QBullet: India’s First COVID-19 Death in K’taka; Shah Talks NPR
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1. Coronavirus Outbreak: 76-Year-Old Man First Death in India, Says Karnataka Govt
A 76-year-old man from Kalburgi is India’s first casualty due to coronavirus, announced Karnataka state government on Thursday. This is reportedly India’s first fatality due to COVID-19. The number of coronavirus patients in the country has risen to 74, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. The total number of 74 confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners — 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian.
The Delhi government on Thursday declared coronavirus an epidemic and announced that all cinema halls, schools and colleges (where exams not being held) will remain shut in the national capital till 31 March.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. No ‘D’ in NPR, Lies Being Spread, Shah Tells House
Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought to allay fears around the National Population Register (NPR) on Thursday, saying any information shared with enumerators would be voluntary and no documents would be required, dismissing Opposition’s allegations that the biometric database of Indian residents could lead to loss of citizenship.
Replying to a debate on last month’s riots in Delhi that left 53 people dead, Shah told the Rajya Sabha that the government would punish the rioters irrespective of their religion, caste or party affiliations.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Jyotiraditya Won't Get Respect or Satisfaction in BJP, Says Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Jyotiraditya Scindia abandoned his ideology and went with the RSS out of concern for his political future, warning him that he would not neither get respect nor satisfaction in the BJP.
Breaking his silence on the Gwalior royal's decision to leave the Congress, Rahul Gandhi told reporters, "Scindia became apprehensive about his political future, he abandoned his ideology and went with the RSS.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. We Hid, We Found No Witnesses, We Were Outnumbered: Delhi Police Say in Riot FIRs
- “We ran away from the spot to save ourselves. We hid ourselves… downed the shutter.”
- “We could not find the caller…no independent witness was present at the spot.”
- “Three of us tried to control the crowd, it was impossible… they outnumbered us.”
These are admissions made on record by Delhi Police and like a refrain in a series of at least 14 FIRs registered by them between 24 and 26 February at four police stations over the communal riots in northeast Delhi.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Coronavirus Shutdown: Schools, Cinema Halls in Delhi Closed Until 31 March
A day after the central government suspended all visas, barring select categories, and advised states to invoke provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to check the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, the Delhi government on Thursday announced the closure of all schools, colleges and cinema halls in an attempt to enforce social distancing.
The Uttarakhand and Manipur governments also announced closure of schools till the end of the month. Earlier this week, educational institutions were closed in Kerala as well as Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. 215 Arrested for Delhi Riots: Police
Delhi Police have arrested seven people for allegedly killing head constable Rattan Lal in the communal violence that rocked northeast Delhi last month and recovered more than 100 illegal pistols allegedly used in the riots.
Police said on Thursday that 215 suspected rioters were arrested and another 3,125 persons were let off after being questioned. It also listed “videos and photographs, statements of eyewitnesses and technical evidence” that helped in identifying the suspects.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. Sensex Crashes 2,919 Pts, By Far Its Worst Ever
In its steepest one-day crash in history (in absolute terms), the sensex plumges 2,919 points on Thursday — outstrippping its previous loss of 1,942 points on Monday by over a thousand points — to close at 32,778 after a bloodbath on global stock markets with the WHO declaring coronavirus a pandemic, triggering fears of a recession.
A nerve-wracking trading session saw the market entering bear territory, with a 20% plunge from its all-time high of 42,274 on 20 January.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. BJP and Congress Name Nominees for Rajya Sabha Polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party announced on Thursday five candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena picked Priyanka Chaturvedi as a nominee from Maharashtra. The Congress named several heavyweights, including ex-MP CM Digvijaya Singh, for the 26 March polls.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. No Law to Back State Action: SC on 'Name and Shame' Posters in Lucknow
The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Uttar Pradesh government that there is no law as of now to back its action of putting roadside posters of those accused of vandalism during the anti-CAA protests in Lucknow.
A vacation bench of Justices U U Lalit and Aniruddha Bose told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, that it is a matter of “great importance”.
(Source: The Asian Age)
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