"It Refuses To Leave Me": Vijay Reviews Diljit's Amar Singh Chamkila

Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra starrer Amar Singh Chamkila has been receiving love and praise from critics and audiences. The film also impressed actor Vijay Varma. He revealed how the film refused to leave his mind even after five days. The actor also thanked filmmaker Imtiaz Ali for this gift.

Vijay took to his Instagram stories on Monday and shared still of Parineeti and Diljit along with a note. He described the movie as one of the most "potent, poignant and extraordinary" he has seen.

"It's been 5 days since I watched chamkila and it refuses to leave me. It is one of the most potent, poignant and extraordinary film I have seen and I want to thank @imtiazaliofficial sir giving us this gift."

He also heaped praise on Parineeti and Diljit for their performance.

Vijay wrote, "Parineeti Chopra was delightful as she tapped onto such simplicity and genuineness. And Diljit Dosanjh bhai.. mere shabd kam pad jayenge aapki taarif ke liye. Dil jit liya. BRAVO!"

Helmed by Imtiaz Ali, Amar Singh Chamkila presents the untold true story of Punjab's original rockstar of the masses, who emerged from the shadows of poverty and rose to the heights of popularity in the eighties due to the sheer power of his music, angering many along the way, which led to his assassination at the young age of 27.

Diljit Dosanjh portrays Chamkila,' the top-selling artist of his era. Parineeti essays the role of Amar Singh Chamkila's wife, Amarjot Kaur.

Amar Singh Chamkila is streaming on OTT.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Vijay Varma recently appeared in Homi Adajania's Murder Mubarak, which hit theatres month on March 15. The movie features Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, and Pankaj Tripathi in significant roles.

Vijay Varma has finished shooting for their upcoming drama Ul Jalool Ishq.

Helmed by Vibhu Puri, the film also stars veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi in the lead roles.

The release date is yet to be disclosed. Ul Jalool Ishq is produced by fashion icon Manish Malhotra under his company, Stage5 Productions. The movie will also include music from Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Sita And Gita, Presumed Murdered, Turn Up Alive - And Married - A Year On

This Sita and Gita were not twins, but the past year of their life could have made for an interesting movie nonetheless. Missing and suspected to have been murdered, the sisters in their 20s from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur have turned up not only alive but married with a child each.

The two sisters, along with their brother and parents, used to live in Delhi, while their hometown was UP's Gorakhpur. In January 2023, their brother, Ajay Prajapati, filed a missing report for his sisters Sita (20) and Gita (21). 

While looking for his sisters, Ajay contacted a man from their village, Jaynath Maurya, who allegedly had an affair with one of the sisters. During an argument, Jaynath and his family allegedly threatened Ajay and said, "You'll meet the same fate as your sisters." 

Following this, Ajay, worried for his sisters, went to the police station to file a murder case against Jaynath Maurya and his family. However, the police refused to file a complaint over the lack of evidence. Ajay then approached the court and after a year, on January 8, 2024, the case was filed in Belghat police station, Gorakhpur on the court's order. 

Four months into the investigation, the police found out that the sisters were alive and had run away from home to marry their lovers. On learning about the murder case filed by their brother, the sisters approached the police to avoid any innocent person getting punished.

Sita told police that she is married to Vijender, a resident of Haryana, and is living with him. She also told them that she has a five-month-old daughter and is very happy. Geeta told the police that she was friends with Suresh Ram, a resident of Uttarakhand's Almora, and ran away to marry him. She also has a six-month-old daughter. 

(With inputs from Abrar Ahmad)
 

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"My Personal Wish": SRK Wants This Big-Hitter To Play For India In T20 WC

Kolkata Knights Riders principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has endorsed the inclusion of his left-handed power-hitter Rinku Singh in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, terming it his "personal wish". The 26-year-old Rinku burst into the limelight when he smashed five consecutive sixes in Kolkata Knight Riders' stunning last-over win over Gujarat Titans during IPL 2023. Rinku's name has been doing the rounds as far as selecting the 15-member Indian squad is concerned for the T20 showpiece, which will be held in the USA and West Indies across June. He has a strike-rate of 176 plus in 15 T20I for India with two fifties, Expressing his optimism for Rinku's World Cup prospects, Shah Rukh said during an interview on Star Sports, "Such amazing players are playing for the country. I am really looking forward to Rinku, Inshallah being in the World Cup Squad and some other youngsters from other teams also.

"Some of them deserve it so much, but my personal wish is that Rinku makes it to the team. I will be so happy. That will be the high point for me." With the KKR top-order doing the bulk of scoring so far this season, Rinku has not got many opportunities with the bat.

In his debut season however, the hard-hitting batsman from Aligarh amassed 356 runs in 15 matches, remaining unbeaten in seven of those games. His runs came at a strike-rate of over 175 but power-hitting is not his only talent, for he has the ability to remain calm in pressure situations.

The Bollywood megastar, who shares a great rapport with Rinku, is delighted at his rise after having faced many obstacles on his road to success.

Growing up in modest surroundings, Rinku's family struggled to make ends meet, with his father working as an LPG cylinder delivery man and his mother a housewife.

Despite the offer of a job as a sweeper, Rinku followed his passion for cricket, believing it would lead him to greater heights.

SRK said, "I just want them to feel happy and when I see these boys playing, I feel like I am living as a sportsperson myself. Especially players like Rinku and Nitish (Rana), I see myself in them. I feel really happy when they perform well."

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Selectors To Meet Jay Shah For T20 WC Team. Report Says "Pandya's Place..."

The national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will meet BCCI secretary Jay Shah in Ahmedabad on Tuesday to finalise the 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in the Americas but the official announcement might happen a day later. The BCCI secretary is the convenor of the senior selection committee (men) and with Shah busy with his political commitments, it is understood that the meeting will be held in Ahmedabad.

The second wicketkeeper's slot and all-rounder Hardik Pandya's place in the side will be the two talking points of the selection meeting.

It is understood that KL Rahul (IPL strike rate of 144 and 378 runs so far) and Sanju Samson (385 runs at a strike rate of 161) are still locked in a battle for the second wicketkeeper's slot.

Rajasthan Royals captain Samson has for the first time in over a decade been a consistent performer for his IPL side but there is no way his No. 3 batting slot is going to get him a place in the India team.

Another school of thought is that someone like Samson, who has 25 T20Is under his belt but an average of just 20 and a strike rate of around 135, should not be considered based on just one good IPL season.

In case of Rahul, it can be said that one senior member of the coaching staff will certainly go all out to push for his inclusion but many believe that the stylish right-handed batter's approach in T20 cricket remains archaic.

However, he is still considered a better bet than Samson at No. 5 or 6 on slowish Caribbean tracks.

The other option, Jitesh Sharma, is in very poor form, while Dhruv Jurel hasn't got a chance to keep wickets. During the last game in Lucknow, he did get an opportunity to bat long and scored a fifty.

Left-handed batter Tilak Varma, who is also a handy off-spinner, remains an option along with pacer Sandeep Sharma, the Punjab veteran whose slower variations at the death have played a big role in Rajasthan Royals' surge to the top of the IPL table.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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IPL 2024: Gaikwad, Deshpande Star As CSK Thrash SRH To End Losing Streak

IPL 2024, CSK vs SRH Highlights: Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad missed his second successive IPL century by a whisker, while pacers Tushar Deshpande and Matheesha Pathirana decimated the Sunrisers Hyderabad batting as Chennai Super Kings won their IPL home game by 78 runs at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. After Gaikwad scored a 54-ball 98 and shared a 107-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell (52) to give CSK a healthy 212/3, Deshpande (4/27) and Sri Lankan Pathirana (2/17) came up with match-winning bowling figures to dismiss SRH for 134 in 18.5 overs. Deshpande took the wickets of opener Travis Head (13) and Anmolpreet Singh (0) in his first over before getting rid of Abhishek Sharma (15) and captain Pat Cummins (5), while Pathirana got the dangerous Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen to demolish SRH. (Scorecard | IPL 2024 Points Table)

Highlights of Chennai Super Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 match:

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Viral: Karan's Reaction After Seeing Bride Arti Singh Is Major BFF Goals

Actress Arti Singh married businessman Dipak Chauhan on Thursday (April 25). Several unseen glimpses from their wedding have been doing the rounds on social media. One of the videos capture Arti Singh's "jigar ka tukda" Karan Singh Grover, Bipasha Basu and their mother seeing her in a bridal look. Karan Singh Grover's emotional reaction to seeing Arti as a bride was just wholesome. He also gives a warm hug to her and refuses to leave her.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arti Singh (@artisinghkishadi)

Karan Singh Grover was the perfect bridesman. The actor, dressed in all white, recently shared a video congratulating his best friend Arti Singh for the biggest phase of her life. The video features clips from the actress' wedding. In the video, Arti is seen walking down the aisle in a red bridal lehenga. Karan also lifted Arti during the jaimala ceremony. Sharing the video on Instagram, he wrote, "Jai mata di! May the rest of your life be as beautiful as your heart. Congratulations! Arti Singh and Dipak Chauhan. Love you sooooooo much!!!!

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A post shared by karan singh grover (@iamksgofficial)

During her stint in Bigg Boss 13, Arti Singh opened up about her bond with Karan Singh Grover and referred to him as her "best friend." She also shared that she had saved his contact under the name 'Jigar ka tukda' (Piece of my heart) on her phone. She stated that before her entry into the Bigg Boss house, Karan gifted her one of his jackets and told her to wear it whenever she felt low. For the unversed, Arti and Karan have been friends for more than eight years now.

Several celebrities including Ankita Lokhande, Vicky Jain, Sana Makbul, Kishwer Merchantt and Yuvika Chaudhary among others attended the actress' wedding. Her Bigg Boss 13 co-contestants Rashami Desai, Devoleena Bhattacharjee, Vishal Aditya Singh, Mahira Sharma, Shefali Jariwala, Hindustani Bhau and Paras Chhabra were also pictured at the event.

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Siddaramaiah Sets Up Team To Probe Sex Scandal Involving JDS MP

A day after voting took place in the constituency, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered the formation of a special investigation team to probe a sex scandal allegedly involving Hassan MP and Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from the seat, Prajwal Revanna. Mr Revanna, grandson of JDS chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has left for Germany.

After videos depicting sexual acts began circulating in Hassan, some of which allegedly involved women being forced or filmed without their consent, the Karnataka State Commission for Women had, on Thursday, asked the chief minister to set up a special investigation team. 

Announcing the decision on Saturday, Siddaramaiah wrote in Kannada on X, "The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with the Prajwal Revanna obscene video case. Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted.

"In this backdrop, the Chairperson of the Women's Commission had written a letter to the government to conduct an SIT investigation. This decision has been taken in response to their request," he wrote.

Mr Revanna left for Germany on Saturday morning.

The JDS is in an alliance with the BJP and, earlier in the day, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar demanded answers from the ruling party at the Centre as well. 

"The allegations of sexual assault are not just on some random Hassan leader. (Karnataka BJP Chief) BY Vijayendra and others must answer. I read reports of them saying that the Women's Commission is trying to tarnish their image. The Commission has written a letter to the chief minister and the home Minister," Mr Shivakumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

On JDS leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy's indirectly accusing him of involvement in the case, Mr Shivakumar said, "Let him bring up my name. I will expose him. Is he justifying sexual assault against women by talking like this?"

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Video: UP School Teacher Smashes Neighbour's Car With Brick, Attacks Family

A primary school teacher in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr broke into her neighbour's house on Saturday and bashed in the windows of their car, a CCTV video shows. 

In the clip that went viral on social media, Parul Sharma, a school teacher, is seen entering the parking area outside her neighbour Priya Goyal's house at 3 am with a brick in her hand. She flings the brick at the car's windscreen and pulls out a rock from a bag and throws it at the car. She then uses the rock to bash in all the windows of the parked vehicle.

Videos recorded by the neighbour's family show Ms Sharma continue her belligerent attack on the car even as the family wake up and confront her.  In one of the clips, she is accompanied by her elderly mother who does nothing to stop her. The school teacher continues to hurl abuses at her neighbours and tries to force open the door separating them.

In their complaint, the neighbours alleged that after she smashed all the car windows, Sharma broke a lock on the house's gate and attacked her family including her three-year-old son who sustained minor injuries. The family then informed the police. While it is not known what led to the attack, police said the two families have had an ongoing dispute. 

"A video of a fight between the neighbours in Bulanshahr's Kotwali Nagar has gone viral on social media. A case has been filed," senior police officer Shankar Prasad, said.

A case of trespassing, voluntarily causing hurt, damaging property and criminal intimidation have been filed against the teacher.
 

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"Obscene Batting": PBKS Set World Record, Chase Down 262. Full List Here

The cricket world was in shock as Punjab Kings set a new world record on Friday. Led by Jonny Bairstow's incredible hundred, Punjab Kings set a new world record for the highest run chase in the history of T20 cricket as they overhauled the 262-run target set by Kolkata Knight Riders with eight wickets to spare in the IPL on Friday. PBKS bettered South Africa's 259/4 against West Indies in March last year. In the IPL, Rajasthan Royals held the previous record for chasing down 224 against KKR at Eden Gardens recently, equalling the record they had set against then Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2020 in Sharjah.

Highest targets successfully chased in Men's T20 cricket
262 - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Kolkata, IPL 2024
259 - South Africa vs West Indies, Centurion, 2023
253 - Middlesex vs Surrey, The Oval, T20 Blast 2023
244 - Australia vs New Zealand, Auckland, 2018
243 - Bulgaria vs Serbia, Sofia, 2022
243 - Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi, PSL 2023

:Obscene batting," commented Kevin Pietersen,

Obscene batting
 

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) April 26, 2024

Talking about the match, sent into bat, Kolkata Knight Riders scored 261/6 but PBKS completed the chase with eight balls to spare.

KKR rode on a 138-run partnership between openers Phil Salt (75 off 37 balls) and Sunil Narine (71 off 32 balls).

The batters that followed the openers then consolidated the home team's position and took them to an imposing total.

In reply, PBKS too were off to a great start and scored 93 runs for the loss of Prabhsimran Singh's wicket in the powerplay.

Prabhsimran blazed away to a 20-ball 54 before getting run out. Bairstow continued his brutal onslaught to help PBKS pull off a stunning win. Bairstow (108 off 48 balls) was well-supported by the in-from Shashank Singh who smashed 68 in only 28 balls.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders: 261/6 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 75, Sunil Narine 71).

Punjab Kings: 262/2 in 18.4 overs (Jonny Bairstow 108, Prabhsimran Singh 54, Shashank Singh 68). 

With PTI inputs

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UP Students Clear Exam With 'Jai Shri Ram' Answers, Professors Suspended

First year students at an Uttar Pradesh University aced the exam by allegedly writing 'Jai Shri Ram' and names of cricketers in the answer sheet. But then the law caught up.

Two professors at state-run Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur were suspended for allegedly extorting money from students in exchange of marks on answer sheets written with songs, music and religious slogans.

Student leader Divyanshu Singh had alleged in a letter sent to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Governor and Vice Chancellor that with the connivance of some officials of university, even the students who got zero marks were passed by giving them more than 60 percent marks.

Irregularities, exposed by an RTI response, were identified during the assessment of special bank copies, resulting in significant variations in marks upon re-evaluation.

"There was an allegation that students have been given more marks. So we constituted a committee. That Committee in its report said that students have been awarded more marks," said Vice-Chancellor Vandana Singh.

Asked about the religious slogans, she said: "Have not seen the copy with Jai Shri Ram answers but saw a copy in which I could not make out anything relevant based on which marks could be given to the student. The handwriting was not very clear."

The Raj Bhavan had written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the University and directed to take action in the matter.

NDTV has accessed the answer sheets where Jai Shri Ram appears in the middle of the answer about 'pharmacy as career'. In the same answer, appears the names of cricketers like Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The examiners, Dr Vinay Verma and Manish Gupta, were suspended in the examination committee meeting on Wednesday.

"Teachers have been warned so that such a thing is not repeated. The committee has recommended termination for the involved teachers. But there's a model code of conduct is in place and further action will be taken once the poll code is lifted," said the Vice-Chancellor.  

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Dravid Told To 'Not Compromise' For T20 WC, Given Unique Bowling Options

As the deadline for India's T20 World Cup squad nears, former batter Navjot Singh Sidhu has advised head coach Rahul Dravid and selectors not to compromise with quality bowlers while picking the team. Sidhu feels that if the selectors do compromise with the bowling and pick one extra batter, the tournament will end in disappointment for India, who last won an ICC event back in 2013. While responding to a query, Sidhu advised Dravid and the selectors to pick three spinners and as many quality fast bowlers.

Sidhu also vouched for the improbable selection of Delhi Capitals (DC) pacer Khaleel Ahmed, and ignored star pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

"My straight advice to Rahul Dravid is that if you want to win this tournament, have five wicket-taking specialist bowlers, simple. The collapse of a team's character stems from the compromise point. You have three spinner in Bishnoi, Kuldeep and Jadeja, who picks himself. Mayank Yadav if he is fit, walks into this side. Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Mohsin Khan should be the fast bowlers. " Sidhu said on Star Sports.

The 60-year-old suggested that India should utilise their resources as playing extra batter won't win the Rohit Sharma-led side the World Cup.

"India have a lot of options and they shouldn't compromise and pick guys who can bat and bowl a bit. You think of all the World Cup winning captains, they would've gone for quality bowling options. That's the secret. If seven batters can't win you the World Cup, even the 8th cannot do anything," he added.

According to reports, the BCCI selectors will meet with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma to discuss the World Cup squad later this week.

The deadline for squad submission is May 1. The tournament kicks off June 2 in the Americas with India's opening game on June 5 against Ireland.

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Lowest Turnout More Than Your Highest: S Jaishankar On West's Poll Critique

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has hit out at the Western media, emphasising that they criticise our democracy because they think they are also political players in our election and not because they lack information.

Addressing a forum for nationalist thinkers in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the minister said, "I get a lot of these noises from the Western press and if they criticise our democracy, it's not because they lack information. It is because they think they are also political players in our election."

Mr Jaishankar said that in an article by the Western media, they asked why elections were being held amid a heatwave in India. "Now I read that article and I wanted to say listen, in that heat my lowest turnout is higher than your highest turnout in the best run," Mr Jaishankar said.

He added that these are games that are being played.

"These are politics. These are our domestic politics which is going global, global politics which feels they must now intrude in India. How can these chaps decide who should be ruling without consulting us?" he said.

"They (West) actually think they are part of our electorate... I think it's time today that we disabuse them and the best way that we do that, is by confidence," Mr Jaishankar stressed.

The minister emphasised the need to stand up to these kinds of attacks and criticisms and rankings and reports because they will question everything.

"They will question your election system, your EVM, your election commission, even the weather," he said.

"And one complaint is...it is so unfair, BJP thinks it's going to win very big," he said, adding that, in a kind of way, today, we are at a very important inflexion point.

Mr Jaishankar said that the decisions the government will be making are not just for the next five years, but will give our nation, our society, and our coming generations a very big vote of confidence.

"It is the guarantee, the guarantee is an expression of confidence. It is an expression of confidence based on what we have delivered for the last ten years," he added.

He highlighted how India has been regarded across the world in the past ten years, how the country is today preparing for the next 25 years is the mindset with which we need to approach the world.

Moreover, recalling the G20 Summit, Mr Jaishankar said that during the presidency, several countries wanted to connect to India.

"During our G20 presidency, a number of countries, but particularly this was an initiative called IMEC through Saudi Arabia, they wanted to connect India to Europe. Russia and Iran also want a connectivity passage to Europe. In the east, countries like Vietnam, and Cambodia, want a passage through Myanmar to India," he said.

Lauding India's prominence on the global stage, Mr Jaishankar said that there is a lot of interest in somehow accessing India, connecting to India and working with India

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the minister said, "It is the combination of all of this and, as I said, the stature which the Prime Minister personally commands...I see that because I travel with him often."

Recalling when India got the G20 presidency, Mr Jaishankar said, "When we got our G20 chair presidency, it was on December 1, 2022. I think most of the world said, you know, I don't know where you guys got stuck. You know how this is going to happen. You are going to have a really difficult time managing this. And yet, actually, when the G20 summit met, within the first day, we were actually able to forge a consensus."

He further emphasised that when something happens, people can only see the final outcome and not the work done behind the scenes.

"It's worth thinking why? Because when something happens, we think it's natural. It's not natural. Something happens behind the scenes, you are only seeing the final production, but behind the scenes there is a lot of work," he said.

The fact is, when the G20 met, there was a lot of respect in the rest of the world "for PM Modi personally and for Modi's Bharat", Mr Jaishankar stressed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Salman, Alia Lead Celeb Roll Call At Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar Screening

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is all set to make his OTT debut with a web series titled Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Ahead of the release of the magnum opus on May 1, the makers held a star-studded screening in Mumbai on Wednesday night. The screening was attended by some of the biggest stars in Bollywood including Alia Bhatt and Salman Khan. The Tiger actor, who has worked with the ace director in the iconic film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, was spotted arriving at the screening amidst heavy security. The actor was seen wearing a black shirt and jeans for the night. Alia Bhatt, who looked lovely in a white traditional outfit, was accompanied at the event by her mom Soni Razdan, and mom-in-law Neetu Kapoor. All three actors looked lovely as they flashed their brightest smiles for the camera. For the unversed, Alia Bhatt featured in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi, which earned her the prestigious National Award last year.

Take a look at her pictures from the night:

Team Heeramandi also attended the screening in their traditional best. Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, mom-to-be Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Taha Shah Badussha, and Fardeen Khan were seen posing on their carpet in style.

Aditi Rao Hydari's plus one at the event was her fiance Siddharth while Richa Chadha and Sonakshi Sinha's cheer squad included the former's hi-husband Ali Fazal and the latter's mom Poonam Sinha.

Father-son duo Shekhar and Adhyayan Sinha, who will both be seen in Heeramandi, were also spotted on the red carpet in their traditional best.

Other stars adding glamour to the event included Ananya Panday, Rashmika Mandanna, Mrunal Thakur, Shruti Haasan, Esha Deol, Rakul Preet Singh, Bhumi Pednekar, Huma Qureshi, Patralekhaa and others.

Male celebrities gracing the event included Vijay Varma, Vicky Kaushal, Karan Johar, Randeep Hooda, and Zayed Khan.

Veteran actress Rekha looked drop dread gorgeous in a yellow saree while celeb couple Sussanne Khan and Arslan Goni were seen twinning in black. Newlyweds Kriti Kharbanda and Pulkit Samrat were also seen marking their presence at the event.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar will be released on May 1. About the project, Manisha Koirala  said: “I waited 28 years for Sanjay to call me and it's been a pleasure. It's an honor to be working with that genius. A lot of hard work and pyaar mohabbat has gone into making Heeramandi. We have made the show with so much love, and we expect you all to love it.”

 The period drama features a stellar ensemble cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal.

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"Make No Mistake, This Is A Ban": TikTok Vows To Fight New US Law In Court

TikTok's CEO vowed Wednesday to fight in the courts to overturn a newly signed US law that could see the popular app banned due to allegations it is controlled by the China government.

The legislation gives TikTok nine months to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market.

The US and other Western officials have alleged the social media platform allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It has 170 million users in the United States alone, many of them young.

Critics say TikTok is also a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company strongly deny the claims.

"Make no mistake, this is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice," TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew said in a video posted on TikTok moments after President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.

"Politicians may say otherwise, but don't get confused. Many who sponsored the bill admit a Tiktok ban is the ultimate goal."

Chew called the move "ironic" given that the "freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom."

"Rest assured, we aren't going anywhere," Chew told the platform's users.

"We will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side."

The ban measure was included in a $95 billion foreign aid package, including military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The bill, which could trigger the rare step of barring a company from operating in the US market, passed the Senate by a 79-18 vote three days after it cleared the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support.

Under the bill, ByteDance would have to sell the app or be excluded from Apple and Google's app stores in the United States.

TikTok for years has been in the crosshairs of American authorities, who say the platform allows Beijing to snoop on users in the United States.

The bill passed by Congress also gives the US president the authority to designate other applications as a threat to national security if they are controlled by a country deemed hostile.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, came out last week against banning TikTok, saying "doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Revanth Reddy's Loan Waiver Promise With Bizarre Attack On KCR

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today reiterated his promise to waive farmer loans upto Rs 2 lakh, "come what may",. Then came a bizarre addition -- "even if KCR (his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao) were to die by hanging in his farm house, I will waive farmer loans by August 15," he thundered.

Revanth Reddy was addressing a meeting in his Kodangal assembly constituency, which falls in his native Mahbubnagar constituency.

His comments come on the eve of Mr Rao, the chief of Bharat Rashtra Samithi, starting his Lok Sabha campaign. The journey begins tomorrow by a special bus.

Even before that, Mr Rao has been touring drought-hit districts, meeting with farmers in distress to tell them that they were much better off when he was Chief Minister. There was no shortage of water and farmers harvested plenty, he told them.

Revanth Reddy's promise of waiving Rs 2 lakh loans of farmers before August 15 was made two days ago in Bhongir. BRS leader and nephew of KCR, T Harish Rao, had asked yesterday whether Mr Reddy would resign if he was unable to fulfil his loan waiver promise.

Today, it was Revanth Reddy's turn to retort and he asked if KCR would disband his party if he kept his word on waiving farmer loans by August 15.

"Your uncle knows better than you that Revanth does what he says and keeps his word," the Chief Minister said.

This is not the first time Revanth Reddy is talking about hanging Mr Rao. A few days ago, he said it would not be wrong to hang KCR and his son for the way in which they had allegedly looted real estate in Hyderabad.

On April 6, when Rahul Gandhi was in Tukkuguda, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Revanth Reddy had attacked KCR, declaring that he would send him to jail. He would also build a 2BHK for Mr Rao in Cherlapally so he could cool his heels inside with his family, Mr Reddy said.

In 2015, just an year after KCR became Telangana Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, then with the TDP, went to jail in a cash-for-votes scam. He had to come out on bail to attend his daughter's engagement ceremony. Revanth Reddy had vowed revenge against KCR when he came out of jail.

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"BJP Will Not Cross Even 220 Lok Sabha Seats": Siddaramaiah To NDTV

Two days before half of the state's 28 constituencies vote in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has claimed that, contrary to its aim of winning 400 seats, the BJP-led NDA will not cross even 220 and at least part of the reason for this will be that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not fulfilled his promises.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Tuesday, the Congress leader also said that the alliance between the BJP and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) is an "unholy one".

Responding to a question on people claiming that Siddaramaiah's personality is important in an Assembly election but PM Modi's image may have an edge in the Lok Sabha polls, the chief minister said, "What is the image that he (the PM) has? When he has failed to fulfil the promises he has made to the people of the country, how will the same image continue? I don't think there is a Modi wave in the entire country, and particularly in Karnataka."

On how he saw the Congress' prospects in his home turf of Old Mysuru, which had given the party the lone seat it had won in Karnataka in the 2019 elections - against the BJP's 25 - Mr Siddaramaiah said the situation was different at the time because emotional issues were projected. In these elections, he said, the PM has to list his achievements in his 10-year tenure, and also predicted that the Congress will win 20 constituencies in Karnataka.

Asserting that the INDIA bloc is not at a disadvantage despite not declaring a prime ministerial candidate, the Congress leader also said there is no threat to the stability of his government irrespective of the election results. Asked if the Congress would complete its term in the state regardless of who the chief minister would be, he answered in the affirmative and also expressed hope that the party would get another term.

"Instability will come only when the people are unhappy. Stability does not mean a government continuing for 10 years. People should also be socially, politically and economically empowered, only then can we say that the country is stable," he said.

Claiming that the alliance between the JD(S) and the BJP was an "unholy" one, the chief minister indicated that it was a result of the desperation of Mr Deve Gowda - whose party won only 19 of 224 seats in last year's Assembly polls - given that he had earlier criticised PM Modi on several issues, including communalism.

"People will never forget what HD Deve Gowda has said about PM Modi and they know why the parties have forged an alliance," Mr Siddaramaiah said.

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Former Professor At Chennai Academy Arrested For Alleged Sexual Harassment

Sheejith Krishna, a former faculty of Chennai's Kalakshetra Foundation, has been arrested today on allegations of sexual harassment by former students. A renowned dancer, Mr Krishna had resigned on his own from Kalakshetra and started his own dance academy. Sheejith Krishna's team is yet to respond on the allegations.

The former students, now settled abroad had moved the Madras High Court, alleged Mr Krishna had sexually harassed them when they were on campus between 1996 and 2001. The court had directed the Chennai Police Commissioner to act on the complaint. Confirming the arrest, a senior police officer told NDTV "The former students allege Sheejith used them".

Last year, the Kalakshetra Foundation sacked professor Hari Padman after an inquiry committee found him guilty of sexual harassment. He was also arrested.

Large sections of students had also taken to the streets alleging sexual harassment by faculty and repertory artists and they sought justice citing inaction by the administration.

Initially, the management and the National Commission for Women had denied any sexual harassment until the issue went to court. Around a hundred students, including male students, gave written complaints to the state women's commission.

An independent committee has given a set of recommendations that the Madras High Court has urged the institution to implement, calling its failure to address sexual harassment a "blight on Kalakshetra". The recommendations include a ban on entry of students into teachers' quarters except during community celebrations, a ban on "engaging repertory artists, curtailing obsession on performance and an emphasis on deep learning and polishing art form".

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Aligarh Muslim University Gets 1st Woman Vice-Chancellor In Over 100 Years

Naima Khatoon has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), making her the first woman to hold the top post in over 100 years, sources said on Monday.

Naima Khatoon was appointed after receiving approval from President Droupadi Murmu, who is a Visitor to the University, they said.

Permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) was also sought in view of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in place, they said.

"Naima Khatoon, Principal, Women's College, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of AMU for a period of five years. The ECI has stated that the commission has no objection from the MCC angle to the proposal related to the appointment of the AMU VC subject to the condition that no political mileage be derived from it," a source said.

Naima Khatoon, who completed her PhD in psychology from AMU, was appointed as a lecturer in the same department in 1988 before being elevated to professor in 2006. She continued there before being appointed the principal of the Women's College in 2014.

Founded in 1875, Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College became AMU in 1920, following the Aligarh Muslim University Act.

In September 2020, AMU completed 100 years as a university, becoming one of the oldest universities in India. The university has had no woman vice chancellor so far.

In 1920, Begum Sultan Jahan was appointed as the AMU chancellor. She continues to be the only woman to have held the post.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"People Happy With PM, Will Win Congress Stronghold": Mohan Yadav To NDTV

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed confidence today that the BJp will win all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. The big promise is the victory in Chhindwara - which has been a Congress bastion for around 40 years. This, he said, will be possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "track record".

Chhindwara is the constituency of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, from where the Congress has fielded his son Nakul Nath. Even in 2014, when the BJP came to power across the country, Chhindwara had voted for the Congress. Ditto in 2019, when the party increased its numbers to 303.

This time would be different because of the "Modi-ki guarantee," Mr Yadav told NDTV in an exclusive interview with Editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia. 

"People have seen PM Modi's 10 year track record. We have people's support. There is no anti-incumbency factor against Modi," he said, citing last year's assembly election, in which the BJP won a massive victory despite a buzz about anti-incumbency.  

"We will win Chhindawara too. People are very happy with PM's work," he added.
 
This is also borne out by voteshare, he said. From 44 per cent, it went up to 48 per cent in the assembly election. The party had won 58 per cent votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, with 28 of the 29 seats. "We will definitely get more this time," he said.

The Congress, he added, is well aware of its imminent defeat. It became clear when they gave away the Khajuraho seat to the Samajwadi Party, he added. 

Asked about the issues and narratives for this election, Mr Yadav said the party has a "straight plan". 

"Like PM Modi says, double engine Sarkar -- like interlinking of river projects that will benefit the region. There are a lot of projects where we have benefitted from central government's help," he added.
 

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Aishwarya Celebrated Her 17th Wedding Anniversary With Abhishek-Aaradhya

Actors Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, who celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary on Saturday, shared an adorable post with daughter Aaradhya.

The two on Saturday took to their Instagram accounts to share a cute family picture.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb)

In the picture, Aishwarya can be seen wearing bright lipstick and smiling happily, while Abhishek poses sweetly in a beige shirt for the selfie. Aaradhya looks joyful, snuggling up to her mom and making the family photo complete.

The actors posted the pictures with a red heart emoji.

Abhishek and Aishwarya acted together in 'Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke' in 2000 and later in 'Umrao Jaan' in 2006, where they became good friends. However, Abhishek revealed on the Oprah Winfrey show that while filming in New York, he used to stand on his hotel balcony, wishing he could marry Aishwarya. Years later, during the premiere of their 2007 film "Guru" at the same hotel, he saw it as a sign and proposed to her. They got married that year and welcomed Aaradhya in 2011..

Meanwhile, on the work front, Abhishek was last seen in R Balki's 2023 film "Ghoomer," playing the role of a disgraced cricketer who transitions into a coach. He is now gearing up for his next project with Shoojit Sircar, along with starring in 'Be Happy' on Amazon Prime Video.

Aishwarya, on the other hand was last seen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I and II. She potrayed Nandini in the film, a queen who's beautiful and cunning in her quest for power.

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Turkey's Erdogan Meets Hamas Chief In Istanbul, Israel Reacts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Palestinians to unite amid Israel's war in Gaza following hours-long talks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday, his office said. 

Erdogan has failed to establish a foothold as a mediator in the Gaza conflict that has roiled the region, with the Hamas-run Palestinian territory bracing for a new Israeli offensive and a reported Israeli attack on Iran.

Erdogan said Palestinian unity was "vital" following the talks at the Dolmabahce palace on the banks of the Bosphorus strait, which Turkish media reports said lasted more than two and a half hours. 

"The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity," Erdogan said according to a Turkish presidency statement. 

Hamas -- designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Israel -- is a rival of the Fatah faction that rules the semi-autonomous Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank. 

As fears of a wider regional war grow, Erdogan said recent events between Iran and Israel should not allow Israel to "gain ground and that it is important to act in a way that keeps attention on Gaza". 

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the meeting, writing on X: "Muslim Brotherhood alliance: rape, murder, desecration of corpses and the burning of babies. Erdogan, shame on you!" 

Hamas was founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1987.

Close ties with Haniyeh

With Qatar saying it will reassess its role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, Erdogan sent Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Doha on Wednesday in a new sign that he wants a role. 

"Even if only I, Tayyip Erdogan, remain, I will continue as long as God gives me my life, to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people," the president said Wednesday when he announced Haniyeh's visit. 

Hamas has had an office in Turkey since 2011 when Turkey helped secure the agreement for the group to free Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. 

Erdogan has maintained links with Haniyeh, who has been a frequent visitor.

Fidan was a past head of Turkish intelligence and the country provided information and passports to Hamas officials, including Haniyeh, according to Sinan Ciddi, a Turkey specialist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. 

This has never been confirmed by Turkish authorities, however.

Erdogan slams Israel

If Qatar withdraws from mediation efforts, Turkey could seek to increase its mediation profile based on its Hamas links.

Fidan on Saturday held talks with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, with both men emphasising the need to deliver more humanitarian aid to devastated Gaza where the threat of famine looms.

Turkey is one of Gaza's main humanitarian aid partners, sending 45,000 tonnes of supplies and medicine in the region.

Israel has said it is preparing an offensive against the Gazan city of Rafah and the reported Israeli attack on the Iranian province of Isfahan, following Iran's direct attack on Israel, has only clouded hopes of a peace breakthrough.

But Erdogan can only expect a "very limited" role because of his outspoken condemnation of Israel and its actions in Gaza, according to Ciddi.

Last year, the Turkish leader likened the tactics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to those of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and called Israel a "terrorist state" because of its offensive against Hamas after the group's October 7 attacks on Israel. 

Ciddi said Erdogan would not be welcome in Israel and at most might be able to pass messages between Palestinian and Israel negotiators.

The unprecedented Hamas attacks that sparked the Gaza war resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Hamas also took about 250 hostages. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 34,049 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Preity Zinta Breaks Silence On Viral 'Will Bet Life To Get Rohit' Quote

Rohit Sharma is now a hot topic in IPL 2024. Since, he was replaced by Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians captain there has been speculation over his future with the franchise. While there have reports claiming he might leave the five-time IPL champions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, there has been no official confirmation. In the midst of this an alleged quote of Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta went viral. In the quotes, social media handle claimed that Zinta said, she would 'bet her life' to get Rohit Sharma in her team. 

Preity Zinta has now broken silence on the quote and has said it's fake.   

"#Fakenews ! All these articles are completely fake & baseless. I hold Rohit Sharma in very high regard & am a big fan of his, but I have NEVER DISCUSSED him in any interview nor made this STATEMENT !

"I also have a lot of respect for Shikhar Dhawan & he being currently injured , makes these articles appear in very poor taste. These articles are a perfect example of how misinformation is picked up without any verification & circulated online. I humbly request all Media to refrain from circulating this & embarrassing all concerned parties ?? All I want to say is that we have a great team currently & our only focus is to win games & make the most out of #IPL2024  Thank you. @PunjabKingsIPL"

#Fakenews ! All these articles are completely fake & baseless. I hold Rohit Sharma in very high regard & am a big fan of his, but I have NEVER DISCUSSED him in any interview nor made this STATEMENT ! I also have a lot of respect for Shikhar Dhawan & he being currently injured ,... pic.twitter.com/VYbyV4eqHU

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 19, 2024

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"Great Response, People Voting For NDA In Record Numbers": PM On Phase 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the BJP has received a "great response" in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which saw a national average voter turnout of 60 per cent.

In a post on the microblogging website X, PM Modi said the people of India are voting for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in record numbers.

"First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers," PM Modi said.

First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today.

Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2024

Polling took place in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories in the first of the seven-phase elections. The Election Commission (EC) described the turnout as "high", noting that voting remained "largely peaceful".

In the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 69.43 per cent. Some constituencies were different then and the total number of seats which went to the polls were 91.

Violence was reported from some areas in West Bengal and ethnic crisis-hit Manipur. Inner Manipur Congress candidate A Bimol Akoijam alleged BJP workers and an armed group stopped people from coming out of their homes to vote.

At least four incidents of people breaking electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Inner Manipur polling booths were reported. The people got upset allegedly over proxy voting by an armed group.

Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep completed their voting process today in a single-phase election.

For the first time, people in 56 villages in Bastar in Chhattisgarh cast their vote in polling booths set up in their own villages.

The EC said in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, voters belonging to tribal communities came out in large numbers. The Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar made history by casting vote for the first time.

Voters braved the heat in most parts of the country while, at others, they waited patiently in pouring rain.

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Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Swing Seats In Phase 1. See Details

1. The Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat will see a high-stakes battle, with Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai facing DMK leader Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK's Singai Ramachandran. The candidature of its Tamil Nadu state president shows the BJP is pressing hard to increase its presence in south India.
2. Union Minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is eyeing a third straight victory from Maharashtra's Nagpur seat. The seat will see a contest between Mr Gadkari and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre, who is at present the Nagpur West MLA.
3. Jitin Prasada, who quit Congress in 2021, is among the key candidates of the BJP in the first phase. He replaced two-time MP from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi. The BJP got a solid majority in UP in the previous two Lok Sabha elections. The Samajwadi Party fielded Bhagwant Saran Gangwar, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded Anees Ahmes Khan against Mr Prasada.
4. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is contesting from Gaya. This election holds important political significance for the 79-year-old Manjhi. Gaya has the highest number of candidates - 14 in total - contesting the elections. The BJP has left the Gaya (reserved) seat for its ally, the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S).
5. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to snatch the only seat won by the Congress in the 2019 elections, Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is fighting again from the Chhindwara seat against BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, who had lost to Kamal Nath in the last two assembly polls.
6. The Jorhat seat in Assam will decide if the Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, can make it to the elected house this time too. The Constituency has been seen as a stronghold of the BJP. Mr Gogoi's decision to contest the elections from Jorhat, instead of his family's stronghold Kaziranga (erstwhile Kaliabor) -- from where he is the MP -- has made the contest interesting.
7. The assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) will also be held today. Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations; over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote.
8. Polling will be held in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).
9. Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, 2 seats in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
10. In 2019, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 45 of these 102 seats and the NDA 41. Six of these seats have been redrawn as part of the delimitation exercise.

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Advances Rejected, Ex Classmate Stabs Woman 7 Times In Karnataka College

The daughter of a Congress corporator has died after being stabbed seven times with a knife by a former student of the college she was attending in Karnataka's Hubbali. Her attacker has been arrested and police said it appears that he carried out the killing because she had rejected his advances.

Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year Master of Computer Applications student at the BV Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology in Hubballi. Officials said she had known her attacker, Fayaz - who also studied with her at the college, but later dropped out - for some time.

Around 5 pm on Thursday, Neha was walking inside the campus when Fayaz confronted her. CCTV footage shows a couple of sentences being exchanged between them before Fayaz attacks her. Neha falls to the ground after being stabbed the first time and Fayaz goes on to knife her at least six more times.

Fayaz then makes a run for it while some students chase after him.

Fighting back her tears, Neha's mother said, "I came to pick her up and spoke to her over the phone. Within five minutes of our conversation, chaos erupted and someone mentioned she had been stabbed. I haven't seen her face yet and I still believe our daughter is alive. I can't accept that she's gone. I'm not ready to see her in that state. We sent her to college with the hope that we would see her smiling."

Hubballi Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar said Neha was rushed to a hospital, but declared brought dead.

"The accused had fled, but we arrested him in under 90 minutes. Other students have told us that Neha and the accused knew each other and had studied together. We will know more once the accused's interrogation is done," she said.

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India Showed Will To Counter China's Activities In 2023: US Official

India in 2023 showcased itself as a global leader as it demonstrated a greater willingness to counter China's activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region and took steps to modernise its military and reduce its dependency on Russian origin-equipment, the top US intelligence official has told Congress.

The remarks by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency came during a Congressional hearing on defence intelligence countering China. "During the past year, India has showcased itself as a global leader by hosting the Group of 20 economic summit and demonstrated a greater willingness to counter PRC's (People's Republic of China) activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region," Kruse told members of the House Armed Services Committee - the subcommittee on intelligence and special operations.

India, he said, has advanced partnerships in the Indo-Pacific with regional South China Sea claimants, such as the Philippines, through training and defence sales and deepening cooperation with the US, Australia, France and Japan.

China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, while The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the maritime area.

"In 2023, India took steps to modernise its military to compete with China and reduce its dependency on Russian-origin equipment. India conducted sea trials for its first domestically produced aircraft carrier and also has negotiated with several Western countries on the transfer of key defence technologies," Mr Kruse said.

India has maintained its neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia remains India's most substantial defence partner and New Delhi continues to acquire weapons from Moscow, such as the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, despite New Delhi's desire to diversify its defence acquisition partnerships, Mr Kruse said.

"In 2024, New Delhi probably will focus on securing its national parliamentary elections, maintaining economic growth, and building on its 'Make in India' initiative as part of its military modernisation effort -- which is aimed at countering Beijing," he told the lawmakers.

Bilateral relations between India and China remain tense following the 2020 Galwan clash that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least five PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers.

In October 2023, senior Indian and PLA officers failed to resolve disputes about the two remaining standoff locations in eastern Ladakh during their twentieth round of talks. Both sides maintain approximately 50,000-60,000 troops in the area and continue to improve their military infrastructure near the border, Kruse told the lawmakers.

On Pakistan, Kruse told lawmakers that it has sought international support, including from the UN Security Council, to resolve its dispute with India about Kashmir. Separately, Islamabad and New Delhi have maintained an uneasy ceasefire along the shared Line of Control since February 2021.

"Pakistan has sustained its nuclear modernisation efforts despite its economic turmoil. Terrorist violence against Pakistani security forces and civilians also rose last year," Mr Kruse said.

In 2023, militants killed approximately 400 security forces, a nine-year high, and Pakistani security forces have conducted almost daily counterterrorism operations during the past year.

Pakistan's contentious relationship with India continues to drive its defence policy, Mr Kruse said. However, cross-border violence between the countries has decreased since their February 2021 recommitment to a ceasefire, he said.

"Islamabad is modernising its nuclear arsenal and improving the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear C2. In October, Pakistan successfully tested its Ababeel medium-range ballistic missile," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"India, Pak Must Avoid Escalation": US On PM's Terrorists Killing Remarks

The US has encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.

Asked whether the Biden administration is concerned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks that India will not hesitate to kill terrorists in their homes, Miller said, "As I have said before, the United States is not going to get into the middle of this. But we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue."

Miller, while addressing a press briefing, said that he will never preview any sanction actions and that the "US does not discuss sanctions openly."

When asked why the US has not imposed any sanctions on India over the alleged assassination plot of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Miller, said, "I am never going to preview any sanction actions, which is not to say that there are any coming, but when you ask me to talk about sanctions, it's something that we don't discuss openly."

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist and has repeatedly issued threats against India. As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun.

The US Justice Department had earlier claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited Gupta to hire a hitman to allegedly assassinate Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities. Last year, India formed a committee to inquire into the allegations of the foiled assassination plot.

On April 11, PM Modi said that in the 10 years of the BJP government at the Centre, "terrorists are being killed in their own homes." Addressing a public rally in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, PM Modi highlighted the major decisions taken by his government, emphasising that it was under the NDA regime that Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

"Today, there is a strong government in the country. Under this 'mazboot Modi sarkar, aatankwaadiyon ko ghar mein ghus ke mara jata hai'. The Indian tricolour has become a guarantee of security even in the war zone. After seven decades, Article 370 was scrapped from Jammu and Kashmir and a law was made against triple talaq. It was our strong government that ensured 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and the poor in the general category also got 10 per cent reservation," the PM had said.

India has repeatedly emphasised that it will not tolerate cross-border terrorism and that it cannot keep aside terrorism to improve ties with Islamabad. New Delhi has also said the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere in which there is no terror, hostility, or violence.

In an interview with ANI, Rajnath Singh said if Pakistan's intention is clear, it should act decisively against cross-border terrorism.

"If Pakistan attempts to destabilise India through terrorism, it will have to face the consequences. Pakistan needs to control terrorism. If Pakistan thinks that it is not capable of controlling it, if they feel they are not capable, then India is a neighbour, if they want to take India's help, they should. India is ready to provide all assistance to combat terrorism," Singh had said.

"They are our neighbours, and if their intention is clear that terrorism should end, they should do that themselves or take help from India. We both can end terrorism. But this is their call; I am just giving a suggestion," he added.

Asked about his 'Ghus Ke Maarenge' remarks made in a recent TV interview, Rajnath Singh said that India will do everything to combat terrorism.

"We won't allow terrorists to operate within Indian borders. We will do everything to stop it," he said. Asked if such action can be taken across the border, he said, "We will see what happens."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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How Cops Caught Men Who Opened Fire Outside Salman Khan's Home

The original Aadhaar cards submitted by two suspects, wanted in connection with the firing at actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence, for a rent agreement and bike purchase documents helped police to establish their identities, an official said on Tuesday.

After identifying them, police used human and technical intelligence to track them.

Joint teams of the Kutch-West and Mumbai Police caught Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21) late Monday night from Mata No Madh village in Gujarat, less than 48 hours after one of them had opened fire at Khan's house.

"A preliminary probe suggested that both Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta were hired by the gang of Lawrence Bishnoi to open fire at Khan's house," Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kutch West, Mahendra Bagadiya, said earlier in the day.

A Mumbai Police official said the men, originally from Champaran in Bihar, travelled to Mumbai Central station on February 28.

They rented a house near Panvel city in Raigad, around 13 km away from Salman Khan's farmhouse, he said. However, it is not known whether they had conducted a recce of the farmhouse.

He also said they used their original Aadhaar cards for a rent agreement.

"The agreement was made with the house owner wherein the one-time deposit is fixed at Rs 10,000 and monthly rent at Rs 3,500," he said.

After staying for a few days in Panvel, the duo travelled to Champaran on March 18 for Holi celebrations. They returned on April 1, he said.

On April 2, Vicky Gupta purchased a second-hand motorcycle from a two-wheeler agent in Navi Mumbai for Rs 24,000, he said.

After a few days, a pistol to be used for firing was delivered to them in Mumbai by their operator, the official said.

Police had recovered a live round from the spot after the firing incident in the early hours of April 14.

"Considering the make of the round, police suspect a good quality weapon was used," he said.

Preliminary probe suggested that Pal, who was riding pillion on the motorcycle, opened fire, while Gupta remained in touch with gang members while riding the bike.

After opening fire, they abandoned the bike near Mount Mary Church in Bandra, went to the local railway station and boarded a Borivali-bound local train, the official said.

"They alighted at Santacruz railway station and from Vakola area, they hired a car to go to Surat. From Surat, they travelled to Bhuj in a state transport bus," he said.

They dumped the firearm used in the crime in a river while heading to Surat.

"Police are trying to establish the identity of the person who provided the duo logistical support and money for their stay in Panvel and also for purchasing the bike and other expenses," the official said.

Speaking about how the breakthrough was achieved, Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam said, "With the help of human and technical intelligence, the crime branch team received information that the accused persons were in Gujarat, following which two teams were sent to nab them".

He said there was a possibility that the accused persons were carrying weapons.

"As the terrain of Bhuj was unknown to our officials, the Bhuj Superintendent of Police was informed about the accused persons," he said.

A team from the Bhuj crime branch joined Mumbai Police officials around 60 km away from Bhuj.

"After travelling around 40 kilometres farther, the two accused were nabbed by the team. They were brought to Mumbai this morning," said Lakhmi Gautam.

Another official said the police first traced the original owner of the motorcycle to Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai.

The official said the owner directed them to the agent, who showed the documents submitted for the purchase of the bike.

Based on these documents, which included a rent agreement, police contacted the house owner. The Aadhaar cards revealed the identity of the duo, he added.

Meanwhile, Lakhmi Gautam said there is good coordination among sister agencies as Mumbai Police and their Gujarat counterpart separately claimed credit for the arrest.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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