India

Ballia (UP), Jun 4 (PTI) A statue of social reformer B R Ambedkar was found damaged in a village here, police said on Friday.

The statue in Kothiya village was later repaired and police deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, they said.

The hands and spectacles of Ambedkar's statue were damaged by some miscreants on Thursday. Villagers informed the police after they noticed this, the police said.

New Delhi, June 3 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed a sedition case against veteran scribe Vinod Dua for his alleged comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his YouTube show last year, saying a 1962 verdict entitles every journalist to protection.

A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran, however, declined the prayer of Dua that no FIR should be registered against any media personnel with 10 years' experience unless cleared by a committee, saying it would amount to an encroachment into the domain of the executive.

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Thursday issued summons to yoga guru Ramdev on a suit by Delhi Medical Association (DMA) seeking to restrain him from disseminating false information about Patanjali's Coronil kit that it is a cure for COVID-19.

The high court orally asked the counsel for Ramdev to tell him not to make any provocative statement till the next date of hearing on July 13 and respond to the suit.

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) The number of active internet users in the country is likely to grow nearly 45 per cent to 900 million by 2025 compared to 622 million as of last year, an IAMAI-Kantar Cube report released on Thursday said.

According to the report, rural India may have a higher number of internet users compared to urban centres by 2025 which indicates the need to strengthen the digital ecosystem in the country.

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Over 8,700 people were mowed down on railway tracks in 2020 even though passenger train services were severely curtailed due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, with officials saying many of the victims were migrant workers.

The Railway Board shared the data on such deaths for the period between January and December 2020 in its reply to a question by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur under the Right to Information Act.

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Preparations for another Covid wave, post-poll violence in West Bengal and prevailing situation in the country are the issues expected to be discussed in a three-day 'get together' of top RSS functionaries starting from Thursday that will be chaired by Sangh head Mohan Bhagwat, sources said on Wednesday.

Srinagar, Jun 2 (PTI) Militants shot dead a BJP councillor in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday night when he was visiting his friend's house in the Tral area of Pulwama district, officials said here.

A group of three militants opened indiscriminate fire at BJP leader Rakesh Pandita around 10.15 pm, a police spokesperson said, adding that his friend's daughter also suffered injuries and was hospitalised in a critical condition.

Kaushambi (UP), Jun 3 (PTI) A headless body of an unidentified woman was found on Thursday outside Makhdumpur village in Karari area here, police said.

"Body of a woman, about 35-year-old, has been recovered near a dry canal. Both her legs were tied," Superintendent of Police Abhinandan said.

A police team has been constituted to probe the matter, he said.

Ballia (UP), Jun 3 (PTI) Two youth were arrested here on Thursday for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl, police said.

Rajesh Yadav and Akash Yadav, both aged about 23 years, were arrested in Pakwainar village, Station House Officer Rasda Nagesh Upadhyay said.

The incident took place on May 29 when the girl had gone to a field to attend the nature's call, he said.

Lucknow, Jun 3 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday cancelled the class 12 board examination, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying the health of children is a priority amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Adityanath in which Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who holds charge of the Secondary Education department, was also present.