Breaking News India Daily Updates

Situation in Northeast Delhi normal, no incident took place today: Delhi Police

Delhi Police on Thursday said that the situation in Northeast Delhi is now normal, adding that no incident took place today. "Adequate forces have been deployed. 48 FIRs registered so far, more FIRs are being registered as we are getting more info. 350 Aman committee meetings have been held so far," Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa added.
read more at ANI

Delhi Police transfers Northeast Delhi riots probe to Crime Branch, forms 2 SITs

Two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have been constituted under the Crime Branch, Delhi Police to investigate the violence in the Northeast district that has claimed 34 lives so far. DCP Joy Tirkey and DCP Rajesh Deo will head SITs comprising four Assistant Commissioners of Police in each team. Additional CP (Crime) BK Singh will supervise both the SITs.
read more at AIR

AAP suspends Tahir Hussain after FIR filed against him over death of IB officer

AAP has suspended councillor Tahir Hussain from the primary membership of the party after he was charged with murder in connection with the death of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during Delhi riots. Police had filed the FIR after Ankit's father filed a complaint. Ankit's family had claimed a mob dragged Ankit into Tahir's house before dumping his body.
read more at ANI

No going back on CAA, will try to convince those opposing it: Ravi Shankar

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said there is no question of going back on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, however, the government would try to convince the people who are opposing the amended law. "After all, why shouldn't the persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan be given citizenship in India?" added Prasad.
read more at The New Indian Express

Bangladeshi girl asked to leave India after posting CAA protest photos

A Bangladeshi student at West Bengal's Visva-Bharati University has been asked by the Centre to leave India for reportedly engaging in "anti-government activities". Afsara Anika Meem said she did not participate in any rally but shared photographs "out of curiosity" from CAA protests on her campus on Facebook. Meem has been asked to leave the country within 15 days.
read more at The New Indian Express

Naidu taken into preventive detention, convoy hit with eggs in Visakhapatnam

Police detained TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu at Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday citing his safety. Naidu had come to interact with Dalits whose lands were allegedly encroached upon by YSR Congress party leaders. YSRC workers blocked his convoy and hurled eggs at it for opposing the move to make Visakhapatnam the executive capital of the state.
read more at Hindustan Times

Not conducive to file FIR over hate speech at present: Centre to Delhi HC

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Thursday told Delhi High Court that "it was not conducive to file FIR now over hate speech" against three BJP leaders. The court was hearing a plea seeking registration of FIRs against BJP leaders for allegedly making provocative statements leading to riots in Delhi. The court granted four weeks to Centre to file a response.

AAP's Tahir charged with murder in Intelligence Bureau officer death case

AAP councillor Tahir Hussain on Thursday was charged with murder in connection with the death of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma. The deceased's body was recovered from Delhi's Chand Bagh amid violence in the area over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Ankit's family had said that a mob dragged Ankit into Tahir's house before his body was dumped in a drain.
read more at ANI

Nothing inciting in my remarks, only asked to clear roads: BJP's Kapil Mishra

BJP leader Kapil Mishra has said there was "nothing inciting" in his statement and he was being referred to as a "terrorist" even though he only requested police to clear roads "as 35 lakh people were facing inconvenience". Mishra had given a three-day "ultimatum" to Delhi Police to clear roads in northeast Delhi's Jafrabad and Chand Bagh of CAA protesters.
read more at India.com

India rejects OIC statement on Delhi violence as 'selective and misleading'

India has rejected the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) statement that mosques and Muslim-owned properties were vandalised in Delhi as "factually inaccurate, selective and misleading". Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the OIC's allegation of "violence against Muslims in India" is irresponsible. Kumar added that the cause of the violence was being investigated.

9-year-old girl raped by 3 men for 3 days in Telangana

A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three men in Telangana's Karimnagar district for three days, police said on Thursday. One man lured the girl into his house on February 24 while she was playing outside her house and allegedly raped her. Two others, who stay nearby, also allegedly raped her on February 25 and February 26, police said.
read more at Deccan Herald

₹2,000 notes not being phased out: Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the banks have not been given any instructions to not issue ₹2,000 denomination notes or to recalibrate their ATMs to phase out the notes gradually. Sitharaman's clarification came after certain media reports claimed that ATMs were being rebooted to accommodate more ₹500 denomination notes in order to eventually phase out ₹2,000 notes.
read more at Deccan Herald

If found guilty, AAP members should be given double the punishment: Kejriwal

While addressing a press conference regarding Northeast Delhi riots, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Any person who is found guilty should be given stringent punishment." He added, "If any Aam Aadmi Party person is found guilty then that person should be given double the punishment. There should be no politics on the issue of national security."
read more at ANI

Death toll in north-east Delhi violence climbs to 38

The death toll in Delhi's worst riots in over three decades reached 38 on Thursday. A body was found in a drain in Johri Enclave and there were incidents of vehicles and shops being set on fire in Maujpur and Bhajanpura. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court that 48 FIRs were lodged in relation to the violence.
read more at Hindustan Times

Delhi CM announces ₹10L compensation for families of those killed in riots

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for families of the people who were killed in the riots over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and ₹2 lakh compensation for the seriously injured people. Kejriwal said that people injured in the riots would get free of cost treatment in government and private hospitals under the 'Farishte' scheme.
read more at Zee News

2 teachers doing survey in Hyderabad heckled as locals suspect it to be NRC

A video has surfaced online showing two woman teachers who were conducting a survey on illiterate citizens above 18 years being heckled by the locals in Hyderabad. The residents suspected that it was an attempt to collect information for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and snatched their identity cards. The survey was being conducted by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
read more at The News Minute

505 gold coins in copper vessel unearthed in Tamil Nadu temple

As many as 505 gold coins weighing 1.716 kg were unearthed in a copper vessel during digging at Jambukeswarar Akhilandeswari Temple in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli district on Wednesday. According to The News Minute, the worth of the gold could be estimated between ₹70 lakh and ₹82 lakh depending upon whether it is 22 karat or 24 karat.
read more at The News Minute

Family survived on bread, Maggi as shops were shut: Northeast Delhi resident

Northeast Delhi residents reported running out of food, milk, medicines and other essential items as medical shops, grocery stores and other establishments selling essential items were shut due to violence. A Brijpuri resident was quoted by PTI saying that he and his family survived on bread and Maggi for two days. Some residents also didn't get milk for two days.
read more at PTI

BJP leader threatens US Prez candidate with poll interference, deletes tweet

BJP National General Secretary (Organisation ) BL Santhosh deleted a tweet wherein he wrote "we are compelled" to play a role in the US Presidential elections despite our efforts to be "neutral". Santhosh's tweet was in response to US Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders who criticised US President Donald Trump over his statement on Delhi riots.
read more at ThePrint

Sri Lanka thanks India for evacuating citizens from virus-hit ship

Sri Lanka's PM Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked India for evacuating two Sri Lankans from the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port in Japan. "My heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), the Government of India...for facilitating the evacuation," Rajapaksa said. A special Air India flight carrying 119 Indians and five foreigners landed in Delhi on Thursday.
read more at Twitter

Hyderabad police file case against WhatsApp, TikTok over anti-national content

Hyderabad's cybercrime police have filed criminal cases against WhatsApp, TikTok, among others for hosting anti-national content on their platforms. The petition was filed by journalist-turned-activist Silveri Srisailam which claimed that "some vested interests from Pakistan" were posting content against CAA and NRC. The police said that notices would be served to the management of the platforms.
read more at Hindustan Times

Sad and shameful: Priyanka Gandhi on Justice Muralidhar's transfer

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi has said the transfer of Justice S Muralidhar "isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad and shameful". Muralidhar, the Delhi High Court judge who heard Delhi riots case, was transferred to Punjab and Haryana High Court last night. "The government's attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," Priyanka tweeted.
read more at Free Press Journal

Marathi becomes compulsory subject in all schools across Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a bill making Marathi a compulsory subject in all schools from standard 1st to 10th in a phased manner from academic year 2020-21. Under the Act, schools will face a penalty of ₹1 lakh for non-compliance. The development came on Marathi Language Day which marks birth anniversary of late poet V V Shirwadkar.
read more at India.com

Bihar Assembly passes resolution for caste-based Census in 2021

The Bihar Assembly has passed a resolution favouring a caste-based Census in 2021 after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made the proposal on Tuesday. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said the census data will provide a "radical ground at the policy level for greater social and economic reforms". Earlier, the state Assembly passed a resolution against implementation of NRC.
read more at The Financial Express

Protect 'raj dharma', remove Amit Shah: Cong meets President over Delhi riots

A delegation of senior Congress leaders, led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, met President Ram Nath Kovind and urged him to use his power to protect "raj dharma" as death toll in the Delhi riots rose to 34. The party submitted a memorandum to the President seeking removal of Home Minister Amit Shah for "abdication of duty" during the violence.

CBSE postpones board exams scheduled for February 28, 29 in Northeast Delhi

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed exams scheduled for 28 and 29 February for schools in Northeast Delhi and some centres in East Delhi. CBSE added that there will be no change in exam schedule of Class 10, 12 across Delhi from March 2 onwards. Death toll due to the Northeast Delhi violence has risen to 34.
read more at The Quint

Pink Floyd's Waters recites Aamir Aziz's anti-CAA poem 'Sab Yaad Rakha Jaayega'

Pink Floyd guitarist Roger Waters was among hundreds of people who joined protests in London demanding release of jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. In his speech, he made a reference to CAA and read out an English translation of Aamir Aziz's anti-CAA poem 'Sab Yaad Rakha Jaayega'. "You write jokes in court...We'll write 'justice' on the walls," the poem read.
read more at The Quint

Delay in 'Mobile Phones to Youth' scheme due to coronavirus: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has said that "Mobile Phones to the Youth" scheme is being delayed due to coronavirus outbreak. "The phones had already been ordered from China, which unfortunately had to delay the release of the order due to... coronavirus," he added. He further said that the phones will be distributed as soon as China sends them.
read more at ANI

Flight carrying 119 Indians from coronavirus-hit Japan ship lands in Delhi

A special Air India flight carrying 119 Indians who were on board the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship off the Japanese coast, landed in Delhi on Thursday. The flight was also carrying five nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru. The 16 Indians on board the ship who have tested positive for coronavirus did not return.
read more at The New Indian Express

Man accuses Prashant Kishor of copying 'Baat Bihar Ki' idea, case filed

A case of cheating was registered against political strategist Prashant Kishor in Bihar. The complainant alleged that Kishor's 'Baat Bihar Ki' campaign was conceptualised by him, but a former colleague gave the idea to Kishor who used it for his campaign. He claimed that his website ('Bihar ki Baat') was registered in January, while Kishor started his portal in February.
read more at Hindustan Times

85-year-old woman burnt to death after mob sets house on fire in Northeast Delhi

Akbari, an 85-year-old woman, was burnt to death after an armed mob of around 100 people set her house on fire in Gamri Extension near Delhi's Khajuri Khas area. "My children and wife ran but my mother had difficulty moving because of her age," Akbari's son Mohammed Saeed Salmani, who was out buying milk at the time, said.
read more at The Quint

Kerala woman who killed 6 of family with cyanide attempts suicide in jail

Kerala's Jolly Thomas, who faces charges of murdering six members of her own family by giving them cyanide-laced food over 14 years, tried to commit suicide in jail on Thursday, according to Kozhikode City Police. "It happened at around 4:50 am," an official stated. The police said that she was rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College with a slit wrist.
read more at Times Now

Balle balle!: Mahindra on clip showing kid dancing during Melania's school visit

Sharing a video of a boy dancing during US First Lady Melania Trump's Delhi school visit, Anand Mahindra wrote, "In a world burdened by natural calamities...this viral clip showing a child's unrestrained enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air," he tweeted. "He didn't give a hoot about the celebrity in front, nervous secret service agent behind! Balle balle!" Mahindra added.
read more at Livemint

Mob dragged Ankit into AAP's Tahir Hussain's house: Killed IB officer's brother

The brother of 26-year-old Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, whose dead body was found dumped in a drain in Delhi on Wednesday, has said that a mob had come and dragged Ankit into AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's house. He added that four men were dragged into Hussain's house and dead bodies of three of them were found in the drain.
read more at Zee News

Consent of judge taken: Law Minister RS Prasad on Justice Muralidhar's transfer

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said a "well-settled process" was followed in transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice S Muralidhar to Punjab and Haryana High Court. He added that Justice Muralidhar's consent was taken. Justice Muralidhar was transferred hours after he pulled up Delhi Police for its inaction in filing FIRs against BJP leaders who made "provocative speeches".

Telangana policeman kicks father of 16-yr-old who committed suicide, video surfaces

Telangana Police has ordered an inquiry after a video of a constable kicking a man grieving over the death of his 16-year-old daughter who allegedly committed suicide in her hostel surfaced. The father can be seen lying in front of policemen to stop them from taking the body. He alleged his daughter committed suicide due to ill-treatment by college authorities.
read more at Hindustan Times

Tiananmen Square a lesson on how to handle Delhi riots: Meghalaya Governor

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy deleted a tweet wherein he had suggested how the government should handle the riots in Delhi. "Remember Tiananmen Square, Beijing in 1988 (1989)? And how Deng Xiaoping handled it? Perhaps there is a lesson there on how to handle the engineered disturbances of NE Delhi! I'm sure all comrades will agree!" he had tweeted.
read more at The New Indian Express

Failure of leadership: US Prez candidate on Trump's statement on Delhi violence

US Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has said that President Donald Trump's remarks regarding the violence in New Delhi during his India visit was a "failure of leadership". "Over 200 million Muslims call India home. Widespread anti-Muslim mob violence has killed at least 27 and injured many more. Trump responds by saying 'That's up to India'," Sanders added.
read more at PTI

US panel statement on Delhi violence factually incorrect, misleading: India

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that the comments made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Delhi violence are factually inaccurate and misleading. Earlier, the USCIRF had expressed concern over the violence and said that the Indian government should provide protection to people regardless of their faith.
read more at Hindustan Times

AAP leader Tahir Hussain blamed for death of IB officer responds to allegations

AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has responded to allegations that his goons lynched 26-year-old Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma. "These are lies and baseless accusations...My family and I moved away from our home on Monday in police presence," he said. He added a mob broke into his residence and climbed to the roof to launch attacks after which he called police.
read more at Hindustan Times

Thief falls asleep after breaking into house, owner wakes him up with stick

A drunk thief broke into a house in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka and fell asleep on the sofa after grabbing keys kept near the TV stand. The owner of the house woke him up by hitting him with a stick before handing him over to the police. He had entered the house by removing a tile on the roof.
read more at The News Minute

I give you my word, everyone is safe: Doval to girl who said she does not feel safe

During his visit to the violence-affected areas in north-east Delhi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval assured a girl that everyone is safe after she told him she does not feel safe in the area. "I give you my word. Everyone is safe here," Doval said and also asked police personnel to ensure that the girl reaches home safely.
read more at The New Indian Express

Petrol bombs, crates of stones found stored on AAP leader Tahir Hussain's rooftop

Videos and images showing crates of stones and petrol bombs stored at the rooftop of AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's house have emerged. This comes a day after murdered Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma's family alleged that he was lynched by Tahir Hussain's goons. As per reports, Hussain’s house was being used by a mob to pelt stones in the locality.
read more at Times Now

Kunal Kamra's flying ban halved to 3 months by IndiGo, DGCA tells court

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that the IndiGo airline's flying ban imposed on stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in January has been reduced to three months. Kamra was banned from flying on January 28 after he tweeted a 111-second video that showed him heckling television anchor Arnab Goswami on a Mumbai-Lucknow flight.
read more at Hindustan Times

Delhi HC judge who heard Delhi riots case transferred to Punjab & Haryana HC

The Centre on Wednesday notified the transfer of Justice S Muralidhar from Delhi High Court to Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Supreme Court collegium had recommended his transfer on February 12. Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Muralidhar heard the case concerning Northeast Delhi riots and questioned why Delhi Police failed to lodge FIRs against leaders who made provocative speeches.
read more at ANI

We used to be animals, maybe we continue to be: Sinha on Delhi violence

Commenting on Delhi violence over CAA, 'Thappad' director Anubhav Sinha said that he saw some videos of the clashes and there were people "behaving like animals". "I realised...we used to be animals...maybe we continue to be," he added. About speaking up, he said, "It's my country...want to leave it clean and inhabitable [for the next generation]."
read more at Bollywood Hungama