HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1700 hours: NATION: DEL32 PB-LOCKDOWN-3RDLD ATTACK Officer's hand chopped off in attack, cops arrest 7 holded up in gurdwara Chandigarh: An officer's hand was chopped off with a sword and two other Punjab policemen injured Sunday when a group of Nihangs attacked them after being asked to show curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala district, police said. DEL35 RJ-VIRUS-LD CASES Rajasthan records 96 more cases of coronavirus; total now 796 Jaipur: Rajasthan recorded 96 more confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday, taking the state's tally to 796, an official said here.

BOM23 GJ-VIRUS-LD CASES Gujarat reports 493 COVID-19 cases, 23 deaths Ahmedabad: The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat has gone up to 493, with 25 new patients being found in the state, a health official said on Sunday. DEL26 HR-VIRUS-CASES Haryana COVID positive cases rise to 179 Chandigarh: The number of coronavirus cases rose to 179 in Haryana on Sunday, with seven of the total 14 fresh cases being reported from the worst-hit Nuh district, according to the state health department.

DEL33 LOCKDOWN-PASWAN-INTERVIEW Our godowns have enough food grains for nine months: Paswan New Delhi: The central government has enough grains to feed over 81 crore beneficiaries of the public distribution system (PDS) for nine months, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Sunday, expressing confidence that its granaries, expecting a boost from a "bumper" wheat crop, will have adequate stock for a much longer period. By Kumar Rakesh DEL39 VIRUS-YOGA STUDY Govt invites proposals to study effects of yoga, meditation in fighting COVID-19 and similar viruses New Delhi: The Department of Science and Technology has invited proposals to study appropriate intervention of yoga and meditation in fighting COVID-19 and similar kinds of viruses DEL29 JK-LD SHELLING Woman injured as Pak shells forward areas along LoC, IB in J-K Jammu: A 45-year-old woman was injured as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and firing on forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday. DEL34 VIRUS-BUNDELKHAND-WATER Water consumption in parched Bundelkhand up 60 pc due to COVID-19: Study New Delhi: The average water consumption per person has increased by more than 60 per cent in urban areas of Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh because of heightened sanitisation concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic, a study by a voluntary group has found.

DEL25 VIRUS-KAMAL NATH-BJP BJP govt responsible for coronavirus crisis in country: Kamal Nath New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Sunday came down heavily on the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of being responsible for the situation arising out of coronavirus in the country. MDS12 TN-VIRUS-CASE Coronavirus patient booked for 'spitting' on doc at govt hospital in TN Tiruchirappalli(TN): A 40-year-old COVID-19 positive patient was on Sunday booked for "attempt to murder" after he allegedly spat on a doctor treating him at the government hospital here, police said.

LEGAL: LGD2 VIRUS-SC-PM CARES SC to hear PIL against setting up of PM CARES Fund on Monday New Delhi: The Supreme Court would hear a PIL seeking quashing of the Centre's decision to set up the PM CARES Fund to deal with the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, where citizens can donate money, on Monday. LGD1 VIRUS-SC-CHILD ABUSE Lawyers write to CJI for taking suo motu note of rise in child abuse cases during lockdown New Delhi: A letter has been written to Chief Justice of India S A Bobde requesting him to take suo motu (on its own) cognizance of increase in number of child abuse cases during the ongoing nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

FOREIGN: FGN43 RUSSIA-INDIA-S400 Coronavirus outbreak not to affect S-400 deliveries to India: Ambassador Moscow: All the major military contracts, including the deliveries of S-400 air defence missile systems, between Russia and India will be on schedule and the coronavirus pandemic will have no effect on their timeframe, according to India's top diplomat here. FGN33 VIRUS-UK-PARLIAMENT UK Opposition wants Parliament resumed virtually from April 21 London: The UK Opposition parties and some ruling Conservative Party MPs have called on the government to resume Parliament after its Easter recess period on April 21 in a virtual form, given the social distancing measures in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic. By Aditi Khanna SPORTS: SPD3 SPO-CRI-AKHTAR-INTERVIEW Dhoni stuck now, should have retired after 2019 World Cup: Shoaib Akhtar New Delhi: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar says he cannot fathom why Mahendra Singh Dhoni has "dragged it for so long" as the right time for the maverick ex-India skipper to call it quits was after last year's ODI World Cup. By Bharat Sharma DIV DIV