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Brothers in Mysuru turn door-to-door barbers for Dalits after salons refuse services

Two brothers from a Dalit community near Mysuru, Karnataka, have become heroes for members of their community. The two brothers, who live in Kappasoge village in the Mysuru district, have become house-to-house barbers armed with scissors and razors.  They also serve the neighbouring villages like Guruhundi, Gaudarahundi and Madanahalli. They offer not only haircuts but also all kinds of barber services including shaving.

KP Mahadeva and KP Siddaraju are the two brothers from the Dalit community providing doorstep service, including haircuts, to their community.

The majority of the people living in the areas where these brothers provide barber services are from the Dalit community. They say it was difficult to get a haircut. Barbershops within the village have sometimes denied haircuts  to the Dalit community due to various issues. They had to go to Ullahalli or Nanjangud if they wanted to get a haircut or shave. Now these 2 brothers have found an enterprising solution to the social problem prevailing in the area.

Speaking to the press, Mahadeva, one of the brothers, said that their service would not only help their community to make money but also help maintain social harmony and ensure that there would be no hostility between the communities in the villages. Mahadeva said he wanted to set up excellent saloons in Dalit colonies in villages in an effort to end social tensions and strengthen harmony and brotherhood among the people.

The brothers have been providing their doorstep services to the public since the coronavirus pandemic. They charge ₹40 for a haircut and ₹20 for a shave. The brothers, who have been in the business for the past 8 years, hope that the government will provide financial assistance to alleviate any such problems that may arise in their community.

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Thief returns stolen COVID vaccine with apology note in Haryana

India J&J vaccine Quad COVID-19 patent waiver

In a bizarre incident that happened in Haryana on Thursday, a thief who stole 1700 vials of the COVID-19 vaccine returned it back intact and included an apology note with it.

This incident happened in Haryana’s Jind Civil Hospital, where a thief stole over 1700 vials of the vaccine and then proceeded to return them to a tea stall nearby. The vials reported had 1270 doses of Covishield and 440 doses of Covaxin. The thief went ahead to return it with a note that read, “Sorry, didn’t know this was the coronavirus vaccine” in Hindi.

The theft was discovered on Thursday when a sanitation worker found the lots of the General Hospital’s storeroom to have been broken into. Following this, a police complaint was given, and an FIR was filed. The police suspect that he might have stolen the vaccines assuming that it was the covid treatment drug Remdesivir.

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‘Naanum Rowdy Than’: Woman goes on abusive rant and threatens police for being told to wear mask

With the number of cases in the state seeing an exponential increase, district administrations across Tamil Nadu are levying fines on those who violate COVID appropriate behaviour.

In this light, police officers in Thanjavur who were on their duty inspecting vehicles detained a woman in nightie who did not wear a mask. Upon asked to pay the required fine of ₹200, the woman went on an abusive spree.

The police had told her that the fines are being levied based on orders issued by the District Collector to which the woman arrogantly says “You call the Collector. I will speak to him. I will shame him.”

She can also be seen abusing the person shooting the incident on the mobile. “Are you taking video and putting on Facebook? Put me in jail too”, the lady goes on to say.

Watch the full video here.

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Reliance to supply 700 tonnes of oxygen everyday free of cost for COVID treatment

Reliance Industries Ltd. has modified its production structure to produce more than 700 tonnes of medical oxygen per day at its Jamnagar oil refineries. All medical grade oxygen produced here is provided free of charge to the states worst affected by corona.

Reliance operates the world’s largest oil refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Reliance’s Jamnagar refineries in Gujarat initially produced 100 tonnes of medical grade oxygen. Sources have now revealed that Reliance has now increased the capacity of this refinery to over 700 tonnes very quickly. This oxygen, if supplied to states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, will provide relief to more than 70,000 patients daily. The sources also said that the company plans to increase the production capacity of medical grade oxygen to 1,000 tonnes.

As the demand for oxygen is increasing due to the rapid rise of the second wave of coronavirus, Reliance has set up processes to produce and deliver medical quality oxygen to serve the country at such a critical time. It is noteworthy that industrial oxygen is diverted there to produce medical grade oxygen. Tanraj Nathwani, vice-president of the Gujarat Cricket Association and a close associate of Reliance Promoters tweeted, “Reliance Jamnagar supplies 400 tonnes of oxygen daily to Gujarat. It shows our commitment to Gujarat.”

Meanwhile, the Reliance Foundation in association with the Mumbai Corporation has set up a special hospital wing to exclusively treat COVID patients in Mumbai. The 100-bed hospital was set up in two weeks. It is expected to expand to 250 beds soon.

Reliance has built a fully equipped isolation centre in Lodhivali, Maharashtra and handed it over to the district authorities. Besides, the Reliance Foundation has supported the setting up of an isolated ward for suspected patients at the Spontane Holistic Maternal and Child Care Hospital in Mumbai.

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Watch: DMK candidate Karthikeya Sivasenapathy abusing women of his family

In a video that is now getting shared on social media, Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, the  DMK MLA candidate for Thondamuthur constituency can be seen abusing and hurting women of his own family.

The woman recording the video (believed to be his wife) can be heard saying that she cannot stay him anymore. She goes on to say that Karthikeya Sivasenapathy beat her nastily and wished that she died.

Karthikeya Sivasenapathy along with his brother Aravind were arrested in 2014 in a dowry harassment case filed by his wife Renuka Devi. It was reported that Karthikeya Sivasenapathy beat his wife, threatened her at gun point and took away one of their daughters Kundhavai. He had also reportedly damaged Renuka Devi’s car parked outside her house. He had disappeared with their daughter following which Renuka Devi filed a complaint at the Oodhiyur police station. Both Karthikeya Sivasenapathy and his brother Aravind were nabbed later.

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Centre approves proposal to conduct research on using drones for vaccine distribution

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted permission to the Indian Council of Medical Research to study the use of drones for the distribution of the corona vaccine.

In India, from May 1, the government has said that people over the age of 18 can be vaccinated against the coronavirus infection. Thus, the demand for the vaccine is expected to increase across the country. India is a vast country with people living in different landscape including remote hills. In light of this situation, the government seems to be considering whether it is possible to use drones for the delivery and distribution of the vaccine. In turn, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has given permission to the ICMR to study the distribution of vaccines by drone. The ICMR is partnering with IIT-Kanpur for the project.

Already, four cities in Uttarakhand, including Dehradun and Haridwar, have been given permission to use drones to collect information on immovable property. Similarly, the West Central Railway has approved the use of drones to identify areas that are prone to train accident and survey and identify railway assets.

In Ghana, a delivery service named Zipline has been using drones to give Covid-19 vaccines to people living in remote areas.

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Christian missionary indulging in proselytization activities caught red handed by locals in TN

A Christian missionary indulging in proselytization activities was caught red handed by locals in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu.

The man who had come in an auto carried with him a Bible and other pamphlets for distribution in a locality mostly comprising of Hindus.

In the video that has gone viral on social media, locals can be seen confronting a young man in his twenties for coming into the area and engaging in conversion activities. To this, the man can be heard saying that he is not from Church but wants spread the ‘good things’ that he had learnt from Bible.

When asked about who he was and what he was doing, the man claims that he had completed engineering and works as an apprentice at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

“You are working in a central government firm and engaging in conversion activities?” the man recording the video can be heard asking the missionary.

“What are these books? Are they Kamba Ramayanam or Mahabharatham or Naalayira Divyaprabandham? What are these books man?” to which the missionary responds saying that he gives the pamphlets (supposedly containing pictures of Jesus and Bible verses) only to those who wanted it and that he does not ‘forcefully’ give it to anyone.

“Did anyone in this street ask you for it (posters and pamphlets) willingly?” locals lashed him to which the missionary says that he just wanted to spread what he had learnt.

“I learnt a few things when reading Bible. I wanted to shared those”, the man says claiming that he is not from any Church.

From the conversation it can be inferred that another lady had accompanied him and ran away after seeing him getting caught. When asked who that lady was, he said that it was his ‘aunty’.

As the conversation became heated, the missionary said that he had by mistake come to their street and promised to never come to the area for indulging in such activities.

Watch the full video here.

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Shashi Tharoor spreads fake news about former LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Hindustan Times apologizes

On April 22, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor tweeted that former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had passed away.

He said in his tweet “Saddened to learn of the passing of former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. I remember many positive interactions with her, including when she and the late Sushma Swaraj asked me to lead a Parliamentary delegation to BRICS in Moscow. My condolences to her family and prayers: Om Shanti.”

Following Tharoor’s tweet, many other leaders including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule took to expressing condolences.

Even Hindustan Times published a news about the passing away of the former Lok Sabha speaker attributing the source of information to Shashi Tharoor.

However, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya responded to Tharoor’s tweet saying that Sumitra Mahajan was hale and healthy.

He said in Hindi “Tai Ekdum swast hai. Bhagwan unhe lambi umar de (She is absolutely healthy. Let the Almighty give her a long life.)”

Realizing that he had spread fake news, Shashi Tharoor responded to Vijayvargiya’s tweet saying that he has deleted his earlier tweet. “Thanks Kailash Vijayvargiya. I have deleted the tweet. I wonder what motivates people to invent and spread such evil news that takes in people. My best wishes for Sumitra Ji’s health and long life.” Tharoor said in his tweet.

Mandar Mahajan, the youngest son of Sumitra Mahajan responded to the controversy on Friday morning and asked people to not fall prey to rumours.

Mahajan said, “My mother is perfectly healthy. The rumours about her demise are absolutely false. Please don’t believe in such rumours. Her COVID-19 report is also negative. I had met her in the evening itself. She is perfectly healthy.”

Hindustan Times which had published the story based on Shashi Tharoor’s claims, later retracted its story and apologized for the same. The national daily had published the report without verification.

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16 year old boy selected as Udupi Shiroor Mutt head

Aniruddha Saralatthaya, the 16 year old son of Dr. Uday Kumar Saralatthaya and Srividya, from Nidle village in Dharmasthala, has been selected as the 31st successor of Sri Shiroor Mutt. He will be anointed formally on May 14  during the auspicious time (between 12.35 pm- 12.50 pm) at the Sri Sode Mutt in Sirsi of Uttara Kannada district.

The Shiroor Mutt in Udupi is one of the 8 mutts of the Madhwa sect. It was founded by Sri Vamana Tirtha, one of the direct disciples of Sri Madhwacharya.  The throne will be having its successor after lying vacant for more than two years following the untimely death of Sri Laxmivara Theertha.

Aniruddha has studied till class 10 and has studied various schools of thought such as the Veda, Thathparya Nirnaya and Yuktamallika. Sri Vishwavallabha Theertha, the pontiff of Sri Sode Mutt, shouldered the responsibility of appointing a suitable person. He said that appointing a teenager as an heir to the mutts in Udupi is a tradition followed as per the shastras.

After his anointment, Aniruddha will study Vedanta and may continue his formal education but without going to school.

Aniruddha’s ancestors served as priests at Sri Durga Parameshwari temple at Kadya near Subrahmanya in Dakshina Kannada district. His father Dr. Udaya Kumar Saralatthaya came to Udupi in 1988 for higher studies and holds Ph.D. from National Sanskrit University, Tirupati.

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RSS schools to become COVID isolation centres in UP

Saraswati Shishu Mandirs and Saraswati Vidya Mandirs, the schools run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will be converted into isolation centres for COVID patients in Uttar Pradesh should the need arise.

In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, these schools have already been turned into isolation centres to accommodate Covid-19 patients.

Uttar Pradesh Kshetra Sewa Pramukh Naval Kishore was quoted saying in a report that though the situation is under control in the state, they are preparing themselves in advance to handle rise in patients and various ‘prants’ (administrative unit of RSS) have been asked to make use of resources based on the requirement.

The central unit of the RSS has asked for two workers from every prant to coordinate work in the area. Each worker at the prant level will also have workers at the district level to facilitate food, medicines and other logistics.

“So far, we have formed groups of allopathic, ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors who can be contacted for consultation by people. Their numbers have been publicized on social media. We had also held their camps in the past. To get the right treatment is the biggest requirement of people,” Kishore was quoted saying in a report.

The RSS workers are helping people find beds, reach hospitals and vaccination centres, especially for the poor and old.

(With inputs from Sindhu News)

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