Pigeon with microchip found in Gujarat, anti-terror squad begins probe

March 28, 2015

New Delhi, Mar 28: A pigeon ‘detained’ with a chip on one leg, a ring with a code on the other leg and some writings on its wings near Indo-Pak coastal border in Gujarat has forced the local administration to inform the Union home ministry about its ‘mysterious’ landing.

According to two-page report sent to the home ministry, the coast guard, forest department, forensic experts and state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad have all been asked to pitch in to examine the matter.

PigeonBut since no conclusion could be drawn from the exercise, the probe into the mystery pigeon is still on, says the report.

The pigeon was last in the custody of the police station at Vadinar Marine and a station diary entry was made there before taking charge of the pigeon.

The pigeon was first seen on March 20 about five nautical miles away from the shore of Salaya Essar jetty, which is under construction, in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district.

One of the security guards deployed at the jetty found that the pigeon was carrying a chip in one of its legs and a number '28733' written in a ring in the other leg. One word - 'Rasul-Ul-Allah' - was found written on the wing of the pigeon in Arabic language. The chip had 'Benjing Dual' written on it.

Coast Guard was asked to join the probe and the jetty guards handed over the pigeon to them for further investigation.

Two days later, the Coast Guard informed the local police and registered a preliminary report. The district police removed the ring and the chip from the pigeon's legs and sent the two items to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar for examination.

The Gujarat Forest department officials were also called up for their opinion about the pigeon which is mostly found in North India and such pigeons are used for racing purposes in foreign countries, particularly in Gulf.

The report suggests that the 'Benjing Dual' is used as a reference for pigeon race in some foreign countries.

The reports added that the pigeon might have missed out of a ship somewhere in the deep sea and in search of drinking water might have reached the shore of Salaya Essar jetty.

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News Network
March 5,2020

New Delhi, Mar 5: Retirement fund body EPFO on Thursday lowered interest rate on provident fund deposits to 8.5 per cent for the current financial year, said Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar on Thursday.

The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent rate of interest on EPF for 2018-19 to its around six crore subscribers. The decision was taken at a meeting of the the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) apex decision making body -- the Central Board of Trustee.

"The EPFO has decided to provide 8.5 per cent interest rate on EPF deposits for 2019-20 in the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) meeting today," Gangwar told reporters after the meeting here.

Now, the labour ministry requires the finance ministry's concurrence on the matter. Since the Government of India is the guarantor, the finance ministry has to vet the proposal for EPF interest rate to avoid any liability on account of shortfall in the EPFO income for a fiscal.

The finance ministry has been nudging the labour ministry for aligning the EPF interest rate with other small saving schemes run by the government like the public provident fund and post office saving schemes.

The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent rate of interest to its subscribers for 2016-17 and 8.55 per cent in 2017-18. The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8 per cent in 2015-16.

It had given 8.75 per cent rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5 per cent for 2012-13.

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News Network
June 1,2020

New Delhi, Jun 1: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday asked airlines to allot seats in flights in such a manner that middle seats are kept vacant to the extent possible.

However, if a flyer has been allotted the middle seat due to a high passenger load "then additional protective equipment like the wrap-around gown of the Ministry of Textile approved standards" must be provided to that passenger in addition to three-layered face mask and face shield, said the DGCA order, which has been accessed by news agency.

India resumed its domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. International commercial passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country.

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February 27,2020

New Delhi, Feb 27: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre's attempts to "muzzle" justice and "break people's faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable".

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation.

"The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. "Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," she said.

The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.

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