Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 24 (ANI): Srinagar and Mandi area in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir received heavy snowfall on Saturday which affected road and air connectivity in the region.
Heavy snowfall made the roads slippery which affected traffic movement here. Speaking to ANI, Bashir, a resident said, “After many years this region has received heavy snowfall.”
“The Mandi area of Poonch has received at least six inches of snowfall. We wish people do not face electricity and food-related problems amid the weather,” said another local from Poonch.

Around a week ago, as heavy snowfall occurred in Jammu and Kashmir, temperatures across the Union Territory plummeted to zero degrees Celsius, leading to the freezing of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. (ANI)

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 24 (ANI): A worker died in an accident at a pharma company in Visakhapatnam on Saturday following which the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leaders have demanded that the management should take the responsibility of deceased’s family members and until then, CITU will stage a protest here, said Gajuwaka Police.
Incident was reported at the pharma company in Munagada village of Visakhapatnam district. The deceased person has been identified as Bammidi Vasu, a resident of the Malkapuram area, according to the police.
Gajuwaka police reached the spot soon after the incident occurred and started the probe. CITU leaders have claimed that this is the third incident that occurred in the same company. (ANI)

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 24 (ANI): Illegal mining is rampant in Karnataka, flouting all the rules of the Mines and Geology Department and it is impossible to carry out illegal mining without the support of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, said former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday.
In a thread of tweets, Yediyurappa slammed Karnataka Chief Minister saying that the government should take strict action against all those who are involved in illegal mining.
“Illegal mining is rampant in the State flouting all the rules of Mines and Geology Department. It is impossible to carry out illegal mining without the support of Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
“Karnataka CM has said that illegal mining can be made legal by submitting an application form. Does this mean illegal mining done till now is not an offence? Can anything illegal be made legal with just an application? Is this a responsible statement made by BS Yediyurappa?” Siddaramaiah added.
BS Yediyurappa has assumed that legalising illegal mining is like regularising houses and land, said Siddaramaiah adding that he would not have made such an irresponsible statement if he had some knowledge about the law.
“The government should take strict action against all those who are involved in illegal mining, irrespective of party affiliation. Karnataka CM should not be influenced by anyone in taking action,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
“MLC Ayanur Manjunath has claimed that there are more than 100 illegal mining sites in Shivamogga. Who is responsible for illegal mining on such a large scale in the home district of Karnataka CM only?” he added.
“It seems KS Eshwarappa had instructed officers in a KDP meeting to turn blind eye to illegal mining activities. Will Eshwarappa take responsibility for the blast that killed many innocent people? Or will the officers take the responsibility?” Siddaramaiah said in another tweet.
Illegal mining is a serious issue and it has already taken the lives of many innocent people, said Siddaramaiah.
“I strongly demand an enquiry by a sitting High Court judge,” Siddaramaiah added. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 24 (ANI): The COVID-19 vaccine is 99 per cent safe and it is important to get vaccinated, said Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender while hoping everyone would step forward for it in the coming days.
Speaking to ANI about the decline in the percentage of beneficiaries vaccinated against COVID-19 as per the target set by the State Government, Rajender said, “Actually, the people (health workers) who had taken a decision to wait to get vaccinated are left now.”
“If the COVID-19 vaccination for private health workers starts, then there will be a movement. I appeal to people who have decided to wait to rather get vaccinated now,” he added. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI): The staff of special investigation unit-II (SIU-II), crime branch, Nand Nagri, Delhi arrested a criminal of Khurja, Bulandshahar and solved the murder case of Rahis Ansari registered at police station Jafrabad.
The accused has been identified as Mohd Umar, according to Rakesh Pawariya, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Narcotics, Crime Branch, Delhi.
On January 13, 2021, at about 12:45 pm, one Rahis Ansari was shot dead by assailants outside his residence while cleaning his scooty. He was declared brought dead by doctors at JPC Hospital.
The deceased was a property dealer by profession. Accordingly, a case dated January 13 under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) r/w 25/27 Arms Act, PS Jafrabad, Delhi was registered and investigation taken up by the local police.
The entire incident was also recorded in the CCTV installed at the spot. A team of SIU-2 under the supervision of ACP Arvind Kumar led by Inspector Surender Kumar comprising SI Ashok Malik, HCs Harshit, Pankaj, Kavinder and Ct Bhanwar was constituted to work on this case.
On January 22 at about 7:45 pm, on the basis of secret information received by HC Harshit, the team apprehended one of the assailants, identified as Mohd Umar, 19, from Wazirabad Road, Nand Nagari. Efforts are on to apprehend the remaining assailants. Local police have been informed.
During interrogation, accused Umar disclosed that in the year 2010, the deceased Rahees Ansari was arrested in the murder case of Muttalif in the Jafrabad area but was acquitted as witnesses turned hostile. To take revenge, Faizan, brother of deceased Muttalif, hatched a conspiracy to murder Rahees Ansari along with Mohd Umar, Wasim, and Shah Nawaz.
On January 12, 2021, at about 6.30 pm they reached Okhla Mandi, kept their car in the parking lot, and stayed at a relative’s home. They also did a recce in the area of Jafrabad on the same day. On January 13 according to the plan they came to near Rahees’s house and murdered him.
After committing the crime they ran to Batla House, Okhla by auto. They changed their clothes in a Masjid of Batla House and went to Khurja by Faizan’s car. The next day they knew that their video had gone viral on social media and news. Hence, all of them ran from their homes. On January 22 the accused Umar was also making a plan to leave Delhi. According to the information as soon as Umar came to the bus stand near Gagan Cinema, the team caught him. (ANI)

Kasargod (Kerala) [India], January 24 (ANI): A 49-year-old man died after he was chased by a mob for allegedly molesting a woman in Kasargod district, earlier on Saturday. A case has been registered.
“The cause of the death will be ascertained after post mortem,” said police.
Further details are awaited. (ANI)