India

PM Modi to attend Christmas celebrations hosted by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India tomorrow

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During the event, PM Modi is expected to interact with key leaders from the Christian community, including Cardinals, Bishops, and prominent lay figures

Published Date – 22 December 2024, 04:45 PM


PM Modi to attend Christmas celebrations hosted by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India tomorrow

A delegation from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India called on PM Narendra Modi to attend the Christmas celebrations organised by the CBCI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the Christmas celebrations organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) at the CBCI Centre in New Delhi at 6.30 p.m. on Monday – marking a historic occasion as it will be the first time a Prime Minister will be present at the festive event at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in the country.

During the event, PM Modi is expected to interact with key leaders from the Christian community, including Cardinals, Bishops, and prominent lay figures.

His presence highlights the government’s commitment to fostering inclusive cultural dialogue and strengthening relations with the Christian community, a PMO statement said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, established in 1944, is a significant body that represents the interests of Catholics across India. It plays a crucial role in promoting faith-based initiatives and addressing social issues affecting the community.

Earlier this week, on December 19, PM Modi attended another Christmas celebration at the residence of Union Minister George Kurian. There, he engaged with eminent members of the Christian community, underscoring the spirit of inclusivity and celebration.

In a post on the social media platform X, PM Modi shared: “Attended the Christmas celebrations at the residence of Union Minister George Kurian Ji. Also interacted with eminent members of the Christian community @GeorgekurianBjp.”

Kurian, who hails from Kerala, was inducted into the Union Cabinet on June 9, and his ministerial appointment is seen as an outreach to the Christian community.

A long-time BJP leader, Kurian is well-known for his calm demeanour and his extensive involvement in various capacities within the party. Christmas holds great religious and cultural significance for Christians, as it marks the birth of Jesus Christ, revered for his teachings of love, sacrifice, and compassion.

The occasion is commemorated with religious services, prayers, and carol singing, reflecting on the spiritual message of hope and humanity’s transformation through Christ’ sacrifice.

India

Fire breaks out in Chennai Egmore train at Telangana’s Gadwal station

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Soon after train left from Kacheguda railway station to Chennai, fire detected in its B4 coach at Gadwal station

Published Date – 22 December 2024, 09:13 PM


Fire breaks out in Chennai Egmore train at Telangana’s Gadwal station

Representational Photo

Jogulamba Gadwal: A fire broke out in the Chennai Egmore train at the Gadwal railway station on Sunday evening.

Soon after the train left from the Kacheguda railway station to Chennai, the fire was detected in its B4 coach at Gadwal station.

Officials immediately stopped the train and made the passengers get off.

Thick smoke enveloped the platform at the Gadwal station and other passengers were seen rushing out of the station. More details are awaited.

India

Allu Arjun row: ACP Vishnu Murthy faces disciplinary action for holding press meet without permission

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Suspended officer accuses ‘Pushpa 2’ actor of lacking basic understanding of law, warns him against tarnishing police force’s reputation

Published Date – 22 December 2024, 10:37 PM


Allu Arjun row: ACP Vishnu Murthy faces disciplinary action for holding press meet without permission

ACP Vishnu Murthy speaking during the press conference at Hyderabad Press Club on Sunday. Photo: X

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Police are writing to the DGP office to initiate disciplinary action against Vishnu Murthy, a DSP-rank officer who was placed under suspension, for holding a press conference in regard to the Allu Arjun controversy without obtaining permission from officials concerned.

Murthy worked with the Task Force wing of the Karimnagar police and was placed under suspension in October following various allegations against him.

On Sunday, he held a press meet at Press Club Hyderabad and accused the Pushpa 2 actor of lacking a basic understanding of the law. He also warned him against tarnishing the police force’s reputation. He targeted the Telugu film industry, too, for speaking against the police department.

Akshansh Yadav, DCP (central), said a report against Murthy will be forwarded to the DGP office seeking initiation of action against him.

“The DGP office will investigate the matter and take necessary action. We reiterate that such actions will not be tolerated and necessary disciplinary measures will be taken against those who violate the conduct rules,” the DCP said.

India

Delhi AAP MLA Naresh Yadav gets 2-year sentence in 2016 desecration case

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The court of additional district and sessions judge Parminder Singh Grewal convicted Yadav in the case on Friday and pronounced the verdict on Saturday.

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 10:18 PM


Delhi AAP MLA Naresh Yadav gets 2-year sentence in 2016 desecration case


Chandigarh: A court in Punjab’s Malerkotla district on Saturday awarded a two-year sentence to AAP MLA from Delhi’s Mehrauli Naresh Yadav in a 2016 case of desecration of the Quran. The court of additional district and sessions judge Parminder Singh Grewal convicted Yadav in the case on Friday and pronounced the verdict on Saturday.

A fine of Rs 11,000 was also imposed on Yadav who appeared before the court when the sentence was pronounced.

The court upheld the two-year sentence of two others — Vijay Kumar and Gaurav Kumar — and acquittal of another accused Nand Kishore by a lower court.

Yadav has been convicted under Sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Yadav was acquitted in the sacrilege case in March 2021 by a lower court. However, complainant Mohammad Ashraf filed an appeal against his acquittal.

On June 24, 2016, torn pages of the Quran were found scattered on a road in Malerkotla. This led to violence and burning of vehicles by an angry mob. Four persons, including the AAP MLA, were arrested in the case.

Initially, the police had booked Vijay, Gaurav and Kishore. Later, AAP MLA Yadav was arrested in the case.

India

Land allotted to make a replica of Tirumala temple in Kumbh Mela

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The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is scheduled to be held in Prayagraj from 13 January 2025, to 26 February 2025.

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 08:50 PM


Land allotted to make a replica of Tirumala temple in Kumbh Mela


Tirupati: The Kumbh Mela authorities have allotted 2.5 acres of land to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to set up a replica of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

TTD Joint Executive Officer for Health and Education, Gowthami, met Kumbh Mela Authority Officer Vijay Kiran Anand in Prayagraj and inspected the allotted land.
During the inspection, Gowthami and TTD officials made several suggestions regarding the arrangements for the mega-religious event, particularly to accommodate the expected influx of North Indian devotees, said a press release from TTD on Saturday.

As part of its initiative to promote Hindu Sanatana Dharma nationwide, TTD has sought a suitable space to establish a model temple for devotees from across the country.

The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is scheduled to be held in Prayagraj from 13 January 2025, to 26 February 2025.

India

Two terrorists involved in multiple grenade attacks in J&K arrested

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Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu range, Anand Jain said at a press conference that two terrorists have been arrested in the district from whose possession arms and ammunition were recovered

Published Date – 29 November 2024, 01:53 PM


Two terrorists involved in multiple grenade attacks in J&K arrested

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Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Friday that with the arrest of two hybrid terrorists in Poonch district, the mystery behind multiple grenade attacks in the district during the last year has been solved.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu range, Anand Jain said at a press conference that two terrorists have been arrested in the district from whose possession arms and ammunition were recovered.

“When interrogated, the two terrorists have revealed the links of a larger terror plot. You know for the last one year there have been grenade attacks at temples, hospitals, Gurdwaras, Army locations and other places and these terrorists have been responsible for all those attacks,” he said.

“In addition, they have confessed to having pasted anti-national posters at various places. The aim of this large conspiracy has been to disturb the peace and communal harmony in Poonch district…In the past, we have dealt with Pakistani terrorists, but both these two terrorists are locals. The arrest of these terrorists is a big success for the police, army and the CRPF as it targets the terrorist efforts to recruit local boys,” the ADGP said.

He said the investigation is on to find the funding links of these terrorists. He also said that the police have started an aggressive campaign against terrorists over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.

“We have arrested many OGWs. We are attaching the properties of OGWs and terror sympathisers. Our campaign against OGWs and helpers of terrorists has been continuing for long and we are going to increase our effort in this direction in the coming days. ”

A similar campaign is continuing in both Poonch and Rajouri districts at the moment, the officer added.

Speaking about the peaceful conduct of Budha Amarnath Temple Yatra (in Poonch) and the elections in the division, Anand Jain said, “It was the result of hard work and very close synergy and coordination between police, army and the security forces that made the peaceful conduct of the Yatra and the elections possible.”

India

‘Fengal’ brings heavy rains to Tamil Nadu, flyovers become parking lots

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What began as intermittent rainfall in coastal regions on the night of November 29, gradually became steady leading to water logging in several areas

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 09:01 AM


‘Fengal’ brings heavy rains to Tamil Nadu, flyovers become parking lots

A fisherman uses a net to catch fish despite an advisory issued by the IMD not to venture into the sea as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into cyclone Fengal, in Chennai. — Photo:PTI

Chennai: Normal life came to a halt as heavy rains, accompanied by gusty winds, lashed parts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday. Meanwhile, the cyclonic storm, Fengal, expected to make landfall near Puducherry later in the day, continued moving towards the coast.

What began as intermittent rainfall in coastal regions on the night of November 29, gradually became steady leading to water logging in several areas and many residents of low-lying Madipakkam parked their vehicles on both sides of nearby Velachery flyover.

Residents of similar vulnerable areas too parked their vehicles in safe areas. Roads were largely deserted and civic workers, police, and fire and rescue personnel were deployed in all vulnerable places.

Departure and arrival schedule of flights were affected to some extent. Chennai Metro Rail said its services were operational without any glitches and informed public of parking areas in specific stations that were prone to inundation. State-run transport corporations operated skeleton services in Chennai and nearby areas.

As the sea was pretty rough, police put up barricades blocking access to noted beaches including the Marina and Mamallapuram. State-run Aavin milk supply was not affected and power supply continued to be normal in most areas.

The government had already declared November 30 a holiday for educational institutions and requested IT firms to make their employees work from home.

India

ICAR-IIMR Ludhiana hosts workshop on Licensing of Public Sector Maize Hybrids

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The programme conducted at ICAR – Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Rajendranagar, saw participation of 60 representatives from 39 companies, including from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 06:26 PM


ICAR-IIMR Ludhiana hosts workshop on Licensing of Public Sector Maize Hybrids


Hyderabad: The ICAR – Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) Ludhiana hosted a one-day interaction meeting cum workshop on Licensing of Public Sector Maize Hybrids to Private Partners in Hybrid Seed Production.

The programme conducted at ICAR – Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Rajendranagar, saw participation of 60 representatives from 39 companies, including from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka and Haryana.

The participants expressed interest in licensing public sector maize hybrids, highlighting the potential for strengthening collaborations in the maize seed sector. The meeting was chaired by ICAR-IIMR director Dr. HS Jat and co-chaired by ICAR-IIMR Hyderabad Winter Nursery Centre in-charge Dr. JC Sekhar.

Earlier, scientists from different research institutions, including PJTAU, made detailed presentations on hybrids available for licensing from the public sector to private partners. The hybrids included field corn, quality protein maize, sweet corn, baby corn and popcorn. The participants were also informed about issues related to licensing of the hybrids to private partners viz. fee, duration of license, terms and conditions etc.

ICAR deputy director general (crop science) Dr. TR Sharma, PJTAU research director Raghu Rami Reddy, Dr. N Sunil and Dr Bhupender Kumar from ICAR-IIMR among others participated in the event.

India

Priyanka Gandhi to hold her first public meeting in Wayanad today

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The MP will hold a joint public meeting with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 10:03 AM


Priyanka Gandhi to hold her first public meeting in Wayanad today

Priyanka Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who recently took oath as the Wayanad MP, is set to address her constituency for the first time on Saturday after her historic victory in the just-concluded bypolls.

The MP will hold a joint public meeting with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

The meeting is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Mukkam in the Thiruvambadi Assembly constituency of Kozhikode district. Priyanka Gandhi clinched her electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a commanding margin of 4,10,931 votes.

Later in the day, receptions will be held for Priyanka Gandhi at Karulai in Nilambur, Wandoor, and Edavanna in Eranad by 2.15 P.M., 3.30 P.M. and 4.30 P.M. respectively.

Priyanka Gandhi officially assumed her role as Wayanad MP amidst loud cheers and chants of “Bharat Jodo” from Congress supporters earlier on Thursday.

Holding a booklet of the Indian Constitution, a symbolic gesture popularised by the INDIA bloc during this Parliament session, she exuded confidence as she took the oath.

The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat earlier this year. During the campaign, the primary question revolved around whether Priyanka could surpass her brother’s record-breaking margin.

Priyanka’s victory marks a significant moment in her political journey, coming nearly 20 years after she first campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, in Raebareli and her brother in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

Her debut as an elected representative is seen as a pivotal step in solidifying the Congress’ presence in Kerala and revitalising the party’s fortunes at the national level.

India

Maharashtra: Woman beaten up, her daughter stripped over water dispute

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Cops register case against eight members of a family in connection with the assault that occurred in Panvel

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 10:33 AM


Maharashtra: Woman beaten up, her daughter stripped over water dispute

Representational Image

Thane: In a shocking incident, a woman was thrashed, and her 18-year-old daughter was stripped and beaten up by their neighbours over a water dispute in Navi Mumbai, police said on Saturday.

The police registered a case against eight members of a family in connection with the assault that occurred in Panvel on Thursday, but no one has been arrested as yet, an official said.

According to the police, the accused attacked the mother-daughter duo, suspecting them of complaining about water wastage in their locality in the Nhava Sheva area. As per the FIR, the accused allegedly beat up the woman and her daughter and stripped the teen in public, the official said.

The accused also allegedly used casteist slurs against the victims during the attack, he said. The official said a case was registered under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 76 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.