Month: June 2024

The streets of Anil Nagar and Chandmari areas in Guwahati have been severely waterlogged, disrupting normal life, following heavy rainfall in the region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a week-long forecast predicting continuous rainfall in Guwahati.

A resident of Anil Nagar urged the administration for a solution.

“Water fell during the night and there is so much water that it has filled up. How will we come and go here? I want to tell the administration that we need a diversion here because without diversion, there is no solution,” the resident said.

Alerts have been issued for various parts of the country, including Assam and Meghalaya, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected until June 20.

IMD has specifically warned of exceptionally heavy rainfall on June 18.

“Assam & Meghalaya is very likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 16th & 17th June and exceptionally heavy rainfall on 18th June whereas likely to get heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 19 & 20th June,” IMD said on its official Twitter account on Sunday

Meanwhile, in response to the flooding, Chief Engineer Project Swastik and his team conducted an assessment of flood-affected areas in Sikkim.

“Chief Engineer Project Swastik and team conducted a detailed recce of flood-hit #Sikkim. Early road restoration plan to Mangan and foot evacuation of stranded tourists have been coordinated with the State Administration by #BRO #SikkimFloods,” Guwahati Ministry of Defence, said in a tweet on X.

IMD forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim from June 16-17, and subsequently from June 18-20.

Meanwhile, parts of Porbandar city in Gujarat witnessed heavy rainfall bringing relief to residents amidst rising temperatures.

“Heavy rainfall (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) at isolated places very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim during 16-17 June and heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) during 18-20 June, 2024,” IMD said in a post on X.

Similarly, Arunachal Pradesh is expected to experience isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on June 16-17, followed by heavy rainfall from June 18-20.

IMD on Sunday said, “Arunachal Pradesh is very likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 16th & 17th June and likely to get heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) during 18th-20th June, 2024.”

In contrast, heat wave conditions are anticipated in parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 20, 2024. IMD emphasizes the importance of safety measures during these weather conditions.

“Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions” are expected over many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, and some isolated areas including Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Jharkhand on various dates between June 17-20.”

Heat wave conditions are likely to occur in different parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 20, 2024. India Meteorological Department’s continuous efforts, our society should remain safe,” IMD said in a tweet on X.

“Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely over many parts of Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi on 18th June, 2024 and heat wave conditions are likely over isolated places over Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand,” it added.

“Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely over many parts of Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Uttarakhand, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and Punjab on 17th June, 2024 and Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Division, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar and some parts of Jharkhand,” the tweet said. (ANI)

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At least five passengers were killed and over 20 people sustained injuries after a goods train rammed into Kanchenjunga Express train in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on Monday, police said.

“Five passengers have died and 20-25 injured in the accident. The situation is serious. The incident occurred when a goods train rammed into Kanchenjunga Express,” said Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendant of Police (SP) Darjeeling Police.

Kanchanjungha Express which runs between Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata was Sealdah bound when a goods train hit it from behind near Rangapani station, located close to New Jalpaiguri in North Bengal, according to Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer – Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing.

“Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. The injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached the site,” Vaishnaw posted on X.

Sealdah Eastern Railway has set up a control desk at Rangapani station.

Visuals from the site showed a wagon of Kanchenjunga Express train suspended in the air.

Sources in the Railways said that the goods container train overshot the signal and hit the rear parcel coach of the Kanchanjunga Express.

The train has two parcels and one coach for the guard.

Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Divisional Railway officials have reached the accident site. A total of 15 ambulances and medical equipment have also reached the site of the mishap.

Officials are reviewing the situation, the Railway officials said.

The accident took place at Rangapani area in the Katihar Railway Division ahead of New Jalpaiguri Junction at around 8:45 am today.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the accident took place in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district.

“Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train,” Mamata Banerjee said in a post on X.

“The DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, medical assistance. Action on war-footing initiated,” the West Bengal chief minister said. (ANI)

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Mosques and several religious sites across the country on Monday were thronged by the devout who gathered to offer Namaz on the auspicious occasion of the holy ”Eid Al-Adha’ festival.

At the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi hundreds of worshippers assembled for morning prayers.

Maksud Ahmed, a devotee, reflecting on the significance of the festival, stated that it signified sacrificing vices.

“This day reminds us of sacrifice. Sacrifice is not just about the sacrifice of an animal; in essence, it means sacrificing our vices for our own sake. On this day, one should sacrifice all the bad qualities within oneself and bring forth one’s goodness,” Ahmed said.

“Today, all Muslims who have performed the prayer will remember the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim by sacrificing an animal. This ends our vices and increases our virtues,” he added.

Another devotee, Abdul Rehman, expressed his joy at participating in the prayer at Jama Masjid for the first time.

“Today, for the first time, we performed the Eid prayer at the mosque in Delhi, and we felt very good. We had never seen such a large crowd before. Seeing all these people together offering the Eid prayer to Allah made us feel very happy,” Rehman said.

Children at the Jama Masjid greeted each other on the occasion after offering Namaz.

A girl named Alishba said, “We came here to Jama Masjid with great enthusiasm to perform the prayer. Along with our uncle and father, we performed the prayer, and now we will go home and perform the sacrifice.”

Meanwhile, People also offered namaz at Fatehpuri Masjid in the national capital on the occasion of today’s festival.

Equally vibrant celebrations were seen in other parts of the country too.

In Srinagar, devotees gathered at a Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Sonwar to offer their prayers.

A devotee shared his sentiments stating that he prayed for the happiness and peace of people across the country on Eid Ul Adha.

Talking about the tradition he said, “Today is a very joyous occasion, and on this occasion, we also perform the sacrifice of an animal, which we divide into three parts: one part we keep for ourselves, one part for relatives, and one part for the poor.”

“I have prayed that everyone remains happy, and I have prayed for everyone. We have prayed for the happiness of the entire India, our country, and the whole world. There should be peace everywhere, and if there is any hatred in anyone’s heart, it should be removed this Eid,” the devotee added.

In Uttar Pradesh, devotees gathered at Mubarak Khan Shaheed Mazaar in Gorakhpur and Jama Masjid in Noida.

Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Makhdoom Ali Mahimi mosque in Mahim saw a large turnout of worshippers. Bhopal’s Idgah Masjid, Coimbatore’s Islamiyah Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and various locations in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, also witnessed heartfelt celebrations.

In Rajasthan, the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer was thronged by devotees. Kerala’s Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in Trivandrum became a site of collective prayer and reflection.

People also gathered at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium – Thiruvananthapuram to offer Eid prayers.

Eid Al-Adha is a holy occasion and is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic or lunar calendar. It marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The festival is an occasion of joy and peace, where people celebrate with their families, let go of past grudges and make meaningful connections with one another. It is celebrated as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice everything for God. (ANI)

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India on Sunday refrained from associating itself with any communique emerging from the Swiss summit on peace in Ukraine and reiterated its consistent approach to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

“India did not associate itself with any communique/document emerging from this Summit,” read the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

Pavan Kapoor, Secretary(West), Ministry of External Affairs, represented India at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, hosted by Switzerland at Burgenstock on 15-16 June 2024. The Indian delegation attended the Opening and Closing Plenary Sessions of the Summit.

“India’s participation in the Summit, as well as in the preceding NSA/Political Director-level meetings based on Ukraine’s Peace Formula, was in line with our consistent approach to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” added the release.

The release also said that India continues to “believe that such a resolution requires a sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict.”

In this regard, India will continue to remain engaged with all stakeholders as well as both parties to contribute to all earnest efforts to bring about an early and abiding peace, according to the MEA.

Meanwhile, eighty countries, including Ukraine, and four European institutions signed the final joint communique of the Switzerland peace summit on June 16.

The final document said the UN Charter and “respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty” can and will serve as a basis for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

The peace summit began on June 15 and concluded on June 16, bringing together representatives from 92 countries and organisations. (ANI)

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday reviewed security and logistics arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra in a high-level meeting, instructing the security agencies to be “vigilant” and “ensure sufficient deployment of security personnel” for the annual pilgrimage.

He instructed establishing perfect inter-agency coordination for effective security arrangements including a well-established standard operating response mechanism.

Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government is committed to ensuring a convenient and hassle-free experience for the devotees and adopting eco-friendly measures in the management of the Shri Amarnath Yatra– an annual significant pilgrimage for Hindus which shall commence on June 29 and conclude on August 19 this year.

He said that it is the Modi government’s priority to ensure that devotees of Shri Amarnath Yatra can have Holy Darshan with ease and they do not have to face any difficulty.

Shah’s direction came while chairing the meeting that was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Senior Army Officers including Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pandey and Chief of Army Staff (Designate) Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Director General of Central Armed Police Forces, Chief Secretary and DGP of Jammu and Kashmir and other senior officers.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has undertaken significant initiatives to make the Amarnath Yatra safe and comfortable for the devotees. Last year more than 4.5 lakh devotees took the holy darshan.

It further said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the Yatra including seamless registration, convoy movement, camping facilities, medical facilities, upgrading the tracks, providing power and water supply and mobile phone connectivity.

Amarnath Yatra involves a challenging trek to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. The yatra attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees each year, making security a critical concern.

The annual yatra, which lasts for about 45 days, is a major concern of the government amid recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety and well-being of the pilgrims, amidst heightened security concerns and the challenging terrain of the route. (ANI)

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Amid the large-scale requirement for shoulder-fired air defence missiles, DRDO is going to carry out trials of the indigenous shoulder-fired air defence missiles before handing them over to the Indian Army for user trials.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has been developing Very Short Range Air Defence missiles to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Air Force to tackle aerial targets like fast-moving drones, fighter aircraft and helicopters in border areas.

DRDO is looking to carry out high-altitude trials of the Indigenous tripod-fired short-range air defence missile in mountainous regions like Ladakh or Sikkim, defence officials told ANI.

After successful completion of the trials, the missile system will be handed over to the users for their trials and assessments, they said.

The missile system has been able to lock on and take out both long-range and short-range targets.

The issues with the short-range targeting have been sorted out and the system is moving ahead progressively, the officials said.

Indian forces, with the Indian Army in the lead, have been trying to fulfil the shortages of different types of very short-range air defence missiles in their inventory.

The Indian Army is progressing in two cases worth Rs 6,800 crore for developing Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) systems indigenously, amid a lack of inventory of shoulder-fired missiles to tackle aerial threats from Pakistan and China.

The current VSHORAD missiles in the Army and Air Force’s inventory are all equipped with lR homing guidance systems, while the Igla 1M VSHORAD missile system was inducted in 1989 and was planned for de-induction in 2013. (ANI)

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China has announced plans to gift Australia with a new pair of giant pandas, a gesture seen as bolstering the warming relations between the two nations. Premier Li Qiang revealed this during his visit to Adelaide Zoo, marking the start of a four-day trip to Australia, CNN reported, citing reports from Australian public broadcaster ABC.

The pandas will be sent to Southern Australia’s zoo once the current pair, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, return to China later this year, as reported by Chinese state media.

Li’s visit, the first by a Chinese premier in seven years, signifies a significant thaw in relations, following recent diplomatic manoeuvers including the lifting of high tariffs on Australian wines and the removal of barriers on barley, timber, and coal. These measures were initially imposed after former Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an international inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic in China in 2020. Relations have since improved since the Labour party took office in Australia in 2022.

China, being Australia’s largest trading partner, plays a pivotal role in the country’s international trade, accounting for nearly one third of its overseas trade activities. Meanwhile, Australia’s commodities are crucial for Beijing’s economic recovery efforts.

Panda diplomacy, a programme where China loans pandas to over 20 countries as symbols of friendship, serves as a significant barometer of bilateral relations. Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the only pandas in the southern hemisphere, have resided at Adelaide Zoo since November 2009, with their stay extended in 2019 through a bilateral agreement, according to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua.

During his visit, Premier Li expressed his satisfaction with the care Wang Wang and Fu Ni received, noting that they have adapted well to their new home and have become symbols of the deep friendship between China and Australia.

“They have become envoys of friendship between China and Australia, and a symbol of the profound friendship between the two peoples,” Li remarked in a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, CNN reported. (ANI)

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he will have more to say regarding next year’s G7 Summit when Canada will assume its presidency.

Speaking to reporters, he appreciated the keenness with which Canadians are looking forward to the G7 Summit. Trudeau said that he looks forward to working with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and all G7 partners on various issues that they have discussed.

On being asked whether Canada will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit in 2025, Trudeau responded, “I can appreciate the keenness with it with which Canadians are looking forward to next year’s G7. However, Italy continues to be the President of this G7 for the rest of this year and I look forward to working with Prime Minister Meloni and all my G7 Partners on the broad range of issues that we’ve talked about. I will have more to say about next year’s G7 when we assume the G7 Presidency next year.”

The G7 summit was held in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13-15, where India was invited as an ‘Outreach Country’ and had participation from the seven member countries, the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union.

The next G7 Leaders’ Summit will be hosted in Kananaskis, Alberta province of Canada in 2025. In a post on X, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau stated, “Just announced: The next @G7 Leaders’ Summit will be hosted here in Canada — in Kananaskis, Alberta — in 2025.”

Trudeau’s statement came after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy’s Apulia on Friday. The meeting between the two leaders was the first amid strained diplomatic ties between India and Canada.

In a post on X, PM Modi had stated, “Met Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau at the G7 Summit.”

The ties between the two nations were strained after Trudeau accused the “agents of the Indian government” of killing terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year. However, India has dismissed the accusations as “absurd” and “motivated.”

Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.

India has said that Canada has not provided any “specific” evidence or relevant information in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case.

Earlier in May, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar denied receiving any evidence implicating Indian nationals’ involvement in the killing in Canada of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Responding to media queries here, Jaishankar stated, “I also read that another arrest has been made. If that person is an Indian national, then usually by consular practice, you inform the government or the embassy of the country of origin. But beyond that, we have long maintained that if anything, any event in Canada, any violence in Canada, has any evidence or information which is relevant to be investigated in India, we are open to investigating it.”

He emphasised that while any Indian national’s arrest would usually prompt notification to the government or embassy, no specific evidence justifying investigation by Indian agencies has been received to date.

“But to date, we have never received anything which is specific and worthy of being pursued by our investigative agencies. And I’m not aware anything has changed in the last few days in that regard,” Jaishankar said at a media interaction at a seminar on Indian Capital Markets ‘Roadmap for Viksit Bharat’ at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai.

His remarks came after the Canadian Police arrested a fourth suspect over his alleged involvement in the killing of Nijjar. The accused has been identified as Amandeep Singh (22), Canada-based CBC News reported.

According to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in British Columbia, Singh was already in the custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges.

The police said that Singh is an Indian national, splitting his time in Canada in Brampton, Ontario; Surrey, British Columbia, and Abbotsford, British Columbia, as reported by CBC News.

Investigators have not shared any further details of the arrest, citing ongoing investigations and court processes. The development came days after the Canadian police arrested three Indian nationals — Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh — in Edmonton. The trio was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the homicide. (ANI)

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In a tragic incident, a boat carrying 17 devotees capsized in the Ganga River on Sunday in Bihar’s Barh area, located near Patna.

As per the officials, the boat was travelling from Umanath Ghat to Diara when the incident happened and six people were missing while 11 were safe.

Shubham Kumar, Barh SDM, said, “A small boat capsized here. There were 17 people on the boat, out of which 11 are safe, and 6 are missing. The SDRF team has left, they are about to reach here. The search operation is on.”

More details are awaited. (ANI)

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Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday said that the new Criminal Laws, namely Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, will come into force on July 1, 2024.

“IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act are changing. After following the due consultation process and keeping in mind the reports of the Law Commission of India, the three laws have been changed,” said Meghwal.

“The three laws will be implemented from July 1 with the names Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Training facilities for the three new laws are being provided in all states,” said Meghwal.

He highlighted that Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) is providing training for it. He added, “Our judicial academies, national law universities are also providing training for the same. Everything is going hand in hand and from July 1, all these three laws which is crucial for criminal justice system will be implemented in the country.”

Notably, under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, police custody under general criminal laws has been increased from 15 days to 90 days, depending on the nature of the offense.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will have 358 sections (instead of 511 sections in the IPC). A total of 20 new crimes have been added to the bill, and the imprisonment sentence has been increased for 33 of them. The amount of the fine has been increased in 83 crimes and mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced in 23 crimes. The penalty of community service has been introduced for six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed or removed from the bill.

Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the bill, and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added to it. The draft act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections and audio-video provision has been added at 35 places.

A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed from the bill Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will have 170 provisions (instead of the original 167 provisions), and a total of 24 provisions have been changed. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been added and six provisions have been repealed or deleted from the bill.

The recent criminal justice reform in India marks a significant shift in priorities, placing crimes against women, children, and the nation at the forefront. This stands in stark contrast to colonial-era laws, where concerns like treason and treasury offenses outweighed the needs of ordinary citizens. (ANI)

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