An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter Scale hit Tripura this afternoon. No damage to life or property was immediately reported.
According to the National Centre for Seismology, the epicentre of the temblor was in Dhalai district in the north-eastern state.
"The 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit the region at 14:39 hrs. The epicentre was located at a depth of 28 km in the district," it said.
Many panic-stricken people ran out of their homes and shops, as the tremor ran through the region.
"It was the strongest earthquake that I have felt till date. It felt as if the whole building would collapse," Pradip Mallik, an Agartala resident, said.
Hopeful China would agree on Masood Azhar issue: Rajnath
New Delhi, Jan 3, 2016 (PTI)
India is hopeful that China will agree with its position on getting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the United Nations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.
Interacting with the media here, Singh said, "We still expect China to support our stand."
On December 30 last year, China had blocked India's proposal to list JeM chief and Pathankot mastermind Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist by the UN, triggering a sharp reaction from New Delhi which termed it as "unfortunate blow" and a step that confirms prevalence of double standards in the fight against terrorism.
India's proposal was submitted in February to the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.
A fresh listing request will be required for Azhar to be banned by the UN, officials had said.
However, India had said it will continue to push forward with resolute determination "through the use of all options available with us to bring perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice".
China had blocked India's proposal citing lack of "consensus" on the issue.
The ban would have forced imposition of asset freeze and travel ban on him by countries, including Pakistan.
China was the only member in the 15-nation UN body to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Azhar on the sanctions list.
BJP office attacked in Kolkata after Sudip Bandyopadhyay's arrest
Kolkata, Jan 3, 2016 (PTI)
The CBI today arrested Trinamool Congress parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay in connection with the alleged Rose Valley chit fund scam, the second of a party MP within a week.
Bandopadhyay, who arrived at the CBI office here at around 11 am, was subjected to more than four hours of intensive interrogation by CBI, after which he was arrested.
The TMC MP had been summoned thrice earlier by the investigation agency.
His arrest in the alleged Rose Valley scam came close on the heels of the arrest of another Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal on Friday. Paul, an actor-turned politician, is now in the CBI custody in Bhubaneshwar.
On reaching the CBI office today, Bandopadhyay told waiting reporters that he had come to face interrogation and know what the charges were against him.
Shortly after Bandopadhyay's arrest, suspected activists of the TMC's student wing hurled stones at the BJP's state headquarters here.
The Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) has, however, denied involvement in the incident.
Hundreds of TMCP activists shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP and threw stones outside the BJP state headquarters in the city, official sources said.
The police quickly cordoned off the area and chased the protestors away. "Some people threw stones at the BJP office. Later we used force and dispersed the crowd," a Kolkata police official said.
Reacting to the incident, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "People carrying flags of the TMC threw stones at our office because their leader has been arrested in a scam. Is this democracy? They should have thought about it before looting common people."
On being asked about the incident, TMCP state president Jaya Dutta said she was not aware of any such thing.
"One can clearly understand how unsafe we are under Mamata Raj," BJP MP Rupa Ganguly said, adding "a few minutes back Mamata Banerjee addressed the press and said people will be on streets. That's what happened."
"Everybody is scared in Bengal today. Police doesn't listen to the common people. They just stand by. Today it has happened in the heart of the city so it has been noticed," she said.
Mamata challenges Modi to arrest her
Kolkata, Jan 3, 2016 (PTI)
Stung by the arrest of TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using CBI, ED and Income Tax department against those who raised voice against demonetisation and dared him to arrest her and all TMC MPs.
She asserted that their protest against note ban would continue. "I just can't think that Sudip Bandopadhyay, who is our party's leader in the Lok Sabha will be arrested. I also have information that Modi wants to arrest many other TMC leaders like Abhishek Banerjee, Sovan Chatterjee (city mayor) and Firhad Hakim (minister)," she told reporters immediately after Sudip's arrest by the CBI in connection with the alleged Rose Valley chit fund scam.
"I am shocked, but not scared. Let him arrest all of us. I openly challenge him to arrest me. Let me see his guts. He may silence others, but not me. He can't suppress our voice. He can't bulldoze people's voice," she said. "We will fight legal battle in every case," she said.
Earlier, at a meeting in Medinipur she charged Modi with using CBI, ED and IT against persons who protested against demonetisation.
The TMC supremo also convened an emergency meeting on Sudip's arrest to chalk out the party's action plan.
TMC would launch dharnas to protest against Sudip's arrest from tomorrow, she said, adding "politics cannot be done by resorting to vendetta".
She alleged that Bandopadhyay was arrested due to "pressure from the PMO" and asked "why should Narendra Modi and Amit Shah not be arrested?
"The party is behind Sudip. He has not done anything wrong. Even if he is in jail, the people of Bengal will keep him in their heart," she said.
The TMC chief also said that it was the duty of the Centre, the Sebi and the RBI to keep a check on ponzi schemes in which they have "failed completely".
"I challenge Modi directly. You cannot do anything because Trinamool Congress is right and you are wrong. You cannot suppress the voice of the people. you have to withdraw restrictions (on withdrawal of cash)... Modi has no clue where this political vidictiveness will take him. We are not scared and will continue our demonstration against demonetisation," she said.
Mamata said, "He (Modi) has got a government... Even I also have a government in my hand. I can also arrest people here who are involved in riots. But I have not done so because I believe in political courtesy."
Reacting to Sudip Bandopadhyay's arrest Union Coal and Power minister Piyush Goyal said if someone did any wrong he would get caught.
"If someone has done any wrong, he will get caught. If someone tries to cover his or her own wrongdoing by baseless allegations..... We never interfered in investigative affairs," Goyal, who is in the city, said.
NCW summons Karnataka Home Minister, SP leader Abu Azmi
New Delhi, Jan 3, 2016 (PTI)
The National Commission for Women (NCW) today issued summonses to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara and SP leader Abu Azmi over their objectionable remarks on the alleged incident of mass molestation of women in Bengaluru on New Year Eve.
"We have sent summonses to both of them (Parameshwara and Azmi) for their statements," NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said.
"It does not matter whether Abu Azmi belongs to one particular party or another. To be brutally frank, there are men across parties who make these disgusting statements. If men at this level say such things, where is the nation heading?" she said.
"I don't say all men are like that in the country, but a good 25 per cent of this country seems to be full of patriarchal men who have no respect for women," she added.
Taking strong exception to Parameshwara's remarks that youngsters' "western ways" were reason behind the incident of mass molestation in Bengaluru, Kumaramangalam had yesterday demanded that he apologise and resign from his post.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, Kumaramangalam had written to the DGP, city police commissioner and Home Minister seeking a reply on what action has been taken immediately against those involved in the molestation incidents.
Reacting to the incident, Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi today said though it was the duty of police to ensure safety of women on the New Year eve, women should not forget that "security starts at home".
"Partying late night in half attire, blindly following western culture, has never been our culture.
"When few women in half dress come out on streets at late night with their friends, such incidents do occur," said Azmi, an MLA from Shivaji Nagar in suburban Mumbai.
The alleged incidents of molestation occurred on Saturday night in and around the junction of Brigade Road and M G Road, where thousands had gathered to herald the New Year.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that women were molested and groped and lewd remarks were also passed by miscreants late night on December 31 in the posh area even as it was claimed that 1,500 police personnel had been deployed to control the crowds
Akhilesh meets Mulayam, but no truce yet
Lucknow, Jan 3, 2016(PTI)
Amid intense power tussle, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today met his father Mulayam Singh Yadav at his residence, leading to speculation that efforts were being made for a patch-up which the faction led by the Chief Minister discounted.
Though there was no official word from either faction on the meeting, there were speculation about patch-up effort. However, some senior party leaders close to Akhilesh denied any such thing, saying it was "too late".
Akhilesh reached Mualyam's residence here after the latter returned from New Delhi where he had knocked at the doors of the Election Commission to claim the 'cycle' symbol.
The father and son were together for over two hours. Shivpal Yadav, Mulayam's brother who is at loggerheads with Akhilesh, also joined them after coming back from Delhi.
At the airport when asked about the meeting, Shivpal said, "I dont have any information about the meeting. If 'netaji' (Mulayam) calls me I will go".
After the meeting, a senior party leader close to Akhilesh told PTI that "it too late. There is no scope for any settlement. EC will decide who will have SP's cycle".
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh, who was anointed by his faction as the SP president on Sunday, reportedly spoke to Mulayam over phone.
Both Mulayam and Akhilesh factions of SP have staked claim over the party and its cycle symbol before Election Commission.
CBI files charge sheet against Teesta Setalvad
New Delhi, Jan 3, 2016 (PTI)
A charge sheet has been filed by CBI against social activist Teesta Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and a company run by them for alleged violation of foreign funding rules.
The charge sheet, which has listed the firm Sabrang Communications and Publishing Private Limited and a man named Sushma Raman, was filed on Saturday in a court in Mumbai, CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said today.
The probe agency had in July 2015 registered a case against Setalvad, who was at the forefront of campaign for 2002 Gujarat riot victims, and others for alleged violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in receiving funds from abroad without taking prior permission from the Home Ministry.
The charge sheet has been filed under Section 120 B of Indian Penal Code (criminal conspiracy) along with FCRA 2010 and FCRA 1976, the spokesperson said.
