Maharashtra

Mumbai, Apr 21 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Wednesday imposed several new restrictions including a ban on inter-city and inter-district travel and curbs on office attendance in an attempt to bring the spiralling coronavirus infections under control.

Central, state and local governing body offices shall function with 15 per cent attendance. But emergency services dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic will be exempted from this rule.

Mumbai, Apr 22 (PTI) The rupee opened on a weak note and fell below the 75 per US dollar level in early trade on Thursday as investors fretted over the prospects of stricter lockdown in some parts of the country amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Moreover, foreign fund outflows, and heavy selling in domestic equities weighed on the domestic currency.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 75.25 then lost further ground and fell to 75.26 against the US dollar, showing a decline of 38 paise over its previous closing.

Pune, Apr 18 (PTI) A 58-year-old Brigadier-rank Army officer allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a moving train at the Pune railway station on Sunday, railway police said.

The deceased, a male officer, was currently serving at the city-based Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), they said.

"The victim came to the railway station with his driver. Leaving the driver outside, he went to platform number 3 and jumped before the Udyan Express around 12.15 pm and died," Superintendent of Police (GRP), Sadanand Wayse-Patil, said.

Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) Police authorities in Mumbai on Saturday issued an order asking its personnel to take action against people caught spitting in public.

Officials said the order states that action will be taken under section 117 of Maharashtra Police Act.

The directive is the result of a High Court order of April 7 on a PIL filed by one Asmin Bandrawala, they added.

Nagpur, Apr 16 (PTI) A man was arrested for allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl after luring her to his home in Nandanvan area of Nagpur with the promise of a chocolate, police said on Friday.

The incident happened on Thursday when the child was playing, said an official.

"After the girl narrated the ordeal to her father, we arrested Dashrath Mshram (45) for rape under IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provisions," the Nandanvan police station official said.

Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) The 'break the chain' restrictions in place in Maharashtra to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases may be extended beyond May 1 depending on the outbreak situation, state health minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Jalna, over 400 kilometres from here, Tope said people have been supportive of the restrictions, though some violations of prohibitory rules under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have also been reported.

Mumbai, Apr 15 (PTI) American banking major Citibank on Thursday announced that it will exit from the consumer banking business in India as part of a global strategy.

The business comprises credit cards, retail banking, home loans and wealth management.

Mumbai, Apr 13 (PTI) Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission's decision to bar West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours was taken at the behest of the BJP.

This was a "direct attack on democracy" and sovereignty of independent institutions of the country, Raut claimed in a tweet.

The Sena's chief spokesperson expressed solidarity with Banerjee, while terming as the "Bengal Tigress".

Assembly elections are currently underway in West Bengal.

Mumbai, Apr 12 (PTI) The rupee opened on a weak note and fell below the 75 per US dollar level in early trade on Monday amid lacklustre opening in domestic equities ahead of the release of key macro-economic data.

Moreover, rising crude oil prices, foreign fund outflows, spiking COVID-19 cases and heavy selling in domestic equities weighed on the domestic currency.

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Investors' wealth tumbled by Rs 6,86,708.74 crore in morning trade on Monday following massive losses in the equity market as sentiments remained muted amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.

The 30-share BSE benchmark index plunged 1,479.15 points to 48,112.17 in morning trade.

Tracking losses in equities, the market capitalization of BSE-listed companies eroded by Rs 6,86,708.74 crore to Rs 2,02,76,533.13 crore.