News brief: Big stories of the day

As heavy rains lashed Mumbai Monday evening, part of a bridge connecting Andheri East to West collapsed on the railway tracks beneath it.

Although reports had earlier claimed that no one was injured, it later emerged that at least 5 people were injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the proposed grand opposition alliance is merely a "grand race" by his rivals to be the prime minister and is driven by "personal survival and power politics".

In an interview to Swarajya magazine, he said the opposition has no agenda except to remove him and that "hatred for Modi" is their "sole glueing force" as he expressed confidence that people will vote the BJP back to power in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Putting the onus on the states to check cow vigilantism, the Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on pleas seeking directions to formulate guidelines to curb such violence, saying no one can take law into their hands.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said this was a law and order issue and each state has to be responsible.

Maharashtra has eased a ban against single-use plastic, just over a week after it was imposed, following what sources said was intense lobbying by multinational companies and plastic industry bodies for softer rules and extensions.

Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital of Mumbai, has allowed e-commerce companies to use plastic packaging for three more months, according to a government order dated June 30, which was published on Tuesday.

Football legend Diego Maradona offered Tuesday to coach Argentina for free, eight years after his last attempt ended in World Cup failure.

Maradona, who watched his country crashed out 4-3 to France, was asked if he fancied another shot at the job – even though current coach Jorge Sampaoli has a contract until 2022.

"Yes, and I would do it for free," Maradona said in an interview. I wouldn't ask for anything in return."