QBullet: 13 Dead in Delhi Violence; Anti-NRC Resolution in Bihar
Catch the top headlines of the day on QBullet.
1. 13 Civilians, Including One Cop Dead in Violence in Northeast Delhi
Thirteen people have been killed and more than 150 – including a child – injured as armed mobs rampaged through parts of northeast Delhi, looting and burning buildings and vehicles as the government hosts US President Donald Trump and his family only 15 kilometres away.
Smoke was seen rising from buildings and streets were strewn with rocks and broken glass after three days of violence between anti-citizenship law protesters and its supporters.
The violence, which left neighbourhoods looking as though it was a war zone, also led to the postponement of CBSE board exams to be held in affected areas on Wednesday, 26 February.
(Source: NDTV)
2. HC Tells Cops to Ensure Emergency Treatment for Delhi Violence Victims
In an urgent midnight hearing, Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked police to ensure safe passage and emergency treatment to injured people stuck in northeast Delhi’s Al Hind hospital.
The hearing, held at 12:30 am at the residence of Delhi HC judge Justice S Muralidhar, was attended by joint commissioner Alok Kumar and DCP (crime) Rajesh Deo. Delhi government counsel Sanjoy Ghose was also present at the hearing.
The matter was taken up on a call by advocate Suroor Mander, who said that several injured people at the Al Hind Hospital in the New Mustafabad area, were unable to be moved to the GTB hospital and needed urgent medical attention.
Mander, in her petition, sought safe passage of ambulance both to the Al Hind Hospital and from the hospital for the injured victims.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. India, US Decide to Elevate Ties, Be Global Strategic Partners
US President Donald Trump, on his first State visit to India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided on Tuesday, 25 February, to elevate ties between their countries to a “comprehensive global strategic partnership,” giving it broader scope and scale.
Trump, who held bilateral talks with Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, announced a defence deal of more than $3 billion under which India will buy US military equipment including MH-60R naval and AH-64E Apache helicopters.
While no trade deal was signed, Modi said Trump and he had agreed to initiate negotiations for a bigger deal. Trump, on his part, said they have made “tremendous progress” on a comprehensive trade agreement and he is optimistic they will reach a deal.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Ajit Doval Reviews Security Arrangements in Violence-Affected Northeast Delhi
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval late on Tuesday night of 25 February, met with top police personnel at the office of Delhi Commissioner of Police North-East, following which he visited areas affected by violence in the national capital, which has claimed 13 lives and left close to 200 people injured, over a period of three days.
After the meeting at the DCP's office in Seelampur ended around midnight, Mr Doval accompanied by senior police officials visited Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Maujpur and Gokulpuri Chowk to review the situation.
Along with DCP North-East, senior police officers, including newly-appointed Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Law and Order) SN Shrivastava, were present at the meeting with Doval.
(Source: NDTV)
5. Resolution Against NRC in Bihar Now
Bihar assembly on Tuesday, 25 February, passed a unanimous resolution holding that the National Population Register (NPR) in the state would be implemented in the old 2010 format, save the inclusion of an additional column for transgender, and also rejected the Centre’s bid to carry out the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.
Bihar is the first NDA-ruled state, which has demanded tweaking of the revised NPR form by dropping new columns such as mentioning the dates of birth of an individual’s parents and their birth place in the soon-to-be launched nationwide survey of usual residents of the country. Those living in a particular place for six months are defined as usual residents.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Shah, Kejriwal, L-G Hold Meet on Clashes
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has requested all political parties to form so-called peace committees in various neighbourhoods in north-east Delhi, comprising their representatives and local community leaders, to control the violence.
He also asked them to work with Delhi Police to restore order and quell rumours, during a high-level meeting attended by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, L-G Anil Baijal, members of various political parties, and senior bureaucrats and police officers.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. Cauvery Meeting Skips Discussion on Mekedatu
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday, 25 February, strongly objected to Karnataka’s bid to seek approval for the Mekedatu dam project at the fifth Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting in New Delhi. Following the objection raised by Tamil Nadu, the CWMA dropped the discussion on Karnataka’s application.
Tamil Nadu Public Works Department Principal Secretary K Manivasan told media persons after the meeting that Tamil Nadu had consistently maintained that the dam should not be built.
“As per the directions of our chief minister, we strongly opposed Karnataka’s proposal,” he said.
(Source: The Hindu)
8. SN Shrivastava Appointed Special Commissioner of Police
With Delhi Police brass failing to control the riots in North East Delhi, the government immediately repatriated 1985 batch IPS officer – SN Shrivastava from the CRPF back to Delhi Police and appointed him as special commissioner of police – law and order.
Shrivastava was posted as special director general in Central Reserve Police Force.
The senior IPS officer is first in line to become Commissioner of police as well when Amulya Patnaik’s controversial tenure gets over.
Shrivastava has experience of working in different units in Delhi Police over the years including Special Cell and leading investigations against Indian Mujahideen apart from successful tenure in the traffic police and several districts.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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