The SC asked the SIT to probe it. In February 2012, the SIT filed a closure report before the magistrate, giving a clean chit to Modi and others.

The son of the late Taliban supremo Mullah Omar has been killed in Quetta. According to a top Afghan lawmaker, opposing factions and Pakistan had a hand in his death. Mullah Yaqub, who had hoped to succeed his father as the leader of the Taliban, was killed at a meeting in the city four days ago (Thursday), Afghanistan's Tolo TV reported, quoting Afghanistan's first deputy speaker of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) Zahir Qadir. However, the Afghan Taliban rejected Qadir's claim that Mullah Omar's son had been killed in an attack in Pakistan. The claims and counter claims come amid a widening Taliban rift over Mullah Akhtar Mansour's nomination as the group's supremo following the announcement of Mullah Omar's death. Mullah Omar's family has refused to pledge allegiance to Mullah Mansour. Mullah Omar's son Yaqub had challenged Mullah Mansour's appointment as the Taliban chief.

Facing flak over blocking 857 websites, the government has reviewed its order and decided to lift the ban on sites which do not contain pornographic material. The decision follows a review of the earlier order, by which the Department of Telecom had asked internet service providers (ISPs) to block a total of 857 websites, although some websites were later found to host jokes, memes and other humorous content without any pornography. The directive has sparked off a raging debate on social media and other platforms with the government being accused of indulging in internet censorship.

Photo: AFP/Indranil Mukherjee

In deeply embarrassing disclosures for Pakistan, its chief investigator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case has stated that the carnage was planned and launched from Pakistan and that the operation was directed from an operation room in Karachi. Tariq Khosa, a top police officer who was made Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) weeks after the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead, has written a revealing article in Dawn newspaper giving graphic details of the plot and its investigation, thereby confirming what India has been saying for so long. Khosa also criticised the Pakistani investigation agencies for letting the trial "linger on for too long". "Dilatory tactics by the defendants, frequent change of trial judges and assassination of the case prosecutor as well as retracting from original testimony by some key witnesses have been serious setbacks for the prosecutors," he said

Photo: AFP

Late last night, seven coaches of Kamayani Express and five bogies of Janata Express derailed while crossing a swollen Machak river near Harda. At least 29 people were killed and several others injured. Twenty four bodies, including nine men, 10 women and five kids, have been recovered so far from the mishap site between Khirkiya and Harda stations , MP Public Relation Department Commissioner Anupam Rajan told PTI today. The toll could further go up, he said. According to WCR PRO Piyush Mathur seven coaches of Kamayani Express and five bogies plus the engine of Janata Express were derailed late last night as the base material on the tracks got washed away. "Seven bogies of Kamayani Express and engine plus three coaches of Janata Express were derailed between Khirkiya and Bhirangi stations near Harda," Mathur said. "The mishap took place around 11.30 PM on Tuesday as base material of the tracks got washed away in heavy rains.

Three civilians who were taken as hostages by the militants in the Udhampur district of Jammu, have been rescued by the Border Security Forces (BSF). A terrorist has been killed and one other has been caught alive during the operation. The terrorist was caught after alert villagers misguided him and got him nabbed. Two terrorists are still hiding in the jungle according to media reports. Meanwhile, the dead body of the militant has been reportedly sent to police station after recovery. Earlier in the day, militants, who were reported reportedly wearing military uniforms, attacked BSF convoy on the highway near Samruli, about 10 km from Udhampur. Two BSF soldiers were killed and five were injured in the attack.