UP may declare Ayodhya as pilgrim centres: UP govt
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said it was contemplating declaring 14 Kosi Parikrama Marg in Ayodhya and Lord Krishna’s birthplace in Mathura as pilgrim centres so that the sale and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian items was completely stopped there. Uttar Pradesh minister Shrikant Sharma told PTI seers and crores of devotees had demanded that the sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food and liquor be banned in Ayodhya and Mathura. “Honouring their demands, the state government is working to declare the area around 14 Kosi Parikrama Marg in Ayodhya and the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura as pilgrim centres. Once this happens, a ban on the sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food and liquor will automatically come into effect,” he said. Sharma said Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Giriraj ji and Sapt Kosi Parikrama area of Govardhan had already been declared pilgrim centres, where there is ban on sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food and liquor. (PTI)
India-Morocco sign pact; to cooperate in criminal matters
New Delhi: India and Morocco Monday signed an agreement to help each other in criminal matters and provide legal assistance wherever required, the Home Ministry said. The agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters was signed by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on behalf of India and Mohamed Aujjar, the minister of justice on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco, here. The pact will strengthen bilateral cooperation with Morocco and enhance effectiveness and provide a broad legal framework for prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes, as well as in tracing, restraint and confiscation of funds meant to finance terrorist acts, a home ministry statement said. Both the ministers reiterated their resolve to jointly counter the threats posed by organised crime and terrorism, it said. (PTI)
Doctor found dead at his residence in northwest Delhi
New Delhi: The body of a 65-year-old doctor was found at his residence in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area on Monday, police said. The police received a call at around 10.30 am, following which they rushed to the spot and found the body of the man on a bed, they added. The deceased was identified as Mukim, a medical practitioner, the police said, adding that no injury marks were found on the body. The door of the house was found open, so it seemed to be a “friendly entry”, the police said, adding that however, an almirah in the house was found ransacked. The exact cause of the death would be ascertained after post-mortem, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Aslam Khan said. During a preliminary probe, the police learnt that Mukim was alone at home after his daughter, a teacher, left for school at 7.30 am, the DCP added. (PTI)
Lion enters farmer’s house, relaxes on heap of groundnuts
Ahmedabad: A farmer in Patla village in Gujarat’s Amreli district was greeted with a strange, albeit apprehensive, sight of a lion relaxing on a heap of groundnuts stored in a room in his house. A video of the lion sprawled on the groundnut heap went viral on social media. The incident took place in Tulsishyam range of the Gir (east) division Sunday night. Forest officials said Patla village is located on the edge of the Gir forest, the only abode of the Asiatic lions. The lion sneaked inside farmer Jilubhai Vala’s house Sunday night from nearby Gir forest and on the way had also killed a buffalo calf, belonging to the farmer, around 10 pm, a forest official said. “We had received call from Vala at around 10 pm Sunday saying that a lion had entered a room of his house. After a 2-hour operation, we managed to get the lion to leave and make its way to the forest safely,” Tulsishyam RFO P R Patel said Monday. “It is not unusual for lions to enter villages like Patla, as Gir forest is only a few kilometres away. These big cats enter villages regularly looking for prey,” Patel said. (PTI)
Venomous snake found in passenger’s bag at airport
Kochi: A Gulf-bound passenger was barred from boarding his flight after CISF personnel found a venomous snake in his baggage, police said Monday. Sunil, a resident of Palakkad, had bought a packet of Chinese potatoes from a local farmer which had the reptile in it, they said. On Sunday evening, he was scheduled to leave for Abu Dhabi on an Air India Express flight but was stopped after the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel detected the reptile in his bag during checking at the airport, they added. The CISF personnel identified the reptile as an Indian Krait, a venomous species. The officials handed over Sunil to the airport police, however, no case was registered against him as the snake, small in size, was found in the packet bought by Sunil unsuspectingly, the police said. He was later let off, they added. (PTI)