India considers Pakistan's test launch of a ballistic missile on Saturday amid escalating tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack as a "blatant" act of "provocation", people familiar with the matter said. The Pakistani military said it carried out the launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile that has a range of 450 km. It is learnt that Islamabad provided prior information to New Delhi about its plan to carry out the missile test as mandated under laid-down obligations and norms. "The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features," the Pakistan army said in a statement. The missile launch was part of "Exercise INDUS", it said but did not provide any details about the exercise. The people cited above described the missile test as a "blatant act of provocation". Meanwhile, India on Saturday suspended exchange of all categories of mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes. The order suspending the services was issued by the Department of Posts that operates under the Ministry of Communication. Terror suspect searched in Lanka flight Sri Lankan police on Saturday searched a flight from Chennai after being tipped off that a suspect linked to the Pahalgam terror attack could be on board, police spokesperson said here. A statement from the national carrier SriLankan Airlines said that its flight arrived at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport from Chennai at 11:59 am and underwent a comprehensive security inspection upon arrival. “The search was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board”, the statement said. The aircraft was thoroughly inspected and subsequently cleared for further operations, it added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 May,2025 07:34 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesKarnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Saturday that eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Hindu activist here and an anti-communal task force will be constituted permanently to tackle incidents of "communal hatred". Speaking to reporters here, City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said that eight people have been arrested and two more suspects are likely to be arrested soon in connection with Suhas Shetty's murder. According to him, six of the accused were directly involved in executing the murder, with Safwan named as the prime accused. He reportedly had a previous case of attempted murder registered against him in 2023. The prime accused Abdul Safwan had been the target of a murderous assault in 2023, allegedly carried out by Suhas Shetty along with his associates Prashanth and Dhanaraj. Shetty, also a known rowdy and Hindu activist, was murdered by an unidentified group late on Thursday. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 May,2025 07:34 AM IST | Mangaluru | AgenciesIn the wake of China’s recent advancements in satellite control which have raised concerns among global space agencies, including the US Space Force, India is conducting advanced satellite “dogfighting” manoeuvres in space. The move is a strategic extension of ISRO’s ambitious SPADEX mission. This effort involves a chaser and target satellite orbiting 500 km above Earth, autonomously executing precision flight tactics. These coordinated movements, similar to fighter jet dogfights, demonstrate India’s growing capability in satellite manoeuvrability. ISRO’s satellites, travelling at over blistering 28,000 km per hour, have successfully performed rendezvous and proximity operations, marking a significant technological milestone. Prior to this high-speed engagement, a manually controlled circumambulation between the satellites was carried out. Meanwhile, ISRO has successfully executed power transfers between its satellites, proving their operational synchronisation. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 May,2025 07:33 AM IST | Bengaluru | AgenciesTwo people were killed in a fire that broke out at a food factory on Saturday, police said. According to police, they received information about the blaze at around 4:30 pm. A police team with fire tenders reached the spot and initiated relief and rescue operations. "Hrithik, the son of the factory owner, who was present at the site, informed authorities that the factory was used for bakery work but had been closed for about a year. However, welding work was underway at the time of the incident," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Amit Kumawat said. With the efforts of 15 to 16 vehicles from the local police station and the fire department, including fire brigade units, the blaze was brought under complete control by around 7:00 pm, the ADCP said. Akhilesh (45), owner of the factory, was trapped inside along with another person identified as Abrar (45), he said. They were recovered and rushed to Lokbandhu Hospital for treatment, where doctors pronounced them dead, Kumawat said. Based on the information police received from Hrithik, the fire may have been ignited by the sparks generated during the welding work being conducted inside the closed factory. The bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway, Kumawat added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 10:58 PM IST | Lucknow | PTIPolice have arrested a government school teacher for allegedly sexually assaulting students, officials said Saturday. The accused was arrested on Friday and produced in local court. He has been sent to judicial custody, police said. According to police, they received a complaint from the headmaster of a government high school in a village in Nuh that Ajay Garg had sexually assaulted some of the female students. Following the complaint, a police team reached the school premises, recorded statements of the students and registered a case against Garg under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on Friday, they said. The education department has also begun the process of his suspension, they said. "Considering the seriousness of the matter, all aspects are being thoroughly investigated", a spokesperson of Nuh police said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 10:48 PM IST | Gurugram | PTIThe Sai Baba temple at Shirdi in Maharashtra received a bomb threat through an email but it turned out to be a hoax, police said on Saturday, reported the PTI. The security at the famous temple in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra that draws millions of devotees every year was stepped up following the threat, said an official. The temple trust received an email on Friday, where the sender said he was going to blow up the temple using a bomb, after which the police were alerted. "Sansthan (trust) has its own security staff. After receiving the email, our staff along with police teams conducted a search but nothing suspicious was found," said Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan CEO Goraksha Gadilkar, according to the PTI. Deputy Commissioner office in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu receives bomb threat mail In a similar incident in Himachal Pradesh, the deputy commissioner's office in Kullu on Friday received an email threatening to blow up offices and public places in the town in the next 24 hours, officials said, as per the PTI. The latest threat mail came after the deputy commissioner's (DC) offices in Hamirpur, Chamba and Mandi received similar threats recently, reported the PTI. An email threatening to blow up the Secretariat was also received at the chief secretary's office in Shimla last month. Following the threat, bomb disposal squads and surveillance units were deployed across Kullu, while the Himachal Pradesh police and intelligence agencies were working to verify the credibility of the threat mail and trace its origin, the officials said on Friday. According to the PTI, the security has been beefed up at the important locations across the district with police pressing their dog squad into action. Barricades were also seen at the main market in Manali, locals said. On April 25, threat mails were received at the DC offices in Chamba and Hamirpur. On April 16, two threat mails were received at the offices of the chief secretary in Shimla and the district commissioner in Mandi, following which both the places were evacuated. However, the threats later turned out be hoax. (with PTI inputs)
03 May,2025 10:39 PM IST | Shirdi | mid-day online correspondentTwo days after a Nepalese student was found dead at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, a kin of the deceased on Saturday urged authorities for a thorough investigation, and said that the girl student had shown no signs of distress before her death. Speaking to ANI, Rajesh Ranjan, the relative of the deceased, said that the victim's post-mortem examination was underway and that the family of the student would cremate the mortal remains in Puri. Sharing information, Ranjan said that the girl had recently spoken to her father and was looking forward to returning home. "She asked her father to book a ticket to come back. She was happy to have finished her exam. There were no signs of depression," Ranjan said. Describing her as "bright, ambitious, and courageous," Ranjan emphasised that the student would have communicated with her parents had she been facing any difficulty. "People are interpreting it wrongly," he said, urging the public to refrain from drawing premature conclusions. The family plans to cremate the girl in Puri and has expressed satisfaction with the cooperation extended so far by the authorities. "The authorities are cooperating fully, and we hope this will continue through the investigation," Ranjan added. Highlighting the importance of open communication between students and their families, he said, "Children should share everything with their parents so that if there is any problem, they can resolve it." He also called upon the government to ensure a transparent and comprehensive probe. "I want to demand from the government that the investigation is done properly, and it should be ensured that such incidents do not happen again in the future," he said. Meanwhile, the mortal remains of the Nepali student, who died in KIIT University, were handed over to her family for the last rites to be held in Puri, Odisha. The grieving parents of the Nepalese student who was found dead at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar arrived at the mortuary centre in AIIMS hospital. Earlier in the day, a visibly upset mother of the deceased female student from Nepal said, "We received information (about her demise) at 8:00 PM." The father of the Nepalese student informed that his daughter had talked to them in the afternoon, on the day of the incident. "On the day of the incident, we had a telephone conversation with her at 3:00 PM. She talked to us nicely," he said. In response to the incident, the University Grant Commission (UGC) has constituted a four-member fact-finding committee under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Nageshwar Rao, to look into the recent alleged suicide deaths at KIIT. The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding these incidents, ensure compliance with student welfare and safety regulations, and suggest measures to prevent such incidents. The committee also includes Shashikala Wanjari, Vice-Chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), and HCS Rathore, Former Vice Chancellor of Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, as a member and Sunita Siwach, Joint Secretary of UGC as the coordination officer, according to a statement from UGC on Friday. A Nepali student was found dead in her hostel room in KIIT on Thursday evening, making it the second case of a student from a neighbouring country found dead in the institute within three months. Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh on Friday said that following preliminary findings in the case related to the death of the Nepali girl at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), "Prima facie, it appears to be a suicide case," as she was found hanging in her hostel room on Thursday evening. Providing more insights on the matter, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Bhubaneswar Jagmohan Meena stated the girl was found dead during a routine attendance check on Thursday and was found hanging inside her hostel room. "During the investigation, it was found that when the hostel warden was taking evening attendance, one student did not respond. On checking, the girl was found hanging inside her room. She was immediately shifted to a local hospital. The body is now kept at AIIMS, and the girl's parents have been informed. The girl hailed from Nepal. She was studying B.Tech and was in her first year. No note was found in the girl's room," he said. Earlier in February, Prakriti Lamsal also died by suicide at the same university. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 09:08 PM IST | Bhubaneswar | ANIUnion Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday inaugurated two new express train services connecting Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan, the officials said. The inaugural runs of the Pune (Hadapsar)–Jodhpur Express and the MGR Chennai Central–Jodhpur (Bhagat Ki Kothi) Express were flagged off via video conferencing, they said. According to an official statement, the event was also attended by Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism and others. It said that the benefits of the new trains include direct travel between Maharashtra/Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. It will boosts trade and commerce and would facilitate increase in tourism in the three states. The new trains will also encourage trade and business interaction between the regions and will saves time and effort for passengers, especially long-distance travellers, a Central Railway statement said. Details of the inaugural run of Hadapsar (Pune) – Jodhpur Express: - Inaugural Train no 01401 Hadapsar (Pune) – Jodhpur Express will leave Pune at 17:30 hrs on 03.05.2025 and reach Jodhpur at 14:00 hrs next day. Details of the regular train services between Hadapsar and Jodhpur: - Train no 20496 Hadapsar – Jodhpur Express will leave Hadapasar at 19.15 hrs daily from 6.5.2025 and reach Jodhpur at 15:10 hrs next day. - Train no. 20495 Jodhpur – Hadapsar Express will leave Jodhpur at 22:00 hrs daily from 5.05.2025 and reach Hadapsar at 17:10 hrs next day. Halts for regular train: Pune, Chinchwad, Lonavala, Kalyan, Vasai Road, Vapi, Surat, Vadodra, Geratpur, Ahmedabad, Mahesana, Palanpur, Abu Road, Pindwara, Jawai Bandh, Falna, Rani, Marwar Jn , Pali Marwar and Luni, Composition for Regular Train: Two AC-2Tier, Three AC-3Tier, Two AC-3Tier Economy, 7 Sleeper Class, 4 General Second Class, 1 General Second Class cum Guard’s Brake Van and 1 Generator Van. "The bookings for regular Train No. 20496 will be available from 5.5.2025 at all computerised reservation centres and on website www.irctc.co.in," the officials said. The regular train service comprises two AC-2 Tier coaches, three AC-3 Tier coaches, two AC-3 Tier economy coaches, seven sleeper class coaches, four general second class coaches, one general second class cum guard’s brake van, and one generator van, they said. "The bookings for the regular Train No. 20496 are available from May 5, 2025, at all computerized reservation centres and on the official website," the officials said.
03 May,2025 08:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 50-year-old Pakistani woman, her son, and a two-year-old grandson have been detained for residing illegally in Gujarat's Rajkot district, police said on Saturday. The family had been residing in India for more than 25 years, while the child was born to the son's Indian wife, officials said. According to PTI, the Rajkot Rural Local Crime Branch had recently received a tip-off that some Pakistani nationals were living illegally in Lodhika taluka, and accordingly, the branch had launched its investigation. Authorities have launched a crackdown on Pakistani nationals living illegally in India following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack. Rizwanaben Tatariya, who hails from Karachi in Pakistan, was found living in Lodhika taluka of Rajkot district since July 1999, the crime branch said in a statement. Her husband, Munaf Tatariya, a resident of Rajkot district, met her during a visit to Karachi on a work visa in 1992 and married her. The couple had a son, Zeeshan.While her husband returned to India in 1994, Rizwanaben and Zeeshan came to the country on a joint Pakistani passport on July 30, 1999, and never returned to Pakistan, the statement said, according to reports from PTI. In 2021, Zeeshan, 29, illegally married a local woman, and they had a son in September 2022, the police said. As Rizwanaben, Zeeshan, and the child are Pakistani nationals living illegally in India, they were detained for further action, the statement said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 07:07 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIAngola’s President, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, will visit India from May 1 to 4 on the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed on Wednesday. President Lourenco will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising several ministers, senior officials, business representatives and members of the media, reported news agency ANI. During the visit, the Angolan President will meet his Indian counterpart and hold both restricted and delegation-level talks with the Prime Minister (PM). The two leaders will also address key business concerns shared by both countries. Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed between the two countries in the fields of traditional medicine, agriculture, and cultural cooperation, reported ANI. India formally established diplomatic relations with Angola in 1985 and has maintained strong ties with the African country ever since. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the relationship. Angola is also serving as this year’s Chair of the African Union. Previous major visits Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio in Kampala on January 18 on the sidelines of the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Ministerial Meeting. On July 26, 2018, President Lourenco met PM Modi in Johannesburg during the BRICS Summit. Then Minister of State, MJ Akbar, visited Angola from March 15–16, 2018, and held bilateral discussions with Domingos Custodio Viera Lopes, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Angolan Communities. An MoU on ICT was signed during the visit. In October 2015, the then Vice-President of Angola, Manuel Vicente, visited India to take part in the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). During his visit, Vicente had met PM Narendra Modi. On July 15, 2015, then Minister of State, VK Singh, had visited Luanda as the PM’s special envoy to deliver a personal invitation to IAFS III. During that visit, he called on then Vice-President Manuel Vicente. Former Angolan Foreign Minister Joao Bernardo de Miranda visited India in May 2006, followed by his successor Georges R Chikoti in February 2011, who came to attend the India-LDC Ministerial Conference in Delhi. There have been regular political exchanges between India and Angola, with visits from various Angolan ministers, including those of agriculture, finance and health. (With ANI inputs)
03 May,2025 07:03 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentGoa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced a detailed inquiry into the tragic stampede that claimed six lives and left at least 75 others injured, reported the PTI. The incident occurred early hours of Saturday morning at the Sree Lairai Devi Temple in Shirgao village, North Goa at around 3 am during the annual Lairai Zatra festival. According to the PTI, CM Sawant visited the site of the stampede just hours after the incident. Addressing the press, he said, "I have asked for a detailed inquiry into the incident. The report will be made public." Sawant added that future temple festivals across the state would see more precautionary measures to prevent such tragedies. After the news of the stampede, CM Sawant also visited the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa to check on the injured. He later tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences and full support to the state government. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that 75 people were treated across various government healthcare facilities in the state. As per the latest reports, 75 patients have been admitted to various government facility centres, including Asilo Hospital in Mapusa, Community Health Centres (CHC) in Bicholim and Sankhali, and the Goa Medical College (GMC),” he said in a statement, according to the PTI. Of the injured, at least 18 patients were admitted to Asilo Hospital, three are under observation at CHC Bicholim, and one is receiving care at CHC Sankhali. "Sadly, six people were brought in dead, including two women, at Asilo Hospital and two at CHC Bicholim," Rane added. The health minister praised the swift response of emergency teams at rescuing the affected people at the site. "First responders from CHCs acted quickly to stabilize the injured. Ten ALS (Advanced Life Support) ambulances were deployed, and patients needing specialised care were referred to GMC, which remains on high alert," he said, as per the PTI. Thousands of devotees from Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka had gathered at the Sree Lairai Devi Temple for the annual festival. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined for which the investigations were underway. Meanwhile, BJP Goa unit president Damodar Naik said that the Prime Minister's Office is personally monitoring the situation. Speaking outside Goa Medical College and Hospital, Naik mentioned that six patients at the facility remain in critical condition. The opposition Congress party extended its condolences to the victims and their families. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) called for a thorough probe to fix the situation and asked the government to ensure such incidents do not recur. The state government has assured that all necessary steps are being taken to support the victims and their families, and the findings of the inquiry will be made public to maintain transparency. (With inputs from PTI)
03 May,2025 07:00 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
