LIVE News Updates: UP police detain state Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu

After flip flopping on the decision to allow Congress to ply buses to take migrant workers home, the Yogi govt has detained the state Congress chief.

Gujarat: Fire had broken out at the godown of Add Chem International company in Ankleshwar GIDC of Bharuch earlier today. The fire was later brought under control with the help of more than 12 fire tenders. No casualties were reported.

Super cyclone 'Amphan' weakened into an extremely severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal Tuesday afteroon as it rolled towards the Indian shores in West Bengal and Odisha where lakhs of people were evacuated from vulnerable areas and shifted to safety, officials said.

The two states are on high alert, as the cyclone, cramming high-velocity winds, triggered rains in several parts of Odisha.

An India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin said the cyclone lay centred over west-central Bay of Bengal, about 520 km south of Paradip in Odisha and 670 km south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal. It was moving north-northeastwards at a speed of 14 kmph.

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Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 17 kmph during past 6 hours & lay centred at 1130 hrs IST of 19th May 2020 as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm over Westcentral Bay of Bengal: India Meteorological Department.

SMS alerts are being generated to people in affected dists, for evacuation. It is upto state govts that in what frequency they want to send alerts. It's free of cost. It'll be in local languages.Intra-circle roaming will continue after cyclone crosses: Telecom Secy

We are expecting a slight delay in the arrival of monsoon in Kerala due to tropical cyclone. Monsoon is expected to hit Kerala coast by June 5: IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra

The Odisha government is taking all precautionary measures to deal with cyclone Amphan and the situation is under control so far, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena on Tuesday.

Junaid Sehrai, son of hardline Hurriyat chairman Ashraf Sehrai, among two terrorists killed in encounter in Srinagar, says police

Amphan cyclone is coming in the country amidst Corona crisis. I appeal to all Congress workers of West Bengal and Odisha to warn people of the danger and help to bring people to safer places. You all be safe, tweeted Rahul Gandhi

UP govt says Congress bus list includes cars, autos etc, Congress posts video, retorts, call buses by any name but let them carry migrants home

Samajwadi leader Chhotelal Diwakar and his son, Sunil Diwakar, were shot dead in broad daylight in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The murder was apparently a fallout of a dispute over laying of a road under MGNREGA.

Chhotelal Diwakar had contested the 2017 assembly elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket.

A 26-year-old man was allegedly shot dead by some persons over a land dispute in the Chhapar area in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Tuesday.

SC refuses to transfer probe to CBI in FIRs lodged against Republic TV Editor in-Chief Arnab Goswami for news show on Palghar mob-lynching. SC refuses to quash initial FIRs against Goswami lodged in connection with April 21 news show on Palghar mob-lynching case. SC asks Goswami to seek quashing of FIR before competent courts, protects him from coercive action for next 3-weeks. Journalistic freedom lies at the core of freedom of speech and expression, says SC

Uttar Pradesh govt asks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to provide buses for migrants to district magistrates of Ghaziabad and Noida. Please provide 500 buses to District Magistrate, Ghaziabad, by 12.00 noon, says UP govt asks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

As the national capital resumes its life in lockdown 4.0 with some relaxation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday urged people to stay disciplined while going out.

The rupee appreciated 20 paise to 75.71 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday as initial success in COVID-19 vaccine trial boosted investor sentiment world over.

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband issues fatwa asking Muslims to offer Eid prayers this time at home, instead of congregating at mosques.

Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur districts to be most affected. We are expecting it will cross land by becoming a very severe cyclonic storm: Umashankar Das, Deputy Director, IMD Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Amphan Cyclone

Tripura govt has directed its Dist administrations to take necessary preparedness measures as IMD Agartala has forecast thunderstorm accompanied by lightning,gusty wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph and heavy rainfall at isolated placed in all districts during 20-21 May.

Two J&K policemen and one CRPF man were injured hours after a gunbattle started with the militants in the early hours of Tuesday in Nawakadal area of Srinagar, police said.

The encounter broke out in the middle of the night following a specific tip off about the presence of militants. As the security forces cordoned off the area and zeroed in on the hideout in Kanemazar, the militants fired upon them triggering the encounter.

IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar confirmed to IANS the encounter that started around 3 a.m..

This faceoff between militants and security forces in Srinagar is taking place after almost two years.

The Pakistan Army on Tuesday shelled forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, drawing retaliation from the Indian Army, a defence spokesperson said.

This is second ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in the last 12 hours along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Two chiefs of an ashram here were on Monday arrested for allegedly raping two women, police said.

The women aged 25 and 40 years were rescued from the ashram following a police raid.

According to the women, they were earlier allegedly raped by two disciples of the ashram - Suraj Nath and Nachtar Nath.

So, they visited the ashram on Sunday to lodge a complaint with the two ashram chiefs - Girdari Nath and Varinder Nath.

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Three women were killed and 17 injured when a mini-truck carrying migrant workers overturned after a tyre burst.

The incident took place late on Monday night, at the Kamlpura village in Uttar Pradesh's Mahoba district.

The mini-truck was carrying material from a crusher in Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh.

Twenty-two migrant workers also got on to the mini -truck and when the vehicle overturned, the workers were buried under the crusher material.

At least three migrants were killed and 22 others injured when their bus rammed against a truck near Arni in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district early on Tuesday, police said.

The bus was ferrying at least 25 migrant labourers from Solapur to Jharkhand when the accident took place.

The injured have been rushed to hospitals in Arni and Yavatmal town where the condition of two is described as serious.

In a surprising development, the Yogi Adityanath government – after issuing permission to Congress to run 1000 buses to transport migrants stranded at various entry points in UP ­ – walked back on its promise and asked the party to bring all 1000 buses to Lucknow by Tuesday morning.

According to a letter released by the Priyanka Gandhi office, Principal Secretary (Home) Avnish Awasthi has sent a mail at 11.40 pm, asking the party to bring all buses to Lucknow with the relevant documents by 10 am on May 19.

Priyanka Gandhi’s secretary, Sandeep Singh has termed the development as “inhumane”.

Expressing his shock over the development, Sandeep Singh said, “It is surprising to know that the honorable CM, in a TV interview said that the UP govt has been seeking details of the buses for last the three days”.

Letter written by Sandeep Singh can be read here :