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Centre extends Covid containment measures till Sep 30

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Health-worker

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday extended the existing Covid-19 enforcement of containment measures till September 30 and asked the state governments and union territory administrations to strictly follow the earlier directions issued by the MHA and Union Health & Family welfare.

In an order issued by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Saturday, the Ministry said, “In the exercise of powers, conferred under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned hereby directs that the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure compliance to the containment measures for Covid-19, as conveyed vide Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will remain in force up to 30th September, 2021.”

Noting that the overall pandemic situation at the national level now appears to be largely stable, except for the localised spread of virus in few states, Bhalla said, “The total number of active cases and high case positivity in some districts continue to remain a matter of concern”.

In a separate communication with states and UTs, he noted that the weekly enforcement data received from across the country with regard to wearing face masks in public, maintaining social distancing norms and imposition of fines indicate a downward trend, but asked the state governments and UT administrations to augment their efforts for effectively checking transmission of the disease.

Bhalla also directed state administration to fix up responsibility of the district officials if any failures occure in effective enforcement of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

The Union Home Secretary also said that the states and UTs need to take suitable measures to avoid large gatherings during the coming festive seasons and if required, impose local restrictions with a view to curb such large gatherings.

“We need to continue our focus on the five-fold strategy — test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour”, he added.

Noting that the country has made a significant progress in vaccination, Bhalla also asked the states and the UTs to continue their vaccination programmes so as to inoculate the maximum number of eligible persons and also to ensure that areas having no virus or low virus transmission are adequately protected by increasing testing and other surveillance measures.

Crime

Samrat Choudhary takes charge as Bihar Home Minister; warns criminals

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Patna, Nov 22: After becoming Bihar’s Home Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has taken a tough stance on maintaining law and order in the state.

On Saturday, soon after assuming office, he issued a stern warning to criminals, declaring that no offender would be spared and that the police had been given full freedom to act.

Deputy CM Choudhary said that the police are no longer bound and now have complete authority to take action openly.

He reaffirmed that criminals have no place in Bihar and asserted that the Home Ministry will work under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Good governance, he said, existed earlier and would continue even more firmly in the future.

He added that the ‘jungle raj’ that had been eliminated would not be allowed to return.

Responding to a query about his earlier controversial remark — saying that criminals in Bihar would be cremated in Gaya — the State Home Minister said the police were doing their job.

This marks the first time Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has handed over the Home Department to the BJP since 2005.

In the new Cabinet, along with Nitish Kumar, 26 Ministers were sworn-in.

Samrat Choudhary has been appointed both the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister, while Vijay Kumar Sinha has also been appointed the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

He is holding the charge of Revenue, Land Reforms and Mining departments in the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.

Ministers from all NDA constituents have found a place in the Bihar Cabinet.

The BJP has the highest representation in the state Cabinet with 14 Ministers, followed by Janata Dal-United with eight, Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas with two, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) with one, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) with one.

Despite having two Deputy CMs and 14 Ministers, the BJP’s share of the allocated departmental budget is lower compared to JD-U.

The BJP controls 29.22 per cent of the total budget, LJP-RV Ministers 0.91 per cent, HAM 0.58 per cent, and RLM 3.56 per cent.

The remaining departments, accounting for around 65 per cent of the total budget, remain with the JD-U.

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Crime

Palghar Crime: 3 Arrested For Attempted Murder And ₹10 Lakh Robbery In Vasai; Police Bust Interstate 6-Member Gang

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Palghar, Maharashtra, Nov 22: The Crime Detection Unit (Unit 2) of the Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar Police has arrested three men involved in an attempted murder and armed robbery at a residence in Vasai, recovering gold jewellery and cash worth ₹10 lakh.

The incident took place on November 18 when three unidentified men forcibly entered the home of 37-year-old Geeta Raut in Reliable Glory Building at Sativali, Vasai West.

The intruders threatened Raut and her son Santosh at knifepoint, demanding information about the location of their gold. When Raut said she did not know, one of the assailants attempted to stab her.

She managed to evade the blow but sustained an injury to her left arm. The attackers then broke open a cupboard and escaped with 12 tolas of gold ornaments and a mobile phone.

Following the registration of the case at Waliv Police Station, officials conducted a detailed investigation at the crime scene and surrounding areas.

Through technical analysis and intelligence from informers, the police identified the suspects and learned that they were residing in Nandagaon, Karnataka.

A team was immediately dispatched, and on November 20, three accused were detained along with 8 tolas of stolen gold, cash, and a mobile phone, collectively valued at ₹10 lakh. During interrogation, it was revealed that they were part of a six-member gang involved in the crime.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ashok alias Babu Raju Shinde, a resident of Shantinagar Dongripada in Vasai East originally from Nandagaon in Karnataka; Abdul Rauf Hashmi, a resident of Richard Compound in Manocha Pada, Vasai East originally from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh; and Ritik Ravi Belangi, also living in Richard Compound and originally from Nandagaon in Karnataka.

Police have also named three absconding accomplices: Nur Hasan Khan from Patil Wadi in Nalasopara East, Suraj Kishor Jadhav from Shantinagar in Nalasopara East, and Kalu Prabhakar Sahu from Kendrapara in Odisha.

The detained suspects have been handed over to Waliv Police for further action under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is underway.

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National News

Mega Block On Sunday, 23-11-2025: Mumbai Local Train Services To Be Affected On CR’s Main Line, No Block On Harbour & Trans-Harbour Line; Check Details

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Mumbai, Nov 22: Central Railway, Mumbai Division will operate Mega Block on its main line suburban sections to carry out various engineering and maintenance works on Sunday, 23th November.

UP and DOWN FAST Lines between Thane and Kalyan stations from 10.40 am to 3.40 pm

Down Fast/Semi-Fast local services departing CSMT Mumbai from 09.34 am to 15

3.03 pm will be diverted on Down Slow line between Thane and Kalyan stations halting at Kalva, Mumbra and Diva stations in addition to their respective scheduled halts and will arrive destination 10 minutes later than their scheduled arrival.

Up Fast/Semi-fast services departing Kalyan from 10.28 am to 3.40 pm will be diverted on Up Slow line between Kalyan and Thane stations halting at Diva, Mumbra and Kalva stations in addition to their respective scheduled halts and further re-diverted on Up Fast line at Mulund station and will arrive destination 10 minutes later than their scheduled arrival.

Down Mail/Express trains departing CSMT/Dadar will be diverted on 5th line between Thane and Kalyan stations.

Up Mail/Express trains arriving CSMT/Dadar will be diverted on 6th line between Kalyan and Thane/ Vikhroli stations.

There will be no Mega block on Harbour line & Trans-Harbour line-Only special traffic block between Belapur & Panvel.

According to Railway, these maintenance mega blocks are essential for infrastructure upkeep and safety. Passengers are requested to bear with the Railway Administration for the inconvenience caused.

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