Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday reviewed the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. He asked security forces to show zero tolerance towards terrorism. “There should be continued strict action against terror funding,” Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam quoted Shah as saying. “The rule of law should be enforced.”
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said India should withdraw the “high tariffs” imposed on products imported from the US. Trump said he would raise the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 summit at Osaka in Japan.
Modi arrived in Japan early on Thursday to take part in the summit. Women empowerment, terrorism and climate change are on the agenda of the talks.
Here are the day’s top updates:
As many as 11 students of a computer coaching institute died on Thursday after the minibus they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. Seven students were wounded in the incident. A police officer said the minibus, carrying students from a coaching class in Poonch, fell into the gorge near Peer Ki Gali on the Mughal Road, which connects Bafliaz in Poonch to Shopian. The students were heading towards Dhobijan for a picnic.
Centre says it is yet to receive proposal from AAP on free metro rides, Kejriwal sticks to his words
The Centre on Thursday said that it has so far not received any proposal from the Aam Aadmi Party government for free travel for women in metro trains. However, hours later Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Delhi government does not have to send any proposal in this regard, and assured the women that the plan for free metro rides will be implemented in the national Capital.
Narendra Modi thanks Indian diaspora in Japan for Lok Sabha mandate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday thanked the Indian diaspora in Kobe, Japan, and said they have contributed to the mandate that the Bharatiya Janata Party got in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. “I am so happy to hear that this was a win for ‘truth’ and ‘democracy’,” he said. “You see India accurately since you see it from a distance.
Civil rights group finds lapses in police investigation in Jharkhand lynching
A civil rights group from Jharkhand has found lapses in the treatment of Tabrez Ansari, a Muslim man who died last week, four days after a mob beat him up. The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha found during its investigation that the police did not listen to the family’s request to take Ansari, who was severely injured, to a hospital for four days.
BJP MP Saumitra Khan demands inquiry into ‘cut money’ row in West Bengal
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Saumitra Khan on Thursday raised the matter of “cut money”, or bribe charged for government schemes in West Bengal, in the Lok Sabha. Khan accused Trinamool Congress’ MLAs, ministers, councillors and Banerjee of demanding “cut money” for the Bishnupur-Tarkeshwar rail connection that has been stalled. “I demand an inquiry into how much fund the chief minister and her family has earned from this cut money,” Khan said during the Zero Hour speech.
London court extends Nirav Modi’s remand till July 25 in Punjab National Bank scam
The Westminster Magistrate’s court in London on Thursday extended fugitive businessman Nirav Modi’s remand till July 25, the next date of hearing. Modi has been in jail since March, when he was arrested in London for allegedly duping India’s Punjab National Bank of more than Rs 13,000 crore. Modi appeared before the court via a video link from Wandsworth prison, where he has been lodged since his fourth attempt at seeking bail was rejected on June 12.
Bombay High Court upholds reservation for Maratha community in Maharashtra, but caps it at 13%
The Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld the Maharashtra government’s decision to grant reservation to the Maratha community in educational institutions and jobs in public services. However, instead of the 16% reservation proposed by the state government, the court asked the state not exceed the State Commission for Backward Classes recommendation of 12% in employment and 13% in education.
Air India flight from Mumbai to Newark lands at London airport after hoax bomb threat
An Air India flight going from Mumbai to Newark in the United States made an emergency landing at London’s Stansted Airport following a bomb scare on Thursday. “AI 191 Mumbai-Newark of June 27 has made a precautionary landing at London’s Stansted airport due to a bomb threat,” the airline said in a tweet, but deleted it immediately. Officials said it had turned out to be a hoax.
Odisha: Four nurses shoot TikTok videos inside newborn care unit, get show cause notices
The Odisha government on Wednesday issued show cause notices to four nurses working in the special newborn care unit at the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital for shooting TikTok videos while on duty. The video clips on social media showed the nurses dancing with their hands on their hips while lip-syncing, and chatting with each other.
Karnataka: Congress to form panchayat-level committees after Lok Sabha election debacle
The Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday decided to form panchayat-level committees after the party’s debacle in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. The party made the decision to strengthen its reach in the state. “There is a unanimous decision among the top leadership of the party that panchayat-level committees should be formed in between the block and booth levels,” KC Venugopal, who is in charge of the party in the state, was quoted as saying.
J&K: Amit Shah meets top security officials, asks them to show zero tolerance to terrorism
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a meeting of the unified headquarters of the security grid in Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported. He reviewed the overall security situation in the state with special emphasis on restoration of peace and counter-insurgency operations, unidentified government officials said.
PNB scam: Swiss authorities freeze four bank accounts of Nirav Modi and his sister
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday seized four Swiss bank accounts belonging to fugitive businessman Nirav Modi and his sister Purvi Modi. Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused of allegedly duping India’s Punjab National Bank of more than Rs 13,000 crore. The four bank accounts had a total of Rs 283.16 crore. Swiss authorities froze the accounts after a request from the Enforcement Directorate, which said the money kept in them represented “proceeds of a crime”.
Uttar Pradesh: Video shows inmates brandishing pistols in Unnao jail, inquiry ordered
A video of inmates in Unnao jail holding pistols and threatening the Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has gone viral, prompting the home department to order an inquiry into four police officials. The video showed inmate Dev Pratap Singh brandishing a pistol. After reciting poetry on camera, he said, “I am Dev Pratap Singh, also known as Gaurav Pratap Singh.” Asked about his imprisonment, Singh said: “Jails are our offices.”
West Bengal: CPI, CPI(M), Congress dismiss Mamata Banerjee’s request to join hands against BJP
West Bengal Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said it is Banerjee’s nature to first make a statement and then go back on her words, ANI reported. “If she is serious she’ll have to talk to our senior leadership,” he said. “The way BJP is growing in Bengal, it is due to Mamata ji’s failures.”
Uttar Pradesh worst on Health Index: ‘What use is BJP’s double-engine government?’ asks Mayawati
“The NITI Aayog’s report is embarrassing for the government,” Mayawati tweeted. “So what use is such a double-engine BJP government at the Centre and the state? What use is such development if the lives of crores of people are totally hell?”
SC to hear rebel AAP MLA Devinder Sehrawat’s plea against disqualification notice on Friday
The vacation bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai told senior advocate Soli Sorabjee, who represented Sehrawat, that the matter would be listed for hearing on Friday. The judges also asked the counsel to serve a copy of the petition to the parties involved, including the Delhi Assembly speaker and the Aam Aadmi Party.
Telugu Desam Party national spokesperson Lanka Dinakar joins BJP
Dinakar was welcomed to the BJP by Working President JP Nadda. The former Telugu Desam Party leader reportedly informed the party’s national president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu about his decision in a letter.
Railway unions say ‘unrest brewing’ among employees against plan to corporatise production units
According to recent news reports, the railway ministry has come up with a 100-day plan to corporatise seven production units and associated workshops under one entity called the Indian Railway Rolling Stock Company.
J&K: Amit Shah visits family of police officer killed in Anantnag militant attack on June 12
“Visited the home of inspector Arshad Khan, SHO Anantnag in Srinagar, who was martyred in a terror attack and offered my condolences to the bereaved family,” Shah tweeted. “His sacrifice for the security of our nation has saved many lives. Entire nation is proud of Arshad Khan‘s valour and courage.”
Noida Police to issue ‘red cards’ to street harassers, will use surveys to list vulnerable areas
“Earlier we used to bring these suspects to police stations but they used to get released,” the police officer said. “With this system, we will give them a warning...If a suspect is found to be involved in similar activity again, we will ensure a criminal inquiry under sections of public nuisance and molestation, depending upon the nature of the offence.”
Five most senior Supreme Court judges to hear PILs, new roster to be implemented from July 1
The subject-wise roster was introduced by former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra after four senior judges of the top court, in January 2018, accused him of assigning cases to benches of preferences while ignoring seniority of judges. Three of the four judges who raised the matter – J Chelameswar, Madan Lokur and KM Joseph – have since retired.
Haryana: Congress leader Vikas Chaudhary shot dead in Faridabad
Haryana Congress leader Vikas Chaudhary was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the city of Faridabad on Thursday. The gunmen fired more than 10 bullets at Chaudhary after he came out of a gym.
Payments can be processed abroad but data should be stored in India within 24 hours, says RBI
The Reserve Bank of India has clarified that foreign payment companies such as Mastercard and Visa can process transactions made in India outside the country but related data should be stored in country after processing.
Donald Trump asks India to withdraw recently imposed tariffs, calls them unacceptable
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was going to talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Indian government’s decision to increase tariffs on American products, saying it was unacceptable and “must be withdrawn”. Trump is scheduled to meet Modi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the city of Osaka in Japan.
Narendra Modi arrives in Japan for G20 summit, will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Japan on Thursday to attend the G20 summit in the city of Osaka. Modi will also attend bilateral and multilateral meetings “to articulate India’s views on the global platform”, said the Ministry of External Affairs. Modi said women empowerment, digitalisation, terrorism and climate change were on the agenda of the summit.
Uttar Pradesh: BJP MLA’s son threatens policeman in Kasganj district with transfer
The son of a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday allegedly threatened to get a police officer in Kasganj district transferred. The incident occurred hours after BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya’s son Akash Vijayvargiya attacked a municipal officer part of an anti-encroachment drive in the city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh cracks down on cow vigilantism, Cabinet approves amendment to anti-cow slaughter law
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has cleared an amendment to the anti-cow slaughter law in a bid to curb cow vigilantism. The Congress government in the state led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday approved a proposal to jail cow vigilantes guilty of violence for six months to three years, and impose a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000. At present, offences related to cow vigilantism are dealt under the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Andhra: Jaganmohan Reddy alleges corruption in power deals, orders probe against Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the alleged “massive corruption” in power purchase deals signed by the previous government.
‘Let’s stand up and defend religious freedom for all,’ says Mike Pompeo in Delhi
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said Washington and Delhi should “stand up for religious freedom”. He was on a two-day visit to India. “India is the birthplace of four major world religions,” Pompeo said during his speech at the India International Centre. “Let’s stand up and defend religious freedom for all.
‘You vote for Narendra Modi and expect me to solve your problem’: HD Kumaraswamy snaps at protestors
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday lost his cool when a group of protestors approached him in Raichur district on Wednesday. “You vote for Narendra Modi and expect me to solve your problem,” he snapped at some protestors, according to a video.
West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee asks CPI(M) and Congress to join her fight against BJP
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked all opposition parties – the Left Front and the Congress – to work together in the state to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party. In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party won 18 out of 42 seats in West Bengal, reducing the Trinamool Congress’ tally from 34 to 22.