January 23: Top news at 1 pm

Scores of Jallikattu protesters removed from Marina beach

In an early morning crackdown, police in Chennai started removing scores of protesters who were demonstrating at Marina Beach for the past one week, demanding a permanent solution for holding Jallikattu. The crackdown comes on a day when the state Assembly is expected to move a bill to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, after the customary Governor's address. TV visuals showed men and women in khaki physically removing the protesters, signalling the end of the week-long protests that had been backed by political parties including ruling AIADMK and DMK. The protesters had vowed to carry on with their protest till a permanent solution was found to ensure the sport was held annually without any hindrance. DMK working President MK Stalin has criticised the police action.

In Coimbatore too, students and other protesters were forcibly evicted from VOC Park Ground where they were protesting for the last six days.

SC asks Centre about steps to verify identity of mobile phone users

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to apprise it within two weeks about steps to be taken to verify the identity of around five crore mobile phone users in country. The SC was considering a plea that proper verification is required as now mobile SIM cards can be used for banking purposes also.

Five policemen killed in terror attack in Egypt

At least five policemen were killed after terrorists opened fire on their vehicle in central Sinai, security officials in Cairo said today. The gunmen stopped the policemen's taxi vehicle on Al-Hasna Road late yesterday, attacked them and escaped, they said. The policemen were returning from a vacation. No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Man who made 'ransom call' to Najeeb Ahmed's kin interrogated

A man, who was arrested for allegedly making a ransom call to missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed's relatives demanding ₹20 lakh for his release, was interrogated by Crime Branch, Delhi at length on Sunday. The accused Shameem (19) had allegedly committed a murder when he was under 18 and spent five months in a juvenile home, said a senior police officer. Even though he was giving different names, police managed to identify him and have seized one mobile phone and a SIM card which he allegedly used to make the ransom call, he said. "It is also being probed whether he was just making the calls for earning easy money or there was some ulterior motive," said the officer. Meanwhile, six students who were served notices seeking their consent for polygraph test, have still not agreed to it. Najeeb's roommate has reportedly also not given his consent for the lie-detector test, despite agreeing to it earlier.

SC blasts Centre on delay in appointments to NHRC

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to appoint the Director General in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) within a week. A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar also asked the central government to appoint the members of the human rights body within four weeks. "You (Centre) will be in trouble if we start hearing this matter and pass some order. We are granting you four weeks to appoint the members. We hope and expect that the process of appointment of members can be concluded in four weeks," the bench also comprising Justices NV Ramana and DY Chandrachud said.