A massive fire spreads in the forest of Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Saturday. According to the forest department officials, around 30-hectare forest area was destroyed in a forest fire. 

On the announcement of 2024 Lok Sabha election dates, Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur said, " Dates of Lok Sabha election have been announced and Jharkhand is ready. The electoral bonds scam have also come out. In the coming days, people have the opportunity to decide who has worked for people and how, also who cheated on them."
 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday attached 4 properties allegedly being 'proceeds of terrorism' while investigating the Pune ISIS module case, in Kondhwa area of Pune.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering Tobgay at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. The Prime Minister of Bhutan is on his first official visit to India. 

INS Kolkata, in the last 40 hours, through concerted actions successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender and ensured the safe evacuation of 17 crew members in the evening today, Marchn 16th from the pirate vessel without any injury.

INS Kolkata had carried out the interception of the pirate ship Ruen almost 1400 nm (2600km) from the Indian Coast and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions which were augmented by INS Subhadra, HALE RPA, P8I maritime patrol aircraft and MARCOS PRAHARs air-dropped by C-17 aircraft.

The vessel has also been sanitised for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband.

The Supreme Court, on Monday, will pronounce its judgment on the bail plea of AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyender Kumar Jain. A Supreme Court bench comprising justices Bela Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal heard the matter. 

The Odisha government on Saturday decided to construct a Rs 128-crore bridge over the Mahanadi river in Cuttack district. This was among the 14 decisions taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The bridge to be built at a cost of Rs 128 crore will be connected to the Brahmankanda-Sahukheta road in the Salepur block It will also act as an interlink between Cuttack-Paradip and Cuttack-Chandbali roads and will provide benefits to people residing on both sides of the river.

Boiler blast in Haryana's Rewari, over 100 injured.

 A Galapagos giant tortoise aged about 125 years died at the Nehru Zoological Park here on Saturday due to age-related complications, Zoo officials said.

"Galapagos giant tortoise, male, aged about 125 years died today due to old age complications. He was off feed for the past 10 days," a release from the Nehru Zoological Park said. The Zoo Veterinary team was treating him for the last 10 days, the release added.

This tortoise is regarded as one of the oldest inhabitants of the zoo. Along with another 95-year-old tortoise, he was among the star attractions since the inauguration of the zoo, the release said.

This tortoise was shifted from Public Gardens (Bagh-E-Aam) in the city in 1963 after which it has been housed at the Nehru Zoological Park.

A postmortem has been conducted and the initial report reveals that the tortoise died due to multiple-organ failure. For further investigations samples have been sent to VBRI and Veterinary College, Rajendranagar.

A man allegedly stabbed his wife and 16-year-old daughter to death following an argument at their home in Maharashtra's Pune city on Saturday, police said.

The deaths came to light when the accused, Ajay Talewale, walked into the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station and surrendered in the morning, an official said.

The incident occurred in the Dattanagar area in the early hours of the day, he said.

The family was facing financial troubles and the couple had a heated argument, the official said.

In a fit of rage, the accused attacked his wife Shweta (40) with a knife and then proceeded to stab his daughter Shiroli, he said.

Both the mother and daughter were killed on the spot, the official said, adding that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the country has witnessed a historic decade of good governance, security, welfare of all sections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to everyone to vote for a leadership which has a track record of doing work and a vision to make India developed.

He also appealed to youths, women and all voters of the country to participate in this great festival of democracy by voting in maximum numbers to elect the BJP-led NDA which will put the nation first.

"The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have been announced today by the Election Commission. Elections are a great festival for the world's largest democracy. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed a historic decade of good governance, security, welfare of all sections and reconstruction of cultural heritage.

A college student and his brother were thrashed on university campus by a group which also damaged their car, police said on Saturday.

Mohit Dalal, the victim, in his complaint said he was thrashed by a group of youths when he was playing football in the college premises.

The native of Kithwari village in Palwal district said the group also threatened to shoot him before leaving.

"When I reached my PG and told my brother about the incident, the same group attacked me again and my brother too. They also damaged our car. We have the video recording of the attack and now they are threatening me over the phone," Dalal, a B.Sc (Agriculture) student, said.

According to police, Dalal identified some of his attackers as Rocky Dabas, Nitesh Dabas, Tarun Dabas, Ritik, Archit Malik, and Jatin Dabas.

The suspects were booked under sections 147 (riot), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (causing hurt), 427 (causing damage), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at Rajendra Park Police Station on Saturday, said police.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday accused the BJP of violating the Constitution and trying to crush democracy in the country during the last 10 years of its rule and said the people were "desperately" waiting for the general elections.

The Lok Sabha polls will be held across the country in seven phases beginning April 19 and the counting of votes will take place on June 4 for the world's biggest election exercise in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bid for a third consecutive term.

At a press conference, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP)Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai said that his party and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance are ready to fight the Lok Sabha polls with full strength.

"The way BJP has violated the Constitution and tried to crush the democracy in the country in the last 10 years of its rule, even the people were desperately waiting for the elections," he said, welcoming the declaration of poll dates.

A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Saturday, police said.

The gun battle occurred in the forest near Chilparas village under the Koyalibeda police station area, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Kanker Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela said.

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF) were involved in the operation, he said.

After the guns fell silent, the body of a Naxalite, along with a weapon and explosive materials, were recovered from the spot, the official said.

The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained, and a search operation is underway in the area, he said.

Meanwhile, the police have established the identity of two Naxalites killed in an encounter with the police in Bijapur district on Friday, another officer said.

A total of 88.4 lakh people with disabilities have been registered in the electoral roll, the Election Commission said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference on Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections 2024, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said ramps and wheelchairs would be provided at the polling booths.

"Voters with 40 per cent benchmark disability can vote from home. Also, transport facility will be provided to people with disabilities to vote," he said.

Kumar said there are 88.4 lakh people with disabilities (PwDs) registered in the electoral roll.

The CEC said there are 97.8 crore eligible voters of which 49.72 crore were male voters and 47.1 crore were female voters.

 Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday made a scathing attack on former Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleging that he paid no attention on the development of Amethi when his mother's government was at the Centre and his colleague Akhilesh Yadav's government in Uttar Pradesh.

They talked about Amethi being (their) family but did not fulfill the family responsibilities, Irani said.

The minister was addressing a programme organised at Kaliji Maidan in Visheshwarganj after laying the foundation stone of doubling of Amethi to Kithawar (Pratapgarh) road.

"The Namdars ruled Delhi on the support of the people of Amethi but did not think about Amethi, especially Rahul Gandhi did not pay any attention to the development of Amethi," Irani said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated during a public meeting in Kalaburagi, Karnataka.

While addressing the mass gathering, PM said, "The law & order situation in Karnataka has worsened. Anti-social elements are being given protection in the state..."

He added, "When we say that India is the mother of democracy, the whole world accepts it. The world has no objection but when Congress people hear this their stomach starts paining. These people go all over the world and defame our country, our democracy, our great traditions..."

The Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce the verdict on K Kavitha's custody at 4:30 pm.

The ED has sought 10 days of custody of the arrested BRS leader for questioning. 

Kerala files an application in the Supreme Court of India seeking to stay the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024.
 

The Bihar state ministry on Saturday released the portfolios of the ministers. 

The Delhi Court will resume the hearing on K Kavitha's arrest by the ED officials after lunch.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a public rally in  Telangana's Nagarkurnool. He said, “The election dates (for Lok Sabha polls 2024) will be announced in Delhi in some time. However, people of the country have already announced the results even before the election dates are officially announced. The country has announced 'abki baar 400 paar', and the crowd here at Nagarkurnool is a testimony to that.”

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi filed a Writ petition in Supreme Court on Saturday seeking interim directions challenging CAA.

BRS leader K Kavitha reaches the Rouse Avenue Court in the Excise Policy Case. The leader was arrested by ED. 

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case.

ED on Saturday summoned Sandeshkhali violence accused Sheikh Shahjahan's two brothers, Siraj and Alamgi, on March 21.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leaves his residence to appear before the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested 'extortionist' Hiren Bhagat, known as Romi Bhagat, in connection with a money laundering case.

Romi had posed himself as an ED officer and threatened Cox and Kings promoter and extorted almost Rs 10 crores.

The Enforcement Directorate is conducting a raid at the premises of sand trader Krishna Mohan Singh in Arrah Bihar. 
 

Telangana police seized Rs 6 crore in cash after conducting searches at Prathima Multiplex in Karimnagar. 

The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appear before the Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday in connection with the Excise Policy Case.

Security heightened & a team of doctors arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office. BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested in Hyderabad on Friday in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy Case.

K Kavitha was brought to the national capital, Delhi, where she will be further questioned in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.

Amid the water crisis in Bengaluru, locals were seen queueing for water.

Talking to news agency ANI, a man said, "We get less water and we have to make 2-3 visits to check if water is available... Kaveri water is supplied only once or twice a week... Rains haven't started yet so there is no underground water and even Kaveri River has less water..."

On Saturday, Sugata Ghosh Dastidar, Controller General of Defence Accounts appointed as Financial Adviser (Defence Services) in the Ministry of Defence.

A massive fire broke out in an Oil Godown at around 8:30 pm on Friday. The fire was extinguished by 6:00 am today. Some 12 fire engines were used to fight the fire.

As per fire tenders, it took them around 10 hours to control the fire. No casualties were reported.

IAS Abhimanyu has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty to the newly-elected Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini.