Mumbai: People at Marine Drive during heavy rain in Mumbai, Tuesday, August 31, 2021. (PTI Photo)Mumbai News Today highlights Updates: The Indian Meteorological Department Wednesday has predicted heavy rains in parts of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar. Mumbai will witness a high tide of 2.78 meters on Wednesday and a low tide of 2.52 meters is expected at 2 pm today.
Mumbai recorded 323 fresh Covid-19 cases, and reported one death on Tuesday. As many as 272 patients recovered during the same period taking the total number of recoveries to 7,22,621. The active cases in Mumbai stand at 3,106 as of August 31.
In other news, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) ambitious project of constructing underground water holding tanks near Hindmata — the saucer-shaped and the low-lying area between Dadar TT and Parel — to deal with flooding is completed.
Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan Kunder on Wednesday said she has tested positive for COVID-19 and hopes to recover soon. The director, known for films like ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Om Shanti Om’ and ‘Happy New Year’, said she contracted the virus despite being fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the Vanrai police in Goregaon (East) recently busted a call-centre run by alleged fraudsters who impersonated officials from the “Federal Reserve System (FRS)” services and tricked US nationals into transferring money out of their bank accounts through gift cards. While two accused have been arrested, at least three more are wanted in the case.
Mumbai: A devotee breaks a 'dahi-handi' suspended in the air during 'Janmashtami' festival celebrations, in Mumbai, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (PTI Photo)
The Bombay High Court reserved its verdict in a plea by actor Kangana Ranaut challenging the criminal defamation proceedings initiated by a Magistrate Court earlier this year on a complaint filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar in 2020.
A single-judge bench of Revati Mohite-Dere was hearing Ranaut’s appeal that had sought that the complaint by Akhtar be quashed and set aside.
In his complaint filed last year, Akhtar has alleged that Ranaut made defamatory statements on national and international television, “in what appears to be a clear campaign to malign and tarnish (Akhtar) in the eyes of the general public”.
Meanwhile, the HC was also informed that the Andheri Magistrate had adjourned hearing to September 14 and granted Ranaut one last chance to appear before it to honour summons sent to her in defamation proceedings initiated by Akhtar.
The Bombay High Court stayed summons issued by the Magistrate court in a criminal defamation complaint filed against Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges, authors of the book ‘The Mafia Queens of Mumbai,' on which the upcoming movie Gangubai Kathiawadi is based.
A single-judge bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere on August 10 passed an order on plea by the authors challenging summons issued by the Magistrate Court, Mazgaon, in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Babuji Rawji Shah against them.
Shah, who claimed to be the adopted son of Gangubai Kathiawadi, had alleged that chapters on Kathiawadi in the said book were defamatory and tarnished his mother’s reputation.
A memorial for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar being built on a 1.5 acre plot in Airoli in Navi Mumbai will be ready by December 6, the legendary social reformer and jurist's death anniversary, observed as ''Mahaparinirvan Diwas'', said Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde.
The memorial will have halls for programmes, a library, a photograph gallery etc, Navi Mumbai civic officials said.
(PTI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said it would forcibly open all the temples in Maharashtra if state government fails to take a decision in the regard soon.
Leader of the Opposition in state assembly Devendra Fadnavis said, “There are no directives from the Centre to keep the temples shut. All the states in country have opened the temples, allowing people to worship. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government is an exception.”
The former chief minister said, “We don't understand the discriminatory policy. The government has allowed liquor shops, bars to function, but they cite Covid-19 pandemic when we demand reopening of temples.”
A fan of BTS member Jungkook shared pictures of bus stands in Mulund, featuring pictures of the Korean pop musician.
The post showed a billboard featuring a picture of Jungkook along with QR codes of the songs he's sung - Euphoria, Still With You, Begin, My Time. Another poster hailed him as "the cause of our euphoria".
The prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking gas cylinders across all categories including subsidised gas on Wednesday were hiked by Rs 25 per cylinder - the third straight increase in rates in less than two months.
In Mumbai, a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder now costs Rs 884.50 while in Kolkata, it is priced at Rs 911 - the highest among the four metros.
The latest increase in subsidised LPG price now has taken the cumulative rate hike since January 1 to Rs 190 per cylinder.
(PTI)
Registration of housing properties in Mumbai municipal region more than doubled to 6,784 units in August compared with the year-ago period, driven by fresh sales during the current month, according to Knight Frank India.
Mumbai BMC region (Churchgate to Dahisar and Colaba to Mulund) recorded property registrations of 6,784 units in August 2021, registering a growth of 157 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) compared to August 2020, the consultant said in a statement.
"Overwhelmingly, 92 per cent of the registered homes were fresh sales amounting to 6,241 units that were sold in the month of August 2021. New home sales grew from 53 per cent in July 2021, 42 per cent in June 2021 while in April was as low as 7 per cent," Knight Frank said.
(PTI)
Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan Kunder on Wednesday said she has tested positive for COVID-19 and hopes to recover soon.
The director, known for films like 'Main Hoon Na', 'Om Shanti Om' and 'Happy New Year', said she contracted the virus despite being fully vaccinated.
"Despite being double vaccinated and working with mostly double vaxed people, I have still managed to test positive for COVID. I have already informed everyone I came in contact with to get tested," the 56-year-old director wrote in an Instagram post.
'However, if I have forgotten someone (because of old age and fading memory), please test yourself. Hoping to recover soon,' she further said.
Farah currently features as a judge on the 'Zee Comedy Show' and had recently also shot for a dance reality show with Shilpa Shetty Kundra. (PTI)
Actor Saira Banu, wife of late veteran actor Dilip Kumar, was admitted to Hinduja Hospital in Khar, Mumbai after she complained of issues related to blood pressure three days ago. She has been shifted to the ICU ward today. (ANI)
Thane has reported 205 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,51,444, an official said on Wednesday.
Besides these new cases recorded on Tuesday, the virus also claimed the lives of three more people, which pushed the death toll in the district to 11,289, he said.
The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.04 per cent, he added.
In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,34,541, while the death toll has reached 3,293, another official said. (PTI)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) ambitious project of constructing underground water holding tanks near Hindmata — the saucer-shaped and the low-lying area between Dadar TT and Parel — to deal with flooding is completed.
Guardian Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday took to Twitter to announce the project’s completion, “A major milestone achieved by @mybmc today. The rainwater holding tanks tor Hind Mata flood spot, that we got underway are now fully connected through a micro tunnel to ensure no stagnation of water, during heavy rain at Hind Mata junction for 80 mins.”
After over two decades of waterlogging woes, the BMC last year started constructing two underground water tanks at Pramod Mahajan Park in Dadar West and St Xavier Ground in Parel to provide a catchment for the flood water from Hindmata would be stored during heavy rainfall.
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Anup Dange, the inspector who had complained to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against IPS officer Param Bir Singh that led to an open enquiry against the latter, has written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner seeking permission for a private firearm on safety grounds.
Dange had earlier complained that witnesses in the case against Param Bir Singh were being threatened and that his movements were being tracked.
In the latest letter, Dange has sought permission for him to carry a private firearm owing to the threat that he said he is facing for being a complainant in a sensitive case.
Read more
Several parts of Mumbai and neighbouring districts witnessed moderate rainfall throughout Tuesday night. The area is likely to receive moderate to heavy rain in isolated places on Wednesday.
In the last 24 hours, ending Wednesday at 8:30 am, the city recorded heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded 108.4 mm of rain and high relative humidity at 90 per cent. The Colaba observatory recorded moderate rainfall at 57.2 mm.
On Wednesday morning, no rain was recorded in the Mumbai suburbs, while light rainfall — between 1 and 5 mm — was recorded in the city and the neighbouring districts of Mumbai.
Police have arrested a 28-year-old man for illegally possessing a gun and live bullets in Maharashtra's Thane district, officials said on Wednesday.
Acting on an information, the police caught the accused, Manish Appa Patil, in Bhiwandi town here on Monday.
They seized a foreign-made revolver and two live bullets from his possession, a police release said.
A case was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Arms Act, it added. (PTI)
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Wednesday said it was not in favour of holding elections till OBC reservation was restored in local bodies.
“The party is of the view that there should be no local bodies elections till the OBC quota is restored,” NCP minister and spokesperson Nawab Malik said. “The OBC is an important constituent. Depriving the community its political right in local body elections would be unjust.”
Incidentally, the NCP’s stand on OBC reservation is identical to that taken by the Opposition BJP.
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The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said that interim orders passed by various courts and authorities in Maharashtra and Goa after April 9 on eviction, demolition and dispossession, which are still in operation, will be kept in abeyance until September 30 given the uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic.
The court raised concerns over crowding in public places including beaches in Mumbai and said that if the crowds are not controlled or restricted, then it will lead to the situation like “last year” and we require to learn from the past experience with the “third wave knocking at our doors”.
Read more
Police have seized brown sugar and charas collectively worth Rs 6.67 lakh and arrested one person in this connection here in Maharashtra, officials said on Wednesday.
Based on a tip-off, officials of the Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar police's crime branch raided a locality in Valiv area here on Monday. They nabbed a person, identified as Abdulla Alimulla Chowdhary, and seized the drugs from his possession, a police release said.
The police also seized Rs 3.22 lakh cash from the accused and registered a case against him under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The crime branch team was trying to find out from where the accused procured the drugs and to whom he intended to sell them, the release said. (PTI)
Two cyber-fraudsters, who impersonated as officials from Indigo Airlines, duped an unemployed man from Mumbai of Rs 3.79 lakh on the pretext of getting him a job as ticket-checker at the Mumbai International Airport. An FIR was registered with the Wadala police station on August 30.
The 42-year-old complainant told the police that he lives in Wadala with his wife and son and used to run tuition classes. But due to the pandemic he had to shut down his classes and was looking for a job. On June 1, he saw a job advertisement on Shine.com for a ticket checker in Indigo Airlines. He called on the number given in the advertisement but did not know that it was given by cyber-fraudsters.
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The Mumbai Traffic Police Wednesday stopped the vehicular traffic on the northbound stretch of the newly constructed flyover at Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link at around 11.20 am to carry out repair work. The Brihan-Mumbai Municipal Corporation is carrying out the work of increasing the roughness of the road surface.
The decision was taken after multiple complaints were received about incidents of motorbikes skidding on the bridge during the rain, raising questions about the quality of construction. Several such accidents have taken place on the northbound (towards Mankhurd Mandala) side since the flyover was opened and a fatal one took place on Monday.
Mumbai Police on Tuesday registered eight FIRs against over 50 people, mostly activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for violating police orders and pandemic guidelines by erecting human pyramids for the Dahi Handi festival.
On August 23, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that the government will not grant permission for Dahi Handi celebrations in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The BJP and MNS had criticised the MVA government for the curbs and said they would defy the orders.
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The Indian Meteorological Department Wednesday has predicted heavy rains in parts of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar. Mumbai will witness a high tide of 2.78 meters on Wednesday and a low tide of 2.52 meters is expected at 2 pm today.
After having been on the receiving end of criticism from parties like the BJP and the MNS for its decision to ban Dahi Handi festivities due to the prevalence of Covid-19, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said Tuesday that his government is not “anti-Hindu” and that the steps taken were not against any festival, but to curtail the spread of the virus.
Appearing at a virtual event for the inauguration of two oxygen plants in Thane, the chief minister reminded the people of the Union government’s warning regarding a possible third wave of the coronavirus. “Those who are saying that our government is ant-Hindu, I want to show them a letter from the Centre which specifically asks to avoid crowding during Dahi Handi and Ganesh festival. The government is not against any festival, but is against the coronavirus. So those who want to agitate should protest against coronavirus,” he said.
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Jailed for over two years, a 24-year-old man accused of raping his sister was cleared of all charges by a special court after the sister testified that she had filed the complaint as he had scolded and assaulted her for going out with her boyfriend.
A special court in Dindoshi passed the order last week, acquitting the man on charges of rape and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
The FIR was filed in 2019 after the girl claimed that her brother had sexually assaulted her when their parents not at home. The court heard the deposition of two witnesses, including the girl and the investigating officer.
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Track doubling work on a 46.8 kilometre stretch between Roha and Veer stations in Raigad district has been completed, a Konkan Railway official said on Tuesday.
A release from KRCL said completion of this work, which cost Rs 530 crore and started in October, 2016, would reduce bottlenecks and increase train operation efficiency on the heavily-patronized route.
Post completion on August 30, the 02619 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Mangaluru Central Special was the first train to pass on the Down line, while 06346 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Special was the first to use the Up line, it said. (PTI)
Dismissed Mumabi police officer Sachin Waze was shifted to a private hospital Tuesday for treatment following a special court’s order. Waze, who is in judicial custody in the Ambani terror scare case, was admitted to SS Hospital in Bhiwandi for treatment for his heart ailment.
Waze’s lawyers said that after the court directions, he was shifted on Tuesday afternoon from Taloja Central Jail where he was lodged.
Waze had last week sought to be shifted to the hospital, stating that his medical reports showed he had 90 per cent blockages in three arteries and that he required an immediate bypass surgery. His lawyers had submitted before the special court on Monday that it was an issue of ‘life and death’.
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A day after a person died when his motorbike skidded on the newly constructed flyover on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road during rain, Mumbai Traffic Police on Tuesday morning closed the flyover for two hours after there were more incidents of motorists slipping on the bridge during rain.
Vehicular traffic was allowed on the flyover after 1.45 pm when it stopped raining. The BMC will now undertake repairs on the bridge late Tuesday night.
“Today (Tuesday) morning, there were multiple incidents of bikes slipping on the bridge, so as a temporary precautionary measure, vehicular movement on the bridge was stopped,” said SG Agawane, Senior Inspector of Deonar police station.
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BJP MLA Ashish Shelar warned on Tuesday that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government tried to stop Ganesh festival, his party will retaliate.
Speaking to mediapersons, Shelar said: “The state government on Tuesday used police force, filed cases and arrested BJP workers who wanted to celebrate Dahi Handi while observing all Covid-19 norms. Its highhandedness went on without protest. But if it tries to stop Ganesh celebrations, BJP will not tolerate. It will strongly retaliate.”
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Mumbai on Tuesday recorded 323 fresh Covid-1 cases, and reported one death. 272 patients recovered from Covid-19, taking the total recovery number to 7,22,621. The active cases in Mumbai stand at 3106 as of August 31.
A seven-year-old Sonu Jaiswal, who had suffered burn injuries in a LPG gas cylinder leak at Dharavi on Sunday afternoon, succumbed to burn injuries on Tuesday.
Sonu's mother Satradevi continues to be in a critical state at a hospital. His father and aunt are being treated for burn injuries but are said to be out of danger.
The Shahu Nagar police Monday arrested a 28-year-old man in the LPG cylinder leak and subsequent fire incident at a slum structure in Dharavi’s Shahu Nagar which injured 17 residents and grievously injured five of them including Sonu.
Dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze was shifted to a private hospital for treatment following a special court’s order. Waze, who is in judicial custody in the Ambani terror scare case, was admitted to SS Hospital in Bhiwandi for treatment for his heart ailment.
Waze’s lawyers said that after the court directions, he was shifted on Tuesday afternoon from Taloja Central Jail where he was lodged.
Waze had last week sought to be shifted to the hospital, stating that his medical reports showed he had 90 per cent blockages in three arteries and that he required an immediate bypass surgery. His lawyers had submitted before the special court on Monday that it was an issue of ‘life and death’.
Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab on Tuesday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case, and instead sought two weeks' time.
The ED had, the day before, issued a summons to Parab, directing him to appear before its south Mumbai office on Tuesday for questioning in connection with the money laundering case registered against former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.
The Sena leader also sought details of the probe and "the point of investigation" which necessitated the issuance of summons.
(PTI)
The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government to file a reply stating why civil defence centres were not yet set up in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts that are vulnerable to natural calamities.
The court noted that Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg witnessed several natural calamities in the recent past and had such centres been already set up and functional there, better and more timely rescue services could have been provided to citizens.
As per the PIL, six districts, including Sindhdurg and Ratnagiri, were declared as ''multi-hazardous areas'' by the state authorities in 2011 and directions were issued to set up civil defence centres in six coastal districts, including Mumbai, Thane and Raigad.
(PTI)
The Bombay High Court said that interim orders passed by various courts and authorities in Maharashtra and Goa after April 9 on eviction, demolition and dispossession, which are still in operation, will be kept in abeyance until September 30 given the uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic.
The court raised concerns over crowding in public places including beaches in Mumbai and said that if the crowds are not controlled or restricted, then it will lead to the situation like “last year” and we require to learn from the past experience with the “third wave knocking at our doors”.
On August 10, the court had given “breathing time” and said that the orders will continue to be kept in abeyance only till August 31 and not beyond that as the “crisis arising out of ‘second wave’ was on the wane, leading to easing of lockdown restrictions”.
A 47-year-old man was injured in a landslide reported in Saki Naka area of Mumbai, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. Some stones slid on a top of a house near a public toilet on GMM Road in Saki Naka, injuring the man.
The civic body on Tuesday evacuated 100 people from Kurar village in Malad after rocks slid from a hill, as heavy rains lashed the western suburb in the morning hours.
Since Monday night, the metropolis, neighbouring Navi Mumbai, Thane and other adjoining areas received rainfall in the range of 20 mm to 70 mm, a report of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The incessant showers led to a landslide in Mumbai's Asalpha area, injuring some people, officials said.
The rains also caused water-logging in Andheri, Parel, Bhandup and some other areas, slowing traffic movement on roads in those places, they said.
A case has been registered against four activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and eight others for violating COVID-19 norms by holding a Dahi Handi programme in Worli on Tuesday, police said.
Two MNS activists have been arrested, while a search has been launched to nab the others, an official said. MNS activists had organised a practice Dahi Handi near Panchashil Nagar in Worli on late on Monday night, where people had gathered, the official said.
(PTI)
Two Nigerian nationals were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in a follow up action in connection with the drugs case against actor Arman Kohli, an official said.
The Mumbai zonal unit of the NCB conducted raids at various locations in Mumbai and neighbouring suburbs on Monday night and recovered narcotic substances from two Nigerian drug peddlers, an official said.
Earlier on Sunday, the agency had arrested Kohli, after raiding his residence in suburban Andheri and recovered a small quantity of cocaine from him. During the probe, it came to light that the seized contraband had originated in South America, the official said.
The NCB was investigating the route and links used to bring the cocaine to Mumbai and the involvement of other traffickers, he said, adding that further details are awaited.
(PTI)
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said that interim orders passed by various courts and authorities in Maharashtra and Goa after April 9 on eviction, demolition and dispossession, which are still in operation, will be kept in abeyance till September 30 given the uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic.
On August 10, the court had given ‘breathing time,’ and said that the orders will continue to be kept in abeyance only till August 31 and not beyond that as the ‘crisis arising out of ‘second wave’ was on the wane, leading to easing of lockdown restrictions.”
The court had, on April 16, passed an order that eviction, demolition, and dispossession should not be carried out during the pandemic until further directions, and granted parties liberty to move the high court in case of emergency. Read more
Several MNS activists, including former MLA Bala Nandgaonkar, were detained in Mumbai for defying the ban on Dahi Handi celebrations.
On August 23, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that the government will not grant permission for Dahi Handi celebrations across the state. He had requested all organisers to prioritise the health of the people amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The BJP and the MNS had criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for imposing a ban on Dahi Handi celebrations in the state and had said that they would defy the orders. Read more
The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday laid a trap and arrested a BMC sanitary inspector while accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. The officials said that he had demanded the money from a man in exchange for granting permission to change the name of a shop on its license.
ACB officials said that the complainant had submitted an application for the name change early in March. Subsequently, the sanitary inspector, identified as 57-year-old Jagdish Dhopte, demanded 50,000 and accepted the bribe near his Santacruz office on March 27, said ACB officials.
However, the inspector started demanding more money to complete the work. Read more
The southwest monsoon has again become active in Mumbai after a long gap, bringing heavy rains to the city and neighbouring areas and causing a landslide here due to which some people were injured, officials said on Tuesday.
Several low-lying areas were also inundated following heavy overnight showers, they said.
Since Monday night, the metropolis, neighbouring Navi Mumbai, Thane and other adjoining areas received rainfall in the range of 20 mm to 70 mm, a report of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The IMD's observatory in Santacruz (representative of suburbs) recorded 49 mm rain while the Colaba observatory (representative of south Mumbai) received 29.8 mm rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday, the MeT department said.
The incessant showers led to a landslide in Mumbai's Asalpha area, injuring some people, officials said. (PTI)
The landslide at Kannad Ghat in Aurangabad district has brought to halt the traffic along the Dhule-Aurangabad-Solapur highway.
Marathwada and North Maharashtra is lashed by heavy rain since Monday night. The intensify was high late night causing overflowing of rivers and ponds in these region.
Due to landslide all traffic along the Dhule-Aurangabad-Solapur highway have been stopped. Read more
A 42-year-old man in Mumbai was duped of Rs 1.50 lakh by a cyber fraudster who impersonated as a State Bank of India (SBI) official over the phone and tricked him into revealing his One Time Password (OTP) and transferred the amount from his bank account.
The complainant, who works as an assistant manager in a mineral water bottle manufacturing company, said the fraudster called him claiming to complete his “credit card upgradation” process. Read more
As government eases COVID-19 restrictions, life is moving back to normal in Pune. With industrial activities almost normal, what remains to be eased are the restrictions in retail and the opening up of colleges. Sudhir Mehta, the President of Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) spoke to The Indian Express about the ground situation and the way forward
With most restrictions gone how is the industrial scenario in Pune? Have industrial activities returned to pre COVID levels?
Restrictions on the manufacturing sector have been eased out almost 100 per cent. Thus industrial activities have reached their almost normal levels. What we are concerned is about the restrictions in retail and educational institutes. Read more
Mumbai on Monday reported 334 new COVID-19 cases, the sixth day in a row when the addition to the tally was above 300, taking the infection count to 7,43,832, while the death toll increased by two to touch 15,976, a civic official said.
The discharge of 310 people during the day took the recovery count to 7,22,349, which is 97 per cent of the overall tally, he said.
The official said the metropolis has added 8,824 cases and 156 deaths to its tally and toll, respectively, in the month of August.
In July, Mumbai added 14,514 cases and 373 deaths, which meant the pandemic tally and toll figures for August were better by 5,690 and 217, respectively (till August 30). (PTI)
Maharashtra reported 3,741 new coronavirus cases and 52 fresh fatalities on Monday, taking the infection tally to 64,60,680 and the toll to 1,37,209, news agency PTI reported quoting a state health department official.
The official said 4,696 patients were discharged from hospitals across the state in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of recovered patients to 62,68,112. The state, which now has 51,834 active cases, has 2,88,489 people in home isolation and another 2,299 in institutional quarantine, he said.
Maharashtra's Covid-19 recovery rate stands at 97.02 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.
After a brief break of one week, the monsoon is likely to revive in the state. Following the development of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert and warning for most districts for the next three days.
As per the 24-hour forecast issued by the IMD for Mumbai, moderate rain is likely in the city and suburbs with the possibility of occasional intense spells. Read More
A special court on Monday convicted seven persons, including public bank staffers, for fraud in a loan transaction over 13 years ago.
The court sentenced the accused — most of whom are now senior citizens — to punishments ranging from five years to one year and fine up to Rs 23 lakh. Read More
The Union government recently told the Bombay High Court that the allocation and supply of doses to Maharashtra was made on or before schedule and at least 91.81 lakh doses were supplied to the state through manufacturers, instead of the scheduled allocation of 86.74 lakh doses for the month of August.
The central government also said that the utility for correction of vaccine certificates on the CoWIN portal is under development and will be made available to users “shortly”, especially for the victims of fake vaccination drives in the BMC area. Read More
The Victory flame also known as ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’ symbolizing India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 war will reach Mumbai on 1 September 2021 and will be received by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the Gateway of India.
To commemorate the milestone in India’s history, the celebration of 50 years of victory in the 1971 war - ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ - was flagged off by the Prime Minister from the National War Memorial in New Delhi on December 16, 2020. Four victory flames (Swarnim Vijay Mashaal) lit from the eternal flame at National War Memorial are being carried throughout the cities and villages across the nation including the villages of Param Vir Chakra (PVC) and Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) Awardees of 1971 War. This hallowed victory flame has been sent to 4 cardinal directions of the country before converging back at New Delhi in December 2021.
The flame moving in Western direction will arrive at Gateway of India, Mumbai from Vadodara on September 1, 2021 and will be stationed at Mumbai till September 9, 2021 before its departure for Panji, Goa. The event will be attended by prominent Military dignitaries from the three services and civil dignitaries. The Chief Minister will also felicitate Chakra Awardees of 1971 operations during the ceremony at Gateway of India.
Union minister Narayan Rane on Monday failed to appear at the office of the superintendent of police in Raigad district of Maharashtra as directed by a court earlier due to ill health, his lawyer said.
Rane’s lawyer Sandesh Chikne appeared in the office of the local crime branch inspector Dayanand Gavde on behalf of Rane. He told the police that Rane couldn’t come as he was not feeling well. Read More
The Enforcement Directorate ED on Monday searched the premises of Deputy Regional Transport Officer Bajrang Kharmate in connection with its investigation against Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab.
Parab has been asked to appear before the ED on Tuesday. Kharmate works in the transport ministry under Parab. Read More
A special court on Monday rejected the National Investigation Agency’s plea seeking custody of dismissed Mumbai Police officers Sachin Waze and Sunil Mane in connection with the Ambani terror scare case. The court also allowed Waze to undergo treatment at a private hospital for his heart ailment, the expenses for which will be borne by him.
The NIA had last week sought the custody of Waze and Mane claiming that they want to probe the role of a suspected person in the conspiracy. Read More
Scaling up its attack on the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday questioned “why are all restrictions being enforced on Hindu festivals in Maharashtra”.
BJP MLA and chief whip in Maharasthra Assembly, Ashish Shelar said: “Is this government taking orders from Taliban? Why are all restrictions being enforced on Hindu festivals in Maharashtra?”
The state government has banned the annual “Dahi Handi” celebrations on Janmashtami citing the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more
Blowing conch shells outside temples across Maharashtra, BJP workers led by the party’s state chief Chandrakant Patil held a ‘shankhanad andolan’ Monday seeking to open up the shrines for the public. Protests were staged at temples in several places including Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Solapur and Nagpur.
Party leaders and workers walked to the places of worship blowing conch shells. Patil led the demonstration in Pune where a group of BJP workers walked into Kasbapeth Ganesh Temple demanding that it be reopened. “The shankhanad is necessary to wake up the Maha Vikas Aghadi government which is in deep slumber. Pleas demanding the reopening of temples have gone unheard for the past 15 months,” Patil said. Read more
Taking a swipe at the Centre, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said a notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is not a "death warrant" but a "love letter" for political workers, a day after Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Anil Parab was asked to appear before the anti-money laundering agency.
"Frequency of such love letters has increased after unsuccessful attempts to breach the wall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which is strong and impregnable," he told reporters.
Raut said Parab was been targeted by BJP leaders. "He will respond to the notice and cooperate with the ED," he added.
The ED summoned Parab for questioning on Tuesday in the money laundering case registered against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and others, officials said on Sunday.
"Either a BJP man is a desk officer in the ED or an ED officer is working in the office of the BJP," Raut said.
The Shiv Sena, a former ally of the BJP, shares the power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra. (PTI)
Vehicle theft in the city till last month saw a significant rise compared to the same period in the past two years i.e. more than the thefts registered in 2019 when there was no pandemic.
According to data made available by the Mumbai Police, till July this year number of cases rose to 1,898 cases from 1,359 cases till last July, a sharp rise of 539 cases. Before the pandemic in 2019, around 1,560 cases were registered till July, which is lesser than the number of thefts registered this year.
A police officer, who has worked in the Property Cell that investigates motor vehicle thefts committed by inter-state gangs said, “Last year, due to the pandemic there was a lockdown and restrictions on vehicular movement. Further, there were many nakabandi points due to which the number of thefts decreased.” Read more
The Shiv Sena on Monday termed as the "second Jallianwala Bagh" the lathicharge on farmers by the police in Haryana and said the ML Khattar government has no right to remain in power anymore.
An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inaugurating the renovated Jallianwala Bagh complex in Amritsar, a second Jallianwala Bagh was happening in Haryana.
At least 10 people were injured on Saturday as police lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a highway in Haryana while heading towards Karnal to protest against a Bharatiya Janata Party meeting attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state BJP president Om Prakash Dhankar and other leaders.
"The seeds of cruelty being sown by the government will bear sour fruits. This is for sure...The Manohar Lal Khattar government has no right to remain in power," the Sena said.
It said the lathicharge incident might make farmers in India revolt and take revenge for each drop of blood that was shed by them. (PTI)
The Khar police recovered Rs 98,383 of a 75-year-old man from Khar (west) who was tricked into transferring the money by a cyber-fraudster who impersonated a wine shop employee on phone.
According to Khar police, on August 28, the victim wanted to have liquor and looked up vendors online. He called on one of the numbers he got online. A fraudster impersonating a wine shop employee asked him to reveal his card details on the pretext of taking an advanced payment and transferred Rs 98,383. Read more