Updates: 9 children dead in wall collapse in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, several injured

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10:36 PM

Mayawati opposes SC's judgment on SC/ST subclassification, says Parliament should overturn it

BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday opposed the recent Supreme Court verdict allowing sub-classification within Scheduled Castes, and said Parliament should overturn the ruling. "The sub-classification of people within Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) has been permitted, our party doesn't agree with it at all," Mayawati said while addressing a press conference.

7:16 PM

'Action will be taken against those responsible,' says CM Yadav on wall collapse in Sagar

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav Sunday said that action would be taken against those responsible for the wall collapse incident in Sagar in which 9 children were killed and two injured. 

6:08 PM

Assam govt to bring law for life imprisonment in 'love jihad' cases: Assam CM Sarma at BJP meet

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sunday said that Assam government would soon bring a law for life imprisonment in 'love jihad' cases. He further said that the state would bring a new domicile policy to ensure that only those who are born in the state are entitled to government jobs.

4:38 PM

'Will file review petition,' says Chirag Pawan on Supreme Court's order on SC/ST subclassification

Union Minister Chirag Paswan expressed his disagreement with the Supreme Court's observation on creamy layer among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and said that the Lok Jandhakti Party (Ram Vilas) will be filing a review peition against the ruling. Emphasising that Dalit people in various spheres of life still face untouchability, Paswan said that the basis of giving reservation to Scheduled Caste is 'untouchability,' so there is no point of creamy layer in it.

3:16 PM

Chinese Premier Li Qiang send condolence message to PM on Kerala landslides

Chinese Premier Li Qiang extended a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the landslides in Kerala, that claimed the lives of over 300 people. Li Qiang offered sympathies to the families of the victims and the injured people.  Li Qiang said that he was shocked to learn that a landslide disaster occurred in Kerala causing heavy casualties. On behalf of the Chinese government, he expressed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.

 

 

3:01 PM

SC to rule on Aug 5 on Delhi govt's plea against MCD's alderman appointment

The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on August 5 regarding the Delhi government's challenge to the Lieutenant Governor's authority to appoint aldermen in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) without consulting the council of ministers. The decision will be made by a bench led by Justice PS Narasimha, following the court's reserved verdict on May 17 last year. The court had previously noted that granting the LG this power could destabilize an elected municipal body.

2:30 PM

Crypto scam: ED seizes Rs 1-cr cash during raids in Leh, other places

On Sunday, the Enforcement Directorate announced the seizure of Rs 1 crore in cash and "incriminating" documents from raids on operators of a "fake" cryptocurrency investment company. The company had deceived individuals in Ladakh and other locations. The raids, conducted on August 2 in Leh, Jammu, and Sonipat, Haryana, were the first by the ED in Ladakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation focuses on a scheme that promised to double investments within 10 months through a fraudulent cryptocurrency called Emollient Coin.

2:03 PM

Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates 24x7 Manimajra water supply project in Chandigarh

On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 24x7 Manimajra water supply project, with Punjab Governor and Union Territory Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria in attendance. The Rs 75 crore project aims to benefit over 100,000 residents in areas such as Modern Housing Complex, Shivalik Enclave, Indira Colony, and Shastri Nagar. Project focuses on minimising water wastage. It includes a 22 km pipeline and two underground reservoirs, each with a capacity of two million gallons per day.

 

1:36 PM

Another fresh batch of pilgrims leaves from Srinagar for Amarnath Yatra

A new group of pilgrims departed from the Srinagar base camp for Pahalgam for the Amarnath Yatra on Sunday morning. Despite disruptions caused by adverse weather, the pilgrims were satisfied with the arrangements and hoped for improved conditions to complete their journey. Traffic on Baltal route was suspended on Sunday due to bad weather conditions. The Yatra, which began on June 29 will conclude on August 19.

1:18 PM

SC to hear Manish Sisodia's bail pleas in Delhi excise policy case on August 5

The Supreme Court is set to hear on Monday the bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia related to corruption and money-laundering charges connected to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan will review the pleas. Sisodia had previously challenged the Delhi High Court's May 21 decision, which denied his bail pleas, following a trial court's April 30 denial of his bail applications in both cases. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, for his alleged involvement in the liquor policy case and by the ED on March 9, 2023, for money laundering related to the CBI's FIR.

 

1:10 PM

Four coaches of Tirumala Express catch fire at Visakhapatnam railway station

Four coaches of Tirumala Express catch fire at Visakhapatnam railway station. 

12:49 PM

9 children dead in wall collapse in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, several injured

Nine children were killed when a wall collapsed in Shahpur village, Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, on Sunday, a senior official reported. The incident occurred during a religious event in Shahpur, within the Rehli assembly constituency. Sagar Divisional Commissioner Virendra Singh Rawat said that the victims, aged between 10 and 15 years, were attending the program when the wall fell.

12:29 PM

2 labourers killed, 7 injured after jeep collided with truck in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni

Two women labourers were killed and seven others injured when their jeep collided with a truck in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district, police reported on Sunday. The accident occurred on Saturday night on the Seoni-Balaghat Road, 35 km from the district headquarters, according to Barghat police station in-charge Mohnish Singh Bais. The labourers were returning from Umarwada to their homes in Dharnakala village after paddy plantation when their jeep collided with an oncoming truck.

 

12:26 PM

Centre to examine legality of demands to declare Wayanad landslides a national disaster: Suresh Gopi

Union Minister Suresh Gopi stated on Sunday that the Centre will assess the legal implications of calls to classify the landslides in Wayanad, which caused significant casualties and destruction, as a national disaster. Gopi, who holds portfolios in Tourism, Petroleum, and Natural Gas, emphasized the need for evaluating the extent of the disaster's impact before making a decision. He made these remarks after visiting the affected areas in Wayanad and discussing rescue operations with personnel on site. Gopi pledged to convey his observations and insights to the Central government.

 

12:13 PM

Modi govt cannot persist with 'cavalier implementation' of schemes, says Congress

Congress criticised Centre for the implementation of the PM-KUSUM initiative, launched in 2019 to boost solar energy use in agriculture. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary for communications, highlighted discrepancies, noting that only 256 MW of decentralised solar power plants have been installed against a target of 10,000 MW by 2026.

11:56 AM

After record profits, state-owned fuel retailers see profit slump in Q1

In the June quarter, state-owned oil companies experienced a significant slump in earnings as margins declined and they faced under-recovery on the sale of domestic cooking gas LPG at government-controlled rates. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country's largest oil firm, reported an 81% drop in standalone net profit for April-June. Despite these losses, the three fuel retailers benefited significantly from maintaining petrol and diesel prices amid decreasing costs.

11:39 AM

UPSC aspirants' protest against coaching centres in Old Rajinder Nagar enters eighth day

Protests persisted for the eighth consecutive day outside coaching institutes in Delhi's Old Rajender Nagar area on Sunday. Students are seeking compensation from both the government and the coaching center following the deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to a flooded basement at Rau's IAS Study Circle. The student further emphasized the need to standardize fees charged by UPSC coaching centers, which should include a legal life insurance certificate. 

 

11:04 AM

Israeli airstrikes kill nine militants in West Bank amid ongoing cease-fire talks

Two Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank resulted in the deaths of nine Palestinian militants, according to Israel's army. This violence escalated amid rising tensions over the Gaza conflict and potential regional fallout. Cease-fire talks regarding Gaza are ongoing, with an Israeli delegation, led by the Mossad chief, making a brief visit to Cairo, as reported by an Egyptian official. The US has urged Israel to pursue a cease-fire following the killing of Hamas' political leader in Iran, which Tehran attributes to Israel.

10:53 AM

Cloudburst in J-K's Ganderbal district damages road, Srinagar-Leh highway closed

A cloudburst in Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, has caused significant road damage, leading to the closure of the crucial Srinagar-Leh national highway, officials reported on Sunday. "The Srinagar-Leh road has been closed until further notice due to damage at Kacherwan in Ganderbal," said a traffic control room official. The damage occurred overnight as a result of the cloudburst. A police official noted that the flash floods triggered by the cloudburst have also damaged some buildings, including residential homes.

10:24 AM

Centre issues first-ever guidelines for seamless transport of human organs

The Union Health Ministry has introduced its first-ever Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the seamless transportation of human organs. These new guidelines will allow airlines to request priority take-off and landing from Air Traffic Control and arrange front-row seating for the transport of organs. The SOPs are designed to guide those involved in organ transplants across the country and aim to maximize the use of available organs.

10:02 AM

Nitish aide slams Tejashwi's plans to undertake yatra aimed at highlighting NDA's failure

A senior aide to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has criticized Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav for his planned statewide tour aimed at highlighting alleged shortcomings of the NDA government. Ashok Choudhary, a senior JD(U) leader and state minister, issued a statement attacking Yadav following the RJD leader's announcement of the yatra starting August 15. Choudhary addressed Yadav's claims made during a press conference, which included accusations that the Nitish Kumar government failed to restore increased reservations for marginalised castes.

9:56 AM

Seven dead after Delhi-bound bus collides with car on Lucknow-Agra Expressway

Seven people were killed in a collision between a double-decker bus and a car on Sunday morning, according to police. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Kumar Verma reported that the accident happened around 12:30 a.m. There were 60 passengers on the bus, four of whom died, while 20 to 25 others who were injured have been hospitalised. The three occupants of the car also perished.

 

 

 

9:20 AM

Maharashtra Assembly elections: MNS to contest Worli seat against Aaditya Thackeray

With the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate's lead shrinking to under 7,000 votes in Worli during the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is considering fielding Sandeep Deshpande for the assembly seat currently held by Aaditya Thackeray. On Saturday, MNS president Raj Thackeray met with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to address Worli's issues. The meeting, which focused on these concerns, led Shinde to instruct officials to prioritise resolving the problems in Worli.

 

 

 

 

8:57 AM

Subjecting child to corporal punishment to reform him can't be part of education: Chhattisgarh HC

The Chhattisgarh High Court has condemned the use of physical violence on children in schools for disciplinary purposes, stating it is cruel and unjustifiable. This observation came while dismissing a petition from a woman teacher accused of contributing to a student's suicide. The court, led by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, declared on July 29 that corporal punishment is incompatible with a child's right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. 

 

8:37 AM

Wayanad landslides: BJP trying to communalise entire situation, says CPI Secy D Raja

Reacting strongly to BJP leader Gyandev Ahuja's comments about the disaster in Wayanad district, Kerala, CPI General Secretary D Raja accused the BJP of attempting to 'communalise' the tragedy. D Raja criticised the BJP, saying, A tragedy has struck, and people are suffering. Various parties, including ours, are working to provide financial aid, relief materials, and shelter. People need food, shelter, and medicines, yet the BJP is trying to communalise the situation. This response follows Ahuja's controversial remarks on Saturday, where he linked the Wayanad landslides to cow slaughter practices in Kerala.

8:22 AM

JJP, Congress workers join BJP in presence of Haryana CM Naib Singh Saini

Haryana's Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and Congress workers joined the BJP, with Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini welcoming them into the party.

Earlier, on Thursday, former Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mahanta joined the BJP, following her resignation from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Haryana is among the eight states scheduled to hold legislative assembly elections this year.

8:14 AM

Parliament security breach: Court takes cognisance of charge sheet against 6 accused

The Patiala House Court on Saturday acknowledged the charge sheet submitted by Delhi Police against six individuals accused in the Parliament Security Breach case. The accused are Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Dhanraj Shinde, Neelam Ranolia, Lalit Jha, and Mahesh Kumawat. The Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) acknowledged the charge sheet filed by the Delhi police. The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 9. This case involves a security breach at parliament on December 13, 2023, the anniversary of the Parliament attack.

 

8:12 AM

Himachal cloudburst: Rescue operations underway in flood-affected Samej village

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Samej village near Rampur, Shimla district, following severe cloudbursts across Himachal Pradesh. The recent cloudburst has caused extensive damage throughout the hill station, including in Samej village. Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh reported on Saturday that approximately 50 people are feared dead, with the official count pending confirmation and the completion of rescue efforts. The government has announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for affected families, with plans for further compensation in the future.