India

New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) The Centre Thursday banned the Jamat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir for five years under anti-terror law on grounds that it was "in close touch" with militant outfits and is expected to "escalate secessionist movement" in the state.

A notification, banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) The Union cabinet on Thursday approved the Kanpur and the Agra metro rail projects, a move to boost public transport connectivity in the two Uttar Pradesh cities.

According to the government, the Agra rail project will have two corridors, which will pass through heart of the city and will connect prominent tourist places like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Sikandra, as well as the interstate bus terminal, railway station, medical college and others.

KANPUR: Passengers boarding Delhi-bound Ziarat Express started shrieking as smoke emanated from the train’s wheels between Baupur and Maitha railway stations on Thursday morning. A few of them even jumped out of the train’s coach before the driver applied the emergency brake. It was good that the train was in a very slow motion.

Palghar, Feb 27 (PTI) A 28-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his father in Palghar district of Maharashtra, police said on Wednesday.

Mavin D'Souza hit his father Wilson D'Souza (51) with a hard object at their home in Vasai area on Tuesday evening, killing him on the spot, Arnala Sagri police station's sub-inspector Ramesh Gaikwad said.

Nagpur, Feb 27 (PTI) Two minor girls were allegedly raped by a man at knife point in Lakadganj area here in Maharashtra, police said Wednesday.

The incident occurred Tuesday night when an unidentified man lured the girls, aged 6 and 4, into accompanying him under some pretext, when they were playing near their houses, an official release said.

Jammu, Feb 27 (PTI) A senior J-K BJP leader Wednesday accused the state police of harassing the city's youth on "selective basis" in the wake of the anti-Pakistan protests over the Pulwama terror attack.

A curfew was clamped in Jammu city on February 15 following massive protests, a day after 40 CRPF personnel died in Pulwama. The crowd torched vehicles while rival groups pelted stones at each other at some places including Gujjar Nagar.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) A red alert was sounded for the entire Delhi Metro network on Wednesday by the DMRC, in view of hightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

"As advised by security agencies, a red alert has been imposed on the entire DMRC network from 6 pm onwards," a senior DMRC official said.

Ghaziabad (UP), Feb 27 (PTI) Security has been beefed up at the Hindon Air Force station area in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district, police said.

Police are having extra vigil outside the airbase (outer cordon), while the Air Force police is responsible for the security within the station (inner cordon), Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Upendra Agarwal said.

Dhanbad (J'khand), Feb 27 (PTI) A sedition case has been registered against 11 youths in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district after a photo emerged on social media purportedly showing them wearing shirts made out of the Pakistan flag, police said Wednesday.

Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad-Rural) Aman Kumar said five of the youths, suspected to have figured in the group photo, had been arrested on Wednesday. The police refused to share details of those arrested.

Barmer, Feb 27 (PTI) People in two villages in this border area in Rajasthan saw cylindrical wreckage of metal objects falling from sky on Wednesday evening, with some claiming to have heard even explosions, leading to a panic situation in the wake of the ongoing confrontation between India and Pakistan, officials said.

Administrative officials said they have informed security agencies to investigate the matter, while defence spokesperson said the incidents in Poshal and Ratasar villages were yet to be ascertained.