India News Live Updates: Kerala govt announces formation of SIT to probe into fire accident at Kasaragod temple

Ahead of Diwali, Delhi's air quality on Tuesday remained in the 'poor' category with an AQI of 268 against 304 recorded a day ago, even as 377 teams have been deployed to enforce the firecracker ban across the national capital.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday said 19,005 kg of firecrackers have been seized in raids across the city and 79 cases registered against violators so far.

The ED on Tuesday said it had attached assets worth more than Rs 23 crore in Punjab as part of a money-laundering probe against the promoters of Noida's Lotus 300 real estate project in which homebuyers were allegedly duped.

The assets attached include four residential plots and agricultural land located in Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Mohali (SAS Nagar) districts in the name of Moonlight Propbuild Private Limited and Elco Global Ventures LLP.

A provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to attach the assets worth Rs 23.13 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday expressed concerns over politically motivated crimes in Maharashtra and asked its police chief to ensure a strict clampdown on crimes that vitiate the electoral atmosphere, sources said. The recent killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique Maharashtra has created a political furore.

A fire accident during a Theyyam performance at a temple near Neeleswaram late last night left 154 people injured, eight of them seriously, when firecrackers stored in the vicinity exploded, police said on Tuesday. Kasargod District Police chief D Shilpa announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the fire accident.

The district administration said that the additional divisional magistrate has been directed to carry out an inquiry separately into the incident and submit a report.

US President Joe Biden hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House that was attended by more than 600 eminent Indian Americans, including Congressmen, officials, and corporate executives, from across the country. In a standing-only packed East Room of the White House, Biden said, "As President, I've been honoured to host the biggest Diwali receptions ever at the White House. To me, it means a great deal."

Biden, who lit the formal diya in the Blue Room of the White House, said the South Asian American community has enriched every part of American life. "That's the truth. That is among the fastest-growing, most engaged communities in the country you are now," he said.

At least 19 Naxalites, three of them carrying bounty, were arrested by the security forces in separate operations in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said on Tuesday. As many as 14 Naxalites were apprehended from the Jagargunda police station area, while five were caught in the Bhejji police station limits on Sunday, an official said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 29 filed chargesheet against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan over money laundering charges in the Delhi Waqf Board scam case. Khan was arrested by the ED on September 2 from his Okhla residence and is currently in judicial custody.

Ten people died and over 36 passengers got injured after a bus crashed into the wing wall of a flyover in Rajasthan's Sikar district on Tuesday afternoon, police said. District Superintendent of Police Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav said a private bus coming from Salasar to Laxmangarh rammed into a part of the flyover in Laxmangarh while taking a turn.

Tamil Nadu Government announces a half-day holiday for schools, colleges, and educational institutions in the state on October 30, on the occasion of Diwali.

Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar filed his nomination from Sawantwadi assembly constituency in the presence of BJP MP Narayan Rane.

BJP MLA Pawan Gupta says, “...We received a call regarding the incident. Around 20-22 of them are nursing students. 30-35 people are injured and 3 are critical. We will give them the best possible treatment...”

A mini bus skidded off the road and fell into the ditch near Shiv Mandir in the Farna area of Salmari, Udhampur. Police rushed to the spot and all injured people were shifted to Associate Hospital - Government Medical College.

Deputy commissioner Saloni Rai says, “Our teams rushed to the spot as soon as we got the information. Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident took place because of a break failure, it will be investigated further. People have suffered injuries. Our priority is to give people the proper treatment. 3-4 people have major injuries...”

CPI(M) leader PP Divya was on Tuesday taken into custody hours after a Kerala court rejected her anticipatory bail plea in ADM death case. She is accused of abetting the suicide of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu. The CPI(M) leader had criticised Babu for delaying the approval of a petrol pump in Chengalai for several months and remarked that he granted approval only two days after being transferred, hinting that she knew the reasons behind the sudden approval.

Dilip Khedkar, father of sacked probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, will contest as an independent candidate from Shevgaon seat in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district. A former government official, Dilip was one of the accused in the case of alleged criminal intimidation along with his wife Manorama Khedkar, who allegedly showed a gun to a farmer in Pune district over a land dispute in June 2023.

The Mumbai police have arrested a 20-year-old man from Noida, Uttar Pradesh for allegedly issuing a death threat to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique, an official said on Tuesday. "The accused initially sent a threatening message on MLA Zeeshan Siddique's helpline number and later made a voice call on it, in which he issued a death threat to Siddique and actor Salman Khan. This took place on Friday," an official of Nirmal Nagar police station here said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting fresh searches in Mysuru in connection with Karnataka's MUDA-related money laundering case. The operation targets individuals connected to the real estate sector, aiming to uncover further links in the alleged financial misconduct.

Md. Hafizur Rahman, Administrator to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said that the resilience of trade between India and Bangladesh despite recent economic pressures. "Following government changes in Bangladesh, there was a temporary downturn in trade," Rahman noted, adding that India remains Bangladesh's second-largest source of imports, valued at around $14 billion annually.

He attributed recent trade impacts to a 40% decline in Bangladesh’s currency, which has raised import costs and led to a 20% drop in imports last year. Rahman expressed optimism for recovery and emphasized that "India will always be a major trading partner."

He also added that the importance of balancing imports and exports between the two nations and underscored the potential to enhance trade under the SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA). Enhanced standardization across SAARC countries could also help facilitate trade, he said.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday requested a response from the AAP government regarding a petition filed by BJP MLAs, urging the presentation of 12 CAG reports on issues including liquor duty, pollution, and finance before the legislative assembly.

Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notices to the Delhi government, the Legislative Assembly speaker, the lieutenant governor (LG), the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, and the Delhi accountant general (audit).

In response to recent terror attacks, the Indian Army has ramped up surveillance and patrolling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch districts. Equipped with advanced drones, quadcopters, and surveillance gear, the Army has intensified its presence, particularly in dense forest areas.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her distress over the firecracker accident at a temple in Kasaragod district, which resulted in over 150 injuries, including eight serious cases. In a post on social media platform 'X', she conveyed her thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families.

She urged Congress workers to mobilize and support relief efforts, stating, “Deeply disturbed by the tragic firecracker blast in Kasargod… I urge all INC workers to mobilize and support relief efforts wholeheartedly. Wishing for the swift and full recovery of all affected.”

Police in Nagpur, Maharashtra, have identified a 35-year-old man from Gondia as the individual responsible for a series of hoax bomb threats that caused panic, flight delays, and heightened security at airports and other establishments. The suspect, Jagdish Uikey, is an author who previously wrote a book on terrorism and was arrested in 2021 for another case.

Amorim said  that Brazil aims to elevate its relationship with China without signing an accession contract, stating, “We are not entering into a treaty.” He explained that Brazil does not wish to treat Chinese infrastructure and trade projects as an “insurance policy.”

While Brazil intends to leverage elements of the Belt and Road framework to create synergies with its own infrastructure projects, it will not formally join the initiative. Amorim clarified that the focus is on prioritizing Brazilian projects that may or may not align with China's investment agenda.

In a significant blow to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Brazil has opted not to participate, becoming the second BRICS nation, after India, to reject the multi-billion-dollar project. President Lula da Silva's administration will instead seek alternative avenues for collaboration with Chinese investors, according to Celso Amorim, a special adviser for international affairs.

The filing of nominations for Maharashtra's single-phase Assembly elections will conclude today, with candidates having until November 4 to withdraw their names. Voting for all 288 seats is scheduled for November 20, followed by vote counting on November 23. As of October 28, a total of 4,426 nomination papers have been submitted by 3,259 candidates for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, according to the Chief Election Officer. The Model Code of Conduct for the election took effect on October 15.

On Tuesday morning, Delhi recorded its air quality in the 'poor' category with an AQI of 272, showing an improvement from the previous day's AQI of 304, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

Out of 40 monitoring stations, 37 have reported data. Among them, 10 stations—Anand Vihar, Alipur, Aya Nagar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Narela, Wazirpur, Vivek Vihar, and Sonia Vihar—were categorized as "very poor," while the rest fell into the "poor" category.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids against IAS officer Vinay Chaubey, the former Secretary of the Excise Department, and others as part of an investigation into a liquor scam. An FIR has been filed against Chaubey in relation to the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, and the ED is acting based on this complaint.

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora announced today that he will file his nomination for the Worli Assembly constituency in Mumbai as the candidate for the Mahayuti alliance.

"Today, I seek your blessings, support, and good wishes," Deora stated. "Worli is a microcosm of India and one of Mumbai's most cosmopolitan assembly constituencies. I am committed to ensuring there are no obstacles to Mumbai's progress, and for that, I need your support. I urge you to re-elect the Mahayuti government on November 20th to maintain the momentum of development in Mumbai and Maharashtra."

Shrinivas Vanga, the sitting Shiv Sena MLA from Maharashtra's Palghar, expressed regret over his decision to support Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, calling it a "grave mistake" after being denied a party ticket.

Vanga, son of late BJP MP Chintaman Vanga, won his seat in the 2019 assembly elections as a candidate of the undivided Shiv Sena. Following the party's split, he aligned himself with Shinde, hoping for renomination. However, the party instead awarded the candidacy to former MP Rajendra Gavit, who also supported Shinde during the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole remarked, "A large number of people are coming forward to file their nomination papers, treating it like a festival. This election will be one-sided, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will form the government in the state."

China announced its plans to launch the fourth manned mission to its space station on Tuesday, revealing a three-member crew, including one woman, who will serve at the low-orbit station for the next six months.

The crewed spaceship, Shenzhou-19, is scheduled for launch at 4:27 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The mission will utilize a Long March-2F carrier rocket, as confirmed by Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of CMSA, during a press conference at the Jiuquan centre. Shenzhou-19 marks the 33rd flight in China's manned space program and the fourth crewed mission during the application and development stage of the nation's space station.

The Jagannath temple authorities in Puri will address concerns with Indian ISKCON representatives regarding plans for an "untimely Rath Yatra" in the US, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced.

Several socio-cultural groups have raised objections to ISKCON Houston’s decision to hold the ‘Snan Yatra’ and Rath Yatra for Lord Jagannath in November, differing from the traditional schedule observed in Puri. According to Harichandan, many believe that the Lord's rituals worldwide should align with the religious practices held at the Puri temple.

In the Akhnoor sector of Jammu, security forces killed a terrorist hiding in a village during a renewed gunfight on Tuesday morning as they launched a final assault against militants in the area, officials reported.

Two terrorists have been neutralized so far, and efforts continue to eliminate a third, who remains holed up in the forest area near Assan temple in Jogwan village.

The operation began on Monday morning after three terrorists opened fire on an army ambulance traveling with a convoy near the Line of Control (LoC). One terrorist was killed by evening in a joint operation by special forces and NSG commandos.

Following a night-long lull, security forces resumed their assault at around 7 am in the Bhattal area of Khour, resulting in a fresh exchange of gunfire.

Reacting to the fireworks accident that injured over 150 people in Nileshwaram, Kasargod MP Rajmohan Unnithan said, "Shocking news from Nileshwaram in Kasargod district last night. Around 154 people were injured and are now being treated in various hospitals. The Theyyam festival is a deeply rooted custom of the North Malabar community... unfortunately, the police were not vigilant about this event."

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