Encounter Between Security Forces & Terrorists Underway In Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla

Two Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were martyred and an equal number injured in an encounter with terrorists in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, security officials said on Friday. The gunfight broke out when a joint security party of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Naidgham area in the Chhatroo belt, they added.

Leaders and supporters of the CPI(M)-led Left Front camped near the Kolkata Police headquarters on Friday evening to press for the resignation of commissioner Vineet Goyal over alleged mishandling of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar hospital on August 9.

The government on Friday cut the duty on onion export to 20 per cent from 40 per cent.The duty cut will be effective from Saturday, the finance ministry said in a notification.The 40 per cent export duty had been in place since May 4.Earlier in the day, the government removed the minimum export price of USD 550 per tonne on onion to boost outbound shipment and enhance farmers' incomes.

Senior IPS officer Amrit Mohan Prasad was on Friday appointed as the Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), according to an official order. Prasad, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Odisha cadre, is presently working as Special Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said he had no problem with other countries commenting on Indian politics, but they should also be prepared to hear his comments on their politics.

He made the sharp remarks during his interaction with the Indian community here.

Jaishankar was asked a question about some foreign diplomats based in New Delhi having personal meetings with certain opposition leaders in their state.

The External Affairs Minister did not answer it directly but said, “I have no problem if people comment about our politics, but then, I think in fairness, they should also be ready to hear my comments about their politics.” “And so, how to get a more mutually respectful world, more equal world? Because everybody says they know,” he said and then referring to George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, he said, “Some are more equal than others. How do you actually create that?” “I think that's also one of the big debates, which is today taking place in the world,” said the EAM, who is on the last leg of his three-nation trip - earlier he visited Germany and Saudi Arabia.

 Ram Temple Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Misra on Friday said that the work on Ram Temple complex will be concluded by June 30, 2025.

Friday was the second day of the three-day meeting of the Ram Temple Construction Committee being held in Ayodhya.

In a statement issued, Misra said, "It is estimated that the construction of the (temple's) 'Shikhar' (spire) will take about 120 days. Our target was December, but it is not possible." "The construction of the spire will be completed by February 2025. The idols of the Sapta Mandir being built in the complex are being made in Jaipur. The idols of sages and saints would be installed here. This work will be completed by December 2024. The work of the Ram Mandir complex will be completed by June 30, 2025," Misra said.

Meanwhile, a member of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Anil Mishra on Thursday said that the trust is working to ensure that the supplies of essential stones required for the construction are unloaded in the premises in time and a substantial number of workers engaged in the project be arranged.

Unemployment in J-K highest in 45 years, alleges Congress

“They was ED, CBI was misused, false allegations were made...BJP used to think that after the CM went to jail, AAP would finish, and Arvind Kejriwal would break, but today Arvind Kejriwal didn't break, instead, he was released...Today, the dictatorship has lost, the Constitution of India has won...” said Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai after Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by Supreme court. 

After being released from Tihar jail, AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal held a roadshow near Chandgiram Akhara in Civil Lines, Delhi.

"CM Arvind Kejriwal is coming out of jail today. This is a big day for AAP and democracy. Today justice has won..." AAP MP Raghav Chadha said after Delhi CM Kejriwal walked out of Tihar jail. 

Observing that Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case was unjustified, Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday slammed the agency, and said it must dispel the notion of being a caged parrot.A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan granted him bail in the case.

In his first remarks after being released from the Tihar Jail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said he will continue to fight "anti-national" forces working to weaken the nation, and asserted the incarceration has only strengthened his resolve.

"I want to thank people who prayed for my release. You have braved rain to come here and I am thankful to you. Every drop of my blood is dedicated in the service of my nation. In my entire life, I have faced difficulties but the God has always been with me," Kejriwal said.

"Today I want to say that I have come out of jail and my courage has increased 100 times...The walls of their jail cannot weaken the courage of Kejriwal...I will pray to god to continue showing me the right path and I will continue fighting against all the power who are trying to weaken the country and divide the country..." Arvind Kejriwal said after getting released. 

After being released from Tihar Jail, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "I have faced many difficulties in my life but God has supported me at every step. This time too God supported me because I was honest, right."

"Port Blair was the colonial name...The new name Sri Vijaya Puram is to commemorate the freedom struggle. This decision by Amit Shah is a welcome step...We support this step," Union Minister Athawale said. 

A Varanasi court has rejected a petition filed by the Hindu side requesting to order the local district magistrate to repair the basement of Vyas ji located within the premises of Gyanvapi mosque complex here. The Varanasi district magistrate is the local custodian of the complex.

IndiGo and SpiceJet on Friday evening said that flight schedules may get affected due to bad weather in the national capital while the Delhi airport saw diversion of one flight amid heavy rains. On Friday, heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi on Friday afternoon and the weather department has predicted more showers.

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the CBI's submission that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should be sent to the trial court with his plea seeking bail in the corruption case lodged by the agency in connection with the excise policy 'scam'.The top court said that generally, the trial court should consider the prayer seeking bail once a charge sheet is filed as the material that an investigating authority may have been able to procure would undoubtedly facilitate that court to form a prima facie opinion on the gravity of the offence and the degree of involvement of the accused.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked him to send the final report on the damage due to the devastating flood in the state.Shah made the request to the chief minister during a telephonic talk on the flood that left 36 people dead and over one lakh people homeless between August 19 and 23.

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited has restored power connections for 245 customers in the Thane district under its amnesty scheme 'Abhay Yojana', an official said on Friday.     Under the scheme, launched on September 1 for users with a “permanently disconnected” tag, MSEDCL restores power supply on payment of 30 per cent of dues. It also provides a 100 per cent waiver on interest and delayed payment charges for those settling the principal outstanding.

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim bail till January 30 to four co-owners of the basement of an Old Rajinder Nagar coaching centre where three civil services aspirants drowned in July.Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while pronouncing the verdict on the bail pleas of the four accused, said the relief is subject to the co-owners depositing Rs 5 crore with the Red Cross.

It will be in the interest of the nation and West Bengal if Mamata Banerjee resigns as chief minister of the eastern state, senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said on Friday. The TMC government is facing large-scale protests over the brutal rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Junior doctors have been on 'cease work' since then.

Junior doctors on Friday started a clinical camp named 'Abhaya Clinic' at Swasthya Bhawan amid protests over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident.

 Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty took a breather on Friday after a record rally in the previous session and ended marginally lower on the emergence of profit-taking.In a volatile trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell by 71.77 points or 0.09 per cent to close at 82,890.94. During the day, it dived 309.49 points or 0.37 per cent to 82,653.22.

India on Friday successfully test-fired the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VLSRSAM) for the second consecutive day from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the Odisha coast, defence sources said.A statement from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) confirmed that both tests on September 12 and 13 were successful.

GK shooting case transferred to Special Cell 

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says, "One September 15, PM Modi will launch the allotment of the 2 crore new residences... In Jharkhand under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, almost 20,000 beneficiaries will be given the acceptance letter..."

 Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal have written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting their intervention in the RG Kar hospital impasse.

Copies of the four-page letter written by the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front were also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

 The Odisha government on Friday withdrew its decision to set up beach shacks serving liquor on Puri beach, two days after the Puri Shankaracharya and various socio-cultural organisations opposed the move.

In a notification, the excise department said no licences will be granted for beach shacks within the jurisdiction of Puri municipality or within 5km of any site of socio-religious or cultural significance.

Police used water cannons on Friday to disperse protestors demanding the demolition of a mosque built on encroached land in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bhupinder Hooda, Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala are among the 40 star campaigners for the party for the October 5 Haryana Assembly polls.

The names of Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers' protest against then WFI chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and recently joined the Congress, also figure in the list of the party's star campaigners.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid underway in Chakraberia, Kolkata and 6 other places in various districts including Basanti, Jaynagar, Kalyani of the state, in connection with Public Distribution System scam case. 

Delhi: On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia says, "... As per the bail order in the ED's case of July 12,... He shall not visit the office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat... This CM cannot visit the CM office... He shall not sign any official files unless a clearance from the LG is required... He shall not make any statements regarding his role in the present case... He cannot interact with any of the witnesses or have any access to the official files connected with the case..."

Security tightened in Jail Road area ahead of protest by Hindu organisations over mosque row in Mandi. The mosque authorities themselves have demolished the unauthorised portion of the mosque.

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia says, "His argument in the court was that his arrest is illegal. The SC has said today that the appellant's arrest does not suffer from any illegality... The arrest was constitutional... The Supreme Court busted the propaganda of the Aam Aadmi Party... Arvind Kejriwal never got relief from any court and no charges have been quashed... He has not been discharged... There is no question of acquittal because the trial will continue... The AAP has to answer why Arvind Kejriwal is not resigning... The BJP has zero tolerance against corruption... The corrupt Arvind Kejriwal will bow down one day and the people will take the resignation from him..."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Delhi Excise Policy Case, nearly six months after his arrest, reacting to the development, BJP said that Kejriwal's arrest was lawful and justified and asked for his resignation. 

The case, involving alleged corruption in the excise policy, was initiated by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI). 

The Supreme Court order of granting bail will be given to Kejriwal's lawyers in about 1 hour. 

After that Kejriwal's lawyers will take the order to the lower court where the lower court will decide the bail conditions. The release order will reach Tihar and Kejriwal would be out of jail. 

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail, AAP MP Raghav Chadha says, "... I thank the Supreme Court... He (Arvind Kejriwal) is not just a name, but a brand of honest politics. He had to go to jail for 6 months because of his increasing popularity... AAP will get more strength... I welcome the decision... Welcome Back Arvind Kejriwal... We will make the further strategy after reading the final order of the Supreme Court to understand the conditions under which the bail has been given... There is a wave of joy in Delhi and the country... Arvind Kejriwal will lead the campaign for the AAP in the upcoming Haryana elections now..."

 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita on Friday congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to her husband and wished for the release of other leaders lodged in Tihar jail.

‘Congratulations to AAP family! Kudos for staying strong Wishing also the soonest release of our other leaders.’, wrote Sunita Kejriwal on X

The AAP on Friday hailed the Supreme Court decision granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the corruption case linked to the excise policy 'scam' as "victory of truth".

The apex court granted bail to Kejriwal in the excise policy case by the CBI paving way for his release.

“We salute to Supreme Court, Truth has come out” said former deputy CM Manish Sisodia
"Finally justice prevails, It is the time to celebrate" Sisodia added further. 

Supreme Court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal In CBI Case

Judgement pronouncement on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail plea started in SC

J Kant: Based on arguments, we have framed 3 questions. Whether there was illegality in arrest, whether appellant should be allowed regular bail, whether filing of chargesheet is change in circumstance enough to relegate to TC

Supreme Court to pronounce judgment on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's petitions challenging CBI arrest and seeking bail in the CBI case.

Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan will pronounce separate judgments.
 

More than 48,000 idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Gauri were immersed in Mumbai on the sixth day of the festival dedicated to the elephant-headed deity, civic officials said on Friday.

Of the 48,044 idols immersed in the Arabian Sea and artificial ponds in the city till 6 am on Friday, 41,154 were household Ganesh idols, while 535 belonged to ‘sarvajanik mandals'

Three days after the Manipur government imposed a temporary ban on all forms of internet services in the five valley districts, it lifted the restrictions on broadband services "conditionally," subject to fulfillment of several terms and conditions, officials said on Friday.

The road between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is also blocked after the falling of stones at various places. Sonprayag Police, NDRF and SDRF personnel are removing stones from the road and efforts are being made to open the road, as per Rudraprayag Police

The Badrinath National Highway was blocked at Kameda, Nandprayag and Chhinka due to landside after heavy rainfall. 

NIA raids in 14 locations in Punjab, as per sources. The raids are being carried out in different locations across the state. 

Parts of Delhi face waterlogging following overnight heavy rainfall in the city. Visuals from Dhaula Kuan area.

CBI sleuths on Thursday collected the dental impression of Sanjay Roy, arrested prime accused in the rape-murder incident at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, as part of their investigation, an officer said.

Union Minister and former CM HD Kumaraswamy arrives in Nagamangala, Mandya district.   An incident of stone pelting on Ganesh procession occurred here following which violence broke out. As per CM Siddaramaiah, more than 50 people have been arrested in this connection.

 RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder incident | Morning visuals from Swasthya Bhawan, Salt Lake area of West Bengal's Kolkata where junior doctors continue their protest.  

 Drizzling rain continues in parts of National Capital, Delhi. Morning visuals from Copernicus Marg.

The BJP's Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi met Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Thursday and requested him to intervene for a notification of more than 350 roads for mixed-land use and granting of ownership rights to property owners in 69 colonies.

They also requested Saxena for a provision of alternative plots to be given to farmers in exchange for their acquired land, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said in a statement.