Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday moved a resolution in the state Assembly demanding the scrapping of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Though the one-day special session was convened to ratify the extension of the reservation for SC and ST in the Assembly and the Parliament for another decade, the resolution against CAA was also taken up in view of the the widespread concerns among public in this regard, official sources said.

While presenting the resolution, Vijayan said the CAA was against the "secular" outlook and fabric of the country and would lead to religion- based discrimination in granting citizenship.

"The Act contradicts the basic values and principles of the Constitution.

In view of the anxiety among the people of the country, the Centre should take steps to drop the CAA and uphold the secular outlook of the Constitution," he said.

Noting that the Act had triggered widespread protests among various stratas of society, the Chief Minister said it had dented India's image in front of the international community.

Vijayan also ensured the Assembly that there wont be any detention centres in the southern state.

When the session began, O Rajagopal, the lone BJP member in the Assembly, objected to the resolution stating that it was "illegal" as both Houses of the Parliament had passed the CAA Act.

The Opposition Congress -led UDF had demanded the Left government to convene a special session and pass a resolution against the CAA during an all-party meeting convened by the Chief Minister on December 29 to discuss the issue.

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Thane (PTI): Forest officials on Sunday captured a leopard that mauled an eight-year-old child to death nearly a month ago in Shahapur of Maharashtra’s Thane district.

The predator walked into one of the cages set up in the area late Saturday night, ending weeks of panic in several villages in the region, an official from the Dolkhamb division of the forest department said.

"The captured leopard will undergo a thorough medical examination before any further decision is taken regarding its relocation or release," he said.

Senior inspector Suresh Gavit from the Kasara police station confirmed the development, stating that the forest department had successfully secured the animal.

Following the news of the capture, a video surfaced on social media showing a large crowd of villagers, including children, cheering and following the vehicle carrying the caged leopard.

The capture comes as a major relief to the area, which had been on edge since April 16, when the big cat killed an eight-year-old boy.

Krishna Bhaga Agiwale, a resident of Kalbhonde in the Kasara range, had ventured into a forest patch near his house to collect wild fruits when the leopard pounced on him, dragged him into the thicket and killed him on the spot.