The big news: Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat dies in helicopter crash, and 9 other top stories
Other headlines: Farmers said that no decision had been taken about calling off the protests, and the Omicron variant is unlikely to evade vaccine protection.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, 12 others die in IAF chopper crash: The only survivor, an Air Force Group Captain, is being treated for injuries. Tributes poured in after the deaths in the aircraft crash.
- No decision on calling off protests, but farmers accept Centre’s new proposal on pending demands: The farmer leaders are expected to meet again at 12 pm on Thursday at Delhi’s Singhu border for a formal decision ‘to lift the morchas’. Meanwhile, at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting in Delhi, Sonia Gandhi said that the Narendra Modi-led government repealed farm laws undemocratically.
- Omicron variant unlikely to fully evade vaccine protection, says WHO official: The variant does not seem to cause more severe disease than earlier strains of the coronavirus, said Micahel Ryan, an executive director at the health body.
- Opposition leaders criticise PMO for tweeting Modi’s ‘laal topi’ comment about Samajwadi Party: The politicians questioned the use of a government Twitter handle for posting a political comment on the red caps typically worn by Samajwadi Party members.
- 96 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir died after special status revoked, Centre tells Parliament: Since August 2019, the number of militants killed was 366 and 81 members of the security forces also died. Meanwhile, security forces killed three suspected militants in gunfight in Shopian district.
- Activist Sudha Bharadwaj can be released on bail bond of Rs 50,000, rules NIA court: Bharadwaj will be released from the Byculla Jail in Mumbai on Thursday morning, her lawyer said. Meanwhile, Bhima Koregaon accused and lawyer Surendra Gadling alleged that Taloja jail superintendent had denied him medicines.
- In 2002 Gujarat riots, inquiry report shows state took all steps to stop violence, counsel tells SC: Opposing the submission, advocate Kapil Sibal said that the findings of the report were not admissible in court.
- Don’t allow BSF personnel to enter villages without permission, Mamata Banerjee tells officials: The West Bengal chief minister highlighted three incidents of civilians being killed by the security forces, including the recent shooting in Nagaland.
- Supreme Court stays criminal proceedings related to Tripura violence against two HW News journalists: The Tripura Police had booked the journalists for reporting on the anti-Muslim violence in the state.
- Madras HC orders fresh post-mortem of student who died after being released from police custody: The family of the student, 21-year-old Manikandan, has alleged that he died due to police torture.