Here are the top 5 news updates of April 12, 2022:
The Ministry of Education has sought a report from JNU regarding a clash between students' group on occasion of Ram Navmi, officials said today. "As per standard procedures, a formal report has been sought about the clash between the student groups on the occasion of Ram Navmi and the unrest on campus," a senior MoE official said. Two groups of students clashed at the varsity's Kaveri Hostel on Sunday allegedly over serving of non-vegetarian food on Ram Navami in the mess, with police saying 20 students were injured in the violence. The two students groups on Monday lodged police complaints against each other, while varsity authorities claimed the violence occurred after some students objected to a 'hawan', an assertion also made by RSS-affiliate ABVP.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the US is monitoring what he described as a rise in human rights abuses in India by some officials, in a rare direct rebuke by Washington of the South Asian nation's rights record. "We regularly engage with our Indian partners on these shared values (of human rights) and to that end, we are monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police and prison officials," Blinken said on Monday in a joint press briefing with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Blinken did not elaborate. Singh and Jaishankar, who spoke after Blinken at the briefing, did not comment on the human rights issue.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil today said the intelligence department had sent a letter to police officials concerned on April 4 about a possible protest by MSRTC workers outside NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence, but still there was a "lapse" and enough security arrangements were not made. A probe is already on into the lapse, while the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of zone II has been transferred and a senior inspector of the Gamdevi police station suspended, the minister told reporters. A group of MSRTC employees, who are on strike, had staged a fiery protest outside Pawar's bungalow on Pedder Road in south Mumbai on April 8 afternoon, accusing him of not doing anything to help them.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil today said the state government will seek from the Centre the whereabouts of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who enjoys 'Z' category CISF security cover and is facing a cheating case in Mumbai. The city police last week registered a case of cheating against former Lok Sabha member Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil Somaiya based on a complaint lodged by a former Army personnel. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has accused the father-son duo of misappropriation of over Rs 57 crore collected in the name of saving the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier ship Vikrant, which was scrapped in 2014. Raut has also accused the Somaiyas of fleeing Maharashtra in the wake of the allegations and claimed that the former MP is hiding "in a BJP-ruled state, either in Gujarat or Goa".
BSE benchmark Sensex plummeted over 388 points to close at 58,576.37 today, tracking weakness in index majors Wipro, RIL and Bharti Airtel amid a weak trend in global markets. Investors also remained cautious ahead of crucial macroeconomic data announcements -- industrial production for February and inflation rate for March -- post trading hours. The Sensex declined 388.20 points or 0.66 per cent to settle at 58,576.37. During the day, the benchmark tanked 666 points or 1.12 per cent to 58,298.57. The Nifty went lower by 144.65 points or 0.82 per cent to finish at 17,530.30.
