Why Asthma Worsens in Winter?

There are different causes and risk factors that may lead to exacerbated asthma:

• Cold Air: Breathing in cold air can trigger asthma symptoms. It can cause the airways to constrict more, leading to increased resistance and difficulty in breathing. This is particularly problematic for those who exercise outdoors during winter.
• Indoor Allergens: As people spend more time indoors during the colder months, exposure to indoor allergens such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander increases. These allergens can exacerbate asthma symptoms and trigger attacks.
• Respiratory Infections: Winter is a peak season for respiratory infections like colds and flu, which can worsen asthma symptoms. Infections can lead to increased inflammation in the airways, making it harder to breathe.
• Changes in Humidity: Cold winter air often has low humidity levels, which can dry out the airways. This dryness can irritate the airways and lead to increased asthma symptoms.

5 Tips to Manage Respiratory Issues in Winter

1. Keep Indoor Air Clean: One should ensure to keep the indoor environment clean and  reduce dust, pet dander, and other allergens risk. Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in your heating system and consider using an air purifier to help maintain air quality. Ensure proper ventilation to reduce moisture buildup and prevent mold growth.
2. Stay Warm: When going outdoors, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf to warm the air before it enters your lungs. Dress in layers to keep your body warm, and avoid vigorous outdoor exercise in extremely cold conditions. Maintaining the body temperature can help manage the respiration  little better.
3. Personal Hygiene: It is essential to maintain good hygiene levels. always wash your hands after coming from outdoors, keep the surrounding clean, sneeze in your handkerchief. Maintain distance from people who may be unwell. Personal hygiene can help reduce risk of contracting allergies and  flu virus. Often these infection trigger respiratory issues further.
4. Breath through your nose: When outside, breath through your nose as the nasal passages warm the air before it enters your lungs, reducing irritation.
5. Monitor Humidity Levels: Use a humidifier to maintain comfortable humidity levels in your home. Bt ensure moderate usage only.

Apart from these, it is essential to keep check of your medication properly.  Winter can pose unique challenges for individuals with asthma, but understanding the reasons behind worsening symptoms can aid in effective management. If symptoms persist or worsen, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for better treatment.

The protest marked the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which eight people, including four farmers lost their lives during the protest against the now appealed three farm laws. It marked the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed in 2021 during a demonstration against the now-repealed three farm laws.

The protesting farmers are also demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) on crops, loan waivers, the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and the punishment for those responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

In Amritsar, the farmers blocked the Amritsar-Delhi railway line near Manawala station, causing several trains to be diverted. The convener of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), Sarwan Singh Pandher demanded justice for the Lakhimpur Kheri victims and accused both state and central governments of ignoring farmers’ longstanding demands. He called for the immediate release of pending arrears to sugarcane farmers and a guarantee on MSP.

The SKM and the KMM are leading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by farmers to push the government to accept their demands including the legal guarantee for MSP on crops. Since February 13, the protesters have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after being stopped by the security forces. 

In Hoshiarpur, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) workers led by the state vice president Gurwinder Singh blocked the railroad crossing at Mandiala village on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar rail track. The officials confirmed that a passenger train en route to Jalandhar from Hoshiarpur was halted at Nasrala railway station. In addition to that, several members of the Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha marched from the grain market to the railway station in Bhangala in Jalandhar district, staging a protest on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail section 

Elsewhere, members of the Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha marched from a grain market to the railway station in Bhangala, Jalandhar district, staging a protest on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail section and stopping a goods train headed to Pathankot at Mukerian station, causing a goods train en route to Pathankot to halt at Mukerian railway station.

In Tanda, district president Paramjit Singh Bhulla led a protest on the rail tracks with the members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, while members of the Ganna Sangharsh Committee held “Dharna” at Dasuya railway station. 

While in Ludhiana, farmers blocked the tracks at Sahnewal and Phillaur railway stations, halting the Durg-Udhampur and New Delhi-Lohian Khas express trains. While other trains, such as the Amarpali-Katiyar Express and Indore-Katra Express, were stopped at Khanna and Doraha stations.

(With PTI Inputs)

Experts blame the agrarian crisis for unemployment in the state even as farmlands become increasingly small as families expand and skyrocketing farm inputs make it impossible to earn a decent living. Hence, despite disturbing stories around the ‘Dunki’ route, the prospect of a better life in the western world continues to be an overwhelming lure for the youth, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. Travel and immigration agents are constantly adapting newer ways to sneak young aspirants into the US and European nations through other countries by crossing rivers and jungles.

Reports say immigrants travel over 1,500 miles through Mexico under a blazing sun to seek US asylum. By the end of 2023, the number of migrants crossing into the US reached a record high.

So LoP Rahul Gandhi is building up momentum to seek votes for his Congress party by narrating a “real story” about the plight of immigrants who have adopted the ‘Dunki route’. Gandhi has been accusing the ruling BJP of committing “grave injustice” to the youth through its alleged inability to provide jobs.

Missing no opportunity to explain to the electorate in every election rally why the youth of Haryana turn to ‘Dunki’, Rahul Gandhi is professing that “lakhs of families are paying the price of the disease of unemployment in Haryana.”

“During my visit to America, I met those youngsters from Haryana who are struggling in a foreign country, away from their families,” the LoP explains to crowds.

Well ahead of throwing his hat into the poll arena, Rahul Gandhi landed in Ghogripur village in Karnal district and visited the family of a US-based man he met in America recently. During the meeting, the Congress MP promised Amit Kumar, that he would go to his house and meet his family.

Later, Kumar’s mother Birmati told the media, “Rahul Gandhi said that he met Amit in the US and promised that he would meet his family members in India. He listened to the entire story (about his illegal immigration) and said he would provide some help. He said Amit’s condition was not good as he met with an accident there.”

Critics say Gandhi’s “political script” is based on the Hindi film ‘Dunki’, Rajkumar Hirani’s first collaboration with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, that talks about illegal immigrants from Punjab who make dangerous journeys in a desperate search for greener pastures.

“I went to Texas a few days ago. I met the youth of Haryana there. You must watch the video. There are 15,000 to 20,000 people from Haryana in America. Then I met some people there. I asked them how they reached America and I came to know about the ‘Donkey Route’”, he said at an election meeting in Asandh in Karnal recently.

Countering LoP Gandhi, the BJP wrote on X on Tuesday, “At a recent public rally in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi mentioned that during his visit to the US, he saw 15-20 youth from Haryana living in a small room.

“These unverified claims attract unnecessary attention and could potentially lead to unwarranted actions, such as detentions. Such remarks are intended to cause harm to the people of Haryana.”

At a recent public rally in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi mentioned that during his visit to the US, he saw 15-20 youth from Haryana living in a small room.

These unverified claims attract unnecessary attention and could potentially lead to unwarranted actions, such as detentions. Such… pic.twitter.com/dQ6YeWK5g8

— BJYM (@BJYM) October 1, 2024

Immigration consultants based in Chandigarh told IANS the legal route to reach the US, Canada and other western countries is a study permit that eventually starts their professional lives.

Most international students are eligible to work there, especially in Canada and Britain, while studying, they said. “There are different requirements for working on campus and off-campus. Normally, international students can work off-campus up to 20 hours per week in Canada. A majority of Indian students work in food services, retail, and hospitality,” they said.

According to the Canadian government, foreign students contribute more than $15.3 billion annually to the economy. There are no restrictions on the type of employment during the study or work permit. Also, each year thousands of graduates from India opt for Canadian residency — a route for an educated, young workforce to live and work there, despite diplomatic relations between India and Canada having affected visa processing.

Seeing the craze in Punjab, hundreds of immigration and admission consultancy firms have opened their offices across Punjab and Haryana and its capital city Chandigarh. Though these firms are regulated by the government, still unscrupulous and fly-by-night operators are also there.

Also there is the mushrooming of English language coaching institutes even in villages that prepare students for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). After completing Grade 12, students are preparing themselves in coaching institutes to score a band higher than six in a language ability test for admission to undergraduate courses abroad.

Why is the trend for settling abroad catching up fast?

Every house in a village or a city of Punjab and Haryana has at least one relative or a family member who has immigrated to Europe or a Western country. This inspires the younger generation to earn in dollars or pounds. So one’s journey to migrate abroad starts when he or she is still in school. The migration to foreign countries has become a status symbol in many villages.

“We are fully prepared and waiting for the party’s order. As soon as we get the ‘go’ word, we will announce everything. We are prepared to fight the elections with full force on all the seats and those who underestimate us will themselves regret it in the future,” Pathak said. 

According to insider information, alliance discussions between AAP and the Congress have hit an impasse over seat sharing as the AAP has demanded 10 seats while the Congress is reportedly offering five to seven seats. Haryana is set to go for polls on October 5. The last date for filing the nominations is September 12. 

Earlier in the day, AAP chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said talks were underway and expressed hope that there would be “some conclusion”.

“Discussions are still underway, so it’s too early to comment,” Kakkar said when asked about the number of seats AAP would contest if an alliance with Congress materialized. 

When asked about the number of seats AAP would contest if an alliance is formed with Congress, Kakkar said that “the discussions are still underway , so it’s too early to comment.” AAP has been actively conducting campaigns in Haryana. Sunita Kejriwal, wife of party chief Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to hold public meetings in the state on Saturday. 

“We are ready to contest on all 90 seats,” Kakkar said.

On Friday, AAP sources on Friday claimed that the talks over an alliance were close to “collapse,” and the party was planning to contest 50 seats and is likely to announce its first list of candidates on Sunday. 

In previous elections, both the members of INDIA bloc, AAP and Congress, formed alliances in Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections. In Haryana, AAP contested for the seat of Kurukshetra, where its state unit chief, Sushil Gupta, lost to BJP’s Navin Jindal.

(With PTI Inputs)

Congress has fielded Vinesh Phogat from Charkhi Dadri seat while Bajrang Punia will contest poll from Badli.

Before joining, Vinesh Phogat and Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter’s residence. Phogat and Punia both resigned from the Railways on September 6.

Watch the video here

#WATCH | Delhi | Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat join the Congress party in the presence of party general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria. pic.twitter.com/LLpAG09Bw5

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024

“Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life,” Phogat posted on X with a picture of her resignation letter. She was employed as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) with Northern Railways.

“At this point in my life, I have decided to separate myself from the railway service and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways.

“I will always be grateful to the Indian Railway family for this opportunity given to me by the Railways in the service of the nation,” she added.

The 30-year-old wrestler had quit wrestling following her disqualification from the 50kg gold medal match in the Paris Olympics.

A few days back, the duo wrestlers had met Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

She had appealed against the decision which was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

(With PTI Inputs)

Savitri Jindal has yet not revealed whether she will fight the election as an Independent or if she is going to join the Congress party. The saffron party had released the first list of 67 candidates on September 4.

The BJP has chosen its health minister of the state, Dr Kamal Gupta as its candidate from the constituency.

The saffron party has witnessed more rebellions after the announcement of the first list of candidates.

The Haryana minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and MLA Lakshman Dass Napa quit the party after they were denied party ticket.

Energy and Jails Minister Ranjit Chautala (79), the son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, said that he took a decision after a meeting with his supporters and will now enter the fray as an Independent.

Napa quit the party after being denied ticket while former minister Karan Dev Kamboj also stepped down as state BJP’s OBC Morcha chief after the party ignored his candidature.

Minister of State for Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs and BCs Bishamber Singh, the MLA from Bawani Khera reserve seat, was seen in tears after the party gave ticket to Kapur Valmiki from the seat.
Bishamber told reporters that anger among his supporters was natural, but added he will remain in the party.
He said that the party decided to give a ticket from the seat to a turncoat, who allegedly has a tainted past.

A senior police officer said the incident took place on August 27 when the five accused, identified as Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit and Sahil, called Malik to a shop on the pretense of selling him empty plastic bottles.

The accused men, who are part of a cow vigilante group, suspected that Malik had eaten beef and viciously assaulted him when he arrived at the shop, the officer said, adding that after some people intervened, the attackers took the victim to another location where they beat him to death.

The deceased, Sabir Malik, originally a resident of West Bengal, was a rag picker who collected waste and rags for a living, and lived a shanty near Bandhra village in Charkhi Dadri district, the police said, adding that all five accused have been arrested.

Two juveniles have also been apprehended in the matter, they said.

Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused and further investigation in the matter is underway, said an official.

(With PTI inputs)

In the video, a white Hyundai Xcent car, with a missing rear bumper and bearing a Haryana registration number plate, is seen being driven in a negligent and rash manner for several kilometres across Patiala.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

Rash driving by the youngsters in the Patiala
pic.twitter.com/0C1H4YMzL8

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) July 2, 2024

According to the police, the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon and the occupants of the car were three to four young men, two of whom were later grabbed by locals and handed over to the police after they crashed the vehicle into a pillar.

A car, whose occupants were a few youngsters, was driven in a rash and negligent manner for many kilometers on the roads in Patiala on Tuesday, police said.

“We received information that a Haryana registration number car was being driven in a rash and negligent manner. It hit some people who tried to stop it. According to the information we received, the vehicle had caused accidents at a few spots,” a police official told reporters.

The official said the identities of the arrested youths are being verified and investigations are underway to determine whether they were in an inebriated state at the time of the incident.

No casualties or major injuries were reported as the car hit few people, police said.

An eyewitness, Simran, told news agency PTI that he and some others chased the car on their two-wheeler and also filmed the act on his mobile phone.

“The car driver was driving rashly. I also warned many people to rush for cover as the vehicle was hitting anything which came in its way,” he said.

Quoting eyewitness, PTI reported that the car rammed a two-wheeler at a traffic signal and approached a bridge from the wrong side as the driver kept accelerating instead of stopping.

Finally, the car came to a halt when the driver crashed it into a pillar following which an angry mob gathered at the site, grabbed the youths, and handed them over to police. However, one of the young men managed to flee the scene and police have launched searches to nab him.

(With inputs from agencies)

The brazen murder was captured on CCTV cameras installed in the area and showed the assailants chasing the victim, Anuj Singh, and shooting at him.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

बीच बाज़ार, गोलियों की बौछार, बाउंसर को दौड़ा दौड़ा कर गोलियों से भूना, CCTV में कैद पूरी वारदात#LiveCCTV #GurugramNews #GurgaonNews #Bouncer #Ullahwas pic.twitter.com/h6smueafR9

— Gurugram News गुरुग्राम न्यूज़ (@TheGurugramNews) June 29, 2024

Gurugram में युवक को गोलियों से भूनकर उतारा मौत के घाट, ताबड़तोड़ फायरिंग कर बदमाश फरार, CCTV pic.twitter.com/fTncMwVDmc

— khabar khakhata (@khabarkhakhata) June 29, 2024

According to the police, the incident occurred at around 9 PM on Friday when Anuj, 25, who worked as a bouncer at a local club, was in a market at Ullawas village in Gurugram.

Suddenly, two bike-borne men, dressed as delivery agents of Zomato and Blinkit, opened fire at him and fled the spot, a senior police officer said, adding that the victim was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

As per reports, the gunmen fired at least 15 rounds at Anuj.

Fallout of old enmity, says police

Anuj, a resident of Kadarpur village, worked as a bouncer with a private liquor outlet, police said.

They said exact motive behind the killing is being ascertained, however, it is suspected that the incident might be the fallout of an old enmity between the victim and the assailants.

“The cause behind the murder is not clear yet but it might be a result of some old rivalry as three cases, including extortion, were previously registered against the deceased,” said Siddhant Jain, DCP (South).

The DCP said an FIR has been registered in connection with the murder and efforts are underway to identify and nab the accused.

“Special police teams have been formed and raids are being conducted to nab the accused,” Jain said.

“All evidence and CCTV footage related to the incident is being collected and the accused will be arrested soon,” the DCP said.

Assailants chased him down and shot him

Narrating the horror, Anuj’s father, Ranbir Singh, told the police that on Friday night, his son was waiting in the car at HBR Chowk while Anuj’s uncle was buying fruits from the market.

All of a sudden, two men arrived on a motorcycle and rammed the car from behind, and when Anuj stepped out to face the duo, the assailants opened fire at him. Anuj ran to save his life but the accused chased him down and shot him, he said.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against the unidentified accused under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Arms Act at the Sector 65 police station on Saturday, the police said.

The body was handed over to the deceased’s kin after postmortem, they added.

(With PTI inputs)

The worker’s demise triggered protests in the area, which quickly turned violent as angry protestors hurled stones at vehicles, including buses and police vans. Two policemen, including an officer were injured in stone-pelting by rampaging locals, police said.

A Gurugram Police spokesperson said the deceased, 24-year-old Monu, a resident Agra in Uttar Pradesh, came under the wheels of the bus as the driver did not see him when he reversed the vehicle.

“Investigation so far has revealed that the driver did not see the worker and he reversed the bus, due to which the person came under the bus and died,” said Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar.

However, Monu’s family have claimed that this was not an accident and accused driver “murdered” him by crushing him to death under the bus. They also accused the police of harassing them instead of arresting the bus driver.

Following Monu’s death, the factory employees hit the streets in protest, demanding justice for the deceased victim.

“Some anger was expressed by the employees of the company and the Gurugram Police immediately reached the spot and controlled the situation. The body of the deceased has been kept in the mortuary,” Kumar said.

“Action will be taken as per the rules after the post-mortem. So far the police have registered a case under the sections of accidental death,” the officer added.

(With ANI inputs)

In the CCTV footage, the woman is seen repeatedly kicking and slapping the boy who is trying to cover up to save himself from the brutal assault. The heartrending video, shared by the boy’s father on social media, shows the crazed woman mounting the 11-year-old and sitting on his chest as she beats him without any signs of mercy.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

कलेजे के टुकड़े संग ऐसी हरकत? बच्चे को बेरहमी से पीटने का वीडियो वायरल, पिता ने डॉक्टर मां पर लगाए गंभीर आरोप !!#Faridabad_Crime: इन दिनों एक विडियो वायरल है। एक महिला अपने 11 साल के बेटे को बेरहमी से पीटती दिख रही है। कभी वह बच्चे की छाती के ऊपर बैठकर थप्पड़ मारती है तो कभी… pic.twitter.com/SqWLKVJPt9

— MANOJ SHARMA LUCKNOW UP (@ManojSh28986262) May 27, 2024

(Trigger Warning: Disturbing Visuals)

At one point, the woman kicks the child in the back, making him fall forward on the bed.

The boy’s father, a businessman and engineer by profession, claimed that the wife threatened to drink poison when he tried to intervene. The man has filed a police complaint against his wife for child abuse and cruelty.

Notably, the child had previously filed complaint with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) against his mother for physical abuse but the woman took him to her maternal home and later, the boy, in a statement to CWC authorities, accused his father of being a drug addict, allegedly at his mother’s insistence.

Police said the claims are being verified and its being probed if the mother coerced the child to give a statement against his father.

As per the man, he got married to the woman in Delhi, 17 years ago and the couple had a son a few years later. However, as the boy got older, the woman became paranoid and overly possessive, and even had CCTV cameras installed in every room of their house, including the bedrooms, so she could ‘monitor’ the child every waking minute of the day.

The overprotective mother even forbade her son from playing and painting, and despite him being very good at studies, she insisted he focus solely on academics.

Meanwhile, police said they have registered a case in this regard at the Surajkund police station and the child’s statement will be recorded soon.

An official said a complaint was filed against Bobby Kataria by one Arun Kumar, a native of Fatehpur, and Manish Tomar– a resident of Dholana, Uttar Pradesh– stating that they came across and advertisement on Kataria’s official Instagram handle and YouTube channel, offering a job opportunity abroad.

The duo contacted Kataria and were asked to meet him at his office at a Gurugram mall. Later, Kumar and Tomar, were asked to deposit Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2.59 lakh to Kataria’s account, respectively in exchange for a job opportunity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, both men were instead handed a plane ticket to Laos capital, Vientiane.

“I met Bobby Kataria on February 1 in his office and he gave me assurance of getting a job in the UAE after taking Rs 2,000 as a registration charge. I then transferred Rs 1.5 lakh to his account and got a ticket for Vientiane (capital of Laos)

Similarly, my friend Manish Tomar was also assured of getting a job in Singapore. Kataria charged Rs 2.59 lakh from Tomar and he too got a ticket to Vientiane and boarded the flight on March 28,” Kumar told police.

‘Thrashed, forced to commit cyber crimes’

Kumar said when they landed at Vientiane airport, a man named Abhi, who introduced himself as a friend of Kataria, received them and the duo were later dropped off at a hotel by a Pakistani man.

On the next day, the victims were taken to some anonymous Chinese company where they were allegedly assaulted, their passports snatched, and were forced to commit cyber fraud against US citizens

“We were taken to an anonymous Chinese company, where we were thrashed and our passports were taken away. We were forced to commit cyber fraud targeting US citizens. Around 150 Indians, including women, had been brought there through human trafficking and were being held hostage,” Kumar alleged.

Bobby Kataria arrested for human trafficking

Luckily, Kumar and Tomar managed to make their escape on the third day and went straight to the Indian Embassy who sent them back home to India.

After returning, we asked Kataria to return our money, but he refused,” he claimed.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against Kataria and others under Sections 323 (causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 420 (cheating), 364 (abduction), 370 (buying and disposing of any person as a slave), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and section 10/24 of the Immigration Act.

Who is Bobby Kataria?

Bobby Kataria is a controversial Youtuber and social media ‘influencer’ who is infamous for posting contentious content and propagating gun and gang culture on his social media handles , especially on Instagram.

In 2022, Bobby Kataria was arrested by the Delhi Police for smoking inside an aeroplane while a Dehradun court issued a non-bailable warrant against him the same year after he had shared a video in which he was seen drinking in public and blocking a road.

Later that same year, an FIR was registered against Kataria by the Gurugram police for thrashing a woman, posting vulgar messages about her on social media and issuing death threats to her.

Kataria was also arrested in Gurugram for misbehaving with police personnel.

(With PTI inputs)

The incident, which was captured on a CCTV camera installed in the area, showed a white SUV moving at high speed on an almost deserted road and hitting the scooter moving in front of the vehicle. The impact of the crash is such that rider and his vehicle are sent flying, but the car does not stop and continues moving at breakneck speed while dragging the rider, later identified as Pankaj Juneja, for nearly 50 metres on the road.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

Gurugram: A speeding car hit a scooter rider this morning and sent him flying. The incident was captured in CCTV. Police is searching for the car driver. Drive your vehicle on the road within the speed limit only. Your carelessness can kill you and others. pic.twitter.com/hfr2Twcqof

— Baba Banaras (@RealBababanaras) May 27, 2024

Police said the incident occurred at around 4 AM on Monday morning and the SUV driver fled the spot after the accident.

“Police are looking for the driver of the car who fled from the spot after the accident. The car didn’t stop or slow down after hitting the scooter,” a senior officer said.

He said the victim, Pankaj Juneja, a resident of Devilal Colony, sustained grievous injuries in the incident and is currently undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital, Gurugram.

Giving details, the officer said Juneja, a vegetable seller by profession, was on his way to the Khandsa vegetable market on his scooter when his two-wheeler was rammed by a speeding SUV.

“After getting information about the incident, a police team reached the spot and took the damaged scooter into custody. Based on a complaint by Juneja, an FIR was registered at Sector 9A Police Station on Monday”, police said.

Officials said the police have recorded the victim’s statement and efforts are underway to identify the car based on CCTV footage and arrest the accused.

Further investigation in the case is ongoing, they added.

(With PTI inputs)

According to the victim’s uncle, Yashvir, in Haryana’s Karnal district, Navjeet was fatally stabbed with a knife by a fellow Indian student when he attempted to intervene in a fight between some Indian students over some rent issue.

“Navjeet’s friend (another Indian student) had asked him to accompany him to his house to pick up his belongings as he had a car. While his friend went inside, Navjeet heard some shouts and saw there was a scuffle. When Navjeet tried to intervene asking them not to fight, he was fatally stabbed in the chest with a knife,” Yashvir said, adding that the accused also hails from Karnal.

Yashvir, an Army serviceman set to retire in July this year, also revealed that Navjeet’s friend, whom he was accompanying, also sustained injuries in the incident.

“The family received the devastating news on early Sunday morning. Our entire clan is in a state of shock. He (Navjeet) was a brilliant student and was planning to come home in July and join the family for vacations,” the uncle of the deceased victim said.

Yashvir said that Navjeet Navjeet had moved to Australia on a study visa one-and-a-half years ago and his father, a farmer, had sold one-and-half acres of their land to fund his education.

“We urge the Government of India to help us to bring the body as soon as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, Victoria Police said their Homicide Squad detectives are releasing details and images of two men they are searching for following a stabbing in Ormond in Melbourne’s south-east.

A search is currently underway for brothers Abhijeet Abhijeet and Robin Gartan, both of Indian descent, it said.

Abhijeet is 26 years old and described as being 170cm tall with a solid build and black hair, while his brother, Gartan is 27 years old and is also described as being 170cm tall with a solid build and black hair.

The accused brothers are believed to be travelling in a stolen 2014 white Toyota Camry sedan and the pair was last seen in the Ormond area in the early hours of Sunday, shortly after the incident occurred, said the police.

Emergency services were called to a residential property at about 1 am on Sunday, following reports of a dispute, the statement said.

Upon arrival, two men were located with stab wounds.

Victoria Police, however, did not identify the victims.

It is understood two other men fled the scene following the incident and police are continuing to search for the pair.

It’s believed the parties involved in the incident were known to each other and police are still working to establish the cause of the dispute, the police statement said.

Investigators are keen to speak to anyone who knows the current whereabouts of the two men, it said.

(With PTI inputs)

Welcoming the JJP leaders into the BJP fold, CM Saini noted that leaders from other parties have been joining the saffron party recently due to the amount of developmental work done by the Narendra Modi government in the last decade.

आज पंचकूला स्थित @BJP4Haryana प्रदेश कार्यालय पर जननायक जनता पार्टी (जेजेपी) के राष्ट्रीय सचिव श्री अशोक शेरवाल जी,प्रदेश महासचिव श्रीमती कुसुम शेरवाल जी और अंबाला जिला अध्यक्ष श्री हरपाल कंबोज जी ने अपने समर्थकों के साथ भाजपा का दामन थामा।

सभी का भाजपा हरियाणा परिवार में स्वागत… pic.twitter.com/6HwMYBMhvK

— Nayab Saini (मोदी का परिवार) (@NayabSainiBJP) April 30, 2024

Saini asserted that during the last 10 years, Modi government’s policies have benefitted various sections, particularly the poor and the weaker sections of the society.

“The people are again going to bring back Modi as the prime minister for the third time with a bigger mandate”, he claimed.

Attacking the Congress, Saini claimed the development slowed down in the country during their regimes. He said the people of the country are confident that under Modi’s leadership, the country will scale new heights of development.

Notably, the BJP-JJP alliance in Haryana came to an abrupt end last month after both parties reportedly failed to agree on a seat-sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha elections. This led to a sweeping change in the political scenario in the state, with BJP veteran Manohar Lal Khattar stepping down and Nayab Saini being sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Haryana.

Earlier on Monday, JJP’s Haryana unit chief Nishan Singh, who quit the party recently, had joined the Congress.

Polling for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of voting on May 25.

AAP’s Haryana unit chief, Sushil Gupta, who is fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha election from the Kurukshetra constituency, said the party had filed an applications seeking permission for two poll programmes on April 7, but the request was turned by authorities and abuses were mentioned in the column where the reason for approval or rejection have to be mentioned.

“In the reply we received, in one case, it was mentioned in writing that the permission has been rejected. In another, abuses were mentioned in the column where reasons for either approval or rejection have to be given,” the AAP leader said.

Terming the use of “such objectionable language” as highly shameful, Gupta urged the Election Commission to take cognizance of the incident and called for strict action in the matter.

“Nothing can be more shameful than the use of such (objectionable) language,” he said.

According to AAP leaders, they had applied for the permission for the April 7 programmes on the designated portal.

Meanwhile, taking strong cognisance of the matter, Brahm Prakash, the sub-divisional magistrate-cum-assistant returning officer in Haryana’s Kaithal, ordered the suspension of five computer operators and directed the Haryana Police to conduct a thorough probe.

The officer said five computer operators were suspended and police directed to investigate the matter. However, he also did not rule out possibility that the portal might have been hacked.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting April 19 and the counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. Haryana goes to polls on May 25.

(With PTI inputs)

As per an official order issued by the Haryana government on late Friday night CM Saini will hold the charge of the Home, Revenue and Disaster Management, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Information and Public Relations and Languages and Culture, Mines and Geology, Administration of Justice and Foreign Cooperation Departments.

Haryana Cabinet: Who gets what?

According to the order, Nayab Singh Saini will also keep the Criminal Investigation Department, Law, Personnel and Training, Raj Bhavan Affairs and any other department not alloted to any minister.

Notably, Anil Vij held the charge of Haryana’s Home department in the previous Manohar Lal Khattar-led cabinet. However, Vij has not been assigned a place in the Saini cabinet.

Cabinet Minister Kanwar Pal has also got key Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Heritage and Tourism, and Parliamentary Affairs departments.

Previously, Agriculture was held by J P Dalal in Khattar cabinet.

Another cabinet minister Mool Chand Sharma, who held the Transport portfolio in the previous ministry, has been given industry and commerce, labour, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs departments, the order said.

Ranjit Singh retained the Energy and Jails departments, which he held in the Khattar government as well.

Among other cabinet ministers, Jai Prakash Dalal has also been given the key Finance department, which was held by Khattar previously. He will also handle Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates departments.

Kamal Gupta, also a cabinet minister, gets Health, Ayush, Medical Education and Research, previously held by Anil Vij. Gupta will also hold Civil Aviation, which was previously under former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala of JJP.

Banwari Lal, cabinet minister, has been given Public Health Engineering, Public Works (Building and Roads) departments.

Among the Ministers of State, all holding Independent Charge, Seema Trikha gets School education and Higher Education.

Mahipal Dhanda will be the Development and Panchayats, Co-operation Minister, departments previously handled by JJP leaders in the Khattar cabinet.

Aseem Goel has been given Transport, Women and Child Development department.

Abhe Singh Yadav has been allocated Irrigation and Water Resources, Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare departments.

Subhash Sudha will handle the Urban Local Bodies and Housing for All while Bishamber Singh will handle Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs and BCs Welfare and Antyodaya, Printing and Stationery departments.

Sanjay Singh has been given Environment, Forests and Wildlife and Sports Departments.

Bishamber Singh has been given Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs and BCS Welfare and Antyodaya, Printing and Stationery Departments.

As per the order, the portfolios were allotted to the Council of Ministers by the Governor of Haryana on the advice of the chief minister.

Nayab Saini becomes Haryana CM

In a surprising move, the BJP last week removed Manohar Lal Khattar as the chief minister of Haryana and nominated Nayab Singh Saini, an influential OBC leader, as his replacement, barely weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

On March 12, Saini took oath as the new chief minister of Haryana while four BJP MLAs and one Independent were also sworn-in in his new council of ministers.

A week later, on March 19, Saini inducted eight BJP MLAs into his council of ministers, seven of them new faces, in its first expansion a week after he took charge replacing Khattar.

The Saini government won the trust vote in a special session of the state assembly last Wednesday.

According to the police, around 40 workers, who had sustained burn injuries in the boiler blast, were rushed to hospitals.

Many of the wounded were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Rewari and some were referred to other hospitals in Gurugram, Dharuhera, and Rewari, they said.

However, no casualty has been reported in the incident so far, a senior official said.

One serious patient was referred to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak.

The incident took place around 5.50 pm when a boiler burst in the dust collector of the factory, said police.

Several fire tenders were rushed to the unit to put out the fire.

Earlier reports said over 100 workers were injured in the blast, but the numbers were later refuted by the authorities.

Report said the boiler blast occured at the spare parts factory located in the Dharuhera industrial area of Rewari district resulting in severe burn injuries to dozens of workers employed at the unit.

“A boiler has exploded in a factory in Dharuhera, Rewari. We have alerted the hospitals. We have sent the ambulance to the factory. Several people have burn injuries. Around 40 people are injured and there is one serious patient who has been referred to Rohtak,” Dr Surender Yadav, a Civil Surgeon, told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Haryana: Dr Surender Yadav, Civil Surgeon, says "A boiler has exploded in a factory in Dharuhera, Rewari. We have alerted the hospitals. We have sent the ambulance to the factory. Several people have burn injuries. Around 40 people are injured and there is one serious… pic.twitter.com/r9BR27IlFR

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

Following the accident, Rohtak PGIMS Director, Dr S.S.Lohchab, said the doctors at the Trauma Centre have been alerted and necessary arrangements were being made in view of the situation, The Tribune reported.

Police said fire and emergency services were rushed to the scene after information about the blast was received.

When will the revised DA/DR rate become applicable?

As per an official statement, the revised DA rates, will be effective from January 1, 2024.

“The increased DA will start being paid to government employees with their March 2024 salary..along with this, the arrears for the months of January and February will be paid in the month of May,” it said.

The state government has also issued orders to provide Dearness Relief (DR) to its pensioners and family pensioners from January 1, 2024, onwards.

They will also be paid DR with their March 2024 pension/family pension payable in April 2024 and the arrears for January and February 2024 will be paid in May 2024.

Rajasthan hike DA, DR by 4 pc

In similar news, the Rajasthan government on Thursday hiked the dearness allowance (DA) of employees and pensioners in the state by 4 percent.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday evening took the decision to hike the DA of employees and pensioners by 4 percent, on the lines of the Centre.

The state cabinet also announced a  2 per cent reduction in VAT on petrol and diesel.

Both decisions came into force from Friday morning.

Centre hikes DA, DR by 4 percent

In related news, the Central government, in a major relief for crores of employees and pensioners across the country, last week hiked the dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) by four percent while also increasing Rent Allowance (HRA) for central government employees living in the X, Y and Z category cities.

The Centre has also increased the tax exemption limit on gratuity from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for central government employees.

(With PTI inputs)