HIGHLIGHTS AT 9.15 PM

Following are the top stories at 9.15 pm: NATION DEL166 LDALL VIRUS COVID-19 fight hits top gear; Nationwide search for thousands of Tablighi-linked suspects as tally nears 1,900 New Delhi: In a sweeping nationwide hunt, authorities across states have identified more than 6,000 people who attended the Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat congregation, the biggest COVID-19 hotspot in India, as more than 375 fresh cases of infection emerged on Wednesday to take the tally to close to 1,900 with at least 55 deaths. DEL136 VIRUS-2NDLD HOTSPOTS India's 10 COVID-19 hotspots: an overview New Delhi: The government is focusing its attention on 10 ‘hotspots’ across the country in its effort to control the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 1,600 people and claimed at least 38 lives. There are two hotspots each in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala and Maharashtra and one each in Gujarat and Rajasthan DEL138 VIRUS-LD HEALTH MINISTRY 376 new COVID-19 positive cases in last 24 hrs; spike not national trend: Health Ministry New Delhi: With 376 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the country in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry on Wednesday said the spike does not represent a "national trend" and was primarily due to travel by those who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the national capital.

DEL161 NIA-GURDWARA NIA to probe terror attack on gurdwara in Afghanistan; first overseas case registered by agency New Delhi: Registering its first overseas case, the NIA on Wednesday filed an FIR to probe the terror attack on a gurdwara in Afghanistan's capital Kabul last month that left 27 people including an Indian citizen dead. DEL145 MHA-2NDLD JK Govt lays down rules for J-K domicile; political parties say it's adding insult to injury New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) Nearly eight months after withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, the central government on Wednesday laid down rules for domicile which can now be given to anyone who has resided in the Union Territory for 15 years, evoking sharp reactions from political leaders who said it added insult to injury of the people.

DEL155 MHA-JK-LD NOTIFICATION Perks of former JK CMs withdrawn New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers have lost all perks after the Centre repealed or amended 138 legislations of the erstwhile state. CAL9 WB-VIRUS-MAMATA-MODI Mamata writes to Modi, seeks Rs 25,000 cr financial assistance Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, seeking financial assistance of Rs 25,000 crore to fulfil the state government's commitments of providing free ration to the people and continuing other welfare schemes amid a dip in the revenue at a time when all businesses are shut due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

CAL11 BH-TABLIGHI-ATTACK Bihar: Four cops injured in attack by group owing allegiance to Tablighi Jamaat, police say Madhubani: Four policemen were injured when a group of people owing allegiance to Tablighi Jamaat assembled in a village here allegedly attacked them as the men in uniform admonished them for defying the ongoing lockdown, a senior official said on Wednesday. BOM39 GJ-HC-NIZAMUDDIN Congregation in Delhi: Guj HC issues notice to state, Centre Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday asked the government to furnish details of those who arrived in the state after attending a congregation of Tabligh-e-Jamaat in Delhi, and inform about the steps taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection due to them.

LEGAL LGD13 VIRUS-SC-LD FINANCIAL EMERENCY Coronavirus: SC to hear plea for imposition of financial emergency after resumption of normal work New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday said that a plea seeking imposition of financial emergency in the country, on the ground that economic activities have "come to a standstill" due to the lockdown over coronavirus, would be heard after it resumes normal working. FOREIGN FGN42: VIRUS-NEPAL-NIZAMUDDIN Kathmandu: Eighteen Nepali Muslims, who recently returned from India after participating in a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin area in New Delhi, have been identified and kept in a quarantine facility in southern Nepal’s Saptari district, authorities said on Wednesday.

FGN62: VIRUS-UK-INDIANS-SCAM London: The Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday issued an alert on its social media channels, warning stranded Indians in the UK against falling prey to "unscrupulous elements" who have been using the coronavirus pandemic as a means for scams and data theft. BUSINESS DEL129 BIZ-LD GST-COLLECTION GST mop-up slips below Rs 1 lakh cr-mark, March collection at Rs 97,597 cr New Delhi: GST collections in March slipped below the psychological Rs 1 lakh crore-mark for the first time in four months to Rs 97,597 crore as COVID-19 lockdown that shut most businesses compounded tax collection woes in an already sluggish economy.

DEL29 BIZ-VIRUS-TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE Lockdown: Only 5 pc of 90 lakh trucks operating; driver, labour shortage hampering logistics: AIMTC New Delhi: Only 5 per cent of around 90 lakh trucks across India are plying on the roads at the moment due to shortage of drivers and labourers at loading and unloading points following the nationwide lockdown, thereby severely hampering transportation of goods, according to truckers body AIMTC. PTI AAR