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Man in PPE kit seen in CCTV footage when explosive-laden car was parked near Antilia was Sachin Vaze, confirms Vaze’s staff to NIA

OpIndia Staff
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Man in PPE kit seen in CCTV footage when explosive-laden car was parked near Antilia was Sachin Vaze, confirms Vaze’s staff to NIA

In a massive development in the Antilia bomb scare case, one of Sachin Vaze’s staff has confessed to the National Investigation Agency that it was Vaze who was seen wearing a PPE kit near Antilia a day before a bomb-laden car was parked outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence.

Reportedly, the staff has revealed to the investigating officers that Vaze was spotted near Antilia wearing a PPE kit on the eve of the bomb scare incident. The staff has also revealed that Vaze later destroyed the PPE kit. The National Investigating Agency officials have recovered a shirt from Sachin Vaze that was allegedly worn inside the PPE kit.

During the initial investigation, a suspicious person wearing a PPE kit was spotted outside the house, near the SUV, in the CCTV footage. However, the suspected person could not be identified as he had his face covered. The National Investigation Agency had launched a probe to find out if the suspect in CCTV footage in the Antilia bomb scare case is Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze or not.

Incidentally, the National Investigation Agency has also recovered a few clothes that Vaze wore inside the PPE from the Mercedes that was recovered from a parking lot in Mumbai’s Crawford market. In addition to the clothes, the NIA had recovered a fake number plate that was attached to the Scorpio car, unaccounted cash and a cash counting machine from the Mercedes car on Tuesday.

Mumbai Police seizes Mercedes car used by Sachin Vaze

Earlier on Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency seized a black Mercedes car used by the tainted Mumbai cop from the Crawford market. The NIA officials have recovered the fake number plate that was used on the suspicious Scorpio car that used to plant bombs outside Antilia from the Mercedes car.

The NIA officials had raided the controversial Mumbai cop, who has been suspended for his role in the Antilia bomb case and traced a suspicious Mercedes 4matic car linked to Sachin Vaze. The Mercedes was recovered from a car-parking near the Mumbai Crime Branch office close to the Crawford market.

The NIA has also carried out searches at the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) situated in Mumbai Police headquarters, where Vaze served until last week. They have recovered a laptop, an iPad, a phone, a DVR and CCTV footage of the Vaze’s residence in the Saket building in Thane. 

Sachin Vaze – an accused in the Antilia bomb scare case

Last week, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested ‘encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze in connection with the Mansukh Hiren death case. The explosive-laden car found outside Antilia in February belonged to Hiren. It is alleged that Vaze is part of the group that planted the explosive-laden Scorpio on Carmichael Road (near Antilia) on February 25.

The top cop was also investigated for his alleged role in the death of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the Scorpio found near the Ambani residence.

Two cars – an Innova (white colour) and a Scorpio (green colour) were allegedly used to plant the bombs outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai on February 25. The police had traced the Scorpio to Mansukh Hiren, an auto part dealer in Thane.

A few days later, his dead body was found in a creek. While initially it was claimed to be suicide, further investigation revealed that it is possibly a murder. After Mansukh Hiren’s death, his wife, Vimla Hiren alleged that the vehicle was lent out to Sachin Vaze for four months till February 5. After that, it was reported stolen. She had accused Vaze of killing her husband.

Later, it was found out that Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze had used the same explosive-laden Scorpio found outside Reliance Group’s chief Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia to escort Alibagh Police in Arnab case. 

On Saturday, the National Investigative Agency officials had also recovered the white Innova car from the Mumbai Police Commissionerate office. A white Innova was also suspected to be used, in addition to the Scorpio, to plant the bombs outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai on February 25.

No one killed infants in Kota: Rajasthan minister claims no one found guilty for the deaths of newborns in J K Lon Hospital

OpIndia Staff
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No one killed infants in Kota: Rajasthan minister claims no one found guilty for the deaths of newborns in J K Lon Hospital

Rajasthan, and in particular Kota, has long been afflicted by the chronic problem of infant mortality. Every year, thousands of newborn deaths are reported from various hospitals across the state. The case came into the limelight in early 2020 when hundreds of deaths were reported from J K Lon Hospital in Kota. However, it seems like no one is responsible for these deaths as the Rajasthan minister recently declared that an inquiry found no one guilty for the death of infants in the Kota hospital in December 2019 and 2020.

On Tuesday, Medical and health minister Raghu Sharma was speaking in the Rajasthan state assembly when he claimed that no one is responsible for the deaths in J K Lon hospital in 2019 and 2020. Deaths of infants in Rajasthan has been reduced to mere statistics, with no willingness shown by the government to fix the accountability of the deaths. In fact, the Congress government in Rajasthan tried to brush aside the issue as Sharma claimed that infant deaths in the state are on the decline in the last few years.

Sharma told that 1,060 deaths were reported in Ajmer district in 2017, 1,276 in 2018, 1,200 in 2019, 939 deaths in 2020. In the Kota district, 852 infant deaths were reported in 2017, 881 in 2018, 837 in 2019 and 717 in 2020. Similar is the case districts like Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, he said. Sharma patted himself on the back, saying that the clear dip in the number of infant deaths in Rajasthan can be attributed to the state government’s efficient management.

Sharma said with the exceptions of Jaipur and Jhalawar, the number of infant deaths has decreased everywhere. For the surge in the number of deaths in Jaipur, Sharma blamed the higher number of referral cases. The minister said in the Budget 2021-22, it has been announced to provide a total of 58 ventilators, multi-monitor systems and ambulances with AC in 36 medical departments. He added that with this, the sick children will be immediately shifted to major hospitals and treated. This will also reduce the percentage of IMR, he said.

Sharma also claimed that the health ministry of the central government had lauded the work done by the state government for the health of children. Citing the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) report of the central government, Rajasthan was not among the top-10 states in the statistics of child deaths. When the state government also released the data of this report, from the year 2020, the Centre stopped releasing the report, he alleged.

More than 100 infants had died in J K Lon hospital in Kota

The focus of Sharma’s speech was not on fixing the accountability of the infant deaths that have occurred in the state so far but on crowing about the declining number of deaths. A staggering 100+ deaths of infants in Kota’s J K Lon hospital in December 2019 brought to focus the rampancy of infant mortality in Rajasthan.

During that time, the hospital authorities had made a beeline to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing or negligence that may have played a part in the deaths. The hospital has given a clean chit to itself by forming a committee to investigate the deaths, which later ruled out any negligence saying resources and equipment were functioning properly.

The hospital also tried to pin the blame of some of the deaths to terminal diseases suffered by the infants. It claimed that five newborns who died on December 23 and 24 were just a day old and breathed their last within few hours after they were admitted. The report said they were suffering from Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, a condition in which the infant’s brain does not receive enough oxygen and septicemia.

Later in December 2020, the hospital had grabbed headlines once again when 9 infant deaths were reported in a matter of few hours. Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma had then ordered a probe to look into the causes of the death. However, now the probe finding says that no one was responsible for their deaths

‘Dasna temple belongs to our ancestors, we will remove the board saying Muslims not allowed’: BSP MLA Aslam Chaudhary

OpIndia Staff
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‘Dasna temple belongs to our ancestors, we will remove the board saying Muslims not allowed’: BSP MLA Aslam Chaudhary

Recently, the Devi temple of Dasna, Ghaziabad has been under limelight after a teenage Muslim boy named Asif claimed that he was beaten for trying to drink some water inside the temple premises.

Several opposition leaders, including local MLA Aslam Chaudhary, former Delhi MLA Alka Lamba, Congress President Vijendra Yadav and others, have lined up to meet Asif. On March 15, 2021, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from Dholana, Aslam Chaudhary, reached Asif’s house and talked to him. During his visit, Aslam claimed that irrespective of religion, everyone has the right to visit a religious place. He further said that the Devi temple is his ancestor’s legacy and called the temple priest a goon. He demanded action against those who indulge in such acts.

YouTube video of the MLA’s statement

Aslam said, “Dasna temple belongs to our ancestors. It was built by our ancestors. Some goons have taken over the temple. They came from outside and captured the temple. They are trying to spoil harmony with their activities. However, there is so much unity among Hindus and Muslims in this area that they did not let them spoil the atmosphere. I want to tell these goons that the temple is our heritage. I will go to drink water in the temple and take care of the temple. I will see who can stop me.”

Talking about the incident, Aslam said that the person who beat up Asif was in jail by the evening. He said he would ask the DM and SP to remove the board that says, “Muslims are not allowed to enter the temple.”

Using derogatory language against the temple priest, he said, “This baba is a mafia. He is spoiling the atmosphere in the area. If we had known about the incident, it would have been a serious situation. We will not allow his bail.”

Aslam Chaudhary’s son was also caught harassing girls inside the temple, says Mahant

Yanti Narasimhanand Saraswati, the Mahant of the temple, claimed that Shiv Shakti Dham has a tap near the main gate and another tap close-by. If someone wants to drink water, why would he go inside the premises? He further claimed that it is a conspiracy against the temple. He alleged that there had been incidents of robbery at least four times in the temple premises.

There had been incidents of molestation of women and girls visiting the temple. To stop anti-social elements of the particular community, the temple authorities have placed a board at the temple entrance where it is clearly written, “The entry of Muslims is forbidden here.” It is being claimed that the board was installed around 7-8 years ago. He said, “Last year, the son of MLA Aslam Chaudhary was caught teasing a girl in the temple. He was beaten up by the locals. He was also a minor at that time. The police intervened and pressurised us to withdraw the complaint.”

The temple priests have stated that local Muslims often target the temple to sexually harass female devotees and steal valuables. Mahant Yati Narasimhanand Saraswati also added that the area has 95% Muslim population and the lone Hindu temple has long been the target of local goons. He also added that the temple authorities were forced to deploy armed security guards after repeated incidents of attack.

“Why would he come to the temple? The temple was robbed four times in the past. The priests were beaten up. We are protecting our property from thieves. Lakhs and crores of the property had been stolen from the temple,” another priest had added.

Aslam Chaudhary’s background

BSP MLA Aslam Chaudhary from Dhaulana is a dominating leader in the region. He had been named in several cases in the past. A case was registered against him for assaulting a toll collection officer. Reports suggest that MLA and his goons beat the toll workers and severely injured them. Aslam and his sons were booked in a case of forgery and cheating as well. In another case, Aslam was booked for attempted murder. 

Protestor for hire? How ‘environmental activist’ and child protestor Licypriya Kangujam has endorsed every random cause on Twitter

Akshita Bhadauria
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Protestor for hire? How ‘environmental activist’ and child protestor Licypriya Kangujam has endorsed every random cause on Twitter

9-year old so-called climate activist, Licypriya Kangujam is the perfect example of why children her age need to go to regular school. From being a child climate activist, Licypriya now appears to have adopted the role of rent-a-cause activist.

Cherry picking her latest cause, Licypriya has recently extended support to the bank employees on strike against privatisation. Not limiting herself to the ‘privatisation’ concern, Licypriya, in the same tweet has attempted to #StopAdani and appealed to throw him out of business. Not sure if she understands her claims and hashtags.

This past year especially has been busy for the little activist with farmers protest, Modi Rojgar Do trend, NEET JEE exams, Narendra Modi Stadium, Bengal elections and a lot more. What do farmers, youth, elections and cricket have to do with climate you ask? Well, that’s one question for the so called climate activist to answer.

Licypriya Kangujam shot to fame holding ‘Save Environment’ placards but soon started holding placards for anything and everything that does not concern the environment. Let’s look at all the times she hopped on to the ‘trend wagon’ just to stay relevant.

This year began with Licypriya standing up against #AdaniJivi claiming “Adani coals are destroying our planet in many countries”. Hmm…that’s some creativity.

For some reason, Adani has been on her activism hit-list since long. While her next stop was ‘farmers protest’, she continued to stop Adani through her hashtags in tweets concerning the Farm Bills. Here’s an example:

In yet another creative move, Licypriya tagged the State Bank of India in a tweet claiming no response from officials upon raising a complaint. SBI was swift to take cognizance of the matter and asked her to share details of her concern. Her response is for all of us to see and learn.

Impressive how she keeps up with the trends. Kooing about the Koo app, Licypriya raised suspicions on the authenticity of the app’s ‘Aatmanirbharta’.

Moving on, her next pit stop was Ahmedabad’s newly built Narendra Modi stadium. It’s fascinating how she managed to club unemployment and developing new sports facility in this one. “Modi_Job_do” was a Twitter trend being trended by Congress supporters at that time.

You ask what’s the co-relation? That continues to remain a mystery. She then moved on to what I call a ‘shooting oneself in the foot’ move, where she claimed that the youth of the country need system change and not ‘climate change’. Now why would a climate activist say that? I would like to believe it was just an innocent typo.

After a hectic month of activism, she finally got to rejoice in a tweet the release of ‘sister’ Nodeep Kaur involved in the farmers protest. However, her placard very explicitly appealed for a change in the ‘system’ to protect the environment.

Marking one year of gruesome Delhi Riots, the 9-year old activist thought it was perfectly alright to appeal for climate change amidst communal violence.

Licypriya also raised her voice or ‘tweet’ against the promotion of Coronil tablet and advised the leaders to take it first. No reason for her protest against the tablet was cited.

The onset of March witnessed the child climate activist raise voice for women’s safety in UP (not when we saw the great fall of a party and its leader) The unfortunate incident of Hathras where the victims father was killed by the perpetrators on filing a complaint, garnered support from Licypriya. Hope we get to see her support for every such case apart from the ones taking place in UP.

The 9-year old then protested against the Modi government for all of the above in a single tweet, saving time.

She then marked the 100th day of farmers protest stating, she will continue to support the farmers despite all threats. We are not going to comment on the hypocrisy of stubble burning=supporting farmers=saving environment here.

Prior to these antics, Licypriya- the queen of hashtags, stuffed all of them together and asked her followers to do the same. Not sure why.

She even attacked Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi for his shameful act in Hathras and commanded him to reply to her email immediately which talked about solutions for air pollution. As conscious and responsible citizens of the country, we sure would like to know what solutions a 9-year old has for air pollution. This could make us proud.

Now, one may wonder, what’s wrong with a little girl voicing her concern on the happenings in the country. Well, most topics are not suitable for her age and reports of her faking her achievements discredits all her agitations.

OpIndia had earlier reported how Licypriya was turned into a celebrity by her father by citing fake achievements. In April 2019, Licypriya claimed that she was on her way to UN headquarters in Geneva to address a ‘global UN session’ for ‘Disaster Risk Reduction’. The news was widely reported and Licypriya was congratulated on social media for ‘making India proud’. Except, it turned out to be fake. Imphal Free Press uncovered that not only was she not invited to the UN but her father was also reported to be an alleged conman.

An investigation by Imphal Free Press revealed that her entire ‘UN invite’ was a sham and a cooked up story by her father, Kangujam Kanarjit. IFP got suspicious over the news item since when they investigated the claims, the UN event showed that registration for delegates was still on and the names of speakers wasn’t confirmed yet. Hence, Licypriya’s claims that she is going to address the session was already on thin ice.

Licypriya claimed to be working as a “Child Disaster Risks Reduction Advocate in International Youth Committee (IYC)” which had very little Internet presence. IFP investigation revealed that IYC chairman was one Dr KK Singh. The Dr KK Singh was Kangujam Kanarjit, who IFP had exposed as a conman back in 2015. Kangujam Kanarjit is Licypriya’s father. Kangujam Kanarjit, was a man behind the Global Youth Summit and World Youth Summit held at Imphal and is charged of cheating and fraud. He has been accused by several businessmen of duping them.

And now it seems, the ‘guardian’ handling her Twitter account, seems to have found a new way of conning people by trending hashtags and being part of hashtag activism. In all this, an innocence of a child is lost.

NIA seizes Mercedes used by Sachin Vaze, recovers fake number plate used on Scorpio, cash counting machine and unaccounted cash

OpIndia Staff
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NIA seizes Mercedes used by Sachin Vaze, recovers fake number plate used on Scorpio, cash counting machine and unaccounted cash

Trouble mounts for Sachin Vaze as the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday seized a black Mercedes car used by the tainted Mumbai cop from the Crawford market area. The NIA officials have recovered the fake number plate that was used on the suspicious Scorpio car that used to plant bombs outside Antilia from the Mercedes car.

According to the reports, the NIA officials on Tuesday traced a suspicious Mercedes 4matic car linked to Sachin Vaze to the Crawford market area. The officials also recovered unaccounted cash of Rs 5 lakh, a few clothes and a cash counting machine from the car, in addition to the fake number plate that was attached to the Scorpio.

In a statement, NIA IG Anil Shukla said, “Today NIA seized a black Mercedez Benz. In the seizure, the same number plate in the Scorpio car was recovered from the Mercedez. More than Rs 5 lakh cash, clothes, and a cash counting machine have also been recovered. Sachin Vaze was driving the car. The owner of the car is yet to be identified.” 

The Mercedes was recovered from a car-parking near the Mumbai Crime Branch office close to the Crawford market, said NIA officer.

The Mercedes car that recovered by NIA at the Crawford market./ Image Source: India Today

Sachin Vaze drove the Mercedes car with a fake number plate

Reportedly, Sachin Vaze had used the Mercedes car for his personal use with a fake number plate. In a shocking revelation, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Sunil Toke had made a shocking claim about a Mercedes car. As per Toke, Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze had in December 2020 barreled down to the Commissionerate of Police office in a Mercedes car without stopping at the entrance gate to register details.

Toke said the Vaze had barged his car inside the headquarters and had narrowly escaped an accident. Shockingly, the car carried a fake number plate, and there was no record of any four-wheeler with the number of the vehicle that Vaze had come in. The Pune Regional Transport Department later informed that the Mercedes car’s number actually belonged to a Pulsar motorcycle.

The incident occurred on 23 December 2020 when Sunil Toke was parking his car at the gate of the Commissionerate of Police. Toke recalls that Vaze had evaded the car registration process at the entrance and drove the car right past the gate. As Toke approached the gate to seek details about the car, he was told that no record of the car was supposed to be kept. Toke said when he went inside to see who brought the car, he saw API Sachin Vaze getting out of it.

A report by India Today also states that inside the Mercedes, NIA has also found a CCTV footage taht shows Vaze near the black car wearing a loose-fit garmet resembling a PPE-kit. It is significan because earlier CCTV footage had shown a man wearing a similar PPE kit leaving the explosive laden car outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence.

NIA searches Vaze’s office at Mumbai Crime Branch

Earlier, the NIA had carried out searches at the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) situated in Mumbai Police headquarters, where Vaze was serving unit till last week.

In the search operation that went on till Tuesday. the NIA seized a laptop, an iPad, a phone, a DVR and CCTV footage of the Vaze’s residence in the Saket building in Thane. The DVR seizure is crucial as Vaze reportedly kept the Scorpio in his society for some time.

The NIA officials have also recorded statements of seven policemen of Mumbai Police, including five members of CIU, who worked alongside Vaze.

Meanwhile, the controversial “Encounter specialist” Sachin Vaze has been suspended by the Maharashtra government for his alleged role in the ongoing Antilia bomb scare case. Vaze was reinstated last year by the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, citing a lack of adequate police personnel during the Covid pandemic, 16 years after he was suspended over a case of custodial death.

Kolkata: 2, including a five-year-old girl dead, several hospitalised after drinking tap water near CM Mamata’s residence

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata: 2, including a five-year-old girl dead, several hospitalised after drinking tap water near CM Mamata’s residence

In a tragic incident that happened in South Kolkata’s Bhowanipur area in West Bengal, a 5-year-old girl reportedly died on Tuesday after drinking contaminated water. As per an official of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the minor girl passed away after she fell sick due to piped drinking water that was contaminated.

Resident drank contaminated water in labour quarters located near CM Mamata Banerjee’s residence

According to reports, the incident took place in ward number 73 which is said to be located in the neighbourhood of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Some of the residents of the area had reportedly consumed contaminated water. One person, apart from the minor girl, had passed away after drinking the water while several others fell sick as told by a KMC official. According to the official, 43-year-old Bhubaneswar Das, who was a resident of the labour quarters of the KMC on Sashi Sekhar Bose Row was unwell after he drank the water that was contaminated with sewage. He passed away on Saturday. The death toll rose to two after the death of the minor girl. Another resident of the area, named Ayushi Kumari, was reportedly admitted to a nursing home on Monday after her condition deteriorated.

Repair work of the water reservoir is being undertaken

Ratan Malakar, the ward coordinator, told that the water was contaminated on DL Khan Road. “Any death is unfortunate. We are taking all precautionary measures and necessary repairing has been undertaken. We are supplying drinking water and ORS to the families in the area”, said Malakar. He told that around 15 residents of the ward are currently undergoing treatment at local hospitals. Firhad Hakim, the chairman of the KMC board of directors has reportedly sought a report from the departments concerned.

Reports that Nita Ambani will be faculty at Banaras Hindu University are fake, Reliance clarifies

OpIndia Staff
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Reports that Nita Ambani will be faculty at Banaras Hindu University are fake, Reliance clarifies

Nita Ambani is not going to be the faculty at Banaras Hindu University, a Reliance group spokesperson has said.

As quoted by news agency ANI, the reports that Nita Ambani will be a visiting faculty at BHU are fake. She has not received any such invitation.

On Tuesday, multiple media outlets had reported that Nita Ambani, the chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, will be a visiting faculty in Social Sciences department. It was reported that she was to be associated with university to improve the living standard of women from the Purvanchal area of Uttar Pradesh. It was reported that Nita Ambani had verbally accepted the proposal.

However, it turns out the reports were untrue.

USA: Shooting inside Asian massage parlours in Georgia leaves 8 dead, suspect held

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Shooting inside Asian massage parlours in Georgia leaves 8 dead, suspect held

On March 16, a 21-year-old man from Woodstock, Georgia, identified as Robert Aaron Long, has been arrested for allegedly gunning down eight people in three mass shootings at massage parlours in Atlanta and Cherokee county. As per reports, these parlours were primarily staffed by Asian women in Atlanta and a nearby suburb. Long was arrested by the police on Tuesday night, 240 KM south of Atlanta after an officer initiated a statewide manhunt.

Long allegedly killed 8 people in three shootings

According to the authorities, Long first opened fire on five people in Young’s Asian Massage Parlor near Acworth in Georgia’s Cherokee County at around 5 PM. The local sheriff’s office said in a statement that four of the victims died.

In less than an hour, he opened fire at two other massage parlours on Piedmont Road in Atlanta, killing four more people. According to the city police, they found three women shot dead inside Gold Spa. While checking the premises, they were called to another shooting across the street at Aromatherapy Spa, where one woman was killed.

Long was spotted by police driving a black SUV

According to the reports, police found surveillance video near the shooting spot in which the suspect was captured around 4:50 PM, minutes before the shooting. The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office released a photo of the suspect on Facebook Tuesday evening.

Undated photo of Long provided by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in Georgia, identified as suspect in the shooting (Image: USA Today)

At around 8 PM, deputies in Crisp Country received information from Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds that Long was spotted by the Georgia State Patrol troopers and Crisp Country deputies travelling south driving a black SUV. A GSP trooper performed a PIT manoeuvre to stop him in Crisp Country, around 240 KM south of Atlanta. He was arrested and transported to the Crisp County Detention Center.

Police refused to confirm if the incident was racially motivated

Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant was asked if the violence is connected to the nationwide anti-Asian hate crimes to which he said that that the investigation is at the initial stage. It was too early to speculate anything. “We’re in the very early stages of this, so we can’t make that determination just yet,” he said.

In a tweet, Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp said, “We deeply appreciate the quick apprehension of a suspect by @ga_dps  in coordination with local and federal law enforcement.”

Over 2,800 incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes

As per the data released by Stop AAPI Hate national coalition, there were over 2,800 incidents of hate crimes against Asians in 2020. The attacks on Asians spiked throughout the country in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mumbai CP Parambir Singh likely to resign amid speculations that Vaze and Singh planted bomb outside Antilia

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai CP Parambir Singh likely to resign amid speculations that Vaze and Singh planted bomb outside Antilia

Sachin Vaze stage-managed the planting of bomb outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia on instructions of Mumbai Commissioner of Police, Parambir Singh, reports the New Indian Express. The report says that an unnamed Maharashtra Minister made these allegations. The report further states that Mumbai CP Parambir Singh may be fired soon. The same is believed to have been discussed in the meeting held on Monday between Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

An unnamed Maharashtra minister reportedly said that Parambir Singh instructed Sachin Vaze to plant the bomb to show that the richest man in India is also not safe from threats to their lives and that they needed Z plus security. He further claimed that because of loopholes, the plan flopped. However, it is unclear whether the plan was discovery of the explosives or they were meant to go off at some point, subsequently causing loss of lives and property.

The anonymous minister further claimed that the top leaders were unaware of the plans. This claim comes after Vaze reportedly revealed to NIA that top Shiv Sena leaders were involved in planting the bomb outside Antilia. The minister then threw Singh under the bus and accused him of ‘running his own agenda’ and not giving priority to ‘politically sensitive cases’, like the fake TRP scam.

The minister then claimed that Mumbai Police, which reports to Maharashtra state government is ‘under pressure from Delhi’ to delay the second charge sheet. This, apparently, has ‘annoyed’ the state leadership and hence they’ve decided to fire Parambir Singh. Earlier it was speculated that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh may also resign, but he has decided to continue.

Further, a Hindustan Times report claims that NIA has cracked the case and it was Vaze who planted the bomb to ‘restore his lost glory’. Citing unnamed NIA official, HT report claimed that Vaze himself drove the explosives laden Scorpio car to Ambani residence while the white Innova, driven by another Mumbai Police official, followed it. After parking Scorpio car outside Antilia, Vaze got into the Innova and fled.

The NIA has also seized a Mercedes car which was used by Vaze. The owner of this car is not yet identified. Cash, counting machine and original registration plate of Scorpio car were also recovered.

Vaze is currently suspended and is in NIA custody for interrogation. On Tuesday, unknown groups came together on Twitter to extend their support to Parambir Singh and in a coordinated trend, gave him a clean chit in his alleged involvement in the case.

Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Sarkar introduces air-conditioned electric buses in Lucknow, more cities to follow

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Sarkar introduces air-conditioned electric buses in Lucknow, more cities to follow

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday introduced air-conditioned electric buses in the state capital, Lucknow. The move is aimed to reduce the carbon emission and provide pollution-free environment.

40 buses were introduced on Tuesday. UP Cabinet Minister Ashutosh Tandon added that more buses will be added to the fleet in coming days. The charging stations for these buses are still under construction. The minister added that the use of electric buses for public transport will ensure enhanced infrastructure of local transport system.

Earlier, the government had said that as many as 350 electric buses will be plying on roads across six cities: Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj and Jhansi. EverSource Capital promoted GreenCell Mobility Pvt Ltd has said that it is investing Rs 400 crore in a consortium to deploy the buses. Of the 350 buses, Lucknow and Kanpur will each get 100 buses. Varanasi and Prayagraj will both get 50 buses each, while, Jhansi and Gorakhpur will be getting 25 buses each. These buses will likely travel about 63,000 kms annually, thereby ensuring zero tailpipe emissions of CO2 equivalent to about 22,000 tonnes each year.

Yogi Sarkar gives impetus to upcoming industry

Earlier this year, OpIndia had reported how the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that electric vehicles will be given precedence over vehicles that run on diesel and petrol. He also suggested an exemption in registration fees of electric vehicles and road tax to encourage its use. With an intention to encourage investment in the emerging EV sector, Yogi Adityanath sought to further liberalise the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Policy of 2019.

Further, Uttar Pradesh government is also planning to establish a centre of excellence for research, development, testing and certification of EV. It will also provide incentives under the industrial park scheme to private electric vehicle parks.

Modi govt bets big on e-vehicles

The Narendra Modi government at Centre has been aggressively promoting e-vehicles. Earlier this year, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, while answering a question on large-scale production of EVs in India, said that many small companies are already manufacturing e-bikes and e-scooters in Uttar Pradesh and other states. American electric car giant Tesla, too, opened its office in Bengaluru and is hopeful of starting operations soon.

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