India

Rishikesh, Jul 23 (PTI) A man was arrested here in Uttarakhand on Friday for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl repeatedly over a period of time, police said.

Kranshu Chauhan has been arrested in the case, Rishikesh Kotwali police station in-charge Shishupal Singh Negi said.

He repeatedly raped the girl over a period of time after intimidating her, the officer said.

Imphal, Jul 23 (PTI) In compliance with the order of the High Court of Manipur, the state government on Friday released Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a journalist detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for a Facebook post on the death of a BJP leader, an official said.

The high court earlier in the day directed the government to release the scribe, detained following a post criticising BJP leaders on the use of cow dung and cow urine as cures for COVID-19, before 5 pm.

Ranchi, Jul 23 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday asked Coal India for immediate payment of Rs 56,000 crore outstanding dues in lieu of government land allotted to it for mining.

A delegation of domestic coal giant, headed by its Chairman and Managing Director, Pramod Agrawal had called on Soren here.

Coal India, the world's largest dry-fuel miner accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic production.

Srinagar, Jul 23 (PTI) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday attacked the Centre over the Pegasus snooping issue, saying it has "gone rogue" and is "brazenly subverting" basic human rights.

"A spyware used against terrorists has been weaponised to deal with political opponents & dissenters. BJP has taken a leaf out of how Britishers would suspect & treat Indians during the colonial era. GOI has gone rogue & is brazenly subverting basic human rights, she tweeted.

Ayodhya, Jul 23 (PTI) A Rajya Sabha MP and BSP supremo Mayawati's close aide Satish Chandra Mishra on Friday started the party's campaign to woo Brahmin voters by offering prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi here.

Stepping up preparations for the UP Assembly polls, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday had announced that a campaign will be launched from Ayodhya to reach out to Brahmin voters and urged the community not to be "misled" by the BJP.

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) US-based electric car major Tesla has demanded reduction in import duties on electric vehicles (EVs) in India, a senior government official said on Friday.

At present, cars imported as completely built units (CBUs) attract customs duty ranging from 60 per cent to 100 per cent, depending on engine size and cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value less or above USD 40,000.

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid Friday signed an agreement on India-funded community projects in the Maldives after they held wide-ranging talks covering a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interests.

The Maldivian leader, who was elected as the President of the UN General Assembly last month, arrived in India on Wednesday on a three-day visit.

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Visitor to Central universities, has approved the appointment of vice chancellors in 12 varsities, according to Ministry of Education (MoE) officials.

"The VC appointments have been approved by the President for 12 central universities," an MoE official said.

New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) About 1.5 lakh weavers have been onboarded on the public procurement portal GeM, a move which would enable wider market access for handloom weavers, artisans and producers, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

Minister of State for Textiles Darshana Jardosh said steps have been taken to on-board weavers / artisans on the Government e-Market place (GeM) to enable them to sell their products directly to various government departments and organisations.

Lucknow, Jul 22 (PTI) IT raids on media groups Dainik Bhaskar and Bharat Samachar came under heavy criticism on Thursday, with the SP describing the BJP government as a "coward" trying to scare those exposing its failures and the Congress terming it an attack on democracy.

Flaying the government, the UP Congress in a tweet said, "Kamal' wale, kalam se darte hain (People with lotus are afraid of the pen)."

The Congress termed the raids on both media houses as an "attack on democracy".