Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Calling former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s actions at the Renigunta airport on Monday as theatrics, Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and added that it was a mere PR stunt to gain relevance post the dismal performance of TDP in the recently concluded panchayat elections.
“He knew that permission was not given due to Covid-19 restrictions, the dharna caused inconvenience to the citizens and as the Model Code of Conduct is in place due to the municipal polls. Despite that, he decided to travel. This is only to run propaganda against the government using certain media outlets controlled by him. Why would he travel, knowing that the permission wasn’t given? This shows that it was merely a PR stunt,” Reddy said.
Earlier in the day, Superintendent of Police for Chittoor S. Senthil Kumar addressed the media and said, “The district police denied permission due to the following circumstances.”
“The party was planning to gather 5,000 supporters, this firstly violates all Covid regulations. Secondly, these many people gathering in the city would cause a lot of inconvenience to the citizens. Therefore, TDP was asked to look for another protest site outside the city which they refused to do. Thirdly, the Model Code of Conduct is in place due to the municipal elections and a protest of this nature violates the same. The police have no objection if the party obtains permission from the State Election Commission. Despite laying out the following reasons, the TDP chief and his party intentionally did what they did. Hence, the detention,” Kumar said.
Tirupati Urban SP Venkata Appalanaidu said that the TDP leaders asked for police permission for holding protest, after 11 pm on Sunday night.
“In that letter, it was not mentioned that whether they have taken permission of Election Commission or not. The place where TDP wanted to hold protest is a crucial area in Tirupati,” the police official said.
TDP leader and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu was on Monday detained by the police at the Renigunta airport while he was going to attend an election campaign in the Chittoor district. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): A man was injured after he lost control of the car and went on to hit a tree on a divider near Saket on Monday night, the police said.
According to the police, the accident took place at around 10 pm after the driver, Tushar lost control of the car hit a tree on the divider while trying to save another vehicle.
Tushar has suffered injuries on his cheek and is underdoing treatment at Max hospital, the police said. (ANI)

Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Amrish Sharma, a resident of Hathras, was shot dead by another man against whom he had filed a case in July 2018 for allegedly molesting his daughter, at a village in Sasni police station area on Monday, Uttar Pradesh police said.
According to the police, an FIR has been registered against four accused, two of whom have been arrested.
“On March 1, at around 4 pm, information was received at Sasni police station that in Nojalpur village, a man named Amrish Sharma had been shot by Gaurav Sharma and his friends. Amrish died on his way to the hospital,” said Vineet Jaiswal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hathras.
The SP said that the police reached the incident spot and an investigation was carried out on Monday.
“During the investigation, it came to light that in July 2018, Amrish Sharma had filed a case of molestation against Gaurav Sharma, who was sent to jail but he came out on bail after one month. Both the families were having a dispute since then,” Jaiswal added.
Speaking about the incident, the police official said, “The wife and the aunt of the main accused Gaurav Sharma and both daughters of deceased had gone to temple in the village. They had an argument there over the old case. The accused and the Amrish Sharma came there later where they argued and the accused shot the latter, who died while being taken to hospital.”
The SP said that teams have been formed to nab the remaining accused and further investigation is underway. (ANI)

Bengaluru (Karnataka), March 2 (ANI): Taxi and autorickshaw unions in Karnataka have demanded an increase in fare, citing the spiralling fuel prices.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), Special Commissioner J Manjunath on Monday said, “Taxi and autorickshaw drivers’ associations gave a proposal requesting an increase in fare.”
The official committee meeting has been called after 3 weeks to look into the matter, he added.
On February 25, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she won’t be able to answer when the prices of petrol and diesel will be reduced.
“I won’t be able to say ‘when’. It is a ‘dharam sankat’ (dilemma),” she said at an event in Ahmedabad after being asked when would the Central Government reduce fuel prices, which have increased sharply in the past few days in the country.
Over a period of time, the prices of petrol and diesel have increased sharply.
Opposition parties have held protests in different parts of the country over fuel price rise. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 2 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday took his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi and appealed to all those who are eligible to get inoculated.
Many prominent leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Nationalist Congress Party Chief, Sharad Pawar were administered the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on Monday.
India commenced its third phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus from March 1.
The eligible beneficiaries who are entitled to receive the Covid-19 vaccine from March 1, were able to register themselves on the Co-WIN platform from Monday onwards.
The Central government has created the Co-WIN application dedicated to monitor real-time management of Covid-19 vaccination across the country.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 1.47 crore on Monday, according to a statement by the Union Health Ministry.
15,510 new COVID-19 cases and 106 deaths were reported in India in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Monday.
With this, the total number of cases reported in the country now stands at 1,10,96,731, including 1,68,627 active cases and 1,07,86,457 recoveries. The death toll now stands at 1,57,157. (ANI)