National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides

The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS

Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent

India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?

How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?

Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition

‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal

Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch

Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine

Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states

Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions

Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy

Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS

'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia

Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift

New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress

Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'

IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act

Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott

Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances

Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation

New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know

India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims

Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed

US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance

Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built

Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH

Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school

Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report

The Rajasthan government on Sunday (Aug 17) imposed restrictions on unauthorised entry of outsiders in the state-run schools. This comes after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka announced that &nbsp;he would be visiting schools across Rajasthan as part of the CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign to conduct an audit of the school amenities. Just as he was scheduled to begin his visits on Monday, the Rajasthan government issued a circular mentioning the strict guidelines on entry of strangers, photography and live streaming of school premises or collection of personal information of students or teachers. It cited the principle of "in loco parentis", which means "in place of parents", to justify the move. It said that it was aimed at securing the safety, dignity, well-being and welfare of all children.&nbsp;&nbsp;This also comes after several students from schools across Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Barmer and Hanumangarh have shared videos on social media highlighting the poor conditions.&nbsp;<h2>According to the circular, guidelines for schools are as follows</h2><ul><li>No outsider, except authorised government officials, will be allowed entry without prior permission from the principal/head. Visitors must make their entry in the register before entering the school premises</li><li>No outsider shall enter the classroom, laboratory, library, hostel, playground, toilet or any area where students are engaged in any activity unless accompanied by the principal, a teacher or an authorised school official.</li><li>Photography, videography, interviews, audio recording or live streaming of students, teachers or school activities will not be done without the prior written permission of the principal and will be permitted only for lawful purposes.</li><li>Photographs, videos or personal information of students should not collected, published or disseminated in ways which violate their privacy, dignity or safety.</li><li>If anyone makes an unauthorised entry and refuses to leave, attempts unauthorised photography or videography, or disrupts school operations, will be liable for legal action. The principal must inform the local police and the District Education Officer in such cases.</li><li>The principal is allowed to refuse entry to any visitor "whose presence is likely to affect security, privacy, discipline or the academic environment". All supervisory officers must ensure “strict compliance of the instructions as mentioned”.</li><li>The principal or the head of the school may direct an outsider to leave the school premises and initiate proceedings under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Information Technology Act, 2000 or other existing laws with the help of the local police.</li></ul>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/spelling-errors-100-page-pdf-repeat-of-dec-2024-why-nta-ordered-ugc-net-re-exam-for-english-sociology-commerce-1786932311901">Spelling errors, 100-page pdf, repeat of Dec 2024: Why NTA ordered UGC-NET re-exam for English, Sociology, Commerce</a><h2>Reactions on the circular</h2>“Instead of fixing schools, the Rajasthan government has started shutting down school audit activities. Whatever the Rajasthan government does, we will get our schools fixed,” CJP's Ashutosh Ranka wrote on X. He said education minister Madan Dilawar could lodge a case or even arrest them, but they would continue inspecting schools until their condition improves. Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dostara slammed the BJP government for trying to cover up its alleged failure. "Instead of improving the condition of government schools, the BJP government has found a way to cover up its failure and hide the poor condition of the education system," he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-s-protest-wave-intensifies-from-bihar-to-maharashtra-gen-alpha-takes-to-street-demand-better-schools-1786509173866">India’s protest wave intensifies: From Bihar to Maharashtra, Gen Alpha takes to street, demand better schools</a>&nbsp;<blockquote>In a statement after the circular, Ranka took to X and alleged that "well-wishers, activists, government insiders" informed him that the “BJP is planning violence during his visit.” He added: “ Let BJP do it - And let the world watch them do it. Let the world document that when the youth of this country was fighting for education and better schools, BJP was responding with violence.”</blockquote><h2>CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign</h2>It began after CJP founder Abhijit Dipke launched 'School Thik Karo' campaign from Hingoli in Maharashtra, marking 80th Independence Day. He said that government-run schools in India remain neglected irrespective of parties in power. Earlier on August 13, the official handle of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) said, “This Independence Day, we stop waiting. We audit it ourselves.” The outfit released a checklist:<ol><li>Download the checklist. http://cockroachjantaparty.org/campaign/school-thik-karo</li><li>Go to the school. In person. Photograph every gap. Check for electricity, drinking water, functional toilets, mid-day meals.</li><li>Share with local authorities. Then tag us. Share your audit report with the sarpanch, BDO, headmaster. Then tag us on our social media. We amplify what you find. Every school counts. &nbsp;</li></ol>

Rajasthan has restricted unauthorised entry into government schools, barring photography, videography and collection of student data without permission. The move comes as CJP’s ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign plans school audits, drawing criticism from the Congress.

The Rajasthan government on Sunday (Aug 17) imposed restrictions on unauthorised entry of outsiders in the state-run schools. This comes after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka announced that he would be visiting schools across Rajasthan as part of the CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign to conduct an audit of the school amenities. Just as he was scheduled to begin his visits on Monday, the Rajasthan government issued a circular mentioning the strict guidelines on entry of strangers, photography and live streaming of school premises or collection of personal information of students or teachers. It cited the principle of "in loco parentis", which means "in place of parents", to justify the move. It said that it was aimed at securing the safety, dignity, well-being and welfare of all children. This also comes after several students from schools across Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Barmer and Hanumangarh have shared videos on social media highlighting the poor conditions. According to the circular, guidelines for schools are as follows No outsider, except authorised government officials, will be allowed entry without prior permission from the principal/head. Visitors must make their entry in the register before entering the school premises No outsider shall enter the classroom, laboratory, library, hostel, playground, toilet or any area where students are engaged in any activity unless accompanied by the principal, a teacher or an authorised school official. Photography, videography, interviews, audio recording or live streaming of students, teachers or school activities will not be done without the prior written permission of the principal and will be permitted only for lawful purposes. Photographs, videos or personal information of students should not collected, published or disseminated in ways which violate their privacy, dignity or safety. If anyone makes an unauthorised entry and refuses to leave, attempts unauthorised photography or videography, or disrupts school operations, will be liable for legal action. The principal must inform the local police and the District Education Officer in such cases. The principal is allowed to refuse entry to any visitor "whose presence is likely to affect security, privacy, discipline or the academic environment". All supervisory officers must ensure “strict compliance of the instructions as mentioned”. The principal or the head of the school may direct an outsider to leave the school premises and initiate proceedings under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Information Technology Act, 2000 or other existing laws with the help of the local police. Also Read: Spelling errors, 100-page pdf, repeat of Dec 2024: Why NTA ordered UGC-NET re-exam for English, Sociology, Commerce Reactions on the circular “Instead of fixing schools, the Rajasthan government has started shutting down school audit activities. Whatever the Rajasthan government does, we will get our schools fixed,” CJP's Ashutosh Ranka wrote on X. He said education minister Madan Dilawar could lodge a case or even arrest them, but they would continue inspecting schools until their condition improves. Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dostara slammed the BJP government for trying to cover up its alleged failure. "Instead of improving the condition of government schools, the BJP government has found a way to cover up its failure and hide the poor condition of the education system," he said. Also Read: India’s protest wave intensifies: From Bihar to Maharashtra, Gen Alpha takes to street, demand better schools In a statement after the circular, Ranka took to X and alleged that "well-wishers, activists, government insiders" informed him that the “BJP is planning violence during his visit.” He added: “ Let BJP do it - And let the world watch them do it. Let the world document that when the youth of this country was fighting for education and better schools, BJP was responding with violence.” CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign It began after CJP founder Abhijit Dipke launched 'School Thik Karo' campaign from Hingoli in Maharashtra, marking 80th Independence Day. He said that government-run schools in India remain neglected irrespective of parties in power. Earlier on August 13, the official handle of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) said, “This Independence Day, we stop waiting. We audit it ourselves.” The outfit released a checklist: Download the checklist. http://cockroachjantaparty.org/campaign/school-thik-karo Go to the school. In person. Photograph every gap. Check for electricity, drinking water, functional toilets, mid-day meals. Share with local authorities. Then tag us. Share your audit report with the sarpanch, BDO, headmaster. Then tag us on our social media. We amplify what you find. Every school counts.

Rajasthan has restricted unauthorised entry into government schools, barring photography, videography and collection of student data without permission. The move comes as CJP’s ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign plans school audits, drawing criticism from the Congress.

No outsiders, no videos, no interviews: Rajasthan govt issues new order for schools as CJP plans audit; Ranka reacts

A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur has alleged that her husband thrashed and choked her during their honeymoon in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after she got her period, police officials said.An FIR has been registered against her husband, Delhi resident Nikhil Mishra, along with his mother and sister following the complaint. The woman alleged that Mishra slapped, kicked and punched her before attempting to strangle her after becoming angry over her menstruation.According to the complaint, hotel staff intervened after hearing the woman scream and helped save her.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mauritius-minister-jeetun-india-mauritius-treaty-gives-investors-greater-confidence-1786899839600">Mauritius Minister Jeetun: India-Mauritius treaty gives investors ‘greater confidence’</a>The woman told police that she married Mishra at a marriage lawn in Delhi on May 30, 2023. She alleged that before the wedding, her in-laws had insisted that articles given by her family be branded. She further claimed that her father gave around Rs 20 lakh in cash, a car and other items worth around Rs 40 lakh as dowry.She moved to her marital home in Delhi on June 2, 2023, and alleged that her in-laws later taunted and humiliated her over the dowry.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kfc-mangaluru-raid-spoiled-chicken-expired-oil-1786879521760">KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken</a>About a month after the wedding, the couple travelled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for their honeymoon on July 4. The woman said she experienced severe abdominal pain and heavy bleeding after getting her period during the trip.She alleged that Mishra became angry and questioned why she had not told him about her periods earlier. According to her complaint, he accused her of "ruining his mood" before assaulting her.The woman further alleged that Mishra later called her father and asked him to come to Delhi and take her back, saying that he no longer wanted to live with her.After returning to Delhi, she said she told her mother-in-law and sister-in-law about the alleged assault, but they instead subjected her to mental torture.The complainant also alleged that she repeatedly approached the police but struggled to get an FIR registered. The case was eventually registered on August 15 after the intervention of Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh, officials said.

A Gorakhpur woman accused her husband of thrashing and choking her during their honeymoon in Andaman after she got her period. An FIR was registered following police intervention.

A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur has alleged that her husband thrashed and choked her during their honeymoon in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after she got her period, police officials said. An FIR has been registered against her husband, Delhi resident Nikhil Mishra, along with his mother and sister following the complaint. The woman alleged that Mishra slapped, kicked and punched her before attempting to strangle her after becoming angry over her menstruation. According to the complaint, hotel staff intervened after hearing the woman scream and helped save her. Also read: Mauritius Minister Jeetun: India-Mauritius treaty gives investors ‘greater confidence’ The woman told police that she married Mishra at a marriage lawn in Delhi on May 30, 2023. She alleged that before the wedding, her in-laws had insisted that articles given by her family be branded. She further claimed that her father gave around Rs 20 lakh in cash, a car and other items worth around Rs 40 lakh as dowry. She moved to her marital home in Delhi on June 2, 2023, and alleged that her in-laws later taunted and humiliated her over the dowry. Also read: KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken About a month after the wedding, the couple travelled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for their honeymoon on July 4. The woman said she experienced severe abdominal pain and heavy bleeding after getting her period during the trip. She alleged that Mishra became angry and questioned why she had not told him about her periods earlier. According to her complaint, he accused her of "ruining his mood" before assaulting her. The woman further alleged that Mishra later called her father and asked him to come to Delhi and take her back, saying that he no longer wanted to live with her. After returning to Delhi, she said she told her mother-in-law and sister-in-law about the alleged assault, but they instead subjected her to mental torture. The complainant also alleged that she repeatedly approached the police but struggled to get an FIR registered. The case was eventually registered on August 15 after the intervention of Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh, officials said.

A Gorakhpur woman accused her husband of thrashing and choking her during their honeymoon in Andaman after she got her period. An FIR was registered following police intervention.

‘You ruined my mood’: Husband allegedly thrashes, chokes wife after she got her period on honeymoon

Protesting students against irregularities in the recruitment examinations in Jharkhand are set to hold fresh talks with the State government on Monday (August 17, 2026). This comes with the entry of six agitators on the 24th day of the hunger strike. A day earlier, protesting students burnt the effigies of CM Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing the JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands. In addition, Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahto entered the 15th day of his hunger strike on Monday over alleged irregularities, hoping the fresh round of talks with the state government would yield a positive outcome. Mahto has been on hunger strike since August 2.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fssai-crackdown-forces-6-companies-to-withdraw-misleading-labels-and-claims-1786943360522">FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims</a><h3>Devendra Nath Mahto warns</h3>He warned that the struggle would continue if the government don't meet the students' expectations. "There is hope and faith. But if the government fails to live up to it, the struggle will continue. I hope the talks satisfy the students," he said. The students are set to sit down with a government delegation at Ranchi's State Guest House at 2 pm on Monday, with officials granting permission for the students to have their legal adviser present during the discussions. Mahto stated that the outcome of the talks should be lasting changes to the education and examination system, ensuring paper leaks, malpractice, and other alleged irregularities don't continue to affect students in the future. The student leader also warned that the planned August 20 protests, including surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence and the Vidhan Sabha, would proceed as planned if the negotiations don't yield a satisfactory result. On his health, Mahto shared that his blood pressure had been running low and he'd been feeling a heaviness in his head, though rest had brought some relief.

Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahto entered the 15th day of his hunger strike on Monday over alleged irregularities, hoping the fresh round of talks with the state government would yield a positive outcome.

Protesting students against irregularities in the recruitment examinations in Jharkhand are set to hold fresh talks with the State government on Monday (August 17, 2026). This comes with the entry of six agitators on the 24th day of the hunger strike. A day earlier, protesting students burnt the effigies of CM Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing the JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands. In addition, Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahto entered the 15th day of his hunger strike on Monday over alleged irregularities, hoping the fresh round of talks with the state government would yield a positive outcome. Mahto has been on hunger strike since August 2. Also read: FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims Devendra Nath Mahto warns He warned that the struggle would continue if the government don't meet the students' expectations. "There is hope and faith. But if the government fails to live up to it, the struggle will continue. I hope the talks satisfy the students," he said. The students are set to sit down with a government delegation at Ranchi's State Guest House at 2 pm on Monday, with officials granting permission for the students to have their legal adviser present during the discussions. Mahto stated that the outcome of the talks should be lasting changes to the education and examination system, ensuring paper leaks, malpractice, and other alleged irregularities don't continue to affect students in the future. The student leader also warned that the planned August 20 protests, including surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence and the Vidhan Sabha, would proceed as planned if the negotiations don't yield a satisfactory result. On his health, Mahto shared that his blood pressure had been running low and he'd been feeling a heaviness in his head, though rest had brought some relief.

Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahto entered the 15th day of his hunger strike on Monday over alleged irregularities, hoping the fresh round of talks with the state government would yield a positive outcome.

Jharkhand protest: Devendra Nath Mahto enters 15 days of hunger strike; Students, state government set for fresh talks

More than 600 students have reportedly fled a government-run tribal residential school in Maharashtra’s Amravati district after rumours of a “ghost” on the campus triggered fear and panic among students. The incident was reported at the Doma Government Tribal Ashramshala in Chikhaldara taluka, in the Melghat region of Amravati. According to reports, 608 students, including 345 girls and 263 boys, left the residential school and returned to their homes&nbsp;amid growing concerns over alleged supernatural activity.&nbsp;The scare reportedly began after some students claimed they heard unusual sounds during the night, including sounds resembling anklets, crying and laughter. The situation escalated when several students began displaying unusual symptoms.&nbsp;Reports said some students fainted, trembled, screamed, cried or laughed uncontrollably, while others were reportedly seen behaving aggressively or appearing disoriented. As more students witnessed these incidents, fear spread rapidly across the hostel. Videos showing some of the students' episodes were also circulated on social media, further fuelling claims that the school was haunted.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fssai-crackdown-forces-6-companies-to-withdraw-misleading-labels-and-claims-1786943360522">FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims</a><h3>Medical teams reject ‘ghost’ theory</h3>However, medical teams called in to assess the students reportedly found no evidence of paranormal activity.Doctors instead attributed the incidents to mass anxiety and psychosomatic reactions. Such episodes can occur when intense fear or stress spreads through a closely connected group, with individuals experiencing genuine physical and psychological symptoms even when there is no underlying supernatural cause.&nbsp;The development has challenged the initial narrative of a “haunted” hostel and shifted attention towards the psychological well-being of the students. Reports also indicate that some affected students were taken for medical and psychiatric evaluation, while authorities began efforts to counsel students and reassure their families.<h3>Anti-superstition group intervenes</h3>The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS)&nbsp;has also intervened in the matter, attempting to dispel the rumours and reassure students that there is no evidence that the school is haunted. The latest reports suggest that several students who had left the institution are now willing to return&nbsp;following counselling and awareness efforts.The incident has also raised questions about the challenges faced by children living in residential schools in remote tribal areas, particularly when rumours and fear spread rapidly through a campus.&nbsp;Authorities are now focusing on restoring confidence, counselling students, and preventing misinformation from further escalating the situation. For now, the “haunted school” claim remains unsubstantiated. What initially appeared to be a case of supernatural activity is increasingly being viewed by medical professionals as an episode involving mass anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms.

The scare reportedly began after some students claimed they heard unusual sounds during the night, including sounds resembling anklets, crying and laughter. The situation escalated when several students began displaying unusual symptoms.

More than 600 students have reportedly fled a government-run tribal residential school in Maharashtra’s Amravati district after rumours of a “ghost” on the campus triggered fear and panic among students. The incident was reported at the Doma Government Tribal Ashramshala in Chikhaldara taluka, in the Melghat region of Amravati. According to reports, 608 students, including 345 girls and 263 boys, left the residential school and returned to their homes amid growing concerns over alleged supernatural activity. The scare reportedly began after some students claimed they heard unusual sounds during the night, including sounds resembling anklets, crying and laughter. The situation escalated when several students began displaying unusual symptoms. Reports said some students fainted, trembled, screamed, cried or laughed uncontrollably, while others were reportedly seen behaving aggressively or appearing disoriented. As more students witnessed these incidents, fear spread rapidly across the hostel. Videos showing some of the students' episodes were also circulated on social media, further fuelling claims that the school was haunted. Also read: FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims Medical teams reject ‘ghost’ theory However, medical teams called in to assess the students reportedly found no evidence of paranormal activity. Doctors instead attributed the incidents to mass anxiety and psychosomatic reactions. Such episodes can occur when intense fear or stress spreads through a closely connected group, with individuals experiencing genuine physical and psychological symptoms even when there is no underlying supernatural cause. The development has challenged the initial narrative of a “haunted” hostel and shifted attention towards the psychological well-being of the students. Reports also indicate that some affected students were taken for medical and psychiatric evaluation, while authorities began efforts to counsel students and reassure their families. Anti-superstition group intervenes The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) has also intervened in the matter, attempting to dispel the rumours and reassure students that there is no evidence that the school is haunted. The latest reports suggest that several students who had left the institution are now willing to return following counselling and awareness efforts. The incident has also raised questions about the challenges faced by children living in residential schools in remote tribal areas, particularly when rumours and fear spread rapidly through a campus. Authorities are now focusing on restoring confidence, counselling students, and preventing misinformation from further escalating the situation. For now, the “haunted school” claim remains unsubstantiated. What initially appeared to be a case of supernatural activity is increasingly being viewed by medical professionals as an episode involving mass anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms.

The scare reportedly began after some students claimed they heard unusual sounds during the night, including sounds resembling anklets, crying and laughter. The situation escalated when several students began displaying unusual symptoms.

600+ students flee Maharashtra Ashram school amid ‘ghost’ rumours; doctors point to mass anxiety

Food regulator FSSAI on Sunday (August 16) stated that corrective actions have been taken against six companies to withdraw misleading labels and trade marks, after the notices were issued against these firms for violationing of law. The FSSAI in the social media post confirmed that six Food Business Operators (FBOs) took quick action after notices from the regulator. "Measures range from withdrawing misleading label claims to revising product packaging to ensure consumer safety and compliance," it added. Further, the FSSAI informed that Livyor Ventures Pvt Ltd has pulled out the misleading claim of 'vegan &amp; healthy,' submitting its response regarding the misleading claims made on the label of the product "Livyor Roasted Edamame Beans".&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lakshmi-mittal-s-steel-giant-hit-in-zelensky-s-hometown-as-russia-strikes-back-after-drone-blitz-1786936878848">Lakshmi Mittal's steel giant hit in Zelensky's hometown as Russia strikes back after drone blitz</a><h3>Broader crackdown</h3>In addition, Rajasthan Agro and General Industries has acted on the notice by taking down all misleading claims and discontinuing use of the PPM. Similarly, Iota Nanotechnology Pvt Ltd has stripped the misleading claims from its packaging and halted production of the non-standardised water product. Panchamurtha Industries Pvt Ltd, for its part, has pulled the electrolyte drink listing from its website altogether. Over the past several months, the FSSAI has been actively pursuing enforcement action against multiple food business operators found in violation of regulations, including a broader crackdown targeting both energy drink and alcoholic beverage manufacturers.

FSSAI says 6 food companies withdrew misleading labels and claims after notices, including Livyor's 'vegan &amp; healthy' tag on edamame beans. Measures include pulled claims, revised packaging, and halted production, as part of a wider consumer safety crackdown.

Food regulator FSSAI on Sunday (August 16) stated that corrective actions have been taken against six companies to withdraw misleading labels and trade marks, after the notices were issued against these firms for violationing of law. The FSSAI in the social media post confirmed that six Food Business Operators (FBOs) took quick action after notices from the regulator. "Measures range from withdrawing misleading label claims to revising product packaging to ensure consumer safety and compliance," it added. Further, the FSSAI informed that Livyor Ventures Pvt Ltd has pulled out the misleading claim of 'vegan & healthy,' submitting its response regarding the misleading claims made on the label of the product "Livyor Roasted Edamame Beans". Also read: Lakshmi Mittal's steel giant hit in Zelensky's hometown as Russia strikes back after drone blitz Broader crackdown In addition, Rajasthan Agro and General Industries has acted on the notice by taking down all misleading claims and discontinuing use of the PPM. Similarly, Iota Nanotechnology Pvt Ltd has stripped the misleading claims from its packaging and halted production of the non-standardised water product. Panchamurtha Industries Pvt Ltd, for its part, has pulled the electrolyte drink listing from its website altogether. Over the past several months, the FSSAI has been actively pursuing enforcement action against multiple food business operators found in violation of regulations, including a broader crackdown targeting both energy drink and alcoholic beverage manufacturers.

FSSAI says 6 food companies withdrew misleading labels and claims after notices, including Livyor's 'vegan &amp; healthy' tag on edamame beans. Measures include pulled claims, revised packaging, and halted production, as part of a wider consumer safety crackdown.

FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims

Indian-origin billionaire Lakshmi Mittal’s ArcelorMittal mining and metallurgical complex in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest integrated steel unit, was hit by a Russian missile strike, damaging key energy infrastructure and blast-furnace operations and forcing a partial halt to production.The attack on the steel complex came after Ukraine launched one of its largest drone barrages against Russia, with hundreds of drones targeting several regions across the country. At least six people were killed in the attacks, according to Russian officials.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-ukraine-to-gaza-how-modern-war-is-erasing-human-history-gravitas-1786728828308">From Ukraine to Gaza: How modern war is erasing human history | GRAVITAS</a>Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had intercepted 822 Ukrainian drones overnight, describing the barrage as a major aerial assault. Moscow region Governor Andrey Vorobyov called it “one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory”.Vorobyov said an 83-year-old man was killed after a Ukrainian drone struck a private home in the Moscow region. Another attack triggered a fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Podolsk. Wildberries is Russia’s largest online retailer and is controlled by billionaire Tatyana Kim, the country’s richest woman.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-seeks-us-turkey-answers-over-reported-ukraine-weapons-transfer-as-kyiv-intensifies-strikes-1786814841264">Russia seeks US, Turkey answers over reported Ukraine weapons transfer as Kyiv intensifies strikes</a>Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 600 drones had been detected heading towards the Russian capital, with about a third of them destroyed over the Moscow region.In Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, another Ukrainian drone attack killed five people, Governor Yury Slyusar said. More than 150 drones were involved in the attack, which damaged several homes and a railway station and sparked a forest fire.The attacks came as Ukraine has intensified its long-range strikes on Russian territory this year, using drones and missiles to target military industries, energy infrastructure and logistics facilities. Kyiv has increasingly sought to disrupt Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort by striking targets far beyond the front line.

A Russian missile strike damaged Lakshmi Mittal’s ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih, halting production following a massive Ukrainian drone assault targeting Moscow and Rostov regions.

Indian-origin billionaire Lakshmi Mittal’s ArcelorMittal mining and metallurgical complex in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest integrated steel unit, was hit by a Russian missile strike, damaging key energy infrastructure and blast-furnace operations and forcing a partial halt to production. The attack on the steel complex came after Ukraine launched one of its largest drone barrages against Russia, with hundreds of drones targeting several regions across the country. At least six people were killed in the attacks, according to Russian officials. Also read: From Ukraine to Gaza: How modern war is erasing human history | GRAVITAS Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had intercepted 822 Ukrainian drones overnight, describing the barrage as a major aerial assault. Moscow region Governor Andrey Vorobyov called it “one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory”. Vorobyov said an 83-year-old man was killed after a Ukrainian drone struck a private home in the Moscow region. Another attack triggered a fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Podolsk. Wildberries is Russia’s largest online retailer and is controlled by billionaire Tatyana Kim, the country’s richest woman. Also read: Russia seeks US, Turkey answers over reported Ukraine weapons transfer as Kyiv intensifies strikes Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 600 drones had been detected heading towards the Russian capital, with about a third of them destroyed over the Moscow region. In Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, another Ukrainian drone attack killed five people, Governor Yury Slyusar said. More than 150 drones were involved in the attack, which damaged several homes and a railway station and sparked a forest fire. The attacks came as Ukraine has intensified its long-range strikes on Russian territory this year, using drones and missiles to target military industries, energy infrastructure and logistics facilities. Kyiv has increasingly sought to disrupt Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort by striking targets far beyond the front line.

A Russian missile strike damaged Lakshmi Mittal’s ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih, halting production following a massive Ukrainian drone assault targeting Moscow and Rostov regions.

Lakshmi Mittal's steel giant hit in Zelensky's hometown as Russia strikes back after drone blitz

At least 7 were killed and several injured in stampede at temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai on Monday (Aug 17). The incident took place around 6.45 am as a large number of devotees gathered at the Shiva temple to offer prayers on the third Monday of the holy Shravan month. According to initial information, the falling wire sparked panic among devotees, following which a stampede broke out. Several people who sustained injuries have been taken to Lakhisarai Hospital for treatment. The Lakhisarai district administration has not yet officially confirmed the reported death toll.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/cm-vijay-to-visit-karur-on-july-10-meet-kin-of-stampede-victims-1783164424074">CM Vijay to visit Karur on July 10, meet kin of stampede victims</a>&nbsp;Lakhisarai DM Shailendra Kumar, who reached the location immediately after the incident said, "The crowd swelled in an unprecedented manner. Around 6.30-6.45 am, two trains came here that too added to the crowd. Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd. We then came to know that barricading broke on one side due to the crowd &nbsp;and people fell on each other. We rushed 10-15 people here immediately."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vijay-meets-kin-of-karur-stampede-victims-1783693634903">Vijay meets kin of Karur stampede victims</a>&nbsp;Bihar Chief minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the stampede, describing the incident as heart wrenching. He announced ₹4 lakh ex-gratia for families of the deceased. The CM also said directives have been issued for immediate medical treatment of those injured in the stampede. “The incident at Ashok Dham in Lakhisarai is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. The news of the deaths of devotees in the accident has left my heart deeply distressed. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families. Necessary instructions have been issued to the administration for the proper and expeditious treatment of the injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and a swift recovery to the injured," he wrote on X. “&nbsp;

At least seven people were killed and several injured in a stampede at a Shiva temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai on Monday. The incident occurred around 6:45 am as devotees gathered for Shravan prayers. A falling wire reportedly triggered panic, causing the stampede.


At least 7 were killed and several injured in stampede at temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai on Monday (Aug 17). The incident took place around 6.45 am as a large number of devotees gathered at the Shiva temple to offer prayers on the third Monday of the holy Shravan month. According to initial information, the falling wire sparked panic among devotees, following which a stampede broke out. Several people who sustained injuries have been taken to Lakhisarai Hospital for treatment. The Lakhisarai district administration has not yet officially confirmed the reported death toll. Also Read: CM Vijay to visit Karur on July 10, meet kin of stampede victims Lakhisarai DM Shailendra Kumar, who reached the location immediately after the incident said, "The crowd swelled in an unprecedented manner. Around 6.30-6.45 am, two trains came here that too added to the crowd. Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd. We then came to know that barricading broke on one side due to the crowd and people fell on each other. We rushed 10-15 people here immediately." Also Read: Vijay meets kin of Karur stampede victims Bihar Chief minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the stampede, describing the incident as heart wrenching. He announced ₹4 lakh ex-gratia for families of the deceased. The CM also said directives have been issued for immediate medical treatment of those injured in the stampede. “The incident at Ashok Dham in Lakhisarai is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. The news of the deaths of devotees in the accident has left my heart deeply distressed. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families. Necessary instructions have been issued to the administration for the proper and expeditious treatment of the injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and a swift recovery to the injured," he wrote on X. “

At least seven people were killed and several injured in a stampede at a Shiva temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai on Monday. The incident occurred around 6:45 am as devotees gathered for Shravan prayers. A falling wire reportedly triggered panic, causing the stampede.

At least 7 killed, several injured in stampede at temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai; ₹4 lakh ex-gratia announced

After days of back and forth, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has finally ordered a re-examination for the UGC-NET June 2026 for three subjects namely English, Commerce and Sociology. NTA acknowledged students' concern and said that the English and Commerce re-exam will be conducted on September 9, while the Sociology exam will be conducted on September 10. The original ecam date for these papers were between June 22 and June 30, 2026, for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowships, as well as PhD admission in 87 subjects. The result of the other 84 subjects will be announced as scheduled.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ugc-net-june-2026-re-exam-english-commerce-sociology-1786901941880">UGC-NET June 2026: NTA orders re-exam for English, Commerce and Sociology on September 9-10</a>&nbsp;According to the statement by NTA, the committee found “many factual, typographical, translation errors including misspelt names of prominent scholars, garbled book titles, errors in the stem wording of questions, grammatical errors, gender and number agreement errors, punctuation mistakes, and non-standard coined terms for established concepts, as well as repetition of a significant number of questions previously administered.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chits-memory-tricks-and-ncert-marks-how-nta-experts-allegedly-leaked-neet-questions-1786083540527">Chits, memory tricks and NCERT marks: How NTA experts allegedly leaked NEET questions</a><h2>What actually were the ‘errors’?</h2>In Sociology, candidates flagged several spelling errors, including “Ritzer” appearing as “Putzer”, “Ghurye” as “Ghunye”, “Parsons” as “Parsow” and “Nussbaum” as “Nusbaut”, among others. Earlier, when the exam was conducted, several students who appeared alleged that the examination was leaked. They claimed that that a 100-page PDF containing handwritten questions prepared by National Testing Agency subject experts circulated before the examination, with nearly 90 questions and answer options matching the actual Sociology paper.&nbsp;In English, the candidates and coaching teachers alleged that several questions were repeated from earlier UGC-NET cycles, particularly December 2024 and 2025. Questions were reportedly lifted verbatim, including those on the publication year of Kanthapura, the author of The Life Divine, genre-based classifications such as The Time Machine and Brave New World, and “Match the Following” questions involving critics such as Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes. Questions on the chronology of William Shakespeare’s plays and specialised literary concepts such as Ecocriticism and the Flâneur were also repeated, with the multiple-choice options in the same sequence.&nbsp;In Commerce, students taking the Commerce exam also alleged that questions were repeated from previous exam cycles. These pertained to specific corporate tax provisions, such as Arm's Length Pricing and TDS provisions under Sections 194C and 194F, as well as accounting questions that used identical numerical data for break-even analysis and Margin of Safety. Questions on capital structure theories, including the Modigliani-Miller Hypothesis, and the extended 7 Ps of Service Marketing were also reportedly repeated with the same multiple-choice sequences.

NTA has ordered a UGC-NET June 2026 re-exam for English, Commerce and Sociology after candidates flagged factual, spelling, translation and repeated-question errors. English and Commerce exams will be held on September 9, while Sociology will be conducted on September 10.

After days of back and forth, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has finally ordered a re-examination for the UGC-NET June 2026 for three subjects namely English, Commerce and Sociology. NTA acknowledged students' concern and said that the English and Commerce re-exam will be conducted on September 9, while the Sociology exam will be conducted on September 10. The original ecam date for these papers were between June 22 and June 30, 2026, for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowships, as well as PhD admission in 87 subjects. The result of the other 84 subjects will be announced as scheduled. Also Read: UGC-NET June 2026: NTA orders re-exam for English, Commerce and Sociology on September 9-10 According to the statement by NTA, the committee found “many factual, typographical, translation errors including misspelt names of prominent scholars, garbled book titles, errors in the stem wording of questions, grammatical errors, gender and number agreement errors, punctuation mistakes, and non-standard coined terms for established concepts, as well as repetition of a significant number of questions previously administered.” Also Read: Chits, memory tricks and NCERT marks: How NTA experts allegedly leaked NEET questions What actually were the ‘errors’? In Sociology, candidates flagged several spelling errors, including “Ritzer” appearing as “Putzer”, “Ghurye” as “Ghunye”, “Parsons” as “Parsow” and “Nussbaum” as “Nusbaut”, among others. Earlier, when the exam was conducted, several students who appeared alleged that the examination was leaked. They claimed that that a 100-page PDF containing handwritten questions prepared by National Testing Agency subject experts circulated before the examination, with nearly 90 questions and answer options matching the actual Sociology paper. In English, the candidates and coaching teachers alleged that several questions were repeated from earlier UGC-NET cycles, particularly December 2024 and 2025. Questions were reportedly lifted verbatim, including those on the publication year of Kanthapura, the author of The Life Divine, genre-based classifications such as The Time Machine and Brave New World, and “Match the Following” questions involving critics such as Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes. Questions on the chronology of William Shakespeare’s plays and specialised literary concepts such as Ecocriticism and the Flâneur were also repeated, with the multiple-choice options in the same sequence. In Commerce, students taking the Commerce exam also alleged that questions were repeated from previous exam cycles. These pertained to specific corporate tax provisions, such as Arm's Length Pricing and TDS provisions under Sections 194C and 194F, as well as accounting questions that used identical numerical data for break-even analysis and Margin of Safety. Questions on capital structure theories, including the Modigliani-Miller Hypothesis, and the extended 7 Ps of Service Marketing were also reportedly repeated with the same multiple-choice sequences.

NTA has ordered a UGC-NET June 2026 re-exam for English, Commerce and Sociology after candidates flagged factual, spelling, translation and repeated-question errors. English and Commerce exams will be held on September 9, while Sociology will be conducted on September 10.

Spelling errors, 100-page pdf, repeat of Dec 2024: Why NTA ordered UGC-NET re-exam for English, Sociology, Commerce

An American chip company is doubling its Indian workforce, and the work it is doubling down on is not the kind India is usually associated with.&nbsp;The Investment&nbsp;Marvell Technology announced it will invest $250 million in India over the next three years, expanding across technology, talent and infrastructure. The company plans to double its headcount in the country over that period.&nbsp;The physical expansion includes a new wing at its Bangalore office and a larger presence in Hyderabad. Marvell established operations in Bangalore in 2006, and India has since grown into the company's second-largest research and development organisation worldwide.&nbsp;What The Work Actually Is&nbsp;This is the detail that distinguishes the announcement from the general run of technology investment in India.&nbsp;Marvell's teams across Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad work on advanced process technologies at 2 nanometres and beyond, high-speed analog intellectual property, subsystem design, software and firmware development, and end-to-end silicon development. The expanded footprint supports design of semiconductor solutions for AI, cloud and data infrastructure.&nbsp;Two-nanometre process design is genuinely at the leading edge. TSMC's N2 is the most advanced node in volume production anywhere; Intel began high-volume manufacturing on its 18A node using ASML High-NA EUV lithography this year. Companies designing at that node are a short list, and doing that design work in India is a different proposition from running a support centre or a services back office.&nbsp;High-speed analog IP is similarly specialised. Digital design has been substantially automated over decades; analog design remains stubbornly dependent on experienced engineers, and the people who can do it well are scarce everywhere in the world.&nbsp;Why It Matters For India Now&nbsp;The timing places this against a difficult backdrop for Indian technology employment.&nbsp;The combined market capitalisation of TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra has fallen more than 46 per cent since August 2024, as generative AI automates the coding, testing and support work the IT services industry was built to supply. A Bloomberg investigation this week documented Indian workers being paid around $2.62 an hour to film their own labour, generating training data for robots designed to replace them.&nbsp;Both of those describe the same vulnerability: an economy positioned as a supplier of labour to the technology industry, at the moment the technology industry is automating labour.&nbsp;Chip design is a different position in that value chain. It is not labour arbitrage, it is not readily automated, and the constraint on it globally is the supply of engineers who can do it rather than the cost of employing them. A company doubling its Indian headcount for 2nm design work is competing for scarce expertise rather than sourcing cheap execution.&nbsp;The Policy Context&nbsp;It also lands alongside a substantial government push. In July, India approved Semicon 2.0 with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore, expanding the programme's focus beyond fabrication to chip design, semiconductor equipment and materials, advanced packaging, research and development, and talent development.&nbsp;The talent element is the part that connects to Marvell's announcement. Electronic Design Automation tools — the software chips are designed with, and historically expensive enough to be a genuine barrier — have been deployed across 320 academic institutions, with more than 68,000 students trained. By April 2026, 211 chips had been taped out by 75 institutions, with seven successfully fabricated at various nodes including 12 nanometres.&nbsp;A tape-out from a university is not a commercial product. But it is the step at which a design becomes real silicon, and 211 of them is a pipeline rather than a pilot.&nbsp;India's semiconductor ambition has generally been discussed in terms of fabrication plants, which are enormously expensive, take years, and are hard to make competitive against incumbents. Design is the part India is closer to already, and Marvell doubling its headcount is a company acting on that assessment with its own money.

Marvell will invest $250 million in India over three years and double its headcount, expanding in Bangalore and Hyderabad. India is already its second-largest R&D organisation worldwide, with teams working on 2nm process technology and end-to-end silicon design.

An American chip company is doubling its Indian workforce, and the work it is doubling down on is not the kind India is usually associated with. The Investment Marvell Technology announced it will invest $250 million in India over the next three years, expanding across technology, talent and infrastructure. The company plans to double its headcount in the country over that period. The physical expansion includes a new wing at its Bangalore office and a larger presence in Hyderabad. Marvell established operations in Bangalore in 2006, and India has since grown into the company's second-largest research and development organisation worldwide. What The Work Actually Is This is the detail that distinguishes the announcement from the general run of technology investment in India. Marvell's teams across Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad work on advanced process technologies at 2 nanometres and beyond, high-speed analog intellectual property, subsystem design, software and firmware development, and end-to-end silicon development. The expanded footprint supports design of semiconductor solutions for AI, cloud and data infrastructure. Two-nanometre process design is genuinely at the leading edge. TSMC's N2 is the most advanced node in volume production anywhere; Intel began high-volume manufacturing on its 18A node using ASML High-NA EUV lithography this year. Companies designing at that node are a short list, and doing that design work in India is a different proposition from running a support centre or a services back office. High-speed analog IP is similarly specialised. Digital design has been substantially automated over decades; analog design remains stubbornly dependent on experienced engineers, and the people who can do it well are scarce everywhere in the world. Why It Matters For India Now The timing places this against a difficult backdrop for Indian technology employment. The combined market capitalisation of TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra has fallen more than 46 per cent since August 2024, as generative AI automates the coding, testing and support work the IT services industry was built to supply. A Bloomberg investigation this week documented Indian workers being paid around $2.62 an hour to film their own labour, generating training data for robots designed to replace them. Both of those describe the same vulnerability: an economy positioned as a supplier of labour to the technology industry, at the moment the technology industry is automating labour. Chip design is a different position in that value chain. It is not labour arbitrage, it is not readily automated, and the constraint on it globally is the supply of engineers who can do it rather than the cost of employing them. A company doubling its Indian headcount for 2nm design work is competing for scarce expertise rather than sourcing cheap execution. The Policy Context It also lands alongside a substantial government push. In July, India approved Semicon 2.0 with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore, expanding the programme's focus beyond fabrication to chip design, semiconductor equipment and materials, advanced packaging, research and development, and talent development. The talent element is the part that connects to Marvell's announcement. Electronic Design Automation tools — the software chips are designed with, and historically expensive enough to be a genuine barrier — have been deployed across 320 academic institutions, with more than 68,000 students trained. By April 2026, 211 chips had been taped out by 75 institutions, with seven successfully fabricated at various nodes including 12 nanometres. A tape-out from a university is not a commercial product. But it is the step at which a design becomes real silicon, and 211 of them is a pipeline rather than a pilot. India's semiconductor ambition has generally been discussed in terms of fabrication plants, which are enormously expensive, take years, and are hard to make competitive against incumbents. Design is the part India is closer to already, and Marvell doubling its headcount is a company acting on that assessment with its own money.

Marvell Technology will invest $250 million in India over three years and double its headcount, opening a new wing at its Bangalore office and expanding in Hyderabad. India is already Marvell's second-largest research and development organisation worldwide, with teams working on 2nm process technology and end-to-end silicon development.

Marvell is putting $250 million into India and doubling its headcount

Students protesting over the alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations on Sunday burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Ranchi as their protest entered the 23rd day.&nbsp;The protesting students accused the JMM-Congress alliance government in the state of failing to take concrete action on their demands. They also announced plans to gherao the chief minister’s residence on August 20 and demanded Soren’s resignation.&nbsp;The demonstration began on Sunday with a torchlight march from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk, where the students burnt the three effigies. The protesters said they would continue the agitation until the government addresses concerns over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/vande-mataram-row-escalates-bjp-lodges-complaint-against-sonia-gandhi-in-karnataka-1786901165963">Vande Mataram row escalates: BJP lodges complaint against Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka</a>&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ranchi, Jharkhand | Protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants | Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand&#39;s recruitment examinations burn the effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. <a href="https://t.co/lFNMd2FA2r">pic.twitter.com/lFNMd2FA2r</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2088985292581789838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the state government has invited the students for another round of talks on August 17, reported PTI, citing an official.&nbsp;The students had urged the Congress to withdraw support from the ruling coalition, saying the chief minister was not listening to their concerns.&nbsp;<h2>‘These people are like the dead’: Protester shaves head to ‘mourn’ leaders</h2>&nbsp;In a symbolic protest, one demonstrator even shaved his head and said he was mourning Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren. Calling himself their younger brother, Baha Linda, who shaved his head, accused both leaders of failing to support the students.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-accuses-brs-leaders-of-using-black-magic-to-usurp-power-occult-charges-not-new-in-politics-1786884046815">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics</a>&nbsp;“I am the younger brother of Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren. It is my duty to dedicate my body, mind, and resources to their final rites. Once their cremation is over and the ashes remain, I will be the one who has to immerse them in the Swarnarekha Ghat to fulfil a younger brother’s duty,” he told ANI.&nbsp;“You cannot expect anything from the dead. These people are like the dead. They only develop their own families; they are trapped in dynastic politics. They garner votes from Jharkhand but develop only their own families, so one cannot expect much from the dead… I shaved my head. I am observing mourning for my elder brothers Rahul and Hemant Ji,” he added.&nbsp;<h2>‘Rahul Gandhi raising student issues selectively for political benefit’</h2>&nbsp;Another protester accused Rahul Gandhi of raising student issues selectively for his own political benefit.“When the NEET issue arose in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi took the stage and spoke very vocally about it. This implies that if you aren’t speaking up here, then you were merely using our future and the students’ plight to further your own political interests—essentially warming your seat of power at our expense,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-middle-east-commander-visits-uss-lincoln-amid-iran-war-gaza-and-lebanon-tensions-1786882278296">US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions</a>&nbsp;“The government needs to realise that students are becoming increasingly agitated; this is our right, and we will move heaven and earth—we will leave no stone unturned—to secure what is rightfully ours… Our only request to the government is to listen to our demands,” the protester added.&nbsp;<h2>Students demand revocation of whistleblower’s suspension</h2>&nbsp;The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which is spearheading the agitation, has called for the cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and a CBI probe into all recruitment examinations.&nbsp;The students also want the findings of the investigation to be made public and action to be taken against those found responsible for alleged irregularities.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-may-stalemate-did-us-manage-to-communicate-directly-with-irgc-top-commander-1786894585305">After May stalemate, US manoeuvred to communicate directly with IRGC top commander</a>&nbsp;They are also demanding revocation of the suspension of finance department section officer Santosh Kumar Mastana and withdrawal of cases filed against him, as he was the ‘whistleblower’.&nbsp;The protesters have said they will not end the agitation until examinations in which irregularities have been alleged are cancelled and an independent investigation is ordered into the recruitment process.The protesters have appealed to students from across Jharkhand to reach Ranchi for the August 20 gherao.

The students demand CBI probe and the findings to be made public and action to be taken against those found responsible for alleged irregularities. They are also demanding revocation of the suspension of the whistleblower finance department section officer Santosh Kumar Mastana.

Students protesting over the alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations on Sunday burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Ranchi as their protest entered the 23rd day. The protesting students accused the JMM-Congress alliance government in the state of failing to take concrete action on their demands. They also announced plans to gherao the chief minister’s residence on August 20 and demanded Soren’s resignation. The demonstration began on Sunday with a torchlight march from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk, where the students burnt the three effigies. The protesters said they would continue the agitation until the government addresses concerns over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Also Read: Vande Mataram row escalates: BJP lodges complaint against Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka

The students demand CBI probe and the findings to be made public and action to be taken against those found responsible for alleged irregularities. They are also demanding revocation of the suspension of the whistleblower finance department section officer Santosh Kumar Mastana.

Jharkhand students burn effigies of CM Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi, and Tejashwi Yadav; one tonsures head in ‘mourning’

The National Testing Agency has officially ordered a re-examination for the UGC-NET June 2026 for three subjects: English, Commerce and Sociology, following several complaints regarding multiple errors in the question papers. NTA stated that the English and Commerce re-exam will be conducted on September 9, while the Sociology exam will be conducted on September 10.The original UGC-NET June 2026 examination was conducted between June 22 and June 30, 2026 for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowships, as well as PhD admission in 87 subjects. Following several complaints concerning the English, Commerce and Sociology papers, NTA constituted a committee to examine the reported issues.&nbsp;The committee found “many factual, typographical, translation errors including misspelt names of prominent scholars, garbled book titles, errors in the stem wording of questions, grammatical errors, gender and number agreement errors, punctuation mistakes, and non-standard coined terms for established concepts, as well as repetition of a significant number of questions previously administered.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-lpg-production-limit-reliance-highest-target-1786891690460">India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes</a>In the English paper, 67 out of 150 questions were copied exactly from the December 2024 exam. In Commerce, over 80 questions were repeated. The Sociology paper was riddled with garbled book titles and misspelt names of famous scholars; for example, "Ritzer" was printed as "Putzer", "Parsons" as "Parsow", and "AR Desai" as "AK Desai"On September 9, the English paper will be held from 9 am to noon, followed by the Commerce paper that will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. The Sociology paper will be held on September 10 from 9 am to noon, the agency said.“Further details of the city, centre, and admit card details will be notified separately on the official website. No additional examination fee will be charged to the candidates of these three subjects for the re-conduct,” added the agency&nbsp;The result of the other 84 subjects will be announced as scheduled. &nbsp;The answer key challenge process for these subjects has already been initiated. Subject-wise allocation for JRF, Assistant Professor and PhD eligibility will be carried out as prescribed in the UGC-NET Information Bulletin.&nbsp;

NTA has ordered a re-examination of UGC-NET June 2026 for English, Commerce and Sociology after errors and question repetitions were found in the papers.

The National Testing Agency has officially ordered a re-examination for the UGC-NET June 2026 for three subjects: English, Commerce and Sociology, following several complaints regarding multiple errors in the question papers. NTA stated that the English and Commerce re-exam will be conducted on September 9, while the Sociology exam will be conducted on September 10. The original UGC-NET June 2026 examination was conducted between June 22 and June 30, 2026 for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowships, as well as PhD admission in 87 subjects. Following several complaints concerning the English, Commerce and Sociology papers, NTA constituted a committee to examine the reported issues. The committee found “many factual, typographical, translation errors including misspelt names of prominent scholars, garbled book titles, errors in the stem wording of questions, grammatical errors, gender and number agreement errors, punctuation mistakes, and non-standard coined terms for established concepts, as well as repetition of a significant number of questions previously administered.” Also Read: India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes In the English paper, 67 out of 150 questions were copied exactly from the December 2024 exam. In Commerce, over 80 questions were repeated. The Sociology paper was riddled with garbled book titles and misspelt names of famous scholars; for example, "Ritzer" was printed as "Putzer", "Parsons" as "Parsow", and "AR Desai" as "AK Desai" On September 9, the English paper will be held from 9 am to noon, followed by the Commerce paper that will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. The Sociology paper will be held on September 10 from 9 am to noon, the agency said. “Further details of the city, centre, and admit card details will be notified separately on the official website. No additional examination fee will be charged to the candidates of these three subjects for the re-conduct,” added the agency The result of the other 84 subjects will be announced as scheduled. The answer key challenge process for these subjects has already been initiated. Subject-wise allocation for JRF, Assistant Professor and PhD eligibility will be carried out as prescribed in the UGC-NET Information Bulletin.

NTA has ordered a re-examination of UGC-NET June 2026 for English, Commerce and Sociology after errors and question repetitions were found in the papers.

UGC-NET June 2026: NTA orders re-exam for English, Commerce and Sociology on September 9-10

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay has strongly condemned the killing of three Tamil men who were allegedly suspected of poaching by Karnataka Forest Department officials, describing the department’s explanation of the incident as ‘unacceptable’. In a post on X, the official TVK handle shared Vijay’s statement, in which he said the three men were shot dead in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area of Karnataka.“It is heartbreaking that Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter, and Kumar, who were Tamils residing in villages in the Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, were shot dead by Karnataka Forest Department officials in the early hours of August 15, 2026, in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area. I strongly condemn this massacre.”<h2>Vijay demands high-level investigation</h2>Vijay said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be examined through a thorough and impartial investigation. He also criticised the explanation offered by the Karnataka Forest Department. “The explanation provided by the Karnataka Forest Department regarding this incident is unacceptable,” he added. Seeking accountability, Vijay called for a high-level investigation into the incident and urged the Karnataka government to provide assistance to the families of the three victims.&nbsp;“An honest investigation must be conducted regarding this brutal incident. A high-level investigation committee should be constituted, and appropriate punishment should be meted out to those responsible. The Karnataka government must provide all necessary assistance to the families of the victims. I strongly urge the Karnataka government to take appropriate measures to ensure that no such incident occurs again.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-dimagi-naxal-janta-party-emerges-after-pm-s-remark-rahul-gandhi-arvind-kejriwal-follow-its-x-account-1786892001621">Now, ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ emerges after PM's remark. Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal follow its X account</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">கர்நாடகாவின் சாம்ராஜ் நகர் மாவட்டம், ஹனூர் தாலுக்காவில் உள்ள கிராமங்களில் வசித்து வந்த தமிழர்களான அந்தோணி சாமி, ஜான் ரோஸ் பீட்டர், குமார் ஆகியோர், 2026 ஆகஸ்ட் 15 அன்று அதிகாலையில், காவிரி வனவிலங்கு சரணாலயப் பகுதியில், கர்நாடக வனத் துறையினரால் சுட்டுக் கொல்லப்பட்டது வேதனை…&mdash; TVK Vijay (@TVKVijayHQ) <a href="https://x.com/TVKVijayHQ/status/2089021108586795396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Protests erupt in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru</h2>Protests were reported in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru on Sunday, with demonstrators demanding justice for the three men who were killed in an alleged exchange of fire with Forest Department personnel on August 15. Tension was reported in Hanur in Chamarajanagar district after villagers and relatives of the deceased staged a protest in the Datti forest area. The protesters expressed anger over the actions of Forest Department officials and demanded accountability.&nbsp;Demonstrators also blocked the road leading to Male Mahadeshwara Betta and sought action against the forest personnel involved in the shooting. Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the DMK and PMK, said the victims were Tamils and questioned the Forest Department’s claim that they were poachers.&nbsp;The protesters demanded that the forest personnel who opened fire be brought to the spot and questioned. Visuals from the protest showed pushing and jostling between demonstrators and police as security personnel maintained a heavy presence in the area. Villagers also questioned the authority of the forest personnel to open fire, arguing that even if the men had entered the forest for hunting, they should not have been killed.

Vijay condemns the killing of three Tamilians in Karnataka’s Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and demands an impartial, high-level investigation into the deaths

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay has strongly condemned the killing of three Tamil men who were allegedly suspected of poaching by Karnataka Forest Department officials, describing the department’s explanation of the incident as ‘unacceptable’. In a post on X, the official TVK handle shared Vijay’s statement, in which he said the three men were shot dead in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area of Karnataka. “It is heartbreaking that Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter, and Kumar, who were Tamils residing in villages in the Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, were shot dead by Karnataka Forest Department officials in the early hours of August 15, 2026, in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area. I strongly condemn this massacre.” Vijay demands high-level investigation Vijay said the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be examined through a thorough and impartial investigation. He also criticised the explanation offered by the Karnataka Forest Department. “The explanation provided by the Karnataka Forest Department regarding this incident is unacceptable,” he added. Seeking accountability, Vijay called for a high-level investigation into the incident and urged the Karnataka government to provide assistance to the families of the three victims. “An honest investigation must be conducted regarding this brutal incident. A high-level investigation committee should be constituted, and appropriate punishment should be meted out to those responsible. The Karnataka government must provide all necessary assistance to the families of the victims. I strongly urge the Karnataka government to take appropriate measures to ensure that no such incident occurs again.” Also Read: Now, ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ emerges after PM's remark. Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal follow its X account

Vijay condemns the killing of three Tamilians in Karnataka, calls the Forest Department’s explanation unacceptable and demands a high-level probe

'I strongly condemn this massacre': Vijay on killing three Tamilians in Karnataka forest firing

The row over the alleged bid to stop full rendition of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day is intensifying as BJP leaders on Sunday lodged a formal complaint against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the Urwa Police Station in Karnataka.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another complaint was filed with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi over alleged obstruction during the singing of Vande Mataram. The complaint, filed by an advocate, was submitted at the IP Estate police station on Sunday.&nbsp;In Bengaluru, the BJP Yuva Morcha lodged a complaint at the Malleshwaram police station regarding the alleged insult and sought legal action.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-accuses-brs-leaders-of-using-black-magic-to-usurp-power-occult-charges-not-new-in-politics-1786884046815">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics</a>&nbsp;The political controversy began when visuals from the August 15 event showed senior Congress leaders speaking among themselves while the National Song was being recited. BJP leaders alleged that the conduct amounted to disrespect towards the national song, while the Congress rejected the charge and said there was no attempt to stop the rendition.&nbsp;BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused the Congress leadership of showing disrespect towards the National Song and targeted Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. “Yesterday, the Congress revealed its true face to the country and the world. They harbour such hatred for ‘Vande Mataram’... You saw how uncomfortable Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge became yesterday the moment the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was played... When they saw it had been recorded on camera, they tried to give explanations,” Tiwari told news agency ANI.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-middle-east-commander-visits-uss-lincoln-amid-iran-war-gaza-and-lebanon-tensions-1786882278296">US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions</a>&nbsp;The controversy also drew a sharp attack from Union home minister Amit Shah, who raised the issue at a rally in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.Shah alleged that Sonia had asked party workers to stop the rendition. He said, “Sonia ji, 140 crore people are watching you. This sin you have committed will never be forgiven by the people of this country.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The Congress has maintained that there was no attempt to stop the full version of Vande Mataram and that Sonia Gandhi was only trying to ensure proper arrangements at the event, including asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-may-stalemate-did-us-manage-to-communicate-directly-with-irgc-top-commander-1786894585305">After May stalemate, US manoeuvred to communicate directly with IRGC top commander</a><h2>‘Entire Bengal fuming’: CM Suvendu Adhikari slams Sonia</h2>&nbsp;West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday slammed Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the recitation of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day, and said, “Entire Bengal is fuming, Congress must apologise.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Adhikari also accused the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics. “It’s appeasement politics, Cong trying to please a particular vote bank,” he said while further adding that it’s an insult to nationalism, and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.&nbsp;<h2>Bankim Chandra’s descendant demands Sonia’s apology</h2>&nbsp;BJP MLA Umitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, sought an unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi, saying he wrote as “an ordinary citizen, a patriot” and descendant of the song’s author, expressing “deep pain, emptiness, and anger”.&nbsp;Invoking Sri Aurobindo’s description of Vande Mataram as the “religion of patriotism”, he cited its role in India’s freedom movement and its association with leaders including Khudiram Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Rabindranath Tagore.&nbsp;In a first for Independence Day celebrations, ‘Vande Mataram’, with the full six stanzas, was rendered at the Red Fort complex on August 15.

The Congress has maintained that there was no attempt to stop the full version of Vande Mataram and that Sonia Gandhi was only trying to ensure proper arrangements at the event, including asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing.

The row over the alleged bid to stop full rendition of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day is intensifying as BJP leaders on Sunday lodged a formal complaint against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the Urwa Police Station in Karnataka. Another complaint was filed with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi over alleged obstruction during the singing of Vande Mataram. The complaint, filed by an advocate, was submitted at the IP Estate police station on Sunday. In Bengaluru, the BJP Yuva Morcha lodged a complaint at the Malleshwaram police station regarding the alleged insult and sought legal action. Also Read: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics The political controversy began when visuals from the August 15 event showed senior Congress leaders speaking among themselves while the National Song was being recited. BJP leaders alleged that the conduct amounted to disrespect towards the national song, while the Congress rejected the charge and said there was no attempt to stop the rendition. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused the Congress leadership of showing disrespect towards the National Song and targeted Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. “Yesterday, the Congress revealed its true face to the country and the world. They harbour such hatred for ‘Vande Mataram’... You saw how uncomfortable Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge became yesterday the moment the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was played... When they saw it had been recorded on camera, they tried to give explanations,” Tiwari told news agency ANI. Also Read: US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions The controversy also drew a sharp attack from Union home minister Amit Shah, who raised the issue at a rally in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Shah alleged that Sonia had asked party workers to stop the rendition. He said, “Sonia ji, 140 crore people are watching you. This sin you have committed will never be forgiven by the people of this country.” The Congress has maintained that there was no attempt to stop the full version of Vande Mataram and that Sonia Gandhi was only trying to ensure proper arrangements at the event, including asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing. Also Read: After May stalemate, US manoeuvred to communicate directly with IRGC top commander ‘Entire Bengal fuming’: CM Suvendu Adhikari slams Sonia West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday slammed Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the recitation of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day, and said, “Entire Bengal is fuming, Congress must apologise.” Adhikari also accused the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics. “It’s appeasement politics, Cong trying to please a particular vote bank,” he said while further adding that it’s an insult to nationalism, and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Bankim Chandra’s descendant demands Sonia’s apology BJP MLA Umitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, sought an unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi, saying he wrote as “an ordinary citizen, a patriot” and descendant of the song’s author, expressing “deep pain, emptiness, and anger”. Invoking Sri Aurobindo’s description of Vande Mataram as the “religion of patriotism”, he cited its role in India’s freedom movement and its association with leaders including Khudiram Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Rabindranath Tagore. In a first for Independence Day celebrations, ‘Vande Mataram’, with the full six stanzas, was rendered at the Red Fort complex on August 15.

The Congress has maintained that there was no attempt to stop the full version of Vande Mataram and that Sonia Gandhi was only trying to ensure proper arrangements at the event, including asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing.

Vande Mataram row escalates: BJP lodges complaint against Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka

BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of author Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has written to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, demanding an unconditional public apology over an alleged disruption to the national song Vande Mataram. The controversy follows an incident in the All India Congress Committee headquarters during Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 2026.&nbsp;The BJP MLA from Naihati in West Bengal alleged that there was “discomfort” and repeated attempts to disrupt the singing of the full version of Vande Mataram. He termed the incident a “shameless repetition of a historical mistake”. He drew a parallel to 1937 when the Congress Party supposedly "bowed" to Mohammad Ali Jinnah's objections and truncated the song. He claimed that he felt "deep pain, emptiness and anger" over the leadership's discomfort with the full rendition of the song. He said that the song does not belong to any political party but rather belonged to every Indian and was synonymous with the country's freedom struggle."Her actions were truly shameful. It is an insult to the country, an insult to all of India and to the Bengali community. My entire family was hurt," said Chatterjee.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-lpg-production-limit-reliance-highest-target-1786891690460">India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes</a>The Congress party has strongly rejected the BJP's interpretation of the event, and called it a deliberate attempt to divert the political narrative.&nbsp;"There is no question of any controversy over this… There was no attempt to stop anyone. There was no attempt to stop. The Congress president had been standing for a long time; that is why Sonia Gandhi ji was saying that a chair should be brought and placed for him,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.There is no general legal obligation to sing the six stanzas of the Vande Mataram. However, an MHA protocol mandates that all six stanzas of the official version must be sung at specified official functions, public gatherings, and schools. The recently passed Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026 extends statutory protection under Section 3 of the 1971 Act to Vande Mataram. It criminalises intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing. It does not specifically define the conduct that attracts criminal liability under Section 3, and expressions such as "intentionally prevents", "causes disturbance" and "assembly engaged in such singing" have no statutory definitions, leaving the content of the offence to judicial interpretation.

BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee has demanded an unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi over an alleged Vande Mataram disruption.

BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of author Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has written to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, demanding an unconditional public apology over an alleged disruption to the national song Vande Mataram. The controversy follows an incident in the All India Congress Committee headquarters during Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 2026. The BJP MLA from Naihati in West Bengal alleged that there was “discomfort” and repeated attempts to disrupt the singing of the full version of Vande Mataram. He termed the incident a “shameless repetition of a historical mistake”. He drew a parallel to 1937 when the Congress Party supposedly "bowed" to Mohammad Ali Jinnah's objections and truncated the song. He claimed that he felt "deep pain, emptiness and anger" over the leadership's discomfort with the full rendition of the song. He said that the song does not belong to any political party but rather belonged to every Indian and was synonymous with the country's freedom struggle. "Her actions were truly shameful. It is an insult to the country, an insult to all of India and to the Bengali community. My entire family was hurt," said Chatterjee. Also Read: India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes The Congress party has strongly rejected the BJP's interpretation of the event, and called it a deliberate attempt to divert the political narrative. "There is no question of any controversy over this… There was no attempt to stop anyone. There was no attempt to stop. The Congress president had been standing for a long time; that is why Sonia Gandhi ji was saying that a chair should be brought and placed for him,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. There is no general legal obligation to sing the six stanzas of the Vande Mataram. However, an MHA protocol mandates that all six stanzas of the official version must be sung at specified official functions, public gatherings, and schools. The recently passed Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026 extends statutory protection under Section 3 of the 1971 Act to Vande Mataram. It criminalises intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing. It does not specifically define the conduct that attracts criminal liability under Section 3, and expressions such as "intentionally prevents", "causes disturbance" and "assembly engaged in such singing" have no statutory definitions, leaving the content of the offence to judicial interpretation.

BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee has demanded an unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi over an alleged Vande Mataram disruption.

Bankim Chandra’s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee seeks Sonia Gandhi’s apology over Vande Mataram row

Mauritius has ratified a key protocol to its double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) with India, aiming to restore confidence among investors after earlier uncertainty rattled markets. Jyoti Jeetun, Mauritius Minister of Financial Services and Economic Planning, said the move strengthens the “strategic economic partnership by providing a modern, transparent and internationally compliant treaty framework.”&nbsp;“By ratifying the Protocol following the clarifications, we show our commitment to implementing internationally accepted tax standards while preserving the treaty’s role as a facilitator of genuine cross-border investment,” she told WION's Sidhant Sibal in an interview.&nbsp;The ratification, approved by the Mauritius Cabinet and completed on 17 July 2026, modernises the decades-old treaty that has channelled more than $170 billion in investments into India and helped establish Mauritius as an international financial centre. Investors had voiced concerns after the protocol was signed in 2024, particularly over the principal purpose test (PPT) and potential impacts on existing investments.&nbsp;India’s Central Board of Direct Taxes confirmed the PPT will apply only prospectively and that investments made before 1 April 2017 remain grandfathered and outside the scope of general anti-avoidance rules. “There is now more clarity and certainty that existing capital invested into India through Mauritius is less likely to experience disruption,” Jeetun said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The minister stressed that legitimate investors with demonstrable economic substance will continue to benefit from a stable tax environment.&nbsp;&nbsp;Full interview:&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How does Mauritius’s ratification of the India-Mauritius DTAA Protocol on 17 July 2026 strengthen long-term economic ties between India and Mauritius by providing greater certainty to Indian investors?Jyoti Jeetun: Let me put this in its context.&nbsp; The Mauritius India DTAA has been an important foundation of our economic relationship with India for more than four decades.&nbsp; It has supported investments to the tune of more than $170billion in India and contributed significantly to Mauritius becoming an international financial centre.&nbsp; Amendments were brought to the treaty in 2017 and in 2024. When we took office in November 2024, a new Protocol had been signed but there were concerns in the industry both in India and in Mauritius.&nbsp; We engaged with the stakeholders and with the Indian authorities.&nbsp; After prolonged discussions and clarifications, the Mauritius Cabinet approved the ratification of the Protocol. This ratification strengthens the India–Mauritius strategic economic partnership by providing a modern, transparent and internationally compliant treaty framework. By ratifying the Protocol following the clarifications, we show our commitment to implementing internationally accepted tax standards while preserving the treaty's role as a facilitator of genuine cross-border investment. For investors, it offers greater confidence that legitimate commercial investments structured through Mauritius will continue to benefit from a stable and predictable tax environment, while ensuring that the treaty cannot be misused for abusive tax avoidance.&nbsp;This balance between investment certainty and tax integrity is essential to sustaining long-term bilateral investment flows and reinforcing Mauritius' role as a trusted international financial centre.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: In what ways will the prospective application of the Principal Purpose Test (PPT) and the preservation of grandfathering for pre-1 April 2017 investments affect trading ties and capital flows from Mauritius into India?Jyoti Jeetun: These are key clarifications received, namely the prospective application and the grandfathering.&nbsp;One may recall that when news about the Protocol signature broke out in 2024, it rattled the markets due to the uncertainty. Investors were concerned over fear of increased scrutiny, the retrospectivity of application, whether the amendment of the preamble would impact the economic relationship between the two nations and whether investments made prior to 1 April 2017 would continue to receive grandfathering protection.&nbsp;There were also fear that Mauritius will be disadvantaged compared to other countries like Netherlands. There is now more clarity and certainty that existing capital invested into India through Mauritius is less likely to experience disruption.&nbsp; Our discussions and economic diplomacy at the highest level has resulted in clarifications on these important issues.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How might the additional clarity provided by India’s CBDT circular in January 2025, the Income Tax (Amendment) Rules of March 2026 and high-level diplomatic engagements between Prime Ministers Modi and Ramgoolam enhance trading ties and investor confidence for Indian entities routing investments through Mauritius?Jyoti Jeetun: Firstly, the Circular issued on 21 January 2025 by Central Bureau of Direct Taxes in India provided clarity and certainty to investors by guaranteeing the protection of the grandfathered investments and excluding them from the application of the Principal Purpose Test, confirming that the Protocol of 2024 will only apply prospectively. Moreover, the CBDT issued the Income Tax (Amendment) Rules 2026 on 31 March 2026, providing further clarification that the application of the Global Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) shall apply to arrangements made on or after 1 April 2017. Accordingly, investments undertaken before 1 April 2017 will remain outside outside the scope of GAAR, thereby providing clarity on the treatment of legacy investments. The Circular and the Rule issued by CBDT provide legal and tax certainty for investors. The diplomatic engagements at the highest level between our Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are clear demonstration of the strong ties between our two nations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: In what manner does the ratification reinforce Mauritius as a trusted, substance-based international financial centre, thereby improving access for India to quality inbound investment built on transparency and long-term partnership?Jyoti Jeetun: As I said earlier, the India-Mauritius DTAA has been an important foundation of economic relationship between both our countries for more than four decades. It has supported investment in India, strengthened business cooperation and contributed significantly to Mauritius becoming a trusted international financial centre. The Protocol protects legitimate investments while ensuring that Mauritius continues to maintain its reputation as a credible jurisdiction aligned with international standards. It is also important to highlight that it also provides the opportunity for greater collaboration between Mauritius and GIFT City as regards to inbound investment and to position Mauritius as the ideal strategic partner for India for outbound investment into Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: What opportunities does the Protocol create for further strengthening trading and economic ties between India and Mauritius while ensuring that Indian investors with demonstrable economic substance continue to benefit from a stable and well-regulated investment jurisdiction?Jyoti Jeetun: The ratification of the Protocol reinforced with the clarifications pave the way for sustainable and substance-driven investment relationship. The preservation of grandfathering protects the legitimate expectations of legacy investors, while the prospective application of the PPT provides a clear framework for future investment. Furthermore, the Protocol creates an opportunity to reposition the Mauritius–India economic relationship around greater certainty, stronger economic substance, and long-term investment cooperation.&nbsp;&nbsp;- Opportunities for strengthening Mauritius–India economic tiesThe DTAA has historically played a major role in facilitating investment flows into India through Mauritius since the agreement was signed in 1982. The Protocol, together with the clarifications, provides an opportunity to rebuild Mauritius as a trusted and competitive platform for Indian-bound investment, particularly for institutional investors, private equity and other long-term investors.&nbsp;- Moving from treaty shopping towards substance-based investmentThe PPT provides an opportunity for Mauritius to reinforce the message that its value proposition is not based merely on treaty access. Investors with genuine economic substance, commercial rationale and legitimate investment objectives can continue to use Mauritius as a stable investment jurisdiction. Going forward we are looking to support a higher-quality investment model consistent with international tax standards.&nbsp;- Creating a platform for deeper India–Mauritius investment partnershipsWith greater certainty around the treaty framework, the relationship can move beyond traditional FDI structuring and more towards private equity, infrastructure, financial services, sustainable finance, fintech, investment funds and Africa-focused investment vehicles. This would support a broader economic partnership between the two countries.&nbsp;- Enhancing Mauritius's role as a bridge between India and AfricaThis is particularly significant. Mauritius is an African nation, member of the African Union, SADC and COMESA. Africa has some of the fastest growing economies in the world. Indian companies and financial institutions increasingly have interests across Africa.&nbsp; Mauritius offers an established financial ecosystem, investment structures and connectivity with African markets. A stable India–Mauritius framework can therefore support Mauritius strategic partner to channel Indian capital into Africa, creating a three-way economic relationship: India–Mauritius–Africa and reinforcing Global South ties.

The ratification, approved by the Mauritius Cabinet and completed on 17 July 2026, modernises the decades-old treaty that has channelled more than $170 billion in investments into India and helped establish Mauritius as an international financial centre.

Mauritius has ratified a key protocol to its double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) with India, aiming to restore confidence among investors after earlier uncertainty rattled markets. Jyoti Jeetun, Mauritius Minister of Financial Services and Economic Planning, said the move strengthens the “strategic economic partnership by providing a modern, transparent and internationally compliant treaty framework.” “By ratifying the Protocol following the clarifications, we show our commitment to implementing internationally accepted tax standards while preserving the treaty’s role as a facilitator of genuine cross-border investment,” she told WION's Sidhant Sibal in an interview. The ratification, approved by the Mauritius Cabinet and completed on 17 July 2026, modernises the decades-old treaty that has channelled more than $170 billion in investments into India and helped establish Mauritius as an international financial centre. Investors had voiced concerns after the protocol was signed in 2024, particularly over the principal purpose test (PPT) and potential impacts on existing investments. India’s Central Board of Direct Taxes confirmed the PPT will apply only prospectively and that investments made before 1 April 2017 remain grandfathered and outside the scope of general anti-avoidance rules. “There is now more clarity and certainty that existing capital invested into India through Mauritius is less likely to experience disruption,” Jeetun said. The minister stressed that legitimate investors with demonstrable economic substance will continue to benefit from a stable tax environment. Full interview: Sidhant Sibal: How does Mauritius’s ratification of the India-Mauritius DTAA Protocol on 17 July 2026 strengthen long-term economic ties between India and Mauritius by providing greater certainty to Indian investors? Jyoti Jeetun: Let me put this in its context. The Mauritius India DTAA has been an important foundation of our economic relationship with India for more than four decades. It has supported investments to the tune of more than $170billion in India and contributed significantly to Mauritius becoming an international financial centre. Amendments were brought to the treaty in 2017 and in 2024. When we took office in November 2024, a new Protocol had been signed but there were concerns in the industry both in India and in Mauritius. We engaged with the stakeholders and with the Indian authorities. After prolonged discussions and clarifications, the Mauritius Cabinet approved the ratification of the Protocol. This ratification strengthens the India–Mauritius strategic economic partnership by providing a modern, transparent and internationally compliant treaty framework. By ratifying the Protocol following the clarifications, we show our commitment to implementing internationally accepted tax standards while preserving the treaty's role as a facilitator of genuine cross-border investment. For investors, it offers greater confidence that legitimate commercial investments structured through Mauritius will continue to benefit from a stable and predictable tax environment, while ensuring that the treaty cannot be misused for abusive tax avoidance. This balance between investment certainty and tax integrity is essential to sustaining long-term bilateral investment flows and reinforcing Mauritius' role as a trusted international financial centre. Sidhant Sibal: In what ways will the prospective application of the Principal Purpose Test (PPT) and the preservation of grandfathering for pre-1 April 2017 investments affect trading ties and capital flows from Mauritius into India? Jyoti Jeetun: These are key clarifications received, namely the prospective application and the grandfathering. One may recall that when news about the Protocol signature broke out in 2024, it rattled the markets due to the uncertainty. Investors were concerned over fear of increased scrutiny, the retrospectivity of application, whether the amendment of the preamble would impact the economic relationship between the two nations and whether investments made prior to 1 April 2017 would continue to receive grandfathering protection. There were also fear that Mauritius will be disadvantaged compared to other countries like Netherlands. There is now more clarity and certainty that existing capital invested into India through Mauritius is less likely to experience disruption. Our discussions and economic diplomacy at the highest level has resulted in clarifications on these important issues. Sidhant Sibal: How might the additional clarity provided by India’s CBDT circular in January 2025, the Income Tax (Amendment) Rules of March 2026 and high-level diplomatic engagements between Prime Ministers Modi and Ramgoolam enhance trading ties and investor confidence for Indian entities routing investments through Mauritius? Jyoti Jeetun: Firstly, the Circular issued on 21 January 2025 by Central Bureau of Direct Taxes in India provided clarity and certainty to investors by guaranteeing the protection of the grandfathered investments and excluding them from the application of the Principal Purpose Test, confirming that the Protocol of 2024 will only apply prospectively. Moreover, the CBDT issued the Income Tax (Amendment) Rules 2026 on 31 March 2026, providing further clarification that the application of the Global Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) shall apply to arrangements made on or after 1 April 2017. Accordingly, investments undertaken before 1 April 2017 will remain outside outside the scope of GAAR, thereby providing clarity on the treatment of legacy investments. The Circular and the Rule issued by CBDT provide legal and tax certainty for investors. The diplomatic engagements at the highest level between our Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are clear demonstration of the strong ties between our two nations. Sidhant Sibal: In what manner does the ratification reinforce Mauritius as a trusted, substance-based international financial centre, thereby improving access for India to quality inbound investment built on transparency and long-term partnership? Jyoti Jeetun: As I said earlier, the India-Mauritius DTAA has been an important foundation of economic relationship between both our countries for more than four decades. It has supported investment in India, strengthened business cooperation and contributed significantly to Mauritius becoming a trusted international financial centre. The Protocol protects legitimate investments while ensuring that Mauritius continues to maintain its reputation as a credible jurisdiction aligned with international standards. It is also important to highlight that it also provides the opportunity for greater collaboration between Mauritius and GIFT City as regards to inbound investment and to position Mauritius as the ideal strategic partner for India for outbound investment into Africa. Sidhant Sibal: What opportunities does the Protocol create for further strengthening trading and economic ties between India and Mauritius while ensuring that Indian investors with demonstrable economic substance continue to benefit from a stable and well-regulated investment jurisdiction? Jyoti Jeetun: The ratification of the Protocol reinforced with the clarifications pave the way for sustainable and substance-driven investment relationship. The preservation of grandfathering protects the legitimate expectations of legacy investors, while the prospective application of the PPT provides a clear framework for future investment. Furthermore, the Protocol creates an opportunity to reposition the Mauritius–India economic relationship around greater certainty, stronger economic substance, and long-term investment cooperation. - Opportunities for strengthening Mauritius–India economic ties The DTAA has historically played a major role in facilitating investment flows into India through Mauritius since the agreement was signed in 1982. The Protocol, together with the clarifications, provides an opportunity to rebuild Mauritius as a trusted and competitive platform for Indian-bound investment, particularly for institutional investors, private equity and other long-term investors. - Moving from treaty shopping towards substance-based investment The PPT provides an opportunity for Mauritius to reinforce the message that its value proposition is not based merely on treaty access. Investors with genuine economic substance, commercial rationale and legitimate investment objectives can continue to use Mauritius as a stable investment jurisdiction. Going forward we are looking to support a higher-quality investment model consistent with international tax standards. - Creating a platform for deeper India–Mauritius investment partnerships With greater certainty around the treaty framework, the relationship can move beyond traditional FDI structuring and more towards private equity, infrastructure, financial services, sustainable finance, fintech, investment funds and Africa-focused investment vehicles. This would support a broader economic partnership between the two countries. - Enhancing Mauritius's role as a bridge between India and Africa This is particularly significant. Mauritius is an African nation, member of the African Union, SADC and COMESA. Africa has some of the fastest growing economies in the world. Indian companies and financial institutions increasingly have interests across Africa. Mauritius offers an established financial ecosystem, investment structures and connectivity with African markets. A stable India–Mauritius framework can therefore support Mauritius strategic partner to channel Indian capital into Africa, creating a three-way economic relationship: India–Mauritius–Africa and reinforcing Global South ties.

The ratification, approved by the Mauritius Cabinet and completed on 17 July 2026, modernises the decades-old treaty that has channelled more than $170 billion in investments into India and helped establish Mauritius as an international financial centre.

Mauritius Minister Jeetun: India-Mauritius treaty gives investors ‘greater confidence’

The Union Government has, for the first time, fixed maximum daily cooking gas LPG production targets for state-run and private ‌refineries, as it seeks to build a domestic supply safety net in the face of vulnerabilities due to the conflict in West Asia. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, in an order, said that the maximum production level for 21 refineries is set at 63,810 tonnes a day, about 70 per cent of the country's daily consumption, more than double the domestic LPG output in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.&nbsp;Among them, Reliance Industries Limited has been assigned 18,000 tonnes per day for its 33-million-tonne domestic-tariff area refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, while its 35.2 million export-only facility has been exempted from the daily targets. On the other hand, 18 state-run refineries are directed to collectively produce 31,470 tonnes per day. Companies like ONGC and GAIL, which produce LPG from natural gas, are tasked to produce &nbsp;6,460 tonnes per day. Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy's Vadniary Refinery must supply 20 million tonnes a year, i.e., 4,480 tonnes a day, according to the order.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kfc-mangaluru-raid-spoiled-chicken-expired-oil-1786879521760">KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken</a>"It is hereby ordered that all public sector, joint venture and private sector oil refining companies, and upstream oil companies shall develop, augment and at all times maintain adequate infrastructure for storage, evacuation and transport of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) either by itself or through other entities, viz railways or road tankers adequate for the specified quantities," read the order.The refineries were asked to implement all “technically and economically feasible measures and technologies such as naphtha-to-LPG conversion, gasoline-based fluid catalytic cracking unit to petro-fluid catalytic cracking unit, or other upgrades,” to maximise LPG production beyond minimum producible quantities.&nbsp;The Union Government said that it will update the production schedule on January 1 and July 1 of every year. India consumed 33.2 million tonnes of LPG in the fiscal year 2025-26, ie 91,000 tonnes per day. Among these, 13.1 million tonnes a year were produced domestically, while 21.3 million tonnes, roughly 64 per cent was imported. Almost 90 per cent of these imports were through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia. This left India in sever crisis in the US-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz&nbsp;

The Union Government has set maximum daily LPG production targets for 21 refineries to strengthen domestic supplies amid risks from the West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruptions.

The Union Government has, for the first time, fixed maximum daily cooking gas LPG production targets for state-run and private ‌refineries, as it seeks to build a domestic supply safety net in the face of vulnerabilities due to the conflict in West Asia. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, in an order, said that the maximum production level for 21 refineries is set at 63,810 tonnes a day, about 70 per cent of the country's daily consumption, more than double the domestic LPG output in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. Among them, Reliance Industries Limited has been assigned 18,000 tonnes per day for its 33-million-tonne domestic-tariff area refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, while its 35.2 million export-only facility has been exempted from the daily targets. On the other hand, 18 state-run refineries are directed to collectively produce 31,470 tonnes per day. Companies like ONGC and GAIL, which produce LPG from natural gas, are tasked to produce 6,460 tonnes per day. Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy's Vadniary Refinery must supply 20 million tonnes a year, i.e., 4,480 tonnes a day, according to the order. Also Read: KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken "It is hereby ordered that all public sector, joint venture and private sector oil refining companies, and upstream oil companies shall develop, augment and at all times maintain adequate infrastructure for storage, evacuation and transport of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) either by itself or through other entities, viz railways or road tankers adequate for the specified quantities," read the order. The refineries were asked to implement all “technically and economically feasible measures and technologies such as naphtha-to-LPG conversion, gasoline-based fluid catalytic cracking unit to petro-fluid catalytic cracking unit, or other upgrades,” to maximise LPG production beyond minimum producible quantities. The Union Government said that it will update the production schedule on January 1 and July 1 of every year. India consumed 33.2 million tonnes of LPG in the fiscal year 2025-26, ie 91,000 tonnes per day. Among these, 13.1 million tonnes a year were produced domestically, while 21.3 million tonnes, roughly 64 per cent was imported. Almost 90 per cent of these imports were through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia. This left India in sever crisis in the US-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

The Union Government has set maximum daily LPG production targets for 21 refineries to strengthen domestic supplies amid risks from the West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruptions.

India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes

A new account on X calling itself the ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ has emerged amid the political controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent ‘dimagi naxal’ remark. The account, @DNJP_India, is currently following 13 accounts, including Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, comedian Kunal Kamra, actor Prakash Raj and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair. The account also follows political content creator Arpit Sharma, YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh, political commentator Tarun Gautam, Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0, parody account Rofl Gandhi 2.0 and the Cockroach Janta Party.<h2>‘Dimagi’ message by Prakash Raj retweeted</h2>The newly emerged account has also retweeted a post by actor Prakash Raj, who urged people to question rather than blindly accept what they are told. Raj wrote, “Dimagi bano .. Bewakoof nahi. Sawaal karo .. Gulami nahi.” The account’s activity comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to people with a ‘dimagi naxal’ mindset during his Independence Day address. The remark triggered a political response, with senior Congress leader P Chidambaram saying he was proud to be a ‘dimagi naxal’.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/asish-banerjee-death-suvendu-adhikari-probe-tmc-1786891083742">West Bengal CM orders probe as TMC MLA's death sparks political standoff between rival camps</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our Weapon is the Mind, Our Revolution of Ideas Jain Hind, Vande Mataram 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/LvTLKkiqDO">pic.twitter.com/LvTLKkiqDO</a>&mdash; Dimagi Naxal Janta Party (@DNJP_India) <a href="https://x.com/DNJP_India/status/2088993023799771503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Kiren Rijiju explains ‘Dimagi Naxal’ remark</h2>Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later said that Modi had not specifically referred to opposition leaders as ‘dimagi naxals’. Rijiju said the term was intended for people who support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution, back separatists, support Article 370 or advocate cutting the 'chicken neck' connecting the Northeast with the rest of India. Rijiju also shared a video featuring remarks by Sharjeel Imam about the ‘chicken neck’ and said that those supporting such views were the people being referred to as ‘dimagi naxals’.&nbsp;Against this backdrop, the emergence of the Dimagi Naxal Janta Party account on X has added a new social-media angle to the ongoing political debate over the phrase.

‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ account @DNJP_India emerges on X amid PM Modi’s remark, following Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Prakash Raj

A new account on X calling itself the ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ has emerged amid the political controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent ‘dimagi naxal’ remark. The account, @DNJP_India, is currently following 13 accounts, including Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, comedian Kunal Kamra, actor Prakash Raj and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair. The account also follows political content creator Arpit Sharma, YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh, political commentator Tarun Gautam, Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0, parody account Rofl Gandhi 2.0 and the Cockroach Janta Party. ‘Dimagi’ message by Prakash Raj retweeted The newly emerged account has also retweeted a post by actor Prakash Raj, who urged people to question rather than blindly accept what they are told. Raj wrote, “Dimagi bano .. Bewakoof nahi. Sawaal karo .. Gulami nahi.” The account’s activity comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to people with a ‘dimagi naxal’ mindset during his Independence Day address. The remark triggered a political response, with senior Congress leader P Chidambaram saying he was proud to be a ‘dimagi naxal’. Also Read: West Bengal CM orders probe as TMC MLA's death sparks political standoff between rival camps

A new ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ X account emerges amid the row over PM Modi’s remark, following opposition leaders and retweeting Prakash Raj

Now, ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ emerges after PM's remark. Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal follow its X account

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year.Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case.Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body.In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death."Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances.The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker.The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption.The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back."Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former Bengal DY speaker found dead at TMC office Purported suicide note recovered by Birbhum police. Asish Banerjee was a 5-time MLA from Rampurhat, Birbhum<a href="https://x.com/JyotsnaKumar13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JyotsnaKumar13</a> gets you more with <a href="https://x.com/ShreyaG9401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShreyaG9401</a> <a href="https://t.co/vPT4toIzkX">pic.twitter.com/vPT4toIzkX</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2088946582322589708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year. Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case. Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body. In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death." Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances. The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker. The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption. The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back." Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal CM orders probe as TMC MLA's death sparks political standoff between rival camps

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will travel to India next week for high-level talks, marking a further step in the growing security cooperation between the two nations. Koizumi is scheduled to meet Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 20 August. The visit forms part of a two-nation tour that will also take him to Australia. During his stay in India, he is expected to visit a naval base, as maritime focus in ties gain a new momentum. The visit comes weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was in Delhi for the annual summit with PM Modi as both sides agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation.&nbsp;India and Japan have steadily expanded defence cooperation in recent years. At last year’s annual summit the two countries adopted a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation. They already take part in a range of joint exercises: the naval drill JAIMEX 25, the army exercise Dharma Guardian, and the air force fighter exercise Veer Guardian. Japan also participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 held in Visakhapatnam.&nbsp;Officials on both sides are pushing for deeper maritime security collaboration. This includes more frequent exercises, improved maritime domain awareness through satellite capabilities, naval maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work, and closer defence equipment and technology cooperation under India’s “Make in India” framework. A significant shift came earlier this year when Japan overhauled its long-standing restrictions on defence exports. Tokyo reviewed the “Three Principles” that had tightly limited the transfer of defence equipment and technology since the Cold War era. The change allows Japan to supply lethal military hardware and advanced systems to trusted partners such as India.&nbsp;India formally welcomed the move. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in April: “India welcomes Japan’s review of the three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology. Defense and security cooperation forms an important pillar of India-Japan special strategic and global partnership.” He noted that both sides had committed to practical cooperation for national security and economic resilience, including technological and industrial collaboration between government and private sector partners.&nbsp;One concrete project is already advancing. The two countries have reached agreement in principle on technical details for the Unified Complex Radio Antenna, known as UNICORN, a stealth technology system for warships. Officials expressed hope for an early conclusion of the project and agreed to explore other joint defence equipment and technology initiatives.&nbsp;A 2+2 dialogue involving foreign and defence ministers from both countries is expected to take place by the end of 2026, providing another platform to advance the partnership. The visit comes as both nations seek to strengthen their roles in the Indo-Pacific. For Japan, the policy change marks a clear departure from post-war pacifism. For India, closer ties with Tokyo offer access to advanced technology and a reliable partner amid regional security challenges.

The visit forms part of a two-nation tour that will also take him to Australia. During his stay in India, he is expected to visit a naval base, as maritime focus in ties gain a new momentum

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will travel to India next week for high-level talks, marking a further step in the growing security cooperation between the two nations. Koizumi is scheduled to meet Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 20 August. The visit forms part of a two-nation tour that will also take him to Australia. During his stay in India, he is expected to visit a naval base, as maritime focus in ties gain a new momentum. The visit comes weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was in Delhi for the annual summit with PM Modi as both sides agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation. India and Japan have steadily expanded defence cooperation in recent years. At last year’s annual summit the two countries adopted a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation. They already take part in a range of joint exercises: the naval drill JAIMEX 25, the army exercise Dharma Guardian, and the air force fighter exercise Veer Guardian. Japan also participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 held in Visakhapatnam. Officials on both sides are pushing for deeper maritime security collaboration. This includes more frequent exercises, improved maritime domain awareness through satellite capabilities, naval maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work, and closer defence equipment and technology cooperation under India’s “Make in India” framework. A significant shift came earlier this year when Japan overhauled its long-standing restrictions on defence exports. Tokyo reviewed the “Three Principles” that had tightly limited the transfer of defence equipment and technology since the Cold War era. The change allows Japan to supply lethal military hardware and advanced systems to trusted partners such as India. India formally welcomed the move. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in April: “India welcomes Japan’s review of the three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology. Defense and security cooperation forms an important pillar of India-Japan special strategic and global partnership.” He noted that both sides had committed to practical cooperation for national security and economic resilience, including technological and industrial collaboration between government and private sector partners. One concrete project is already advancing. The two countries have reached agreement in principle on technical details for the Unified Complex Radio Antenna, known as UNICORN, a stealth technology system for warships. Officials expressed hope for an early conclusion of the project and agreed to explore other joint defence equipment and technology initiatives. A 2+2 dialogue involving foreign and defence ministers from both countries is expected to take place by the end of 2026, providing another platform to advance the partnership. The visit comes as both nations seek to strengthen their roles in the Indo-Pacific. For Japan, the policy change marks a clear departure from post-war pacifism. For India, closer ties with Tokyo offer access to advanced technology and a reliable partner amid regional security challenges.

The visit forms part of a two-nation tour that will also take him to Australia. During his stay in India, he is expected to visit a naval base, as maritime focus in ties gain a new momentum

Japanese defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi to visit India next week for key talks with defence minister Rajnath Singh

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said.&nbsp;The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police.&nbsp;Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-accuses-brs-leaders-of-using-black-magic-to-usurp-power-occult-charges-not-new-in-politics-1786884046815">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics</a><h2>Arrest based on tip-off</h2>&nbsp;Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-middle-east-commander-visits-uss-lincoln-amid-iran-war-gaza-and-lebanon-tensions-1786882278296">US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions</a><h2>‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan.&nbsp;He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against  the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. 

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said. The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police. Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital. Also Read: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics Arrest based on tip-off Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation. Also Read: US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions ‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’ During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan. He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against &nbsp;the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;

Security guard arrested in Bengaluru over alleged links to Pakistani Taliban

"In the Legislative Assembly, some are searching for the father.. Only when you go home and ask the mother will you know about the father...What is the point of searching for the father in the Legislative Assembly ?... This is the type of governance we are witnessing today," were Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Nainar Nagenthran's comments at a recent book launch event. Though Nagenthran is not heard mentioning anyone by name in the said video and he later clarified that he did not mean to target anyone, he has faced flak from his own party colleagues and those from other ends of the political spectrum for making such remarks against the mother of Chief Minister Vijay.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-cm-lok-sabha-seat-distribution-should-remain-unchanged-1786697108065/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-cm-lok-sabha-seat-distribution-should-remain-unchanged-1786697108065/embed</a> &nbsp;<h2>The "Father is missing" incident in the Tamil Nadu Assembly</h2>&nbsp;The "father is missing" (Appava kaanom) controversy in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly refers to a series of highly personal taunts traded between the ruling TVK administration and the opposition DMK regarding the electoral defeat and absence of former Chief Minister MK Stalin from the House.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cm-vijay-makes-tamil-nadu-state-song-mandatory-as-first-song-at-official-events-1786551341394">CM Vijay makes Tamil Nadu State Song mandatory as first song at official events</a>&nbsp;Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay used a satirical remark in the Assembly directed at Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, asking where his father(MK Stalin) was and noting that he could not see him in the House. Veteran politician and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was defeated by a lesser-known TVK candidate in the Kolathur constituency.&nbsp;<h2>Backlash against TN BJP Chief Nainar Nagenthran&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;In the video clip of the said speech, Nagenthran is not seen taking anyone's name. However, his own party colleagues and those from the ruling TVK and its alliance partners were quick to condemn such comments.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The crude remark made by BJP State President Thiru Nainar Nagendran avl about CM of Tamilnadu's mother is disgusting. Such comments are unacceptable on any platform. My leader Honorable PM Narendra Modi&nbsp;ji has always spoken about Nari Shakti and held women in high esteem. Such remarks hits below the belt. I, who has always voiced my opinion and has never accepted an insult or questioning the dignity and integrity of a woman, am aghast and disappointed today after hearing this. Question the party, raise your voice for the people, attack the government if they fail to deliver, but never ever use a woman to make your point. WOMEN ARE NOT PAWNS IN THE GAME OF POLITICS," read the social media post of actor-politician Khushbu Sundar, Vice President- BJP Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-cm-vijay-leads-mass-anti-drug-pledge-for-school-students-1786431072899">Tamil Nadu CM Vijay leads mass anti-drug pledge for school students</a>&nbsp;"Politics should be healthy and dignified. Making such low-level and crass comments is wrong... That too, he is a senior person... If he speaks like this, then it is very wrong...," said Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister and Congress leader Rajesh Kumar.&nbsp;DMK Spokesperson TKS Elangovan attacked Chief Minister Vijay for his earlier behaviour in the assembly, saying: for whatever Vijay says, there is no comment.... Vijay's comment was a very shameless comment. He should behave like the Chief Minister of the state, not a cheap cinema actor.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran has sparked a major political row after making an 'ask your mother' remark aimed at CM Vijay. Read details on the backlash, Annamalai's response, and Nagendran's clarification. 

"In the Legislative Assembly, some are searching for the father.. Only when you go home and ask the mother will you know about the father...What is the point of searching for the father in the Legislative Assembly ?... This is the type of governance we are witnessing today," were Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Nainar Nagenthran's comments at a recent book launch event. Though Nagenthran is not heard mentioning anyone by name in the said video and he later clarified that he did not mean to target anyone, he has faced flak from his own party colleagues and those from other ends of the political spectrum for making such remarks against the mother of Chief Minister Vijay. https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-cm-lok-sabha-seat-distribution-should-remain-unchanged-1786697108065/embed The "Father is missing" incident in the Tamil Nadu Assembly The "father is missing" (Appava kaanom) controversy in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly refers to a series of highly personal taunts traded between the ruling TVK administration and the opposition DMK regarding the electoral defeat and absence of former Chief Minister MK Stalin from the House. Also read: CM Vijay makes Tamil Nadu State Song mandatory as first song at official events Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay used a satirical remark in the Assembly directed at Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, asking where his father(MK Stalin) was and noting that he could not see him in the House. Veteran politician and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was defeated by a lesser-known TVK candidate in the Kolathur constituency. Backlash against TN BJP Chief Nainar Nagenthran In the video clip of the said speech, Nagenthran is not seen taking anyone's name. However, his own party colleagues and those from the ruling TVK and its alliance partners were quick to condemn such comments. "The crude remark made by BJP State President Thiru Nainar Nagendran avl about CM of Tamilnadu's mother is disgusting. Such comments are unacceptable on any platform. My leader Honorable PM Narendra Modi ji has always spoken about Nari Shakti and held women in high esteem. Such remarks hits below the belt. I, who has always voiced my opinion and has never accepted an insult or questioning the dignity and integrity of a woman, am aghast and disappointed today after hearing this. Question the party, raise your voice for the people, attack the government if they fail to deliver, but never ever use a woman to make your point. WOMEN ARE NOT PAWNS IN THE GAME OF POLITICS," read the social media post of actor-politician Khushbu Sundar, Vice President- BJP Tamil Nadu. Also read: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay leads mass anti-drug pledge for school students "Politics should be healthy and dignified. Making such low-level and crass comments is wrong... That too, he is a senior person... If he speaks like this, then it is very wrong...," said Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister and Congress leader Rajesh Kumar. DMK Spokesperson TKS Elangovan attacked Chief Minister Vijay for his earlier behaviour in the assembly, saying: for whatever Vijay says, there is no comment.... Vijay's comment was a very shameless comment. He should behave like the Chief Minister of the state, not a cheap cinema actor.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran has sparked a major political row after making an 'ask your mother' remark aimed at CM Vijay.Read details on the backlash, Annamalai's response, and Nagendran's clarification.

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief's 'ask your mom' comment stirs controversy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stepped up his attack on the BRS on Saturday and alleged that the opposition party was resorting to black magic and its senior leaders had performed occult rituals to discredit the Congress government by seeking a drought and farmers’ distress for the fall of the government. Reddy also questioned why details of temple visits by a former BRS minister were kept secret.&nbsp;Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy town, Reddy asked why the alleged visits of a BRS leader to temples in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were not made public. “Why did you not share details of your temple visits to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on social media or anywhere else? Why did you keep them a secret?” he said.&nbsp;Congress has accused BRS MLA T. Harish Rao of performing occult rituals, though the CM himself did not take his name.&nbsp;The Congress CM alleged that BRS leaders had sunk so low in their pursuit of power that they were resorting to black magic in the hope of creating a crisis in the state.&nbsp;Before, CM Reddy, state Congress party leaders had levelled allegations of “kshudra pujas” and “black magic” involving senior BRS leader T Harish Rao.&nbsp;Telangana Congress chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud, chairman of party’s state media and communication Sama Ramamohan Reddy and MLC Addanki Dayakar had accused Harish Rao of visiting religious places and allegedly performing tantric rituals with the intention of harming Telangana and the Congress government.Ramamohan Reddy alleged that Harish Rao had visited Tiruchirappalli and Shivamogga for such rituals.&nbsp;&nbsp;Harish Rao rejected the allegations and sent legal notices to Mahesh Kumar Goud, Ramamohan Reddy, and Dayakar. His lawyer demanded unconditional apologies and withdrawal of the statements, warning that civil and criminal defamation cases could follow.&nbsp;However, the legal notices sent to his party leaders could not deter CM Reddy from making the allegations again, though he avoided taking any name.&nbsp;<h2>Allegations of ‘black magic’ use in politics not new&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;The allegations of ‘black magic’ use in politics are not new and precede the fresh ones from Reddy.&nbsp;Two years ago, in July 2024, Youth Congress leaders in Kerala came out strongly against senior party leaders for being entangled in a ‘black magic’ controversy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil had said that neither the party nor leaders will benefit from witchcraft. The row erupted after a video emerged showing purported ‘black magic’ objects with embossed figures and metal sheets being dug out from the residence of K Sudhakaran, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president and Kannur MP.&nbsp;The voices of Sudhakaran and Kasaragod Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan could be heard in the video. Rajmohan suggested Sudhakaran that the objects were intended to cause him physical harm. Sudhakaran is heard saying it is fortunate that he is still alive.&nbsp;<h2>DK Shivakumar accused opponents of performing black magic through ‘Aghoris’ &nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;In May 2024, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar, who was then deputy chief minister, said that political opponents were performing black magic through ‘Aghoris’ and ‘tantriks’ at a temple in Kerala against him and CM Siddaramaiah.Shivakumar told reporters that he has credible information that a yagya (special worship) is being conducted by ‘Aghoris’ in an isolated place near the Rajarajeshwari temple in Kerala.&nbsp;The rituals are called ‘Raja Kantaka’ and ‘Marana Mohana Stambhana’ yagyas, Shivakumar said.&nbsp;&nbsp;He went on to allege that 21 red goats, three buffaloes, 21 black sheep, and five pigs are being sacrificed for black magic through the Aghoris.&nbsp;<h2>Sanjay Raut alleged black magic rituals at Maharashtra CM's residence</h2>&nbsp;In 2025, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut made sensational claims about Varsha Bungalow, the official residence of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister. Raut alleged that black magic rituals had been performed at the bungalow, claiming this was the reason Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuses to move in.&nbsp;Raut further claimed that buffalo horns, supposedly from animals sacrificed at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, were buried in the bungalow’s lawn. Raut’s claims had triggered a storm in Maharashtra’s politics and critics slammed the alleged mix of politics and superstition.&nbsp;Much earlier, in 2009, just before the general elections, even then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was one of the highly educated politicians in the history of Indian politics, had accused BJP leader L K Advani of resorting to black magic and approaching tantrics to get to the seat of power.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy alleged that BRS leaders had sunk so low in their pursuit of power that they were resorting to black magic in the hope of creating a crisis in the state. He accused BRS leaders of seeking a drought through occult rituals to trigger farmers’ distress.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stepped up his attack on the BRS on Saturday and alleged that the opposition party was resorting to black magic and its senior leaders had performed occult rituals to discredit the Congress government by seeking a drought and farmers’ distress for the fall of the government. Reddy also questioned why details of temple visits by a former BRS minister were kept secret. Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy town, Reddy asked why the alleged visits of a BRS leader to temples in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were not made public. “Why did you not share details of your temple visits to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on social media or anywhere else? Why did you keep them a secret?” he said. Congress has accused BRS MLA T. Harish Rao of performing occult rituals, though the CM himself did not take his name. The Congress CM alleged that BRS leaders had sunk so low in their pursuit of power that they were resorting to black magic in the hope of creating a crisis in the state. Before, CM Reddy, state Congress party leaders had levelled allegations of “kshudra pujas” and “black magic” involving senior BRS leader T Harish Rao. Telangana Congress chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud, chairman of party’s state media and communication Sama Ramamohan Reddy and MLC Addanki Dayakar had accused Harish Rao of visiting religious places and allegedly performing tantric rituals with the intention of harming Telangana and the Congress government. Ramamohan Reddy alleged that Harish Rao had visited Tiruchirappalli and Shivamogga for such rituals. Harish Rao rejected the allegations and sent legal notices to Mahesh Kumar Goud, Ramamohan Reddy, and Dayakar. His lawyer demanded unconditional apologies and withdrawal of the statements, warning that civil and criminal defamation cases could follow. However, the legal notices sent to his party leaders could not deter CM Reddy from making the allegations again, though he avoided taking any name. Allegations of ‘black magic’ use in politics not new The allegations of ‘black magic’ use in politics are not new and precede the fresh ones from Reddy. Two years ago, in July 2024, Youth Congress leaders in Kerala came out strongly against senior party leaders for being entangled in a ‘black magic’ controversy. Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil had said that neither the party nor leaders will benefit from witchcraft. The row erupted after a video emerged showing purported ‘black magic’ objects with embossed figures and metal sheets being dug out from the residence of K Sudhakaran, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president and Kannur MP. The voices of Sudhakaran and Kasaragod Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan could be heard in the video. Rajmohan suggested Sudhakaran that the objects were intended to cause him physical harm. Sudhakaran is heard saying it is fortunate that he is still alive. DK Shivakumar accused opponents of performing black magic through ‘Aghoris’ In May 2024, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar, who was then deputy chief minister, said that political opponents were performing black magic through ‘Aghoris’ and ‘tantriks’ at a temple in Kerala against him and CM Siddaramaiah. Shivakumar told reporters that he has credible information that a yagya (special worship) is being conducted by ‘Aghoris’ in an isolated place near the Rajarajeshwari temple in Kerala. The rituals are called ‘Raja Kantaka’ and ‘Marana Mohana Stambhana’ yagyas, Shivakumar said. He went on to allege that 21 red goats, three buffaloes, 21 black sheep, and five pigs are being sacrificed for black magic through the Aghoris. Sanjay Raut alleged black magic rituals at Maharashtra CM's residence In 2025, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut made sensational claims about Varsha Bungalow, the official residence of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister. Raut alleged that black magic rituals had been performed at the bungalow, claiming this was the reason Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuses to move in. Raut further claimed that buffalo horns, supposedly from animals sacrificed at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, were buried in the bungalow’s lawn. Raut’s claims had triggered a storm in Maharashtra’s politics and critics slammed the alleged mix of politics and superstition. Much earlier, in 2009, just before the general elections, even then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was one of the highly educated politicians in the history of Indian politics, had accused BJP leader L K Advani of resorting to black magic and approaching tantrics to get to the seat of power.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy alleged that BRS leaders had sunk so low in their pursuit of power that they were resorting to black magic in the hope of creating a crisis in the state. He accused BRS leaders of seeking a drought through occult rituals to trigger farmers’ distress.

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics

Food safety officials conducted a surprise raid at a KFC outlet in Mangaluru following a complaint of receiving “spoiled and foul-smelling chicken” ordered online. The outlet was located at the City Centre Mall on KS Rao Road, in the Hampankatta area of Mangaluru, Karnataka. Officials checked the kitchen, storeroom and cold storage areas during the raid and reportedly found expired cooking oil. The state authorities have officially sealed the outlet's godown facility. Samples of both the chicken stock and the cooking oil have been seized and sent to the Food Testing Laboratory in Mysuru for detailed analysis.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote>Responding to the development, KFC India said: “As a responsible brand, KFC is firmly committed to providing high levels of food safety, quality and hygiene. The information circulating doesn’t depict the true facts. We source high-quality chicken from reputed suppliers across the country and actively comply with FSSAI guidelines, along with certain global quality standards, to serve quality food to our customers. The chicken we serve and store is as per norms and is prepared in-store every day, and each piece undergoes multiple stringent quality and safety checks from the suppliers’ farm to the consumers’ plate. We’re fully cooperating with the concerned authorities and are reviewing the matter in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Any customer who wishes to know more about KFC’s strict kitchen procedures and safety protocols can contact the restaurant manager for a kitchen tour.”</blockquote>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-missile-targeted-delhi-operation-sindoor-1786874457024">Pakistan targeted Delhi with high-speed missile during Operation Sindoor: Discovery documentary</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mangaluru, Karnataka: Food safety officials conducted a surprise raid at a KFC outlet in Mangaluru&#39;s City Centre on K.S. Rao Road following a customer complaint alleging that they received spoiled, foul-smelling chicken ordered online. During the inspection of the kitchen,… <a href="https://t.co/K0InEr2ghz">pic.twitter.com/K0InEr2ghz</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2088666900159176770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Increased scrutiny of hygiene and food safety across India</h2>The raid comes in the wake of increased scrutiny of hygiene and food safety violations. In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration has recently taken action against several food establishments over violations of the food safety guidelines. In August 2026, Maharashtra suspended the permits of 12 warehouses belonging to grocery giants Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart due to cockroach infestations, rodent droppings, and rotten produce.Popular chains like Domino's, KFC, McDonald's, and Burger King are also under the radar. There have been several reports of food adulteration across India. &nbsp;Multiple raids have resulted in the seizure and destruction of 1,000 kg of contaminated paneer and khoya in Ghaziabad, thousands of kilograms of synthetic-dye-laced tea powder in Hyderabad, and the unmasking of syndicates manufacturing synthetic milk using skimmed milk powder, caustic soda, and commercial shampoo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Food safety officials raided a KFC outlet in Mangaluru after a complaint of spoiled chicken. Officials found expired cooking oil and sealed the godown.

Food safety officials conducted a surprise raid at a KFC outlet in Mangaluru following a complaint of receiving “spoiled and foul-smelling chicken” ordered online. The outlet was located at the City Centre Mall on KS Rao Road, in the Hampankatta area of Mangaluru, Karnataka. Officials checked the kitchen, storeroom and cold storage areas during the raid and reportedly found expired cooking oil. The state authorities have officially sealed the outlet's godown facility. Samples of both the chicken stock and the cooking oil have been seized and sent to the Food Testing Laboratory in Mysuru for detailed analysis. Responding to the development, KFC India said: “As a responsible brand, KFC is firmly committed to providing high levels of food safety, quality and hygiene. The information circulating doesn’t depict the true facts. We source high-quality chicken from reputed suppliers across the country and actively comply with FSSAI guidelines, along with certain global quality standards, to serve quality food to our customers. The chicken we serve and store is as per norms and is prepared in-store every day, and each piece undergoes multiple stringent quality and safety checks from the suppliers’ farm to the consumers’ plate. We’re fully cooperating with the concerned authorities and are reviewing the matter in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Any customer who wishes to know more about KFC’s strict kitchen procedures and safety protocols can contact the restaurant manager for a kitchen tour.” Also Read: Pakistan targeted Delhi with high-speed missile during Operation Sindoor: Discovery documentary

Food safety officials raided a KFC outlet in Mangaluru after a complaint of spoiled chicken. Officials found expired cooking oil and sealed the godown.

KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken, KFC India issues statement

Eleven people, including seven children and four women, were hospitalised following a severe case of suspected food poisoning during a birthday celebration in Nalasopara East, located in the Palghar district near Mumbai. Three of the affected children are currently undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The incident occurred on Saturday evening (Aug 15) at the Neelkantheshwar building in the Takipada area, where residents had gathered to celebrate a 25-year-old woman's birthday. According to local officials, around 6:00 PM, neighbourhood children brought a birthday cake purchased from a local bakery to join the festivities.&nbsp;Shortly after consuming the cake, several attendees began experiencing acute physical distress, complaining of severe vomiting, stomach cramps, chest burning sensations, and headaches. As the symptoms rapidly escalated, victims were rushed to the nearby Vijayalaxmi Hospital for emergency medical intervention.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/massive-fire-in-bihar-hospital-s-icu-kills-3-day-after-deadly-delhi-hotel-blaze-1780538356628">Massive fire in Bihar hospital's ICU kills 3, day after deadly Delhi hotel blaze</a>&nbsp;Upon arrival at the hospital, patients informed attending medical staff that a dead lizard had been discovered embedded inside the cake. Hospital authorities confirmed that 11 individuals were admitted for suspected contamination and food poisoning. Dr Vidya Sawant, representing Vijayalaxmi Hospital, stated that while three children required ICU admission for closer observation, all 11 patients are currently in stable condition and responding to treatment.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mass-food-poisoning-at-gujarat-wedding-400-affected-pattern-of-negligence-emerges-1776753186975">Mass food poisoning at Gujarat wedding: 400 affected, pattern of negligence emerges</a>&nbsp;The local police from the Tulinj police station visited the hospital following notification of the incident and launched an official investigation. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the cake was bought from the Chamunda Cake Shop in Takipada. Police officers and food safety personnel have seized remaining samples of the cake from the scene and sent them to a laboratory for forensic analysis.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watermelon-not-the-cause-mumbai-family-death-case-takes-shocking-turn-1778132903198">Watermelon not the cause? Mumbai family death case takes shocking turn</a>&nbsp;Authorities emphasised that while the victims reported finding a dead lizard in the baked product, the precise cause of the food poisoning will be officially confirmed only after laboratory test reports are finalised. The incident has sparked public concern over hygienic conditions, regulatory compliance, and food safety standards across local bakeries in the region. Further police action and regulatory inspections of the bakery will depend on the chemical test results.

Eleven people, including seven children, were hospitalised in Nalasopara near Mumbai after a dead lizard was allegedly found inside a birthday cake. Three children are currently in the ICU receiving treatment. 

Eleven people, including seven children and four women, were hospitalised following a severe case of suspected food poisoning during a birthday celebration in Nalasopara East, located in the Palghar district near Mumbai. Three of the affected children are currently undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The incident occurred on Saturday evening (Aug 15) at the Neelkantheshwar building in the Takipada area, where residents had gathered to celebrate a 25-year-old woman's birthday. According to local officials, around 6:00 PM, neighbourhood children brought a birthday cake purchased from a local bakery to join the festivities. Shortly after consuming the cake, several attendees began experiencing acute physical distress, complaining of severe vomiting, stomach cramps, chest burning sensations, and headaches. As the symptoms rapidly escalated, victims were rushed to the nearby Vijayalaxmi Hospital for emergency medical intervention. Also read: Massive fire in Bihar hospital's ICU kills 3, day after deadly Delhi hotel blaze Upon arrival at the hospital, patients informed attending medical staff that a dead lizard had been discovered embedded inside the cake. Hospital authorities confirmed that 11 individuals were admitted for suspected contamination and food poisoning. Dr Vidya Sawant, representing Vijayalaxmi Hospital, stated that while three children required ICU admission for closer observation, all 11 patients are currently in stable condition and responding to treatment. Also read: Mass food poisoning at Gujarat wedding: 400 affected, pattern of negligence emerges The local police from the Tulinj police station visited the hospital following notification of the incident and launched an official investigation. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the cake was bought from the Chamunda Cake Shop in Takipada. Police officers and food safety personnel have seized remaining samples of the cake from the scene and sent them to a laboratory for forensic analysis. Also read: Watermelon not the cause? Mumbai family death case takes shocking turn Authorities emphasised that while the victims reported finding a dead lizard in the baked product, the precise cause of the food poisoning will be officially confirmed only after laboratory test reports are finalised. The incident has sparked public concern over hygienic conditions, regulatory compliance, and food safety standards across local bakeries in the region. Further police action and regulatory inspections of the bakery will depend on the chemical test results.

Eleven people, including seven children, were hospitalised in Nalasopara near Mumbai after a dead lizard was allegedly found inside a birthday cake. Three children are currently in the ICU receiving treatment.

'Dead lizard' allegedly found in birthday cake near Mumbai; 11 hospitalised, 3 children in ICU

Pakistan's last major offensive, which targeted New Delhi with a high-speed missile 71 hours into Operation Sindoor, triggering India's “final retaliatory attack”, according to a Discovery docuseries, Declassified: Operation Sindoor. India successfully intercepted the attack using the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system at Sirsa, Haryana. The Documentary was, released on August 15, 2026, offers a detailed account of the May 2025 standoff between India and Pakistan.“At about 1:30 or 1:45, one high-speed missile was launched by Pakistan, aimed at Delhi, which was intercepted at Sirsa in Haryana”, said national security analyst Nitin Gokhale. The Ministry of Defence previously said that the attack targeted Indian Air Force bases and other military installations, but did not publicly identify New Delhi as a target.&nbsp;The attack triggered an intense assault from India, the first major attack targeting 11 Pakistani airbases. “This time the full responsibility was given to the Air Force to launch the BrahMos Cruise Missiles,” said Gokhale. The first phase of the attack targeted Rafiqui, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Nur Khan airbases, while the second wave targeted Sargodha, Bholari and Jacobabad.“The intent was to keep it calibrated and measured and drive home a message that, look, we can hit you at will, and you have no answer to it,” said Air Marshal Awadesh Bharti, SYSM, AVSM, VM. Senior officers claimed that the attack paralysed Pakistan’s air defence mechanisms, including runways, hangars and parked aircraft. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also admitted the damage, speaking at the Pakistan-Türkiye-Azerbaijan summit in Lachin, Azerbaijan, in late May 2025.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/thdc-tunnel-collapse-chamoli-15-feared-trapped-10-rescued-1786633418264">6 workers killed, 2 trapped as water, debris enter THDC tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli</a>“We engaged them on a front of almost 1,200 kilometres, almost 200 kilometres deep inside his territory,” Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, PVSM, AVSM, said. “Things were really happening the way we wanted it to… All our weapons were reaching the correct places.” The assault was led by high-speed BrahMos-A cruise missiles and prompted Pakistani military leadership to seek an immediate halt to the conflict.&nbsp;Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out through the established military hotline by the next morning. Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir also contacted US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. He requested Washington's urgent intervention to halt the rapidly escalating Indian offensive. Marco Rubio immediately called India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, conveying Pakistan’s desperate message that they wanted the fighting to stop.Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, SYSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, India’s DGMO during Operation Sindoor, said that he received a message at around 9 am local time that Pakistan's DGMO wanted to speak. He said the MEA also told him that the Pakistanis were “frantically trying to call.”"Sir, having hit so many BrahMos missiles at us, you should now be satisfied, and we can bring this to a stop,” said Pakistan's DGMO Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah according to Ghai's account. “Once they asked, and repeatedly asked, saying, ‘Now it’s enough, you’ve done enough damage, now let’s have a ceasefire,’ we conceded to their request,” India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said. “We were also very clear that we don't have to linger on it.” At around 5.30 pm, it was agreed that both sides would cease hostilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Discovery documentary claims that Pakistan launched a high-speed missile at Delhi during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. India intercepted it at Sirsa.

Pakistan's last major offensive, which targeted New Delhi with a high-speed missile 71 hours into Operation Sindoor, triggering India's “final retaliatory attack”, according to a Discovery docuseries, Declassified: Operation Sindoor. India successfully intercepted the attack using the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system at Sirsa, Haryana. The Documentary was, released on August 15, 2026, offers a detailed account of the May 2025 standoff between India and Pakistan. “At about 1:30 or 1:45, one high-speed missile was launched by Pakistan, aimed at Delhi, which was intercepted at Sirsa in Haryana”, said national security analyst Nitin Gokhale. The Ministry of Defence previously said that the attack targeted Indian Air Force bases and other military installations, but did not publicly identify New Delhi as a target. The attack triggered an intense assault from India, the first major attack targeting 11 Pakistani airbases. “This time the full responsibility was given to the Air Force to launch the BrahMos Cruise Missiles,” said Gokhale. The first phase of the attack targeted Rafiqui, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Nur Khan airbases, while the second wave targeted Sargodha, Bholari and Jacobabad. “The intent was to keep it calibrated and measured and drive home a message that, look, we can hit you at will, and you have no answer to it,” said Air Marshal Awadesh Bharti, SYSM, AVSM, VM. Senior officers claimed that the attack paralysed Pakistan’s air defence mechanisms, including runways, hangars and parked aircraft. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also admitted the damage, speaking at the Pakistan-Türkiye-Azerbaijan summit in Lachin, Azerbaijan, in late May 2025. Also Read: 6 workers killed, 2 trapped as water, debris enter THDC tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli “We engaged them on a front of almost 1,200 kilometres, almost 200 kilometres deep inside his territory,” Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, PVSM, AVSM, said. “Things were really happening the way we wanted it to… All our weapons were reaching the correct places.” The assault was led by high-speed BrahMos-A cruise missiles and prompted Pakistani military leadership to seek an immediate halt to the conflict. Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out through the established military hotline by the next morning. Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir also contacted US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. He requested Washington's urgent intervention to halt the rapidly escalating Indian offensive. Marco Rubio immediately called India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, conveying Pakistan’s desperate message that they wanted the fighting to stop. Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, SYSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, India’s DGMO during Operation Sindoor, said that he received a message at around 9 am local time that Pakistan's DGMO wanted to speak. He said the MEA also told him that the Pakistanis were “frantically trying to call.” "Sir, having hit so many BrahMos missiles at us, you should now be satisfied, and we can bring this to a stop,” said Pakistan's DGMO Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah according to Ghai's account. “Once they asked, and repeatedly asked, saying, ‘Now it’s enough, you’ve done enough damage, now let’s have a ceasefire,’ we conceded to their request,” India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said. “We were also very clear that we don't have to linger on it.” At around 5.30 pm, it was agreed that both sides would cease hostilities.

A Discovery documentary claims that Pakistan launched a high-speed missile at Delhi during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. India intercepted it at Sirsa.

Pakistan targeted Delhi with high-speed missile during Operation Sindoor: Discovery documentary

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan reportedly killed his wife in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab after assaulting her at their home. Later, he attempted to make it appear that she had died after falling from the roof. They got married nearly 12 years ago and have two children, a son and a daughter, according to media reports. The victim has been identified as Rama, whose family had filed a complaint accusing her husband, Amarjit Singh, of returning home on leave on the night of August 13 and allegedly assaulting Rama, who later succumbed to her injuries. The complaint confirmed that they were informed at nearly 4:00 am on August 14, claiming that she had fallen from the roof and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. But when they reached the hospital, they discovered that Rama was already dead.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/navy-sailor-wife-and-two-children-found-dead-in-suspected-murder-suicide-1786875723629">Navy sailor, wife and two children found dead in suspected murder-suicide</a><h3>Family suspects injury marks</h3>Relatives told police they had spotted multiple injury marks on her body and believed she had been assaulted prior to her death, alleging that the story about a roof collapse was fabricated to mislead investigators. Ram Chand, Rama's father, further claimed that his daughter had endured ongoing harassment and physical abuse from her husband ever since their wedding. A case has been filed against Amarjit Singh along with his uncle Kuldeep Kuki and aunt Sonia. While Singh is now in custody, the other two suspects have yet to be apprehended. Station House Officer Harprem Singh stated that the investigation remains ongoing. He added that Rama's body was released to her family following the post-mortem, and her final rites will take place in her home village.

The complaint confirmed that they were informed at nearly 4:00 am on August 14, claiming that she had fallen from the roof and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. But when they reached the hospital, they discovered that Rama was already dead.

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan reportedly killed his wife in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab after assaulting her at their home. Later, he attempted to make it appear that she had died after falling from the roof. They got married nearly 12 years ago and have two children, a son and a daughter, according to media reports. The victim has been identified as Rama, whose family had filed a complaint accusing her husband, Amarjit Singh, of returning home on leave on the night of August 13 and allegedly assaulting Rama, who later succumbed to her injuries. The complaint confirmed that they were informed at nearly 4:00 am on August 14, claiming that she had fallen from the roof and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. But when they reached the hospital, they discovered that Rama was already dead. Also read: Navy sailor, wife and two children found dead in suspected murder-suicide Family suspects injury marks Relatives told police they had spotted multiple injury marks on her body and believed she had been assaulted prior to her death, alleging that the story about a roof collapse was fabricated to mislead investigators. Ram Chand, Rama's father, further claimed that his daughter had endured ongoing harassment and physical abuse from her husband ever since their wedding. A case has been filed against Amarjit Singh along with his uncle Kuldeep Kuki and aunt Sonia. While Singh is now in custody, the other two suspects have yet to be apprehended. Station House Officer Harprem Singh stated that the investigation remains ongoing. He added that Rama's body was released to her family following the post-mortem, and her final rites will take place in her home village.

The complaint confirmed that they were informed at nearly 4:00 am on August 14, claiming that she had fallen from the roof and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. But when they reached the hospital, they discovered that Rama was already dead.

BSF jawan murders his wife in Punjab's Hoshiarpur, calls it a 'fall from roof' to fake her death

india-news

India, News on India, stories on India, articles on India, India stories at Wion, India news, India latest news

india news

No outsiders, no videos, no interviews: Rajasthan govt issues new order for schools as CJP plans audit; Ranka reacts

Husband allegedly thrashes, chokes wife after she got her period on honeymoon

Jharkhand protest: Students, state government set for fresh talks today

600+ students flee Maharashtra Ashram school amid ‘ghost’ rumours

FSSAI crackdown forces 6 companies to withdraw misleading labels and claims

Lakshmi Mittal's steel giant hit in Zelensky's hometown

At least 7 killed, several injured in stampede at temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai

Typos, 100-page PDF, repeated questions: Why NTA ordered UGC-NET re-exam

Marvell is putting $250 million into India and doubling its headcount

Jharkhand students burn effigies of CM Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi, and Tejashwi

NTA orders re-exam for NET English, Commerce and Sociology on September 9-10

Vijay condemns killing of three Tamilians in Karnataka; demands high-level probe

Vande Mataram row escalates: BJP lodges complaint against Sonia Gandhi

Bankim Chandra’s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee seeks Sonia Gandhi’s apology over Vande Mataram row

India-Mauritius treaty gives investors ‘greater confidence’: Minister Jeetun

India fixes daily LPG production limits, Reliance gets highest at 18,000 tonnes

Now, ‘Dimagi Naxal Janta Party’ emerges after PM's remark. Here's what we know

Asish Banerjee death: Suvendu Adhikari orders probe

Japanese defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi to visit India next week for talks

Security guard arrested in Bengaluru over alleged links to Pakistani Taliban

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief stirs row with 'ask your mom' comment

Telangana CM Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power

KFC Mangaluru outlet sealed after complaint of spoiled and foul smelling chicken

11 hospitalised, 3 children in ICU after 'dead lizard' found in cake

Pakistan targeted Delhi with high-speed missile during Operation Sindoor

BSF jawan murders wife in Punjab, stages 'fall from roof' to fake death