India

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Top opposition leaders will meet in the national capital Tuesday to discuss the possibility of a non-NDA alliance staking claim to government formation and also move the Election Commission to press for their demand of tallying paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with electronic voting machine (EVM) figures.

According to sources, leaders of opposition parties such as the Congress, TDP, Left parties, BSP, NCP and TMC will informally meet to discuss the way forward in case the NDA fails to get to the majority mark.

Kanpur: Sudden eruption of fire flares in a tannery of Chakeri area created panic among the labourers working there on Tuesday morning. 

According to the available reports, a tannery situated at Shivgodavri area of Chakeri caught fire suddenly. The labourers started running out in panic. The rising flares also caused fear. 

The police and the Fire Brigade were immediately informed of the fire. The fire tender doused the erupting fire. 

The tannery owner said that the damage worth Rs one lakh has been effected. The timely dousing of the fire saved heavy losses. 

Srinagar, May 21 (PTI) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the silence of the Election Commission (EC) was worrying even after "evidence" had come to the fore that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls were being switched.

"Worrying that despite solid evidence about EVMs being switched, @ECISVEEP hasnt clarified any of these concerns. A farcical wave backed by dubious exit polls followed by manipulating EVMs is another Balakot in the making," she said in a tweet.

Mumbai, May 21 (PTI) A special court here has granted exemption to the 2008 Malegaon blast case accused Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and Sudhakar Chaturvedi from appearing before it this week.

When the matter was taken up by the special NIA court on Monday, the three accused filed applications through their lawyers seeking exemption from appearance.

While Thakur and Chaturvedi said they are busy with preparations for the upcoming results of the Lok Sabha polls, which they had contested, Purohit cited personal difficulties.

Bhuj (Guj), May 20 (PTI) Two Pakistani nationals were apprehended on Monday by the Border Security Force (BSF) and their boat seized from the Sir Creek area in Gujarat's Kutch district, an official said.

He said a probe has begun in the vicinity to find out more details about the two Pakistani nationals, he added.

In an incident that happened earlier this month, a group of fishermen from the neighbouring country had managed to flee when confronted by BSF personnel in the Sir Creek area.

Their boat was, however, seized by the border guarding force at the time.

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) With exit polls forecasting NDA's return to power, top leaders of the BJP-led alliance will meet on Tuesday over dinner to be hosted by party president Amit Shah where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present, party sources said on Monday.

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are likely to attend the meeting, which will take place two days before the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls on May 23.

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) NaMo TV, a BJP-sponsored channel that publicised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies and other poll messages, has gone off air, party sources said.

They said it went off air on May 17 when all campaigns for the Lok Sabha election came to an end.

A BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said, "NaMo TV was meant as a tool of BJP campaign for the Lok Sabha election. With the polls over, it is no longer needed, so effectively from May 17, when all campaign has to be paused, it has also gone off air."

Bhopal, May 20 (PTI) Hours after the BJP in Madhya Pradesh asked the Congress government to prove its majority and wrote to state governor for convening a special session of the state Assembly, Chief Minister Kamal Nath Monday said he was all prepared to go for floor test.

Nath also claimed that he had proven majority of his coalition government "four times" in the last five months, and is ready to do so again.

Nagpur, May 20 (PTI) Commandos and naxals exchanged fire Monday in jungle in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, more than 140 kms from here, police said.

A team of C-60 commandos of Gadchiroli police came under fire at around 7-7:30 pm while conducting an anti-naxal operation in Koparshi jungle in Bhamragad area, a press release stated.

Police said naxals fled after commandos returned the fire.

Thane, May 20 (PTI) Six persons were arrested Monday from Uran in Navi Mumbai for allegedly looting 25 tonne copper, worth Rs 1.5 crore, from a container truck on May 14, police said.

The incident occurred between Ghavan Phata and Belapur Reti bunder when the truck carrying copper was headed towards Silvassa, the capital of Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

A gang of six men sitting in a car stopped the truck, attacked its driver, and fled with 25 tonne copper, a police officer said.