Category: India

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “As the blessed month of Ramzan begins, may it bring peace and harmony in our society. This sacred month epitomises reflection, gratitude and devotion, also reminding us of the values of compassion, kindness and service. Ramzan Mubarak!”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to the people on the start of the holy month of Ramzan on Sunday.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “As the blessed month of Ramzan begins, may it bring peace and harmony in our society. This sacred month epitomises reflection, gratitude and devotion, also reminding us of the values of compassion, kindness and service. Ramzan Mubarak!”

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1896032315601797235

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra extended Ramzan wishes to everyone on Saturday night.

Drone surveillance aided in the recovery of additional body parts from nearby fields on February 27, which included another severed leg and the upper torso from chest to head. Forensic teams collected samples, and the body was sent for post-mortem. The post-mortem report revealed that the girl was strangled to death.

Sitapur: A five-year-old girl’s mutilated body parts were found in fields near a police station here, officials said.

The girl went missing on the evening of February 25.

“The following day, her severed leg was discovered in a field, initially leading to suspicions of a wild animal’s attack,” said Additional Superintendent of Police, Sitapur, Praveen Ranjan.

However, the girl’s family insisted on investigating it as a case of murder, prompting police to initiate a probe.

Drone surveillance aided in the recovery of additional body parts from nearby fields on February 27, which included another severed leg and the upper torso from chest to head. Forensic teams collected samples, and the body was sent for post-mortem. The post-mortem report revealed that the girl was strangled to death, officials said.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/body-parts-of-5-year-old-girl-found-near-police-station-in-mathura-3427980

Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar announced on Saturday that the state government will provide free cancer vaccines to girls aged 0-14, citing growing concerns over the increasing number of cancer cases across the state.
Abitkar, as per ANI, said, “With lifestyle changes, cancer cases are rising in both rural and urban areas. Previously, it was often linked to specific addictions, but now it’s being detected across all age groups, including children. This is highly concerning,” Abitkar said.
To tackle the issue, the state government has decided to launch a free cancer vaccination program.

“We have requested Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar to approve free cancer vaccinations for girls aged 0-14. He has agreed to implement this initiative through the Maharashtra government,” Abitkar added.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday said the Delhi government will stop providing petrol to vehicles older than 15 years at fuel stations across the city after March 31. The move is aimed at taking stringent steps to curb vehicular emissions and pollution.

The decision was taken after a meeting with officials to discuss measures to combat air pollution in the national capital. Sirsa said the government is taking stringent steps to curb vehicular emissions and pollution.

The meeting focused on key policy decisions, including restrictions on older vehicles, mandatory anti-smog measures, and the transition to electric public transport.

“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” Sirsa said after the meeting.

He added that the Delhi government would inform the Union Ministry of Petroleum about this decision.

In addition to restricting fuel supply to older vehicles, Sirsa announced that all high-rise buildings, hotels, and commercial complexes in the capital must install anti-smog guns to curb air pollution levels.

Furthermore, he said nearly 90 per cent of the public CNG buses in Delhi will be phased out by December 2025 and replaced by electric buses as part of the government’s push towards cleaner and sustainable public transport.

The announcements come as part of Delhi’s broader efforts to combat air pollution, a significant challenge for the city’s residents.

Petrol & Diesel Prices In Delhi

The price of petrol in Delhi on Saturday stood at Rs 94.72 per litre, while that of Diesel at Rs 87.62 a litre.

A massive political row has erupted in Haryana after the body of a woman Congress worker was found near the Sampla Bus Stand on the Rohtak-Delhi highway, on the day the state is witnessing municipal election.

The Congress has identified the deceased as Himani Narwal, an office-bearer of the Youth Congress in Rohtak, the stronghold of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

“The news of the barbaric murder of active Congress worker Himani Narwal in Rohtak is extremely sad and shocking. I pay my tribute to the departed soul and express my deepest condolences to the family members. The murder of a girl in this manner and finding her body in a suitcase is extremely sad and shocking. This in itself is a blot on the law and order situation of the state,” Hooda posted on X.

The body of the deceased was found in a big blue suitcase near the Sampla bus stand on Friday, following which the information regarding this was provided to the Sampla police station.

She had a scarf wrapped around her neck and mehendi on her hands.

Who was Himani Narwal?

Himani Narwal, hailing from Kathura village in Sonepat, was a Congress worker. According to an HT report, Narwal was involved in various political events, including those with Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda. She was known for performing with Haryanvi folk artistes at Congress rallies and social events.

Narwal’s X account mentioned her as the Indian Youth Congress vice president. “During my tenure in Youth Congress, my younger sister @himani_narwal was the District Vice President of Rohtak Rural. Be it Bharat Jodo Yatra or any organisational programme, Himani fulfilled every responsibility very well,” former Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV said on X.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/who-was-himani-narwal-congress-worker-found-dead-in-haryana-101740885573891.html

India has emerged as the world’s “second democratic superpower” and has the potential to “substitute for China” as a trusted part of global supply chains, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Saturday, Mr Abbott said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “cuts a pretty big figure on the world stage” and could influence many things that are happening around the world.

“When I was Prime Minister, I frequently said that India was the world’s emerging democratic superpower. I now think that India under Prime Minister Modi has well and truly emerged. It is the world’s second democratic superpower. I think right now we need more democratic superpowers and if there’s any unpredictability in the American role, I think that it’s important that India is an important bulwark of democracy, not just here in the subcontinent, but globally as well,” Mr Abbott said.

Asked whether India could play a role in bridging the tensions between the US and Europe, Mr Abbott praised Prime Minister Modi for his “not an era of war” comment on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“I think Prime Minister Modi cuts a pretty big figure on the world stage. And I think that, should he choose to use it, he certainly could influence many things that are happening around the world right now. I’m certainly conscious of the fact that a couple of years ago, at a conference with President (Vladimir) Putin of Russia, he really took the Russian dictator to task for Putin’s use of war as a national policy. And I thought that was a really fine thing for President Modi to say, particularly to President Putin’s face,” he said

“As the world’s most populous nation, as the world’s fifth largest economy, as a country which has so much potential to, I think, substitute for China, as a trusted part of global supply chains, India has great and growing influence, and I think it should use its influence for good,” he added.

‘Russia Started War’

On the very public argument between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, the former Prime Minister said what happened was “deeply regrettable”.

“I do think that this deal between the Americans and the Ukrainians should go ahead. I hope it goes ahead at the earliest possible opportunity. I would like to see an end to the war in Ukraine. I think we would all like to see an end to the war in Ukraine, but it’s got to be accompanied by serious security guarantees. Because, let’s never forget, this war started when Russia invaded. And if the war’s going to stop, it can’t stop in ways which give a victory to aggression,” he insisted.

Trade With India vs Trade With China

Discussing Australia-India ties, Mr Abbott said the two countries have grown closer because of the Quad grouping – which also includes the US and Japan – the growing Indian diaspora in Australia, and increasing trade. He also said that while India could be trusted to honour deals, trade with China was based on the political interests of the country’s government.

“India’s exports to Australia have been increasing at twice the rate of India’s exports to the wider world. And I think that India has the opportunity to be a much larger source of Australian exports of raw materials, particularly to feed the ‘Make in India’ campaign of President Modi. And I think that India can substitute for China in our critical supply chains because you know when you do a deal with India, you can trust India to honour it,” the former prime minister said.

“But what we discovered a couple of years back with our China trade was that it could be turned on and off like a tap to suit the political interests or the strategic interests of the Chinese Communist government. So I think that the potential for vastly bigger two-way trade is there. Australia is also, I think, an important potential source of strategic minerals to India in the years and decades to come,” he emphasised.

‘Sky’s The Limit’

On whether India and Australia could explore new avenues for ties, Mr Abbott said there is an “ease and comfort” in the relationship, influenced by the shared love for cricket and Indian and Australian soldiers having fought together, which can be built on.

The former prime minister also emphasised that the Quad has the potential to be as important as the Five Eyes partnership between America, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which he described as “probably the most significant strategic partnership in the post-war world”.

The Enforcement Directorate has sent a notice to Paytm-owner One97 Communications for alleged violation of certain FEMA rules by the company and its two subsidiaries- Little Internet and Nearbuy, with respect to certain investment transactions, according to an exchange filing.

Paytm clarified that the alleged breach pertains to the period when the two companies were not its subsidiaries.

“We hereby inform you that a show cause notice…has been received by the Company on February 28, 2025…from the Directorate of Enforcement. This is in relation to alleged contraventions for the years 2015 to 2019 of certain provisions of the “FEMA” by the Company, in relation to its acquisition of two subsidiaries namely Little Internet Private Limited (“LIPL”) and Nearbuy India Private Limited (“NIPL”) erstwhile Groupon, along with certain Directors and Officers,” Fintech firm One97 Communications (OCL), which owns the Paytm brand, informed BSE that it has received a FEMA violation notice from the Enforcement Directorate on February 28 which does not specify financial impact but alleges contraventions in respect of aggregate amount of over Rs 611 crore.

According to the break-up shared by the company, OCL transactions amounting to over RS 245 crore, LIPL’s about Rs 345 crore and NIPL about Rs 21 crore have been listed in the alleged breach.

“The alleged contraventions relate to certain investment transactions relating to OCL, LIPL and NIPL,” it explained.

“Certain alleged contraventions attributable to two acquired companies – Little Internet Private Limited and NearBuy India Private Limited – pertain to a period when these were not subsidiaries of the Company,” the filing said.

Paytm said the matter is being addressed with a focus on resolving it in accordance with applicable laws and there is no impact of this matter on Paytm’s services to its consumers and merchants, and all services are fully operational and secure, as always.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/paytm-gets-probe-agency-notice-over-foreign-exchange-rule-violation-by-units-7825801

In an effort to revive the iconic yellow taxis which are dwindling in numbers with time, the West Bengal government in association with a private company, has launched a fleet of 20 modern cars. The hatchback cars were flagged off by the state transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty on Friday.

The transport secretary, Soumitra Mohan, and other officials were also present on the occasion.

Christened ‘Yellow Heritage Cabs’, the fleet is likely to evoke the nostalgia and emotions surrounding the iconic yellow taxis which have been an integral part of the city for many years.

According to a transport department official 3,000 such cabs hit the streets in two months.

The private company has entered into an agreement with a leading automobile company to launch the new yellow taxis in the city.

All the taxis will have modern features, including seat belts and airbags, he said.

The taxis will run on CNG and petrol. The cars will have images of the city’s iconic landmarks like the Victoria Memorial Hall and the Howrah Bridge on their bodies.

“These taxis can be booked with the government’s ‘Yatri Sathi’ app,” the official said.

The development comes in the wake of the imminent phasing out of yellow taxis as per the Calcutta High Court’s order in 2009.

It had said that commercial vehicles older than 15 years would not be allowed to ply in the Kolkata and Howrah under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) area.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/kolkata-news/kolkatas-iconic-yellow-taxis-return-as-heritage-cabs-with-new-features-7827656

Laying on a bed at the Army’s Jyotirmath hospital, Gopal Joshi, recalled the horrific experience of how tonnes of snow came crashing down on the BRO Camp. Joshi was one of the workers who were trapped after an avalanche hit the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
The avalanche hit the BRO camp between Mana and Badrinath between 5:30 am and 6 am on Friday, burying 55 workers inside eight containers and a shed, according to the Army.
Fifty workers have been pulled out of snow from the site since then. Gopal Joshi was also pulled out by the rescuers. Laying on the bed, he thanked Lord Badrinath for saving his life.

Recounting the harrowing experience, Joshi said, “Fresh snow was falling outside. As soon as we came out of the container house, we heard thunder and saw a deluge of snow hurtling towards us. I shouted to alert my companions and started running.”

“Several feet of snow prevented us from running fast. After two hours, the ITBP rescued us,” Joshi told PTI.
Joshi, a native of Narayanbagar in Chamoli district, had been operating an accelerator machine for the last several months. The group was employed at a BRO camp by Vijay Infra Construction Company.
Vipin Kumar of Himachal Pradesh, who hurt his back, said he was buried in snow for about 15 minutes. “I was able to get out of the snow only when the avalanche stopped,” said Kumar, who said it was his second birth.
Another worker, Manoj Bhandari, said he woke up to a “mountain of snow” sliding from the peak. “I shouted to alert everyone and ran behind the loader machine parked nearby to save myself.”
According to latest rescue updates provided by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), five labourers were missing but one of them — Sunil Kumar from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh — has reached home safely on his own and now, the search is focused on the four remaining workers.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/mountain-of-snow-sliding-through-peak-uttarakhand-avalanche-survivors-recount-horror-article-118657461

A devastating avalanche took place in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday, burying a camp of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and trapping several workers under the snow.

At least 50 workers were rescued from the avalanche-hit site in Mana village, but four of them succumbed to their injuries as authorities are racing against time to rescue four more labourers feared trapped in the snow. Rescue operations resumed on Sunday for the third day.

According to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), five labourers were feared missing, but one of them – Sunil Kumar from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra – had reached home safely on his own, bringing the focus to the remaining four workers.

The Indian Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as well as the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were leading combined efforts to rescue labourers trapped in the avalanche.

“A total of 54 (BRO workers) were missing, 50 have been rescued, and 4 people have lost their lives. Four people are still missing, and a search and rescue operation is going on, and we hope that we will find them soon,” said Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman on Sunday.

PM Modi, Amit Shah Monitor Efforts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were closely monitoring the rescue operations led by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was seen providing instructions at regular intervals.

Of the 50 workers rescued so far, 33 were rescued on Friday and 17 on Saturday. The rescue operations on Saturday were carried out mostly by the Army and IAF helicopters as the road was blocked by snow at several points, making vehicular movement nearly impossible.

The Army used sniffer dogs to locate the missing workers trapped in the snow. The Army also used five helicopters and a civil chopper as part of the rescue operations.

A search operation using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) will be carried out on Sunday, along with thermal imaging cameras and victim location cameras to rescue the missing labourers.

CM Dhami Reviews Rescue Ops

Dhami received updates on the rescue operations from Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman and Chamoli District Magistrate on Saturday evening. He directed a comprehensive search and rescue operation to find the missing workers.

The four missing labourers were identified by the USDMA as Harmesh Chand from Himachal Pradesh, Ashok from Uttar Pradesh and Anil Kumar and Arvind Singh from Uttarakhand. On Saturday, the Army found eight containers, but no workers were found inside.

On Saturday, 24 workers were transferred from the Army hospital in Mana to Joshimath, among whom two workers were reportedly in critical condition and were referred to AIIMS Rishikesh.

One worker succumbed to his injuries in Joshimath, while three other workers rescued from Badrinath/Mana also lost their lives. The deceased were identified as Mohindra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh, Manjit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh and Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand, according to the USDMA.

The Chamoli Police released a list of names of 55 workers who got trapped in an avalanche in Mana of Chamoli district. According to the shared information, most of the workers hail from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

When Did The Avalanche Struck?

The avalanche struck the workers’ camp on Friday morning between 5:30 and 6:00 am, burying 55 workers alive in eight containers and a shed. These workers were part of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in the high mountains of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.

The Indian military and paramilitary forces acted swiftly to rescue the trapped workers, starting the rescue operations immediately, with Chief Minister Dhami taking charge of operations.

Dhami assured that the government is fully committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected by this crisis, emphasising that the safety of the workers is the top priority. He also conducted an aerial survey of the site and spoke to PM Modi, who provided unwavering support to aid the rescue efforts.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/uttarakhand-avalanche-rescue-operations-labourers-killed-missing-workers-army-cm-dhami-pm-modi-latest-updates-9246489.html

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement during the inauguration of `Mumbai Tech Week 2025′, where an MoU was signed between the state’s Information Technology Department and Meta, which owns WhatsApp.

Mumbai: In a push towards digital governance, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced that more than 500 services from its ‘Aaple Sarkar’ portal will now be available through WhatsApp.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement during the inauguration of `Mumbai Tech Week 2025′ here, where an MoU was signed between the state’s Information Technology Department and Meta, which owns WhatsApp.

Additionally, an agreement was signed between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for allotment of land in the Bandra Kurla Complex here for the NPCI’s global headquarters.

A `Knowledge AI Hub’ will be established in collaboration with TEAM to promote advancements in artificial intelligence, an official statement said.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/over-500-services-of-maharashtra-govt-to-be-available-through-whatsapp-3426899

Four students from a college in Indore were expelled for allegedly holding 150 staff members hostage after being denied permission for a Holi fest.

Four student “leaders” from a college in Indore were expelled Friday for allegedly holding over 150 staff members hostage after being denied permission to celebrate a Holi programme. According to officials, the students had planned to organise a Holi fest on March 7, featuring DJ performances and a “rain dance.” News agency PTI reported that a civil services examination coaching centre co-sponsored the event, which also had an entry fee of ₹150. However, the college administration refused permission, prompting the students to paste posters on campus despite the denial.
“The students had put up posters on February 23, announcing a Holi event at the college on March 7 without the permission of the principal. These posters were removed on the instructions of the college head,” an official stated, citing an administrative investigative report.
The situation escalated on February 24 when students protested the removal of posters. According to reports, the students locked the door of a college hall from outside, cut its power supply off at a time when a meeting involving around 150 people, including female professors, was in progress. Due to intense shouting and heckling by the students, they were trapped inside for about 30 minutes.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/indore-college-students-hold-150-staff-hostage-over-holi-fest-denial-expelled-article-118631001

Uttarakhand glacier burst: The actual number of trapped workers was subsequently found out to be 55, not 57 as initially reported. Two of the BRO workers at the camp site were on leave, officials said.

Thirty-three workers of the Border Road Organisaton trapped under an avalanche in the high-altitude village of Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district have been rescued, with concerns over the safety of the remaining 22 mounting as rescue efforts were temporary halted for night. The 22 remaining workers are yet to be traced amid adverse weather conditions, according to an official.
The actual number of workers trapped in the avalanche was 55.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have left for the spot, about 300 km from the state capital Dehradun, to join the rescue operations. The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Mi-17 choppers are also scheduled to leave for Mana on Saturday morning to aid the search-and-rescue operations.

Uttarakhand’s Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that the task is challenging as there is seven feet of snow near the avalanche site. However, more than 65 personnel are engaged in the rescue operations, he added.

The snowslide buried the BRO camp between Mana and Badrinath as it rolled down early on Friday morning.
Rescue officials battled through the tough terrain, heavy snow and icy temperatures to reach the trapped labourers. They initially pulled out 10 of them and then the others, according to reports.
All 33 rescued labourers are undergoing treatment at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp in Mana, news agency PTI reported, adding that four of them rescued are reported to be in a critical condition.
Located three kilometres from Badrinath, Mana is the last village on the India-Tibet border at a height of 3,200 metres.
The avalanche hit between 5:30 am and 6 am, burying the workers inside eight containers and a shed. The Army deployed its swift response teams, comprising more than 100 personnel from the Ibex Brigade, specially trained for high-altitude rescue operations. The teams included doctors and ambulances.
According to Suman, the situation is critical with the containers buried under six to seven feet of snow.
Administration Providing All Assistance To The Affected
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have left for the spot, about 300 km from the state capital Dehradun, amid continuing snowfall and rain.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said rescuing the trapped people is the government’s priority. In a post on X, Shah said he spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the directors general of the ITBP and NDRF.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said all efforts are being made to rescue the trapped workers by utilising every available resource. “An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath (Uttarakhand) today impacting a GREF camp of BRO. Spoke to CM Shri @pushkardhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all assistance to the affected,” Singh said in a post on X.
Villagers in Mana said the site of the accident is considered vulnerable to avalanches in winter and the BRO camp is usually closed this time of the year.
“The camp was not closed this year due to a lack of snowfall and that is why these people got trapped,” Mana village headman Pitambar Singh told PTI.
Officials were on alert for bad weather and its possible impact.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/uttarakhand-avalanche-22-remaining-workers-trapped-under-seven-feet-of-snow-iaf-choppers-to-join-rescue-work-today-article-118640012

‘IIT Baba’ filed a police complaint, alleging that saffron-clad men stormed the newsroom, misbehaved, and attacked him with sticks, but later withdrew it.

Abhay Singh, also known as ‘IIT Baba’ who gained popularity during the Maha Kumbh 2025 that recently concluded in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, has alleged that he was assaulted during a news debate on a private channel in Noida, news agency PTI reported on Friday.

In his police complaint, Abhay Singh claimed that a group of “saffron-clad people” entered the newsroom, misbehaved with him, and attacked him with sticks. Following the incident, ‘IIT Baba’ staged a protest outside the police outpost in Sector 126. However, he later withdrew his protest after being persuaded by the police, the report added.

Sector 126 station house officer (SHO) Bhupendra Singh confirmed that he was convinced and chose not to pursue a formal complaint.

Videos of the incident, which have gone viral on social media platform X, show ‘IIT Baba’ engaged in a discussion when a group of sadhus enters the studio, leading to an argument. As tensions escalate, IIT Baba attempts to leave the studio. However, the exact cause of the altercation remains unclear.

HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

Who is ‘IIT Baba’?
Since the Maha Kumbh began last month, several influencers, models, and actors have gained viral fame, including model-turned-sadhvi Harsha Richaria, bead garland seller Mona Lisa, ‘IIT Baba’ Abhay Singh, and actor Mamta Kulkarni.

Baba Abhay Singh, who has a background in aerospace engineering from IIT Bombay, describes his journey into spirituality not as a conscious decision but as an irresistible rujhaan (inclination)—a pull that led him towards devotion and service.

In an earlier interview with ANI, Abhay Singh reflected on how his engineering background shaped his perspective on life. He explained that studying aerospace engineering enhanced his logical reasoning and intellectual abilities. However, he stressed that while science develops IQ, art nurtures EQ (emotional quotient), both of which are essential for a balanced life.

He believes that all disciplines, from art to philosophy, are interconnected with self-discovery, devotion, and a deeper connection to the divine.

Discussing his diverse career path before embracing spirituality, he said, “I did many kinds of jobs. The last job I did was designing applications and websites. Before that, I did travel photography and a government-sponsored project, as well as documentation of Indian arts and crafts and history. I travelled a lot and documented a lot of old temples and painting styles. I also worked in magazines and filmmaking and made fictional films.”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maha-kumbh-s-viral-iit-baba-claims-saffron-clad-people-attacked-him-during-news-debate-in-noida-101740791082458.html

Speaking at the 25th edition of Jahan-e-Khusrau, which commemorates famous Sufi poet and scholar Amir Khusrau, PM Modi said the Sufi tradition has carved a unique identity for itself in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the Sufi tradition as India’s shared heritage and praised its saints for their pluralistic message, saying they recited the verses of Quran and also listened to the Vedas.

Speaking at the 25th edition of Jahan-e-Khusrau, which commemorates famous Sufi poet and scholar Amir Khusrau, PM Modi said the Sufi tradition has carved a unique identity for itself in India.

Following a performance by Sufi artistes, PM Modi said their music is a shared heritage of Indians. People have lived this tradition together, he added.

The prime minister named a number of Sufi saints and poets like Nizamuddin Auliya, Rumi and Raskhan, who was born a Muslim and wrote famous devotional poems dedicated to Lord Krishna, besides Khusrau, to praise their message of love and harmony.

He said the Sufi saints did not confine themselves to mosques and shrines. If they recited verses from the sacred Quran, then they also listened to the words from the Vedas, PM Modi noted.

Khusrau, who was born in the 13th century, praised India as greater than any other nation, its scholars better than others and Sanskrit as the world’s best language, he said, noting that the country’s philosophy and mathematical discoveries had reached across the world.

PM Modi said Khusrau did not only mention this in his book but was also proud of it. When the period of slavery wreaked so much damage, he played a big role in introducing people to their heritage, the prime minister added.

PM Modi said he fondly remembered Rumi when he visited Afghanistan’s parliament in 2015 and recited a Hindi translation of the sayings of the mystic and poet.

Rumi had said he does not belong to any one place and belongs to every place, the prime minister noted, stressing that this philosophy is not different from the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a family), an inscription from the Upanishads.

“These ideas give me strength when I represent India in different countries,” he said and also recalled his visit to Iran during which he had quoted Mirza Ghalib’s verse that pointed to the short distance between Kashi and Kaashan (an Iranian city) if one makes up his mind.

“When war is inflicting so much harm on humanity in today’s world, this message can be of a lot of help,” he said.

Expressing happiness at attending the event, curated by filmmaker and artist Muzaffar Ali, PM Modi said art and music are the expression of a country’s tradition and culture.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/he-called-sanskrit-worlds-best-language-pm-modi-on-sufi-poet-amir-khusrau-7818867

Gade was arrested by police from his native village of Gunat in Shirur taluka of Pune district around 1.10 am on Friday, following a rigorous three-day search operation.

A court remanded Dattatraya Ramdas Gade — who is accused of raping a woman at Swargate depot in Pune city — to police custody till 12 March. The police on Friday submitted before the court that the 26-year-old woman was raped twice by the accused in a government-run Shivshahi bus in the early hours of February 25.

Gade was arrested by police from his native village of Gunat in Shirur taluka of Pune district around 1.10 am on Friday, following a rigorous three-day search operation. He was placed under arrest after a medical examination at Sassoon hospital. A team that included senior police inspector Yuvraj Nandre produced Gade before a court of judicial magistrate (first class) T S Gaygole around 6.15 pm.

Police said, on the day of the incident, the victim had gone inside the bus with the accused Gade (37), as he allegedly gained her confidence by repeatedly calling her “tai” (sister). Defence lawyers claimed the accused did not rape the victim and that they had consensual physical relations.

Police submitted before the court that the victim had been waiting at Swargate bus depot to catch a bus to go to her hometown in Satara district around 5.30 am on the day of the incident. Police said Gade, who had been loitering at the bus depot, allegedly approached the victim and asked her “tai, kuthe challis tu? (sister, where are you headed?)”. As she replied, Gade allegedly told her that the bus for her hometown was parked at another location at the depot.

Police said that the accused Gade constantly calling her sister made the victim trust him, but he allegedly misled her and made her go with him to the Shivshahi bus (which commutes along the Swargate-Solapur route) in the depot.

Police said she found no lights inside the bus, but the accused told her that passengers might be sleeping and she could use a mobile phone light to see. Police said she put on the light to check the bus and found no passengers inside. So she told the accused “Dada, mala baher jau dya, mala ghari jayche ahe (Brother, let me go out of the bus, I have to go home)”.

The accused then allegedly raped her twice in the bus and fled the spot, leaving the victim crying. She got off the bus and boarded another one for her hometown. On reaching Hadapsar, she spoke to a male friend over the phone. He insisted she should approach the police.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-bus-rape-accused-held-he-called-victim-sister-raped-her-twice-police-tell-court-9861953/

In a major development, Union finance ministry on February 27 said the the number of UPI transactions in January has crossed 16.99 billion with the total value exceeding Rs 23.48 lakh crore.

For 2023-24, the digital payments landscape has demonstrated remarkable expansion, the finance ministry said in a statement.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) remains the cornerstone of India’s digital payment ecosystem, contributing to 80 per cent of the retail payments across the country, it said.

The total transaction volume exceeded 131 billion and the value exceeded Rs 200 lakh crore for the 2023-24.

Its ease of use, combined with a growing network of participating banks and fintech platforms, has made UPI the preferred mode of real-time payments for millions of users across the country, it said.

As of January, 2025, over 80 UPI Apps , 641 banks are currently live on UPI ecosystem, it said.

In FY 24-25 (till Jan, 2025), the People to Merchant (P2M) transactions contributed 62.35 per cent and P2P transactions contributed 37.65 per cent of the overall UPI volume, it said.

Source : https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/highest-in-any-month-january-sees-over-16-99-billion-upi-transactions-govt-12952739.html

The state has recorded widespread snowfall and rainfall over the last 24 hours, leading to closure of over 200 roads and disruption of other essential services like power and water. Several areas in districts of Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba have been cut off from the rest of the state.

Heavy snowfall is continuing in the Dodra-Kwar in district Shimla, and all roads leading to the valley are shut for traffic. In a few districts like Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba, educational institutions will remain closed today.

The precipitation is likely to continue with the same intensity throughout the day today.

There’s an orange alert for light to moderate snowfall at most places and isolated spells of very heavy snowfall in the districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti and over the higher reaches of Chamba, Shimla, Mandi, Sirmaur, Kangra and Kullu’s Manali.

In most other parts of the state, there’s an orange alert for light to moderate rainfall over the next few hours.

Shimla received continual rainfall last night. There’s a yellow alert for more rain and light snowfall in the city and adjoining areas. In Shimla, all educational institutions will remain open.

National Highway 5 (Hindustan Tibet Road) was closed near Narkanda in Shimla district due to slippery conditions following a heavy spell of snow.

Traffic has been diverted from Sainj to Shimla via Luhri/Sunni, officials added. A total of 12 roads are closed in Shimla district.

A flash flood threat caused panic in Tosh village in the Manikaran Valley in Kullu district due to the formation of an artificial lake in Jeera Nallah.

People living downstream of the Nallah have been evacuated and shifted to safer places, officials said.

The avalanche threat looms large following fresh snowfalls in Himachal Pradesh, and the weather department has issued an orange warning for Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur and areas above 2,300 meters altitude.

This warning will remain valid until 5:00 pm on February 28. An increased risk of avalanches in higher altitude regions has been warned by the Met department.

The general public is advised to avoid unnecessary travel and refrain from visiting high-altitude areas prone to avalanches, Lahaul and Spiti police said on Thursday. Due to heavy snowfall, the Darcha-Shinkula, Darcha-Sarchu, Koksar-Manali via Rohtang, Koksar to Losar via Kunzum and Atal Tunnel to Manali, Tindi and Udaipur have been blocked.

Travellers have been advised to avoid these routes. The local MeT department has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain and snow at isolated places in Mandi, Kangra, Kullu and Chamba districts for Thursday and Friday.

Source : https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/heavy-snowfall-in-manali-200-roads-closed-schools-shut-power-disrupted-in-himachal-pradesh/

A techie from Uttar Pradesh’s Agra allegedly died by suicide earlier this week, leaving behind a distressing video blaming his wife of one year. Manav Sharma, who was an employee at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), was found hanging in his home on February 24, officials said.

According to the police, the techie’s sister found the video on his phone two days after his death.

With a noose around his neck, Sharma recorded a nearly seven-minute harrowing video in which he accused his wife of being involved with another man romantically. “This is for authorities. The law needs to protect men, or there will be a time when there will be no men left to blame. My wife was involved with another man…But what can I do? It does not matter anymore,” he said.

He paused for a while, then added, “I don’t have a problem with dying. I want to go. Please think about men. I’m sorry, everyone. Please, someone should talk about men. They become very lonely. Everything will get better once I go. I have attempted suicide even before.”

Shortly after the clip was released, the techie’s wife, Nikita, made a counter-video in which she denied the allegations and accused her husband of beating her.

“The day he died by suicide, he had dropped me at my maternal home. Whatever claims he has made about me, it is about my past. It is not related to anything after our marriage. He has tried to harm himself multiple times before…I have stopped him at least three times. He used to drink and beat me up too,” she said.

The techie’s wife also claimed that she had informed his parents about him trying to harm himself, but they did not do anything.

“I had told his parents everything, but they said the issue is between husband and wife. They came for two days and left. I had called up his sister too and informed her about him attempting to die by suicide. To this, she told me to sleep and said he would not do anything,” she added.

Police said that a complaint was filed against Nikita after the techie’s sister found the video blaming her.

“The incident took place on February 24. Manav Sharma’s body was taken to the Army hospital and sent for post-mortem. We did not receive any complaint that day. They filed a case after they found the video on his phone. His wife has called the allegations against her false. We are investigating further,” a senior official said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/please-think-about-men-tcs-employee-kills-self-blames-wife-in-video-7814920

More than 75,000 digital subscribers to The Washington Post have cancelled since its owner, billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced on Wednesday that he would radically overhaul the paper’s opinion pages to reflect libertarian priorities and to exclude opposing points of view.

Wednesday’s announcement led to the immediate resignation of Opinions Editor David Shipley. He had vainly sought to persuade Bezos to drop the plans, according to a person with direct knowledge. Shipley did not respond to requests for comment.

Bezos’ decision also prompted an outcry from longtime Post figures, including Associate Editor David Maraniss and former Executive Editor Marty Baron. Baron called the move “craven” and told Zeteo News that Bezos, whom he praised extensively in his 2023 memoir, was “basically fearful” of President Trump.

The number of cancellations comes from a person who asked for anonymity because of the fear of repercussions at the Post. The Washington Post Co. declined to comment on the figures, first reported here by NPR, citing its status as a privately held company. Nor did it comment on the criticism.

A net loss of hundreds of thousands

The rapid-fire cancellations since Wednesday represent a historic level of reader fury over the changes. Yet they are only the most recent wave in a series of mass cancellations that began in late October. That was when Bezos killed a planned endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Between then and Election Day, more than 300,000 subscribers canceled the Post, as NPR first reported last month. That was more than 12% of digital subscribers, which make up the vast majority of the paper’s paid circulation.

The Post has aggressively wooed new subscribers to replace them, boosting circulation by 400,000, often at highly discounted rates, according to a Post executive. (The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the Post does not release circulation figures.)

Even so, there is broad consensus inside the Post that without Bezos’ decisions, the paper would be up hundreds of thousands of paying subscribers from where it was before the election. Instead, the numbers NPR has been able to obtain indicate a net loss of a couple hundred thousand subscribers.

In support of “personal liberties and free markets”

During Trump’s first term, under Bezos’s ownership and Baron’s editorial leadership, the paper adopted the motto, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” an alliterative promise to deliver hard-hitting accountability journalism. The editorial page, which operates separately from the news section, laid out an argument in 2020 titled, “A second Trump term might injure the democratic experiment beyond recovery.”

No such emphasis was found in Bezos’ memo on Wednesday setting out his new philosophy, which promised a reorientation of the opinion section in support of “personal liberties and free markets”.

“We’ll cover other topics too of course,” Bezos wrote in a note to staffers that he posted publicly on Elon Musk’s social media site X, “but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”

In this age of the Internet, he said, a newspaper no longer must provide a “broad-based opinion section that [seeks] to cover all views.”

The Post newsroom has covered the return of Trump aggressively. Wednesday’s announcement alarmed senior news editors severely enough that Executive Editor Matt Murray assured them that morning that he had heard nothing to suggest that Bezos wanted to interfere with news coverage, which is separate from the opinion section. Murray sent a memo to the full newsroom to say they should continue to report “without fear or favor,” in the memorable journalistic aphorism.

A stated desire to regain public trust

Bezos said his decision not to publish the planned Harris endorsement just days before the election was driven by a desire to shore up the paper’s standing among the broader public. “Most people believe the media is biased,” he wrote in an opinion piece published by the paper. “Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose.”

Yet he also admitted that his other business interests made things complicated. Amazon and the space company Blue Origin maintain contracts with the federal government worth billions of dollars annually. Government regulators make decisions daily that can affect their vast fortunes. The Trump administration is moving aggressively to reshape the government and private industry in line with the president’s priorities. The media has served as a particular target.

“You can see my wealth and business interests as a bulwark against intimidation, or you can see them as a web of conflicting interests. Only my own principles can tip the balance from one to the other,” Bezos wrote in October.

Distrust grows in newsroom

Since then, however, he has given $1 million toward Trump’s inauguration fund. In January, Bezos sat on the dais with other tech titans as the president was sworn in. And on Wednesday evening, he had dinner with Trump, the president told The Spectator.

Many Post staffers have questioned the motives for Bezos’ warmer relations with Trump. Some have been more public than others.

In early January, Shipley rejected a cartoon by Pulitzer Prize-winning staffer Ann Telnaes, whose proposed sketch showed Bezos alongside other tech and media billionaires abasing themselves before Trump. Telnaes quit, telling NPR, “Of course these are businesses, and I understand that. But they own a newspaper and they have an obligation, frankly, to protect the free press.”

Another spike of subscription cancellations followed in the week after Telnaes quit and Shipley’s decision became public — at a volume many thousands above typical levels.

Source : https://www.npr.org/2025/02/28/nx-s1-5312819/washington-post-bezos-subscriptions-cancellations

The top court refuses to halt disposal of hazardous waste from Bhopal gas tragedy, directs aggrieved parties to approach High Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday (February 27, 2025) remarked the petitioners opposed to the transportation and disposal of 337 metric tons of Bhopal gas tragedy toxic waste at a Pithampur facility in Madhya Pradesh are indulging in the ‘NIMBY’ (not in my backyard) principle

A Bench headed by Justice BR Gavai rejected the pleas made by the local populace of Pithampur and civil rights organisations to intervene in a Madhya Pradesh High Court order on December 3 to shift and destroy the hazardous waste which had been lying buried in and about the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant site for nearly 40 years after a methyl isocyanate gas leak claimed over 5400 lives in one of the biggest industrial disasters in history.

“You seem to be following the NIMBY principle, that is, not in my backyard. You are saying if they want to pollute, they may do it somewhere else, but not in my backyard. Not in Indore,” Justice Gavai remarked at the petitioners.

The court noted that the State action to take the waste to Pithampur and dispose it there was based on reports by an expert committee which had comprised Central and State officials, the Director of the National Environment Engineering Institute (NEERI), the Director of the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The Bench said even the Supreme Court consulted NEERI if it faced difficulties in adjudications involving environmental issues. The NGRI was similarly acclaimed in the field of geophysics.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/madhya-pradesh/bhopal-gas-tragedy-supreme-court-refuses-to-halt-disposal-of-hazardous-waste-from-union-carbide-factory-at-pithambur/article69269291.ece

After several days of desperate appeals, the US Embassy has granted a visa to the family of an Indian student lying in a coma in the US, on Friday morning.

After days of desperate appeals, the US has finally granted an emergency visa to the family of an Indian student lying in a coma after a road accident in California, on Friday morning. Nilam Shinde, 35, is in a critical state after the accident on February 14. Her family in Maharashtra’s Satara had been trying to get a visa since then.

The family, including Ms Shinde’s father, cousin brother, and uncle, will be taking the next flight out to the US.

“The visa interview process was very smooth. We have even received the printed copy of the visa. We will take the next flight out to the US. We are thankful to the media, Eknath Shinde and Supriya Sule,” Ms Shinde’s cousin, Gaurav, told NDTV.

They will also be taking a loan of Rs 5 to Rs 6 lakh to go to the US. “Financially, if the government helps us, it would be great. We are not aware of her hospital bill yet,” he said.

Ms Shinde, a post-graduate student at California State University, was hit from behind by a car on February 14. She has suffered fractures in both arms and both legs and also required emergency brain surgery. She has been in a coma since then.

Her family learnt of the accident two days later, following which they had applied for a visa to go visit their comatose daughter in US. However, the interview slot they got was for next year. The family then made appeals to the media and politicians. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) intervened after the incident was highlighted by NCP leader Supriya Sule, resulting in an expedited US visa appointment interview slot for the family.

“When we first came here, nobody entertained us. They in fact told us that the police would take us away if we kept waiting here. We then went back home…We thought we would not see her. But Nilam’s friend helped us a lot. For many days, we tried to get an interview, but nothing came up. We are thankful to the media. Because of your media and the government, the process was smooth,” Ms Shinde’s cousin said.

He also urged the Centre to change the visa process. “No other family should experience what we went through. These procedures should be changed for emergencies,” he said.

Ms Shinde is still in a critical condition, but her health has shown slight improvements, her family said.

“There is progress in her health…because of the accident, her blood pressure was running high, but now it has come down. She is still in a coma and is critical. There is hope that she is fighting it,” the cousin said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/us-embassy-grants-visa-to-family-of-comatose-indian-student-nilam-shinde-7812728#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The Pune Police arrested the accused Dattatraya Gade at around midnight from the city’s Shirur tehsil.

The Pune Police on Friday arrested the accused who allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary bus at Swargate bus station.

The Pune Police on Thursday said that a total of 13 teams have been formed to nab the accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade
The Pune Police on Thursday said that a total of 13 teams have been formed to nab the accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade
“Accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade has been formally arrested,” DCP Smarthana Patil, Zone 2, Pune City Police, told ANI.

Gade is named in half a dozen cases of theft, robbery, and chain-snatching in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. He has been out on bail since 2019 for one of the offences.

Drones, dog squad deployed to nab accused

On Thursday, the Pune Police had deployed drones and a dog squad in Shirur tehsil to nab Gade, who allegedly raped the woman inside a Shiv Shahi bus of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) at Swargate bus station in Pune two days ago.

At least 13 police teams were formed to nab Gade, a resident of Gunat village in Pune.

Pune City and Pune Rural Police also launched a search operation in Gunat village, including in sugarcane fields, with drones and dog squads, officials said. More than 100 cops reached the village, they said.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pune-bus-rape-accused-dattatraya-gade-detained-say-police-101740700986677.html

Pandey succeeds the current chairperson, Madhabi Puri Buch whose tenure is slated to end today.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Tuhin Kanta Pandey as the new Chairman of SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India).

The appointment is for a period of three years or until further orders.

Pandey succeeds the current chairperson, Madhabi Puri Buch whose tenure is ending today.

Pandey currently serves as the Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Revenue.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/corporate/tuhin-kanta-pandey-appointed-new-sebi-chairperson

CM Adityanath had earlier announced that those who could not visit the Maha Kumbh for a holy dip would receive Sangam water at their doorstep, the government said in a statement.

Prayagraj: In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcement, the Fire and Emergency Services Department has launched a unique initiative to distribute Sangam water across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, the state government said on Thursday.

CM Adityanath had earlier announced that those who could not visit the Maha Kumbh for a holy dip would receive Sangam water at their doorstep, the government said in a statement.

Following this, ADG Padmaja Chauhan directed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Pramod Sharma to ensure that all returning fire tenders from Maha Kumbh carry Sangam water to their respective districts.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/fire-tenders-at-maha-kumbh-to-deliver-sangam-water-across-all-75-districts-of-uttar-pradesh-3425241

At least one person with injuries was rescued and sent to a medical facility in an ambulance.

Mahakumbh Nagar: A fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh site here late night, officials said.

At least one person with injuries was rescued and sent to a medical facility in an ambulance.

Multiple fire tenders were rushed in around 11:30 pm.

The fire, which broke out in an enclosure near the Shastri Bridge, has been contained, the Fire Department personnel on duty told PTI.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/one-injured-as-fire-breaks-out-at-maha-kumbh-site-3425313

Harsha uploaded a video on her Instagram account in which she lamented that some anti-religious elements were defaming her through AI-edited videos of her.

Social media influencer and Bhopal resident Harsha Richharia who earned fame at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj has issued suicide threat after being trolled and defamed through AI- generated videos.

Harsha uploaded a video on her Instagram account in which she lamented that some anti-religious elements were defaming her through AI-edited videos of her. “I will fight till the strength given to me by Mahadev. I will face the odds but I will end my life if I fail to continue fighting and will take the names of those responsible for this,” Harsha said in a video uploaded on her Instagram page on Tuesday night.

‘Never claimed being a sadhvi’

Harsha in the video said she vowed at Mahakumbh to work for Hindutva and raise awareness regarding religion and Indian culture among youths.

The Maha Kumbh, billed to be the world’s largest gathering, ends on Wednesday.

In the 45 days of the mela, we saw and read about many quircky people and their stories, here are some of them:

‘His third eye opened up’: Sadhu thrashes YouTuber over one too many questions

A video went viral of a sadhu who was being asked questions by a YouTuber. But what follows next had the internet talking. Seemingly irritated by a question, the sadhu suddenly stands up and starts thrashing the man with a pair of tongs who then flees from his tent. The sadhu, however, soon regains his composure and later on even blesses another man who comes in.

Influencer goes viral as ‘Beautiful Sadhvi’, earns ire of saints and seers

Many sadhus and sadhvis went viral for various reasons, mostly based on how they looked or what quirks they had.

Referred to as the ‘Beautiful Sadhvi’, anchor, social activist and influencer Harsha Richaria stirred a controversy at the ongoing Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj after she was seen atop a ‘rath’ (chariot) along with other seers during the ‘peshwai’ (a procession by the seers, naga sadhus of a akhara while entering the Fair), of one of the akharas. This has apparently triggered strong reactions from a section of the saint community.

The IITian baba

From aerospace engineer to sadhu, Abhay Singh Grewal’s journey made waves online. As an IIT-Bombay aerospace engineering student who turned into a sadhu and then attended the Maha Kumbh, his viral social media videos took the internet by storm.

He was among the various sadhus that gained fame in the first few days of Maha Kumbh.

Monalisa Bhosle and the perils of fame

A garland seller from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, Monalisa Bhosle, who had become an internet sensation for her amber eyes during Maha Kumbh 2025, faced an unfortunate incident.

Monalisa, who had come to sell handmade garlands and rudraksh beads, was praised and admired for her beauty and confident interaction with visitors which also made her the centre of attraction.

Not your typical lost in Kumbh story: After 27 years, Jharkhand family ‘finds’ lost member, now a monk

A Jharkhand family on Wednesday claimed to have traced their lost member at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, ending a search for 27 long years.

The lost member, Gangasagar Yadav, is now a 65-year-old ‘Aghori’ monk Baba Rajkumar who belongs to a particular monastic order of sadhus.

Piety and profit: ‘Kumbh Chaiwala’ claims he earned Rs 5,000 gain in a day by selling tea

A content creator, Shubham Prajapat, who is calling himself ‘Kumbh Chaiwala’, set up a tea stall at the gathering in a bid to see how much money he could earn. His claims of earning a profit of Rs 5,000 in a single day captured the attention of the internet.

Might as well make some money: Students ply two-wheelers to become pilgrims’ lifeline at Maha Kumbh

Young locals on motorcycles and scooters are ferrying pilgrims through massive crowds at the Kumbh Mela religious festival, creating a lucrative temporary business for students.

While some pilgrims welcomed the service, others criticised the high fares, choosing instead to walk with their luggage to take the holy dip.

Mumbai to Maha Kumbh with generosity: Content creator’s hitchhiking journey melts heart on internet

In a rare adventure, content creator Divya Fofani completed his journey from Mumbai to Mahakumbh for the holy dip without spending a single rupee, relying solely on generosity of kind strangers.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/maha-kumbh-2025-mamta-kulkarni-as-mahamandelshwashar-iitian-baba-and-all-those-who-went-viral-this-year-3422745#9

The Centre is working on a Universal Pension Scheme (UPS) that aims to provide social security to all.

The proposed scheme — being worked out by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment — would allow people to contribute voluntarily and receive pension benefits after retirement.

Since the proposed scheme is open to all, even self-employed and unorganised-sector workers can also join and contribute funds for this, said an official in the ministry.

However, the government is unlikely to contribute any funds in the new scheme.

The government expects that the scheme will benefit a large section of people, including the self-employed, unorganised-sector workers, gig workers, traders, and those aged 18 and above who want to secure pension benefits after turning 60, said the official.

The new plan is likely to integrate existing pension schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM), the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed (NPS-Traders), and the Atal Pension Yojana.

The government will hold discussions to encourage state governments to merge their pension schemes with this new initiative to increase pension payouts and avoid duplication of beneficiaries, said the official.

Many countries in the world have proper social-security schemes. The social security system in India at present mainly depends on the provident fund system.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/centre-working-on-universal-pension-scheme-for-all-3423556

The Delhi High Court recently rejected a defamation case filed by online legal education company LawSikho against four individuals who had put out tweets on X criticising the quality of their law courses [Addictive Learning Technology Limited & Anr v. Aditya Garg & Ors].

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora also imposed costs of ₹1 lakh on LawSikho after noting that the company did not approach the Court with clean hands, since it did not disclose the full conversation in the thread.

“The Court notes that a plaintiff alleging defamation on social media platform arising out of a conversation thread must mandatorily disclose the full conversation thread, particularly his own tweets/comments as well and should approach the Court with clean hands. The plaint is thus rejected with costs of ₹1,00,000 payable to the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee within a period of four weeks,” the single-judge ordered.

The Court observed that in cases of defamation on social media platform, the alleged defamatory tweets cannot be read in isolation and have to be read in the context of the entire conversation thread.

“The Court notes that utterances in the nature of tweets in a conversational thread on platform X are not to be assessed in isolation for the purposes of determining the defamation claim. The Court has to consider that nature of the medium is casual and fast paced, conversational in character and an elaborate analysis of a 140-character tweet (or even more than that) may be disproportional. Importantly, the absorption by the reader and the reaction to the post is impressionistic and fleeting,” the judge said.

Pertinently, the Court noted that the LawSikho representative, Ramanuj Mukherjee, had sparked the debate on X by putting out a tweet.

The tweets by the defendants do not tantamount to defamation as they are a direct result of deliberate taunting and provocation by the plaintiff (Mukherjee), the judge said.

The issue pertained to an exchange on X between LawSikho and the defendants regarding the effectiveness of legal education at National Law Universities (NLUs) and quality of courses offered by LawSikho.

The exchange was started when Mukherjee put out the following tweet:

Advocates Aditya Garg and Ashish Goel, both NLU alumni, and others then responded to / quote tweeted Mukherjee about LawSikho courses.

LawSikho filed a defamation suit seeking permanent injunction and damages. It claimed that the tweets had the likelihood of causing loss of business and posed a significant threat to the value of its shares, listed on the National Stock Exchange. The defendants argued that their comments fell with the protection of fair comment and submitted that they were only stating their honest opinion.

The Court stated that comments made on a social media platform may be disparaging in nature, but cannot be defamatory since it is a casual medium that does not seriously sway public perception.

“The Court has considered that the casual nature of the medium invites anonymous posts which may ex-facie be disparaging but cannot amount to defamation as it may not have a serious effect to form an impression about the character of the plaintiff,” the judge stated.

While deciding on defamation, the Court observed that exchanges on X are of conversational nature.

“Before alleging defamation on the basis of a tweet, the plaintiff should bear in mind the conversational nature of medium and also bear responsibilities for the content of its own tweets which lead to the impugned Tweets,” the Bench said.

The Court also stated that in suits claiming defamation on social media platforms, the plaintiff must mandatorily disclose the full conversation thread.

Comparing online posts with newspaper reports, the Court said,

“The newspapers and magazines are read with the intent to collect and retain information and, therefore, it bears effect in forming of opinions. In contrast, the casual medium of a conversational social media platform such as ‘X’ is not perceived by the users of the said platform as a reliable verified source of information,” the Court stated.

It said that a person cannot be penalised for holding an opinion if such opinion does not cause injury, harm or loss to the plaintiff.

The Court also noted that LawSikho had not first availed its statutory remedy under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guideline and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 by reporting to the Grievance Officer.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/delhi-high-court-slaps-1-lakh-costs-lawsikho-filing-defamation-case-without-full-disclosure

An unceasing stream of devotees from across India and abroad continued to throng Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on Mahashivratri for a sacred dip to attain ‘moksha’ and for spiritual purification, marking the final hours of the 45-day Maha Kumbh. The air resonated with chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ as helicopters added to the grand spectacle of faith by showering flower petals over the pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh where the footfall over the past six weeks has far exceeded those at Mecca and Vatican City, according to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Addressing the Legislative Council during the state’s Budget Session on Tuesday, Chief Minister Adityanath noted that while 1.4 crore pilgrims visit Mecca annually for Haj and 80 lakh visit Vatican City in a year, Ayodhya alone welcomed 16 crore devotees “in just 52 days”.
The latest count of devotees at 4 pm on Wednesday was recorded at over 1.32 crore, while the overall figures have already surged past 65 crore, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the Maha Kumbh on the banks of the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.

The Maha Kumbh, which takes place once in 12 years, began on January 13 (Paush Purnima) and saw grand processions of ‘akharas’ (monastic orders) including ash-smeared Naga Sadhus during the three ‘Amrit Snans’.
Mahashivratri on Wednesday marks the last of the special bathing dates and the culmination of the Mela. By 2 am on Wednesday, over 11.66 lakh devotees had immersed themselves in the sacred waters. The numbers surged to 25.64 lakh in the next two hours and 41.11 lakh by 6 am while it swelled to 81.09 lakh by 10 am.
Adityanath began monitoring the arrangements at the Kumbh Mela at 4 am from Gorakhpur with senior government officials.
In a post on X, the chief minister said, “Hearty congratulations to all the revered saints, Kalpvasis and devotees who have come to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam today on the holy bathing festival of Mahashivratri dedicated to the worship of Lord Bholenath in Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj…..Har Har Mahadev!” The state government arranged for showering of petals over devotees from a helicopter at the Kumbh. Twenty quintals of flower petals were showered on the devotees in five rounds.
Being the last special bathing day, devotees had begun to gather on the banks of the Sangam from close to midnight. While some camped and waited patiently to take the dip at the ‘Brahma Muhurt’, scores of them performed the bathing rituals well before the appointed time.
Billed as the world’s largest spiritual gathering on Earth, the mega religious festival on its last day attracted pilgrims from all four corners of the country.
Albina from Russia told PTI Videos this was her first day at Maha Kumbh. “It’s like seeing all of India. It’s interesting, I feel good here,” she said.
Constantine, who accompanied Albina, said in broken English: “Fantastic, mystic, very nice, wow!” Rajvir Singh Jhala (20), a BBA student from Rajkot took the holy dip right at the Sangam nose as did his mother and other family members who arrived in Prayagraj from Gujarat in a bus on Wednesday night.
“Lord Shiva for me means ‘Shunyata’, one must feel that he or she is nothing in front of him. Besides, one must have goodness inside. If one has dirt inside, washing oneself in holy Sangam will not cleanse any sin,” Jhala told PTI right after his ‘snan’.
UP cabinet minister Nand Gopal Gupta told PTI Videos that around 24 crore pilgrims had come for the (Ardh) Kumbh in 2019 and this time the figure has gone past 65 crore. “Certanly, Sanatan followers in the whole world are happy. Here at the Kumbh, there is no discrimination of caste and class, and everyone is taking a dip at the same Sangam.” Pilgrims also came from West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, covering the length and breadth of the country.
A group of devotees came from Nepal to witness the Maha Kumbh on its closing day and take the holy dip on Maharashivratri. Pinki Devi from Kolkata who performed the bathing rituals around 3.30 am was ecstatic that she could take the dip on the auspicious day.
Chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Jai Mahakal’ rang throughout the Mela ground.
Mahashivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.
The Uttar Pradesh government said the total number of visitors to the fair exceeds the population of all countries in the world except India and China, both of which have populations exceeding a billion.
The Maha Kumbh has witnessed six special bathing dates — Paush Purnima on January 13, Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12 and Mahashivratri on February 26 — including three ‘Amrit Snans’.
Given the scale of the event and the sheer volume of attendees, authorities have enforced a “no vehicle zone” in the Mela area and Prayagraj besides implementing strict crowd control measures and logistical support to facilitate a seamless culmination of Maha Kumbh 2025.
A stampede on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya last month led to the deaths of at least 30 people and left 60 injured, according to the government.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/maha-kumbhs-last-day-sees-1-3-crore-devotees-taking-holy-dip-in-prayagraj-article-118583015

Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, a history sheeter out on bail since 2019, allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the busy Swargate bus station in Pune city on Tuesday morning.

The shocking incident triggered a protest by the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), during which the security office on the premises was vandalised.

While Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said he has directed the Pune police commissioner to investigate the case and swiftly arrest the accused.

Who is accused Dattatraya Ramdas Gade?

• Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, 36, has half a dozen cases of theft, robbery and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and adjoining Ahilyanagar district, news agency PTI quoted a Swargate police station official as saying.
• Gade was out on bail since 2019 in one of the offences, the police official said.
• In 2024, a theft case was lodged in Pune against Gade who was summoned to the police station, the official said.
• A Pune police team on Wednesday questioned a brother of the accused . Police are examining CCTV camera footage of the Swargate bus station and nearby areas, and seeking technical assistance for clues and to track down the accused, police said.

What happened at Swargate bus station?

In her police complaint, the woman said as she was waiting for a bus for Phaltan in the adjoining Satara district at one of the platforms at around 5.45am, a man approached and engaged her in conversation, calling her `didi’ (sister), and said the bus for Satara had arrived at another platform.

The man took her to an empty ‘Shiv Shahi’ AC bus parked elsewhere on the sprawling station premises.

The woman, who works in the private medical field, told the police that as the lights inside the bus were not on, she hesitated to get in at first, but the man convinced her that it was the right vehicle. He then followed her inside and raped her before fleeing.

The accused also threatened the woman and asked her not to reveal the crime to anyone, the police said.

What police said

Deputy commissioner of police Smartana Patil told reporters that CCTV camera footage showed the woman walking towards the bus with the accused.

There were many people and several buses on the station premises when the incident took place, the DCP said.

The police officer said the woman did not approach the police immediately after the incident but took another bus to her hometown and narrated the incident to her friend on the phone while travelling.

On her friend’s advice, she got down within the city limits, and went to the police station, Patil said.

The DCP said police have formed eight teams to nab him.

What we know about the bus

As per a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation report on the incident, the bus in which the woman passenger was raped arrived at the Swargate bus stand from Solapur on February 25 around 3.40am, and it was parked in front of a sugarcane juice shop in the premises, PTI reported.

According to the MSRTC report, the accused posed as the conductor of the bus and took the woman inside the vehicle. Swargate bus station authorities learnt about the rape incident only at 10am, four hours after the crime.

Strong political reactions

In a statement, Ajit Pawar, who is the guardian minister of Pune district, said the incident is “painful, infuriating, and shameful”, and the accused deserves the death penalty.

More than a third of newborns diagnosed with sepsis, a life-threatening condition triggered by an infection, could be expected to die, a study conducted across five district hospitals in India has found.

The study, which analysed data from over 6,600 newborns, found that the overall incidence of sepsis ranged from 0.6 to 10 per cent across the hospitals. The incidence was higher among newborns referred from other hospitals than in those born at the same facility.

The findings, published in The Lancet Global Health journal, underscore the need to strengthen infection prevention and control measures while implementing programmes that ensure a judicious use of antibiotics, researchers said.

Researchers, including those from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and Raipur, said that data of sepsis in newborns from district hospitals in low- and middle-income countries is scarce.

Sepsis occurs when one’s immune system produces an extreme response to an infection, thereby damaging tissues and organs. It can lead to multi-organ failure and can be potentially life-threatening.

Antibiotic resistance, in which infection-causing germs become immune to the drugs designed to kill them, is a major challenge to managing sepsis.

More than 39 million are projected to die due to antibiotic-resistant infections during the next 25 years, with most of them estimated to occur in South Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to a 2024 analysis, published in The Lancet journal.

The study enrolled neonates admitted to newborn care units in five district hospitals, including Government Hospital, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, in India between October, 2019, and December, 2021.

Blood samples of the newborns were taken for developing cultures and diagnostic tests were conducted on suspected sepsis cases, identified in newborns based on signs such as lethargy, refusal to feed and severe chest in-drawing.

“The incidence of culture-positive sepsis was 3.2 per cent (213 of 6612). It varied among the study sites, ranging from 0.6 per cent to 10 per cent,” the authors wrote.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lancet-study-estimates-third-of-newborns-admitted-to-district-hospitals-with-sepsis-can-die-7803617

The family of an Indian student lying in coma in the US has made a desperate appeal to the Centre for a visa to be with her. Nilam Shinde, 35, is in a critical state after an accident in California on February 14. Her father in Maharashtra’s Satara has been trying to get a visa since then.

Nilam Shinde suffered fractures and injuries to her chest and head after a four-wheeler hit her. Her family learnt of the accident two days later. The hospital sought permission to operate on her brain, according to the family.

“We got to know about the accident on February 16 and have been trying for a visa since then. But we haven’t got it yet,” her father, Tanaji Shinde, said.

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule has posted in support of the family and has requested External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s help to get Ms Shinde’s father a visa, tagging him in her X post.

“This is an alarming issue and we all need to get together and help resolve it. I have been engaged with the family and assuring them that this will be resolved,” Ms Sule told NDTV.

She also said she may have “political differences” with Mr Jaishankar, a BJP leader, but he is “very helpful and empathetic” whenever it comes to the issue of Indian students abroad.

“My experience with the MEA (the Ministry of External Affairs) has been extraordinarily very very good. They always go the extra mile to help” Ms Sule said, adding that she has also reached out to the US Embassy in Mumbai.

According to Ms Shinde’s family, the crash left her hands and legs fractured.

“The police admitted her to the hospital and her roommates informed us on February 16. They told us that she’s met with a huge accident,” her uncle, Sanjay Kadam, told NDTV.

“They (the hospital administration) took our permission to operate on her brain. She is in a coma right now and we need to be there,” he added.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/indian-student-neelam-shinde-in-coma-after-us-accident-parents-supriya-sule-seeks-urgent-visa-7804737

In a boost for India’s maritime power capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy have carried out successful flight trials of a first-of-its-kind naval anti-ship missile (NASM-SR) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

The missile was launched in bearing-only lock-on after launch mode with several targets in close vicinity for selecting one among them.

The missile initially locked on to a large target within a specified zone of search and during the terminal phase, the pilot selected a smaller hidden target resulting in its being hit with pinpoint accuracy.

According to the Defence Ministry, the anti-ship missile trials were held on Tuesday. The trials demonstrated the missile’s capability against ship targets while launched from a Seaking helicopter of the navy.

The trials have proven the missile’s man-in-loop feature and scored a direct hit on a small ship target in sea-skimming mode at its maximum range.

The Defence Ministry said that the missile uses an indigenous imaging infra-red seeker for terminal guidance. The mission also has demonstrated the high bandwidth two-way datalink system, which is used to transmit the seeker’s live images back to the pilot for in-flight retargeting.

The missile uses an indigenous fibre optic gyroscope-based INS and radio altimeter for its mid-course guidance, an integrated avionics module, electro-mechanical actuators for aerodynamic and jet vane control, thermal batteries and PCB warhead. It uses solid propulsion with an in-line ejectable booster and a long-burn sustainer.

The trials have met all the mission objectives.

The missile is developed by different labs of the DRDO including the Research Centre Imarat, the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, and the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory. The missiles are currently being produced by development-cum-production partners with the help of MSMEs, startups, and others.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/india-successfully-tests-short-range-anti-ship-missile-with-re-targeting-feature

India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the Champions Trophy 2025 match on Sunday. Pakistan was bowled out for 241 and India chased the target in 42.3 overs. The crushing defeat that the Pakistan team faced has been unpalatable for their fans and even Pakistani media.

A video of a Pakistani TV debate has gained much traction online for its strange allegations that India sent 22 priests to Dubai International Stadium to perform ‘jaadu tona’ (black magic) which distracted the Pakistani players.

The panel of journalists as seen in the video contended, “India could not send priests (pandits) to Pakistan, and that is why the Indian team played only in UAE.” They further alleged that seven priests went to the ground a day prior to the match to conduct rituals.

While many social media users ridiculed the TV debate, others called for action against the channel. Some users called the panelists “jealous”.

One user wrote, “Pakistani anchors are top-class murkh, they are accepting Power of India.” While another said, “Now I understand why Pakistan is bankrupt. With this mindset they can never progress in development.”

According to a report by News18, this is not the first instance when Pakistan media blamed ‘black magic’ for ts home team’s loss. Even during the ICC World Cup 2023, a Pakistani journalist alleged that BCCI used ‘black magic’ to win.

Hareem Shah, a Pakistani scribe, had claimed that Jay Shah, the then BCCI Secretary, hired tantriks to perform ‘black magic’ during the India-Pakistan match in which Pakistan lost and India won by 7 wickets.

Hareem Shah on social media wrote, “According to reliable sources, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had enlisted the services of a black magic expert and Tantrik named Karthik Chakraborty to perform black magic on the Pakistani team. The International Cricket Council (ICC) should investigate this matter thoroughly, as it is simply unacceptable.”

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/22-pandits-performed-black-magic-for-indias-victory-in-champions-trophy-pakistani-media-3420679 

How about travelling from Bengaluru to Chennai in less than 30 minutes, covering 325 km?

IIT Madras, with support from the Ministry of Railways, has developed India’s first Hyperloop test track, which is 422 metres long.

The Hyperloop system envisions transporting passengers in pods through low-pressure tubes at speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h. This technology could enable travel that covers 350 km in just 30 minutes.

“Government-academia collaboration is driving innovation in futuristic transportation,” Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while sharing the news on X.

The project was built at the IIT Madras campus with funding from the Ministry of Railways. “The first pod of 422 metres will go a long way in developing technologies. I think the time has come when, after the first two grants of one million dollars each, the third grant of one million dollars will be given to IIT Madras for further developing the hyperloop project,” Vaishnaw said.

He also said that the Indian Railways will commence the first commercial project once the technology has been thoroughly tested and is ready. “We’ll decide on a site which can be used for good commercial transportation of, let’s say, some 40-50 kilometres,” he said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/bengaluru-to-chennai-in-half-hr-iit-m-unveils-hyperloop-test-track-3422161 

New India Cooperative Bank’s Prabhadevi branch in Mumbai had a capacity to keep Rs 10 crore at a time, but the cash in hand book showed there was Rs 122.028 crore in the safe on the day of RBI inspection, police officials said on Tuesday, citing probe into a fraud case.

Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is probing a Rs 122-crore embezzlement at New India Cooperative Bank and has arrested three persons, including two former top executives of the lender, so far.

The RBI inspection team visited the corporate office branch of the bank at Prabhadevi on February 11, where they found Rs 122 crore cash was missing from the safe, an official said.

The balance sheet at the corporate office branch was showing Rs 133.41 crore at the bank’s safe at Prabhadevi and Goregaon branches, and Rs 122.028 was the figure on the balance sheet of Prabhadevi branch on that day, he said.

During the probe, the EOW found the capacity of the safe at the corporate office to store cash was only Rs 10 crore, and they actually found Rs 60 lakh in the vault. At the Goregaon branch safe, they found Rs 10.53 crore cash on the day of the RBI inspection, according to the official.

The vault at the Goregaon branch also had a capacity to store Rs 10 crore. The EOW is now probing why auditors looking into the bank’s financial records did not raise an alarm over the missing cash from the bank, he said.

Various CA firms audited the balance sheets, daily reports, and the books of cash in hand. It was their role to verify the cash, which was kept in the safe, he said.

Meanwhile, the EOW has summoned representatives of half a dozen firms that conducted audit of the fraud-hit lender at different times, another official said.

These financial services firms were involved in statutory, concurrent or internal audits during 2019-2024, the period when the alleged embezzlement took place, he said.

As the initial audit of the lender was done by M/s Sanjay Rane Associates, a partner in the firm Abhijeet Deshmukh, is being quizzed by the EOW for the last four days. Now, the probe agency has summoned another partner in the chartered accountancy firm, Sanjay Rane, to record his statement, the official said.

Representatives of all auditing firms linked to the lender have been called from Wednesday onwards to record their statements, the official informed.

“If needed, the EOW will seek forensic audit of the bank’s financial records to ascertain how Rs 122 crore was misappropriated,” he said.

Bank’s former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan, who is among three persons arrested so far for the alleged fraud, had signed all audit reports and balance sheets of the bank, the official said.

Bhoan was part of the conspiracy as he was aware how much cash was in the bank’s vaults, he said.

Besides the former CEO, the bank’s ex-general manager Hitesh Mehta and real estate developer Dharmesh Paun have been arrested in the case. The alleged misappropriation of funds came to light following an inspection by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

As per the police, Devarshi Ghosh, the bank’s acting chief executive officer, lodged a complaint against Mehta and others at the Dadar police station in central Mumbai nearly two weeks ago for alleged misappropriation of the lender’s funds.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case and the probe was transferred to the EOW.

The complainant alleged that Mehta and his associates hatched a conspiracy and embezzled Rs 122 crore from the safes of Prabhadevi and Goregaon offices (in Mumbai) of the bank.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/new-india-cooperative-bank-vault-had-capacity-to-keep-rs-10-crore-but-book-showed-rs-122-crore-economic-offences-wing-3421727

A day after a class 10 student gave birth to a premature baby in the hostel of a state-run residential school in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, the authorities on Tuesday suspended the headmaster of the institute, officials said.

Following an inquiry, the district administration of Malkangiri also disengaged hostel matron Suchitra Charchi with immediate effect and put an auxiliary nurse and midwife under suspension.

The student delivered a baby girl on Monday after returning to the hostel after appearing in the board examination, officials said.

The headmaster of the school, run by the ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Class Welfare Department, said, “Men are not allowed in the girl’s hostel. We do not know how she got pregnant.” “Health workers are supposed to conduct weekly check-ups of all students living in the hostel. This incident showed that the health worker was not doing her job,” he said.

The girl and the baby were taken to the sub-divisional hospital at Chitrakonda, and then shifted to the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital.

Hospital sources said that the student gave birth to a premature baby which was only eight months in the mother’s womb.

Sub-divisional Police Officer of Chitrakonda, Pradosh Pradhan, said that a case has been registered under several sections of the POCSO Act and BNS.

Following a hue and cry over the incident, the district administration disengaged lady matron Suchitra Charchi with immediate effect and placed headmaster Ajit Kumar Madkami and Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) Kabita Kumari under suspension, an official said.

The girl’s parents have sought to know from the school authorities how the pregnancy remained hidden till she went into labour.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/odisha/class-10-girl-delivers-baby-in-odisha-school-hostel-headmaster-suspended-3421576

Satyaki Ashok Savarkar, a relative of the late Hindutva icon Vinayak Savarkar and complainant in the Savarkar defamation case, has objected to the plea by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to convert the nature of the trial in the case from a summary trial to a summons trial.

The case stems from Gandhi’s controversial speech in London in March 2023 in which he allegedly made defamatory remarks about Vinayak Savarkar’s actions.

Gandhi had reportedly referred to Savarkar’s writings about an incident where Savarkar, along with others, allegedly assaulted a Muslim man – a situation Savarkar supposedly found “pleasurable.”

Satyaki Savarkar filed the defamation complaint in 2023, refuting Gandhi’s claim and asserting that no such incident involving Savarkar is mentioned in his works.

Gandhi recently filed a plea to convert the trial in the defamation case to a summons trial so that he can bring historical facts and detailed evidence on record to back up his statements.

Satyaki Ashok Savarkar has now objected to the same.

In his affidavit filed through advocate SA Kolhatkar, Savarkar has accused Gandhi of attempting to divert the focus of the case by raising irrelevant arguments about Savarkar’s contributions to the Indian freedom struggle.

“The accused is again deliberately trying to divert the matter by raising irrelevant arguments about Veer Savarkar’s contributions during the Indian freedom struggle. The accused has raised issues regarding certain historical facts, which are irrelevant to the core subject matter of this case,” the reply states.

The reply has rejected Gandhi’s assertion that the case involves complex questions of fact and law, claiming that such an argument is without merit.

“The assertion that this case involves complex questions of fact and law is unfounded,” the reply reads.

It has stressed that the accused cannot dictate how the court should conduct the trial. Savarkar’s counsel also emphasized the importance of allowing the case to proceed promptly without further delays.

In his reply, Savarkar has highlighted Gandhi’s history of making defamatory remarks, which has resulted in multiple legal proceedings.

“Rahul Gandhi, has a documented history of making defamatory remarks…it can be inferred that he is a habitual offender making defamatory statements,” the response adds, referencing Gandhi’s previous conviction in a defamation case in Gujarat that led to his temporary disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/savarkar-defamation-complainant-opposes-rahul-gandhis-plea-to-bring-historical-evidence-on-record

The BJP-ruled Delhi government, in its audit report on AAP government’s 2021-22 liquor policy, said “cartelisation” in the process of issuing licences led to cumulative losses of over Rs 2,000 crore to the exchequer. “The policy provided for distribution of retail licenses in zones where one entity/person would get minimum 27 vends,” it said.
The report is one of 14 on the previous Aam Aadmi Party government’s performance to be tabled by the new Rekha Gupta-led government. It has pointed out that recommendations of an expert panel, formed to suggest changes for the formation of the now scrapped policy, were ignored by then deputy chief minister and excise minister Manish Sisodia.
The alleged liquor scam was a hot button issue in the run-up to the elections, with the BJP accusing senior AAP leaders of pocketing proceeds of the crime.

The audit report claimed a loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 941.53 crore, saying timely permissions were not taken for opening the liquor vends in non-conforming municipal wards .

Two weeks after another bench of the Supreme Court while hearing air pollution matter got drawn into the issue of change of government in national capital, on Tuesday a bench led by Justice B R Gavai while hearing the Yamuna took note of same(BJP forming government in Delhi) and orally remarked that it may have a positive impact vis-à-vis implementation of measures to clean the river water is concerned.
At the outset, Amicus curiae Meenakshi Arora apprised the Bench about the background of the matter before it ‘In Re Remediation Of Polluted Rivers” wherein SC had in 2021 took suo motu cognisance of river pollution and had been passing periodic orders . This was done as the matter was coming before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih for the first time.
When Arora said earlier there was a lot of dispute between Haryana and Delhi related to sharing of the river water and also water contamination and pollution, Justice Gavai remarked: “Now with change of government all disputes might get solved..In changed circumstances, there may be better implementation possible”.

Remarks are important as at present all the states through which river Yamuna passes -Haryana,Delhi, Uttar Pradesh- have BJP governments and therefore coordination becomes easier. The SC noted that earlier National Green Tribunal was monitoring issues pertaining to water quality of Yamuna and passing periodic orders but after SC took suo motu cognisance NGT stopped monitoring and the Tribunal also disbanded its committees.
The Bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati as to what other issues related to River Yamuna was pending in the SC before other benches so that all of them could be clubbed and heard by SC itself or transferred to NGT.
On January 13, 2021, the apex court had taken cognisance of contamination of rivers-mainly Yamuna and Ganga– by sewage effluent and observed that pollution free water forms the basic right under the Constitutional framework and a welfare state is “bound” to ensure the same.
On February 13, 2025 also, during pollution hearing, the SC got drawn into discussion on change Of Government In Delhi.
The SC bench led by Abhay S Oka said he felt that constant friction between the Central government and the Delhi government and blaming each other may now end with the change in guard( that is a BJP regime set to form government in the national capital replacing the AAP government) but said that does not automatically mean that they would be proactive in resolving the air pollution crisis.
On that day the discussion pertaining to this was triggered by Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is acting as amicus curiae.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/after-air-pollution-case-sc-takes-note-of-change-of-govt-in-delhi-in-yamuna-hearing-too-article-118553924

This is not the first time Chandrashekhar has written a letter from jail, with former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandes among his recipients.

Sukesh Chandrashekhar, the conman currently serving jail term in several cheating cases, wrote a letter to Elon Musk, expressing his desire to invest $2 billion in the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

Notably, this is not the first time Chandrashekhar has written a letter from jail, with former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandes and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu among his recipients.

“I am taking this Privilege and Pride today to say, Hey Elon, I am ready and wanting to invest ‘1 Billion USD’ immediately and another ‘1 Billion USD’ next year in your Company X, making a total ‘2 Billion USD’ as investment,” the letter reads as report by Hindustan Times.

He added that his investment in X would make him a “proud Indian”.

He referred to Musk as “my man” and congratulated him for heading the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration.

The conman also called US President Donald Trump his “big brother.”

“Elon, you are someone who I really look up to, you are solid, Tankman, Bulletproof. What you have built is amazing. Being a part of that build would be the craziest and greatest thing for me,” the letter reads.

“The investment of the above-mentioned amount is not under any valuation of X, but it’s an investment on what remarkable turn of fortune the company is going to achieve under your leadership, so the Bet is always on you, and surely know “X” value is going to rise to unexpectable heights,” Chandrashekhar added.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/conman-sukesh-offers-2-billion-investment-for-x-sends-letter-to-elon-musk-from-jail-9240799.html

Prajakta Koli, a digital creator under the name MostlySane, and her longtime partner Vrishank Khanal tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony on Tuesday. The couple got married at Oleander Farms in Karjat in a minimal yet outdoorsy ceremony attended by their close friends and family members.

Prajakta and Vrishank wore custom outfits designed by ace designer Anita Dongre for their special day. While the actor and YouTuber wore a cream-coloured lehenga set, Vrishank complemented her in an ivory sherwani set. Let’s decode their wedding ensembles.

Bride picks details that are an ode to her name

According to Anita Dongre, Prajakta Koli’s cream-coloured Pichhwai lehenga set featured hand-painted Parijaat flowers that are an ode to her name. Other details of the ensemble also took inspiration from nature, which was the dominant theme of the couple’s wedding. Meanwhile, the bridal lehenga features a choli, a lehenga skirt, a matching dupatta, and a veil to complete her look.

More details about Prajakta’s lehenga

The blouse features a round neckline, half-length sleeves, sequin and bead embellishments, floral embroidery, and a cropped midriff-baring hem length. As for the lehenga skirt, it features shimmering sequin adornments, an A-line silhouette lined with cancan, and a broad embroidered border on the hem.

Lastly, she paired the lehenga with a dupatta draped around her body like a saree pallu featuring scalloped borders, gotta patti embroidery and sequin work. She layered another matching dupatta on her head like a veil, which cascaded on the back with a long train.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/fashion/prajakta-koli-champions-self-love-for-wedding-in-lehenga-featuring-hand-painted-parijaat-flowers-as-an-ode-to-name-pics-101740539266585.html

The rescue operation of the eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel after a portion of it collapsed on Saturday has entered its fifth day. While no contact with the trapped workers has been established yet, the National Disaster Security Force (NDRF) managed to reach the last point of the roof of collapse site on Tuesday, reported The Times of India.

The rescue teams have been struggling for days to cross through the last 40-50 metre belt of the collapse site due to accumulation of water, mud and debris for the last four days.

Here are latest updates on Telangana tunnel rescue operation:

1. 1. Thermocol boats came to the aid of the rescue teams to navigate through the difficult terrain of the tunnel to bring out the trapped workers, the TOI report said. However, the chances of their survival still remain low.
   2. While the teams have managed to reach the last point of the collapsed roof of the tunnel, challenges still remain in the form of water and silt to obstruct the rescue operations, the report added.
   3. The family of one of the workers trapped inside the tunnel, Sunny Singh, awaits his safe return to Jammu and Kashmir. The family, living in Gurha Manhasan village in the Pargwal area on the India-Pakistan border, reported news agency PTI.
   4. Sunny’s younger brother Rajesh told PTI, “We have had no news about him for the last four days and are looking forward to hearing good news soon. One of our relatives, who is also working there, was the one who informed us about the incident.” Sunny’s mother said that while they would talk to him almost everyday, the family did not speak to him on the day of the collapse.
   5. Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, citing the experts, called the incident one of the most difficult tunnel rescue operations because there is only one entry and exit point to the tunnel, reported PTI.
   6. He also said that the collapse might have occurred due to a slight tectonic shift and the failure of some geological fault lines.
   7. Uttam Kumar Reddy added that due to heavy flow of slit and water in the tunnel, even the lives of rescuers could be at risk. “There is one problem. The flow of slit and water into the tunnel at a very high speed continues. So there was one opinion expressed by some experts that the people going into the rescue, even their lives could be endangered. So, we are a responsible government, we are taking the best expert opinion, and we will take a final call on that,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/telangana-tunnel-collapse-ray-of-hope-as-ndrf-inches-closer-to-8-trapped-workers-top-updates-101740533348769.html

The incidents involving sudden loss of hair in the Buldhana district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra could be linked to high high selenium content found in wheat from Punjab and Haryana supplied by local ration shops.

Selenium is a chemical element that is placed in the oxygen group of the periodic table – and is often found in combination with metals like mercury, copper, silver or lead.

Selenium, which is a metalloid – an element intermediate in properties between the metals and the nonmetals – is rare, composing approximately 90 parts per billion of the crust of Earth.

Around 250-300 persons in the Shegaon tehsil of Buldhana have suffered hair loss in December 2024 and January-February 2025.

People across all age-groups were found to be affected among the cases that have come to light.

Selenium is found in food sources, including meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, as well as foods grown in soil which is selenium-rich.

Teams of officials of the Public Health and Family Welfare Department and Medical Education Department are working on the issue.

“In some families more than one person is witnessing hair loss,” said Rama Patil, who is the sarpanch of Bondgaon village.

People face symptoms like headache, fever, scalp itching, tingling and loose motions and leading to hair loss (alopecia).

Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, the Managing Director of Bawaskar Hospital and Research Centre in Raigad, who conducted a research, feels that it is because of the selenium content found in wheat procured from Punjab and Haryana and distributed through ration shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

“The primary cause of the outbreak was linked to wheat imported from Punjab and Haryana, which has been found to have a significantly higher selenium content than locally produced wheat. Our analysis of wheat from the affected region revealed that it contained 600 times more selenium than the locally grown variety. This high selenium intake is believed to be the cause of the alopecia cases,” he said.

Blood, urine, hair samples and stool samples were examined as part of the research.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/hair-loss-in-buldhana-could-be-linked-to-wheat-with-selenium-content-3420376

After nearly a year-long pause, India and the United Kingdom (UK) on Monday resumed negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) and decided to resolve outstanding issues at the earliest but did not give any timeframe for the deal, which has missed multiple deadlines.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and UK’s Secretary of State for Business & Trade Jonathan Reynolds made an announcement about the resumption of talks at a joint media conference in New Delhi.

“We have decided to build on the strong groundwork that 14 previous rounds had developed,” Goyal said, referring to the progress made in earlier rounds of negotiations held before talks were put on hold in early 2024 due to general elections in both the countries.

The negotiations for India-UK FTA were launched in early 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then UK PM Boris Johnson during a summit meeting in April 2022 had set a target to get the deal signed by October 2022.

Though both the countries have reiterated their commitment to conclude the negotiations fast, no new timeframe has been set.

“Make a robust agreement which is win-win for both sides. Therefore, neither should we rush into things but it’s always good to conclude fast. So we will have speed but not haste,” said Goyal.

“For us it’s about quality of agreement rather than speed,” Reynolds concurred.

Reynolds said the FTA deal with India is among the top priority of the UK government led by current PM Keir Starmer. “Not just my support but very strong support from the Prime Minister,” Reynolds said.

Alongside the FTA, the negotiations will also cover a double taxation avoidance agreement and a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).

The two countries made an important clarification on the issue of immigration saying it would not be a part of the trade negotiations.

“I have been negotiating many free trade agreements in the last six years but immigration has never been a part of trade negotiations. They are two totally different subjects and India has never ever discussed immigration in any free trade agreement negotiations,” Goyal said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/india-uk-resume-fta-talks-immigration-not-on-agenda-3420083

The Maha Kumbh Mela area will be a no-vehicle zone from 4 PM on Tuesday, with the entire Prayagraj following suit from 6 PM onwards in view of the massive influx of devotees for the last special bathing date coinciding with Mahashivratri on February 26.

Restrictions Imposed

Authorities have imposed these restrictions to ensure smooth crowd movement. However, vehicles carrying essentials will be exempted, according to an official statement.

The administration has urged all visitors to comply with the guidelines and cooperate with officials, according to the statement issued by the Mela Police.

“Devotees should bathe only at the nearest designated ghats based on their entry points. Those arriving from the Dakshini Jhunsi route should use Arail Ghat, while those from the Uttari Jhunsi route should head to Harishchandra Ghat and Old GT Ghat. Pande Kshetra entrants have been directed to Bharadwaj Ghat, Nagavasuki Ghat, Mori Ghat, Kali Ghat, Ram Ghat, and Hanuman Ghat. Devotees coming through the Arail sector should use Arail Ghat for bathing,” it stated.

“Essential services, including the transport of milk, vegetables, medicines, fuel, and emergency vehicles, will not be restricted. Government personnel such as doctors, police officers, and administrative staff will also have free movement,” it added.

February 26 marks both the concluding snan of the Maha Kumbh Mela and the festival of Mahashivratri.

In view of this, devotees are advised to bathe at their nearest ghats and offer prayers at local Shiva temples to prevent overcrowding at major pilgrimage sites, the statement read.

“To control the massive gathering, pontoon bridges will be managed based on crowd density. Officials have urged devotees to avoid unnecessary movement and return to their destinations promptly after completing rituals,” it stated.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/maha-kumbh-mela-area-to-be-no-vehicle-zone-from-4-pm-today-prayagraj-from-6-pm

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale struck the Bay of Bengal in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

According to NCS, the earthquake occurred at 6:10 am at a depth of 91 kilometres.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/51-magnitude-earthquake-recorded-in-bay-of-bengal-near-odishas-puri 

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) hosted an exhibition and panel discussion titled “The Never Ending Persecution of Minorities in Bangladesh,” which highlighted the systemic discrimination and violence faced by religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh, according to a statement by the VIF.

A key highlight of the event was the attendance of India’s National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval, KC. The NSA visited the exhibition and attended the panel discussion, underscoring India’s deep concern over the plight of minorities in Bangladesh.

The event, held at the VIF Auditorium in Delhi, brought together distinguished experts, diplomats, and journalists to discuss the urgent human rights crisis unfolding in Bangladesh. The panel featured Ambassador Satish Chandra, Former Deputy National Security Advisor and Vice Chairman, VIF; Ambassador Veena Sikri, Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh; Francois Gautier, Correspondent for Valeurs Actuelles; and Anirban Ganguly, Chairperson and Trustee of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, and it was chaired by Arvind Gupta, Director VIF, as per the statement.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the speakers, after which the focus shifted to the panel discussion. Each speaker provided critical insights into the historical and ongoing persecution of minorities in a highly Islamized Bangladesh, examining the socio-political and international dimensions of the crisis, the statement said.

The exhibition, curated by FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism) showcased compelling visual documentation of human rights violations, forced displacements, and attacks on religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims in Bangladesh.

The exhibition aimed to raise awareness and encourage discourse on the urgent need for action. The exhibition and panel discussion highlighted Vivekananda International Foundation’s commitment to advocate for human rights and foster meaningful discussions on regional security and minority rights, especially the rights of minorities in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh is seeking to strengthen its ties with India, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and reciprocal interest. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Monday in response to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent comments that “there are anti-India remarks from Bangladesh.”

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nsa-ajit-doval-attends-an-exhibition-on-bangladeshi-minorities-plight-7788094

A woman died on Monday after a person allegedly slit her throat when she refused to accept his marriage proposal in Odisha’s Balasore district, officials said.

The incident took place at Lingapada village. The deceased has been identified as Jyotirmayee Rana (25).

The woman’s mother claimed that her daughter was killed despite filing a complaint against a man at Soro police station three days ago about harassment.

“A man had been visiting our house recently and insisted that we fix his marriage with our daughter. I had rejected the proposal. We suspect that he killed our daughter,” she said.

Sources at Soro police station said that it does not have an office-in-charge at present following the transfer of the former OC.

A senior police officer said that teams were formed to arrest the accused person, who is on the run after the incident.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/womans-throat-slit-after-rejecting-marriage-proposal-in-odisha-dies-7786892

The Uttarakhand government has asked its employees to get their marriages registered under the Uniform Civil Code that was recently implemented in the state.

In a letter to the state’s district magistrates and heads of departments, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said under the UCC, registration of marriages done after March 26, 2010, has been made mandatory, an official release said.

The district nodal officers nominated for UCC will get the marriage registration of all the married employees in their district completed in a time-bound manner, Raturi said.

A regular report in this regard will be made available to the home secretary by each district every week, she added.

The chief secretary has also given instructions to nominate a nodal officer in each department who will ensure the marriage registration of the married personnel of his department.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/uttarakhand-public-employees-to-register-their-marriages-under-uniform-civil-code-7786708

Telangana tunnel collapse : Rescuers are battling to pull out eight workers who are stuck inside a Telangana tunnel for over 72 hours, after a portion of the tunnel collapsed on February 22 in the southern state’s Nagarkurnool district. On Monday, Telangana minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the chances of survival of the trapped individuals are “very remote,” and rescuing them would take “at least three to four days,” as the accident site is filled with muck and debris, making it a daunting task for the rescuers.

Rao also mentioned that a team of rat miners, who had rescued the construction workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, has joined the rescue work.

“To be honest, the chances of their survival are very, very, very, very remote. Because, I myself went up to the end, almost just 50 meters short (of the accident site). When we took photographs, the end (of the tunnel) was visible. And out of the 9 meter diameter (of the tunnel)–almost 30 feet, out of that 30 feet, mud has piled up up to 25 feet,” the minister stated.

“When we shouted their names also, there was no response…so, there (seems to be) no chance at all,” he added.

The persons who have been trapped in the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand.

Of the eight, two are engineers, two operators and four labourers.

Telangana tunnel collapse : Food, water taken inside tunnel for rescue workers

Telangana tunnel collapse : Various teams are going inside the SLBC tunnel, where a rescue operation is underway.

Food and water are being taken inside the tunnel for the rescue workers.

Telangana tunnel collapse : Deputy CM reaches collapse site

Telangana tunnel collapse : Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with irrigation Mminister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, roads & buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao have reached the Srisailam Left Bank Canal in Nagarkurnool, according to The Hindu.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/telangana-slbc-tunnel-collpase-february-25-2025-live-updates-101740441092169.html

Actors Katrina Kaif, Raveena Tandon, her daughter Rasha Thadani, and Abhishek Banerjee participated in several religious events during the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. News agency ANI shared several videos and pictures of the celebrities performing aarti and attending the evening bhajan on its X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday.

Katrina Kaif attends bhajan at Mahakumbh

In a video, Katrina was seen smiling and listening to the bhajan which was led by Parmarth Niketan Ashram President Swami Chidanand Saraswati. Dressed in a saffron outfit, she was seen sitting on the floor and slowly clapping to the religious song. Katrina was seen accompanied by her mother-in-law, Veena Kaushal.

Katrina performs aarti with Raveena, Rasha, Abhishek

Raveena Tandon sang the song while Rasha clapped, sitting next to her mother. Abhishek Banerjee was also seen sitting amid the other devotees. In another clip, all the celebrities stood with Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati as they performed aarti at the Mahakumbh.

Katrina and Veena were later spotted at the Kalina Airport after they returned to Mumbai from Prayagraj.

On devotees, including celebrities visiting Mahakumbh in huge numbers, Swami Chidanand Saraswati told ANI, “Mahakumbh is an occasion of snan, dhyan and daan (holy dip, meditation and charity). Today, she (Katrina Kaif) took a holy dip, meditated and did annadaan. She said that she sees god in everyone… Such a belief system keeps this nation alive.”

“I support the thoughts of PM Modi. The way CM Yogi Adityanath has arranged everything, this is a Mahakumbh of vyavastha, arthvyavastha and astitva (arrangement, economy and identity)…This Kumbh is for everyone, those who have not visited till now should come here and take a holy dip..,” he added.

Celebs at Mahakumbh

According to reports from the Uttar Pradesh government’s Information Department, nearly 630 million people had visited the holy site as of Sunday. Earlier, on Monday morning, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar took a holy dip at the Triveni sangam — the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/katrina-kaif-performs-aarti-at-mahakumbh-attends-evening-bhajan-raveena-tandon-abhishek-banerjee-rasha-thadani-101740445559803.html

Over 62 per cent of English test-takers in India believe that their Indian accent would negatively impact their speaking test outcomes while over 74 per cent feel that their appearance might impact their test score when a human examiner is involved, according to a Pearson survey.

The report revealed insights from a social perception survey conducted by the Pearson Test of English for study, work and migration visas.

Revealing stark insights about test-takers’ perceptions of biases — particularly those related to looks, accents and appearances — the report highlights the need for fairer systems that focus solely on learners’ knowledge and abilities.

The results are based on a survey of 1,000 respondents who have taken or are planning to take an English proficiency test for work, study or migration purposes. Ninety-six per cent of the respondents had experienced an English language test with a human examiner.

According to the survey, 59 per cent of the respondents believe that they will be treated differently based on their skin colour, calling out their fear of unconscious favouritism extended towards people with lighter skin.

Almost 64 per cent of the respondents believe that they can create a wrong impression based on how they dress. These perceptions are especially strong among test-takers in Maharashtra, where 67 per cent carry this belief.

Job roles and educational background are also feared to impact how people are treated, with seven in ten respondents, especially those in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, believing they will be treated with more respect if they have a prestigious job or a strong educational background.

According to the survey, over three out of five (63 per cent) test-takers, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, believe that removing their Indian accents while speaking English will positively impact test scores.

One’s external appearance is also believed to impact outcomes. Punjab feels this most strongly, with 77 per cent of respondents from the state believing appearance can impact the outcomes of their speaking test.

“For many years in India, people’s insecurities with their accents and appearances have determined the opportunities available to them, ultimately impacting their earning potential. We have seen this play out even in the most critical situations where people’s futures are often at stake.

“The English language testing and the broader global mobility space are not immune to these challenges. However, at Pearson, we are transforming this landscape,” said Prabhul Ravindran, director of English Language Learning, Pearson India.

“Our evaluation system leverages responsible AI (Artificial Intelligence) and language experts and to focus solely on assessing language proficiency, free from face-to-face interviews with technology that recognises more than 125 accents. By designing a test that eliminates biases and emphasises English skills, we aim to foster a positive and inclusive environment where everyone has a fair opportunity to chase their dreams,” Ravindran added.

Nearly two in three (64 per cent) respondents think that having a certain accent can help them get a better score in the speaking test. Thirty-five per cent of the respondents, including those in Tamil Nadu, believe an American accent contributes to better test scores, while 21 per cent, especially those in Uttar Pradesh, say a British accent will play to their advantage.

Over three in four (76 per cent) also believe that they can create a “professional” experience by dressing up formally, leading to higher scores.

Versant by Pearson is an English Language assessment tool that accurately and efficiently evaluates candidates’ English language proficiency, assisting businesses in hiring the best talent suited for their needs.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/62-indians-feel-their-accent-will-unfairly-impact-their-english-language-test-score-survey-3418099

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised leaders who have made negative remarks about the Maha Kumbh, calling them “people with slave mentality” who attack India’s religious and cultural traditions with the support of foreign powers.
Modi made the comments while laying the foundation stone for the Shree Bageshwar Medical Sciences and Research Institute in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. The institute will include a cancer hospital and is linked to the Bageshwar Dham, a prominent religious site dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The 100-bed hospital, set to be built in phases over the next two years at a cost of Rs 218 crore, will occupy 10 acres of land.
“Recently, we’ve seen a group of leaders mocking our religion. They aim to divide us,” Modi said. “At times, foreign forces also support these people to weaken our country and religion.”

His remarks follow criticism from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who referred to the Maha Kumbh as “Mrityu Kumbh” (Death Kumbh) due to reports of mismanagement and stampedes. Banerjee also accused authorities of downplaying the death toll.

Modi condemned those who oppose Hindu beliefs, calling them “haters of the Hindu faith” who have existed in different forms for centuries. He accused them of attacking India’s temples, saints, and cultural traditions.
“These people want to break the unity of our society,” Modi said. “They disrespect our religion, which is inherently progressive.”
The Prime Minister said the religious importance of the Maha Kumbh, which is being held in Prayagraj after 144 years. He also praised sanitation workers and police personnel for their efforts in managing the large-scale event.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/people-with-slave-mentality-pm-modi-slams-opposition-over-maha-kumbh-criticism-article-118506104

Manipur Chief Secretary PK Singh on Sunday said the seven-day time given for voluntarily surrendering looted and illegally held weapons is enough if one wants to give up arms, and asserted that the forces will take action after the expiry of the period to recover such guns.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla had on February 20 urged the people of the strife-torn state to voluntarily surrender looted and illegally held weapons within seven days, assuring no punitive action would be initiated against those giving up arms during this period.

“The seven-day period is good enough. If one decides to give up arms, it can be done in a day. After that (period), we will go and take such weapons from them,” Mr Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

He said the administration has been working on multiple fronts and there has to be peace and normalcy.

“Weapons should not be at the hands of the public. That is a dangerous situation. Weapons at the hands of those who are not authorised to use it is a dangerous situation… Looted weapons or any other weapons pose a threat to society. The first and foremost duty is to recover illegal firearms,” Mr Singh said.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki tribes since May 2023.

The Centre imposed President’s rule in Manipur on February 13, days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post, which led to political uncertainty in the northeastern state.

The Manipur assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/7-days-enough-for-giving-up-illegally-held-weapons-says-manipur-chief-secretary-7776908

Jammu and Kashmir is seeing a fresh political row over liquor ban – an issue that came up in 2016 but got thumbs downed by Mehbooba Mufti’s ruling People’s Democratic Party. Now the battlelines have been re-drawn, with the PDP spearheading the demand for a ban. The party has started a signature campaign in support of the ban and it is the ruling National Conference that is accusing it of hypocrisy.
Over the weekend, posters came up across Srinagar, supporting the ban and calling upon tourists to “respect local culture and traditions”. Police action to remove the posters has been questioned by the Opposition.

The matter is expected to dominate the assembly in the budget session which begins on March 3. Two members – one of the PDP and one from the National Conference — have submitted bills to ban liquor.

PDP’s Fayaz Ahamd Mir, National Conference’s Ahsan Pardesi and a third MLA — Awami Ittehad Party’s (AIP) Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad – have moved separate bills in the assembly seeking ban on sale of liquor in the Union Territory.

Today PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti joined the signature campaign that was launched by her daughter Iltija Mufti yesterday.

A day before, on Friday, traders at Srinagar’s historic Lal Chowk had put up posters that, after welcoming tourists, said, “For a memorable and enjoyable trip, we kindly request: Love and cherish your family, avoid liquor, drugs, spitting on roads and smoking. Respect our culture and traditions”.

NC MLA, Ahsan Pardesi said, in support of his bill, that the unchecked sale of alcohol disregards the religious and cultural ethos of Kashmir.

“Our heritage has always stood against intoxicants, and this bill is a step toward preserving those values,” he added.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pdp-vs-ncp-prohibition-in-j-k-signature-campaign-posters-spark-massive-row-7777609

Maha Kumbh Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna confirmed that 13 FIRs have been filed against 140 social media handles that disseminated misleading content. He also assured that the police have made all necessary arrangements for the upcoming Maha Shivratri festival on February 26, 2025.

“13 FIRs have been registered against 140 social media handles that shared misleading content…Today, more than one crore people have taken a holy dip,” Vaibhav Krishna told ANI.

“Complete arrangements have been made for the upcoming Shivratri festival… Efforts will be made to ensure that there is no traffic jam anywhere in the Mahakumbh area. All arrangements should run smoothly…No matter how big the crowd is, we are fully prepared,” he added.

A large number of devotees took a holy dip at the sacred Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Sunday.

The information department of the Uttar Pradesh government reported that as of Sunday, nearly 8.773 million people had taken the holy dip.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that 620 million devotees visited the Mahakumbh mela at Prayagraj. Meanwhile, the authorities managing the Mahakumbh Mela have implemented extensive crowd control measures at Ayodhya Dham Railway Station to ensure smooth management and safety.

A massive influx of devotees is expected during the upcoming Maha Shivratri festival.

Speaking to ANI, Deputy Superintendent of Police Yashwant Singh said that devotees can only go to the platform when the train arrives.

“We have increased alertness ahead of the Mahakumbh ‘snan’ on Maha Shivratri. Additional security has been deployed here, after which the total number of personnel deployed is more than 350. Barricading has been done all around. A holding area has been set up and passengers are being brought here,” DSP Singh emphasised.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/case-against-140-social-media-handles-over-misleading-content-on-maha-kumbh-7780086

As envisioned by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about a ‘Swachh Maha Kumbh’, a massive cleanliness campaign will be launched on Monday in Prayagraj, the state government said in a statement on Sunday.

Over 15,000 sanitation workers will conduct a synchronised cleanliness drive across four zones. This historic effort aims to set a Guinness World Record for cleanliness, the statement added.

Under Chief Minister Adityanath’s leadership, Maha Kumbh is setting new benchmarks in cleanliness every day, the statement said, adding that the grand religious gathering has been dedicated to maintaining high hygiene standards, earning it the title of ‘Swachh Maha Kumbh’ (Clean Maha Kumbh).

A previous world record attempt to clean river Ganga was also made during Maha Kumbh, where over 300 sanitation workers carried out a coordinated river-cleaning drive at various ghats of Prayagraj.

Additionally, two more world record attempts related to cleanliness are being planned.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/up-aiming-to-create-guinness-world-record-with-swachh-maha-kumbh-today-7780804

At least eight workers are still trapped in Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel which collapsed on Saturday, February 22. Rescue operations to evacuate the trapped workers are still underway.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is making progress and advancing more into the tunnel, reported ANI. On Saturday morning, a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district in Telangana.

– The rescue operation has entered the third day. Minister Jupally Krishna Rao is at the spot and monitoring the developments.

– The NDRF is currently working to remove the accumulated water inside the tunnel.

– Due to debris blocking the area, the team has not yet been able to confirm their exact ‘location’, as confirmed by NDRF officials told ANI.

– As per the NDRF Deputy Commandant Sukhendu Datta, the force had covered around 13.5 kilometres inside the tunnel, primarily using locomotives and conveyor belts. “Yesterday around 10 PM, we went inside to check what the situation was like. The locomotives were used to enter the tunnel. From the gate of the tunnel, we covered a total of around 13.5 km. We covered 11 km by train and then the rest of 2 km by conveyor belt and by walking,” Datta told ANI.

– The last 200 meters of the collapsed section are completely blocked by debris, making it difficult to confirm the condition or exact location of the trapped workers, as per the official.

– The tunnel area was filled with water, due to which the rescue operation is becoming difficult. “The patch between the 11 to 13 km is filled with water, so right now, we are in the process of removing the water. When that is done, we will start the rescue operations,” the official told the news agency.

– Earlier today, both the NDRF and SDRF teams encountered severe challenges in reaching the collapsed section. “There’s no chance to go to the spot inside the tunnel. It has completely collapsed and mud is reaching up to the knees. We will have to take another step,” an SDRF official said.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/telangana-slbc-tunnel-collapse-8-workers-still-trapped-rescue-operation-enters-day-3-latest-updates

It is “immoral” on Air India’s part and a “betrayal” of passengers’ trust to sell them broken seats, Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, hitting out at the airline after allegedly being assigned an “unserviceable” seat on a Bhopal-Delhi flight on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

“I am not concerned about my personal discomfort, but charging passengers full fare while providing them with broken and uncomfortable seats is unethical. Is this not a betrayal of passengers’ trust? I had assumed that Air India’s service had improved under Tata’s management, but I was mistaken,” the Minister said in a post on social media platform X.

Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/unethical-deception-of-passengers-shivraj-singh-chouhan-slams-air-india-over-broken-seat-on-flight/article69250595.ece

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has raised concerns over information from the US that millions of dollars were sent to India, allegedly to influence elections in India.

US President Donald Trump first raised the issue of alleged funding of $21 million for “voter turnout” in India, after he took over from former President Joe Biden.

“Your security can be threatened without you leaving your house because the thought processes, the influences, the narratives, your morale, your sense of what is right and wrong, are all influenced by your phone, what you read every day, the pictures you see,” Mr Jaishankar said at the Delhi University Literature Festival.

“… I think some information has been put out there by the Trump administration people and obviously that is concerning,” the External Affairs Minister said.

“It would suggest that there are activities which have a certain objective out there, to push a narrative or a viewpoint. As a government we are looking into it because such organisations have an obligation to report. And my sense is, the facts will come out,” Mr Jaishankar said, alluding to the announcement by President Trump that the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) posted a list of cancelled US taxpayer-funded initiatives with a mention of $21 million earmarked for “voter turnout in India.”

“Now, I read saying so-and-so dealt with USAID or so-and-so. Look, it’s not a question of do you deal with USAID or not. USAID was allowed – has been here historically. But USAID was allowed here in good faith, to do good faith activities. Suggestions are being made out of America that there are activities which are in bad faith. So, it surely warrants a look,” he said.

“And if there is something to it, I think the country should know who are the people involved in the bad faith activities,” Mr Jaishankar said.

The External Affairs Minister’s comments come on a day the BJP sought an investigation into the alleged US funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India and “kickbacks”. The BJP alleged the money was used to sustain “deep state assets” in India.

President Trump on Thursday also repeated his questioning of the US government’s allocation of the $21 million, calling it a “kickback scheme”.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/usaid-was-allowed-here-in-good-faith-s-jaishankar-on-21-million-voter-turnout-fund-7770891

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said Nepalese students studying in Odisha are children of the state and assured that they will continue to pursue their education with full dignity.

In a telephonic discussion with Nepal’s Foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba, Majhi promised strong action against all those involved in the alleged suicide of the 20-year-old girl student and attack on her fellow students at KIIT university.

A statement issued by the chief minister’s office (CMO) said, “The state government is keeping a close watch on the developments (at KIIT) and all steps will be taken to restore hope and confidence of the students. The Nepal foreign minister thanked the chief minister and expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the state government.”

The chief minister also met Nepal embassy officials Sanjeev Das Sharma and Naveen Raj Adhikari at his chamber in Lok Seva Bhawan and informed them that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the misbehaviour and attack on the Nepalese students. All arrangements have been made by the government to restore the academic atmosphere on KIIT campus, he said.

A CMO release said that the Nepali officials acknowledged the steps taken by the Odisha government and said these have reassured the students and guardians from their country.

Source : https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2025/Feb/23/nepalese-students-are-children-of-odisha-cm-majhi-assures-nepals-foreign-minister-deuba

The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) recently issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government, Prayagraj Mela Authority and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) over allegations that inadequate sanitation facilities at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 have led to open defecation along the banks of Ganga river.

A bench of of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A Senthil Vel sought responses from the authorities, directing them to file their replies one week before the next hearing. The case will be heard on February 24.

“The application alleges that lakhs of ordinary people and families are forced to defecate in open on the bank of the river Ganga for want of adequate facilities. In support of the plea taken in the OA, the Applicant has enclosed a pen drive containing the videos,” the NGT noted.

The application was filed by one Nipun Bhushan seeking ₹10 crore in environmental compensation from the Uttar Pradesh government on the ground that the State failed to prevent large-scale pollution owing to poor deployment of sanitary facilities at the Kumbh Mela site.

To support its demand for such compensation, Bhushan invoked the polluter pays principle, a widely recognized principle in environment law that mandates the polluter to bear the cost of damages caused to the environment.

The application also alleged dereliction of duty under Article 48A of the Constitution, which obligates the state to protect and improve the environment. Allowing mass open defecation and failing to prevent pollution violates this constitutional mandate, it was submitted.

Despite official assurances of bio-toilets being installed, thousands of pilgrims are forced to defecate in the open due to lack of clean or functional facilities.

Even if the 1.5 lakh bio-toilets deployed are operational, they appear insufficient to handle the massive influx of people, it was contended.

Videos recorded by visitors allegedly show human waste accumulating along the riverbanks, raising serious concerns about public health and environmental safety, the plea pointed out.

The application also cited a November 2024 water quality test, which recorded Fecal Coliform levels at downstream Sangam at 3,300 MPN (Most Probable Number) per 100 milliliters, exceeding the permissible limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The presence of such contaminants could lead to diseases like cholera, hepatitis A and polio, endangering millions of devotees taking a holy dip in the Ganga, it was contended.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/latest-legal-news/ngt-seeks-response-up-open-defecation-maha-kumbh-mela

Urvashi Rautela, India’s youngest & highest-paid superstar global icon to be featured on the Instagram Forbes Rich List with a staggering social media following of 100 million across all platforms has purchased a swanky, spacious and ultra-luxurious Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge worth a massive and whopping 12.25 crores to her incredible collection of cars. With this massive purchase, Urvashi Rautela has also become the first-ever outsider actress to own this limited-edition masterpiece car which is owned typically by the richie-rich of this country. Prior to Urvashi Rautela, some of the other proud owners of this car include names like Mukesh Ambani & Shah Rukh Khan.

Urvashi Rautela has had a great and successful run in the movies in 2024 and even 2025 started on a high for her with the success of ‘Daaku Maharaaj’ and fans believe this is indeed a sweet way for rewarding herself for the good work that she has done. The actress took to her social media handle to give her fans a sneak-peek into her sensational purchase. Looking alluring and a class apart in her mesmerizing red shimmery gown with diamond earrings, Urvashi Rautela can be seen casually posing in front of her new beast. Urvashi’s new Rolls-Royce Cullinan is equipped with a powerful 6.75 litre, twin-turbocharged V12 engine that’s the best in class and segment. Immediately after her purchase and the post on social media, the photos are going viral everywhere. Check out below –

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/breaking-urvashi-rautela-becomes-the-first-ever-outsider-indian-actress-to-buy-rolls-royce-cullinan-black-badge-worth-12-25-crores/67b84cc6e4cc4f51c1985e3c 

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, reportedly being “sidelined” by the Congress over his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala government’s policies, put up a cryptic post on X Saturday, stating, that being wise is sometimes a mistake.
Sharing a quote from English poet Thomas Gray’s poem ‘Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College’, Tharoor wrote, “Though of the Day: “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”
The post comes amid buzz of a rift between him and the Congress.

According to a report, Tharoor is “unhappy” after his recent meeting with Rahul Gandhi failed to address his concerns over his role in the party.

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Saturday ordered the suspension of the state transport buses to Karnataka after an MSRTC bus was attacked in the neighbouring state.

Mr Sarnaik said the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus, which was travelling from Bengaluru to Mumbai, was attacked in Chitradurga around 9.10 pm on Friday by pro-Kannada activists.

They also blackened the face of driver Bhaskar Jadhav and assaulted him, the minister said.

A police case has been registered in Karnataka in connection with the alleged attack.

“Bus services to Karnataka won’t be resumed unless the Karnataka government makes its stand clear on the issue,” he said.

On the same day, a conductor of the state-owned transport corporation bus of Karnataka was allegedly assaulted on the outskirts of the district headquarters town of Belagavi bordering Maharashtra, for not replying to a girl in Marathi.

It is unclear whether the attack on the MSRTC bus in Chitradurga was in retaliation to the alleged assault on the conductor.

Mr Sarnaik said the MSRTC bus (MH-14 KQ 7714) had barely crossed Chitradurga when pro-Kannada activists attacked the vehicle.

Four people have been arrested in another case for allegedly assaulting the conductor in Belagavi, the police said. The conductor has also been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, they said.

With tears in his eyes, the 51-year-old conductor, Mahadevappa Mallappa Hukkeri, on Friday told reporters that a girl who boarded the bus with her male friend at Sulebhavi village spoke in Marathi. Hukkeri said he told her that he did not know Marathi and asked her to speak in Kannada.

“When I said I don’t know Marathi, the girl abused me saying that I must learn Marathi. Suddenly a large number of people gathered and assaulted me on my head and all over the body,” the conductor said.

The injured bus conductor was admitted to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, police said, adding he got minor injuries and was out of danger.

“A case was registered and we have arrested four people in connection with the assault on the conductor and based on a counter complaint lodged by the girl, who is 14 years old, a case was registered against the conductor under POCSO for allegedly using derogatory remarks against her,” a senior police officer said.

“No arrest has been made yet in connection with the POCSO case. We need to investigate and look into the allegations and accordingly, further action will be taken,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Belagavi Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang said, four accused have been arrested in connection with assault on the conductor. Three teams led by as many inspectors have been formed to arrest the other accused who are on the run.

“All those involved in the incident will be arrested soon,” he said.

A counter case has come from the opposite side, accusing the conductor of misbehaving with the girl. A case was registered on Friday night in this regard, he said.

“We are doing the investigation and we will see what is the truth. Accordingly, we will take action as per law….during the investigation we will get statements from other passengers on the bus. We will be very neutral,” he said.

Pointing out that the region has been witnessing tension because of the border issue for long and this incident may trigger a problem, the Commissioner said in response to a question. He also said that he had spoken to the neighbouring district’s SP to ensure law and order.

“The issue can be handled through an investigation. There is nothing to be concerned about it. Peace must be maintained by everyone,” he added.

Following the incident, pro-Kannada activists staged a protest on Saturday by blocking the Belagavi-Bagalkote road and burning effigies. They were whisked away in a police van.

Similarly, activists staged a protest in front of Marihal police station condemning the alleged attack on the conductor and terming the case registered against him as false. They were also taken away from the spot by the police.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/maharashtra-suspends-bus-services-to-karnataka-after-attack-on-driver-7771374

Anand Mahindra on Kash Patel: Business tycoon Anand Mahindra, known for his highly engaging social media presence and witty remarks, has once again captured everyone’s attention with his response to an X user who suggested he gift a Thar SUV to Kash Patel.

Patel, an Indian-American citizen, is set to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), one of the most powerful intelligence and security services in the US. He was officially sworn in as the new Director of the FBI on Friday.

Anand Mahindra on Kash Patel: Business tycoon Anand Mahindra, known for his highly engaging social media presence and witty remarks, has once again captured everyone’s attention with his response to an X user who suggested he gift a Thar SUV to Kash Patel.

Patel, an Indian-American citizen, is set to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), one of the most powerful intelligence and security services in the US. He was officially sworn in as the new Director of the FBI on Friday.

In response, an X user named Harshit commented, “Inko bhi Thar gift kar do sir (Gift him a Thar too, sir).” Continuing with his humorous style, Mahindra’s reply sparked interest online.

“Hmmm. Thar ke layak toh lagta hai ye shaks (Hmm. This man does seem worthy of a Thar),” Mahindra replied to the X user. The interaction quickly went viral, with social media users praising Mahindra’s wit.

Harshit’s reply was not without context, as Anand Mahindra has previously gifted cars from his auto company to several prominent personalities in recognition of their achievements.

Previously, Anand Mahindra had gifted a brand-new Mahindra Scorpio-N to Sheetal Devi, India’s first armless archer. Further, Naushad Khan, father of India batter Sarfaraz Khan, was also gifted a Thar by the Mahindra Group chairman.

Meanwhile, Kash Patel recently grabbed headlines as he emerged as one of the most influential appointees of the Trump administration following his appointment as FBI director.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/new-fbi-director-kash-patel-deserves-a-thar-see-anand-mahindras-viral-response-to-x-user-9237473.html

A prisoner from Dausa’s Salawas jail on Friday night allegedly threatened to kill Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, police said.

Police said that 29-year-old Rinku, serving life sentence in a rape case, called the Jaipur police control room and threatened to kill the chief minister.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/rajasthan/prisoner-threatens-to-kill-rajasthan-cm-bhajanlal-sharma-3417108

The Railway Ministry issued a clarification after some social media posts claimed that it had asked X to remove all stampede videos from the platform. The railways spokesperson, in a post on X, said it only requested for removal of sensitive content and disturbing images “to uphold the dignity of victims, especially women”.

“Please refrain from spreading fake news,” read the post.

According to the sources, the decision was taken after some stampede-affected family members requested the ministry to initiate the process as the pictures and videos are disrespectful to the the dead, and very disturbing and traumatising to the survivors and their relatives.

Eighteen passengers died and many others were injured in the stampede near platform number 14 of New Delhi Railway Station allegedly due to confusion on the announcement of two Prayagraj-bound trains.

Earlier today, postmortem reports revealed that 15 of the 18 victims died due to traumatic asphyxia (suffocation), which happened due to heavy pressure on the chest. Two people died due to hemorrhagic shock, which happened due to severe injury to the chest. While one person died due to heavy pressure on the head.

Meanwhile, days after the tragedy the railways established holding areas in various stations as part of its preparation in anticipation of a surge in Maha Kumbh pilgrims during the final week of the religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

“This initiative aims to improve crowd management and enhance passenger safety, especially during peak hours and festive seasons,” the ministry said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/new-delhi-railway-station-stampede-fact-check-did-railways-ask-x-to-remove-all-stampede-videos-7765014

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Punjab after one of the ministers in the state cabinet was found to have been running a non-existent department for nearly 20 months.

Dhaliwal has been in the spotlight as Punjab’s NRI Affairs minister ever since the US deported the first lot of illegal migrants to Amritsar on February 5, followed by two other such flights.

In a gazette notification, the Punjab government said the Department of Administrative Reforms, which was allocated to Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, was no longer in existence. Dhaliwal will now only hold the portfolio of NRI Affairs in the state Cabinet.

“In partial modification of Punjab Government Notification No. 2/1/2022-2Cabinet/2230 dated 23.09.2024, regarding allocation of portfolios amongst the Ministers, the Department of Administrative Reforms earlier allotted to Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Cabinet Minister is not in existence as on date,” read the notification.

Dhaliwal was earlier allotted the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, but was relieved of the position during a Cabinet reshuffle in May 2023, as per reports. He was assigned the NRI Affairs portfolio as well as Administrative Reforms after that reshuffle, which he retained after a September 2024 cabinet reshuffle.

The BJP reacted sharply to this development, accusing Dhaliwal of running a department for 20 months that never existed. “Imagine for 20 months the CM did not even know that a minister was running a NON EXISTENT DEPARTMENT,” said BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.

“You can imagine the crisis in Punjab government if it took nearly 20 months to realise that a department assigned to one of its prominent ministers never actually existed. Arvind Kejriwal is a charlatan who must be banished from public life,” said BJP IT Department In-charge Amit Malviya.

Even Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal lashed out at AAP for ministers being ignorant of the portfolios they hold. “All this is happening because ministers have no role in governance as the govt is being run in remote control from Delhi,” she said.

A source told The Indian Express that after Dhaliwal was given the Administrative Reforms department, he asked the government for clarity as his department did not have a secretary.

“He was told that the administrative reforms was a part of the governance reforms department only. The department was about ushering the department in the era of information technology. Now with the notification, the confusion has been sorted,” the source said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/aap-minister-in-punjab-found-running-non-existent-department-for-20-months-bjp-reacts-9236527.html

The Cyber Cell of Maharashtra Police on Friday lodged a case against at least 4 editors of Wikipedia for not taking down “objectionable” content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the open-source encyclopedia.
The agency had earlier sent a notice to the California-based Wikimedia Foundation. The action followed claims by various organisations about the existence of defamatory information related to Sambhaji Maharaj, on Wikipedia, the open source encyclopedia.
The objections came against the backdrop of the recently released Hindi film “Chhava”, based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Maratha empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, PTI reported.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Maharashtra Cyber to approach Wikipedia and ask for the removal of the objectionable content about Sambhaji Maharaj.

According to a report by PTI, the notice was sent under section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act and section 168 (Prevention of cognisable offences) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
The notice maintained that the Wikipedia content was inaccurate and lacked proper references or sources, inciting communal hatred as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is highly revered in India.
The Maharashtra Cyber stated that “this misinformation is causing unrest among his followers and could potentially lead to the law-and-order situation.
Considering the gravity of the situation and its potential impact, Maharashtra Cyber also directed the Wikimedia Foundation to remove the objectionable content in a timely manner and prevent its re-uploading in the future, the official added.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/4-wikipedia-editors-booked-for-not-removing-objectionable-content-on-sambhaji-maharaj-article-118449864

A clash broke out between two groups in Bihar’s Sasaram over cheating in the matriculation examination on Friday. One student was shot dead and two were injured in the incident, according to PTI.
“A gunfight between students took place… one of the students received bullet injury in the leg and another in the back. One of the students succumbed to injury during treatment,” a police official told the news agency.

“Villagers along with family members of the deceased student tried to block the highway, however, we ensured them of action in the case. They were convinced and took the body for final rites,” he added.

Visuals from the spot showed locals and police camping on the road as tyres burn, blocking the traffic.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/clash-over-cheating-in-exam-hall-in-bihars-sasaram-one-student-dead-two-others-injured-video-article-118446409

A man allegedly locked his ailing mother at home and went to Prayagraj for a holy dip at Maha Kumbh along with his wife, children and in-laws, reported PTI. The woman was rescued after neighbours heard a crying sound from the house.
Akhilesh Kumar had locked his 65-year-old mother, Sanju Devi, inside his Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) quarter in Subhash Nagar colony in Ranchi’s Ramgarh, the police said. He went to Maha Kumbh along with his wife, children and in-laws.
The woman was locked in the home since Monday and survived on Chura (flattened rice). The neighbours came to know about her when she cried in hunger for help, police said.

The woman’s daughter Chandni Devi, who resides around five kilometres away from the CCL quarter in Kahubera, said that she got the information about her mother over the phone from neighbours. Later, the woman was rescued by the police.

“The elderly woman, identified as Sanju Devi, was locked by her son, Akhilesh Kumar, in his CCL quarter since Monday. Kumar along with his family went to Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. She was rescued on Wednesday after her daughter informed police,” said Ramgarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Parmeshwar Prasad.
The police said that Akhilesh Kumar said that his mother was unwell and they came to Prayagraj after making all arrangements for her food and drink. “Police rescued her after breaking the lock. The neighbours immediately gave her food. She was also given medicines and admitted to CCL hospital,” the woman’s daughter told reporters.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/locked-at-home-ailing-mother-survived-on-chura-as-son-visited-maha-kumbh-with-wife-in-laws-article-118444635

A men’s right organisation posted on X last week that the Hindi film ‘Mrs’ (see box), now running, was spreading ‘toxic feminism’.

The Hindi film, a remake of a Malayalam hit, tells the story of a woman confined to the kitchen and assigned household chores. She eventually rebels and walks out of her marriage.

Lawyers have observed a steadily increasing number of women approaching them for divorce when they feel their freedom is being curbed.

Advocate B N Nagaraja says about 40 per cent of the divorce cases he has handled involve conflicts over restriction of identity and “being ordered to do menial chores”.

“Women between 25 and 35 mostly approach us. These problems are often termed as silly by parents and society. However, women are now highly qualified and want to build careers,” he says.

Advocate Mrudula Vanangamudi, who works with Alternative Law Forum, says that cruelty and domestic violence can include verbal, emotional, economic, sexual and other forms of abuse.

About 30 per cent of cases she has handled involve women who file for divorce as they feel they are denied the freedom to shape their own identity.

Although this may not always convince the courts to dissolve the marriage, many couples end up negotiating at length and dissolving the marriage, she says.

Advocate Bojamma P K says that such cases are tried under mental cruelty in Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, Special Marriage Act of 1954, Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act of 1939, and the Indian Divorce Act of 1869.

Women’s rights groups and mental health counsellors also shared with Metrolife about similar cases they have come across.

Rights groups say…

Priya Varadarajan, founder of Durga India, an NGO working on gender equality, says denial of opportunities, emotional abuse, and disproportionate household work are common concerns.

Many women, typically in their late 20s to 30s, approach Durga India for mediation and help, citing problems like possessiveness and restrictions on dressing. Notably, 35 per cent of the 600 women Durga India worked with in the last year complained about denial of opportunities.

Smitha Kumar, programme coordinator at Vimochana, highlights that young women often seek help due to conflicts arising from expectations around cooking, praying, and work timings.

“Women are expected to follow certain rules for safety and to keep up family ideals,” she notes. Marital disputes account for 70 per cent of Vimochana’s cases, with 35 per cent leading to divorce. Last year, 250 of the 1,030 complaints they received were related to financial and emotional abuse, disrespect, and restrictions at home.

Toll on mental health

According to psychotherapist and counsellor Tasneem Nakhoda, even open-minded men say household responsibilities are neglected when their partners focus on their careers.

About 80 per cent of cases she has handled in the past three years have involved marital difficulties. “Within these cases, around 15 per cent involve women restricted to household duties, while around 30 per cent concern women not being allowed to work,” she says.

Psychiatrist Safiya M S says 40 to 50 per cent of her patients are working professionals struggling with identity crises as “good wives and daughters-in-law”. They are typically between 23 and 36, she notes.

In some households, women are expected to wash clothes by hand and adhere to traditional habits, leading to conflicts.

“In other homes, the wife is expected to make the first cup of tea for her husband. Regardless of fatigue, wives are required to wake up early and prepare meals for the family. In some families, all decisions must be made after consulting elders,” she says.

Safiya adds: “Often, businessmen and men from upper-middle-class and upper-class families restrict their partners from working outside.” Women then experience a lack of validation, time, and personal space, she observes.

Psychologist Nithya J Rao says women in toxic marriages are often not allowed to seek counselling until their distress becomes somatic.

“Women from upper classes are often given dummy roles in family businesses, with no financial gain, or they are restricted to teaching and secretarial positions,” she says.

Nithya has observed that “a person in a toxic relationship tries to leave for 13 years” before actually doing it.

What happened?

Bollywood film ‘Mrs’, released on OTT on February 7, is a remake of the Malayalam film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’. It addresses topics like suppression of a woman’s identity, trivialising of her desires, and dismissal of her needs.

On February 12, Save Indian Family Foundation, a Bengaluru- and Delhi-based men’s rights group, posted on X that men work for eight to nine hours at construction sites, railway stations, airports, and factories, while women do household chores and attend to the family. The post questioned how the latter was considered oppression.

Case studies

Many women, including Bengalureans Seema and Joceline T (names changed), are seeking divorce as they feel they are in similar circumstances.

Seema, a marketing professional, was asked to quit her high-paying job to attend to household duties. With spats with her husband rising, she filed for a divorce.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/is-ott-film-mrs-pitting-women-against-men-3415007

Actor Abhishek Banerjee is shooting for a brand-new film in Prayagraj. The project, which remains tightly under wraps, is already generating anticipation as it is expected to be one of the most significant films in Abhishek’s career.

Abhishek Spotted shooting in Prayagraj with his co- actor Shahana Goswami and crew of the film, they all looked immersed in the spiritual energy surrounding the Maha Kumbh. With the city which is witnessing grand event, the atmosphere is charged with devotion, and the actor is keen to bring his performance to life in this unique setting.

The details of the film, including the storyline and cast, are yet to be disclosed, When we contacted Abhishek for confirmation, he responded, “Yes, I am currently shooting for a film, but I can’t share many details about it. However, I am completely immersed in my performance and deeply experience the spiritual energy of being in Prayagraj.” According to the industry insiders, it could be one of Abhishek’s most ambitious projects to date. Given his track record of choosing compelling and unconventional roles, expectations are high for what this new venture will bring.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/abhishek-banerjee-shoots-for-a-new-film-in-prayagraj-amidst-maha-kumbh-festivities/67b6c4ade4cc4f51c1985d7e

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi on Thursday due to stomach-related issues The 78-year-old Congress veteran is doing fine and is likely to be discharged on Friday, PTI reported quoting sources.
Gandhi had turned 78 in December.
While the exact time of admission could not be immediately known, a source said, she was admitted on Thursday morning. She is under the observation of a team of doctors, PTI said quoting sources.

She is under the care of Dr Samiran Nundy, gastroenterology specialist.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, in a statement, said, “Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi this morning at 8:30 am due to stomach related issues. She underwent a routine check-up and is now stable and is under observation.”
Sonia Gandhi’s most recent public appearance was during the Rajya Sabha session on February 13, 2025, as part of the Parliament’s Budget session.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/sonia-gandhi-admitted-to-hospital-in-delhi-to-be-discharged-tomorrow-report-article-118426376

India is expected to have “limited impact” by the proposed US reciprocal tariff as the country’s economy is mainly driven by domestic demand, and has substantial services exports, according to a recent report. US President Donald Trump has labelled India as a “tariff abuser” and “tariff king” as he vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs on US’s trading partners.
So, will the US’s reciprocal tariffs slowdown India’s GDP growth?
A recent State Bank of India (SBI) report estimated decline of only 3 to 3.5 per cent, even with tariffs ranging from 15 to 20 per cent. “Tariff reciprocity may turn out to be more of white noise…Our estimates show overall incremental tariff levels even at 15%-20% imposed by USA would still limit the impact on exports to US only in the range of 3-3.5%,” said SBI in its report.

The report also said that this impact would be negated through higher export goals, as India has diversified its exports kitty, pitched value addition, exploring alternate areas and works on new routes that transcend from Europe to USA via the Middle-East, redrawing new supply chain algorithms that foster strategic inclusivity.

“While there is a lot of white noise and froth in the broader markets regarding the extent of impact of tariff on India under proposed ‘Fair & Reciprocal Plan’ that seeks to correct (from US perspectives) longstanding imbalances in international trade and ensure fairness across the board, we understand the overall bilateral negotiations provide a collateral benefit to India,” read the report by SBI’s Economic Research Department.
S&P Global Ratings, Economist Asia-Pacific, Vishrut Rana said the reciprocal tariff will hurt countries like Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan more as they have high trade surplus with the US.
The Indian economy has two mitigating factors — greater reliance on domestic economy and larger services trade with the US, which is not likely to be tariffed.
“India’s dependence on exports for growth is not that great. So, therefore, I think the impact (of US tariffs) will be more or less limited,” S&P Global Ratings, Director, Sovereigns (Asia-Pacific) YeeFarn Phua said.

The Congress on Thursday raised the issue of 50 Indian nationals being deported to Panama from the United States as part of the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants there.

“We would have thought that Indian citizens deported by the Trump Administration would be sent back to India with dignity. Such deportations have taken place in a most inhuman and demeaning manner. Now come reports that more Indian citizens have been deported but to Panama. What is going on?” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X.

The Congress response comes a day after the government said that it is working closely with the authorities in Panama ensure the well-being of Indians who arrived from the US to the Latin American country.

“Panamanian authorities have informed us that a group of Indians have reached Panama from US. They are safe and secure at a Hotel with all essential facilities. Embassy team has obtained consular access. We are working closely with the host Government to ensure their wellbeing,” the Indian embassy in Panama posted on X.

299 illegal immigrants sent to Panama by US

According to a PTI report, the group of Indians is part of a larger group of 299 migrants sent to Panama by the US government.

These people arrived in the country on three flights last week after President Jose Raul Mulino agreed that Panama would become a “bridge” country for deportees.

Out of the 299 undocumented migrants who landed in Panama, only 171 have agreed to return to their countries of origin, the report added.

Ninety-eight deportees who refused to voluntarily be repatriated to their countries have been sent to a camp in Panama’s Darien province.

The migrants include people from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, according to Mulino.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-is-going-on-congress-on-indian-deportees-moved-to-panama-from-us-101740107737698.html

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided the house of and questioned Simran Preet Panesar, a 32-year-old former Air Canada manager, who is facing a Canada-wide warrant for his alleged role in the April 2023 gold robbery at the North American nation’s Toronto Pearson International Airport.

An ED team arrived at Simran Preet Panesar’s residence at Sector 79 in Punjab’s Mohali on Friday morning.

“Our teams are in the process of questioning him,” a senior ED officer said.

The Indian Express earlier reported about Panesar living on the outskirts of Chandigarh.

The ED, the central agency which probes financial crimes, has, in a rare instance of investigating a crime beyond India’s territorial boundaries, has launched a money-laundering probe into the case as the accused is now in India.

The idea, officers aware of the matter said, is to investigate if the gold or its proceeds made their way to the country.

Toronto Pearson gold heist

On April 17, 2023, fake paperwork was used to steal an air cargo container carrying gold bars, from a secure storage facility at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The stolen cargo contained 6,600 bars of .9999 pure gold weighing 400 kg, valued at over 20 million Canadian Dollars (CAD), and foreign currency worth 2.5 million CAD. The gold and currency had arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland, in Toronto, and were destined for a bank in Canada’s largest city.

Shortly after the flight landed, the cargo was offloaded and transported to a separate location on airport property. However, a day later, it was reported ‘missing’ to the police.

The Peel Regional Police (PRP), which described the theft as the ‘biggest gold heist in Canada ever,’ charged nine, including Simran Preet Panesar, in April 2024, and issued an arrest warrant against him. Panesar and another accused, Parampal Sidhu, lived in Brampton, and worked at Toronto Pearson’s warehouse facility.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/atishis-breaking-promises-allegation-after-delhi-cm-rekha-guptas-first-cabinet-meeting-101740100065034.html

A truck driver suffered a heart attack while driving, causing a series of accidents which resulted in the death of one person in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi Wednesday night.

The truck, which was travelling from Shahapur in Yadgir district towards Kalaburagi, went out of control when the driver experienced a medical emergency. The vehicle collided with multiple autos, bikes, and an electric pole before it finally came to a stop.

Mohammad Ali, a 32-year-old vegetable trader, was killed on the spot.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/1-dead-after-truck-driver-suffers-heart-attack-hits-multiple-vehicles-in-karnataka-7759205

For years, she stayed untouchable. But the law finally caught up with the ‘Lady Don’ of Delhi. Zoya Khan, the wife of notorious gangster Hashim Baba, was arrested for possessing 270 grams of heroin, worth approximately Rs 1 crore in the international market.

Zoya, 33, had long been on the radar of law enforcement but always managed to stay a few steps ahead. She managed her jailed husband’s criminal empire by running his gang while ensuring that no direct evidence could link her to illegal activities. Despite suspicions about her role, the police had never been able to build a solid case — until now.

Hashim Baba has dozens of cases against him, ranging from murder and extortion to arms smuggling. Zoya Khan is his third wife. Before marrying Hashim Baba in 2017, Zoya was married to another man. After her divorce, she came into contact with Baba. The two were neighbours in North East Delhi where they fell in love.

Empire Of Crime

After Baba was jailed, Zoya took over the gang’s operations. According to sources, Zoya’s role in her husband’s gang was that of Haseena Parkar, the sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who once controlled his illegal businesses. Sources in the Delhi Police Special Cell say that Zoya was deeply involved in managing extortion and drug supply.

Unlike a typical crime boss, Zoya maintained a certain image. She attended high-profile parties, flaunted expensive clothes, and indulged in luxury brands – details evident from her presence on social media where she enjoys a large following.

Zoya frequently visited her husband in Tihar Jail. Police sources say Baba trained her in coded language, giving her tips and advice on how to manage the gang’s finances and operations. She also maintained direct contact with his associates outside prison, as well as with other criminals.

For years, the Special Cell and Crime Branch of the Delhi Police struggled to catch her. This time, however, the Special Cell succeeded. Acting on intelligence, the police arrested Zoya in the Welcome area of North East Delhi. She was caught red-handed with a large quantity of heroin, allegedly sourced from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar for further distribution.

The police suspect that Zoya also provided shelter to shooters involved in the Nadir Shah murder case. Mr Shah, a gym owner in South Delhi’s posh Greater Kailash-1 area, was shot dead in September 2024. Last month, she was interrogated at the Lodhi Colony office of the Special Cell in connection with the shooting.

Family Background 

For Zoya, crime is a family enterprise. Her mother was jailed in 2024 for her alleged involvement in a sex trafficking ring. She is currently out on bail. Her father was linked to drug supply networks. Zoya herself operated from different locations in North East Delhi, particularly Usmanpur, always surrounded by 4-5 armed henchmen –loyalists of her gangster husband.

The North East Delhi region has long been associated with criminal gangs, including the Chhenu gang, the Hashim Baba gang, and the Nasir Pehelwan gang, among others. While these groups initially focused on drug trafficking, their conflicts have resulted in a series of violent murders after 2007.

Baba’s gang amassed massive extortion revenue, much of which was funnelled to Zoya.

Links To Lawrence Bishnoi

Baba’s name surfaced in the Nadir Shah murder case last year. While in Tihar Jail, he allegedly confessed to his role in the killing and implicated Lawrence Bishnoi – another jailed gangster who runs a massive network of shooters, involved in the murder of musician Sidhu Moose Wala and the firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence.

Former Delhi CM and AAP leader Atishi targeted the BJP government and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for not approving the proposal to provide financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to the women of Delhi in its first cabinet meeting as promised.

She accused BJP of breaking its promises and said BJP made up their mind to cheat the people of Delhi.

In a self-made video, Atishi said, “BJP had promised the women of Delhi that in the first cabinet meeting itself, they would pass the scheme in which women of Delhi would be getting Rs 2,500. The new CM Rekha Gupta and her cabinet ministers took oath. In the evening, at 7 pm, the first cabinet meeting took place. All the women of Delhi were expecting that scheme to be passed…The first day itself BJP started breaking their promises…they did not pass the scheme…BJP has made up their mind to cheat people of Delhi.”

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who chaired the first cabinet meeting after taking the oath, announced that her government will implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme with Rs 5 lakh top-up and present the 14 pending CAG reports in the first sitting of Assembly.

Addressing a press conference, she said that the Delhi government will implement the Centre’s flagship scheme in the national capital. This was a pre-poll promise of the BJP, which had targeted the AAP government for not implementing the scheme.

She also announced the tabling of CAG reports, which had not been tabled by the AAP government.

“In the first Cabinet meeting, we discussed and passed two agendas – to implement in Delhi the Ayushman Bharat scheme with Rs 5 lakhs top up and tabling of 14 CAG reports in the first seating of the Assembly. We will fulfil all the commitments that we have made to the people.” Rekha Gupta said.

She said the Delhi government will pay for the top-up and will sign a MoU with the Centre.

Asked about AAP leader and former Chief Minister Atishi pointing out that BJP had promised to pass the scheme to provide Rs 2,500 to women every month in the first cabinet meeting, Rekha Gupta said the BJP government will set its agenda.

“It’s our government; the agenda will be ours. Let us work. She doesn’t need to tell us everything; she has done what she has to while in power,” she said.

Rekha Gupta also announced portfolios of her council of ministers.

Rekha Gupta will have portfolios of General Administration, Services, Finance, Revenue, Women and Child Development, Land and Building, Information and Public Relations, Vigilance, Administrative Reforms, Planning and other departments not allocated to any other ministry.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/bjp-started-breaking-its-promises-aap-leader-atishi-criticises-delhi-cm-rekha-gupta-for-not-passing-2500-per-month-scheme

The holy water from the Sangam will be brought to all the jails and mixed with regular water and stored in a small tank within the jail premises. All the prisoners will bathe in the water after prayers, the officials said.

The Uttar Pradesh jail administration is making arrangements to bring holy water from Prayagraj’s Sangam to 75 jails across the state, allowing inmates to participate in the Maha Kumbh. According to the Office of UP Jail Minister Dara Singh Chauhan, the programme will take place in all the jails on February 21, from 9.30 am to 10 am. Over 90,000 inmates are currently lodged in 75 jails, including seven central prisons, across the state, the Prison Department officials said.
Director General (DG) of Prisons PV Ramasastry said that arrangements are being made under the supervision of the jail minister.
The holy water from the Sangam will be brought to all the jails and mixed with regular water and stored in a small tank within the jail premises. All the prisoners will bathe in the water after prayers, the officials said.

Minister Chauhan, along with senior jail officials, is expected to attend a programme at Lucknow jail on February 21.

Gorakhpur District Jail Jailor AK Kushwaha said that the prison administration has sent prison guard Arun Maurya to collect the holy water from Prayagraj’s Sangam
The ‘gangajal’ will be mixed with regular water to ensure inmates can also take part in the Maha Kumbh, he said.
Senior Superintendent at Prayagraj’s Naini Central Jail Rang Bahadur said similar arrangements will be made for inmates on February 21.
Prayagraj District Jail Senior Superintendent Amita Dubey confirmed that around 1,350 prisoners are excited about the ‘snan’ as they will get a chance to take part in the grand event despite their confinement.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/maha-kumbh-how-90000-up-jail-inmates-will-take-holy-dip-with-sangam-water-article-118389285

The BJP has named Rekha Gupta as Delhi’s new Chief Minister. A seasoned BJP leader, Gupta has held key roles in student politics, municipal governance, and party leadership. She will take the oath on February 20.

Rekha Gupta on Thursday took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named her for the top post in the national capital following the party’s resounding victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. The decision was announced after a party meeting on Wednesday.
Gupta, a senior BJP leader, has played a crucial role in the party’s state and national leadership and is set to take the oath of office on February 20 at 11:00 am along six other ministers.
Gupta contested the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections from the Shalimar Bagh constituency and secured 68,200 votes, defeating AAP’s Bandana Kumari by a margin of 29,595 votes, according to the Election Commission of India.

Powerlifter Yashtika Acharya Dies: Yashtika Acharya was training with her coach when the heavy rod slipped and fell on her.

Yashtika Acharya- a 17-year-old gold-medallist powerlifter, died during training in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district in a tragic accident when a 270-kg weightlifting rod fell on her neck.

The incident happened while she was practicing in the gym, police said, as videos of Yashtika Acharya lifting the rod were widely shared on social media.

As per officials, Yashtika Acharya was training with her coach when the heavy rod slipped and fell on her. The impact was severe and resulted in her neck breaking. Her trainer, who was assisting her during the practice, also suffered minor injuries.

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/gold-medallist-powerlifter-yashtika-acharya-dies-after-270-kg-rod-slips-and-falls-on-her-neck-video-9233453.html

The names of several locations, including Allahabad and Faizabad, have been changed under Adityanath’s tenure, a move that has often sparked debate.

Amid ongoing criticism over the Maha Kumbh’s organisation, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, targeting the BJP government’s renaming of places in the state.

The names of several locations, including Allahabad and Faizabad, have been changed under Adityanath’s tenure, a move that has often sparked debate.

However, defending the event’s planning, Adityanath said, “Cricketer Mohammed Shami also took bath in the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. There was no discrimination.”

“Now, will you change the name of a cricketer too?” Akhilesh wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Cricketer Mohammad Kaif took a dip in the Yamuna River in Prayagraj nearly two weeks before the Maha Kumbh began on January 13.

A resident of Prayagraj, Kaif shared a video on X on December 29, 2024, where he was seen jumping into the cold waters from a boat. In his post, he recalled learning to swim in the same river.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister has been countering criticism from the Opposition over claims that the Maha Kumbh organisers failed to ensure smooth arrangements.

Opposition leaders have pointed to incidents such as stampedes, massive traffic congestion stretching hundreds of kilometres, and concerns over high faecal coliform levels in the water to question the event’s management.

Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hit back at criticism of the Maha Kumbh, saying that over 56.25 crore devotees had already taken a holy dip in Prayagraj.

Calling allegations and “fake videos” against the event an attack on the faith of millions, he said the Maha Kumbh was not linked to any political party or organisation but belonged to society.

Adityanath added that the event had gained global recognition, overcoming attempts to spread misinformation.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cricketers-name-too-akhilesh-yadav-targets-cm-yogi-adityanath-over-renaming-of-places-101739964802622.html

India is planning to step up oversight of airfares after a sharp spike in prices during the Maha Kumbh Mela (a Hindu religious gathering) was widely criticised, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Civil Aviation Ministry’s Tariff Monitoring Unit (TMU), which tracks average fares, will now also be tasked with keeping tabs on price surges during key events such as the Maha Kumbh Mela, said the people who asked not to be identified citing private discussions.

The TMU will flag fare spikes during key events to the civil aviation regulator, which will consult the airlines and find a solution either through reduction of fares or by adding more flights, the people said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will not tolerate price surges of more than 200-250 per cent, one of the people said.

The Aviation Ministry and the DGCA didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

The review was triggered by an avalanche of complaints from fliers about inflated pricing by airlines during the more than a month-long Maha Kumbh festival, billed as the largest human gathering ever.

Although there are a dozen domestic carriers operating in the Indian skies, the market is dominated by IndiGo with a 64.4 per cent share and Air India group with 26.5 per cent — a position that gives them a greater say in setting prices.

Airfares to Prayagraj, the site of the religious gathering, saw an immediate reduction of 30 per cent to 50 per cent after the DGCA intervened last month. Airlines added more flights to balance the demand-supply mismatch.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/india-plans-more-airfare-oversight-as-kumbh-mela-costs-stoke-ire-3413653

The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha has announced a scholarship in memory of Prakriti Lamsal, the 20-year-old Nepalese student of the private engineering institute who died allegedly by suicide at her hostel room on February 16, leading to unrest on the campus.

The announcement was made by KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta on Wednesday, who met the deceased student’s father and uncle, offering his deepest condolences, according to a statement issued by the institute.

“A scholarship would be instituted in Lamsal’s name as a tribute to her memory,” Samanta said.

Senior officials from Nepal’s New Delhi Embassy also met students from their country on the campus on Wednesday, assuring them that similar incidents would not be repeated.

“KIIT has taken proactive measures to facilitate the return of those who are yet to return,” the statement said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/odisha/kiit-announces-scholarship-in-memory-of-nepalese-student-prakriti-lamsal-3413649

Outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease surged to the highest on record in 2024, in the latest example of unusual surges of even the most common bacterial and viral ailments across the world.

India recorded over 1,000 outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease across the country as of Dec 22, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry’s surveillance program. This is the highest level since the data was made publicly available in 2009.

The health agency also reported over 300 outbreaks of food poisoning across the country, the highest since 2019. An outbreak is defined as an illness “clearly in excess of expected numbers”, according to the ministry.

While stomach-related disorders are among the most common infectious illnesses in India, the reasons behind this exceptional surge in the outbreaks are a bit of a mystery. It also shows the lurking public health risks linked to contaminated water or food sources in the world’s most-populous country.

There has been a global resurgence of diseases in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, as historical illnesses and newer complications of existing ailments become more common across the world. Factors like climate change, rising social inequality and health-care services contribute in ways hard to measure, adding to the mounting public-health challenge.

An analysis last year by Bloomberg News and disease forecasting firm Airfinity found that 44 governments have reported the resurgence of at least one infectious disease over ten times worse than the pre-pandemic baseline.

“These infections have creeped up” over the past year, according to Amey Sonavane, a gastroenterology consultant at Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai. While diarrhea isn’t deadly for most patients, “there is definitely a rise in severe cases,” he said.

Antibiotic overuse is also leading to higher severity of cases, as it compels pathogens to develop resistance to existing therapies and leads to patients staying sick for longer, Sonavane said.

Diarrhea is an infection caused by a range of bacterial and viral pathogens, according to the World Health Organization. Among the most common viral causes of diarrhea are rotavirus and norovirus, while the most common bacterial pathogens include Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter.

One of the potential complications of these infections is Guillain Barre Syndrome — a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly starts attacking the peripheral nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes, paralysis.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/record-stomach-flu-outbreaks-in-india-show-lurking-health-risks-3411941