Godhara, Gujarat:

 A CBI team investigating the NEET-UG malpractices case on Thursday recorded statements of three candidates who had allegedly paid an accused for helping them clear the medical entrance test held at a private school near Godhra in Gujarat.

Besides the three candidates and their parents, the investigators were also questioning Dixit Patel, owner of the local Jay Jalaram School, at the Godhra circuit house, an official said.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has been camping in Gujarat for the last four days to probe alleged malpractice during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test held on May 5.

The school run by Dixit Patel was one of the exam centres.

The team had on Wednesday visited two private schools in Gujarat’s Kheda and Panchmahal districts as part of its probe. CBI officials first visited Jay Jalaram International School on Sevaliya-Balasinor highway in Kheda district, and later the Jay Jalaram School at Godhra in Panchmahal district.

Both the schools, located 100 km apart, are owned by Patel.

A case was registered by Godhra Police on May 8 against three persons under various Indian Penal Code provisions including criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust for allegedly trying to help 27 candidates clear the NEET-UG by charging Rs 10 lakh each.

On June 23, the CBI filed a fresh FIR (first information report) against unidentified persons under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating), among others, amid countrywide protests and litigation by students for a probe into paper leak claims.

The CBI has taken over the investigation of five new cases of alleged malpractices in NEET-UG being probed by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar.

The Gujarat police had arrested five persons, including the principal and a teacher of a school in Godhra, in these cases.

The racket was unearthed after the Panchmahal district collector received a tip-off that some persons were involved in malpractices linked to the exam, as per the FIR registered on May 8 by the Godhra police.

Since the tip-off was received in advance, authorities prevented malpractices at the centre (Jay Jalaram School in Godhra) and the exam was conducted without a hitch, the FIR said.

Physics teacher Tushar Bhatt, school principal Parshottam Sharma, Vadodara-based education consultant Parsuram Roy, his aide Vibhor Anand and alleged middleman Arif Vohra were arrested by police.

As per the FIR registered at the Godhra taluka police station on a complaint of the district education officer, Rs 7 lakh in cash were recovered from Bhatt who taught at Jay Jalaram School and was appointed the deputy centre superintendent for NEET in the city.

Out of 27 students who had either paid in advance or agreed to pay money to Roy and others, only three were able to clear the exam, according to sources.

The accused had asked the candidates to solve a question if they knew the answer, and leave the remaining paper blank. The answers of remaining questions were be filled in by Bhatt when the papers were collected after the exam, as per the FIR.

More than 24 lakh students appeared for the NEET UG 2024 across centres in 571 cities. Results were released on June 4.

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

Ahmedabad:

Two people lost their lives while three were injured after a blast occurred in the Odhav Nagar Industrial Area in the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat on Monday.

The blast occurred at a powder coating firm in Ahmedabad on Monday, said the official.

The victim have been identified as Rameshbhai Patel (50), the owner of the firm and Pawan Kumar (25), the worker of the firm.

In the initial investigation, information has been received that the fire broke out in the compressor, which was located near the LPG gas cylinder and due to which the explosion occurred in the cylinder.

Upon receiving the information, the officials from the fire department arrived swiftly at the spot to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, the bodies have been sent for a post-mortem in the nearby civil hospital, while the injured have been admitted to the nearest Arogya Kendra and their treatment is underway.

Speaking with ANI, the Nikol Fire Station Officer, SS Gadhavi, said, “The blast occurred at the Bansi Powder Coating firm in Odhav Nagar Industrial area. It was a powder coating firm, hot processing is done for powder coating, there was some pressure in the oven, so the blast happened. Two casualties have happened and three people were injured. The injured have been admitted to the hospital.”

He further stated, “The deceased have been taken to the Civil Hospital for the medical procedures of the postmortem, while the injured are admitted to the nearest Arogya Kendra for further treatment.

Speaking about the provision of Fire NOC in the area, the officer said, “It is an industrial area and there is no provision of Fire NOC in the area.”

Fire NOC means No Objection Certificate regarding Fire Safety Equipments installation in the building as per National Building Code (NBC) norms.

Fire NOC issued by the respective state fire service verifies that a building is resistant or unlikely to observe any fire related accidents. By meeting certain guidelines laid down by the fire department, an applicant can obtain NOC for his residential or commercial building.

The fire department team and FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) team is further incestigating the matter.

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

Ahmedabad:

The authorities during a raid at a village in Gujarat’s Kutch district seized 340 litres of illicit liquor and arrested nine persons for their alleged involvement in the illegal liquor trade, an official said on Sunday.

The raid was conducted by the officials of the State Monitoring Cell — a branch of the Gujarat Police — at Navinal village near Mundra.

Three people managed to evade capture during the raid.

“Among those arrested, Gajubha Jadeja, a former president of the Mundra Taluka Congress, has been identified as a key figure in the illicit narcotics network operating in Mundra. The State Monitoring Cell continues its efforts to crack down on such activities, aiming to curb the illegal liquor trade in the region,” a source said.
 

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

A woman wanted to satiate her food cravings and ordered a Paneer Tikka sandwich from an eatery through a food-delivery app. Her dinner arrived from ‘Pick Up Meals by Terra’ in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. But instead of a Paneer Tikka sandwich, the restaurant delivered a sandwich with chicken.

Nirali, a pure vegetarian by choice, ordered from her office in Ahmedabad’s Science City on May 3. After a few bites, she felt the paneer was harder than usual. She thought it was soya, but it turned out to be chicken. The woman has never eaten non-vegetarian food and has now filed a complaint against the eatery seeking damages.

The woman has written to the Deputy Health Officer of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, filing a complaint against the eatery. 

Meanwhile, the Food Department has imposed a Rs 5,000 fine against the restaurant but the woman told India Today, “The incident was very dreadful and it can’t be reversed. Rs 5,000 fine is not enough and I will go to the consumer court.”

The woman said she would approach the consumer court to seek justice and said she had asked for compensation of Rs 50 lakh. “I could’ve asked for more but even that wouldn’t have served justice to what I felt,” she said. There is no response from the restaurant yet in the incident. 

Meanwhile, people have criticised her online for her demands but the woman said she is doing it for the youth who face such experiences and don’t know about their rights. However, some people have supported her decision to seek Rs 50 lakh as compensation.

– With Inputs from Ravi Bakola
 

Ahmedabad:

 Around a thousand voters from across three villages in Gujarat boycotted voting in the Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday, while those in as many other villages partially stayed away from the process over their unfulfilled demands from the government, officials said.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that as per the preliminary information, the voters of Kesar village in Bharuch district, Sanadhara in Surat district and Bhakhari in Banaskantha district completely boycotted voting, while the voters at Bhatgam village in Junagadh district, and Bodoli and Kunjara villages in Mahisagar district boycotted it partially.

Sanadhara village falls under Bardoli Lok Sabha seat and has 320 voters.

As per the Election Commission report, none of the 320 voters cast their votes over certain outstanding issues even as the local poll administration and representatives of political parties tried to persuade them to come out and exercise their franchise.

Around 300 voters in Bakhri village that falls under Patan parliamentary constituency also decided to collectively boycott voting in protest against division of their gram panchayat.

Despite persuasion, they remained steadfast in their decision to not exercise their voting right.

Poll preparations were made since early morning, but the villagers did not turn up for voting even as polling officers kept waiting. Villagers are aggrieved over the division of their gram panchayat, they said.

Even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Bharatsinh Dabhi reached the village and requested them to join the poll process, but to no avail.

Around 350 voters in Kesar village of Bharuch district also remained adamant on their decision to not cast their votes and by the end of the day not a single vote was cast.

This was not the first time that the voters had boycotted their votes. They have done so in the past as well, as their demands to build a bridge over a river has not been fulfilled by the government despite repeated demands, locals said.

Polling for 25 out of the total 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat were held in a single phase on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Surat seat unopposed.

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

Ambaji:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday offered prayers at the famous temple of Goddess Amba in Ambaji town of Gujarat’s Banaskantha district.

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the state from Monday, reached Ahmedabad in the morning by an aircraft and then headed to Chikhla, a village near Ambaji, by helicopter.

Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the road when the PM’s convoy reached the temple town of Ambaji.

Prime Minister Modi performed pooja at the temple after being welcomed by local leaders and priests.

After offering prayers at Ambaji, Prime Minister Modi left for Dabhoda village in Kheralu taluka of Mehsana for a public function where he will launch various development projects worth Rs 5,950 crore and address a gathering.

The projects are pertaining to various government departments, including the Indian Railways, Gujarat Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (GRIDE), state water resource and water supply departments, roads and buildings and the urban development departments, a government release said.

The 16 development initiatives to be unveiled by Modi cover districts of Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Gandhinagar and Patan, it said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme at Kevadiya in Narmada district on the birth anniversary of the country’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 

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

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on Thursday honoured Gujarat’s Dhordo as the “best tourism village”. Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared pictures of his visits to the village in 2009 and 2015 and said that he is “absolutely thrilled” at the development. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi wished a bright future for Dhordo and stated that this honour not only showcases the potential of Indian tourism but also the dedication of the people of Kutch in particular. He even asked people to share their memories, saying that it would inspire others to visit the place. 

“Absolutely thrilled to see Dhordo in Kutch being celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. This honour not only showcases the potential of Indian tourism but also the dedication of the people of Kutch in particular. May Dhordo continue to shine and attract visitors from around the world!” Pm Modi wrote. 

“I’m sharing some memories of my visits to Dhordo in 2009 and 2015. I also invite you all to share your memories from your previous visits to Dhordo. This will inspire more people to visit. And, don’t forget to use #AmazingDhordo,” he added. 

Absolutely thrilled to see Dhordo in Kutch being celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. This honour not only showcases the potential of Indian tourism but also the dedication of the people of Kutch in particular.

May Dhordo continue to shine and attract… https://t.co/cWedaTk8LGpic.twitter.com/hfJQrVPg1x

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 20, 2023

Separately, Union Minister Piyush Goyal also shared pictures of the Rann Utsav scheduled to begin pon November 10 this year. “When are you booking your trip to Dhordo? This village in Kutch, Gujarat has been honoured with the “Best Tourism Village” tag by @UNWTO. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the annual cultural extravaganza of the Rann Utsav at the tent city here that begins on November 10 this year,” Mr Goyal tweeted. 

Take a look below: 

When are you booking your trip to Dhordo?

This village in Kutch, Gujarat has been honoured with the “Best Tourism Village” tag by @UNWTO.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the annual cultural extravaganza of the Rann Utsav at the tent city here that begins on November… pic.twitter.com/VObsp94wbt

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) October 20, 2023

Earlier, the tourism ministry announced that Dhordo has been honoured as the “Best Tourism Village” by the WTO – a United Nations agency working to promote tourism for sustainable development. “This accolade reflects the village’s exemplary contribution to sustainable and responsible tourism,” the ministry said. 

Notably, Gujarat’s Dhordo village is located in the Great Rann of Kutch. It is well-known for hosting the annual Rann Utsav – a vibrant cultural festival that showcases the traditional art, music and crafts of the region. 

Ahmedabad:

Union Home Minister and Gandhinagar MP Amit Shah on Saturday interacted with children of anganwadi centres in his constituency and also joined them in entertainment activities at a gaming zone.

Shah said, as an MP, he was trying to ensure that children of anganwadi centres get the same facilities as those available for children from affluent families.

“Today, I went to a gaming zone with children of Anganwadi centers of my Lok Sabha constituency. Here the children enjoyed playing their favourite games,” Shah posted on X.

आज अपने लोकसभा क्षेत्र के आंगनवाड़ी केंद्रों के बच्चों को लेकर एक गेमिंग जोन में जाना हुआ। यहाँ बच्चों ने अपने मन पसंदीदा गेम्स खेलकर आनंद लिया।

एक सांसद के नाते मेरा प्रयास है कि मेरे लोकसभा क्षेत्र के आंगनवाड़ी केंद्रों के बच्चों को हर संभव सुविधाएँ और खुशियाँ मिलें, जो संपन्न… pic.twitter.com/XP7OnoUqKQ

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 14, 2023

The BJP leader said continuous efforts are being made to provide children from anganwadis with good education and nutritious food and toys are distributed.

The children are entertained by taking them to gaming zones. I am extremely overwhelmed to see this happiness and enthusiasm of the children, said Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat.

Shah’s visit was part of a campaign under the initiative of the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency wherein unusable toys are collected and given to the underprivileged children at anganwadia and for their home use.

Shah interacted with children, participated in entertainment activities, and distributed toys, a release said.

Later, Shah went to Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad to watch the India-Pakistan World Cup cricket match. 

Surat:

A female teacher of a private school was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly beating up a four-year-old girl studying in the pre-primary section of the institute in Gujarat’s Surat city, said police.

The teacher, Jashodaben Khokharia, was arrested and charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and also relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Vipul Patel.

“Based on a complaint given by the girl’s parents, we have arrested the teacher Jashodaben,” said Vipul Patel.

The issue came to light when the parents of the girl, studying in the pre-primary section of a private school, shared CCTV footage with the media showing Khokharia repeatedly hitting their daughter on her back and slapping her for some reason during class on Monday.

In the CCTV footage of the classroom, Khokharia can be seen sitting near the child and slapping her on her back and on face for nearly 30 times.

When TV channels highlighted the issue, Gujarat Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya condemned the ill-treatment of the child and asked the District Education Officer to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

The girl’s parents told reporters their daughter did not inform them about the teacher’s brutality and they learnt about it on seeing swelling marks on her body after she came back from the school on Monday.

“We visited the school on Tuesday and asked the principal to show us CCTV footage of her classroom. The footage clearly shows how mercilessly my daughter was thrashed by the teacher in front of other students. We want authorities to give us justice,” an angry father of the girl said.

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

Ahmedabad:

Two persons who used to travel by air allegedly to steal money from ATMs have been arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in Gujarat for theft of Rs 10.72 lakh here, a police official said on Sunday.

During a probe into the ATM theft using a gas cutter under Amraiwadi police station limits this month, it was found the two accused hailing from Punjab had come by flight from Chandigarh to Ahmedabad to carry out the heist, he said.

“They stayed in a hotel near Ahmedabad airport which they booked on the basis of a duplicate Aadhaar card. They purchased a two-wheeler from an online marketing site, bought gas cutters, oxygen cylinders and entered an ATM they chose using Google Maps,” he said.

“They cut open the ATM, stole Rs 10.72 lakh in Rs 500 denomination notes, went back to the hotel, collected their belongings and flew to Delhi. They used to fly to different places to steal from ATMs in this manner,” the official added.

Based on a case registered in Amraiwadi police station, the two were held.

One of the accused, Amarjot Singh Aroda, was arrested at Mohali in 2005 in a murder case and was released on bail in 2010. He was also arrested while trying to break open ATMs in Nagpur and Pune in Maharashtra in April and June this year.

He also has four different FIRs lodged against him in Bengaluru for attempt to murder, robbery, theft, etc, as per police.