– City police in Ahmedabad has arrested two sadhvis of Nithyananda ashram located at DPS East campus in Hathijan area of city. According to DySP KT Kamariya, Pranpriya and Priyatatva are formally arrested at 8.30 am today for allegations of kidnapping of two minor children, threatening, illegal custody and child labour(IPC sections 365, 344, 323, 506, 502 and section 14 of child labour). In related development, DPS has cancelled a lease agreement with Nithananda’s ashram under CSR. Police when checked into the ashram, two children (age 9 and 10 years) asked police to take them to their parents. Police shifted them to CWC (Child Welfare Committee) and contacted their parents Mr. Chauhan who lives in Delhi. Both sadhvis arrested today are originally from Mysore. Both are main operators of Gujarat ashram of Nithayananda.

– 17 RTO check posts, infamous for huge corruption and major cause of delay in transportation were closed with effect from last midnight. The State government had recently announced its decision to abolish RTO check posts at 17 places. Rajkot Goods Trucks Transport Association and Morbi Transport Association members celebrated the occasion by bursting crackers at Samkhiyali check post of Kutch.

– Three persons hit by a city bus died on Dindoli bridge in Surat today morning in a horrific accident. Among them, two were children namely Bhavesh Yashwant and Panikar Bhupendra Vinod. Another child Sahil Yashwant Paniker is injured. Uncle of two victim children is also dead.

– A delivery boy of food delivery app Zomato was arrested with 6 bottles of liquor in Rajkot. In garb of food delivery, he was involved in supply of liquor in Zomato brand bags. Accused is identified as Milan Lakhmanbhai Gareja.

– A giraffe brought for yet to be opened safari park at Statue of Unity is reportedly dead possibly due to lack of cold atmosphere.

– Amrat Bariya, a forest department beat guard was attacked by a leopard at Vaghrali village of Garudeshwar taluka in Narmada district of Central Gujarat. Bariya was attacked when he was pushing the leopard in a cage. A wild leopard had been captured from Hirabhai Tadvi’s house.

– A team of National Geographic TV channel is in Surat to make a documentary on smart city projects. A documentary is likely to be released on TV on 26 January. It will cover various projects of SMC such as BRTS, model road, bridges, airport, diamond market, textile industry ad more.

– Surat’s iconic cable stayed bridge was once again targeted by thieves. Previously thieves had stole Rs. 15 lakh LED lights, which were used for decoration of the bridge. In a latest incident of theft an earthing cable linked to indicator-lights to alert flights has been stolen. In separate incident, a roof and lights of new Hope bridge footpath area were stolen. Earlier even the benches on this bridge were stolen.

– One Sanjaykumar Mahavirprasad Murarka (50) a businessman in Surat city has filed complaint against scam-hit Sahara group head Subrato Roy and 11 others for non-payment of their deposit in five-year bond.

– The body of a lioness, which had attacked and injured a Maldhari (member of cattle rearing community that lives inside forests) in Dodhi ness in Amreli district in the eastern part of Gir wildlife sanctuary three days, has been found dead. CCF Junagadh D T Vasavada today said that the around 9 to 12 years old lioness was found dead near Bhimchas bridge neru in the sanctuary area in Jasadhar rane and Tulshishyam round of the forests. The animal has been found dead during joint patrol of Hadala and Jasadhar border rounds forest staff . ACF, Both RFOs and veterinary doctors saw the body but nothing suspicious was observed. However it looks like it is the same lioness which attacked the maaldhari Kalu Mori (35) of Dodhi ness on Sunday, he said.Doctors have collected required samples during post mortem to identify the exact cause of death, the CCF said.Detailed investigation would be done if any foul play was found as the reason of the death of the beast, another forest official said.

– State cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister will be held today evening.

DeshGujarat