Archives for 2021

JHANSI/KOCHI: Four nuns were taken off an express train and detained for questioning by railway police in UP’s Jhansi recently, with the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) expressing concern over the matter.

Officials in Jhansi said the nuns were detained after local Bajrang Dal activists complained that two of the women were allegedly being taken forcibly for religious conversion.

The police said there was no basis in the complaint and all four women later took the next train to their destination in Odisha.

Following the ruckus created by local Bajrang Dal leader Ajay Shankar Tiwari along with the activists last week, the four nuns onboard the Utkal Express from Delhi to Rourkela were taken down from the train by the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Jhansi for questioning.

Circle Officer of GRP Naeem Ansari said the complainant had said the women were being taken possibly for forcible religious conversion.

“However, during questioning, nothing as such came to light, and the four passengers were allowed to depart by the next train. No case has been registered in this regard,” he said.

During questioning, it was revealed that nuns Libiya Thomas and Hemlata, both residents of Delhi’s Vikaspuri, along with Sweta and B Tarang (both 19-years-old and natives of Odisha) were travelling in a sleeper coach of the Utkal Express.

SHO of GRP Jhansi Sunil Kumar Singh said no attack on the rail passengers emerged during the probe.

Meanwhile, KCBC spokesman Fr Jacob Palackappilly alleged that the nuns were forced to change their religious habits and wear civilian dress to protect themselves.

The church called for action from the Centre and the UP government, seeking strong action against the culprits involved in the incident.

It also sought intervention of National Commission for Women, Human Rights Commission and minority commission in the matter.

Since one of the nuns hails from Kerala, the church also invited the attention of the Kerala government in the matter.

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, strongly condemned the incident.

“I have written to the PM to order an enquiry on the issue and take strict action against the culprits. This is an evidence of how communal harmony of our nation is disturbed wherever BJP rules. Further this should also be viewed as an attack on women. Congress party will use all its might to defend the rights of every citizen of this nation,” the senior Congress leader said in a statement.

BJP state general secretary George Kurian wrote a letter to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, seeking an inquiry into the incident.

In his letter, Kurian said although the nuns were “bonafide religious people, as they were not indulging in any proselytizing activity, they had to alight at Jhansi for questioning by the police.”

He requested the UP chief minister to “order an inquiry and punish those who are responsible for such harassment of nuns”.

BALLIA: Citing that he is facing difficulties in discharge of his duties, Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swaroop Shukla on Tuesday shot a letter to the Ballia district magistrate, saying the volume of loudspeakers at mosques should be fixed according to the court orders.

Shukla said there are a number of schools in the vicinity of the mosque and the practice hampers their studies.

“Religious publicity takes place through loudspeakers. Information regarding donations for the construction of mosques is disseminated in an extremely loud volume. This has an adverse impact on students, elder citizens and the health of patients. The common public is facing extreme noise pollution,” he said.

He said the volume of loudspeakers at the mosques in Ballia should be fixed according to orders of the Allahabad High Court while unnecessary ones should be removed.

The objection to the loudspeaker volume by the UP minister came days after a similar complaint was made by Allahabad University Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad University Sangita Srivastava.

Srivastava had complained to the district magistrate that she is forced to wake up too early everyday due to “azaan” being recited on a loudspeaker, urging the official to take action.

Srivastava had also said the sleep disruption leads to headache through the day, impacting her work.

Asserting that she is not against any religion, the VC had suggested that “azaan” can be recited even without a loudspeaker so that it does not cause discomfort to others.

She had also referred to a Allahabad High Court order in this regard, requesting the DM to take prompt action.

LUCKNOW: A Lucknow court has discharged nine foreigners belonging to Tablighi jamaat from the cases lodged against them during the Covid outbreak in the country.

While discharging the nine, Chief Judicial Magistrate Sushil Kumari, however, stipulated that their bail bonds and personal bonds would be discharged only after the appropriate action by the Central government.

She also clarified that the accused foreigners would be entitled to their passports and mobile phones only after the conclusion of proceedings pending before the Central government.

The discharged foreigners are Mohammad Madali, Hasan Pancho, Sithipanglimsiripat, Suraskalamulsak, Arsen Thomya, Romlikole, Abdullah Maming, Abdul Basir Idorothai and Apdunbahav Vimuteekaan.

All the accused had earlier been granted bail.

In the order, the judge said that there was no prima-facie evidence against them to make them face trial.

The court passed the order on the discharge application moved by the accused foreigners.

The COVID-19 vaccination drive will be over and above the existing medical insurance policy and is extended to over 3,000 employees currently working in the company, CARS24 said.

NEW DELHI: Online used car marketplace CARS24 on Tuesday said it will cover the COVID-19 vaccination cost for all its employees and two other family members as a preventive measure during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 vaccination drive will be over and above the existing medical insurance policy and is extended to over 3,000 employees currently working in the company, CARS24 said in a statement.

The policy will also be applicable for new joiners for three months from the time of their joining, it added.

“Our first responsibility as a business is the safety of our employees and their families. We remain committed to this goal and back the inoculation campaign to end the coronavirus pandemic as soon as possible.

“That said, we also urge and encourage our employees and their families to get vaccinated at the earliest and play their role in this endgame of the pandemic,” CARS24 People and Culture Head Sonam Lama said.

During the pandemic, the company started Trust@CARS24 with an intent to help those employees that needed financial help for any medical purposes.

Simultaneously, the company also reimbursed the cost of COVID-19 tests for all employees and their families as the initial step to fight the adversities of the pandemic.

In November 2020, the company also offered to buy up to 100 per cent ESOPs worth Rs 35 crore bringing festive cheer to its employees.

Rates have been reduced across the country and vary from state to state depending on the local incidence of taxation (VAT).

NEW DELHI: In the first reduction in rates in over a year, petrol price on Wednesday was cut by 18 paise per litre and diesel by 17 paise a litre as international oil prices tumbled to the lowest since early February.

Petrol price was cut to Rs 90.99 a litre in Delhi from Rs 91.17 per litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Diesel now comes for Rs 81.30 a litre in the national capital, down from Rs 81.47 previos Rates have been reduced across the country and vary from state to state depending on the local incidence of taxation (VAT).This is the first reduction in fuel prices in over a year. Prices were last reduced on March 16, 2020. Despite bouts of rate freeze, prices had gone up by a record Rs 21.58 per litre on petrol in the last one year. On diesel prices had increased by Rs 19.18 a litre.Prices which last month hit record highs including crossing Rs 100 mark in some places in Rajasthan, Maharasthra and Madhya Pradesh, had been on freeze since February-end when elections to five states including West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were announced.In Mumbai, the petrol price was cut to Rs 97.40 a litre on Wednesday from Rs 97.57 while diesel rates were reduced to Rs 88.42 from Rs 88.60, the price notification showed.The rate reduction followed international oil prices tumbling to the lowest since early February as the second wave of COVID-19 infection clouded the prospects for a speedy recovery in consumption.West Texas Intermediate for May delivery was down to USD 57.76 in New York on Tuesday, the lowest close since February 5 while Brent for the same month lost USD 3.83 to USD 60.79 a barrel, the lowest since February 8. The rise in coronavirus cases is threatening the economy’s recovery from the recession.

Pramesh Jain

Pub employee stab to death in kitchen over trivial row:

A 22 year old pub employee was stabbed to death by a co-worker at the kitchen of a pub in JP Nagar over a trivial row on Saturday night.

The deceased has been identified as Sagar, native of West Bengal .

The accused has been identified as,Moushik from Tripura is presently on the run and efforts are on to track him down.

As soon as the murder was reported JP Nagar police inspector and their crime team rushed to the spot with finger print experts and sniffer dog was pressed into action and the area was cordoned off by the JP Nagar police.

A Senior officer told reporters,after visiting the crime scene DCP and other officers visited the spot and after Inspecting the spot and collecting preliminary information what is the reason behind murder

Sagar and Moushik worked as kitchen assistants at a pub situated on 55th cross in JP Nagar.

Moushik used to accused Sagar of shying away from work and had even complained to the management.

The duo on saturday fight again over night shift following which Sagar reportedly slapped Moushik with this he got Enraged and stabbed Sagar with kitchen knife and escaped.

The profusely bleeding Sagar was rushed to a near by hospital where the doctor declared him as brought dead.

The JP nagar police have taken up a case of murder and efforts are on to track him down and further investigation is on.

Pramesh Jain

Fire breaks out at medicine distribution Agency,15 person rescued from top floor safely:

As many as 15 people had a narrow escape and medicine and furniture gutted in an accidental  fire broke out at medical distribution firm situated opposite to CCB office in cottonpet on Saturday.

The fire was first noticed at inverter area of the firm situated on second floor of the five storeyed building.

Soon it spreads to the entire office and goods and furniture gutted.

People at the premises soon evacuated before the fire tenders reached and doused the fire.

Some employees remained inside the building when it caught fire in the busy area. Local residents, firemen and police rescued the 15 stuck inside the blazing Raj Towers and ‘Mico Pharma Agencies’ at 7.15 pm.

The officials and residents had a tough time in evacuating employees who were stucked at the top floor as the fire was engulfed to the entire second floor some were rescued using ladders and some where rescued via alternative route from the building.

Three fire tenders were pressed into action and the fire was extinguished or brought under control at around 9pm .

Senior officers rushed to spot and huge traffic jam was witnessed due to accidental fire in cottonpet main road, Ambulance too stuck in the jam local residents and a senior citizen a social worker cleared the traffic with local chickpet traffic police and made way for ambulance.

Preliminary examination it was suspected that short circuit could be the reason behind the mishap,however the officials are investigating in detail to ascertain the cause of fire.

People in the building are evacuated to safety and no one was injured in the accident,a senior police officer,said.

A case has been registered in cottonpet police station and further investigation is on.