SC Bar Association Commences Farewell Function For CJI Chandrachud

A top official of the Army's White Knight Corps visited Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Friday to review the ongoing operations to track down terrorists responsible for the killings of two Village Defence Guards.

The bodies of Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar, the two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) killed by terrorists, were found near a rivulet during a massive search operation, officials said.

The officials said the two VDGs were executed on Thursday after being abducted in the higher reaches of Kishtwar.

On Friday, General Officer Commanding Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps visited the area and reviewed the operations.

A large-scale cordon-and-search operation is underway to apprehend the terrorists responsible for the killings.

"The GOC of White Knight Corps, along with commanders, visited Kishtwar and the general area of Bhart Ridge to review the operations in progress," White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

Hearing a case related to the safety of school children, the Lucknow bench of the High Court on Friday found that the schools in the state have not been inspected for the last 14 years despite guidelines given by the Supreme Court in 2009.

Expressing displeasure over this, the court summoned the 'minutes of meetings' of the National Disaster Management Authority for the last two years.

The court said if we find that the disaster authority has not done anything in this regard despite the apex court's order then appropriate orders will be passed.

The case will be next heard on November 11.

This order has been passed by a division bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Brijraj Singh while hearing a PIL filed by Gomti River Bank residents in 2020.

In the said petition, the issue of schools running in the residential areas of the city has been specifically raised.

During the hearing, the court has emphasized on implementing the guidelines given by the apex court in 2009 in the Avinash Mehrotra case.

In compliance with the order passed in the last hearing, the state government informed that there are a total of about one lakh 41 thousand schools in the state which will take about eight months to inspect.

The court was also informed that an action plan has been prepared to inspect various schools in the state in which it is proposed to include trained people of civil engineering, fire fighting, road transport and basic education officer and district school inspector, the job of these experts will be to evaluate the structural safety and security measures of the schools.

On this, the court said that videography of every inspection will also have to be done.

Amicus curiae will hold talks with the schools that do not allow pick-drop.

During the previous hearing of this case, the court had ordered the school institutions around Hazratganj and Raj Bhavan to provide pick-drop facility to the children up to class 5 from within the school premises.

DCP (traffic) Prabal Pratap Singh, who was present during the hearing, told the court that only three schools have followed this order.

Asserting that "state-sponsored infiltration" was a serious threat to Jharkhand, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said India was not a 'dharmshala' where anyone can come and settle.

Addressing an election rally in Ranchi, he accused the JMM-led ruling coalition of patronising infiltrators, and alleged that they were coming to the state, marrying tribal women by "trapping them in the web of illusion".

"India is not a dharmshala where anyone can come and settle. Foreign infiltrators pose a grave threat to Jharkhand. This country is ours -- our land, water, forests, rivers, mountains, and fields. We will not let anyone else take those from us," he said.

"The JMM-led alliance considers these intruders as its vote bank. In their greed for votes, they are protecting them, getting them enrolled on the voters' list, and helping them get Aadhaar and ration cards. The situation is such that tribal population in Santhal Parganas has come down from 44 per cent to 28 per cent," he claimed.

Chouhan said if the BJP is voted to power in the state, a citizenship register will be made and the infiltrators will be ousted.

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday denied that he joined the BJP-led ruling alliance in the state to avoid investigation by the Enforcement Directorate, and also said he had never made any such admission.

The case against him had been closed when he was part of the previous government and he and his colleagues sided with the BJP to ensure speedy development in their constituencies, he said.

Bhujbal was responding to a claim in a book by journalist Rajdeep Sardesai that he admitted that the ED case was a factor in his decision to part ways with the Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar and support Ajit Pawar who split the party in July 2023.

"I have not read the book. I think it is a deliberate attempt to divert attention. We are in the middle of assembly elections. After the elections, I will consult my lawyers and take action if anything wrong has been attributed to me," he told reporters here.

"My case was closed when I was in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. I deny what is being attributed to me in the media,' Bhujbal added.

Bhujbal was arrested in an alleged money laundering case related to the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi. He was granted bail in 2018.

Earlier in the day, MP Supriya Sule of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) cited excerpts from the book as published by a newspaper, and said they validate her allegations.

The Uttar Pradesh government, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the World Bank on Friday held negotiations for the Rs 3,903 crore Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening project.

The negotiations were held in New Delhi with Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh representing the state government, according to a statement here.

The six-year project aims to revitalise the state's agriculture and allied sectors, enhance productivity and link smallholder farmers to high-value commodity clusters.

Singh outlined the project's pivotal role in advancing the state's vision to achieve a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, it said.

He highlighted that the project will support high-value crop clusters and establish a stronger fisheries ecosystem, with particular focus on the state's eastern and Bundelkhand regions, it added.

The project will also create a digital agriculture platform to provide real-time insights to farmers, helping optimise resources, increase resilience, and boost productivity.

"I am convinced that the farmers of Uttar Pradesh can achieve great things if they are given exposure to the best national and international practices," the chief secretary said.

The project's key components under discussion include climate-resilient productivity enhancement, development of value-added commodity clusters, and strengthening the state's digital and financial ecosystems.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday visited the Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir to review its operational preparedness, officials said.

During the visit, he also encouraged the senior military leadership to stay well-informed about geopolitical developments, reinforcing the need to continuously strengthen the Indian Army's readiness to counter "evolving threats from adversaries".

General Dwivedi also toured the forward operational areas in the Kathua-Pathankot region, where he was briefed by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Yol-based Rising Star Corps on the prevailing security situation and the operational readiness of the troops stationed there, a senior official said.

The Chief of the Army Staff visited the headquarters of the Western Command at Chandimandir today to review the operational preparedness of the Command, he said.

Chandinandir is located in Haryana's Panchkula district.

During his visit, General Dwivedi was briefed by the Army Commander of the Western Command, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, on various key operational, training, logistical and administrative aspects critical to the command's effectiveness.

Allowing an appeal against a family court judgment, Allahabad High Court has declared as "void" the 2004 "wedding" of a man who was 12 years old at the time with a nine-year-old girl.

It also ordered that the man pay his "wife" Rs 25 lakh.

In a 47-page judgment after holding that the suit was filed within the limitation and the appellant husband alone was entitled to file it, the high court observed that the family court erred in dismissing the matter.

The judgment was passed on October 25 by a bench of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Donadi Ramesh, allowing the appeal filed by the "husband" against the judgment of the principal judge at the family court in Gautam Buddh Nagar.

In the suit filed before the family court, the appellant sought that his "marriage", solemnised on November 28, 2004, be declared "void".

According to documents, the appellant was born on August 7, 1992, while the respondent (wife) was born on January 1, 1995.

The high court said, "The appellant was more than 18 years of age. He alone could have filed that suit in his individual capacity. As to limitation, we have already reached a conclusion considering the decision of the Supreme Court that the appellant had limitation available up to 23 years of age to institute that suit. Undoubtedly, on the date of institution of the suit by the appellant, he was less than 23 years of age." "Accordingly, the order of the learned court below cannot be sustained. It is set aside. The transaction of 'child marriage' performed between the parties is declared void. Let Rs 25,00,000 (Rs 25 lakh) be paid to the respondent (wife) within a period of one month. Failing that, the awarded amount shall carry interest of 8 per cent after one month till the date of its actual payment," the bench further said. 

Twelve leaders from different political parties, including two former MLAs, joined the opposition Congress in Manipur on Friday.

They were welcomed to the party by former CM Okram Ibobi Singh at the Congress Bhavan in Imphal.

Among those who joined the party were former MLAs Kh Loken Singh and Z Kikhonbou Newmai.

Threatening "violent armed conflict", the NSCN-IM on Friday sought a third-party intervention to address the impasse over the Naga political issue.

The group, which has maintained ceasefire since 1997, accused the Centre of "betraying" the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.

In a statement, NSCN-IM general secretary Th Muivah claimed the Centre was "deliberately refusing" to honor the key provisions of the historic agreement, specifically the recognition of the "Naga national flag and constitution".

Muivah said NSCN-IM was committed to protect the unique history and "sovereignty" of Nagalim -- Naga-inhabited areas of Arunachal, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, and parts of Myanmar -- and vowed that these principles were "non-negotiable" in any political settlement.

He said the Centre's failure to abide by the Framework Agreement could lead to a "renewed violent confrontation".

Muivah said the 2015 agreement, signed between the Centre and the NSCN-IM, was hailed for officially recognising the Naga issue as "a conflict between two sovereign entities".

It also acknowledged Nagalim's "sovereign national flag and constitution", marking a significant shift from the traditional stance that the conflict was an internal matter for India, he said.

The Andhra Pradesh government is working towards extending comprehensive Whatsapp governance to the people of the state by March end.

IT minister Nara Lokesh said this on Friday during a review of Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The IT Minister observed that 100 services will be available by the end of November and in another 90, days students will be able to obtain documents through QR (Quick Response) codes.

"We are swiftly doing the work needed for this. We are working towards extending comprehensive Whatsapp governance to people from March end," said an official press release, quoting Lokesh.

According to Lokesh, there would be no need to physically submit documents which are digitally endorsed.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed officials to speed up data integration work and called for the issuance of Aadhar cards to every new born baby in the state.

He noted that there should be nobody without an Aadhaar card in the state.

Further, Naidu told officials that RTGS should emerge as a major source of data for the government and called for the integration of data from all the wings of government.

Over 3.5 lakh earthen lamps will be lit at Vasudev Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna river here next week ahead of Dev Deepawali, Guru Purab and the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda, according to an official statement.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena will attend the function next Wednesday and also perform Yamuna Aarti on the occasion, it said, adding that Vasudev Ghat has been recently redeveloped and is situated near the Kashmere Gate ISBT. "Over 3.5 lakh diyas will be lit at the ghat by people from various walks of life. A captivating drone and laser show is also planned at the event. A grand Ram Darbar will be housed in the 'Baradari' at Vasudev Ghat," the statement said.

It stated that the Vasudev Ghat, which was inaugurated in March, stands as a testament to the Delhi L-G's commitment to rejuvenation of the Yamuna and its floodplain by bringing the people of the city closer to the river and making them stakeholders in its cleaning.

Dilli Deepotsav will serve as marking the confluence between spirituality and environmental sustainability, the statement said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, claiming that women felt scared wherever they saw someone associated with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party.

Adityanath on Friday addressed several rallies for the Rashtriya Lok Dal's (RLD) Meerapur candidate Mithilesh Pal and BJP nominees Ramveer Singh Thakur (Kundarki) and Sanjeev Sharma (Ghaziabad).

Bypolls are being held in nine assembly seats -- Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad) -- in Uttar Pradesh on November 20.

According to a statement issued in Lucknow, Adityanath claimed that during the Yadav-led party's government between 2012 and 2017, a slogan was used that suggested a goon sat inside any vehicle that had the Samajwadi Party flag.

Pointing to the recent rape cases in Ayodhya and Kannauj and the alleged connection of the accused with the Samajwadi Party, he said, "'Jahaan dikhe SPaayee, wahaan bitiyaa ghabraayee (daughters are scared wherever they see Samajwadi Party people)'." "Everyone has seen their deeds in Ayodhya and Kannauj," he added.

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Friday said his party's fight was not just against the TMC but also the police, and claimed that the state's ruling side would not last 15 minutes "if the police were removed".

Majumdar made the statement while addressing an election rally in Bankura's Taldangra where an assembly bypoll will be held on November 13.

At the same rally, Bankura's BJP MLA Niladri Shekhar Dana stoked a controversy by asking people to "arm themselves in self-defence against political violence".

Majumdar, a Union minister, said BJP would win elections in West Bengal if the state machinery was neutral.

"The fight is not just against the TMC but also against the police. If you remove the police, the TMC wouldn't last 15 minutes. The police act like party cadres of the TMC," he claimed.

He also targeted a section of police officers, alleging that they were working as per TMC's directions.

Various central and state agencies besides police forces agreed on the need for stronger collaborative efforts backed by a standardised strategy to combat terrorism, particularly with respect to cybercrime during a two-day anti-terror conference organised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which concluded on Friday.

The conference focused on the need for a unified approach to deal with terrorism across states in the interest of national security, according to an official statement.

Consensus emerged during the sessions on the importance of a holistic, well-rounded strategy, encompassing the entire national framework extending from the government down to the lowest levels of policing and investigation, it said.

"The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) two-day Anti-Terror Conference concluded on Friday with a consensus among various central and state agencies and police forces on the need for stronger collaborative efforts backed by a standardized strategy to combat the menace of terrorism, particularly with respect to cybercrime and financial terrorism," the statement said.

Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, police said.

The gunfight broke out at around 11 am on the forested hills of Rekhapalli-Komathpalli on the tri-junction of Usoor-Basaguda-Pamed in the district, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Personnel belonging to District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved in the operation that was launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area, the IG said.

"After the exchange of fire stopped, the bodies of three Naxalites clad in uniform were recovered from the spot. One self loading rifle (SLR), one sniper weapon, one 12 bore rifle, one muzzle loading rifle, barrel grenade launcher shells and ammunitions were seized," he said.

"The identity of the killed Naxalites has not been ascertained as yet. The search operation is continuing in the area," Sundarraj informed.

With this operation, a total of 192 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, including Bijapur, as per police.

Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on Friday said his ministry had been revamped, with increased budgetary allocations to ensure sufficient funds for welfare schemes aimed at tribal communities.

Oram was speaking here at the inauguration of the eight-day-long Purvottar Aadi Mahotsav, a national festival celebrating tribal craft, culture, cuisine, and commerce.

He said Rs 3.5 lakh-crore will be spent this year for the uplift of the tribals and 25,000 km of roads will be constructed in tribal dominated areas.

‘Janjati Gaurav Divas’ will be observed on November 15 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the central programme at Jamui in Bihar, the Union minister added.

Assam Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu, also present at the inaugural ceremony, highlighted the role of different schemes and agencies for providing market linkages to goods produced by tribal communities.

Union MoS for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey, TRIFED chairman Ramsinh Rathwa were present on the occasion, a statement said.

Organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED), the festival features exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric and jewellery through 104 stalls.

Over 200 tribal artisans and artistes from the north eastern states are participating in the Mahotsav, the statement added. 

Senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Friday said people across Maharashtra wanted the Mahayuti government to retain power after the assembly elections, and to ensure victory of deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Speaking at a campaign rally at Shirala in Sangli district, Shah said the Narendra Modi-led BJP government is in power at the Centre, and the government of the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance was needed to be formed in the state after the elections.

"On November 20, across Maharashtra, there will be voting, and you people have to take a decisive stand. One and a half months ago, I toured the entire state. I have been to Vidarbha, Mumbai, Konkan, Kolhapur, North Maharashtra. Wherever I went, there was this one thing (sentiment) and that was to form the Mahayuti government and make Devendra Fadnavis victorious," said Shah.

With BJP-led governments in both the centre and the state, Maharashtra will become number one in governance, the Union minister added.

Asked by reporters in Pune whether Shah's statement hinted that Fadnavis would become chief minister after the elections, NCP chief and deputy CM Ajit Pawar said the decision would be taken collectively.

The first phase of home voting for the by-elections to seven assembly seats in Rajasthan concluded on Friday, officials said.

Of the total 3,193 voters eligible for home voting, 3,085 have used the to facility to exercise their franchise, a senior official said.

So far, the highest number of home votes has been recorded in the Salumbar Assembly constituency, where 661 eligible voters have cast their ballots, Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan said.

In the first phase of home voting, 3,085 eligible voters comprising senior citizens aged above 85 and differently-abled persons have exercised their franchise, Mahajan said.

Of the total targeted voters in the first phase from Monday to Friday, 71 voters could not cast votes as they were not found at their homes at the scheduled time, he said.

In the second phase of home voting, the polling team will visit the houses of the remaining voters on November 9-10 to conduct voting, the CEO added.

The voting for the by-elections to seven assembly seats of the state - Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Chaurasi, Salumbar and Ramgarh will be held on November 13 and the results will be declared on November 23. 

The Indian Army, Navy and Air Force will conduct a joint Tri-services exercise in the eastern theatre from November 10 to 18 with the aim of training the forces in executing joint operations in mountainous terrain, a Defence official said here on Friday.

During the exercise titled Poorvi Prahar, joint control structures will be set up to to develop a more refined common operating picture and optimise devices that rely on satellite communications and AI-driven analytics.

"Troops will refine their skills and leverage cutting-edge technologies like Swarm drones, first person view (FPV) drones and loiter munitions, which have significantly transformed modern warfare by improving situational awareness, precision and speed," he said.

The exercise, with the objective of enhancing operational readiness and inter-service synergy, will feature participation from a wide array of platforms across all three services, the Defence official said in a press statement.

Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has removed two professors from service for their alleged involvement in irregularities related to regularisation of non-teaching staff.

The university authorities said the decision was prompted by the findings of an inquiry that uncovered unauthorised appointments under a one-time policy for regularising non-teaching positions in 2019.

In a statement issued on Friday, AUD said a probe initiated by the Directorate of Higher Education revealed several irregularities, prompting the university's Board of Management (BoM) to set up an inquiry committee.

"After careful consideration of the inquiry report, written representations, and inputs from the vigilance division, the BoM resolved to remove the two professors from service, effective immediately," the statement said.

The disciplinary action was taken under the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules of 1965, which govern conduct for university staff, it added.

The matter pertains to alleged misuse of power by the professors in question -- who held administrative positions in 2019 -- to illegally appoint non-teaching staff.

The concerned professors could not be reached out for their response to the allegations.

Tamil Nadu government has declared snake bite as a notifiable disease in the state, thus making it mandatory for all government and private hospitals to report data to it for comprehensive prevention and treatment strategies like ramping up clinical infrastructure and allocation of anti-snake venom to prevent deaths.

Snake bite has been declared as a notifiable disease in the state under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939. A Government Order (GO) to this effect was issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on November 4 followed by a Gazette Notification published on November 6, a release here said on Friday.

"Snake bite envenomation is an acute life-threatening medical condition. It is a preventable public health condition often faced by rural population in tropical and subtropical countries," the release said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a global strategy for controlling snake bite-induced deaths and disabilities. And a National Action Plan for prevention and control of Snake bite Envenoming (NAPSE) launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare details the roadmap to halve snake bite deaths by 2030 through one health approach, it said.

The CISF on Friday inked a pact with a private trust that will provide mental and emotional counselling and support to its personnel.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Sanrakshika, the wives' welfare association of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Aditya Birla Education Trust at the paramilitary force's headquarters here, a force spokesperson said.

The trust, through "Project Mann", will provide mental and emotional support to CISF personnel and their families by addressing and alleviating the commonly-faced challenges relating to psychological and emotional health, he said.

Counselling and awareness sessions, psychometric assessment, and a helpline for CISF families will be part of this programme.

The about 1.70-lakh personnel strong CISF is a central armed police force under the Union Home Ministry and guards 68 civil airports apart from vital installations in the aerospace and nuclear power domain. 

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Friday condemning the remarks against women leaders said, “The remarks were undignified and the officials should ensure timely and stern action.”

“In the simplicity of Allahabad and warmth of lawyers, I learned so much. I traveled across the length and breadth of UP. It had a sanctioned strength of 160 judges and when I introduced 117 judges to then CJI TS Thakur he saw I knew the names of all judges. I had an album with a pic of all the judges and I used to see it every morning,” he said. 

“Before I became chief justice of Allahabad HC I was told I am becoming chief justice of Delhi HC, the Delhi HC appointment never came through. Then I was told Madhya Pradesh and even that did not come through. Then one evening I got a call from Justice RM Lodha telling me that I was going to Allahabad HC as CJ. When I told my wife there was a long silence. We ate our meal in absolute silence. I came back and wrote to CJI that I am accepting and I shall be delighted. My experience in Allahabad changed me forever,” CJI said. 

My father was very disciplined but he never disciplined us. He bought a small flat in Pune. I asked him why. He said I know I will not stay in it.. he told me to keep that flat in Pune till you retire as a judge so that you know that if your moral integrity is to be compromised you can know that you have a roof over your head. He insisted that I took up Hindi in college,” CJI Chandrachud said. 

“Thank you so much for such a great honour...I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart the Supreme Court Bar Association for organising this event...My mother told me when I was growing up that I have named you Dhananjay. But the 'dhan' in your 'Dhananjay' is not material wealth. I want you to acquire knowledge,” he added. 

“I was a sick child and prone to falling sick and my mother spent night after night ensuring I got well. She used to recite a shloka.. which meant medicine is like the Ganges and the doctor is in the position of Narayan. I never knew what it meant and all that I knew was that it was followed by bitter medicine. My mother dominated the home,” he said. 

As he began his farewell address, CJI Chandrachud said, “When I became a chief justice of Allahabad HC In every function there used to be 15 to 25 marigold flower garlands.. and my wife used to tell me.. these marigold flowers stained my shirts.. so when I told them don't give me so many flowers and don't take so much pain.. then he said its for them.. so that pictures could be clicked with me..(smiles).” 

SC Bar Association commences farewell function for CJI Chandrachud 

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will shortly commence its farewell function in honor of CJI DY Chandrachud who will demit office on November 10.  Justice Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India on November 9, 2022

Two terrorists were killed on Friday in an overnight encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Their identification and affiliation are being ascertained, the Kashmir Zone police posted on X.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists following the encounter which started on Thursday night after the security forces launched an intelligence-based operation.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) V K Birdi said the operation was launched on Thursday night following information about the presence of ultras in the area.

Hindus facing atrocities in Jharkhand; JMM-led coalition converted Ranchi into Karachi: MP CM Mohan Yadav at poll rally.

Union minister Amit Shah on Friday attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying he should be ashamed of aligning with those who call Hindutva a sham, question the existence of Lord Ram and fed biryani to terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

He also accused NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar of speaking lies that investment was not coming to Maharashtra, and countered him saying that during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)'s rule, the state ranking went down in terms of development, but is now attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) under the Mahayuti government.

Addressing a rally at Karad in Satara district of western Maharashtra ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, Shah dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a "factory of lies" and alleged that he was spreading misinformation about the Agnipath scheme.

Targeting Thackeray, he said he is sitting with those who call Hindutva "pakhand" (sham).

Altogether six Bangladeshi citizens including three transgender people, who were planning to go to Mumbai from Tripura, were arrested from a railway station in West Tripura district, an official said on Friday.

They did not have valid documents to be in India.

Following a tip-off about movement of a group of Bangladeshis, a joint team of GRP and RPF intensified vigil at Jirania railway station on Thursday, the official said.

“Around 4.30 pm, the GRP personnel spotted suspicious movement of a group of people at the platform. On being asked, they claimed they are Indians and came from Bishalgarh in Tripura’s Sepahijala district. However, following intense interrogation, they confessed they came from Bangladesh," Officer in Charge of Agartala GRP police station, Tapas Das, told reporters.

The Kashmir IGP further noted, “12 civilians including children were injured during the attack in Kishtwar.” 

While addressing the media, Kashmir IGP stated, “Three people linked with terror attack have been detained so far.” 

The Aligarh Muslim University fraternity on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling on the institute's minority status, saying it reaffirms the foundation principles on which the institution was established.Professor Faizan Mustafa, a constitutional law expert and former registrar of AMU, who had filed this case in the Supreme Court in his ex-officio position, told PTI, "It is a comprehensive win for minority rights in general and AMU in particular." The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the question of Aligarh Muslim Unversity's (AMU) minority status to a new bench and overruled the 1967 judgement that said the university cannot be considered a minority institution since it was created by a central law.

'No One Can Bring Back Art 370': PM Modi

The CBI has arrested two officials of the Chandigarh Fire Department, including a station fire officer, for allegedly taking a bribe for issuing a no objection certificate from a company dealing in safety equipment, officials said Friday.The CBI arrested Lead Fireman Manimajra Kamleshwar Nehra by laying a trap on Thursday when he was allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 80,000 from an engineer on behalf of Station Fire Officer Dasheru Singh. Singh was arrested later, according to officials.

A host of weapons, possibly used during the rebellion of 1857, was found by a farmer while working in his field in the district, an official said on Friday. District Magistrate Dharmendra Pratap Singh said Baburam was ploughing his field a few days ago when he stumbled upon an item resembling an iron sword. As he continued digging, the farmer uncovered a large number of weapons buried in the ground.

 The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the question of Aligarh Muslim Unversity's minority status to a new bench and overruled the 1967 judgement that said the university cannot be considered a minority institution since it was created by a central law. In a majority verdict headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, the bench laid down tests for considering the issue of AMU's minority status.

Asserting that delay or weak action encourages unethical people, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that prompt legal action against corrupt persons is extremely important.Addressing the vigilance awareness week function of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) here, she said trust is the foundation of social life.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to implement mandatory accessibility standards within three months, in a significant order aimed at improving access to public spaces for persons with disabilities.The order by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud comes in response to slow progress on the accessibility directives issued by the court in a judgement on December 15, 2017.

Congress is Trying to divide country on Basis of Caste: PM Modi

Our Government Has Uplifted Adivasi Community in Dhule: PM Modi.

While addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Dhule, PM Modi said, "I assure you that pace of Maharashtra's development gained in last two-and-a-half years will not be allowed to stop.

We consider people as another form of god, but some people are in politics to loot people: PM Narendra Modi at poll rally in Dhule. 

 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday exhorted police personnel to help the state government in ending the bandh culture by implementing the existing laws.Addressing the 52nd Raising Day of the Arunachal Pradesh Police (APP) at Indira Gandhi Park here, the CM said his government will never tolerate bandh culture in the state which has adverse effects on the society and the people.

Anti-Terror Operation Underway in Baramulla's Sopore Since Morning 

Ruckus prevailed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for the third day on Friday as BJP members protested over the special status resolution, leading the speaker to marshal out 12 opposition MLAs and Langate legislator Sheikh Khurshid.As the House met for the day, BJP MLAs raised slogans like 'Pakistani agenda nahi chalega'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader A Revanth Reddy on his birthday on Friday, and wished for his long and healthy life.Reddy, who is serving as chief minister of Telangana since December 7, 2023, turned 55 on Friday.

At least six houses were torched and residents of a tribal village were attacked by a group of armed militants in ethnic strife-torn Manipur's Jiribam district, police said on Friday.The incident occurred on Thursday evening in Zairon Hmar village after the group of militants set the houses on fire, a senior officer said.

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning, with the AQI reaching 387 while more than 15 monitoring stations reported air quality levels in the worst zone.At 9 am, the AQI stood at 387, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Last Day of J&K Assembly Session Marred by Ruckus and Sloganeering
 

The Sensex and Nifty fell in early trade on Friday amid continuous foreign fund outflows and weak trends in blue-chip stocks Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank. Market watchers said the Indian market is likely to trade sideways till clarity emerges on corporate earnings, pick up in consumption and foreign fund flows.

2 Terrorists Killed in Sopore Encounter

A man has been arrested here in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old beautician in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur whose body was chopped and buried in a pit by the accused, an official has said.      Gulamuddin Farooqui, who was absconding for the last nine days, was apprehended by officials of the V P Road police station along with a team of Rajasthan police officials, he said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday greeted people on the occasion of Chhath and said the glimpses of nature and culture witnessed during the four-day rituals of 'Mahaparva Chhath' will instill new energy in people.     Chhath is a Hindu festival celebrated mainly in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted BJP stalwart L K Advani on his birthday on Friday and said that among India's most admired statesmen, he has devoted himself to furthering the country's development. Advani, former deputy prime minister and former BJP president, turned 97 on Friday.

PM Modi to Attend Public Meetings in Dhule at 12 AM and Nashik at 2 PM

Prime Minister Will hold Mega Rally in Nashik

2 Terrorists Injured in Sopore Encounter 

PM Modi to Kick Start Poll Campaign in Maharashtra Today

Two Village Defence Guards were on Thursday executed by terrorists after their abduction in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said. Sanatan Dharam Sabha called for a complete bandh in Kishtwar in protest against the killings on Friday.

 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and discussed with him ways to take forward contemporary bilateral partnership, with a focus on areas like industrial parks, innovation and semiconductors. Jaishankar is here on the second leg of his two-nation tour which also took him to Australia.

A man has been arrested here in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old woman in Rajasthan's Jodhpur whose body was buried in a pit by the accused, police said here on Thursday.Gulamuddin Farooqui, who was absconding for the last nine days, was apprehended by officials of the V P Road Police Station along with a team of Rajasthan Police officials, an officer said.

Large Number of Devotees Gather at Ghats in Bihar to Offer 'Arghya' to God Sun on Chhath Puja.