Onion costliest at Rs 100/kg in Bengaluru; lowest at Rs 35/kg in just 2 cities
New Delhi: Onion, a politically-sensitive commodity, remained costliest in the retail markets of Bengaluru at Rs 100 per kg on Monday despite Karnataka being the third-largest producer of the kitchen staple in the country, according to government data.
The lowest price quoted was Rs 35/kg in only two cities -- Udaipur in Rajasthan and Rampurhat in Birbhum district of West Bengal -- out of the 114 cities where price trends are monitored on a daily basis by the government.
The average all-India daily price of onion was ruling as high as Rs 70/kg on Monday.
Consumers even in the growing regions are paying elevated rates for the key kitchen item.
Despite Maharashtra being the top onion producing state in the country, the retail price of the commodity in Mumbai was a hefty Rs 77/kg.
A similar situation prevailed in Delhi, one of the major consuming markets, where retail prices were firm at Rs 65 per kg, in Kolkata at Rs 70 per kg, and Chennai at Rs 72 per kg on Monday, as per the government data.
Retail prices maintained by the government are normally lower by Rs 10-20 per kg than the trade data as prices differ depending on the quality and locality.
Onion prices have soared for the last few weeks due to tight supplies following damage to this year's Kharif crop in the wake of heavy rainfall in the key growing states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
However, the government has taken several measures, including banning exports and imposition of stock limits on traders, to boost the domestic supply and keep the prices under check till the arrival of the fresh crop by end of this month.
The government is also increasing domestic availability by releasing buffer stock of onion as well as relaxing norms for imports via private trade till December.
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka are the top three onion growing states in India.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
