Nation news in brief

Bihar hot and dry; Gaya hottest

Patna, June 4 (PTI): The weather in Bihar remained hot and dry with Gaya being the hottest place at 46.1 degrees Celsius. As per Met bulletin, Gaya witnessed five degrees above its normal maximum temperature. The state capital recorded 40.4 degrees Celsius against yesterday’s 42.5 degrees Celsius.

NIA raids again in Kashmir over terror funding

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS): Continuing its probe into terror funding by Pakistan-based groups to stoke unrest in the Kashmir Valley, the NIA on Sunday conducted fresh raids across five locations in Jammu and Kashmir and seized incriminating documents and foreign currency. Searches were counteracted in four locations in Kashmir Valley and one in Jammu region. The agency on Saturday conducted multiple raids across Srinagar, Delhi and Haryana and seized over Rs 1 crore in cash, letterheads of banned terrorist groups like LeT and incriminating documents.

Rajasthan Minister questions HC judge’s remarks on peacocks

Jaipur, June 4 (IANS): Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar on Saturday questioned state high court judge Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma’s remarks on breeding of peacocks, saying that there is no proof that “child” is born through tears. “We only have heard about breeding through mating,” the minister said. Speaking to media after his retirement on May 31, Justice Sharma had said that peacocks never have sex with the peahen, which becomes pregnant by “swallowing the tears of the peacock”.

4 rescued, 23 stuck on barge in Karnataka

Mangaluru (Karnataka), June 4 (IANS): Four workers were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard, while 23 workers were stranded on a flooded barge in the Arabian sea off Ullal in Karnataka’s west coast, police said on Saturday. Ullal near Mangaluru in Dakshin Kannada (South Canara) is about 350km from the state capital Bengaluru. The Coast Guard ship Amartya, which brought the four rescued to the shore, will resume the operation on Sunday to save the remaining 23 men stuck on the barge. The rescue operation was terminated in view of strong winds and heavy swell in the area.

Open to suggestions on cattle slaughter notification: Govt

New Delhi, June 4 (PTI): The government today said it is open to the suggestions made by various groups on the cattle slaughter notification and was not viewing it as a prestige issue, amid a raging row over the order. Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said the intention behind the notification was not to harm any particular group, influence food habits or affect slaughter business. “Suggestions that have been submitted will be reviewed. It is not a prestige issue for the government,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here on the eve of the World Environment Day. The order had come on a petition challenging the bar as inimical to personal liberty, people s rights to livelihood and an encroachment into matters that are within the domain of the states.

Three traffickers held in Ghaziabad, three women freed

Ghaziabad, June 4 (IANS): Three persons who had abducted three women for trafficking were arrested here and the victims released, police said on Sunday. During a campaign launched to stop trafficking of women, a team of policemen nabbed three suspects near Dabur India factory in Kaushambi area, said a police officer, adding that during questioning, the trio confessed they had abducted three women, who would be taken to a far-off area and be sold to brothels. On the information obtained from them, police rescued the three girls whom they had kept in their hideouts places in Delhi and NCR.

Jails across Odisha raided

Bhubaneswar, June 4 (PTI): Raids were conducted on a large number of jails across Odisha today during which several objectionable materials and cash were seized by the police. While details of the seizures made during the raids are still awaited, reports received from some teams so far suggested that a number of mobile phones and tobacco items like cigerettes, gutkha and bidis have been seized. A report from Sambalpur said that the police team seized around Rs 16.72 lakh in cash, nine mobile phones and other items from the office of Sambalpur Circle Jail.

RPF, Eastern Raiway rescues 650 children

Kolkata, June 4 (PTI): The Railway Protection Force in the Eastern Railway zone has rescued 650 children from different stations and trains and united 251 out of them with their parents, a spokesman of the railway said here today. Child help groups have been established at Howrah station where two child help desks -- ‘Child Line NGO’ of Don Bosco Ashalayam and ‘Little Big Help’ are functioning.

Fake currency worth Rs 1.4 crore seized; 2 arrested

Tenkasi (TN) June 4 (PTI): Fake currency with a face value of around Rs 1.4 crore has been seized following the arrest of two persons here, police said. Hassan (61) and Samidurai (49), who were found moving around suspiciously with a bag at the bus stand here were arrested yesterday, they said. A search revealed that they were carrying fake currency worth Rs six lakh with them. After questioning, police personnel seized fake currencies in Rs 2000, Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations to the tune of Rs. 1,36,60,000 from Samidurai’ house. Apart from the fake currency notes, police also seized three xerox machines used by the two.

Constable arrested for misbehaving with girl in UP

Mainpuri (UP), June 4 (PTI): A constable posted at Karhal gate police outpost was today arrested for allegedly outraging the modesty of a girl on May 25, police said. The 16-year-old girl had gone to the police outpost to enquire about a case when the policeman misbehaved with her. The incident was also recorded in a mobile phone, they said. The clipping went viral on social media following which the state government ordered strict action against the constable in question. Superintendent of Police Rajesh S said constable Ishwar Dayal was arrested after an FIR was lodged against him at Mainpuri police station.