Maharashtra

Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) The Maharashtra government will set up an online mechanism for the sale and purchase of goats for upcoming Bakri Eid festival, state minister Aslam Shaikh said on Wednesday.

No permission will be given to celebrate any festival in coronavirus containment zones, he said.

He said while guidelines for Eid will be framed soon, gathering of people for 'qurbani' (sacrifice) of goats will not be allowed.

Markets will be allowed only on open grounds, an official statement quoted the Mumbai city guardian minister as saying.

Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) Google has agreed to invest Rs 33,737 crore to buy a 7.7 per cent stake in Reliance Industries' technology venture, adding to a slew of investments since April that has crossed Rs 1.52 lakh crore.

California-based Alphabet Inc joins Facebook Inc, which opened the investment cycle in Jio Platforms by picking 9.99 per cent stake for Rs 43,573.62 crore, as well as chipmaker Intel Corp and Qualcomm Inc.

Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) In a shocking incident, a newborn baby girl was found buried near a house in Nanded district of Maharashtra, police said.

Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel, who shared the video of the newborn being dug out by a villager, said he had spoken to Nanded SP and sought a thorough probe in the matter.

"If we are really serious about protecting the girl child, there should be exemplary punishment for the accused," the Lok Sabha member said.

Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) Congress leader and former spokesperson Sanjay Jha has been suspended for "anti-party activities and breach of discipline", the party's Maharashtra unit said on Tuesday.

The entrepreneur-turned-politician's suspension from the Congress comes weeks after he wrote a newspaper article critical of the country's oldest political party.

Jha has been suspended with immediate effect for "anti-party activities and breach of discipline", Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said in a statement here.

Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) Poet and activist Varavara Rao, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, has been taken to the state-run J J Hospital here after he complained of dizziness, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Rao, 80, has been behind bars for almost two years and lodged at the Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

The activist and his family members have claimed he is unwell since sometime, and sought the jail authorities to provide him immediate medical care.

Mumbai, Jul 12 (PTI) Amid the border tension with China, NCP president Sharad Pawar has said China is a "bigger threat to India" than Pakistan.

China's military might is "ten times greater" than India, the former defence minister said, adding that Beijing has "weaned away" India's neighbours to its side.

Pune, July 11 (PTI) Traders and opposition BJP on Saturday expressed displeasure over the Maharashtra government's move to reimpose lockdown in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.

Traders association said the decision would lead to unrest among businessmen in the city.

A 10-day lockdwon will be implemented in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and rural areas adjoining the Pune municipal limits from July 13 amid the rising cases of coronavirus infection.

Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted in the isolation ward of a city hospital.

The 77-year-old actor, who is at the Nanavati hospital, shared his health update on Twitter.

I have tested COVID positive. Shifted to Hospital. Hospital informing authorities, family and staff undergone tests , results awaited, Bachchan tweeted.

"All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested, he added.

Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Taking aim at the BJP, NCP president Sharad Pawar has said that politicians should not take voters for granted as even powerful leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been defeated in elections.

Criticising former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his 'Mi punha yein' (I will come back) refrain during the last year's assembly polls, Pawar said that voters thought that this stance smacked of arrogance and felt that they should be taught a lesson.

Nagpur, July 9 (PTI) 132 inmates tested positive for coronavirus in rapid antigen tests conducted at Nagpur Central Prison here on Thursday, taking the number of virus infections in the jail to 219, a senior official said.

Jail Superintendent Anup Kumre told PTI that these 132prisoners will be shifted to hospitals on Friday.

Of 219 persons, 42 tested positive in swab sample tests and remaining in rapid antigen tests.

The jail houses 1,800 inmates while 265 police personnel are attached to it.