Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI, Dec 26 (NNN-PTI) – Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, yesterday said that, a new COVID-19 vaccination drive for youths aged between 15 and 18 years will be launched in the country from Jan 3, 2022.

In addition, booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be given to health workers, frontline workers and those aged above 60 years, starting from Jan 10, Modi said.

Addressing the nation on TV, Modi asked the Indian people not to panic and avoid rumours about COVID-19 or the Omicron variant.

PATNA, India (AP) — A factory boiler exploded in eastern India on Sunday, killing at least six workers and injuring six others, police said.

Rescuers were looking for any workers who may be trapped in the rubble of the factory that produced food snacks in an industrial area 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Patna, the Bihar state capital.

The cause of the blast in Muzaffarpur was being investigated, said police officer Ram Naresh Paswan. He said the death toll was likely to rise as four of the injured were critical.

25 Dec 2021; MEMO: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that to insult the Prophet Muhammad is a violation of the freedom of religion, and that it should not be regarded as freedom of speech.

Srinagar, 26 December 2021: A Kashmiri was killed on Sunday by Indian security forces in Anantnag district of the Indian Administered Kashmir, Indian officials said.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar identified the slain insurgent as Faheem Bhat, resident of Kadipora Anantnag.

Jammu, Dec 25 (PTI) After spending 29 years in a Pakistani jail, Kathua resident Kuldeep Singh returned to a rousing welcome at his hometown here on Friday night, following which he asked the youth to never pull back from making any sacrifice for the country.

Singh (53), along with Mohammad Gufran from Aurangabad, were released by Pakistan on Monday and they reached Red Cross Bhavan at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Punjab after their repatriation.

New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested six women members of a gang for allegedly trafficking in infants, officials said on Saturday.

The gang, involved in trafficking of over 50 infants, used to procure them from the parents belonging to poor financial background by offering them money and further sold the babies to childless couples for a hefty amount, police said.

On December 17, police were tipped off that the members of the gang would come near Shamshan Ghat, Gandhi Nagar, around 3.30 pm to sell an infant.

Agra, Dec 25 (PTI) Accusing Christian missionaries of using the Christmas festival as an opportunity to spread Christianity by resorting to gift-distribution spree through Santa Claus to attract children and the poor towards their religion, some Hindu outfits on Saturday burnt effigies of the mythical character.

Moradabad, Dec 26 (PTI) A seven-year-old girl was abducted, raped and killed in a village in the district, police said on Sunday.

A farmer spotted the girl's body in a sugar cane field in Kanth area of Moradabad and informed police on Friday.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Dec 26 (PTI) A 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and raped by a youth from her village here, police said on Sunday.

The accused has been identified as Akshit. He is on the run, they said.

The girl was allegedly abducted by the youth four days ago from her village under Kotwali police station area. She was found unconscious by her family members at a nearby place, the police said.

Later, the girl told her parents that she was raped by Akshit, they said.

Muzaffarnagar, Dec 26 (PTI) The body of a 30-year-old woman was found hanging at her in-laws' house in Shamli district, with her father alleging she was murdered by her husband over a dowry dispute, police said on Sunday.

Bhumika used to live with her in-laws in the Maniharan locality of the district, and she was found dead on Saturday, they said.

Her father, Anil Sharma of Noida, has lodged a complaint with the police stating she was murdered by her husband and four other people over dowry, officials said.