Ten Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Friday, a senior police official said. The gunfight broke out in the morning in a forest within the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, said Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoists belonging to Konta and Kistaram area committees of Naxalites on forested hills of Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram and Bhandarpadar villages, he said. A cache of weapons, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47 rifle and a Self Loading Rifle (SLR), were seized from the spot. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised security forces and asserted that his government's priority is to establish peace, facilitate development and ensure the safety of citizens in the Bastar region. “Security forces gunned down 10 Naxalites in a major operation in Sukma district this morning. The state government has been working on the policy of zero tolerance towards Naxalism. Ensuring development, peace and safety of citizens in Bastar is the top priority of the state government. The era of peace, development and progress has returned to Bastar,” Sai said in a statement. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
23 November,2024 08:21 AM IST | Sukma | AgenciesThe Assam Congress on Saturday demanded that investment by Azure Power, which has been charged along with Gautam Adani by US prosecutors for allegedly bribing Indian officials for obtaining solar power contracts, in the state be brought under the purview of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) sought by opposition parties to look into the allegations against the billionaire businessman. State party president Bhupen Kumar Borah claimed that there is a possibility of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma receiving illegal financial gratifications while awarding the solar power projects in the state to Azure Power, which were inaugurated two years ago. Addressing a press conference here, Borah said, “Our party has already demanded a JPC to look into the charges against Adani. We demand that Azure Power’s projects in Assam also be brought under the purview of the JPC when it is formed.” Congress' national president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Friday that a comprehensive JPC probe into all aspects of the Adani group's functioning, including its investments in foreign countries, and institutional erosion in India is the need of the hour. Party leader Rahul Gandhi had also sought Adani’s immediate arrest, claiming that it is now established in the US that the businessman has broken Indian as well as American laws. Adani and seven others have been charged by the US Department of Justice with paying bribes to unidentified officials of state governments in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to buy expensive solar power, potentially earning more than USD 2 billion in profit over 20 years. According to the indictment, Adani Green Energy - the renewable energy arm of the group - in 2021 won a tender to supply 8 gigawatts of solar power to the government-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). New Delhi-based Azure Power, whose officials too have been named along with former executives of Canadian public pension fund manager CDPQ in the case, won a similar 4 GW tender. Referring to Azure Power’s projects in Assam, the state Congress president claimed that illegal gratifications may have been received by the chief minister for clearing these projects. “Gautam Adani had come to Assam and met our Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in February 2022. In July of that year, the state government entered into an agreement with Azure Power to procure electricity from it for 25 years. “Going by the findings of the US probe, we have room to believe that bribes were paid here also. We demand that the JPC sought by opposition parties at the Centre to look into Adani’s dealings also probes Azure Power’s projects in Assam,” Borah added. Projects spread across four districts of Udalguri, Boko, Nagaon and Cachar, and generating a total of 90 MW of solar power were inaugurated by Sarma in July 2022, as per a company release. Borah, however, expressed scepticism over the BJP-led Central government acting against Adani. “No action will be taken against Adani, we know that. But Congress will soon expose with evidence the illegal dealings of Adani,” he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 November,2024 09:59 PM IST | Guwahati | PTIA customer on Friday shot and wounded a petrol pump owner and his son in a fight over money, police said. It happened around 11 am when a youth from Sevdha village came on a motorcycle to the Indian Oil petrol pump in Dulhapur village and asked for a refill worth Rs 100, Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Srivastava said. After the refill, Deependra Singh, a son of petrol pump owner Nanki Devi, asked the customer to pay Rs 50 more since he had filled extra petrol. But when he refused, a fight broke out between the two. After the fight, the customer called up some people from his village, beat the pump staff, and shot Deependra Singh in the stomach and pump owner Nanki Devi in his hand, the SP said. The officer said both wounded were taken to a nearby hospital from where they were referred to SRN Hospital in Prayagraj. The attackers have been identified from footage from CCTV cameras installed at the petrol pump and raids are being conducted to nab them, the officer said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 November,2024 09:53 PM IST | Kaushambi (UP) | PTIThe Telangana government's caste survey has reached 87 per cent of the households, covering over 1.01 crore out of the state’s total 1.16 crore households, official sources said on Friday. Two districts, Jangaon and Mulugu, have achieved 100 per cent coverage, while the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area lags with only 65 per cent completion. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy earlier described the initiative as a "revolutionary journey," asserting it fulfills Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise of ensuring social justice for weaker sections in Telangana. He also reiterated the party’s commitment to pressuring the Centre to include a caste census in the next national census to enable provisions such as enhanced political, educational, and employment reservations by surpassing the 50 per cent cap on quotas. In February, within two months of assuming office, the Congress government approved the "Comprehensive door-to-door household socio, educational, economic, employment, political, and caste survey." The state allocated Rs 153 crore for the survey on November 2. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka stated that 94,750 enumerators and 9,478 supervisors are involved in the operation, with each enumerator assigned 150 households. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 November,2024 09:48 PM IST | Hyderabad | PTIThe fourth edition of the Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil 24 concluded successfully on Thursday. The exercise was conducted in two phases: Phase-I extended from November 13-19 while Phase-II was conducted over a 36-hour period, across all coastal states and Union Territories of India. The exercise demonstrated India’s unwavering commitment to strengthening its maritime security and coastal defence mechanisms. Spanning the entirety of India’s 11,098 km coastline and its Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometers, Sea Vigil 24 witnessed the participation of more than 21 agencies across six ministries. These included the Indian Navy, Army, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, State Marine Police, Customs, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Port Authorities and Fisheries department, among others. The two days of Phase-II of the exercise witnessed extensive deployment of more than 550 surface assets from various maritime security agencies and 60 air sorties with flying time of about 200 hours along the entire coastline of the country. Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase of the exercise, conducted for over a period of seven days prior commencement of tactical phase, witnessed a comprehensive audit of over 950 critical coastal locations. The audit included Fishing Landing Centres, Lighthouses, Major and Non-Major ports, Coastal Police Stations, offshore assets, Coastal VAs/ VPs and others. Notably, for the first time, officials from the National Security Council Secretariat participated in the CDSRE activities in Gujarat and West Bengal. Focus and objectives Sea Vigil 24 focused on enhancing coastal defence of the country. Enhancing security of vital maritime assets such as Oil Rigs, Single Point Moorings (SPMs), Cable Landing Stations, Non-Major Ports and nuclear installations along the coast has been one of the major focus areas during this exercise and numerous initiatives were taken towards it. The Indian Air force has deployed Air Defence Systems on offshore platforms/Oil Rigs to secure offshore infrastructure. Special emphasis was provided for safety and security of merchant ships wherein, simulated hijacking, Naval Cooperation and Guidance to Shipping and re-routing of Indian merchant vessels was undertaken. Fishing communities of all states participated actively in the exercise and had enthusiastically been involved in various duties with the maritime forces. The exercise also featured an expanded community outreach programme aimed at fostering grassroots awareness of maritime security in youth especially National Cadet Corps (NCC), Bharat Scouts and Guides, and students of coastal areas. The initiatives were organised by the Navy to build a robust security-conscious coastal ecosystem which would reinforce nations coastal defence. Strengthening inter-agency coordinationAs a key component of India’s Coastal Defence Architecture, Sea Vigil 24 served as a platform for evaluating inter-agency coordination and identifying gaps in India’s coastal security infrastructure. The seamless collaboration between the participating agencies highlighted their readiness to counter evolving maritime threats. Legacy and visionSince its inception in 2018, Sea Vigil has played a pivotal role in India’s coastal defence preparedness. By simulating real-time scenarios, the exercise provides valuable insights into the nation’s maritime defence capabilities. The lessons learnt from the exercise aid in making the Coastal Defence Architecture more robust and resilient to the prevailing situation. The successful culmination of Sea Vigil 24 underscores India’s steadfast resolve to safeguard its maritime borders and Indian Navy’s commitment to handle its responsibilities of ‘Overall Maritime Security’. With enhanced inter-agency cooperation, robust preparedness, and active community engagement, the exercise marks another milestone in fortifying the nation’s Coastal Defence posture against emerging security challenges.
22 November,2024 08:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentParty President Mallikarjun Kharge has deputed All India Congress Committee (AICC) observers to oversee the post-poll scenario in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, news agency ANI reported.According to a press release issued by AICC, former Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot, ex-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Dr G Parameshwara are the observers for Maharashtra. For Jharkhand, the party has announced the names of Tariq Anwar, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Krishna Allavuru as observers. The counting for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 will be on Saturday.In the western state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in alliance with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. Their alliance Mahayuti, which is currently in power, is facing a tough battle against the opposition Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). One needs to secure atleast 145 seats to secure a majority in the 288-seat assembly.In the 81-seat assembly of Jharkhand, the BJP seeks to defeat the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party.The BJP is in alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while the JMM-led alliance consists of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).The ruling Mahayuti is poised to retain power in Maharashtra and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also has an edge to form government in Jharkhand, exit polls predicted on Wednesday after the polling concluded in the two states.Most exit polls also predicted that MVA would put up a strong show in Maharashtra but is unlikely to cross the majority mark.According to the P-MARQ exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance would win 137-157 seats whereas MVA would get 126-147 seats and others two to eight seats.Chanakya Strategies projected that Mahayuti will win 152-150 seats, MVA 130-138 seats, and others six to eight seats.In Jharkhand, exit polls suggested that the BJP-led NDA might replace the JMM-led alliance. The elections, held in two phases for 81 assembly seats, indicated a strong showing for the BJP-led alliance.According to Chanakya Strategies, NDA is expected to win 45-50 seats, the JMM-led alliance 35-38 seats, and others three to five seats. The Peoples Pulse exit poll predicted 44-53 seats for NDA, 25-37 for the JMM-led alliance, and five to nine seats for others. (With ANI inputs)
22 November,2024 08:08 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court of India on Friday announced that it will deliver a verdict on Monday regarding several petitions aimed at removing the terms 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, reported news agency ANI. A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar reviewed the petitions, during which they remarked that the concept of socialism in India is primarily understood as a commitment to a "welfare state." The bench emphasised that secularism is an integral part of the Constitution's basic structure,and the 42nd Amendment had been examined by the Supreme Court earlier as well. The Supreme Court was hearing petitions filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, along with lawyers Balram Singh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla, and Ashwini Upadhyay. Earlier, the bench reiterated that the ideals of secularism and socialism in the Preamble of Indian Constitution should not be interpreted solely through the western lens. "Socialism can also mean that there should be equality of opportunity and the wealth of a country should be distributed equally. Let's not take the Western meaning. It can have some different meanings as well. Same with the word secularism," the bench had said. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who is one of the petitioners, had said that the two words inserted in the Preamble through the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act of 1976 during Emergency, cannot bear the date of the original Preamble, which was framed in 1949. Swamy in his petition had said that the two words, inserted in the Preamble violated the basic structure doctrine enunciated in the famous Kesavananda Bharati judgement by a 13-judge bench in 1973, by which Parliament's power to amend the Constitution was barred from tinkering with the basic features of the Constitution, stated ANI. Swamy further asserted that the framers of the Constitution had deliberately chosen not to include these terms, claiming that their addition imposed specific political ideologies on citizens and infringed upon their right to choose. He maintained that such amendments exceeded Parliament's authority under Article 368 of the Constitution. It was further stated that Dr BR Ambedkar had rejected the incorporation of these words, as the Constitution cannot thrust upon the citizens certain political ideologies by taking away their right to choose, stated PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
22 November,2024 06:26 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAmid alleged bribery and fraud allegations by the prosecutors in the United States (US) against Gautam Adani, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao on Friday questioned why the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government is not cancelling business ties with the Adani group despite Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's request."The man who is wrong in Maharashtra, whose investment is not right for Maharashtra, whose Dharavi project in Maharashtra is not right... how does he suddenly becomes good after crossing the border? How did an investment of crores come into being? The Telangana Government has signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Adani's company. We are asking Rahul ji and Revanth ji only one question: if a small country like Kenya can cut off its entire business with Adani, then why is the Telangana government, which is a Congress state, not cancelling it even after Rahul Gandhi's request?" questioned KT Rama Rao.According to news agency PTI, Rao further asked, "Why did Adani give you Rs 100 crore? Disclose this also once. If Adani is not good for the country, as Rahul Gandhi says, then how will it be good for us [Telangana state]? Please answer once about this. Rahul Gandhi can't be running with the hair and hunting with the hound. That is not how this works, he has to take a stand, if he's clear in his mind that Adani is a fraud, then his government in Telangana needs to cancel all the MoUs..."Responding to the Gautam Adani bribery, fraud case controversy, Gandhi on Thursday called for Adani's arrest and said that it is "clear" and "established" that the Adani Group Chairman has broken both American and Indian laws.Meanwhile, Opposition parties on Thursday pressed for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the alleged bribery allegations, with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleging that a key player in the "corruption scandal" is the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), is a Government of India company, reported PTI.The Adani Group has denied the allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green. Reacting to the Gautam Adani bribery, fraud case controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the law will take its own course and slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (With ANI inputs)
22 November,2024 06:22 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Friday alleged that some 25-30 BJP workers mob at midnight tried to enter the strong room where EVMs of Karjat-Jamkhed constituency, from where he contested, are kept, reported the PTI. Sitting MLA Rohit Pawar is pitted against BJP leader and former state minister Ram Shinde in Karjat-Jamkhed in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) district, some 120 kilometres from Pune. "Around 25-30 BJP workers attempted to forcefully enter the strongroom where the EVM machines were stored at midnight in Karjat Jamkhed in in Ahilyanagar. However, my party workers, along with CRPF personnel, handled the situation patiently and foiled the attempt, for which I am thankful!" Rohit Pawar said on social media platform X. भाजपच्या सुमारे २५-३० कार्यकर्त्यांनी मध्यरात्री ईव्हीएम मशीन ठेवलेल्या स्ट्रॉग रुममध्ये घुसण्याचा प्रयत्न केला, परंतु माझे कार्यकर्ते आणि CRPF च्या जवानांनी संयमाने परिस्थिती हाताळत हा प्रयत्न हाणून पाडल्याबाबत त्यांचे आभार! याबाबत गुन्हा दाखल करताना भाजपच्या दबावाखाली असलेल्या… — Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) November 22, 2024 Rohit Pawar claimed he approached police but, under the influence of the BJP, they chose to "harass us instead of cooperating". "The Election Commission should take appropriate note of this matter. This attempt by BJP workers shows the goondagardi as they are scared of defeat. However, within the next 24 hours, the people of Karjat-Jamkhed will put an end to this hooliganism through democratic means, without fail," he asserted. Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 were held on Wednesday, while results will be counted on Saturday. Meanwhile, the local administration on Thursday said all arrangements, including a robust three-tier security system, have been made for Saturday's counting of votes polled in the 21 Maharashtra assembly constituencies in Pune district, according to the PTI. Voting for the 288-member assembly concluded on November 20. "We have a total of 21 constituencies in Pune district. Of these, the counting of votes for eight constituencies in Pune city will take place at Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown in the Koregaon Park area. "The counting of votes of seats in rural parts of Pune district will take place in respective constituencies. All necessary arrangements in terms of logistics and security have been completed," said collector and returning officer Suhas Divase, as per the PTI. The counting will start on Saturday (November 23) at 8 am with postal ballots followed by EVM votes, he said. Divase said a three-tier security system has been put in place for protection of EVMs as per Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. The first layer is being manned by central security forces, the second by the State Reserve Police Force and the third by the state police. Strong rooms housing EVMs are under CCTV surveillance and its footage is being made available to candidates, informed the collector. The strong rooms will be opened in the presence of observers and candidates, and then the EVMs will be brought out and taken to counting tables, said Divase, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
22 November,2024 05:59 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe Biju Janata Dal (BJD) which was in power in Odisha from 2000 till June 2024, on Friday, firmly dismissed allegations that state government officials accepted bribes from the Adani Group in relation to renewable energy supply agreements and described these claims as "false and not based on fact," reported the PTI. The controversy arises from charges filed by the US Department of Justice against Adani Group, its chairman Gautam Adani, and seven others, including his nephew Sagar Adani. They are accused of bribing officials in multiple states, including Odisha, to secure contracts for solar power, potentially leading to profits exceeding USD 2 billion over two decades. In response to the allegations, the Adani Group has categorically denied any wrongdoing, labelling the US prosecutors' claims as "baseless" and that the conglomerate is "compliant with all laws." Former Odisha Energy Minister and BJD MLA, PK Deb, stated that the allegations are unfounded and emphasised that the Odisha government has no involvement in the agreements related to power supply. "The Government of Odisha has nothing to do with the agreement. Whatever agreement was done that remained confined among Gridco, the distribution company and the SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited), a central PSU. The state government has no role in all these matters though the administration was informed regarding the PSA", Deb told PTI. He claimed that there is a difference in power distribution between Odisha and other states. "We in Odisha have privatised the power distribution while other states are doing the job directly. Here Tata Power is doing the distribution part of the electricity supply", he said, adding that the agreement may involve Adani, SECI, Gridco and the distribution company, stated PTI. "All the agreements on power get the approval of the OERC (Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission), an autonomous body. The Gridco is also semi-autonomous. Therefore, the state government has no direct role in the agreements. Neither the Energy department minister nor the secretary are involved in all such agreements," Deb said. Gridco, a state-owned enterprise, is responsible for the bulk purchase and sale of electricity within Odisha and trades surplus power with neighbouring states. This structure reinforces the argument that the state government does not directly engage in the agreements concerning power distribution. (With inputs from PTI)
22 November,2024 05:20 PM IST | Bhubaneswar | mid-day online correspondentThree persons, including two women, were killed and nine others hospitalised following a gas leak after a blast in a reactor at a fertiliser plant in Maharashtra's Sangli district, an official said on Friday, reported PTI. The incident took place around 6.30 pm on Thursday at the Myanmar Chemical Company in Shalgaon MIDC of Kadegaon tehsil in the district, he said, reported PTI. Police said a reactor at the fertiliser plant exploded releasing chemical fumes. "Due to the gas leak, some 12 people in the unit were affected and taken to hospital. Of them, two women workers and a security guard have died. Nine others are being treated," said Sangram Shewale, senior inspector of Kadegaon police station, reported PTI. Sangli Superintendent of Police Sandip Ghuge said the gas leak is suspected to be ammonia. Seven of the injured persons have been admitted to Sahyadri Hospital in Karad and five of them are in the ICU, said another official. The two women who lost their lives have been identified as Suchita Uthale (50) of Yetgaon in Sangli district and Neelam Rethrekar (26) of Masur in Satara district, the official said. Thane: Gas leak at chemical factory in Ambernath In September, a gas leak was reported at a chemical factory in Ambernath, located in Thane district, according to officials from the Ambernath Fire Brigade, repored news agency ANI. The incident occurred during a gas venting process at the factory, causing the gas to spread across the surrounding area. Upon receiving the alert on the gas leak, fire brigade personnel promptly arrived at the scene to assess the situation, reported ANI. Residents in the vicinity of an industrial zone complained of eye irritation and breathing difficulties as a thick haze enveloped the area after a suspected gas leak from a factory in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official told PTI. The situation is under control and there were no injuries or hospitalisations, Yasin Tadvi, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) told PTI. Panic ensued after smog-like conditions prevailed in the Morivali MIDC area of Ambernath town, on the outskirts of Mumbai, around 11 pm on Thursday, the official told PTI. After receiving complaints about a burning sensation in the eyes and breathlessness, local firefighters investigated the source of the haze, which was traced to a chemical company. They also advised people to stay indoors as a precaution. Officials said a phosphorous-based chemical at the factory caused a dense white smoke, which spread through the area, reported PTI. The manufacturing activities at the company have been halted temporarily, the official added. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
22 November,2024 02:48 PM IST | Sangli/Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
