Indian Sub-continent

Jaipur, Oct 7 (PTI) Activists, theatre artists and filmmakers staged a protest in the Pink city on Monday over registration of a sedition case against 49 celebrities after they had expressed concern over rising incidents of mob lynching in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They condemned the filing of the case against celebrities like Aparna Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ramchandra Guha, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap and Revathi.

Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) A total of 3239 candidates are in the fray for the October 21 assembly elections in Maharashtra for the 288 seats up for grabs where the BJP-led NDA alliance and the Congress-NCP combine are locked in keen contests marked by defections, rebellions and one-upmanships.

The Election Commission had received 5543 applications for all the 288 segments, an official said on Monday, adding that 3239 nominees are left in the race after withdrawals and rejection of 800 applications due to technical errors.

Srinagar, Oct 7 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday directed lifting an over two-month-old advisory which had asked tourists to leave the Valley due to "terror threat".

The governor directed withdrawal of the advisory with effect from October 10.

The advisory was issued on August 2, days before the issuance of the presidential order revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, negating the Article 370 of the Constitution.

New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The Congress on Monday appointed Ajay Kumar Lallu as its Uttar Pradesh president, replacing Raj Babbar, and revamped the state unit, bringing in four vice presidents, 12 general secretaries and 24 secretaries.

Ajay was the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in Uttar Pradesh and is a two-time MLA from Tamkuhi Raj constituency. He is considered close to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is the party's General Secretary (Incharge, Uttar Pradesh East).

Aradhana Misra 'Mona' has been appointed as CLP leader in place of Ajay.

Muzaffarnagar, Oct 8 (PTI) A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and strangled to death in Shamli district, police said on Tuesday.

According to Circle Officer Rajesh Kumar Tiwari, the girl's body was found in an agricultural field in Kailshikapur village, which comes under the jurisdiction of Gahripukhta police station, on Monday evening.

He said it appeared that she was strangulated to death with her 'dupatta' after rape.

Banda (UP), Oct 8 (PTI) Unable to repay their loans, two farmers allegedly committed suicide in Mahoba and Hamirpur districts, officials said on Tuesday.

In Mahoba, Shankar Kushwaha (44) committed suicide by jumping in front of a train on Monday, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Devendra Singh said.

Palghar, Oct 8 (PTI) A court here in Maharashtra has awarded life imprisonment to a 50-year-old man for raping his teenaged daughter-in-law in 2015.

Additional Sessions Judge A U Kadam, in her order on Monday, said the accused, who worked as a driver in a government department and resided in Palghar, needed to be convicted with a strong sentence.

She pronounced the accused guilty under Indian Penal Code sections for rape and criminal intimidation and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Akola, Oct 8 (PTI) For most of us, the festival of Dussehra is a day to celebrate Lord Ram's victory over Ravan, symbolising triumph of good over evil, but residents of a tiny village in Maharashtra's Akola district worship the demon king with equal fervour.

An enormous black stone statue of Ravan, with 10 heads and 20 arms, stands tall in Sangola village where, according to locals, the Lanka king is being worshipped for the last 200 years.

Deoria (UP), Oct 8 (PTI) Some unidentified people allegedly shot dead a trader in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district on Tuesday and fled with his bag containing Rs 10 lakh, police said.

At around 5 am, Subhash Madheshia (55) was going to Tarkulwa from a railway station here when the assailants looted and killed him, the police said.

Madheshia had reached Deoria from Muzaffarpur, where he had gone to purchase a truck, they said.

An investigation is underway but no arrests have been made so far, the police said.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided not to seek reelection next month after failing to fulfill many of the promises of his first term.

A record 35 candidates filed nominations Monday for the Nov. 16 election, with former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa considered the favorite.

Rajapaksa, who served as defense chief under his brother, former strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is popular for his part in ending the government’s long civil war against ethnic minority Tamil rebels a decade ago.