Mumbai (PTI): More than 8.9 lakh girls in the age group of 14-15 years in Maharashtra will be administered the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said in the legislative council on Wednesday.

Replying to a Calling Attention Motion, Abitkar said a three-month vaccination drive will be launched on Women's Day (March 8).

"During the drive, the HPV vaccine will be administered to 8.94 lakh females in the age group of 14-15 years," he said.

He said another group of girls in the same age bracket will be covered next year.

The minister added that the government is also planning to screen everyone above 30 years of age for oral, breast, and cervical cancer.

The nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said that the police have booked a case against those who took out a protest march in the city recently, without permission, condemning the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A large number of Shia Muslims gathered in Richmond Town on March 2 to mourn Khamenei's demise and held a protest march.

"A section of the minority community has accepted Khamenei as their religious leader. When he died, naturally they felt the pain and expressed it. But it should have happened within the framework of the law of the land. They had not sought any permission for the procession and no permission was given," Parameshwara said in response to a question.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "They went ahead with the procession. So, the police have taken action by registering cases against them. In the days ahead, we will not let them hold any processions. As there are court orders not to permit any procession in the city, it can be done at Freedom Park if needed. The government is strictly abiding by the court orders."

Responding to a question about a Congress legislator also being part of the protest march, the home minister merely said, "We will strictly follow the rules."

Khamenei was killed in an airstrike in Tehran on Saturday during a joint Israel-US attack on Iran.