Most states have issued strict curbs as a likely third wave grapples the country. (Express File Photo)Mumbai News Live: Mumbai reported 6,347 fresh Covid-19 cases, one death and 451 recoveries on Saturday. The city had recorded 5,631 infections on Friday. The city now has 22,334 active cases.
Meanwhile, more than 10 ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state.
Fifty-five per cent of the sequenced Covid-19 positive samples in Mumbai have been detected with the new variant Omicron, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday. This substantiates the claims of community transmission of Omicron, leading to the beginning of the third wave in Maharashtra.
Mumbai Police issued an order under section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting people from visiting beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks or similar public places between 5 pm and 5 am daily from today till January 15 in view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
According to the seven-day forecast by the India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature will rise by one-two degrees Celsius over the next few days. (File)
The rise in COVID-19 cases led to the Pune district administration canceling two bullock cart races that were planned on Saturday, an official said.
The races were to be held in Nanoli in Maval tehsil and Chinchodi in Ambegaon tehsil and the order canceling them for the time being due to rising COVID-19 cases was issued by Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, he said.
Pune district on Saturday reported 631 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, taking the tally to 11,65,217 and the toll to 19,249, a health department official said.
Of the six Omicron variant cases detected in the state during the day, three are from the district, comprising two from Pimpri Chinchwad and one from Pune city, he said. (PTI)
Five out of over 5,000 persons who were among those who visited the Jaystambh military monument in the district on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 in rapid antigen tests, officials said. Lakhs of people paid tributes at the monument to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle.
"There was a thermal screening facility in the parking area where people were screened for COVID-19 symptoms and some were tested with antigen kits," said Abhinav Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural. "A total of 5,765 tests were conducted till 5 pm and five people were found positive," he said. Ayush Prasad, CEO, Pune Zilla Parishad, said two of these persons who tested positive were from Nashik. (PTI)
The imposition of lockdown in the state was not being discussed at present, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said here on Saturday.
Maharashtra on Friday reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, 50 per cent more than the day before.
Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister.
"Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters.
"If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said. (PTI)
Three Nigerians were arrested in the western suburb of Bandra and Navi Mumbai for alleged possession of various drugs worth over Rs 3 crore on New Year's Eve, police said on Saturday.
The accused, who are suspected to be part of an international drug syndicate, had brought the contraband to the city to sell it to people at New Year parties, an official said.
A patrolling team of the Mumbai police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) nabbed one of the accused Ebey Chenedu Mike (39) near Tata Colony at Bandra Kurla Complex on Friday, the official said.
The ANC's Bandra unit recovered 105 gm of cocaine and 120 gm of mephedrone from a bag in the accused's possession, he said.
On interrogation, Mike revealed that he had procured the contraband from Odiphe Bartholomue (40) and Monday Egvu (38), he said.
The ANC team nabbed the duo at Vashi check naka in Navi Mumbai, and seized 120 gm of cocaine and 850 gm of mephedrone from Odiphe and 180 gm of white and 350 gm of grey mephedrone and 235 gm of MDMA from Monday, the official said. (PTI)
Fake cases were being foisted on BJP leaders in Maharashtra out of vindictiveness but there was no one to talk to in the MVA government as the chief minister was "unwell" and the state home minister was "missing", claimed Union Minister Raosaheb Danve on Saturday.
The CM had undergone cervical spine surgery on November 12 and was discharged from hospital on December 2, and he had also missed the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly between December 22 and 28.
Speaking to reporters here, Danve said, "Offences are being registered against BJP leaders out of vindictiveness, but we have faith in the courts. However, if we want to talk on this issue with the state government, we do not know who to approach."
"The chief minister is unwell, the home minister is missing and senior police officials are missing," he claimed, though he did not elaborate on his statement or give details on why he felt they were "missing". (PTI)
The cross-examination of Hamid Dabholkar by the defence in the murder case of his father and renowned rationalist Narendra Dabholkar concluded on Saturday in a special court in Pune in Maharashtra.
The rationalist was shot dead on Omkareshwar bridge while on a morning walk on August 20, 2013.
During the cross-examination, Hamid said his father faced opposition from various outfits, defence lawyer Prakash Salsingikar said.
Hamid also denied he knew the headquarters of the Sanatan Sanstha, one of the outfits that had been allegedly opposing the work of his father, or that he had read its rules. (PTI)
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Saturday announced the government’s decision to waive property tax on residential units measuring up to 500 sq ft in Mumbai. The decision, being termed as a “new year gift” to the people of Mumbai, was the fulfilment of a promise that the Shiv Sena had made before the Mumbai civic body election in 2017.
Virtually sounding the poll bugle for the BMC election with his announcement, Thackeray said that the Shiv Sena always fulfils the promises made to the people. Read more
The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Saturday apprehended a man with stolen gold jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh at Bandra Terminus here, an official said. The accused had allegedly broken into a house in Kherwadi area and decamped with gold ornaments on New Year's Eve, the official said.
Based on a complaint, an FIR was registered at Nirmal Nagar police station on Friday and a hunt was launched for the absconding accused, he said. Before the accused could flee the city by train, a team from the GRP nabbed him with the stolen bounty, the official added. (PTI)
Maharashtra reports 9,170 new cases, 1,445 recoveries and seven deaths today. Active cases are at 32,225. The state also reported six more Omicron cases, which took the state tally up to 460.
Mumbai reported 6,347 fresh Covid-19 cases, one death and 451 recoveries on Saturday. The city had recorded 5,631 infections on Friday. The city now has 22,334 active cases.
Property tax on residential units of up to 500 sq ft, located within the Mumbai municipal area limits, will be waived off, Maharashtra Government said on Saturday. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the decision at a meeting of the urban development department earlier in the day, an official release said.
The waiver comes ahead of Mumbai municipal corporation elections due next month.
The CM has asked the administration to implement the decision with immediate effect, the release said. It quoted Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde as saying that the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits. (PTI)
More than 10 ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state. Pawar's warning came a day after Maharashtra reported 8,067 fresh coronavirus positive cases, as much as 50 per cent more than Thursday.
"We cut short the Assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed. PM Narendra Modi has appealed and some states have announced a night curfew. In Maharashtra, cases are increasing in Mumbai and Pune," he told reporters after visiting the Jaystambh military monument in Perne village on the occasion of the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. (PTI)
For the second year in a row, the New Year eve celebrations remained muted in Mumbai in view of the order prohibiting public gatherings at popular places amid the rise in new COVID-19 cases. Mumbaikars' favourite destinations like the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and seafronts at Dadar, Girgaon and Juhu wore almost a deserted look as police personnel deployed at these places and on streets ensured that the prohibitory order was implemented strictly, an official said on Saturday.
Police personnel were seen asking people to vacate these spots through the public announcement system before the 5 PM deadline on Friday. "This is an appreciation post for you Mumbai. These deserted and silent streets speak volumes about your concern for the city and its safety. What a perfect welcome to 2022," Mumbai Police tweeted on Friday night.
Due to the curbs, citizens preferred to ring in the New Year with families and friends at hotels, restaurants, and in some cases, on terraces of their housing societies. Nakabandis or checking of vehicles was conducted at 134 spots by the police. Vehicles were checked and senior police officers patrolled streets, the official added. (PTI)
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) approached the Bombay High Court seeking cancellation of bail granted by a special court to Sameer Khan, son-in-law of state cabinet minister Nawab Malik. Nearly nine months after he was arrested in connection with a drugs case, a special court granted bail to Khan last September. The special court had also granted bail to co-accused Rahila Furniturewala and Karan Sejnani. Read More
Nearly two years ago, artist Raju Bind received an unusual call. It was from Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Thackeray had seen the ” Warkari dindi” sculpture at Juhu circle while travelling and it had left an impression on him. Bind was summoned. He said an impressed Shiv Sena chief asked Bind to make another similar sculpture for him.
Standing on the Sant Namdev Maharaj Chowk, better known as Juhu circle, one of the busiest traffic junctions in the city’s western suburbs, the Warkari Dindi sculpture was inaugurated just in time before the code of conduct for the 2014 state elections came into effect. Inaugurated by the then Mumbai Mayor Sunil Prabhu, the installation has five figures comprising four men and a woman. The woman dressed in a Lugada saree is carrying a tulsi plant over her head, while the four men have various musical instruments, including the Iktari and cymbals. Read more.
More than 10 ministers and 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said today, adding strict restrictions would be enforced if the Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the state. “We cut short the assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed,” he said. On the possibility of imposition of more curbs, Pawar said the state government is keeping a tab on the increasing number of patients. “If the number of patients continues to rise then there will be strict restrictions. To avoid strict restriction everybody should follow norms,” he said. (ANI)
At least 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for Covid-19 in the state, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced on Saturday. (ANI)
More than ten ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the state. Pawar's warning came a day after Maharashtra reported 8,067 fresh coronavirus positive cases, as much as 50 per cent more than Thursday. (PTI)
Fifty-five per cent of the sequenced Covid-19 positive samples in Mumbai have been detected with the new variant Omicron, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday. This substantiates the claims of community transmission of Omicron, leading to the beginning of the third wave in Maharashtra.
Mumbai, with 5,428 cases, contributed 67.2 per cent to the state’s tally of 8,067 cases on Friday, as per the data of the state government. The figures released by the BMC, meanwhile, said that Mumbai on Friday reported 5,631 Covid-19 cases.
The difference in BMC’s and state’s Covid-19 figures is due to the delay on part of the civic body to register data on the centralised Covid-19 server. Read more.
Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, Additional Chief Secretary of the public health department Pradeep Vyas on Friday wrote to all collectors, divisional commissioners, municipal commissioners and chief executive officers of various districts cautioning them that there will be about 2 lakh active cases by the third week of January 2022.
He also issued directions on preparations as some of the cases may need hospitalization.
Vyas warned against complacency and called for rational and scientific thinking. “Genomic sequencing results show that still we have Delta variant in more than 7O% cases. This figure will vary from district to district… Please remember unvaccinated persons in the present wave are at as much risk (or rather more) as in second wave,” his letter said. Read more.
An appeal filed by actor Kangana Ranaut against a magistrate court’s order seeking transfer of proceedings in a defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar from the court at Andheri, has been dismissed by the sessions court on Friday.
The criminal revision application filed on behalf of Ranaut was dismissed by additional sessions judge S U Baghele. The detailed order will be made available on Saturday. Read More
On New Year's eve on Friday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urged people to be careful and to ensure their behaviour does not contribute to the spread of the coronavirus infection. We don't want to stop, but we need to be alert and cautious, no matter how many challenges come, a statement by the Chief Minister's Office said.
“May the New Year bring happiness and prosperity to all our lives. For this, let us resolve for better health,” the chief minister said. He appealed to the people to be careful, adding that crowds and their behaviour and carelessness must not contribute to the spread of infection. (PTI)
Mumbai's Juhu Beach wears a deserted look on New Year's eve as Mumbai Police imposed a curfew prohibiting entry to beaches, parks and other public places between 5 pm and 5 am till January 15 amid surge in Covid-19 cases. Express video by Amit Chakravarty.
Maharashtra on Friday reported 8,067 fresh Covid infections including 4 Omicron cases in the past 24 hours. 8 deaths and 1,766 recoveries were also reported today. The state had on Thursday reported 5,368 Covid-19 cases. There are 24,509 active Covid-19 cases in the state. In Mumbai alone, nearly 5600 Covid-19 cases have been reported.
Maharashtra Minister Yashomati Thakur says she has tested positive for COVID-19.
34 fresh COVID19 cases reported in Dharavi in the last 24 hours, active cases in the area rise to 95: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
The bodies of a 32-year-old woman and her four children including three daughters were found in a well in Maharashtra's Jalna district on Friday, with police suspecting that it was a case of suicide. The incident took place on Thursday at Ghungard Hadgaon village in Ambad tehsil, police said.
The deceased were identified as Gangasagar (Ganga) Dnayneshwar Adani, her daughters Bhakti (13), Ishwari (11), Akshara (9), and son Yuvraj (7). The woman had left the house with children on Thursday morning. Search began when they did not return till late in the evening.
The deaths came to light on Friday morning when the five bodies were spotted floating in a well in the field of one Ganesh Fiske. Officials of Gondi police station rushed to the spot and fished out the bodies. (PTI)
A sessions court in Mumbai on Friday turned down the plea of actor Kangana Ranaut challenging a lower court's order rejecting her application seeking transfer of the criminal defamation case filed against her by scriptwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar to another court.
The detailed order passed by Additional Sessions Judge SU Baghele, however, is not yet available. In October, the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) had dismissed Ranaut's plea seeking transfer of the defamation case from the Andheri magistrate's court.
Akhtar had filed the defamation complaint before Andheri court in November, 2020 over certain statements made by Ranaut during a TV interview. Later, she moved a review application before the Dindoshi sessions court stating the CMM had failed to appreciate that the (Andheri) magistrate had "misused" his powers to cause intentional injury to the applicant (her case). Earlier, the actor claimed she had "lost faith" in the Andheri metropolitan magistrate's court as it indirectly "threatened" to issue a warrant if she failed to appear before it in a bailable offence. (PTI)
The Mumbai Police on Friday imposed a curfew prohibiting entry to beaches, grounds, promenades, parks and other similar public places in the city between 5 pm and 5 am till January 15 to prevent further spread of Covid-19 and its Omicron variant as the cases have seen a sudden spike in the city over the last couple of weeks.
However, restaurants, gyms, spas, cinema halls and theatres have been allowed to continue operating at 50 per cent capacity. Read More
Mumbai police ask people not to visit beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks and similar public places between 5 pm to 5 am daily till January 15. (PTI)
A day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the BJP was eager to tie up with his party after the 2019 Maharashtra elections but he told PM Narendra Modi that he was not in favour of such an alliance, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Thursday asked why Pawar took so long to break his silence about the meeting with Modi. “Pawar revealed that Modi made an offer for a BJP-NCP alliance. If this were true, would Pawar — known for pragmatic politics — ever turn down such an opportunity?” Patil asked. Read More
With a witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case claiming that he was pressured by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to name five RSS members, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a BJP leader who is among those named by the witness on Thursday alleged that the Congress-led UPA government had forced the witness to “change the angle of the case” as part of its appeasement strategy. According to Sunil Deodhar, BJP national secretary and former RSS Pracharak, the pressure on the witness was part of a “larger conspiracy to coin the word Hindu terror.” Read More
2021 began with a surge of hope as the vaccination programme against Covid-19 was rolled out across India. But a deadly second wave of Covid-19, powered by the Delta variant, was the brutal reminder that the country had let down its guard too early. Mumbai weathered this storm better than many other parts of the country, including Delhi, but continued to be buffeted by headwinds of other kinds. A cyclone named Tauktae hit Mumbai on May 18 with wind speed of up to 117 kmph, the same day as India recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths. Two boats sank off the Mumbai coast, taking down 86 people, and triggering the biggest maritime rescue effort since the 1978 Air India Flight 855 crash. Read More
Amid the threat posed by the new variant Omicron and the rising Covid-19 cases, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has banned any kind of New Year celebrations – inside or in open spaces — in Mumbai. The Mumbai Police have also issued orders prohibiting New Year celebrations and gatherings in any closed or open space, including hotels and restaurants, an official said Thursday. The orders were issued Wednesday under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 144 by Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations) S Chaitanya. The order will be in force from Thursday till January 7, 2022, the official said. Read More
The state government cleared promotions of 55 Indian Police Service officers in a departmental promotion committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Debashish Chakraborty on Thursday.
The 2009 batch of IPS officers were promoted from deputy commissioner of police to selection grade DCP, and IPS officers of the 2008 batch were promoted as deputy inspectors general of police.
IPS officers of the 2004 batch were promoted as inspector general of police, and officers of the 1997 batch were promoted as additional DG of police. However, there are no posts of additional DG which are vacant and officers will be posted once ADGs get promoted and posted as DG. Read more
Activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who recently obtained bail in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, on Thursday sought permission from the special NIA court here to live in neighbouring in Thane instead of Mumbai.
Bharadwaj was released from prison earlier this month after the Bombay High Court granted her bail. The special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA), while passing the release order, had said that she shall not leave Mumbai without permission.
Bharadwaj's plea said she wanted to shift to a friend's place in Thane, as finding accommodation in Mumbai was expensive. In response, the prosecution said she should submit an affidavit of the person with whom she wished to live and residence proof. The activist's petition will be heard on January 5. (PTI)
Maharashtra reported 5,368 fresh Covid-19 cases, (more 1,468 cases than yesterday's numbers), 1,193 recoveries, and 22 deaths, taking active cases to 18,217. The number of Omicron cases rose to 450, with the state recording 198 cases of the variant on Thursday.
Thane police arrested two persons on Wednesday for allegedly planting 645 bear claws and teeth at a shop in Ulhas Nagar town to frame the shop owner over an old dispute.
The accused were identified as Anwar Abdul Rauf Khan, a scrap shop owner, and Mohammad Arif Sirajuddin Khan, who connived to place the animal body parts in the shop and tip off the police.
According to the police, on December 24 they received a tip off about animal body parts at a food outlet in Venus Chowk at Ulhas Nagar town in Thane. The central crime unit raided the premises on Sunday and seized the animal body parts. Read more
Mumbai on Thursday recorded 3,671 Covid-19 cases. In Maharashtra a total of 198 Omicron cases were detected. A 52-year-old man with a travel history to Nigeria died of a heart attack on December 28, 2021 at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital. This patient has had diabetes for the last 13 years.
The death of this patient is due to non-covid reasons. Coincidentally, today's NIV report reveals that he was infected with the Omicron virus. (ENS)
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's objections aside, the imbroglio over the new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker also has its roots in the differences within the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.
As per the power-sharing formula between the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the Speaker's post had gone to the Congress's share. In February, the Sena and NCP were taken by surprise when Nana Patole resigned from the post to “work for the party” (he was subsequently made the state Congress chief). The two parties did not take the move kindly as the Speaker holds considerable power in a House where the MVA retains majority by a thread.
To make their displeasure clear, sources said, the Sena and NCP ensured that there was no election to the post of Speaker all through the Budget Session and Monsoon Session. Read more
A man allegedly killed his younger brother, an employee of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) in suburban Vikhroli here over a property dispute on Thursday morning, a police official said.
The deceased has been identified as 55-year-old Vijay Salvi, he said.
"The victim's elder brother, Uttam Salvi, killed him using a sharp weapon following a heated argument over a property. The accused worked as a security guard. Police have nabbed him and a case under IPC section 302 (murder) has been registered against him," the official said.
During the probe, police found that the siblings used to frequently fight over a room located in a chawl, he said. (PTI)
Mumbai on Thursday reported 3,671 fresh Covid cases and a total of 371 recoveries, taking the tally of overall active cases to 11,360. The city had recorded 2,510 cases a day earlier.