Boy, 2, Dies After Falling Into Manhole, Father Blames Authorities: Cops

Boy, 2, Dies After Falling Into Manhole, Father Blames Authorities: Cops

Further investigation in the matter is underway, say cops (Representational)

Gurugram:

A two-year-old child died after falling into a manhole in the Sector 37 area, with his father alleging that the authorities had left it open, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place in Sihi village on Wednesday evening when Pradeep Kumar was playing near the tea stall of his father Bhagat Kumar, SHO Satyawan said.

“My son was playing near my tea stall and fell into the manhole. When we started searching for him, he was found lying in the sewer,” Mr Kumar said in his complaint.

“The police team was called, who pulled my son out from the sewer and rushed him to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead,” he added.

Mr Kumar alleged that his son died due to the authorities’ negligence, the SHO said. “My son died due to negligence of the department concerned,” he said in the complaint.

Mr Kumar, a native of Nepal has been living in the village with his family from the past two years and runs a tea stall, according to the SHO.

Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered under the Indian Penal Code Section 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigating), and 304A (causing death by negligence) against unknown persons at the Sector 37 police station on Thursday, the SHO said.

The body was handed over to the boy’s family after postmortem and further investigation in the matter is underway, he added.

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

Woman's Body Found In Almirah In Delhi, Live-In Partner Suspected: Cops

Woman's Body Found In Almirah In Delhi, Live-In Partner Suspected: Cops

Efforts are underway to locate the accused, say cops (Representational)

New Delhi:

The body of a 26-year-old woman was found stuffed in an almirah at a house in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka area, with her father suspecting her live-in partner’s role behind the murder, police said on Thursday.

The matter came to light after the victim’s father approached the police on Wednesday after he was unable to contact her for a few days.

According to police, a PCR call was received at 10.40 pm on Wednesday wherein a caller said his daughter could have been killed, following which a team from Dabri police station rushed to the said house in Dwarka’s Rajapuri area.

“Upon entering the flat, the body of the woman was found in the almirah of a room. The crime scene was inspected by the crime team and FSL,” said a senior police officer.

The victim’s father who was present at the spot, alleged the woman was killed by her live-in partner Vipal Tailor, the police said.

Citing his last call with the woman, the complainant told the police that she had told him that her partner Vipal Tailor used to beat her up and she was afraid she could be murdered, they said.

He also told the police that his daughter had been living in the rented flat with Tailor for the past one and a half months, they added.

The police officer said the body has been transferred to DDU Hospital mortuary for autopsy.

“Efforts are underway to locate the accused, Vipal Tailor, who is a native of Surat in Gujarat,” the officer said.

“Based on the statement of the complainant, a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused,” he said, adding that police teams are also scanning CCTV cameras in the area to find out the crime sequence.

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

Weeks Before Lok Sabha Polls, Samajwadi Party's Flip-Flop In 9 UP Seats

New Delhi:

The Samajwadi Party has added another notch in its revolving door of candidates for the Lok Sabha election after replacing its Meerut pick for a second time. The SP first chose Bhanu Pratap Singh to contest a seat that has voted for the BJP since 2004 but protests by the party’s local cadre prompted a change. In came Atul Pradhan – the Sardhana MLA – but his ticket was swiftly passed to Sunita Verma.

Mrs Verma – who was expelled from rivals Bahujan Samaj Party in 2019 with her husband, two-time MLA Yogesh Verma – filed her nomination papers Thursday afternoon.

Interestingly Atul Pradhan played a key role in brining the Vermas to the party.

However, their relations soured after the 2022 Assembly election, in which Mr Pradhan won from Sardhana and Mr Verma lost the Hastinapur seat. Sources have said the Vermas believe Mr Pradhan did not extend the desired help in the election.

Mr Pradhan – whose brief tenure as the Meerut candidate drew jibes from RLD boss Jayant Chaudhary – has toed the party line, saying, “Whomever the party chooses, I will support their nomination.”

READ | “Lucky Few”: Jayant Chaudhary Mocks Akhilesh Yadav’s Flip-Flop

Replacing candidates in the run-up to an election isn’t uncommon.

In some cases it may be because the party has reassessed its chances of winning a seat.

The second Meerut change was for many reasons, one of which was because Mrs Verma is from the Dalit community and the city is home to over four lakh Dalits. 

The former Mayor of Meerut, Mrs Verma will take on one of the BJP’s newer recruits – actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in the popular Ramayan series on TV.

However, multiple changes, for the same seat, are uncommon and may be seen as signs a party is struggling to match potentially winning candidates with just the right seat.

Apart from Meerut, the SP has run into difficulties in Moradabad, Rampur, and Budaun.

In Moradabad, the Samajwadi Party initially nominated ST Hassan, but later Ruchi Veera’s name came up. There were protests by local cadre. Confusion prevailed as both filed papers.

Finally Ruchi Veera’s candidature was confirmed.

Over in Rampur – the bastion of Azam Khan, where the jailed leader still has immense sway – there was a brief face-off between Akhilesh Yadav’s pick and that of Asim Raja from Azam Khan’s camp.

Finally, Mr Yadav’s candidate, Asim Raza, filed the nomination, but this was settled only on Wednesday, the penultimate day of filing papers.

Similar chaos prevailed in Budaun, where Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin, Dharmendra, was given the ticket that was first also wanted by his uncle, Shivpal Yadav, before he demanded it for his son, Aditya.

READ | Who Is Dharmendra Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s Azamgarh Pick?

The Budaun dilemma has not yet been settled. Technically the candidature is held by Shivpal Yadav, but sources indicate it will most likely be settled in favour of his son.

Apart from these, Mr Yadav’s party has also changed out candidates for the Baghpat, Bijnor, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Misrikh, and Sambal seats, as well as for Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. 

The change in Sambal – a seat the SP won in 2019 – was necessitated because the MP, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, died at the age of 93.

The Samajwadi Party is contesting the vast majority of UP’s 80 Lok Sabha seats – it received 63 as part of its deal with the Congress, which will contest 17, including its family bastions of Amethi and Raebareli. UP will vote in each of the seven phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

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Vishwak Sen’s ‘Gaami’ to be out on OTT on this date

According to a statement, Gaami follows the story of Shankar (Vishwak Sen), an aghora afflicted by a rare condition that renders him unable to feel human touch.

Updated On – 4 April 2024, 06:46 PM


Vishwak Sen’s ‘Gaami’ to be out on OTT on this date


Hyderabad: Following its theatrical release on March 8, Vishwak Sen’s ‘Gaami’, an epic survival drama, is now ready for its OTT premiere. The film will be available for streaming on ZEE5 from April 12 in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada, with English subtitles.

ZEE5 announced the exciting news on their social media platform X, sharing a short clip from the film. “Fasten your seatbelts! The journey into the intriguing world of Gaami continues on ZEE5. #Gaami (sic),” they wrote. This comes as delightful news as movie lovers are in for a special Ugadi week treat.


The film’s recently released trailer has captivated audiences with its intense and gripping elements. ‘Gaami’ has garnered praise for its unique and compelling story, exceptional filmmaking, realistic VFX, and the dedication of the entire team, whose efforts over five years have paid off handsomely. This is an opportunity for those who missed the film in theatres and those who wish to relive the experience from the comfort of their homes.

‘Gaami’ also has Chandini Chowdhary, Abhinaya, Mohammad Samad, Harika Pedada, Shanti Rao, and Mayank Parak, among others, in the cast. The film is further enriched by Naresh Kumaran’s captivating score.

The story revolves around Shankar, ostracised from the Aghora clan due to a rare medical condition that causes him to turn pale, bloodless, and experience blackouts upon human touch. Determined to find a cure, Shankar embarks on a perilous journey to the Himalayas, encountering numerous challenges along the way.

‘Gaami’ stands as a testament to the power of crowdfunding, showcasing how a collective effort can bring a unique and compelling story to life. The remarkable film was made possible through the collaborative efforts of several entities. While Karthik Sabareesh and a dedicated group of crowd-funders provided crucial support, UV Creations presented the film, further contributing to its realisation. This unique combination of passionate individuals and established production houses has resulted in a captivating cinematic experience that has resonated with audiences.

Check out ‘Gaami’ special trailer here:

On Pandya's Sacking Speculation, Sehwag Says "MI Were 5-0 Under Rohit Too"

The Mumbai Indians captaincy is one subject that is dominating discussions in the IPL 2024. After Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma, there has been much debate over whether the decision was right or not. On top of that, the start of IPL 2024, has been nothing short of disastrous for Mumbai Indians. With three straight losses, MI find themselves at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table. Hardik Pandya has been booed quite a lot too during matches, even at the Wankhede Stadium, which is MI’s home ground.

After MI’s recent loss against RR, former Indian cricket team batter Manoj Towary said that Pandya may be sacked before the side’s next game. To which, Virender Sehwag made an interesting comment.

“This statement about, I think this has been made in haste. This team had lost five successive matches under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy too; 5-0. Then, they were champions (lost in the playoffs). So, they will be patient with Hardik, too. These are stats. They have been 0-3 down, too. But if this extends beyond that too, it might test the team management’s patience,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

“Two-three franchises have done that. Punjab did that, Chennai did that when they gave the captaincy to Jadeja, and then Dhoni took over the captaincy again. But it happened midway through the season. I don’t think MI will think about the captaincy switch right now. You can’t change a captain after three games; that doesn’t send the right message to the team, too. But after seven games, when the season is right in the middle, they can take a call based on how the performance has been.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan recently spoke about the topic and said that it was “staggering” to see the cricket-crazy Indian fanbase booing one of their own players.

“The big debate is whether Rohit Sharma will end up back as captain. That has caused a lot of drama here in India. The booing… I have to say, the Indian crowd just loves cricket. I have never heard them boo. I’ve certainly never heard them boo one of their own. I get the booing when he played at (Ahmedabad) against the Gujarat Titans. He’s left them and joined Mumbai. He took them to a title. So I get that in a pantomime kind of way.”

“But for him to go to Hyderabad and get booed and then come to Wankhede and get booed by the Mumbai Indians fans while he is playing for them, I’m staggered by it. I have never seen the Indian crowd boo one of their own. It’s remarkable,” Vaughan said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast with former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

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What Pak PM Said On "Suspicious Powder" Laced Threat Letters To Judges

What Pak PM Said On 'Suspicious Powder' Laced Threat Letters To High Court Judges

File photo

Islamabad:

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the government will launch a probe into threat letters laced with a “suspicious powder” received by the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts in Islamabad and Lahore.

Eight judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC) and three judges of Lahore High Court received threatening letters with white powder suspected to be anthrax.

“The letters that were sent to various judges yesterday, and the reports that have emerged about a suspicious powder in them […] So I think that we should show full responsibility on this and not let any kind of politics near this [matter],” Dawn News quoted the prime minister as saying during a cabinet meeting here.

“The government of Pakistan, with a sense of responsibility, will investigate this,” Sharif said.

The letters, delivered to all the judges in white envelopes sealed with cello tape, had their names and the court’s address written over them.

The letters carried a threatening sign and accused the judges of being responsible for problems faced by the people of Pakistan, the report said.

The staff of two judges, who had opened the envelopes and found a suspicious powder inside, reported the matter to the IHC registrar who summoned the police officials deputed for security of the court.

A case has been registered and according to the FIR, the letters were issued with an incomplete address of the sender.

The letters while giving reference to Tehreek-i-Namoos Pakistan criticised the justice system, with a particular photo and English word “Bacillus Anthracis” included for the threat, the FIR said.

Similar letters arrived in the Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court (LHC) the next day, prompting the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to register two cases in Islamabad and Lahore.

The letters in the top court were sent to Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Justice Aminuddin.

The letters sent by an unknown group threatened the judges of the Supreme Court for “rescuing evil”. Suspicious powder was found inside the envelopes and sent to the forensic lab.

The personal staff of the judges who received the threat found the letters in the daily mail received at the high court, said an official.

The official said the staff of all judges at the LHC was already alert in the wake of letters sent to the IHC judges.

Earlier on Thursday, the Islamabad Police said it was “conducting checks at the entry routes of the higher courts and the high-security zone”.

In a post on X, the police urged citizens to carry their identification documents.

The development comes more than a week after six IHC judges in a startling letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members, complained regarding alleged interference by the country’s security apparatus in judicial matters.

Prime Minister Sharif recalled the developments in the matter and noted the Supreme Court’s suo motu proceedings about the allegations levelled by the IHC judges about interference in judicial affairs.

“We had fulfilled our responsibility and after that, these changes came,” he said.

Last week, Shehbaz met Chief Justice Isa and the two decided to form an inquiry commission, which was later approved by the federal cabinet.

However, ex-CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani – tasked to head the one-man inquiry commission – recused himself.

At the same time, the top court took suo motu notice of the matter. 

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

2 Pak Nationals Among 3 Arrested By UP Cops For Planning Terror Activities

2 Pak Nationals Among 3 Arrested By UP Cops For Planning Terror Activities

Fake Indian documents, Pakistani documents, and passports were recovered from them (Representational)

Lucknow:

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested near the Nepal border three men who were allegedly planning to “commit terror activities in India”, according to officials.

The trio included two Pakistani nationals and were carrying forged Indian identity proofs, a statement released by the ATS said. “Acting on an intelligence input that some terrorists with an aim to commit terror activities in India are going to enter via Indo-Nepal border, a team of Gorakhpur ATS unit was put on alert. The unit on Thursday arrested three accused while entering India via the Indo-Nepal border,” the statement read.

The accused have been identified as Mohammad Altaf Bhatt, a resident of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, Sayyed Gajnafar, a native of Islamabad and Nasir Ali, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, it said.

The trio were arrested at the Indo-Nepal border in Sonauli in the Maharajganj district, the statement added.

Altaf Bhatt came in contact with Gajnafar in Kathmandu where they got forged Indian documents including Adhaar cards. They then met Ali who was tasked with getting Bhatt and Gajmafar to Kashmir via the Indo-Nepal border, the statement read.

“Mohammad Altaf Bhatt told ATS officials that he was trained at a Hizbul Mujahideen camp of Muzaffarabad with the support of ISI with an intention to liberate Kashmir from India. Bhatt was headed to Jammu and Kashmir on the direction of the ISI to conduct terror activities,” the statement said.

The ATS recovered fake Indian documents, Pakistani documents, and passports from their possession, the officials said.

An FIR has been registered against the trio under Sections 420 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121A (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigation is underway, they said.

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

Almost Impossible To Deliver Aid In Gaza, Say Top Charities

Almost Impossible To Deliver Aid In Gaza, Say Top Charities

Major international aid groups warned Thursday it was now almost impossible to work in Gaza.

Jerusalem:

Major international aid groups warned Thursday it was now almost impossible to work in Gaza, as one accused countries supplying arms to Israel of being complicit in what “amounts to genocide”.

Isabelle Defourny, president of Doctors Without Borders NGO, spoke out about the risk of genocide as 13 major humanitarian groups blasted Israel for restricting aid getting into the Gaza Strip.

The killing of seven aid workers from the US-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) by Israeli air strikes Monday has sparked an outcry.

US President Joe Biden said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the attack.

But Defourny, president of MSF France, said the United States, Britain, France and other nations were “morally and politically complicit with what to our eyes amounts to genocide” by providing military support to Israel.

The aid groups also demanded that Israel abandon its plans to launch a ground offensive on Rafah in the south of Gaza, where well over one million civilians are sheltering.

The bloodiest ever Gaza war erupted with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 Israelis and foreigners, most of them civilians,  according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign, aimed at destroying Hamas, has killed at least 33,037 people, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

– ‘Absolute horror’ –

While WCK has suspended its operations in Gaza, none of the 13 groups including Oxfam and Save the Children who made the joint call said they were pulling out.

Defourny, who said MSF had lost five of its 300 staff in Gaza, said the killing of the seven WCK employees was no surprise.

She said the “conditions today to deliver humanitarian assistance are not there (in Gaza).

“Because for the last six months we have witnessed the choices which Israel makes in waging war on an entire population, a population that is trapped, deprived of food and massively bombed.

“Gaza is progressively being made unfit for human life,” she added, it “has passed the threshold of absolute horror”.

Defourny said the International Court of Justice ordered “measures to prevent a genocide” in January and again last week.

But “Israel has so far done the exact opposite, continuing to block humanitarian aid and destroy vital civilian infrastructure as illustrated by the attack on WCK and the Al-Shifa hospital destruction”, she added.

Israel has fiercely pushed back against accusations it is blocking aid, alleging instead that humanitarian groups have failed to distribute it.

In war-torn Gaza, where vast areas have been reduced to rubble, 2.4 million Palestinians have been under bombardment for six months while enduring dire shortages of food, water, fuel and other basic supplies.

After the ICJ’s January ruling, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the charge against Israel “is not only false, it’s outrageous, and decent people everywhere should reject it”.

– ‘War against civilians’ –

The charity Oxfam said that people in starving northern Gaza have been forced to survive on an average of 245 calories a day — less than a can of beans, and a fraction of the recommended average daily 2,100 calorie intake per person.

Scott Paul of Oxfam said almost half of people in the north are actually “living on less”.

“Is it any wonder that there is either an imminent famine or a famine that is actually taking place” there, he added.

The charities called for an immediate ceasefire, saying Israel and the countries supplying it with arms “have the obligation (in international law) to protect populations from atrocity crimes”.

Doctor Tanya Haj-Hassan, an American paediatric intensive care doctor, who has been working in Gaza hospitals, said “everybody’s a target” in Gaza.

“Evidence on the ground does not suggest that this is a war against Hamas, but a war against civilians.

“When you are in the operating theatre, you do not see Hamas, you see entire families wiped off the civil registry.

“I saw (in theatre) direct sniper shooting of children in the head and elderly people.”

She said she noticed a “consistent pattern of targeting particular groups (by Israeli forces) — health care workers, press and humanitarian aid workers.”

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

"Apply 100-Hour Rule": Mamaearth Co-Founder On How To Master New Skills

'Apply 100-Hour Rule': Mamaearth Co-Founder Ghazal Alagh On How To Master New Skills

Ghazal Alagh, along with her husband Varun Alagh, launched Mamaearth in 2016.

Beauty brand Mamaearth’s co-founder Ghazal Alagh frequently shares insightful tips on X (formerly Twitter) with her followers. Recently, she took to the microblogging site to discuss the effectiveness of the “100-hour rule” in rapidly acquiring new skills. In her post, she explained how this rule can help someone develop a skill out of their comfort zone. She revealed that she applied this mindset when starting out, which enabled her to acquire abilities she never thought possible.

“The most common question I keep getting is: ‘How do I learn something that is not in my niche?’ The answer? Apply the 100-hour rule. Commit 100 hours of deliberate practice to any new skill, and you’ll master it,” Ms Alagh wrote on X. 

In the following lines, she explained how following this rule helped her. “This mindset allowed me to rapidly acquire abilities I had no idea about when I was just starting out. If you work hard and give enough time to something, you can conquer any domain,” she said. 

Ms Alagh shared the post on Wednesday and since then it has accumulated more than 5,000 views and several reactions. “That’s impressive! The 100-hour rule is a game-changer. Cheers to mastering new skills through dedication and practice!” wrote one user. 

“I agree with you,” said another. “I will have to try it,” commented a third. 

Also read | “5 Crore Is The New 1 Crore”: X User’s Post On Finding Decent Flats In Metros Sparks Discussion

Ghazal Alagh, along with her husband Varun Alagh, launched Mamaearth in New Delhi in 2016.

Last month, Ms Alagh also shared “invaluable” lessons she learned from Kapil Dev. in a delightful encounter aboard a flight, Ms Alagh found herself seated next to none other than India’s first World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev. Reflecting on this remarkable experience, she recounted that she learned “invaluable” lessons during their conversation. “Don’t play to win, play for passion. Focus on your children’s character, not scores. Treat challenges as an adventure, not problems,” she wrote. 

Ms Alagh also mentioned that she and Kapil Dev hailed from the same hometown, Chandigarh, and even attended the same school, Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) School.

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Heroin Worth Rs 210 Crore Seized In Assam's Biggest Drug Haul, 1 Arrested

Over 20 kg of heroin has been recovered, of which 18 kg was of the purest form.

Guwahati:

In Assam’s biggest-ever drug haul, over 20 kg of heroin worth a staggering Rs 210 crore has been recovered from a vehicle that had entered the state from Mizoram, officials said on Thursday. 

Acting on a tip-off, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam police intercepted the vehicle near Sahidpur under Silchar police station in Cachar district in the southern part of the state. 

The Assam Police’s action earned praise from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who posted on X, “Rs 210 crore – Assam’s biggest-ever drug haul. In a big step towards a #DrugsFreeAssam, 21kg of heroin has been seized in Silchar in a joint operation by @STFAssam & @cacharpolice. One person has been arrested and investigation is underway to crack the supply grid. Well done @assampolice!”

Officials said the vehicle was being driven by a man named Laldinuwa, who has been arrested. It had begun its journey in Aizawl and the drugs were stashed in the rear, hidden under containers of bread and biscuits. 

Inspector General of Police Partha Sarathi Mahanta, the head of Assam STF, said, “Information was received 10 days ago that a huge consignment of drugs would be taken from a neighbouring state to the mainland, from where it would be supplied to some big cities. Three days ago, we got information that the vehicle had started its journey.”

“It was intercepted on Thursday evening and we found more than 21.5 kg of heroin, of which 18 kg was of the purest form and 3.5 kg was ready for consumption. The consignment is worth at least Rs 210 crore but 18 kg of pure heroin will be mixed with other materials and become 50-60 kg,” he added. 

A source said the value of the entire consignment could, thus, go up to Rs 540 crore.