In a gory incident, at least four workers were killed in a blast at a limestone mine in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, police said.

After facing defeat in Damoh Assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP's state unit has issued a show-cause notice to former minister Jayant Malaiya for indulging in "anti-party activities" and suspended the primary membership of his son and five mandal presidents, a party functionary said on Saturday.

The Income Tax Department has issued a notification allowing hospitals and nursing homes to accept cash payments of Rs 2 lakh and more for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

With Tamil Nadu witnessing a sharp increase in the COVID-19 cases, the government on Saturday announced clamping a two-week "total lockdown" across the state to curb the spread of the pandemic, starting May 10.

 India saw a record 4,187 fatalities due to COVID-19 in a single day, taking the country's death toll to 2,38,270, while 4,01,078 new infections were reported in a day, pushing the tally to 2,18,92,676, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.

At least four private hospitals in Delhi sent SOS calls to authorities over shortage of medical oxygen on Friday.

 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over their telephonic talks on COVID situation triggered political slugfest with the BJP on Friday accusing Soren of lacking the basic courtesy expected of a person holding his office and lowering its dignity.

Fifty lakh doses of Covishield' vaccine earmarked by the Serum Institute for export to the United Kingdom have now been made available for the inoculation of 18-44 age group in 21 states/UTs in India, amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, official sources said.