India

NEW DELHI/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A small blast near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi on Friday was caused by a “very low intensity improvised device” a police spokesman said, adding that there were no injuries.

The explosion damaged the window panes of three nearby parked cars, a Delhi police spokesman said in a statement.

“Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation,” the statement said.

New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said the city government has made arrangements for drinking water and other facilities for the farmers protesting at the Ghazipur border.

The farmers protesting under the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) banner claimed on Thursday that the local administration withdrew water tankers and snapped the power supply to the UP Gate protest site.

Bareilly (UP) Jan 29 (PTI) A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped in a village, police said on Friday.

Bareilly (UP), Jan 29 (PTI) A youth and a girl were killed and their bodies hanged from a tree in the Mirganj area here, police said on Friday.

The youth, 19, and the girl, 17, were in a relationship, Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan said.

On Thursday, the girl's family members found them talking to each other at a secluded place and they in a fit of rage killed the duo and hanged their bodies from a tree, he said.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) The government has approved closure of loss-making state-owned firm Scooters India Limited and shutting down the operations of its units, the company said on Thursday.

PTI had reported a week ago that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is believed to have given its consent to the closure of the Lucknow-based company.

In a BSE filing, Scooters India said the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises has communicated that the competent authority has approved the closure.

Ghaziabad, Jan 29 (PTI) Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site.

A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur even as frequent power cuts were witnessed in the evening at the protest site, where BKU members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28.

Chandigarh, Jan 29 (PTI) Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who has been booked in connection with the religious flag incident at Red Fort, has said he needs some time to bring out the truth and then will join the investigation.

The 36-year-old Sidhu is in the eye of a storm for being among the protesters who put up a religious flag atop the Red Fort on Republic Day.

Mumbai, Jan 29 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Friday extended till February 28, 2021 the coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions in the state.

A circular to this effect was issued by the state government.

"The state is threatened with the spread of COVID-19 virus and the government feels the need to take emergency measures," the circular said.

The government's guidelines to operationalise 'Mission Begin Again' for easing of restrictions and phase- wise opening will remain in force till February 28, it said.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Major Indian opposition parties boycotted the opening day of Parliament’s budget session Friday in solidarity with farmers engaged in a 2-month standoff over new agricultural laws the government refuses to repeal.

Pratapgarh (UP), Jan 28 (PTI) A local court has sentenced a man and his parents to seven-year imprisonment for killing his wife for dowry in 2014.

Additional Sessions Judge Santosh Kumar Tiwari awarded the sentence on Wednesday to Sanjay Shukla, his father Radhey Shyam, mother Gayatri Devi and three others identified as Vijay Shukla, Ajay and Rajesh.

Sadhna was killed on March 31, 2014 following which a dowry death case was registered by her father.