LIVE news updates: Goa CM swearing-in called off, says Deputy Speaker

Pakistan and China should not create hurdles in designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, a leading Pakistani daily said, emphasising the need to crackdown hard on terror groups in the country as it will help Islamabad regain the respect of the international community.

The Dawn newspaper in an editorial said that there are no "good" or "bad" militants groups and all have either caused or are capable of wreaking havoc in the country.

In a new twist, Goa's Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo on Monday said that the swearing-in of the new Chief Minister, which was scheduled to be held at 11 pm at the Raj Bhavan, has been called off.

"There many things which are to be discussed among allies and BJP leaders. The swearing-in will not happen at 11 p.m. tonight," the BJP MLA told reporters at a city resort near here.

Lobo, however, did not say whether the much-anticipated event had been called off or postponed.

An hour ago, the state government's Information and Publicity Department had issued an message that the swearing-in ceremony for the new Chief Minister had been organised at 11 pm on Monday night at Raj Bhavan.

Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant was tipped to succeed Manohar Parrikar, who had died on Sunday evening after suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer for over a year, but there were reports that the Bharatiya Janata Party's coalition allies - the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward - were not on board with the decision.

Political sources said that the decision to cancel the 11 pm swearing-in ceremony was taken because the ongoing discussions which were being conducted by top BJP leaders, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, with allied parties vis-a-vis power sharing and distribution of portfolios had prolonged.

The two years of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh have been like a "curse" for the people who are disappointed as the dispensation "failed" on all fronts, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed.

He alleged that the BJP government had not met any of its promises and it only tried to take credit of the works initiated by the previous SP government.

"The present government could not implement any of its schemes in two years. It only tried to take credit of works initiated by the SP government. However, the people know the reality and the BJP stands exposed in front of them," he claimed.

A CRPF Head Constable was killed and five other troopers were injured on Monday when Maoists exploded an IED (improvised explosive device) and opened fire in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, officials said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Chhattisgarh Police were on road security duty when the attack took place after 6 p.m. in Aranpur area. The injured men were evacuated by helicopter to a Raipur hospital.

Tension prevailed Monday morning in the Padri Bazaar area here when at least 12 idols were found broken and scattered on the ground, police said.

The idols, which belonged to Natveer Baba temple and other small roadside shrines, were found lying on the ground, they said.

Police officials reached the spot and controlled the situation. They assured the people that the idols would be repaired or replaced, if required.

Circle Officers Gorakhnath and Pravin Singh said that prima facie it seemed to be act of mischief but a probe is underway.

The police is trying to find those responsible for the incident and heavy police force has been deployed in the area, they said

The last rites of Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday after suffering from pancreatic cancer for over a year, were held with full military and state honours at the Miramar beach on Monday evening.

Thousands of supporters and BJP workers accompanied the funeral cortege from the Kala Academy Arts and Cultural Centre, where the remains had been kept throughout the day for the public to pay last respects to the nearby Miramar beach.

The mortal remains of Parrikar, wrapped in the national tri-colour, were placed on a pyre amid a 21 gun salute at the beach and his elder son Utpal Parrikar consigned it to flames.

3 people killed and Many people were injured on Monday in shooting in the Dutch town of Utrecht, police said.

The incident unfolded on or near a tram, CNN quoted police spokesman Joost Lanshage as saying.

Police said witnesses saw a man take out a weapon and start shooting randomly before fleeing the scene, Efe news reported.

The police said the incident took place at the 24th of October Square, which has been closed off.

"Multiple people have been injured. The surrounding area has been cordoned off and we are investigating the matter," the police tweeted.

The air ambulance service said it had deployed three helicopters to the scene.

The funeral procession of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar began in Panaji on Monday, with thousands joining the cortege to bid him a fond farewell.

The mortal remains of the 63-year-old senior BJP leader were kept in a flower-decked hearse which left the Kala Academy for the Miramar beach, where the last rites will be performed.

The affection and popularity Parrikar enjoyed among ordinary Goans was on display as hundreds of common folks, and his party workers lined up to pay tributes to the chief minister, who died on Sunday after prolonged illness.

Parrikar will be accorded state funeral with full military honours at Miramar, an official said.

Earlier, a pall of gloom descended on the BJP office and hundreds of Parrikar supporters turned emotional when his mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolour, were brought there.

As the vehicle carrying his body travelled 5 km from his private residence in Dona Paula to Panaji in the morning, people tried to catch a glimpse of the leader, who rose from the small coastal state to become the country's defence minister.

The final rites of Parrikar will be performed at the Miramar beach, next to the memorial of Goa's first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar, who was also cremated there, a state BJP spokesperson said.

At least one person was killed in a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht, the Dutch ANP news agency reported on Monday.

The victim was completely covered with a sheet and lying on the tracks between two carriages, ANP quoted one of its reporters as saying. There was no immediate official confirmation.

Several people were wounded in a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht on Monday, police said, with local media reporting counter-terrorism police at the scene.

"A shooting occurred on the 24 Oktoberplein in Utrecht... Multiple people have been injured. The surrounding area has been cordoned off and we are investigating the matter," Utrecht police said on Twitter.

"It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help." Local media showed photographs of masked, armed police and emergency vehicles surrounding a tram that had stopped near a road bridge.

Tram traffic in the area was halted, operator Qbuzz was quoted as saying by the ANP news agency.

Several people were wounded in a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht on Monday, police said, with local media reporting counter-terrorism police at the scene.

"Shooting incident... Several injured people reported. Assistance started," the Utrecht police Twitter account said. "It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help."

The death toll from flash floods and subsequent landslides in Indonesia's Papua province has increased to 79, with search and rescue operations continuing on Monday to locate 43 missing people.

Due to the floods and landslides that hit villages in Jayapura district on Saturday night, 4,728 people were forced to evacuate from their home and take shelter at six centres, Natural Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

A total of 350 houses, over 100 buildings, three bridges, eight school buildings and three religious buildings were also destroyed, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, authorities declared a state of emergency for 14 days.

Deforestation at the upstream area of a river was blamed as one reason for the disaster.

A total of 41 people were seriously injured and 75 others had minor wounds.

The Goa Forward Party, an alliance partner in the state's BJP-led government, on Monday said a stalemate persisted on the selection of the next chief minister following the death of Manohar Parrikar.

The GFP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's three MLAs each, an equal number of Independents, and BJP legislators have been meeting since late Sunday night to reach a consensus on Parrikar's successor.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had flown into the state early Monday to lead the discussion.

"The stalemate over the issue (next CM) continues," GFP chief Vijai Sardesai said.

He said he, along with other coalition partners, had raised certain apprehensions with Gadkari but was yet to get answers on them from the BJP.

"We are yet to receive any response from them. We can understand that the BJP is busy with final rites of Parrikar," Sardesai said.

Earlier during the day, BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly Michael Lobo had claimed Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant and state Health minister Vishwajit Rane had been shortlisted for the CM's post.

When a young and little known Tejaswini Sawant was in urgent need of financial help to participate in a shooting world championship in Germany, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar came as her ray of hope.

The support not only enabled the shooter from Kolhapur in Maharashtra to participate in the competition in 2005, but also became a turning point in her career as she scaled new heights thereafter, Sawant said.

Her only regret now is that she could not thank the chief minister enough for his generosity which made a big contribution in her life and shooting career.

Delhi's Saket POCSO Court reserves framing of charges for 25th March. There are 21 people chargesheeted including main accused Brajesh Thakur in Muzaffarpur shelter home case.

The Haryana government declared a one-day state mourning on Monday as a mark of respect to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday.

"The State government has decided to observe a one-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the departed dignitary. The national flag will fly at half-mast on March 18," an order issued by Haryana Chief Secretary's office said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Governor Mridula Sinha meet family of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, in Panaji. PM Modi meets Parrikar's family members in Panaji, offers condolences.

Indian Coast Guard ship Amaratya rescued 6 of 7 crew of the sinking Tug Revti off Mumbai at 11:00 on Monday. All rescued crew are safe and first aid has been provided to them. 2 coast guard ships and a coast guard helicopter continue search for the one missing crew.

BJP MLAs Pramod Sawant, currently Assembly Speaker, and Vishwajit Rane, the state Health minister, have been shortlisted for the post of Goa chief minister, Deputy Speaker of Assembly Michael Lobo said on Monday.

He said this on Monday afternoon after emerging from a meeting with senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"We will soon be announcing the name of the candidate for Goa Chief minister's post. We will do it after taking into confidence our alliance partners," Lobo added.

BJP legislators and allies, comprising nine MLAs, have been in discussion since late Sunday night to choose a new leader after Manohar Parrikar died hours earlier after battling pancreatic cancer (officially described as pancreatic ailment) for over a year.

Goa Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar on Monday said since his party has staked claim to form government in the state, the Assembly cannot be kept in suspended animation.

"The governor has not given us an appointment, hence we are meeting her directly to stake claim to form government," Kavlekar told reporters before heading to Raj Bhawan.

On the possibility of the Assembly being kept in suspended animation, he said, "When the Congress is staking the claim, where is the question of keeping the House in abeyance?"

Congress leader, Chandrakant Kavlekar said, “We met the Governor and staked claim to form government as we are the single largest party in the state. We have 14 MLAs and we should be given the chance to form the government. We have told that we will prove majority. Saddened by demise of Goa CM.”

Goa Archbishop Filipe Néri Ferrão pays his last respects to Manohar Parrikar at Kala Academy, Panaji.

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Goa, on Monday said its executive committee would take a call on whether to continue support to the state government.

MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar met Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near Panaji to discuss the political situation in the state following the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

A six-year-old boy, who was being treated for West Nile Virus (WNV) disease, passed away on Monday, said Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja.

The boy hailing from Malappuram district was under treatment for fever at the state-run Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode since earlier in March.

He was diagnosed with WNV last week, after tests conducted at the Christian Medical College hospital, that turned out to be positive.

Following doubts of WNV, the Centre had dispatched a multi-disciplinary team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to assess the spread of WNV in Kerala.

All 14 Congress MLAs in Goa were on the way to Raj Bhawan on Monday to meet Governor Mridula Sinha to stake claim to form government in the state following the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) met in Panaji on Monday morning.

Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said the party MLAs decided to walk to the Raj Bhawan uninvited, after the governor refused to give them an appointment.

The opposition party had written to her, staking claim to form the government on Friday and then again on Sunday.

Tamil Nadu Police on Monday lodged Thirunavukkarasu, the main accused in the Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case in a prison.

The Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) had got his custody on Friday and had interrogated him at an undisclosed location.

Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan, Vasanthakumar, all in their 20s, have been accused of sexually assaulting women in Pollachi town and filming the act to blackmail them for money or for physical submission over the past seven years.

An Army soldier was killed and three others injured as Pakistan violated the ceasefire for the second consecutive day along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Monday, officials said.

The incident occurred in Keri Battal forward area and further details are awaited, they said.

Around 5.30 am, the Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by resorting to shelling mortars bombs and firing of small arms along the LoC in Sunderbani Sector of Rajouri district on Monday, a defense spokesman said.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday condoled the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

"The sad demise of Shri Manohar Parrikarji fills me with shock and grief. A gentleman to the core, an able administrator and an intellectual in his own right, Shri Manohar Parrikarji combined in himself the qualities of simplicity, sagacity and magnanimity," Purohit said in a statement issued.

"His demise is a great loss to the nation. I convey my deep condolences and pray to the Almighty God to rest his soul in peace," he added.

The Indian national flag has been hoisted at half mast at Rashtrapati Bhavan as a mark of respect to Manohar Parrikar who passed away on Sunday evening

The Union Cabinet on Monday condoled the demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, saying he will be remembered for his simplicity and as an exceptional administrator.  After observing a two-minute silence, the Cabinet also passed a resolution which said, in his death the country has lost an able administrator who was affectionately called the "chief minister of commoners."

"Shri Parrikar will be remembered for his simplicity and his abilities as an exceptional administrator. His contribution to the building of modern Goa and to the modernization of India's Armed Forces as well as improvement to the lives of ex-Servicemen will never be forgotten," the resolution read.

Whenever a senior leader of any political party, or a minister passes away, the Union Cabinet meets to condole the demise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Goa on Monday morning to pay tribute to chief minister Manohar Parrikar who died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday.

Modi left for Goa soon after the Union Cabinet meeting, which was convened to condole the demise of Parrikar.

The Goa chief minister's body has been kept at the BJP office in Panaji for the party leaders and workers to pay their last respects.

From there, his body would be taken to Kala Academy, around three km away, to allow the public pay their tribute to him.

Union cabinet condoles demise of Manohar Parrikar, observes two minutes silence.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Monday held talks with party leaders and alliance partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to select a new Goa chief minister following the death of Manohar Parrikar.

The BJP-led coalition in Goa began discussions on Sunday night to find a new leader to replace Parrikar, who had died earlier in the evening.

Parrikar, 63, was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the MGP and Independents.

Thousands of people thronged the streets of the state capital on Monday to catch a final glimpse of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died of a pancreatic ailment, as his mortal remains was brought to the BJP office here for party workers to pay their last respect.

His remains would be taken to Kala Academy, around three km from the BJP office, later on Monday, to allow the public pay their tribute to him.

An Indian soldier was killed on Monday in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, defence sources said.

He was killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in the Sunderbani sector.

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) will hold a condolence meet on Monday evening to pay tributes to their alumnus, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died after a long illness.

The meeting will be held at 5 pm at the institute's P C Saxena auditorium, an IIT-B spokesperson said.

Mortal remains of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar brought to BJP office in Panaji. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari arrives to pay last respects to him.

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died after a long illness, would be accorded state funeral with full military honours on Monday, according to the home ministry.

Parrikar, 63, who had also been the defence minister, died on Sunday at his private residence in Dona Paula near the state capital after battling a pancreatic ailment since February last year.

The mortal remains of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday following a protracted battle will cancer, will be cremated in Panaji on Monday evening, an official statement said.

The mortal remains will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters here, as well as at a state government-operated arts and culture centre all through the morning and afternoon, for public to pay their final respects, before being taken to the Miramar beach for cremation at 5 p.m., according to the statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

The Union Home Ministry has announced national mourning on Monday and a state funeral will be accorded to Parrikar.

Veteran Bengali actor Chinmoy Roy has died, family sources said Monday. He was 79. Roy died of cardiac arrest at his Salt Lake residence at around 10:20 pm on Sunday, they said.

Roy is survived by his son and daughter, his wife actress Jui Banerjee had died a few years back.

Born in Kumilla district in present day Bangladesh in 1940, Roy had started his career in Bengali films in the 60s and became indispensable to the film makers for his portrayal of comic characters retaining the very essence of Bengaliness and a certain culture.

High Court of Bombay at Goa and District Courts in the state to remain closed today in view of passing away of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar.