Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has surrendered in Patiala after the Supreme Court gave him a prison sentence of one year in 1988 road rage case. 
The former cricketer was involved in a brawl in December 1988 during which he beat up a 65-year-old man who was declared brought when he was taken to the hospital.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday sentenced Sidhu to one-year rigorous imprisonment in the road-rage case, saying any undue sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.
In 2018, the apex court had held him guilty of voluntarily causing hurt but not imposed any prison term. He had been fined ₹1000

Road rage case: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu surrenders

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has surrendered after the Supreme Court gave him a prison sentence of one year in 1988 road rage case. 

The former cricketer was involved in a brawl in December 1988 during which he beat up a 65-year-old man who was declared brought when he was taken to the hospital.

Congress leader Navjot&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;Sidhu&nbsp;has surrendered in Patiala after the Supreme Court gave him a prison sentence of one year in 1988 road rage case.&nbsp;
The former cricketer was involved in a brawl in December 1988 during which he beat up a 65-year-old man who was declared brought when he was taken to the hospital.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday sentenced Sidhu to one-year rigorous imprisonment in the road-rage case, saying any undue sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.
In 2018, the apex court had held him guilty of voluntarily causing hurt but not imposed any prison term. He had been fined ₹1000
ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/a-timeline-of-the-1988-road-case-against-navjot-singh-sidhu-1652977126537" target="_blank">A timeline of the 1988 road case against Navjot Singh Sidhu</a>

A shocking case has been reported at West Delhi's Rajouri Garden where a housemaid was allegedly assaulted by the couple on Sunday. According to the police the 48-year-old woman laboured as a house help and was beaten up by the accused couple who have chopped her hair as well, Police recorded the victim's statement.
A case has been registered under voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful confinement, and assault The victim is identified as Rajni who hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and works in Delhi as domestic help.
The placement agency owner reportedly said that the couple dropped Rajni at his office in very poor condition. After some time he noticed that she was lying in her urine and wasn't able to move. He immediately rushed to the Safdarjung hospital where Rajni claims on Sunday the couple dragged her out of her room and chopped off her hair. She had injuries all over her body, he added. Police said the medical examination report of Safdarjung Hospital asserted that she had suffered from “physical assault”, “head trauma, and was “vomiting”. She also had injuries on her eyes, face, limbs, abdomen along with other body parts.Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Ghanshyam Bansal said that all efforts are being made to arrest the accused couple.
 

Delhi couple assaulted house maid, chopped hair: Police

She was lying in her urine and wasn't able to move. He immediately rushed to the Safdarjung hospital where report asserted that she had suffered from &ldquo;physical assault&rdquo;, &ldquo;head trauma, and was &ldquo;vomiting&rdquo;.&nbsp;

In West Delhi's Rajouri Garden a housemaid was allegedly assaulted by the owners on Sunday. According to the police the 48-year-old woman laboured as a house help and was beaten up by the accused couple who chopped her hair as well.
The victim &nbsp;was identified as Rajni who hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and works in Delhi as domestic help.
ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/crime-news/molested-in-mumbai-club-washroom-british-woman-nabs-accused-who-is-mba-graduate-1651825098392" target="_blank">Molested in Mumbai club washroom, British woman nabs accused who is MBA graduate</a>
The placement agency owner reportedly said that the couple dropped Rajni at his office in very poor condition. After some time he noticed that she was lying in her urine and wasn't able to move.
Rajni&nbsp;was hospitalised and has told the police that the accused&nbsp;couple dragged her out of her room and chopped off her hair.&nbsp; Police said the medical examination report of Safdarjung Hospital asserted that she had suffered from &ldquo;physical assault&rdquo;, &ldquo;head trauma, and was &ldquo;vomiting&rdquo;. She also had injuries on her eyes, face, limbs, abdomen along with other body parts. Police have booked the couple who are in the hiding.
ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/crime-news/something-out-of-a-film-mp-man-fakes-death-to-evade-arrest-for-theft-arrested-9-months-later-1652090287862" target="_blank">Something out of a film: MP man fakes death to evade arrest for theft; arrested 9 months later</a>

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday announced that his visit to Ayodhya scheduled on June 5 has been put off.
Taking to Twitter, Thackeray said his tour to the Uttar Pradesh city has been put off for the time being and that he would speak about it during his rally in Pune on May 22 morning.
Thackeray''s tweet came amid reports that he is unwell.
The MNS chief had recently courted a controversy after he demanded that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed or else his party workers would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside these place at a higher volume.
Recently, BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had opposed Thackeray’s proposed visit to Ayodhya and warned that he will not be allowed to enter the Uttar Pradesh city till he tendered a public apology for "humiliating" north Indians in the past.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray puts off Ayodhya visit: are his past attacks on UP locals the reason

MNS chief Raj Thackeray puts off Ayodhya visit: are his past attacks on UP locals the reason?

Taking to Twitter, Thackeray said his tour to the Uttar Pradesh city has been put off for the time being and that he would speak about it during his rally in Pune on May 22 morning.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena&nbsp;chief Raj Thackeray on Friday announced that his visit to Ayodhya scheduled on June 5 has been put off.
Taking to Twitter, Thackeray said his tour to the Uttar Pradesh city has been put off for the time being and that he would speak about it during his rally in Pune on May 22 morning.
Thackeray''s tweet came amid reports that he is unwell.
The MNS chief had recently courted a controversy after he demanded that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed or else his party workers would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside these place at a higher volume. Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/politics/raj-thackeray-s-mns-calls-for-demolition-of-aurangzeb-s-tomb-security-beefed-up-1652855482495">Raj Thackeray's MNS calls for demolition of Aurangzeb's tomb, security beefed up</a>
Recently, BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had opposed Thackeray&rsquo;s proposed visit to Ayodhya and warned that he will not be allowed to enter the Uttar Pradesh city till he tendered a public apology for "humiliating" north Indians in the past.

A police station in Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar was gutted in an overnight blaze.
The fire broke out from the upper floor of the Kothibagh police station building and within no time fire engulfed the whole structure.
In the incident, Ist floor of the police station in Lal Chowk was completely damaged, while as, one fire fighter was injured while dousing the flames. 
Pertinently that two days before Traffic Police headquarters was partially damaged in a blaze, which broke out in the wee hours. The fire damaged the top floor of the headquarters with all the high-end equipments in Traffic Control room gutted

On camera: police station in Srinagar gutted in nocturnal inferno

Pertinently that two days before Traffic Police headquarters was partially damaged in a blaze, which broke out in the wee hours.

In the incident, Ist floor of the police station in Lal&nbsp;Chowk was completely damaged, while as, one fire fighter was injured while dousing the flames.&nbsp;

A police station in Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar&nbsp;was gutted in an overnight blaze.
The fire broke out from the upper floor of the Kothibagh&nbsp;police station building and within no time fire engulfed the whole structure.
In the incident, Ist floor of the police station in Lal&nbsp;Chowk was completely damaged, while as, one fire fighter was injured while dousing the flames.&nbsp;
Pertinently that two days before Traffic Police headquarters was partially damaged in a blaze, which broke out in the wee hours. The fire damaged the top floor of the headquarters with all the high-end equipments in Traffic Control room gutted. Watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/terror-attack-on-liquor-shop-in-kashmir-s-baramulla-attackers-caught-on-camera-1652857331244">Terror attack on liquor shop in Kashmir's Baramulla, attackers caught on camera</a>

The CBI has charged RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fresh corruption case over alleged irregularities in recruitment during his tenure as Bihar Chief Minister.

CBI books Lalu Prasad Yadav in fresh corruption case, raids his home

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday started searches at 15 locations linked to the Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch, including his residences.

CBI books Lalu Yadav in fresh corruption case, raids his home

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday started searches at 15 locations linked to the Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch, including his residences.

The CBI&nbsp;has charged RJD&nbsp;chief&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/politics/fodder-scam-lalu-yadav-gets-5-years-in-jail-know-what-the-case-is-all-about-1645444028304">Lalu Prasad Yadav</a>&nbsp;in a fresh corruption case over alleged irregularities in recruitment during his tenure as Bihar Chief Minister. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday started searches at 15 locations linked to the <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/fodder-scam-cbi-court-convicts-lalu-prasad-in-doranda-treasury-case-1644917841361">Rashtriya Janata Dal</a> patriarch, including his residences.
The raids come weeks after he was granted bail in a fodder scam case.
Watch:<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/politics/nitish-kumar-warning-bjp-bihar-cm-attends-opposition-rjd-s-iftaar-party-amid-bjp-jd-u-rift-rumours-1650639975822">&nbsp;Nitish Kumar warning BJP? Bihar CM attends Opposition RJD's iftaar party amid BJP-JD(U) rift rumours</a>
A preliminary enquiry was initiated by the CBI which has been converted into an FIR now.
The alleged land-for-jobs scam pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the railway minister in the UPA government, officials said.

Zepto, an instant grocery delivery app, has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the family of its delivery agent who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Delhi on Wednesday. 
The delivery app issued a statement on Twitter saying that Karan, the delivery agent, was wearing a helmet and riding on the right side of the road when he was hit from behind. The statement further added that Karan died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday. 
Zepto said that the police has filed an FIR in the case and the app is working closely with authorities. 
In addition to a compensation of ₹10 lakh, the company is also provinding an additional granted of ₹8 lakh, Zepto said in its statement. 

Delhi: Zepto delivery agent dies in hit-and-run accident, app pays ₹10 lakh compensation 

Zepto has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the family of its delivery agent who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Delhi on Wednesday. 

The delivery app issued a statement on Twitter saying that Karan, the delivery agent, was wearing a helmet and riding on the right side of the road when he was hit from behind.

Zepto, an instant grocery delivery app, has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh&nbsp;for the family of its delivery agent who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Delhi on Wednesday.&nbsp;
The delivery app issued a statement on Twitter saying that Karan, the delivery agent, was wearing a helmet and riding on the right side of the road when he was hit from behind. The statement further added that Karan&nbsp;died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday.&nbsp;
Zepto&nbsp;said that the police has filed an FIR in the case and the app is working closely with authorities.&nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/instant-food-delivery-raises-questions-on-delivery-risks-for-workers-1647932694820">Instant food delivery raises questions on delivery risks for workers</a>
In addition to a compensation of&nbsp;₹10 lakh, the company is also provinding&nbsp;an additional grant of&nbsp;₹8 lakh, Zepto&nbsp;said in its statement.&nbsp;

A part of a four-lane tunnel under construction on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district collapsed, injuring four people and trapping several others, officials said on Friday.
A small portion of the front side of the tunnel at Khoni nallah collapsed on Thursday night during an audit, they said, adding that a joint rescue operation was launched immediately by police and the Army.
Four people were rescued in injured condition, and several others are still trapped inside the tunnel, the officials said.
Several machines and vehicles, including bulldozers and trucks, which were parked on front side of the tunnel, suffered damage, they said.
Ramban Deputy Commissioner Massaratul Islam and Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma are at the spot, supervising the rescue operation, according to the officials.
Those trapped inside the tunnel belong to the company conducting the work of auditing the tunnel, they said.
Several ambulances were dispatched to the location from Banihal, the officials added.

Part of tunnel on J&K highway collapses: 4 injured, several trapped

Several machines and vehicles, including bulldozers and trucks, which were parked on front side of the tunnel, suffered damage.

Several machines and vehicles, including bulldozers and trucks, which were parked on front side of the tunnel, suffered damage.

A part of a four-lane tunnel under construction on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district collapsed, injuring four people and trapping several others, officials said on Friday.
A small portion of the front side of the tunnel at Khoni nallah collapsed on Thursday night during an audit, they said, adding that a joint rescue operation was launched immediately by police and the Army.
Four people were rescued in injured condition, and several others are still trapped inside the tunnel, the officials said.
Several machines and vehicles, including bulldozers and trucks, which were parked on front side of the tunnel, suffered damage, they said.
Ramban Deputy Commissioner Massaratul Islam and Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma are at the spot, supervising the rescue operation, according to the officials. Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/assam-floods-this-bridge-collapse-video-tells-a-thousand-stories-1652776957363">Assam floods: this bridge collapse video tells a thousand stories</a>
Those trapped inside the tunnel belong to the company conducting the work of auditing the tunnel, they said.
Several ambulances were dispatched to the location from Banihal, the officials added.

About 2,000 additional paramilitary personnel will be deployed in Punjab to enhance security as there have been regular inputs that some elements are trying to create unrest in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday.
Mann said this after a meeting here with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured him of all assistance from the central government.
"There have been regular inputs that some miscreants are trying to create trouble in Punjab. So I have request the home minister to sanction additional forces for the security of the state," he told reporters.
The chief minister said 10 companies of paramilitary personnel have already reached Punjab while another 10 companies will be approved by the Union Home Ministry soon.
One company of paramilitary comprises about 100 personnel.
Mann said the home minister told him that there is no compromise on the national security and it is above party politics and the central government would provide all help necessary to the Punjab government.
The chief minister said he has conveyed to the home minister about the supply of arms from across the border through drones and sought the central government's assistance to tackle it. Mann said that security at borders have to be intensified for defending our country’s security and sovereignty.
He expressed deep concern over the increasing drug and weapon smuggling from across the border through drone and impressed upon Shah to immediately provide anti-drone technology to state for foiling such attempts.
Sources said the security agencies have been put on alert and security has been enhanced in Amritsar ahead of the 38th anniversary of the Operation Blue Star.
The operation Blue Star was carried out by the Army to flush out terrorists hiding at Golden Temple complex between June 1 and 8, 1984. 

Why Centre is sending additional 2,000 paramilitary soldiers to Punjab

The chief minister said 10 companies of paramilitary personnel have already reached Punjab while another 10 companies will be approved by the Union Home Ministry soon.

About 2,000 additional paramilitary personnel will be deployed in Punjab to enhance security as there have been regular inputs that some elements are trying to create unrest in the state, Punjab Cmorhief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday.
Mann said this after a meeting here with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured him of all assistance from the central government.
"There have been regular inputs that some miscreants are trying to create trouble in Punjab. So I have request the home minister to sanction additional forces for the security of the state," he told reporters.
The chief minister said 10 companies of paramilitary personnel have already reached Punjab while another 10 companies will be approved by the Union Home Ministry soon.
One company of paramilitary comprises about 100 personnel.
Mann said the home minister told him that there is no compromise on the national security and it is above party politics and the central government would provide all help necessary to the Punjab government.
The chief minister said he has conveyed to the home minister about the supply of arms from across the border through drones and sought the central government's assistance to tackle it. Mann said that security at borders have to be intensified for defending our country&rsquo;s security and sovereignty.
He expressed deep concern over the increasing drug and weapon smuggling from across the border through drone and impressed upon Shah to immediately provide anti-drone technology to state for foiling such attempts.
Sources said the security agencies have been put on alert and security has been enhanced in Amritsar ahead of the 38th anniversary of the Operation Blue Star.
The operation Blue Star was carried out by the Army to flush out terrorists hiding at Golden Temple complex between June 1 and 8, 1984.&nbsp;

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been given a one-year jail term 33 years after he was involved in a fight that led to the death of a man.
In 1988, then cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Sandhu got into a fight with 65-year-old Gurnam Singh. Sidhu had allegedly parked his car in the middle of the road in Patiala and when Gurnam Singh asked him to remove the car, Sidhu allegedly hit Singh on head and then fled. Gurnam Singh was taken to the hospital but declared brought dead.
In 1999, the Patiala sessions court acquitted Navjot Singh Sidhu and his friend for lack of evidence. Gurnam Singh's family filed an appeal in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
In 2006, Sidhu and his friend were sentenced to jail for 3 years with a fine of one lakh rupees each after the Punjab High Court held both guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The next year, the Supreme Court stayed the conviction and the punishment.
In 2018, Supreme Court acquitted Sidhu of culpable homicide not amounting to murder but held him guilty of voluntarily causing hurt and imposed a fine of Rs 1000 on him.
Later that year, SC admitted a review petition filed by Gurnam Singh's family.
 

A timeline of the 1988 road case against Navjot Singh Sidhu

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been given a one-year jail term 33 years after he was involved in a fight that led to the death of a man. Here's a timeline of the case

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been given a one-year jail term 33 years after he was involved in a fight that led to the death of a man.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been given a one-year jail term 33 years after he was involved in a fight that led to the death of a man.
In 1988, then cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Sandhu got into a fight with 65-year-old Gurnam Singh. Sidhu had allegedly parked his car in the middle of the road in Patiala and when Gurnam Singh asked him to remove the car, Sidhu allegedly hit Singh on head and then fled. Gurnam Singh was taken to the hospital but declared brought dead.
In 1999, the Patiala sessions court acquitted Navjot Singh Sidhu and his friend for lack of evidence. Gurnam Singh's family filed an appeal in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
In 2006, Sidhu and his friend were sentenced to jail for 3 years with a fine of one lakh rupees each after the Punjab High Court held both guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The next year, the Supreme Court stayed the conviction and the punishment.
In 2018, Supreme Court acquitted Sidhu of culpable homicide not amounting to murder but held him guilty of voluntarily causing hurt and imposed a fine of Rs 1000 on him.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/road-rage-case-navjot-singh-sidhu-gets-a-year-in-jail-1652959074771" target="_blank">Road rage case: Navjot Singh Sidhu gets a year in jail&nbsp;</a>
Later that year, SC admitted a review petition filed by Gurnam Singh's family.
On Thursday, Supreme Court sentenced&nbsp;Sidhu&nbsp;to jail for a year saying&nbsp;consequences of loss of temper must be borne
&nbsp;

The doctor has ordered him to go slow on pickle, he has cut down on his quota of vodka and now finds Charles Dickens boring but Ruskin Bond, who celebrates his 88th birthday on Thursday, is indefatigable when it comes to penning stories - quite literally.
India's favourite author has moved from his trusted typewriter to pen and writing pad, his appetite for writing seemingly as strong as that of a 17-year-old -- the age he wrote his debut novel "The Room on the Roof".
Since that first work in 1956, he has written over 500 short stories, essays and novellas along with more than 50 books for children. And there's plenty more from where those came from.
"In India, you don't run out of stories or material of stories because something is happening all the time. There is never a dull moment, not just in the country as a whole but in your own city, small town or village. Life is constantly in a process of change or upheavals," Bond told PTI in a phone interview from Landour.
"If you are living in Europe, Britain or America it is monotonous. Everybody is living a similar sort of existence, the same custom, the same language or the same way. Here we have different languages, customs, ethnicity or backgrounds. It's a whole different canvas. Also, I am a compulsive writer." Bond, who calls himself a prolific reader and compulsive writer, still writes for at least an hour every morning.
His latest book, "Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure'', to be released on his 88th birthday, gives readers a peek into the four years he spent in the Channel Islands and England.
The fifth -- and final - volume of his memoir, it talks about how he muses over his loneliness, switches jobs, falls in love, befriends the ocean and relentlessly chases his big dream of becoming a famous writer.
Born in 1934 in Kasauli, Bond grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi and Dehradun. Apart from a few years abroad, he has spent all his life in India.
He lives with his adopted family in Uttarakhand's small cantonment town of Landour, which for years has been attracting fans hoping to have a glimpse of the celebrity author in a tea shop, somewhere on the winding roads or a fleeting look through the window of his home.
Bond said he read and wrote way more than usual over the past few years, particularly during the Covid induced lockdown when there was nothing else to do.
"Normally, I would have read three to four books in a month, but then over the last year I read three-four books in a week. And if it was a short novel or crime thriller, I would finish it in one day," he said.
The award-winning author did admit to a change in his literary tastes and said he now likes writing and reading short-stories or crime fiction over big fat novels.
"Now that I am 88 I can't read or write a big fat novel because I may not finish it. So I am working on shorter things. Like writing limericks, essays or enjoy reading crime fiction.
"I read a couple of novels by an old favourite of mine American novelist and short story writer Patrician Highsmith, then I like reading biographies also .. The unknown lives of celebrated writers have always intrigued me," Bond said.
Bond also said he no longer feels like reading the same kind of books.
For instance, the complete works of English writer Charles Dickens that he enjoyed as a boy is something he finds "boring" as an old man.
"I can't read Dickens because it's long and tedious, and has got too much description. I prefer short stories .. So yes the taste changes when you grow old. Some of the authors that I enjoyed when I was young don't give me the same pleasure now. I have to keep discovering new writers. But the urge to read is always there," he noted. Bond has received numerous awards and honours, including Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in 1992, the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
Having achieved so much in his life has the thought of retiring ever crossed his mind? He replied saying a writer like him who gets "no pension or provident fund" can never retire.
"My bank manager would tell me, 'Mr Bond, your bank balance has fallen very low this month -- which is something that he says very often over the years -- so it has to be replenished'. And the only way I can do it is by writing and getting published," he said in a lighter vein.
Grateful to his loving fans and kind family which fusses over him "like a child", Bond said old age can be tough if one has major ailments but he has been lucky that way to keep illness at bay -- that too without taking any serious effort to achieve the same.
"There are no restrictions. But yes since the doctor tells me to cut down on salt, because of my high blood pressure, I try to avoid eating too much pickle which I love.
"Also, like a good boy I have cut down on my two glasses of vodka -- one with lots of orange juice -- to one per day." Published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), the 104-page "Listen To Your Heart", priced at Rs 299, hopes to be an "inspiration for aspiring young writers, a meditation on embracing fears, seizing every opportunity but most importantly living one’s dreams".

Ruskin Bond turns 88: what inspires one of India's favourite author to continue writing

Even at 88 years, Ruskin Bond puts his pen to paper everyday. He calls himself a 'compulsive writer' but what is it that inspires him to continue writing. 

Born in 1934 in Kasauli, Bond grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi and Dehradun. Apart from a few years abroad, he has spent all his life in India.

The doctor has ordered him to go slow on pickle, he has cut down on his quota of vodka and now finds Charles Dickens boring but Ruskin Bond, who celebrates his 88th birthday on Thursday, is indefatigable when it comes to penning stories - quite literally.
India's favourite author has moved from his trusted typewriter to pen and writing pad, his appetite for writing seemingly as strong as that of a 17-year-old -- the age he wrote his debut novel "The Room on the Roof".
Since that first work in 1956, he has written over 500 short stories, essays and novellas along with more than 50 books for children. And there's plenty more from where those came from.
"In India, you don't run out of stories or material of stories because something is happening all the time. There is never a dull moment, not just in the country as a whole but in your own city, small town or village. Life is constantly in a process of change or upheavals," Bond told PTI in a phone interview from Landour.
"If you are living in Europe, Britain or America it is monotonous. Everybody is living a similar sort of existence, the same custom, the same language or the same way. Here we have different languages, customs, ethnicity or backgrounds. It's a whole different canvas. Also, I am a compulsive writer." Bond, who calls himself a prolific reader and compulsive writer, still writes for at least an hour every morning.
His latest book, "Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure'',&nbsp; released on his 88th birthday, gives readers a peek into the four years he spent in the Channel Islands and England.
The fifth -- and final - volume of his memoir, it talks about how he muses over his loneliness, switches jobs, falls in love, befriends the ocean and relentlessly chases his big dream of becoming a famous writer.
Born in 1934 in Kasauli, Bond grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi and Dehradun. Apart from a few years abroad, he has spent all his life in India.
He lives with his adopted family in Uttarakhand's small cantonment town of Landour, which for years has been attracting fans hoping to have a glimpse of the celebrity author in a tea shop, somewhere on the winding roads or a fleeting look through the window of his home.
Bond said he read and wrote way more than usual over the past few years, particularly during the Covid induced lockdown when there was nothing else to do.
"Normally, I would have read three to four books in a month, but then over the last year I read three-four books in a week. And if it was a short novel or crime thriller, I would finish it in one day," he said.
The award-winning author did admit to a change in his literary tastes and said he now likes writing and reading short-stories or crime fiction over big fat novels.
"Now that I am 88 I can't read or write a big fat novel because I may not finish it. So I am working on shorter things. Like writing limericks, essays or enjoy reading crime fiction.
"I read a couple of novels by an old favourite of mine American novelist and short story writer Patrician Highsmith, then I like reading biographies also .. The unknown lives of celebrated writers have always intrigued me," Bond said.
Bond also said he no longer feels like reading the same kind of books.
For instance, the complete works of English writer Charles Dickens that he enjoyed as a boy is something he finds "boring" as an old man.
"I can't read Dickens because it's long and tedious, and has got too much description. I prefer short stories .. So yes the taste changes when you grow old. Some of the authors that I enjoyed when I was young don't give me the same pleasure now. I have to keep discovering new writers. But the urge to read is always there," he noted. Bond has received numerous awards and honours, including Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in 1992, the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
Having achieved so much in his life has the thought of retiring ever crossed his mind? He replied saying a writer like him who gets "no pension or provident fund" can never retire.
"My bank manager would tell me, 'Mr Bond, your bank balance has fallen very low this month -- which is something that he says very often over the years -- so it has to be replenished'. And the only way I can do it is by writing and getting published," he said in a lighter vein.
Grateful to his loving fans and kind family which fusses over him "like a child", Bond said old age can be tough if one has major ailments but he has been lucky that way to keep illness at bay -- that too without taking any serious effort to achieve the same.
"There are no restrictions. But yes since the doctor tells me to cut down on salt, because of my high blood pressure, I try to avoid eating too much pickle which I love.
"Also, like a good boy I have cut down on my two glasses of vodka -- one with lots of orange juice -- to one per day." Published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), the 104-page "Listen To Your Heart", priced at Rs 299, hopes to be an "inspiration for aspiring young writers, a meditation on embracing fears, seizing every opportunity but most importantly living one&rsquo;s dreams".

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj leaves for Abu Dhabi on Thursday, for the inaugural session of the foreign ministers' conclave of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. India has been invited as the Guest of Honour for the inaugural session to be held on March 1st and 2nd. Irked by the special honour for India, Pakistan has refused to attend the meet. Speaking about India's participation, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, India is neither a member of OIC nor an observer and the UAE should have spoken to Pakistan before inviting Sushma Swaraj.

While punishing heat continues unabated in north India with day-time temperatures still lingering in 40s, the states of Assam and Kerala have been dealing with heavy rains.  In Assam, over 7 lakh people are reportedly affected due to rains. The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Thursday with one more person losing his life. Districts of Nagaon, Cachar and Hojai have been the worst affected.  Assam has reported damage to railway lines, road links, property and crops.  Massive erosion of land and landslides have devastated the state, causing more hurdles in the efforts to restore normalcy. The Brahmaputra and some of its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark at in several places. The Army has been deployed for relief and rescue efforts while IAF airdropped food materials in flood hit areas. In the coastal state of Kerala at the other end of the country, normal life remains affected. Waterlogging that submerged houses and shops was reported in Kochi as heavy rains lashed the state.  IMD, meanwhile has forecasted continued rains until Sunday in Kerala. The state is expected to witness heavy rains in nine districts.  Karnataka’s Bengaluru witnessed deluge, wreaking havoc in the city. The weather department has issued an ‘orange’ alert in many parts predicting heavy rains for the next 4-5 days. The official monsoon season is yet to hit the subcontinent. According to IMD, Kerala will see the first Monsoon shower of the season on May 27, which is 5 days earlier than usual.  

Devastating floods in Assam affects over 7 lakh; rain warning for Kerala, Bengaluru

Rains are wreaking havoc in the states of Assam and Kerala&nbsp;even as the rest of the country is witnessing punishing heat

While punishing heat continues unabated in north India with day-time temperatures still lingering in 40s, the states of Assam and Kerala have been dealing with heavy rains. &nbsp; In Assam, over 7 lakh people are reportedly affected due to the heavy downpour&nbsp;the hilly state has witnessed in the last week.
The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Thursday with one more person losing his life.&nbsp;
Assam has reported damage to railway lines, road links, property and crops. &nbsp;
Massive erosion of land and landslides have devastated the state,&nbsp;causing more hurdles in the efforts to restore normalcy.&nbsp;
The Brahmaputra and some of its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark at in several places.&nbsp;
The Army has been deployed for relief and rescue efforts while IAF airdropped food materials in flood hit areas.&nbsp;
In the coastal state of Kerala at the other end of the country, normal life remains affected too.
Waterlogging that submerged houses and shops was reported in Kochi as heavy rains lashed the state. &nbsp;
IMD, meanwhile has forecasted continued rains until Sunday in Kerala. The state is expected to witness heavy rains in nine districts. &nbsp;
Karnataka&rsquo;s Bengaluru witnessed deluge, wreaking havoc in the city. The weather department has issued an &lsquo;orange&rsquo; alert in many parts predicting heavy rains for the next 4-5 days.&nbsp;
The official monsoon season is yet to hit the subcontinent. According to IMD, Kerala will see the first Monsoon shower of the season on May 27, which is 5 days earlier than usual.&nbsp; &nbsp;

So Azam Khan walked out of jail after 2 years and bail in 88 cases against him. What next? And what does it mean for UP politics? After many ups and downs and much drama, Azam Khan's exit has been hailed a ‘victory’ by many including SP (Lohia) leader and Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Yadav.  And while Akhilesh Yadav, too, joined Khan’s family and allies, in celebrating his release, reports suggest tensions persist between the jailed leader and SP chief.  Amid reports of tensions between SP and Khan, major political parties in UP are said to be vying for his attention. The ten-time MP from UP’s Rampur district and one founding members of Samajwadi Party and the party’s ‘Muslim face’, comes with substantial clout and large voter base. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh are all said to be wooing Khan. BSP leader Mayawati recently slammed the BJP for the continued incarceration of Khan and came out in his support. Last month, Yadav visited several jailed SP members, and didn’t pay a visit to Khan. Yadav is said to have only visited Khan once since his incarceration.  

Azam Khan released: what does the political swayamvar look like for UP's powerful Muslim leader? 

Azam Khan released. Now what?

Could Azam&nbsp;Khan's release from jail rock the political boat in UP?

This is political serenading outside&nbsp;Sitapur jail&nbsp;in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; The man with heena-dyed hair on the left of your screen is Mohammad Azam Khan, born in Rampur a year after India won Independence in 1947. &nbsp; &nbsp; An influential figure in the power corridors of India&rsquo;s most populous state, Khan has been a Parliament member for 10 terms. But he is a much taller figure in the state&rsquo;s politics, one of the founders of the main Opposition Samajwadi Party. &nbsp; &nbsp; The man greeting him outside the jail is Shivpal Yadav. They together worked in the Samajwadi Party under their now ailing leader Mulayam Singh Yadav who now remains in political oblivion. &nbsp; &nbsp; This isn&rsquo;t a perfect picture. Perfect pictures are rare in politics. &nbsp;
WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/mns-chief-raj-thackeray-puts-off-ayodhya-visit-old-attacks-on-up-locals-being-the-reason-1653029021538" target="_blank">MNS chief Raj Thackeray puts off Ayodhya visit: old attacks on UP locals being the reason?</a>
A perfect picture would have been Mulyama Singh&rsquo;s son and incumbent Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh&nbsp;Yadav greeting Khan at the gates of the jail. Not to be. Akhilesh&rsquo;s bete noire, his uncle Shivpal, is in the frame. &nbsp; &nbsp; In April, Akhilesh visited several jailed Samajwadi&nbsp;members, but didn&rsquo;t pay a visit to Khan.&nbsp; &nbsp; There are others who want to join Khan&rsquo;s political swayamvar&nbsp;too in case he wants to move on from the party he co-founded. &nbsp; &nbsp; RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh are all said to be wooing Khan. Then there is Mayawati who recently slammed BJP over Khan&rsquo;s prolonged incarceration. He remained in jail for 27 months. &nbsp; &nbsp; Khan who has a substantial clout and the backing of a large Muslim voter base, is in all likelihood taking a new path but whoever he picks, the political certainty is; a massive setback for the largest Opposition in Uttar Pradesh is in the offing. &nbsp;

The Supreme Court Friday transferred the civil suit filed by Hindu devotees on Gyanvapi mosque from civil judge (senior division) to district judge, Varanasi saying looking at the complexities and sensitivity of the issue, it is better for a senior judicial officer to handle the case.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and PS Narasimha said that it is not casting any aspersion on the civil judge (senior division) who was earlier dealing with the suit.
The top court directed the district judge to first decide the application under Order 7 Rule 11 of CPC (on maintainability) filed by the Mosque committee saying the civil suit is barred by a law of Parliament be decided upon the transfer of papers from the civil judge (senior division).
The top court said that its earlier interim order of May 17 directing protection of the area where ‘Shivling’ is said to be found and allowing Muslims to offer ‘Namaz’ in mosque premises shall remain in operation till the maintainability of the suit is decided by the district judge and thereafter for eight weeks to allow the aggrieved parties approach the higher court.
The bench also directed the district magistrate to make adequate arrangements for ‘wazu’ (ablution) for the Muslims coming for offering Namaz in the mosque in consultation with the parties involved in the dispute.

Supreme Court transfers Gyanvapi case to district judge; interim order to continue 

A three-judge bench said that it was not casting any aspersion on the civil judge who was earlier dealing with the suit.

The Supreme Court Friday transferred the civil suit filed by Hindu devotees on Gyanvapi mosque from civil judge (senior division) to district judge, Varanasi saying looking at the complexities and sensitivity of the issue, it is better for a senior judicial officer to handle the case.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and PS Narasimha said that it is not casting any aspersion on the civil judge (senior division) who was earlier dealing with the suit.
The top court directed the district judge to first decide the application under Order 7 Rule 11 of CPC (on maintainability) filed by the Mosque committee saying the civil suit is barred by a law of Parliament be decided upon the transfer of papers from the civil judge (senior division).
The top court said that its earlier interim order of May 17 directing protection of the area where &lsquo;Shivling&rsquo; is said to be found and allowing Muslims to offer &lsquo;Namaz&rsquo; in mosque premises shall remain in operation till the maintainability of the suit is decided by the district judge and thereafter for eight weeks to allow the aggrieved parties approach the higher court.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/rss-wades-into-gyanvapi-mosque-row-truth-always-finds-a-way-to-come-out-1652935900749" target="_blank">RSS wades into Gyanvapi mosque row: 'truth always finds a way to come out'</a>
The bench also directed the district magistrate to make adequate arrangements for &lsquo;wazu&rsquo; (ablution) for the Muslims coming for offering Namaz in the mosque in consultation with the parties involved in the dispute.

A man's recent adventure with his dog has earned the ire of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee. 
An FIR was lodged at the behest of the committee's president Ajendra Ajay against a Noida man for taking his dog to the Kedarnath temple. 
After videos of the man and his best friend's adventure went viral, the temple committee demanded stern action saying the visuals have hurt the religious sentiments of people, as per PTI reports. 
The Noida man was identified as Vikash Tyagi, had taken his pet Husky named Nawab to the holy shrine during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra. His video of the visit shows Tyagi grabbing the paws of the dog and making it touch the Nandi's statue. The video also shows a priest putting 'tilak' on the pet dog.
Since the FIR, Tyagi has taken to the internet to defend his action on his social media handle, saying he has been visiting temples with his dog for four years, 'so why this drama now?' and saying that his dog was also a creation of god. 
Tyagi has earned the support of the internet, but the temple committee has demanded stern action against him.

Dog presence in Kedarnath temple 'hurt' religious sentiment of people; owner charged

Dog presence in Kedarnath temple 'hurt' religious sentiment of people; owner charged

A man's recent adventure with his dog has earned the ire of the Badrinath-Kedarnath&nbsp;temple committee.&nbsp;
An FIR was lodged at the behest of the committee's president Ajendra&nbsp;Ajay against a Noida&nbsp;man for taking his dog to the Kedarnath&nbsp;temple.&nbsp;
After videos of the man and his best friend's adventure went viral, the temple committee demanded stern action saying the visuals have hurt the religious sentiments of people, as per PTI&nbsp;reports.&nbsp;
WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/supreme-court-transfers-gyanvapi-case-to-district-judge-interim-order-to-continue-1653052463143" target="_blank">Supreme Court transfers Gyanvapi case to district judge; interim order to continue</a>
The Noida&nbsp;man was identified as Vikash&nbsp;Tyagi, had taken his pet Husky&nbsp;named Nawab&nbsp;to the holy shrine during the ongoing Char&nbsp;Dham&nbsp;Yatra. His video of the visit shows Tyagi&nbsp;grabbing the paws of the dog and making it touch the Nandi's&nbsp;statue. The video also shows a priest putting 'tilak' on the pet dog.
Since the FIR, Tyagi&nbsp;has taken to the internet&nbsp;to defend his action on his social media handle, saying he has been visiting temples with his dog for four years, 'so why this drama now?' and saying that his dog was also a creation of god.&nbsp;
Tyagi&nbsp;has earned the support of the internet, but the temple committee has demanded stern action against him.

It was embarrassment for the West Bengal Education Minister Paresh Chandra Adhikari and his daughter when the Calcutta High Court ruled that she can’t keep her government teacher job and would have to return the salary she took from 2018.   The High Court dismissed Ankita Adhikari’s employment in a government-aided school and ruled that she deposit the salary paid to her since November 2018 in two instalments with the registrar. The high court was hearing a petition filed by a candidate who claimed that she was deprived of the position despite having secured higher marks than Ankita in the recruitment examination.   The CBI is also probing the minister over his daughter's alleged illegal appointment and in fact he was grilled by the central agency in their Kolkata office on Friday.  The central agency had on Thursday filed an FIR against Adhikari after he failed to meet the deadline set by the high court for appearance before its sleuths in connection with the case. Adhikari, along with his daughter, was booked for cheating and dishonesty, criminal conspiracy and corruption.  

Here's why Calcutta HC sacked Bengal education minister's daughter and asked her to refund salary

The High Court dismissed Ankita Adhikari’s employment in a government-aided school and ruled that she deposit the salary paid to her since November 2018 in two instalments with the registrar. 

Adhikari, along with his daughter, was booked for cheating and dishonesty, criminal conspiracy and corruption.

It was embarrassment for the West Bengal Education Minister Paresh Chandra Adhikari and his daughter when the Calcutta High Court ruled that she can&rsquo;t keep her government teacher job and would have to return the salary she took from 2018. &nbsp; &nbsp; The High Court dismissed Ankita Adhikari&rsquo;s employment in a government-aided school&nbsp;and ruled that she deposit the salary paid to her since November 2018 in two instalments with the registrar.&nbsp; The high court was hearing a petition filed by a candidate who claimed that she was deprived of the position despite having secured higher marks than Ankita in the recruitment examination. &nbsp; &nbsp; The CBI is also probing the minister over his daughter's alleged illegal appointment and in fact he was grilled by the central agency in their Kolkata office on Friday. &nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/first-ever-5g-call-telecom-minister-dials-in-1653015578745" target="_blank">First ever 5G call! Telecom Minister dials in</a> The central agency had on Thursday filed an FIR against Adhikari after he failed to meet the deadline set by the high court for appearance before its sleuths in connection with the case.&nbsp; Adhikari, along with his daughter, was booked for cheating and dishonesty, criminal conspiracy and corruption.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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