Chhattisgarh Encounter News Highlights: 8 Naxalites gunned down in last 72 hours

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Pune car crash case, in which two people were killed by a speeding car driven by a minor, has been transferred to crime branch from Yerawada police station.

Chopper goes into tailspin before making hard-landing near Kedarnath helipad; all 7 on-board safe.

Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai says, "Operation Jal Shakti was launched in three districts of Dantewada-Narayanpur-Bastar... Dantewada DSP was leading the team... This operation was carried out in the bordering area of Dantewada-Narayanpur-Bijapur. We had information on the presence of Platoon-19 Naxalite. In the 72 hours of operation, there was an exchange of fire nearly 7-8 times. We recovered the bodies of nearly 8 Naxalites. Additionally, we recovered the tiffin bomb, pressure cooker IED, uniform, and literature. Their training camp was also destroyed..."

Eight Naxalites have been killed in the past 72 hours in an encounter with security forces in the border area of Narayanpur-Bijapur-Dantewada. Large quantities of weapons have been recovered.

As Kerala reels under the impact of heavy pre-monsoon rains, a total of 11 people have lost their lives in various rain-related incidents across the state since May 19.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert in eight districts in Kerala for Friday.

According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, 15 houses across the state fully collapsed while 218 were partially damaged in the heavy rains.

The IMD has issued an orange alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode and Kannur districts and a yellow alert in other districts.

Kolkata Police issues 144 CrPC order in vicinity of Dalhousie and Victoria house on regular basis. Such orders are renewed every two months, Kolkata Police say.

-- Six more deaths due to suspected heat stroke were reported in Rajasthan, where the mercury soared to 49 degrees Celsius.

-- According to Met Centre Jaipur, Phalodi was the hottest place in the state with 49 degrees Celsius.

-- There were reports of five deaths due to suspected heat stroke in the state on Thursday as well.

The Indian Coast Guard has initiated comprehensive preparatory measures to ensure minimal loss of life and property at sea due to Cyclonic Storm ‘Remal’ originating in the central Bay of Bengal.

The cyclone is likely to make landfall at the North/ North-West Bay of Bengal near the West Bengal Coast on the intervening night of May 26 and 27.

Advocate Asim Saraode says, "This is not a very difficult case according to the point of view of the law. There are some emotions and human rights violations involved... The police claim they need to investigate the DCR and the driver needs to be investigated because he has been arrested today. Other reasons were not new so the court has not considered the request and sent the accused to the magisterial custody remand till June 7."

Police Inspector (PI) Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector (API) Vishwanath Todkari, posted at Yerwada police station, have been suspended as they did not inform the wireless control room about the accident, CP Pune Amitesh Kumar said.

Two people were killed when a speeding Porsche driven by a minor hit them from behind on 19th May.

Two people died of suffocation while cleaning a septic tank at a private residence in Old Jasola village. A case being registered, Delhi Police inform

-- National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) met today under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review preparedness for the impending cyclone in Bay of Bengal.

-- NDRF has deployed 12 teams and 5 additional teams are kept on standby.

-- Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard along with ships and aircrafts have been kept in readiness

-- Fishermen have been asked not to venture out into the sea and those already at sea have been called to safe berth

-- District Control Rooms have been activated and are monitoring the situation

Three days after a massive crackdown across four states in the Rameshwaram Café Blast Case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested one more accused, identified as an ex-convict in a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror conspiracy case. 35-year-old Shoaib Ahmed Mirza alias Chhotu, a resident of Hubbali City, Karnataka, is the fifth accused to be arrested in the case, informs the National Investigation Agency

Kolkata Commissioner of Police imposes section 144 of the IPC prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons for 60 days from 28.05.2024 to 26.07.2024 or until further order based on information received from credible sources that violent demonstrations are likely to take place resulting in large-scale disturbances of the public tranquillity and breach of the peace: CP Vineet Kumar Goyal

Reports about the Kerala government mulling withdrawal of the 'dry day' norm with regard to alcohol sales kicked off a political storm in the state on Friday, with the Congress-led UDF accusing the LDF administration of taking bribes to favour bar owners, while the Left claimed it has not yet held any deliberations with regard to its liquor policy.

The issue of withdrawing the 'dry day' norm -- not selling alcohol in the state on the first day of every calendar month -- snowballed into a controversy after an audio clip, purportedly of a bar association member allegedly asking other members to pay money for a favourable liquor policy, was aired on TV channels.

Delhi's Saket court convicts Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar in defamation case filed then KVIC Chairman V K Saxena (now Delhi LG).

--Vishal Agarwal, father of the 17-year-old boy who crushed to death two software engineers in Pune with his Porsche, has been sent to judicial custody till June 7

--Five other accused have been also been sent to judicial custody by a special court in Pune.

--The speeding luxury car, allegedly driven by the teen, fatally knocked down the motorbike-borne techies - Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa - in Kalyani Nagar area in the wee hours of May 19.

Bibhav Kumar has moved a bail application. The court has asked Delhi police to file a reply. The court has listed the hearing on Monday. Bibhav Kumar has been sent to judicial custody after police interrogation.

Bibhav Kumar has moved a bail application. The court has asked Delhi police to file a reply. The court has listed the hearing on Monday. Bibhav Kumar has been sent to judicial custody after police interrogation.

A Pune court on May 24 remanded Vishal Agarwal, the father of the 17-year-old involved in the Porsche crash that killed two persons in the city, and five other accused in the case in judicial custody till June 7.

The prosecution had demanded extension of their police custody for further probe.

But the court remanded Agarwal and others including the owner and employees of two liquor-serving establishments -- where the teenager had allegedly consumed alcohol before his Porsche car knocked down two software professionals on a motorbike -- in judicial custody instead.

In the Finance Ministry’s Monthly Economic Report for April 2024, it states that the Indian economy closed FY24 strongly with its growth surpassing market expectations, despite strong external headwinds. Early indications suggest a continuation of the economic momentum during the first quarter of FY25.

From the fiscal angle, robust trends in the capital spending of the general government during April-February of FY24, combined with the fiscal consolidation plans reflected in the Budget for FY25, have laid to rest concerns about debt sustainability. Thus, the major pillars of India’s macro-economic strength, including growth, price stability and fiscal management, are directionally positive and mutually reinforcing, it adds.

The unrelenting geopolitical tensions and volatility in global commodity prices, especially of petroleum products, present substantial multi-frontal challenges. Nonetheless, the expectation is that the macro-economic buffers nurtured and strengthened during the post-Covid management of the economy will help the Indian economy navigate these challenges reasonably smoothly, the Fin Min further says.

The positive indications in the farm sector should help India firewall against any adverse pressures that may arise from geopolitical tensions and global commodity prices. Likewise, the strong macro-economic buffers of India should help the real sectors of the economy navigate the external headwinds smoothly and continue the growth momentum of the previous year, states Fin Min's Monthly Economic Report for April 2024.

Government initiatives to stabilise the prices of essential food items, including their open market sale, stock monitoring and trade policy measures are helping to stabilize food prices, the Finance Ministry's Monthly Economic Report for April 2024 states while discussing the future inflation path.

It adds, “The harvest for the Rabi Marketing Season for 2024-25 is expected to temper the prices of key items like wheat and chana. The prediction of a normal Southwest Monsoon also augers well for food production and easing of price pressures. With the assumption of normal monsoon, the RBI forecasts a 4.9 per cent retail inflation for FY25’s first quarter.”

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says, "They said a liquor scam happened and they arrested me, Sanjay Singh, Manish Sisodia. More than 500 raids were conducted but not even a single penny was recovered... Yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister said that evidence was not found because Kejriwal is an experienced thief. So, the Prime Minister confessed that he has no evidence in the liquor scam and to hide it he said that Kejriwal is an experienced thief...When you have already confessed that the entire liquor scam is fake, you have no proof, no recovery then leave all those who have been arrested."

One of the company owners of Amudan Chemical Private Limited- Malti Pradeep Mehta, who was absconding after the incident, detained by Thane Police from Nashik.

10 people died and several others got injured in the incident.

Attempts were made to project that the 17-year-old minor who allegedly crashed his Porsche car into a motorbike killing two persons was not at the wheel and instead, an adult was driving it at the time of the accident, said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Friday.

The city police chief told reporters an internal inquiry has pointed to lapses on the part of some cops while registering the case and action will be taken against them for destruction of evidence. He rejected allegations of "preferential" treatment to the juvenile inside the police station.

Public prosecutors argue that the accused (Bibhav Kumar) is not the occupier of CCTV.

He also submitted that the pen drive, which was found blank, has been sent to FSL.

Pune Police adds section 420 of the IPC along with Sections 65(e) and 18 of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act in the FIR registered against the accused's father, bar owners, and managers.

The accused Bibhav Kumar has moved an application to protect the DVR seized during the investigation and place it on record.

The Tis Hazari Court grants four-day judicial custody of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s PS Bibhav Kumar till May 28.

He was produced in court after a four-day police custody over the alleged assault of AAP MP Swati Maliwal.

-- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar brought to Tis Hazari Court after the end of his police custody.

-- He has been produced after five days of police custody. He was arrested on May 18 in connection with the alleged assault of AAP MP Swati Maliwal.

-- The Delhi Police had sought 4 days judicial custody of Bibhav Kumar.

In, Sabarkantha, Gujarat, villagers set a police vehicle on fire after a man died while trying to cross the road on Shamlaji NH 8 in Himmatnagar.

Sabarkantha SP Vijay Patel says, "A fatal accident happened at 7:30 am. Due to this, the villagers nearby blocked the road for 3 to 4 km. When the police reached the spot, they started stone-pelting. We sent the body to the hospital. We are registering the offence of rioting against the mob, and we will also register the case of an accident."

A fire broke out at Canara bank at Srinivasa Center in Andhra Pradesh's Nandyala due to a short circuit.

Fire tenders are currently present at the spot, trying to douse the flames.

--Doordarshan Kisan is going to become the first government TV channel of the country, where all eyes are going to be on an AI anchor. Doordarshan Kisan is going to launch two AI anchors (AI Krish and AI Bhoomi).

--These news anchors are a computer, which are exactly like a human, or rather, these can work like a human. They can read news 24 hours and 365 days without stopping or getting tired.

Kabosu, the iconic Shiba Inu dog inspiring dogecoin, dies

--Kabosu, the shiba inu who inspired the viral "doge" meme and cryptocurrency Dogecoin, died on Friday. 

--“Today Kabosu, our community's shared friend and inspiration, peacefully passed in the arms of her person,” the official cryptocurrency account wrote on X. “She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love,” announced by Dogecoin on X

--The system, which lies over central Bay of Bengal, about 810 km south of West Bengal's Canning, is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by May 25 morning, the Met said.

--Moving in a northward direction, the system will further concentrate into a severe cyclonic storm by May 25 evening, the weather office said.

--Sundar Pichai-run Alphabet Inc will be manufacturing its flagship smartphone offering in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced.

--Alphabet Inc. intends to manufacture Pixel phones within the state, establishing fresh production facilities in collaboration with Foxconn Technology Group, a Taiwanese contract manufacturer. Additionally, its subsidiary, Wing, may commence the assembly of drones in Tamil Nadu.

On the Pune car accident case, Pune CP Amitesh Kumar says, "Effort was made to change the driver during that period...We are investigating this also...It is true that at the start the driver had said that he was driving the car...under whose pressure the driver made that statement we are investigating it."

The mother of the 17-year-old boy involved in the fatal car crash in Pune has requested police protection for her son after a fake video surfaced, purportedly showing him boasting about evading consequences. Pune Police will investigate claims of preferential treatment. In a video, the mother denied the video's authenticity, stating her son was in detention. She pleaded for his protection before breaking down. A viral rap song supposedly featuring the teen was debunked by police as fake.

Cyclone Remal, forming over the east-central Bay of Bengal, is projected to make landfall between Sagar Island and Khepupara, Bangladesh, as a severe cyclonic storm with winds reaching 100-120 km/h by Sunday midnight, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Originating as a well-marked low-pressure area, it intensified into a depression, and now a cyclonic storm, centered over the central Bay of Bengal. It's forecasted to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday night. The IMD attributes the cyclone's potential to warm North Indian Ocean temperatures of 30-31°C, though it's linked to the monsoon flow.

Amid the ongoing heatwave in northern India, Alipore Zoological Park in Kolkata has implemented various measures to safeguard its animals' well-being, as reported by news agency ANI. IFS officer Subhankar Sen Gupta detailed the zoo's strategies, which include covering animal enclosures with green sheets to reduce direct heat impact, installing sprinklers and fans in reptile shelters, and setting up fans and coolers in night shelters for animals like tigers and lions. Additionally, showers have been installed in the elephant enclosure to help them cope with the heat.

According to Reuters, at least nine fatalities in Rajasthan are suspected to be linked to heatstroke. State disaster management officials are still determining the cause as medical examinations are ongoing. This news follows Barmer, Rajasthan recording a scorching temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.84 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday.

A heatwave is affecting large parts of north India, including Delhi, with temperatures expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department has issued an 'orange' warning for Delhi from May 25-27. Voting for the Lok Sabha election is scheduled for May 25 in Delhi. Nine deaths due to suspected heatstroke have been reported in Rajasthan. India's summer temperatures are predicted to be higher than usual this year due to fewer non-monsoon thundershowers and an active but weakening El Nino weather phenomenon. Barmer in Rajasthan recorded the highest temperature this week at 48.8 degrees Celsius.

An investigation into the murder of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar revealed that his US-based friend paid around Rs 5 crore for the killing, a senior police officer stated. Anar was last seen entering a flat in Kolkata's New Town, rented by this friend. Three arrests have been made, and bloodstains and plastic bags, possibly used to dispose of body parts, were found at the crime scene. Anar, who arrived in Kolkata for medical treatment on May 12, went missing on May 13. A complaint was filed on May 18 after he remained unreachable. The West Bengal CID is leading the investigation.

Authorities have confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza at a government poultry farm in Manarcad, Kerala. In response, stringent measures have been implemented to contain the spread of the virus. The outbreak was detected following the sudden death of several birds, prompting immediate testing and confirmation of the H5N1 strain.

To prevent further transmission, the farm has been placed under strict quarantine. Culling of infected and at-risk poultry is underway, and movement of birds and related products in and out of the area has been restricted. The health department is conducting rigorous surveillance and monitoring to mitigate any potential risk to public health.

Authorities are urging poultry farmers and the public to remain vigilant and adhere to biosecurity protocols to prevent further spread. The situation is being closely monitored, and further updates will be provided as necessary.

BCCI has not approached any former Australian cricketer with offer to coach Indian team, said Board secretary Jay Shah on May 24.

Singapore Airlines Ltd. has introduced tighter cabin restrictions when aircraft hit turbulence after one passenger died and scores were injured on a flight from London earlier this week.

The airline said Friday it’s taking a “more cautious approach” to managing turbulence after Flight SQ321 suddenly lost altitude on Tuesday and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok. One man died and dozens of passengers remain in Thai hospitals suffering serious trauma including spinal-cord damage and head injuries.

In-flight meal service will be halted when the seatbelt sign is switched on, in addition to the suspension of hot drinks, the airline said in a statement. Crew members will also return to their seats and strap themselves in.

Biocon Ltd on Friday said it has signed an exclusive licensing and supply agreement with South Korea's Handok for commercialisation of its complex drug product, synthetic Liraglutide, used in the treatment of chronic weight management.

Under the agreement Biocon will undertake the development, manufacturing and supply of the drug product, and Handok, a specialty pharmaceutical firm, will be responsible for obtaining regulatory approval and commercialisation in the South Korean market, the company said in a statement.

Naxalite killed in encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh

A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest along the Narayanpur-Bijapur inter-district border in Chhattisgarh on Friday, police said.

The gunfight took place in the morning when a team of Special Task Force (STF) was returning after an anti-Naxal operation, a police official said.

The STF personnel were part of a joint squad of security forces that had gunned down seven Naxalites in an encounter in the Pallewaya-Handawada area along the Bijapur-Narayanpur border on Thursday. Altogether, 8 Naxalites were killed in this operation which was launched on May 21, he added.

With the latest incident, 113 Naxalites have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in the state.

In a major triumph for India at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Chidananda S. Naik's "Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know..." has won the first prize of La Cinef. The Mysuru doctor-turned filmmaker made the film at the end of his one-year course in the television wing of Pune's Film and Television Institute of India.

"Sunflowers..." is based on Kannada folk tale about an old woman who steals a rooster. As a result of her action, the son stops rising in the village.

"There have been many casualties reported in the fire incident of Dombivli. I believe the state government and DISH (Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health) are responsible for this. We are asking for policies regarding reactors. In this industrial area, there are chemicals being used in five industries that are hazardous for people. The industry needs to shift. The Uddhav-led government took some steps in this regard," says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve.

Ten fire engines were pressed into service to control the blaze and the firefighting went past 11 pm on Thursday. “Now, cooling operations are underway,” said Kailas Nikam of the Disaster Management Cell of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).

The area is filled with the acrid smell of burnt chemicals, he said.

Cooling operations are underway at the spot in Dombivali in Maharastra's Thane district, where an incident of boiler blast occurred on May 23. The death toll climbed to 10 after 3 more bodies this morning.