National News
Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman backs new law; says it will empower Muslim community
Raipur, April 11: Chhattisgarh Waqf Board Chairman, Dr Salim Raj, has welcomed the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it a progressive step that will benefit the Muslim community a great deal. He said the new law would ensure better management of Waqf properties and promote education and development within the community.
Dr Raj stated, “This is a historic move by the BJP-led central government. Under the amended law, land belonging to mosques, dargahs, and graveyards will not be acquired by the government. Waqf properties will be redeveloped for the community’s good.”
He said that the amendment aims to introduce transparency and accountability in the management of Waqf properties, which he claims are currently plagued by misuse and illegal occupation.
“In Chhattisgarh, nearly 85 per cent of Waqf land is under illegal possession or is being arbitrarily controlled by Maulanas and Mutawallis (caretakers). This law will put an end to such unregulated control and bring these assets under legal scrutiny.”
Dr Raj argued that Waqf properties, worth crores of rupees, are underutilised, yielding no return for the community.
“If these assets are managed properly, the revenue generated can be invested in education for Muslim children and the overall uplift of the community,” he said.
He also announced that a new team would soon survey Waqf properties across the state. “The team will assess the current condition of properties, ensure proper usage, fix market-aligned rent values, and initiate recovery of encroached lands. The goal is to use every piece of Waqf land for the benefit of the people,” he said.
Dr. Raj also took a strong stance against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to the implementation of the new law in her state.
“Is Mamata Banerjee above the Constitution? If the law has been passed by Parliament, she is bound to implement it. Refusing to do so amounts to a violation of constitutional responsibility. Her position reflects vote-bank politics and nothing else,” he remarked.
He further stated that such resistance only hinders the socio-economic progress of the Muslim community and politicises a reform meant for its betterment.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: Ujjain Man Arrested In Ghatkopar With Two Pistols, Live Cartridges; Remanded To Police Custody

In a major crackdown, the Pantnagar Police arrested Ajay Kailash Kayat (24), a resident of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, for allegedly carrying two pistols and live cartridges. The arrest took place on October 9 near the Ghatkopar–Andheri Link Road.
According to the FIR, secret information was received by API Rajendra Gaikwad of the Pantnagar Police’s Anti-Gunda Squad that Kayat would be present near a pan stall in front of the Ghatkopar bus depot. Acting on the tip-off, the police laid a trap and apprehended him.
During a frisk, the police recovered four live cartridges from his jeans pocket and two country-made 0.32 mm pistols from his bag. An Oppo mobile phone was also seized from his possession.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Kayat, a labourer by profession, had brought the firearms and ammunition illegally for sale without a licence. He has been charged under Sections 3, 25, and 37(1)(a) of the Arms Act, along with Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
The court has remanded Kayat to police custody until November 12, the police said, adding that further investigation is underway to determine the source of the weapons and possible links to other offenders.
Business
Sensex, Nifty open lower amid mixed global cues

Mumbai, Nov 11: The Indian benchmark indices opened mildly in red on Tuesday, amid progress on the US shutdown bill and optimism regarding an India-US trade deal soon.
As of 9.25 am, the Sensex was down 177 points, or 0.21 per cent at 85,338 and the Nifty inched down 51 points, or 0.20 per cent to 25,523.
The broadcap indices performed better than benchmarks, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down only 0.09 per cent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 losing 0.06 per cent.
TCS, Tech Mahindra and Dr Reddy’s Labs were among the major gainers in the Nifty Pack, while losers included Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Shriram Finance and Asian Paints.
Sectoral indices were trading mixed with most of them trading with mild negative bias. Nifty IT was the standout gainer up 0.31 per cent, while financial services, FMCG, Pharma and PSU Bank down 0.71 per cent, 0.49 per cent, 0.16 per cent and 0.57 per cent respectively.
“Nasdaq bounced back 2.2 per cent after the AI trade was weak last week. The return from AI stocks may take longer than expected, but there is no bubble in AI stocks, unlike the Tech bubble that crashed in 2000,” said market watchers.
They noted that Nasdaq PE was above 70 and many tech stocks were above 150 in March 2000, and AI stock PE valuations now range from 28 to 51, while Nasdaq’s PE is 32.
Most of the Asia-Pacific markets rose in early trading sessions on Tuesday tracking Wall Street gains on revived optimism regarding artificial intelligence stocks.
The US markets ended in the green zone overnight, as Nasdaq jumped 2.27 per cent, the S&P 500 added 1.54 per cent, and the Dow inched up 0.81 per cent.
In Asian markets, China’s Shanghai index lost 0.46 per cent, and Shenzhen dipped 0.67 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei added 0.43 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index eased 0.29 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.38 per cent.
On Monday, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold equities worth Rs 4,889 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 1,787 crore.
National News
Mumbai Weather Update: City Wakes Up To Sunny Skies, Cold Breeze; AQI Remains In Poor Category At 190

Mumbai: The city greeted Tuesday morning under clear skies laced with a thin veil of smog, as cold breezes mixed with particulate haze blurred its skyline and reduced visibility across major pockets. From Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to South Mumbai, a greyish hue lingered over the city’s skyline, signalling a sharp deterioration in air quality after a brief spell of improvement.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai will continue to experience clear skies throughout the day, though the early hours witnessed low visibility due to the smog blanket. Daytime temperatures are likely to hover around 33°C, while the minimum is expected to dip to around 19°C, adding a winter-like chill to the morning air.
The worsening air quality comes just days after the city enjoyed a short respite when heavy rainfall had briefly cleaned the atmosphere. The downpour had washed away pollutants, improving both humidity and particulate matter levels. However, the relief proved temporary as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surged back to poor and unhealthy levels within a week.
As per fresh data released by AQI.in on Tuesday morning, Mumbai’s overall AQI stood at 190, categorised as poor. This marks a steep decline from the good-to-moderate levels recorded earlier this month. Several residents reported hazy horizons and a faint burning odour during morning hours, common indicators of rising fine particulate concentrations (PM2.5).
Among the city’s key monitoring zones, Chembur reported the worst air with an AQI of 257, placing it in the unhealthy category. It was closely followed by BKC (237) and Vile Parle West (233). Other areas such as Kurla (223) and Chakala (210) also registered worrying pollution levels.
In comparison, the western suburbs fared slightly better. Kandivali East recorded an AQI of 95 (moderate), while Malad West (153), Borivali East (157), Santacruz East (163) and Mumbai Airport (167) remained between moderate and poor levels. Despite marginal differences, most of the city continued to be enveloped in smog.
According to AQI classifications, readings between 0–50 are considered Good, 51–100 Moderate, 101–150 Poor, 151–200 Unhealthy, and anything beyond 200 falls under Severe or Hazardous. With pollution levels once again on the rise, health experts have advised Mumbaikars to restrict outdoor activities, especially during early mornings and late evenings and to use protective masks while commuting.
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