Top 10 News @ 1 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Rewa's 750 MW solar project via video conference. Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and several union ministers also took part in the event. Meanwhile, the opposition parties slammed the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over the encounter of dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey, while being brought back to the state from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. This and more, read top national stories at a glance.

1. PM Modi dedicates 750 MW Rewa solar project to nation

PM Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Asia's largest solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district. The project exemplifies India's commitment to attaining the target of gigawatt (GW) of installed renewable energy capacity by the year 2022.

2. Opposition lashes out at Yogi govt over Vikas Dubey encounter

Opposition parties like the SP, Congress, and RJD came down hard on the Yogi Adityanath government, questioning it over the encounter of dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey. While Akhilesh Yadav said that the government has been saved by the development, Manoj Jha remarked that the entire syndicate has been encountered.

3. Another wanted criminal killed in encounter in Uttar Pradesh

A wanted criminal carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 was killed in an encounter in Bahraich district on Friday, a senior police official said here. "Panna Yadav alias Suman Yadav was surrounded by a team of STF and local police in Ahiranpurwa village in Hardi area. He died in an exchange of fire," ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said.

4. Jharkhand: Rains leave 12 dead, 11 injured in 24 hours

At least 12 people died while 11 were severely injured due to lightning strikes and rain accompanied by thunderstorm that lashed several parts of Jharkhand in the last 24 hours. Three people including a woman died in Barni and Arara area of Giridih. A woman named Lalita Devi died in Merkhogoundi village while a girl died and a farmer got injured in Karnapura Panchayat of Bhojdaha. Bajnath Verma, a resident of Barni is under treatment in the hospital.

5. 4 Naxals killed in encounter with security forces in Bihar's West Champaran

Four Naxals have been killed in an encounter with the security forces in Bagaha area of Bihar's West Champaran district, the police said. The operation was conducted by a joint team of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Special Task Force (STF).

6. 7 bombs found in gangster Vikas Dubey's village in Bikru

Seven bombs have been found at the Panchayat Bhawan in Bikru village during a police search that has been continuing almost on a daily basis after the July 3 massacre in which eight policemen were killed.

7. Rajnath Singh to meet CDS, service chiefs to assess LAC situation in Ladakh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday will meet Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three services chiefs to discuss the current situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. The meeting will also review the overall security situation.

8. Fresh lockdown in several districts of Bihar from today

A fresh lockdown has been imposed in several districts of Bihar, including worst-hit Patna, from today. Meanwhile, DMs across the state have been authorized to grant a COVID 19 patient the option of 'home isolation' instead of institutional quarantine, provided he or she has the necessary resources.

9. Hours before killing, plea in SC feared Vikas Dubey's encounter

Hours before Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter, a public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court last night which sought directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure Vikas Dubey's safety. Maharashtra based Advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay had filed the petition apprehending that if Dubey is not given security, there is every possibility that he might be killed.

10. COVID-19 LIVE: With over 26k fresh cases, India inches closer to 8 lakh mark

India recorded the highest single-day spike of over 26,502 new coronavirus cases and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally close to eight lakh with 21,604 deaths, Health Ministry's data revealed on Friday.