India

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) India's top-12 ports witnessed considerable decline in cargo traffic for the eleventh straight month in February to 600.62 million tonnes (MT), according to ports' apex body IPA

Cargo traffic at 12 major ports that are under the control of the Centre dropped by 6.61 per cent to 600.62 million tonnes (MT) during April-February this fiscal, compared with 643.10 MT in the year-ago period, the Indian Ports Association (IPA) said in its latest report

Kolkata, Mar 21 (PTI) Riding on anti-incumbency and identity politics, BJP is sniffing a chance to capture the 'final frontier" and fulfil its long-cherished dream of coming to power in West Bengal, after being on the sidelines of its politics for decades.

The stakes are high for the saffron camp as the victory in Bengal will fulfill the long-cherished mission of expanding its ideological footprint in the 'trophy state', which till a decade ago was an impregnable red citadel.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 21 (PTI): Union minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday hit out at the CPI(M)-led LDF government for registering a case against Enforcement Directorate officials probing the gold smuggling case, saying any attempt to hamper it by such acts 'clearly shows what is troubling them".

"If they try to hamper progress of the ongoing investigation by filing a police case against ED officials, it clearly shows what is troubling them.

Bijapur, Mar 21 (PTI) Naxals have allegedly killed a policeman after abducting him in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, an official said on Sunday.

Constable Sannu Punem was abducted by a group of Naxals on Saturday evening from Pondum village under Bhairmgarh police station limits and his body was found this morning near a rivulet close to nearby Keshkutul village, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.

Hyderabad, Mar 20 (PTI) Uranium exploration has been taken up in Arunachal Pradesh by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, a senior official has said.

AMD is a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Mumbai, Mar 20 (PTI) Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar should take over as UPA chairperson.

The need of the hour is to strengthen the United Progresstive Alliance so that it emerges as a strong alternative to the BJP, Raut told reporters in Nashik.

New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) The police have arrested 34 people from west Delhi's Uttam Nagar area for allegedly posing as authorised representatives of tech companies, including Apple, and duping foreign nationals on the pretext of providing them technical support, officials said on Saturday.

Besides, the accused would also pose as officials of law enforcement agencies and dupe people by telling them that their social security number has been found at a crime scene and they would have to pay certain amount to avoid getting their bank accounts frozen.

New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) A fire broke out in a tent at Delhi's Singhu border where farmers have been protesting the Centre's three agri laws, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha claimed on Saturday.

Sukhwinder Singh, a protester, said the incident took place around 10 am near an under-construction flyover where the tent was put up.

However, there was no official word about the incident from the police or the fire department.

Guwahati, Mar 20 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday released his party's election manifesto for Assam, making "five guarantees" that included Rs 2,000 per month for every housewife and law to nullify the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The Congress also promised to waive off farmers' agriculture debts and women's loans from micro-finance institutes, distribute kerosene and sugar through PDS, offer lunch at Rs 10 and price a quintal of rice at Rs 2,500.

Nagpur, Mar 20 (PTI) Goods worth Rs 5.80 lakh of an e-commerce firm were stolen from a truck during a journey from Telangana to Nagpur in Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

A total of 320 boxes were loaded in the truck at Medchal in Ranga Reddy district on March 7, to be delivered at Yerla area of Nagpur.

According to driver Hamid Khan (43), unidentified persons stole three boxes containing mobile phones, body spray, deodorants and other material during the journey.