Protester set ablaze vehicles in protest against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme outside Danapur Railway Station, near Patna, Friday, June 17, 2022. (PTI Photo)

In Bihar, houses of BJP state president, Deputy CM targeted, BJP offices attacked; 1 killed in police firing in Telangana; trains torched in UP, Bihar

By: Express News Service 

As violent protests against the Agnipath recruitment scheme continued across the country for the second day on Friday, a youth from Telangana became the first casualty, killed in police firing in Secunderabad. The protests were most violent in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, where protesters set ablaze a train, buses and a police outpost, and NDA-ruled Bihar, where the houses of state BJP president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi were targeted and several coaches of at least 14 trains were set on fire. Protests were also reported from other states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.,In Telangana, one person died and several others were injured when police opened fire on a group of violent protesters at the railway station in Secunderabad. The youth who died has been identified as Damodar Rakesh, 23, from Warangal. “These youths had formed a WhatsApp group in which they planned everything. They started assembling near the railway station last night, and launched the attack this morning. We had about 50 security personnel at the station, but they were no match for the 500-1,000 strong mob who came in through all the seven entrances to the station. They went on a rampage, destroying everything in sight and setting property on fire,” said Additional Director General of Police (Railways, Telangana) Sandeep Shandilya. He said the mob set ablaze several coaches of three trains, two brake vans and an accident relief train. The mob tried to target the Route Relay Interlocking system, the nerve centre of South Central Railway, but security personnel managed to chase them away, he said. The protesters also set ablaze an engine which had 3,000 litres of diesel in it, he said. “They did not allow the firefighting personnel to douse the fire even after being told about the danger if the diesel caught fire… We tried to delink the burning engine and take it elsewhere but they sat in front of it… We opened fire on the rampaging mob; one person died while 10-15 others were injured,” he said.

The bulldozer in Prayagraj poses a challenge to the Constitution

The demolition of Mohammad Javed’s house is a message: Nobody knows on whom the axe may fall next

Written by Rekha Sharma | New Delhi |

Bulldozer being used to demolish the residence of Javed Ahmed, a local leader who was allegedly the key conspirator of violent protests against now-suspended BJP leaders’ remarks on Prophet Muhammad, in Prayagraj. (PTI)

What happened on June 12 in Prayagraj can be best described as a violation of the Constitution and the laws. That day, a two-storey house (39C/2A/1) that stood in the Karala area of Prayagraj, and in which Mohammad Javed lived with his family, was bulldozed by the Prayagraj Municipal Authority (PMA). The house was reduced to rubble on the ground that it was constructed without obtaining necessary sanctions and clearances from the concerned authorities. However, the matter is not as simple as it is made out. Apparently, the demolition was carried out to teach Javed the lesson of a lifetime, who, according to the UP police, was the mastermind behind the violence on June 10, that erupted after the Friday protests against now-suspended BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Mohammad. The whole episode, it seems, was scripted to send a message not only to Javed but also to his community that anyone running foul of the state administration, whether by way of a tweet on social media or by staging dharnas or by leading protest marches, will meet the same fate. A day before the aforesaid house was bulldozed, Javed was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the June 10 violence. The same day PMA pasted a notice on the gate of the house, which stated that the construction of 25×60 feet was done on the ground and first floors without taking permission of the concerned authorities. According to the younger daughter of Javed, Sumaiya, the house in question was owned by her mother, Parveen Fatima. It was gifted to Fatima by her father two decades ago. She disclosed that the “notice” that was pasted on the gate of the house was in the name of her father, and not in her mother’s name. The said “notice” asked the residents to vacate the property by 11:00 am on June 12. According to Sumaiya, no government agency had ever told them that it was built illegally, and that the house tax, water tax, and electricity bills were being paid on time.

What are the ED and IT cases against Rahul and Sonia Gandhi?

The ED case is based on a trial court order that allowed the Income Tax Department to probe the affairs of National Herald newspaper and conduct a tax assessment of Sonia and Rahul. Here’s the full story.

Written by Deeptiman Tiwary , Sandeep Singh | Mumbai, New Delhi |

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been interrogating Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for the past three days in connection with a money-laundering investigation it is carrying out into the affairs of the National Herald newspaper.

Kempegowda International Airport bags best regional airport in South Asia award

From check-in to arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, to departures at the gates, the survey evaluates the consumer experience across airport service

PTI, JUN 17 2022, 15:38 ISTUPDATED: JUN 17 2022

Kempegowda International Airport. Credit: DH File Photo/SK Dinesh

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport), on Friday said it has bagged the best regional airport in India and South Asia title in the 2022 Skytrax World Airport Awards. BLR Airport has been accorded this recognition after being adjudged by customers, who vote for the airport with the best customer service every year, in a survey conducted globally, it said in a statement. From check-in to arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, to departures at the gates, the survey evaluates the consumer experience across airport service and key performance factors, it said. The awards ceremony was held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Paris, France, on June 16. “The event is one of the most prestigious quality awards for the airport sector, with CEOs, Presidents, and senior management from airports across the world in attendance,” according to the statement.

Two ‘Cong workers’ arrested over brawl in bar

Two men said to be Congress party workers have been arrested for attacking a vegetable vendor at a bar in Gandhinagar

H M Chaithanya Swamy, DHNS, Bengaluru, JUN 16 2022

Two men said to be Congress party workers have been arrested for attacking a vegetable vendor at a bar in Gandhinagar, central Bengaluru, on Monday midnight.  The injured is identified as Sundar M, 33, a resident of Bakshi Garden in Cottonpet. Sundar is a vegetable vendor in KR Market. Ajay, 24, the owner of a serviced apartment in Horamavu and a former Youth Congress secretary, Bengaluru city, and his friend Prasanna, 40, KG Halli block president of the Congress and a construction businessman from Kammanahalli, are the suspects. They have been arrested. The duo are close to a Youth Congress leader. VAccording to Sundar’s complaint, he and two of his friends were at Minchu Bar in Gandhinagar to have a drink. Around 12.30 am, a man sitting at a table opposite to them came to him and said his phone was missing. Sundar was offended and asked why he was telling him about his missing phone. He told him to check with the bar staff and the CCTV footage. Sundar told DH that the problem started when the duo started shouting at the waiters alleging that a phone was missing. When I suggested they check the CCTV footage, they came up to me and fought. After some time, the same person went down and brought his phone from his car. “When he came back into the bar he started scolding me. They held me, one of them attacked me on the forehead above my left eye with a dagger. My friends called the police. By the time the police came, we caught the duo and handed them over to the police,” Sundar added. Sundar sustained eight stitches and is out of risk. Based on his complaint, the police arrested the duo for attempted murder.

Woman’s rotting body found stuffed in suitcase floating in pond

A passerby discovered the body after noticing what looked like a human leg partially protruding from the floating suitcase around 8 am.The body of an unidentified woman was found stuffed in a suitcase floating in a pond on Bengaluru’s northern outskirts on Tuesday, police said. A passerby discovered the body after noticing what looked like a human leg partially protruding from the floating suitcase around 8 am. As he went near the suitcase, he was overpowered by a putrid smell. A swarm of flies and insects had descended on the suitcase. He alerted local residents. Police, too, were called. Police rushed to the spot soon, secured the suitcase and opened it. Its contents took them aback. The decomposed body of a woman, aged between 30 and 35, was lying inside. Her face was disfigured and eaten by maggots. She had been tied up in a dupatta. She had on red trousers and a white top with blue and green floral prints.  Police suspect the woman was murdered elsewhere three to four days ago. However, they have not been able to identify her because there was nothing in the suitcase that could lead to her identification. Kona Vamsi Krishna, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural, and other senior officers visited the spot. Three special teams are working to crack the mystery. 

Karnataka clears 81 new industrial projects

Of the 81 projects, seven were approved with an investment of Rs 1,229.43 crore creating 1,734 jobs

Bharat Joshi, DHNS, Bengaluru, JUN 17 2022

The Karnataka government has cleared 81 industrial projects worth Rs 2,689.51 crore promising to create 6,825 people, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani said on Friday. These projects were approved in the 132nd meeting of the State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) chaired by Nirani late on Thursday. Of the 81 projects, seven were approved with an investment of Rs 1,229.43 crore creating 1,734 jobs. Another 71 projects were cleared with Rs 1,308.06 crore investments for 5,091 jobs. Three more projects worth Rs 151.42 crore were also greenlit. Some of the new investment projects are: Purplestar Hygiene Pvt Ltd (Rs 270 crore, 400 jobs), Belgaum Sugars Pvt Ltd (Rs 240.84 crore, 170 jobs), Paraatparaa Coffee Pvt LTd (Rs 236.8 crore, 200 jobs), Logically Infomedia Pvt Ltd (Rs 228.19 crore, 614 jobs), ANS Paper Mills Pvt Ltd (Rs 105 crore, 100 jobs), Ghodawat Foodpro Pvt Ltd (Rs 98.60 crore, 30 jobs) and Jyothsna Li-Tech Pvt Ltd (Rs 50 crore, 220 jobs). On April 30, in the 131st SLSWCC meeting, the Nirani-led panel had approved 60 industrial projects worth Rs 2,465.94 crore to create 8,575 jobs.

Prakash Hukkeri wins from North West Teachers Constituency

He defeated sitting BJP MLC Arun Shahapur which has come as a big jolt for the ruling party

Congress won the Legislative Council seat from North West Teachers Constituency for the first time with its candidate and party veteran Prakash Hukkeri emerging victorious during the counting of votes in the premises of Jyoti College here on Wednesday. counting of votes in the premises of Jyoti College here on Wednesday. BJP candidate from North West Graduates Constituency Hanumant Nirani has been leading with 5178 votes after first round of counting. Congress candidate Sunil Sank has been trailing.

Mumbai logs 2,255 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths; positivity rate at 15.39%

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