1) Assembly Election Results: People’s Verdict in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland Today
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The exit polls have given their verdicts, but the mood of voters in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland will be revealed only when the counting of votes for the three states, which went to polls last month, takes place.
Experts say anti-incumbency could be a major factor as the CPI(M)-led Left Front has been in power in Tripura since 1993, Congress has been ruling Meghalaya since 2008 and Naga People’s Front (NPF) in Nagaland since 2003.
Moreover, the BJP – a minor player till 2013 in these three states – is expected to do exceedingly well and could even upset the entrenched players.
All the three states have 60-members assemblies but polling took place in only 59 –after the deaths of candidates in Meghalaya and Tripura and the unopposed election of former chief minister Neiphiu Rio of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2) 37-Year-Old Man Taken Into Custody by SIT for Questioning in Gauri Lankesh’s Murder
A 37-year-old man was taken into custody by a Special Investigation Team(SIT) on 2 March in connection with the murder of Kannada journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.
A senior official said the suspect, KT Naveen Kumar, was arrested by the Bengaluru Police on 18 February for possessing 15 rounds of .32 calibre cartridges. Kumar hails from Maddur in Mandya district and had in 2015 founded a radical right-wing group called the Hindu Yuva Sena.
Lankesh, 55, the editor of Lankesh Patrike, was shot dead outside her house in Bengaluru by unidentified assailants on 5 September 2017.
While the SIT has questioned Kumar in the past, the senior officer said further interrogation was required. “He was definitely an accomplice but he does not seem to have had any major role in the murder,” the officer said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3) I&B Fund Block: Prasar Bharati Chief Takes It up with ‘Higher Levels’
In the latest turn to a continuing standoff, Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash has taken up with “higher levels” of government the issue of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting(I&B) not releasing funds meant to pay salaries of Prasar Bharati employees.
The I&B Ministry has not released the grants-in-aid to Prasar Bharati so far this year. Surya Prakash added, “In the matter of salaries, I have taken the matter up at the higher levels in the government.”
The ministry releases approximately Rs 200 crore every month, of which most is used to pay salaries of the 29,000 employees of Prasar Bharati. “After December it (I&B Ministry) has not released the salaries. Prasar Bharati has paid salaries out of its own funds. Its kitty will run dry by April end,” said a source in Prasar Bharati.
“For sometime now, it has raised queries and created problems before releasing funds every month,” the source said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4) Navjot Kaur Clinches India’s First Gold in Asian Wrestling Championships
Navjot Kaur on 2 March scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold in the Senior Asian Championships as she clinched the yellow metal in the 65 kg freestyle category in Bishkek.
Navjot outclassed Japan’s Miya Imai 9-1 in a one-sided final bout of the women’s 65 kg freestyle category to bag the gold. This was also India’s first gold in the ongoing championships.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik won a bronze in the 62 kg freestyle category after getting the better of Kazakhstan’s Ayaulym Kassymova 10-7 in a tough fight.
The two medals took India’s medal tally to six — a gold, a silver and four bronze medals.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5) 10 Maoists, 1 Greyhounds Constable Killed in Encounter in Chhattisgarh Forest
At least 10 Maoists, including six women were killed in an encounter with a joint team of Greyhounds and special police personnel 2 March near Pujarikanker in Chhattisgarh, 30 km from Venkatapuram in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
Greyhound Constable Sushil Kumar, who was part of the lead team, was injured in the encounter and succumbed while being airlifted to a hospital. Two other injured Greyhounds were also airlifted for treatment.
By evening, two bodies of Maoists killed in the encounter were brought to the government hospital. They were identified as Maoist leader Pedda Budri (25) and Sanjeev (35).
All the Maoists are suspected to be from the Telangana State Committee and police sources said combing operations started after a tip-off about a big meeting of Maoists somewhere along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6) No Change in Stand on Dalai Lama: MEA
India has not changed its position on the Dalai Lama, the External Affairs Ministry said on 2 March in response to a news report that the Union government had instructed senior officials and leaders to stay away from the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader in India.
Following the report, a Tibetan spokesperson said the plans for the celebrations had been changed.
“He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by the people of India. There is no change in that position. His Holiness is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India,” ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, without denying that such an instruction was sent out.
The news report said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had recently written to senior government officials and political figures to avoid attending the events to mark the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India 60 years ago because of the “very sensitive phase” in India’s ties with China.
(Source: The Hindu)
7) Fugitive LeT Commander Surfaces in Video with Hizbul Militants
Barely a month after Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Naveed Jat alias Abu Hanzulla escaped police custody, a video has surfaced showing him with a local Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander and at least five other militants in a forest.
It is unclear where the video was shot even as sources said Jat had escaped to South Kashmir where he was believed to have been active because of his “knowledge of the area and contacts with over ground workers.”
J&K DGP SP Vaid told The Indian Express that HM and Lashkar could be working together. “They are uploading videos and trying to show that they are active,” he said.
It is believed Jat has since joined HM since LeT has not named a commander since the death of its former commanders Abu Qasim, Abu Dujana and Abu Ismail. Police had suspected Jat would be named the next LeT commander, which is why his escape was orchestrated.
(Source: The Indian Express)
8) Kamala Mills Fire: Running Fan Next to Burning Coal for Hookahs Caused Fire
A fan left switched on next to burning coal meant for hookahs caused the Kamala Mills fire, according to the chargesheet filed by Mumbai Police.
The fire on December 29 last year began at Mojo’s Bistro and spread to adjacent restaurant-pub 1Above, causing the death of 13 patrons and a staff member there, the police said. The cause of the fire, they claimed, was the alleged negligence of a staffer at Mojo’s Bistro.
The situation worsened due to other factors such as combustible material kept in both the restaurants, unauthorised constructions and a blocked fire exit at 1Above.
The police on 1 March filed the chargesheet against 12 accused, including the owners and managers of 1Above, owners of Mojo’s Bistro and the owners of the Kamala Mills compound.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9) Dalit Boy Beaten to Death While Playing Holi in Alwar
A Dalit teen was allegedly beaten to death while playing Holi in Rajasthan’s Alwar on 2 March, officials said. Police said the deceased, identified as Neeraj Jatav and aged around 16, was playing Holi with others when the attack took place.
“The incident took place around 3 pm. Preliminary investigation suggests that two groups were playing Holi and a dispute arose over applying colour. Most of the people were intoxicated when the incident took place,” Bhiwadi Additional SP Pushpendra Singh Solanki said.
“We heard reports that someone wanted to apply colours to others against their wish, which could have started the dispute,” he said. Both sides had three to four people, the officer said.
“Preliminary investigation suggests the accused, also in the similar age group, were known to Jatav. They are from the same village and were celebrating Holi together,” Solanki said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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