Amid rising concern around Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao assured the people that the state is ready to handle the situation and said there is no need to panic. "We are ready. All the districts have been informed to stay alert... I want to request that the people should not be panicked. This virus can spread but it is not dangerous. It can be treated..," Rao told ANI. She also urged people to stay fit during the winter season. "Since it is winter now, there are chances of more people getting Pneumonia, so I request everyone to get a mucus test done in case they have any symptoms. They should also keep their hands clean like we did during Covid-19..." she further said. On January 12, a 10-month-old child in Assam had been diagnosed with the virus, which marked the state's first recorded case, as per officials. Superintendent of Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dhruv Jyoti Bhuiyan confirmed the infection, stating that a test was conducted on the child, which returned positive results. "This morning, we got the report of the child who had come here who had cough and symptoms and had been diagnosed with the HMPV virus. The test was part of the routine but the results came positive. There is nothing to worry about, the child is perfectly alright, it is a 10-month-old child.." said Buiyan while speaking to ANI. The virus was first identified in 2001. On January 9, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a rise in acute respiratory infections, including HMPV, in the Northern Hemisphere and noted that the rate of infections follows typical seasonal trends. In its disease outbreak news, WHO observed that while the trends in acute respiratory infections are increasing in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere, these are not unusual and are "typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common respiratory viruses, including human metapneumovirus (HMPV), as well as mycoplasma pneumonia". The WHO further added that the co-circulation of multiple respiratory pathogens during the winter season can sometimes cause an increased burden on healthcare systems treating sick persons. 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
15 January,2025 08:54 AM IST | Haryana | ANIAt least six Indian Army personnel were on Tuesday injured in a landmine explosion in a forward village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The troops were on patrol duty when one of the soldiers accidentally stepped over the landmine near Khamba Fort in Nowshera sector around 10.45 am, triggering the explosion. The injured were immediately shifted to hospital and their condition was stated to be stable. As part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the forward areas near the LoC are dotted with landmines which sometimes get washed away by rains resulting in such types of accidents. 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
15 January,2025 08:36 AM IST | Jammu | AgenciesChief Minister Atishi filed her nomination for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls from Kalkaji constituency on Tuesday at the at the district magistrate’s (DM) office in Lajpat Nagar. Atishi was supposed to file her papers on Monday. However, there was a delay due to a roadshow and she could not reach the DM’s office before the 3 pm deadline. Atishi is pitted against the BJP’s Ramesh Singh Bidhuri and the Congress’ Alka Lamba. A seasoned politician and former MP, Bidhuri won Tughlakabad assembly seat in 2003, 2008 and 2013. Lamba was with the AAP for almost five years and joined the Congress in 2019. Kalkaji constituency has a total of 1,94,515 voters—1,06,893 male, 87,617 female and five transgender. Complaint against Atishi A police complaint was filed by a returning officer against Chief Minister Atishi, alleging the use of a government vehicle for political purposes on January 7. Following this, a detailed investigation was carried out and a Public Works Department’s (PWD) south-east divisional executive engineer was booked for allegedly using a government vehicle for election campaigning. An officer said that the FIR has been registered for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct. The case was filed at the Govindpuri police station here. A complaint letter regarding the matter was submitted to the assistant commissioner of police, Kalkaji. BJP buying votes: Kejriwal AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged the BJP is distributing money and gold chains to lure voters ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference, he also claimed the AAP’s graph is soaring and it will once again get a full majority. The BJP lacks the vision and leadership to challenge the AAP, Kejriwal said. “The BJP has surrendered all its weapons as it has no narrative, no vision and no chief ministerial face. It doesn’t have anything,” the former chief minister said. Accusing the BJP of adopting unfair means, Kejriwal claimed that the party is distributing jackets, shoes, sarees, money and even gold chains to buy votes. “I have heard that gold chains are being distributed in two colonies. The BJP is saying it will buy votes. I appeal to the people of Delhi to not vote for anyone, including AAP candidates, if they are offering money or goods during the polls,” he 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
15 January,2025 08:35 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesSeeking an apology from social media giant Meta for allegedly “tarnishing” India’s image, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, said on Tuesday that the panel will summon the firm following its chairman’s comments that India’s ruling dispensation lost the Lok Sabha election last year. “My committee will summon Meta for this incorrect information. Incorrect information about any democratic country tarnishes its image. This organisation will have to apologise to the Indian Parliament and the people here for this mistake,” Dubey said in a post on X. He was reacting to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s criticism of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who owns the controlling stake in the Meta group of companies, for making a “factually incorrect” statement that the incumbent government in India lost the election in 2024 over issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is disappointing to see misinformation from Mr Zuckerberg himself. Let’s uphold facts and credibility,” Vaishnaw said, tagging Meta on X and other social media platforms. Appearing on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg had said that 2024 was the big election year around the world and in a lot of countries like India, the incumbents lost the polls. 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
15 January,2025 08:33 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesA month after Dalit protester Somnath Suryavanshi's death in judicial custody sparked a political uproar, authorities in the Parbhani district of Maharashtra have initiated an inquiry into over 20 complaints, officials stated on Tuesday. Among the complaints is one from Suryavanshi’s mother, who has demanded justice for her family and stringent action against the police personnel involved in her son’s death. A judicial inquiry into the incident has already been ordered, news agency PTI reported. Suryavanshi, 35, died on December 15 at a state-run hospital in Parbhani while in judicial custody. He had been arrested days earlier in connection with the Parbhani violence triggered by the desecration of a glass-encased replica of the Constitution. The police attributed his death to an illness. However, in the aftermath of the incident, Parbhani Police received 23 complaints alleging police misconduct and related concerns, PTI reported. Social activists, organisations, individuals, and Suryavanshi’s relatives have filed these complaints, focusing primarily on alleged police brutality and the circumstances surrounding his death, an official stated. An IPS officer has been appointed to lead the investigation and compile a detailed report covering all aspects of the case, from the vandalism of the Constitution replica to Suryavanshi’s death and its aftermath, the official added. Suryavanshi’s family has accused the police of offering Rs 50 lakh and assistance in a police recruitment pre-training programme for his brothers in exchange for conducting his last rites in Pune or Latur instead of Parbhani, PTI reported. However, the police have denied these allegations, describing them as "misunderstandings." A senior police officer clarified that a proposal had been sent to the state government seeking Rs 50 lakh in financial aid and a government job for one family member following the judicial death of the Parbhani violence accused. Suryavanshi’s brother, Premnath, expressed frustration over the lack of progress. "Despite our repeated visits to the police station and court, we are told the inquiry is ongoing. Many political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have visited us and pledged support, but justice remains elusive. Parbhani Police haven't visited us even once in almost 30 days," he told PTI. Premnath also revealed that Suryavanshi had aspirations of becoming a judge and was preparing for the LLB exam in Parbhani. He had further plans to pursue a PhD in Economics. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 11:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBihar Labour Resources Minister Santosh Kumar Singh on Tuesday alleged that he received death threats from a man who identified himself as gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The minister lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. The police formed a team to investigate the matter. "I received a call today on my mobile phone… The caller identified himself as Lawrence Bishnoi. He demanded Rs 30 lakh. He called again after sometime....reminding me of Baba Siddiqui and threatened to kill me in the same way if I didn’t pay the money”, the minister told reporters. The caller also told the minister how to send the money. "I immediately informed the DGP and also lodged a complaint with the police. I have no cases against me and no political enemies. Police are investigating the matter,” the minister said. Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police Avkash Kumar said, “A case has been registered at Kotwali Police station in this regard and the matter is being investigated. A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe into the matter”. 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
14 January,2025 10:31 PM IST | Patna | PTIA tiger attacked and killed a 57-year-old man in the Ballarpur forest range of Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, on Tuesday, forest department officials said. The tiger was tranquilised and captured shortly after the attack, they added. The victim, Lalsingh Maravi, a resident of Manikpur in the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, was performing bamboo removal work in a forest area assigned to contractor Nagin Puglia when the tiger ambushed him, killing him instantly, news agency PTI reported. Upon receiving a report, officials from the Central Chanda Division and Ballarpur range, along with forest staff, rushed to the site. There they discovered the tiger sitting near Maravi’s body. Efforts to drive the tiger away were unsuccessful, prompting the forest department to call in a Rapid Response Team and wildlife experts. The team tranquilised the animal, and a veterinary officer examined it before the tiger was placed in a cage and transported to the Transit Treatment Centre in Chandrapur. The body of Maravi was later handed over to his family following an autopsy, and initial financial assistance was provided to them, PTI reported. The operation to capture the tiger was conducted under the guidance of Shweta Boddu, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Central Chanda Forest Division, Chandrapur), officials said. Chandrapur district, located in eastern Maharashtra, is home to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. Tiger cub found dead near village in Gondia A tiger cub was found dead in the Gondia forest range, Maharashtra, on Tuesday, close to a village, officials said. This follows the discovery of a tiger and a tiger cub dead in separate incidents in Bhandara district over the past 15 days, PTI reported. Forest department personnel discovered the carcass of the male cub, which belonged to tigress T14, in the Dasgaon beat near Kohka village. The cub had been unwell in recent days, officials said. Samples have been collected for lab tests to determine the cause of death. Earlier, a tiger cub was found dead in the Lendezari forest area of Bhandara district on December 30, and a mutilated adult tiger carcass was discovered in the Jhanjhariya beat in the same district, officials added. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:51 PM IST | Chandrapur | mid-day online correspondentAs many as 35 crows were found dead in different parts of Udgir town in Maharashtra's Latur district in two days, and carcasses have been sent for testing, an official said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. According to officials, bird carcasses were found in Hutatma Smarak Garden and Mahatma Gandhi Garden in Latur, among other areas, on Monday and Tuesday. "After receiving complaints from residents, we visited Hutatma Smarak Garden, where eight to ten dead carcases were found, and 10 to 15 dead crows were found at Mahatma Gandhi Garden. Six carcasses were sent to the Regional Disease Investigation Laboratory in Pune to ascertain the cause of death. At least 35 crows have been found dead so far," livestock development officer Dr Prakash Dhond said, according to the PTI. Tehsildar Ram Borgaonkar said that people have been reporting bird deaths since Monday, and the animal husbandry department was asked to collect samples for analysis. Borgaonkar has urged Udgir residents not to panic. Tiger cub found dead near village in Gondia forest range in Maharashtra Meanwhile, in an another incident, a tiger cub was found dead in an area adjoining a village in the Gondia forest range of Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said, as per the PTI. Earlier, a tiger and a cub were found dead in separate incidents in the neighbouring Bhandara district in Maharashtra some 15 days ago. The carcass of the male cub of tigress T14 was spotted by a patrolling team of forest department personnel in Dasgaon beat, located near Kohka village in Gondia, on Tuesday, the PTI reported. Experts have collected samples from the carcass of the tiger cub for testing and sent it to the laboratory to ascertain the exact cause of the death, the officials said. The cub was unwell for the past few days, they added, the news agency reported. A tiger cub was found dead on Deonara-Kurmuda Road under the Lendezari forest area in Tumsar of Bhandara district on December 30. A full-grown tiger's mutilated carcass was found in Jhanjhariya beat also in the Tumsar forest range, officials added. (with PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:45 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondentAt least two men died after their throats were slit by nylon kite strings in separate incidents in Nashik and Akola cities of Maharashtra on Tuesday, police said. The victims were identified as Sonu Dhotre and Kiran Sonone, news agency PTI reported. Dhotre was riding a motorcycle when a nylon manja entangled his neck, causing serious injuries on the Pathardi Phata-Deolali Camp road in Nashik. A police team rushed him to the civil hospital, where he later died from excessive bleeding. He was employed as a contract worker in Gujarat, an official said, adding that a case of accidental death has been registered. In Akola, 40-year-old Kiran Sonone was riding a two-wheeler on a bypass flyover when the kite string, also known as Chinese manja, caused a deep cut to his neck, PTI reported. Sonone, who was bleeding profusely, was taken to the district general hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said. Mumbai cops seize banned nylon manja, book 19 people Mumbai Police seized banned nylon string and other related materials during a special drive over the past four days, an officer said on Tuesday. A total of 19 individuals were either arrested or issued notices under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act between January 10 and 13. The police confiscated nylon string or Chinese manja and related materials worth Rs 35,350 during the crackdown, PTI reported. The use of nylon string for flying kites has been banned due to safety risks, as numerous incidents of grievous injuries and fatalities have been reported in the past. Four dead in Gujarat due to kite string injuries Four people, including a four-year-old boy, died after their throats were slit by kite strings during Uttarayan celebrations in Gujarat on Tuesday, police said. The deaths occurred in Rajkot, Panchmahal, Mehsana, and Surendranagar districts, while numerous injuries were reported across the state, officers added. Kunal Parmar, aged 4, bled to death in Halol town of Panchmahal district after a kite string slashed his neck, an officer from the local police station said. He was riding with his father on a motorcycle to buy kites and balloons when a piece of string wrapped around his neck and caused a deep gash. "He was rushed to the hospital but died during treatment," the official said. Mansaji Thakor, 35, a farmer, also died in Vadnagar taluka of Mehsana district. "He was riding to his farm at his village Vadbar on motorcycle when his neck was slit by kite string. He was taken to hospital but died during treatment," a Vadnagar Police Station officer said. An unidentified man, riding a motorcycle, was similarly killed on the outskirts of Rajkot city. Ishwar Thakor, 35, died in Patdi taluka of Surendranagar district after suffering deep cuts in the neck due to kite string while riding a motorcycle, police said. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:19 PM IST | Nashik | mid-day online correspondentA police constable from Maharashtra's Beed district was suspended on Tuesday for allegedly writing objectionable posts on social media over agitations regarding the Beed sarpanch murder case, an official said, the PTI reported. Gorakh Hadule, posted at Shivajinagar police station in Beed city of Maharashtra, had allegedly circulated these posts on social media four days back, as per the PTI. "An order suspending Hadule was issued today. He will face an inquiry," the police official told PTI. Protests and morchas have been held in Beed district since Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was killed by some persons on December 9. The slain sarpanch's family and opposition parties are demanding Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde's ouster from the state cabinet over his aide Walmik Karad's alleged link in a related extortion case, as per the PTI. Walmik Karad was arrested in the extortion case, while seven persons were held in connection with Santosh Deshmukh's murder. Karad's supporters hurl stones at buses against MCOCA invocation Meanwhile, the supporters of Walmik Karad, arrested in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, on Tuesday threw stones at buses and set tyres on fire in Parli town after MCOCA was invoked against him, police said, according to the PTI. Earlier in the day, an official said that Karad, an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The invocation of MCOCA makes it difficult for the accused to secure bail. Supporters of Karad targeted buses with stones, set tyres ablaze, and tried to block roads, police said. As angry protesters roamed the roads, many shops downed their shutters in the hometown of Karad. The demonstrations were held despite prohibitory orders in place in Beed district till January 28. Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat said two incidents were reported in Parli where tyres were set on fire, and the windshield of a state transport bus was damaged. He said nobody was injured. "We are trying to make people understand that the court's order (remanding Karad to judicial custody) should be accepted," Kanwat said. He said the additional superintendent of police and the sub-divisional police officer reached Parli and appealed to people against taking the law into their own hands. A case was registered for damaging the bus windshield while the process is on to book an offence for burning of tyres, Kanwat added. Supporters of Karad and his mother are staging a sit-in protest in front of Parli city police station, claiming he was implicated in the extortion case and should be released. Some of his supporters climbed a stone tower to press the demand, the news agency reported. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district till January 28 in view of protests against the murder of a sarpanch and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists. (with PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:03 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentA tiger cub was found dead in an area adjoining a village in the Gondia forest range of Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said. Earlier, a tiger and a cub were found dead in separate incidents in the neighbouring Bhandara district 15 days ago. The carcass of the male cub of tigress T14 was spotted by a patrolling team of forest department personnel in Dasgaon beat, located near Kohka village, on Tuesday. Experts have collected samples for the laboratory test to ascertain the exact cause of the death, officials said. The cub was unwell for the past few days, they added. A tiger cub was found dead on Deonara-Kurmuda Road under the Lendezari forest area in Tumsar of Bhandara district on December 30. A full-grown tiger's mutilated carcass was found in Jhanjhariya beat also in the Tumsar forest range, officials 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.
14 January,2025 08:54 PM IST | Gondia | PTIADVERTISEMENT
