Category: India

Matthew VanDyke and others are accused of training and arming banned Indian insurgent groups.

Citing humanitarian grounds and claiming he has been unable to eat the food served in Tihar Jail, a US man arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a terror case has moved a Delhi court seeking permission to cook his own meals in prison.

Matthew Aaron VanDyke, a mercenary, has said the prison diet has forced him to remain on a hunger strike for over 50 days, prompting him to seek a kitchen-like arrangement with food supplies and utensils at his own expense.

In his application before Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma at Patiala House Court, VanDyke, who has been lodged in Tihar Jail since April, said he has been on a hunger strike since May 6 because he is unable to consume the “spicy, oily, deep-fried and greasy” food served in prison.

“The Applicant/Accused… has been constrained to remain on a hunger strike since 06.05.2026,” the petition states, adding that, as an American citizen, he is “not accustomed to the diet ordinarily served in Indian prisons”.

Through his lawyer, VanDyke has claimed the prison diet has caused “severe physical discomfort” and adversely affected his health.

The petition says he has lost nearly 30 pounds (about 14 kg), developed vision problems due to inadequate nutrition, and suffered a significant decline in strength, stamina and immunity.

Calling the request a humanitarian one, his counsel submitted that the proposed arrangement is intended solely to safeguard his health while he remains in judicial custody. The plea also states that VanDyke’s family is willing to bear the entire cost of the food, cooking equipment and related expenses.

The court has sought a response from Tihar Jail authorities and listed the matter for hearing on July 21.

VanDyke has sought permission to keep food items, including lentils, red meat, chicken, fish (shrimp), pasta, uncooked noodles, rice, potatoes, onions, beans, spices, bread, butter, olive oil, toned milk, soya milk and bottled water. He has also requested an induction cooker, pots, bowls and a plastic chopper so he can prepare his own meals.

Arrest

The NIA arrested VanDyke at Kolkata airport on March 13 along with six Ukrainians. According to the agency, they were part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities against India.

Investigators have alleged that the accused maintained links with banned Indian insurgent groups, supplied them with weapons and other terrorist hardware, and provided training. The agency has also claimed the accused admitted during questioning that they were in direct contact with armed terrorists carrying AK-47 rifles.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/matthew-vandyke-mizoram-tihar-jail-food-spicy-oily-need-shrimp-pasta-us-mercenary-to-court-11750864?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The opening match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2026-27 will take place in Chennai, with the Melbourne Renegades taking on the Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on December 12.

The opening match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2026-27 will take place in Chennai, with the Melbourne Renegades taking on the Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on December 12. The announcement was made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, forming the centrepiece of a wider initiative to build a relationship between the two countries known as ‘G’day Namaste’. It will be the first time ever that a Big Bash League match will take place in another country, and BBL organisers said that they expect a huge crowd for the encounter.

“We know there are incredibly passionate cricket fans all over India, but particularly in Chennai. Everyone we’ve spoken to has been really optimistic that we should expect a good crowd,” Alistair Dobson, CA’s executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues, told reporters.

“What has become clear to us as we’ve built this event out is just how popular the BBL already is in India. It’s got nothing on the IPL, obviously, but the BBL is well-liked and respected. We can’t wait to see all the fans turn out, albeit I suspect there’ll be a fair chunk of yellow in the crowd,” he added.

The match will be a ‘home’ game for the Renegades, and both teams will be given extra time to return to Australia ahead of their next fixtures. The complete BBL schedule will be announced next week, according to media reports. Multiple BBL teams were interested in the fixture, but some teams did not formally apply in order to avoid a ‘hectic’ schedule.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/big-bash-league-in-chennai-teams-announced-for-overseas-season-opener-11751851

India and Russia jointly condemned the Pahalgam attack and the Red Fort terror incident at counter-terror talks in New Delhi. The meeting underscored a shared push for stronger action against evolving terror threats, financing and radicalisation.

India and Russia jointly condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations”, including the Pahalgam attack and the terror incident near Delhi’s Red Fort last year, during the 14th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism held on Wednesday. The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen counter-terror cooperation on bilateral and multilateral platforms.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, the two countries called for “concerted action against terrorists and terrorist groups, including those listed in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and their proxy groups and affiliates”. They also discussed current and emerging terrorist threats at the global and regional levels.

The meeting was co-chaired by Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the MEA, and Dmitry Lyubinsky, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Representatives of relevant departments and agencies from both sides also took part. The MEA said, “Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India on April 22, 2025 and the terror incident near Red Fort, New Delhi on November 10, 2025.”

The two sides shared their experiences in countering terrorism and agreed to enhance cooperation to address violent extremism, radicalisation, terror financing, and the use of new and emerging technologies and digital financial technologies for terrorist purposes. The MEA said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation at forums including the UN, BRICS, EAG and SCO, and agreed to hold the next meeting of the joint working group in Russia on a mutually convenient date.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-russia-condemn-pahalgam-red-fort-attacks-deepen-counter-terror-cooperation-ptag-2944279-2026-07-09

The Amarnath Yatra, a year after the Pahalgam terror attack, which hit tourism and pilgrimage, has drawn record pilgrims. But the sacred ice lingam in the cave shrine has shrunk dramatically in just five days. Over 50 days of the pilgrimage are still to go. Is climate change alone to blame, or is there more to the story?

A year after the Pahalgam terror attack hit pilgrimage and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, the ongoing Amarnath Yatra is witnessing an overwhelming response from devotees. With record numbers of devotees returning to the Amarnath cave shrine, the naturally formed ice lingam, also called the Baba Barfani, has melted by over 90%. Some reports even say that the ice lingam has almost disappeared just five days into the 57-day Yatra. People on social media have also claimed that the Amarnath ice lingam shrunk just days into the pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir.

Raising an alarm, and sharing images of the shrinking lingam, People’s Democratic Party (PDF) leader, Iltija Mufti, questioned the management of the pilgrimage during the Amarnath Yatra and sought intervention. Raising concerns over the environmental impact on the cave shrine, Mufti referred to a Supreme Court-mandated cap on daily pilgrims, which she said was 10,000. Mufti’s statement on X came even as authorities celebrated a sharp rise in pilgrim turnout after last year’s terror attack.

The shrinking of the sacred ice formation, which has been revered for centuries as Baba Barfani, has reignited an old debate. Is climate change melting the ice lingam earlier than before every year? Are rising pilgrim numbers and expanding infrastructure inside the fragile Himalayan ecosystem accelerating the lingam’s shrinking?

The Amarnath Cave Shrine is located at an altitude of about 3,888 metres (12,756 feet) in the Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. It’s nestled beneath the Lidder Valley in the Kashmir Himalayas. Pilgrims can reach the shrine via the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route or the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route.

The pilgrims worship the naturally formed ice lingam, which is a seasonal ice stalagmite that waxes and wanes with the cave’s temperature and weather conditions.

IS RECORD PILGRIM FOOTFALL AT AMARNATH BEHIND EARLY MELTING OF LINGAM?

The Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 this year under unprecedented security following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Despite security concerns, pilgrim numbers have surged.

At least 93,000 pilgrims visited the shrine in the first four days.

An Instagram video showed a woman climbing the Amarnath Yatra’s Baltal route with a wooden stick, a forearm crutch and prosthetic limbs.

According to The Hindu newspaper, more than 32,000 devotees had offered prayers by July 5, while over 20,000 pilgrims visited the shrine on the second day of the Yatra alone. This was the highest second-day footfall in several years. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who also heads the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), described it as a “massive surge” compared to the previous four years.

The administration, however, simultaneously expressed concern over thousands of unregistered pilgrims arriving without mandatory health certificates or RFID registration, warning that they were straining both security arrangements and infrastructure, reported the newspaper.

“We are seeing a large influx of unregistered pilgrims. I strongly urge those without prior registration to remain patient and wait for their turn. This cooperation is essential for a smooth and seamless Yatra experience,” Sinha said.

The Board has capped daily pilgrim numbers at 10,000 each along the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.

On being asked if there should be a limit on the number of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine, Jammu and Kashmir CM Abdullah said a cap had already been placed by the Supreme Court, reported PTI.

HAS AMARNATH ICE LINGAM REALLY MELTED?

News reports from the shrine and accounts from devotees and journalists show that the ice lingam has shrunk dramatically within the first week of the Amarnath Yatra.

“Once again, the naturally formed Shiv lingam at Holy Amarnath Cave has melted within the first week of Amarnath Yatra,” India Today journalist from the Srinagar Bureau, Ashraf Wani, posted on X on July 6, while hashtagging global warming and Kashmir.

“Only a week into Amarnath Yatra and the naturally formed lingam has already melted,” PDP’s Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti, posted on X, asking if the proposed ropeway to the cave shrine was at all needed.

Srinagar-based entrepreneur, Vineet Kaul, who goes by the name GuyFromValley on X, said the Amarnath ice lingam “has not melted like this for the first time”, noting that similar early melting occurred in years such as 2004, 2006, 2007, 2016 and 2020. He, however, stressed that this example should not be used to ignore the issue.

Calling any proposed ropeway near the shrine “absolutely abhorrent”, Kaul argued that while infrastructure and safety should improve, the area’s ecology and sanctity must be preserved.

Some news reports claimed the ice formation had melted by over 90%. Others suggested it had almost completely disappeared. At the time of filing this report, the Shrine Board had not issued any statement or an official scientific assessment quantifying the extent of the melting.

A devotee from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, who visited the cave shrine during the initial days of the Yatra, told India Today TV that the shrinking of the ice lingam was clearly visible.

“The ice lingam has melted to some extent. This year, it has melted a little earlier than usual. The changing weather is also affecting people’s faith in a way, because earlier Baba would give darshan to devotees for around 40 to 45 days. In recent years, however, the duration has reduced to barely five to seven days. This time, we had darshan on the fourth day of the Yatra, but the ice lingam had already melted significantly. It has become much smaller,” he told India Today TV.

The naturally formed ice stalagmite waxes and wanes every year depending on snowfall, cave temperatures, humidity and weather conditions. Its size has never remained constant across pilgrimage seasons and years.

SO, WHY IS CLIMATE CHANGE THE BIGGEST FACTOR?

Scientists have repeatedly warned that the Himalayas are warming faster than many other mountain systems globally. Rising average temperatures, changing snowfall patterns and retreating glaciers have become increasingly visible across Jammu and Kashmir.

Media reports this week pointed to unusually warm conditions around the cave and surrounding glaciers as one of the principal reasons for the rapid melting of the ice stalagmite. The Amarnath cave lies at an altitude of nearly 3,900 metres. Even slight increases in ambient temperature, combined with changes in humidity inside the cave, can affect the growth and survival of the naturally forming ice structure.

Also, this is also not the first such episode. According to a report in AajTak Digital, the ice lingam melted within 29 days in 2018, 38 days in 2020, 28 days in 2022 and within about a week in 2024. This year, the melting appears to have occurred even earlier.

Weather or climate change might not be the only factor behind the quick melting of the lingam.

Over the past two decades, the Amaranth route has undergone significant changes. Roads have been widened, temporary accommodation has expanded, langars (community kitchens) have moved closer to the shrine, electricity and solar lighting have been introduced, and heavy machinery has been used to improve access. Recently, the Centre also approved a ropeway project. Discussions continue on a proposed tunnel between Sheshnag and Panchtarni.

While these steps have and would make the pilgrimage safer and more accessible, the cumulative impact of infrastructure expansion and rising human activity in an ecologically sensitive region might be altering the cave’s microclimate. Therefore, a growing number of pilgrims adds to those concerns.

Congress national spokesperson Ashwani Handa urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order an “independent scientific study” to examine whether the recently built rain shelter near the Amarnath Cave was “altering the local microclimate and contributing to the faster melting of the Holy Ice Lingam”. Handa on X said a “transparent, evidence-based assessment” was needed to protect both the shrine’s sanctity and the fragile Himalayan environment.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/amarnath-ice-lingam-melts-within-days-record-yatra-footfall-climate-concerns-2944266-2026-07-10

A viral video has sparked allegations that a Booth Level Officer in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district demanded Rs 50-100 as “kharcha-pani” to process SIR forms. Villagers claimed money was sought for voter verification, while the accused BLO denied the allegations, calling them a conspiracy to malign her.

Allegations of extortion during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise have surfaced from Jharkhand’s Garhwa district, where villagers claim they are being asked to pay money to obtain, fill and submit voter verification forms.

A video purportedly showing a Booth Level Officer (BLO) seeking “kharcha-pani” (expenses) while processing the forms has gone viral on social media.

The video shows Jamila Bibi, a BLO posted in Gorayaband Tola under Khapro Panchayat in Ranka block, demanding between Rs 50 and Rs 100 from residents for providing, filling and submitting SIR forms. Instead of directly asking for a fee, she is allegedly heard referring to the payment as “kharcha-pani”.

When India Today visited the village to verify the claims, several residents alleged that the BLO was indeed demanding money.

Some said they had already filled out their SIR forms but were reluctant to submit them because they were being asked to pay. Others claimed they were told to pay in exchange for assistance with the paperwork, despite the process being free of cost.

“The BLO is demanding around Rs 50 for filling up the form. If someone objects or refuses to pay, they are threatened, saying, ‘We will snatch your citizenship.’ We also approached several people, but they told us to let it go,” local resident Mohammad Parvez Ansari told the media.

Several people were also seen outside the BLO’s residence with completed SIR forms. Villagers said many residents had gathered there to complete the verification process, adding that there was confusion over the submission procedure.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/jharkhand-sir-garhwa-blo-cash-demand-voter-forms-video-2944565-2026-07-10

The Congress party criticised the Modi government, claiming that China retains significant influence over India’s strategic industries, as indicated by a recent report.

The Congress on Thursday attacked the Modi government, claiming that China still has power over India’s strategic industries, citing a report. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government at the centre has allowed China to “capture” India’s most critical industries and open more opportunities for Chinese to “flourish”.

Kharge, based on a report, claimed that China still has power over India’s strategic industries to target the government.

Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Ketan’s father urged authorities to ensure that the case is heard in a fast-track court and that those found guilty receive the strictest punishment.

Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: The father of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, who was allegedly murdered at Lohagad Fort last month, has written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking a fast-tracked investigation and speedy justice for his son.

In an emotional email sent to the secretary to the president on Wednesday, Vishal Agarwal said his family had been devastated not only by Ketan’s death but also by the loss of his own father just 20 days later.

Vishal said Ketan’s grandfather could not cope with the grief of losing his grandson. His health deteriorated, his blood pressure dropped and he eventually died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

“I am writing this email with a heart full of pain and hope. I am not writing as a businessman or someone with influence. Main sirf ek baap hoon, jo apne bete ke liye insaaf maang raha hai (I am writing as a father seeking justice for his son),” he wrote.

‘Every Night, We Sleep With The Same Question’

Describing the pain his family has endured since Ketan’s death, Vishal said their lives had completely changed.

“My son Ketan was brutally murdered. Since that day, our lives have completely changed. Every morning we wake up with the same pain, and every night we sleep with the same question: When will Ketan get justice?” he wrote.

Vishal said the family’s suffering deepened when his father died within just 20 days of Ketan’s death.

“He loved his grandson more than anything. He could not bear the shock and grief of Ketan’s death. His blood pressure dropped, and eventually his heart stopped working. In just 20 days, I lost both my son and my father. Our family has been shattered,” he said.

Father Seeks Fast-Track Trial And Strictest Punishment

Vishal urged authorities to ensure that the case is heard in a fast-track court and that those found guilty receive the strictest punishment allowed under the law.

He stressed that the family was not asking for special treatment but only wanted justice without unnecessary delays.

“Delay in justice only increases the pain of families like ours,” he said.

Vishal added that while Ketan could never return, those responsible for his death should not be allowed to believe they could escape or delay the consequences of the crime.

“A strong punishment will not only give us some peace, but it will also send a message that innocent lives matter and that such crimes will never be tolerated,” he wrote.

Concluding his appeal, the grieving father urged the President to personally look into the matter and help ensure speedy justice.

“Please don’t let my son’s case become just another file. Behind this case is a family that has lost everything,” he wrote.

What Is The Ketan Agarwal Murder Case?

Ketan Agarwal, a 26-year-old Pune-based realtor, died after falling from a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. What was initially believed to be a trekking accident later turned into a murder investigation.

Police allege that Ketan’s fiancee, Siya Goyal, and her friend and suspected lover, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, conspired to kill him and pushed him into a gorge. Both were subsequently arrested and booked on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy.

According to investigators, Siya had initially told Ketan’s family that he had slipped during the trek. However, CCTV footage and other evidence reportedly raised suspicions about the presence of another person at the fort, eventually leading police to Chetan.

Police have alleged that the murder was planned in advance. Investigators suspect that Siya and Chetan met at a café hours before Ketan’s death to discuss the plan. Police have also claimed that the accused conducted online searches related to murder methods and rehearsed how Ketan could be pushed.

What Has Happened In The Investigation So Far?

As part of the investigation, police took both accused to Lohagad Fort to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to Ketan’s death. Investigators also used a dummy matching Ketan’s weight during the crime scene reconstruction and conducted a gait analysis of Chetan.

Police also seized Chetan’s two-wheeler, which he allegedly used to travel nearly 90 km to Lohagad Fort. Investigators suspect he chose a scooter instead of a car to avoid leaving a trail at toll plazas. A hoodie and headphones were also recovered during the probe.

Investigators have recovered data from three mobile phones seized from the accused and are examining digital evidence, witness statements and alleged secret conversations involving codewords, nicknames and emojis.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/dont-let-my-sons-case-become-another-file-ketan-agarwals-father-appeals-to-president-murmu-ws-l-10202524.html

The CCTV clip, shared online on X, has triggered emotional reactions, with many questioning whether warning signs of distress were systemically ignored.

A heartbreaking post on X has reignited the conversation around bullying in schools after CCTV footage from a classroom in Jaipur began circulating online. The video is allegedly from a school in Jaipur, where a class 4 student had died by suicide in 2025 after jumping from the fourth floor.

According to the post shared by @theskindoctor13, Amayra, who died on November 1, 2025, had been subjected to bullying for nearly 18 months, with classmates allegedly using abusive language, including remarks with sexual undertones. The post further alleges that despite repeated complaints from both Amaira and her parents, her class teacher dismissed the concerns and reportedly advised her to “adjust” with her classmates.

The parents have now publicly shared CCTV footage they say they obtained from the school. According to the viral post, the footage appears to show Amaira approaching her teacher multiple times on the day of the incident, but receiving no response. Addressing a press conference after the Jaipur Police filed the chargesheet on July 1, Amayra’s mother, Shivani Meena, alleged that it showed her daughter repeatedly approaching class teacher Punita Sharma for help after classmates allegedly showed her something inappropriate on a digital slate. “My child went from the ground floor all the way up to the fourth floor. Desks were set up at every level where someone should have questioned her, ‘Child, where are you going?’ No one stopped her until the fourth floor,” the mother was quoted by Free Press Journal.

Sharing the clip, the account wrote: “Hard to believe that teachers, even at such posh schools, are not trained to handle severe bullying or recognize a child in deep psychological distress. Totally preventable death.”

The post has sparked reactions, with many expressing grief and calling for greater accountability in schools. One user, identifying themselves as a teacher, commented: “I’m a teacher and i can clearly see, this classroom is a mess. Everyone is walking around, and two careless teachers are sitting there.”

Another shared a personal experience: “Apathy of teachers is very common. My own daughter who was 5 years old then, was in class Prep at DPS, Lucknow where her class teacher accused her persistently of ‘cheating’… She scolded her so much daily that my daughter refused to go to school… Thankfully we changed the school timely.”

Many said schools should be places where children feel protected. “Schools are supposed to be safe spaces, not places where children lose hope. The teacher who dismissed her cries, the administration that ignored complaints — they all have blood on their hands.”

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/she-asked-for-help-repeatedly-cctv-of-10-year-old-girls-final-hours-in-jaipur-classroom-triggers-anger-online-10200387.html

The selection committee is expected to recommend three names to the Ram Temple trust, which will make the final appointment.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has begun the search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with members of the selection panel saying the appointment is expected to go beyond administrative competence and focus on restoring the confidence of millions of devotees following the recent donation theft controversy.

The move comes days after the trust initiated a major organisational overhaul in the wake of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, a scandal that has triggered political attacks, public outrage and intensified scrutiny over the management of one of India’s most significant religious institutions.

‘CEO Must Be A Ram Devotee’

Speaking to The Indian Express, retired IAS officer and selection committee member Suresh Haware said the person chosen for the post should not merely possess administrative skills but should also have deep faith in Lord Ram. Haware said the primary requirement for the CEO is “Ram ke prati shraddha ka bhav (devotion towards Lord Ram)”. “We are not looking for just an administrator. The CEO should be a Ram devotee. The responsibility before the new CEO will be enormous because the trust of devotees has been shaken,” Haware told The Indian Express, adding that rebuilding that trust would be among the appointee’s foremost responsibilities.

Haware said that the recent donation theft case has shaken the faith of devotees, making the new CEO’s foremost responsibility the rebuilding of public confidence in the trust’s functioning. The search is focused on integrity as much as experience, he said, adding that the committee is looking for a person with an impeccable reputation who can inspire confidence among devotees while also ensuring efficient administration of the temple and its affairs.

As per the report, the selection committee is expected to recommend three names to the trust, which will make the final appointment. The position is being seen as crucial because the CEO will oversee the temple’s day-to-day administration, financial systems and governance at a time when the trust is under unprecedented public scrutiny.

Leadership Shake-Up At Ram Mandir

The CEO recruitment exercise follows sweeping changes announced by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust after the donation theft case surfaced.

The trust has said the new CEO will play a central role in introducing stronger institutional safeguards and restoring public confidence. Trust officials have acknowledged that the controversy has deeply hurt devotees and stressed that reforms are aimed at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in handling offerings made by pilgrims.

The trust has already accepted the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, appointed interim arrangements and constituted a search panel to identify suitable candidates for the CEO’s post.

Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri has also said that the alleged theft might have been prevented had the trust earlier appointed a professionally experienced CEO with stronger administrative oversight.

The incoming CEO will be expected to strengthen financial controls, improve operational transparency and reassure devotees that every contribution is being safeguarded.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/devotion-to-lord-ram-primary-requirement-for-ram-mandir-trust-ceo-says-search-panel-member-ws-l-10202525.html

 

India is exploring diplomatic channels, including discussions with Iran, to ensure the safe passage of nine tankers in the Persian Gulf amidst escalating attacks that jeopardize a fragile ceasefire.

India is weighing a range of options, including direct talks with Iran, to ensure the safe passage of at least nine Indian-flagged tankers stranded in the Persian Gulf as renewed attacks around the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt shipping despite a fragile interim ceasefire, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the Narendra Modi government is closely monitoring the movement of the vessels, which are carrying crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), amid growing concerns over the safety of cargo and crew in one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is expected to engage with Iranian authorities to seek assurances over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the region. The discussions are part of New Delhi’s broader efforts to protect its energy supplies and citizens as tensions persist.

Official sources told Times Now that only nine Indian-flagged vessels remain in the Persian Gulf region, west of the Strait of Hormuz, with 198 Indian seafarers onboard.

India’s decision to increase the share of biofuels blended with petrol is facing ire from motorists who question its viability in a market where a majority of vehicles are not yet designed for it.

The world’s largest two-wheeler market and third-largest car market, is trying to reduce its dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions. It began blending ethanol – made from crops such as sugarcane and maize – into petrol in the mid-2000s and has steadily increased the proportion ever since.

Complaints intensified in April this year when India made E20 – petrol blended with 20% ethanol – the standard fuel at every pump, replacing the 10% blend that most vehicles are designed to use.

Although unblended petrol is still available, it is often 40-50% more expensive than E20, depending on the state, and many motorists are unaware they can ask for it.

Over the past few months, consumers have flooded social media with complaints of engine wear, lower fuel efficiency and reduced performance.

Last week, several motorists joined a protest in Delhi, organised by an entrepreneur who often backs the opposition Congress party in TV debates, accusing the government of unilaterally imposing E20 and leaving them with higher servicing costs and little choice at fuel stations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has dismissed the complaints as “misleading” and “social media misinformation”.

In a statement last month, the government said the fuel was rolled out after extensive testing and does not damage engines. It has also issued statements on the benefits of E20 and to bust what it called the “more colourful myths that have circulated on social media”.

The government has also enlisted experts and automakers to defend E20.

Last weekend, in an unusual show of unity, six automakers joined a government press conference to say that years of testing and service data showed no evidence of widespread vehicle damage from the mandatory 20% ethanol blend.

Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer for corporate affairs at Maruti Suzuki, said that India’s largest carmaker had serviced more than 15 million older vehicles which were not E20 compliant but found no fuel-related fault.

The automakers did admit that the use of E20 had led to a 3-3.5% drop in fuel efficiency due to lower energy content in ethanol. Some estimates, however, say the actual drop in efficiency could be higher, between 4-12%.

From a broader perspective, the government’s biofuel push aims to cut India’s oil import bill, support farmers and reduce emissions, as ethanol burns cleaner than petrol and is produced domestically from crops such as sugarcane and maize.

Government data suggests it has largely delivered on those goals.

India imports most of the crude oil it consumes, and the disruption to global oil markets during the Iran conflict has strengthened the case for producing more fuel at home. Other oil-importing Asian countries, including Indonesia and Vietnam, are also accelerating plans to expand ethanol-blended and flex-fuel programmes.

Brazil, the model Indian officials often cite, built its ethanol-ready vehicle fleet gradually over four decades before mandating higher blends. Consumers there can choose between E27 petrol and 100% ethanol, with pump prices often making ethanol the cheaper option.

India compressed a similar transition into just three years, moving from 10% ethanol in 2022 to a mandatory 20% blend by 2025 – five years ahead of schedule. Critics say it skipped the step every other major market took first: giving vehicles time to adapt before raising ethanol levels.

More than 75% of vehicles on Indian streets are not E20 compliant, said Puneet Gupta, director of auto research firm Mobility Global. An analysis by Thomson Reuters Foundation last year came to a similar conclusion, finding that only some 20% of new petrol vehicles sold in past 15 years were E20-compliant.

The rapid transition has fuelled concerns, especially among owners of pre-2023 vehicles designed for lower ethanol blends, who fear engine corrosion and reduced performance.

Complaints have mounted in recent months, with protesters at last week’s Delhi demonstration describing problems they said emerged after using E20.

The BBC spoke to several car and two-wheeler service centres and mechanics in Mumbai. While some said they had seen no issues so far, others reported cases they believed were linked to the higher ethanol blend.

Mohammed Arif, who repairs motorcycle engines at a workshop, said he has serviced several older bikes over the past year for fuel residue build-up in carburettors, which he attributes to the higher ethanol content.

The deposits reduce performance and require more frequent cleaning, he said, increasing servicing costs for customers.

Basil Jacob, who runs a car servicing centre, said customers are reporting lower fuel efficiency, forcing them to fill up more often. Although ethanol is cheaper to produce, those savings have not been passed on at the pump, with E20 retailing at the same price as before.

“They’re paying the same per litre but getting fewer kilometres,” he said.

Some experts say potential risks may not show up immediately, but after months of E20 use – in the form of accelerated wear and tear of components.

“It will be a slow-burn impact. There could be corrosion in fuel delivery systems after 10,000-20,000 km of use. But if you maintain your car well, there may not be a problem,” Hormazd Sorabjee, editor of Autocar India, told the BBC, adding that some social media concerns are overblown.

Ethanol attracts moisture, which can separate from the fuel over time and cause corrosion, he said.

It can also loosen old engine deposits, sometimes clogging fuel pumps and injectors. The result could be faster wear, more frequent servicing and additional part replacements, although Sorabjee said the long-term costs are unlikely to be significant.

A survey done by online community platform LocalCircles of more than 44,000 people who bought petrol vehicles before 2023 found a jump in those who reported “an unusual increase in wear and tear or need for repairs”.

But no scientific studies are publicly available to support either the claims of damage or the government’s and automakers’ assurances that extensive testing found none. That evidence gap is fuelling the confusion.

“If you’re going to force this on the public, you should be able to prove it’s safe,” said a senior industry expert who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlw74gd6lro

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said the BJP and the Centre had no role in ZEE5 withdrawing Satluj. He said the row was being politicised and Punjab’s history must be viewed in full context.

Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has rejected allegations by leaders of opposition parties that the BJP or the Centre had a role in the removal of the film Satluj from OTT platform ZEE5, calling the claims baseless. He said the issue should be seen in its proper context and argued that blaming the BJP for developments linked to the film was politically motivated and had no factual basis.

Bittu said the events shown in the film relate to a period when both Punjab and the central government were led by the Congress. He also said OTT platforms are not subject to prior government censorship in the same way as films released in theatres, and that decisions on hosting or withdrawing content are taken by the platforms themselves under their editorial, legal and commercial policies.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantt railway station with senior officials of the Ferozepur Division, the minister of state for railways said Punjab’s history should be presented in full and not through a “one-sided narrative”.

He added that government certification and regulatory rules for films mainly apply to theatrical releases, while satellite television and cable broadcasts are governed under separate statutory and regulatory frameworks. “Consequently, attributing the removal of ‘Satluj’ from ZEE5 to the BJP or the central government has no factual or legal basis,” he said.

The film, earlier titled Punjab ’95, is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and is set in Punjab during the turbulent 1990s, when the state was reeling under terrorism. It was released uncut on ZEE5 on July 3 under the new title Satluj, after being held up with the censors for more than three years. It was removed from the platform two days later, on July 5.

Bittu, who is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, said he has consistently maintained that any discussion on the years of militancy must recognise not only allegations against the state but also the suffering caused by terrorism to thousands of innocent civilians, police personnel, public servants, elected representatives and ordinary families.

The minister said militancy has no religion and that violence must never be glorified or linked to any community or faith. Punjab’s history, he said, should be examined through facts, verified records and historical context rather than selective narratives or political propaganda.

He also said the government led by Beant Singh had inherited a Punjab devastated by years of terrorism, and that its foremost task was to restore peace, law and order, and democratic governance. The return of normalcy, revival of democratic institutions and restoration of public confidence, he said, were also an integral part of that period and deserved equal recognition.

Bittu added that the BJP believes history can and should be debated in a democratic society, but such discussions must be based on facts, evidence and a balanced historical perspective rather than misinformation or efforts to create political controversy.

Several political parties and Sikh bodies in Punjab had on Monday criticised the removal of Satluj from the OTT platform, saying the film compels India to confront one of the state’s “darkest chapters” and that history must be faced with honesty, not buried through censorship.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/satluj-zee5-removal-ravneet-bittu-denies-bjp-centre-role-ptag-2943610-2026-07-08

Self-styled godman, Narendra Nayan Shastri, is facing a cheating probe after Noida’s Dr Rishabh Chaubey accused him of exploiting his brother’s mysterious death.

A self-styled spiritual leader popularly known as “Rice Baba” has been booked by Raipur Police after a Noida-based doctor accused him of allegedly cheating him of nearly Rs 40 lakh by exploiting his emotional distress following his younger brother’s mysterious death.

The accused, Narendra Nayan Shastri, is already lodged in Madhya Pradesh’s Mahasamund Jail in connection with a separate rape case, while police have launched an investigation into the fresh allegations of cheating and criminal deception.

According to the complaint, Dr Rishabh Chaubey approached Shastri after his younger brother died under mysterious circumstances in Indore in August 2024.

Searching for answers and spiritual guidance, the doctor met the self-proclaimed godman in Raipur, where Shastri allegedly claimed he possessed supernatural powers that could reveal the truth behind the death.

Police said the accused gradually won the doctor’s trust before allegedly telling him that evil forces had targeted his family and that his children were also under supernatural influence.

Investigators alleged that Shastri convinced the doctor that elaborate religious rituals and ceremonies were necessary to protect his family from impending danger, leading to repeated financial transactions over several months.

During the investigation, police found that between October 2024 and early 2026, the complainant allegedly transferred nearly Rs 20 lakh into Shastri’s bank account after being told the money was needed to purchase a luxury vehicle.

The doctor also claimed to have paid another Rs 10 lakh in cash for rituals and spent nearly Rs 10 lakh more on the accused’s travel, accommodation and other personal expenses, taking the alleged fraud to around Rs 40 lakh.

After suspecting he had been misled, Dr Chaubey lodged a complaint at a police station in Raipur.

An FIR has since been registered, and investigators are examining bank transactions, financial records and other evidence to establish the full extent of the alleged fraud.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/narendra-nayan-shastri-rice-baba-raipur-jailed-rape-case-accused-cheating-noida-doctor-rs-40-lakh-2943706-2026-07-08

A venomous krait entered a girls’ hostel in Lohardaga and bit four students as they slept. One girl died, and three others were taken to hospital, with one later shifted to RIMS Ranchi.

A 13-year-old girl died and three other students were critically injured after a venomous krait entered the girls’ hostel of a private residential school in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district and bit them while they were asleep.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night at Sanvasira Higher Secondary Residential School in Rocho Mahuatoli.

According to officials, the students had gone to sleep after dinner when the snake entered their room at around 11 pm.

It first bit Varsha Oraon, whose screams woke up the other girls. Before anyone could react, the krait also bit Anisha Oraon, Manisha Kumari and Fulmania Oraon.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/jharkhand/story/jharkhand-school-hostel-snakebite-krait-kills-13-year-old-three-students-critical-2943765-2026-07-09

Dinesh K Patnaik emphasised that the sweeping legal actions directly align with India’s long-standing requests for Western allies to crack down on deep-seated transnational gangs

India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh K Patnaik, has welcomed the recent wave of coordinated arrests and indictments across North America linked to crime rings allegedly involved in the 2023 assassination of alleged Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The diplomatic validation follows a multinational law enforcement operation that dismantled leadership nodes of notorious India-linked criminal syndicates operating across international borders. Patnaik emphasised that the sweeping legal actions directly align with New Delhi’s long-standing requests for Western allies to crack down on deep-seated transnational gang networks.

The envoy noted that the simultaneous enforcement actions by both Canadian and United States federal authorities mark a turning point in addressing organised crime within the region. For a substantial period, there was an underlying perception in India that North American administrations were turning a blind eye to the growing security threats posed by these groups. According to The Globe And Mail, Patnaik observed that the recent judicial and law enforcement interventions serve as a positive indicator that Western security agencies are now actively confronting the global networks that leverage foreign soil to coordinate violent crimes.

Confronting the Nexus of Organised Crime

The development follows a major multi-year federal investigation, which resulted in dozens of charges spanning racketeering, murder-for-hire plots, extortion, and narcotics smuggling. Legal filings have increasingly connected high-profile gang leaders to targeted violence targeting members of the South Asian diaspora. New Delhi has consistently maintained that these syndicates are not merely localised street gangs but highly sophisticated networks that pose severe national security threats to both India and its international partners.

Indian officials view the synchronised crackdowns as a structural shift away from political narratives and toward tangible law enforcement metrics. By treating these modules as criminal entities rather than political dissidents, North American authorities are systematically dismantling the logistical infrastructure that allowed fugitive operatives to safely direct extortion rackets and targeted hits back in India from their sanctuaries abroad.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/turning-a-blind-eye-no-more-indias-envoy-welcomes-canada-us-action-against-crime-rings-linked-to-nijjar-case-10199121.html

Xbox veteran Kevin LaChapelle used his first-ever LinkedIn post to share news of his layoff after a 37-year career at Microsoft.

Kevin LaChapelle worked at Microsoft for 37 years without ever publishing a single LinkedIn post. That changed on Tuesday, a day after LaChapelle, alongside 1,600 other Xbox employees, was laid off in the first tranche of the Microsoft-owned company’s AI-led restructuring. Having risen through the ranks, the former vice president of the Xbox Platform spent decades driving massive tech milestones like cloud gaming and backward compatibility, only to be met with a rather unceremonious end.

While the occasion was sombre, LaChapelle expressed satisfaction over the work he and his team accomplished over the years.

“I will add my name to the list of people who were laid off today at Xbox. This ends my 37 years at Microsoft. I have worked in many different parts of the company, and I will say my fondest memories are of leading the team of very talented engineers who built the Xbox Backward Compatibility program,” wrote LaChapelle.

“Sitting in the auditorium when Phil announced the program at E3 2015 was incredible. The audience’s reaction was unbelievable. I followed that with leading the team who created our Cloud Gaming product.”

“I am a firm believer that all entertainment will eventually become streamed to you wherever you are. I look forward to watching how Xbox evolves going forward and I wish the team nothing but success.”

Created in May 2005, LaChapelle’s LinkedIn account had been silent for years. His first and only post turned the profile into a final farewell message, as social media users empathised with him.

“I’m sorry to hear this. 40 years career for a man, 37 years is definitely a significant milestone and commitment,” said one user while another added: “Kevin, I’m sorry this is how such a long and impactful Microsoft chapter ended. The work you helped lead shaped how millions of people experience Xbox.”

A third commented: “Kevin, we haven’t met before but sincerely, thank you! Saw that you worked on Windows Movie Maker – I used to make anime music videos on there back in 2007.”

Xbox Layoffs

In an email to workers, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma informed them of the layoffs, highlighting that the business was ‘not healthy’. In addition, Sharma announced that Xbox will divest four of its gaming studios and is preparing to part ways with another.

“Our business today is not healthy. We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses,” Sharma said in her email, which she posted on X, while noting that the layoff decision does not reflect the “talent and dedication” of employees.

Sharma laid out three ways that Xbox will reset itself – overhauling its content portfolio, platform and how the team operates.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/after-37-years-at-microsoft-an-xbox-vice-presidents-first-linkedin-post-is-his-layoff-announcement-11745925?pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories

“So far, we have no evidence regarding the marriage of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary. We are verifying where these claims originated from and how such information came into circulation. If there is any such evidence, we will share it with the media at the appropriate time,” Gill said

Pune Rural Police have denied reports claiming that murder accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary were secretly married before the murder of businessman Ketan Agarwal, saying there is no evidence to support such claims at present.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandeep Singh Gill said the investigation has so far found no proof that the two had solemnised a marriage.

“So far, we have no evidence regarding the marriage of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary. We are verifying where these claims originated from and how such information came into circulation. If there is any such evidence, we will share it with the media at the appropriate time,” Gill said.

He added that the reports claiming the two were already married are not true based on the evidence available with the police at present.

Earlier, several reports had claimed that investigators had uncovered evidence suggesting Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary had secretly married around four months before the murder of businessman Ketan Agarwal. However, Pune Rural Police have now clarified that no such evidence has been found during the investigation so far.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/pune-police-deny-claims-of-secret-marriage-between-siya-goyal-and-chetan-chaudhary

An experimental HIV vaccine candidate developed by LJI, Scripps Research and IAVI generated high levels of broadly neutralising antibodies in primates, researchers said. Tested on rhesus macaques, the vaccine prompted antibody production in about 44% of animals. The findings, published in Nature, mark a major step after 14 years of research aimed at preventing HIV infection.

An experimental HIV vaccine candidate has delivered encouraging results in a preclinical study involving primates, offering fresh hope in the long-standing effort to prevent HIV infection. Developed by scientists from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), Scripps Research and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the vaccine is designed to stimulate the production of rare broadly neutralising antibodies capable of combating HIV despite its rapid mutations. According to LJI, it is the first HIV vaccine candidate to generate high levels of these virus-fighting antibodies in primates.

“This feels like a huge success,” said Shane Crotty, chief scientific officer at LJI, who co-led the research with Scripps Research professor William Schief. “We constructed a successful vaccine from the ground up, which required a deep understanding of the immune system.”

The vaccine works by guiding the maturation of B cells, the immune cells responsible for producing antibodies. B cells begin in a naïve state and mature after recognising parts of a pathogen, enabling them to generate antibodies that bind to the pathogen and help prevent infection. As they mature, B cells refine these antibodies to improve their ability to target vulnerable sites on viruses.

Overcoming HIV’s complex defence mechanisms

A woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur allegedly tied her husband to a cot, held him captive overnight, brutally assaulted him and gave him electric shocks following a domestic dispute, leaving him critically injured.

A woman tied her husband to a cot, held him captive overnight, brutally assaulted him and gave him electric shocks following a domestic dispute in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, police said.

According to police, the incident came to light on Monday morning after they received information that an injured man was lying at the scene. Police immediately reached the spot and shifted the injured man, Sanjeev Tiwari, to the district hospital. Doctors referred him to Kanpur after providing primary treatment, citing his critical condition.

While undergoing treatment, Sanjeev Tiwari told police that his wife tied him to a cot on Sunday night, held him captive and assaulted him. He also said that she gave him electric shocks using electrical wires.

After Sanjeev Tiwari’s condition improved, his brother submitted a written complaint against the accused woman at the police station. Based on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections of the law and took the accused wife into custody for questioning.

Fatehpur Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik said police received information on Monday morning about an injured. He said that Tiwafri informed police that his wife had tied him up, held him captive and assaulted him during the previous night. The survivor also claimed that she touched him with electric wires to administer electric shocks.

The SP said police first ensured that the injured man received medical treatment before recording his statement. After his condition stabilised, his brother filed a complaint against the survivor’s wife, following which police registered a case and detained her.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/up-fatehpur-woman-arrested-for-tying-husband-to-cot-giving-electric-shocks-2942958-2026-07-08

The raids are part of the NIA’s ongoing investigation into the activities of the human trafficking and cyber slavery syndicate allegedly masterminded by absconding accused Anand Kumar Singh, also known as Munna Singh.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out searches at six locations in three states as part of its probe into a Cambodia-linked human trafficking and cyber slavery case. The agency said the action was linked to an organised syndicate accused of luring Indian youth abroad with false promises of legitimate, well-paying jobs.

The searches were conducted at premises linked to associates and supporters of the arrested accused as well as absconding persons in the case. The NIA said it seized smartphones, laptops, digital devices and other incriminating documents and items during the operation.

According to the agency, searches were conducted at one location each in the Bihar districts of Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran and East Champaran, besides one location each in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

The raids are part of the NIA’s ongoing investigation into the activities of the human trafficking and cyber slavery syndicate allegedly masterminded by absconding accused Anand Kumar Singh, also known as Munna Singh.

The NIA’s investigation so far has found that vulnerable Indian youth were recruited through sub-agents and travel agents in India and sent to Cambodia with the help of Anand’s associates. The victims were allegedly lured on the promise of genuine jobs, but their passports were seized on arrival, and they were handed over, along with other trafficked individuals, to scam companies in Cambodia.

In their statements, the victims told investigators that they were forced to work for these scam companies. The NIA said refusal to work led to mental and physical torture, including electric shocks, forceful confinement, and denial of food and water.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cambodia-cyber-slavery-case-nia-raids-six-locations-in-bihar-delhi-and-uttar-pradesh-ptag-2942906-2026-07-07

Hardeep Singh Puri said the transition towards higher ethanol blends would continue in a phased manner, based on technical studies and industry feedback.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday dismissed concerns over 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20), calling reports of consumer problems with the fuel a “misrepresentation.”

Puri said both automobile manufacturers and vehicle service providers have found no major issues with E20, while consumers have also accepted the fuel.

“The automobile manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there is no difficulty. Why this sudden interest? It is a misrepresentation and I don’t want to use stronger words,” he said.

HIGHER ETHANOL BLENDS IN PIPELINE

Defending India’s ethanol roadmap, Puri said the country had followed a gradual path, using E15 for over three years before transitioning to E20 in April 2025. He added that around 20 crore two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers are currently running on ethanol-blended petrol.

Addressing demands for a faster transition to E25, the minister said the government would not rush the decision and would wait for technical assessments before moving ahead.

“If someone is suggesting E25, we have made it clear that we are conducting tests. Once the reports are available, we will evaluate them and discuss the findings with stakeholders and automobile manufacturers,” Puri said.

Puri said the transition towards higher ethanol blends would continue in a phased manner, based on technical studies and industry feedback. He also said the rollout of E85 fuel has only recently begun and would take time as additional petrol pumps and supporting infrastructure need to be developed.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/e20-petrol-concerns-hardeep-puri-says-no-major-issues-e25-move-ethanol-2942880-2026-07-07

According to federal prosecutors, Bishnoi allegedly directed an international criminal network from inside prison using contraband mobile phones and encrypted internet communication devices.

A sweeping international law enforcement operation targeting India-based transnational organized crime networks, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has resulted in the arrest of 24 suspects across the United States, Canada, and Europe, marking one of the most significant crackdowns in recent years on criminal syndicates accused of murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and cross-border violence.

The coordinated enforcement action, dubbed Operation Hard Ball, was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Authorities said the operation followed a years-long investigation involving American, Canadian, and European law enforcement agencies into three major criminal organizations allegedly responsible for a wide range of violent and organized crimes affecting communities across North America and beyond.

Federal prosecutors have unsealed three separate indictments charging 37 defendants in total. Among those arrested were 13 suspects in the United States, including 11 in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia. Three additional arrests were made in Canada and one in Spain, while seven defendants were already in custody before the coordinated operation. Authorities are still searching for 10 fugitives believed to be located in the United States, India, and Europe.

Investigators also seized approximately one metric ton of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, around $40,000 in cash, and a dozen firearms during the operation. Search warrants were executed at dozens of locations, including 23 properties in the Sacramento area and 11 locations across Los Angeles.

Officials described the investigation as a major blow to sophisticated criminal organizations that allegedly used violence, intimidation, and international drug trafficking to build influence within Indian diaspora communities worldwide.

“Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia worked together to dismantle organizations operating across multiple continents.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the operation targeted criminal groups accused of terrorizing communities through targeted killings, extortion schemes, kidnappings, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.

One of the most serious allegations centers on the Bishnoi criminal enterprise, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old gangster currently imprisoned in India. According to federal prosecutors, Bishnoi allegedly directed an international criminal network from inside prison using contraband mobile phones and encrypted internet communication devices.

The indictment alleges Bishnoi cultivated a public image as a nationalist and religious figure while secretly overseeing a sprawling criminal enterprise involved in political assassinations, murders, kidnappings, extortion, drug trafficking, and human smuggling.

Among the charges is the alleged orchestration of the June 18, 2023, assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, identified in court documents only as “H.S.N.” The victim, who lived in Surrey, British Columbia, was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple.

Prosecutors allege Bishnoi and his North American lieutenant, Satinderjeet Singh, also known as “Goldy Brar,” ordered the killing. Canadian authorities designated the Bishnoi organization as a terrorist entity in 2025, reflecting growing concerns over its alleged involvement in politically motivated violence.

According to investigators, the Bishnoi organization used social media, encrypted messaging platforms, and public claims of responsibility for violent attacks to create fear among business owners, religious leaders, and political figures, particularly within Indian diaspora communities.

Federal prosecutors also accuse the group of running sophisticated extortion operations targeting victims in California, including residents in Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks, where millions of dollars were allegedly demanded under threats of violence.

Beyond extortion, authorities allege the organization financed its activities through international cocaine trafficking and by stealing drug shipments from rival criminal organizations. Investigators claim the gang was linked to more than 520 kilograms of stolen cocaine in the Los Angeles region between 2024 and 2025.

A second indictment targets the Bhagwanpuria criminal syndicate, allegedly founded by imprisoned Indian gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, once considered an associate of Bishnoi before becoming a rival.

Federal prosecutors allege the Bhagwanpuria network expanded into a global organization with more than 1,000 members and associates operating across India, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Authorities claim the organization engaged in contract killings, drug trafficking, kidnapping, illegal firearms dealing, and extortion. Prosecutors further allege the syndicate corrupted law enforcement officials in India, using false criminal complaints to intimidate rivals and extort victims.

One defendant allegedly threatened an Ohio family while being held in immigration custody, warning he would shoot their children if demands were not met.

The third indictment focuses on an alleged international drug smuggling organization headed by Ravinder Singh Dhanda, based in Vancouver, Canada.

According to prosecutors, the network transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine every week from Southern California into Canada using long-haul commercial trucks. In some cases, narcotics were allegedly concealed inside farm vehicles traveling across the border.

Investigators specifically linked the organization to the movement of more than 430 kilograms of cocaine between 2023 and 2024.

Law enforcement officials from multiple agencies described the operation as an example of unprecedented international cooperation against organized crime.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the operation reflected a shared commitment among local, federal, and international agencies to dismantle violent criminal organizations and improve public safety.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme said the investigation disrupted criminal groups that relied on murder, intimidation, and fear to control victims in both Canada and the United States, adding that authorities would continue pursuing organized crime networks wherever they operate.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/global-crackdown-on-lawrence-bishnoi-gang-24-arrested-assassination-plot-busted-11741245?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

“The government is investigating why mud taken out of the tunnel project was put there without any safety measure,” Kerala Minister T Siddique said

Kerala ministers Ramesh Chennithala and T Siddique have called the landslide in Wayanad today “man-made” and attributed the cause to “unscientific dumping” of debris at a tunnel project site. They demanded to know from the construction company why the excavated debris had not been cleared from the site.

In response, infrastructure company Dilip Buildcon ruled out any technical error that could have led to the landslide, killing five. Dilip Buildcon said the project follows all engineering, safety and environmental approvals and protocols.

Six people were injured in the incident. Rescuers including two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are checking whether anybody is trapped under the debris. It had been raining for some time before the landslide happened. The area recorded 256 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours.

Siddique pointed out excavated soil had been dumped similarly at the Wayanad Township project, where houses are being constructed for survivors of a massive landslide in 2024.

“The government is investigating why mud taken out of the tunnel project was put there without any safety measure. Instructions were given to the authorities concerned to remove it. The instructions were not followed at all,” Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique said.

“Instructions were also given that eight families near the project were supposed to be rehabilitated. The locals had complained there was an issue with water flowing out of the project. This was not a natural landslide but a man-made one caused by mud that was put there after drilling in the tunnel project,” he said.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala also agreed with Siddique that the landslide was indeed a “man-made disaster”, which could have been avoided if the construction company had removed the huge quantity of mud excavated during the tunnel work, in line with directions issued by the district administration.

“It is certainly a man-made disaster. If the company had removed the dumped earth, this incident would not have occurred. It is an ecologically sensitive area prone to natural disasters,” Chennithala said. “When a tunnel project is undertaken in such a place, the excavated earth should be removed without delay.”

The landslide was captured on camera. It showed a large mound of mud that had accumulated near a bridge suddenly collapsing due to rain, bringing down trees and barricades at the construction site.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/man-made-disaster-2-kerala-ministers-on-wayanad-landslide-that-killed-5-11740192?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Expressing sharp displeasure, Acting Chief Justice Ghuge noted that even the footpaths outside the High Court are occupied by illegal shops.

Mumbai’s chronic monsoon waterlogging is a self-created crisis caused by citizens grabbing land, clogging drains, and misusing public infrastructure, the Bombay High Court has said. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad remarked that the city is “destined” to see waterlogged roads because people block gutters with waste, turn paved areas into illegal parking spots, and crowd footpaths with food stalls.

Expressing sharp displeasure, Acting Chief Justice Ghuge noted that even the footpaths outside the High Court are occupied by illegal shops. “Our habit is to rob our own motherland. We grab land illegally, and then look for law books only when demolition notices arrive,” he said.

In a related civic matter, the High Court issued a formal notice to the Department of Atomic Energy regarding a road-widening project in Mandala village along the Sion-Trombay stretch.

Representing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, senior advocate Milind Sathe informed the court that the civic body has already cleared encroachments and felled 192 trees to maintain the existing 30-foot road.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mumbai-flooding-our-own-creation-stop-blaming-civic-body-high-court-11740828?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Champat Rai, the former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, has questioned the role of the State Bank of India (SBI) and flagged serious procedural and security lapses in the counting process in his statement to the SIT, as seen by Times Now. Champat Rai had tendered his resignation from the post amid the probe into the embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir. His resignation was accepted by the Ram Mandir Trust during its meeting on Monday.

Rejecting a February 6, 2025, guideline document, Rai said he neither signed nor was aware of it until June 13, 2026, despite it bearing signatures of other officials. The document prescribed guidelines for the counting of the donation amount.

Rai said he does not agree with its contents and formally disowns it, stressing that he neither signed the document nor was made aware of it at the time.

In his statement, Rai said he came to know about the guidelines only on June 13, 2026, through the accounts office, even though the document claims to have been shared with the Trust. He underlined that between August 2020 and June 2026, all agreements related to such processes bore his signature along with that of the concerned authority, raising the question of why his approval was not taken in this instance. “If I was not in Ayodhya, the matter should have been kept pending,” he noted, indicating a breach of established protocol.

Rai also referred to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with SBI on February 9, 2024, stating that his signatures are present on every page of that agreement.

These included installation of CCTV cameras in the counting room and the use of iron-grilled doors for controlled access. However, he alleged that the execution of these measures was flawed and that the bank’s recommended method of conducting counting—on tables while seated on chairs—may have inadvertently facilitated the alleged theft. Following the incident, he said, the tables were removed and counting was shifted to the floor.

He claimed that essential checks during entry and exit from the counting room were either inadequate or ignored altogether. Despite provisions in the guideline document, there was no enforcement of restrictions such as wearing pocket-less clothing, and the bank itself provided garments with pockets, he noted.

Qatar blamed Iran for the attack on a huge Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, the Al Rekayyat, which reported being struck overnight by a drone that caused a fire in its engine room.

A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker was at risk of exploding due to a fire in its engine room after the vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker has four Indian crew onboard, reported ANI quoting sources. The vessel is proceeding to Dahej in India from Ras Laffan in Qatar, the report added. The incident took place in Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz.

The Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker ‘Al Rekayyat’ reported that it had been struck overnight and its engine room set on fire. “Mayday mayday mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room,” the Rekayyat’s captain said in a recorded radio call reviewed by Reuters.

“Status: engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage.” He said the crew were safe, but the ship had been disabled without engines or steering, and called for help from any vessels in the area.

Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault.

“On 07.07.2026, while transiting in the Arabian Sea, LNGC AL REKAYYAT reportedly experienced a suspected drone attack. The incident was reported to DGCOMM by the RPSL. Initial information indicates that the vessel sustained damage, and there are no casualties or environmental damaged reported. The vessel is proceeding to Dahej, India, from Ras Laffan, Qatar. Location of Incident is Gulf of Oman (near the Strait of Hormuz). There are a total of 29 seafarers on board the vessel, out of which four (04) are Indian nationals. It was informed that all the crew members are safe. The vessel’s engine room caught fire following the strike, resulting in heavy smoke,” ANI quoted sources as saying.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/qatari-gas-tanker-with-indians-onboard-reportedly-at-risk-of-exploding-after-attack-near-hormuz-report-article-154964298

Srivastava developed ties with Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s former defence minister and now the country’s president, and reportedly nicknamed himself “Mr G”.

An Indian-origin businessman allegedly posed as a CIA agent to forge close ties with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and other senior officials in an attempt to secure a multibillion-dollar defence deal.

The businessman, identified as Gaurav Srivastava, allegedly presented himself as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative, according to a report by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

The report says Srivastava developed ties with Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s former defence minister and now the country’s president, and reportedly nicknamed himself “Mr G”. He allegedly accompanied Prabowo to high-level meetings in Washington, DC, and Jakarta in 2020, where military purchases, including fighter jets and other defence equipment, were discussed.

The report is based on civil lawsuits filed by his former business partner, Niels Troost, in courts in California and New York. Troost allegedly gave Srivastava a 50 per cent ownership stake in his company.

According to Troost, Srivastava also built relationships with powerful Indonesian business leaders, including Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Subianto’s brother and chairman of the Arsari Group.

In the lawsuit, Srivastava claimed in recorded phone calls that he worked for the CIA. The lawsuits allege that he used this claim to gain the trust of senior Indonesian officials and get access to top government meetings.

He allegedly told people that he had helped identify those responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings, the terrorist attack in Indonesia that killed more than 200 people. He also allegedly claimed that he played a key role in getting Subianto removed from the US immigration blacklist.

In 2020, Srivastava managed to get three Letters of Intent (LOIs) from Indonesia for the possible purchase of fighter jets and other military equipment. The report says he secured another Letter of Intent and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2021 and 2022 for two more defence projects.

Between 2020 and 2022, four companies linked to Srivastava signed five preliminary defence agreements with Indonesia’s Defence Ministry and a state-owned defence company.

The proposed deals included the sale of 36 F-15 fighter jets, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, C-130 transport aircraft, and the setting up of a military command and control centre for Indonesia.

In 2022, the United States approved the possible sale of 36 F-15 fighter jets and related equipment to Indonesia in a deal worth up to $13.9 billion.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-origin-man-poses-as-cia-agent-to-secure-indonesia-defence-deal-11733907?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

She left the entertainment industry at the peak of her fame and fortune, and traded the limelight for what the world believed was a picture-perfect family life. For actor Celina Jaitly, however, it was a facade that masked years of unimaginable trauma.

In a candid conversation with NDTV’s Shiv Aroor, the actor shared the realities of a 15-year abusive marriage, the loss of her parents and child, and how she found the courage to step back in front of the camera for her upcoming film, ‘Sister Nivedita’.

“I wanted a house full of kids, a family full of love. The kind of family I grew up in. Marriage was very sacred. Marriage was valued. Marriage was difficult. And marriage was fought for on a daily basis,” she told NDTV.

Raised in an armed forces family, Jaitly said she carried deep-rooted values about commitment into her marriage. When she left her career, country and parents behind, she pointed out that she believed she would be building the life she had always wanted.

But her journey had been full of devastating losses and hurt. Despite that, she showed a remarkable sense of ownership over her situation.

“I was misled by my own wrong judgment. I do not blame anyone for my own decisions in life. I am accountable because that’s the first word that my father taught me,” she said.

The actor highlighted that success and education can’t shield a person from domestic violence, detailing how psychological warfare breaks a person down over time, creating a web of dependency.

“Having personal accomplishments does not protect you from violence. Having a public image does not protect you from private erosion. Having a degree, a great degree, does not protect you from gaslighting. And I eroded privately in the kind of relationship I was in,” she said.

#NDTVExclusive | ‘Trauma As A Mother’: Celina Jaitly Breaks Down At Late Son’s Grave Amid Divorce Battle @CelinaJaitly | @ShivAroor pic.twitter.com/ZkHp9IqY0N

— NDTV (@ndtv) July 6, 2026

“Violence and abuse do not happen overnight. It often begins with love. It begins with intensity. It begins with promises… The first incident shocks you. The second incident, the fifth incident confuses you… The 10th one, you cry. And by the 15th incident, you get used to it,” Jaitly said.

According to her, victims often survive on “small windows of hope,” making excuses for their abuser while their own personality is systematically stripped away. “What people like us go through is not because we are incapable of handling relationships, it’s because we couldn’t handle psychological warfare.”

As her marriage fell apart, Jaitly was hit by a succession of personal losses – the death of both her parents, and the tragic passing of her infant son, Shamsher.

“I was discarded after 15 years of devotion, dedication, bearing abuse, highs, lows, everything,” she said, recalling two-and-a-half “terrible, terrible years of isolation in an Austrian village during COVID.”

When her marriage ended, she found herself emotionally shattered and financially stranded with the responsibility of bringing up her twin sons, Winston and Viraj. “I would see my kids and back out, that this would scare them, this would traumatise them. Where would I go? I don’t have my financial independence anymore.”

Pushed to the brink, she confessed to moments of total despair. “At times, I felt like I can’t go on anymore. I gotta end it. But then I’m a soldier’s daughter. My father did not bring me up to do that.”

Jaitly is returning to the screen now in the manner of a comeback.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/celina-jaitly-to-ndtv-on-her-comeback-after-years-of-harrowing-abuse-and-grief-11735903?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

 

While many parallels are being drawn between Siya Goyal and Sonam Raghuvanshi, the police say Siya Goyal researched online and was better prepared to execute the crime

The murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal at the hands of his fiancee Siya Goyal has been dominating headlines for weeks as the sinister plot was revealed in a police investigation, spearheaded by the Pune police. As details emerged, uncanny similarities have emerged between the murders of Raja Raghuvanshi and Ketan Agarwal.

In both cases, the victims were thrown off a cliff by their partners and investigators believe that Siya Goyal and her boyfriend and accomplice Chetan Chaudhary could have learnt their lessons from the plan hatched by Sonam Raghuvanshi to kill her husband.

NDTV spoke to police officers familiar with the case to piece the saga together — a tale of a criminal mind, precision planning, and a cold heartless intention to kill.

While there are similarities in the two cases, the police have reason to believe that Siya Goyal had learnt from the mistakes of Sonam Raghuvanshi and made a better plan, better arrangements and created better alibis making it difficult for the police to crack the case.

The police say the breakthrough came to them in an epiphany, during the investigation.

Like a stream of consciousness novel, investigators had to peel through layers of alibis before reaching the point where the accused admitted to committing the crime. While a confession in police custody has little evidentiary value, it triggers evidence gathering in case of a murder investigation.

Like the pace and narration in the famous stream of consciousness novel, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, the police say the murder plot played out in reality just as it existed in the mind of Siya Goyal, shifting seamlessly between inner thoughts and external realities of its main character – in this case a woman who believed murder was the only way to escape marriage to Ketan Agrawal.

Asked if Siya Goyal was a what can be described as a criminal mind, an officer connected with the investigation told NDTV: “It was a crime of desperation. Personal relations and her thinking process led to her believe this was the way to go about it. The transactional element between families also played a role in her decision.”

“Multiple factors contributed to Siya’s decision to kill Chetan and family and societal beliefs was definitely one of them. But it went beyond that and the investigation suggests there was not one factor but a combination of several factors that triggered her decision to eliminate Ketan Agrawal,” the officer added.

“In that sense, there was intention to commit crime, and they went through with it, plotting alibis to escape detection, trial and hopefully conviction,” a police officer told NDTV.

The police also told NDTV that at this point, both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have no regret about killing Ketan Agrawal and have not shown any signs of remorse.

“Time in jail usually breaks the most hardened criminals and perhaps with the duo now being in judicial custody, realisation with dawn on them as they spend time in jail,” the officer hoped.

But the police say had it not been for sustained interrogation, the two would have got away with their act. While Ketan’s family was not convinced that it was an accidental death, the police also had their doubts as the spot from where he fell was not as dangerous as some of the other spots on the trek at Lohagad Fort.

Now, the police also have reason to believe that the couple had conducted detailed research during planning the murder and they had gone through some of the news reports published on the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, which was planned and orchestrated by his newly married wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi.

While Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered first and his body was flung from a cliff on a remote trek, the details in this case are different.

The police have told NDTV that both Siya and Chetan had pushed Ketan off the cliff together. This was part of the plan since if Siya pushed him alone, she may not have had enough strength to make sure he fell into the gorge below.

According to the police, the browsing history from a mobile phone seized from Siya Goyal’s possession indicates that she did go through the details of the Raja Raghuvanshi murder, which took place in Meghalaya.

The police have also found that she checked whether women are beaten in police custody and the rights of female prisoners.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/siya-goyal-researched-learnt-from-sonam-raghuvanshis-mistakes-say-cops-11735720?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state is keen to play a bigger role in the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership after meeting Japanese Ambassador Ono Keiichi in New Delhi. They discussed opportunities arising from the India-Japan Summit, focusing on semiconductors, clean energy and Japanese language training, while reaffirming stronger bilateral cooperation.

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state is keen to play a greater role in deepening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, with a focus on semiconductors, clean energy and Japanese language training.

In a post on X, Sarma said he met Japanese Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, at his official residence in the national capital, where the envoy hosted him for Cha-no-yu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

“I am grateful to H.E. Mr. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India, for hosting me at his residence in New Delhi for Cha-no-yu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony,” the Chief Minister wrote.

Sarma said the two sides held a ‘productive exchange’ on emerging areas of cooperation and discussed the outcomes of the recently concluded India-Japan Summit, particularly the opportunities it offers Assam in semiconductor research, clean energy and Japanese language training.

The Chief Minister said he reaffirmed Assam’s commitment to contributing meaningfully to the growing strategic partnership between India and Japan.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/assam-eyes-stronger-japan-ties-in-semiconductors-clean-energy-after-india-japan-summit

Maharashtra experienced severe rain, leading to significant waterlogging and traffic disruptions, particularly in Thane and Bhiwandi. Amidst the chaos, Shadab Momin, a local social media content creator dressed as Spider-Man, emerged as a hero by assisting stranded commuters and guiding them through flooded streets.

After days of heavy rainfall across Maharashtra, several parts of the state were left waterlogged, disrupting traffic and affecting daily life. Thane was no exception, with Bhiwandi witnessing torrential rain over the past four days, bringing normal life to a standstill. Residents grappled with severe traffic congestion, stranded vehicles, and flooded roads. Amid the chaos, a man dressed as ‘Spider-Man’ emerged as an unlikely hero, helping commuters navigate the waterlogged streets.

The man, Shadab Momin, a resident of Bhiwandi in Thane district, is a social media content creator known for posting videos in his “Spider-Man” avatar.

In videos that have now gone viral, Momin can be seen directing traffic, guiding commuters through flooded roads, warning motorists about deep potholes, and pushing stranded two-wheelers and four-wheelers to safety. His selfless efforts have earned widespread praise from netizens.

“It feels very good. Helping people is my duty, and I am doing it in real life as well. There is a lot of difficulty here, and this is actually the responsibility of the municipal authorities, but they have not done anything about it so far,” he told IANS.

According to police officials familiar with the Ketan Agarwal murder probe, there are “uncanny similarities” between the two cases.

The murder investigation of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has taken a new turn, with police drawing parallels between the case and the high-profile Meghalaya honeymoon murder case involving businessman Raja Raghuvanshi.

The police conducting the investigation claimed that accused Siya Goyal and her alleged accomplice Chetan Chaudhary may have studied Sonam Raghuvanshi’s murder plan before carrying out the crime.

According to police officials familiar with the investigation, both cases show similarities as the victims were allegedly pushed from cliffs as part of the murder plans involving their partners. Investigators believe Siya and Chetan may have learnt from the mistakes made in the Raja Raghuvanshi case and prepared a more detailed plan with stronger alibis.

Police Say Siya Studied Sonam Case

Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based businessman, was found dead in a gorge near a waterfall in Meghalaya’s Sohra area after he went missing during his honeymoon in 2025. His wife Sonam Raghuvanshi was later arrested on charges of conspiracy to murder him. Police alleged that she had planned the murder along with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three hired killers.

In the Ketan Agarwal case, police allege that Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary killed Agarwal by pushing him into a gorge at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18.

Speaking to NDTV, a police official familiar with the investigation said officers found evidence suggesting that Siya Goyal had researched the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case while allegedly planning Ketan Agarwal’s killing.

According to the official, the browsing history on a mobile phone seized from her showed that she had accessed news reports about the Meghalaya murder case. Investigators also found online searches related to whether women are beaten in police custody and the legal rights of female prisoners.

Officials believe Siya and Chetan made changes to the alleged plan after studying the earlier case. Police said both of them pushed Ketan together as part of the plan because Siya alone may not have been able to push him into the gorge.

Police Probe Alibis, Say Crime Was Driven By Multiple Factors

Police said the investigation involved examining multiple layers of alleged alibis before reaching a breakthrough. Officials told NDTV that sustained questioning helped them uncover details of the alleged conspiracy.

An officer familiar with the case described it as a “crime of desperation”, saying personal relationships, family pressure and other factors may have contributed to the alleged decision.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/sonam-raghuvanshi-link-in-ketan-agarwal-case-police-find-similarities-in-siya-goyals-plan-ws-l-10193964.html

A Nashik court granted bail to Nida Khan and co-accused Tausif Attar in the TCS Nashik conversion case. The order came as the SIT continued its probe into the matter, while refusing similar relief to another accused Danish Shaikh.

A court in Nashik on Monday granted bail to Nida Khan, one of the accused in the religious conversion and sexual harassment case linked to a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-associated BPO unit, nearly two months after her arrest. The court also granted bail to co-accused Tausif Attar, while rejecting the bail plea of another accused, Danish Shaikh.

Additional Sessions Judge KG Joshi of the Nashik Road Court passed the order in connection with a case registered at the Deolali Camp Police Station.

Khan, who worked as a telecaller at the TCS Nashik BPO unit, was arrested in May after evading arrest for over six weeks and has been in judicial custody since then. She had filed multiple bail applications, citing her pregnancy and the difficulties she was facing in jail. The court had earlier sought a report from the prison’s medical officer and, while declining bail on previous occasions, had directed authorities to provide her necessary facilities during custody.

The case came to light earlier this year after multiple women employees at a TCS-linked BPO unit in Nashik alleged sexual harassment, sexual assault and coercion to convert to another religion by colleagues and supervisors. Following the complaints, Nashik police registered multiple FIRs between March and April and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations.

Investigators have alleged that Khan played a role in the religious conversion aspect of the case. According to police, one complainant accused Khan of hurting her religious sentiments and attempting to influence her religious beliefs.

During the investigation, the SIT allegedly found that Khan had shared Islamic religious material, including books and videos, with the complainant. Police are also examining her reported links in Malaysia after allegations that she had offered to help the complainant secure employment there.

While granting Khan bail, the Nashik court declined similar relief to Danish Shaikh. The prosecution had opposed the bail pleas of Shaikh, arguing that evidence collected during the probe pointed to sexual exploitation and efforts at religious coercion.

According to the prosecution, Shaikh allegedly gave the complainant an Islamic religious book and a burqa with the intention of influencing her religious beliefs. Prosecutors further argued that the accused attempted to convert the woman despite being aware that she belonged to a Scheduled Caste community.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tcs-nashik-conversion-case-nida-khan-gets-bail-danish-shaikh-denied-2942003-2026-07-06

An SIT probing the Ram temple donation theft casehas held former trustee Anil Mishra responsible for supervisory and administrative lapses. The findings came as the trust accepted the resignations of Mishra and former general secretary Champat Rai, and appointed Krishna Mohan as the interim head.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has held former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust trustee Anil Mishra responsible for serious supervisory and administrative lapses, saying he failed to ensure adequate security safeguards despite repeated warning signs.

According to the SIT’s preliminary report, Mishra oversaw financial matters and cash management, including coordination with the bank on the standard operating procedure (SOP) governing the counting and handling of temple donations. Investigators said he played a key role in framing the SOP and was directly responsible for coordinating cash counting, storage and security arrangements.

The report alleged that Mishra failed to issue effective written instructions to strengthen frisking of staff, deploy adequate security personnel, enforce designated uniforms, prohibit employees from carrying personal belongings into sensitive areas, conduct surprise inspections or introduce a system of daily reporting. The SIT concluded that these omissions weakened the security framework and contributed to the theft.

It further stated that despite receiving information about irregularities, Mishra failed to ensure timely corrective action, making him accountable at the supervisory level for the lapses.

CCTV FOOTAGE REVEALS 70 SUSPICIOUS INCIDENTS

The SIT’s findings are based in part on CCTV footage recorded between April 27 and May 6, which captured around 70 instances of employees concealing cash during the counting of offerings.

According to the report, staff members were seen hiding currency notes in pockets, shoes and clothing, tampering with bundles of cash and engaging in other suspicious activities before carrying money out of the counting room. Investigators said the footage suggested the alleged theft was not an isolated incident, but a systematic practice repeated over several days.

The report identified six individuals whose roles were found to be prima facie suspicious during the investigation.

SECURITY PROTOCOLS IGNORED

The SIT report flagged multiple violations of security procedures in the donation-counting process. It found that employees were not being frisked adequately, personal belongings were not effectively restricted and cash from different donation boxes was often counted together.

Investigators said several safeguards prescribed under the SOP were either ignored or implemented only on paper. The report also highlighted deficiencies in record-keeping, CCTV monitoring and overall supervision of the counting process.

According to the SIT, weaknesses in security arrangements, surveillance systems and compliance mechanisms allowed the alleged thefts to go undetected for an extended period.

FINANCIAL TRAIL UNDER THE SCANNER

The SIT probe also uncovered indications of financial transactions and cash deposits disproportionate to the declared incomes of some of the accused.

Investigators have recommended a detailed examination of bank accounts, assets and financial transactions to trace the alleged proceeds of the theft. The report said nearly Rs 78.94 lakh has already been recovered from some of the accused, while an additional Rs 2.25 lakh was recovered from the counting room during the investigation.

So far, eight people, mostly involved in handling and counting donations, have been arrested in the case.

TRUST ACCEPTS RESIGNATIONS, ANNOUNCES REFORMS

YouTuber Raavan arrested for 5th time in 6 days over remarks against Pawan Kalyan

YouTuber Raavan was arrested for the fifth time by the Andhra Pradesh Police on Saturday, extending a series of successive arrests that began on June 30 over multiple cases linked to his alleged remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

According to police, Raavan had just secured bail in the latest case registered against him by the Payakaraopeta Police when he was intercepted at the Vempadu toll gate and taken into custody once again. This time, he was booked under Sections 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) and 39 (offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The latest arrest follows a pattern that has seen Raavan repeatedly granted bail in one case only to be re-arrested in another.

The sequence began with his arrest by the Pithapuram Police. After obtaining station bail from a magistrate, he was immediately taken into custody by the Sarpavaram Police. Upon securing bail in that case, he was arrested again by the Inaguduru Police, followed by another arrest by the Payakaraopeta Police after his release.

YSRCP QUESTIONS GOVT STANCE

The repeated arrests have sparked a political controversy in Andhra Pradesh, with the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) accusing the ruling coalition government of targeting the YouTuber.

In a series of social media posts, the YSRCP questioned the government’s actions and accused Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan of focusing on Raavan while neglecting other issues. Referring to the Sugali Preethi case, the party alleged that if the same level of attention had been devoted to securing justice in that case, the accused would have been punished.

The YSRCP further claimed that the case had been used for political purposes before the change in government and alleged that the accused were now moving freely due to the coalition government’s inaction. The party also cited remarks attributed to Sugali Preethi’s mother, who allegedly expressed disappointment with Pawan Kalyan over the handling of the case.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/andhra-pradesh/story/youtuber-raavan-fifth-arrest-uapa-andhra-pradesh-pawan-kalyan-row-2942098-2026-07-06

Laid-off employees of a US healthcare tech company have been allowed back into its Kochi office till July 10. The temporary relief pauses immediate escalation as Kerala awaits fresh talks with the management.

Employees of a US-based healthcare technology company who were recently laid off will be allowed to enter its Kochi office till July 10, when another round of talks with the management is scheduled, Thrikkakara Congress MLA Uma Thomas said on Monday. The development comes after 850 employees engaged in medical coding work at the company’s Kochi and Kozhikode offices were laid off.

Thomas and Kerala Labour Commissioner Safna Nazarudeen held a meeting with the company’s legal adviser after the layoffs. The state authorities said they have asked the company to keep the layoff process on hold for now, and added that legal proceedings are not being started at this stage as they are waiting for the next meeting with the management.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Thomas said the company’s legal adviser, Amir, represented the management. “We have requested the company to keep the layoff process on hold. The employees can return to the office from Tuesday,” she said.

Nazarudeen said representatives of the company’s management did not attend the meeting and were expected to take part in the next round of discussions on July 10. “The company will function from Monday itself. Employees will be allowed to remain in the office and necessary facilities will be provided. The government will make every effort to help the company resume full-fledged operations. We are not initiating legal proceedings now and are waiting for the July 10 meeting,” she said.

Thomas said the company had already transferred compensation to the bank accounts of employees on Friday. “The company told us the payments could not be stopped because the instructions had already been given to the bank before its representatives reached Kochi. We do not know whether that is true. It is possible that the bank has already processed the request,” she said.

Nazarudeen said the company had assured the Labour Department that its management representatives would attend the July 10 meeting. “They have told us they will come. If they do not turn up, legal action will be initiated after discussions with the Labour Minister,” she said.

Thomas and Nazarudeen also met the employees, who urged them to resolve the issue and ensure that they could continue in their jobs. Meanwhile, DYFI activists reached the company’s Kochi office in the morning after employees complained that they were not being allowed to enter the premises. Police and DYFI leaders later held discussions with company representatives at the office, after which the employees were allowed inside.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kochi-layoffs-850-staff-allowed-back-to-office-till-july-10-talks-ptag-2941642-2026-07-06

Akriti Sutar’s family rejected the possibility of suicide, saying that on Saturday, she had not only joined office but also hosted a small party for her colleagues. This was not a sign of depression, they have argued.

Akriti Sutar, who was found dead at a residential society in Delhi on Saturday evening, had joined office earlier that day. The 28-year-old, who had got married on April 24, was on leave. Her family has alleged that she was murdered.

They rejected the possibility of suicide, saying that on Saturday, she had not only joined office but also hosted a small party for her colleagues. This was not a sign of depression, they have argued.

Moreover, Akriti had spoken to her mother around 6 in the evening and seemed quite normal at the time. She spoke of the party and said she was on way home.

Akriti’s uncle Mananjay Sutar said two hours later, around 8 pm, the family received a call from her husband, who said she has gone missing. “Nearly 90 minutes later, the police informed them that a woman’s body had been found at Palika Kunj,” he added.

Akriti, who was a Sales Executive with a private company in Chhatarpur, was found dead at a residential society in Lodhi Colony — around 10 km from her Pushp Vihar home. Her body was found lying on the ground around 9 pm on Saturday. It is assumed that she had fallen from the building.

Akriti’s 24-year-old brother Amay Sutar claimed that she is mentally strong and would have never taken her own life.

The family also alleged that her husband Arastu Sikka and his relatives were pressuring her for dowry. They claimed that Arastu and his family have been demanding Rs 20 lakh and had subjected Akriti to repeated harassment and threats since the marriage.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-newlywed-joined-work-hosted-party-hours-before-murder-says-family-11731052?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu has pushed back against JD Vance’s comments, saying that his country gets “tremendous” support from India.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called India one of the greatest supporters of Israel, as he pushed back against JD Vance’s recent comments that the country has no “powerful ally” other than the United States.

In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said Israel has “tremendous support” in India.

“We have some other friends, like a small country called India. It has 1.4 billion people, and boy, do we have a tremendous support there,” the Israeli leader, who has received significant backlash from around the world over the wars his country has been engaged in with Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.

Netanyahu further said that he respected US Vice President JD Vance, and called President Donald Trump the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had in the White House.

“But it doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he (Vance) says and I have to point out this,” he said.

Netanyahu’s remarks come weeks after Vance warned Israel not to mess with its “only powerful ally”.

The Israeli Prime Minister further claimed that he is “flooded by the overwhelming support” from India on social media platform Facebook, and asserted that his country has many other allies.

Without naming anyone, he went on to say that in many countries, it is “fashionable” on social media to have “anti-Israeli, anti-Semitic material”.

But leaders from these supposed countries, he claimed, call him up to sign deals or ask him to “teach us some of the things that your military does”.

“So the relations are not quite as they appear, and we have, we have many, many friends,” Netanyahu said.

Vance’s remarks, made during a press briefing at the White House, appeared to signal a new course in US-Israel relations as ceasefire talks with Iran advance.

“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said, while defending the US’ memorandum signed with Iran last month in a major breakthrough to end the war.

Netanyahu Clarifies Stance On Lebanon

While the memorandum signed by the US and Iran has a provision for Israel to withdraw his forces from Lebanon, the country has not given in to the demand despite multiple ceasefire announcements.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/jd-vance-says-us-is-israel-only-ally-bennjamin-netanyahu-cites-1-4-billion-indians-11730954?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the body that manages prominent gurdwaras in the country, and the Shiromani Akali Dal have thrown their weight behind the movie.

The ouster of the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj from the OTT platform ZEE5, barely two days after its release, has triggered a full-blown political controversy in Punjab.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the body that manages prominent gurdwaras in the country, and the Shiromani Akali Dal have thrown their weight behind the movie.

Satluj is based on the struggle of an activist to unearth alleged extrajudicial killings when militancy was at its peak in Punjab.

“Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India. A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab’s painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way. This is not mere censorship – it is an assault on our collective memory, truth, and freedom of expression,” said SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on X.

“I strongly condemn this move. Punjab deserves to confront its past with honesty, not suppression,” he added.

Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of #Satluj from #ZEE5 in India.
A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab’s painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way.
This is not mere censorship — it is an… pic.twitter.com/yfrkMKYq5D

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 5, 2026

Kulwant Singh Mannan, the chief secretary of SGPC, appealed to the people of the state to watch Satluj.

“Film attempts to bring to light the true events of a period when Punjab was going through difficult times. Jaswant Singh (Diljit Dosanjh’s character) fought a long battle to bring to light the cases of alleged fake police encounters and disappearances. We appeal to the youth of Punjab to watch the film, as it would provide them with an opportunity to understand the history of Punjab and the contributions of Jaswant Singh Khalra,” he said.

Congress MP Tariq Anwar said the issue shouldn’t be turned into a political controversy.

“Yes, during that time, there was a Congress government in Punjab. But there is no need for any politics. If any film is based on facts, then it is okay, but politics is not required,” he said.

AAP leader and Punjab minister Aman Arora sought to play down the row.

“This film has been under discussion for a long time, but no one clearly knows its content. It is said to be based on fake encounters. Facts should be made public, as both good and bad incidents are part of history. However, such facts must be presented in a way that does not harm brotherhood and unity in the future,” he said.

Earlier, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, also backed Sutlaj.

“Even in the present time, I read a report about how many fake encounters have taken place. Those responsible should be punished in accordance with the laws framed by the worldly authorities. It is a very wrong thing for mothers to lose their sons through unlawful killings,” he said.

What ZEE5 Said

ZEE5 shared a statement on Instagram, saying it was exploring other avenues to release the movie.

“At ZEE5, we stand firmly by Satluj and the creative vision behind it. We believe that powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact. We remain committed to championing authentic and meaningful narratives. In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity,” it said.

Diljit Dosanjh Reacts

In his first reaction, Diljit Dosanjh shared a cryptic post on Instagram. He posted a still from the movie with a hard-hitting caption. “I challenge the darkness,” he wrote.

“The same thing that happened to Satluj also happened to Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra,” he added in Punjabi.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/diljit-dosanjhs-satluj-ban-triggers-political-row-in-punjab-zee5-sad-sgpc-congress-reacts-11731108?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

 

Addressing a rally outside the Hanuman temple in Mumbai, Thackeray recited “Hanuman Stotra”, “Hanuman Chalisa” and “Ram Raksha Stotra”, and attacked the BJP over the Ram Temple theft.

Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday hopped on the Ram Temple bandwagon to revitalise his massively depleted Shiv Sena UBT faction, as he attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over the donation theft scandal. The ruling party’s reply was swift and equally scalding — it attributed the former chief minister’s political decline to his alleged abandonment of “Lord Ram’s path”.

The BJP’s retort came from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, one of its most towering politicians in Maharashtra.

“Our only expectation was that he should remember Ram. He had abandoned Ram’s path. That’s why his party declined. If he walks the path of Ram, it will be good for him. Not just today, I expect that he will recite ‘Ram Raksha’ every day,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI in the state’s Gadchiroli.

Thackeray — who lost power and most of the party his father, Bal Thackeray, founded to a rebellion by confidante-turned-foe Eknath Shinde in 2022 — had to endure another exodus last month. Six of his party’s nine Lok Sabha MLAs defected to the dominant Shinde-led bloc.

Both factions claim to champion Bal Thackeray’s legacy. The rebels, however, claim his son, Uddhav, has strayed from his path by ditching its decades-old alliance with the BJP and joining hands with the Congress.

The six parliamentarians had told Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last month that senior Thackeray Sena leaders had plans to merge with the Congress. Some of them said they jumped ship because of a dearth of funds to develop their constituencies.

What Uddhav Thackeray Said

Uddhav Thackeray seized upon the Ram Temple issue to return to his party’s age-old core agenda – furthering Hindutva.

On Sunday, he launched his “Ram Raksha” agitation and alleged that those looting Hindus are in power. Addressing a rally outside the Hanuman temple in Dadar, he recited “Hanuman Stotra”, “Hanuman Chalisa” and “Ram Raksha Stotra”.

“If anyone loots a temple by misusing Hindutva, then Hindus will not spare them,” he warned, giving a call to his supporters for what he called a “BJP-mukt Ram”.

“We are staunch Hindus who take pride in our country. We are innocent and naive but not fools. Now Hindus will not spare you if our Hindutva is misused to loot a temple,” he added.

Meanwhile, BJP chief Nitin Nabin accused the Opposition of having a history of “insulting” the Hindu faith.

“These are the same people who questioned Lord Ram’s existence, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court calling Lord Ram imaginary, questioned the existence of the Ram Setu and ordered firing on kar sevaks,” he said, referring to the Opposition’s incessant attacks on the BJP over the temple theft case.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-retort-on-uddhav-thackerays-temple-theft-barbs-abandoned-rams-path-11730758?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Mumbai Rains Today: Mumbai, Thane, Palghar schools and colleges shut Monday as IMD issues red alert for heavy rain; University of Mumbai postpones July 6 exams, fresh dates awaited

Mumbai’s monsoon fury turned deadlier on Monday as at least 10 people died in rain-related incidents, while a landslide near Lohagad Fort trapped a family and forced the complete shutdown of both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old highway. IMD’s ‘red warning’, shut schools and a rail landslide compounded the crisis.

From a tree crushing a roadside shop in Kurla to a man drowning after falling into a floodwater-hidden manhole in Saki Naka, the fatalities paint a grim picture of a city battling relentless downpours.

An 11-year-old was killed when a tree fell on a school bus in Chembur, while two youths died after venturing into the off-limits Pandavkada Waterfall in Kharghar. In Mira Road-Bhayandar, a falling coconut tree claimed another life.

Adding to the chaos, a landslide at Patan village near Lohagad Fort has reportedly trapped a family, with rescue operations underway, while both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway have been shut in both directions after a concrete pillar collapse and flooding on alternate routes through Maval and Tamini Ghat.

The IMD’s 4 AM nowcast has escalated the alert to Red for Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad and Thane, warning of intense rain spells with gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph, even as the city already reels from shut schools, cancelled exams and a landslide-hit railway line.

How Many People Have Died In Mumbai’s Rain Fury So Far?

At least 10 people have died in rain-related incidents across Mumbai and its adjoining areas, with causes ranging from falling trees to drowning in open manholes.

What Exactly Happened In Kurla, Saki Naka And Chembur?

A 63-year-old man was killed in Kurla after a tree collapsed onto a roadside shop. In Saki Naka, a man drowned after falling into a manhole concealed by floodwater, while in Chembur, an 11-year-old schoolchild died when a tree fell on their school bus.

Why Did Two Young Men Die At Pandavkada Waterfall?

Two youths lost their lives in Kharghar’s Navi Mumbai area after entering the Pandavkada Waterfall, a spot officially declared out of bounds due to its dangerous currents during monsoon.

What Happened In Mira Road-Bhayandar?

A man on a motorcycle died after a coconut tree came crashing down on him amid the heavy winds and rain.

Has IMD Issued A Fresh Warning For Mumbai?

Yes — IMD Mumbai issued a Red Warning nowcast at 4 AM on July 6, valid for three hours, forecasting intense spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph at isolated places across Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad and Thane.

Why Are Schools And Colleges Shut Across MMR?

The alert has forced authorities to shut schools and colleges across Mumbai, Thane and Palghar as a precautionary measure on Monday.

What About University Exams Scheduled For Today?

The University of Mumbai has postponed all examinations set for July 6 in view of the alert, with fresh dates to be announced later.

Has Rain Disrupted Railway Services Too?

Yes — a landslide struck the South East Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala, between Thakurvadi and Monkey Hill Loop Cabin on the Up Main Line, affecting Central Railway’s Mumbai Division services.

Which Trains Have Been Affected By Mumbai-Pune Landslide?

Several long-distance trains have been cancelled, diverted or short-terminated due to the disruption. Among those short-terminated: the Santragachi-Pune Humsafar Express at Panvel, the Solapur-CSMT Siddheshwar Express at Pune, the Hyderabad-CSMT Hussain Sagar Express at Lonavala, the Visakhapatnam-LTT Express at Lonavala, the Hosapete-CSMT Express at Talegaon, the Sainagar Shirdi-Dadar Express at Pune, the Hubballi-Dadar Express at Pune, the Kolhapur-CSMT Mahalaxmi Express at Pune, the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Pune Special at Karjat, and the Dadar-Satara Express at Karjat.

What Is Central Railway Doing To Restore Services?

Restoration work began immediately after the landslide, with railway teams deployed to clear debris and ensure passenger safety.

Central Railway has advised commuters to check the latest train status before starting their journey, as further changes may be announced depending on weather conditions, and has urged travellers to avoid non-essential trips along the Mumbai-Pune corridor until normal operations resume.

Why Has Pune-Mumbai Expressway Been Shut Down?

Adding to the corridor’s woes, traffic in both directions on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway has also been stopped after a concrete pillar fell between the connecting and missing link, while the old Mumbai-Pune Highway has been closed due to overflowing water at several points.

A landslide near the Tunnel 2 exit on the Pune-to-Mumbai lane of the Connecting Link Road has further forced authorities to divert traffic since 4 AM, with the Highway Traffic Police closely monitoring the situation.

Commuters have been strongly advised to avoid travel altogether amid the extremely heavy ongoing rainfall.

Are Alternate Routes Between Pune And Mumbai Also Affected?

Yes — flood-like conditions have been reported in the Maval and Tamini Ghat areas, which serve as alternate routes, effectively cutting off road connectivity between the two cities.

How Are Mumbai’s Suburban Train Services Holding Up?

Central Railway said suburban services are running across all four corridors on Monday, with only minor delays despite the heavy rainfall. Main Line trains are running 6-8 minutes behind schedule, while Harbour Line services are delayed by around 4 minutes. The Transharbour Line and Uran-Belapur Line are operating on schedule.

What Happened At Lohagad Fort Near Patan Village?

A landslide has been reported at Patan village near Lohagad Fort, with a family said to be caught in the impact area. Rescue operations have been initiated, according to IGP Kolhapur Range Ranjan Kumar Sharma.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cities/mumbai-news/mumbai-rains-update-10-dead-schools-shut-landslide-hits-central-railway-line-10192098.html

Police said the autopsy would determine the exact cause of death and whether she had been sexually assaulted.

A day after an 11-year-old girl went missing, police recovered her body in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on Sunday. The incident triggered widespread protests and the lynching of a man on rape-murder charges.

According to police, the minor’s body was found stuffed inside a sack in the Surjyapur Haat area of Baruipur. The child’s death sparked outrage among locals who blocked the Baruipur-Joynagar Road, burnt tyres and vandalised police vehicles while demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.

Four Arrested, Raids Underway

Inspector General of Police (Presidency Range) Kankarprasad Barui said an enraged mob beat a man to death on suspicion of his involvement in the girl’s death, PTI reported. Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case.

The protest ended after Barui assured demonstrators that all those involved would be arrested and brought to justice.

“Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari called me up to take action against all the culprits, and they would be punished,” the officer told the protesters, while addressing them using a megaphone.

Barui also said he would meet the victim’s family on Tuesday and promised all possible assistance. “No one will be spared,” he added, while confirming that raids were underway to apprehend the remaining accused.

Teen’s Family Alleges Abduction

Further, the girl’s body was sent to Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Police said the autopsy would determine the exact cause of death and whether she had been sexually assaulted.

Investigators said the girl had left her home on Saturday afternoon to buy a birthday gift for a friend. Meanwhile, her family has alleged that four people forcibly abducted her.

TMC Targets BJP Over Probe

Further, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP government in West Bengal, alleging that political connections were influencing the investigation.

“BJP came to Bengal promising women’s safety and security. Instead, every such incident raises fresh questions about its hollow promises,” he wrote on X.

“When justice becomes selective and outrage becomes political, it is not only the victim who suffers, it is society that pays the price,” he added.

The Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar demanding resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan entered its 16th day on Sunday, with multiple hunger strikes continuing. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has lost around 6kg during his fast, though doctors report stable vitals. Protesters allege exam irregularities and NEET paper leak issues, while SKM and AISA have extended support.

The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities, entered its 16th day on Sunday. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk also completed eight days of his indefinite hunger strike at the protest site.

According to a medical bulletin, Wangchuk has lost around 6kg since beginning the fast. Doctors said his blood pressure was 112/70 mm Hg while lying down, his heart rate was 72 beats per minute and his blood sugar level was 67 mg/dL. The bulletin added that his hydration remained fair, he was mentally alert and his weight had dropped to 60.95kg.

Wangchuk’s health stable despite 6kg weight loss

The CJP has continued to press for Pradhan’s resignation, alleging that repeated examination irregularities and paper leaks have severely affected students and their families.

Acharya Balkrishnaji, the co-founder of Patanjali Ayurved, mentions why you suffer from high temperature and subsequent ill health.

Every time you get a high fever, what follows is fatigue and a baggage of other health troubles. The harsher the medicines, the more adverse the effects. However, Ayurveda offers medicines and home remedies to treat without harm. Acharya Balkrishnaji, the co-founder of Patanjali Ayurved, speaks about the reasons behind the high fever, simple home remedies to treat it, and Patanjali products to help treat it.

Reasons Behind High Fever

Ayurveda refers to high fever as ‘jwara’ and calls it the body’s natural defence to remove any collected toxins and restore the body’s balance. Among adults and older children, 104°F is considered high. For newborns and infants between three and six months, it is 100° F and 102°F. It is around 103°F for infants and kids above six months.

The reasons include viral infections like cold, flu and dengue, bacterial infections like pneumonia, UTIs and bloodstream infections, inflammatory diseases like autoimmune diseases, heat-related diseases like heatstroke, medicines and vaccines, and even malignant tumours. The signs include high temperature, chill, sweat, tiredness, slight dehydration, feeling light-headed, and no interest in eating.

Seek help if you notice high temperature and signs like extreme tiredness, fainting spells, breathing issues, and a stomach ache. Trust Ayurvedic remedies and Patanjali medicines to treat high fever and related issues. Find them below.

4 Ayurvedic Home Remedies to Treat High Fever

Lauki or Bottle Gourd: Acharya Balkrishnaji reveals, “Experiment with using lauki while taking medicine. Cut the lauki into round slices. Rub these slices on the soles of the feet or keep them there for a while. This provides with relief, and it definitely reduces the fever.”

Black Pepper and Tulsi Decoction: Tulsi has fever-reducing and antimicrobial properties. It lowers fever by combating any infections and provides immunity. Black pepper also works on similar grounds if used with other ingredients. Take seven to ten tulsi leaves and around five to six crushed black peppercorns. Brew them in two cups of water till condensed by half. Drink it warm for immunity and lower signs of fever. Use high-quality Patanjali Black Pepper Whole (5 Gms and 100 Gms) for its natural goodness.

Honey With Ginger or Garlic: Ginger treats mild fever, and its anti-inflammatory properties fight infections. It also helps you sweat and cool your body. Garlic has fever-reducing properties and compounds to increase immunity and fight infection. With honey’s antibacterial properties, they treat high fever. Blend one crushed teaspoon of ginger juice, one teaspoon of honey and a pinch of black pepper. It lowers inflammation and makes you sweat. Mix two to three cloves of crushed garlic and a teaspoon of honey to fight the primary reasons for fever. Use Patanjali’s Aastha Honey (50 Gms and 100 Gms). It is a blend of honeydew honey and blossom honey. Find all the natural sugars and minerals in it.

Fenugreek Seed Water: Fenugreek seeds’ anti-inflammatory properties help you sweat to break the fever and minimise body aches. Either boil the seeds in a cup of water, steep and strain the potion, and have it with drops of lemon juice and one teaspoon of honey or soak one tablespoon of the seeds overnight in half a cup of water. Drink the strained water the next morning. It lowers the fever and treats weakness. Patanjali Fenugreek Whole (100 Gms) is a great option, as it retains all the health qualities to fight the fever.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/ayurvedic-home-remedies-to-treat-high-fever-naturally

For C Joseph Vijay, opposing the BJP seemingly does not mean opposing the Centre. Even as he has positioned the BJP as his principal ideological enemy, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is pursuing a pragmatic working relationship with the Modi government, separating political battles from administrative priorities.

When C Joseph Vijay entered politics, he drew a clear ideological battle line against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Throughout the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief repeatedly accused the BJP of centralising power, imposing Hindi and the National Education Policy (NEP), and undermining Tamil Nadu’s rights. His speeches left little doubt that the BJP would remain his principal political adversary. Yet, upon taking office as Tamil Nadu’s CM, Vijay has crafted a governing style that sharply contrasts with his campaign rhetoric.

While continuing to oppose the BJP on ideological and policy issues, Vijay has also maintained a consistent channel of engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government. Rather than allowing political rivalry to dictate administrative relations, Tamil Nadu’s new CM has seemingly sought to separate politics from governance, a balancing act rarely seen in recent Centre-State relations.

The approach signals what could become a new template for opposition politics: oppose where necessary, cooperate where beneficial — a model that has been largely absent from opposition-ruled states for nearly a decade.

A DEPARTURE FROM THE POLITICS OF CONFRONTATION

Over the past decade, relations between the Narendra Modi government and several opposition-ruled states have often been marked by public confrontation.

Tamil Nadu under the DMK frequently accused the Centre of withholding funds and attempting to impose policies contrary to the state’s interests. Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, repeatedly alleged financial discrimination by the Centre and skipped several meetings convened by the Prime Minister. Arvind Kejriwal, while in power in Delhi, often accused the BJP-led Union government of obstructing his administration through constitutional and administrative mechanisms.

The political messaging of these governments largely revolved around resistance to the Centre. But Vijay appears to be pursuing a different path.

His government has not diluted its ideological opposition to the BJP. It continues to reject the three-language policy, opposes linking education funding to the NEP, and has maintained Tamil Nadu’s traditional positions on federalism and state autonomy.

What has changed is the method of engagement with the Modi government. Instead of reducing interactions with New Delhi, Vijay has chosen to increase them.

VIJAY’S OLIVE BRANCH AFTER SHARP CAMPAIGN AGAINST BJP

The first indication of an olive branch came immediately after Vijay’s swearing-in on May 10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the newly elected chief minister through a public message and reportedly over a phone call as well. Vijay responded by thanking the Prime Minister and expressing hope that the Union government would extend its full cooperation for Tamil Nadu’s development.

For a leader who had spent months attacking the BJP, the tone was notably measured. It suggested that while electoral politics had ended, governance had begun, and CM Vijay started his New Delhi outreach.

On May 27, Vijay travelled to New Delhi for his first official visit as chief minister. The meeting with Prime Minister Modi lasted around half an hour, but its significance extended beyond its duration. Rather than treating it as a courtesy call, Vijay arrived with a comprehensive memorandum covering virtually every major issue pending between Tamil Nadu and the Union government.

Vijay sought central intervention in the Mekedatu dam dispute with Karnataka to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery water rights. He requested the release of pending education funds, highlighted the issue of Tamil fishermen being arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, pressed for defence manufacturing projects in Tamil Nadu, and sought support for highways, railways, ports and industrial corridors.

Vijay’s New Delhi visit was not limited to a meeting with PM Modi. He also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to press on the state’s financial requirements. This visit reflected Vijay’s government’s determination to engage with the Centre despite political differences.

VIJAY’S ENGAGEMENT WITHOUT COMPROMISE

The clearest illustration of Vijay’s approach towards the Modi government and the BJP came during the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in June.

While several opposition leaders have in the past boycotted or criticised such meetings, Vijay attended and used the platform to directly present Tamil Nadu’s demands before the Prime Minister and Union ministers.

Vijay strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to link the release of Samagra Shiksha funds with the implementation of the National Education Policy and the three-language formula, demanding the immediate release of Rs 3,284 crore due to the state.

At the same time, he appealed for greater central assistance for infrastructure projects, rural housing and other development initiatives.

The message was carefully calibrated by Vijay that Tamil Nadu would not compromise on its core policy positions. Neither would it disengage from the Centre.

CM VIJAY USING DIALOGUE WITH CENTRE AS A GOVERNING STRATEGY

The engagement between Vijay and the Centre did not stop with meetings. Vijay has maintained regular communication with the Prime Minister through detailed letters on issues affecting Tamil Nadu.

On July 1, Vijay urged the Centre to reconsider the funding structure of the proposed Viksit Bharat-G RAM G rural employment programme, arguing that the 60:40 cost-sharing formula would place an additional burden of over Rs 5,000 crore on the state. Instead of rejecting the scheme outright, he proposed alternative funding arrangements that would protect Tamil Nadu’s finances.

He has also written on reducing cotton import duties to support the state’s textile industry, opposed the proposed disinvestment in Neyveli Lignite Corporation, raised concerns over fishermen’s safety, and continued to press for action on the Mekedatu dispute. Each intervention has followed the same pattern, “disagreement accompanied by engagement”.

GOVERNANCE MOVES HAVE NOT IMPACTED VIJAY-LED TVK’S STANCE ON THE BJP

The emerging relationship between Vijay and the Modi government is not one of political convergence. TVK continues to define itself in opposition to the BJP’s ideology, particularly on language, education and federalism. But Vijay appears unwilling to let ideological rivalry impede administrative cooperation.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/tamil-nadu/story/tamil-nadu-cm-vijay-pm-narendra-modi-state-central-government-relationship-meeting-2938892-2026-07-06

Indian government sources strongly countered Khawaja Asif after he questioned the Seychelles honour conferred on PM Narendra Modi, adding that the Pakistan minister’s alleged mental instability was a “known fact.”

India launched a scathing attack on Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif after he questioned the honour conferred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Seychelles. Government sources described the Pakistani minister as “mentally unstable” and accused him of making “silly comments” on issues he barely understands.

The sources said that Asif’s alleged mental instability was a “known fact”, adding that his appointment as Defence Minister reflected poorly on the country’s leadership.

“That he could be entrusted with his current responsibility says much about today’s Pakistan. Clearly, he has no day job and passes time by making silly comments on matters of which he has little knowledge. Envy is always a bad motivation, particularly so from someone steeped in hate speech,” the sources said.

The attack came after Asif questioned the legitimacy of the “Guardian of the Blue Horizon” Presidential Distinction conferred on Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Seychelles late last month.

The Prime Minister received the newly-instituted honour in recognition of his commitment to environmental conservation and his support for the aspirations of Small Island Developing States.

The distinction made him the first recipient of the award following the Seychelles government’s revamp of its national honours system.

Accepting the honour, the Prime Minister thanked the people and government of Seychelles and dedicated the award to nations confronting the growing challenges posed by climate change.

The Indian government’s criticism also recalled a similar episode from November 2025, when Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration had publicly rebuked Asif over his reported threat to launch attacks against Afghanistan.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/narendra-modi-seychelles-honour-india-slams-pakistan-defence-minister-khawaja-asif-over-remarks-2941329-2026-07-06

Police raided a luxury resort in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar and uncovered an alleged organised sex racket. The case has intensified scrutiny of tourist properties in Uttarakhand amid fears of similar illegal operations.

A massive police crackdown on a luxury resort in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar, the gateway to the world-famous Corbett National Park, has exposed an alleged sex racket, triggering fresh concerns over illegal activities operating under the guise of tourism.

In a joint operation, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Special Operations Group (SOG) and Ramnagar Police raided the resort, arresting 52 people and rescuing 10 women, including a minor. The resort has been sealed, and a detailed investigation is underway.

According to police, the raid was conducted following a tip-off that the resort was being used to run an organised prostitution racket involving women allegedly brought from different states and abroad. Investigators said a liquor party was underway when the team arrived, with women allegedly being made to perform obscene dances while guests showered them with cash. Police also seized objectionable material and other evidence from the premises.

During questioning, the alleged organiser was identified as Umendra Kumar, a businessman from Meerut. Police said he admitted to booking the resort for July 4 and 5 at a cost of around Rs 2.20 lakh to host an entertainment event for people associated with his pesticide manufacturing business. Investigators alleged that around Rs 10,000 had been fixed as payment for each woman.

The probe also revealed an alleged attempt to destroy evidence. According to police, the resort’s general manager instructed staff not to record the names of guests or women attending the event in the visitor register. Treating it as a serious attempt to conceal evidence, police sealed the property.

A case has been registered against the accused under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Excise Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/uttarakhand/story/ramnagar-resort-sex-racket-raid-52-arrested-10-women-rescued-minor-uttarakhand-meerut-jim-corbett-2941322-2026-07-06

Delhi court denies bail to student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam

A Delhi court has rejected the bail applications of student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have been accused of orchestrating communal riots in Delhi in 2020.

Both Khalid and Imam have been in detention for more than five years without a full trial or conviction.

They sought bail on the ground that their continued incarceration without the commencement of trial violates their fundamental right to personal liberty.

Imam and Khalid moved the sessions court for bail after a Supreme Court bench recently questioned the denial of bail to the duo in January this year by another bench of the apex court.

The court in January had said that the “prolonged incarceration” of Khalid and Imam was not sufficient justification to grant them bail and that the pair had played a “central role in the conspiracy.”

Their application highlighted that, despite more than 6 months having passed since the Supreme Court’s judgment denying them bail, there has been no meaningful progress in the trial proceedings, with arguments on the charge still incomplete, India’s legal news portal Bar and Bench reported.

Khalid and Imam, were detained after the 2020 sectarian riots in Delhi when 53 people were killed, most of them Muslims but also several Hindus. They have made several similar failed attempts to secure bail but are still awaiting a full trial or conviction.

The latest report ranks passports not only on the ease of international travel but also on the benefits they offer for living, working and investing.

The Indian passport ranked 125th in the fifth annual edition of the Global Passport Index (GPI), published by residency and citizenship advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions (GCS), slipping one position from its overall ranking in 2025 and moving up by just two places over the past five years.

Namibia ranked just above India at the 124th spot, while Azerbaijan ranked one spot below India at the 126th spot.

Unlike many passport rankings that mainly measure visa-free travel, the Global Passport Index assesses the overall strength of a passport by considering factors such as global mobility, investment potential and quality of life.

India ranks 125th in Global Passport Index

According to the fifth edition of the Global Passport Index, India was ranked 125th among 197 countries. The country slipped from 124th place in 2025 but improved from 127th in 2021. Its composite score also reached a five-year high of 45.1.

The report says that the Indian passport offers visa-free access to 26 countries.

Indian passport holders can travel visa-free or obtain a visa on arrival in destinations including Bhutan, Jamaica, Macau, Nepal, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola and Barbados.

However, Indian citizens still need a visa to visit around 88 destinations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, Andorra and the United Arab Emirates.

Rather than ranking passports only by travel freedom, the Global Passport Index measures them across three key categories: Enhanced Mobility (50 per cent), Investment (25 per cent) and Quality of Living (25 per cent). These are based on 14 separate indicators.

Police confirmed they recovered the messages from Goyal’s earlier mobile phone, and they have been recorded as evidence in the case.

An alleged Snapchat conversation shows Siya Goyal, the prime accused in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, purportedly referring to a wedding “that would never happen.”

Police confirmed they recovered the messages from Goyal’s earlier mobile phone, and they have been recorded as evidence in the case.

Police said the conversation, based on viral online screenshots, took place between Goyal and her female friend before the murder.

In one purported message, Goyal allegedly asked her friend to send images of both sides of an Aadhaar card to facilitate booking wedding tickets.

She then allegedly remarked that the booking was for a wedding “that would never happen.”

The Delhi government has notified a new EV policy. According to the Rekha Gupta government, the main objective of the policy is to achieve a minimum 30% electrification of Delhi’s vehicle fleet by March 31, 2030, when the policy rolls out.

Delhi has a new electric vehicle (EV) policy, and this time it comes with a hard deadline for phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles.

The new EV policy was notified on July 1, 2026. From April 1, 2028, Delhi residents will no longer be able to register new petrol-powered two-wheelers. Only electric autorickshaws and N1 category goods carriers will be eligible for registration from January 1, 2027.

According to the Delhi government, the main objective of the policy is to achieve a minimum 30% electrification of Delhi’s vehicle fleet by March 31, 2030, when the policy rolls out.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta sat down for a wide-ranging conversation on implementation, funding, enforcement and what she wants her legacy to be. Excerpts from the interview:

Q: The EV policy has been well received by environmentalists and experts. The real question now is implementation. That depends on three things, charging infrastructure, availability of EVs, and pricing. Starting with infrastructure, what is your execution plan?

A: The success of this policy depends largely on charging infrastructure, and we have planned for it completely. All stakeholders are involved. People mostly charge private vehicles at home, but we still need infrastructure in public places. We have brought in OEMs, DTL, and other government agencies to build infrastructure for societies. We have created a single-window system so people setting up their own EV infrastructure do not face hurdles. Right now, we have 9,000 charging points. Our target is 32,000, and DTL has been made the nodal agency for this. We are also involving OEMs so they build charging infrastructure for their own customers. I want to assure the people of Delhi they will not face problems with charging.

Q: The policy says 32,000 charging points will be built by March. But in Delhi, land ownership is complicated; sometimes it is with MCD, sometimes DDA, sometimes another authority. Are you confident that the number will be reached?

A: Today we have a double engine government, the central government, the state government, and MCD are all working on a common platform. When we set up Arogya Mandir, we used land from other agencies too, including DDA and MCD. We have already identified land for charging infrastructure at the lowest possible cost. This policy has been a year in the making, with discussions across every stakeholder from start to finish. We are also planning for battery disposal and e-waste infrastructure, and that work has already begun.

Q: The policy waives close to seven thousand crore rupees, and with long-term costs, it adds up to about Rs 15,000 crore. How will you make EVs affordable enough that people actually switch, since petrol and diesel vehicles are still cheaper upfront?

A: Adoption depends on how easily the subsidy reaches the customer. We have built in both a subsidy and a scrapping incentive. The amount will reach people through DBT in a time-bound manner; they need to apply within 30 to 60 days of getting their RC. For a two-wheeler, the subsidy is Rs 30,000, which does not exist anywhere else in the country. On top of that, we are giving Rs 10,000 for scrapping the old vehicle. Add the waived road tax and registration fee, and I believe this makes the case for adoption very strong. This policy has both mandate and motivation built into it.

Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff have challenged the Centre’s eviction notice in the Delhi High Court. The case pits a defence infrastructure claim against allegations of vague reasoning and denial of due process.

Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff have moved the Delhi High Court against the Centre’s show-cause notice seeking their eviction from the club’s premises on Safdarjung Road. The applications seek a stay on the operation of the notice and are listed for hearing before Justice Avneesh Jhingan on July 6.

The fresh applications are part of a pending lawsuit filed after the Land and Development Office’s May 22 order directed the colonial-era club to return its land by June 5 on the ground of “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”. The court challenge has been brought by club member Vijay Khurana and the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association.

On June 29, the Land and Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry issued a show-cause notice to the club, asking why an eviction order should not be passed under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The notice, issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh, directed the club and all persons concerned occupying the premises to submit their response by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing on the same day at 2.30 pm.

The latest move came more than a month after the Centre told the Delhi High Court on May 26 that it would not take forceful possession of the 27.3-acre premises by June 5, though it said the land was required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”.

In his lawsuit, Khurana said the “vague and generalised reasons” of defence infrastructure and security given by the Centre were a “sham”. He alleged that the move was an “attempt to effect forced eviction” instead of following the due process of law. The petition is stated to be supported by more than 500 members of the club.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/delhi-gymkhana-club-eviction-notice-challenged-in-delhi-high-court-over-safdarjung-road-land-ptag-2940698-2026-07-05

A tiger in Satna was electrocuted by a live wire trap allegedly set to catch pigs and later buried in the forest. The case has raised fresh questions over accountability inside Madhya Pradesh’s forest protection system.

A tiger was killed after it came in contact with a live wire trap allegedly laid to hunt pigs by a member of the forest department’s watchman team in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, an official said on Saturday. The carcass was then allegedly buried inside the forest by the watchman and a few others, who feared they would get into trouble.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Satna Mayank Chandiwal said the incident took place in May in the Majhgavan area, and the burial site was found on July 2. Samples from the highly decomposed body are now being examined by a forensic team, he said.

“We got information four-five days back that a tiger had been hunted somewhere and its carcass buried. We deployed informants for confirmation. The site was discovered but a search there by the dog squad and staffers was unsuccessful,” Chandiwal told PTI.

An informant later identified several names, including that of a security committee employee of the forest department, the officer said. “When questioned, the employee revealed the location where the tiger was buried. He then revealed that a electric wire fence had been installed to hunt pigs. The tiger died after getting trapped in it, and out of fear, the staff buried it near the site,” Chandiwal said.

The official said five to seven persons have been identified in connection with the case and two of them have been arrested. Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said the killing and burial of the tiger in Sarbhanga forest was highly condemnable. “This makes 40 tiger deaths in Madhya Pradesh, home to the largest population of the big cat. The lack of intelligence and accountability results in the low conviction rate of poachers, which clearly reflects that the entire system is compromised,” he alleged.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/satna-tiger-death-forest-watchman-live-wire-trap-burial-ptag-2940669-2026-07-04

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended wishes to US President Donald Trump and the people of the United States on the country’s 250th Independence anniversary, calling India-US ties a force for global good. He expressed optimism for deeper partnership based on democracy, rule of law and shared values, as celebrations continue in Washington DC.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended wishes to US President Donald Trump and the people of the United States as the country marks its 250th anniversary of Independence.

He expressed optimism for ties between India and the US to grow in the future, underlining how the friendship between New Delhi and Washington is a “force for global good”.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my warmest congratulations to President Trump and the people of the United States on the historic 250th anniversary of your Independence.”

On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my warmest congratulations to President Trump and the people of the United States on the historic 250th anniversary of your Independence.

India and the United States share more than a strategic partnership. Our shared belief in…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2026

He highlighted how India and the United States share more than a strategic partnership and said that the shared belief in democracy, rule of law and the limitless potential of the peoples of the two countries makes the friendship a force for global good.

“May the next 250 years bring even greater prosperity, peace and progress for America and take the India-US partnership to new heights,” PM Modi said.

US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, in a post on X, thanked PM Modi for the wishes.

Thank you PM @narendramodi! 🇺🇸🤝🇮🇳 https://t.co/eZpqQPVv8x

— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) July 4, 2026

On July 4, America is celebrating 250 years of independence.

The White House on its official website noted that under President Trump, the United States is executing a full year of festivities, which began on Memorial Day, 2025, and will continue through the end of 2026.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/may-next-250-years-take-india-us-partnership-to-heights-pm-modi-extends-4th-of-july-wishes-to-americans

 

 

India has allowed four Chinese-linked companies with manufacturing units in the country to participate in government tenders for critical power projects, according to a government order issued by the Finance Ministry. The exemption applies to TBEA Energy, Nanjing Electric India, New Northeast Electric India and Taikai Electric (India) and is valid for two years under specific conditions.

India has allowed four Chinese-linked power equipment manufacturers with factories in the country to participate in government tenders for critical power projects, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters.

The companies allowed to bid are TBEA Energy, Nanjing Electric India, New Northeast Electric India and Taikai Electric (India). The order, issued by the Finance Ministry on June 24, grants these firms an exemption to participate in tenders for critical power infrastructure projects.

A measured policy shift

The move follows a request made by the Power Ministry in January seeking an exemption for companies with manufacturing units in India that are involved in critical power projects. The exemption applies only to these entities and is aimed at supporting work in the country’s power sector.

Reuters had reported in January that the government was examining broader relaxations for Chinese bidders seeking government contracts as tensions along the India-China border have eased. The latest order appears to reflect a limited easing of restrictions while retaining safeguards.

Exemption comes with limits

Following the 2020 border clash, the Government of India made it mandatory for Chinese bidders to register with a government panel and obtain political and security clearances before competing for any state contract.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/india-allows-four-chinese-linked-power-firms-to-bid-for-key-government-projects

Mamata Banerjee said the Trinamool’s symbol would remain with the bloc loyal to her, indicating that the rebels might face a protracted legal battle.

Despite absorbing blow after blow following Trinamool Congress’s debacle in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee remains defiant. After most of the party’s 80 MLAs formed a faction under Ritabrata Banerjee and its Lok Sabha MPs created a third bloc, kicking off the who’s-the-real-Trinamool Congress jostling, she has dared her political opponents, saying they would have to “kill” her to “stop” her.

The former West Bengal chief minister called the rebels “traitors” and insisted that the Trinamool’s symbol would remain with her and those loyal to her, indicating that the rebels might face a protracted legal battle. “The party symbol won’t go anywhere. If you want to stop me, you need to kill me,” she said.

The Trinamool Congress chief was dealt a fresh jolt on Saturday when Chandrima Bhattacharya, the party’s Bengal chief and one of the few bigwigs still loyal to her, resigned. The MLA was later seen with the faction spearheaded by Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, whose supporters wrested control of the party’s office in Kolkata on Friday.

“Chandrima Bhattacharya has resigned today. She had already informed me of the actual situation – that she would resign – because her son had previously joined hands with an anti-Trinamool faction,” Mamata Banerjee said.

The former chief minister, however, vowed she would never join the rebels, rejecting the latter’s offer of an advisory role.

“That is something she (Chandrima Banerjee) is free to do, but I will not join hands with them,” she said.

The Trinamool Congress chief claimed that the rebels had parted ways because of pressure. “But I will not bow down before the BJP, and my party will not bow down before any pressure,” she added.

Banerjee also addressed the issue of rebels taking control of the Trinamool office.

“To those who went to the Trinamool Congress office yesterday and locked it, I say this: we had rented that office. It was leased to us until October 2027. An individual may leave the party, but the institution itself does not cease to exist. It is the party’s property. I cannot simply take it over. No one can forcibly seize the property of ‘Ma, Mati, Manush’,” she said.

The former chief minister — who uprooted the Left from power after over three decades in 2011, effectively creating a political vacuum in the Opposition, later utilised by the BJP — said her party’s ideology is firmly against the ruling party.

“The symbol was given by me. I was the signatory for your nominations in the 2026 elections. How did you turn traitor within two months of the election? It should have some limit. You are with the BJP right now, which can’t go on like this, as the Trinamool’s ideology is anti-BJP,” she said.

Banerjee said that after Chandrima Banerjee’s exit, she has taken charge of the party on both the national and state levels.

She also announced that the party office at her house would serve as the main Trinamool office.

Trinamool Exodus

The exodus in the Trinamool Congress began after the party and Banerjee’s loss in the Bengal polls. The dissenting MLAs questioned her leadership style but indicated that their exit was more a referendum on her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee’s role in the party.

Over 60 MLAs and 20 Lok Sabha MPs have announced their separation from the Banerjee-led outfit.

Bhattcharya announced her resignation barely weeks after she was appointed the chief of the party’s Bengal unit.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-calls-trinamool-congress-rebels-traitors-says-kill-me-to-stop-me-11726834?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The Rekha Gupta government had in May mandated two days of work from home for staff as part of a nationwide push to conserve fuel

With tensions easing in the Middle East after Iran and the US agreed to a ceasefire, the Delhi government has withdrawn its ‘work from home’ order for government staff.

The Rekha Gupta government had mandated two days of work from home for staff as part of a nationwide push to conserve fuel. The move came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call in May to save fuel amid the Middle East conflict.

The aim was to reduce petrol and diesel consumption in the national capital. Along with this, office working hours were also changed. In addition, a 20% cut in fuel allocation for government vehicles was implemented, and several ministers reduced the size of their vehicle convoys.

The Delhi government had designated Wednesdays and Saturdays as work-from-home days for its staff. With the order now revoked, the exemption from coming to office has ended. The government has reinstated earlier office timings – 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

Meanwhile, timings for the MCD – Municipal Corporation of Delhi – will remain unchanged at 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, while announcing the measure in May had said that the 90-day initiative will focus on reducing fuel use, promoting public transport and encouraging adoption of Made-in-India products amid energy uncertainty linked to the conflict in Middle East.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-withdraws-hybrid-work-mode-order-as-tensions-ease-in-middle-east-11725210?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The police along with some workers broke a layer of plaster on the bathroom floor to recover the body

A woman has been arrested for allegedly killing her husband and burying his body in the bathroom of their house in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra. The police said they are investigating whether more people were involved in the murder and cover-up.

The police along with some workers broke a layer of plaster on the bathroom floor to recover the body, they said. The police had been on the case for the last 45 days, ever since the husband had been reported missing.

During the investigation, the woman, who has been identified as Ruby, pretended to help the police by joining in the search for her husband, Surendra Sharma. The police got a breakthrough in the case after the murdered man’s brother raised suspicion on Ruby.

She used to cry in front of neighbours to show she had been heartbroken ever since her husband went missing. However, Surendra’s family found many inconsistencies in her version of the circumstances surrounding her husband’s disappearance.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/agra-news/agra-woman-kills-husband-buries-body-in-bathroom-tells-people-hes-missing-11723934?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The 4,000 year old timber circle on the Norfolk coast, was built during a period of extreme cold as part of rituals intended to end harsh winters and bring back summer.

New research suggests that Seahenge, the mysterious timber circle uncovered on a Norfolk beach, was built as part of ancient rituals to fight off a period of severe cold weather.

Dr David Nance of the University of Aberdeen has published his findings in the journal GeoJournal, focusing on Holme I, commonly known as Seahenge, and a neighbouring site called Holme II. Both were built around 2049 BC and were revealed on Holme-next-the-Sea beach in 1998 after centuries of shifting sand.

Seahenge is made up of an upturned tree stump surrounded by 55 tightly packed oak posts. It was originally built on a saltmarsh, sheltered from the sea by dunes and mud flats, and was later preserved beneath a layer of peat.

Earlier theories suggested the site marked a death or was used for “sky burials”, where bodies were left for birds to consume. Dr Nance instead argues that the timbers were felled in spring and aligned with sunrise on the summer solstice, at a time when Britain was suffering from falling temperatures and severe winters.

He believes Seahenge was designed to copy a folk tale about trapping an unfledged cuckoo, a bird linked to fertility, in order to stop it flying away and taking summer with it.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/feature/mystery-of-seahenge-solved-bronze-age-circle-built-to-end-endless-winter-11725110?pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories

The couple’s Z+ security cover was significantly scaled down following a review by the state government earlier. The decision had triggered a fierce political controversy.

The Bihar government has accorded Z category security to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, roughly a month after downgrading their security cover.

They have also been provided with bulletproof cars. The couple’s Z+ security cover was significantly scaled down following a review by the state government earlier. The decision had triggered a fierce political controversy.

To lodge a symbolic protest, they had returned the remaining government security personnel who were allotted to their respective security details.

The RJD had alleged that the security reduction was aimed at targeting opposition leaders. The party claimed the NDA government in Bihar wanted to diminish the stature of key opposition figures by reducing the size of their security covers.

The Bihar government had later said that the changes were part of a routine review conducted on the basis of threat perception assessments.

Lalu Yadav’s younger son, ex-Deputy CM and current Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, had also returned his government-provided security in protest of the move. However, it was clarified by officials that there was no change in his security arrangement.

The Bihar government’s decision to accord Z category security to Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi coincides with the couple shifting to a privately-owned accommodation.

On Thursday, Rabri Devi shifted to her own house, giving up 10, Circular Road, the government bungalow in Patna that had been her residence, as well as the camp office of the RJD, for nearly two decades.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bihar-govt-accords-z-category-security-cover-to-lalu-yadav-rabri-devi-2940286-2026-07-04

The Centre issued a gazette notification, stating that the individuals named as terrorists were associated with terror outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba

Continuing its crackdown against cross-border terrorism, the Central Government has designated 23 individuals as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. The designations have been made under Section 35 of the UAPA, 1967.

Union Home Ministry issued a gazette notification, stating that the individuals named as terrorists were associated with terror outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and based in Pakistan.

According to the government, the said individuals were involved in terror-related activities including recruitment, training, funding, arms supply, and facilitating terror attacks.

Who Are The Individuals?

1. Masood Ilyas Kashmiri (JeM) – According to the Union Home Ministry, Kashmiri was involved in the 2022 Sunjwan Army camp attack. He was among Pakistan-based JeM handlers named in the NIA’s chargesheet for the Sunjwan conspiracy, which alleged the attack was planned to disrupt the Prime Minister’s visit to Jammu.
2. Mohammad Mussadiq (JeM) – Also linked by the Gazette to the 2022 Sunjwan attack. NIA investigations describe Pakistan-based JeM handlers as coordinating infiltration through a cross-border tunnel and directing the operation from Pakistan.
3. Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan – According to NIA investigations, he was in regular contact with Kashmiri operatives who facilitated the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack. He is described as a Pakistan-based JeM launching commander involved in directing infiltration into Jammu.
4. Hafiz Abdul Shakoor – NIA investigations identify “Qari Zarar” as another Pakistan-based JeM launching commander who allegedly communicated with local facilitators before the 2016 Nagrota attack.
5. Abdullah Jehadi – He facilitated JeM terrorists involved in the 2016 Nagrota attack and managed multiple JeM camps.
6. Firdous Ahmad Bhat (LeT) – He has been publicly described as a Lashkar-e-Taiba launching commander involved in infiltration and logistics.
7. Bilal Ahmad Mir (LeT/TRF) – Linked to both Lashkar-e-Taiba and The Resistance Front (TRF), he conspired to direct cross-border terrorist activities and arrange arms supplies into India.

The UAPA is an anti-terror law aimed at curbing unlawful activities associations in India. In August 2019, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act was passed, which expanded the Central Government’s powers to designate individuals as terrorists.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/centre-cracks-down-on-terror-networks-declares-23-jem-let-associates-as-terrorists-under-uapa-ws-l-10189649.html

The issue came up before Judicial Magistrate First Class AM Vibhute, where lawyers representing the accused opposed the police plea seeking a polygraph examination.

A court on Friday sent Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary, the two accused in the alleged murder of realtor Ketan Agarwal, to 14 days of judicial custody after refusing the police request to conduct a polygraph test without their consent.

The duo had declined to undergo the lie detector examination, and the court observed that such a test cannot be carried out unless the accused voluntarily agrees to it. Following the hearing, both were shifted to Yerawada Central Prison.

Court Declines Police Request

The issue came up before Judicial Magistrate First Class AM Vibhute, where lawyers representing the accused opposed the police plea seeking a polygraph examination.

Taking note of their refusal, the court ruled that the test could not be carried out against their wishes.

Police Claim New Digital Evidence

During the hearing, the Lonavla Rural Police informed the court that deleted data had been recovered from the mobile phones of both accused.

Investigators claimed the recovered data included conversations in coded language, which they believe could point to the involvement of a third person in the alleged conspiracy.

Police also told the court that they had recovered a second mobile phone allegedly hidden by Siya. The device is expected to be sent for forensic examination.

Investigation Still In Progress

According to the police, the analysis of the recovered digital evidence is still underway. Investigators said decoding the alleged coded conversations could help establish whether someone else assisted Siya and Chetan in planning or carrying out the crime.

Assistant Police Inspector Manoj Pawar, the investigating officer, informed the court that police had verified the sequence of events narrated by Chetan and seized the trousers he was allegedly wearing during the incident.

Police also conducted a panchnama at the location where Siya allegedly disposed of her passport and seized the clothes she was allegedly wearing at the time of the crime. Another panchnama was carried out at the spot where the accused allegedly rehearsed the murder plan.

Defence Opposes Custody Plea

Assistant Public Prosecutor Rajshree Virkud argued that significant progress had been made during police custody and maintained that decoding the alleged coded conversations could reveal whether a third person was involved.

However, Siya’s counsel Vipul Dushing opposed any further police custody, arguing that both mobile phones had already been seized. He submitted that investigators should rely on their own expertise to interpret the recovered data rather than seek further custody of the accused.

Advocate Ram Shahane, appearing for Chetan Chaudhary, also opposed the police request, saying the demand for a face-to-face interrogation of the accused was vague.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/big-twist-in-ketan-agarwal-murder-case-siya-goyal-chetan-chaudhary-refuse-lie-detector-test-sent-to-jail-ws-l-10189722.html

Congress has signalled a tougher stance ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, saying it will ally with the Samajwadi Party only on equal terms instead of as a junior partner. The party is identifying around 170 constituencies to strengthen its bargaining position, setting the stage for difficult INDIA bloc seat-sharing talks and a contest over opposition leadership in the state.

The Congress has fired the first shot in what could become a bruising battle for political space within the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh, making it clear that it is no longer willing to play the role of the “chhota bhai” in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP).

The message came from newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, who said the party would seek an alliance with the SP only on “equal terms” for the 2027 Assembly elections.

The statement marks a significant shift in the Congress’ approach in Uttar Pradesh. Since the decline of its political fortunes in the state, the party has largely accepted a secondary role in alliances, including in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where it contested just 17 of the state’s 80 parliamentary seats under a seat-sharing arrangement with the SP.

Now, emboldened by the Lok Sabha results and a modest revival in its organisational confidence, the Congress is attempting to rewrite the terms of engagement.

Party sources said the Congress has already begun identifying around 170 Assembly constituencies where it believes it can make a credible claim during alliance negotiations. The exercise is being carried out with the help of a professional agency that is conducting ground assessments and analysing voting patterns.

A senior Congress strategist said the party’s realistic target is to contest between 120 and 130 seats, but the larger list has been prepared to ensure that it enters negotiations from a position of strength.

“The Congress does not want to walk into the talks as a junior partner. The idea is to negotiate from a position of parity and demonstrate that the party has a footprint beyond a handful of seats,” the leader said.

The move is likely to make the SP uneasy.

Despite the Congress’ improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the SP remains the principal opposition force in Uttar Pradesh and is understood to be unwilling to concede more than 60 to 80 seats to its ally. Congress’ aggressive positioning, therefore, sets the stage for a difficult round of seat-sharing talks within the INDIA bloc.

The new posture also reflects a deeper strategic recalibration within the Congress.

The party believes the Lok Sabha elections showed that it still has the ability to attract sections of Dalit, Muslim and upper-caste voters when aligned with a larger anti-BJP platform. The leadership now wants to convert that momentum into a more substantial presence in the Assembly.

The appointment of Rajendra Pal Gautam, a Dalit leader from western Uttar Pradesh, is being viewed as part of that strategy. The Congress is also relying on leaders such as Pramod Tiwari and Aradhana Misra to appeal to Brahmin voters, while Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi remain key faces for minority outreach.

The Congress has also deliberately kept the door open for a wider opposition alliance that includes the BSP. Gautam’s remarks that all parties believing in the Constitution should get “appropriate representation” are being seen as a message not only to the BSP but also to the SP.

Political analysts say the Congress is trying to alter the psychology of alliance politics in Uttar Pradesh.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/uttar-pradesh-assembly-elections-2027-congress-rejects-junior-partner-role-seeks-equal-terms-with-samajwadi-party

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of over 4,809 Amarnath pilgrims from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp, who later reached Kashmir Valley and received a warm welcome from authorities and locals.

The annual Amarnath Yatra began early on Friday, with the first batches of pilgrims leaving the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan for the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The shrine houses a naturally formed ice lingam.

The pilgrimage started early in the morning along the two routes to the shrine — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam track and the 14-km Baltal track — amid intermittent rain. The 57-day yatra will continue till August 28, with stringent security arrangements in place for its smooth conduct.

Officials said batches of pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, left the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and the Baltal base camp in the Sonamarg area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district at first light.

The chants of ‘bum bum bole’ filled the air as the batches were flagged off from the base camps by the respective deputy commissioners and SSPs, they said.

On Thursday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of over 4,809 pilgrims from the yatra base camp at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu. The pilgrims reached the Kashmir Valley in the afternoon and received a rousing welcome from the administration and locals.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/amarnath-yatra-begins-from-baltal-and-nunwan-base-camps-under-tight-security-ptag-2939516-2026-07-03

 

Hisar Police seized 53.24 kg of poppy husk from a car after a tip-off. The recovery underlines Haryana’s intensified crackdown on drug trafficking as three suspects remain absconding.

Haryana Police have seized 53.24 kg of poppy husk and confiscated a car allegedly used to transport the contraband in Hisar district, officials said. The action was taken by the Anti-Narcotics Cell of Hisar Police as part of the state’s ongoing campaign against drug trafficking.

Police said three young men were allegedly carrying the poppy husk in a white car, but fled into nearby fields after spotting the police team. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and raids are underway to arrest the suspects.

Superintendent of Police Siddhant Jain said the Anti-Narcotics Cell was on patrol near the Raipur railway bridge on National Highway-9A when it received a tip-off about the movement of a large quantity of poppy husk in a white car. Acting on the information, police set up a checkpoint near Raipur Chowk.

During the checking, police found the car parked on the roadside. Its three occupants abandoned the vehicle and ran into the nearby fields on seeing the police team, Jain said. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of three plastic sacks containing 53.24 kg of poppy husk. The contraband and the car were seized.

Preliminary investigation found that the vehicle was registered in Rajasthan’s Karauli district. Police said the case has been registered at Urban Estate police station under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, and efforts are on to trace and arrest the absconding accused.

Director General of Police Ajay Singhal said the Haryana government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hisar-police-seize-53-24-kg-poppy-husk-three-accused-flee-ptag-2939476-2026-07-03

Police arrested nine Bangladeshi nationals from Bhagabangola railway station in Murshidabad after a tip-off. Investigators are examining their route into India and possible links to a wider trafficking network.

Nine Bangladeshi nationals were arrested from the premises of Bhagabangola railway station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district during a police operation against illegal infiltration, officials said.

According to police, the arrests were made following a tip-off that several suspected Bangladeshi nationals were moving around the station area.

Acting on the information, a team led by Bhagabangola Police Station conducted a raid at the railway station and detained the suspects for questioning. During interrogation, the individuals were identified as Bangladeshi nationals and were subsequently arrested, police said.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the detainees had been working in different parts of India and were allegedly planning to return to Bangladesh clandestinely. Police suspect they were attempting to leave the country before they could be apprehended.

Authorities have initiated legal proceedings against the arrested individuals and launched a detailed investigation into the case.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/nine-bangladeshi-nationals-arrested-from-bengals-bhagabangola-railway-station-premises-2939498-2026-07-03

The Defence Ministry is likely to clear major procurement proposals worth thousands of crores, including Hammer precision-guided munitions, Verba air defence systems, indigenous MP-ATGMs and high-altitude pseudo satellites.

The Defence Ministry is expected to clear a series of major procurement proposals, including Hammer precision-guided munitions, Verba air defence systems, indigenous anti-tank missiles and high-altitude pseudo satellites, at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) scheduled for July 3, defence sources said.

The meeting assumes significance as it will be the first DAC session attended by the new military leadership, including Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.

Among the key proposals slated for consideration is the induction of the indigenous Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army.

Under the proposal, the Army is expected to procure 100 launchers, 2,300 missiles and five simulators. The system will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), with the project estimated to cost over Rs 2,600 crore.

The Defence Ministry is also expected to explore additional production partners from the private sector to scale up manufacturing of the indigenously designed and developed missile system.

In another major proposal aimed at enhancing precision-strike capabilities, the DAC is likely to consider the acquisition of 600 Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) air-to-ground precision-guided munitions. The weapons, originally developed by France’s Safran, are proposed to be manufactured in India by Bharat Electronics Limited under the Make in India initiative.

The Hammer munitions were first inducted under emergency procurement powers following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash with China. The Indian Air Force is expected to equip its Rafale and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fleets with the missiles, while the Indian Navy plans to deploy them on its Rafale Marine fighter aircraft. The proposed deal is estimated to be worth around Rs 2,400 crore.

The DAC is also expected to consider a proposal to procure a large number of Russian-origin Verba Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (V-SHORADS) for the Army Air Defence Corps. The systems are planned to be manufactured in India by Adani Defence and Aerospace. The Verba missile is regarded as a more advanced successor to the Igla systems currently in service with the Indian Army.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/defence-ministry-july-3-dac-hammer-verba-mp-atgm-proposals-high-altitude-pseudo-satellites-weapons-indian-army-2939442-2026-07-02

The barely 15-second clip begins with Siya answering a call and saying “Kaun” (who’s this)? She covers one ear with her hand, trying to listen to the caller amid loud background music.

An old video of Siya Goyal, the prime accused in the murder of her fiance Ketan Agarwal, has surfaced online and is now making headlines. The video, purportedly recorded in December 2025, shows Siya at a nightclub, holding what appears to be a beer bottle while speaking aggressively on the phone.

The barely 15-second clip begins with Siya answering a call and saying “Kaun” (who’s this)? She covers one ear with her hand, trying to listen to the caller amid loud background music.

During the conversation, she is heard using abusive language and saying, “Pehle isko cheat karta hai. Uske baad merko phone karta hai (First he cheats on me, then he calls me).”

Siya Goyal and her lover, Chetan Chaudhary, are accused of pushing Ketan Agarwal off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune on June 18.

Siya (20) and Ketan (26) got engaged in February and were set to be married later in November this year. The families had booked a palace in Jaipur for Rs 17 crore and arranged two private planes to fly guests to the wedding.

The video has added fresh dimensions to the investigation. The police are likely to probe who was Siya speaking with and who she claimed to be cheating.

Last week, several media houses reported that Siya asked for beer while in police custody. She did not demand liquor again after her request was denied once, the reports stated, quoting police sources. It was also reported that she was addicted to alcohol. Strongly criticising reports of Siya’s drinking and partying habits, her mother, Pooja Goyal, called them “false”.

“Even the police told us that she never asked for a beer in the police station. It was only a rumour spread by the media,” Pooja had said.

Investigation Into Ketan Agarwal Murder

Siya and Chetan allegedly rehearsed how to push Ketan off a cliff on a hill in Pune’s Lulla Nagar. The investigators on Thursday took Siya to a hilltop location used for practice, where she identified the place.

“The investigation has revealed that Siya and Chetan had rehearsed at an open space near a club in Lulla Nagar how to push Ketan off the cliff at Lohagad Fort. Today, Siya was taken to the spot, where she identified the place where they had allegedly carried out the rehearsal,” a Pune Rural police official told the news agency PTI.

Siya on Thursday gave her consent to the Lonavala Rural police to undergo a lie detection or polygraph test as part of the investigation.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pune-fort-murder-ketan-agarwal-murder-first-he-cheats-then-calls-me-siya-goyals-video-from-pub-surfaces-chetan-chaudhary-lohagad-11720562?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

While many thought it was a sign of PM Modi venting his emotions, something that he rarely does, the real reason lay in a restricted conversation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today surprised everyone at a press interaction after the 16th India-Japan annual summit when he referred to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as “little sister.”

While many thought it was a sign of PM Modi venting his emotions, something that he rarely does, the real reason lay in the restricted conversation that took place between PM Modi and PM Takaichi at Hyderabad House.

According to officials privy to conversations, PM Takaichi told her Indian counterpart that late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was like her elder brother and she looked up to him. Apparently PM Takaichi said that since Abe San had a lot of affection and respect for PM Modi, she now looked towards him as her elder brother too.

PM Modi had close personal relations with PM Abe, who was assassinated on July 8, 2022 by a radical in Nara, the constituency of PM Sanae Takaichi. The India-Japan ties took off to a new level under the leadership of Abe San, who was the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history. PM Modi specially flew to Tokyo on September 27, 2022 to attend the state funeral accorded to Shinzo Abe and held a condolence meeting with the late leader’s wife Akie Abe.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/why-pm-modi-referred-to-japanese-pm-takaichi-as-little-sister-101783041718839.html

Viral videos showed a number of people filming themselves approaching e-rickshaws and switching them off mid-journey using a mobile app.

A prank that surfaced in a handful of viral videos this week has spread rapidly across Indian social media, with a growing number of people filming themselves approaching e-rickshaws and switching them off mid-journey using a smartphone app — stranding people in traffic and racking up millions of views on Instagram, YouTube, Reddit and X.

The apps involved, BAT-BMS and Lossigy, exploit a gap common to unsecured lithium-ion battery packs sold in India: Battery Management Systems that connect over Bluetooth with no password protection, turning any nearby smartphone into a kill switch of sorts.

In a test conducted with a driver’s permission, HT downloaded Lossigy from the Google Play Store, located a nearby e-rickshaw, and disabled it with a single tap — a switch that could only be reversed through the app itself, not the vehicle’s own key.

Drivers said the vulnerability has been exploited on-and-off for months but the problem has surged in recent days, coinciding with the surge in viral reels.

Experts say the episode is a stark reminder of how budget equipment can turn into a larger technological threat.

Sunil Kumar, who ferries students near Jamia Millia Islamia, said his e-rickshaw jerked to a stop a few metres from a metro station for the first time roughly six months ago, mid-route with passengers aboard. He initially assumed the battery had run flat; his passengers paid him half fare. It was only when he took the battery in to recharge that he learned it had never actually discharged.

People flag concerns

Charu Rajak, who drives in Okhla, said the same issue has hit his vehicle for five months — but on Thursday, it had surged to over a dozen times in a single day. “I worry that someone will crash into my vehicle from behind mid-traffic,” he said.

Rajak owns his vehicle, has a smartphone and — after his dealer told him about a workaround app — now knows how to restart it remotely when it happens. He said many drivers rent their e-rickshaws for ₹450 a day and have neither a phone nor the knowledge to get moving again when they’re targeted.

Balvinder Singh Sahni, a Uttar Pradesh-based manufacturer with more than 15,000 e-rickshaws operating in Delhi, said the battery systems were never built with passwords because no one anticipated the lack of security would cause disruption at this scale. “They were designed to be accessed by service engineers for maintenance and diagnostics, which is why password protection was not built in,” he said.

The problem, however, seemed to not be universal. E-rickshaws still running on older lead-acid batteries, which have no Bluetooth capability, are unaffected, and even some lithium-powered vehicles use proprietary battery management software that is incompatible with third-party apps such as BAT-BMS and Lossigy — meaning the vulnerability depends heavily on which battery pack and BMS chipset a given vehicle happens to run.

Delhi transport minister Pankaj Singh said his department has been directed to verify the apps and examine the claims. “I am yet to get written complaint but people flagged me this issue in my office. So I have asked to get the correct information on the issue,” he said.

Govt looking into matter

A person aware of the matter said the Union ministry of electronics and IT (Meity) is looking into the matter. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

A senior Delhi government official, who asked not to be named, said the apps allow real-time monitoring of battery status — voltage, temperature, current — a legitimate function now “being used mischievously.” The official said many e-rickshaws use Chinese-manufactured battery systems with minimal security, comparable to open Bluetooth settings, making it easy to connect without authentication and cut power.

BAT-BMS, developed by Shenzhen Grenergy Technology Co., appears to have been removed from Apple’s App Store, though it remained available on Google Play at the time of going to print.

A second person aware of the matter said Apple had not pulled the app itself, and that its removal may have followed a wave of user reports.

Grenergy did not respond to HT emails seeking comment. Lossigy remains available on both app stores. Its developer is listed as Shenzhen Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd, a name HT could not independently verify against Chinese company registries; searches under this and an alternate rendering of the name returned no matching business record.

Cybersecurity experts said the episode reflects a broader failure to secure connected consumer hardware entering India.

“Connectivity features can be exploited if authentication is not implemented correctly,” said Sandeep K. Shukla, director of the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad. “Legal and regulatory vacuum and a lack of guardrails vis-à-vis cybersecurity and consumer protection is a problem,” he said, adding: “It’s not only a Chinese import problem. Any consumer device coming into the country, if not regulated for security, could have such issues.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/chennai-fitness-coach-with-18-years-of-experience-shares-how-to-manage-hunger-while-on-a-calorie-deficit-for-weight-loss-101782994665488.html

Prafull Billore, who is famously known as “MBA Chaiwala” on social media, shared an Instagram post asking trolls to stop spreading rumours of his death.

Prafull Billore, popular as ‘MBA Chaiwala,’ took to social media to share a post slamming those spreading fake news about his death. He asked the trolls to stop, adding how the rumours are not just offensive but hurtful too.

“That’s ridiculous, offensive and hurtful. Please stop spreading fake news. I am alive. Bhos**walo,” he wrote on Instagram while sharing a screenshot of a Google search.

The search term reads, “Prafull Billore death”. The first result that appears shows a part of an article published on a site called “Finaltrobune”.

It reads, “Prafull Billore Death Rumors Circulate Online; No Official Confirmation Released -Reports claiming that Prafull Billore, the founder and CEO of MBA Chai Wala, has passed away have been circulating across various social media platforms, prompting concern among supporters, customers, and members of the entrepreneurial…”

Earlier, fake tweets about his death started circulating on X, with many sharing their tributes, believing he had passed away.

Social media reacts:

Prafull Billore’s post countering fake news about him has prompted a range of responses on social media.

An individual wrote, “Be strong, bhai, this is the new world. Extreme hate is normal hate.” Another commented, “It’s not a joke.” Billore responded, “True bhai.”

A third expressed, “Those who are jealous of you have spread the news.” A fourth posted, “WTH. Hatemongers to the core.”

Who is Prafull Billore?

Born in Madhya Pradesh, Billore was an MBA student when he realised that it wasn’t the field he was passionate about. Hence, he challenged himself to start a tea stall with just 8,000 rupees to forge his own path and dropped out of the MBA.

He didn’t just build a nationwide chain of stores; he also became a social media sensation thanks to his impressive marketing skills and unique branding.

In his own words, he is an “MBA dropout who fought all the odds to become a CHAI-PRENEUR who created one of the most influential Chai-Franchises in the world.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/mba-chaiwala-prafull-billore-calls-out-trolls-spreading-fake-news-of-his-death-i-am-alive-101783041913800.html

Addressing concerns over higher ethanol blends, Puri said there could be a slight reduction in mileage, though he cautioned that it may not necessarily be due to ethanol.

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday defended the government’s ethanol blending programme, saying the biofuel is used in racing cars and helps improve acceleration.

“Somebody is saying that fuel mileage is going to drop. It is now well established that ethanol is even used in racing cars,” Puri said.

Addressing concerns over higher ethanol blends, Puri said there could be a slight reduction in mileage, though he cautioned that it may not necessarily be due to ethanol.

Acceleration improves. What is that called? Knocking? Knocking also improves. Mileage? Yes, it may drop a little. But it may drop slightly due to various factors. Secondly, after consulting all stakeholders, including SIAM and ARAI, we have reached this stage. Then someone says, ‘Your insurance will no longer cover this’. Insurance companies have already clarified that there is no such issue. But who benefits from spreading this false narrative? I am not going to make any accusations, but one thing should be very clear,” the minister said.

The minister added that India would consider moving beyond the current E20 fuel blend only “after enough number of tests have been conducted.”

“There is enough space in India’s growing consumer market for all technologies to coexist. There is room for electric vehicles, biofuel blended vehicles, and we are currently only at 20 per cent ethanol blending. If we move from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, it will happen only after all the necessary tests have been completed. There is also enough space for hybrid vehicles and CNG vehicles,” he added.

His remarks came as state-owned oil marketing companies continue to face losses after global crude oil prices surged following the Middle East conflict.

According to Puri, oil companies incurred losses of Rs 74,781 crore on the sale of petrol, diesel and LPG below cost for the period up to June 30. Total under-recoveries on petrol, diesel and LPG stood at Rs 1,88,871 crore during the April-June 2026 period.

He said international crude oil prices have since eased, but companies are still selling fuel refined from crude purchased at higher prices during the peak of the crisis.

“We are using the crude petroleum stock today that we had bought two months ago (at a price that existed two months ago),” the minister said.

Asked whether retail fuel prices could be reduced if crude prices remain lower, Puri said it was too early to take a call.

“If this (decline) continues for 2-3 months, we will see. But it is a hypothetical situation,” he said.

Ethanol Blending Is Safe: Ministry

Earlier, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had reiterated that India’s ethanol blending programme is safe and dismissed claims that using E20 fuel could invalidate vehicle insurance policies.

The ministry said ethanol blending is a globally accepted practice adopted in countries including the United States, Brazil and Japan. It added that the programme has helped India save more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude oil imports while supporting farmers through sustained demand for ethanol feedstocks.

“Ethanol blending plays an important role in enhancing India’s energy security, reducing carbon emissions and advancing the country’s transition towards cleaner mobility,” the ministry said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/ethanol-is-used-in-racing-cars-oil-minister-defends-govts-biofuel-blending-programme-ws-l-10187625.html

A WhatsApp spokesperson said the really high-profile names — public figures, government entities and celebrities — have been withheld so they can be claimed by legitimate owners.

WhatsApp, ordered by the Centre not to roll out its username feature without clarifying the matter, said today that it has put in place multiple layers of defence to address the very concerns the government has. In an exclusive interview with NDTV Profit a WhatsApp spokesperson said the really high-profile names — public figures, government entities and celebrities — have been withheld so they can be claimed by legitimate owners. Lookalike derivatives of known names have been withheld as well.

Meta has said that the username feature — which allows users to pick a username and connect without sharing their phone numbers — is “designed” to keep phone numbers private. The feature will be rolled out in stages and currently, users have only been asked to choose names.

Users will still require a phone number to use WhatsApp, the spokesperson said.

Among the multiple layers of defence are systems that would show common impersonation, abuse patterns and block them.

The system will also limit how many new people an account can contact and block attempts to guess someone’s username, the spokesperson said.

Users need to know the exact username to message anyone. Also, when a user is pinged via username, information on whether they are a new account, a contact, common groups, or country of origin will be displayed.

Earlier today, the government had issued a notice to WhatsApp, asking it to provide a detailed explanation on the “usernames” feature within three days. Until consultation on the matter is over, the feature cannot be rolled out, the notice said.

Sources told NDTV that officials are checking whether the new feature can be misused to impersonate government departments, banks and other trusted institutions. The feature is also being reviewed in terms of user safety, accountability and compliance with India’s digital regulations.

Meta has been asked to explain the safeguards built into the system and how it plans to prevent impersonation and misuse.

In its notice today, the government said, “It is felt that the feature may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks, by enabling bad actors to solicit and message victims”.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/high-profile-names-withheld-whatsapp-to-ndtv-on-impersonation-concern-11714442?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The letter primarily calls for peace and dialogue, with signatories stressing that sustained engagement between the two countries can create conditions for greater prosperity in the region.

A group of 117 eminent personalities from India and Pakistan have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging both countries to restart dialogue and reopen diplomatic channels.

Speaking to NDTV, OP Shah, who heads the New Delhi-based Centre for Peace and Progress and is among those associated with the initiative, said the current situation between the two neighbours is “far from comfortable” and affects the lives of ordinary people across the subcontinent.

According to Shah, peace, stability and normal relations between India and Pakistan are essential for the economic well-being of people in both countries. He said any situation that brings the two nations closer to conflict impacts livelihoods and development.

The letter primarily calls for peace and dialogue, with signatories stressing that sustained engagement between the two countries can create conditions for greater prosperity in the region.

Asked about repeated terror attacks linked to Pakistan, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pulwama and Pahalgam, Shah said he has faith in dialogue and discussion. He maintained that talks should continue and that all issues, including terrorism and security concerns, should be discussed through diplomatic engagement.

Shah said there should be no interruption in communication between the two countries and called for continuous dialogue at multiple levels. According to him, regular engagement will help both sides better understand each other’s concerns and limitations.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/117-eminent-personalities-write-to-pm-modi-shehbaz-sharif-urge-dialogue-11714645?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Sources said the Joint Parliamentary Committee is likely to retain the provision that would remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and ministers after 30 consecutive days in custody in serious cases.

A parliamentary panel is set to back one of the most controversial constitutional proposals by retaining a provision that would allow the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and ministers to be removed from office if they remain in custody for 30 consecutive days in serious criminal cases, sources said.

The recommendation is expected to be part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s (JPC) report on the proposed 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, which is likely to be submitted on July 17. However, the proposal is not yet law and will still have to be debated and passed by Parliament with the required constitutional majority before it can take effect.

According to sources, the committee is likely to retain the bill’s most debated provision while recommending safeguards to prevent its misuse for political vendetta. The panel is expected to suggest limiting the provision to specified serious offences and incorporating checks to ensure it cannot be invoked through arbitrary or politically motivated arrests.

The Bill, introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in August last year, proposes that if the Prime Minister, a Chief Minister or any Union or state minister is accused of an offence punishable with imprisonment of five years or more and remains in custody for 30 consecutive days, they would automatically cease to hold office on the 31st day. In the case of the Prime Minister and Union ministers, the President would formalise the removal, while Governors would do so for Chief Ministers and state ministers.

If enacted, the amendment would mark a significant departure from the existing constitutional framework. At present, ministers leave office through resignation, dismissal by the Prime Minister or Chief Minister, or disqualification following conviction under existing laws. The proposed amendment introduces prolonged custody, rather than conviction, as a ground for vacating public office.

The government has defended the proposal, arguing that a person who remains in custody for 30 consecutive days would ordinarily have had multiple opportunities to seek bail. It maintains that the provision is intended to protect the integrity of public office and ensure that individuals facing serious criminal proceedings do not continue in executive positions for extended periods.

Opposition parties, however, have strongly opposed the proposal, describing it as unconstitutional, anti-federal and contrary to the principle of natural justice. They argue that it effectively penalises elected representatives before they are found guilty by a court and could be misused by governments to target political opponents through motivated arrests.

The 31-member JPC, headed by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, was constituted after the Bill was introduced. Most members of the INDIA bloc, including the Congress, boycotted the committee’s proceedings, alleging that the ruling alliance was unwilling to consider their recommendations.

Sources said Opposition members on the panel, including AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, are expected to submit dissent notes when the report is finalised.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-cms-removal-clause-jpc-may-retain-30-day-custody-rule-constitution-bill-2938673-2026-07-01

India and Pakistan exchanged fresh lists of civil prisoners and fishermen held in each other’s custody and New Delhi pressed for faster repatriation, consular access and prisoner welfare.

India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have completed their sentences, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday. The statement came as India and Pakistan exchanged, through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody.

Under the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, the two countries exchange these lists every year on January 1 and July 1. The government said India has shared lists of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani or believed to be Pakistani, while Pakistan has shared lists of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen in its custody who are Indian or believed to be Indian.

In its statement, the ministry said, “India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody.” It added that the exchange was in line with the provisions of the bilateral agreement signed in 2008.

The ministry also said, “As a result of sustained efforts by the government of India, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. These include 500 Indian fishermen and 20 Indian civil prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 till date.”

The MEA said the government of India has consistently called for the early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan’s custody.

“Pakistan has been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentences. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 13 civil prisoners in Pakistan’s custody, who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far,” it said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-asks-pakistan-to-release-188-indian-fishermen-and-civil-prisoners-ptag-2938540-2026-07-01

Ketan Agarwal murder case: How is lie detector test done? Is it legal? Are polygraph test results admissible in court? Can it be done if Siya Goyal says no? News18 explains

The Pune Rural Police are seeking court approval to conduct a polygraph or lie detector test on Siya Goyal, the prime accused in the murder of her 25-year-old realtor fiancé, Ketan Agarwal.

DIGITAL EVIDENCE DESTROYED: WHY POLICE NEED LIE DETECTOR TEST

Ketan Agarwal was allegedly pushed to his death from nearly 400-metre-deep gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune. Police claim that Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, meticulously planned the murder to avoid her upcoming wedding.

The case heavily relies on circumstantial and technical proof due to specific investigative hurdles:

• There are no direct eyewitnesses or CCTV cameras tracking the exact spot of the crime at the fort cliff.
• Investigators revealed that the accused individuals deleted their extensive call log and even items from their phones’ recycle bins before and after June 18 in an attempt to destroy evidence.
• Conflicting narratives from family members and the suspects regarding the wedding arrangements have complicated the investigation into the alleged motive.

FRESH LEADS, NEW MATERIAL: HOW A LIE DETECTOR TEST MAY HELP

Under the Indian law, polygraph test results are not directly admissible as substantive evidence in court. However, the Pune Police are pushing for the test to extract crucial verbal admissions. They plan to use psychological cues to develop new leads, verify existing evidence, identify inconsistencies, or locate material evidence that can be independently verified.

The polygraph itself cannot establish guilt, and any information obtained during the test must be corroborated through independent evidence.

HOW A LIE DETECTOR TEST IS DONE

A polygraph test does not directly read minds or detect lies. Instead, it measures physiological indicators of stress caused by the fear of deception.

The process involves specific equipment attached to the body to track biological changes:

Pneumograph Tubes: Placed around the subject’s chest and abdomen to record breathing rate and patterns.

Blood Pressure Cuff: Wrapped around the arm to measure changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

Galvanometric Electrodes: Attached to the fingertips to evaluate sweat gland activity via skin conductivity.

The examiner reviews the case, explains how the equipment works, and discusses all questions beforehand to minimise outside anxiety. The examiner creates three types of questions — irrelevant questions, control questions about generic past misdeeds, and relevant questions directly tied to the crime. The examiner reads the questions while the sensors record bodily spikes during answers.

The examiner compares physiological responses to different categories of questions to determine whether responses to relevant questions differ significantly from baseline or control responses.

IS IT LEGAL? WHAT THE LAW SAYS

A lie detector (polygraph) test is legal in India only if the subject gives voluntary consent, but its results cannot be used as direct evidence or a confession in a court of law.

In the landmark 2010 judgment in Selvi v. State of Karnataka, the Supreme Court held that involuntary administration of polygraph, narco-analysis and brain-mapping tests is unconstitutional because it violates an individual’s right against self-incrimination under Article 20(3) and personal liberty under Article 21.

The legal framework governing polygraph tests is shaped by constitutional protections, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) guidelines, and Supreme Court precedent.

• Article 20(3) (Right against Self-Incrimination): The Constitution provides that no person accused of an offence can be compelled to be a witness against themselves. Compelling a person to undergo a polygraph test violates this protection.
• Article 21 (Right to Privacy & Dignity): The Supreme Court observed that forcing these tests constitutes mental torture and violates personal liberty and individual privacy.

WHAT IF SIYA GOYAL SAYS NO?

For a lie detector test to be legally conducted in India, the investigating agency must follow strict rules. The test must be voluntary and cannot be compelled by the police. The subject’s consent must be recorded before a Judicial Magistrate. The subject must have access to legal counsel before giving consent. The examination must be conducted by an authorised forensic agency or government facility in accordance with prescribed procedures.

Source : https://www.news18.com/explainers/pune-cops-want-siya-goyal-to-take-lie-detector-test-can-polygraph-help-solve-ketan-agarwal-murder-how-is-it-done-is-it-legal-ws-l-10184944.html

HT also learnt that six of the eight suspects were hired by a Varanasi-based security agency that provided manpower for the cash-counting process at Ram temple.

The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh has moved from arrests to legal proceedings and asset and fund recovery.

Police arrested eight people in connection with the case last week after the UP police registered an FIR based on the complaint from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the temple. These eight men are: Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra, and Subhash Srivastava.

As police dig deeper into the roles of the eight suspects and the loopholes that led to the alleged embezzlement, they have already recovered ₹79.85 lakh in cash from seven of the eight suspects.

Authorities are also zeroing in on the assets of the eight jailed suspects as part of the investigation.

The controversy first came to light on June 7 when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan ‘Pawan’ Pandey alleged donations worth ₹5 crore to ₹7.5 crore were siphoned off from temple offerings.

Amid the probe, police have unearthed a major real estate purchase by one of the key suspects, Lavkush Mishra. The suspect allegedly acquired a land parcel worth over ₹23 lakh in the Sahadatganj area of the temple town recently, HT reported earlier.

Police have also found that six of the eight arrested suspects were employed by a security agency in Varanasi.

Let’s take a look at what police have found so far:

Ram Temple donations row | Probe so far

The two leaders spoke on the phone against the backdrop of concerns about the ceasefire in West Asia following fresh attacks by the US and Iran recently.

India emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure peace and stability in West Asia and for safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce during a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.

The two leaders spoke on the phone against the backdrop of concerns about the ceasefire in West Asia following fresh attacks by the US and Iran over the past few days. The conversation also came days after Pezeshkian invited Modi for the funeral programme of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei beginning this week.

“Welcomed the progress made in the negotiations and expressed hope that continued efforts will lead to lasting peace in the region. Reiterated the importance of freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait for India and the world,” Modi said in a social media post.

According to an Indian government readout on the phone call, Modi “reiterated the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, and for safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce”.

The PM also welcomed the understanding reached by Iran and the US and “reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy”.

India grappled with shortages of oil, gas and fertilisers following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, and it has benefited from the passage of ships carrying these commodities in recent days after Tehran eased restrictions on the crucial waterway used to transport almost 50% of the country’s oil imports.

During the phone conversation, Pezeshkian briefed Modi on recent developments in West Asia and “the way forward”, the readout said without giving details.

While the Indian side has made no formal announcement on the level of its participation in the funeral programme for the late Iranian Supreme Leader, people familiar with the matter said minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita and the governor of Bihar, Lt Gen (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain, are expected to represent India at the event.

India likely to send delegation to Khamenei funeral

Last week, Pezeshkian invited Modi to the funeral programme, a six-day event spanning three Iranian cities. Margherita and Hasnain, one of the few members of the Shia community to currently hold a senior constitutional position, are expected to participate in the event to be held in Tehran on July 4, the people said on condition of anonymity.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-speaks-with-iran-president-pezeshkian-india-backs-lasting-peace-in-west-asia-101782835791463.html

When Sharran Srivatsaa moved to the United States, he was told he would never be hired because of his “thick Indian accent”.

When Sharran Srivatsaa moved to the United States as a teenager, he probably never imagined that he would one day lead a multi-million dollar company. He was, after all, told repeatedly that his thick Indian accent made him unemployable. To make ends meet as a young student, he worked as a janitor.

Srivatsaa, today the CEO of Acquisition.com, recounted how he overcame the challenge of a “thick accent” and found success in the United States.

“He had such a thick accent”

A video of Acquisition.com founder Alex Hormozi speaking with American motivational speaker Tony Robbins prompted Sharran Srivatsaa to recall his early days in the US.

During the course of the conversation, Hormozi revealed that the CEO of his company, Sharran Srivatsaa, worked as a janitor when he came to the US from India two decades ago. Srivatsaa improved his accent by listening to Tony Robbins’ tapes, Hormozi said.

“There was an Indian guy who came here to the US 20-something years ago and he was working as a janitor. And he had such a thick accent that they said, ‘you will never get employed anywhere, you have to learn how to speak.’

“And he tried to get ‘How to Get Rid of An Indian Accent’ tapes and those didn’t really exist,” said Hormozi. Instead, Srivatsaa was told he could check out Tony Robbins tapes.

“And so, he’s mopping the floors and he’s doing it. And that man then started a software company, scaled that, sold it, started another company, sold that for 3.4 billion. And I met him right around that time and he’s my partner at Acquisition.com,” said the founder of Acquisition.com.

“I came to the US with a thick Indian accent”

Sharran Srivatsaa himself vouched for the authenticity of this story as he responded to the video on X.

I’m the Indian guy Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins are talking about.

I came to the US with a thick Indian accent and was told I’d never get employed anywhere if I couldn’t learn how to speak.

But here’s the thing:

I couldn’t afford a speaking coach. I was a janitor barely… pic.twitter.com/A6W6ynrmtG

— Sharran Srivatsaa (@sharran) June 30, 2026

“I’m the Indian guy Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins are talking about. I came to the US with a thick Indian accent and was told I’d never get employed anywhere if I couldn’t learn how to speak,” he wrote.

In an earlier LinkedIn post, Srivatsaa had revealed that he came to the US in 1997 as a freshman and worked as a janitor to support himself.

“Freshman year of college I had just arrived from India with a super thick accent. I was working as a custodian, scrubbing floors and cleaning toilets to pay my way through school. The head custodian told me to get English tapes from the library to improve my accent. They didn’t have any. The librarian handed me Tony Robbins’ “Personal Power” instead,” he had recalled.

“I taught myself how to speak properly”

In his recent X post, the Indian-American CEO said he taught himself to speak properly by listening to the tapes, and called it a lesson in determination.

“I checked out Tony Robbins tapes from the public library and listened to them every night as I mopped floors,” Sharran Srivatsaa said as he advised his followers to never give up.

“This is why I live by the saying that not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do. I could’ve listened to the employers and stayed as a janitor. But your starting point is not your story… it’s just the first chapter of it,” he advised.

Sharran Srivatsaa’s rise and rise

Born in India, Srivatsaa moved to the United States as a teenager to pursue his education.

After completing his education, Srivatsaa built a career in finance. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Luther College and later completed an MBA with honours from Vanderbilt University.

He worked as a banker at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse before moving into entrepreneurship.

In 2011, Srivatsaa left Wall Street and took over as president of Teles Properties, a Beverly Hills-based luxury real estate company. When he joined, the company was already generating hundreds of millions of dollars in sales but was not growing as expected. Over five years, he helped scale the company significantly, growing its sales volume and eventually helping it reach a valuation of around $3.4 billion before it was acquired by Douglas Elliman.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/us/told-he-d-never-get-a-job-because-of-his-thick-indian-accent-he-is-today-a-successful-ceo-in-the-us-101782873297145.html

 

Rijiju said there has been no Chinese intrusion into Arunachal, while the Army too dismissed reports of PLA encroachment as “incorrect and without any basis.”

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has dismissed claims that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has intruded into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that there has been “no intrusion” on the Indian side even though transgressions by both countries occur because the border has not been clearly demarcated.

Speaking to The Times of India, Rijiju said, “There is no intrusion. Transgressions from both sides happen due to the absence of demarcation.”

His remarks came after a tribal body from Arunachal Pradesh alleged that the PLA had occupied parts of its ancestral grazing, hunting and farming land in the state’s Upper Subansiri district over the past six years, prompting demands for an official verification of the claims.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army on Tuesday also rejected media reports alleging that the Chinese military had recently encroached upon Indian territory and established camps in Arunachal Pradesh, calling such reports “incorrect and without any basis,” according to ANI.

Responding to the allegations, Rijiju maintained that while incidents of transgression do take place along the India-China border, they should not be mistaken for intrusion.

“There is no intrusion. Transgressions from both sides happen due to the absence of demarcation,” he told The Times of India.

The Arunachal West MP explained that the lack of a clearly demarcated boundary results in differing perceptions of the border by both countries, leading to occasional transgressions from either side.

The controversy gained attention after a tribal organisation representing a border community claimed that the People’s Liberation Army had gradually occupied portions of its traditional land in Upper Subansiri district over the last six years.

BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE NOW A PRIORITY: RIJIJU

Rijiju also spoke about infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh’s border areas, saying previous Central governments had not invested adequately in the frontier region.

He was quoted as saying that the Narendra Modi-led government had made border infrastructure a priority and significantly accelerated development works in the strategically important state, which is the largest in the Northeast by area.

Price of 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder cut by Rs 183 from July 1, easing costs for restaurants, hotels and other businesses across major cities

The price of the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder has been reduced by Rs 183, offering relief to restaurants, hotels and other businesses that rely on commercial cooking gas. The revised prices came into effect from July 1, with new rates applicable across major cities.

After the latest revision, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi has come down to Rs 2,930 from Rs 3,113.50.

However, there is no change in the price of the 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder.

Steep Rise In Prices In 2023

The latest reduction marks the first price cut in commercial LPG cylinders in 2026 after a series of steep hikes over the past few months. At the beginning of the year, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi stood at Rs 1,691.50. However, prices rose sharply in the following months.

In March, commercial LPG prices were increased twice. The cylinder became Rs 28 costlier on March 1, followed by another Rs 114.50 hike on March 7. The biggest jump came in May, when the price was increased by Rs 993, taking the cylinder price to Rs 3,071.50 in Delhi. This was followed by another Rs 42 increase on June 1, pushing the price to Rs 3,113.50.

With the latest Rs 183 reduction, the price has eased to Rs 2,930, offering some relief after months of continuous increases. Consumers can check the latest city-wise commercial LPG cylinder prices on the official websites of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL).

Latest Rates Across Cities

Following today’s price cut, the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in New Delhi now costs Rs 2,930. In Lucknow, the price has been reduced from Rs 3,236 to Rs 3,052.50, while in Kolkata, it has fallen from Rs 3,255.50 to Rs 3,081.50. In Patna, the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder will now be available for Rs 3,227.

Source : https://www.news18.com/business/economy/commercial-lpg-cylinder-gets-cheaper-19-kg-cylinder-price-reduced-by-rs-183-check-latest-rates-ws-l-10183239.html

The INDIA bloc expanded support for its move on electoral issues as 23 parties and an Independent MP jointly approached the Chief Justice over the EC’s SIR process.

Twenty-three Opposition parties along with one Independent MP have jointly written to Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant over the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and other election-related issues, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.

The move marks a show of unity within the INDIA bloc, with parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) joining the joint representation.

Announcing the development in a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said the decision to write to the Chief Justice was first taken during the INDIA Janbandhan meeting held on June 8.

“21 political parties plus one Independent attended the INDIA Janbandhan meeting on June 8, 2026, where a decision was taken to address a joint letter to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India on the SIR process of the Election Commission of India and other election-related issues,” Ramesh posted.

He further said, “Accordingly, a joint letter now signed by 23 political parties plus one Independent has been sent to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India today. The Opposition parties are firmly anchored in SURE, Solidarity, Unity and REsistance.”

21 political parties plus one Independent attended the INDIA janbandhan meeting on June 8, 2026 where a decision was taken to address a joint letter to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India on the SIR process of the Election Commission of India and other election-related issues.…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 30, 2026

According to ANI, the INDIA bloc managed to secure the signatures of both the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK after extensive discussions behind the scenes.

The two parties had not attended the INDIA Janbandhan meeting on June 8, but later joined the collective initiative by signing the letter addressed to the Chief Justice.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien also confirmed the development on X, saying that both the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK had signed the joint letter sent to the Chief Justice.

PTI reported that the joint letter has been signed by 23 political parties along with Independent MP Kapil Sibal.

Besides raising concerns over the Special Intensive Revision process, the letter also addresses the role of the Election Commission and other election-related issues, sources told the news agency.

The Congress and several Opposition parties have been questioning the Election Commission over the SIR exercise for some time.

The June 8 INDIA Janbandhan meeting had focused on a range of political issues.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/23-opposition-parties-kapil-sibal-write-to-cji-over-ecs-sir-jairam-ramesh-says-committed-to-sure-ws-l-10181555.html

 

A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst near Jispa in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district has blocked the highway, halting traffic and stranding commuters. Police, in coordination with Ladakh and Zanskar authorities, have suspended vehicle movement and urged people to avoid the area. Road clearance is underway as officials monitor the situation following the second flash flood in two days.

A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst near Jispa in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district has completely blocked the highway, bringing traffic to a standstill and prompting authorities to suspend the movement of vehicles towards the affected area.

#WATCH | A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst near Jispa in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district completely blocked the highway, bringing traffic to a standstill and prompting authorities to suspend the movement of vehicles towards the affected area

(Source: Police) pic.twitter.com/9YBLKXDkzU

— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2026

Following the directions of Superintendent of Police, Lahaul-Spiti, Shivani Mehla, Lahaul-Spiti Police, in coordination with Ladakh and Zanskar Police, has halted all traffic heading towards the affected stretch until further notice to ensure public safety.

Authorities have urged tourists, local residents, and commuters not to travel towards Jispa until the road is fully cleared and normal traffic movement is restored. Travellers have been advised to remain at safe locations and strictly follow official advisories issued by the police and district administration.

Jispa, Himachal Pradesh: Road clearance work is underway in Jispa. Safe and smooth movement of traffic has resumed, and continuous monitoring is being carried out to ensure the safety of commuters: Lahaul & Spiti Police pic.twitter.com/hNzk3yMyn1

— IANS (@ians_india) July 1, 2026

“A cloudburst near Jispa this afternoon has completely blocked the road, resulting in a massive traffic congestion in the area. Keeping public safety as our top priority, Lahaul-Spiti Police, in coordination with Ladakh and Zanskar Police, has stopped all onward traffic until tomorrow morning,” SP Mehla said.

The cloudburst has been due to glacial snow melting, as there has been no rain in the region, and this is the second flash flood in two consecutive days.

The official said road clearance work is being carried out at Jispa. Safe and smooth movement of traffic has started, and Continuous monitoring is being maintained to ensure the safety of commuters.

Jispa, Himachal Pradesh: Road clearance work is underway in Jispa. Safe and smooth movement of traffic has resumed, and continuous monitoring is being carried out to ensure the safety of commuters: SP Lahaul Spiti pic.twitter.com/4tcTxV3Gzm

— IANS (@ians_india) July 1, 2026

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/himachal-pradesh-flash-flood-cloudburst-near-jispa-blocks-highway-traffic-halted-as-police-issue-travel-advisory-video 

 

Police are investigating allegations that a father raped his minor daughter in Desar taluka, Vadodara district. The case has triggered shock in the village.

Residents of a village in Gujarat’s Vadodara were taken aback after a woman alleged that her husband had gagged and raped their 13-year-old daughter when she was not at home. The child’s mother allegedly caught him during the assault. According to the police complaint, the accused had stuffed a piece of cloth in the girl’s mouth and raped her.

He fled the house after his wife returned and witnessed the incident. A case has been registered and police have launched an investigation.

The incident was reported from a village in Desar taluka of Vadodara. As per the complaint filed by the survivor’s mother, a quarrel broke out between the couple on the evening of June 28 over a domestic issue.

To avoid further escalation in tensions, the woman left home and went to stay for some time at the house of a female relative in a nearby area.

At the time, the couple’s 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were at home. According to the complaint, the woman returned around midnight along with her sister and allegedly found her husband sexually assaulting their daughter inside the house.

The girl’s mouth had allegedly been stuffed with a cloth.

The complaint further said that the accused fled immediately after seeing his wife and her sister. The mother then removed the cloth from her daughter’s mouth, attended to her and tried to comfort her.

The child later allegedly narrated the incident to her mother and claimed that after her younger brother had fallen asleep, her father restrained her and sexually assaulted her against her will.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/gujarat-minor-rape-father-sexually-assault-13-year-old-daughter-vadodara-desar-flees-spot-caught-by-wife-2937956-2026-07-01

Honeymoon murder case: Raja Raghuvanshi’s family will approach the Supreme Court against Sonam Raghuvanshi’s bail. The move follows the Meghalaya High Court’s finding that police violated arrest procedure safeguards.

A day after the Meghalaya High Court upheld the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the main accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon last year, Raja’s family said on Tuesday that it will move the Supreme Court to seek cancellation of her bail.

The High Court on Monday dismissed the Meghalaya government’s petition against the lower court order of April 27 granting Sonam bail. Reacting to the verdict, Raja’s elder brother Vipin Raghuvanshi told PTI, “We will appeal to the Supreme Court for cancellation of Sonam’s bail and will soon initiate the process of filing the petition.”

Vipin also expressed dissatisfaction with the way the prosecution handled the case. He said the family would fight the legal battle for justice on its own and would hire a private lawyer. He also said he still could not understand how the Meghalaya Police had made a legal lapse by not informing Sonam of the grounds of arrest when she was taken into custody.

In its order on Monday, the Meghalaya High Court pointed to serious errors by the police in informing Sonam of the grounds of her arrest. The court said, “If this is the manner in which the intimation of the grounds of arrest is made, the same reflects a total non-application of judicious mind on the part of the arresting agency, which strikes at the root of the process of arrest of an accused person, leading this Court to come to the conclusion that the arrestee does have a strong case to contend that no such effective grounds have ever been intimated to her at the initial stage of her arrest.”

The court added that Article 22(1) of the Constitution, read with Section 47(1) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, had been violated. Article 22(1) gives an arrested person the right to be told the grounds of arrest and to consult a lawyer of their choice, while Section 47(1) requires the police to inform the accused of the charges and the grounds of arrest at the time of arrest.

Officials said Sonam was arrested on June 9 from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh on charges of conspiring to murder Raja Raghuvanshi. She remained in judicial custody in Shillong District Jail for more than 10 months before getting bail. Raja, whose family is in the transport business, married Sonam on May 11 last year in Indore.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/raja-raghuvanshi-murder-case-family-to-challenge-sonam-bail-in-supreme-court-ptag-2937809-2026-07-01

The CBI has arrested an IAS officer in the Haryana government funds scam. Investigators say the alleged fraud used fake fixed deposits and shell entities to siphon off public money.

The CBI has arrested a senior IAS officer and two former bank officers in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Rs 504 crore from Haryana government accounts maintained in IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh, officials said on Tuesday.

The agency said the alleged actions of IAS officer Pardeep Kumar, who was posted as Member Secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, led to the misappropriation of funds and caused a net loss of about Rs 169 crore to the government.

Earlier, the agency had arrested former IDFC First Bank area head Shamim Dar and former AU Small Finance Bank branch manager Charanjeet Singh Randhawa in the case. The CBI has alleged that funds of eight Haryana government departments were siphoned off through forged and non-existent fixed deposits, debit notes and shell entities.

In a statement, the CBI said, “The investigation has revealed that the actions of Pardeep Kumar, as Member Secretary, had a direct nexus with the fraud. He himself handled the entire investment-related work at his level. Funds for fixed deposits were sent to IDFC First Bank far in excess of the prescribed limits.”

It said that for creating the fixed deposits, HSPCB funds were first transferred to an account opened at IDFC First Bank’s Sector 32 branch in Chandigarh.

The agency said the department could produce no record relating to the opening of this account. “The conspiracy was so deep that the account got opened without any approvals and funds were transferred into the account in the name of creating fixed deposits. The investigation conducted so far has revealed that no fixed deposits were created in this bank,” the statement said.

Instead, it alleged, fraudulent debit transactions were made from the account, resulting in the misappropriation of government funds and causing a net loss of around Rs 169 crore to the state government. The CBI said this was the single largest financial loss suffered by any of the affected Haryana government departments in the overall Rs 504 crore scam.

The agency said Kumar was not joining the investigation despite repeated efforts and was arrested after the CBI traced his whereabouts. On the two former bank officers, the CBI said they siphoned off money through irregular investment of surplus funds in fixed deposits and through fraudulent transactions routed through bank accounts opened for this purpose.

“Investigation revealed that both accused, in their respective capacities as bank officials, played incriminating roles in facilitating the opening of bank accounts and in facilitating fraudulent transactions through which public funds were diverted,” a spokesperson said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/haryana-rs-504-crore-scam-cbi-arrests-ias-officer-pardeep-kumar-ptag-2937790-2026-07-01

The Gujarat High Court held that a registered Hindu marriage is invalid without essential ceremonies such as saptapadi. The ruling reinforces that consent and customary rites remain central to a legally binding union.

The Gujarat High Court has ruled that registration by itself cannot validate a Hindu marriage if the customary rites and ceremonies required under law, including ‘saptapadi’, have not been performed.

In an order dated June 23, a division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and RT Vachhani gave the ruling while hearing an appeal by a UK-based man who had challenged a family court decision refusing to declare an alleged marriage void.

Pausing the family court’s order passed in November last year, the High Court said the performance of essential ceremonies such as saptapadi is the foundation of a Hindu marriage. It noted that saptapadi, or the taking of seven steps jointly by the bridegroom and bride before the sacred fire, gives a marriage its spiritual, social and legal status as a sacrament and samskara.

The case relates to appellant Kaushal Sonar, who said he lives in the United Kingdom while the defendant lives in Ahmedabad. He told the court that he came to know of the alleged marriage only when the woman approached his parents and handed over a marriage certificate claiming to be his lawfully wedded wife.

Sonar said he never solemnised any marriage with her, never performed any Hindu rites and ceremonies, and never lived with her as husband. He also alleged that his signature on the marriage documents had been obtained fraudulently and without his free consent.

The High Court said the family court had erred in dismissing Sonar’s petition, especially when the defendant had clearly admitted before it that no marriage rites or ceremonies were performed between the parties and that the two never shared a husband-wife relationship.

Referring to Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act, the court said a Hindu marriage must be solemnised in accordance with customary rites and ceremonies, such as saptapadi, for it to become complete and binding. Since no such rites were performed in this case, the court said, the basic and essential requirement of a Hindu marriage was absent.

In its order, the court also underlined the place of marriage in Hindu law. It said, “In Hindu tradition, a wife is regarded as one-half of her husband (ardhangini), while at the same time being recognised as an individual with her own identity and as an equal partner in the marriage. Under Hindu Law, marriage is considered a sacrament or samskara. It forms the foundation of a new family.”

The bench added that marriage is “not merely an occasion for ‘song and dance’ or ‘wining and dining'” or a commercial transaction, but “a solemn and foundational event” for a man and a woman to enter into a relationship and build a family. It further said, “A marriage is sacred because it creates a lifelong, dignified, equal, consensual, and healthy union between two individuals.”

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/gujarat-high-court-hindu-marriage-registration-saptapadi-customary-rites-ptag-2937778-2026-06-30

Haryana, Goa, Assam, Chandigarh and Punjab have led the rollout of the new criminal laws. The progress points to faster case processing and deeper digital integration across the justice system.

Haryana, Goa, Assam, Chandigarh and Punjab have emerged as the five best-performing states and Union territories in implementing the three new criminal laws that came into force on July 1, 2024, officials said. Performance is assessed across four parameters: administrative reforms, operational efficiency, information and communication technology application, and integration.

The officials said the weightage of these parameters changes with regular revisions. They added that most states are above the national average, while West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have also reported progress in implementing the provisions of the new laws.

The three laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 – replaced the British-era criminal laws. Officials described their implementation as a watershed moment in the country’s criminal jurisprudence, and said the new framework aims to complete the process from FIR to a Supreme Court decision within three years.

The laws provide for a common platform, the Interoperable Criminal Justice System, or ICJS, which enables “seamless interoperability” among the five main pillars of criminal justice – police, courts, jails, forensics and prosecution – to support a faster system. Officials said 23 states and Union territories have fully integrated into the new version of ICJS 2.0.

According to Union Home Ministry data, 39.56 per cent of chargesheets were filed within the mandatory 90-day deadline under the new criminal laws in 2024, and this rose to 60.96 per cent in 2026.

The share of chargesheets filed within the mandatory 60-day deadline rose from 50.92 per cent in 2024 to 67.26 per cent in 2026. In sexual offence cases, 44 per cent of chargesheets were filed within the mandatory two-month period, and this increased to 75.16 per cent in 2025.

Officials also cited the Presidency prison, one of the oldest jails in the country, for using video conferencing facilities as required under the new criminal laws.

Over the past two years, 74.66 lakh FIRs have been registered under the BNS, along with 63,572 zero FIRs. Police across the country generated 46.50 lakh evidence IDs using the e-Sakshya application, and eight new Central Forensic Science Laboratories have been sanctioned, taking the total to 15.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/new-criminal-laws-rollout-haryana-goa-assam-chandigarh-punjab-top-performers-ptag-2937672-2026-06-30

The incident took place around 2:30 am last night when the bus was travelling from Rishikesh to Madhya Pradesh’s Indore at high speed.

Seven people were killed and 22 more injured after a sleeper bus they were travelling in collided with a trailer and then burst into flames on the Delhi-Mumbai expressway near Rajasthan’s Dausa.

The incident took place around 2:30 am last night when the bus was travelling from Rishikesh to Madhya Pradesh’s Indore at high speed. The vehicle first collided with a trailer (a large truck), and then both vehicles caught fire.

Visuals showed the vehicles in huge flames as passengers screamed for help. According to officials, passengers from the upper berths were thrown to the ground. While five passengers died from burn injuries, two died from head injuries, they said.

Eyewitnesses said most passengers who died were asleep at the time of the incident.

Firefighting officials have been engaged in putting out the fire and rescuing people.

All the injured people – which mostly included women and children – have been admitted to the Dausa district hospital for treatment.

While the exact cause of the accident is not yet known, the police suspect the bus driver may have dozed off. The bus’ high speed is also being considered as a possible factor.

Locals alleged that rescue and fire brigade officials arrived late at the accident site, causing more deaths. According to them, the passengers trapped in the bus were rescued nearly an hour after the fire erupted.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/7-dead-22-injured-as-rishikesh-indore-bus-crashes-catches-fire-on-delhi-mumbai-expressway-rajasthan-dausa-accident-11710354?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

From EPFO services to Aadhaar updates, several major financial and regulatory changes are set to be implemented in July 2026.

Several important financial and administrative changes have come into effect across the country from Wednesday, July 1, 2026, affecting Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) subscribers, Aadhaar holders, passport applicants and income taxpayers. The changes have been confirmed through notifications and announcements issued by the respective government authorities.

EPFO online services restored after system upgrade

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has resumed its online services after completing a scheduled system migration and database consolidation exercise conducted between June 26 and June 30. During the five-day maintenance period, the EPFO member portal, employer portal and several digital services remained unavailable. The organisation said the upgrade was undertaken to improve processing efficiency, security and service delivery. Services were scheduled to be restored from 00:00 hours on July 1.

Aadhaar email update made free for six months

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has waived the fee charged for updating the email address linked to an Aadhaar number through the Aadhaar mobile application. The waiver, announced through an official memorandum issued on June 19, will remain in force from July 1 to December 31, 2026. Earlier, users were required to pay a fee for this service.

Passport application fees revised

The Ministry of External Affairs has implemented a revision in passport application fees from July 1, marking the first major increase in passport charges since 2012. Under the revised structure, the fee for a standard 36-page passport booklet has increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, while the Tatkaal fee for the same booklet has risen to Rs 5,000. The charges for 60-page passports, minor passports and police clearance certificates have also been increased. The revised rates apply to passport services both within India and overseas.

ITR filing deadline approaches

Individual taxpayers filing Income Tax Returns under ITR-1 and ITR-2 have until July 31, 2026, to submit their returns without attracting penalties. ITR-1 is generally applicable to salaried individuals with limited additional income sources such as bank interest, while ITR-2 applies to taxpayers with capital gains, multiple house properties or annual income exceeding Rs 50 lakh. Tax experts have advised taxpayers to complete the filing process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute difficulties.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/epfo-services-resume-aadhaar-email-updates-go-free-and-passport-fees-rise-key-financial-changes-effective-from-july-1-11710377?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

The Indian Coast Guard rescued all six crew members of a distressed fishing boat off Mangaluru after it developed hull damage and began taking on water in rough sea conditions, officials said.

The Indian Coast Guard on Monday rescued six fishermen after their fishing boat developed severe flooding and hull damage in rough seas off the coast of Karnataka’s Mangaluru, officials said.

According to the Coast Guard, the distress call was received at around 4 pm from the Indian fishing boat Manju Matha, which was located about 33 nautical miles off the Suratkal coast.

The crew reported that the vessel was taking on water due to hull damage caused by rough sea conditions, putting all six fishermen on board at risk.

The Coast Guard said the crew of ICGS Sachet, which was operating in the area, immediately altered course and reached the distressed vessel within about 90 minutes.

The rescue operation was carried out amid rough seas, strong winds, poor visibility and fading daylight. Coast Guard personnel used remote-operated lifebuoys to evacuate the stranded fishermen safely from the damaged boat.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-coast-guard-rescues-six-fishermen-after-boat-floods-off-mangaluru-coast-2937101-2026-06-30

R Rajagopal said his delayed passport renewal exposed uncertainty over the use of SIR data. Kerala leaders backed him as he sought clear rules on whether electoral roll data can affect passport verification.

Former The Telegraph editor R Rajagopal has said the controversy over the delay in renewing his passport is “far bigger” than his personal case, arguing that the issue exposes a lack of clarity over how data collected during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being used by government agencies.

Speaking to India Today TV, Rajagopal said the Election Commission had assured the Supreme Court that the SIR exercise was meant only for inclusion or deletion of names from electoral rolls.

“What it shows is how one policy, which the Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court is being implemented solely for the purpose of inclusion or deletion from the voter list, is now being used for purposes that were not intended at all,” he said.

“In my case, it’s a passport. I’ve heard of other cases where welfare measures are threatened because a person’s name has been removed from the SIR.”

‘WE NEED POLICY CLARITY’

Rajagopal said the core issue was not whether he eventually received his passport, but whether the government clearly defined how SIR data could be used.

“The solution is not to give me a passport or reject it. The point is there should be policy clarity. Either the judiciary, the executive or the legislature must clarify whether SIR data can be used for this purpose or not,” he said.

He warned that the absence of clear rules leaves citizens vulnerable.

“This policy is so uncertain that it can be twisted in any way by anyone implementing it, and the citizen is completely at its mercy.”

Rajagopal said he had repeatedly asked police to show him the government order or circular that required a person’s name to be restored to the electoral roll before passport verification could be completed.

“I asked the police, ‘Can you show me a government order or memo?’ This is where the stonewalling began. They simply refused to answer.”

WHY HE DIDN’T APPLY UNDER TATKAL

Responding to questions about why he did not apply for a Tatkal passport, Rajagopal said financial reasons played a role.

“I lost my job when I was 56 years old and since then I haven’t earned a single penny. Why should I spend double the money on a passport? I don’t understand that.”

He also clarified that although the delay coincided with his daughter’s wedding in California, he had never suggested there was a deliberate attempt to stop him from attending it.

“The wedding was just an important milestone during this process. It was a coincidence.”

‘I DON’T THINK I WAS SINGLED OUT’

Rajagopal said he had no evidence to suggest he had been personally targeted because of his editorial stance while heading The Telegraph.

“I don’t think I’ve been singled out because I don’t have any evidence. I think it’s a general problem, far bigger than me.”

He added that even if someone believed the issue stemmed from vendetta, the larger concern remained the lack of clarity affecting ordinary citizens.

“I was merely asking for my right as a common Indian. I was not asking as a former editor.”

Rajdeep Sardesai concluded the interview by saying, “If this can happen to a former senior editor of a leading national daily, think about the average citizen who will have to run from pillar to post for passport verification.”

KERALA LEADERS RALLY BEHIND RAJAGOPAL

The interview came a day after Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, urging him to intervene in Rajagopal’s passport renewal application.

In his letter, Satheesan said the passport renewal had reportedly been delayed because of an adverse police verification report linked to Rajagopal’s deletion from the electoral roll during the SIR exercise.

“I understand that the adverse report is based on the deletion of his name from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision. While the electoral issue is being addressed through the appropriate appeal process, I am informed that the police report has resulted in a delay in the renewal of his passport,” Satheesan wrote.

Calling Rajagopal “a renowned journalist”, the Kerala chief minister urged Adhikari to “look into the matter urgently”.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/passport-row-rajagopal-seeks-policy-clarity-on-sir-after-renewal-delay-2936997-2026-06-29

 

The arrest of eight people — most of them employees of the Ayodhya Ram temple — for siphoning of funds from offerings has given a huge opening to the Opposition, which has sharpened its attack on the government. Today, it was the turn of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who accused the BJP of having no “Sharam (shame)” or “dharam (religion)”. He questioned how the perpetrators and the investigators can belong to the same side and underscored the allegation that some of the offerings reached as far as Karnataka.

“The government itself has accepted this fact, that such an incident has occurred there,” Akhilesh Yadav told NDTV in an exclusive interview today.

“And after the SIT’s report, the things that are coming to the forefront – the SIT itself is accepting that by turning off the CCTV, the offerings that came in have been subjected to a scam on a massive scale,” he said.

“So, this tampering with faith, this play with our devotion, the people of India and Sanatani people can never accept this. I have even gone so far as to say that our religion, our society is such that if they turn off the CCTV, turn off the lights, and no one watches, then those who took away the offerings can place them back. At least open a way for them,” he added.

Asked if he considers the temple trust or the Chief Minister guilty, Yadav said, “I cannot say who is guilty. I am in the Opposition, so I won’t label someone guilty”.

But the biggest question, he said, was how the Chief Minister, is was trying to set a world record on visits to the site and talks regularly of law and order, “did not even have a system in place that can inform them of such a massive theft “.

There are more questions. If the “SIT is investigating the Trust, who did you submit the report to?” he said.

“The biggest question is also this – if you have conducted an investigation, who formed the SIT? Who formed the SIT and who was the investigation handed over to? Will there be an investigation into the SIT as well? What organisation will be there to investigate the SIT then?” he added.

The issue of siphoning of donations was flagged first by Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party after which the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had asked the government to order an investigation.

The government subsequently ordered an inquiry by a Special Information Team, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan. The team submitted a preliminary report to the government on Tuesday.

Later last week, eight people were arrested and two temple office bearers — general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra — submitted their resignations, taking moral responsibility for the theft.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-has-no-sharam-or-dharam-akhilesh-yadav-on-ram-temple-theft-row-11704042?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

 

The average price of the Indian basket of crude fell to $68.86 a barrel, down more than 56% from a peak of $157.04 on March 23 after the outbreak of the war.

India’s average import price for crude oil has fallen below $70 a barrel for the first time since the West Asia conflict began, but consumers are unlikely to see an immediate cut in petrol and diesel prices as refiners seek to recover previous losses and the government may recoup part of the fiscal cost of shielding consumers, people familiar with the matter said.

The average price of the Indian basket of crude fell to $68.86 a barrel on Friday, down more than 56% from a peak of $157.04 on March 23 after the outbreak of the conflict on February 28. The decline has eased pressure on state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) that were running huge losses. According to the people cited above, the three state-owned fuel retailers are now earning marketing margins of about ₹5-6 a litre on petrol, although they continue to lose around ₹8-10 a litre on diesel sales.

Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and the petroleum ministry did not respond to emailed queries.

India imports more than 88% of the crude oil it processes. As global oil prices surged during the conflict, OMCs incurred losses because retail fuel prices remained largely unchanged. The government cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 a litre each on March 27 to partly offset those losses after losses climbed to ₹26 a litre on petrol and ₹81.90 a litre on diesel.

As the conflict intensified and the Strait of Hormuz — a key transit route for about a fifth of oil traded globally — closed, international crude prices climbed further. According to the people cited above, losses widened again despite the excise duty reduction, prompting OMCs to raise petrol and diesel prices by a cumulative ₹7.35 and ₹7.53 a litre, respectively, between May 15 and May 25.

Oil prices began easing after prospects emerged for a US-Iran peace agreement and a memorandum of understanding was signed in mid-June to chart a pathway towards ending the conflict. As energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz gradually resumed, international crude prices softened, improving India’s energy supply situation, the people said.

The Indian basket, which stood at $71.17 a barrel on February 27, crossed $100 in early March and remained above that level until May. It slipped below $80 by mid-June before falling to $68.86 a barrel on June 26, according to the latest available data.

Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on X that the government had protected Indian consumers from the global energy shock despite severe supply disruptions.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-oil-import-cost-falls-below-70-dollars-a-barrel-first-since-us-iran-war-began-but-petrol-diesel-price-cut-unlikely-101782781325960.html