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The Maharashtra Charity Commissioner has rejected Vijay Singh’s complaint over the 1989 transfer of 833 Tata Sons shares to Naval H Tata. The order also questioned Singh’s conduct and said no further investigation was needed.
Vijay Singh, a former Union Defence Secretary, resigned as a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust in August 2026. (Photo: X/@VijaySingh)
The Maharashtra Charity Commissioner has rejected a complaint filed by Vijay Singh, trustee of the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust and Vice Chairman of Tata Trusts, over the transfer of 833 shares of Tata Sons to Naval H Tata in 1989.
In an order dated September 2, Charity Commissioner Amogh Kaloti said the share transfer, which took place nearly 37 years ago, was legally valid and complied with the statutory and tax regulations applicable at the time. The commissioner also found that the shares were transferred for appropriate consideration and that the documents related to the transaction were in order.
Singh had filed the complaint via email on June 10, 2026, questioning the transfer of the shares from the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust to Naval H Tata, father of current Tata Sons Chairman Noel Tata. He had sought an independent investigation into the transaction.
Following a detailed examination, the Charity Commissioner closed the matter, concluding that there was no need for any further investigation into the 1989 transfer.
COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS SINGH’S CONDUCT
The order also contains observations about the manner in which Singh filed the complaint.
According to the order, Singh had attended a board meeting on June 8, two days before filing his complaint. During the meeting, the trustees had passed a resolution to present the trust’s position before the Charity Commissioner.
However, Singh subsequently filed a complaint seeking an independent probe on June 10 without informing the other trustees, the order said.
The Charity Commissioner criticised this conduct, describing it as unbecoming of a trustee. The order also observed that Singh’s actions could have an adverse impact on the reputation and goodwill of the institution and were not consistent with the responsibilities associated with his position as a trustee of the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust.
Tata Trusts, reacting to the order, said the decision had vindicated its position. It described the allegations against the trust as false, baseless and motivated by malice.
NO ACTION UNDER SECTION 41D
The Maharashtra Public Trusts Act gives the Charity Commissioner powers to examine matters relating to the administration of public trusts and the conduct of trustees.
Section 41D of the Act provides for action against trustees in certain circumstances, including persistent neglect of duties, breach of obligations towards the trust and, in some cases, misconduct. Depending on the circumstances and prescribed procedure, such action can include suspension, removal or dismissal of a trustee.
However, the September 2 order does not, by itself, direct or initiate any proceedings under Section 41D against Singh.
The adverse observations regarding his conduct could nevertheless become relevant in any future regulatory inquiry or dispute concerning his role as a trustee.
Ladakh built its first rock check dam on the Indus River at Upshi, increasing water levels by 10 feet for irrigation. This aids farmers and aligns with India’s water policy.
Ladakh image used for representation
Farmers in parts of Leh are set to get a more reliable source of irrigation after Ladakh constructed a check dam on the Indus River at Upshi. The project is the first rock check dam built across the river in the Union Territory and is aimed at making better use of water available in the border region.
The structure has been created by placing natural boulders across the river, without the use of cement. It has increased the water level by around 10 feet, enabling water to be diverted towards agricultural land through the Igoo Phey irrigation canal.
The intervention addresses a long-standing problem for farmers in the area. During the spring sowing season, the Indus often runs at a level that makes it difficult to lift water with pumps, particularly where the river passes through deep gorges. As a result, several farming areas have struggled to get enough water for cultivation.
The new structure has a storage capacity of around 40 million litres. This water can now be directed towards village fields, potentially reducing the dependence of farmers on the low river flow during the sowing period.
The project is also significant in the context of India’s water policy towards the Indus river system. India has placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, and the construction of water-retention infrastructure in Ladakh indicates a greater focus on utilising the river for communities in India’s border areas.
According to Jalandhar Police Commissioner, a fraud case was registered at a city police station on August 16, 2026, following which the police began investigating.
Police said Bedi had allegedly carried out fraud in the US in the name of a company.
In a major breakthrough, Jalandhar Police have arrested Manjit Singh Bedi, who was allegedly wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with a nearly $600,000 fraud case.
According to Jalandhar Police Commissioner, a fraud case was registered at a city police station on August 16, 2026, following which the police began investigating. A few days ago, police received an input about Bedi and deployed a special team to track him down.
Bedi was eventually intercepted and arrested while he was travelling, the Commissioner said.
Police said Bedi had allegedly carried out fraud in the US in the name of a company. The alleged fraud, committed between 2024 and 2025, amounted to around $600,000.
Six students died on the spot, while two others were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said.
Eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul were killed when their car rammed into a lorry parked “illegally” on NH-66 in Thrissur district of central Keralam, police said on Saturday.
The accident occurred at around 11.40 pm on Friday at Panambikkunnu in Kaipamangalam, when the car, which was travelling from Guruvayur towards Kodungallur, collided with the rear of the Maharashtra-registered lorry, police said.
According to the FIR, the lorry was parked illegally on the right side of the highway near a barricaded section where traffic had been diverted as part of ongoing construction work.
Police said the car was travelling at high speed and its driver apparently failed to notice the diversion barricade before ramming into the rear of the lorry.
Six students died on the spot, while two others were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said.
The victims were students of an engineering college in Dindigul and were travelling towards Kodungallur along NH-66.
Police have identified six of the victims. Four of them-Surya, Yuvasanjith, Vishva and Johua-were from Dindigul, while Santhosh and Prasanna were from Madurai. The identities of the other two are yet to be confirmed.
The youth were pulled out of the mangled car during a rescue operation involving residents, fire and rescue personnel and police. Their bodies were taken to the mortuary of Thrissur Medical College, police said.
On the proposed India-US trade agreement, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said negotiations were being reworked following a US Supreme Court ruling but maintained that the two sides were “very close” to an agreement.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be the top priority on US President Donald Trump’s list of leaders to meet during the G20 Summit in Florida in December, citing the close relationship between the two leaders.
Modi visit could extend beyond summit
In an interview with India Today TV, Gor said he expected Modi’s visit to involve more than the multilateral summit, although no separate meeting between the two leaders has been officially announced yet.
Gor said Trump continues to remember his 2020 India visit warmly and suggested that the US President could return to India next year.
India-US trade deal ‘very close’
On the proposed India-US trade agreement, the ambassador said negotiations were being reworked following a US Supreme Court ruling but maintained that the two sides were “very close” to an agreement. He expressed hope that the deal could be concluded within the next few months.
The commission has asked project authorities to coordinate the memorial’s design with the existing landscape, pathways, signage and other site elements.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The memorial for Manmohan Singh will be located at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal. (HT File Photo)
The Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) has approved the proposal for a memorial for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, while directing the project authorities to ensure that its architecture, materials and landscaping conform with the character of existing memorials at Rajghat.
Meeting observations
The approval, recorded in the commission’s August 25 meeting minutes, includes observations on the memorial’s architectural treatment, landscape, materials, accessibility and peripheral elements. DUAC also directed that any significant changes affecting the memorial’s external appearance be brought before it before execution.
The proposal was submitted by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and scrutinised by the commission in discussions with the architect, following which clarifications were provided on issues raised by DUAC.
Key conditions
A key condition relates to the memorial’s relationship with existing samadhis at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal. DUAC noted that permission granted by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), under the Union housing and urban affairs ministry, requires the samadhi to maintain the surroundings, natural setting and existing memorials in “broad conformity and harmony.”
“The architectural treatment, landscape design, material and colour palette, paving, peripheral treatment and other external elements of the proposed Samadhi shall be appropriately coordinated with the established visual and architectural character of the existing Samadhis within Rashtriya Smriti Sthal,” the minutes said.
Architectural coordination
The commission observed that the Rajghat area has an established architectural and landscape vocabulary, characterised by restrained memorial design and an open landscaped setting. The new memorial should retain its individual identity while remaining visually harmonious with the larger precinct, it said.
DUAC has also sought consideration of the proposed use of white marble or white granite, directing that the material and colour palette be assessed against existing samadhis to establish visual continuity.
Landscape planning
Landscape planning has been made an integral part of the approval. Lawns, plantations, flower beds, paved areas and peripheral landscaping will have to be coordinated with the existing landscape.
An existing tree within the proposed memorial site must also be protected and sensitively integrated into the design without affecting its health, root system or future growth. “The tree is to be sensitively integrated into the design without adversely affecting its health, root system or future growth,” it said.
Swatantra Bhardwaj, 21, and others, allegedly attacked a man named Sanjay Azad, 38, who had accompanied his 14-year-old daughter to the protest on June 23.
Swatantra Bhardwaj describes himself as a “Swatantra Sanatani Yodha” on his profile. (Instagram/ bhardwaj_swatantra_official)
Delhi Police on Friday detained a 21-year-old right-wing content creator accused of severely injuring a 38-year-old man during the Jantar Mantar protests in June, officers said, hours after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other politicians staged a massive protest at the Parliament Street police station.
The accused, identified as Swatantra Bhardwaj, 21, and others allegedly attacked a man named Sanjay Azad, 38, who had accompanied his 14-year-old daughter to the protest on June 23.
Azad, a Dalit person, suffered severe injuries to his head but an FIR was lodged the same day at Parliament Street police station only under BNS sections 115(2) (causing simple hurt) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint). Bhardwaj was briefly detained the same day but was released hours later, and later claimed on social media that he was friends with top politicians — he mentioned the names of Union minister Chirag Paswan and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra — of the ruling establishment.
“Finally, Delhi Police have registered an FIR against the Sanghi goon and said he will be arrested within 72 hours. It took two months and a protest just to get an FIR registered for a hate crime that happened right in front of the police!” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said in a post on X.
Sections added after CJP protest
After the protest, police also added sections under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Union minister Paswan distanced himself from Bhardwaj.
Another FIR has been lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and sections of the BNS, police said after a complaint was filed regarding the minor receiving rape threats from Bhardwaj.
While Delhi Police and Bulandshahr police refused to give details about the detention, investigating officials, who spoke to HT and did not wish to be named, said a team was sent to Bulandshahr late on Friday afternoon. Bhardwaj was held after his phone location was traced, said a police officer. Police are yet to obtain his transit remand as of late Friday evening.
Delhi minister Mishra did not issue a statement on Bhardwaj’s claims.
Creator’s admission on video, then a ‘factcheck’ by DCP
The controversy began on Wednesday when Bhardwaj went on a video podcast and admitted to attacking Azad. “I cracked the skull of…(the) father. It should be a case of attempted murder. He had seven stitches on his head. He was lying half dead and was being carried in an ambulance while his daughter was standing outside the police station demanding justice and threatening to commit suicide…I did not even go to jail. I was roaming at night. People say Kapil Mishra saved me… Mishra is like my elder brother, so is Chirag Paswan…and even Narendra Modiji…I have danda and shoes of Delhi Police. Nobody can do anything. If Nishu’s father is my enemy, I will kill him…”
The statement went viral after which the minor uploaded a video on X on Thursday. “I had got an FIR done when all this happened. Now, he himself is claiming what he did…I have been fighting for a month and a half…,” she posted. Soon after this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, CJP spokespersons Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad offered solidarity and questioned Delhi Police.
In response, DCP (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma posted a so-called factcheck that immediately courted controversy.
“On June 23, Sanjay suffered a head injury by a “kada” worn by one of the alleged accused during a scuffle. He was medically examined by doctors of RML Hospital and injuries were opined to be simple in nature. The injuries were not by any weapon…A case was lodged…They (accused) were detained from the site and during investigation, Suraj Kumar, 24 and Swatantra Bhardwaj, 21, were served notices as per law…Any allegation of undue influence or interference in the matter is…baseless,” the post said.
Soon after the post, CJP and Bhim Army announced a protest on Thursday night.
On Thursday, Das and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka arrived at the police station while the minor and her father came with Chandrashekhar Azad. Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress President Akshay Lakra was also present.
“(The girl)…was with us since day 1 of the protest. During our protest, some members of criminal gangs entered our protest and did violence. They cracked Sanjay’s skull using a kada…Why are such criminals roaming freely in Delhi?” Das said.
‘Seven stitches to head, daughter threatened’
Sanjay Azad said Bhardwaj and others attacked him. “I suffered seven stitches on my head but the police did not even give me MLC. They refused to help me. A person rushed me to the hospital. My daughter, who has been fighting for me, was threatened by Bhardwaj and his men. They sent her rape threats and made videos of her. We just want an FIR. They have tried to kill me, spoken about our caste and threatened my minor daughter,” he said.
The protest began at 10am and ended at around 2am after CJP representatives said that police assured them that Bhardwaj would be arrested within 72 hours.
Bhardwaj was detained at around 3.30pm, officers said.
“They also demanded that sections of attempted murder be added. For that we need an MLC stating injuries from a sharp weapon. We will take another medical examination of the father and then add sections. We have also taken the minor’s complaint in which she has alleged she got rape threats,” said a police officer.
Bhardwaj defended himself. “I only attacked him in self defence…or else I would have been mob lynched. I was with six friends and we went there to protest against CJP,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court expressed serious concerns regarding police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said that police personnel assaulting protesting students and demonstrators at the Jantar Mantar was “distressing”. Photo : PTI
Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said on Friday that police personnel assaulting protesting students and demonstrators at the Jantar Mantar was “distressing” and “a matter of grave concern”. The country saw multiple clashes between protesters and security personnel, especially in the national capital, during the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest against alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
“All of us are dismayed when we see young officers of the Indian Police Service personally going and assaulting protesters and demonstrators. This is something very, very distressing to observe,” he said.
“The detachment expected of police officers somehow seems to be disappearing, and this is indeed a matter of grave concern,” he added.
Justice Bhuyan made the remarks while speaking at a launch event of the book, “Policing the Republic”, written by former secretary (security) Yashovardhan Azad. The event was held at Viceroy Hall in the national capital.
Congress MP P Chidambaram, former Maharashtra DGP D Sivanandhan and others were also present at the event.
The remarks come just days after the Supreme Court of India invoked Article 142 to dismiss all FIRs against NEET-UG protesters, leading the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to cancel its planned march on September 5.
The Supreme Court quashed all FIRs registered against protesters across Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Maharashtra in connection with the NEET protests.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Friday, once again reiterated that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India, as it responded on Lord Mayor of UK’s Birmingham Zaker Choudhry’s ‘Kashmir is Pakistan’ remark.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and Lord Mayor of UK’s Birmingham Zaker Choudhry (Right)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Friday, once again reiterated that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India, as it responded on Lord Mayor of UK’s Birmingham Zaker Choudhry’s ‘Kashmir is Pakistan’ remark.
Addressing the weekly presser, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We know where India stands on Kashmir. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India. As far as our policy towards Pakistan is concerned, we know very well where we stand.”
What Did Zaker Choudhry Say?
In a controversial remark, Mayor of Birmingham – Britain’s Second largest city – Zakir Choudhry described Kashmir as part of Pakistan at an event last month.
He had said, “Our ancestors fought for our country. Kashmir is ours, Pakistan is ours, and the army is ours. I appeal to the Pakistani government and the Kashmiri side to sit down at the negotiating table and talk. Only through dialogue can problems be resolved.”
Karnataka has named Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru as the nodal centre to collect DNA samples from first-degree relatives of people from the state reported missing in Nepal. The process is meant to help identify mortal remains and support their repatriation to families.
Members of the Nepal Army search and rescue team carry a survivor they rescued alive after he had been trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project. ( Photo- Reuters)
The Karnataka government has designated Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru as the nodal centre for collecting DNA samples from first-degree relatives of people from the state who have been reported missing in Nepal.
The move comes after the Embassy of India in Kathmandu issued a note regarding the identification and repatriation of mortal remains of foreign nationals.
According to an order issued by the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority on September 4, Dr Nagesh Kuppast, Professor and Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, has been appointed as the Nodal Officer.
Dr Kuppast will be responsible for verifying the relationship between relatives and missing persons, collecting DNA samples and coordinating their profiling and further processing.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan filed a complaint against Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, accusing him of falsely using his name while claiming political backing in connection with an assault during a CJP protest in Delhi. Bhardwaj claimed in an interview that he “cracked the skull” of a student activist’s father during the protest.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan (L) and Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj (R).
Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday filed a police complaint against Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who claimed in an interview that he had “cracked the skull” of a student activist’s father during a CJP protest in Delhi. Paswan accused Bhardwaj of falsely using his name in connection with the assault.
Paswan’s party legal cell filed the complaint at Parliament Street police station, seeking action against Bhardwaj and protection from what it called his false public claims. A senior police officer said the complaint was being examined, and no case had been registered till Friday.
On Friday, Delhi Police detained Bhardwaj in Uttar Pradesh, hours after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members protested outside the police station demanding his arrest over the assault.
In the interview clip that brought Bhardwaj under scrutiny, he claimed he had “cracked the skull” of the activist’s father during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in July, leaving him with an injury that required 60 stitches. He also claimed he had avoided jail despite the assault.
Bhardwaj further claimed he had the support of several political leaders, naming Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan among them. “I have the blessings of Lord Hanuman upon me. And secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother… Chirag Paswan is my elder brother,” he claimed.
There is, however, no evidence to establish that any of the political leaders named by Bhardwaj intervened on his behalf in the case.
Paswan said Bhardwaj had misused his name as well as those of other political leaders and demanded action against him. “No action despite the accused admitting to an attack that could have been fatal sets a bad example; I take responsibility for ensuring justice for the family,” Paswan said.
His party’s legal cell said neither Paswan nor the party had any association with Bhardwaj and that they stood with the activist and her injured father.
Amid controversy, Kanthapuram Aboobacker Musaliyar cited women-only educational institutions run by his faction and rejected claims that Islamic teachings deny women dignity, rights or opportunities.
Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar had claimed that the Quran teaches women to remain confined to their homes. (Photo: Facebook/SheikhAboobacker)
Islamic cleric and Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, has sought to clarify his controversial remarks on women’s participation in public life, asserting that he does not subscribe to the view that women should be given a secondary position in society.
Speaking at a public conference in the wake of the massive outcry over his remarks, Kanthapuram said it was unfair to claim that women were given a subordinate position under Islam, stressing that Islamic teachings do not advocate suppressing or “burying” women.
The cleric further pointed to educational institutions run by the faction of the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama led by him, including institutions exclusively for women, as evidence of the opportunities being provided to them.
“It is not fair to say that we gave women second place in society,” he said, adding that there were schools in certain regions where only girls studied and women worked as teachers.
He also highlighted his role in supporting such institutions, saying he had been providing food, accommodation and medicines free of cost.
“In many parts of India, I have created separate institutions for male and female and have been providing all necessities for free,” he said.
Seeking to distance himself from any suggestion that women should be denied dignity or rights, Kanthapuram said, “Holy Islam is not a religion that buries women. None of us are people who will say women should be buried.”
The clarification comes after a massive controversy erupted over his earlier remarks that bringing women into public spaces “causes great destruction” and that Islam had therefore mandated purdah for women. He had further claimed that the Quran states that women should remain confined to their homes and should not make public appearances.
The remarks triggered widespread criticism from women’s organisations, ministers, intellectuals and political leaders from both the ruling front and the Opposition, as well as sections of civil society. Critics accused the 95-year-old Islamic scholar of advocating a regressive approach to women’s participation in public life.
In an apparent attempt to assuage the backlash, Kanthapuram has now stressed that Islam is not regressive towards women. He also pointed out that around 500 girls were studying and teaching at one of the institutions supported by him, adding that orphaned girls were also being provided care and educational opportunities.
However, days after making his initial remarks, Kanthapuram had defended his position, further intensifying the controversy.
The row escalated further on Thursday after Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan strongly rejected Kanthapuram’s views, saying neither the government nor the Congress supported the cleric’s position.
A delegation from the Kanthapuram-led faction met Satheesan on Wednesday night and sought to withdraw the statement concerning the cleric’s remarks. However, the Chief Minister refused to endorse the position.
At a press briefing, Satheesan dismissed Kanthapuram’s remarks as being contrary to both the history of women in Islam and the values of modern society and Kerala.
Referring to Islamic history, Satheesan cited the examples of Khadija, the first wife of Prophet Muhammad, and Aisha, another wife of the Prophet, to argue that women had played prominent roles in public life.
“Khadija, the Prophet’s first wife, was a major businesswoman. Another wife of the Prophet, Aisha, took part in the Battle of the Camel. She was the commander-in-chief,” the Chief Minister said.
“We strongly oppose expressing such a 19th-century view in the 21st century. Our progressive position is that women are not meant to remain confined to their homes and that they should participate in all aspects of life and live as part of the mainstream,” he added.
The findings came after a raid at a CG Foods India factory in Rajasthan. The company is part of CG Corp Global, the conglomerate led by Binod Chaudhary, Nepal’s only billionaire who is widely known as the ‘Noodle King’ for building the Wai Wai instant-noodle brand.
Raid at a factory of CG Foods India in Rajasthan, which is part of CG Corp Global, led by Binod Chaudhary, Nepal’s only billionaire famous for the Wai-Wai instant noodle brand. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered a Nepali billionaire-owned company that produces the famous Wai Wai noodles to stop manufacturing certain products after food safety inspectors found broken noodles collected from the factory floor being used to make Indian snacks, news agency Reuters reported. This comes amid a nationwide crackdown against eateries, outlets and restaurants over food hygiene and quality, with popular brands such as Pizza Hut and Domino’s also facing regulatory action in recent weeks.
The action was taken against a factory operated by CG Foods India in Rajasthan. The company is part of CG Corp Global, the conglomerate led by Binod Chaudhary, Nepal’s only billionaire who is widely known as the ‘Noodle King’ for building the Wai Wai instant-noodle brand.
The FSSAI said inspectors found that the factory was “re-processing floor-collected broken noodles into bhujia without heat treatment”.
Bhujia is a popular fried Indian snack sold in small packets by numerous food companies across the country. The investigation focused on two Wai Wai-branded bhujia products.
Authorities also seized nearly 32,000 kg of stock from the facility and found 1,925 boxes of expired finished products. The FSSAI said that legal proceedings had been initiated against the food business operator and that samples had been collected for testing.
This comes days after Maharashtra food safety officials found expired and nearly expired products carrying altered expiry dates and nutrition labels during a raid on a warehouse in Navi Mumbai. The products were from major brands such as Nestle, Unilever, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, with officials finding chemicals allegedly used to rub off dates from packaging and machines to print replacement labels.
An INDIA bloc delegation met Jharkhand’s Chief Electoral Officer over alleged pressure on BLOs to delete voters through Form-7. The CEO insisted eligible names cannot be removed and said the revision process remains transparent.
The INDIA bloc has claimed BJP workers were pressuring BLOs to delete voter names in Jharkhand. (PTI Photo)
An INDIA bloc delegation on Thursday met Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar and submitted a memorandum alleging that BJP workers in several districts were pressuring booth-level officers (BLOs) to delete the names of specific voters from the electoral rolls through Form-7.
The CEO, however, said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was a transparent process and that names of eligible voters could not be deleted.
He said claims and objections were currently being invited as part of the revision exercise.
After meeting the CEO, JMM general secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey told reporters that complaints were emerging from several districts, including Garhwa, Godda and Chatra, alleging that BJP workers and their booth-level agents (BLAs) were pressuring BLOs to delete the names of particular voters.
“Reports from several districts, including Garhwa, Godda and Chatra, are coming that BJP workers and their booth-level agents (BLAs) are forcing BLOs to delete names of particular voters from the electoral rolls,” Pandey said.
He said the delegation had urged the CEO to identify those allegedly involved in such activities and take action against them.
The delegation included Jharkhand Congress leaders, including state unit president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, as well as representatives of the RJD and CPI (ML) Liberation.
Form-7 is used to seek deletion of a name from an existing electoral roll.
Responding to the allegations, Kumar said BLAs could submit objections in bulk, with up to 10 forms a day to BLOs.
He reiterated that the SIR process was transparent and that eligible voters’ names could not be deleted.
“The SIR process is transparent. Eligible voters’ names cannot be deleted. The details of Form-6 or Form-7, such as the number of forms received and names of voters, among others, can be checked through the website,” Kumar said.
The Enforcement Directorate searched 17 locations in the Parimatch money laundering case and seized cash, gold, documents and devices. Investigators said the probe tracked betting proceeds through mule accounts, travel operators, hawala channels and crypto wallets.
The ED conducted raids at 17 locations in connection with the Parimatch betting app case.(Photo: Representative)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 17 locations across five states as part of its money laundering probe into the Cyprus-based online betting platform Parimatch, which generated more than Rs 3,000 crore in a year.
The searches were carried out by the ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office on September 2 and the locations searched were spread across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
The raids resulted in the seizure of movable assets worth approximately Rs 2.11 crore, including around Rs 61 lakh in cash and a 1-kg gold bar.
The agency also seized incriminating documents and digital devices and froze bank balances amounting to approximately Rs 37 crore.
With the latest action, the ED said it has so far frozen or seized assets worth approximately Rs 150 crore in the case.
The investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Cyber Police Station in Mumbai against Parimatch.com for duping users through its online betting platform.
According to the ED, betting proceeds were initially routed through multiple mule accounts, including accounts onboarded as merchant accounts, before being layered through apparently legitimate financial and commercial channels.
The investigation also found that Cash Management System (CMS) and Domestic Money Transfer (DMT) agents were used to layer the proceeds.
According to the ED, funds deposited into merchant and mule accounts were transferred to CMS- and DMT-linked accounts. Through this mechanism, banking funds replaced the legitimate cash-collection cycle, while equivalent physical cash was made available to individuals associated with the betting network.
The cash was then allegedly converted into USDT through hawala and crypto operators before being transferred to crypto wallets controlled by the offshore Parimatch network.
The ED also uncovered a parallel route involving Indian tour and travel operators.
According to the ED, funds originating from the Parimatch network were routed through payment intermediaries into the bank accounts of Indian tour and travel operators without any corresponding provision of services.
The bank credits were allegedly used to settle amounts purportedly payable to the travel operators by their overseas clients. At the same time, corresponding amounts were collected in physical cash from those clients outside India by Parimatch handlers.
The ED said transactions amounting to at least Rs 200 crore were routed through two such tour and travel operators.
The Allahabad High Court ruled that sensitive CCTV footage cannot be handed over directly under the RTI Act. It said applicants can seek preservation and production of the recording only through a competent court or forum.
The Allahabad High Court ruled that sensitive CCTV footage cannot be handed over directly under the RTI Act.
The Allahabad High Court has held that CCTV footage sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be directly disclosed to an applicant if it contains sensitive information and falls within the exemptions under the law. The court said such footage may be protected from disclosure under Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act.
At the same time, the Lucknow bench clarified that a person can seek preservation of such footage by filing a complaint before an appropriate court or competent commission. The concerned forum can then order the CCTV recording to be preserved and summon it for examination, if required.
The order was passed by a bench of Justices Shekhar B Saraf and Abhdesh Kumar Chaudhary while disposing of a writ petition filed by Shobhit Kashyap.
Kashyap had filed an RTI application on March 20, 2025, seeking various information, including complete CCTV footage. He also sought the imposition of the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 on the official concerned for allegedly failing to provide the information, besides compensation for the harassment he claimed to have suffered.
During the hearing, the State Information Commission told the court that the CCTV footage contained sensitive information and could not be disclosed directly to Kashyap under Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act.
However, it said the footage could be made available if a court or competent commission directed its production.
Kashyap had relied on a Supreme Court judgment to contend that preservation of CCTV footage was a citizen’s right.
The court noted that courts and competent commissions have the power to direct preservation of CCTV footage and call for its production. However, it observed that Kashyap had not filed any complaint before a court or commission and had sought the footage only through the RTI route.
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange refused to end his hunger strike after talks with the Maharashtra government failed. He set a September 11 deadline, asked eligible Marathas to seek Kunbi certificates, and warned of a Mumbai protest.
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange refused to end his hunger strike after talks with govt fail.
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday refused to call off his indefinite hunger strike, saying he would continue the protest until the community’s demands were accepted.
He also issued an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government, saying he would take the agitation to Mumbai on September 12 if the demands were not implemented by September 11.
The announcement came after talks between Jarange and a Maharashtra government delegation failed to produce a breakthrough. Jarange urged members of the Maratha community to start applying for Kunbi caste certificates from September 4, claiming that nearly 58 lakh Kunbi records had been identified.
He also asked eligible families to begin the process of obtaining both Kunbi certificates and validity certificates, saying applications could be based on family, blood and clan links with people whose Kunbi records had been traced, including records found in the Hyderabad Gazette.
Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past week at Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra’s Jalna district, demanding reservation for Marathas.
A government delegation comprising Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Uday Samant, MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Makarand Patil met him on Thursday.
Vikhe Patil appealed to Jarange to end or postpone his fast, citing his worsening health, and said the government was committed to resolving the issues raised by the Maratha community.
According to Vikhe Patil, the government has traced nearly 58 lakh Kunbi records and will expedite the issuance of Kunbi certificates.
He said nodal officers would be appointed to monitor the process and assist applicants facing difficulties.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, is included in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category and is eligible for reservation in government jobs and education.
Jarange has been demanding Kunbi certificates for eligible Marathas to enable them to claim reservation under the OBC quota.
Jarange, however, rejected the government’s appeal to end his fast. He said those eligible to apply for Kunbi certificates should begin the process immediately and approach the concerned district collector if they faced any difficulties.
“I will not withdraw my hunger strike until all the demands of the Maratha community are accepted. If Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde genuinely wants to support the Maratha community, he should take a sincere and concrete stand and extend his support,” Jarange said.
“I will drink and take IV fluids, but I will not break my fast,” he added.
Passengers and crew were safely deboarded using manual aircraft stairs.
The upright metal pole went sideways as an IndiGo plane ran into it during parking at the Srinagar airport, showed pictures from the accident site.
The flight, operating from Navi Mumbai to Srinagar, got into the accident while being positioned at Bay No. 6 at the airport at 9 am.
“IndiGo flight 6E 225, operating from Navi Mumbai to Srinagar on 4 September came in contact with a parking stand pole during parking, after safely landing at Srinagar International Airport,” the airline said in a statement.
All passengers and crew members are safe, and no injuries have been reported. Passengers and crew were safely deboarded using manual aircraft stairs.
“All customers and crew are safe and have deplaned the aircraft. In line with established protocols, the relevant authorities were immediately informed, and together we are investigating the matter. The aircraft has been grounded for necessary maintenance and will resume operations after securing required clearances,” the airline said.
From Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement to women’s liberation, India remained a defining influence in Steinem’s journey
American journalist and feminist trailblazer Gloria Steinem has died at age 92 | Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Gloria Steinem, the iconic writer, organiser and leading light of second-wave feminism whose relentless campaigning redefined women’s rights globally, passed away on September 2, 2026, at her home in New York City. She was 92.
While she spent decades at the absolute centre of American political life—co-founding the groundbreaking Ms. magazine, championing the Equal Rights Amendment and challenging systemic sexism, Steinem consistently traced the roots of her activist philosophy to an unexpected place thousands of miles away in post-Independent India.
Throwback to 1975, when Gloria Steinem spoke at a UN Headquarters rally for women’s rights.
During a visit 40 years later she called for more action to end violence against women & girls:
Long before she became a household name, a 22-year-old Steinem arrived in Delhi in 1956 on a Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship. Fresh out of Smith College and seeking an alternative to the quiet domesticity expected of young American women in the 1950s, her two-year stay in India (1956–58) laid both the tactical and philosophical foundations for what would become a legendary career in social reform.
Delhi years and village organising
During her initial months in Delhi, Steinem lived among local students at Miranda House, Delhi University, quickly immersing herself in Indian life. To fund her stay, she wrote for local newspapers, authored travel pieces, and even posed in print advertisements for Delhi Cloth Mills wearing a sari — a style she embraced while traversing the subcontinent.
Yet it was outside the urban capital where her political awakening took definitive shape. Steinem travelled extensively across southern India, including Tamil Nadu, joining grassroots workers involved in Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement.
Walking on foot from village to village alongside Mahatma Gandhi’s spiritual successor and his followers, she observed how activists mediated entrenched caste conflicts, negotiated land redistribution from wealthy landowners to landless peasants and addressed localised violence through non-violent assembly and persistent dialogue.
In a 2007 interview with Meenakshi Mukherjee and Ira Pande for the India International Centre Quarterly, Steinem said, “Going from village to village with Vinoba Bhave’s followers and learning about Gandhian activism probably helped me to become what I am today… If you want people to listen to you, you have to listen to them. I learned that in India.”
Blueprint for American consciousness-raising
The non-violent, community-driven mechanics Steinem witnessed in Indian villages directly shaped the structural tactics of the American women’s liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Some people put their ideas out in the world and hope they catch on. Not Gloria Steinem.
Through her writing, her speeches, and her organizing, she demanded that the world pay attention to all the ways that women had been — and in some cases, still are — treated unfairly. And… pic.twitter.com/qDdZa7yfPq
Most notably, the traditional village “talking circles”—where residents gathered under trees to share deeply personal accounts of hardship, caste discrimination and domestic strain in order to formulate collective solutions—served as the direct template for the “consciousness-raising” groups that became the hallmark of second-wave feminism in North America.
Steinem recognised that personal suffering, when shared in a trusted group setting, could be transformed into systemic political power.
During this period, she also engaged with radical Indian intellectuals, including Ellen Roy and members of MN Roy’s Radical Humanist movement, expanding her world view beyond Western liberal paradigms. She frequently cited freedom fighter and handicraft pioneer Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay as one of her primary lifelong mentors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed ISRO’s successful GSLV-F17 launch carrying EOS-05, calling it a proud moment for India. The 2,367-kg satellite was precisely placed in orbit, marking a major space milestone and strengthening India’s Earth-imaging capabilities and ISRO-industry collaboration.
‘Yet Another Outstanding Achievement’: PM Narendra Modi Hails ISRO’s GSLV-F17 Launch Of EOS-05, Calls It A Reflection Of India’s Growing Space Capabilities |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the successful launch of ISRO’s GSLV-F17 carrying the Advanced Earth Observation Satellite-05 (EOS-05), calling it an “outstanding achievement” and a proud moment for the nation.
The GSLV-F17 vehicle successfully and precisely injected EOS-05, also known as the geo-imaging star satellite, into its intended orbit, marking another milestone for India’s space programme, ISRO chief V Narayanan announced on Thursday.
In a post on X, PM Modi said the mission reflected the “excellence, innovation and growing capabilities” of India’s space sector.
Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation.
The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define… https://t.co/fXzwnSmwAF
“Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation. The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define India’s space sector,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the growing collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the country’s private industry, saying the partnership was strengthening and scaling up India’s space programme.
“The growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry is adding new strength and scale to our space programme and expanding India’s capabilities across the entire space ecosystem,” he added.
Speaking after the successful launch of GSLV-F17, the ISRO chief said the successful mission was a significant achievement for India’s space programme and that the satellite’s health was perfectly alright after its injection into orbit.
“I am very happy to announce that the GSLV-F17 vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the Advanced Earth Observation Satellite 05, the geo-imaging satellite, in the intended and required orbit,” he said.
He added that once EOS-05 is operationalised in orbit, it will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite from the geo orbit and provide important strategic data for the country.
CJP Co-convener Saurav Das, in a post on X, has announced that he, along with other members of the outfit will reach Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi, to demand justice for Nishu.
Saurav Das: Will reach Parliament Street Police Station and Demand Justice
CJP Co-convener Saurav Das, in a post on X, has announced that he, along with other members of the outfit will reach Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi, to demand justice for Nishu- a student protester who participated in the Jantar Mantar stir- and her father Sanjay, who was assaulted.
Das wrote on X, “from Day 1, we have not let any student or protester fight this battle alone.” He took aim at Swatantra Bhardwaj, a man whose video has gone viral. In the video, Bhardwaj is seen admitting to the assault of Sanjay and claiming that he has the backing of Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra and Union Minister Chirag Paswan. Das wrote, “Nishu’s father Sanjay ji’s case is harrowing. Gang members like Swatantra Bhardwaj are openly flaunting that they attempted murder”
From Day 1, we have not let any student or protester fight this battle alone.
Nishu’s father Sanjay ji’s case is harrowing. Gang members like Swatantra Bhardwaj are openly flaunting that they attempted murder on Sanjay ji who was simply peacefully protesting…
Referring to Bhardwaj’s brazen claims, Das wrote, “there is clear admission on the record now. We will not allow Delhi Police to protect criminal gangs in our national capital!” This statement comes after a swell of online backlash following Bhardwaj’s claims. Several political leaders, across opposition parties have condemned the incident, and called for strict action against Bhardwaj.
After the viral social media video showed Bhardwaj claiming he assaulted the father of a protester at Jantar Mantar during the CJP stir, the victim’s daughter released a video on X, appealing for support from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Responding to the appeal, Gandhi has offered his support to the student protester Nishu Aazad.
मुझे अब नेता विपक्ष @RahulGandhi से उम्मीद है वो हमें न्याय जरूर दिलाएंगे।
Bhardwaj admitted to the assault of Sanjay, who is the father of a student- now identified as Nishu- which led to swell of online outrage and political backlash. Nishu then released a video on X, alleging that she and family filed an FIR against the Bhardwaj- who is now seen admitting to the crime- but the police have taken no action in 1.5 months. She alleged that the cops were “fooling her family,” and appealed to Rahul Gandhi, in search of speedy justice.
निशु, घबराने की ज़रूरत नहीं है। मैं तुम्हारे साथ हूँ।
साफ है कि तुम्हें इसलिए निशाना बनाया गया क्योंकि तुम अपने समुदाय और छात्रों के हक़ की आवाज़ उठाती हो।
अमित शाह की दिल्ली पुलिस एक तरफ़ छात्रों के साथ अमानवीय बर्बरता करती है। दूसरी तरफ़ एक दलित लड़की के पिता का सिर फोड़ने… https://t.co/m1mgH655hw
An alumnus of IIT Varanasi, Anil Chakravarthy serves as president of Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration business and oversees worldwide field operations.
Anil Chakravarthy will take charge as CEO on December 1, Adobe says on Thursday.
Adobe has appointed Indian-origin Anil Chakravarthy as its new president and chief executive officer, replacing Shantanu Narayen, who has headed the software giant for over 18 years. Chakravarthy will take charge as CEO on December 1, Adobe said on Thursday. Narayen will move into the role of executive chair after stepping down as CEO.
Currently, Chakravarthy serves as president of Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration business and oversees worldwide field operations. He joined Adobe in January 2020 as executive vice president and general manager of its Digital Experience business.
In September 2020, Chakravarthy took on the additional responsibility of leading Adobe’s worldwide field operations, working with enterprise customers across the company’s portfolio, including its creativity and productivity products. He was elevated to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations in December 2021.
“I could not be more confident that Anil is the right person to lead Adobe’s growth in an AI-driven era, and I look forward to working closely with him in my new role as executive chair,” Narayen said.
Who Is Anil Chakravarthy?
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, Chakravarthy holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He also earned a Master of Science and Ph.D from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before joining Adobe, Chakravarthy spent four years as CEO of Informatica, a company specialising in enterprise cloud data management. He joined Informatica in 2013 as executive vice president.
His earlier career included senior roles at technology companies including Symantec and VeriSign, as well as consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
Chakravarthy’s appointment comes as Adobe focuses heavily on artificial intelligence and the integration of AI capabilities across its creative, productivity and customer experience products.
Following the leadership change, David Wadhwani, president of Adobe’s Creativity and Productivity Business and one of the contenders for the CEO position, announced his departure after five years with the company.
Mohan Bhagwat’s UK visit follows stops in the US and Canada as part of the RSS’s global outreach programme marking its centenary.
Conservative British MP Bob Blackman said he was pleased to hear RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s views on the organisation’s future. (X/PTI)
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in London on Thursday for the final leg of his three-nation tour. His UK visit follows stops in the US and Canada as part of the RSS’s global outreach programme marking its centenary. Bhagwat is expected to address a gathering of the Indian diaspora in Britain over the weekend.
Conservative British MP Bob Blackman said he was pleased to hear the RSS chief’s views on the organisation’s future. “Pleased to listen to the thoughts & ideas for the future of @RSSorg by RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat this evening,” Blackman said in a post on X.
This comes after Bhagwat faced backlash in the United States ahead of his August 29 event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had asked the US government to consider sanctions against RSS members and deny high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies to Bhagwat during his US visit.
Pleased to listen to the thoughts & ideas for the future of @RSSorg by RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat this evening.
Over 100 British Hindu and community organisations welcomed Bhagwat’s arrival. Several groups issued a joint statement in support of his visit.
Hindu Council UK, Hindu Forum of Britain, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK and INSIGHT UK were among the organisations that signed the statement.
“RSS is the largest voluntary organisation in the world, dedicated towards character building, volunteering, leadership, social cohesion and promoting global fraternity,” they said, as per PTI. “RSS is known for its extensive social work, promoting equality, education in remote and inaccessible areas and to be the ‘first to respond’ organisation in situations of natural disaster.”
“We welcome the efforts taken by RSS under the leadership of Dr Bhagwat in promoting five transformations as part of the RSS centenary commemoration, which are relevant to all our communities: social harmony and cohesion; importance of family as a unit within society; self-less service; environmental stewardship; and diligent performance of civic duties,” they added.
RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat has been warmly welcomed by over 100 Hindu and Indian organisations across Britain.
His visit, part of RSS’s centenary global outreach, aims to share a positive perspective on India and Hindu society and promote the message of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”… pic.twitter.com/aU08WFzjnH
US lawmakers Rashida Tlaib and Jim McGovern earlier criticised Bhagwat’s visit to New York and objected to the platform given to him. They alleged that the RSS promoted discrimination and violence against religious minorities in India.
Tlaib said Bhagwat and his “Hindu nationalist ideology” were “not welcome” in American communities, while McGovern said the RSS chief should face “accountability” rather than be given a platform.
UK minister responds to questions over Bhagwat’s visit
Bhagwat’s arrival has also led questions in the UK Parliament. Some civil society organisations reportedly called on the British government to oppose the visit.
Last week, British Indian minister Nadia Whittome asked the UK Home Office whether it fully assessed Bhagwat’s visit under the government’s “commitment to block hate preachers and extremists from entering the UK”, PTI reported.
UK security minister Dan Jarvis responded to the written parliamentary query on Thursday and said the home office could not comment on individual cases but remained committed to addressing security concerns.
He said the government was focused on the “full range of threats” and on “tackling anyone who spreads views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities”.
“All individuals seeking entry to the UK must meet the requirements of the immigration rules,” he said.
The response came after a section of civil society organisations, led by the South Asia Solidarity Group and Hindus for Human Rights UK, appealed to the British government to boycott Bhagwat’s visit.
Bhagwat’s New York visit controversy
The RSS chief’s UK visit follows his appearance in New York last month, where he addressed around 5,000 members of Indian American organisations at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden.
The event, titled “Universal Oneness Celebration”, was organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) as part of the RSS centenary-year outreach programme.
Bhagwat’s visit drew attention after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticised the RSS and described the rise of the movement as “incredibly troubling”, citing its “exclusionary vision”.
EOS-05 would enable continuous monitoring of India and nearby regions, ISRO chairman V Narayanan has said.
ISRO chief V Narayanan described the mission as a “historical achievement” and explained why EOS-05 represented a major step forward for India’s space programme. (ISRO/PTI)
India’s space programme has scored a major win with the launch of ISRO’s GSLV-F17 carrying the EOS-05 satellite. Called the ‘Naughty Boy,’ this Friday lift-off packed a whole lot of firsts.
EOS-05 is the heaviest ever launched by a GSLV and will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite to operate from geosynchronous orbit once it reaches its operational orbit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the launch “yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation”. The PM said it reflected the “excellence, innovation and growing capabilities” of India’s space sector.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan described it as a “historical achievement”.
Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation.
The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define… https://t.co/fXzwnSmwAF
1. India is putting an Earth-imaging satellite in a much higher orbit
Most Earth observation satellites operate from low Earth orbit (LEO), typically hundreds of kilometres above the planet. EOS-05 is different.
The satellite was injected into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit after Friday’s launch and will use its own propulsion system to reach its required operational orbit at roughly 36,000 km above the Earth.
At that altitude, a satellite’s orbital period matches the Earth’s rotation. This allows it to remain over the same broad region and repeatedly observe it.
That gives EOS-05 an important advantage: it can provide frequent observations of large areas rather than having to pass over a location only at intervals, as is the case with many lower-orbiting Earth observation satellites.
The mission is designed to provide real-time or near real-time imaging of large-area regions at frequent intervals, helping with applications such as agriculture, disaster management and the monitoring of cyclones, cloudbursts and thunderstorms.
Another giant leap for India in Space!
Kudos to Team @isro on the successful launch of GSLV-F17/EOS-05.
EOS-05 is a state-of-the-art Earth Observation satellite and India’s first imaging satellite from Geosynchronous Orbit, enabling advanced imaging across visible, infrared,… pic.twitter.com/1HHJrWM7ze
2. It is the heaviest satellite ever launched by a GSLV
At 2,367 kg, EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite ever launched by a GSLV vehicle, according to Narayanan.
That makes Friday’s mission an important demonstration of the launch vehicle’s growing capability.
The GSLV-F17 is a 51.7-metre-tall, three-stage rocket with a lift-off mass of about 420.5 tonnes. Its third stage uses a cryogenic engine, and the vehicle has a said payload capability of around 2,250 kg for the relevant orbit class.
Yet Narayanan said the vehicle exceeded its predicted performance during Friday’s mission.
The predicted injection altitude was around 29,934 km, while the mission achieved approximately 31,000 km.
The satellite will now use its own propulsion system to raise its orbit to the required operational altitude.
Narayanan said EOS-05 has an assured lifetime of seven years, while expressing confidence that it could function for more than nine years.
“We will take it to the required orbit using the propulsion system of the satellite, and the assured lifetime of the satellite is seven years. I am confident it will work for more than nine years,” he said.
#WATCH | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh: On the successful launch of GSLV-F17/EOS-05 mission, ISRO Chief V Narayanan says, “We have got a historical achievement for the country. The GSLV-F17 vehicle has successfully placed the advanced Earth observation satellite 05 in the required… pic.twitter.com/zJE4QGoPgv
3. Its imaging capabilities could be crucial for agriculture and disasters
EOS-05 has been described as a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite capable of imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.
That is significant because different wavelengths can reveal different characteristics of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere.
The satellite is expected to provide imagery that can be used for agriculture, forestry and monitoring water bodies, apart from disaster management.
Its ability to repeatedly observe large areas from geosynchronous orbit could be particularly useful during rapidly developing events.
ISRO has said the mission will support disaster warning, cyclone monitoring and the monitoring of cloudbursts and thunderstorms.
The satellite has been called the “eye in the sky” by a senior scientist involved in the mission. But Narayanan has made it clear that EOS-05 should not be viewed as a “spy satellite”.
He said the Earth observation satellite would be capable of continuously scanning India, underlining its role in providing high-frequency Earth observation data.
4. It is a major recovery for GSLV after the 2021 failure
The mission’s significance also lies in what came before it.
EOS-05 is a follow-up to the unsuccessful GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission of August 12, 2021. That mission failed after the cryogenic upper stage did not ignite as planned after liftoff from Sriharikota.
An analysis of post-flight data indicated that an anomaly in the cryogenic upper stage led to the failure.
The successful GSLV-F17 mission therefore represents more than the deployment of another satellite. It demonstrates the progress made by ISRO in improving the performance and reliability of the GSLV and its cryogenic propulsion system.
Narayanan recalled that the first GSLV launch carried a payload of 1,536 kg. Since then, ISRO has gradually improved the vehicle’s performance by optimising its structural mass and improving its propulsion systems.
“Today, we have injected the heaviest satellite, a 2,367-kg satellite, using this launch vehicle,” he said.
The achievement is particularly important after another setback earlier this year. On January 12, the PSLV-C62 mission, carrying 16 satellites, failed to place them in their intended orbits after an anomaly in the vehicle’s third stage.
Friday’s success thus provides a morale boost for the space agency as it enters a busy period of launches.
5. It strengthens India’s ability to generate its own strategic Earth data
Perhaps the biggest significance of EOS-05 lies in its potential use as a source of high-frequency Earth observation data for national applications.
Once operationalised, Narayanan said, it will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit and provide “strategic data” for the country.
That data can have applications ranging from agriculture and water-resource management to disaster response and weather-related monitoring.
The ability to observe India repeatedly from a fixed orbital position also gives the country a capability that complements its existing constellation of Earth observation satellites in lower orbits.
“This is a great achievement for our country’s space programme because this is the first Earth observation satellite that is going to be placed on the geo platform for national activities,” Narayanan said.
VIDEO | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh: Earth observation satellite continuously scan India for safety, security of citizens, it’s not a ‘spy satellite’, says ISRO chief V Narayanan.#ISRO
Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Indore has been postponed to September 19 after permission for Nehru Stadium was denied. The shift underscores the Congress campaign’s focus on student issues even as it clashes with the BJP government over venue access.
Rahul Gandhi’s Indore event pushed to September 19 after stadium snub. (Photo: PTI)
The Congress on Wednesday said Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore has been postponed from September 12 to September 19 after the Madhya Pradesh government denied permission to use the city’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for the programme.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari announced the change at a meeting to review preparations for the event. He said the party will now look for a new venue and make arrangements accordingly.
Patwari said the government denied permission to hold ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ at Nehru Stadium, which comes under the Indore Municipal Corporation. Earlier, he had written to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, asking him to make the stadium available for the September 12 event.
In his letter, Patwari said Rahul Gandhi’s programme was “not a typical political event, but a public dialogue focused on important issues such as the country’s future, the dreams of youth, the right to education, and the security of the education system”.
Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said the Madhya Pradesh High Court had clearly stated that only sports activities or state-level government programmes could be allowed at the stadium. City Congress president Chintu Choukse had warned of a protest if permission for Gandhi’s programme at Nehru Stadium was not granted.
Raghav Chadha’s name was deleted from Punjab electoral roll and marked ‘permanently shifted’. The Rajya Sabha MP called it a political revenge by the AAP for joining BJP.
Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, quit the AAP and joined the BJP in April. (Photo: PTI)
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha’s name has been deleted from the Punjab draft electoral rolls prepared under the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with his entry marked as ‘permanently shifted’. Chadha, who was elected as an AAP Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab in 2022 and joined the BJP recently, has alleged that the deletion was an act of “political vendetta” as the AAP is “burning with anger”.
Chadha’s name appears in the ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate) list published on August 13 and the reason recorded against his entry was ‘permanently shifted’. He is among 20.66 lakh voters, or around 9.7 per cent of Punjab’s pre-SIR electorate, whose names have been deleted from the draft rolls.
Reacting to the development, Chadha said his voter ID is registered in Mohali and questioned why he had been classified as ‘shifted’. The MP added the electoral rolls were only in the draft stage and that he was already availing himself of the remedies provided under the SIR guidelines.
“This does not seem like a mere clerical mistake. This is a clear case of political vendetta,” Chadha said in a detailed social media post, alleging that the AAP government was using the state’s administrative machinery against those who had left the party. “Ever since I left the corrupt Aam Aadmi Party, its leadership has been burning with anger,” he said.
The AAP government in Punjab has now taken its politics of revenge to the Draft Electoral Rolls.
I am a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, with my voter ID registered in Mohali, Punjab. Yet my name has been classified as “shifted” in the draft electoral rolls.
The 37-year-old MP quit AAP and joined the BJP in April, along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs. Explaining his decision, Chadha said AAP had “completely deviated from its principles, values and morals” while the AAP, in turn, accused him of being “opportunistic” and questioning his absence from key political battles and protests.
“Ever since I left the corrupt Aam Aadmi Party, its leadership has been burning with anger. It has unleashed the Punjab Police and the Punjab Government’s administrative machinery against those of us who refused to remain silent. Other MPs who left AAP and joined the BJP have also been targeted by Punjab Govt. This wrongful classification is only the latest act in that political vendetta,” the MP said.
Chadha further pointed out that a provision in the SIR guidelines creating a “protected list” for public representatives, including MPs and MLAs, had been “wilfully violated” in his case. He maintained that Punjab’s draft electoral rolls were “not the private property” of the ruling AAP.
A Hindu temple in Pakistan Punjab’s Narowal, estimated to be over a century-old, was reportedly demolished on August 21.
A 100 year old Hindu temple (in picture) was demolished reportedly to include its land in a seminary, in Punjab, Pakistan. (PTI)
India on Wednesday condemned the reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab and called on the government in Islamabad to conduct an investigation into the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
This was the latest in a string of similar incidents involving the shrines of Pakistan’s minority communities that have been taken up by the Indian side.
“We have noted with deep concern the disturbing reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in village Siraj, Narowal, Pakistan. We unequivocally condemn this reprehensible act of vandalism against a century old minority place of worship,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
The apparent apathy of Pakistani authorities and the failure to protect the temple is alarming, Jaiswal said. “Such incidents are a stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and the egregious violations of their religious freedoms and places of worship in Pakistan,” he said.
The Indian side called on the government of Pakistan to “conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into this incident and ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable”.
The Pakistan government must also take “immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple and fulfill its primary obligation to guarantee the safety, security and well-being of all its minority citizens and their cultural heritage”, Jaiswal said.
What the MEA said
Official Spokesperson’s response to media queries regarding reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek. (@narendramodi/X, Bloomberg)
US state secretary Marco Rubio does not believe India and Iran are currently negotiating a trade deal. He made the assertion when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
On The Brian Kilmeade Show, Rubio was asked about Modi’s meeting with Pezeshkian and whether India and Iran were working towards a trade arrangement.
“Well, I don’t think there’s a trade deal between India and Iran.” Rubio said countries formulate their own foreign policies and noted that several nations maintain contact with the Iranian government.
“Obviously, there are – countries all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime,” Rubio said.
‘Have to sanction them too’
Rubio, though, repeated that countries should not help Iran bypass US sanctions or create channels that could generate revenue for Tehran.
“I think what ultimately happens, though, is – and the President [Donald Trump] has been very clear – is no country should be helping Iran evade sanctions,” Rubio said.
“No country should be out there helping them create mechanisms by which they can generate revenue that they will then use to sponsor terrorism and try to build a nuclear weapon,” he added.
He said that countries facilitating such mechanisms could themselves come under US sanctions. “And if countries decide to do that, then we’re going to have to sanction them too,” the US secretary of state said.
What Modi and Pezeshkian discussed
Modi, meanwhile, said India was committed to strengthening its long-standing ties with Iran and expanding bilateral trade.
“Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long-standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors. We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come,” PM Modi said on X following the meeting.
Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors. We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come.
The Prime Minister said the two leaders also discussed the situation in the region and India’s support for efforts aimed at securing lasting peace.
The ministry of external affairs said the meeting was “fruitful” and said the leaders reviewed bilateral relations and recent developments in West Asia.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi repeated India’s consistent position that regional issues should be addressed through “dialogue and diplomacy”.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann alleged that the BJP and Akali Dal could reunite if the SAD accepts the condition of passing three farm laws. He criticised their politics, drug menace and past governance while highlighting AAP’s welfare schemes, free electricity, jobs, healthcare, education and infrastructure work.
‘BJP Will Ally With Akali Dal If SAD Accepts Condition Of Passing Three Farm Laws’: Bhagwant Mann Warns Punjab Voters Ahead Of 2027 Polls | Video | X – ANI| File image
BJP will come in alliance with Akali Dal if the latter accepts the condition of passing three farm laws, claimed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The Chief Minister also asserted that the BJP is using communal divisions to secure votes and said its victory in Panjab University polls, which he claimed came with Akali Dal support, exposed the nexus between the two parties.
BJP ने सुखबीर बादल के सामने Alliance करने के लिए “तीन काले कृषि कानून” पास करवाने की शर्त रखी है।
बादल परिवार कुर्सी के लिए तो पंजाब बेचने तक को तैयार है।
Contrasting this politics with his government’s performance, he said Punjab was racing ahead on the development track with rapid work in schools, hospitals, electricity, water and roads.
Addressing the gathering during Lok Milni, Mann said that the Akalis had always adopted an anti-Punjab stance by joining hands with forces inimical to the interests of the state.
“Akalis are ready to join hands with the saffron party for the sake of power, despite the fact that the BJP-led government was responsible for the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers during the agitation against the draconian farm laws. This shows that the Akali leadership has no ideology left and is ready to compromise the interests of Punjab for power,” he said.
The Chief Minister warned the people that if voted to power, the SAD-BJP alliance could once again impose draconian farm laws on farmers. He said that the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal was “on its knees” to enter into an alliance with the BJP ahead of the state Assembly polls.
“Akali-BJP alliance has no ideology and no agenda for public welfare. Its sole objective is to grab power in Punjab. The people of Punjab will not be misled by the political tantrums of these parties and will teach them a befitting lesson in the coming days,” he said.
He said, “Punjabis will send the Akalis and BJP into political oblivion because of their sins against Punjab and its people. The massive presence of people at this Lok Milni is a clear indication that Punjabis are ready to write a new story in 2027.”
Highlighting the work undertaken by his government since assuming office in 2022, Mann said that the government had focused on holistic development and introduced reforms across power, sports, education, healthcare and other key sectors.
“Today, after four-and-a-half years, I am standing before the people after fulfilling every single promise made to them and delivering all the guarantees. During the previous regimes, people lived in an atmosphere of fear and trauma, while drugs destroyed generations of Punjab’s youth,” he said.
Taking a strong dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister said that the people of Punjab would never forgive the Congress, Akalis and BJP for what he termed their anti-Punjab policies and would consign them to political oblivion in the 2027 Vidhan Sabha polls.
He said that these traditional political parties had always protected each other’s interests while in power and used to play “musical chairs”, waiting for their turn to govern. He alleged that their mutual understanding had ensured that their misdeeds remained hidden. “Now the people have elected AAP and the broom is cleansing the political system of Punjab. The day is not far when those responsible for their sins will have to face the consequences of their actions,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Referring to the drug menace, he said that traditional political parties had inflicted irreparable damage on Punjab’s youth and that people knew who had allowed the drug trade to flourish. “Those who promoted and patronised the drug trade cannot be allowed to return to power. If these parties come back, they will once again misuse authority to exploit Punjab and its people,” he said.
Lashing out at Akali leader Sukhbir Badal, the CM stated that he is disconnected from the ground realities of Punjab because he had spent his life in a secure environment surrounded by luxury and opulence.
“Sukhbir Singh Badal is a convent-educated political leader who does not know the basic topography of Punjab but wants to rule the state. Leaving everything else aside, he cannot even differentiate between the basic crops of Punjab because he has little understanding of the basic issues faced by the people,” he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the Akalis had conducted a “genocide of generations” of Punjab by promoting and patronising the drug trade.
He further added that official vehicles had been used for selling or distributing drugs and that religion had been exploited for political interests.
“Using religion for vested political interests is an unpardonable sin. The Akali leaders mercilessly plundered the wealth of Punjab during their tenure and are now dreaming of an alliance with Delhi to loot the state again. Their interests have always been about themselves, whereas AAP is committed only to Punjab and its people,” he said.
Taking a jibe at the infighting within the Congress, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that while Congress leaders were fighting among themselves for political power, the state government was working tirelessly for the welfare of the people.
“They are squabbling among themselves for power, while we are working tirelessly to make Rangla Punjab. Our fight is for quality education, good healthcare and welfare schemes for the people. Congress leaders do not even see eye to eye with each other because their only concern is power,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that Congress had no vision for Punjab and alleged that its only objective was to assume power and plunder the wealth of the state. He said that the Congress was a divided house that would collapse because of its internal fighting.
“It is a pity that senior Congress leaders who come to Punjab claiming to unite the party’s leaders are not even aware of how to pronounce their names. Their dreams of returning to power will never be fulfilled,” he said.
Mann said that the Congress and Akali Dal had acted as termites that ruined Punjab after Independence and caused the state to lag behind on the path of progress.
“These leaders never speak against each other, but they spit venom against me every day because I have exposed them before the people. Punjabis know the anti-people stance of these parties. They have never been loyal to Punjab and its people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Highlighting his government’s welfare-oriented governance, the Chief Minister said that every single penny of the state exchequer is being optimally utilised for the welfare of the people.
He said that more than 90% of households in Punjab were receiving free electricity, while farmers were getting power during the daytime.
“The tax money of the people belongs to the people. We are spending it judiciously on their welfare. People’s money is returning to the people through development, schools, hospitals and roads,” he said.
He added that the state government had provided free electricity to households, government jobs to more than 70,000 youth without corruption, improved roads, closed toll plazas resulting in savings of Rs 70 lakh per day, strengthened education and healthcare infrastructure and undertaken several other key initiatives.
He said that the government was working tirelessly for the development of villages and providing grants for this purpose. “3,100 sports stadiums were being constructed across the state to provide better sporting facilities and help wean youth away from drugs,” he added.
Talking about healthcare, CM Mann said that the state government had launched the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, under which every resident family of Punjab was entitled to cashless medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh.
“The Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country and has significantly reduced the financial burden on people while ensuring access to quality healthcare. Punjab is the first Indian state to offer such comprehensive healthcare coverage, and families have already availed free treatment under the scheme,” he said.
The Chief Minister further said that under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, women beneficiaries above 18 years of age had been receiving financial assistance from July 1.
“Every woman from Punjab is receiving ₹1,000, while SC women are receiving ₹1,500. The funds were being transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, and women already receiving social security pensions were also eligible. He said that around 97% of women in Punjab were expected to benefit from the scheme and that the state government had allocated ₹9,300 crore in the budget,” he added.
“This is a gift to the women of Punjab under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna and is one of the biggest social revolutions being witnessed across the globe. There is hardly any parallel to such a welfare scheme, through which women are being empowered with direct financial assistance,” said Mann.
The Chief Minister said that 70.92 lakh women beneficiaries had so far received the benefit under the scheme, while 5.20 lakh beneficiaries who had registered recently were receiving ₹181.50 crore.
Emphasising the importance of education, the Chief Minister said that his government had prioritised the education sector and taken several path-breaking initiatives to transform the lives of people. “No freebie or concession card can eliminate poverty or social maladies. Education is the key that can pull people out of this vicious cycle and raise their standard of living. This is why our government is making relentless efforts to improve the quality of education and empower the common man,” he said.
Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot. Varthaman, who downed a Pakistani fighter jet during the 2019 aerial combat and was held captive for three days, joined the airline in August. FLY91 currently operates six ATR 72-600 aircraft from Goa and Hyderabad.
From Downing A Pakistani Jet To Flying Passengers: Former Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman Joins FLY91 | File Pic
Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot, according to sources.
Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during an aerial combat with Pakistan in 2019 and was held captive for three days in that country, was honoured with the Vir Chakra award in 2021.
The sources told PTI that Varthaman joined the airline as a pilot in August.
When contacted, a FLY91 spokesperson said personal information about employees is a private matter and did not comment.
NEET PG 2026 re-exam for 2,445 candidates affected by Jaipur centre disruptions has been challenged in Supreme Court, with hearing directed before designated NEET bench.
NEET PG Re-Exam Challenged In Supreme Court
The re-examination announced for 2,445 candidates affected by technical disruptions during the NEET PG 2026 exam has been challenged before the Supreme Court. The plea was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant on Wednesday, September 2, with the petitioner arguing that the proposed re-test was contrary to an earlier order of the top court.
According to PTI, an advocate sought an urgent hearing on the matter before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
The bench, however, directed the lawyer to approach the designated bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha, which is hearing matters related to NEET.
“All NEET matters are before the designated bench led by Justice Narasimha. Go and mention it before that bench. Several developments take place in these matters,” the bench said.
NEET PG Re-Exam For 2,445 Candidates
The legal challenge comes days after the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) announced a re-examination for candidates who were unable to complete the NEET PG 2026 examination due to technical problems at two centres in Jaipur.
The NEET PG 2026 examination was conducted on August 30 across the country. According to official figures, 2,73,096 candidates were scheduled to appear at 1,111 centres spread across 339 cities and all 36 States and Union Territories.
A total of 2,65,980 candidates appeared for the examination, with 2,63,535 successfully completing the test. However, the examination could not be completed for 2,445 candidates at the iON Digital Zone Sitapura centres in Jaipur due to an internal power supply disruption.
NBEMS subsequently announced that the affected candidates would be given another opportunity to appear for the examination.
The re-examination is scheduled to be held on September 5, 2026, at 3 PM in Jaipur. The examination body said venue details and other instructions would be communicated separately to the concerned candidates.
Why Has The NEET PG Re-Exam Been Challenged?
The plea has questioned the decision to conduct a separate examination for the affected candidates, with the advocate arguing before the Supreme Court that the move violates an earlier direction of the court.
The latest hearing, however, has not resulted in any stay or cancellation of the proposed re-examination. The three-judge bench only directed the petitioner to approach the designated NEET bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha.
India’s upcoming BRICS summit in September 2026 marks a significant shift from previous chairmanships, reflecting an expanded membership and a larger agenda.
India’s Fourth Turn As BRICS chair: What’s Different This Time (AI Generated)
India has chaired BRICS three times before — in 2012, in Goa in 2016, and in 2021 — but the summit it hosts at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13 looks nothing like those earlier turns. Here is what has changed. A much bigger room. The last time India ran BRICS, in 2021, the group had five members — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and that summit was held entirely over video because of Covid. This year’s meeting is in person, and the guest list is far longer. According to the government’s official BRICS 2026 website, the bloc now has 11 full members: the original five plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, who came in from January 2024, and Indonesia from January 2025. India has also invited 10 “partner countries”, a category that did not exist in 2021, among them Belarus, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam.
BRICS at 20, and a pitch to the Global South
Twenty years on. The Ministry of External Affairs notes that 2026 marks two decades since BRICS was founded. India’s theme for the year is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” which the MEA ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Humanity First” pitch and a focus on the Global South.
Putin’s coming, Xi likely too
Big names back in the room. The Kremlin has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will travel to Delhi, his second India trip in under a year. Chinese President Xi Jinping could also attend the meet, which, if he attends, would be his first visit to India since the 2019 Mamallapuram meeting with Prime Minister Modi, held before the 2020 Galwan clashes soured relations. Reports suggest Xi may bring a delegation of around 400 officials, far larger than his 2019 contingent. Beijing, however, has not formally confirmed the trip.
A tougher backdrop
In 2021 the talk was of Covid recovery and Afghanistan. This time the summit meets in the middle of a live trade fight with the United States. In 2025, President Donald Trump hit Indian goods with tariffs of up to 50%, half of it a penalty for India’s purchases of Russian oil. Those duties were rolled back to around 18% in February 2026, after New Delhi signalled it would trim Russian crude imports. But the pressure has since returned: in August 2026 the US Senate passed a bill that could impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, India among them. The measure still needs to clear the House of Representatives and could be waived by the president. It leaves India in a delicate spot — hosting Russia and China while trying to protect ties with the United States.
Former Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra will focus on strengthening the Ram Temple Trust, addressing gaps and building public trust.
News18
Former Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, the newly appointed CEO of the Ram Temple Trust, spoke exclusively to CNN-News18 following his appointment and said he was “extremely happy and grateful” to the Trust committee for reposing faith in him and appointing him to the key position.
Speaking about his priorities, Mishra said he would focus on strengthening the functioning of the Trust and addressing gaps that emerged during the temple-related processes. He also said he would prefer to stay away from the political aspects of the controversy surrounding the alleged embezzlement in the Ram Temple project.
Mishra To Stay Away From Political Controversy
Addressing the controversy, Mishra said that, coming from a defence background, he would prefer not to get involved in its political aspects and instead concentrate on the responsibilities ahead.
His focus, he said, would be on the functioning of the Trust and on addressing the issues that require attention on the ground.
‘Minor Lapses’ To Be Addressed
Mishra acknowledged that there had been some minor lapses during the temple-related processes and said addressing those gaps would be among his priorities.
Once he formally takes charge, Mishra said he will constitute his own team and begin work on strengthening the functioning of the Trust. He also plans to work towards resolving the issues that came to light during the controversy.
The rival protests come amid an intensifying political contest, with the NC seeking action from the Centre on restoration of statehood, constitutional safeguards and the reservation issue.
AI-generated representative image.
Srinagar: The National Conference (NC) will gherao BJP offices in Srinagar and Jammu on Wednesday (September 2) over statehood and other demands, while the Civil Secretariat will protest outside the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar over the Omar Abdullah government’s performance.
The rival protests come amid an intensifying political contest, with the NC seeking action from the Centre on restoration of statehood, constitutional safeguards and the reservation issue.
On the other hand, BJP has accused the NC government of failing to address electricity tariffs, unemployment, recruitment and delays in local-body elections.
The NC said its mobilisation was aimed at pressing the Union government to act on assurances concerning Jammu and Kashmir made before Parliament and the Supreme Court.
“The mandate of the people of Jammu & Kashmir is not a blank cheque. It must be respected, not taken for granted,” the party said.
The proposed protests follow the NC’s July 20 statehood mobilisation in Delhi, where police stopped party leaders from reaching Jantar Mantar.
The party subsequently held a demonstration in the vicinity of Constitution Club, with Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah among those who participated.
Statehood remains the NC government’s principal demand from the Centre. It has also sought changes to the reservation structure and clearance of the related file.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Indian cultural artefacts, including the Mahabharata, santoor, Ladakhi textiles, Kangra tea and traditional crafts, to leaders and family members in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The gifts showcased India’s literary, musical and artisanal heritage while highlighting cultural links and shared traditions with the two Central Asian nations.
In this screengrab from a video posted on Sept 1, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for Delhi after the concluding his visit to Kyrgyzstan. (@pmoindia/Yt via PTI Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a range of Indian cultural items to the leadership of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan during his just-concluded visit to the two Central Asian countries. The gifts included an English translation of the Mahabharata, a Ladakhi Tsug-dul blanket, a sandalwood Shata Tantri Veena, two boxes of premium Kangra tea, a marble inlay casket with a Banarasi silk stole and a fine silver brooch.
The gifts reflected Indian literary, textile, musical and craft traditions and, officials said, also underlined cultural links with the two countries. They were presented to the presidents, prime ministers and family members of the leaders of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Modi gifted Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov a 10-volume English translation of the Mahabharata by economist Bibek Debroy. The translation presents the complete, unabridged Mahabharata, including its principal narrative, philosophical reflections, genealogies, dialogues and subsidiary stories.
Traditionally attributed to Ved Vyasa, the epic is a cornerstone of India’s literary, philosophical and cultural heritage, exploring themes of dharma, duty, justice, morality, loyalty and statecraft through the story of the Pandavas and Kauravas. Officials said the Mahabharata also shares a cultural resonance with Kyrgyzstan’s Epic of Manas, as both preserve stories, values and collective memory across generations.
The prime minister also gifted Japarov a Tsug-dul blanket, a traditional woollen textile from Ladakh known for its vibrant colours and geometric, floral and stylised motifs.
Traditionally woven from locally sourced wool, it reflects Ladakh’s pastoral and nomadic way of life. Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev was gifted a Dokra artwork, ‘a pair of traditional musicians’, showcasing India’s ancient lost-wax metal-casting tradition and depicting two musicians playing traditional instruments. Officials said the artwork also resonated with Kyrgyzstan’s rich folk music and performing arts traditions.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was gifted a sandalwood Shata Tantri Veena, popularly known as the Santoor. The many-stringed instrument, associated with the musical traditions of Jammu and Kashmir, bears a resemblance to Uzbekistan’s traditional Chang.
Mirziyoyev was also given two boxes of premium Kangra tea in a wooden carved case – Kangra First Flush Black Tea and Kangra Green Tea – reflecting the tea-growing heritage of the Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh. The black tea was described as light, fragrant and subtly sweet, while the green tea was described as fresh and mellow with gentle vegetal and floral notes.
The Uzbekistan president was also gifted an original handwritten scoresheet of chess Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final in Goa. The scoresheet was described as a unique memento of Sindarov’s historic triumph. Sindarov, who became a Grandmaster at 12 and was part of Uzbekistan’s 2022 Chess Olympiad-winning team, defeated China’s Wei Yi in the final to become the youngest FIDE World Cup champion and qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Modi gifted Mirziyoyev’s wife a marble inlay casket with a Banarasi silk stole, bringing together Agra’s marble inlay craft and Varanasi’s silk weaving tradition. The white marble casket featured intricate floral patterns made with coloured stones, while the stole had a rich blue ground with a paisley zari design.
Torrential rain triggered deaths, landslides, flooding and evacuations across several states on Tuesday. Fresh IMD alerts, school closures and transport disruption underscored a widening monsoon emergency.
People attempt to cross a submerged road as Badra Sounalti village was inundated after the water level of Ganga river rises following rain, in Prayagraj
Torrential rain caused widespread disruption across several parts of the country on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people in Assam and Uttarakhand, pushing rivers above danger levels in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, and flooding roads and homes. Train services were disrupted in some areas, while schools were shut in parts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Uttarakhand was the worst hit, with at least seven people killed in separate incidents linked to the rain. Assam reported four deaths in landslides in Guwahati, while Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh remained on high alert because of rising rivers and the risk of flash floods. The India Meteorological Department also issued fresh warnings for several states.
In Uttarakhand, three people were killed when the walls of a house collapsed around 3 am in Odyuda village in Almora’s Havalbagh block. An SDRF team reached from the Sariyapani post but had to walk to the site after debris blocked the road around three kilometres away. In another incident in Almora town, two Nepalese labourers were killed after the wall of an old house collapsed in the Dharkituni area, taking the rain-related death toll in Almora district to at least five.
In Dehradun, a rain-swollen current swept away a car near Kandoli Bridge on Poundha Road in Lower Kandoli late on Monday night. An SDRF team recovered the bodies of a man and a woman, while another woman in the vehicle was found injured around two kilometres from the spot.
The Dehradun-Mussoorie highway was among the worst affected in the state, with repeated landslides, road subsidence and falling boulders blocking and narrowing stretches near Mussoorie. Debris and boulders blocked the road at Pani Wala Bend, while damage to safety nets installed by the Public Works Department further narrowed the road and slowed traffic. The heavy rain also swelled rivers and streams. In Rishikesh, the Bin river flowed over an already overflowing causeway, while the Gaula river rose in Haldwani, which recorded 192 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending Tuesday.
Sewer water flooded Nainital’s Mall Road, and in Ramnagar, the Belgarh nala on the Ramnagar-Haldwani state highway rose sharply, disrupting traffic and leaving vehicles stranded. A three-wheeler was also swept towards an overflowing stream and pulled to safety by members of the public.
The IMD issued a red alert for Nainital and Almora and an orange alert for most other parts of Uttarakhand. Authorities in Nainital, Almora and Bageshwar ordered schools from Classes 1 to 12 to remain closed. Bageshwar District Magistrate Apoorva Pandey said reports of landslides and shooting stones had come from several areas and urged residents to stay away from rivers, streams and other disaster-prone places and to avoid unnecessary travel.
Assam also saw deadly rain, with four people, including three members of a family, killed in two landslides in Guwahati. In the Mathgharia area, a couple and their 11-year-old daughter were killed when a landslide flattened their house while they were asleep. Their 19-year-old son was rescued from under the debris and taken to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. In another landslide, a 65-year-old woman was killed after a rock partially damaged her house, while several family members suffered minor injuries. Waterlogging was reported in Panjabari, RG Baruah Road, Chandmari, Beltola, Borbari and Six Mile, forcing students and office-goers to wade through knee-deep water on several roads.
Jharkhand was placed on high alert after the IMD issued a flash-flood warning for Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega. Dumaria in East Singhbhum recorded 217 mm of rainfall since Monday, followed by Dumri in Giridih at 162.2 mm and Mahuadawar in Latehar at 146.2 mm. The IMD forecast heavy rain across the state till September 5 and issued a red alert for very heavy rainfall in Garhwa, Palamu, Simdega and West Singhbhum. In Jamshedpur, rivers crossed danger levels, with the Kharkhai at Adityapur bridge rising to 133.10 metres, 4.10 metres above the danger level, and the Subarnarekha reaching 122.60 metres against the red mark of 121.50 metres at Mango bridge. Authorities asked residents in low-lying areas to move to safer places.
Uttar Pradesh also faced severe rain and flood conditions. In Chitrakoot, the Mandakini river rose around four metres above the danger mark after heavy rainfall in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, prompting evacuations. Floodwaters submerged Ramghat and the Nirmohi Akhara, and damaged a bridge connecting Ramghat and Nayagaon. SDRF and NDRF teams were deployed, and Army helicopters were used to evacuate people trapped in floodwaters. In Varanasi, the rising Ganga entered several areas, forcing boats into flooded lanes and disrupting cremations at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats.
The river was flowing at 70.28 metres at 10 am, above the warning level of 70.26 metres, and was rising at 0.5 cm per hour. Several families living along the Varuna river were moved to relief camps. In Lakhimpur Kheri, authorities shut all schools up to Class 8 as the Sharda river rose. Train services on the Mailani-Nanpara section were suspended after water seepage was reported between Bhira and Palia stations, affecting around half a dozen trains. Rain also damaged the Ganga Expressway in Unnao, where a portion of the Prayagraj-bound carriageway caved in near the Basiratganj toll plaza, leaving a pit around seven feet deep. Traffic was diverted and repair work began. It was the second such road damage incident on the expressway in the district this monsoon.
In Himachal Pradesh, a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur has been issued till September 3. Kangra recorded 99.4 mm of rain, followed by Jogindernagar at 54 mm and Murari Devi at 50 mm. The rain disrupted essential services, with 60 roads closed, 39 water supply schemes affected and 11 power transformers disrupted. Delhi received light to moderate monsoon showers in several areas in the evening, and the IMD said similar rain was likely in many parts till September 4, with heavy rainfall possible at isolated places.
In West Bengal, a low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal brought heavy rain to Kolkata and parts of south Bengal. Kalaikunda recorded 51 mm of rain in the 24 hours till 8.30 am, while Kolkata received 23 mm and Salt Lake 40 mm. Waterlogging in low-lying areas affected office-hour traffic. The IMD forecast heavy rain in parts of Gangetic West Bengal till Wednesday morning and in several sub-Himalayan districts till September 4. In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain and swollen rivers and nallahs led authorities to shut all schools in Poonch district.
Severe Ganga erosion in Bhagalpur’s Raghopur has swallowed large stretches of land and swept away the nearly century-old Chaiti Durga Temple. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the situation remained serious due to changes in the river’s flow. Authorities are carrying out anti-erosion work, while relief camps and evacuation arrangements are being prepared.
Onlookers watch as a house collapses into the Ganga river due to severe bank erosion in Bhagalpur. At least 10 pucca houses and a temple were swallowed by the rising river within hours. (Handout via PTI Photo)
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary on Tuesday said the situation in Raghopur in Bhagalpur district was “challenging and difficult” as severe erosion by the Ganga swallowed large stretches of land and caused widespread damage. The nearly century-old Chaiti Durga Temple, a well-known religious site in the area, was also swept away by the swollen river during the day.
Choudhary, who also holds the Water Resources Department portfolio, said the situation had turned serious because of unexpected changes in the Ganga’s flow. He cut short his meeting in New Delhi and returned to Patna on Tuesday in view of the developments.
Speaking to PTI, Choudhary said erosion at several places had created pressure points, while senior department officials and engineers were on the ground and efforts to check the erosion were continuing. “The situation remains serious due to unexpected changes in the flow of the Ganga,” he said. Referring to earlier flooding, he said the department had carried out major anti-erosion work at the site when a pressure point had developed there. “The Ganga, in keeping with its natural course, has been causing erosion. The situation remains sensitive, and the department is making continuous efforts to bring it under control,” he said.
Water Resources Department Secretary Chandrashekhar Singh said the district administration and department officials were on high alert. “Rise in the Ganga’s water level and changes in its flow, with heavy silt deposition and strong currents, are triggering erosion at several places,” he told PTI. He said the situation around the Mahadevpur embankment remained challenging because of strong currents and continuing erosion. A large part of the embankment had been secured through protective work, though erosion and scouring were continuing near the structure. Residents in vulnerable areas were being alerted and arrangements were being made for evacuation, if needed.
A long-standing electoral rivalry in Dholpur’s Ward 26 turned violent after former councillor Ramu Sharma, husband of independent candidate Kalpana Sharma, was attacked and seriously injured.
The injured was admitted to Dholpur District Hospital after the attack.
A political rivalry during the civic elections in Rajasthan’s Dholpur district turned violent in Dholpur Municipal Council, where former councillor Ramu Sharma alias Rajmohan Sharma, husband of woman councillor candidate Kalpana Sharma, suffered a serious attack allegedly involving members of the rival side contesting the election.
The attack left Ramu Sharma seriously injured, and doctors referred him to Agra for treatment. His family alleged that members of the other side assaulted him, opened fire in the air and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. Ramu Sharma suffered multiple fractures in the attack.
Ward No. 26 has seen a direct electoral contest between candidates from the families of former councillor Kookku Sharma alias Vedprakash and former councillor Ramu alias Rajmohan Sharma. The two families have a long-standing electoral rivalry.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, the two major political parties, did not give tickets to candidates from either side because of the rivalry. The candidates from both families entered the electoral contest independently.
After the attack, the accused fled the spot.
Following information about the incident, Dholpur Police official Pradeep Nehra and SHO Ramkishan Yadav reached the scene with police personnel. Police conducted raids at possible hideouts while searching for the accused, but could not trace the attackers.
Nehra said Rajmohan Sharma was meeting people along with three to four supporters in Ward No 26 when Kookku Sharma alias Vedprakash arrived with another three to four people. According to Nehra, Kookku Sharma and the others attacked Ramu Sharma with sticks, batons and iron rods, leaving him injured.
The government had assured the students would not be targeted or harassed in connection with the agitation.
People protested at Jantar Mantar over the NEET protest. (ANI File Photo)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed first information reports (FIR) registered across the country in connection with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protests in July, invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, even as the group withdrew its call for a September 5 march in Delhi following assurances from the Centre that it would honour its commitments to withdraw criminal cases and compensation to families of students who died by suicide.
A bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the decision would ensure that the criminal cases did not cause “any harm to students or youths who participated in these protests” and that mere participation in a protest would not be treated as an offence under penal laws.
The court ordered that all FIRs relating to the protests between July 20 and 25 in the states and Union territories, including those not formally brought before it, would not be pursued or investigated and would be treated as closed for all purposes. It also directed that similar FIRs pending in other states and Union territories be treated in the same manner. “No further FIR shall be registered in relation to the same incident,” the court directed.
The order followed applications filed by the Centre through Delhi Police and by Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and West Bengal governments seeking quashing of the criminal cases.
The Centre told the court that the government was committed to honouring three assurances given after a July 25 meeting with representatives of the protesting group — withdrawal of FIRs registered between July 20 and 25, no fresh FIRs relating to those incidents and compensation to families of NEET aspirants and students who died by suicide.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said the government was committed to all three assurances, but sought liberty to proceed against persons with “serious and grave criminal antecedents”.
The court agreed to carve out an exception for 2,837 persons whom Delhi Police said had such antecedents and were prima facie present at the protest site. The police had sought permission to register one FIR against them to ascertain their individual roles, if any, in incidents involving bodily harm or destruction of public property. The bench said the issue concerning the 2,837 persons could be considered separately, making clear that the exception did not dilute the larger relief granted to the protesters.
“There was a case of sieving out a section of protesters who had assembled with certain bona fide democratic demands and certain alleged elements with serious criminal antecedents,” remarked the court, noting the Centre’s contention that there had been an “infiltration” of elements who may have had ulterior motives.
The bench said the would be entitled to reserve its right to prosecute such allegedly “pernicious elements”, subject to all rights available to them under law. “At the same time, this exercise is to provide a healing balm to the main body of protesters,” it added.
The court’s intervention came after the CJP announced a September 5 march from India Gate to the Delhi Police headquarters, saying the Centre has failed to honour assurances that had led to the withdrawal of its 36-day agitation on July 25. Withdrawal of criminal cases was among the group’s key demands.
Mehta told the bench that the proposed September 5 march was announced because the protesters believed the government had not honoured its commitments. “Now that we are here and have filed our applications, I would urge the CJP representatives to withdraw the September 5 march call,” the solicitor general said.
CJP co-convener Saurav Das, who was present in court, then read out a statement withdrawing the proposed march.
“In view of the positive assurances of the Government of India and the judicial sanctity bestowed upon them today, and in view of the order being passed by this Court, the CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on September 5,” Das said. The CJP also thanked the court and lawyers on both sides for their efforts and said it looked forward to compliance with the order.
The court described the developments as a “positive” step by both sides and said it was proceeding on “broad parameters” on which there was agreement. “We are doing this to ensure there is no case of vexation for any person who has because of his conscience, participated in a protest which is alleged in the FIR to be a crime,” it said.
The court also noted that it had consistently sought to protect protesters who had participated in the agitation to raise what it described as genuine grievances. “We have always said that let us protect these protesters. We have always said that they were not there for violence or anything but to raise voices about some genuine grievances they had,” the bench said.
The Centre, on its part, reiterated its commitment to provide compensation to families of students who died by suicide in connection with the 2026 NEET examination issue. Mehta told the court tha t the government would need three months to formulate the modalities, given that the issue involved several competitive examinations.
The court then directed the Centre to formulate and notify, in consultation with the states, a pan-India policy framework for payment of compensation in such cases. It directed that the families of victims who died by suicide over the 2026 NEET paper issue would be paid compensation after the policy was notified.
The process of identifying eligible families is already under way, advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for a petitioner, told the court.
The court’s order also provided relief beyond the four states and Delhi that had formally approached it.
It said that if any other FIR relating to the same incidents between July 20 and 25 had been registered in any state or Union territory and had not been brought to its notice, it too would not be pursued or investigated and would be treated as closed. It further directed that similar FIRs pending in other states and Union territories would not be pursued and would be treated as closed.
The Centre told the court that its applications were intended to address the criminal cases arising from the July agitation across the country. The court’s order now gives the relief a pan-India application.
The July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march had witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel after Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force used lathi charge, tear gas and pellet guns to prevent the protesters from proceeding towards Parliament. Protesters alleged excessive use of force, while the authorities alleged violence against police personnel and damage to public property.
The Supreme Court had earlier constituted a five-member high-powered enquiry committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy to examine the competing allegations arising from the July 20 events.
The HPEC is examining allegations of excessive and unlawful use of force by police as well as allegations of violence by protesters, injuries to security personnel and damage to public property.
Families of missing workers are pressing authorities to accelerate rescue efforts as teams struggle to remove mud and debris blocking tunnels.
Families of missing workers are pressing authorities to accelerate rescue efforts as teams struggle to remove mud and debris blocking tunnels. (Agencies)
The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 1,003, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). As rescue teams continue searching for missing workers, families are recounting the horror of the August 26 disaster and urging authorities to speed up operations.
Among those waiting for answers is 20-year-old Anush Gurung, who has been searching for his 60-year-old father, Laxman, since the floods struck the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Rasuwa district. Anush last spoke to his father at around 8 am on August 26. Soon after, the flash floods swept through the area and Laxman disappeared.
The family has received conflicting accounts from Laxman’s surviving colleagues about whether he was inside a tunnel when the floods hit, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday. “Whom are we supposed to believe? If the tunnel is searched, we would know for certain,” Anush told the newspaper. “Now our only hope is inside the tunnel.”
Families push for faster searches
Families of missing workers are pressing authorities to accelerate rescue efforts as teams struggle to remove mud and debris blocking tunnels.
At the Upper Trishuli-3B project in Nuwakot, Bivek Pandey is searching for his 58-year-old father, Kamal Bahadur Pandey. He is among at least 122 people unaccounted for from the project, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Relatives gathered at an Army rescue and relief centre in Bidur and urged authorities to intensify the search. After several days of pressure, an excavator was brought to the site on Monday.
“If excavation begins, the sand covering the quarters can be removed. We still have hope,” Bivek told the newspaper.
It remains unclear whether Kamal Bahadur was inside a tunnel when the flood struck.
Rescuers face blocked tunnels and difficult terrain
Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, a Nepal Army spokesperson, told news agency Associated Press (AP) that teams, assisted by foreign experts, were carrying out searches at several hydropower projects. Army footage showed rescuers entering dark tunnels filled with debris, moving through mud and climbing over rocks while looking for missing workers.
The search has been complicated by damage to transport routes and the remote locations of many hydropower projects. Steep terrain and narrow roads already make access difficult, while the floods have damaged roads and restricted routes to some sites.
Inside the projects, rescuers are also dealing with blocked and damaged tunnels. The floods carried mud, large rocks and other debris into underground passages, collapsing sections and trapping workers. Even when tunnel entrances can be reached, teams have to clear substantial amounts of debris before they can move further inside.
An Indian tunnel rescue team has joined forces with the Nepali Army to conduct joint search and rescue operations at critical hydropower tunnel sites in Chilime, Rasuwa district, news agency ANI reported.
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma made history on September 1 as the first woman non-medical officer in India’s Defence Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal or equivalent. Commissioned into the IAF’s Education Branch in 1994, she has over three decades of service and has held key roles, including commanding a Sainik School.
AVM Shakti Sharma Scripts History As First Woman Two-Star Officer In Defence Services | X @IAF_MCC
In a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer (non-medical) in the Indian Defence Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or equivalent). On September 1, she assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters.
About Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma
According to a press release, commissioned into the Education Branch of the IAF on 18 June 1994, AVM Shakti Sharma brings a wealth of experience to her new role, spanning diverse postings across Training Establishments, Field Stations, Command Headquarters, and Air Headquarters.
This landmark achievement marks a new chapter in the journey of women officers in the Indian Defence Forces. With over three decades of distinguished service, she continues to inspire generations to “Touch the Sky with Glory”.
A historic milestone for the Indian Air Force.
On 01 Sep 2026, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer (non-medical) in the Indian Defence Services to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or equivalent). She assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of… pic.twitter.com/9IulN6QjOb
The Supreme Court recently invoked Article 142 to dismiss all FIRs against NEET-UG protesters, leading the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to cancel its planned march on September 5.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das and party leader Ratna Singh celebrate with supporters outside the Supreme Court (Inset: CJI Surya Kant)
In a dramatic turn just days before the Cockroach Janata Party’s planned showdown in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to quash every FIR filed against NEET-UG protesters across five states, prompting the CJP to call off its September 5 march.
Here’s how the court proceedings unfolded and ended in an “absolute justice” for the outfit, which has essentially become the face of the students.
The day of CJP proceedings in Supreme Court in 10 points:
In a big win for CJP protesters, the Supreme Court on Tuesday invoked Article 142 to quash all FIRs registered against those linked to the NEET-UG paper leak protests.
The Bench — Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana — said it was invoking Article 142 “in light of the commitments made by both sides” to do “complete justice.”
FIRs against protesters across five states — Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Maharashtra — have all been quashed.
In an unusual move, it was the police in these BJP-ruled states themselves who urged the SC to invoke Article 142 and quash the FIRs.
The Court also barred registration of any fresh FIRs connected to the protests going forward.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Court the Centre is committed to compensating families of students who died by suicide after the NEET exam was cancelled, and sought three months to work out the modalities.
CJI Surya Kant said Article 142 was invoked on the condition that both sides — the government and CJP — abide by the commitments made in court.
Reading a statement in court, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das said the government’s “positive assurances” and the “judicial sanctity” of the order had led CJP to withdraw its September 5 march call.
Das called it a “historic judgment” and thanked the court and counsel on both sides — senior advocate Vrinda Grover and the Solicitor General — for their efforts.
Advocate Vrinda Grover said the order affirms the right to protest as a fundamental right, and that compensation for the victims’ families will be formalised and paid within three months.
H1N1 is usually self-limiting, but children, elderly people, and high-risk groups should monitor symptoms closely and seek medical care when needed.
H1N1 Alert: Health Ministry Warns Children & High-Risk Groups
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an awareness message on Influenza A H1N1, urging people to recognise symptoms early and seek medical advice when necessary. According to the ministry, healthy adults generally recover from H1N1 without serious complications. However, medical attention is recommended when symptoms persist for more than five to six days.
The advisory is particularly relevant for young children, elderly people and individuals with underlying medical conditions, who may be more vulnerable to complications from respiratory infections.
Influenza A H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, is a seasonal respiratory infection that can cause flu-like symptoms ranging from fever and cough to body aches and fatigue. While the infection is often self-limiting in healthy adults, children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions may require closer monitoring.
H1N1 symptoms: What to watch for?
H1N1 flu primarily affects the respiratory system and can initially resemble ordinary seasonal influenza. Common symptoms include:
Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Headache
Body aches
Fatigue or weakness
Runny or blocked nose
Some people may also experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Symptoms can vary considerably from one person to another. While some individuals develop only mild illness, others may experience persistent fever, worsening cough or significant fatigue.
Importantly, not every fever or cough is caused by H1N1. Several respiratory infections can produce similar symptoms. However, symptoms that persist, worsen, or interfere significantly with normal activities should not be ignored.
When should you see a doctor?
The Health Ministry advises people to seek medical advice when H1N1-like symptoms continue beyond five to six days. A doctor can assess the patient’s symptoms, check for signs of complications and determine whether testing or additional treatment is required.
Parents should pay close attention when children develop persistent fever, cough, or other flu-like symptoms. Older adults and people living with chronic or underlying health conditions should also seek timely medical guidance rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe. People should also avoid self-medication, particularly with antibiotics or prescription medicines. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections such as influenza unless a doctor determines that a bacterial infection is also present.
How to prevent H1N1 spread
Simple precautions can help reduce the transmission of H1N1 and other respiratory infections. People should cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, wash their hands regularly, and avoid close contact with others when they are unwell. Those experiencing flu symptoms should get adequate rest, stay hydrated and maintain a nutritious diet. Avoiding crowded places while sick can also reduce the risk of passing the infection to vulnerable family members and others.
India has also deployed specialised teams to support rescue and forensic operations in Nepal.
Members of the Nepal Army conduct a search operation for bodies washed away by flash floods and a mudslide in the Narayani River, Chitwan, Nepal. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
As many as 163 Indian nationals have been rescued from flood-hit Nepal, while 151 Indians left China till Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its latest update.
The update, issued as of 7.30 pm on September 1, said five more Indian nationals had been rescued since Monday.
Nepal’s devastating floods have claimed more than 1,050 lives, while over 580 foreign nationals remain missing, according to the latest reports. Rescue teams continue to search affected areas as families wait for information about missing people. The disaster has led to a major international rescue, relief and identification effort.
163 Indians rescued from Nepal
According to the MEA, 163 Indian nationals have been rescued from the flood-affected areas of Nepal.
The number increased by five since the previous day.
The ministry also said 151 Indian nationals left China on Tuesday as efforts continued to assist Indians affected by the disaster.
India has also deployed specialised teams to support rescue and forensic operations in Nepal.
Indian tunnel team faces difficult conditions
MEA said the Indian tunnel rescue team has established a foothold at hydropower tunnels in Chilime, but has faced several challenges while trying to move further inside. The team encountered extremely restricted access space, limitations on the use of specialised equipment because of the terrain and a marshy tunnel floor.
To overcome these difficulties, the team used innovative methods and improvised floats to move deeper into the tunnel.
The team will continue its efforts on Wednesday to try to locate and rescue any people who may still be trapped inside, the MEA said.
The tunnel operations form part of the wider search and rescue effort in areas affected by the floods.
India expands forensic assistance
Alongside the rescue operation, India’s forensic team has expanded its work in coordination with its Nepalese counterparts. According to the MEA, the team is undertaking tasks including the examination and analysis of DNA.
The ministry said the expanded forensic activities would help speed up the processing of DNA samples in Nepal.
The forensic effort is part of the wider response to the large number of casualties and missing people following the floods.
TMC leader Saket Gokhale also accused the Centre of trying to deny using pellet guns on protesters at first.
The CRPF in its reply to TMC leader Saket Gokhale (R), however, said the “allegations made in the application do not attract the exception relating to violation of human rights.” Credit: X, PTI Photos
New Delhi: Use of pellet guns on protesters in Delhi is not a human-rights violation, CRPF has claimed, Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale said on Monday.
The former Rajya Sabha MP said he would submit the para force’s reply to the Supreme Court.
In a post on X, Gokhale shared a copy of a Right to Information (RTI) application he filed with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), seeking information on the firing of pellet ammunition by RAF against protesters in Delhi on July 20, the day students took out a march to Parliament at the call of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
SHOCKING:
CRPF claims use of pellet guns on protestors in Delhi is NOT a human rights violation
I’d filed an RTI with Rapid Action Force (which is a part of CRPF) asking for information related to the use of pellet guns on unarmed protestors on 20th July during the Jantar… pic.twitter.com/0Xv0laN4tA
“CRPF claims use of pellet guns on protestors in Delhi is not a human rights violation. I’d filed an RTI with Rapid Action Force (which is a part of CRPF) asking for information related to the use of pellet guns on unarmed protestors on 20th July during the Jantar Mantar protests,” Gokhale said.
“Under law, CRPF is exempt from RTI Act exception cases related to corruption or human rights violations,” he said.
The CRPF in its reply, however, said the “allegations made in the application do not attract the exception relating to violation of human rights.” “CRPF refused information claiming that using pellet guns on protestors in Delhi is not a human rights violation. When this was appealed, the appellate authority AGAIN denied the info claiming the same excuse,” he said.
He also accused the Centre of trying to deny using pellet guns on protesters at first.
“First the Modi-Shah Govt denied that pellets were used. Then, when exposed, they refused to give details of total number of victims. And now, it is baffling that use of pellet guns (banned under international law) on unarmed youth in India’s capital is not considered to be a human rights violation by Amit Shah’s CRPF,” he said.
Why India cannot afford to walk away from Chabahar despite the threat of US sanctions, and what the strategic port means for New Delhi. Read to understand what is at stake.
Chabahar has been an important part of India’s plans to reach Afghanistan and Central Asia without passing through Pakistan.
India is looking for a “sustainable way forward” to remain involved in Iran’s Chabahar port, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as US sanctions and the continuing conflict in West Asia complicate New Delhi’s role in the strategic project.
Misri made the remarks in Bishkek, where Kyrgyzstan is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
“We have been associated with this project over a long period of time,” Misri said. He added that the conflict in West Asia had affected regional cooperation and altered the “regime” under which activities at Chabahar could be carried out.
“We remain in discussion and in touch with various stakeholders in order to find a sustainable way forward to continue this element of cooperation,” he said.
The immediate concern is the expiry of a conditional US sanctions waiver on April 26, 2026. The waiver had shielded India’s work at Chabahar from Washington’s wider sanctions against Iran.
Its expiry has raised the risk of Indian entities involved in the port facing US penalties. The Iran conflict and Washington’s renewed pressure on Tehran have added to the uncertainty, making it harder for India to continue under the existing arrangement.
New Delhi, however, does not want to leave Chabahar.
India is holding separate discussions with the US and Iran over its $120 million investment in the port, Bloomberg reported. One option under consideration is the temporary transfer of India’s stake to an Iranian entity while sanctions remain in force.
Such an arrangement would allow India to reduce its direct exposure to US sanctions without permanently abandoning the project. New Delhi could return to its operational role if restrictions are eased.
Misri’s emphasis on continuing cooperation reflects this effort to find a middle path: protecting India from sanctions while preserving its long-term rights and investments at Chabahar.
The port is important because it gives India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia without passing through Pakistan, which denies it overland transit. Located in southeastern Iran on the Gulf of Oman, it provides India with a direct maritime gateway to the region.
Chabahar is also connected to the International North-South Transport Corridor, a multimodal trade route linking India with Iran, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.
Its location adds to its strategic value. Chabahar lies around 170 km from Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which has been developed with Chinese support and is a major component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
India began discussions with Iran on developing Chabahar in 2003. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran in 2016, New Delhi committed investment to the project.
In 2024, India Ports Global Limited signed a 10-year agreement to operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal. Cargo handled at the port rose from 12.24 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 to 22.32 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, an increase of more than 82 per cent, according to government figures.
Voters at SIR hearings in Hyderabad said they were being asked for decades-old documents despite submitting Aadhaar, PAN and voter ID details. The complaints have prompted Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and political parties to seek more time and safeguards against wrongful deletions.
‘I was not even born in 1987. Where am I supposed to get such a document from?’ That question from a Telangana voter captures the growing confusion around the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with residents served SIR notices struggling to understand what documents they must produce to protect their names on the voter list.
The controversy has also reached the political level, with Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy seeking more time from the Election Commission and warning that eligible voters must not be removed during the revision exercise.
At hearings in Hyderabad, voters said they were being asked to produce documents dating back several decades to establish their identity, date of birth and address. Some questioned why government-issued documents such as Aadhaar and PAN cards, as well as existing voter records, were allegedly not sufficient for the verification process.
VOTER ASKS: ‘WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET SUCH A DOCUMENT?’
One voter, Sai Kanmudraj, said he was asked to produce a document dating back to 1987, even though he was not born at the time.
“I was not even born in 1987. Where am I supposed to get such a document from?” he asked.
Kanmudraj said officials had initially indicated that different documents could be submitted, but later told him that Aadhaar and PAN cards were not being accepted for the particular verification requirement.
“The government issued me this Aadhaar card. The government issued me this PAN card. If neither of these is accepted, where am I supposed to get another document from?” he asked.
He also questioned why voter ID and bank-related documents could not be used, arguing that ordinary citizens should not be expected to produce records from decades ago if such documents were never issued to them.
“I have only one request to the government whether it is Aadhaar, PAN, a bank passbook or any other document, please accept it,” he said.
‘WHAT MORE DO THEY WANT FROM US?’
Another woman who received an SIR notice said she had repeatedly voted at the same polling booth but was now being asked to provide additional proof of her identity and address.
She said her father was no longer alive and that she had been asked to establish the address mentioned in the records. According to her, she had already submitted her Aadhaar card, but officials were allegedly seeking additional documents, including bank-related proof.
“My Aadhaar card has my number and all the details. It is complete proof. What more do I have to submit?” she questioned.
She said she had also submitted her voter ID but was told it could not be accepted for the requirement being raised.
The woman said she had passed her Class 10 examination decades ago, but the certificate did not carry her photograph, leaving her unsure about what additional document would satisfy the verification process.
“I have already submitted one proof. What more do they want from us?” she asked.
She was asked to return for further verification and photography, adding to the uncertainty over what documents she would ultimately need to submit.
OFFICIALS SAY NOTICES ARE PART OF VERIFICATION
An official involved in the exercise said notices were being issued and hearings conducted as part of the verification process.
G Vasanth Kumar, In-charge Assistant Municipal Commissioner and ARO, said around 360 notices had been issued for the day’s proceedings.
According to the official, the exercise covers categories including ASDD entries, no-mapping cases and discrepancies. Figures cited during the hearing put the number of cases in the relevant categories at around 3,760 to 3,786, along with 2,856 discrepancies.
Voters receiving notices are being called for hearings and are required to submit documents prescribed by the Election Commission for verification.
REVANTH SEEKS MORE TIME FROM ECI
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has raised concerns over the scale of the exercise and its possible impact on voters.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Revanth sought an extension of around four weeks for the claims and objections process. He also asked for additional time for voters to respond to notices, wider dissemination of the draft electoral rolls and helpdesks, particularly in urban areas.
According to the figures cited by the Chief Minister, Telangana had around 3.38 crore electors as of June 10, of whom nearly 73.39 lakh entries, or around 21.7 per cent, had been classified under the Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate categories.
Revanth expressed concern that voters who had only temporarily moved could potentially be treated as permanently shifted.
At a public meeting in Hyderabad earlier this month, he had also urged Congress workers and leaders to visit households, verify voter details and ensure that eligible voters were not deleted.
The Chief Minister alleged that genuine voters could be removed in the name of SIR and said Telangana would not allow eligible voters to be excluded from the electoral rolls.
BRS: ‘NOT A SINGLE ELIGIBLE VOTER SHOULD BE DELETED’
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi has also raised concerns over the exercise, while supporting the removal of dead, duplicate and bogus entries.
BRS spokesperson Putta Vishnuvardhan Reddy said, “Our stand is very clear: we want to make sure that the votes of the people who are dead, people who are carrying duplicate votes, people with bogus votes they must be deleted from the electoral rolls.”
At the same time, he said the Election Commission must ensure that “not a single eligible voter should be deleted.”
Reddy cited an example from Banjara Hills, claiming that the number of voters registered at a commercial building increased from 19 before the revision to 44 afterwards.
“When we see these sort of anomalies that defy logic, there is definitely something wrong going on in the entire exercise, raising serious questions of collusion,” he said.
He also said large urban areas such as Hyderabad have voters whose forms may not yet have been collected because of various reasons.
“The focus of the Election Commission should be on migrants and tenants to guarantee that no legitimate citizen is robbed of their vote,” he said.
CONGRESS DEMANDS DEADLINE EXTENSION
Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav also questioned the scale of the SIR exercise and called for more time and assistance for voters.
“Nearly one-third of Telangana’s population has come under scrutiny in the SIR exercise, with over 94 lakh voters flagged as ASDT. This raises serious concerns about the transparency of the process,” he said.
Yadav said many voters served notices belonged to economically weaker sections and slum communities and needed adequate time and assistance to respond.
“We demand an extension of the SIR deadline and insist that no eligible voter in Telangana should be deleted from the electoral rolls without proper verification and an opportunity to respond,” he said.
The CBI has booked eight people over an alleged Rs 28.87 crore subsidised rice diversion racket involving FCI and NERAMAC officials. The FIR alleges rice meant for vulnerable groups was routed through private traders in violation of OMSS rules.
The case centres on the allocation of 62,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice by the FCI’s Delhi Region. (File Photo)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked eight people, including senior officials of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC), over an alleged Rs 28.87 crore rice diversion racket involving the distribution of subsidised grain.
According to an FIR registered on August 27, the agency has alleged a criminal conspiracy between public servants and private traders to obtain rice at concessional rates in violation of the government’s Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic), or OMSS(D). The alleged arrangement could have caused a potential loss of Rs 28.87 crore to the FCI, the agency said.
The case centres on the allocation of 62,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice by the FCI’s Delhi Region to NERAMAC between April 13 and May 15, 2026. Of this quantity, around 50,645 MT was actually released, according to the FIR. The CBI alleges that the rice was lifted from FCI depots by traders instead of reaching the vulnerable groups for whom the subsidised grain was purportedly intended. The traders allegedly sold the rice onwards to other traders for “huge profits”.
Rs 28.87 CRORE ALLEGED LOSS TO FCI
The alleged financial loss forms a central part of the CBI’s case. The agency estimates that the FCI could have earned an additional Rs 28.87 crore if approximately 50,645 MT of rice had been sold through e-auction at the applicable reserve price of Rs 28,900 per MT, instead of being released at the concessional rate of Rs 23,200 per MT.
The FIR also raises questions over NERAMAC’s eligibility to receive rice without an e-auction under the OMSS(D) 2025-26 policy. According to the CBI, NERAMAC, despite being a Central government-owned enterprise, was not eligible for such an allocation. The agency said the policy permitted allocations without e-auction to state governments and their corporations.
Despite this, FCI’s Delhi Region allegedly continued processing and approving NERAMAC’s proposal. The FIR names then FCI Delhi Region General Manager Kunhiraman Padmini Asha, then AGM (Sales) Brahm Prakash and then Manager (Sales) Amarendra Vikram.
The CBI alleges that the officials handled the proposal with “undue haste” and failed to properly examine whether the allocation complied with the OMSS(D) policy. It further alleges that the General Manager continued approving the allocation and release of rice despite the alleged violation.
NERAMAC allegedly appointed three private entities — Utapalakshi Agro Products Pvt Ltd, Dibesh Commercials Pvt Ltd and Super Grains — as channel partners. The agency alleges that Rajesh Bajaj and Pankaj Saraf subsequently approached traders in the Delhi-NCR region and facilitated the lifting of rice from FCI depots.
According to the FIR, traders deposited Rs 23.25 per kg into NERAMAC’s bank account, while the private entities allegedly received commissions ranging from 64 paise to Rs 2.50 per kg.
The CBI alleges that the rice was subsequently diverted from its stated beneficiaries, including daily wage earners, labourers and migrant workers. Instead, it was lifted from FCI depots at Ghevra, Mayapuri and Narela and sold to other traders for “huge profits”. The agency further alleges that bogus date-wise charts were maintained in NERAMAC records to create the appearance that the rice had been distributed through retail outlets in Delhi and Noida. Antedated appointment letters were also allegedly prepared to show the appointment of 23 sub-distributors.
EIGHT PEOPLE NAMED IN FIR
The eight people named as accused in the FIR include senior officials of both FCI and NERAMAC, as well as representatives of the private entities involved in the alleged distribution chain.
They include Kunhiraman Padmini Asha, then General Manager of FCI Delhi Region; Brahm Prakash, then AGM (Sales) at the FCI Delhi Region; and Amarendra Vikram, then Manager (Sales) at the FCI Delhi Region. From NERAMAC, the accused include then Managing Director Bhaskar Barua, then Additional General Manager Anjal Kumar Dutta and then Deputy Manager (Agri-Business) Dilip Saha.
The FIR also names Rajesh Bajaj, Director of Utapalakshi Agro Products and Dibesh Commercials, and Pankaj Saraf, partner of Super Grains. The agency has also named unknown public servants and other unknown persons in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
HOW THE RACKET UNFOLDED
According to the CBI, NERAMAC Additional General Manager Anjal Kumar Dutta initially sought an allocation of 31,000 MT of rice per week from the Delhi government. The proposal reportedly said the rice would be sold at affordable rates to vulnerable sections of society. The Delhi government subsequently forwarded the proposal to the FCI.
The latest GDP data, which now incorporates producer price indices, has also made an upward revision to the GDP numbers in the quarter ending March 2026.
India economy grew 7.8% in April-June quarter. (ANI)
The Indian economy grew at 7.8% in the first quarter (April-June 2026) of the current fiscal year braving what has been described as the largest oil shock in the history of capitalism. The data, released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Monday, positively surprised analysts and pleased the government.
“India’s exemplary GDP growth of 7.8% during Q1 of FY 2026-27 is a herculean feat. The collective strength of our people ensured India delivered such growth despite oil price shocks and supply chain issues in the midst of global uncertainties. Doomsayers were doomed and India bloomed…yet again!”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
India’s exemplary GDP growth of 7.8% during Q1 of FY 2026-27 is a herculean feat.
The collective strength of our people ensured India delivered such growth despite oil price shocks and supply chain issues in the midst of global uncertainties.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also attributed the performance to the government’s reforms and economic management. “The credit for this strong performance goes to the people of India and their hard work. Reforms undertaken by the NDA Government, together with an agile management of the economy, are bearing results,” Sitharaman said on social media.
Experts believe the latest GDP data does not rule out a growth slowdown over the full fiscal year and also increases the possibility of a rate hike later in the year.
Growth slowed after West Asia war
The latest numbers should not, however, be seen as evidence that the West Asia war did not adversely affect India’s economic momentum. The latest GDP data, which now incorporates producer price indices, has also made an upward revision to the GDP numbers in the quarter ending March 2026, which were published in June. March quarter growth now stands at 8.6% compared to 7.8% according to the data released by the NSO in June. This means that growth did slow down after the outbreak of the war.
None of this negates the fact that India’s domestic growth drivers shielded it from a large deceleration on account of the war. Disaggregated GDP numbers support this assessment. Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) and Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) grew at 7.1% and 11.9%, respectively, in the June quarter. Exports too grew at an impressive 12%, even as imports contracted by 1.1% in real terms.
At the sector-wise level, services gave the biggest boost to growth with a 10% rise. Manufacturing saw a growth of 9.2%.
“Growth continues to be supported by resilient domestic demand, sustained expansion in manufacturing and services activity, and robust exports, reaffirming India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy”, RBI’s MPC had said in its latest resolution published on August 5.
War’s fiscal cost visible in GVA data
What is also discernible in the latest data is the fiscal cost of the war. This is best seen in the Gross Value Added (GVA) growth being 8.2%, greater than its GDP counterpart. GVA is GDP less net indirect taxes.
Growth in net indirect taxes fell to 3.9% in quarter ending June 2026 compared to 6% a year ago. High frequency data released by the NSO along with GDP numbers also shows a large rise in fertilizer subsidy spending in the June quarter.
“We have to move from a situation of ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’… It is humanity’s wish that the end of this war happens soonest,” PM Modi said during a joint statement with the Russian President Vladimir Putin
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that India supports all peaceful efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and will continue to do so. His message reinforced his “Not the era of war” remark issued a few years ago and is seen as one of the strongest to emerge from India on the matter.
“We have to move from a situation of ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’… It is humanity’s wish that the end of this war happens soonest,” PM Modi said during a joint statement with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin following their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO meet in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
“We keep discussing the matter of Ukraine and the last time we met too, you had explained the situation to me in great detail. As you know, India supports all peaceful methods (to resolve the impasse),” he said. “India advocates for resolving all problems peacefully, which is necessary for all of humanity,” he added.
PM Modi’s comment reinforces his “not the era of war” comment made in 2022 during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin – again, on the sidelines of the SCO meet — had resonated across the world at the time.
In dialogues with Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodimir Zelensky, India has consistently underscored the need for dialogue to resolve the conflict.
“India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. Our stand is very clear – this is not an era of war. This is the time to come together against those challenges which threaten humanity. Therefore, India believes in diplomacy and dialogues,” PM Modi had said in 2022.
Describing India as the “land of Buddha”, he had added: “Empathy is one of the identities of Indians. Whenever any trouble mounts in any country, India is the first country to extend help… India believes in Buddha’s tradition, therefore, believes in peace not war… India is an advocate of peace in this region and it is clear that this is not time for war. We need to be together to fight challenges. India focuses on diplomacy and dialogue,”
Lifestyle content creator Shenaz Treasury recently gave her followers a glimpse of the practice, revealing that an Ayurvedic doctor had prescribed it to her as part of her treatment. Sharing a video from an Ayurveda clinic, she admitted that she was surprised to find herself undergoing what she described as “medicated smoking.”
What Is Ayurvedic Smoking? Shenaz Treasury Reveals Ancient Legal Practice Of ‘Dhumapana’ |
The idea of “Ayurvedic smoking” may sound surprising, especially in a world where smoking is strongly associated with tobacco and its health risks. But an ancient Ayurvedic practice known as Dhumapana involves the controlled use of smoke produced from selected medicinal substances.
Lifestyle content creator Shenaz Treasury recently gave her followers a glimpse of the practice, revealing that an Ayurvedic doctor had prescribed it to her as part of her treatment. Sharing a video from an Ayurveda clinic, she admitted that she was surprised to find herself undergoing what she described as “medicated smoking.”
“I was surprised too when the doctor prescribed an ancient Ayurvedic practice called Dhumapana, inhaling smoke from specific medicinal herbs,” she wrote.
What Is Dhumapana?
Dhumapana, also referred to as medicated smoking in Ayurvedic literature, is a traditional procedure in which smoke generated from specifically selected medicinal preparations is administered in a controlled manner. Unlike recreational smoking, the practice is intended as an Ayurvedic therapeutic procedure, with the substances and method chosen according to the individual’s condition.
Shenaz explained that the practice is traditionally associated with certain conditions involving the head, nose and throat, with different herbs being selected for different purposes.
Social reformer Anna Hazare, 88, has been shifted to Bombay Hospital in Mumbai and admitted to the ICU after his health worsened during treatment at a hospital near Ralegan Siddhi. He was brought to Mumbai for specialised care following a severe viral infection and acute dehydration. Doctors are conducting a detailed evaluation while closely monitoring his condition.
Mumbai: Anna Hazare Shifted To Bombay Hospital After Health Worsens, Admitted To ICU | X – PTI
Social reformer Anna Hazare has been moved to Bombay Hospital in Mumbai and is currently receiving treatment in the ICU after his health worsened during treatment at a hospital near Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra.
The 88-year-old activist was brought to Mumbai for specialised medical attention after suffering from a severe viral infection accompanied by acute dehydration. He is being treated under the care of Dr Gautam Bhansali.
Delhi’s H1N1 tally has crossed 3,000 as flu cases rise across several states. Here are simple, practical ways to protect yourself from swine flu.
H1N1 Delhi cases (Credits: iStock)
Delhi’s H1N1 tally has crossed the 3,000 mark, with 3,006 cases reported so far this season, according to the latest figures. The capital recorded 199 new H1N1 cases in a single day, making it the second-highest single-day increase reported this season. Alongside H1N1, Delhi has recorded 3,843 Influenza A cases in total, highlighting the scale of the respiratory illness circulating in the city.
H1N1 Cases In India
Delhi is not alone in seeing a rise in flu infections. Uttar Pradesh has reported 551 laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases across 57 districts, with Gautam Buddh Nagar recording 189 cases, followed by Lucknow with 113, Meerut with 54 and Ghaziabad with 32. These four districts account for nearly 70% of the state’s reported H1N1 cases. In Maharashtra, 1,109 H1N1 cases had been reported by August 21, already exceeding the 942 cases recorded throughout 2025. Rajasthan has reported 146 H1N1 cases between January and August, including 55 cases in August alone. Chandigarh has recorded 14 cases this year, while 12 cases have been reported in Gurugram. Karnataka is also seeing substantial influenza activity. The state had recorded 4,428 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases by August 24, although this figure covers influenza rather than H1N1 alone.
With cases climbing in several parts of the country, the focus naturally turns to what people can do outside hospitals and clinics to reduce their risk. The good news is that some of the most useful precautions are simple everyday habits.
Keep Your Hands Clean
Hand hygiene remains one of the easiest ways to reduce the spread of respiratory infections. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, particularly after returning home, coughing or sneezing, and before eating. If soap and water are unavailable, an alcohol-based hand sanitiser can be used. Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Be Careful Around Crowded Spaces
H1N1 spreads mainly through respiratory particles released when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. During periods of increased flu activity, limiting unnecessary time in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces can lower exposure. Opening windows and improving indoor airflow can also help.
Wear A Mask When It Makes Sense
A mask can offer an additional layer of protection, particularly in crowded indoor settings or when you are around someone with flu-like symptoms. It is especially important for someone who is already sick to wear a mask when they must be around other people, helping reduce the chance of passing the infection on.
Do Not Ignore Flu-Like Symptoms
Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, fatigue and a runny or blocked nose can occur with influenza. If symptoms develop, staying home and limiting close contact with others can help prevent further transmission. People at higher risk of complications, including older adults, pregnant women, young children and those with certain underlying conditions, should contact a doctor promptly if they develop flu symptoms.
Meghalaya’s political equations could see a major shift ahead of the Shillong Lok Sabha bye-election, with reports suggesting nine of the 12 UDP MLAs are in talks to join the BJP. The move, linked to internal discontent over UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh’s leadership, could boost the BJP’s strength from two to 11 MLAs and reshape the state’s coalition dynamics.
Meghalaya Political Earthquake? 9 UDP MLAs In Talks To Join BJP Ahead Of Shillong Bye-Election | Representative Image
Political calculations across Meghalaya are undergoing a high-stakes recalibration as intense back-channel negotiations place the spotlight on the ruling configuration ahead of the crucial Shillong Lok Sabha bye-election. Rumors of a massive political realignment have intensified, driven by reports that as many as nine of the 12 United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators are orchestrating a switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The brewing mutiny stems from mounting internal friction and discontent among regional lawmakers regarding the leadership style of UDP President Metbah Lyngdoh. While senior insiders hint that closed-door discussions have advanced significantly, the UDP chief has publicly maintained complete unawareness of any impending mass defection by his party colleagues. Conversely, sources within the state BJP camp acknowledge that exploratory talks are actively underway, though a final formal pact is yet to be sealed.
Four people were killed after a trailer allegedly lost control, crossed the divider and crashed into their Baleno on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida’s Jewar. The accident occurred around 10 pm Sunday as the car travelled from Mathura towards Noida. All four occupants were extricated and rushed to hospital, where doctors declared them dead. The driver is in custody.
Yamuna Expressway Accident: 4 Killed After Speeding Trailer Breaks Divider, Crashes Into Car In Greater Noida’s Jewar; VIDEOS |
Four people were killed after a speeding trailer allegedly lost control, broke through the divider and crashed into a car on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida’s Jewar area late Sunday night.
According to police, the accident occurred at around 10 pm on August 30 near the 36-km mark of the Yamuna Expressway under the Jewar police station limits. A Dial 112 call alerted authorities about a collision involving a trailer and a car.
Visuals of the ill-fated wrecked car have surfaced on the internet showing the severity of the crash. The vehicle can be seen completely destroyed on the driver’s side, all the way to the back.
Greater Noida DCP Ravi Shankar Neem said a Baleno carrying four people was travelling from Mathura towards Noida when it was hit by the trailer, which was travelling in the opposite direction from Noida towards Agra.
According to the DCP, the trailer broke through the median barrier on its right and entered the lane carrying traffic towards Noida before colliding with the car. The impact was reportedly severe, leaving the Baleno badly damaged and trapping its occupants inside.
The Station House Officer of Jewar reached the spot along with his team after receiving the information. Senior police officials, including the ACP Jewar, ADCP Greater Noida and DCP Neem, also reached the accident site.
Victims Trapped Inside Car After Crash
All four occupants of the car were found unconscious after the collision. Police and rescue personnel extricated them from the wreckage and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared all four dead.
Local reports said the impact was so severe that the victims were trapped inside the mangled vehicle. Rescue teams had to work to remove parts of the damaged car to recover the occupants.
A disagreement between two women at a Thane housing society over two pet dogs sitting on a common bench has sparked debate online. The dog owner said the bench was already wet due to rain and promised to clean it. The resident objected, saying people use the benches for morning yoga. Social media users remain divided over pets, hygiene and shared spaces
Woman Objects To Pet Dogs Using Resting Benches In Thane Society |
A disagreement between two women at a housing society in Thane, Maharashtra, has sparked a lively debate online after an argument broke out over two pet dogs sitting on a common bench.
The incident, which unfolded during the monsoon, was recorded by the dog owner and later shared on social media. The video shows her defending her pets, Bruno and Shadow, after an older woman objected to them using the benches.
‘The bench was already wet’
According to the dog owner, the benches were already wet because of the heavy rain in the area. She argued that she would clean the spot before leaving and said her dogs had been using the benches for nearly five years without anyone raising an objection.
“Maine apne dogs ko yahan pe baithaya hai and yahan pe already paani hai,” she said, explaining that the bench was already covered with rainwater.
The woman then told the older resident that she regularly cleaned the benches after her dogs used them and questioned why they were being asked to move.
The resident, however, explained that the benches were used by people in the morning, including residents who gather there for yoga. She also claimed that she had noticed the dog owner failing to clean the benches a few days earlier.
Argument escalates over common space
The discussion soon turned into a heated exchange, with both women asking each other for their names and flat numbers. The older woman eventually threatened to call security.
“Yes, call them,” the dog owner replied.
The dog owner also stressed that her pets were living beings and should not simply be treated as objects that could be moved whenever someone objected to their presence.
The post was shared with the caption, “Was It Wrong? I Do Clean That Place Daily.”
Social media divided over who was right
The video has prompted sharply divided reactions. Some users supported the pet owner, arguing that dogs are family members and should be allowed in common areas if their owners maintain cleanliness.
“Ma’am please…why create a problem when there should be none. Why so much of dissatisfaction that you would like to disrupt a peaceful, happy situation. Look for your happiness instead,” one user commented.
Another person defended the dogs more bluntly, writing, “Why though? I mean, those dogs look way more civilised and clean than that aunty. I wouldn’t mind sitting on that same bench with those dogs even during monsoon, but sitting next to aunty? Well, yeahhh… HARD PASS.”
The road is significant not simply because it will connect two remote parts of Arunachal. For the Army, it could mean greater flexibility in moving vehicles, engineering equipment
A BRO document dated August 29, accessed exclusively by CNN-News18, details the 95.348-km proposed road under ‘Project Arunank’. (Reuters Image for Representation)
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has moved towards preparing a detailed plan for a new 95.348-km road between Huri in Kurung Kumey district and Taksing in Upper Subansiri, a project that could significantly change the way India approaches one of its most sensitive frontier sectors in Arunachal Pradesh.
The BRO wants a feasibility study and detailed project report for the Huri-Taksing road, described as a new greenfield alignment to be built to NHDL specifications. A BRO document dated August 29, accessed exclusively by CNN-News18, details the 95.348-km proposed road under ‘Project Arunank’.
The road is significant not simply because it will connect two remote parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Its importance comes from where Taksing is located and from the wider network of roads that India is trying to build towards the frontier.
Taksing lies in Upper Subansiri, more than 200 km from district headquarters Daporijo and close to the India-China border. The area has long been among the most difficult parts of Arunachal Pradesh to access. Road connectivity reached Taksing only in recent years, and even today, the existing approach remains difficult.
The existing road between Nacho and Taksing is narrow and in poor condition, with locals saying that in some stretches, even two vehicles cannot pass each other. That also creates difficulties for Army movement. This makes the proposed Huri-Taksing alignment particularly important.
As a “new alignment” and a Greenfield road, it would provide another approach to Taksing from the Huri side, creating an additional road axis into the frontier area.
Taksing is a forward settlement in Upper Subansiri, in an area abutting the Tibet region of China. The settlement and surrounding areas are close to the Line of Actual Control.
A dependable road determines how quickly troops can move, how much equipment can be transported, how frequently supplies can be replenished and how quickly engineering and medical support can reach forward locations.
A UP woman constable suffered a head injury in a scooter accident on August 22 and sought leave for further treatment. Her husband alleged that two constables failed to forward her leave application, preventing her from taking leave to seek medical treatment. She later died, prompting an inquiry.
The constable, Kesari Verma, had suffered the injury on August 22 and wanted leave for further treatment, which was allegedly not approved. (Representative image)
Two Uttar Pradesh Police personnel have been suspended in connection with the death of a 28-year-old woman constable who was posted at Lalganj police station, an officer said on Sunday. The action came as police began an inquiry into allegations linked to her request for leave after she suffered a head injury in a scooter accident.
The constable, Kesari Verma, had suffered the injury on August 22 and wanted leave for further treatment. Her husband, fellow constable Nagendra Verma, alleged that she handed her leave application to constables Abbas Ali and Deepak Mishra, but they did not forward it to a senior officer, which meant she could not go on leave for further medical care.
Nagendra Verma alleged that because the leave application was not forwarded, his wife was unable to take leave for treatment and later died. Police said the allegation is being investigated by the Circle Officer of Harraiya.
According to Kesari’s brother, Amarjeet Verma, the 2018-batch constable was on her way to join duty from her home in Pratapgarh district when the scooter she was travelling on with him lost balance. She suffered a serious injury to the back of her head and was taken to a hospital, where she received stitches and underwent a CT scan.
Owaisi questioned the Sangh Parivar’s repeated references to Babur, urging its supporters to reconsider invoking the Mughal emperor after Uzbekistan, his place of origin, honoured PM Modi.
Owaisi invoked Babur to take swipe at BJP after PM Modi gets top Uzbekistan honour.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday turned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest foreign honour in Uzbekistan into a political taunt against the BJP, saying the honour came from the country from which Mughal emperor Babur originated. He asked how the BJP and the Sangh Parivar could now invoke Babur’s name to target the Opposition after the country of his birth honoured the Prime Minister.
Reacting to PM Modi being conferred the Order of ‘Oliy Darajali Dustlik’, Uzbekistan’s highest state award, the Hyderabad MP said, “I congratulate the BJP; the very country from which Babur came to India has conferred an award upon the Prime Minister.”
Owaisi noted that Babur belonged to the Fergana Valley in present-day Uzbekistan and said it has become routine for Prime Minister Modi to receive honours during his foreign visits.
“Wherever the Prime Minister goes these days, he returns with an award. Congratulations,” Owaisi said.
The AIMIM chief also took aim at the BJP and the broader Sangh Parivar over references to Babur in political discourse. “You used to shower so many insults in Babur’s name, yet the people of that very country are now honouring you with an award,” the MP added.
Owaisi said the development should prompt introspection within the RSS and its supporters.
“The Sangh needs to reflect on this. You used to abuse us, invoking Babur. And now you have been given a civilian award from the very place where Babur came from. We hope that people of the Sangh Parivar and those who support the RSS will no longer take Babur’s name in this manner, because the Fergana Valley is there, in Uzbekistan. Now what will they say? he asked.
PM Modi was conferred with Uzbekistan’s highest honour for foreign leaders on Sunday, the ‘Oliy Darajali Do’stlik’ Order, during his visit to the Central Asian country. The honour recognises his contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership and friendship between India and Uzbekistan.
“Honoured to receive the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order. I dedicate this to the enduring bond between India and Uzbekistan,” Modi said in a social media post.
The Uzbek honour adds to a long list of top state and civilian awards conferred on Prime Minister Modi by nearly three dozen countries, recognising his leadership and contribution to strengthening bilateral ties.
In July, Indonesia conferred its highest civilian award, the ‘Bintang Adipurna’ of the Republic of Indonesia, on pm Modi for his contribution to strengthening ties between the two countries.
In June, Seychelles awarded the PM its highest national honour, the ‘Guardian of the Blue Horizon’, in recognition of his leadership in environmental conservation and sustainable development.
An FIR was lodged against Rahul Gandhi based on the complaint submitted by Amit Kumar, a member of the Scheduled Caste community.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (YouTube)
A first information report (FIR) was registered on Sunday against leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at Haldwani Kotwali police station in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district over his alleged remarks on a “purification ritual” conducted at the local Ramlila Ground.
Superintendent of Police (City) Haldwani Manoj Kumar Katyal confirmed the development, saying, “Based on the complaint submitted by Amit Kumar, a Jawahar Nagar Colony resident, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi under relevant sections, and a thorough investigation into the matter is currently underway.”
Complainant from SC community
Kumar (26) identified himself as a member of the Scheduled Caste (Valmiki) community and an office-bearer of the local trust, Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas.
The project is part of a wider capital expenditure plan covering healthcare, education, roads, power, housing, and industrial infrastructure, the government said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File)
The Assam Cabinet has approved a Rs 600-crore Proton Beam Therapy facility as the state government steps up investments in healthcare and other key infrastructure sectors.
The project is part of a wider capital expenditure plan covering healthcare, education, roads, power, housing, and industrial infrastructure, the government said.
Funding for the projects will come from the state’s own resources, borrowings from NABARD, and different schemes of the Central government.
In the health sector, the government plans to improve primary healthcare facilities and expand access to advanced treatment. The proposed Proton Beam Therapy centre is expected to add a specialised cancer treatment facility to the state.
The Cabinet has also cleared infrastructure-related proposals for schools and anganwadi centres.
Road connectivity and the power sector are other areas where fresh investments have been planned. Proposals have also been made for facilities aimed at women, including women-only markets and hostels.
India secured what could turn out to be one of its most important nuclear energy wins in years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed on Sunday that India and Uzbekistan would establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement.
India secured what could turn out to be one of its most important nuclear energy wins in years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed on Sunday that India and Uzbekistan would establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement, a move expected to help keep India’s nuclear power plans on track for the long haul. The announcement came after PM Modi met Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
“We will also establish a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium,” PM Modi said, flagging it as one of the biggest takeaways from the talks.
That wasn’t the only item on the agenda. India and Uzbekistan are also finalising three sister-city and sister-state agreements. PM Modi’s message was simple: don’t let these become another set of signed papers that go nowhere. He called for a clear roadmap so the partnerships deliver results on the ground.
Urban development came up too. Uzbekistan is currently building New Tashkent, effectively a brand-new city from scratch, and PM Modi pointed to Gujarat’s GIFT City as a model worth studying. He also offered to host an Uzbek delegation to showcase the planning, technology and implementation behind the project.
For the First Time, Trade Tops $1 Billion
Mirziyoyev also shared some notable figures. He described India as a “reliable strategic partner” and said bilateral trade crossed the $1 billion mark last year for the first time. Joint ventures have also increased sevenfold compared to a few years ago.
Travel has become easier as well. There are now 14 direct flights a week connecting the two countries, according to Mirziyoyev.
There is a cultural dimension to the relationship, too. Mirziyoyev highlighted the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Indian Studies, saying both have played an important role in strengthening people-to-people ties. Yoga, in particular, has gained popularity in Uzbekistan. The country has had a national Yoga Federation since 2018, and hosted a yoga festival in June that attracted participants from across the region.
And Here’s the Part Travellers Will Like
Uzbekistan is set to remove visa requirements for Indian citizens for stays of up to 30 days. Mirziyoyev said the move would help boost tourism, business travel and broader people-to-people contact.
Taken together, the developments suggest the relationship has moved beyond symbolic gestures. More flights, more trade and easier travel point to growing engagement on multiple fronts.
Kolkata Police filed a suo motu FIR against Mamata Banerjee and TMC student wing rally organisers over alleged violation of Calcutta High Court directions. The court had allowed the August 28 rally on Cathedral Road but ordered one road flank to remain open. Police said the condition was not followed and the role of those involved will be examined.
Mamata Banerjee Booked For Alleged HC Order Violation At TMCP Event In Kolkata; FIR Filed | X – PTI
FIR lodged against former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged violation of Calcutta High Court’s order on Trinamool Congress (TMC) students’ wing rally on August 28.
Case Registered At Hastings Police Station
The Kolkata Police has filed a suo motu case against Mamata and the organizers of the programme at the Hastings Police Station.
The Calcutta High Court had given the nod to Mamata to hold a rally on the foundation day of TMC student wing’s foundation day on August 28 on Cathedral Road in Kolkata, but had directed that one flank must be kept open.
Police Allege Court Direction Was Not Followed
The cops mentioned that one flank was not kept open which is clearly a violation of the High Court’s order.
Police further mentioned that the role of those who had violated the order will be examined.
Hours before her delivery, a video of Mishra pleading with her family to take her away from the hospital surfaced on social media.
The video captured the woman’s plea to her family before delivery. (Image: X)
A 25-year-old woman and her newborn child died at a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district, prompting protests by her family and an inquiry into alleged medical negligence.
Kalpana Mishra, a resident of Hatwa village, was admitted to Gandhi Memorial Hospital on August 26 for delivery. She reportedly underwent a C-section at around 8:30 pm, but she and her newborn died later that night at 11:55 p.m.
Hours before her delivery, a video of Mishra pleading with her family to take her away from the hospital surfaced on social media. She was heard expressing fear about continuing treatment at the facility. “If this kind of treatment continues, these people will kill me,” Kalpana is heard telling her mother in a video recorded shortly before her death. “I won’t survive. Please save me, my life is in danger,” she pleaded again.
According to medical records, Mishra had a platelet count of around 30,000 per microlitre, severely high blood pressure and elevated liver enzymes. Doctors diagnosed her with a term pregnancy complicated by severe disorders and initiated treatment.
Woman’s Family Alleges Medical Negligence
Her family, however, alleged negligence and misbehaviour by hospital staff and demanded a criminal case against those responsible. Following the allegations, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla ordered an inquiry.
A preliminary probe led to the suspension of duty doctor Dr Sonal Agrawal from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department and anaesthetist Dr Nidhi Pandey. Two nurses were also suspended following complaints of misbehaviour with the family.
The CPI(M) accused the VHP of dictating how Durga Puja should be observed in West Bengal. Mohammed Salim said the push over rituals and food reflects a wider politics of diversion and control.
The CPI(M) alleged that the BJP had turned to “religious purification” instead of delivering on promises of jobs, better education, industry and action against corruption. (Photo: Purushottam Diwakar)
The CPI(M) on Saturday criticised the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, accusing it of trying to decide how Durga Puja should be celebrated in West Bengal and of hurting the festival’s spirit. The attack came days after the VHP objected to some earlier Durga Puja themes in the state, saying idols of the goddess had been “distorted”, and urged organisers to follow traditional rituals and ban non-vegetarian food inside pandals.
Addressing reporters on the first day of a two-day extended meeting of the CPI(M)’s West Bengal state committee in Kalyani, state secretary Mohammed Salim also widened his criticism to the BJP government.
He alleged that the party had turned to “religious purification” instead of delivering on promises of jobs, better education, industry and action against corruption.
“The VHP has taken upon itself the authority to decide how Bengalis would celebrate Durga Puja. They are now saying non-vegetarian food will not be allowed in the vicinity of puja pandals,” Salim said. He alleged that the VHP was trying to destroy the festive spirit of Durga Puja.
Salim also accused the BJP government of throttling democracy and freedom of speech, attacking opposition parties and creating a toxic atmosphere around religious issues. “It is for the people of Bengal to decide whether they elected the party for jobs, industries, education, stopping corruption or for this,” he said.
He alleged that the government was targeting poorer sections of society. “They have declared a war against hawkers, footpath dwellers and the homeless,” Salim said, adding that they were facing hardship because of the government’s actions.
The BJP administration has launched anti-encroachment drives across the state to clear pavements of hawkers. Agnimitra Paul recently faced criticism over her rebuke of a homeless woman heating milk on a Park Street footpath, and Suvendu Adhikari later met the woman at his weekly Janata Darbar and assured her of assistance.
Salim said the BJP had come to power promising jobs, industrialisation, filling all vacant posts and ensuring a free and fair recruitment process, but alleged that little had been done in the past three months.
Drawing a parallel with the previous Mamata Banerjee government, he said, “We had seen similar attempts by the previous dispensation.”
He alleged that the earlier government dictated which newspapers, magazines and books would be taken by government libraries.
He also alleged that educational institutions such as Jadavpur University were being targeted. “Attacks are being perpetrated on anything related to intelligent thinking,” he said.
The Special NIA Court in Mumbai rejected the agency’s plea to cancel bail granted to four Elgar Parishad accused, saying their mere presence at a Press Club gathering did not establish a violation of bail conditions or Maoist-linked activity.
Court says Press Club meet alone not bail breach. (Representative image)
A Special NIA Court in Mumbai on Saturday rejected the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) applications seeking cancellation of bail granted to activists P Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Arun Ferreira in the Elgar Parishad case, holding that the agency had failed to produce sufficient evidence to establish a violation of their bail conditions.
The Elgar Parishad case dates back to 2018 and involves allegations that activists and others were linked to the banned CPI (Maoist) and were involved in activities described by the prosecution as part of an “Urban Naxal” network. The accused have been facing these allegations since the case came to light, though trial in the case is yet to begin.
The latest dispute arose over a gathering held at the terrace of the Mumbai Press Club on January 19, 2026. The NIA alleged that the four activists attended the meeting in violation of their bail conditions.
WHY DID NIA SEEK BAIL CANCELLATION?
The agency claimed that the gathering was intended to propagate the ideology of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) and discuss the future course of the “Urban Naxal” movement.
The NIA alleged that the presence of the four activists at the gathering breached a bail condition prohibiting them from contacting or communicating with co-accused or people involved in similar activities. It also sought their immediate arrest.
The four activists, however, told the court that the meeting had been called by former journalists and social activists and that they had not organised it.
They submitted that discussions at the gathering included prison life, the future course of action of co-accused Gautam Navlakha after his move to Delhi, how the case against another co-accused, Surendra Gadling, would proceed, his prospects of release and his prevailing health condition in prison.
The activists said they had not invited any other accused and did not know that other co-accused had been invited to the gathering. They also denied attempting to contact or communicate with any co-accused or anyone involved in similar activities.
WHAT DID THE COURT SAY?
Special Judge Chakor S. Baviskar, after hearing the matter, held that cancellation of bail requires “very cogent and overwhelming circumstances”. The court said such action is warranted in cases involving supervening circumstances, such as interference with the administration of justice, abuse of bail or a likelihood of absconding.
The court also examined CCTV footage of the gathering submitted by the NIA. However, it noted that the footage had no audio and therefore could not establish what conversations took place.
A Shiv Sena leader said ‘humour should be taken as humor’, while a BJP MLA slammed Raina, saying Kashmiri Pandits cannot be treated as subjects of ridicule.
File photo of stand-up comedian Samay Raina (PTI)
Samay Raina is again in controversy over his India’s Got Latent show after a Kashmiri-Bihari banter with comedian Sharon Verma in the latest episode of show’s second season. The banter kicked up a row as several politicians called him out over the remarks.
While Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam said ‘humour should be taken as humor’, Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam slammed Raina, saying Kashmiri Pandits cannot be treated as subjects of ridicule.
The controversy erupted over the duo’s conversation during the show after Raina said, “You know, Sharon Verma is a Bihari who came to Mumbai in search of a job. Just Bihari things.” To this, Verma replied, “At least I left my state by my choice.” For context, Verma is from Bihar, and Raina is a Kashmiri Pandit.
The fresh row of Raina’s show also prompted comments from political leaders from J&K as well.
Here is what the J&K leaders said:
‘Why treat it so seriously’
BJP leader Rakesh Kaul took a rather neutral stand and said that the words of comedians can be interpreted in both positive and negative ways depending on the context.
“If we look at history, people from Bihar have moved all over India for work and to earn a livelihood because of a lack of resources in their home state… However, one shouldn’t overanalyse these things. A comedian is just a comedian. Their job is simply to make people laugh. You saw Samay Raina on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ recently. Amitabh Bachchan himself enjoyed the interaction and didn’t take issue with anything said… Ultimately, this is a comedy show. So why treat it so seriously,” Kaul said.
#WATCH | Jammu, J&K | On Bihari-Kashmiri jokes at comedian Samay Raina’s show, Kashmiri Pandit and BJP leader Rakesh Kaul says, “The words of comedians can be interpreted in both positive and negative ways depending on the context… If we look at history, people from Bihar have… pic.twitter.com/CRdrsFZKaf
A leader of Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP expressed sympathy with Kashmiri Pandits who had to leave their homes in Kashmir ,at the beginning of militancy in early 1990s. “The land of Jammu & Kashmir remains incomplete without (Kashmiri Pandits)… They did not leave their homes out of mere choice. The way these personalities are sometimes treated, there is no room for such conduct in either religion or humanity… We await their return, but wherever they are, they deserve great respect,” PDP leader Syed Tajamul Islam told news agency ANI.
‘Sharon Verma ought to do her homework’
Dilip Pandita, a Kashmiri Hindu, made sharp attack at Sharon Verma, condemning her remarks. “I strongly condemn Sharon Verma’s statement. I do not believe she was even born when the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits happened. Sharon Verma ought to do her homework… I am a victim of terrorism, not a victim of economic hardship. I did not need a job,” he said.
#WATCH | Anantnag, J&K | On Bihari-Kashmiri jokes at comedian Samay Raina’s show, Kashmiri Pandit Dilip Pandita says, “I strongly condemn Sharon Verma’s statement. I do not believe she was even born when the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits happened. Sharon Verma ought to do her… pic.twitter.com/vQV9XNYap0
J&K BJP MLA RS Pathania condemned the remarks made on Raina’s Latent show and said, “India has a collective flow, a collective sentiment, India has a history, India has a tradition, and India has a golden future. Mischievous acts like this have previously led to fines on Samay Raina, but by tearing apart the guidelines set by law, the Constitution, and social ethics, he has made the remark again.”
PM Narendra Modi thanked Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on social media for the “special gesture” of welcoming him at the airport
PM Modi greets the Indian community at an event in Tashkent. (X/@MEAIndia)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday for Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he will hold bilateral meetings and participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to bolster India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Modi on his arrival in Tashkent late on Saturday. The PM’s special aircraft took a longer route through Chinese airspace since Pakistani airspace remains closed to Indian aircraft, people familiar with the matter said.
Modi thanked Mirziyoyev on social media for the “special gesture” of welcoming him at the airport and said his fourth visit to Uzbekistan reflected the depth and growing momentum in bilateral relations.
Landed in Tashkent to a warm welcome by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Grateful to him for the special gesture.
This is my fourth visit to Uzbekistan, reflecting the depth and growing momentum of our bilateral relations.
Following his two-day trip to Uzbekistan, Modi will travel to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the SCO Summit and hold bilateral meetings, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the margins of the gathering.
“I am confident that this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen our civilisational connect with the region, and advance our shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity – values that lie at the heart of India’s engagement with the world,” Modi said in a statement ahead of his departure from New Delhi.
Soon after his arrival, Modi laid a wreath at Yangi Uzbekistan Park in Tashkent, emphasising the deep-rooted friendship between India and Uzbekistan.
Trade, defence, energy on agenda with Uzbekistan
Modi said in his statement that the India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership has witnessed significant advancement in recent years, and he looked forward to discussions with Mirziyoyev on Sunday that will focus on deepening cooperation in trade, investments, digital connectivity, defence and energy, and on advancing the shared visions of “Viksit Bharat” and “Yangi Uzbekistan”.
He will also visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
Uzbekistan is a partner country in the BRICS grouping, which is currently chaired by India. India is among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trade partners, and bilateral defence cooperation has grown over the years, with the seventh edition of the Dustlik joint exercise held in April this year.
Uzbekistan is also the third-largest source country for medical tourism in India and is home to more than 18,000 Indians, including 16,000 medical students.
Two days after Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a Congress rally in Haldwani, members of the Shri Ram Sena reportedly conducted a “shuddhikaran” havan at the venue.
Rahul Gandhi said his party president must get justice and urged the government to take action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. (YouTube)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi order an FIR against those involved in the “shuddikaran” or purification of the Ramlila ground in Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit, addressed a public meeting there.
Calling it a fight between two ideologies — the Constitution versus the RSS-BJP’s views — Gandhi said his party president must get justice and urged the government to take action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Our demand is an FIR should be lodged at the earliest against those who performed Shuddikaran. The Prime Minister said he belongs to all castes. His party chief in Uttarakhand claimed Shuddikaran was the right thing to do. We want the PM to give order to file an FIR under the SC/ST act. This show the BJP and RSS’ mindset. They don’t want a Dalit to become prosperous and live respectfully. We are not asking for anything impossible. According to the Constitution this is a crime. We are seeking justice for the Congress president. We are not asking anything more. It is a duty of the state government and the national government to ensure that Kharge ji gets justice in Uttarakhand,” Gandhi said at a press conference on Saturday.
Playing a video that showed the BJP’s Uttarakhand chief supporting Shuddikaran, Gandhi said, “It is a reflection of PM’s ideology that he is not saying anything. BJP’s Uttarakhand chief has committed an illegal act by justifying the act. But the PM is silent.”
Congress president had raised the issue of purification at the Congress Working Committee meeting on August 19 and had lamented that some party leaders didn’t take up the issue.
Gandhi, in the press conference, raised the larger question of atrocities and violence faced by Dalits in India, pointing out how Dalit students are made to clean toilets in schools, barred from drinking water from the village well or in tea shops, given different cups and forced to wear helmets to protect themselves from stone pelting during wedding processions. He alleged that a shuddikaran followed after Union minister Jitin Ram Majhi visited a temple.
“This is done by the BJP and RSS and this is a crime according to the Constitution. Shuddikaran is another name for untouchability. Which is illegal but BJP practises it,” Gandhi said.
The Leader of the Opposition further pointed out that Kharge addressed a rally on August 8. The Shuddikaran took place on August 10 by BJP-RSS workers. “20 days have passed but no case has been filed under the SC/ ST act. No action has been taken,” he said.
The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act came into force in 1995 to prevent atrocities and violence against the vulnerable sections. It has been amended to impose stricter punishment.
The food safety regulator submitted a six-page compliance affidavit to the Supreme Court outlining a clear, high-visibility labelling framework
To allow food manufacturers adequate time to reformulate products without delaying consumer awareness, the FSSAI has outlined a two-phase implementation plan. Representational image/ANI
Following sharp criticism from the Supreme Court over prolonged regulatory delays, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed mandatory front-of-pack (FoP) warning labels for packaged foods containing excessive added sugar, saturated fat, and salt.
The food safety regulator submitted a six-page compliance affidavit to the apex court outlining a clear, high-visibility labelling framework. Under the proposal, packaged products exceeding nutrient thresholds set by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) will be required to feature prominent red hexagonal warning labels.
Red Hexagons to Flag Unhealthy Nutrient Levels
To ensure high readability and eliminate consumer confusion, the FSSAI specified that the front-of-pack warnings must be printed in a bold red hexagonal shape. The font size of the text inside the symbol must be at least one point larger than the font used in the nutrition information table on the back of the package.
The labels will feature clear, direct warnings based on the product’s composition:
High Fat, High Sugar, or High Salt: Explicit declarations identifying specific nutrients that exceed safe dietary thresholds.
Combined Warnings: Products surpassing limits for multiple ingredients will feature joint labels, such as “HIGH FAT HIGH SUGAR” or “HIGH FAT HIGH SALT.”
Sweetened Drinks: A distinct “HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE” label will be mandated for sugary drinks.
Single-ingredient foods and items inherently rich in specific nutrients—such as milk, ghee, edible oils, sugar, jaggery, and honey—will be exempted from the warning system.
Phased Rollout and Judicial Pressure
The regulatory shift comes shortly after a Supreme Court bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala severely reprimanded the FSSAI for failing to enforce interpretive warning labels and delaying public health protections. The court rejected complex numerical tables, emphasizing that visual warning symbols are crucial for enabling ordinary consumers and children to make informed nutritional choices.
IIT Delhi’s student death highlights the urgent need for accessible mental health support, academic flexibility, effective grievance systems and campus welfare safeguards.
IIT Delhi Student Death: Why Mental Health Support Matters (Pic: AI image)
The death of 31-year-old MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar at IIT Delhi has sparked protests and renewed attention on student mental health, academic pressure and campus welfare systems. More than 500 students have reportedly demanded an independent inquiry, accountability and stronger safeguards for student well-being.
The institute has since outlined the academic, mental-health and grievance-redressal mechanisms available to students. The developments have also brought a larger question into focus: are campus mental health support systems sufficiently accessible, responsive and effective when students face emotional, academic or personal difficulties?
IIT Delhi’s mental health support system
IIT Delhi says students have access to 24/7 mental health support, including counsellors and psychiatrists. The institute has also stated that students can access specialists associated with institutions including AIIMS and VIMHANS, while external mental healthcare is reimbursed.
An emergency response protocol and Academic Unit Wellness Committees are among the other measures cited by the institute. Peer support can also play an important role in helping students seek assistance. IIT Delhi’s UG Buddy programme was expanded in 2025 to include postgraduate and international students. The institute has additionally highlighted yoga and meditation modules developed through the National Resource Centre for Value Education in Engineering as part of its broader wellness initiatives.
Academic pressure and student mental health
Academic demands can significantly affect student well-being, particularly when combined with financial concerns, isolation, relationship difficulties, sleep problems or uncertainty about the future.
IIT Delhi says its curriculum introduced in 2025 includes measures intended to reduce academic pressure. First-semester credit requirements have been reduced, life-skills courses have been introduced, and first-year departmental classes have been capped at 30 to 60 students.
The institute has also said that weekend examinations have been minimised and students have greater flexibility in distributing credits. Since the 2024-25 academic year, the institute says it has also removed the minimum CGPA requirement for obtaining a B.Tech degree.
Support for students struggling academically
Academic difficulties can sometimes contribute to emotional distress, making early intervention important. IIT Delhi’s Academic Progress Group (APG) has provided evening tutoring and support for students dealing with credit backlogs since 2023. Faculty-student interaction is another component of the support system. Students can interact with faculty through open-door office hours, project guidance, hostel involvement, semester-wise meetings and Class Committee feedback.
The Student-Teacher Interaction Council also conducts semester-wise interactions, while student concerns can be represented through bodies including the Student Affairs Council and the Cocurricular Academic Interaction Council.
Why does campus mental health support matter?
The IIT Delhi student death and the protests that followed underline the importance of creating campuses where students feel comfortable seeking help without fear of stigma or academic consequences.
Delhi CNG prices have risen by Rs 3.89 per kg amid surging global LNG costs. Congress called PM Modi ‘Inflation Man’, saying CNG prices have nearly doubled over six years.
Delhi CNG Price Hike: Congress Targets PM Modi, Says Fuel Nearly Doubled In 6 Years
CNG prices in Delhi have gone up by Rs 3.89 per kg, with the new rate of Rs 86.98 per kg coming into effect from 6 am on Saturday, August 29. The hike has drawn a sharp political reaction from the Congress, which accused the Modi government of adding to the burden on consumers.
Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress in a post on X said, “‘Inflation Man’ Modi’s stick has struck again – CNG has become Rs 3.89 more expensive. Over the past 6 years, CNG prices have risen by nearly 99%, meaning they’ve doubled.”
The post highlighted that the CNG price in August 2020 was at Rs 43.80, whereas in August 2026 it has reached Rs 86.98, almost doubling in six years.
“‘Inflation Man’ Modi has made CNG nearly Rs 43 more expensive in 6 years,” the post said.
‘महंगाई मैन’ मोदी का हंटर फिर चला है – CNG 3.89 रुपए महंगी हो गई।
पिछले 6 साल में CNG के दाम करीब 99% बढ़े हैं, मतलब दाम डबल हो गए।
• अगस्त 2020: 43.80 रुपए
• अगस्त 2026: 86.98 रुपए
‘महंगाई मैन’ मोदी ने 6 साल में CNG करीब ’43 रुपए’ महंगी कर दी।
The Congress’s attack came hours after Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) announced the price revision late Friday night.
Why Has CNG Become More Expensive?
IGL said the hike was necessary because of a sharp rise in the cost of imported natural gas.
In a statement, the company said that despite soaring imported spot gas prices, corporate department entities such as IGL have been maintaining competitive CNG prices compared with alternative fuels to support the continued growth of CNG consumption in India.
A significant portion of the gas used as an input for CNG in India is sourced through imported LNG. According to IGL, international spot LNG prices have risen sharply since the beginning of the West Asia conflict.
Strait Of Hormuz Crisis Pushes Up LNG Prices
IGL said the re-escalation of the West Asia crisis since July 2026 has affected LNG cargo movements through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing global LNG prices to nearly double their pre-crisis levels.
The company also pointed to rising demand in Europe to build natural gas stocks ahead of the winter season.
At the same time, IGL said CNG consumption in India has increased significantly, in line with economic growth and rising consumer demand. These factors, it said, have pushed up the cost of gas used for the CNG segment.
“With international LNG prices remaining elevated and the cost impact becoming increasingly significant, a calibrated revision of Rs 3.89 per kg has now become necessary to partially offset the increase in input gas cost,” IGL said.
The company added that the revised prices would come into effect from 6 am on Saturday.
How Much Have CNG And LNG Prices Risen?
IGL said Delhi’s retail CNG price had gradually increased from Rs 77.09 per kg to Rs 83.09 per kg, representing an increase of around 7.8%.
In comparison, international gas benchmarks have recorded significantly sharper increases.
The Europe TTF gas benchmark rose from around $11.36/MMBTU to nearly $23.35/MMBTU, an increase of approximately 105%.
The Asia JKM LNG benchmark climbed from around $10.99/MMBTU to $23.41/MMBTU, marking an increase of approximately 113%.
Muskan Sharma, a 21-year-old social media creator, was murdered in Delhi after trying to distance herself from Imran, a gym trainer with a troubling past.
Muskan (Right), Accused Imran
Twenty-one-year-old Muskan Sharma was allegedly trying to distance herself from Imran after learning about his alleged drug use and criminal background, police said. Her decision to step away from him, investigators believe, may have been linked to the events that led to her murder in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar.
Muskan, who was building a presence on social media, was allegedly killed by Imran, a gym trainer, after she decided to stay away from him. According to police, Imran could not accept her decision and allegedly went to her house, where he stabbed her multiple times.
After the alleged murder, Imran reportedly took Muskan’s iPhone with him. Investigators suspect that he wanted to remove or destroy digital evidence connected to the crime, according to Times Now sources.
Police said Imran allegedly tried to delete data from the phone but was unsuccessful. He later dumped the iPhone near a drain in West Delhi, where it was recovered by the police and then led police to Imran.
Police Seek Instagram Help To Access Digital Evidence
The iPhone has now become an important part of the investigation. Police have not been able to unlock the device and have sought assistance from Instagram to examine possible digital evidence linked to Muskan and the accused.
Investigators are looking into conversations, social media activity and other digital links that could help establish what happened before and after the murder.
The digital trail could also help police understand the relationship between Muskan and Imran and whether there were earlier signs of threats, harassment or attempts to control her, as per Times Now sources.
Imran Arrested After Police Encounter
While the investigation was underway, Imran allegedly tried to escape. Delhi Police’s Special Staff later tracked him down in the Rajouri Garden area.
According to police, an encounter took place between the Special Staff team and Imran near Nala Road in Rajouri Garden. Police said Imran opened fire at the team after spotting the officers.
A total of 11 rounds were fired during the exchange, according to police. The accused allegedly fired four rounds, while the police team fired seven rounds in response.
Imran was hit by three bullets in both legs and was subsequently overpowered and arrested. A pistol and cartridges were also recovered from his possession, police said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Mumbai is set for a busy pre-Ganeshotsav Saturday, with nearly 30-40 prominent Ganesh idols scheduled to arrive across the city. Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani’s procession will begin from Parel at noon, with thousands of devotees expected. Security has been heightened across Lalbaug-Parel, with around 800-1,000 personnel expected alongside RAF, CRPF teams to manage crowds and maintain law and order.
Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani To Parel Cha Raja: Mumbai To Witness Grand Ganesh Aagman Processions Today; Lalbaug Turns Into Fortress |
Mumbai is set to witness one of the busiest pre-Ganeshotsav days on Saturday, with nearly 30-40 prominent Ganesh idols scheduled to arrive across the city. The grand aagman processions are expected to draw thousands of devotees, with the Lalbaug-Parel belt witnessing heightened security arrangements.
Among the major idols arriving today is Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani, whose procession will begin from the Parel Central Railway Workshop Ground at noon. The idol will then be taken through Lalbaug in a grand procession before reaching its mandap late at night.
List Of All Ganesh Aagman Processions Today
Several other prominent Ganesh idols are also scheduled to arrive across Mumbai, including Parel Cha Raja, Parel Cha Maharaja, Fort Cha Laadka, Sakinaka Cha Maharaja and Andheri Cha Maharaja, along with around 25-30 other major idols.
With massive crowds expected, the Mumbai Police have intensified security across the Lalbaug-Parel area. The area has been turned into a virtual fortress ahead of Chintamani’s arrival procession.
800-1,000 Police Personnel Expected
Security arrangements around the Kalachowki signal area have been strengthened since Friday, with a large number of police vehicles and personnel deployed in the vicinity. Around 800 to 1,000 police personnel are expected to be deployed during the arrival procession.
The deployment has been stepped up in view of the recent tension in Parel and the possibility of large crowds gathering along the procession route. Personnel from the Mumbai Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will also be deployed to maintain law and order and manage the crowds.
Thousands of devotees are expected to line the route to catch a glimpse of Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani. Police are therefore maintaining special vigilance to prevent any untoward incident and ensure the smooth movement of devotees and vehicles.
A private tutor was arrested in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Friday for allegedly raping and impregnating a Class 9 student of a residential school during her stay at home on summer vacation, police said.
Further investigation is underway, say officials. (Representational)
A private tutor was arrested in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Friday for allegedly raping and impregnating a Class 9 student of a residential school during her stay at home on summer vacation, police said.
A routine medical examination at the school earlier this week revealed that the girl was five months pregnant, following which her parents were informed of the matter, they said.
The investigating officer in the case said the parents spoke to the girl, who then opened up about the alleged sexual assault and threat she faced during the summer vacation.
The local authorities had announced summer vacation in schools of the area in March itself in view of the hot and humid weather at that time.
Recent cases point to an organised operation linked by three common threads: online entrapment, honeytrapping, or information related to India’s defence assets
When it comes to Indian defence or government officials, honeytrapping appears to be a go-to option in the ISI playbook (AI-generated image)
The arrest of a young couple in Delhi on Friday has put the spotlight back on espionage rackets run by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in India.
A close study of such recent cases points to an organised and meticulously planned operation tied together by at least three common threads—online entrapment, honeytrapping, and scouting for information related to India’s defence assets and infrastructure, according to officials privy to the developments.
Social media used to find targets
In the hunt for targets, it is believed that Pakistani agents scan Indian social media profiles to zero in on defence or government officials in uniform, or even civilians showing signs of vulnerability.
Once targets are identified, they are approached using accounts operated through mostly Indian SIM cards. Conversations that start on a friendly note from accounts flashing women’s photos can spiral quickly—and those who take the bait and share intimate photos can then be pressured to share sensitive information or aid espionage operations.
For example, in the Delhi case, Mohammad Sahil, 25, and his wife Sameera, 21, allegedly procured eight Indian SIM cards and sent them to Pakistan via Dubai between 2024 and 2025. These SIM cards, investigators said, were used to activate WhatsApp accounts from Pakistan and access Indian groups to gather sensitive information.
Nudity as bait for extracting crucial info
When it comes to Indian defence or government officials, honeytrapping appears to be a go-to option in the ISI playbook. Even though active surveillance by Indian agencies and law enforcement foils many such plots, some still fall prey.
A serving Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander, arrested in May, has been accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistani agents after being honeytrapped. One nude for one page of combat plan—that was what the person he was chatting with promised, according to officials privy to the probe. The IAF official is also accused of installing data-stealing software on a colleague’s mobile phone.
HT has accessed details of the aid, funds and other assistance being mobilised for disaster-hit Nepal.
India sends emergency aid to Nepal. (X/@DrSJaishankar)
India has rushed 62 tonnes of emergency aid to Nepal since deadly flash floods struck on Wednesday, emerging as the first major country to physically deliver humanitarian assistance to the Himalayan nation.
HT reported on Friday that India was the first country to physically deliver aid to Nepal after the disaster. The prompt response reinforces India’s “first responder” tag, reflecting its growing record of delivering aid and assistance to disaster-hit countries, from Türkiye and Syria to Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Venezuela.
Third flight with assistance from India reaches Kathmandu.
Relief supplies and an 11-member medical and tunnel rescue team are now on the ground.
By Friday evening, India had sent 62 tonnes of aid in three airlifts, while several other countries and international organisations—including the United States and China—were still mobilising assistance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah within hours of the disaster, conveyed his condolences and said India was ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance. He also said Indian teams were coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts.
Other countries and international organisations have also pledged or begun providing assistance to Nepal. HT has accessed details of how governments and global organisations are rallying around the disaster-hit country.
Nepal: The Nepali government has said it can mobilise up to $229 million for disaster relief. The figure includes resources from the Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, along with up to $164 million in emergency assistance that the World Bank has indicated could be mobilised.
India: India has sent 62 tonnes of emergency relief supplies in three airlifts. The first, an IAF C-130J aircraft, carried 10 tonnes of temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines. The second, a C-17 aircraft, carried 37.5 tonnes comprising 28.5 tonnes of relief items such as tents, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, dewatering pumps, kitchen sets and generator sets; eight tonnes of medicines; and one tonne of food items. A third flight carrying another 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance left for Kathmandu on Friday.
India’s contribution has been announced primarily in physical relief supplies rather than as a cash commitment.
China: China has committed emergency supplies and cash assistance to Nepal. Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming said coordination for the assistance had been completed, although the mechanism for transferring the cash and delivering physical supplies was still being worked out. Nepal has declined offers of foreign search-and-rescue contingents as a general policy, saying its own security agencies are capable of handling the operation.
UAE: The UAE has allocated $10 million through the UAE Aid Agency for urgent humanitarian assistance. The agency is coordinating with local authorities and international organisations to deliver the aid.
UK: The United Kingdom has pledged £5 million ($6.8 million) in humanitarian assistance for relief and recovery. It has also deployed a Rapid Deployment Team to Nepal to provide consular support to British nationals and their families.
Australia: Australia has announced a $5 million humanitarian assistance package. Of this, $2 million will go to the World Food Programme, $2 million to Australian NGOs through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, and $1 million to the Emergency Action Alliance for locally led recovery and rehabilitation. Australia is also sending an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists within 48 hours, while additional consular personnel are being deployed.
South Korea: South Korea has pledged $1 million in humanitarian assistance through international organisations. Seoul has also sent a rapid response team and was seeking Nepal’s cooperation in the search for nine missing South Korean nationals.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has pledged $1 million in financial assistance to support Nepal’s immediate relief and humanitarian efforts.
US: The US State Department has committed $500,000 in immediate assistance for flood-affected communities, covering emergency shelter, relief supplies, clean water and hygiene needs. Washington is also deploying a disaster-response adviser.
World Bank: The World Bank has indicated it could provide up to ₹25 billion ($163.55 million) in emergency assistance to support Nepal’s response and recovery.
UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF): The UN has released $2.5 million in emergency funding to support the Nepal-led response.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): The IFRC has released nearly CHF 1 million in emergency funding to support the Nepal Red Cross Society’s immediate response and has launched a larger CHF 25 million Emergency Appeal to sustain relief operations.
Police have stepped up the probe into the killing of Shamli singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan after a high-level review meeting. The case has sparked anger among his family and local residents as officers say arrests may come soon.
UP police form eight teams to crack Ankit Baliyan murder case.
Uttar Pradesh police have intensified their investigation into the murder of Shamli-based Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan, with Meerut Zone ADG Bhanu Bhaskar holding a high-level review meeting with senior officers in Shamli.
The ADG held a nearly two-hour meeting with DIG Saharanpur Abhishek Singh and police officials from Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Shamli. The meeting reviewed the progress of the investigation, efforts to trace the accused and action being taken by various police teams.
Bhanu Bhaskar said eight police teams have been formed to crack the murder case and are investigating different angles. Several teams are conducting raids in Haryana and searching for suspects.
The ADG said the police were close to reaching the accused and had also made significant progress in tracing the weapons allegedly used in the murder. He expressed confidence that the accused would be arrested soon and the entire case would be solved.
“Eight teams have been formed to solve the Ankit Baliyan murder case. Teams are also conducting raids in Haryana. The police are very close to tracing the weapons. The accused will soon be arrested and the entire case will be solved,” Bhanu Bhaskar said.
The murder has triggered anger among Ankit Baliyan’s family members and local residents, with attention now focused on the police investigation and the expected breakthrough in the case.
Uttar Pradesh has asked hospitals to stay on alert and keep isolation wards ready amid swine flu concerns. The move comes as Delhi reports over 2,600 H1N1 cases and reviews hospital preparedness.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed all hospitals across the state to remain on alert amid concerns over swine flu and ensure continuous monitoring of the situation.
The Chief Minister instructed district magistrates and health department officials to maintain special vigilance in their respective districts and regularly review healthcare arrangements. Hospitals have also been directed to keep isolation wards ready and ensure adequate stocks of medicines and testing kits.
Officials have been asked to conduct regular reviews of swine flu cases and ensure that there is no lapse in preparedness or patient care. Any significant change in the situation must be reported to the state government immediately.
The directions aim to ensure timely detection, treatment and containment of any potential rise in swine flu cases across Uttar Pradesh.
A Delhi-bound passenger bus overturned near Bhadrakali bend in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand killing two scooter riders. Eleven injured passengers are being treated, police and medical teams continue rescue operations.
A passenger bus overturned in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal, killing two scooter riders and injuring 11 passengers. (Source: ITG)
Two people riding a scooter were killed after a passenger bus lost control and overturned near the Bhadrakali bend in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal district on Friday. Eleven bus passengers were injured and are undergoing treatment at SPS Hospital.
BUS EN ROUTE TO DELHI OVERTURNS
The bus, bearing an Rajasthan registration number, was heading to Delhi when it lost control on a slope near the Bhadrakali bend, Rishikesh and overturned.
There were around 60 passengers on board. While the passengers sustained minor injuries in the accident, the two scooter riders travelling along the roadside were struck by the bus and became trapped beneath it.
Both scooter riders suffered critical injuries and were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). They were taken to hospital by ambulance, where they died.
Jharkhand CID has arrested four successful JSSC-CGL candidates in its exam irregularities probe. The action intensifies scrutiny of the stalled recruitment process amid the High Court stay.
Recently, students in Jharkhand held protests demanding cancellation of exams and CBI probe into the paper leaks. (Photo: PTI)
The Jharkhand Police’s Criminal Investigation Department on Friday arrested four successful candidates of the JSSC-CGL examination held in 2024 as part of its probe into alleged irregularities in the recruitment test. The arrests were made by a Special Investigation Team of the Jharkhand CID investigating the alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination-2023 conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.
The development comes amid continuing scrutiny of the recruitment process. The Jharkhand government had earlier announced the cancellation of several recruitment tests, including the JSSC-CGL-2023 conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024, following protests by job aspirants over the alleged irregularities.
However, the Jharkhand High Court later stayed the government’s decision to cancel certain exams, including the JSSC-CGL-2023, on a plea by successful candidates who feared losing their jobs.
In a statement on Friday, the CID said, “In connection with alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination-2023 conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission, four successful candidates of the JSSC-CGL examination have been arrested.”
The four have been identified as Deepak Kumar, Vijay Kumar Tiwari and Anand Kumar Singh, all residents of Dhanbad district, and Umesh Kumar Rai, who is currently staying in Bokaro.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered tighter monitoring of 13 sensitive glacial lakes in Uttarakhand. The move aims to strengthen early warnings, evacuation planning and disaster readiness in vulnerable hill areas.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami File Photo: ITG)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday directed officials to step up monitoring and safety measures for glacial lakes in the state after 13 of them were identified as sensitive. He said the lakes could pose potential risks in hilly areas and asked for regular and scientific monitoring.
According to instructions issued to State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, the chief minister also called for the installation of state-of-the-art early warning systems in sensitive areas and for their numbers to be increased wherever needed. He said a comprehensive survey and scientific study of the sensitive glacial lakes should be carried out across the state.
Dhami said the process should include regular assessment of the lakes’ condition, water levels, changes in size, the condition of the surrounding terrain and potential risk zones. He also stressed the need for modern sensors, water-level measuring instruments, communication systems and other technical resources so that timely warnings can be issued to affected areas if there is a threat.
The chief minister further directed officials to identify sensitive areas and strengthen safe evacuation routes, communication networks, local warning systems, and relief and rescue preparedness for disaster situations. Following his directions, Vinay Ruhela, Vice-Chairman of the Disaster Management Department’s State Advisory Committee, and Lt Col (Retd.) Raghuvir Singh Bhandari held a meeting with all district magistrates.
The meeting reviewed preparedness to deal with possible disasters in Uttarakhand, especially in view of the recent floods in Nepal. District magistrates were told to ensure regular monitoring of potential risk zones in their districts and immediately report any unusual activity to higher authorities.
Uttar Pradesh has sounded a high alert in border districts and sent rescue teams to Nepal after deadly flash floods. The move comes as river levels rise, Indian tourists remain missing and vulnerable villages are being warned.
An aerial view of swollen Bhotekoshi river in Nepal’s Dhading district. (Photo: PTI)
The administration has sounded a high alert in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts of Uttar Pradesh and stepped up monitoring of the Gandak and other water bodies downstream of rivers in Nepal, following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country that have killed at least 177 people and left thousands missing.
The administration in UP, which shares its northern borders with Nepal, is focusing on river monitoring, alerting vulnerable villages and keeping relief-and-rescue teams ready.
The UP government has deployed a 32-member SDRF platoon and 22 PAC personnel to Nepal for rescue and relief operations following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an official statement said.
Four rubber boats are available and an aluminium boat is also being sent with an additional SDRF platoon. The relief commissioner’s control room is monitoring border districts, while families of stranded UP residents can contact the 1070 helpline, it said.
The Nepal floods were triggered after an ice-rock landslide blocked a river near the country’s border with China. The floods have affected several districts and left at least 826 people missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management authorities.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said nearly 300 Indian tourists are among those reported missing.
The flash floods have caused extensive damage to bridges and roads, with several major highways blocked.
In Maharajganj, District Magistrate Gaurav Singh Sogarwal and Superintendent of Police Shakti Mohan Avasthy inspected the Narayani river and adjoining areas and reviewed flood preparedness.
They also boarded an SDRF boat near the tail fall to assess rescue arrangements. Sogarwal directed revenue, police, SSB and SDRF personnel to continuously monitor the river and remain ready for relief and rescue operations. He appealed to residents to stay away from the river and low-lying areas.
In neighbouring Kushinagar, the administration has stepped up preparations amid rising water levels of the Gandak, known locally as Narayani.
District Magistrate Mahendra Singh Tanwar, accompanied by Superintendent of Police Keshav Kumar, inspected vulnerable riverside villages and the Valmikinagar barrage and urged residents to remain alert and stay away from the river and low-lying areas.
In Balrampur, a condolence meeting was held at the Samajwadi Party (SP) office to pay tribute to those killed in the Nepal disaster. Gaisri MLA Rakesh Yadav, whose constituency borders Nepal, announced that the SP would send relief material, including medicines, medical equipment, food packets, tents, tarpaulins and drinking water, to flood-affected areas in Nepal.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Gonda’s BJP MP Kirti Vardhan Singh expressed grief over the deaths and disappearance of Indian tourists in Nepal, saying the Indian government is assisting in relief-and-rescue operations.
He said the NDRF has reached Nepal and is searching for missing people with modern equipment and technology.
Singh said water levels and weather conditions are being monitored in border districts, including Lakhimpur Kheri, Gonda, Bahraich and Maharajganj, with a system to receive advance information about water released from Nepal.
In Ballia, two residents of Rasra town — 54-year-old Usha Devi and her 18-year-old son Rahul — have been reported missing after the Trishuli river flood in Nepal. They were reportedly at their family’s shop when the flooding occurred on August 26. Ballia DM Mangla Prasad Singh said he was seeking information about the matter.
According to the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) Daily Water Level and Forecast Bulletin dated August 27, the Rapti was rising at Madhwapur in Bihar, where the water level stood at 124.54 metres at 8 am.
It was also rising at Sarju (Babai) in Gaighat and several stations on the Kwano and Sarda rivers. The Rapti recorded 40 mm of rainfall at Bhinga, 36.4 mm at Madhwapur and 43.6 mm at Balrampur during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Thursday.
The bulletin also showed that the Sarda at Uttarakhand’s Banbasa received 67 mm of rainfall and stood at 217.6 metres at 8 am, while the Sarda at Kabir Ganj in UP’s Pilibhit was rising at 163.23 metres.
The CWC said the Ghagra at Turtipar in Ballia was above its warning level, at 64.06 metres against 63.01 metres, though the level was falling.
The administration is particularly monitoring villages in sandy areas across the river, where people and livestock live close to the river.
Arrangements are being made to move people to safer locations if the water level rises sharply.
The Valmikinagar barrage in Bihar has been under close watch, with all 36 gates opened. The discharge rose from about 1.04 lakh cusecs at 8 pm to 1.36 lakh cusecs at 9:30 pm and 1.42 lakh cusecs at 10 pm, according to the district administration.
Modi’s visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan includes the SCO Summit and key meetings with world leaders, focusing on India-Russia relations and regional security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday begin a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Modi will visit Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 at President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s invitation before travelling to Bishkek on August 31 for the SCO Summit.
The meeting with Putin will be among several bilateral engagements Modi will hold on the margins of the summit, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday. Details of other meetings will be announced once they are finalised.
“A meeting is scheduled between both the leaders of India and Russia on the sidelines of the summit,” secretary (West) Sibi George said at a media briefing. George said the two leaders were expected to review the entire gamut of the India-Russia relationship.
Earlier this week, external affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Moscow, where he met Putin and co-chaired the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation meeting.
The SCO Summit, which will mark 25 years of the grouping, is expected to focus on the evolving security scenario in the region, the ministry said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are among the leaders expected to attend the summit.
During his address at the summit, Modi will highlight India’s priorities such as security, connectivity and opportunity, the ministry said.
The SCO was established with the primary goal of countering terror, separatism and extremism, which remain a challenge, Sibi George, secretary (West) in the ministry, told a media briefing. India became a full member of the grouping in 2017.
During the visit to Kyrgyzstan, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to attend the opening of the sixth World Nomad Games, which celebrate the cultural heritage of Central Asia.
Vijay argued that the petitioner failed to demonstrate how alleged inclusion of children in campaign activities translates into a statutory ground under Section 100 of RPA, 1951
Addressing secondary allegations regarding excessive campaign expenditure and the alleged use of religious sentiments for votes, the Chief Minister countered that the claims were devoid of specific facts. File pic
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay has submitted a “reject the plaint” application before the Madras High Court, asserting that the alleged involvement of children in an election campaign does not constitute a valid legal ground under the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, to declare an election void.
The application was presented before Justice V Lakshminarayanan in response to an election petition filed by DMK rival candidate S Inigo Irudayaraj, who challenged Vijay’s victory from the Tiruchi East Assembly constituency.
‘Lack of Statutory Basis Under the Representation of the People Act’
Vijay’s legal team argued that the election petitioner failed to demonstrate how the alleged inclusion of children in campaign activities translates into a statutory ground under Section 100 of the RPA, 1951.
Key arguments raised in the rejection application include:
Absence of Statutory Link: Directives issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) prohibiting child involvement or general provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) do not, by themselves, automatically constitute independent statutory grounds to annul an election under Section 100 of the Act.
Failure to Prove Impact on Poll Outcome: The petition lacks essential material facts showing how the alleged campaign practices directly resulted in a specific number of votes being cast in Vijay’s favour or otherwise materially affected the final electoral outcome.
Vague Assertions: Legal counsel emphasised that subjective claims alleging voters were “emotionally swayed” cannot substitute the concrete evidentiary proof required by law to challenge a democratic mandate.
Dismissal of Expenditure and Religious Misuse Claims
Addressing secondary allegations regarding excessive campaign expenditure and the alleged use of religious sentiments for votes, the Chief Minister countered that the claims were devoid of specific facts. The response pointed out that the petitioner failed to provide exact communications, representations, or precise details to substantiate the charges.
During the dialogue, Sitharaman and Champagne exchanged views on global macroeconomic developments and domestic policy priorities.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne concluded the inaugural Canada-India Finance Ministers’ Economic and Financial Dialogue.
India expressed its readiness to begin negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with Canada at the earliest, as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne concluded the inaugural Canada-India Finance Ministers’ Economic and Financial Dialogue.
According to an official joint statement released by the Ministry of Finance, the talks focused on strengthening economic and financial cooperation between the two countries, with enhanced trade and investment emerging as key areas of discussion.
The two ministers reaffirmed their shared ambition to increase bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion (around Rs 4.65 lakh crore) by 2030. The meeting follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during their meeting in New Delhi in March 2026 to deepen bilateral economic and financial ties.
“India expressed its readiness to initiate negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty at the earliest,” the joint statement said.
The ministers also discussed the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides committed to concluding the talks by the end of 2026.
During the dialogue, Sitharaman and Champagne exchanged views on global macroeconomic developments and domestic policy priorities, while highlighting the mutual benefits of stronger investment ties.
The two sides welcomed growing investment flows between India and Canada and recognised the importance of long-term institutional capital. They noted the substantial presence of Canadian pension funds and other institutional investors in India and discussed measures to encourage greater engagement between financial institutions and investors from both countries.
The ministers also discussed the importance of domestic tax policies that provide stability and certainty to investors, as well as commercially viable investment opportunities across sectors of mutual interest.
Financial-sector cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. The two sides explored greater collaboration in payments modernisation, financial stability, fintech innovation, capital markets development and efforts to combat financial crime.
They agreed to encourage engagement between relevant authorities and stakeholders on cross-border remittances and merchant payments. The ministers also welcomed opportunities to expand the use of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Canada through partnerships with payment service providers.
According to the statement, greater adoption of such payment systems could enable faster, more efficient and cost-effective transactions while supporting bilateral trade, tourism, education and the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.
Economic security and supply-chain resilience were also discussed, with the two countries agreeing to explore cooperation in strategic areas including critical minerals.
Following the dialogue, Sitharaman and Champagne participated in joint engagements with representatives from Canada’s financial services, fintech, technology, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, energy and natural resources sectors. The discussions focused on opportunities for long-term growth and deeper collaboration between businesses and financial institutions.
The ministers agreed to maintain regular economic and financial dialogue and work towards “concrete cooperation and tangible outcomes” in areas of mutual interest. The next Canada-India Economic and Financial Dialogue is scheduled to be held in 2027.
A hand slips into a pocket and finds nothing. No phone. For a split second, something feels genuinely wrong. That reaction goes beyond simple inconvenience or anxiety. According to a new research paper, the body itself responds, with muscle memory firing for a device the hand has come to treat almost like an extension of itself.
(Credit: CarlosBarquero)
A researcher at Edith Cowan University and RMIT University, writing in the academic publication M/C Journal, has published findings on what smartphones have become in daily life: less a communication tool than a physical object the human hand has learned to expect. Drawing on more than a decade of interviews and hands-on experiments with over 100 Australian smartphone users, the research explores how deeply the device has embedded itself into the body, and what it feels like when that bond is suddenly interrupted.
That research arrives against a pointed backdrop. Across Australia and beyond, schools are banning smartphones outright. Trendy “phone-free” events are popping up in cities. Retro landline accessories are selling as a kind of analog rebellion. A cultural conversation is building around stepping back from constant phone contact, and this paper asks what that actually means for people who have spent years treating their phone like an extension of their own hand.
Your Phone Has Become a Body Part
To understand why losing a phone feels so strange, the research traces how smartphones were designed, almost from the start, to fit the human hand as naturally as possible. When the first iPhone launched in 2007, it replaced physical buttons with a smooth touchscreen that responds only to bare skin. That choice was not accidental. It locked the device and the fingertip into a relationship of constant, direct contact.
Swiping, tapping, and pinching became second-nature motions. Over time, the thumb learned to find the bottom edge of the screen without looking, and the fingers developed a grip the paper describes as “neither tight nor loose but simply right.” That physical familiarity, built up over years of daily handling, sits at the center of what the paper calls the “snug tether,” a term researcher Mizuko Ito coined in work on Japanese mobile phone culture twenty years ago. Jess Hardley revisits and updates that idea for a world where people are now actively trying to break it.
What Over 100 People Revealed About the Phone Habit
Hardley’s research spans more than ten years and involved home visits, in-depth interviews, app walk-throughs, and GPS tracking with more than 100 participants in Australia. One revealing experiment asked participants simply to hold their phones without using them, then describe how that felt.
Responses ran the full range of human feeling. Some people stroked the screen. Some closed their eyes and held the device against their chest. Participants said things like “I’d be lost without it,” “it’s my world,” and “it’s my connection to everything,” alongside at least one person who called it “such an unnecessary burden.” Those reactions pointed, according to the paper, not to addiction or brand loyalty in any simple sense, but to something more physical and instinctive about how the device had woven itself into daily experience.
To bring the findings to life, Hardley presents a fictional-but-grounded character named Ravi, a composite built from real participant experiences. Ravi is in his early twenties, lives in a shared house in a large Australian city, and one Saturday morning realizes halfway to work that he left his phone at home. Rather than turn back, he decides to prove he does not need it.
His hand reaches into his pocket throughout the day anyway. Over and over, the body moves toward something that is not there. Hardley describes it as “muscle memory taking precedence over material reality,” a phrase that captures the paper’s core argument. By the end of the day, Ravi has done more than go without a device; he has been cut off from his social network, unsure whether friends messaged, whether the person he is dating replied, whether anyone noticed he went quiet.
Beyond the reflex, the study surfaced a less obvious reason phones have become such constant companions. Several participants admitted to scrolling through social media on public transit not because they needed to, but to avoid making eye contact with strangers. Others used their phones in shared office kitchens to sidestep small talk. One participant described her phone and wireless headphones together as “the sign of my generation that I don’t want to be disturbed.” The tether, in other words, is not only about staying connected. For many people, the phone is also a shield.
Infographic showing research on habitual smartphone use, automatic reaching, phone-free events, device-limiting products, and school phone bans. When Putting the Phone Down Becomes a Group Activity
Not everyone is waiting for an accidental moment of separation. In Amsterdam, a group called the Offline Club has been staging “1-Hour Reading Raves,” events held on a museum rooftop where participants arrive with their phones switched off and tucked away. Phones are not left at home; they stay in bags or pockets. But their networking and touchscreen functions are suspended for the duration.
Hardley sees this as a meaningfully different kind of separation from what Ravi experienced. Rather than an absence of the device, it is a pause in the relationship. These events still require online registration and booking through a web browser or app, a paradox the paper does not let slide. Even the act of choosing to disconnect runs through the connected devices people are briefly escaping.
A third strand of the paper looks at physical products designed to create distance between the hand and the device. One is a retro handset accessory, shaped like an old-fashioned corded telephone receiver, that plugs into a smartphone through a cable. Another is a wall-mounted dock with a coiled cord that gives the phone a fixed home in a room rather than a spot in a pocket. A novelty lockable box marketed as a “phone jail” can hold up to six devices and uses a built-in timer to block access.
These products occupy a strange cultural space. They are gimmicky, in the paper’s own word, and some lean on vague wellness language about rewiring the brain or resetting the nervous system. But they also reflect something real: a broader desire to stay close to smartphones while disrupting the constant handling and scrolling that defines much of their use. The paper frames them as deliberate versions of the accidental separation Ravi stumbled into.
At the institutional scale, Australian schools have gone further, legislating outright bans on smartphones during the school day across several states. Hardley notes that one education expert described Australia’s broader approach to youth and social media as “an extraordinary test case.” School bans do not ask students to choose separation; they impose it on an entire population within an entire regulated setting.
Can an Ingrained Phone Habit Really Be Unlearned?
What ties these examples together, from the empty pocket to the reading rave to the phone jail, is a question about unlearning a habit that has been built into the body. Hardley is careful not to offer a simple verdict on whether stepping back from phones is good or bad. Instead, the paper closes with a caution: being without a phone does not feel the same for everyone. Age, gender, race, and disability all shape how the device is used and how its absence lands. A blanket policy or a trendy accessory assumes a universal relationship with the phone that this research finds does not hold.
Whether new rules and products can genuinely retrain that reflex, or only interrupt it for a while, is a question the paper leaves open. The reflex itself, Hardley argues, is real; it is physical, and it has been years in the making.
Anaya Bangar, the child of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, announced on social media that she will be eligible to participate in elite women’s cricket in Australia from March 2027.
Anaya Bangar, the child of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, announced on social media that she will be eligible to participate in elite women’s cricket in Australia from March 2027. Anaya shared pictures of the official statement from Cricket Australia (CA) and in the letter, CA said that the decision was based on the medical information provided. Anaya, who played age-group cricket with Sarfaraz Khan, underwent a gender-affirming surgery in March this year. The Cricket Australia policy states that players competing in the women’s category of elite cricket need to maintain a serum testosterone concentration below 10 nmol/L continuously for at least 12 months. Anaya will also have to maintain the eligibility requirements.
The approval from Cricket Australia means that Anaya will be able to take part in the Women’s Big Bash League as it is classified as elite cricket. However, the clearance does not guarantee a contract for her.
Anaya will also be eligible to take part in premier cricket competitions in any Australian state or territory.
“I am now eligible to play in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia from March 2027 onwards. For me, this is incredibly emotional because there was a point when I genuinely believed I had lost cricket forever,” Bangar told Bombay Times.
Five people were killed and around 20 injured after a private bus carrying 42 passengers rammed an iron-rod-laden container on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway in Telangana’s Suryapet district.
A private bus carrying 42 passengers rammed an iron-rod-laden container on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway. (Image: X/PTI)
Five people were killed and around 20 others sustained serious injuries after a private travel bus rammed into an iron-rod-laden container from behind in Telangana’s Suryapet district on Wednesday.
The accident occurred at around 4.30 am on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway when the private bus, carrying 42 passengers, was travelling from Hyderabad to Eluru in Andhra Pradesh. According to police, the bus rammed the truck from the rear.
The impact caused the iron rods loaded on the container to pierce into the bus, worsening the severity of the accident. Several passengers became trapped inside the mangled bus and cried for help.
Police carried out a rescue operation for more than an hour to pull the injured and trapped passengers out of the bus. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The accident caused a major traffic jam on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway.
CISF personnel at Bengaluru airport found two yellow-metal capsules concealed in a Dubai passenger’s mouth during screening. The passenger was handed over to Airport Police, while officials said the metal’s nature and value are yet to be established.
Gold capsules recovered from a passenger’s mouth at Bengaluru airport. (Source: ITG)
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru detected two capsules containing approximately 82 grams of concealed yellow metal inside a passenger’s mouth during security screening.
The passenger, identified as Mohd. Siraj had arrived in Bengaluru from Dubai on an IndiGo flight. He was scheduled to travel onwards to Ghaziabad on another IndiGo flight.
SUSPICION DURING SECURITY SCREENING
A CISF screening officer noticed that Siraj was not responding appropriately during the screening process, raising suspicion that he could be concealing something.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said AI can assist courts in research, translation and administration during talks with Germany’s top federal judge. He said judges alone must decide cases, as India considers a permanent apex body to regulate AI use and accountability.
The Chief Justice said these tools are intended to reduce repetitive work and improve access to justice, but do not determine judicial outcomes. (File photo)
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday said artificial intelligence may augment judicial reasoning but cannot replace judicial conscience, stressing that the technology must support, rather than determine, judicial decision-making.
Speaking at a bilateral meeting with Ulrich Herrmann, presiding judge of the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, Germany, CJI Kant said the Indian judiciary is using AI for certain defined support functions, including legal research, translating judgments into 16 languages and providing citizens with a conversational interface to access information on case status and procedures.
He said these tools are intended to reduce repetitive work and improve access to justice, but do not determine judicial outcomes.
“Artificial intelligence may augment judicial reasoning, but it cannot substitute judicial conscience,” Kant said. He added that draft regulations prepared by the Supreme Court’s AI Committee allow administrative uses of AI for functions such as scheduling, transcription and translation, while prohibiting its use to assess witness credibility, flight risk, recidivism or bail eligibility.
A permanent apex body has also been proposed to oversee the adoption of AI and ensure accountability, he said.
“Our two judiciaries share the same underlying responsibility: to preserve judicial independence and public confidence while adapting our institutions to new forms of litigation and new expectations of access,” Kant said.
“Technology and administrative reform can support this responsibility, but neither can replace careful adjudication, human judgment and fidelity to law,” he added.
Kant said institutional mediation centres, Lok Adalats and digital Lok Adalats, including the Supreme Court’s recent special Lok Adalat, Samadhan Samaroh, have made dispute settlement accessible to people beyond major cities. These initiatives are supported by trained professionals, case managers and secure digital systems.
He said India and Germany, as major trading partners, could benefit from greater judicial cooperation on cross-border commercial mediation, recognition and enforcement of mediated settlements, and joint training for mediators handling India-Germany commercial disputes.
At the outset of the meeting, Kant noted that India and Germany have different judicial structures and legal traditions. India follows the common-law tradition with an integrated judicial hierarchy, while Germany follows a civil-law system with separate branches of federal jurisdiction.
“These differences make the exchange particularly useful. They allow us to compare how our institutions deal with the same practical concerns, including appellate workload, consistency of case law, timely disposal, judicial administration and access to justice,” he said.
Kant identified three key areas for cooperation: harnessing technology and AI in the administration of justice, strengthening cross-border mediation and other dispute resolution mechanisms, and deepening institutional cooperation through a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
He also proposed identifying areas where courts, judges, registries and judicial academies of the two countries could continue their engagement through a structured and reciprocal programme.
The CJI said any proposed MoU could focus on technology and AI in court administration, cross-border mediation and dispute resolution, commercial and business law, and digitalisation of judicial processes.
“I propose that each side identify one institutional point of contact so that today’s discussion can be converted into a workable programme, with the MoU or another suitable arrangement to follow once the appropriate authorities on both sides have considered its scope, frequency, participants, confidentiality requirements and working language,” he said.
Giving an overview of India’s judicial system, Kant noted that the country does not have a separate constitutional court.
“The Supreme Court is simultaneously the final appellate court in civil and criminal matters and the country’s highest constitutional court, with original jurisdiction under Article 32 to enforce fundamental rights,” he said.
Kant said India’s approach to judicial technology has focused not merely on making courts more digital, but also on making them more accessible, transparent and responsive to all stakeholders in the justice delivery system.
Six granddaughters of Neem Karoli Baba have asked the Firozabad administration to investigate ownership of his ancestral home and worship site. The trust has denied the allegations as officials examine records and competing claims.
The ancestral property is located in Akbarpur village under the Tundla tehsil of Firozabad district and is regarded as Neem Karoli Baba’s birthplace.
A dispute has emerged over the ancestral home and worship site of renowned spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district, with six granddaughters of his younger son approaching the District Magistrate (DM) alleging interference by the Shri Thakur Hanuman Ji Trust.
The six women — Sunita Sharma, Archana Sharma, Vandana Sharma, Bhavana Rawat, Ritu Tiwari and Richa Rawat — have submitted a complaint to Firozabad DM Santosh Sharma, seeking an investigation into the ownership and alleged occupation of the property.
According to the family, Neem Karoli Baba had two sons, Anke Singh Sharma and Dharam Narayan Sharma. Anke Singh Sharma had a son and a daughter, while Dharam Narayan Sharma had the six daughters who have now raised the issue with the district administration.
The ancestral property is located in Akbarpur village under the Tundla tehsil of Firozabad district and is regarded as Neem Karoli Baba’s birthplace. The family has alleged that the trust has also interfered with the worship site attached to the ancestral property.
The complainants have claimed that the ancestral house was never donated to the trust and have urged the administration to examine revenue records and other documents. They have also sought action to remove any illegal occupation or interference if established during the inquiry.
Firozabad DM Santosh Sharma said the administration was already looking into the allegations.
“This is Baba’s birthplace and several government projects are underway here to ensure that devotees visiting the site do not face any difficulties,” Sharma said. He added that the government was also working to develop the religious site as a better tourist destination, given its significance and the sentiments attached to it.
“As far as the allegations are concerned, an inquiry is being conducted,” the DM said.
WHAT THE TRUST SAYS
The Shri Thakur Hanuman Ji Trust, which is at the centre of the dispute, has rejected the allegations. Trust treasurer Manoj Agrawal said the claims were incorrect and maintained that Neem Karoli Baba’s house, temple and dak bungalow had been legally transferred to the trust.
According to Agrawal, Baba’s wife Rambeti established the trust in 1996. The trust currently has 18 members, with Baba’s daughter Girja Bhatele serving as its president.
Over 100 have been killed and at least 750 are missing in Nepal after floods triggered by an avalanche in Tibet. The devastation has made experts raise a red flag over the 60,000-MW dam that China is building in the high seismic zone in Medog county, close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh.
China’s new mega dam project being built in Tibet’s Yarlung Zangbo river could become a geopolitical and ecological time bomb. (Image: Getty)
It’s young and growing, and restless too. And once in a while, it doesn’t stop from showing its fury. The Himalayas are the world’s most seismically active mountain range, and a flood resulting from an earthquake-triggered avalanche has killed over 100 people on the Nepal-Tibet border, with hundreds more unaccounted for. The devastation from the unstoppable wall of flowing water also made experts caution about a monster dam that China is building just next to the border with India.
The 60,000-megawatt (MW) Medog Dam that China is building on the Yarlung Tsangpo, which becomes the Brahmaputra in India, is near Arunachal Pradesh. The dam, which Beijing is looking to operationalise by 2033, is located in China-occupied Tibet Autonomous Region’s (TAR’s) Medog or Medong. This is a zone that is prone to earthquakes, and such a massive dam has therefore been referred to as a “water bomb” by experts.
Houses, roads and power projects were swept away in Nepal, while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties” from the flood triggered by the avalanche in the TAR on Wednesday. The deluge of muddy water swept down from an estimated nearly 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) above sea level.
At least 341 foreign travellers, including more than 100 Indians, are missing. Most of them are Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament on Wednesday that initial reports suggested that an earthquake could have triggered an avalanche and caused the floods in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.
Even a study by geologists affiliated with China’s state-run geological survey had in July found that the under-construction Medog Hydropower Station on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet sits atop an active fault line.
“The Himalayas are the world’s most seismically active major mountain range, with a record of triggering devastating earthquakes. How even a moderate seismic event can trigger massive cascading effects was illustrated today when a magnitude 4.4 quake along the Tibet-Nepal border unleashed a disaster, with flash floods washing away Nepali villages,” wrote strategic expert Brahma Chellaney on X.
Reports also suggested that an ice avalanche could have triggered the deadly cascade. “A chunk of ice with a width of about 2,000 feet snapped cleanly off the glacier,” The New York Times reported, quoting geologist Daniel Shugar.
Though it was too early to confirm the trigger, the devastation in Nepal made experts issue a stern warning over the mega-Medog Dam.
China has been building settlements and infrastructure projects in eco-sensitive border areas.
“This [the Nepal disaster] will renew global attention on China’s folly in persisting with the construction of the world’s largest dam in the middle of the Himalayan seismic zone,” said Chellaney.
“The project, located next to the Indo-Tibetan border, is a water bomb in the making, which could drown India’s northeast and wreak havoc farther downstream in Bangladesh,” he added.
Former Indian ambassador and foreign affairs commentator Rajiv Dogra too warned the risk of a “much bigger devastation” to India’s northeast because of the Chinese dam.
“A much bigger devastation could strike India’s North-East if China goes to complete its 60,000 MW monster dam on Brahmaputra in seismologically sensitive zone,” wrote Dogra on X.
CONCERNS RAISED BY CHINESE EXPERTS OVER MEDOG DAM’S STRUCTURAL SAFETY
China began the construction of what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, triggering concerns in India over water security, flooding, ecology and the future of communities living downstream.
The project, also known as the Motuo Hydropower Station, is estimated to cost around $167 billion. Once completed, the Medog Dam will surpass China’s Three Gorges Dam, which is the world’s largest, to become the largest hydroelectric project in size and could generate roughly three times as much electricity, according to the Sydney-based think tank, Lowy Institute.
Fresh concerns over the structural safety of the Medog Dam were raised in July after the study by geologists affiliated with China’s state-run geological survey.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing a paper published in Mandarin in the journal Sedimentary Geology and Tethyan Geology under the supervision of the state-owned China Geological Survey, researchers identified the active Paizhen Fault directly beneath the Medog Dam site on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
WHY IS INDIA CONCERNED OVER CHINESE DAM ON YARLUNG TSANGPO?
The Yarlung Tsangpo flows from Tibet into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Siang, before becoming the Brahmaputra as it moves through Assam and eventually enters Bangladesh.
The Medog Dam that China is building is located in one of the most dramatic sections of the Yarlung Tsangpo, where the river makes a huge U-turn around Mount Namcha Barwa of Tibet. The river descends sharply through a deep canyon, creating enormous potential for hydropower generation. China plans to develop five cascading hydropower stations in the region.
The sheer scale and location of the project have raised concerns in India because China controls the upper reaches of a river that is crucial to communities, agriculture and ecosystems downstream.
A concern for India is China’s ability to influence the flow of the Brahmaputra once the dam is fully constructed. Though the Brahmaputra gets most of the water from monsoon-fed tributaries in India, it is still a lower-riparian country. Any major alteration in the volume or timing of water released from Tibet could potentially affect Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Floodwaters from Nepal entered the Gandak river system, prompting Bihar to open all 36 barrage gates. The move has triggered round-the-clock monitoring and emergency preparations across vulnerable districts.
An aerial view of swollen Bhotekoshi river in Nepal’s Dhading district. (Photo: PTI)
Bihar was put on high alert on Wednesday after floodwaters from Nepal entered river Gandak and reached the Gandak Barrage, prompting authorities to open all 36 gates to manage the surge, officials said. Around 1.50 lakh cusecs of water had been released from the barrage by 11 pm, the highest discharge recorded there during the day. Officials said the flow was now expected to start receding.
The alert in Bihar came after a massive flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal, killing over 150 people and leaving more than 750 missing, including 133 Indian nationals. Several towns and villages were hit, key bridges were washed away and about a dozen hydropower projects were crippled.
The Gandak Barrage is located at Valmikinagar in West Champaran, Bihar’s northernmost district bordering Nepal. Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament that an earthquake struck the Tibet region at 8:37 am (local time) and flash floods were reported three minutes later, suggesting the tremors may have caused a glacial outburst that triggered the floods.
As soon as the news broke, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary held a meeting with Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and other senior officials to review the situation. Officials were directed to remain on high alert, take necessary measures and keep continuous watch on developments.
Amrit also held a meeting with district magistrates and senior police officials of the bordering districts, and district authorities were told to complete all rescue and relief preparations and closely monitor the situation.
Water Resources Department secretary Chandrashekhar Singh said, “The situation is expected to remain normal. Nevertheless, all teams are on alert at the barrage, along the embankments and in the control room.” The highest discharge recorded this year was 2.24 lakh cusecs on July 14, 2026, while 5.625 lakh cusecs was recorded on September 28, 2024.
In a post on X, Choudhary said the loss of lives in Nepal was deeply saddening. “My deepest condolences to the families of those who have passed away in this disaster. I pray to God that all Indian citizens stranded in Nepal remain safe and secure,” he said. He added, “In this hour of crisis, the Government of India and the people of India stand firmly with our brothers and sisters in Nepal. Under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, every possible assistance is being provided in the relief and rescue operations.”
According to the Chief Minister, departmental officials have been told to keep all preparations in place for any emergency, maintain continuous vigilance and monitoring, stock essential materials and carry out regular inspection of embankments. District administrations are also issuing alerts in sensitive areas through public address systems.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who also holds the Water Resources Department portfolio, said, “The department has taken immediate precautionary measures. All 36 gates of the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar have been opened, and a technical team led by a Superintending Engineer has been deployed at the barrage. Warnings have also been issued to all districts in the Gandak river basin.”
Department officials said opening all 36 gates would help the water flow and assist in controlling the flood situation.
Officials said the water level of the Narayani river at the Devghat gauge site in Nepal was 4.77 metres, against a danger level of 9 metres and a warning level of 7.30 metres. Vijay Kumar Choudhary said Bihar needed to remain on alert through the night because of the floods.
He appealed to people to stay alert but not panic, and said the Chief Minister was personally monitoring the situation. He also said there was no report at present of any rise in the water level of the Kosi river.
SC judge Justice Sandeep Mehta’s letters allege maladministration and other irregularities by Rajasthan HC’s acting chief justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.
CJI Kant said he and other senior judges of the collegium have taken note of the concerns raised by Justice Sandeep Mehta but stressed that allegations against a sitting judge had to be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism. (PTI)
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court collegium was already working on the appointment of chief justices to the remaining high courts, amid the controversy triggered by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta’s letters alleging maladministration and other serious irregularities by Rajasthan High Court acting chief justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.
CJI Kant, in a press statement, said he and other senior judges of the collegium have taken note of the concerns raised by Justice Mehta but stressed that allegations against a sitting judge had to be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism.
The CJI said that the contents of the letters could not be adjudicated in the public domain and that Justice Sharma must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion was reached.
“The fact that allegations have been made cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge,” said the CJI, emphasising the need for due process in dealing with complaints against members of the higher judiciary.
Delhi has recorded 2,308 H1N1 cases so far in 2026, while cumulative Influenza A and B cases have crossed 3,000, with H1N1 currently the predominant influenza subtype in the city, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.
The Delhi Medical Association has issued an advisory amid a rise in H1N1 cases in the national capital, urging people to follow respiratory and personal hygiene measures, avoid crowded places and seek timely medical advice if they develop flu-like symptoms.
Delhi has recorded 2,308 H1N1 cases so far in 2026, while cumulative Influenza A and B cases have crossed 3,000, with H1N1 currently the predominant influenza subtype in the city, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. H3N2 was the predominant subtype in Delhi last year, Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said on Tuesday.
The association advised people to cover their mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, wash their hands frequently and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
It also advised people to maintain distance from those suffering from H1N1 or influenza-like illness and avoid spitting in public places.
The DMA has recommended wearing an N95 mask while experiencing flu symptoms, while health care professionals have been advised to wear masks in clinics, hospitals and OPDs.
It also cautioned people against taking antibiotics or antiviral medicines without consulting a qualified physician and advised those with flu-like symptoms to avoid meeting relatives, friends and others to prevent the spread of infection.
The association further advised people returning from travel or areas witnessing increased influenza activity to monitor their health for at least 10 days and report to the nearest health facility if they develop symptoms. It also recommended using face masks in crowded areas, markets and public transport.
At Andaz Delhi by Hyatt, 87 kg of expired sweets were found; at JW Marriott in Aerocity, hygiene standards were severely compromised across the property, FSSAI said.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said on Wednesday that it has issued notices to two hotels in New Delhi’s Aerocity, Andaz Delhi and JW Marriott, after inspections at the five-star properties uncovered what the regulator described as serious food safety violations. These included seizure of 87 kg of sweets that were past their expiry date at Andaz, and pest infestations at the JW Marriott property.
These two hotels are listed among host or stay venues for the official BRICS Business Forum website. This forum is the flagship private sector platform of the BRICS grouping, convened annually in the summit host country on the eve of the Leaders’ Summit. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
Regulatory and surveillance samples were collected during the inspections, the authority said in communication via its official social media handles. It added that further action would follow based on the hotel’s compliance and the analysis of those samples. The regulator did not specify the dates on which the inspections were carried out.
At Andaz Delhi by Hyatt (operated by a firm named Juniper Hotels), around 87 kg of expired sweets were found in the confectionery area and destroyed on the spot, the FSSAI said. Bread packets bearing expired stickers were also recovered, and expired cake bases, flies and cockroaches were found in the pastry section, it added. Deficiencies were recorded in the segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in the kitchen, with cutting boards used for both categories kept in the same water container, it further said.
The FSSAI also shared details of an inspection at JW Marriott in Aerocity (operated under Aria Hotels and Consultancy Services), in which the hotel was found conducting retail operations under the JW Marriott brand without the necessary licence.
Pre-packaged items lacked mandatory manufacturer addresses or displayed misprinted licence numbers on items, including paneer, khoya and chana masala. The primary FSSAI license was also not displayed prominently on the premises, the authority added
Ankit Balyan, Haryanvi singer and Youtuber, was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli district.
Ankit Balyan died on the spot.
Youtuber and Haryanvi singer Ankit Balyan was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a gym in Shamli district on Wednesday evening, police said.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav termed Balyan’s killing “highly condemnable”, saying the “law and order” situation had been reduced to “zero” and demanded investigation into possible political rivalry.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also called it an attack on the Jat community.
The incident took place in the Kotwali police station area when Balyan was coming out of the gym, they said.
Speculation was rife that Balyan was planning to contest upcoming panchayat polls, but there was no official confirmation from authorities or his associates immediately on it and if that could be the reason behind his killing.
Superintendent of Police M P Singh told reporters that police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the shooting.
“The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and an investigation is underway. Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused,” he said.
According to police, the assailants arrived on two motorcycles and opened several rounds of fire at Balyan. He died on the spot.
Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the attackers, officials said.
Balyan was a Youtuber with over 3.66 lakh subscribers. He featured in his videos as a singer and performer with different collaborators. Several of his videos showed the use of guns, firearms and SUVs.
Meanwhile, SP chief Yadav on Wednesday evening condemned the killing of Balyan, saying the incident reflected the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh and had created “fear” in the region.
“The way popular singer Ankit Balyan was brutally murdered in Shamli by firing 18 rounds, reducing Uttar Pradesh’s law and order to zero, has created fear throughout the region,” the SP chief said in a post on X, along with a news clip image.
Describing reports of Balyan’s mother mourning on the road with her son’s body in her lap as “heart-wrenching”, Yadav said the Jat community had raised its demand for the immediate arrest of the attackers.
Nepalese rescuers are racing against time to find survivors and bodies buried under the slush, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah pledging all government resources to relief work.
Entire settlements have been “wiped out”, aid workers have claimed
At least 162 people have been killed and hundreds remain missing after flash floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border region Wednesday morning. Among those missing are at least 142 Indians, including pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.
Nepal police have recovered 162 bodies, and officers are working towards moving families from flood-risk areas.
Some 403 tourists, 341 of them foreigners, were unaccounted for several hours after the disaster struck, according to the tourism ministry.
The missing foreigners included 142 Indians, as well as others from Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, the tourism board said.
Nepalese rescuers are racing against time to find survivors and bodies buried under the slush, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah pledging all government resources to relief work.
The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River around 9 am (local time) as it crossed over from the Tibet side. Rasuwa and Dhading, bordering Tibet, and Nuwakot were among the affected districts.
India jumped into humanitarian assistance soon after, with the Air Force deploying a transport aircraft with 10 tonnes of relief materials and medical supplies.
Entire settlements have been “wiped out”, aid workers have claimed.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah vowed a maximum response.
“The pain and loss you have suffered is not small,” he said in a statement on social media. “But I want to assure you that you are not alone in this difficult time — the state is with you with all its means and resources.”
A total of 79 rescue teams are working in the flood-hit districts of Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Keonjhar, Nabarangpur and Koraput.
People are force to evacuate due to floods in Odisha. Credit: PTI Photo
Bhubaneswar: The flood situation in Odisha remained grim on Tuesday as over 1 lakh people in six districts are still affected, despite a fall in water levels in major rivers, officials said.
A total of 79 rescue teams are working in the flood-hit districts of Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Keonjhar, Nabarangpur and Koraput.
In Bhadrak district, 75,432 people in 70 villages under 18 gram panchayats of Tihidi and Chandabali blocks remained affected, while over 21,000 people in 41 villages under Binjharpur and Dasarathpur blocks of Jajpur district were also impacted by the deluge, they said.
More than 5,000 people across five blocks and one urban local body in Kendrapada district continue to remain under flood.
Due to heavy rainfall over the past three days, some areas of Keonjhar, Nabarangpur, and Koraput districts have also been affected, officials said.
Local administrations evacuated 1,622 people in Nabarangpur district and 660 people in Koraput district. They have been accommodated in relief camps, they said.
A total of 79 rescue teams, including 28 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), one NDRF team, and 50 fire services teams, have been deployed for prompt rescue and relief operations in the affected areas, officials from the revenue and disaster management department informed.
The flood situation is expected to improve in the state as all major rivers, including Baitarini, Jalaka, Vansadhara, Brahmani, Salandi, and Budhabalanga, were flowing below the danger level on Tuesday, said Dillip Kumar Rout, engineer-in-chief (EIC) of the Water Resources Department.
All major rivers are flowing below the danger or warning level. So, there is no flood on the rivers. But, several villages remained marooned as the water had not receded, he said.
Rout said that the water level of the Mahanadi river will rise on Wednesday due to water release from Hirakud dam.
At Mundali in Cuttack district, the water flow is estimated to increase from 6 lakh cusecs to 6.7 lakh cusecs, a marginal rise that does not pose a risk of major flooding, he said.
