Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday condemned the serial blasts at multiple locations in Sri Lanka, with party president Rahul Gandhi terming it a "diabolical act of terrorism".

More than 160 people were killed and over 450 injured in a string of near simultaneous blasts at churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

Mumbai, Apr 18 (PTI) The Maharashtra unit of the BJP on Thursday announced expulsion of four party leaders who are contesting the Lok Sabha election against official candidates of the BJP or its allies in the state.

Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Anil Gote, Manikrao Kokate and Suhas Natavadkar were expelled for violating the party discipline, a BJP source said.

BJP MLA Anil Gote is contesting as independent against BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre from Dhule-Malegaon.

New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Hardening its stand against Pakistan, India Thursday indefinitely suspended cross-LoC trade at two points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir effective Friday, following reports that it was being "misused" by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency.

New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) With Jet Airways suspending operations, as many as 440 slots are vacant at Delhi and Mumbai airports which will be allocated to other airlines in a transparent manner, a senior official said Thursday.

Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola also said Jet Airways is expected to provide information next week to the ministry about tickets booked by passengers and how it plans to refund them.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) Social activist Swami Agnivesh Friday condemned BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks on ATS chief Hemant Karkare who died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Agnivesh, in a statement, said Thakur's candidature reveals the saffron party's "true nature and value system".

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Election Commission is learnt to have finalised its stand on whether the ban imposed by it on the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi should continue.

Officials, drawn from the poll panel's model code and legal divisions, had on Wednesday watched the biopic on the directions of the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, the producers had put forth their views before the Commission.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has been nominated as BJP candidate for Bhopal LS seat. Thakur, on bail, is an accused by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for conspiracy and allegation that her bike was used to plant the explosives that killed six in Malegaon bomb blasts in 2008.

New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) Top Indian grappler Bajrang Punia regained the world number one spot in the men's 65kg freestyle category in the rankings issued by United World Wrestling on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Indian, who won gold in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as a silver in the World Championships last year, secured 58 ranking points ahead of Akhmed Chakaev of Russia, who has 21 points in his kitty.

New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) A 50-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in Dwarka's Najafgarh for allegedly raping his minor niece on multiple occasions, police said.

The 13-year-old girl approached police on Tuesday and narrated her ordeal, they said.

New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) A defamation complaint has been filed against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a Bulandshahr court over his remarks why all "thieves" share the "Modi" surname.

Citing Gandhi's statement, which was made at a public meeting and carried widely in the media, Jagdeep Kumar Modi, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, filed the complaint on Monday.

He said Gandhi's comment during a rally had dealt a blow to his and his family's reputation as many people made fun of him.