Those involved in the incident targeted a motorcycle, two cars, one religious structure and a bakery, and indulged in arson. The police had to lob tear gas shells and lathi-charge to disperse the mob, the official said.
To make the scheme attractive, the government has announced a rate structure wherein the operators may take the optical fibre on lease and provide broadband connectivity to customers.
The mega campaign, to start on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, will be conducted just before the elections in three major Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states and also before the 2019 general elections.
Since the onset of monsoon on June 20 to date, rain-related incidents have claimed 23 lives in the state, according to the state emergency operation centre.
Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, resulted in casualties and widespread damage, prompting rescue operations and relief efforts.
Two bodies were recovered from the Manuni Khad in Kangra district while around 15-20 workers stationed at a labour colony near the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project site were feared swept away following a surge in water level in the Khaniyara Manuni Khad.
'It will be an explosion of zoonotic diseases from these places.' 'People will not be able to live or work for kilometres around these places where thousands of street dogs are kept.'
The death toll from cloudburst and flash flood-related incidents in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh has risen to 14, with a search underway for 31 missing individuals. Extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and livestock has been reported across the district.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld a Bombay High Court order reinstating a woman as the sarpanch of a Maharashtra village, stating that bureaucrats cannot be allowed to "frustrate grassroot democracy." The court criticized instances of bureaucrats misbehaving with elected representatives and attempting to disqualify them by reopening old cases. The case involved Kalavati Rajendra Kokale, whose resignation from the sarpanch's post was withdrawn, but the Raigad district collector declared a vacancy and conducted a fresh election. The court found the collector's actions illegal and upheld Kokale's reinstatement, highlighting the importance of respecting the democratic process and elected representatives at the grassroots level.
The theme for this year is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health" echoes India's vision of global wellness.
The Bombay High Court has criticized the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) for failing to take action against illegal structures in Navi Mumbai. The court questioned whether the rule of law or the rule of muscle power prevails in the state, noting that CIDCO officers were threatened by a local sarpanch when they attempted to take action. The court directed CIDCO to demolish the unauthorized structures within a week and ordered the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner to provide protection to CIDCO officers.
A video of Dehury crawling on a village road has gone viral on social media.
A 15-year-old boy in Malvan, Maharashtra, has claimed he was falsely accused of raising anti-India slogans during a cricket match. His family alleges he was trapped by people who beat him up and instigated a fight. The family's shop, godown, and home were subsequently demolished, while the boy and his parents were arrested. The teen maintains he doesn't watch cricket and was returning from prayers when the incident occurred.
Several areas in Muslim-majority Murshidabad, including Suti, Dhulian, Jangipur and Shamsherganj, have witnessed violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act that spiralled into communal violence, sparking the exodus.
The Supreme Court of India expressed its disappointment and concern after a man was denied the right to bury his Christian father in a Chhattisgarh village, despite the presence of a designated burial area for Christians in the village graveyard. The man, Ramesh Baghel, had to approach the Supreme Court after the Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed his plea, citing concerns about potential unrest. The court criticized the high court's decision and the lack of action by local authorities in resolving the issue, noting that the body had remained in the morgue since January 7th. The case highlights a growing concern about religious intolerance and the need for greater sensitivity and respect for diverse communities in India.
With several cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) being detected in Sinhgad Road area in Pune, local residents on Tuesday claimed that contaminated water of a well on private land could have led to the outbreak.
Coming down heavily on the Chhattisgarh government for removing an elected woman sarpanch of a remote village for 'unjustified reasons', the Supreme Court on Monday observed the state wanted the village head to go with a 'begging bowl before a babu (bureaucrat)'.
The Bihar government has formed a state-level task force to monitor actions taken by authorities to prevent and eradicate child marriages in the state. Bihar has the second-highest rate of child marriage in India, with 40.8% of women getting married before turning 18. The government is implementing a multipronged strategy to combat child marriage, including stricter enforcement of the law, empowering girls through education, and raising awareness.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that courts should not hesitate to deny liberty to accused individuals in order to ensure a corruption-free society. The court's statement came while upholding the dismissal of an anticipatory bail plea in a corruption case against a public official. The court highlighted the dangers of corruption and emphasized that the presumption of innocence alone cannot be the sole consideration for granting bail in such cases.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that the state will become the first in independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), with the date of implementation to be announced soon. The UCC, which aims to unify personal laws for all citizens, has been approved by the state cabinet and preparations for its implementation are almost complete. Dhami stated that the training process for UCC implementation is nearly finalized and the government is aiming for a swift rollout. Speculation is rife that the UCC could be implemented on Republic Day, coinciding with the conclusion of municipal elections. The UCC includes provisions related to marriage, divorce, annulment of marriage, succession, and live-in relationships. The state government has introduced a dedicated portal for online registration of related matters and has authorized Common Service Centers (CSC) to simplify access for citizens. In remote areas, CSC agents will provide door-to-door services. The Gram Panchayat Development Officer will serve as the Sub-Registrar for registration work in rural areas. The government has also implemented Aadhaar-based registration to make the process easier. Citizens can track their application status through email and SMS, and an online complaint portal has been set up. Dhami dismissed Congress allegations of divisive politics, emphasizing that the UCC provides a uniform system and law for all.
While data can empower communities, it reinforces identities, making local politics more caste-centric, with decisions increasingly contested on the grounds of representation.
Such dynamics could lead to shifting alliances and, in the worst case, local governance getting paralysed as each group demands proportional power-sharing, explain Amitabh Kundu and Mehebub Rahaman.
The Supreme Court of India is set to rule on the case of a pastor whose body has been lying in a mortuary for 15 days due to a dispute over his burial site in a Chhattisgarh village. The court expressed concern over the delay and urged for an amicable settlement, while the Chhattisgarh government insisted on the designated burial area for Christian tribals being 20-30 kilometers away from the family's village. The court will deliver its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.
Kolewadi gram sabha in Maharashtra's Satara district has resolved to conduct future elections on ballot papers, becoming the second village in the state to pass a resolution against EVMs.
'Many of them are mutilated beyond recognition. Every day an encounter takes place.' 'Bastar has been burnt to ash.'
Survivors of the landslides in Chooralmala-Mundakai in Wayanad district alleged on Thursday that they were given worm-infested food kits by the Meppadi Gram Panchayat, leading to a violent protest by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Thursday.
The Supreme Court of India has ordered the burial of a pastor whose body has been lying in a mortuary since January 7th, after a dispute arose regarding the location of his burial. The court issued a split verdict, with one judge ruling for burial on the family's private land and the other for a designated place away from the village. The decision was made due to the prolonged delay in the burial and the potential for unrest. The court ordered the state government to provide security to prevent any further incidents.
The auction, a violation of democratic norms, has been condemned by several political leaders. Elections to gram panchayats in Punjab will be held on October 15.
A businessman in West Bengal's Howrah district was allegedly assaulted and his house vandalised after a kangaroo court session was convened by a local panchayat pradhan and Trinamool Congress leader to resolve his marital dispute.
Enterprising women business correspondents, known as BC Sakhis, have facilitated transactions worth Rs 27,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh, earning Rs 75 crore in commission over the past four and a half years. BC Sakhis, appointed under the nationwide women empowerment programme, are members of self-help groups (SHGs) who are trained and certified to provide banking and financial services in rural areas.
Residents of a village in Kapu assembly segment of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency have decided to boycott the upcoming election, in protest against the poor civic amenities there.
A local Aam Aadmi Party leader was shot at in Punjab's Fazilka district with the ruling party and MLA Jagdeep Kamboj accusing a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal of opening the fire.
The worst-hit districts include Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak, while the human casualty 'still stands at zero,' he told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
Over 40 people are still missing after a series of cloudbursts occurred in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur subdivision on the night of July 31 and wreaked havoc.
'The message is loud and clear: "If you're not falling in line, we will open a line of understanding with the MNS, and then the Shiv Sena will be in trouble".'
With all the evasions, one assertion made by the Pune (Rural) police stood out: They had found no connection of the Elgar Parishad with the violent incidents of January 1, 2018. Yet, the case against the 'Bhima Koregaon 16', which is based on exactly this alleged connection, continues, and seven of the accused continue to be behind bars under the UAPA, explains Jyoti Punwani.
Sporadic incidents of unrest marred the West Bengal bypolls, with a local Trinamool Congress worker Ashok Shaw dying following a crude bomb attack in Bhatpara, an area adjoining Naihati assembly constituency where voting was underway.
The activist said leaders opposing Maratha interests would face consequences in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.
Under the stewardship of the then TMC national general secretary Mukul Roy and North 24 Parganas TMC district president Jyotipriyo Mullick, he joined the party and quickly ascended in power, becoming a close associate of Mullick.
The incident led to a political confrontation between the government and Opposition in the state.
Hours after taking a 'U-turn' by informing the high court that it is withdrawing its notification dissolving all gram panchayats in the state, the Punjab government suspended two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers on Thursday for a 'technically-flawed' decision.
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