Mumbai, Aug 11 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS.

BOM15 GJ-MINIMUM BALANCE-RBI GUV

Banks free to decide on minimum balance for savings accounts: RBI Guv Gozaria (Gujarat): Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Monday said banks are free to decide the minimum balance for savings accounts and that it does not fall under the regulatory domain of the RBI.

BOM3 MH-KABUTARKHANA-BMC

Mumbai civic body covers Dadar Kabutarkhana once again, steps up security Mumbai: Days after agitators removed a tarpaulin cover from a 'kabutarkhana' (pigeon feeding spot) in Mumbai's Dadar area, the city civic body has again covered it with plastic sheets, officials said on Monday.

BOM12 MH-PIGEONS-JAIN MONK

Pigeon feeding row: Jain monk warns of stir from Aug 13, says will take up arms if needed Mumbai: Jain monk Muni Nileshchandra Vijay has warned of launching an indefinite hunger strike from August 13 against the decision to shut down Dadar Kabutarkhana to stop people from feeding pigeons and asserted the community would not abide by court orders on the issue if it went against their religious practices.

BOM14 MH-VAN-ACCIDENT

Seven killed as pick-up van falls off road on hilly terrain in Pune district Pune: Seven people on their way to a temple were killed and several others sustained injuries after a pick-up van they were travelling in fell off the road on a hilly terrain in Pune district on Monday, police said.

BOM20 MP-BANK ROBBERY

Robbers loot Rs 10 crore gold, Rs 5 lakh cash from MP bank; staff informed us late, say cops Jabalpur: Five persons looted 10 kilograms of gold valued at Rs 10 crore and Rs 5 lakh cash from a bank in Khitola area of Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district on Monday, a police official said.

BOM8 MH-UDDHAV-FADNAVIS

CM Fadnavis shielding "corrupt" ministers, claims Uddhav Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray on Monday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of "shielding corrupt" ministers in his cabinet, and claimed the ruling Mahayuti has relegated the state to last position in development and top in corruption.

BOM6 MH-VOTE THEFT-SAPKAL

BJP 'robbed' electoral process; it is a ploy to destroy democracy, claims Sapkal Pune: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday accused the ruling BJP of "robbing the electoral process" through vote theft, alleging that it was a ploy to "destroy democracy" in the country.

BOM13 MP-LD ACCIDENT

Five killed in jeep-motorcycle collision in MP's Anuppur Anuppur (MP): Five persons were killed and as many others injured when a jeep and a motorcycle collided in Madhya Pradesh's Anuppur district on Monday morning, police said.

PTI RSY

Central bank regulatory scope: banks may set savings-account minimum balances, outside central bank regulation. The Reserve Bank governor stated banks are free to determine minimum balance requirements for savings accounts, confirming that such decisions are outside the central bank's regulatory domain and constitute banks' operational discretion rather than regulatory prescription.