India

Surat (Guj), Oct 24 (PTI) A priest associated with the Swaminarayan sect here in Gujarat was arrested Wednesday for allegedly raping a 20-year-old woman on two occasions under the pretext of offering money for her mother's surgery, the police said.

The accused Nikunj alias Karan Swarupdas Babubhai Savani (24) had allegedly raped the woman, a local resident, around a fortnight ago in a room adjacent to the Swaminarayan temple at Dabholi under Katargam police station and again on October 23, a police official said.

Shahjahanpur (UP), Oct 24 (PTI) A 70-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a distant relative here, police said Wednesday.

A first information report (FIR) was lodged Tuesday on the basis of a complaint from the woman, they added.

The woman, a resident of Rampur, had come to Dhakiya Ranvas village under the Sidhauli police station and was allegedly raped by a distant relative here on September 28, station in-charge Birja Ram said.

Srinagar, Oct 24 (PTI) National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Wednesday said granting autonomy is the only "pragmatic solution" to the decades-old problem of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is high time for the Government of India to implement the resolution of autonomy (passed by state legislative assembly in 2000).

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) A man was arrested here for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl in a slum area in the city, police said Wednesday.

The minor girl's family lodged a complaint of rape on Tuesday against Amit Gupta (27), resident of Colony number 4 here, they said.

According to the family members, they came to know about the incident when the minor girl complained of abdominal pain and was taken to a hospital, where tests showed she was pregnant, police officials said.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) BJP MP Subramanian Swamy claimed Wednesday that those involved in the "CBI massacre" were about to suspend Enforcement Directorate (ED) official Rajeshwar Singh and said if it happened, he would withdraw himself from the corruption cases he had filed.

"The players in the CBI massacre are about to suspend ED's Rajeshwar so that he cannot file the chargesheet against PC. If so I will have no reason to fight the corrupt since my govt is hell bent on protecting them. I shall then withdraw from all the corruption cases I have filed," he said in a tweet.

Nawada (Bihar), Oct 24 (PTI) Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday charged the BJP with trying to divide the people of the country and whip up communal passions by changing names of towns in states ruled by the party.

Manjhi said the Grand Alliance in Bihar, which comprises his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Lalu Prasad's RJD and the Congress, was committed to defeating the BJP in the state and prevent it from returning to power at the Centre.

Srinagar, Oct 24 (PTI) Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including an reportedly M.Phil degree holder, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Nowgam area of the city on Wednesday.

The slain militants have been identified as Sabzar Ahmad Sofi and Asif Ahmad, an official said.

According to media reports, Sofi was pursuing PhD in Botany from Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi, and had joined the militant ranks in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July 2016.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Opposition leader Sharad Yadav Wednesday hit out at the government over CBI Director Alok Verma's removal, saying it is "constitutionally, morally and politically wrong and illegal".

He said in a statement that the decision was in violation of rules laid down by the Supreme Court that only a selection commission, comprising the prime minister, the chief justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party can decide on suspending or removing the CBI chief.

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal Wednesday demanded immediate withdrawal of two newly-inducted chapters of class 12 history books of the Punjab School Education Board, terming their contents as historically distorted and defamatory" to Sikh gurus and religion.

In a statement here, former Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema said the new chapters, which were released online, had numerous mistakes and factual errors .

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) A 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping his five-year-old niece in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh, police said Wednesday.

The incident was reported to police Tuesday and a case registered, they said.

They said the accused was arrested the same day.