Category: India

PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the Dutch leadership in The Hague, focusing on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, semiconductors, clean energy, water management, agriculture, defence, and emerging technologies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday evening as part of his multi-nation diplomatic tour aimed at strengthening India’s strategic and economic partnerships in Europe.

Announcing the Prime Minister’s arrival, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X: “Goedeavond Nederland! PM @narendramodi has arrived in the Netherlands. The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the multifaceted India–Netherlands partnership and to engage with the largest Indian diaspora on mainland Europe.”

PM Modi wrote on X, “Landed in Amsterdam. This visit to the Netherlands is taking place at a time when the free trade agreement between India and the European Union has given a significant boost to trade and investment relations. It offers the opportunity to strengthen ties in areas such as semiconductors, water, clean energy, and more.”

“I will hold talks with Prime Minister Dick Schoof and pay a visit to Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. I also look forward to addressing the community during an event on the morning of May 16,” the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the Dutch leadership in The Hague, focusing on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, semiconductors, clean energy, water management, agriculture, defence, and emerging technologies.

The visit is also expected to witness deliberations on enhancing collaboration in areas such as climate action, green hydrogen, resilient supply chains, digital innovation, and maritime cooperation.

Officials said the Netherlands remains one of India’s key economic partners in Europe, with strong trade and investment ties. The Dutch port city of Rotterdam also serves as a major gateway for Indian exports into Europe.

PM Modi is also expected to interact with members of the Indian diaspora, one of the largest Indian communities on mainland Europe, during his stay in the Netherlands.

The Indian community in the Netherlands expressed excitement over PM Modi’s visit, hailing India’s rise over the last decade.

Source:https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-arrives-in-netherlands-to-deepen-bilateral-ties-11502606

India saw its first retail fuel price revision as the West Asia conflict drives international crude to multi-year highs.

State-run oil companies raised pump prices of petrol and diesel by ₹3 per litre each across the country on Friday, while Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) increased compressed natural gas (CNG) rates by ₹2 per kg in and around Delhi — the first retail fuel price revision since the West Asia conflict drove international crude to multi-year highs.

The man said the company appreciated his profile and work experience but ultimately rejected his application.

A man has shared an unusual job rejection experience after a company allegedly turned down his application because his previous office was located just meters away from theirs.

Sharing the experience on Reddit, the man said the company appreciated his profile and work experience but ultimately rejected his application because his previous office was located “approximately 600 meters” away from their own office.

“Today I received the most funny rejection mail of my life,” the user wrote, while sharing a screenshot of the rejection email. The email cited the company’s “confidentiality and data security policy” as the reason behind the decision.

“Thank you for your time and interest in our company. We liked your profile and experience. However, due to internal management policies related to confidentiality and data security, we are unable to move forward with your application at this time, as your previous company is located approximately 600 meters from our office. Please note that this decision is policy based and not a reflection of your capability or professionalism,” the email read.

In the post, this Redditor wrote, “They said they liked my profile and experience, but they cannot continue because my previous company is located ‘approximately 600 meters’ from their office,” adding jokingly, “Bro, they actually measured the distance.”

The man also said that he appreciated the honesty of the recruiter. “At least they were honest instead of saying: ‘we moved forward with other candidates’,” he added.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/corporate-world-is-amazing-man-says-company-rejected-him-because-previous-office-was-600-metres-away-101778854673724.html

CBI has arrested Professor PV Kulkarni, identifying him as the ‘kingpin’ behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak

In a massive breakthrough that threatens to upend the credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Professor PV Kulkarni, identifying him as the “kingpin” behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer at Latur’s Dayanand Medical College, was reportedly a member of the committee tasked with setting the question paper for this year’s medical entrance exam.

The arrest, made in Pune, marks a significant shift in the investigation. Unlike the 2024 probe where the NTA was largely absolved of internal leaks, the 2026 investigation has pointed directly to an “insider role” from the outset.

The Modus Operandi: Private Dictation and ‘Exactly Tallied’ Notes

The CBI’s investigation revealed a sophisticated operation led by Kulkarni during the final week of April 2026. Sources indicate that Kulkarni used his authorised access to the question papers to mobilise a select group of students with the assistance of an accomplice, Manisha Waghmare, who was apprehended by the agency on May 14.

The Secret Classes: Kulkarni allegedly conducted “special coaching classes” at his private residence in Pune for students who paid several lakhs of rupees for entry.

The Dictation: During these sessions, he dictated specific questions, options, and correct answers.

The Evidence: Students recorded these questions in their notebooks. Forensic analysis has confirmed that these handwritten notes exactly tally with the actual NEET-UG 2026 paper held on May 3.

Widening Net: Transit Remands and Nationwide Raids

Kulkarni originally hails from Latur, a known hub for medical coaching, but was operating out of Pune when the agency closed in. Following his interrogation, he is being produced before a Pune court for transit remand before being shifted to New Delhi for further questioning by top officials.

In the last 24 hours, the CBI has intensified its crackdown, conducting raids at multiple locations across India and seizing a haul of electronic gadgets, mobile phones, and incriminating documents.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/neet-paper-leak-cbi-unmasks-kingpin-as-nta-insider-with-chemistry-professors-arrest-in-pune-10093756.html

The cancellation of the NEET 2026 exam has led to tragic consequences, including the suicide of Pradeep, a 23-year-old student from Rajasthan. He had dedicated four years to preparing for the exam and felt devastated by the abrupt cancellation of the exam.

After the NEET 2026 exam got cancelled, Pradeep, a 23-year-old student from Gudha Gaudji in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, hanged himself in the hostel. The cancellation of the medical exam left him “depressed” as he was expecting good marks on his third attempt this year. According to reports, he was preparing for the exam for the past four years, while residing in Sikar.

His family said that he believed he had a strong chance of securing admission to a government medical college this year. However, the news of exam cancellation left him devastated, which made him take this extreme step.

Notably, this is not the first suicide case by a NEET aspirant. Since the paper leak case, there have been multiple cases of suicides across India, raising concerns over the mental health of students who gave NEET exam this year.

Congress leader and Rajasthan MLA Sachin Pilot took to X, voicing out concerns over the suicide cases across the nation. He extended his deepest condolences to the grieving families who have lost their loved ones.

“The suicide of Pradeep, a student from Gudha Gaudji in Jhunjhunu district who was preparing for the NEET exam, is extremely heartbreaking. Similarly, reports of students’ suicides following incidents related to the NEET 2026 paper leak from Goa and Uttar Pradesh are deeply disturbing to the mind,” he wrote.

“The anxiety over the future due to the NEET 2026 paper leak has placed immense pressure on students, and this is directly impacting their mental health. Talented, honest students have toiled tirelessly, only for the exam to be cancelled at the end due to the paper leak,” Pilot added.

NEET Aspirant Dies by Suicide in Delhi
Earlier in the day, a 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Delhi’s Azadpur area. Reportedly, the girl was preparing for the medical entrance test for the past few years.

No suicide note was found at the spot, and the exact reason behind the woman taking the extreme step is yet to be ascertained.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/rajasthan-neet-aspirant-dies-by-suicide-after-preparing-for-exam-for-4-years-found-hanging-in-hostel-article-154329041

A CCTV video from a Pune residential building has gone viral, showing a dispute near a lift escalating into a violent altercation. After an accidental bump led to a heated exchange, both sides exchanged slaps. The situation escalated further, with the man assaulting the woman, including pushing, hitting, kicking, hair-pulling, & striking her with a bucket.

A CCTV video from a residential building in Pune has gone viral on social media, showing a minor argument between a woman and a young man near a lift escalating into a physical altercation. The video was shared on X on May 15.

According to the video circulating online, the incident began when the young man exited the lift and accidentally bumped into the woman who was standing nearby. What started as a brief verbal exchange intensified within moments, leading to a scuffle in the building premises.

UAE F-16 fighter jets escorted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Air India One as it entered the country’s airspace on Friday. The gesture highlighted the close ties between Delhi and Abu Dhabi.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Air India One entered the UAE airspace on Friday, a special gesture awaited him. Symbolic of the close ties between Delhi and Abu Dhabi, UAE F-16 fighter jets were seen escorting PM Modi’s aircraft. The same F-16 Block 60 ‘Desert Falcon’ fighters, operated by the UAE Air Force, were recently seen in action as they took down drones and projectiles fired by Iran during its conflict with the US and Israel.

UAE, which has been embroiled in the Middle East conflict, was PM Modi’s first stop in his five-nation tour. As PM Modi’s Air India One entered the UAE airspace, two F-16 jets were seen accompanying the aircraft as it landed in Abu Dhabi. At the airport, PM Modi was given a ceremonial welcome before he sat down with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) for a bilateral meeting.

“It is a reflection of the deep strategic partnership, trust, and personal warmth shared between the leadership of India and the UAE,” BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted. The BJP said the gesture underscored the profound global respect and strengthening of ties between the nations.

PM MODI VISITS UAE AMID MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT

PM Modi’s eighth visit to the UAE comes at a time when Abu Dhabi has been in the thick of the ongoing Iran war. The UAE has faced over 2,500 drones and missiles from Iran, most of which have been intercepted.

During his meeting with MBZ, the Prime Minister thanked him for the special gesture and called the UAE his “second home”. In fact, the UAE is home to over 4 million Indians, the largest number among the Gulf countries.

“Your Air Force jets escorted me today. This is an honour to the people of India,” PM Modi said during his brief stopover. The Prime Minister also underlined that the manner in which the UAE was targeted was “unacceptable”.

“India stands shoulder to shoulder with the UAE in every situation,” PM Modi said.

Much of the discussion between the two sides centred on energy cooperation. The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the global energy chokepoint, by Iran has led to a crucial shortage of oil, LNG and LPG supplies. India, which imports almost 85% of its oil, has faced the brunt of the Middle East conflict.

Despite it being just a brief stopover, India secured big returns from the UAE, including an agreement on supplies of LPG (mainly used as cooking gas). It is significant as India has been reeling from an LPG crunch for about a month now.

Other agreements include a framework for a strategic defence partnership and an investment worth $ 5 billion in Indian infrastructure. Two MoUs were also signed on strategic petroleum reserves and on setting up a ship repair cluster at Vadinar in Gujarat.

The timing of the agreements, especially the one on defence, is crucial. It was just three months ago that MBZ made a three-hour standalone visit to India in January.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-uae-visit-aircraft-escort-f16-fighter-jets-video-2912192-2026-05-15

When India faced a balance-of-payments crisis in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 1991 airlifted nearly 47,000 kg of gold to England to raise a $405-million emergency loan and prevent a sovereign default. The shipment, carried out in secrecy and under tight security, was one of the defining moments that paved the way for India’s economic reforms.

“Secret sale of gold by RBI again. 21,000 kg of metal airlifted to coded destination.”

This was the front-page headline of a leading English daily on July 8, 1991, when Indians and the world discovered that the Government of India had quietly begun sending the country’s gold reserves out of the country. Beneath the headline was an image of trunks being loaded onto a cargo aircraft at Bombay’s Santa Cruz Airport (now Mumbai Airport’s Terminal 1). Just days earlier, on July 4, the first consignment had already left. Two more shipments followed after the news broke. In the summer of 1991, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) “secretly pledged” and airlifted nearly 47 tonnes (or 47,000 kg) of gold to England as the nation stared at a devastating balance-of-payments crisis.

The move by the RBI, under Governor S Venkitaramanan, came after deliberations over several emergency options. It was finally decided to borrow around $405 million by pledging gold to a foreign bank at a time when India had barely enough foreign exchange reserves left to pay for about a week’s worth of imports.

In India, gold is security, pride and sentiment. It’s also a source of anxiety. Some saw the government’s move as a national humiliation as much as an economic crisis. It was a time when India was even forced to sell 20 tonnes of confiscated gold to raise $215 million as it desperately needed foreign exchange (forex).

Discussions on the move started early on when Chandra Shekhar was the prime minister (November 1990-June 1991) and was heading a caretaker government led by the Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya).

These emergency gold-backed measures of the early 1990s helped India avoid a sovereign default on its external payment obligations and stabilised the country long enough for the new government of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao to launch landmark economic reforms amid a major crisis. The Rao government took over on 21 June 1991, weeks before the gold was airlifted by the RBI and moved out of India.

“The initiative to pledge gold was taken by the RBI. It, of course, needed the permission of the government, which was given. It was a bold decision by a government which at that time was only a caretaker government led by Chandra Shekhar. It showed great wisdom and courage. That was the starting point,” journalist Shankkar Aiyar, who broke the news in The Indian Express, wrote in his 2012 book, Accidental India: A History of the Nation’s Passage Through Crisis and Change.

HOW MUCH GOLD DOES INDIA HAVE? MODI’S MESSAGE ON GOLD IS AIMED AT SAVING FOREX

As Aiyar called it a “starting point”, this set the stage for India’s economic liberalisation. India has since witnessed a turnaround in gold reserves. As of March 2026, the RBI held about 880.5 tonnes of gold worth over $115 billion. A majority of the gold is now stored domestically. The RBI repatriated more than 100 tonnes from abroad in recent years, according to reports.

Although gold always trends, it’s a talking point again. PM Narendra Modi has twice urged Indians to avoid or defer non-essential gold purchases for at least one year to reduce pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves and the Indian Rupee. The appeal came amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war in the Middle East. Oil prices have shot up for India and the import bill has increased.

Like now, when India is facing the heat of the Iran war, back in 1991, the Kuwait war hit the economy of the nation, which had just started to roam in an open market.

Modi described gold imports as a significant drain on forex. He also asked citizens to cut fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel, and consider work-from-home where possible. Following the appeal, the government hiked gold and silver import duties to curb imports.

India imported around $72 billion worth of gold in 2025-26. That is roughly 178 times the $405 million India raised by pledging gold in 1991.

WHEN INDIA BARRED MAKING OF GOLD ORNAMENTS OVER 14 CARAT

Gold is gold and has been so for centuries. Wars have been fought in India and elsewhere over the precious metal.

In post-Independent India, gold had sensitive economic and political issues. The country imported large quantities of gold (like we still do), draining precious foreign exchange at a time when dollars were scarce. Governments have tried to curb demand through strict controls, bans and taxes.

In 1962, after the war with China worsened forex position, the government introduced the Gold Control Rules. The measures became even stricter under Finance Minister Morarji Desai, who piloted the Gold Control Act in 1968. The moves banned citizens from holding gold bars and coins and restricted jewellers from making ornaments above 14 carats (in 1963). The measures upset India’s traditional gold trade.

In a letter dated April 1, 1963 to PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Desai defended the restrictions, saying, “The free use of 24-carat gold… has had to be prohibited because it is in this form that smuggled gold comes into the country and circulates”.

Desai also argued that the crisis facing goldsmiths was being exaggerated. He assured that “meenakars” and “kundan workers” producing for exports and tourists would receive “suitable quotas of 24-carat gold” under regulated conditions.

The government wanted to stop Indians from buying new and hoarding gold so that the import bill would fall, and foreign exchange could be saved. But the restrictions backfired. Smuggling boomed across India’s coasts. Kerala, Gujarat and Maharashtra became hotspots. By the 1980s, gold smuggling syndicates had become entrenched.

Even as India tried to stop gold imports, Indians continued seeing gold as security during uncertain times.

HOW DID INDIA REACH THE EDGE OF DEFAULT IN 1991?

By 1990-91, India’s economy was collapsing under rising debt. Political instability was severe and foreign exchange shortages were lurking in the sluggish and stagnant economy. The crisis worsened after the January 1991 Gulf War. Oil prices shot up and the flow of remittances from Indians working in the Gulf was disrupted. This was when 750 oil wells burned for nine months and brought black rain over the Himalayas.

By the spring of 1991, barely enough dollars left to pay for about a week’s imports were left in the exchequer. Agencies downgraded India’s credit ratings, foreign lenders lost confidence and the government struggled to raise emergency loans.

In Accidental India, journalist-author Shankkar Aiyar described the atmosphere of panic around the new government of PV Narasimha Rao. With 244 seats, he was leading a minority government. Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra handed PM Rao a note detailing “the economic crisis” and another laying out “the blueprint for the revival of the country’s economy”.

“Several steps were being taken to activate the RBI’s gold holdings,” C Rangarajan, who was then the deputy RBI Governor and went on to become full-time governor, wrote in his memoir, Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI. “The first step was to revalue the gold holdings at market price.”

The second step was the government approving a proposal to raise foreign exchange by pledging confiscated gold. The third was the far more sensitive move to pledge the RBI’s own reserves, which led to 46.91 tonnes of gold being airlifted to the United Kingdom in July 1991, Rangarajan detailed in his book.

The RBI and the government believed gold-backed borrowing was the fastest way to prevent India from defaulting on external payments.

HOW WAS INDIA’S GOLD PLEDGE PLANNED?

The operation to transport gold from India to abroad unfolded in two stages.

First, in May 1991, the government arranged a swap deal using 20 tonnes of confiscated gold through the State Bank of India (SBI) and Union Bank of Switzerland. The move raised around $215 million. But that was not enough.

The RBI then proposed using its own reserves. Rangarajan wrote that “the initiative to pledge gold was taken by the RBI” and that the caretaker government led by Chandra Shekhar approved the plan with “wisdom and courage”.

The central bank explored options with major institutions abroad. Under RBI rules, India could borrow only from another “currency authority”, meaning a central bank. Eventually, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan emerged as possible lenders.

There were practical problems too. Much of the RBI’s gold was stored in forms that did not satisfy London Good Delivery standards. Officials had to sort, weigh, repack and insure the bars under extreme secrecy.

Rangarajan recalled that “packing, insuring and finally sending the gold through the airlines had to be done in a short span of time without attracting much attention”.

HOW WAS RBI’S GOLD SECRETLY AIRLIFTED FROM MUMBAI?

Beginning July 4, 1991, the RBI started flying gold out of Mumbai in four consignments. In total, 46.91 tonnes were airlifted, mainly to the United Kingdom, helping India raise about $405 million. The operation resembled a covert security mission.

Gold was moved in RBI bullion vans from vaults in Mumbai to Santa Cruz Airport under armed convoy protection. One consignment reportedly had to halt briefly after fears of a tyre burst in the escort convoy. The secrecy was so intense that customs authorities needed special authorisation because the shipment declaration rules themselves became a problem, according to Rangarajan’s book, Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI.

“A special authorisation from the finance ministry had to be obtained to send gold without such a declaration,” he wrote.

Then came the moment the operation slipped into public view. On July 8, 1991, The Indian Express carried the headline with the image from Bombay’s Santa Cruz or Sahar Airport. The report by Shankkar Aiyar shocked the country. Aiyar later wrote that the gold pledge “woke people up to the enormity of the crisis”.

“…Crates of gold were being furtively unloaded from the dull-grey vans of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) into the loading bays of a heavy-bellied cargo aircraft,” Shankkar Aiyar wrote in his book.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/history-of-it/story/gold-news-price-today-rbi-1991-pledge-reserves-forex-india-sent-england-financial-default-2911999-2026-05-15

When asked about Mamata Banerjee’s move, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari declined to comment extensively, saying his government was focused on governance.

Senior BJP leader and West Bengal Assembly Protem Speaker Tapas Roy on Thursday termed TMC chief Mamata Banerjee appearing before the Calcutta High Court a “political gimmick”, alleging that she was attempting to remain in the public eye after the party’s electoral defeat.

Roy, reacting to Banerjee’s court appearance over alleged post-poll violence and attacks on TMC offices, said the Trinamool Congress and its supremo had lost credibility among the people.

“Neither TMC nor Banerjee has any credibility. People have rejected both for their arrogance, corruption and nepotism. Now, to stay in the news, Banerjee has reached the court so she can enact a drama. But it won’t yield any results. She wants to be in the news and is doing all the theatrics,” Roy told reporters at the Assembly, according to PTI.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court and told the bench that police had remained passive during incidents of post-poll violence.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/political-gimmick-to-grab-headlines-bjp-attacks-mamata-banerjee-over-her-appearance-at-calcutta-high-court-4002996

The 30-year old, a resident of Pitampura, said that she had gone to her brother’s house in Sultanpuri on the day of the incident to help him shift houses.

“I told them I won’t take any action against you. Please let me go. I have three children waiting for me at home,” the woman who was gangraped by two men on a private bus earlier this week recounted to HT on Thursday.

The accused were identified as Umesh Kumar and Ramendra Kumar, both in their late 30s and originally from Uttar Pradesh. They have been arrested and sent to judicial custody, said police.

The 30-year old, a resident of Pitampura, said that she had gone to her brother’s house in Sultanpuri on the day of the incident to help him shift houses. On the way back home, she had managed to get an e-rickshaw till Saraswati Vihar on the Outer Ring road.

“I was standing at the bus stop when this private bus stopped. I asked a man standing inside about what time it was. He asked me to come inside the bus and speak to him. So, I boarded the bus,” she said.

As soon as she got on, the driver then started the bus.

There were only three people on the bus, including herself. The man who had asked her to board the bus then pushed her to the back of the vehicle and raped her while it was moving.

“When they reached near Nangloi Railway Station, they parked the bus and then the driver also raped me,” she said.

After this, she pleaded to be let go and that her children were waiting for her. “I told them what’s done is done and I will not take any action against them. That’s why they let me go. I then called the police,” she said

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-gangrape-victim-says-she-pleaded-with-suspects-to-let-her-go-101778785029927.html

Udhayanidhi Stalin said his remarks on Sanatan were aimed at caste discrimination and social inequality, not religion or temple worship. He said the stand reflected the Dravidian movement’s long-held emphasis on equality and opposition to oppression.

Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday clarified his remarks on “Sanatan,” saying his comments were aimed at caste discrimination and social inequality, and not against religion or temple worship.

Responding to criticism over remarks he made in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Udhayanidhi said his statement posted on X, “Sanatan, which divides people, must certainly be eradicated” had been misunderstood by opponents.

“Saying that Sanatan should be eradicated does not mean that no one should go to temples,” he said in a statement. “It means that everyone should have equal rights — not just in temples, but in society as a whole.”

The DMK leader said he was referring to practices that divide people into upper and lower castes and asserted that such discrimination should be abolished.

“What I meant is that the practice of dividing people into upper and lower castes must be abolished,” he said, while adding that the Dravidian movement had historically grown through opposition and criticism.

“I am not someone who fears such criticism,” Udhayanidhi said. “The Dravidian movement has grown through opposition.”

Invoking Dravidian and social justice icons, he said his views reflected the principles advocated by Periyar EV Ramasamy, BR Ambedkar, CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi.

“We are not against anyone’s belief in God. But we strongly oppose inequality and oppression,” he added.

Quoting Tamil philosopher-poet Thiruvalluvar, Udhayanidhi concluded with the line “Pirappokkum ella uyirkkum,” meaning all beings are equal by birth, and said that remained the guiding principle of the Dravidian movement.

Days earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly again advocated for the “eradication of Sanatan” on the floor of the House, triggering reactions from multiple quarters. However, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who was present in the Assembly, did not respond to the remarks.

“Sanathanam, which separated people, should be eradicated,” Udhayanidhi had said on the first day of the Assembly session after the 2026 state elections.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/tamil-nadu/story/udhayanidhi-stalin-sanatan-remark-caste-discrimination-not-religion-tamil-nadu-2911966-2026-05-14

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to chair a full Council of Ministers meeting on May 21. The review comes amid intensifying speculation over a Cabinet expansion and reshuffle ahead of the government’s first anniversary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to chair an important meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on May 21 amid growing speculation over a possible expansion and reshuffle of the Modi 3.0 Cabinet, official sources said on Thursday.

The meeting is expected to be attended by all Union Cabinet ministers, ministers of state with independent charge and ministers of state. Sources said the meeting will review the implementation of various government schemes and programmes, along with the functioning of ministries and departments.

The meeting assumes added political significance as discussions over a possible Cabinet reshuffle have intensified ahead of the first anniversary of the Modi 3.0 government, which was sworn in on June 10, 2024. According to sources, a Cabinet expansion and reshuffle could take place in the second week of June.

The proposed meeting also comes shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strong performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam, as well as the return of the National Democratic Alliance government in Puducherry.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/modi-union-council-of-ministers-meeting-may-21-cabinet-reshuffle-speculation-2912000-2026-05-15

At Prateek Yadav’s funeral, Akhilesh Yadav comforted his young niece Padmaja with a chocolate. The brief exchange, captured on video, came to symbolise a human moment amid the family’s public grief.

In the midst of sorrow, prayers and final farewells at Prateek Yadav’s funeral on Thursday, a small moment between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his five-year-old niece briefly softened the atmosphere of grief, and later touched many online.

Prateek Yadav, the younger son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, died on May 13 at the age of 38 following cardiac and lung-related complications, including pulmonary embolism, doctors said.

His funeral at Baikunth Dham drew a large gathering of political leaders, relatives, supporters and well-wishers from across Uttar Pradesh. The sombre ceremony reflected not only the passing of a member of one of the state’s most influential political families, but also the deeply personal loss felt within the Yadav household.

Among those seated under a temporary shed at the crematorium were Akhilesh Yadav, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, Prateek’s wife Aparna Yadav, and the couple’s daughters, 12-year-old Prathama and five-year-old Padmaja.

As rituals continued, Padmaja, visibly exhausted after the long day, sat quietly beside Akhilesh. At one point, the SP chief handed her a chocolate in an understated attempt to comfort the child amid the emotionally draining ceremony. When the young girl struggled to open the wrapper, she gently turned to him for help. Akhilesh opened it for her and handed it back. The child thanked him softly before taking the chocolate.

For a fleeting moment, the little girl’s face brightened.

Videos capturing the exchange soon spread across social media platforms, where many users described the interaction as heartbreaking yet deeply human, a rare glimpse of tenderness amid public mourning.

The funeral also brought together several members of the extended Yadav family, including Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav, along with Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and ministers Daya Shankar Singh and Dinesh Pratap Singh.

Though born into a powerful political family, Prateek Yadav had largely remained away from active politics. Friends and acquaintances described him as reserved, courteous and focused on his business interests. He was also known among close circles for his passion for fitness, luxury cars, motorcycles and animals.

In recent days, older videos of Prateek attending family gatherings with Aparna Yadav have resurfaced online, with many social media users recalling his warm interactions with relatives and friends.

Speaking to reporters earlier at King George’s Medical University, Akhilesh Yadav remembered his half-brother as “a very good young man” whom he had known since childhood.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/uttar-pradesh/story/akhilesh-yadav-prateek-yadav-funeral-chocolate-gesture-niece-viral-video-2912002-2026-05-15

The suspects were intercepted by immigration authorities at Chennai international airport while attempting to leave the country after the April 23 polls.

Chennai police arrested 10 foreign nationals – four of them women – for allegedly casting illegal votes using fraudulently obtained identity documents in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, officials said on Thursday.

According to a press release, the individuals were intercepted by immigration authorities at Chennai international airport while attempting to leave the country after the polls, which were held on April 23.

Investigations revealed that despite holding foreign citizenship and not being Indian citizens, the accused had stayed in various parts of the state to allegedly exercise their franchise illegally, the release said.

Following a complaint by immigration officials to the Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate, cases were registered between May 7 and May 14 by the Central Crime Branch and local police units.

All the accused were produced before a court for further legal proceedings, the statement added.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/tamil-nadu/story/tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-police-arrest-foreigners-illegally-casting-votes-april-23-polls-chennai-airport-2912011-2026-05-15

Saubhagya Singh Thakur was served a show-cause notice after travelling to Bhopal in a nearly 50-vehicle convoy to assume charge as Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation chairman. The action followed scrutiny over whether the display defied appeals on fuel conservation and official restraint.

A major impact of an India Today report has once again been seen in Madhya Pradesh, with newly appointed Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation chairperson Saubhagya Singh Thakur being served a show-cause notice and barred from all official activities until further orders.

The action comes after India Today highlighted how Thakur allegedly ignored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public appeal for fuel conservation by travelling from Ujjain to Bhopal with a convoy of nearly 50 vehicles to assume charge of his new post.

Following the controversy, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav had earlier issued directions discouraging rallies and public processions linked to assumption of office ceremonies. The matter has now escalated further, with strict restrictions imposed on Thakur for allegedly failing to follow appeals and directives issued in the national interest.

According to the order, Saubhagya Singh Thakur has been prohibited from entering the Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation office or premises until further instructions. He has also been barred from using any corporation facility, vehicle, staff or office resources.

The restrictions further state that he will not be allowed to participate in or chair any meeting related to the corporation. He has also been prohibited from taking part in any administrative or financial decisions or signing official documents until further orders.

At least 111 people were killed and 72 others injured after powerful storms and heavy rainfall swept through several districts of Uttar Pradesh, causing widespread destruction across the state, officials said on Thursday.

Following the loss of lives in the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed all district in-charge ministers to visit and meet families affected by recent storms, lightning and heavy rainfall in the state.

Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party chief, responded positively to the Delhi High Court judge’s decision to transfer the excise policy case, viewing it as a triumph of truth and Gandhian values.

The move is ⁠likely to support global white and raw sugar ‌prices, while allowing rival ​producers Brazil and Thailand to boost shipments to Asian and African buyers.

India has banned the export of sugar till September 30 this year with immediate effect, a move which would help enhance domestic availability and contain prices.

Earlier the exports were under a restricted category, under which a license was required for the outbound shipments.

“The export policy of Sugar (Raw Sugar, White Sugar and Refined Sugar)… is amended from ‘Restricted’ to ‘Prohibited’ with immediate effect till September 30, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated May 13.

This order, however, does not apply to sugar being exported to the European Union and the US under the CXL and Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) arrangement, respectively.

The arrangements allow exporters to ship specified quantities of sugar to these destinations at significantly reduced or zero customs duties.

The DGFT’s order is also not applicable to the shipments under the advance authorisation scheme, government-to-government exports and consignments already in the physical export pipeline.

For the 2025-26 sugar marketing year (October to September), the Food Ministry initially allowed 15 lakh tonnes in exports, then opened an additional 5,00,000-tonnes pool, of which only 87,587 tonnes were approved.

So, nearly 16 lakh tonnes of sugar export were allowed.

The food ministry and sugar mills were expecting 7.5-8 lakh tonnes of shipments in the entire 2025-26 marketing year.

India’s sugar production rose 7.32 per cent to 27.52 million tonnes till April in the 2025-26 marketing season, driven by higher output in Maharashtra and Karnataka, according to industry body ISMA.

ISMA projected total production for the 2025-26 marketing season at 29.3 million tonnes after ethanol diversion, up from 26.12 million tonnes recorded in 2024-25.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/india-bans-sugar-exports-until-september-2026-to-cool-local-prices-4002160#google_vignette

Air India said it would assist affected passengers with rebooking on alternative flights, free date changes or full refunds.

Air India will cancel around 400 international flights per month between June and August, cutting or suspending services across North America, Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia as elevated jet fuel prices due to the West Asia conflict and airspace restrictions squeeze the commercial viability of long-haul operations.

The announcement comes days after the Federation of Indian Airlines—representing Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet—wrote to the government on April 26 warning that the industry was under “extreme stress” and on the “verge of stopping operations” over rising aviation turbine fuel costs.

Air India said it would assist affected passengers with rebooking on alternative flights, free date changes or full refunds.

Major cuts are to flights to North American cities. Delhi-Chicago flights have been suspended. Delhi-San Francisco has been cut from 10 weekly flights to seven until the end of August. Delhi-Toronto has been halved from 10 to five weekly flights until July, returning to daily service in August. Delhi-Vancouver has been reduced from seven to five weekly flights.

Mumbai-Newark increases from three weekly flights to daily service. Delhi-JFK remains at seven weekly flights. Delhi-Newark and Mumbai-JFK have been suspended.

For European destinations, Delhi-Paris has been halved from 14 weekly flights to seven. Delhi-Copenhagen, Delhi-Vienna, Delhi-Zurich and Delhi-Rome have each been cut by one weekly flight, from four to three. Delhi-Milan has been reduced from five to four weekly flights.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/air-india-cuts-around-400-international-flights-across-europe-north-america-and-asia-till-august-us-iran-war-101778726232526.html

The fresh order formally revokes the earlier directive that had required strict adherence to uniforms without religious symbols, a move that had sparked a political flashpoint centred on the wearing of the hijab.

The Karnataka government has withdrawn its February 2022 order on school uniforms and issued new guidelines that permit students to wear a limited range of traditional and religion-based symbols alongside prescribed uniforms in government, aided and private schools and pre-university colleges.

The fresh order formally revokes the earlier directive that had required strict adherence to uniforms without religious symbols, a move that had sparked a political flashpoint centred on the wearing of the hijab.

“Permissible traditional and faith-based symbols may include items commonly worn by students such as turban, Janeu, Shivadhara, Rudraksha, hijab or similar forms. However, such items shall not affect discipline, safety or identification of students,” the order stated.

Under the new rules, institutions must continue to enforce the prescribed uniforms set by their authorities. Students are now allowed to wear items such as the turban or peta, sacred thread, shivadara, rudraksha beads, and the headscarf or hijab, provided these symbols complement the uniform and do not compromise discipline, safety, the identification of students, or the overall purpose of the uniform policy.

The government has stated explicitly that no student shall be denied entry to classrooms, examinations or any academic activities solely for wearing these permitted symbols with the uniform. At the same time, no student can be compelled either to wear or to remove such symbols.

Dress codes prescribed for national and state-level examinations will continue to apply during those specific events. Officials have directed that the implementation of the order must be uniform, secular, neutral and non-discriminatory, in accordance with constitutional principles of equality, dignity, fraternity, scientific temper and the right to education.

School and college authorities have been instructed not to harass or discriminate against students on these grounds and to ensure that no child is denied access to education while upholding institutional discipline. Any existing circulars, resolutions or institutional rules that contradict the new order are to be treated as invalid.

The government framed the revision under the powers granted by Sections 7 and 133(2) of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, which allow it to regulate educational institutions and issue directions for proper administration, discipline and public order.

In its reasoning, the government described educational institutions not only as centres of academic instruction but as constitutional spaces where students are expected to imbibe values including scientific temper, equality, fraternity, dignity, mutual respect, secularism, discipline and social harmony.

“Many incidents here and there have happened. Last year also in my education department and this time on April 24, a child was asked to remove the sacred thread. The child was really disappointed and hurt. The parents and associations were hurt. Even the Chief Minister and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao asked me to take action. These things are common. Might be an earring or any accessory. These things shouldn’t come in between education and future. They are religious practices,” said Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa.

BJP MLA Bharat Shetty slammed the latest order saying, “It is an attempt to divert from their failures” and that “Hindi students must also be allowed to wear saffron shawls.”

“If the Karnataka State Government permits hijab in educational institutions, then Hindu students should also be allowed to wear saffron shawls. This was the demand raised by students in Karnataka when the hijab controversy first erupted. Though the High Court had banned hijab in educational institutions, holding that it is not an essential religious practice in Islam, and the matter is currently pending before the apex court, the Siddaramaiah Government is determined to revive the controversy, leading to law and order issues,” said Girish Bharadwaj, advocate and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/karnataka-hijab-karnataka-revokes-2022-order-allows-hijab-sacred-thread-in-schools-11490857

Unidentified gunmen ambushed two vehicles carrying Thadou Baptist Association members in Kangpokpi, killing three church leaders and injuring four others. The attack drew condemnation, rival allegations and shutdown calls, deepening tensions in Manipur.

At least three church leaders were killed and four others injured after unidentified armed assailants ambushed two vehicles carrying members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Wednesday, triggering widespread condemnation and fresh tensions in the violence-hit state.

The attack took place between Kotzim and Kotlen villages along the Kangpokpi–Churachandpur corridor road when the victims were returning from Churachandpur after attending a TBA conference, officials and community organisations said.

According to initial reports, former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention, V. Sitlhou, along with pastors Kaigoulun Lhouvum and Paogoulen Sitlhou, were killed in the ambush.

Officials said eight persons travelling in two separate vehicles came under heavy attack. Four sustained injuries, while one escaped unhurt.

The injured were identified as SM Haopu, Hekai Simte, Kaigoulun, Paothang Paogou and driver Goumang. Three of the injured were later shifted to Shija Hospital in Imphal for treatment.

Several Kuki organisations alleged that the attack was carried out by cadres suspected to be associated with the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and valley-based insurgent groups. The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) demanded immediate action against those responsible and sought ex gratia compensation, rehabilitation, and long-term support for the bereaved families.

The Kuki Zo Council (KZC) also strongly condemned the incident, stating that targeting church leaders reflected “cruelty and inhumanity” and demonstrated disregard for religious and Christian values.

Meanwhile, the Zeliangrong United Front denied involvement in the ambush. In a statement issued by its secretary for information and publicity, Louis Gangmei, the outfit condemned the killings and described the incident as an “inhumane and cowardly act”.

The organisation further claimed that there was no faction called “ZUF-Kamson” and accused operatives of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) of using the ZUF name to mislead the public and spread ethnic animosity.

The United Naga Council also condemned the attack. However, it alleged that around 20 Nagas from Konsakhul village were later held hostage by villagers from Leilon Vaiphei, purportedly in response to the incident.

In protest against the killings, the Kuki Students’ Organisation and the Zomi Students’ Federation announced an indefinite shutdown in Churachandpur district with immediate effect. Thadou organisations also imposed an indefinite shutdown along National Highway-2, the crucial Imphal–Dimapur highway.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, accompanied by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam and other legislators, visited the injured at Shija Hospital.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/three-church-leaders-killed-four-injured-in-ambush-in-manipurs-kangpokpi-district-2911396-2026-05-14

The Election Commission-led SIR exercise has now expanded beyond polls to plugging holes in direct benefit transfers. West Bengal and Bihar, two BJP-led states, will be using SIR data to identify duplicate, deceased and ineligible beneficiaries to plug leakages in welfare delivery systems.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an Election Commission-led exercise to clean up voter lists by removing dead, duplicate or ineligible names, has now expanded beyond polls, and into plugging of leakages in welfare schemes in West Bengal and Bihar.

Days after the BJP formed its first government in West Bengal under CM Suvendu Adhikari, the administration signalled that those whose names were deleted during the SIR process would not be eligible for several government welfare schemes. Similar measures are underway in Bihar, where the BJP-led NDA government has begun removing beneficiaries from ration lists after SIR deletions.

Simultaneously, Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary said people whose names were deleted from the state’s electoral rolls would not be entitled to government benefits, including ration and welfare schemes, according to a report in The Indian Express.

By linking the databases of welfare schemes with the revised electoral rolls, the SIR exercise is now the basis of the two state governments’ identification of duplicate, deceased and allegedly ineligible beneficiaries to plug leakages in welfare delivery systems.

The Election Commission’s SIR was launched ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections in Bihar and 2026 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls to purify electoral rolls and remove allegedly ineligible names. While the SIR removed around 65 lakh names in Bihar, around 91 lakh names were deleted in West Bengal. Out of the 91 lakh removed in West Bengal, over 27 lakh people remained on the list of “logical discrepancies”, and could not vote in the Assembly polls on April 23 and 29.

While the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) model reduced leakages in welfare delivery by cutting out middlemen and ghost beneficiaries, major gaps still remain in the system. Problems like incomplete Aadhaar-bank linkage, fake and duplicate beneficiaries, diversion of funds and inclusion-exclusion errors.

The states seem to be trying to plug the leakages now through the SIR-verified database.

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram called the moves by Bengal and Bihar “outrageous”.

Adding that the moves raised serious questions, Chidambaram said, “Is citizenship the basis for inclusion in the electoral roll, or, is inclusion in the electoral roll the basis of citizenship? The Supreme Court should ponder the question”.

NO WELFARE SCHEMES FOR NAMES REMOVED IN SIR IN BENGAL

After taking charge on May 10, the BJP government of Bengal made it clear that people deleted from the voter list during the SIR, including those whose appeals are pending before the tribunals, would not “for the time being” receive the benefits of its schemes like, Annapurna Bhandar scheme, a BJP manifesto scheme aimed to replace the Trinamool Congress’ Lakshmir Bhandar, reported The Telegraph.

“We will introduce the Annapurna Bhandar for women from June 1. Women will receive Rs 3,000 a month. But those still being verified by the tribunals will not be included in the list of beneficiaries for the time being,” West Bengal’s Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Social Welfare, Agnimitra Paul, was quoted as saying by the Kolkata-based newspaper.

“We will do an analysis before June 1. Those whose names have been struck off, if they are receiving then they are not supposed to. Someone who is dead is not supposed to get it. Someone who is not a citizen of this country, they are not supposed to get it. So we will do this analysis. Those whose names have been struck off, how many of them have been getting Lakshmir Bhandar, their names will be removed,” Paul told reporters.

“If any of them later get back onto the electoral rolls, she will be included in the list of beneficiaries,” a senior official told The Telegraph.

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari had on Tuesday said that no existing welfare scheme would be discontinued.

“All social programmes of the government, which may have been started 30 years or 10 years back, will continue. However, all such schemes will now function through a transparent process. No deceased person, illegal infiltrator, or non-Indian individual will be allowed to avail benefits meant for citizens of the state,” Adhikari was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The SIR exercise in Bengal became controversial in minority-heavy and migrant-dominated regions, where the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress alleged that it was aimed at voter suppression.

BANK PASSBOOKS TO BE CANCELLED, NO RATION SCHEME FOR SIR-DELETED NAMES: BIHAR CM

Like the one in West Bengal, a similar process is underway in Bihar under the NDA government led by CM Samrat Choudhary.

The Bihar government has stated that individuals deleted during SIR will not be eligible for welfare benefits and ration schemes, reported The Indian Express on Wednesday.

“People whose names have been deleted from the Bihar electoral roll will not be entitled to any government benefits, including ration and other welfare schemes,” Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary told the newspaper. “Bank passbooks of those deleted would also be cancelled in due course of time,” he added.

Elaborating the impact on Bihar’s ration card-holders, Bihar Food and Consumer Protection Minister Ashok Choudhary said, “The names of about five lakh people have been deleted from among ration-card holders post-SIR in the state,” reported The Indian Express.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sir-voter-roll-deletions-names-sir-west-bengal-suvendu-agnimitra-samrat-choudhary-bihar-welfare-schemes-2911265-2026-05-14

The NEET-UG 2026 exam, held on May 3 for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, was cancelled on Tuesday amid allegations of paper leak. The cancellation has left over 22 lakh medical aspirants and their families in uncertainty.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested five people in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. Four of the accused were produced before a magistrate in Jaipur before being taken to New Delhi on a one-day transit remand.

The CBI arrested Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal from Jaipur, Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik. Several other suspects are being questioned in various cities and may be arrested later, officials said.

Khairnar, who was arrested on May 12, is being brought to New Delhi for further questioning after a Mumbai magistrate court granted the agency a two-day transit remand.

The NEET-UG 2026 exam, held on May 3 for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday amid allegations of a paper leak. The cancellation has left over 22 lakh medical aspirants and their families in uncertainty.

WHAT THE CBI PROBE HAS FOUND

The CBI investigation has uncovered a chain of alleged links involving multiple individuals and transactions across states.

Mangilal Biwal and Dinesh Biwal are brothers, while Vikas Biwal is Dinesh’s son, who was preparing for NEET in Sikar, officials said.

Investigators allege that Dinesh, who is purportedly linked with the BJP, purchased the question paper on April 26-27 for around Rs 30 lakh. The claim is currently under verification.

The paper was allegedly procured for Vikas and was later circulated and sold in soft-copy form to other aspirants in Sikar. The probe has also revealed that four members of the same family have cleared NEET in previous years.

Separately, Khairnar is said to have received the paper from Pune, which he then passed on to Yadav, sources said.

The CBI has seized a number of digital devices, including mobile phones and laptops, from the suspects. These will be sent for forensic examination to trace the messaging applications on which the paper was allegedly circulated.

CBI TAKES OVER FROM SOG

A CBI team arrived at the SOG office late Tuesday evening to take charge of the investigation.

According to Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group, which initiated the probe, the origins of a guess paper containing questions similar to those in the exam were traced to a student from Sikar district pursuing MBBS in Kerala. The student shared it with friends and a hostel owner in Sikar.

The hostel owner distributed the paper among students at the hostel, saying it could be helpful. He later tipped off local police, informing them that a question bank had been distributed among many students.

PROBE WIDENS

Acting on inputs, joint teams from Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Jaipur City, Jaipur Rural and the SOG questioned more than 150 candidates along with their friends and parents on Wednesday.

In Maharashtra, police in Latur district questioned six persons, including coaching class staff.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sameersinh Salve said the questioning followed a complaint by a parent who alleged that 42 questions in a mock test conducted by a private coaching institute in Latur were identical to those that appeared in the NEET exam.

‘THEY ARE INNOCENT’

Family members of the arrested accused maintained their innocence. Dinesh’s mother, Prabhu Devi, said her sons had been falsely implicated and that she had contacted the local MLA after they were taken by police.

“My sons are innocent. They have been falsely implicated. I called the MLA and asked him to see why he was taken,” she said. Dinesh’s wife Rajni also denied her husband’s involvement, saying she had been in Sikar with her son for NEET preparations.

One of the accused, while being taken to Delhi, alleged that influential people were being shielded. “Bade logon ko bachaya jata aur aam aadmi ko pareshan kiya jata hai (Big people are protected, while ordinary people are harassed),” he said.

POLITICS OVER ALLEGED BJP LINK

The arrests triggered a political blame game, with the Congress and the TMC claiming some of those arrested were associated with the BJP. Several social media accounts shared photographs purportedly showing Dinesh with BJP leaders and ministers from Rajasthan.

However, BJP state vice president Mukesh Dadhich denied that Dinesh held any post in the party.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference urging students to demand accountability, citing paper leak incidents since 2014 and alleging that several such incidents had occurred in BJP-ruled states.

He also urged Gen Z to wake up and fight against injustice and the misrule of the Centre. “If Gen Z can oust governments in Bangladesh and Nepal, can’t they send our corrupt (BJP) leaders to jail?” he asked.

Congress workers staged demonstrations across several states, burning effigies of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the paper leak.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/neet-ug-2026-paper-leak-case-cbi-arrests-five-nta-cancels-exam-bjp-opposition-2911374-2026-05-14

A crucial meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is scheduled for 1pm, where the name of the new Chief Minister will be formally proposed and ratified

The emphatic victory of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, where it secured a commanding 102 seats, has been momentarily eclipsed by a week-long leadership vacuum. As of Thursday, the stalemate that has gripped the state since the results were declared on May 4 is finally expected to break. With the state currently functioning under a caretaker setup, the Congress “high command” in New Delhi has transitioned from deliberation to decision-making, aiming to resolve the high-stakes tug-of-war between two political titans.

The May 13 Turning Point: Consultations Conclude

Wednesday served as the penultimate chapter in this political drama. Following days of factional manoeuvring, the Congress leadership held a series of exhaustive meetings in the national capital. The primary task was to reconcile the competing claims of AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, outgoing Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, and veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala.

By Wednesday evening, AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh confirmed that the consultation process was officially complete. This announcement came amid mounting pressure from the UDF’s second-largest constituent, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The IUML leadership has been vocal about its frustration, demanding an immediate end to the “prolonged uncertainty” that they fear could dampen the public enthusiasm generated by the 102-seat mandate. Meanwhile, the physical transition of power was underscored by outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who officially vacated the Cliff House residence, having served in a caretaker capacity for over a week.

The May 14 Agenda: Formalising the Verdict

Thursday, May 14, is the designated “D-Day”. The theatre of action shifts from the corridors of New Delhi back to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. A crucial meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is scheduled for 1pm, where the name of the new Chief Minister will be formally proposed and ratified.

AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, who have been overseeing the “secret ballot” and one-on-one feedback sessions with the 63 Congress MLAs, are expected to present the high command’s choice. While the race remains exceptionally tight, the decision involves a complex set of variables. VD Satheesan is widely perceived as the popular choice amongst the public and the youth wing for his aggressive parliamentary performance over the last five years. Conversely, reports suggest that KC Venugopal maintains the backing of a significant majority of the newly elected MLAs, bolstered by his proximity to the party’s central leadership.

The government is not cutting expenditure. There is no plan to slash subsidies. Welfare spending is not being rolled back.

For weeks now, there has been a quiet conversation unfolding inside the government. It is the kind that happens behind closed doors in review meetings, economic briefings, and strategic discussions where officials look not just at India’s growth story, but at what could potentially slow it down.

And somewhere in the middle of those conversations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun making an unusual appeal — one that many initially misunderstood.

When PM Modi asks ministers to avoid unnecessary foreign travel, when he urges people to conserve fuel, when he says families should think twice before buying gold, or when he suggests Indians holiday within the country instead of flying abroad, it is not a coded signal of economic distress. Nor is it an indication that the government is preparing for austerity in the traditional sense.

In fact, people familiar with the discussions say exactly the opposite is true.

The government is not cutting expenditure. There is no plan to slash subsidies. Welfare spending is not being rolled back. Capital expenditure — the big-ticket spending on highways, railways, airports, defence infrastructure and public projects — remains one of the pillars of the Modi government’s economic strategy. Officials point out that public investment continues at historically high levels because Delhi believes infrastructure spending creates jobs, stimulates demand and keeps the economic cycle moving.

This is not a government preparing citizens for a recession. This is a government trying to protect momentum. That distinction matters.

India today occupies a rare position in the global economy. At a time when many large economies are battling stagnation, weak consumption or geopolitical uncertainty, India continues to project itself as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. Inside government circles, there is enormous sensitivity about preserving that image and the economic confidence that comes with it.

What worries policymakers is not domestic consumption. In fact, the government wants Indians to spend. Consumption drives growth. Markets need buyers. Factories need demand. Services need customers. Officials privately admit that strong consumer activity is essential if India wants to maintain growth rates that distinguish it from the rest of the world.

But there is another side to the story.

India still depends heavily on imports for some of its biggest needs. Crude oil remains the most obvious vulnerability. Gold imports continue to put pressure on the economy every festive season and wedding cycle. Foreign holidays mean an outflow of valuable foreign exchange. Every barrel of imported fuel, every spike in gold demand, every surge in overseas spending adds pressure on India’s current account deficit.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/pm-modi-is-not-asking-you-not-to-spend-but-spend-wisely-inside-story-ws-l-10089970.html

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Sarma said the measures were aimed at reducing avoidable expenditure and promoting fuel conservation in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for austerity and energy efficiency.

The Assam government on Wednesday rolled out a six-month austerity programme, announcing a series of expenditure-cutting measures ranging from a freeze on new vehicle purchases to restrictions on foreign travel by ministers and officials.

The decisions were taken at the first Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after the formation of the new government.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Sarma said the measures were aimed at reducing avoidable expenditure and promoting fuel conservation in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for austerity and energy efficiency.

“One of the major decisions is that the Assam government will not purchase any new vehicles for the next six months,” Sarma said.

He added that even newly inducted ministers would continue using existing government vehicles during this period.

“The newly elected ministers will not get any new vehicles for six months. Existing vehicles will continue to be used,” he said.

In another major decision, the government imposed a temporary ban on foreign travel by ministers, officers and government employees for the next six months.

“From tomorrow onwards, no government minister, employee or officer will be able to travel abroad, even at their own expense, for the next six months, except in medical emergency cases,” the Chief Minister said.

According to the new guidelines, any official foreign visit during the austerity period will require prior approval from the Chief Minister’s Office.

Officials have also been advised to attend international meetings, conferences and seminars virtually from Guwahati instead of travelling overseas.

The state Cabinet further decided to reduce the size of convoys attached to ministers and senior government officials, including vehicles linked to the Raj Bhavan.

“Including the Governor’s convoy, all ministerial and official convoys will be downsized for at least six months,” Sarma said.

The government has also directed departments to cut fuel expenditure by 20 per cent compared to the previous financial year.

As part of the austerity measures, departments have been instructed not to procure foreign-made products during the six-month period.

“For the next six months, the Assam government will not purchase international or foreign products, whether mobile phones or any other items,” Sarma said.

Physical seminars, workshops and conferences organised by government departments have also been suspended for the next six months. Departments will instead conduct meetings and training programmes virtually to reduce expenditure.

At the same time, the government announced plans to gradually replace old vehicles with electric vehicles as part of a larger energy conservation strategy.

Officials said vehicles older than 15 to 20 years would be phased out in stages and departments may hire electric vehicles instead of purchasing new ones.

The austerity measures come shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for reduced fuel consumption and greater economic discipline in view of the ongoing crisis in West Asia and concerns over rising global energy costs.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/assam-cracks-down-on-govt-spending-with-six-month-austerity-drive-after-pm-modis-call

SOG officials said the investigation has mapped a network of at least 24 persons across Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand.

A third-year BAMS student from Nashik who allegedly bought the NEET-UG 2026 question paper for ₹10 lakh and sold it onward to a person in Gurugram for ₹15 lakh — both transactions conducted by courier — is at the centre of a paper leak investigation that has now been handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), police officers in Rajasthan and Maharashtra said.

Nashik police detained Shubham Khairnar, who is from Nashik and studying in Bhopal, on Tuesday. The CBI, which took over the investigation from the Rajasthan Special Operations Group the same day, is expected to take Khairnar’s custody for further interrogation. His questioning, a senior Nashik police officer said, is expected to establish the identities of those from whom he received the paper and to whom he forwarded it — and how the financial transactions were routed.

Investigators believe the question paper, after reaching Gurugram, was used to prepare a handwritten guess paper of 410 questions with answers, camouflaging 120 questions drawn from the original NEET paper — which tests biology and chemistry among other subjects, with 150 questions from those two alone — within a larger question bank. “We believe the actual paper leaked was used to prepare a guess paper,” a senior SOG official said, describing the network as well-organised and nationwide, involving paper solvers and impersonators.

The guess paper was then sold to employees at paying guest hostels catering to NEET students and to coaching centres. Most students received it on May 2 — the night before the May 3 examination, an official said, asking not to be named.

Courier transfer, then ‘Private Mafia’ WhatsApp group

The Gurugram contact is among 24 people detained by Rajasthan police during the investigation. The paper’s circulation in Rajasthan’s coaching belt has been mapped in some detail. Rakesh Kumar Mandawariya, a counsellor at a coaching centre in Sikar, was detained in Dehradun on May 9. He allegedly paid ₹5 lakh for the guess paper and sold it to a Churu-based student studying medicine in Kerala. She passed it to her father, who runs a hostel in Sikar, and he circulated it among his residents and also passed it to a coaching centre in the city, one of the investigators said.

The paper also entered a paid WhatsApp group called ‘Private Mafia’, through which it was sold at membership fees ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹30,000, with many members forwarding it free to contacts at other coaching centres and hostels. SOG officials said the investigation has mapped a network of at least 24 persons across Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand.

The probe was triggered four days after the exam, when students and coaching centre staff approached the NTA with complaints. NTA wrote to Rajasthan DGP Rajeev Sharma on May 7, tracing the 410-question guess paper. The SOG launched its investigation immediately after.

Sikar, where approximately 30,000 students sat the exam across 102 centres, is now the investigation’s primary focus.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/courier-coaching-belt-and-private-mafia-tracing-the-leaked-neet-ug-2026-paper-from-nashik-to-gurugram-101778633351075.html

Matin Patel came into the spotlight after Nida Khan, an accused in the Nashik TCS sexual harassment and religion conversion case, was arrested from a house belonging to him

The Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) Municipal Corporation began demolitions at properties belonging to AIMIM corporator Matin Patel on Wednesday, a day after a local court refused his petition seeking more time to respond to allegations that the buildings were illegal constructions.

Patel came into the spotlight after Nida Khan, an accused in the Nashik TCS sexual harassment and religion conversion case, was arrested from a house belonging to him. The property in question is also reportedly on the list of buildings facing bulldozer action over alleged illegal status.

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar civic body had on May 9 issued a notice to Matin Patel over “illegal” constructions in the city. The notice came a day after Patel was booked for allegedly harbouring Nida Khan.

The civic body had served a notice to the corporator asking him to produce the permission documents concerning a 600-square-foot house owned by him at Kausar Park in the Naregaon area. This was the house where Nida Khan allegedly stayed before her arrest.

Calling the construction illegal, the corporation’s encroachment department had sought clarification from Patel within 72 hours.

Earlier this month, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat had alleged that Matin Patel, a 35-year-old first-time AIMIM corporator, was “pressured” by AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel to harbour Nida Khan in one of his properties.

Shirsat, a Shiv Sena leader who is also the guardian minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), said he had written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that those who had provided shelter to Khan and her family members should also come under the SIT scanner.

Weeks after she went into hiding, Khan, an accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues at a TCS unit in Nashik, was apprehended from a house in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

“Nida Khan first went to Mumbra, and later, Imtiaz Jaleel met her in Nashik, following which he made a statement supporting her. She came to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and stayed here for over a month, and the house she stayed in belongs to an AIMIM corporator,” Shirsat had alleged.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major’s Nashik unit.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cities/pune/nashik-tcs-case-aurangabad-properties-of-aimim-corporator-who-sheltered-nida-khan-demolished-ws-l-10087983.html

Rahul Gandhi expressed his dissent regarding the selection of the next CBI director, citing insufficient time and lack of access to crucial candidate information.

After the meeting to select the next CBI director, Rahul Gandhi registered dissent. Gandhi claimed that 69 names were presented during the meeting in one hour. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP), alleged that the CBI was bein misused by the Centre and even claimed hat the government made “mockery” of the selection process by denying complete information of candidates to him.

“Your government has repeatedly misused the CBI, intended to be India’s premier investigative agency, to target political opponents, journalists, and critics. It is to prevent such institutional capture that the Leader of Opposition is included in the Selection Committee. Regrettably, you have continued to deny me any meaningful role in the process.,” Gandhi said.

“Despite repeated written requests, I was not provided with the self-appraisal reports or 360-degree reports of the eligible candidates. Instead, I was expected to examine the appraisal records of sixty-nine candidates for the first time during the Committee meeting. The 360-degree reports were denied to me outright. A detailed review of these records is crucial to assess each candidate’s history and performance. This deliberate denial of information, without any legal basis, makes a mockery of the selection process and ensures that only your pre-decided candidate is selected,” the LoP added.

He further alleged that the the selection process to appoint the CBI director has been reduced to mere “formality. ““The Leader of Opposition is not a rubber stamp,” he added.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/i-was-not-provided-with-self-appraisal-reports-rahul-gandhi-registers-dissent-in-cbi-director-selection-process-article-154303927

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday ordered ministers and officials to cut convoy vehicles by 50% and push two work-from-home days weekly, citing global uncertainties and PM Narendra Modi’s fuel-saving appeal. The state also proposed a weekly “No Vehicle Day”, virtual government meetings and wider use of Metro services, EVs, PNG and rooftop solar systems.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced a series of austerity and energy-saving measures, directing ministers and officials to reduce the number of vehicles in their convoys by 50 percent and encouraging wider adoption of work-from-home practices across the state.

The directions were issued during a high-level meeting convened in view of global uncertainties and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for fuel conservation and energy efficiency.

The Chief Minister urged citizens to adopt fuel-saving habits and avoid unnecessary consumption. He also appealed to people to refrain from non-essential gold purchases and reduce dependence on imported goods.

As part of the measures, ministers, MPs, MLAs and other public representatives have been advised to use public transport at least once a week. The government also proposed observing one “No Vehicle Day” every week to promote fuel conservation and reduce traffic congestion.

Yogi Adityanath stressed the need to promote work-from-home culture in industrial establishments, startups and offices employing large workforces. The state government plans to issue an advisory recommending two days of work from home every week in suitable sectors.

The Chief Minister also directed that 50 percent of internal meetings in the state secretariat and directorates be conducted virtually. Government seminars, workshops and conferences, particularly in the education sector, will also be encouraged through online platforms.

To reduce fuel use during peak hours, the government is considering staggered office timings in different batches. The Chief Minister asked departments to promote greater use of Metro rail services, PNG, public transport and UPSRTC buses. He also encouraged cycling, carpooling and the use of electric vehicles.

Calling for power conservation, the Chief Minister appealed to citizens and commercial establishments to avoid unnecessary electricity consumption. Decorative lighting at private establishments and commercial complexes should be minimised after 10 pm, he said.

The government also announced measures to boost domestic tourism and local industries. Yogi Adityanath asked citizens and wedding planners to prioritise destinations within India and promote heritage, eco-tourism and rural tourism sites in Uttar Pradesh for destination weddings and travel.

He directed the tourism department to coordinate with hotels, airlines, tour operators and travel agents to strengthen domestic tourism campaigns. Museums and monuments may also be opened free of cost for a limited period to encourage tourism.

The Chief Minister further emphasised promotion of locally made products, ODOP and GI-tagged items during festivals, weddings and official gifting. He urged citizens to support local artisans, self-help groups and entrepreneurs.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/yogi-govt-orders-50-cut-in-official-convoys-advocates-for-work-from-home-and-public-transport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a 50% cut in his convoy size and increased use of EVs as part of an austerity and fuel-saving drive amid the economic fallout of the Iran war, sources told India Today TV.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a 50 per cent reduction in the size of his convoy and called for greater use of electric vehicles as part of a wider austerity and fuel-saving drive amid economic stress linked to the Iran war, sources told India Today TV on Wednesday.

According to sources, the Special Protection Group (SPG) has been instructed to cut down the number of vehicles in the Prime Minister’s convoy, while ensuring that mandatory security protocols are not compromised. The SPG has already begun implementing the directions.

Sources also said PM Modi has asked for a greater use of electric vehicles in the convoy, while making it clear that no new vehicles should be purchased for the transition.

The move came days after PM Modi appealed to citizens to adopt austerity measures, including avoiding gold purchases for a year, postponing non-essential foreign travel and reducing fuel consumption, as India braces for the economic fallout of rising global oil prices.

Leading from the front on austerity measures, PM Modi has significantly reduced the size of his convoy during recent visits to states including Gujarat and Assam. The scaled-down convoys were seen in Vadodara and Guwahati soon after the Prime Minister’s austerity appeal at a rally in Hyderabad.

Sources said the reduction in vehicles was carried out while fully maintaining mandatory security requirements under SPG protocol.

The austerity drive is now being mirrored across governments and ministries. Several central ministries are said to be exploring fuel-saving measures. Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have also directed reductions in their official convoys, per sources.

Union Minister CR Patil has also decided to stop using an escort vehicle as part of the effort, they further said.

PM MODI’S AUSTERITY CALL

Addressing a Telangana BJP rally in Hyderabad on Sunday, PM Modi urged people to adopt austerity measures to help the country tackle the economic impact of the Iran war and conserve foreign exchange reserves.

The Prime Minister called for reduced consumption of petrol and diesel, greater use of Metro rail services, carpooling, electric vehicles and railway parcel services, while also encouraging work-from-home practices wherever possible.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-orders-50-cut-in-convoy-size-pushes-for-more-ev-use-as-part-of-austerity-push-sources-2910851-2026-05-13

The CBI has revisited Chandranath Rath’s murder spot as it probes an alleged contract killing. Investigators are examining interstate links, forged vehicles and the source of more than Rs 1 crore allegedly spent on the operation.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) suspects West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s aide Chandranath Rath’s murder was a meticulously planned contract killing involving interstate operatives, forged vehicles and over Rs 1 crore spent on weapons, logistics and sharpshooters.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of CBI, accompanied by forensic experts, on Tuesday revisited the murder spot of Rath in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district as investigators intensified efforts to crack what they suspect was a meticulously planned contract killing involving more than Rs 1 crore, police sources said.

Rath was shot dead inside his SUV on a public road in Madhyamgram on May 6, just two days after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results. Investigators suspect the murder involved interstate criminal operatives, forged vehicle identities and substantial financial backing.

The CBI team, led by DIG Pankaj Kumar Singh, spent several hours at the crime scene examining the sequence of events and reviewing evidence collected earlier, PTI reported.

A three-member team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory collected fresh blood samples and other forensic material from the area to aid the probe. The locality remained under heavy police barricading through Tuesday, with residents and commuters passing through multiple security checks.

‘MORE THAN Rs 1 CRORE SPENT ON OPERATION’

Investigators now believe the killing was executed with extensive planning and logistics support.

According to police sources, the alleged “supari” operation may have cost more than Rs 1 crore, with money allegedly spent on weapons, reconnaissance, vehicles and hired shooters.

“One of the two firearms used in the murder is suspected to be worth over Rs 10 lakh in the illegal market,” a police officer said.

Officials said the cost of hiring sharpshooters, conducting surveillance on Rath’s movements and arranging multiple vehicles for escape pointed towards a highly coordinated conspiracy.

“Who invested such a huge amount of money and why remain the biggest questions before investigators at this stage,” a senior officer associated with the probe said.

CBI TAKES OVER PROBE FROM BENGAL POLICE

The CBI formally took over the investigation from the West Bengal Police on Monday following a request from the state government and subsequently registered an FIR in the case.

Officials said the central agency has formed a multidisciplinary SIT to conduct a comprehensive and time-bound investigation.

“All possible angles, including interstate criminal links and conspiracy, are being examined. The CBI’s special investigation team will now focus on unravelling the larger conspiracy behind the murder,” a senior official said.

The agency is currently analysing ballistic evidence and other forensic material recovered from the scene.

HOW THE KILLING UNFOLDED

Speculation has intensified over a possible Modi cabinet reshuffle and a new BJP national team under Nitin Navin. The twin exercises are being seen as part of a wider strategy ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Amid mounting speculation over a possible reshuffle and expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers, attention has also shifted to an impending organisational overhaul in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under party president Nitin Navin. With the Modi government approaching key political milestones later this month and in June, discussions within political circles have intensified over a broader recalibration of both the government and the party structure.

The twin exercises — a possible cabinet reshuffle at the Centre and the formation of a new BJP national team — are being viewed as part of a coordinated political strategy ahead of crucial electoral battles, including the 2027 Assembly elections in seven states. Party insiders indicated that consultations on the new organisational setup are in the final stages, while speculation continues over fresh inductions and changes in ministerial responsibilities in the Union government.

CABINET RESHUFFLE SPECULATION GATHERS PACE

Political observers point to past precedents under Modi’s leadership to suggest that a cabinet reshuffle may not be far away. During his first term, the Prime Minister carried out the first expansion of his cabinet in November 2014, roughly six months after assuming office. This was followed by major reshuffles in July 2016 and September 2017, during which several ministers were promoted or reassigned.

In the second term, a significant cabinet expansion took place in July 2021, while ministerial portfolios were reshuffled again in May 2023.

Against this backdrop, party insiders believe the completion of two years of the Modi government’s third term could provide the occasion for another recalibration of the Council of Ministers.

On May 26, the Modi-led government at the Centre will complete 12 years in office, while June 9 will mark two years of the Prime Minister’s third consecutive term.

At present, the Union Council of Ministers has 72 members, while constitutionally it can accommodate up to 81. This has fuelled speculation that new faces may be inducted and the responsibilities of some existing ministers may be altered.

Sources said the BJP leadership is also factoring in the 2027 Assembly elections while weighing possible changes. Regional representation and social balancing are expected to play a key role in any cabinet exercise, with the party keen to strengthen its electoral positioning in poll-bound states.

FOCUS ON YOUNGER LEADERSHIP IN BJP ORGANISATION

Within the BJP organisation, discussions over a new national team under Nitin Navin have also intensified. Since taking over as party president on January 20, Navin has reportedly been engaged in reshaping the organisational structure and holding consultations on key appointments.

Party sources indicated that deliberations over the new team are in the final stages and an announcement could be made soon.

According to sources, the BJP may give greater prominence to younger leaders in the revamped structure, particularly those below the age of 50. However, the leadership is also expected to retain experienced figures in crucial organisational roles to maintain internal balance.

There is also speculation that several new faces could be appointed at the level of BJP national general secretaries as part of a broader effort to bring leaders from different states to the national stage and groom a new generation of leadership.

Women leaders, too, are likely to receive greater representation in the new organisational setup, sources said.

RSS CONSULTATIONS AND LONG-TERM STRATEGY

Sources within the party indicated that extensive consultations were held between the BJP leadership and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before Nitin Navin’s appointment as party chief earlier this year. Similar deliberations are believed to have taken place over the composition of his organisational team.

The RSS is understood to be backing leaders and functionaries seen as ideologically committed and active at the grassroots level.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/modi-government-reshuffle-buzz-grows-as-bjps-organisational-overhaul-gathers-pace-2910820-2026-05-13

Devotees had gathered at the temple to seek the blessings of the deity. However, strong winds began sweeping through the area towards the evening hours, causing some of them to take shelter beside an under-construction wall.

Six devotees, including some children, were killed and more than a dozen others were injured after an under-construction wall on the premises of a temple collapsed following strong winds and heavy rain in Maharashtra’s Sangli district on Tuesday.

People had gathered at the temple to seek the blessings of the deity. The incident took place as strong winds began sweeping through the area towards the evening hours.

To protect themselves from the storm, some devotees took shelter beside a nearby wall that was under construction. As the intensity of the winds increased, a nearby shed made of iron sheets got uprooted and slammed directly onto the wall.

“There were around 350 devotees on the temple premises. In the evening, sudden strong winds accompanied by heavy rains lashed the area, prompting devotees to take shelter along a wall and under tin sheets. The wall and the tin sheets suddenly collapsed, trapping devotees,” Sangli Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

While six people died on the spot, at least 20 others were injured. The wounded devotees were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. A wave of grief spread across the entire area in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sangli-temple-tragedy-6-killed-as-wall-collapses-in-maharashtra-2910782-2026-05-12

Additional troops have been deployed and the entire area has been cordoned off. “The troops continue to dominate the area and maintain a high state of operational readiness across the sector,” the Indian Army said.

The Indian Army on Tuesday foiled a major infiltration attempt by suspected Pakistani terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, killing one infiltrator in the operation.

A heavy exchange of fire is underway between the infiltrators and Army troops deployed in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch’s Mendhar.

According to defence sources, alert troops detected suspicious movement of a group of heavily armed terrorists attempting to cross the LoC under the cover of darkness. The infiltrators were challenged, following which they opened fire, prompting retaliation from the Army and triggering an intense gunfight.

Sources said one terrorist has been killed in the encounter, though the body is yet to be recovered as operations remain underway. The intruder, suspected to be linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, was allegedly attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory near the Bicho Post in the Mankote area.

The remaining infiltrators are believed to have retreated towards the Pakistani side of the LoC.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/loc-infiltration-attempt-foiled-in-poonch-army-engages-suspected-terrorists-2910767-2026-05-12

The warning sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users comparing the situation to India, where roadside fruit trees are often freely accessed by locals.

An Indian woman living in Singapore has gone viral after sharing a surprising warning about the country’s strict public property laws. In a post on X, Priyanka Sinha claimed that even picking up a fallen mango from a public tree in Singapore could lead to a hefty fine of up to SGD 5,000, roughly Rs 3.5 lakh.

Her post quickly grabbed attention online, especially among Indian users who were stunned by the idea of being penalised for collecting fruit lying on the ground. Sharing her experience, Sinha explained that fruit-bearing trees planted in public spaces are considered government property, and residents are generally not allowed to pluck or collect fruits from them without permission.

Watch the video here:

The warning sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users comparing the situation to India, where roadside fruit trees are often freely accessed by locals. Several people joked that such a rule would be impossible to enforce in Indian cities, while others said the post reflected Singapore’s reputation for maintaining strict civic discipline and public order.

The Ministry of National Development (MND) Trees, on its website, notes: “Trees, including their fruit, which are located on State land belong to the State. NParks manages most of the trees on State land. Members of the public who wish to pluck fruit from trees, or collect fruit that has dropped from trees on State land should approach NParks for permission. Those who pluck or collect fruit in a public park without permission can be fined up to $5,000 under the Parks and Trees Act. Those who do so in a nature reserve or a national park can be fined up to $50,000, and/or imprisoned for up to 6 months.”

Many users felt the mango fine sounded excessive, while others pointed out that Singapore’s strict enforcement is precisely what keeps public spaces orderly and well-maintained.

One user joked, “What if our pet animals can help to collect?”, to which another user replied, “In Singapore, pets are treated as an extension of the owner. If your pet collects fruit from a public tree, you are legally considered to have “caused or permitted” the act.”

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/indian-woman-warns-of-rs-3-75-lakh-fine-over-picking-fallen-mango-in-singapore-post-stuns-internet-11483639?pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories

Prateek Yadav was the husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav and half-brother of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Prateek Yadav, son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, died at the age of 38 years in Lucknow. He was brought dead at the Lucknow civil hospital on Wednesday.

He was the husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav and half-brother of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Per police sources, he was brought to the hospital by his family members at 6.15 am, where he was declared dead. His wife was not present at the time.

A panel of doctors at the King George Medical University and hospital will soon perform a post-mortem examination of the body to ascertain the cause of death. Per initial observations, there were no visible signs of injury on the body.

Prateek Yadav had been suffering from lung-related issues for a long time. He was undergoing treatment for a blood clot in his lungs. When his condition deteriorated in the morning and he stopped responding, his family members immediately rushed him to the Civil Hospital. He was rushed to the civil hospital when his condition worsened and he stopped responding.

Prateek Yadav was the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his second wife Sadhna.

Who Was Prateek Yadav?

Holding an MBA from UK’s Leeds University, Prateek Yadav was a well-known real estate developer and fitness enthusiast.

In September 2012, he featured on an internationally-acclaimed bodybuilding website as “the international transformation of the month”. He had credited the transformation to a pep talk he received from Mulayam Singh Yadav over a decade ago.

He was known for his interest in animal welfare and had supported initiatives related to the care and protection of animals.

He faced controversy over buying a Rs 5 crore Lamborghini car in 2017, with critics asking how the member of a family claiming to be committed to socialism could buy one of the world’s most expensive cars. “I bought the car on loan. I have all the papers, I pay income tax. Why the controversy?” he told ANI.

Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Son From 2nd Marriage

Akhilesh Yadav is the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his first wife Malati Devi. While giving birth to him, she suffered complications and was in a vegetative state when she died in 2003.

Within months of her death, Mulayam Singh Yadav married Sadhna in May 2003.

Sadhna had married her first husband Chandra Prakash Gupta in 1987 and gave birth to Prateek Gupta. A year following the birth of Prateek, Sadhna left her husband. In 1990, they got divorced.

A Rocky Marriage

Prateek Yadav and Aparna Yadav got married in 2011 following an eight-year courtship, having first met a party through a mutual friend and beginning to communicate with each other through e-mails. She said in an interview with a British newspaper that she had fallen for him in Class 10. For several years, she said she was unaware that he was Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son.

Their wedding was attended by a host of prominent figures from the political, business and entertainment spheres. The couple went on to become parents to two children.

In January, Prateek Yadav and Aparna Yadav announced that they will file for divorce, alleging that she had ruined family ties, a move they didn’t follow through with later. “I am going to divorce this selfish woman as soon as possible. She ruined my family ties. All she wants to become is famous and influential,” he had written in an emotional Instagram post. He had also alleged that she had shown no concern for his poor mental health.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mulayam-singh-yadavs-younger-son-prateek-yadav-dies-at-38-11486976?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The government has imposed a 10% basic customs duty and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on gold and silver imports, taking the effective import tax to 15% from 6%.

India has raised import tariffs on gold and silver to 15% from 6%, government orders said on Wednesday, as part of efforts to curb overseas purchases of the metals and ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

The higher duties could dampen demand in the world’s second-largest consumer of precious metals, although they may help narrow India’s trade deficit and support the rupee, one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies.

However, industry officials warned higher import taxes could revive smuggling, which had eased after India cut tariffs in mid-2024.

The government has imposed a 10% basic customs duty and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on gold and silver imports, taking the effective import tax to 15% from 6%.

“As expected, the government has raised duties to curb the current account deficit. However, this could affect demand, as gold and silver prices were already elevated,” said Surendra Mehta, national secretary at the India Bullion and Jewellers Association.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to avoid gold purchases for a year to help protect foreign exchange reserves. India meets almost all of its gold consumption through imports.

Gold demand, particularly for investment purposes, has risen in India amid a recent rally in prices and negative returns from equities over the past year.

Inflows into India’s gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) surged 186% year-on-year in the March quarter to a record 20 metric tons, the World Gold Council said last month.

India has been trying to curb gold imports in recent weeks and began levying a 3% integrated goods and services tax (IGST) on gold and silver imports, prompting banks to halt imports for more than a month.

As a result, April imports fell to a near 30-year low. Banks have since resumed imports after paying the 3% IGST, but imports are now likely to fall again following the increase in import duties, bullion dealers said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-raises-gold-silver-import-tariffs-to-15-percent-from-6-percent-to-curb-overseas-purchases-11486892?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

In retaliation for the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK

India on Tuesday said that reports of China supporting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor “corroborate what was known earlier” and urged Beijing to introspect.

“We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier, Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted, and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said.

In retaliation for the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK

“It is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing,” the spokesperson added.

This firm stance from New Delhi comes as the nation recently marked the first anniversary of the operation on May 7. The operation was far more than mere retaliation; it was a calibrated, multi-domain surgical strike that lasted exactly 88 hours and decisively changed the rules of engagement in South Asia.

Last week, China, for the first time, confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the intense four-day military conflict with India, according to Chinese official media reports.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.

Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.

Pakistan’s air force operates Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary. Zhang Heng said what drove his team was the “desire to do an even better job with on-site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”.

“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J-10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” Zhang Heng added.

In July 2025, the Indian Army said that an overwhelming 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware is of Chinese origin, with China using the country like a “live lab” to test its military tech.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-indias-reputation-standing-reply-to-chinas-on-site-support-to-pak-11484426?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Customs officials at Amritsar airport arrested a passenger after finding suspected MDMA tablets hidden inside soft toys. The seizure has widened an investigation into concealment methods and a possible international trafficking network.

A passenger arriving at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar has been arrested after Customs officials seized over 25 kg of suspected MDMA tablets concealed inside soft toys, officials said.

The accused had arrived on flight MH-118 from Cambodia via Kuala Lumpur. Acting on intelligence inputs and profiling by the Airport Intelligence Unit (APIU), Customs officers selected the passenger for detailed screening upon arrival.

During baggage examination, officials noticed suspicious items during X-ray scanning, prompting a thorough physical inspection. Upon opening the luggage, they discovered that four soft toys had been specially modified to conceal packets of suspected narcotic substances.

Officials said approximately 25.25 kg of tablets, believed to be MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), were recovered from the toys. The substance is classified as a banned psychotropic drug under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The concealed packets were carefully embedded inside the stuffing of the toys, indicating a sophisticated method of smuggling designed to evade detection during routine checks.

Following the seizure, the passenger was taken into custody under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identity of the accused, as the investigation is ongoing.

Customs officials said the case appears to be linked to a larger international drug trafficking network. Investigators are now working to trace the origin of the consignment, identify handlers involved in the supply chain, and map the intended destination of the drugs.

Preliminary findings suggest that the consignment may have been routed through multiple transit points to avoid suspicion. Officials are also examining travel records, communication devices, and financial transactions to gather further evidence.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/amritsar-airport-mdma-seizure-soft-toys-cambodia-passenger-arrested-2910165-2026-05-11

According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bose had allegedly recommended around 150 candidates for various posts under the South Dum Dum Municipality in exchange for monetary benefits.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose in connection with the alleged municipality recruitment scam. Bose is expected to be produced before a Special Court on Tuesday.

According to ED sources, Bose allegedly recommended around 150 candidates for various posts under the South Dum Dum Municipality in exchange for monetary benefits. The agency claimed it had traced proceeds of crime in the form of flats allegedly acquired by Bose in return for facilitating municipal jobs for several individuals. Investigators also alleged that large cash deposits were found in bank accounts linked to him.

The arrest came hours after the former minister, who lost his Bidhannagar seat in the 2026 Assembly polls, appeared before the ED for questioning in connection with the alleged scam. Bose reached the ED office at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake at around 10.30 am, accompanied by his son, Samudra Bose.

BOSE SKIPPED PREVIOUS SUMMONS

This was not the first time the central agency had summoned Bose in connection with its probe into alleged recruitment irregularities at the South Dum Dum Municipality and other civic bodies between 2014 and 2018.

According to sources, Bose received multiple ED notices during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign, including one on April 6, the day nomination papers were filed.

He had earlier approached the Calcutta High Court seeking exemption from appearing before the ED, citing his involvement in election campaigning. Following the completion of elections, Bose appeared before ED officials at the CGO Complex on May 1.

Following an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the directions of the Calcutta High Court, the ED conducted raids on two separate occasions – January 2024 and October 2025.

The ED conducted raids at 13 locations on October 10, 2025, including Bose’s office, during which investigators allegedly recovered incriminating documents and seized Rs 45 lakh in cash.

HOW THE SCAM WAS UNEARTHED

The case relates to recruitment irregularities in various municipalities across West Bengal and emerged from the ED’s investigation into the Primary Teachers Recruitment Scam.

During the 2023 probe, the ED carried out searches at multiple premises linked to TMC aide Ayan Sil and others, recovering incriminating documents and digital evidence. The agency’s scrutiny of these materials suggested that the alleged scam was not limited to teacher recruitment but also extended to irregularities in several municipal appointments, including in South Dum Dum and other civic bodies.

The recruitment pertained to posts such as labourers, sweepers, clerks, peons, ambulance attendants, assistant mistries, pump operators, helpers, sanitary assistants and drivers.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sujit-bose-tmc-arrested-ed-municipal-recruitment-scam-sources-2910156-2026-05-11

The “digital arrest” scam came to light after the elderly man discussed the matter with family members, who suspected foul play and advised him to approach the police.

In yet another case of a senior citizen being targeted through a “digital arrest” scam, an 87-year-old retired executive from Pune was allegedly duped of Rs 3.46 crore by cyber fraudsters posing as senior CBI officials, who threatened him with arrest in a fake money laundering case.

The Pune city cyber police recently registered an FIR against unidentified persons involved in the scam, which allegedly took place between February 21 and April 16 this year.

HOW THE ‘DIGITAL ARREST’ UNFOLDED

According to investigators, the fraud began when the complainant received a video call from a man claiming to be an employee of a telecom company. The caller allegedly informed him that his mobile number was linked to a CBI investigation and that senior officers would soon contact him.

Shortly afterwards, another individual dressed in a police uniform allegedly appeared on a video call and claimed that a warrant had been issued against the victim. The fraudster reportedly told the octogenarian that the inquiry would be conducted virtually due to his advanced age.

The victim was then contacted by another fraudster, who introduced himself as “CBI Director Samadhan Pawar”. Claiming that the victim was involved in money laundering, the fraudster allegedly placed the 87-year-old under “digital arrest” and warned him not to discuss the matter with anyone.

Police said the accused convinced the victim that his bank accounts, investments and savings needed to be “verified” by transferring funds to so-called Reserve Bank of India accounts.

Fearing arrest and imprisonment, the victim allegedly transferred Rs 3.46 crore in 15 separate transactions over nearly seven weeks. Investigators said the stolen money was routed through multiple mule accounts across different parts of the country.

The fraud came to light after the elderly man discussed the matter with family members, who suspected foul play and advised him to approach the police.

THE RISING MENACE OF ‘DIGITAL ARRESTS’

In a “digital arrest” scam, fraudsters contact targeted individuals through calls, SMSes or social media platforms while posing as law enforcement officials. They falsely accuse victims of crimes such as money laundering, identity theft or other serious offences.

Victims are then threatened with immediate “digital arrest” unless they comply with the fraudsters’ demands. As the interaction progresses, scammers attempt to extort money or obtain sensitive personal information from unsuspecting individuals.

According to Home Ministry data, Indians lost at least Rs 22,495 crore to cyber fraud in 2025. “Digital arrest” scams accounted for 9 per cent of the total money lost, while 6 per cent of all cyber fraud cases reported during the period were linked to such scams.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/digital-arrest-scam-pune-retiree-loses-rs-3-46-crore-to-fake-cbi-officials-2910145-2026-05-11

BJP MLA Arjun Singh said the administration had already issued strict directives on several matters, including public order, illegal activities and religious gatherings on roads.

The Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in West Bengal has moved swiftly on one of its key political promises, with state BJP MLA Arjun Singh saying roadside namaz will be restricted and prayers will not be permitted on streets. The decision, which Singh spoke of during an interview with India Today TV, is expected to trigger political controversy in the state.

Speaking on the government’s early decisions after taking office, Arjun Singh said the administration had already issued strict directives on several matters, including public order, illegal activities and religious gatherings on roads.

“The CM has given many orders during the Cabinet meeting. Namaz will not be allowed in the streets. Let them pray at mosques, but on the streets, it won’t be tolerated,” Arjun Singh said.

Referring to public prayers in Kolkata’s Red Road area, Singh said such gatherings would no longer be allowed.

“Such a thing won’t be seen. These are court orders,” he said, indicating the government would cite judicial directives while implementing the restrictions.

The Eid Namaz on the Red Road, owned by the Ministry of Defence, became a subject of controversy last year when the Army initially denied permission for the prayers to go ahead, citing military use.

However, a couple of days later, the Army decided to alter its training schedule a bit to accommodate Eid al-Adha prayers on the road that stretches from the Netaji Statue to the entrance of Fort William, the Eastern Command Headquarters.

CRACKDOWN ON CATTLE SMUGGLING

Earlier, the BJP government said it was taking a tough stance on cattle smuggling and stone-pelting incidents, two issues the BJP had repeatedly raised during the election campaign.

Asked whether cattle smuggling would continue under the new regime, he said, “Action will be taken against those smugglers found doing cattle smuggling. Stone pelting won’t be allowed”.

The statement comes days after the West Bengal administration issued a series of directives to crack down on cattle smuggling, a long-standing BJP poll issue.

On Monday, police officials were instructed to shut down all unauthorised cattle markets with immediate effect.

Border districts and other sensitive areas were also put under enhanced surveillance to dismantle smuggling networks.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/west-bengal-roadside-namaz-curbs-red-road-cattle-smuggling-crackdown-bjp-suvendu-adhikari-arjun-singh-2910217-2026-05-12

BJP’s Northeast strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma will take oath as Assam chief minister for a second consecutive term along with four ministers on Tuesday, marking the NDA’s third straight government in the state.

The stage is set for the swearing-in of the third BJP-led NDA government in Assam, with the saffron party’s Northeast strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma poised to take oath as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term on Tuesday in a high-profile ceremony.

Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Sarma and members of the new Council of Ministers at 11.40 am at the swearing-in event on the outskirts of Guwahati, that the ruling alliance is projecting as a show of political strength and continuity.

The event is expected to witness the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, besides chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states.

Sarma, who first assumed office in 2021, will become the first non-Congress leader in Assam to serve two consecutive terms as chief minister. The swearing-in will also mark the BJP-led NDA’s third straight tenure in the state since the alliance first came to power in 2016 under Sonowal.

NDA RETURNS WITH SWEEPING MANDATE

The NDA secured a resounding victory in the recently concluded Assam Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 126-member House. The BJP alone won 82 seats, crossing the majority mark on its own for the first time in the state. Alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) won 10 seats each.

Alongside Sarma, four ministers are set to take oath on Tuesday, who are senior BJP leaders Rameswar Teli and Ajanta Neog, AGP president Atul Bora and BPF MLA Charan Boro. All except Teli were ministers in the outgoing government.

Sarma also announced that senior BJP MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass will be the NDA’s candidate for the post of Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly. Dass had earlier served as Speaker after the BJP first formed the government in 2016.

LAND, IDENTITY, SECURITY TO REMAIN KEY AGENDA

The Chief Minister-designate said the new government would continue to work for a “stronger, more developed and prosperous Assam”. Following the ceremony, Sarma is expected to unveil the new government’s priorities for the first 100 days, with a strong focus on land rights, eviction drives and development initiatives.

The BJP’s campaign in the assembly elections revolved around the themes of “identity, land and security”, including action against illegal immigration and eviction of alleged encroachers. Reiterating that position ahead of the oath ceremony, Sarma wrote on X that “Assam’s land, identity and future are non-negotiable”.

“After freeing 1.5 lakh bighas land from encroachment, NDA 3.0 moves ahead with a firm resolve to reclaim 5 lakh more bighas for the people of Assam. Because for us, Jati, Mati, Bheti comes first,” he said.

MASSIVE PREPARATIONS, MULTI-LAYERED SECURITY

PM Modi urged Indians to hold weddings and holidays within the country instead of going abroad. The appeal tied personal spending choices to conserving foreign exchange during the West Asia-linked global disruption.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged Indians to avoid overseas destination weddings and instead celebrate within the country, a day after appealing to citizens to cut fuel consumption and reduce spending on imports amid global economic uncertainty linked to the conflict in West Asia.

Addressing a gathering in Gujarat’s Vadodra, PM Modi said the trend of holding destination weddings abroad was growing rapidly and leading to a large outflow of foreign exchange. He said families should instead explore destinations within India for vacations and weddings.

“The moment the holidays begin, children are handed tickets to go abroad. The trend nowadays is to travel overseas, often for destination weddings. Ask yourselves: are there no places within India where we can spend our vacations, where we can teach our children about our history, where we can take pride in our own local sites,” the Prime Minister said.

Furthermore, PM Modi said that weddings held in India carried cultural and emotional significance. “When a wedding is held here in India, the very soil of our ancestors bestows its blessings upon us. India had several magnificent venues for weddings, he said.

Pitching Gujarat’s Statue of Unity as a wedding destination, PM Modi suggested that dedicated wedding infrastructure should be developed at the site. “You should now make it a point to hold your weddings right at the Statue of Unity. At every single one of your weddings held there, Sardar Sahab himself will be present to shower you with his abundant blessings,” he said, referring to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

PM Modi also reiterated his broader appeal to reduce dependence on imported goods and conserve foreign exchange in view of the ongoing global instability. He urged people to minimise the use of petrol and diesel, increase the use of public transport, electric buses and metro services, and promote carpooling.

“Those who have a car should take more people along in one vehicle,” he said, while also advocating virtual meetings and work-from-home practices in both government and private offices.

The Prime Minister further appealed to citizens to defer gold purchases “until the situation returns to normal”, noting that India spends a large amount of foreign exchange on gold imports.

“A huge amount of the country’s money also goes abroad on gold imports. Therefore, I would urge all of you, my fellow countrymen, to postpone the purchase of gold until the situation returns to normal,” he said.

PM Modi also said India had faced multiple global disruptions in recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, economic challenges and the escalating tensions in West Asia. He described the West Asia conflict as “one of the major crises of this decade” and said its effects were being felt worldwide, including in India.

“India spends lakhs of crores of rupees in foreign exchange to import many products from abroad. At the same time, the prices of imported goods are soaring, and global supply chains have also been severely disrupted,” he said, urging citizens to avoid “unnecessary dependence” on imported goods and activities that involve spending foreign exchange abroad.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/modi-urges-indians-to-avoid-overseas-weddings-cut-gold-import-spending-2910186-2026-05-11

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-nation tour ​taking in the United Arab Emirates and Europe from May ‌15-20, India’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday, as the Middle East crisis drives up global oil prices and ​strains India’s foreign currency reserves.
Modi is to visit the UAE on ​May 15 and subsequently travel to the Netherlands, ⁠Sweden, Norway and Italy, the statement said.

The trip follows ​Modi urging a series of measures, including fuel conservation, fewer ​imports and gold purchases, as well as reduced travel, as a surge in energy prices takes a toll on the country’s foreign ​exchange buffers.
Indian shares fell on Monday, and the rupee ​endured its sharpest drop in more than a month to end at ‌its ⁠weakest closing level on record following Modi’s call for austerity measures.
Higher oil prices are a major risk for net energy importer India, threatening to widen the country’s current ​account deficit, slow ​growth and ⁠stoke inflation.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-modi-begin-five-nation-tour-including-uae-amid-middle-east-crisis-2026-05-11/

Manoj Kumar Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the Bengal cadre, is the second officer connected to the elections to be appointed by the new government.

West Bengal chief electoral officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who received both praise for conducting a largely violence-free assembly election and criticism for the mass disenfranchisement during the special intensive revision under his watch, was appointed the chief secretary of the eastern state on Monday.

The development came on a day chief minister Suvendu Adhikari allotted portfolios among the five ministers who took oath with him at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday.

Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, is the second officer connected to the assembly elections to be appointed by the new government headed by Adhikari. On Saturday, the administration appointed Subrata Gupta, who was a special observer appointed by the Election Commission, as adviser to the chief minister, hours after the new Bharatiya Janata Party government took oath in the state.

“The Governor is pleased to appoint Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal, IAS (WB:1990), Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal and ex officio Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs (Election) Department… as Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal until further order(s),” said a notification issued by the department of personnel and administrative reforms, according to news agency ANI.

Agarwal replaced Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer who was appointed by the Election Commission on March 15 in the run up to the polls. Nariwala will be Bengal’s new resident commissioner in Delhi. Nariala had replaced Nariwala Nandini Chakravorty, who was handpicked by then chief minister Mamata Banerjee on December 31, 2025. She was Bengal’s first female chief secretary.

Agarwal — who immediately took charge and sat beside Adhikari during his first meeting with IAS officers on Monday — did not speak to the media.

The chief secretary is the top bureaucrat of the state government and is entrusted with coordinating with various departments.

The BJP came to power for the first time in the state after handing a landslide defeat to the Trinamool Congress in the April assembly polls. The saffron party secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, reducing the TMC to 80 seats.

Who is Manoj Kumar Agarwal?

The CEO of a state becoming the chief secretary is rare, though not unheard of in India. In 2018, Vijay Kumar Dev, who was the then CEO of Delhi, took over as chief secretary of the Capital, where services is handled by the lieutenant governor who reports to the Union home ministry.

Born in July 1966, Agarwal acquired an engineering degree before becoming a bureaucrat. As CEO, he was also the ex-officio additional chief secretary at the home and hill affairs department which Banerjee headed. Earlier he served various departments as principal secretary and commissioner.

Agarwal, who was appointed Bengal CEO on August 12, 2025, oversaw SIR where 9.1 million names were deleted in all, including 2.71 million names flagged under a controversial logical discrepancy category.

He then helped conduct the two-phase assembly polls that saw an unprecedented deployment of central forces and only sporadic clashes, a rarity in the politically violent state.

Trinamool slams appointment

The TMC criticised the appointment.

“The so called “neutral umpire” is rewarded with the post of top bureaucrat of the @BJP4India dispensation in Bengal. Does anyone still SERIOUSLY believe #bengalelections2026 were free and fair ? Outrageous and brazen,” TMC MP Sagarika Ghose said on X.

The BJP’s five ministers also received their portfolios.

Agnimitra Paul, the first woman inducted into the cabinet, will head the municipal affairs and urban development department, which Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim previously managed.

Paul will also be in charge of the women and child development and social welfare department which was previously under Shashi Panja.

Former Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, during whose tenure BJP set a record by winning 18 of the state’s 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, was put in charge of rural development and animal husbandry departments. These were previously under TMC’s Pradip Majumdar and Swapan Debnath respectively. Both lost the polls.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bengal-poll-chief-manoj-kumar-agarwal-becomes-new-govt-s-top-bureaucrat-101778547004891.html

In voting for the Bengal election last month, the BJP won 207 of the state’s 294 seats for its first ever poll triumph in the eastern state, and to peg back Mamata Banerjee who had denied it space for nearly 15 years.

Controversy over the Bengal election results – i.e., the removal of 90.8 lakh names after a special intensive revision of voter lists – rolled up to the Supreme Court Monday, with the Trinamool Congress alleging the deletion had materially affected counting in 31 seats the party won in 2021 but lost – to the eventual winners, the Bharatiya Janata Party – this year.

Party MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee pointed out the number of voters cut in each of the 31 was more than the winning margin of Trinamool candidates in the last election.

In many cases the numbers were almost identical, he said.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that if the margins in some seats were so narrow – that it could be swayed by votes from people whose appeals against electoral roll ejection are still pending – the aggrieved party may file a petition.

The court had offered such a provision in its last hearing. The Election Commission had also affirmed that petitions could be filed for specifically such instances.

In his arguments Banerjee pointed to an instance in which a Trinamool candidate lost by 862 votes in a constituency where over 5,000 name had been removed from the rolls.

From an overall perspective, Banerjee pointed out the votes gap between the Trinamool and BJP was around 32 lakhs, while over 35 lakh applications against ejection are still pending.

On the subject of disposal of these petitions, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy said it could take four years – at the current rate of disposal – to clear the backlog of petitions.

Were Bengal poll results affected by SIR?

However, the Election Commission – heavily criticised by the Trinamool and other opposition parties for allegedly colluding with the BJP to engineer results – referred to its own data to claim the reverse. The poll panel said some constituencies that saw the highest number of voter deletions – in the Malda and Murshidabad belt – voted in favour of the Trinamool.

Per EC data, Sujapur, for example, recorded 1.50 lakh deletions followed by Raghunathganj with 1.30 lakh, Samserganj with 1.25 lakh, Ratua with 1.23 lakh and Suti with 1.20 lakh.

But all five were won by the Trinamool Congress, the EC argued.

The BJP eventually won 207 of the state’s 294 seats for its first ever election triumph in the eastern state, and to peg back Mamata Banerjee who had denied it space for nearly 15 years.

The SIR, and the associated issue of ‘ghuspaithiya’ or ‘infiltrators’, i.e., undocumented migrants from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, with which Bengal shares a 2,217-km border, became major campaign platforms in the build-up to this election.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/supreme-court-news-bengal-assembly-election-results-special-intensive-revision-11478899?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

VD Satheesan – who is the choice of the people as well as the Congress’s Kerala ally and UDF constituent IUML — is not ready to accept a secondary role.

Congress’s VD Satheesan, aspirant for the top job in Kerala, has hardened his stance, sources close to him said, making it clear that he is not ready to accept any other post. And the top job for his is not exactly what the party’s central leadership has in mind.

The impasse, which has been on for a week, is reminiscent of the situation in Karnataka, where the top post became a bone of contention between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, leading the way to unending friction between the two and their supporters.

Sources have said the Congress Central leadership envisions Satheesan playing the role of a key minister within a government led by KC Venugopal, who is the choice of Rahul Gandhi as well as the state’s legislators. Ramesh Chennithala – another aspirant for the Chief Minister post — could potentially be appointed as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

But Satheesan – who is the choice of the people as well as the Congress’s Keral ally and UDF constituent IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) — is not ready to accept a secondary role.

This has placed the Congress in a bind. Neither is it easy to disregard the majority opinion within the legislative party, nor to overlook the views of allies. Sources said to help solve the impasse, Rahul Gandhi has now convened a meeting tomorrow with former presidents and working presidents of the Kerala Congress.

Sources said the party high command is already displeased with the pressure tactics being employed by Satheesan and Chennithala.

While posters and cutouts of Venugopal has been adorning the party offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan’s loyalists have been holding protests and demonstrations, hoping for a show of strength the central leaders cannot ignore.

With the power tussle still on in Karnataka, the party leadership is also aware of the potential damage that could result from the disgruntlement of Satheesan, who has been leading the battle against the Left in the state.Besides, if Venugopal is appointed Chief Minister, he will be required to contest an assembly by-election; concurrently, a by-election would also have to be held for his Lok Sabha seat, increasing the headache for the party which has just put a huge round of elections behind it.

As of now, the only certainty is that resolving the Kerala conundrum will take more time – which the Congress can ill afford, with Chief ministers in two key states that went to poll in this round having already taken oath.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kerala-chief-minister-rahul-gandhi-kerala-chief-minister-or-nothing-vd-satheesans-big-demand-to-congress-11479048?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

15 people have been detained in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, with a Jaipur-based man identified as the alleged mastermind.

The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) has so far detained 15 people in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, with investigators now probing the extent of the suspected network and the money trail linked to the circulation of questions ahead of the examination.

According to details emerging from the investigation, the SOG on Monday detained an alleged mastermind identified as Manish from Jaipur.

Investigators suspect that the leaked question bank may have originated from Rajasthan’s Sikar district, which is now emerging as a central focus of the probe.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-UG 2026 was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 3 for admissions to undergraduate medical courses.

However, allegations of irregularities and possible leakage of questions triggered a political storm and prompted a wider investigation by the Rajasthan SOG.

SIKAR EMERGES AS KEY LINK IN PROBE

Investigators believe that Rakesh Mandawaria, who runs SK Consultancy on Piprali Road in Sikar, may have played a key role in the alleged circulation of the question bank.

According to the investigation, Mandawaria had allegedly received the question bank as early as April.

The probe has further revealed that a student from Churu, who is currently pursuing MBBS in Kerala, was allegedly sent a PDF version of the question bank from Sikar.

The questions are believed to have spread across Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu and even Dehradun, according to the investigation.

Printed copies were also allegedly distributed among students.

The SOG is now attempting to determine the geographical spread of the alleged racket, including in which states the paper may have been sold and how much money changed hands in the process.

SOG FOCUSES ON ‘GUESS PAPER’ ANGLE

Rajasthan Police Additional Director General (ADG) Vishal Bansal said the investigation is currently centred around a “guess paper” containing around 410 questions that allegedly circulated among students before the examination.

“Regarding the various misconceptions surrounding the NEET examination, let me clarify one specific point: there is a guess paper containing approximately 410 questions. Out of these, it is alleged that roughly 120 questions appeared in Chemistry,” Bansal said.

He added that the document had reportedly been circulating among students “15 days to a month prior to the actual examination”.

“It is reported that this guess paper had been circulating among the students well in advance. It began reaching them as early as 15 days to a month prior to the actual examination. We are investigating on the basis of the guess paper, and it is also available in the open domain,” he said.

Bansal said the investigation is aimed at determining whether any cheating or criminal activity took place on the basis of the alleged guess paper.

“Our investigation is currently focused on determining whether any cheating or criminal activity has occurred based on this guess paper,” he said.

While Bansal had earlier stated that “no arrests” had been made, the SOG has since detained multiple individuals as part of the expanding inquiry, including the alleged mastermind from Jaipur.

NTA SAYS EXAM HELD UNDER ‘FULL SECURITY PROTOCOL’

Amid the controversy, the National Testing Agency maintained that the examination was conducted under a “full security protocol”.

In a statement posted on X, the NTA said question papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles carrying unique watermark identifiers, while examination centres were monitored using AI-assisted CCTV surveillance from a central control room.

Biometric verification and 5G jammers were also deployed, the agency said.

“The examination process itself proceeded as planned across all centres on the day,” the NTA said.

The agency added that it received inputs regarding alleged malpractice activity on May 7 and escalated the matter to central agencies the following day for “independent verification and necessary action”.

“The matter is presently under investigation, and the facts will be established by the agencies in due course. NTA will not pre-judge the inquiry, nor characterise its likely outcome,” the agency said.

POLITICAL ROW INTENSIFIES

Police briefly detained the madrassa manager and the man who had donated the fan after a photograph of the Pakistani-made appliance went viral on social media

A routine repair job at a madrassa in Kushinagar snowballed into a police probe after the repairman discovered “Made in Pakistan” written on a ceiling fan.

The Uttar Pradesh Police have detained two people and are verifying the origin of the fan.

What happened

The incident took place at Madrasa Qadriya Haqiqatul Uloom in Gosai Patti locality of Jungle Vishunpura village under Vishunpura police station limits. Police briefly detained the madrassa manager and the man who had donated the fan after a photograph of the Pakistani-made appliance went viral on social media.

According to police, three ceiling fans installed at the madrassa had developed technical faults and were sent to a local mechanic for repairs. During the repair work, the mechanic discovered that one of the fans carried a “Made in Pakistan” marking on its rear side.

The mechanic, identified as Akbar, said two of the fans were repaired without difficulty, but the third fan could not be opened easily. While examining it, he noticed the Pakistani label. He later searched online for information related to the fan. During this time, a youth present at the shop allegedly photographed the label and circulated the image on social media, following which the matter quickly drew attention in the locality.

Soon after the image spread online, two individuals reportedly reached the repair shop and questioned the mechanic about the fan. They later informed Vishunpura police station, prompting police teams to visit the madrasa and begin an inquiry.

What police said

Vishunpura Station House Officer Vinay Mishra said the police first reached the madrasa but learned that the fan had already been sent for repairs. The fan was subsequently seized and brought to the police station for examination.

Police also took madrasa manager Mohammad Yunus and village resident Shamshuddin, who had donated the fan, into custody for questioning.

During interrogation, Shamshuddin told investigators that his son, Wajid Ansari, has been working as a labourer in Saudi Arabia for nearly a decade. According to the family, Wajid had purchased the fan in Saudi Arabia in 2020 for around 80 Saudi Riyals and later shipped it to his home in Kushinagar through cargo services.

In 2023, the family donated the fan to the madrasa after the institution sought assistance from villagers to help students cope with the summer heat.

Police officials said they contacted Wajid Ansari through a video call and sought documents related to the purchase and transportation of the fan. After examining the documents, investigators found no discrepancy or illegal transaction linked to the appliance.

Officials also conducted a search and verification exercise at the madrasa premises but said nothing suspicious was found during the inquiry. Following the verification process, both Yunus and Shamshuddin were released.

What the madrassa teacher said

Madrassa teacher Mohammad Merajuddin said the institution is run through community donations and contributions from local residents. He said the madrasa had appealed for help in arranging fans for children suffering due to the heat, following which Shamshuddin donated the appliance.

“The fan had been functioning for nearly one-and-a-half years. The issue came to light only after it developed a fault and was sent for repairs,” he said.

The incident nevertheless sparked political reactions in the district. Member of the Uttar Pradesh Backward Classes Commission, Phoolbad Kushwaha, said he would meet district authorities and seek a detailed probe into how a Pakistan-manufactured fan reached the madrasa.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cities/lucknow-news/made-in-pakistan-fan-how-a-repair-job-at-up-madrassa-spun-out-of-control-as-video-went-viral-ws-kl-10085508.html

Companies across sectors spent years bringing employees back to office citing productivity and collaboration concerns. PM Modi now wants some Covid-era flexibility reconsidered.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the second day in a row, asked private and government sector companies to allow work-from-home for their employees.

He made the remarks again on Monday while inaugurating Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara. He initially called for flexibility for employees in sectors where it is feasible to bolster the country’s push for self-reliance by reducing dependence on crude oil imports as the war in West Asia continues, during an event in Hyderabad.

To companies that have spent over two years trying to bring workers back to office, and have settled on either two-day or three-day hybrid models or five-day in-office presence, the choice to go back completely to work-from-home does not appear to be an option.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Annual Business Summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Infosys co-founder and Founder and Trustee of Pratithi Investments Kris Gopalakrishnan on Monday said that “going back completely also is not warranted”, while pointing out that one “should be looking at work from home” mode of working.

“Having said that, probably we should be looking at work from home, etc. In a partial way, not fully. Maybe one day or something like that. Not all the people are together. Because we have all gone back to the office. Now, going back completely also is not warranted,” he said while speaking to ANI.

Companies ended WFH citing productivity and collaboration concerns

Companies, including IT giants like Infosys, TCS, Tech Mahindra and international tech giants Google, Meta, X and Amazon, took significant effort to bring workers back to office. In the international banking sector, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs removed WFH as the pandemic’s grip loosened, returning employees to a strict five-day office schedule.

Indian companies across sectors have largely settled into either a hybrid or full-time work-from-office model.

Some Indian tech giants like TCS have switched back to a full five-day work-from-office model, while Infosys allows 10 WFH days per month.

TCS, Amazon, JPMorgan among firms who pushed RTO post-Covid

These companies cited lack of in-person collaboration, failure to transfer company culture to newer employees and loss of productivity as key reasons.

“We strongly believe that they need to come to work so that the new workforce gets integrated with the larger workforce of TCS. And that is the only way they will learn and understand and internalise the TCS values and the TCS way. So yes, we are asking people to come all days in a week,” TCS Chief Human Resources Officer Milind Lakkad had said in October 2023, when the IT giant became one of the first to revoke WFH completely and put on hold its 25 by 25 plan.

The company had asked its workforce to return to offices because of the need to deepen value systems and its belief in productivity gains from co-working.

Wipro, starting January 2026, requires employees to spend at least six hours in office for a minimum of three days a week, signalling a shift from merely “punching in and leaving early” towards prioritising meaningful in-person collaboration.

However, companies were urged again, for the second day in a row, by the Prime Minister to rethink these policies in the national interest, much like during the pandemic.

PM Modi backs virtual meetings, flexible remote work again

Highlighting the benefits of digital technology, the Prime Minister said offices should increasingly rely on virtual meetings and flexible remote-working arrangements.

“West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” the Prime Minister assured while addressing the public following the inauguration of the hostel in Gujarat.

“Use cars responsibly and promote carpooling. Those who own vehicles should take more people along in a single car. Digital technology has now made many things much easier. With the help of technology, many arrangements become very beneficial for us. It is important that both government and private sectors encourage virtual meetings and work-from-home,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/companies-ended-wfh-over-lack-of-productivity-and-collaboration-pm-modi-gives-one-reason-to-rethink-ws-l-10085997.html

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday urged citizens to conserve fuel, avoid non-essential imports and revive work-from-home practices to help India tackle global economic disruptions triggered by the West Asia conflict. Addressing a BJP rally in Hyderabad, he asked people to use public transport, reduce foreign travel and prefer Made-in-India products to save foreign exchange and curb rising import costs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to citizens to conserve fuel, use public transport, revive work from home, avoid non-essential goods purchase and overseas vacations to save foreign exchange to combat the global crisis triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia.

Addressing a public meeting organised by the BJP at Parade Grounds, Secunderabad, the Prime Minister called for collective participation to help India face global economic disruptions, supply chain challenges, and rising prices caused by international conflicts.

Suggesting a slew of measures to citizens to help the country overcome the challenges, he emphasised that patriotism is not only about sacrificing one’s life for the nation, but also about living responsibly and fulfilling duties towards the country during difficult times.

PM Modi stated that in the current situation, the nation must also place great emphasis on saving foreign exchange.

“Since petrol and diesel have become extremely expensive across the world, it is our responsibility to save fuel and thereby save the foreign exchange spent on purchasing petrol and diesel,” he said.

He urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using Metro rail and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.

The Prime Minister also called for the revival of Covid-era efficiency measures in the national interest, including work-from-home arrangements, online conferences and virtual meetings.

“During the Corona period, we adopted work from home, online meetings, video conferences, and developed many such systems. We had also become accustomed to them. Today, the need of the hour is that we restart those practices, as it would be in the national interest, and we must once again give them priority,” he said.

The PM also appealed to citizens to help conserve foreign exchange reserves by avoiding unnecessary foreign travel, overseas vacations and foreign weddings and choosing domestic tourism and celebrations within India.

He also advised people to avoid non-essential gold purchases for one year in order to reduce pressure on foreign exchange outflows.

PM Modi encouraged citizens to prioritise Made-in-India and locally manufactured products, including daily-use items such as shoes, bags, and accessories.

He urged families to reduce edible oil consumption, stressing that it would benefit both national economic health and personal health.

The PM urged farmers to reduce chemical fertiliser usage by 50 per cent, move towards natural farming practices, help protect soil health and reduce import dependence. He also encouraged farmers to go for wider adoption of solar-powered irrigation pumps instead of diesel pumps.

PM Modi noted that the world was going through a major supply chain crisis due to Covid. The Ukraine war has further increased global difficulties. Over the last 5–6 years, the government has continuously worked to tackle this crisis.

He pointed out that across the world, one bag of fertiliser is being sold for around Rs 3,000, but the same bag of fertiliser is being provided to India’s farmers for less than Rs 300.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/pm-modi-urges-citizens-to-save-fuel-avoid-foreign-trips-gold-purchases-amid-west-asia-crisis

For the first time in its modern history, a sacred Kumbhabhishek will be conducted atop the temple’s 90-metre-high Shikhar using holy water gathered from 11 prominent pilgrimage sites across the country.

The Somnath Temple is set to witness a historic spiritual milestone on May 11, marking the “Somnath Amrit Parv 2026” with a ritual never before performed on the reconstructed shrine’s spire in Gujarat.

For the first time in its modern history, a sacred Kumbhabhishek will be conducted atop the temple’s 90-metre-high Shikhar using holy water gathered from 11 prominent pilgrimage sites across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lead the ceremony, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the temple’s restoration.

The centrepiece of this historic event involves a massive vessel (Kumbh) filled with sacred water being hoisted to the summit of the spire via a specialised 90-metre crane.

Accompanied by the rhythmic chanting of Vedic mantras, priests will perform the ritual bathing of the spire, a purification tradition known as Kumbhabhishek.

While this practice is common in the grand temples of South India, where it is typically performed every 10 to 12 years, it marks a significant liturgical debut for the Somnath Temple since its reconstruction was completed.

Shri Hemalbhai Bhatt, President of the Teerth Purohit Sompura Brahmin Samaj, highlighted the rarity of the occasion, noting that the community is filled with immense enthusiasm for this unprecedented tradition.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/somnath-amrit-parv-2026-historic-kumbhabhishek-to-be-performed-on-temple-spire-11472927?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The woman allegedly claimed she lived in London and planned to visit India carrying 95,000 British pounds, worth around Rs 1.22 crore.

A supposed London tourist, promises of British pounds and a few WhatsApp chats later, a contractor in Gwalior found himself allegedly duped of Rs 1.23 lakh in a cyber fraud.

According to police, Kamalkant Yadav, a contractor from Harishankarpuram locality, was targeted by fraudsters posing as a foreign woman on Facebook.

Investigators said the accused first introduced herself as “Lucky Charles” before later continuing conversations under the name “Dr Patricia”.

Police said the interaction began on April 24.

The woman allegedly claimed she lived in London and planned to visit India carrying 95,000 British pounds, worth around Rs 1.22 crore.

She reportedly told Yadav she needed help converting the money into Indian currency and hinted that he would receive commissions and expensive gifts in return.

According to police, the fraud escalated on April 27 when Yadav received a call from another woman posing as an official from Mumbai Airport.

The caller allegedly claimed customs clearance and registration fees had to be paid before the foreign currency could be released.

Believing the claims, Yadav first transferred Rs 38,500 as a “registration fee”.

Police said he was later persuaded to transfer more money under additional procedural charges, eventually paying Rs 1.23 lakh into multiple bank accounts.

The complainant reportedly realised something was wrong only after the accused demanded another Rs 70,000.

He then contacted the cyber helpline 1930 and filed a complaint.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/london-tourist-95-000-pounds-promise-gwalior-man-duped-of-rs-1-23-lakh-11475984?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his call to save fuel and defer gold purchases. The row sharpened the political contest over energy security and the West Asia crisis.

The Congress on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal urging people to save fuel and postpone gold purchases, accusing him of being “clueless” about protecting India’s energy security amid the ongoing Iran-US war.

The opposition party claimed it was unfair to push the burden of the global energy crisis onto ordinary citizens instead of preparing stronger safeguards to shield the economy from international disruptions.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal accused the Centre of failing to plan adequately despite the conflict continuing for months.

“Three months into the Iran-US war and PM Modi is still clueless about ensuring India’s energy security,” Venugopal wrote on X.

“It is shameless, reckless and downright immoral that the PM is pushing the common citizen into inconvenience, instead of building contingencies to ensure our economy is unaffected by this global crisis,” he added.

PM MODI’S APPEAL DURING TELANGANA RALLY

The Congress criticism came hours after PM Modi, during a BJP rally in Hyderabad, Telangana, urged citizens to conserve petrol and diesel and revive Covid-era practices such as work from home, online meetings and video conferencing to help reduce fuel consumption and save foreign exchange.

“We developed work from home, virtual meetings and video conferencing during Corona. We got habituated to it. The need of the hour is to resume those methods,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also asked citizens to postpone purchases of gold and foreign travel for one year, saying India must save foreign exchange amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.

“We have to save foreign exchange by any means,” he said.

PM Modi also called for greater use of metro rail services, carpooling, electric vehicles and railway parcel services while urging people to reduce consumption of edible oil and chemical fertilisers.

According to the Prime Minister, the ongoing war and global supply-chain disruption have sharply increased the prices of petrol and fertilisers worldwide.

“When there is pressure on the supply chain, difficulties increase despite various measures by the government to overcome the crisis,” Modi said.

CONGRESS WARNS OF ‘ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE’

Venugopal claimed the Centre’s priorities were misplaced and warned of serious economic consequences if stronger contingency planning was not carried out immediately.

“When elections and petty politics are the sole priority of the PM, the end result is an impending economic catastrophe,” he said.

He also demanded that the Centre ensure adequate fuel reserves and prevent hardship for citizens.

“The PM and his government must make all necessary arrangements to ensure India has ample fuel reserves and no citizen faces any hardship as a result of their lack of planning,” Venugopal said.

HARDEEP PURI DEFENDS CENTRE

Himanta Biswa Sarma will be sworn in as Assam chief minister on 12 May in Guwahati. The ceremony follows the NDA’s 102-seat victory and his unanimous election as alliance leader.

Himanta Biswa Sarma will be sworn in as the chief minister of Assam for the second straight term on the morning of 12th May. An official notice from the office of the Governor of Assam has exercised his power under Article 164(1) of the Indian Constitution to form the government. The oath taking ceremony is set for 11:40 AM at Guwahati’s Veterinary College Field.

“The Swearing-in Ceremony is scheduled to be held at 11:40 am on 12th May 2026 at Khanapara, Guwahati. Earlier today Dr @himantabiswa staked claim to form the next government,” read a tweet from Assam CMO.

This confirms Sarma’s return as the Chief Minister of Assam after the NDA alliance’s strong victory in the April 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly elections, where the NDA won 102 of 126 seats.

The decision comes after the senior leaders of BJP, headed by Union Minister JP Nadda, had elected Sarma as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party as well as the NDA alliance in Assam.

After the meeting, also attended by the other alliances of NDA – Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), a unanimous decision was taken regarding choosing the CM-elect. Nadda said eight proposals backing Sarma’s name were moved by senior leaders, including Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Biswajit Daimary, Ajanta Neog, Rameswar Teli, Rajdeep Roy, Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika and Chakradhar Gogoi.

“Backed by the support of 102 MLAs, we have today submitted a proposal to the Governor under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma. I am fully confident that, after examining all these details, the Governor will invite our leader, Himanta Biswa Sarma, to form the government,” Nadda said in a press conference after the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Chief Guest of the ceremony.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/himanta-biswa-sarma-assam-cm-swearing-in-may-12-nda-102-seat-win-2909647-2026-05-10

Police have made no arrests more than four days after Chandranath Rath was shot dead near his Madhyamgram home. Investigators believe the killing was a planned operation, with clues pointing to outside shooters and local support.

A UPI payment made at a toll booth near Kolkata has emerged as a crucial lead in the murder probe of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, even as police are yet to make any arrests more than four days after the killing.

Investigators are tracking a digital payment made by suspects at a toll plaza in Bally, using CCTV footage to map their movement before and after the crime. Officials believe the transaction could help identify those involved and establish the escape route used by the assailants.

Rath was shot dead on Wednesday night near his home in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. According to police, his SUV was intercepted about 200 metres from his residence when a silver Nissan Micra blocked the vehicle. As the car came to a halt, bike-borne assailants opened fire at point-blank range, fatally injuring Rath, who was seated in the front passenger seat.

Investigators suspect the attackers had precise information about Rath’s seating position, pointing to a premeditated and professionally executed operation. “The shooters appeared to know exactly where the target was seated. The execution was swift and coordinated,” a senior Special Investigation Team (SIT) officer said.

Police believe at least eight individuals were involved, including local associates who provided logistical support. Two teams have been sent to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar amid suspicions that the shooters were brought in from outside the state.

As part of the probe, police have seized the silver Nissan Micra used in the crime, along with two motorcycles, one recovered near the crime scene and another from Barasat. Preliminary findings suggest that the red car and motorcycles used in the escape were stolen.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bengal-suvendu-adhikari-chandranath-rath-murder-no-arrests-after-four-days-upi-toll-clue-2909639-2026-05-10

Speaking at a public programme, PM Modi said patriotism was not limited to sacrifices by soldiers but also included responsible behaviour by citizens in everyday life

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to people to make small changes in their daily lives to help India deal with economic pressure caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted oil supplies and pushed up global prices.

Speaking at a public programme here, PM Modi said patriotism was not limited to sacrifices by soldiers but also included responsible behaviour by citizens in everyday life.

Why PM Modi Made This Appeal

The Prime Minister said the conflict in West Asia has badly affected global oil supply chains. With oil prices rising, India is spending heavily to keep petrol and diesel prices stable for consumers.

Government estimates show that India is spending around Rs 1,600-1,700 crore every day to absorb the impact of high global fuel prices. Modi said public cooperation could reduce this burden on the government.

Cut Down Petrol And Diesel Use

Modi urged people to use metro services, buses and other public transport wherever possible. He also asked people to try car-pooling and prefer railways for transporting goods.

He encouraged the use of electric vehicles, saying this would help reduce India’s dependence on imported fuel.

WFH, Online Meetings Can Help Again

Referring to practices followed during the COVID-19 period, Modi said working from home, online meetings and virtual conferences could once again be used to reduce travel, save fuel and cut costs during this difficult global situation.

Avoid Foreign Travel, Gold Purchases

The Prime Minister appealed to people to avoid foreign vacations and destination weddings for now, as overseas travel leads to a large outflow of foreign exchange.

He also requested families to avoid buying gold for non-essential reasons for one year, explaining that gold imports use a large amount of foreign currency.

Reducing such purchases would help keep money within the country and support the rupee.

Officials said nearly Rs 1 lakh crore has gone out of the country in the past 10 weeks due to high import costs, including oil and gold.

Save Money, Control Price Rise

Modi said lower fuel demand would reduce pressure on imports and help control future price rises. Even a 10 per cent reduction in fuel use could save the country about Rs 160 crore per day, officials said.

He also urged people to reduce edible oil consumption, pointing out that India imports large quantities of cooking oil, which affects both the economy and public health.

Support Local Products

The Prime Minister asked citizens to choose Made-in-India products and locally made items for daily use. He said this would support small businesses and jobs.

He also encouraged domestic tourism, saying money spent within India benefits local hotels, drivers, shopkeepers and rural economies, especially during global crises.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/wfh-is-back-pm-modi-lists-out-economic-dos-amid-west-asia-conflict-10084331.html

Several party leaders have publicly spoken out against Mamata and Abhishek’s Banerjee’s leadership of the party, after the TMC suffered a massive defeat against the BJP in Bengal.

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing an existential crisis in West Bengal after a massive defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently-concluded election, with several party leaders questioning the top leadership.

After the BJP ended the TMC’s 15-year reign in Bengal with a historic mandate, there has been visible dissent within Mamata Banerjee’s beleaguered party, particularly focusing on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s “high-handedness”. The matter escalated when the TMC suspended three spokespersons for six years over alleged anti-party activities.

TMC spokespersons Kohinoor Majumdar, Riju Dutta and Kartik Ghosh were suspended for allegedly violating party discipline. Show-cause notices had also been served on Krishnendu Chowdhury and Papiya Ghosh, seeking explanations within 24 hours.

‘I’m Not A Nepo Kid’

Riju Dutta, who attracted action after praising the BJP’s efforts to curb post-poll violence, has been outspoken on social media after his expulsion from the party. “After giving 13 yrs of my Youth to AITC, working incessantly to prove myself, rising through the ranks due to sheer performance (because I, am NOT a nepo kid) – my beloved party has SUSPENDED ME FOR 6 YEARS!” he said in his first reaction.

He also released a video on X, apologising to newly-appointed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders for his past “abusive” remarks, claiming that he was following the party line and had been under intense pressure and threats from within the TMC to make those remarks when Adhikari was Leader of the Opposition.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Riju Dutta said he had even reached out to the senior leadership in Delhi for protection, and a local BJP MLA came forward to help him. He also claimed that Adhikari actually helped save the lives of at least 5,000 TMC workers after the elections.

Abhishek Banerjee At Centre Of Criticism

Meanwhile, Kohinoor Majumdar earlier told reporters that party leaders often had to wait for hours to meet TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Senior TMC leader Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury from Malda, where the party performed poorly, criticised the style of functioning and the treatment of senior leaders in the party, reported NDTV.

Arunava Sen, a four-time MLA from Bagnan in Howrah, directly criticised Mamata Banerjee, saying if he were the CM, he would have resigned immediately after such a defeat. TMC MP and actor Dev also accused the party leadership of making false promises, signalling a breakdown in intra-party communication.

Papiya Ghosh, the daughter of senior Cooch Behar TMC leader Rabindranath Ghosh, also criticised Abhishek Banerjee publicly, prompting the party to take action against her.

Niamot Sheikh, TMC’s MLA from Murshidabad, told The Indian Express that the leadership allowed factionalism in the party, which ultimately led to the defeat. “There are so many factions of the party in Murshidabad itself. I have repeatedly warned the party’s higher-ups regarding this. I was ignored. They thought it was better not to pay heed to me,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/dissent-grips-mamata-banerjees-trinamool-as-bengal-election-fallout-exposes-cracks-within-ws-l-10084170.html

A couple in Bengaluru shared their monthly expenses of ₹1.3 lakh, sparking debate on social media about living costs in the city.

How much does it take to live ‘comfortably’ in an expensive city like Bengaluru? That is the question social media is busy debating after one couple broke down their ₹1.3 lakh monthly expenses.

Radhika and Ekansh both work full-time as product managers in Bengaluru and pursue content creation as a side hustle. One day ago, they shared a detailed breakdown of what it costs for a married couple to live in India’s largest IT hub, saying that despite earning well, they still “feel broke” by the end of every month.

Spending ₹1.3 lakh in a month

“Here’s exactly how much we spend every month as a married couple living in Bangalore,” Ekansh said in the video.

He revealed that their biggest expenditure was rent, for which they paid ₹56,000 per month. At this point, Bangalore rent is like a second EMI,” he remarked.

The couple spends around ₹10,000 on domestic help and a cook, calling it “the best expense that we make because we both work full time.” Groceries cost another ₹15,000 every month, while utilities such as electricity and internet add up to roughly ₹15,000.

“Commute costs around 6,000 per month since I go to office, petrol and all of those expenses,” said Radhika.

The couple also spends approximately ₹10,000 on eating out and ordering food.

Their subscriptions — including platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime — total around ₹3,000 monthly. On top of that, they budget another ₹15,000 for shopping, personal expenses, and unplanned purchases.

Altogether, the couple says their monthly expenses reach nearly ₹1.3 lakh — and this does not even include vacations, flights, or luxury purchases.

“Seriously, Bangalore is a place where you can earn well and still feel broke by the end of the month,” they said.

A debate on lifestyle

The video of their monthly expense breakdown has gone viral, collecting 1 million views in just a day. The video also racked up hundreds of comments from people marveling at the couple’s expenses.

Users in the comments section were split between calling it a reflection of Bangalore’s rising cost of living and arguing that the expenses simply reflect personal lifestyle choices rather than the city being inherently expensive.

“Only because you choose to stay in high end apartment, rent will be high. Rent in Bangalore depends on locality you are staying. Don’t generalise,” wrote one Instagram user.

“Such a useless video. We both are also working and having two kids and don’t spend half of this,” another claimed.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/bangalore-can-make-you-feel-broke-says-couple-spending-1-3-lakh-per-month-with-56-000-rent-101778466235849.html

More than 80,000 students failed the Marathi first language paper in the Maharashtra SSC examinations this year. The figures have sharpened concerns over how regional languages are being taught and used.

More than 80,000 students failed the Marathi first language paper in the Maharashtra Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations this year, raising concerns among education experts about the changing place of regional languages in schools and daily life.

According to the examination data, 10,98,623 students had registered for the Marathi first language paper. Out of these, 10,06,896 students passed, taking the overall pass percentage to 92.57 percent. However, 80,803 students failed the subject.

The numbers have triggered discussion among teachers, educationists and language experts, especially because Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra. Many believe the issue reflects a larger problem within the education system itself.

The concern becomes sharper when viewed in the wider context. Marathi was also taken as a second or third language by 4,13,917 students. Among them, 13,741 students failed. Altogether, around 94,544 students failed Marathi language subjects across categories in the SSC examinations.

Education experts say that when nearly 8 percent students fail the state language examination, it cannot be seen only as an individual academic issue. They argue that the trend points towards changing language habits among students and families.

The debate has also gained attention at a time when Marathi was recently granted the status of a classical language by the Centre. Discussions around preserving regional languages, promoting mother tongues and balancing English-medium education have already been growing across the country.

Several educationists believe urbanisation and the rise of English-medium schools have changed the way students engage with Marathi. In many homes, especially in cities, English and Hindi are increasingly becoming the dominant languages of communication, while reading and writing Marathi is receiving less attention outside classrooms.

Teachers also point to differences in school infrastructure and teaching methods. Some experts say students often treat language subjects as secondary compared to science and mathematics, leading to weaker preparation.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/story/marathi-ssc-results-80803-fail-first-language-paper-in-maharashtra-2909199-2026-05-09

Ahead of Mother’s Day, working women across Mumbai spoke about balancing motherhood with demanding careers. From taxi driver Sarika Randive to police officer Dipshikha Ware, women shared stories of sacrifice, resilience and emotional challenges while raising children alongside professional responsibilities, highlighting the support systems and determination that helped them continue forward.

On the occassion of Mothers’ Day, the FPJ speaks to working women to ascertain how they maintain the work-home balance and the challenges that are involved

Sarika Randive (38)- Woman taxi driver- Gateway ki Rani

Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched the feet of 98-year-old BJP veteran Makhanlal Sarkar during the BJP government’s oath ceremony at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground. Sarkar, a close aide of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, played a key role in early Jana Sangh and BJP movements in North Bengal.

Close aide of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and senior-most Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Makhanlal Sarkar, a resident of Siliguri, was present at the BJP’s oath ceremony on Saturday at Kolkata’s iconic Brigade Parade Ground.

PM Modi touches Sarkar’s feet during ceremony

Notably, after the felicitation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen touching the feet of the 98-year-old Sarkar.

Sarkar associated with Jana Sangh movement

A viral video from Katihar Junction allegedly showed vendors colouring pale cucumbers bright green before selling them to passengers, raising food safety concerns online. The Railway Protection Force confirmed the footage was genuine and detained nine women vendors for questioning. Authorities seized cucumbers and launched an investigation, while social media users demanded more hygiene checks

A disturbing video from Bihar’s Katihar Junction railway station has triggered widespread concern after it allegedly showed vendors applying artificial green colouring to cucumbers before selling them to passengers. The clip quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting immediate intervention by railway authorities.

Viral footage shows alleged food tampering on platforms

The viral video, reportedly filmed on platforms 7 and 8 of Katihar Junction, captured two women vendors handling pale or peeled cucumbers and applying a bright green substance to enhance their appearance. The vegetables were allegedly being prepared for sale to travellers waiting for trains.

The visuals sparked outrage online as users raised fears that chemical colouring may have been used to make the cucumbers look fresh and attractive to customers.

RPF launches crackdown, nine vendors detained

Sources said the Tamil Nadu governor wanted to examine the support letters from the VCK and IUML.

They met four times in as many days and TVK supporters had accused the governor of delaying government formation, but when Vijay went to the Lok Bhavan again on Saturday, his meeting with Rajendra Arlekar was cordial throughout, sources have told NDTV.

Vijay met the Tamil Nadu governor in the evening after securing letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Their 4 MLAs took the numbers of the coalition led by him to 120 – adding to 107 from the TVK, 5 of the Congress, and four from the Left parties, CPI and CPI(M). This tally put him two over the majority mark of 118 sought by the governor.

Sources said the governor specifically insisted on examining the support letters from the VCK and IUML, while indicating that he had already seen those by the Congress and the Left.

Satisfied that Vijay had the numbers, Arlerkar then asked the actor-turned-politician to indicate his preferred date and time for the swearing-in ceremony. This was eventually decided as 10 am on Sunday at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

“The governor said he would send the letter of appointment to Vijay in an hour, but the TVK chief insisted he would wait. He left an hour later, letter in hand,” said a source.

Vijay was accompanied by leaders of several other parties, including the Congress, CPI(M), CPI and the VCK, and all of them were served vadai, halwa and coffee, the source added.

The meeting also saw lighter moments when leaders of parties allied with the superstar held video calls with family members and made him speak to their sons and daughters.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tvk-tamil-nadu-vijay-chief-minister-tamil-nadu-election-rajendra-arlekar-vijay-insisted-on-waiting-to-get-letter-inside-story-of-governor-meet-11472689?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Suvendu Adhikari takes oath as West Bengal’s first BJP Chief Minister on Rabindra Jayanti, May 9, and the symbolism of the date is impossible to ignore. After a long and intense election campaign built around Hindutva, border security, Bengali identity and development politics, the choice of Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary for the swearing-in ceremony appears to be a carefully crafted political message.

But the question many are now asking is whether this marks a genuine ideological shift towards Bengal’s syncretic cultural ethos, whether it is a repackaging of a political agenda, or if the state is witnessing its second renaissance moment?

Transformation

The Bengal Renaissance was not merely a cultural movement but a period of profound social, intellectual and religious transformation in 19th- and early 20th-century Bengal. From Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s campaign against Sati and his advocacy for reform within Hindu philosophy to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s push for widow remarriage, girls’ education and the simplification of the Bengali language and grammar, the period represented a significant synthesis of social reform, intellectual confidence and cultural change.

Bengal also became one of the earliest regions in colonial India to absorb Western education and engage deeply with European liberal and scientific thought, while simultaneously reinterpreting its own philosophical traditions.

The Tagore family became closely associated with that intellectual churn. Dwarkanath Tagore, grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore, was among the prominent Bengali reformist elites of the period and a major supporter of the Brahmo Samaj founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

At a time when orthodox sections strongly resisted reform, several Bengal thinkers attempted to reconcile ancient Indian philosophical traditions with rationalism, liberal thought and spiritual universalism rather than treating them as opposites. That engagement between tradition and modernity later became one of the defining features of Bengal’s intellectual identity.

The later phase of the Bengal Renaissance expanded beyond social reform into spirituality, science and an emerging national consciousness. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s emphasis on religious harmony, Swami Vivekananda’s attempt to combine Vedantic thought with modern education and national regeneration, and Sri Aurobindo’s synthesis of spirituality and political philosophy shaped a wider cultural awakening.

At the same time, scientists such as Jagadish Chandra Bose and Prafulla Chandra Ray contributed significantly to modern Indian science and industry, with Ray founding Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in 1901. It is this layered legacy of reform, spirituality, intellectualism and modernity that the BJP now appears to be invoking while framing its own vision of Bengal’s “second renaissance”.

Historic Shifts

Prime Minister Modi seeks to bring this renaissance in Bengal through a blend of cultural revivalism, Sanatani civilisational identity and economic modernisation. West Bengal had already witnessed one historic political transformation in 2011, when power shifted from the Left Front to the Trinamool Congress. The state changed from “red to green”.

Now, Bengal has witnessed another historic shift. For the first time, the BJP is forming a government in the state, with Suvendu Adhikari as chief minister.

One of his first symbolic decisions has been to shift the administrative headquarters back to the Writers’ Building from Nabanna. The colonial-era structure remains deeply tied to Bengal’s political memory under British rule.

Revival Of Past Glory

There was a time when Bengal represented intellectual, industrial and cultural leadership for the country. Gopal Krishna Gokhale’s famous observation, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”, symbolises that confidence and influence.

The BJP leadership now argues that Bengal’s lost stature can be rebuilt. The party describes this political shift not merely as a change of government but as an attempt to resurrect Bengal’s historical confidence and economic strength.

The Weight Of Bengal’s History

Bengal’s history has always been layered and complicated. It is a land shaped by repeated economic distress, famines, communal tensions, migration, ideological battles and political violence. At the same time, it remains one of the most culturally heterogeneous and socially plural regions in India. The current BJP leadership believes Bengal now wants to move beyond prolonged conflict and rediscover stability, prosperity and confidence.

Adhikari himself has repeatedly said that his top priority is to build “a new Bengal”. According to him, the roadmap is not impossible.

Culture and corporate revival now appear to be intersecting within the BJP’s idea of development for Bengal. The same Singur movement that once propelled Mamata Banerjee to power by resisting corporate industrialisation is now being reframed by the BJP as a symbol of Bengal’s economic stagnation.

Since the Tata Nano project left Singur for Gujarat, Bengal has struggled to attract large-scale industrial investment. One of the biggest barriers, according to the new government, remains land acquisition. The BJP government is now expected to review and possibly relax certain policies to encourage industrialisation.

The BJP has maintained that Bengal requires not only economic recovery but also a cultural and psychological reset, while preventing the continuation of a “bad CPM culture”.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/suvendu-adhikari-west-bengal-bjp-trinamool-congress-bengal-election-opinion-suvendu-adhikari-and-the-promise-of-bengals-second-renaissance-11472918?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

India successfully tested the Agni-5 MIRV missile from Odisha, boosting its ability to strike multiple targets with a single nuclear-capable weapon.

India conducted a successful flight trial of an advanced Agni missile with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology, the defence ministry said on Saturday. This capability allows the weapon system to deliver multiple nuclear warheads on enemy targets spread across hundreds of kilometres.

The locally developed Agni-5 missile with MIRV technology was tested on Friday from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, a step towards further strengthening the country’s strategic deterrence capability. “The missile was flight-tested with multiple payloads, …(directed at) different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in the Indian Ocean Region,” the defence ministry said, adding that flight data confirmed all mission objectives were met.

Telemetry and tracking were carried out by multiple ground- and ship-based stations. These systems tracked the missile trajectory from lift-off to impact. “With this successful trial, India once again demonstrated the capability to target multiple strategic targets using a single missile system,” it added.

There was no official word on how many warheads the MIRV version of Agni-5 can carry, though military scientists tracking the project pegged the number at four or five. This will add “an incredible capability to the country’s defence preparedness against growing threat perceptions,” defence minister Rajnath Singh said.

India conducted the maiden flight test of the Agni-5 missile with MIRV technology in March 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi then revealed the codename for the historic test, Mission Divyastra (divine weapon). It propelled India into an exclusive league of countries that have the capability to deploy MIRV missile systems, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China.

The Agni-5 missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, has a range of more than 5,000 km. MIRVs can cause more destruction than traditional missiles that carry a single warhead. Other variants of the Agni missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) include the Agni-1 (700-km range), the Agni-2 (2,000-km range), the Agni-3 (3,000-km range), and the Agni-4 (4,000-km range).

The Agni-5 MIRV system is equipped with indigenous avionics and high-accuracy sensor packages. A woman scientist from the DRDO steered the 2024 test, which also involved other women scientists.

India’s nuclear doctrine, promulgated in 2003, commits to a ‘no first use’ posture, with weapons to be used only in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or Indian forces. In a stance that reflects the capabilities India has built over the years, the doctrine states that nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive and designed to inflict unimaginable damage.

Retaliatory attacks can only be authorised by the civilian political leadership through the Nuclear Command Authority, consisting of a political council and an executive council. The Prime Minister chairs the political council, while the national security adviser heads the executive council.

The country can carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes, land-launched missiles and from the sea. In April, the navy commissioned its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridaman, into service during a ceremony kept under wraps in Visakhapatnam, as it was built under a highly classified programme to bolster the sea leg of the country’s nuclear triad — the ability to launch strategic weapons from land, air and sea. The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/art-culture/step-inside-samarth-jurel-mumbai-abode-complete-with-lucky-horses-scenic-views-and-a-chic-entertainment-corner-101778303563518.html

By Saturday, both VCK and IUML gave support letters to TVK, taking Vijay’s tally to 120, beyond the majority mark. The Governor was set to fly out, but did not.

Five days after Tamil Nadu delivered its verdict, Vijay has his majority, the Governor’s nod, and a time and place for his oath.

Between the hung verdict of May 4 and the scheduled oath-taking of a TVK-led government on May 10, sits one of the most filmy negotiations in the state’s political history — measured not just in votes or seats but in deleted tweets, “forged” letters, last-minute reversals, and an action-packed Saturday evening.

Governor RV Arlekar cancelled his weekend flight out of Chennai, deciding not to go to Kerala for now, and finally met the actor-turned-politician who has been making rounds of the Lok Bhavan all week.

The numbers tell the story most cleanly.

10-11: The shortfall that started it all

Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won 108 seats in the April 23 elections, the single largest mandate in a hung 234-member assembly. The majority mark is 118, so it was 10 short.

Since Vijay won from two constituencies (he can only vote once even if he has two seats), TVK’s effective trust-vote count inside the assembly fell to 107. The gap to majority, thus: 11 individual MLAs. The same number of players you need to field a football team — a striking parallel with his 2019 blockbuster ‘Bigil’, where coach Michael Rayappan spent an entire film convincing 11 reluctant women to play together.

The real-life recruitment drive proved no less gruelling.

(Technically, even 10 would have done for now, since the House voting strength would come down to 233 as Vijay votes once — so the mark to hit was 117, or 118 as the Governor pleased.)

5 days of chaos, and a coalition of 6 parties

The Congress moved first, offering five seats but with conditions — TVK must keep “communal forces”, meaning the BJP, AIADMK and allies, out of power. The CPI followed with two seats, offering conditional outside support. The CPI(M) matched it with two more, citing the need to prevent what its state secretary called a “backdoor entry” of the BJP.

That brought the MLA tally to 116. The math wasn’t yet mathing, to borrow slang from Gen-Z who’re seen as Vijay’s key vote bank.

The crucial final pieces — VCK’s two seats and/or IUML’s two, both otherwise part of the losing DMK-led alliance — took the better part of five days to come together.

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan even taunted Vijay in between about allying with the “dynastic” Congress. The IUML initially signalled support before leader AM Shahjahan flatly denied it: “We did not give any letter to anybody. All these are rumours.”

The AMMK’s TTV Dhinakaran, meanwhile, accused the TVK of circulating a forged support letter from his party, wrote to the Governor backing the AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami instead, and described the entire episode as “horse-trading and a mockery of democracy”.

The Congress and the two Left parties stuck with Vijay, even as the move signalled major cracks in the national-level Opposition grouping, the INDIA bloc.

A surreal moment came on Friday night, when VCK’s X account posted a letter of support for Vijay, then deleted the post, and the account was gone within an hour. A screenshot circulated anyway.

By Saturday, 5 pm, both VCK and IUML finally submitted written support letters to the TVK, taking the alliance tally to a confirmed 120 — two seats beyond the majority mark and, on paper, enough to form a stable government.

Including the TVK, the alliance now has six parties.

6:30 meeting: Governor relents

After that 5 pm breakthrough, too, it appeared that the submission of letters might be delayed, as Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar — a BJP veteran from Goa who serves as Kerala’s Governor too — had a flight to Thiruvananthapuram booked for 7:10 pm.

The two-hour window to submit the letters and get his nod looked uncomfortably tight.

The current assembly’s tenure ends on May 10, Sunday, which means President’s Rule may have kicked in — and the suspected “backdoor entry” of the BJP-led central government when the BJP has a sum total of one MLA in Tamil Nadu.

Then, the Governor cancelled his Kerala trip, and a meeting was scheduled for 6:30 pm at Lok Bhavan.

Arlekar, who had met Vijay thrice in three days without once extending a formal invitation — each time citing insufficient written proof of majority support — finally sat across the table from a TVK delegation carrying letters from 120 MLAs, and the TVK alliance thus has 121 seats (including two with Vijay).

The fourth meeting featured a similar visual as the previous three, of Vijay giving the Governor yet another Ponnadai (golden shawl). This meeting, where Vijay took along leaders of other parties, went on for nearly two hours.

A software engineer’s Reddit post warning students against joining the tech industry has sparked debate online over layoffs, pressure and job insecurity in IT.

A post by a software engineer has sparked discussion online after he warned students against choosing software engineering as a career. The user claimed the tech industry has become unstable, stressful and heavily dependent on luck rather than skill. He also spoke about layoffs, job pressure and the fear many employees now live with despite working long hours.

The post quickly drew reactions from students, professionals and fresh graduates, many of whom shared similar worries about the current state of the tech job market. The Reddit user said he decided to make the post after seeing a close friend struggle at work despite putting in constant effort. According to him, the friend may soon lose his job even after “working day and night” for the company.

He Spoke About Layoffs

In the post, the user wrote, “Do not become a software engineer Please!” He then explained why he felt frustrated with the current work culture in tech companies.

“My very close friend is about to get laid off, he worked day and night and now this saying company need changed!” he wrote.

The user also claimed software engineers are no longer valued the same way they once were. According to him, companies now treat employees as replaceable workers under constant pressure to perform.

“Companies are treating software engineers like dihadi majdoors. And now there is almost no engineering in software engineering, we are mostly orchestraotors prompting clankers!”

He further argued that the number of job seekers in tech has become too high while opportunities are shrinking. He warned students not to blindly chase college rankings or coding trends thinking it guarantees success.

“There is really less demand for engineers in market, don’t go into this tier 1-2-3 thing, demand is very less, you will have to be very lucky to get into any company in this rat race,” the user added.

The Redditor also questioned whether skills still matter in the hiring process because of the huge competition in the industry.

“With these many candidates.. think logically, does your DSA or skill matter or luck?”

He revealed that he himself graduated in 2023 and currently works at a big tech company earning over Rs 35 lakh annually. Despite that, he admitted he constantly fears losing his job if he slows down even slightly.

“I am saying this as someone who graduated in 2023. working in tech earning 35+ L at big tech. And every week I think I could be laid off anytime I slow down.”

The post ended with a strong warning to younger students. “My dear juniors dont f**k with your career and become Software engg, we will have to look for some other stream for career like dr , law etc,” the Reddit post ended.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/do-not-become-a-software-engineer-please-techie-warns-students-about-layoffs-sparks-reactions-ws-l-10083069.html

A white SUV—bearing a Gujarat registration number (GJ13CF5257)—grazed the side of the MP’s car while attempting a reckless manoeuvre at high speed

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader and Baramati MP, Supriya Sule, had a narrow escape on Saturday evening after her vehicle was struck by a speeding SUV on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The incident occurred while she was travelling from Pune to Mumbai, resulting in significant damage to her car but leaving all occupants unharmed.

Taking to social media to share the “awful experience”, Sule credited the use of seat belts for the safety of herself and her staff. The collision has once again cast a spotlight on the recurring issues of overspeeding and reckless driving on one of India’s busiest arterial roads.

The Collision Near Khalapur

The accident took place on Saturday, after Sule’s vehicle had crossed the Khalapur toll plaza, approximately 29 kilometres before the Madap tunnel. According to police reports, a white SUV—bearing a Gujarat registration number (GJ13CF5257)—grazed the side of the MP’s car while attempting a reckless manoeuvre at high speed.

Sule was seated in the rear of the vehicle on the side that sustained the impact. While the door of her car was badly damaged, the structural integrity of the vehicle and the fact that she was securely buckled in prevented any physical injuries. Her chauffeur and personal assistant, who were also in the car at the time, escaped the ordeal without a scratch.

Police Action and Road Safety Appeal

Following the incident, the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP) acted swiftly, detaining the SUV and its occupants near the Madap tunnel. Investigators revealed that the vehicle was being driven by a resident of Gujarat who was returning from a trip to Lonavala with friends. Although Sule did not initially lodge a formal complaint, the Khalapur police registered a suo motu First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/seat-belts-saved-us-ncpsp-leader-supriya-sule-has-narrow-escape-in-mumbai-pune-expressway-crash-10083249.html

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant publicly refuted a false casteist statement attributed to him, labeling it as a “vile, brazen and mischievous” fabrication.

In an unusual outburst, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday condemned and denied a casteist statement attributed to him, calling it a “vile, brazen and mischievous” concoction.

“To manufacture a fictitious quote, and to attribute it to the highest judicial office of the land, is an act of rank dishonesty, deliberate social incitement, and contempt for constitutional values,” CJI Surya Kant said in a statement to PTI.

“Such reckless conduct strikes at the very foundation of public trust in the judiciary and the rule of law,” the statement said.

He was referring to certain posts currently in wide circulation on social media platforms, and specifically mentioned an account by the name @UnreservedMERIT on X.

The CJI’s statement said that the social media account has falsely attributed the following statement, originally in Hindi, to him: “If a society, even after producing IAS, IPS, CJI, President, and PM from its ranks, still chooses to remain exploited, then the fault lies not with the Brahmins but with its own mentality.”

“These attributions are wholly baseless, malicious, and demonstrably false,” the statement said.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/cji-surya-kant-denies-condemns-casteist-statement-on-social-media-attributed-to-him-article-154285041

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to AAP Gujarat’s plea against the suspension of its social media accounts. The petition questions whether Section 79(3)(b) can be used to order blocking and seeks to void related directions.

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre’s response on a plea filed by the Gujarat unit of the Aam Aadmi Party challenging the suspension of its social media accounts. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notice on the plea.

The bench also tagged the matter with other pending petitions that challenge the blocking of social media accounts and posts without notice being issued to the user. During a brief hearing, the court was told that the issues in the present plea overlap with those in the pending matters, though they are not identical.

Appearing in the case, senior advocate Shadan Farasat contended that Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, which has been invoked by the authorities, was not applicable. He argued that the provision was a safe harbour clause for the intermediary.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that issuing notice to the Centre might not be necessary and that a copy of the petition could instead be allowed to be served.

In its plea, the party has questioned the legal basis for the blocking and suspension of its social media accounts. It has also sought a declaration that Section 79(3)(b) is not a source of power for authorities to direct the blocking of information.

The plea further seeks a declaration that all consequential directions, rules and notifications issued under the provision, insofar as they relate to the blocking of information, are void. AAP has also sought the quashing of the directions allegedly issued by law enforcement authorities for blocking or suspending the party’s social media accounts.

AAP has also requested the court to declare the suspension of its social media accounts unconstitutional. The party said its account had 800,000 followers.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/gujarat-aap-social-media-suspension-supreme-court-seeks-centre-response-2908900-2026-05-08

Celina Jaitly’s legal battle with husband Peter Haag intensified after Mumbai Police initiated criminal proceedings against him based on her complaint. The actor had previously accused Haag of domestic violence, alleging she was denied access to her children in Austria.

Actor Celina Jaitly has filed a complaint against her husband, Austrian national Peter Haag, following which the Mumbai Police have registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The case pertains to allegations of cruelty, physical harm, criminal intimidation and sustained harassment, and authorities have reportedly issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Haag due to his alleged non-cooperation in the investigation.

According to the complaint filed by Jaitly, an actor and former Miss India and Miss Universe runner-up, criminal proceedings have now been initiated against Haag alongside the ongoing case under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

The FIR has reportedly been registered under Sections 85, 115(2), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Authorities are said to have escalated the matter further after Haag allegedly failed to cooperate with the investigation process.

Earlier in November 2025, Celina Jaitly had filed a case against her husband, Peter Haag, under the Domestic Violence Act, alleging that he had subjected her to continuous domestic violence.

As per PTI, Jaitly also sought a monthly maintenance amount of Rs 10 lakh along with compensation of Rs 50 crore from Haag.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/fir-against-actor-celina-jaitlys-husband-over-domestic-violence-allegations-2908857-2026-05-08

Home Minister Amit Shah took a dig at Mamata Banerjee, while declaring Suvendu Adhikari as the BJP’s chief ministerial face in West Bengal, saying the TMC chief had been “defeated on her home turf” in south Kolkata’s Bhabanipur.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday took a sharp dig at Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, while announcing Suvendu Adhikari as BJP’s Chief Minister face for West Bengal, saying she had been “defeated on her home turf” in Bhabanipur.

“Suvendu da ne ghar mein aa ke haraya (Suvendu da came to your home turf and defeated you),” Shah said, underscoring Adhikari’s victory over Banerjee in her south Kolkata stronghold. He made the remarks at a key BJP meeting where Adhikari, 55, was named as the party’s legislative party leader, effectively becoming the first West Bengal Chief Minister from the saffron party.

Describing the decisive mandate for the BJP as a turning point in West Bengal politics, Shah said, “Didi ka supra saaf ho gaya (Didi has been wiped out on her home turf).”

Framing the BJP’s victory as a broader political shift, Shah said, “For five long decades, Bengal has suffered from the erosion of democracy, the collapse of law and order. Today, Bengal is entering a new phase.” He stressed that the party now carried the responsibility to fulfil the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlighting the scale of the victory, Shah noted that the BJP had emerged as the number one party in 20 out of 30 districts and secured sweeping wins in regions like Purba Medinipur, Asansol, Purulia and Bankura. “There is not a single district where we do not have an MLA,” he said.

He also credited the record turnout in the Assembly polls and peaceful polling. “Polling crossed 93 per cent. Both phases concluded without a single death,” Shah said, congratulating the Election Commission, security forces and state officials for conducting what he called a model election.

Taking aim at the Opposition, Shah rejected allegations of polarisation. “This is not about polarisation. This is an issue of national security,” he said, adding that the BJP would act firmly against threats “booth by booth” across the country.

The Home Minister criticised the Congress leadership, saying repeated electoral defeats called for “serious introspection”. “Those in politics who refuse self-reflection can never truly achieve victory,” he said.

He also congratulated Adhikari on being named Chief Minister, calling the verdict a “historic mandate” and expressing confidence in his leadership. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes (to him). I hope this historic mandate becomes the means to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of the people of Bengal,” Shah said.

Recalling his long association with Adhikari, he added, “I have known Suvendu Adhikari for a long time. He is a fighter. I have seen both his political rise and his connection with the grassroots.”

Shah said Adhikari had continued his struggle despite obstacles. “The administration created many hurdles, yet Suvendu ji carried on with determination. I have complete faith in him. The struggle he carried out has produced results today,” he said.

The Home Minister thanked the people of the state for placing their trust in the BJP, saying West Bengal had long witnessed an atmosphere where free and fair voting was difficult. “The atmosphere that had been created since the Communist era was deepened by Mamata Banerjee, and it was almost impossible to cast your vote there,” he said.

Calling on party workers to work towards the vision of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal), Shah said the state was now moving towards a future “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,” invoking lines associated with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/suvendu-da-ne-ghar-mein-aa-ke-haraya-amit-shahs-dig-at-mamata-banerjee-over-bhabanipur-defeat-2908788-2026-05-08

Following the BJP’s sweep in West Bengal and Assam and India doubling down on its “core issue” of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, Dhaka has put its international border on alert. The move by Dhaka suggests Bangladesh fears that the BJP’s electoral victories in the border states could translate into more aggressive “push-ins” from India.

Even as New Delhi on Thursday said that it expected Dhaka to speed up its verification process for the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from India, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible “push-ins” from India.

The move by Dhaka to sound an alert on the Indo-Bangladesh border comes hours after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was reacting to a question on recent statements by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman.

It also follows the BJP’s landslide victories in Assembly polls in West Bengal and Assam. The two Indian states border Bangladesh, and the issue of illegal immigration became a key one in the recent polls.

WHAT DHAKA SAID ON ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IMMIGRANTS IN INDIA

On May 5, a day after the results of the Assembly elections were declared, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said Dhaka would take “appropriate measures” against “push-in” incidents from the Indian side. “If any kind of push-in incident occurs after the change of power in West Bengal, then Bangladesh will take appropriate measures,” he said.

By “push-in”, Rahman was referring to the reports of Bangladeshi immigrants who had crossed over into India being sent back. There have been reports that illegal immigrants were rounded up from several states and pushed across the border from Assam and Tripura, where the BJP had been in power before the Assembly polls. West Bengal is now set to become a BJP-ruled state.

Rahman’s remarks suggested that Dhaka saw Bengal, too, now being used for the “push-in”.

The Supreme Court of India in February 2025 directed the Assam government to expedite the deportation of individuals declared foreigners.

REPATRIATION OF ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IS INDIA’S CORE ISSUE: INDIAN GOVT

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed to the “core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India”. Replying to a question on Rahman’s remarks, Jaiswal said India expected that Bangladesh would speed up the verification process of the illegal Bangladeshis staying in India.

“We have seen comments of this nature being made in the last several days. These comments must be seen in the context of the core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India. This obviously requires cooperation from Bangladesh,” said Jaiswal in his weekly press conference on Thursday.

“We expect that Bangladesh will expedite nationality verification so that the repatriation of illegal immigrants can take place in a smooth manner,” he added.

DHAKA PUTS BORDER ON ALERT, ASKS BGB TO STAY VIGILANT

Hours after Jaiswal’s statement, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said “Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible push-ins from India following the BJP’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly polls”, reported Dhaka-based newspaper, The Daily Star.

“We have instructed the BGB to stay alert along borders. Although we do not see such a possibility, we have taken precautions in advance so that we can address the situation if it arises,” he said, adding that fresh directives have been issued to the deputy commissioners on maintaining law and order.

BJP leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and West Bengal LOP Suvendu Adhikari have raised the issue of large-scale immigration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. Reports suggest demographic changes in several districts of Assam and West Bengal due to the huge influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Dhaka summoned the acting Indian High Commissioner after Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks on “push-backs”. In an interview, Sarma said that the formal process was frustratingly slow and, therefore, some Bangladeshis were “pushed back, taking advantage of the night”.

“If I want to send them back officially, I will have to approach the MEA. The MEA will then send details to Bangladesh. It then depends solely on Bangladesh to decide whom they want to take back,” Sarma said. Instead, Himanta said that illegal immigrants were “pushed in” by “taking advantage of the night” in places where the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were not present.

Sarma said while 1,400 Bangladeshis were officially “pushed back”, the actual number could be in the thousands.

Referring to the February 2025 observation of the apex court, Sarma said, “Last year, the Supreme Court said if the District Magistrate (DM) feels a person is not Indian, an eviction order can be issued. However, the order does not specify how the eviction is to be carried out.”

BANGLADESH SPOOKED AFTER BJP WINS IN WEST BENGAL

Bangladesh’s fresh fear was awakened after the BJP won the West Bengal Assembly election with a two-thirds margin.

Bangladesh’s worry is mainly due to the BJP’s stance on illegal immigrants. The party also took the issue of deporting the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as its core campaign issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly highlighting the demographic change in border districts like Malda and Murshidabad due to infiltration by illegal Bangladeshis. Modi has also accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress of compromising national security by allowing infiltrators into the state.

Home Minister Amit Shah also campaigned extensively during the Assembly election campaign in West Bengal and made the issue of infiltration the centre point of the rallies he addressed.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is considered the frontrunner for the Chief Minister post of West Bengal in July 2025, said that “Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslim intruders” should first be removed from the voter list and then expelled from the country. He asserted that “not a single Rohingya or Bangladeshi Muslim intruder” would be allowed to remain.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/west-bengal-results-bjp-wins-elections-bangladesh-foreign-minister-statement-india-reply-on-illegal-infiltration-2908351-2026-05-08

An elderly man travelling on a cycle rickshaw with four stray dogs has gone viral online, touching hearts with his compassion. The dogs stay close, some riding with him while others walk beside him, showing deep loyalty. Social media users praised his kindness, saying love and humanity matter more than wealth, and many called him truly rich at heart

A heartwarming video showing an elderly man travelling through the streets on a small cycle rickshaw accompanied by four stray dogs has deeply moved social media users. Despite living a modest life and carrying only a few belongings, the man appears to have built a loving companionship with the animals, turning an ordinary street moment into a powerful story of kindness and empathy.

A simple journey filled with loyalty

The viral clip captures the elderly man slowly riding his cycle rickshaw while the dogs remain closely by his side. Two of the dogs sit comfortably inside the rickshaw among folded blankets and bags, suggesting the vehicle doubles as both transport and living space. Another dog walks faithfully alongside him, while the fourth stays nearby whenever he pauses along the road.

The calm behaviour of the animals has caught viewers’ attention. None of the dogs appear anxious or restless; instead, they remain relaxed and trusting, as if travelling with the man is part of their everyday routine. Their closeness reflects a strong emotional bond formed through care, safety and companionship.

Life on the road, but not alone

Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, explained that the fruit was purchased by his wife, Ritu, from a local vendor for a late-night snack.

Popular YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, better known as Flying Beast, recently sparked online safety concerns after sharing a video of a watermelon oozing heavy foam. In a vlog titled “Tarbooz Mein Nikala Zeher (Poison found in watermelon)”, Taneja explained that the fruit was purchased by his wife, Ritu, from a local vendor for a late-night snack, only to find it exhibiting strange chemical-like reactions the following morning.

Taneja stated that since the watermelon was big in size and the refrigerator did not have any space left, his wife left the watermelon outside on the kitchen counter. However, the next day, the fruit started foaming rapidly.

“Even after I returned from the pooja around 9:45 am, the watermelon was still foaming,” said Tanej, adding: “It was then that Ritu told me that the watermelon had been foaming since morning.”

After the foaming did not stop late into the night, Taneja took the watermelon to the shopkeeper, who sold it to his wife. The vendor explained that no chemical had been applied to the watermelon, adding that gas had formed inside the fruit.

As of the last update, the video had garnered over 200,000 views and hundreds of comments as social media users speculated what could have caused the watermelon to foam. While some expressed fear that the excess pesticides may have caused the foaming, others highlighted that the phenomenon was likely caused by natural fermentation due to extreme summer temperatures.

“A foaming watermelon is rapidly fermenting and rotting internally, often due to high heat, damage, or bacterial infection, and should never be eaten,” said one user, while another added: “That’s internal fermentation caused by the bacteria. In hot weather, bacteria break down the sugar and cause this fermentation.”

A third commented: “It was kept at a high temperature for too long. Always store fruits in the refrigerator. Bacterial growth happened inside the fruit, due to which it fermented from the inside, which is why there was gas buildup.”

Mumbai Watermelon Case

Taneja’s video comes in the backdrop of the tragic death of a Mumbai family of four after they consumed watermelon. While initial reports suspected food poisoning, forensic examinations have since confirmed the cause was actually lethal chemical poisoning, with traces of rat poison found in the fruit.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/youtuber-flying-beast-shares-video-of-watermelon-oozing-foam-social-media-reacts-11468787?pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories

Lt Gen (retd) NS Raja Subramani will also serve as the as Secretary to government of India, Department of Military Affairs.

The government on Saturday named Lieutenant General (retd) NS Raja Subramani as the country’s next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Navy chief.

Orders announcing both new appointments were issued early on Saturday.

Subramani, who retired as Vice Chief of Army Staff and is currently serving as military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat, will take over as CDS on May 30, replacing General Anil Chauhan. Swaminathan, who is heading the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command, will take charge on May 31, succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

Who is Lt Gen Subramani

Subramani retired as the Army’s Vice Chief on July 31, 2025, after a military career spanning 39 years. He was appointed Military Adviser in the NSAB last September.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985. Subramani earlier served as Central Army Commander in Lucknow.

He has insightful knowledge and a deep understanding of operational dynamics on both the western and northern borders, the Army earlier said.

He is also an alumnus of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Bracknell, UK, and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts degree from King’s College London and an MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University.

Subramani will take over the top post at a pivotal moment when key military reforms are underway in the Defence Ministry, including theatreisation. Last September, the government extended the tenure of General Chauhan by eight months.

About Vice Adm Swaminathan

Swaminathan earlier served as the Navy’s Vice Chief.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, the officer is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare and has held several key appointments in his career, including the Navy’s Chief of Personnel, Controller of Personnel Services, and Chief of Staff of the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lt-gen-ns-raja-subramani-named-next-cds-vice-adm-krishna-swaminathan-new-navy-chief-101778288519485.html

Vijay contested from two seats and won both. The 51-year-old must resign from one seat within 14 days of the election result being notified.

Suspense over government formation in Tamil Nadu reached a fever pitch on Friday as actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay met governor Rajendra Arlekar for the third time in three days and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) inched towards the majority mark.

But there was no official word from Lok Bhavan till the time of going to print with people aware of developments saying that the TVK could not prove it commanded a majority in the 234-member House.

Flanked by senior TVK functionaries, Vijay called on Arlekar, seeking to form the government after the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – both parties have two lawmakers each – offered their “unconditional support”.

Earlier in the day, the two Left parties also handed over the letters to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam deputy general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar. Around 6.30 pm on Friday, for the third time, Vijay along with senior party functionaries went to Lok Bhavan and called on Arlekar. He submitted the letters to the Governor.

But Vijay – whose TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly – couldn’t secure an explicit statement of support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) at the time of the Lok Bhavan meeting. The people cited above said no VCK letter was included in the TVK memorandum submitted to the governor.

The people cited above said no VCK letter was included in the TVK memorandum submitted to the Governor. The CPI and CPI (M) leaders met the press after extending their support to TVK during which CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan has already gone on record that he would extend his party’s support if the Left parties offer their support to TVK. Another smaller party, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), made a cryptic statement that its two lawmakers will support initiatives by the governor “towards the government formation” but didn’t clearly spell out its stance.

This meant that the TVK, which holds the backing of five Congress lawmakers, may have stopped just short of the halfway mark. Vijay contested from two seats and won both. The 51-year-old must resign from one seat within 14 days of the election result being notified.

As a result, the grouping effectively has 117 legislators as of Friday night.

If the VCK’s two legislators are added to the tally, it rises to 118 – just above the majority mark.

The Congress wants to be a part of the government and state unit chief K Selvaperunthagai said on Friday that the TVK offered the party two ministerial berths and a Rajya Sabha seat. Both Left parties said on the record that they will support the government from the outside. It wasn’t clear what the VCK had decided.

Though VCK is yet to declare its announcement officially, the party’s deputy general secretary Vanni Arasu demanded in a social media post that his party sought a deputy chief Minister and a ministerial berth

Vijay’s rookie outfit shattered a 50-year-old Dravidian duopoly to emerge as the single-largest party in assembly elections on Monday. But since then, the state has been embroiled in government formation drama that has even triggered speculation that the two Dravidian rivals – the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that won 59 seats and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that won 47 seats – might come together.

On Friday, Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) extended its support to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palanisami, urging the governor to invite the party to form the government. AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran said that the party’s lone lawmaker-elect Kamaraj S supports the party stance.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam addressed a joint press conference offering “unconditional support” to the TVK from outside. Shanmugam clarified that the Left parties would not ask for cabinet berths.

Veerapandian said VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan had already gone on record stating he would support whatever decision the Left parties took. To be sure, there was no official statement from the VCK chief till the time of going to press.

“TVK approached CPI, CPI(M) and VCK. We had our party meeting. It’s normal in a democracy to have ups and downs. Tamil Nadu people have supported and decided to elect TVK. We have taken a decision in a democratic way,” Veerapandian said.

Shanmugam said that the parties extended their support to prevent the delay in government formation in the state, the imposition of President’s Rule, and to ensure that the BJP did not enter “through the back door.”

“VCK has also said that they will take the same decision as CPI and CPI (M). VCK is also giving its support to TVK. Soon, the VCK leader will come and tell this to you all,” the CPI(M) state secretary added.

“Joseph Vijay has written a letter to both parties. Since if the government is not formed by the 10th, then President’s Rule will come. And the BJP is trying to enter Tamil Nadu through the back door. So, to end this, CPI and CPI(M) have decided to support TVK,” he said.He further said that the parties will not be in the cabinet and extended support to ensure no re-election happens.

The CPI (M), in an official letter, conveyed its “support” to the TVK for the purpose of forming a government in the state, while the CPI extended “conditional support” to the Vijay-led party in favour of “stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of TN.”

After calling on Governor, Vijay drove straight to the office of the Left parties in Thiyagarayanagar in Chennai.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/uncertainty-looms-over-who-will-helm-tamil-nadu-hours-after-vijay-meets-governor-for-third-time-101778288451022.html

A 27-year-old woman was saved from a knife attack in Bengaluru by passersby who overpowered her alleged assailant, her husband, amid reported domestic discord.

A 27-year-old woman escaped a possible fatal attack after passersby intervened and overpowered a man who allegedly assaulted her with a knife on a busy road on the outskirts of Bengaluru, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place on May 6 on Madanayakanahalli Main Road under the jurisdiction of the Madanayakanahalli police station. CCTV footage of the attack, which circulated widely on social media, showed a masked man confronting the woman before allegedly attacking her in public.

According to police, the woman, identified as Sonali, a native of Jharkhand, was walking along the roadside when the accused arrived on a scooter and approached her. Investigators said he then allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked her repeatedly.

Hearing her screams, local residents and passersby rushed to the spot and restrained the attacker before he could cause more serious injuries, police said. Some bystanders allegedly assaulted the accused before handing him over to the police.

Madanayakanahalli police inspector Murali said the intervention by the public prevented the incident from turning more serious.

“People nearby immediately rushed to the woman’s rescue after hearing her screams. Their quick response helped prevent what could have turned into a murder case,” he said.

Police identified the accused as Sanjay, 35, also from Jharkhand and the husband of the victim. Preliminary investigation suggested there were ongoing disputes between the couple, police said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/woman-survives-knife-attack-by-husband-on-b-luru-road-101778180304123.html

A second woman linked to the C-section delivery case at Kota’s New Medical Hospital died on Thursday. Jyoti, 20, reportedly suffered kidney failure after surgery in the hospital’s gynaecology ward. Earlier, Payal, 28, died on May 5. Relatives staged a protest demanding action, while District Collector Piyush Samariya said a technical inquiry into the incident is underway.

One more casualty was reported at Kota’s New Medical Hospital in connection with C-section deliveries on Thursday.

The deceased Jyoti admitted to the super specialty block succumbed to death on Thursday morning.

The relatives of the deceased refused to accept the body and staged a sit-in protest outside the hospital, demanding action against those responsible; however, following negotiations with the administration, the family agreed to accept the body.

The incident stems from May 4, when six women suffered kidney failure following C-section deliveries in the hospital’s gynecology ward. Of these, Payal (28) passed away on May 5, while Jyoti (20) breathed her last on Thursday. Arrangements are currently underway to refer the remaining patients to Jaipur.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/rajasthan-second-woman-dies-after-kidney-failure-linked-to-c-section-deliveries-in-kotas-new-medical-hospital

TMC MP Mahua Moitra alleged she was harassed by a group of men aboard an IndiGo flight while travelling to attend a parliamentary meeting. She claimed the men shouted slogans, filmed her, and violated her safety. TMC leader Saket Gokhale criticised the airline and BJP over the incident.

TM MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday alleged in a post on X that she was harassed by a group of 4-6 men aboard an IndiGo flight while travelling to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.

In her post, Moitra said she was seated in 1F on flight 6E 719 when a group of men boarded the aircraft, allegedly stared at her inappropriately and moved towards the rear of the plane. She further alleged that after the flight landed, and before the doors opened, the men shouted slogans and filmed the incident.

In a video shared online, a few passengers could allegedly be heard raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans and calling the TMC and its supporters “chor” (thieves).

Demanding action against those involved, Moitra wrote, “This is no ‘citizen anger’. This is harassment and violates my safety in an aircraft.” She urged the airline to identify the passengers through the crew report, publicly name them, and place them on a no-fly list. She also tagged Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, seeking intervention.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/this-is-not-public-anger-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-demands-action-against-indigo-passengers-for-calling-her-chor-on-flight-video 

Forensic tests reportedly found zinc phosphide poison in the bodies of four Pydhonie family members who died after eating watermelon in Mumbai on April 25. Police told FPJ they are probing murder and suicide angles after the same substance was allegedly detected in a half-cut watermelon kept at the Dokadias’ home. Investigators may register a murder case against unknown persons.

In a major development in the mysterious deaths of four members of a Pydhonie family after allegedly consuming watermelon, forensic findings have now revealed the presence of zinc phosphide poison in their bodies, raising strong suspicion of a possible mass suicide or murder angle.

While there had been discussions that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not find any adulteration in the watermelon or other food samples, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide in the bodies of Abdullah Dokadia (44), his wife Nasreen (35), daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (13). The same poisonous substance was also allegedly detected in the half-cut watermelon preserved in the refrigerator. The incident happened in the Dokadias’ home at Pydhoni on April 25.

According to a police officer, the FSL report has been prepared but has not yet been officially handed over to the investigating agency. However, FSL officials have verbally informed the police that zinc phosphide traces were found in the bodies of all four deceased family members as well as in the seized watermelon sample.

A senior police officer, while speaking to FPJ, said there is a possibility that the family consumed watermelon contaminated with rat poison, leading to their deaths. Based on the findings, police are now considering registering a murder case against unknown persons. Since traces of rat poison were found in all four bodies, investigators are probing whether the deaths were a case of suicide or homicide. Abdullah Dokadia was apparently a witness in a cheating case and he was reportedly under pressure not to testify in the matter. The victim of the cheating case had stated this in an interview.

The investigation has now intensified from both angles whether the Dokadia family died by suicide after consuming poison or whether someone intentionally poisoned them. Zinc phosphide is a highly toxic chemical commonly used in rat poison. Once consumed, it reacts with stomach acid and releases phosphine gas, which is extremely dangerous. Symptoms of zinc phosphide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, breathing difficulty, excessive sweating, restlessness, and low blood pressure. It can also severely damage the heart, liver, and kidneys, eventually leading to unconsciousness and death.

The shocking case had initially triggered widespread concern after all four family members fell critically ill and later died allegedly after consuming watermelon at their residence in Mumbai. Investigation into the exact circumstances behind the deaths is currently underway.nterestingly, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not found any adulteration in the food samples collected from the victim’s house. The agency is currently unable to independently test food and product samples for harmful toxins due to inadequate infrastructure, a senior official said. For specialised analysis, the department relies on other government agencies.

“The food items collected from the victim’s house were received after a delay, and fungus and bacteria may have developed in the samples. This could have altered the original condition of the food. Toxins such as pesticides can only be detected through forensic laboratory testing,” the official said.

According to the official, detecting toxins such as pesticides, insecticides, and disinfectants requires sophisticated and expensive equipment, trained professionals, and dedicated laboratory space — facilities the department currently lacks.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-family-death-mystery-deepens-as-fsl-detects-rat-poison-in-watermelon

Indore police are investigating three abandoned bags found on Sanwer-Ujjain Road with currency bundles inside. The seizure drew alarm after many packets were found stuffed with fake notes and coloured papers.

Police in Indore are investigating after suspicious cash worth nearly Rs 2.83 crore was found inside three abandoned bags on the Sanwer-Ujjain Road on Thursday morning.

The incident created panic in the area after a local farmer spotted three unattended bags lying under a tree near Bhutta Square and alerted the police.

A police team rushed to the spot and took the bags into custody for investigation. When the bags were opened, officers found hundreds of bundles of Rs 500 currency notes inside. Initial estimates suggested that the total amount was around Rs 2.83 crore.

However, during examination, police discovered that while some genuine currency notes had been placed on top of the bundles, many packets contained fake notes and coloured plain papers inside.

Police suspect the bags may have been prepared for a large-scale fraud or illegal financial transaction.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/fake-notes-mixed-with-real-cash-found-in-three-abandoned-bags-on-indore-ujjain-road-2908435-2026-05-08

At least three people were reportedly injured in a shooting near a Publix in Cane Bay Boulevard, Summerville, South Carolina, before the suspect fled toward a nearby elementary school.

Conservationist Krithi Karanth has become the first Indian to be named the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year for her wildlife work.

Krithi K. Karanth has spent years working closely with wildlife and the people living around forests in India. From helping farmers deal with crop damage caused by animals to teaching children how to safely live near tigers and elephants, her work has focused on reducing conflict between humans and wildlife.

Now, the conservationist has received one of the biggest global honours in the field. The National Geographic Society has named her the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, making her the first Indian to receive the title. The announcement was made in Mumbai on May 6, this year.

She Works With Both People And Wildlife

Karanth is the CEO of the Bengaluru-based Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), a non-profit organisation that works to protect wildlife across India. Her work focuses on helping people and wild animals live side by side peacefully, especially in areas close to forests and reserves.

Two Indian women, Praveen Shaikh and Barkha Subba, received the Whitley Award for their conservation efforts protecting the Indian Skimmer and Himalayan salamander.

Two Indian women among six received the Whitley Award, which is also known as the “Green Oscar” award, for local solutions to create a future where communities and wildlife thrive together on a healthy planet. The Indian women who received the awards are Praveen Sheikh and Barkha Subba.

Parveen Shaikh was honoured for her community-led conservation work to protect the endangered Indian Skimmer along India’s river systems. Working with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), she launched the “Guardians of the Skimmer” initiative on the Chambal River.

The project trains local community members as “nest guardians” to monitor and protect bird nesting sites from threats such as sand mining, predators, cattle trampling, pollution, and human disturbance. Her efforts have led to major conservation success: the local Indian Skimmer population increased from about 400 birds in 2017 to nearly 1,000 birds, while nest survival rates improved significantly.

With the 2026 Whitley Award funding, Parveen Shaikh plans to expand the project to Prayagraj in the Ganga Basin, where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet. The initiative will include GPS-based nest monitoring, predator-proof fencing, and greater community participation in river conservation.

Police in Beed are investigating a complaint that a woman married multiple men through agents before fleeing with cash and jewellery. The case has raised concerns about an alleged racket targeting unmarried men in rural parts of the district.

A suspected “looter bride” racket allegedly targeting unmarried men through fake marriages has come to light in Maharashtra’s Beed district, with police investigating claims that a woman married multiple men before fleeing with cash and jewellery. The latest case surfaced from a village, where a local man alleged that he was cheated of lakhs of rupees after being lured into a fraudulent marriage arranged by agents.

According to the complaint, Yogesh Shinde was introduced to the woman through intermediaries who promised to arrange his marriage. The agents allegedly collected large sums of money from him during the process. The marriage was solemnised, but within days, the bride and the agents reportedly disappeared.

During subsequent enquiries, Yogesh allegedly discovered that the woman had previously married eight other men in a similar fashion and had allegedly fled each time after taking money and valuables.

VICTIM SEEKS POLICE ACTION

Deeply distressed by the incident, Yogesh approached the district police seeking action against the alleged gang. In his complaint to the Beed Superintendent of Police, he said, “I have been cheated of lakhs of rupees and the situation has pushed me towards suicidal thoughts. I want justice.”

He further alleged that he had no knowledge of the woman’s previous marriages and was kept completely in the dark before the wedding.

A complaint has now been registered at Chaklamba police station, and an investigation is underway.

GANG TARGETED RURAL BACHELORS: COMPLAINT

According to the complaint, the alleged racket specifically targeted unmarried men in rural parts of Beed district, where families often struggle to find brides.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/serial-bride-marries-nine-times-dupes-grooms-vanishes-with-cash-gold-maharashtra-police-beed-marriage-fraud-gang-2907317-2026-05-06

Pakistan’s standard repair time after Operation Sindoor: Months for most bases, and nearly a year for the deepest scars.

A year after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, its scars remain far from healed.

India struck 11 critical defence locations and nine terror sites under Operation Sindoor in May last year, according to government statements. A year later, what remains of them?

An analysis of medium and high-resolution satellite imagery of at least eight airbases suggests that Pakistan took, on average, six to seven months to repair individual structures hit at defence sites — mostly hangars. While some facilities appear to have been rebuilt and returned to normal operations, several others remain under maintenance.

Even runway patchwork at some bases took months, with reconstruction activity at other sites continuing nearly a year after the strikes.

India Today’s Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) analyses historical satellite imagery from ESA’s Sentinel-2 and high-res imagery from US-based space technology firm Vantor of the 8 PAF bases: PAF Base Bholari, PAF Base Murid, PAF Base Sukkur, PAF Base Rahim Yar Khan, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, PAF Base Nur Khan (Chaklala), and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad to assess the intensity of damage inflicted and the pace at which Pakistan is restoring its air bases.

At Murid and Sukkur, the damage was so severe that repairs likely required the damaged structures to be razed first. PAF Base Bholari still appears to be under restoration.

Reconstruction activity has also been observed in its final stages at four other bases: PAF Base Rahim Yar Khan, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, PAF Base Nur Khan in Chaklala, and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad.

PAF Base Rafiqui (Shorkot) was another military installation targeted by Indian forces during Operation Sindoor. However, owing to the lack of accessible high-resolution satellite imagery and the absence of independently verifiable evidence, India Today could not conclusively assess the extent or nature of the damage inflicted at the base following the strikes. Additionally, the medium-resolution imagery available for review lacked the spatial fidelity required to reliably identify structural damage or post-strike repair activity.

Our analysis does not include terror sites such as Bahawalpur and Muridke, which were struck on the first day of Operation Sindoor. Limited access to high-resolution imagery, and the constraints of medium-resolution imagery in dense built-up areas, makes it difficult to assess their restoration status.

High-resolution satellite images sourced from the US-based space technology firm Vantor and analysed by India Today’s Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team show fresh repair work, machinery deployment at strike-damaged compounds in Bahawalpur and Muzaffarabad.

At PAF Base Bholari, Vantor imagery indicates that restoration work remains incomplete even after a year. Imagery following last year’s May strikes showed a heavily damaged hangar complex. Subsequent imagery from June 2, 2025, showed the structure covered with tarpaulin, while imagery dated January 28, 2026, indicated that roof sheets had been removed from the damaged section. By March 26, 2026, visible repair and reconstruction activity could be observed at the site, suggesting that restoration efforts at the hangar complex are still underway.

The base, located in Sindh’s Jamshoro district, was among the hardest hit during the Indian strikes, with over 50 individuals, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf and four airmen, killed. Inaugurated in 2017 under the PAF’s Southern Air Command, the base holds strategic significance for the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). EMBED PAF Base Murid

Further, satellite imagery indicates a far more severe impact at PAF Base Murid, located in Punjab’s Chakwal district. Imagery dated May 10, 2025, showed significant structural damage immediately after the Indian strike. In the months that followed, the affected section remained covered with tarpaulin, as seen in imagery from June 2, 2025, and December 16, 2025. However, by February 28, 2026, the structure appeared to have been cleared, with imagery suggesting that the damaged building was likely demolished, pointing towards extensive reconstruction requirements at the site.

Following the Indian strikes, the same base revealed a roughly 3-metre-wide crater near a high-value underground facility. Pakistan, however, moved quickly to cover the impact site with a tent, definitely not for aesthetics but to obscure what lay beneath. The location and nature of the crater suggested that the Indian strikes may have targeted hardened infrastructure at the base, including facilities believed to support protected or underground assets.

PAF Base Sukkur, a dual-use facility that also operates as Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport, was also among the Pakistani air bases struck by India on May 10, 2025. Imagery sourced from Vantor shows that a hangar damaged during the strikes remained heavily affected in imagery dated July 31, 2025.

Subsequent imagery from November 27, 2025, indicated demolition and clean-up activity at the site, while imagery dated February 20, 2026, showed the damaged hangar had been completely leveled. Nearly a year after the strikes, parts of the site still appear unrestored to their pre-conflict state, suggesting prolonged reconstruction efforts at the base and the intensity of the Indian strike.

Next in line is Rahim Yar Khan Air Base, where the Indian Air Force strike demonstrated a clear runway denial capability, leaving behind an approximately 6-metre-wide impact mark on the runway. Low-resolution Sentinel 2 satellite imagery, reviewed by India Today, suggests that by March 15, 2026, the damaged section had likely been patched and resurfaced.

However, in the aftermath of the May 2025 strike, Pakistan issued multiple NOTAMs for Rahim Yar Khan Airport as the runway underwent prolonged repairs and safety assessments, remaining unavailable for operations for months. The runway was eventually declared operational again only on September 10, 2025, nearly 120 days after the Indian strikes.

According to Sentinel 2 satellite imagery reviewed by India Today, at least two runway craters were visible at PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha on May 14, 2025, following the Indian strikes. However, imagery dated August 7, 2025, suggests that the craters were likely patched within nearly three months, indicating that runway restoration work at the base had largely been completed.

Satellite imagery from Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad, a major logistics and transport hub of the Pakistan Air Force, indicated damage to a key structure within the operational area of the base following the Indian strikes in May 2025. Imagery reviewed from April 2026 suggests that the damaged section was rebuilt, likely by around November 2025, indicating a restoration timeline of roughly six months.

The latest imagery also points to continued construction activity at the site, including multiple newly built hangar-like structures and a new facility within the airbase complex.

Notably, the base was also used during the high-level US-Iran delegation visit involving US Vice President JD Vance for peace talks held in Pakistan’s capital on April 11, 2026, marking one of the first such prominent diplomatic arrivals at the facility since the May 2025 conflict.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/operation-sindoor-pakistan-airbase-repairs-still-unfinished-after-a-year-satellite-images-show-2907688-2026-05-06

The CBI has uncovered a trafficking network that sent Indians to scam compounds in Southeast Asia. The case points to a wider cyber slavery racket involving coercion, ransom demands and cross-border crime.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered a suspected organised human trafficking network that lured Indian nationals to Southeast Asian countries under the guise of lucrative overseas employment, officials said on Wednesday.

According to investigators, victims were promised high-paying jobs abroad but were instead transported to scam compounds in countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia. These facilities, allegedly run by transnational cybercrime syndicates, have been described by authorities as hubs of “cyber slavery,” where trafficked individuals are forced to engage in online financial fraud.

The probe has revealed that victims were subjected to strict confinement, with their passports confiscated upon arrival. Authorities also documented instances of physical abuse and psychological coercion. In several cases, victims were reportedly forced to contact their families in India to arrange ransom payments in exchange for their release.

As part of the crackdown, the CBI carried out coordinated raids at nine locations across four states, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Lucknow, Kashipur, as well as locations in the Gonda and Saharanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The raids followed an extensive nationwide inquiry during which statements from multiple victims were recorded.

Investigators have also conducted a detailed financial probe, including tracking cryptocurrency transactions, to identify and map the network’s funding channels. Several electronic devices containing alleged incriminating evidence were seized during the searches.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cbi-cracks-down-on-cyber-slavery-network-conducts-multi-state-raids-2907821-2026-05-07

While the chief ministerial face has not yet been officially announced, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is widely seen as the frontrunner.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah areli kely to be among top BJP leaders attending the swearing-in ceremony of the party’s first government in West Bengal, scheduled for May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata.

The event is being seen as a landmark moment, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s rise to power in a state where it had long struggled to establish a strong foothold. Several Union ministers, BJP president Nitin Nabin, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states are also expected to attend the ceremony.

While the chief ministerial face has not yet been officially announced, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is widely seen as the frontrunner. Other names under consideration include state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, Union minister Sukanta Majumdar and former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta.

Announcing the event, Bhattacharya said the new government will take oath at 10 am on May 9. “The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground,” he said.

Significantly, the swearing-in ceremony will be held on the 25th day of Baisakh in the Bengali calendar — observed across the state as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore — lending the event a deeper cultural symbolism.

During the campaign, Shah had repeatedly asserted that the chief minister would be a “son of the soil”, born and educated in the state, in an attempt to blunt the TMC’s sustained attack that the BJP represented an “outsider” political culture alien to Bengal’s social and intellectual traditions.

Party leaders say the choice of date and messaging reflects a broader strategy to connect with the state’s cultural and intellectual traditions.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/pm-modi-shah-likely-among-bjp-top-brass-to-attend-partys-first-bengal-cm-swearing-in-event-ws-l-10077845.html

Adhikari termed the killing a “cold-blooded murder” as police began probing the role of bike-borne attackers and a suspicious car.

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday termed the killing of his close aide Chandranath Rath a “cold-blooded murder”, hours after the latter was shot dead in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Rath’s body was kept, Adhikari alleged that the attack was pre-planned and demanded strict action against those involved.

“It’s a cold-blooded murder,” the BJP leader said while reacting to the killing of his longtime associate, who had accompanied him through much of his political journey over the last decade.

Rath, who served as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was attacked late Wednesday night by unidentified bike and car-borne assailants. According to sources, at least eight attackers arriving on four motorcycles were involved in the shooting. All of them were allegedly wearing helmets.

Investigators are also probing the role of a car bearing a Siliguri registration code (WB 74), which allegedly intercepted Rath’s Scorpio moments before the firing. Soon after the vehicle slowed down, the attackers allegedly opened fire at close range before fleeing the spot.

“It’s a cold-blooded murder,” the BJP leader said while reacting to the killing of his longtime associate, who had accompanied him through much of his political journey over the last decade.

Rath, who served as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was attacked late Wednesday night by unidentified bike and car-borne assailants. According to sources, at least eight attackers arriving on four motorcycles were involved in the shooting. All of them were allegedly wearing helmets.

Investigators are also probing the role of a car bearing a Siliguri registration code (WB 74), which allegedly intercepted Rath’s Scorpio moments before the firing. Soon after the vehicle slowed down, the attackers allegedly opened fire at close range before fleeing the spot.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/its-a-cold-blooded-murder-suvendu-adhikari-reacts-to-close-aide-chandranath-raths-killing-ws-l-10078009.html