A man being tested for Covid-19 at Anand Vihar railway station in New Delhi. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)Delhi News: Delhi on Thursday recorded zero death due to Covid-19 and 40 fresh cases with a positivity rate of 0.08 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. The number of cumulative cases rose to 14,40,270. Over 14.14 lakh patients have recovered from the infection.
The death toll due to the coronavirus infection in Delhi stood at 25,091. The national capital has not reported any death due to Covid-19 so far this month. It reported four Covid-19 deaths in October and five in September.
A thick layer of smog partially blotted out the sun on Chhath Puja and smudged landmarks from view as the air quality in Delhi-NCR slipped back into the severe zone with unfavourable meteorological conditions aiding accumulation of pollutants. Green think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the ongoing smog episode is a public health emergency. Delhi recorded the 24-hourly air quality index (AQI) at 411. Most of the 39 air quality monitoring stations in the national capital recorded air pollution levels in the severe category.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia has urged the Centre to postpone the National Achievement Survey (NAS) scheduled to be held on Friday. The NAS is a countrywide test aimed at assessing learning loss among school students due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, through which the Ministry of Education expects to cover 38 lakh students in nearly 1.23 lakh schools in 733 districts across 36 states and Union Territories in government, government-aided and private schools. The survey will cover students of classes 3, 5, 8 and 10.
In his tweet, Sisodia had attached a news report from The Indian Express on the conduct of NAS being hobbled by realities of delayed school re-openings and natural calamities.
CM Arvind Kejriwal performs Chhath puja at East Kidwai Nagar.
A Delhi court Thursday framed charges of abetment of suicide against AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal and his aide Kapil Nagar in connection with the suicide of a South Delhi-based doctor.
Dr Rajender Singh (52) had committed suicide at his residence on April 18, 2020. Police said a purported suicide note was recovered from the spot, in which he allegedly blamed Jarwal and his aide for “harassing” him and his family over his water supply business. In the purported note, he held them responsible for his death and accused Jarwal of extortion, police said.
Additional Sessions Judge Geetanjali Goel framed charges under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 120-B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 384 (punishment for extortion), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention). Read More
The Delhi High Court Thursday asked the Delhi government and SDM Alipur to respond to a couple’s petition seeking registration of their marriage that took place more than 40 years back. The court was told that software for registering the marriages did not accept the couple’s application as they were underage on the day of marriage in May 1981.
Justice Rekha Palli, while issuing notice to the authorities, listed the case for hearing on December 23. The couple have sought registration of marriage under the Special Marriage Act and also for waiving off the requirement of issuance of public notice of 30 days.
“The petitioners fulfil all the conditions for registration of marriage as prescribed in Section 15 of the Special Marriage Act, 1954 as they completed the age of 21 years at the time of registration and the marriage of the petitioners was conducted on 28-05-1981 as per the Hindu Vedic rites and ceremonies,” the counsel representing the couple told the court. Read More
A fire broke out inside an office on the sixth floor of a commercial building near Karkardooma court Thursday evening. The Delhi Fire Services said they received a call around 8.10 pm and deployed 14 fire tenders to douse the fire and for cooling operation.
The fire was controlled in an hour. No casualties were reported.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) on Thursday demanded the immediate release of pension and other benefits of retired faculty members withheld by the university.
The university administration was not following court orders on the matter, it alleged.
"In standing with the retired faculty in their fight for justice, JNUTA demands the immediate release of all pension and all other benefits to all retired faculty whose dues have been withheld by the administration on the orders of the vice-chancellor," the JNUTA said.
In 2019, 48 faculty members were charge-sheeted under the CCS rules for participating in a one-day protest the previous year. (PTI)
Vehicles accounted for more than 50 per cent of Delhi's pollution during the early phase of this year's winter, from October 24 to November 8, according to an analysis by the green think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The CSE study released here on Thursday is based on real-time data on source contribution from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune.
"The analysis clearly shows vehicles' contribution is half or more. This is followed by household pollution (12.5-13.5 per cent), industry (9.9-13.7 per cent), construction (6.7-7.9 per cent), waste burning and road dust (each varied between 4.6-4.9 per cent and 3.6-4.1 per cent, respectively)," it said.
The Decision Support System of IITM is part of the Air Quality Early Warning System and provides information on the potential emission sources in Delhi. It also tracks data from sources outside Delhi -- 19 districts in the national capital region -- as well as biomass burning in the neighbouring states. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court Thursday questioned the manner in which the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had attempted to carry out the transplantation of a 60-year-old peepal tree at Inderpuri and directed Delhi’s forest department to examine the tree afresh to check whether it is dangerous or not.
On October 28, the court had directed the authorities to not harm or remove the tree in any manner and halted the NDMC action midway after senior advocate N Hariharan mentioned that the 60-year-old tree near his residence was being illegally cut. The court had said that grave and irreparable harm will be caused not only to the environment but also the residents of the locality if the tree is permitted to be cut.
Pulling up the NDMC, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva Thursday asked the civic body to explain how it was possible to transplant such an old tree and observed that its removal may require bringing down of some houses in the vicinity of the tree. Read More
A day after a 20-year-old trainee wrestler and her 18-year-old brother were shot dead at a wrestling academy in Sonepat, allegedly by her coach and his accomplices, two persons involved in the murders – main accused Pawan’s wife, Sujata, and his brother-in-law Amit – were arrested from Rohtak, according to a spokesperson of Sonepat police.
Mayank Gupta, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Kharkhoda, said two persons have been arrested: “The FIR mentions that Pawan, who is the owner of the wrestling academy, harassed the woman and acted indecently with her. Four teams of the crime branch are trying to trace the other accused. A reward of Rs 1 lakh has been announced for information leading to their arrest.”
At the village on Thursday, a pall of sadness descended over the family’s home.
Sitting on the doorstep waiting for the bodies of his children, their grieving father said: “My daughter would have made it to the Olympics. She was talented and ambitious. She had been training since 2016 and had won several local and inter-college tournaments. In 2019, she came second at the inter-university championship in 52 kg category held in Aurangabad. If she had listened to me and enrolled in a different coaching facility…" Read More
The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the Centre's stand on a plea for labelling “all items” used by the public, including home appliances and apparel, as “vegetarian” or “non-vegetarian” on the basis of their ingredients and “items used in manufacturing process”.
A bench headed by Justice Vipin Sanghi observed that everyone has the right to know and follow their belief and asked the central government to “seriously examine” the plea by Ram Gaua Raksha Dal -- a trust working towards the welfare of cows -- which claims that there are certain “non-vegetarian” products that are unknowingly used or consumed by those professing vegetarianism due to absence of proper disclosures.
“There can't be no denying the fact that every person has the right to know which springs from right to free speech. The issue raised by the petitioner has a bearing on a person's right to life in as much as the person is entitled to profess and follow his beliefs,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Jasmeet Singh. It said a copy of the order be given to the concerned secretaries of Ministries of Health and Consumer Affairs for their consideration and directed that a response be filed in three weeks. (PTI)
A Delhi court has directed the Police Commissioner to take legal action and register a case against police officials for allegedly committing fraud by filing two distinct sets of charge sheets in a rape case, calling it a “classic case of abuse of power by the police”.
Additional Sessions Judge Gaurav Rao came down heavily on the police after noting that the charge sheet that has been filed in the court and supplied to the counsel of the accused is different from the one with the prosecutor and the complainant's counsel.
The judge said that filing two district sets of charge sheets amounts to perjury, cheating, and interference with the justice dispensation process. “It is treachery of the highest order,” he said. (PTI)
Four months after a Delhi court asked the police to investigate the mob attack at a Muslim man’s house during the northeast Delhi riots stating that it was apparent that sections relating to attempt to murder and dacoity should have been invoked, the police have dropped these sections in their chargesheet, claiming no evidence.
In this case, the complainant Salman’s house was attacked by a mob of over 100 persons, instigated by six persons who are chargesheeted in this case.
According to the chargesheet, the six accused, all locals from Karawal Nagar, had told the mob: “Can’t you kill a Muslim, break down their doors and kill them.” Salman escaped from his house with his wife and son while the mob broke into his home and set his bike on fire. The police were ordered to register an FIR in the matter by a Metropolitan Magistrate following an application filed by Salman’s lawyer, MR Shamshad. Read More
A 36-year-old property dealer was found dead inside a house in south Delhi’s Chattarpur on Thursday morning. The deceased had a bullet injury on his head, the police said.
He was identified as Sanjiv Sejwal, a resident of Lado Sarai. The police received a PCR call around 4.45 am from a woman saying that Sejwal had shot himself and was lying on the fourth floor of JMD Estate building.
Harsh Vardhan, additional DCP (south) said: “We went to the spot and found Sejwal lying dead with a revolver by his side. A forensic team was called to the building to examine the scene. We are investigating the death from all angles. The reason behind the death isn’t clear. No suicide note was found at the spot.”
On Wednesday night, Sejwal went to JMD Estate to meet his friends and was partying with three or four of them around 9 pm, said the police. His body has been sent for autopsy and his family has been informed. He is survived by his wife and two children. (ENS)
A Delhi court rejected the bail plea of a domestic worker accused of kidnapping and threatening to kill a child in order to recover her wages from the child’s parents, saying that it cannot be a method to recover wages by any stretch of imagination.
Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal rejected the bail plea of the domestic worker who is accused of having kidnapped the complainant’s child before fleeing to Rajasthan.
The court denied bail by observing, “Even if she has kidnapped the child to recover her wages, it can, by no stretch of imagination, be a method for the same. There are counter claims from both the sides about whether she demanded wages or more money which shall be a matter of trial. However, considering the seriousness of the offence, the fact that she may be a flight risk as having no permanent address in Delhi and also the fact that she left her parental house way back in the year 2018 as she did not want to live with her parents, she does not have a prima facie case of bail.” Read More
A 36-year-old property dealer was found dead inside a house in South Delhi’s Chhatarpur on Thursday morning. Police said the deceased had a bullet injury on his head. The incident took place at at JMD Estate building around 4.40 am.
In what has become a repeat occurrence in the city, a layer of froth was seen floating over parts of the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj on Monday, with Chhath devotees standing in toxic foam-laden water to offer prayers.
What causes frothing in the Yamuna?
The froth is a sign of a polluted river. Experts say the release of untreated or poorly treated effluents, including sewage from those parts of the city that are not connected to the sewerage network and industrial waste, could lead to frothing. Specifically, phosphates in the river form the froth, said Sushmita Sengupta, Senior Programme Manager of the Water Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Read more
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to respond within three weeks to a petition seeking strict implementation of rules mandating manufacturers to label their products as vegetarian or non-vegetarian according to the ingredients used in it.
“There can be no denying the fact that every person has the right to know, which springs from the Right to Freedom of Speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The issues raised herein have a bearing on Right to Life preserved under Article 21 in as much as a person is entitled to profess and follow his beliefs, which is also protected under Article 25 of the Constitution. We, therefore, direct the respondent authorities to seriously examine the issues and respond to the petition within three weeks,” the court said. Read more
The Delhi government sprayed water, used boats and tried to erect a makeshift barricade on the Yamuna river Wednesday to “scatter” the foam that had developed over the water.
Visuals of water being sprinkled using a hose in the Yamuna river did the rounds Wednesday. Delhi government sources said that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), in collaboration with the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Revenue Department, deployed boats in the river to get rid of the foam. Read more
Delhi’s daily Covid case count crossed 50 after nearly two months, on Wednesday as 54 cases were reported in the city.The positivity rate stood at 0.09% and no deaths were reported. The city had reported 57 cases on September 14.
At present, out of the 9,135 beds reserved for Covid patients, only 170 are occupied and 164 people are under home isolation. Over 85,000 people were vaccinated Tuesday, and almost two thirds of these were second shots. Out of the 1.5 crore people in Delhi eligible to get vaccinated, at least 1.3 crore have got at least one shot and 77 lakh are fully vaccinated.
The Delhi Police have arrested three associates of local gangster Rajesh Bawania after a brief exchange of fire in Outer Delhi.
The accused were on a bike when the cops spotted them. However, they tried to escape and one of them even shot at the cops.
Police said they had received information, late on Wednesday, that members of Bawnia’s gang will be going to the Bawana area. They’re involved in several cases of murder, robbery, extortion and theft among other crimes. Read more
"There can be no denying the fact that every person has the right to know, which springs from the right to freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The issues raised herein have a bearing on right to life preserved under Article 21 in as much as person is entitled to profess and follow his beliefs, which is also protected under Article 25 of Constitution. We therefore direct the respondent authorities to seriously examine the issues and respond to the petition within three weeks," The Delhi HC said while hearing a petition seeking strict implementation of rules for mandating manufacturers to label their products according to the nature of their ingredients used therein.
A 20-year-old wrestler and her 18-year-old brother were shot dead Wednesday afternoon at a wrestling academy in Halalpur village of Haryana’s Sonepat, allegedly by her coach and his accomplices, police said.
The mother of the victims, Nisha Dahiya and Suraj Dahiya, was also shot at and is undergoing treatment at PGIMS in Rohtak, police said. The victims’ father, who is an Inspector in the CRPF and posted in Srinagar, has been informed about the incident that occurred at around 2 pm. Read more