The Delhi Police have arrested a Mumbai-based journalist, who wanted to join the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State of Iraq and the Syria (ISIS).

The Mumbai Police had earlier launched a manhunt for the scribe who sympathised with Yakub Memon on social media and expressed his desire to join the terror group Islamic State.

At present, the journalist is being held at the Vasant Vihar Police Station and the officials are questioning him.

The Mumbai Police came close to arresting him on Tuesday when he was traced in Bandra, but the man managed to evade arrest.

A man had informed police about the controversial post a few days ago.

Yakub Memon was hanged at the Nagpur Central Jail in the early hours on July 30. He had been convicted and sentenced to death in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

In his post, the scribe in question wrote that he wished to give up his Indian citizenship and become a spokesperson for the ISIS – the terror group which currently controls a large part of Iraq and Syria.

The man, who mentions his name as Zuber Ahmed Khan on social media and claims to be a journalist, addressed his post to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

In his post, the man described Memon as a martyr.

The three-storey house where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar once lived in London will be acquired shortly by the Maharashtra government and processes for the same are in the final stages, Minister for Social Justice, Rajkumar Badole said.

The two surveyors appointed for valuation of the 2,050 sq ft property in London through the Indian High Commission there have cited different prices. While one surveyor quoted the price at Rs. 29 crores the other put it as Rs. 21 crores,” Badole said.

Since Maharashtra government has made a budgetary provision of Rs. 40 crores for the procurement of the historic monument in London, there will be no difficulty in the process, Badole said.

Also, the state government will set up a committee with the Indian High Commissioner in London for renovation of the house and for its maintenance in the future, Badole, who had personally visited London to expedite the acquirement process, he said.

An MoU will also be signed after taking possession of the house. The entire process may be completed within 15-20 days, the minister hoped.

Meanwhile, Social Justice Ministry will be distributing Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe, Shahu, Phuley, Ambedkar, Karamveer Dadasaheb Gaikwad and Sant Ravidas prizes to individuals and institutes engaged in social work on August 9 in the city.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, Union Minister for Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and State Energy Minister Chandra Shekhar Bawankule, who is also District Guardian Minister and Badole himself will be present on the occasion of the prize distribution.

Maharashtra government has declared the 17 sq km area along Thane Creek as Flamingo Sanctuary.

“The Revenue and Forests Department has issued a notification declaring the ‘Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary,” N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, mangrove cell, told PTI here today.

The notification says that sub divisional officer Mumbai suburban district will determine the existence, nature and extent of rights of any person in or over the land within the limits of the said area.

“Thane Creek will be known as ‘Flamingo Sanctuary’ as over 25,000 flamingo turned up at the stretch of 17 sq km of Creek,” state Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had said.

Currently, flamingos are not protected by the forest department as it has no control over the area. Fishermen frequent the mud flats for crabs that cause disturbance to birds. There have been cases where flamingos were hunted for meat.

The mangrove forests along the creek in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane witness the arrival of a variety of migratory birds like lesser flamingo, greater flamingo, pied avocet, painted stork and spot-billed duck. Apart from flamingo, over 205 species of birds arrives on creek area in thousands during high and low tides.

A man, who is a barber by profession, was held while entering the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ‘Mathoshree’ in suburban Bandra, for carrying a knife, police said.

According to police sources, the man identified as Ram Sharma, a former Congress worker had gone to ‘Mathoshree’ in the afternoon with a group of people who were supposed to join Shiv Sena.

On frisking, security guards at the bungalow found a knife in his possession and denied him entry, police said.

“We have detained Sharma in this connection to know the reason for which he was carrying the knife inside ‘Matoshree’,” said Sujata Patil, senior inspector of Kherwadii police station.

“Presently, Sharma has only been detained for inquiry and questioning. His arrest and case against him will only be taken after decisions by superiors,” she said.

Police said investigations are on in this connection.

In a minor reshuffle, the Maharashtra government today transferred three IAS officers.

V M Patil, an officer of 1993 batch who was serving as the Managing Director of Maharashtra State Fisheries Development Corporation in Mumbai has now been appointed Managing Director Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (Film City) in Mumbai, replacing V B Patil.

V B Patil, a 2000 batch officer, has now been posted as the Chairman and Managing Director of Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation in Pune.

Manisha Verma, of 1993 batch, has been posted as the Project Director of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (National Higher Education Mission) at Mumbai.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in 2013 and aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.

In the wake of the recent building collapse that claimed 11 lives, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Commissioner has directed officials to evacuate families living in structures categorised as extremely dangerous in the district.

TMC Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal had called an emergency meeting with officials yesterday and directed them to evacuate residents in “extremely dangerous” buildings and also take necessary action with regard to 2,500 “dangerous” residential buildings that are either in dilapidated condition or are more than 30 years old.

The commissioner also directed the housing societies (owners) to carry structural audit of buildings, done by approved auditors, which have completed a life of more than 30 years. If the societies or owners fail to get it done, the corporation will levy penalty on them.

There are 58 buildings that fall under extremely dangerous category. Of these, 38 have been evacuated, while fresh directions have been issued to get the remaining buildings vacated at the earliest, said Jaiswal.

Nearly 2,500 buildings fall under “dangerous” category and an estimated of nearly 25,000 families reside in them. The corporation will initiate necessary action like evacuation or razing against these residential buildings, he said.

At least 11 people, including four of a family, were killed and seven injured when a 50-year-old building collapsed in B Cabin area near Thane Railway Station in the wee hours of Tuesday.

A three-member committee has been set up to study into the causes of the building crash. Earlier, a three-storey building collapsed in Thakurli at Kalyan, claiming nine lives.

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) here has issued notice to 30 of its students for over-staying in the institute’s hostels inspite of the completion of their courses, an official said on Friday.

“The notice was issued to the students on August 5 and, I have strictly told them to leave the institute’s hostel. If this is not done, strict action will be taken,” institute director Prashant Pathrabe said.

Pathrabe, who is also the director of Press Information Bureau, Pune region, was on July 17 given additional charge of the institute’s director amid the indefinite strike by the students demanding the removal of newly-appointed chairman Gajendra Chauhan.

The strike that entered on its 56th day on Friday has been taken to the national capital, where students are continuing with the protest.