Blood, broken glass and accusations of a knife attack marked a chaotic Sunday at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, after a programme by an RSS-affiliated consumer group erupted into a campus-wide brawl that left students besieged inside their own institute for hours, chased into the library, and at least two hospitalised with serious injuries. This came just weeks after a similar clash rocked Jadavpur University.&nbsp;&nbsp;The trouble began after the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) held a programme in the institute’s main auditorium, which it had booked with the administration’s permission. Some students objected to a private organisation holding a meeting inside a government educational institution. They went to the auditorium and staged a protest, raising slogans.&nbsp;The ABGP is part of the broader Sangh Parivar affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is also the ideological parent body of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).&nbsp;According to the SRFTI Students’ Union, neither the union nor the wider student body had been informed that the event was taking place. Around 2 pm, students went to put up posters questioning why the auditorium had been given over to the group without their knowledge. ABGP members allegedly confronted them and tried to force them out, and the situation quickly turned physical.&nbsp;Students said they were called "anti-national," "urban Naxals" and "terrorists," and that ABGP members — some of whom chased protesters into the library, where a librarian was also allegedly assaulted — attacked them with fists, stones, bricks and sticks.&nbsp;Women students were allegedly manhandled, and some students claimed a knife was used in the assault. The union said students not even involved in the protest were chased down, and that professors were harassed as well.&nbsp;The students’ union said in a statement, “Several students took shelter inside the library. Members of the group followed them there as well, and the librarian was also physically harassed. The library was surrounded, leaving students and staff trapped inside their own institution in a frightening situation.”&nbsp;The ABGP president Pankaj Roy countered by saying that its members were assaulted by the students.&nbsp;It added that it had lawfully rented the hall and was holding a legitimate event when students tore down its posters and banners and turned violent. “We booked the hall by paying ₹15,000 in rent and obtaining permission from the authorities. Our organisation primarily works on consumer protection and creating awareness among consumers. But an attempt was made to disrupt our meeting. Pictures of Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda were torn down. Four people have already been admitted to the hospital. All the students are intoxicated there.”&nbsp;&nbsp;At least 27 people were taken for treatment, including 25 to Desun Hospital, including teachers and students, of whom four were discharged after first aid and two were admitted with serious injuries; two others with minor injuries were treated and released at KPC Medical Hospital.&nbsp;As word spread, students blocked the campus gates and stopped a bus carrying alleged RSS supporters, while bricks and bottles were hurled from outside.&nbsp;Police, led by Deputy Commissioner Arindam Sarkar, later detained a man students identified as main accused, though the union alleged officers were instead noting down complainants' details, raising fears of intimidation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The police eventually signed the students’ complaint and assured them that the matter would be investigated. The van then left the campus. After 8 pm, the crowd outside the gate also began to thin.&nbsp;The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) distanced itself from the incident, calling any attempt to link it to the organisation “factually incorrect and misleading” and urging an impartial inquiry before conclusions are drawn.&nbsp;SRFTI’s new vice-chancellor, who was due to visit the campus on October 1, rushed to Kolkata from Delhi on Sunday after learning of the violence and went straight to the campus after landing.&nbsp;West Bengal BJP’s spokesperson Debjit&nbsp; Sarkar reacted by calling the students “dimagi naxal”. He tweeted on X, “A programme depicting Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda in Bengal is now a "communal" programme. How these naxals are kicking, spitting and tearing down the picture of Swami Vivekananda.”&nbsp;&nbsp;West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee State president Subhankar Sarkar condemned what he called rampage by RSS-backed miscreants, invoking Satyajit Ray's own film Hirak Rajar Deshe as a warning against suppressing education and independent thought. He said the incident reflects an attempt to intimidate progressive voices and undermine free thinking in educational institutions, drew a parallel to the Gajendra Chauhan appointment row at FTII, and demanded a thorough investigation.&nbsp;Filmmaker Indranil Roychowdhury, who also teaches at the institution, described the incident as concerning. He said, “The incident is very worrying. From the images I have seen, the students were brutally beaten. Whatever may have happened, they cannot enter the students’ own campus and beat them like this. If something was objectionable, there were certainly ways to inform the authorities.”

ABGP president Pankaj Roy said its members were assaulted by the students. He added that ABGP had lawfully rented the hall and was holding a legitimate event when students tore down its posters and banners and turned violent.

Blood, broken glass and accusations of a knife attack marked a chaotic Sunday at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, after a programme by an RSS-affiliated consumer group erupted into a campus-wide brawl that left students besieged inside their own institute for hours, chased into the library, and at least two hospitalised with serious injuries. This came just weeks after a similar clash rocked Jadavpur University. The trouble began after the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) held a programme in the institute’s main auditorium, which it had booked with the administration’s permission. Some students objected to a private organisation holding a meeting inside a government educational institution. They went to the auditorium and staged a protest, raising slogans. The ABGP is part of the broader Sangh Parivar affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is also the ideological parent body of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to the SRFTI Students’ Union, neither the union nor the wider student body had been informed that the event was taking place. Around 2 pm, students went to put up posters questioning why the auditorium had been given over to the group without their knowledge. ABGP members allegedly confronted them and tried to force them out, and the situation quickly turned physical. Students said they were called "anti-national," "urban Naxals" and "terrorists," and that ABGP members — some of whom chased protesters into the library, where a librarian was also allegedly assaulted — attacked them with fists, stones, bricks and sticks. Women students were allegedly manhandled, and some students claimed a knife was used in the assault. The union said students not even involved in the protest were chased down, and that professors were harassed as well. The students’ union said in a statement, “Several students took shelter inside the library. Members of the group followed them there as well, and the librarian was also physically harassed. The library was surrounded, leaving students and staff trapped inside their own institution in a frightening situation.” The ABGP president Pankaj Roy countered by saying that its members were assaulted by the students. It added that it had lawfully rented the hall and was holding a legitimate event when students tore down its posters and banners and turned violent. “We booked the hall by paying ₹15,000 in rent and obtaining permission from the authorities. Our organisation primarily works on consumer protection and creating awareness among consumers. But an attempt was made to disrupt our meeting. Pictures of Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda were torn down. Four people have already been admitted to the hospital. All the students are intoxicated there.” At least 27 people were taken for treatment, including 25 to Desun Hospital, including teachers and students, of whom four were discharged after first aid and two were admitted with serious injuries; two others with minor injuries were treated and released at KPC Medical Hospital. As word spread, students blocked the campus gates and stopped a bus carrying alleged RSS supporters, while bricks and bottles were hurled from outside. Police, led by Deputy Commissioner Arindam Sarkar, later detained a man students identified as main accused, though the union alleged officers were instead noting down complainants' details, raising fears of intimidation. The police eventually signed the students’ complaint and assured them that the matter would be investigated. The van then left the campus. After 8 pm, the crowd outside the gate also began to thin. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) distanced itself from the incident, calling any attempt to link it to the organisation “factually incorrect and misleading” and urging an impartial inquiry before conclusions are drawn. SRFTI’s new vice-chancellor, who was due to visit the campus on October 1, rushed to Kolkata from Delhi on Sunday after learning of the violence and went straight to the campus after landing. West Bengal BJP’s spokesperson Debjit Sarkar reacted by calling the students “dimagi naxal”. He tweeted on X, “A programme depicting Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda in Bengal is now a "communal" programme. How these naxals are kicking, spitting and tearing down the picture of Swami Vivekananda.” West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee State president Subhankar Sarkar condemned what he called rampage by RSS-backed miscreants, invoking Satyajit Ray's own film Hirak Rajar Deshe as a warning against suppressing education and independent thought. He said the incident reflects an attempt to intimidate progressive voices and undermine free thinking in educational institutions, drew a parallel to the Gajendra Chauhan appointment row at FTII, and demanded a thorough investigation. Filmmaker Indranil Roychowdhury, who also teaches at the institution, described the incident as concerning. He said, “The incident is very worrying. From the images I have seen, the students were brutally beaten. Whatever may have happened, they cannot enter the students’ own campus and beat them like this. If something was objectionable, there were certainly ways to inform the authorities.”

ABGP president Pankaj Roy said its members were assaulted by the students.&nbsp;He added that ABGP had lawfully rented the hall and was holding a legitimate event when students tore down its posters and banners and turned violent.

After JU, clash erupts at SRFTI: BJP’s ‘Dimagi Naxal’ jibe sparks political firestorm after students protest RSS-linked event

The West Bengal government on Wednesday handed over land to 33 industrial units on Wednesday at Milan Mela, in a push that Minister Tapas Roy says will bring in nearly ₹60,000 crore of investment and generate around 62,000 jobs. The event, originally planned for Baj Baj on the 26th, was moved up after industry bodies flagged that Pitru Paksha begins that day.Land has gone to units across semiconductors, defence and ammunition, solar energy, electric vehicles, pharmaceuticals, steel, food processing, textiles, engineering and MSMEs, spread across WBIDC and WBIIDC parks in Salt Lake, Falta, Ankurhati, Uluberia, Naihati, Kalyani, Haringhata, Kharagpur, Panagarh, Raghunathpur and Cooch Behar, among others.Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal said the allotments came with strict conditions attached. "The focus was not on who is being given the land, but on who will be able to complete their project within three years of receiving the land, by 2029," he said, adding that this timeline has been written into the handover agreements themselves. He pointed to past cases where big-ticket announcements never translated into actual construction, leaving land lying idle, and said the government wanted to guard against a repeat. "West Bengal is the land of investment," he said, noting interest from both domestic and foreign industrialists.Industries Minister Tapas Roy called it a day worth remembering. "Even many years from now, the people of West Bengal will remember this day," he said, describing the land handover as the foundation of a self-reliant Bengal. Roy said the government, not yet 150 days old, had brought about more than a political change. "There was never a shortage of land for setting up industries in West Bengal. What was lacking was sincerity and the right approach," he said, adding that small and medium industries mattered as much as big investors, and that industrialisation must extend into Rarh Bengal. He set December 31, 2029 as the deadline for projects to be completed, so the Chief Minister could inaugurate them rather than the state having to reclaim the land.The sharpest remarks came from Suvendu Adhikari, who blamed the CPI(M) for undoing the industrial groundwork laid by Bidhan Chandra Roy, and accused Mamata Banerjee of driving the Tatas out of Singur through what he called negative politics. He said the state was now buying land directly for industry without police involvement, backed by a "double-engine government," and claimed extortion had stopped since May 9. A toll-free number, 155-335, has been set up for industrialists to report threats or extortion attempts.Adhikari also said a ₹5,000-crore incentive fund had been created, with support tied to employment generation rather than investment size, and that the state's industrial policy would be announced before Durga Puja. He referred to a pending DRDO proposal for a missile-launching station at Junput, an Ambani group visit planned for next week, a foundation stone to be laid for a 1,000-bed Adani hospital, and an agreement under the Centre's UDAN scheme covering five airports, including Kalaikunda, Balurghat and Purulia.

The sharpest remarks came from Suvendu Adhikari, who blamed the CPI(M) for undoing the industrial groundwork laid by Bidhan Chandra Roy, and accused Mamata Banerjee of driving the Tatas out of Singur through what he called negative politics. 

The West Bengal government on Wednesday handed over land to 33 industrial units on Wednesday at Milan Mela, in a push that Minister Tapas Roy says will bring in nearly ₹60,000 crore of investment and generate around 62,000 jobs. The event, originally planned for Baj Baj on the 26th, was moved up after industry bodies flagged that Pitru Paksha begins that day. Land has gone to units across semiconductors, defence and ammunition, solar energy, electric vehicles, pharmaceuticals, steel, food processing, textiles, engineering and MSMEs, spread across WBIDC and WBIIDC parks in Salt Lake, Falta, Ankurhati, Uluberia, Naihati, Kalyani, Haringhata, Kharagpur, Panagarh, Raghunathpur and Cooch Behar, among others. Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal said the allotments came with strict conditions attached. "The focus was not on who is being given the land, but on who will be able to complete their project within three years of receiving the land, by 2029," he said, adding that this timeline has been written into the handover agreements themselves. He pointed to past cases where big-ticket announcements never translated into actual construction, leaving land lying idle, and said the government wanted to guard against a repeat. "West Bengal is the land of investment," he said, noting interest from both domestic and foreign industrialists. Industries Minister Tapas Roy called it a day worth remembering. "Even many years from now, the people of West Bengal will remember this day," he said, describing the land handover as the foundation of a self-reliant Bengal. Roy said the government, not yet 150 days old, had brought about more than a political change. "There was never a shortage of land for setting up industries in West Bengal. What was lacking was sincerity and the right approach," he said, adding that small and medium industries mattered as much as big investors, and that industrialisation must extend into Rarh Bengal. He set December 31, 2029 as the deadline for projects to be completed, so the Chief Minister could inaugurate them rather than the state having to reclaim the land. The sharpest remarks came from Suvendu Adhikari, who blamed the CPI(M) for undoing the industrial groundwork laid by Bidhan Chandra Roy, and accused Mamata Banerjee of driving the Tatas out of Singur through what he called negative politics. He said the state was now buying land directly for industry without police involvement, backed by a "double-engine government," and claimed extortion had stopped since May 9. A toll-free number, 155-335, has been set up for industrialists to report threats or extortion attempts. Adhikari also said a ₹5,000-crore incentive fund had been created, with support tied to employment generation rather than investment size, and that the state's industrial policy would be announced before Durga Puja. He referred to a pending DRDO proposal for a missile-launching station at Junput, an Ambani group visit planned for next week, a foundation stone to be laid for a 1,000-bed Adani hospital, and an agreement under the Centre's UDAN scheme covering five airports, including Kalaikunda, Balurghat and Purulia.

The sharpest remarks came from Suvendu Adhikari, who blamed the CPI(M) for undoing the industrial groundwork laid by Bidhan Chandra Roy, and accused Mamata Banerjee of driving the Tatas out of Singur through what he called negative politics.&nbsp;

60,000 crore, 62,000 jobs, one deadline: Bengal's new land push comes with a 2029 ultimatum

Hours after a media report revealed deep internal rifts in the Election Commission of India, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded the revival of its earlier impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of undermining the poll body's independence.Rajya Sabha MP and senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien said the party would press to bring out the motion previously submitted by more than 60 Rajya Sabha MPs seeking Kumar's removal. "Five months ago, 60 Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar," O'Brien posted on X. Referring to the latest disclosures, he added: "After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy."The trigger for this fresh push was an Indian Express report claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to key decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The two commissioners allegedly said major orders on voter additions, deletions, restorations and form changes were issued without their knowledge, with some branded "unauthorised and illegal."One of the sharpest points of internal disagreement centred on appeals arising from the SIR exercise in West Bengal. After the Supreme Court directed judicial officers to decide on roughly 60 lakh "logical discrepancy" cases, appellate tribunals headed by retired High Court judges were set up. Of the nearly 38 lakh appeals filed, about 16.1 lakh challenged the inclusion of voters whom those judicial officers had already cleared.In August, according to the Express report, Sandhu formally questioned who had authorised the filing of these appeals on behalf of the Election Commission and who had actually filed them. He recorded that neither he, Joshi, nor the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer had been informed of the basis or process — one of at least 14 objections raised by the two commissioners over ten months, spotlighting concerns over decisions taken without their knowledge and the centralisation of key actions within the Commission.However, sources say all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including those on SIR, have been unanimous and taken with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.The nationwide SIR exercise has already led to the deletion of crores of names and drawn sharp opposition criticism for alleged irregularities. In West Bengal specifically, the exercise deleted roughly 90.8 lakh voters — about 12% of the electorate — with deletions disproportionately concentrated in TMC strongholds and Muslim-majority seats. In 160 of the state's 294 constituencies, the number of deleted voters exceeded the eventual winning margin; of those 160 seats, the BJP won 105 against the TMC's 53 — a sharp reversal from 2021, when TMC had carried 140 of these same seats and the BJP just 20. TMC has pointed to this as evidence that SIR significantly amplified its 2026 defeat.A fresh notice of motion, addressed to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, seeks an address to President Droupadi Murmu for Kumar's removal on grounds of "proved misbehaviour." It invokes Article 324(5) of the Constitution, related provisions of the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. The notice focuses on alleged acts and omissions by Kumar from March 15, 2026, onwards, and is backed by the required number of members under the applicable rules.The earlier opposition motion, submitted in March by INDIA bloc MPs including a large TMC contingent, had been rejected in April by the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker without stated reasons. That notice had alleged partisan conduct, obstruction of probes into electoral issues, and mass disenfranchisement tied to the SIR process.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Trinamool Congress revived an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following reports that two Election Commissioners repeatedly objected to unauthorized decisions made during West Bengal's electoral roll revisions.

Hours after a media report revealed deep internal rifts in the Election Commission of India, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded the revival of its earlier impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of undermining the poll body's independence. Rajya Sabha MP and senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien said the party would press to bring out the motion previously submitted by more than 60 Rajya Sabha MPs seeking Kumar's removal. "Five months ago, 60 Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar," O'Brien posted on X. Referring to the latest disclosures, he added: "After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy." The trigger for this fresh push was an Indian Express report claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to key decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The two commissioners allegedly said major orders on voter additions, deletions, restorations and form changes were issued without their knowledge, with some branded "unauthorised and illegal." One of the sharpest points of internal disagreement centred on appeals arising from the SIR exercise in West Bengal. After the Supreme Court directed judicial officers to decide on roughly 60 lakh "logical discrepancy" cases, appellate tribunals headed by retired High Court judges were set up. Of the nearly 38 lakh appeals filed, about 16.1 lakh challenged the inclusion of voters whom those judicial officers had already cleared. In August, according to the Express report, Sandhu formally questioned who had authorised the filing of these appeals on behalf of the Election Commission and who had actually filed them. He recorded that neither he, Joshi, nor the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer had been informed of the basis or process — one of at least 14 objections raised by the two commissioners over ten months, spotlighting concerns over decisions taken without their knowledge and the centralisation of key actions within the Commission. However, sources say all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including those on SIR, have been unanimous and taken with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner. The nationwide SIR exercise has already led to the deletion of crores of names and drawn sharp opposition criticism for alleged irregularities. In West Bengal specifically, the exercise deleted roughly 90.8 lakh voters — about 12% of the electorate — with deletions disproportionately concentrated in TMC strongholds and Muslim-majority seats. In 160 of the state's 294 constituencies, the number of deleted voters exceeded the eventual winning margin; of those 160 seats, the BJP won 105 against the TMC's 53 — a sharp reversal from 2021, when TMC had carried 140 of these same seats and the BJP just 20. TMC has pointed to this as evidence that SIR significantly amplified its 2026 defeat. A fresh notice of motion, addressed to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, seeks an address to President Droupadi Murmu for Kumar's removal on grounds of "proved misbehaviour." It invokes Article 324(5) of the Constitution, related provisions of the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. The notice focuses on alleged acts and omissions by Kumar from March 15, 2026, onwards, and is backed by the required number of members under the applicable rules. The earlier opposition motion, submitted in March by INDIA bloc MPs including a large TMC contingent, had been rejected in April by the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker without stated reasons. That notice had alleged partisan conduct, obstruction of probes into electoral issues, and mass disenfranchisement tied to the SIR process.

The Trinamool Congress revived an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following reports that two Election Commissioners repeatedly objected to unauthorized decisions made during West Bengal's electoral roll revisions.

TMC revives impeachment push against CEC Gyanesh Kumar after report of internal dissent

A deep depression bearing down on the Bay of Bengal coast is on track to cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast by the night of September 23, the India Meteorological Department said, as orange alerts went up across six states and red alerts remained active in two Andhra districts.&nbsp;The IMD placed the depression near latitude 17.9°N and longitude 85.8°E — about 180 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 180 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, 210 km south of Puri, and 270 km east of Visakhapatnam. The system had slowed to 8 kmph over the previous six hours, down from 18 kmph earlier in the day. The IMD said it "is very likely to move west-northwestwards &amp; intensify into a deep depression" over the next 12 hours before crossing the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by the night of September 23, effectively confirming landfall before midnight tomorrow.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-on-nations-to-quit-rogue-and-out-of-control-international-criminal-court-rips-un-1790102584297">Trump calls on nations to quit ‘rogue’ and ‘out-of-control’ International Criminal Court, rips UN</a>&nbsp;A district-wise IMD nowcast issued at 10 pm, valid through 1 am on September 23, placed eleven districts of coastal and northern Andhra Pradesh, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Kakinada and East and West Godavari, under an orange alert for thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds of 40–60 kmph and moderate to intense rain of 5–15 mm/hour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eleven Odisha districts, among them Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Kalahandi and Balangir, were placed under the same warning level. The nowcast's reach extended well beyond the immediate cyclone belt, with orange alerts also issued for districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Maharashtra, including Pune, Raigad and Thane — underlining how far this weather system's influence is being felt inland.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strike-a-deal-or-drive-iran-into-hell-trump-issues-fresh-warning-to-tehran-at-unga-1790090594288">‘Strike a deal or drive Iran into hell’: Trump issues fresh warning to Tehran at UNGA</a>&nbsp;No district was placed under the more severe red warning in this nowcast window, though red alerts issued earlier in the day for Srikakulam and Vizianagaram remain in force. The IMD's advisory urged people to stay alert, avoid sheltering under trees or weak structures, and steer clear of flood- or landslide-prone areas.&nbsp;The system has not yet been officially classified as a cyclone; that designation requires sustained winds of at least 63 kmph, and the depression remains below that mark. Should it cross the threshold, it will be named Arnab, the first cyclone in the North Indian Ocean since Cyclone Ditwah killed more than 600 people across Sri Lanka and India in November 2025.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-will-stand-by-its-security-commitments-to-saudi-arabia-says-marco-rubio-1790084064717">‘US will stand by its security commitments to Saudi Arabia,’ says Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system "could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone," even as she confirmed emergency personnel remain on standby.

Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system “could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone.”

A deep depression bearing down on the Bay of Bengal coast is on track to cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast by the night of September 23, the India Meteorological Department said, as orange alerts went up across six states and red alerts remained active in two Andhra districts. The IMD placed the depression near latitude 17.9°N and longitude 85.8°E — about 180 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 180 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, 210 km south of Puri, and 270 km east of Visakhapatnam. The system had slowed to 8 kmph over the previous six hours, down from 18 kmph earlier in the day. The IMD said it "is very likely to move west-northwestwards & intensify into a deep depression" over the next 12 hours before crossing the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by the night of September 23, effectively confirming landfall before midnight tomorrow. Also Read: Trump calls on nations to quit ‘rogue’ and ‘out-of-control’ International Criminal Court, rips UN A district-wise IMD nowcast issued at 10 pm, valid through 1 am on September 23, placed eleven districts of coastal and northern Andhra Pradesh, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Kakinada and East and West Godavari, under an orange alert for thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds of 40–60 kmph and moderate to intense rain of 5–15 mm/hour. Eleven Odisha districts, among them Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Kalahandi and Balangir, were placed under the same warning level. The nowcast's reach extended well beyond the immediate cyclone belt, with orange alerts also issued for districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Maharashtra, including Pune, Raigad and Thane — underlining how far this weather system's influence is being felt inland. Also Read: ‘Strike a deal or drive Iran into hell’: Trump issues fresh warning to Tehran at UNGA No district was placed under the more severe red warning in this nowcast window, though red alerts issued earlier in the day for Srikakulam and Vizianagaram remain in force. The IMD's advisory urged people to stay alert, avoid sheltering under trees or weak structures, and steer clear of flood- or landslide-prone areas. The system has not yet been officially classified as a cyclone; that designation requires sustained winds of at least 63 kmph, and the depression remains below that mark. Should it cross the threshold, it will be named Arnab, the first cyclone in the North Indian Ocean since Cyclone Ditwah killed more than 600 people across Sri Lanka and India in November 2025. Also Read: ‘US will stand by its security commitments to Saudi Arabia,’ says Marco Rubio Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system "could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone," even as she confirmed emergency personnel remain on standby.

Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system “could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone.”

Cyclone Arnab: Landfall expected before midnight tomorrow as IMD issues orange alerts across six states

In 1978, Aditya Vikram Birla was allegedly forced out of his car near the Reserve Bank of India's Kolkata branch and made to walk to his office, a moment that came to symbolise Bengal's industrial troubles. He moved his offices to Mumbai to escape labour unrest and frequent gheraos. Now, his family's conglomerate appears ready to look at the state again. &nbsp;Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla held an extensive meeting with Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday. He is scheduled to meet chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Monday.&nbsp;"He will invest more in this state... He is also looking into the possibility of expanding his existing operations in Bengal," Bhattacharya said after the meeting.&nbsp;The talks followed a letter Bhattacharya wrote to Birla after the BJP took office, asking the group to expand in Bengal and pointing to the government's efforts to create an investment-friendly environment.&nbsp;Bhattacharya has previously criticised what he called "militant trade unionism" in the state. The 1978 episode was followed by an exodus of other industrial houses, including the Singhanias and Thapars, who moved their headquarters to Delhi and other states. The Aditya Birla Group, however, never fully left and retained an operational presence in Bengal.&nbsp;"CITU had driven Aditya Birla out of Bengal... However, the family did not lose their affection for the state," Bhattacharya said, describing the interaction as "very positive".&nbsp;In a post on X, he said the discussions covered Bengal's industrial potential, geographical advantages, skilled human resources, ports and communication infrastructure.&nbsp;Earlier in the day, Bhattacharya visited ONGC's oilfield at Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas, where he assured officials of zero political interference from any BJP worker, MP or MLA. "There is no scope for politics over mineral resources," he said, according to his remarks at the site.&nbsp;He alleged that the previous state government had not cooperated, claiming the petroleum minister had sent 19 letters to the former chief minister about the Petroleum Mining Leases needed for extraction, without response.&nbsp;Commercial crude production began at the Baigachhi oilfield on Aug 28, with the first 12,000-litre consignment sent to the Haldia refinery. Bhattacharya also pointed to gas exploration in Ranaghat and offshore oil exploration in the Bay of Bengal.&nbsp;"Political vendetta had compromised the country's energy security for so long," he said.

Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya wrote to Birla, asking the group to expand in Bengal and pointing to the government's efforts to create an investment-friendly environment.

In 1978, Aditya Vikram Birla was allegedly forced out of his car near the Reserve Bank of India's Kolkata branch and made to walk to his office, a moment that came to symbolise Bengal's industrial troubles. He moved his offices to Mumbai to escape labour unrest and frequent gheraos. Now, his family's conglomerate appears ready to look at the state again. Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla held an extensive meeting with Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday. He is scheduled to meet chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Monday. "He will invest more in this state... He is also looking into the possibility of expanding his existing operations in Bengal," Bhattacharya said after the meeting. The talks followed a letter Bhattacharya wrote to Birla after the BJP took office, asking the group to expand in Bengal and pointing to the government's efforts to create an investment-friendly environment. Bhattacharya has previously criticised what he called "militant trade unionism" in the state. The 1978 episode was followed by an exodus of other industrial houses, including the Singhanias and Thapars, who moved their headquarters to Delhi and other states. The Aditya Birla Group, however, never fully left and retained an operational presence in Bengal. "CITU had driven Aditya Birla out of Bengal... However, the family did not lose their affection for the state," Bhattacharya said, describing the interaction as "very positive". In a post on X, he said the discussions covered Bengal's industrial potential, geographical advantages, skilled human resources, ports and communication infrastructure. Earlier in the day, Bhattacharya visited ONGC's oilfield at Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas, where he assured officials of zero political interference from any BJP worker, MP or MLA. "There is no scope for politics over mineral resources," he said, according to his remarks at the site. He alleged that the previous state government had not cooperated, claiming the petroleum minister had sent 19 letters to the former chief minister about the Petroleum Mining Leases needed for extraction, without response. Commercial crude production began at the Baigachhi oilfield on Aug 28, with the first 12,000-litre consignment sent to the Haldia refinery. Bhattacharya also pointed to gas exploration in Ranaghat and offshore oil exploration in the Bay of Bengal. "Political vendetta had compromised the country's energy security for so long," he said.

Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya wrote to Birla, asking the group to expand in Bengal and pointing to the government's efforts to create an investment-friendly environment.

Four decades after leaving Kolkata, the Birlas may be coming back for more

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (Sep 18) condemned the arrest of the party’s Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan as “political revenge” and the “murder of democracy,” while West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said his Democratic Trinamool Congress had lodged a complaint against Pradhan, who faces three pending murder cases, stressing that warrants must be executed during elections. &nbsp;Pradhan was taken into custody hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced support for the Congress nominee following the withdrawal of her faction’s candidate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gandhi accused the BJP of lacking faith in fair polls and seeking to cling to power through “vote theft,” “stealing governments” and “stealing parties,” vowing that Congress “will neither fear nor bow down” and “will fight—and we will win.” Banerjee countered that state Congress leaders had likely not shared the full details of the cases with Gandhi.&nbsp;Banerjee said the timing of the arrest "raises serious questions" and called it "the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case." She added: "Minutes after we extended our support to the Congress candidate for the bypoll in Nandigram, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested."&nbsp;Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said "democracy is on ventilator in BJP's West Bengal" and accused the BJP of "using a dormant 19-year-old case from 2007 to arrest our candidate." He said the move showed the party "will go to any lengths to hijack democracy."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-claims-nandigram-candidate-milan-pradhan-arrested-hours-after-mamata-backs-him-1789741989508/amp">Hours after Mamata backs Congress in Nandigram, its candidate is arrested; her own nominee had quit after meeting CM</a>&nbsp;Former Lok Sabha Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the arrest "astonishing" and questioned why Pradhan was not detained when he filed his nomination and took the oath before the returning officer. "BJP got scared and out of desperation, it arrested him," he said, alleging BJP influence over the Election Commission. State Congress president Subhankar Sarkar questioned Pradhan's whereabouts, saying an EC official claimed to be unaware of the arrest. He said the party would hold a "Nandigram Chalo" protest.&nbsp;Pradesh Congress secretary Subhashis Bhattacharya, who was also taken into custody, alleged that police forcibly removed Pradhan from a house in Chandipur, accompanied by a BJP person. Bhattacharya said he was asleep when he heard Pradhan shouting for help. He argued with the police for about 15 minutes, saying Pradhan was a party candidate and worker, before he too was detained, he claimed.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-fields-hasirani-rath-mother-of-slain-aide-chandranath-rath-as-candidate-from-nandigram-for-october-6-bypoll-1789455982325">BJP fields Hasirani Rath, mother of slain aide Chandranath Rath, as candidate from Nandigram for October 6 bypoll</a> Speaking to ANI, he alleged that the two were then driven in separate vehicles towards Mandarmani, that he was made to keep his eyes closed, and that at a resort he was told to persuade Pradhan to withdraw his nomination. Bhattacharya said he refused, adding that authorities "can impose UAPA on both of us."&nbsp;A senior police officer described the action as a routine review of old warrants unrelated to the bypoll. Congress has said it will approach the High Court and the Election Commission. The arrest does not by itself disqualify Pradhan, though custody could hinder his campaign. Voting is on 6 October. &nbsp;

Political row erupts over the arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the Nandigram bypoll. While Congress alleges political vendetta, rival Trinamool leaders demand the execution of pending warrants. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (Sep 18) condemned the arrest of the party’s Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan as “political revenge” and the “murder of democracy,” while West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said his Democratic Trinamool Congress had lodged a complaint against Pradhan, who faces three pending murder cases, stressing that warrants must be executed during elections. Pradhan was taken into custody hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced support for the Congress nominee following the withdrawal of her faction’s candidate. Gandhi accused the BJP of lacking faith in fair polls and seeking to cling to power through “vote theft,” “stealing governments” and “stealing parties,” vowing that Congress “will neither fear nor bow down” and “will fight—and we will win.” Banerjee countered that state Congress leaders had likely not shared the full details of the cases with Gandhi. Banerjee said the timing of the arrest "raises serious questions" and called it "the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case." She added: "Minutes after we extended our support to the Congress candidate for the bypoll in Nandigram, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested." Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said "democracy is on ventilator in BJP's West Bengal" and accused the BJP of "using a dormant 19-year-old case from 2007 to arrest our candidate." He said the move showed the party "will go to any lengths to hijack democracy." Also read: Hours after Mamata backs Congress in Nandigram, its candidate is arrested; her own nominee had quit after meeting CM Former Lok Sabha Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the arrest "astonishing" and questioned why Pradhan was not detained when he filed his nomination and took the oath before the returning officer. "BJP got scared and out of desperation, it arrested him," he said, alleging BJP influence over the Election Commission. State Congress president Subhankar Sarkar questioned Pradhan's whereabouts, saying an EC official claimed to be unaware of the arrest. He said the party would hold a "Nandigram Chalo" protest. Pradesh Congress secretary Subhashis Bhattacharya, who was also taken into custody, alleged that police forcibly removed Pradhan from a house in Chandipur, accompanied by a BJP person. Bhattacharya said he was asleep when he heard Pradhan shouting for help. He argued with the police for about 15 minutes, saying Pradhan was a party candidate and worker, before he too was detained, he claimed. Also read: BJP fields Hasirani Rath, mother of slain aide Chandranath Rath, as candidate from Nandigram for October 6 bypoll Speaking to ANI, he alleged that the two were then driven in separate vehicles towards Mandarmani, that he was made to keep his eyes closed, and that at a resort he was told to persuade Pradhan to withdraw his nomination. Bhattacharya said he refused, adding that authorities "can impose UAPA on both of us." A senior police officer described the action as a routine review of old warrants unrelated to the bypoll. Congress has said it will approach the High Court and the Election Commission. The arrest does not by itself disqualify Pradhan, though custody could hinder his campaign. Voting is on 6 October.

Political row erupts over the arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the Nandigram bypoll. While Congress alleges political vendetta, rival Trinamool leaders demand the execution of pending warrants.

Nandigram arrest row: Congress cries vendetta, rival Trinamool says warrants "must be executed"

Hours after Mamata Banerjee extended her support to Congress in Nandigram, the party's bypoll candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday in an old murder case. The same day, her own candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, had withdrawn from the race after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, leaving her camp without a nominee. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Subhankar Sarkar called the arrest proof that the BJP is pushing for "one-party rule" in the state.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sarkar said Pradhan had raised concerns just before his arrest. "Milan Pradhan had said that an atmosphere of fear was being created," Sarkar said. "Fifteen minutes after that phone conversation, he was arrested. When asked why he was arrested, no reason was given."Sarkar said Congress leader Tata Bhattacharya was also taken into custody. He said he had warned police in advance. "The day before yesterday, I told the IC not to obstruct our campaign," he said. "This same IC was in place in 2021 as well."&nbsp;He said the party could get no answers about the arrests. "Every police station says 'we don't know.' No police officer can say, and even the Commission cannot say."&nbsp;Sarkar accused the BJP of working toward a single-party system. "The BJP says 'One Nation, One Vote.' So will there be only one political party?" he asked. "We will go to the High Court."&nbsp;He also targeted the Chief Minister over the bypoll. "This is the first election they have to face since the Assembly election, and they want to loot votes," Sarkar said. "When he was Leader of Opposition, he used to say Trinamool was looting votes. What is this?"&nbsp;Turning to the Election Commission's decision to split the Trinamool Congress, Sarkar questioned its role. "We want to ask the BJP and the Election Commission: what was the Commission's role in the matter of registration and the symbol?" he said. "Just as the Commission helped earlier in vote theft, it has now helped in symbol theft." Sarkar announced a programme of agitation. "We will go to court tomorrow. From tomorrow,&nbsp; Congress will hold protests in front of every police station. After that, we will give a call for 'Nandigram Chalo'," he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/inside-tata-sons-boardroom-battle-chandra-s-return-listing-and-noel-tata-s-objection-1789738087203">Inside Tata Sons’ boardroom battle: Chandra’s return, listing and Noel Tata’s objection</a><h2>Background</h2>Sanchita Pradhan Dey, fielded by the Mamata faction, met Adhikari at Nabanna on Friday and then withdrew her nomination. Banerjee then announced her faction would back Congress in Nandigram instead of fielding another candidate. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party had not asked for her support.&nbsp;An East Midnapore district police official said Pradhan is accused in an old murder case linked to the 2007 Nandigram violence and that a warrant had already been issued against him. The BJP's East Midnapore unit rejected the allegation of political motive and said the party had no connection with the arrest.&nbsp;The Election Commission also split the Trinamool Congress into two factions on Friday, assigning each a new name and symbol. The Mamata faction will contest as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress," and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the "Democratic Trinamool Congress."&nbsp;Nandigram, one of the two seats Adhikari won in the 2026 Assembly elections, goes to a bypoll on October 6 along with Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for Oct 9.&nbsp;

Congress claimed that Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her faction’s support for him and the Congress candidate.

Hours after Mamata Banerjee extended her support to Congress in Nandigram, the party's bypoll candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday in an old murder case. The same day, her own candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, had withdrawn from the race after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, leaving her camp without a nominee. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Subhankar Sarkar called the arrest proof that the BJP is pushing for "one-party rule" in the state. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sarkar said Pradhan had raised concerns just before his arrest. "Milan Pradhan had said that an atmosphere of fear was being created," Sarkar said. "Fifteen minutes after that phone conversation, he was arrested. When asked why he was arrested, no reason was given." Sarkar said Congress leader Tata Bhattacharya was also taken into custody. He said he had warned police in advance. "The day before yesterday, I told the IC not to obstruct our campaign," he said. "This same IC was in place in 2021 as well." He said the party could get no answers about the arrests. "Every police station says 'we don't know.' No police officer can say, and even the Commission cannot say." Sarkar accused the BJP of working toward a single-party system. "The BJP says 'One Nation, One Vote.' So will there be only one political party?" he asked. "We will go to the High Court." He also targeted the Chief Minister over the bypoll. "This is the first election they have to face since the Assembly election, and they want to loot votes," Sarkar said. "When he was Leader of Opposition, he used to say Trinamool was looting votes. What is this?" Turning to the Election Commission's decision to split the Trinamool Congress, Sarkar questioned its role. "We want to ask the BJP and the Election Commission: what was the Commission's role in the matter of registration and the symbol?" he said. "Just as the Commission helped earlier in vote theft, it has now helped in symbol theft." Sarkar announced a programme of agitation. "We will go to court tomorrow. From tomorrow, Congress will hold protests in front of every police station. After that, we will give a call for 'Nandigram Chalo'," he said. Also Read: Inside Tata Sons’ boardroom battle: Chandra’s return, listing and Noel Tata’s objection Background Sanchita Pradhan Dey, fielded by the Mamata faction, met Adhikari at Nabanna on Friday and then withdrew her nomination. Banerjee then announced her faction would back Congress in Nandigram instead of fielding another candidate. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party had not asked for her support. An East Midnapore district police official said Pradhan is accused in an old murder case linked to the 2007 Nandigram violence and that a warrant had already been issued against him. The BJP's East Midnapore unit rejected the allegation of political motive and said the party had no connection with the arrest. The Election Commission also split the Trinamool Congress into two factions on Friday, assigning each a new name and symbol. The Mamata faction will contest as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress," and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the "Democratic Trinamool Congress." Nandigram, one of the two seats Adhikari won in the 2026 Assembly elections, goes to a bypoll on October 6 along with Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for Oct 9.

Congress claimed that Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her faction’s support for him and the Congress candidate.

Hours after Mamata backs Congress in Nandigram, its candidate is arrested; her own nominee had quit after meeting CM

In classic 'khela hobe' fashion, the Election Commission of India has tentatively allotted the Arup Roy-led group the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with an envelope symbol, while Mamata Banerjee's group has been allotted ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a football player symbol, interim arrangements meant to hold until the underlying ownership dispute over the party's original identity is resolved.&nbsp;The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17, barring both the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction from using the original party identity in the upcoming October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, polls that carry outsized symbolic weight after Mamata's 15-year hold on the state government.&nbsp;By Friday's 11 am deadline, both camps had submitted their wish lists to the Commission. The Ritabrata faction, which commands the backing of most sitting legislators, wanted to keep ‘Trinamool’ alive in whatever name it was given next. The Mamata camp, by contrast, pushed for her own name front and center, proposing ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ among its options, alongside a football player as its preferred symbol, with a cricket bat as backup.&nbsp;Reactions from the two sides diverged sharply. Ritabrata Banerjee framed the ruling as a vindication of constitutional process, posting that politics is ‘a permanent war; a war at every hour; a war at every minute’. Opposition Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, a Ritabrata loyalist, said his side would comply with the order for now while remaining confident that when the EC gives its final verdict, we will get the official and original name and symbol.&nbsp;On the other side, Mamata loyalist and MP Kalyan Banerjee rejected the order outright, calling it ‘contrary to law’ and citing what he described as legal infirmities in how it was framed, while signaling the camp would respond by the following morning. Fellow loyalist Kunal Ghosh took a more combative, almost theatrical tack, reportedly suggesting the rival faction should apply for the 'pillow' symbol, literally listed at number 116 on the ECI's roster, and insisting Mamata still has backup plans in reserve.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, the stakes appear to be climbing further. Sources indicate the Mamata camp, including MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, held extended legal consultations in Delhi over whether to challenge the ECI's interim order at the Supreme Court, weighing whether a court fight could actually deliver relief before the bypolls, or simply invite delay. Adding a national dimension to the standoff, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly phoned Mamata Banerjee late Thursday night to convey that the fight over the Trinamool identity was not hers alone, but a cause the wider opposition intended to back.&nbsp;The symbolism cuts deep: the twin-flower emblem has represented Mamata's political journey since she broke from the Congress in 1997 and launched the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998. Twenty-eight years, a Kolkata Municipal Corporation win, the Singur and Nandigram movements, and three terms as Chief Minister later, that emblem now sits outside her camp's control, at least until the Commission's final word.

The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17

In classic 'khela hobe' fashion, the Election Commission of India has tentatively allotted the Arup Roy-led group the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with an envelope symbol, while Mamata Banerjee's group has been allotted ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a football player symbol, interim arrangements meant to hold until the underlying ownership dispute over the party's original identity is resolved. The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17, barring both the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction from using the original party identity in the upcoming October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, polls that carry outsized symbolic weight after Mamata's 15-year hold on the state government. By Friday's 11 am deadline, both camps had submitted their wish lists to the Commission. The Ritabrata faction, which commands the backing of most sitting legislators, wanted to keep ‘Trinamool’ alive in whatever name it was given next. The Mamata camp, by contrast, pushed for her own name front and center, proposing ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ among its options, alongside a football player as its preferred symbol, with a cricket bat as backup. Reactions from the two sides diverged sharply. Ritabrata Banerjee framed the ruling as a vindication of constitutional process, posting that politics is ‘a permanent war; a war at every hour; a war at every minute’. Opposition Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, a Ritabrata loyalist, said his side would comply with the order for now while remaining confident that when the EC gives its final verdict, we will get the official and original name and symbol. On the other side, Mamata loyalist and MP Kalyan Banerjee rejected the order outright, calling it ‘contrary to law’ and citing what he described as legal infirmities in how it was framed, while signaling the camp would respond by the following morning. Fellow loyalist Kunal Ghosh took a more combative, almost theatrical tack, reportedly suggesting the rival faction should apply for the 'pillow' symbol, literally listed at number 116 on the ECI's roster, and insisting Mamata still has backup plans in reserve. Behind the scenes, the stakes appear to be climbing further. Sources indicate the Mamata camp, including MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, held extended legal consultations in Delhi over whether to challenge the ECI's interim order at the Supreme Court, weighing whether a court fight could actually deliver relief before the bypolls, or simply invite delay. Adding a national dimension to the standoff, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly phoned Mamata Banerjee late Thursday night to convey that the fight over the Trinamool identity was not hers alone, but a cause the wider opposition intended to back. The symbolism cuts deep: the twin-flower emblem has represented Mamata's political journey since she broke from the Congress in 1997 and launched the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998. Twenty-eight years, a Kolkata Municipal Corporation win, the Singur and Nandigram movements, and three terms as Chief Minister later, that emblem now sits outside her camp's control, at least until the Commission's final word.

The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on Thursday (September 17)

Football player and envelope: Mamata Banerjee's camp, rebels get new name, symbol

The Election Commission of India has thrown the battle for the Trinamool Congress's identity into a freeze, ahead of the crucial bypolls, as neither warring faction can use the party's name or its iconic twin-flower symbol until the dispute is settled for good.The showdown reached Delhi on Thursday, when West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee led his five-member delegation before the Election Commission's full bench, squaring off against a rival team representing Mamata Banerjee.&nbsp;Both camps insist they are the "real" Trinamool Congress, and both want it on record ahead of by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Nominations closed a day earlier, scrutiny wrapped up Thursday, and both sides had filed the mandatory Forms A and B, effectively daring the Commission to pick a winner on the spot.It declined to. In its interim order, the Commission noted it found "two rival groups within the All India Trinamool Congress — one led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee — each claiming to be the de facto party," concluding that the standoff demands a full hearing under paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968. Until that final ruling, the order states plainly that neither the Roy-led petitioners nor the Banerjee-led respondents "shall be permitted to use the name 'All India Trinamool Congress'" or its symbol in the bypolls.Instead, the Commission has told both sides to come back with alternatives — fast. By 11:00 AM on September 18, 2026, each faction must submit three alternative names, in order of preference, along with three free symbols they'd accept as substitutes, leaving the final pick to the Commission.Speaking to reporters after the hearing earlier in the day, Ritabrata Banerjee said, "We met the Election Commission's full bench today... The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer... The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it." He confirmed his side had filed Form A as the Trinamool Congress, but acknowledged the Kalighat camp had done the same — leaving the Commission as the only tiebreaker.Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, was far more combative. He questioned the legitimacy of his rivals' claim outright, asking how they could contest on the party symbol at all if the chairperson's term had "allegedly ended in 2025." Mamata Banerjee founded the party, he argued, and any valid leadership change must follow a bottom-up organisational election across a multi-state party — not, he suggested, a hastily convened June 22 session that bypassed MPs entirely. He also maintained that court proceedings shouldn't tie the Commission's hands.The Kalighat side went further, proposing a show of strength at Brigade Parade Ground to let the Commission gauge real organisational muscle, while urging it to stay its hand given parallel litigation already in the courts.Trinamool Congress was born on January 1, 1998, when Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress, coining "Trinamool" — Bengali for "grassroots" — to mark a clean break and claim closeness to ordinary people. The party's election symbol, Jora Ghas Phul (twin flowers with grass), was registered at the same time, evoking roots and growth. For two decades the logo still carried the Congress legacy, until March 2019, when the party dropped "Congress" from its branding altogether on its 21st anniversary, keeping just "Trinamool" beside the twin-flower emblem — though it stayed officially registered with the EC as Trinamool Congress. That nearly 30-year-old name and symbol are now the prize both rival factions were fighting to claim.The parallels to the Shiv Sena split are hard to miss — there too, the EC froze the original symbol and handed both factions temporary names and symbols pending a final verdict.&nbsp;

The Election Commission has barred both TMC factions from using the party name and Flowers & Grass symbol in upcoming bypolls pending a final decision.

The Election Commission of India has thrown the battle for the Trinamool Congress's identity into a freeze, ahead of the crucial bypolls, as neither warring faction can use the party's name or its iconic twin-flower symbol until the dispute is settled for good. The showdown reached Delhi on Thursday, when West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee led his five-member delegation before the Election Commission's full bench, squaring off against a rival team representing Mamata Banerjee. Both camps insist they are the "real" Trinamool Congress, and both want it on record ahead of by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Nominations closed a day earlier, scrutiny wrapped up Thursday, and both sides had filed the mandatory Forms A and B, effectively daring the Commission to pick a winner on the spot. It declined to. In its interim order, the Commission noted it found "two rival groups within the All India Trinamool Congress — one led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee — each claiming to be the de facto party," concluding that the standoff demands a full hearing under paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968. Until that final ruling, the order states plainly that neither the Roy-led petitioners nor the Banerjee-led respondents "shall be permitted to use the name 'All India Trinamool Congress'" or its symbol in the bypolls. Instead, the Commission has told both sides to come back with alternatives — fast. By 11:00 AM on September 18, 2026, each faction must submit three alternative names, in order of preference, along with three free symbols they'd accept as substitutes, leaving the final pick to the Commission. Speaking to reporters after the hearing earlier in the day, Ritabrata Banerjee said, "We met the Election Commission's full bench today... The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer... The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it." He confirmed his side had filed Form A as the Trinamool Congress, but acknowledged the Kalighat camp had done the same — leaving the Commission as the only tiebreaker. Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, was far more combative. He questioned the legitimacy of his rivals' claim outright, asking how they could contest on the party symbol at all if the chairperson's term had "allegedly ended in 2025." Mamata Banerjee founded the party, he argued, and any valid leadership change must follow a bottom-up organisational election across a multi-state party — not, he suggested, a hastily convened June 22 session that bypassed MPs entirely. He also maintained that court proceedings shouldn't tie the Commission's hands. The Kalighat side went further, proposing a show of strength at Brigade Parade Ground to let the Commission gauge real organisational muscle, while urging it to stay its hand given parallel litigation already in the courts. Trinamool Congress was born on January 1, 1998, when Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress, coining "Trinamool" — Bengali for "grassroots" — to mark a clean break and claim closeness to ordinary people. The party's election symbol, Jora Ghas Phul (twin flowers with grass), was registered at the same time, evoking roots and growth. For two decades the logo still carried the Congress legacy, until March 2019, when the party dropped "Congress" from its branding altogether on its 21st anniversary, keeping just "Trinamool" beside the twin-flower emblem — though it stayed officially registered with the EC as Trinamool Congress. That nearly 30-year-old name and symbol are now the prize both rival factions were fighting to claim. The parallels to the Shiv Sena split are hard to miss — there too, the EC froze the original symbol and handed both factions temporary names and symbols pending a final verdict.

The Election Commission has barred both TMC factions from using the party name and Flowers &amp; Grass symbol in upcoming bypolls pending a final decision.

EC freezes TMC name, symbol; Mamata and Ritabrata factions told to pick alternatives

The Election Commission of India is expected to decide the bitter contest for the Trinamool Congress name and its iconic ‘jora phool’ (twin-flower) symbol on Friday, sources said, after West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee met the full bench in Delhi on Thursday.&nbsp;Both Ritabrata’s faction and the Mamata Banerjee-led group claim to be the authentic party ahead of the crucial Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nominations closed Wednesday and scrutiny took place on Thursday, leaving symbol allotment as the immediate flashpoint. Both sides have submitted Forms A and B, forcing the Commission to adjudicate.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-plea-against-delhi-sir-on-priority-after-deletion-of-47-lakh-voters-1789652385281">Supreme Court agrees to hear plea against Delhi SIR on priority after deletion of 47 lakh voters</a>&nbsp;Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said, “We met the Election Commission’s full bench today… We presented our arguments and addressed the queries raised regarding the by-elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram. Yesterday was the deadline for filing nominations for these by-elections, and scrutiny took place today, so the issue of symbol allotment is now pending. We have submitted Forms A and B; however, Forms A and B have also been submitted from Kalighat, so the Election Commission must make the final decision.”&nbsp;“We are representing the Trinamool Congress and have submitted Form A. The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer, who will likely make a decision after consulting the Commission… The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it. We operate within a parliamentary democracy, so we have to trust the Election Commission,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-drone-firm-linked-to-trump-s-sons-signs-mou-with-pakistan-army-gets-initial-order-1789648161978">US drone firm linked to Trump’s sons signs MoU with Pakistan army, gets initial order</a>&nbsp;Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025. Kalyan stressed that Mamata Banerjee founded the party and the symbol belongs to her side. He argued that any valid election must follow the constitutional hierarchy from booth level upwards and that the claimed 22 June session skipped all processes without notice to MPs. As a multi-state party, AITC requires proper all-India elections, he said, adding that court orders do not bind the Election Commission and the symbol can go only to the authorised faction.&nbsp;The Kalighat group also proposed that both sides summon their workers to Brigade Parade Ground so the Commission can see the real strength on the ground. They further urged the EC not to issue any interim order on matters already before the courts, noting one cannot approach both forums simultaneously.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-rallies-global-financial-institutions-for-op-economic-outcast-to-isolate-iran-1789588781387">US Treasury rallies global financial institutions for Op Economic Outcast to isolate Iran</a>&nbsp;The episode echoes the Shiv Sena split in Maharashtra, where the EC froze the original symbol and allotted temporary names and symbols to both factions. A similar outcome remains possible here.&nbsp;The Commission’s decision will determine which camp—or neither—gets to contest the bypolls under the familiar ‘Jora Phool’. The ruling carries high political stakes in West Bengal, testing organisational claims and potentially reshaping the opposition landscape ahead of larger electoral battles. Both sides have expressed faith in the EC as the final arbiter.

Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025.

The Election Commission of India is expected to decide the bitter contest for the Trinamool Congress name and its iconic ‘jora phool’ (twin-flower) symbol on Friday, sources said, after West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee met the full bench in Delhi on Thursday. Both Ritabrata’s faction and the Mamata Banerjee-led group claim to be the authentic party ahead of the crucial Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls. Nominations closed Wednesday and scrutiny took place on Thursday, leaving symbol allotment as the immediate flashpoint. Both sides have submitted Forms A and B, forcing the Commission to adjudicate. Also Read: Supreme Court agrees to hear plea against Delhi SIR on priority after deletion of 47 lakh voters Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said, “We met the Election Commission’s full bench today… We presented our arguments and addressed the queries raised regarding the by-elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram. Yesterday was the deadline for filing nominations for these by-elections, and scrutiny took place today, so the issue of symbol allotment is now pending. We have submitted Forms A and B; however, Forms A and B have also been submitted from Kalighat, so the Election Commission must make the final decision.” “We are representing the Trinamool Congress and have submitted Form A. The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer, who will likely make a decision after consulting the Commission… The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it. We operate within a parliamentary democracy, so we have to trust the Election Commission,” he added. Also Read: US drone firm linked to Trump’s sons signs MoU with Pakistan army, gets initial order Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025. Kalyan stressed that Mamata Banerjee founded the party and the symbol belongs to her side. He argued that any valid election must follow the constitutional hierarchy from booth level upwards and that the claimed 22 June session skipped all processes without notice to MPs. As a multi-state party, AITC requires proper all-India elections, he said, adding that court orders do not bind the Election Commission and the symbol can go only to the authorised faction. The Kalighat group also proposed that both sides summon their workers to Brigade Parade Ground so the Commission can see the real strength on the ground. They further urged the EC not to issue any interim order on matters already before the courts, noting one cannot approach both forums simultaneously. Also Read: US Treasury rallies global financial institutions for Op Economic Outcast to isolate Iran The episode echoes the Shiv Sena split in Maharashtra, where the EC froze the original symbol and allotted temporary names and symbols to both factions. A similar outcome remains possible here. The Commission’s decision will determine which camp—or neither—gets to contest the bypolls under the familiar ‘Jora Phool’. The ruling carries high political stakes in West Bengal, testing organisational claims and potentially reshaping the opposition landscape ahead of larger electoral battles. Both sides have expressed faith in the EC as the final arbiter.

Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025.

EC decision on TMC symbol row likely on Friday as factions battle for ‘jora phool’

A personal video about a career journey has spiralled into a political controversy in West Bengal, after IPS officer Dr Bushara Bano was transferred within hours of right-wing group's objecting to the Islamic greetings she used in it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bano, a 2021-batch officer, was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur when she posted a YouTube video describing her path to the civil services — from returning from Saudi Arabia to preparing for the UPSC exam. She credited Aligarh Muslim University's Residential Coaching Academy for helping her succeed.&nbsp;"After returning from Saudi Arabia, I started preparing for the UPSC examination… AMU's RCA helped me a lot," she said in the video.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/war-will-be-completely-different-and-very-short-if-europe-attacks-russia-warns-lavrov-1789561780082">War will be ‘completely different and very short’ if Europe attacks Russia, warns Lavrov</a>&nbsp;The video drew swift backlash from a group calling itself Hindu Legal Fund, which said it had written to West Bengal Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh objecting to Bano opening with "Assalamu Alaikum," using "Inshallah," and closing with "Jazak Allah" — instead of, it said, "Vande Mataram" or "Jai Hind."&nbsp;"A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions," the group posted on X.&nbsp;Within hours, the state government transferred Bano out of Kharagpur to the post of Deputy Commandant, SAP 4th Battalion, officially citing "public interest."&nbsp;Two West Bengal Police Service officers were reshuffled in the same order. Bano declined to comment when contacted.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-military-commanders-from-us-israel-and-7-arab-nations-held-secret-meeting-on-iran-war-1789503060237">Top military commanders from US, Israel, and 7 Arab nations held secret meeting on Iran War</a>&nbsp;The transfer triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing, arguing they reflected "patriotism... rooted in compassion, faith and goodwill — one that the bhakts will never understand."&nbsp;TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol. "For a country whose Prime Minister inaugurated the new Parliament with a sengol and bare-chested sadhus, transferring a Muslim IPS officer for saying Assalamu Alaikum and Inshallah is ridiculous. We are a nation gone mad, poisoned with hate and bigotry. God Save India," she wrote.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-carried-out-over-350-airstrikes-on-yemen-violated-sovereignty-say-houthis-1789491294418">‘US military task force aiding Saudi Arabia forces with intel, planning support’: Official</a>&nbsp;TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posed a sharper question, asking if every Muslim officer in BJP-ruled Bengal must now undergo a "loyalty test," calling it a departure from Bengal's tradition of "civilised plurality and social harmony."&nbsp;The state government has offered no explanation beyond the formal transfer order, framing it as routine and in public interest. But the timing — hours after a complaint over an officer's choice of words in a personal video unrelated to her policing record — has made that explanation difficult to sustain but Dr Bushara Bano herself has chosen not to comment.

The transfer triggered sharp political reactions as Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing. TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol.

A personal video about a career journey has spiralled into a political controversy in West Bengal, after IPS officer Dr Bushara Bano was transferred within hours of right-wing group's objecting to the Islamic greetings she used in it. Bano, a 2021-batch officer, was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur when she posted a YouTube video describing her path to the civil services — from returning from Saudi Arabia to preparing for the UPSC exam. She credited Aligarh Muslim University's Residential Coaching Academy for helping her succeed. "After returning from Saudi Arabia, I started preparing for the UPSC examination… AMU's RCA helped me a lot," she said in the video. Also Read: War will be ‘completely different and very short’ if Europe attacks Russia, warns Lavrov The video drew swift backlash from a group calling itself Hindu Legal Fund, which said it had written to West Bengal Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh objecting to Bano opening with "Assalamu Alaikum," using "Inshallah," and closing with "Jazak Allah" — instead of, it said, "Vande Mataram" or "Jai Hind." "A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions," the group posted on X. Within hours, the state government transferred Bano out of Kharagpur to the post of Deputy Commandant, SAP 4th Battalion, officially citing "public interest." Two West Bengal Police Service officers were reshuffled in the same order. Bano declined to comment when contacted. Also Read: Top military commanders from US, Israel, and 7 Arab nations held secret meeting on Iran War The transfer triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing, arguing they reflected "patriotism... rooted in compassion, faith and goodwill — one that the bhakts will never understand." TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol. "For a country whose Prime Minister inaugurated the new Parliament with a sengol and bare-chested sadhus, transferring a Muslim IPS officer for saying Assalamu Alaikum and Inshallah is ridiculous. We are a nation gone mad, poisoned with hate and bigotry. God Save India," she wrote. Also Read: ‘US military task force aiding Saudi Arabia forces with intel, planning support’: Official TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posed a sharper question, asking if every Muslim officer in BJP-ruled Bengal must now undergo a "loyalty test," calling it a departure from Bengal's tradition of "civilised plurality and social harmony." The state government has offered no explanation beyond the formal transfer order, framing it as routine and in public interest. But the timing — hours after a complaint over an officer's choice of words in a personal video unrelated to her policing record — has made that explanation difficult to sustain but Dr Bushara Bano herself has chosen not to comment.

The transfer triggered sharp political reactions as Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing. TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol.

Opposition reacts to IPS officer’s transfer in Bengal after right-wing group objects to ‘Inshallah’ in personal video

Manipur's spiral of ethnic violence has claimed two more lives, with the killing of two Kuki women in Tamenglong district reigniting tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities, and prompting an extraordinary protest from a leading Kuki civil society body.According to police, unidentified gunmen opened fire in Tamenglong on Tuesday afternoon, killing 78-year-old Phalneichong, also known as Chonga Sitlhou, while she was out collecting firewood. At the same location, 28-year-old Kimjalhing, known as Kimneo Singson, was also shot dead. She had recently completed her nursing course and had returned home to help her parents with farming.The killings came just two days after four Kuki civilians were shot dead in the neighbouring Tamenglong and Noney districts, allegedly by Naga militants.The violence did not end there. Hours after Tuesday's shooting, around 10:30 pm, armed militants attacked Chawangkining, a Naga village in Kangpokpi district, setting at least two houses on fire and exchanging gunfire with security forces stationed in the area.The two communities have traded accusations of targeted killings through August and September. On August 27, alleged Kuki armed groups had killed four Naga civilians in Kangpokpi district, which has a Kuki majority.Reacting to Tuesday's killings, the Kuki-Zo Council said the recurring attacks could no longer be seen as unconnected events. In a statement, the Council said the killings — allegedly involving the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson) — reflected "an escalating pattern of attacks against Kuki-Zo civilians in Manipur," adding that the "continued targeting of civilians raises serious concerns about attempts to terrorise and drive Kuki-Zo communities from their settlements."The Council has called on both the state and central governments to protect civilians, bring perpetrators to justice, and take "firm, lawful action" against armed groups targeting non-combatants.In an unprecedented mark of protest, the Kuki-Zo Council has also instructed all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur will be buried until further notice. The bodies of victims, the Council said, will instead be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility pending further directions.The development adds a new and volatile dimension to Manipur's ongoing ethnic crisis, which has largely been defined by the conflict between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities since violence first erupted in the state in 2023.

The Kuki-Zo Council instructed that no community members killed by Naga armed groups be buried until justice is served, following the murder of two Kuki women in Tamenglong, amid escalating ethnic tensions in Manipur.

Manipur's spiral of ethnic violence has claimed two more lives, with the killing of two Kuki women in Tamenglong district reigniting tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities, and prompting an extraordinary protest from a leading Kuki civil society body. According to police, unidentified gunmen opened fire in Tamenglong on Tuesday afternoon, killing 78-year-old Phalneichong, also known as Chonga Sitlhou, while she was out collecting firewood. At the same location, 28-year-old Kimjalhing, known as Kimneo Singson, was also shot dead. She had recently completed her nursing course and had returned home to help her parents with farming. The killings came just two days after four Kuki civilians were shot dead in the neighbouring Tamenglong and Noney districts, allegedly by Naga militants. The violence did not end there. Hours after Tuesday's shooting, around 10:30 pm, armed militants attacked Chawangkining, a Naga village in Kangpokpi district, setting at least two houses on fire and exchanging gunfire with security forces stationed in the area. The two communities have traded accusations of targeted killings through August and September. On August 27, alleged Kuki armed groups had killed four Naga civilians in Kangpokpi district, which has a Kuki majority. Reacting to Tuesday's killings, the Kuki-Zo Council said the recurring attacks could no longer be seen as unconnected events. In a statement, the Council said the killings — allegedly involving the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson) — reflected "an escalating pattern of attacks against Kuki-Zo civilians in Manipur," adding that the "continued targeting of civilians raises serious concerns about attempts to terrorise and drive Kuki-Zo communities from their settlements." The Council has called on both the state and central governments to protect civilians, bring perpetrators to justice, and take "firm, lawful action" against armed groups targeting non-combatants. In an unprecedented mark of protest, the Kuki-Zo Council has also instructed all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur will be buried until further notice. The bodies of victims, the Council said, will instead be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility pending further directions. The development adds a new and volatile dimension to Manipur's ongoing ethnic crisis, which has largely been defined by the conflict between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities since violence first erupted in the state in 2023.

The Kuki-Zo Council instructed that no community members killed by Naga armed groups be buried until justice is served, following the murder of two Kuki women in Tamenglong, amid escalating ethnic tensions in Manipur.

‘No burial till justice’: Kuki-Zo council's chilling protest after twin killings in Manipur

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