A 3-year-old girl died on Saturday after a tree fell on her amid heavy rain in Pulakeshi Nagar of Bengaluru city, officials said on Sunday. Bengaluru is reeling from the effects of the first heavy rainfall of the season. Intense showers swept across the city, leaving a trail of destruction. According to the Civil Defence Force reports, approximately 30 trees have been uprooted, and 48 branches have fallen, posing a significant risk to public safety. Emergency teams are working tirelessly to clear the fallen trees and restore normalcy, but with the monsoon season just beginning, residents are advised to remain vigilant. As per the daily weather report for March 23, from Bengaluru Meteorological Department, light to moderate rain, thunder showers are likely to occur at a few places over Dakshina Kannada, Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Chitradurga, Chamarajanagara, Mandya and Mysuru districts and at isolated places over Ballari and Vijayanagara districts. "Gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are very likely to prevail at isolated places over interior Karnataka. Dry weather likely to prevail over rest of the state," it said. For March 24, the weather department forecast light to moderate rain, thundershowers at isolated places over Kodagu district and light rain, thundershowers at isolated places of Bidar, Kalaburgi, Vijayapura, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts. "Light rain likely to occur at isolated places over Dakshina Kannada district. Gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are very likely to prevail at isolated places over Interior Karnataka. Dry weather likely to prevail over rest of the state," it added. For March 25, the Met has predicted light to moderate rain likely to occur at isolated places over Kodagu district and light rain at isolated places over Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts. It added that dry weather will likely prevail over the rest of the state on the day. On March 26, the weather department said light to moderate rain will likely occur at isolated places over Kodagu district. "Light rain likely to occur at isolated places over Dakshina Kannada, Hassan & Chikkamagaluru districts. Dry weather likely to prevail over rest of the state," it stated. For March 27, Bengaluru Met said that light rain will likely occur at isolated places over Kodagu, Mysuru and Chikkamagaluru districts. Earlier on Saturday, at least 10 flights en route to Bengaluru were diverted to Chennai due to heavy rain in the Karnataka capital, airport officials said. IndiGo, in a post on X, said that unfavourable weather conditions in Bengaluru continue to impact flights. The residents of Bengaluru heaved a sigh of relief as heavy rains and thunderstorms lashed the city on Saturday after a spell of scorching heat. Several areas witnessed strong winds and intense downpours, bringing much-needed respite from the sweltering temperatures. 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 March,2025 09:31 AM IST | Karnataka | PTIThe Anti-Auto theft squad of Dwarka district and Baba Haridas Nagar Police station officials arrested four people, including Geetika (Geetu), the wife of a gangster known by the name as Sachin Banje, for allegedly extorting money from a businessman at gunpoint, said Delhi Police officials. "A case of extortion was registered in the BHD Nagar police station of the district in which four people came to a businessman's house and tried to extort money from him at gunpoint... All the people involved in the whole case have been arrested," the Deputy Commissioner of Police Ankit Singh told ANI on Saturday. The police claims that Geetika "played an important role" in the plan to extort the businessman. The other accused in the case, Vicky, has been one of the others arrested, and is currently being interrogated. "Geetika (Geetu), who is the wife of gangster Sachin Bhanje, she provided the phone and played an important role in executing the entire plan. Apart from this, there are 3 more people, one is Vikas (Vicky) who has more than a dozen cases against him. We are interrogating all of them," the DCP said. Investigation into the case is currently ongoing. Earlier on March 21, Delhi Crime Branch arrested a wanted gangster and a life convict who had jumped parole in a 2005 sensational abduction for ransom-cum-murder case in Nangloi. During the strategic operation to nab the gangster, the Delhi Crime Branch team created a fake Instagram profile, posing as a Mumbai-based model to trap the fugitive gangster Manoj alias Arun, who the police says has a long history of heinous crimes. The accused is wanted by police of the national capital, Haryana and Rajasthan in several heinous cases of murders and robbery. The Delhi Police said that Manoj has been a member of Jitender alias Gagi Gang and is a close associate of notorious gangster Deepak alias Tittar who is presently lodged in several cases including MCOCA and the murder of rival gangster Tillu Tajpuria in Tihar Jail premises. 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 March,2025 09:31 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIA magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the death of a stenographer working for the Sohawal Sub-Divisional Magistrate, who died in a road accident near Sahadatganj in the Cantt police station area of Ayodhya. This comes after the deceased's family staged a protest, demanding action against the SDM and claiming that he is responsible for the stenographer's death, calling the accident suspicious. Ayodhya District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh, speaking to ANI, said, "I have talked to the family, and based on that, I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into it. After the investigation, we will take proper action." Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad along with other leaders of the party also joined the protest with the family of the deceased. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Awadhesh Prasad said, "It's a fight of ideology. I'll raise this issue in the Parliament before the government and the country. We will continue our protest against injustice." Reportedly, Shivam Yadav, working as a steno at SDM Sohawal at the Ayodhya district administration, died in a road accident in Ayodhya on Saturday evening. Upon receiving the news of his death, his family members created a ruckus at the district hospital and held the SDM responsible for Yadav's demise. Further details on the matter are awaited.
23 March,2025 09:30 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | ANIThe Congress on Saturday alleged that projects worth crores of rupees were being awarded to private players without competitive bidding and asked if the BJP-led Centre would initiate an Enforcement Directorate probe. Congress' head of Media and Publicity Department Pawan Khera claimed that more than 20 projects worth over Rs 300 crore were awarded to private players without competitive bidding. There was no immediate comment from either the Goa government or the BJP on the charges. Rs 300 crAmount Grand Old Party claimed the ‘scam’ is worth 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 March,2025 07:44 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesDelhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya is stated to have submitted a report to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna in connection with the alleged discovery of cash from Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence. Justice Upadhyaya had commenced the in-house inquiry procedure collecting evidence and information in the incident and submitted his report on Friday. The apex court collegium will examine the report and may initiate further action. The purported discovery of a huge stash of cash happened following a fire at Justice Varma's Lutyens’ Delhi residence on March 14, prompting the Delhi fire department personnel to rush to the spot and douse it. 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 March,2025 07:44 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe 12-hour Karnataka bandh called by pro-Kannada groups to protest the alleged assault on a state-run bus conductor in Belagavi last month for being unable to understand Marathi passed off peacefully on Saturday. With elaborate security arrangements in place, the police ensured that no untoward incidents occurred during the shutdown, PTI reported. According to PTI, ahead of the Karnataka bandh, state Home Minister G Parameshwara requested the people to protest peacefully, warning that any attempt to disturb law and order or resort to vandalism would be dealt with an iron hand. Pro-Kannada groups staged protests in various parts of the state and convincing shopkeepers to support the Karnataka bandh. However, most shops remained open as usual. In Bengaluru, activists came together at Mysore Bank Circle, raising slogans and holding placards, reported PTI. Some demonstrators staged a protest at the bus stands in Majestic, urging bus drivers and conductors to support the bandh. As their agitation intensified, police took them into preventive custody. Leading the agitation, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) convener Vatal Nagaraj staged a demonstration at Majestic. He termed the bandh a "success", claiming that bus stands were deserted, many shopkeepers had shut their shops, and several autorickshaw drivers stayed off the roads. According to PTI, Nagaraj informed that he had explained to both the government and the people why his organisation had called for the bandh. He further claimed that over 3,000 Kannada activists were taken into preventive custody on Friday night itself. Nagaraj was also detained as he began his protest at Town Hall, accompanied by Kannada filmmaker Sa Ra Govindu. In Mysuru, some pro-Kannada activists staged a sit-in protest, blocking buses at the suburban bus stand. They demonstrated a dharna near the exit gate to prevent buses from leaving for Bengaluru and other parts of the state. Several pro-Kannada activists were taken into preventive custody after they attempted to stop a KSRTC bus in Mysuru. Similar protests took place in Davangere, where demonstrators hit the streets. Sources in Belagavi said KSRTC buses were operating as usual, but the movement of buses from Maharashtra to this border town in north Karnataka was restricted, as it remained at the center of the linguistic row. Besides the attack on a bus conductor in Balekundri, Panchayat officials in Kinaye village, Belagavi, were abused for not speaking Marathi. Located on the Maharashtra border, Belagavi has a substantial Marathi-speaking population, and the border dispute flares up from time to time. The accused in both incidents have been taken into custody. Extensive security measures were implemented across the state, with senior officers closely monitoring the situation to prevent any untoward incidents. Police in various districts deployed home guards along with City Armed Reserve units as a precautionary measure to ensure that the bandh remained peaceful and did not cause inconvenience to the public, officials informed, reported PTI. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda warned of legal action against anyone found coercing people into participating in the bandh. He stated that 60 Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons, 1,200 home guards, and the entire civil and traffic police force were deployed in Bengaluru as a precaution. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar urged people to maintain peace and follow the law. "We will protect the interests of the state. Everyone should maintain peace and abide by the law. However, I feel there is no need for a bandh," he asserted on Friday. According to Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner Jagadeesha G, no holiday was declared for schools and colleges. On February 28, Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella organisation representing various pro-Kannada groups, announced the statewide bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on March 22. State-owned public transport corporations such as the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) largely remained operational. According to sources, some autorickshaw, cab, and private transport unions extended support to the bandh, while others, including hotel associations, malls, bars, and restaurants, chose to stay away, offering only "moral support." Meanwhile, essential services, including pharmacies, hospitals, ambulances, petrol pumps, and metro services, continued to operate amid the bandh. (With PTI inputs)
22 March,2025 09:53 PM IST | Benguluru | mid-day online correspondentThe Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday said they plan to take the Saurabh Rajput murder case to a fast-track court, even as a post-mortem revealed the extreme brutality with which he was killed and his body dismembered, allegedly by his wife and her lover. According to news agency PTI, the autopsy disclosed that Rajput's head was severed from his body, both hands were cut off at the wrists, and his legs were bent backwards, suggesting an attempt to fit the body into a drum. The cause of death has been attributed to shock and excessive bleeding. Following the murder, Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla travelled to Kasol in Himachal Pradesh on March 10 and checked into a hotel, introducing themselves as husband and wife. They left on March 16, the hotel operator said, adding that their driver accompanied them. "They stayed in their hotel room the whole day, only going out once in their car, which was unusual. They had minimal interaction with staff and did not allow anyone to clean their room," he said. During check-out, they claimed to have come from Manali and said they would return to Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported. Senior Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada told PTI that police would prioritise filing a charge sheet as quickly as possible. "We will try to run the case in a fast-track court so that the accused get punished as soon as possible," he said, adding that police would seek custody of Rastogi and Shukla once their 14-day judicial custody ends. The gruesome details of the murder have attracted nationwide attention. Doctors who conducted the post-mortem reported that Rajput was stabbed in the heart with extreme force three times, indicating a sustained and violent attack. "The blows from the sharp long knife pierced deep inside the heart," one of the doctors said. Superintendent of Police (City) Ayush Vikram Singh confirmed the post-mortem findings. "Muskan brutally stabbed Saurabh in his heart, puncturing it. His neck was severed, and both palms were cut off. The body was cut into four pieces to fit inside the drum," the officer said. Meerut murder: Saurabh Rajput was drugged, stabbed to death on March 4 The medical team further detailed the gruesome attempt to conceal the body. "It was placed in the drum, which was then filled with dust and cement. The body solidified in the cement and did not decompose due to the lack of air. The smell was not extremely foul," a member of the post-mortem team disclosed. The drum had to be cut open, and the hardened cement painstakingly removed to retrieve the body. Rajput was allegedly drugged and then stabbed to death by his wife and her lover on 4 March. His body was dismembered and sealed inside a drum with cement. The duo then went on holiday to Himachal Pradesh, misleading Rajput's family by sending messages from his phone. The matter was reported to police on 18 March, following which Muskan and Sahil were arrested. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Meerut Zone) Kalanidhi Naithani has directed the force to conduct a thorough investigation, file a charge sheet promptly, and ensure strong prosecution to secure severe punishment. Meerut murder: Statements of vendors who sold knife, drum and cement being recorded As part of the investigation—now overseen by an inspector and monitored by an assistant superintendent of police—statements of vendors who sold the knife, drum, and cement were being recorded. Police are also investigating the accused’s activities after the murder. A video circulating on social media purportedly shows Rastogi and Shukla dancing at a party. "In the video, both are seen dancing to DJ music at a party while drenched in the colours of Holi," a police source said. The source added that Rastogi's online chats and audio messages exchanged with the driver of the cab in which she and Shukla travelled to Himachal Pradesh had also surfaced online. "One such video showed Rastogi sending an audio message to the cab driver via WhatsApp, asking him to bring a cake," the police source said. Rastogi and Rajput got married in 2016 against his family's wishes after a relationship and had a six-year-old daughter. Rastogi and Shukla had known each other since school and reconnected via a WhatsApp group in 2019, police said. (With PTI inputs)
22 March,2025 08:15 PM IST | Meerut | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis stated on Saturday that a bulldozer "will roll if necessary" when asked whether those involved in the Nagpur violence would face action similar to the "Uttar Pradesh style." Addressing the media, Fadnavis affirmed that the government would recover the cost of damage caused during the unrest from the rioters. If they failed to compensate, their properties would be seized and sold to cover the losses, reported news agency PTI. In response to a query about the possibility of "bulldozer action" against rioters in Nagpur, akin to the approach in Uttar Pradesh, Fadnavis said, "The Maharashtra government has its own style of working... bulldozer will roll when necessary." "Wherever wrong things are happening, they will be crushed. Nobody [perpetrators] will be spared," he added. According to PTI, the Maharashtra CM also emphasised that stringent action would be taken against those who attacked police officers during the unrest, asserting that his government would not tolerate any form of disturbance. However, he dismissed the notion that the incident was an "intelligence failure," stating instead that intelligence gathering could have been better. "Police will be alert. We won't tolerate any kind of disturbance," he assured. Fadnavis also informed that 104 individuals had been identified through CCTV footage and video analysis. Legal action has been initiated against 92 people, including 12 minors. PM Modi to visit Nagpur on March 30 The violence broke out on Monday after rumours spread that a 'chadar' bearing religious inscriptions had been burnt during a protest by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The unrest resulted in widespread stone-pelting and arson, injuring 33 police personnel, including three officers of Deputy Commissioner of Police rank. Meanwhile, Fadnavis confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Nagpur on 30 March would proceed as planned. "The cost of properties damaged during Nagpur violence will be recovered from rioters, and the failure to pay up would lead to the seizure and selling of their properties to recover losses. My government will not rest until those responsible for attacking the police are found and dealt with sternly," asserted Fadnavis, who also heads the state Home Ministry. According to PTI, the CM mentioned that the situation in Nagpur had calmed down and efforts were underway to ease the curfew in affected areas. "Riots broke out only in parts of the city, while 80 per cent of Nagpur wasn't impacted," he clarified. Fadnavis said that compensation distribution for victims of Nagpur violence would begin soon. Additionally, 68 social media posts that aggravated the violence had been identified and removed. He added that those responsible for circulating inflammatory content would be treated as co-accused for their role in inciting violence. Fadnavis noted that it was too early to comment on a possible foreign or Bangladeshi connection to Nagpur violence, as the investigation was ongoing. However, he claimed that there appeared to be a "Malegaon connection" as one of the accused, reportedly from Malegaon, was associated with a political party. Without naming anyone, he alluded to the arrest of Minority Democratic Party leader Fahim Khan on sedition charges. Nagpur violence: 105 people arrested so far Regarding allegations of rioters misbehaving with a female police constable, Fadnavis said he had spoken to the Police Commissioner, who confirmed that the purported incident had not occurred. However, he acknowledged that stones had been thrown at female constables. Notably, an FIR had alleged that a group of rioters had inappropriately touched a woman constable and attempted to disrobe her during the violence. Addressing speculation that the violence in his hometown was orchestrated to target him politically, Fadnavis dismissed such claims as baseless. "It is foolish to say such things. There is no political angle to the violence," he asserted. During his visit to Nagpur following the violence, the Chief Minister assessed the situation and chaired a meeting with senior police and administrative officers at the Police Commissionerate. When asked about the Congress party’s decision to send a committee to visit the violence-hit areas, Fadnavis noted that one of the committee members was accused in the Akola violence case. "If rioters are coming to enquire about riots, it is akin to appeasement politics," he remarked. Nagpur Police reported that 105 individuals had been arrested so far in connection with the violence, including Fahim Khan. (With PTI inputs)
22 March,2025 06:54 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA Kerala court on Saturday sentenced to varying jail terms, ranging from five years to 13 years, the three persons convicted for the abduction of a Mysuru-based traditional healer and his brutal killing at one of the accused's residence at Nilambur, Malappuram, in 2019. Additional District and Sessions Judge Thushar M sentenced Shaibin Ashraf, the main accused, to a total of 13 years and nine months in prison in connection with the abduction and killing of 60-year-old Shaba Sharif. The court sentenced him to eight years under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), three years under section 347 (wrongful confinement), two years under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and nine months under section 201 (destruction of evidence) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said the sentences shall run consecutively, Public Prosecutor EM Krishnan Namboodiri said. The court sentenced Shihabudheen for a total of eight years and nine months. The third convict, Nishad, was sentenced for a total of five years and nine months, the prosecutor said. Besides this, the court also imposed a total fine of Rs 3.5 lakh on the three and said that if the amount was recovered from them, it shall be given to the victim's family, according to the prosecutor. The court had convicted the three of them on March 20. The court had acquitted nine others who were accused in the case. After the conviction of the three, the prosecutor in the case had told reporters outside the court that a single hair found in Ashraf's car became instrumental in proving that Sharif was killed and his body disposed of by the accused. "No body or body parts were found and therefore, it was very challenging to prove the case against the accused," the prosecutor had said and praised the investigation carried out by the police.He said that through the mitochondrial DNA of Sharif found in the hair, it was possible to prove the crime against the accused."We were able to prove his abduction, wrongful confinement and killing," the prosecutor said. The abduction and homicide case came to light in 2022 during an investigation into a burglary case. Ashraf, a businessman hailing from Kaipancheri here, had lodged a theft complaint against some of his associates. The associates had then created a ruckus in front of the Secretariat in the state capital by attempting self immolation, claiming that they were being intimidated by the businessman. They were arrested and handed over to Malappuram police and during their interrogation, the abduction and killing of the Mysuru-based traditional healer was revealed. One of the accused also handed over to the police a pendrive containing a video of the victim being held confined in Ashraf's house. Subsequent investigation revealed that Sharif's family had lodged a missing complaint in 2019. The police, thereafter, found that Sharif, after being abducted, was subjected to brutal torture in captivity for over a year at Ashraf's house for a secret medicinal recipe of the healer to treat piles. However, Sharif succumbed to the injuries suffered during his torture and his body was cut into pieces and dumped into the river, according to the police.Ashraf had plans to launch a clinic after getting hold of the medicine formula and reap huge profits. But, he and his associates had a falling out, leading to them stealing some of Ashraf's valuables and cash and him lodging a complaint against them. 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 March,2025 04:21 PM IST | Kerala | PTIAir India, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways operated their scheduled flights from the national capital to London Heathrow on Saturday as the UK airport resumed operations after being impacted by a power outage. Travel plans of thousands of passengers who were scheduled to fly to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), including from Indian cities, were disrupted on Friday due to the cancellation of flights. An official said Air India, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operated their flights to LHR on Saturday morning, and another Air India flight is scheduled to depart in the afternoon. Delhi Airport has six daily flights connecting with LHR. British Airways has eight flights per day between India and LHR, including three from Mumbai and two from Delhi. Virgin Atlantic has five daily flights to LHR from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Air India has six flights to LHR. In a series of posts on X, LHR airport on Saturday said flights have resumed and "we are open and fully operational". Teams across the airport continue to do everything they can do to support passengers impacted by yesterday's outage at an off airport substation, it 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 March,2025 03:27 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIA 22-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for allegedly pouring petrol on a man and setting him ablaze in Maharashtra's Nashik district, police said. The victim, Vijay Gehlot, is undergoing treatment for burn wounds following the attack that took place in the Thakkar Bazar area on Friday evening, an officer said. According to the officer, the accused, Shubham Jagtap, lived in a room next to a public toilet, and Gehlot used to tease and beat him up without any reason. Fed up with the harassment, Jagtap allegedly poured petrol on Gehlot and set him ablaze with a lighter, the officer said, adding that the victim sustained serious injuries in the attack. The accused has been arrested under section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 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.
22 March,2025 02:53 PM IST | Nashik | PTIADVERTISEMENT
