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The Hindu
7 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Rajasthan State employee who was detained earlier arrested for espionage
The Rajasthan Police's intelligence unit has arrested a State government employee on charges of spying for Pakistan. He had been under surveillance for suspicious activities for an extended period. The accused, Shakur Khan, was earlier detained on May 28 and subjected to an intensive interrogation by multiple agencies. Khan, 49, working as an assistant administrative officer (AAO) at the district employment office in Jaisalmer, was allegedly passing sensitive and strategic information to his handlers in Pakistan. He obtained Pakistani visas on several occasions and travelled to Pakistan without reporting to higher authorities. Inspector General of Police (Security) Vishnu Kant said here on Tuesday that Khan was in regular contact with some individuals working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, especially Ahsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, and Sohail Qamar. Danish was declared persona non grata by the Union government last month and was asked to leave India immediately. 'During his visits to Pakistan, Khan came in contact with the agents of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI). He collected sensitive information after returning to India and transmitted it to his Pakistani handlers through WhatsApp and other social media platforms,' Mr. Kant said in a statement. Khan had access to sensitive documents while working in the border district of Jaisalmer. Since the matter constituted a serious security breach, a case was registered under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Khan was arrested, Mr. Kant said. A court in Jaipur, where Khan was produced under strict security on Tuesday, remanded him to police custody for seven days. Pakistani contacts As per the first information report, Khan had several Pakistani phone numbers saved in his three mobile phones, which have been seized and sent for technical analysis. He allegedly shared strategically important videos and images with his handlers on these numbers, but this material had been deleted. A native of Mangliyon Ki Dhani hamlet in Jaisalmer district's Badoda Gaon village, Khan served as a personal assistant to former Minister Saleh Mohammed during the previous Congress regime. Khan's association with Mr. Mohammed has led to a political controversy since his detention. Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra said being a personal assistant to a Minister did not constitute a valid ground to implicate the Minister or his family in a crime. 'We have nothing to do with any criminal or anti-national activity. If the police have received some inputs, they should investigate and take action against the accused,' Mr. Dotasra said.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Lad promises comprehensive development of Alnavar taluk
Affirming his commitment towards the overall development of the newly formed Alnavar taluk, Labour Minister Santosh Lad has said that continuous efforts are being made to make Alnavar a model taluk by initiating various development works. Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the Praja Soudha administrative building in Alnavar on Tuesday, he said that the State government had sanctioned ₹8.6 crore for the project. Mr. Lad pointed out that although the building was being constructed on the outskirts of the town, it would soon become central as Alnavar town will expand. He clarified that the Praja Soudha was being constructed on available government land in a location convenient for the public. The Minister said that under the Bhoo Suraksha project, 3,90,054 pages of land records in the taluk had been digitised and the digital records were being provided to the public from June 1. A permanent drinking water supply project at an estimated cost of ₹71.9 core had been initiated for 3,780 houses in Alnavar town, he said. Mr. Lad said that the existing six-bed primary health centre in Alnavar would be upgraded to a 30-bed community health centre. As much as ₹6 crore had been released for the restoration and rejuvenation of the canal and tail channel of Indiramma lake in Hulikeri village. About 80% of the work was completed and would benefit irrigation over 1,240 hectares of farmland in the taluk, he said.
Hans India
31-05-2025
- Hans India
‘Crorepati' engineer held on retirement day
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance arrested chief engineer Baikuntha Nath Sarangi on the last day of his service on Saturday for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He was arrested a day after Rs 2.56 crore in cash was recovered and several immovable assets were detected during search operations on his premises. Sarangi was scheduled to retire on May 31 after 34 years of service in the State government as an engineer in Rural Works department. The Vigilance team had raided seven places linked to Sarangi on Friday. When the Vigilance sleuths reached his residence in Bhubaneswar, he had attempted to dispose of bundles of Rs 500 notes by throwing them out of the window of his flat. Apart from Rs 2.56 crore cash, the engineer was found in possession of two multi-storeyed buildings, two flats, seven high-value plots, bank deposits worth Rs 1.5 crore.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Bengaluru campus of University of Liverpool to start operations in September 2026
The University of Liverpool, founded in 1881 in Liverpool, U.K., will open its campus in Bengaluru in September 2026. The Bengaluru campus would be grounded in the university's research-intensive culture and internationally recognised academic standards, said Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor, after making the announcement on Tuesday. According to Prof. Jones, the initial set of programmes will include business management, accounting and finance, computer science, biomedical sciences, and game design, offered for the first time by a U.K. university campus in India. A broader portfolio of disciplines is expected to be added in subsequent phases. 'The state of Karnataka's reputation as a knowledge and technology powerhouse makes it an ideal home for the university's campus in India,'' he said. According to officials, the university will commence operations from a temporary campus, while the location to build a permanent campus and land and investment required etc. were yet to be decided. Welcoming the university's entry into Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: 'Karnataka has always been at the forefront of education and innovation. The University of Liverpool's decision to set up its first foreign campus in Bengaluru reinforces our status as a global knowledge destination.'' M.C. Sudhakar, Minister for Higher Education, termed it a 'significant leap'' in Karnataka's education system and the presence of University of Liverpool would further the educational ecosystem of the state. Speaking on the occasion, M.B. Patil, Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, said the collaboration will drive deeper ties between academia and sectors like electronics, aerospace, and biotechnology. He invited the University of Liverpool to explore KWIN City (a Knowledge, Wellbeing, and Innovation City being developed by the State government between Doddaballapur and Dobbspet) to base this partnership. Chandru Iyer, British Deputy High Commissioner for Karnataka and Kerala, said the U.K. and India have made a commitment to refresh and deepen their partnership to deliver even more for both countries. Their expanded partnership would deliver iconic, forward-looking collaborations in diverse areas such as AI and semiconductors, higher education campuses, and green energy initiatives. The University of Liverpool also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with city-based tech firm Wipro to establish a high-impact alliance designed to advance research, spearhead innovation, and cultivate future-ready talent through targeted skill development.
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Bonalu festivities to kick off with gaiety from Golconda on June 26
Hyderabad: The month-long Ashada Masam Bonalu festival, which is celebrated with pomp and gaiety, will be starting in the city from June 26 with Maru Bonum to Jagadambika Temple located at the historical Golkonda Fort. Even this time, the festival will start on the first Thursday of Ashada Masam on June 26 and will conclude with the last Puja of the Goddess on the day of Amavasya on July 24. The temple priest Sarvesh Pantulu said that after the commencement of Bonalu festival at Jagadamma Mahankali (Yellamma Talli) temple located in the historic Golconda Fort, nine pujas of the Goddess will be held every Thursday and Sunday in which devotees will offer Bonam to the Goddess with devotion. He said that on the first Puja on June 26, a huge procession of the Goddess's Tottelu will be taken out from Langar Houz cross roads to the Golconda Fort temple with Potaraju, showcasing the cultural and folk traditions of Telangana. Sarvesh said that at 12 noon, the Rath Yatra will be taken out from the priest's house in Chhota Bazar with the festival idol of the goddess along with the goddess' Tottelu to the temple located in Golconda Fort amidst band music and cultural tableaux and Potraju's dance, while Bonam will be brought for the goddess from Banjara Darwaza. He said that after the start of Bonalu, the second puja of the goddess will be on Sunday, June 29, the third puja on Thursday, July 3, the fourth puja on Sunday, July 6, the fifth puja on Thursday, July 10, the sixth puja (Lashkar Bonalu Jatara) on Sunday, July 13 at Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple at Secunderabad. On July 14, the temple authorities would take out Rangam and procession. On the same day Shri Mahankali Jatara Bonalu Utsavala Ummidi Devalayala Uregimpu Committee from Old City would take out Ghatam procession. On Sunday, July 20, the Bonalu will be held in Old City followed by Rangam on Monday July 21. The priest informed that on all these Thursdays and Sundays, devotees of the goddess will offer Bonam to the goddess in large numbers with devotion. He informed that a new temple committee has been formed by the State government with the objective of celebrating the Bonalu festival with grandeur in a peaceful and harmonious environment and to provide the best facilities to the devotees. A big procession will be taken out on Monday, July 21, after Rangam at 3 pm headed by Haribavalli Akkanna Madanna Sri Mahankali Temple of Old City ending the festival.
