India

Machilipatnam(AP), Apr 8 (PTI) A case has been registered against a pastor for allegedly sexually assaulting a 24-year- old woman here, police said on Wednesday.

The crime came to light on Tuesday after the victim lodged a complaint against the pastor.

Mumbai, Apr 8 (PTI) Twelve people from Navi Mumbai township were arrested on Wednesday for going out on morning walk in violation of the lockdown guidelines, police said.

These people were spotted by police on roads in Navi Mumbai's Panvel area near here early in the morning.

Bhopal, Apr 8 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday invoked the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) with immediate effect to tackle the coronavirus spread, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

"In a bid to manage the COVID-19 outbreak in a better way and in the interest of the citizens, the government has implemented the Essential Services Management Act, called ESMA, with the immediate effect in Madhya Pradesh," Chouhan said in a tweet.

Bhopal, Apr 8 (PTI) Six more people tested positive for coronavirus in Bhopal, taking the number of such cases in the Madhya Pradesh capital to 91, officials said on Wednesday.

The six new patients include a journalist working with a news channel, a public relations department official said.

Mumbai, Apr 8 (PTI) Amidst growing cases of COVID-19, the Mumbai civic body on Wednesday made wearing of masks at public places compulsory, an official release stated.

Issuing a circular, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also warned of arrest under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for flouting its order.

"All persons moving out for whatever purpose and for whatever reason in public places like streets, hospitals, offices, markets etc must wear mask or cloth mask," it stated.

Ahmedabad, Apr 7 (PTI) Police officers in Gujarat have been directed to strictly enforce the lockdown in rural areas of the state to check the spread of coronavirus.

Issuing a circular on Wednesday, state Director General of Police (DGP) Shivanand Jha has directed district SPs, Range IGs and police commissioners to ensure that no one comes in or go out of villages.

Kanpur: Residents observing social distancing and lockdown in toto are condemning the vegetable vendors for avoiding the sale of green vegetables in the city's outer Jajmau area. Though its tract is adjoining the Cantt side, it is also spread over Lucknow-Allahabad route along the Ganges.

Jammu, Apr 7 (PTI) Old habits will just no longer do, a Jammu and Kashmir administration employee found to his dismay on Tuesday when he was sent to a quarantine centre for blowing his nose and spitting on the road.

The man, who works as an accountant in the civil secretariat here, had gone to meet a relative in Paloura on the outskirts of the city when he was nabbed, officials said.

Mumbai, Apr 7 (PTI) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has unveiled a short film, "Family", which talks about the importance of staying at home, maintaining hygiene and social distancing in the times of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Family", which has been conceptualised and virtually directed by Prasoon Pandey, also features Rajinikanth, Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Alia Bhatt, Diljit Dosanjh, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Sonali Kulkarni, Shiv Raj Kumar and Prosenjit Chatterjee.

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has dismissed the plea of Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman arrested in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam cases, seeking interim bail on the grounds of risk of contracting coronavirus in Tihar jail.

Justice Mukta Gupta, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, said the apprehension of Michel that because of his vulnerable age and overcrowding in jail, he is likely to contact COVID-19 which may be detrimental to his health, is unfounded.