Nagaland: AFSPA extended for six months, Centre says state in ‘disturbed and dangerous condition’

The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the operation Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland for another six months with effect from June 30. The Centre on Sunday declared the state a “disturbed area” to extend the Act. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act gives the military sweeping powers to search and arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for “the maintenance of public order”, and to do so with a degree of immunity from prosecution.

Amarnath Yatra begins amid tight security, barcodes and RFID technology being used to track pilgrims

The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Monday amid tight security arrangements. The 46-day-long yatra, which will conclude on August 15, was flagged off from the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps. More than 1.5 lakh pilgrims have registered for the pilgrimage so far. A spokesperson of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board said there were 2,234 pilgrims, including 17 children, in the first batch.

Bihar AES deaths: Nitish Kumar says ‘expressing grief not enough, matter is very serious’

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the encephalitis outbreak in the state was an “extremely unfortunate and serious issue”, and that an awareness campaign could help prevent cases of the disease. The acute encephalitis syndrome has claimed over 150 lives in Bihar this year.

West Bengal: Man lynched in Malda for allegedly stealing a bike, two arrested

Two people have been arrested for allegedly lynching a 20-year-old man in West Bengal’s Malda district last week. Malda Superintendent of Police Aloke Rajoria said Shanaul Sheikh was assaulted by a few local people at Baishnabnagar Bazar on Wednesday after he was allegedly caught stealing a bike.

Karnataka: Congress MLA Anand Singh resigns from Assembly, brings down party’s strength to 78

Karnataka Congress MLA Anand Singh resigned from the state Assembly on Monday, bringing down the party’s strength in the House to 78, including the speaker. Singh represented Vijaynagara in Ballari district in the Assembly. Singh met Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru on Monday afternoon.

Rajya Sabha: Opposition backs Centre’s proposal to extend President’s Rule in J&K

Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, the Trinamool Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Biju Janata Dal, on Monday supported a statutory resolution moved by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir by six months. The Lok Sabha had approved the resolution on Friday.

Assam encephalitis deaths: ‘Hope Centre rises from deep slumber,’ says Congress

The Congress on Monday criticised the Centre after 10 people reportedly died of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Assam. An encephalitis outbreak in Bihar has already claimed more than 150 lives. The government in Assam is led by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sarbananda Sonowal while the saffron party runs the government in Bihar with its Janata Dal (United).

Two years of GST: Single slab not possible for country with large poor population, says Arun Jaitley

Former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said that having a single Goods and Service Tax slab would be “inequitable” for a country like India, which has a large population of poor people. A single rate is possible only in “extremely affluent countries where there are no poor people”, Jaitley said on the second anniversary of the launch of the indirect taxation system.

Delhi court orders framing of charges against Naveen Jindal, four others in coal scam case

A special court in New Delhi on Monday ordered framing of charges against industrialist and Congress leader Naveen Jindal and four others in a coal scam case. Special judge Bharat Parashar ordered framing of charges under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

SC issues notice to West Bengal government for delaying release of BJP leader in Mamata Banerjee meme case

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a show-cause notice to the West Bengal government for the delay in the release of a Bharatiya Janata Party youth leader who was arrested on May 10 for sharing a meme of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The court had ordered Priyanka Sharma’s immediate release on May 14 but she was let go almost 18 hours later. The court had then censured the government.

Nagaland to start preparing database of indigenous inhabitants, its own version of NRC, from July 10

The state’s Home Commissioner R Ramakrishnan issued a notification on Saturday for establishing the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland with the aim of checking fake indigenous inhabitant certificates being issued. The exercise will begin on July 10 and will be completed within 60 days.

‘He is a novice’: BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargiya defends son a week after he attacked municipal officer

“I think there was mishandling from both the sides,” the BJP general secretary told ANI. “Both Akash ji and the municipal corporation commissioner are novice players. It was not a big issue, but it was made huge.”

Centre plans to establish a ‘cow circuit’ to promote bovine tourism: Report

The Centre has planned to establish a cow circuit to encourage cow tourism in the country. The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog has decided that the tourist route will pass through places in the country that breed indigenous cows. The board has identified the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa for the cow circuit.

Chennai: Transport staff go on strike claiming non-payment of salaries, hundreds of buses off roads

Hundreds of government-run buses in Chennai were off roads on Monday morning as several transport employees went on a strike, claiming that their salaries for June had either not been paid or were paid partially. The Tamil Nadu government, however, refuted the claim and said pending salaries for June would be paid by Monday evening. More than 2,000 buses of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation were not operational.

Supreme Court adjourns till July 16 plea against reservations for economically weaker sections

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till July 16 a plea challenging the implementation of a Constitutional amendment that grants 10% reservations in jobs and education to economically weaker sections among the upper castes. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde will on July 16 hear arguments to decide whether the implementation of the quota should be stayed.

Haryana: 24 villages decide not to use caste as surnames

The Khera khap of Jind district in Haryana has decided not to use their caste as their surnames after a meeting held in Bhushla village on Saturday. Khap panchayats are self-instituted councils that govern clans and have considerable social power in parts of north India. Khera khap comprises 24 villages of Uchana town in Haryana, including major ones such as Nagura, Badoda, Badhana, Karsindhu, Barsola and Mohan Garh Chapra.

Customs department seizes 532 kg of heroin worth Rs 2,700 crore at Attari border

The Customs department seized 532 kg of suspected heroin worth Rs 2,700 crore, officials said on Sunday. This is the biggest ever haul in the history of Indian customs, Customs (Preventive) Commissioner Deepak Kumar Gupta said. The heroin was being smuggled into India from Pakistan in a truck through the trade route at the Attari border, officials said.

Mumbai: Several local trains delayed, cancelled due to heavy rainfall, road traffic disrupted

At least 100 mm of rainfall was recorded between 4 am and 5 am on Monday, NDTV reported. The Western Railway released help desk numbers for passengers after water logging at Palghar station. Train movement restarted at Palghar at 8 am.

Noida: Police arrest 35 people for allegedly running sex rackets at spas

The Noida police on Sunday arrested 35 people, including 25 women, for allegedly running sex rackets at a dozen spa centres in the city. Those arrested included foreigners, the police said. “On the directions of Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna, the raids were conducted late in the evening at 14 spa centres in the commercial hub of Sector 18,” Gautam Buddh Nagar (Rural) Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said. “The raids continued till almost midnight.”

Jammu and Kashmir: At least 33 killed after bus falls into gorge in Kishtwar district

At least 33 people died on Monday after a mini bus fell into a deep gorge in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 22 people were wounded. The accident took place around 7.50 am in Keshwan area of Kishtwar.

BJP Mahila Morcha leader says Hindus should rape Muslim women, expelled

The Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha on Friday expelled one of its leaders for posting hateful comments against Muslim women on Facebook. Sunita Singh Gaud, in a Facebook post last week, had said that Hindu men should enter the homes of Muslim women and rape them. “There is only one solution for them [Muslims],” Gaud said in the Facebook post, which has since been deleted. “Hindu brothers should make a group of 10 and gang rape their [Muslim] mothers and sisters openly on the streets and then then hang them in the middle of the bazaar for others to see.”

Delhi: Doctors at Hindu Rao Hospital go on strike after patient’s relatives attack their colleagues

Doctors at the Hindu Rao Hospital in New Delhi went on strike on Sunday, after relatives of a patient attacked two of their colleagues the previous day. The patient, Rajbala, who had kidney failure, died during treatment, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Nupur Prasad said. Rajbala’s relatives claimed she died due to medical negligence. Prasad said the body has been sent for an autopsy, which will determine if the patient died due to negligence.

Cooking gas cylinders to become cheaper by Rs 100.5 from today, says IOCL

The Indian Oil Corporation announced on Sunday that liquefied petroleum gas cylinders will be cheaper by Rs 100.5 from Monday. IOCL said the price of cooking gas cylinders has been cut drastically following softening LPG prices in the international market and a favourable dollar to rupee exchange rate. The rupee traded at 69.01 against the United States dollar as of Sunday.

Media personnel locked up in Moradabad district hospital during Adityanath’s visit: Reports

Moradabad District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar allegedly locked up a dozen media personnel in the emergency ward of the district hospital during Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath’s visit on Sunday. Some reports claimed the step was taken to prevent the journalists from asking the chief minister any questions about the quality of services at the hospital. But the reasons are not yet clear. Reports also said that police personnel were stationed outside the locked room. The media personnel were let out after Adityanath left the building.