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Non-essential goods sale by E-commerce firms remains prohibited during lockdown

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New Delhi (NVI): The Government today decided to keep the supply of non-essential goods by E-commerce companies prohibited during the extended lockdown, as it revised its April 15 guidelines issued in this regard.

In its earlier order, MHA had said that e-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart will be allowed to deliver all kinds of goods, including phones, laptops, TV, fridge, etc in non-hotspot areas. The April 15 order had said that deliveries must follow the Centre’s guidelines and other norms by states.

However, the latest MHA order by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that sub-clause (v) under Clause 14 on Commercial and private establishments stating that- “E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions” – is excluded from consolidated revised guidelines.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), has welcomed the latest move by the Government. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal lauded the MHA notification for withdrawing permission to E-Commerce companies for supplying non-essential goods during the lockdown.

Earlier, the Government had announced a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to April 14. The nationwide lockdown was further extended by 19 days till May 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to effectively fight COVID-19 which has claimed more than 500 lives in the country so far.

2 doctors, 6 nurses test positive at Delhi’s Lady Hardinge hospital

New Delhi (NVI): As the coronavirus cases keep on increasing in the National Capital, at least six health care workers were found positive at Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi, according to media reports.

The cases include two doctors and six nurses at paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital.

With this, more than 60 health care workers have been tested positive for Covid-19 in Delhi.

Apart from Lady Hardinge, healthcare workers including doctors and nurses have been found infected by the virus Lok Nayak hospital, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, Safdarjung hospital, Max hospital, Sir Ganga Ram, and Maharaja Agrasen Hospital.

Meanwhile, Delhi has 1,893 cases of coronavirus, including 42 deaths so far, according to the Ministry of Health.

J&K: 1200 social media accounts on cyber police radar

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir’s cyber police wing has identified 1200 suspected social media accounts that are being used to foment trouble, instigate violence, spread fake messages and eulogising militancy.

The move comes at a time when J&K police is playing a vital role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the Union Territory as the entire police force is on roads to implement strict lockdown to prevent spread of the virus. The deadly virus has already claimed five lives including a woman and affected 328 people so far in the UT.

While the fight against coronavirus is in a full-swing in J&K, the cyber wing of police claims that there are hundreds of fake accounts on social media that are fomenting trouble by spreading fake messages, fake government orders, uploading pictures of militants to instigate violence while some are glorifying militancy.

“Kashmir has become a breeding ground for rumors and social media is playing a big role through some 1200 accounts that we have identified,” Superintendent of Police, Cyber wing, Tahir Ashraf told NVI. “For the last few weeks, Cyber Police Kashmir has registered at least nine cases for uploading fake news, orders, and pictures.”

He said that social media is being misused by many people which has thrown up a big challenge for the Cyber police in Kashmir. “We have identified 1200 Facebook pages, Twitter and Instagram which are on our radar,” Ashraf said, adding that some may be operating from across the LoC.

He said Cyber Police was also monitoring all the profiles and the content being shared by the users. “Some posts are to destabilise the social fabric and create law and order in the valley. We are closely monitoring the social media and take appropriate action accordingly,” he said.

The SP said that cyber police was making people aware how to secure their social media accounts and what kind of stuff they should share.  “We also noticed that certain users who misuse social media are quite young and are student of primary classes. There is nothing against them in police records,” he said. “We have contacted their parents and are counselling them so they don’t misuse social media. We have already counseled over 25 youth so far,” he said.

For those, who spread fake messages and paste fake government orders on social media, there can be two years of punishment under section 505 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). “And for those who are trying to glorify militants, there can be punishment up to 10 or 15 years,” he said.

Recently, a fake news was uploaded on Facebook wherein a morphed picture of Lalchowk, Ghantaghar (clock tower) Srinagar was shown with a flag of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.  A police official said that they immediately registered an FIR. “Those involved were identified and arrested under the provisions of law,” he said. Interestingly, a fake government order was also uploaded on the Facebook, a week ago, which said that 4-G internet services have been restored in J&K.

S Korea’s new Covid-19 cases fall to a single digit for first time since Feb

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New Delhi (NVI): With eight fresh infections, South Korea today reported single digit new Covid-19 cases for the first time in two months.

According to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), of the new cases, five were imported from overseas.

The death toll due to Covid-19 has risen to 234 in South Korea.

The country was also in news recently for conducting its parliamentary elections amid the pandemic. It became the first country to hold national elections since the outbreak of the disease in Wuhan, China in December last year.

Meanwhile, the total number of global cases has surpassed 2.3 million, including more than 1,59,000 fatalities. More than 5,90,000 patients are reported to have recovered.

Covid-19 cases rise to 15,712 in India, death toll at 507

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New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 15, 712 today while 507 people have lost their lives due to the disease, the Union Health Ministry said this morning.

Out of the total, 12,969 are active cases, while 2,230 have been cured or discharged. The novel coronavirus has infected over 2 million people globally and led to the deaths of over 1,60,000 people.

Meanwhile, 45 more COVID-19 cases have been reported from Agra, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the district to 241, District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh said yesterday.

In Gujarat, five more deaths have taken the state toll to 58.

Maharashtra remains the worst affected state with 3,323 coronavirus cases and 201 fatalities.

The other worst affected states are Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

COVID-19: 13 more test positive in Kashmir, J&K tally reaches 341

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir continues to witness a surge in the coronavirus positive cases as 13 more people were tested positive today taking the total number of cases to 341 in the Union Territory.

J&K government’s spokesman, Rohit Kansal in his tweet said that 13 more cases have been tested positive in Kashmir. “Of the total cases, 287 are from Kashmir and 54 from Jammu region,” Kansal said.

GH Yatoo, Nodal officer for Covid- 19 at SKIMS, said that 6 samples were tested positive at SKIMS today. Among them 5 are from Bandipora and 1 is from  Beerwah Budgam. “Four patients whose repeated tests turned negative were discharged from the hospital,” he said. “Among them 3 are from Srinagar while 1 is from Budgam.”

Srinagar district which was topping the list of districts with 78 cases was today surpassed by Bandipora district of north Kashmir where total number of positive cases mounted to 80.

Officials have said that from March 9 to April 1, 911 samples were tested at SKIMS hospital Soura, while in Chest Diseases hospital, 941 samples were tested alone in the past 48 hours.

As per the officials figures, 78 positive cases including one death and 12 recoveries are from Srinagar, 80 including 11 recoveries and one death are from Bandipora, 42 including 2 deaths are from Baramulla, 13 including 7 recoveries from Budgam, 3 from Pulwama including one recovery, 22 from Shopian including 2 recoveries, 27 from Kupwara, 14 from Ganderbal, 5 from Kulgam and 5 from Anantnag in Kashmir division.

As per the daily media bulletin 60,419 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 6,071 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 285 persons are in hospital isolation while 252 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 23,114 persons have completed surveillance period and 25,692 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 6,937 samples have been made available.

Out of 6,937 the number of samples tested negative stands at 6,596 while 341 have been tested positive, among them 285 are active and 51 persons have recovered and 5 persons have died.

Pak army violates ceasefire on LoC

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Jammu (NVI): Pakistan tonight violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Degwar sector of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the Army officials, Pakistani troops resorted to firing with small arms and mortar shelling along LoC in Degwar sector at around 0830 PM.

The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, the officials said.

Earlier, yesterday Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along LoC in Qasba and Kirni sectors of Poonch district, drawing strong retaliation from the Indian Army.

“On 17 Apr 2020 at about 1100 hours, Pak initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with Mortars along LoC in Qasba & Kirni sectors, District Poonch (J&K). Indian Army retaliating befittingly,” said an Army official.

J&K HC takes suo moto notice of negative impact of lockdown on women

Batla House
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Jammu (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir High Court today ordered that all the courts in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh shall treat cases of domestic abuse as urgent and proceed with the matters in accordance with the circulars issued regarding the procedure to be followed to ensure social distancing.

According to an official spokesman, taking suo moto notice of negative impact of lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic on women and girls, a Coram consisting of Chief Justice, Justice Geeta Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal today heard the case from their respective residences through video conferencing.

The Court highlighted the point that globally it has been observed that the adverse social and economic consequences of the pandemic for women and girls are devastating.

The official spokesman said that the High Court issued notices to the Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Member Secretary, JKSLSA to submit a report with regard to the steps taken regarding domestic or any other kind of violence being faced by women on account of the implementation of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Court directed concerned officials to examine several remedial measures taken by various countries in this regard and a view be taken with regard to the requirements and steps to be taken to mitigate the sufferings of the victims of domestic violence in the twin Union Territories, the spokesman said.

The official spokesman said the Court directed that a report of the measures in place, steps underway and those contemplated be placed before it before the next date.

Furthermore, Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority have been directed to call for list of all cases involving cases of domestic violence which are pending as complaints with the police stations in the Union Territories or in the courts and ascertain the safety and well-being of the complainants.

The Secretaries of the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authorities may seek the assistance of police and para legal volunteers in this regard, the court observed.

Out of 14,378 corona cases in India, 4,291 linked with Tablighi Jamaat

New Delhi (NVI): The coronavirus cases in India rose to 14,378 today, with the number of deaths increasing to 480, according to the Union Health Ministry.

At a daily media briefing, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said in the last 24 hours, 991 new cases and 43 deaths have occurred.

Around 29 per cent of the total cases are linked to Tablighi Jamaat congregation of March 22 in Delhi, the official said.

The Jamaat linked cases have been found in 23 states in the country, the ministry further added.

Giving state-wise break-up, Agarwal said, “A positive trend has been noted in 47 districts across 23 states. No positive case has been reported in the last 28 days in Mahe of Puducherry, and Kodagu of Karnataka and no new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in 45 other districts in last 14 days.”
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Speaking on the mortality rate, he said, out of the total fatalities due to coronavirus in India, 75.3 per cent deaths registered are in cases of patients over 60 years. While 83 per cent death cases have been found with co-morbidity.

The Health Ministry has also requested hospitals to attend to critical non-COVID-19 patients with equal compassion and to keep sufficient bloodstock for transfusion.

Around 2,100 foreigners visited India for the Tablighi Jamaat gathering. Out of them, 824 dispersed in different parts of the country till March 21, while 216 people were staying at the Markaz.

Three CRPF men killed in militant attack in Kashmir’s Sopore

Kashmir
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Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men were killed and two others injured after militants attacked them at Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.

A police official said that militants believed to be two in number, attacked the joint party of CRPF and police in Sopore at around 5.30pm. “The security forces retaliated but militants managed to flee,” he said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sopore, Javaid Koul told NVI that militants fired indiscriminately at the CRPF men at Sopore market killing two CRPF men on the spot while as two others were critically injured. However, another police officials said that another CPRF man succumbed to his injuries taking the total number of causalities to three.

“A massive search operation was launched soon after the attack in the area to nab the militants,” the SSP said. Police source said that a large area has been cordoned off to trace the militants involved in the act.

CRPF spokesman in Srinagar, Pankaj Singh also confirmed the attack. “Three of our men died in the attack,” he said.

Locals said that panic gripped the entire area after the attack as people who were on the road ran for a cover.

“I was buying vegetables and all of a sudden I heard heavy firing. I right away ran for safety,” said Waseem Ahmed, a resident of Sopore.

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