they said they would not be able to try him fairly and impartially.

Ninety-six potential panelists were assembled in a New York court to be screened for their ability to fairly judge Trump, accused of covering up hush money payments to a porn star with whom he is alleged to have had an affair.

One prospective juror, a woman with short hair, said “I just couldn’t do it” as she left the courtroom.

At least nine other prospective jurors were excused after raising their hand when Judge Juan Merchan asked if they could not serve for any other reason.

Merchan has said there is a pool of up to 500 Manhattan residents from which the court can draw to empanel the jury that will judge arguably one of the most well-known and controversial men in the world.

Jurors must answer a questionnaire including checks on whether they have been members of far-right groups associated with Trump.

More than a dozen court officers were stationed around the courtroom in Manhattan as the process ground on and Trump craned his neck to see the prospective panelists.

Selection of 12 jurors — given anonymity to protect them from what the judge says is risk of bribery or even physical harm — is expected to be a tortuous process.

It could go on as long as two weeks, according to one of Trump’s lawyers.

The Republican presidential candidate is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up an alleged extramarital sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to shield his first election campaign, in 2016, from last-minute upheaval.

He faces three other criminal cases centered on his hoarding of top-secret documents after leaving office and his alleged unprecedented attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.

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

World

Yemen resistance alongside Palestinians deters Israel crimes

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In a phone conversation with Mahdi al-Mashat, Chairman of the Supreme Political Council of Yemen, While honoring the support of the people and combatants of Yemen for the oppressed and powerful people of Gaza, Ebrahim Raeisi stated that these supports make the Islamic Ummah proud and will remain in minds of freedom-seeking nations in the world.

Referring to the deceitful and hypocritical behavior of the Western countries regarding the criminal actions of the Zionist regime, he considered the US and the Western countries as the biggest violators of human rights in the world today.

He clarified that the silence and inaction of these countries and international organizations during six months of horrific crimes and genocide in Gaza has encouraged the Zionist regime to commit more crimes and increase tension in the region.

The Iranian president also noted the development of relations between Iran and Yemen will benefit the two countries, two nations, and the Islamic world.

Mahdi al-Mashat, for his part, congratulated the honorable operation of Iran’s armed forces against the aggressive action of the Zionist regime in attacking the Iranian consulate in Syria.

Chairman of the Supreme Political Council of Yemen stated that Iran’s armed forces operation restored honor and dignity to the Islamic nation, emphasizing that the Resistance Front is united and always adheres to confronting the Zionist regime and supporting Iran.

He also emphasized his country is interested in expanding and strengthening relations and interactions with Iran in various fields.

SD/president.ir151120

Middle East

US does not seek conflict with Iran: Pentagon spokesman

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Retaliating against Iran’s attack on Saturday will be a decision made by Israel, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

“I don’t want to get into hypotheticals. At this point, whether or not Israel responds to Iran’s attack, of course, is something for Israel to discuss and to decide,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.

When asked has Israel informed the Pentagon if it plans to respond to the Iranian attack, Ryder said he is not going to speak for Israel.

The US does not want to see escalation, he stressed, adding Washington will take necessary measures to protect its forces in the region and to defend Israel.

Reiterating that the US does not seek conflict with Iran, Ryder said: “When it comes to any type of Israeli response, and again, I’m not going to speak for the Israelis. That is a decision for them to make in terms of what they do, if they do it and how they do it.”

Iran launched more than 300 missile and drone attacks across Israel on Saturday evening in a retaliation to airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syrian capital Damascus on April 1 in which seven members of Revolutionary Guards including two generals were killed.

Ryder said the US was not informed by Iran in advance about Saturday’s attack.

“We were not given specifics by Iran, into my knowledge, any specifics in terms of exact times, dates,” he added. “We obviously have a robust intelligence network that provides indications and warning. But to answer your specific question: No, Iran did not tell us when and where they were going to attack”.

MNA/PR

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Ex Australia Cricketer Michael Slater Collapses After Being Denied Bail

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File photo of Michael Slater© X (Twitter)

Former Test cricketer Michael Slater reportedly collapsed in an Australian court on Tuesday after being refused bail on more than a dozen charges, including some relating to stalking. The 54-year-old had to be helped to his feet by court staff after falling to the floor when a Queensland magistrate turned down his bail application, local media reported. The television commentator and former batsman is accused of domestic violence offences as well as common assault and unlawful stalking.

Among the allegations against him, police said Slater sent unwanted text messages and made intimidating phone calls over the last six months.

He is due to appear in court again at the end of May.

The court heard Slater has mental health conditions that can result in “impulsive and reckless” behaviour, ABC News reported.

Slater played 74 Test matches from 1993-2001, chalking up more than 5,000 runs for Australia including 14 centuries.

He also played 42 one-day internationals before retiring from all cricket in 2004.

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

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