LS members Arvind Sawant and Dhairyasheel Mane, RS member Priyanka Chaturvedi among others have been nominated as the party’s spokespersons.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday said it has appointed its Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut as the chief spokesperson of the party.

Raut, who is also the executive editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, has been engaged in a war of words with actor Kangana Ranaut after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Shiv Sena in a statement on Tuesday said Raut has been appointed as the party’s chief spokesperson.

Besides, Lok Sabha members Arvind Sawant and Dhairyasheel Mane, Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi, Maharashtra ministers Uday Samant, Anil Parab, Gulabrao Patil, MLAs Sunil Prabhu and Pratap Sarnaik, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and senior leader Neelam Gorhe have been nominated as the party’s spokespersons, it said.

The total case tally stands at 42,80,423 including 8,83,697 active cases, 33,23,951 cured/discharged/migrated and 72,775 deaths, as per the latest Ministry of Health data.

India on Tuesday reported 75,809 new COVID-19 cases and 1,133 deaths reported, with more than 10 lakh samples tested in the last 24 hours.

The total case tally stands at 42,80,423 including 8,83,697 active cases, 33,23,951 cured/discharged/migrated and 72,775 deaths, as per the latest Ministry of Health data.

Meanwhile, the metro train services resumed in most of the cities on Monday started on a cautious note amid a slew of measures for the safety of passengers and staff.

With the Centre issuing guidelines for their resumption under Unlock 4, the rapid transit networks started operations in a graded manner in Delhi-NCR, Lucknow, Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, but were still closed in Mumbai, Nagpur, Kolkata and Jaipur.

Passenger traffic was thin on the first day as many commuters said that they were still not sure if taking public transport was safe due to the risk of infection.

Stickers and markings were seen both in trains and on platforms so that passengers maintain social distancing.

He was also placed under suspension pending inquiry by the health department based on the directions of Health Minister KK Shylaja

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Pangode police in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday arrested a junior health inspector for allegedly raping a woman after inviting her to his home for handing over a quarantine release certificate.

The victim, a native of Kulathupuzha, was in quarantine at her home after returning from her workplace at Malappuram. The man arrested, who was identified as Pradeep, was the health inspector of the primary health centre at Kulathupuzha. He was also placed under suspension pending inquiry by the health department based on the directions of Health Minister KK Shylaja.

According to police, he has been arrested under Section 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code. Police said the incident took place on September 3 at the rented residence of Pradeep at Bharathannoor in the Pangode police station limits.

The victim, who was a housemaid at Malappuram, came to Kulathupuzha at the end of August and was in home quarantine. She had also tested negative during the antigen test conducted at the primary health centre. Pradeep gave his phone number to the woman for collecting the quarantine release certificate.

On Thursday, he invited the woman to his residence and sexually abused her. He also threatened her not to reveal this to anyone. Later, she came to her friend’s house at Vellarada. Her friend insisted that she file a complaint to the Vellarada police.

The Vellarada police registered a case and transferred the case to the Pangode police. Upon interrogation, Pradeep confessed to the crime. He will be produced before the magistrate and a medical examination was also conducted. This follows the rape of a COVID-19 patient in an ambulance by the driver at Aranmula.

India is the second country in the world after the US to have developed the hypersonic technology.

BHUBANESWAR: In a giant leap in indigenous defence technologies and a significant milestone towards Sashakt Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat, India successfully flight-tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) from a defence facility off Odisha coast on Monday.

India is the second country in the world after the US to have developed the hypersonic technology. Powered by scramjet engine it can cruise at Mach 6 and have multiple applications, including the launch of long-range cruise missiles and satellites at low cost.

Defence sources said the indigenously developed hypersonic cruise vehicle was launched from the missile complex- IV of Abdul Kalam Island at about 11.03 am using a proven solid rocket motor (Agni-1 booster), which took it to an altitude of 30 km, where the aerodynamic heat shields were separated at hypersonic speed.

“DRDO has successfully demonstrated the hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of HSTDV.

As planned, the cruise vehicle got separated from the launch vehicle subsequently opening the air intake. The hypersonic combustion sustained and the cruise vehicle continued on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound which is nearly 2 km/s for more than 20 seconds.

The critical events like fuel injection and auto ignition of scramjet demonstrated technological maturity. The parameters of launch and cruise vehicle, including the scramjet engine was monitored by multiple tracking radars, electro-optical systems and Telemetry Stations.

A ship was deployed in the Bay of Bengal to monitor the performance during the cruise phase of hypersonic vehicle. All the performance parameters have indicated a resounding success of the mission.

“The scramjet engine worked at high dynamic pressure and at very high temperature. With this successful demonstration, many critical technologies such as aerodynamic configuration for Hypersonic manoeuvers, use of scramjet propulsion for ignition and sustained combustion at hypersonic flow, thermo-structural characterisation of high-temperature materials, separation mechanism at hypersonic velocity,” the official added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO on this landmark achievement towards realising PM Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He spoke to the scientists associated with the project and appreciated their efforts on this great achievement.

“The @DRDO_India has today successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. With this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase,” Singh tweeted.https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?creatorScreenName=NewIndianXpress&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1302890754696646656&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newindianexpress.com%2Fnation%2F2020%2Fsep%2F07%2Findia-rides-high-with-testing-of-indigenous-hypersonic-cruise-technology-2193616.html&siteScreenName=newindianexpress.com&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px

DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the scientists, researchers and other defence personnel associated with HSTDV mission for their resolute and unwavering efforts towards strengthening the country’s defence capabilities.

“It was a historic mission. With this mission, DRDO has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for NextGen hypersonic vehicles in partnership with Indian industry,” he said.

The six-metre long vehicle with a launch weight of around one tonne features a flattened octagonal cross-section with wings on mid-body and tail fins. The hydrocarbon-fuelled scramjet engine developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is placed at the mid-body while the portion towards the tail serves as exhaust nozzle. It’s first test was conducted on June 12, last year.

Ranaut, whose comments led to a spat with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, said she felt unsafe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday accused Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut of carrying forward the BJP’s political agenda through her actions and claimed that the ruling party had provided her with security cover to enable her to openly defame Maharashtra and criticise the coalition government there.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Ranaut’s comparison of Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was untrue, reprehensible and would not be acceptable to any reasonable person.

He, however, said the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra will ensure adequate protection to her and defend the right of dissent of its biggest critics.

“Despite a particular film actress carrying on the agenda of Modi Ji and BJP, we will ensure adequate protection for her,” he said at a virtual press conference. However, to describe the business capital of the country as Pakistan occupied Kashmir is naive, incorrect, political opportunism and reprehensible which no reasonable person will accept. We reject such unfounded and politically motivated allegations being hurled through film actresses by BJP,” he said.

Surjewala said unlike the BJP, the Congress party as well as the alliance of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP in Maharashtra has the principle of defending the right of dissent of their biggest critics.

“The security has been provided to a film actress, who is acting on the behest of BJP to defame Maharashtra, so that she openly criticises us under BJP’s political will be protected by about 10 armed commandos who will work in shifts around the clock, Union Home ministry officials said on Monday amid the controversy over her comment that she “feared” the Mumbai Police.

The decision comes two days before Ranaut, who is in her home state Himachal Pradesh and had likened Mumbai to PoK, said she plans to visit Mumbai on September 9.

Ranaut, whose comments led to a spat with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, said she felt unsafe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and also spoke of drug use in a section of the film industry.

Saif Ali Khan is one of a few Bollywood actors who have managed to etch their name across mediums while also offering variety in performance. Just this year, two of his theatrical releases, romantic comedy ‘Jawani Jaaneman’ and period drama ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’, saw him in contrasting roles and were both widely acclaimed.

“One of the most special things of this lockdown for me has been spending quality time with Taimur,” he began, before going on to discuss his experience of working with the late Sushant Singh Rajput in Dil Bechara that’s coming out on July 24 on Disney+ Hotstar. “He was a talented actor and a good-looking guy. I thought he had a bright future. He was polite to me and appreciated my guest appearance in the film. He wanted to talk about many topics like astronomy and philosophy. I got the feeling he was brighter than I was.”

Reacting to the nepotism row and Kangana Ranaut’s scathing remarks, he said, “I have no idea what Kangana was saying on Koffee with Karan because I don’t think like that. As far as Karan is concerned, he has made himself a large symbol and it seems like he’s attracting a lot of flak for it. The truth is always complicated. There’s much more to it but people aren’t interested in that. I hope the tide is over and better things shine through.”

Police said they have registered a case of unnatural death. Ratna claimed that his son was apparently frustrated for not being able to play PUBG.

KALYANI: A 21-year-old student allegedly took his life in West Bengal’s Nadia district for not being able to play PUBG, police said on Sunday.

Pritam Halder, an ITI student, was found hanging in his house in Purba Lalpur in Chakdaha police station area, they said.

After having breakfast on Friday morning, Pritam went to his room, his mother Ratna said.

“When I went to call him for lunch, his room was locked from inside. After repeated bangings when he did not open the door, I called the neighbours. They broke into the room and found him hanging from the ceiling fan,” she said.

Police said they have registered a case of unnatural death. Ratna claimed that his son was apparently frustrated for not being able to play PUBG.

“He would play it at night. I think he died by suicide as he was not being able to play PUBG,” she said.

Police said that after talking to the family members they believe that Pritam killed himself for not being able to play the mobile game, which was blocked by the government on Wednesday.

Pritam’s father Biswajit Halder is a retired Army Man and the mother is a homemaker. They also have a daughter.