Punjab recorded 74% excess, Haryana received 32% more than normal rain in August
CHANDIGARH: In August, Punjab received 253.7 mm of rain, the highest the state has witnessed in the past 25 years, while Haryana recorded 194.5 mm of rain against an average of 147.7 mm for the month. Punjab received deficient rainfall multiple times in the past couple of decades, but this year it recorded the highest rainfall figures for August in the last 25 years, the Met department stated. Punjab recorded 253.7 mm rainfall in August, which was 74 per cent more than the months normal of 146.2 mm. The neighbouring Haryana received 194.5 mm of rain in August against an average of 147.7 mm for the month, which was 32 per cent in excess. Both states received excess rain in August only five times in the past 25 years, including this year. Heavy rains lash several parts of Punjab, Haryana 18 out of the total 23 districts in Punjab recorded excess rain, while a few districts like Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib recorded deficient rainfall. Meanwhile, Gurdaspur recorded 577.5 mm rainfall, 181 per cent more than normal of 205.3 mm; Pathankot received 944.2 mm of rain in August which was 152 per cent in excess than the normal of 375.2 mm; while Tarn Taran recorded 208 mm of rain against the normal of 87.1 per cent in August, which was 139 per cent in excess; Ferozepur received 170.6 mm of rain against a normal of 74.5 mm, which was 129 per cent in excess; Fazilka recorded 146.8 mm of rain as against 68.1 mm, a rise of 115 per cent; Hoshiarpur received 360.6 mm of rain in August, 74 per cent in excess of the normal figures of 207.6 mm; and Amritsar received 226.8 mm of rain in August against a normal of 162.4 mm, which was 40 per cent more. 18 out of the 22 districts in Haryana recorded excess rain in the month of August while four districts including Bhiwani and Ambala, recorded deficient rain. In Haryana excess rainfall was recorded in Fatehabad (252 per cent), Hisar (68 per cent), Faridabad (31 per cent) and Gurugram (24 per cent). Meanwhile Chandigarh (Union Territory), the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded 308.5 mm rainfall in August as against the normal of 248.8 mm which was only 8 per cent more.
Heavy rains lash several parts of Punjab, Haryana
CHANDIGARH: Rains lashed several parts of Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory Chandigarh on Monday, with Ludhiana logging the highest rainfall of 216.70 mm. According to the Met department here, several places in Punjab and Haryana received rain during the 24-hour period ending 8:30 am Monday. Among other places in Punjab which received rain included Amritsar (24.1 mm), Patiala (80.4 mm), Pathankot (3.6 mm), Bathinda (3 mm), Faridkot (10.2 mm), Gurdaspur (2.7 mm), SBS Nagar (112.7 mm), Mohali (64 mm), Mansa (42 mm) and Rupnagar (82.5 mm). Chandigarh, the joint capital of both states, received 76.5 mm of rainfall. Among other places in Haryana, Ambala recorded 48.4 mm, Hisar (11.8 mm), Karnal (12.8 mm), Narnaul (66 mm), Rohtak (13.4 mm), Sirsa (130 mm), Panchkula (57 mm), Panipat (33 mm) and Gurugram (9.5 mm). Punjab is under the grip of massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Villages worst-affected by the floods were in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts. Relief and rescue operations by the NDRF, Army, BSF, Punjab Police and district authorities continued on a war footing in the affected areas.
Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav joins 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar
SARAN: Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday joined the Congress' 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar's Saran district. In a post on X, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said Yadav is a steadfast ally in the party's fight against the BJP's alleged attempt to destroy the country's democracy. This morning, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav Jee joined the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Saran. Welcomed him to this historic movement to protect democracy. He has been a steadfast ally in our fight against the BJP's destruction of our democracy, and a strong voice for the poor and underprivileged in UP and across the country, Venugopal said on the social media platform. , ! pic.twitter.com/cgi7XV8o7c K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 30, 2025 He also shared photographs of Yadav meeting Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Rohini Acharya, the daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, was also present there. Acharya had contested from Saran in the Lok Sabha polls last year, and failed to win the seat. Gandhi launched the Congress' 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram in Rohtas district on August 17 to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The yatra, supported by all INDIA bloc constituents, will culminate in Patna on September 1. The yatra has so far covered Gayaji, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Katihar, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, West Champaran, Gopalganj, East Champaran, and Siwan districts. It will pass through Bhojpur and Patna. 'PM Modi is scared,' claims Rahul Gandhi during Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar
SC declines to quash FIR against journalist Abhisar Sharma, grants interim protection from arrest
The top court directed the journalist to approach the Gauhati High Court to quash an FIR lodged by the Assam Police under Section 152 of BNS, which penalises acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
Assam Police FIR: Supreme Court grants four-week interim protection to journalist Abhisar Sharma
The top court directed the journalist to approach the Gauhati High Court to quash an FIR lodged by the Assam Police under Section 152 of BNS, which penalises acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
FIR in Assam: SC grants 4-week interim protection to journalist Abhisar Sharma
The court also issued a notice to the Centre on Sharmas separate prayer challenging the constitutional validity of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India
FIR in Assam: SC grants four-week interim protection to journalist Abhisar Sharma
NEW DELHI, Aug 28: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection for four weeks to journalist Abhisar Sharma in an FIR lodged against him in Assam over a video post allegedly criticising the states policies. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh refused to entertain his prayer challenging the FIR lodged against him in Assam and asked him to approach the Gauhati High Court. It, however, issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on [] The post FIR in Assam: SC grants four-week interim protection to journalist Abhisar Sharma appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma in a case registered by the Assam Police under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts deemed prejudicial to Indias sovereignty and unity. While providing relief for four weeks, the Court declined Sharmas plea [] The post Supreme Court grants interim protection to Abhisar Sharma in Assam FIR, directs him to approach Gauhati High Court appeared first on India Legal .
The Supreme Court has provided journalist Abhisar Sharma with four weeks of protection from arrest regarding an FIR filed by Assam Police. The case stems from a video criticizing the Assam government's alleged communal politics and land allocation for a cement factory.
SC to hear journalists plea against Assam Police FIR over video post on August 28
NEW DELHI, Aug 27: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Thursday a plea filed by journalist Abhisar Sharma seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him by Assam Police over a video post allegedly criticising the states policies. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh is likely to take up the plea of Sharma filed through advocate Sumeer Sodhi for hearing. In his plea, Sharma has challenged the validity of Section 152 of [] The post SC to hear journalists plea against Assam Police FIR over video post on August 28 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Supreme Court to Hear Journalist Abhisar Sharmas Plea Against Assam FIR on August 28
HT DIGITAL GUWAHATI, AUGUST 27: The Supreme Court will on August 28 consider a petition by journalist Abhisar Sharma, who has requested the quashing of an FIR registered against him by the Assam Police for a video post criticizing the policies of the state. The issue will be heard by a bench of Justices MM []
Bihar rains: Around eight lakh people in seven Bihar districts hit by floods
The incessant rain in seven districts - Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Bhojpur, Vaishali and Madhepura - caused rivers and streams to overflow. Besides, incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to rivers flowing above danger level at several places, an official statement said
Espionage case: Court extends YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's judicial custody till September 3
She was arrested by Hisar Police on May 16
Espionage case: Court extends YouTuber Jyoti Malhotras judicial custody till Sep 3
Hisar, Aug 25: A Hisar court on Monday extended till September 3, the judicial custody of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested in May on suspicion of espionage. Melhotra appeared before judicial magistrate (first class) Sunil Kumar, who remanded her to judicial custody till September 3, her lawyer Kumar Mukesh said. Malhotra, who hails from Hisar and ran a YouTube channel Travel with JO, was arrested by Hisar Police on May 16. She was arrested at the New Aggarsain Extension [] The post Espionage case: Court extends YouTuber Jyoti Malhotras judicial custody till Sep 3 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Withdraw FIR against Abhisar Sharma: Press Club
The PCI accused the Assam Police of turning a blind eye in not taking cognisance of what the apex court has directed in a similar case pertaining to The Wire editors
SC Bars Assam Police From Arresting Karan Thapar, Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire
DIGIPUB flays Assam FIR on Abhisar Sharma, says to criminalise the work of a respected journalist like Abhisar Sharma is nothing less than an attack on press freedom.
Results of last Lok Sabha polls fudged: Rahul Gandhi
PATNA: LoP in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the peoples strong voice against vote theft would spread like a tsunami across India. Speaking at a public meeting in Munger during the fifth day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra, he said he was convinced that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were manipulated. Rahul intensified his attack on the BJP and the Election Commission, alleging that they were stealing votes to benefit a section of industrialists. Braving a drizzle, a large crowd gathered to hear him, along with RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, CPI-ML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and other INDIA bloc leaders, as the yatra moved through Lakhisarai near Munger. Gandhi also alleged poll manipulation, citing the Maharashtra example. Our alliance won in the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, and four months later, the BJP won in the assembly election. The only difference was that nearly one crore new people cast their votes and all these votes went to the BJP alliance. BJP won in all those places where these new voters cast their votes, he added.
Case Against Journalist Abhisar Sharma For 'Ridiculing' Assam, Centre
The Guwahati Crime Branch on Thursday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma on the basis of a complaint filed by a local resident alleging that he had uploaded a video ridiculing both the Assam and
FIR filed against journalist Abhisar Sharma by Guwahati police
Guwahati Crime Branch files FIR against journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma for video criticising Assam and Union Governments
Rahul joins second leg of 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar
Rahul Gandhi, who returned to the State after a day-long break, joined the Yatra in Lakhisarai district, hours after the second leg was kicked off by his ally Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD in adjoining Sheikhpura
PM to inaugurate 6-lane bridge in Bihar on Aug 22, travel time to come down
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the Aunta-Simaria project featuring a six-lane, 1.8 km-long bridge over the Ganga River in Bihar on August 22. The link will reduce travel distance by about 100 km for heavy vehicles ferrying between north and south Bihar and provide direct connectivity between Mokama in Patna District and Begusarai. Modi had laid the foundation in October 2017. The project is part of National Highway 31. The bridge has been constructed parallel to the existing two-lane rail-cum-road bridge Rajendra Setu, which is almost seven decades old and needs repair. Anil Chaudhary, member, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said, The Rajendra Setu has only two lanes, and the one corridor is closed because of repair work. Only one lane is in use, and it is for light motor vehicles. So, traffic jams are regular. The new bridge will resolve this issue. Heavy vehicles plying on the new bridge will have to travel 100 km less between Begusarai, Supaul, Madhubani, and Araria in North Bihar and Patna, Seikhpura, Nawada, and Lakhisarai in South Bihar. The link will also provide better connectivity to the famous pilgrimage place of Simaria Dham, which is also the birthplace of the renowned poet, the late Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Overall, the bridge will prove beneficial from an economic viewpoint, boost connectivity to an important cultural centre and enhance ease of travel for people of the region, Chaudhary said. The bridge is the countrys widest extradosed bridgea hybrid structure that combines features of a cable-stayed and girder bridgedesigned with a single segmental structure. Project part of NH 31 The link will reduce travel distance by about 100 km for heavy vehicles ferrying between north and south Bihar and provide direct connectivity between Mokama in Patna District and Begusarai. Modi had laid the foundation in October 2017. The project is part of National Highway 31.
Autorickshaw driver arrested for assaulting police constable in Dahisar East
Partnership between EC-BJP; we'll not allow even one vote to be stolen in Bihar: Rahul Gandhi
NAWADA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that a partnership has been going on between the Election Commission and the BJP to steal votes, and asserted that the Mahagathbandhan will not allow even a single vote to be stolen in Bihar. Addressing a gathering at Bhagat Singh Chowk on the third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, Gandhi said the right to vote has been given to the people by the Constitution, and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Election Commissioners are snatching it away from them. This is your right, given to you by the Constitution, and Modi, Shah, and the Election Commissioners are snatching it away from you. (RJD's) Tejashwi (Yadav), I, and the other (Mahagathbandhan) leaders standing here want to tell them that we will not let you steal even a single vote in Bihar, Gandhi said. He alleged that the EC-BJP nexus has stolen elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, about 1 crore voters were mysteriously added between the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Gandhi claimed. He said the Congress asked the EC to provide a machine-readable voters' list and CCTV footage, but the poll body refused. Now in Bihar, they are carrying out 'vote chori' in a new manner. They are doing this chori (theft) right before your eyes, but we will not let them steal votes, said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Opposition holds protest against SIR in Parliament complex Warning the people, he said, First, your voter card will go. Then your ration card will go. And finally, your land will be handed over to Adani and Ambani, Gandhi alleged. This country belongs to farmers, labourers, small traders, and the youthnot to a few billionaires like Adani and Ambani, he added. Gandhi said all the wrong laws, including GST and demonetisation, were aimed at benefiting a few billionaires. You give money and resources, and yet the country cannot give you employment. This has to change, and that is why we have started this Voter Adhikar Yatra, he said in his address to the people, standing atop his vehicle, flanked by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and CPI(ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya. At the start of his address, Gandhi invited a person whose name had been removed from the voters list to speak. The person said he had been a polling agent in the Lok Sabha polls, but his name had been removed during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. There are lakhs of such people in Bihar who voted, but their names have now been cut from the voters list, Gandhi said. There is a partnership going on between the BJP and the Election Commission. They are colluding to indulge in vote chori, he charged. Asserting that vote chori is an attack on Bharat Mata , Gandhi on Monday had warned the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners of stern action once the INDIA bloc forms the government. Intensifying his attack on the Election Commission, Gandhi also said the whole country would demand an affidavit from the poll body and, if given time, his party would expose the vote chori in every Assembly and Lok Sabha constituency. On Tuesday, the Yatra began from Wazirganj in Gaya and entered Nawada later in the day. The Yatra will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. It is being undertaken in a hybrid modeon foot and by vehiclesimilar to Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Mumbai ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The Yatra will also pass through Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, and Supaul. Rahul Gandhi will become PM after next Lok Sabha polls: RJD's Tejashwi at Bihar rally
SIR new weapon for 'vote chori', will protect 'one person, one vote': Rahul
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a ew weapon for vote chori and vowed to protect the one person, one vote principle by stopping vote theft. Gandhi made the remarks in a post on his WhatsApp channel while talking about his meeting with a group of people who had cast their votes in the previous Lok Sabha election but their names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise in Bihar. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha met the group at the launch of his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar's Sasaram on Sunday. In his post in Hindi along with a picture of the meeting, Gandhi said, The SIR is a new weapon for vote theft. Coincidentally, these people standing with me in this picture are a 'living' proof of this theft. All of them had cast their votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha election -- but by the time the Bihar Assembly polls came, their identity, their existence were erased from the democracy of India, he said. Do you know who they are? Raj Mohan Singh (70): Farmer and retired soldier; Umravati Devi (35): Dalit and labourer; Dhanjay Kumar Bind (30): Backward class and labourer; Sita Devi (45): Woman and former MGNREGA labourer; Raju Devi (55): Backward class and labourer; Mohmuddin Ansari (52): Minority and labourer, he said. The collusion of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission (EC) is punishing them for being Bahujan and poor -- even our soldiers were not spared -- Gandhi said. Neither will they have a vote nor identity or rights, he added. Due to social discrimination and economic conditions, they are unable to fight against the conspiracy of the system. We stand here with them to protect the most basic right of 'one person, one vote', the Congress leader asserted. This is a question of rights and of everyone's participation in a democracy, he said, adding that we will not let it end under any circumstances. Later, in Aurangabad, Gandhi met another set of people who had voted in earlier elections but their names were deleted from the new draft voter list. Sharing an over-four-minute video of his interaction in Aurangabad, Gandhi said, The votes of people who voted in the last four-five elections were also stolen in Bihar. And, when asked for the reason, the only answer received was -- an order has come from above. This is a fight for the rights of the poor -- we will not stop. We will stop vote theft, he said. In the video, Gandhi is seen interacting with people whose names have been deleted from the voters' list. He was accompanied by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insan Party's Mukesh Sahani and CPI(ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya. Gandhi told the group that the Narendra Modi government brought in a law in 2023 to ensure that no one can take action against those who run the EC and it was completely wrong. Meanwhile, Gandhi, Yadav and Sahani also prayed at the Devkund Surya Mandir in Aurangabad as their Voter Adhikar Yatra entered its second day. Travelling from Kutumba, the yatra reached Gayaji on Monday evening. Embarking on the 1,300-km Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram, Gandhi accused the EC on Sunday of stealing elections in collusion with the BJP and asserted that the INDIA opposition bloc will not let their latest conspiracy to steal the Bihar polls through the SIR exercise succeed. After 16 days, the yatra is scheduled to conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. The yatra is being undertaken in a hybrid mode, on foot and by vehicles, as was Gandhi's Manipur-to-Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It will pass through Aurangabad, Gayaji, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.
Widened NH 66 to sport advance obstruction warning system
KOCHI: What if signboards along roads could warn motorists of accidents, obstructions, animal intrusions, etc., ahead and facilitate detours to help them save on time, rather than getting caught in gridlocks. This is exactly what the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has in store, as part of its ambitious plan to install an advanced traffic management system (ATMS), for NH 66s 644km six-lane stretch from Thalappady, in Kasaragod, to Mukkola, in Thiruvananthapuram, where widening work is expected to be completed next year. Due to high traffic density on most stretches, ATMS will be first installed on the 26km Moothakunnam-Edappally section and extended to other reaches in a phased manner. The system has provisions for various electronic enforcement devices that help in speedy identification of incidents and effectively monitor highways. Once the impediment is identified, a warning message will be issued to oncoming motorists using fixed variable message signs (VMS). For instance, in the case of heavy mist, messages warning drivers to reduce speed will be displayed, a senior NHAI official told TNIE. VMS boards can display dynamic messages to inform drivers about road conditions, traffic flow, and relay other important information. They can be either fixed or portable (trailer-mounted). Toll plazas with satellite system to come up Besides VMS, ATMS also involves video surveillance/traffic monitoring camera systems, video incident detection and enforcement systems, vehicle actuated speed display systems, a communication network with OFC backbone, emergency call boxes, mobile radio communication systems, besides a command & control centre. These devices help improve the response time of on-site assistance. The command centre acts as the digital brain of the corridor where personnel will be deployed round the clock for continuous monitoring. This data-driven management ensures shorter response times, fewer delays and safer commutes, the official added. The NHAI will also introduce the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based user fee collection system in the state, that would facilitate easy passage of vehicles at toll collection points. Currently, all the toll plazas in the state have toll-collection booths and building structures. The same wont be there in the new toll plazas at places like Eramalloor (elevated highway) that will be set up upon completion of the ongoing NH-66 widening, the official said. The NHAI completed a pilot study of the GNSS-based user fee collection system on two highway stretches in Indiathe Bengaluru-Mysore section of NH-275 in Karnataka and the Panipat-Hisar section of NH-709 in Haryana. It has been decided to initially implement the GNSS-based Electronic Toll Collection system at selected NH sections on a pilot basis. Sign of things to come! NHAI to install advanced traffic management system (ATMS) on six-lane NH 66 stretches The system has provisions for various electronic enforcement devices that help in speedy identification of incidents and effectively monitor highways
Whole country now knows EC 'stealing' elections in collusion with BJP: Rahul
SASARAM: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed the whole country now knows that the Election Commission is stealing elections in collusion with the BJP and asserted that the INDIA bloc will not let their latest conspiracy to steal Bihar Assembly polls succeed, as he embarked on his 1,300 km 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in the state. Gandhi alleged that assembly and Lok Sabha polls were being stolen across the country and there was a conspiracy in Bihar to do the same through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Addressing the gathering here at the launch event of the yatra covering over 20 districts in Bihar, Gandhi said while he was asked to submit an affidavit after his press conference exposing vote chori, no such demand was made from BJP leaders who made claims in their presser. In the whole country, assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being stolen and their latest conspiracy is to delete and add voters through SIR to steal the elections in Bihar, Gandhi charged. We have come here to tell you that we will not let them steal the election in Bihar. People of Bihar will not let them steal elections. The poor only have the power of vote and we will not let them steal polls, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. He said the whole country now knows what the EC is doing and the Congress showed how it is carrying out this heft. Wherever this theft is happening, be it Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, we will catch their theft and put it before the people, Gandhi said. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi runs the government along with billionaires. Your vote is stolen and then your money is handed over to 5-6 billionaires...the truth of SIR, the vote chori in Bihar, we will put it before the people, Gandhi said. He asserted that it is a fight to save the Constitution. Gandhi alleged that the RSS and the BJP are trying to erase the Constitution. In every election the BJP wins. In Maharashtra, all opinion polls said the INDIA bloc will win the assembly polls. In the Lok Sabha polls, our alliance won but after four months in the same Maharashtra, the BJP alliance swept the assembly polls as one crore voters were added through magic and wherever such additions happened, the BJP won, he claimed. Gandhi said the INDIA bloc parties complained to the EC and asked for video footage but the poll body refused. He said the Congress had shown that over one lakh votes were stolen in one assembly segment of a Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka in 2024 and the BJP won that parliamentary seat. The Congress leader said the EC asked for an affidavit from him over his press conference but did not ask the BJP leaders to do so when they held their presser and made claims. They say submit an affidavit on the data I had put forward when it is their data that I cited, Gandhi said. The yatra launch event here was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(M)'s Subhashini Ali and CPI's P Sandosh Kumar. With the Assembly polls barely three months away, Gandhi, along with RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, launched the yatra from BIADA Ground, Sasaram. After 16 days, the yatra will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. The yatra will be in a hybrid mode, on foot and by vehicle, as was Gandhi's Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, party leaders said. It will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.
Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' starts from Sasaram in Bihar on August 17
PATNA: With Bihar gearing up for assembly elections, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is all set to launch Vote Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram in Rohtas district on Sunday, to highlight the championing electoral reforms and exposing alleged in voter list through the special intensive revision (SIR) . After landing at Sasaram, Rahul will visit Suara Aerodrome Ground near Sasaram, where he will address a public meeting and meet people from Tribal community. Later in the day, he will hold a roadshow at Dehri-on-Sone and start his Pad Yatra. The 16-day Yatra, aimed at championing electoral reforms and exposing alleged in voter list through special intensive revision (SIR), will culminate in a grand rally in Patna on September 1. Leaders of INDIA bloc partners, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (RJD) and Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), are expected to join the yatra. The Yatra will cover districts, including Gaya, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Katihar, Purnea, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, Saran, Bhojpur and Patna. On September 1, a mega Voter Adhikar Rally is scheduled to be held at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, which will be attended by INDIA bloc leaders. Former Bihar Congress chief Alkhilesh Prasad Singh said that all necessary formalities like permission for landing of chopper and ground for public meeting have already been completed for the proposed Vote Adhikar Yatra. Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member, said that the Yatra will build a tempo in favour of Opposition INDIA bloc ahead of assembly elections in Bihar scheduled to be held in October-November. The Opposition alleged that SIR launched by Election Commission led to deletion of names of 65 lakh electors in state. EC's special intensive revision is a deliberate design to tamper with votes, disproportionately affecting backward, Muslim communities and migrant workers, said Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar. He further said that on August 18, Rahul will start pad yatra which will pass through Dev Road Amba in Kutumba assembly constituency, covering Aurangabad district. On Saturday, Rahul on X said, Sixteen days, 20-plus districts, 1,300-plus kilometres. We are coming among the people with voter rights yatra. This is the right to protect the most fundamental democratic right-one person, one vote. Join us to save the Constitution. 16 20+ 1,300+ .. - , pic.twitter.com/4zturHDnOl Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2025
Rahul Gandhi to launch Voter Adhikar Yatra from Bihar`s Sasaram
Announces 1300-km Vote Adhikar Yatra, building on the momentum from his voter fraud allegations against the BJP; The yatra will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chapra
2,500-page charge-sheet filed against Jyoti Malhotra for espionage
Chandigarh: Haryana Polices Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a nearly 2,500-page chargesheet in a Hisar court against YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on charges of espionage for Pakistan. The chargesheet claimed that solid evidence had been gathered establishing her involvement in espionage activities. She was arrested on suspicion of espionage on May 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 .
BIHAR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will embark on a 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' across Bihar from here on Sunday, with his party asserting it will fight for the one person, one vote principle and not accept the Election Commission becoming a compartment of the BJP's so-called double engine. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, along with RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, will undertake the 16-day and 1,300 km-long yatra from Sasaram, which will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, 16 days, 20+ districts, 1,300+ km. We are coming among the people with the Voter Adhikar Yatra. This is a fight to protect the most basic democratic right - 'one person, one vote'. 16 20+ 1,300+ .. - , pic.twitter.com/4zturHDnOl Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2025 Join us in Bihar to save the Constitution, he added. Addressing a press conference at the Indira Bhawan in New Delhi, Congress's media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said, Whenever Rahul Gandhi ji has set out for a yatra, the democracy of this country has turned a page. 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' will be a historic march. It will prove to be a milestone in the history of our democracy. We will not accept that the Election Commission becomes a compartment of this so-called 'double engine'. We are fighting against this and will continue to do so in the future, he added. The party has been protesting against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging the EC's exercise is aimed at disenfranchising voters in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections due later this year. The Congress urged the people of Bihar to join the 'yatra' for their rights and entitlements so that democracy can get a direction from Bihar. The yatra, starting in Bihar from August 17, is a journey to make people aware because the conspirators will not be deterred and they will try to steal votes, Khera said. The yatra will conclude with a huge rally in Patna on September 1, and the people of the INDIA bloc will participate in it, he added. He added that the 'yatra' has been planned to fight for the right of 'one person-one vote'. It is possible to breathe freely in independent India because we have the power to vote. Rahul Gandhi has started a struggle so that every citizen of the country can breathe freely, Khera said. The way the game of adding and deducting fake votes was going on, the BJP people have been caught red-handed, he claimed, adding that ow, even ordinary citizens are giving evidence of vote theft. When our INDIA bloc colleagues and social workers appealed together, the Supreme Court also had to intervene. Public has woken up: Rahul Gandhi shares new video highlighting 'vote theft' This conspiracy was not just to snatch votes. It was a conspiracy to snatch your and our identity. Today, the right to vote is being snatched from the Dalits, the deprived, the oppressed, the exploited, the minorities; tomorrow their participation will be snatched, Khera alleged. He claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched to attack the poor, against which the people of the country have raised their voice. The 'yatra' will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chapra and Ara. At a press briefing in Patna, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that when the Election Commission announced the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, the leaders of the INDIA bloc went to meet poll panel officials, who had stated that 20 per cent of the voters in Bihar would lose their franchise. We demanded a discussion on this issue in the House, but the BJP government did not consider it necessary. When the new draft list came out after SIR in Bihar, many irregularities were revealed. When we are asking for answers on this, the BLO (block-level officer) has no answer, he claimed. In such a situation, we have decided that the Congress will start a 'Voter Awareness Campaign'. In this, we will go to all districts of Bihar and make people aware, so that they are not deprived of their rights, Singh said. He also said that Rahul Gandhi is fighting to save the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi is the voice of the poor, deprived, women, farmers, and labourers of the country. We request the people of Bihar to take part in this journey and help us in foiling the plans of the Election Commission-BJP, Singh added. Gandhi on Thursday said, We are waging a direct fight against 'vote chori' from Bihar with the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra. He asserted that his party will ensure a clean voters' list across the country. 'Vote chori' is not just an election issue but a decisive battle to protect democracy, the Constitution and the principle of 'one man, one vote', he had said. The Congress on Tuesday claimed that vote chori was a do-or-die issue for it, and announced a roadmap to take its allegations to the people through various activities. 'Got a chance to have tea with dead voters': Rahul Gandhi takes shot at EC over Bihar SIR
CM Nitish reviews flood situation in Bihar, directs officials to remain alert
PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar chaired a high-level meeting regarding flooding in 10 districts of the state, where most of the rivers were flowing above the danger mark. Around 25 lakh people have been affected by the deluge. CM Nitish directed the officials concerned to remain alert and make necessary arrangements for the flood victims. Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar are among the worst-affected districts. During the meeting, CM was briefed by officials about the steps taken by the district administration. The officials informed the CM that 16 teams of NDRF and SDRF have been pressed into service to rescue people from flood-affected areas and shift them to safer places. The officials told the CM that the situation worsened in some districts due to torrential rains during the past 24 hours. While some rivers were in spate, incessant rains added to the woes of the people. Over 1,200 country boats have been engaged in rescue work. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the CM directed the district magistrates of flood-affected areas to prepare a list of flood-affected people and provide them with relief assistance at the earliest. However, no deaths have been reported in any district, the release claimed. CM was expected to conduct an aerial survey of flood-hit districts, but it was deferred due to some unavoidable reasons. CM directed the officials to ensure payment to farmers against loss of standing crops due to floods. Rivers such as Ganga, Bagmati, Kosi, Punpun and Ghaghra are flowing above danger level at several places. Heavy downpour in the catchment areas of Nepal has led to a rise in the water level of these rivers, officials told the CM at the review meeting. The officials of the rural works department and road construction department were directed to ensure the repair of damaged roads in flood-hit districts.
11-Year-Old Dies In Fall During Dahi Handi Practice In Mumbai
Police charge event organiser with death by negligence after boy falls from sixth level of human pyramid in Dahisar
Respect constitutional bodies, will reply to EC notice: Bihar Dy CM on 'possessing' 2 voter cards
Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar's Deputy CM, received a notice from the Election Commission. The notice concerns allegations about him having two voter IDs. Sinha stated he respects constitutional bodies. He promised to respond to the Election Commission's questions. He claims he had requested to remove his name from Patna's voter list after registering in Lakhisarai.
Election Commission issues notice to Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha for possessing two EPIC cards
PATNA: The Election Commission on Sunday issued a notice to Bihar deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha following a controversy over possessing two EPIC (elector photo identity card) numbers. Sinha has been asked to send a reply notice by August 14. The notice has been sent to Deputy Chief Minister Sinha by Deputy Collector, land reforms-cum registration officer of Patna Sadar, who is also the election officer of Banki assembly constituency, asking him to explain about possessing two EPIC numbersAFS0853341 and IAF3939337. While EPIC number AFS0853341 listed his name at polling booth number 405 and serial number 757 of Bankipur assembly constituency in Patna district, EPIC number IAF3939337 listed his name as an elector from Lakhisarai assembly constituency. Sinhas name existed in both assembly constituencies during the Special Intensive Revisional of electoral rolls. Sinha, on being contacted, said that he would send a reply notice to the authority concerned. Earlier in the day, he claimed that though his name existed in Bankipur and Lakhisarai assembly constituencies, he voted from Lakhisarai constituency. He also claimed that he had submitted the required form for deletion of his name from one place. He said that his family previously lived in the Bankpur assembly area. I filled up a form for the deletion of my name from the voter list. I got my name added to the voter list of Lakhisarai assembly constituency. I sent a filled-up form for deletion of name from Bankipur after he found his name featured in both lists, he told the media. Earlier, the leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav , alleged that the Bihar deputy CM possessed two EPIC numbers and demanded action against him. He also questioned whether the apex poll body would initiate action against Deputy CM Sinha. If an attempt is made to take action against us, will action be taken against Deputy CM Sinha? he asked. Tejashwi is himself surrounded in controversy over possessing two EPIC numbers. The Election Commission has already declared his second EPIC number as fake and asked him to provide the original copy of that EPIC.
Bihar Dy CM has 2 EPIC numbers: Tejashwi Yadav
Yadav claimed that the two EPIC numbers belong to Lakhisarai and Bankipur, respectively; Alleges loopholes in Bihar SIR exercise
Bihar's Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha refuted Tejashwi Yadav's claims of possessing two voter IDs with differing details. Sinha explained he applied to transfer his registration from Bankipur to Lakhisarai in April 2024, but the deletion was rejected. He has since notified the Election Commission and emphasized that he only votes in Lakhisarai, accusing Yadav of spreading misinformation.
Tejashwi Yadav Says Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha Has 2 Voter IDs, He Hits Back As SIR Row Snowballs
Tejashwi claimed Vijay Sinha's name appears in both the Lakhisarai Assembly constituency and the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district.
Bihar DyCM Vijay Kumar Sinha has two EPIC cards: Tejashwi Yadav
PATNA : RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday alleged that Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has two voter ID cards and asked what action is being taken against Sinha. Yadav, talking to reporters here, said, Vijay Kumar Sinha is a voter from two different assembly constituencies in two different districts. His name is there in Lakhisarai assembly constituency in the same district and also in Bankipur assembly constituency in Patna district. He has two different Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) cards. Surprisingly, it has happened after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Election Commission in Bihar. Who should be held responsible, either Sinha himself or the Election Commission? What action is being taken against Sinha? When will he (Sinha) resign from the post after the revelations? #WATCH | Patna, Bihar: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, Three lakh houses in Bihar have zero house numbers. Is this a joke? What kind of process is this? You are here to strengthen democracy, to conduct fair elections. If the opposition is raising any question, making any pic.twitter.com/bM89zCzYnk ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2025 Reacting to Yadav's allegations, Sinha told reporters on Sunday, Earlier, names of mine and my family members were listed in Bankipur assembly seat. In April 2024, I had applied to add my name from Lakhisarai. I also filled a form to remove my and my family members' names from Bankipur. I have evidence. For some reason, my name was not removed from Bankipur and it appeared in the draft electoral roll. I called the Booth Level Officer and submitted a written application and took a receipt seeking deletion of my name from Bankpur. I have both documents. Sinha said that he has voted from only one place. I vote from only one place. Last time too, I voted from only one place. The prince of Jungle-Raj (Tejashwi) is simply trying to mislead people by giving wrong facts. Entire Bihar knows that he (Tejashwi) plays the game of tarnishing the image of others. He should apologise for making false allegations against me, Sinha said. Tejashwi Yadav denies voter ID duplication, blames Patna officials for changing EPIC number The Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly said Sinha's EPIC ID number in the Lakhisarai assembly constituency is IAF3939337, and in the Bankipur assembly constituency in Patna district, his ID number is AFS0853341. While Sinha's age is 57 years in one list and 60 years in another. Is this not fraud and an age scam? He must have filled two different forms in two different assembly constituencies. He deliberately got two votes registered in two different places. If he did not personally sign both forms, then did the Election Commission create two different votes for him in two different assembly constituencies based on forged signatures? Will he receive two different notices, or are these rules only for the opposition leaders? Yadav alleged. Commenting on the EC asking him to respond to allegations that he holds two EPIC numbers, the RJD leader said, I have replied to the EC, why should I need to give an explanation for this? He accused the EC of attempting to pin on him a mistake committed by its own officials. Recently, the EC had asked Yadav to respond to allegations that he holds two EPIC numbers. Whose lapse is it if two EPIC numbers were issued to me? Galti khud karen aur explanation hamse mangege (They make the mistake themselves and are seeking an explanation from me). Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar in a post on X on Saturday, shared screenshots of the draft electoral rolls in which the DyCM has been shown as a voter in Lakhisarai, his assembly seat, as well as Bankipur in the capital city. PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the screenshots shared by Kumar. Kumar asked, Had Sinha been casting his vote from two places? How did he file his enumeration forms from more than one place? Would there be an FIR against him for this fraud?.
Tejashwi Yadav claims Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha has two EPIC numbers
Tejashwi Yadav further asked the ECI and the district administrations of Patna and Lakhisarai, what kind of action would be taken against him, highlighting the ECIs swiftness in issuing him a notice.
Raksha Bandhan Special Train list 2025: These trains will connect key routes like Mumbai, Nagpur and Patna. Services include one-time trips and daily operations. Passengers can travel from Bhagat Ki Kothi to Bandra Terminus. Jaipur and Hisar will also have special train connectivity. Book your tickets soon for a comfortable journey.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh gets another 40-day parole, 14th since 2017
CHANDIGARH: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, a 57-year-old convict in rape and murder cases, walked out of Sunaria jail on his 14th temporary release since 2017. The self-styled godman was granted a 40-day parole this time. Sources said Ram Rahim Singh left Sunaria jail early at 6 AM under tight police security and reached the Dera headquarters in Sirsa around 9 AM in a cavalcade of seven SUVs. This will be the first time in eight years that he will celebrate his birthdayon August 15at the Sirsa dera. In the past, during previous paroles or furloughs around this occasion, he had mostly stayed at his Barnawa Ashram in Uttar Pradesh. He is expected to remain at the Sirsa dera until returning to jail on September 14. According to sources, this will be his 58th birthday, though the celebrations are likely to be limited. He may address his followers virtually, as the administration has reportedly not granted permission for large gatherings at the dera. He was earlier granted a 21-day furlough in April this year, during which he stayed at the Sirsa dera, participated in Dera Foundation Day celebrations, and met several followers. Before that, he received a 30-day parole in January, a week before the Delhi assembly elections. On October 1 last year, he was also granted a 20-day parole before the October 5 Haryana assembly elections. In total, he has spent 326 days out of jail so far. The paroles and furloughs granted to him have often coincided with elections in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, or Rajasthan. Dera Sacha Sauda has a large following across these states, especially in Haryanas Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, and Hisar districts. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence for the rape of two female disciples, a conviction handed down by a special CBI court in August 2017. In January 2019, he was also convicted, along with three others, for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and sentenced to life imprisonment. In May last year, he was acquitted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the 2002 murder of the sect's former manager, Ranjit Singh.
From Kalyan to world stage: How dhaba owners daughter Vaishnavi Patil, chases Olympic dream
Vaishnavi Patil, daughter of a dhaba owner, defied expectations by securing a spot in the World Wrestling Championships after only four years of mat wrestling. Inspired by Sakshi Malik, she transitioned from mud wrestling and swimming, driven by a desire to win an Olympic medal. Her coach credits her dedication and disciplined training in Hisar for her rapid progress.
Rivers in spate in Bihar after heavy rain, CM directs officials to remain alert
PATNA: The water levels in several rivers in Bihar have risen due to heavy rain in the last 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed all officials concerned to remain alert. According to the latest district-wise rainfall bulletin issued by the Meteorological Department on Sunday, Light to moderate rain was recorded in many districts, including Patna, Banka, Muzaffarpur, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Gayaji, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Katihar, Khagaria, Munger, Nalanda and Vaishali since August 2. Several key roads and many low-lying areas in Patna were waterlogged following incessant rain in the state capital on Sunday. The Meteorological Department issued an 'orange' alert (be prepared) for several districts, including Patna, Gayaji, Jamui, Aurangabad, Khagaria, Banka, Vaishali, Samastipur, Seikhpura, Lakhisarai, East Champaran, Arwal, West Champaran and Nawada for the next 48 hours. Officials of the state Water Resources Department (WRD) said that incessant rain in several districts has caused rivers and streams to overflow. The increased inflow also caused the water level in many dams to rise, they said. Besides, incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to the rivers touching or flowing above the danger level in several places, they added. No causality has been reported so far, and in certain areas in East and West Champaran, Bhagalpur and Patna districts, villagers of low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places by the district administration. Owing to moderate to heavy rain in certain areas in the state, major rivers, including Ganga, Kosi, Sone, Bagmati, Gandak, Kamla, and Adahrwa, are maintaining a rising trend in their courses in the past couple of days, the latest report of the WRD said. Ganga is flowing above the danger level in Bhagalpur, and at Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, Burhi Gandak in East Champaran, and Kosi in Supaul and Khagaria, it added. Almost all rivers are maintaining a rising trend throughout their courses, engulfing low-lying localities along their courses. However, all embankments are safe, a senior WRD official said. Meanwhile, the chief minister on Sunday inspected the State Emergency Operations Centre of the Disaster Management Department (DMD). According to a statement issued by the DMD, During the inspection, the CM reviewed the rainfall situation in the state, water levels of rivers, and the status of crop coverage. Bihar Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the DMD, Pratyaya Amrit, briefed the CM about the rainfall situation in the state. The CM directed all officials concerned to remain alert, it added. From June 1 to August 3 this year, the state recorded 409 mm of rainfall, which is 22 per cent less than normal. The ACS also mentioned that the state received good rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 25 mm or more rainfall recorded in 222 blocks across the state, the statement said. Regarding the current water levels of rivers in the state, the ACS said that the water levels in the Ganga, Kosi, and Burhi Gandak and some other rivers have risen, but the situation is currently under control. Providing details on crop coverage, he stated that as of August 3, paddy crop coverage in the state stands at 79.43 percent, whereas it was 67.38 percent during the same period last year. It is expected that 100 per cent coverage will be achieved by August 15 under normal circumstances, the statement added.
Leafhopper outbreak in decade hits North Indias cotton belt
A severe outbreak of leafhopper pests, commonly known as jassids, in the cotton fields of North India could significantly impact the country's already declining cotton production. A recent field survey conducted by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre revealed a massive infestation of green leafhoppers, referred to locally as hara tela , in key cotton-growing districts. These areas include Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa in Haryana, as well as Mansa, Bathinda, Abohar, and Fazilka in Punjab, and Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. The survey was part of the Bandhan project, a programme run by government institutions such as the Central Institute of Cotton Research and various State Agriculture Universities, in collaboration with local non-profit organisations. The aim of this project is to assist farmers in combating Pink Bollworm pests in cotton crops. The survey team, consisting of scientists, found infestation levels of 1215 leafhoppers per leafsignificantly above the Economic Threshold Level (ETL). The team further noted that an alarming number of cotton leaf injuries exceeded ETL, based on the damage grading system. For the past three consecutive weeks, green leafhopper (jassid) populations have exceeded ETL, allegedly triggering widespread yellowing of leaf margins and downward curlingclassic symptoms of jassid attack. Scientists attribute the outbreak to a confluence of weather conditions, including above-average rainfall, an increased number of rainy days, persistent humidity, and cloud cover, all of which have allegedly created ideal conditions for jassid proliferation. Fields were graded 3 to 4 based on the ICAR-CICR infestation scale, indicating severe to extreme damage. Experts confirm this is the worst outbreak in a decade in the North cotton-growing zone. The leafhopper infestation has emerged at a time when the cotton crop stands, and overall condition, are significantly better than in the past three to four years. The crop appears robust across the northern region, except in late-sown areas of Sri Ganganagar, where irrigation was unavailable during the sowing period, noted Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder & Director of South Asia Biotechnology Centres High-Tech R&D Station, Sirsa, Haryana. The survey team noted that failure to control this green leafhopper infestation promptly could lead to substantial damage to the cotton crop in the coming days. Farmers must remain alert and take immediate action to manage the pest effectively to avoid potential yield losses. The field team was led by scientists and cotton experts including Dr Dilip Monga, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Dr Naresh, Deepak Jakhar, and KS Bhardwaj.
How a Mumbai office boy lost Rs 2.95 lakh trying to sell his kidney for Rs 1 crore
A Mumbai office boy from Dahisar faced a financial crisis. He attempted to sell his kidney online. He was then cheated of Rupees 2.95 lakh. The fraudster promised him Rupees 1 crore. The victim contacted a number online. He believed it was a Delhi hospital. Police have registered an FIR. They are investigating the cybercrime and cheating case.
Bihar: Tejashwi hits back at Union minister Rajiv Ranjan for hosting mutton feast
Patna, Jul 17 (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has repeatedly drawn flak from the ruling NDA for consuming non-vegetarian food during Navratra and Saawan, on Thursday hit back at Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan, alias Lalan, for hosting a mutton party. The feast was reportedly held in Lakhisarai district, which falls under the Munger Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Lalan a former national president of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U). Speaking to PTI Video, Tejashwi said, We have been called anti-Sanatan by them. I hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Motihari tomorrow, will be full
UP schools to be shutdown from 16 to 23 July: What parents need to know
UP School Holiday: Schools in several Uttar Pradesh districts including Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Varanasi, Bareilly and Badaun will close temporarily due to the Kanwar Yatra and its impact on traffic and safety. In Haryanas Hisar district, over 10,000 private schools will remain shut for a day in protest over a school principals murder. Local administrations say the closures are needed to protect students and ensure public order as thousands of Kanwariyas move through major pilgrimage routes this Shravan month.
Fire Breaks Out In Empty Train Coach, No Casualties
A coach of the Hisar-Tirupati Special Express was completely gutted in a fire at Tirupati Railway Yard on Monday, with flames also damaging a generator coach of the Rayalaseema Express; no injuries were reported as passengers had already disembarked.
Tirupati-Hisar Express Compartment Catches Fire
The railway police booked a case and took up the investigation to know the cause of fire
4 Minors Detained For Stabbing Haryana School Principal To Death
The four students who allegedly murdered their school principal in Haryana's Hisar have been detained, said the police on Friday.
Class 11 & 12 students in Haryana stab principal to death on campus for being told to shorten hair
On Guru Purnima, Jagbir Pannu, a school principal in Hisar, was murdered. Two students allegedly stabbed him following repeated reprimands. The students had been warned about their behavior and appearance. After a test, they lured Pannu to an area without CCTV. They stabbed him and fled, discarding the knife. Police recovered the weapon and are searching for the suspects.
Haryana Students Who Stabbed Principal Over 'Haircut' Had Also Threatened To Kill Son
The two students who stabbed a principal of a school in Haryana's Hisar because he asked them to get a haircut had threatened him before as well and demanded Rs 10 lakh to not kill his son, police have said.
Two students stab principal to death after he asked for...; incident sparksfearinschool
In a tragic incident, two students of Class 12 stabbed their school principal to death in Haryana's Hisar today. The minors allegedly used a knife to stab the principal multiple times. Police investigation is ongoing and the body is sent for postmortem.
Two students stab school principal to death in Haryana after repeated warnings over haircut
CHANDIGARH: Two Class XII students allegedly stabbed the director-cum-principal of a private school at Bass village in Narnaund subdivision of Hisar, Haryana, to death on Thursday after he asked them to get a haircut and follow school discipline. The incident took place at Kartar Memorial Senior Secondary School in Bass village. The director-cum-principal, 50-year-old Jagbir Singh Pannu, was allegedly attacked inside the school premises. He was stabbed multiple times. The students were reportedly angry over being frequently reprimanded for not maintaining proper grooming standards, specifically their haircuts, and for failing to adhere to school rules. Singh had reportedly warned the teenagers multiple times and urged them to mend their ways. After attacking him, both students fled the spot. Pannu was rushed to a nearby private hospital by the school staff and was later shifted to another hospital in Hisar, where he succumbed to his injuries. On receiving information, the police arrived at the scene and started an investigation. Sources said the students involved have been identified. The motive behind the attack remains unclear as police continue to question school staff and other students. Parents and local villagers gathered at the school following the incident. Police have begun scanning CCTV footage from the school premises and recording eyewitness statements. A foldable knife, believed to be the murder weapon, has been recovered. CCTV footage from inside the campus shows the boys running after stabbing the principal, with one of them throwing the knife away. Hansi Superintendent of Police Amit Yashvardhan said that initial investigations suggest the principal had served them notices for indiscipline and often asked them to tuck in their shirts and get their hair trimmed. If there was any personal rivalry between them, it will be revealed during the investigation. The exact circumstances of the murder will be known only after the postmortem report and a detailed investigation, he added. He confirmed that both students are minors and have not been taken into custody yet.
Hisar SHOCKER! Two students stab school principal to death inside campus on Guru Purnima
In a horrifying incident that has left the entire Hisar district stunned, two students of Kartar Memorial Senior Secondary School in Bans Badshahpur village allegedly stabbed their school principal to deathon the sacred day of Guru Purnima.
Private school Principal stabbed to death by two teenage students in Haryanas Hisar
Hansi Superintendent of Police Amit Yashvardhan said, Efforts are on to nab the juveniles in conflict with the law.
Vijay Vardhan holds a degree in electronics engineering from Hisar, relocated to Delhi with the aspiration of becoming a civil servant and began preparing for the UPSC exam.
Pakistan Spy Jyoti Malhotra's Judicial Custody Extended Till July 21
Malhotra was taken into custody by the Hisar police from her residence on May 16. She remains under investigation for her alleged links to Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Bihar to grant arms licences to Panchayat representatives amid rising attacks
PATNA: In a significant move ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, the Bihar government has decided to issue arms licences to representatives of the three-tier panchayati raj institutions across the state. The decision follows a series of violent attacks on panchayat representatives, particularly mukhiyas (panchayat heads). The state government has directed all District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to begin processing arms licence applications from elected panchayat members. However, the directive emphasises that the established rules for verifying arms licence applications must be strictly adhered to. The verification process should be completed promptly and without unnecessary delay, the government noted. The proposal, initiated by the Panchayati Raj Department, received approval during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday. Kumar instructed officials to expedite the licensing process, treating applications from panchayat representatives as a priority. The move comes in the wake of several high-profile killings. Just last week, a mukhiya and his aide were shot dead in Lakhisarai district while returning home from a function. In February, Mahesh Mishra, Deputy Mukhiya of Chiraila Panchayat in Gaya district and a JD(U) block secretary, was murdered. Similar incidents, including murder attempts and threats, have been reported from multiple districts such as Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Saran, Bhojpur, Jamui, and Nawada. Concerned by the deteriorating security situation, panchayat representatives had previously met senior state officials to demand protection. This measure adds to a series of steps taken by the state government to support local representatives ahead of elections expected in OctoberNovember this year. Allowances for panchayat members have already been increased. In another key decision, the government has approved the construction of marriage halls in every panchayat for the weddings of women from economically weaker backgrounds. A budget of Rs 4,026 crore has been sanctioned for the scheme, which will be implemented through 'Jeevika Didis', members of local womens self-help groups.
Espionage case: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's judicial custody extended by two weeks
The Hisar Police arrested Malhotra, who ran a YouTube channel Travel with JO, on the suspicion of espionage on May 16
It is sad that in the last 24 hours, four persons have died in Buxar, 3 in West Champaran, 2 in Katihar, 1 in Kaimur, 1 in Lakhisarai and 1 in Sitamarhi due to lightning. Instructions have been given to immediately give Rs. 4 lakhs as ex-gratia to the families of the deceased, said CM Nitish Kumar in a post on X.
IAS Vijay Vardhan hails from Haryana's Sirsa district. He relocated to Delhi to study for the UPSC exam after graduating from Hisar with a degree in Electronics Engineering.
Students, guards clash at Haryana varsity; many hurt
At least six students have been injured in the incident and they are currently undergoing treatment at the government hospital Hisar, the sources said.
Espionage case: Punjab YouTuber Jasbir Singh sent to 14-days judicial custody
CHANDIGARH: A Mohali court on Monday sent Punjab YouTuber Jasbir Singh , arrested on espionage charges to fourteen days' judicial custody. Singh alias Jaan Mahal, a resident of Mahlan village in Rupnagar district, was arrested on June 4 and was sent to Ropar Jail from Mohali. He was running a YouTube channel JaanMahal Video with over 11 lakh subscribers, ostensibly posting travel and cooking vlogs. Singh was produced before the court after the completion of the two-day police remand. Speaking to the presspersons, the counsel appearing for Mr Singh said that they will file his bail application. Meanwhile, his female friend, hailing from Jalandhar, was questioned for hours at the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of the Punjab Police. According to the police, She has told them that Singh took her to Delhi several times and once accompanied her to an invitation-only Pakistan Day event hosted by the Pakistan High Commission, despite her not having an official invite. Singh allegedly used his close ties with Pakistan operative Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish to secure her entry, according to police sources. The woman also claimed that Singh had been providing her with financial assistance for some time. Her phone and social media accounts are currently being examined as part of the broader investigation into a suspected Pakistan-backed espionage network. According to investigators, Danish had been attempting to lure more young women into the network. Singh is also suspected to have been in contact with another Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO), Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa. Jyoti Malhotra's judicial custody extended by another 14 days Meanwhile, a court in Hisar on Monday extended the judicial custody of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra by another 14 days. The next hearing is scheduled for June 23. Malhotra, who is also under investigation for her alleged links with Pakistani intelligence operatives, was first remanded to judicial custody on May 26. Her lawyer, Kumar Mukesh, confirmed the extension, saying, She joined court proceedings virtually. We will be filing for regular bail soon. Earlier, Hisar police spokesperson Vikas Kumar said that a forensic analysis of Jyotis three mobile phones and a laptop had yielded over 12TB of digital data. The analysis has revealed direct one-on-one chats with four individuals identified as Pakistani intelligence operatives, suspected money trails, and records of VIP treatment received during her trip to Pakistan, he said, adding that the digital evidence is being further examined.
Espionage case: Hisar court extends social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra's judicial custody
A local court in Hisar has extended the judicial custody of social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra until June 23, following her arrest on May 16 on suspicion of espionage. Police investigations revealed Malhotra's contact with individuals identified as Pakistani Intelligence Operatives, including a staffer at the Pakistani High Commission who was later expelled from India.
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Travel vlogger Jyoti Rani, arrested for espionage, remanded in judicial custody
She was arrested on May 17 in a case registered under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the BNS at Hisar Civil Lines police station
Court sends YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra to judicial custody in espionage case
Data from the Hisar-based travel vloggers three mobile phones and a laptop, which had been sent for forensic examination, has been recovered, police sources said on May 26
YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, accused of spying for Pakistan, sent to 14-day judicial custody
CHANDIGARH: The 33-year-old YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court in Haryana's Hisar after the end of her police remand for allegedly spying for Pakistan. 12 terabytes of data has been recovered from her three mobile phones which were sent for forensic examination and have revealed 'damning evidence'. She was initially sent to police remand for five days and again appeared before the court on May 22. The court granted an additional four-day custody for further interrogation, which ended today. A police spokesperson said that they did not seek her further remand, after which the court sent her to judicial custody. Sources said that 12 TB of data from Malhotra's three mobile phones, which had been sent for forensic examination, has been recovered. As per the forensic report, she had direct contact with at least four intelligence operatives of Pakistan, and she received special treatment during her trips to the neighboring country. The police have recovered over 12TB of digital data from her three mobile phones and the report of the laptop is awaited. We are examining recovered digital data and further investigation in this regard is under progress, said a senior police official. After her arrest, the police had sent Malhotra's three mobile phones and a laptop for forensic examination. Malhotra's four bank accounts are also being examined. As per Hisar police, while no evidence had surfaced indicating Jyoti had access to any sensitive military or defence-related information, she was reportedly in contact with individuals known to be Pakistani intelligence operatives. Sources claimed that Jyoti came in contact with Pakistani officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish during a visit to the Pakistan High Commission seeking a visa to visit the neighboring nation. She was in touch with Pakistani intelligence operatives, and visited the neighbouring country many times and also China, Dubai and other countries. Danish is the same official who was declared persona non grata by India. She has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and she was arrested from the New Aggarsain Extension in Hisar. The National Investigation Agency, the Intelligence Bureau, and military intelligence officials have also questioned Malhotra.
Jyoti Malhotra, Accused Of 'Spying For Pakistan', Sent To 14-Day Police Custody In Hisar
Rajasthan, J&K police question Hisar YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra in spy case
CHANDIGARH: The Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan police have questioned YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistans ISI, after it was revealed that she had visited Kashmir some time before the Pahalgam attack and also made videos of sensitive areas along the Indo-Pak international border in Rajasthan, sources said. The police teams of these states want to question her further. Presently she is in custody of Hisar police for four days. Investigators from other states and central agencies have also been questioning her, an officer said on condition of anonymity, but did not disclose what transpired during the interrogation. Sources said the police teams from J&K and Rajasthan earlier submitted a list of questions to the Civil Lines police. The other agencies are also in contact with the Hisar police. Meanwhile, Jyotis father Harish Malhotra said he was unable to meet her during the appearance in the court on Friday. I was told that she would be produced in court, so I went there. But by the time I reached the venue, she had been taken away, he told the media. During her court appearance, Jyoti informed the judge that she had not appointed any private lawyer for her defence. In response, the court directed the Defence Legal Aid Counsel (DLAC) to provide her with legal assistance. DLAC-affiliated lawyers, who were already present, argued in her defence. Earlier, a team of Madhya Pradesh police came to Hisar and questioned Jyoti after getting information that she had visited the Mahakaleshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Ujjain in April last year. A widening espionage net led to 10 arrests across Haryana and Punjab in over two weeks, with the latest being Jyoti. She runs a YouTube channel called Travel with Jo. She has 3.77 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.32 lakh followers on Instagram, and has also posted videos about her travel to Pakistan in March this year. She has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Bijender Singh at the Civil Lines Police Station. Jyoti came in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. She visited Pakistan twice in 2023, and Danish allegedly acted as her handler, introducing her to ISI operatives and maintaining regular contact. She revealed that during her visit to Pakistan in 2023, she met Ali Ehwan, who arranged her stay and travel. Ehwan introduced her to Pakistani security and intelligence officials, the FIR stated.
Jyoti Rani: The vlogger who is being called a spy
Jyoti Rani, a 34-year-old YouTube vlogger from Haryana, has been arrested by the Hisar Police on charges of espionage. Her alleged closeness to officials of the Pakistan High Commission and sponsored visits to the neighbouring country have raised suspicion among Indian officials, but the police say there is no evidence yet of her having shared secret details with Pakistani intelligence officials. Ashok Kumar reports on the case
A Hisar court on Thursday extended the police custody of Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, for four more days.
Police remand of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra extended by four days
CHANDIGARH: A court in Hisar today extended the police remand of the 33-year-old YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra by four days as she has been arrested for charges of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs). She was arrested on suspicion of espionage and was produced before the court at the end of her five-day police remand. The police brought Jyoti to the court of Sunil Kumar, Civil Judge (Junior Division), amid tight security. The courtroom door was closed and no one was allowed to go inside, with three police personnel stationed outside. The movement of lawyers and visitors was also briefly affected due to the high security. Later, Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan told the media that the police had secured four more days of custody for further investigation. He added that Jyoti had shared information with PIO, which was a crime. But he declined to share any further information about the ongoing investigation or her statements during interrogation. Hisar police spokesman Vikas Kumar said that the remand extension was sought as the forensic analysis of Jyotis laptop, electronic gadgets and three mobile phones is underway. NIA, IB grill YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra for spying for Pakistan; travel details, transactions under scanner Besides the three phones and the laptop, the police have sent two mobile phones of Harkirat Singh, the Kurukshetra-based agent who facilitated her trip to Pakistan, to the forensic laboratory for analysis. The police have not allowed Jyotis father, Harish Malhotra, to meet her yet. She has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau, and military intelligence officials have also questioned her and investigations have revealed that she visited Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and some other countries. The police had said Pakistani intelligence operatives were developing Jyoti as an asset. Police sources had said she was in touch with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistani High Commission, since November 2023. India expelled Danish on May 13 for allegedly indulging in espionage. YouTuber Jyoti Malhotras Instagram blocked amid espionage probe
Hisar District Court Sends Youtuber Jyoti Malhotra to 4 Days Police Remand
According to Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan, Malhotra was being developed as an asset and had maintained ties with other YouTube influencers and Pakistani national
Pakistan Spy Ring Busted: Probe Updates | Hisar Police Secures 4 Day Custody Of Jyoti Malhotra
In a press statement on May 22, the Hisar police maintained there was no direct evidence to suggest that she was in touch with any terrorist organisation.
YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, accused of sharing classified information with Pakistani intelligence, has been remanded to four days of police custody by a Hisar court. Malhotra, who runs the 'Travel with JO' channel, faces charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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NIA, IB grill Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra over espionage charges
Chandigarh, May 20: The National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and military intelligence officials are questioning Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, police said on Tuesday. A probe into her financial transactions and travel details is also underway, they said. Hisar-based Jyoti (33), who ran a YouTube channel [] The post NIA, IB grill Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra over espionage charges appeared first on Northlines .
CHANDIGARH: The National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and military intelligence officials are questioning Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan , police said on Tuesday. A probe into her financial transactions and travel details is also underway, they said. Hisar-based Jyoti (33), who ran a YouTube channel titled Travel with JO, was arrested at the New Aggarsain Extension on May 16. She was booked under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the BNS, police said. Jyoti was among 12 people who have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past two weeks on charges of espionage, with investigators pointing at an alleged Pakistan-linked spy network operating in north India. A senior Haryana Police officer in Hisar on Tuesday said the central agencies and military intelligence officials are also probing her travel details, as she had reportedly visited Pakistan, China and some other countries. An attempt is being made to draw a complete chain of events to see which countries she visited and in what sequence, the officer said. Earlier, police said her known sources of income did not justify her foreign travels, adding that her financial transactions were also under the scanner. A forensic analysis of Jyoti's laptop is underway, police said, adding that they would also question those who were in touch with her. On Sunday, Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said that Pakistani intelligence operatives were developing Jyoti as an asset. She was allegedly in touch with a Pakistani official posted in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi during the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan that followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack , the SP said. Sawan said while Jyoti did not have any direct access to any information related to the military operations, she was directly in touch with Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs). This is modern warfare that is not just fought on the borders. We came across a new modus operandi wherein PIOs were trying to recruit some social media influencers, the SP said. Sawan also said Jyoti went to Kashmir before the Pahalgam attack and visited Pakistan before that, adding that police are trying to establish the links between these visits. Jyoti, whose YouTube channel at present has 3.87 lakh subscribers, came in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish at the Pakistan High Commission in 2023, when she went there seeking a visa to visit the neighbouring country. On May 13, India expelled the Pakistani official working in the high commission for allegedly indulging in espionage. Odisha police question YouTuber Priyanka Senapati over links with spy Jyoti Malhotra
NIA, IB Grilling Haryana YouTuber Arrested For Spying For Pakistan: Police
Chandigarh, May 20: The National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and military intelligence officials are questioning Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, police said on Tuesday. A probe into her financial transactions and travel details is also underway, they said. Hisar-based Jyoti (33), who ran a YouTube channel titled Travel with JO, was arrested from the New Aggarsain Extension on May 16. She was booked under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets [] The post NIA, IB Grilling Haryana YouTuber Arrested For Spying For Pakistan: Police appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
YouTuber Jyoti Malhotras Instagram blocked amid espionage probe
CHANDIGARH: The Instagram account of Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been blocked, as she is allegedly involved in espionage activities for Pakistan. Police claim she travelled to various locations in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year, prior to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 tourists were killed. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to interrogate her soon regarding possible terror links. In a widening espionage probe, Punjab Police today arrested two individuals from Gurdaspur for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Over the past three weeks, 12 people have been arrested across Haryana and Punjab for allegedly working for Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Sources revealed that Jyoti is currently in five-day police custody with Hisar Police, following the registration of a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Official Secrets Act. She is alleged to have travelled to several strategically important locations such as Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Dal Lake, and Pangong Lake, which is near the Line of Actual Control (LoAC) with China before the Pahalgam attack. Her YouTube videos confirm her visits to these places, both last year and again on 5 January this year, raising alarms among intelligence agencies. She had reportedly been under surveillance since then. YouTuber held for spying for ISI; nine more arrested on espionage charges in two weeks across Punjab, Haryana According to sources, during a visit to a neighbouring country, Jyoti maintained contact with several influencers and attended social gatherings. Investigators traced these connections through her YouTube channel, Travel with Jo , which she confirmed during questioning. Her residence was searched by Haryana Police, and several documents were seized. The NIA is expected to take over the interrogation soon to explore potential terror links. Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan stated that Jyoti visited Pakistan shortly before the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. She was allegedly being groomed by the ISI, Pakistans premier military intelligence agency, to act as an asset. During her visit, she met Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staff member posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. According to the FIR registered at Hisar Civil Lines Police Station, Jyoti visited the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi and met Danish. During two subsequent trips to Pakistan, she came into contact with individuals named Ali Ahwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz, who reportedly facilitated meetings with intelligence officials. She allegedly saved their contact details under false names and maintained communication through WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat after returning to India. In a related development, Punjab Police have arrested two persons from Gurdaspur for alleged espionage. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav posted on X: In a significant counter-espionage operation, #Gurdaspur Police thwarted an attempt to compromise national security by apprehending two individuals involved in leaking sensitive military information. On 15th May 2025, credible intelligence inputs indicated that Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh were engaged in sharing classified details related to #Operation Sindoor, including troop movements and key strategic locations in #Punjab, #Himachal, and #JammuAndKashmir with Pakistans intelligence agency, #ISI. He further stated, Acting swiftly, the police arrested both suspects. Forensic examination of their mobile phones confirmed the intelligence inputs. The team also recovered three mobile phones and eight live cartridges (.30 bore) from their possession. Preliminary findings establish direct contact with ISI handlers and transmission of critical information concerning the Indian Armed Forces. An FIR has been registered under the Official Secrets Act at Police Station Dorangala. The investigation is ongoing, and further disclosures are anticipated as the probe deepens. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, YouTuber Dharmendra Chauhan was shot dead in Lohari village, Jhajjar district, on Sunday night. He was taking a walk after dinner when armed men approached him and shot him in the head at close range before fleeing the scene. Police have registered a case. A police official confirmed that CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed to identify the suspects. The family has reportedly named a few individuals as potential suspects.
Jyoti Malhotra, a resident of Hisar, Haryana, was arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive information and being in continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen
