India

New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI) The International Olympic Committee has decided to "suspend all discussions" with India regarding hosting of global sporting events after Pakistani shooters were not issued visas for the World Cup in New Delhi.

The Olympic committee also revoked the Olympic qualification status for the men's 25m rapid fire event from the New Delhi World Cup due to denial of visas to the Pakistani shooters in the wake of last week's Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Mumbai, Feb 21 (PTI) A metropolitan magistrate's court here has issued summons to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury after a defamation complaint was filed by an RSS worker for allegedly linking journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder with "BJP-RSS ideology".

RSS worker and lawyer Dhrutiman Joshi had filed a private complaint in the court in 2017 against Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the CPI (M) and its general secretary Yechury.

Balasore (Odisha) Feb 20 (PTI) A local court Wednesday sentenced three people to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in connection with the rape of a minor girl for four years.

She was raped between 2010 and 2013 during her stay at a short-stay home here, and when she became pregnant, they terminated it.

Kolkata, Feb 22 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that efforts are on to introduce an "inhuman" religion in the country on the basis of divisive politics.

In an apparent attack on the BJP on Thursday, Banerjee accused the saffron party of trying to impose its choice of food, clothing and religion on the people and then deciding who would stay in the country and who would be thrown out.

Srinagar, Feb 21 (PTI) Accusing the BJP of "polarizing the country to hide its failures , National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Thursday said it was time to forge unity and give a befitting reply to those who were "hell bent to destroy our social fabric .

Gandhinagar, Feb 21 (PTI) The Gujarat Government informed the Legislative Assembly Thursday that more than 400 fishermen from the state are lodged in jails in Pakistan at present.

Fishermen from the state are often apprehended by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency for allegedly crossing into that country's waters.

To a question by Congress MLA Chirag Kalaria, fisheries minister Purshottam Solanki said in a written reply that as of December 31, 2018, 433 fishermen from Gujarat were in Pakistani jails.

Jalpaiguri (WB), Feb 21 (PTI) An elephant stood guard to protect a four-year-old girl, who had fallen down from a scooter, from other members of the herd in Jalpaiguri district Thursday, forest officials said.

The incident occurred on National Highway 31 near Garumara forest when a family of three was returning to Lataguri after offering puja at a temple inside the forest.

Baruipur (WB), Feb 21 (PTI) A 28-year man died after he was allegedly beaten up by members of a club when he protested the molestation of his two female friends by them in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, police said Thursday.

Though police was yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incident, around five persons, named in the FIR lodged by the family members of the deceased, were slapped with murder charges, a senior officer of South 24 Parganas district said.

Diphu (Assam), Feb 22 (PTI) A hardcore militant of People's Democratic Council of Karbi-Longri (PDCK) was apprehended Friday along with arms and ammunition in Karbi Anglong district of central Assam, police said.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Army and police at Borlangfer area of the district.

Thane, Feb 22 (PTI) Three persons have been sentenced to life in prison by a court in Thane in Maharashtra for gang-raping a newly-wed teen.

District Judge S A Sinha, in a recent order, convicted Naveen Ashok Bagade (43), Santosh Yashwant Shelke (22) and Rajkumar Tikeshwar Sahani (29) under section 376 D (rape by one or more persons constituting a group) and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.