1st South Asian Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests Congress Concludes in Delhi
Two-day Congress TREESCAPES 2026 Reimagined Agroforestry in South Asia Deliberations by Foreign Agri Ministers, experts on agroforestrys contribution to climate resiliency, farmers livelihood, tree-based entrepreneurship and economic growth The Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), successfully concluded TREESCAPES 2026, the 1st South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests (AF-TOF) Congress, held from 5th to 7th February 2026 at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa Campus, New Delhi .The three-day regional congress aims to emerge as a landmark platform for collective deliberation on strengthening tree-based agriculture and trees outside forest systems to enhance climate resilience, restore landscapes, and improve agricultural livelihoods across South Asia and was graced by eminent dignitaries, including Dr Madan Prasad Pariyar, Honble Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal; and Mr Ahmed Hassan Didi, Honble Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Republic of Maldives; along with senior officials from India and other South Asian countries. Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) and Director General, ICAR and Mr. Manoj Dabas, India Country Director, CIFOR-ICRAF, during TREESCAPES 2026 Speaking on the occasion Dr M.L. Jat,Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR), stated, Asia is home to some of the worlds most climate-vulnerable agricultural systems, yet it also holds immense potential to lead in nature-based economic transformation. Recent regional studies show that agroforestry has helped reduce deforestation and avoid tens of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually while supporting rural livelihoods. TREESCAPES demonstrates that scaling success will depend on unlocking green finance, empowering local institutions, and integrating youth and women into extension and entrepreneurship models. For South Asia, tree-based agriculture is not just about restoring landscapes - it is about future-proofing rural economies. Mr. Manoj Dabas, India Country Director, CIFOR-ICRAF further stated, Indias tree-based systems already account for nearly 20 percent of national carbon stocks, yet the country continues to import over USD 7 billion worth of wood and wood-based products annually, growing at double-digit rates. This contradiction highlights a massive missed opportunity. TREESCAPES has brought together evidence showing that tree-based agriculture can reduce import dependence, strengthen rural incomes for Indias 86 percent marginal farmers, and deliver measurable climate outcomes. The next phase of growth will depend on aligning carbon markets, digital traceability, and private-sector procurement with farmer realities. Agroforestry must be positioned not as an environmental add-on, but as core rural infrastructure. The two-day Congress brought together policymakers, senior government officials, researchers, industry leaders, financial institutions, civil society organizations, farmers, and youth from across South Asia, with discussions focussing on strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks, expanding forest certification with greater smallholder integration, and leveraging agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) for climate resilience and ecosystem services among others. In addition to featuring high-level thematic sessions focused on digital and geospatial innovations for agroforestry, water-secure and multifunctional landscapes, capacity building and extension systems, and enhancing trees in urban landscapes, the Congress also included four plenaries and a dedicated ministerial hour, underscoring strong political commitment to mainstreaming agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests across South Asia. With Indias push towards a green economy in sync with its 2070 net-zero goals, TREESCAPES 2026 highlighted the need for stronger institutional collaboration and PPP partnerships to address implementation opportunities and scale agroforestry sustainably in India by positioning itself as a pivotal platform in encouraging further effective implementation of agroforestry as a means of increasing tree cover and improving farmers incomes and livelihoods as we move towards a more climate-resilient future. About Treescapes TREESCAPES 2026 is being organised jointly by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), with the ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI), Jhansi, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, as Organising Partners. The Thematic Partners for TREESCAPES 2026 include GIZ, Haryana Forest Development Corporation, ITC Limited, The Nature Conservancy, Intellecap, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Indian Society of Agroforestry, and IORA Ecological Solutions. The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS) are the Knowledge Partners in the Congress. With Indias push towards a green economy in sync with its 2070 net-zero goals buoyed by the countrys reforestation drive (recently driven by Gujarat), TREESCAPES 2026 positions itself as a pivotal platform in encouraging further effective implementation of agroforestry as a means of increasing tree cover and improving farmers incomes and livelihoods as we move towards a more climate-resilient future About CIFOR-ICRAF CIFOR-ICRAF The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry ( www.cifor-icraf.org ), harnesses the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to address the most pressing global challenges of our time - biodiversity loss, climate change, food security, livelihoods and inequality. CIFOR and ICRAF are CGIAR Research Centers. CIFOR-ICRAF delivers demand-driven evidence of the ways trees can revitalize both landscapes and livelihoods. Born of the merger of the most trusted research organizations on forests, trees and agroforestry - the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) - CIFOR-ICRAF harnesses a combined 70 years of expertise and extensive partnership networks across Africa, Asia and Latin America. www.cifor-icraf.org/event/treescapes-2026 .
14YearOld Bhopal Boy Dies By Suicide After Parents Stop Him From Playing Games On Phone
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Souzafindshisaudience at Charles Correas Bharat Bhavan
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Shafi Lokhandwala delivers lecture at MANUU RC Bhopal
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MP: Why an Amrit Sarovar Pond Failed to Recharge Groundwater in a Bhopal Village
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1st South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests Congress to be hosted from (5th-7th) February 2026 Crucial Three-Day Congress For Collective Deliberation on agroforestry for enhanced climate resiliency and agricultural livelihoods In a bid to amplify agroforestrys contribution in India, the Centre for International Forestry Research - International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is all set to host TREESCAPES, the first South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests Congress from (5th - 7th) February 2026 at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa Campus in New Delhi. With a vision to establish Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) as mainstream and scalable solution s supporting climate-resilient landscapes, sustainable livelihoods, and economic growth across South Asia ,the three-day regional congress will bring together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, civil society, farmers, and youth from across South Asia to exchange knowledge, showcase best practices, and deliberate on innovative solutions to mainstream and scale AF-TOF systems in the South Asian region in the esteemed presence ofShivraj Singh Chouhan, Honble Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Madan Prasad Pariyar, Honble Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal, Ahmed Hassan Did i , Honble Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Republic of Maldives, Rao Narbir Singh, Honble Minister, Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Government of Haryana and other dignitaries. Speaking on the need for such a Congress, Mr. Manoj Dabas, India Country Director, CIFOR-ICRAF stated, Tree-based systems account for 19.3% of the countrys carbon stocks and could help abate over 2 billion tonnes of CO equivalent by 2030. This is just a fraction of the potential. With 86.1% of Indian farmers classified as marginal, unlocking this potential will depend on aligning carbon finance frameworks and policy instruments with Indias fragmented landholdings and locally adapted agroforestry practices. India is already importing more than 7 billion USD worth of wood and wood-based products from other countries, with a CAGR of 15%. This needs to change. With TREESCAPES 2026, we at CIFOR-ICRAF aim to spearhead dialogue on more effective implementation of agro-forestry in India and chart a collective pathway for mainstreaming AF-TOF systems across the region in line with Indias climate and net-zero goals. TREESCAPES 2026 aims to highlight the policy, regulatory, and institutional gaps related to agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests. Through various panel discussions and thematic sessions, the Congress will facilitate various dialogues on scaling agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests using digital tools, water-secure landscape approaches, and farmer-led innovation while simultaneously deliberating on crucial aspects of financing, certification, and value chains, in addition to climate and ecosystem services, seed and genetic systems, bioeconomy opportunities, and carbon finance mechanisms to make tree-based systems viable at scale across South Asia. According to The State of Food and Agriculture 2025 (FAO), nearly 1.7 billion people globally live in regions where crop yields are declining due to human-induced land degradation, posing a direct concern to agricultural productivity and food security. In India, agroforestry is emerging as a critical response to this challenge, offering measurable gains for climate mitigation, rural resilience, and farmer incomes. From a South Asian lens, agroforestry has helped reduce deforestation across Southeast Asia by an estimated 250,319 hectares (618,552 acres) per year between 2015 and 2023, preventing between 43.3 million and 74.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, as per a study published in Nature Sustainability. The benefits of agroforestry far outweigh its cons, especially where a country like India is concerned. A 9-year study by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) in Eastern India found in 2025, that one-acre farms under agroforestry sequestered up to 154.5 megagrams (Mg) of carbon dioxide equivalent over nine years, while maintaining food production and generating substantial income for farming families. TREESCAPES 2026 is being organised jointly by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), with the ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI), Jhansi, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, as Organising Partners. The Thematic Partners for TREESCAPES 2026 include GIZ, Haryana Forest Development Corporation, ITC Limited, The Nature Conservancy, Intellecap, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Indian Society of Agroforestry, and IORA Ecological Solutions. The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS) are the Knowledge Partners in the Congress. With Indias push towards a green economy in sync with its 2070 net-zero goals buoyed by the countrys reforestation drive (recently driven by Gujarat), TREESCAPES 2026 positions itself as a pivotal platform in encouraging further effective implementation of agroforestry as a means of increasing tree cover and improving farmers incomes and livelihoods as we move towards a more climate-resilient future. www.cifor-icraf.org/event/treescapes-2026/speakers AboutCIFOR-ICRAF www.cifor-icraf.org ), harnesses the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to address the most pressing global challenges of our time - biodiversity loss, climate change, food security, livelihoods and inequality. CIFOR and ICRAF are CGIAR Research Centers. CIFOR-ICRAF delivers demand-driven evidence of the ways trees can revitalize both landscapes and livelihoods. Born of the merger of the most trusted research organizations on forests, trees and agroforestry - the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) - CIFOR-ICRAF harnesses a combined 70 years of expertise and extensive partnership networks across Africa, Asia and Latin America. www.cifor-icraf.org/event/treescapes-2026 .
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Muneer wins silver medal at National Canoe Slalom Cship
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Madhya Pradesh government to build memorial at the site of Bhopal gas tragedy: CM Yadav
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Beautiful women from these castes attract rape: MP Congress MLA
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Azim Premji University today announced the establishment of its third campus in Ranchi, expanding its presence in eastern India and strengthening its commitment to context-based, socially engaged higher education. The new campus builds on the Universitys long-standing work in education, development, public health, and governance, and reflects its approach of linking academic learning with real-world social and regional realities. Zulfiquar Haider, Vice Chancellor Designate, Azim Premji University, Ranchi Campus Sharing the vision for the Ranchi campus, Zulfiquar Haider, Vice Chancellor Designate -Azim Premji University, Ranchi Campus, said, We want the Ranchi campus to be closely connected to the Social and Developmental needs of this region and contribute to building knowledge and human resources. The University will offer a range of programs and courses that will suit the needs of diverse students and learners, including working professionals. The university aims to meaningfully engage with the rich traditions, histories, knowledge systems and worldviews of the diverse Adivasi and other communities of Jharkhand. Located in Itki, the 150-acre campus is being developed as a fully residential facility, equipped with state-of-the art classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities and residences for both students and faculty.A teaching hospital and medical college are also planned. The campus is designed to be sustainable with energy-efficient systems and facilities for rainwater harvesting and water treatment. The Ranchi campus will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, certificate, and continuing education programmes across disciplines such as Development, Education, Economics, Public Health, Climate Change and Sustainability. These programmes are designed to reflect the development context of Jharkhand and eastern India and will be supported by faculty with strong academic and field experience. In the current academic year, the campus will begin by offering two Masters programmes - MA in Applied Economics and MA in Development. It will also offer Post Graduate Diplomas in Local Development, Early Childhood Education, and Educational Assessment, along with multiple short Certificate programmes in Public Health, Education and Development. Speaking about the Universitys broader purpose, Zulfiquar added, Azim Premji University was established with a clear public purpose, guided by the values of the Azim Premji Foundation. Through teaching, research, and practice, we seek to contribute to a more just, equitable, humane, and sustainable society. The Ranchi campus extends this mission with a focus on knowledge creation, capacity building, and public discourse in Jharkhand and the wider eastern India region. About Azim Premji University Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, was established under the Azim Premji University Act 2010 of the Government of Karnataka. Azim Premji University, Bhopal, was established under the provisions of Madhya Pradesh Niji Vishwa Vidyalaya (Sthapana Avam Sanchalan) Dwitiya Sanshodhan Adhiniyam, 2022.Azim Premji University in Ranchi is being established under the Azim Premji University Act, 2022, enacted by the Government of Jharkhand. Azim Premji Foundation, the sponsoring body, set up all threeUniversities as fully philanthropic entities, with a clear social purpose of contributing to the realisation of a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society.
MP water contamination: NGT constitutes 6-member panel to probe issue
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Water Contamination A Public Health Emergency: Bhopal Green Tribunal
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When medicine and water can take lives: A system without accountability in MP
Madhya Pradesh is facing a harsh reality these days. Even the most basic needs of common people are not safe anymore. Maroof Ahmed Khan, a Bhopal-based social activist and writer, in a statement has said that in a democracy, both government and public have responsibility. The government must give safe medicine and clean water and Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
After water crisis in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, groundwater samples from several parts of Bhopal have tested positive for E. coli bacteria, prompting authorities to ban the use of groundwater in the affected areas. E coli bacteria can cause diarrhoea, stomach pain, loss of appetite and low fever. People can get infected after swallowing E. coli and this can happen through contaminated food or water. In Bhopal, a sluaghterhouse has also been sealed amid concerns over contaminated groundwater.
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E Coli Detected In Bhopal Water After 20 Die In Indore Contamination
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MP: AIIMS, Bhopal, Professor Dies 24 Hours After Suicide Attempt
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MP ignored CAG report on systemic lapses
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DC Edit | How Indore Slipped Up
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CAG Warned of Water Contamination and Disease Outbreak in Indore and Bhopal 6 Years Ago
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Efforts To Prevent `Love Jihad Must Begin At Home: RSS Chief Bhagwat
Bhopal, Jan 3: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said the efforts to prevent `love Jihad must begin within families, stressing the need for communication, inculcation of awareness among women and collective social response. Addressing Stri Shakti Samvad programme, a discussion on womens role in society organised by the Sangh here, Bhagwat touched upon the issue of `love Jihad, an RSS release said. Notably, the term love Jihad is used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by [] The post Efforts To Prevent `Love Jihad Must Begin At Home: RSS Chief Bhagwat appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Social harmony intrinsic to Indian society; need collective efforts to strengthen it: Mohan Bhagwat
Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief, emphasized social harmony in Bhopal. He stated that unity amid diversity is India's core identity. Bhagwat highlighted the need for dialogue and collective efforts to strengthen communities. Representatives from various groups attended the meeting. A resolution was passed to address local issues through collective action, aiming to strengthen society.
Watch: Bhopal residents allege dirty water supply after Indore contamination deaths
India loses 166 tigers in 2025, forty more than previous year; MP accounts for 55 deaths
Bhopal, Jan 1: India, home to the worlds largest tiger population, has lost as many as 166 of these majestic animals in 2025, forty more than the previous year, due to various reasons, as per the latest data of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The data also shows that Madhya Pradesh, dubbed the countrys tiger state, recorded the highest number of deaths at 55. Among other states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam reported 38, 13 and 12 tiger deaths, respectively, [] The post India loses 166 tigers in 2025, forty more than previous year; MP accounts for 55 deaths appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Cheetah project logs 12 cub births in 2025, Indias count now 30
Bhopal: The three-year-old cheetah reintroduction project moved ahead with full steam in 2025, a year which saw the birth of 12 cubs in Madhya Pradeshs Kuno National Park (KNP) three of them did not survive taking the number of the big cats in India to 30, an official said on Wednesday. However, six Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Sri Lankan judges visit India for capacity-building programme
COLOMBO, Dec 30: Twenty Sri Lankan High Court judges visited India to attend a knowledge exchange and capacity-building programme, the Indian mission here said on Tuesday. The programme took place at the Indian National Judicial Academy, Bhopal from December 15 to 19, according to a statement by the Indian High Commission. It comprised nine thematic sessions covering key areas of judicial functioning. These included judicial decision-making and appellate review; use of technology and digital transformation in courts; cybercrime and [] The post Sri Lankan judges visit India for capacity-building programme appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Tigress found dead in Madhya Pradeshs Sagar; state reports 55 tiger mortalities in 2025
BHOPAL:Yet another tiger death has been reported from the 'Tiger State' Madhya Pradesh this time from the Sagar district of Bundelkhand region. With this latest tiger fatality, the number of mortalities of the striped big cat in Madhya Pradesh so far in 2025 has touched 55 the highest in any year since the launch of the Project Tiger in 1973. The adult female tiger, aged between eight and ten years, was found dead near the Hilgan village on the Sagar-Dhana Road on Sunday. The latest tiger death was reported from the Dhana Forest Range under the Sagar South Forest Division. The matter was immediately reported to the forest department staff by the villagers, who had spotted the tigers carcass in the morning. The forest department team, led by the Dhana Forest Ranger Pratik Srivastava, rushed to the spot and started the on-spot investigations. According to highly placed officials in the state forest department, though the actual cause of death will be known only after the necropsy of the carcass, the absence of signs of injuries on the body or any circumstantial evidence of suspected poisoning suggest that the adult female might have been electrocuted due to some electric trap set up by villagers in the area. The local forest department staff are also ascertaining whether the tigress had been moving in the same area for a long time or travelled there from some other place, including the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve or the Panna Tiger Reserve. Importantly, as per details available with the TNIE , out of the 55 tiger deaths which have taken place in MP so far this year, 11 deaths are unnatural, out of which around eight have been caused due to electric traps set up by villagers to save their crops from wild boars and antelopes or bush hunting of wild animals. The electrocution-related deaths of tigers in MP are a major cause of concern for the state forest department, which is particularly happening due to villagers setting up such traps to save their crops from wild boars and antelopes especially as the pace and process of the revenue departments compensation for crops damaged by wild animals is very slow and complicated. Sharing the video of the dead tiger on social media on Sunday evening, Bhopal-based wildlife activist Ajay Dubey wrote, When will this cycle of tiger deaths finally end? 55 tigers have been lost in Madhya Pradesh so far this year, there is a complete lack of accountability. Today, another tiger's carcass was discovered in Dhana, Sagarsuspected to belong to the Panna Tiger Reserve. Who will answer for this mounting crisis?
Rare leopard Gecko lizard found accidentally in MP tiger sanctuary
BHOPAL: In a rare wildlife sighting, a laundry staff at the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh has photographed a colourful and possibly rare lizard species, marking what officials say could be the first such record from the reserve. Anil Rajak, a laundry staff at the forest departments guest house in the Karmajhiri range of the tiger reserve, spotted the multi-hued lizard crawling through dry leaves near the guest house recently. Struck by its vivid colours, Rajak clicked photographs on his mobile phone and shared them with forest officials. I was amazed by the different colours on the lizards body. We have been encouraged by senior officers to report unusual wildlife sightings, so I shared the pictures, without realising what would follow, Rajak said. According to PTR Deputy Director Rajnish Kumar Singh, preliminary examination suggests the lizard could belong to either the Painted Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis pictus) or the Satpura Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis satpuraensis). This is the first time such a lizard has been photographed in the reserve. We are matching the images with available reptile databases to confirm the species, Singh said. The Painted Leopard Gecko was scientifically described in 2022 from the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and is considered rare, with threats including illegal pet trade. The Satpura Leopard Gecko, meanwhile, is endemic to parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. If confirmed, the sighting would be the first record of either species from PTR. The chance discovery earned Rajak the tiger reserves Man of the Month award, comprising a certificate and shield. Discovery A preliminary examination suggests the lizard is either a Painted Leopard Gecko or Satpura Leopard Gecko The chance discovery earned Rajak the tiger reserves Man of the Month award, comprising a certificate and shield
MP CM orders probe after police allegedly assault senior journalists in Ashta
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has ordered an inquiry into the alleged assault of a national news channels senior journalist and video journalist by local police in the communally sensitive town of Ashta in Sehore district. The journalists, including Zee News senior reporter Pramod Sharma and video journalist Rajat, were reportedly attacked by on-duty officers on Saturday afternoon while covering the town, which recently witnessed communal clashes between Karni Sena activists and members of the Muslim community over a dispute involving urination. We were covering the protests by right-wing Hindu groups on Saturday afternoon when the police, led by local station in-charge Girish Dube, assaulted us and damaged the camera. We were taken like criminals in a police vehicle to the station and made to stand there for about half an hour. Our camera was returned only after two hours, but all recorded data and visuals had been deleted, Sharma and Rajat alleged. The journalists were subsequently taken to Chirayu Hospital on the outskirts of Bhopal, where Sharma is being treated for multiple injuries. Taking cognisance of the alleged assault, MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav, who also holds the state home affairs portfolio, directed State DGP Kailash Makwana on Sunday evening to ensure a senior officer probes the incident. The Chief Minister also instructed the Bhopal district administration to provide the best possible medical care for the senior journalist, with all expenses to be borne by the government. Ashta, a communally sensitive town in central Madhya Pradesh, had witnessed clashes between Karni Sena activists and the minority community on the night of 21 December, following a minor dispute related to urination and parking. Since then, the town has remained under heavy police security, owing to separate protests by right-wing Hindu groups and the minority community. So far, ten individuals from the minority community have been arrested in connection with the 21 December incident, while arrests relating to the other side are still pending.
Cold Wave Sweeps MP, Mandsaur, Coldest City With 2.9 Degree Celsius
Bhopal records 4.6 degree Celsius: Reports
Madhya Pradesh HC directs state to bear delivery expenses of 16-year-old rape survivor
JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has allowed a 16-year-old rape survivor to give birth to her baby, holding that termination of pregnancy cannot be permitted without her consent. The girl has since married the accused and the father of her child. A single bench of Justice Vishal Mishra directed that the state government bear all expenses related to the delivery, which will be conducted at Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal in the presence of an expert medical team. The order of December 11, a copy of which was made available on Friday, came after a district court wrote to the HC concerning the termination of pregnancy of the minor rape survivor. The HC then sought a report from a medical board. According to the medical board's report, the survivor was 16 years and seven months old, and her gestational age was 29 weeks and one day, which fell within the permissible delivery period. The report said that the survivor was counselled about the options of undergoing or not undergoing abortion, and she expressed her wish to continue with the pregnancy. According to a report submitted by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the survivor said that she had married the father of her child (the accused) and wanted to go ahead with the delivery. The report said the girl's parents were unwilling to keep her with them because she married of her own will. The parents said they had no relationship with their daughter, noted the CWC report. Holding that abortion cannot be allowed without the survivor's consent, the HC directed the CWC to keep her under its care until she turns 18 and make all possible efforts to ensure the safety of her child.
Two killed, three injured as speeding car driven by BJP leader mows down villagers in MP's Morena
BHOPAL: An uncontrolled speeding car driven by a ruling BJP leader reportedly knocked down five villagers, killing two of them and injuring three others. The incident happened in Porsa area of Morena district at around 9 pm on Friday, when the Swift car driven by local BJP leader Dipendra Bhadauria ran over the villagers. While the two injured, including Ramdutt Rathore (65) and Annu Lakshakar (11) were rushed to neighbouring Gwalior for life-saving treatment, three other injured were administered treatment at a local hospital. Both Rathore and Lakshkar died during the course of treatment at a hospital in Gwalior district. The accused Dipendra Bhadauria, who too was injured in the incident, was caught by the villagers, but managed to escape from the vehicle in which he was being taken along with the injured villagers in presence of three police personnel. The accused Dipendra Bhadauria has been arrested in the morning and necessary legal process is being initiated, Morena district police superintendent Samir Saurabh told TNIE on Saturday. Meanwhile, the ruling BJPs Morena district unit expelled Bhadauria from the partys primary membership on Saturday. Angered by the incident, villagers blocked the NH-552 (a spur of NH-52) for hours and later submitted a memorandum containing seven demands. The seven demands, included registering a murder case against Bhadauria, bulldozing his house, financial compensation to the bereaved families, government jobs to one member of both the families, arms licence to the concerned families, proper security to them and action against police personnel in whose presence Bhadauria had managed to escape on Friday night. The local sub divisional magistrate (SDM), who got the blocked NH-522 cleared took the memorandum and assured appropriate action.
Bhopal and Khajuraho Emerge as Top-Ranked Airports in AAI Survey
Airports in Bhopal and Khajuraho have achieved top rankings in a nationwide customer satisfaction survey. The survey covered 58 airports across India. Both Bhopal and Khajuraho airports secured perfect scores in the first round. In the second round, they scored 4.99 out of 5. This indicates world-class passenger services are reaching smaller Indian cities.
Indore police cracked a major jewellery shop heist. Two 18-year-olds, a graphic designer and a NEET aspirant, were arrested. The duo stole jewellery worth over Rs 16 lakh from Shri Jewellers. CCTV footage and technical tracking led to their capture in Bhopal. The entire stolen collection was recovered. The plan was inspired by a Bollywood film. Further investigation is ongoing.
NGT halts Ayodhya bypass road project after large-scale tree removal in Bhopal
The order came on December 22 after petitioner and RTI activist Nitin Saxena approached the tribunal, alleging large-scale violations in the clearance process for the project being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Deleted, unmapped voters more than losing margin in Madhya Pradesh: Congress flays SIR
BHOPAL: A day after the first phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter roll was completed with the publication of the draft voter list, the opposition Congress targeted the ruling BJP government, with the SIR first phase figures. On the completion of the first phase, the ECI officially stated that more than 42.74 lakh voters, who were part of the October 2025 list of voters, were removed from the SIR draft list on Tuesday. Once the count of unmapped voters is added to it, the figure becomes 51 lakh-plus. The Congress lost the 2023 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh to the BJP by 32 lakh votes, now the SIR says that 51 lakh voters were dead, shifted, absent, duplicate or unmapped. This clearly proves that the BJP won the 2023 polls with the help of fake voters, former MP minister and state Congresss SIR committee head Sajjan Singh Verma said. The SIR figures are a clear proof that the BJP won the polls in MP through vote chori (vote theft) and the present government is unconstitutional, Verma added. The committees member JP Dhanopiya, who also heads the state partys election cell said. We apprehend that the BJP with the help of ECI will try to get the deleted voters and unmapped voters added back into the list in the second phase of the SIR. We will keep a close tab on the entire process and flag any wrongdoing. Verma also shared a list of constituencies where the BJPs winning margin in the 2023 elections was less than the total number of voters deleted during the ongoing SIRs first phase. The list of assembly constituencies, SIR results and the 2023 polls winning margin shared by Verma included Surkhi, Gunnaur, Rau, Narela, Rewa and Sihawal seats. Madhya Pradesh: 42.74 lakh voter names removed from draft rolls Bhopal sees removal of 21 per cent voters from draft list after SIR first phase
Projects commissioned, India set to overtake US in metro network length
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Railways has claimed that India is on course to overtake the United States in total metro network length as ongoing projects are commissioned. Metro and suburban rail networks are currently operational across 1,090 km in 26 cities, including both major metros and Tier-2 cities, making urban mobility faster and more economically affordable for low- and middle-income groups. The Ministry further stated that despite the rapid expansion of metro and suburban rail services, no fare hike has been implemented so far by the government, reflecting its concern for low- and middle-class commuters. Speaking to this newspaper on Wednesday, an official at the Ministry said that Indias metro network has grown exponentially from just 248 km across five cities in 2014 to 1,090 km in 2025, spanning 26 cities- both metro and Tier-2. This represents a remarkable 340% growth over the past decade. He said that metro expansion has taken place not only in major cities but also in Tier-2 cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Kanpur, Nagpur, Pune, Surat, Agra, Lucknow, Jaipur and Kochi. He added that metro services were operational over just 27 km in 2002, which increased to 50 km in 2004, 101 km in 2009, 249 km in 2014, 647 km in 2019, 945 km in 2024 and 1,090 km in 2025. According to the official, the commissioning of metro lines has increased nine times compared to pre-2014 rates, with the aim of accelerating urban transport infrastructure under the NDA government. Highlighting the work done on metro and suburban rail services during the current NDA government, the official said that urban mobility has been made affordable and efficient, with metro travel costing 5060% less per passenger-km than private vehicles. He said this has significantly reduced daily commuting costs and eased traffic congestion on roads. Citing figures, the official further added that affordable fare slabs, typically ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 60 at launch in cities such as Bhopal, demonstrate accessibility for low- and middle-income commuters. He further stated that average daily metro ridership across the country now stands at around 1.15 crore, which is four times higher than the 28 lakh daily ridership recorded in 2014.
IndiGo 'fully prepared' for holiday season, 2,100+ flights operating daily now
NEW DELHI: Indias largest domestic airline, IndiGo, said on Wednesday that it has stabilised its operations since December 9 and was ready for the holiday season. The airline said it was operating between 2,100 and 2,200 flights daily and carries one million customers every three days. An official release said, We have been flying to and from all 138 operational destinations across our network while maintaining the IndiGo standards of On Time Performance. We confirm that we are fully prepared to cater to the surge in demand during this holiday season. The dense fog across Northern India caused industry-wide disruptions in recent days in the aviation sector. However, the operations were effectively managed, under the circumstances, to maintain operational stability. With forecasts indicating a harsher winter ahead, we remain committed to ensuring reliability and minimising disruptions across our network to ensure least inconvenience to our customers, the IndiGo statement said. Indias first airbus to connect Athens The airline also said it was set to welcome Indias first Airbus A321XLR, which will redefine medium-to-long haul flying for travellers in India and the subcontinent. We look forward to using these aircraft to connect Delhi and Mumbai with Athens starting January 23, 2026, as previously announced, it said. The airline said it was also evaluating additional domestic and international destinations in line with its fleet expansion plans and will share updates in future. Three new airlines cleared to enter Indian market after IndiGo disruption New direct flights between Delhi and London (Heathrow) In another release, IndiGo announced new direct flights between Delhi and London (Heathrow) from February 2, 2026. The airline will fly five times a week on the route using its Boeing 787 aircraft, taken on wet/damp lease from Norse Atlantic Airways, offering dual-class configuration with IndiGoStretch and Economy Class, it said. IndiGo already operates daily, direct flights between Mumbai and London Heathrow, and will now operate a total of 12 weekly flights to London. The timings are as follows: 6E 0003 will depart every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Delhi at 9.40 am. It will reach London at 2.55 pm the same day. For the return leg, 6E 0004 will depart every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5.15 pm and reach Delhi on the following day at 8.15 am. IndiGo had recently launched flights to Denpasar (Bali), Krabi, Hanoi, Guangzhou, and Manchester. Rewa-Indore launch On Monday (December 22), IndiGo launched daily direct flights between Rewa and Indore. Rewa is the airlines sixth destination in Madhya Pradesh after Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, and Khajuraho. This new service will open air travel for many first-time fliers across the Vindhya region, it said in a statement. Operated by IndiGos ATR aircraft, it will cut journey time between the two cities from the present ten hours to around 1.5 hours, it said. The daily flight (6E 7363) begins at 11.30 am from Indore and reaches Rewa by 1.15 pm. The return flight (6E 7364) will begin at 1.35 pm from Rewa and reach Indore at 3.25 pm.
Bhopal sees removal of 21 per cent voters from draft list after SIR first phase
BHOPAL: With the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh concluding on Tuesday, around 21% of voters have been removed from the draft electoral list in the state capital, Bhopal. Out of the 21.25 lakh-plus registered voters of the districts October 2025 voter list, around 4.38 lakh voters (20.63% or more) in seven assembly segments of Bhopal district, have been removed from the draft voter roll which was published on Tuesday. The highest number of deletions97,052 voterswas recorded in the Govindpura constituency, which has the states second-highest voter base after Indore-5. In contrast, the lowest number of removals, at 12,903 voters, was reported from Berasia-SC, the only largely rural constituency. In percentage terms, however, the maximum percentage of 27.55% voters have been removed from the Bhopal Central assembly segment, which has been won by Congresss Arif Masood since 2018. While Bhopal South West constituency saw the removal of 27.09% voters, Govindpura is third in the list of the seven assembly segments with 24.14% registered voters being dropped from the draft list published on Tuesday. Two other assembly segments, among them adjoining Narela and Bhopal North, have seen the removal of 22.80% and 20.44% voters respectively. Importantly, the Narela, seat which has been won four times in a row since 2008 by BJP legislator and Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Vishwas Sarang, has seen the removal of 80,935 voters from the list, which is more than three times greater than Sarangs winning margin of 24,569 votes in the 2023 assembly elections. Over 41.80 lakh voter names identified for deletion as first phase of SIR exercise ends in Madhya Pradesh In the adjoining Bhopal North assembly segment (which has been a Congress citadel since 1998) as many as 51,058 names have been removed from the list, which are nearly two times more than 26,987 votes victory margin of the first-time Congress MLA Atif Arif Aqeel in the last assembly polls. As many as 67,304 voters have been removed from the list in Bhopal Central seat, which is four times more than the 15,891 votes winning margin of the second time Congress MLA Arif Masood in the 2023 elections. Importantly, while the Bhopal North assembly segment houses a major population of the Muslim community, the bordering Bhopal Madhya and Narela constituencies too have a significant population of the minority community voters. The Bhopal South West constituency has seen the removal of 63,432 voters from the list, which is four times more than the first-time BJP legislator Bhagwandas Sabnanis 2023 elections victory margin of 15,833 votes. In only three out of the seven assembly segments of Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, which form part of Bhopal district, are the number of voters removed from the list, lesser than the victory margin of 2023 election winners, all of whom were from BJP. In Govindpura, which is popular in political circles as BJPs Ayodhya in Bhopal (it has been the saffron citadel since 1980), though maximum 97,052 voters stand removed from the SIR draft list, the figure is lesser than the 2023 victory margin of 1.06 lakh-plus votes of second-time BJP MLA and present MP minister Krishna Gaur. Current MP minister Krishna Gaur, who was formerly the Bhopal mayor also, is the daughter-in-law of BJP veteran and former CM Late Babulal Gaur, who won from Govindpura record eight times in a row between 1980 and 2013. In Huzur assembly segment which has been BJPs stronghold since 2008, the third-time sitting MLA Rameshwar Sharmas 97,910 winning margin of 2023 elections is more than 65,891 voter names removed from the list after the first phase of the SIR. In the only largely rural assembly segment of Bhopal district, the Berasia-SC seat which has been won by BJPs Vishnu Khatri since 2013, Khatris 2023 polls 25,397 winning margin is two times more than the 12,903 voters removed from the list now. Importantly, the outcome of the first phase of SIR in Madhya Pradesh, put the state capital Bhopal on top when it came to removal of maximum number of shifted voters in the state. Bhopal topped the list of removal of shifted voters with 2.86 lakh-plus voters (who shifted elsewhere) among all the 55 districts of the state. Also, Bhopal with 1.16 lakh-plus unmapped voters is second in the state to Indore only which has 1.33 lakh-plus unmapped voters. Unmapped voters relate to those voters whose name figures in the October 2025 list of registered voters, but their names, parents names and grandparents names were missing from the SIR 2003 list.
Madhya Pradesh: 42.74 lakh voter names removed from draft rolls
BHOPAL: Over 42.74 lakh voter names, which account for 7 per cent of the total 5.74 crore voters, were removed from the draft electoral roll of 230 Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh as the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list was completed on Tuesday. While 42,74,160 names were excluded, a total of 8,65,832 remained unmapped, as their parents or grand-parents details were not found in the SIR 2003 voter roll. Notices will be issued to those 8.65 lakh plus unmapped voters, giving them a weeks time to appear personally with any of the 13 documents and get their names added in the final list which will be published on February 21, 2026. Of the 42.74 lakh-plus voters removed from the rolls, 19.19 lakh were men while 23.64 lakh were women. CEO, Madhya Pradesh, SK Jha said of the 42.74 lakh plus voters, who have been excluded from the first draft of electoral roll-post SIR, 31.51 lakh or 73% were shifted or absent, 8.46 lakh or 20% were deceased and 2.77 lakh or 6% were duplicate voters.
India's first PPP-model medical colleges to be set up in Madhya Pradesh's tribal districts
BHOPAL: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda joined the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Tuesday, in laying the foundation of two medical colleges in two tribal-dominated districts of the state. The two medical colleges which will be built in Dhar district of western MP and Betul district of central MP respectively, will be the first medical colleges in the country, to come up under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The two colleges are part of four PPP-based medical colleges which are planned to be developed in the StateDhar, Betul, Katni, and Panna. They will be linked with existing district hospitals to strengthen both medical education and healthcare service delivery. Under this model, the state government has provided up to 25 acres of land on lease, while private service providers will construct academic and clinical infrastructure, including medical college buildings, hostels, laboratories, and residential complexes. The associated district hospitals will be upgraded in strict accordance with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms, while remaining under the administrative control of the State Government to ensure uninterrupted public health services. Terming the occasion as a historic milestone, Nadda noted that the PPP model reflects a forward-looking approach to expanding medical education and healthcare delivery. He highlighted that Indias healthcare system, once focused primarily on curative care, has undergone a paradigm shift since 2017 moving towards preventive, promotive, and holistic healthcare. While highlighting the key achievements in the sphere of health and family welfare, the union minister informed that institutional deliveries in the country have risen to nearly 89%, driven by ASHA workers grassroots mobilisation. Indias decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has been more than twice the global average. Over 40 crore people have been screened for hypertension, with 6.80 crore diagnosed and under treatment. Over 40 crore screened for diabetes, with 4.60 crore diagnosed and receiving care. Cancer screening initiatives have reached millions, identifying thousands of cases early. He emphasised that systematic screening and early detection are enabling timely treatment and improved health outcomes. Further, he underscored the role of over 1.82 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) in delivering comprehensive primary healthcare, particularly maternal and child health services, from pregnancy to safe institutional delivery and vaccination. He also noted the success of the U-WIN portal, which enables real-time immunisation surveillance for approximately 2.5 crore pregnant women and 2.5 crore children nationwide, supported by Anganwadi and ASHA workers. The union minister also highlighted the unprecedented growth in medical education infrastructure in the country, which was reflected by the number of medical colleges having increased from 387 in 2014 to 819 currently, MBBS seats having more than doubled from 51,000 to over 1.28 lakh. The government is committed to adding 75,000 new medical seats by 2029, strengthening Indias healthcare human resources. While terming the foundation laying ceremony of the two medical colleges in Dhar and Betul as historic and unprecedented milestone in the healthcare sector, the MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav, announced that after Dhar, Betul, Panna and Katni (foundation laying ceremonies of the last two will be held later), similar medical colleges will be built in Bhind, Morena, Khargone, Ashoknagar, Guna, Balaghat, Tikamgarh, Sidhi, and Shajapur districts. The medical college in Dhar district is being constructed on 25 acres of land at a cost of Rs 260 crore. The Swami Vivekananda Shiksha Dham Foundation has partnered with the government for this medical college. Until 2002-03, there were only 5 medical colleges in the state. Now, the number of medical colleges in the state has increased to 33. In the last two years, 6 government medicalcolleges have been started in the state. These include medical colleges in the tribal areas of Singrauli and Sheopur. The state government has sanctioned 354 posts of senior resident doctors, the MP CM said. Continuing the sickle cell anaemia campaign in the state, more than 1.25 crore people have been screened. In Dhar, more than 15 lakh people have been screened under the sickle cell program. Upgradation of 800 beds and sanctioning of 810 new posts for doctors are being provided in the hospitals of Tikamgarh, Neemuch, Singrauli, Sheopur, and Dindori districts of the state, the CM informed.
Will demolish your house, mosques: Parking dispute turns communal in MP
Bhopal: The Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh witnessed violent communal clashes between Karni Sena members and Muslims over a trivial parking issue on Sunday, December 21, leading to police action and mild tear gas to disperse the crowd. On Tuesday, December 23, a Karni Sena worker issued an open threat, guaranteeing bulldozer action against mosques Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
42.74L voters in Madhya Pradesh face deletion from electoral rolls
Bhopal: More than 42.74 lakh voters in Madhya Pradesh are at risk of getting their names deleted from the voter list after the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, an Election Commission official said on Tuesday. Talking to reporters after releasing the draft of voter list following Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
SIR: Madhya Pradesh records over 42 lakh deletions from draft electoral rolls
BHOPAL: As many as 42.74 lakh electors out of the total 5.74 crore were removed from the draft electoral rolls published on Tuesday after the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh. Out of the 42,74,160 names that were removed from the electoral rolls, 19.19 lakh were men, while 23.64 lakh were women. The total number of voters who filled up the SIR enumeration forms stands at over 5.31 crore. As many as 8,65, 832 voters remained unmapped, as the details of their parents or grandparents were not found in the 2003 voter roll. These voters will be given a week's time to appear personally with any of the 13 documents mentioned by the Election Commission and get their names added in the final list, which will be published on February 21, 2026. According to the state's Chief Electoral Officer S K Jha, out of the excluded voters, 31.51 lakh were absent (shifted out of the state or were absent during the enumeration exercise), 8.46 lakh were deceased, and 2.77 lakh were duplicate (whose name was found to be existing in multiple constituencies). Large number of deletions were recorded at Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal. Indore topped the list with the highest number of absent and unmapped voters, while it was second in the list of shifted, deceased and duplicate voters. Indore houses nine assembly segments, all of which were won by the ruling BJP in the 2023 state elections. The highest number of dead voters was recorded at Jabalpur while Bhopal topped the list of shifted voters. Burhanpur housed maximum number of duplicate voters in the state. The newly created Pandhurna, Alirajpur, Umaria and Sidhi recorded lesser number of deletions. To handle grievances and speed up corrections, 725 additional Electoral Registration Officers have been appointed. According to the EC, the draft electoral rolls can be accessed through the poll body's website or the Booth Level Officers. Claims and objections can be filed until January 22, and any eligible voter whose name has been removed can apply for inclusion using Form 6. The second phase of the SIR will run from January 22 to February 14, after which the final electoral roll for the states and UT will be published on February 21.
Nearly 95 lakh voters removed from draft rolls after SIR in three states, UT
Nearly 95 lakh voters have been removed from the draft electoral rolls published on Tuesday after the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar. In Madhya Pradesh , names of 42.74 lakh electors (7%) out of the total 5.74 crore were removed from the draft rolls. In Kerala, the names of 24.08 lakh of the over 2.78 crore electors were removed from the draft rolls. In Chhattisgarh, out of 2.12 crore electors, names of as many as 27.34 lakh were removed. In case of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, out of 3.10 lakh electors, 64,000 electors did not figure in the draft rolls. Madhya Pradesh Out of the 42,74,160 names that were removed from the electoral rolls, 19.19 lakh were men, while 23.64 lakh were women. The total number of voters who filled up the SIR enumeration forms stands at over 5.31 crore. As many as 8,65, 832 voters remained unmapped, as the details of their parents or grandparents were not found in the 2003 voter roll. These voters will be given a week's time to appear personally with any of the 13 documents mentioned by the Election Commission and get their names added in the final list, which will be published on February 21, 2026. According to the state's Chief Electoral Officer S K Jha, out of the excluded voters, 31.51 lakh were absent (shifted out of the state or were absent during the enumeration exercise), 8.46 lakh were deceased, and 2.77 lakh were duplicate (whose name was found to be existing in multiple constituencies). Large number of deletions were recorded at Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal. Indore topped the list with the highest number of absent and unmapped voters, while it was second in the list of shifted, deceased and duplicate voters. Indore houses nine assembly segments, all of which were won by the ruling BJP in the 2023 state elections. The highest number of dead voters was recorded at Jabalpur while Bhopal topped the list of shifted voters. Burhanpur housed maximum number of duplicate voters in the state. The newly created Pandhurna, Alirajpur, Umaria and Sidhi recorded lesser number of deletions. To handle grievances and speed up corrections, 725 additional Electoral Registration Officers have been appointed. Kerala Of the deleted names , 6,49,885 pertain to deceased persons, 6,45,548 voters were found to be untraceable, and 8,16,221 voters were identified as having permanently shifted from their registered addresses. In addition, 1,36,029 duplicate voters and 1,60,830 voters falling under other categories were identified. Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar, addressing a press conference, said the draft list has been published on the Election Commission's website and copies have also been handed over to political parties. Kelkar said that as part of the SIR, a voter mapping exercise was also carried out till December 18. We were able to complete 93 per cent of the voter mapping by December 18. Most of the unmapped cases were reported from urban and semi-urban areas such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Ernakulam, he said. He said that the mapping exercise is still continuing. After the mapping process is completed, electoral registration officers (EROs) will decide on hearings for non-mapped voters. Notices will be issued to voters to be heard. The hearings will be decentralised so as not to cause inconvenience to the public, he said. He said the notices would contain detailed instructions, including the reasons for the hearing and the documents to be produced, and would be served through booth-level officers. Responding to queries on the high number of untraceable voters, Kelkar said booth-level officers had visited the addresses three times to serve enumeration forms but were unable to locate the voters. We made all efforts to trace the voters as directed by the Election Commission, he said. Kelkar said those whose names are not included in the draft list will have to submit fresh applications for inclusion in the electoral roll. According to the EC, the draft electoral rolls can be accessed through the poll body's website or the Booth Level Officers. Claims and objections can be filed until January 22, and any eligible voter whose name has been removed can apply for inclusion using Form 6. The second phase of the SIR will run from January 22 to February 14, after which the final electoral roll for the states and UT will be published on February 21. (With inputs from PTI) Uttarakhand SIR: 90,000 voters must choose to retain service status or remain on local list
Hijabgate: When local politics turns into global embarrassment
Bhopal: Ms Razia Masood, a Bhopal-based Social Activist who is associated with the Jamat-e-Islami Hind Women wing, has reacted strongly to the shameless incident wherein a Chief Minister of an Indian state publicly violated a Muslim womans personal space and attire by pulling off her hijab (a head covering worn in public by Muslim women). Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Madhya Pradesh: Local BJP leader abuses visually impaired woman for 'enabling religious conversions'
BHOPAL: A local BJP leader from Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur district has been caught on camera abusing a visually impaired woman over allegations of religious conversion. The video which went viral on Monday, is related to an incident which reportedly happened in the premises of a Church in Hawa Bagh area under Gorakhpur police station of Jabalpur district on Saturday. In the video, the BJP's recently appointed Jabalpur city unit vice president Anju Bhargava is seen shouting at a visually impaired woman, in the presence of a policeman. She grabbed the face of the visually impaired woman and twisted her arms, while shouting abuses at her. The BJP leader accused the woman of conducting religious conversions, doing 'dhandha' (business) and earning money. The video showed the visually impaired woman asking Bhargava to speak properly and speak to her instead of getting physical. The BJP leader, instead of stopping the misconduct with the woman, is seen telling her that she will be blind in her next birth too. The shocking video was shared on X (formerly twitter) by the Congresss national chairperson Supriya Shrinate on Monday. The woman who is physically assaulting the visually impaired woman is Anju Bhargava, the BJPs district vice president of Jabalpur. This cruelty is the easiest way to advance in the BJP. These people are stains on society. Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh had recently reported two incidents of violence by incited by Hindu right-wingers accusing Christian missionaries of engaging in religious conversions, including the incident in Gorakhpur.
BHOPAL: Police are on heightened alert in Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur city, after protests by Hindu right-wingers alleging religious conversion by Christian missionaries triggered violent scuffles between the two religious groups at two separate places in two successive days. The first incident happened in Gorakhpur police station area on Saturday, while the second incident happened in the Madhotal police station area on Sunday. The first incident happened behind the premises of a Church near the Hawabagh College under the limits of Gorakhpur police station, when Bajrang Dal activists clashed with members of a group that had organised a Christmas lunch event for visually challenged students. Bajrang Dal activists stopped the event, questioning how the schools students had been brought there for lunch without permission from the school staff. Police rushed to the spot and stopped the violent scuffle from snowballing. Though neither side had filed police complaints, the Jabalpur district administration has ordered a probe into the activities of the group that had organised the lunch event as part of Christmas celebrations. The students, however, rubbished the religious conversion allegations made by the Bajrang Dal activists. The second incident happened on Sunday in Shakti Nagar locality under Madhotal area of Jabalpur. According to circle SP (CSP-Madhotal) BS Gathoria, Hindu right-wingers came to the concerned place in Shakti Nagar, claiming that they had received information about religious conversion being carried out by the Christian missionaries at a Sunday religious prayer. The two groups clashed before the police rushed to the spot and prevented the matter from escalating. Both sides have submitted complaints at the Madhotal police station, after which the police have started investigations into both complaints.
NEW DELHI: Over the years, citizens voice has become a strong tool for assessment in Swachh Survekshan, which consistently reflects the strength of citizens perception and engagement with swachhata, especially visible cleanliness. To further amplify the initiative, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has designed its 202526 toolkit to give citizens opinions greater power and weightage. Starting this year, citizens will be able to share feedback round the year through multiple platforms, including the Vote For My City App and Portal, MyGov App, Swachhata App, and through QR codes. The citizen validation weightage has been increased considerably. Following the release of the toolkit, the field assessments are expected to begin from mid-February to March 2026. The GFC (Garbage Free Cities) and ODF (Open Defecation Free) certification assessment will also commence from mid February. Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal released the toolkit for the 10th edition of Swachh Survekshan in Bhopal on Saturday. To reinforce quality assurance and institutionalize strong feedback and grievance redressal, Swachh Survekshan has introduced a tightly monitored, protocol-driven assessment framework. A national oversight team anchors the process, complemented for the first timeby a dedicated single-point-of-contact in-charge for each state or union territories (UTs), said officials. Over 3,000 trained field assessors from across the country will conduct a 45-day, on-ground survey covering all ULBs, supported by real-time, GPS-enabled monitoring. The entire processfrom evidence submission to verificationis fully digital, transparent, and rigorously quality-checked. Swachh Survekshan has been assessing Ganga towns as part of its urban cleanliness framework. Expanding its scope, the assessment will now include river towns across the country. A separate matrix has been introduced for coastal areas to bring it under the Swachh Survekshan ambit. Fostering a healthy competition amongst cities, Survekshan has defined the matrix for swachhata. It has helped in benchmarking of assessment parameters, creating a roadmap for Swachh Shehar, steps and components to become a Swachh Shehar and ultimately enabling cleaner cities through on-ground visible swachhata. The ministry MoHUA launched the largest time-bound and structured mentorship framework in urban waste management mentorship programme under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U); Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ), in September. As part of the initiative, 72 mentors and 200 mentee cities signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to foster knowledge transfer, peer learning, and replication of best practices. To strengthen mentorship and peer learning, a new award category has been introduced to recognize Swachh Shehr Jodis, based on the average score of jodis, with recognition across each population category, said officials.
India to Surpass USA in Metro Rail Network in 2 Years : Khattar
Mr. Khattar along with Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav flagged off the metro rail in Bhopal and travelled on the metros new 6.22 km-seven km Orange Line priority corridor
Bhopal gets its long-awaited metro rail connectivity
BHOPAL: Bhopals long wait for operationalisation of the metro rail project ended on Saturday evening, as the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, joined the CM Dr Mohan Yadav to flag off the first metro train on the around 7-km-long and eight-station-strong priority corridor. Following the operationalisation of the first metro train in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to witness the operationalisation of metro railway service in its two big cities in the span of seven months. Importantly, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had flagged off the MPs first operationalised metro railway service in Indore on May 31, virtually from Bhopal. The corridor will connect Subhash Nagar and AIIMS stations, via Kendriya Vidyalaya, Board Office, MP Nagar, Rani Kamlapati, DRM Office and Alkapuri stations. It forms part of the planned Orange Line, covering a 30-km route between Karond Circle and AIIMS. The first phase comprises two lines the Orange Line (traffic on whose priority corridor was operationalised on Saturday) and the Blue Line, which will connect Bhadbhada Crossing with the Ratnagiri Trisquare. Its a big and historic day for MPs administrative capital, Bhopal, with the formal start of metro railway services on the elevated corridor. Travelling on an elevated metro corridor makes citizens feel elevated. Were hopeful that the two lines of the 30-km-long first phase will be completed over the next two years, Khattar told journalists. Operationalisation of metro rail service in Bhopal makes MPs administrative capital, the 26thcity in the country, have a functional metro rail network. Back in 2002, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated the 5-km-long first line of the Delhi Metro railway. 23 years later, with the start of metro rail service on this 7-km-long line in Bhopal, India now has a 1090 km-long metro rail network spread across 26 cities, Khattar said. Further, 900 km-long metro rail lines are in the pipeline in various parts of the country. Once 300 km of those lines are completed and operationalised, India will surpass the USAs 1400-km-long metro rail network and be second to China only in terms of length of metro rail network in the world, Khattar announced. India is expanding its trade day by day with various countries. Weve signed trade pacts with the UK and Oman. The India-New Zealand trade agreement too has attained the Union Cabinets nod on Friday. The manner in which were gradually expanding our trade ties with different nations, the days arent far when India, like China, will compete with the US. India is moving towards that position; it's the US and not India that should be concerned, Khattar said. Khattar also informed that confusion about the work on a 7-km metro rail line in Indore has been cleared now. There were differences between the metro rail-related officials at the centre and in MP, about whether that future stretch in Indore should be elevated or underground. The issue has been resolved as the line will be underground, as planned by officials in MP. Earlier in the day, the Union Minister laid the foundation and unveiled 262 urban development projects worth Rs 8500 crores in MP. He also unveiled the blueprint/roadmap of the Bhopal Metropolitan Region (BMR), one of the two metropolitan regions (the other being the Indore Metropolitan Region) planned in MP on the lines of the National Capital Region (NCR). The BMR is envisaged to cover 12 urban areas, 2500 villages spread in 12,019 sq km area of 30 tehsils of six districts of central MP, including Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram and Vidisha. For the overall development of BMR, the Bhopal Metropolitan Region Development Authority has been formed, while the creation of the Bhopal Metropolitan Transportation Authority is also planned for a 360-degree development of the region.
Bhopal Metros Orange line inaugurated, commercial services to begin on December 21
India to soon leave U.S. behind in Metro rail network length, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said
Fresh PIL in SC seeks law on menstrual pain leave for women
NEW DELHI: A fresh Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Union of India, States and Union Territories to frame laws or policies recognising the problems faced by women during menstrual pain and to provide necessary relief, including the grant of leave, in consonance with Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The PIL has been filed by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, who has urged the apex court to intervene and address what he described as a legislative and policy vacuum affecting working women and female students. Issue directions to fill in the lacunae that exists regarding grant of relief in the nature of leave etc, to the working women & female students under exercise of power under Article 32 read with Articles 14, 21 and Articles 141 and 142 of the Indian Constitution, the PIL said. Tripathi highlighted in his plea that several private Indian companies have already introduced paid menstrual leave for their female employees. These include Ivipanan, Zomato, Byjus, Swiggy, Mathrubhumi, Magzter, Industry ARC, FlyMyBiz and Gozoop. He also pointed out that the Kerala government has granted menstrual leave to students in State universities, allowing them up to 60 days in a year. The prestigious institutions like NLIU Bhopal and MNLU Aurangabad have implemented menstrual leave policies. Punjab University has also approved and granted menstrual leave to the students, Tripathi said in the PIL. The petitioner further submitted that the menstrual status of a woman is a personal matter intrinsic to her privacy and must be treated with dignity and without discrimination. He argued that this requires the State to introduce measures that provide appropriate relief to women during menstrual pain so that they are able to cope with the suffering and protect their personal rights with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. The petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, sought directions to all States to frame a policy for menstrual pain leave for female students and working women under the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. Earlier, Tripathi had filed a similar plea before the Supreme Court seeking directions on the issue. However, the court had asked him to approach the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), which could take an appropriate decision in the matter. After complying with the courts order, Tripathi submitted a representation to the WCD but did not receive any relief, following which he approached the Supreme Court again seeking redressal of his prayers. The petitioner has sought directions that during the menstrual period, if a woman suffers pain or other physical discomfort that makes it difficult for her to continue with her normal activities at the workplace, her request for leave or other suitable relief should be considered without discrimination, subject to reasonable and dignified conditions, keeping in mind that the issue concerns womens privacy. He also stressed that India has signed and ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which recognises the need for non-discriminatory practices and for treating women with dignity. Spain has recently enacted a law to introduce menstrual leave, thereby addressing the problem of menstrual pain. Vietnam has also enacted and implemented menstrual leave policies. Countries like the United Kingdom, Wales, China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea and Zambia have different policies or laws on the grant of menstrual leave, he added in his PIL.
Madhya Pradesh: 41.80L set to be removed from voter list
BHOPAL: More than 41.80 lakh voter names have been identified for deletion from the electoral rolls across Madhya Pradesh after the completion of the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the 2025 voter list, election officials said. The exercise covered all 230 assembly constituencies across 55 districts. The outcome of the revision will be reflected in the preliminary draft of the electoral roll, scheduled for publication on December 23. The SIR was undertaken to clean and update the voter list of over 5.74 crore registered voters ahead of future elections. The first phase, which involved door-to-door enumeration and verification, concluded late Thursday night. The 41.80 lakh names marked for deletion account for over 7.28% of the total electorate. The largest category consists of 22.5 lakh voters who have permanently shifted from their registered addresses, forming nearly 45 of the voter base. Another significant portion comprises absent and deceased voters, with 8.40 lakh names in each category. Together, they account for roughly three percent of the states voters. In addition, over 2.5 lakh voters, or 0.43 percent, were found to be duplicate entries, with names appearing at more than one address. Indore district recorded the highest number of proposed deletions. Of its total 28.67 lakh voters, more than 4.40 lakh names are set to be removed. Bhopal followed closely, with around 4.30 lakh deletions from its 21.25 lakh-plus voters. Gwalior ranked third, with over 2.50 lakh names marked for deletion, while Jabalpur stood fourth with more than 2.40 lakh voters to be removed from the list. In percentage terms, Bhopal will see the highest impact, with nearly 20% of its voter names facing deletion. Indore and Gwalior will see about 15% each, while Jabalpur will see around 12% deletions. Explaining the next steps, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Ram Pratap Singh Jadaun said, The EC is moving ahead with the process of deletion, correction, and verification. The first draft electoral roll will be released on December 23. Discrepancies found in over nine lakh cases The SIR was undertaken to clean and update the voter list of over 5.74 crore registered voters ahead of future elections. The EC is moving ahead with the process of deletion, correction, and verification. The first draft electoral roll will be released on December 23. Officials added that discrepancies between current voter details and the 2003 base records were found in about nine lakh cases.
BHOPAL: More than 41.80 lakh voter names have been identified for deletion in 230 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, following the completion of the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state. The result of the SIR can be seen in the form of a preliminary draft of the electoral roll, which will be published on December 23. The first phase of the SIR ended on Thursday night after a gruelling 44-day exercise of collecting filled up enumeration forms from voters through the network of booth level officers (BLOs). The 41.80 lakh voter names (7.28% of total voters in the state) that are up for deletion include 22.50 lakh voters who have permanently shifted from their registered addresses. They form around four percent of the total voters of the October 2025 list. The two other heads under which a major chunk of voter names will be deleted include absent and dead voters, which were 8.40 lakh each, collectively accounting to around 3% of the total 5.74 crore plus voters forming part of the October 2025 voter list. Over 2.5 lakh voters (0.43% of the total voters in the 2025 voter list) are duplicate voters, whose names are featured at multiple addresses. Indore, which is Madhya Pradeshs most populated district, housed the maximum number of absent, dead, shifted and duplicate voters. More than 4.40 lakh voter names out of the total 28.67 lakh voters are to be deleted when the preliminary draft list is published. The state capital Bhopal is next with 4.30 lakh voter names to be deleted out of the total 21.25 lakh plus voters named in the 2025 list. Gwalior is third in the list of districts with maximum deletions. More than 2.50 lakh voters, out of the 16.49 lakh-plus voters, will be deleted when the draft list is published. Jabalpur is fourth with 2.40 lakh-plus deleted voters, out of the total 19.25 lakh voters named in the 2025 list. In percentage terms, Indore, where all nine assembly seats were won by the BJP in the 2023 polls, will see more than 15% of voter names getting deleted. But the state capital Bhopal, where the BJP won five out of the seven assembly seats, stands to see deletion of the maximum 20% voter names. Jabalpur district, where the BJP won seven out of the eight assembly seats in the 2023 elections, will see the deletion of 12% voters from the 2025 list, while Gwalior district, where the BJP won four out of the six assembly seats in the last state elections, will see 15% of the names of the 2025 list getting deleted. The joint chief electoral officer, MP, Ram Pratap Singh Jadaun said, The Election Commission is now moving ahead with the process of deletion, correction, and verification. The first draft electoral roll will be released on December 23. If a voters details do not match the 2003 base records or if discrepancies are found, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will issue a formal notice to those voters. Such mismatches have been found in nine lakh cases.
The results for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2026) have been announced, and once again, students from the Bhopal-headquartered institute, Toprankers-Legal Edge ,have delivered an exceptional performance in this prestigious national-level exam for entry into National Law Universities (NLUs). According to the released results, students from this institute have secured the top three spots All India Rank (AIR) 1, 2, and 3 . Geetali Gupta from Toprankers-Legal Edge This marks thefourth time in the last six yearsthat the institute's students have achieved a 'Clean Sweep' of thetop three ranks. Data released by the institute indicates a dominant hold over the results, with7 students in the Top 10and51 students in the Top 100hailing from Toprankers-Legal Edge. " Guidance Received Exclusively from Legal Edge " AIR-1 GeetaliGupta, a resident of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, secured AIR 1. Expressing her thoughts on social media, Geetali said, "My parents taught me discipline since childhood, and Legal Edge gave that discipline the right direction. Throughout my preparation, I placed the utmost emphasis on consistency." Clarifying the role of the coaching institute, she added," I have been a student exclusively of Legal Edges 'Warriors Gold Batch'Classroom Program. The mentors at Legal Edge played a pivotal role in identifying and fixing my weaknesses. This success is the result of my parents' sacrifices and the guidance of my teachers. " Performance Analysis: As per the details shared by the institute,AIR 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10are students of the' Regular Classroom Program .'Meanwhile,AIR 3 (Rohan, Karnataka Topper)achieved this feat through the institute's 'Distance Learning' course. Experts believe that securing AIR 3 through a distance course is a testament to the sheer quality of the institutes study material. Furthermore, the fact that6 out of the Top 10students were from the direct classroom program proves the successful impact of Legal Edgesmentorship. Consistency and Selection Standards Clean Sweep: This is the4th time in the last 6 yearsthat AIR 1, 2, and 3 are from the same institute in CLAT. Selection Ratio: This year, 51 students in the Top 100 are from Legal Edge. This means nearly 50% of the students entering the countrys top law colleges have been trained by this institute. Top Rankers: The institute has now produced the CLAT All India Rank 1 (AIR 1) a total of 7 times. Harsh Gagrani , Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of the institute, stated," This result validates our academic process. For us, AIR 1 is as important as the last student who worked hard to improve their rank. We have always prioritized right guidance and hard work, and we will continue to do so in the future ." The CLAT 2026 results indicate that in an era of social media and aggressive advertising, success ultimately stems from a disciplined routine, right mentorship, and the synergy between teacher and student. About Toprankers Toprankers runs 50+ centres across India, teaching 20,000+ classroom students and serving 30,000+ learners overall, while operating Indias most-searched non-STEM test-prep platform, with 1.5M monthly users and 20M+ page views across Law, Management, and Design & Architecture.
Decomposed bodies of couple found in Indore residence
BHOPAL: A middle-aged couple identified as Kanhaiya Lal Paranwal and Smriti Paranwal were found dead under c inside their duplex house in Madhya Pradeshs Indore city on Thursday. Their residence is located at a Satellite Junction residential colony, just outside the Indus Satellite Green township under the Lasudia police station area. While Kanhaiya Lal (50) was found dead on the bed in the room, his wife Smriti was found dead inside the toilet adjoining the room. Intolerable stench and the heavily decomposed bodies suggested that the couple had died more than 20 days ago. While Kanhaiya Lal was bedridden after being paralysed for the last six months, his wife was also reportedly in depression due to her husbands bad health. The couple hailed from the Azamgarh district of eastern Uttar Pradesh and had built the duplex house around ten years back in the residential locality on Indores outskirts. According to informed sources, Kanhaiya Lal worked till a few years back at a pharmaceutical company in Pithampur in neighbouring Dhar district. After quitting the job, he was possibly engaged in stock trading and investment from home. He had suffered a paralytic attack and was bedridden for the last six months. The couple led a secluded life and hardly had anyone visiting them. According to neighbours, Smriti was last seen outside the house on November 26, after which she had never been spotted. The newspaper hawker, milkman and even the teams who visited the locality for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists related work didnt find any response after visiting the house recently, a neighbour said. Feeling suspicious over the couple not being spotted for more than 20 days, neighbours peeped into the room on the houses first floor of the house from the balcony of an adjoining house on Thursday morning and reported to the police about the intolerable stench emanating from the closed house. Cops subsequently rushed to the duplex house, broke open its entrance and climbed upstairs, where the two bodies were in a heavily decomposed state. Lasudia police station sources said only the findings of the autopsy will reveal the cause of the deaths.
Concerns mount over suspected bird flu outbreak in Kuttanad
Samples have been collected and sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for analysis to determine the cause of deaths
Newborn found dead in toilet commode at government hospital in MP's Chhindwara
BHOPAL:In a chilling incident, a newborn female child was found dead in the commode of the toilet at the Civil Hospital in Parasia town of Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh. The incident was reported on Monday night, when a sanitary staff member proceeded to clean the toilet. The flush was choked. On checking the commode, she found the hand of the newborn baby stuck inside. Immediately, the other staff of the hospital were called on to retrieve the body. The newborns body was extricated after breaking the concerned commode, a senior official of the state health department in Parasia told TNIE on Wednesday. According to Dr Sudha Bakshi, the Parasia block medical officer (BMO), the local police were immediately informed about the incident. The body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem. While the local police officials are tight-lipped about the entire incident, sources privy to the ongoing probe said that the autopsy of the newborn baby points towards the newborns death having been caused due to pulmonary oedema (fluid buildup in the lungs). Primary police investigations revealed that at least 15 pregnant women had come for a prenatal check-up at the hospitals outdoor patients department on Monday. Based on the details mentioned in the hospital records, while 14 of those pregnant women have been traced and identified, one womans details remain incomplete, and her presence at the hospital on Monday has consequently been found suspicious. There is a strong possibility that the same woman might have delivered the baby in the toilet and then tried to destroy evidence by flushing the newborn through the commode. The investigating cops are now scanning footage of all 26 CCTV cameras installed at the Parasia Civil Hospital. The Parasia area of Chhindwara is the hub of coal mining activity in Chhindwara and was in the news in September-October this year, following the deaths of more than 20 kids due to cough syrup poisoning induced acute kidney injury.
Aishwary wins 3P gold with world record, Gurjoat clinches skeet event
NATIONAL SHOOTING NEW DELHI/BHOPAL, Dec 16: World Championship silver medallist Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar delivered a landmark performance at the 68th Shooting Nationals on Tuesday, firing a world record 470.5 to clinch gold in the mens 50m rifle 3 positions final at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Range. Aishwarys score is 1.6 points more than []
MP announces Rs 1,782 crore compensation package for thousands displaced by dam projects
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday approved a Rs 1,782 crore special relief package for families affected by submergence due to three major multipurpose dam and irrigation projects in the state. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav. The package will benefit families displaced by the Upper Narmada Project, Raghavpur Multipurpose Project and Basania Multipurpose Project in Anuppur, Mandla and Dindori districts. The special package is in addition to Rs 1,656.02 crore already earmarked for rehabilitation and compensation in the detailed project reports (DPRs) of the three projects. Officials said the total cost of the Upper Narmada, Raghavpur and Basania projects stands at Rs 5,512.11 crore. Together, the projects are expected to provide irrigation facilities for 71,967 hectares of land and generate 125 megawatts of electricity. As many as 13,873 families are likely to be affected by submergence and will receive compensation of Rs 12.50 lakh per family under the special package. In addition, around 50,000 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families will be given extra compensation. In another key decision, the cabinet approved a provision of Rs 90.67 crore under the revenue head for 202526 towards operation and maintenance of the Bhopal and Indore Metro Rail projects. The decision comes just four days before Bhopal is set to become the second city in the state, after Indore, to have an operational metro service. The cabinet also cleared Rs 48 crore for setting up six Forest Science Centres in the state between 202526 and 202930. The centres aim to promote forestry activities outside forest areas, improve forest land productivity, encourage agroforestry and create additional income opportunities through timber harvesting. Non-government organisations will also be allowed to establish such centres with permission from the Forest Department. Additionally, the cabinet approved the continuation of the Chief Ministers Udyam Kranti Yojana from 202627 to 203031, with an expenditure of Rs 905.25 crore. Under the scheme, youth aged 18 to 45 years are provided bank loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 50 lakh for self-employment, along with a 3 per cent annual interest subsidy and loan guarantee fee support for up to seven years. In a significant administrative reform, the cabinet approved measures to remove the distinction between sanctioned permanent and temporary posts in state government departments. It cleared amendments to recruitment rules to convert existing sanctioned temporary posts into permanent ones and decided to declare all work-charged and contingency posts as non-sanctioned, with no fresh appointments to be made under these categories.
Four children test HIV positive in MP government hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
SATNA/BHOPAL: Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday. The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said. Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children. MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report. It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital, he said. The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official. Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected. Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause, he told PTI Videos. All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said. A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use. After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said. After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added. The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla. Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said. The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident, Yadav said. Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged. Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of, he added.
Genetic researchers probe nuclear genome to explain exceptionally high TB burden among MPs Sahariyas
BHOPAL: Genetic science researchers from across the country have turned their focus to genomic factors that may underlie the abnormally high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) among the Sahariyas, one of the three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Madhya Pradesh. The Sahariya population is largely concentrated in the GwaliorChambal region of Madhya Pradesh, particularly in Sheopur, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Gwalior, Morena and Bhind districts, with some presence in adjoining parts of Bundelkhand. Reported TB prevalence among the community ranges between 1,518 and 3,294 cases per 100,000 population, at least eight times higher than the national average of 187 per lakh. According to the World Health Organizations Global TB Report 2025 , India, despite remaining among high-burden countries, has recorded a 21 per cent decline in new TB cases, from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024. Against this backdrop, the Sahariyas stand out as an extreme outlier. The ongoing research is being led by Prof Gyaneshwar Chaubey, a noted geneticist and biological anthropologist at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, in collaboration with researchers from several institutions, including the University of Calcutta and the Forensic Science Laboratory, Jabalpur. The team has already made a significant breakthrough by linking rare maternal mitochondrial haplogroups, N5 and X2, to heightened TB susceptibility among the Sahariyas. A haplogroup refers to a group of people who share a common ancestor, identified through specific mutations in mitochondrial DNA (inherited from the mother) or Y-chromosome DNA (inherited from the father). The findings, published in the international journal Mitochondrion in August 2025, were based on the analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes from 729 individuals, including 140 Sahariyas. The study revealed that the rare N5 and X2 haplogroups, absent in neighbouring populations, likely entered the Sahariya gene pool through ancient gene flow from western India during the early Iron Age. A subsequent founder effect may have compromised mitochondrial function, weakening immune responses to TB. Researchers noted that this genetic vulnerability, compounded by chronic malnutrition, poverty and limited access to healthcare, offers a compelling explanation for the tribes extraordinarily high TB burden. Building on these mitochondrial findings, the research team has now initiated whole-genome sequencing of Sahariya individuals to investigate the contribution of the nuclear genome to TB susceptibility. This phase aims to identify risk alleles or genetic variants in nuclear DNA that may act independently or in concert with mitochondrial factors to heighten disease vulnerability. The study is also examining long-standing patterns of endogamy within the community. High levels of marriage within the group, combined with a historically small effective population size, may have amplified harmful genetic variants through genetic drift and inbreeding. Preliminary analyses suggest that this demographic history could further intensify TB risk by concentrating deleterious alleles. Expanding from mitochondrial insights to nuclear genomics will give us a far more comprehensive understanding of genetic susceptibility among the Sahariyas, said Debasruti Das, the studys first author. This knowledge is crucial for designing targeted interventions for communities bearing the heaviest TB burden. Senior author Prof Prashant Suravajhala added that the ongoing work would also assess how genetic predisposition interacts with environmental and cultural factors. Such integrated insights can pave the way for personalised public health strategies and more effective TB control among tribal populations, he said.
BHOPAL: A fateful blaze at a Dalit familys house in Madhya Pradeshs Sagar district, which killed two teenage boys, has taken a communal turn ten days after the incident. Activists related to various Hindu outfits reached out to a charitable trust hospital in Sagar city on Monday, alleging that the fire at the house in Chandamau village on the intervening night of December 4-5 was ignited by Muslim youth Fahim Khan alias Sonu. Sonu was allegedly stalking and troubling the familys 20-year-old daughter. The victims family members, including the mother and her elder daughter, supported the allegations of the activists in the saffron outfits. The elder daughter, a 23-year-old young woman, is currently recuperating from 60 per cent burn injuries at the same hospital, where her 17-year-old brother died on Sunday night. The mother-daughter duo alleged that Fahim Khan, who resides in the same village, was regularly troubling the younger daughter, and on being asked by the family to stay away from her, Fahim had threatened to kill the entire family. The elder of the two daughters, who is hospitalised, claimed that she had seen Fahim running away from near their house just when the blaze was triggered. While alleging it to be a Love Jihad incident, the Hindu outfit members demanded that a case be registered against Fahim, followed by his arrest. When the incident took place, the elder daughter and her two brothers, aged 14 and 17, were present in the house. Their father, mother and their younger daughter were away when the killer blaze happened. While the 14-year-old younger son died the same night, his 17-year-old elder brother died at the charitable trust hospital in Sagar city ten days later on Sunday night. Based on the initial police investigations, which suggested that the fire was suspected to have been caused by a kind of 'negligence', a fire-related case was registered at the Naryawali police station on December 5. But, with the mother and elder daughter now accusing the Muslim youth of setting their house ablaze, the cops have started a fresh probe into the entire matter. A team led by the sub-divisional officer police (SDOP) was sent to the concerned village, and a fresh probe is underway to cover all possible angles in the case, particularly following the recent statements of the family members, Sagar district police superintendent Vikas Kumar Sahwal said on Monday. Sources privy to the ongoing probe confided to TNIE that the SC familys younger daughter was regularly talking with the Muslim youth. Her family had caught her talking to him over the phone, after which he was asked to stay away from her. While the mother and elder daughter are alleging that Fahim had set their house on fire, the younger daughter and father are not blaming him for the inferno. Ongoing probe also suggests that Fahim had only helped the family to rush the severely burnt teenage brothers and their elder sister to the hospital.
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Rajendra Shukla, is once again targeted by the Opposition party, following a fire at the Gynaecology Operation Theatre (OT) in a government hospital in Rewa district. The state Congress chief has also demanded Shuklas resignation while sharing a video of rats at a hospital, which he claimed was at the Jabalpur district hospital. On Sunday afternoon, while a caesarean surgery was underway at the Gynaecology OT of the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Rewa, smoke suddenly started emanating, followed by a blaze. With the surgery being in the last stages after the birth of the stillborn child, the mother was safely evacuated out of the OT, and the babys charred body was left behind in the surgical tray. While a probe has been initiated in the matter to find what triggered the blaze and fix accountability for the lapses, the state Congress chief Jitu Patwari demanded the resignation of Rajendra Shukla over the incident. When the health minister cannot manage the health system in his own district, what can be expected from him for the entire State. Notably, the hospitals medical superintendent, Dr Rahul Mishra, is the nephew of Lok Sabha member from adjoining Sidhi district, Rajesh Mishra. Previously too several incidents of negligence have come to light at the same hospital, but no one has been held accountable. Even after hundreds of deaths across the State due to the governments negligence, why has Rajendra Shukla not been asked to resign? Patwari questioned. On Monday, Patwari shared on X a video of rats at a hospital, claiming it to be visuals from the Jabalpur district hospital. When the government hospitals arent safe, where on earth will the commoners go for treatment? If you have even the slightest concern for the state, then resign immediately and do justice to the people of MP. The deputy CM has been regularly on the Congresss radar in the recent past due to the deaths of 24 kids due to cough syrup poisoning in Chhindwara and adjoining districts, and also due to the deaths of two newborn babies following rat bites at the MY Hospital in Indore.
Ram Janmabhoomi movement leader Dr Ramvilas Vedanti passes away at 67
LUCKNOW: Former BJP MP and senior saint Dr Ram Vilas Das Vedanti (67), a prominent figure of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Madhya Pradeshs Rewa district early on Monday. Dr Vedanti had been admitted to Rewas Super Speciality Hospital for the past two days. On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla had planned to airlift him to AIIMS, Bhopal, for advanced treatment, but the air ambulance could not be deployed due to adverse weather conditions. His health deteriorated subsequently, and he passed away at 12.20 am on Monday. Earlier, Dr Vedanti had travelled from Ayodhya to Delhi on December 7 and attended a meeting of the VHPs Central Margdarshak Mandal on December 10. From Delhi, he reached Rewa, where a Ramkatha discourse by him was underway at Bhatwa village near Lalgaon. The programme had been scheduled to continue till December 17. His successor, Mahant Raghavesh Das Vedanti, said the mortal remains were being taken to Ayodhya, where the last rites would be performed with full religious rituals. Born on October 7, 1958, Dr Ramvilas Das Vedanti was a disciple of Mahant Abhiram Das of Hanumangarhi. He resided at Hindu Dham, Naya Ghat, in Ayodhya, and also headed an ashram known as Vashishth Bhawan. For several decades, he recited Ramkatha before Ramlala and at Hanumangarhi, and was widely regarded as a distinguished Sanskrit scholar and a leading saint associated with Ayodhya. Dr Vedanti played a significant role in the Ram temple movement. He was a member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and later served as its Executive President. He was also a two-time Member of Parliament on a BJP ticket, having represented Machhlishahr in Jaunpur district in 1996 and Pratapgarh in the 12th Lok Sabha. In the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, he won the Pratapgarh seat by a large margin, defeating Congress candidate Ratna Singh. A native of Gudhwa village in Rewa district, Dr Vedanti lost his mother at the age of two. His father, Ram Suman Tripathi, was a priest and guru of former Union Minister Arjun Singh. Dr Vedanti arrived in Ayodhya at the age of 12 and devoted his life to religious and social service. His role in the demolition of the disputed structure on December 6, 1992, remained controversial, as he had publicly admitted to ordering the demolition and was named as an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. However, his statement was widely seen as an attempt to shield senior BJP leaders. In 2020, a special CBI court acquitted him, ruling that there was no conspiracy behind the demolition. , . ! , Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) December 15, 2025 Condoling his death, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote on X: The passing of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan's key pillar, former MP, and revered saint of Vashishtha Ashram at Shri Ayodhya Dham, Dr Ramvilas Vedanti Ji Maharaj, to Goloka is an irreparable loss to the spiritual world and Sanatan culture. Humble tribute to him! His departure marks the end of an era. His life of sacrifice, dedicated to the service of religion, society, and nation, is an inspiration to us all. We pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and bestow strength upon the grief-stricken disciples and followers to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti! he added. According to his disciples, Dr Vedanti regarded the consecration of the Ram temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the fulfilment of two major resolutions of his life. Political observers note that he significantly altered the political landscape of Pratapgarh district, becoming the first BJP leader to win the seat by mobilising support around the Ram temple movement.
Ram Vilas Vedanti dies: Ram Janmabhoomi movement leader passes away at 67; last rites in Ayodhya
Ram Janmabhoomi movement leader and former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti passed away at the age of 67 in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, due to a heart attack. He was admitted to the hospital with severe blood poisoning and kidney failure. Efforts to transfer him to AIIMS Bhopal by air ambulance were unsuccessful due to poor visibility.
