General
No external pressure to accelerate Covaxin development: Bharat Biotech
Vaccine-maker Bharat Biotech has denied that there was any external pressure to accelerate development of Covaxin, its vaccine for Covid-19.
“We condemn the targeted narrative against Covaxin put forth by a select few individuals and groups who have no expertise in vaccines or vaccinology. It is well known that they helped perpetuate misinformation and fake news throughout the pandemic. They are unable to comprehend global product development and licensure processes,” the Hyderabad-based company said in a statement on Thursday.
“The pressure was all internal to develop a safe, and effective vaccine for the Covid-19 pandemic, to save lives and livelihoods in India and globally,” it added.
The company claimed that Covaxin is one of the most highly studied covid-19 vaccines worldwide.
Covaxin was evaluated in about 20 preclinical studies, including three challenge trials and nine human clinical studies, more than any other Indian Covid-19 vaccine. These trials have clearly demonstrated safety and efficacy of Covaxin, Bharat Biotech said.
The vaccine-maker further claimed that with several hundred million doses administered worldwide, Covaxin has demonstrated an excellent safety record with minimal adverse events and no vaccine associated cases detected for myocarditis or thrombocytopenia.
“The entire product development and clinical studies were executed as per global guidelines and submitted worldwide. Data from Covaxin has resulted in more than 20 publications, documenting every aspect of its development.”
It termed as “incorrect and erroneous’ the recent media reports around the approvals for Covaxin.
“These few individuals and organizations were mostly involved in fake news and false information during the pandemic. They fail to understand product development and licensure pathways worldwide,” reads the statement.
It pointed out that the phase 1 study for Covaxin was one of the largest in the world, resulting in both the 3 and 6 mcg doses demonstrating safety and comparable immunogenicity.
The decision to proceed to phase III trials was taken based on data from phase I studies and results from successful animal challenge trials.
The phase II studies were designed to determine if the lower dose of 3 mcg would be effective, instead of the 6 mcg dose, which would have doubled our manufacturing capacity. In the interest of public health, it was decided to proceed with the 6 mcg dose for phase III clinical trials.
According to Bharat Biotech, vaccines against ebola and monkey pox, were approved by stringent regulatory agencies in developed countries based on phase I and II clinical data only and without phase III data.
“If such an approval was given by regulators in India, there would be an uproar, but the same people and organisations remain silent, demonstrating their hypocrisy.
“While these people and organizations were busy with false information and fake news during the pandemic, more than 1,000 personnel at Bharat Biotech across India were busy developing, testing, manufacturing and distributing Covaxin.
“Our diligent efforts have resulted in an universal Covid-19 vaccine for adults and children alike, which can be administered repeatedly as booster doses without safety concerns. The Bharat Biotech team is extremely proud of its efforts to develop a novel Covid-19 vaccine for India and the world. These efforts to discredit our work will not deter us,” it added.
Maharashtra
Government Must Clarify Its Stand on VHP’s Ban on Muslims at Navratri Garba-Dandiya Events: SP MLA Raees Shaikh

Mumbai: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has issued illegal regulations to ban Garba Dandiya games for Muslim youth during Navratri starting from October 11. The state government should clarify its stand in this regard and show that no one is above the law, demanded Samajwadi Party’s Bhiwandi East MLA Raees Sheikh on Sunday. In this regard, MLA Raees Sheikh said that festivals create harmony in the society and there is a tradition of participating in festivals of other religions in India. People of other religions participate happily in Eid and Ramzan. However, Muslims are being deliberately targeted by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Recently, in New York, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had made a statement that ‘one who does not say ‘Muslims are not Hindus’. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad must not have taken notice of Bhagwat’s statement while issuing a fatwa to ban Garba Dandiya for Muslims. It is the policy of RSS and BJP to present one idea and actually do the opposite, this is cultural policing by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s fatwa to ban Muslims is against the Indian Constitution. The state government should take serious note of this order. Because the possibility of creating a law and order problem due to such an extremist stance cannot be ruled out. Festivals are the culture of Indians and a celebration of sharing communal feelings. However, recently extremist organizations like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are trying to incite religious sentiments and incite riots during festivals. MLA Raees Sheikh has demanded that the state government take notice of this and put a ban on such acts.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Two Key Accused Arrested for Online Fraud in the Name of a Profitable Business

Mumbai: Police has claimed to have arrested 02 main accused from Jaipur, Rajasthan, who were involved in online fraud by creating a fake Facebook page in the name of Mumbai Wizard Traders 7 and making more profits through it. The complainant woman, who lives under the limits of Oshiwara Police Station, found a Facebook page while surfing on Facebook through her mobile on July 12, 2026. The said page was created in the name of wizard traders 7 and its URL was https://facebook-com/1221162594405776. She had made a post on the said page. In it, the accused had said that by depositing Rs. 99, she would get Rs. 9999. It was written like this. When the complainant clicked on the aforementioned Facebook page, he received a message from this WhatsApp number 8426965923. An unknown person from the aforementioned number informed the complainant about this scheme. When the complainant told him about taking the Rs 99 scheme, he sent Rs 99 through Google Pay on the QR code sent by him and sent him a screenshot of it. After this, the accused contacted the complainant from different mobile numbers till 03:30 pm on July 13th and on different pretexts, forced the complainant to transfer a total of 22 transactions from his account to different accounts, thereby defrauding him of a total of Rs. 73,521. Therefore, a case was registered under Sections 318(4), 319(2) BNS and Sections 66(c), 66(d) IT Act 2000 on the complaint filed by the complainant at Oshiwara Police Station. According to the statement given by the complainant in the said case, the first accused used the Facebook page wizard traders7 used in the case. After taking the information of this Facebook account, the two main accused who committed the said crime were identified and the following accused were followed by the cyber team of Oshiwara Police Station, Mumbai from Jaipur district, Doosa district of Rajasthan state for the last 04 days. They were changing their address from time to time. The accused were arrested with the help of local police from the local police station, Shiv Daspora, South Jaipur, Rajasthan. The accused were produced before the Andheri Court and sent to police custody till September 7. The items used in the crime were also recovered from the possession of the accused. These include 02 iPhone company mobiles worth Rs. 70,000, 01 Oppo company mobile worth Rs. 10,000, a total of 11 old used SIM cards of different mobile companies, 01 NSDL Bank debit card number, 01 Paytm company QR scanner with its UPI ID paytm.s2gotdq@pty. The accused have been identified as Deepak Sitaram Meena, aged 21, unemployed, Talab village, Taluka Lalsot, District Doosa, State of Rajasthan, Harkesh Gopal Meena, aged 30, unemployed, Rajasthan Jankap Colony, Taluka Kotpotli, District Jaipur, State of Rajasthan. After arresting both of them, the police have started further action and in this case, the police have also started checking the bank accounts of the accused. The said action was carried out under the guidance of the staff of Mumbai Oshiwara Police Station and DCP Parshottam Karad.
Maharashtra
An example of Hindu-Muslim unity at the Dahi Handi celebration in Mahim, Mumbai.

Mumbai: Setting an example of Hindu-Muslim unity in Mumbai, the Govinda Pathaks have offered the first salute at the entrance gate of the Astana of Maham Hazrat Makhdoom Faqih Ali Mahim. The trustee of the dargah, Sohail Khandwani, said that this is the specialty of India that here everyone respects each other’s religion and the Maham Dargah is the cradle of Hindu-Muslim unity and unity. Everyone attends here without any discrimination, religion or nationality. This is the reason why the Govinda Pathaks offer salute here every year in the traditional way. This tradition has been established for centuries because India is a country of Sufi saints. In the backdrop of Gokul Ashtami Dahi Handi, the police have issued an alert at the Mumbai police station. The police used drones to monitor the Govinda Pathaks. The height of the dahi handi was also fixed. In addition, children were banned from participating in high dahi handi. The festival of Dahi Handi was celebrated with enthusiasm in Mumbai city and its suburbs. In view of this, the traffic police had also blocked the highways so that action could be taken against the violation of traffic rules. Under this, the traffic police has also taken action against the violation of traffic rules. Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti had claimed that strict security arrangements were made for Dahi Handi in Mumbai city. Accordingly, DCP Raj Tilak Roshan said that the police are fully prepared for Dahi Handi and the situation is also being monitored. Apart from this, surveillance is also being carried out using drones. DCP Raj Tilak Roshan has also appealed for compliance with the law on Dahi Handi. According to the information received from various government and BMC hospitals about the injured Govindas till noon, more than 25 Govinda Pathaks have been injured while the Dahi Handi festival is still going on. In such a situation, BMC hospitals are constantly on alert mode, along with the police, there is also an alert. No untoward incident of any kind took place during Dahi Handi in Mumbai, however, there have been incidents of Govinda Pathaks getting injured and many have been discharged after treatment. Govinda Pathaks gave the first salute from the Astana of Mumbai’s Maham Hazrat Makhdoom Faqih Ali Mahayami and presented proof of Hindu-Muslim unity and solidarity. This Govinda Mandal raises the slogan of Baba Makhdoom and Maa Sahib ki Jai every year by giving the salute at the Astana of Makhdoom in the same style. This is a slap in the face of the haters. It promotes solidarity and unity. The police had made strict security arrangements at Dahi Handi, due to which no untoward incident of any kind took place in Mumbai.
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