Social
Thane Police turn police canteen into ‘community kitchen’ to feed needy in lockdown
Police personnel helping a poor man
Police personnel all over the country are leaving no stone unturned to ensure effective implementation of lockdown imposed to curb of coronavirus. Whats heartening is that apart from doing their usual duties, police personnel are also make sure that the people hit by lockdown are helped in a timely manner.
Thane Police, as part of its massive drive to help the people affected by lockdown, has been preparing food at the police canteen and distributing them to the needy ever since the lockdown was imposed on March 24.

Speaking to Nation Next, Dr Suresh Kumar Mekala, Joint Commissioner of Police, Thane, said, After the lockdown was implemented, beggars, homeless and the poor, who would get food from people and eateries, were left with no means to get food. Even migrant labourers struggled to have a meal a day.
With an intention to help these people we started making food at our canteen. Gradually many individuals and social workers came forward to help. What started as a drive from our canteen soon spread to more than 30 police stations of Thane.

Police personnel helping a poor man
Dr Mekala informed that police personnel across police station in Thane apart from fulfilling their duties to ensure effective implementation of lockdown also go to various areas of the city to distribute food to the needy every day. Even in the tribal areas in the outskirts of Thane, police personnel are distributing food to the needy.
Dr Mekala apart from being a crucial part of this drive by Thane Police has also started his own drive to feed stray dogs and save them from starvation. As part of the drive, more than 150 stray dogs in Thane are being fed every day.
COVID-19
Thane Municipal Corporation adds 25 beds as COVID cases rise
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) added 25 additional beds in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital Kalwa apart from arranging a special ward dedicated to COVID-19 patients. The total number of active patients in the city stood at 252 while five succumbed to the virus. Meanwhile, TMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said a ‘death audit’ of patients who died of COVID would be conducted. The TMC has ensured it has additional stock of oxygen concentrators, testing kits, medicines, to name a few. Bangar told HT, “Due to the increasing number of Covid patients, it is necessary for everyone to be alert.”
He added, The number of Covid tests should be increased to stay one step ahead of the disease. As a result, the number of patients is likely to increase due to increased testing. However, as per the ‘test, isolate, treat’ protocol for Covid, it becomes necessary to isolate and treat more and more patients. The testing centres will not remain closed even for a single day. At the same time, more arrangements for testing will be made immediately in public places, markets, railway stations, malls.”
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
Politics
After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, his namesake who contested from Wayanad disqualified

Rahul Gandhi
An independent candidate for Lok Sabha elections named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from contesting polls for failing to lodge account of election expenses. Gandhi, who’s name figures as ‘Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma’ in an Election Commission list of persons, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and had received 2196 votes from the Wayanad seat in Kerala – a constituency from where ex-Congress MP Rahul Rajiv Gandhi had won with over seven lakh votes.
However, since it is mandatory for all contestants to submit their account of election expenses among other mandatory requirements under EC rules and the Representation of the People Act.
Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma stood disqualified to contest polls from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024. According to Section 10A, the Election Commission can disqualify a contestant for a period of three years from the date of the order if he/she has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by law and has no good reason or justification for the failure.
Also read: ‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah
Nagpur News
Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
A total of 22 patients tested positive for COVID-19 in Nagpur in past 24 hours on Thursday. Almost 242 people were tested in the city, out of which 15 belonged to urban area while and 6 were from the rural areas, and one from outside Nagpur district.
At present, there are 72 active patients in the city. Three new cases of the new XBB.1.16 variant of COVID-19 were detected that took the total tally to five in the district.
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: CELESTIAL! Unique alignment of Moon and 5 planets