Republican Sena chief Anandraj Ambedkar on Sunday said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should appoint a separate home minister to maintain law and order in the state, reported the PTI. Anandraj Ambedkar was referring to the Beed sarpanch murder case and the death of a Dalit student in judicial custody in Parbhani district of Maharashtra. He said that there should be a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or judicial inquiry into these deaths. The Dalit leader also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the kin of both men and government jobs to one member of each family, according to the PTI. The murder of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, and the death of Somnath Suryavanshi, who was arrested in connection with the violence in Parbhani following damage to a glass-encased replica of the Constitution, have triggered huge uproar in the state. Anandraj Ambedkar claimed similar murders had been committed in Beed district in the past but were overlooked. "Such crimes are unlikely to happen without the involvement of influential individuals acting as godfathers," he said. The Republican Sena chief said CM Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, should appoint a separate home minister to maintain law and order in the state. He also demanded sedition charges against those behind the vandalism in Parbhani, as per the PTI. Furthermore, Anandraj Ambedkar announced that in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Republican Sena would ally with parties having a similar ideology, excluding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the news agency reported. Ambedkar criticised the widespread support for 'Manuvaad' by certain sections of Other Backward Classes (OBC). "The day they awaken, Manuvaad will collapse in the country. Technological advancements have brought the world closer, making it impossible to mislead the marginalized communities for long," Anandraj Ambedkar said, the PTI reported. Anandraj Ambedkar also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of disrespecting Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament. "Ambedkar is not fashion, he is a passion. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is an inspiration for the majority of society," he said, the news agency reported on Sunday. (with PTI inputs)
12 January,2025 10:49 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondentAs many as eight persons were killed and several others were injured after a tempo and truck collided on Sunday at Dwarka Circle in Maharashtra's Nashik district, a police official said, reported the PTI. The incident took place near an Ayyappa temple in Nashik district at around 7:30 pm on Sunday, he added. "There were 16 passengers in the tempo, which was on its way to CIDCO area here. They were returning from a religious event in Niphad. The tempo driver lost control of the vehicle and rear-ended the truck carrying iron rods. Some of the deaths took place on the spot. Some of the injured are critical," the official said, according to the PTI. Rescue operations were started by police and fire brigade personnel along with residents and passersby in the congested stretch immediately, he added. The injured are recuperating at the district hospital and in some private facilities, the official said. There is likelihood of the death toll rising since some of the passengers have sustained grievous injuries, police and health officials informed, the news agency reported. Sarpanch killed after vehicle transporting fly ash hits his motorcycle in Maharashtra's Beed Meanwhile, in an another incident, a sarpanch of a village in Maharashtra's Beed district was killed when a vehicle transporting fly ash rammed into his motorcycle, the police said on Sunday, reported the PTI. The accident occurred in the Mirwat Phata area in Beed district on Saturday night, an official said. According to the PTI, Abhimanyu Kshirsagar, the sarpanch of Saundana village in Parli tehsil in Beed district of Maharashtra, was heading to his village when a vehicle transporting fly-ash from a thermal power plant rammed into his two-wheeler, he said. The official said that Abhimanyu Kshirsagar, who was in his 50s, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. He said that the driver of the fly ash vehicle involved in the accident was arrested by the police following the incident, adding that further probe in matter was underway, as per the PTI. (with PTI inputs)
12 January,2025 10:28 PM IST | Nashik | mid-day online correspondentA sarpanch of a village in Maharashtra's Beed district was killed when a vehicle transporting fly ash rammed into his motorcycle, the police said on Sunday, reported the PTI. The accident occurred in the Mirwat Phata area in Beed on Saturday night, an official said. According to the PTI, Abhimanyu Kshirsagar, the sarpanch of Saundana village in Parli tehsil in Beed district of Maharashtra, was heading to his village when a vehicle transporting fly-ash from a thermal power plant rammed into his two-wheeler, he said. The official said that Abhimanyu Kshirsagar, who was in his 50s, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. He said that the driver of the fly ash vehicle involved in the accident was arrested, and further probe is underway. Drunk driver crashes car into two-wheelers in Thane district; none hurt Meanwhile, in an another incident, at least 10 two-wheelers were damaged when a man allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol crashed into vehicles parked on the roadside in Maharashtra's Thane districts, the police said on Saturday, as per the PTI. There were no reports of injuries to anyone in the accident that took place in Kalyan town around 9 pm on Friday, an official said. He said the driver, Anil Tiwari, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into the vehicles parked on the roadside. The man was taken into police custody and was subjected to undergo further medical examination at a civic hospital in Thane district of Maharashtra, the official said, the PTI reported. According to eyewitnesses, the speeding car hit many parked two-wheelers on the road and was damaged in the collision. The angry locals later intervened to stop the vehicle following the accident and alerted the police. At least 10 two-wheelers were damaged in the crash, and the police are investigating to find out if any riders sustained injuries, the news agency reported on Saturday. "We are conducting a detailed probe into the incident and assessing the damages caused. Strict action will be taken against the accused," the official said. (with PTI inputs)
12 January,2025 06:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and claimed that the slums of Delhi will be "demolished" in the next five years, leaving people "homeless", ANI reported. "We have seen how their leaders are going to slums and staying there. They didn't stay for five or ten years, but their leaders have been staying in the slums for the last month. They do not have affection for the slum dwellers. It is a party of rich people. What do they have to do with the slum dwellers?" Kejriwal told reporters here at a slum camp. "They consider them as insects. They need the votes of slum dwellers ahead of the polling and the land of the slum dwellers after the polling. They love their land and have love for their votes," he alleged, ANI cited. Responding to Home minister Amit Shah's speech on Saturday, Kejriwal said, "The way Amit Shah ji lied to the slum dwellers of Delhi and tried to mislead them, today we have come to this slum camp to expose that lie. He said, 'Jaha jhuggi, waha makaan,' but the BJP people are not telling whose 'makaan'... They mean 'Jaha jhuggi, waha inke dost ke makaan.'" The former Delhi CM claimed that the BJP does not intend to build houses for the people living in slums, ANI reported. "The BJP government came to power in 2014. In these 11 years, they built 4,700 houses in Delhi. There are 4 lakh jhuggis in Delhi. If 4,700 houses have been built in the last 10 years, then it will take 1,000 years to provide houses to every slum dweller in Delhi. They do not want to build houses; these people are lying. Within the next five years, the slums of Delhi will be demolished, and people will be rendered homeless. They will be brought onto the streets," Kejriwal alleged. As per ANI, the BJP has accused the AAP-led government, claiming that it has failed to handle the city's growing pollution levels, inefficiency in implementing welfare schemes, and engaged in widespread corruption. The BJP has even called AAP's governance as a threat to Delhi, coining the term "AAPda" to symbolise the party's alleged disruptive impact on the capital. In response, the AAP has labelled the BJP as the "Galli Galoch Party," accusing them of "dishonest tactics" and "electoral fraud." The Delhi assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, with vote counting slated for February 8. The deadline for filing nominations is January 17, January 18 for nomination examination, and January 20 for candidature withdrawal. The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 consecutive years, suffered huge defeats in the last two assembly elections, failing to gain any seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections, winning 62 of 70 seats while the BJP won only eight, ANI reported. (With ANI inputs)
12 January,2025 06:01 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentResidents in Ganderbal district, who live on either side of the 6.5-kilometre Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway, are confident that the mega-infrastructure project will strengthen the local economy and help eliminate unemployment in the area, PTI reported. "It is a good thing that the Z-Morh tunnel will open soon, immensely benefitting the locals. Sonamarg is breathtaking in winter, but the road closure, prevented visitors. We are grateful to the government for this tunnel," said Mohammad Yousuf Shera, a local shopkeeper. Shera believes the year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg will increase the destination's global appeal. "Sonamarg will now be famous not only in the country but around the world. I think foreigners will like this place," he said, PTI cited. Shera emphasised the tunnel's strategic importance, claiming it will also serve the armed forces. "There should be facilities for the soldiers who to defend the country at the borders. The tunnel would facilitate the soldiers in terms of better connectivity," he added. The Z-Morh tunnel has shortened travel time between Srinagar and Sonamarg, allowing vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 70 km/h instead of the previous 30 km/h on the curving roadways. The tunnel has the capacity to handle 1000 vehicles per hour, PTI reported. The project will be inaugurated by PM Modi on Monday, his first visit to the union territory since the assembly polls. As per PTI, Shabir Ahmad, a local, said the tunnel provides year-round access to Sonamarg. "We are happy that now tourists can come to Sonamarg throughout the year. Earlier the region remained cut off for four months due to snow. Now, not just Sonamarg but areas like Drass and Kargil will remain connected," he said. "People in this area are poor but this tunnel will provide year-round livelihood opportunities now," he added. Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh, a tourist guide, echoed the view, stating that the tunnel's inauguration will assist alleviate the area's unemployment problem. He stated that he has been working as a tourist guide here for some years. However, the tourist season was limited to six months due to snowfall-related road closures. Sheikh stated that the tunnel will attract tourists all year, giving improved facilities and increased economic opportunities for communities, PTI cited. A group of Nagpur visitors who managed to visit Gagangir on Saturday praised the project, calling it a remarkable initiative. "We are amazed to see that such a beautiful place is in India itself. We have been able to reach here because of this tunnel, otherwise we would have missed this beautiful view," they said. "A lot of people are already visiting Kashmir but we will recommend all our friends and family to visit this place at least once," they added. Construction of the Z-Morh tunnel began in May 2015. It took nearly a decade to complete the work because Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS), the primary concessionaire for the project, discontinued working in 2018 owing to financial difficulties, PTI reported. The project was reannounced in 2019 and awarded to APCO Infratech in January 2020 after it emerged as the low bidder. In October 2012, C P Joshi, then Minister for Surface Transport during the UPA II government, laid the groundwork for the Rs 2,716.90 crore project in the presence of his cabinet colleague Farooq Abdullah, then Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, PTI reported. The tunnel was originally scheduled to be completed by 2016-2017. (With PTI inputs)
12 January,2025 05:22 PM IST | Sonamarg | mid-day online correspondentIndia Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday organised a 'Run for Mausam' marathon as an initiative to raise awareness about the activities of the department and challenges of climate change, environmental sustainability, ANI reported. On January 15, IMD — which is a part of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences — will commemorate 150 years of operation. The marathon is being organised at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN) Stadium in Delhi. #WATCH | Delhi: India Meteorological Department (IMD) organises 'Run for Mausam' awareness run at Jawaharlal Nehru StadiumIMD will complete 150 years on 15th January, 2025. pic.twitter.com/1b2uOjMqGH — ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2025 As per IMD's official website, around 1,500 people will participate in this event. The department was established in 1875 and since then, it has been helping in "systematic observation, regular reporting, and scientific forecasting of weather in the Indian subcontinent." "In essence, IMD serves as a cornerstone in India's efforts to manage the challenges posed by weather extremes, promoting sustainable development and strengthening the nation's resilience in an era of climate change. Its ongoing evolution underscores the increasing significance of meteorological services in addressing the complex issues of climate change and environmental sustainability." the website added. "A marathon is proposed to be organized on 12th January 2025 to popularize the activities of IMD so as to improve the awareness among the public for reducing loss of life and property and supporting socioeconomic development. The venue for the marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium is "Open Space West Block" in front of the main arena," concluded the website. The website also stated that public outreach and awareness are a crucial part of the department's mission, ANI cited. "The department enhances understanding of weather patterns and climate-related challenges through a variety of platforms, including workshops, seminars, and digital media, empowering communities to proactively adapt and respond to shifting environmental conditions." the website added. Mo Farah to be in city as Mumbai Marathon ambassador The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) promoters Procam International announced Sir Mo Farah, one of the greatest male track distance runners in history, as International Event Ambassador for the race to be run in Mumbai on January 19. The Somalian-born, British runner Sir Mo has won four Olympic and six World Championship gold medals and is the first man to retain both the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at both the Olympics (2012 and 2016) and World Championships (2013 and 2015), a feat described as the ‘quadruple-double.’ The 41-year-old had an unbroken streak of 10 global final wins, beginning with the 5,000m gold at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu and concluding with the 10,000m gold at the 2017 World Championships in London. His stand-out tactic of taking the lead in the latter stages, fighting off repeated challenges led to some of the most stirring moments in distance running. He then shifted focus to road running. Farah won the 2018 Chicago Marathon after finishing third in the London Marathon the same year. (With ANI inputs)
12 January,2025 03:41 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOne of the key reasons cited by the government to push for simultaneous polls has been that frequent imposition of model code disrupts development work and normal public life, but the Election Commission has asserted it is a "vital instrumentality" aimed at providing level playing field in polls. According to the bills brought by the government to implement 'one nation, one election', there is an imperative need for holding simultaneous elections for various reasons including polls becoming expensive and time-consuming. The Constitution amendment bill to implement 'one nation, one election' said the imposition of a Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound parts of the country puts on hold the entire development programmes and causes disruption in normal public life. It said that frequent poll code imposition also impacts the functioning of services and diverts the man manpower from their core activities to election duties for prolonged periods. But the poll authority is of the view that "it would not be correct to view the application of MCC in terms of disruption as it is a vital instrumentality aimed at providing level playing field to all stakeholders involved in campaign". Responding to a questionnaire in March 2023 by the law commission on simultaneous polls, the EC had said the applicability of the model code depends on the cycle and frequency of elections and rationalisation of the same would, to that extant, curtail the time of MCC. "It has been evolved by the Election Commission in consultation with political parties as a voluntarily code of conduct to bc followed by all stakeholders and is a integral to the design of conducting free and fair elections and for credible outcomes," it said. The EC's stand on various aspects of simultaneous polls shared with the law commission and the department of legal affairs in the Union law ministry has been provided to the members of the joint committee of parliament examining the bills on simultaneous polls. The EC's stand was also provided to the high-level committee on 'one nation, one election' chaired by former president Ram Nath Kovind. The EC said, it has itself consistently evolved a strategy to keep the MCC period to the "bare minimum required" from the date of announcement to completion of election process. The law commission had asked EC its view on the argument that the "periodical elections lead to policy paralysis owing to the imposition of MCC?" 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
12 January,2025 03:35 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe death toll in a coal mine collapse caused by methane gas accumulation and explosion has risen to 11 workers after rescuers discovered seven more remains, an official said, PTI reported. On Wednesday evening, a coal mine in the Sanjdi district of Balochistan province collapsed, trapping twelve people. According to Abdullah Shawani, the head of the province's mining department, 11 bodies were recovered throughout the three days of rescue efforts, and as of Saturday night, rescuers were still looking for the last worker inside the collapsed structure, PTI reported. "There are little chances of the last worker surviving for so long in the collapsed mine," Shawani said. "The incident occurred due to a buildup of gas, which caused an explosion and the mine to cave in," said Shahid Rind, Balochistan government spokesperson. He further said that full-scale rescue operations were ongoing but the progress was slow due to the presence of toxic gas and debris, PTI reported. He stated that a probe is underway to see whether appropriate mining regulations were adhered to. According to Pir Muhammad Kakar, one of the heads of the Mines Workers Association, the tragedy happened because the coal mine owner failed to follow mining laws. He also accused authorities at the mines department of the occurrence. Kakar called for tough measures against these authorities., PTI reported. In coal-rich western Balochistan, which is notorious for its dangerous working conditions and lax safety regulations, coal mine disasters and worker fatalities occur regularly. In March last year, about 12 miners were killed in a gas explosion at a coalpit in Harnai. In May 2018, two nearby coal mines collapsed in Sanjdi, killing 23 people and injuring 11, while 43 workers also died in 2011 when gas explosions triggered a collapse in another Balochistan colliery. 153 from former PM Imran Khan’s party to get bail in Pakistan An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail to about 153 party workers of jailed former PM Imran Khan’s party, over a month after they were arrested during a protest. During a hearing, presided over by Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, petitions of 177 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers were heard and bail was granted to 153 of them. On November 13, Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on November 26, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members. Responding to his call, thousands of PTI workers reached Islamabad but faced a crackdown by police, forcibly dispersing them and arresting over 1,400. It was reported that during a hearing on Friday, the court granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs 5,000 each. As per police, the cases of many other detained PTI workers were being processed and more bails could be granted in coming weeks. (With agency inputs)
12 January,2025 02:17 PM IST | Karachi | mid-day online correspondentDelhi CM and AAP candidate from Kalkaji Atishi on Sunday launched a crowdfunding campaign to contest the upcoming Delhi assembly elections 2025 and said she hoped that people would support her party's politics of work and honesty, PTI reported. While addressing a press conference, Atishi released an online link for people to donate money, claiming that she was in need of 40 lakhs to fight the elections. She claimed that AAP has always fought elections with the help of small donations from the general public which has helped it pursue the politics of work and honesty. "Despite being in power in Delhi for 10 years, the AAP does not have even a rupee of corruption. We will contest the polls with the support of the people of Delhi and the country, as has been done in the previous elections," she said when questioned about the BJP's claim that the CAG has estimated a loss of Rs 2,026 crore due to the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy, PTI cited. Targeting the BJP, Atishi further said, "Perhaps they have collected enough money from their friends and through government contracts and they do not need to collect funds for contesting elections." Delhi CM who is seeking to retain her seat from Kalkaji assembly, is fielded against former MP and BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri, PTI reported. In December, senior AAP leader and Jangpura candidate, Manish Sisodia launched a crowdfunding platform and sought financial support from people for his poll campaign. The elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are scheduled to be held on February 5 and the results will be announced on February 8. Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP of voter fraud, AAP's Sanjay Singh to reveal evidence Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal has announced that Sanjay Singh will present significant evidence on Saturday, revealing a "massive fraud" allegedly being carried out in the voter list of Delhi by "Gali galoch party," reported news agency ANI. In a post on X, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal said "Today at 11 am, Sanjay Singh ji will present before the country big evidence of the massive fraud being carried out by the "Gali galoch party" in the voter list of Delhi." AAP MP on Friday alleged massive corruption by a political party, referring to it as the "Galli Galoch Party." He claimed that the BJP party's leaders distributed Rs 1,100 openly to buy votes, ANI stated. "We have received information from sources that leaders of the 'Galli-Galoch' party were given Rs 10,000 each by their party to be distributed. Their leaders thought that when there was no chance of winning elections, they should save Rs 9000 and distribute only Rs 1100," Singh stated. He challenged the party to reveal the truth, asking, "Did you give Rs 1,100 to your leaders to distribute among voters or not? Let the public know the reality...I ask the 'Galli-Galoch' party to tell the truth before people... People of Delhi need to expose the corruption of the 'Galli-Galoch party now..." (With PTI and ANI inputs)
12 January,2025 12:44 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentDense fog disrupted flight and train services in Delhi on Sunday morning. According to the Indian Railways, 25 trains to Delhi are running late due to fog conditions in the national capital and parts of north India, reported PTI. Some of the trains running late are Purushottam Superfast Express, Farakka Express, Anvt Humsafar and S Kranti Superfast Express. As cold waves gripped the national capital, some flights were delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The minimum temperature recorded in the national capital was 12 degrees Celsius as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The air quality in the national capital was recorded as 'poor'. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI was recorded at 284 in Delhi today at 9 am. IMD has issued a warning of a wet spell in the city, with thunderstorms and hail expected later in the day. Visuals from India Gate showed near-zero visibility in the national capital, with people seeking refuge in night shelters in Safdarjung to escape the harsh weather. Vegpal Singh, a local said that people in the night shelters were providing two meals a day, along with proper bedding and blankets for the people staying there, reported PTI. "The people who are taking refuge in the night shelters here are being provided with two-time meals and proper bed and blankets. If there are any medical treatments needed, we take them to AIIMS hospital which is nearby.." said Singh, reported PTI. On January 11, light rain was witnessed in the national capital and the temperature dropped to 7.7 degrees Celsius, as per IMD. Several parts of North India were engulfed in a thick layer of fog this morning. Morning visuals for Rajasthan's Jodhpur showed the city being blanketed with fog. In Agra, Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal was seen covered in a thin layer of fog as the cold wave gripped the city. In Kanpur, a group of elderly people was seen huddled around a bonfire. Raj Kumar, an auto driver, told ANI, "We face problems getting to work because it is so cold. Bonfires should at least be placed at the roundabouts." Cold waves continued in Jammu and Kashmir's winter capital, Srinagar, as winter's chill intensified in Northern India. Parts of Chandigarh received a light spell of rain today. A dense layer of fog enveloped Mumbai as well. (With inputs from ANI)
12 January,2025 12:44 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA thick blanket of fog covered Delhi on Sunday, as the city experienced a cold spell. The minimum temperature recorded in the national capital was 12 degrees Celsius as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The national capital is likely to receive light rain during the day, according to the weather department. The city witnessed fog in the early morning hours and the sky was generally cloudy. Delhi received 2.2 mm of rainfall by 8:30 am, and the minimum temperature was recorded at 9 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season's average. The IMD has predicted a generally cloudy sky with light rain during the day. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 16 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels stood at 100 percent at 8.30 am. Some parts of Delhi, including Central Delhi, experienced light rain on Saturday. The air quality at 9 am was in 'poor' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 284, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. On January 11, light rain was witnessed in the national capital and the temperature dropped to 7.7 degrees Celsius, as per IMD. Meanwhile, New Delhi and the National Capital Region were shrouded in thick fog. Similarly, cities like Kanpur and Gwalior also experienced dense fog. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature in Delhi was recorded at 11 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning. No flight diversions or cancellations were reported at Indira Gandhi International Airport. However, several trains faced delays due to the foggy conditions. (With inputs from Agencies)
12 January,2025 12:26 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
