Breaking News Updates: Ajay Mishra Reaches Delhi; 32 Omicron cases in Maharashtra

Amid the uproar surrounding his son's alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, trouble mounted for Union Mos Home Ajay Mishra Teni after a video of him misbehaving with journalists surfaced on social media. On Wednesday, Ajay Mishra Teni was questioned on the SIT report which has ruled the Lakhimpur violence as a 'pre-planned conspiracy.'

Four more patients were found to be infected with Omicron in Maharashtra. Two are from Osmanabad, one from Mumbai and one from Buldhana. A total of 32 patients infected with omicron have been reported in the state. Out of these 25 have been discharged after negative RTPCR test. 

Council Chairman instructions were violated by the members of legislative council. Action was taken under rule of 326 and 327. Suspended Council members are protesting in the well of the council.

Union MoS Home has been summoned to New Delhi by the BJP High Command this evening amid calls from the Opposition for his resignation over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish is one of the main accused in the violence case, will leave for Delhi at 5 pm. 

The entry gate of the ‘Sainya Dham’ will be named after CDS General Bipin Rawat, who along with his wife and 11 other defence personnel, died in a tragic helicopter crash on December 8, said Ganesh Joshi, Minister of Soldier Welfare, Uttarakhand.

The Prime Minister's Office has informed that PM Modi will be participating in the Homage and Reception Ceremony of Swarnim Vijay Mashaals at National War Memorial on December 16. 

"Extremely saddened to learn about the demise of India's braveheart and Shaurya Chakra recipient Group Captain Varun Singh, who was injured in the unfortunate helicopter accident in Coonoor. Humble tribute. My condolences are with the bereaved families. Om Shanti" tweeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 

A resident of Deoria, decorated air warrior Group Captain Varun Singh succumbed to injuries at a Military hospital in Bengaluru today. 

Indian Air Force Group Captain Varun Singh, whose condition had been critical following the deadly helicopter crash on December 8, has, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries, the IAF informed this morning. 

Section 144 has been imposed in Karnataka's Uppinangady amid a volatile situation following clashes between PFI workers and the police. The PFI supporters had gathered at the Uppinangady police station limits demanding the immediate release of its members in a stabbing case.

People started gathering again around 9 pm outside the police station and were restricted from staging protests. The crowd allegedly resorted to attacking the police following which they were lathi-charged. Many were injured including the police personnel. The supporters were then dispersed after Section 144 was imposed by the Tahsildar around 7 pm.

On Wednesday, India's sports minister Anurag Thakur spoke about the Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma rift and had his say on the handling of the issue. While speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Khelo India U21 Women’s Hockey League, Thakur spoke about the current situation surrounding the Indian Cricket team. He said,

He said, "Sports is supreme and nobody is bigger than sports. I can't you give info as to what's going on between which players in what game. It's the job of concerned federations/associations. It'll be better if they give info".

Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid uproar in the House by Opposition MPs over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The Opposition has demanded the arrest of MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni. 

Two more cases of the Omicron variant were reported in Telangana on Wednesday. Those who tested positive include a 24-year-old, who returned from Kenya at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on December 12. Another patient is a 23-year-old who is a Somali national was tested positive for Omicron. Their samples of primary contacts have been sent for Genomic sequencing.

A central health team has made a surprise visit to Kerala after an excess number of deaths were added to the COVID-19 tally. As many as 13,330 deaths were included in the official death figures by the state after protests were raised on not including Coronavirus fatalities. The central team is here to investigate this anomaly.

President Ram Nath Kovind has landed in Dhaka for a maiden three-day State Visit during which he will hold talks with his counterpart and attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan. This will be the President's first foreign trip since the pandemic. 

Rajya Sabha proceedings were interrupted yet again on Wednesday due to sloganeering by Opposition members over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The Upper House has been adjourned till 12 pm. 

The Congress party moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The Opposition has demanded will demand that the Government sack Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni over the October 3 violence. 

Rahul Gandhi has given an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Congress will demand that the Government sack Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni over the October 3 violence, said party MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

The Karnataka Police detained three Popular Front of India (PFI) members in the state's Uppinangady on Tuesday over a stabbing case. According to sources, one PFI member was let off after the enquiry and two others were under custody for further investigation. Following this, PFI supporters gathered at the Uppinangady police station and demanded the immediate release of remaining members in custody. The stabbing case was reported on December 6. 

Responding to Saudi Arabia's direction towards the Taliban, prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's chief Maulana Arshad Madani conveyed concerns over the 'allegations'. According to Madani, the Saudi government's views on Tablighi Jamaat is its internal matter but the allegations leveled against Jamaat were a matter of concern for all Muslims.

"The allegations leveled by the Islamic Affairs Ministry against Tablighi Jamaat are "very painful" not only for the Tablighi Jamaat but also for all Muslims," the statement said.

"We wanted to convey our grievances and feelings to the Minister of Islamic Affairs through the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to inform him about the difficulties and worst consequences that could come to the Muslims as a result of his statement," the Jamiat said.

Addressing a gathering in poll-bound Goa, WB CM Mamata Banerjee politicised PM Modi taking a holy dip in Ganga during his visit to Varanasi on Monday. Referring to the PM's Varanasi tour where he inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Dham and his offering prayers at the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand, Banerjee contended that these visits were linked to the upcoming round of Assembly elections. 

Mamata Banerjee remarked, "First BJP should explain then they take a dip in Ganga when there is an election. When there is an election, he goes and sits inside a temple in Uttarakhand. When COVID-19 deaths happen, the bodies are dumped in the same Ganga. People are not even allowed to cremate (their dear ones)." 

The Congress on Tuesday informed that the proposed rally of leader Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai has been postponed. The rally, slated to be held on December 28, has now been pushed for a future date by the local unit of the party, a senior leader said. 

Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap withdrew his plea in the Bombay High Court, seeking permission for the party's scheduled rally at the Shivaji Park. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Bhai Jagtap said that the party has decided to postpone the rally in Mumbai following discussions with state officials and senior party leaders in New Delhi. 

A powerful IED explosion was reported in Manipur's East Imphal district on Wednesday, triggering security alarm in the region. The bomb blast took place at a pharmacy on Tinsid road of Lamlong area in Imphal East.  Security has been beefed up in Imphal and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Vigilance raids were held in different parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday at the premises of senior AIADMK leader and former Minister P Thangamani, in connection with a disproportionate assets case, police said. Thangamani held the Electricity and Prohibition and Excise portfolios in the previous AIADMK regime.

DVAC registered a disproportionate assets case against Thangamani accusing him of acquiring assets worth Rs 4.85 crores in excess of his toral income between May 2016 and March 2020.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world to be cautious as the new COVID-19 variant has reached more than 77 countries. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the highly-infectious virus has reached even more areas, even if it hasn't been detected yet. 

"77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron, and the reality is that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn't been detected yet. Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant," the WHO said in a twee

The ongoing speculation about Virat Kohli planning to take a break from the India vs South Africa ODI series was put to rest by a top BCCI official who has said that no 'formal request' has been made by the Test skipper. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple reports suggested that Virat Kohli is likely to miss the India vs South Africa ODI series as he wants to spend time with his family. Virat Kohli is set to lead India in three-match Test series starting on December 26 with the final Test set to take place on January 15.

Amid intensified anti-terror operations, Jammu and Kashmir forces on Wednesday eliminated another terrorist in the Pulwama encounter. The fight with terrorists went on for more than 7 hours after which a terrorist was neutralized while the operation is still underway. The encounter started at Usgam Pathri, Rajpura area of Pulwama with joint coordination of J&K Police and security forces. 

Following the orders of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Schools will be reopened on December 15, 2021. As per the reopening announcement, schools will reopen for classes 1 to 7. However, COVID protocols will have to be followed on school premises all the time. Ahead of reopening, important guidelines have also been issued by BMC. Schools have been told to make sure that no one breaks the rules.

Gangster Suresh Pujari, wanted in several extortion cases in Mumbai region and Karnataka, has been deported to India, a senior police official said on Wednesday.

Pujari, also wanted in extortion cases in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar and Dombivli near Mumbai, was brought back to India late Tuesday night after he was arrested and extradited from the Philippines.

Intelligence Bureau (IB) and CBI officials took his custody after he landed at Delhi airport, the official said.

Nearly a week after meeting Captain Amarinder Singh, Union minister and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP's) in charge for Punjab polls Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said Captain's Punjab Lok Congress and the saffron party are likely to join hands for the upcoming assembly polls in the state. He also said the talks between the two parties are in progress in this regard. Describing Lok Congress as a 'like-minded' party, Shekhawat added that both parties hold identical views on several issues. 

President Ram Nath Kovind departed for Dhaka on Wednesday morning for a maiden three-day State Visit during which he will hold talks with his counterpart and attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan. This will be the President's first foreign trip since the pandemic. 

"President Kovind is set to visit Bangladesh on 15-17 December at the invitation of the President of Bangladesh M Abdul Hamid as a unique sign of good relations between the two neighboring countries," Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said at a virtual press conference.