Connect with us
Thursday,03-July-2025
Breaking News

National

PBKS vs DC, IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals spoil Punjab Kings’ campaign with 15-run win

Published

on

Delhi Capitals finally came out all guns blazing as they played party poopers to all but knock Punjab Kings out of play-off contention with a 15-run victory in the IPL, here on Wednesday.

Already out of the playoff race, Delhi Capitals finally came to the party in their penultimate match of the season to post an imposing 213/2 after PBKS opted to bowl.

Rilee Rossouw exhibited some exceptional strokeplay in a 37-ball 82 not out, while Prithvi Shaw (54; 38b) also slammed a fifty on his comeback after about a month as DC scored their first 200-plus total of this season.

PBKS fall short by 15 runs

In response, PBKS managed just 198/8 in the stipulated 20 overs despite all the fielding harakiri committed by DC.

Englishman Liam Livingstone slammed a 48-ball 94, studded with five fours and as many as nine sixes, but it was not enough as the total proved too much.

While Delhi now are ninth on the table after a consolation win, Punjab Kings due to this heavy defeat stay put on 12 after 13 games and even a win in the last match and a 14-point finish might not be enough as the net run-rate -0.308 only added insult to injury.

The Preity Zinta co-owned side since their 2014 final appearance, have not even made it to last four stage for nine years in a row.

DC drop three catches

But DC’s fielding effort did give them enough chances.

As many as three catches were dropped including Livingstone on three, and Taide on 35, both in the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav who returned with 0/21 from his three overs.

They also missed two run-out chances when both the batters, Livingstone and Taide, were out of the crease but DC could not manage to hit the stumps on a sloppy outing.

Prithvi Shaw roars back to form

Already out of playoff race, DC got off to a flying start with Prithvi Shaw smashing a 54 on his comeback after nearly a month.

Shaw, who made his last appearance in this season’s IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 20, returned to form to post a 35-ball 50, his first in 13 IPL innings.

Shaw copped body blows from Rabada en route his 38-ball knock (7×4, 1×6) as he along with his skipper David Warner (46 from 31b; 5×4, 2×6) gave their best start of the season.

Rilee Rossouw joins the party

The duo put together a 94-run opening stand, their highest this season before Rossouw took charge of the proceedings with his maiden IPL fifty that came off 25 balls.

Rossouw took charge when he sent his South African teammate into the orbit with a six over long-off.

Rabada went on to concede 36 from his three overs, while Sam Curran took 2/36. From a sedate six for no loss in two overs, DC raced to 61 without losing a wicket in the powerplay with Warner and Shaw putting up their highest opening partnership this season after PBKS opted to bowl.

This was the second instance when DC did not lose a wicket inside the powerplay this season.

Nothing went in PBKS’ favour on Wednesday, with Rahul Chahar dropping a sitter to give Warner a reprieve on 39. The Aussie was done in by a spectacular catch by Shikhar Dhawan but by then DC were on course for their first 200-plus total this season.

National

Govt to amend MCOCA to contain smuggling of narcotics: CM Fadnavis

Published

on

Mumbai, July 2: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday told the state council that the state government will move an amendment during the ongoing monsoon session to the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to take action against the smuggling of narcotics to deal with the cases in which the accused arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 received bail.

In his reply to a question by BJP legislator Parinay Fuke, the Chief Minister said that a separate NDPS unit has been set up in every police station in the state and officers and other personnel have been appointed in it. Coordination committees have also been set up at the district level. He added that the police have taken action in a large number of cases in the last two and a half years.

Fadnavis said that with the help of the Central Government, the state-level and inter-state coordination has now become more effective. He also said that intelligence sharing is going on with all the states, and due to this, joint action against smugglers has been possible.

The Chief Minister also said that addiction recovery centres are important and that appropriate policies will be formulated to increase their number and quality, and quality addiction recovery centres will be established. Clarifying that cannabis cultivation is banned and is not legal in Madhya Pradesh, he said that strict action will be taken against anyone smuggling cannabis, gutkha or similar substances.

Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis in his reply to another question raised by Shiv Sena UBT legislator Sunil Shinde said that all cases related to compassionate recruitment of police officers will be resolved on a mission mode in the 150-day plan of the state government. At the same time, orders have been given to all departments regarding compassionate recruitment.

Fadnavis said that the concept of 8-hour duty was first implemented in Mumbai itself. Sometimes there are exceptions during festivals, but overall, the 8-hour duty of the police has now become stable. Also, weekly holidays have been started across the state for the police, and if, for some reason, they do not get the leave, their ‘encashment’ has also been increased on a large scale. Earlier, the amount of this encashment was less, but now it has been increased, he added.

Large-scale housing projects for the police are being implemented across the state, including Mumbai. Work is also going on at a rapid pace at the taluka level. He mentioned that the work of the Police Housing Construction Corporation is unprecedented. Referring to the DG Loan Scheme, CM Fadnavis said that this scheme was started, but it was closed during the previous government. Now the scheme has been restarted, and efforts are being made to clear the backlog.

Addressing the increasing incidence of lifestyle-related diseases among the police, health check-ups have been made mandatory once a year for police officers above the age of 40 and twice a year for police officers above the age of 50. The Chief Minister said that a special scheme of counselling and interaction with senior officers is being implemented for the mental health of the police.

State’s home minister Yogesh Kadam said that the government is implementing many measures for the welfare of the police, in which free treatment is being provided for 40 types of diseases. For this, tie-ups have been made with 270 hospitals in the state. Cancer screening camps have been organised with various hospitals, and Yoga, meditation and gymnasium have been started for the police.

Continue Reading

National

Ahmedabad plane crash: Gujarat govt intensifies relief, insurance, identification efforts

Published

on

Ahmedabad, June 16: In the wake of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, which claimed 270 lives near Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has swiftly ramped up rescue, relief, and administrative support measures to assist grieving families and ensure a streamlined response to the crisis.

District Collectors have personally reached out to the families of victims, while nodal officers have been appointed across districts to oversee the disbursement of insurance and compensation to legal heirs. These officers, drawn from district-level accounting departments and relevant government bodies, are tasked with ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and empathetically.

To facilitate insurance processes, a joint coordination cell has been set up at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, in line with IRDAI guidelines. New India Assurance has taken the lead for general insurance claims on behalf of the General Insurance Council, and HDFC Life has been designated to handle life insurance claims. Alongside LIC, both companies have established help desks at the hospital to assist families with documentation, claims guidance, and other support.

Meanwhile, district authorities are actively aiding insurance teams by providing key documents, including the passenger manifest, to accelerate claim verifications. Twelve dedicated teams are working in rotational shifts to conduct DNA sample collection and matching. As of now, 250 blood samples have been collected from relatives and local residents.

So far, 62 DNA matches have been confirmed, and 35 mortal remains have been handed over to the respective families — 27 after DNA verification and eight through other forms of identification. Only three passenger identifications remain pending, with relatives currently en route from the United Kingdom to submit samples.

To ensure the dignified and smooth transfer of mortal remains, more than 250 nodal and assistant nodal officers have been deployed. These officers remain in touch with families throughout the process — from initial contact and DNA collection to the final rites — ensuring transportation of remains under police escort, handing over personal belongings, and staying present until funerals are complete.

More than 850 medical personnel, including 100 staff members at the trauma centre, have been deployed as part of the emergency medical response. This includes both permanent hospital staff and additional manpower mobilised specifically for this crisis. Counselling services are also being offered to families coping with trauma.

For families arriving from other states, the Gujarat government is coordinating with State Emergency Operation Centres across the country. Regular contact has been established with nodal officers in other regions to provide logistical and emotional support to affected relatives. A team from Air India remains stationed at the Civil Hospital round-the-clock to assist families. Free air travel arrangements are being provided to relatives based on individual needs.

The Roads and Buildings Department has arranged for accommodation and ground transportation to ensure that visiting families face minimal inconvenience. To manage inquiries and streamline support, state-run helplines and control rooms have been receiving and acting on calls from across the country. Over 1,700 calls have been registered as of Sunday evening, with authorities maintaining active coordination across all departments involved.

Continue Reading

General

New Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules 2025: Indian Railways Announces Compulsory Aadhaar Authentication From July 1; What It Means For Passengers

Published

on

New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims “to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users.”

The official communication specified that “With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”

Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings.

New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained:

  • From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways’ Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process.
  • Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations.
  • The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways’ authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings.
  • These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.

The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division.

Continue Reading

Trending