News updates: Delhi Police destroys illegal drugs worth Rs 1,682 crore

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Delhi Police on Tuesday destroyed over 10,600 kilograms of illegal drugs at Biotic Waste Solutions, valued at more than Rs 1,600 crore in the international market, officials said. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena was present when the illegal drugs, including cannabis, hashish, heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, poppy straw, doda post, Ketamine, narcotic injections and other psychotropic substances were destroyed, Delhi Police in a statement said. In compliance with the Supreme Court's orders, committees were formed by Delhi Police to oversee the destruction of drugs seized from traffickers. These committees compiled a list of confiscated drugs from cases between 1969 and 2024 that had received disposal orders from the courts, it read.

  Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani, who was admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in the national capital, has shown gradual improvement in his medical condition and is likely to be shifted out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) within the next one or two days, a release stated on Tuesday. The former Deputy Prime Minister of India has been under the care of Dr Vinit Suri in the ICU since December 12 for medical management and investigations. A media statement from the hospital confirmed that, based on his progress, doctors indicated he is likely to be moved out of the ICU within the next one to two days. "Shri LK Advani ji, the former Deputy Prime Minister of India, has been under the care of Dr Vinit Suri in the ICU of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals since December 12. He has shown gradual improvement in his medical condition. Based on his progress, he is likely to be shifted out of the ICU within the next 1-2 days," the statement read.

  "The BJP's policy is of dialogue, not of conflict. We believe in cooperation, not opposition. We believe in solutions, not disruption. Therefore, our government has approved and also expanded the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. As soon as the BJP government was formed in MP and Rajasthan, an agreement was reached on the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal project," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

  Following disengagement at two friction points along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, the Special Representatives of India and China will meet in Beijing on Wednesday less than a fortnight after India and China held official-level talks in New Delhi.

China's Special Representative for the dialogue is Foreign Minister Wang Yi while the Indian side is headed at the talks by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. 

The Centre's air quality panel for Delhi-NCR on Monday imposed the strictest Stage-IV curbs under the winter air pollution control plan, including a ban on all construction activities, as the region's air quality deteriorated to 'severe' due to unfavourable weather conditions. Stage-IV curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for winters also include a ban on the entry of polluting trucks carrying non-essential goods into Delhi and mandatory shifting of school classes, except those for X and XII, to hybrid mode.

 

The Meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Members of Parliament for the Ministry of Women and Child Development was held in the National Capital on Monday. The subject of the meeting was 'Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0', the Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a press release. Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi chaired the meeting. Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur was also present. Members of Parliament of various political parties from Lok Sabha and Rajya took part in the meeting.

 

11:44 PM

Delhi Police destroys illegal drugs worth Rs 1,682 crore

Delhi Police on Tuesday destroyed over 10,600 kilograms of illegal drugs at Biotic Waste Solutions, valued at more than Rs 1,600 crore in the international market, officials said. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena was present when the illegal drugs, including cannabis, hashish, heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, poppy straw, doda post, Ketamine, narcotic injections and other psychotropic substances were destroyed, Delhi Police in a statement said. In compliance with the Supreme Court's orders, committees were formed by Delhi Police to oversee the destruction of drugs seized from traffickers. These committees compiled a list of confiscated drugs from cases between 1969 and 2024 that had received disposal orders from the courts, it read.

11:27 PM

Giriraj Singh, Nitin Gadkari among 20 BJP leaders not present during introduction of ONOE Bill

11:10 PM

Netanyahu says Israeli troops will occupy a buffer zone inside Syria for the foreseeable future, reports AP.

9:13 PM

Adani Energy Solutions forms new arm for power transmission

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) on Tuesday said it has formed a new subsidiary entity for transmission, distribution and power supply.

Adani Energy Solutions Step-Eleven Limited (AESSEL) has been incorporated with the Registrar of Companies, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on December 17, 2024, and is yet to commence its business operations, the company said in an exchange filing.

It has been incorporated by Adani Energy for transmission, distribution and supply of power and other infrastructure services, the company said.

8:01 PM

RBI lifts restrictions on Edelweiss Group companies

RBI on Tuesday lifted restrictions on two Edelweiss Group companies that barred them from acquiring financial assets or undertaking structured transactions.

 

The Reserve Bank of India in May had taken action on ECL Finance and Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company saying that they engaged in "evergreening" of distressed loans.

7:35 PM

Bomb recovered in Manipur's Imphal East district, defused

A mortar was found at Khongampat in Manipur's Imphal East district on Tuesday, police said.

 

Security forces cordoned off the area and later defused the bomb, they said.

 

The spot is a few hundred metres from a BSF camp and nearly one-and-a-half km from the private residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, a police officer said.

 

The mortar was discovered by locals in the fields of Khongampat in the morning, he said.

 

Investigation is underway.

7:35 PM

CM Atishi reaffirms AAP's commitment to promises ahead of Delhi polls

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday reiterated that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will fulfil all its promises, including a monthly allowance of Rs 2,100 for women, if voted back to power in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections due in February next year.

 

Atishi conducted a 'padayatra' (foot march) in the Tilak Nagar constituency as part of AAP's city-wide campaign to connect with voters and strengthen support.

 

Addressing the gathering, Atishi highlighted the AAP government's achievements and urged voters to support the party once again.

 

"Arvind Kejriwal has always worked for the common man, unlike other parties. We delivered on promises that others claimed were impossiblesuch as ensuring round-the-clock electricity even during peak summers," she said.

 

We will start providing Rs 2,100 to every eligible women in the city as soon as Kejriwal becomes the chief minister again after winning the elections, she added.

7:34 PM

Over 700 business leaders attend India-Russia Dialogue in Moscow

Moscow recently hosted the XV India-Russia Business Dialogue, an event aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between India and Russia.

 

Over 700 business representatives attended the event to discuss new opportunities for collaboration in trade, high-tech industries, and other sectors.

 

The forum also focused on increasing bilateral trade and fostering cultural exchanges.

 

TV BRICS was the official media partner of the event.

 

The plenary session featured prominent figures, including Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Moscow City Government and Head of the Business Council for Cooperation with India; Vinay Kumar, Ambassador of India to Russia; Dmitry Volvach, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation; and Vladimir Platonov, President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

7:30 PM

Veteran BJP leader LK Advani shows gradual improvement, likely to be shifted from ICU

Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani, who was admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in the national capital, has shown gradual improvement in his medical condition and is likely to be shifted out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) within the next one or two days, a release stated on Tuesday.

 

The former Deputy Prime Minister of India has been under the care of Dr Vinit Suri in the ICU since December 12 for medical management and investigations.

 

A media statement from the hospital confirmed that, based on his progress, doctors indicated he is likely to be moved out of the ICU within the next one to two days.

 

"Shri LK Advani ji, the former Deputy Prime Minister of India, has been under the care of Dr Vinit Suri in the ICU of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals since December 12. He has shown gradual improvement in his medical condition. Based on his progress, he is likely to be shifted out of the ICU within the next 1-2 days," the statement read.

7:14 PM

An explosion occurred at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Sevalpatti village, Virudhunagar district, today

There were no injuries reported in the incident as the workers promptly evacuated the premises upon hearing the explosion. Three vehicles parked on the factory premises were damaged in the incident. The fire department deployed three fire engines to control and extinguish the fire. The Vembakottai police are investigating the incident.

7:09 PM

Red Cross fears more than 200 volunteers missing in France's cyclone-hit Mayotte

7:08 PM

Coral reefs 'may disappear' in 10-50 years: UN experts

5:40 PM

BPCL plans to expand its refining capacity by Dec 2025

Bharat Petroleum Corp plans to expand its refining capacity to 45 million tons per year (TPY) by 2025 from the current about 35.3 million TPY, its head of refining, Sanjay Khanna, said on Tuesday at an industry event.

4:43 PM

Criminals punished at unprecedented pace in state, UP minister tells House

Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Tuesday claimed that under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership, the government has ensured that criminals are punished at a pace never before witnessed in the state's history. The minister was responding to a starred question posed by Samajwadi Party members Ravidas Mehrotra, Sangram Yadav, and Akhilesh Yadav on behalf of the chief minister during Question Hour on the second day of Winter Session of Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

4:37 PM

UP Congress leaders allege 'house arrest' ahead of assembly 'siege'

The Uttar Pradesh Police tightened security ahead of the Congress' proposed "siege" of the state assembly on Wednesday, with party leaders claiming they were put under "house arrest". In Amethi, Congress district chief Pradeep Singhal claimed he, along with more than 100 party leaders and officials, was placed under house arrest.