Indian Sub-continent

Meerut (UP), Jan 3; PTI: Yogesh Raj, a key accused in the mob violence in Bulandshahr in which a police inspector and a civilian were killed, has been arrested, police said Thursday.

Raj, the local convenor of Bajrang Dal has been absconding since the violence on December 3. He was arrested around 11.30 pm on Wednesday night from the Khurja T-point on National Highway 91, the police said.

New Delhi, January 3; INN: The All India Kisan Council held in Delhi on 17th and 18th December, 2018 gave a call for a rural hartal on 8th and 9th January, 2019 in solidarity with the call of United Trade Unions for a General Strike on the two days. The AIKS along with the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union and like-minded organisations will actively campaign on demands of the peasantry and rural poor, hold protest demonstrations, Rail Roko, Road Roko and bring rural India to a standstill against the anti-peasant, anti-worker BJP Government.

New Delhi, January 3; GANASHAKTI: India has stopped printing Rs 2,000 notes in a bid to slowly reduce their circulation, a highly placed government source told ThePrint.

The cut in circulation does not mean the Rs 2,000 notes will become invalid. In all likelihood, the denomination will be gradually phased out.

The decision comes on the back of suspicion in the Modi government that the high-denomination banknote was being used for hoarding, tax evasion and money laundering.

Srinagar, Jan 3 (PTI) Three militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday, the Army said.

The security forces launched an anti-insurgency operation in the higher reaches of Tral area in the morning following information about the presence of at least two militants in the forests, an Army official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter when the militants, who were hiding, opened fire, the officer said.

Meerut (UP), Jan 3 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Vineet Agarwal Sharda has said Lord Hanuman belonged to the Vaishya community, weeks after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed the Hindu deity a Dalit.

Talking to PTI Thursday, Sharda claimed the Vaishya community and Lord Ram come from the same lineage and Lord Hanuman is the adopted son of Lord Ram.

Sharda, however, evaded reply to a question on Adityanath's remarks.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (PTI): With media personnel being attacked at various districts during the 12 hour hartal by saffron outfits against entry of two women in their 40s into Sabarimala temple,the Kerala Union of Working Journalists Thursday decided to boycott BJP and Sabarimala Karma Samithi.

The press meets called by BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai and Samithi leader K P Sasikala were boycotted by the media this afternoon in protest against the widespread attacks faced by them since Wednesday afternoon.

Ilambazar (WB), Jan 3 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should refrain from teaching the state democracy when his government had "curbed" the democratic rights of the people.

Her comment came in the backdrop of a January 1 Prime Minister's Office tweet, quoting Modi as saying, "What has happened in West Bengal. A political party (the BJP) is being denied a basic democratic right."

New Delhi, Jan 3 (PTI) Cracking the whip on unruly MPs, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has suspended 45 Lok Sabha members belonging to the TDP and the AIADMK since Wednesday after they created ruckus in the House and continuously disrupted proceedings for days.

New Delhi/Chandigarh, Jan 3 (PTI) Senior advocate and Aam Aadmi Party leader HS Phoolka, who is fighting the legal battle for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, resigned from the party Thursday.

The move comes amid speculation of a possible alliance between the Congress and the AAP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In a tweet, Phoolka said he will explain the reason behind his decision in a press briefing in Delhi Friday.

Jammu, Jan 3 (PTI) A man was arrested Thursday for allegedly raping a woman in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, police said.

A police official said that a written complaint was received at Police Station Pancheri from a woman, a resident of Kothi laid Lower Meer, he said.

The accused allegedly dragged her to a nearby forest and rape her while she was returning home from Kaithgali towards Kothilaid, he said.

After the incident, he threatened her of dire consequences if she reported the matter to police or anyone else.