India

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) A tribunal set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on Friday directed Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) trustee Zakir Naik, who is absconding, to file a fresh vakalatnama through the Indian embassy in Malaysia after the verification of his signatures.

The tribunal was conducting proceedings to consider the Centre's decision to declare the IRF as an unlawful association.

A vakalatnama is the document empowering a lawyer to act for and on behalf of his client.

Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Feb 5 (PTI) The son of a farmer killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident allegedly involving Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son says he has declined the offer of the SP and the Congress to contest in the assembly polls and instead has asked them to field him in the 2024 Parliamentary election against the minister himself.

Jagdeep Singh is the the eldest son of Nachhatar Singh, one of the eight people who were allegedly mowed down in the district during a farmer demonstration.

Srinagar, Feb 5 (PTI) An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 on the Richter scale hit Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, but there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property, officials said.

The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 9.45 am, was at the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. Strong tremors were felt in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

The officials said the quake hit at latitude 36.34 degrees north and longitude 71.05 degrees east at a depth of 181 km.

Jodhpur, Feb 3 (PTI) A man allegedly raped his four-year-old cousin here in a village in Jalore, police on Thursday said.

According to the police, the accused, Narayan Meghwal (25), had come to the victim's house in Leta Village with her father in the afternoon.

The incident took place around 3.00 pm, when the victim's father, who had just finished his lunch -- his wife out shopping - heard his daughter's screams and rushed inside the house for her help.

Chandigarh, Feb 3 (PTI) With the Congress likely to announce its CM face for the Punjab Assembly polls on February 6, state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife on Thursday said it doesn't matter who becomes the CM, her husband will remain a hero.

Whoever the CM may be, it does not matter, Navjot Kaur Sidhu said.

Navjot Singh Sidhu is a hero and he will remain a hero, she said while talking to reporters in Amritsar.

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) At least two Lok Sabha members lauded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on centralisation of power under the BJP government, contending that he had accurately reflected the pulse of the people of the country.

Dehradun, Feb 4 (PTI) The BJP has expelled six rebels from the party in Uttarakhand, who had entered the fray as independents against its official nominees, for six years.

Those expelled include Rudrapur MLA Rajkumar Thukral, Tika Prasad Maikhuri, Mahaveer Singh Rangad, Jitendra Negi, Dhirendra Chauhan and Manoj Shah, Pradesh BJP media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said.

Their expulsion follows the failure of the BJP leadership to persuade them to withdraw from the fray in favour of the party's official nominees.

Gorakhpur, Feb 4 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday filed nomination from the Gorakhpur Urban assembly seat in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

After a rally, Shah and Adityanath went to the collectorate office for submission of papers for the election.

Adityanath is fighting the assembly election for the first time. He had represented the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat for five times in the past.

Gorakhpur Urban seat will go to vote in the sixth phase on March 3.

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) India has offered a one-year training programme for around 80 Afghan cadets following completion of their courses in various Indian military academies.

The Afghan embassy in India welcomed the offer considering the uncertain future facing the young cadets in view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan.

The Afghan cadets will be given training under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Kota, Feb 4 (PTI) Alleging torture by his wife with a threat to frame false cases against him and his family members, a 24-year-old man has allegedly committed suicide in his house in the Udhyog Nagar area here, police said.

Anil Singh also recorded a video message on his mobile phone before hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his house in Prem Nagar-I locality on late Thursday night, when he was alone as his family members had gone to a marriage function.