NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Mumbai, Dec 23 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS.








BOM16 MH-LD RAHUL
* Somnath Suryavanshi killed as he was Dalit and protecting Constitution: Rahul Gandhi


Parbhani: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed Somnath Suryavanshi was killed because he was a Dalit and was protecting the Constitution, in the wake of the desecration of its replica in Maharashtra's Parbhani. *








BOM15 GJ-AMBEDKAR STATUE
* B R Ambedkar's statue vandalised in Ahmedabad; unidentified persons booked


Ahmedabad: A statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar was vandalised in the early hours on Monday by unidentified persons in Ahmedabad city, triggering a protest, police said. *



BOM4 MH-ACCIDENT-LD TRUCK
* 3 killed, 6 injured as truck crushes people on footpath in Pune; driver arrested


Pune: Two toddlers and a man were killed and six other persons injured after a truck ran over people sleeping on a footpath in Maharashtra's Pune city in the wee hours of Monday, police said. *










LGB2 MP-HC-SLAUGHTERHOUSE-NOC
* Unacceptable: HC on denial of civic nod for slaughterhouse in 'religious city' Mandsaur


Indore: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed a civic official in Mandsaur to issue an NOC sought by a man for opening a buffalo slaughterhouse, terming its objection for denying the permission as "wholly unacceptable". *









BOM14 MH-CONGRESS-MUNDE
* Sarpanch murder case: Cong seeks Dhananjay Munde's ouster from Maharashtra cabinet for fair probe


Parbhani: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole demanded on Monday the sacking of NCP leader Dhananjay Munde from the state council of ministers to ensure an impartial probe into the Beed sarpanch murder case.









BOM7 MH-BHUJBAL-FADNAVIS
Sulking Bhujbal meets CM Fadnavis, discusses political and social issues

Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal,who is sulking over not being included in the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here on Monday.








BOM9 MH-VANDE BHARAT TRAIN-SNAG
Goa-bound Vande Bharat train deviates from regular route due to technical snag at Diva station


Mumbai: The CSMT-Madgaon Vande Bharat express train deviated from its regular route on Monday morning due to a technical snag at Diva station in Thane district of Maharashtra, delaying its onward journey to Goa by 90 minutes, officials said.






BOM5 GJ-TREMOR
3.7 magnitude tremor hits Kutch in Gujarat; no casualty


Ahmedabad: A tremor of 3.7 magnitude jolted Gujarat's Kutch district on Monday morning, the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said.








BOM6 GA-FUGITIVE-ARREST
Land grab accused who fled from Goa police custody with cop's help nabbed in Kerala

Panaji: A land grab accused, who escaped from Goa police's custody earlier this month, has been arrested in Kerala, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday.









BOM8 MP-FACTORIES-FIRE
Fire at two factories in Indore; no casualty


Indore: A massive fire broke out at two factories in an industrial area in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Monday, an official said. ***

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)