India News LIVE: Crucial Nitish-Mamata meeting in Kolkata on April 24; date preponed

Ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, April 23. The date notably has beeen preponed. 

A four-member committee has been constituted to investigate the accident on Pune-Bengaluru Highway on April 23, the Pune DC revealed per ANI. The committee will submit its report within seven days. The collision between a bus and a truck killed four and injured 22. 

A broken Pakistani drone was found in farmer's fields while crop harvesting in Dera Baba Nanak village, a border town of Gurdaspur, the BSF informed. A search operation is underway, per ANI.

A male Cheetah named Uday brought from South Africa has died during treatment after falling ill at Kuno National Park. Reason for death is yet to be ascertained, MP Chief Conservator of Forest JS Chauhan announced in a press note per ANI. This is the second such incident after another a female Namibian Cheetah Sasha died of kidney ailments in March.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will meet Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on April 23. The Bihar CM is also scheduled to meet his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on April 25. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in an official release said that the Centre is making all efforts to evacuate Indians stuck in Sudan which is experiencing a civil war. The MEA said that two C-130J planes of IAF are on standby in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah. 

The Bar Council of India (BCI), on Sunday, passed a resolution opposing the grant of legal recognition to same-sex marriages. Currently, the hearing is underway in the Supreme Court regarding the legalisation of same-sex marriage in India. "Considering the socio-religious structure of the country, we thought it (same-sex marriage) is against our culture. Such decisions would not be taken by courts. Such moves must come from process of legislation," Manan Kumar Mishra, Advocate and Chairman of BCI said.

"To divert people's attention they made TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) to BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi). CM KCR should know that it's his end in Telangana and he is talking about becoming PM of India," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at 'Sankalp Sabha' in Hyderabad's Chevella on April 23. 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to visit Kolkata to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna at 2 pm on April 25, ANI reported. 

"We have been waiting for 2.5-3 months. There was a committee established but what report it submitted, we have not been informed. The federation is functioning normally, so none of our demands were met," wrestler Sakshi Malikkh told Republic TV. "Now even the public has started saying that 'your complaint was false that is why it happened. But what would we get by lying. We are fighting for the truth so that the future of wrestling is in safe hands," she added. 

"Two days ago, seven women have filed complaints, one of whom is a minor and they are not filing an FIR, its about to be 48 hours now," Malikkh further revealed. The wrestlers are protesting at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who was accused of sexual harassment by female athletes. Singh resigned as WFI head after the allegations but no action has been taken against him, the wrestlers allege. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah landed in Telangana on April 23 to address the Vijay Sankalp Sabha in Hyderabad's Chevella.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the 'Jana Samparka' rally in Karnataka's Vijaypura on April 23. He will also address the crowd there.

A huge crowd showed up to the rally carried out by Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on April 23 ahead of the Karnataka elections scheduled for May 10. "Corruption is an integral part of Congress. The Congressmen, who have looted thousands of crores in Karnataka, including the irrigation scam, SC-ST students' bed-pillow scam, are doing the work of dividing the caste by creating animosity between the castes," Bommai said at the rally. 

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik break down while interacting with the media as they protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

"It's been 3 months, and we haven't got justice, that's why we are protesting again. We demand justice, FIR has not been registered yet. We are grateful that DCW is supporting us," Wrestler Vinesh Phogat on DCW's notice to Delhi Police for reportedly failing to register an FIR in sexual harassment case of women wrestlers.

India's top wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar said, "FIR should be lodged at the earliest. Sexual assault charges are against Brij Bhusan and it has been over 2.5 months. We should be told if something will happen or not...The committee and Sports Ministry are not replying to our calls. We still believe that we will get justice. An athlete puts in years of effort, we hope we are heard."

Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh was brought to Assam's Dibrugarh jail after he was arrested from Punjab's Moga district on April 23. 

"Earlier also we have been taking out flag marches. The situation is normal and peaceful. Police is determined to maintain law and order. We are reaching every nook and corner of the city," Gurvinder Singh, SP Bathinda said.

"Several women wrestlers of the country had given a complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI President at Connaught Place Police Station two days ago. One of the complainants is also a minor. Till now the Delhi Police has not registered an FIR in the matter, which is against the law. Have given notice to police, reply to DCW in 48 hours," DCW Chairperson tweeted. 

Enraged over the rape and murder of a minor girl and the way police appeared to be dragging the dead body of the victim on the road in West Bengal's North Dinajpur, NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo said, "We met with the victim's family members and the villagers. We have considered all their statements and noted them. We will verify all the facts with the police and the doctor."

Addressing a press briefing, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh released the first statement after Amritpal Singh's arrest. "It had been 35 days. Today Amritpal Singh was arrested. Action will be taken against those who try to disrupt the country's peace and law. We will not disturb any innocent person. We don't do vendetta politics," Bhagwant Mann said. He also appealed to maintain peace and order across the state. 

Alert troops of BSF recovered two packets (packed in a bag), suspected to be heroin, at the Pakistan border in Amritsar Sector.

Rajasthan BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena has come forward to support the family of the tea vendor who allegedly committed suicide earlier this week. Ram Prasad Meena, a resident of Jaipur ended his life after which two people identified as Devendra Sharma and Lalit Sharma were arrested on Saturday. Read Full Story Here

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials have predicted that another western disturbance will arrive on Sunday and will keep the temperatures below 40 degrees Celsius threshold. The month of April is likely to end on a cooler note than usual, similar to what happened last month.  Read Full Story Here

"Amritpal Singh came to the Rodewal Gurudwara on Saturday night. He himself informed the police about his presence and that he will surrender this morning at 7 AM," claimed Singh Sahib Giani Jasbir Singh Rode of Rodewal Gurudwara in Punjab's Moga, while narrating the sequence of events leading up to the arrest of Waris Punjab De's chief.  Read Full Story Here

"Amritpal Singh came to the Rodewal Gurudwara on Saturday night. He himself informed the police about his presence and that he will surrender this morning at 7 AM," claimed Singh Sahib Giani Jasbir Singh Rode of Rodewal Gurudwara in Punjab's Moga, while narrating the sequence of events leading up to the arrest of Waris Punjab De's chief.  Read Full Story Here

The Supreme Court's five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud postponed hearing petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages in India. According to sources, the bench will not be hearing various petitions for same-sex marriage on Monday due to the indisposition of two judges of the five-judge Constitution Bench who have been reportedly diagnosed with COVID-19. Read Full Story Here

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday, April 23 said, "Few countries, after growing, try to exert their power. Earlier Russia was doing this then the US took over. Now China has come, it seems China will overtake America now. Because of this America and China are fighting making Ukraine a pawn."
 

Days after Angkita Dutta filed a harassment complaint, Assam police reached the residence of the Indian Youth Congress' chief Srinivas BV.

Assam police registered a case on Saturday based on the complaint filed by Angkita Dutta, former President of Assam Youth Congress against Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas BV. In her complaint, Angkita alleged Srinivas BV of “harassing” and “discriminating” against her for the past 6 months.

According to sources, mafia don Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf's killers' custody remand will end on Sunday. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police needs to find answers before 5 pm today. There's a possibility of custody remand being extended. All three shooters will be reportedly lodged in different cells of the jail. 

Amid a spate of COVID-19 cases, four Supreme Court judges have come in contact with the virus, while one has recently recovered. As per sources in the Supreme Court, Justices Aniruddha Bose, S Ravindra Bhat, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra are currently down with coronavirus while Justice Surya Kant just recovered a week ago. Notably, Justice Bhat was till Thursday sitting as part of the five-judge Constitution Bench hearing the same-sex marriage case physically in the top Court.

Confirming fugitive Amritpal Singh's arrest, Punjab Police urged citizens to maintain peace and harmony and insisted to not share any fake news without verifying. 

Jasbir Rode, the nephew of Bhindranwale, claimed that Amritpal Singh offered prayers before he was arrested. Jasbir Rode was aware of the location of Amritpal Singh. Rode claimed that the police were informed last night that Amritpal will surrender by 7 am today.

According to sources, radical preacher Amritpal Singh stayed at the same Gurudwara in village Rode in Moga last night i.e. Saturday, April 22. IG Intelligence, Amritsar rural police, and the Moga police team reached Gurudwara and arrested Amritpal. 

A special plane will be arranged to shift Amritpal Singh from Punjab's Bathinda to Assam's Dibrugarh jail. The plane will take off at 8.30 am for Assam. 

After a month-long chase, Punjab police on Sunday, April 23 detained fugitive Waris De Punjab chief and radical preacher Amritpal Singh. According to sources, Amritpal who was declared a fugitive was detained by the Punjab police from a Gurudwara in Moga on Sunday morning.

Fugitive Waris De Punjab chief and radical preacher Amritpal Singh can be flown to Assam's Dibrugarh jail where other members of his outfit are already lodged. according to sources.