Maharashtra

Mumbai, May 21 (PTI) The Maharashtra Government on Friday extended its 'Shiv Bhojan' free meal scheme for the poor and needy till June 14 as part of its 'break the chain' restrictions to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, officials said.

A statement from the chief minister's office (CMO) said a government resolution in connection with this move was issued on May 14 by the state food and civil supplies department.

Mumbai, May 21 (PTI) The Reserve Bank of India approved paying a higher-than-expected Rs 99,122 crore to the government as a dividend, providing cushion to the state at a time when a crippling second wave of the novel coronavirus may strain public finances.

Mumbai, May 21 (PTI) At least 13 Naxals were killed in an encounter with police's C-60 commandos in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra early on Friday, officials said.

The skirmish took place around 5.30 am in the forest at Kotmi in Etapalli, where the Naxals had gathered for a meeting, said Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General of Gadchiroli.

Mumbai, May 21 (PTI) Police have registered an FIR against the captain of barge P-305 and some other persons after it sank in the Arabian Sea five days ago during cyclone Tauktae, in which at least 49 of its personnel were killed, an official said on Friday.

Mumbai, May 19 (PTI) A special POCSO court here on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old man to jail for five years for molesting a minor girl in 2018.

The accused Sharvan Rathod, a farmer, was found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for molestation and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by special judge AD Deo.

Mumbai, May 20 (PTI) With 38 people on board a barge that sank in the Arabian Sea four days ago still missing, Indian Navy ships worked through the night, using searchlights to trace any movement in the pitch dark waters, as hopes of finding more survivors began to recede on Thursday.

The Navy on Thursday morning launched a fresh aerial search and rescue mission, deploying helicopters to scour the waters off Mumbai coast, where the accommodation barge P305 went adrift in Cyclone Tauktae fury before it sank Monday.

Thane, May 17 (PTI) A 42-year-old shopkeeper from Thane in Maharashtra was arrested on Monday for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old girl in his house, police said.

The incident occurred after the girl visited the timber shop of the accused Sunil Jadhav in Wagle Estate area, an official said.

Jadhav then forced the girl to accompany her to his house where he showed her obscene photos and touched her inappropriately, before letting her go, he said.

Mumbai, May 17 (PTI) Cyclonic storm Tauktae over the Arabian Sea led to very strong winds blowing at a speed of 114 kmph in Mumbai on Monday afternoon, civic officials said.

This was the highest wind speed recorded so far during the day, they said.

Pune/New Delhi, May 16 (PTI) Congress MP Rajeev Satav died at a private hospital in Pune on Sunday, days after recovering from the coronavirus infection, hospital sources said.

He was 46.

Satav was on ventilator support at the hospital after his health deteriorated. He had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 22.

He was later diagnosed with a new viral infection and was in a critical condition, they said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condoled his demise and said it is a big loss to him.

Mumbai, May 13 (PTI) Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the Centre should bring down the prices of medicines used to treat black fungus, a serious but rare fungal infection now affecting coronavirus patients, and increase their quota for the state.

Symptoms of Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision.