LIVE! No Hindu faith in Cholas' time: Kamal Haasan
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23:57 Mumbai sea Link accident: SUV driver in 1-day police custody

The driver of the sports utility vehicle, which rammed into multiple vehicles at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai killing five persons, was on Thursday sent to one-day police custody by a local court even as he told cops he was trying to plug in the mobile phone charger at the time of the pre-dawn crash.

The SUV driver, Irfan Abdul Rahim Bilakiya, was arrested from his residence at Mohammed Ali Road in South Mumbai on Wednesday, hours after the accident.

The 40-year-old was booked under IPC Sections 304A (death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), among others after an FIR (first information report) was registered against him at the Worli police police station.

Bilakiya was produced before the court which sent him in police custody till Friday, a police official said.

Bilakiya, who is into construction business, was returning home from suburban Jogeshwari when he allegedly rammed his SUV into three stationary cars and an ambulance on the bridge at around 3 am on Wednesday, the police said.

Five persons were killed and eight others injured in the accident.

23:43 Centre sets up tribunal to adjudicate PFI's ban justified or not

The Centre on Thursday set up a tribunal consisting Delhi high court judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma to adjudicate whether sufficient grounds were available for declaring the Popular Front of India and eight associate groups as unlawful.

The Union home ministry issued a notification, announcing the announcement of the formation of the tribunal.

"The Central government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal consisting of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the Popular Front of India and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as unlawful association," the notification said. -- PTI

23:29 LG sahib, chill a bit: Kejriwal

With his government at loggerheads with Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena over multiple issues, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said even his wife does not "scold" him as much as the LG, and asked him to "chill".

The AAP supremo, tongue firmly in cheek, said in a tweet he has not received as many "love letters" from his wife "in the entire life" as he has from the LG in just six months.

"LG sahib, chill a bit!" Kejriwal said in his tweet in Hindi.

"And ask your super boss also to chill a bit."

The BJP slammed Kejriwal for using "this puerile language", and said the LG "scolds" him only to mend his ways, "stop scams" and pay salaries of sanitation workers before Diwali.

Kejriwal's remarks came days after Saxena in a letter to him alleged he and AAP ministers showed "utter disregard" towards the commemoration of the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri by not attending events at Raj Ghat and Vijay Ghat.

Last week, Saxena had also written to Kejriwal to expedite permissions for felling of trees, citing delay in infrastructure projects.

"Even my wife does not scold me as much as the LG sahib. My wife has not written me as many love letters in the entire life as LG sahib has in the past six months...," Kejriwal said in the tweet. -- PTI

Kamal Haasan

23:07 No Hindu faith in Cholas' time: Kamal Haasan

National award-winning Tamil director Vetrimaaran has sparked controversy by claiming that Raja Raja Cholan wasn't a Hindu king.

Now, Kamal Haasan has backed the director's statement which has opened floodgates for controversial debates regarding the king's identity.

It all started at an event Vetrimaaran attended where he raised a few eyebrows when he said, "Raja Raja Chozlan wasn't Hindu but they (BJP) are trying to steal our identity. They have already tried to saffronise Thiruvalluvar. We should never allow that."

Then, Kamal Hassan echoed similar sentiments and said, "There was no name called 'Hindu religion' during Raja Raja Cholan's period. There was Vainavam, Shivam, and Samanam, and it was the British who coined the term Hindu since they didn't know how to refer to it collectively. It is similar to how they changed Thuthukudi into Tuticorin."

Interestingly, Vetimaaran's remarks came just a day after the release of the film Ponniyin Selvan: 1 which is based on a fictional novel inspired by Raja Raja Cholan.

Although Vetimaaran did find support from Haasan, BJP came all guns blazing at the director.

BJP leader H Raja has stated that Raja Raja Chola was indeed a Hindu king.

He questioned Vetimaran, "I am not well versed with history like Vetrimaran, but let him point out two churches and mosques built by Raja Raja Cholan. He called himself Sivapadha Sekaran. Wasn't he a Hindu then?" -- ANI

22:25 Punjab AAP MLA Bharaj to marry party volunteer on Friday

Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Punjab's Sangrur Narinder Kaur Bharaj is slated to marry a party volunteer on Friday.

Bharaj (28) will tie the nuptial knot with Mandeep Singh (29) in Patiala.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is likely to attend the wedding event, a party leader said on Thursday.

Bharaj, a law graduate, had defeated political heavyweight and former minister Vijay Inder Singla in the assembly elections held earlier this year by 36,430 votes. -- PTI

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22:07 Indian origin student killed in US university

A 20-year-old Indian-origin student has been killed in his dormitory in the US state of Indiana and his Korean roommate was taken into custody, according to media reports.

Varun Manish Chheda from Indianapolis, who was studying at Purdue University, was found dead in McCutcheon Hall on the western edge of the campus, the police said on Wednesday.

Another university student was arrested on a murder charge Wednesday, NBC News quoted the school's police chief as saying.

Ji Min Jimmy Sha, a 22-year-old junior cybersecurity major and international student from Korea, called 911 around 12:45 am on Wednesday to alert police about the death, Purdue University Police Chief Lesley Wiete said at a news conference Wednesday morning.

Details of the call were not disclosed.

Authorities said the incident happened in a room on the first floor of McCutcheon Hall on the campus in West Lafayette, which is about 104 km northwest of Indianapolis.

Chheda, who was studying data science at the university, died of "multiple sharp force traumatic injuries," and the manner of death was homicide, according to preliminary autopsy results.

Chief Wiete said she believes the attack was unprovoked and senseless", Fox News reported.

Arunabh Sinha, a childhood friend of Chheda, told NBC News that Chheda had been gaming and talking with friends online on Tuesday night when they suddenly heard screaming on the call.

Sinha was not playing with his friends that night, but they told him they heard the attack and didn't know what happened. They woke up Wednesday morning to news of his death.

Wiete said Sha was taken into custody minutes after the 911 call and taken to the police station for further investigation. He has not been formally charged.

Chheda's death is Purdue's first on-campus homicide in more than eight years, the police said.

University President Mitch Daniels said Chheda's death was "as tragic an event as we can imagine happening on our campus," adding that "our hearts and thoughts go out to all of those affected by this terrible event".

21:36 EAM Jaishankar gets traditional 'Maori' welcome on his first visit to New Zealand

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar received a warm traditional Maori welcome on his first visit to New Zealand on Thursday.

Before the official engagements began, Jaishankar was welcomed with a traditional Maori ceremony called Powhiri.

This was followed by a famous Bollywood song Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet from the movie Purab Aur Paschim sung by few members of the Indian community in Auckland, signifying the celebration of the distinct cultures of both the countries.

The ceremony concluded with the traditional Maori greeting called the hongi, which includes visitors pressing noses and foreheads with their Maori hosts.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Was honoured to start my official engagements earlier today in New Zealand with a traditional Maori welcome. Deeply appreciate the symbolism of the convening of two energies together. The respect for customs and traditions is such an important aspect of our friendship."

The Maori welcoming ceremony involves whaikorero (formal speech), waiata (singing) and kai (food).

21:11 Rajputs will have to take up arms again: BJP's Som

In an apparent attack on the Muslim community, controversial Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former MLA Sangeet Som has said Rajputs need to take up arms again.

Som, who was a BJP MLA from Sardhana constituency, made the remark during a shastra puja (worship of weapons) programme organised by the Rajput Utthan Sabha on Vijaya Dashami in Kheda village in Meerut on Wednesday.

"The way the population of a particular community is increasing, terrorism is increasing, there are talks of separatism, talks of beheading. To end all of this, along with power, weapons will also be needed in the future," Som said in his address.

"The Rajput society will have to take up arms again," he added.

An accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots, the BJP leader said to ensure the progress of a religion, sacrifice, penance and dedication are needed.

Som said the way anti-national forces are attacking the country, the importance of weapons has increased.

Taking a dig at the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Som alleged that "green flags" were visible in the march in Kerala but not the national flag.

"The day is not far off when green flags will be visible across western Uttar Pradesh, so act wisely," he said. -- PTI

20:45 NIA court extends remand of 3 PFI activists till Oct 10, sends 16 to judicial custody

The National Investigation Agency court of Delhi on Thursday extended the remand of three accused associated with Popular Front of India by four more days.

The other 16 accused have been remanded to judicial custody.

All accused were produced under heavy security before the Court as their remand was granted by the same court earlier.

The NIA Judge on Thursday extended the remand of the three accused Shahid Nasir,Jaseer KP, Mohammed Yousuf by four days after noting down the submission made by NIA counsel.

The court sent the other 16 accused into judicial custody for 30 days.

Recently in a major crackdown against PFI, over 106 PFI members have been arrested in multiple raids carried out by a joint team of NIA, Enforcement Directorate and state police across 11 states.

NIA in a press statement about the searches and arrests across India on the PFI stated that the searches were jointly conducted by the ED, NIA and the state police forces across India. -- PTI

20:28 Walkaroo ropes in Ajay Devgn as brand ambassador

Footwear brand Walkaroo International Ltd has roped in Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn as its brand ambassador, the company said on Thursday.

The company would unveil a series of television commercials featuring the actor.

Havas Creative Group has taken up the marketing campaign which includes three commercial films of the actor on the brand theme 'Walk with Walkaroo.'

"We are happy to have India's iconic film star Ajay Devgn as our new brand ambassador. He shares a lot of synergy with the brand and enjoys a high level of popularity and credibility," said managing director of Walkaroo International Pvt Ltd VKC Noushad.

"We believe that this association will help us connect with consumers across all segments and will further strengthen the brand presence especially in tier-II and tier- III cities in north and west," he said.

Walkaroo has over 200-plus designs for the festive season for men, women and kids.

In 2021-22 Walkaroo recorded a turnover of over Rs 1,800 crore. It has a pan-India presence with over 750 dealers, the statement added. -- PTI

20:12 Girl gang-raped in Delhi Kendriya Vidyalaya toilet

An 11-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped by two seniors inside the washroom of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in the national capital following which a case has been registered, the police officials said on Thursday.

The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan's regional office has also ordered an enquiry into the issue.

The alleged incident had taken place in July but the victim approached the police on Tuesday only after the matter was highlighted by the Delhi Commission for Women.

The DCW, which termed the incident as a 'serious matter,' issued a notice to Delhi police and the school principal on the issue.

The school authorities have been asked to inform why the incident was allegedly not reported to the police by them.

Officials of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan maintained that the incident was not reported to the school principal by the victim or her parents and has only come to light following police investigation.

KVS is an autonomous body under the ministry of education and it oversees over 1,200 KVs that are spread across 25 regions in the country.

According to the police, the victim filed a complaint on Tuesday and immediately a case was registered.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said, "We have received a very serious case of gang-rape with an 11-year-old student inside a school in Delhi. The girl has alleged that her school teacher tried to hush up the matter. It is very unfortunate that even schools are unsafe for children in the capital."

She demanded strict action in the matter. -- PTI

19:47 BJP brass in poll-bound Karnataka to meet on Friday

The executive committee meeting of the BJP's Karnataka unit will take place here on Friday with deliberations expected to revolve around the party's strategy for the forthcoming state assembly elections.

BJP national general secretary and party in-charge for Karnataka Arun Singh, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from the state, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former chief minister BS Yediyurapa and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel are slated to take part.

BJP national general secretary CT Ravi on Thursday said a total of 592 people who are the state executive committee members comprising sitting MPs, MLAs, state office-bearers, presidents of various wings of the BJP, secretaries, organisers of various cells, district BJP presidents and general secretaries will attend the meeting.

There will be day-long discussions about various schemes and projects of the state and central governments, and interactions with question and answer sessions on the Palace Grounds here, he said.

"We will prepare an agenda and the roadmap in the executive committee meeting highlighting the role of Karnataka in the light of 'Azadi ka' Amrit Mahotsav and keeping in view the 'Amrit Kaal' for the next 25 years," Ravi said. -- PTI

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19:32 India's heaviest rocket to make debut on Oct 22

India's heaviest rocket is getting ready to make its entry into the global commercial launch service market with the milestone expected on October 22.

In its first dedicated commercial mission, GSLV-Mk III would launch British startup OneWeb's 36 broadband satellites from Sriharikota spaceport, as per a contract signed by Indian Space Research Organisation's commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited.

The newest rocket is capable of launching a four tonne class of satellite to Geosynchronous Transfer orbit.

"The launch is slated shortly after October 21 midnight. We are looking at 00:12 hours on October 22," a senior official of the national space agency told PTI on condition of anonymity on Thursday.

"Undertaking the launch of 36 OneWeb satellites on-board GSLV-Mk III from India is a historic moment for NSIL and ISRO," NSIL chairman-cum-managing director Radhakrishnan D was quoted as saying earlier.

GSLV-Mk III, also referred to as launch vehicle mark 3, is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-on, a liquid propellant core stage and a cryogenic stage.

India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.

NSIL, a Central public sector enterprise under the department of space, said the contract with OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO, as LVM3, is making its entry into the global commercial launch service market.

In an October 4 update on the mission, NSIL said two solid strap-on boosters and liquid core stage of LVM3 have been fully integrated at the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, in Sriharikota. -- PTI

19:11 Uttarkashi avalanche: 12 more bodies recovered, toll rises to 16

Twelve more bodies were recovered on Thursday, two days after a team of climbers from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi went missing after being trapped in an avalanche on their way back from a peak, the institute said.

Fifteen mountaineers are still believed to be missing.

The avalanche occurred at a height of 17,000 feet on Tuesday when the team was returning after summiting Draupadi Ka Danda II peak.

According to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, the recovery of 12 more bodies takes the toll to 16, most of whom are trainees. -- PTI

18:39 No loss of interest for EPF subscribers: Finance ministry

The finance ministry has said there is no loss of interest rate for Employees' Provident Fund Organisation subscribers and the delay in crediting interest for the last fiscal is due to software upgrade being conducted.

It further said that for all outgoing subscribers seeking settlement and also those withdrawing their deposits, the payments are being done inclusive of the interest.

"There is no loss of interest for any subscriber. The interest is being credited in the accounts of all EPF subscribers. However, that is not visible in the statements in view of a software upgrade being implemented by EPFO to account for change in the tax incidence," the ministry tweeted late on Wednesday night.

The ministry said this on Twitter in reply to a tweet by IT industry veteran TV Mohandas Pai, who raised queries on interest in the Employees' Provident Fund deposits.

"For all outgoing subscribers seeking settlement and for subscribers seeking withdrawal, the payments are being done inclusive of the interest," the ministry noted. -- PTI

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18:23 Rs 100 cr heroin seized in Mumbai airport, 2 held

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized 16 kg of heroin worth more than Rs 100 crore at the Mumbai airport, and arrested a passenger and a woman from Ghana in this connection, an official said on Thursday.

The Ghanaian woman was nabbed from a hotel in Delhi as part of the DRI's follow-up action in the case, he said.

The Mumbai unit of the DRI had laid a trap on Tuesday at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on a specific tip-off that a passenger travelling from Malawi, an African country, to Mumbai via Qatar was trying to smuggle narcotic drugs into the country, he said.

"As part of the trap, a surveillance and tracking team of DRI officers was positioned at the airport and intercepted a suspected passenger," he said.

During the search of his luggage, the DRI officers found 16 kg heroin that was concealed in cavities made in the trolley bags, the official added.

The value of the seized heroin is more than Rs 100 crore in the international market, he said, adding that the passenger was placed under arrest and was remanded in the DRI custody by the local court.

"In a follow-up action, the DRI officers apprehended a woman from Ghana, who was to take the delivery of the smuggled contraband in Delhi," he said.

"The female Ghanaian national was nabbed from a hotel in Delhi when she came to take the delivery of the drug," the official said. -- PTI

17:39 Court extends judicial custody of Bengal ex-minister Partha Chatterjee, ex-officials

A special CBI court at Alipore in Kolkata extended the judicial custody of former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee till October 19 in connection with the central agency's probe into the School Service Commission recruitment scam.

The court on Wednesday also sent former West Bengal Board of Secondary Education president Kalyanmoy Ganguly, ex-secretary of West Bengal School Service Commission Ashok Saha, and the former adviser to SSC, S P Sinha, to judicial custody till October 19 on a prayer by the CBI, which is investigating the scam as per an order of the Calcutta high court.

Chatterjee and his alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee were on July 23 arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money trail in the SSC recruitment scam, following the seizure of Rs 49.80 crore in cash from the latter's flats in the city, apart from bullion, jewellery and property deeds.

The ED has alleged that Chatterjee and Mukherjee laundered money by indulging in criminal conspiracy for illegally giving teaching post jobs, on recommendations by the SSC, in state-sponsored and aided school, and generated huge proceeds of crime.

It said in a chargesheet submitted before a PMLA court that the total worth of the seizures, including the cash, amount to more than Rs 100 crore. -- PTI

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17:24 3 stabbed in London, police rules out terror angle

Three people were stabbed in an incident on Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street Station, in central London however the case is not being treated as terror-related, said the London police.

The police received the information pertaining to the stabbing at 9:46 am.

As per the initial information, a person was reportedly pushed to the floor on Bishopsgate.

Soon after the police reached the spot of the incident at 9.51 am.

Three victims of the stabbing attack were taken by London Ambulance Service to a nearby hospital to be treated.

"We received reports of three stabbings & a person pushed to the floor on Bishopsgate at 9.46 am & officers arrived at the scene at 9.51 am. Three victims were taken by London Ambulance Service to a nearby hospital to be treated. This is an ongoing situation, but is not being treated as terror-related," the City of London police said in a tweet.

"We are aware of an incident this morning on Bishopsgate. Our officers are at the scene and London Ambulance Service are in attendance. A cordon is currently in place," the police had tweeted about an hour earlier giving out the initial flash on the news. -- PTI

17:08 Mulayam Singh still in ICU, critical, says Gurugram hospital

Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav continues to be in the Intensive Care Unit of Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and his condition remains critical, the hospital said on Thursday. He is being administered life-saving drugs, it said in a bulletin.

"Mulayam Singh ji is still critical and on life saving drugs, he is being treated in the ICU Medanta hospital, Gurugram, by a comprehensive team of specialists," the hospital said. Yadav, 82, was admitted to the hospital on Sunday. PTI

16:46 Malegaon blast: BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur appears before Court

BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, a prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, on Thursday appeared before the trial court in Mumbai.

The Bhopal MP remained present before the special judge for NIA cases, A K Lahoti, as an official of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad who had arrested her was deposing as a witness.

The ATS official was cross-examined by Thakur's lawyer during the day's proceedings. She arrived around 12 pm and sat on the wooden bench assigned for the accused.

Later the court allowed her to sit on a chair after she complained of backache. The court also conducted the proceedings in Hindi (instead of Marathi and English) on Thakur's request.

Seven persons, including Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, are facing trial in the case. As many as 26 witnesses have turned hostile in the case until now. -- PTI

16:44 India wasted over 100 million Covid vax doses by September-end

India may have wasted a little over 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of September, as the doses were past their shelf lives. Assuming a price of Rs 225 per dose (for Covishield and Covaxin), the value of the wasted stock is around Rs 2,250 crore.

16:42 Abhishek Bachchan storms out of show over joke on dad

Case Toh Banta Hai on Amazon's mini TV is a roast show where stars are interrogated in a mock-trial. The 'public prosecutor' Riteish Deshmukh seems to have a mandate to insult his guests in the 'bura-na-mano-Holi-hai spirit'.

But even roasts have their limits.

During the shooting of the latest episode, guest Abhishek Bachchan staged a walkout after the line of mock-questioning went too far.

A source revealed, "It was a joke on Abhishek's father (Amitabh Bachchan) that made Abhishek lose his cool. He had made it very clear before appearing on the show that his family should be kept out of the conversation. But they went ahead anyway. When they made a joke at his father's expense, Abhishek stood up and walked out."

-- Subhash K Jha

16:41 Literature Nobel goes to French author Annie Ernaux

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to the French author Annie Ernaux "for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory".

In her writing, Annie Ernaux consistently and from different angles, examines a life marked by strong disparities regarding gender, language and class. She has written over thirty literary works.

16:32 India willing to do whatever it can: EAM on Ukraine

India is willing to do whatever it can to facilitate a solution to the Ukraine crisis, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday, as he highlighted how India pressed Moscow on the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine when the two countries stepped up fighting near the highly sensitive facility.

Jaishankar, who is in Auckland on his first visit to New Zealand as the External Affairs Minister, during a lengthy interaction with Simon Bridges, the CEO of Auckland Business Chamber, said when it comes to Ukraine, it is natural that different countries and different regions would react a little differently.

The people will view it from their viewpoint, their immediate interest, historical experiences, their insecurities, he said.

"To me, the diversities of the world which are quite evident will also naturally lead to a differential response and I would not disrespect the position of other countries as I can see that many of them are coming from their threat perception, their anxiety, their equities in Ukraine," he said.

In this situation, Jaishnakar said he would see what India can do, "which obviously would be in the Indian interest, but also in the best interest of the world."

"When I was in the United Nations, the big concern at that time was the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant because there was some fighting going on in the very proximity to it."

"There was a request to us to press the Russians on that issue which we did. There have been other concerns at various points of time, either different countries have raised with us or the UN has raised with us. I think at this time whatever we can do, we will be willing to do," Jaishankar said. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

EAM S Jaishankar with Jacinda Ardern who opted for Indian attire

15:21 aishankar calls on New Zealand PM in Auckland

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar called on New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Auckland on Thursday and conveyed the personal greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaishankar, who is on his first visit to the country, discussed ways to deepen India-New Zealand ties with PM Ardern.

"Pleasure to call on Prime Minister @jacindaardern of New Zealand. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Discussed deepening our bilateral cooperation through focused engagement in areas of strength," Jaishankar tweeted. -- ANI

15:10 Cattle damage Vande Bharat Express engine

Vande Bharat Express running between Mumbai Central to Gurajat's Gandhinagar met with an accident after a herd of buffaloes came on to the railway line at around 11.15am. The incident occurred between Vatva station and Maninagar. The accident damaged the engine

Uttarkashi-Gangotri highway blocked due to a landslide

14:51 Uttarkashi avalanche: 9 bodies found, 29 trapped

The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) on Thursday said that a total of nine bodies which were trapped in the Uttarkashi avalanche have been recovered and retrieved till now, while 29 other trainees continue to remain stranded.

According to the NIM, the nine bodies retrieved today include four dead bodies that were already brought down on Tuesday (October 4) and Wednesday (October 5).

The update on recovered bodies came hours after a team of experts from Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), joined the operation with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and NIM to rescue mountaineers that were stranded on Draupadi's Danda-II mountain peak in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi after the avalanche hit them on Tuesday.

However, more teams have been sent to the advance base camp from ITBP Matli in Uttarkashi.

An advance helicopter landing ground was also prepared at 16,000 ft and a trial landing was successfully conducted in the morning. -- ANI

14:43 Mumbai: local train traffic disrupted on Central Railway

Suburban services on the main line of Central Railway were disrupted due to a snag in overhead wires on Thursday afternoon, an official said.

The technical problem arose at Sandhurst Road station in south Mumbai around 1 pm, due to which CSMT-bound slow trains were held up, he said.

The services on the line have been diverted to the fast line and restoration work is in full swing, the CR official added.

As trains came to a halt, commuters got down at many places and were seen walking on the tracks towards the next station. Central Railway ferries nearly 40 lakh suburban commuters every day by operating 1,810 services. PTI

14:05 22 children among 32 killed in Thailand shootout

Update: At least 32 people were killed in a mass shooting at a nursery in northeast Thailand, local media reported on Thursday.

Many children and adults were killed in the shooting in Na Klang district in the country's Nong Bua Lamphu province. Other reports say, of the dead, were 22 children.

Police said that the gunman was a former police officer and a hunt was underway for him, according to media reports.

"Follow up Mr Panya Khamrab, 34, the assailant in the shooting at the child's center. Uthai Sawan Subdistrict, Na Klang District, Nong Bua Lamphu Province. Observe the vehicle used by the culprit, a white Toyota Vigo pickup truck, license plate registration 6 Kor 6499, Bangkok," Thailand's Central Investigation Police (CIP) said in a Facebook post.

The suspect who fled the crime scene reportedly shot himself.

A local publication said Panya was fired from his position in the police force in 2021 for failing a drug test. -- ANI

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13:39 31 killed in shootout at kids' daycare in Thailand

At least 31 people have been killed in a mass shooting at a day-care centre in Thailand, say reports.

Victims included both children and adults, police said in a statement, adding that the gunman was an ex-police officer and a manhunt was underway.

13:13 Congress Yatra will have no effect: Bommai

The Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which is currently passing through poll-bound Karnataka, with the participation from the party's top leadership -- Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, "will have no impact", the state's Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday.

He rejected the claims that the ruling BJP was planning for rallies and state-wide tours of its leaders to counter the Congress' yatra, stating that they were planned much earlier.

"Naturally all party leaders will work for their own party, she (Sonia Gandhi) has walked for half-a-kilometer and gone, it's okay. As far as we are concerned, we have nothing to do with it and it doesn't make any impact," Bommai said in response to a question on the impact of Sonia, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi's marching in the state as part of the yatra.

To a question on the ruling BJP planning rallies and state wide travel of its leaders, to counter Congress' yatra, he said these were all planned much earlier.

"As I had said earlier there will be six rallies, this will be part of that...we had planned it earlier, but as there was assembly session, we had decided to do it after Dussehra," he added.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra here, participating in a public event of the party after a long gap. -- PTI

13:06 Ambani threat call: One nabbed from Bihar

The Mumbai Police on Thursday detained a person from Bihar's Darbhanga in a case related to threat calls to Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and his family.

The Mumbai Police detained the accused person from Bihar with the help of the Bihar Police at midnight. Further probe into the matter is underway.

A threat call was received at HN Reliance Foundation Hospital on Wednesday where the unknown caller threatened to blow up the hospital and issued death threats to the Ambani family. -- ANI

Rahul Gandhi tweeted this image of an elephant with her calf

12:56 Bommai responds to Rahul's distress on elephant

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said he will respond to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's letter, seeking his intervention for providing timely treatment to a "severely injured" elephant calf at the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, on humanitarian grounds.

He said he will speak to forest department officials and see to it that treatment is provided to the injured calf.

"I have just come to Bengaluru, in another half-n-hour, I will get all the details, will speak to senior forest officials and see what all can be done for the elephants immediately. They (elephants) are natural habitants, to what extent human interference can happen (will be looked into) and will verify on how treatment can be given, and will get it done," Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters here on returning from Mysuru, he said, "What he (Rahul Gandhi) has raised, I will respond to it. It needs to be done on a humanitarian grounds and will get it done."

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday had written a letter to Bommai seeking his intervention for providing timely treatment to a severely injured elephant calf at the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. He said he came across the injured calf during his visit to the Reserve, along with his mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Nagarahole, spread over Mysuru and Kodagu, covers an area of 847.981 Sq km. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are in the state for the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. They participated in the march on Thursday morning when it resumed at Bellale in Pandavapura Taluk in Mandya District. PTI

12:14 Sonia's 1st road show since 2016

"Those shielded by love fear nothing!

On the road, marching ahead," tweets @INC.

12:12 Sonia's shoe lace comes undone. Guess who tied it?

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra here, participating in a public event of the party after a long gap. Along the way, her shoe laces came undone and her son Rahul Gandhi who was walking beside her and is leading the yatra, bent down and tied the laces.

The Congress party handle @INCIndia, tweeted this image alongside, writing, "Ma (heart emoji".

Amid cheers and slogan-shouting by party workers, Sonia Gandhi walked beside Rahul and other leaders for a few kilometres in Mandya district of Karnataka.

A number of senior Congress leaders, including former chief minister Siddaramaiah and PCC president D K Shivakumar, walked along with the Gandhis. Security personnel had a tough time controlling the crowds which jostled to get a glimpse of the Congress president.

This is the first time that Sonia Gandhi has joined a public event after recovering from COVID-19 earlier this year.

The Congress president had contracted coronavirus twice and was also hospitalised.

Sonia Gandhi has not been electioneering or participating in public events of the party for a long time due to health reasons.

She had last participated in a roadshow in Varanasi in August 2016 where she sustained a shoulder injury and later underwent a surgery.

The 3,570 km long Bharat Jodo Yatra began from Kanyakumari on September 8. With the Yatra, the Congress said it wants to combat the alleged divisive politics of the BJP-led Central government.

11:49 Sand mafia injure RTI activist, kill son in Guj

A 24-year-old man was killed and his father, a Right to Information activist, was grievously injured after a man accused of illegal sand mining allegedly rammed their scooter with his SUV in Gujarat's Kutch district.

The accused was arrested following the incident which took place on October 3, local police said. RTI activist Ramesh Balia, a native of Meghpar village in Lakhpat tehsil, had lodged complaints of illegal sand mining against Navalsinh Jadeja, police said.

On October 3, when Balia and his son Narendra were returning home after visiting Dayapar village around 6.30 pm, Jadeja's SUV rammed them from behind and ran them over.

While Narendra Balia died on the spot, his father, a local Dalit leader, was rushed to a hospital in Bhuj for treatment, said inspector S A Maheshwari of Nara police station.

A First Information Report was registered against Jadeja for alleged murder as well as under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.

A team of the local crime branch arrested Jadeja a day after the incident. A court sent him in one-day police custody on Wednesday, the police officer said. -- PTI

11:34 India's service sector activity falls to 6-month low

The Indian services sector activity fell to a six-month low in September, as new business inflows rose at the slowest rates since March, amid inflationary pressures and competitive conditions, a monthly survey said.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global India Services PMI Business Activity Index fell to 54.3 in September, from 57.2 in August, highlighting the weakest rate of expansion since March.

For the 14th straight month, the services sector witnessed an expansion in output. In Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below 50 denotes contraction.

"The Indian service sector has overcome many adversities in recent months, with the latest PMI data continuing to show a strong performance despite some loss of growth momentum in September," said Pollyanna De Lima, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. The upturn was reportedly restricted by price pressures, an increasingly competitive environment and unfavourable public policies, the survey said.

Lima further noted that the steep depreciation of the rupee seen towards the end of the month due to interest rate hikes in the US present additional challenges to the Indian economy. -- PTI

11:23 Rape-accused Nepali captain arrested

Former Nepali National team captain Sandeep Lamichhane, accused of raping a minor, was arrested and taken into custody by police at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu.

10:33 Team India leaves for Australia

The India men's cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, left for Australia on Thursday morning for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, starting from October 16.

Virat Kohli shares this picture tweeting, "Australia bound . Exciting times ahead. @yuzi_chahal @HarshalPatel23."

Baby Aroohi Dheri with her parents. Pic: Merced County Sheriff's Office/FB

10:31 Kidnapped PIO family found dead in California

Kidnapped Indian-origin baby, parents and uncle found dead in orchard, says California cop.

36-year-old Jasdeep Singh, 27-year-old Jasleen Kaur, their eight-month-old child Aroohi Dheri along with 39-year-old Amandeep Singh had abducted, Merced County Sheriff's Office in a statement on Monday.

The site of the alleged abduction is a roadway lined with retailers and restaurants.

NBC News reported that officials have not named a suspect or a possible motive.

Authorities earlier said the four were taken by a convicted robber who tried to kill himself a day after the kidnappings. The kidnapper made no ransom demands but the sheriff has said he believes it was a financially motivated crime.

10:22 Charles to be crowned king in June 2023

King Charles III's coronation ceremony is set to take place on June 3, 2023, according to Page Six. Page Six quoted a UK-based publication saying that the coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey.

They further reported that the ceremony would be much smaller than his mother's, in a more modest way. Despite the fact that Charles took the throne two days after Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September of old age, his reign as a king will officially begin in June. Along with him, Camilla Parker-Bowles will be crowned as Queen Consort.

Charles will then become the oldest monarch in British history, having turned 74 by the time of the coronation.

As per tradition, the incoming king will sit on the throne known as Edward's Chair (named after King Charles II in 1661) while wielding the sovereign's sceptre, rod, and orb, which symbolises the Christian world. -- ANI

10:06 Sensex climbs 513 points in early trade

Equity benchmark indices began the trade on a positive note on Thursday amid fresh foreign capital inflows and mixed trends in Asian markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 513.29 points to 58,578.76 in early trade. The broader NSE Nifty advanced 154.5 points to 17,428.80.

Among the 30-share Sensex pack, Tata Steel, Larsen & Toubro, HCL Technologies, Sun Pharma, ICICI Bank, Maruti and Axis Bank were among the winners. However, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, Hindustan Unilever and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the laggards.

09:32 Sonia joins Rahul at Yatra in Karnataka

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Mandya district in the presence of Rahul Gandhi along with several other leaders and party workers.

09:25 From torture chamber in Ukraine a reminder of Nazi concentration camps

Update from Ukraine where the war is in its eight month.

Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine, tweets, "This is a box with extracted gold teeth, which was found in a terrible torture chamber in the village Pisky-Radkivski, liberated from Russians. Local residents told police that they constantly heard screams from there. Doesn't remind you of anything from the past history?"

Sonia Gandhi arrived in Mysuru two days ago

09:20 Sonia joins Yatra in Karnataka

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi joins 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Mandya district of Karnataka.

Sonia Gandhi had not campaigned for the party during elections in the recent past due to health reasons.

It will be after a long time that Gandhi will participate in the party's public event where a large number of Congress workers are participating.

She and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge will join the march today, after a two-day break.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the 28th day of its almost five month journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi will undertake the entire 3,570 km Yatra.

09:11 Nine dead in bus accident in Kerala's Palakkad

Nine people, including five students, were killed in a collision between a private tourist bus and a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus at Vadakkenchery here, police said on Thursday. The accident occurred around 11.30 pm on Wednesday, an officer of the Vadakkenchery police station said. Around 40 people were also injured in the crash, police said.