India

Balrampur, Dec 7 (PTI) Eight people, including four minor boys, have been nabbed by police after a 15-year-old girl lodged an FIR of rape against them in Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district, a senior officer said on Monday.

They allegedly sexually assaulted the girl during the past 15 days in Gandhi Nagar area of the neighbouring Surguja district.

Four of the eight accused were arrested on Sunday while four minors were detained on Monday based on the complaint lodged at Rajpur police station in Balrampur district, the officer said.

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Centre to go ahead with the proposed foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Central Vista project after the government assured it that no construction or demolition work would commence till the apex court decides the pending pleas on the issue.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that there would be only foundation stone-laying ceremony, and no construction, demolition or felling of trees would be done for the project as of now.

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday refused to quash FIRs lodged in different states against TV news anchor Amish Devgan for his alleged defamatory remark against Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti during a show on June 15.

The top court, however, said Devgan will get protection from any coercive action if he continues to cooperate with the probe.

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Vaccine manufacturing major Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday said it has applied to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine Covishield.

The Pune-based company has collaborated with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca for making the vaccine and is conducting trials in India.

Bulandshahr (UP), Dec 6 (PTI) A girl has accused four youths of gang-raping her in a moving vehicle after abducting her in the Chhatari police station area here, police said on Sunday.

Police have registered a case and are questioning one of the accused named in the written complaint by the girl, Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh said.

According to the complaint, the victim claimed that she was going to a shop for some work on December 3 when a van came to a halt and 3-4 boys pulled her into the vehicle.

Kolkata, Dec 6 (PTI) Cautioning against any attempt of polarisation along religious lines, West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim on Sunday asked people to steer clear of "certain elements" who seek votes by chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' or 'Allah Ho Akbar'.

Addressing a meeting at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district, the senior TMC leader said communalism can never usher in development.

Pune, Dec 7 (PTI) A 24-year-old Dutch woman tourist, overstaying in India in violation of the visa norms, has been arrested for allegedly ramming her jeep into a car in Maharashtra's Satara district, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday evening near Vijaynagar on Patan-Karad road, and the vehicle which the woman was driving was a stolen one, they said.

She rammed her jeep into the car from its rear side, a senior official from Satara police station said.

Lucknow, Dec 7 (PTI) The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday extended support to the 'Bharat Bandh' called by protesting farmers, with party chief Mayawati appealing to the Centre to accept their demands.

In a tweet on Monday, she said, "Farmers are protesting against three farm laws and are demanding their withdrawal. Farmer organisations have given a 'Bharat Bandh' call on December 8, and the BSP supports it. Along with this, it appeals to the Centre to accept the demands of farmers."

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Thousands of farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws for the past 11 days here have called on people to join their 'Bharat Bandh' on Tuesday in large numbers, as police increased deployment at various Delhi border points.

Farmer leaders also welcomed the support of political parties to the nationwide strike against the laws and demanded that the legislations be repealed.

Muzaffarnagar, Dec 7 (PTI) A 30-year-old married woman was allegedly raped by her landlord and his brother here, police said Monday.

The victim was raped seven months ago and the accused recorded a video of the incident, police outpost in-charge Lekhraj Singh said.

The accused are absconding and an investigation is underway, the police said.