Delhi

New Delhi, May 5 (PTI) Twenty-seven migrant workers have escaped from a temporary shelter home in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar, police said on Tuesday.

On Monday, 56 migrant workers were shifted from a government school in Punjabi Bagh to the newly created shelter home at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya where one migrant was already staying, they said.

New Delhi, May 5 (PTI) The Congress Tuesday condemned the decision to raise taxes on diesel and petrol in Delhi and demanded their immediate rollback, saying higher fuel prices will adversely impact the supply chain, the agriculture sector and farmers.

"The Congress Party condemns this unprecedented hike in VAT on petrol and diesel to 30 pc from 27 pc on petrol and 16.5 pc in diesel in Delhi. We demand an immediate rollback of this hike," said spokesperson Ajay Maken.

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) The Congress on Monday termed historic party president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking PCCs to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home, and said its state units will work out the modalities of paying the Railways after coordinating with chief secretaries.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said he has already talked to state Congress chiefs and they are working out the modalities to ensure that every worker and migrant stranded reaches home safely.

Agartala, May 3 (PTI) Twelve more Border Security Force jawans tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Sunday, a day after two BSF jawans were found to have been infected with the deadly virus.

With the 12 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 16, of which 14 are active as two persons have recovered from coronavirus.

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) As many as 13 personnel of border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have tested positive for coronavirus till now, officials said on Monday.

They said while nine infected officials belong to the 25th battalion of the force based in Ghitorni area of the national capital, the rest are from other locations.

New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) Jet fuel (ATF) prices have been slashed by a steep 23 per cent in line with a slump in international oil prices and it now costs about one-third of petrol and diesel whose rates continue to be frozen for the 50th day on Sunday.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price has been cut by Rs 6,812.62 per kilolitre, or 23.2 per cent, to Rs 22,544.75 per kl in the national capital, according to a price notification by state-owned oil marketing companies.

New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) The railways on Saturday ran 10 trains to ferry home to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar nearly 10,000 migrants from eight states, a senior official said.

He said the trains were planned on the request of these eight states -- Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday granted protection to activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan from any coercive action in an FIR lodged against him at Rajkot in Gujarat for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of the Hindus.

The FIR was lodged by former Army personnel Jaidev Rajnikant Joshi at Rajkot alleging that Bhushan hurt religious sentiments of Hindus by tweeting against re-telecast of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata serials on DD during the coronavirus lockdown in the country.

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Karol Bagh Vishesh Ravi on Friday said he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Ravi said his brother has also tested positive for the disease.

"I am currently in home quarantine. I am asymptomatic but I have tested positive for coronavirus," he told PTI.

New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) Greats likes Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have pledged their support to Indian Cricketers Association's (ICA) initiative to financially help around 30 needy players amid the nationwide lockdown, said its president Ashok Malhotra.

The ICA has so far raised Rs 39 lakh to help former cricketers who are in dire need of funds.