News Highlights: SKM advances meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers to Jan 13

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The rescue operation at the Kannauj Railway Station following a building collapse concluded Sunday morning with rescuers pulling out 28 workers safely after a 16-hour-long operation though the night, officials said. They said all the rescued workers have been admitted to a hospital for treatment. No fatalities have been reported. The shuttering of the under-construction building on the station premises had collapsed Saturday afternoon, trapping the workers. The rescue teams, including personnel from the national and state disaster response force and the railways, worked through the cold night to clear the debris and safely pull out the trapped workers.  AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the BJP will demolish all slums in Delhi if it is voted to power in the upcoming Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in the Shakur Basti area, the former chief minister accused the BJP of prioritising land acquisition over the welfare of slum dwellers. "They want your votes first and your land after the elections," Kejriwal said, referring to the BJP. Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP has plans to take over the land currently occupied by slum dwellers without addressing their housing needs.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 at Bharat Mandapam on the occasion of National Youth Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.    On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, EAM Dr S Jaishankar will represent the GoI at the Swearing-In Ceremony of President-Elect Donald J Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America on January 20. During the visit, EAM will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming Administration, as also some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion.   The joint search and rescue operations are underway at the rat-hole coal mine at 3 Kilo Umrangso area in Assam's Dima Hasao to locate 5 other trapped workers. The rescue teams of the Indian army, Indian Navy, NDRF and other agencies have retrieved four bodies from the flooded rat-hole mine. 9 workers were trapped inside the mine after water entered into the mine. A 12-member special rescue team from Coal India reached the site of the mine collapse in Assam's Dima Hasao on Friday to locate and rescue eight workers who are still trapped underground in the inundated rat-hole mine.

Delhi experienced dense fog on Sunday as icy winds intensified the cold wave. The chill reduced visibility, disrupted transport, and drove many homeless people to night shelters. The IMD has warned of light rain in the national capital, with thunderstorms and hail expected later in the day. The minimum temperature is expected to drop to 10 degrees Celsius today, while the maximum temperature is anticipated to remain at 17 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). As dense fog and cold waves continue to persist in Delhi several flights were delayed at the Delhi airport. Several trains were also running late at the New Delhi railway station.  

  Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to grace the upcoming Republic Day celebration in the national capital as the Chief Guest, people familiar with the matter said. India is yet to formally announce this year's Republic Day chief guest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with Subianto during his visit. Every year, India invites world leaders to attend the Republic Day celebration. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest.  Kerala police have arrested 14 people and registered five cases in connection with the sexual abuse of an 18-year-old Dalit girl in the Pathanamthitta district. The case was brought to light after the girl alleged that as many as 62 people had sexually abused her over the last five years. The Ilavumthitta Police, which had initially registered two cases, arrested five individuals. The investigation into this case, which has been filed under sections of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes Act, is being conducted by Pathanamthitta Deputy Superintendent of Police PS Nandakumar.

11:31 PM

NCRTC begins Meerut Metro trial runs

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) on Sunday began the trial runs of the Meerut Metro trains, an official statement said.

During this trial process, the trains were tested at different speeds from Meerut South to just before Meerut Central Station, it said.

10:54 PM

Helmet rule comes into force in Puducherry

Puducherry police on Sunday started enforcing the rule relating to compulsory wearing of helmets by two-wheeler riders.

The police had announced that the wearing of helmets was mandatory and failure to adhere to the rule would invite a fine of Rs 1,000.

9:53 PM

AgustaWestland case: Court directs AIIMS to arrange hip replacement surgery for Christian Michel James

A Delhi court has directed AIIMS to arrange hip replacement surgery for jailed British national Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman arrested in 2018 in a money laundering case connected to the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper case.

Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order on an application filed by James who has claimed that his total hip replacement surgery could not be avoided, considering that he was suffering from "excruciating pain" in day-to-day activities.

9:07 PM

AAP MLA under scrutiny over Rohingya registration, BJP slams party's 'silence'

The BJP on Sunday hit out at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, questioning his "silence" over the alleged links of his party MLA Mohinder Goyal to a syndicate facilitating Aadhar and Voter ID cards to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Delhi.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, BJP leader Smriti Irani claimed that the investigation agency had found signatures and seals of AAP MLAs Mohinder Goyal and Jai Bhagwan on Aadhar update forms for 26 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the city.

8:46 PM

SDRF rescues man who fell into 300 feet deep gorge in Uttarakhand

A man who fell into a 300 foot deep gorge in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand was rescued by a team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after six hours, officials said on Sunday.

Officials said Vijay Danu (24) of Khati village was overseeing work on Pindari Glacier Trek at an altitude of 12,000 feet on Friday when he slipped and fell into the gorge.

8:25 PM

SKM advances meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers to Jan 13

Acceding to the request of Punjab farmers protesting at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday advanced from January 15 to 13 the proposed meeting for deciding on a joint fight.

The move came a day after the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) wrote to the SKM to hold the meeting on January 12 or 13 in the wake of "deteriorating" health of fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

7:52 PM

CM Atishi launches crowdfunding campaign to contest Delhi polls; BJP to ask EC for fund verification

Chief Minister and AAP's Kalkaji candidate Atishi on Sunday launched a crowdfunding campaign to contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls and said she hoped that people would support her party's politics of work and honesty.

Addressing a press conference here, Atishi released an online link for people to donate money, saying she needed Rs 40 lakh to fight the elections.

 

7:37 PM

Assam Rifles seizes drugs worth over Rs 97 lakh in Mizoram, one apprehended

Assam Rifles, recovered Heroin worth Rs 97.90 Lakhs and apprehended one individual in the general area of Zote, Champhai district on Saturday, said Assam Rifles in a statement.

The accused has been identified as Laltanpuia (35), a resident of Tlangsam village, Champhai district.

7:29 PM

Huge transactions mentioned in diary recovered from ex-transport dept staffer in MP: Congress

The Congress on Sunday alleged rampant corruption in the Madhya Pradesh transport department, claiming the mention of huge transactions in a diary recently recovered by the Lokayukta police from an ex-staffer.

MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari claimed that there is a threat to the life of former transport department constable Saurabh Sharma, whose premises were raided last month leading to the discovery of the diary.

7:13 PM

Arvind Kejriwal wants to incite 'religious conflict' ahead of polls: Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva

Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi chief Virendraa Sachdeva accused the Aam Admi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of trying to incite "religious conflict" in the national capital ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.

The BJP chief alleged that Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to the Election Commission requesting to 'delete' the votes of Dalit voters near Valmiki Temple in Gol Market area.

7:08 PM

Light snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal, minus 5.2 deg C in Lahaul-Spiti's Tabo

Tribal areas and other higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh received light snowfall while isolated showers occurred in the adjoining valley areas, officials said on Sunday.

On Saturday night, Gondla in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti received 6 cm of snow, followed by Kothi, Khadrala, Keylong, Shilaroo (5 cm each), Jot 4 cm, Kalpa 0.8 cm and Kukumseri 0.5 cm, the local Met office said on Sunday.

6:54 PM

Delhi's maximum temperature settles at 17.3 deg C

The maximum temperature in Delhi on Sunday settled at 17.3 degree Celsius, two notches below the seasonal average, according to the meteorological department.

The national capital recorded a low of 9 degree Celsius, a notch above the seasonal average.

6:00 PM

UP's 100-day intensive TB campaign identifies over 9,000 cases in first month

In the 100-day intensive tuberculosis (TB) campaign underway across Uttar Pradesh, 9,340 TB-infected individuals have been identified in the first month, an official said on Sunday.

According to state tuberculosis officer Dr Shailendra Bhatnagar, approximately 35 lakh people have undergone screening for potential TB symptoms since the campaign was launched on December 7.

5:46 PM

Jaipur fire station employees arrested for setting fire at factories for profit

Two contractual employees of a fire station in Jaipur have been arrested for allegedly setting fires in factories to earn additional income, officials said on Sunday.

The accused, fireman Vijay Sharma and driver Rahul Yadav, allegedly stole diesel from from fire tenders during their trips and sold it in the market for profit, police said.

5:44 PM

Bengal school jobs row: SC to hear pleas against invalidation of 25,753 jobs on Jan 15

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of pleas challenging a Calcutta High Court verdict invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal on January 15, as per the cause list for the day uploaded on the apex court website.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar is slated to hear the matter, it said.

As many as 124 petitions, including the one filed by the state government, challenging the April 2024 high court verdict are pending before the top court.