LIVE news updates: More spent on publicity than crucial schemes says Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday slammed the central government for spending over 50 per cent of the total funds of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' and the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' schemes on publicity.

Speaking at the Motion of Thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind's address, the Congress leader said it was the first time that more funds were spent on publicity than on the scheme. Azad said 56 per cent of the total funds for the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme were spent on publicity.

Between 2014 and January 2019, the government allocated Rs 644 crore for the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme. Of this, Rs 364 crore was spent on advertising the campaign.

The government should effect a "judicious and realistic" enhancement of the income ceiling for determining the 'creamy layer' category among the OBCs, keeping in view the factors such as rise in GDP, inflation and all-round economic growth, a parliamentary committee has said.

The Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) also said, in a report, that the income ceiling to determine the ‘creamy layer', should be revised periodically – three yearly or less.

"The committee feels that there is a limit to which the income of a person can be taken as a measure of his social advancement. Therefore, policy decisions should not prescribe unusually rigid income limits because such restrictions have the effect of taking away with one hand what is given with the other," said the report tabled in Parliament on Monday.

Delhi Police on Monday said it has arrested a doctor in connection with the recent firing incident which went viral on the social media.

On June 22, a video went viral on the social media in which some persons were seen firing in the air near Shyam Lal College in Shahdara area. A case was then registered with the police.

One of the accused, identified as Kamal Deep, a 26-year-old doctor, was nabbed on Monday, said Ved Prakash Surya, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara).

The Aam Aadmi Party said the Delhi government was committed to the values of B R Ambedkar and alleged that misinformation was being spread that they were trying to pull down a statue of the Dalit icon.

Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said for the past 30-35 years, there had been a statue of Ambedkar on a piece of land in Deoli and an organisation by the name of Dr Ambedkar University used that land to run classes. In 2003, he said, the organisation was given a separate land to run classes, but the ownership of it remained with the Delhi government.

"It has now been allocated for building a hospital and school, but unfortunately the V-C (vice-chancellor) of Ambedkar University is spreading misinformation that the Delhi government is trying to pull down the Ambedkar statue," Gautam said.

Sri Lanka's sacked top defence ministry official will face criminal investigation for his alleged failure to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 258 people and injured over 500, an official said on Monday.

Hemasiri Fernando, who was asked by President Maithripala Sirisena to resign, told a parliamentary panel that it was difficult for him to meet Sirisena during the time he served as the top bureaucrat of the ministry.

The Attorney General (AG) has instructed the acting police chief to institute a criminal action against Fernando following recommendations by a special panel to probe the April 21 attacks.

India had shared intelligence inputs with Sri Lanka about possible attacks weeks before the bombings.

Rajasthan BJP president Madan Lal Saini died on Monday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Delhi, a party spokesperson said.

Saini, also a Rajya Sabha MP, was 75.

He was shifted to Delhi two days back owing to his deteriorating health conditions. Earlier, he was admitted at a private hospital in Jaipur due to infection in lungs.

He was appointed BJP state president last year. He was a former MLA and RSS volunteer who held various posts in the Bhartiya Kisan Morcha as well.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed grief over his demise.

After two days of deadlock, Dera Sacha Sauda sect followers on Monday cremated their member Mohinder Pal Bittu, the murdered prime suspect in a case relating to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab's Bargari in 2015, with an assurance by the government of an impartial probe

Earlier in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder.

Bittu was beaten to death with rods in the high-security Nabha prison, near Patiala, by a murder convict and a murder accused on Saturday evening.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here on Monday again quizzed Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel in connection with the Narada sting tape case, an official said.

"I have come here because the CBI summoned me for certain clarifications regarding the probe. I cannot tell exactly what purpose they have called me for," Samuel said on reaching the CBI office in afternoon.

The CBI has questioned several people in the case, including senior IPS officer S.M.H. Mirza on June 6 and a number of Trinamool Congress MLAs, MPs and state ministers.

In a setback, a US court has rejected Facebook's claims to block a lawsuit against it in a data breach that affected nearly 30 million users in September last year

According to a report in Seeking Alpha on Monday, US District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco dismissed Facebook's request, saying claims that Facebook was negligent and failed to secure users' data as promised can go forward, and discovery should move "with alacrity" toward trial.

In September, Facebook admitted that unknown hackers exploited three bugs to steal the personal details of 50 million users -- later adjusted to 30 million.

Andre Russell has been ruled out of further participation in the World Cup 2019 due to an injury to his left knee.

Sunil Ambris has been approved as a replacement player for Andre Russell in the West Indies squad for the remainder of the tournament.

The excise department has busted an illegal party organised at the basement parking of a five-star hotel in Lutyens' Delhi, an official said on Monday.

According to the department, a large number of liquor and beer bottles have been seized from the spot in the raid that was conducted on Sunday night.

"There was an arrangement for the gathering of 5,000 people at the party. The party's organisers did not have excise licence and non-duty paid liquor was being served.

"Organisers lured people through social media platform to the party," the official said.

The Bombay High Court on Monday admitted appeals filed by brothers of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in 2005, challenging acquittal of the 22 persons, including police officers from Gujarat and Rajasthan, by a special court in 2018.

In its verdict, the special CBI court had observed that the prosecution had failed to establish a cogent case to suggest that there had been any conspiracy to kill Shaikh and others -- his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsi Prajapati -- and that the accused persons had any role in it.

The court had also stated that there was no denying that Shaikh and the others had been killed.

Two children died on Monday after they were struck by lightning when they had gone to pick mangoes in a village here, police said.

The incident occurred in Sikatia village, where Sunny (14) and Khushboo (12) took shelter under a tree during rain, the Station House Officer of Mirzapur Police Station, Sudhakar Pandey, said.

The children died on the spot after lightning hit them, he said.

The over a month-long Tamil Nadu Assembly session would begin on June 28, said Speaker P. Dhanapal and added, the no-trust motion against him would be taken up on July 1 as per rules.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said on the first day of the session the House would adopt condolence resolutions in respect of two lawmakers -- R. Kanagaraj and K. Radhamani -- who died recently.

While Saturdays and Sundays will be holidays, on July 1 the debate for demand for grants for various departments will begin.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to issue any directions to the Centre on a plea filed by the Federation of Haj Private Tour Operators (PTOs), challenging the validity of a condition imposed on Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) to charge the same rates as the Haj Committee of India on the additional quota of 10,000 seats for the pilgrims to Makkah and Madinah.

A vacation bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai noted that most of the concerns of the tour operators have been addressed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, following a meeting on June 20 held after the top court asked the government to look into the matter.

On June 21, a circular, issued by the Ministry, stated, among others, that the HGOs may make adjustment within the overall package rate.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday lambasted Canada for its "overt and covert" support to the Khalistani movement, warning that its failure to check anti-India activities being carried out from its soil would be detrimental to its own security.

Citing findings of the John Major Commission into the 1985 Kanishka bombing as a clear endorsement of Canada's failure to act against Khalistanis operating from its soil, the Chief Minister said that by allowing the conspirators of the "mass murder", the Canadian government had exposed its true intent.

"It is more than apparent that Canada has been extending its support to Khalistanis despite New Delhi's protestations," said Singh.

The Bombay High Court Monday admitted appeals filed by brothers of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in 2005, challenging acquittal of the 22 persons, including police officers from Gujarat and Rajasthan, by a special court in 2018.

In its verdict, the special CBI court had observed that the prosecution had failed to establish a cogent case to suggest that there had been any conspiracy to kill Shaikh and others -- his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsi Prajapati -- and that the accused persons had any role in it.

The court had also stated that there was no denying that Shaikh and the others had been killed.

Trinamool Congress MLA Wilson Champramary and several other party members, including president of a local body from Dakshin Dinjapur, joined the BJP on Monday as the saffron party continued to poach on the leaders of the West Bengal's ruling party.

The TMC leaders joined the BJP at the latter's headquarters in the presence of its senior leaders, including Mukul Roy, its West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and its national general secretary Kailash Vijarvargiya, who is in charge of its state affairs.

Champramary, a three-term MLA, represents Kalchini constituency in the state's assembly.

Two Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders and one Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate on Monday filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha by-polls scheduled to take place in Odisha on July 5.

BJD's Rajya Sabha candidates Amar Patnaik and Sasmit Patra submitted their papers to the Returning Officer (RO) at the State Assembly here.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other BJD MLAs were present on the occasion.

BJD-backed BJP candidate Ashwini Baishnab also filed his nomination papers before the RO in presence of several BJP leaders.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for not taking any action against its MP Pragya Thakur who had described the killer of Mahatma Gandhi as a "patriot".

Azad also criticised the government over the issue of mob lynchings which he said has became the norm in the last five years.

While speaking on the motion of thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind's address, Azad said, "The President said a lot of things in his joint address. He said that this year we shall be celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and it is a matter of pride for the citizens of the country."

With its participation in the 5G rollout in India still in doubt as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo likely to raise security concerns during his visit to India this week, a top Huawei executive on Monday said New Delhi should offer the company a level-playing field.

Huawei has found itself in the midst of a global trade war, with the US President Donald Trump's administration fiercely campaigning against the participation of the Chinese telecommunication giant in the 5G rollouts of its allies on suspicion of China using Huawei equipment for spying on other nations.

Huawei has denied the allegation all along.

Two persons were killed and another was injured when a wall of a house collapsed and fell on them in Odisha's Jajpur district on Monday, police said.

The incident took place at Balipatna village under Dharmasala police station limits in Odisha's Jajpur district, they said.

A portion of the wall collapsed when the two labourers were engaged in construction of a pucca house of Banamali Sahoo, police said.

BJP leader Satish Khoda's vehicle dragged a home guard jawan on bonnet of car while driving on wrong side of road in Rewari, Haryana.

The jawan says, "I stopped the car but driver said that it's Khoda's car. Khoda slapped me when I said they were on the wrong side"

The sanctioned strength of judges in the country is adequate but the persistent vacancies in the higher judiciary is leading to a heavy backlog of court cases, former Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi has said.

For the persistent vacancy in the higher judiciary, Gandhi put part of the blame on the apex court's collegium itself, saying the truth is that the collegium has never recommended enough names to fill all vacancies.

The former member of the Central Information Commission described the recent appointments in the apex court filling all its vacancies as an exception.

Gandhi made the assertion in a letter to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who had recently written to the Union government suggesting constitutional amendments to increase the strength of the Supreme Court judges and to raise the retirement age of high court judges by three years

Embarrassed after RTI revelations that the official residences of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and several other cabinet ministers figured on the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) list of water bill 'defaulters', the state government clarified that the payments were made last November.

According to a statement by the Public Works Department - which oversees the maintenance of all official residences and other properties - the water bills were paid in November 2018, but owing to certain 'discrepancies' in the earlier bills and the latest bills received in May, the process to clear them was stopped.

It stated that the process is being resumed immediately after tallying the 'differences' in the bills of 'Varsha' bungalow - the Chief Minister's official residence - and the official residences of 18 other ministers.

The Delhi Police on Monday said it had arrested a man for raping and killing a seven-year-old girl in the Narela area.

The girl had gone missing on June 14 and on June 16 her body was found in a sewage water plant in Swarn Jayanti Vihar area.

The accused has been identified as Imran, a neighbour of the victim. He offered 'Frooti' to the girl and took her to the sewage plant where he raped and later strangulated her, police said.

The Tripura government on Monday carried out a major reshuffle in the police, transferring 58 officials including three DIGs, three district police chiefs and 17 officer-in-charges of police stations, official said.

"To make the police administration more effective, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the Home portfolio, has approved the transfer of 58 senior police officials," a home Department official said.

He said the officials transferred include the Deputy Inspector Generals of Home Guard, Headquarters, and the Armed Police, the Superintendents of Police of Khowai, Sepahijala and Dhalai Districts, 28 Deputy Superintendents of Police and equivalent rank officials and 17 officer-in-charges of as many police stations.

The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday raided the office of State Forest Corporation's divisional manager in Kishtwar district and seized various records for scrutiny, said officials.

The ACB sleuths carried out the searches on a complaint alleging illegal allotment of the contract of compartment 34-A to a contractor at Dachhan in violation of norms, an ACB spokesperson said.

He said it has been alleged that the contractor had not completed the work in time, yet one more contract was given to him of the same compartment which caused loss to the state exchequer.

During the raid, the ACB team seized relevant records like detailed project reports, account statements regarding payment to the contractors and other documents, the spokesperson added. "Further action will be taken after scrutiny of seized records," he added.

Kerala Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, on Monday, asked state CPI-M Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to quit the party post after his son was accused in a rape case.

Slamming the CPI-M in the Assembly, the Congress leader said, "If Balakrishnan has any scruple left, he should quit as the CPI-M state secretary. Your party often speaks of upholding high moral ground and finds faults with others."

A team of Mumbai Police reached Kerala on Sunday to arrest Balakrishnan's son Binoy Kodiyeri, who has been absconding after a rape case was filed against him in Mumbai last week.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the validity of Maharashtra government's ordinance granting 16 per cent reservation to Marathas in admission to postgraduate medical and dental courses in the current academic year.

The state government contended that the ordinance in the form of a Bill was approved by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and the admission to post-graduate courses was already over by June 17.

A Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai, found merit in the arguments of the Maharashtra government's counsel. The court also noted the petitioner has secured admission in a college in Mumbai.

State president of right-wing group Sri Ram Sena, Rajiv Mahajan, joined the National Conference on Monday and pledged to work towards the agenda of party founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, of strengthening the bonds of amity and inclusiveness.

"The National Conference is the only party in the state that has withstood the test of time and kept the flag of secularism aloft," Mahajan said after joining the party in the presence of provincial president Devender Singh Rana and other senior leaders here.

He expressed hope that all right-minded people would come together and strengthen secular forces to foil the machinations of "divisive elements" who were creating a wedge between various segments of the society.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh orders the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder of the Bargari sacrilege case main accused in the New Nabha prison. The SIT will be headed by ADGP Law & Order Ishwar Singh.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation: Violet Line Update-DMRC will be undertaking planned track maintenance work at 1 of the reversal sides of trains at Kashmere Gate station for around 1 week starting today. Due to this, frequency of trains may witness slight variation during this period.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to pass any order on a plea by the Federation of Haj Private Tour Operators of India challenging a condition to charge extra for additional quota of 10,000 seats.

A vacation bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai noted that most of the concerns of the tour operators have been addressed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs after which the petition was withdrawn.

"Senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner seeks permission to withdraw the present writ petition with a liberty to file afresh writ petition, if required and necessary for the subsequent years. Permission is granted. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed," the bench said.

Haryana Min KL Panwar on reports of parole granted to Ram Rahim: All convicts are entitled to parole after 2 yrs. If a convict has good conduct in jail, it's mentioned by superintendent in his report to local police. It goes to Commissioner after verification, he takes final call

Ghulam Nabi Azad, in RS, said “I request you to keep the New India to yourself and give us our Old India where there was love, culture. Hindus used to feel the pain when Muslims and Dalits used to get hurt. When something used to get into eyes of Hindus, Muslims and Dalits used to shed tears for them.”

“In Old India there was no hatred, anger or lynching. New India is one where humans are enemies of each other. You won't be scared of animals in a jungle but you'll be scared of humans in a colony. Give us India where Hindus, Muslims,Sikhs and Christians live for each other.”

Citing media reports, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Monday claimed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state ministers had defaulted on water bills of ₹8 crore, and asked whether the BMC would disconnect supply.

According to media reports based on an RTI reply, the bill due on the chief minister's official residence is ₹7.44 lakh, while the overall amount pending for that of other state ministers was reportedly around ₹8 crore.

"The chief minister and his ministers have kept water bills of ₹8 crore of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pending. Will the BMC, which cuts water supply of common citizens, exhibit courage to cut supply of the ministers' bungalows?" Munde asked on Twitter.

All Uttar Pradesh district committees of Congress to be dissolved. Two member committee formed for each seat going in for by-poll. Ajay Kumar Lallu appointed in charge of organization reshuffle.

A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan was injured on Monday when an improvised explosive device (IED) laid by Naxals went off in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said.

The explosion took place at Hiroli village where a road opening party (ROP) of security personnel was deployed on protection duty, a senior police official said.

Around 50 administrative officials, including Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava, and other personnel had gone to Hiroli for a probe into the alleged fake gram sabha held in 2014 for approval of mining in iron ore deposit no.13 of the National Mineral Development Corporation.

Police detains SUCI members who were protesting outside Raj Bhavan over deaths of children in Bihar's Muzaffarpur due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

Two persons were killed when two groups clashed over a dispute during a panchayat meeting on Monday, police said.

The incident took place when the groups led by Sonu (25) and Maya Prakash Gupta (55) clashed during a panchayat meeting at Jumai village in Roza area, Superintendent of Police, City, Dinesh Tripathi said.

When Sonu was shot dead, people from his side started beating Gupta with sticks injuring him seriously. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. Police lodged FIRs in this connection. No arrests have so far been made.

Hours after Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Deputy Governor Viral Acharya quit, the Congress slammed the Modi government saying the government changes but issues of manhandling remain.

Acharya is the third top official to quit RBI before completing their term. The first being former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and second being former Governor Urjit Patel.

Taking a swipe at the BJP government, Congress media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: "Government changes, but issues of economic manhandling remain.

A policeman allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle at a training centre, officials said on Monday.

Selection Grade Constable Arjun Dev, a resident of RS Pura, was on sentry duty at Police Training Centre, Sunjwan, in the outskirts of the city when he reportedly took his life around midnight, a police official said.

Dev's colleagues rushed to his post after hearing a gunshot and found him dead with a bullet injury in the face, the official said. The motive behind Dev's "extreme step" was not known yet, he said.

Two coaches of an express train veered off the tracks and fell into a canal and another overturned in Bangladesh's northeastern province, killing at least five people and injuring 67 others, authorities said on Monday.

The accident happened on Sunday when the Dhaka-bound Upaban Express train, coming from Sylhet, veered off the tracks at Baramchal in Moulvibazar's Kulaura upazila after a culvert broke down, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

"Two of the coaches fell into the canal and one of them overturned, while the other coaches remained tilted," police and railway officials were quoted as saying by the paper.

North 24 Paraganas: Ajay Thakur, DC Zone 1, Barrackpore says,"Around 50 bombs have been recovered from Kakinara area under Bhatpara Police Station limit. Situation in the area is normal now."

National Conference MP, Farooq Abdullah: The Governor (Jammu & Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik) says Hurriyat has agreed to talks, then, talks should be held with them.

AIMIM MP, A. Owaisi on Jharkhand mob lynching incident: Incidents of mob lynching aren't going to stop because BJP and RSS have increased sense of hatred against Muslims. They've successfully created a mindset where Muslims are seen as terrorists, anti-nationals and cow slaughters.

The planned privatisation of five airports in the country with the Adani Group as their operator was opposed in the Rajya Sabha Monday, with a CPI(M) MP saying the Kerala government is willing to operate the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, KK Ragesh (CPI-M) said the Adani Group has emerged as the winner in privatisation bid of five airports at Lucknow, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangalore and Ahmedabad.

Pappu Mandal, the main accused in the lynching of a Muslim youth in Seraikela district last week has been arrested, Jharkhand Police said on Monday.

Tabrez Ansari, 22, died in a hospital on Sunday, days after he was brutally thrashed by a mob at Dhatkidih village in Seraikela district on suspicion of stealing a bike. According to the police, a stolen motorcycle and some other things were also recovered from him.

The incident came to light after a video went viral in which Mandal was seen beating Ansari, who was tied to a tree.

Clashes erupted on Monday between stone pelting protesters and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Police sources said unruly youths resorted to stone pelting at the security forces in Pulwama town.

Police used tear smoke and pellet gunshots to disperse the protesters. The protests were held against killing of four militants belonging to Ansar Ghazwatul Hind in Shopian district on Sunday.

"Three youth were injured in these clashes who have been shifted to a hospital for treatment," sources said. Colleges in Pulwama town remained closed on Sunday.

Reserve Bank of India: Dr Viral V. Acharya submitted a letter to RBI informing that due to unavoidable personal circumstances, he is unable to continue his term as a Deputy Governor of RBI beyond July 23, 2019. Consequential action arising from his letter is under consideration.

Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot on Barmer accident: We have ordered an inquiry into the incident. Action will be taken based on the inquiry report. We are thinking of issuing an advisory regarding arrangements and security at such events to prevent similar incidents in future.

Huge blast at Military Hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. 10 injured shifted to emergency. Jaish-E-Mohammad Chief Maulana Masood Azhar has been injured and is admitted at the same hospital reports News18. Completely Media blackout by Army. Media asked not to cover story.

Birender Singh Dhanoa, Air Force Chief: “They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part and you have noticed that Air Force has never stopped our civil air traffic.”

“Only on 27 February (2019) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for 2-3 hours, rest of it we didn't allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs.”

SC issues notice to Centre, Bihar & Uttar Pradesh govts asking them to file affidavits within 7 days giving details of facilities dealing with public health, nutrition and sanitation, for treatment of children suffering from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur.

Supreme Court asks a petitioner to file additional documents in support of his PIL filed in the wake forest fires in Uttarakhand, seeking urgent steps to protect forests, wildlife and birds from wildfires in the state.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot today reached the spot in Barmer where a 'pandaal' collapsed yesterday claiming lives of 14 people. The CM had yesterday announced compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the next of the kin of those who lost their lives and ₹2 lakh to the injured.

The Principal Advisor to Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) Padma Vibhushan E. Sreedharan has submitted his resignation citing health issues, an official said on Monday.

The LMRC has forwarded the letter to the state government for its approval.

Sreedharan, popularly known as the Metro Man, has years of experience in handling mega Metro projects in the country.

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs stage protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Parliament with placards that read 'No EVM, We want paper ballot'.

At least five persons were killed and over 67 others injured after five coaches of a passenger train veered off the tracks in Bangladesh's northeastern region, a media report said on Monday.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) holds protest in Chepak, against the Tamil Nadu government over acute water crisis in the city. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President MK Stalin also present

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis's 'Varsha' bungalow has been declared a defaulter by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as Rs 7,44,981 water bill is pending; Names of 18 Maharashtra ministers also in the list of defaulters.

A powerful magnitude 7.3 quake struck eastern Indonesia on Monday, US seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit at a depth of 208 kilometres south of Ambon island at 11:53 local time, the US Geological Survey said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami as the quake was too deep.

Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Viral Acharya has resigned from his post, six months before his term is supposed to end, reports suggest.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Papua, in eastern Indonesia, on Monday, US seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit about 240 kilometres west of the town of Abepura in Papua province at 10:05 am local time, at a depth of 21 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey.