SNIPPETS PM Modi greets

Himachal on state’s formation day

NEW DELHI, JAN 25 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people of Himachal Pradesh on the state’s formation day. Hardworking people of the state, full of natural beauty, have also been dedicated to serving the country, he said while wishing them.

Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian Union on January 25, 1971 and has since done well on various development indicators.

2 held for making fake passports in Mumbai

MUMBAI, JAN 24 (PTI): Two persons, including a 62-year-old man, were arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch on Wednesday for allegedly making fake passports and visas and issuing bogus COVID test reports, an official said.

The police are on the lookout for the third member of the gang, he said.

The trio operated from a flat in suburban Andheri. The Crime Branch raided the apartment and seized 28 duplicate passports, 24 bogus visas of different countries and several fake COVID test certificates, said the official. Fake immigration rubber stamps of many countries were found in the flat, he said.

The police have learnt that the trio was charging lakhs to make fake passports and visas. They suspect the gang has already sent many people out of India with the help of the fake documents made by it.

Dalai Lama congratulates new NZ PM

DHARAMSALA (HP), JAN 25 (PTI): The Dalai Lama has written to congratulate Chris Hipkins, who on Wednesday took over as New Zealand’s 41st prime minister following the resignation last week of Jacinda Ardern.

“Today, the world is passing through very testing times. I wish you every success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead in fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the people of New Zealand,” the Tibetan spiritual leader wrote.

“...I have been able to visit your beautiful country several times and have been deeply touched by the interest that people from all walks have shown in my efforts to promote a sense of the oneness of humanity and the need for interreligious harmony,” he said. In a letter to Ardern, the Dalai Lama expressed his admiration for her exemplary leadership.

Dalit student beaten in UP

SHAHJAHANPUR

(UP), JAN 25 (PTI): A Dalit college student was allegedly thrashed by a group of students a month after he stopped them from garlanding a bust of ‘Bharat Mata’ wearing shoes, police said on Wednesday.

According to the police complaint filed in the matter, the victim, Arjun Rana, had a month ago objected to a group garlanding a statue of Bharat Mata wearing shoes, and was beaten up for it on Monday. “A Dalit student, Arjun Rana, was attacked by a group of students headed by two students Shahbaz Yadav and Suryansh Thakur.

The incident took place on PG Ground on Monday,” Additional Superintendent of Police (city) Sanjay Kumar said.

A video of the incident has been doing rounds on social media since Tuesday.