Latest news updates: Stalin to lead DMK protest over Chennai water crisis

Welcoming Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's open disclosure about bureaucrats demanding money for 'fixing' government jobs, state Congress President Girish Chodankar on Saturday questioned Sawant's silence about ministers accepting money for granting government jobs.

Chodankar also accused Sawant of being hypocritical about the issue of corruption, claiming that Sawant warns bureaucrats against indulging in corruption, but had endorsed the illegal venture of a cabinet minister by inaugurating his floating restaurant which allegedly does not possess permissions from the state pollution control board and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority.

"As a party, the Congress appreciates Sawant's warning to bureaucrats against corruption and seeking money for government jobs, but why is he not warning any of his ministers because they are the ones who finally sign off on appointments," Chodankar said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M.K. Stalin will on Monday lead a protest against the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government, demanding solution to the city's water problem.

Announcing this, the DMK in a statement, here on Saturday, urged party leaders and workers to participate in the protest in a large number.

On Saturday the DMK held protests at the district headquarters to press the state government for necessary action to mitigate the people's suffering.

Facing heat over the rape allegations against his elder son, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Saturday sought to distance the party and himself from the case.

Looking visibly uncomfortable as he faced a barrage of questions from the media personnel, Balakrishnan said his son Binoy was an adult and responsible for his actions,adding that he need not expect any protection from him or from the party.

This is the first time Kodiyeri was reacting on the charges of rape and cheating against his son, raised by a former bar dancer of Mumbai.

"Neither my party CPI(M) nor I will protect Binoy. He is an adult. He stays as a separate family and is responsible for his actions," Kodiyeri said.

CPI-M Kerala state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Saturday broke his silence on the rape allegation against his eldest son Binoy Kodiyeri, presently on the run, making it clear that neither him nor the party will come to his son's defence.

He, however, lost his composure as the questions increased.

"The media need not question me like the way police questions," a peeved Balakrishnan said.

As Tamil Nadu reels under the worst water crisis, the ruling AIADMK Saturday performed 'yagna' in temples across the state, while the Opposition DMK staged "empty pot" demonstrations, urging the government to take steps to address the issue.

Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar took part in a 'yagna' at a Shiva temple here and planted saplings in the premises of the shrine.

He told reporters that performing yagnas was "an expression of faith", hoping that the Almighty will answer their prayers for rain.

A man allegedly killed his wife by hitting her with a stone in the district after an argument between them, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday night in Laxmangarh of Sikar district when Jaiprakash Naik, aged around 35, hit his wife Anju Devi with a stone after a heated argument over some issue, Station House Officer (SHO), Laxmangarh Police Station, Rammanohar said.

The police were informed about the incident by the family members after which the accused was arrested on Saturday morning, the SHO said.

Two days after disability rights activist Arman Ali shared his experience of being "treated horribly" by two drivers of an app cab aggregator, the company on Saturday expressed regret over the incident and said action will be taken against the wrongdoers.

Uber India does not condone discrimination of any kind, a spokesperson of the service provider told PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday directed officials to carry out development works in over 750 unauthorised colonies on a "war footing" and complete those within five months.

The direction was given by the chief minister in a high-level meeting with the Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Satyendar Jain and senior officials. It comes at a time when just a few months are left for the Delhi Assembly elections.

"Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday directed that the ongoing developmental works in 781 unauthorised colonies should be completed on a war footing within five months by the irrigation and flood control department," the government said in a statement.

The Madras High Court has said that rape victims should not be unnecessarily compelled to "knock doors of the court" to terminate their unwanted pregnancy.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, in his order delivered June 19, ruled that if a victim suffers an unwanted pregnancy and its duration has not exceed 20 weeks, then the "victim need not be referred to the medical board and the termination of pregnancy can be done as per the provisions of Section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971.

"The victim girl should not be unnecessarily made to knock the doors of this court."

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Saturday arrested an assistant public prosecutor here for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 to `settle' a case of cheating.

Prosecutor Priti Jagtap (39), who appeared at Andheri magistrate's court, allegedly demanded money from a man against whom a case of cheating had been registered.

She allegedly told him that if he paid her, she will ensure that the case was closed, an ACB official said.

After he approached the ACB, a trap was laid and Jagtap was arrested while allegedly taking the money.

The Telugu Desam Party Saturday asserted that four of its Rajya Sabha members joining the BJP clearly amounted to defection and called it "immoral and undemocratic".

The YSR Congress, on the other hand, reiterated that the four MPs' action was "100 per cent match-fixing" between the TDP and the BJP.

TDP senior leaders met at the residence of party president N Chandrababu Naidu and discussed various developments.

The party's Andhra Pradesh unit president K Kala Venkata Rao chaired the meeting, a release said.

Two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted, one of them by her father, in separate incidents in the city, police said Saturday.

A 40-year-old man, an auto-rickshaw driver, allegedly sexually assaulted his daughter at Neredmet in the city on June 17 and was arrested on Thursday on a complaint by his wife, police said.

A case under Indian Penal Code offence rape and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act had been registered against him.

Justice V Ramasubramanian sworn in Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on Saturday.

Locals in Vaishali dist's Harivanshpur village, Bihar put up banners and stick posters on their cattle, announcing reward of Rs 15,000 for anyone who finds Union Minister and LJP Ram Vilas Paswan and also offer reward of Rs 5000 for the one who finds the local MLA. Say, "7 children died here.But no MP or MLA has come"

A nurse, who was attending an ailing 85-year-old woman for the last four months, was arrested for allegedly beating the woman, police said on Saturday.

"Sanjukta Paik was arrested after the family members of 85-year-old Sukumari Saha lodged a police complaint and submitted CCTV footage which showed the nurse beating the ailing woman," said an officer of Patuli police station.

Saha's family members said that they installed a CCTV camera in the room after noticing black injury marks on her face, hands and body. They also consulted doctors as her family members initially thought black marks could be due to illness.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, here on Saturday, extended the State of Emergency by another month, considering the security situation following the April Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people and injured hundreds.

Sirisena issued orders to extend the Emergency for another month from Friday midnight, according to a gazette notification.

According to the notification, the Emergency was in effect for public security, preservation of public order and maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the countrymen, the Colombo Page reported.

Seven people were killed after a seven-storey under-construction building collapsed in Cambodia's coastal city of Sihanoukville on Saturday.

The incident happened early in the morning in Preah Sihanouk province. The Preah Sihanouk Province's Administration said that a woman was among those found dead under the debris and 21 people were injured.

The building was owned by a Chinese company and search for survivors was ongoing. Four people were arrested over the collapse, including the Chinese building owner, the head of the construction firm and the contractor, the BBC reported.

A plea seeking direction to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to appoint a leader of opposition in the 17th Lok Sabha has been filed in the Delhi High Court.

The public interest litigation (PIL), filed by advocates Manmohan Singh and Shishmita Kumari, may be heard by a vacation Bench on June 26.

They have also sought direction to the Speaker to frame a policy for the leader of opposition's appointment.

Amid rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran, India's aviation regulator DGCA Saturday said Indian airlines have decided to avoid the "affected part of the Iranian airspace" and reroute their flight "suitably".

On Friday, the American aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting US-registered aircraft from operating "in the overwater area of the Tehran Flight Information Region until further notice, due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions".

"All Indian operators in consultation with DGCA have decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian Airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers. They will re-route flights suitably," the DGCA said on Twitter.

After the humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav met his jailed and ailing father Lalu Prasad at a hospital, here on Saturday.

Tej Pratap met the RJD at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) and presented him the Bhagavad Gita.

Lalu Prasad is suffering from kidney issues and diabetes. He has been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in jail in four fodder scam cases.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday rejected a plea by fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi that he should be questioned in Antigua because of his health condition and said it can arrange air ambulance with medical experts to bring him back to India for interrogation in connection with the PNB fraud case

Choksi, who is an accused in the case, has taken refuge in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua.

He has approached the Bombay High Court and said that he is willing to join investigation if his questioning was held in Antigua or via through video conferencing in the light of his medical condition.

The lawyer who shot himself after killing Uttar Pradesh Bar Council President Darvesh Singh Yadav in Agra court died in a Gurugram hospital on Saturday.

Manish Sharma was shifted to Medanta hospital. He was in coma and was kept on a ventilator. He was declared dead on Saturday afternoon.

Sharma had shot his colleague Darvesh Singh Yadav on June 12 after the latter was elected as the Bar council President. Sharma fired three bullet at Yadav, killing her on the spot. Immediately after, Sharma shot himself in the head.

TDP national President N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with senior leaders of his party today. He is on a tour to Europe while TDP leaders assembled at his Amaravati residence. They discussed recent developments including that of 4 TDP MPs joining BJP.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPI(M): Allegations against my son Binoy should be examined & the truth should be brought out. Neither my party nor I should be held responsible for this, none of us will help him. Police is investigating the matter, let the investigation continue.

The onus of proving innocence lies on the guilty party. Neither me nor my party can be held responsible for the wrong doings of family members.

Bihar: Muzaffarpur DM Alok Ranjan Ghosh seeks report from administration & concerned departments in connection with the finding of human skeletal remains behind Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital (SKMCH), where 108 people have died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

Separatist Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on Saturday in Srinagar.

A spokesman of the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat said a police party arrived at the Nigeen residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the city outskirts and informed him that he cannot move out of his house.

The spokesman said the police did not give any reasons for placing the Mirwaiz under house arrest.

Delhi Police: Two criminals arrested by special cell, accused are active members of criminal Naveen Khati gang. They were involved in supply of illegal arms & ammunition to various criminal gangs in Delhi/NCR. Eleven illicit firearms along with twelve live cartridges recovered.

Two men were killed after their tractor-trolley fell in a canal near Sadhemau village in Fatehpur area, police said on Saturday.

Sudhir Yadav (24) and Indresh (35) drowned after they lost control of their vehicle and it fell in the canal on Friday, they said. Villagers found the tractor-trolley following which they informed the police, they said. The matter is being probed, police said.

Three more children with symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) died at a hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Friday, 21 June, taking the toll to 139.

The Bihar health department had on Thursday released state-wide figures putting the total toll following the outbreak, which has spread across 16 districts, at 136.

With the latest three casualties the death toll rose to 139 though unconfirmed reports claim that the number has crossed 150.

Tej Pratap Yadav arrives at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi to meet his father and former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

More than 200 patients were shifted to safety after a minor fire broke out at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital early on Saturday, according to a statement.

The Delhi Fire Services received information about the blaze at around 4.19 am, following which five fire tenders were rushed to the spot and it was doused by 5.15 am, officials said.

In a statement, the Union Health Ministry said the fire was doused immediately by the hospital staff and there was no casualty. "As a precautionary measure, more than 200 patients were immediately shifted to the trauma centre and other places safely," it said.

Newly-elected BSP MP Atul Rai, who had been accused of rape, evaded arrest and surrendered in a Varanasi court on Saturday. He was sent to a jail on 14 days judicial remand. Rai was accompanied by hundreds of his supporters who shouted slogans in his support.

Rai was contesting the Ghosi Lok Sabha seat and had gone missing from the midst of his campaign after an FIR was lodged against him by a girl student who accused him of sexually assaulting her.

BSP President Mayawati had asked her cadres to continue campaigning for Rai, whom she believed, had been framed by his political rivals. Mayawati also addressed a meeting in support of Rai in Ghosi.

Delhi Police, DCP Central: BJP headquarters control room received a hoax bomb call today. Delhi Police is conducting an investigation. The caller has been traced to Mysore in Karnataka.

Human skeletal remains found behind Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital, Muzaffarpur. SK Shahi, MS SKMCH says,"Postmortem dept is under Principal but it should be done with a humane approach. I'll talk to the Principal & ask him to constitute an investigating committee". 108 people have died at SKMCH due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

Aruna Kumar, Dean, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal on Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath: CM was admitted to Hamidia Hospital today morning. He had a trigger finger problem. He underwent an operation and his condition is stable. He has been kept under observation for few hours.

A state of emergency was extended by Sri Lanka's President on Saturday, going back on pledges to relax the tough laws introduced after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people.

Maithripala Sirisena said in a decree he believed there was a "public emergency" in the country, and was invoking provisions of the public security act extending the state of emergency.

The tough laws, granting sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects, were due to expire on Saturday.

Exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in forest area of Boniyar in Baramulla district.

In Pakistan, Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, a Catholic, of blasphemy, sparing her the death penalty after she spent nearly a decade in prison. However, more than 40 others remain jailed for life, or face execution on that very same charge.

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has called for a release of the 40 still in prison, and encouraged the government to appoint an envoy to address the various religious freedom concerns.

Death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) rises to 128 in Muzaffarpur. 108 deaths at SKMCH & 20 deaths at Kejriwal hospital.

One person died, three injured as a 36-year-old man drove over homeless people sleeping on pavement near Neela Gumbad, in Hazrat Nizamuddin area, on Friday night. A case has been registered under sections 308/304 IPC, further investigation underway.