LS polls: Brisk Polling in Chhattisgarh, Moderate in MP, Baghel Heckled

Bhopal: Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel was on Friday allegedly heckled by some BJP workers when he was visiting a booth under Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh. Rajnandgaon along with Kanker (ST) and Mahasamund LS constituencies went to polls in the second phase polling in Chhattisgarh on Friday. The incident happened when Mr Baghel who is seeking election from Rajnandgaon seat was visiting the polling booth at Dedesera under his constituency after learning about a clash between workers of BJP and Congress there, a Congress leader in Raipur said. In his post in X, formerly Twitter, Mr Baghel alleged that he was prevented from visiting the booth by some BJP activists who indulged in hooliganism. An average voter turnout of 72.15 percent was recorded in the three LS constituencies that went to polls in the second phase, according to the chief electoral officers office in Raipur. The second phase polling in Madhya Pradesh however recorded moderate voter turnout of 54.83 percent by five pm on Friday. However, the polling percentage may increase since many voters were still seen waiting to exercise their franchise. Six LS constituencies in Madhya Pradesh went to polls in second phase polling on Friday.

Cgarh: Bodies of 3 Covid-19 victims cremated after 3 years

Raipur: The ghost of corona pandemic returned to haunt people here with the cremation of bodies of three people, who died of Covid-19 three years ago, in a crematorium here on Thursday evening. The three bodies, lay unclaimed in morgue of the Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College Hospital here for three years, were cremated in the Devendra Nagar crematorium here in the presence of a team of doctors, officials of local civic body and policemen. The Covid-19 protocols were followed during cremation of the three bodies, Subhra Singh, spokesman of the Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital here said. It was a flashback of the horror of the Covid-19 tragedy when the hearse carrying the three bodies was passing through the thoroughfares of Raipur city to the crematorium, leaving passersby awestruck and terrified. The sight of apron-clad driver carrying the three bodies in hearse with two civic body officials accompanying him was literally a recreation of the horror of the Covid-19 pandemic that had left lakhs of people dead over a period of three years. A senior officer of the hospital, requesting not to be quoted, told this newspaper that the three people died of Covid-19 in 2020-21. The three bodies lay unclaimed in the morgue for three years since their families could not be traced out. The state government has recently constituted a seven-member- team of doctors to probe the matter and trace out the families of the three deceased. The team submitted its report on Tuesday, sources said. While families of two deceased, Jabbar Singh and Dukhalheen Bai, were identified, the kin of the third deceased Pankaj Kumar could not be found, sources said. The kin of Jabbar Singh, resident of Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh, and of Dukhalheen Bai, resident of Baloda Bazar in Chhattisgarh, were contacted by the police to take the bodies. They however refused to take bodies of their kin arguing that they were already given bodies in the names of their kin and had cremated them during the Covid-19 pandemic period, a senior officer of the hospital said, unwilling to be quoted. Finally, it was decided to cremate three bodies, he added. However, a bone of the deceased Pankaj Kumar has been preserved for DNA test in future when his family would be traced out, sources said.

Beyond Borders, A Soldiers Perspective on Naxalism

New Delhi (India), April 26:Dr. Vinod Kumar Tandonwas born on July 12, 1981 in Jaitpur village of Raipur district (presently new formed distt. Sarangarh-Bilaigarh). Author completed Graduation from Chhattisgarh College Raipur in the year 2001, Post-Graduated in Public Administration, in 2004 & qualified UGC (NET-JRF). After Completion of Education, the author selected as first Class []

Tragic Accident: Chhattisgarh Cop Killed, Colleague Injured in Accidental Firing at Former MLA's Residence

Tragic Accident: Chhattisgarh Cop Killed, Colleague Injured in Accidental Firing at Former MLA's Residence A policeman was killed and another injured due to an accidental discharge of a firearm in the bungalow of a former Congress MLA in Chhattisgarhs capital Raipur on Friday, police said. The incident occurred between 7 am and 8 am when the two personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force were cleaning their service weapons in the barrack at the bungalow of former MLA Devti Karma here in the Civil Lines area, a police official said. As per preliminary information, a bullet accidentally discharged from a pistol pierced through a palm of assistant platoon commander Ram Kumar Dohare and hit the chest of head constable Ajay Singh, he said. The two were shifted to a government hospital where Singh succumbed to the bullet wound. Dohare is undergoing treatment, he said. While Singh belonged to Bijuri, Dohare hails from Bhind in Madhya Pradesh, he said. The two were posted on security duty of Ashish Karma, son of Devti Karma. Prima facie the incident seems to be a case of accidental firing. However, the investigation into it is underway, the official said. On Thursday, a District Reserve Guard (DRG) constable was killed and another policeman injured due to an accidental discharge of a firearm in the states Dantewada district.

Ex-IAS Officer Anil Tuteja Accused of Masterminding Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED

Ex-IAS Officer Anil Tuteja Accused of Masterminding Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED Retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja is the ''kingpin'' of the liquor syndicate that was operating in Chhattisgarh leading to generation of proceeds of crime worth more than Rs 2,100 crore, the Enforcement Directorate alleged on Thursday. Tuteja, a 2003-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was arrested by the federal anti-money laundering agency in the state capital Raipur last week and is currently in the ED custody. Probe found that Tuteja is the ''kingpin'' of the liquor syndicate operating in Chhattisgarh, the agency claimed in a statement. ''Evidence documenting his direct involvement in managing the state administration for unhindered operations of the syndicate have been gathered and he was also found to be actively engaged with Anwar Dhebar, another co-accused in this matter,'' it said. Anwar Dhebar is the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar. The agency claimed it has gathered evidence that while Tuteja ''was not officially a part of the Excise Department, yet he was actively involved with operations of this department.'' Digital evidence relating to receipt of Rs 14.41 crore by Tuteja has also been discovered during investigation, it said. The agency added that his role in the appointment of Arunpati Tripathi, a co-accused in the case, as the managing director of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited has also allegedly been found. The ''complicit'' actions of Tuteja resulted in ''massive loss'' to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore illegal proceeds of crime, the ED claimed, adding that Tuteja also received a ''substantial share in this loot''. The IAS officer retired from service last year. His last designation was that of joint secretary in the Industry and Commerce Department of Chhattisgarh. The ED had filed a fresh money laundering case in the alleged liquor scam case after the Supreme Court recently quashed its earlier FIR that was based on an Income Tax Department complaint. The apex court ruled there was no scheduled offence, and hence the money laundering case does not stand. The agency, just before this ruling, had shared details of its probe in the case with the Chhattisgarh EOW/ACB seeking registration of a criminal case and once they filed a FIR, the ED registered a new money laundering case taking cognisance of that complaint. The EOW/ACB registered this FIR on January 17, about a month after the BJP defeated the incumbent Congress government in the assembly polls, and named 70 individuals and companies, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, former chief secretary Vivek Dhand and others. As per the ED's estimate, the ''proceeds of crime'' in the case stands at Rs 2,161 crore. Money was ''illegally'' collected from ''every'' bottle of liquor sold in Chhattisgarh and evidence of ''unprecedented'' corruption and money laundering of Rs 2,000 crore generated by an alcohol syndicate led by Anwar Dhebar has been unearthed, the ED had alleged. The alleged liquor scam, which ran between 2019 and 2022, was perpetrated in three broad ways, as per the ED. First was ''commission'' where bribe was collected from the distillers per bottle of liquor procured from them by the CSMCL (the state body for purchase and sale of liquor). The second was 'kacha' (off the books) sale of country liquor where ''not even a single rupee reached the state exchequer and all the sale proceeds were pocketed by the syndicate.'' This country liquor was sold from the state-run shops only, the ED alleged. The third part was ''bribes'' taken from distillers to allow them to make a ''cartel'' and have fixed market share apart from commission from FL-10A License holders who were introduced to earn in the foreign liquor segment, the ED said.

Congresss loot wont stop even after you die: Modi

RAIPUR/BHOPAL/BENGALURU: Congress leader Sam Pitrodas faux pas on inheritance tax in the US gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi fresh ammunition on Wednesday to attack the party over its proposed wealth redistribution. Indian Overseas Congress chairman Pitroda, in an interview, said that in the US, 55% of a persons wealth is grabbed by the government when he or she dies and only 45% goes to children. He called it an interesting law. Addressing a campaign rally in Chhattisgarh, Modi cited Pitrodas comment and said the Congress will loot people during their lifetime and even after death. Congress ka mantra hei Congress ki loot zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi, Modi said borrowing the Life Insurance Corporations famous tagline. To control the damage, the Congress distanced itself from Pitrodas comments. Party leader Jairam Ramesh said Pitrodas comment on inheritance tax does not reflect the partys views on the subject. I would like to categorically state that Congress has no plan on the inheritance tax, Ramesh said. In Madhya Pradeshs Sagar and Betul, both reserved constituencies for tribals, Modi recalled a three-decade-old Congress decision in Karnataka to add all Muslim castes to the backward caste basket. Congress has always been working at snatching the rights of SCs, STs and OBCs to bolster its vote bank, he charged. In his sharp riposte, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described it as an irresponsible statement. Siddaramaiah said based on the Chinnappa Reddy Commission report and taking consideration of the social and economic status, Muslims were brought under 2B of the OBC category in the state. But this has been there for the past three decades. During this period, the BJP in the state or Centre never questioned it, he pointed out. My own views Congress leader Sam Pitroda said his views on inheritance has nothing to do with the Congress party. I mentioned US inheritance tax in the US only as an example in my normal conversation on TV. Can I not mention facts? he asked

Mild tremor felt in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh

JAGDALPUR: A 2.6 magnitude tremor was recorded in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Wednesday evening, officials said. No damage or casualties were reported from the area, they said. The tremor was recorded around 8 pm with its epicenter located 5 km deep and 2 km in the north-east direction from Jagdalpur, the headquarter of the district, a meteorological department official said in Raipur. Aftershocks were also felt in Jagdalpur town, he said.

Mahadev app: Chhattisgarh probe agency arrests 2 persons

Raipur: Chhattisgarhs Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on Wednesday said it has arrested two persons in connection with the alleged illegal operations of the Mahadev online gaming and betting application that purportedly involved senior politicians and bureaucrats from the state. The duos arrest, made from New Delhi and Goa, came after the state probe Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Chhattisgarh Investigative Agency Nets Suspects in Mahadev Online Betting App Scam

Chhattisgarh Investigative Agency Nets Suspects in Mahadev Online Betting App Scam Chhattisgarh's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on Wednesday said it has arrested two persons in connection with the alleged illegal operations of the Mahadev online gaming and betting application that purportedly involved senior politicians and bureaucrats from the state. The duo's arrest, made from New Delhi and Goa, came after the state probe agency lodged a case on March 4 based on a report submitted to it by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating money laundering angle in the scandal since more than a year. The ED has separately arrested nine persons so far as part of its probe. ''While (accused) Rahul Vakte was located in Delhi, (co-accused) Ritesh Yadav was found in Goa,'' an ACB/EOW statement said. The two were produced on Wednesday in a Raipur court which sent them to custody of ACB/EOW for six days, officials said. The duo was absconding since August last year when an assistant sub-inspector of state police, Chandrabhushan Verma, was arrested (by the ED) in the alleged scam, the statement said. ''Vakte was allegedly engaged in delivering money received through hawala (illegal channel for fund transfer) to Verma. Three firms were registered in the name of Vakte wherein huge amount of cash was deposited. Yadav was allegedly operating panel of the online betting app (Mahadev) and aided Verma and another man Satish Chandrakar after receiving money through Hawala. Rs 43 lakh of hawala money has been frozen,'' it said. Chandrakar was arrested by the ED last year in its money laundering case. Yadav was operating Mahadev betting app panel in Pune (Maharashtra). The state's ACB with support of the Pune police conducted raids there and arrested eight people involved in operating betting app panel. Further action against them is being taken by Pune police, the statement said. The ACB/EOW, in its FIR lodged in the alleged Mahadev betting app scandal, has named former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel of the Congress along with promoters of the app Ravi Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni and Anil Kumar Agrawal and 14 others as accused. The case was registered under sections 120b (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and others of the IPC and sections 7 and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, the ACB/EOW earlier said. The FIR, citing the ED report, had stated that Mahadev book app promoters Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni and Anil Agrawal created online platform for live online betting and indulged in gambling through WhatsApp, Facebook and telegram and other social media platforms. The promoters created different platforms and conducted illegal acts of online betting through panel operators/branch operators. They kept 70 per cent to 80 per cent of illegal earnings with them and distributed the rest of the money to panel operators/ branch operators, the FIR said. The promoters and panel operators garnered around Rs 450 crore per month through the online betting app after the lockdown was imposed in 2020 (following COVID-19 outbreak), it said. The panel operators transferred illegal money to app promoters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through various bank accounts, it said. Several police personnel, administrative officers and influential political persons have misused their positions and acquired illegal assets in the form of protection money from the promoters of Mahadev book app, it said. Provisional attachment of many immovable properties has been done by the ED, it said. In January, former CM Baghel, who lost power in December 2023, had termed the ED's action in the Mahadev betting app case as a ''political conspiracy'' and accused the federal agency of acting at the behest of its ''political masters''. So far, the ED has arrested nine people in the money-laundering-linked case. The ED has filed two chargesheets till now in a Raipur court, including against the two main promoters of the alleged illegal betting and gaming app, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal. It had conducted multiple raids earlier. The projected proceeds of crime in the money laundering case have been pegged at about Rs 6,000 crore, according to the ED.

Modi Slams Congress: Warns Against Inheritance Tax & Religious Reservation

Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday waded into the raging debate on inheritance tax, triggered by Congress leader Sam Pitroda, saying that the grand old party wanted to loot the common people Zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi ( during their life time and after their death) by imposing it. Addressing a rally in Ambikapur, district headquarters of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh, the Prime Minister also said that the vote bank hungry Congress wanted to implement reservation on the basis of religion. Congress is about to set a dangerous precedent by imposing an inheritance tax which aims to impose unreasonable taxes on everything and anything, depriving people of their resources. This will shatter the financial backbone of the ordinary people, he said. Mr Modi warned that Congress is about to set a dangerous precedent by implementing inheritance tax. Congress wanted to loot the people zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi by implementing inheritance tax, he said. The dangerous intentions of Congress are now out in the open as it toys with the idea of introducing inheritance tax, he said and warned that They (Congress) want to snatch your assets and rights of children. Congress veteran Sam Pitroda has mooted the idea of implementing inheritance tax. His party has however distanced itself from his suggestion, saying that it was his personal view. Taking a dig at Congress for planning to implement reservation on the basis of religion, Mr Modi called it a Muslim League mindset. Today, when I have come to Surguja, I want to present the Muslim League mindset of the Congress in front of the country. When their manifesto was released, on the same day I had said, and am saying today also, that the Congress manifesto has the imprint of Muslim League, he said. He maintained that when the Constitution was being drafted, intellectuals and great personalities under the leadership of Babasaheb Ambedkar decided that there would be no reservation on the basis of religion in India. If there is a reservation, then it will be for my Dalit brothers and sisters and tribal brothers and sisters, he said. But, the vote bank-hungry Congress never bothered about the words of the great personalities, sanctity of the Constitution and the words of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Years ago, the Congress made an attempt to implement reservation on the basis of reservation in Andhra Pradesh. Then Congress has planned to implement it in the entire country, he said. Mr Modi said that the Congress planned to implement 15 percent reservation on the basis of reservation by curtailing the quota of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes. Congress had made similar pledges in its 2009 election manifesto and in the 2014 manifesto and had pledged not to leave the issue, he said and added that Congress would curtail reservation quota of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes to implement reservation on the basis of religion, he added. He said that earlier, a Congress government in Karnataka had implemented reservation on the basis of religion. But, it was quashed by the BJP government there later. The present Congress government in Karnataka has not only implemented reservation on the basis of religion but also included all the castes of the Muslim community into the OBC category, he said. This has hurt the OBC community, he added. Congress trampled social justice, murdered it and killed secularism there (Karnataka). This model of Karnataka is what Congress wants to implement in the entire country. Congress wants to give the rights of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes to its vote bank by changing the Constitution, Mr Modi said. It is BJP which alone can protect reservation of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, he said. Mr Modi said that the Congress has also set its eye on the earnings, houses, farms and other properties of the common people. The Shehzada of Congress (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi) says they will conduct an X-ray of the property of every house and every family in the country. The Congress will snatch all these things from you and they say that they will equally distribute them, Mr Modi said while addressing the public meeting. Do you know to whom they will distribute it after looting from you? Mr Modi asked to which people replied in affirmative. I need not tell you to whom they will distribute it to, he said.

May Bank Holidays: Get your important work done, banks will remain closed for so many days in May, see the list of holidays here

Now only a few days are left for April to end. After this, the month of May will begin, but do you know how many days banks are going to remain closed this time in May? Probably not, but like every time, this time too there will be bank holidays. In such a situation, it is obvious that you should plan your bank-related work according to bank holidays. Otherwise, you may face problems later. So let us know when the banks of your city will be closed in May. You can see the complete list of holidays for the month of May in the next slides... Banks will remain closed for so many days in May, see the complete list:- Due to May 1st being May Day, there will be a bank holiday in all the states. At the same time, banks will remain closed in Maharashtra also on 1st May due to Maharashtra Day. Then May 5 is Sunday, so banks across the country will remain closed. May 8 is the birth anniversary of Guru Rabindranath Tagore, due to which there will be a holiday for the banks of Kolkata. Banks will remain closed in Bengaluru on May 10 due to Basava Jayanti/Akshay Tritiya. Banks will remain closed across the country due to May 11 being the second Saturday. There will be a Sunday holiday on 12th May in all the banks of the country. Banks to remain closed in Gangtok on 16th May due to Statehood Day There will be a Sunday holiday on 19th May in all the banks of the country. Banks will remain closed in Agartala, Aizawl, Bhopal, Belapur, Dehradun, Itanagar, Chandigarh, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla and Srinagar due to Buddha Purnima on 23 May. May 25 is the fourth Saturday, hence there will be a holiday in banks across the country. (PC: ISTOCK)

SCR Announces Cancellation, diversion and Rescheduling of Trains

Visakhapatnam : The South Central Railway has announced the cancellation, diversion and rescheduling of trains due to non-interlocking works for the commissioning of the 3rd line between Bona Kalu-Chinta Kani-Pandillapalli and Errupalem-Tondalagopavaram-Madhira stations over the Kazipet-Vijayawada section. Diversion of trains: Diversion via Vijayawada-Duvvada-Vizianagaram-Rayagada-Raipur-Nagpur: Train No. 20805 (Visakhapatnam-New Delhi) and Train No. 20806 (New Delhi-Visakhapatnam) will be diverted from their existing routes to pass through Vizianagaram, Rayagada, Titlagarh, Raipur, and Nagpur. Stoppages will be eliminated at Anakapalle, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal, Peddapalli, Ramagundam, Sirpur Kagaznagar, Balharshah, and Chandrapur stations. Train No. 20803 (Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham) and Train No. 20804 (Gandhidham-Visakhapatnam) will also follow this diverted route, with Stoppages were eliminated at certain stations. Diversion via Vijayawada-Duvvada-Vizianagaram-Rayagada-Raipur-Nagpur: Train No. 18519 (Visakhapatnam-LTT) and Train No. 18520 (LTT-Visakhapatnam) will be diverted through Vijayawada-Guntur-Pagidipalli-Secunderabad route instead of the existing route via Kazipet. Stoppages will be eliminated at Kazipet station. Similarly, other trains like Train No. 18045 (Shalimar-Hyderabad), Train No. 18046 (Hyderabad-Shalimar), Train No. 11019 (CSMT-Bhubaneswar), and Train No. 11020 (Bhubaneswar-CSMT) will be diverted via this route, with specific stoppages eliminated. Diversion via Vijayawada-Guntur-Nandyal-Guntakal-Ballari: Train No. 18112 (Yeshvantpur-Tata) will follow this diverted route with stoppages eliminated at Raichur, Yadgir, Chittapur, Tandur, Vikarabad, Lingampalli, Secunderabad, Moula Ali, Warangal, and Khammam stations. Elimination of stoppages: Stoppages at Madhira Station for certain trains, including Train No. 11020 (Bhubaneswar-CSMT Konark Exp), Train No. 12861 (Visakhapatnam-Mahbubnagar Exp), and Train No. 12862 (Mahbubnagar-Visakhapatnam Exp) will be eliminated on specific days. Rescheduling of trains: Additionally, there will be rescheduling of trains, including Train No. 20833 (Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Vande Bharat) and Train No. 20834 (Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat) with varying reschedule times at Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad stations on specific dates. The South Central Railway advises passengers to check updated schedules and plan their travel accordingly, considering the diversions and rescheduling of train services due to the ongoing non-interlocking works.

Cgarh: Congress instigates violence to cover up its corruption, wherever it is in power: PM Modi

Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Congress instigated violence to cover up its corruption wherever it was in power. That is why corruption and violence reach their peak wherever Congress is in power, Mr Modi said, while addressing a public meeting at Shyam Tharai under Dhamtari district, part of Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh.The Prime Minister cited the case of the Bhupesh Baghel government to drive his point home. Naxal violence increased during the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh, he said, and added that incidents of Maoist violence and corruption have however been curbed when BJP came to power in the state. What is the connection between violence and Congress? The answer is corruption. Congress increases violence to hide its corruption, Mr Modi said. He said that when Congress was in power in the North East, violent activities could not be checked and as long as it ruled Chhattisgarh, Maoist violence kept on increasing. People kept dying, but Congress kept on filling its coffers, he said. Congress and development cannot go hand in hand. Mr Modi reaffirmed his commitment to root out Naxalism in Chhattisgarh. Maoism has been declining rapidly in Chhattisgarh. I give a guarantee to the parents that I will root out Naxalism. I assure mothers that the lives of their children (those slain Maoist violence) will not go to waste. To protect your child, I assure every mother that I will eliminate Naxalism and Maoism, he said. Training his gun at INDIA bloc, he said that the recent rally held by the grouping in Ranchi in Jharkhand had witnessed violent incidents in which activists of alliance partners were seen breaking each others heads in public.This is the situation in the INDIA bloc, he said. He said that in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, the country has made its mind clear that a strong government is needed to build a development nation and Thats why people have faith in BJP to take the country to the path of development. Mr Modi is going to spend the night in the Raj Bhavan in Raipur on Tuesday.He is scheduled to address a public meeting in Ambikapur under Surguja Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Congress in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday moved the Election Commission registering its opposition to Mr Modis night stay in Raj Bhavan, terming it violation of model code of conduct of elections.

PM Modi LIVE: Narendra Modi Steps Up Campaigning Ahead Of Phase 2, Rally In Chhattisgarh

As the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections approaches, political parties are intensifying their campaign efforts to win over voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold rallies in Chhattisgarh's Surguja, Mahasamund, and Janjgir-Champa on Tuesday and Wednesday.On Tuesday afternoon, PM Modi will arrive in Raigarh and then proceed to the Janjgir-Champa constituency to address a rally in Baradwar village. Following this, he will visit Shyamtarai village in Mahasamund district for another public gathering.After staying overnight at Raj Bhawan in Raipur, PM Modi will head to Ambikapur in Surguja on Wednesday morning for another rally. Later, he will depart for Madhya Pradesh via Raigarh.

Modi Govt has eliminated terrorism from country, Naxalism on verge of ending: Shah

RAIPUR, Apr 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has eliminated terrorism from the country while Naxalism is on the verge of ending. Addressing an election rally in Chhattisgarhs Kanker town, Shah also asked Naxalites to surrender, or else they would be rooted out from the state in two years. He asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that four generations of his family were in power in the country, but what [] The post Modi Govt has eliminated terrorism from country, Naxalism on verge of ending: Shah appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

PM Modi Starts 2-Day Whirlwind Tour of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh Today

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to make a two-day whirlwind tour of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh from Tuesday to canvas for BJP for the ongoing general elections. Mr Modi is scheduled to address three public meetings in the equal number of Lok Sabha constituencies in Chhattisgarh during his two-day-tour of the state. He is scheduled to address a public meeting in Shakti under Janjgir-Champa LS constituency and another election rally in Dhamtari under Mahasamund LS constituency in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Mr Modi is scheduled to spend the night on April 23 in the Raj Bhavan in Raipur. He is scheduled to address a public meeting at Ambikapur under Surguja Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday before winding up his two-day-tour of the state. Mr Modi is scheduled to leave for Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. He is scheduled to address two public meetings and hold a road show in Madhya Pradesh before winding up his days visit to the state on Wednesday night. Mr Modi is scheduled to address an election rally at Bartuma falling under Sagar Lok Sabha seat in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. He had laid foundation stone for construction of a majestic Sant Ravidas temple being built at a cost of Rs 100 crore, around six months ago. He is then scheduled to address a public meeting at Abagaon under Harda district, falling under Betul (ST) LS constituency. He would hold a road show in Bhopal on Wednesday evening.

Cgarh: Congress anti-Ram, anti-Sanatan: Nadda

Raipur: BJP national president J P Nadda on Monday termed Congress as anti-Ram and anti-Sanatan.Mr Nadda recalled that the UPA government-led by Dr Manmohan Singh had filed an affidavit in the court calling Lord Ram as a fiction and also questioned the silence of Congress over Tamil Nadu minister Udaynidhi Stalins offensive remarks against Sanatan religion comparing it with dreaded diseases such as Dengue and AIDS. Addressing three election meetings in Chhattisgarh, Mr Nadda said that Congress had spurned the invitation for the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 because of the partys concern for its vote bank.Congress has always been anti-Ram and anti-Sanatan, he said. He also accused Congress of patronising anti-national forces.Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi had cried when terrorists were killed in the Batla house encounter, Mr Nadda said.The BJP leader also launched a scathing attack on the INDIA bloc, calling it a group of political dynasties who are out to promote and protect their family members.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for rooting out corruption, INDIA bloc leaders say save the corrupt, he said. He underlined various welfare measures undertaken by Mr Modi to uplift the weaker sections of the society such as women, farmers, dalits and tribals and said that the PM planned to create three crore Lakhpati didis (sisters) in the country. Mr Nadda said that the PM has changed the definition and style of politics in the country.Earlier, politics was done on the basis of religion and caste, he said and added that Mr Modi has destroyed it and introduced politics of development in the country. Mr Nadda addressed three rallies at Lormi in Mungeli district, Bhilai in Durg district and Chandkhuri in Raipur district in Chhattisgarh.Chhattisgarh is going to the Lok Sabha polls in three phases. While the first phase of elections was held on April 19, the next two phases are scheduled to be held on April 26 and May three.In the first phase, polls were held for Bastar (ST) Lok Sabha elections in the state .BJP had won nine out of 11 LS seats in the 2019 polls, leaving the Congress to bag the remaining two seats.

Cgarh: Congress eyes revenues of mutts, temples: Amit Shah

Raipur: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday expressed concern over the purported pledge made by Congress in its poll manifesto to make a survey of all properties in the country if voted to power in the ongoing general elections. Addressing an election rally in Kanker in Chhattisgarh, Mr Shah sought a clarification from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as to why his party wanted to make a survey of all properties in the country. Mr Gandhi must explain why Congress wants to make a survey of all properties in the country? he said.His concern over the issue came in the backdrop of a statement made by Dr Manmohan Singh, when he was Prime Minister, that minorities have the first right over the resources of the country. Congress got upset when Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) raised the issue, Mr Shah said.BJP always maintained that dalits, poor and tribals have the first right over resources of the country, he said. The Union minister said that Congress eyed revenues of mutts and temples in the country.Where will this money go? Remember Dr Manmohan Singhs words (on rights of minorities over resources of the country), he told the gathering. He said that Congress was always concerned about its vote bank and thats why the party pursued the appeasement policy.Congress leaders did not attend the consecration ceremony of Ram temple at Ayodhya because of the partys concern for its minority vote bank, Mr Shah said. He said that Mr Modi has ensured that the birthday of Ramlala, who had remained in a tent for the last 500 years, is celebrated in the temple in Ayodhya this time. For decades, Congress used to put all roadblocks in the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said.Mr Shah said that Mr Modi has done in ten years what Congress could not do in the last 70 years. Mr Modi has transformed India during his ten-year-rule at the Centre, he added.While terrorism is eliminated in the country, Naxalism is going to be rooted out in the coming two to three years, he said. Mr Modi is such a leader who has a good track record of ten years and an agenda for the next 25 years for the country, Mr Shah said.Mr Shah also took a swipe at the warring workers of Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad Yadav at the recent rally of INDIA bloc at Ranchi, saying that If the INDIA bloc partners can openly indulge in bickering, how do you expect them to unite the country?

Modi Govt Has Eliminated Terrorism From Country, Naxalism On Verge Of Ending: Amit Shah

RAIPUR, Apr 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has eliminated terrorism from the country while Naxalism is on the verge of ending. Addressing an election rally in Chhattisgarhs Kanker town, Shah also asked Naxalites to surrender, or else they would be rooted out from the state in two years. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp He asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that four generations of his family were [] The post Modi Govt Has Eliminated Terrorism From Country, Naxalism On Verge Of Ending: Amit Shah appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Priyanka alleges BJPs plan to change the Constitution, urge people to vote for change

RAIPUR: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi alleged on Sunday that the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre has intentions to amend the Indian Constitution, thus undermining the rights guaranteed to the people. Speaking at an election rally in Balod, she accused BJP leaders of making grandiose promises and engaging in lofty rhetoric while sidestepping the concerns of the people. Many BJP leaders and ministers are openly stating in their campaigns that if their party achieves a Lok Sabha majority of 400 seats, they will amend the Constitution. Although PM Modi denies it, this appears to be their strategy. Otherwise, how could BJP leaders openly discuss altering the Constitution without presumed consent from Modi ji? The truth is, they can't be trusted anymore. Once they secure the numbers, they will likely proceed with altering the Constitution, she cautioned, expressing concern that such actions would strip away people's rights and dignity. BJP-ruled Centre is fascist, racist and oppressive government: Priyanka Gandhi Priyanka urged voters to exercise their franchise wisely, emphasizing that they have the power to change the government if it fails to meet their expectations. There is an urgent need for change. Otherwise, if the BJP returns to power for another five years, the country's future becomes uncertain. We may witness changes in the Constitution, restrictions on rights, increased inflation, unemployment, and challenges faced by citizens, while big industrialists gain more influence and leaders become more authoritarian, she asserted. Highlighting the achievements of the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh, she criticized the new BJP administration for discontinuing welfare schemes initiated by the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led government. Priyanka also took a swipe at the PM, questioning why Modi ji, who is seen as influential on the global stage, hasn't effectively addressed domestic issues like unemployment and inflation. This indicates that his projection of power is superficial, and there may be issues with his intentions, she alleged. Drawing a parallel between PM Modi and Indira Gandhi, she praised the former Prime Minister for her patient approach in addressing people's concerns and ensuring their rights. Indiraji continues to hold a special place in your hearts because she didn't indulge in political theatrics. People need to deeply reflect on the current state of affairs, she urged. Priyanka criticized the BJP's electoral bonds scheme, alleging that it has exposed corrupt practices, particularly after the Supreme Court's intervention. Modiji labels opposition leaders as corrupt, files cases against them, and puts them in jail. However, when corrupt leaders from other parties join the BJP, all investigations and cases are conveniently dropped, she claimed. On what basis is BJP claiming 400 seats: Priyanka Gandhi smells a rat in NDA slogan

Chhattisgarh: ED arrests retired IAS officer Tuteja in liquor scam case

Chhattisgarh: ED arrests retired IAS officer Tuteja in liquor scam case Days after filing a fresh case, the Enforcement Directorate on Sunday arrested retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with a Rs 2,000 crore alleged liquor-scam linked money laundering case in the state, officials said. The federal agency detained the 2003-batch officer from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) office in Raipur on Saturday evening where the bureaucrat and his son Yash Tuteja had gone to record their statements in the same case. They were issued a summons by the ED at the EOW/ACB office to join the investigation and record their statements following which they were taken to the central agency's office here. The retired IAS officer was questioned and was taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Yash Tuteja was allowed to leave after questioning. Anil Tuteja was produced before a jurisdictional magistrate that sent him to one-day judicial custody, ED counsel Saurabh Pandey said. He added that the agency had sought a 14-day custody of Tuteja from the magistrate. However, as the special PMLA court was not working on Sunday, the magistrate court sent him to judicial custody for a day, the lawyer said. Tuteja will be produced before a special PMLA court on Monday and the ED will seek his remand afresh for custodial interrogation, he said. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer retired from service last year. He was last designated as joint secretary in the industry and commerce department of Chhattisgarh. The ED had filed a fresh money laundering case in the liquor scam case after the Supreme Court recently quashed its earlier FIR that was based on an Income Tax Department complaint. The apex court ruled that there was no scheduled offence and hence the money laundering case does not stand. The agency, just before this ruling, had shared details of its probe into the case with the state EOW/ACB seeking registration of a criminal case and once they filed an FIR, the ED registered a new money laundering case taking cognisance of that complaint. The EOW/ACB registered this FIR on January 17, about a month after the BJP returned to power in the state by defeating the Congress in the assembly polls. It named 70 individuals and companies, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, former chief secretary Vivek Dhand and others. The ED has estimated the alleged ''proceeds of crime'' in the case at Rs 2,161 crore. Money was ''illegally'' collected from ''every'' bottle of liquor sold in Chhattisgarh and evidence of ''unprecedented'' corruption and money laundering of Rs 2,000 crore generated by an alcohol syndicate led by Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar, has been unearthed, the ED had alleged. Slamming the BJP government in the state, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel had earlier claimed that the EOW/ACB action was ''politically motivated''. The ED and Income Tax Department have been probing the cases for the last three years and now they have recommended the ACB to register an offence, Baghel had said. ''Earlier the names of several of our party leaders did not come up in the probe but now their names have been mentioned in the (EOW/ACB) FIRs. It has been done to defame them ahead of the Lok Sabha polls,'' Baghel had told reporters. Refuting these claims, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai had said the ED is ''an independent agency and it has been doing its job. It has nothing to do with elections.'' Anwar Dhebar, businessman Arvind Singh and Arunpati Tripathi, an Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer and special secretary of the excise department, were arrested by the EOW/ACB as part of the January registered FIR. Anwar Dhebar and Tripathi were arrested by the ED as part of the quashed FIR too. In the past, the ED had also alleged that bribe was collected from distillers in the state on a per liquor case basis procured from the CSMCL (state body for purchase and sale of liquor) while country liquor was being sold off-the-books. ''In this (country liquor) case, not even Re 1 reached the state exchequer and all the sale proceeds were pocketed by the syndicate. The illegal liquor was sold from state-run shops only,'' the agency had alleged. The ED has claimed that bribes were taken from distillers to allow them to make a cartel and have a fixed market share. ''This cartel was exclusively a supplier (of liquor) for the state of Chhattisgarh,'' the ED said, adding the ''commission'' was also generated from the sale of foreign liquor in the state. It alleged the syndicate also ''manufactured and sold'' illicit liquor in the state entirely on cash with no income tax or excise duty being paid. ''The entire sale consideration was siphoned off with each person getting its share, including distiller, transporter, hologram maker, bottle maker, excise department officials and their higher echelons, Anwar Dhebar, senior IAS officers and politicians. ''ED investigation has found that between the years 2019 and 2022, this kind of illegal sale was almost 30-40 per cent of the total sales of liquor in the state,'' the probe agency claimed. It alleged that the commission generated through this illegal sale of liquor was shared ''as per the directions from the highest political executives of the state''.

Congress a synonym for scams, terrorism and Naxalism: UP CM Adityanath

Raipur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday hit out at the Congress, claiming the grand old party is a synonym for scams, terrorism and Naxalism. Addressing an election rally in Chhhattisgarhs Kabirdham district, he said the wait of 500 years for Ram Lalla (installation of his idol) in Ayodhya ended because of Prime Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Security Forces Encounter Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, One Killed

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Police reported an encounter with Naxalites in the Keshkutul area of Bhairamgarh, Bijapur district, resulting in the death of one Naxalite. Police confirmed the recovery of weapons from the site. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav stated that the encounter operations are ongoing, and further details are awaited. This incident follows a recent encounter earlier this week in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, where 29 Naxals were killed, and three security personnel sustained injuries. Bastar Inspector General of Police (IG) P Sundarraj declared that 71 Naxals have been neutralized since January 2024, marking significant progress in the fight against Naxals. 71 Naxals have been gunned down to date since January 2024. This is one of the major breakthroughs in Chhattisgarh on the Naxal front. The fight against Naxals is at a decisive step. Our endeavor in the future will be to build on what we have accomplished against the Naxalites. Preparations have started to give a new identity to the area and its people, said IG Sundarraj. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended the District Reserve Guard and BSF personnel after the encounter in Kanker district, terming it a significant achievement. The operation resulting in the death of 29 Naxals is considered one of the most significant counter-Naxal operations in recent times. Father Allegedly Murders Children, Found Dead on Railway Tracks; Mother Seriously Injured BJP's Moradabad Lok Sabha Candidate Kunwar Sarvesh Singh Passes Away Enhanced Efficiency of Enforcement Directorate under NDA Government, says PM Modi

Retired Chhattisgarh IAS Officer Arrested in Connection with Liquor Scam Money Laundering Case

RAIPUR, April 21: In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with a money laundering case linked to a liquor scam, as reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI). The former 2003 batch officer from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) was []

ED arrests ex-IAS officer in liquor scam linked case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked money laundering case in the state, official sources said on Sunday. The federal agency had detained the 2003 batch officer from the Economic Offences Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau office in Raipur on Saturday where the bureaucrat and [] The post ED arrests ex-IAS officer in liquor scam linked case appeared first on Nagpur Today : Nagpur News .

ED Arrests Retired IAS Officer Anil Tuteja In Chhattisgarh 'Liquor Scam' Case

The agency had detained the 2003 batch officer from the Economic Offences Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau office in Raipur on Saturday where the bureaucrat and his son had gone to record their statement in the same case

Chhattisgarh: ED arrests retired IAS officer Tuteja in liquor 'scam' case

Chhattisgarh: ED arrests retired IAS officer Tuteja in liquor 'scam' case The Enforcement Directorate has arrested retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked money laundering case in the state, official sources said on Sunday. The federal agency had detained the 2003 batch officer from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) office in Raipur on Saturday where the bureaucrat and his son Yash Tuteja had gone to record their statement in the same case. The IAS officer was later taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to be produced before a magistrate seeking his remand, the sources said. The officer retired from service last year. The ED had filed a fresh money laundering case in the alleged liquor scam case after the Supreme Court recently quashed its earlier FIR that was based on an Income Tax Department complaint. The agency shared details of its probe in the case with the state EOW/ACB seeking registration of a FIR and once they filed a FIR, the ED registered a new money laundering case taking cognisance of that complaint. Money was ''illegally'' collected from ''every'' bottle of liquor sold in Chhattisgarh and evidence of ''unprecedented'' corruption and money laundering of Rs 2,000 crore generated by an alcohol syndicate led by Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor Anwar Dhebar, has been unearthed, the ED had alleged.

First day, First show and the polling begins

The first round of 7-phase parliamentary polls was held across 21 states, with sporadic incidents of violence being reported from Manipur and West Bengal. In the biggest round of the elections, all 39 seats of Tamil Nadu, 12 of Rajasthan and 8 of Uttar Pradesh went to polls. With PM Modi eyeing a third term in office, the BJP hopes to win 22 of the 25 seats in Northeast, hold on to its 2019 tally in the Hindi heartland and Maharashtra and better its show in West Bengal as well as in the South. The Opposition INDIA bloc insists that it will do well across the country, especially in the saffron bastion of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar this time. The counting of votes will take place on June 4 Rajasthan: Total seats - 25 1st phase - 12 It was subdued enthusiasm among voters in 12 seats. Voting was largely peaceful in most constituencies, though some witnessed sporadic clashes. In Kuchera, Nagaur, one of the hot seats, supporters of BJP candidate Jyoti Mirdha and INDIA Alliance candidate Hanuman Beniwal of RLP clashed with each others, injuring Tejpal Mirdha, the chairman of Kuchera municipality. Nagour is a Jat-dominated seat. In another hot seat of Jhunjhunu in the Shekhawati region, BJP candidate Shubhakaran Chaudhary fought with security personnel and in Churu, an MLA was involved in altercation with a policeman Uttar pradesh: Total seats - 80 1st phase - 8 The overall turnout seemed to be lower than the 2019 elections. The eight constituencies which went to the polls included Saharanpur (63.29%),Pilibhit (60.2%), Kairana (58.68%), Nagina (SC) (58.05%), Moradabad (57.65%), Muzaffarnagar (54.91), Bijnor (54.68%), Rampur (52.42%). No major incident was reported during the polling. Last time, a turnout of 66.47% was recorded in the eight constituencies. Overall turnout in Uttar Pradesh during 2019 was 59.21%. In the Neuria area of the district, villagers said they would not vote as they are peeved at man-animal conflict Bihar: Total seats - 40 4 A low turnout of 48.23% was recorded in four constituencies where 38 candidates were in the fray. In 2019, 53.47% voters had exercised their franchise. Gaya has the highest 14 candidates in the fray. There is a decrease of around 5.24% of turnout in 2024. According to chief electoral officer H R Srinivasa, Gaya (SC) recorded the highest 52% turnout, Jamui (SC) and Aurangabad 50% each. In Nawada, only 41.50% voters exercised their franchise. In 2019, Aurangabad had recorded 53.63% turnout, Gaya 56.16 %, Nawada 49.33% and Jamui 55.21%. Voters called for poll boycott in six stations, there was no report of clashes or violence though, according to Srinivasa. WEST BENGAL: Total seats - 42 1st phase - 3 Sporadic incidents of violence marred the first phase, with TMC and BJP workers clashing in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. Three reserved seatsJalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Beharin North Bengal went to polls. The TMC and the BJP lodged 80 and 39 complaints, respectively, related to violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar. Union MoS Nisith Pramanik is contesting from Cooch Behar. TMC leader Udayan Guha said that the BJP, along with central forces, unleashed a reign of terror to rig the elections. The BJP, however, denied the allegations. chhattisgarh: Total seats - 11 1st phase - 1 The voters defied the Maoist threat, as the encouraging turnout eclipsed the terror that haunted Bastar zone ahead of the polling. A CRPF personnel, Devendra kumar, was killed in an IED blast at Usoor in an edgy district of Bijapur during an area domination operation. He died of his injuries while on the way to Raipur in a chopper. In the same district, an assistant commandant of CRPF was injured during a poll-related duty at Bhairamgarh. Barring the two incidents, the polling across Bastar remained peaceful. For the first time, 102 new polling stations were set up for the convenience of voters. Madhya Pradesh: Total seats - 29 1st phase - 6 Six constituencies recorded around 67% turnout till 6.30 pm and the figure is likely to go up. The six seats had registered 75.23% polling in. The high-profile Chhindwara seat (where ex-CM Kamal Naths MP son Nakul Nath took on BJPs Vivek Sahu) stood on top in terms of poll percentage with 78.67% as shared by chief electoral officer Anupam Rajan. Another key constituency Mandla-ST (where sixth-time BJP MP and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste was pitted against ex-minister and fourth-time Congress MLA Omkar Markam) reported 72.92% polling. The Maoist-hit Balaghat seat reported 72.60% polling Jammu & Kashmir: Total seats - 5 1st phase - 1 For the first-time in over three decades, residents at the International Border in Hira Nagar sector of Kathua district exercised their right to vote for the Udhampur seat without any fear or threat of cross-border firing. It was the first major electoral exercise in J&K since the abrogration of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories. People men, women, including young and old thronged at the polling station in Kadyala village close to International Border. India and Pakistan on February 24, 2021, announced to strictly uphold the November 2003 border ceasefire pact between the troops of two countries. Residents said due to the ceasefire, more people have come to vote in this election UTTARAKHAND 5 5 Despite clear weather and relatively low temperature, the turnout was below expectation. Villagers of Jalal in Nainital and Tehri parliamentary constituency boycotted the election for lack of infrastructure, posing risks to their travel and safety. Newlywed couples, dressed in their wedding attire, arrived at several polling stations to cast their votes. However, around 350 were not able to vote on polling day due to wedding ceremonies. Bhagwan Singh, father of the groom from village Chhedi in Srinagar, expressed regret for not being able to vote on polling day due to clash over marriage date Maharashtra: Total seats - 48 1st phase - 5 Voting for the five seats took place without untoward events in Maharashtra. The voting began on a slow pace due to the scorching heat in the Vidarbha region. The tribal and Naxalite district of Gadchiroli witnessed the highest turnout at 64.95%, while Nagpur reported lowest at 47.91% till 5pm. In Ramtek-SC seat, 53.38% turnout was reported, 56.87% in BhandaraGondia and 55.11% in Chandrapur seat. To avoid technical snags cropping up in EVMs in the remote polling booths in Gadchiroli, three spare EVMs were dispatched by a helicopter to the Sironcha area of the district, said an official. Manipur: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 Sporadic incidents of gunfire and intimidation of voters as well as Congress workers by armed miscreants marred Lok Sabha elections in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Friday. The turnout was 72.32% in the Inner Manipur seat and 61.98% in Outer Manipur. The violence occurred in places falling under the Inner Manipur seat which straddles the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley. The armed men fired several rounds outside a polling station at Thamnapokpi in Bishnupur district. Three persons were reportedly injured.The voters and the Congress polling agents were intimidated by the armed miscreants Tamil Nadu: Total seats - 39 1st phase - 39 The polling began at 7am amid tight security in most of the 39 constituencies. Argument broke out between voters and officials in some polling stations as authorities did not allow people to carry their smartphones/mobiles inside the booths. People belonging to Parandhur village with over 1,000 voters near Sriperumbudur did not turn up to vote till 9.30 am. Around 1,000 voters of Ennore who had called for boycott of the election over the ammonia gas leak incident at Ennore Creek withdrew their decision and decided to vote Puducherry: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 The Union Territory gets to elect their lone representative to the Lok Sabha. A visit to some of the polling stations in rural areas brought to the fore a mixed picture. Pink booths were the centre of attraction. The green environment at a booth housed on the premises of the more-than-century-old VOC Government Boys school in the town added to the lustre of the arrangements. Gruel, nutritious cereals, millets and buttermilk were given to the voters Lakshadweep: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Nearly 60% voter turnout was recorded until 5pm in the Lakshadweep constituency spanning across 10 inhabited islands of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, with an electorate of 57,784, as per data shared by the Election Commission. Out of this total, 28,506 are women. The polling began at 7.30am across the 10 inhabited islands and concluded at 6.30 pm. An official said that the figures provided are preliminary, as voters who were in line by this deadline were given the opportunity to cast their votes Andaman & Nicobar islands: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Around 3,15,148 voters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have exercised their franchise till 3pm for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Union Territory. Seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs) of the Great Nicobar Islands, on Friday exercised their voting rights for the first time, an election official said. Other two primitive tribes, too, exercised their voting rights like in 2019, the CEO said Arunachal Pradesh: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 The unique Malogam polling station in Anjaw district of the state recorded cent per cent polling with the lone female voter, exercising her constitutional right on Friday, officials said. Supporters of two candidates clashed at the Bameng Assembly constituency in East Kameng. Irate mobs damaged EVMs in polling stations elsewhere in the state. Miscreants tried to snatch EVMs in three polling stations in the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri and in one in Kurung Kumey district, where polling was also suspended Assam: Total seats - 14 1st phase - 5 Long queues were seen outside booths since morning as polling was underway for five constituencies. Poling began at 7 am in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Kaziranga seats, and 86.5 lakh voters are eligible to vote. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP and Congresss deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi were among those who cast their votes in the first hour Meghalaya: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 Voters at numerous polling stations were seen queuing up as early as 6 am, underscoring their enthusiasm to participate in the electoral process. The first five voters were rewarded with mementoes and first-time voters were also felicitated. Voters in a model polling station planted trees after casting their votes. Polling was being held at 3,512 polling stations in which 10 candidates are in the fray Mizoram: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 At least 6,500 polling personnel, over 3,500 policemen and 12 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed for the polls in the state. All international borders and inter-state borders have been sealed to ensure peaceful elections, a senior police officer said. Although there are six contenders, it is believed that the fight will be mainly among ZPM, MNF and Congress Nagaland: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Polling personnel in six eastern districts of Nagaland waited for nine hours in booths, but not one of the four lakh voters of the region turned up following a shutdown call given by an organisation to press for its demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). Of the 13.25 lakh voters in Nagaland, 50.41 per cent have exercised their franchise, the officials said. Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan exercised his franchise at Model Polling Station Sikkim: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Over 50% of the 4.64 lakh voters in Sikkim exercised their franchise in the 32 Assembly seats and in the lone Lok Sabha constituency till 3 pm on Friday, an official said. Thirteen companies of CAPF have been deployed in Sikkim, of which five companies are from ITBP and eight from SSB, he added. Former Indian Football captain and SDF vice president Bhaichung Bhutia who is contesting from Barfung (BL) assembly seat voted Tripura: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 1 The opposition Congress and CPM alleged that largescale rigging in several places across the constituency, with the Election Commission saying that it received some complaints and was looking into those. In the bypolls to the Ramnagar assembly seat, which was being held simultaneously, a turnout of 56.68% was recorded. Altogether 14.61 lakh people are eligible to vote in this phase of Lok Sabha polls in Tripura

Court Closes Corruption Case Against Ex-Aide Of Raman Singh

A trial court in Raipur accepted the closure report filed by the Economic Offences Wing of the Anti-Corruption Bureau after no case of disproportionate assets was made against Aman Singh - principal secretary to former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh.

Court Closes Case Against Former Principal Secretary Aman Singh To Chhattisgarh CM

The trial court in Raipur has accepted the closure report filed by the state EOW-ACB after finding no case of disproportionate assets against former principal secretary Aman Singh and his wife Yasmin Singh.

Chhattisgarh: 42.57% turnout recorded till 1pm in Bastar LS seat; CRPF officer hurt in IED blast

Raipur/Jagdalpur: A voter turnout of more than 42 per cent was recorded till 1 pm Friday in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency of Chhattisgarh, which saw a CRPF officer getting injured in an explosion of a pressure IED planted by Naxalites, officials said. Amid tight security, polling in the Bastar seat started at 7am []

Remarks on modern medicine: SC asks Ramdev to...

The Patna and Raipur chapters of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have lodged complaints in 2021 alleging Ramdev's remarks were likely to cause prejudice to Covid control mechanism and may dissuade people from availing proper treatment.

SC adjourns for July Ramdev's plea for clubbing of FIRs on his remarks on efficacy of allopathy to cure Covid-19

SC adjourns for July Ramdev's plea for clubbing of FIRs on his remarks on efficacy of allopathy to cure Covid-19 The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned for July the hearing of a plea filed by Yog guru Baba Ramdev to club FIRs lodged against him in different States over his alleged remarks that allopathy cannot cure Covid-19. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti granted two weeks' time to the states of Bihar and Chhattisgarh to inform it about the status regarding the FIRs and the chargesheet filed. It also asked Ramdev's counsel to implement the complainants in the case before the top court and posted the matter in July. Ramdev approached the top court seeking protection in criminal FIRs lodged against him in various states over his alleged remarks on efficacy of allopathy in treatment of Covid-19 pandemic. Ramdev's plea sought clubbing of FIRs and transfer of cases to Delhi lodged against him. The plea of Ramdev also sought a stay on the proceedings in multiple cases lodged against him and had also sought protection from coercive actions in FIRs lodged by Indian Medical Associations (IMA) Patna and Raipur branches and transfer the FIRs to Delhi. Ramdev has been booked under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and other provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005. In a video, Ramdev in 2021 was allegedly heard saying, Allopathy is a stupid science and medicines such as Remdesivir, Fabiflu, and other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India have failed to treat Covid-19 patients. His remarks caused massive outrage and the IMA sent over a legal notice to him. Police in Chhattisgarh's Raipur had registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the Raipur's IMA unit against Ramdev for allegedly spreading false information about the medicines being used by the medical fraternity for the treatment of Covid-19. As per the complaint, Ramdev has been allegedly propagating false information and his threatening statements on social media against medicines being used by the medical fraternity, Government of India, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other frontline organisations in treatment of Covid-19 infection. The complaint had said there are several videos of Ramdev on social media in which he had allegedly made such misleading remarks. (ANI)

Remarks On Allopathy | SC Asks Ramdev To Implead Complainants In His Plea For Stay Of Criminal Probes

NEW DELHI, Apr 19: The Supreme Court on Friday asked yoga guru Ramdev to implead the complainants, who have lodged cases against him over his alleged remarks against the use of allopathic medicines during the Covid pandemic, as party in his plea seeking stay of criminal proceedings. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The Patna and Raipur chapters of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have lodged complaints in 2021 alleging Ramdevs remarks were likely to cause prejudice to Covid [] The post Remarks On Allopathy | SC Asks Ramdev To Implead Complainants In His Plea For Stay Of Criminal Probes appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Remarks on Allopathy: SC asks Baba Ramdev to implead complainants in plea for stay of criminal probes

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked yoga guru Ramdev to implead the complainants, who have lodged cases against him over his alleged remarks against the use of allopathic medicines during the Covid pandemic, as party in his plea seeking stay of criminal proceedings. The Patna and Raipur chapters of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have lodged complaints in 2021 alleging Ramdev's remarks were likely to cause prejudice to Covid control mechanism and may dissuade people from availing proper treatment. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale, which was hearing Ramdev's plea seeking stay on criminal proceedings, said he needs to implead the complainants for securing relief in the matter. The bench granted liberty to Ramdev to implead the complainants and posted the matter for hearing after the summer vacations of the apex court, which are starting from May 20. The counsel appearing for the Bihar government said he needed time to file reply in the matter. In his plea, Ramdev has impleaded the Centre, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and IMA as parties. The top court had issued notice to them on October 9, last year. Patanjali ads case: Baba Ramdev, Balkrishna ready to issue public apology; next hearing on April 23 Earlier, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Ramdev, had said the yoga guru had made a statement in 2021 that he does not believe in allopathic medicines to which some doctors took offence and lodged multiple cases against him. As an interim relief, Ramdev has sought a stay on investigation on the criminal complaints. The IMA has lodged complaints in Bihar and Chhattisgarh over Ramdev's remarks against the use of allopathic medicines during the pandemic. The yoga guru has been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Ramdev, whose statements stirred a nationwide debate on Allopathy versus Ayurveda had, however, withdrawn them after receiving a letter from then Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who had called his remarks inappropriate. The Delhi Medical Association (DMA), meanwhile, has sought permission to become a party to the case, alleging that Ramdev insulted Allopathy and instigated people to disregard vaccines and treatment protocols. The DMA, having 15,000 doctors as members, has claimed that Ramdev's Patanjali earned over Rs 1,000 crore by selling Coronil kits which were not approved by the competent authority.

One hurt in firing during Ram Navami procession

BERHAMPUR: Kantamal police in Boudh district arrested a 21-year-old youth who allegedly opened fire during a kirtan procession on the occasion of Ram Navami, leaving a person injured on Wednesday. The victim, Biswamitra Jani (29), was rushed to the local hospital and later transferred to Raipur as his condition worsened. The accused, identified as Balabanta Nayak (21) from Sana Manamunda village of Khatkhatiya panchayat, was detained by villagers and subsequently handed over to the police. Reports indicate that the incident occurred on Wednesday night during the Namayajna procession at Pipalpali village, where two rounds were fired into the crowd, causing panic and chaos. Following the gunfire, Jani was found to have sustained serious injuries and taken to Kantamal hospital before being transferred to the district headquarters hospital and then to Raipur after his condition deteriorated. While the motive behind the shooting has not been determined, preliminary investigations suggest a history of enmity between the two groups involved. As of now, the firearms used in the incident have not been seized. The police registered a case against Nayak and presented him before the court. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway.

Chhattisgarh: Bastar goes to polls under shadow of Naxal threat

Raipur: Insurgency-hit Bastar (ST) Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh is going to polls in the first phase of elections on Friday amid unprecedented security arrangements. Around 80,000 security personnel including 35,000 Central Para Military Forces (CPMF) have been deployed across the LS constituency to blunt any Maoist threat and ensure smooth polling on the day, a senior police officer told this newspaper on Thursday. For the first time in this poll, nine choppers have been deployed in Bastar to deal with any attempt by Maoists to disrupt elections on the polling day, the police officer said. Bastar is going to LS polls four days after the killing of 29 Maoists by security forces in a jungle in the region. We have made all arrangements to ensure that the election is held smoothly and in a secured environment, Bastar inspector general of police P Sunderraj said. As many as 159 of the total 1961 polling booths established in the constituency fall under no internet network zone area, sources in the chief electoral officers office here said. Of them, 61 polling booths have been declared vulnerable while 196 others have been identified as critical booths. Ninety polling booths falling under no internet zone area have been supplied with walkie-talkies to keep in touch with them during the polling, while runners have been deployed in the remaining 69 polling booths to serve as couriers to exchange official communications during the period, an election officer said. As many as 156 polling parties comprising 919 election officials deployed in remote and sensitive polling booths have been flown to their respective booths by choppers. Significantly, Bastar is the only LS constituency in Chhattisgarh where female voters outnumber male voters. There are 7, 00,476 male voters and 7, 71,679 female voters in the LS seat. Mahesh Kashyap of BJP is pitted against former minister Kawasi Lakhma of Congress in an 11-cornered contest in the seat. Congress has dropped sitting MP Deepak Baij, who is also state Congress chief, in the seat and replaced him with Mr Lakhma.

Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals celebrates completion of 30,000 paediatric heart surgeries

Jammu Tawi: Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals in Mumbai, Maharashtra; Raipur, Chhattisgarh; Palwal, Haryana celebrated the completion of 30,000 free paediatric heart surgeries and interventions under the Gift of Life program, in the presence of Dr C Sreenivas, Chairman and Sunil Gavaskar, Trustee and Former Captain, Indian Cricket Team.The completion of 30,000 free of cost [] The post Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals celebrates completion of 30,000 paediatric heart surgeries appeared first on Northlines .

Bastar battle between BJP, Congress even

RAIPUR: The Maoist-affected Bastar Lok Sabha seat in south Chhattisgarh will witness a keen contest between a relatively unknown new face from BJP and a senior Congress leader in the first phase of polling on April 19. The elections in the reserved seat with predominantly tribal population will not just decide the political fortune of the candidates but also test the leadership potential of state party chiefs from Bastar region Kiran Dev (BJP) and Deepak Baij (Congress). The BJP is strongly relying on PM Modis magic. In the 2023 Assembly polls, the party believed the religious conversion issue worked for them in nearly half of the 12 assembly seats of the Bastar zone. Apparently relying on such perception, the saffron party has picked a locally known Hinduvta face Mahesh Kashyap, a senior leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Rahul goes to Bastar, says Congress committed to caste survey The Congress candidate Kawasi Lakhma, former excise minister in the Bhupesh Baghel-led government and a six-time MLA from Konta seat, is a familiar face in Bastar. He is known to stir up rows with his remarks to remain in vogue. Since the imposition of model code of conduct, there have been three FIRs lodged against him in Bastar. Both Lakhma and Kashyap went full throttle across the constituency during the last few days before the campaign ended on Wednesday. Your vote is for Modi, not for me, Kashyap was often heard as he harped on Modi Ki Guarantee during his election campaign. Lakhma, appealing to local tribal sentiments, reiterated the five guarantees of the Congress aimed for women, farmers, youths and poor tribals. BJP added religious conversion issues to the state politics in the poll season. The Maoists threat, evidently seen as a challenge in the restive Bastar that included most of the hypersensitive areas with around 40% area of the constituency cited to have the presence of Maoists. The only military battalion of the banned outfit is said to be based in Bastar. Bastar seat covers eight assembly constituencies. Some polling booths owing to security reasons have been shifted 99 (Bijapur), 42 (Dantewada), 42 (Konta), 41 (Narayanpur), 9 (Chitrakot). Polling team for 156 booths in hypersensitive and inhospitable terrain have been air-lifted by nine choppers. Interestingly despite the poll boycott call given by the Maoists and persisting threat perception during every Lok Sabha elections, the Bastar has witnessed an increase of 27 percent on voter turnout in 2019 compared to 2004 when the first parliamentary polls were held in Chhattisgarh after the state was carved out. In 2004 the voter turnout was 43.3% and it gradually rose to 47.3 (2009), 59.3 (2014) and 70.3% in 2019. Bastar with over 60 percent tribal population also has 1,086 women voters for every 1,000 men electorate. With Adivasi voters playing a decisive role in the four scheduled tribe reserved seats of the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had addressed big rallies from the tribal heartland of Bastar the previous week.Since 1999 till 2014, the BJP remained a winner in the Bastar constituency. The Congress won the seat in 2019. Chhattisgarh: Barring Bastar in 19, 5 reserved seats have always stood by BJP The Chhattisgarh police and the paramilitary forces have jointly worked out strategies and deployment plans to ensure the polling on Friday remains free, fair and peaceful. Over 80000 personnel are to be deployed including 350 companies (around 80-90 jawans in each) of paramilitary forces. As many as 75 new operational security base camps have been set up in strategic locations during the last five years in Bastar zone. The presence of more camps as a development bubble led to building infrastructure, gaining trust of local tribals and diminishing the impact of Maoist strongholds, said Sundarraj P, Bastar range inspector general of police.

Chhattisgarh: Kanker encounter video surfaces, security forces breach Naxal-den Abujhmad for first time

Raipur: A day after 29 Maoists including two Naxal commanders were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in a forest in Kanker district under Bastar in Chhattisgarh, a video of the incident on Wednesday surfaced. The 7.08-minute-long video clip has captured the jawans advancing towards the Maoists camp in Hapatola jungle under Chhotebetiya police station while exchanging fire with the Naxals. The jawans were seen taking cover behind the trees in the jungle from time to time not to get hit by bullets fired by Maoists before scaling a small mound where the Naxals had taken position. Dont advance hurriedly....take cover behind the trees.....the forces in the back must not fire... dont get too close (to Maoists), a voice in the purported video was heard saying. The encounter site resembled a war field with bullets seen flying and hitting the trees. Sources disclosed to this newspaper that one of the jawans who took part in the search operation in Hapatola jungle may have taken the video and circulated it in social media network sites. We are verifying the authenticity of the video. But, the area captured in the video resembles the encounter site, a senior police officer of Bastar told this newspaper, unwilling to be quoted. Sources said that acting on specific intelligence inputs that around 40-50 Maoists lead by the commander of North Bastar Division of Maoists Shankar Rao had been camping in Hapatola jungle, a joint party comprising personnel of Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) launched a search operation in the area. The Naxls had barely finished their lunch when security forces surrounded them and appealed to them to surrender. However, the Maoists opened fire on the security personnel, leading to a fierce gun battle between them in which 29 rebels were killed and three jawans, including a Border Security Force (BSF) inspector, injured. As many as 22 weapons including five Ak 47 assault rifles, INSAS and Self-Loading Rifles and huge quantities of explosives were recovered at the encounter site, police said. It was the biggest ever casualty suffered by Maoists in Bastar in one encounter , so far. Tuesdays counterinsurgency operation in Hapatola jungle is viewed in the security circles as significant since it had taken place at the strategic place, a tri-junction of Narayanpur and Kanker districts under Bastar in Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. Security forces have for the first time breached Abujhmad, a 4,000 sq km area extending from Bastar in Chhattisgarh to Gadchiroli in Maharashtra '', a senior police officer of Bastar said. Abujhmad, the only patch in the country that has remained un-surveyed till date, is also considered a safe haven for Maoists.

Govt open for talks, want peace in Bastar at any cost: Chhattisgarh Deputy CM after 29 Naxals killed in Kanker

Govt open for talks, want peace in Bastar at any cost: Chhattisgarh Deputy CM after 29 Naxals killed in Kanker A day after 29 Naxals were killed in an encounter in Kanker, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Wednesday that the government is open for talks as we want peace in Bastar at any cost. All the Naxalites killed in the operation (in Kanker) were hardcore Naxals. A huge amount of arms and ammunition have been recovered from them. Their post-mortem is going on; it may take time.The government is open for talks and discussion, as we want peace in Bastar at any cost, he told ANI. He further said that the incident has nothing to do with the elections. This is not connected with the elections. Earlier, the Naxals used to do something or other to put pressure on officers of the election commission or the common people. But this time, the reverse has happened. We want development work to reach Bastar. Yesterday I met with the injured jawans and they are out of danger. Soon they will recover, the Deputy CM said. Earlier on Tuesday, Sharma met with injured jawans who were admitted to a private hospital in the state capital, Raipur. This operation was done like a surgical strike and 29 Naxals were killed. Some of the Naxals must have been injured and by tomorrow, the number can increase as well. Two jawans--DRGC & CRPF were injured and I had come to meet them. They are out of danger and they will be operated on Wednesday. The government is open to talks (with Naxals) at every level, Sharma had said. Meanwhile, Bastar Inspector General of Police (IG) P Sundarraj said on Wednesday that 71 naxals have been gunned down till date since January, and the fight against naxals is at the deciding step. Addressing a press conference here, Sundarraj said yesterday's encounter in the Binagunda-Koragutta jungles of Kanker district was one of the major breakthroughs in Chhattisgarh on the naxal front. Yesterday, an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxalites at 2 pm which lasted for around 4 hours. Teams of DRG and BSF cordoned off the area and as a result, 29 bodies of CPI Maoists were recovered, out of which 15 were female. Arms and ammunition were recovered in large quantities from the spot, he said. (ANI)

29 Naxals killed in biggest encounter ever in Chhattisgarh; this year's toll in Bastar rises to 79

KANKER: Ahead of the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh, security personnel gunned down 29 Naxalites, including some senior cadres, in Kanker district on Tuesday in the biggest encounter ever in the state, police said.This was the highest fatalities suffered by Naxalites in a single encounter in the history of the state's fight against Left Wing Extremism. Since the start of 2024, as many as 79 Naxalites have been killed in separate gun-battles with security forces in the Bastar region, a Maoist stronghold. Three security personnel also suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle and a large quantity of weapons was recovered from the spot, officials said. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the home portfolio, hailed the encounter as a surgical strike and a major success, and asserted credit for it goes to brave security personnel. The latest gunfight took place at around 2 pm in Hapatola forest between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits, when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said. The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of senior cadres of north Bastar division of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) Shankar, Lalita, Raju and others, he said. During patrolling in the area, a fierce gun-battle broke out between the two sides, the senior IPS officer said. Bodies of 29 Maoists along with a huge cache of weapons, including AK-47, SLR, Insas and .303 rifles, were recovered from the spot, the IG said. Polling in the Naxalite-hit Bastar Lok Sabha seat will take place on April 19 in the first phase, while the Kanker constituency, part of the Bastar region, will vote in the second round of general elections on April 26. The search operation was still underway in the area, said Sundarraj. Three security personnel sustained injuries in the gunfight and their condition was stated to be out of danger, he said, adding they were being airlifted to state capital Raipur for treatment. The slain Naxalites were yet to be identified, but prima facie it seems senior cadres of the north Bastar division of the CPI (Maoist) were are among them, Sundarraj added. Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said three security personnel -- two BSF inspectors and one DRG trooper -- were injured in the gunfight. The operation was launched on late evening of April 15 based on various inputs of Maoists' movement in Binagunda and adjoining areas. We shared five inputs, including two inputs giving the exact location of the North Bastar division committee of Maoists in Binagunda area, underlining the fact that it acted like a permanent camp of Maoists since April 5, they said. Shankar and Lalita, both divisional committee members of the north Bastar division of Maoists, are believed to be amongst the deceased, the sources added. After the latest encounter, 79 Naxalites have been killed in separate gun-battles with security forces in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Kanker, so far this year. On April 2, as many as 13 Naxalites were killed, while six Maoists were gunned down on March 27 in encounters with security forces in Bijapur district. Terming the encounter as a surgical strike by the Bastar police on Naxalism, deputy CM Sharma said, It was for the first time on the anti-Naxal front that in a face-to-face fight, security forces were completely dominant over Naxalites and did not give them a chance to recover. We want talks (with Naxalites)....whether they do it in a group or through representatives. Bastar needs peace. We are committed to this, he added. The operation was conducted in an area of Abhujmaad (a Maoist stronghold), which falls in southern part of Kanker district and northern part of neighbouring Narayanpur district wherein 29 Naxalites were gunned down, Sharma said. The credit for this successful operation goes to security forces. This has been possible due to the strength and courage of soldiers. We are working under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji and the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Sharma said. Tuesday's operation has boosted the morale of security forces, he maintained. Ever since the 'double engine' government (BJP in power at the Centre and a state) has taken office in Chhattisgarh, positive things have happened on the anti-Naxal front, the state home minister noted. New security camps have been set up in the den of Naxalites in the Bastar region as part of a strategy to root out the menace, the deputy CM emphasised. In four months, around 80 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters with security forces, he added. Sharma reiterated his government is committed to restore peace in Bastar. The people of Bastar should get clean drinking water, electricity and benefits of development.

Chhattisgarh Encounter: 29 Maoists Including Top Naxal Commanders Killed

Raipur: In an encounter on Tuesday, at least 29 Maoists were killed in deep forests of Kanker district of Bastar region. The gunfire was exchanged between a combined squad of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the Chhattisgarh Police in the forest areas under Chhotebethiya Police Station. Prominent Maoist [] The post Chhattisgarh Encounter: 29 Maoists Including Top Naxal Commanders Killed appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

At least 18 Maoists killed in encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: At least 18 Maoists were killed in a major clash with security forces in the deep forests of Kankar area of Bastar district on Tuesday afternoon. During this conflict, three members of the Border Guard and District Reserve Guard security forces were shot dead and the evacuation process is underway. The exact number of ... Read more

Chhattisgarh: Women, young voters may play crucial role in outcome

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh witnessed significant active participation of women who outnumbered men as voters in the electoral processes during the 2023 Assembly polls. Now, it will also find the youths choice as decisive factor for the contestants in the poll fray in the upcoming Lok Sabha polling. Among the voters in the state, the women and the youths have been cited to carry latent capacity that can give a boost to a political fortune of candidates in the eleven Lok Sabha constituencies. Out of the 2.05 crore voters, there are over 52.88 lakh (which is 23 per cent of the total) belonging to the age group 18-29. And the total strength of the voters is beyond the fifty per cent of the total in the age group of 18-49. In the intense battle of bipolar politics, the election campaigns by the BJP and Congress had led to a noteworthy increase in the voting turnout of women and young voters in the 2023 Assembly polls. Both the parties now kept a strong focus on women and youths while declaring their pledges for them in their recently released respective manifestos to persuade the voters ahead of the polling. The pre-election campaign for young and new voters launched by the electoral office in the state has delivered better results with now more youths to exercise their right to franchise, said Reena Babasaheb Kangale, chief electoral officer, Chhattisgarh. The women voters are 1.03 crore while men 1.01 crore out of the over 2.05 crore electorates in the tenth largest state of the country. With women playing a significant role with their choice in elections, the political parties believed they carry a strong impact in the overall poll results and consequently they attempt to woo them with focus on issues that affect them. Womens political participation Chhattisgarh did better in womens political participation. The state Assembly currently has the highest percentage of women MLAs, which is 21.11 per cent among total lawmakers, with 19 legislators in the 90-member House

Narrow Escape for 17 AS Bus Catches Fire

Hyderabad : A private bus caught fire while in motion due to a short circuit, causing panic among passengers and bystanders. The bus was en route to Raipur via Paradise and Suchitra when the incident occurred at about 8 pm. Petbasheerabad inspector K. Vijaya Vardhan said, Quick thinking of the driver saved many lives. He sensed danger and alerted the passengers to evacuate alight immediately. Despite the bus being completely engulfed in flames, no casualties were reported. Passengers' luggage suffered damage in the fire, he said. The fire erupted due to a short circuit, reportedly caused by overheating. The intense heat generated by the electrical malfunction ignited the fire which engulfed the bus in seconds. A fire engine was summoned to douse the fire. There were 17 passengers at the time of the incident, according to sources.

Heart-Wrenching Night: Three Siblings Perish in Ambikapur Hut Fire

Raipur: In the village of Barima, located within the Kamleshwarpur police station area of Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, a heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded late one Saturday night. The tranquility of the evening was shattered by a devastating fire that engulfed the humble hut of a family, claiming the lives of three innocent siblings. As the night settled in, Sudhani Bai, the mother of the children, lit an earthen stove within their modest dwelling around 9 p.m. She then stepped out momentarily, perhaps to attend to a task or seek assistance from a neighbor. Little did she know that this brief absence would lead to an unimaginable tragedy. During her short absence, a raging inferno erupted within the confines of the hut, consuming everything in its path with merciless ferocity. Bai returned around 3 a.m., only to be met with a scene of utter devastation. Her cherished home was now a charred shell, and her beloved children were nowhere to be found. The grief-stricken mother's worst fears were realized as she discovered the fate of her three precious offspring. The flames had mercilessly claimed the lives of Kumari Gulabi, just eight years old, her younger sister Sushma, aged four, and their two-year-old brother, Ram Prasad. Upon receiving word of the tragic incident, authorities swiftly responded, dispatching a team of police officers to the scene. Initial investigations pointed to the earthen stove as the likely source of the fatal blaze, which rapidly engulfed the entire structure. Authorities launched a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire outbreak, seeking answers to the harrowing questions that lingered in its wake. Amidst the devastation and loss, the tight-knit community rallied together to offer support and solace to the grieving family. Yet, the scars left by this unfathomable tragedy would endure long after the embers had faded. Escalating Tensions: Indian Airlines Consider Suspending Flights to and from Israel Nisha Bangre's Political Disillusionment: Former Deputy Collector's Exit from Congress Amid Ticket Denial Fatal Car Accident Claims Four Lives in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar District

Rahul goes to Bastar, says Congress committed to caste survey

RAIPUR : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the Lok Sabha polls are an ideological war to protect the Constitution and democracy. Modi-led regime and the RSS are aiming to knock down the Constitution but the Congress remains firm to protect it along with other democratic forces, Gandhi said at a poll rally in Bastar, one the four reserved tribal seats in Chhattisgarh. Highlighting how the Congress brought in Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act to safeguard the tribal rights, anti-poverty scheme MGNREGA, tribal rights and land acquisition bills, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP for calling the adivasi as vanvasi. On Maharashtra tribal turf, Rahul Gandhi raises pitch for caste survey The BJP discredits tribal communities as the expression vanvasi is also an attack on their culture, history, beliefs and rights, he said, We call them adivasi that signifies the original inhabitants with rights over jal, jungle, zameen. Congress intends to give you (tribals) your deserving rights. Gandhi said if the Congress is voted to power, it will conduct a caste census. We will make recruitments to 30 lakh vacant government posts, start apprenticeships for the youth. Youth will be given the right to apprenticeship before getting a job. All the educated youth will get one years apprenticeship in government or private companies, and Rs 1 lakh annual stipend, he said and promised to abolish contractual recruitment in government companies and waive crop loans.

DevX aims to double co-working office portfolio to 2 mn sq ft

The company currently has operational centres in key cities like Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Noida, Raipur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. Last week, it set up a new co-working centre spread over 25,000 sq ft with 300 seats in Udaipur.

Cgarh: Congress, if voted to power, will remove poverty in one stroke : Rahul Gandhi

Raipur : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged to eradicate poverty in the country in one stroke, if his party is voted to power in the April-May general elections. Addressing a rally in Lal Bahadur Shastri Ground in the village of Bastar in Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, Mr Gandhi said that Congress would implement the promises made in its poll manifesto as soon as it came to power in the general elections to remove poverty in the country. Mr Gandhi listed out the guarantees of his party and said that under the Mahalaxmi Yojana, Rs one lakh would be provided annually to a woman in a family. Congress, if returned to power at the Centre, would introduce a quota of 50 percent in government jobs for women. Thirty lakh vacant jobs in the government would also be filled. Besides, right to apprenticeship would be legislated to make skill development for the educated unemployed youths mandatory. Such youths would undergo apprenticeship training in the public sector undertakings for a year with an annual stipend of Rs one lakh. He also pledged to abolish the contractual system in the government services if his party is voted to power in the general elections. Mr Gandhi said that his party, if formed government at the Centre, would immediately conduct a caste census in the country. He described the forthcoming general elections as a battle between two ideologies involving those seeking to protect the Constitution and those out to destroy it. Mr Gandhi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS are trying to destroy the Constitution, Congress and its INDIA bloc partners are out to save it. He attacked BJP for terming adivasis as Vanvasi (forest dwellers), saying that the tribals are the original owners of the lands and the country. Mr Gandhi said that President Draupadi Murmu was prevented from attending the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya because she is a tribal, and it reflects BJPs mentality. In the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh on April 19, only one seat, Bastar (ST) Lok Sabha constituency, is scheduled to go to the polls. Kawasi Lakhma of Congress is pitted against Mahesh Kashyap of BJP in a multi-cornered contest in the constituency. Congress has dropped the sitting MP in Bastar Deepak Baij, who is also state party chief, to field the six-time MLA from Konta Mr Lakhma in the seat in the poll.

Krishna River Management Board decides to release 8.5 tmcft water to Telangana, 5.5 tmcft to AP

HYDERABAD: The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) on Friday decided to release 8.5 tmcft of water for Telangana and 5.5 tmcft for Andhra Pradesh to meet the drinking water needs in summer. The available water in Krishna river is 14 tmcft. The total available water was distributed between the sibling states. The three-member committee of KRMB, which met here, took a decision to this effect. Though the meeting was scheduled on April 4, it was postponed, as the engineers-in-chief of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana did not attend the meeting. Thus, the meeting was held on Friday. As less water is available in Krishna River this year, the KRMB meeting concluded to utilise the available water judiciously for drinking water needs till June. Telangana engineer-in-chief G Anil Kumar and AP engineer-in-chief C Narayana Reddy were present in the meeting, which Board member-secretary DM Raipure chaired. AP ENC said that the KRMB allotted 45 tmcft for AP and 35 tmcft for TS in October, 2023. Out of their quota, AP did not use 5 tmcft, he claimed. However, Telangana ENC said that AP utilised more than its quota and wanted the KRMB to ensure that it would not draw more water from Srisailam. Anil Kumar explained that people of Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad and Khammam were purely depended on Krishna water in Telangana. The once-mighty Krishna river is now crossable by foot

Power Block in Raipur Division Geetanjali Exp cancelled on Apr 14, 16

Nagpur: The popular Geetanjali Express, renowned for shuttling passengers between Howrah and Mumbai, will face disruptions in its services on April 14 and 16. This cancellation stems from a proposed power block in the Raipur Division during the night of April 14. The block is necessitated by the construction of a Road over Bridge (RoB) [] The post Power Block in Raipur Division Geetanjali Exp cancelled on Apr 14, 16 appeared first on Nagpur Today : Nagpur News .

Digi Yatra Likely at 14 More Airports

New Delhi : Digi Yatra is likely to be rolled out at 14 more airports by the end of this month and efforts are on to make the facility more user-friendly with certain changes in the architecture, according to a top executive. Based on Facial Recognition Technology (FRT), Digi Yatra provides for contactless, seamless movement of passengers at various checkpoints at airports and currently, there are nearly 5 million users. The facility is now there at 14 airports for domestic passengers and discussions are ongoing with various stakeholders concerned to make it available for international travellers as well. Digi Yatra Foundation CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi said that Digi Yatra is expected to be available at 14 more airports by the end of April. A not-for-profit entity, the foundation is the nodal agency for Digi Yatra, which was introduced in December 2022. The 14 new airports where the facility is to be rolled out soon are Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Mangalore, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, Trivandrum and Vishakhapatnam. While Digi Yatra is slowly gaining traction, there have been concerns expressed in various quarters about the privacy of the data of the passengers. Seeking to assuage the concerns, Khadakbhavi said Digi Yatra does not have any passengers data. It is only in the phone (of the user) that the data is residing and it is in the control of the passenger himself or herself, he said. The data shared by a passenger for Digi Yatra is stored in an encrypted format. To avail of the service, a passenger has to register his or her details on the Digi Yatra app using Aadhaar-based validation and a self-image capture. In the next step, the boarding pass has to be scanned and the credentials are shared with the airport. At the airport e-gate, the passenger has to first scan the bar-coded boarding pass and the facial recognition system installed at the e-gate will validate the passengers identity and travel document. Once this process is done, the passenger can enter the airport through the e-gate. The passenger will have to follow the normal procedure to clear the security and board the aircraft. Personnel at the airports have been directed to enrol passengers only with their informed consent. Khadakbhavi said work is going to ensure a more user-friendly experience for Digi Yatra users.

The Man With A Golden Hand

New Delhi (India), April 11: Dr. Sunil Kalda is an Indian plastic surgeon practicing since 1990, who specializes in burn, cosmetic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgeries. He runs a private surgery practice, Kalda Hospital, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and is in charge of the Kalda Burn & Plastic Surgery Center in Raipur. He is a pioneer in []

Home Minister Amit Shah expresses grief over loss of lives in Chhattisgarh road accident

Home Minister Amit Shah expresses grief over loss of lives in Chhattisgarh road accident Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief on Wednesday over the loss of lives in the Chhattisgarh road accident that killed 12 passengers and injured 14 others in the Kumhari area of the state's Durg district. The bus accident in Durg, Chhattisgarh, is sad. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. 12 people lost their lives in the accident, posted Amit Shah on X. At least 12 passengers were killed and 14 injured after a bus overturned and rolled over into a ditch in the Kumhari area of the Durg district, an official said. The incident took place at 8.30 pm on Tuesday, the official informed. Sharing details of the incident, Durg Collector Richa Prakash Choudhary said 12 passengers were killed and 14 grievously hurt after the bus, packed with workers, fell into a ditch in Durg. The bus carrying labourers fell into a ditch near Kumhari around 8.30 pm, resulting in the deaths of approximately 12 individuals while 14 others were injured and admitted to a hospital, Choudhary said. Twelve of the injured were referred and shifted to AIIMS (Raipur), while the remaining two are receiving treatment at a private hospital. All of them are currently in stable condition and we are providing them with the best possible care, the collector added. The process of evacuating passengers still trapped inside the bus was underway, she had said, adding that the cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained. (ANI)

Leaders line up to defect, Chhattisgarh Congress back to drawing board

RAIPUR : In the wake of several party leaders defecting to the arch-rival BJP in the state, the Chhattisgarh Congress has initiated a damage control strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The party has established a state-level samvad evam sampark samiti (dialogue and communication committee) aimed at engaging extensively with Congress members. As per the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), the newly formed 14-member committee, led by former state president Dhanendra Sahu as its coordinator, will immediately take action to facilitate regular amicable discussions and maintain strong connections with party leaders and cadres across the state. The committee includes three former PCC presidents, six former state ministers, the PCC vice-president, chairman of the PCC war room, two former MLAs and an AICC member. It has been ensured that the committee comprises members representing various regions of the state, enabling them to maintain regular communication with party leaders and workers in their constituencies. In recent weeks, several disgruntled Congress leaders, office-bearers and senior party members have joined the BJP in the state. Responding to this apparent exodus, Congress spokespersons have stated that some leaders left the party due to self-centered motives, while others were allegedly either enticed or pressured into joining the BJP. For instance, Chintamani Maharaj, who joined Congress in 2013 from BJP, returned to the saffron fold after being denied a Congress ticket in the 2023 assembly polls, citing it as a Ghar Vapsi for him. The departing leaders from Congress have cited grievances such as not receiving adequate attention, lack of recognition from party leaders, dissatisfaction with election management, and disappointment over ticket allocation both in the current and previous assembly polls. Party general secretary Chandrashekhar Shukla, who left Congress after remaining associated with the party for over two decades, said that brokers and people with the leftist mindset have intruded the party and the workers felt demoralised as their voices were being suppressed.

Tragic accident: Bus transporting distillery employees plunges into soil mine pit in Durg, resulting in 12 fatalities

Tragic accident: Bus transporting distillery employees plunges into soil mine pit in Durg, resulting in 12 fatalities At least 12 people were killed and 14 injured -- all employees of a private firm -- as a bus they were on fell into a 'murum' soil mine pit in Chhattisgarh's Durg district on Tuesday night, officials said. The incident took place around 8.30 pm near Khapri village under Kumhari Police Station limits when the victims were returning home after work from a distillery, Durg Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla said. According to preliminary information, the bus with more than 30 people onboard skidded off the road and plunged into the 40 feet deep 'murum' mine, he said. ''12 people, including three women, were killed in the accident,'' he added. Shukla had earlier confirmed the death toll to be 15. Murum, a type of soil, is mostly used for construction. Soon after being alerted, a police team reached the spot and launched a rescue operation along with the teams of State Disaster Response Force and locals, Shukla said. Durg Collector Richa Prakash Choudhary told reporters a magisterial probe had been ordered into the incident. ''The bus was carrying workers of Kediya Distilleries located in Kumhari area. So far the deaths of 12 people have been confirmed. Of the 14 injured, 12 have been taken to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur ,while two others are undergoing treatment at a hospital here,'' she said. The company has offered compensation to the victims, the collector said, adding, they will also get similar help from the administration. A magisterial enquiry will be conducted into the incident and action will be taken against the guilty, Choudhary said. Visuals of the spot showed bus turning turtle after falling down. Amid darkness, the rescuers had to toil hard initially President Droupadi Murmu in in a message on social media platform X said, ''I am deeply saddened by the news of deaths of several people in a bus accident in Durg district of Chhattisgarh. My deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured.'' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, ''The bus accident that happened in Durg, Chhattisgarh is very painful. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration has been engaged in providing all possible assistance to the victims.'' Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and said adequate arrangements have been made for treatment of the injured people. ''Received the news about the death of employees of a private company in a bus accident. I pray that departed souls rest in peace and may God give strength to the bereaved family members,'' Sai said.

Tragic Accident: Bus carrying distillery employees plunges into soil mine pit in Durg, claiming 12 lives

Tragic Accident: Bus carrying distillery employees plunges into soil mine pit in Durg, claiming 12 lives At least 12 people were killed and 14 injured -- all employees of a private firm -- as a bus they were on fell into a 'murum' soil mine pit in Chhattisgarh's Durg district on Tuesday night, officials said. The incident took place around 8.30 pm near Khapri village under Kumhari Police Station limits when the victims were returning home after work from a distillery, Durg Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla said. According to preliminary information, the bus with more than 30 people onboard skidded off the road and plunged into the 40 feet deep 'murum' mine, he said. ''12 people, including three women, were killed in the accident,'' he added. Shukla had earlier confirmed the death toll to be 15. Murum, a type of soil, is mostly used for construction. Soon after being alerted, a police team reached the spot and launched a rescue operation along with the teams of State Disaster Response Force and locals, Shukla said. Durg Collector Richa Prakash Choudhary told reporters a magisterial probe had been ordered into the incident. ''The bus was carrying workers of Kediya Distilleries located in Kumhari area. So far the deaths of 12 people have been confirmed. Of the 14 injured, 12 have been taken to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur ,while two others are undergoing treatment at a hospital here,'' she said. The company has offered compensation to the victims, the collector said, adding, they will also get similar help from the administration. A magisterial enquiry will be conducted into the incident and action will be taken against the guilty, Choudhary said. Visuals of the spot showed bus turning turtle after falling down. Amid darkness, the rescuers had to toil hard initially President Droupadi Murmu in in a message on social media platform X said, ''I am deeply saddened by the news of deaths of several people in a bus accident in Durg district of Chhattisgarh. My deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured.'' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, ''The bus accident that happened in Durg, Chhattisgarh is very painful. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration has been engaged in providing all possible assistance to the victims.'' Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and said adequate arrangements have been made for treatment of the injured people. ''Received the news about the death of employees of a private company in a bus accident. I pray that departed souls rest in peace and may God give strength to the bereaved family members,'' Sai said.

PMLA case against Chhattisgarh IAS officer, son quashed

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday quashed the money laundering case against former IAS officer Anil Tuteja and his son Yash Tuteja in the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam in Chhattisgarh, saying there were no proceeds of crime. A two-judge bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan quashed the case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), after noting that since no ex-facie scheduled offence (main offence) exists against the accused, no offence was made out by the probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It pronounced the order after hearing a batch of writ petitions filed by six accused, including IAS officer Tuteja, his son and some other personnel. Mondays court order has come as a major blow to the ED, which failed to gather evidence against the accused. As there is no scheduled offence, there cannot be any proceeds of crime as defined under clause 2(u) of the PMLA. If there is no proceeds of crime, the offence under PMLA is not made out, the bench of the top court said in its order. The court also made it clear that it was quashing the case, as the complaint and case filed by the ED, was based on an IT act offence, which is not a scheduled offence as per the PMLA. There is no predicate offence, therefore there cannot be proceeds of crime, the SC said in its order. In its complaint the probe agency claimed that a person named A Tiwari was the mastermind behind the multi-crore liquor scam. The ED has named around 50 people, including the then excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, former IAS Vivek Dhandh, Congress leader Anwar Dehbar, IAS officer Anil Tuteja, his son Yash Tuteja and others. The ED has in its complaint, alleged money laundering in the case in which it has named Anwar Dhebar brother of Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar; Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) Arunpati Tripathi, liquor businessman Trilok Singh Dhillon, hotelier Nitesh Purohit and Arvind Singh as accused. The probe agency maintained that the accused persons pleas for quashing of the case, could not be maintained, in view the 2022 apex court verdict which upheld the EDs power to search, seize and arrest. Section 50 gives ED the power to summon people. Also in top court Maha reply sought on ex-cops bail In a relief to former Mumbai Police officer Pradeep Sharma, the Supreme Court on Monday said he need not surrender till further orders to undergo the life sentence awarded to him in a 2006 fake encounter killing case. The apex court also sought a response from the Maharashtra government on his bail plea in the case. SC favours release of lifer in terror case The Supreme Court favoured remission to an ailing 96-year-old convict who is serving life term in the 1993 train blast case in Rajasthan and is currently on parole, saying continued incarceration is like capital punishment. Habib Ahmed Khan had moved the SC seeking permanent parole given his deteriorating health condition and age.

Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam': SC ruling has exposed Centre and ED, claims ex-CM Baghel

RAIPUR: Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has claimed the Supreme Court's decision in connection with the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh had exposed the Centre for using the Enforcement Directorate to target opposition parties. The apex court on Monday quashed the money laundering case against former IAS officer Anil Tuteja and his son Yash in the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam, saying there were no proceeds of the crime. In a post on X on Monday, former Chhattisgarh chief minister Baghel said the commitment of agencies like the ED should be towards the Constitution and not any political party. Shameful political misuse of ED has been proved and the Modi government has been exposed. Today's decision of the Supreme Court has proved that at the behest of BJP, the ED has been conspiring to defame the opposition parties by making every case a case of money laundering, Baghel claimed in the post. . . Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) April 8, 2024 The ED registered a case in the alleged liquor scam just before the 2023 assembly polls to defame the previous Congress government and give a political weapon to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he alleged. It has become clear from the SC ruling that the BJP was only spreading lies, the former CM claimed. The conspiracy of the BJP-led Centre to defame its political opponents by misusing democratic institutions has been unearthed and the public will see that cases lodged to defame the Congress will also be quashed in a similar manner, he said. In July last year, the ED submitted a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the alleged liquor scam case in a PMLA court in Raipur in which it claimed Rs 2,161 crore of corruption money was generated in the alleged 'liquor scam' that began in 2019 in Chhattisgarh and the amount should have gone to the state exchequer. BJP misused central agencies to garner Rs 400 crore through electoral bonds: Congress A criminal syndicate led by Anil Tuteja and businessman Anwar Dhebar (brother of Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar) had turned these objectives upside down, the ED claimed. This syndicate comprises senior bureaucrats of the state, politicians, their associates and officials of the excise department, it had said. Early this year, Chhattisgarh's Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau also registered a case in the alleged liquor scam against 70 persons, including Congress leaders, and companies based on a report of the ED. The ACB/EOW last week arrested Anwar Dhebar and Arvind Singh, who was an employee of the Bhilai Steel Plant, in connection with the alleged scam. Central agencies asking TMC leaders to join BJP or face action: Mamata

Ex-CM Baghel claims SC ruling in Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam' has exposed Centre and ED

Ex-CM Baghel claims SC ruling in Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam' has exposed Centre and ED Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has claimed the Supreme Court's decision in connection with the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh had exposed the Centre for using the Enforcement Directorate to target opposition parties. The apex court on Monday quashed the money laundering case against former IAS officer Anil Tuteja and his son Yash in the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam, saying there were no proceeds of the crime. In a post on X on Monday, former Chhattisgarh chief minister Baghel said the commitment of agencies like the ED should be towards the Constitution and not any political party. ''Shameful political misuse of ED has been proved and the Modi government has been exposed. Today's decision of the Supreme Court has proved that at the behest of BJP, the ED has been conspiring to defame the opposition parties by making every case a case of money laundering,'' Baghel claimed in the post. The ED registered a case in the alleged liquor scam just before the 2023 assembly polls to defame the previous Congress government and give a political weapon to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he alleged. It has become clear from the SC ruling that the BJP was only spreading lies, the former CM claimed. The conspiracy of the BJP-led Centre to defame its political opponents by misusing democratic institutions has been unearthed and the public will see that cases lodged to defame the Congress will also be quashed in a similar manner, he said. In July last year, the ED submitted a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the alleged liquor scam case in a PMLA court in Raipur in which it claimed Rs 2,161 crore of corruption money was generated in the alleged 'liquor scam' that began in 2019 in Chhattisgarh and the amount should have gone to the state exchequer. A criminal syndicate led by Anil Tuteja and businessman Anwar Dhebar (brother of Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar) had turned these objectives upside down, the ED claimed. This syndicate comprises senior bureaucrats of the state, politicians, their associates and officials of the excise department, it had said. Early this year, Chhattisgarh's Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau also registered a case in the alleged liquor scam against 70 persons, including Congress leaders, and companies based on a report of the ED. The ACB/EOW last week arrested Anwar Dhebar and Arvind Singh, who was an employee of the Bhilai Steel Plant, in connection with the alleged scam.

From Maoist terrain, Modi says government working for welfare of poor

RAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said his government remained committed to the empowerment of the poor, and targeted the Congress over corruption. Addressing the BJPs Vijay Sankalp Shankhnad rally at Narayanpur district of Bastar which will go to polls on April 19, Modi said that as a son of the poor he can better realise their pressing needs. He said his governments welfare schemes enabled the poor people to save their money for a better, as he sought their support saying every vote for the lotus symbol will strengthen Modis power to develop the nation as a Viksit Bharat. He listed welfare programmes, such as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Jan Aushadhi centres, Eklavya residential schools, MSP for nearly 100 forest produce, Mahtari Vandan Yojana, and separate ministry for tribal welfare. The PM said his government after coming to power at the Centre in 2014 has cancelled the Congress licence to loot. When I initiate action against corruption, some people get upset and protect the corrupt. But Modis guarantee will ensure that the corrupt individuals will have to go to jail, he said. The priority of a stable strong government of BJP was the welfare of the poor. After independence, the Congress government ignored the needs of the poor for decades and never bothered about their problems or existence, he alleged. In reaction, Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij asked, Why PM Modi is silent on rising inflation, unemployment, and problems faced farmers and tribal? Citing the upcoming Ram Navami, the PM drew the attention of the people towards the Ram Temple built in Ayodhya. Instead of a tent for our Ram Lalla, now there is a magnificent temple. The Congress and the INDI Alliance expressed discontent over the temples construction that shows Congress inclination towards appeasement. The Congress manifesto carried the imprint of Muslim League, he said. He added it was natural for people of Chhattisgarh, the nanihal (birthplace of maternal grandparents) of Lord Ram, to be most happy on this dream (of a grand temple) being fulfilled after 500 years. Reiterating his guarantee to ensure a better life for tribal families, Modi said, It was the BJP that not only facilitated a tribal woman to become President of the country but also appointed the states first tribal chief minister. Welfare schemes enable poor to save money Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his governments welfare schemes enabled the poor people to save their money for a better, as he sought their support saying every vote for the lotus symbol will strengthen Modis power to develop the nation as a Viksit Bharat. He listed welfare programmes, such as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Jan Aushadhi centres, Eklavya residential schools, MSP for nearly 100 forest produce, Mahtari Vandan Yojana. said his government after coming to power at the Centre in 2014 has cancelled the Congress licence to loot

Congress overlooked needs of poor for decades since independence, never understood their pain: PM Modi

RAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the opposition Congress, saying it overlooked needs of the poor for decades since independence and never understood their pain. Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, which will go to polls on April 19, he also said that the Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections has the Muslim League imprint. During the Congress regime, corruption had become the country's identity, he said. Since independence, the Congress overlooked needs of the poor for decades and never understood their pain, the PM said. People said what will happen to the poor during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I said I will give free vaccine and ration to them, he said, adding that due to my government's efforts, 25 crore people have risen above the poverty line. The prime minister said he had come to thank the people for supporting his government in the last 10 years. Crores of my countrymen, my mothers and sisters have become my raksha kavach (protective shield), he said.

Chhattisgarh: Barring Bastar in 19, 5 reserved seats have always stood by BJP

RAIPUR: In the Lok Sabha elections held in Chhattisgarh so far, the BJP held the sway over the five reserved constituencies, the Election Commission data shows. Of the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, four are reserved for the scheduled tribes (ST) and one for the scheduled caste (SC). Barring the victory by Congress candidate Deepak Baij from Bastar ST-reserved seat in the 2019 polls, the grand old party drew a blank in the reserved constituencies in the four Lok Sabha elections held in the state in the last two decades. Baij, now the state Congress president, is not contesting this time. The BJP has been winning the reserved tribal seats of Kanker, Raigarh, Sarguja and Bastar, and the SC-reserved constituency of Janjgir-Champa. According to analysts, the poll battle in Bastar, where the Congress stalwarts like Shankar Sodhi and Mahendra Karma couldnt win, seems evenly poised this time with six-time Congress MLA Kawasi Lakma pitted against the BJPs first-timer Mahesh Kashyap who is closely associated with VHP. The BJP has been wining Kanker and Bastar seats from the 1999 elections onward. The Raigarh seat remains a BJP stronghold with present CM Vishnu Deo Sai winning from there three times in a row from 2004. The BJP has given ticket to Congress turncoat Chintamani Maharaj, who was earlier named as a beneficiary by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged coal levy scam, to contest from Sarguja in north Chhattisgarh. All the reserved seats in Chhattisgarh have more women voters than men, EC data shows. More women exercising their franchise shows the level of awareness among the voters, analysts say. In the 2023 Assembly polls, the BJP returned to power in the state getting 46.27 per cent vote share. Analysts in the know of the state politics said the BJP hopes to make inroads into the Congress vote bank as several leaders have defected to the saffron party.

Himachal: 3 boys drown while bathing in pond in Una

Himachal: 3 boys drown while bathing in pond in Una Three boys drowned while bathing in a pond in a village in Una district on Sunday, officials said. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon in Raipur Soharan village, according to the state emergency operation centre. The deceased were identified as Pankaj (8), Sonu (11) and Mukesh (11), they said. The children had gone to take a bath in a fish pond. When they did not come out for some time, locals jumped into the pond to search for them. The kids were immediately rushed to Una Hospital where doctors declared two of them dead while the third boy died during treatment, police said. Una Police have taken the bodies into custody for conducting post-mortem.

Chhattisgarh's Durg district takes centre stage ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Chhattisgarh's Durg district takes centre stage ahead of Lok Sabha polls Chhattisgarh's Durg district, a bustling metropolis which played a key role in the state's economic and educational growth, has turned into a political hotspot ever since the declaration of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Four candidates of the opposition Congress, including former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, and two of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha elections hail from Durg district, bringing it to the centre stage ahead of the polls. Durg district was founded in 1906 after being carved out from Raipur. In 1973, the district was divided and a separate Rajnandgaon district came into existence. Durg was bifurcated again in 2012 and two new districts - Bemetara and Balod - came into existence. With the establishment of the Bhilai Steel Plant, a flagship unit of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), in 1955 in Durg district, it has grown rapidly and become a hub of economic activity, attracting people from all over the country. After the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, Bhilai city developed as an educational hub with the setting up of technical institutes and coaching centres for engineering and medical entrance exams. With the announcement of candidates by the BJP and Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the political significance of the district has become a point of discussion among experts in the state. Congress's candidate Bhupesh Baghel from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat, Devendra Yadav from Bilaspur seat, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Mahasamund seat and Rajendra Sahu from Durg seat, all hail from the Durg district. Former chief minister Baghel is an incumbent MLA from Patan assembly seat (Durg district) and Yadav is the sitting legislator Bhilai Nagar seat (Durg). Tamradhwaj Sahu was the home minister in the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh and lost the assembly polls from Durg Rural seat. Similarly, BJP candidates Vijay Baghel from Durg Lok Sabha seat and Saroj Pandey from Korba seat are also natives of Durg district. Vijay Baghel is the sitting MP from Durg, which Pandey earlier represented in the Lok Sabha from 2009-14. ''The district has been politically relevant since long as it had been the home turf of late political stalwarts like Chandulal Chandrakar and Motilal Vora of the Congress and BJP's Tarachand Sahu (who later quit the BJP),'' political analyst R Krishna Das told PTI on Sunday. After the formation of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh in 2018, Durg hogged limelight as a political hub with then CM Bhupesh Baghel and his then two cabinet colleagues Tamradhwaj Sahu and Guru Rudra Kumar elected from different assembly constituencies of the same district, he said. Durg is also a revenue division comprising seven districts - Durg, Rajnandgaon, Balod, Bemetara, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandei and Kabirdham. Three other leaders, Mohammad Akbar, Ravindra Choubey and Anila Bhedia, who were ministers in the previous Congress government, belonged to different districts in Durg revenue division, Das noted. Even Raman Singh, who has served as Chhattisgarh's chief minister thrice, has been elected four times from Rajnandgaon seat which comes under Durg revenue division, he pointed out. Singh is currently speaker of the Chhattisgarh assembly. The focus of the ruling BJP and opposition Congress on Durg while choosing nominees for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls shows the district's crucial role in the state politics, Das said. Prof DN Sharma, a renowned educationist from Bhilai, said, ''Durg district has been politically significant for a long time. Motilal Vora from the district had served as chief minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh and governor of Uttar Pradesh.'' One of the best things is that Durg has never seen communal violence as leaders from the district never did politics on communal lines, Sharma said. The upcoming Lok Sabha polls have once again brought Durg to centre stage in the state politics as the two main parties have shown faith in leaders from the district in the selection of candidates, he added. Elections to the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will be held in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7, and votes will be counted on June 4.

Fake online ads: Man held in Raipur for duping people

NEW DELHI: A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly cheating people on the pretext of selling machines and spare parts by posing as a wholesale trader and posting fraudulent advertisements on social media, the police said on Saturday. The accused Raushan Kumar, resident of Bihar, was arrested on Friday from Raipur in Chhattisgarh. DCP (Northeast) Joy Tirkey said the accused posed as a wholesale trader, posting ads on social media for machine tools and spare parts at cheaper rates. He would provide fake invoices from reputed firms in Raipur to the victims. During the investigation, all the invoices and courier slips were found to be forged, the officer said, adding that the cheated amount was withdrawn through ATMs in Raipur. A police team was dispatched to Raipur and after a 3-day chase, the suspect Raushan Kumar was nabbed. Under interrogation, the accused confessed, revealing he had cheated over 20 people in the past year.

Chhattisgarh: Leader of Oppn booked for 'objectionable PM remark

RAIPUR : A case has been registered against Congress leader of opposition Charan Das Mahant for his alleged objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an election rally. An FIR has been registered at Kotwali police station in Rajnandgaon where Mahant, during an election rally held in support of the former CM Bhupesh Baghel, said that the people need to choose a person who has the guts to carry a lathi and strike, boldly take a stand against Modi while raising issues as a protector. According to the Kotwali police station in Amen Sahu, an FIR has been lodged against Mahant under the IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation). Baghel filed his nomination papers from the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat for the second phase of polling scheduled on April 26. Citing it as a hate speech, the state BJP complained to the chief electoral officer (CEO), alleging that by giving such undignified statements, the Congress leader targeted the elected PM, provoking the Congress workers and the people towards violence and attempting to influence the polls. This is a violation of the model code of conduct, the complaint letter stated. The Election Commission (EC), taking cognisance of the complaint and the remark, recommended action by the rules. Mahant, though tendered his apology for his statement, argued that the media and the BJP have distorted his remarks. What I said was in the context of the Chhattisgarhi proverb; my words were misinterpreted. I didnt intend to accuse anyone and am fully aware of the dignity of the PMs position, the Congress leader said as he also asked his party cadres to remain cautious as there are attempts to poach upon the party leaders and workers owing to fear among the rival party about the defeat in the upcoming elections.

Delhi police cyber cell arrests fraudster from Chhattisgarhs Raipur

The News Mill

Breaking! Fire Breaks Out at NTPC's Kaniha Power Plant in Odisha's Talcher

Fire erupted at NTPC's Kaniha power plant in Odisha's Angul district, causing damage to a section of the conveyor belt and engulfing the area in smoke, according to fire service officials. The incident occurred in the Talcher region of the district. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries so far. Two fire tenders have been dispatched to douse the flames. NTPC officials have yet to provide any comments regarding the incident. Local authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which originated from the coal transporting conveyor belt at the plant. The incident has raised concerns about safety measures at the facility. Firefighters are working diligently to contain the blaze and prevent further damage to the area. Residents in the vicinity have been advised to stay indoors and avoid the affected area until the situation is under control. Efforts are underway to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire and to ensure the safety of nearby communities. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent safety protocols in industrial settings. Authorities are urging NTPC officials to provide a statement regarding the incident and to cooperate fully with the investigation. As the situation develops, updates will be provided to keep the public informed. Massive Blaze Engulfs Power Company in Raipur: Residents Evacuated Heartbreaking Tragedy: Two Brothers Burnt Alive in House Fire

Amit Shah to kick off BJPs LS campaign in Chhattisgarh today

Raipur: Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to launch BJPs campaign for the April-May Lok Sabha polls in Chhattisgarh from Kawardha on Saturday. This would be Mr Shahs first visit to Chhattisgarh after the model code of conduct for elections came into force a couple of weeks ago. Mr Shah is scheduled to address a public meeting in the district headquarters of Kawardha to kick off the party's campaign for LS polls in Chhattisgarh, a BJP functionary said here on Friday. Kawardha is falling under Rajnandgaon LS constituency where BJP pitted its sitting MP Santosh Pandey against former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. Kawardha is known to be communally sensitive and has witnessed several incidents of communal strife ahead of the November 2023 Assembly polls in the state. Chhattisgarh is going to LS polls in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May seven. In the first phase, only one seat, Bastar (ST), will go to the polls. BJP had won nine out of 11 LS seats in the state in the 2019 polls, leaving the remaining two seats to Congress. The Congress has fielded party heavyweights such as former chief minister Mr Baghel (Rajnandgaon), former minister Tamradhwaj Sahu (Mahasamund) and Kawasi Lakhma (Sukma-ST) in the polls to wrest the seats from BJP.

Panic Grips As Massive Fire Breaks Out At Fire Distribution Company in Raipur's Kota

people staying near the power distribution company soon started vacating their homes

Video: Huge Fire At Power Firm In Chhattisgarh, Nearby Residents Evacuated

A huge fire broke out in a power distribution firm in Chhattisgarh's Raipur today, prompting the authorities to evacuate people from houses near the company.

Chhattisgarh: Massive fire breaks out at power distribution company in Raipurs Kota

No deaths or casualties were reported in the incident.

Chhattisgarh: Massive fire engulfs power distribution company building in Raipur's Kota

Massive Blaze Engulfs Power Company in Raipur: Residents Evacuated

A massive fire erupted at a power distribution company in the Kota area of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. According to reports, police and firefighters are on the scene. Images shared by the media depict a massive blaze and thick smoke pouring from the building. Nearby residents were observed evacuating their homes as a precautionary measure. Residents living near the power company in Raipur were evacuated as the fire threatened to spread to surrounding areas due to chemical hazards. Authorities urged nearby residents to leave the vicinity to ensure their safety. Footage shared seen captured the extensive blaze and dense black smoke visible from afar. Firefighters swiftly arrived to combat the inferno following reports from locals who alerted the fire brigade and police. #WATCH | Massive fire breaks out in a power distribution company in Raipur's Kota area; police and firefighters present on the spot #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/Sr86gmFmEL ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2024 Three fire tenders were dispatched to the site. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries. The cause of the fire remains unknown, stated Additional Superintendent of Police (Urban) Abhishek Jha. Meanwhile, containers holding flammable materials were safely removed from the premises. Heartbreaking Tragedy: Two Brothers Burnt Alive in House Fire Tragic House Fire Claims Lives of Family of Four in Gujarat's Dwarka District

Supreme Court Grants Bail to Bhima Koregaon Case Accused Shoma Sen

New Delhi: In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to professor and women's rights activist Shoma Sen, who is an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case. The decision came after a bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Augustine George Masih overturned the Bombay High Court's previous rejection of her bail plea. The apex court's decision to grant bail to Sen was based on the fact that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not oppose her bail. The bench, considering her advanced age, medical conditions, and the potential delay in the trial, deemed it appropriate to grant her bail.However, certain conditions were imposed on Sen as part of her bail agreement. She is required to remain within the State of Maharashtra and surrender her passport. Additionally, Sen must inform the NIA about her place of residence and use only one mobile number, which she must keep active and charged. The GPS of her mobile should also be active, and her phone should be paired with that of an NIA officer for location tracking purposes. The bench made it clear that if Sen breaches any of these conditions, the prosecution reserves the right to seek the cancellation of her bail. The NIA had earlier informed the court that it no longer required Sen's custody as the investigation was complete, and a chargesheet had been filed.Sen had applied for interim bail citing deteriorating health conditions and had challenged the Bombay High Court's decision to deny her bail. The High Court had directed her to approach the special NIA court for bail before seeking relief from the High Court. Shoma Sen, an English literature professor and former departmental head at Nagpur University, has been in custody since June 6, 2018, facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). She had previously applied for bail in the Pune Sessions Court, but her applications were rejected.Sen, along with others, was implicated under the UAPA for her alleged involvement in the 2018 caste-based violence at Bhima Koregaon in Pune and purported links with the banned organization, Communist Party of India (Maoists). Massive Blaze Engulfs Power Company in Raipur: Residents Evacuated Heartbreaking Tragedy: Two Brothers Burnt Alive in House Fire Rouse Avenue Court Grants Interim Bail to Three Accused in Chinese Visa Scam Money Laundering Case

Tragic Bomb Blast Incident Unfolds in Muliyathode, Kannur: Two Individuals Sustain Severe Injuries

Kochi: During the early hours of Friday morning, a bomb blast rocked Muliyathode, an area falling under the jurisdiction of the Panoor police station in Kannur. The explosion occurred while individuals were reportedly engaged in the hazardous activity of bomb-making, resulting in severe injuries to two people involved in the process. The injured individuals have been identified as Vineesh from Muliyathode and Sheryl from Puttur. Both victims were swiftly rushed to a hospital in Kannur to receive urgent medical attention following the tragic incident. Upon learning of the explosion, the police promptly registered a case and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blast. Expressing concern over the incident, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and UDF candidate for the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, K Sudhakaran, emphasized the need for a comprehensive inquiry. Sudhakaran pointed out that the explosion occurred amidst the context of bomb-making, suggesting a potential political motive behind the incident, particularly given its occurrence shortly before the elections. As a result, Sudhakaran announced his intention to lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission, urging for a thorough investigation into the blast and its underlying causes. Supreme Court Grants Bail to Bhima Koregaon Case Accused Shoma Sen Massive Blaze Engulfs Power Company in Raipur: Residents Evacuated Heartbreaking Tragedy: Two Brothers Burnt Alive in House Fire

Raipur Fire Accident: | Breaking News

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Chhattisgarh: BJP moves EC over Congress leaders offensive remarks against PM

Raipur : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday moved the Election Commission (EC) seeking registration of a criminal case against Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in Chhattisgarh Assembly Charan Das Mahant for trying to instigate violence against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A BJP delegation led by partys state unit general secretary Sanjay Srivastav submitted a memorandum to the EC seeking action against Mr Mahant for his offensive remarks against Mr Modi made while addressing an election meeting in Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh a couple of days ago. Mr Mahant said that a leader who could build a stick and break Mr Modis head is needed now to take on the PM and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel who is seeking election from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls is the right person to take on Mr Modi in the parliament, the BJP memorandum quoted Mr Mahant as saying in the election meeting. The saffron party also accused Congress of intimidating the BJP workers to create a fear psychosis among them ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday dared the Congress leader to break his head first before targeting the PM since I belong to the Modi family. Congress has already realised that it is going to face a massive defeat in the upcoming LS polls in the country and hence, the party leaders have started talking the language of violence targeting PM Mr Modi out of frustration, he said. Meanwhile, Mr Mahants remarks have set the social media on fire with the post Break my head first, I am from Modis family trending on various social media networking sites.

Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam': ACB/EOW makes first arrest

Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam': ACB/EOW makes first arrest The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau /Economic Offences Wing made its first arrest in the alleged liquor scam in the state, an official said. Arvind Singh, who was held late Wednesday night, was remanded in police custody till April 8 by ACB/EOW special Judge Nidhi Sharma, Deputy Director (Prosecution) Mithlesh Verma said. Incidentally, Singh was nabbed in June 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam and was granted bail by the High Court on April 2. As many as 70 persons, including several leaders of the Congress and companies, have been named in the FIR registered by the ACB/EOW in January 2024 in the alleged liquor scam based on a complaint by Enforcement Directorate. The FIR was lodged under Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code. The ED, in its complaint to the ACB/EOW, had claimed criminal acts were committed by certain senior officials in connivance with private and influential persons to cause loss to the state and earn illegal profits for themselves in the liquor trade. The ED had said its probe revealed a criminal syndicate was operating in Chhattisgarh, which was extorting illegal commission in the sale of liquor and was also involved in unauthorised sale through government liquor shops. In July last year, the ED submitted a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in a PMLA court in Raipur in which it claimed Rs 2161 crore of corruption money was generated in the alleged 'liquor scam' that began in 2019 in Chhattisgarh. This syndicate comprises senior bureaucrats, politicians, their associates and officials of the excise department. as per the ED.

'Hit me with a lathi first': Chhatisgarh BJP targets Congress following remarks against PM Modi

RAIPUR: Several BJP leders in Chhattisgark took out a campaign against the Congress and the Opposition leader for his controversial remarks asking the public to elect someone who has the guts to hit the Prime Minister with a lathi. Leader of the opposition Charandas Mahant during an election rally at Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency, appealed to the voters to choose their leader who has the guts to hit PM Modi with a lathi while raising issues. We need such persons who can strenuously corner Modi. So, elect (Baghel) and send him to Delhi, Mahant, former Assembly Speaker, is said to have stated in a public rally. The state BJP lodged a complaint with the chief electoral officer alleging that the Congress leader was indulging in hate speech against the PM and is provoking people and Congress towards violence. This is a violation of the model code of conduct, the complaint letter stated. The saffron party later also turned the event and ran a poster campaign Mai Bhi Hun Modi Ka Parivar, Pahli Lathi Mujhe Maro (I am also a family of Modi, First hit me with a stick), on social media and in different poll rallies. Baghel filed his nomination papers from the Rajnandgaon seat on Tuesday for the second phase of polling scheduled on April 26. Its a matter of shame when a senior Congress leader has given such deplorable remarks and should seek apology from PM Modi, said Vishnu Deo Sai, Chief Minister. The BJP also planned to hold a protest outside the residence of Mahant. Mahant however argued that his remarks have been distorted by the media and the BJP. Those who are unaware about the culture and traditions of Chhattisgarh are presenting my statements and appeal in the wrong context. I am aware about the dignity of the PM post and the parliamentary traditions. I have cordial relations with PM Modi who also knows me well since he was the Gujarat chief minister, said the Congress leader.

SECR Railway Recruitment 2024: Apply for 1,113 Apprenticeship positions at apprenticeshipindia.gov.in

The South East Central Railway (SECR) Raipur Division and Wagon Repair Shop, Raipur, have initiated recruitment for 1,113 apprenticeship positions under the Apprentice Act 1961 for the year 2023-24. Eligible candidates can apply online through the official website from April 2 to May 1, 2024. Various trades are available, including welder, fitter, electrician, and more. Applicants must possess ITI certificates and meet educational qualifications. Don't miss this chance to begin a career in the railway sector. Apply now!

Wyndham to debut Trademark Collection brand in India with opening of The Earth Amritsar

Wyndham Hotels & Resortsannounced the opening of The Earth Amritsar, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, its first for the brand in India. The 57-room heritage hotel operates in collaboration with Earth Suites & Resorts Private Limited, a hotel operator with properties currently in Amritsar, Goa and Raipur. Located in the heart of Amritsar, the northwestern Indian... The post Wyndham to debut Trademark Collection brand in India with opening of The Earth Amritsar first appeared on Hospitality Biz India : India hospitality news, hospitality business analysis . The post Wyndham to debut Trademark Collection brand in India with opening of The Earth Amritsar appeared first on Hospitality Biz India : India hospitality news, hospitality business analysis .

PM to address rally at Udhampur on Apr 12, Shah at Jammu on Apr 9

Yogi to join BJP campaign at Kathua on Apr 10 *Candidate for APR seat to be announced soon Sanjeev Pargal Jammu, Apr 3: To boost the BJP campaign for Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing a massive rally at Udhampur in Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency on April 12 while Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address a huge election rally in Raipur-Domana on April 9 falling under Jammu-Reasi Lok Sabha seat. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will [] The post PM to address rally at Udhampur on Apr 12, Shah at Jammu on Apr 9 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Chhattisgarh: Dy CM Vijay Sharma hold protest against Charan Das Mahant for his alleged remarks against PM Modi

Chhattisgarh: Dy CM Vijay Sharma hold protest against Charan Das Mahant for his alleged remarks against PM Modi Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma and BJP leader Gajendra Yadav held protest against Congress leader Charan Das Mahant at Raipur for his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said, We have not come to gherao or protest. We have come to get beaten with stick. Charan Das Mahant said that he needs a person who can break the head of Prime Minister Modi. We are the family members of PM Modi. He should hit us first. We will go everywhere, Election Commission office and to the voters and ask them, should such a person be elected who will go to Delhi and break the head of the PM? He said that this is a clear indication that Charan Das Mahant wants to provoke his workers, as he knows that he is going to lose in the polls so he is spreading hatred. BJP leader Gajendra Yadav said that we have come to protest. We are family members of PM Modi so first hit us with the stick. The voters will answer the hit statement, he said. Earlier, Congress leader Charan Das Mahant triggered a controversy at the rally held on Tuesday at Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh when he said that they needed someone who could hold a stick and confront PM Narendra Modi. He was speaking in support of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, the party's Lok Sabha candidate. Mahant, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, called for support for Baghel's victory in the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat, hailing him as a champion of women and farmers. During his speech in the local dialect, Mahant urged the public to ensure Baghel's success for their future well-being. ''We need a protector who can stand up against Narendra Modi, and your MP (referring to Baghel) is that person. We want someone who can hold a stick and confront Narendra Modi'', he said. These remarks stirred controversy, drawing a swift response from the ruling BJP. Elections in the 11 parliamentary constituencies of Chhattisgarh will take place in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. The BJP, which has a stronghold in Chhattisgarh, won 9 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha, while the Indian National Congress (INC) was limited to only 2 seats. In the 2014 election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 10 seats, while the INC only managed to win one seat. (ANI)

SEC Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2024: Apply Online for 1113 Vacancies

South East Central Railway has issued an employment notification for the recruitment of Apprentice under The Apprentice Act 1962 in SECR Raipur Division. Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria and are interested in the vacancy details can read the notification and apply online.

3 bodies of Naxalites found after encounter in Chhattisgarh; toll rises to 13

Raipur: Three more bodies of Naxalites were recovered on Wednesday morning in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district where a fierce encounter took place between security personnel and Naxalites the previous day, police said. With this, the number of Naxalites killed in the gun battle on Tuesday has risen to 13, they said. Also ReadNaxalite killed in encounter Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Three more bodies of Naxalites found after encounter in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Three more bodies of Naxalites were recovered on Wednesday morning in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district where a fierce encounter took place between security personnel and Naxalites the previous day, police said. With this, the number of Naxalites killed in the gun battle on Tuesday has risen to 13, they said. Following the major anti-insurgency operation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the police on Tuesday found bodies of 10 Naxalites, including a woman. During the search operation still underway in the area, the bodies of three more Naxalites were recovered on Wednesday morning from a dense forest where the encounter took place, a senior police official said. The identity of the dead Naxalites was yet to be ascertained but prima facie, it appears that they belonged to the PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) company no.2 of Maoists, the official said. On Tuesday, the gunfight broke out between security forces and Naxalites at around 6 am in the forest between Lendra and Korcholi villages under the Gangaloor police station area, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation. The intermittent firing lasted for a long time and the security forces continued search operations in the area. A light machine gun (LMG), a . 303 rifle, a 12-bore gun, a large number of barrel grenade launchers and shells, and other arms and ammunition were also seized from the spot, police earlier said. Bijapur district comes under the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls in the first phase of the general elections on April 19.

Chhattisgarh to witness bipolar battle

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh is set to witness a bipolar contest between the BJP and the Congress across the 11 Lok Sabha polls to be held in three-phase polling. With its slogan Hum Ne Banaya Hai, Hum Hi Sawarenge (we have created the state and we will nurture it), the ruling BJP is hopeful of striking a chord with the voters. In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has consistently increased its vote share and trounced the Congress winning ten out of the 11 seats from 1998 barring the 2019 polls when it won from nine constituencies. Taking the credit for a separate Chhattisgarh, the party kept underlining that since the state was created by the Atal Behari Vajpayee government in November 2000, the onus of its development now lies with the BJP. Notably, while the saffron party ruled the state for 15 years, the Congress helmed the government for eight years. Though the Congress may not have won beyond two seats in the Lok Sabha polls but the difference of vote percent secured by it and the arch rival BJP doesnt appear too significant. In 2014 polls, the share of BJP vote per cent was 49.7 while that of the Congress 39.1 per cent. The next election in 2019 again witnessed a difference of 10 percent between the two national parties with the BJP at (50.7) and Congress (40.9). All along the Lok Sabha polls held in the last 20 years (after Chhattisgarh came into existence), the Congress has never won from any reserved seat except the Bastar in 2019 polls. Except this, the BJP always emerged victorious in the four reserved tribal constituencies of Bastar, Kanker, Sarguja, Raigarh and a reserved Scheduled Caste of Janjgir-Champa. An analysis of the previous Lok Sabha poll results showed the national issues did carry an impact on the choice of the voters in the state. This year, the BJP seems confident of garnering support on the planks of Modi Ki Guarantee, Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, alleged corruption and scam during Congress. Among other issues, the party is also banking on achievements like Citizenship Amendment Act, revocation of Article 370 (special status to J&K) to give a major boost to its political fortune. On the other hand, the Congress is strongly relying on its five Nyay guarantees focussing on farmers, women, youths, labourers, though the party faces an apparent uphill battle to counter the allegations of corruption. In the 2023 Assembly polls, the BJP returned to power in the state bagging 46.27% vote share (4% less than what it got in 2019 Lok Sabha polls), while the Congress 42.23%. The BJP now aspires to increase its vote share by minimum of 10 percent from the 2023 elections. Though the Congress continues to trust its vote bank, it is equally watchful about the BJPs coordinated efforts to decimate the opposition. As per analysts, the BJP hopes to break into the Congress vote bank as several leaders have defected to the BJP as the party is trying to induct cadres from other party to raise its prospects in meeting its target of achieving at least 60% vote share this time in the upcoming polls. Several disgruntled Congress leaders and unhappy cadres have in recent weeks left the party to join the BJP. Responding to it, a senior Congress leader and former Speaker Charandas Mahant said the mistakes committed by ex-CM Baghel, Congress leaders (including him) and party workers led to defeat of the party in Chhattisgarh 2023 assembly polls. The polling in Chhattisgarh for 11 LS seats will be held in three-phase on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Maoist threat: The presence of the left-wing extremists in pockets of Lok Sabha constituencies like Bastar, Kanker, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund apparently led the Election Commission to hold elections in three phases in Chhattisgarh with over 80,000 security personnel deployed. Three-phase polling: The polling in the Maoist-hit Bastar will be in the first phase on April 19. The second phase on April 26 and the third phase will be on May 7.