Petrol, diesel prices hiked again, scale new highs
New Delhi: Petrol and diesel prices on Thursday were hiked by 25 paise per litre each, the second straight day of increase in rates that took the prices to new highs.
Petrol now costs Rs 84.70 per litre in Delhi and diesel is priced at Rs 74.88, according to a price notification from oil marketing companies.
This is the second straight day of a price increase. Rates were hiked by 25 paise each on Wednesday after a five-day hiatus.
In Mumbai, the price of petrol was increased to Rs 91.32 a litre from Rs 91.07 previously, while diesel rates went up from Rs 81.34 to Rs 81.60 per litre.
Petrol price is at a record high in Delhi and is just a shy away from the highest ever rate of Rs 91.34 in Mumbai. Diesel price in Mumbai is at an all-time high.
State-owned fuel retailers -- Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) -- had on January 6, resumed daily price revision after nearly a month-long hiatus.
Rates were hiked on two consecutive days - totalling 49 paise for petrol and 51 paise for diesel - before they hit a pause button again.
The price increase cycle resumed on Wednesday, after international oil prices rose to their highest level since February 2020, before the coronavirus outbreak in China began spreading across the world, forcing lockdowns that shaved off demand.
Rates, however, eased a bit on Thursday with Brent down 11 cents to USD 55.95 per barrel while NYMEX light sweet crude was down 10 cents at USD 52.81.
The highest ever rate of diesel in Delhi was touched on October 4, 2018, when it touched Rs 75.45 a litre mark. On that day petrol was priced at Rs 84. In Mumbai, the highest level for petrol was also on the same day when it scaled to Rs 91.34.
The government had responded to the situation in October 2018, by cutting excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 1.50 per litre in a bid to ease inflationary pressure and boost consumer confidence. Alongside, state-owned fuel retailers cut prices by another Re 1 a litre, which they recouped later.
Though petrol and diesel rates are to be revised on a daily basis in line with benchmark international price and foreign exchange, government-controlled fuel retailers have been moderating rates since the pandemic broke out.
This after they adjusted a Rs 13 per litre hike in excise duty on petrol and Rs 15 a litre on diesel, against a decrease in the retail selling price that was warranted by crude oil prices falling to an average of USD 19 per barrel in April.
Excise duty totals Rs 32.98 per litre in petrol and Rs 31.83 in diesel. VAT in Delhi totals to Rs 19.32 a litre on petrol and Rs 10.85 on diesel.
With international oil prices rebounding from the lows of April, retail rates in India too were revised. Since May 2020, petrol price has risen by Rs 15.04 per litre and diesel by Rs 12.59 a litre, price notifications of oil companies showed.
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27 arrested in minor girl rape case in Kerala
Pathanamthitta (PTI): As many as 23 people were arrested and four minors were apprehended in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a Dalit girl in the district, police on Sunday said.
Ten more FIRs have been filed in the case in two police stations in Pathanamthitta district based on the statements of the girl, a release issued by Pathanamthitta District Police Chief said.
A total of 17 people were arrested, and four minors were apprehended in connection with seven cases registered by the Pathanamthitta police and six individuals have been nabbed by the Elavumthitta police, the release said.
Across both stations, a total of 27 accused have been arrested in the cases, it added.
A special investigation team has been formed to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident, with Pathanamthitta DYSP P S Nandakumar leading the team under the supervision of District Police Chief V G Vinod Kumar, the release said.
The team comprises 25 police officers from various ranks and stations.
The District Police Chief will review the investigation’s progress daily, the release said.
The investigation revealed that several of the accused met the girl at the private bus stand in Pathanamthitta. She was then taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse, police said.
The probe also found that the girl while she was studying Plus-Two class last year was taken by a youth who was acquainted with her through Instagram to a rubber plantation in Ranni and raped her along with three others.
Police said that the investigation found that she was gang raped at Pathanamthitta general hospital in January 2024.
Police are also focusing on gathering scientific evidence and examining mobile phones and other items as part of the probe.
A detailed investigation is ongoing, the District Police Chief stated.
The girl, who is now 18 years old, has alleged in her complaint that she was sexually abused by 62 individuals since the age of 13.
The police said that they received evidence indicating that the girl was exploited by her sports trainers, fellow athletes and classmates.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, demanded that the government should immediately appoint a Special Investigation Team headed by a woman IPS officer.
The brutal harassment the Pathanamthitta girl suffered was also proof of the shortcomings and weakness of our systems, the LoP added.
He stressed the need to make the counselling system more effective in state schools and change the mode of teaching in a way that directly addresses the problems faced by children.
Calling for immediate arrest of all the accused, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed action-taken report from authorities within three days and emphasised on fair and time-bound investigation to deliver justice.
The Kerala Women's Commission (KWC) has registered a case on its own and its chairperson P Sathi Devi has directed the Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police to immediately submit a report in this regard, the Commission said in a release.
The matter came to light during counselling conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, after the victim's teachers at an educational institution informed the panel about noticeable changes in her behaviour.
The Committee, subsequently, notified the police and an investigation is on.
