Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin

Chennai: A probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the Coimbatore explosion case would be recommended to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government said here on Wednesday.

The state government also announced raising a special police force to foil sabotage and bolster its intelligence wing.

In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat, the present status of investigation related to the explosion was taken up and it was decided to set up a special force to prevent similar incidents.

On 23 October, 75-kg explosives were seized in Coimbatore from the residence of 29-year-old Jameesha Mubeen who was killed after a gas cylinder exploded.

The explosion happened while he was moving past a temple on a car in Tamil Nadu’s western textile city and he had allegedly tried to evade a police check post.

Senior officials of the NIA held discussions in Coimbatore on Wednesday with Tamil Nadu police over the explosion and the investigation.

Quoting Stalin’s directives to officials in the meet here, the government said it was decided to recommend to the Centre to entrust the case to the NIA.

The move is considering the possibilities of links transcending Tamil Nadu borders and the likelihood of international connections emerging during the investigation of the explosion case, an official release here said.

As part of measures to further strengthen security, the government said it would set up new police stations at the three localities of Karumbu Kadai, Sundarapuram and Koundampalayam in Coimbatore.

During Stalin’s review of the overall law and order and security scenario in the state, it was decided to install additional high-tech surveillance cameras in key cities of Tamil Nadu including Coimbatore.

The Chief Minister directed officials to post additional personnel in the intelligence wing and protect and encourage informers.

Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu and top state and intelligence officials took part in the high-level meeting.

Coimbatore was brought under a tight security cover, following the explosion in front of Kottai Eswaran Temple in the heart of the city in the communally sensitive Ukkadam area, on Deepavali eve.

In the meanwhile, over 100 BJP workers and sections of local people held a prayer meeting and lit lamps in front of the Lord Shiva temple to thank the presiding deity for protecting the city and its people from a “big disaster”.

Led by BJP Mahila Morcha president and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, a group of women sat on the ground and lit lamps. Kottai Eswaran temple is formally known as Sangameswarar temple.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been invoked in the Coimbatore explosion case and five men — associates of Mubin — have been arrested so far and the state police is currently probing the matter.

Mubin was quizzed by the NIA in 2019 in connection with a case on propagation of ISIS ideology. In 1998, Coimbatore witnessed bomb blasts.

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that the Ukraine conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side.

In telephonic talks, Shoigu briefed Singh on the evolving situation in Ukraine, including his concerns about possible “provocations through use of ‘dirty bomb'”, the defence ministry said.

The conversation took place at the initiative of the Russian defence minister amid escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

“Singh reiterated India’s position on the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy for an early resolution of the conflict,” the ministry said.

“He pointed out that the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side as the prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity,” it said.

It said the two ministers also discussed bilateral defence cooperation as well as the deteriorating situation in Ukraine.

There has been intensification of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine with Moscow carrying out retaliatory missile strikes targeting various Ukranian cities in response to a huge blast in Crimea nearly two weeks back.

Moscow blamed Kyiv for the blast.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine has asked Indian nationals to leave the country at the earliest in view of fresh wave hostilities.

Ghaziabad (UP): A 35-year-old man was battered to death by a brick following a dispute over car parking opposite a hotel here, police said on Wednesday.

The victim has been identified as Varun, a son of a retired assistant sub-inspector of the Delhi Police and resident of Jawli village in the Teela Mor area.

The incident took place on Tuesday night when Varun had gone to a roadside eatery for dinner and parked his car near another car, the door of which could not open due to it.

This led to an altercation, after which Varun was beaten up brutally with a brick.

Severely injured, Varun was rushed to GTB Hospital for treatment where he died, ASP (Second) Gyanendra Singh said.

An FIR has been lodged on the complaint of the victim’s father against unknown assailants. Five teams of police have been deputed to nab the killers

NEW DELHI: For the first time, the turnover of the Khadi Village Industries Commission has exceeded a turnover of over Rs 1.15 lakh crore, thanks to massive growth in sales of its products.The KVIC comes under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Official sources said this is unprecedented for any fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company in the country. “This has happened on the back of high global demand for khadi and its products,” said the KVIC department.

India has recorded more than four times growth in the sale of khadi products in the last eight years, it said. “Globally in vogue, the fabric has found much favour with local and overseas customers especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the pitch for self-reliance,” it added.

The khadi fabric owes its popularity to its quality of being ‘warm in winter’ and ‘cool in summer’, besides carrying a pure patriotic fervour.“In 2021-22, the overall turnover of KVIC stood at Rs 1,15,415.22 crore as compared to Rs 95,741.74 crore in the previous year, recording a growth of 20.54 per cent,” the department said.

The record growth in sales of khadi products has happened despite a partial coronavirus-induced lockdown in the first three months of 2021.“Khadi products and clothes have gained popularity in 18 countries, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Australia, Canada, Russia, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, and many other European and West Asian countries,” said a senior KVIC official.

KVIC sources said that khadi’s phenomenal growth has been possible with the constant support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who always promotes the wider use of khadi across the country. As per sources, khadi items like trousers, shirts, and jackets from India have got greater popularity in overseas markets than other KVIC products.

“Khadi industry has not only extended its markets but has also created 1.75 crore jobs in the past eight years in India. Even during the Covid-induced lockdown, khadi masks were more in demand, giving an impetus to the employment of local artisans,” said an official.

HYDERABAD: Barely a week before the Munugode byelection, Cyberabad police on Wednesday night raided a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city and reportedly detained three persons for allegedly trying to lure four TRS legislators into the BJP

The MLAs in question — Guvvala Balaraju (Atchampet – SC), B Harshavardhan Reddy (Kollapur), Rega Kantarao (Pinapaka-ST) and Pilot Rohith Reddy (Tandur) — themselves tipped off the police, Cyberabad Commissioner of Police (CP) Stephen Raveendra revealed.

The detained have been identified as Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, a priest from Faridabad in Haryana, Simhayaji, pontiff of Srimanatha Raja Peetham in Tirupati and Nandakumar, owner of a restaurant, Deccan Pride in Hyderabad. “The trio offered Rs 100 crore each to the TRS MLAs besides contracts and positions of power.

Briefing the media after the raid, the Police Commissioner too said they had received information that the trio were trying to entice the legislators with money, and contracts among other things to switch loyalties. “The information received was that they were holding consultations…. based on which we raided the farmhouse. We will take legal action against the accused,” he said.

The trio was caught red-handed at the farmhouse in Moinabad. The farmhouse reportedly belongs to MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy. Going by the developments, it seems the TRS has outwitted the BJP. Highly-placed sources confirmed to TNIE that even the State unit of BJP was unaware of the horse trading. “Delhi BJP leaders were overseeing this operation.. it was time-bound as they wanted the legislators to join the party at BJP chief JP Nadda’s public meeting in the State on October 31,” they said, adding that there was “tonnes of evidence” to prove BJP’s culpability.

The accused, Ramachandra Bharati, is said to be close to the RSS and was seen several times with top BJP leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Nandakumar, on the other hand, is said to be close to Union Minister of State for Tourism G Kishan Reddy. TRS sources also revealed that the Delhi BJP leadership was in talks with multiple MLAs.

A senior pink party leader disclosed to TNIE that the Delhi BJP had been holding consultations with the four legislators for at least three weeks. It was learnt that the BJP leadership had first approached Rohith Reddy who informed TRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “This is a shameless display of how the BJP has been using its ill-gotten money to destabilise an elected government. This time, they have been caught red-handed,” the senior leader said.

Rohith Reddy, Harshavardhan Reddy and Rega Kantha Rao won on Congress tickets in the 2018 Assembly elections and later joined the TRS. The Chief Minister will hold a press conference on Thursday where he is expected to present more evidence. It is learnt that some conversations are a part of the evidence in which there were references to a few top BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, TRS MLA Balka Suman said, “The TRS MLAs busted the conspiracy hatched by the BJP and exposed the saffron party. The entire country witnessed the conspiracy of the BJP.”He advised BJP leaders to do some good work in Telangana and win the hearts of the people, instead of resorting to horse-trading. The four MLAs, however, said they would speak to the media on Thursday only after consulting the TRS chief.

KCR to hold press conference

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will hold a press conference on Thursday where he is expected to present more evidence. It is  learnt that some conversations are a part of the evidence in which there were references to a few top BJP leaders. There was “tonnes of evidence” to prove BJP’s culpability in the matter, highly-placed sources told TNIE

Accused reportedly close to Shah, Kishan

The accused, Ramachandra Bharati, is said to be close to the RSS and was seen several times with top BJP leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Nandakumar, on the other hand, is said to be close to Union Minister of State for Tourism G Kishan Reddy. TRS sources also revealed that the Delhi BJP leadership was in talks with multiple MLAs.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes

During a media briefing, he said the photos of Ganesha and Lakshmi could be printed on fresh currency notes.

He added that the new notes could have a picture of Mahatma Gandhi on one side and of the two deities on the other.

“Despite making efforts, sometimes our efforts do not fructify if gods and goddesses are not blessing us. I appeal to PM (Modi) to have photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi on our currency (notes).

“If there is a photo of Lakshmi-Ganesha on our currency (notes), our country will prosper. I will write to (the) prime minister in a day or two on this,” he said.

He cited the example of Indonesia, a Muslim nation, that has a picture of Ganesha on its currency note.

“When Indonesia can, why can’t we? The photos can be printed on fresh (currency) notes,” he said.

Lamenting the fact that the India economy was not in a good shape, he said the country was passing through a delicate situation with the rupee depreciating against the US dollar.

“We all want India to be rich and every family here to be prosperous. We have to open schools and hospitals on a large scale,” he added.

Kejriwal also said the Aam Aadmi Party was fully prepared for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls and stressed that the people of the national capital would reject the BJP.

He also challenged the BJP to cite one good work it had done in Gujarat, where it has run a government for the last 27 years.

“All demonic powers aligned against us,” Kejriwal said on the upcoming polls in Gujarat. The Delhi chief minister also lauded the efforts of Delhi residents for the decline in the city’s pollution levels.

“We are still not satisfied. We want to make Delhi the city with the cleanest air,” he said.

Narayana Murthi & Rishi Sunak

New Delhi :”We are proud of him and wish him success,” Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy said in his first comments on the elevation of his son-in-law Rishi Sunak as Britain’s prime minister.

 Sunak, 42, on Sunday won the race to lead the Conservative Party and is now set to become Britain’s first prime minister of Indian origin.

“Congratulations to Rishi. We are proud of him and we wish him success,” Murthy said in first first reaction emailed to “We are confident he will do his best for the people of the United Kingdom.”

The son of a pharmacist mother and doctor father, Sunak was educated at one of England’s most renowned schools, Winchester, and then Oxford. He spent three years at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and later gained an MBA from Stanford in California, where he met his wife Akshata Murthy, daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy.

He married Akshata in 2009 and the couple has two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka.