Breaking News, June 20 Highlights: PM Modi Felicitated By LG Sinha As He Begins J&K Visit; Delhi Logs 17 Heat-Related Deaths

Thank you for joining us in our coverage of the latest news for June 20. This live blog is now closed. As we close live updates, here is a lookback on the major events of the day -

PM In J&K: Modi To Launch Key Projects, Mark Yoga Day In Srinagar In 2-Day Visit Amid Heavy Security | Read FULL STORY here

Kallakurichi Spurious Liquor: At least 34 Dead, Over 60 Hospitalised; TN CM Stalin Orders Probe, Announces Ex-Gratia | Read FULL STORY here

Delhi Records Warmest Night In 14 Years | FULL STORY here

Hajj 2024 Death Toll Crosses 1000 As Mecca Continues To Record Extreme Heat | Read FULL STORY here

Former India Cricketer David Johnson Passes Away; BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Condoles Death | FULL STORY here

UGC-NET Cancellation: Education Ministry Says Matter Referred To CBI, To Announce Fresh Exam Dates Soon | Read FULL STORY here

In 'Strongest-Ever Treaty', Russia And North Korea To Provide Each Other Immediate Military Aid In Event Of War | READ Here

Welcome to Outlook India's Breaking News Live Blog, through which we bring you real-time updates on major events and developments across the globe. Here’s a look at top events and developments in focus today:

• Delhi heatwave

• Weather updates from other parts of the country

• PM Modi's J&K visit starting today

• NEET UG exam row

In case you missed it, here are the key developments from yesterday that hit headlines:

• NTA Scraps UGC-NET A Day After Exam Amid Questions Over Integrity; Test To Be Conducted Afresh

• Heatwave: 'Treat Heatstroke On Priority', Says Centre To Hospitals; 5 Dead In Delhi In 48 Hours, 12 On Life-Support | Details

• Union Cabinet Approves MSP On 14 Kharif Crops, 1.5 Times The production Cost | Key Points

• 'Signed Blank Paper': Fresh Twist In Bengal Train Accident As Complainant Takes U-Turn | Details Inside
  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir begins today. PM Modi will mark this year's International Day of Yoga on June 21 in J&K's Srinagar where he will address the gathering and also participate in a yoga session, his office said on Wednesday.

PM Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on June 20 and 21, 2024, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Prime Minister Modi will participate in 'Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K' event at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at around 6 pm today, June 20.

PM Modi will participate in 10th International Day of Yoga event at SKICC in Srinagar at around 6: 30 am on June 21. He will address the gathering on the occasion and take part in the yoga session thereafter, the statement said.

Bodies of 50 people belonging to underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds were recovered around Delhi over the past 48 hours, police said, as the unbearable heatwave in the city has caused a spike in casualties and heatstroke cases.

Police and health officials, however, have not confirmed if all of them died of heat-related causes.

A senior police officer said the body of a 55-year-old man was found at the children's park near India Gate on Wednesday and added that a post-mortem will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, over four notches above the normal. The night temperature in Delhi was 35.2 degrees Celsius, the city's highest in June since 1969, the Met office said on Wednesday.

The Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency following inputs that the 'integrity of the examination may have been compromised', saying that the matter has been handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation, officials said.

The decision by the Ministry comes amid a massive row on the medical entrance exam NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court.

In a shift from earlier practice, the National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted in pen and paper mode this time on a single day -June 18- with a record 11 lakh students registering for the exam.

UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for the award of junior research fellowship, for appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to PhD in Indian universities and colleges.

The Delhi Police suspects that the conspiracy for the killing of a man in a Rajouri Garden food outlet was hatched by fugitive gangster Himanshu Bhau to avenge the murder of a relative of jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana.

On Tuesday, Aman Joon, 26, hailing from Haryana's Jhajjar, was shot several times in a Burger King outlet in Rajouri Garden's J Block.

The killing is now being suspected to be a consequence of an ongoing war between jailed gangsters Neeraj Bawana and Ashok Pradhan.

Hours after the murder, a social media post emerged in which fugitive gangster Bhau took the responsibility of the attack, the officer said.

The post said the gang had avenged the killing of 'Shakti Dada' who was eliminated allegedly by a rival gang.

Two Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) security personnel died and one was injured after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned in the Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh.

The civil driver of the pick-up vehicle was also injured in the incident. Both the injured are under treatment.

Light to moderate intensity rain and winds would occur over and adjoining areas of few places of North Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, West Delhi, Central-Delhi, NCR (Loni Dehat, Hindon Air Force Station, Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula) Sonipat, Rohtak, Kharkhoda (Haryana) Bagpat, Khekra, Modinagar, Pilakhua (UP) during next two hours, IMD said in an update at 7:21 am.

An Indian national farm labourer in Italy's Latina was left to die by the road after an accident severed his arm, a minister said on Wednesday.

The deceased -- Satnam Singh -- was injured while working on a farm on Monday in Latina, a rural area in southern Rome which is home to several thousands of Indian migrant workers, AFP reported.

Labour Minister Marina Calderone told the Parliament, "The Indian agricultural worker who suffered a serious accident in the countryside of Latina and was abandoned in very serious conditions... has died." READ FULL STORY

The new Russia-North Korea agreement states they would provide each other immediate military assistance in event of war, reports AP.

A vacation bench to hear batch of petitions filed by National Testing Agency seeking transfer of cases, pertaining to NEET-UG, 2024, from various high courts to Supreme Court.

Over 65 Indians have died while undettaking the Hajj pilgrimage this year, a diplomat in Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday.

The death toll of this year's Hajj pilgrimage, which has been marked by searing heat, is over 600.

"We have confirmed around 68 dead... Some are because of natural causes and we had many old-age pilgrims. And some are due to the weather conditions, that's what we assume," a diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told news agency AFP.

Parts of Delhi received light to moderate rainfall on Wednesday morning, bringing slight relief from the scorching temperatures and heatwave condition. The IMD had at 7 am on Wednesday predicted rain for Delhi and adjoining areas of Ghaziabad, Noida among others.

On clash between two groups in Odisha's Balasore, DM Ashish Thakare said on Wednesday, "Curfew has been imposed for two days as a precaution and to maintain the law and order situation. The current situation is peaceful and under control. 41 platoon forces and central forces have been deployed."

"The internet has been shut down as per the protocol. We will take further steps after assessing the situation," he said.

A fire broke out at an apartment in Patia, Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Residents were being evacuated in the presence of police and fire personnel.

Fire tenders are present at the spot, officials said, adding that the situation is under control.

The Opposition alliance was quick to launch an attack at the BJP-led NDA government after the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Wednesday announced the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination amid suspicion over the integrity of the exam being compromised.

The Ministry of Education, in a press released, said, "To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India has decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination be cancelled." READ FULL STORY

At least 29 people died and more than 60 were hospitalised after reportedly consuming illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district, officials said.

Authorities expressed concerns over the fear of death toll, which is likely to go up. Kallakurichi District Collector MS Prasanth visited the Government Medical College Hospital to meet those undergoing treatment.

The state government, meanwhile, said that one K Kannukutti (49) had been arrested and an analysis of about 200 litres of illicit 'arrack' seized from him found the presence of fatal methanol. READ FULL STORY

Four arrested students tell Bihar police that medical entrance test NEET paper was leaked, probe is on. (via NDTV)

Anurag Yadav, the NEET candidate arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities in the exam's result, has confessed that the leaked question paper that was given to him matched with the actual question paper.

According to an India Today report, the 22-year-old medical aspirant wrote in his confession letter than his relative -- identified as one Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu -- told him that all arrangements has been done for the exam. READ FULL STORY

A man was allegedly lynched in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh by a mob that accused him of theft, triggering communal tension. Six people were arrested after the mob attack on Fareed (35) on Tuesday night in Mamu Bhanja locality, news agency PTI cited police as saying.

Seven people, part of the mob, have been identified.

According to a complaint filed by the victim's family, Fareed was returning home from work when he was mobbed and thrashed by some residents on Tuesday night in the Mamu Bhanja locality over suspicion of theft, Superintendent of Police City M Shekhar Pathak said.

Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on petition filed by National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking transfer of pleas relating to NEET-UG, 2024 from High Court to the apex court.

Supreme Court stayed the proceedings before the High Court in the cases, reiterating that it will not stop the counselling process.

Supreme Court also issued notice to the Centre and NTA on petition filed by some students who appeared in Meghalaya centre for NEET-UG exam and allegedly lost 45 minutes and prayed they should be a part of the 1563 students who got grace marks and were given option to appear for re-exam on June 23. Supreme Court posts the pleas for hearing on July 8.

Death toll due to hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi has risen to 34. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has announced Rs 10 lakhs each for the family of deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the people under treatment.

A one-man commission, comprising former judge Justice B Gokuldas, has also been announced for probing the matter, with reports to be submitted within 3 months.

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) reportedly imposed a fine of Rs 1.2 lakh each on students who staged a play called 'Raahovan' in institute's annual performing arts festival.

Said to be loosely based on Indian epic 'Ramayana', the play received massive backlash on social media for being derogatory to Lord Ram and disrespectful of Hindu culture.

Senior BJP leader Surama Padhy has been elected unopposed as Speaker of Odisha Assembly.

Curfew imposed in Odisha's Balasore municipal area following a group clash was relaxed for four hours on Thursday to allow people to buy essential items, an official said.

At least 10 people were injured in the group clash on Monday evening over animal slaughter.

"Curfew was relaxed from 7 am to 11 am. During this period, all shops and commercial establishments were allowed to remain open to allow people to buy items for their daily needs," the official said.

The Patna High Court on Thursday struck down the increase in reservations effected in Bihar last year when quotas were raised from 50 to 65 per cent for Dalits, backward classes and tribals in government jobs and educational institutions.

A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran passed the order on a bunch of petitions which had opposed the legislations brought by the Nitish Kumar government in November 2023.

(via PTI)

A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail application in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Special Judge Niyay Bindu reserved the order after hearing arguments from the accused as well the Enforcement Directorate on the application.

The court on Wednesday extended Kejriwal's judicial custody till July 3 in the case.

The judge extended the custody after he was produced before the court through video conference as the judicial custody granted earlier had expired.

Two parked empty train coaches at Secunderabad caught fire on Thursday. No casualties were reported in the incident.

D Mohan Rao, Fire Station Officer, Secunderabad said, "A call about fire in train coaches was received at 1050 hours today. 5 fire engines were rushed to the site. The fire has been doused now."

Police have registered a case against a man who was filming his woman friend when she was driving and fell into a valley in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district three days back, leading to her death, an official said on Thursday.

The man has been charged under Indian Penal Code section 304 (A), for causing death by negligence, as he handed over the car keys to the woman without knowing whether she had a driving license or not, he said.

Shweta Survase (23) died on Monday afternoon after she accidentally pressed the accelerator while her car was in reverse gear. Her friend Suraj Mule was shooting her video, police earlier said.

Vehicles were being checked in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar as part of the security arrangements ahead of PM Modi's visit later today. PM will be on a two-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir from today, which will mark his first visit to the UT after being sworn in as the PM for his third term.

French journalist Sébastien Farcis, who was working in India as a South Asia correspondent for the past 13 years, alleged that he was forced to return to France after his journalist permit was denied renewal.

The government of India has not issued a statement on the matter yet.

Sébastien Farcis has been working for Radio France Internationale, Radio France, Libration and the Swiss and Belgian public radios.

Taking to X, Farcis wrote: “After 13 years working as a correspondent in India, the authorities have denied me a permit to work as a journalist. I have thus been forced to leave the country.”

Farcis said that he left India on June 17.

A total of 17 fatalities due to suspected heat-related illnesses have been recorded at Delhi's RML and Safdarjung hospitals in the last 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

Delhi has been battling searing heatwave conditions over the last few days. It got some relief on Thursday morning due to light rain.

Hospitals in Delhi have seen a rise in the number of casualties and patients owing to heatstroke.

A North East Frontier Railway (NFR) official on Thursday said investigation is underway to determine why the goods train driver exceeded the permissible speed limit before the rake collided with the Kanchanjunga Express at Rangapani in West Bengal.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is probing Monday's accident, which claimed 10 lives, including the goods train driver and the guard of the Kanchanjunga Express.

Death toll from hajj in Saudi Arabia has topped 1,000, mostly unregistered pilgrims, news agency AFP reported.

Sensex climbs 141.34 points to hit a new closing peak of 77,478.93; Nifty up 51 points to settle at record 23,567.

(via PTI)

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi addressing the issue said, "The education system has been captured by one organisation. They put their people on every post. It will have to be reversed. Secondly, in the manifesto, we clearly said that taking action after the paper leak is one thing but we also said that the systems that were there before the paper leak, the rules of the university exams, they will have to be assessed again, studied and redesigned. We have clearly written these two things in our manifesto and the opposition will try to get these two things done by putting pressure on the government."

Slamming the Centre including PM Modi, Gandhi stated, "...Silence (of govt) is because the PM is crippled. Right now, the PM's main agenda is the (election of) Speaker. He is bothered about his govt and Speaker...The PM has psychologically collapsed and he will struggle to run a government like this. Mr Modi's idea of running govt is to generate fear in people. But now people are not scared of him. The basic concept of Modi has been destroyed in this election. If there were Vajpayee ji or Manmohan Singh ji, they might have been able to survive because they had humility, respect and conciliation. But Narendra Modi doesn't believe in all this...."

"...It is a national crisis, it's an economic crisis, it's an educational crisis, institutional crisis. But I don't see any response...Regarding Bihar, we have said that there should be an inquiry and action should be taken against those who have leaked the paper, " he added.

Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday met the families of Kallakurichi hooch tragedy victims and handed over cheques.

The entire Karunapuram locality in Kallakurichi on Thursday echoed with the wails of the family members of the victims of illicit arrack, that claimed the lives of at least 34 persons, with about 100 others under medical treatment.

In a post on X, PM Modi updated that he has left for Jammu and Kashmir and elaborated on the events that he is scheduled to attend.

He wrote, "Leaving for Srinagar, where I will be taking part in two programmes. Later this evening, I will be at the ‘Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K’ programme, which focuses on youth-led development. Key projects worth over Rs. 1500 crore will be inaugurated or their foundation stones would be laid. These works cover infrastructure, water supply, education and more. Tomorrow morning, I will take part in the Yoga Day programme in Srinagar."

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai in Kallakurichi says, "The death toll is expected to rise. In the last 4 hours, we have visited all houses. Tamil Nadu BJP is releasing Rs 1 lakhs each to the families of the deceased. A committee led by our senior vice-president will visit all homes here. They will submit report on one Central scheme which should reach these houses. From the DMK side, it is deeply disappointing that CM MK Stalin has yet to come to Kallakurichi but he is sending his son Udhayandihi Stalin. Even in such a time, he wants to do dynastic politics. We demand CM to visit Kalalakaruchi immediately and sack the Minister for Prohibition and Excise in the next 24 hours. This is a clear administrative and law and order failure. On Saturday, BJP will hold state-wide protest on our demands. If demands are not met, then we will march to the Chennai Kotai."

"I will write to the Home Minister asking for a CBI inquiry. We believe there is connivance between DMK party functionaries and those who are selling liquor at the local level. This has happened within a few meters of the court and the police station," he added.

In a post on X IMD issued orange alert for intense rainfall in coastal Karnataka, they wrote, "Heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) is likely at isolated places over Coastal Karnataka on 20th and 21st June, 2024.."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday evening. PM Modi will attend the ‘Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K’ event at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar today.

Jammu & Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha felicitates PM Modi at the 'Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K' event in Srinagar.

Speaking at the event, Sinha said, "The Prime Minister will inaugurate 84 developmental projects valued at more than Rs. 1,500 crores, projects worth Rs. 1,800 crores for improvement of Agriculture & Allied Sectors and appointment letters to more than 2000 persons appointed in government service will be given today."