Indian Sub-continent

Rupnagar (Pb), Dec 21 (PTI) A 17-year-old girl was found pregnant after being repeatedly raped allegedly by her father and his friend here, police said, adding that both the accused were booked Friday.

The girl is seven months pregnant, Bharat Bhushan, SHO, Rupnagar civil lines police station, said.

She was living with her father in a village in this district.

According to police, her father and one of his friends, who was living with them, raped her repeatedly.

Kota, Dec 21 (PTI) A POCSO court In Rajasthan's Bundi district Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man to life imprisonment for abducting and raping a 16-year-old girl.

The POCSO court No. 2 Special Judge Sushil Kumar Sharma pronounced that Vijay Kumar Goswami, a resident of Kolipura, in Karauli district will remain in jail till his natural death.

Meerut, Dec 21 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena Friday said it will send veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah a air-ticket for Pakistan over his comments on the Bulandshahr violence.

The actor found himself at the centre of a major controversy over his remarks in reference to the killing of a policeman in Bulandshahr earlier this month.

He said the death of a cow was being given importance over killing of a policeman in the violence.

Muzaffarnagar, Dec 22 (PTI) A 52-year-old sadhu allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday in Dhandeda village under Kakroli police station limits, they said.

Prakashanand Giri's body was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in his house. It was recovered after breaking open the door of the room, Station House Officer Jitender Ambavat said.

His body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, he said.

Banda (UP), Dec 22 (PTI) A 23-year-old youth was arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot, police said.

The accused was identified as Suraj, they said.

The minor had gone to pick fruits with her younger brother when the accused allegedly raped her in Akbarpur village under Karvi Kotwali police station area, Inspector In-charge Anil Kumar Singh said.

Suraj placed large stones on the girl, who was unconscious, before fleeing, he said.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy was Saturday appointed as a BJP national spokesperson by party president Amit Shah.

A party statement said his appointment will take place with immediate effect.

A Lok Sabha MP from Bihar who had defeated RJD president Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi in 2014 general elections, Rudy has held organisational responsibilities in the past as well and was also a general secretary, a key position.

Bhopal (MP), Dec 22 (PTI) A 40-year-old Pakistani man, who has been staying at a Bhopal Police Station since the last nine months after his 10-year jail term got over here, would be repatriated to his home country on December 26, officials said Saturday.

The repatriation of Mohammed Imran Warsi is taking place after over a week of software engineer and Mumbai resident Hamid Nihal Ansari being released by Pakistan after he served six years in a jail in that country on espionage charges.

Srinagar, Dec 22 (PTI) Six Kashmiri seperatists were killed in an encounter Saturday morning with security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Arampora village in Awantipora area of the south Kashmir district this morning following specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.

The forces retaliated leading to a gunfight, the official said.

KANPUR: Kalyanpur police caught vehicle lifters red-handed during a checking drive on Thursday late night near Panki road, and nabbed Krishna Srivastava alias Himanshu r/o Kannauj and another Abhishek Chaturvedi r/o Vinayakpur. On investigation, they revealed five bikes stolen by them.

In another checking in Sisamau, Pawan r/o Kabadi Market was caught with one Activa scooty and a bike. He told the police about several stolen vehicles.

KANPUR: 126-year-old Sisamau Nullah has been tapped. A report to this effect has been submitted to the Union minister Nitin Gadkari by Jal Nigam. This will make available clear water to the bathers at ghats viz., Rani Ghat, Bhairon Ghat, Magzine Ghat and Hospital Ghat. Informing of this step, V.V. Pant, district magistrate, said that whatever problems prevailed so far was removed now. The tapping report has already been sent to the state government.