Covid testing in Mumbai. (File Photo)Mumbai News Highlights: Mumbai on Friday reported 259 new Covid-19 cases, zero death with a positivity rare of 2.4 per cent. Continuing with the declining trend the financial capital also saw 426 recoveries while the active cases is 1,945.
The number of approvals for Rs 50,000 ex-gratia for Covid-19 deaths in the state has exceeded the government’s official death toll by 2.3 per cent, as of February 15. This translates into 1,46,869 approvals against state’s tally of 1,43,451 — an addition of 3,418 casualties. Data available with The Indian Express confirms the numbers, meaning that these additional deaths went unrecorded. The state relief and rehabilitation department is expecting around 10,000 extra deaths over the state’s official figure.
Meanwhile, Mumbai did not record any new death linked to Covid-19 for a second time in 2022 on Tuesday, while 235 more people tested positive for the infection, the city civic body said. According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bulletin, with new addition, the tally of coronavirus infections in the city jumped to 10,54,477, while the death toll remained unchanged at 16,685.
Maharashtra reported 2,797 fresh coronavirus cases and 40 new fatalities linked to the infection on Thursday, while 6,383 more patients were discharged following recovery, the health department said. With this, the state's COVID-19 tally rose to 78,53,291, while the death toll increased to 1,43,532, the department said in a bulletin.
On Wednesday, the state had reported 2,748 cases and 41 fatalities. There are 23,816 active cases in the state, it said.
The bulletin did not mention any fresh Omicron infections in the state. But it said, “A total of 4,456 patients infected with the Omicron variant have been reported in the state (so far). Out of these, 3,455 cases have been discharged following a negative RT-PCR test.” Until now 8,904 samples have been sent for genome sequencing, out of which, results of 7,991 patients have been received, while 913 results are awaited, it said. (PTI)
A delegation of Congress leaders from Maharashtra met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday to discuss various issues, including that of allotment of funds to the departments of the party ministers and the constituencies of legislators.
Congress shares power with Shiv Sena and NCP in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. The delegation included AICC secretary in-charge H K Patil, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, PWD Minister and former chief minister Ashok Chavan and party's state unit president Nana Patole.
Talking to reporters after the meeting held at the chief minister's official residence 'Varsha', Patole said Thackeray has assured that he would look into the issue of allocation of funds to Congress ministers and legislators.
The party has made some suggestions to the CM regarding the functioning of the over two-year-old MVA government. "Issues like the Assembly Speaker's election, problem in power supply in rural areas by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) were some other issues that were discussed," he said. (PTI)
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Thursday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise and seek forgiveness on Shiv Jayanti for "insulting" the state with his remarks on the 2020 migrant crisis during the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the Congress will send letters to Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP pressing for this demand till February 19 which is observed as Shiv Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi insulted Maharashtra in Parliament by accusing the people of the state of being spreaders of COVID-19. And to press for its demand that PM Modi apologise to the state for the insult, the Congress will launch a new phase of its agitation over the issue," he said.
"As part of that agitation, Congress workers will send thousands of letters to Modi, through Leader of the Opposition in the state Devendra Fadnavis, asking him (the PM) to apologise to Maharashtra on Shiv Jayanti Day and seek forgiveness from public," Patole told a press conference. (PTI)
The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government to respond to a plea by BJP leader Pravin Darekar, who wanted the court to quash a case filed against him last year for allegedly making objectionable remarks about women.
Darekar, leader of the Opposition in the legislative council, was booked under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint lodged by Pune-based NCP leader Rupali Chakankar in September 2021, after he criticised the ruling party at a public meeting in Shirur in Pune district. (Read more)
A fire broke out in a two-storey residential building in Kamathipura area of Nagpada in central Mumbai on Thursday evening, officials said.
The blaze erupted around 7.15 pm on the second floor of the structure located on Maulana Azad Road in the fifth lane of Kamathipura, a fire brigade official said.
At least four fire engines were pressed into service and the fire was extinguished by around 8.35 pm, he said. "There was no report of any injury," he said, adding that the cause of the fire is being ascertained. (PTI)
Mumbai on Friday reported 259 new Covid-19 cases, zero death with a positivity rare of 2.4 per cent. Continuing with the declining trend the financial capital also saw 426 recoveries while the active cases is 1,945.
Singer and music composer was cremated in Mumbai on Thursday. Here are visuals from the last rites of the 'Disco King':
An ugly spat broke out between Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane and Shiv Sena secretary Milind Narvekar after the former called Narvekar a “boy” who would “come running when we would ring the bell” during an interaction with the media Wednesday.
Responding to a question on what he thinks of the Sena leader skipping Sanjay Raut’s press conference held Tuesday, Rane said, “Oh, that boy who was working in Shiv Sena? I have seen what he was and his work. When we would ring the bell, he would come running saying ‘Yes Sir’…Now, he has become a leader. What an up gradation? But what can I do (if he skipped the media conference)?” (Read more)
The sessions court on Thursday granted bail to social media influencer Vikas Fhatak, 41, alias Hindustani Bhau who was arrested for allegedly orchestrating riots in Dharavi outside the residence of education minister Varsha Gaikwad on January 31.
Fhatak had moved for bail after the metropolitan magistrate’s court rejected his plea on February 8. (Read more)
Mumbai Police have issued summons to former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, asking him to appear before them in connection with an FIR registered against him for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms, an official said on Thursday.
The FIR was registered against Somaiya at suburban Santacruz police station in September last year under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). (Read more)
At least seven persons, including a woman, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man who was shot dead in Dharavi area of central Mumbai, police said on Thursday.
Investigations have revealed that the victim, Amir Anis Khan, was shot dead to establish the dominance of the gang 'K Company' in Dharavi area, an official said.Two men allegedly fired eight rounds on Khan while he was answering nature's call in Dharavi on the morning of February 12, he said. Khan was murdered due to his rivalry with another local gang, which was trying to establish its dominance in the area, the official said.
The unit-5 of the Mumbai crime branch analysed social media accounts and old mobile phones of suspects during the probe, he said.
Based on a tip-off, one of the accused was apprehended from Surat in Gujarat, while five others, including a woman, were nabbed from Mumbra, Kurla and Wadala, he said. (PTI)
Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik appeared before the Chandiwal Commission, which is probing corruption allegations against former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, and said he never made any statement pertaining to the commission's proceedings.
The commission had issued summons to NCP leader Malik on Tuesday after dismissed police officer Sachin Waze submitted a pursis along with a news article which purportedly quoted Malik as stating that former Param Bir Singh and Waze were behind the 'Antilia' bomb scare (episode).
The pursis - a written statement/ information given to court on any matter pending before it - had claimed that Malik's allegations were based on the statements of Anil Deshmukh (made before the commission). Waze had told the commission that such statements were spoiling his image. (PTI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the Water Taxi Project at the Belapur jetty in Navi Mumbai.
So far, three water taxi routes have been finalised to start the water taxi services between Domestic Cruise Terminal at Ferry Wharf Mazgaon in South Mumbai and the terminals at Belapur, in Navi Mumbai, Belapur and Elephanta Caves, and Belapur and JNPT. The inland water service will cut down travel time from 1.5 hours to 45 minutes.
A 58-year-old woman was found dead inside her flat under mysterious circumstances in Tilak Nagar area of Dombivali on Monday morning.
The police have registered a case of murder and are on the lookout for the assailant. The woman has been identified as Vijaya Baviskar, who lived alone in a building named Anand Sheela in Dombivali West for the past many years. Read more
Mumbai Police have issued summons to former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, asking him to appear before them in connection with an FIR registered against him for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms, an official said.
The FIR was registered against Somaiya at suburban Santacruz police station in September last year under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
Somaiya tweeted the summons copy and said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government/police had registered one more case against him for visiting state minister Chhagan Bhujbal's "benami" property in Santacruz. (PTI)
As part of the turtle monitoring project, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, and Mangrove Foundation, an autonomous body under the state government, completed satellite tagging of five female Olive Ridley turtles from the Maharashtra coastline, on Wednesday.
Two adult female turtles named Prathama and Savani were tagged with a satellite device to monitor their path on January 25. Prathama, meaning ‘the first’, was released from Velas beach while Savani was released from Anjarle beach. Read more
A COURT on Wednesday issued a production warrant against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaskar following an application by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking permission to question him in connection with the money laundering case registered against Dawood and his aides.
Kaskar is currently lodged in jail after being charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), following three cases of extortion registered against him by Thane Police in 2017. Read more
After the Mumbai Police informed the Bombay High Court that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed as per the court’s January 31 directions to trace a septuagenarian woman who had been missing from her Thane house since February 13 last year, the court on Wednesday sought the progress report from the SIT by February 28.
The court said the police should expedite their efforts to trace Uma Shashank Sarkar, 71, whose missing complaint was lodged on February 14, 2021. Read more
The Mumbai water taxi services promising connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will be inaugurated on Thursday by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
An official said that so far, three water taxi routes have been finalised to start the water taxi services between Domestic Cruise Terminal at Ferry Wharf Mazgaon in South Mumbai and the terminals at Belapur, in Navi Mumbai, Belapur and Elephanta Caves, and Belapur and JNPT. The inland water service will cut down travel time from 1.5 hours to 45 minutes, officials said. Read more
Music composer and singer Bappi Lahiri has passed away at the age of 69 in Mumbai. The composer has been ailing for many weeks and was suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. He will be cremated at the Pawan Hans cremation ground today in the presence of his children Bappa Lahiri and Rema Lahiri.