Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday promised several measures, including waiving of loans of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), subsidised cooking gas cylinders under a new scheme, and free treatment to road accident victims if her party retains power after the polls in Chhattisgarh.

Addressing a rally at Jalbandha in the state’s Khairagarh assembly segment, Ms Vadra said around 6,000 state-run higher secondary and high schools will be upgraded to Swami Atmanand English and Hindi medium schools. She also promised free electricity up to 200 units if the Congress wins.

“If re-elected in Chhattisgarh, Congress will launch Mahtari Nyay Yojana for women to provide Rs 500 subsidy per gas cylinder,” Ms Vadra said.

Loans of Self Help Groups and those availed by women under the Saksham Yojna will be waived, she added.

She also said that free treatment will be provided to the victims of road and other accidents under the Chief Minister’s Special Health Assistance Scheme.

“Tivara (a type of lentil) will be purchased from the farmers at the support price,” she added.

Slamming the BJP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked, “Will you vote for those who mislead you in the name of religion and only bring problems in your lives, or vote for the party that works to ensure your development and welfare?”

Shani Louk, a German woman who had been captured by Hamas operatives on October 7, has died and her body has been found by the Israeli troops in Gaza, her family and Israel government confirmed today.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of my sister,” her sister Adi Louk said on social media.

The 23-year-old was taken hostage when she was attending the Supernova music festival near the Gaza border, which became one of the targets of a surprise Hamas attack on October 7.

After she went missing, an appeal by her mother Ricarda Louk seeking the German and Israeli governments to get Shani Louk back went viral on social media. “We were sent a video in which I could clearly see our daughter unconscious in the car with the Palestinians and them driving around the Gaza Strip,” she had said in the video.

The 23-year-old had been paraded naked in a pick-up truck after being captured. The woman is lying face down in the video shared by Hamas but her family say they identified Ms Louk from her dreadlocks and distinctive tattoos.

Sharing the news of her death on X, Israel said, “Shani who was kidnapped from a music festival and tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, experienced unfathomable horrors. Our hearts are broken.”

We are devastated to share that the body of 23 year old German-Israeli Shani Luk was found and identified.

Shani who was kidnapped from a music festival and tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, experienced unfathomable horrors.

Our hearts are broken ?.

May… pic.twitter.com/GLXOmePRAd

— Israel ישראל ?? (@Israel) October 30, 2023

Shani was attending the music festival and clips on social media had shown her dancing and singing with her friends just hours before the Hamas group stormed into the venue.

Around 260 bodies were recovered from the festival site.

Here are five points on the actor:

The actor, a native of Kochi, initially started her career as a TV show anchor before venturing into TV serials. She made her acting debut on the small screen with the serial ‘Sthree’ and went on to feature in other projects.Ms Menon is well known for her supporting roles in several television shows and movies including ‘The City of God’, ‘Marykkundoru Kunjaadu’, ‘Bombay March’, ‘Karyasthan’, ‘One Way Ticket’, ‘Athbhutha Dweepu’, among others. She also worked as a producer in several serials.According to local reports, Ms Menon was facing financial problems at the time of her death. Apart from acting, Ms Menon was also a professional Bharatanatyam dancer.She is survived by her father C G Ravindranath and mother Umadevi.