Latest news with #Prayagraj-based
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Time of India
Kunda police arrest five for assaulting Prayagraj family
Prayagraj: Kunda police on Tuesday arrested five persons for assaulting a Prayagraj-based family when they were returning to Sangam city after offering prayers at Bhakti Dham in Mangarh (Kunda) on Sunday. Those arrested were Priyanshu Maurya (19), Sunil Maurya (26), Chandan Yadav (19), Anurag Maurya (20) and Jitendra Yadav (19) of Kunda. Inspector (Kunda) Avan Dixit told TOI that a devotee from Purshottampur Malakia, Holagarh (Prayagraj), along with his family, visited to Mangarh-based Bhakti Dham on July 13. While moving towards Mangarh (Kunda), his car hit a scooty, following which the two parties exchanged heated arguments. On their return, the scooty rider, along with his friends, stopped his car near Kunda road and assaulted him and his family members. The miscreants also broke the front windowpanes of the car, following which an FIR was lodged with Kunda police under sections 191(2), 352, 351(3), and 324(4) against 8 unknown persons. Cops managed to arrest five of them and hunt is on for others.
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
UP's kinnow push worries Punjab's orchardists
Kinnow growers of Punjab, grappling with low productivity since 2021, are now facing a new challenge from Uttar Pradesh where the state government is pushing for the cultivation of the citrus crop. Worker plucking kinnows in an orchard in Fazilka district. (HT File) With the UP government actively promoting kinnow cultivation—particularly in Agra and the Gangetic belt—using plants sourced from nurseries in Abohar, Punjab's orchardists fear for the future of their once-thriving industry. Abohar and Balluana revenue blocks of Fazlika district have around 35,000 hectares under kinnow and the annual average production of Punjab's 'king fruit' is pegged at 12 lakh tonnes. Punjab orchardists say that the widespread dieback incidents of kinnow orchards in 2024 and poor seasons since 2021 have them worried about the future of Punjab's key horticulture crop. They attribute the low fruit production trend to increasing levels of saline groundwater, unfriendly climatic conditions and poor canal-based irrigation support. State awardee kinnow grower Arvind Setia said that this season too, farmers are not seeing any significant change in yield. 'Orchardists of the semi-arid area of the kinnow-growing belt are entirely dependent on canal water owing to the high saline content in groundwater. While fruit production in Punjab is not growing, orchards in Rajasthan are in a deeper crisis in kinnow production. But the UP government is making all efforts to boost the cultivation of the kinnow and we are concerned with the emerging trend,' said Setia. Horticultural authorities of UP said that they are promoting kinnow by offering a subsidy through the centre's mission for integrated development of horticulture, while a Prayagraj-based Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPTROU), a state institute, is rolling out a three-month certificate course to promote farming of kinnow. According to Dharam Pal Yadav, deputy director, UP's horticulture division of Agra, more than 1,700 hectares in Agra are under kinnow cultivation, producing an estimated 40,000 tonnes or 4 lakh quintals annually, and the acreage is growing. 'Farmers with 0.4-4 hectares in Agra and adjoining areas of the Ganga belt are being encouraged to switch to kinnow farming. We see a huge potential for UP farmers to meet the market demand for the citrus fruit,' said Yadav. He said that since the quality of fruit is matched with Punjab and the pest management is easy, farmers are showing interest and the state is confident of significant improvement in acreage in the coming few years. Satendra Babu Yadav, an assistant professor in the department of agriculture at UPTROU, is credited for starting promoting kinnow cultivation in UP. He said being closer to Delhi gives Agra kinnow growers an edge to attract buyers and transport the fruit to different destinations. 'I visited the Abohar area in 2005, which prompted me to give a try to kinnow farming in UP. I found the soil and climatic conditions in the traditional potato-growing region of Agra conducive for kinnow and the trial proved it a success. Since 2006, farmers have sourced hundreds of plants from Abohar, which are contributing to improving their farm income,' said Yadav, whose research domain is horticulture crops. Still, not everyone is convinced that UP's kinnows will rival Punjab's. Punjab orchardist Parth Dawra said it is too early to conclude that the UP's kinnow might capture the market and outshine Punjab's produce. 'There is no doubt that fruit productivity in Punjab has not been inching towards a bumper yield for the last five years. Climatic conditions of the Abohar area are considered better for pest management and quality of fruits but it is yet to be ascertained if the orchards of UP are capable of producing a similar quality of fruit, which is accepted by the market,' said Dawra.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
After Prayagraj girl's rescue from Kerala, agencies probing conversion-terror links
After a Prayagraj-based Dalit girl was rescued from Kerala last week, the Uttar Pradesh law enforcement agencies suspect there is a larger nexus involved in the forced religious conversion of poor Dalit girls. Another senior police official privy to the investigation said the rescued Dalit girl revealed that she was kept at a place along with 18-20 girls in the age group of 14 to 24. (PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY) The agencies are exploring wider angles, including suspected involvement in terrorist activity and radicalisation. The UP ATS is probing the racket under which Dalit girls were forcibly taken to states like Kerala and pressured to convert to Islam. The police had earlier arrested a woman, identified as Daraksha Bano, and her maternal cousin Mohammad Kaif in connection with the kidnapping of the Dalit girl and her forced religious conversion. Also Read | Kerala woman found dead at home; husband used to torture her, insult her looks: 'Not beautiful' The girl from the Phulpur area in Prayagraj district was allegedly taken to Kerala by her neighbour Daraksha and forced to embrace Islam before being linked to a terror organisation, the Prayagraj police had said on Monday. The police also said the girl, belonging to a Scheduled Caste, was rescued on June 28 from Thrissur railway station after she managed to alert her mother through the local police. The information obtained from Daraksha Bano and Kafi revealed that the duo took the minor girl to Kerala at the behest of one Mohammad Taj, resident of Phulpur, Prayagraj police added. 'There is preliminary evidence of links to terrorist organisations and religious conversion rackets. Further investigations are underway to identify and arrest other gang members, including Mohammad Taj,' said Prayagraj deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Trans-Ganga, Kuldeep Singh Gunawat. Also Read | 'Forced to convert, pushed into terror network': How a minor from Uttar Pradesh was lured to Kerala 'The arrest of the key accused Taj could unfold the nexus behind it. The state agencies, like UP ATS and central agencies, have been informed about the development. The Prayagraj police teams are working in coordination with central intelligence agencies to explore possible inter-state and organisational connections in the case,' Gunawat added. Another senior police official privy to the investigation said the rescued Dalit girl revealed that she was kept at a place where 18-20 girls in the age group of 14 to 24, from different states, were kept. She stayed there for 20 days before escaping on June 28. He said the girl had told the police that she was forced to embrace Islam and learn Urdu and Persian. He said the input has been provided to central agencies, and officials have interacted with the rescued girl to obtain more information about the Kerala centre where she was kept. The girl disappeared from her home on May 8 night, according to officials. Investigations revealed she was transported on a motorbike by Daraksha and Kaif to the Prayagraj junction railway station. The girl was then taken by train to Delhi and later to Thrissur in Kerala. In Kerala, police said, she was introduced to a group of suspicious individuals and allegedly lured with money and converted to Islam. Police further claimed that she was coerced into associating with a terrorist outfit on the pretext of 'jihad'. On June 28, the girl fled to the Thrissur railway station, where she sought help from local police. With their assistance, she contacted her mother in Uttar Pradesh. A police team from Phulpur subsequently travelled to Kerala and brought her back. She is currently staying at a One Stop Centre in Prayagraj. Meanwhile, the girl's mother has reportedly received threats from unidentified persons warning her against approaching police. Security personnel have been deployed at the family's home.
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Vedic Mathematics to be integrated into NCERT textbooks
In a major academic reform, Vedic Mathematics will now be integrated into National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks for classes 6 to 8 in Uttar Pradesh. This move is part of a broader initiative to align the national curriculum with regional educational priorities across government-run schools in the state. Students at a government upper primary school in Prayagraj. (FOR REPRESENTATION) Officials from the basic education department confirmed that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Uttar Pradesh, has issued formal instructions to incorporate Vedic Math content into the NCERT curriculum. Experts from the Prayagraj-based State Institute of Science Education (SISE), who are tasked with curriculum development, will oversee the implementation. The move is aimed at over 30 lakh students of classes 6 to 8 studying in government-run upper primary and composite (classes 1 to 8) schools across Uttar Pradesh. Vedic Maths to complement modern pedagogy The goal is to provide students with a holistic education that blends modern mathematical concepts with the timeless methods of Vedic Mathematics, deeply rooted in India's rich knowledge traditions. Speaking on the initiative, SISE director Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi said,'We are upgrading the NCERT textbooks to integrate Vedic Mathematics. This will help students connect with India's intellectual heritage while strengthening their mathematical aptitude.' The current NCERT mathematics book 'Ganit Prakash', used in Classes 6 to 8, is known for its quality and structured approach but lacks any content related to Vedic Mathematics. Likewise, the 'Ganit Manthan' textbooks, used under the UP Basic Education Board, contain only limited references to Vedic techniques. These gaps will now be addressed through the new revisions in both Hindi and English medium textbooks. Model papers for Classes 11 and 12 also to be prepared PRAYAGRAJ Subject experts from the State Institute of Science Education will also be preparing 25 model papers each for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology for students in the Science stream of Classes 11 and 12 studying in schools affiliated to UP Board. Previously, model papers were developed for Classes 9 and 10. This year, for the first time, the responsibility of creating question papers for Classes 11 and 12 has also been entrusted to the institute, shared Director of the State Institute of Science Education Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AU experts develop compounds that may boost human memory
Prayagraj: In a breakthrough development, scientists from Allahabad University (AU) have identified 14 chemical compounds that could significantly enhance human memory. These compounds, developed in the university's chemistry laboratory, show promising effects in opening constricted brain neurons, which are often associated with memory loss and cognitive decline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The research, led by Prof Ramendra Kumar Singh of the Department of Chemistry at AU, marks a major advancement in the search for memory-enhancing drugs. Remarkably, the compounds developed in the Prayagraj-based university are currently undergoing international testing in laboratories in the United States, specifically at California State University, Fullerton. According to Prof Singh, preliminary results from the testing of three compounds showed positive outcomes, suggesting their potential in combating memory-related disorders. A research paper detailing this discovery was recently published in the Netherlands-based scientific journal, Journal of Molecular Structure, further highlighting the global relevance of this work. Explaining the scientific basis of the study, Prof Singh said that hyperphosphorylated tau proteins—proteins with an excess of phosphate groups—are responsible for memory degradation in humans. These proteins accumulate in the brain due to a deficiency of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. The enzyme acetylcholinesterase is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine, thus leading to its depletion. The 14 newly developed compounds aim to inhibit the function of acetylcholinesterase, thereby maintaining healthy acetylcholine levels and potentially improving memory and brain health. To identify these compounds, the research team conducted a series of chemical reactions in the lab and utilised computational techniques such as molecular docking and computer simulation to evaluate the compounds' activity and cytotoxicity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The detailed analysis confirmed that all 14 compounds showed significant promise in both effectiveness and safety. These compounds, after being encoded, were sent to California for second-phase testing on specific cell lines known to produce the tau protein responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Although the names of the compounds have not yet been disclosed, Prof Singh noted that the early-stage results are encouraging, with three compounds already delivering positive findings. The next steps in the research include developing a drug based on the most effective molecule. If successful, this could lead to a new therapeutic option for millions suffering from memory loss and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's.
