Category: India

The blast occurred at a unit, where propellant is manufactured, leading to the tragedy. It was not immediately clear how the blast occurred, police said.

Three persons were killed and an equal number suffered injuries in a blast in an explosives manufacturing factory in the Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana Tuesday evening, police said.

The blast occurred at a unit, where propellant is manufactured, leading to the tragedy. It was not immediately clear how the blast occurred, they said.

Those injured were undergoing treatment in a hospital, police said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/telangana/three-killed-in-blast-in-explosives-factory-in-telangana-3517009

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday granted the Indian Armed Forces “complete operational freedom” to respond to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam which killed 26 civilians last week, government sources told India Today TV.

The decision came during a high-level meeting convened by the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi.

The 90-minute meeting was attended by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs — Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.

According to sources, the Prime Minister reiterated that delivering a “crushing blow” to terrorism remained a matter of national resolve.

He also expressed complete confidence in the capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces and told senior defence leadership they have “full operational freedom” to determine the mode, targets, and timing of any military response, sources said.

The meeting came a day ahead of the PM-chaired Cabinet Committee on Security, the government’s highest decision-making body on national security matters.

Ranath Singh, on Monday, briefed PM Modi on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir as top defence officials mulled options to punish those behind the April 22 attack, the worst terror strike on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai carnage.

During his recent “Mann Ki Baat” address, the Prime Minister reiterated that the “perpetrators and conspirators” of the Pahalgam attack will be “served with the harshest response”.

“The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done,” PM Modi said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-fresh-meet-residence-pahalgam-terror-attack-defence-minister-nsa-ajit-doval-chief-of-defence-staff-2716956-2025-04-29

If you thought Bengaluru couldn’t get more “tech meets daily life,” think again. A man used ChatGPT to ease his auto ride.

In the city where auto drivers are often reported to insist that customers to speak Kannada, one man found a creative workaround. What did he do? He let AI do the talking.

When Instagram user Sajan Mahto came across an auto driver demanding ₹200 and his student budget was less, he did what any Gen Z might: turned to ChatGPT for help.

He asked OpenAI’s tool to speak for him and bargain with the auto driver in Bengaluru.

In a now-viral Instagram reel, which has already attracted 2.3 million views, Sajan started exploring ChatGPT’s voice feature by saying, “Hi ChatGPT, can you help me negotiate with the auto driver in Bengaluru? The auto driver is saying that the fare is Rs 200, and I am a student. Please negotiate it for Rs 100”.

He added, asking ChatGPT to be polite and convincing, “Please talk to him nicely as my big brother”.

Seconds later, he held the phone up and played the response.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/viral/peak-bengaluru-man-bargains-with-auto-driver-using-chatgpt-video-records-what-happens-next

However, the Court allowed the consolidation and transfer of multiple FIRs filed against the accused to a single court in Madurai for joint trial.

The Supreme Court recently declined to quash the First Information Reports (FIRs) lodged against two members of the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) for their alleged hate speech in which they had praised parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru and used unparliamentary language against judges of the High Court and the Supreme Court [Rahamathulla vs. The State of Tamil Nadu and Ors.].

A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta observed that the language used by the petitioners in their speeches was highly objectionable and clearly contained the essential ingredients of the hate speech.

However, the Court allowed the consolidation and transfer of multiple FIRs filed against the accused to a single court in Madurai for joint trial.

“At the outset, we must note that the language used by the petitioners in their speeches is highly objectionable and definitely discloses the necessary ingredients of the offences alleged. Hence, there is no scope for the exercise of writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India so as to quash the impugned FIRs…not for a moment, are we convinced by the submission advanced by learned counsel for the petitioners that the subsequent FIR should be quashed as the same tantamounts to a second FIR on the same facts, but in any event, we feel that allowing multiple trials before Courts of different jurisdiction in reference to the speeches of the petitioners dated 17th March, 2022 is not expedient in the interest of justice and the trials deserve to be clubbed,” the Court said.

The petitioners were booked for allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech during a protest organized without permission in Madurai. The speech allegedly praised Afzal Guru and criticized various religious practices and also slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

It also contained derogatory remarks against the judiciary, particularly in the context of the Karnataka High Court’s verdict in the Hijab case, which upheld an order of Karnataka government to disallow hijab (headscarves worn by Muslim women) in government educational institutions.

Following this speech, three FIRs were filed against the accused, two in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka.

The petitioners approached the Supreme Court against the registration of multiple FIRs for the same incident. They contended that such multiple prosecutions violated their fundamental right against double jeopardy under Article 20(2) of the Constitution.

Petitioners relied on precedents including TT Antony v. State of Kerala, Arnab Goswami v. Union of India, and Mohammed Zubair v. State of NCT of Delhi, contending that registering multiple FIRs for the same speech amounted to abuse of process and was unconstitutional.

The State opposed the plea, arguing that the inflammatory nature of the speech caused public unrest in different regions, justifying registration of FIRs in each location where the speech had impact

After considering the submissions, the Court found the language used in the speech to be highly objectionable.

However, the Court observed that allowing multiple prosecutions of the petitioners across different jurisdictions could result in a serious anomaly, with the potential for conflicting decisions.

“It is not in dispute that the contents and language of the hate speech attributed to the petitioners are verbatim the same. Thus, we are of the view that allowing multiple prosecutions of the petitioners in different jurisdictions could lead to a serious anomaly with the possibility of conflicting decisions. Additionally, such a course of action would give rise to multiple trials for the same/similar set of allegations,” Court said.

Accordingly, Court directed that all three FIRs be consolidated and transferred to a competent court in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai for a joint trial.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/supreme-court-refuses-quash-firs-against-two-praising-afzal-guru-slamming-judges

The President of India Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday notified the appointment of Justice BR Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India with effect from May 14.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 14th May, 2025,” the Union government said in a notification issued today.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna had earlier written to the Union Law Ministry recommending Justice BR Gavai to be the next CJI. CJI Khanna is set to demit office on May 13.

Justice Gavai will be the second-ever CJI from the Dalit community, the first being Justice KG Balakrishnan, who had demitted office in 2010.

He will have a relatively short tenure at the helm and will demit office on November 23, 2025.

Justice Gavai was appointed as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent judge in 2005.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/president-clears-appointment-supreme-court-justice-br-gavai-as-next-chief-justice-of-india

An Instagram user has gone viral for creating high-fashion-style photos using everyday food items like bananas, crabs, and watermelon. His quirky self-portraits, styled with edible accessories, have captivated fashion lovers and amused social media users. Viewers praised his bold creativity, calling the video both hilarious and uniquely artistic.

People on social media continue to impress with their creativity, and many of these imaginative videos often go viral, captivating the internet. In a particularly inventive video, a man has created his own fashion magazine-style photos using food items such as bananas, a dead crab, berries, a dead salmon, and more. The video has struck a chord with internet users, especially those who appreciate quirky fashion content.
The video was posted on Instagram by a user identified as Gracieux. According to his account, he enjoys creating fashion-related content, and many of his videos receive high engagement. In this particular video, he starts by placing berries on his head, then covers his eyes with a dead crab’s legs—an idea that’s both bizarre and bold. He later replaces the crab with a dead salmon, again covering his eyes.
At one point in the video, he tapes bananas all over his face, then uses slices of bread to cover one or both of his ears. Additionally, he creates a hat out of a watermelon and places it on his head. Using these unconventional accessories, he poses for self-portraits and, with some basic editing, transforms them into what he calls fashion magazine-style images. The video is captioned: “What if I created my own fashion magazine? Let’s see what that would look like. (DRIIIP edition).”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/dead-crab-on-eyes-bananas-on-face-mans-wildest-fashion-shoot-stuns-internet-creativity-at-its-peak-article-151532565

Pahalgam terror attack: With Kashmir being the primary flashpoint, India and Pakistan have witnessed full-scale wars, proxy conflicts, and military standoffs that have dramatically influenced the South Asian geopolitical environment. The Pahalgam Terror Attack in April 2025, which killed at least 26 tourists, has further worsened relations, leading to major diplomatic and strategic fallout.

India is one of the top military spenders globally, spending almost nine times more than its nuclear-armed neighbour, Pakistan. According to a report, India spent $86 billion in 2024, making it the fifth-largest military spender after the US, China, Russia and Germany.
Pakistan spent $10bn that year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The top five military spenders — the United States, China, Russia, Germany and India — accounted for 60% of the global total, with combined spending of $1,635 billion, as per the Swedish think-tank report.

The report comes at a time when the strained diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan reached a new low in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 tourists dead. Apart from Pakistan, India was also engaged in a border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

Seven people died and four were injured during the Chandanotsavam festival at Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam. Rescue operations by the NDRF and SDRF are underway.

At least eight died and four others were injured after a rain-soaked wall collapsed during the annual Chandanotsavam festival at Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday morning.
The centuries-old temple, perched on the Simhachalam hill, was brimming with thousands of pilgrims who had gathered for the sacred ritual. The incident occurred during the peak of the morning rush, just as devotees were lining up to catch a glimpse of the deity, traditionally covered with a thick layer of sandalwood paste on this auspicious day.

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V Anitha said preliminary reports indicated that the wall collapse in the temple in Simchalam was triggered by soil loosening due to heavy rains in the area.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/city/andhra-pradesh-vishakhapatnam-chandanotsavam-festival-sri-varahalakshmi-narasimha-swamy-temple-seven-dead-after-20-foot-long-stretch-collapses-article-151532566

In October 2021, a technical committee was constituted to examine if phones of individuals were hacked and in 2022

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it will not compromise the security of the nation by disclosing the contents of the report submitted to the court by the technical committee in the Pegasus snooping case, although it added that individuals whose phones were kept under surveillance deserve to know if their phones were hacked as their right to privacy enjoys Constitutional protection.

Hearing a clutch of petitions filed by individuals and organisation seeking an independent probe into the alleged hacking of phones and the involvement of the Centre in employing malware to snoop on private citizens, a bench headed by justice Surya Kant said, “Any report touching on the security of the country, we are not going to disclose even a single word. But if there are private citizens, we can examine that part.”

The matter has been kept for further consideration on July 30.

In October 2021, a technical committee was constituted to examine if phones of individuals were hacked and in 2022, the committee headed by former Supreme Court judge, justice (retd) RV Raveendran submitted its report in sealed cover.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for one of the petitioners, journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, claimed that while ordering the formation of the technical committee , the bench was not aware of whether the phones were hacked.

Other petitioners represented by senior advocates Shyam Divan and Dinesh Dwivedi sought that the report be made public alleging that the state had used spyware against its own citizens. Divan said that portions of the technical committee’s report, read out by the court in August 2022 confirmed that malware was detected in some of the devices submitted by the petitioners/individuals examined by the technical committee.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre said that the committee’s findings should not be made public as it would reveal details that could impact the security of the country. He said, “What is wrong in using spyware against terrorists. They cannot have a right to privacy.”

The bench, also comprising justice N Kotiswar Singh, remarked, “We cannot sacrifice the security of the nation. But individual citizens have a right to privacy which is protected under the Constitution.”

Striking a balance, the bench noted that the individuals who are before the court have a genuine concern whether their phones were hacked.

In the face of Centre’s opposition to part even with the redacted portion, the court proposed that details pertaining to individuals could be shared “like an objective Q&A”, by responding “yes or no” to questions from petitioners on whether their phones were hacked.

Mehta told the court that the petitions have been filed by individuals who have nothing to do with the case and are simply seeking a “roving” enquiry.

Dwivedi, also appearing for the petitioners informed the court that the chairman of the technical committee had also submitted a separate report listing its recommendations and that this could be shared. The bench admitted that it has not opened the sealed cover yet to find out its contents.

The court agreed to examine these issues on the next date of hearing and permitted petitioners to give names of individuals who wanted confirmation of their apprehensions that their phones were hacked.

The other members of the court-appointed committee included Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, professor cyber security and digital forensics, and dean, National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Prabaharan P, professor at the school of engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kerala; and Ashwin Anil Gumaste, associate professor of computer science and engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

The court had directed former Indian Police Service officer Alok Joshi and Sundeep Oberoi, chairman of the subcommittee in the International Organization of Standardization, International Electro-Technical Commission and Joint Technical Committee, to assist the committee on matters involving technical and investigational aspects.

As the petitions highlighted breach of their right to privacy and alleged that the highly sophisticated spyware Pegasus was a military software sold only to governments and government agencies, the court picked the committee to enquire whether the Pegasus software was used on phones or other devices of citizens “to access stored data, eavesdrop on conversations, intercept information” and the details of the persons affected by such a spyware attack.

Reports first surfaced in 2019 that WhatsApp accounts of Indian citizens, including journalists, judges and politicians were hacked using Pegasus spyware. As the petitioners alleged that the state was behind it, the court had asked the committee to examine “if any governmental agency” or “domestic entity/person” had used the spyware and under what law, rule, guideline, protocol, or lawful procedure was such a deployment made.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/complete-freedom-to-forces-to-decide-mode-time-target-of-response-to-pahalgam-attack-pm-modi-101745934806596.html

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the arrests were made for supporting Pakistan on social media. He also warned that those with greater involvement or a prior history would be booked under the National Security Act (NSA).

More than 30 people have been arrested in Assam so far for controversial social media posts about the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed more than two dozen civilians.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the arrests were made for supporting Pakistan on social media. He also warned that those with greater involvement or a prior history would be booked under the National Security Act (NSA).

“There are no similarities between Bharat and Pakistan. The two countries are enemy nations, and we must remain so,” Mr. Sarma stated while speaking with the media on Tuesday.

Earlier, at least 24 people, including an MLA, a journalist, students, a lawyer, and retired teachers, were arrested in Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura for their controversial posts on social media about the Pahalgam attack.

Aminul Islam, an MLA from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), was among the first to be charged with sedition for his statement that the 2019 Pulwama and recent Pahalgam attacks were “conspiracies by the government.”

Last Tuesday, terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, killing 26 tourists in cold blood.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-assam-over-30-arrested-so-far-for-supporting-pakistan-on-social-media-8290871

The searches were undertaken on Monday at five locations in Hyderabad under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the federal probe agency said in a statement.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has seized 45 old cars, including some vintage ones, apart from Rs 23 lakh in cash and some foreign currency during searches in Hyderabad in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sale of government land.

The searches were undertaken on Monday at five locations in Hyderabad under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the federal probe agency said in a statement.

The ED case stems from an FIR registered by Telangana Police against private persons and government officials in connection with “illegal” sale of government land involving forgery of documents and manipulation of revenue records.

Describing the case, the agency said government land or ‘Bhoodan’ land at Nagaram village under the Maheshwaram Mandal (Ranga Reddy district) was “falsely claimed” by a woman named Khaderunissa as her ancestral property.

Revenue records were “fraudulently” mutated and the land was sold to various entities in association with several middlemen. These middlemen, in connivance with government officials, “forged” the documents and changed the land revenue records, resulting in de-notifying the said land from the prohibited list and its subsequent sale to some private parties, the ED alleged.

Residences and farmhouses, including that of Khaderunissa, Mohd Munawar Khan, Mohd Lateef Sharfan, Mohd Akhtar Sharfan and Mohd Sukoor, were searched and “incriminating” documents related to fraudulent sale and purchase of government land, Indian currency worth Rs 23 lakh and 12,000 UAE Dirhams were seized, the agency said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/probe-agency-ed-seizes-45-old-cars-including-vintage-after-raid-in-hyderabad-land-scam-8289638

Flying from Delhi to cities in North America requires a fuel stop without access to Pakistan’s airspace.

After India unveiled a slew of diplomatic measures following last week’s terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed, Pakistan responded by – among other steps – closing its airspace to Indian airlines. The measure has affected flights to and from North America the most, increasing the time taken to fly to Delhi from San Francisco, for instance, by nearly four-and-a-half hours.

According to a blog by flight tracking website Flightradar24, flying from Delhi to cities in North America requires a fuel stop without access to Pakistan’s airspace. Air India, it said, has established refuelling stops in the Austrian capital of Vienna and Denmark’s capital Copenhagen, with the former getting most of the traffic.

The website said AI127 from Delhi to Chicago used to fly through Pakistan’s airspace and covered 12,500 kilometres, taking, on average, 14 hours and 47 minutes to cover the distance. Now that the flight has to avoid Pakistan’s airspace and make a stop to refuel, it has to cover nearly 15,000 km, taking over 19 hours to get to Chicago.

Some Air India flights from North America are also stopping in Vienna or Copenhagen to refuel while returning to India. AI174 from San Francisco to Delhi used to take 15 hours and 25 minutes non-stop. With a refuelling stop in Vienna, the total time taken to get to Delhi is now over 20 hours.

The blog said regional flights are getting affected too, with the IndiGo flight 6E1806, which used to take 2 hours, 18 minutes from Delhi to the Uzbekistani capital of Tashkent now taking 5 hours, 30 minutes and travelling through Iran and Turkmenistan.

Airlines’ Take

In a post on X on April 24, Air India had said it expected some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East would have to take an extended route.

“Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen airspace closure that is outside our control. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority. To check if your flight is affected by this disruption, please call our Contact Centre on 011 69329333, 011 69329999 or visit our website http://airindia.com,” the airline wrote on X.

In a travel advisory, IndiGo had said, “We’re closely monitoring the situation following the sudden airspace closure by Pakistan. Some of our international flights remain impacted. Please check your flight status http://bit.ly/31paVKQ and rebooking options http://bit.ly/31lwD2y.”

India’s Steps

A day after the attack, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Visa Exemption Scheme.

The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, Mr Misri announced, will be suspended immediately until “Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”, and the Integrated Check Post at Attari will be closed with immediate effect. “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1,” the foreign secretary said.

Another major announcement was that the defence/military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared “persona non grata” and have to leave India.

A day later, India had also revoked most visas issued to Pakistanis, including medical visas.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-india-pakistan-after-pak-airspace-closure-san-francisco-delhi-flight-time-up-4-hours-8289423

“Take Your Clothes Off, Sit In Lingerie”:Ishqbaaaz Actress Navina Bole Accuses Sajid Khan Of Sexual Harassment

Television actress Navina Bole, known for her role in Ishqbaaaz, has accused filmmaker Sajid Khan of sexual harassment.
In a recent social media post, Bole recounted an incident from 2008 when she was called to Khan’s office for an audition. She alleged that during the meeting, Khan asked her to remove her clothes and sit in lingerie, stating, “Take your clothes off, sit in lingerie.” Bole described the experience as “traumatic” and labeled Khan a “terrible man.”
These allegations add to the series of accusations against Sajid Khan that surfaced during India’s #MeToo movement in 2018. Actress Saloni Chopra detailed her experiences of harassment while working as Khan’s assistant director in 2011. She claimed that Khan would call her at odd hours, make inappropriate comments, and once asked her to touch his genitals. Chopra stated, “It took me years to get over the trauma he put me through.”

Journalist Karishma Upadhyay also accused Khan of misconduct during an interview in the early 2000s. She alleged that Khan exposed himself and made lewd comments. Similarly, actress Rachel White recounted that during an audition for Humshakals, Khan insisted she strip so he could assess her suitability for a bikini

Following these revelations, Khan stepped down as the director of Housefull 4. The Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) conducted an investigation and suspended Khan for a year, citing serious instances of sexual harassment and abuse of power

Khan has denied the allegations, stating that they have caused irreparable harm to his career and personal life. He expressed willingness to cooperate with investigations but maintained his innocence. ​

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/television/television-news/-take-your-clothes-off-sit-in-lingerie-ishqbaaaz-actress-navina-bole-accuses-sajid-khan-of-sexual-harassment/680eef4098e7b5da75cc76ee

A Delhi man’s Reddit post went viral on social media, as per which, he and his wife allegedly ended up receiving deadly ‘threats’ from a group of bikers, over some ‘accidental water spill’. Here’s the entire matter…

When it comes to ‘patience’- especially on the road- India and Indian streets are not exactly on the top. Road rage incidents and abusive arguments and fights over the pettiest of inconveniences have turned into an ‘everyday thing’ for most- based on countless social media posts narrating the same. Highlighting something similar with yet another incident, a Delhi man narrated a rather ‘scary’ incident that allegedly unfolded with him and his wife. As per the man’s Reddit post, his wife was watering some plants in their residence’s balcony. She was allegedly almost done, when some of the water accidently ended up spilling on the street below, resulting in a group of bikers getting a little wet. What happened next left the couple ‘scared’ for their safety; the bikers allegedly turned abusive and began to threaten ‘the people who spilt the water’.
The man expressed his shock over the matter and claimed that nothing like this ever happened to him in the last ‘15 years’. As per the post, one of the bikers threatened to ‘burn’ the ‘responsible’ alive. “Jala dunga (Will burn you),” the biker had allegedly shouted. The couple, as per the post, did not confront the bikers due to fear for their safety. The post, soon after getting shared, went viral in an instant. Times Now could not confirm the exact location and authenticity of the post.
“After 15 years of living here, what happened today shook me,” the post read.

The post was shared on Reddit, by the handle ‘UniversityClean1855’. It was shared today and pulled many reactions from people.

“Typical. Just have an iron door. Like not Jali Wala stuff. The proper door is made of iron saria square steel. For all roof and main entries. Let the dogs bark. Never engage or peep out. And always have CCTV. They come with night vision and sound as std nowadays, on all fronts, and kitchen for maid,” a user said.
“Sadly, folks do be like this nowadays, everyone wants to act all tough and gangster. All it took was some ‘chullu bhar pani’ to hurt that man’s ego, imagine if a tiny rock or pebble would’ve fallen onto him,” added a second person.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/delhi-couple-gets-threatened-by-group-of-bikers-over-this-minor-accident-viral-reddit-post-article-151525026

Lucknow police filed a sedition case against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore after Abhay Pratap Singh accused her of posting provocative content on X, allegedly aimed at inciting religious discord and threatening national unity following the Pahalgam tragedy.

Lucknow police have registered a case of sedition against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore over a complaint that her provocative social media posts targeting a particular faith community in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy could harm the nation’s unity.
Lucknow police have registered a sedition case against her after a formal complaint was loged by an individual named Abhay Pratap Singh. Abhay accused Rathore of sharing objectionable material on her X account, alleging that her posts were designed to creatge discord among religious communities and harm national unity.
“In this situation, singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her Twitter [now X] handle @nehafolksinger made some objectionable posts that can adversely affect the national integrity and made repeated efforts to incite one community against another based on religion,” the complainant Abhay Pratap Singh said.

The complaint was registered at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against the folk singer on multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempting to promote sectarian animosity, disturbing public tranquillity and endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, police said, adding that she has also been booked under the Information Technology Act.

Owaisi reminded Bilawal Bhutto about the devastating impact that homegrown Pakistani terrorists had on his own family.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday hit back at Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s provocative “blood will flow” remark. Dismissing the statements made by Bhutto after the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Owaisi reminded the leader about the devastating impact that homegrown Pakistani terrorists had on his own family.
“Arre chhodo… bachpane ki baatein nahi karna (Leave it, don’t say childish things). He does not know what happened to his grandfather. His mother (Benazir Bhutto) was killed by their homegrown terrorists. Does he even know what he is saying?” Owaisi was quoted as saying by News18.
Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was assassinated in Rawalpindi during an election rally in December 2007. Rogue elements of the Pakistani Taliban were said to have had a hand in her death, and the government and military were accused of a cover-up.

The banned platforms include YouTube channels of news outlets such as Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Raftar, Geo News, and Suno News. Channels of journalists Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq have also been blocked, along with The Pakistan Reference, Samaa Sports, Uzair Cricket, and Razi Naama.

Sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels, including that of cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, with a combined 63 million subscribers, have been banned in India for spreading provocative and communally sensitive content after the Pahalgam terror attack, based on recommendations from the Union Home Ministry, government sources said.
The banned platforms include YouTube channels of news outlets such as Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Raftar, Geo News, and Suno News. Channels of journalists Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq have also been blocked, along with The Pakistan Reference, Samaa Sports, Uzair Cricket, and Razi Naama.

According to an official, with this surrender, 203 Naxalites have so far laid down arms the district, while 90 have been killed and 213 arrested.

Twenty-four Naxalites, including 14 with a total reward of Rs 28.50 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday, a police official said.

The surrender comes amid a massive anti-Naxal operation involving around 24,000 security personnel underway on hills of Bijapur bordering Telangana since April 21.

The surrendered Naxalites include 11 women, the official said.

“They cited disappointment with the inhuman Maoist ideology, atrocities on local tribals by ultras and growing differences within the outlawed outfit. They are also impressed by ’Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village) scheme of the state government aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages around security camps,” Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.

“The surrendered cadres belong to different formations of east Bastar division, Partapur area committee and west Bastar division of the Maoists. Of them, Sudru Hemla (33), a member of Bhairamgarh area committee, and Kamli Modiam alias Urmila (36), Partapur area committee member, carried rewards of Rs 5 lakh each on their heads,” he said.

Jaymoti Punem (24) and Mangu Punem (21) carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively, the SP added.

“Shamnath Kunjam (40), Chaitu Kursam (30), Buchchi Madvi alias Roshni (25), Sukhmati Ursa (28) and Somli Hemla (45) carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh each, while Bujji Padam (20), Sukko Punem (28), Hidme Veko (22), Soni Korsa (30) and Lachha Tati (25) were carrying reward of Rs 1 lakh each,” Yadav informed.

With this surrender, 203 Naxalites have so far laid down arms the district, while 90 have been killed and 213 arrested, he said.

All the surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government’s policy, he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/24-naxalites-including-11-women-surrender-during-anti-maoist-operation-in-chhattisgarhs-bijapur-9316703.html

In wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the department of pharmaceuticals has sought pharmaceutical export data from Pharmexcil, an arm under the ministry of commerce and industry

Amid the growing strain on bilateral trade relations, the department of pharmaceuticals has requested the pharma export body to prepare a list of medicines and pharmaceutical products exported to Pakistan.

The move was triggered by the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. Accusing Pakistan of backing cross-border terrorism, India announced a raft of measures against its neighbour. Islamabad, however, has denied the allegations and retaliated with reciprocal steps against Delhi, including snapping trade ties.

The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers has sought details from Pharmexcil – an arm that functions under the ministry of commerce and industry.

“We have asked for the export data to see what we are sending to Pakistan. Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) is working on it and will send details soon,” a senior government official told News18.

The DoP has requested the information on an “urgent” basis. According to Pharmexcil data, Pakistan is the 38th out of 219 countries in India’s pharmaceutical exports market. In the fiscal 2023, India exported $191.36 million followed by $176.54 million in the fiscal 2024. The latest data pegs trade at around $200 million.

“Dubai is a major business trading centre for Pakistan. While India exports medicines and pharma products to the UAE, in turn, Pakistan imports from these countries,” another government official told News18, while explaining the pharmaceutical trade relationship between India and Pakistan.

“The majority of Indian exports to Pakistan include active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). While it won’t impact India by snapping the pharma trade ties, it will impact Pakistan as it would import costlier drugs and APIs from the countries rerouting our medicines,” the official said.

Also known as bulk drugs, APIs are the therapeutic agents that give the main effect to the medicine. For instance, paracetamol is an API in the Crocin tablet.

News18 contacted Raja Bhanu, director general of Pharmexcil and secretary of the DoP, for comments. Repeated calls and text messages to him went unanswered.

It is not the first time the two countries have faced a strained bilateral relationship. Following the Balakot airstrikes and the abrogation of Article 370, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had banned bilateral trade with India.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/india-seeks-list-of-medicines-pharma-products-exported-to-pakistan-on-urgent-basis-ws-l-9316648.html

The 53-second video starts with the zipline operator chanting “Allahhu Akbar” (God is the greatest) before sending the man on the ride

Nearly a week has passed since the terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people. Several videos filmed by tourists in Pahalgam are now under scrutiny.

A new video has emerged showing a man recording his zipline ride in Baisaran meadow while some tourists can be seen running on the ground, seemingly from terrorists. The man, possibly unaware of the attack at the time, was at a considerable height. Gun shots can heard in the background.

The 53-second video starts with the zipline operator chanting “Allahhu Akbar” (God is the greatest) before sending the man on the ride. Initially, everything seems normal, but as he continues, people can be seen running away. Over 100 people were in the Baisaran meadow at the time. One tourist fell while running for his life.

Sources told CNN-News18 that the zipline operation has been picked up for questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Rishi Bhatt, the man on the zipline, said he got saved because he was taking the ride.

“When I took the zipline, one person said Allahu Akbar and moved his head left and right and then the firing started from those sides,” Bhatt told CNN-News18.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/pahalgam-terrorist-attack-tourists-zipline-selfie-unknowingly-captures-terror-victims-collapsing-at-baisaran-valley-ws-dl-9316493.html 

India’s manufacturing share of iPhones, depending on estimates, ranged between 10% to 20% at the end of 2024.

There are reports that Apple intends to shift manufacturing of all US-bound iPhones, from China to India. That means, around 60 million more iPhones may be made in India, destined specifically for the US — this, in addition to iPhones already made here for domestic consumption, and exports. If Apple’s manufacturing partners in India are able to pull this off, it’ll be nothing short of a coup, say analysts.

There are three distinct yet overlapping pieces that need to come together. The current iPhone manufacturing capacity in India with headroom for increasing local consumption and exports; investments lined-up by Apple and its partners Foxconn as well as Tata Electronics to add more production capacity; and sourcing of raw materials for which any production facility still largely relies on China.

On April 24, around 15 scientists, with an army of instruments gathered at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, where seers performed a Som Yagya

Smoke is an aerosol; aerosol particles help form clouds; clouds bring rain.

Havans (traditional fire rituals) create smoke.

So far, so good.

That could explain why a group of scientists is engaged in an exercise to determine the efficacy of havans in bringing rain.

Scientists from the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology and Scientific Council, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), have started a research project to find whether Som Yagya, a havan in which juice of a medicinal plant Samovalli (Sarcostemma brevistigma, a kind of oleander) is offered to the fire can purify the environment and promote cloud condensation , bringing about rain.

On April 24, around 15 scientists, with an army of instruments gathered at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, where seers performed a Som Yagya. They measured multiple parameters such as the release of various gases, changes in temperature and humidity, aerosol behaviour, and cloud condensation from April 24 to 29.

Facilitated by non-government organisation (NGO) Akshay Krishi Pariwar which aims to bridge traditional agricultural practices with modern ones, the study, scientists said, is aimed at validating religious beliefs and traditions.

Rajesh Mali , a scientist who retired from the India Meteorological Department and who is part of the effort said: “This is a unique project which started on April 24 and will go on for next a few years. In this project, we are measuring various things by using least 13 instruments. The two main instruments are Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter (CCN counter) and a Tethersonde (an instrument that measures atmospheric parameters). CCN measures the concentration of aerosol particles in air to build blocks of cloud droplets. Tethersonde, a balloon with a sensor, measures pressure, temperature and humidity in the area where the Yagya is being performed.”

He added that other machines used include the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) to calculate aerosol events.

Another scientist Dr Yang Lian from the regional office of IITM added: “After measurement, we will analyse the effect of Yagya on environment. We are noting down the data four times a day — two times during Yagya and in morning and evening. The comparative data will help us to conclude our study.”

Anil Kothari, the director of Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology, which is also participating in the research said, “This study will work as bridge between science and ancient practices of India. It will offer new insights in the field of environment and science.”

Akshaya Krishi Pariwar convener Gajanand Dange said that the purpose is to provide “scientific evidence” for traditional beliefs which are there for centuries. If the study fails, he added, the team will look for new machines which can measure the atmospheric changes better.

“Our motive is not to question the efficacy of Yagyas and its effect mentioned in the Vedas. Our effort is to provide supportive scientific evidence so that these traditional methods can be used by the scientists to deal with problems such as global warming and drought,” he said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mp-scientists-study-whether-havan-can-bring-rain-101745866502810.html

The honours included four Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awards, recognising outstanding contributions across diverse fields.

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the prestigious Padma Awards to 71 distinguished individuals at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Durbar Hall. The honours included four Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awards, recognising outstanding contributions across diverse fields.

The event marked the first phase of Padma Award presentations for the year 2025.

Renowned violinist L. Subramaniam was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his exceptional contribution to the field of art. The late Osamu Suzuki, former CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation, was posthumously honoured with the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to trade and industry. His son and current CEO Toshihiro Suzuki accepted the award on his behalf.

In the field of art, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, actor and Andhra Pradesh legislator Nandamuri Balakrishna, actor S. Ajith Kumar, and the late singer Pankaj Udhas were awarded the Padma Bhushan. The award for Pankaj Udhas was received by his wife Farida Udhas. Former Indian hockey goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh was conferred the Padma Bhushan for his achievements in sports.

Notable Padma Shri recipients included playback singer Jaspinder Narula for her contribution to music and Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin for excellence in sports.

Prominent Vedic scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid was also honoured with the Padma Shri. He is credited with determining the auspicious timings for the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya and the foundation ceremony of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.

American author and researcher Stephen Knapp, known for his writings on Vedic culture and spirituality, was awarded the Padma Shri for his work in literature and education.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/president-murmu-confers-padma-awards-to-71-distinguished-individuals-8280907

The man got so furious that he rammed a tempo traveller into the wedding guests. As chaos ensued, he fled the hall on the bus.

A man crashed a minibus in a wedding hall, injuring six people and damaging goods worth Rs 3 lakh in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district. Reason: He didn’t get ‘paneer’ (cottage cheese) in the wedding feast.

It was the wedding of Rajnath Yadav’s daughter in Hamidpur village of Mughalsarai Kotwali area. The ‘barat’ (wedding procession) arrived at the venue late Saturday evening. Everything was going well.

Then, a man entered the hall and went straight towards the food stalls. When Dharmendra Yadav couldn’t find paneer among other dishes, he got angry.

“Dharmendra Yadav came to the wedding and started eating, and asked for paneer. When he didn’t get it, he got angry and drove a bus in the middle of the wedding ceremony, in which eight people were injured and goods worth more than Rs 3 lakh were damaged,” said Rajnath Yadav.

He got so furious that he decided to do the unthinkable. He rammed a tempo traveller into the wedding guests. As chaos ensued, he fled the hall on the bus.

Several people were injured, including the groom’s father and bride’s uncle. They are undergoing treatment at a trauma centre in Varanasi.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/upset-over-not-being-served-paneer-man-drives-bus-over-wedding-guests-in-up-8281057

The resolution – which didn’t mention Pak— was passed after a discussion where CM Abdullah said he will not cite the attack to push for statehood.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and briefed him on the security dynamics in Jammu & Kashmir and the military’s readiness after the Pahalgam terror attack, the 40-minute meeting coming hours after the Pakistan Army opened fire at several Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) and violated the ceasefire for the fourth straight day.

The meeting – which came a day after Modi reiterated his resolve to give the “harshest punishment” to the terrorists – assumes significance in the context of India considering military options to target the neighbouring country for its support to terror; it has already suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded bilateral ties, and shut down the only operational land border crossing at Attari after the April 22 attack that killed 26 people.

Earlier in the day, the Jammu & Kashmir assembly unanimously passed a resolution expressing shock and anguish over the attack and resolved to defeat designs to “disturb communal harmony”. The resolution – which didn’t mention Pakistan— was passed after a discussion where chief minister Omar Abdullah said he will not cite the attack to push for statehood for the Union territory.

“As the chief minister and tourism minister of Jammu & Kashmir, I had invited these people here. It was my responsibility to ensure they were sent back safely to their homes. I could not send them back,” a visibly emotional CM said, adding that he had no words to apologise to the victims.

Last Tuesday, a group of heavily armed terrorists emerged from the woods and targeted tourists on the lush Baisaran grassland near Pahalgam in Kashmir. Twenty six people died – all men, 25 of them tourists, and 24 of them Hindus – in the attack that was reminiscent of the heydays of militancy in the 1990s and 2000s and the worst to rock the country since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack that coincided with US vice president JD Vance’s visit to India. New Delhi has since identified three Pakistani terrorists and used signal intelligence to underline Islamabad’s role in the attack.

Tensions spread along the LoC on Monday as the Pakistan Army targeted Indian posts located on the southern side of the Pir Panjal mountains (it had so far fired at posts on the northern side), officials with knowledge of developments said.

The latest round of overnight, unprovoked firing took place in the Poonch and Kupwara sectors, bruising the February 2021 ceasefire agreement and signalling the neighbouring army’s intent to further escalate hostilities along a wider front of volatile frontier after the terror attack that killed 26 people, officials aware of the matter said.

“Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively,” said an official.

Previous ceasefire violations took place north of the Pir Panjal range in sectors including Uri, Tangdhar, Kupwara and Gurez, but the latest violation in the Poonch sector in the south indicates the Pakistan Army’s intent to activate the entire frontier.

On Sunday, forward deployed Indian troops responded firmly to an earlier night-long provocation and targeted the adversary’s posts facing the Tutmari Gali and Rampur sectors in north Kashmir.

The violations are likely to intensify and expand along the LoC as the ceasefire crumbles, HT reported on Monday, citing a top official.

Separately, in Jammu, Abdullah cited sweeping protests in the region and spontaneous shutdown calls to protest against the killings as proof that terrorists had no support.

“In the past 26 years I never saw people coming out in such big numbers to condemn the attack…Terror and militancy can be wiped out only when people are with us and this is the beginning. We shouldn’t take any step that alienates the people,” he said.

“The security in J&K is not the responsibility of the elected government but I will not cite the Pahalgam attack to demand statehood. How can I push for statehood now? I don’t want such cheap politics at this stage,” he added.

On Sunday, Modi reiterated his resolve to give the “harshest” punishment to those behind the Pahalgam attack, which he said was aimed at derailing development in Kashmir as he urged the people of the country to stay united in the fight against terrorism.

Among the most visible markers of the rising tensions have been the exchange of fire across the LoC. The repeated targeting of Indian posts in north Kashmir and now the Poonch sector has sparked the most extensive cross-border exchange in four years.

The hostilities along the LoC are the worst in four years as the 2021 ceasefire had mostly held until the Pahalgam attack. Unlike isolated, brief exchanges that were quickly resolved through established channels, the current pattern involves simultaneous salvos at multiple points across most of the 740-km frontier and has persisted with increasing frequency after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan has also unveiled tit-for-tat reactions to punitive measures announced by India but neither side has thus far indicated its intent to abandon the ceasefire.

Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines, suspended all trade with India, including through third-party countries, and has threatened to suspend bilateral pacts such as the Simla Agreement. The use of heavier weapons and artillery along the LoC cannot be ruled out, as previously reported.

The two armies announced on February 25, 2021, that they had begun observing a ceasefire along the LoC from midnight of February 24. They had earlier agreed to a ceasefire in November 2003, but it was frequently violated. The ceasefire violations by the neighbouring army have traditionally been aimed at providing cover to infiltrators.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajnath-briefs-pm-as-loc-on-edge-j-k-passes-resolution-101745865721634.html

The tragedy also left one rescuer dead and four others injured, with several passengers still unaccounted for. According to police sources, the van tried to negotiate the road with a biker and knocked down the rider before plunging into the well. The bike rider died on the spot.

As many as ten people were killed and four sustained injuries on Sunday afternoon when an Eco van plunged into a well after hitting a motorcycle in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district.

The accident occurred around 1:15 pm at Budha-Takarwat Phata under Narayangarh police station area.

According to police, the Eco van (MP09-WC2452) from Khojan Kheda village near Jaora lost control and collided with a motorcycle before falling into a nearby open well. The victims were traveling to visit Aatri Mata temple.

The 10 deceased have been identified as residents of Mandsaur and Ratlam districts, including Gobar Singh, Manohar Singh, Kanhaiya Lal Keer, Nagu Singh, Pawan Keer, Dharmendra Singh, Asha Bai, Madhu Bai, Mangu Bai and Ram Kunwar.

Gobar Singh was from Abakhedi, a resident of Sitamau, and was riding the motorcycle involved in the collision.

Manohar Singh, a local resident who had descended into the well to assist with rescue operations, also died after inhaling poisonous gas from the well while saving others, said Narayangarh police station in charge Anil Raghuwanshi. Reports indicate he had rescued 2-3 people.

4 injured undergoing treatment

The four injured survivors – Maya Keer (26), Priyanshi (3), Devendra (12) and Mukesh (27) – are currently receiving treatment at the district hospital.

Emergency teams have recovered two bodies so far and have successfully extracted the vehicle using a crane. Four injured survivors, including 3-year-old Priyanshi, have been rescued and admitted to Mandsaur District Hospital.

Deputy CM Jagdish Devda visits site

Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, who rushed to the scene, confirmed that 13 people were involved in the accident. “First the children were taken out and sent to the hospital,” Devda told reporters.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/madhya-pradesh-five-feared-dead-as-van-carrying-devotees-plunges-into-well-in-mandsaur-rescue-efforts-underway

Two children died and five people were injured when a massive fire gutted over 800 shanties in a jhuggi cluster at Sector 17 in Rohini on Sunday morning, a Delhi Fire Service official said.

The blaze was doused completely after fire-fighters worked tirelessly for three hours, but cooling operations are still underway, he said. Charred bodies of two children — a two-and-a-half year old and a three-year-old — were recovered from the remains, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Amit Goel told PTI. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official said they received a distress call around 11.55 am.”We received a call reporting a fire close to Sriniketan Apartment at Sector 17. We immediately dispatched 17 fire engines. Upon observing the intensity of the fire, we upgraded it to a medium category fire by 12.40 pm and called for more vehicles and manpower,” he said, adding that a total of 26 fire tenders were deployed at the spot.

The fire engulfed over 800 densely packed shanties spread across around five acres. Thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as fire fighters battled the flames.”It took more than three hours to douse the flames completely. The cooling operation is still underway. The bodies of two children were recovered and immediately sent to a nearby hospital,” the DFS official said.”The fire is now completely under control. Cooling operations are in progress,” he said.

Multiple police teams were also deployed at the spot along with the fire brigade.According to DFS, the fire started from one of the huts and immediately engulfed the entire area.The official explained that fire-fighters faced significant hurdles due to the location.”There is an apartment complex with boundary walls in front of the affected area, making access extremely difficult. Fire engines had to be lined up one behind the other, delaying the operation,” he said.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/video-massive-fire-breaks-out-in-delhis-rohini-sector-17-kills-2-children-destroys-800-shanties-5-injured

The Delhi High Court has ruled that original compositions based on Hindustani classical music traditions can be protected under copyright law, provided they exhibit sufficient creativity and originality.

Justice Prathiba M Singh held that while foundational elements like ragas and taals remain in the public domain, composers who create distinct musical works using these traditional frameworks are entitled to copyright protection under the Copyright Act, 1957.

“A composition in Hindustani classical music would have to follow the structure and rules of a Raga to identify as a composition within the said Raga. However, the various possibilities and choices available to a composer within the structure of a Raga are several in number,” the Court said.

Hence, songs which are derived from original classical music based compositions can infringe copyright, the judge held.

She further noted that the legislature had also evolved the law to protect works based on Hindustani classical music.

“It is also necessary to consider the reason for the legislature to evolve/amend the Act to extend protection to certain creative works, including to works based on Hindustani classical music,” the judgment stated.

The observations were made in an interim order passed in a copyright infringement suit filed by Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar (plaintiff) against legendary composer AR Rahman (defendant).

Dagar alleged that Rahman’s song “Veera Raja Veera”, featured in Ponniyin Selvan 2, was derived from “Shiva Stuti”, a Dhrupad composition credited to the Junior Dagar Brothers.

Rahman and the film’s producers denied infringement, arguing that Shiva Stuti was a traditional composition, and no exclusive rights could subsist over classical works adhering to public domain structures like Raga Adana.

The Court navigated this tension between preserving access to traditional knowledge and protecting individual creative contributions. Justice Singh ruled affirmatively on the broader legal principle, holding that:

Ragas, taals, and stylistic traditions form part of the public domain and are free for all to use.

However, when a composer arranges, selects, and expresses musical notes within these frameworks in an original and creative manner, that specific composition qualifies as a “musical work” eligible for copyright protection under Section 13 of the Copyright Act, 1957.

The Court noted the plaintiff’s argument that though there is no copyright in the Raga, the musical compositions are themselves original in nature. Every composer can set the composition to a particular Raga, which would then become the original composition of that compose

The Court established that composers working within traditional frameworks can create original, copyrightable works.

Justice Singh elaborated on this concept by drawing a parallel between Saptaswara and English literary works.

“All Classical music compositions are based on the eight Swaras – Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa. Similarly, all English literary works would be based upon the same English alphabet A – Z. Every Raga is based on the principles prescribed for a Raga. Similarly every language is bound by the rules of grammar too.”

Thus, the Court clarified that while no one can claim ownership of a raga itself, the specific creative expression within that framework can be protected, much like how no one owns grammar but authors own their novels.

“The core of the impugned song Veera Raja Veera is not just inspired but is in fact identical in Swaras (notes), Bhava (Emotion) and Aural impact (impact on the ear) of the suit composition Shiva Stuti, from the point of view of a lay listener,” the judge said.

Hence, she specifically rejected Rahman’s defense that any similarities were merely due to both works following the discipline of the same raga.

“If the impugned song is not based on Raga Adana, the defendants are not bound by the principles of the said Raga or discipline of the said Raga. Thus, the defence being taken by the Defendant that the particular composition sounds similar because of the discipline of the Raga is also completely untenable and baseless,” the Court opined.

Justice Singh stressed upon the “lay listener test” rather than technical notation analysis, noting that in Indian classical music tradition, “it is the sound of the music or the aural effect of the music that would be the test.”

A significant finding was that Rahman had deliberate access to the original composition. Two singers of the song were disciples of the plaintiff and Rahman had specifically sought compositions from the Dagarvani tradition.

“The selection of a composition based on the Dagarvani tradition, especially the ‘Shiva Stuti’, was a conscious and deliberate choice made by the Defendant No.1, who is himself an acclaimed composer of global renown,” the Court said.

In its order, the Court crafted a set of remedies balancing recognition for the original composers with commercial realities.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/can-songs-derived-from-classical-music-compositions-infringe-copyright-delhi-high-court-answers-in-arr-rahman-case

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that terrorists killed 26 people in a brutal attack to destroy peace in Kashmir. He said the attack shows the frustration of those who “patronise terrorism”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the terrorists who killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam will be served with the “harshest response”. Addressing the country in his monthly Mann Ki Baat programme, he said, “In the war against terrorism, the unity of the country, the solidarity of 140 crore Indians, is our biggest strength.”
He said that when peace was returning to Kashmir, terrorists attacked the region with the aim of destroying it. “This attack in Pahalgam reflects the frustration of those who patronise terrorism…. At a time when peace was returning to Kashmir, enemies of the nation and J&K did not like it. Terrorists and their masters want Kashmir to be destroyed once again,” the PM said in the 121st episode of his monthly broadcast.
“That is why such a big conspiracy was hatched. In this war against terrorism, the unity of the nation is our biggest strength… We must strengthen our resolve to face this challenge,” he added, saying “Nyay milke rahega”.

“The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will be served with the harshest response…There is a deep anguish in my heart. The terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam on the 22nd of April has hurt every citizen of the country,” the Prime Minister further said.

He added that global leaders have called him, written letters, and sent a message condemning the heinous terrorist attack. “….The entire world stands with the 1.4 billion Indians in our fight against terrorism. Once again, I assure the victims’ families that they will get justice. The conspirators and perpetrators of this attack will face the harshest response,” he added.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/mann-ki-baat-pm-narendra-modi-pahalgam-terrorists-their-masters-want-jammu-kashmir-to-be-destroyed-again-article-151508151 

The ongoing action against suspected terrorists has evoked sharp reaction from political leaders in Jammu & Kashmir.

The residences of three more suspected terrorists were demolished by security personnel in South Kashmir, taking the number of such razed homes to nine since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, officials said on Sunday.

The ongoing action against suspected terrorists has evoked sharp reaction from political leaders in Jammu & Kashmir. While chief minister Omar Abdullah said strong action must be taken against terrorists, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti emphasised the need to distinguish between civilians and terrorists during counterterror operations following the attack that claimed the lives of 26 people.

According to officials, three residences of suspected terrorists were razed during the intervening night of April 26-27. The houses of Adnan Shafi Dar in Zainapora area of Shopian, Amir Nazir in Daramdora area of Pulwama, and Jameel Ahmad in Naz Colony area of Bandipora.

Officials said that all the terrorists were associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), with Dar affiliated with its offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF), which has claimed responsibility for the April 22 attack. Ahmad, meanwhile, has been reportedly operating out of Pakistan since 2017.

The action comes days after six residences of suspected terrorists were razed by security forces in South Kashmir since April 24. While security forces said the explosions were caused by bombs kept at the houses, relatives of some of the terrorists alleged that the forces planted the explosives.

Amid the ongoing crackdown against suspected terrorists, chief minister Omar Abdullah said that strong action must be taken. “After the Pahalgam terror attack, there must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origin. People of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism and the murder of innocent people, they did this freely & spontaneously,” he said in a post on X.

However, he also noted that innocent civilians should not be harmed by the punitive action taken by security forces and the administration. “It’s time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people. Punish the guilty, show them no mercy but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage,” he further said.

Former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said the Centre must “tread with caution” and distinguish between terrorists and civilians while taking action. “It must not alienate innocent people, especially those opposing terror,” she said on X.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/houses-of-three-more-terrorists-demolished-in-south-kashmir-101745779596596.html

A Rajasthan government school teacher was suspended after reportedly instructing a class nine student to stop writing his exam and instead prepare and skin a chicken.

In a bizarre incident, a government school teacher in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district was suspended after he allegedly asked a class nine student to quit writing his paper and cut, skin and clean a chicken. The student was allegedly pressurised mid-exam to focus on preparing the chicken instead.
According to a PTI report, when the shocking allegations came to the fore, other students of the school came forward to claim that their teacher, Mohanlal Doda, had dismissed the school cook from duty around a month ago. This resulted in the school students not getting food in the school since then, the locals alleged.
Mohanlal Doda’s alleged unethical conduct caused a furore among the locals, who approached Rajasthan Minister Babulal Kharadi to complain. A detailed report on the matter was then directed by the minister.

After the inquiry, Sub-Divisional Officer Hasmukh Kumar’s report found that Doda had indeed made the class 9 student, Rahul Kumar Pargi, cut, skin, and clean the chicken during the exam at the school, officials told PTI.

It is not yet clear if the school boy was forced to skin a chicken in the middle of his paper for the school, or ostensibly for the tutor to take it home.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/rajasthan-school-teacher-tells-class-9-student-to-quit-writing-exam-cut-clean-chicken-instead-article-151510974

A member of the family shared the incident of the receptionist demanding over Rs 800 for emergency bathroom usage by the sick woman.

A shocking incident has surfaced near the Khatu Shyam Temple in Rajasthan, where a hotel reportedly charged an elderly woman Rs 805 for using their restroom for just six minutes. In a clear violation of ethics, the hotel took advantage of the woman, who was urgently seeking a clean bathroom during a medical emergency. A family member shared the distressing experience in a LinkedIn post, which has since gone viral.

The elderly woman fell seriously ill on her way to the temple for darshan, suffering from severe stomach cramps and nausea. As she struggled to stand, her family desperately searched for a restroom but found none nearby. The basic public bathing areas were unsuitable for her needs, leaving them with no choice but to approach a nearby hotel.

However, instead of showing compassion, the hotel receptionist demanded over Rs 800 for just a few minutes of restroom access, despite clearly seeing the woman’s fragile condition. Left with no alternative, the family agreed to the exorbitant charge in the face of the emergency.

‘While we were waiting, my mother suddenly started feeling extremely unwell. Nausea, stomach pain, and a strong urge to vomit. Papa looked around desperately for a washroom. While we were taking care of Maa. But there was nothing usable. No washroom near the temple area around 1 km. A few public bathing areas, but no proper restrooms. She was in visible pain, barely able to stand,’ the LinkedIn user posted.

‘We rushed to a nearby hotel and begged the person at the reception— We don’t need a room, just the restroom, just for 5-10 minutes. Please, it’s an emergency. He looked at my mother’s condition… and said, Rs. 800 to use the restroom. We were (in) shock. No empathy. No hesitation.’

‘I’m still trying to understand… How can someone see a woman in pain and still put a price on basic humanity? What have we become?’ a member of the family decried in the LinkedIn post that has gone viral. When her husband asked for the bill, the receptionist took to an illegal practice, absurdly offering the family the choice to pay Rs 100 less if they demanded no proper bill.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/rajasthan-woman-charged-rs-800-for-using-rest-room-aa-9314398.html

A major blaze broke out at the Enforcement Directorate’s office building in south Mumbai in the early hours of Sunday, and there were no casualties in the incident, officials said.

The fire broke out at the Kaiser-I-Hind building in the Ballard Estate area around 2:31 am, they said.

Officials said the blaze, which started on the fourth floor of the five-storey building housing the ED office, raged for hours and was brought under control.

A senior police official said a short circuit had caused the fire, and furniture, cupboards and electric installations were damaged.

He said police teams were at the spot and conducting panchnama, and further enquiry was underway.

Mumbai Fire Bridge upgraded the fire to Level III at around 4.17 am, which is generally considered a major fire.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/major-fire-breaks-out-at-ed-office-building-in-south-mumbai-3512742 

Airlines have been instructed to ensure that technical halt airports have emergency medical support and ground ambulances. Additionally, cabin crew will receive briefings on managing passenger fatigue, discomfort, and potential medical incidents during extended flights.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued guidelines for Indian airlines operating flights between North India and the West, requiring them to inform passengers about potential rerouting, longer flight times, and technical stops due to Pakistan’s closure of its airspace.
“Passengers will generally remain onboard such stops,” says the advisory issued by DGCA CFO Captain Shweta Singh. “Airlines must ensure that catering uplift is revised based on actual travel time (including technical halt). This includes adequate meals and beverages for the full duration. Additional hydration and dry snacks. Special meals as per requests.”
Airlines have been instructed to ensure that technical halt airports have emergency medical support and ground ambulances. Additionally, cabin crew will receive briefings on managing passenger fatigue, discomfort, and potential medical incidents during extended flights.

Air India may need to take a fuelling and crew change halt for its Delhi-North America/Europe/UK flights. “Our North America nonstops may remain so or take a fuelling halt en route, depending on the conditions each day, each flight. Which means on a given day, how are the wind flows and aircraft loads like, that call will be taken,” said an Air India official.

Due to Pakistan’s airspace closure, flights from North India to the West will now take a longer route over the Arabian Sea, via Mumbai and Ahmedabad, instead of the usual Delhi-north Pakistan-Hindukush route. Pilots note that this new route will expose flights to strong headwinds, potentially increasing flight times and fuel consumption. As a result, airfares for new bookings may rise by 30-40 per cent.
The DGCA has advised airlines to prepare for potential disruptions, including protocols for passengers missing onward connections and compensatory action for delays. Indian airlines, particularly Air India, are expected to face significant financial impacts due to Pakistan’s airspace closure, as longer routes will increase operational expenses, including fuel, stopovers, and crew costs.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/industry/dgca-guidelines-airlines-must-ensure-passenger-care-in-long-flights-to-the-west-amid-pak-airspace-closure-article-151504443

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam with a warning.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday warned that those attempting to provoke India will face retaliation in a language that they understand. His remarks came in the aftermath of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
While addressing the public during a rally in Lakhimpur Kheri, Yogi Adityanath condemned the Kashmir attack and paid his condolences to the bereaved families. “UP government pays condolences to the people who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack and condemns this cowardly attack. There cannot be any place for terrorism and anarchy in a civilised society,” he said.
“The Indian Government’s model of security, service, and good governance is based on the development, welfare of the poor, and security of all. Yeh naya Bharat kisi ko chhedta nahin lekin agar koi chhedega toh usko chhodega bhi nahin. (This new India does not provoke anyone, but if anyone dares to do it, they won’t be spared),” he said.

“If someone tries to lay a hand on the security of the nation, then they will be made to understand in the language that they understand. New India is ready to reply to such people,” the UP CM added.

On Saturday, authorities in Uttar Pradesh said that they are overseeing the departure of Pakistani nationals on short-term visas, while monitoring the ones with long-term visas. India has directed Pakistani citizens residing in the country to return to their homeland before April 27 in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Days ago, Yogi Adityanath had also met the family members of Shubham Dwivedi, the Kanpur resident who was killed in the Pahalgam attack.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/kashmir-attack-yeh-naya-bharat-hai-kisi-ne-chhedaa-toh-yogi-adityanaths-warning-after-pahalgam-terror-attack-news-article-151506827

The glossy wooden table on which the Simla Agreement was signed between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1972 is kept in the Kirti Hall of the Himachal Pradesh Raj Bhavan.

A day after Pakistan suspended the 1972 Simla Agreement, the country’s flag was seen missing on the historic table at the Himachal Pradesh Raj Bhavan on which the agreement was signed.
The glossy wooden table on which the agreement was signed is kept in the Kirti Hall of the Himachal Pradesh Raj Bhavan on an elevated red-coloured platform cordoned off with brass railings with a plate which reads — “Simla Agreement was signed here on 3-7-1972”.
A photograph of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto signing the agreement and former PM Indira Gandhi sitting beside him is kept on the table, while several other photographs of the India-Pakistan Summit of 1972 hang on the wall in the background.

The Pakistani flag is not present on the iconic table anymore, reported PTI, citing Raj Bhavan officials. However, it is yet to be known if the Pakistani flag was removed or not.

Lieutenant Vinay Narwal was a resident of Haryana’s Karnal, and was on his honeymoon in Pahalgam with his wife when he was killed.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job to the family of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was among the 26 tourists killed in Jammu-Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 in the deadly terrorist attack.

According to an official statement, the job will be given to any of the family members as per the wish of Narwal’s parents.

The last rites of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was a resident of Haryana’s Karnal, were performed on April 23. Haryana CM Nayab Saini also attended his last rites.

Speaking to the media, CM Saini said, “I came here to pay tribute to Vinay Narwal and meet his family. Those who have carried out the cowardly attack will not be spared… strict action will be taken against them. Vinay Narwal is a brave soldier…The Haryana government stands with Vinay Narwal’s family.”

Several people arrived at the residence of the officer to pay tribute and take a final glimpse of the officer.

Lieutenant Vinay Narwal was killed less than 10 days after he got married.

His widow bid an emotional goodbye to her husband as she stood with tears in her eyes at the funeral ceremony.

“I hope his soul rests in peace. He lived a good life. He made us really proud, and we should keep this pride in every way,” she said, with a trembling voice.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/haryana-cm-announces-ex-gratia-of-rs-50-lakh-govt-job-for-kin-of-navy-officer-killed-in-pahalgam-9314725.html

The Assam CM asserted that under PM Modi’s leadership, “India will hunt down terror and destroy terror infrastructure wherever it exits in the world”.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his threat to India, asserting that “no one can deter India from taking decisive revenge” for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

He affirmed that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, “will hunt down terror and destroy terror infrastructure wherever it exists in the world”.

Sarma took to X and shared a clip of Zardari addressing a gathering in Sukkur.

‘Unworthy son’

“The State of Pakistan has a long and bloody history of betrayal — it took lives of Bilawal Bhutto’s grandfather and mother. It is a tragedy that an unworthy son today chooses to speak in a manner that dishonors even their sacrifice,” he wrote.

“Let it be absolutely clear — no one can deter India from taking decisive revenge when it comes to safeguarding its honour and its people,” Sarma added.

He said that India’s national security is non-negotiable. “The waters of the Indus are ours — and they shall remain ours, unchallenged and eternal,” the Assam CM added.

Pakistan People’s Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed Indus belongs to Pakistan.

He said that under the Indus Waters Treaty, “India has acknowledged that the Indus belongs to Pakistan”.

Speaking at an event, Zardari said, “I would like to stand here in Sukkur by the Indus and tell India that the Indus is ours and the Indus will remain ours, whether water flows in this Indus or their blood.”

On April 22, terrorists gunned down 26 people, mostly tourists, in Baisaran, near J&K’s Pahalgam. The attack has led to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi announcing massive punitive actions against Islamabad.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/unworthy-son-himanta-biswa-sarma-slams-bilawal-bhutto-says-no-one-can-deter-india-from-revenge-101745713623657.html

With his wedding attire ready and all set to tie the knot in Pakistan’s Amarkot city on April 30, Singh along with his family and ‘baraat’ set out from Barmer district for the Attari border on Tuesday.

Rajasthan’s Shaitan Singh got engaged to Kesar Kanwar from Pakistan’s Sindh province four years ago. As the groom’s family struggled for years to get visas, the cross-border wedding was hit by another hurdle when the government closed the Attari border on Thursday.

With his wedding attire ready and all set to tie the knot in Pakistan’s Amarkot city on April 30, Singh along with his family and ‘baraat’ set out from Barmer district for the Attari border on Tuesday.

But by the time they reached there, authorities refused to let them cross the border as India on Wednesday ordered immediate shutdown of the Attari-Wagah border as part of a series of retaliatory steps following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.

“We’ve waited a long time for this day,” said Singh, adding that after years of efforts it was only recently, February 18, that he, his father and brother were granted visas.

The groom’s cousin Surendra Singh said the situation has left both families disheartened.

“Our relatives from Pakistan had come here but they had to return. We are very disappointed. Terror attacks cause a lot of damage. Relations get spoiled. Movement on the border stops,” he said.

As the cross-border wedding remains disrupted. The visa of Singh, a resident of Indroi village in Barmer district, is valid until May 12, giving the families a glimmer of hope that the wedding might still happen if the border reopens in time.

“Whatever the terrorists did was wrong. The wedding has been interrupted. What to do? It is a matter of borders,” the groom said.

The cross-border marriage was arranged through family ties, a common practice among the Sodha Rajput community, which has a significant population in Sindh province of Pakistan.

Many of them prefer marrying within the community, and often seek matches across the border to preserve their cultural traditions.

Singh, who works in the finance sector, is one of many in the region with relatives in Pakistan. For now, his family waits in hope that the situation improves and the border reopens in time for the marriage to go ahead.

India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/band-baaja-wedding-in-limbo-indian-groom-shaitan-singh-stuck-at-attari-wagah-border-8261658

This ignition test conducted on April 24 is the second milestone after the successful first hot test on March 28, 2025, that was a major breakthrough in the testing of the Semicryogenic engine test programme, the space agency said.

A short duration hot test of the semicryogenic engine was successfully conducted at the test facility in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu, the space agency said on Saturday.

This ignition test conducted on April 24 is the second milestone after the successful first hot test on March 28, 2025, that was a major breakthrough in the testing of the Semicryogenic engine test programme, the space agency said.

In a statement, ISRO said, this test, the Engine Power Head Test Article, encompassing all engine systems except the thrust chamber, was subjected to a hot test for a duration of 3.5 seconds, that validated the engine start-up sequence.

“During the test, the engine was successfully ignited and operated up to 60 per cent of its rated power level, demonstrating stable and controlled performance,” it said.

According to ISRO, these tests are part of a planned series of evaluations designed to validate the design integrity and performance of critical subsystems, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo pumps, pre-burner and associated control systems.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro-successfully-conducts-short-duration-hot-test-of-semicryogenic-engine-8265170

Over 1,000 Pakistani nationals in Maharashtra have been directed to leave, following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Similar actions are taken in UP, Goa, and Uttarakhand.

Over 1,000 Pakistani nationals residing in Maharashtra have been directed to leave the state, the state government confirmed on Wednesday.

In a similar move, authorities in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and Uttarakhand have also issued exit notices to Pakistani nationals on short-term visas. This action follows increased scrutiny of foreign nationals after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam earlier this week.

Officials in these states have also indicated that those on long-term visas are under observation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted the chief ministers of all states on Friday and instructed them to ensure that no Pakistani stays in India beyond the stipulated deadline.

In Punjab, 75 Pakistani nationals have returned to their country, while 335 Indian nationals have come back from Pakistan.

Maharashtra minister Yogesh Kadam stated on Saturday that 5,000 Pakistani nationals are living in the state, including 1,000 on short-term visas who have been asked to leave the country as per the Centre’s directives.

Some have been residing in India for 8-10 years, some are married, and some have surrendered their Pakistani passports and applied for Indian citizenship, he said.

According to his estimate, there could be 4,000 long-term visas, including 1,000 SAARC visas, for those who have come to the state for film work, medical reasons, journalism, or personal matters, Kadam said.

Those with short-term visas have been asked to leave by April 27, while those with medical visas have been given two additional days, Kadam said.

In Maharashtra, 55 Pakistani nationals on short-term visas have been asked to leave by the Central government’s deadline of April 27, a state home department official said. There are 18 Pakistani nationals on short-term visas in Nagpur, 19 in Thane, 12 in Jalgaon, and three in Pune, while Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, and Raigad have one each.

Uttar Pradesh

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh are overseeing the departure of those on short-term visas, while monitoring those with long-term visas.

Prayagraj Police Commissioner Tarun Gauba said four Pakistani nationals were on short-term visas in Prayagraj district.

While one Pakistani woman left on Friday, three Pakistani women will leave on Saturday, he said.

Gauba mentioned that these individuals had come for brief periods, including one for medical treatment, and assured that the local intelligence unit is closely monitoring the situation.

Similarly, authorities in Muzaffarnagar and Bulandshahr also reported that Pakistani nationals are leaving.

However, there are still 26 Pakistani nationals in Muzaffarnagar on long-term visas.

Azamgarh, Baghpat, Bhadohi, and Shahjahanpur districts also have Pakistani citizens with long-term visas who are currently exempted from leaving. Meanwhile, police in Amroha and Moradabad said no Pakistani nationals are residing in their districts.

Meerut and Mainpuri authorities said no Pakistani nationals are living in their districts on short-term visas.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Police on Friday said two of the three Pakistani citizens living in different districts on short-term visas have been sent back.

According to a press release, the process of sending back the third one is underway.

Twenty-six people, most of them tourists, were killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday.

Following this, the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to allow normal Pakistan visa holders to return to Pakistan by April 27 and medical visa holders by April 29.

State police said about 250 Pakistani citizens are living in Dehradun, Haridwar, and Nainital districts, out of which 247 are on long-term visas and three are on short-term visas.

Most of the Pakistani citizens who came to India on long-term visas are Hindus, according to the release.

Goa

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said three Pakistani nationals on short-term visas in the state have been asked to leave by the central government’s deadline.

At a press conference in Porvorim, he said, Three Pakistani nationals on short-term visas have been asked to leave the country.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/over-1000-pakistani-nationals-asked-to-leave-maharashtra-up-goa-uttarakhand-hand-exit-notices-ws-dkl-9314731.html

After the video elicited a barrage of comments, lauding the husband for a swift intervention, Rapido issued a statement saying its driver’s conduct was unacceptable and he had been permanently removed from the platform.

A woman here has accused a Rapido bike rider of sending an unsolicited message, asking for her flat number.

He also wrote, “Call me, else I’ll come over,” she alleged in a post on social media.

The woman informed her husband about the message, who caught the Rapido driver outside their apartment building. He also made a video of the driver and uploaded it on social media. The driver was handed over to the apartment’s security personnel.

Police, however, said no complaint has been received in connection with the matter.

After the video elicited a barrage of comments, lauding the husband for a swift intervention, Rapido issued a statement saying its driver’s conduct was unacceptable and he had been permanently removed from the platform.

“We barred the captain from the platform, and we spoke to the customer and offered legal assistance, and are on standby for further instructions from her,” Rapido said.

The company asserted that it had its zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and it would tighten its driver verification protocols.

The accused was identified as Manjar Alam, who was using someone else’s identity to operate the ride hailing app.

According to the video, the woman had scheduled a Rapido bike ride through the app to step out for an errand. Shortly after, the driver arrived and called to notify her of his presence and she asked him to wait a couple of minutes.

A minute later, the driver texted her, asking for her flat number and suggesting he should come up. He also shared his personal number, insisting she call him. ‘ Feeling unsafe, the woman locked her door and immediately contacted her husband. Her husband returned home and confronted the driver outside their apartment.

Upon being confronted, the driver fell to his knees and pleaded for forgiveness. The woman’s husband documented the exchange and later shared the footage online.

In the video, the driver claimed it was a misunderstanding and that his message had been misread.

When questioned, the driver introduced himself as Manjar Alam from Ghata village.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/haryana/gurugram-man-accosts-rapido-driver-for-sending-wife-messages-video-viral-on-social-media-3511345

In the case at AIIMS Raipur, two male End Stage Renal Disease patients, aged 39 and 41 from Bilaspur, had been on dialysis for three years, the union health ministry said.

New Delhi: The AIIMS Raipur has successfully performed its first swap kidney transplant, making it the first among the newer AIIMS institutions and the first government hospital in Chhattisgarh to carry out this complex and life-saving procedure.

The Union Health ministry said swap kidney transplant, which is also known as Kidney Paired Transplant (KPT), can lead to a 15 per cent increase in the number of transplants.

In a swap transplant, a patient with renal failure who has a willing living donor but is unable to receive the kidney due to an incompatible blood group or the presence of HLA antibodies can still undergo a transplant by exchanging donors with another incompatible pair. Through this arrangement, both recipients receive compatible kidneys, resulting in successful transplants for both pairs.

In the case at AIIMS Raipur, two male End Stage Renal Disease patients, aged 39 and 41 from Bilaspur, had been on dialysis for three years, the ministry said in a statement.

Both were advised to undergo kidney transplantation.Their respective wives came forward as living donors. However, due to blood group incompatibility direct donation was not possible.

To overcome this challenge, the transplant team at AIIMS Raipur coordinated a successful swap transplant, the statement said.

Each donor gave her kidney to the other recipient, ensuring blood group compatibility and enabling both patients to receive life-saving organs. The surgery was conducted on March 15, and all four individuals — both donors and recipients — are currently recovering well under close observation in the Transplant ICU.

Recognising its potential, the National Organisation and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has recommended for the implementation of Swap donor transplantation to all states and Union Territories as this option could increase the number of donors.

The NOTTO has also decided to have a ‘uniform one nation one swap transplant programme’ to facilitate these transplants more effectively across the country, the statement said.

AIIMS Raipur has played a pivotal role in the development of organ transplant in Chhattisgarh. The institute has successfully developed a renal transplant program, encompassing both living and deceased donor transplants.

Six deceased donors have donated their organs in last two years, the statement said.

AIIMS Raipur has also been first amongst the newer AIIMS to start deceased donor organ donation and deceased donor kidney transplantation, it said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/health/first-swap-kidney-transplant-conducted-at-aiims-raipur-3508141

The Pahalgam attack was carried out by a hardened module affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, comprising mostly foreign terrorists, with support from local militants.

The terrorist attack in Baisaran valley near Pahalgam, which ended in 26 people dying, has brought a long-active terror group operating in Jammu and Kashmir to the forefront. This terror attack, one of the deadliest since the scrapping of Article 370 in 2019, has triggered high-level diplomatic and security responses from the government against Pakistan, which has been accused of harbouring the handlers and backers of this terrorist group.

The attack was carried out by a group affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror organisation, comprising mostly foreign terrorists, with support from local militants, overground workers from the Valley and under the control of 26/11 attacks mastermind and Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed.

The Module’s Past Operations
According to sources, this particular module has been active in the Kashmir Valley for a long time. Security agencies believe it has been behind several high-profile attacks across the region, including in Sonamarg, Boota Pathri, and Ganderbal. In October 2024, four individuals, including two Indian Army personnel, were killed in a terror strike at Boota Pathri. That same month, Sonamarg witnessed a deadly assault on tunnel construction workers in which six labourers and a doctor were gunned down. Hashim Musa, one of the main accused in the Pahalgam massacre, is believed to a suspect in this attack.

Following the Sonamarg massacre, a key figure in the module, Junaid Ahmed Bhatt, an A+ category Lashkar terrorist from Kulgam, was neutralised in an encounter in Dachigam in December 2024. Other members of the group managed to escape, dispersing into nearby forested regions. After a major attack, these terrorists typically go underground, hiding in dense forest hideouts until receiving fresh orders from their handlers in Pakistan.

Links to Lashkar Leadership

The module is reportedly controlled directly by Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed and his deputy Saifullah, both believed to be operating from Pakistan. Indian intelligence agencies maintain that the module receives not only ideological but also logistical and tactical guidance from Pakistan’s military and its intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The group’s composition includes a majority of foreign fighters, but several locals and overground workers from Kashmir are embedded within it, providing support and cover.

The Pahalgam Attack

In the Pahalgam attack, terrorists struck at three separate locations within the Baisaran valley. According to police sources, five people were killed together at one location, two were shot dead in an open field, and others were targeted near a fencing structure around the valley. Those who managed to jump over the fencing and flee were spared. Survivors have said that the attackers even engaged them in brief conversations before opening fire.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday released sketches of three suspects linked to the Pahalgam attack. Two are Pakistani nationals: Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha. The third, Abdul Hussain Thokar, is a resident of Anantnag in Kashmir. The police have announced a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh for credible information leading to their capture.

Security forces also uncovered a hideout used by the module in nearby forests on Thursday.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-terror-module-that-struck-pahalgam-handled-by-lashkar-chief-hafiz-saeed-8250934

The DMK has frequently accused Governor RN Ravi of acting on behest of the BJP to deliberately delay implementation of laws and scuttle the state’s development.

Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK and Governor RN Ravi are at loggerheads, again.

This time it is over Mr Ravi alleging Chief Minister MK Stalin used the state police force to deter vice-chancellors from attending a conference chaired by him in the hill-town of Ooty.

Mr Ravi – whom the Supreme Court rebuked this month for withholding assent to 10 bills cleared, each twice over, by the Tamil Nadu government – declared Mr Stalin’s behaviour was reminiscent of the Emergency imposed by late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“Is MK Stalin afraid of the consequences of a rise in standards of state universities… that this could be a threat to his political future?” the Governor, roiled in a row with the state government over appointment of vice-chancellors to state-run colleges and universities, asked.

The DMK hit back quickly and declared “intimidation is in the BJP’s DNA”.

The Tamil party has frequently accused Mr Ravi of acting on behest of the BJP – which appoints governors – to deliberately delay implementation of laws and scuttle the state’s development.

“We have it in us to stand for the state’s rights. There is no provision in the Constitution to make governors chancellors of state universities,” Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan said.

On existing vice-chancellors skipping the Governor’s conference, Mr Chezhiaan said they had “understood the Supreme Court verdict” and had chosen to boycott the event.

“How can the state government be responsible? The Governor convened the meet disrespecting the law… does that mean the vice-chancellors should do it too?”

The head-to-head between the Tamil Nadu government and Mr Ravi – at least on the issue of withholding assent for bills – came to a big denouement on April 8 after the Supreme Court said Mr Ravi had not acted in good faith, and that his actions were “illegal” and “arbitrary”.

The verdict was hailed as “historic” by Chief Minister Stalin, who said it was a win for all states, referring to similar disputes between non-BJP states and their respective governors.

In addition, the court also specified timelines for governors and the President to assent to bills passed by state legislatures; that section of the verdict led the BJP’s Nishikant Dubey to attack the judiciary.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/south/tamil-nadu-news-dmk-vs-governor-rn-ravi-vice-chancellors-skip-conference-in-ooty-8255733

Despite the attack, Mr Goyal expressed confidence that tourism in Kashmir will resume soon, emphasising that no one can derail Kashmir from its developmental path, highlighting the region’s progress and potential.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday assured a smooth Amarnath Yatra, which is set to commence on July 3 this year, despite the Pahalgam terror attack.

Despite the attack, Mr Goyal expressed confidence that tourism in Kashmir will resume soon, emphasising that no one can derail Kashmir from its developmental path, highlighting the region’s progress and potential.

“People of India are capable and confident enough that soon tourism will resume there, Amarnath Yatra will be conducted successfully, and no one can derail Kashmir from the developmental path that it has taken,” said Mr Goyal.

Registrations for this year’s Shri Amarnath Yatra began in Jammu and Kashmir on April 15. They took place at 533 branches of Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, J&K Bank, and Yes Bank across the country.

The Amarnath Yatra is set to commence on July 3 this year, simultaneously from both routes–the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. It will culminate on August 9 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

Mr Goyal reiterated that the government has already announced the cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals, and they must leave India.

“We have already announced it (visa cancellation for Pakistani nationals) and they all must go…,” he said.

Mr Goyal strongly condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack, emphasising that India will not tolerate terrorism. Mr Goyal stated that India has no interest in having trade relations with Pakistan, labelling it a “terrorist nation.”

“India has no interest in having a trade relation with a terrorist nation like Pakistan… There will be no place in India where we will let terrorism rise…,” added the Union Minister.

Referring to Pakistan’s persistent challenge, Mr Goyal made it clear that India has already taken steps to sever ties.

“The loss caused to Pakistan is of no interest to India. What is the use of trading with a terrorist country like Pakistan?” he said. He further assured that India’s decisions, particularly regarding the visa cancellations, would be communicated soon, underscoring that these steps are part of a broader strategy to tackle terrorism.

“As long as 140 crore Indians consider patriotism and nationalism their highest duty, such incidents will continue to trouble the nation,” he added.

Meanwhile on Friday, while extending condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said Central government will identify, trace and punish the terrorists along with their backers.

Recalling the remarks of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Goyal said, “I remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism is a menace to civilised society. This is the moment when the entire country comes together and expresses the anger and collective commitment of the nation to give a fitting response to those responsible for this.”

Reminding people of the resolve taken by Prime Minister Narendra over the terror attacks, Mr Goyal said, “We will identify, trace and punish the terrorists and their backers. This is the resolve of every Indian… We faced the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and came back stronger. We gave a befitting reply to Pulwama attacks.”

Union Minister also expressed condolences to all the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

“There is outrage across the country from Kargil to Kaniyakumari against the attack on India’s very fabric. We are all united in grief, pray for the departed and wish for quick recovery of those injured. We pray that strength is bestowed upon those families who are deeply impacted by this heinous and criminal act of terrorists,” Mr Goyal said.

The attack in Pahalgam occurred on Tuesday at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, and leaving several others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans.

Following the attack, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi reached Srinagar on Friday and assessed the situation in the valley.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amarnath-yatra-will-be-conducted-successfully-minister-piyush-goyal-in-wake-of-pahalgam-terror-attack-8258457

Pope Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Monday. He was 88.

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday paid homage to Pope Francis at the Basilica of St Peter in Vatican City.

Pope Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Monday. He was 88.

His funeral will be held on Saturday.

“President Droupadi Murmu paid homage to His Holiness Pope Francis at Basilica of St Peter in Vatican City,” her office said in a post on X.

Droupadi Murmu is accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju; Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian; and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Joshua De Souza.

Droupadi Murmu, who reached here earlier in the day, is on a two-day visit to the Vatican City beginning Friday and will offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of India.

“On April 26, the president will attend the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, which will be attended by dignitaries from around the world,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in a statement.

India had declared a three-day state mourning on the passing of Pope Francis.

Media reports quoted the Vatican as saying that about 164 delegations are confirmed for Francis’ funeral. These include 54 heads of state and 12 reigning sovereigns.

Droupadi Murmu is accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju; Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian; and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Joshua De Souza.

Droupadi Murmu, who reached here earlier in the day, is on a two-day visit to the Vatican City beginning Friday and will offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of India.

“On April 26, the president will attend the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, which will be attended by dignitaries from around the world,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in a statement.

India had declared a three-day state mourning on the passing of Pope Francis.

Media reports quoted the Vatican as saying that about 164 delegations are confirmed for Francis’ funeral. These include 54 heads of state and 12 reigning sovereigns.

The tourists stranded in Chungthang were rescued via Sankalang Bridge in Dzongu, officials said.

Hundreds of tourists stranded in Chungthang in Mangan district of north Sikkim following landslides were rescued on Friday, officials said.

Chungthang is nearly 100 km away from the state capital Gangtok. The landslides were caused by heavy rainfall in Lachen and Lachung areas of Mangan on Thursday.

The tourists stranded in Chungthang were rescued via Sankalang Bridge in Dzongu, officials said. A total of 222 vehicles left the region through a reconstructed Bailey bridge at Sangkalang, which was opened for traffic movement, the officials said.

While roads to Lachen and Lachung remained closed due to mudslides caused by heavy rainfall last evening, efforts were on to clear the routes as fast as possible.

Around 100 tourists from the Lachung area hiked downhill, crossing the landslide-hit Bop village, to reach Chungthang. Mangan District Magistrate Anant Jain said the remaining tourists stranded in Lachen and Lachung have been advised to remain in their respective hotels. Adequate accommodation and food arrangements have been made to ensure their well-being, he said.

Mr Jain and Superintendent of Police (SP) Sonam Detchu Bhutia helped the stranded tourists so that they could return to their destinations safely.

District officials visited Bop village to assess the situation. They are expected to visit Leema on Saturday, once the Bop road is cleared. The road conditions at Munshithang will also be reviewed during tomorrow, the officials said.

Several agencies have been directed to mobilise their machinery to clear the roads. Local construction companies have also been asked to coordinate and utilise their available machinery to expedite the clearance work to resume vehicular movement.

Besides, the power department has been directed to prioritise and expedite the restoration of supply in Chungthang, Lachen, and Lachung.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/hundreds-of-tourists-stranded-in-north-sikkim-due-to-landslides-rescued-8256211

Elvish Yadav Reveals Emotional Connection To Pahalgam Terror Attack Victim: “She Was My Classmate At Hansraj College

Elvish Yadav, the Bigg Boss OTT winner and popular influencer, recently opened up about a deeply personal connection to a national tragedy. In a heartfelt video, he revealed that the wife of the Navy officer martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack was his classmate from Hansraj College. Expressing his shock and sorrow, Elvish said they had studied together and that it was heartbreaking to see someone he once knew now facing such an unimaginable loss.

The terror attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of several soldiers, leaving the country in grief. Elvish’s revelation adds a powerful, emotional layer to the story, reminding people that behind every uniform is a family and a life that gets forever altered. His message resonated deeply across social media, as he spoke not just as a celebrity, but as a friend and a citizen who felt the weight of the tragedy personally.

Source: https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/elvish-yadav-reveals-emotional-connection-to-pahalgam-terror-attack-victim-she-was-my-classmate-at-hansraj-college/680b60b498e7b5da75cc76d8

Acting on a tip-off from reliable sources, a special forest department team set up a trap near the Motu checkpoint. Around 3 a.m., they intercepted a suspicious vehicle and discovered the turtles hidden in 13 sacks. The turtles were reportedly being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh into Odisha.

In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, forest officials in Odisha’s Malkangiri district seized 473 rare turtles during an anti-smuggling operation in the Motu area early Friday morning.

Acting on a tip-off from reliable sources, a special forest department team set up a trap near the Motu checkpoint. Around 3 a.m., they intercepted a suspicious vehicle and discovered the turtles hidden in 13 sacks. The turtles were reportedly being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh into Odisha.

Although the occupants of the vehicle managed to flee, forest officials successfully seized the live turtles along with the vehicle used for their illegal transport. Both have been secured at the MV-79 forest office.

An investigation is currently underway to trace those behind the smuggling attempt. Authorities suspect the involvement of an inter-state trafficking network.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/odisha-news-forest-officials-seize-473-rare-turtles-in-malkangiri-anti-smuggling-operation

Ekta Tiwari, part of a 20-member tourist group visiting Jammu & Kashmir, claimed that on April 20, while heading to Pahalgam, they encountered suspicious individuals near Baisaran.

The Ganderbal Police arrested a local horse handler, Ayaz Ahmad, following allegations by a tourist group from Uttar Pradesh. The complaint was filed by Ekta Tiwari of Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur, who accused Ahmad and others of questioning their religion and discussing weapons over phone calls.

Ekta Tiwari, part of a 20-member tourist group visiting Jammu & Kashmir, claimed that on April 20, while heading to Pahalgam, they encountered suspicious individuals near Baisaran. According to her, two men approached them during a horse ride, inquiring about their religion and the size of their group.

“They asked if we were Hindu or Muslim, told us to read the Quran, and questioned why my brother was wearing a rudraksh (Hindu prayer beads),” Tiwari said. A verbal altercation ensued, prompting the group to retreat and seek help from other handlers.

Tiwari further alleged that shortly after the confrontation, one of the men received a phone call and spoke in coded language, mentioning, “Plan-A has failed.” She claimed they also discussed sending “35 guns into the valley.”

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/pahalgam-terrorist-attack-jk-police-arrest-pony-ride-operator-after-tourist-complains-about-him-asking-about-religion

During routine patrolling near Shri Geeta Mata Mandir, police team intercepted a man identifying as one Puran Singh. On verifying, police found his name to be Manir Hussain.

Two men were booked for allegedly impersonating pony service providers using fake documents on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, officials said.

During routine patrolling near Shri Geeta Mata Mandir, police team intercepted a man identifying as one Puran Singh. On verifying, police found his name to be Manir Hussain.

He was using someone else’s authorised service card to operate illegally, police said, adding that an FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered at Katra Police Station.

In a similar case near Ban Ganga bridge, police caught Sahil Khan, who was from Kotli in Jammu district, for allegedly operating a pony service without any valid license.

He admitted that he had no authorisation and a case was registered, police said.

Authorities said surveillance and verification drives would continue to curb unauthorised activities on the shrine route. Police have urged all service providers to carry valid documents and requested the public to report suspicious behaviour.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/jk-two-men-posing-as-pony-service-providers-caught-on-vaishno-devi-route-3509641

In 2023, the 32-year-old woman from Pakistan’s Sindh province entered India illegally via Nepal along with her four children.

In the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed at least 26 tourists, the Indian government has taken a series of diplomatic and policy actions against Pakistan — raising questions about the status of Pakistani nationals currently residing in India, including Seema Haider, a woman who made headlines for illegally entering the country to meet her Indian boyfriend.

India’s response to Pahalgam

India has closed its Attari border, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty — a key agreement that had governed water-sharing between the two nations since 1960. Additionally, Delhi has revoked a visa exemption scheme previously available to Pakistani nationals. Those in India under this scheme have been ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.

These policy changes raised the question about Seema Haider, who went viral for her cross-border love story with a young Indian boyfriend Sachin Meena.

India’s top leadership, including PM Narendra Modi, has vowed a befitting reply over the Pahalgam massacre. Pakistan’s role is undeniable, and India has both diplomatic and kinetic options on the table, like after the Uri and Pulwama attacks. This is why Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, might be risking a limited war with India.

Nothing unites a country like war does. With its economy in the doldrums, armed rebels running riot in two of its four provinces and the popularity of its army at a new low, Pakistan might be itching for a military confrontation. Since the 1971 split, this is the closest Pakistan has come to breaking up. A mini-war could fix multiple problems, and the Pahalgam attack could be intended for that.

That India will respond with might to the Pahalgam massacre has been made clear by the country’s top leadership. The questions are how and when. There is also another important question — Why has Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir risked a military confrontation with India? That despite witnessing India’s resolve after the Uri and Pulwama terror strikes.

India has been at the receiving of Pakistan’s terror export ever since its formation in 1947. However, the Pahalgam attack was unlike anything that Pakistan-backed terrorists have carried out in India.

Twenty-six people were massacred in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. The Resistance Front, indeed a front for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack on holidayers. A top LeT commander, Saifullah Kasuri, is reportedly the mastermind.

It is the targeting of tourists, the toll and the singling out of non-Muslims that make the Pahalgam attack unlike any other in recent years.

The attack seemed well-planned and timed even as tourism received a major boost, with the overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir improving in recent years.

Though Islamabad is denying its link to the massacre, it is a given that no terror attack of this scale in Jammu and Kashmir would have been carried out without the support of Pakistan’s military establishment. Experts aren’t debating that.

“This has been unleashed by the Pakistan army. SSG commandos of Pakistan are posing as terrorists and carrying out these attacks,” SP Vaid, former DGP of Jammu and Kashmir, said.

The cross-border involvement was underscored at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Wednesday.

The communal line in the attack also comes after the recent dog-whistling by General Asim Munir.

“Our forefathers believed that we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different… That was the foundation of the Two-Nation Theory,” said General Munir on April 16.

This was perceived as a signal to the Pakistani terror assets, according to reports, and the Pahalgam attack came within a week of that speech.

While Pakistani military chiefs have historically made anti-India remarks, it isn’t usual for them to make anti-Hindu remarks.

“It’s not a coincidence that Asim Munir utters illogical words two days back, and such an attack takes place where the religion of the victims is asked, and they are asked to recite the Kalima,” Vaid said.

Munir’s anti-Hindu remarks and the singling out of non-Muslim tourists by terrorists was meant to provoke a massive outrage in India and New Delhi to react.

INDIA HAS MADE ITS INTENTIONS CLEAR ON TERROR

Though Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said his country had nothing to do with the Pahalgam terror attack, India isn’t buying that.

India signalled its intent with a diplomatic offensive, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, cancellation of visas for Pakistanis and reducing the strength of the Pakistani High Commission, on Wednesday in the CCS.

However, there might be expectations beyond the diplomatic offensive.

“Must say, I don’t see the measures announced by the Indian government today being able to greatly placate the anger of the Indian citizenry,” strategic expert Faran Jefferey said after the CCS decisions were made public.

With the cross-border surgical strikes after the 2016 Uri attack and an aerial bombing after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, India has set examples of retaliatory military responses.

In his first public statement since the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi on Thursday said, “India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth.”

PM Modi was speaking at a rally in Bihar in Hindi and made a rare switch to English to ensure that the world doesn’t miss a word of his fierce message.

There is chatter online that, fearing retaliation, Pakistan has moved its fighter jets closer to bases in the northern region that are closer to the Indian border.

It is well-believed that there cannot be an all-out war between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed countries. The fallout will be scary, and the world desperately has to intervene to prevent that. The two countries have fought three wars over Kashmir — in 1947, 1965, and 1999 –, all initiated by Islamabad, or more precisely, Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistan army.

A limited war is, however, a possibility, and General Munir knows that.

ASIM MUNIR’S RISING UNPOPULARITY IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s military establishment is under unprecedented pressure and Army Chief Asim Munir is facing rising unpopularity.

“Pakistan Army chief wants to escalate it, he wants to prove his credibility,” said Vaid, the former Jammu and Kashmir DGP.

Munir and his men are marked in all of Pakistan’s four provinces.

While Baloch rebels are running over them in Balochistan, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan are attacking at will in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In Sindh, a canal project has brought the people on the streets, and in Punjab, people are furious over the jailing of former PM Imran Khan.

“General Munir can’t even take a train through parts of Pakistan without getting hit and bombed. That is why he has decided to play the Kashmir card,” explained defence expert Colonel Rohit Dev (Retd) on India Today TV.

Since 1971, this is the closest Pakistan has come to breaking apart.

The military has been the most-respected organisation in Pakistan and people have rallied behind it. Recent protests and attacks on people in uniform reveal the extent of fury against them now.

Though the military is all-powerful in Pakistan and runs the country, General Munir cannot ignore popular sentiment for too long.

And what is better than a strike from India to bind Pakistanis together and get them behind their military?

Much like in 2007, when Pakistan’s military dictator Pervez Musharraf faced growing resistance and survived assassination attempts, the Pakistan Army today finds itself battling domestic unrest and an erosion of public trust.

“The Pakistani military, for the first time in the country’s history, does not have the unanimous or even majority support of the Pakistani people in a face-off with India. How the mighty have fallen,” UK-based investigative journalist of Pakistani-origin Adil Raja wrote on X.

WHY ASIM MUNIR WANTS INDIA TO STRIKE BACK

Any counterattack, including a limited war, by India will hit Pakistan’s already-shattered economy.

The fear of India hitting back sent jitters down Pakistan’s stock market on Thursday. The benchmark KSE-100 was down by over 1,000 points.

Pakistan has been going around the globe with a begging bowl. It secured $7-billion in extended loans from the IMF last September.

However, the military has kept its budget intact, and the economy might not be a priority in Asim Munir’s immediate plans to prove credibility and unite the people behind him. Munir’s speech last week, in which he unleashed anti-Hindu rhetoric and raked up the Kashmir issue, came across more as an attempt to assert the establishment’s position both domestically and among the diaspora.

That his reading of the situation isn’t totally incorrect was revealed by former Pakistani minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain.

“Pakistan is politically divided, but we stand united as a nation. If attacked or threatened by India, all groups — PML-N, PPP, PTI, JUI, and others — will rally together under the Pakistani flag to defend our homeland,” Hussain, a member of Imran Khan’s party, said on Wednesday.

“India cannot twiddle its thumbs. Once the escalatory ladder is revved up, it can go out of hand,” a security analyst told The Guardian on condition of anonymity.

India has almost the same number of nuclear warheads as Pakistan but is much superior when it comes to conventional war capabilities.

Strategic expert Michael Kugelman said that both diplomatic and kinetic responses against Pakistan were on the table.

“Initial public reactions from the Trump administration suggest it may not oppose an Indian retaliation,” said Kugelman.

Not just the US, the whole world is backing India in the aftermath of the dastardly attack in Pahalgam.

Source :https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pahalgam-terror-attack-why-pakistan-army-chief-asim-munir-risking-mini-war-with-india-2714005-2025-04-24

Three female bodies, identified as members of the CPI (Maoist) guerrilla squad, were recovered following an encounter at the tri-junction of the Chhattisgarh-Telangana-Maharashtra border on Thursday.

Three female bodies, identified as members of the CPI (Maoist) guerrilla squad, were recovered following an encounter at the tri-junction of the Chhattisgarh-Telangana-Maharashtra border on Thursday. Sources suggest the death toll may rise as joint security forces continue to surround the so-called “safe zone” of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit. Intermittent gunfire was reported, according to local sources.

From Chhattisgarh, a joint team comprising DRG, COBRA, STF, CRPF, and Bastar Fighters is engaged in the operation. Meanwhile, Telangana’s Greyhound Forces and Maharashtra’s C60 Forces have encircled the hills of Karregatta, Nadpalli, and Pujari Kanker.

The operation was launched based on concrete intelligence regarding the presence of top Naxal commanders, including Hidma, Damodar, and Deva, along with their armed cadres. Reports indicated the presence of over 300 Naxalites in the area, prompting interstate action starting April 22.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/naxal-encounter-3-women-maoists-killed-in-joint-operation-at-chhattisgarh-telangana-maharashtra-border-gunbattle-continues

A viral video shows a man swinging from a construction crane in downtown Austin, sparking widespread shock online. Reactions online range from humour to frustration, with some speculating on how the stunt was performed. Read more to know the details.

A shocking video is going viral on social media, leaving the internet asking, “What?” The clip shows a man swinging from a construction crane in downtown Austin. Hanging from the edge of the crane at the top of a building, he swings freely, sparking reactions of disbelief across the web.
The video has been widely shared across various social media platforms. According to a Fox 7 Austin report, the Austin police responded to a welfare check call at the 400 block of Guadalupe Street, where a caller reported someone hanging from a crane. When officers arrived, they found a person apparently rappelling down from the crane’s edge at the top of the building. The area was evacuated as a precaution.
Soon after, the person climbed down the crane’s ladder and entered the high-rise building. At the time of the report, the individual’s identity was unknown, and no arrests had been made. The investigation is still ongoing.

The video was filmed by a man named Jack Zimmermann, and it quickly gained attention online, prompting various reactions. One user joked, “Brought to you by Red Bull. ‘Red Bull gives you swings.'” Another commented, “I wish these roof-topper types would show a ‘how they get down’ video, because I really want to know!” A crane operator expressed frustration, saying, “As a crane operator, this irritates me.” Meanwhile, another user explained, “It’s pretty simple. Just climb up the rope. They make climbing equipment called ascenders to make it easier. Anyone doing this is comfortable with rope work—it’s not hard, just requires strength and knowledge.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/red-bull-gives-you-wings-man-hangs-and-swings-from-edge-of-crane-internet-in-disbelief-watch-article-151489250

A new video has emerged showing the initial moments of the Pahalgam terror attack. Children can be seen playing on a trampoline, while other tourists enjoy themselves nearby. Suddenly, gunfire rings through the valley and a tourist is seen dropping dead. Watch the video below.

A chilling video has surfaced showing the initial moments of the Pahalgam terror attack. The video shows a terrorist shooting dead a tourist under a tree, as other tourists take a few seconds to realise the terror unfolding. The video begins with a few children playing on a trampoline and tourists relaxing nearby, but within seconds of gunfire, panic sets in as people scramble for safety.

Nearly 28 people have died and over 60 others are said to be injured in the attacks that are now being called the Valley’s deadliest since 2019. The terrorists segregated the tourists based on gender, and confirmed if they were non-Muslims, before shooting most of the men dead.
Pallavi, the wife of a tourist from Karnataka’s Shivamogga, revealed: “I noticed that there were three to four attackers. After my husband was killed, I faced one of the terrorists and said, ‘Mere pati ko mara hai na, mujhe bhi maaro’. My son also confronted him and said, ‘Kutte, mere papa ko maara, humein bhi maar daalo’.”
The terrorist told her, “‘Nahin marenge. Tum Modi ko jaake bolo’.”
PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have vowed strict action against the perpetrators.

“I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pahalgam-terror-attack-chilling-video-captures-initial-moments-of-gunfire-panic-collapse-article-151484763 

Pahalgam Terror Attack: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a strong message to Pahalgam terrorists, said that the perpetrators will be “punished beyond their imagination”.

India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said from the “soil of Bihar” in a stern message to terrorists who killed 26 innocent people in Baisaran meadows in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
“We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the culprits of Pahalgam and their handlers will be punished “beyond their imagination”.

The Prime Minister was addressing a gathering in Bihar’s Madhubani on Thursday, and said that people lost their loved ones in the terror attack in Pahalgam. The PM was giving the speech in Hindi and then suddenly, he switched to English and said, “Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished.”

The PM further added, “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders who have stood with us in these times.”

Without naming Pakistan, PM Modi said the terrorists and the conspirators of this attack will be punished beyond their imagination. “Punishment will definitely be served,” he added.
The prime minister said the willpower of 140 crore Indians will break the back of patrons of terrorism.

On Tuesday, (April 22, 2025), terrorists opened fire on tourists in the peaceful town of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Dressed in camouflage fatigues, the terrorists separated men from women and children, asked the men to recite Islamic verses and shot dead the ones who couldn’t do so.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/will-pursue-them-to-the-ends-of-earth-pm-modi-vows-to-punish-pahalgam-terrorists-beyond-imagination-article-151486108

As per the latest information, a flag meeting is on between the two forces to secure the release of the BSF jawan, the officials said. They added that such incidents were not uncommon and have happened in the past between the two sides.

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan has been detained by Pakistani soldiers after he mistakenly crossed the border in Ferozepur in Punjab. The jawan accidentally crossed the Punjab border. Pakistan Rangers apprehended Constable PK Singh of the 182nd battalion across the Ferozepur border on Wednesday.
Now, officials from both sides are engaging in talks to secure his release, officials said on Thursday, reported PTI. According to the information, the jawan was in uniform and carrying his service rifle when he accidentally crossed the border.

The soldier was accompanying farmers when he moved ahead to rest in the shade and Pakistani rangers apprehended him.

As per the latest information, a flag meeting is on between the two forces to secure the release of the BSF jawan, the officials said. They added that such incidents were not uncommon and have happened in the past between the two sides.

The incident comes amid fresh tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in which terrorists killed 26 tourists in Baisara tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The detained jawan hails from the Hooghly district in Kolkata. According to sources, Singh inadvertently crossed the zero line while accompanying farmers harvesting wheat near Gate No. 208/1, close to the border fencing in Mamdot.
The BSF’s 24th Battalion, recently deployed from Srinagar, was tasked with monitoring the farmers working in the fields. During this routine duty, Singh reportedly strayed into Pakistani territory, where Rangers swiftly apprehended him and confiscated his AK-47 rifle.
During this routine duty, Singh reportedly strayed into Pakistani territory, where Rangers swiftly apprehended him and confiscated his AK-47 rifle.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/bsf-jawan-detained-by-pakistani-rangers-after-he-accidentally-crosses-border-article-151487388

Just two days after Pahalgam terror attack, Indian Navy’s INS Surat destroyed a sea-skimming target in a precision drill. The Navy described the moment as a milestone.

Just two days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Navy seems to be sending a message to Pakistan after its guided missile destroyed wrecked a sea-skimming target in a precision drill. Sharing the video, the Indian Navy wrote on X: “#IndianNavy’s latest indigenous guided missile destroyer #INSSurat successfully carried out a precision cooperative engagement of a sea skimming target marking another milestone in strengthening our defence capabilities. Proud moment for #AatmaNirbharBharat!”

The decision comes in the aftermath of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam terror attack which claimed the lives of at least 26 lives and left several others injured.

Indus Water Treaty: India on Thursday officially informed Pakistan that the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty is being held in abeyance “with immediate effect” citing the neighbouring country’s sustained cross-border terrorism targeting Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision comes in the aftermath of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam terror attack which claimed the lives of at least 26 lives and left several others injured.

Jal Shakti Ministry’s Secretary Debashree Mukherjee has sent a formal letter to her Pakistani counterpart, Syed Ali Murtaza, informing the Government of India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 in abeyance, marking a major escalation in regional water diplomacy.

India said that sustained cross-border terrorism has impeded its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.

“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter read.

The letter highlighted multiple shifts, including dramatic changes in population demographics and India’s push toward clean energy, which have altered the foundational assumptions of the agreement.

India further said that Pakistan has refused to respond to its request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the treaty.

“The resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilisation of its rights under the Treaty. Furthermore, apart from other breaches committed by it, Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the Treaty and is thus in breach of the Treaty,” the letter read.

Concluding the letter, Mukherjee declared, “The Government of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect.”

India has announced downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam carnage on Tuesday in which 26 tourists were shot dead in broad daylight by the Resistance Front terrorists, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The decision was taken during the meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pakistan’s Reaction To India’s Decision

Earlier today, Pakistan’s National Security Committee had said any attempt by India to block or divert river water under the Indus Waters Treaty would be treated as an “Act of War”. Terming the 1960 agreement a lifeline for its 240 million citizens, Islamabad claimed the treaty cannot be held in abeyance unilaterally and warned of retaliation “across the complete spectrum of National Power”.

Pakistan appeared to take into account that if India holds the IWT in abeyance it might not bode well for its citizens. Protests have erupted across Pakistan following its inadequate response to the droughts which have occurred across Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab provinces.

What Is Indus Waters Treaty?

India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960, with the World Bank as an additional signatory. The pact sought to divide the water of the Indus river and its tributaries equitably between the two countries. Under the treaty, water from three eastern rivers—Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej—was allocated to India, and that from the three western rivers—Chenab, Indus, and Jhelum—to Pakistan.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/india-notifies-pakistan-of-indus-treaty-suspension-with-immediate-effect-amid-rising-tensions-9312392.html

Both airlines said they regretted the inconvenience caused and urged passengers to double-check flight timings and schedules before leaving for the airport.

IndiGo and Air India have warned passengers of service disruptions following Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines. In messages on X the two said some international flight schedules may be impacted due to changing of flight paths leading to “an alternative extended route”.

Air India said some flights to the United States, Europe, and Middle East might be impacted

Both airlines said they regretted the inconvenience caused and urged passengers to double-check flight timings and schedules before leaving for the airport.

Hours earlier Pakistan shut its airspace to all Indian-owned or -operated airlines.

That was after a slew of diplomatic measures by India, including suspension of visas and the Indus Waters Treaty, as the first set of retaliatory measures for the Pahalgam terror attack.

On suspension of the treaty – under which Pak receives an estimated 80 per cent of its riverine water supply – Islamabad said any attempt to “usurp” its rights would be seen as “an act of war”.

Twenty-six people, including civilians and tourists, were killed in the Tuesday afternoon attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The attack was the worst on civilians in the past several years.

And it was the worst terror strike in India since February 2019, when 40 CRPF, or Central Reserve Police Force, personnel were killed in J&K’s Pulwama district.

In a strong message Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi – who was in Saudi Arabia at the time but rushed back the next day – put the terrorists and their handlers on notice, warning them his administration will “identify and punish” all those who conspired against India.

The warning was fierce but it was the switch from Hindi to English – in Bihar’s Madhubhani – to deliver the message that raised eyebrows. The switch has been seen as India telling the world there will be consequences for an attack that has been condemned by the global community.

What also raised eyebrows was the Prime Minister’s plane side-stepping Pak airspace when it flew back from Riyadh early Wednesday. The re-routing was seen as a clear sign India’s security agencies were aware of the threat from Pakistan and altered the flight path for the PM’s safety.

Indian security agencies say they have evidence to prove Pak was behind the attack.

Earlier today Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed diplomats from the US, Europe, Qatar, Japan, Russia, and China – all of whom had condemned the attack – on that material.

Pak’s involvement was also flagged by Major General Yash Mor (retd.), a defence expert who told NDTV the attack needed military-level training and bore the hallmark of the ISI.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-news-air-india-indigo-on-alert-after-pak-shuts-airspace-to-indian-flights-8246816#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

EV cab service BluSmart co-founder Puneet Jaggi has been detained from a hotel in Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to Gensol Group, another company that he co-founded, sources said today

EV cab service BluSmart co-founder Puneet Jaggi has been detained from a hotel in Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case linked to Gensol Group, another company that he co-founded.

The ED also searched properties of Gensol in Delhi, Gurugram, and Ahmedabad, sources said. The action came in a case under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), they said.

Mr Jaggi had been staying in the Delhi hotel for the last one week, sources said.

Power Finance Corporation filed a complaint with the Delhi Police and the Economic Offences Wing some days ago, sources said, adding Mr Jaggi’s brother Anmol Jaggi is in Dubai and has not yet returned to India.

This ED investigation began on the basis of a report by the capital markets regulator SEBI, which alleged fund diversion, transfer of money to shell firms, share price manipulation, and running personal expenses from loan funds.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/blusmart-co-founder-puneet-jaggi-detained-in-case-related-to-gensol-engineering-sources-8247960#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The Indian Air Force operates two squadrons of the Rafale aircraft which are based out of Ambala and Hashimara in West Bengal.

The Indian Air Force is carrying out Exercise Aakraman (Attack) over a large area in the central sector involving its mainstream fighter aircraft fleets led by the Rafale combat aircraft.

The Indian Air Force operates two squadrons of the Rafale aircraft which are based out of Ambala and Hashimara in West Bengal.

“The cutting-edge technology fighter jets are carrying out complex missions involving ground attack and electronic warfare drills,” defence sources told ANI.

“The assets of the Indian Air Force have been moved from multiple airbases, including from the eastern side,” they added.

The Indian Air Force has been practising for complex ground attack missions for operations in different terrains, including plains and mountainous areas, the sources said.

The Indian Air Force also holds an edge over its adversaries in the south Asian region with the inductions of Meteor air to air missiles and induction of long range high speed low drag missiles like the Rampage and Rocks.

The exercise is taking place at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan have risen after the Pahalgam attack.

The exercise is being closely monitored by the Air Headquarters. Tactical Air Combat and Development Establishment (TACDE) pilots of the Indian Air Force, the best aviators of the air force, are taking part in the exercise. TACDE pilots are often referred to as the ‘Top Gun’ pilots of the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Air Force was used to carry out the post-Pulwama attack strikes inside Pakistan in February 2019.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-rafales-simulate-ground-attack-missions-in-significant-exercise-pahalgam-terror-attack-8247620

The court granted Balaji time till April 28 to decide upon it, pointing out that the bail was not granted to him on merits of the matter.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday told Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji that he must choose between retaining his post and remaining out on bail in the money laundering case linked to the ‘cash-for-jobs’ scam.

“You have to make a choice between the post (Minister) and freedom. What choice you want to make,” a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked his counsel senior advocate Kapil Sibal.

The court granted Balaji time till April 28 to decide upon it, pointing out that the bail was not granted to him on merits of the matter.

The court was hearing the applications filed by the Enforcement Directorate and others seeking to recall the bail granted to Balaji on the grounds that he was influencing the witnesses in the case.

The court had on September 26, 2024 granted bail to Balaji. He took the oath as a Minister in DMK government on September 29.

The court subsequently expressed its displeasure and serious concern as to how Balaji was reappointed as a Cabinet Minister.

On Tuesday, the bench questioned his conduct and his reappointment by referring to the observations in a previous judgment which recorded that as a Minister, he had forced people to withdraw the complaints and the role played in the predicate offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court pointed out it had granted bail to him only on the grounds of delay in trial and long incarceration.

The court was concerned about the misuse of Supreme Court’s liberal stand on bail in PMLA cases.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also said Balaji was granted bail not on merits, but on the ground of Article 21 violation.

However, Sibal said that the trial can be shifted out of the State if there was an apprehension of influence by him.

The court asked what signals the Supreme Court would be sending if such a person is allowed to be on bail, despite the categorical findings in the earlier judgment about the role played by him in the predicate offence.

The court also pointed out that his resignation as a Minister was cited as a “change in circumstances” to plead for bail before the High Court, however, soon after bail was granted by the Supreme Court, he took oath as a Minister.

“There are findings and judgement of this court attributing role to him in the predicate offence as Minister. Can we ignore that? What signals are we sending,” the bench asked.

The bench said it would say that it made a mistake by ignoring the previous judgment, which had recorded findings against Balaji.

“We will record it in the order that we have made a mistake by ignoring the judgements against you, because the entire hearing proceeded on the footing that he is no longer minister. We will accept our mistake,” the bench said.

Sibal insisted that there was no chance of Balaji influencing witnesses.

“There is no witness coming in the box, how will I influence,” Sibal asked.

“You are preventing them from coming,” the bench retorted.

“What troubles us is for the first time in case of PMLA we have applied a law that if case is not going to commence we will grant bail. When we read the order of the trial court and high court we were told that he is no longer minister. Therefore we ignored the allegation based on the judgements on the ground that he is no longer minister. Now you bring about a change within few days of order granting bail and he is again the minister,” the bench said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tamil-nadu/choose-between-minister-post-and-freedom-supreme-court-tells-senthil-balaji-3507502

At least 26 people were killed when terrorists opened fire on tourists in the popular Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Kashmir in recent years.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday attended the funeral of the pony rider who was among those killed in the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack on Tuesday. Abdullah condemned the attack and met with pony rider Syed Adil Hussain Shah’s family members, promising them all the possible support. The chief minister said that Hussain died trying to save the tourists during the attack.

At least 26 people were killed when terrorists opened fire on tourists in the popular Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Kashmir in recent years.

“I condemn this attack in the strongest terms. A poor local labourer has died in this cowardly attack. He was brave. He died trying to save the tourists. I have also heard that he even tried to snatch the gun from one of the terrorists. That was when he was made a target and shot,” Abdullah said while speaking to the media after Hussain’s funeral at Hapatnar in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The chief minister conveyed condolences to Hussain’s family and assured them full support of the government.

Notably, Syed Adil Hussain was the only local and only Muslim who died in the dastardly attack.

On Tuesday, at least 5–6 terrorists, clad in camouflage outfits and kurta-pyjamas, came to the Baisaran meadow from the dense pine forest surrounding the valley and opened fire with AK-47s.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pahalgam-terror-attack-syed-adil-hussain-shah-tried-to-snatch-terrorists-rifle-killed-2713505-2025-04-23

India on Wednesday announced strong diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and no entry for Pakistani nationals to India, following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.

India on Wednesday launched a major diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, such as the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and downgraded ties with the neighbouring country following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.

The five measures, announced by the government, came after a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack – one of the worst attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.

HERE’S FIVE MEASURES TAKEN BY INDIA

• The Indus Waters Treaty – a key water-sharing agreement brokered in 1960 – will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
• The integrated Attari-Wagah checkpost will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025.
• Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the Saarc visa exemption scheme. Any SPES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SPES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
• India will be withdrawing its Defence, Navy and Air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Similarly, the Defence, Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi are declared persona non grata. They have a week to leave India.
• The overall strength of the respective High Commissions will be brought down to 30.

PAHALGAM TERROR ATTACK

On Tuesday afternoon, five to six terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran meadow, which is around 5 kms from Pahalgam. The meadow – also known as ‘mini Switzerland’ – is accessible only by foot or by horseback. The Pahalgam carnage was one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.

Eyewitnesses said the terrorists emerged from the surrounding pine forests and fired at people picnicking, riding ponies, or eating at food stalls. Most of the victims were tourists, including two foreigners from the UAE and Nepal, and two locals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia when the attack occurred, cut short his visit and held a CCS meeting in Delhi to review Jammu and Kashmir’s security situation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah landed in Srinagar within hours of the terror attack and held a high-level security review with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police. He also visited the attack site in Pahalgam and met with the families of the victims and survivors.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-pakistan-pahalgam-terror-attack-2713605-2025-04-23

The attack took place on Tuesday at the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam in the Anantnag district, a popular tourist destination in south Kashmir.

A day after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam killed at least 26 people, security forces have detained around 1,500 suspects across Kashmir for questioning, top police sources told Times Now.
The attack took place on Tuesday at the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam in the Anantnag district, a popular tourist destination in south Kashmir. Most of the victims were tourists from other Indian states and all were males.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Wednesday, security agencies released sketches of three suspects believed to be involved in the massacre. The men, identified as Pakistani nationals Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha, were known by their aliases Moosa, Yunus, and Asif. Officials said the black-and-white sketches were created with input from survivors. The attackers were described as young men with beards.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security upon returning from Saudi Arabia. The committee includes senior ministers such as Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who cut short a US visit to return.
Meanwhile, Shah visited the site of the attack, Baisaran meadows, on Wednesday, where he was briefed by top army and police officials on the suspected routes used by the attackers. He also visited the injured at a hospital in Anantnag and attended a wreath-laying ceremony for the victims in Srinagar.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Bharat will not bend to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared.”
The Union Home Minister also assured that security forces will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to the book.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday asserted that those responsible for the “cowardly terrorist attack” on innocent citizens in Pahalgam will soon get a “strong response” to their nefarious acts on Indian soil.
Singh, while delivering the annual Arjan Singh Memorial lecture, while vowing a befitting reply also said India will not only hunt down the people who perpetrated the attack but will also trace those “sitting behind the scenes” who had conspired to carry out the deadly act on the Indian soil.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pahalgam-terror-attack-nearly-1500-suspects-detained-for-questioning-across-kashmir-article-151480839

A deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday killed 28 people, mostly tourists.

India on Wednesday asked all Pakistani nationals to leave India within 48 hours after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 28 people, mostly tourists.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a media briefing announced downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan including expulsion of its military attaches. He also spoke about the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting that took place on Wednesday evening.

The glass uses sensor to detect and tell about the objects that are in sight, helps in live translation even without internet, plays music and finds answers to queries etc.

Social media giant Meta will launch its artificial intelligence enabled Ray-Ban Meta Glasses in India soon, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The glass uses sensor to detect and tell about the objects that are in sight, helps in live translation even without internet, plays music and finds answers to queries etc.

“…And coming soon, we’re launching Ray-Ban Meta glasses in Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates. We can’t wait for more people across the globe to get in on the action,” the blog stated.

According to the blog, the glasses can provide seamless conversations across English, French, Italian, and Spanish without Wi-Fi or network connectivity if the user has downloaded the language pack in advance.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/get-in-on-the-action-meta-to-launch-ray-ban-meta-glasses-in-india-soon-8239275

Mangat Singh, carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest, was arrested by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Sahibabad police station officials.

A member of a Khalistani group, who was on the run for the past three decades, was arrested from a village in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday, officials said here.

Mangat Singh, carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest, was arrested by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Sahibabad police station officials.

He has been facing charges of attempt to murder and under sections of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. An FIR in the case was registered against him in 1993.

Singh was arrested that year and got bail in 1995. He had been on the run since then, a police officer said. He was also wanted in a separate case of robbery and extortion.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/khalistani-terrorist-mangat-singh-who-was-on-run-since-1995-arrested-from-punjab-8240121

In the financial year 2026-27 India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand by 6.3%, as per the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook report. In its January report, the IMF had pegged India’s 2025-26 GDP growth at 6.5%.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday revised down its projection for India’s economic growth in the current financial year to 6.2 per cent from its earlier estimate of 6.5 per cent, citing global uncertainties and trade tensions.

In the financial year 2026-27 India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand by 6.3 per cent, as per the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook report. In its January report, the IMF had pegged India’s 2025-26 GDP growth at 6.5 per cent.

“For India, the growth outlook is relatively more stable at 6.2 per cent in 2025, supported by private consumption, particularly in rural areas, but this rate is 0.3 percentage point lower than that in the January 2025 WEO Update on account of higher levels of trade tensions and global uncertainty,” IMF noted in its report. Here 2025 means financial year 2025-26 (FY26).

The IMF’s projection is lower than the Reserve Bank of India’s estimate of 6.5 per cent. In its monetary policy review earlier this month the RBI cut its India FY26 growth projection to 6.5 per cent from 6.7 per cent. The Economic Survey has pegged FY26 growth in the range of 6.3 to 6.8 per cent.

On Tuesday, the IMF cut its global growth forecast by 50 basis points to 2.8 per cent for the 2025 calendar year. The IMF has cut the US economy growth projection by a full percentage point to 1.8 per cent while China’s growth forecast has been lowered to 4 per cent from January’s projection of 4.6 per cent.

The multilateral lender noted that a sharp increase in tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2 “will lead to a significant slowdown in global growth in the near term.”

“While many of the scheduled tariff increases are on hold for now, the combination of measures and countermeasures has hiked US and global tariff rates to centennial highs… the global economy is now characterised by a high degree of economic and financial integration, with supply chains and financial flows crisscrossing the world, whose potential unwinding could constitute a major source of economic upheaval,” it said.

“At this juncture, while the situation remains fluid, risks remain firmly tilted to the downside. The global economy showed surprising resilience during the severe shocks of the past four years and still bears significant scars. It is now being severely tested once again, especially in emerging markets and developing economies with more limited buffers,” the IMF added.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/business/imf-cuts-india-s-growth-forecast-for-fy26-to-6-2-3505139

The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

As the echoes of gunfire still reverberated in the minds of survivors, chilling details emerged of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 28 civilians, including two foreigners.

The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Gulzar Ahmad, a local resident, was among the first to witness the chaos. He described the moments leading up to the attack, noting the rising panic among both tourists and locals. “

We were standing at the stand when some customers had gone to the upper side,” Ahmad said. “At around 2:45 PM, we saw people running in all directions, screaming. We asked what had happened, and that’s when we learned a gunshot had been fired. It was clear something terrible was happening.”

Ahmad, like many others, was thrown into confusion and fear. “The noise of the gunshots was deafening,” he recalled. “People were running in every direction, trying to find shelter, but we didn’t know where to go. It felt like a nightmare.”

Among the most heart-wrenching stories was that of Pallavi, a devastated wife who spoke to local news channels from a hospital in Pahalgam. Her voice quivered as she recounted the horrifying moments leading to the death of her husband.

“My husband was shot dead by terrorists right in front of us,” she said, filled with disbelief and sorrow. “I begged them to shoot me too, but they told me to stay alive and convey a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

She paused, overcome with emotion, before continuing. “They wanted me to tell the world what they had done. I never imagined I would witness something so terrifying, let alone lose my husband this way.”

A disturbing video, recorded by an eyewitness who narrowly escaped the attack, has since surfaced online. In the footage, the survivor, visibly shaken, can be heard saying, “Terrorists have attacked. We narrowly escaped, but God will protect us. [Yaha pe attack hua hai aatankwadiyo ka, hum log baal baal bache hai, parmata raksha karega].”

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/eyewitnesses-share-heart-wrenching-accounts-of-deadly-pahalgam-terror-attack-3505242

A training aircraft crashed in Gujarat’s Amreli on Tuesday afternoon, killing the pilot on the spot. The police and fire brigade teams have reached the spot.

A trainee pilot died after a training aircraft crashed in the Shashti Nagar area in Gujarat’s Amreli on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the plane, which belongs to a private aviation academy, fell into a tree before crashing into an open plot. The plane then caught fire and the pilot died.
Fire officer HC Gadhvi said that they received the information about the crash at 12:52 pm, and a team was rushed to the spot.
“We controlled the fire. The pilot of the plane was seen inside. The pilot was sent to the hospital. The pilot died in the accident,” Gadhvi added.

Amreli Superintendent of Police, Sanjay Kharat, said that the aircraft crash-landed into a residential area in the Giriya Road area of Amreli town at around 12:30 pm due to unknown reasons. He said the trainee pilot died on the spot, reported PTI.

Kharat added that the pilot was flying solo and it had taken off from the Amreli airport. “After taking off from the Amreli airport with a male trainee pilot, the trainer aircraft of an aviation academy, which operates from the airport, crashed into a residential area. The trainee pilot, who was flying solo, died in the crash while the aircraft was gutted in flames. No one else was injured in the accident,” Kharat said.
The office added that the plane belonged to a Delhi-based aviation academy, which provides pilot training from the Amreli airport.
Local police have started the process to lodge a case of accidental death and investigation to find out the exact cause of the crash. Gadhvi said that four teams of a local fire brigade rushed to Shastrinagar after learning about the plane crash.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pilot-dies-as-training-aircraft-crashes-in-gujarat-amreli-shashtri-nagar-video-article-151471032

The United States and China have engaged in a rapid tit-for-tat exchange over the past three weeks, with each side raising tariffs on the other’s products.

Air India is likely to take up the Boeing planes rejected by Chinese carriers amid its tariff war with the United States, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. This might be India’s first big gain from the US-China trade war.
Air India needs aircrafts in its fleet to expedite its revival, and it plans to approach Boeing about acquiring the jets manufactured for Chinese carriers before US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs, the report claimed. There has been
Earlier in March this year, Air India had accepted 41 737 Max jets originally built for Chinese airlines after their deliveries were deferred. Apart from Air India, Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd. is also in talks with Boeing to take up its carriers, reported Bernama.

Pahalgam Terror Attack: Jammu witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday as multiple organisations protested the brutal killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack near Pahalgam. The bandh was called to express collective outrage and demand decisive action against the perpetrators.

Widespread anger and grief erupted across Jammu following the brutal terrorist attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. In response, several organisations including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Transporters’ Association, Jammu Bar Association, and the Congress party have called for a complete shutdown in Jammu (Kashmir Bandh) on Wednesday to protest the killings.
JCCI President Arun Gupta, while announcing the bandh, said, “We have given a bandh call tomorrow as a mark of protest against the killing of tourists in Kashmir. We condemn it in the strongest terms. We urge Jammu people to join in, making this shutdown complete.” Gupta demanded strict action from authorities, urging the government to eliminate those responsible for the carnage.
“We stand with the families who lost their loved ones. We urge Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure that those involved, along with their overground supporters, are eliminated,” he added. Calling the shutdown a symbolic expression of collective outrage, Gupta further stated, “We want to send a clear message that such barbarism has no place in a civilised society. Targeting innocent tourists is not just an act of terror, it is an assault on humanity.”

VHP President Rajesh Gupta echoed similar sentiments, describing the killings as faith-based. “It is a massacre by terrorists based on faith. They identified people by religion and killed them. We will not tolerate it,” he said. Urging calm amid anger, he added, “We request the people of Jammu to maintain calm, even though there is deep anger over the killing of Hindus.”

A Belgian court has refused bail to diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the ₹13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The court ruling came on Tuesday during a hearing in Antwerp, where Choksi was arrested on April 12.

A Belgian court has refused bail to diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the ₹13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The court ruling came on Tuesday during a hearing in Antwerp, where Choksi was arrested on April 12, PTI reported.
His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, confirmed that the court rejected the bail request on Tuesday.
Choksi, 65, was caught by the Belgian authorities in Antwerp after an extradition request from Indian agencies, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A senior official familiar with the case stated that Choksi will now fight his extradition from jail. He had been residing in Antigua since fleeing India in 2018 and had acquired citizenship of the Caribbean nation, despite his Indian citizenship being said to be valid. In November 2023, he reportedly arrived in Belgium claiming to seek medical treatment.

Indian agencies have provided Belgian authorities with at least two open-ended arrest warrants, issued by a special Mumbai court in 2018 and 2021, as part of their extradition request.

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, several family members, employees, and bank officials, was named in cases filed by the CBI and ED in 2018. The charges are related to a massive loan fraud involving fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and manipulation of Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) at PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.
Aggarwal has previously stated that his client is “extremely sick and undergoing treatment for cancer.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/mehul-choksi-denied-bail-in-belgium-to-fight-extradition-in-13000-crore-pnb-scam-article-151474291

Kashmir Pahalgam Terror Attack Live Updates: Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, killing 26 people in the biggest terror attack on civilians since 26/11.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, cutting short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, and held an emergency meeting with NSA Ajit Doval, EAM Dr S Jaishankar.

He will conduct a CCS meeting at 11 am today in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot, took responsibility for the attack, top intelligence sources told News18.

Terrorists targeted a group of people, including women and elderly individuals, in the brazen attack after noon. Eyewitnesses told security forces that two to three men rushed in dressed in military fatigues, firing indiscriminately at tourists while they were enjoying the Baisaran Meadows of Pahalgam on horseback. Intelligence sources and eyewitnesses told News18 that the terrorists inquired about the religion before shooting them dead.

Security forces were rushed to the area, and a massive anti-terrorist operation was launched to hunt down the assailants. Videos of the aftermath of the attack showed people lying motionless and bloodied on the ground while women were frantically looking for their loved ones.

The authorities released the list of those who died in the terror attack. The deceased ones included Sushil Nathyal, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, Hemant Suhas Joshi, Vinay Narwal, Atul Shrikant Moni, Neeraj Udhawani, Bitan Adhikari, Sudeep Neupane, Shubham Dwivedi, Prashant Kumar Satpathi, Manish Ranjan (Excise Inspector), N. Ramachandra, Sanjay Lakshman Lali, Dinesh Agarwal, Sameer Guhar, Dileep Dasali, J. Sachandra Moli, Madhusudan Somisetty, Santosh Jaghda, Manju Nath Rao, Kastuba Ganvotay, Bharat Bhushan, Sumit Parmar, Yatesh Parmar, Tagehalying (employee of Airforce), Shaileshbhai H. Himmatbhai Kalathia.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/kashmir-pahalgam-terror-attack-live-updates-baisaran-tourists-death-toll-injured-pm-modi-omar-abdullah-security-forces-amit-shah-latest-updates-liveblog-9309188.html

A user ordered track pants from Zepto and was shocked to find unusual items in the pockets. The user’s experience is going viral on social media, sparking hilarious reactions online.

A post is going viral on social media where a person claimed that after ordering track pants from Zepto, he found something unusual in the pockets. He also alleged that the pants were already used and gross. The post has hilariously erupted into a debate online, with netizens joking, “10 minute ka target bhi toh achieve karna hai.”
The person took to the social media platform Reddit and wrote, “Ordered track pants from Zepto and found Jaipur bus sticker and Rs 10 in the pocket.” The user also shared a picture showing the Rs 10 note and a piece of paper, though the contents of the paper remain unclear in the photo. He further added, “This is actual CASHback, although the pants were already used and gross, but still Rs 10 profit.”

The post has since gone viral and garnered a variety of reactions online. Many netizens responded with hilarious takes. One user joked, “10 rupey ka Surf Excel khareed ke isko dho daalo.” Another wrote, “Keep the change, return the product.” More such funny reactions continued to pour in, adding to the humor of the situation.

In another viral news, a tragic incident from Japan is making waves online, where a man’s dream turned into a nightmare just an hour after taking delivery of his brand-new Ferrari. The Ferrari 458 Spider, owned by 33-year-old music producer Honkon, caught fire shortly after he began driving it. Honkon had reportedly spent ten years saving up to buy the luxury car, only to see it destroyed within minutes.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/customer-gets-used-track-pants-with-surprise-cashback-and-mystery-note-from-zepto-netizens-in-splits-article-151473810

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and strongly condemned the terror attack which took place in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, extending America’s full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of the heinous act.

“President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Modi and conveyed his deepest condolences at the loss of innocent lives in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

“President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack. India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror,” Jaiswal added.

PM Modi, in response, thanked the US President for his support and vowed to bring the “cowardly terrorists” responsible for the deadly attack to justice.

“PM Modi thanked President Trump for his support and said that India is determined to bring the perpetrators and backers of this cowardly and heinous terrorist attack to justice,” government sources told India Today TV.

“Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong with India against terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all!” he wrote on Truth Social.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pahalgam-terror-attack-trump-calls-pm-modi-jammu-and-kashmir-us-india-terrorism-2713135-2025-04-23

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the strategic 250-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar National Highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country — while many were buried under the debris.

Ramban: Newlywed Nazir Ahmad and Zaheera Bano were expecting a smooth ride into their marital life.

But as they trudged through sludge and debris-filled roads of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district brought in by cloudburst-triggered flash floods and landslides, the resolute couple in wedding attire was on cloud nine, insisting the experience solidified their bond.

“It was tiring but, in a way, it made the day even more special,” said Ahmad.

Like Ahmad and Zaheera, many newlywed couples had to face a similar ordeal a day after calamity hit the district, blocking the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway and rendering many other roads impassable.

Sunil Kumar led his wedding processing, complete with ‘band-baaja’, on foot through muck to the bride’s residence.

To the surprise of many who assembled near Usman Hotel in the Ramban old highway market to have a look at the devastation caused by the flash floods, Kumar descended from the hilltop village accompanied by over three dozen people who were part of the procession.

“We are helpless before nature and since the date of our marriage has been fixed long back, we decided to go ahead with it,” he said as he moved through the ravages caused by landslides.

Nazir Ahmad and his bride were in luck as a few Army personnel gave them a lift in their vehicle to make their journey from Bano’s Chenani home to his Ramban residence a bit easier. “We have another four kilometres to go before we reach our destination,” he said, thanking the Army for extending a helping hand.

Through her bright red veil, Bano said they had been walking for more than one hour but it was not that exhausting, thanks to the pleasant weather.

Mashkoor Ahmad, a resident of Neel, grabbed eyeballs as he along with his family members walked to Hamand Kamra village early in the morning to formalise his ‘Nikkah’. He said that they left home around 6 am.

“I have to walk six kilometres more,” he said, adding they plan to return on foot along with the bride.

Three persons, including two minor siblings, were killed and more than 100 people were rescued after heavy rainfall and cloudbursts triggered flash floods, landslides and mudslides and caused massive damage to infrastructure, including roads and residential buildings, in Ramban district.

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the strategic 250-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar National Highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country — while many were buried under the debris.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/ramban-flash-flood-fails-to-dampen-spirit-as-brides-walk-on-foot-to-wedding-venue-3503422 

Zeeshan Siddique, son of former state minister Baba Siddique, who was shot last year, received a death threat through his email. Zeeshan has received several such death threats ever since his father’s murder.

Former Maharashtra MLA and NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique on Monday claimed that he has received a death threat via email. The message, purportedly from a ‘D-company’ member, warned him he would meet the same end as his late father, Baba Siddique, unless he paid Rs 10 crore.

“Since the last three days I am receiving emails continuously, with content that ‘you would be killed just like Baba Siddique if you don’t pay Rs 10 crore’. The sender claimed to be a member of the D-company and warned me not to contact police,” Zeeshan Siddique said while speaking to news agency PTI.

In response to Siddique’s complaint, the police have initiated an investigation into the threat and extortion demand, and are in the process of recording his statement.

Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader, was shot dead on October 12, 2024, by three assailants outside Zeeshan Siddique’s office building in Bandra East, Mumbai.

Over the past six months, Zeeshan Siddique has received multiple death threats. These threats have been linked to attempts at extortion and are believed to be connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which is also implicated in being involved in his father’s murder.

Last year, in October, a 20-year-old tattoo artist from Noida, identified as Mohammad Tayyab, was arrested for sending eight WhatsApp messages to Zeeshan Siddique’s office. Tayyab, who goes by the name of Gufran Khan, claimed to have overheard members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang discuss plans to harm Siddique and actor Salman Khan with the use of drones.

He also alleged that gang members were in his vicinity, carrying firearms. Authorities stated to the press that Khan was motivated by the intent to extort money by providing false information about the threats.

Later that month, another Whatsapp message was sent, but this time to the Mumbai Traffic Police Helpline from a 56-year-old man from Bandra West, named Azam Mohammed Mustafa. He was demanding 2 crore from Siddique and Salman Khan.

Mustafa was a jobless returnee from Saudi Arabia who had reportedly sent the message after watching news coverage of previous threats. He was apprehended within a day of sending the message and was arrested.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/death-threat-received-zeeshan-siddique-ex-congress-mla-ncp-leader-son-of-baba-siddique-2712465-2025-04-21

The 50-year-old woman was wearing two-kg silver anklets on her feet, which the accused looted and fled, police said.

A woman was found dead in a field on Sunday morning with her throat slit and both her ankles severed from the body in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district. The chopped-up body parts were found in a nearby pond. The reason for the murder was allegedly two thick silver anklets, or kada, on the woman’s feet.

The 50-year-old woman was wearing two-kg silver anklets on her feet, which the accused looted and fled, police said.

On Sunday morning, Urmila Meena left her morning to go to the field to cut wood. When she did not return till 11 am, the family started looking for her. They informed the Bamanwas police station upon finding her body in the farmland.

The murder sparked protests in the village, with the villagers blocking a road by placing the woman’s body on it. The angry villagers sought the arrest of the people behind the murder within 24 hours.

The police tried to convince the villagers and the family members to unblock the road, but the villagers remained adamant about their demand.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/womans-throat-slit-ankles-cut-off-over-2-kg-silver-anklets-in-rajasthan-8220593

During the period of state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India and there will be no official entertainment.

The central government of India on Monday announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the passing of Pope Francis, of these, two days will be observed on April 22 and 23, and the third on the pontiff’s funeral day.

The pontiff, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced in a video statement on Monday. In his 12-year-long papacy, the Pope suffered various ailments.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement, said, “His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See passed away on April 21. As a mark of respect, three-day state mourning shall be observed throughout India.”

As per the schedule, the two days of state mourning will be April 22, Tuesday, and April 23, Wednesday. The third day of state mourning will be observed on the day of Pope Francis’ funeral, the statement added.

During this period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India on all buildings where the Tricolour is flown regularly, and there will be no official entertainment.

The Pope’s death came just a day after Easter celebrations. The pontiff had on Sunday called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address.

His speech read, “There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.” It also condemned the anti-Semitism, and the “dramatic and deplorable” situation in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences over the Pope’s passing and said that he will always be remembered as a “beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world”.

The PM shared images of his meeting with the Pope and posted on X, “Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-to-observe-3-day-state-mourning-on-passing-of-pope-francis-101745258327698.html

The video ended with Kamya revealing the newly-decorated room to her parents, who were astonished by the transformation.

In a bold experiment, Indian entrepreneur Kamya Gupta, an AI enthusiast, leveraged ChatGPT to revolutionise her room transformation project, effectively using the AI tool as her virtual interior designer.

Gupta made a reel of her room’s transformation and shared the whole process on social media, showing how the OpenAI chatbot helped her in redecorating her room. The results are stunning. A warm and minimalistic space that’s both aesthetically stunning and deeply personal.

The transformation started with a simple prompt to ChatGPT: “I need to repaint this wall in a colour that goes with the wooden flooring, but I want to make the room eclectic and I need to fill it with frames. So what would you suggest?”

The AI assistant provided expert guidance on layout, art arrangement, and personalised details like neon signs. Kamya even uploaded screenshots of her desired furniture and light fixtures, which the AI incorporated into a customised mockup.

The video ended with Kamya revealing the newly-decorated room to her parents, who were astonished by the transformation.

“Honestly, this is insane. A thought that I had in my mind for years came to life just through a conversation,” Gupta wrote in the caption of her Instagram post, sharing photos of her newly renovated space. “As an AI enthusiast, I got to explore and learn so many new features just by being curious. Doing this for my parents, getting the best reaction, having all my core memories up, and finally having my chill spot—I’m thankful and scared of AI at the same time,” she wrote on the post.

The room makeover quickly went viral on social media, with users marvelling at the stunning transformation and the post racking up engagement.

“The best use of AI I’ve seen in a while 💯,” one user wrote. “Kudos to you for your patience and it’s good to watch people use AI smartly instead of jumping on to ChatGPT for ghibli,” wrote the other.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/indian-entrepreneur-uses-chatgpt-for-room-makeover-leaves-netizens-stunned-ws-kl-9308020.html

US Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their three children, started their four-day visit to India with a trip to the Akshardham Temple in Delhi.

US Vice President JD Vance visited the Akshardham Temple in Delhi with his wife Usha and their three children on Monday. Vance began his four-day official visit to India with a visit to the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple with Second Lady Usha Vance, and their children, Vivek, Ewan, and Mirabel. After his visit, the US Vice President thanked the Akshardham Temple for its hospitality and kindness, and shared that his kids in particular had loved the experience.
“Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids in particular loved it. God Bless,” the US Vice President said in a statement.
The temple’s spokesperson, Radhika Shukla shared that the US Vice President spent around 55 minutes exploring the temple, admiring its architecture, and offering prayers for world peace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Pope Francis’ death, praising his legacy of compassion and service to the poor. He recalled personal meetings and the Pope’s special affection for India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Pope Francis, offering heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. In a post on X, the Prime Minister reflected on the Pope’s legacy of “compassion, humility, and dedication to serving the poor.
PM Modi recalled his meetings with Pope Francis, highlighting his commitment to “inclusive development” and his special affection for India.
“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world,” PM Modi said.

“From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope. I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace,” he added.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American Pope, passed away at 88 on Monday, leaving behind a legacy of humility, service, and dialogue. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced his death from the Casa Santa Marta, where the pontiff had been living. The devastating news came just a day after Pope Francis made a surprise public appearance on Easter Sunday, addressing more than 35,000 faithful in St Peter’s Square.
The Vatican said that the pontiff had been hospitalised for weeks battling a complex lung infection which led to early stages of kidney insufficiency. “This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-pope-francis-a-beacon-of-compassion-humility-article-151463582

Business entertainment TV show, Shark Tank India judge, and Boat co-founder, Aman Gupta, in his social media post on LinkedIn, highlighted that the BluSmart crisis serves as a reality check for others in the startup ecosystem.

“The BluSmart situation is tough. Sad for everyone involved. But also a much-needed reality check for all of us in the ecosystem,” said Aman Gupta in his post.

The angel investor also expressed empathy for the investors who lost money, the employees who lost their jobs, and the customers who lost a cab-hailing service. He said that this incident had also “dented” the ecosystem.

“But more than that, this has also dented trust in the ecosystem. You’ll now hear: ‘Yaad hai Blusmart ke saath kya hua tha?!’” said Gupta.

‘Damage we can’t afford’

Aman Gupta also emphasised how global multinational companies (MNCs) have had their meltdowns, and even though people might say that this incident will cause damage that the Indian startup can’t afford, the key factor is how the system bounces back after the issue.

“And, one might say that that’s the damage we can’t afford. But, let’s zoom out. Even global MNCs have had their meltdowns. What matters is how we as a country and ecosystem bounce back,” he said.

He also showed his confidence in the Indian startup ecosystem, and highlighted how the compliance and ethical factor in a company is not just another tick box, but the ‘foundation’ of the system.

“The Indian startup ecosystem is resilient. We always rise stronger. And we will this time too. For all founders, here’s the biggest takeaway: Compliance and ethics aren’t boxes to tick. They’re the foundation,” said the Shark Tank India judge.

The ‘not-so-cool tasks’

Aman Gupta also said that the so-called “not so cool tasks” like maintaining a clean book, carrying out timely audits, and maintaining transparency are the only ways to keep businesses sustainable.

“Being a CA, I’ve seen this up close: Clean books, Timely audits, Transparent reporting. All so called “not so cool tasks” make businesses sustainable. Aur bachpan mein parents ne sikhaya tha – Jo bhi karo, dil se karo. Par Galat na karo. Same rule applies in business too,” he said.

He urged the startup founders to push more towards “due diligence” activities and not just in finance but also in other aspects of the business like the company culture, along with operations and responsibility.

“EQ, IQ & GQ (Governance Quotient) sab important hote hai. I hope more founders push for real due diligence, not just in finance, but in culture, operations, and responsibility. Because at the end of the day your vision matters. Your growth matters. But how you build matters just as much,” he said.

“Let’s use this as a reminder: To build not just fast, but right,” said Aman Gupta, highlighting the BluSmart crisis.

BluSmart Crisis

Several passengers in the cities of Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Mumbai were unable to book cabs through the ride-hailing app BluSmart. The company started to wind down its operations on Wednesday, April 16, after failing multiple attempts to raise fresh capital for the business.

Moreover, the company promoter, Anmol Singh Jaggi, is currently facing a fraud and forgery accusation by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

Source : https://www.livemint.com/companies/people/from-zuckerberg-to-jamie-dimon-here-are-top-10-executives-who-sold-shares-ahead-of-trump-tariffs-11745160577885.html

Additional commissioner of police Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning the former DGP’s wife and daughter

Karnataka’s former DGP Om Prakash, who served in the post from 2015 to 2017, was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. His wife, Pallavi, is the primary suspect and is being questioned.

Om Prakash was allegedly stabbed to death, and the murder weapon has been recovered from the scene. His body was found at his home in HSR Layout even as the police are conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to the police, there are multiple stab wounds on his chest, stomach and hand. Other family members being questioned include his daughter, who was also in the house.

Additional commissioner of police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning Om Prakash’s wife and daughter.

“There was call on 112 police helpline, when the team came here they got to know about the murder. He was staying with his wife and daughter. We are taking information from his son as well. We haven’t arrested anyone, we are questioning his wife and daughter, we are still investigating the reason for the murder,” he said.

Pallavi reportedly called the wife of another retired IPS officer and confessed to the crime. The tragic incident took place following a period of domestic discord, as per police sources.

OM PRAKASH HAILED FROM CHAMPARAN IN BIHAR, DISTINGUISHED CAREER

Om Prakash, 68, hailed from Bihar’s Champaran district and had a distinguished career in the Karnataka police force. He began his service in Karnataka as the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Harapanahalli.

Over the years, he served as superintendent of police (SP) in several districts, including Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru. His career included significant roles such as state vigilance SP and duties within the Karnataka Lokayukta.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/former-karnataka-dgp-found-dead-at-bengaluru-home-murder-suspected-9306471.html