Cyclone Asani weakens, heavy rain likely in Andhra

Several parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal are bracing for heavy rain as severe cyclone Asani weakened to a cyclonic storm on Wednesday, barrelling towards north coastal Andhra Pradesh, packing wind speed of 85 km per hour, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The weather system is likely to further lose steam and turn into a depression by Thursday morning, it said. “It is very likely to move nearly northwards for next few hours and recurve slowly north-northeastwards along Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts during noon to evening on Wednesday, and emerge into west central Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coasts by night,” the IMD said in a bulletin. In the wake of possible heavy rainfall, the Andhra Pradesh government sounded a high alert in coastal districts, while the Odisha government did the same in five southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati.

Authorities in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara on Wednesday suspended internet services to maintain law and order after a 20-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death late on Tuesday night. Right-wing groups called on traders to keep their shops shut in protest against the incident and the state opposition Bharatiya Janata Party supported the call. According to the police, Adarsh Tapadia, a resident of Shastri Nagar in Bhilwara, was passing through the Sanganer area when some assailants on two bikes stopped him and stabbed him to death over a dispute involving his brother. Three prime accused were arrested after a first information report (FIR) was lodged at the Kotwali police station by Tapadia’s uncle, superintendent of police, Bhilwara, Adarsh Sidhu said.