Govt sets up key panel to assist National Security Council
New Delhi: The government has set up a panel, headed by NSA Ajit Doval, to assist the National Security Council, which advises the prime minister on matters of national security and strategic interests, officials said Monday. The Strategic Policy Group (SPG) will assist the National Security Council and undertake among other tasks, a long-term strategic review of country’s security affairs. It will be the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of relevant inputs in the formulation of national security policies, a top Home Ministry official said. The SPG will be chaired by National Security Advisor (NSA) Doval and its members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, the cabinet secretary, the chiefs of the three defence services, the RBI governor, the foreign secretary, the home secretary, the finance secretary and the defence secretary. The secretary of the Department of Defence Production and Supplies, the scientific adviser to the defence minister and the secretary (R), Cabinet Secretariat will also be members of the panel. (PTI)
Rahul to address rally in Bikaner on Wednesday
Jaipur: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address a ‘Sankalp Rally’ in Rajasthan’s Bikaner city on Wednesday, state party chief Sachin Pilot said Monday. Gandhi will visit Dholpur on Tuesday during his two-day tour to Rajasthan, Pilot said. The Congress president will attend first meeting in Mania then in Badi, Basedi, Bayana and Vair, he said, adding that Gandhi will also visit Bharatpur and Dausa districts on Tuesday. Pilot said the party president will rest in Mahua and will take part in two different events in Jaipur on Wednesday. The Assembly polls in Rajasthan are due later this year. (PTI)
Court convicts AAP MLA in one case, acquits in another
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Prakash Jarwal had a mixed day on Monday with a Delhi court convicting him of intimidating a woman in one case, while acquitting him in another case of allegedly outraging a woman’s modesty. Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal convicted Jarwal in a 2017 case for the offence punishable under 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) and 506(1)(criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code. The court will hear on October 22 the arguments on quantum of sentence where the politician can get a maximum of two years in jail. According to the FIR filed at Sangam Vihar police station, on July 14, 2017 the accused along with his associates went to the house of the complainant and assaulted her with an intention to outrage her modesty and intimidated her and her husband. A charge sheet was filed. (PTI)
Fearing crop loss, farmer kills self in Gujarat
Ahmedabad: A 40-year-old farmer from Gujarat allegedly committed suicide Sunday night by hanging himself in Botad district apparently over the fear of losing his crop in view of weak monsoon, the police said Monday. Relatives of the deceased Kalu Chauhan told police that he was also worried over upcoming marriage of his daughter, a police official said. Chauhan was a resident of Gundala village in the district, over 150 kms away from here. The farmer allegedly hanged himself by using rope in a small room at the farm of one Ramesh Chavda who had rented his 40 bigha land to the deceased for sowing cotton, he said. “Chauhan’s relatives told police that he was afraid of losing his crop due to weak monsoon,” Gadhada police station sub-inspector Vimal Dhorda said, adding that the deceased also owned a small tract of land. The police officer said they are investigating the case from various angles because, as per investigation, Chauhan had not shared his apprehension over crop loss with anybody before taking the extreme step. (PTI)
Bihar thrashing case: All 9 accused arrested
Supaul: Police have arrested all the nine accused, including three women, named in the FIR in connection with beating up of minor girl students of a state-run school here, a senior police official said Monday. Thirty minor girl students in Bihar’s Supaul district were beaten up by a mob after they protested against lewd comments on a wall allegedly written by boys of a neighbouring school. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by KGBV’s hostel warden Reema Raj. The accused have been identified as Mohan Kumar, Hariom Sardar, Munna Sardar, Madhwa Sardar, Ajit Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Paro Devi, Arni Devi and Gavita Kumari, the SP said. Three out of the nine were arrested by Sunday evening and the rest six were held by night, the officer said. A section of police force has been deployed at the girls hostel for their security, Choudhary said. Darbhanga zone Inspector General Pankaj Kumar Darad said he was keeping a close tab on the case. (PTI)