Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court Wednesday reserved verdict on a batch of petitions seeking review of its September 28, 2018 judgement that allowed women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi heard submissions on behalf of parties including the Kerala government, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), Nair Service Society and others and said that it would pronounce its order as to whether to review the judgment or not.

Lahore, Feb 6 (PTI) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was stopped from leaving the country by security officials at the Lahore airport late Tuesday night.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, Gilani had reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to catch his flight for South Korea via Bangkok to attend a conference. However, his name was on the no-fly list.

Islamabad/Karachi, Feb 6 (PTI) A Hindu temple was vandalised in Pakistan's Sindh province by miscreants who set the holy books and idols on fire, drawing a strong reaction from Prime Minister Imran Khan who ordered swift and decisive action against the perpetrators.

The incident happened last week in Kumb, a town in Khairpur district. The unidentified assailants fled the after vandalism.

Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Feb 6 (PTI) Five bags full of gold, said to be worth about Rs 10 crore, were looted by a group of armed robbers from the premises of a private finance company here on Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Manoj Kumar, said "we are investigating the matter. The employees of the company whose statements are being recorded, have claimed that all the robbers were armed with pistols and they took the manager at gun-point forcing him to hand over the keys to the safe".

Deoria (UP), Feb 6 (PTI) A class 8 student was allegedly abducted and raped by three youths in Deoria district, police said Wednesday.

The minor was abducted from her home on Monday night when she was sleeping with her siblings and later taken to a nearby agriculture field and raped by the youths, Superintendent of Police (SP) N Kolanchi said.

Based on a complaint lodged by the girl's mother, an FIR was registered against the three youths, the SP said, adding that two of the three accused were taken into custody.

Mumbai, Feb 6 (PTI) The Maharashtra government will soon make forcing a woman to undergo virginity test a punishable offence, it said Wednesday.

Certain communities in the state follow a custom whereby a newly-wed woman has to prove that she was virgin prior to the marriage.

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday took charge as AICC general secretary and will helm the party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh East.

She arrived at the party headquarters at Akbar Road after dropping her husband at the office of the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a money laundering case. She also met some party workers and leaders from the Hindi heartland state.

Ahmedabad, Feb 6 (PTI) Firebrand Patidar community leader Hardik Patel announced on Wednesday that he would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

Although Patel did not specify whether he would join any political party or contest as an Independent, sources in the Congress claimed that he is likely to join the party to fight the polls.

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) The tenures of two senior IPS officers -- Anish Prasad and Abhay Singh -- at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been curtailed, according to a Personnel Ministry order issued Wednesday.

Prasad, a 2003 batch IPS officer of Tripura cadre, was reportedly at the centre of controversy involving the CBI's two former top officers -- ex-chief Alok Kumar Verma and the then Special Director Rakesh Asthana.

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved setting up of a commission to frame policy for protection and development of cows and help boost income of small farmers.

The announcement in this regard was made in the interim Budget for 2019-20.

The Cabinet has approved the proposal for establishment of 'Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog' for conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny, Union Law & IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after the Cabinet meet.