The big news: 2 SITs formed to probe Delhi violence as toll mounts to 38, and nine other top stories
Other headlines: The Opposition criticised a judge’s transfer after he rapped Delhi Police for inaction, and an accused in the Pulwama attack was given bail.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Police hand over Delhi violence inquiry to Crime Branch, set up two special investigation teams: The toll rose to 37 on Thursday. A rickshaw driver was beaten by a mob after asking him his name today. Congress urged President Kovind to immediately sack Amit Shah as home minister. Akali Dal MP wrote to Amit Shah over police inaction, said it is reminiscent of 1984. Meanwhile, Meghalaya governor suggested Tiananmen-style crackdown on protestors.
- HC judge who rapped police for inaction during Delhi violence transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court: Congress criticised Justice S Muralidhar’s transfer, said it was ‘hit-and-run injustice’.
- Court grants bail to one accused in Pulwama attack after NIA fails to file chargesheet in time: The NIA conceded in court that it had not been able to find sufficient evidence against Yusuf Chopan to file a chargesheet.
- Time not suited for hate speech FIRs, police tell HC on Delhi violence; Centre gets 4 weeks to reply: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said when everyone was working to ensure normalcy, ‘any hurried intervention’ was not possible.
- India rejects criticism by US religious freedom panel on Delhi violence, calls it misleading: The country also asked OIC not to ‘make irresponsible statements’ after the body expressed concern
- India raps Pakistan at UN on J&K, says it can’t lecture others on human rights violation: Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup claimed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir ‘is quite normal’ despite Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise.
- AAP leader Tahir Hussain releases video on Delhi violence, denies role in IB officer’s death: Arvind Kejriwal said give ‘double punishment’ if anyone from AAP is guilty.
- Bernie Sanders says Trump’s reaction to Delhi violence is a ‘failure of leadership’: A BJP leader threatened to interfere in US polls after Sanders tweet, but later deleted his tweet.
- China reports 29 more coronavirus deaths, the lowest number in nearly a month: 119 Indians from quarantined cruise ship landed in Delhi on special flight.
- Kerala woman who allegedly killed six family members over 14 years attempts suicide in jail: Jolly Joseph was found bleeding in her prison cell after she tried to slit her vein with a blunt object.