From Srinagar hospital attack to Sonia Gandhi’s statement on BJP government’s work to PadMan box office prediction, here are the top news for today.
Top stories of the day:
Srinagar hospital attack: In big breakthrough, 4 arrested for helping Pakistani militant escape
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday arrested at least 4 people who are believed to have helped Pakistani militant Naveed Jat alias Hanzulla escape from custody during a hospital visit. The arrests were made while acrrying out raids at different locations in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts Wednesday night. Militants had on Tuesday opened fire on a police team who were taking the detainees from the Central Jail to the Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital for a medical check-up. Two policemen were killed and Jat had escaped from custody during the attack. Click here to read more
After the firing at Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital, in which Lashkar militant Hanzulla escaped, raids were carried out at several locations in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts. (Source: Express Photo)
This is a ‘maximum marketing, minimum delivery’ govt, will ensure its defeat, says Sonia Gandhi
A day after PM Modi slammed the Congress, its former president Sonia Gandhi hit back at him, saying her party will ensure defeat of the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections. Sonia Gandhi said that all like-minded parties need to work together and added that there was a need to “restore India” to its democratic, inclusive and secular path. Taking on the NDA government, Gandhi said that while they promised a government of ‘maximum governance, minimum government, they failed to deliver and now this seems to be the game of Maximum Marketing, Minimum Delivery. Click here to read more
Congress president Sonia Gandhi. (Express photo by Anil Sharma/File)
Rajinikanth and I need to ponder if we have to align: Kamal Haasan
Tamil actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday said that he and superstar Rajinikanth needed to contemplate if it was necessary for them to join hands and face the election, adding that both of them will first formally launch their respective political parties. He also said that he endorsed Rajinikanth’s view in this matter as both of them were being repeatedly asked if they would face the polls together. “Rajini sir, to this question had said that only time will give an answer and I had seconded that view. Truly, only time will answer,” Haasan said in his weekly column in Tamil magazine ‘Ananda Vikatan.’ Click here to read more
Now, Javed Akhtar speaks up on loudspeakers in mosques, supports Sonu Nigam; sparks online debate
Lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Supporting Sonu Nigam’s Azaan tweet which had created a storm online and then offline last year, poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday in a tweet said, “This is to put on record that I totally agree with all those including Sonu Nigam who want that Loud speakers should not be used by the mosques and for that matter by any place of worship in residential areas.” In response to many of the dissenting voices that called him out, Akhtar later tweeted, “Maen har galat baat Kay Khilaf awaaz uthata hoon . Mushkil yehi hai ke aap dusron ki galti to maan saktay hain Magar apni nahin (I have raised a voice against all wrong practices. The problem is that you can recognise others’ mistakes, but not your own.” Click here to read more
Amazing things happen when you are thinking about the team all the time, says Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli said that he decided to “hit out” towards the end of the Indian innings in the third ODI as he was starting to cramp up and wickets were falling at the other end. “The wicket got considerably slower after the 30th over, so you had to again adjust your game, and make sure, with wickets falling also, that you continued adjusting through the innings. I was pleased from that point of view that I was able to bat through because I was struggling with a bit of cramp around the 90s. Then wickets kept falling, I decided to hit out, because I thought I might not have enough energy left,” the Indian captain said in a press conference after the match. Click here to read more
PadMan box office prediction: Akshay Kumar film expected to rake in Rs 13 crore on day 1
PadMan’s box office journey starts tomorrow.
Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film PadMan is all set to hit the theaters on February 9. PadMan became one of the most awaited films of 2018 since its trailer hit the internet. In a conversation with indianexpress.com, Film business and trade analyst Girish Johar talked about the opening collection of PadMan. He said that the film is eyeing a collection of Rs 13-Rs 14 crore. While in the opening weekend, it could garner as much as Rs 50 crore. In terms of the number of screens, PadMan has acquired more than 2000 screens, a dominant share in the market. Click here to read more
Auto Expo 2018: Maruti Suzuki launches new Swift, introductory price starting from Rs 4.99 lakh
Auto Expo 2018: Maruti Suzuki launched the new Swift today.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), country’s largest carmaker, on Thursday launched the all-new version of its most-awaited popular hatchback Swift at an introductory price ranging between Rs 4.99 lakh to Rs 8.29 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Last month, MSI opened bookings for the new Swift, which will come on both petrol and diesel options. The new Swift is based on Suzuki’s 5th generation HEARTECT platform. While the petrol variant will have a 1.2 litre engine, the diesel option is powered by a 1.3 litre engine, the company said. Click here to read more