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The move follows an incident on October 19 when a passenger’s power bank caught fire on a Dimapur-bound IndiGo flight while taxiing at Delhi airport
The official said the decisions will be taken after examining international norms for carrying such devices onboard aircraft. (AI-generated image)
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering placing restrictions on the use of power banks on board flights after reviewing global safety practices, a senior official said.
The move follows an incident on October 19 when a passenger’s power bank caught fire on a Dimapur-bound IndiGo flight while taxiing at Delhi airport. The cabin crew quickly extinguished the fire, and no injuries were reported.
The official told PTI that while certain restrictions may be introduced, there are currently no plans to ban power banks entirely. Decisions will be taken after examining international norms for carrying such devices onboard aircraft.
On Saturday, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu had said that the DGCA would review the incident in detail. Airlines already follow strict regulations for carrying electronic items, particularly those with lithium batteries, to ensure passenger safety.
Dr Sonali Gupta warned that even lifting 5-10 kg during pregnancy can cause serious complications like bleeding, preterm labour, miscarriage, or harm to the baby’s health
Deadlifts are generally not recommended during pregnancy. (Representative/Shutterstock)
Delhi Police Constable Sonika Yadav, despite being seven months pregnant, has won a bronze medal by lifting 145 kilograms at the All India Police Weightlifting Competition in Andhra Pradesh. Sonika’s impressive performance included a 125 kg squat, 80 kg bench press, and 145 kg deadlift. This achievement is particularly notable as weightlifting during pregnancy is generally avoided by women.
Doctors and trainers confirm that Sonika continued her weightlifting routine with minor modifications. While light exercise during pregnancy is deemed beneficial, the safety of lifting very heavy weights is questionable.
Speaking to News18, Dr. Sonali Gupta, a former gynaecologist at Fortis Hospital in Greater Noida, said that pregnancy is not an illness. If a woman is medically fit, possesses good muscle strength, and trains regularly, she can lift weights under medical supervision. However, deadlifts are generally not recommended during pregnancy.
According to Dr. Gupta Pregnant women who train properly can safely lift weights, though it carries certain risks. However, those who have never done weight training before should avoid starting during pregnancy.
Dr. Gupta explained that women who are accustomed to weightlifting can continue such activities during pregnancy with proper diet, lifestyle, training, and medical supervision. Although weightlifting during pregnancy is uncommon in India, pregnant women in the US and Europe frequently participate in competitions, including the Olympics. This indicates that such activities are possible, albeit with extreme caution.
A conflict is emerging in India’s energy sector as the ethanol industry seeks a 1-2% increase in blending beyond the current 20% mandate, which the automobile sector opposes, citing reduced fuel efficiency and no cost benefits for consumers.
Industry insiders say pressure from poll-bound Bihar, a key maize-producing state, could further strengthen the ethanol lobby’s case. (AI Generated Image)
A new tug-of-war is brewing in India’s energy landscape as the ethanol industry lobbies for a 1–2% increase in blending beyond the government’s current 20% mandate (E20). The automobile sector, however, is pushing back, warning that higher ethanol blends will reduce fuel efficiency and offer no benefit to consumers at the pump, said a report by the Economic Times.
Producers Want More Blend to Use Idle Capacity
The Grain Ethanol Manufacturers’ Association (GEMA) has urged the Centre to consider a modest rise in blending levels, arguing that nearly half of India’s grain-based ethanol capacity remains idle.
“The grain-based ethanol industry is struggling, with only about 50% of total capacity being utilised. Raising the blend by just 2% can help us achieve breakeven,” said C.K. Jain, president of GEMA.
Industry insiders say pressure from poll-bound Bihar, a key maize-producing state, could further strengthen the ethanol lobby’s case.
Automakers Say No Room for More
Automobile manufacturers have pushed back strongly against the proposal, saying the E20 petrol , comprising 20% ethanol and 80% petrol , already causes a 4–6% drop in mileage compared to pure petrol (E0).
“There is no consideration at present to raise the ethanol blend,” a senior auto executive told ET on condition of anonymity.
Automakers argue that most vehicles on Indian roads are designed for up to E20 tolerance, and higher blends could affect engine performance and durability.
Consumers See No Price Advantage
While the ethanol program has been hailed as a farm economy booster, with nearly ₹40,000 crore paid to farmers over the past decade for ethanol-linked crops, critics say consumers haven’t gained.
Oil marketing companies (OMCs) admit that E20 fuel production costs are higher, meaning no price advantage at fuel pumps , a sticking point as retail petrol prices remain elevated.
Excess Capacity and Future Targets
In the first procurement cycle (C1) of the 2025–26 ethanol year (Nov–Oct), grain-based producers offered 1,300 crore litres to OMCs, of which 750 crore litres were accepted.
The industry says this overcapacity stems from earlier government signals that blending levels would eventually rise to 25–30%. “More capacity is still being added,” Jain noted.
However, GEMA acknowledges that immediate transition to E25 or E30 is not practical. Instead, it proposes a small, phased increase within the tolerance level of existing vehicles to support industry viability.
The sector now awaits Niti Aayog’s upcoming roadmap outlining the next phase of India’s ethanol blending strategy. The roadmap is expected to address issues of distribution infrastructure, inter-ministerial coordination, and financial viability.
“The industry has already invested heavily to meet enhanced requirements and is ready to collaborate with stakeholders on infrastructure. But timely policies are critical to sustain the momentum,” Jain added.
Having achieved its 20% blending target for 2025, the ethanol industry wants India to follow Brazil’s model, where progressive blending ranges from E27 up to 55% under flex-fuel standards.
Key Points
Ethanol producers seek 1–2% hike above E20 to use idle capacity
Automakers cite up to 6% drop in mileage from higher blends
Farmers gained ₹40,000 crore from ethanol-linked crops
No consumer price relief as E20 costs remain high
Niti Aayog to release new roadmap for blending policy soon
Cyclone Montha struck Andhra Pradesh with winds exceeding 100 km/h, leading to one fatality and severe injuries for two individuals.
The impact of cyclone Montha was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where normal life was affected in 15 districts. – File pic Photo : PTI
At least one person died and two people suffered grievous injuries as Cyclone Montha roared ashore on the eastern coast with winds topping 100km an hour Tuesday night. The storm slammed into Andhra Pradesh between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada at 7 pm with sheets of rain that ripped through towns, snapped power lines, and sent waves surging 10ft high. The impact was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where normal life was affected in 15 districts.
The severe cyclonic storm is likely to maintain the intensity for a period of six hours after its landfall over interior Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining areas including south Odisha, the Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.
The Met Department forecast very likely light to moderate rainfall at most places in Andhra Pradesh and Yanam and heavy to very rainfall at a few places till October 29.
Similarly, it forecast extremely heavy rainfall of greater than 20 cm at isolated places during the same period.
“The severe cyclonic storm Montha is likely to maintain the intensity of a cyclonic storm for a period of six hours after the landfall over interior Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas of south Odisha, south Chhattisgarh and Telangana,” a Met Department press release said.
For October 30, it forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The Meteorological Department in its bulletin issued at 10:50 pm on Tuesday said Montha’s landfall, which began around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, will continue for another two to three hours.
A Met Department official told PTI that the radius of the weather system alone stretches up to 300 km in length, indicating the time it would take for the entire severe cyclonic storm to cross the southern state’s coast.
Meanwhile, the weather system over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph in the past six hours and lay centred at 10:30 pm on Tuesday over the same region, close to Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts.
It is located about 100 km south to southwest of Kakinada, 50 km east of Machilipatnam, 480 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 240 km southwest of Visakhapatnam.
“It is likely to move northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, south of Kakinada during the next two hours as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph and gusting up to 110 kmph,” said the Met Department.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with village and ward secretariat personnel from the Real Time Governance System (RTGS) in the secretariat.
The CM said the impact of Montha is being felt in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema districts also.
“We have estimated that the cyclone will cross the coast at midnight,” said Naidu in an official press release, adding that heavy winds broke up and uprooted trees.
He said this debris is being cleared regularly and exhorted that ward and village secretariat personnel are the representatives of the state government in the villages.
The CM called upon them to render services immediately to the victims of the cyclone and apprise officials on local situations.
Likewise, he called for the resumption of power in places where it was disrupted.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke with Naidu and local railway officials.
He spoke about the decisions taken for immediate restoration of work post the landfall of Montha, which means a fragrant flower in Thai.
“Thank you Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for your concern and support on cyclone Montha. The Union and State Governments stand prepared together to mitigate the impact of the cyclone, prioritising the safety of our people,” said Naidu in a post on X.
Vaishnaw reviewed the preparedness of the Railways in the southern state.
War rooms have been activated at Divisional, Zonal and Board levels, ensuring real-time coordination and rapid response, said a press release from the Waltair Railway Division.
The Indian Navy has launched an expanded maritime vision, transitioning from SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) to MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
India’s Navy charts a new course from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR at IPRD-2025. Photo : Times Now
The Indian Navy has unveiled a broadened maritime vision that looks beyond regional waters to embrace a truly global outlook, as Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi inaugurated the seventh edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD-2025) in New Delhi on Monday.
Welcoming over thirty international delegates from friendly nations, the Navy Chief described the forum as “a vital expression of the Indian Navy’s strategic outreach” and a platform to shape the Indo-Pacific’s future “through dialogue, cooperation and mutual trust.” From SAGAR to MAHASAGAR: India’s Expanding Maritime Vision
Reaffirming India’s maritime leadership, the Admiral announced the evolution of the country’s oceanic strategy from SAGAR — Security and Growth for All in the Region — to MAHASAGAR, or Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
“This evolution from Sea to Ocean,” he said, “signifies both expansion of scope and depth of purpose.” The Indian Navy, as the “principal manifestation of India’s maritime power,” remains at the forefront of operationalising this vision through cooperative engagement, capacity-building and regional partnerships.
This year’s IPRD, themed around “Holistic Maritime Security, Regional Capacity-Building and Capability Enhancement,” aims to strengthen the core pillars of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). ‘Seas Have Always Been Humanity’s Oldest Highways’
Setting the tone for the conference, the CNS reflected on the enduring role of the seas as carriers of “commerce, culture, curiosity, and courage.”
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he emphasised that “oceans are a shared heritage and the lifeline of international trade,” underscoring that peace and prosperity on the seas are inseparable. Maritime Security: A ‘Dynaxic’ Challenge
In a world of fluid alignments and fused challenges, maritime security, the Admiral said, must no longer be viewed through the narrow prism of threat containment but as a “Dynaxic Challenge” — one that is dynamic and complex.
He identified three defining currents shaping this new maritime order: 1. Commercial Disruption
Global seaborne trade is expected to plunge to 0.5% growth in 2025, from 2.2% last year — signalling strategic fragility.
“The Red Sea crisis has shown how one chokepoint can ripple across global freight indices, insurance premiums, and food prices,” the CNS noted. 2. Transnational Turbulence
The seas are witnessing a surge in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, piracy, arms and narcotics trafficking, and human smuggling.
According to the FAO, IUU fishing causes losses of 11 to 26 million tonnes of fish annually, valued between USD 10 to 23 billion.
“Smuggling networks are exploiting ungoverned maritime spaces to move arms, narcotics and sanctioned commodities — financing terror and fuelling instability,” he cautioned.
He also highlighted the compounded threat of rising sea levels, extreme weather and marine pollution, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 3. Technological Acceleration
Emerging technologies such as AI, autonomous systems and commercial satellites are reshaping maritime operations, but they also bring new vulnerabilities.
“Recent IFC-IOR assessments have recorded near-daily episodes of GPS jamming and electronic interference in the Indian Ocean Region,” the Admiral revealed.
“Maritime security and maritime growth are not parallel tracks,” he said. “They are twin propellers that drive our collective voyage towards peace and prosperity.” Building the Trinity: Security, Capacity, Capability Holistic Maritime Security
CNS called for viewing maritime security as “an interconnected web” that integrates deterrence, governance, law enforcement, environmental stewardship, and humanitarian response.
He cited the Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) exercise with nine African nations and the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram as models of cooperative engagement.
The IFC-IOR, already hosting 15 International Liaison Officers, will expand to 50 by 2028, enhancing information-sharing and response coordination.
“Holistic maritime security must reconcile inclusivity with individuality,” he stressed. “Every nation, large or small, must contribute according to its capacity while drawing strength from collective purpose.” Regional Capacity-Building
Defining capacity as “tangibles expressed in hulls, airframes, ports and industrial ecosystems,” the CNS called for distributed and complementary regional capacities.
He highlighted the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV)’s successful interoperability with foreign submarines during Exercise Pacific Reach, and the development of NISHAR-MITRA terminals for secure intelligence sharing among partner navies.
“True capacity is not what a nation accumulates,” he asserted, “but what a region aggregates.” Capability Enhancement
The Admiral emphasised that “capability resides not in assets alone, but in how they are employed.” He urged a shift from platform-centric to purpose-centric thinking, promoting doctrines that anticipate hybrid threats and training that fosters initiative and adaptability.
He cited the month-long IOS Sagar deployment to the Southwest Indian Ocean — crewed by 44 personnel from nine IOR nations — as a pioneering step in multinational naval cooperation.
An ‘abstract’ statue of Mahatma Gandhi is at the centre of a huge row in Kerala’s Guruvayur.
Locals in Kerala’s Guruvayur were left shocked after an ‘abstract’ statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at the Bio Park.
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi is at the centre of a huge row in Kerala’s Guruvayur. The statue, complete with spectacles and a walking stick, was unveiled recently at the Bio Park. However, locals have claimed it bears “little to no resemblance” to the Father of the Nation.
An NDTV report states that as the statue was unveiled by Guruvayur Municipality Chairman M Krishnadas and IAS officer Divya S Iyer, witnesses said the crowd was taken aback, with several whispering in disbelief, “Is this Gandhiji?”
Opposition parties criticised the statue, accusing the civic body of insulting Mahatma Gandhi. Internet users also joined in, with one user on X writing, “Another Gem from 100% Literate Kerala!! If you are wondering who is depicted in the statue, then it’s supposed to be Gandhiji!! This latest gaffe is installed at Guruvayur Municipal Park.”
The sculptor, however, defended his work, saying, “I infused Gandhian ideas into the design.” He said that the work was meant to be abstract.
The municipality backed the sculptor, saying the statue was “just an abstract form”, with Chairman Krishnadas dismissing any allegations of deliberate insult. He, however, assured that the statue would be later completed to better reflect Gandhi’s likeness.
Gina Raimondo’s remarks came months after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on India, half of them for doing oil trade with Russia.
File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at Hyderabad House in Delhi (PTI)
Former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo criticized President Donald Trump-led administration, particularly regarding its moves against India. Amid ongoing trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington, she said that the administration made a “big mistake” with India.
Her remarks came months after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on India, half of them for doing oil trade with Russia. She accused the President of “pissing off” allies, further adding that America comes off as weak if it isn’t a good ally or friend to other nations.
“On my list of top 20 things that I would be critical of this administration for is pissing off all of our allies. America First is one thing. America Alone is a disastrous policy,” Gina Raimondo said.
She further said that the US administration cannot be effective without strong relations with Europe or southeast Asia. The ex-US official suggested that the country could do a lot more with the economies of Europe, or countries like Japan and South Korea.
‘We’re making a big mistake with India. The Trump administration has pissed off all our allies. America First is one thing. America Alone is a disastrous policy,’ says former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo pic.twitter.com/xSxx29V3dt
Concluding her remarks, she also referenced India, and said: “I think we’re making a big mistake with India”.
Gina Raimondo’s remarks also follow Trump’s repeated assertions that India would soon end its oil trade with Russia, and the US’s subsequent blacklisting of two Russian energy giants, largely seen as a pressure tactic on Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
With Rosneft and Lukoil this month, and Surgutneftegas and Gazprom Neft sanctioned by outgoing President Joe Biden in January, four oil producers, accounting for just under 70% of Russia’s total oil exports, have been sanctioned by the US.
According to a Bloomberg report, these four firms accounted for more than 80% of India’s Russian oil imports in 2024.
Gina Raimondo held the US Secretary of Commerce post in Joe Biden’s administration. She also met Union Minister Piyush Goyal in November last year and they talked about ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in sensitive defence and tech sectors.
Howard Lutnick replaced Raimondo as the Commerce Secretary after Trump assumed office for his second term earlier this year. Unlike Raimondo, Lutnick has had a critical approach towards India in terms of tariffs.
Just days after the 50% tariffs on India were imposed, Lutnick had defended the move, repeating the condition for India to stop buying Russian oil in order to arrive at a trade deal with the US.
The father of the 20-year-old Delhi University student, who was attacked with acid, confessed to plotting the attack to frame the main accused. He was arrested in a rape case filed by the accused’s wife, who alleged that he sent her obscene photos to her husband.
In a shocking twist, the father of a 20-year-old Delhi University student who was allegedly attacked with acid was arrested in a rape case on Monday after confessing to orchestrating the attack to frame the main accused, Jitender, sources told India Today TV.
The student’s father, identified as Akil Khan, was arrested after Jitender’s wife accused him of coercing her to have sex with him and sharing her obscene photos with her husband. She filed a rape complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR.
To evade the case, police said, Akil and his daughter fabricated the acid attack story to implicate Jitender and his two aides — Ishan and Arman — in the crime.
Akil’s startling confession came after police earlier said Jitender, along with two associates, attacked the woman near Lakshmibai College in north Delhi’s Ashok Vihar on Sunday. The trio had reportedly fled after throwing acid on her.
According to investigators, Akil admitted that he planned the attack after learning that Jitender’s wife was preparing to file a rape complaint against him. Seeking revenge, he conspired to frame Jitender in a fake acid attack case, sources said.
Police said the woman purchased toilet-cleaning acid and staged the attack with her father’s help.
Akil also had disputes with Jitender’s aides, Ishan and Arman, who were named in the FIR and initially arrested in connection with the acid attack case.
HOW ACID ATTACK CASE TOOK A U-TURN
Delhi Police said they first received a call from Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital reporting the admission of an injured woman from Mukundpur, north Delhi. The woman, a second-year non-collegiate DU student, told police she had gone to Lakshmibai College for an extra class when the incident occurred around 10 am.
According to the police, she initially claimed that as she was walking to college, Jitender, accompanied by Ishan and Arman, arrived on a motorbike. All of a sudden, Arman allegedly threw acid on her after receiving a bottle from Ishan. The student said she managed to shield her face but sustained burns on both hands.
The woman claimed that Jitender had been stalking her and a heated argument had taken place between them about a month ago. Jitender and the student are residents of Mukundpur, police had said.
Police had also cited CCTV footage showing Jitender on a motorbike in an underground parking lot in Karol Bagh on Sunday morning. The bike allegedly used in the attack was later recovered from the area.
However, the investigation took a dramatic turn after Akil’s confession revealed that the acid attack was staged to falsely implicate Jitender and his associates in retaliation for the rape case filed by Jitender’s wife.
According to police, on October 24, two days before the alleged acid attack, Jitender’s wife made a PCR call reporting harassment and blackmail by Akil. She alleged that while working at his factory between 2021 and 2024, Akil sexually harassed her, forcibly established physical relations, and blackmailed her using objectionable photos and videos.
Jitender’s associates Arman and Ishan are currently in Agra with their mother, Shabnam, and are expected to join the investigation soon, police said.
Cyclone Montha is intensifying over the Bay of Bengal, threatening Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with severe winds and heavy rain. The states are rushing evacuations ahead of the landfall expected later this evening.
Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal on Monday. Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are on high alert, rushing evacuations and preparing for landfall expected later tonight near Kakinada. The storm, packing winds of up to 110 kmph, has already unleashed heavy rain and squally winds across the coastal belt.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha was centred about 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 340 km south of Visakhapatnam on Monday morning. The system is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam by this evening or night.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured Andhra Pradesh of all possible central assistance as the state battled high tides, flooding and widespread disruption.
ANDHRA PRADESH
The storm’s outer bands have already lashed several coastal districts, throwing normal life in Chittoor, Tirupati and Kakinada out of gear.
In Nagari constituency of Chittoor district, moderate to heavy rain has been pounding for four days. Floodwaters from the Kushasthali river cut off key roads, forcing authorities to halt traffic between Nagari town and rural areas such as Thiruttani and Pallipattu. Traffic has been diverted through alternative routes as police restricted access to riverbanks amid dangerous currents, reported news agency PTI.
Officials released 1,000 cusecs of water from the Krishnapuram reservoir as a precautionary step, while local administrations stayed on high alert.
In Kakinada district, strong winds battered the coast, with rough seas reported at Uppada. Waves advanced inland, aggravating coastal erosion and triggering panic among fishermen. Police evacuated families from Uppada, Subbampet, Mayapatnam and Suradapet as seawater surged further inland.
Tirupati’s top official said five coastal mandals spread over a 75-km coastline were likely to face intense rain and high winds. Disaster management teams have been deployed in full strength.
ODISHA
Although Montha will make landfall in Andhra, Odisha is bracing for its spillover impact. The state government has issued a red alert in eight southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal — anticipating heavy rain and gusty winds from Tuesday.
“Our target is zero casualty,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said while overseeing evacuations.
The government has opened 1,445 cyclone shelters and readied 140 rescue teams drawn from the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services. Special focus has been placed on hilly terrain in Gajapati district, where landslides are possible.
Pujari added that evacuation of 32,000 people from vulnerable low-lying areas was underway as the cyclone’s impact was expected to intensify over the next 48 hours.
WEST BENGAL
The IMD has warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in southern West Bengal from Tuesday, particularly in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, and Purba and Pashchim Medinipurs. Wind speeds could touch 80-90 kmph, prompting advisories against venturing into the sea.
Coastal police in South 24 Parganas have begun public announcements, urging trawlers to return by Monday evening. District administrations have opened control rooms and stocked relief supplies.
North Bengal, meanwhile, is expected to receive increased rain from October 29 as the cyclone moves inland. The state agriculture department has advised farmers to complete paddy harvesting to minimise crop loss.
TAMIL NADU
Farther south, Tamil Nadu’s northern districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet were drenched by heavy showers on Monday. The Regional Meteorological Centre said Montha lay about 480 km east of Chennai in the Bay of Bengal.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin visited flood-prone areas and reviewed stormwater clearance efforts.
“The IMD has told us there will not be very heavy rain in the next 10 days. Even if it does, our government is ready,” he said.
The Mumbai police has busted a drug manufacturing factory with international ramifications in the Vasai tehsil of Palghar district neighbouring Mumbai on Sunday.
Five persons have been arrested and mephedrone aka MD and raw materials to the tune of over Rs 13 crore was seized.
The operation was carried out of Zone 6 Anti-Narcotics Cell of Mumbai Police and Tilak Nagar police station, which busted the factory at the
Rasheed Compound in Pelhar in Nalasopara off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Vasai tehsil.
During the raid, police seized around 7 kilograms of MD drugs along with a large quantity of chemicals and raw materials used in drug production. The seized material is estimated to be worth several crores of rupees.
A Bengaluru-based Malayali, his associates, and a few officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board that manages the temple, have been accused of looting the precious metal from the temple door frames
The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Credit: PTI File Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, a major pilgrimage centre in Kerala, is caught in a row over an alleged gold heist.
A Bengaluru-based Malayali, his associates, and a few officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) that manages the temple, are accused of looting the precious metal from the temple door frames, constructed with Rs 18 crore funding support from industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998-99. Here is a look at what the controversy is all about.
What was siphoned off from Sabarimala?
Gold coatings of the two ‘Dwarapalaka idols’ (guardian deities) on either side of the door of the sanctum sanctorum and door frames were found missing. Over 30 kg of 24-carat gold was used for coating the door sculptures carved on copper plates. Of that, around 2 kg were used for plating the two Dwarapalaka idols as well as the door frames.
How did the alleged heist happen?
In 2019, when the TDB decided to carry out maintenance work. Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potti, who earlier worked as an assistant to the priest at Sabarimala, offered to sponsor it. While handing over the plating to the sponsor, it was mentioned as copper in the records. Though permission of the Kerala High Court Devaswom bench is required for all major works, those norms were flouted. The plating was given to Chennai-based Smart Creations. Though the plating’s weight was less by 4.5 kg when Potti returned it, no inquiry was conducted.
What is the suspicion?
It is suspected that gold coatings were looted by Potti with the connivance of the TDB authorities. Potti displayed the plating at various places in south India and collected donations for the work that he offered to carry out. The plating was taken to Chennai for maintenance and the suspicion is that the motive behind it could be the removal of some of the yellow metal.
How did the irregularities come to light?
On September 8, 2025, a special commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court for overseeing the activities at Sabarimala reported that the gold plating of the ‘Dwarapalaka’ idols was removed and taken to Chennai without permission a day before. The TDB later admitted the lapse. It was during these proceedings, the court found the discrepancy in the plating’s weight after it was given to Potti in 2019. The High Court asked the TDB vigilance wing to probe, which exposed the malpractice involving board officials. Subsequently, a High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar constituted a special investigation team.
What steps have been taken by the SIT so far?
The SIT has arrested Potti and Murari Babu, a former senior TDB official. Three others from Bengaluru, identified as Aananthasubramanyam, Ramesh and Kalpesh are also under the radar. As many as 18 persons, mostly TDB employees, have been arraigned in the two cases registered so far.
The states likely to be included are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, along with a few others
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. (PTI file photo)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a press conference on Monday evening to announce the first phase of a pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, officials said. The revision is expected to cover 10 to 15 states, including those scheduled for Assembly elections in 2026.
The states likely to be included are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, along with a few others.
According to sources cited by The Indian Express, the exercise could begin on November 1. Some states where local body elections are ongoing or there are “peculiar circumstances” may be excluded for now.
A senior official told PTI that the EC may appoint volunteers to assist booth-level officers (BLOs) during the SIR in West Bengal. These volunteers, primarily government employees, will support polling stations with more than 1,200 voters.
The official added that due to a cap on the number of voters per booth, West Bengal may see an increase of around 14,000 polling booths, taking the total from 80,000 to roughly 94,000.
Water minister Parvesh Verma inspects arrangements at Chhath Ghats along the Yamuna. (X-p_sahibsingh)
The political rhetoric over Chhath Puja in Delhi escalated on Sunday, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Delhi government of constructing an “artificial Yamuna” with “filtered water” at Vasudev Ghat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in the festivities. The BJP dismissed the allegations, calling them “political drama” and claiming that the opposition was objecting to cleanliness efforts at the riverbank.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, AAP Delhi head Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that the BJP had “built a fake Yamuna” by secretly filling a small stream at Vasudev Ghat with filtered water from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which supplies Delhi’s drinking water. “BJP is soon going to stage another drama before the people of Delhi and the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a dip in that filtered-water Yamuna to fool the people of Delhi, Bihar and Purvanchal, and to show that the BJP has cleaned the Yamuna,” Bhardwaj said.
AAP also released a video claiming that, unlike the “fake river of filtered water,” other ghats had polluted water with high faecal coliform levels, posing health risks for devotees. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal posted on X that “the BJP has made a mockery of the deep religious sentiments attached to Chhath Parv in Delhi,” while Leader of Opposition Atishi termed the situation “outright discrimination.”
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva countered the allegations, accusing the former AAP government of banning Chhath Puja on the Yamuna banks between 2018 and 2024.
“This is the first-ever political drama in which an opposition leader raised objections against the government’s efforts to ensure cleanliness and sanitation,” Sachdeva said, referring to Bhardwaj’s video from the Yamuna banks.
Sachdeva said the BJP government had completed basic cleaning of the Yamuna in eight months and made natural ghats available for devotees.
“The Purvanchal community of Delhi wants to ask two direct questions to the AAP leadership. On what administrative basis did the AAP government impose a ban on Chhath Puja on the Yamuna banks from 2018 to 2024? Why does AAP object to Rekha Gupta’s government ensuring sanitation and clean water at the Yamuna ghats?” he asked.
Sachdeva further said that Bhardwaj was objecting to the cleaning of Vasudev Ghat and the availability of clean water.
“While opposition parties across the country have often raised concerns about a lack of development or about unclean religious sites, this is the first-ever instance of an opposition party protesting against efforts to ensure cleanliness,” he added.
Has Bollywood star Salman Khan been added to Pakistan’s “Fourth Schedule” as a “terror facilitator”? Here’s the truth.
No, Salman Khan has not been declared a terrorist in Pakistan.
Several media reports on Sunday claimed that Bollywood actor Salman Khan had been placed on Pakistan’s “Fourth Schedule” under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act and had been labelled a “terror facilitator” over his recent remarks surrounding Balochistan. But the claims are far from the truth.
No Pakistani government official statement, notification, or entry was found on Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) proscribed persons page or any Ministry of Interior/provincial Home Department gazette which notified Salman Khan’s inclusion in the Fourth Schedule.
The reports have also been denied by the Pakistan Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. According to a fact check on Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s social media handle on X, the claim remains unverified and false, and the news appears to be a sensational headline rather than a substantiated fact.
What did Salman Khan say about Balochistan?
The controversy erupted after Salman Khan’s comments at the Joy Forum 2025 in Riyadh, where he appeared alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan to discuss the rising popularity of Indian cinema in the Middle East. During the discussion, he mentioned Balochistan and Pakistan separately.
Salman said, “Right now, if you make a Hindi film and release it here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. If you make a Tamil, Telugu, or Malayali film, it will do hundreds of crores in business because so many people from other countries have come here. There are people from Balochistan, there are people from Afghanistan, there are people from Pakistan… everyone is working here.”
I don’t know if it was slip of tongue, but this is amazing! Salman Khan separates “people of Balochistan” from “people of Pakistan” . pic.twitter.com/dFNKOBKoEz
Following Khan’s statement, Baloch leaders, like Mir Yar Baloch, expressed gratitude toward the actor, saying Salman’s words had “brought happiness to six crore Baloch people.”
“By recognising Balochistan as distinct, Salman Khan has done what many nations hesitate to do. It’s a powerful act of soft diplomacy that strengthens the global awareness of our identity,” he said.
The Court observed that the attitude of the wife to persistently ridicule her husband as an alcoholic in his social circle is a serious affair.
Jabalpur Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court, Couple
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently granted divorce to a man after finding that his wife had falsely accused him of intoxication and contested his divorce plea despite being determined not to resume marital life.
A Division Bench of Justices Vishal Dhagat and Anuradha Shukla observed that the attitude of the wife to persistently ridicule her husband as an alcoholic in his social circle is a serious affair, amounting to mental cruelty.
“In the case on hand, the wife, in order to avoid marital obligations, has made unfounded allegation of habit of intoxication against the appellant/husband and has thus exposed him to social sham and contempt by compromising his social position of a public servant. Her act of baseless accusation definitely has a decisive impact on the future relationship of the parties…”
The couple married in 2004 and have two children. However, they have been living separately since 2017. The wife had earlier filed a petition under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act against the husband, but it was later closed.
The husband filed for divorce in 2018, alleging that her behaviour towards him was cruel and that she used to make false allegations against him. However, the wife contested the plea, stating that she was subjected to cruelty and that a compromise had been reached only after her husband had apologised.
In 2021, a family court rejected the divorce plea, holding that the husband was a habitual drinker and had harassed his wife. The husband then moved the High Court with the present appeal.
The High Court found that the documents, particularly the compromise relied upon by the family court to give its finding on the alleged liquor addiction of husband, did not have any evidentiary value.
“…In none of these documents, it is mentioned that the appellant/husband had any habit of taking liquor. The last document was Ex. D/4, which was a complaint given to Police Paramarash Kendra on 24.02.2015 by respondent/wife, but it appears that police did not take any follow-up action on its basis. Thus, whatever wicked deeds were confessed by appellant/husband in the year 2011, under Ex.-D/2, had evidently no recurring episodes in subsequent years of his marital life. Further, whatever was stated by the wife regarding this habit to intoxication, the same was rebutted by appellant-husband in his statement given on oath,” the Court found.
Thus, it concluded that the allegations of the husband’s liquor addiction was not duly proved by the wife. The trial court committed error in holding that the husband was a habitual drinker, the Bench found.
Taking note of the couple’s jobs, the Court found that the wife was determined to humiliate him in the social circles.
The initiative marks one of the biggest technology-led education reforms since the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
The move is part of the CBSE’s ongoing effort to make school education more holistic and less exam-centric, moving from rote learning to competency-based assessment. (File for representation)
In a major step towards reshaping India’s school assessment system, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is building a digital platform that will enable teachers across its affiliated schools to create high-quality, competency-based assessments.
The initiative marks one of the biggest technology-led education reforms since the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which calls for a fundamental shift from rote learning to measuring real understanding and application of knowledge.
The proposed platform — currently in the request-for-proposal (RFP) stage — will serve as a centralised hub for question creation, quality review, analytics, and assessment design, directly supporting teachers in crafting both formative and summative evaluations based on defined learning outcomes.
The move is part of the CBSE’s ongoing effort to make school education more holistic and less exam-centric, moving from rote learning to competency-based assessment.
Assessment reforms
In recent years, the board has introduced assessment reforms in line with the NEP, redesigning question papers for Classes 10 and 12 to include 50% competency-based questions that assess students’ ability to apply concepts rather than memorise facts.
At the foundational and middle school levels, the CBSE has rolled out the Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning (SAFAL) programme for Grades 3, 5, and 8. SAFAL evaluates students’ understanding of core concepts and their ability to use knowledge in real-life situations. Reports generated under SAFAL also identify learning gaps and suggest targeted interventions at the classroom level.
Complementing these reforms is the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF), which requires schools to self-evaluate their performance across academic and administrative parameters. Select schools also undergo expert-led quality reviews to ensure continuous improvement.
To institutionalise these reforms, the CBSE has established a Centre of Excellence in Assessment (CEA) — a specialised unit responsible for developing standards for competency-based assessments, creating a national Item Bank, and guiding schools in adopting the new framework.
The CEA’s role includes building assessment tools that test higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis, critical reasoning, and problem-solving — a key departure from traditional tests that largely emphasise memorisation.
The proposed digital platform
According to the RFP, the CBSE plans to partner with a qualified IT solution provider to design, develop, operate, and maintain the platform. The system will function as a secure, scalable, and user-centric digital ecosystem that supports teachers, subject experts, and administrators.
The proposed features include a central repository of question items categorised by grade, subject, and competency level, tools for teachers to design assessments using drag-and-drop or automated blueprints, and a Quality Analyser and Reviewer (QAR) tool powered by artificial intelligence to check questions for accuracy, clarity, and relevance.
It will also include AI and NLP-based plagiarism and duplication detection, ensuring originality and alignment with learning objectives. Machine learning algorithms will generate item statistics such as difficulty level, reliability, and bias detection. Interactive dashboards will be there for real-time tracking of assessment data and teacher participation.
The platform will also integrate with the CBSE’s existing teacher identity and training systems through Single Sign-On (SSO) access, and connect with the Teachers Integrated Formation System (TIFS) for continuous capacity building.
Officials say the platform will empower teachers in more than 27,000 CBSE-affiliated schools to create classroom-level assessments that truly reflect student learning. Teachers will be able to access the central item bank, customise question papers, and even contribute new items for review.
Each contribution will go through a multi-layered review process, including checks by subject reviewers and senior reviewers, before being published in the national repository. Every question will carry metadata tags — such as grade, subject, learning outcome, and Bloom’s taxonomy level — to ensure easy discovery and appropriate use.
Beyond supporting teachers, the digital platform will allow CBSE to analyse data on learning trends and assessment quality. It will help generate school report cards, track item performance, and identify patterns of student achievement across grades.
The system will also undergo regular audits — internal reviews every six months and third-party certifications annually — to ensure transparency, security, and data integrity.
Bhagyashree Pachangne has claimed that the doctor was under pressure to alter the postmortem report. She has also demanded a thorough investigation into her daughter’s suspicious death.
The doctor wrote a suicide note on her palm
The doctor in Maharashtra who died by suicide has signed a fake postmortem report, a woman from Satara has alleged. The woman, Bhagyashree Maruti Pachangne, from a village in the district, is the mother of Deepali Maruti, who, she alleges, did not die a natural death and but her postmortem report does not corroborate that.
Bhagyashree Pachangne has claimed that the doctor was under pressure to alter the postmortem report. She has also demanded a thorough investigation into her daughter’s suspicious death.
Doctor’s Suicide
The doctor was apparently under pressure to give false medical reports. In a suicide note that she penned on her palm, she has accused a police officer — sub-inspector Gopal Badane — of sexual assault and a techie, Prashant Bankar, of mental harassment.
She also mentioned a former MP in another four-page suicide letter.
She allegedly mentioned two personal assistants of the former MP asking the doctor to declare an accused, Malhari Channe, medically fit.
Quoting an un-named relative, news agency Press Trust of India claimed the doctor was pressured to change medical reports at the sub-district hospital where she worked.
“Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into,” the relative said.
The case has sparked a massive political row in Maharashtra, with the Opposition alleging that the doctor was victimised by criminals.
Fresh Twist
The fresh allegations by Bhagyashree Pachangne have added a new layer to the case. Her daughter, Pachangne alleged, was married to Ajinkya Hanmant Nimbalkar, an Indian Army officer.
Bhagyashree Pachangne claims her daughter faced continuous mental and physical abuse from her husband and in-laws. Unable to bear the torment, she had died by suicide on August 19. Pachangne, however, claimed her daughter could have been murdered.
She alleged that even five days after Deepali’s death, the police did not provide the postmortem report.
When the Pachangne family finally received it after a month, they found it entirely fabricated, she claimed. She accused Ajinkya Nimbalkar of using his political and police connections to suppress the case.
“On August 17, we received a call from our son-in-law, informing us that Deepali was in critical condition and admitted to Raut Hospital in Phaltan. We were shocked, assuming that since she was pregnant, she might have fainted or fallen due to dizziness,” she said.
When they reached the hospital, her brother-in-law “informed us that Deepali had taken her life… I strongly doubt this,” she said.
“My daughter could not have done this. She was six months pregnant and had a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter-how could she leave them behind? She would never do such a thing. I believe she was murdered,” she added.
The molestation incident has now triggered a political storm after a controversial statement from Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
It’s a lesson for us and for the players as well, said Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Even as India hosts the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, a shocking crime in Indore has overshadowed the tournament’s spirit. Two renowned Australian women cricketers were allegedly molested by a biker near their hotel. The incident, which took place in full public view, has not only raised serious questions about the state’s security apparatus but also triggered a political storm after a controversial statement from Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
According to police, the accused, identified as Aqeel alias Naitra, a 29-year-old serial offender from Khajrana, was arrested within hours of the complaint. The incident sent shockwaves across the sporting fraternity, coming as it did during an international event with the world’s top female cricketers in India.
However, instead of solely focusing on the police lapse, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s remarks have sparked fresh outrage. Vijayvargiya said that the players should learn a lesson from the incident. “Whenever any player goes anywhere, even when we go out, we always inform at least one local person. I think this will remind the players that in the future, if we leave our venue, we should inform our security or local administration before leaving, as there is a huge craze for cricket players. Cricket is a sport like football in England. I have seen football players’ clothes being torn. We were staying at the hotel and having coffee. So many young men came over. Someone was asking for autographs from a famous player. A girl kissed him, and his clothes got torn. He was a very famous football player.”
Vijayvargiya further added, “Sometimes, players don’t realise their popularity. Players are very popular, so they should be careful. This incident has happened; it’s a lesson for everyone. It’s a lesson for us and for the players as well.”
Speaking to NDTV, he reiterated that “while there was a security lapse, it was also the players’ responsibility” to inform local authorities before going out. “They didn’t inform anyone, they didn’t tell anyone,” he said. “But they will learn a lesson from this incident and stay cautious in the future.”
His comments have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and women’s rights groups. Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav slammed the statement as “disgusting and regressive,” saying, “This incident exposes the state’s failure to protect its guests. Kailash ji’s remark reflects a disturbing mindset; instead of ensuring women’s safety, the minister is blaming the victims. The Chief Minister himself heads the Home Ministry, and yet such incidents occur under his watch.”
The controversy has also divided the sporting fraternity. Former Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) president Sanjay Jagdale said, “Look, it’s not possible for everyone to have security at all times. If a player goes somewhere without informing anyone, how will anyone know? If such an incident occurs, no one can be held responsible. In such a situation, players also need to be vigilant.”
But this isn’t the first time Vijayvargiya has courted controversy with comments about women and morality. Just a few months back, he made some controversial remarks about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, “We are people of an old culture. In our sisters’ village, Jirapur, we don’t even drink water. My father used to bring a pot of water from home. Our opposition leaders today are such that they kiss their young sisters in the middle of the crossroads. I want to ask you who among you kisses your young sisters or daughters in public? This is a lack of values. These are foreign values; these came about from being brought up abroad.”
At another public event in Indore in June, he stirred controversy again, saying, “I don’t like girls who wear skimpy clothes. In the West, a woman wearing fewer clothes is considered beautiful. I don’t agree with that. In India, we consider a girl beautiful when she dresses well, wears jewellery, and adorns herself gracefully.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasises the US commitment to strengthening ties with both India and Pakistan without compromising historic relations. He highlights the strategic balance Washington seeks amid evolving regional dynamics.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assures India that US-Pakistan relations will not come at India’s expense.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington sees an opportunity to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan, but it will not come at the expense of its historic and important ties with India.
Speaking to journalists ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur on Monday for the Asean summit, Rubio said that the US maintains a “deep, historic, and important” friendship with India.
Rubio’s statement comes amid reports of the United States moving closer to Pakistan, a shift that has raised concerns among experts and caused an apparent unease in New Delhi, especially in light of recent strategic and economic deals under the Trump administration.
INDIA’S CONCERNS ADDRESSED
On queries about India’s concerns over US-Pakistan ties, Rubio said, “New Delhi is concerned for obvious reasons, but I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship with India.” He described India as “very mature when it comes to diplomacy” and stressed that the US must maintain relations with a variety of countries.
US-PAKISTAN RELATIONS ON UPSWING
Rubio’s remarks come amid an upswing in US-Pakistan relations over the past six months, particularly following US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir after the brief armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year. While India rejected Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire, Pakistan credited the US president for helping end hostilities.
In a virtual address at the India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) annual summit, Modi also said that the grouping is a key pillar of New Delhi’s Act East Policy.
File Image |
The India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is emerging as a powerful foundation for global stability and growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.In a virtual address at the India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) annual summit, Modi also said that the grouping is a key pillar of New Delhi’s Act East Policy.
#WATCH | Virtually addressing the 22nd ASEAN Summit 2025, PM Narendra Modi says, “This year’s theme for the ASEAN Summit is ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’. This theme clearly reflects in our shared efforts- be it digital inclusion or ensuring food security and resilient supply… pic.twitter.com/7P2FTHXblP
“India has always fully supported ‘ASEAN centrality’ and ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” he said.”Even in these times of uncertainty, the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has made steady progress. Our strong partnership is emerging as a powerful foundation for global stability and growth,” Modi said.
The prime minister said India has “stood firmly with its ASEAN friends” in every crisis and the two-way cooperation in the spheres of maritime security and the blue economy is growing rapidly.”In light of this, we are declaring 2026 as the ASEAN-India year of maritime cooperation,” he announced.”We are also vigorously advancing mutual cooperation in education, tourism, science and technology, health, green energy and cybersecurity. We will continue to work together to preserve our shared cultural heritage and strengthen people-to-people ties,” he said.
ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.The ASEAN-India dialogue relations started with the establishment of a sectoral partnership in 1992. This graduated to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995 and a summit-level partnership in 2002.
Battery experts noted that lithium-ion batteries contain volatile, flammable electrolytes that can ignite under extreme heat.
Charred remains of a Hyderabad-bound private bus that caught fire after a collision with a two-wheeler, near Chinnatekur in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. Credit: PTI Photo
Chinnatekur, Kurnool: As forensic experts began examining the charred wreckage of the private sleeper bus that went up in flames on the Kurnool highway on Friday, killing 19 passengers, chilling new details surfaced on Saturday.
The bus was found to be carrying in its luggage cabin a consignment of around 300 smartphones worth an estimated Rs 46 lakh, being transported to Bengaluru for a leading e-commerce company by Hyderabad-based businessman K Manganath.
Forensic teams with whom DH interacted now believe that exploding lithium-ion batteries in the smartphones may have intensified the blaze, turning it into a deadly inferno. Battery experts noted that lithium-ion batteries contain volatile, flammable electrolytes that can ignite under extreme heat.
Probe teams found that the bike involved in the initial crash had got lodged under the bus as it moved forward, dragging along for some distance. Sparks generated during the drag, coupled with leaking petrol, led to ignition. The flames first caught the luggage cabin, where the smartphone shipment was kept.
Due to the rising heat, the batteries might have exploded simultaneously, causing the fire to spread rapidly into the passenger compartment above. Most passengers seated in berths directly above the luggage area had no time to escape. Several bodies were found stuck in the narrow passageways between berths, with rescue teams describing horrifying scenes of remains fused together by the flames.
One body was found halfway through a window, suggesting the victim collapsed from suffocation and heat while attempting to jump out. Forensic officers confirmed that most victims were seated in the bus’ front section, directly above the luggage bay where the fire first erupted.
During the blaze, a woman named Anusha, wife of Golla Ramesh who also perished, appeared to have tried desperately to save her daughter. First responders said both mother and child were found fused together, implying she might have held her daughter tightly as flames surrounded them. By the time she climbed down from the upper berth, fire had already engulfed the cabin.
Experts also believe that several victims died due to inhalation of thick smoke while struggling to find an escape route. Observers noted that had there been a proper emergency exit, many could have survived.
“When a smartphone battery overheats, a process called thermal runaway occurs, triggering a chain reaction of self-sustaining exothermic reactions that can cause explosions and flames reaching 200°C to 1,000°C,” explained a battery expert.
It is common practice among private bus operators to ferry commercial consignments to earn extra income, storing them in luggage cabins meant for passengers’ belongings. They sometimes transport motorcycles but usually empty fuel tanks to prevent fire risk. In many cases, operators earn nearly as much from booking cargo as from passenger fares.
The aluminium base of the gutted R Kaveri bus had completely melted, while the auxiliary air-conditioning battery near the luggage cabin next to the smartphone consignment was also found exploded, underscoring the intensity of the fire.
Private bus overturns on Hyderabad ORR
Even as the Kurnool bus tragedy continued to haunt memories on Saturday, another mishap occurred when a private electric bus overturned on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Pedda Amberpet in Hyderabad. Fortunately, about 20 passengers escaped with minor injuries. The bus was travelling from Miyapur to Guntur on Saturday morning.
A video showed the bus flipped on its right side, with rescuers surrounding it along the ORR near Pedda Amberpet municipality in Ranga Reddy district. The guardrails struck by the bus had collapsed due to the force with which the bus had slipped on the right side.
Police, ORR maintenance staff, and local residents immediately launched rescue operations. Preliminary reports indicated that the accident occurred when the driver failed to negotiate a curve properly. The injured were shifted to hospitals near Hayathnagar for treatment.
RTA crackdown after Kurnool tragedy
In the wake of the Kurnool bus tragedy, the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department launched a special enforcement drive on Saturday, booking 289 cases against private travel operators for violating safety norms.
Officials said 18 buses operating illegally were seized, with heavy penalties imposed on those lacking fire safety equipment. Fines amounting to Rs 7.08 lakh were levied across the state. Eluru district reported the highest number of cases, 55, while three buses there were seized.
The cyclone is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the night of October 28 as “severe cyclonic storm”
A pedestrian walking amidst heavy rain in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday morning. Rain is predicted to intensify across Kerala with the formation of Cyclone ‘Montha’ in Bay of Bengal. | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran
Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan chaired a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparedness for the impending cyclone in Bay of Bengal.
The cyclone is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the night of October 28 as “severe cyclonic storm” with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
The Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha apprised the Committee of the preparatory measures being taken to protect the population in the expected path of cyclonic storm and precautionary measures being taken by the local administration. It was also brought to the notice of the Committee that adequate shelters and evacuation arrangements have been made and necessary NDRF and SDRF teams have been kept on standby. District Control Rooms have also been activated and are monitoring the situation, a government statement said.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into Southwest, adjoining central Bay of Bengal, along & off Tamil Nadu; Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (of Puducherry), and along and off Odisha coast from October 26-29. Those out at sea have been advised to return to the coast immediately, the statement said.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has kept teams in readiness and will be mobilised by October 26. NDRF has kept additional teams on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard along with their ships and aircrafts have been kept in readiness. Indian Coast Guard has already shepherded over 900 ships to the jetty/ shores so far, and remaining have been alerted to return to the coast. Union Home Secretary said that the MHA, NDMA and IMD are continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Ministries / Departments/ State Governments and agencies.
The BJP government noted the swift action and arrest made in the case, and said it has ordered strict action against the accused.
The incident took place on Thursday night when the two cricketers were returning to their hotel from a cafe in Indore. (PTI)
The alleged stalking and molestation of two Australian women cricketers in Indore has drawn the ire of the opposition, who are blaming the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government for failing to make the state safe for women.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back, saying that the government took swift action and arrested the accused, identified as Aqueel Sheikh.
The two Australian cricketers, in India for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, were returning to their hotel from a cafe at around 11 pm on Thursday when the accused began following them on a bike. He inappropriately touched one of the cricketers and fled the scene.
#WATCH | MP | Indore Police have arrested the accused, Aqueel, in connection with the alleged molestation of two members of the Australian women’s cricket team on 23rd October
The cricketers informed their security officer, Danny Simmons, about the incident, following which a complaint was lodged at the MIG road police station. An FIR was registered under sections 74 (outrage modesty of women) and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police arrested the accused, a resident of Azad Nagar, on the basis of CCTV footage of the spot. Sheikh reportedly has a criminal background. The accused confessed to the crime and told police that “he was just saying hello to them out of curiosity”.
The incident came ahead of the Women’s World Cup fifth match on Saturday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
‘Shameful, disgraceful’
While the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) slammed the incident, a political slugfest broke out over the alleged molestation of the cricketers.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi took to X and condemned the incident, saying, “Disgraceful. We boast about economic growth, but, we continue to fail providing safe spaces for women. What a shameful act.”
Congress’s state unit president Jitendra Patwari condemned the incident where a “deranged individual inappropriately” touched an Australian cricketer.
“This is the same #Indore whose law and order is personally overseen by @DrMohanYadav51 as chief minister, home minister, and the minister in charge of Indore! The filth spread in the country’s cleanest city cannot be ignored at any cost! This is shameful and reprehensible! Even after the announced tour, guests are not being provided security; this is yet another major and solid proof of the failure of @BJPMP’s government!” Patwari posted on X.
Later, Patwari also spoke to news agency PTI and said “no law and order” is left in Madhya Pradesh, calling on CM Mohan Yadav to take cognisance of the incident and fix responsibilities and punish those responsible.
Meanwhile, the Congress said that such an incident is a “proof of the failure of the BJP government”.
“This incident not only brings shame to the country but also tears apart the spirit of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God),” the party said in a post on X. It added that the breach in the women cricketer’s security shows that law and order in Madhya Pradesh have collapsed.
“The BJP government talks about women’s honor and safety, but Narendra Modi and BJP leaders fall silent on such incidents. Shameful!,” Congress added.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) said that the incident has lowered the image of India before the world. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “Two Australian women cricketers were molested in an ICC-organised world cricket championship in BJP-ruled Indore. Mind, this happens during the double-engine government rule. It has lowered our heads before the entire world.”
Ghosh said that while one person has been arrested in connection with the alleged molestation, “we do not know if the real perpetrator has been identified”. He demanded a fair investigation and punishment of the accused at the earliest.
TMC spokesperson Sudip Raha took a swipe at the Madhya Pradesh government and said that the incident shows the “reality of ‘Beti Bachap’ under BJP rule”. “Before raising fingers upon Bengal, @BJP4India’s zamindars must introspect, for it’s under their rule that India’s daughters and guests are unsafe. They have dragged our nation’s name through the mud before the entire world,” Raha said on X.
Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the BJP for “hyprocisy”, saying that the party only protests if such incidents occur in Congress-ruled states.
He called on leaders across party lines to raise voice against crimes against women. “Such incidents are on the rise, but unfortunately, the BJP only hits the roads when it happens in Congress-ruled states. This hypocrisy would not improve the situation of women’s safety. All the parties must raise their voices unitedly against crimes against women and work on policies to create a safe environment for women,” Khera told news agency ANI.
What BJP said?
Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya condemned the alleged molestation of the Australian women cricketers in Indore and said the government has ordered strict action against the accused.
He noted that the accused, Aqueel Sheikh, was arrested after an Intensive Strategic Operation.
“It is shameful for Indore and the country. We have ordered the relevant officers to take strict action against the accused. An example should be set by giving strict punishment to prevent such an incident,” Vijayvargiya said.
The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements
The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements
The central government is set to announce a 26% increase in advertisement rates for print media, the first major revision since 2019, people aware of the matter in the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry.
The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements. The official attributed the plan to help the industry navigate volatility in ad revenue between print and digital media.
According to a second official, who asked not to be named, the last revision took place in January 2019, when the ministry announced a 25% hike over the rate structure set by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, then known as DAVP.
That revision, implemented following recommendations of the 8th Rate Structure Committee, took into account rising newsprint costs and processing charges. The 2019 rates were valid for three years.
A Rate Structure Committee was set up in November 2021 to review the rates after the previous revision’s validity period ended. However, the revision has been pending for three years despite multiple rounds of consultations and recommendations submitted to the government, the first person cited above said.
Prior to 2019, rates were revised in 2013 with a 19% increase over 2010 levels.
One of the people said the new rate hike aims to provide relief to newspapers, particularly small and medium publications, which have been waiting for a revision since 2022.
Representatives of the Indian Newspaper Society did not respond to requests for a comment.
At a press briefing on Saturday, Union I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said new television rating point (TRP) agency guidelines are being formulated, with one round of public consultation already completed.
“More rounds of consultation may follow. We are following a fully consultative approach,” Vaishnaw said.
In July, the ministry proposed changes to the 2014 rules for television rating agencies to allow more players in the market beyond the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). The draft suggests easing ownership rules to encourage greater participation and build trust in the system.
The ministry also announced plans to integrate the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) to improve coordination across communication, outreach, and regulatory functions.
Based on over 44,000 responses, the survey covered residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad
Most people in Delhi and the wider National Capital Region are feeling the impact of polluted air in their daily lives, a survey has found.
Three out of four households in Delhi-NCR are have listed problems ranging from sore throat and cough, to burning eyes, headaches and disturbed sleep, in an online survey by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles, news agency PTI reported on Saturday, October 25.
An analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that after Diwali — crackers were permitted this time — PM 2.5 levels touched 488 micrograms per cubic metre, the ighest in five years. That’s over three times the pre-Diwali level of 156.6.
Here’s how the survey went:
Based on over 44,000 responses, the survey covered residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad.
42% of the households reported that one or more members were suffering from sore throat or cough.
25% said family members had burning eyes, headaches or difficulty sleeping.
17% of respondents reported breathing difficulties or aggravated asthma.
What people are doing to avoid the toxins
The survey firm, LocalCircles, said 44 per cent of households were trying to minimise outdoor exposure. They are increasing intake of immunity-boosting foods and drinks too.
Around 30 per cent of the respondent households said they have consulted or plan to consult doctors for pollution-related health issues.
On ‘parali’ or stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana
There has been a 77.5 per cent cut in the burning of ‘parali’ or paddy stubble in Punjab and Haryana due to floods and delayed harvests, yet Delhi has been “poor” on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
The AQI has crossed 400 in several areas, and been at about 24 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended level for PM2.5 exposure.
According to the CPCB, Delhi’s overall AQI on Saturday morning stood in the “poor” category again at 261, somewhat down from 290 a day earlier. However, Anand Vihar recorded a “severe” AQI of 412, the highest among all monitoring stations.
Other areas of concern included Bawana, where AQI was at 336, classified as “very poor”, and ITO, which registered an AQI of 248. Dwarka recorded a comparatively lower AQI of 276, still within the “poor” range, highlighting the distribution of pollution across the capital.
What govt is doing
Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) already in effect across Delhi-NCR. Truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed on Janpath road to tackle the high levels of particulate matter.
CM Rekha Gupta said on Friday said that cloud seeding has become a necessity for the national capital for artificial rain.
“We want to try it in Delhi to see if it can help us control this very serious environmental problem,” she told ANI.
The plan is to try and have artificial rain between October 28 and 30.
Vinod Dongle, a respected notary and private school owner, opened his demat account as usual, only to find a mind-boggling figure staring back at him Rs 2,817 crore.
Dongle himself has taken the incident in stride.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district’s quiet town of Dhamnod was buzzing with disbelief and laughter on Friday, when a local notary lawyer briefly became, at least on paper, a billionaire.
Vinod Dongle, a respected notary and private school owner, opened his demat account as usual, only to find a mind-boggling figure staring back at him Rs 2,817 crore. His account showed 1,312 shares of Harsil Agro Limited, each inexplicably priced at over Rs 2.14 crore per share. The total? A staggering Rs 28,17,41,29,408.
At first, Dongle couldn’t believe his eyes. “For a few minutes,” he said with a grin, “I thought my destiny had changed overnight. It felt like winning every lottery in the world.”
The accused claimed that the entire business had RBI’s approval and even opened email accounts for the victims that appeared to be linked to the central bank.
The second phase of raids was carried out simultaneously across 15 districts on October 23 and 24.
In a major crackdown on a large-scale financial fraud, the Crime Branch police of Tamil Nadu arrested 27 more people for their involvement in the multi-crore “Iridium scam” that duped people across the state by misusing the name of the Reserve Bank of India.
Iridium is a hard, brittle, silver-white transition metal in the platinum group, known for being extremely dense and corrosion-resistant.
Acting on credible intelligence, the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CBCID) found that several gangs had been defrauding the public by claiming that crores of rupees could be obtained from abroad through the sale of a rare element called iridium.
According to reports, the accused claimed that the entire business had RBI’s approval and even opened email accounts for the victims that appeared to be linked to the central bank. They forged RBI documents and operated through unregistered trusts to collect hefty amounts from unsuspecting victims.
In the first phase of operations on September 12, the CBCID had arrested 30 people linked to 13 cases registered statewide. Further investigations led to more than 20 additional cases being filed, as officials gathered evidence and victim testimonies.
The second phase of raids was carried out simultaneously across 15 districts on October 23 and 24.
A special team of eight Deputy Superintendents, 20 Inspectors, and 15 Sub-Inspectors arrested 27 accused, including key conspirators – Kambam Chandran, Perumanallur Rani, Musiri Yuvaraj, Varusanadu Palaniammal, and Nagapattinam Rajasivam.
Indian security forces achieved a significant milestone by deporting fugitive gangster Lakhvinder Kumar from the United States, with support from the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Lakhvinder Kumar, a fugitive gangster associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was brought to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi, where he was arrested by the Haryana Police, officials said. (Source: PTI)
In a big win for Indian security agencies, a fugitive gangster associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was deported from the United States on Saturday in an operation coordinated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Sources said Lakhvinder Kumar, who had an Interpol Red Notice issued against him, is among the nearly 40 gangsters who have been deported back to the country this year.
After the successful deportation of Lakhvinder Singh from the US, Gurugram Police will take Gangster Sunil Sardana into custody from Indira Gandhi International Airport today. Sunil Sardana, officials say, orchestrated the firing on Bollywood singer Fazilpuria earlier this year.
Several operatives linked to the gangster network are reportedly under the scanner in Canada, the UAE, and Europe, with Indian authorities pursuing Interpol Red Corner Notices and bilateral extradition requests.
This year, 36 gangsters have been deported back to India, as agencies intensify their crackdown on fugitive gang members who had fled abroad after facing charges.
About Gangster Lakhvinder Kumar
Lakhvinder Kumar, who had an Interpol Red Notice issued against him, was brought to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, where he was arrested by the Haryana Police, they said.
He had been on the radar of multiple Indian agencies for his role in extortion, arms trafficking, and cross-border coordination for the Bishnoi syndicate. He was traced following a coordinated operation between Indian and US authorities, which led to his detention and subsequent deportation process.
Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar condemned the vandalism of her artwork by Kerala artist PH Hochiman as an infringement on artistic freedom.
Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar artwork vandalised in Kerala.
Oslo-based Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar witnessed a disturbing incident after her artwork was vandalised by Kerala-based artist PH Hochiman during its exhibition at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery of the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi in Kochi. PH Hochiman, who did not regret his act, said that her (Benammar) artwork was obscene. The Algerian-French artist voiced concern over the vandalism, calling it a direct assault on artistic freedom and the right to free expression.
Hanan Benammar’s six printed linocut works titled “Go Eat Your Dad”, which were part of the ongoing exhibition “Estranged Geographies” at Durbar Hall Art Gallery, were torn down by Hochiman on Wednesday. He live-streamed the act on Facebook, claiming the works were obscene.
Violence in Art Space Unacceptable, Says Benammar
Speaking to reporters, Benammar said she felt relieved that no one was physically harmed during the incident but stressed that violence in art spaces was unacceptable.
“I am relieved that only the artwork was attacked. I condemn any act of violence in an art space. It is very important to preserve spaces for free expression, especially in these complicated and difficult times,” she said.
Benammar Says Her Work Reflects Acts of Silencing
Benammar said her work itself was a response to “acts of silencing, moral policing and censorship” she had experienced as an artist.
“It was a way to release anger and reflect humorously on language, class, and gender in colloquial speech. So it is ironic to see the work attacked for the very issues it explores,” she said.
The artist said she appreciated the support she received from curators, fellow artists, and the Ministry of Culture.
“We knew that the work would create discussion, and we welcome dialogue on issues of violence. I don’t want this experience to define my time here. I am very happy to be in Kerala so far,” she said.
Benammar on Artist Vandalism Another Artist’s Work
Benammar said she was aware that another artist had vandalised her work. “Artists should think twice before attacking another artist’s work. The piece carried strong language, and we had already warned viewers who did not wish to engage with it,” she said.
She said that she totally understands and respects differing opinions. “I was never contacted for discussion or criticism before this act,” she added.
Kerala Akademi Condemns Incident, Files Case
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Chairman Murali Cheeroth condemned the incident, describing it as an attack on artistic freedom. “These were not abusive words. Benammar had encountered such words as criticism in her life and translated them into Malayalam using Google Translate before incorporating them into her work,” he said.
He added that the Akademi would lodge a police complaint over the incident. “We discussed the issue with executive members and decided to take legal action. Such acts must be resisted so that they are not repeated in the future,” he said.
Cheeroth said Benammar wanted the torn pieces of her artwork to remain on the gallery floor as a symbol of resistance.
Later, Cheeroth lodged a complaint at the Ernakulam Central Police Station, and a case was registered against Hochimin and his associate Sudhamshu.
The case was registered under Sections 329(3) (criminal trespass) and 324(4) (committing mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to the FIR, the accused trespassed into the Darbar Hall and destroyed the artworks, claiming they were obscene. The total loss is estimated to be around Rs 10 lakh, the FIR said.
Meanwhile, Hochiman told a television channel that he had no regrets over his action.
“It was not art but abusive language. We have fought for freedom of expression, but this work was anti-Dalit and anti-women, which I cannot accept as an artist,” he said, adding that he was ready to face the consequences if legal action was taken.
Attacks on Cultural Expression Increasingly Normalised, Says Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust
Reacting to the incident, New Delhi-based Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) strongly condemned the vandalism of Hanan Benammar’s artwork and expressed deep concern over the nature of the attack, noting that while previous assaults on artistic expression have typically come from right-wing groups, this instance was particularly disturbing as it was carried out by a fellow artist and in Kerala, a state known for its progressive and tolerant cultural ethos.
Ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou has shared his thoughts on who would win if there is a conventional war with Pakistan.
AI Generated Representational Image
Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer John Kiriakou has just shown Pakistan a glimpse of reality, saying that they cannot win a conventional war against India because they will lose it adding nothing good will come out of it.
Speaking to ANI, John Kiriakou, who served for 15 years in the CIA, first as an analyst and later in the counter-terrorism department, said that nothing good will come out of an actual war between India and Pakistan because the latter will lose it. He clarified that he was not talking about a nuclear war, but a conventional one.
“They will lose it. It’s as simple as that,” Kiriakou said.
The former CIA officer John Kiriakou recounted his years leading counterterrorism operations in Pakistan after 9/11, highlighting Washington’s uneasy alliance with Islamabad, the rise of cross-border terror networks, and India-Pakistan tensions that nearly escalated into war during Operation Parakram in 2002.
We Believed Ind-Pak Will Go To War After 2001 Parliament Attack, Recalls Ex-CIA Officer
Recalling the situation in Pakistan after December 2001 Indian Parliament terror attack, Kiriakou said that family members had been evacuated from Islamabad as they believed India and Pakistan would go to war.
Kiriakou claimed that the then Deputy US Secretary of State came in and negotiated a settlement between India and Pakistan when both sides backed off.
However, he added that the Indian government would have been perfectly within its rights to respond by striking Pakistan. “We expected the Indians to strike back and they didn’t…”
#WATCH | On India’s reaction after terror attacks of 2001 and 2008, Ex-CIA Officer, John Kiriakou says, “… The Indian government would have been perfectly within its rights to respond by striking Pakistan… We expected the Indians to strike back and they didn’t…”
In another statement, he said that they (US) were so busy and focused on Al Qaeda and Afghanistan and never gave two thoughts to India.
Pak Was Committing Terrorism in India, Nobody Did Anything, Says Kiriakou
Mentioning the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, former CIA officer John Kiriakou said he didn’t believe Al-Qaeda was behind it, but rather a Pakistani-supported Kashmiri terror group.
“I don’t think this is Al-Qaeda. I think this is the Pakistani-supported Kashmiri groups. That turned out to be exactly the case. The bigger story was that Pakistan was committing terrorism in India and nobody did anything about it.”
Five Thalassemia children in Chaibasa tested HIV-positive after alleged transfusion of contaminated blood. A five-member medical team is probing discrepancies.
5 Children With Thalassemia Test HIV-Positive (Photo: Dr Gopal Solanki/X)
In a shocking case of medical negligence reported from Jharkhand’s Chaibasa town, five children have tested HIV-positive. These children were Thalassemia pateints. Family of a seven-year-old child alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa had transfused HIV-infected blood. A five-member medical team from Ranchi is probing into the matter.
Jharkhand government formed a medical team to determine how the children received contaminated blood.
As per the officials, around 25 units of blood has been transfused since the child started visiting the blood bank. District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee, however, said the child had tested HIV-positive over a week ago.
He added that HIV infection could also occur due to other factors, including exposure to contaminated needles.
The five-member team, led by Director (Health services) Jharkhand, Dr Dinesh Kumar, inspected the blood bank at Sadar Hospital and the pediatric intensive care unit ward, collecting details from children under treatment.
Dr Kumar mentioned that some discrepancies were found in the blood bank during the investigation and directed the officials to address them.
“Initial investigation indicates that contaminated blood was transfused to a thalassemia patient. Some discrepancies were detected in the blood bank during the probe, and the officials concerned have been directed to resolve them,” Kumar said.
Police sub-inspector Gopal Badane and software engineer Prashant Bankar have been arrested in connection with the alleged suicide of a woman government doctor in Maharashtra’s Satara district.
The doctor left a suicide note on her hand accusing Police sub-inspector Gopal Badane of repeatedly raping her.
Police sub-inspector Gopal Badane, accused of raping a woman doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara district, was arrested on Saturday evening, hours after a co-accused was taken into custody.
Earlier in the day, Phaltan police arrested software engineer Prashant Bankar, one of the two men named in the doctor’s suicide note, from Pune.
PSI Badane later surrendered at the Phaltan Rural Police Station, Satara SP Tushar Doshi said.
Bankar, accused of mentally harassing the victim and now facing abetment of suicide charges, was produced before a Satara district court, which sent him to police custody for four days.
The doctor, a native of Beed district in the Marathwada region and posted at a government hospital in Satara, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on Thursday night.
In the suicide note, written on her palm, she alleged that police sub-inspector Badane had raped her multiple times, while Bankar, a software engineer, had mentally harassed her.
A case of rape and abetment of suicide has been registered against the two in Phaltan, Satara district. According to police, Bankar is the son of the landlord of the house where the doctor resided. She had allegedly called and chatted with him over the phone before taking her life.
Sub-inspector Badane was suspended from service after his name surfaced during the probe. The doctor was cremated at her native village in Beed’s Wadwani tehsil on Friday night.
Her relatives have demanded capital punishment for the accused. “She complained multiple times about harassment, but her grievances were not addressed,” a relative told a news channel. Another relative claimed, “Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into.”
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve accused former BJP MP Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar of pressuring the doctor on one occasion in the past. Nimbalkar denied the allegation. Talking to reporters, Danve said that two personal assistants of Nimbalkar once facilitated a call between him and the doctor to pressurise her to declare a detained accused as fit or unfit. In response, Nimbalkar said, “the allegation had no truth, and his name was being dragged into the case deliberately.”
BJP MLA Suresh Dhas demanded that the MP who allegedly tried to pressurise the woman doctor be made an accused in the case but did not name any leader.
Earlier this year, the woman doctor had reportedly submitted a reply to authorities in Satara district after a subordinate police official complained about her. In it, she mentioned facing threats from police officials over her work and taunts related to crimes in her native Beed district.
An 82-year-old woman has become an internet sensation after fearlessly leaping from India’s highest bungee platform in Shivpuri, near Rishikesh. The viral video of her jump from an 83-meter-high platform has captivated millions, showcasing a perfect blend of courage and composure.
An 82-year-old woman dances fearlessly before leaping from India’s highest bungee platform at Jumpin Heights, Rishikesh | Instagram
An 82-year-old woman has become an internet sensation after fearlessly leaping from India’s highest bungee platform in Shivpuri, near Rishikesh. The viral video of her jump from an 83-meter-high platform has captivated millions, showcasing a perfect blend of courage and composure.
Viral Clip Showcases Calm and Grace
The video, shared by adventure page Globesome India on October 19, shows the elderly woman joyfully dancing before stepping off the edge. As she plunges toward the Ganges valley, her calm expression and graceful descent have drawn widespread admiration. Viewers described her as “floating like a ballerina,” while onlookers at the site can be heard cheering her bravery.
Jumpin Heights: Safety and Adventure Combined
The jump took place at Jumpin Heights, a leading adventure sports destination in Rishikesh known for its stringent international safety standards. The facility, perched above the Ganges, has earned global recognition for attracting thrill-seekers of all ages.
Inspiration Across Generations
Social media has been flooded with messages praising the woman’s spirit. Many called her an example of living without fear and proving that “age is just a number.” One user wrote, “If she can do this at 82, what’s our excuse?”
Adventure tourism operators in Rishikesh say such feats are inspiring a new wave of elderly participants eager to challenge themselves. Earlier this month, an 83-year-old British woman, Olena Byko, also completed a jump from the same platform, setting a record. Officials clarified that both events were separate but equally remarkable moments showcasing senior citizens’ growing interest in adventure sports.
A video showing an Indian worker reportedly stuck in Saudi Arabia has gone viral on social media, prompting a response from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. The man, from Uttar Pradesh, claims in Bhojpuri that he is being held against his will.
In the video, he can be heard saying, “Agar aap log Hindu ho, chahe Musalman ho, koi bhi, bhai-behen, jo bhi ho, help kardo, please mai mar jaunga, muje meri maa ke paas jana hai.”
Which roughly translates to, “Whether you are Hindu or Muslim, anyone, brother or sister, whoever you are, please help me. I am going to die; I want to go to my mother.”
He also urges people to share the video as much as possible so that it reaches the Prime Minister.
माननीय विदेश मंत्री @DrSJaishankar जी तत्काल संज्ञान मे ले, प्रयागराज हंडिया प्रतापपुर का रहने वाला फंसा सऊदी अरब मे…
The man claiming to be from Handia in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, appears visibly distressed in the video. He claims that his employer, Kapil, has confiscated his passport and is threatening to kill him.
Indian Embassy In Saudi Arabia Reacts
Responding to the X user named “Kalpana Shrivastav”, who is a criminal advocate as per her bio, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said,”Embassy has been trying to locate the person. No further action can be taken as the video does not contain any details about the location/province in Saudi Arabia, or contact number or employer details.”
The embassy also asked Kalpana to seek details from the source of the video.
Saudi Security Department Reacts
The Saudi security department took to X and called the claims by the person baseless, saying that it was published with the intent of increasing engagement on his social media handle.
📹 شرطة المنطقة الشرقية توضح:
ادعاء وافد في محتوى مرئي برغبته في العودة إلى بلده لا صحة له، وتم توثيقه ونشره لغرض زيادة عدد المشاهدات في حسابه بأحد مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي. pic.twitter.com/BJJ2p9C4We
India and the United States (US) are “very close” to a trade deal, with both sides beginning to work on the proposed agreement’s legalese. After the conclusion of the previous round of talks in Washington last week, both sides are seeing convergence on most issues, a senior government official said, signalling that the long-pending deal could be finalised soon, but it is also subject to the final go-ahead at political level.
“Not much difference remains (between the two sides) … talks are progressing well. As far as the (previous) contentious issues such as agriculture are concerned, we are finding some common ground,” the official cited above said.
Meanwhile, referring to the proposed trade-deal talks with the US, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said there was an acceptance regarding the 50 per cent tariff by Washington on several Indian exports.
“We don’t do deals in a hurry, and we don’t deal with deadlines with a gun to our head. India looks long-term. India never takes decisions in a rush or on the pressure of the moment. If there is a tariff on us, it is there. We are looking at how to overcome that.
We are looking at newer markets. We are looking at a stronger demand impetus within the Indian economy,” Goyal said at the Berlin Dialogue in Germany.
In a blow to India, in August, the US administration imposed a 50 per cent tariff on several Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive tariff for purchasing Russian oil. India is bargaining hard with the US for substantial reduction in the additional tariff. That includes removing the 25 per cent punitive tariff and cutting the reciprocal tariff to at least 15 per cent or making it lower than that of its Asian competitors. Currently, the two countries are negotiating a resolution that addresses the pending issues in their trade deal and Washington’s concern over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
The official cited above said issues related to certain non-tariff barriers were yet to be sorted out and were being discussed. For instance, the US has been flagging concern over India’s quality control orders acting as non-tariff barriers for American exporters. The official did not give any detail.
Both sides are communicating virtually. The date for the next round of in-person talks is yet to be scheduled.
Last week, a team of officials of the commerce department, including Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, was in Washington, with a focus on reaching an early conclusion of the agreement. Talks concluded late last week and the team was back over the weekend.
Despite making progress in the recently concluded round, the two sides were not able to finalise an agreement, amid speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and American President Donald Trump could hold a bilateral meeting at the 47th Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit next week.
PM Modi launched the NDA’s Bihar campaign, criticising the Opposition and predicting victory
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a rally in Begusarai on Friday. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) poll campaign in Bihar with back-to-back rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai districts, likening the Opposition to a coalition of thugs led by “people out on bail” and predicting a record-breaking victory for the ruling dispensation.
In Samastipur’s Karpoorigram, the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, Modi alleged the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress had “wasted a lot of Bihar’s money and precious time”, drew a contrast between a “fractious” INDIA bloc and the “cohesive” NDA, and made an outreach to young voters.
“It was in October 2005 that your parents had brought Jungle Raj to an end. Exactly 20 years later, you have a big responsibility on your shoulders, to facilitate prosperity (samriddhi) by voting in favour of good governance (sushasan),” he said. Jungle Raj is often the term used by political opponents to describe the 15 years of RJD rule between 1990 and 2005, to describe the law and order situation.
“The candidates fielded by ‘lathbandhan’ [word play on gathbandhan] clearly indicate their desire to bring back the old days. Listen to their campaigning and you’ll be reminded of Jungle Raj,” he said.
Modi underscored that the NDA was fighting the assembly polls “under the leadership of Nitish Kumar”, in an apparent rebuttal of the Opposition charge that after the elections, the BJP was planning to replace the 75-year-old JD(U) president, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office.
“Nitish Kumar worked day and night to change that and pull Bihar out of the dark age . A new era of development commenced. Now is the time for Bihar to gather speed for self-reliance and prosperity and ensure social justice in the true sense,” he added.
Modi blamed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for stalling development in Bihar.
“People freed Bihar from Jungle Raj in 2005 by voting for the NDA government under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. But for 10 years the Congress-RJD alliance was in power at the Centre and it only created obstacles in Nitish Kumar’s path. The RJD was revengeful to Bihar for voting for NDA. They also used to threaten the Congress that their support would be withdrawn if the Centre backed Nitish government in any way,” he said.
Cautioning people that “development and Jungle Raj of the RJD cannot coexist, the PM said that the first requirement for progress was the rule of law, which Nitish Kumar established.
“People have to be wary and send them packing again. Look at the way they are campaigning, threatening people and using Katta (country made pistol), chharra (pellets), dunali (double barrel guns) in campaign songs. If they get an opportunity, they will do the same again, reviving Jungle Raj. They cannot change. The kind of people they have fielded also gives ample indication of their intent and people must be extremely cautious,” he said, referring to some of the campaign songs by the Opposition.
In Begusarai, Modi blamed the RJD for destroying the once flourishing industrial corridor in the region. “You have reposed your trust in Modi and blessed Nitish to see the positive change. Modi has lived in poverty as he was not born with a silver spoon in mouth. Our priority is to eradicate poverty and not confine it to just speeches,” he added.
Modi said that under RJD rule, extortion, murder, ransom, and kidnapping flourished, while land was taken in lieu of jobs. “Who will believe them when they talk big? The RJD’s Jungle Raj ruined generations of Bihar, with mothers and sisters, youth, Dalits, extremely backward classes and the marginalised being the worst sufferers,” he added.
Modi also referred to former Congress chief, the late Sita Ram Kesri. “One member of Congress insulted him, locked him in the bathroom and threw him out. He was removed from the president’s post. That is how they treat Dalits and backward classes. They cannot live beyond their own family and have no concern for your family,” he said.
“Those who ushered in Jungle Raj in Bihar are talking big on camera, but behind it they are fighting amongst one another. RJD has not won any election in the last two decades, but look at its arrogance. They shrugged off JMM, toppled Congress which has been riding piggyback on the RJD for 35 years, kept the Left hanging, and waylaid the VIP. But this is what happens when all start working for their vested interest,” he added.
Maintaining that Bihar had already got three times more funds than what it got during the Congress regime, Modi said that during RJD rule, the doors of police stations were closed to Dalits and extremely backward classes, and Maoist activities made life difficult. “When you gave the NDA an opportunity at the Centre in 2014, I resolved to liberate Bihar and the country from this Maoist terror and their backbone has been broken. It will be a thing of the past in India as well as Bihar soon,” he added.
Modi asked the people to switch on their mobile lights and said that there was no space left for the lantern – the RJD poll symbol – as electricity had reached all corners of the state. “The state will keep those who unleashed Jungle Raj in Bihar at bay,” he said, in his nearly 50-minute speech in Samastipur.
He said that the Congress and the RJD were only interested in protecting family legacies and there was also an attempt to steal the ‘Jananayak’ (people’s hero) tag of Thakur – referring to the tag that many Congress supporters use for Rahul Gandhi.
“The RJD’s first family is the most corrupt family in the state and the Congress first family is the most corrupt in the country. Most of them are out on bail and the people of Bihar cannot trust them, as Bihar’s development gathers speed, which will create more jobs and employment opportunities in the coming years,” he added.
He said that Thakur was an inspiration for the NDA, which was trying to fulfil the socialist icon’s vision. As the first PM to visit Karpoorigram, Modi also paid tributes to Thakur and interacted with his family members.
Nitish Kumar thanked Modi for focussing on Bihar’s development. “The previous government had nothing and we started Bihar’s development by first restoring rule of law,” he added.
The 26-year-old, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Maharashtra’s Satara, had written on her palm that she had been raped four times by a sub-inspector.
The woman wrote in the letter that she was pressured to issue fake certificates to accused in cases.
The doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara and accused a police officer of raping her four times also left behind a four-page suicide letter in which she said she was pressured to issue fake fitness certificates of accused in police cases and was harassed when she refused, it has now emerged. The pressure, she says in her letter, was exerted not only by police officials but even, in one case, by a member of Parliament and two of his personal assistants.
The 26-year-old, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Satara, had written on her palm that she had been raped four times by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and subjected to mental and physical abuse for over five months. The woman had been serving in the hospital for 23 months and was just a month away from completing her bond period – requiring service in a rural area – after which she intended to pursue a post-graduate degree.
NDTV has accessed a copy of the four-page letter in which she states that police officers pressured her into issuing fake fitness certificates for accused, many of whom would not even be brought in for a medical examination. When she refused, she would be harassed by Badne and others.
Recounting one particular instance, she said she had refused to issue a certificate and two personal assistants of a member of Parliament had walked into the hospital. They had dialled the MP and made her speak to him, and he had threatened her indirectly.
Similar allegations about the doctor being made to falsify medical certificates were also made by her cousin.
“She had raised complaints on two to three occasions. Despite writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no action was taken,” he told NDTV on Friday.
“In the letter, she asked that if anything happened to her, who would be responsible for it? She also flagged the lack of security at the premises, but nothing happened. She also called the DSP, who said he would call her back, but no one took any action,” he added.
In her letter, the doctor has also mentioned that she was harassed by her landlord, Prashant Bankar.
A case has been filed against Badne and Bankar under charges of rape and abetment to suicide, and the police officer has been suspended.
“We are investigating the matter on the basis of evidence gathered so far. A case has been lodged in Satara district. The police officer involved in the case has been suspended,” Sunil Phulari, Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur division), was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
‘Why No Action?’
The case has also led to a political row with the Congress hitting out at the BJP-led government in the state and accusing them of shielding the police.
“When the protector becomes the predator! The duty of the police is to protect, but if they themselves are exploiting a female doctor, how will justice be served? Why was no action taken when this girl had previously lodged a complaint? The Mahayuti government repeatedly shields the police, which is leading to an increase in police atrocities,” Congress leader Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar said in a post on X.
The BJP assured that a thorough investigation will be carried out.
He also criticised those equating victims and perpetrators of terrorism in the name of global strategy, in an apparent reference to the hyphenation of India and Pakistan in the context of the dastardly terror strike.
S Jaishankar was speaking at an event that celebrated the 80th anniversary of the UN
India on Friday cited Pakistan’s attempts to protect at the UN Security Council the terror outfit that claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack to point out that the global body’s work has been “gridlocked” in the absence of urgent reforms.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also criticised those equating victims and perpetrators of terrorism in the name of global strategy, in an apparent reference to the hyphenation of India and Pakistan in the context of the dastardly terror strike.
Jaishankar was speaking at an event that celebrated the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (UN).
In his remarks, the external affairs minister said “all is not well” with the UN as its debates have become “increasingly polarised” and its working “visibly gridlocked”.
“Any meaningful reform is obstructed using the reform process itself,” he said adding sustaining the UN even while seeking its re-invention is clearly a major challenge before the world.
“Few examples are more telling about the challenges facing the UN than its response to terrorism. When a sitting Security Council member openly protects the very organisation that claims responsibility for the barbaric terror attack such as at Pahalgam, what does it do to the credibility of multilateralism,” Jaishankar asked.
Though Jaishankar didn’t directly name Pakistan, it was abundantly clear from his remarks that he was referring to that country.
“Similarly, if victims and perpetrators of terrorism are equated in the name of global strategy, how much more cynical can the world get. When self-proclaimed terrorists are shielded from the sanctioning process, what does it say for the sincerity of those involved,” he said.
Pakistan is currently a member of the UN Security Council. It was the chair of the top global body in the month of July.
The Council comprises 15 members, including five permanent members which are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Ten non-permanent member nations are elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly. The presidency of the UNSC is held by each of the members in turn for one month.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack.
TRF found mention in a UNSC report in July for its role in the Pahalgam attack.
Pakistan had attempted to remove references to TRF in the UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam attack, according to officials.
In his remarks, Jaishankar suggested that the UN has failed to address pressing issues.
“If the maintenance of international peace and security has become lip service, the predicament of development and socio-economic progress is even more serious,” he said.
“The slowing down of the SDG Agenda 2030 is a significant metric to measure the distress of the Global South. There are many more, whether it is trade measures, supply chain dependence or political domination,” he said.
BJP Kerala leader Anoop Antony Joseph criticised Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan for his conduct during President Murmu’s Sabarimala visit. Joseph accused him of showing no respect and mismanaging the temple and its funds.
Anoop Antony Joseph slams Minister Vasavan for “disrespectful conduct” at Sabarimala during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit. (PTI image)
BJP Kerala General Secretary Anoop Antony Joseph in a post on X criticised State Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan over his conduct during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday.
In his post, Joseph said that while the President and others stood with folded hands before Lord Ayyappa, Minister Vasavan “stood right behind her, head high, not even a single gesture of respect.”
He added, “Being an atheist is a personal choice, no one objects to that. But if you don’t believe in Ayyappa, what business do you have inside His temple or managing the faith of millions?”
Joseph further accused the minister of treating the temple as “just another treasury to plunder” and suggested that he should step aside. The BJP has been seeking Vasavan’s resignation over the alleged Sabarimala gold theft case.
President Murmu became the first woman head of state to offer prayers at Sabarimala, performing darshan at the Lord Ayyappa sanctum and other nearby temples during her visit.
In another incident, the Palakkad District Police Chief has sought an explanation from a DySP ranking officer who had put up a WhatsApp status slamming President Murmu’s visit.
The status, later deleted by the officer, claimed that several customs and High Court orders related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage were violated during the visit and questioned why Congress and BJP were not protesting.
The Election Commission of India has released new rules for disclosure and responsible use of AI-generated content in Bihar elections. These guidelines aim to maintain fair competition and protect voter trust in the democratic process.
Under the new guidelines, all political parties, candidates and campaign representatives must ensure that any AI-generated or digitally altered images, videos or audio used for electioneering carry a clear and prominent label. (File Photo: PTI)
Amid growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in political campaigning, the Election Commission of India (EC) has issued a fresh advisory outlining stringent rules for disclosure and responsible use of such material ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
In its directive, the poll body flagged the increasing use of hyper-realistic AI-generated content showing political leaders delivering “electorally sensitive messages.” Such material, the Election Commission said, undermines the principle of fair competition and distorts the electoral process.
Calling the misuse of AI-generated content a deep threat and challenge, the poll body warned that artificial or manipulated media can appear deceptively real, misleading voters and eroding trust in democratic institutions.
The Election Commission also noted that such content could “unwittingly trap political stakeholders into incorrect conclusions,” thereby weakening public confidence in free and fair elections.
The EC underscored the importance of transparency and accountability to safeguard electoral integrity and reiterated its commitment to maintaining a level playing field during campaigning.
Under the new guidelines, all political parties, candidates and campaign representatives must ensure that any AI-generated or digitally altered images, videos or audio used for electioneering carry a clear and prominent label, such as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced” or “Synthetic Content.”
The label must occupy at least 10% of the visible display area and in audio content, it should be present during the first 10% of the duration, the advisory stated.
For videos, the label must appear in the top band of the screen. Each piece of such content must also include the name of the entity responsible for its creation in the metadata or caption.
Political parties have been directed to maintain internal records of all AI-generated campaign material, including creator details and timestamps, for verification when sought by the EC.
The advisory further prohibits publishing or forwarding any unlawful synthetic content that impersonates a person’s identity, likeness or voice without consent, especially if it could mislead voters. Any such content found on official party handles must be removed within three hours of being reported or detected.
At the UNSC Open Debate, India’s Permanent Representative, Parvathaneni Harish, reaffirmed Jammu and Kashmir’s status as an integral part of India, urging Pakistan to halt human rights abuses in the region.
Speaking at the open debate on ‘The United Nations Organization: Looking into the Future’, Harish asserted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir ‘exercise their fundamental rights in accordance with India’s time-tested democratic traditions and constitutional framework,’ adding that such concepts are ‘alien to Pakistan.’ Photo : REUTERS
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir “has been, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India”, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, said at the UNSC Open Debate, as he called upon Pakistan to end the “grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it,” particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at the open debate on ‘The United Nations Organization: Looking into the Future’, Harish asserted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir “exercise their fundamental rights in accordance with India’s time-tested democratic traditions and constitutional framework,” adding that such concepts are “alien to Pakistan.”
“Let me emphasise that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. The people of Jammu and Kashmir exercise their fundamental rights in accordance with India’s time-tested democratic traditions and constitutional framework. We, of course, know that these are concepts alien to Pakistan,” he said.
Outlining India’s vision rooted in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the idea of the world as one family, he said the outlook not only that “anchors our worldview, but also the reason why India has consistently advocated for justice, dignity, opportunity and prosperity for all societies and peoples”.
“It is also the reason why India places its faith in multilateralism, international partnerships and cooperation,” he said.
The UN, he said, had become a “beacon of hope” for peace and decolonisation but now faces questions about its “relevance, legitimacy, credibility, and efficacy.”
“The theme of this debate gains great salience at a time when the world’s largest multilateral organisation – the United Nations – faces questions related to relevance, legitimacy, credibility, and efficacy,” he noted.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts light rain or drizzle in Delhi from October 27 to 28 due to a new Western Disturbance. This weather change coincides with the city’s upcoming cloud seeding operation aimed at reducing post-Diwali pollution.
Light Rain Likely in Delhi This Weekend as IMD Forecasts Western Disturbance; Cloud Seeding Operation Set to Begin (AI-generated image)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rain or drizzle in Delhi between October 27 and 28, as a fresh Western Disturbance approaches the northern plains early next week. The brief spell of wet weather will arrive just ahead of the Delhi government’s planned cloud seeding operation, a much-anticipated experiment aimed at inducing artificial rainfall to tackle the city’s stubborn post-Diwali pollution.
IMD Predicts Light Showers Over the Weekend
According to the IMD’s Friday bulletin, “A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to impact the western Himalayan region and adjoining northern plains from October 27 to the morning of October 29. Under its influence, one or two spells of very light rain or drizzle are likely over Delhi during the evening of October 27 to the morning of October 28.”
Until then, the city is expected to see mainly clear skies. On Sunday evening, however, residents might notice light showers or drizzle, followed by a generally cloudy sky and light precipitation early on October 28.
Delhi Gears Up for Cloud Seeding to Combat Pollution
The timing of this natural drizzle is significant, it coincides with Delhi’s upcoming cloud seeding project, scheduled between October 28 and 30. Conducted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the operation aims to trigger artificial rain that could help settle airborne pollutants and bring temporary relief from the capital’s smog-choked skies.
Cloud seeding involves dispersing chemical particles such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, or sodium chloride into clouds. These act as nuclei for water droplets to form around, encouraging rainfall where natural precipitation might otherwise fail.
A “successful proving flight” was carried out on Thursday to test the aircraft’s readiness, flare systems, and coordination protocols, marking the final preparation before the main operation.
Experts Question Long-Term Impact
However, experts remain cautious about the broader impact of such weather-modification efforts. Dr Manoj Kumar, an air pollution analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), noted, “Let’s assume cloud seeding is 100% successful… How many days will the air be clean? It’s like another smog tower. Once the monsoon ends, pollution levels rise again. Instead of investing in cloud seeding, focus should be on reduction at source.”
Posting a video of the incident, YouTuber Mahi Khan said the woman threatened to confront him upon landing in Mumbai after he refused to speak Marathi as he did not know how to
YouTuber Mahi Khan (R) said in a video that the confrontation with the woman (L) took place on a Kolkata-Mumbai flight. (Image: @mahinergy/Instagram)
In a video that has now gone viral, a YouTuber recorded his confrontation with a woman on an Air India flight, where she allegedly threatened him over not knowing how to speak Marathi.
The confrontation took place on a Kolkata-Mumbai flight, and the woman passenger demanded that the YouTuber, identified as Mahi Khan, must know how to speak Marathi if he was visiting Mumbai.
The woman, who was wearing a shirt with a Hyundai logo on it, purportedly threatened to confront Khan upon landing in Mumbai after he refused to speak Marathi as he did not know how to. There is, however, no information on the reason behind the confrontation and why it was triggered in the first place.
He posted the video from his Instagram handle, ‘Mahinergy’, saying such people exist in a country that is proud of its “unity in diversity”.
Khan further claimed that the woman insisted that travellers to Mumbai must know the local language, leading to crew intervention but no further action. Social media reactions to his video were split between condemnation of intolerance and support for Marathi pride, while Air India and Hyundai have not yet commented on the matter.
“Speak Marathi or leave Mumbai. That’s what a this lady told me on my Air India flight AI676 today, before threatening me for saying ‘I don’t understand Marathi’,” Khan said in his video. “Yes, this happened In 2025 In a country that proudly says ‘Unity in Diversity’. She sat on seat 16A and started shouting that I have to speak in Marathi because I’m flying to Mumbai.” (sic)
He said he calmly notified the crew and responded to her saying: “Kya badtameezi hai yeh (what kind of rudeness is this)?” to which he said she made a threat: “I’ll show you what badtameezi is.”
“I recorded everything Because this isn’t just about me, it’s about the mindset that’s growing dangerously normal. You cannot force a language You cannot bully respect,” (sic) he added.
New Delhi faces poor to severe AQI post Diwali, with Anand Vihar at 402. CM Rekha Gupta plans artificial rain via cloud seeding, after a successful Burari test.
Polluted air reduces oxygen levels, causing blocked noses and disrupted sleep, which exacerbates mood disturbances. (Representative/AP)
New Delhi is witnessing poor to severe Air Quality Index (AQI) in several areas post Diwali celebrations on Monday (October 20), according to the data available at the official website of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The AQI at Anand Vihar was recorded at 402, in the ‘severe’ category, this morning. The figure was lower than Thursday’s reading of 429, as per CPCB data.
The AQI near AIIMS and surrounding areas was recorded at 295 in the ‘Poor’ category and ITO area was recorded at 316, in the ‘Very Poor’ category.
The RK Puram area of south west Delhi remains “very poor” at 316, as of 7:00 AM today. The AQI at Dwarka Sector 8 was recorded at 292 in the “poor” category.
The CPCB categorises AQI between 0 and 50 as ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe.’
The Delhi government on Thursday said it can carry out artificial rain as early as next week, if conditions remain favourable, following a trial cloud-seeding flight from IIT Kanpur to Delhi as the national capital reels under worsening air quality post-Diwali.
CM Rekha Gupta said the weather department had indicated that there was a possibility for cloud presence on October 28, 29 and 30, and the first artificial rain can be induced on October 29 if conditions remained favourable.
Major hospitals such as Hameedia Hospital, BMCHRC, Kamla Nehru, Seva Sadan, and JP Hospital treated dozens of patients with corneal injuries and severe eye burns.
Madhya Pradesh Bans Calcium Carbide Guns.
The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a complete ban on the sale, purchase, and storage of calcium carbide guns after more than 300 children reportedly suffered serious eye injuries while 10 lost eyesight during Diwali celebrations.
The ban comes in the wake of a surge in hospital cases linked to these makeshift toy guns, which create small explosions using calcium carbide and water to mimic the sound of firecrackers.
Officials confirmed that First Information Reports (FIRs) will be filed against anyone found violating the order. The devices, made of PVC pipes and commonly sold as children’s toys during the festive season, have been deemed extremely unsafe due to their explosive chemical reactions.
Police launch statewide inspections
Authorities in Bhopal, Gwalior, and Vidisha have already begun enforcing the prohibition. All Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and police teams have been directed to conduct thorough inspections of firecracker shops and roadside stalls to identify and seize any remaining stock of carbide guns.
Madhya Pradesh Dy CM Rajendra Shukla said, “We are keeping monitoring the condition of the children suffering the eye injuries. Those admitted to the hospital are being monitored to ensure they don’t suffer any eye damage. I will receive the final report. Regarding the use of such pipe barrels for bursting firecrackers, an advisory had already been issued. The Chief Minister also appealed to people to refrain from using such illegally manufactured barrels and bursting firecrackers. Those who manufactured and supplied such firecrackers and equipment to the market, causing harm to children, will be investigated and strict action will be taken. This is irresponsible behaviour that has led to the situation of harm to children. We will look into this… When there were already guidelines in place, illegally selling such equipment, which could cause harm, would be considered a crime… This will be thoroughly investigated. And I will speak to the collectors of a couple of districts, specifically, to find out how it entered the market. Ensure action is taken against those who violated the rules.”
Doctors across multiple districts have raised concerns over the growing use of such explosive toys during festivals. Medical professionals from Bhopal and Gwalior said many of the injured children were between six and fifteen years old, and several required emergency surgery to save their eyesight.
At Jaya Arogya Hospital in Gwalior, 19 injured patients were admitted. Eight underwent emergency eye surgeries to remove debris, while two lost their corneas entirely. One patient was referred to AIIMS Bhopal for advanced treatment. Doctors have emphasised that these so-called toys are extremely dangerous, as the chemical reaction between calcium carbide and water produces explosive gas and sparks capable of causing burns and permanent eye damage.
Major hospitals such as Hameedia Hospital, BMCHRC, Kamla Nehru, Seva Sadan, and JP Hospital treated dozens of patients with corneal injuries and severe eye burns.
Hidden inside plastic containers in her luggage, the haul included four baby anacondas, iguanas, bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, lizards, and raccoons.
Baby Anacondas Among 154 Exotic Animals Confiscated (Photo: X)
Mumbai Customs officers intercepted a Thane-based woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for attempting to smuggle 154 exotic animals.
Hidden inside plastic containers in her luggage, the haul included four baby anacondas, iguanas, bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, lizards, and raccoons. This marks the first time in at least five years that baby anacondas, a foreign snake species, have been seized at Mumbai Airport.
The seized species are protected under international laws, including CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), as well as the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Following the seizure, wildlife rescue experts from the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) were called in to safely handle, stabilise, and provide medical care to the animals.
Roshan moved Court against creation of his morphed images, memes, AI-generated content, selling merchandise that exploit his image, personality, voice and other attributes to deceive his fans.
Hrithik Roshan with Delhi HCFacebook
The Delhi High Court has granted protection to the personality rights to Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan [Hrithik Roshan vs Ashok Kumar/John Doe & Ors.].
In an order passed on October 15, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora restrained John Doe defendants (unknown entities) from utilising Hrithik Roshan’s name, likeness, image, voice, personality or any other aspects of his persona to create any merchandise, misuse using Artificial Intelligence, deep fakes, machine learning, face morphing or GIFs for commercial purpose.
The Court observed that the actor’s attributes are protectable elements of his personality rights against impersonation, false, obscene, morphed and distorted content.
“Prima facie the Plaintiff’s personality traits and/or parts thereof, including Plaintiff’s name Hrithik Roshan, voice, image, photograph, or likeness and other attributes are protectable elements of the Plaintiff’s personality rights. The Plaintiff is also entitled to protect itself against impersonation, false, obscene, morphed and distorted content created with the use of AI or otherwise, which is demeaning and lowers his reputation and goodwill,” the Court said.
Citing its observations made in similar cases concerning the personality rights of Bollywood personalities, Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar and Jackie Shroff, the Court stated that unauthorised exploitation of their personality rights for commercial gain can be protected by way of injunction.
The interim order would remain valid till March 27, 2026 when the matter is slated to be heard next.
Roshan moved the Court alleging that his personality rights were being exploited for commercial gain damaging his reputation by creating vulgar and obscene content with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He sued certain websites, sellers and John Doe defendants for creating morphed images, memes, Artificial Intelligence generated vulgar and obscene content, selling merchandise that exploit his image, personality, voice and other attributes to deceive his fans for illegal profits.
Roshan also sued Markmonitor.Inc. for wrongly portraying to the public that he was the company’s the founder.
He stated that such unauthorised acts constitute violation of Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and infringement of his right to privacy, goodwill, and reputation.
While hearing the matter, the Court specifically refrained at this stage from taking down Hrithik Roshan’s fan pages.
“I cannot take down fan page at this stage. We will decide on their rights. We will ask for BSI details. Instagram is not only for commercialisation, people use it for fun. This is not defamatory. I understand commercialisation, obscene, morphed, but I do not understand take down of fan club pages,” the Court stated.
The judge made it clear that fan pages do not amount to commercial use of his personality rights or defamation.
“This fan page does not appear to be commercial use. It is a fan page which he has created. People on Whatsapp use photos of celebrities. He is not making a commercial use. If a fan has used his creativity to create the post, we will hear him first. Let him be here. Ex parte injunction I will not grant. We will park this. I am not denying your relief,” the Court stated.
“Does your client want all fan pages down? Is that your instruction? How are they monetising it on Facebook?” the Court asked Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appearing for Roshan.
Sethi highlighted existence of a dance tutorial club that uses his song and dance steps. The Court stated that such use of his song does not amount to commercial use.
“They are not using your name. It is a famous song of Hrithik Roshan which is being used as a demo and they will be teaching it. This is not commercial merchandise. They are using your performance to teach people. At this stage, I am not persuaded,” the Court stated.
Advocate Varun Pathak, appearing for Meta, informed the Court that removal of entire fan pages or profiles may be disproportionate and only specific URLs infringing his personality rights may be taken down.
The Court eventually directed Google and Meta to provide the Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) details of the creators of the fan pages.
It also directed Roshan to implead the creators of fan pages as parties to the case.
The Court will hear the creators before any directions are passed against them.
The Court has also directed the e-commerce websites and Domain Name Registrants (DNRs) to provide BSI details of the users within three weeks.
A farmer from Chhattisgarh, Bajrang Ram Bhagat, bought a Honda Activa for his daughter by paying Rs 40,000 in coins he had saved over several months. The story went viral online, earning praise for the farmer’s dedication and love for his daughter.
Chhattisgarh Farmer Buys Rs 40K Scooter With Coins For Daughter; Staff Count Money For 3 Hours | Viral VIDEO (Image Source – X)
A farmer from Chhattisgarh has gone viral on social media after buying a Honda Activa scooter for his daughter using Rs 40,000 worth of coins — most of them in Rs 10 denominations. The man, identified as Bajrang Ram Bhagat from Kesarapath village in Jashpur district, had been saving the coins for nearly six to seven months before finally using them to fulfil his daughter’s wish.
According to a Hindustan Times report, Bhagat visited a local showroom in Jashpur along with his daughter Champa and made the full payment of RS 98,700, out of which Rs 40,000 was in coins and the rest in currency notes. He said he preferred paying in cash rather than taking a loan.
The showroom owner, Anand Gupta, shared that the coins took nearly three hours to count before the payment could be processed. Once completed, the family received the scooter along with a mixer grinder as part of a festive lucky draw offer.
A video from the showroom, showing staff counting the piles of coins, has been circulating widely online and winning praise for the farmer’s dedication and hard work.
In Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur, farmer buys honda activa for daughter and paid in coins.
Bajrag Ram Bhagat saved 40 thousand rupees in coins and was finally able to gift her daughter a scooty.
What an emotional moment for the family, the video is pure love…
At least 12 people were killed after a Hyderabad–Bengaluru bus caught fire following a collision with a two-wheeler in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district.
Flames first erupted in the front portion of the bus before spreading rapidly.
A road accident claimed 12 lives early Friday morning when a private travels bus caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler near Chinnatekur in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
Preliminary reports suggest there were around 40 passengers on board. Out of these, 18 passengers have been identified alive. Police said several bodies were completely charred, making identification difficult.
According to official sources, the incident occurred around 3:30 am. The bus two-wheeler collision triggered a massive blaze that quickly engulfed the entire vehicle.
Eyewitnesses said flames first erupted in the front portion of the bus before spreading rapidly. As the fire intensified, 12 passengers managed to break open the emergency exit and escape with minor injuries. They were rushed to Kurnool Government Hospital for treatment.
Heavy rainfall was reported in the area when the mishap occurred, which may have contributed to the collision. The bus was completely gutted in the fire. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
PM, PRESIDENT MURMU, ANDHRA CM EXPRESS GRIEF OVER INCIDENT
Expressing grief over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
President of India Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences, saying, “The loss of lives in a tragic bus fire accident in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh is deeply unfortunate. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.”
Expressing grief over the tragedy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said, “I am shocked to learn about the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Government authorities will extend all possible support to the injured and affected families.”
Sri Satyakumar Yadav, Minister of Health, expressed deep shock over the tragedy and said that DNA samples are being collected to identify the victims. “Deeply shocked by the private bus accident that occurred at Chinnatekur in Kallur mandal of Kurnool district,” the Minister said, adding that the Kurnool GGH Superintendent has been instructed to provide the best possible medical care to the injured.
While Afghanistan and Pakistan were engaged in a war this month, an image showing an India-Afghanistan border pillar from the 1930s went viral. India and Afghanistan shared a small land border through the Wakhan Corridor before Pakistan wedged itself in through treachery and the illegal occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan in 1947.
The photograph, claimed to be from the 1930s, shows the British India-Afghanistan border. (Image: Social Media/India Today)
Last week, as Afghanistan and Pakistan hurled bullets and missiles at each other across the border, a photo claimed to be from the 1930s, lit up social media. The black and white image showed a land border between India and Afghanistan, marked by a couple of border pillars and a pulley barricade, and manned by Indian soldiers. Many were amused to learn that India and Afghanistan once actually shared a land border. But amusement aside, they still do.
India and Afghanistan shared borders for centuries, and even the creation of Pakistan left a 106-km stretch where the two countries remained immediate, contiguous neighbours.
On a South Asian map, most imagine India to be in the east, Pakistan in the middle, and Afghanistan somewhere far off to the west. But tucked up in Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province is the Wakhan Corridor. It is a sliver of land that brushes up against what is now Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir now under illegal Pakistani occupation.
That 106-km touchpoint still makes centuries-old neighbours, India and Afghanistan, contiguous neighbours, and, according to Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, falls within Indian territory. However, after Partition, Pakistan slipped in between the two neighbours by illegally annexing the region, aided by the betrayal and treason of British officers in the Gilgit Scouts. In 1947, the backdoor takeover of the erstwhile Gilgit Wazarat and Gilgit Agency placed Pakistan as a wedge between Ganga and Gandhar.
INDIA REMINDS PAKISTAN OF REALITY. AFGHANISTAN, INDIA ARE NEIGHBOURS: JAISHANKAR
Earlier this month, when Pakistan and Afghanistan were engaged in a war along the Durand Line, India dropped a reminder. In Delhi, standing next to his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pointed out firmly that India and Afghanistan share “contiguous neighbours”, pointing to the 106-km land border, reported The Times of India.
The Afghans don’t accept the Durand Line, drawn by colonial British rulers, as it separates millions of Pashtuns in their ancient homeland across two countries. Delhi has supported the Afghan claim of the Durand Line being illegitimate.
The meeting in Delhi was the first high-level engagement since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power in Afghanistan. Jaishankar flagged the threat from Pakistan-backed terrorists to both Afghanistan and India and said that the two must tackle it together.
Later, while a fuming Pakistan pulled up the Taliban ambassador in Islamabad to express its displeasure over the India-Afghanistan joint statement where Kabul accepted India’s sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir, its President Asif Ali Zardari even lectured the Taliban on “failing to stand up against the Ummah”.
Figuratively and literally, Pakistan wedged itself between two good neighbours—India and Afghanistan. First, by annexing Gilgit-Baltistan to sever their shared border, and now by fuming over their growing warmth. Not just by fomenting trouble, but Pakistan, as a barrier, also blocked a passage that for centuries saw Buddhist monks and trade guilds traverse and connect.
GILGIT-BALTISTAN, WAKHAN CORRIDOR ARE FORGOTTEN LINKS OF ANCIENT SOUTH ASIA
The part of Indian territory, now called Gilgit-Baltistan lies in the trans-Himalayan and Karakoram zone. Before 1947, it was a part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which later joined the Union of India. Historically inhabited by a mix of ethnicities including Shia Muslims (particularly in Baltistan and parts of Gilgit), Sunni and Ismaili among others, the region under the Dogra Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir was leased to the British in 1935 for 60 years as the Gilgit Agency, a frontier buffer to the Soviets.
The Shia-majority culture in much of Gilgit-Baltistan meant that the region’s local identity diverged somewhat from the Sunni-Punjabi dominant Pakistani establishment.
To the north of Gilgit Baltistan, is the Wakhan Corridor, at the northeastern fringe of Afghanistan. It is a narrow strip about 350 km long and between 13 and 65 km wide, stretching east from Badakhshan. It is sandwiched between Tajikistan to the north and India’s GilgitBaltistan to the south, with the tail-shaped piece of region brushing up against China’s Xinjiang in the east. It is high-altitude, rugged land ranging from 3,000 to 6,800 meters, with formidable terrain and a severe climate, but a tri-junction of India, Afghanistan and China, nonetheless.
For centuries, this corridor served as part of the ancient Silk Route link between Central and South Asia, traversed by traders and Buddhist monks long before modern borders. In the late 19th century, the British and Russian empires treated it as a buffer zone in their great games.
Thus, before colonial and postcolonial disruptions, the terrain that now lies suppressed by borders once allowed free movement of monks, scholars, headers, nomads, traders and invaders, until the wedge was driven in.
HOW PAKISTAN ANNEXED GILGIT BALTISTAN USING TREACHERY
When the British were leaving the Indian Empire in 1947, the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under Maharaja Hari Singh faced the choice of acceding to either India or Pakistan. He chose the former. Then, the Gilgit Agency, part of his kingdom, which was leased by the British since 1935, and had been under the Raj’s political administration.
Right when the Indian Army was crushing the Pakistani-sponsored Mujaheedeen invasion of the Valley, two British officers of the Gilgit Scouts (Major WA Brown and Captain AS Mathieson) alongside Subedar Major Babar Khan, rose up in a rebellion and deposed the maharaja’s governor in November 1947.
They captured the maharaja’s governor, Brigadier Ghansara Singh.
Major Brown, who was said to be close to his English boss stationed in Karachi, preferred reporting to him rather than to the maharaja, who had become his master after the British exit in August.
The rebels killed the maharaja’s governor along with a small group of Sikh and Gurkha soldiers in Gilgit. They then sent a message to Karachi claiming to have taken over Gilgit Wazarat and Gilgit Agency, declaring accession to Pakistan, which was done without any legal document or having the authority to do so.
Pakistan, therefore, grabbed Gilgit Wazarat and Gilgit Agency through the betrayal of British officers of the Gilgit Scouts. They rose the Pakistani flag on November 2, and handed over the region to Pakistan.
Weeks later, Khan Mohammad Alam Khan was named the Pakistani agent.
From there, the region (Gilgit Wazarat and Gilgit Agency) was renamed “Northern Areas” of Pakistan and placed under direct federal control, bypassing the usual constitutional treatment.
The involvement of British officers, who were sympathetic to Pakistan, in effect, engineered Pakistan’s takeover by the betrayal of the maharaja’s authority and India’s rightful claim to accession, noted former diplomat Narendra Singh Sarila in his book, In The Shadow of the Great Game. Pakistan inserted itself between India and Afghanistan by occupying the region that would have kept the IndiaAfghanistan land border intact.
HOW PAKISTAN MADE GILGIT-BALTISTAN A LAND WITHOUT RIGHTS
Since the 1947 events, Gilgit–Baltistan has been governed by Pakistan in a peculiar mode. It has no mention in Pakistan’s Constitution, and the residents have been denied full provincial status or full rights that other Pakistani provinces enjoy.
Instead, it was governed by a succession of administrative orders. First under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, then as Northern Areas, later through the Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009, and various reforms in 2018. None of these were conferred full constitutional parity.
There have been recurring protests and resentment. Local communities have decried Islamabad’s neglect, demographic engineering (such as abrogating the State Subject Rule to allow Sunni settlement in a Shia-dominated region), financial subjugation and lack of development.
In June, pushed to the brink, thousands of residents of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan launched an indefinite blockade of the China-Pakistan Karakoram Highway, protesting the Shehbaz Sharif government’s trade policies. In April, hundreds of locals in Shigar district protested against the Pakistan Army and government, condemning what they called the illegal takeover of their lands, mountains, and minerals. They strongly opposed the proposed Mines and Minerals Bill, chanting slogans like “Kabze par kabza namanzoor” (we reject repeated occupations), accusing Pakistan’s establishment of grabbing their resources after annexing it.
In 2023, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan demanded a reunion with India. They had even fiercely protested against China’s Border Road Initiative.
Over decades, the sense of being occupied or administered without representation in the territory has fuelled alienation. In effect, Gilgit-Baltistan land remains a part of the larger issue of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thus, Pakistan’s hold on Gilgit-Baltistan has been a story of betrayal, half-measures, and exclusion.
Yadav claimed that spurious syrup is reaching hospitals, jails, and homes “under the government’s nose,” while the Health Department maintains “convenient silence.”
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav | X
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of negligence over the alleged supply of fake cough syrup across the state. Sharing a report by a private organization on his official social media handle, Yadav claimed that spurious syrup is reaching hospitals, jails, and homes “under the government’s nose,” while the Health Department maintains “convenient silence.”
He questioned who benefits from this silence and suggested that individuals with political connections might be shielding those behind the illegal trade. Calling the incident a “poisonous scam,” Yadav demanded a high-level judicial probe and strict punitive action against those involved. He alleged that “BJP’s corruption is now endangering lives,” describing fake syrup circulation as a “crime against humanity.”
Following recent incidents in Madhya Pradesh where children allegedly died after consuming contaminated syrup, health and food safety departments in Uttar Pradesh have intensified inspections. Raids in several districts, including Lucknow, led to the seizure of large quantities of counterfeit syrups labeled under fake brands. Officials reported that the materials used were found to be harmful to human health.
There were 166 passengers and crew on board; all were safely evacuated. Airport authorities are investigating the incident. The situation is under control, and normal operations have resumed.
File Pic (Representational Image)
An IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Srinagar made an emergency landing at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday after a fuel leak was detected.
There were 166 passengers and crew on board; all were safely evacuated. Airport authorities are investigating the incident. The situation is under control, and normal operations have resumed, according to NDTV.
Kolkata to Srinagar IndiGo 6E6961 flight made a priority landing in Varanasi following fuel issues. The flight has 166 passengers: Airport Authority
The aircraft landed safely at 4:10 pm. According to Varanasi Police and airport officials, the pilot immediately alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC) upon detecting the fuel leak.
ATC cleared the aircraft for an emergency landing, and the crew successfully brought it to the runway under controlled conditions.
The aircraft is expected to continue its journey to Srinagar following the necessary inspections and repairs.
The ceremony will be graced by Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh, and Union Minister of State, Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta.
PM Modi | ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hand over appointment letters for government jobs to more than 51,000 candidates during the 17th edition of Rozgar Mela on Friday.
He will address the gathering through video conference and hand over job letters for the Department of Posts, and other government departments at functions organised at various places across the country.
The ceremony will be graced by Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh, and Union Minister of State, Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta.
No party – be it the RJD, Congress, BJP, the JD (U) or the smaller players like Chirag Paswan’s LJP (R), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM – is an exception when it comes to preferring kith and kin over anything else.
(Clockwise from top left) Upendra Kushwaha, Chirag Paswan, Tejashwi Yadav and Samrat Choudhary Credit: PTI Photos
Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modiand Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may have been accusing their opponents of promoting dynasts, but when it comes to ticket distribution in any poll, it’s always the blood which is thicker than the sweat.
And no party – be it the RJD, Congress, BJP, the JD (U) or the smaller players like Chirag Paswan’s LJP (R), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM – is an exception.
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who always wanted a lion’s share in the ticket distribution within the NDA but had to remain content with merely six seats, has fielded his daughter-in-law Deepa Manjhi from Imamganj. Manjhi’s son Santosh Kumar Suman is already a minister in Nitish Cabinet handling the Minor Irrigation Department. Manjhi’s son’s mother-in-law Jyoti Devi is HAM nominee from Barachatti reserved constituency on the Bihar-Jharkhand border.
Former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, who is himself a Rajya Sabha member, has fielded his wife Snehlata Kushwaha from Sasaram as the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) nominee.
The LJP (R) president Chirag Paswan, who has two family members in the Lok Sabha, has fielded Komal Singh, daughter of LJP (R) MP from Vaishali, Veena Singh, from Gaighat.
LONG LIST
Besides the small players, it’s the BJP which has a long list of dynasts contesting the Bihar Assembly elections. Topping the chart is Nitish Mishra, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Dr Jagannath Mishra. Nitish Mishra, who is Industries Minister in Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet, is the BJP candidate from Jhanjharpur in Madhubani, from where the UK-educated leader has romped home four times.
The Court held that it was grossly discriminatory to deny retired CISF personnel access to such canteen liquor quotas when such facilities were extended to all other such CAPF personnel.
CISF logo, Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside a 2024 order passed by the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which had denied retired CISF officers access to liquor supplied through canteens set up for retired Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel [CISF Ex-Service Welfare Association v. Union of India & ors and connected case].
The CISF Director-General had passed the 2024 order on the ground that extending such a benefit to retired CISF officers would violate a long-standing policy.
The CISF head added that giving liquor facilities to retired officers could lead to similar demands from serving personnel, thereby adversely affecting the discipline and functioning of the force.
Justice N Nagaresh, however, flatly rejected such reasoning as palpably unsustainable.
The judge emphasised that there was no justification in denying retired CISF personnel liquor quotas when retired personnel from other CAPFs – namely the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF), etc. – are given access to the same.
All wings of the CAPF perform sensitive duties related to national security, and a different yardstick cannot be applied to CISF officers alone, the Court said. It held that the denial of canteen liquor to only CISF officers would violate the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
“It cannot be said that CISF personnel require a different yardstick in the matter of security and discipline. Denial of the benefit to the retired CISF personnel offends Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Secondly, the petitioners are retired CISF personnel and supply of liquor through canteens to retired CAPF personnel cannot impact the discipline of the Force and that too, of CISF alone,” the Court said.
Thus, the Court declared that retired CSIF personnel were also entitled to purchase liquor through the Central Liquor Management System (CLMS) from CRPF Liquor Canteens or any other liquor canteen of CAPFs.
“The 4th respondent (CISF Director General) is directed to share data of retired CISF personnel to Liquor Canteens of other CAPFs as per CLMS requirements. Respondents 2 and 5 are directed to continue sale of liquor to the retired CISF personnel through CLMS System,” the Court ordered.
The Court was considering two petitions, one filed by the CISF Ex-Service Welfare Association and another by retired CISF personnel, challenging CISF’s decision to deny retired members access to the CLMS to buy liquor from CAPF canteens.
The petitioners stated that the CSIF Director General’s order denying such facilities was discriminatory. They cited several circulars and office memoranda from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which extended canteen facilities, including liquor purchases, to all CPAFs.
On October 21, the Court found merit in their arguments and held that denying retired CISF personnel access to canteen liquor facilities contradicted the Union government’s policy of providing welfare benefits to all paramilitary forces uniformly.
The parties volunteered to distribute an assortment of chocolates worth ₹5 lakh each to children studying in Delhi’s government schools.
Mars and Cadbury with Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court recently recorded a settlement by mutual consent between two confectionary giants – Mars and Cadbury – in a 25-year old trademark dispute over ‘Celebrations’ chocolate [Mars Incorporated v. Cadbury (India) Ltd & Ors].
Justice Sanjeev Narula noted while bringing the proceedings to a conclusion,
“For nearly twenty-five years, two titans of the confectionery world – Mars and Cadbury – have stood before this Court, locked in contest over the trademark “CELEBRATIONS”. An expression of happiness and festivity, became the epicentre of legal contest, its cheerful ring turning into a matter of serious deliberation for decades, winding through pleadings, affidavits, and hearings. Today, that long journey finds its conclusion. The curtains are drawn at last, not in discord, but in harmony.”
The parties volunteered to distribute an assortment of chocolates and confectionaries worth ₹5 lakh each to children studying in Delhi’s government schools.
“In the spirit of approaching festival of Diwali, a season of light, sharing, and renewal, both Mars and Cadbury voluntarily undertook to distribute assortments of their confectionery products valued at five lakhs each to schoolchildren across Delhi. This act, they submitted, would symbolise goodwill, community, and the joy of giving, a spirit that transcends commercial rivalry,” the Court observed.
The distribution shall be conducted under the supervision of the Directorate of Education and Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA). The Court also directed them to coordinate on logistics to ensure equitable allocation among schools.
In case of schools having an internal policy against distribution of high-sugar or high-fat food, the Court has directed the parties to offer nutritionally balanced alternatives.
“This safeguard preserves both the spirit of generosity embodied in the parties’ gesture and the equally important aim of promoting healthy habits among schoolchildren,” the Court stated.
The Government of India has officially recognised six heroes of Operation Sindoor, awarding them the Vir Chakra for exceptional bravery. The citations reveal the extraordinary courage, leadership, and operational brilliance displayed by Indian Army and Air Force personnel during critical missions.
Six heroes of Operation Sindoor have been honoured with Vir Chakra for exceptional courage and leadership during high-risk missions.
The Government of India has released an official gazette notification honouring six defence personnel who took part in the high-stakes Operation Sindoor. The citations that accompany the gallantry awards conferred on the members of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, provide an insight into the remarkable courage displayed by these officers in face of untold challenges.
Below are the six heroes whose fearlessness and leadership earned them the Vir Chakra for their pivotal roles in Operation Sindoor:
Colonel Koshank Lamba, 302 Medium Regiment (Indian Army): Recognised for “flawless leadership” and “exceptional bravery”, Col Lamba executed the “first ever air mobilisation of a specialised equipment battery” at short notice. His swift and covert mobilisation of crucial assets ensured the success of the operation, the citation notes.
Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Bisht, 1988 (Independent) Medium Battery (Indian Army): As the Officer Commanding, Lt Col Bisht led his unit with “exceptional courage, leadership and operational brilliance”. His team achieved “resounding success by causing complete destruction of terrorist camps”.
Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Flying (Pilot) (Indian Air Force): Commanding a squadron entrusted with high-risk strike missions, Gp Capt Sidhu demonstrated “exceptional gallantry and courage” by delivering precise attacks over predetermined targets. His operational excellence ensured that all mission objectives were achieved flawlessly under extreme pressure.
Group Captain Animesh Patni, Flying (Pilot) (Indian Air Force): Leading a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) squadron from a forward airbase, Gp Capt Patni displayed “exceptional leadership”. Under his command, the unit delivered a “decisive blow to the capabilities of adversaries”, inflicting substantial losses without sustaining any damage. His strategic acumen proved vital to the mission’s success.
All pharma-grade solvent manufacturers are required to obtain manufacturing licences through the ONDLS portal and upload real-time information about every batch produced
The communication, dated October 22, seen by News18, mentions that the decision follows recent incidents of DEG contamination in syrups, which have raised serious safety concerns. (Representational image: Canva)
Following a series of incidents involving contaminated cough syrups, India’s apex health regulatory body has launched a digital monitoring system to oversee the production, movement, and quality of high-risk ingredients used in making these formulations, News18 has learnt.
The move, taken by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)—communicated through a circular issued to all state and union territory drug controllers—directs regulators and manufacturers to use the Online National Drug Licensing System (ONDLS) portal for real-time monitoring of solvent batches.
The communication, dated October 22, seen by News18, mentions that the decision follows recent incidents of DEG contamination in syrups, which have raised serious safety concerns.
10 high-risk solvents
According to the document issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), a list of 10 high-risk solvents has been identified, which includes glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, maltitol, and ethyl alcohol—as key ingredients often used in syrups and other liquid medicines.
Signed by Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the document refers to a high-level meeting chaired by the union health secretary on October 5, where senior officials reviewed drug quality compliance and the rational use of cough syrups, especially in paediatric formulations.
The CDSCO had earlier asked all state regulators to ensure mandatory testing before the manufacture and release of any batch of cough syrups.
The latest move comes barely weeks after the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh were linked to allegedly contaminated cough syrups found to contain higher than permissible levels of diethylene glycol. Following the incident, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical alert warning that the untracked distribution of such syrups through informal or localised channels could pose a risk to health.
PM Modi To Skip ASEAN Summit In Malaysia, No Meeting With Trump Likely This Year
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Kuala Lumpur for the 47th ASEAN Summit later this month. Instead, he will attend the summit virtually.
The decision effectively ends speculation over a possible meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Kuala Lumpur summit. It would have marked their first interaction since Washington decided to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods earlier this year.
In a statement on Instagram, Anwar said PM Modi had informed him that he would attend the proceedings online, citing the ongoing Diwali celebrations in India. “I respect the decision and express my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India,” Anwar added.
PM Modi, too, later wrote on X about his conversation with the Malaysian Prime Minister and confirmed that he will attend the summit virtually.
Anwar said the two leaders spoke by phone on Wednesday night to discuss “efforts to strengthen the Malaysia-India bilateral relationship.” He described India as “an important partner in trade and investment, apart from close cooperation in technology, education, and regional security”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to represent India in the ASEAN summit. This is the second time in the past decade that PM Modi will skip the ASEAN summit. Earlier, he had consistently prioritised ASEAN in his foreign policy outreach to Southeast Asia.
Officials have also confirmed that no bilateral meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump is scheduled this year since both are not meeting at the summits. While Trump is expected to attend the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Modi’s diplomatic calendar will focus on the G20 Summit in South Africa in November, which Trump will not attend. There is, as of now, no clarity on the scheduling of the QUAD Summit, which India is slated to host later this year.
Ladakh leaders met with representatives of the Union Home Ministry in Delhi for sub-committee level talks for the first time since the deadly pro-statehood protests in September.
Ladakh activists have been demanding the immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk since the deadly pro-statehood protests. (PTI/File)
HT has exclusively accessed the details of the main closure report, which pertains to allegations against Rhea Chakraborty.
Sushant Singh Rajput, then 34 years old, was found dead at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14, 2020. (HT Archive)
There is no evidence to suggest that actor Sushant Singh Rajput was “illegally confined, threatened, or provocated/abetted to commit suicide” by Rhea Chakraborty or to establish that she embezzled his funds or possessions, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed in its ‘closure report’ into the death of the actor, people familiar with the development said, adding that Sushant, in fact, called Rhea “family”.
Terming it an eyewash and an incomplete document, Rajput’s family and legal team have now decided to challenge the closure report, according to their lawyer Varun Singh. “This is nothing but an eyewash. If CBI really wanted to come out with the truth, it would have submitted all the supporting case documents including chats, technical records, statements of witnesses, medical records, etc in the court along with the final (closure) report, which they have not done. We will file a protest petition against this closure report, which is based on a shoddy investigation”, Singh said.
The federal anti-corruption probe agency had filed two closure reports in March this year . One, into a case registered by Sushant Singh’s father K K Singh in Patna alleging that Rhea and her family drove his son to suicide, and embezzled his funds . The other, a case filed by Rhea against Singh’s sisters in Mumbai. The investigation became one of India’s most polarising cases.
HT has exclusively accessed the details of the main closure report, which pertains to allegations against Rhea; her parents Indrajeet Chakraborty and Sandhya Chakraborty; brother Showik; Rajput’s manager Shruti Modi, and house manager Samuel Miranda.
“Investigation revealed that Sushant had committed suicide. None of the accused persons had lived/stayed with him between June 8, 2020 and June 14, 2020 (the day he was found hanging in his Bandra flat). Rhea and her brother Showik left the house on June 8, and thereafter didn’t visit the house. Sushant had spoken to Showik on June 10 through WhatsApp at 1441 hours but had no conversations with Rhea between June 8 and June 14. Evidence had not come on record to show the meeting of Sushant with Rhea or any of her family members of being in touch by any other means. Shruti Modi had stopped visiting Sushant’s house since she fractured her leg in February. Furthermore, Meetu Singh (sister of Sushant) had stayed with him in his flat from June 8 to June 12,” said an officer, quoting details of the closure report.
“Therefore, no evidence of any immediate provocation/abetment by any of the accused person has come on record which may had led Sushant to commit suicide,” the report adds, according to the officer.
On the allegations of wrongful confinement and restraining Rajput, the CBI report says “no evidence has come on record suggesting that Sushant was illegally confined or restrained in any manner by any of the accused or any other person”.
Regarding allegations of theft and embezzlement of funds by Rhea, the agency, according to a second officer, has said in the report that “when Rhea, along with her brother, left Sushant’s house on June 8, she took away her Apple laptop and Apple wristwatch which were gifted to her by Sushant. No evidence has emerged during investigation about any property dishonestly taken out of the possession of Sushant without his knowledge by Rhea or any other accused person”.
Karpuri Gram in Bihar’s Samastipur district is poised to gain attention as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the NDA’s election campaign there on October 24.
PM Modi’s choice of Karpuri Gram to kick off his campaign, experts believe, signals the BJP’s strategy for the upcoming November polls. (File photo)
Karpuri Gram, a modest village in Bihar’s Samastipur district, has come under political spotlight in the midst of campaigning for the Bihar elections. It is from this rural settlement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his election campaign in support of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates on October 24.
PM Modi’s choice of Karpuri Gram to kick off his campaign, experts believe, signals the BJP’s strategy for the upcoming November polls.
Though Karpoori Gram may seem like any other rural settlement, it stands tall in the political memory of India. It is the birthplace of Jannayak Karpuri Thakur, the two-time Chief Minister of Bihar who was a highly revered political figure who devoted his life to championing the rights of Dalits and backward communities.
A committed socialist, Thakur served as Bihar’s Chief Minister first from 1970 to 1971 and again from 1977 to 1979. He stood firmly for social justice and the upliftment of the poor, ideals that earned him the enduring title of Jannayak or the people’s leader.
His son, Ramnath Thakur, a member of the JDU and currently Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said that the Prime Minister’s visit to Karpuri Gram on October 24 will energise political workers ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls.
“Jannayak Karpuri Thakur’s activities, his intellect, his path of struggle, he has been fighting since 1952 and has been winning. And in today’s political parties, in order to hold on to that role, in order to give that momentum, it will be useful to give life to the workers after Prime Minister’s visit,”Ramnath Thakur said.
“There is very little to say about Mr. Thakur. He used to give very little to the village. But he used to say to the whole community, to the whole of Bihar, that if the whole of Bihar is fine, my village will also be fine. That’s why he used to take the whole of Bihar with him, not just his village,” Karpuri Thakur’s nephew, Nityanad Thakur, told PTI.
Locals remember Karpuri Thakur for leading a simple life and championing equality and fairness for all. Karpuri Thakur was a man who used to listen to everyone, who had risen from the ashes.
“Now, as far as I know about Jemni, especially after getting information from the people here, (3:08) the name of this village used to be Pitwohiya. Later, during the time of Lalu Prasadji, his name was changed to Pitwohiya, and it was named after Karpuri. He used to live in that village. He was a man of equal thinking. He was brought up in that society. That’s all I know about him,” said Jagdeo Ram, a local.
“Karpuri Thakur did a lot for the village. The elders of the village did a lot for the village. They didn’t do anything wrong. The village is still running in their name. From education to grassroots development, Karpuri Thakur’s work has left a lasting imprint on locals, many of whom still recall his visits and guidance fondly. He used to take the food and vegetables from us whenever he got a chance,” said another local.
After his first rally in Samastipur district, the birthplace of former Chief Minister of Bihar Karpoori Thakur, PM Modi will visit Karpoorigram, the ancestral home of the Bharat Ratna awardee.
Post-Diwali, Delhi wakes up to thick smog as AQI hits 345 (‘very poor’), with some areas breaching 500 (‘severe’). Despite firecracker restrictions, violations spiked pollution. Combined with stubble burning and low winds, the haze worsens. Authorities may enforce GRAP-II measures; health experts warn vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure.
Delhi Chokes On Post-Diwali Smog, Air Quality Dips To ‘Very Poor’ Levels | @AHindinews
Residents of the national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Wednesday morning, as Delhi’s air quality took a severe hit following Diwali celebrations. At 5:30 a.m., the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 345, falling in the ‘very poor’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Despite restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on the use of firecrackers, several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed widespread violations on Diwali night.
On Tuesday, many monitoring stations recorded AQI levels breaching the 500-mark, a level categorised as ‘severe’.
#WATCH | केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के अनुसार, आज सुबह दिल्ली में इंडिया गेट के आसपास वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 362 दर्ज किया गया, जो ‘बेहद खराब’ श्रेणी में है।
The 24-hour average AQI for Tuesday was 351, a sharp rise from 345 recorded on Monday.
The pollution spike comes as no surprise, as Delhi has historically grappled with worsening air quality during the post-monsoon and winter months. Low wind speeds, combined with emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning in neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana, contribute significantly to the toxic haze that envelops the city.
Authorities are now considering emergency measures to combat the deteriorating air.
The military invasion of Tibet by China’s People’s Liberation Army in 1950 marked the beginning of China’s claims over the region, culminating in the signing of the Seventeen Point Agreement in 1951.
India’s Himalayan Vigil: From Tibet’s Fall to Galwan’s Flashpoint
In October 1950, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China invaded the Tibetan-controlled territory of Chamdo. This military campaign is often referred to as the Battle of Chamdo. The Tibetan forces were defeated, and Chamdo was captured.
Following this military action, Tibetan representatives were sent to Beijing and, under pressure, signed the “Seventeen Point Agreement” on 23 May 1951. This agreement formally established Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. Therefore, the military invasion and subsequent events that led to the formal integration of Tibet under Chinese control began in 1950. This event shaped the post-World War II geopolitical order in the Himalayas.
The period from the 1950 Battle of Chamdo to the 2020 Galwan clash can be seen as reflecting China’s expansionist ideology through the military takeover of Tibet, followed by ongoing territorial disputes, border aggressions, and efforts to establish regional dominance through military and economic means. China’s actions are often interpreted as part of a larger strategy to secure and expand its territory, enforce its claims, and counter perceived threats to its influence.
Battle of Chamdo (1950)
This conflict is widely seen as the start of China’s annexation of Tibet. It was a military victory for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and led to the incorporation of Tibet into China, though Tibetans dispute the “peaceful liberation” narrative. Following the military takeover, resistance was suppressed after the 1959 uprising, with widespread arrests and tighter controls across Tibet. The revolt and the Chinese crackdown led to the Dalai Lama’s escape to India and a surge in Tibetan refugees.
Sino-Indian War (1962)
The 1962 war resulted in China’s occupation of parts of Aksai Chin, a disputed territory in Ladakh. The 1962 Sino-Indian War was rooted in border disputes and was significantly exacerbated by the Tibetan issue—specifically, China’s annexation of Tibet in 1950 and India’s granting of asylum to the Dalai Lama in March 1959. China viewed India’s support for Tibetan exiles as a betrayal and a threat to its control over Tibet. This tension, combined with China’s belief that U.S. covert aid to Tibetan resistance was being channelled through India, escalated the border conflict that China saw as a response to India’s so-called “Forward Policy”. Nathu La conflict (1967)
A series of clashes at Nathu La (September 11–15, 1967) and Cho La (October 1, 1967) in Sikkim occurred, where India repelled Chinese incursions and inflicted heavy casualties, giving them a bloody nose and establishing a period of peace along the border. The conflict started when India began fencing the border at Nathu La, which China opposed, leading to escalating tension and intense artillery and machine-gun fire. Doklam standoff (2017)
The China–India border standoff, or Doklam standoff, was a military border standoff between the Indian Armed Forces and the PLA over Chinese construction of a road in Doklam, near a trijunction border area known in Chinese as Donglang, or Donglang Caochang (meaning Donglang pasture or grazing field). On 16 June 2017, Chinese troops with construction vehicles and road-building equipment began extending an existing road southward in Doklam, a territory that is claimed by both China and Bhutan. Galwan Valley Clash (2020)
This 2020 incident marked the first fatal border clash between India and China since 1975. It was a violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley, a strategically important area of Ladakh, highlighting the ongoing and unresolved nature of the border dispute.
Even after signing multiple peace agreements and holding rounds of border talks with India, China continues to make expansive claims over regions like Arunachal Pradesh—which India firmly rejects—and the South China Sea, whose sweeping maritime claims were legally rejected by the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, although China refuses to recognise the verdict. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a key example of how China uses economic power to spread its influence, creating a network of economic dependency across Asia.
China’s actions are often seen as a response to what it perceives as a challenge to its regional influence, such as India’s rise as a major power. It may also be reacting to efforts by other countries to counter its assertiveness, such as in the South China Sea. Indian Army’s bulwark
The Indian Army is a bulwark against China through its significant military presence along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC), particularly in the Ladakh sector. Since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, India has reinforced its defences and accelerated its military modernisation to address the ongoing threat from China, which is also rapidly building up its military capabilities.
Bricks and a knife were used to kill the boy, officials said.
The body was recovered from the rented accommodation of the accused.
A five-year-old boy was kidnapped and murdered with bricks and a knife by a driver who worked in his father’s transport business in Delhi’s Narela area on Tuesday, with police suspecting that it was an act of revenge.
The body was recovered from the rented accommodation of Nitu, the accused in the case, police said.
Nitu is on the run, and multiple teams have been formed to trace him, a police official said, adding that the accused had been reprimanded by the victim’s father a day ago.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami said a call about the child having been kidnapped was received at 3.30 pm at Narela Industrial Area police station.
The officer said that during the inquiry, it was revealed that the child was playing outside his house when he suddenly went missing.
Family members and neighbours started searching for him, and later, his body was discovered in Nitu’s rented room nearby.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the boy’s father, the complainant, owned seven to eight transport vehicles and had employed two drivers — Nitu and Wasim.
“On Monday evening, both drivers had an argument under the influence of alcohol, during which Nitu allegedly beat Wasim,” said the DCP.
When the matter was reported to the transporter, he intervened and slapped Nitu two to four times for misbehaving, police said.
Humiliated, Nitu kidnapped the boy on Tuesday while he was playing outside the house, took him to his rented accommodation, and killed him using bricks and a knife, the DCP said.
The court’s observation came while allowing a man’s appeal challenging his conviction and 10 years imprisonment in a rape case and acquitting him of the charges.
The court was dealing with a case registered in 2023. (File)
Mere use of the term “physical relations” without supporting evidence is insufficient to establish rape or aggravated penetrative sexual assault, the Delhi High Court has held.
The court’s observation came while allowing a man’s appeal challenging his conviction and 10 years imprisonment in a rape case and acquitting him of the charges.
“In the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case, the use of the term ‘physical relations’, unaccompanied by any supporting evidence, would not be sufficient to hold that the prosecution has been able to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
“The appellant’s conviction under Section 376 IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act is unsustainable,” Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri said in a judgment passed on October 17.
The court, which termed it an unfortunate case, said it was bound to decide the matter on its own merits.
It said the child victim and her parents repeatedly stated that “physical relations” were established however, there was no clarity as to what was meant by this expression.
“No further description of the alleged act has been given. Unfortunately, no questions have been put to the victim by the prosecution or trial court to gain some clarity as to whether the essential ingredients of the offence the appellant was charged with, have been made out or not,” it said.
The court was dealing with a case registered in 2023 in which the 16-year-old victim had alleged that her cousin established physical relations with her on the false pretext of marriage for more than a year in 2014.
The man challenged his conviction and the high court allowed his appeal saying that the prosecution’s case hinged only on the oral evidence being the testimony of the child victim and her parents and that there was no forensic evidence on record.
The court said the expression “physical relations” was not used or defined either under the IPC or POCSO Act.
Railway officials and local police have reached the site. The exact cause of the derailment is yet to be determined. Visuals from the scene have surfaced, showing the derailed compartments, and are circulating on social media.
Coaches Of Goods Train Carrying Coal Derail In Mathura | X/
A major accident occurred on the Delhi-Agra railway track in Chaumuhan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, as a freight train carrying coal derailed near pole number 1408, under the jurisdiction of the Jaint police station. The incident took place at around 8:00 PM.
According to preliminary reports, approximately 12 coaches were derailed, severely affecting rail traffic in the region.
Railway officials and local police have reached the site. The exact cause of the derailment is yet to be determined. Visuals from the scene have surfaced, showing the derailed compartments, and are circulating on social media.
मथुरा : मालगाड़ी के एक दर्जन डिब्बे पटरी से उतरे
➡आगरा-दिल्ली रेलवे ट्रैक हुआ बाधित
➡मौके पर रेलवे के अधिकारी और स्थानीय पुलिस
➡छटीकरा और आझई के बीच की है घटना
➡आगरा से दिल्ली जा रही थी कोयले से भरी मालगाड़ी
➡मालगाड़ी के डिब्बे डिरेल होने की वजह स्पष्ट नहीं#Mathura… pic.twitter.com/iFQgMh40dP
Railway teams began working to restore the derailed coaches, and by 10 p.m., train services resumed on the fourth line. The disruption caused significant inconvenience to passengers travelling on over a dozen trains.
One of the most passionate players in the world of Chess, Naroditsky gained popularity for his YouTube channel, which has tutorials and has inspired several to take up the sport. His YouTube channel had a staggering 500,000 subscriber base. According to reports, the late chess player’s net worth amounts to between $500,000 and $1 million.
Samay Raina and Daniel Naroditsky. | (Credits: Instagram/X)
Indian stand-up comedian and YouTuber Samay Raina has posted an Instagram story in the memory of Chess player Daniel Naroditsky’s demise. Raina’s Instagram story read as ‘Heartbreaking’ as the American Chess player died aged 29 as the Charlotte Chess Center released a statement on the same but no cause for the death was mentioned.
One of the most passionate players in the world of Chess, Naroditsky gained popularity for his YouTube channel, which has tutorials and has inspired several to take up the sport. His YouTube channel had a staggering 500,000 subscriber base. According to reports, the late chess player’s net worth amounts to between $500,000 and $1 million.
Samay Raina, who also plays the sport on Chess.com and possesses a rating of 1621 for rapid Chess as of December 6, 2024, posted the below story:
International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovic announces the establishment of special prize in Chess in Daniel Naroditsky’s demise
Meanwhile, FIDE President Daniel Naroditsky equally expressed his grief at Naroditsky demise. FIDE will establish a prize in Naroditsky’s memory as Dvorkovic expressed his commiserations, claiming that the American Chess Grandmaster was not only an ambassador of the game but also a kind and compassionate person. Taking to Facebook, he wrote:
“Terrible, tragic news – still I cannot believe what we all know from yesterday. I was checking with the other GMs for some time and I simply could not stand it. Danya (and for all of us, in our hearts, he will always remain Danya) was not only a brilliant chess Grandmaster but also a tireless ambassador for Chess and above all – a kind, compassionate and good person. We will always remember him. FIDE will establish a special prize in memory of Grandmaster Naroditsky and his contribution to the world of Chess.”
Thousands in Bangladesh’s Chattogram held a massive rally demanding the implementation of the China-backed Teesta River Master Plan. However, experts say the plan involving Beijing, amid stalled water-sharing talks with India, could pose strategic risks for New Delhi due to its proximity to the sensitive Siliguri Corridor.
The Teesta Master Plan rally in Chattogram on Sunday follows torchlight demonstrations held at 11 places in the northern Rajshahi division on Friday. (Image: Social Media)
On the evening of October 19, hundreds of people formed a human chain near Chittagong University’s Shaheed Minar. They held placards and mashaal torches in their hands as they marched to the Minar. They demanded an immediate implementation of the Teesta Master Plan and Bangladesh’s “fair share” of Teesta water, reported news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
Reportedly organised by students from Rangpur division, slogans were raised against water injustice and India’s alleged influence on Bangladesh’s water policies. Speakers said the Teesta plan could transform northern Bangladesh by boosting agriculture, creating jobs, and driving national growth.
The rally ended with a call to “protect national interests and ensure water justice for Teesta-dependent regions” in Bangladesh, reported the BSS.
The protest in Chattogram on Sunday came after a wave of torchlight rallies across Northern Bangladesh on Thursday evening, where thousands gathered in five districts of the Rangpur division demanding the immediate implementation of the Teesta River Master Plan, reported the Dhaka Tribune.
The Teesta Master Plan, backed by China, is being seen in Bangladesh as a workaround to the long-stalled Teesta water-sharing deal with India. Experts, meanwhile, view the plan with concern, especially due to its proximity to the strategic Chicken’s Neck and potential Chinese presence near the sensitive Siliguri Corridor, which is a 20-kilometre land route connecting the northeastern states to the rest of India.
WHY ARE TENSIONS RISING OVER TEESTA MASTER PLAN?
The demand now assumes importance because the Teesta Master Plan, a Chinese-backed initiative for river management, promises to address northern Bangladesh’s water scarcity amid stalled water-sharing talks with India. With the 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty nearing its expiry in 2026, the urgency to implement the unilateral plan near the strategic Chicken’s Neck, with a third-party (China), the intense push for the plan’s implementation raises concerns of being detrimental to India’s water security and regional cooperation.
The Teesta River originates in the eastern Himalayas in the state of Sikkim, flows through West Bengal, and then enters Bangladesh, and joins the Brahmaputra (Jamuna). The river has long been at the centre of water-sharing negotiations between Bangladesh and India. Bangladesh alleges that during the lean season, when water levels are low, India restricts the flow of Teesta River water, causing severe shortages for agriculture and daily use. During the monsoon season, Bangladesh faces flooding and has demanded better management and equitable sharing to ensure sufficient water supply throughout the year.
However, a deal has not been reached yet between the two riparian states.
The protests across Bangladesh come months after its interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, sought a 50-year river management master plan from Beijing in March, praising China as the “master of water management” and including the Teesta River in the proposal. In March after Yunus met Chinese President Xi Jinping, the joint statement issued said Bangladesh welcomed Chinese companies to participate in the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP).
These protests also follow growing public pressure in Bangladesh, with many voices urging the government to move ahead with the Teesta Master Plan with Chinese cooperation. Bangladesh sought 6,700 crore taka in financial aid for the project’s first phase.
These protests also come amid growing public and political pressure in Bangladesh, with many urging the government to advance the Teesta Master Plan with Chinese support, especially as post-Hasina Dhaka has gravitated towards Beijing, and joined the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose de-facto chief and son of former PM Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, had voiced support for the plan, was also said to be backing it.
Gujarat MLAs will receive new homes on Bhai dooj, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This marks a significant upgrade in official housing with modern facilities enhancing MLA living standards.
Gujarat MLAs will receive new homes on Bhai dooj, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah (File Photo)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to inaugurate 216 newly built, state-of-the-art flats for Gujarat MLAs in Gandhinagar on Bhaibij (Bhai Dooj), marking the Gujarati New Year with the launch of a Rs 247-crore housing project modeled on Delhi’s modern MP residences.
The old MLA residences in Gandhinagar’s Sector 17, were demolished to make way for the new project. The residences, modelled after the updated homes for MPs in Delhi, come equipped with modern amenities.
The Sector 21 project, proposed five years ago after the existing buildings from 1995 became dilapidated and lacked essential facilities, features 12 nine-storey towers covering around 28,000 square meters.
Each flat includes three bedrooms, a living room, an office, a reading room, a servant’s room, and a dining room. Public facilities include two gardens with seating areas, an auditorium, a community hall, a canteen, a modern health club, a children’s play area, a senior citizen park, an internet lounge, an indoor game zone, a yoga and aerobics deck, a jogging and walking track, and four entry/exit gates.
Earlier this month, the court had ordered registration of a case over the ‘missing’ gold, after the idols were sent to a firm in Chennai for electroplating by Unnikrishnan Potti, a businessman. | Photo Credit: LEJU KAMAL
The special investigation team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities that led to reduction in the weight of gold-clad copper coverings of the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple in 4.5 kg since 2019 submitted an interim report to the Kerala High Court on Tuesday (October 21, 2025).
The report was submitted in a sealed cover by S. Sasidharan, SP, to whom the High Court had entrusted the probe earlier this month. The case was heard in-camera by a Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, with neither members of the public nor mediapersons allowed entry into the court.
Earlier this month, the court had ordered registration of a case over the ‘missing’ gold, after the idols were sent to a firm in Chennai for electroplating by Unnikrishnan Potti, a businessman. The order was passed soon after the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) Vigilance wing submitted a report. It also ordered forming an SIT to probe the matter and also the alleged irregularities in the gold-cladding works on the frames.
The SIT had inspected the house of Mr. Potti, the prime suspect in the case, to seize records and other evidence related to the ‘missing’ gold, on Saturday.
During his address to naval personnel aboard the indigenous aircraft carrier, PM Modi praised the Indian Navy’s legacy of strength and vigilance
PM Modi said the night he spent aboard the warship was an unforgettable experience, filled with the spirit of patriotism and pride. (Photo: X/narendramodi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said INS Vikrant struck fear in Pakistan and it “gave them sleepless nights.” Speaking during his Diwali address to naval personnel aboard the indigenous aircraft carrier, PM Modi said, “INS Vikrant’s very name took away Pakistan’s sleep. If just its name could shake the enemy’s courage, that is INS Vikrant for you.”
Addressing the Navy personnel on board INS Vikrant, the Prime Minister praised the Indian Navy’s legacy of strength and vigilance, describing the warship as a powerful symbol of India’s maritime might and national pride.
VIDEO | PM Modi, while addressing Navy personnel on INS Vikrant this Diwali, says, “INS Vikrant’s mere name vanished the sleep of entire Pakistan. If its mere name diminished the courage of the enemy, it is INS Vikrant…”#Diwali2025#INSVikrant#IndianNavy
Prime Minister Modi said it was his privilege to celebrate Diwali with the country’s brave naval personnel aboard INS Vikrant. Celebrating the festival with members of the armed forces off the coast of Goa and Karwar, he honoured their courage and dedication, calling the occasion deeply symbolic and memorable.
“Today is an amazing day. This scene is memorable. On one side, I have the ocean, and on the other, the strength of the brave soldiers of Mother India,” PM Modi said.
Highlighting India’s military prowess, he added, “The fear created by the Indian Navy, the amazing skill displayed by the Indian Air Force, and the bravery of the Indian Army — the tremendous coordination of the three forces forced Pakistan to surrender so quickly in Operation Sindoor.”
PM Modi further described INS Vikrant as a “towering symbol of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Made in India.” He said the indigenous warship represents the nation’s hard work, innovation, and determination. “INS Vikrant, tearing through the oceans, is a reflection of India’s military might. It is not merely a warship, but a testimony to 21st-century India’s talent, impact, and commitment,” he said.
Highlights from INS Vikrant, including the Air Power Demo, a vibrant cultural programme and more… pic.twitter.com/Br943m0oCC
“Vikrant is huge, vast and panoramic. Vikrant is outstanding, Vikrant is also special,” the Prime Minister added.
“Today is an amazing day. This scene is memorable. On one side, I have the ocean, and on the other, the strength of the brave soldiers of Mother India,” PM Modi said.
Standing on the deck of INS Vikrant, he added, “Today, on one side I have infinite horizons and sky, and on the other stands INS Vikrant, embodying infinite power. The glow of the sun’s rays on the ocean’s waters feels like the Diwali lamps lit by our brave soldiers.”
The owner of a Chandigarh-based pharmaceutical company shocked everyone after giving away luxury SUV cars to his employees as a Diwali gift.
MITS group owner’s amazing Diwali gift. (Photo Credits: X)
The owner of a pharmaceutical company in Chandigarh stunned everyone on social media after a video revealed him handing over 51 luxury cars to his employees as a Diwali gift. The owner in the viral clip is the MITS group founder and chairman, MK Bhatia, who can be seen giving away keys of expensive Scorpio SUVs to his subordinates.
According to Dainik Bhaskar, the top-performing employees of the MITS group were rewarded with luxury SUVs after the company grandly celebrated Diwali at its Chandigarh centre. It is understood that Bhatia had previously also gifted his employees a host of amazing vehicles on the auspicious occasion of Diwali.
51 cars (including SUVs, Scorpios) gifted to staff of a Pharma company in Chandigarh on the occasion of Diwali!
MITS Owner Recovers From Bankruptcy, Gifts Employees Cars
Bhatia’s stunning act of generosity reflected his humble nature and gratitude towards his employees, having seen difficult times very early in his own journey. Standing today as the proud founder and chairman of the MITS group, Bhatia reportedly faced bankruptcy in 2002 after his medical store endured heavy losses. In an inspiring turnaround, he found success with MITS in 2015 and owns today as many as 12 companies under his name.
Based in the Panchkula district of Haryana, Bhatia had planned to expand the MITS group across different states in India and aimed to even venture into the overseas market. In an interaction with Medical Dialogues in 2023, Bhatia confirmed, “We had already got licenses in Canada, London and Dubai.” As part of his expansion plans, Bhatia had announced the appointment of five new directors and also made Shilpa Chandel as the company’s CEO.
Pharma Company Owner’s Gesture Stuns Internet
The clip of the MITS group founder giving away 51 luxury cars to his employees as a Diwali gift shocked people on the internet, leaving them highly envious but also slightly suspicious.
“Microbiology ki degree hai merepass??Koi scope hai kyaa company join karne kaa? Mujhe ek telescope de dena car war ni (I have a microbiology degree, do I have any scope of joining this company? Just give me a telescope, not even a car),” joked a user.
Someone commented, “As long as you are making a profit by producing medicines without compromising on quality (quality assurance), there is no problem in using that profit to give your employees cars, bungalows, ships—there is no issue with that. The problem arises when profit is earned by tampering with quality.”
According to officials, K Aravind, who had been working as a homologation engineer since 2022 at Ola, consumed poison on September 28.
The police filed a case against Bhavish Aggarwal, Subrat Kumar Das, and others on October 6.
A 38-year-old engineer employed with Ola Electrics died by suicide, leaving behind a 28-page handwritten note – accusing his superiors, including Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal, of mental harassment and financial exploitation.
Ola, however, in a statement, said that the engineer, identified as K Aravind, never raised any complaint or grievance regarding his employment or harassment.
According to officials, K Aravind, who had been working as a homologation engineer since 2022 at Ola, consumed poison on September 28 at his residence in Bengaluru’s Chikkalasandra. His friends found him in distress and immediately rushed him to the Maharaja Agrasena Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment. However, he died the same day.
The police have registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR), officials said.
Shortly after Aravind’s death, his brother found a 28-page note addressed to him, in which the Ola engineer accused Subrat Kumar Das and Bhavish Aggarwal of workplace harassment and pressure. The note said that Aravind was mentally tortured and denied his salary and allowances, which ultimately drove him to kill himself.
According to Aravind’s brother, a suspicious bank transfer of Rs 17,46,313 was made to his account via NEFT two days after his death. When the brother approached Ola for clarification about the transaction, Das allegedly gave vague responses, he said. Later, three representatives of the company – Kratesh Desai, Paramesh, and Roshan – visited Aravind’s residence but did not provide any consistent information regarding the financial transfer, raising doubts among his family members about the company’s intentions, officials said.
Based on Aravind’s brother’s complaint, the police filed a case against Bhavish Aggarwal, Das, and others on October 6.
The FIR alleges that constant harassment, humiliation, and financial exploitation by his superiors were directly responsible for Aravind’s death. His family urged the police to initiate legal proceedings against the accused officials, including Das and Aggarwal, holding them accountable for abetment to suicide.
What Ola said
Ola released a statement today and condoled the death of its employee.
“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of our colleague, Aravind, and our thoughts remain with his family during this difficult time. Aravind had been associated with Ola Electric for over three and a half years and was based at our headquarters in Bangalore. During his tenure, Aravind never raised any complaint or grievance regarding his employment or any harassment. His role also did not involve any direct interaction with the company’s top management, including the promoter,” it said.
The company also said it has challenged the FIR against its founder and others before the Karnataka High Court.
Generali told the Court that the insurer’s confidential and customer data had been hacked and that the unknown perpetrator had demanded USD 500,000 in ransom.
Generali Central life Insurance with Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court has granted urgent ad-interim relief to Generali Central Life Insurance Company Limited after it was hit by a ransomware attack, allegedly carried out by a hacker group identifying itself as “Medusa” [Generali Central Life Insurance Company Limited Vs Union of India].
Raj Thackeray, leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), accused the Election Commission of allowing 96 lakh fake voters on the state’s electoral rolls.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray during a joint press conference of opposition leaders, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo/File) Photo : PTI
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday alleged that 96 lakh fake voters have been added to the state’s electoral rolls and challenged the Election Commission to clean up the lists before holding local body elections.
Addressing booth-level party workers, Thackeray urged his supporters to verify voter lists to identify duplicate or fake entries. “If polls are held like this, then it is the biggest insult to voters in Maharashtra and the country,” he said.
Thackeray alleged, “An attempt is being made to finish regional parties. I have learnt that 96 lakh fake voters have been enrolled in the voters’ list in Maharashtra for the upcoming polls. They had also done this during the state polls as well.”
Opposition Voices Concerns Over Electoral Rolls
Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP (SP), and MNS, recently met the State Election Commissioner and Chief Electoral Officer, claiming that duplicate names appear across different addresses and assembly segments. They have called for rectification and removal of anomalies ahead of rural and urban body elections, which are scheduled to conclude by January 31, 2026.
The Maharashtra State Election Commission responded on Saturday, saying no political party can tamper with electoral rolls and that updates and corrections are being managed securely.
Claims of Fake Voters Across Cities
Thackeray alleged that 8 to 10 lakh fake voters were added in Mumbai, with 8 to 8.5 lakh more in Thane, Pune, and Nashik. He claimed that similar additions occurred in villages and cities across the state. Without naming the ruling BJP, he accused it of attempting to manipulate the electoral process by including fake voters.
“It does not matter whether you cast a vote or not. The match has been fixed. What kind of democracy is this?” Thackeray said. He added that such practices prevent regional parties like his from gaining representation in the state legislature.
The officials said that several people sustained minor burn injuries in the fire.
Massive Fire in UP’s Fatehpur Market Photo : PTI
A massive fire broke out at a firecracker market on the MG College ground in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur, gutting more than 65 shops where several crores of firecrackers were reduced to ashes. It further destroyed dozens of two-wheeler vehicles and injured several people, according to officials.
The officials said that several people sustained minor burn injuries in the fire.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire broke out around 12.30 pm at one of the cracker stalls, allegedly sparked by a short-circuit. The blaze rapidly spread to the adjoining stalls, all stocked with fireworks, triggering a series of loud explosions.
Panic gripped the market as traders and customers scrambled to get to safety, while a thick cloud of smoke enveloped the sky above.
Fatehpur SP Anoop Kumar Singh said no casualties have been reported so far.
“Our first priority is to bring the fire completely under control. The cause of the blaze is being investigated, and strict action will be taken against those found negligent,” the SP said.
Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Jaiveer Singh said the fire engulfed the entire market within 15 to 20 minutes.
“Around 65-70 shops and over two dozen two-wheelers have been completely gutted. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far,” he said.
Firemen used sand, buckets of water, and extinguishers to contain the blaze, officials said.
Vendors and shopkeepers, however, alleged that fire tenders reached the spot nearly 20 minutes after the blaze broke out, despite the fire station being just 200 metres away.
“The temporary market became operational only half an hour earlier. Within 15 minutes, everything was gone. We barely managed to escape with our lives,” Satish, a local trader, said.
Another shopkeeper said she invested Rs 8 lakh into her stall; now, all the merchandise has been reduced to nothing.
India has been omitted from the Diversity Visa Lottery 2026, in the recent State Department visa bulletin.
Other Asian nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and South Korea are similarly excluded. (Representative)
India has been excluded from the latest update of the Diversity Visa Lottery 2026, according to a November visa bulletin published by the State Department. Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and South Korea are also not on the Asia list.
The Department of State administers the Diversity Visa (DV) immigrant visa program, which is an annual program for immigration to the United States. Up to 55,000 immigrants can enter the United States each year from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
Countries like Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, UAE, and Yemen, which have seen relatively lower immigration to the US, have been included in the list, as per the latest bulletin.
For countries that qualify, the latest visa allocations were announced on Wednesday. Approximately 129,516 prospective applicants (i.e., selectees and their spouses and children) have been registered, can confirm their selection, and may be eligible to make an application for an immigrant visa.
H-1B process to see more changes?
Since coming to power, the Donald Trump administration has tightened immigration policies, including the H-1B visa route. Last month, the country raised the H-1B visa fee from $2,000–$5,000 to a whopping $100,000 (approximately Rs 88 lakh). This was later announced as a one-time fee that US companies will have to pay to the government if they want to hire foreign employees.
At the same time, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted that there will be significant changes in the H-1B visa process before February 2026.
Lutnick said that with the USD 100,000 fee on applications, “at least it shouldn’t be overrun with these people. But I think you’re going to see a real thoughtful change going forward. And that’s what I expect will happen.”
From Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to embrace ‘Swadeshi’ to record-breaking celebrations in Ayodhya, political leaders marked Diwali with messages of harmony, prosperity, and national pride.
PM Modi extends Diwali wishes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended warm greetings to the nation on the occasion of Diwali, wishing that the festival of lights illuminate people’s lives with “harmony, happiness and prosperity”.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Greetings on the occasion of Diwali. May this festival of lights illuminate our lives with harmony, happiness and prosperity. May the spirit of positivity prevail all around us.”
The Prime Minister also urged Indian consumers to buy domestically made “Swadeshi” products during the festival, encouraging the purchase of Indian-made goods and supporting local artisans.
“Let’s mark this festive season by celebrating the hardwork, creativity and innovation of 140 crore Indians. Let’s buy Indian products and say – Garv Se Kaho Yeh Swadeshi Hai! Do also share what you bought on social media. This way you will inspire others to also do the same,” PM Modi wrote on X.
President Droupadi Murmu also extended her greetings, saying, “On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all Indians, both in India and across the world.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah conveyed his wishes, stating, “Heartfelt Diwali greetings to all on this festival of lights and joy. I pray to Lord Shri Ram for the health and prosperity of all.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, “I extend best wishes to everyone on the occasion of Diwali. May we all pledge to work for the development of the nation on this occasion. We all should aim to bring a smile to the faces of people.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described Diwali as a “sacred symbol of the eternal victory of truth”.
“Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all of you on the grand festival of Diwali, the sacred symbol of the eternal victory of truth, righteousness, and positivity! The festival of lights is not merely a ritual of lighting lamps, but a beacon of hope in the soul, a pulse of harmony in society, and a resolve for national resurgence. May the grace of Lord Shri Ram and Mother Janaki illuminate not only our homes but also our hearts, and may the lamp of faith, enthusiasm, and zeal be kindled in everyone’s life-this is my prayer. Jai Jai Siyaram!” he said.
Meanwhile, on the eve of Deepotsav, Ayodhya entered the Guinness World Records by lighting over 26 lakh oil lamps and hosting the largest-ever Saryu aarti.
The event was organised by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department in collaboration with the Ayodhya District Administration. In the largest display of oil lamps, 2,617,215 diyas were lit along the banks of the Saryu River.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also extended Diwali greetings, saying, “Heartfelt Diwali greetings to all my fellow citizens from my side. May this wonderful festival, which leads from darkness to light, fill your life with joy. May everyone’s life be filled with happiness, peace, and prosperity; that is my heartfelt wish. Let us all come together to promote love, brotherhood, harmony, and goodwill, and confront injustice, ignorance, and discrimination unitedly, so that the light of truth and justice always illuminates our path.”
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari greeted citizens saying, “Happy Diwali to all the people of the state. We must adopt Swadeshi and use only products made in our country.”
According to a statement issued by the district police, the Circle Officer of Mahua lodged a complaint with the police station concerned after a video, which went viral on social media, showed Yadav using a SUV, bearing a police logo and a beacon light, during a procession for submitting his documents on October 16.
Tej Pratap Yadav gets booked on the nomination-filing day for violating model code of conduct
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad’s elder son and Janshakti Janta Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav has been booked for violating the model code of conduct (MCC) during the filing of his nomination papers from the Mahua assembly seat in Bihar’s Vaishali district, police said on Sunday
According to a statement issued by the district police, the Circle Officer of Mahua lodged a complaint with the police station concerned after a video, which went viral on social media, showed Yadav using a SUV, bearing a police logo and a beacon light, during a procession for submitting his documents on October 16.
“It was thoroughly examined and found that the police logo and beacon light used on the vehicle were a private one. Therefore, a case was registered for violation of the election code of conduct,” it said.
Yadav floated the party after being expelled from the RJD on May 25 by his father for six years, as he reportedly confessed to being ‘in a relationship‘ with a woman.
He, however, deleted the Facebook post later with a claim that his page was ‘hacked’. Lalu Prasad also disowned Tej Pratap due to his “irresponsible behaviour”.
The fire broke out around 7:30 am when the train (number 12204) was coming from Amritsar.
Fire in coach of the Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath Express Photo : PTI
A fire broke out in a coach of the Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath Express on Saturday (October 18), near Sirhind Railway Station, the officials said, adding that one person sustained minor injuries.
The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained, according to the Railway Board.
The fire broke out around 7:30 am when the train (number 12204) was coming from Amritsar.
A Government Railway Police (GRP) official said smoke was noticed in one of the AC coaches of the train.
A passenger pulled a chain (alarm chain pulling system) to stop the train. Thereafter, the passengers were safely evacuated from the coach, the official said.
The fire soon engulfed the coach (G-19). Two other coaches also faced minor impact. The three coaches were separated from the rest of the train and fire tenders were immediately called in, the GRP official said.
The Railway Board said one person suffered minor injuries in the incident.
A 32-year-old woman suffered some burn injuries and was taken to the Civil Hospital in Fatehgarh Sahib, said Station House Officer, GRP Sirhind, Rattan Lal.
The officials said that soon after the fire was noticed, the railway authorities shifted the passengers from the affected coach to other coaches.
The train will leave for its destination shortly, they added.
Fire at MPs apartment in Delhi
In another incident on Saturday, a massive fire broke out at the multi-storey Brahmaputra Apartments on the Dr Bishambhar Das Marg in Delhi, which was allotted to Members of Parliament in the national capital.
Permanent alimony is intended as a measure of social justice and not as a tool for enrichment or equalising the financial status of two capable individuals, the Court said.
Divorce
The Delhi High Court recently held that alimony cannot be awarded to a spouse if he/she is financially self-sufficient and independent.
A Division Bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said that it is a settled principle that permanent alimony is intended as a measure of social justice and not as a tool for enrichment or equalising the financial status of two capable individuals.
The law requires the person seeking alimony to demonstrate a genuine need for financial assistance, the Court stressed.
“Judicial discretion under Section 25 [of Hindu Marriage Act (HMA)] cannot be exercised to award alimony where the applicant is financially self-sufficient and independent, and such discretion must be exercised properly and judiciously, based on the record, the relative financial capacities of the parties, and the absence of any material demonstrating economic vulnerability on the part of the Appellant,” the Court held.
The Bench made the observation while upholding a family court order denying permanent alimony to a woman and granting divorce to her husband on the grounds of cruelty.
It was stated that the couple, both of whom had been previously divorced, married in January 2010, but separated within 14 months. The husband was a practising advocate, and the wife a Group A Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer.
The husband alleged mental and physical cruelty by the wife, including abusive language, insulting text messages, denial of conjugal rights and humiliation in professional and social spheres. The wife denied these allegations and counter-accused the husband of cruelty.
The family court dissolved the marriage and also recorded that the wife demanded ₹50 lakhs as a financial settlement for agreeing to the dissolution of the marriage. This was stated in her affidavit and reiterated during cross-examination.
The family court refused to allow the same.
After considering the case, the High Court found no fault with the family court order.
It held that when a spouse, while ostensibly resisting the dissolution of marriage, simultaneously predicates consent on payment of a substantial sum, it indicates that the resistance is not anchored in affection, reconciliation or the preservation of the marital bond, but in pecuniary considerations.
“The inference drawn by the learned family court that the Appellant’s approach bore a clear financial dimension cannot be said to be unfounded or unreasonable; rather, it was a logical conclusion based on the evidence before it,” the Bench observed.
Further, the High Court noted that the wife had used degrading language against the husband, used filthy epithets for his mother and called him of illegitimate birth which amounted to mental cruelty.
The text messages in question contained imputations of illegitimacy, filthy epithets directed at the Respondent’s mother and other degrading expressions a pattern of conduct which, cumulatively, the learned Family Court was entitled to regard as causing grave mental agony to the Respondent.”
Ultimately, the Court also denied the woman’s demand for alimony, noting that she was a senior government official earning a substantial income and is financially independent.
“The short duration of cohabitation, the absence of children, the Appellant‟s substantial and independent income, and the lack of credible evidence of financial necessity cumulatively negate any claim for permanent alimony. Accordingly, we find no justifiable ground to interfere with the findings of the learned Family Court, and the prayer for permanent alimony is therefore rejected,” the Bench concluded.
He said that BrahMos is not merely a missile but it is also a symbol of India’s capabilities.
In this image posted on Oct. 16, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the Consultative Committee meeting, in Pune. Credit: @SpokespersonMoD/X via PTI Photo
Lucknow/New Delhi: In yet another warning to the western neighbour, Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the entire Pakistan was within the range of BrahMos missiles and what happened during Operation Sindoor was just a “trailer”.
“Every inch of the neighboring country is within the range of the BrahMos cruise missile…Operation Sindoor was just a trailer (of a film), which had made Pakistan realise that if India could give birth to Pakistan, then when time comes, it could also…I don’t need to explain it,” Rajnath said in Lucknow.
Rajnath and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the dispatch of the first batch of the missiles manufactured at the new BrahMos Aerospace Unit in Uttar Pradesh capital.
Following the successful use of the missile during the Indo-Pak hostilities in May, Indian top political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken multiple times on how BrahMos penetrated Pakistan’s air defence to strike at its key military assets.
“The missile features a traditional warhead and an advanced guided system and possesses the capability to strike long distances at supersonic speeds. This combination of speed, accuracy, and power makes BrahMos one of the best systems in the world. It has become the backbone of our armed forces,” Rajnath added.
The Defence Minister said India signed contracts worth Rs 4,000 crore to export BrahMos to two countries in the last one month, without disclosing the identity of the nations that would receive the made-in-India weapons.
India has exported BrahMos to the Philippines in two batches in accordance with a $375 million contract the two countries signed in 2022. While several other countries have shown interest, it is not immediately known which are the two countries with which New Delhi signed the new BrahMos deal.
The chief minister also said he is exploring the possibility of becoming a party to the plea for the restoration of statehood to J-K in the Supreme Court.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday asserted he will not ally with the BJP to hasten the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory, saying his party has no intention of repeating the “mistakes” committed by others in the past.
The chief minister also said he is exploring the possibility of becoming a party to the plea for the restoration of statehood to J-K in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of pleas seeking restoration of statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and on October 10, it gave the Centre four weeks to file its response.
Abdullah said if the restoration of statehood is dependent on the BJP coming to power in J-K, then the national party should be honest in saying so.
“If that is the deal that is to be struck with the people, then the BJP should be honest, because the BJP in its manifesto and its promises to Parliament and to the Supreme Court never said that the statehood is dependent on the BJP coming to power in J-K.
“If that is the case, then I think the BJP should be honest, they should tell us that so long as there is a non-BJP government in J-K, you will not get statehood. Then we will decide what we want to do,” he said.
However, Abdullah added that “tying up with the BJP or an alliance with the BJP is out of the question”.
He said J-K is “still suffering the after-effects” of the PDP-BJP alliance in 2015.
“We have already seen how much that has destroyed J-K. An unnecessary alliance between the PDP and the BJP was born in 2015. We are still suffering the after-effects of that. I have no intention of repeating mistakes that other people have made,” the CM added.
Asked if he had any hopes with the Supreme Court on the restoration of statehood, Abdullah said, “We should have hopes. But it is also right that somewhere Pahalgam is being linked to restoration of statehood. People of J-K did not support it. No one involved in the attack was from J-K.” Abdullah added, “I won’t go into the politics of it. Repeatedly it was said in Parliament that there are three steps – delimitation, election and statehood. Two steps have been taken, now we hope the third will also be done,” he added.
Abdullah said he is consulting senior lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Delhi about the possibility of becoming a party to the statehood restoration petition before the apex court in view of his unique experience as having been a chief minister of the state and also a Union Territory.
Delhi’s air quality remains very poor for the sixth day, with areas like Akshardham and Anand Vihar seeing severe pollution levels.
A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks past the Akshardham Temple amidst morning smog. (Photo:AP)
As winter nears, Delhi’s air quality remains elevated for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday with several areas reporting Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in the ‘poor and ‘very poor’ categories.
The air quality plunged further a day ahead of Diwali, with the Akshardham area recording an AQI of 426 – categorised as ‘severe’ – marking one of the highest pollution levels in the city this season, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Anand Vihar area followed with an AQI of 418. Barapulla reported an AQI of 290 on Sunday morning, falling under the ‘poor’ category.
Water sprinklers have been deployed at the India Gate in order to curb rising pollution levels. The area recorded an AQI of 269 on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, Delhi’s average AQI was recorded at 268, placing it in the ‘poor’ zone. However, nine out of 38 monitoring stations in the capital had already tipped into the “very poor” category, with Anand Vihar (389), Wazirpur (351), Jahangirpuri (310), and Dwarka (310) among the worst-affected.
The pollution spike is attributed largely to increased vehicular emissions, the city’s primary source of pollution on Saturday, accounting for 15.6% of total emissions, according to the Decision Support System.
In the National Capital Region, Ghaziabad recorded a “very poor” AQI of 324, while Noida (298) and Gurugram (258) remained in the ‘poor’ bracket.
The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast similar conditions over the next few days, with no immediate improvement in sight as the city inches closer to Diwali, a period often associated with further air quality deterioration due to firecracker use and stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Meanwhile, weather conditions also remain stagnant, providing little help in dispersing pollutants. Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 degree Celsius on Saturday, 0.9 degree Celsius above normal, while the minimum stood at 19.6 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts clear skies for Sunday, with temperatures expected to range between 19 degree Celsius and 33 degree Celsius.
Delhi police sources said that the students were planning a protest at the Vasant Kunj police station without official permission. When the group was stopped at the university gate, a scuffle broke out, leading to the detention of 28 students – 19 males and 9 females.
According to students, the incident occurred at JNU’s West Gate when police intervened to stop their march, leading to a confrontation.
A group of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, including the JNUSU president, were allegedly beaten and detained by Delhi Police while marching to the Vasant Kunj police station on Thursday. The students had intended to file an FIR over an earlier attack during a General Body Meeting on Dussehra, which they attribute to rising tensions between left- and right-wing student groups on campus.
According to students, the incident occurred at JNU’s West Gate when police intervened to stop their march, leading to a confrontation. Left-wing students claimed they were holding a peaceful protest against alleged violence by ABVP members and police inaction. They further alleged that police used force to block their path.
Delhi police sources said that the students were planning a protest at the Vasant Kunj police station without official permission. When the group was stopped at the university gate, a scuffle broke out, leading to the detention of 28 students – 19 males and 9 females.
Left-affiliated student groups allege that the authorities have not taken adequate action against ABVP-affiliated students following a clash, which they say escalated during a general body meeting meant for JNUSU election committee formation. These students claim police have shown favouritism towards ABVP members, further intensifying campus unrest.
The confrontation was sparked by an earlier incident during Dussehra, when left and right-wing student groups clashed on campus. The “Jai Bhim, Lal Salam” group led Saturday’s march before being detained by police as they attempted to reach the station.
During the general body meeting on Thursday, left-affiliated groups accused the ABVP of “hooliganism,” while the right-wing student organisation reported being subjected to “regional hatred”.
In a statement, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) said, “Yet again, ABVP’s hooliganism and violence is disrupting democratic practices in JNU.”
AISA further alleged, “ABVP hooligans began heckling councillors who were presenting their work reports and snatched a phone. When students began to question, they began beating students who were present in the GBM,” referencing the violence during the meeting.
Linking the violence to upcoming student union elections, AISA stated, “Due to this, their (ABVP’s) defeat is guaranteed this election. This is the reason they are resorting to violence to disrupt the electoral process.”
The incident occurred on August 20 during a Jan Sunwai event at the Chief Minister’s residence.
Accused Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya (left) allegedly attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on August 20. (File photo)
Nearly two months after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked during a public hearing at her official residence, the Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet in the case. The accused, Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, a 41-year-old resident of Rajkot, and his aide Sheikh Tehsin Raza have been named in the chargesheet filed in Tis Hazari Court. The court has taken the document on record and is expected to take cognisance on October 30.
The incident occurred on August 20 during a Jan Sunwai event at the Chief Minister’s residence. Sources said Sakariya handed over a petition before shouting and physically attacking Gupta.
He was immediately overpowered and taken into custody, with others present at the event reportedly restraining him. Preliminary investigations indicate that Sakariya had travelled to Delhi seeking the release of a relative who is in jail.
Police confirmed that Sakariya has a history of mental health issues, according to his mother, who said she was unaware of his plan to visit Delhi.
She described him as an animal lover who had been disturbed over a recent court verdict on stray dogs.
Rajkot police also questioned his mother and verified his identity and address in coordination with Delhi Police.
Rekha Gupta, who received Z-plus security, was physically unharmed but reportedly shaken by the incident.
Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva clarified that, contrary to some reports, Gupta was not slapped but involved in a scuffle during the attack.
Delhi Ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra condemned the attack, calling it a conspiracy and an unforgivable crime.
Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav and former Chief Minister Atishi also strongly condemned the incident, highlighting concerns over women’s safety and the need for strict action.
In visuals that have now surfaced online, Rahul Gandhi is seen meeting Zubeen Garg’s wife Garima Saikia Garg and other family members and consoling them. The Congress leader also paid an emotional tribute to the late artist, remembering his contribution to Indian and Assamese music
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the residence of late singer Zubeen Garg in Guwahati, Assam, on Friday (October 17) to offer his condolences to the bereaved family. The popular Assamese singer’s untimely death had sent shockwaves across the country, leaving fans and the music fraternity in deep mourning.
In visuals that have now surfaced online, Rahul is seen meeting Zubeen’s wife Garima Saikia Garg and other family members and consoling them. The Congress leader also paid an emotional tribute to the late artist, remembering his contribution to Indian and Assamese music.
While interacting with media after visiting Zubeen’s house, Rahul said, “It is very sad for me to come here under these circumstances. I told the family I would have liked to come under happier circumstances. When I was 17, I went for a mountaineering course in Sikkim, and every day during training, I would see Mount Kanchenjunga. What I liked about the mountains is that they are honest, transparent, unshakable, and beautiful.”
“Gaurav Gogoi told me that Zubeen ji said he was like Kanchenjunga, and it immediately connected with me – he truly embodied those qualities. He had wealth, success, and humility, which is something Assam should be proud of,” he added.
VIDEO | Guwahati: After paying tribute to singer Zubeen Garg and meeting his family, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “It is very sad for me to come here under these circumstances. I told the family I would have liked to come under happier circumstances. When I… pic.twitter.com/W0wA7X6NXJ
Zubeen passed away on September 19 in Singapore. In his death case, the Singapore Police has shared a statement that, based on their preliminary investigation, they haven’t found any foul play.
The official statement of the Singapore Police read, “The Singapore Police Force is aware of speculation and false information circulating online regarding the circumstances of Mr Zubeen Garg’s death. The case is currently being investigated by the SPF, in accordance with Singapore’s Coroners Act 2010. Based on preliminary investigations, the SPF does not suspect foul play.”
Siddaramaiah fired back at Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and his wife, author Sudha Murty, for opting out of the state’s ongoing Social and Educational Survey.
Sudha Murty with husband Narayan Murthy
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah fired back at Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and his wife, author Sudha Murty, for opting out of the state’s ongoing Social and Educational Survey, dismissing their stance as rooted in ‘misinformation’ and arrogance.
Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters, questioned the couple’s decision with a mix of sarcasm and frustration. “That is left to them. This is not a backward classes survey. If they haven’t understood—what can I do? Just because they are Infosys—are they all knowing? We have said 20 times—this is not a backward classes survey. This is entire population survey,” he remarked, emphasising that the exercise covers all 7 crore residents of Karnataka, including upper castes, for economic, educational, and social insights.
The CM further challenged the Murtys’ rationale, pointing to potential future national efforts. “The central government is also conducting a survey. What will they do? They might have wrong information,” he added, suggesting their refusal stems from a misunderstanding fueled by ‘disobedience due to misinformation.’
The controversy erupted after enumerators from the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission visited the couple’s residence earlier this week. Sudha Murty, a Rajya Sabha MP, reportedly signed a self-declaration in Kannada refusing to provide details, stating, “We do not belong to any backward community. Hence, we will not participate in a government-conducted survey meant for such groups.” The couple also submitted a letter opting out, with Murty noting the survey held ‘no relevance or use’ for them.
The Murtys’ move drew support from former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, who criticised the survey as a distraction from real priorities. “In Karnataka, ministers are more bothered about caste, caste surveys, appeasement, not growth, development, good jobs, or technology. They are taking the state backwards, borrowing money for freebies,” Pai posted on X.
Compared to the benefits and huge high paying jobs this is very small. In Karnataka Ministers are more bothered about Caste, caste surveys, appeasement, not growth, development, good jobs, technology. They are taking the state backwards. Borrowing money for freebies. https://t.co/X5HlKf0qYV
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray came together on Friday at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park for the MNS ‘Deepotsav’ event, marking their most prominent joint public appearance yet.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, along with their families at ‘Deepotsav’ celebrations at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. (Image: X/ @AUThackeray)
In another display of unity and symbolism, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray came together on Friday evening for the MNS-organised ‘Deepotsav’ celebrations at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park.
The reunion, held in the heart of the Marathi-dominated Dadar, was more than just a festive spectacle. With the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections looming, the event carried unmistakable political symbolism, signalling a potential political reconciliation between the Thackeray cousins.
Uddhav and Raj, along with their families, shared the stage amid loud cheers from the crowd. Uddhav inaugurated the Diwali-themed event after first visiting Raj’s residence, ‘Shivtirth.’ The two then arrived together at Shivaji Park in the same car — a powerful image of unity captured by the media.
“Today’s Diwali is special. The unity of Marathi manoos and its light will bring happiness in everyone’s lives,” Uddhav said during the celebrations.
Aaditya Thackeray, ahead of the event, wrote on social media, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park is once again ready to shine brightly in dazzling light! The special highlight is that the illumination during this Deepotsav enhances the beauty of our park, making it stand out.”
Though no overt political announcements were made, the optics left little doubt about the undercurrent — the Thackeray family appearing together ahead of crucial local body elections was a strong message in itself.
The Shiv Sena, which has dominated the BMC since 1997, faces a major challenge after the party split in 2022, when Eknath Shinde’s rebellion toppled the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. For the Sena (UBT), a possible understanding with Raj’s MNS could help consolidate the Marathi vote, which was divided after Raj’s exit from the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005.
Analysts say that while the MNS holds a limited overall vote share, its concentrated influence in Marathi-speaking wards could prove decisive in close contests — especially in nearly 90 wards of Mumbai.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh noted that India, which once imported up to 70 percent of its defence equipment, now produces around 65 percent domestically.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flags off the first made-in-India Tejas Mk1A fighter jet from the newly inaugurated production facility at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, in Nashik. (PTI Photo)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday inaugurated two major aircraft production lines at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Nashik facility — the third line for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A and the second for the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40). He also flagged off the first LCA Mk1A aircraft manufactured at the facility.
Speaking at the event, the defence minister described the Tejas Mk1A’s successful production as “a shining symbol of India’s growing Aatmanirbharta in defence.”
He highlighted the significant transformation in India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem over the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“When we came to power in 2014, we realised that without self-reliance, we can never be truly secure,” he said.
Singh noted that India, which once imported up to 70 percent of its defence equipment, now produces around 65 percent domestically.
“Whatever we used to buy from abroad, we are now manufacturing it in India — be it fighter aircraft, missiles, engines, or electronic warfare systems,” he added.
Rajnath Singh said that the government aims to increase domestic defence manufacturing to 100 percent in the coming years.
He underlined that earlier challenges such as import dependency, lack of private sector participation, and inadequate focus on innovation and advanced technology had made India vulnerable and reliant on foreign suppliers.
“This challenge encouraged us to move forward with new thinking and reforms. The results are visible today,” he said.
Rajnath Singh also shared key milestones achieved by the sector, stating that India’s annual defence production has surged from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014–15 to over Rs 1.50 lakh crore in 2024–25, while exports have reached a record Rs 25,000 crore, up from less than Rs 1,000 crore a decade ago. “We have now set a target of increasing defence manufacturing to Rs 3 lakh crore and exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029,” he said.
On the changing face of modern warfare, Singh stressed the need for India to stay ahead in domains such as Artificial Intelligence, cyber warfare, drones, and next-generation aircraft. “India must always stay ahead in this new race, and not lag behind,” he asserted, urging HAL to expand its innovation in unmanned systems and civil aviation.
Praising HAL’s role, Rajnath Singh called it the “backbone of India’s defence sector” and commended its contributions, including support for the recently decommissioned MiG-21 fleet and its role during Operation Sindoor.
HAL has established the new LCA Mk1A production line in just two years.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday clarified her remarks on “outsiders” in her Bhowanipore assembly constituency, stressing that her comments were about electoral manipulation, not targeting any community or language group.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (Photo: PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that a deliberate effort is underway to change the voter composition in her Bhowanipore assembly constituency in South Kolkata, a seat she has represented since 2011. Without naming any party, Banerjee claimed that outsiders were being brought in to influence elections.
She said, “People are coming here, purchasing land, constructing buildings, and offering money to current residents to make them leave. In many areas, big houses are being built by demolishing the slums of the poor. I do not support this. You are driving away our voters.” Banerjee urged that state housing schemes be used to protect slum residents, asserting that safeguarding her constituents’ homes is crucial for the party’s priorities.
Addressing the controversy on Friday at a Kali Puja event, Banerjee clarified her remarks on “outsiders.” She said, “They have taken one of my statements and deliberately twisted it to give it a different meaning. When I used the term ‘Bohiragoto,’ I was clearly referring to a particular political party that brings in people from outside the State.”
“They add the names of ten outsiders alongside the names of our genuine voters, so that our own people are prevented from voting. Under the guise of elections, many outsiders come here illegally,” she added.
Banerjee further explained, “How can one person have their name registered in two places? That is what I pointed out and why I cautioned my councillors to remain vigilant. Unfortunately, my words were deliberately misconstrued.”
Banerjee emphasised that her comments were about electoral manipulation and not directed at any community. “There are many Hindi-speaking people, many Bengali-speaking people, and slowly Bhowanipore is being completely filled with outsiders through a planned effort,” she added.
The BJP dismissed the Chief Minister’s allegations. Party leader Locket Chatterjee said, “Nobody is bringing any outsider. All are her own people from her constituency. She is being judged by her own people based on her work.”
Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumder also criticised Banerjee, questioning her statements on outsiders and ridiculing past remarks.
An FIR has been registered against Karnataka IPS officer Shivanshu Rajput over allegations of dowry harassment and domestic violence.
Domestic violence case against IPS officer. (Representative image)
An FIR has been registered at a Noida police station against a Karnataka cadre IPS officer, following serious allegations made by his wife.
The FIR names Shivanshu Rajput, a 2019 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The complaint, spanning 41 pages, was filed by his wife Dr Kriti Singh.
In her complaint, Kriti has accused Rajput and several members of his family of dowry harassment and domestic violence. In addition to the IPS officer, the complaint names his mother, father, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and several of his friends, seven people in total.
Dr Singh has alleged that despite their love marriage, she faced continuous physical and mental harassment. She claims that nearly two crore rupees were spent on their wedding, which took place at a five-star hotel.
The FIR also accuses Rajput of maintaining illicit relationships with multiple women during the marriage, further aggravating the complaint.
Twenty “selfie points”, based on incidents mentioned in the Ramayana, will be installed at key locations, including Dharampath, Lata Chowk, Ram Ki Paidi, and Ramkatha Park.
Credit: PTI
Ayodhya: A ‘rangoli’, 80,000 diyas and 20 special “selfie points” will await devotees at the Ram Ki Paidi in Ayodhya for the ninth edition of the ‘Deepotsav’ on October 19.
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a huge celebration in the temple town this year.
At the Ayodhya Deepotsav 2025, over 26 lakh lamps will be lit across 56 ghats, with more than 28 lakh lamps being arranged in advance, aiming to set a new world record.
The government said the ‘rangoli’ at Ram ki Paidi, a series of ghats on the banks of Saryu river, would be the largest ever.
“This year, the spectacle at Ram Ki Paidi will be unique with a ‘rangoli’ decorated with 80,000 diyas, presenting a stunning spectacle that will simultaneously showcase devotion, beauty, and the depth of art,” an official statement said.
Twenty “selfie points”, based on incidents mentioned in the Ramayana, will be installed at key locations, including Dharampath, Lata Chowk, Ram Ki Paidi, and Ramkatha Park.
The ‘rangoli’ design incorporates traditional symbols such as the Kalash, Swastika, and Lotus flower, the statement.
Fifty students from the arts department of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Ayodhya, have designed the ‘rangoli’, and they have been tasked with making it for the Deepotsav, it said.
A video of the hearing streamed live on Youtube on Thursday has gone viral on the social media.
Jharkhand High Court Court No. 24 on October 16
The Jharkhand High Court on Friday registered a suo motu criminal contempt case against advocate Mahesh Tiwari a day after he had an acrimonious exchange of words with Justice Rajesh Kumar in open court.
A video of the hearing streamed live on YouTube went viral on the social media. Advocate Tiwari, while addressing Justice Kumar, said on October 16,
“I can argue in my own way, not in your way in which you say. Please mind that… Don’t try to humiliate any advocate, I am telling you. Sir, please don’t try to humiliate any person. The country is burning… with the judiciary. These are my words. Don’t try to humiliate any advocate. Aap bahut jaante hai, aap judge hogaye; hum loug nai jaante hum loug wakeel hai (you know a lot, you have become a judge; We don’t know, we are lawyers). I will argue in my own way. Don’t cross the limit. Please, don’t cross the limit. I have already practiced for the last 40 years.”
A day later, a full bench of Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay, Justice Ananda Sen and Justice Rajesh Shankar took up a criminal contempt case titled ‘Court on Its own Motion vs Mahesh Tiwari’.
A copy of the order passed in the case today was not immediately available. The matter is listed for hearing next on November 11.
The alleged contempt before the single-bench of Justice Kumar occurred on Thursday just minutes after the Court had a heard a woman’s case against disconnection of her electricity connection and a demand of an amount of over ₹1.30 Lakh by the electricity board .
The petitioner Pushpa Kumari, a widow, was represented by advocate Tiwari. Following a brief hearing, the Court passed an order directing restoration of her connection, subject to deposit of ₹50,000.
Earlier, after Tiwari had urged that she may be allowed to deposit only ₹10,000-15,000 for restoration of electricity considering her plight and the upcoming Diwali, Justice Kumar said,
“Nai, utna mai nai. Utna plight wlight nai. Hum nyay karne nai bhethe hai [No. not that less an amount…]. I have to go in accordance with law. Justice has to be done in accordance with law. I am not a court of justice. I am a court of law. There is alternate remedy and so many things. I can give indulgence only on a deposit of appropriate amount.”
During submissions related to bill amount, advocate Tiwari said that maximum ₹15,000 should have been the demand as the monthly bill was less than ₹200. However, the board was demanding ₹350-₹450, he added.
Surprised at the amount of mentioned by the lawyer, Justice Kumar said an inquiry can be ordered into the matter.
“Khopdi khali karke nai bhethe haina Tiwari ji. Tiwari ji, khopdi khali karke nai bhethe hai, khopdi mai hai kuch… [Mr Tiwari, I am not sitting here with an empty skull. My skull has something in it],” the judge added, while touching his head.
Continuing his submissions, Advocate Tiwari sought intervention on humanitarian grounds and agreed to deposit a certain but lesser amount. However, the Court pointed to lack of pleadings related to the amount and thus reiterated that 50 percent of the demand has to be deposited first.
“I cannot pass any order in the hawa (air)… hawa mai nai kardenge. There has to be some basis. Aap basis nai de rahe hai. 50% is declared basis by precedent. We will follow,” it added.
Tiwari responded that ₹30,000 was being demanded in excess and the Court may order deposit of a half of ₹1 lakh.
“₹50,000 we will manage from somewhere,” he added. At this, the Court said,
“Manage? Ab aap aisa baat mat boliye. This is not the court of mercy. I am not court of mercy”.
Tiwari then agreed that the petitioner will deposit ₹50,000. The Court, accordingly, ordered restoration of the electricty, subject to payment of the amount.
Though the hearing appeared to have culminated normally, except the candids remarks of the judge, tempers flared later when the Court was hearing a different lawyer in another case of eviction.
The judge made certain remarks while addressing this second lawyer but it seemed obvious that he was referring to the previous case and the remarks were aimed at Tiwari.
“Aap khada hoke ki ‘widow hai, ye hai wo hai, gareeb hai… koi pleading nai hai… agar hum nai stay denge, tou hum anyay kardenge. [You cannot get up and merely plead that ‘she is a widow, a destitute …’ that too in absence of pleadings and say if we don’t grant stay, injustice will be done by Court] What sort of argument is going on,” the Court said.
At this stage, the Court appeared to shift its attention to the State Bar Council Chairman.
“This is the way your advocate will argue the case?” Justice Kumar said.
On hearing the judge, Tiwari, who was still present in the courtroom, came towards the front and pointedly asked the judge whether he was referring to him. Justice Kumar answered in affirmative.
The Court expressed that it was aghast that the fraudsters behind such scams often use forged court orders to trick people into parting with their money.
Cyber crime
The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Central government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a suo motu case initiated over the rise of ‘digital arrest scams’ across India.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi today expressed that it was aghast that the fraudsters behind such scams often use forged court orders to trick people into parting with their money.
The Court has also sought the assistance of the Attorney General of India in the matter.
“Ordinarily, we would have directed the state police to expedite the investigation and take it to the logical conclusion. We are, however, aghast that the fraudsters have fabricated multiple judicial orders in the name of the Supreme Court of India, including a freeze order dated 1st September, purportedly issued under the PMLA, bearing forged signatures of a judge, an officer of ED, and a court stamp also,” it said.
The Court added that using fake court orders strikes at the very foundation of the public trust held by the judiciary, and has the be viewed seriously.
“Various fictitious proceedings before the Bombay High Court and false claims of investigation by CBI and ED (were also used by fraudsters). The forgery of documents and the brazen criminal misuse of the name, seal and judicial authority of this court and the High Court is a matter of grave concern. Judicial orders with fake signatures of judges strikes at the very foundation of the public trust system on the judiciary. Such grave criminal acts cannot be treated as an orderly or routine offence of cheating or cyber crime,” the Court held.
Digital arrest scams refer to a kind of online fraud where cybercriminals impersonate law enforcement or government officials, like the police or CBI, to intimidate victims and to pressure them into parting with money.
Often, the victims are falsely made to believe that they have run into trouble with the law and that they would need to pay hefty monetary penalties to close legal proceedings against them.
The Court took judicial notice of the issue following a complaint sent to it last month by a senior citizen couple, who were defrauded of their life savings through a digital arrest scam carried out between September 1-16.
The victims said that they were contacted by persons impersonating as CBI, IB, and judicial authorities through video conferencing platforms (VC) and telephones. The fraudsters displayed forged orders of the Supreme Court through WhatsApp and VC.
Under the threat of arrest through those forged documents, the couple was coerced into transferring ₹1.5 crores through multiple bank transactions.
The Court today noted that two first information reports (FIRs) were registered at the cyber crime branch at Ambala, which indicated a pattern of organised criminal activities targeting senior citizens.
“The instant case is not a solitary instance. It has been largely reported many times on the media that such incidents have taken place in different parts of the country,” the Court observed.
The committee will be headed by retired Justice Asha Menon.
Transgender persons and Supreme Court
In an important verdict augmenting rights of transgender persons, the Supreme Court on Friday constituted a dedicated committee headed by a retired High Court judge to enable and facilitate equal opportunities at work, inclusive medical care and protection for gender non-conforming persons.
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan said that the judgment hopes to secure the future of third gender.
The committee will be headed by retired Justice Asha Menon and will comprise transgender activists Grace Banu and Akai Padmashali, Gaurav Mandal, CLPR Bengaluru member, Dr Sanjay Sharma, and the amicus will be Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari.
“The committee to look at equal opportunities, inclusive medical care, protection for gender non conforming persons. We have awarded compensation to the petitioner considering how her services were terminated. We hope the future of the third gender is secure with this. We have framed guidelines and any Institutions which does not have guidelines shall follow the same till Centre brings a policy,” the Court said.
The Court delivered the ruling while awarding compensation to a transwoman whose appointment as a teacher was terminated by two private schools in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat because of her gender identity.
India recovered the PL-15 E air-to-air missile as it does not have self-destruct features.
Chinese PL-15 E long-range air-to-air beyond visual range missile recovered by the Indian armed forces in Punjab during Operation Sindoor.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to incorporate advanced features from the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missile into its indigenous Astra Mark-2 programme, following a detailed technical analysis of an unexploded missile fired by a Pakistani jet during Operation Sindoor in May, people aware of the matter said.
The PL-15E missile was recovered fully intact in a field near Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on May 9, representing a rare intelligence opportunity for Indian defence scientists.
The export variant of China’s advanced beyond-visual-range missile, with a range of 145 kilometres, was found unexploded due to the weapon’s lack of a self-destruct mechanism, unlike all Indian air-to-air missiles, according to people aware of the matter who asked not to be named.
The recovery occurred during Operation Sindoor, India’s coordinated military response launched on May 7 to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The missile, believed to have been fired from a Pakistan Air Force JF-17 or J-10C fighter, failed to engage its target and fell approximately 100 kilometres inside Indian territory.
While DRDO remains tight-lipped about its analysis report submitted to the defence ministry, the examination has identified several superior features in the Chinese weapon, one of the people cited above said. These include a miniature active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with advanced propellant capable of maintaining speeds exceeding Mach 5, and sophisticated anti-jamming capabilities. All these advancements, particularly the radar technology, are being incorporated into India’s indigenous Astra missile development programme.
Another person aware of the matter said that Pakistan is seeking to enhance its arsenal following Operation Sindoor. The Pakistan Air Force is reportedly pursuing longer-range PL-17 missiles for wide-bodied aircraft from China, 2,000 YIHA kamikaze drones from Turkey, and has submitted a list of high-tech weapons requirements to the US.
One of the people cited above also explained that India’s own weapons performed effectively during the operation, with BrahMos, Rampage, and SCALP missiles demonstrating excellent results. However, Indian defence planners are moving to acquire additional Meteor missiles for Rafale fighters to ensure the Indian Air Force is not constrained by numbers in future engagements. A next-generation BrahMos missile with an 800-kilometre range is also being developed, ensuring coverage across nearly the entire breadth of Pakistan.
The evolving threat landscape, including Pakistan’s three to five Chinese HQ-9 air defence systems, has prompted a strategic shift. Future hostilities will likely see Indian fighters operating from outside enemy air defence envelopes, launching long-range supersonic missiles designed to defeat ground and airborne radar systems, the people cited above said.
The Liberal Party leader also called on Delhi to play its role as one of the world’s new superpowers and as a ‘democratic counterweight’ to China in the Asia-Pacific region.
The 21st century belongs to India, and the Prime Minister of the country – whoever that might be four or five decades down the line – could take the mantle of ‘the leader of the free world’ from the President of the United States, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday at the NDTV World Summit 2025.
He also called on Delhi to play its role as one of the world’s new superpowers and as a ‘democratic counterweight’ to China in the Asia-Pacific region and a ‘strong, reliable partner’ for Australia.
Trade deals, such as the one India signed with Australia in 2022 and with the United Kingdom last month are signs the democratic world is shifting from China, he said.
In a hard-hitting interaction Friday, Abbott offered an overview of India’s ties with China, Pakistan, and the US, and said Delhi holds the key to check Beijing’s ambitions to ‘dominate the world’. “They want to be hegemonic power… and this spells trouble for all of China’s neighbours, as well as the world.”
‘India’s 3 advantages over China’
“India is a counterweight to China. It is now the most populous country. You go to any Indian city… there is massive infrastructure push – new airports, etc. India is rising and can be a substitute to China.”
“The 21st century belongs to India just as it belongs to China,” he said.
And India has three big advantages – democracy, the rule of law, and the English language – as it preps for the economic and military ‘take-off’ China accomplished a few decades ago, he said.
“As PM, I used to say India will emerge as a democratic superpower. Well, now that has happened. The PM of India is likely to be the leader of a free world in the next 40-50 years…”
The Taiwan problem
Expanding on the threat posed by China, Abbot offered Taiwan as a potential first test, warning all democratic nations, including his own, not to tak the former’s aggressive posturing lightly.
“The best way to ensure nothing untoward happens is not to pretend that China has peaceful intentions… it is to be prepared (and) to let China know, every day, that it cannot get away with these incursions… weakness is provocative,” the former Prime Minister said.
“If China are to be made to fear that attempts to seize Taiwan will fail… I think all these need to be real prospects,” he said, “It is possible to defend Taiwan. The danger is escalation.”
“We saw that in the Korean War. And we have to hope and pray it doesn’t escalate.”
On the war in Ukraine
To underline the importance of a united front against China and its ‘world domination’ dreams, Abbott indicated the war in Ukraine would likely not have happened had that country been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and been protected by the military might of the US and Europe.
“The Ukrainians have been absolutely heroic. I wish democracies in the world had done more for them… If Ukraine was part of NATO, there would have been no Russian incursion,” he said.
Although Mehul Choksi still has the right to appeal to a higher court, this marks a crucial first step toward his return.
Choksi was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11 and has been in jail for the past four months.
A court in Belgium on Friday approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, sources said. The court in Antwerp ruled that Choksi’s arrest by Belgian police, based on India’s request, was valid.
Choksi has the right to appeal the order before the Belgian Supreme Court within the next 15 days.
The court heard arguments from both sides – Belgian prosecutors representing India and Choksi’s legal team.
Choksi was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11 and has been in jail for the past four months. His multiple bail pleas have been rejected by Belgian courts.
India has charged the 66-year-old with fraud, conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and corruption under IPC Sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, and 477A, along with Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These offences are also punishable under Belgian law, fulfilling the condition of dual criminality.
India cited international conventions like the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC)and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to support its case. The CBI visited Belgium three times to present evidence and hired a European private law firm to assist.
India assured Belgian authorities that upon extradition, Choksi would be held in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, with facilities meeting European standards, including clean water, food, newspapers, TV, and access to a private doctor. He would not be placed in solitary confinement.
It also assured “high-level of security” in the cell, with a clean, thick cotton mat, pillow, bed sheet, and blanket. The cell would be swept and mopped daily, along with supply of fresh drinking water, outdoor exercises, rest areas, board games such as chess and carrom, and badminton, the prison department said.
