The Army version of the next-generation medium range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAMs), developed jointly with Israel to destroy hostile aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones at a range of 70-km, was tested twice from the Chandipur integrated test range off the Odisha coast on Sunday. The flight tests of the MRSAM, developed jointly by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), were conducted as part of the ‘live firing trials’ against high-speed aerial targets. “The first launch was to intercept a medium-altitude target at a long range and the second was to prove the capability against a low-altitude target at short range. The missiles intercepted the aerial targets and destroyed them completely, registering direct hits at both the ranges,” a DRDO official said. While Navy and IAF have begun inducting their MRSAMs, the trials for Army are currently underway.
Gujarat summer to be above normal
Manorama Mohanty, head of the Gujarat branch of India Meteorological Department (IMD), said that the forecast for summer 2022 has indicated higher than normal temperatures for the western Indian states including Gujarat. “Thus, the temperatures may hover around 40°C in April and May, too. Parts of North Gujarat and Kutch may face more hotter spells compared to other regions,” she said. IMD officials said that in 2021, the temperature had reached 41.7°C by March-end, whereas in 2019, it was 42. 2°C.
Five students drown in Amreli lake
Five friends, aged between 16 and 18 years, drowned in a lake in Lathi town of Amreli district after they had gone to bathe there. The bodies were recovered after a three-hour search operation carried out by fire brigade personnel and local swimmers. According to the police, six students studying in Class 10 and 11 of Lathi had gone to the Naran Sarovar lake in Dudhala village to bathe. Of them, five friends jumped into the waters to get relief from the sweltering heat. The sixth student who was standing by the side saw his friends drowning and informed the villagers. “There was 20 feet deep pit inside the lake where the boys drowned,” said Amreli deputy superintendent of police J P Bhandari. The parents of the children soon informed the police and the fire brigade which immediately reached spot even as about 12 local swimmers had already jumped into the waters to find the boys. After much search, bodies of all five boys were recovered three hours later.
Bihar minister sacked from cabinet
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar recommended to governor Phagu Chauhan to remove Mukesh Sahani, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief, from the post of cabinet minister. “The CM sent the recommendation to the governor after the BJP, in a written letter, urged Nitish Kumar to remove Sahani from the post of minister,” a senior CMO official said. “The BJP, in its letter to the CM, categorically said that Mukesh Sahani and his VIP have no longer remained a part of the NDA in Bihar. Sahani was made the cabinet minister from the BJP quota. As Sahani is not a part of the NDA, he should be removed immediately from the post of cabinet minister,” the official said, quoting the BJP’s letter. Earlier, all three MLAs of VIP had joined the BJP.
Court rejects Kangana's plea
In a detailed order rejecting actor Kangana Ranaut’s plea seeking permanent exemption from attending legal proceedings in a defamation case against her by Bollywood veteran Javed Akhtar, a magistrate’s court held that no doubt, being a celebrity, she had professional assignments, but she cannot forget she was an accused in the case. The court said till date she has not appeared with an intent to cooperate with it for the trial. “The accused is dictating her own terms for the trial of this case in the manner she likes. Admittedly, the accused cannot claim permanent exemption as of right,” metropolitan magistrate RR Khan said.
Delhi is most polluted capital in the world
Delhi continues to be the most polluted capital city in the world, and is the fourth most polluted city globally, according to the 2021 World Air Quality Report by IQAir. The report names 63 Indian cities in the 100 most polluted cities globally, with Bhiwadi in Rajasthan and Ghaziabad in UP – both of which are in NCR - as the world's two most polluted cities, followed by Xinjiang in China. New Delhi, Jaunpur (Uttar Pradesh), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Bahawalpur (Punjab), Peshawar (Pakistan) and Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh) make up the rest of the top 10.
Dhaba owner killed for Rs 4
A dhaba owner in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly was allegedly killed following a verbal spat over Rs 4 with three customers. The three accused were nabbed while they were trying to escape. Police said that the victim, identified as Sewaram Gangwar (45), is a resident of Fatehganj West. He ran a dhaba on Delhi-Lucknow NH. A probe revealed that the accused went to the dhaba for tea on March 11. After Gangwar asked them to pay Rs 4 extra as per the new rates, an argument ensued between them.
