Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the West Bengal government on a plea challenging the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry by the state to probe into the Pegasus snooping allegations

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana issued notices to the Centre and the West Bengal government on the plea and posted it for hearing on August 25

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) The Delhi Police on Monday beefed up security outside the Afghan embassy in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri, a day after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Several Afghan nationals visited the embassy. Some mediapersons too gathered outside it. "To manage them and keep the situation normal, security was increased outside the embassy. However, we have no threat inputs as of now, a senior police officer said.

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) A 27-year-old man and a woman allegedly attempted suicide outside the Supreme Court here on Monday by setting themselves on fire, police said.

The man sustained 65 per cent burn injuries, while the 24-year-old woman suffered 85 per cent burns. None of them are medically fit to record their police statements, they said.

The police said the woman is from Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur and was allegedly raped by Bahujan Samaj Party MP Atul Rai in 2019.

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday announced a new category of visa to fast-tack the applications of Afghans who want to come to India in view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan.

The announcement came two days after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan.

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) India on Tuesday rushed back home its ambassador and staff from the embassy in Kabul in a military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension, fear and uncertainty gripping the Afghan capital after its take over by the Taliban two days back.

The C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying around 150 people, including diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians, landed at the Hindon airbase near the national capital at around 5 PM after a brief halt at Jamnagar in Gujarat.

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday visited a road stretch in Chirag Delhi that has been redeveloped according to European standards and said it will be replicated across the city, according to an official statement.

The 800-metre Chirag Delhi-Sheikh Sarai road has been redeveloped with a cycle track by the Public Works Department (PWD) based on European parameters of public space design.

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Congress leader and the party's women's wing chief Sushmita Dev has quit the party and sent her resignation letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, sources said on Monday.

She may join the Trinamool Congress, they also said.

Dev, a former MP, is currently a national spokesperson of the Congress and is the All-India Mahila Congress chief.

She offered no reason for her quitting the party.

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday set a target of becoming 'energy independent' by 2047 through a mix of electric mobility, gas-based economy, doping ethanol in petrol and making the country a hub for hydrogen production.

Delivering his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, he said India spends over Rs 12 lakh crore on energy imports every year.

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Men and women dressed in saffron, white and green clothes and children got the national flag painted on their cheeks as Delhi soaked in the colours of "desh bhakti" on the 75th Independence Day on Sunday.

A number of people gathered in central Delhi's Connaught Place and on the roads leading to the iconic India Gate in the afternoon despite muggy weather to participate in the celebrations.

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) Ahead of Independence Day, the police have arrested four men in three separate operations and recovered 55 pistols along with 50 live cartridges from them, officials said on Friday.

The police said the four were nabbed from various parts of the capital.