Flood Warning LIVE Updates: Yamuna swells further in Delhi, evacuation begins

11:13 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Man detained for issuing threat to Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal

An official claimed on Tuesday that the Pune police had apprehended a 24-year-old man for reportedly threatening to assassinate NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who was just inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led government.

The individual allegedly contacted a phone number belonging to Bhujbal's personal assistant (PA) on Monday night, claiming to have snatched Bhujbal's "supari" (contract) and threatening to murder him, according to a police officer.

In this regard, Bhujbal's PA filed a police report.

"An offence was registered against the person, and during the investigation, his location was traced to Mahad in neighbouring Raigad district," the officer added.

The Pune Crime Branch has apprehended the man from Mahad and brought him here for further investigation, he added.

11:01 (IST)

Delhi High Court LIVE Updates

Delhi HC dismisses bail plea of Leena Maria Paulose, wife of conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar

The bail application of Leena Maria Paulose, wife of conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, in a Rs 200 crore extortion case filed by Delhi Police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW), has been denied by the Delhi High Court.

The Court also denies the bail requests of two other defendants in the same case, Kamlesh Kothari and B Mohan Raj.

10:45 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

We have aligned with BJP, but not abandoned our 'ideology': Ajit Pawar camp leader Bhujbal

Though they have linked with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has stated that they have not abandoned their "ideology," and he has blasted NCP founder Sharad Pawar for altering his position on joining hands with the BJP on many occasions.

Bhujbal said 45 of the 53 NCP MLAs sided with Ajit Pawar, saying, "What would have I done by remaining outside?"

Speaking to the media at Mahatma Phule Wada in Pune on Monday, Bhujbal said Sharad Pawar expressed his support for the BJP in 2014 after it established government without the Shiv Sena's support following the Assembly elections.

Asked whether he has changed his ideology, from being a follower of social reformers like Mahatma Phule to now aligning with Hindutva forces, Bhujbal said they have not merged with the BJP.

10:39 (IST)

India COVID-19 LIVE Updates

India records 20 fresh COVID-19 cases, active caseload declines to 1,420

According to the Union Health Ministry, India has registered 20 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 1,420.

According to ministry figures updated at 8 a.m., the death toll from the viral sickness has risen to 5,31,913.

With the new instances, India's COVID-19 tally has risen to 4,49,94,619, according to the statistics.

According to the ministry's website, the nationwide COVID-19 recovery percentage was 98.81 per cent.

The number of persons who have recovered from the sickness has risen to 4,44,61,286 with a case fatality rate of 1.18 per cent.

According to the ministry's website, anti-Covid vaccinations have been provided to 220.66 crore persons in India.

10:30 (IST)

Delhi LIVE Updates

Minimum temperature in city settles below normal

On Tuesday, moderate rain is expected in Delhi, with the lowest temperature settling at 24.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below usual.

According to statistics given by the India Meteorological Department, the relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 96%.

On Saturday and Sunday, Delhi witnessed tremendous rainfall, with 107 mm of rain falling between 8.30 a.m. on Sunday and 8:30 a.m. on Monday. On Monday morning, commuters had to contend with flooded roads and traffic jams.

The city received 8 mm of rain in the previous 24 hours, which ended at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The lowest temperature on Monday was 25.1 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees lower than the season's average. 

09:38 (IST)

Flood Warning LIVE Updates

Yamuna swells further in Delhi, evacuation begins

The Yamuna River in Delhi has risen over the 206-metre evacuation level, requiring officials to relocate residents living in flood-prone districts to safer ones.

The river reached the danger level of 205.33 metres in Delhi on Monday evening, far sooner than expected.

The water level at the Old Railway Bridge climbed to 206.28 metres at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Central Water Commission's (CWC) flood-monitoring webpage, with Haryana releasing additional water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage near Yamunanagar.

The river is forecast to climb to 206.65 metres by Tuesday afternoon before gradually decreasing.

09:12 (IST)

Uttarakhand LIVE Updates

Orange alert for Uttarakhand: CM Dhami says state 'on full alert mode'

On Tuesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the state government is on high alert due to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) severe rainfall alert in the region.

09:10 (IST)

Flood Warning LIVE Updates

Delhi: Old Yamuna bridge closed for rail traffic as river water level crosses danger mark

Rail travel across the ancient Yamuna bridge in the national capital was briefly prohibited on Tuesday as the water level in the Yamuna above the danger mark due to heavy rains over the previous several days, officials said.

According to the official, traffic has been halted since 6 a.m. today.

"Rail traffic over the old Yamuna bridge, temporarily suspended since 06.00 a.m today--July 11," Northern Railways informed.

The water level in the Yamuna River reached 206.24 metres today, slightly over the danger limit of 205.33 metres, according to the Central Water Commission.

Officials further said that the peak flood level is -207.49 metres.

08:35 (IST)

Flood Warning LIVE Updates

Delhi on high alert as Yamuna crosses danger mark, touches 206. 24-meter

The water level in the Yamuna River reached 206.24 metres on Tuesday, slightly over the danger limit of 205.33 metres, according to the Central Water Commission. The peak flood level, according to authorities, is 207.49 metres.

"The water level in Yamuna River crosses the danger mark of 205.33 mtr, touching 206.24 mtr; the high flood level is--207.49 mtr," Central Water Commission said.

Rail travel across the old Yamuna bridge in Delhi has been temporarily halted starting 6 a.m. today until July 11, according to Northern Railway.

Meanwhile, due to continuous rains, the water level in the Yamuna has risen in Vikasnagar, Uttarakhand's Dehradun.

08:20 (IST)

Amarnath Yatra LIVE Updates

J-K highway remains shut, no pilgrims batch to leave Jammu for Amarnath on Tuesday

The Amarnath Yatra will remain stopped, according to authorities, because no pilgrims would leave Jammu for Kashmir on Tuesday due to the shutdown of the Jammu-Srinagar national route.

"No fresh batch will leave Jammu for Kashmir for their onward journey to Amarnath cave shrine. The yatra will remain suspended", a senior officer told PTI here.

This is being done in anticipation of the roadway being closed for work on complete restoration of damaged segments.

More than 7,000 pilgrims are trapped in Jammu, primarily at the Bhagwatinagar base camp, while over 5,000 are stranded in Ramban district at the Chanderkot base camp.

08:18 (IST)

Uttar Pradesh LIVE Updates

Gorakhpur man held for threatening to kill Modi, Adityanath on helpline

Police claimed on Monday that a 45-year-old man was arrested in Gorakhpur for reportedly threatening to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath by phoning the UP-112 helpline.

According to Deoria Kotwali SHO DK Mishra, the call was made late Sunday night to the UP-112 helpline number by a guy who identified himself as Arun Kumar, a resident of the city's Bhujauli Colony.

According to the SHO, police tracked the phone's location to Devrad village in Harpur Budhat district, which led them to one Sanjay Kumar, who was caught Monday morning.

Police found that Kumar was drunk when he made the call. They said they are interrogating Kumar for more details into the incident and have filed a case against him.

08:14 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Kamal Nath meets Madhya Pradesh Governor on 'suppression of tribals' in state

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath met with Governor Mangubhai C. Patel on Monday as part of a Congress team to apprise him of the state's treatment of Dalits and alleged oppression of tribals.

Following the meeting, Nath stated that the Sidhi urinating episode had harmed the state's reputation around the country.

"We met the Governor and informed him about this incident (wherin a man, identified as Pravesh Shukla, was seen urinating on a tribal man in a video), which has tarnished the image of Madhya Pradesh across the country," the senior Congress leader said.

08:11 (IST)

Money Laundering LIVE Updates

ED files draft charges against NCP leader Malik; next hearing on July 24

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed draft charges in a court in Mumbai on Monday against former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik in a money laundering case involving fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.

Sunil Gonsalves, a special public prosecutor, presented the draft accusations before special judge R N Rokade.

Aside from Malik, who is in prison, additional charges were made against three other defendants in the case, and the case was adjourned for a hearing on July 24.

Draught charges are a step towards the start of a criminal trial. Based on prima facie evidence, the court must hear both sides and decide which of the provisions raised by the investigative agency the accused can be charged with.

08:07 (IST)

India Article 370 LIVE Updates

Centre's Article 370 affidavit in SC holds no legal value, only political, claim Mehbooba, Omar

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah slammed the Centre's plea before the Supreme Court on the repeal of Article 370, saying it lacked logic and constitutional support.

"The Centre's defence lacks logic (is) illegal & unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370," PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet. 

"Brute majority was used to subvert the Indian constitution that extended guarantees to the people of J&K & GOI also violated earlier rulings of Hon'ble SC which held that only J&K's constituent assembly could recommend the removal of Article 370 to the President of India," she said.

The former BJP ally further stated that the region's "drum beating about an enforced silence" cannot be used to "justify constitutional harakiri."

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also turned to Twitter to suggest that the government's arguments were political and lacked legal heft.  

08:05 (IST)

West Bengal Panchayat Polls LIVE Updates

Bengal panchayat polls: Counting begins amid tight security

The counting of ballots for West Bengal's three-tier panchayat elections began Tuesday morning amid strict security, according to authorities.

Votes for 73,887 zilla parishad, panchayat samiti, and gramme panchayat seats will be tallied at 339 locations throughout 22 districts of the state. There were a total of 2.06 lakh contestants in the running.

"The counting began at 8 am, and it is likely to continue for two days. It will take time for all the ballot papers to be counted and compile results. We hope that a trend will be available by the end of the day," an SEC official said.

All counting locations will be staffed by armed state police officers and one company of central troops. An officer added that prohibitive measures were issued outside the site under Section 144 of the CrPC to avert any untoward events.

08:03 (IST)

India Monsoons LIVE Updates

IMD issues fresh 'Red' and 'Orange' alerts in Himachal for next 24 hours

There appears to be no quick relief in sight for Himachal Pradesh, which has been hammered by rains in recent days, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued "red" and "orange" advisories for multiple districts of the hill-state for the next 24 hours on Tuesday.

"A red alert has been issued for very heavy rainfall in Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, and Lahaul for the next 24 hours. Additionally, an orange alert has been issued in Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Chamba. A flash flood warning has been issued for Mandi, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti for the next 24 hours," said senior IMD Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma on Monday.

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jairam Thakur said on Monday that the state has received unusually heavy rainfall in recent days and that he was concerned about the loss of life and damage to public facilities.

Thakur, who is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Assembly, told ANI that Himachal Pradesh has "not seen such rain in its history" and that over 12 key bridges had been destroyed.

07:58 (IST)

GST Council LIVE Updates

GST Council to meet today; deliberations set to focus on online gaming regulations, tribunals

The GST Council will have its 50th meeting today in the national capital. The meeting will be presided over by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Council's chairman.

According to ANI, the Group of Ministers (GoM) report on internet gambling, casinos, and horse racing, as well as suggested taxation, will be debated.

According to the article, there is no agreement among GoM members on taxing online gambling at a fixed rate of 28 per cent.

Aside from online gambling, the Council is likely to debate and complete the formation of a GST Tribunal and its benches. The rules and procedures governing tribunals may also be finished tomorrow, according to the sources.

07:44 (IST)

Ukraine India LIVE Updates

US welcomes role of India in helping achieve lasting peace in Ukraine

According to a senior administration official, the United States has appreciated India's participation in achieving long-term peace in Ukraine.

"A strategic failure for Russia, which has seen an enormous loss of both military personnel, but military equipment. It's seen its standing in the world affected. It's seen its economy crippled by the sanctions and export controls we've imposed," Matthew Miller, Spokesperson of the State Department told reporters at a news conference here.

"I will say with respect to what other countries of the world can do, we welcome the international support that Ukraine has received since the beginning of this conflict," he said in response to a question.

07:21 (IST)

Delhi LIVE Updates

Yamuna flows over danger mark at 206.24 mm

The Yamuna's water level, which had crossed the danger line of 205.33 metres earlier on Monday, prompting an Orange warning, was measured at 206.24 on Tuesday, according to data released by the national capital's Flood Control Department. Previously, the Yamuna water level at the Old Railway Bridge was measured at 206.04 mm at 11 p.m. on Monday.

While the city's districts remained flooded as a result of persistent rains on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a new round of rain on Monday.

The national capital's record rainfall has had an impact on all segments, including the impoverished, daily wage earners, and commuters. While residents living in hutments beside the Yamuna would have to relocate if the water level rises higher, rainfall also invaded the residences of some public workers.