India

Bhopal, Jul 29 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh BJP president and Khajuraho Lok Sabha MP VD Sharma has tested positive for coronavirus, a health official said on Wednesday.

Besides Sharma, state BJP general secretary (organisation) Suhas Bhagat and another party leader have also tested positive for the coronavirus, he said.

"Came to know that Sharma (VD Sharma) is not well and I pray to God for his speedy recovery," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is recuperating from the COVID-19 infection, tweeted.

Jaipur, Jul 29 (PTI) The deadlock over convening the Rajasthan Assembly ended Wednesday with Governor Kalraj Mishra agreeing to call a session from August 14.

The Rajasthan Governor has approved the Cabinet proposal to call the assembly session from August 14, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

"He also gave verbal directions to make the necessary arrangements for the prevention of COVID-19 spread during the session, the spokesperson added.

Mumbai, Jul 29 (PTI) Maharashtra Government on Wednesday extended the lockdown in the state till August 31 in view of rising coronavirus cases, which crossed the four- lakh mark in the day.

A notification issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar said the decision has been taken as an "emergency step to prevent and contain" the spread of COVID-19.

As part of the Mission Begin Again initiative, malls and market complexes without theatres, food courts and restaurants will be operational between 9 am and 7 pmfrom August 5, the notification said.

Kolkata, July 29 (PTI) A BJP worker was found hanging from a tree near his house in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Wednesday, with his party alleging that he was killed by goons of the ruling Trinamool Congress as he had refused to join them.

The Trinamool Congress rubbished the allegation as "completely baseless and politically motivated", and said a police investigation would bring out the truth.

Kanpur, Jul 30 (PTI) Slain gangster Vikas Dubey's close aide Gopal Saini, who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on him, surrendered before a special court in Kanpur Dehat on Wednesday, a government counsel said.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Kanpur Police were on the lookout for Saini since July 3 after eight policemen, including Deputy SP Devendra Kumar Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops, said an official.

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to states like Bihar and Himachal Pradesh on a plea against permitting vermin killings there to stop damage to standing crops, saying ways have to found to control the "human-animal" conflict.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, in a hearing conducted through video conferencing, took note of the submission of senior advocate Siddharth Luthra that a large number of wild animals like 'neelgai' (blue bulls) have been permitted to be killed to save the crops.

Srinagar, July 30 (PTI) Militants on Thursday opened fire at an Army vehicle in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said

There was no loss of life in the attack.

The ultras opened fire on the vehicle of the Army at Drubgam Payeen in Pulwama and fled from the spot, a police official said.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search for the militants, he added.

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra vacated her official Lodhi Estate bungalow on Thursday.

Sources close to her said she would be staying for a few days in her Gurugram penthouse before shifting to central Delhi, where she has finalised a house.

Renovations are currently going on in her new house in Delhi, they said.

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday announced a reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel from the existing 30 per cent to 16.75 per cent, saying the move will help propel Delhi's economy.

The diesel price will be reduced by Rs 8.36 in Delhi due to the VAT cut, Kejriwal said in a virtual press briefing.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India on Thursday reported more than 50,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time, driven by a surge in infections in rural areas at a time when the government is further easing curbs on movement and commerce.

There were 52,123 new cases in the previous 24 hours, according to federal health data, taking the total number of infections to almost 1.6 million.