Latest news with #Acharya
NDTV
5 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Priests Explain Day 1 Of Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha 2.0, What's Lined Up Today
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. The Pran Pratishtha rituals of Ram Darbar at Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya commenced, attracting large crowds of devotees. Acharyas performed prayers. The ceremony continues till June 5, with upcoming festivities. Ayodhya: The rituals of the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Darbar on the first floor of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya began on Tuesday. A huge crowd of devotees queued up to offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. NDTV spoke to Pradhan Yagya Acharya Jai Prakash Tripathi and his three other Acharyas who were part of the rituals inside the temple. "We performed many prayers as part of the ritual," Mr Tripathi told NDTV, and listed some of the steps. Another Acharya who helped Mr Tripathi said the prayers were performed with huge success. "Bhagwan Ram Lalla was born, and now he comes in the form of a king," he said. They said that on Wednesday morning - on the second day of the Pran Prathistha - they will go to the mandap and start with prayers to Lord Ganesha and other deities. NDTV saw huge crowds of devotees on Tuesday. Many expressed joy in attending the Pran Prathistha of the first floor of the grand temple in Ayodhya. "It was very crowded and the weather was hot. But I am happy I came here today," a devotee told NDTV. On Monday night, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi temple was illuminated with vibrant and decorative lights ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Darbar, which began at 6.30 am on Tuesday. It will go on till June 5. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the Saryu Jayanti Janmotsav celebrations in Ayodhya on June 5, according to Mahant Rajkumar Das Maharaj, head of Shriramvallabhkunj. The event will be organised by the Anjaneya Sewa Trust from June 5 to 11, and the week-long celebration will feature devotional events, rituals, and spiritual discourses.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Feticide racket offered abortions at home
A hmedabad: In Gujarat, which battles a deeply skewed child sex ratio, the latest revelation in the female feticide racket busted in Bavla, Ahmedabad has shocked investigators. In what is probably the first such case reported in the state, sex determination tests and abortions were not just done discreetly in clinics or guesthouses but were allegedly carried out at patients' homes. Police say at least five such procedures took place in Ahmedabad and nearby towns. The accused — who are currently in police custody — offered the service for Rs 15,000 per case. The racket, unearthed earlier this month, was run by nurse Hemlata Darji and radiologist Harshad Acharya, who operated across Ahmedabad, Anand and Vadodara, said police officers. According to Ahmedabad Rural police, the duo conducted 25 sex determination tests at Acharya's clinic, Ashirwad Imaging Centre in Odhav. Of these, eight fetuses were, allegedly, female. "Three abortions were done at a Bavla guesthouse, and five were allegedly carried out at patients' homes," said police. "This was not a fly-by-night operation. It was a calculated setup: quiet, mobile, and tailored for secrecy," said a senior Ahmedabad Rural police officer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Patients did not even have to step into a clinic. The team came to them, called a lab courier for blood tests and carried out the abortion there itself." Police said that if a patient experienced heavy bleeding during the abortion, Darji used medicines she allegedly stole from a private hospital where she previously worked. Acharya's main role, so far, was to determine the sex of the fetus. In a state where the child sex ratio has dropped to a worrying 890 girls per 1,000 boys according to the 2011 census, and where sex determination is banned by law, this deeply disturbing trend shows how entrenched is the demand to figure out the sex of the child. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, nothing seems to have really changed. Stricter laws have just driven the entire network underground to cater to families unwilling to have daughters. The investigation revealed that Acharya began this activity about one and a half years ago. "He would charge Rs 15,000 and give Rs 7,000 to Darji per case," said police. The communication between clients and the accused was cloaked in code. "If Acharya smiled and said 'aashirwad (blessings)', it meant the fetus was male. If he said 'theek thai jashe (everything will be alright)' with a serious expression, it indicated a girl," the officer said. The Ahmedabad Rural police officer said, "They chose clients carefully, mostly through close contacts." The accused told police they could not recall the names of the women who underwent the procedures. "They only remember the houses where the sex determination and subsequent abortions were carried out," said a police officer, adding: "The clients who used the abortion service will also be treated as accused in the case. We are also checking if any abortion was carried out beyond the 24-week legal limit." Darji was the first to be arrested from a Bavla guesthouse last week while performing an abortion without valid medical qualifications. Acharya was arrested the next day. Both face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
83 spots to get cover ahead of monsoon: NHAI opts for green mesh cover to curb landslides on Kalka-Shimla highway
Giant drilling machines piercing the hills, iron rods driven 12 to 15 metres deep, and green mesh nets spread like carpets over slopes — these are now familiar sights along the Kalka-Shimla highway, part of the 120-km-long Chandigarh-Shimla Expressway. To preserve the natural beauty of the hills and reduce landslide risks ahead of the monsoon season, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched slope protection works using green mesh netting, standard drilling, and anchoring at 83 vulnerable sites along a 60-km stretch between Parwanoo (Solan) and Kathlighat (Shimla) for the first time. Of these, 81 sites are on hill slopes, and two—Chakki Mod and Datyar—are on valley sides. The work, estimated at Rs 200 crore, is scheduled to be completed by March 2026. This marks a shift from the earlier shotcrete technique, in which concrete was sprayed onto slopes, leaving behind barren cemented walls—especially visible along the Solan bypass. 'Shotcrete did help reduce landslide risks, but it wasn't nature friendly and didn't suit the biodiversity of these hills,' said Akshaya Acharya, geologist consultant to NHAI, adding, 'We used it between Sanwara and Kasauli and extensively on the Solan bypass. While technically effective, it hindered vegetation. In contrast, the current method allows greenery to return without soil erosion.' At the highly landslide-prone sites of Chakki Mod and Datyar, slope protection also includes the construction of reinforced soil walls. 'Unlike shotcrete, which needs no maintenance, the mesh netting technique requires regular watering to keep soil moist and promote vegetation,' Acharya said, adding, 'We will also install pedometer sensors with accelerometers at Chakki Mod and Datyar to detect underground vibrations and issue early landslide warnings.' Sources said that the project was initially meant for only 21 sites in the Parwanoo-Solan stretch but was later expanded to 83 across two sections: Parwanoo to Solan, and Solan to Kathlighat. NHAI Project Director (Kalka-Shimla) Anand Dahiya said, 'Around two dozen of the 83 sites are highly vulnerable. We are prioritising these ahead of the monsoon, which will naturally support vegetation growth under the mesh nets.' He added that shotcrete is also more expensive than the current mesh-and-anchor method. The Kalka-Shimla highway has seen frequent landslides during monsoons, particularly in 2019 and 2023. Over 128 landslides were recorded—78 in 2019 and 50 in 2023—causing prolonged road blockages. Shimla resident Raghuvir Chandel said, 'Shotcrete kills the beauty of the hills. You drive through greenery and suddenly see barren concrete walls — it's jarring. Even net meshing involves drilling and cement-filling, but it's still better than turning the entire hill into concrete.'
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
SC directs single shift test for NEET-PG
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for postgraduate medical courses (NEET-PG) to be held in a single shift, observing the decision of the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to conduct the examination in two shifts 'creates arbitrariness'. The decision of the court came on multiple petitions filed by candidates appearing for NEET-PG 2025 who sought the examination, scheduled for June 15, be conducted in a single shift. The candidates claimed that in the two-shift model the question papers are set with different difficulty levels which is 'discriminatory to some of the candidates'. A bench headed by justice Vikram Nath said, 'We direct the authorities to hold the examination in one shift and also ensure complete transparency is maintained and secured centres are identified.' The bench, also comprising justices Sanjay Kumar and NV Anjaria, pulled up NBEMS for not identifying enough centres to hold the examination in one shift, saying, 'Holding examination in two shifts is unacceptable.' Senior advocate Maninder Acharya, appearing for the NBEMS, opposed the petitions, saying that holding the exam in a single shift will jeopardise the candidates who have registered for the examination as there is little time left to identify new centres. This year 242,678 candidates have registered for NEET-PG, and finding 'secured' centres with the requisite infrastructure and security arrangements to accommodate these candidates will be a huge challenge, Acharya said. Addressing the concerns expressed by NBEMS, the court said, 'The exam is to be held all over the country. We are not ready to accept that in the entire country, considering the technological advancement we have achieved, the examination body cannot find enough examination centres.' The court ordered NBEMS to identify new examination centres to hold the exam in one shift. 'There are still two weeks for identifying examination centres and holding the exam in one shift. Burn the midnight oil and find the centres,' it said. NBEMS said that the decision to have two shifts was to curb 'malpractices by unscrupulous elements'. The exam is conducted on a computer-based platform and there are no physical answer sheets and question papers for the candidates. NBEMS, however, said there was a possibility of malpractices as the test only contains multiple choice questions (MCQs). The bench, in response said, 'Having two shifts creates arbitrariness and does not allow students to take examination at the same level. It is unfair to have two shifts. Any two examination papers has to have variation.' Acharya informed the court that NBEMS is bound by the top court's orders to hold the examination by June 15, as she sought permission of the court to seek an extension. The bench did not pass any order extending the date. However, it said, 'It would be open for the respondent to seek an extension of time.' The candidates, represented by senior advocate Shikhil Suri and advocate Charu Mathur, told the court that the two-shift examination created a lot of problems for candidates as last year, the paper for the second shift was comparatively easy. Keeping this in mind, last year, the method of normalisation was applied. The petitioners argued that the process for conducting NEET-PG 2025 began from March and despite time being available, authorities have not made any effort to conduct the examination in a single shift. Acharya defended NBEMS's decision, stating that other competitive examinations such as Common Admission Test (CAT) for postgraduate management programs and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to undergraduate engineering courses are held in multiple shifts. The bench, however, noted that these exams feature over a million candidates, and cannot be compared with NEET-PG which has less than 250,000 applicants. The respondent also said that the petitions are proceeding on a misconception that the question papers for each shift will have a vast difference in difficulty levels. 'Even if the two sets have different difficulty levels, we have a process of normalisation,' Acharya said, adding that any direction passed by the court will impact other entrance examinations conducted on a pattern of multiple shifts. The bench said, 'Normalisation may be applied in exceptional cases, but, not as a matter of routine year after didn't you think of this before? This process started in March.' NBEMS told the court that except for a few candidates, who are before the court, the majority of candidates appearing for the examination do not have any grievance with the two-shift process. The court said, 'Even if we find one candidate raising a legitimate grievance, that is enough for us to step in.' The number of NEET-PG registrants this year has increased 45% from 2020 (167,102 candidates). 'The safety and security of conduct of examinations on a computer-based-platform has its own challenges and examination conducting bodies are required to take all possible measures to prevent use of any unfair means by unscrupulous elements to adopt any kind of malpractices,' NBEMS said in an affidavit filed before the top court. Keeping this in mind, the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Union ministry of health & family welfare, had decided to conduct NEET PG 2025 examination at limited test centres, similar to the exercise last year, where security and sanctity of examination can be better ensured, it said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Odhav radiologist arrested in Bavla female feticide racket
1 2 TAKE LOGO: Save the girl child Ahmedabad: A radiologist from Odhav was arrested on Tuesday, allegedly, for his involvement in a female feticide racket busted at a guesthouse in Bavla on Monday evening. Ahmedabad rural police identified the accused as 58-year-old Harshad Acharya, who, along with his wife, ran Ashirwad Imaging Centre in Soni Chawl in Odhav. A former nurse, Hemlata Darji from Bavla, was the first arrest made in this case on Monday. "Acharya was in constant touch with Darji. For each abortion, Acharya paid her around Rs 10,000," said a police officer. As one enters the clinic of Acharya, a leading radiologist in Odhav, the first thing one comes across is a poster announces in English: 'No sex determination test is done here'. Another large poster reiterates the point in Gujarati: 'Ahiyan babo chhe ke baby kahevama aavtu nathi (We do not reveal if the foetus is a boy or a girl)'. However, sources privy to the development said that Acharya had a coded reply to reveal the baby's gender to the people. "If he says 'aashirwad (blessings)' with a smile, then it is a boy, and if he says 'theek thai jashe (everything will become alright)' with a serious look, then it is a girl. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Bosnia And Herzegovina (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo Later, Hemlata would approach these patients and organise the pregnancy termination," said a source. Police confirmed that at least five female feticides were performed in around eight months. "We suspect there might be more," said the officer. The senior officer also did not rule out the involvement of other doctors or radiologists. "The names, if any, will come to light as the investigation progresses," the officer added. Ahmedabad rural police on Tuesday busted an abortion racket linked to female feticide, operating out of a guesthouse in Bavla area of Ahmedabad district on Monday. The raid was conducted based on specific intelligence and executed with the help of local health department officials. Cops are trying to find out if facilities of other guesthouses or hotels were used for this illegal act of pregnancy termination. Darji, 40, was found performing abortions without any valid medical qualifications on Monday evening, police sources said. She worked as a nurse for more than a decade in private hospitals across Bavla and Dholka. Using the experience gained, she allegedly carried out unauthorised pregnancy terminations. Bavla police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Acharya under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The investigation will include tracing the accused's network, examining financial records, and identifying sonography centres that may have been involved in illegal sex determination.
