Crocodile Strays Into West Bengal Town In Dead Of Night, Rescued

A crocodile strayed into a town in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district in the dead of the night, triggering panic in the area, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident happened in Palpara of Kalna town. The crocodile entered the area around 1 a.m. from the nearby Bhagirathi river, they said.

The people of the area, panicked by the situation, spent a sleepless night with the crocodile going from one lane to the other.

"We haven't seen any such thing in our lives. We were awake the entire night," said Subhash Mondal, a local.

The crocodile was rescued by personnel of the Forest Department around 8 a.m., officials said, adding that it will be released into the river.

"It is suspected that the rise in the water level of the river may have led to this incident. It is also possible that the crocodile entered the locality while chasing prey," said divisional forest officer Nisha Goswami. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pakistan Chase Down Highest Target In World Cup History To Beat Sri Lanka

Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique clubbed centuries as Pakistan chased down the highest target in World Cup history to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The diminutive Rizwan overcame leg cramps to score a 121-ball 131 not out while Shafique hit a 103-ball 113 as Pakistan overhauled their 345-run target in 48.2 overs. The victory gives Pakistan two wins in as many games and a huge boost in confidence ahead of their high-profile clash against India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Highest targets chased down in World Cup history:

345 by Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad (2023)

328 by Ireland against England in Bengaluru (2011)

322 by Bangladesh against West Indies in Taunton (2019)

319 by Bangladesh against Scotland in Nelson (2015)

313 by Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in New Plymouth (1992)

Sri Lanka's imposing total of 344-9 was built around brilliant hundreds from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Rizwan cracked eight boundaries and three sixes while Shafique's knock had ten boundaries and three sixes as Pakistan improved on the previous highest World Cup chase of 328 by Ireland against England in Bangalore in 2011.

Rizwan added a match-turning 176 run stand for the third wicket with Shafique and another 95 for the fourth with Saud Shakeel who made a 30-ball 31.

Rizwan and Shafique lifted Pakistan from a disastrous start in which they lost Imam-ul-Haq (12) and skipper Babar Azam (ten) to pacer Dilshan Madushanka.

Haq, who completed 3,000 runs in 67 innings to become the second joint fastest to the milestone, hooked into the hands of the fielder while Azam edged a flick behind the wicket.

Shafique, who replaced out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, justified his selection by reaching his maiden hundred off 97 balls.

Shafique fell in the 34th over to Matheesha Pathirana but Rizwan continued the chase, reaching his third ODI hundred off 97 balls.

He hit the winning single and raised his hands in delight.

When Sri Lanka batted, after winning the toss, Mendis smashed the fastest century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match with a 77-ball 122, his highest score in ODIs and third century.

- Mendis dropped twice -It was an innings spiced with 14 boundaries and half a dozen sixes, leading the charge for Sri Lanka while Samarawickrama hit an 89-ball 108 for his maiden hundred.

Samarawickrama hit 11 boundaries and two sixes.

Mendis twice escaped dropped catches -- Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped him off his own bowling in the fifth over and then Imam-ul-Haq blundered in the next over again off Shaheen on 18.

Mendis completed his 50 off 40 balls with his seventh boundary, lifting Sri Lanka from the early loss of Kusal Perera (nought) in the second over to Hasan Ali.

Mendis put on a 102 with Pathum Nissanka whose 51 came off 61 balls with seven boundaries and a six.

Once Nissanka fell to Shadab Khan, Mendis and Samarawickrama unleashed some superb hitting against Pakistan's pacers and spinners alike, adding 111 for the third wicket.

They were savage on fast bowler Haris Rauf, hitting him for two sixes and a boundary in the 21st over.

When Shaheen came back for a second spell, Mendis cracked three fours in the 25th over.

Hasan was hoisted by Mendis for a six to allow the batsman his third hundred off 65 balls.

It was his first century in three-and-a-half years but he had made 76 in the opening defeat to South Africa and now has at least five half-centuries in his last seven ODIs.

Previously, Kumar Sangakkara held the Sri Lanka World Cup record with a 70-ball hundred, scored against England in 2015.

Mendis's previous best was 119 against the West Indies in Hambantota in February 2020.

Mendis hit two sixes off Hasan's 29th over before he holed out at deep mid-wicket boundary.

Hasan then removed Charith Asalanka for one but Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva (25) added 65 for the fifth wicket.

Hasan finished as the best bowler with 4-71 while Rauf took 2-64.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Artist Chintan Upadhyay Gets Life Imprisonment For Conspiring To Kill Wife

A sessions court here on Tuesday sentenced artist Chintan Upadhyay to "rigorous imprisonment for life" for conspiring to kill his estranged wife Hema Upadhyay. Rejecting the prosecution's demand for a death sentence, the court, in the judgment, noted that Chintan was an acclaimed international artist who did not have any criminal antecedents.

While seeking to "finish off all the problems relating to Hema once and for all, a thought might have taken the shape of determination to eliminate" her, said additional sessions judge, Dindoshi court, S Y Bhosale in his judgment.

On October 5, the court had held Upadhyay guilty of abetting and conspiring to kill his wife, who too was an artist.

On Tuesday, the sentence was passed.

Three co-accused, namely, tempo driver Vijay Rajbhar and helpers Pradeep Rajbhar and Shivkumar Rajbhar, found guilty of murdering Hema and her lawyer Haresh Bhambhani, were also sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life.

The court order noted that the flat where Hema and Chintan were residing was jointly owned by them. In case of Hema's death, the property would have gone to Chintan.

While Chintan had filed a petition for divorce on the ground of cruelty which the family court granted, Hema challenged it before the High Court, and thus, Chintan was required to wait till the HC decided the matter, the sessions court said.

These two circumstances were sufficient to infer the motive to kill Hema, it said.

But the case was not "rarest of rare" (which warrants capital punishment), and hence it was awarding the punishable of life sentence, the court said.

The other three accused had no criminal antecedents and were young, the judge said, adding that Shivkumar had just completed 18 years of age when the crime was committed.

"Their financial condition appears to be very poor, and that appears to be the sole ground that they agreed to commit the present offence," the judge said.

Chintan Upadhyay had crossed 50 years of age and was well-off; he was also an internationally acclaimed artist, the court noted.

"He has no criminal antecedents. It appears that at particular point of time to finish off all the problems relating to Hema once and for all, a thought might have taken shape of determination to eliminate Hema," the court said.

This thought was the result of the particular period he was passing through, it added.

"Thus, there appears less possibility that they (the four convicted accused) would commit any offence in future. In other words, the possibility of reformation of these accused is high," it said.

The court held though "the act of the accused was brutal, the case cannot be termed as a rarest of rare case which warrants death penalty."

Hema Upadhyay and advocate Bhambhani were killed on December 11, 2015, and the bodies were stuffed into cardboard boxes and thrown into a ditch in suburban Kandivali.

Vidyadhar Rajbhar, who is accused to executing the murders, is yet to be arrested.

Chintan Upadhyay was arrested soon after the murders for allegedly conspiring to eliminate his wife.

He spent nearly six years in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2021.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pakistan Chase Down Highest Target In World Cup History To Beat Sri Lanka

Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique clubbed centuries as Pakistan chased down the highest target in World Cup history to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The diminutive Rizwan overcame leg cramps to score a 121-ball 131 not out while Shafique hit a 103-ball 113 as Pakistan overhauled their 345-run target in 48.2 overs. The victory gives Pakistan two wins in as many games and a huge boost in confidence ahead of their high-profile clash against India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Highest targets chased down in World Cup history:

345 by Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad (2023)

328 by Ireland against England in Bengaluru (2011)

322 by Bangladesh against West Indies in Taunton (2019)

319 by Bangladesh against Scotland in Nelson (2015)

313 by Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in New Plymouth (1992)

Sri Lanka's imposing total of 344-9 was built around brilliant hundreds from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Rizwan cracked eight boundaries and three sixes while Shafique's knock had ten boundaries and three sixes as Pakistan improved on the previous highest World Cup chase of 328 by Ireland against England in Bangalore in 2011.

Rizwan added a match-turning 176 run stand for the third wicket with Shafique and another 95 for the fourth with Saud Shakeel who made a 30-ball 31.

Rizwan and Shafique lifted Pakistan from a disastrous start in which they lost Imam-ul-Haq (12) and skipper Babar Azam (ten) to pacer Dilshan Madushanka.

Haq, who completed 3,000 runs in 67 innings to become the second joint fastest to the milestone, hooked into the hands of the fielder while Azam edged a flick behind the wicket.

Shafique, who replaced out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, justified his selection by reaching his maiden hundred off 97 balls.

Shafique fell in the 34th over to Matheesha Pathirana but Rizwan continued the chase, reaching his third ODI hundred off 97 balls.

He hit the winning single and raised his hands in delight.

When Sri Lanka batted, after winning the toss, Mendis smashed the fastest century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match with a 77-ball 122, his highest score in ODIs and third century.

- Mendis dropped twice -It was an innings spiced with 14 boundaries and half a dozen sixes, leading the charge for Sri Lanka while Samarawickrama hit an 89-ball 108 for his maiden hundred.

Samarawickrama hit 11 boundaries and two sixes.

Mendis twice escaped dropped catches -- Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped him off his own bowling in the fifth over and then Imam-ul-Haq blundered in the next over again off Shaheen on 18.

Mendis completed his 50 off 40 balls with his seventh boundary, lifting Sri Lanka from the early loss of Kusal Perera (nought) in the second over to Hasan Ali.

Mendis put on a 102 with Pathum Nissanka whose 51 came off 61 balls with seven boundaries and a six.

Once Nissanka fell to Shadab Khan, Mendis and Samarawickrama unleashed some superb hitting against Pakistan's pacers and spinners alike, adding 111 for the third wicket.

They were savage on fast bowler Haris Rauf, hitting him for two sixes and a boundary in the 21st over.

When Shaheen came back for a second spell, Mendis cracked three fours in the 25th over.

Hasan was hoisted by Mendis for a six to allow the batsman his third hundred off 65 balls.

It was his first century in three-and-a-half years but he had made 76 in the opening defeat to South Africa and now has at least five half-centuries in his last seven ODIs.

Previously, Kumar Sangakkara held the Sri Lanka World Cup record with a 70-ball hundred, scored against England in 2015.

Mendis's previous best was 119 against the West Indies in Hambantota in February 2020.

Mendis hit two sixes off Hasan's 29th over before he holed out at deep mid-wicket boundary.

Hasan then removed Charith Asalanka for one but Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva (25) added 65 for the fifth wicket.

Hasan finished as the best bowler with 4-71 while Rauf took 2-64.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rajasthan To Witness 50,000 Weddings On Day Of Voting

Polling day in Rajasthan coincides with Dev Uthani Ekadashi, an auspicious occasion when more than 50,000 weddings are likely to take place in the state, and the people involved in the business claim that this could hurt the voting percentage. Dev Uthani Ekadashi will be observed on November 23, when voting for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will also be held.

Dev Uthani Ekadashi is the most preferred occasion for weddings. It also marks the beginning of the wedding season.

Trade stakeholders believe that this could affect the voter turnout in the desert state, where the election department has set a target of 75 per cent voter turnout at all the 51,756 polling booths.

The voter turnout in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly polls was 74.71 per cent.

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Monday that voting for all 200 Assembly seats in Rajasthan will take place on November 23 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

"Dev Uthani Ekadashi is the most auspicious occasion for weddings and all Hindu castes prefer to hold weddings on this day. More than 50,000 weddings are expected to take place this year on Dev Uthani Ekadashi," Ravi Jindal, president of the All India Tent Decorators' Welfare Association, told PTI.

He said the voting could be affected due to the involvement of a large number of people in the wedding ceremonies, from traders to family members and relatives.

Mr Jindal said nearly four lakh traders, including tent dealers and event managers, are engaged in the wedding industry in Rajasthan and around 10 lakh people are directly or indirectly involved in it, including catering service providers, florists, band parties, choreographers etc.

He said many "baraat" or wedding parties travel to different districts or states for wedding-related functions and the labourers also move from place to place, depending on their work.

"In such a situation, a few lakh people will be directly or indirectly busy on the day of polling. Many may not be able to cast their votes due to being engaged in work or not being present at their polling booths on the day of voting," Mr Jindal said.

Event manager Manish Kumar said, "On Dev Uthani Ekadashi, people go to other cities and districts as part of wedding parties. Similarly, caterers, electricians, florists, band parties and all others engaged in wedding-related work remain busy throughout the day and many of them may skip voting due to this." He said the wedding venues are already booked and full-scale wedding ceremonies will be held on November 23.

Former state BJP chief Satish Poonia, however, said the situation would not have much of an impact on polling and expressed confidence that the party workers would succeed in bringing the voters to the polling booths.

He said elections are a festival of democracy and there is great enthusiasm among the workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Voting will be on the day of Dev Uthani Ekadashi, but I do not think that it would have much of an impact because our workers are committed and would ensure that each vote is counted," Mr Poonia said.

He said there is a large number of migrant Rajasthanis who are expected to come home for the wedding ceremonies and this would balance the situation in a way as they too would exercise their franchise.

The election department has made concentrated efforts to increase the voter turnout in the Assembly election.

The chief electoral officer has set a target of ensuring a 75-per cent voter turnout at all the 51,756 polling booths across the state.

A few new booths have been set up for a small number of voters in order to encourage people to vote.

More than 5.27 crore voters, including 2.75 crore male and 2.51 crore female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in this election, according to the final voter list.

About 22 lakh voters aged between 18 and 19 years will cast their votes for the first time. 

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कौन हैं जैनब अब्बास? जिनके अचानक भारत छोड़ने पर मच रहा हो हल्ला

Who Is Zainab Abbas: जैनब अब्बास स्पोर्ट्स प्रजेंटर हैं. वह भारत में वनडे विश्व कप 2023 को कवर करने आई थीं. उनके अचानक चले जाने से लोग तरह तरह के कयास लगा रहे हैं. 35 साल की जैनब के पिता घरेलू क्रिकेटर रह चुके हैं जबकि मां इमरान खान की पार्टी में सीनियर सदस्य हैं.

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Visva Bharti Writes To President Over Road At Santiniketan Campus

Visva-Bharati authorities on Sunday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her intervention for returning of a road lined by heritage buildings on the central university's campus from the West Bengal government.

In a letter to the President, Visva-Bharati Vice Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty sought her support for the return of the road on its campus in Santiniketan which was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site last month.

According to the Archeological Survey of India, if vehicles carrying heavy materials are allowed to ply, the roadside buildings, which are more than one hundred years old, will be damaged by the vibration of the movement of these vehicles, Chakrabarty claimed.

The three-km road, connecting Post Office More with Santiniketan, was taken over by the Public Works Department of the state government from the university in 2020 “to facilitate better connectivity”.

The varsity has been demanding the return of the road to protect the heritage structures lined along it.

The letter was written to the President, who is also the Visitor of the central university, days after Visva Bharati authorities urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to consider its request for the return of the road to the institution.

"We have made earnest requests to our chief minister to return the road to Visva Bharati by sending letters to her on September 25 and 30, 2023, although there is no reply," Chakrabarty claimed.

With the take-over of the road passing through the Asram by the PWD department, it has "become a source of nuisance", he said.

E-rickshaws parked on both sides of the road make the movement of tourists very difficult, and vendors set up their temporary shops on the road which is adjacent to the Asram, the VC claimed.

"The place thus becomes noisy, crowded, unmanageable on most of the days when our museums are kept open for the tourists and the crisscrossing of vehicles (tractors etc.) on this road was a source of alarm since not only does it harm the buildings in Asram because of the resultant vibration harming the structures inside Asram but also causes panic to the tourists because some of the drivers are not sensitive to rules and regulations of road safety," Chakrabarty said in the letter.

Many earn their livelihood by driving e-rickshaws and also selling souvenirs to the tourists, the VC said, adding that there are rooms just before the beginning of the Asram area and e-rickshaw drivers and the local sellers used to operate from that location when the road was kept under Visva-Bharati's supervision.

"Visva-Bharati shall take ample care in sustaining the system that worked well so long as this road was managed by its staff. The purpose is to carry on with everybody because the Heritage declaration shall bring more tourists to the campus and it is our prime duty to protect these old buildings and Asram's pristine environment," the VC said.

He also urged the President to "kindly intervene to support" the varsity's endeavour to take back the road, which will enable it to "devise plans in consultation with conservationists for its perfect maintenance".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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