Maharashtra this week (February 6-12) saw the exit of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who was replaced by Ramesh Bais, a day after the country keenly watched Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating two Vande Bharat trains from Mumbai's CSMT railway station. Meanwhile, the alleged murder of journalist Shashikant Warishe in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri sent a wave of shock through the state, prompting reactions from leaders across political parties. Here is the top news of the week: Modi visits Mumbai, flags off two Vande Bharat trains Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the ninth and tenth Vande Bharat trains, Mumbai-Solapur and Mumbai-Sainagar Shirdi, and said, “Infrastructure is key to generating new avenues of employment.” The new Vande Bharat trains are equipped with “additional parking brakes” and “traction motor system” that will enable these trains to stop in case of signalling or emergency, and prevent it from rolling down on both routes comprising Ghat sections. From facilities to food, here’s all you need to know about Maharashtra’s two new Vande Bharat trains Modi also inaugurated the Mumbai campus of the Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, an Arabic academy that exclusively caters to the education of young boys and girls from the Dawoodi Bohra community. In Mumbai for the second time in under a month's time, PM Modi also inaugurated multiple infrastructure projects including an Elevated Corridor that promises enhanced connectivity between Eastern and Western Mumbai Suburbs. Solving Crime | How a 2021 rape-murder case in Mumbai was cracked using gait analysis, a first in Maharashtra Ramesh Bais appointed new Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais was appointed the new Governor of Maharashtra after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday morning. He started his political journey as a councillor in the Raipur Municipal Corporation in 1980 and went on to win the Raipur Lok Sabha constituency seven times for the BJP. Koshyari's tenure tenure in the state since his appointment has been surrounded by controversies, leading to protests from the Opposition and demands for his ouster accusing him of disrespecting Maharashtra’s idols and distorting history. Man accused of killing journalist had run-ins with other activists Real estate developer Pandharinath Amberkar, arrested for allegedly mowing down journalist Shashikant Warishe on February 6, has a history of run-ins with persons opposed to the setting up of a refinery and petrochemicals factory in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the murder of journalist Shashikant Warishe in Ratnagiri earlier this week. Warishe had been highlighting issues faced by local residents in connection with the setting up of the Ratnagiri refinery and petrochemicals factory in the district for the last two years. Two 15-storey automatic car parking towers coming up in Mumbai Editor's Picks In its recent chargesheet against five members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Maharashtra ATS has claimed that the group was working towards the larger goal of bringing Islamic rule to India. A seven-page booklet ‘India 2047, Towards Rule of Islam in India’, purportedly recovered from the residence of the main accused aims to turn India into an “Islamic-ruled state”. The rent-a-bicycle along Mumbai Metro Line 2A & 7 stations is seeing an uptake in service, said Shreyansh Shah, associate director from MYBYK, a private bicycle service provider which has collaborated with MMRDA. Shah said they are working to integrate the service with Mumbai 1 mobile app, which currently allows commuters to buy metro ticket. The Mumbai Police collected the blood samples of the parents of Sadichcha Sane, the MBBS student who was allegedly murdered in November 2021. The samples will be matched with the DNA extracted from the float tube in which the police suspect Sane’s body was disposed after she was murdered at Bandra Bandstand. 3 priests booked for spreading fake video, pics of ice formation inside Trimbakeshwar temple Here are the other important stories from the week: Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat resigned from his post on Tuesday, accusing state party president Nana Patole of conspiring against him. Mumbai has recorded the highest number of days with ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ Air Quality Index (AQI) between November 2022 and January 2023, and just one day with ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ AQI. Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray over his challenge to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to resign, contest and win the election from Worli Assembly constituency, the CM said he did not take up such small challenges. The much-awaited water taxi service between the Gateway of India and Belapur was inaugurated, and tickets for the the service can be bought on MyBoatRide.com. Photo of the week News to watch out for next week SIT to probe journalist Shashikant Warishe's death to be formed; accused to be produced in court for further remand. Bombay HC to hear on February 18 a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the bail granted to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case. Pleas by Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar and Venugopal Dhoot in loan fraud case seeking to quash FIR against them. Bombay HC to hear regular bail plea by Elgaar Parishad accused Gautam Navlakha and NIA's response to the same. Special court likely to decide on whether NCP leader Nawab Malik needs further hospitalisation in a private hospital. The DNA test results of parents of Sadichcha Sane, the MBBS student believed to have been murdered, will be clear on the coming week. News from Mumbai: January 30 – February 5
