While husband Dharmendra is at their Lonavala farm, Hema Malini is spending lockdown at her Juhu home with pet dogs. The veteran star provided a glimpse of her 'special family members' on Twitter. She shared pictures of Snoopy, the stray she adopted as a puppy. She also has a Golden Retriever called Gypsy "who has now grown old and spends the entire afternoon with me (sic)."

Song of the hills

Jubin Nautiyal is spending lockdown in hometown Dehradun. The Tum hi aana singer is keeping fans entertained through virtual performances from his rooftop. Considering the picturesque backdrop in the hilly terrain, fans have now asked for a virtual concert. He has lined up a show on April 26, which will stream live on his social media handles. Nautiyal will render Bollywood as well as English tracks.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim is using the COVID-19 lockdown period to strengthen his bond with mother Amrita Singh and sister Sara Ali Khan. "I'm spending quarantine, strengthening my bond with my mother and sister as we take charge of the household chores," Ibrahim wrote on Instagram.

"I came across a video which is a simple reminder to support our extended families of our neighborhood, especially the elderly who are the most in need amid the COVID-19 crisis. It's time we strengthen bonds and #ShowWeCare by helping them with essentials and ensure their well-being," he added.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I'm spending quarantine, strengthening my bond with my mother and sister as we take charge of the household chores. This video by @vicks_india is a simple reminder to support the extended families of our neighborhood, especially the elderly who are the most in need amid the COVID-19 crisis. It's time we strengthen bonds and #ShowWeCare by helping them with essentials and ensure their well-being. #IndiaFightsCorona #QuarantineLife #FightCoronaTogether #StaySafe #covid_19 #StrongerTogether #TogetherWeCan #VicksPartner

A post shared by Ibrahim Ali Khan (@iakpataudi) onApr 22, 2020 at 5:33am PDT

Recently, Ibrahim also joined celebrities including Virat Kolhi and Siddhant Chaturvedi to voice concern for senior citizens amid the ongoing health crisis.

Kolhi used social media to request his fans to step up during the difficult time and check if senior citizens living in their vicinity are in need of any essentials or any other support. Siddhant, famous for his role as 'MC Sher' in "Gully Boy", called senior citizens living in his building and checked on their well-being. He told his fans on social media how simple acts of care towards the most in need while practicing social distancing can go a long way in emerging out stronger as a nation.

Kohli, Siddhant and Ibrahim were urging people to extend care for the elderly in an initiative by P&G Vicks.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Actress Raveena Tandon has appealed all to extend help to the family of deceased Palghar lynching victim Nilesh Telwade. Sharing a website where one can donate, Raveena Tandon tweeted: "A fundraiser for the 29 yr old driver who was lynched along with Hindu sadhus. He leaves behind two little girls, please do your bit and help this family."

Twenty-nine-year-old Nilesh, a driver by profession, was lynched along with two sadhus by a mob of over 200 people in Maharashtra's Palghar last week. The brutal incident occurred while they were travelling from Nashik to Surat with some relief materials.

Suspecting them to be thieves, the crowd started questioning them, abused and then assaulted them brutally with sticks, rods and stones. Nilesh Telwade's untimely death has left his family including his wife and two little daughters in a helpless condition.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Three-time National Award-winning actor Naseeruddin Shah is utilising a substantial part of his lockdown hours catching up on the plays of William Shakespeare. "I am one of those people who can stay at home and enjoy a lot of indoor. I am watching movies, reading books. I have started helping in the kitchen that I kind of stopped after marriage. I did not cook for a long time. I am reading a couple of plays of Shakespeare to my son. We are spending quality time," the veteran actor told IANS.

Shah has two sons, Vivaan and Imaad, both actors. His 2017 film, "The Hungry" directed by Bornali Chatterjee, was a modern day adaptation of Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus".

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

In 3 idiots, Boman Irani claimed that nobody remembered the man who came second. Birthday boy Arijit Singh could counter that. He participated in the singing reality show, Fame Gurukul, but was eliminated rather early. Today, over 15 years later, his voice has transcended boundaries and borders and the man has been charming one and all with his sensational and soothing singing skills.

His birthday would be the aptest occasion to revisit some of his best and most memorable songs that not only got permanently etched in people's minds but also showcased his unfairly overlooked versatility. Contrary to the memes and opinions, there's a lot more to his voice than pain and anguish. He has nearly nailed all possible kinds of songs in all genres that need to be highlighted and quick.

Here we go:

Love

1. Phir Mohabbat- Murder 2 (2011)

Emraan Hashmi and chartbuster music seem to be a match made in heaven. Music directors and singers always reserve their best, or at least one of their best works, for this star. Murder 2 was the first time the nation heard of Arijit Singh, and the way the song was crooned and captured, there was something haunting about his voice and the titillating chemistry between the actors. Always trust the Bhatts to pull off both!

2. Tum Hi Ho (2013)

What Aashiqui was to Kumar Sanu, the sequel was to Singh. Both Sanu and Singh became overnight stars and sensations post the historic success of these two films. Mahesh Bhatt and Mohit Suri's Aashiquis weren't as much about the plot and performances as much as they were about their iconic soundtrack. So if 1990 gave us Saanson Ki Zaroorat, 2013 gave us the love anthem of that year- Tum Hi Ho. Again, a deep melody that can hardly fade away. Couples that love to revel in their PDA would unabashedly embrace the track and romanticise about its melody, making it one of the most celebrated songs of the decade. A star was born!

Longing

Kabira- Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)

Kabir aka Bunny from Ayan Mukerji's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani wasn't exactly a likeable character. His ambitions and aspirations may have been relatable and contagious, his callousness wasn't. Kabir wasn't exactly a loner, but preferred to stay in his own world that comprises of everything and anything that gives him an adrenaline rush, or as Salman Khan said- Kick! In a film where everyone around him wants him to come back and be with people who love him, there couldn't have been a better song than Kabira to perfectly describe this protagonist. The lyrics were- "Ae Kabira Yun Na Jaa", and rightly so since all the characters in the film, right from his parents to friends to Naina, wanted him to stay. The song sums up how the feeling of longing looks and feels like.

Loneliness

1. Tum Saath Ho- Tamasha (2015)

Imtiaz Ali knows how to create a moment between his hero and heroine, especially with a good script and on a good day. Tamasha must have happened in his life during the best phase of his life. Just like Bunny, it was difficult to understand Ved, and his unpredictable outbursts were both shocking and scary. Tara begins to feel she has lost him forever and wants him back, but his stubbornness won't just allow him to hold her hand. In the filmmaker's own words, the emotions were real, and so were Arijit Singh and Alka Yagnik's enchanting vocals that powered what is one of the best songs to describe and depict loneliness.

2. Channa Mereya- Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016)

Is there any other actor who can show sadness as seamlessly as Ranbir Kapoor? Even he has begun to joke about it now. And Singh's voice, often described as solemn and sombre, perfectly fits Kapoor's on-screen demeanour. Channa Mereya is what you call a song that's been made for people who have been through the feeling of one-sided love. It still is the unlikeliest wedding song ever to exist in a Dharma Production film. And very similar to Tum Hi Ho, this made musical history too!

Lounges

1. Palat- Main Tera Hero (2014)

There are certain songs that can arouse the dancer inside you once you play them, especially in lounges. Palat from Main Tera Hero gave us a very different side of the singer. For someone who was always called to make people cry, was making us dance to his voice. This title track was infectiously choreographed and energetically crooned by the singer that it is a personal favourite even today!

2. Sooraj Dooba Hai- Roy (2015)

Not many people have seen Roy, and those who have, may not remember what exactly they saw. But they do remember what they heard. They heard the song Sooraj Dooba Hai, which became a rage when it came out. Singh's voice can hook and hypnotise you, both. And it's very rare to find a voice as versatile as his. So why don't we just end those jokes and memes that suggest Arijit Singh does not smile and nor do his songs?

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Naseeruddin Shah is spending time by doing what he likes the most — catching up on the plays of William Shakespeare. The veteran actor says he can stay indoors for days on end. He has been devouring classics and writing.

Naseer is also helping in the household chores much to wife Ratna Pathak Shah's surprise. He had stopped stepping into the kitchen after marriage decades ago. Now, he is brushing up on his rusty cooking skills.

"I am one of those people who can stay at home and enjoy a lot of indoor. I am watching movies, reading books. I have started helping in the kitchen that I kind of stopped after marriage. I did not cook for a long time. I am reading a couple of plays of Shakespeare to my son. We are spending quality time," the veteran actor told IANS.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Sonu Sood is a man on mission to spread positivity and help as many people possible in these difficult times of Covid - 19. The actor has truly been unstoppable in doing his bit. Right from feeding thousands of under privileged families and strays across Mumbai to giving out his Juhu hotel for medical forces and even providing meal kits to over 25,000 migrants during the month of Ramadan - he's making sure to contribute to the society in every way possible in these trying times.

All we need is a united stand! #BharatEkSaathHai, out now : https://t.co/fWtLpWxV1A@itsBhushanKumar @SonuSood pic.twitter.com/Thdn5qQS0v

— TSeries (@TSeries) April 24, 2020

The ace actor has yet again managed to make a lot of noise with his recent gesture. Sonu Sood has now penned and sung an emotional poem and created an anthem of hope for all coronavirus warriors. Some lines of the beautiful poem read as, "Maana Ki Ghani Raat Hai, Iss Raat Se Ladne Ke Liye, Pura Bharat Ek Sath Hai... Teri Koshish Meri Koshish Rang Layegi, Fir Ussi Bheed Ka Hissa Hongey, Bas sirf kuch he dino ki baat hai... Maana Ki Ghani Raat Hai, Magar Pura Bharat Ek Sath Hai...."

Opening up about the anthem, Sonu Sood in a statement, "This is something really close to my heart, something I really wanted to do for all Indians out there, especially our Corona warriors. I hope with my poem, I'm able to motivate people to stay positive and make them believe that we will come out of this stronger than ever. It's my tribute to all the heroes fighting this deadly battle.

A source informs that when Sonu reached out to T-Series & Bhushan Kumar with the poem, they immediately agreed to be on board as the main intention is to spread positivity & hope in difficult times.

Sood's special anthem is a reminder for each one of us to know and believe that the good old days will be back soon and it's just a matter of time. One look at the video and it won't be wrong to say that Sonu's contribution in making this world a better place is here to go a long way.

The poem is being presented by T-Series.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Six weeks ago, Taapsee Pannu's date diary was so chock-a-block that she "couldn't even make time for my dental surgery". Cut to present—the actor is confined to her home, feeling helpless as the schedules for her four back-to-back projects have been "disrupted" due to the lockdown. While she was to shoot a portion of Rashmi Rocket in early April, Pannu says she had dedicated the summer to film Looop Lapeta, the official adaptation of the German thriller, Run Lola Run (1998).

"Looop Lapeta was to be shot across Goa and Mumbai. We had planned to film the outdoor portions before the monsoon, and complete the indoor portions during the rains. Now, we will have to re-work the outdoor schedule because monsoons last for four months here. When the situation returns to normal, we'll have to start the planning on every project from scratch," says Pannu, who is utilising the time for scripts narrations over video calls. "I liked one of the scripts I recently heard, so I'll assign dates to that as well."

A still from German thriller Run Lola Run

So, what is she doing when not cherry-picking projects? "I am working out regularly; otherwise, it will be difficult to attain the fitness level [that is required for Rashmi Rocket and Shabaash Mithu]. My trainer and I are in touch, but I am mostly resorting to floor and mat exercises. Currently, my cardio workout includes climbing stairs." The stay-at-home period has also made her explore her culinary skills. "I have lived alone for 10 years, and until now, I didn't even know how to make tea! But, now, I am an expert. I made biryani and butter garlic prawns for my sister's birthday. And on today's menu is matar paneer," she laughs before hanging up.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Veteran actor Anil Kapoor has shared a few fitness tips, revealing how has maintained a fit physique over the years -- that too without consumption of supplements. "I made this post not to show off or talk myself up, but to pass on some simple advice on. When it comes to body building, nothing is beyond us. At different ages we can work differently to achieve great results. If you're asking if you need to spend a lot of money on supplements to achieve this, the answer is no. I have not taken any kind of supplements in this process," he wrote on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by anilskapoor (@anilskapoor) onApr 25, 2020 at 1:52am PDT

The 63-year-old-star also shared that he has been working on his body for six years to achieve the best results. And now when the world is going through major health crisis, the actor urges people to pay proper attention to physical health.

"My trainer Marc and I have been talking about doing this kind of rebuild of my body for as many years as we have been together, which is 6 years! Time was always a stumbling block, or filming requirements, endorsements, social obligations or family time. Every year we would say we - this year for sure.

"Now in these very difficult circumstances, time is something we all seem to have a great deal of, so why not use this time to do the things you always promised yourself you would do. Strengthen your body, build muscle, build immunity, build flexibility. Respect your body. We might never have this much time available to us ever again," Kapoor added.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Actress Bhumi Pednekar has been honing her green thumb during the COVID-19 lockdown. The actress has taken to social media to share the yield she has grown at home. The list includes feugreek (methi), mustard (sarson), amaranth (cholai), green chillies, brinjals and strawberries.

Sharing the photos of her homegrown crops on Instagram, the actress wrote: "After months of tender love & care, we present to you #PednekarKePed #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

After months of tender love & care,we present to you #PednekarKePed 🌱 #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving

A post shared by Bhumi✨ (@bhumipednekar) onApr 25, 2020 at 2:56am PDT

Earlier this month, the actress had announced that she would utilise the lockdown time learning the science of hydroponics (soil-less) farming from her mother Sumitra Pednekar.

"My mom and I always wanted to have a hydroponics garden of our own where we grow our own vegetables and can have a fully sustainable lifestyle. We wanted to have a garden to table lifestyle at home and we are both happy with the progress," she had shared.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is elated as she's raised over 2,500 PPE kits for doctors and Rs 16 lakhs for those who are battling at the frontline to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 pandemic.

Vidya had also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar. She took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon where she shared the good news.

"I've woken up to good news this morning. We've reached 2500+ PPE kits and raised over 16 lakh in just a few hours. A big thank you to each of you who has donated and made this possible. A load of gratitude and bless you. This is truly the unity and spirit of India..." she said in the video.

Here it is:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I’m elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs.16 lakhs within few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target. The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven’t been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let’s #UniteForHumanity #StayHome #StaySafe

A post shared by Vidya Balan (@balanvidya) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:21pm PDT

Alongside the video, Vidya wrote: "Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I'm elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs 16 lakh within a few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target.” (sic)

"The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven't been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let's #UniteForHumanity #StayHome#StaySafe".

In an earlier post, the Mission Mangal star had informed that each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Sharing a video which he termed as 'a small step towards humanity', megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Sunday urged people to stay compassionate and inclusive in the testing times of coronavirus crisis.

Bachchan took to Twitter to share the initiative of spreading love and compassion across the country.

T 3513 - A small step towards #Humanity pic.twitter.com/dHu6ZE7aMd

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 26, 2020

The video message for which Bachchan has given his voice talks about different times when humans need a helping hand from several professionals and how during times of crisis people should not forget that humans are interdependent on each other. "A doctor held me in his arms when I came out of my mother's womb. A nurse bathed me with her gentle hands when I was a little baby. My teacher held my finger with her fingers when she taught me to write the first alphabet 'A.' My safety was in the hands of our driver when I went to school," Bachchan is heard saying in the video.

"When I ate, I always knew that it was prepared by the loving hands of our cook. We always needed those hands, we still need them, those safe hands, those protective arms, those guiding fingers," he further said.

He then correlated the message to the current scenario of the coronavirus crisis and said that social distancing should not distance people from humanity.

"Today, handwashing and social distancing have become paramount for our safety. So, hands folded I implore you, let us not wash our hands of humanity," the 'Sholay' actor said.

"Let us not suspicious of people around us, let us not shun people around us, let us not shame people around us. Let us be aware, let us be compassionate, let us be benevolent, let us be inclusive, let us be human," he added.

The 77-year-old actor has been associated with different campaigns and has also been raising awareness about coronavirus for a long time.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Dubbing her as 'wanderlust', actor Kangana Ranaut's team on Sunday posted throwback pictures of her from her trip to Europe in 2008. The picture featured a younger Kangana in her early 20s travelling to various parts of Europe including famous Italy based amphitheatre - the Colosseum.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Major #Throwback check: Wanderlust Kangana travelling all around Europe (in 2008!!) learning about art-history and wines. Sundays are for reminiscing about those carefree days, till we can travel again ...

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onApr 26, 2020 at 4:08am PDT

The 'Queen' actor is seen dressed in simple yet elegant outfits in the pictures from her two-month-long trip to Europe. "#Throwback to the good old travel days! Major throwback to 2008 when the 21-year-old art, history, and travel enthusiast #KanganaRanaut travelled to Italy for a 2 months long trip!" the team tweeted along with the pictures.

They also shared trivia on the 'Tanu Weds Manu' actor's travel diaries and said that Kangana used to take her camera to each of her trips. "Interesting Trivia: before the iPhone days, she used to take her camera along everywhere," the team tweeted.

Kangana began her acting career at a very young age with her debut film 'Gangster' for which she garnered a lot of appreciation.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Sharing a doodle that said 'not all heroes wear capes,' actor Arjun Kapoor on Monday applauded the healthcare workers of the country who are fighting to combat COVID-19.

The 'Panipat' actor took to Twitter to share the doodle that featured a doctor, a nurse, and a medical staff taking care of an elderly person.

Bowing down to health workers today for their tremendous efforts to #FightCovid19! They work 24/7, through the year to deliver critical services like immunization across the country. Let’s stand #Together4Health and applaud their unwavering grit and determination! pic.twitter.com/9VkuE4kFYm

— arjunk26 (@arjunk26) April 27, 2020

The doodle was titled 'not all heroes wear capes' and an additional text on it read, 'Front-line health workers are working round the clock to keep us safe & healthy. True Heroes.'

Kapoor also urged others to stand up and applaud the healthcare workers for their unwavering determination.

"Bowing down to health workers today for their tremendous efforts to #FightCovid19! They work 24/7, through the year to deliver critical services like immunization across the country," he tweeted.

"Let's stand #Together4Health and applaud their unwavering grit and determination!" his tweet further read.

The '2 States' actor has been posting on social media to raise awareness about different issues related to the coronavirus ever since the crisis began in the country.

Kapoor has several times posted on social media asking people to not abandon their pets due to coronavirus and has also urged people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Turns out, the high-intensity workout program, CrossFit, can do a lot besides just keeping people fit and fine. According to a study conducted by The Physiological Society, a six-week CrossFit exercise programme can lead to improved control of blood sugar levels and decreased risk of heart disease in people with Type II diabetes.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. Type II diabetes is the most common form, which is where the body doesn't produce enough of the hormone that controls sugar levels, called insulin. People with Type II diabetes are at significantly higher risk of heart disease. A primary focus for managing diabetes is exercise, as it has been shown to improve the body's ability to control sugar levels by making the body more sensitive to the insulin produced.

However, adherence to exercise advice is particularly low amongst those with Type II diabetes, who are mostly overweight or obese, with lack of time being cited as one of the greatest barriers to regular exercise. This new research suggested that a high-intensity exercise programme such as CrossFit improves the ability of the body to control blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin required.

Importantly, these improvements appear to be similar to the sort of change we would expect from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than health guidelines recommend. CrossFit, therefore, offered a time-effective exercise approach for people with Type II diabetes who struggle to maintain daily exercise.

CrossFit is a high-intensity training intervention incorporating both endurance and strength training. Sessions range from 8-20 minutes in duration and represent a far more time-effective form of exercise than traditional exercise interventions. CrossFit has been growing in popularity over the past decade, although until now it was not clear whether such forms of exercise would improve the ability of individuals with Type II diabetes to control their sugar levels.

For this research, thirteen overweight/obese patients with Type II diabetes were recruited to participate in a 6-week CrossFit exercise programme. Participants' blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity (an individual's ability to reduce high blood sugar levels effectively) were assessed both before and after the exercise programme, in addition to their blood chemistries and blood pressure, which were tested to predict heart disease risk.

The post-exercise intervention test results showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and heart disease risk factors. Importantly, these improvements appeared to be similar to the sort of changes expected from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than such guidelines recommend. The study appears in the journal Experimental Physiology.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Representational Image

According to WHO, about 9.8 million people die every year due to hypertension-related complications. Hypertension is considered a silent killer producing heart disease, kidney failure and strokes. About 35 percent of world population above the age of 25 suffers from hypertension. One of the important strategies to lower hypertension in the population and its complications is reducing salt intake. Developed countries like Finland, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have been actively campaigning for the reduction of salt intake in the population. In these countries, there has been a close association between government and NGO’s for this purpose. Finland was the first country to show an enormous health benefit by reducing salt in the diet. Not only the population’s health improves, there is also a great benefit in saving health expenditure related to heart revascularization and dialysis.

How does eating salt lead to or cause hypertension?

Eating salt increases the amount of salt in your blood, which ruins the balance of electrolytes and other vitamins and minerals in your body. This imbalance reduces your kidney's ability to filter out toxins from your body. It also reduces your kidney's ability to get rid of excess fluid from your body. This results in high blood pressure due to excess fluid in your body that exerts pressure on the blood vessels leading to the kidneys. 

How much is too much?

Dr Umesh Khanna, Senior Nephrologist and Secretary of Amar Gandhi Foundation said, “The WHO’s recommendation of salt intake from all sources is less than 5 grams per day. Salt or sodium is present in natural food, it is added while cooking and also used as a preservative for processed food. Considering the rapid economic growth that is happening in our country with urbanization and increased demand for processed food, it is imperative that we act at the earliest to control the salt intake of the Indian population.”

What happens when you reduce your salt intake?
“Salt or Sodium in various forms has been used as a preservative for several thousand years. It enhances the taste, prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms and can improve the texture of food, Taste is often a habit and high salt intake can saturate the taste buds. If you lower salt intake for 2 weeks you can start appreciating low salt intake and other tastes,” says Dr Umesh Khanna

What are the most common hidden sources of salt one should keep an eye out for?

Dr Umesh Khanna said, “Sodium in various forms is used as a flavouring, buffering, anticaking, leavening, thickening and stabilizing agent. The biggest culprit is in baked goods especially bread and instant noodles.”

How can a person start to reduce their salt intake?

Here are a few tips by Dr Umesh Khanna

Get used to low salt to allow the taste buds to recover: Not only does reducing your salt intake affect your blood pressure and other health parameters, it also helps you taste foods better.

Eat fresh food when possible: Since processed foods are packed with high levels of salt, switching to fresh and natural foods is the best way to reduce your daily salt intake.

Add less salt in cooking: With high amounts of salt added to food, your taste buds become immune to the level of salt and you will eventually need more salt in your food to bring out the taste you are looking for. Gradually reducing this amount will help you give up the high salt habit one step at a time. And since your taste buds will eventually become more sensitive to salt content in food, dishes made with low salt will start to taste as delicious as one with high salt content.

Do not add extra salt while at the table: A common practice in India is to provide a little bit of salt on the side of one’s plate while eating and to provide a salt shaker for one to spice up their soups. By stopping this practice, you can reduce your salt intake.

Use herbs and spices as flavouring agents: Ditch the salt and use herbs and other natural flavouring agents to your dishes that will help enhance the flavour while reducing your salt intake.

Dr Umesh Khanna, MD, DNB Nephrology, Lancelot Kidney & GI Center, Karuna Hospital & Asian Heart Institute. He is the Chairman, Mumbai Kidney Foundation, Trustee, Sapiens Health Foundation, Secretary, Mumbai Nephrology Group and the Secretary, Amar Gandhi Foundation

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Regulating salt consumption is key to prevent hypertension, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke and heart failure, say experts. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adults should reduce consumption of sodium to less than 2 grams a day, or the equivalent of about one teaspoon of table salt to reduce the risk of heart disease. 

Hypertension is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Hypertension is also referred to as high or raised blood pressure. Hypertension can also affect fertility in both males and females, says Rajalaxmi Walavalkar of Cocoon Fertility. Hypertension not only affects fertility but also is also known to cause trouble sleeping. Trouble sleeping leads to signs of premature ageing, like fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity.

"Hypertension can lead to cardiovascular diseases. The rise in blood pressure caused by eating too much salt may damage the arteries leading to the heart," Vijay D'Silva, Director at the Asian Heart Institute, said in statement.

According to a recent study, published in the journal Hypertension, about half of adults living in Asia are suffering from the high blood pressure.

While lifestyle factors, including diet and stress, are behind the high hypertension rates in Asia, one common problem is high salt intake, the study showed.

Asians not only tend to have diets high in sodium, but they are genetically more sensitive to sodium, the researchers said.

"Raised blood pressure due to high salt consumption is the biggest single contributing risk factor for non-communicable diseases and damage to your kidney," explained Bhupendra Gandhi of the NGO Amar Gandhi Foundation.

Previously, it was believed that eating high amounts of fruit and vegetables might help counteract the effect of high salt on blood pressure.

However, another study led by researchers from the Imperial College London and Northwestern University, showed that people eating higher amounts of salt had higher blood pressure -- no matter how healthy a person's overall diet.

"Anyone with hypertension is at an increased risk of infertility. A high salt diet leading to high blood pressure can result in delayed puberty and even impact reproductive health," Walavalkar noted.

Besides affecting the heart and fertility, hypertension can affect the skin too, the health experts said.

"High blood pressure can harden your arteries, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen. An impairment of the flow of oxygen, to an organ such as your face, can cause your skin to dry and wrinkles faster which can make one look less youthful," said Amit Karkhanis - Medical Cosmetologist and founder of Dr Tvacha clinic.

Reducing salt consumption in everyday life, cutting down on fried foods and processed foods, can not only curb the problem of hypertension but also save multiple organs from damage and pave way for a healthy life.

Also read: Mumbai Health: These 7 Lifestyle Changes May Help Lower Heart Disease Risk

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Representational Image

50 percent of people between the age of 60 to 69 years suffer from hypertension. This statistic only worsens as a person grows older reaching about 75 percent in those over the age of 70. In fact, the lifetime risk of developing hypertension is approximately 90 percent for men and women who were non-hypertensive at 55 or 65 years respectively – making hypertension a condition that requires our immediate attention.

While the condition affects one’s whole body, your heart is one organ that takes the worst beating. Dr Santosh Kumar Dora, Senior Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute tells you how hypertension affects your heart and what you can do to deal with the condition.

How does hypertension affect your heart?

• It can result in hardening and thickening of the heart arteries, leading to their narrowing and causing the heart to receive less blood supply.
• It can also cause a heart attack. In fact, persons who present with an acute heart attack often have preexisting hypertension that evaded detection and treatment.
• It can cause abnormal thickening of heart muscle, the presence of which is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular death.
• High blood pressure puts more load on the heart and increases the amount of work that the heart has to do.

Eating right

Eating a heart-healthy diet is important for managing your blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart attack, heart disease, stroke and other diseases. Aim to eat a diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain and high fibre foods, fat-free and low fat or 1 % dairy products etc. Avoid saturated and trans fats, excess salt and added sugar in your diet. DASH (Dietary approach to stop hypertension) diet pattern which contains low sodium, high potassium and rich in fruits and vegetables reduces by an average of 5.5 mm Hg for systolic and 3 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure. For hypertensive patients, the reduction is 11.4 mm Hg for systolic and 5.5 for diastolic blood pressure. Low salt (< 1500 mg/day) further potentiates the reduction of blood pressure.

Maintain a healthy weight:

As your body weight increases, your blood pressure can rise. In fact, being overweight can make you more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you are at your desirable weight. You can reduce your risk of high blood pressure by losing weight. Even small amounts of weight loss can make a big difference in helping to prevent and treat high blood pressure. Studies conducted in obese hypertensive patients show a decrease in body weight by 1 kg resulted in a reduction of systolic and diastolic pressure by 1.2 and 1.0 mmHg, respectively.

Be physically active:

Physical activity not only helps control your blood pressure, it also helps you manage your weight, strengthen your heart and manage your stress level.

Even moderately intense physical activity, such as brisk walking, is beneficial when done regularly for a total of 30 minutes or longer at least 5 days a week. Hiking or stair-climbing, jogging, running, bicycling, swimming, fitness classes, team sports, dance classes are some of the activities which can help you stay fit. Studies say that regular dynamic physical exercise for at least 30 minutes daily for most days of a week leads to 5 to 9 mm Hg reduction of systolic blood pressure.

Say no to tobacco:

While smoking has not been conclusively proven to cause high blood pressure, each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. For your overall health and to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, avoid all forms of tobacco as well as secondhand smoke. A study has shown that smoking cessation leads to a reduction of systolic blood pressure by 3.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.9 mm Hg.

Avoid drinking:

Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Having more than three drinks in one sitting temporarily increases your blood pressure, but repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term increases. If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or drink alcohol only in moderation.

Also read: World Hypertension Day: Why And How You Should Reduce Your Salt Intake

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

A slow and steady weight loss plan is always a good idea, but losing weight too fast means putting your health at a risk which can lead to severe issues. So, be wise about undertaking excessive exercising or going for a crash diet. Pooja Chaudhary, wellness consultant, Healthians, an online diagnostic center that offers at-home services, lists down the common factors to take care of during a weight loss regime:

Losing weight around 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week is a safe bet. But losing more than that can be considered as rapid weight loss which can have an impact on the health. At the start of exercise plan or diet plan, people witness a sudden weight loss of 2-3 kg. This is actually the water weight.

Angeli Misra, Co-founder of Lifeline Laboratory, lists down a few side effects of losing weight too fast:

1. It could damage your liver: Alcohol is not the only factor that puts you at a risk of developing a fatty liver. Sometimes following a surgery to reduce weight can also affect your liver.

2. Loose skin: Rapid weight loss leads to loose skin as skin loses elasticity.

3. It may slow down your metabolism: Excess of everything is bad. Excessive exercises and crash dieting can slow down your metabolism as you easily and soon get tired. Due to that your body works slow and you feel a sense of fatigue.

4. Other side effects: Losing weight fast by doing excessive exercise, swimming and crash diet may be linked to several other side effects like hunger, fatigue, irritability, muscle cramps, dizziness, constipation or diarrhea.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

The 'late' patriarch 'showman' Raj Kapoor's guru-mantra, 'the show must go on' continues to inspire his three illustrious actor-director sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv Kapoor.

On Thursday, at the legendary R K Studios at Chembur, on Ganeshotsav following an elaborate Pujan, the sacred Ganesh aarti was performed by Randhir, Rajiv and 'nonagenarian' actor Vishwa Mehra (popularly called 'Mamaji' who was very close to Raj-saab and his family) late afternoon at 3.30 pm.

The Ganeshotsav at R K Studios assumed extra-sentimental significance this year, because the iconic studio-property has been put up for sale. If the realty deal goes through, this could possibly be their last obeisance within their hallowed studio premises, witness to glorious cinematic history. It was an emotionally overwhelming moment for the Kapoors and the large number of guest-devotees when 'Mamaji', 92, broke down while performing the aarti. Rajiv spontaneously assisted 'Mamaji'.

Rajiv and Randhir Kapoor with guests and staffers at the aarti

The loyalist said, "It was 63 years ago that the first Ganeshotsav was held at RK and I have been with Raj Kapoor-saab even prior to that. The golden era I spent with creative genius Raj-saab, all his buddies and his technical crew flashed in my mind, from the time we shot 'Awara' (1951) in RK studios. Suddenly, I realised that none of those senior talented masters are alive and I was perhaps the odd surviving man out."

Where's Rishi?
Conspicuous by his absence was charismatic Rishi Kapoor, a staunch Ganesh-bhakt. He has his own Ganapati idol at his Pali Hill home. Rishi said, "Unfortunately, owing to some prior commitment, I just could not make it. But the very next day [Friday morning] I went for Ganesh darshan at RK."

Tradition to continue
A sentimental Randhir said, "As long as the studios are there, the ceremony will exist, Whenever we shift to another location and office premises, the annual Ganeshotsav tradition will continue. We share a divine bonding with Lord Ganesha. We were compelled to sell the studios, as we were incurring huge losses. Especially after the devastating fire that broke out at RK, it was just not economically viable to reconstruct it. Film folk were also reluctant to travel all the way to Chembur," he finished.

Also Read: R.K. Studios Sale: Rishi Kapoor Reveals Why They Took The Decision

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Borivali Police on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old accused who allegedly duped and cheated people on the pretext of providing them with confirmed railway reservation ticket by possessing himself as a railway officer. The arrested accused has been identified as Piyush Gyanendra Sharma. The police nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP from Vasai.

Sources from the police revealed "Sharma is a habitual offender and has cheated many people’s including a 35-year-old lady victim identified as Geeta Jain (Name changed on request) who had came to Borivali Railway station to book reservation tickets for a group of people planning to visit Palitana Temple in Gujarat last month.

Speaking with Mid-day the lady who became a victim of Sharma's cheating said, "We are from Palitana district, 60 to 70 people from this district had planned to visit the Paltina temple in the month of December. I came here in order to book the reservation ticket for all of them. I was busy filling the reservation form when the accused arrived and asked whether I am going to use card or cash to pay the reservation amount.  He asked me to fill out the forms and give the money to him and he shall give me all the reservation tickets together."

She further added, "I believed and gave him the form and the money, he took the form and money and asked me to wait after which he went away. I was sitting and waiting for him, even when the reservation window started to shut down. I went and asked the sitting clerk that how you can close the window without giving my ticket. When the clerk asked me I revealed the story then he informed me that such officer does not work here someone might have made you fool, the duty clerk helped and took me to the RPF office, later we went to the Borivali police station and registered a complaint."

The Borivali Police station who nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP said, "The accused is a habitual offender. He revealed and confessed that he has cheated more people in such manner in Vasai, Malad, Bhayandar, and Borivali. He has been booked and arrested under section 170 and 420 of IPC was produced before the court today and remanded in Police custody."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Thane: Tremors measuring 3.1 on the Richter scale were experienced at around 1:38 am on Sunday in Dundalwadi village in Dahanu area of neighbouring Palghar district, a civic official said.

District Disaster Control Officer Vivekananad Kadam said no damage was reported. Earlier, on November 24 and November 3, tremors of the magnitude of 3.3 on the Richter scale shook Dahanu and Talasari talukas.

Civic officials said that quake-preparedness training programmes were held for villagers between November 26-29 in two talukas of Palghar district.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

A nagging defect in his superbike allegedly led to the death of biker Zoheb Merchant, 28, on Sunday morning. The Virar resident was on his way home after a joyride with his biker gang, when the front brake of his MV Agusta F3 800 jammed at Manor, throwing him off in another direction. This was the third time his superbike had malfunctioned since he bought it.

Merchant is survived by his parents, three brothers, wife and a six-year-old son. He was the eldest in the family and had a business selling firecrackers. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when Merchant and his group of 15-18 bikers had gone on their usual Sunday ride from Virar to Dahanu. When they were on their way back, the front brake of Merchant's bike allegedly jammed, leading him to lose control of the bike and ram into a divider.

Front brake of Merchant's bike allegedly jammed, leading him to lose control of bike and ram into divider.

One of his friends said, "We have a bikers' group and every Sunday morning, we ride the bike while following proper safety and traffic norms. Whatever happened came as a huge shock to us. Suddenly, some defect occurred in his bike, jamming the brake of the front tyre disc, which then led to him losing control of the bike and falling on the road." Third time Since they were riding at full speed, the impact of the malfunction became such that he was thrown off the bike in another direction. His vehicle, meanwhile, fell near the direction of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway.

Merchant's bike is manufactured by the Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta, and retails for around R 20 lakh. According to his friends, since he bought it, he'd faced the same defect twice, which is an electric malfunction that jams the front tyre disc. He'd got it fixed and extended the vehicle's warranty till March 2019. He'd also written a Facebook post about the earlier issues he faced. However, the same defect occurred a third time, leading to his death.

Cause of death not known Another friend said, " We managed to bring an ambulance to the spot and took him to a government hospital on the highway, where he was declared dead on arrival. Looking at his body, doctors were shocked at not finding any external injuries." He had minor injuries on his head due to the impact of the fall. The cause of death has not been revealed as the post-mortem report is yet to be released. His friends suspect he died of internal bleeding.

This is the third time the MV Agusta 800 had allegedly malfunctioned.

While the case had initially been registered at the Virar police station, the matter has been transferred to the Manor police station as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.

An officer from Virar police station said, "We have registered a case under section 304( a) ( death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act against unidentified accused." Motoroyale, the dealer from whom Merchant bought the bike, couldn't be reached for comment.

18 No. of bikers in Zoheb's group

3 No. of times his bike glitched

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

In a positive step towards the conservation of wildlife, 295 Indian star tortoise seized from Vasai by Maharashtra Forest Department along with NGO PAWS-Mumbai were successfully released at Banarghatta National Park in Karnataka.

Speaking to mid-day Sunish Subramanian Kunju from NGO PAWS-Mumbai said, "Plant & Animals Welfare Society(PAWS-Mumbai) along with the Range Forest Officer(RFO) Yuvraj Gite and team successfully released 295 Indian Star Tortoise at Banarghatta National Park, Bangalore. Of the 295 tortoises, 293 Star Tortoise were seized from Vasai and two-star tortoise were saved by Amma Care Foundation."

Indian star tortoise is a threatened species and protected under schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 197. It is thus illegal to keep them as pets.

This is not the first instance where Indian star tortoises have been released at Banarghatta National Park. In September 2017, mid-day did a story (Rescued Star Tortoises To Fly Back To Karnataka Today) in which it was 285 star tortoises rescued over the past year by various NGOs and government bodies from Mumbai were released in their natural habitat.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

A 14-year old schoolboy has allegedly committed suicide last night in Nalasopara east by hanging himself with nylon rope. The rope was tied to a pull-up bar situated in the garden premises of the complex he resided in. The deceased had a drawn a picture of a person hanging and had kept it in his bag, which the police also found.
 
The deceased has been identified as Huzaifa Nagori, who lived with his parents, grandparent and two younger sisters in Rashmi residency of Nalasopara east.

 
According to the police sources, last night around 11 pm, he was found hanging with nylon ropes tied to the pull-up bar. People informed to the Tulinj police, who rushed to the spot immediately and after conducting the Panchanama, sent the body for autopsy to a local government hospital.

"During the search, we found a diary in his bag in which a photo of a person hanging by the ceiling fan with a rope was drawn. Numbers written in Urdu and words written in English and Hindi have also been found in the dairy. Who drew the suicide pic and if it was drawn by Huzaifa, then why? Was he involved in some kind of online playing game? The officials are looking each and every possible angle and they are investigating the case accordingly," said a police official from Tulinj police station.
 
"The family is in trauma. They were in shock hence we did not inquire much information from them," he added. Huzaifa was studying in standard VIII in a Nalasopara-based school.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The SSC paper leak case this year probably has a first — parents of some students are under the police scanner for allegedly buying the question paper for their children. Following preliminary investigations, the cops are likely to pick up some of the parents in the case. Surprisingly, the students who received the papers are academically bright and there is no reason for them to indulge in such an act, the police said.

A police source close to the investigations revealed, "We noticed that students had received these papers and that their parents, too, were aware about it and vice versa in some cases. We have also got the names of a few parents who have bought these question papers for their children. Also, the students who bought these question papers have taken the money from their parents after telling them the reason for it."

Career Classes in Bhiwandi, whose owner, Wazir Rehman Shaikh, allegedly sent out question papers on WhatsApp

On Wednesday, two police stations in Bhiwandi registered separate paper leak FIRs. The first case was registered at Bhiwandi City police station earlier in the day by Govind Sharma, founder of Samvad Foundation, an NGO. He alerted the board after he and several of his colleagues received the History paper on their phones at 10.10 am; the exams begin at 11 am. The police have already arrested Wazir Rehman Shaikh, owner of Career Classes, from Bhiwandi, for sending out the papers on Whatsapp.

Later in the day, the Narpoli police filed an FIR on the complaint of a teacher after three girl students were found discussing the History and Political Science papers on WhatsApp. Preliminary investigations in both cases has put some parents in the dock.

The leaked question papers that were circulated via whatsapp

Questioning everyone
When contacted, DCP Zone-II Ankit Goel said, "We are questioning everyone right from students to their parents. It is part of our investigation to know each one's role in order to reach the main culprit."

He added, "There is a complete trail. We have arrested one accused who is not the main accused in this case, but with his help we are trying to reach the mastermind. We are going back to every message for this. We need a few more days to investigate and reach the main accused who took the photos of the question papers."

The cops are closely monitoring the images circulated on the WhatsApp group and are analysing the photographs to reach the main accused in this case. In both the cases, the paper was leaked from Bhiwandi an hour before the exam. It indicates that someone from the centre had clicked the photos and sent it to students who then forwarded it further, a police officer said.

Paper leak trail
The police are checking every step of the question papers' journey and where exactly in the process it got leaked. The question papers are usually transported from the divisional office to custodies in each area a day before the exams. In the Mumbai division, there are 75 custodies, which are in schools, where the paper reaches a day in advance amid tight security. Depending on the distance between the custody and the exam centre, papers are sent off on the day of the exams to their respective centres. Examiners then break the question paper seal and distribute the papers to students 10 minutes before the exam starts to give students time to read it.

The two cases
On Wednesday morning, the Bhiwandi police registered an FIR under the Information Technology Act under the IPC as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act after receiving a complaint from the Mumbai divisional board.
The same night they made one arrest.

Later that day, the board's flying squad caught three girl students with mobile phones seated inside an autorickshaw. They were in the vehicle despite the last bell being sounded to enter the exam hall.

"The students were supposed to be in the exam hall by 10.15am. They had History and Political Science papers. A day before, they had created a group called 'Toppers' and in the morning they circulated the question papers. We have seized their phones and six others who received these papers. These girls seem to be toppers," said MB Shinde, senior inspector of Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Parvaaz, a four-member outfit, believes in spreading the message of peace through their progressive rock music with guitar-driven compositions. With their Urdu lyrics and the familiar sound of chimes, the soundscape is a refreshing change. Now, they are back in the city for a gig that promises to be about the coming together of western guitar techniques and Indian elements, making them one among a handful of true-blue fusion indie bands today.

Parvaaz, which translates to "flight", came together in 2010 when childhood friends Khalid Ahmed and Mir Kashif Iqbal (both on vocals and guitar), reconnected in Bengaluru over their shared love for blues rock melodies, and were joined by Sachin Banandur (drums and percussions) and Fidel D'Souza (bass). But they only started developing their own sound two years later. "We were playing at competitions and winning, which was a great boost. We felt confident enough to make original music, and our sound shifted towards progressive and classic rock of the '60s and '70s," says Ahmed, quoting Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Indian Ocean and Avial, as their influences.

It was a process of trial and error till they found the best way to let all their individual influences flow while jamming, which is when the Urdu lyrics also came in, the natural form of communication for two members at least. "Hindi and Urdu come naturally to us. Singing in English would have just not flowed with the music. Besides, the sound of the fusion that comes out of a merging of different styles of music is what our goal has been. It is the sound that guides most of our writing," says Ahmed.

Their lyrics primarily talk about the human nature and comprise metaphorical poetry, like their song Beparwah, which talks about man's dependence on materialistic objects, and Shaad, which is about loss and regret.

Khalid Ahmed

But lyrics are the last thing that get added onto their music, and that too if they deem it necessary. "A lot of our jams just end up being instrumental, and hence our seven minute-long songs," reasons Ahmed.

They will also be playing some new songs from their upcoming album that they have been putting together for four years, and will be releasing later this year. For fans who like to sing along, they will also perform songs from their first EP and debut album, including Ziyankar and the achingly serene Itne Arse Ke Baad, which echoes a longing to go back home. Home, for Ahmed and Iqbal, is a sensitive issue now, since both hail from Kashmir, which is still trying to heal from the Pulwama attack. Both were reluctant to comment, and as they say, prefer to let their music do the talking.

ON February 21, 9 pm
AT FLEA Bazaar Cafe, first floor, Oasis Complex, PB Marg, Lower Parel 
Call 24970740
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 499 onwards

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

A Bandra boy is bringing back the music from the streets of Mumbai in a new avatar, with the debut of the ensemble Bombay Brass this Friday. And who better to combine the essence of Bombay and jazz than Rhys Sebastian, who was brought up by his musician mother Merlin D'Souza and grandfather, cello maestro Sebastian D'Souza? "It was inspiring to watch my mother work and provide for the family. The possibility of doing something apart from music — writing about football, for example — was there, but this is where I belong," the 30-year-old Manchester United fan shares.

Rhys Sebastian

His new ensemble, comprising Robin Fargose (trumpet), ID Rao (tenor sax), Ramon Ibrahim (trombone), Jehangir Jehangir (drums), Saurabh Suman (bass), Zohran Miranda (guitar) and Rahul Wadhwani (keys), is a result of his quest for his own sound and is more about experiencing the music than about just being a collective, Sebastian says. "It's about bringing the musical experience from the streets to the stage and giving it back to the audience. I love that energy and we tap into the same, making it inclusive for musicians as well as the audience," he adds.

In a way, their music will bring together Bombay and New Orleans, he points out. "I've always loved the hustle and bustle of Bombay, which I feel is a distant relative of New Orleans. Both have similar street music, with a lot of brass [like in wedding bands here]. I love the rawness of that sound. I love the freedom of expression in both these cities. What we are doing is not something that I have seen here," he adds.

Saurabh Suman

Besides doing Amy Winehouse and Stevie Wonder covers, the band will also have some Shankar Jaikishan songs that Sebastian's grandfather had originally rearranged. "I love Bollywood songs from the '60s and '70s, like Mera Naam Joker. I'm looking forward to bringing that back with a lot of brass," Sebastian informs. Their two originals for the evening promise to talk about the city, including about the traffic on the roads.

Sebastian is also working on a project called The Bartender with music director Mikey McLeary, where they will reinvent old songs from the '60s and '70s with a 10-piece band that will include three horn players and vocalists Shalmali Kholgade, Saba Azad, Rachel Varghese and Anjuli Sarvanaman.

ON March 15, 9 pm onwards
AT The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Mathew Road, Opera House, Girgaum.
LOG ON TO insider.in
CALL 83291 10638
COST Rs 749 onwards

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of chest pain, officials said on Sunday. Mukerjea, who was lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Central Mumbai, had been complaining of chest pain for the last few days, a police official said.

On Saturday evening, he again suffered from severe pain in the chest following which the prison medical staff checked him and rushed him to the J J Hospital, he said. "Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening for chest pain. The patient's condition is stable and he is undergoing treatment," J J Hospital's medical superintendent Dr. Sanjay Surase said.

The CBI told a special court here earlier this month that Mukerjea is the "silent killer" of Sheena Bora, the daughter of his wife and former media executive Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.

The April 2012 murder of Sheena Bora (24) came to light in August 2015 when Indrani Mukerjea's driver Shyamvar Rai spilled the beans after being arrested in another case. Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, Rai and Peter Mukerjea were subsequently arrested in the case. Rai later became an approver and was pardoned. The CBI has claimed a financial dispute led to the killing of Sheena Bora.

Dr Sanjay Surase, Medical Superintendent of JJ Hospital: Peter Mukerjea has been admitted to JJ Hospital after he complained of chest pain.
An accused in Sheena Bora murder case, Mukerjea is currently lodged in Arthur Road jail. (file pic) #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/qpSdygSOLb

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Breakfast is the most important meal, which many of us tend to skip due to hectic schedules, leaving only Sundays to indulge in a lazy brekkie. Ours consists of pork sausages, creamy and cheesy scrambled eggs made in the sausage fat, and toast, with of course, coffee.

Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular of Le 15 Cafe, has fond memories of waffles in the shape of Mickey Mouse, with a pair of sunny side ups, drizzled with sriracha and sesame oil sauce. And so, for this edition of the eatery's monthly Table 13 evening on Wednesday, they are serving breakfast for dinner so you can eat at leisure.

Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular

"Making breakfast was a family activity and a beautiful memory. My parents loved cycling, so they would go off on Sunday mornings for three hours, which gave me enough time to cook something for them, with my little sister. I loved how happy they were when they came back and we sat down to eat. We would listen to old Colombian salsa that my father would put on," chef Agular shares.

Pablo's waffles 

While he is currently struggling to narrow down his list of 48 breakfast items, you can expect pancakes, waffles, bacon, and of course, eggs, along with some Indian options, all with a signature twist. "The menu will be inspired by what the French eat, which is on the sweeter side, as well as the not-so-sweet Colombian flavours," he says. And the idea too germinated when he was eating his favourite breakfast — waffles topped with egg and bacon — and owner Pooja Dhingra walked in and tried it. Book ahead because seats are limited.

Pooja Dhingra

ON March 27, 8 pm
AT Le 15 Cafe, shop number 18, Lansdowne House, MB Marg, Colaba
CALL 9769341994
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 2,800

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Learn the art of making paper from scratch at this workshop by Bengaluru-based artist Ravikumar Kashi, who expresses himself via mediums like paintings, sculptures and photography. Kashi learnt the art of making paper from the Glasgow School of Art, UK, before he moved on to learning Hanji, a traditional Korean papermaking form.

Participants will learn the history of hand-made papermaking and the difference between pr­imary, secondary, te­r­tiary and second-ha­nd paper. "They will be taken through techniques of how to make recycled paper from di­s­carded paper, how to shape it into different forms and make sculptures. They will also learn pulp painting, where coloured pulp is used to create art," Kashi shares.

ON March 30, 10 am
AT Piramal Museum of Art, Piramal Tower, Peninsula Corporate Park, Lower Parel
CALL 30466981
Email artfoundation@piramal.com
LOG ON TO insider.in
Cost Rs 2,500

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

A man died after he fell into an uncovered drain near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai. The incident took place last night. The identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

The locals in the area said that they had been facing problems because of the open drain since past few days.

One of the locals told ANI, "There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this for a year."

The body has been shifted to the hospital for autopsy and probe has been initiated.

Maharashtra: Man died after falling in an uncovered manhole near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway last night. Identity of the man is yet to be ascertained. Locals say 'There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this since a yr.' #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Ak63VI2nNQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2018

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Following an outcry from the residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to appoint IIT-Bombay or VJTI engineers for a structural audit of the buildings, to ascertain damage to them due to excavation on the adjoining Krishna Steel plot.

On Monday, a huge landslide at the neighbouring Lloyds Estate raised serious questions about the construction going on Krishna Steel plot, which is being developed by the builder Dosti Realty Ltd. After the accident, residents of Lloyds Estate, Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil alleged that the builder was doing excess excavation at Krishna Steel plot and weak shore piling has been damaging their buildings for the past year. They also claimed no action was taken by BMC and the developer to avert a mishap.

Commissioner's approval needed
Speaking to mid-day, deputy chief engineer of the Building Proposal (BP) Department (city), R S Potdar said, "We have prepared a proposal to appoint experts like IIT-Bombay or VJTI for a structural audit of these buildings. Since we don't do structural audits of private buildings, we will have to take approval from the municipal commissioner. After that we will decide the further course of action." However, residents of Dosti Blossom said that they don't know anything about BMC's plan of appointing IIT-Bombay or VJTI experts. "We met officials from the building proposal department on Wednesday but there was no word about any such plan," said a resident.

'BMC harassed us'
Residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil buildings have alleged that last year when they raised an alarm over the sinking portions of their compound and cracks in their buildings due to excess excavation done at Krishna Steel plot, the BMC harassed them instead of taking action against builder. On Thursday, committee members of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil showed their letters to different civic departments regarding the dangerous condition of their buildings.

Manoj Gurav of Dosti Blossom said, "Last year after April we observed cracks on the building columns and sinking in the parking area which is adjoining the plot where excavation is going on. A huge portion of our parking area had sunk about a foot. Following this we had sent letters to the builder and the BMC to take action and make the premises safe." He added, "Instead of taking action against the builder, the F-North ward of the BMC sent us a letter, and held us liable for the damage done to the building. BMC officials told us to carry out a structural audit otherwise action would be initiated against us."

Also Read: Lloyd estate wall collapse: BMC bars Dosti Realty from construction at Wadala site

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

There's no doubt that the fifth victim of the Ghatkopar plane crash, architect Govind Dubey, 32, was in the place at the wrong time. But his family is not willing to accept mere bad luck as explanation for his death — they want to know whom to blame. After the family embarked on a sit-in at Rajawadi hospital, refusing to take Govind's body, MLA Jitendra Awhad assured them of compensation and investigation in the matter. With these assurances, the Dubeys finally claimed the body last evening.

Govind was merely passing by when the plane came hurtling down on him. He died on the spot with 100 per cent burns. Due to the extent of his injuries, he was identified only yesterday with the help of his half-burnt wallet. The last location update on his phone also confirms that he was at the spot. The architect hailed from Uttar Pradesh, from where his family has come to collect his body. To his brother's surprise, though, not a single government official has contacted them to assure compensation or action against the culprits.

Arvind Dubey, Govind's brother

“It has been over 24 hours since I lost my brother in the incident. It was my brother's bad luck that he at the spot when it happened. But isn't it the responsibility of the government to come forward to give us justice?” said Arvind Dubey, Govind's brother. He added, “We have decided to file a police complaint against the aircraft company for the accident. The government must conduct an inquiry and imprison the person at fault.”

MLAspeak
“The victim comes from an economically weaker section. Hence, I have requested Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to consider his case for compensation,” MLA Awhad told mid-day.

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Aircraft was 10 miles away when it went off radar

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Earlier this year, while performing at a military training centre in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, singer Ameya Dabli recalls receiving a disturbing piece of news from the army chief Lt Ranbir Singh. Four terror attacks had taken place at a nearby hillock on the same day. The hill, as he soon learnt, was located less than a kilometre away from the centre.

"The chief said to me, 'Don't worry. We will protect you'. This one reassuring line was enough to allay our fears in that high tension zone," he says. Dabli and his team of musicians went on to deliver a power-packed two-hour performance regaling the audience with musical compositions of poems penned by Kabirdas, Guru Nanak, Amir Khusro and Tulsidas. "We didn't realise how those two hours flew by. You see, that's the power of music," he says. Since then, Dabli has performed at several other conflict regions of the country, including eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and four in the Northeast.

Singing for peace
It was three years ago that Dabli, a Bhandup resident, conceptualised Ekam Satt, which are essentially pro bono concerts curated for the Indian Armed Forces and civilians, in order to not just motivate jawans, but also bring peace. Born in a family of music lovers - his mother Anuradha Dabli is a trained classical and light music exponent - the 38-year-old was inducted into singing from the age of seven. "But, the idea to use music as a peace building tool was something that took shape during my last stint as the marketing head of Ronny and Zarina Screvwala's Swades Foundation. Here, I got the opportunity to interact with a lot of non-profits," he says.

Dabli, who holds a robust 15 years of corporate experience as marketing head with the Tata Group, HSBC and Citibank, now straddles a music career along with a venture where he mentors start-ups and NGOs to start their businesses. Till date, he has performed over 1,500 concerts across 15 countries. "Initially, it took us a good six months to curate the songs for Ekam Satt, because we wanted it to be a good blend of sufi, folk and contemporary music. We even got RS Mani, the music arranger of Veer Zaara to help us. But now, it's seamless," he says.

While Dable's pieces comprise the works of legendary poets such as Mirabai, Narsinh Mehta, Khwaja Garib Nawab and Tukaram, the songs are infused with peppy global music styles like hip hop, reggae and opera to make it livelier. "When we approached the Army headquarters in New Delhi with the concept, they loved it and immediately asked us to come on board," he says.

On the shaadi front
Interestingly, Dabli is also a sought-after name when it comes to weddings and sangeet and has performed at the glitzy wedding of Sasha Rawal - sister of Bollywood's leading fashion designer Kunal Rawal - and Samarth Bajaj, and very recently, the engagement of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. He has also organised gigs for Kumar Mangalam Birla, David and Lali Dhawan, Aditya Birla and Adi Godrej. "It's not the typical shaadi scene. My forte is the pheras, something that most people don't pay much attention to," he laughs. "I perform something called the signature wedding chants, where I don't just recite mantras, but also provide explanation of the vidhis or rituals," adds Dabli, who perfected his Sanskrit under the tutelage of his father, Professor PV Dabli, a scholar in the language.

Dabli says juggling his entrepreneurial venture with his musical endeavours does test his ability to multi-task. "Sometimes, I don't know which one to focus on more. But that's what happens when you love whatever you do equally," he smiles.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ram Kadam has issued a clarification on his 'elope' remark and said that his statement was quoted out of context.

The BJP MLA from Ghatkopar constituency faced a backlash after a video of him where he can be reportedly heard saying that he would kidnap a girl even if she refuses a proposal from a boy and help him elope with her, surfaced on media.

Clarifying his stance on the issue, Kadam told ANI, "A 40-second incomplete video is being circulated by opposition leaders. I would only request them to listen to my complete statement. If my statement has hurt anyone, I won¿t mind expressing regret for the same."

"My statement is being quoted out of context. At that event, I said that all youngsters whether it be a boy or girl should take their parents" in confidence before marrying. If they elope without taking their permission, the parents feel disheartened and it is very wrong to disappoint your parents. After saying so I took a long pause and someone from the audience said something which I repeated on the mike. I also kept speaking after that as well but it was not reported. If I had said anything objectionable, it was being live telecasted and there were a number of journalists present at the venue and someone would have pointed it out. But no one raised an objection because they had heard me completely. To find the true meaning of an address one must listen to it completely," he added.

The BJP MLA made the statement during a 'Dahi Handi' festival organised in Mumbai on the auspicious occasion of 'Janmashtami' on Monday.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

A highly decomposed body of a 42-year-old woman was found dumped on a roadside near the Mumbai-Agra highway here in Maharashtra, police said Sunday.

A group of devotees proceeding on foot to Shirdi temple town spotted the body, bearing injury marks on head, at a forest in Asangaon area of Sahapur taluka on Friday, an official at Sahapur police station said. An Aadhaar card found stuck in her clothes revealed her identity as Vandana Khermode, hailing from Solapur district in Maharashtra, he said.

The police subsequently sent the body for postmortem to J J Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai. Based on the autopsy report, a case was registered by the police on Saturday under IPC section 302 (murder) against unidentified persons, he said. The body was later handed over to the woman's relatives, he said, adding that a probe was on to ascertain why and where she was killed.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

In a shocking incident, a man allegedly killed his wife on Tuesday over the suspicion of her having an extramarital affair. According to the police, the accused, Kumar Bhaoir (32), used to stay with his wife Veena in Murdagaon area in Uttan. On Tuesday morning, he entered his wife's office in Bhayandar West and allegedly stabbed her more than 16 times and fled from the spot. Later, he surrendered before the Bhayandar police stating that he killed his wife following frequent disputes between the two. 

The deceased was working at a Chartered Accountant’s office situated in Bhayander West. After the incident, she was immediately rushed to the local government hospital where she was declared dead by the doctors. The police have registered a case of murder and have arrested the husband. During the interrogation, they learnt that Kumar had filed a missing complaint of his wife Veena on January 2, 2019, after his wife left the house following an argument with him.

The couple was married for 14 years and had no kids. During the investigation, the Bhayandar police learnt that a missing complaint had been filed earlier this month but Veena returned back on January 10 and was living separately. Kumar doubted her character and thought she was having an extra material affair with another person. He tried to get in touch with her but was unsuccessful. 

On Tuesday, he learnt that she showed up at her workplace. At around 10:30 am, the accused showed up at Venkateshwara Cooperative Housing Society near Bhayandar station and initiated a conversation with her. Soon it turned into a heated argument and the accused, who was carrying a sharp knife, stabbed her multiple times until she fell to the ground. He then fled from the crime scene and went to the police station to surrender himself. Veena was rushed to the local government hospital by her colleagues where she was declared dead before admission. 

“We have booked and arrested Kumar under section 302 of IPC and will produce him before the court,” said police R. Jadhav, Police Inspector, Bhayandar police station.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

In what can be called as a shocking incident coming from thane, a 34-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly filming people bathing. Police said that the accused is a student who is pursuing higher education from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay.

The molester, identified as Avinash Kumar Yadav, is a Thane-resident who has been arrested under section 354 (any man who watches or captures the image of a woman engaging in a private act in circumstances where she would usually have the expectation of not being observed) of the Indian Penal Code.

"A woman filed a complain that she found a mobile phone on the bathroom window while she was bathing on Friday night. She alerted her husband who confiscated the phone. The couple saw the accused fleeing from the place," a Kapurbawdi police station official said.

"The accused was nabbed by other residents. The mobile phone had clips of men and women, mostly residents of the same building, bathing," he added.

In another incident in Thane, a 36-year-old man was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a local court for raping a married woman in his neighbourhood. District Judge Kavita D Shirbhate convicted Bablu Lakhan Shaha under section 376 (rape), 385 (extortion) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and also imposed a fine of Rs 9,000 on him.

(With inputs from PTI)

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Question papers of two subjects of the SSC (Class X) exam conducted by the Maharashtra State Board were found leaked at Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, police said. A case was registered at Narpoli police station against an unidentified person in this connection. "As per the complaint filed by a state board official, examination of history and political science subjects was scheduled to take place on Wednesday," senior inspector M B Shinde of Narpoli police station said on Thursday.

"For the exam that was to start at 11 am, students were expected to be in the exam hall by 10.15 am. However, outside an exam centre at Kalher in Bhiwandi, the board official found some girl students checking their mobile phones inside an autorickshaw," he added. When the official checked their phones, he found the question papers of history and political science subjects. "The girls had received these question papers through a messaging application. When the actual question papers were tallied with those on the mobiles, they were found to be the same," Shinde added.

A case was registered under IPC section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and section 72 of the Information Technology Act, police said, adding that nobody has been arrested in this connection so far. According to police, question papers of algebra, geometry and science subjects were also allegedly leaked in Bhiwandi earlier. The state board's secondary school certificate (SSC) exam began on March 1. 

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

A day before the tournament, the engineer came to the ground and said, 'Let's clear this ground so that they can have a kick-about.' I told him that football is not just about kicking a ball, it is about playing a sport. Then the contractor started laughing. His job is not to laugh at us. And what was he trying to get at by laughing? That we can't achieve anything?'" Salma Ansari tells us, about the jibes they encountered before organising the most important event of Parcham, an NGO she co-founded, last Sunday. Ansari's organisation is a Mumbra-based women's collective that works extensively with marginalised communities.

The ground the engineer was referring to is an empty plot adjacent to Mumbra's Maulana Azad Stadium. It is a space that Parcham fought for, to build a safe space for women where they can exercise their right to play. When we arrive at Mumbra's MM Valley, where the ground is located, four members of the NGO are ready to get the ball rolling in their sports shoes and black jerseys. Workers and tractors are busy clearing out the rubble from the space and levelling the ground with laal mitti. "People asked us, 'Yeh kaisa ground hai? Stadium ki tarah nahi hai.' But we knew why it is important for us to play here and once we did, not a single person cared about the state it was in," Muskaan Sayed, 20, tells us.

A day after receiving the petty comments, Ansari and her team organised and inaugurated the first women's-only Fatema Bi Savitri Bai Football Tournament in the playground meant solely for women. It was in 2012 that Parcham first collaborated with the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad, who helped them practise football in a small ground near Shankar Mandir. "But after some time, we noticed that boys would come there, play cricket, throw balls around and just not move. Then we started a campaign to get a separate ground and gathered 900 signatures from women all over Mumbra. We then took it to our MLA, Jitendra Awhad. The processing took about a year before everything was finalised on paper, and we finally got this five-acre space which is listed as a recreational ground in the Development Plan. We applied for a special reservation for girls and women through the Thane Municipal Corporation," Ansari says.

Work is scheduled to be completed by May 1, when the ground's management will be handed over to the NGO. "It is the first ground in India that will be only for women. We want to provide facilities for football and basketball. We will also make arrangements for security, washrooms, changing rooms and a gymnasium," Awhad of NCP shares, though when we ask him about the funds that have been allocated for this project, the MLA doesn't comment.

Parcham has been instrumental in introducing football to Mumbra. There was no trace of the game before 2012. With their own academy comprising 20 members, the NGO has been in talks with the Western India Football Association for training.

The ground, Awhad has said, will be called Fatima Savitri Stadium. But the women have suggested naming it Fatima Bi Savitri Bai Stadium. "That's because Fatima and Savitri can be anyone's name. When you add the 'Bi' and 'Bai', only then do you recall history — which also tells you that these two [eminent educators] were friends. We want to celebrate their friendship," Ansari says, with Sayed adding, "We also want the religious divide to end. This name itself is impactful. If in the past, they could be friends, then why is there so much hatred now? We don't want to just play football; we want to overcome all of this one in one shot."

Although the collective will primarily focus on football, the space is open to women and girls to play and hang out in. Ansari adds, "That being said, general spaces that are open to both men and women should not be ignored, and we will practise there, too. This ground, though, is for those whose parents tell their daughters, 'Tu logon ke saamne jaa kar khelegi? Mat jaa'."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

When we watched Chennai-born American artist Sid Sriram perform his album, Entropy, in the city a few months ago, we didn't know what to expect. We hadn't heard of the artist, and we thought he was going to perform what has been come to be loosely referred to as "fusion". But the show, replete with trippy visuals, was an experience that combined Indian classical and his alternative music aesthetic quite seamlessly. "I think this album is pretty unique in how organically the different influences have all come together. It's a journey filled with energy."

When we ask him what he would say if he had to describe his music to someone who has never heard it before, he explains, "My music is very visual. I'm a huge Jackson Pollock [an American artist known to be of the pioneers of the abstract expressionist movement] fan, and I think the best way to describe my music would be some kind of a sonic parallel to his visual work. It's a cross section where pop/soul, my Carnatic roots and ambient/lo-fi electronic music clash together."

But what is the starting point to create such "fusion"? "The starting point is always an emotional trigger. Once I get that hook, I turn my mind off and channel whatever waves are moving through me. I've learned to get out of my own way and let the universe do its thing."

WHERE: The Habitat, 4th floor, (Hotel Unicontinental), Road Number 3, Khar West
WHEN: February 23, 9 pm
COST: R500
LOG ON TO: insider.in

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Aamir Khan had a customary cake-cutting ceremony with the media at his Bandra home, holding a press conference. On his birthday, the actor, who turned 54 today, made an announcement of his next film titled Laal Singh Chadda. Aamir's next release is a remake of Hollywood film Forest Gump (1994). The film starred Tom Hanks and Robin Wright and was based on a novel of the same name.

Following this, Aamir Khan will take off for North Ireland to attend the ongoing Belfast Film Festival. He will be in conversation with Nasreen Munni Kabir on 16th to discuss his body of work.

Check out the pictures of Aamir Khan's 54th birthday celebrations here. (All pictures/Shadab Khan, Yogen Shah)

Aamir Khan's 54th birthday celebration

Aamir Khan was accompanied by his wife Kiran Rao.

Aamir Khan cuts his birthday cake

Fans across the nation have been pouring in wishes for Aamir by posting the actor's pictures, which also saw a strong social trend with the #HappyBirthdayAamirKhan.

Aamir Khan and wife Kiran Rao at his 54th birthday celebrations with media persons

Kiran Rao clicked while feeding the birthday cake to Aamir Khan

Known as Mr Perfectionist of the industry, Aamir Khan for Bollywood has over the years created an image that many look up to. From making films that address the pertinent issues of the society, to speaking his mind on raging issues even off camera, Aamir Khan has always been the one with a calculative brain and has used his position to impart a change in the society.

On the professional front, Aamir Khan likes to explore with the character he plays and the actor likes to surprise his fans with new characters. To experiment with roles, Aamir grows his hair and beard before every film. This also gives him the flexibility to play with multiple looks in one film. We wonder, what Aamir Khan's look would be in Laal Singh Chadda!

Here's wishing a very happy birthday to Aamir Khan!

Also Read: Aamir Khan is a family man, these picture-perfect frames are proof!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

She's a Kapoor. And she's not a part of Bollywood. But since her return from a music school in LA last year, Tulsi Kapoor is making all the right noises with her bluesy-rock compositions, unfiltered lyrics and raw, intimate vocals.

She picked up the keys at the age of four, and moved on to formal piano classes at 15, before picking up the guitar, African percussion instruments and the harmonica. She's now learning the flute from her mother. And contrary to popular belief, she didn't grow up listening to just Bollywood, a genre she appreciates. "My grandfather, Shammi Kapoor, was trained in Hindustani classical and used to sing as hobby. So, I was exposed to a lot of jazz and blues as a kid thanks to him, and my father [Aditya Raj Kapoor] who loves The Beatles and mom [Priti Kapoor]who played a lot of ABBA," says Kapoor. Her travels to the Middle East and the US also introduced her to Portuguese music and Bossa Nova, which find their way in her compositions.

"My music has been influenced by blues and rock, and instrumental music. It's an extension of my personality, emotions and straightforwardness. My lyrics are simple and relatable, and I always appreciate a good hook," she explains.

Shammi Kapoor and Tulsi Kapoor

The centrepiece of her gig will be the track Bloom, which she will perform tonight for the first time. The lyrics talk about rape and abuse, and chart the story of a young girl who falls into wrong hands, only to further fall into the trap of the temporary comforter, who further abuses the trust she places. "We need to understand that rape is about power not sex. It's about dominance of something people can't handle. Some are vindictive cases by those who were abused when they were young, and carry their injuries. It's a pattern that society needs to recognise," she shares.

Adding that she believes that it's an artiste's responsibility to cause social change for the better, she will be using the influence that her last name provides her with, to talk about things that are taboo. "It's crucial that we power through that discomfort about such topics if we want things to change," she concludes.

This gig will be a tribute to her grandfather, who encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming a musician and was her pillar of strength. She is currently teaching music in the city and working on releasing her debut album Bloom at the end of the year.

ON March 29, 7.30 pm onwards
AT The Integral Space, 14, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
LOG ON TO insider.in
Cost Rs 400

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

In what can be termed as an important discovery from Mumbai, a new jumping spider species has been discovered from Aarey Milk Colony once again highlighting the fact that the area has a rich biodiversity and the need of the hour is to protect the forested patch in the area. The species has been named after Senior IFS officer Sunil Limaye the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest APCCF; Wildlife who during his tenure as the Chief Conservator of Forest of SGNP had started the Mumbaikars for SGNP project.

Senior IFS Officer Sunil Limaye

The study was carried out by a team of arachnologists including Rajesh Sanap, Archaeologist Dr. John Caleb T.D and Biologist Anuradha Joagalekar. With the new discovery of jumping spider from Aarey, Wildlife Lovers and green activists have once again demanded that the Aarey Milk Colony forest needs to be protected from unplanned development and illegal encroachments that are eating into the green space of the one the most important green space of Mumbai.

According to Sanap who has discovered several species from Aarey, the jumping spider family (Salticidae) is the most diverse spider family, with their world fauna consisting of 6126 described species. These tiny creatures can be easily recognised by their lager anterior median eyes. They are diurnal hunters and possess brilliant vision and swift reflexes. In India, there are about 256 species of jumping spiders known till date. In fact, the total diversity of jumping spiders represented from India is greatly understated compared with that from other regions. For example, countries like Australia, Brazil, and China are represented by a diversity of more than 450 species each. There is, therefore, a great diversity in India still waiting to be uncovered, which needs to be discovered and conserved before it is lost forever.

Rajesh Sanap

"The new species belongs to the hisponine jumping spider genus Jerzego, which was established by Maddison in 2014. The genus currently comprises three described species in the world. Of these, only one species is known from the Indian subcontinent (India and Sri Lanka). Two other species are known from Southeast Asia from Sumatra and Borneo. All three species were described based either on immature females or both males and females, but no details of their natural history were reported. Jerzego sunillimaye is the first ever species of this genus whose taxonomic details, mating behavior and egg development have been documented. The observations are supported by excellent digital images of the spider in life," said Archaeologist Sanap.

Species: 'Jerzego sunillimaye'

The researcher, after carefully studying its feature form photographs and published papers and discussing with experts, arrived to a conclusion that this is the new species. :

"Initially, species identification was challenging since we had data on females only. So we planned another survey and found two males. After a comprehensive examination, we notice that the morphology of this species closely resembled that of a Southeast Asian species, J. corticicola, which was described from Borneo in 2014. Hence, we placed this species tentatively under the same genus. Jerzego sunillimaye can be easily distinguished from other known species by the larger body size (Females, 10.30 mm) and a different colour pattern on the abdomen. A transverse crescent-shaped golden–yellow stripe is present in the posterior half of the abdomen. The males (5.52 mm) can be readily distinguished by their unique genitalia (palps) with a flattened and twisted embolus. " added Sanap.

Archaeologist Dr. John Caleb T.D

"It should be noted that the new species Jerzego sunillimaye was found for the first time in 2016 during a survey in the unique, eco-sensitive, dry-deciduous habitat of Aarey Milk Colony in Mumbai. The research was carried out for almost 3 years to understand the natural history of this species. Within this period, we reported some interesting observations, which have never been documented before."

In this research, the researchers explored different habitats such as grasslands and rocky and forested patches to find out the habitat these tiny spiders preferred. These spiders were found in areas covered with a thick canopy, largely dominated by trees, such as Mangifera indica, Adenanthera sp., Acacia auriculiformis, and Anacardium occidentale. The forest floor was covered with dry leaf litter, and the habitat was shared by other jumping spiders such as Hasarius sp., Stenaelurillus sp., Langelurillus sp., and Langona sp. Several males and females of various life stages were observed throughout the years. Specifically, in monsoon, females were observed guarding their egg sacs, while males were observed wandering under the rocks. There were variations in vegetation cover in the landscape during summer and monsoon. In winter and summer, spiders were mostly found on the underside of rocks, in dry leaf litter, or sometimes under tree barks close to the ground; most sub-adults were ground dwelling. The sub-adults of the species appeared like ants. Interestingly, four to five sub-adults were observed in close proximity with small brown ants of the genus Crematogaster. Two to three adult females with egg sacs were observed under rock surfaces and were surrounded by small black ants of the genus Paratrechina. However, there is no evidence to suggest a mimetic relationship with these ants and further behavioral studies are warranted.

Anuradha Joglekar

Speaking to mid-day Biologist Anuradha Joglekar said, "Aarey Milk Colony has constantly been in the limelight for the discovery of several new species of spiders and scorpions. The vegetation structure is particularly undisturbed and is home to several interesting species. Aarey Milk Colony is also home to other enigmatic jumping spiders such as Langelurillus onyx and Langelurillus lacteus, both described in 2017. Piranthus decoruswas also recorded for the first time in 122 years from the same location. More studies pertaining to their complete biology, habits, and interactions with other species are yet to be carried out. Moreover, their conservation status has not been assessed yet because of lack of information on their population status, distribution, ecology, and biology."

Spiders are microhabitat specialists and are highly sensitive to minuscule changes in their immediate environment. Habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities (encroachment and degradation of forests) is the main concern. The recent discovery of several new species from this region adds to the pressing need for conservation of this particular region, which may harbor much more undiscovered life.

Jumping spider. Pic/Rajesh Sanap

About IFS Officer Sunil Limaye:

Senior IFS Officer Sunil Limaye was a former Director and Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park(SGNP) and has been involved in the conservation of urban biodiversity in Mumbai and the neighboring areas. He is also the same officer who started the Mumbaikars for SGNP project in SGNP along with Biologist and Leopard Expert Dr. Vidya Athreya. The MfSGNP project which has seen involvement and participation of various stakeholders like people staying on the periphery of the park, BMC officers/Police officers /Schools has been a successful model which is being replicated in other states including Uttarakhand /UP too. As a part of the project, awareness sessions among various stakeholders related to Human-Leopard interactions are being done on the periphery of the park and people are being taught the measures that they should take to prevent man-animal conflicts.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

One97 Communications Limited, the firm that owns digital payment major, Paytm, announced the unification of bank transfers for its customers with the new 'My Payments' feature on its app.

This will enable Paytm users to make recurring, high-value payment and other monthly expenses in an instant. Using the Paytm app, bank transfers can be done from and to any bank account, making it easier for customers to make payments at zero charge, a facility which even non-KYC Paytm users can avail.

With this new addition to its multilingual app, Paytm is aiming to process Rs 60,000 crore in monthly bank transfers alone by the end of this year. The company is also planning to invest Rs. 5000 crore in its core business, expecting to increase the number of transactions from one billion to two billion this year.

"We have now simplified these payments with 'My Payments' and are expecting six-fold growth owing to this rapid shift in consumer behavior in favor of going cashless. Our users understand that Paytm is more than just a digital wallet company and we will continue adding more such customer-centric features while educating users about the convenience they can experience by using Paytm every day," said Paytm Senior Vice President, Deepak Abbot.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Of India's 31 chief ministers at this point, 11 have criminal cases against them, and eight have 'serious' cases that include rioting and murder. Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

I urge you to spend a few minutes on Google and look for Indian politicians convicted of crimes. I don't recommend you search for politicians 'accused' of crimes, because that may leave you with very little time to do anything else for the rest of the week. I also warn you against looking for politicians convicted of corruption, or politicians disqualified from office, because both those lists are incredibly short and may depress you.

Also, read a little about the Association for Democratic Reforms, established in 1999 by a group of professors from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, to examine the criminal, financial and educational background of candidates contesting elections. To spend a little time at its website, where it publishes reports analysing elections and their contestants, is to expose oneself to just how awful the people claiming to represent us really are.

A week ago, for instance, the ADR published an analysis of MPs and MLAs with declared cases related to crimes against women. Apparently, out of 1,580 (that's 33 per cent) of MPs/MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 45 MPs and 3 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women. 327 candidates who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by recognised political parties. A number of candidates even contested in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections, and Maharashtra had the highest number of these gifted representatives. The website also carries a preliminary analysis of candidates announced by major political parties for the Karnataka 2018 Assembly elections, and shows that these parties continue to give tickets to candidates with serious cases.

Here's another thing that ought to concern us but no longer does, presumably because we are inured to information of this sort: Of India's 31 chief ministers at this point, 11 have criminal cases registered against them, and eight have 'serious' criminal cases that include 'voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means', 'rioting', and even murder.

It's easy to see why politicians with a criminal record are more likely to be elected than those who haven't seen the inside of a jail, of course. People who don't commit crimes don't have access to illicit funds, which means they simply can't afford to bribe voters. It's also why the government of our country overturned a Supreme Court ruling demanding the disqualification of any politician convicted for crimes punishable with more than two years in jail. According to the men and women who supposedly represent us, it is more important to maintain political alliances and stay in power than it is to prevent criminals from taking charge of our collective future.

We live in an era where transparency does not exist, where we have no access to information about why some men and women are mysteriously chosen to represent a majority, and where politicians are encouraged to avoid being answerable to their countrymen. We are kept in the dark about why some projects are initiated and others ignored, why deals that don't make sense to anyone with common sense are approved at our expense, and even why our streets are named after people none of us have ever heard of. It's also why no political party has taken concrete steps to encourage the brightest and best among us to run for office. It's also why qualified government officials are often shunted out, because our leaders need minions, not people capable of independent thought. This is why we live in a time where it is always the worst that rise to power the fastest, then dictate terms for the rest of us.

Children ought to aspire to a life of public service because ours is a country that has, at least on paper, always placed the common good above all. Our forefathers sacrificed everything they had to create a country that no longer works for its poorest citizens. The reason why these statistics ought to matter is the kind of message the world's largest democracy is sending to its youngest members. In America, young people are encouraged to nurture the belief that they can be President some day. We probably don't encourage our children to aim for those high offices because we recognise that they may need to have a criminal bent of mind in order to make it.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The city is shaken up by the brutal murder of a young woman working with an upmarket chain of salons. In what has been dubbed as a case having parallels with the Sheena Bora murder, this beautician's body was kept in a car post the murder and then disposed off in marshy land at Wadala. Police teams are trying to recover the body, but have been unsuccessful so far.

It's time to focus on the reason for this murder. According to the police, two colleagues, who have been caught, killed the young woman because she refused to take back a notice sent to one of the accused because of his shoddy performance at work. Despite their entreaties, the victim had not relented about withdrawing a notice sent to one accused till the last day when his employment may have been terminated.

Both colleagues claim, according to reports, that the murder was done in the heat of the moment. The family of the accused, though, insist they are innocent. What has shocked the city is the triviality of the motive. A life has been lost simply because somebody was going to lose his job. As one tries to absorb this, a much smaller report recently was indication of a society, which is weaned on instant gratification and instant rage. A young gym owner was stabbed to death and his female friend hit with a beer bottle over a quarrel with a Disc Jockey (DJ) over which songs to play.

We have been seeing murders happening over slightest provocations. Bring back regard for human life, which has been cheapened considerably. Cherish patience, logic and encourage our children to think before they act. Put an absolute premium on human life. These seem like knee-jerk murders, where rage consumes the murderers, who are mostly ordinary men and women who have no criminal record. Speed kills and in more ways than one.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The saddest thing is how the people responsible for moral policing are allowed to get away with it. Representational Image

I didn't watch the viral video featuring that young couple being abused and attacked by commuters on the Kolkata metro. I knew it would only upset me, like so many videos populating a million WhatsApp groups now do with depressing regularity. I also expected the faux outrage, followed by young men and women hugging each other publicly in acts of defiance to be documented for their Facebook pages.

That this didn't raise eyebrows a few hours after the furore died down is proof of how insensitive we have all become towards any attack on perceived acts of love. We live in a city that once routinely saw couples being attacked on Valentine's Day until the regressive folk responsible for the attacks realised it didn't get them brownie points. We also live in a city where couples holding hands have to deal with thousands of people eyeing them warily, as if the act of holding another human being's hand is alien to our culture. That this is the same culture that gave birth to the sculptures of Khajuraho is lost on millions of our countrymen who scan the streets for acts of intimacy that make them uncomfortable.

In 2015, a young man was stripped and brutally assaulted in public by right-wing activists in Mangalore who had a problem with him being in the company of a girl with different religious beliefs. They couldn't stand the idea of two young people choosing to ignore something as inane as religion in order to find a human connection. That same year, another young man in Kerala was beaten to death by a mob after being found in the house of a woman. To put this into perspective, there were a lot of people offended by what two adults were doing in the privacy of their own homes.

There's a streak of misogyny that runs through these attacks, too, of course, as anyone who remembers the 2009 attack on a pub in Mangalore will attest to. Young men and women were drinking alcohol, which, according to the clowns who routinely become spokespersons for our culture, was an insult to traditional Indian values. It's interesting how all these values involve men making decisions on behalf of women, worrying about their morality, taking it upon themselves to decide how women ought to behave in public for their own good.

What happened to the 13 couples and 35 other young men and women who were rounded up by the Mumbai police a couple of years ago following raids at hotels? They were all consenting adults who had simply checked into several hotels in Madh Island and Aksa. How can a supposedly civilised country justify the idea of policemen knocking on doors and taking couples into custody for choosing to spend time in a room together?

How do we reconcile something as barbaric and regressive as an 'anti-Romeo' squad? How do we make sense of people claiming to be offended by men and women kissing? How do people doing what evolution compels them to do offend other people? How do we explain to visitors that we live in a country where it's perfectly okay for policemen to ignore criminals and spend time patrolling public spaces in order to prevent men from being anywhere near women? And if this is how authorities believe they are protecting women from sexual harassment, what does that say about how millions of Indian men are taught to behave around women?

The saddest thing about these incidents is how the people responsible for them are allowed to get away with it. There aren't even slaps on the wrists, let alone repercussions that lead to any genuine change. People believe it's perfectly okay to harass a couple for hugging in public because they know that a mob can get away with murder. It's also why mobs do get away with murder so often in the world's largest democracy.

People who have problems with couples indulging in public displays of affection probably behave the way they do because they have never received much affection themselves. If you want to leave this country a better place than the way you found it, please do the right thing and hug your children, partners and loved ones more often. Also, please do it in public.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Controversy and fracas is heating up over sugar imported from Pakistan. Reports have emerged about an NCP MLA from Thane district and party activists tearing sugar bags stored in a godown in Navi Mumbai. The MLA, who represents Kalwa-Mumbra constituency, said hundreds of NCP activists raided the godown, located in Dahisar Mori area of the satellite town of Mumbai, and tore the bags containing the imported sugar.

This comes on the heels of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which had already opposed the sale and distribution of imported sugar. MNS leaders from Navi Mumbai visited wholesale traders in the Vashi agriculture produce market committee (APMC), and warned them against the distribution of sugar.

While sentiment and belief is one thing, we hope that these sugar raids will not disrupt the ordinary person's life or schedule. Every political party has a right to credo and action, but it should not come at the cost of citizens.

The relevant party and its workers can hold a peaceful protest outside these godowns if they so desire, to raise awareness. They could also put up their resistance on social media and create awareness about why they oppose the Pakistani sugar. Do voice your opposition, do give vent to your anger or ire and do reinstate your stand. That is your right as citizens of a democracy.

Yet, one must always do so with a respect for people and violence should play no part in these protests. Beware of political shenanigans, which aim to capture eyeballs, rather than espouse the party line or philosophy. Actions like this must not snowball into confrontations with innocent people caught in the crosshairs.

Say no to Pakistani sugar if you wish, but do not disrupt daily life. Respect the law and the people, otherwise you fear losing sight of your cause in a spiral of violence and hooliganism.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates