Top News on August 4: India enter Hockey Olympic semis, fresh clashes in Bangladesh, row over Ayodhya rape case and more

The Indian hockey team made a triumphant entry into the Olympic semifinals on Sunday while rain wrought havoc across the country. Outrage over the Ayodhya gang-rape case continued to grow as the mother of the 12-year-old victim accused Samajwadi Party leaders of offering money to settle the case. Meanwhile at least 43 people were killed and hundreds injured as fresh clashes rocked Bangladesh.

Here are the top news stories:

Rain wreaks havoc across India
Heavy rain lashed parts of western and central India on Sunday as the IMD issued a red alert for several states. Two children were killed in Madhya Pradesh after a house collapsed on them and the hunt for 45 people who went missing on July 31 after a series of cloudbursts remains underway in Himachal Pradesh. Hundreds were shifted out of low-lying areas in Maharashtra while Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu remained flooded as the Cauvery River flowed above the danger mark.

Flash floods and landslides due to cloudbursts and heavy rains have led to the closure of 114 roads in Himachal Pradesh. The death toll for the Wayanad landslides in Kerala have continued to increase as rescue operations reached the final stages. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 206 people are still missing.

India at the Olympics
The Indian hockey team emerged victorious after playing more than 40 minutes of a tense quarterfinal match against Great Britain with just 10 players on Sunday. Medal hopefuls including badminton player Lakshya Sen and boxer Lovlina Borgohain however suffered heartbreaking setbacks on Sunday during their quarterfinal matches.

Fresh violence in Bangladesh
At least 43 people were killed and hundreds more were injured as fresh clashes rocked Bangladesh on Sunday. Police resorted to firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters as tens of thousands of called for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign. The government declared an indefinite nationwide curfew starting from 6 pm on Sunday — the first time it has taken such a step during the current protests that began last month. An internet shutdown remains in place and the government has also announced a three-day general holiday starting from Monday.

Ayodhya rape case
The minor gang-rape case took a fresh turn on Sunday as the mother of the 12-year-old victim accused Samajwadi Party leaders of offering money to settle the matter. A three-member BJP delegation met the child and her family in Ayodhya and urged the state government to raise the compensation to the survivor's kin from ₹5 lakh to 25 lakh. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders have alleged that prime accused Moid Khan is a member of Samajwadi Party and part of the team of Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad.

(With inputs from agencies)