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1. J&K: Four Soldiers, Including Army Captain, Killed in Pakistani Firing in Rajouri District
Four Indian soldiers, including an Army Captain, were killed and another, along with two children, were injured as Pakistani troops on Sunday resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling, and small arms fire at various places along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Official sources confirmed that there have been four fatal casualties on the Indian side in Bhimber Gali sector of Poonch district. However, details were awaited.
The injured civilians have been identified as Gulnaz Begum, 15, of Islamabad and Yasir Arif, six, of Shahpur, and sources said both sustained splinter injuries. An Army jawan too was injured in shelling at Shahpur, sources said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. Delhi Murder: Girl’s Mother Feigned Road Rage to Draw Ankit out of Car
In order to lure photographer Ankit Saxena out of his car, his alleged girlfriend’s mother rammed her scooter into his car to use road rage as a pretext to draw him out, eyewitnesses said. As he stepped out, the accused family then allegedly killed him on the road in west Delhi’s Raghubir Nagar on Thursday evening.
Saxena, a 23-year-old wedding photographer, was reportedly in love with his neighbour, identified by only her first name Shehzadi, and the two allegedly had planned to get married, police officials said. According to police sources, when Shehzadi left her house after an argument with her parents over being denied permission to marry a man of her choice, her family set out to seek revenge from Saxena. The Delhi Police have arrested Shehzadi’s parents, her uncle and apprehended her minor brother.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Congress Discusses ‘Ease of Murdering’ in Karnataka, BJP Talks of ‘Ease of Living’: PM Modi
Sounding the poll bugle in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday mounted a scathing attack on the Siddaramaiah-led government while alluding to the law and order situation in the state. He said on the one hand, BJP at the Centre was trying to take India forward, while on the other in Karnataka “there is such a government that there is a reverse flow.”
“In the whole world there is discussion about ease of doing business and there are efforts in that direction. Our government is making efforts for the ease of doing business and talking about ease of living. But with Congress government in Karnataka, here there are discussions regarding ease of doing murders,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally at the sprawling Palace Grounds in Bengaluru.
The rally marked the culmination of the state BJP’s 85-day “Parivarthana Yatra” that criss-crossed all the 224 assembly constituencies.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. India Keeping a Close Watch as Maldives Political Crisis Deepens
India is watching closely the turbulence in the Maldives where a political crisis deepened on Sunday as the government ordered soldiers to scuttle any move by the Supreme Court to arrest or impeach President Abdulla Yameen over his refusal to free imprisoned Opposition leaders.
New Delhi had asked its neighbour to follow the top court’s order on Thursday to release all political prisoners, including Yameen’s main rival and former president Mohamed Nasheed, who is in exile.
“In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court,” the Indian foreign ministry said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. TDP Says Its Ties with BJP Intact, for Now
Although miffed with the Union Budget, TDP will continue to be part of NDA, for now. This was decided after Union home minister Rajnath Singh called up Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday and urged him not to take any hasty decision. Singh also said he would make a statement in Parliament on the allocations earmarked for Andhra Pradesh.
After a crucial TDP Parliamentary Party meeting, Union minister Y Satyanarayana Chowdary said, "The alliance is intact. We never said anything about snapping ties... it's all speculation."
(Source: The Times of India)
6. Rajasthan Bypoll Losses a Wake-Up Call for BJP, We Will Succeed: CM Raje
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday described the BJP’s bypoll losses in two parliamentary seats and one assembly constituency in the state this week as a wake-up call for the party.
The opposition Congress won all three seats in the state, where the ruling BJP and the government had promoted a development agenda to win votes.
“The bypoll result is a wake-up call for us. We are reviewing why such a situation arose despite so much development,” Raje said, addressing BJP legislators meet in the state assembly.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. EC Backs Joint Polls but Says Five Changes in Statute Needed
Aligning national elections with state polls faces significant hurdles as the move — strongly backed by PM Narendra Modi — may need amendments to not less than five Articles of the Constitution, including those relating to duration and dissolution of the Lok Sabha and assemblies.
While giving its views after getting advice on the matter from the Election Commission, an internal note of the Union law ministry has spoken about the constitutional challenges to paving the way for simultaneous polls — an issue raised by Modi as also the President.
Though the EC has supported simultaneous polls, its riders are significant, even as the EC said terms of state legislatures could be extended, or curtailed, to coincide with LS polls. Article 83, dealing with duration of Houses of Parliament may need amendment.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. India Cruise to Victory as Yuzvendra Chahal Puts South Africa in a Spin
Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav’s magical wrist spin outfoxed a depleted South Africa as Indian romped to a crushing nine-wicket win in the second ODI to reclaim the pole position in the ICC rankings. India now lead the six-match series 2-0 as they literally annihilated the home team, which had the ignominy of being shot out for a paltry 118 in 32.3 overs — their lowest-ever score at home.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. 22 Indian Sailors, Ship Missing
A fuel tanker with several international crew members, including 22 Indian sailors, has been missing for the past two days near West Africa, the ship’s owners have announced.
The tanker, loaded with around 13,500 tonnes of gasoline, was last contacted off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea.
(Source: The Hindu)
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