Top news: Congress, allies to support BJP MP Om Birla’s candidature for Lok Sabha speaker's post

Gurugram: Woman alleges man masturbated on her in metro station and hurled abuses

A 29-year-old woman on Monday alleged on Twitter that a man had masturbated on her and hurled abuses at the Huda City Centre metro station in Gurugram in the National Capital Region. The woman, who is an interior designer, accused the police of inaction, and questioned the lax security for women using public transport.

Mamata Banerjee calls defectors ‘greedy and corrupt’, says BJP is ‘collecting TMC’s garbage’

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday condemned the Trinamool Congress leaders who have defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling them “greedy and corrupt”. Banerjee said the saffron party was “collecting garbage” that the state’s ruling party had rejected. The chief minister said that she would easily replace those who quit the party with dedicated members.

2005 Ayodhya terror attack: Four accused given life sentence and one acquitted by Allahabad court

A special court in Allahabad on Tuesday convicted four persons and acquitted one in the 2005 Ayodhya terror attack case. The four convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment. Two residents and five gunmen were killed in a crossfire that followed the attack on a makeshift temple at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in the city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on July 5, 2005.

Centre forces 15 tax officials facing corruption charges to retire

The Centre on Tuesday “compulsorily retired” 15 senior customs and central excise officials who were facing corruption and bribery charges. Some of them were already under suspension. Of these 15 officers, the Central Bureau of Investigation has filed cases against 11.

CBI files case against Indira Jaising’s NGO Lawyers Collective for alleged FCRA violations

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against senior advocate Anand Grover and his non-governmental organisation Lawyers Collective for allegedly violating rules under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Grover is a trustee and director of the NGO. Supreme Court advocate Indira Jaising, who is married to Grover, is a trustee and secretary.

Indian-American man in Iowa committed suicide, three family members were murdered: Police

The police in the city of West Des Moines in Central Iowa in the United States on Monday said four members of an Indian-American family found dead in their home on Saturday were victims of a homicide-suicide. The police said forensic autopsies conducted on June 16 found that 44-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunkara committed suicide while 41-year-old Lavanya Sunkara and their two sons aged 15 years and 10 years were murdered. The police did not identify the killer.

Mumbai doctor’s suicide: Police oppose bail plea of accused, say they did not cooperate with inquiry

The Mumbai Police have opposed the bail plea of three doctors accused of abetting the suicide of medical student Payal Tadvi. Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehere and Ankita Khandelwal of BYL Nair Hospital were arrested on May 29, seven days after Tadvi committed suicide after allegedly facing casteist abuse from them at the Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, where she worked.

Om Birla, two-time BJP MP from Rajasthan, all set to be elected Lok Sabha speaker unopposed

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday nominated party MP Om Birla for the post of the speaker of the newly elected Lok Sabha. All members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance have backed Birla’s name. The Congress and its allies have also decided to support Birla’s candidature.

Supreme Court refuses to pass order on plea seeking security for doctors in government hospitals

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to pass orders on a plea seeking to provide security to doctors in government hospitals. The court directed the matter to be listed before an appropriate bench in July, after the summer vacations.

Bihar encephalitis outbreak: Toll rises to 127, Nitish Kumar visits Muzaffarpur hospital

The toll from encephalitis rose to 127 in Bihar by Tuesday, with 108 deaths reported from Muzaffarpur. Suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome has killed 89 people in Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and 19 in Kejriwal Hospital so far.

‘How many wickets have fallen’: Bihar minister asks for cricket score during meeting on encephalitis

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey triggered a row by asking for the cricket score during a meeting held on Sunday to address the deaths caused by acute encephalitis syndrome in the state.“How many wickets have fallen till now,” Pandey is heard asking in Hindi in a video posted by ANI.

Jammu and Kashmir: Two Army personnel die of injuries a day after attack on convoy in Pulwama

Two army personnel, who were injured when their convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Arihal village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday, succumbed to injuries on Tuesday.

Kerala: Lalithakala Akademi refuses to review award to cartoon on rape-accused bishop

The Kerala Lalithakala Akademi on Monday rejected the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Front government’s order to review its decision about a cartoon of rape-accused bishop Franco Mulakkal. The cartoon, which depicts the bishop as a rooster, was conferred the best cartoon award last week. The organisation’s chairman, Nemam Pushparaj, said the jury’s decision on the matter was final and they will not change it now.

Uttar Pradesh: Police officer suspended after rape survivor alleges inaction in suicide note

The Uttar Pradesh police suspended Station House Officer of Dataganj, Amrit Lal, for dereliction of duty on Monday, a day after a 24-year-old woman who was allegedly gang raped in May was found hanging at her home in Badaun. Senior Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Tripathi said the woman left behind a suicide note. “A four-page suicide note was found near her body in which she has accused the local police of inaction,” Tripathi said.

J&K: Soldier, two militants killed in gunfight in Anantnag district, say reports

An Army soldier and two suspected militants were killed in a gunfight in Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. Two other soldiers were injured in the encounter that broke out in Bijbehara area. An unidentified police officer said one more suspected militant is believed to be hiding inside a building in the area. All of them are suspected to belong to the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

India will be most populous country by 2027, says United Nations report

India’s population will surpass that of China by 2027, the United Nations said in its World Population Prospects report for 2019, released on Monday. China is currently the world’s most populous country, with India at the second spot. The 2011 census had put India’s population at 1.21 billion. The next census will be carried out in 2021.

‘Strikes and cricket match can’t be compared’: Pakistan Army criticises Amit Shah

The Pakistan Army on Monday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement referring to the India cricket team’s victory over Pakistan at the World Cup on Sunday as “another strike”. Major General Asif Ghafoor, who is the director general of the Pakistan Army’s media wing, on Monday said a cricket match and air strikes cannot be compared.

Bihar heatwave: Toll rises to 76 in Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada districts

The toll in three Bihar districts worst affected by a heatwave rose to 76 on Monday. Aurangabad has reported 33 deaths since last week, Gaya 31 and Nawada 12, the Disaster Management Department said. The Bihar government has ordered all schools and colleges to remain closed until June 22. All markets in Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada will remain closed from 11 am to 5 pm. All construction activities will cease from 10 am in the morning until the evening.

Congress leader moves SC against EC’s decision to hold separate bye-polls to two Gujarat seats

Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Paresh Dhanani on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the decision of the Election Commission of India to hold separate bye-polls to two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat. Dhanani, a Congress MLA, asked the court to direct the poll panel to conduct simultaneous bye-elections for filling up Rajya Sabha vacancies in all states.

West Bengal: TMC Noapara MLA Sunil Singh, 12 councillors join BJP

A Trinamool Congress legislator and 12 party councillors in West Bengal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at an event in New Delhi on Monday. Trinamool Congress Noapara MLA Sunil Singh is the fourth lawmaker to quit the ruling party after the Lok Sabha election results were declared.

Jet Airways: Lenders send debt-ridden airline to bankruptcy court after failing to get investors

Jet Airways (India) Limited on Monday was referred to the National Company Law Tribunal for bankruptcy proceedings. This comes after the lenders were unable to find a suitable investor and received only a conditional bid, they said in a statement. “After due deliberations, lenders have decided to seek resolution under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code since only a conditional bid was received and requirement of the investor for SEBI [Securities and Exchange Board of India] exemptions and resolution of all creditors is possible under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code,” the consortium of lenders, led by the State Bank of India, said in the statement.

Opposition leaders create ruckus during oath taking of Pragya Singh Thakur in Lok Sabha

Opposition parties on Monday created a ruckus during the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha while Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur took oath. Lawmakers opposed to the prefix “Sadhvi” and the addition of her guru’s name along with hers while taking oath as a newly-elected member of the Parliament.

West Bengal: Junior doctors of NRS Medical College call off strike after meeting Mamata Banerjee

Junior doctors of Kolkata’s NRS Medical College and Hospital called off their week-long protest on Monday, hours after they met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the chief minister,” the junior doctors said in a statement. “After an enormous movement, the meeting and discussions with our CM met a logical end. Considering everything, we expect the government to solve the issues as discussed in due time.”

Mehul Choksi claims he left India for medical check-up, not because of PNB scam

Diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, who is accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank of Rs 13,000 crore along with his nephew Nirav Modi, told the Bombay High Court on Monday that he left India for a medical check-up and not because of the scam. In January, he surrendered his Indian citizenship and passport to authorities in Antigua and Barbuda. This came five months after he claimed to have “lawfully applied” to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda to expand his business interests in the Caribbean.