Punjab Police on Monday invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against five people linked to radical Sikh leader Amritpal Singh’s Waris Punjab De. The five include Amritpal’s uncle Harjit Singh, who surrendered in Jalandhar. HT brings you a round-up of the most important and interesting stories, so you don’t miss your daily dose of news. |
THE BIG STORY Amritpal’s uncle, driver surrender, NSA invoked The uncle and driver of absconding separatist leader Amritpal Singh surrendered to Punjab Police in the early hours of Monday as authorities extended a mobile internet ban and continued a massive manhunt across the state in a bid to nab the radical pro-Khalistan leader. With the operation against the 30-year-old Waris Punjab De chief entering its third day, police invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against four alleged aides of Singh, who were arrested on Sunday and sent to Assam for interrogation. Police also charged Singh’s uncle Harjit Singh under the NSA and sent him to Dibrugarh where he has been lodged in Central Jail. Read more. |
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THE BIG QUESTION Is the Centre stalling the Delhi budget? An unprecedented 11th hour drama cast a shadow over whether the 2023-24 Budget for the national capital will be presented on Tuesday when it emerged late on Monday that the requisite approval from the President - which is routed through the Union home ministry -- for the exercise had not arrived. In the hours that followed, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government hit out at the chief secretary, accusing the bureaucrat of “sitting” on a file and not passing on the request for clarifications by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) for three days - until 2pm on Monday. Read more. |
FROM THE EDIT PAGE Punjab cannot afford a return to the 1980s The crackdown on Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and his followers is as dramatic as it is mysterious. The state government appears to have woken up belatedly to the gravity of the threat posed by the separatist preacher, which was building up for quite some time. The Ajnala incident of February 23 was a disaster for the police. The Khalistanis called the shots, browbeat the police, and managed to secure the release of Singh’s aide, Lovepreet Singh Toofan. It was distressing to see the police almost surrender to the separatists. After facing sustained criticism, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government appeared to have finally decided on March 18 to act against Singh and his supporters. Read more. |
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 It’s the first Indian video to cross three billion views on YouTube. The devotional hymn, by Gulshan Kumar, on the T-Series Bhakti Sagar channel, sings praises to a Hindu god – a divine vanara, Rama’s most loyal devotee, lord of the monkeys. Name the hymn. |
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 Hanuman Chalisa |
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HT This Day: March 21, 1995 6 dead in Tokyo toxic gas attack  (Click to expand) The morning rush-hour turned into a scene of horror on three crowded Tokyo subway lines on Monday as several toxic gas containers, apparently planted deliberately, flooded subway cars and stations with fumes that killed at least six people and injured hundreds, many critically. The gas containers apparently began emitting deadly vapour a little after 8 a.m. on one or more subway trains near the center of Tokyo. Authorities and witnesses said fumes caused immediate widespread vomiting, nasal bleeding and other debilitating symptoms among commuters crowded on subway cars or station platforms. Read more. |
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