facebook

Lucknow News

...View News by News Source

UP BJP chiefto be electedon Dec 14

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:45 am

ECI extendsSIR deadline inUP by 15 days

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:40 am

Employment not on BJP govts agenda: Akhilesh

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:40 am

AAP to holdpadyatraagainst SIR

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:40 am

Dalits lobby for greater role as BJP set to elect UP chief

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:39 am

CMs involvement in SIR review raises questions

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:36 am

SP dissolves Ayodhya units for poor SIR work

The Times of India 12 Dec 2025 12:36 am

Bahraich court awards death penalty to prime accused, life terms to nine others in Ram Gopal Mishra murder case

LUCKNOW: A Bahraich court on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to nine convicts and handed the death penalty to the prime accused, Sarfaraz alias Rinku, in the sensational Ram Gopal Mishra murder case that took place during communal violence over the immersion of Durga idols last year. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge (First) Pawan Kumar Sharma. Those convicted include Abdul Hameed, Faheem, Saif Ali, Javed Khan, Zeeshan alias Raja alias Sahir, Nankau, Maruf Ali, Shoaib Khan, Talib alias Sablu, and Sarfaraz alias Rinku. Except for Sarfaraz, all received life terms under BNS sections 103(2) (murder), 191(2) (rioting), 191(3) (rioting with armed weapons), the Arms Act, and other charges. The court also acquitted Afzal, Shakeel, and Khurshid for lack of evidence. On October 13, 2024, communal tensions had escalated in Bahraich after Mishra, a devotee participating in a Durga idol immersion procession, was shot dead. Police said he had allegedly climbed the terrace of a house belonging to members of the minority community and attempted to replace a flag with a saffron one. In its order, the court observed that the crime triggered widespread panic, disrupted essential services, and created a curfew-like situation. It noted that Mishras wife, married only in June 2024, lost her husband within four months of her marriage, describing the incident as a lifelong tragedy for the family. The court listed several aggravating factors: the killing was extremely cruel, sadistic, and shocking to societys conscience. It said the act was committed as a show of dominance, targeting an unarmed man. Sarfaraz, who fired the gun, was termed a continuing threat to society, having later attacked police as well. The murder was described as cold-blooded, premeditated, and part of an unlawful assembly that caused widespread unrest. An FIR was registered on October 13, 2024, naming six accused initially, with seven more added later under charges of murder and rioting. The chargesheet against all 13 followed on January 1, 2025. A day after the killing, violence erupted during Mishras last rites, with mobs torching vehicles and an automobile showroom and vandalising a hospital. Internet services were suspended in the district. The situation was brought under control after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dispatched ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash and then Home Secretary Sanjeev Gupta to the district. Two police officials SK Verma, in-charge of Hardi police station, and sub-inspector Shiv Kumar of the Maharajganj outpost were suspended for dereliction of duty. Sources said then ASP Pavitra Mohan Tripathi was suspended for failing to control the situation despite having PAC support. Later, Mahsi Circle Officer Rupendra Gaur was also suspended following reports of intelligence failure. The court noted that Mishras killing was not a routine murder but marked by extreme brutality. The prosecution described it as a textbook example of heinousness, stating eight rounds were fired at Mishra, with postmortem findings showing 40 entry wounds, two exit wounds, burnt toes, forcibly removed nails, blunt-force injuries, and an upper body resembling a sieve. The government counsel said the crime involved clear mens rea and actus reus, executed with the intention to kill. Calling it cold-blooded and sadistic, the prosecution argued the convicts sought to assert religious dominance by targeting a man participating in a Durga immersion procession. The prosecution also detailed the wider impact, saying Bahraich remained disturbed for over a month, with shut markets and schools. Internet services were suspended for three days, and RAF, PAC, and police units from nearby districts had to be deployed.

The New Indian Express 11 Dec 2025 10:08 pm

Impostor posing as IAS officer for three years arrested in Gorakhpur

LUCKNOW: A high-profile impostor, posing as an IAS officer for nearly three years, was arrested in Gorakhpur on Tuesday. Accused Gaurav Kumar Singh alias Lalit Kishor, 27, was nabbed after a probe exposed a massive fraud racket spanning several states, fake identities, luxury cars and promises of lucrative government jobs and contracts. As per police sources, Gaurav Kumar Singh was living as a 2022-batch IAS officer, meticulously maintaining a lifestyle equipped with a white Innova with red-blue beacon lights, a 15-member entourage trained to create an atmosphere of officialdom best suited to the profession. Moreover, he used to spend Rs 5 lakh per month just to sustain the pretence. Gaurav Kumar is accused of allegedly cheating dozens across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh promising government jobs, tenders, and official contracts in lieu of hefty amounts running into crores. Police, on Wednesday, also arrested his two aides Parmanand Gupta and Abhishek Kumar, both natives of Bihar. Gorakhpur SP, Abhinav Tyagi who led the probe, said that investigations gained momentum after a merchant Mukund Madhav from Mokama in Bihar was detained at Gorakhpur Railway Station with Rs 99.09 lakh in cash when the neighbouring state was having assembly polls. Police believed that it was the amount meant to bribe Gaurav Kumar in exchange of a government appointment. Though the deal later fell apart and the money was returned to Mukund Madhav, the seizure triggered deeper inquiry ultimately exposing Gauravs network. Following the discovery, Gaurav attempted to evade arrest: he fled Gorakhpur to a rented home in Lucknows Aashiana area to avoid a police raid. But a tip-off later led officers back to Gorakhpur, where they arrested him when he returned to meet an associate. According to police sources, Gaurav Kumar hails from Mehasoul village in Sitamarhi district of Bihar. He completed post-graduation in Mathematics in 2019 with aspirations to become a DIOS in the education department. He spent nearly three years preparing for civil-service exams. In 2022 he opened a coaching centre, Aditya-50, to train students for competitive exams. But that same year, he allegedly defrauded a student, collecting Rs 2 lakh for a promised job that never materialised prompting an FIR, said Tyagi. As his civil-service hopes dashed after failure to crack the competition, Gaurav went underground for a year and resurfaced claiming to have cleared the 2022 IAS batch, assuming the identity of an IAS officer. He quickly built a parallel life: with help from his brother-in-law Abhishek Kumar trained in software he created forged identity documents and later leveraged AI tools to generate convincing official papers, tender documents, inspection reports, and even fabricated media clippings showing him seated in a DMs chair, said the police sources. Investigators say the fraudulent network expanded rapidly across four states. Gaurav reportedly took money from over 40 people, promising government contracts or jobs. During investigation, police seized two mobile phones belonging to Gaurav. Chats revealed he maintained romantic relationships with four women, three of whom under the impression he was an IAS officer claimed to be pregnant. He was also married to a woman from Bihar. None of these women were aware of his real identity. Gauravs racket started unravelling when a contractor, defrauded of millions, filed complaints in Bihar. Similar grievances surfaced in Gorakhpur. Intelligence agencies and local police began monitoring Gauravs movements for months. Eventually, surveillance and tip-offs converged to place him back in Gorakhpur where he was finally arrested. Authorities recovered several forged documents, luxury cars, and bank records. During interrogation, Gaurav reportedly claimed that once the backlash from cheated contractors grew strong, he fled to Lucknow, but later returned thinking the heat had subsided.

The New Indian Express 11 Dec 2025 8:38 pm

Assistant stamp commissioner and clerk arrested in shamli for taking bribe

Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Establishment arrested Assistant Stamp Commissioner Ravindra Mehta and Clerk Ashwani in Shamli for accepting a 1 lakh bribe. The officials had demanded an additional 3.8 lakh in stamp duty and a bribe from a land buyer, threatening to charge at the full market rate otherwise.

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 8:26 pm

Allahabad HC stays further demolition of SP leaders banquet hall; orders status quo

LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court came to the rescue of a Samajwadi Party leader who owns a banquet hall - Aiwane-e-Farhat - in Bareilly by restraining the Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) from carrying out any further demolition of the residential structure and marriage hall. A division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Kunal Ravi Singh directed the parties, on Wednesday, to maintain the status quo and granted liberty to the petitioners to approach the Vice-Chairman of the BDA with applications for the regularisation and compounding of the unauthorised construction. The order came almost a week after the Supreme Court declined to entertain a writ petition filed under Article 32 by SP leader Sarfaraz Wali Khan and his wife Farhat Jahan but granted them liberty to approach the jurisdictional High Court. On December 4, the Apex Court, while disposing of the petition, noted that the demolition exercise has already begun and that partial demolition had been carried out. However, the Supreme Court had granted interim protection for one week, directing that parties maintain the status quo till December 10, 2025. When the matter was presented before the High Court, Senior Advocate Shashi Nandan, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the demolition action was being taken under the guise of an alleged order (dated October 12, 2011) that was never served upon the petitioners. The petitioners alleged that the authorities concerned proceeded directly with demolition without giving any prior notice or following the procedure prescribed under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. The petitioners expressed their willingness to resort to remedies available under the 1973 Act, as they submitted that the specific constructions were compoundable. On the other hand, Senior Advocate Ashok Mehta, representing the BDA, opposed the petition, alleging that the petitioners had concealed material facts. It was submitted that notices were issued under Section 27(1) of the 1973 Act as early as 2011 regarding the construction of a Marriage Hall (Barat Ghar) without a sanctioned map. It was pointed out that despite being afforded several opportunities between May and October 2011, the petitioners failed to appear or furnish evidence. Consequently, a demolition order was passed on October 12, 2011. The BDA further argued that, in 2018, petitioner no. 2 admitted to operating the marriage hall Aiwan-e-Farhat but claimed that the structure was old and had been purchased under a sale deed dated 1991. The Authority contended that despite this, no map was ever submitted for approval, nor was any compounding application filed. After hearing both sides, the High Court observed that it was not inclined to adjudicate the matter on the merits at this stage, given the disputed questions of fact which cannot be examined in writ jurisdiction. However, to ensure the ends of justice, the Court accorded liberty to the petitioners to move appropriate applications under Sections 14 and 15 of the 1973 Act, along with an application for compounding such portion of the construction as may be permissible under the Rules. Setting a strict deadline, the bench asked the petitioners to file such applications before the Vice-Chairman of the Bareilly Development Authority within two weeks. The Court, at the same time, directed the BDA Vice-Chairman to process those applications strictly in accordance with law and dispose of them within a further period of six weeks from the date of filing. In order to secure the property during the interim period, the High Court directed all parties to maintain status quo with respect to the property in question, and no further demolition shall be carried out until the disposal of the applications. The petitioners were also restrained from carrying out any further construction or alteration on the site.

The New Indian Express 11 Dec 2025 7:28 pm

Ashish Misra to stay in Lakhimpur Kheri from December 25 to 31: SC relaxes bail conditions

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday--relaxing a bit the bail conditions--allowed former Union Minister's son Ashish Mishra , the main accused, to visit his native place in Lakhimpur from December 25-31, on the terms and conditions imposed on him by the Court in May. Liberty is granted to the petitioner (Ashish Mishra) to visit and stay in Lakhimpur Kheri from 25th December to 31st December, subject to the same terms and conditions which were there earlier. The two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after hearing a plea filed by Mishra, seeking certain relaxation. The top court also noted that, as per the updated status report filed by the State of UP, in the main trial, 36 witnesses have been examined and 85 are yet to be examined. 10 witnesses have been exempted. The Court was also apprised by the UP Additional Advocate General that 789 trials are pending before the same judge who is hearing the case. Hearing this from the AAG, the Court listed the matter for further hearing to March 2026. During the hearing, the Court was also informed that there was a need for additional courts for hearing trial proceedings, as present judicial officers were facing extreme workload. It is notable that in May, the Court relaxed Mishra's bail conditions and allowed him to visit Lakhimpur Kheri every Saturday evening to spend time with family, subject to the condition that he should return to Lucknow Sunday evening. The Court had also in its earlier order added that while in Lakhimpur Kheri, Mishra should not participate in any public meeting or political activities and that the visit shall be private only for the family members. According to the prosecution, eight persons, including four farmers, were allegedly killed on October 3, 2021, after violence broke out in the Lakhimpur Kheri district in the state of Uttar Pradesh during a protest against the Centres farm laws that have now been repealed. The farmer's organisation, in the case, have alleged that a vehicle belonging to accused Mishra had run over a group of demonstrators. Earlier on July 22, 2023, in a major relief to prime accused, Mishra, son of former Union Minister Mishra, in the case that claimed eight lives, the Supreme Court in its order had granted him bail with slew of directions. The Supreme Court had on March this year in its decision refused to recall its earlier order granting bail to Mishraover allegations that witnesses were being threatened in the case. The accused, Mishra was first arrested in the case on October 9, 2021. He walked out of jail on February 15, 2022, after the Allahabad High Court had granted him bail. On December 6, an Uttar Pradesh court had framed charges against 14 persons including Mishra. Mishra has been charged for a number of offences including murder, attempt to murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy. The trial had begun on December 16, 2023.

The New Indian Express 11 Dec 2025 3:28 pm

BLS International secures renewal of attestation, apostille services contract with MEA

MUMBAI, Dec 11: BLS International Services on Thursday said it has secured the renewal of its contract for attestation and apostille services with the External Affairs Ministry. The renewed contract covers its existing service operations across Delhi, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Panaji, Kochi, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Patna and Puducherry, BLS International said in a statement. Under this agreement, BLS International will provide MEA attestation and apostille services for educational, non-educational, and commercial documents across [] The post BLS International secures renewal of attestation, apostille services contract with MEA appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Daily Excelsior 11 Dec 2025 3:18 pm

UP govt identifies key suspects in codeine syrup racket; over 120 FIRs registered

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police and the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) have identified more than 10 key suspects allegedly involved in the organised nexus behind the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrups, as the states biggest crackdown on the menace gathers pace, officials said Thursday. The identification of the suspects emerged during an extensive 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 .

The Siasat Daily 11 Dec 2025 2:11 pm

UPPCL to replace over Rs 11 Lakh faulty smart meters by 2027

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) will replace over 11 lakh outdated smart meters by March 2027 under the revamped distribution sector scheme. These 2G/3G meters, installed by EESL, faced significant issues including widespread disconnections and integration failures, leading to a substantial waste of public funds. The replacement with advanced smart prepaid meters will cost an additional Rs 682 crore.

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:13 pm

Land fraud case: Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur arrested in U.P., sent tojudicial custody

Mr.Thakur, who was arrested by the Lucknow police around 2 a.m. on Wednesday at Shahjahanpur Junction while he was on his way to New Delhi via Lucknow by train was produced before a court in Deoria on December 10, remanded to 14 days of judicial custody

The Hindu 11 Dec 2025 8:54 am

ED attaches 2.03 crore properties linked to Mukhtar Ansari, aides

In October 2025, acting on a Look Out Circular issued by the ED, Shadab Ahmed was detained at Lucknow Airport upon his arrival from Sharjah

The Hindu 11 Dec 2025 8:48 am

UP will use tech to identify infiltrators, Yogi says can be model for other states

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has begun to implement an advanced tech-driven system to track infiltrators and contain infiltration. Officials say the system can eventually be used nationwide. According to the governments media cell, a biometric database of people identified as infiltrators is being created. It will include fingerprints, facial recognition data and other unique identifiers, stored in a national negative list. Senior officials said this list will be shared with all state and central agencies to prevent such individuals from re-entering Uttar Pradesh and to block any attempts to obtain official documents, including Aadhaar and other government IDs. They described the move as a major escalation in the states anti-infiltration measures, aimed at ensuring that no undocumented person can hide their identity or re-establish themselves within the system. Sources said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently instructed officials during a high-level meeting to use the most advanced identity-verification tools available. These upcoming systems will detect forged or altered documents, analyse the long-term residence patterns of infiltrators living under false identities, identify networks that create fake documents, and eliminate any gaps in screening or verification. Officials working closely on the project said the technology will be able to spot irregularities across different databases, making it easier for authorities to trace how infiltrators obtained fake documents and for how long they remained under the radar. The government is also improving the infrastructure at detention centres being established across Uttar Pradesh. These facilities will have an impenetrable, state-of-the-art security system with multi-layered access controls, surveillance grids, and continuous monitoring. Police officials even called the system unbreachable.

The New Indian Express 11 Dec 2025 7:51 am

India beat Argentina 4-2 to win bronze

FIH Mens Junior World Cup CHENNAI, Dec 10: India produced a brave-heart performance, nullifying a two-goal deficit to beat Argentina 4-2 and clinch the bronze medal in the FIH Mens Junior World Cup here on Wednesday. India, who won the title in 2016 in Lucknow, failed to finish on the podium on the last two []

The Shillong Times 11 Dec 2025 6:42 am

UPERC proposes cut in smart prepaid meter price

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 5:39 am

KGMU to get bone marrow transplant unit

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 5:33 am

India beat Argentina by 4-2 to win bronze in FIH Mens Junior WC

CHENNAI, Dec 10: India produced a brave-heart performance, nullifying a two-goal deficit to beat Argentina 4-2 and clinch the bronze medal in the FIH Mens Junior World Cup here on Wednesday. India, who won the title in 2016 in Lucknow, failed to finish on the podium on the last two occasions, ending fourth in 2021 in Bhubaneswar, and two years later in Kuala Lumpur. India produced a valiant fightback with Ankit Pal (49th minute), Manmeet Singh (52nd) and Anmol Ekka [] The post India beat Argentina by 4-2 to win bronze in FIH Mens Junior WC appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Daily Excelsior 11 Dec 2025 4:29 am

Akhilesh flags malfunctioning of voter mapping app in UP

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 3:48 am

Fairs bring ethnic charm to homes, enrich artisans

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 2:46 am

IITs scientists, IIM professionals in race for LU VC post

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 2:38 am

Seven summits conquered, UP IPS sets sights on North Pole

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 2:29 am

Cops wife, four kids killed in e-way crash

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 2:08 am

Ponzi scheme kingpin claims he is now poor

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:45 am

UP tops in rooftop solar installations

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:42 am

CS for data-driven panchayat devpt

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:42 am

Tourism min for timely completion of Ramleela projects

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:36 am

Shaurya, Samrajya win Times of India inter-school quiz

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:33 am

AAP alleges illegal voter deletions during UP SIR

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:33 am

Delay in seeking med aid making liver damage irreversible

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 1:33 am

Unesco listing has put UPs heritage on global stage: CM Yogi

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:48 am

Some medicines grafted to perfection in Ayodhya hospital

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:46 am

2 teachers die in Lalitpur road crash

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:45 am

New NH to cut Lko to Bahraich travel time to 75 mins

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:40 am

Rs2cr assets of Mukhtar attached

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:39 am

YEIDA frees govt land worth Rs500cr from encroachers

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:39 am

Congress appoints heads of teachers, medical cells

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:37 am

Lawyer death: Ajay Rai writes to Shah, demands fair probe

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:36 am

Invest UP team explores investment opportunities

The Times of India 11 Dec 2025 12:36 am

Five killed as cars collide and burst into flames on Purvanchal Expressway in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Five people, including two women, two young girls and a man, were killed on Wednesday afternoon when two cars collided head-on and caught fire on the Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki. Subehana police reported that a Maruti Suzuki Brezza travelling from Lucknow to Azamgarh collided head-on with a WagonR coming from the opposite direction. The WagonR caught fire first, soon followed by the Brezza. The Brezza carried four people three women and a young girl with the women surviving while the child died. The WagonR had a man, a woman, and three children on board; a woman and a girl died on the spot, and another child later succumbed during treatment. Seven injured passengers were rushed to Barabanki District Hospital, where three later died. Two others had died at the scene, they added. Local sources said the impact was so severe that some passengers were thrown nearly 20 metres away. Both vehicles were completely gutted, with flames rising several feet into the air. Passers-by were the first to rescue passengers, pulling out the injured before police and UPEIDA staff arrived. A fire brigade team later extinguished the flames. Barabanki SP Arpit Vijayvargiya confirmed the deaths and said four others remain in critical condition. Police are investigating the cause of the crash and the fire and are working to identify the victims families.

The New Indian Express 10 Dec 2025 8:31 pm

Ex-IPS Officer Amitabh Thakur Arrested, Sent To 14-Day Judicial Custody In Fraud Case

LUCKNOW/DEORIA, Dec 10: Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested on Wednesday in connection with an alleged fraud and forgery case related to the allotment of an industrial plot in Deoria district in 1999 and was later remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a court, officials said. Thakur was arrested in the early hours from the Maholi border in Sitapur district after being taken into custody by police in Shahjahanpur while he was travelling by train from Lucknow to [] The post Ex-IPS Officer Amitabh Thakur Arrested, Sent To 14-Day Judicial Custody In Fraud Case appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Daily Excelsior 10 Dec 2025 8:21 pm

Former IG Amitabh Thakur held by Lucknow police in fraud case in Deoria

LUCKNOW: Former IG and Chief of Azad Adhikar Sena Amitabh Thakur was picked up by Uttar Pradesh Police from SitapurMaholi border while he was on his way to Delhi from Lucknow on Wednesday. Police officers in plain clothes boarded the train and took him off in connection with an alleged case of fraud and cheating to secure an industrial plot in Deoria by misusing his official position in 1999. Police action came after the ex-cop did not cooperate with the investigation. Amitabh Thakur and his wife Nutan Thakurs X accounts have also been suspended. The case began after Sanjay Sharma of Rajajipuram filed a complaint alleging that Thakurs wife, Nutan Thakur, obtained Industrial Plot No. B-2 at the District Industries Centre in Deoria district of eastern UP using a fake name Nootan Devi, a forged husbands name, and a false Bihar address. She allegedly created forged application forms, affidavits and transfer deeds, while Amitabh Thakur allegedly used his official position to support the fraud. The police sources claimed that the said plot was later sold by Thakurs using their real identities. An FIR under relevant IPC sections related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy was registered at Talkatora police station in September, this year on the basis of a complaint submitted by Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Talkatora. The case is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Lucknow Police currently. As per Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vishwajeet Srivastava, Amitabh Thakurs arrest came through on the basis of the evidence collected during the probe. He will be produced before the Deoria court as the incident took place there, said the officer. To ensure a fair and transparent investigation, DCP Srivastava constituted the SIT. The police sources said that as part of the probe, the team gathered documentary evidence from Deoria, verified the alleged false identities and addresses in Bihar, examined official records, and questioned multiple witnesses. In March 2021, Thakur, a 1992-batch IPS officer, was given pre-mature retirement from the service by the Union Home Ministry. According to police, complainant Sanjay Sharma alleged that when Thakur was posted as Deoria SP in 1999, his wife secured the allotment of an industrial plot from the District Industries Centre. The complaint further alleged that the plot was later sold using the couples real names and address, thereby, keeping government agencies, banks, and other stakeholders in the dark for a long period. The police sources claimed that the SIT found sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused.

The New Indian Express 10 Dec 2025 7:36 pm

UP: Former IPS officer arrested in industrial plot allotment fraud case

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow Police on Wednesday arrested a former IPS officer in connection with an alleged case of fraud and forgery related to the allotment of an industrial plot in Deoria district in 1999, officials said. According to the police, the accused, Amitabh Thakur, allegedly misused his official position as the then superintendent of police of Deoria to facilitate the allotment of an industrial plot by the District Industries Centre, in the name of his wife, Nutan Thakur, by using forged documents and false identities. The plot was subsequently sold for alleged monetary gain. DCP (Lucknow West) Vishwajeet Shrivastava said a complaint in this regard was filed by Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Rajajipuram, under the Tal Katora police station limits in Lucknow. The complaint alleged that false names, addresses and forged documents, including application forms, affidavits, treasury challans and transfer deeds, were used to obtain the allotment, while Thakur allegedly extended protection and assistance by misusing his official position, the officer said. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on September 12, 2025, under sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 34 and 120B of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, and a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), he said. During the probe, documentary evidence was collected from Deoria district, verification of the alleged false names and addresses was carried out in Bihar, and statements of witnesses were recorded, police said in a statement. On the basis of the evidence gathered, Thakur was arrested at around 3.45 am on Wednesday from the Maholi border in Sitapur district, officials said. He will be produced before a competent court in Deoria, as the alleged offence pertains to that district.

The New Indian Express 10 Dec 2025 3:28 pm

1999 Deoria fraud case: Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur arrested for securing industrial plot using forged documents

Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested by Lucknow Police for allegedly misusing his position as SP Deoria in 1999. He is accused of fraudulently securing an industrial plot for his wife using forged identities and fabricated documents. The SIT investigation confirmed sufficient proof, leading to his apprehension.

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:47 pm

Vande Mataram or Goa tragedywhats more emotional? Akhilesh Yadav alleges BJP helped Luthra brothers flee

A tragic fire in Goa claimed 25 lives. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav criticized government regulations. He stated the accused owners fled to Thailand. Authorities are investigating the expired licenses and the local body's failure to act. Efforts are underway to apprehend the fugitives.

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 12:12 pm

New parking facility opens at Ghantaghar park

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:07 am

Play on hypocrisy of ruling class

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:07 am

Gangster killed in encounter

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:06 am

DGP directs rapid action to control cybercrime in state

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:06 am

2 held taking bribe in Prayagraj, Mirzapur

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:06 am

Govt offers land rate cut for global capacity units

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:06 am

Dismissedcop, aide sent to jail till Dec 22

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:05 am

Farmer killed in tusker attack

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:04 am

New BJP dist members to elect UP chief

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:04 am

Land grab case: FormerSDM booked

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:04 am

UP pushes for empowerment of women

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:04 am

Asst stamp commissioner, clerk arrested

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 1:04 am

Ahead of New Year, police book 1,000 rowdies

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 12:58 am

Lucknow pub owners told to ensure fireproof premises

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 12:55 am

Awareness event on organ donationheld at KGMU

The Times of India 10 Dec 2025 12:55 am

Preparing surgical strike to identify infiltrators, shift them to detention centres: UP govt

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government has prepared a comprehensive blueprint to carry out a surgical strike against infiltrators, aimed at strengthening the states internal security. According to an official statement issued here on Tuesday, under its zero-tolerance policy, the government has launched a campaign to identify and act against infiltrators. This decisive step will not 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 .

The Siasat Daily 9 Dec 2025 7:53 pm

Over 97 pc digitization of collected SIR forms over in UP: CEO

LUCKNOW: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is nearing its completion in Uttar Pradesh with UP Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa claiming that 97.3 per cent of the digitisation work of the forms collected so far was completed in the state. Rinwa met the representatives of recognised political parties on SIR and gathered feedback on the enumeration phase. However, the State Election Commission officials said that nearly 17.7 per cent of enumeration forms remain uncollected, and 30 per cent of voters remain unmapped. The CEO urged the political parties to cooperate in verifying the dead, those who had shifted and also the absentee voters. In turn, the representatives of the political parties requested for an extension in the counting phase of the process. Rinwa asked the political parties to name their block level assistants (BLAs). He stated that at polling stations (booths) where the BLOs had completed their work, they would provide the list of uncollectible voters to the BLAs. The list of such voters would be available district-wise on Election Officers website, as well as on a constituency-wise and booth-wise basis. Instructions were given to hold a meeting of BLAs with all BLOs by December 12th. The CEO informed the political representatives that the voters, who had gone abroad in search of job, education, business and other purposes and were still Indian citizens despite living there for a long time without taking the citizenship of any other country, could be registered as voters by filling out Form 6A instead of the enumeration form. Asking the people not to fill up the enumeration form for those not in India, the CEO said even if by mistake, someone had filled and submitted the enumeration form of such a migrant person, then the BLO concerned must be immediately informed about it, otherwise, if a complaint was made later and the person was found guilty in the investigation, action could be taken against him. Those who attended the meeting with Rinwa included representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, CPI (M), Aam Aadmi Party and Apna Dal (S).

The New Indian Express 9 Dec 2025 4:48 pm

Woman allegedly linked to gangster-politician Mukhtar held in Ghazipur for land grabbing, extortion

LUCKNOW: A 50-year-old woman allegedly led by gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was arrested by the Ghazipur police in a land-grabbing and extortion case. According to police sources, Nikhat Parveen, the accused arrested, has half a dozen cases registered against her in Ghazipur, including two under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. All six cases were lodged during the last two years. Nikhat, who had been on the run for the last nine months in connection with the land grabbing case, was arrested from Kasimabad area of Ghazipur by the district police while acting on a tip-off from an informer on Monday. She was produced in court, which remanded her to judicial custody. She had been jailed earlier as well and was released on bail, said Nand Kumar Tiwari, Station House Officer of Kasimabad police station. He added that Nikhat is the wife of Riyaz Ahmed Ansari, the chairman of the Bahadurganj Nagar Panchayat. The police sources claimed that the case in which Nikhat was wanted, was registered in January this year. She, her husband and two others were booked for allegedly forcibly taking possession of land belonging to one Suraj Sonkar, a member of the Dalit community. The land was allegedly transferred in Riyazs name through threats and intimidation. In his complaint, Surajs son, Subhash, claimed his father, out of fear, never shared his trauma with the family and the pressure he was facing. After Surajs death, Riyaz allegedly succeeded in getting the land transferred in his name. When Subhash learnt of this, he confronted Riyaz and Nikhat on December 27, 2024, and demanded the land back accusing them of manipulating the will. He alleged that Riyazs nephew Shakeel and brother-in-law Kamal Ahmed then arrived at the spot, and all four hurled casteist abuses at him. Shakeel and Kamal allegedly pushed him and threatened to kill him and his family if he pursued the matter or approached the police. As the case was lodged on the basis of a complaint submitted by Subhash and the police probe commenced. Additional Superintendent of Police, Ghazipur, Atul Kumar Sonkar, said police arrested Riyaz and the two co-accused but Nikhat fled. The case against Nikhat , her husband and their accomplices was registered on charges including an intentional insult aimed at provoking breach of peace along with criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt. Provisions of the SC/ST Act were also invoked against the accused, said police sources. Mukhtar Ansari, 63, who died in March, last year after suffering a cardiac arrest in Banda jail, where he was lodged, was a five-time MLA from the Mau constituency in eastern Uttar Pradesh. He was convicted in eight cases and was an infamous history-sheeter, with a total of 61 cases registered against him in various police stations across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

The New Indian Express 9 Dec 2025 4:48 pm

'He was eying my elder daughter': Live-in partner slits Lucknow techie's throat

A 35-year-old engineer was murdered by his 46-year-old live-in partner and her two daughters in Lucknow. The woman confessed to slitting his throat after an argument over his alleged inappropriate intentions towards her elder daughter. The deceased had been tutoring the daughters since 2012.

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 3:26 pm

'Adopt another faith': 3 arrested for religious conversion bid; books, pendants, slogans recovered

Three men were arrested in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly attempting to convert villagers through inducement. Police registered an FIR under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, following a complaint. Religious materials were recovered from a prayer premises during the investigation.

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:53 pm

IndiGo cancels nearly 500 flights today; govt to cut routes

IndiGo cancelled nearly 500 flights on Tuesday, extending disruptions at the airline for the eighth straight day, sources said. Bengaluru and Delhi saw even larger disruptions. 121 cancellations were reported from Bengaluru, including 58 arrivals and 63 departures. 152 flights were cancelled from Delhi. At Hyderabad Airport, 58 flights were cancelled, 14 arrivals and 44 departures. At least 81 flights were cancelled from Chennai, 31 from Mumbai, 26 from Lucknow and 16 from Ahmedabad. The ongoing crisis may also cost IndiGo several routes in the current winter schedule. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said the government will definitely cut the airlines slot allocation as a penalty. We will issue an order to reduce some routes from IndiGos winter schedule. These will be reassigned to other carriers and returned to IndiGo only when it demonstrates the capability to operate them, Naidu told DD news. IndiGo operates more than 2,200 daily flights across 90 domestic and over 40 international destinations. On Monday alone, it cancelled more than 560 flights across six major metro airports as operational issues continued to escalate. Government will take strict action: Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Indigo crisis

The New Indian Express 9 Dec 2025 10:06 am

Lucknow Diary | Monk returns for SIR documents after 36 yrs

A monk, who returned to his parental place after 36 years, was forced to seek police assistance when his family refused to recognise him and withheld his documents when he returned to Dharamangadpur village in the Sajeti police station area of Kanpur to collect papers needed for the SIR exercise. Sajeti police station officers intervened and, having verified his identity through the documents he carried, permitted him to take his marksheet and related records. Monk Sarvesh Sachan, known as Kallu, son of Indrapal, had left home in 1989 after graduating from DAV College in Kanpur and lived as a monk at Tauni Devi Dham in Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, for about 36 years. States milestone in renewable energy Marking a historic achievement in renewable energy journey, UP has surpassed the milestone of 3,00,000 solar installations rising to number three position after Gujarat and Maharashtra. Of the 9,83,915 applications, 3,00,654 installations were completed, bringing the states total solar capacity to 1,038.27 MW delivering clean, affordable energy. Key initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and the states new solar policy established robust infrastructure, ensuring transparent processes, digital monitoring and timely installations taking the state ahead of path of economic transformation. The existing capacity creates opportunities. Stall No. 26 in Kashi a big draw for visitors Stall No. 26 at Namo Ghat in Varanasi is drawing visitors in hordes as it features IIT Madrass innovation-based education initiative Vidyashakti based on the theme Tamil Karkalam (Learn Tamil) at the ongoing Kashi-Tamil Sangamam 4.0 exhibition. The initiative is giving a new dimension to Tamil language learning by integrating digital tools. In line with the event theme, the model demonstrates how a language can be made simple, engaging, and accessible through simulations, gaming, quizzes, and interactive digital content. Launched in 2021, Vidyashakti has been making STEM learning interesting in 10 UP districts. Namita Bajpai Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com

The New Indian Express 9 Dec 2025 7:13 am

Vande Mataram once united,now used to divide: Akhilesh

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 4:43 am

LMC steps up to make shelter homes winter-ready

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:13 am

City breathes poor air for 2nd day; smog to intensify

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:13 am

Saharanpur cops recover 180 stolen mobiles worth Rs 40L

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:12 am

Leopard that terrorised Bahraich residents trapped

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:09 am

Singing Vande Mataram does not violate faith: Shia cleric

The Times of India 9 Dec 2025 1:06 am