1. At 15.2°C, Thursday Morning Was the Coldest Day This Season in Mumbai
Representation Image for illustrating the temperature dip in the city.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)
The city woke up to the coldest day this season on Thursday morning, with the minimum temperature at Santacruz weather station slipping to 15.2 degrees Celsius, which is three degrees below normal.
Colaba, however, recorded a minimum temperature of 20 deg C, similar to the past few days.
Prior to Thursday, Mumbai recorded its lowest temperature of 15.8 deg C on December 14; on December 7, it was 18 deg C. The lowest temperature recorded in 2017 was 12.5 deg C on January 11.
Officials from the weather bureau said cool winds from the north had led to a drop in temperatures. “An increase in wind speed and cool northerly winds have resulted in clear weather conditions over Mumbai, which in turn has led to a drop in night temperatures,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD). “We expect a further drop in temperature over the next three days.”
The maximum temperature, however, continued to be above 30 deg C both in Santacruz and Colaba, which is almost 2 deg C higher than normal.
Source: Hindustan Times
2. MEA Seeks Curbs on Media Briefings in Mallya Case
Raising concerns about crucial information in the Vijay Mallya extradition case being reported in the media, the union ministry of external affairs has reportedly written to the home ministry, seeking a gag on media briefings by the investigating agencies and the state prison department.
According to highly placed sources in the central government, MEA secretary Dnyaneshwar Mulay, who looks after consular, passport, visa and overseas Indian affairs, has written to union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, saying that Mallya, wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering, is getting to know important details related to the case through the media, which doesn't augur well for India's fight for his extradition.
The letter comes after UK specialist prosecutor Andrew Glover wrote to the High Commission of India in the UK, expressing concerns about the media briefings by Arthur Road Jail officials, where Mallya would be lodged if he is brought to India.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
3. HC Stays Govt Order Allowing Homeopaths To Practise Allopathy
The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted interim stay on the state government’s notification that allowed homeopaths to practise allopathy.
According to the notification, doctors, who obtained the Licentiate of the Court of Examiners of Homeopathy (LCEH) degree between 1951 and 1982, can register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).
Indian Medical Association (IMA) has field a writ petition challenging the state Medical Education and Drugs Department’s September 27 notification, enabling homoeopathic doctors to practise modern medicine. The notification was opposed by the medical fraternity since day one.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
4. Mumbai Crime: Minor Girl Killed by Mom, Aunt After They Try to 'Cure' Constipation With Exorcism
The mother, father and maternal aunt of an 11-year-old girl from Virar have been arrested for murdering her by practicing exorcism to 'heal' her constipation. The girl used to reside with her parents at Manwelpada, Virar East.
She started suffering from constipation from December 15. Claiming to be a 'messenger of God', her mother told her father she could treat the child. She then called her sister home to perform the supposed remedies on the night of December 17.
The two, who claimed to be possessed, then poured turmeric and vermilion on the girl's body after which her mother sat on her stomach. The sisters even went to the extent of inserting their hand in the girl's mouth and her private parts to remove the 'bad things' from her stomach. The girl kept shouting but they did not give her any chance to run away.
Source: Mid Day
5. Speed Governors: Will Soon Decide on Exempting Some Taxi Models, State Tells Bombay High Court
Representation Image. Taxi designed by Tasneem Amiruddin. Titled ‘Jungle Book’. (Photo: taxifabric.org)
The Maharashtra government on Thursday informed the Bombay High Court that it will soon take a decision on exempting certain models of taxis from installing speed governors owing to unavailability of the device.
A division bench of Justice S M Kemkar and Justice R G Ketkar was hearing a petition filed by the Mumbai Taximens Union challenging the government’s decision ordering installation of speed governors in the vehicles.
In an earlier hearing, the court asked the Union government to consider a letter written by the state government raising the issue of unavailability of speed governors and take appropriate decision.
On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General, Anil Singh, told the court that the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a letter to the state government saying it was empowered to exempt certain models of vehicles. “The Motor Vehicles Act empowers state governments to exempt specific models of vehicles from the requirement of fitment of speed governor till the time the same are available at competitive rates,” the letter said.
Source: The Indian Express
6. Travelling Without Ticket: Police Constable Suspended for 'Assaulting' Ticket Collector at Dadar
The Mumbai Police has suspended a constable for travelling without a ticket in the first class compartment of a local train and allegedly assaulting a ticket collector (TC). The constable, Vilas Jagannath Pawar, was held by a TC, following which, he allegedly assaulted him at Dadar station.
The incident took place at platform number 6 on the central line at Dadar station on December 13. A cross complaint was registered after the constable claimed that he was assaulted by four TCs in a room at Dadar station.
According to the police, Pawar, who is posted at Goregaon police station, was on the way to his workplace along with another constable, Shankar Vittal Jaybhay, who is posted at Versova police station.
“Pawar and Jaybhay had gone to Kurla for some work. While they were coming back, they got off the first class compartment from a Thane-CSMT train at Dadar station. After the TC asked them for ticket or pass for inspection, Pawar showed them his identity card and claimed that they can travel in local trains for free,” said an officer, who did not wish to be named.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
7. Pocso Act Case: Man Gets 20 Years in Jail for Raping Five-Year-Old
A special court has sentenced a 36-year-old man to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a five-year-old girl. The girl was studying in Class I at the time of the incident in 2016. The accused lived in her building and had forcibly taken her to an isolated place and raped her.
According to the deposition of the girl and her mother before the special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, it was a holiday in the school and the victim was at home with her mother on the day of the incident. The girl was going to a relative’s house in the same building when the accused forcefully took her to a room and raped her.
When the girl began to shout, he let her go. She returned home and told her mother at night that she was suffering from pain in her private parts. As the mother asked her some questions, the girl told her about the incident, said the police, adding that the accused denied everything when the mother confronted him the next day.
But when the child narrated the incident in front of him and his wife, the accused apologised and said he should be forgiven, said the prosecution.
Source: The Indian Express
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