Daily wrap: Chandrayaan-2 to be relaunched; no VIP darshan in Tirupati

Failing heart, rising stress kill Saravana Bhavan owner Rajagopal  

Doctors treating Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal (72) who died at a private hospital in Chennai on Thursday (July 18), said the ‘dosa king’ was frustrated and under immense pressure, which led to his health condition deteriorate rapidly. On July 10, Rajagopal had arrived in an ambulance with an oxygen mask strapped to his face after the Supreme Court turned down his request to delay his sentence on medical grounds.

Tirumala temple board abolishes ‘VIP darshan’ at Tirupati shrine

In a significant move, the authorities at Tirumala, India’s richest temple, have abolished the decades-old practice of “VIP break darshan” that gave privileged access to certain categories of people for a quick darshan of the deity. “The decision was part of our plans to overhaul the system and make it transparent, keeping in view the convenience of the other devotees,” the chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Y V Subba Reddy, told the media at Tirumala on Wednesday (July 17).

Madras High Court suspends one-year sentence imposed on Vaiko

In a major relief to MDMK general secretary Vaiko, the Madras High Court on Thursday (July 18) suspended one-year life imprisonment imposed by the trial court on charges of sedition against him. While hearing an appeal petition moved by Vaiko against his conviction and one-year imprisonment for making a statement in support of LTTE, Justice PD Audikesavalu granted the relief.

Chandrayaan-2 launch rescheduled for July 22: ISRO

India’s second mission to the Moon Chandrayaan-2, which was called off due to a technical snag, has been rescheduled for launch on July 22, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Thursday (July 18). On July 15, the launch was aborted 56 minutes and 24 seconds before lift-off at 1.55 am following a technical problem in its most powerful rocket GSLV-Mk-III, dubbed Baahubali.

IT dept attaches ₹400 cr benami plot owned by Mayawati’s kin

The Income-Tax Department has attached a benami plot worth ₹400 crore in Noida belonging to BSP supremo Mayawati’s brother and his wife, an official order said. The provisional order for the attachment of the seven-acre plot, “beneficially owned” by Anand Kumar and his wife Vichiter Lata, was issued on July 16 by the Delhi-based Benami Prohibition Unit (BPU) of the department.

Ayodhya mediation panel gets more time, SC to begin hearing from Aug 2

The Ayodhya mediation committee that has been tasked with working out an out-of-the Court settlement submitted the status report to the Supreme Court on Thursday (July 18). The panel also has been given more time -until July 31- to continue with its efforts at mediating the dispute.