Category: India

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch the video here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who Was Prateek Yadav?

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

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

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

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

Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Son From 2nd Marriage

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

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

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

A Rocky Marriage

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOSE SKIPPED PREVIOUS SUMMONS

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

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

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

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

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

HOW THE SCAM WAS UNEARTHED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOW THE ‘DIGITAL ARREST’ UNFOLDED

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE RISING MENACE OF ‘DIGITAL ARRESTS’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CRACKDOWN ON CATTLE SMUGGLING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NDA RETURNS WITH SWEEPING MANDATE

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

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

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

LAND, IDENTITY, SECURITY TO REMAIN KEY AGENDA

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

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

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

MASSIVE PREPARATIONS, MULTI-LAYERED SECURITY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who is Manoj Kumar Agarwal?

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

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

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

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

Trinamool slams appointment

The TMC criticised the appointment.

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

The BJP’s five ministers also received their portfolios.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Were Bengal poll results affected by SIR?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SIKAR EMERGES AS KEY LINK IN PROBE

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

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

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

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

Printed copies were also allegedly distributed among students.

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

SOG FOCUSES ON ‘GUESS PAPER’ ANGLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NTA SAYS EXAM HELD UNDER ‘FULL SECURITY PROTOCOL’

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

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

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

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

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

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

POLITICAL ROW INTENSIFIES

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

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

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

What happened

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

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

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

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

What police said

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

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

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

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

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

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

What the madrassa teacher said

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Companies ended WFH citing productivity and collaboration concerns

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PM Modi backs virtual meetings, flexible remote work again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Police said the interaction began on April 24.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PM MODI’S APPEAL DURING TELANGANA RALLY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONGRESS WARNS OF ‘ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE’

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

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

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

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

HARDEEP PURI DEFENDS CENTRE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why PM Modi Made This Appeal

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

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

Cut Down Petrol And Diesel Use

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

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

WFH, Online Meetings Can Help Again

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

Avoid Foreign Travel, Gold Purchases

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

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

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

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

Save Money, Control Price Rise

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

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

Support Local Products

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘I’m Not A Nepo Kid’

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

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

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

Abhishek Banerjee At Centre Of Criticism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spending ₹1.3 lakh in a month

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A debate on lifestyle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PM Modi touches Sarkar’s feet during ceremony

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

Sarkar associated with Jana Sangh movement

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

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

Viral footage shows alleged food tampering on platforms

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

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

RPF launches crackdown, nine vendors detained

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transformation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Historic Shifts

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

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

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

Revival Of Past Glory

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

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

The Weight Of Bengal’s History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Agni-5 MIRV system is equipped with indigenous avionics and high-accuracy sensor packages. A woman scientist from the DRDO steered the 2024 test, which also involved other women scientists.

India’s nuclear doctrine, promulgated in 2003, commits to a ‘no first use’ posture, with weapons to be used only in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or Indian forces. In a stance that reflects the capabilities India has built over the years, the doctrine states that nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive and designed to inflict unimaginable damage.

Retaliatory attacks can only be authorised by the civilian political leadership through the Nuclear Command Authority, consisting of a political council and an executive council. The Prime Minister chairs the political council, while the national security adviser heads the executive council.

The country can carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes, land-launched missiles and from the sea. In April, the navy commissioned its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridaman, into service during a ceremony kept under wraps in Visakhapatnam, as it was built under a highly classified programme to bolster the sea leg of the country’s nuclear triad — the ability to launch strategic weapons from land, air and sea. The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China are the only other countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/art-culture/step-inside-samarth-jurel-mumbai-abode-complete-with-lucky-horses-scenic-views-and-a-chic-entertainment-corner-101778303563518.html

By Saturday, both VCK and IUML gave support letters to TVK, taking Vijay’s tally to 120, beyond the majority mark. The Governor was set to fly out, but did not.

Five days after Tamil Nadu delivered its verdict, Vijay has his majority, the Governor’s nod, and a time and place for his oath.

Between the hung verdict of May 4 and the scheduled oath-taking of a TVK-led government on May 10, sits one of the most filmy negotiations in the state’s political history — measured not just in votes or seats but in deleted tweets, “forged” letters, last-minute reversals, and an action-packed Saturday evening.

Governor RV Arlekar cancelled his weekend flight out of Chennai, deciding not to go to Kerala for now, and finally met the actor-turned-politician who has been making rounds of the Lok Bhavan all week.

The numbers tell the story most cleanly.

10-11: The shortfall that started it all

Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won 108 seats in the April 23 elections, the single largest mandate in a hung 234-member assembly. The majority mark is 118, so it was 10 short.

Since Vijay won from two constituencies (he can only vote once even if he has two seats), TVK’s effective trust-vote count inside the assembly fell to 107. The gap to majority, thus: 11 individual MLAs. The same number of players you need to field a football team — a striking parallel with his 2019 blockbuster ‘Bigil’, where coach Michael Rayappan spent an entire film convincing 11 reluctant women to play together.

The real-life recruitment drive proved no less gruelling.

(Technically, even 10 would have done for now, since the House voting strength would come down to 233 as Vijay votes once — so the mark to hit was 117, or 118 as the Governor pleased.)

5 days of chaos, and a coalition of 6 parties

The Congress moved first, offering five seats but with conditions — TVK must keep “communal forces”, meaning the BJP, AIADMK and allies, out of power. The CPI followed with two seats, offering conditional outside support. The CPI(M) matched it with two more, citing the need to prevent what its state secretary called a “backdoor entry” of the BJP.

That brought the MLA tally to 116. The math wasn’t yet mathing, to borrow slang from Gen-Z who’re seen as Vijay’s key vote bank.

The crucial final pieces — VCK’s two seats and/or IUML’s two, both otherwise part of the losing DMK-led alliance — took the better part of five days to come together.

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan even taunted Vijay in between about allying with the “dynastic” Congress. The IUML initially signalled support before leader AM Shahjahan flatly denied it: “We did not give any letter to anybody. All these are rumours.”

The AMMK’s TTV Dhinakaran, meanwhile, accused the TVK of circulating a forged support letter from his party, wrote to the Governor backing the AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami instead, and described the entire episode as “horse-trading and a mockery of democracy”.

The Congress and the two Left parties stuck with Vijay, even as the move signalled major cracks in the national-level Opposition grouping, the INDIA bloc.

A surreal moment came on Friday night, when VCK’s X account posted a letter of support for Vijay, then deleted the post, and the account was gone within an hour. A screenshot circulated anyway.

By Saturday, 5 pm, both VCK and IUML finally submitted written support letters to the TVK, taking the alliance tally to a confirmed 120 — two seats beyond the majority mark and, on paper, enough to form a stable government.

Including the TVK, the alliance now has six parties.

6:30 meeting: Governor relents

After that 5 pm breakthrough, too, it appeared that the submission of letters might be delayed, as Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar — a BJP veteran from Goa who serves as Kerala’s Governor too — had a flight to Thiruvananthapuram booked for 7:10 pm.

The two-hour window to submit the letters and get his nod looked uncomfortably tight.

The current assembly’s tenure ends on May 10, Sunday, which means President’s Rule may have kicked in — and the suspected “backdoor entry” of the BJP-led central government when the BJP has a sum total of one MLA in Tamil Nadu.

Then, the Governor cancelled his Kerala trip, and a meeting was scheduled for 6:30 pm at Lok Bhavan.

Arlekar, who had met Vijay thrice in three days without once extending a formal invitation — each time citing insufficient written proof of majority support — finally sat across the table from a TVK delegation carrying letters from 120 MLAs, and the TVK alliance thus has 121 seats (including two with Vijay).

The fourth meeting featured a similar visual as the previous three, of Vijay giving the Governor yet another Ponnadai (golden shawl). This meeting, where Vijay took along leaders of other parties, went on for nearly two hours.

A software engineer’s Reddit post warning students against joining the tech industry has sparked debate online over layoffs, pressure and job insecurity in IT.

A post by a software engineer has sparked discussion online after he warned students against choosing software engineering as a career. The user claimed the tech industry has become unstable, stressful and heavily dependent on luck rather than skill. He also spoke about layoffs, job pressure and the fear many employees now live with despite working long hours.

The post quickly drew reactions from students, professionals and fresh graduates, many of whom shared similar worries about the current state of the tech job market. The Reddit user said he decided to make the post after seeing a close friend struggle at work despite putting in constant effort. According to him, the friend may soon lose his job even after “working day and night” for the company.

He Spoke About Layoffs

In the post, the user wrote, “Do not become a software engineer Please!” He then explained why he felt frustrated with the current work culture in tech companies.

“My very close friend is about to get laid off, he worked day and night and now this saying company need changed!” he wrote.

The user also claimed software engineers are no longer valued the same way they once were. According to him, companies now treat employees as replaceable workers under constant pressure to perform.

“Companies are treating software engineers like dihadi majdoors. And now there is almost no engineering in software engineering, we are mostly orchestraotors prompting clankers!”

He further argued that the number of job seekers in tech has become too high while opportunities are shrinking. He warned students not to blindly chase college rankings or coding trends thinking it guarantees success.

“There is really less demand for engineers in market, don’t go into this tier 1-2-3 thing, demand is very less, you will have to be very lucky to get into any company in this rat race,” the user added.

The Redditor also questioned whether skills still matter in the hiring process because of the huge competition in the industry.

“With these many candidates.. think logically, does your DSA or skill matter or luck?”

He revealed that he himself graduated in 2023 and currently works at a big tech company earning over Rs 35 lakh annually. Despite that, he admitted he constantly fears losing his job if he slows down even slightly.

“I am saying this as someone who graduated in 2023. working in tech earning 35+ L at big tech. And every week I think I could be laid off anytime I slow down.”

The post ended with a strong warning to younger students. “My dear juniors dont f**k with your career and become Software engg, we will have to look for some other stream for career like dr , law etc,” the Reddit post ended.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/do-not-become-a-software-engineer-please-techie-warns-students-about-layoffs-sparks-reactions-ws-l-10083069.html

A white SUV—bearing a Gujarat registration number (GJ13CF5257)—grazed the side of the MP’s car while attempting a reckless manoeuvre at high speed

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader and Baramati MP, Supriya Sule, had a narrow escape on Saturday evening after her vehicle was struck by a speeding SUV on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The incident occurred while she was travelling from Pune to Mumbai, resulting in significant damage to her car but leaving all occupants unharmed.

Taking to social media to share the “awful experience”, Sule credited the use of seat belts for the safety of herself and her staff. The collision has once again cast a spotlight on the recurring issues of overspeeding and reckless driving on one of India’s busiest arterial roads.

The Collision Near Khalapur

The accident took place on Saturday, after Sule’s vehicle had crossed the Khalapur toll plaza, approximately 29 kilometres before the Madap tunnel. According to police reports, a white SUV—bearing a Gujarat registration number (GJ13CF5257)—grazed the side of the MP’s car while attempting a reckless manoeuvre at high speed.

Sule was seated in the rear of the vehicle on the side that sustained the impact. While the door of her car was badly damaged, the structural integrity of the vehicle and the fact that she was securely buckled in prevented any physical injuries. Her chauffeur and personal assistant, who were also in the car at the time, escaped the ordeal without a scratch.

Police Action and Road Safety Appeal

Following the incident, the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP) acted swiftly, detaining the SUV and its occupants near the Madap tunnel. Investigators revealed that the vehicle was being driven by a resident of Gujarat who was returning from a trip to Lonavala with friends. Although Sule did not initially lodge a formal complaint, the Khalapur police registered a suo motu First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/seat-belts-saved-us-ncpsp-leader-supriya-sule-has-narrow-escape-in-mumbai-pune-expressway-crash-10083249.html

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant publicly refuted a false casteist statement attributed to him, labeling it as a “vile, brazen and mischievous” fabrication.

In an unusual outburst, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday condemned and denied a casteist statement attributed to him, calling it a “vile, brazen and mischievous” concoction.

“To manufacture a fictitious quote, and to attribute it to the highest judicial office of the land, is an act of rank dishonesty, deliberate social incitement, and contempt for constitutional values,” CJI Surya Kant said in a statement to PTI.

“Such reckless conduct strikes at the very foundation of public trust in the judiciary and the rule of law,” the statement said.

He was referring to certain posts currently in wide circulation on social media platforms, and specifically mentioned an account by the name @UnreservedMERIT on X.

The CJI’s statement said that the social media account has falsely attributed the following statement, originally in Hindi, to him: “If a society, even after producing IAS, IPS, CJI, President, and PM from its ranks, still chooses to remain exploited, then the fault lies not with the Brahmins but with its own mentality.”

“These attributions are wholly baseless, malicious, and demonstrably false,” the statement said.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/cji-surya-kant-denies-condemns-casteist-statement-on-social-media-attributed-to-him-article-154285041

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to AAP Gujarat’s plea against the suspension of its social media accounts. The petition questions whether Section 79(3)(b) can be used to order blocking and seeks to void related directions.

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre’s response on a plea filed by the Gujarat unit of the Aam Aadmi Party challenging the suspension of its social media accounts. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notice on the plea.

The bench also tagged the matter with other pending petitions that challenge the blocking of social media accounts and posts without notice being issued to the user. During a brief hearing, the court was told that the issues in the present plea overlap with those in the pending matters, though they are not identical.

Appearing in the case, senior advocate Shadan Farasat contended that Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, which has been invoked by the authorities, was not applicable. He argued that the provision was a safe harbour clause for the intermediary.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that issuing notice to the Centre might not be necessary and that a copy of the petition could instead be allowed to be served.

In its plea, the party has questioned the legal basis for the blocking and suspension of its social media accounts. It has also sought a declaration that Section 79(3)(b) is not a source of power for authorities to direct the blocking of information.

The plea further seeks a declaration that all consequential directions, rules and notifications issued under the provision, insofar as they relate to the blocking of information, are void. AAP has also sought the quashing of the directions allegedly issued by law enforcement authorities for blocking or suspending the party’s social media accounts.

AAP has also requested the court to declare the suspension of its social media accounts unconstitutional. The party said its account had 800,000 followers.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/gujarat-aap-social-media-suspension-supreme-court-seeks-centre-response-2908900-2026-05-08

Celina Jaitly’s legal battle with husband Peter Haag intensified after Mumbai Police initiated criminal proceedings against him based on her complaint. The actor had previously accused Haag of domestic violence, alleging she was denied access to her children in Austria.

Actor Celina Jaitly has filed a complaint against her husband, Austrian national Peter Haag, following which the Mumbai Police have registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The case pertains to allegations of cruelty, physical harm, criminal intimidation and sustained harassment, and authorities have reportedly issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Haag due to his alleged non-cooperation in the investigation.

According to the complaint filed by Jaitly, an actor and former Miss India and Miss Universe runner-up, criminal proceedings have now been initiated against Haag alongside the ongoing case under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

The FIR has reportedly been registered under Sections 85, 115(2), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Authorities are said to have escalated the matter further after Haag allegedly failed to cooperate with the investigation process.

Earlier in November 2025, Celina Jaitly had filed a case against her husband, Peter Haag, under the Domestic Violence Act, alleging that he had subjected her to continuous domestic violence.

As per PTI, Jaitly also sought a monthly maintenance amount of Rs 10 lakh along with compensation of Rs 50 crore from Haag.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/fir-against-actor-celina-jaitlys-husband-over-domestic-violence-allegations-2908857-2026-05-08

Home Minister Amit Shah took a dig at Mamata Banerjee, while declaring Suvendu Adhikari as the BJP’s chief ministerial face in West Bengal, saying the TMC chief had been “defeated on her home turf” in south Kolkata’s Bhabanipur.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday took a sharp dig at Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, while announcing Suvendu Adhikari as BJP’s Chief Minister face for West Bengal, saying she had been “defeated on her home turf” in Bhabanipur.

“Suvendu da ne ghar mein aa ke haraya (Suvendu da came to your home turf and defeated you),” Shah said, underscoring Adhikari’s victory over Banerjee in her south Kolkata stronghold. He made the remarks at a key BJP meeting where Adhikari, 55, was named as the party’s legislative party leader, effectively becoming the first West Bengal Chief Minister from the saffron party.

Describing the decisive mandate for the BJP as a turning point in West Bengal politics, Shah said, “Didi ka supra saaf ho gaya (Didi has been wiped out on her home turf).”

Framing the BJP’s victory as a broader political shift, Shah said, “For five long decades, Bengal has suffered from the erosion of democracy, the collapse of law and order. Today, Bengal is entering a new phase.” He stressed that the party now carried the responsibility to fulfil the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlighting the scale of the victory, Shah noted that the BJP had emerged as the number one party in 20 out of 30 districts and secured sweeping wins in regions like Purba Medinipur, Asansol, Purulia and Bankura. “There is not a single district where we do not have an MLA,” he said.

He also credited the record turnout in the Assembly polls and peaceful polling. “Polling crossed 93 per cent. Both phases concluded without a single death,” Shah said, congratulating the Election Commission, security forces and state officials for conducting what he called a model election.

Taking aim at the Opposition, Shah rejected allegations of polarisation. “This is not about polarisation. This is an issue of national security,” he said, adding that the BJP would act firmly against threats “booth by booth” across the country.

The Home Minister criticised the Congress leadership, saying repeated electoral defeats called for “serious introspection”. “Those in politics who refuse self-reflection can never truly achieve victory,” he said.

He also congratulated Adhikari on being named Chief Minister, calling the verdict a “historic mandate” and expressing confidence in his leadership. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes (to him). I hope this historic mandate becomes the means to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of the people of Bengal,” Shah said.

Recalling his long association with Adhikari, he added, “I have known Suvendu Adhikari for a long time. He is a fighter. I have seen both his political rise and his connection with the grassroots.”

Shah said Adhikari had continued his struggle despite obstacles. “The administration created many hurdles, yet Suvendu ji carried on with determination. I have complete faith in him. The struggle he carried out has produced results today,” he said.

The Home Minister thanked the people of the state for placing their trust in the BJP, saying West Bengal had long witnessed an atmosphere where free and fair voting was difficult. “The atmosphere that had been created since the Communist era was deepened by Mamata Banerjee, and it was almost impossible to cast your vote there,” he said.

Calling on party workers to work towards the vision of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal), Shah said the state was now moving towards a future “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,” invoking lines associated with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/suvendu-da-ne-ghar-mein-aa-ke-haraya-amit-shahs-dig-at-mamata-banerjee-over-bhabanipur-defeat-2908788-2026-05-08

Following the BJP’s sweep in West Bengal and Assam and India doubling down on its “core issue” of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, Dhaka has put its international border on alert. The move by Dhaka suggests Bangladesh fears that the BJP’s electoral victories in the border states could translate into more aggressive “push-ins” from India.

Even as New Delhi on Thursday said that it expected Dhaka to speed up its verification process for the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from India, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible “push-ins” from India.

The move by Dhaka to sound an alert on the Indo-Bangladesh border comes hours after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was reacting to a question on recent statements by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman.

It also follows the BJP’s landslide victories in Assembly polls in West Bengal and Assam. The two Indian states border Bangladesh, and the issue of illegal immigration became a key one in the recent polls.

WHAT DHAKA SAID ON ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IMMIGRANTS IN INDIA

On May 5, a day after the results of the Assembly elections were declared, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said Dhaka would take “appropriate measures” against “push-in” incidents from the Indian side. “If any kind of push-in incident occurs after the change of power in West Bengal, then Bangladesh will take appropriate measures,” he said.

By “push-in”, Rahman was referring to the reports of Bangladeshi immigrants who had crossed over into India being sent back. There have been reports that illegal immigrants were rounded up from several states and pushed across the border from Assam and Tripura, where the BJP had been in power before the Assembly polls. West Bengal is now set to become a BJP-ruled state.

Rahman’s remarks suggested that Dhaka saw Bengal, too, now being used for the “push-in”.

The Supreme Court of India in February 2025 directed the Assam government to expedite the deportation of individuals declared foreigners.

REPATRIATION OF ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IS INDIA’S CORE ISSUE: INDIAN GOVT

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed to the “core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India”. Replying to a question on Rahman’s remarks, Jaiswal said India expected that Bangladesh would speed up the verification process of the illegal Bangladeshis staying in India.

“We have seen comments of this nature being made in the last several days. These comments must be seen in the context of the core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India. This obviously requires cooperation from Bangladesh,” said Jaiswal in his weekly press conference on Thursday.

“We expect that Bangladesh will expedite nationality verification so that the repatriation of illegal immigrants can take place in a smooth manner,” he added.

DHAKA PUTS BORDER ON ALERT, ASKS BGB TO STAY VIGILANT

Hours after Jaiswal’s statement, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said “Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible push-ins from India following the BJP’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly polls”, reported Dhaka-based newspaper, The Daily Star.

“We have instructed the BGB to stay alert along borders. Although we do not see such a possibility, we have taken precautions in advance so that we can address the situation if it arises,” he said, adding that fresh directives have been issued to the deputy commissioners on maintaining law and order.

BJP leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and West Bengal LOP Suvendu Adhikari have raised the issue of large-scale immigration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. Reports suggest demographic changes in several districts of Assam and West Bengal due to the huge influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Dhaka summoned the acting Indian High Commissioner after Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks on “push-backs”. In an interview, Sarma said that the formal process was frustratingly slow and, therefore, some Bangladeshis were “pushed back, taking advantage of the night”.

“If I want to send them back officially, I will have to approach the MEA. The MEA will then send details to Bangladesh. It then depends solely on Bangladesh to decide whom they want to take back,” Sarma said. Instead, Himanta said that illegal immigrants were “pushed in” by “taking advantage of the night” in places where the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were not present.

Sarma said while 1,400 Bangladeshis were officially “pushed back”, the actual number could be in the thousands.

Referring to the February 2025 observation of the apex court, Sarma said, “Last year, the Supreme Court said if the District Magistrate (DM) feels a person is not Indian, an eviction order can be issued. However, the order does not specify how the eviction is to be carried out.”

BANGLADESH SPOOKED AFTER BJP WINS IN WEST BENGAL

Bangladesh’s fresh fear was awakened after the BJP won the West Bengal Assembly election with a two-thirds margin.

Bangladesh’s worry is mainly due to the BJP’s stance on illegal immigrants. The party also took the issue of deporting the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as its core campaign issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly highlighting the demographic change in border districts like Malda and Murshidabad due to infiltration by illegal Bangladeshis. Modi has also accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress of compromising national security by allowing infiltrators into the state.

Home Minister Amit Shah also campaigned extensively during the Assembly election campaign in West Bengal and made the issue of infiltration the centre point of the rallies he addressed.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is considered the frontrunner for the Chief Minister post of West Bengal in July 2025, said that “Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslim intruders” should first be removed from the voter list and then expelled from the country. He asserted that “not a single Rohingya or Bangladeshi Muslim intruder” would be allowed to remain.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/west-bengal-results-bjp-wins-elections-bangladesh-foreign-minister-statement-india-reply-on-illegal-infiltration-2908351-2026-05-08

An elderly man travelling on a cycle rickshaw with four stray dogs has gone viral online, touching hearts with his compassion. The dogs stay close, some riding with him while others walk beside him, showing deep loyalty. Social media users praised his kindness, saying love and humanity matter more than wealth, and many called him truly rich at heart

A heartwarming video showing an elderly man travelling through the streets on a small cycle rickshaw accompanied by four stray dogs has deeply moved social media users. Despite living a modest life and carrying only a few belongings, the man appears to have built a loving companionship with the animals, turning an ordinary street moment into a powerful story of kindness and empathy.

A simple journey filled with loyalty

The viral clip captures the elderly man slowly riding his cycle rickshaw while the dogs remain closely by his side. Two of the dogs sit comfortably inside the rickshaw among folded blankets and bags, suggesting the vehicle doubles as both transport and living space. Another dog walks faithfully alongside him, while the fourth stays nearby whenever he pauses along the road.

The calm behaviour of the animals has caught viewers’ attention. None of the dogs appear anxious or restless; instead, they remain relaxed and trusting, as if travelling with the man is part of their everyday routine. Their closeness reflects a strong emotional bond formed through care, safety and companionship.

Life on the road, but not alone

Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, explained that the fruit was purchased by his wife, Ritu, from a local vendor for a late-night snack.

Popular YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, better known as Flying Beast, recently sparked online safety concerns after sharing a video of a watermelon oozing heavy foam. In a vlog titled “Tarbooz Mein Nikala Zeher (Poison found in watermelon)”, Taneja explained that the fruit was purchased by his wife, Ritu, from a local vendor for a late-night snack, only to find it exhibiting strange chemical-like reactions the following morning.

Taneja stated that since the watermelon was big in size and the refrigerator did not have any space left, his wife left the watermelon outside on the kitchen counter. However, the next day, the fruit started foaming rapidly.

“Even after I returned from the pooja around 9:45 am, the watermelon was still foaming,” said Tanej, adding: “It was then that Ritu told me that the watermelon had been foaming since morning.”

After the foaming did not stop late into the night, Taneja took the watermelon to the shopkeeper, who sold it to his wife. The vendor explained that no chemical had been applied to the watermelon, adding that gas had formed inside the fruit.

As of the last update, the video had garnered over 200,000 views and hundreds of comments as social media users speculated what could have caused the watermelon to foam. While some expressed fear that the excess pesticides may have caused the foaming, others highlighted that the phenomenon was likely caused by natural fermentation due to extreme summer temperatures.

“A foaming watermelon is rapidly fermenting and rotting internally, often due to high heat, damage, or bacterial infection, and should never be eaten,” said one user, while another added: “That’s internal fermentation caused by the bacteria. In hot weather, bacteria break down the sugar and cause this fermentation.”

A third commented: “It was kept at a high temperature for too long. Always store fruits in the refrigerator. Bacterial growth happened inside the fruit, due to which it fermented from the inside, which is why there was gas buildup.”

Mumbai Watermelon Case

Taneja’s video comes in the backdrop of the tragic death of a Mumbai family of four after they consumed watermelon. While initial reports suspected food poisoning, forensic examinations have since confirmed the cause was actually lethal chemical poisoning, with traces of rat poison found in the fruit.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/youtuber-flying-beast-shares-video-of-watermelon-oozing-foam-social-media-reacts-11468787?pfrom=home-ndtv_lateststories

Lt Gen (retd) NS Raja Subramani will also serve as the as Secretary to government of India, Department of Military Affairs.

The government on Saturday named Lieutenant General (retd) NS Raja Subramani as the country’s next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Navy chief.

Orders announcing both new appointments were issued early on Saturday.

Subramani, who retired as Vice Chief of Army Staff and is currently serving as military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat, will take over as CDS on May 30, replacing General Anil Chauhan. Swaminathan, who is heading the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command, will take charge on May 31, succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

Who is Lt Gen Subramani

Subramani retired as the Army’s Vice Chief on July 31, 2025, after a military career spanning 39 years. He was appointed Military Adviser in the NSAB last September.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985. Subramani earlier served as Central Army Commander in Lucknow.

He has insightful knowledge and a deep understanding of operational dynamics on both the western and northern borders, the Army earlier said.

He is also an alumnus of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Bracknell, UK, and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts degree from King’s College London and an MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University.

Subramani will take over the top post at a pivotal moment when key military reforms are underway in the Defence Ministry, including theatreisation. Last September, the government extended the tenure of General Chauhan by eight months.

About Vice Adm Swaminathan

Swaminathan earlier served as the Navy’s Vice Chief.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, the officer is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare and has held several key appointments in his career, including the Navy’s Chief of Personnel, Controller of Personnel Services, and Chief of Staff of the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lt-gen-ns-raja-subramani-named-next-cds-vice-adm-krishna-swaminathan-new-navy-chief-101778288519485.html

Vijay contested from two seats and won both. The 51-year-old must resign from one seat within 14 days of the election result being notified.

Suspense over government formation in Tamil Nadu reached a fever pitch on Friday as actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay met governor Rajendra Arlekar for the third time in three days and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) inched towards the majority mark.

But there was no official word from Lok Bhavan till the time of going to print with people aware of developments saying that the TVK could not prove it commanded a majority in the 234-member House.

Flanked by senior TVK functionaries, Vijay called on Arlekar, seeking to form the government after the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – both parties have two lawmakers each – offered their “unconditional support”.

Earlier in the day, the two Left parties also handed over the letters to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam deputy general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar. Around 6.30 pm on Friday, for the third time, Vijay along with senior party functionaries went to Lok Bhavan and called on Arlekar. He submitted the letters to the Governor.

But Vijay – whose TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly – couldn’t secure an explicit statement of support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) at the time of the Lok Bhavan meeting. The people cited above said no VCK letter was included in the TVK memorandum submitted to the governor.

The people cited above said no VCK letter was included in the TVK memorandum submitted to the Governor. The CPI and CPI (M) leaders met the press after extending their support to TVK during which CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan has already gone on record that he would extend his party’s support if the Left parties offer their support to TVK. Another smaller party, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), made a cryptic statement that its two lawmakers will support initiatives by the governor “towards the government formation” but didn’t clearly spell out its stance.

This meant that the TVK, which holds the backing of five Congress lawmakers, may have stopped just short of the halfway mark. Vijay contested from two seats and won both. The 51-year-old must resign from one seat within 14 days of the election result being notified.

As a result, the grouping effectively has 117 legislators as of Friday night.

If the VCK’s two legislators are added to the tally, it rises to 118 – just above the majority mark.

The Congress wants to be a part of the government and state unit chief K Selvaperunthagai said on Friday that the TVK offered the party two ministerial berths and a Rajya Sabha seat. Both Left parties said on the record that they will support the government from the outside. It wasn’t clear what the VCK had decided.

Though VCK is yet to declare its announcement officially, the party’s deputy general secretary Vanni Arasu demanded in a social media post that his party sought a deputy chief Minister and a ministerial berth

Vijay’s rookie outfit shattered a 50-year-old Dravidian duopoly to emerge as the single-largest party in assembly elections on Monday. But since then, the state has been embroiled in government formation drama that has even triggered speculation that the two Dravidian rivals – the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that won 59 seats and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that won 47 seats – might come together.

On Friday, Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) extended its support to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palanisami, urging the governor to invite the party to form the government. AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran said that the party’s lone lawmaker-elect Kamaraj S supports the party stance.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam addressed a joint press conference offering “unconditional support” to the TVK from outside. Shanmugam clarified that the Left parties would not ask for cabinet berths.

Veerapandian said VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan had already gone on record stating he would support whatever decision the Left parties took. To be sure, there was no official statement from the VCK chief till the time of going to press.

“TVK approached CPI, CPI(M) and VCK. We had our party meeting. It’s normal in a democracy to have ups and downs. Tamil Nadu people have supported and decided to elect TVK. We have taken a decision in a democratic way,” Veerapandian said.

Shanmugam said that the parties extended their support to prevent the delay in government formation in the state, the imposition of President’s Rule, and to ensure that the BJP did not enter “through the back door.”

“VCK has also said that they will take the same decision as CPI and CPI (M). VCK is also giving its support to TVK. Soon, the VCK leader will come and tell this to you all,” the CPI(M) state secretary added.

“Joseph Vijay has written a letter to both parties. Since if the government is not formed by the 10th, then President’s Rule will come. And the BJP is trying to enter Tamil Nadu through the back door. So, to end this, CPI and CPI(M) have decided to support TVK,” he said.He further said that the parties will not be in the cabinet and extended support to ensure no re-election happens.

The CPI (M), in an official letter, conveyed its “support” to the TVK for the purpose of forming a government in the state, while the CPI extended “conditional support” to the Vijay-led party in favour of “stable, secular and democratic governance for the people of TN.”

After calling on Governor, Vijay drove straight to the office of the Left parties in Thiyagarayanagar in Chennai.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/uncertainty-looms-over-who-will-helm-tamil-nadu-hours-after-vijay-meets-governor-for-third-time-101778288451022.html

A 27-year-old woman was saved from a knife attack in Bengaluru by passersby who overpowered her alleged assailant, her husband, amid reported domestic discord.

A 27-year-old woman escaped a possible fatal attack after passersby intervened and overpowered a man who allegedly assaulted her with a knife on a busy road on the outskirts of Bengaluru, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place on May 6 on Madanayakanahalli Main Road under the jurisdiction of the Madanayakanahalli police station. CCTV footage of the attack, which circulated widely on social media, showed a masked man confronting the woman before allegedly attacking her in public.

According to police, the woman, identified as Sonali, a native of Jharkhand, was walking along the roadside when the accused arrived on a scooter and approached her. Investigators said he then allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked her repeatedly.

Hearing her screams, local residents and passersby rushed to the spot and restrained the attacker before he could cause more serious injuries, police said. Some bystanders allegedly assaulted the accused before handing him over to the police.

Madanayakanahalli police inspector Murali said the intervention by the public prevented the incident from turning more serious.

“People nearby immediately rushed to the woman’s rescue after hearing her screams. Their quick response helped prevent what could have turned into a murder case,” he said.

Police identified the accused as Sanjay, 35, also from Jharkhand and the husband of the victim. Preliminary investigation suggested there were ongoing disputes between the couple, police said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/woman-survives-knife-attack-by-husband-on-b-luru-road-101778180304123.html

A second woman linked to the C-section delivery case at Kota’s New Medical Hospital died on Thursday. Jyoti, 20, reportedly suffered kidney failure after surgery in the hospital’s gynaecology ward. Earlier, Payal, 28, died on May 5. Relatives staged a protest demanding action, while District Collector Piyush Samariya said a technical inquiry into the incident is underway.

One more casualty was reported at Kota’s New Medical Hospital in connection with C-section deliveries on Thursday.

The deceased Jyoti admitted to the super specialty block succumbed to death on Thursday morning.

The relatives of the deceased refused to accept the body and staged a sit-in protest outside the hospital, demanding action against those responsible; however, following negotiations with the administration, the family agreed to accept the body.

The incident stems from May 4, when six women suffered kidney failure following C-section deliveries in the hospital’s gynecology ward. Of these, Payal (28) passed away on May 5, while Jyoti (20) breathed her last on Thursday. Arrangements are currently underway to refer the remaining patients to Jaipur.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/rajasthan-second-woman-dies-after-kidney-failure-linked-to-c-section-deliveries-in-kotas-new-medical-hospital

TMC MP Mahua Moitra alleged she was harassed by a group of men aboard an IndiGo flight while travelling to attend a parliamentary meeting. She claimed the men shouted slogans, filmed her, and violated her safety. TMC leader Saket Gokhale criticised the airline and BJP over the incident.

TM MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday alleged in a post on X that she was harassed by a group of 4-6 men aboard an IndiGo flight while travelling to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.

In her post, Moitra said she was seated in 1F on flight 6E 719 when a group of men boarded the aircraft, allegedly stared at her inappropriately and moved towards the rear of the plane. She further alleged that after the flight landed, and before the doors opened, the men shouted slogans and filmed the incident.

In a video shared online, a few passengers could allegedly be heard raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans and calling the TMC and its supporters “chor” (thieves).

Demanding action against those involved, Moitra wrote, “This is no ‘citizen anger’. This is harassment and violates my safety in an aircraft.” She urged the airline to identify the passengers through the crew report, publicly name them, and place them on a no-fly list. She also tagged Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, seeking intervention.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/this-is-not-public-anger-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-demands-action-against-indigo-passengers-for-calling-her-chor-on-flight-video 

Forensic tests reportedly found zinc phosphide poison in the bodies of four Pydhonie family members who died after eating watermelon in Mumbai on April 25. Police told FPJ they are probing murder and suicide angles after the same substance was allegedly detected in a half-cut watermelon kept at the Dokadias’ home. Investigators may register a murder case against unknown persons.

In a major development in the mysterious deaths of four members of a Pydhonie family after allegedly consuming watermelon, forensic findings have now revealed the presence of zinc phosphide poison in their bodies, raising strong suspicion of a possible mass suicide or murder angle.

While there had been discussions that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not find any adulteration in the watermelon or other food samples, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide in the bodies of Abdullah Dokadia (44), his wife Nasreen (35), daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (13). The same poisonous substance was also allegedly detected in the half-cut watermelon preserved in the refrigerator. The incident happened in the Dokadias’ home at Pydhoni on April 25.

According to a police officer, the FSL report has been prepared but has not yet been officially handed over to the investigating agency. However, FSL officials have verbally informed the police that zinc phosphide traces were found in the bodies of all four deceased family members as well as in the seized watermelon sample.

A senior police officer, while speaking to FPJ, said there is a possibility that the family consumed watermelon contaminated with rat poison, leading to their deaths. Based on the findings, police are now considering registering a murder case against unknown persons. Since traces of rat poison were found in all four bodies, investigators are probing whether the deaths were a case of suicide or homicide. Abdullah Dokadia was apparently a witness in a cheating case and he was reportedly under pressure not to testify in the matter. The victim of the cheating case had stated this in an interview.

The investigation has now intensified from both angles whether the Dokadia family died by suicide after consuming poison or whether someone intentionally poisoned them. Zinc phosphide is a highly toxic chemical commonly used in rat poison. Once consumed, it reacts with stomach acid and releases phosphine gas, which is extremely dangerous. Symptoms of zinc phosphide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, breathing difficulty, excessive sweating, restlessness, and low blood pressure. It can also severely damage the heart, liver, and kidneys, eventually leading to unconsciousness and death.

The shocking case had initially triggered widespread concern after all four family members fell critically ill and later died allegedly after consuming watermelon at their residence in Mumbai. Investigation into the exact circumstances behind the deaths is currently underway.nterestingly, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not found any adulteration in the food samples collected from the victim’s house. The agency is currently unable to independently test food and product samples for harmful toxins due to inadequate infrastructure, a senior official said. For specialised analysis, the department relies on other government agencies.

“The food items collected from the victim’s house were received after a delay, and fungus and bacteria may have developed in the samples. This could have altered the original condition of the food. Toxins such as pesticides can only be detected through forensic laboratory testing,” the official said.

According to the official, detecting toxins such as pesticides, insecticides, and disinfectants requires sophisticated and expensive equipment, trained professionals, and dedicated laboratory space — facilities the department currently lacks.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-family-death-mystery-deepens-as-fsl-detects-rat-poison-in-watermelon

Indore police are investigating three abandoned bags found on Sanwer-Ujjain Road with currency bundles inside. The seizure drew alarm after many packets were found stuffed with fake notes and coloured papers.

Police in Indore are investigating after suspicious cash worth nearly Rs 2.83 crore was found inside three abandoned bags on the Sanwer-Ujjain Road on Thursday morning.

The incident created panic in the area after a local farmer spotted three unattended bags lying under a tree near Bhutta Square and alerted the police.

A police team rushed to the spot and took the bags into custody for investigation. When the bags were opened, officers found hundreds of bundles of Rs 500 currency notes inside. Initial estimates suggested that the total amount was around Rs 2.83 crore.

However, during examination, police discovered that while some genuine currency notes had been placed on top of the bundles, many packets contained fake notes and coloured plain papers inside.

Police suspect the bags may have been prepared for a large-scale fraud or illegal financial transaction.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/fake-notes-mixed-with-real-cash-found-in-three-abandoned-bags-on-indore-ujjain-road-2908435-2026-05-08

At least three people were reportedly injured in a shooting near a Publix in Cane Bay Boulevard, Summerville, South Carolina, before the suspect fled toward a nearby elementary school.

Conservationist Krithi Karanth has become the first Indian to be named the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year for her wildlife work.

Krithi K. Karanth has spent years working closely with wildlife and the people living around forests in India. From helping farmers deal with crop damage caused by animals to teaching children how to safely live near tigers and elephants, her work has focused on reducing conflict between humans and wildlife.

Now, the conservationist has received one of the biggest global honours in the field. The National Geographic Society has named her the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, making her the first Indian to receive the title. The announcement was made in Mumbai on May 6, this year.

She Works With Both People And Wildlife

Karanth is the CEO of the Bengaluru-based Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), a non-profit organisation that works to protect wildlife across India. Her work focuses on helping people and wild animals live side by side peacefully, especially in areas close to forests and reserves.

Two Indian women, Praveen Shaikh and Barkha Subba, received the Whitley Award for their conservation efforts protecting the Indian Skimmer and Himalayan salamander.

Two Indian women among six received the Whitley Award, which is also known as the “Green Oscar” award, for local solutions to create a future where communities and wildlife thrive together on a healthy planet. The Indian women who received the awards are Praveen Sheikh and Barkha Subba.

Parveen Shaikh was honoured for her community-led conservation work to protect the endangered Indian Skimmer along India’s river systems. Working with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), she launched the “Guardians of the Skimmer” initiative on the Chambal River.

The project trains local community members as “nest guardians” to monitor and protect bird nesting sites from threats such as sand mining, predators, cattle trampling, pollution, and human disturbance. Her efforts have led to major conservation success: the local Indian Skimmer population increased from about 400 birds in 2017 to nearly 1,000 birds, while nest survival rates improved significantly.

With the 2026 Whitley Award funding, Parveen Shaikh plans to expand the project to Prayagraj in the Ganga Basin, where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet. The initiative will include GPS-based nest monitoring, predator-proof fencing, and greater community participation in river conservation.

Police in Beed are investigating a complaint that a woman married multiple men through agents before fleeing with cash and jewellery. The case has raised concerns about an alleged racket targeting unmarried men in rural parts of the district.

A suspected “looter bride” racket allegedly targeting unmarried men through fake marriages has come to light in Maharashtra’s Beed district, with police investigating claims that a woman married multiple men before fleeing with cash and jewellery. The latest case surfaced from a village, where a local man alleged that he was cheated of lakhs of rupees after being lured into a fraudulent marriage arranged by agents.

According to the complaint, Yogesh Shinde was introduced to the woman through intermediaries who promised to arrange his marriage. The agents allegedly collected large sums of money from him during the process. The marriage was solemnised, but within days, the bride and the agents reportedly disappeared.

During subsequent enquiries, Yogesh allegedly discovered that the woman had previously married eight other men in a similar fashion and had allegedly fled each time after taking money and valuables.

VICTIM SEEKS POLICE ACTION

Deeply distressed by the incident, Yogesh approached the district police seeking action against the alleged gang. In his complaint to the Beed Superintendent of Police, he said, “I have been cheated of lakhs of rupees and the situation has pushed me towards suicidal thoughts. I want justice.”

He further alleged that he had no knowledge of the woman’s previous marriages and was kept completely in the dark before the wedding.

A complaint has now been registered at Chaklamba police station, and an investigation is underway.

GANG TARGETED RURAL BACHELORS: COMPLAINT

According to the complaint, the alleged racket specifically targeted unmarried men in rural parts of Beed district, where families often struggle to find brides.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/serial-bride-marries-nine-times-dupes-grooms-vanishes-with-cash-gold-maharashtra-police-beed-marriage-fraud-gang-2907317-2026-05-06

Pakistan’s standard repair time after Operation Sindoor: Months for most bases, and nearly a year for the deepest scars.

A year after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, its scars remain far from healed.

India struck 11 critical defence locations and nine terror sites under Operation Sindoor in May last year, according to government statements. A year later, what remains of them?

An analysis of medium and high-resolution satellite imagery of at least eight airbases suggests that Pakistan took, on average, six to seven months to repair individual structures hit at defence sites — mostly hangars. While some facilities appear to have been rebuilt and returned to normal operations, several others remain under maintenance.

Even runway patchwork at some bases took months, with reconstruction activity at other sites continuing nearly a year after the strikes.

India Today’s Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) analyses historical satellite imagery from ESA’s Sentinel-2 and high-res imagery from US-based space technology firm Vantor of the 8 PAF bases: PAF Base Bholari, PAF Base Murid, PAF Base Sukkur, PAF Base Rahim Yar Khan, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, PAF Base Nur Khan (Chaklala), and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad to assess the intensity of damage inflicted and the pace at which Pakistan is restoring its air bases.

At Murid and Sukkur, the damage was so severe that repairs likely required the damaged structures to be razed first. PAF Base Bholari still appears to be under restoration.

Reconstruction activity has also been observed in its final stages at four other bases: PAF Base Rahim Yar Khan, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, PAF Base Nur Khan in Chaklala, and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad.

PAF Base Rafiqui (Shorkot) was another military installation targeted by Indian forces during Operation Sindoor. However, owing to the lack of accessible high-resolution satellite imagery and the absence of independently verifiable evidence, India Today could not conclusively assess the extent or nature of the damage inflicted at the base following the strikes. Additionally, the medium-resolution imagery available for review lacked the spatial fidelity required to reliably identify structural damage or post-strike repair activity.

Our analysis does not include terror sites such as Bahawalpur and Muridke, which were struck on the first day of Operation Sindoor. Limited access to high-resolution imagery, and the constraints of medium-resolution imagery in dense built-up areas, makes it difficult to assess their restoration status.

High-resolution satellite images sourced from the US-based space technology firm Vantor and analysed by India Today’s Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team show fresh repair work, machinery deployment at strike-damaged compounds in Bahawalpur and Muzaffarabad.

At PAF Base Bholari, Vantor imagery indicates that restoration work remains incomplete even after a year. Imagery following last year’s May strikes showed a heavily damaged hangar complex. Subsequent imagery from June 2, 2025, showed the structure covered with tarpaulin, while imagery dated January 28, 2026, indicated that roof sheets had been removed from the damaged section. By March 26, 2026, visible repair and reconstruction activity could be observed at the site, suggesting that restoration efforts at the hangar complex are still underway.

The base, located in Sindh’s Jamshoro district, was among the hardest hit during the Indian strikes, with over 50 individuals, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf and four airmen, killed. Inaugurated in 2017 under the PAF’s Southern Air Command, the base holds strategic significance for the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). EMBED PAF Base Murid

Further, satellite imagery indicates a far more severe impact at PAF Base Murid, located in Punjab’s Chakwal district. Imagery dated May 10, 2025, showed significant structural damage immediately after the Indian strike. In the months that followed, the affected section remained covered with tarpaulin, as seen in imagery from June 2, 2025, and December 16, 2025. However, by February 28, 2026, the structure appeared to have been cleared, with imagery suggesting that the damaged building was likely demolished, pointing towards extensive reconstruction requirements at the site.

Following the Indian strikes, the same base revealed a roughly 3-metre-wide crater near a high-value underground facility. Pakistan, however, moved quickly to cover the impact site with a tent, definitely not for aesthetics but to obscure what lay beneath. The location and nature of the crater suggested that the Indian strikes may have targeted hardened infrastructure at the base, including facilities believed to support protected or underground assets.

PAF Base Sukkur, a dual-use facility that also operates as Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport, was also among the Pakistani air bases struck by India on May 10, 2025. Imagery sourced from Vantor shows that a hangar damaged during the strikes remained heavily affected in imagery dated July 31, 2025.

Subsequent imagery from November 27, 2025, indicated demolition and clean-up activity at the site, while imagery dated February 20, 2026, showed the damaged hangar had been completely leveled. Nearly a year after the strikes, parts of the site still appear unrestored to their pre-conflict state, suggesting prolonged reconstruction efforts at the base and the intensity of the Indian strike.

Next in line is Rahim Yar Khan Air Base, where the Indian Air Force strike demonstrated a clear runway denial capability, leaving behind an approximately 6-metre-wide impact mark on the runway. Low-resolution Sentinel 2 satellite imagery, reviewed by India Today, suggests that by March 15, 2026, the damaged section had likely been patched and resurfaced.

However, in the aftermath of the May 2025 strike, Pakistan issued multiple NOTAMs for Rahim Yar Khan Airport as the runway underwent prolonged repairs and safety assessments, remaining unavailable for operations for months. The runway was eventually declared operational again only on September 10, 2025, nearly 120 days after the Indian strikes.

According to Sentinel 2 satellite imagery reviewed by India Today, at least two runway craters were visible at PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha on May 14, 2025, following the Indian strikes. However, imagery dated August 7, 2025, suggests that the craters were likely patched within nearly three months, indicating that runway restoration work at the base had largely been completed.

Satellite imagery from Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad, a major logistics and transport hub of the Pakistan Air Force, indicated damage to a key structure within the operational area of the base following the Indian strikes in May 2025. Imagery reviewed from April 2026 suggests that the damaged section was rebuilt, likely by around November 2025, indicating a restoration timeline of roughly six months.

The latest imagery also points to continued construction activity at the site, including multiple newly built hangar-like structures and a new facility within the airbase complex.

Notably, the base was also used during the high-level US-Iran delegation visit involving US Vice President JD Vance for peace talks held in Pakistan’s capital on April 11, 2026, marking one of the first such prominent diplomatic arrivals at the facility since the May 2025 conflict.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/operation-sindoor-pakistan-airbase-repairs-still-unfinished-after-a-year-satellite-images-show-2907688-2026-05-06

The CBI has uncovered a trafficking network that sent Indians to scam compounds in Southeast Asia. The case points to a wider cyber slavery racket involving coercion, ransom demands and cross-border crime.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered a suspected organised human trafficking network that lured Indian nationals to Southeast Asian countries under the guise of lucrative overseas employment, officials said on Wednesday.

According to investigators, victims were promised high-paying jobs abroad but were instead transported to scam compounds in countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia. These facilities, allegedly run by transnational cybercrime syndicates, have been described by authorities as hubs of “cyber slavery,” where trafficked individuals are forced to engage in online financial fraud.

The probe has revealed that victims were subjected to strict confinement, with their passports confiscated upon arrival. Authorities also documented instances of physical abuse and psychological coercion. In several cases, victims were reportedly forced to contact their families in India to arrange ransom payments in exchange for their release.

As part of the crackdown, the CBI carried out coordinated raids at nine locations across four states, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Lucknow, Kashipur, as well as locations in the Gonda and Saharanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The raids followed an extensive nationwide inquiry during which statements from multiple victims were recorded.

Investigators have also conducted a detailed financial probe, including tracking cryptocurrency transactions, to identify and map the network’s funding channels. Several electronic devices containing alleged incriminating evidence were seized during the searches.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cbi-cracks-down-on-cyber-slavery-network-conducts-multi-state-raids-2907821-2026-05-07

While the chief ministerial face has not yet been officially announced, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is widely seen as the frontrunner.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah areli kely to be among top BJP leaders attending the swearing-in ceremony of the party’s first government in West Bengal, scheduled for May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata.

The event is being seen as a landmark moment, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s rise to power in a state where it had long struggled to establish a strong foothold. Several Union ministers, BJP president Nitin Nabin, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states are also expected to attend the ceremony.

While the chief ministerial face has not yet been officially announced, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is widely seen as the frontrunner. Other names under consideration include state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, Union minister Sukanta Majumdar and former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta.

Announcing the event, Bhattacharya said the new government will take oath at 10 am on May 9. “The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground,” he said.

Significantly, the swearing-in ceremony will be held on the 25th day of Baisakh in the Bengali calendar — observed across the state as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore — lending the event a deeper cultural symbolism.

During the campaign, Shah had repeatedly asserted that the chief minister would be a “son of the soil”, born and educated in the state, in an attempt to blunt the TMC’s sustained attack that the BJP represented an “outsider” political culture alien to Bengal’s social and intellectual traditions.

Party leaders say the choice of date and messaging reflects a broader strategy to connect with the state’s cultural and intellectual traditions.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/pm-modi-shah-likely-among-bjp-top-brass-to-attend-partys-first-bengal-cm-swearing-in-event-ws-l-10077845.html

Adhikari termed the killing a “cold-blooded murder” as police began probing the role of bike-borne attackers and a suspicious car.

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday termed the killing of his close aide Chandranath Rath a “cold-blooded murder”, hours after the latter was shot dead in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Rath’s body was kept, Adhikari alleged that the attack was pre-planned and demanded strict action against those involved.

“It’s a cold-blooded murder,” the BJP leader said while reacting to the killing of his longtime associate, who had accompanied him through much of his political journey over the last decade.

Rath, who served as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was attacked late Wednesday night by unidentified bike and car-borne assailants. According to sources, at least eight attackers arriving on four motorcycles were involved in the shooting. All of them were allegedly wearing helmets.

Investigators are also probing the role of a car bearing a Siliguri registration code (WB 74), which allegedly intercepted Rath’s Scorpio moments before the firing. Soon after the vehicle slowed down, the attackers allegedly opened fire at close range before fleeing the spot.

“It’s a cold-blooded murder,” the BJP leader said while reacting to the killing of his longtime associate, who had accompanied him through much of his political journey over the last decade.

Rath, who served as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was attacked late Wednesday night by unidentified bike and car-borne assailants. According to sources, at least eight attackers arriving on four motorcycles were involved in the shooting. All of them were allegedly wearing helmets.

Investigators are also probing the role of a car bearing a Siliguri registration code (WB 74), which allegedly intercepted Rath’s Scorpio moments before the firing. Soon after the vehicle slowed down, the attackers allegedly opened fire at close range before fleeing the spot.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/its-a-cold-blooded-murder-suvendu-adhikari-reacts-to-close-aide-chandranath-raths-killing-ws-l-10078009.html

Operation Sindoor shelling in Uri left children like 5-year-old Amaira traumatized, homes and shops damaged, one civilian dead, and led to calls for safer civilian bunkers.

In her small home in Bandi village of Uri, located on the foothills of a hill that still echo with distant memories of gunfire, 5-year-old Amaira keeps a tiny box. Inside it are not dolls or crayons but jagged pieces of metal: Shrapnel from artillery shells fired last year during Operation Sindoor from behind the mountains of her house. Fragments of a clash she doesn’t fully understand yet has already lived through.

One piece, the one she holds most often, is dark and twisted, its edges sharp enough to cut. It landed near her home during the days of Operation Sindoor, when the skies roared and the ground trembled. Her mother remembers the night: the panic, the rush to safety, the deafening blasts as shells fell indiscriminately, many striking civilian areas. But Amaira remembers the sound as “scary thunder.”

“The shells were falling,” she recalls on being questioned about that night while she holds the heavy box with both hands.

“My mother, father and I had collected them and now I keep them with me,” the 5-year-old says.

When asked what she remembers by these shrapnels, she replies “I was crying that night when shells were falling, I still recall. I can’t catch sleep.”

In the village, other children have similar collections, unspoken reminders scattered across courtyards and fields. What should have been playgrounds became impact sites.

Amaira’s world has quietly shifted. She still smiles, still plays, but the impact of knowing bombs and shells has a visible impact on her young mind. The shrapnel in her hand is cold, lifeless metal. But the mark it has left is not. It lives in the questions she asks, in the fears she cannot yet name, and in the childhood that now carries the weight of something far too heavy.

For Amaira and many like her in Uri, the shelling did not end when it stopped. It lingers, in fragments and in memories.

A Persian cat at her house pauses at the boundary, sniffing a small crater as she steps back in. The home still carries last year’s scars. Its walls are pocked with a dozen marks, some shallow, others deep. The rooftop that shelters them is riddled with tiny holes, courtesy splinters and shrapnels, thought them light slips in, casting an almost artistic pattern inside. Each opening, however, is a reminder of the day. The family is yet to recover from what transpired.

“Around 11 that night lot of shells exploded. We felt death was near,” says her cousin. Her elder sister says they were given Rs 1.3 lakh by the government, but the relief feels insufficient.

“All the glasses were also broken. Our roof was also shattered and now we have repaired it partially,” she says, pointing at the polythene-covered windows.

A few kilometres away, near a temple, a once-standing wooden grocery shop lies reduced to memory, its presence marked only by a few charred blocks of wood left behind.

Next to it, the wall of a vegetable seller silently narrates its own story of destruction. The iron shutter is punctured with shrapnel, each hole a stark imprint of that night.

In Uri, Nargis Bano was the only civilian to lose her life in shelling from Pakistan. She was fleeing in a Scorpio when a shell exploded nearby. A single piece of shrapnel struck the vehicle, piercing her near the throat, while the others inside escaped unhurt. Though there were additional injuries in the Uri, most of those affected have since recovered.

At Sub-District Hospital Uri, an underground bunker has been constructed on the lawn in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, reflecting a long-felt need.

During the shelling, several rounds landed in the vicinity, triggering panic among patients and medical staff. With no bunker at the time, many were forced to take cover under beds and tables.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/broken-homes-sleepless-nights-uri-children-recall-pakistan-shelling-during-operation-sindoor-ws-l-10077735.html

The man’s post about leaving the corporate world has resonated with many, prompting varied reactions on social media.

The conversation around millennial burnout has been reignited following a viral video of a man documenting his final day in the corporate world. He shared a heartfelt reflection on his 11-year tenure, revealing how he spent three years preparing for this transition.

“Last Working Day of corporate career,” Biswajit Mohanty wrote and shared a video. In the clip, he explained his decision to quit the corporate world.

“So this is my last day in corporate and I reflect back on the 12 years of schooling, four years of graduation, two years of post-graduation with an education loan, then 11 years of work experience and three months of notice period to today which is like the last day of my corporate career,” Mohanty said in a video.

He said it was three years ago that he realised he didn’t want to remain part of the corporate world. “I asked myself two questions, will I do this job if I had an alternate source of income and what is the impact if this job ID ceased to exist in the real world? What will be the difference? I could not find a direct correlation between what I was doing in this upscale class building versus out in the real world.”

That is when he began preparing to leave corporate life. Mohanty explained that the first step was to “unlearn several things”, and then he started teaching students.

He continued, “My final mail, goodbye mail is ready, it’s in my draft, I’ll be sending it in a couple of hours and I’ll be signing off from this corporate world.”

Talking about what he realised during this journey, Mohanty added, “I realised a very hard truth that without time and energy the bank balance only gives convenience not joy, does not give you that satisfaction to sleep well at night.”

How did social media react?

An individual noted, “I agree corporate at 35 hits hard. Difficult to work like robots until you have EMIs on your head. Stay strong, we don’t need that much money to live a peaceful life.” Another shared, “This is one of the cleanest words. It’s worth watching this video.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/man-retires-from-corporate-life-at-35-burnout-is-real-for-millennials-101778117100915.html

“Let them dismiss me. I want this to be a black day,” Mamata Banerjee said

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, who has refused to put in her resignation from the Chief Minister post, is adamant about the decision, come what may. “Let them dismiss me. I want this to be a black day,” she said amid the condemnation and consternation pouring in since yesterday.

The party, Banerjee said at a meeting with her MLAs today, will go to court against the post-poll violence that has been on since April 29.

The attempt to boost morale also came with a warning: A disciplinary committee has also been formed against any party leader who speaks against the party publicly, she said.

The BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari – the front-runner in the race for the top post – has emphatically declared that no post poll violence is taking place in Bengal.

“Sporadic incidents reported so far have been much less than the post poll violence that happened in 2021. There are some goons are still out there. The BJP led government will take strong action,” he said.

Banerjee also wants to keep the party in protest mode. The day the assembly opens will be a black dress day, she declared.

The 71-year-old has dug in her heels since the declaration of results, blaming the Election Commission for her loss at the hustings. She has accused the poll panel of playing “nasty games” and pointed to defeats for non-BJP alliances in recent elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar.

Since yesterday, Banerjee’s declaration that she won’t resign has had political leaders scurrying for a rulebook. There is none that explicitly lays down the SOP – probably because no one envisaged such a situation ever coming up.

The rules are open to interpretation, and the consensus is that the Governor can technically dismiss the Chief Minister, who holds office at his pleasure and can be in office only till the legislative assembly is dissolved.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/let-them-dismiss-me-mamata-banerjee-doubles-down-on-wont-resign-threat-11458311?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Chandranath Rath, Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant, was shot at point-blank range by unidentified assailants on a bike on Wednesday night.

BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday said the killing of his personal assistant (PA), Chandranath Rath, was a “pre-planned murder” and alleged that the killers had carried out “recce for two to three days”.

Rath, 41, was shot at point-blank range by unidentified assailants on a bike in Madhyamgram in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday night.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Rath was taken after the attack, Adhikari said the incident was a “cold-blooded murder”.

“The incident is heart-wrenching; we condemn the incident,” he said.

Adhikari said Bengal Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta had assured him that the matter would be investigated thoroughly.

“The way the attack was executed clearly suggests that the assailants had done a recce beforehand,” he alleged.

He said that Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, a former West Bengal BJP president, has spoken to Rath’s family.

“This is the result of 15 years of Maha-Jungle Raj… BJP will start the cleansing work of the goons here,” Adhikari, whose BJP registered a historic win in the Bengal assembly elections on Monday, said.

Suvendu Adhikari’s PA Chandranath Rath Was Followed 

The attackers followed Chandranath Rath’s car, a Mahindra Scorpio, intercepted it, shot him through the rolled-up window from the opposite side and fled the scene, according to preliminary information.

Rath, originally from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, the political turf that shaped Adhikari’s rise in Bengal politics, was in the front passenger seat.

Visuals showed the front passenger seat window shattered by bullets and blood stains on the seat.

Eyewitnesses claimed the vehicle carrying Rath was first blocked near Doharia junction by a small four-wheeler, after which a biker approached his car and started firing from close range.

The occupants of the four-wheeler later abandoned the vehicle and escaped on the motorcycle. Preliminary findings suggested that the attackers came on four bikes.

The attack took place around 10.30 pm when Rath was returning to his residence in Madhyamgram. He was about 200 metres away from his home.

Rath’s driver also sustained bullet injuries and was shifted to a Kolkata hospital, where his condition is said to be critical.

Rath was then rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

“The victim was brought dead with multiple bullet injuries on his chest, which pierced his heart, and another bullet on his abdominal area. There was no opportunity to resuscitate him,” a hospital doctor said.

Car Had Fake Number Plate

Bengal’s DGP Siddh Nath Gupta said that live rounds along with fired cartridges were recovered from the spot of the incident near Madhyamgram.

“The four-wheeler used in the crime has been seized, but it is being reported that the number plate is fake and has been tampered with,” he said.

The car, a Nissan Micra, was registered as WB74AK2270.

Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya called the killing evidence of the “total criminalisation of politics” in the state.

“This was a planned and targeted attack. By killing the PA of the outgoing leader of opposition, the assailants wanted to send a political message,” he said.

Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath Was An Air Force Veteran

Chandranath Rath, before becoming the close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, had served in the Indian Air Force.

He had spent nearly two decades in the air force after completing his studies at Rahara Ramakrishna Mission. People close to the family said Rath had once considered a spiritual life and was deeply influenced by the Ramakrishna Mission ethos during his student years.

After taking voluntary retirement from the air force, he briefly worked in the corporate sector before gradually moving into political coordination and administrative responsibilities.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/suvendu-adhikari-on-aide-chandranath-raths-pre-planned-murder-day-after-bjp-bengal-election-results-recced-for-2-3-days-11459926?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has admitted a petition against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleging disproportionate assets and seeking a CBI probe, filed by petitioner S Vignesh Shishir. The matter was listed on May 6 before a division bench and accepted for urgent chamber hearing. ED, Income Tax, SFIO and MHA were also named case today.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has admitted a criminal petition filed against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleging possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. The plea seeks a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The court has accepted the petition and is expected to take up the matter for hearing shortly. The petitioner has urged that the CBI register a regular case and initiate a detailed investigation into the allegations.

The matter was listed in the fresh case list on May 6 before a division bench comprising Justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Jafir Ahmad. Prior to the hearing, petitioner S Vignesh Shishir requested that the case be treated as urgent and heard in chamber. The court accepted the request and permitted a chamber hearing later in the day.

In the petition, it has been alleged that Rahul Gandhi and his family possess assets exceeding their known sources of income, warranting an impartial probe. Besides the CBI, the plea has also named the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office as parties in the case.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/plea-against-rahul-gandhi-over-disproportionate-assets-admitted-by-allahabad-high-court

The TVK has emerged as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu Assembly, winning 108 seats in the 234-member House; DMK’s allies CPI(M), CPI, and VCK, which have won two seats each, are yet to decide on support; IUML has refused backing

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar is learnt to have asked Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president C. Joseph Vijay, who on Wednesday evening (May 6, 2026) staked claim to form the next government, to produce letters demonstrating support of 118 MLAs, the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.

Earlier, the Congress, which won five seats as part of the DMK alliance, snapped its over 20-year ties with the Dravidian major and extended support to the TVK. It is learnt the party could be offered two Cabinet berths if the TVK forms a coalition government.

The TVK had won 108 seats in the recent Assembly election. Mr. Vijay has to resign one of his two seats while one would be elected the Speaker, who could vote only during a tie. Hence, with the Congress’s backing, the coalition’s numbers is only 111 and the TVK needs the backing of seven legislators.

Mr. Vijay, along with the party’s senior leaders met the Governor, who arrived in the afternoon from Kerala, where too he holds the gubernatorial post. At the Lok Bhavan, sources said Mr. Arlekar asked Mr. Vijay to demonstrate the numbers before he could be invited to form the government. Legally, the Governor is entitled to satisfy himself about such proof since the cumulative number of legislators belonging to the current DMK front (68) and AIADMK front (53) would exceed those of the legislators backing Mr. Vijay.

AIADMK senior leader K.P. Munusamy, following a meeting of legislators and functionaries chaired by party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, categorically told journalists that reports claiming the AIADMK would support the TVK “were not true”.

The DMK’s allies, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the CPI, and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which won two seats each, said the TVK had reached out to them separately seeking support. But leaders of these parties said they would decide only after internal party meetings to be held in due course. Another DMK ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, with two legislator-elects, had earlier announced it would not extend support to the TVK.

Earlier, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar, in a press release said the alliance with the TVK was “founded on mutual respect, appropriate share, and shared responsibility between the two parties”. This move was not only for the formation of the government “but also for future elections to local bodies, the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha”.

The “support shall be conditional upon the TVK keeping out from this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India”.

Mr. Chodankar said the TVK and the Congress would strive to bring back Kamaraj’s glory days in Tamil Nadu, with a strong commitment to Periyar’s social justice ideals and Ambedkar’s constitutional ideals in the years and decades to come.

“Mr. Vijay and Rahul Gandhi jointly pledge to respect this historic verdict of the people of Tamil Nadu for a secular and progressive government, and to fulfil the dreams and promises of the people — especially the youth of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Source : https://www.thehindu.com/elections/tamil-nadu-assembly/tvk-chief-vijay-calls-on-governor-arlekar-stakes-claim-to-form-government-in-tamil-nadu/article70946707.ece

A founder shared how her remote team uses Slack statuses like “grind,” “normal,” and “survival” mode to manage workload and avoid burnout at work.

A founder has started a discussion online after sharing how her remote team uses Slack statuses to show how they are feeling during the workday. The idea, she explained, helps employees avoid burnout and makes communication inside the team easier.

Instead of expecting everyone to work at the same pace every day, the team follows a simple system with three different work modes. The founder shared the idea through a video posted on Instagram.

In the clip, she explained that most of the team’s work communication happens on Slack. Over time, they realised people cannot stay in “hustle mode” constantly.

“So, we are a remote team and we have this really cool thing which I took from my friend Saloni. We work on Slack. Basically, most of our communication is on Slack. We realised that we are not warriors, so we cannot be in a grind-hustle mode every single day,” she said.

Team Uses Three Work Modes

The founder said the team now uses three different modes based on how a person is feeling on a particular day.

The first is “Grind mode”, which is for days when someone feels highly productive and ready to give their best effort. The second is “Normal mode”, where employees simply focus on finishing their regular tasks for the day.

The third is called “Survival mode”. According to her, this is meant for difficult days when someone may not be feeling mentally or physically okay.

“So we have now three modes. First is Grind mode, where we are at our 120 per cent. Then we have a Normal mode, where we’re working, making sure that the To-Do for the day is done. And then we have a Survival mode. This is a mode which we use usually when we have like period cramps or just a bad day, break up, or something like that,” she explained.

Slack Status Keeps Everyone Informed

The woman said employees only need to update their Slack status to reflect which mode they are in. This allows teammates to understand each other’s situation without asking too many questions. She added that the system also helps adjust deadlines and expectations whenever needed.

“So we have 3 modes: survival, grind, and normal mode. And you can just update your Slack status with however you’re feeling today. This just keeps everybody updated and changes the timelines a little bit if required. We do this basically so that we don’t burn out by being in the grind mode every single day,” she said.

The video was shared with the caption, “Sorry for saying ‘breakup’ so casually”.

Many people online said they liked the idea and felt workplaces should openly accept that employees cannot always perform at the same level every day.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/founder-shares-how-her-team-uses-slack-statuses-to-handle-burnout-we-realised-that-we-are-not-warriors-ws-l-10076048.html

The Gujarat High Court rejected Narayan Sai’s plea for relief in the 2013 Surat rape case. The court also refused to stay his conviction or grant bail, underscoring its stance on serious offences.

Narayan Sai has suffered a major setback after the Gujarat High Court rejected his plea for relief in a rape case registered in Surat in 2013. The court dismissed his mercy petition and refused to stay his conviction.

Sai had approached the high court seeking a suspension of his sentence in the case. However, the bench declined to grant any relief, citing the seriousness of the offence and his conviction in the case.

The court also rejected his bail application, making it clear that no leniency would be extended given the nature of the crime. The decision reinforces the judiciary’s firm stance on serious offences such as rape.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/narayan-sai-gujarat-high-court-rape-case-relief-rejected-2907294-2026-05-06

A bag containing cash, gold ornaments and land documents was found inside the operation theatre of a rural hospital in South 24 Parganas. The recovery triggered a BJP protest, rival claims over ownership and a police investigation.

Days after the election results, a government hospital in the state has landed in controversy after a large quantity of cash and gold ornaments was recovered from inside an operation theatre, triggering protests and political accusations.

The recovery was reported from a rural hospital in South 24 Parganas, where an unattended bag allegedly containing cash, gold jewellery and land documents was found within the hospital premises.

BAG FOUND INSIDE OPERATION THEATRE

According to local accounts, the bag was noticed inside the operation theatre on Tuesday morning, raising suspicion among those present.

When it was opened, it allegedly contained a substantial amount of cash, gold ornaments and several land-related documents.

The discovery quickly drew attention, with local BJP workers reaching the hospital and staging a protest.

BJP ALLEGES LINK TO TMC LEADER

BJP workers alleged that the valuables were illegal assets linked to a Trinamool Congress leader.

They claimed that a close associate of Sawkat Molla, identified as Hossain Gazi, had stored the cash and gold inside the hospital.

The protest intensified as BJP workers detained the doctor in charge at the hospital, demanding action.

HOSPITAL VERSION DIFFERS

The hospital administration offered a different account of how the bag reached the premises.

Doctor Shah Rukh Khan said the bag had been left behind by Samser Mir, the son of a local Trinamool booth president.

He also said that Samser Mir worked as a temporary staff member at the hospital.

POLICE REACH SPOT, TENSION BUILDS

Police from the local station reached the hospital after receiving information about the recovery.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cash-and-gold-found-in-south-24-parganas-hospital-ot-trigger-bjp-tmc-row-2907156-2026-05-05

Kejriwal also took a jibe at the seven defected MLAs who recently switched sides and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Calling them an enemy that damaged the party internally, Kejriwal said that the BJP stole seven seats that belonged to the people of Punjab.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in his latest speech, addressing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal said that the Punjab election will be PM Modi’s endgame in the country.

“They have won elections in Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, and in several other states. However, the Punjab elections, scheduled for next February, will not just stop the BJP’s Ashwamedha horse but will also mark an end to Narendra Modi’s government,” said Kejriwal. Adding further, he mentioned that Modi will witness a severe downfall in Punjab and will not win a single election anywhere in the country.

Further, Kejriwal took a jibe at the seven defected MLAs who recently switched sides and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Calling them an enemy that damaged the party internally, Kejriwal said that the BJP stole seven seats that belonged to the people of Punjab.

“These seats were not anyone’s property. Those belonged to Punjab, and its people and the BJP tampered with that,” Kejriwal added.

He also blamed the centre for allegedly not providing the dues to the state.

KEJRIWAL LASHED OUT AT BJP OVER BENGAL ELECTIONS

In his speech, Kejriwal said that the BJP won the Bengal election by illegitimate means.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/arvind-kejriwal-punjab-election-speech-pm-modi-endgame-bjp-attacked-2907182-2026-05-05

For 15 years, Mamata Banerjee and her regional Trinamool Congress (TMC) party seemed to embody a political law of India’s West Bengal state: they always found a way to survive.

On Monday, that ended.

The firebrand populist’s defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended her bid for a fourth consecutive term as chief minister – a feat that would have placed her alongside long-serving regional titans such as Jyoti Basu and Naveen Patnaik.

Banerjee’s loss brings one of the most remarkable political careers in contemporary India to a moment of profound uncertainty – one that began with street protests and now culminates in the weakening of the political fortress she herself built.

Dimunitive and draped in a plain cotton sari and rubber sandals, Banerjee hardly looked like a politician who would topple one of the world’s longest-running elected Communist governments.

Yet in 2011 she defeated the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after 34 uninterrupted years in power, overturning a political order that had come to define West Bengal itself. The state, once India’s intellectual and commercial capital, had drifted through decades of industrial decline and political fatigue.

At the time, The New York Times memorably called her “the blunt instrument knocking down their own Berlin Wall”. And Time magazine named her among the world’s 100 most influential people.

Banerjee’s rise was forged in Bengal’s combative political culture, where elections often resemble prolonged street wars – her supporters called her the “fire goddess”.

Born to a lower middle class family in Kolkata, Banerjee entered politics through the student wing of the Congress party. By the 1980s she had become one of the state’s most visible anti-communist faces, eventually breaking away from Congress to form the TMC.

The violence of Bengal politics shaped her too.

In 1990, during a protest march, she was allegedly assaulted by Communist cadres and hospitalised with a fractured skull.

The episode helped forge the persona she would cultivate for decades: part street fighter, part martyr – a perpetual insurgent even in power.

Banerjee’s ascent accelerated dramatically after her opposition to the proposed Tata Motors car factory in Singur and land acquisition in Nandigram by the Communist government in 2007.

Casting herself as a defender of farmers against forced industrialisation, she won fierce loyalty among rural and poorer voters. But the protests also alienated much of the urban middle class and business elite, who accused her of driving investment out of West Bengal.

“Mamata, like [Prime Minister and BJP leader] Narendra Modi, has been a politician all her life,” says Mukulika Banerjee, an anthropologist at the London School of Economics.

“Her opponents were elite bhadralok Communist men – members of Bengal’s educated, upper-caste middle-class elite – who looked down on her dark skin and lack of ‘respectable’ norms.”

Her early success “only intensified her commitment to stand by the common man – squatting with vendors, arriving wherever there was trouble, dressing simply and making it her hallmark style”.

“Those early battles made her fearless, realising she could make others feel the same, if she stood by them,” says Mukulika Banerjee.

Everyone called her ‘Didi’ – elder sister – because that was the role she came to embody: “a fiercely protective figure who would lay down her life for you”, she adds.

Unlike most prominent women in Indian politics, Mamata emerged without dynastic backing or a powerful mentor.

“No-one set up their own party, took on an invincible force like the Communists, ousted them after 34 years and then held power for three terms,” Mukulika Banerjee says.

“And unlike other female politicians, she actively brought other women forward.” (Her party fielded 52 women candidates in this election.)

For years, Banerjee’s charisma, welfare schemes for women and the rural poor, and Bengal’s strong regional identity blunted anti-incumbency, corruption allegations and the BJP’s rise.

“Her success rested on a careful balance: projecting herself as both an uncompromising street fighter and an austere, maternal figure delivering welfare to those living with economic insecurity,” says Proma Raychaudhury of Krea University.

Even critics conceded that Banerjee possessed an instinctive feel for the emotional grammar of her electorate.

But charisma rarely sustains political systems forever.

Political scientist Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya once described Bengal under the Communists as a “party society”, where the party became embedded in everyday rural life and livelihoods.

Banerjee’s party inherited this structure but transformed it. Unlike the disciplined cadre organisation of the Communists, Banerjee’s party revolved around her own charisma and authority.

Bhattacharyya described the TMC as a kind of political “franchisee model”: local strongmen, and grassroots leaders were allowed to expand their influence – and often their business interests – in exchange for loyalty to Banerjee.

“The franchise model has made the TMC vulnerable,” Bhattacharyya presciently wrote in 2023.

“Its leaders’ voracious appetite for material gains has made transactional interests undermine even a pretence of ethical politics, straining the party’s bonding with the people.”

Under Banerjee, Bengal was also grappling with a mounting financial crisis. The state’s debt deepened, while the central bank estimated that just four of her welfare schemes for women consumed nearly a quarter of its own-source revenue.

Vacant government jobs, rising corruption marked by extortion networks, a major teachers’ recruitment scam and growing concerns over women’s safety further eroded the government’s standing.

Now, after defeat, Banerjee faces a different and perhaps more existential challenge: political survival.

Bengal’s politics has long been unforgiving to defeated ruling parties, with leaders and local strongmen quickly gravitating to the new centre of power.

Political analyst Sayantan Ghosh says many Trinamool leaders may drift towards the BJP – some voluntarily, others under pressure – raising the possibility of a “split within the party itself”.

The TMC’s “apparent lack of ideological cohesion”, argues Raychaudhury, could make both the party and its leader especially vulnerable after defeat.

For Banerjee personally, the adjustment may be jarring after decades at the centre of power.

“It will be a difficult phase for her,” says Ghosh. “Since first winning in the late 1980s, Mamata without office or authority is something Bengal politics has rarely seen.”

Writing the political obituary of the 71-year-old leader may still be premature. Even so, this defeat could mark a more fundamental rupture than the crises she has survived before.

Mukulika Banerjee argues that politicians like Mamata thrived in what was once a “reasonably level playing field”.

That, she says, is “no longer the case” – alluding to the single-party dominance of Modi’s BJP. Monday’s verdict, she suggests, reflects not just discontent but that imbalance.

Which leaves some final questions.

Can Mamata Banerjee reinvent herself once more – returning to the streets as the furious outsider who first captured Bengal’s imagination?

Or will she slowly become what she spent her career fighting: the fading remnant of an old political order?

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c202p14qwr5o

The Congress is set to back Vijay’s TVK in Tamil Nadu after the party’s landmark debut election performance left it just 10 seats short of a majority.

The Congress has decided to extend support to the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu after the debutant party emerged as the single largest force in the 2026 Assembly elections, falling just short of the majority mark.

The development comes amid intense political activity in the state following TVK’s historic electoral breakthrough, which disrupted the decades-old dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu politics.

According to sources quoted by India Today, the Tamil Nadu unit of the Congress party has passed a resolution during a virtual meeting held to discuss a possible tie-up with TVK.

Congress, as per the report, is also likely to ask for two Cabinet berths and a few chairmanships of government boards.

TVK secured 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, remaining 10 seats short of the halfway mark required to form the government.

LATE-NIGHT CONGRESS MEETING ON SUPPORT

According to news agency ANI, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K Selvaperunthagai chaired a late-night virtual meeting with party MLAs and senior leaders to deliberate on extending support to TVK.

The discussions reportedly focused on the evolving political situation in the state and the strategic implications of aligning with Vijay’s party.

The report quoted sources as saying that Congress unanimously agreed to support TVK in forming the government.

The Congress currently has five MLAs in the Assembly, and its backing could prove crucial in helping Vijay move closer to the majority mark.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal confirmed that TVK had approached the party seeking support.

He said the party leadership had directed the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to take a final decision on the matter.

Venugopal also stated that the Congress remained “determined not to have the BJP and its proxies run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner.”

TVK’S HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH RESHAPES STATE POLITICS

TVK’s performance in its debut Assembly election has been widely viewed as a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu politics.

The Vijay-led party not only emerged as the single largest party but also challenged the political dominance of the DMK and AIADMK-led fronts that have alternated power in the state since 1967.

TVK is also exploring support from smaller parties across both the DMK and AIADMK camps.

Besides Congress’s five seats, PMK has four MLAs, while CPI, CPI(M), and VCK have two seats each.

These parties are expected to play a key role in determining the final shape of the government.

AIADMK MLA Leema Rose also confirmed that TVK was in talks with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, indicating that multiple channels of negotiation remain open as government formation discussions continue.

At the same time, CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam said the party would take a final decision on support only after Vijay clearly outlines his political position.

VIJAY THANKS PEOPLE AFTER LANDMARK RESULT

Following the election outcome, Vijay addressed the people of Tamil Nadu through a post on X, recalling the criticism and mockery his party had faced since its launch.

He said TVK had entered the political field “without depending on anyone” and placed its faith solely in the people.

“From the very beginning of our party, there were many who mocked and ridiculed us. We understood that this is natural in politics and moved forward beyond it,” Vijay said.

He credited young voters as one of the biggest reasons behind the party’s success, saying the younger generation had guided their families “with strong conviction.”

TVK, in a separate statement on X, described the mandate as a rejection of “money-driven politics” and said the victory marked the rise of a “major political force for change.”

The party said the people of Tamil Nadu had responded with “immense love and overwhelming votes,” despite what it described as “disguised insults and slander” during the campaign.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/tamil-nadu-election-results-2026-congress-supports-vijay-tvk-government-formation-tvks-win-kc-venugopal-mk-stalin-aiadmk-dmk-ws-l-10076208.html

It was the second explosion incident hours after a blast occurred outside the headquarters of the BSFs Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday.

A blast outside the BSF camp in Amritsar took place on late Tuesday, hours after a grenade attack in Jalandhar. No casualties or injuries were reported.

The Khalistan Liberation Army has taken responsibility for the blast.

The second attack in a single day has prompted a high security alert in the state.

Amritsar (Rural) SSP Suhail Mir Qasim said preliminary inspection and analysis showed that someone had come and thrown something towards the boundary wall, leading to an explosion.

After receiving a complaint about the sound of a blast near Khassa cantonment in the late night, senior police officers immediately rushed to the spot along with the army personnel stationed in the cantonment area.

The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to conduct a thorough inspection. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team collected samples and evidence from the site and sent them for analysis.

“We are checking how many blasts have occurred and how,” SP Aditya S Warrier said.

Jalandhar Grenade Attack

It was the second explosion incident hours after a blast occurred outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force’s Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday. The explosion set a scooter on fire and damaged the traffic signal near the BSF Chowk.

Nobody was hurt, said police, adding that it is yet to be ascertained how the scooter caught fire.

“Prima facie, the facts are that an Activa (scooter) parked here (Jalandhar) caught fire. We are still verifying the facts on the ground,” Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old man named Gurpreet Singh has been identified as the one who was riding the scooter.

Talking to reporters, one of his relatives said Gurpreet comes to the area daily to deliver parcels. On Tuesday evening, when he was approaching his parked scooter, it suddenly caught fire. Gurpreet then rang up his father and informed him about the incident, the relative said.

The opposition parties have launched an attack on the AAP government over the “explosion” in Jalandhar.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring claimed that an “explosion” near the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar is deeply alarming.

In an X post, he said, “A blast in a delivery scooter in a crowded area exposes a serious collapse of law and order. Punjab is a sensitive border state; such incidents raise grave national security concerns. Yet, while the AAP-led Punjab government is busy parading its MLAs before the President, the BJP-led Centre is equally distracted and failing in its responsibility to ensure security. People deserve safety, not political theatre.” Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia asked if law and order in a border state has collapsed.

“From the Shambhu railway track to the busy BSF Chowk in Jalandhar, continuous blasts within a week — has Punjab’s security completely failed?” he asked.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia condemned the blast, calling it a serious situation and alleging that the Punjab government has failed to maintain law and order.

He questioned how a blast could occur in such a busy area and criticised the police for allegedly reaching a conclusion within minutes without a proper inquiry, terming it a scooter blast similar to a gas or tyre explosion.

He urged the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister to take a serious view of the security situation in Punjab, adding that the state continues to suffer due to alleged governance failures.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/after-jalandhar-second-blast-outside-bsf-camp-in-amritsar-ws-l-10076278.html

Taking a jibe at BJP’s ‘poriborton’ (change) slogan, the TMC said that the change has arrived with bulldozer.

Tensions in West Bengal refuse to die down after announcement of election results, as Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has alleged ‘bulldozer action’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which recently won with huge margin in the state.

The TMC shared a video on social media on Tuesday night, claiming that BJP workers and supporters vandalised Kolkata’s New Market area with bulldozer and also party office of TMC.

In the video, a crowd is seen surrounding a bulldozer which is seemingly mowing down on a shop in the area amid loud cheers and music.

Taking a jibe at BJP’s ‘poriborton’ (change) slogan, the TMC said that the change has arrived with bulldozer.

“BJP’s ‘Poriborton’ has arrived, and it has arrived with a bulldozer. In an act of brazen hooliganism and gundagardi, mobs of BJP supporters went on a rampage near the New Market area, destroying shops and vandalising the Trinamool Congress party office. This is the celebration of a party that spoke of trust and delivered terror,” TMC wrote in the post.

It further attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, saying that BJP’s national leaders have handed their workers “a licence to let loose on the streets” and “kill whoever they please”.

“Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have handed their karyakartas a licence to let loose on the streets, to mow down whatever stands in their path, to attack, brutalise and kill whosoever they please,” it said, adding that the Central Forces have been instructed to “stand down and let it happen”.

The outgoing party also issued a warning, saying that today the action is being taken on shops, tomorrow it could be BJP’s political opponents and then “it will be the statues of Bengal’s icons”.

“And ultimately it will be the homes of the poor and vulnerable. But wherever BJP’s bulldozer rolls in Bengal, it will meet a wall. A wall of resistance, of defiance. We will fight this policy of state-sponsored terror,” it said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tmc-alleges-bulldozer-action-at-party-office-by-bjp-supporters-claims-central-forces-ordered-to-let-it-happen-video-101778032873449.html

Nepal has formally objected to a key pilgrimage route via Lipulekh, sending a protest to India and China. The move revives a long-standing border dispute, even as Kathmandu calls for dialogue.

India has pushed back against Nepal’s objection to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route via Lipulekh, saying its position on the issue remains “clear and consistent” and rejecting Kathmandu’s territorial claims.

“Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 This is not a new development,” the External Affairs Ministry said on May 3.

On Nepal’s claims, India said, “Such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable.”

New Delhi also signalled openness to talks, saying it remains “open to a constructive interaction including resolving outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy.”

NEPAL SENDS PROTEST TO INDIA, CHINA

The response comes after Nepal formally objected to the proposed pilgrimage route via Lipulekh, sending a diplomatic protest to both India and China.

Kathmandu said the move concerns a disputed area and reiterated its long-standing claim over the region.

“The Government of Nepal remains clear and firm that, as per the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani are integral parts of Nepal,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

FORMAL NOTE, POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudyal Chhetri said Nepal conveyed its concerns to both New Delhi and Beijing through diplomatic channels.

Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said the decision followed consultations with political parties, adding that Nepal’s official position has now been formally communicated.

Kathmandu also confirmed that China has been informed that the Lipulekh area falls within Nepali territory.

CALL TO HALT ACTIVITIES IN DISPUTED AREA

Nepal has urged India not to carry out road construction, expansion, border trade or pilgrimage-related activities in the disputed region.

The government said it has repeatedly raised these concerns in the past, describing the issue as sensitive.

Even as both sides held firm to their positions, Nepal said it remains committed to resolving the boundary issue through dialogue.

“In keeping with the spirit of close and friendly Nepal-India relations, Nepal remains committed to resolving the boundary issue through historical facts, evidence and diplomatic dialogue,” the ministry said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/lipulekh-route-dispute-nepal-protests-kailash-mansarovar-yatra-plan-2905998-2026-05-03

Bhopal Crime Branch has arrested six people for allegedly extorting Rs 1.89 crore from IAS coaching director Shubhra Ranjan. Police have frozen the transferred money and are probing a wider conspiracy, including an alleged plan to flee abroad.

In a major breakthrough, the Crime Branch in Bhopal has solved a high-profile extortion case involving Rs 1.89 crore from an IAS coaching institute director. Six accused, including the alleged mastermind and former student of the academy, have been arrested.

According to police officials, the prime accused, Priyank Sharma, orchestrated the crime by luring the victim, Shubhra Ranjan, to Bhopal from Delhi under the pretext of a seminar and expansion of new coaching centers. Once she arrived, she was taken to a secluded location and held hostage at gunpoint.

Investigators revealed that the accused threatened the victim with pistols and country-made firearms, forcing her to transfer Rs 1.89 crore into accounts linked to entities named ‘Janakshila’ and ‘RS Enterprises.’ Acting swiftly after the incident came to light, the Crime Branch managed to freeze the transferred amount within hours. Officials confirmed that the refund process is underway and the full amount is expected to be returned soon.

The victim had checked into a five-star hotel near Bhadbhada before being taken by the accused to Bagsewania, where she was confined in a rented flat for two days. During this period, the accused coerced her into making multiple online transfers.

In a shocking twist, the accused also created a fake kidnapping video of one of their accomplices to further intimidate the victim and prevent her from approaching the police. Investigations revealed that the rented flat was secured just a day before the crime, and a religious gathering was organized there to mask any noise and avoid suspicion.

Police said that armed criminals from Datia and Rewa were brought in to execute the plan. After the crime, Priyank Sharma allegedly attempted to evade arrest by feigning illness and admitting himself to the ICU of AIIMS Bhopal. However, the police apprehended him from the hospital premises despite resistance and commotion created by his family members.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/delhi-ias-coaching-director-held-hostage-in-19-cr-mp-extortion-case-ex-student-mastermind-2906028-2026-05-04

Police in Maharajganj arrested four women accused of arranging fraudulent marriages to cheat men. The case has spotlighted a planned con in which victims were allegedly stripped of cash and jewellery.

Police in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, have busted a “looteri dulhan” (fraud bride) gang involved in cheating unsuspecting men under the pretext of marriage, arresting four women accused of orchestrating the scam. A fifth accused, a man identified as Jitendra, remains absconding.

The action was carried out by Sinduria Police Station police, who arrested the women near Chiutaha Bazaar. Officials recovered Rs 39,500 in cash, along with silver anklets and a mangalsutra allegedly obtained through fraud.

Superintendent of Police Shakti Mohan Awasthi revealed the details during a press briefing, stating that the gang operated in a well-planned manner by arranging fake marriages and extorting money and valuables from victims.

The case came to light after a complaint was filed by Ranjeet Chauhan, a resident of Etah, who alleged that Jitendra and four women had arranged his marriage with a woman named Anjalika. The gang falsely claimed that the bride was unmarried, while in reality she was already married and had a child.

According to the complaint, the accused conducted wedding rituals at a local temple in the Sinduria area, during which they extracted nearly Rs 1 lakh and jewellery from the victim in the name of wedding expenses. Midway through the ceremony, the accused allegedly turned aggressive, assaulted the victim, and fled the scene. Jitendra escaped with the “bride,” while the others later went into hiding.

Following an investigation, police arrested four women — Sumitra, Lalti, Kajal, and Anjalika. During interrogation, Lalti emerged as the alleged mastermind of the gang, with a prior criminal record.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/looteri-dulhan-gang-busted-in-ups-maharajganj-4-women-arrested-for-marriage-scam-2906030-2026-05-04

The timing is notable. The test window overlaps with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, conducted in early May 2025.

India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) designating a vast stretch of the Bay of Bengal as a danger zone for a long-range missile test, with the warning active from April 25 to May 6, 2026. The NOTAM covers a corridor extending up to approximately 3,550 km, signaling preparations for an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) launch.

Defence sources told India Today that it indicates the flight path and exclusion zone align with the performance envelope of the Agni-IV, an IRBM with a reported range of 3,500–4,000 km. The Agni-IV is a two-stage, solid-fuelled missile capable of carrying a 1,000-kg warhead and is a key component of India’s nuclear triad and strategic deterrence posture.

The timing is notable. The test window overlaps with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, conducted in early May 2025. While the Ministry of Defence has not officially linked the test to the anniversary, strategic analysts suggest the launch would serve both as a validation exercise and as a message of readiness and capability enhancement.

Recent months have seen India step up testing of its strategic missile inventory. The Agni series, along with the submarine-launched K-4 and the hypersonic LRAShM, form the backbone of India’s credible minimum deterrence doctrine.

The extended-range BrahMos cruise missile, with tests underway to push its reach to 800 km, and this potential Agni-IV trial point to a broader modernization drive across both tactical and strategic vectors. Induction of the 800-km BrahMos is expected by end-2027.

A NOTAM is issued when authorities need to restrict civilian aircraft from a specific stretch of airspace, usually during sensitive or high-risk operations. Such advisories have been used in the past during periods of heightened military tension, including conflict with Pakistan, to keep commercial flights away from operational zones.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/agni-iv-missile-test-india-issues-notam-bay-of-bengal-2906709-2026-05-05

TVK’s Vijay Dhamu, an auto driver, won Royapuram by defeating Subair Khan and D Jayakumar on Monday. The upset cracked a long-held North Chennai stronghold and underlined the party’s striking debut in Tamil Nadu’s 2026 Assembly election.

In what is being hailed as the biggest David vs Goliath story of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, K Vijay Dhamu, an auto-driver by profession, has secured a stunning victory in the Royapuram constituency. Representing the debutant Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Dhamu defeated two of the most powerful political legacies in the state. He polled over 55,000 votes, clinching the seat with a comfortable margin of 14,000 votes over his nearest rival.

The victory is particularly significant as it comes at the expense of AIADMK strongman and five-time MLA D. Jayakumar, who was relegated to a distant third place with just over 18,000 votes. The DMK’s Subair Khan, son of the late veteran Minister Rahman Khan, finished second but failed to withstand the Vijay wave that has swept Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu.

Wondering how TVK made a splash in Tamil Nadu? We have got you covered.

Dhamu, who has long been a part of the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (the actor’s fan club network), built his campaign on his identity as a common man. “You may call us new faces, but we have been working on the ground for years through our fan clubs,” Dhamu had stated during his campaign.

A poignant image from the candidate announcement ceremony—showing a tearful Vijay Dhamu embracing TVK chief Vijay—has become the defining symbol of the party’s grassroots surge.

By strategically positioning himself as the primary face of every constituency, Vijay allowed Dhamu to leverage that massive star power while focusing on ground-level issues. This Thalapathy factor has created a tectonic wave across the state, catapulting the debutant party well past the 100-seat mark and turning local candidates into giant-killers.

His manifesto for the coastal constituency focused heavily on the fishing community, promising modernised infrastructure and social security-a move that clearly seems to have resonated with the local electorate.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/assembly/story/royapuram-election-result-tvk-auto-driver-vijay-dhamu-beats-subair-khan-jayakumar-2906414-2026-05-04

The review looked at 217 clinical trials, which together included more than 15,000 people with knee osteoarthritis. It is a common joint problem in which the cartilage that cushions the bones in the knee slowly wears away.

A new study has found that aerobic exercise may be the most effective way to ease the pain and stiffness of knee osteoarthritis. The review, published in The BMJ, looked at 217 clinical trials, which together included more than 15,000 people with knee osteoarthritis. The researchers wanted to find out which type of physical activity, such as walking, cycling, swimming, strength training, or mind-body exercises, gives the best results for pain, movement, walking ability, and everyday functioning.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common joint problem in which the cartilage that cushions the bones in the knee slowly wears away. This causes pain, swelling, and difficulty in walking. The condition is common in adults over 45, and many people still feel significant discomfort even after treatments. Current guidelines generally recommend exercise, but they often don’t clearly say which type is best. This new analysis now provides stronger, evidence-based guidance, showing that aerobic activities like walking, cycling, and swimming consistently can be the most helpful choice for most people with knee osteoarthritis.

Study Overview And Findings

The research team analysed 217 randomised controlled trials carried out between 1990 and 2024. They compared several types of exercise; aerobic, flexibility, strengthening, mind-body (such as yoga or tai chi), neuromotor, and mixed programs, against control groups that did little or no exercise. The main outcomes they measured were pain, physical function, walking (gait) performance, and quality of life, checked at short term (4 weeks), mid-term (12 weeks), and long term (24 weeks).

Across almost all these measures, aerobic exercise ranked as the most effective option. Aerobic activities reduced knee pain in the short and mid-term, and improved physical function both in the short, mid and long-term. They also boosted walking ability and quality of life in the short and mid-term. In contrast, other exercise types, such as strength training or mixed programs, showed more modest or limited benefits. These were recommended mainly as additions to aerobic work rather than as the main treatment.

Why Is Aerobic Exercise Helpful

Aerobic exercises include regular, rhythmic movements such as walking, cycling, swimming, and light jogging. These activities get the heart and lungs working steadily and also improve blood circulation and joint lubrication in the knee. The study suggests that this combination helps reduce inflammation, strengthens the muscles around the knee, and improves balance and coordination, all of which benefit the damaged joint.

Because the knee is weight-bearing, high-impact activities can sometimes worsen pain. That is why activities like gentle walking, cycling on flat terrain, and swimming or water-based exercises are suitable.

How Safe Is Exercise For People With Knee Osteoarthritis?

A major concern for people with knee osteoarthritis is whether exercise might damage the joint further. The new review found that exercise in general is safe. However, the researchers do note some limitations. Many of the comparisons were indirect, and some outcomes lacked long-term follow-up beyond 24 weeks. Also, some of the smaller trials could have influenced early-time results. Despite this, aerobic exercise can be considered for non-drug treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/health/study-identifies-aerobic-exercise-as-the-most-effective-physical-activity-for-knee-osteoarthritis-11442854?pfrom=home-ndtv_icymistories

Through every phase, the supporters themselves carried a distinct identity.They were often called “Anil” a term rooted in Tamil political memory. The word “Anil” means squirrel.

Vijay’s TVK is closing in on the 118-seat simple majority mark in Tamil Nadu, pushing the DMK alliance down to 70 and AIADMK to 51, but this outcome was not born in this election cycle. It was rehearsed, refined and built in layers over years.

Phase one: when fandom became infrastructure

What Vijay began with was scale. Lakhs of followers organised into rasigar mandrams across Tamil Nadu. What he built was something else.

These units moved beyond film promotions into structured welfare. Blood donation camps, relief work, student felicitation, community outreach. Not one-off gestures, but repeated presence.

In cities such as Coimbatore, fan clubs grew into thousands and took on organised service roles. Over time, this created a direct, non-political relationship with households. Voters were not being approached for the first time during elections.

Phase two: the quiet election before the real one

In 2021, Vijay tested the system without formally entering the arena.

Fan association members contested local body elections as independents. No party launch. No full campaign push. But the network was activated.

Around 169 candidates contested. 115 won.

This was a structural breakthrough. It showed the network could handle candidate selection, booth management and vote mobilisation. More importantly, voters backed them without needing a party symbol.

Phase three: from mass following to filtered cadre

The run-up to 2026 was not about adding more people. It was about choosing the right ones.

TVK introduced corporate-style screening. Interviews, background checks, defined roles. Fan enthusiasm alone no longer qualified someone for responsibility.

Ward in-charges, booth agents, constituency coordinators were identified through process, not popularity.

The movement retained its emotional depth but gained organisational discipline.

Phase four: when a symbol became a signal

The whistle symbol was designed to travel fast and replicate easily.

It moved from banners into homes. Women began drawing whistle-shaped kolams outside their houses, turning neighbourhoods into visible maps of support. This spread online and offline, coordinated by the same local units that had once handled film events.

It looked organic. It was system-driven.

Phase five: the network beneath the campaign

Behind the visuals sat a pre-built machine. WhatsApp groups that existed for years became campaign pipelines. Volunteers handled flags, transport, turnout and daily outreach. Door-to-door mobilisation was not built from scratch. It was activated.

At the top, Vijay centralised control. Closed-door meetings with local leaders created a feedback loop. Booth-level insights moved upward. Messaging moved downward, focused on corruption, welfare and youth.

The structure combined decentralised execution with tight strategic control.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-election-results-2026-the-anil-coup-how-vijays-squirrel-squad-ran-a-6-step-takeover-of-tamil-nadu-11447495?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

BJP was on track to become the single-largest party in the West Bengal Assembly, crossing the critical halfway mark of 148 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the Election Commission and those involved in conducting the assembly elections for maintaining the dignity of India’s democracy.

The prime minister was addressing party supporters gathered at the BJP headquarters after massive win in West Bengal and Assam.

“Our constitutional institutions have won, our democratic processes have won. In West Bengal, 93 per cent turnout has been historic. In Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, new turnout records have been made,” PM Modi said in the address on Monday evening.

“Today, I would like to say a big thank you to the Election Commission, its staff, and those who worked during election, and security workers. The history will always remember the contribution of all of you in maintaining the dignity of India’s democracy,” he added.

PM Modi thanked the voters in five assemblies- Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry.

The speech comes as the BJP won West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. BJP was on track to become the single-largest party in the West Bengal Assembly, crossing the critical halfway mark of 148 seats.

The prime minister lauded the leadership of party president Nitin Nabin and said it was the first victory since the BJP MP took over the reigns of the party.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modis-special-thank-you-for-ec-poll-workers-after-bengal-assam-win-101777902027215.html

Adhikari, who took the lead after several rounds of counting were complete, polled over 67,000 votes in the high-stakes contest.

The closely-watched electoral battle between BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari and Trinamool Congress chief went down to the wire Monday, ending in the former breaching the TMC stronghold.

Adhikari, in what seemed to be a reiteration of the 2021 Nandigram electoral battle, defeated incumbent Bengal chief minister Mamata by a margin of over 15,000 votes.

The BJP candidate, who took a lead after several rounds of counting were complete, polled over 67,000 votes in the high-stakes contest. The dramatic shift in the constituency played out even as the early lead taken by Mamata was overturned in the last rounds of counting of votes.

Overall, the BJP swept the polls in West Bengal, securing over 200 seats in the state, while the TMC was decimated to around 80 seats.

What were the concluding figures in Bhabanipur?

Adhikari polled 73,917 votes in the constituency, winning by a margin of 15,105 votes. TMC chief Banerjee received 58,812 votes, followed by CPI(M)’s Shrijeeb Biswas who secured 3,556 votes.

The sharp swings in the latter half of the counting process in Bhabanipur had been predicted by BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari earlier today, even as he told reporters that Mamata would take an early lead, but he would “make up” for that in later rounds.

The contest in Bhabanipur was a closely watched one, following the Nandigram electoral battle between Banerjee and Adhikari in the previous Assembly elections in 2021. In 2021, Adhikari had notably defeated Banerjee in Nandigram, securing 49% of the vote share then.

‘Resounding triumph for every citizen’: Suvendu thanks Bengal voters

After his victory, Adhikari thanked the voters of West Bengal, saying he was “eternally indebted to the brave and resilient people of Nandigram and Bhabanipur.”

The BJP leader said the BJP’s victory was also a “resounding triumph for every citizen”. “The People of West Bengal have spoken, and their voice has ushered in a new dawn of hope,” he said in a post on his official X handle.

He especially thanked the women voters in Bhabanipur and Nandigram for their “unwavering trust.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bhabanipur-election-results-2026-suvendu-adhikari-defeats-mamata-banerjee-bjp-tmc-101777908796537.html

Rahul Gandhi also claimed that they have witnessed the same playbook before. He cited the examples of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. He also claimed that the votes were stolen in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 as well.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) after their sweeping victory in Assam and West Bengal on Monday. The counting of votes took place for the Assam Assembly Elections 2026 and the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026.

BJP swept both the states and comfortably crossed the majority mark. Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP and EC and claimed that more than 100 seats have been stolen in West Bengal and the Congress agree with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims.

Rahul Gandhi also claimed that they have witnessed the same playbook before. He cited the examples of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. He also claimed that the votes were stolen in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 as well.

Rahul shared a post on social media and said, “Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal. We have seen this playbook before: Madhya Pradesh. Haryana. Maharashtra. Lok Sabha 2024 etc. Chunav chori, sanstha chori — ab aur chaara hi kya hai!”

BJP has already won over 200 seats in West Bengal and are leading on 4 seats, while they have won 82 seats in Assam and Congress have managed to win only 19 seats in the state. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 71 seats are leading on 10 seats in West Bengal.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/more-than-100-seats-stolen-in-bengal-rahul-gandhi-slams-bjp-ec-after-landslide-victory-in-wb-assam-alleges-repeated-playbook

A sharp price hike in commercial LPG cylinders has triggered protests across Punjab, with AAP leaders taking to the streets and launching a strong attack on the Centre over rising costs.

The Aam Aadmi Party launched protests across Punjab after a sharp increase of nearly Rs 1,000 in the price of commercial LPG cylinders, calling the move “anti-poor” and a fresh blow to people already facing rising costs.

Party leaders and workers held demonstrations in several parts of the state, raising slogans and staging sit-ins against the Centre’s decision.

In a post on X, AAP Punjab said, “The 993 hike in the price of commercial gas cylinders will shatter the already inflation-battered people. This decision has once again shown that the BJP’s sole aim is to loot the poor.”

The party added that the protests were aimed at opposing what it called a “people-killing decision”.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also attacked the Centre over the hike. “The BJP government’s true face has now been completely exposed. By hiking the price of commercial cylinders by 993, an even heavier burden has been placed on the common people,” he said.

Cheema added that the party would “continue to raise the issues of the common people and stand firmly for their rights”.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/punjab/story/commercial-lpg-cylinder-price-hike-aap-protests-across-punjab-over-rs-993-increase-2905968-2026-05-03

A first-year PhD scholar at IIT Ropar has accused an assistant professor of assault, harassment and intimidation. The institute has placed the faculty member on forced leave as an internal inquiry and police investigation proceed.

A first-year PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar in Punjab has accused an assistant professor of physical assault, harassment and intimidation, prompting an internal inquiry and police attention.

In a social media post, the student alleged that the faculty member assaulted her after she refused to comply with his demands and pressured her to accompany him to Japan on the pretext of a research visit.

In a separate post on Instagram, which has since been taken down, the scholar claimed, “He manipulated even before I joined IIT Ropar by offering help with postdoctoral work and a job.”

The scholar also alleged that she was threatened with expulsion from the PhD programme and denied access to laboratory facilities. She claimed she faced sustained harassment over time.

Among the more serious allegations, she said unauthorised cameras were installed inside the lab to create “false evidence” against her. She also reported that her mobile phone, containing important material, went missing.

INSTITUTE ACTION, PROFESSOR SENT ON LEAVE

IIT Ropar Director Rajeev Ahuja said the institute acted soon after receiving the complaint.

“The institute acted immediately after receiving the complaint, placing the accused faculty member on forced leave for two months and barring him from entering the campus and laboratories pending completion of the inquiry,” he said.

The institute said the matter was referred to police and the Internal Complaints Committee began proceedings within 24 hours.

SAFETY MEASURES, COUNSELLING PROVIDED

Officials said interim steps have been taken to ensure the student’s safety and academic continuity. Medical assistance and counselling support are also being provided to the complainant.

In a post on X, the institute said, “IIT Ropar is fully aware of an incident reported by a PhD scholar. The Institute acted within 24 hours – ICC proceedings have begun, interim relief has been provided, and the concerned faculty member has been placed on forced leave.”

POLICE PROBE UNDERWAY

Police in Ropar said the matter is under investigation. Further action is expected to depend on a formal complaint, with the student and her family waiting for the ICC report before proceeding.

The scholar also shared that the episode has caused distress to her family, adding that they spent nearly Rs 20,000 on travel and that a relative was hospitalised following the incident.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/iit-ropar-phd-scholar-assault-allegations-on-professor-trigger-icc-inquiry-police-probe-2905721-2026-05-03

In the aftermath of a brutal crime in Pune, the victim’s father has issued a firm message to political leaders. His demand is clear – justice first, and only then will he open his doors.

Amid rising outrage over the rape and murder of a minor in Maharashtra’s Pune, the victim’s father has issued a clear appeal, asking political leaders to stay away until justice is delivered.

In a video message, he said, “While I was at a programme, I got a call from my family that many political leaders had come to meet us. My family and I have only one wish, until my daughter gets justice and the accused is hanged, no political leader should come to meet us.”

Calling it a “humble request”, he added, “Only after the accused is given the death penalty will I meet anyone who wishes to come.”

Despite the appeal, political leaders continued to reach out. MLA Rohit Pawar and MP Medha Kulkarni visited the family, while Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange was also expected to arrive later.

The father’s statement has now put the spotlight back on the family’s demand for justice rather than political presence.

CRIME THAT SHOCKED MAHARASHTRA

The incident, reported from the Nasrapur area of Pune district on May 1, involved the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl by a 65-year-old labourer.

Police said the accused lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of offering food. He allegedly raped her and then killed her by hitting her with a stone. He has been arrested.

The crime triggered protests, with villagers gathering at a local police outpost demanding strict action.

NCW CALLS IT ‘BLOT ON HUMANITY’

The National Commission for Women condemned the incident, calling it “deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking”.

Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said the crime was “a blot on humanity” and confirmed that the commission has taken cognisance of the case, pushing for action under stringent provisions of the POCSO Act and close monitoring for a time-bound trial.

CALLS FOR STRICTER LAWS GROW

The case has also reignited debate around stricter laws. Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh questioned whether there was any “fear of law” left.

Referring to the pending Shakti Act, he said it could have ensured the death penalty within 15 to 21 days in such cases, acting as a deterrent.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pune-rape-murder-case-victims-father-asks-leaders-to-stay-away-till-accused-is-hanged-2905250-2026-05-03

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for a firing at a cafe in Surrey, Canada, near a restaurant linked to Kapil Sharma.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for a firing incident at a cafe and bar in Canada, according to posts circulating on social media.

As per the claims, members of the gang opened fire at a Chai Sutta Bar cafe located in Surrey. The gang alleged that the targeted cafe is situated right next to Kapil Sharma’s Kaps Cafe.

In a social media post, individuals identifying themselves as Tyson Bishnoi and Jora Sandhu from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the firing. The post stated that the shooting took place at the Chai Sutta Bar cafe during the night and described it as a deliberate act.

The message also issued a direct threat, saying the attack was meant as a warning not only to the cafe but also to Kapil Sharma. It warned that if their demands were not met, they would shut down the Chai Sutta Bar and could target Kapil Sharma as well.

The post further claimed that attempts to send messages through intermediaries had wasted their time and challenged the recipients to respond directly. It added that if their time continued to be “wasted,” future targets could include Kaps Cafe and even Kapil Sharma’s residence in Mumbai.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/lawrence-bishnoi-gang-claims-surrey-cafe-firing-near-kapil-sharma-kaps-cafe-chai-sutta-bar-2904986-2026-05-03

Bengal election results on May 4: The election is seen as a direct face-off between CM Mamata Banerjee and BJP’s state leadership led by Suvendu Adhikari

The 2026 West Bengal Assembly election unfolded as a high-intensity, bipolar contest between the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with other parties playing only a marginal role.

The election is widely seen as a direct face-off between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP’s state leadership led by Suvendu Adhikari, making it both a leadership and ideological battle.

The campaign has been marked by sharp polarisation, high voter mobilisation, and intense rhetoric, with the BJP pushing hard to expand its footprint in eastern India, while the TMC has relied on its welfare schemes, grassroots network, and regional identity politics. Unlike previous elections where multiple fronts had relevance, this time it is essentially a straight fight, which is why even small vote swings could dramatically alter the final outcome.

WHAT WAS THE TURNOUT?

Bengal has a total of 294 seats, with 148 as the majority mark. The result for one seat, Falta, which repolls on May 21 with results on May 24, will not be announced on Monday.

West Bengal recorded an exceptionally high voter turnout of around 92-93%, one of the highest ever seen in an Indian Assembly election. High participation is often interpreted in multiple ways — it could signal anti-incumbency, strong support for the ruling party, or simply heightened political polarization, all of which are present in Bengal, say experts. The turnout remained consistently above 90% across phases, underlining the intensity of the contest and the effectiveness of mobilisation efforts by both major parties. This level of participation also adds to the uncertainty, as high turnout elections are historically harder to predict accurately.

WHY THE REPOLL?

A major development affecting the election narrative is the repoll ordered in the Falta constituency, where the entire polling process was cancelled and fresh voting was mandated across all booths. This rare step was taken after serious allegations of voter intimidation, procedural lapses, and EVM-related irregularities, with authorities terming it a breakdown of the democratic process.

In addition to this full-seat repoll, limited booth-level repolls were also conducted in parts of South 24 Parganas, including Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour, where specific complaints were raised. The key implication is that while counting on May 4 will cover 293 out of 294 seats, the final result in Falta will come later, meaning that in a close contest, government formation could hinge on this delayed seat.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

For the All India Trinamool Congress, this election is about extending its uninterrupted rule since 2011 and reinforcing Mamata Banerjee’s stature as one of the most powerful regional leaders in India. A victory would validate the party’s welfare-driven governance model and strengthen its position in national opposition politics.

For the Bharatiya Janata Party, the stakes are equally high, as a win would mark its first-ever government in West Bengal, representing a major ideological and geographic expansion into eastern India. Such a result would also have significant national implications, boosting the party’s momentum ahead of future elections.

In essence, this contest is not just about forming a state government — it is about shaping the broader political narrative in India.

WHICH ARE THE KEY CONSTITUENCIES?

High-profile and politically symbolic seats include:

• Bhabanipur: Mamata Banerjee’s stronghold
• Nandigram: BJP vs TMC prestige battle
• Diamond Harbour: Politically sensitive seat
• Magrahat Paschim: Repoll impact zone
• Falta: Delayed result may decide govt

WHAT DO EXIT POLLS SAY?

Exit polls for West Bengal present a deeply divided picture, with no single clear trend emerging across agencies. A number of polls give the BJP a slight edge or even a potential majority, suggesting the possibility of a historic breakthrough, while others indicate a neck-and-neck contest or even a narrow TMC victory.

There are also projections pointing toward a hung assembly, where neither party crosses the majority mark of 148 seats. This wide variation has reduced confidence in any one prediction, especially given that exit polls in West Bengal have historically misread outcomes in past elections. Adding to the uncertainty, Mamata Banerjee has dismissed the exit polls entirely, projecting a strong win for her party. Overall, the exit poll landscape reinforces the idea that the result is genuinely too close to call.

THE FOUR LIKELY SCENARIOS

Scenario 1: BJP majority

Several exit polls suggest the BJP could cross the majority threshold for the first time in the state’s history, citing a “wave of change” and anti-incumbency. Party leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has expressed confidence in achieving a decisive mandate.

Scenario 2: TMC retention

If the TMC crosses the 148-mark, it could mark the historic return of Mamata Banerjee as the CM.

Source : https://www.news18.com/elections/modis-fight-versus-mamatas-might-will-bjp-end-tmcs-15-year-reign-in-bengal-ws-l-10070908.html

Ex-JPMorgan employee Chirayu Rana faces scrutiny after AI chat reveals inconsistencies in his harassment claims, as internal probes find no supporting evidence

A former employee of JPMorgan Chase has come under renewed scrutiny after reports revealed that he had described similar allegations on an online legal chatbot months before formally accusing a senior executive of sexual harassment.

The resurfaced chat has raised questions about the consistency and timeline of his claims, adding a new layer of complexity to the case.

According to a report by The New York Post, Indian-origin Chirayu Rana had interacted with the platform AskALawyerOnCall.com before his allegations against executive director Lorna Hajdini became public. Screenshots of the exchange, cited in the report, show Rana recounting serious allegations of abuse involving a former workplace.

In the chatbot conversation, Rana allegedly wrote, “I was raped, secually assulted [sic], harassed, and forced to do drugs by my former boss at Morgan Stanley,’’ and added, “I was then retaliated against for seeking to move groups internally at the firm.”

He further claimed, “HR conducted an ‘investigation’ but they ultimately made me signed [sic] a Separation Agreement.”

The exchange continued with Rana stating, “Yes but I was forced to sign under duress,” and, “I signed it because I was scared and felt I had no choice. He said he would ruin my career if I didn’t comply.”

He also said, “I’ve been struggling mentally since then. It was a terrible experience, and I left under awful circumstances. He told everyone a false narrative about me, which made it even harder.”

Notably, the chatbot transcript reportedly refers to the alleged perpetrator as “he” and mentions Morgan Stanley, which contrasts with Rana’s later legal complaint that names a female executive at JPMorgan.

The conversation also appears to contain timeline discrepancies, including a reference by the chatbot suggesting the events may have occurred in 2020.

During the exchange, Rana sought legal clarity, asking, “Do you think I actually have a valid claim?” and “Do you know anyone who might take my case?”

The chatbot, reportedly linked to a user identifying as “Joycelaw,” responded with general legal guidance and queried whether any agreement he signed limited his ability to pursue legal action.

The platform itself clearly states that it functions as a public forum and that user interactions are neither private nor confidential.

Rana, a graduate of Rutgers University, joined JPMorgan’s leveraged finance team in 2024 and later filed a lawsuit under a pseudonym alleging coercion, harassment, and retaliation. The complaint included accusations that Hajdini forced him into sexual acts, drugged him, and threatened his career. It has since been withdrawn for corrections.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/i-was-raped-inside-chirayu-ranas-viral-ai-confession-about-a-male-boss-before-his-case-against-lorna-hajdini-ws-l-10070769.html

Nine people, including a toddler, died in a Vivek Vihar residential fire in Delhi, where a locked terrace door, single staircase and iron grills blocked escape.

A locked door leading to the terrace trapped a family inside a burning building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar, resulting in the deaths of nine people. The fire broke out around 3.30–4 am when most residents were asleep, leaving little time to react as flames spread rapidly through the structure.

According to police, a toddler also died in the fire incident that took place at a residential building in Shahdara. Police said more than a dozen residents were rescued during the operation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said 10 to 15 people were rescued, while two to three injured persons were sent to hospital. He confirmed that nine people died and that a search operation was still underway.

How The Building Plan Became Death Trap?

According to initial findings, the building had only one staircase and no emergency exit, leaving no other option for the residents to come out of the building.

Also, the staircase leading to the terrace — a possible escape route — was locked, while iron grills on windows further restricted movement. Residents said those trapped on upper floors were unable to reach the roof or exit the building, as the fire quickly engulfed the premises.

Fire officials said several people were rescued, but blocked exits made evacuation difficult and delayed rescue efforts. At least nine people died in the incident, which occurred in a four-storey residential building in Vivek Vihar.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/locked-terrace-no-emergency-exit-how-delhis-building-plan-became-death-trap-ws-l-10070697.html

As counting for 293 West Bengal assembly seats began, BJP leaders expressed strong confidence in securing a landslide victory. State president Samik Bhattacharya claimed voters had rejected the ruling TMC and Mamata Banerjee. BJP candidates echoed the sentiment, asserting that people voted for change, while TMC aims for a fourth consecutive term.

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said he was confident of a landslide victory, as counting of votes for the assembly elections began on Monday morning.

Counting of votes for 293 seats of the assembly began at 8 am, as the TMC eyes a fourth straight term in power and the BJP seeks to script history by forming its first government in the state.

“People of the state have already rejected the Trinamool Congress government, and in a few hours, the overwhelming majority of the seats will confirm that in the fight between Mamata Banerjee and the people, people have rejected Mamata Banerjee,” Bhattacharya said outside a counting centre in Kolkata.

BJP’s Kharagpur Sadar candidate, Dilip Ghosh, claimed that people have voted for change.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/people-of-bengal-have-rejected-tmc-west-bengal-bjp-chief-samik-bhattacharya-exudes-confidence-as-counting-begins 

Around 15 to 20 per cent of these seats are located in areas like central Kolkata, south Bengal, and Southwest Bengal

Bengal remains one of the most keenly watched states in the election results to be announced on May 4. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool is seeking a fourth-consecutive term, while the BJP is fighting to form its first government in the eastern state.

Bengal has 294 Assembly constituencies, and many of them are expected to see a close contest. Predicting who will win becomes very tough, but poll experts point to 37 “bellwether seats” which may help determine the eventual winner.

Since 1977, whichever party has won the majority of these seats has always gone on to form the government in the state.

These 37 seats make up about 13 per cent of the total 294 Assembly constituencies. They are spread across the state and include all types of seats – general, Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST).

Around 15 to 20 per cent of these seats are located in areas like central Kolkata, south Bengal, and Southwest Bengal. Constituencies such as Bhawanipur, Diamond Harbour, Ausgram, Uday Narayanpur, and Magrahat East have often followed the winning trend.

West Bengal stands out when compared to other states. Uttar Pradesh has just one such seat with a perfect record; Bihar and Maharashtra have none; Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have 3 each; Odisha and Gujarat have 5 each, and West Bengal alone has 37.

One major reason behind this strong trend is Bengal’s political history.

For nearly 50 years, the state was mostly ruled by two parties – the Left Front for 34 years and then the Trinamool Congress. Since governments didn’t change often, people in many of these seats got used to voting in line with the party that was popular across the state.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-election-bengal-election-result-37-bellwether-seats-that-accurately-show-bengals-poll-results-since-1977-11442172

Police say Priyank believed the academy director had substantial wealth and hatched the conspiracy to extort a large amount from her.

In a chilling crime that has stunned Bhopal, the director of a Delhi-based IAS coaching academy was allegedly kidnapped, held hostage for nearly four hours and forced to transfer Rs 1.89 crore online while a pistol was pressed against her temple. The man accused of masterminding the sensational crime was not a stranger, police say, but someone from within her professional circle, Priyank Sharma, who was running a franchise of the same academy in Bhopal.

According to police, Priyank Sharma lured Shubhra Ranjan, Director of Shubhra Ranjan IAS Academy, from Delhi to Bhopal under the pretext of expanding the institute, opening another centre and conducting a seminar. She came to Bhopal believing it was a business visit. Instead, police say, she walked into a carefully planned trap.

Shubhra Ranjan was staying at a 5-star hotel in Bhopal. On Wednesday afternoon, around 2 to 3 pm, Priyank allegedly picked her up from the hotel and took her to a rented flat in the Bagsewaniya area. There, according to the complaint and police investigation, armed men were already waiting. The victim and her associates were allegedly held captive, threatened with death and forced to transfer nearly Rs 1.89 crore into bank accounts linked to “Janakshila Society” and “RS Enterprises”.

The flat where the crime took place had allegedly been rented just one day before the incident. Criminals were allegedly called from Datia, Rewa and other places to execute the plan. Police say pistols and country-made firearms were used to terrorise the victim.

Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Singh said that a Sundarkand recital was allegedly organised at the same flat to drown out any screams or cries for help. The religious recitation, police say, was not an act of faith but a cover to ensure that the victim’s voice did not travel outside the house while she was being held hostage.

For nearly four hours, the victim remained trapped inside a room. With a gun allegedly pointed at her, she was forced to authorise online transfers. Police say the accused also coerced the victims into recording a staged video, apparently to create fear and pressure them into not approaching the police. The video allegedly showed a person tied with ropes and locked inside a box, to suggest that one of her associates could be kidnapped or harmed if she complained.

The complaint in the case was filed by Santosh Kumar, son of Nilendu Thakur, a resident of Hardev Nagar in Delhi. He stated that Shubhra Ranjan and her associates were called to Bhopal by Priyank Sharma and his accomplices under the pretext of admissions and seminars, then taken to an undisclosed location, held hostage by armed men and threatened with death.

Police say Priyank believed the academy director had substantial wealth and hatched the conspiracy to extort a large amount from her. The accused is the son of a retired BHEL official and had previously lived in Delhi, where he had prepared for the UPSC examination. His familiarity with the academy and its functioning allegedly helped him gain the victim’s trust.

After the money was transferred, the victim was released on Wednesday night. But by then, the Bhopal Crime Branch had begun moving quickly. Given the seriousness of the case, Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar formed a special team. Acting on technical evidence and leads, police conducted raids across Bagsewaniya, Katara Hills, Jhagariya village, Sage University, Ayodhya Nagar and Minal Residency.

As pressure mounted, Priyank allegedly began preparing to flee abroad and was reportedly in contact with agents for the same. Police say that, fearing arrest, he got himself admitted to the ICU of AIIMS Hospital in Bhopal, pretending to be seriously unwell.

But the attempt to hide behind a hospital bed did not work. After receiving a tip-off, the Crime Branch team reached AIIMS. Doctors were consulted and, once his condition was found stable, police took him into lawful custody. During the arrest, his mother and wife allegedly created a major commotion and tried to resist the police action, but the team went ahead and arrested him from the hospital.

Following Priyank’s interrogation, police arrested five of his accomplices. Six accused, including the alleged mastermind, have been produced before the court. Three more accused remain on run, and the Crime Branch is conducting searches to trace them.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ias-academy-director-kidnapped-forced-to-transfer-rs-1-8-crore-at-gunpoint-11443774

In commemoration of the day, Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities organised the third anniversary separately in their respective dominant districts of Manipur.

Rallies and shutdowns on Sunday in both Kuki-Zo and Meitei-dominated areas marked the third anniversary of ethnic violence, erupted on May 3, 2023 that claimed over 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000, followed by the imposition of President’s Rule for a year.

In commemoration of the day, Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities organised the third anniversary separately in their respective dominant districts of Manipur.

On Sunday, hundreds of protestors from Meitei groups organised processions in Imphal valley districts, Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupurwhich, seeking implementation of the NRC before the census and protection of Manipur’s administrative and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, the Kuki Zo organisations observed a shutdown in Kangpokpi district and held meetings in Churachandpur district to commemorate the victims of the violence.

Hundreds of protestors were witnessed in Bishnupur district’s Nambol area organised by the United Protection Committee, a civil body. While, a public convention under the banner ‘Three Years on Manipur Crisis’ was also organised in Imphal East by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex civil body of Manipur.

The convention also resolved six points demand to press the central government for reconciliation of peace in Manipur. Among the six points, COCOMI demanded commemorating May 3 as “Anti-Narco Terrorism Day”. “The public discourse is being held on the occasion of 3-years of conflict in the state, attacked by Kuki-ZO narco terrorist,” COCOMI spokesperson Shanta Nahakpam said.

Meanwhile, Kuki bodies called for total shutdown in Kangpokpi district while public meeting was held at Churachandpur district in commemoration of the victims of the crisis. Kangpokpi and Churachandpur are both Kuki-Zo dominated districts of Manipur. In both the districts, business establishments, public transportation services came to a standstill.

In Kangpokpi, Kuki body Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) had imposed a 12-hour total shutdown with effect from 6 am of Sunday.

Additionally, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a forum for Kuki-Zo community in Churachandpur district, commemorated the day as “separation day from Meitei” at Peace ground while Zomi community at the Martyrs Park in Churachandpur.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rallies-shutdowns-in-manipur-mark-third-anniversary-of-ethnic-violence-101777857776803.html