No dead or untraceable voters found in 2,208 polling booths in West Bengal, ECI expresses concern
KOLKATA: In a startling revelation, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls could not find any dead, duplicate or untraceable voters in 2,208 polling booths across West Bengal. The Election Commission of India (ECI) came to know about the matter after verifying the enumeration forms that have already been digitised. In the SIR exercise, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) distribute enumeration forms among voters during their door-to-door visits and collect them once they are filled. All enumeration forms from 2,208 booths were filled up and returned, suggesting that there were no dead, duplicate or untraceable voters in these booths. Expressing serious concern over the irregularities, the ECI on Monday sought reports from district magistrates (DMs), who also function as district electoral officers (DEOs), by Tuesday. The national poll panel has decided to keep special watch in these booths in districts of South 24 Parganas, Purulia, Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, Bankura, Howrah, East Midnapore, Birbhum, North 24 Parganas, Jalpaiguri, Hooghly, South Dinajpur, West Midnapore, North Dinajpur, East Bardhaman, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kolkata North, and West Bardhaman. The Commission sources said, South 24 Parganas district has the highest number, with 760 such booths without any dead, duplicate or untraceable voters. Purulia records the second-highest number at 228 such booths followed by Murshidabad with 226. Nearly 14 lakh SIR forms identified as 'uncollectable' so far in West Bengal The sources said that the Commission has asked DEOs to clarify whether the names of deceased voters still appear on the electoral rolls, as it is difficult to believe that not a single dead voter was reported from any of the 2,208 booths. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked officers, including bureaucrats and sub-divisional officers (SDO), not to panic. Dont get panicked with the exercise because I am with you. They (Commission) has appointed a retired IAS office who is disturbing you, she reportedly told senior officials during a virtual conference in connection with development works in the state. The ECI has appointed Subrata Gupta , a retired bureaucrat, as the special roll observer in Bengal to supervise the SIR process in the state. Besides Gupta, the commission has also appointed 12 other serving IAS officers of the Bengal cadre as roll observers in districts across the state. West Bengal SIR: Over 21 lakh dead voters recorded till December 1
SC asks Centre to consider allowing entry of pregnant woman pushed into Bangladesh
NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider allowing a pregnant woman and her child, who were pushed into Bangladesh earlier this year, to enter India on humanitarian ground while keeping her under surveillance. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to seek instruction on allowing the woman, who is in the advanced stage of pregnancy, to enter India through the Indo-Bangladesh border at Malda in West Bengal. Give us two days' time to seek instructions on the issue. We understand the court is asking us to consider the case on humanitarian ground. We will look into it, Mehta said while urging the court for some time. Senior advocate Sajay Hegde, appearing for Bhodu Sheikh, father of the woman, Sonali Khatun, said that they were waiting on the Bangladesh side to enter India. He said that their deportation to Bangladesh has been held illegal and they are Indian citizens. The bench said the Centre may consider allowing the pregnant woman and her child to enter India and keep her under surveillance in a hospital to avoid any further complications. Hegde said that if the Centre allows the pregnant woman, then her husband should also be allowed to enter India as he can't be left behind. The top court posted the matter for hearing on December 3 and asked Mehta to seek instructions on the issue. The bench was hearing a plea of the Centre challenging the September 26 order of the Calcutta High Court by which it had set aside the central government's decision to deport Sonali Khatun and others to Bangladesh and termed it as illegal. On September 26, the high court quashed the Centre's decision to deport Sonali Khatun and Sweety Bibi, residents of Birbhum district in West Bengal, along with their families to Bangladesh after terming them as illegal immigrants. The high court had directed the Centre to ensure that the six deported citizens are brought back to India within a month and rejected the government's appeal to grant temporary stay on the order. The high court had passed two orders in connection with a habeas corpus petition filed by Bhodu Sheikh who claimed that her daughter Sonali Khatun, who was in advance stage of pregnancy, along with her husband Danesh Sheikh and five-year-old son hailing from Murarai in Birbhum, were detained in Delhi and pushed to Bangladesh. Another petition from the same Birbhum neighbourhood by Amir Khan made a similar claim stating that his sister Sweety Bibi and her two children were detained by the Delhi Police from the same area and pushed to the neighbouring country. The petitioners alleged that the families, working as daily wage earners in Sector 26 of the Rohini area in Delhi for over two decades, were picked up by the AN Katju Marg police on June 18 on suspicion of being Bangladeshis and subsequently pushed across the border on June 27. The deportees were then reportedly arrested by the Bangladesh police. The high court had noted that the Centre stated in its affidavit that FRRO (Foreigner Regional Registration Office), Delhi being a civil authority, has been repatriating illegal migrants of Bangladesh as per instruction dated May 2, 2025 issued by the Union home ministry in a memo. Detailing the protocols to be followed for deportation, the memo states that in respect of Bangladesh/Myanmar nationals identified to be staying in an unauthorised manner in any particular state or Union territory, an inquiry will be conducted by the state government or UT concerned, following which the process of deportation would be taken up. In its order, the high court had observed that he proceeding for deportation was conducted in hot haste by the authorities and in violation of the provisions of the memo. The detainees have their relations residing in the State of West Bengal. The kind of overenthusiasm in deporting the detainees, as visible herein, is susceptible to misunderstanding and disturbs the judicial climate in the country, the order had stated.
Mamata to scale up anti-SIR campaign with rallies in Malda, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar
This marks Ms. Banerjee's second phase of anti-SIR mobilisation after her Bongaon rally last week in the refugee-dominated Matua belt
Mamata Banerjee to scale up anti-SIR campaign with rallies in Malda, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intensifies her campaign against the Election Commission's electoral roll revision. She will hold rallies in Malda and Murshidabad this week, followed by a major event in Cooch Behar next week. The Trinamool Congress positions these rallies as a counter to the BJP's narrative.
KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has directed district magistrates (DMs) across the state to upload details of Waqf properties to the Central Governments Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) portal. The state minority affairs and madrasa education department has sent the directive to the DMs at a time when some officials in the department felt that the exercise was a time-bound compliance requirement set by the Centre. The Centre has asked states to upload information on all undisputed Waqf properties by 6 December, prompting the state administration to begin the data-entry process immediately, according to officials. The directive sent to DMs lists four primary issues. They have been asked to convene meetings with imams, muezzins (those who give the call to prayer) and madrasa teachers to explain the uploading procedure, one of the officials said. The DMs have been told that only uncontested properties are to be entered in the portal, he added. All districts have been asked to set up facilitation centres wherever technical support is necessary, the official added. Earlier this year, the Central Government amended several provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995. While some of these amendments remain under consideration before the Supreme Court, a senior state government official pointed out that there is no stay on the implementation of the Centres proposed changes. The state is obliged to follow the directive within the given timeframe, he said. Under the amended rules, mutawallis (caretakers of a waqf) of 8,063 Waqf estates in Bengal must register complete property details on the UMEED portal by 6 December, he elaborated. The Bengal governments order to upload details of the states waqf properties onto the UMEED portal has triggered a political controversy, as the state had earlier said it would not implement the amended Waqf Act that came into force in April. Senior BJP leaders in the state held the chief minister responsible for the April communal violence in Samserganj, Murshidabad, which arose from a protest against the amendment. Will Mamata Banerjee apologise to Hindus in Mothabari (Malda) where 68 shops belonging to them were vandalised? Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday. Haragobinda Das and Chandan Das (father and son slain in Samserganj) were killed because Mamata Banerjee instigated people against the Waqf Amendment Act. Can you compensate those families? he alleged. Bengal is home to around 82,000 waqf properties under nearly 8,000 waqf estates. Suvendu used the issue to appeal to Muslim voters. I want to tell the Muslim community that if you are really against the (amended) Waqf Act, boycott Mamata Banerjee. If you dont, it will be proved that your movement was never against the Waqf Amendment Act, it was against those poor Hindus. The BJP wants to sell off waqf properties to its crony private players like Adani and Ambani. Our stance against the (amended) Waqf Act has not changed, a senior ruling party leader said.
EC appoints retired bureaucrat Subrata Gupta as 'Special Roll Observer' for SIR in West Bengal
KOLKATA: The Election Commission appointed retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta as the 'Special Roll Observer' for the SIR exercise in West Bengal, an official said. The EC also appointed 12 IAS officers as 'Electoral Roll Observers' to oversee the key aspects of preparation of the electoral rolls following the SIR and help the district election officers (DEOs) and electoral registration officers (EROs) in taking corrective measures, he said. Gupta, a 1990-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, will be overseeing that the process of special intensive revision or SIR was carried out as per the directions of the EC, and ensure that no eligible person is left out of the electoral rolls and no ineligible elector is included in it, the official said on Friday. Meanwhile, Smita Pandey was appointed the Electoral Roll Observer for Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts, Tanmay Chakraborty for Murshidabad and Malda, Randhir Kumar for North 24 Parganas and Kolkata Uttar, C Murugan for South 24 Parganas and Kolkata Dakshin, R Arjun for Coochbehar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, he said. Rajeev Kumar was named the Electoral Roll Observer for Howrah, Neelam Meena for Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts, Ashwini Kumar Yadav for Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur, Niranjan Kumar for Darjeeling and Kalimpong, Devi Prasad Karanam for Purulia and Bankura, Rachna Bhagat for Nadia and Vishwanath for Hooghly district, he added.
Rs 1.02 Crore Gold Hidden In Bicycle Tyre Seized At India-Bangladesh Border
The Border Security Force (BSF) has seized gold worth nearly Rs 1.02 crore along the India-Bangladesh border in the Malda district of West Bengal, officials said on Thursday.
Two Trinamoolworkerskilled inBengals Malda; police deployedas tensions rise
Three people killed inKaliachakwithin48 hoursas multiple rounds of shots fired; a local food vendor killed along with two TMC workers
West Bengal Govt Transfers 10 SPs Ahead Of Assembly Polls, More Police Reshuffles Expected
The districts affected by the transfers include Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Raiganj, Jhargram, Baruipur, Bankura, East Medinipur, West Medinipur, and Purulia
Trinamool Worker Hacked To Death During Kangaroo Court Meeting
A TMC worker was hacked to death and five others were injured after a meeting of a 'salishi sabha', a kangaroo court, turned violent in West Bengal's Malda district on Thursday.
BSF Seizes Gold Biscuits Worth Over Rs 1 Crore Hidden in Bicycle in Malda
Seven gold bars weighing 816 grams recovered along India-Bangladesh border; rider escapes.
AIMIM to contest from minority-dominated seats in Bengal Assembly polls
Kolkata: Asaduddin Owaisis All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has started strengthening its organisational bases in West Bengals two minority-dominated districts of Malda and Murshidabad in preparation to fight the 2026 Assembly elections. The party has a special focus on Malda. The state leadership of AIMIM has already started announcing the names of the partys block 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 .
GUWAHATI: Fans could not hold back their tears, both inside and outside theatre halls, after watching Roi Roi Binale , the last film featuring music icon Zubeen Garg, who died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. The movie, directed by Rajesh Bhuyan and released on Friday, ran to packed houses across Assam and broke all opening day records, with most theatre halls scheduling up to five shows a day. The screening started as early as 4.25 am at several theatres. Tickets for all shows for the first week were sold out, and fans had booked the first three days tickets within an hour last week. The state is still grieving Gargs untimely demise, and there was an outpouring of emotion as fans thronged single-screen and multiplex theatres. In viral videos, some were seen seated long after shows were over, sobbing. As a mark of silent tribute, several theatre halls kept one seat reserved for Garg, 52. Roi Roi Binale was his dream project. For the first time in the history of Assamese films, a movie is being released in different parts of the country. It was screened in Patna, Ranchi, Dhanbad, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Mysore, Vellore, Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Lucknow, Jaipur, Vapi (Gujarat), Indore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Raniganj, Maldah, Siliguri, Agartala, Dharmanagar, Cooch Behar, Raipur and Nagpur, said Siddharth Goenka, the films distributor. As a mark of silent tribute, several theatre halls kept one seat reserved for Garg, 52. Roi Roi Binale was his dream project. In cities like Bengaluru, Assamese films were earlier screened in only one or two theatres, but this time, it premiered in 17 theatres simultaneously. There will be 600 shows daily in Assam and the rest of the Northeast alone, which is unprecedented. Outside the Northeast, 96 halls would screen the movie with 170 shows daily, Goenka added. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a constituent of Assams ruling coalition, booked all 218 seats for a show at a multiplex in Guwahati. AGP ministers Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta watched the film along with party leaders and workers. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he would watch it privately. If I go to a cinema hall, it will cause inconvenience to people as I will be accompanied by my security personnel, he said. Garg plays the lead role of a blind musician in Roi Roi Binale , a musical love story that recounts the life and struggle of a visually impaired artist who experiences the world through sound, imagination and love. The film features 11 songs, all composed by Garg himself.
Man dies by suicide in Bengal, leaves note mentioning NRC; Mamata blames BJP for spreading fear
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee charged the BJP with spreading fear over the National Register of Citizens on Tuesday, hours after the alleged suicide of a man near Kolkata, who reportedly left behind a note blaming the NRC for his death. Barrackpore Police Commissionerate Muralidhar Sharma said after visiting the spot that 57-year-old Pradeep Kar was found hanging at his residence in Panihati in North 24 Parganas on Tuesday morning. A suicide note was found in which NRC was mentioned, Sharma said, adding that preliminary investigations revealed the person was in depression after announcement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls on Monday. The BJP asserted that the cause of the suicide must be determined only by the investigating agencies, and not through political rhetoric. Condemning what she described as the BJP's politics of fear and division, the CM alleged that the party's campaign around the National Register of Citizens (NRC) has created panic among people. It shakes me to the very core to imagine how, for years, BJP has tormented innocent citizens with the threat of NRC, spreading lies, stoking panic and weaponising insecurity for votes, Banerjee said in the post. She charged the BJP with turning constitutional democracy into a theatre of fear, and said the ragic death was the result of venomous propaganda. They have turned Constitutional democracy into a theatre of fear, where people are made to doubt their own right to exist. This tragic death is the direct consequence of BJP's venomous propaganda. Those who sit in Delhi and preach nationalism have pushed ordinary Indians to such despair that they are dying in their own land, fearing they will be declared 'FOREIGNERS', she added. Demanding that the Centre put an end to what she called a heartless game, Banerjee reiterated that Bengal would ever allow NRC and would protect the dignity and rights of its people. Our soil belongs to Maa, Mati, Manush (mother, land and people), not to those who thrive on hate. Let the Delhi Zamindars hear this loud and clear: Bengal will resist, Bengal will protect and Bengal will prevail, she added. Later, talking to the media, Barrackpore Police Commissioner Murlidhar Sharma said Kar's body was found hanging inside his room at his residence in Panihati. After a preliminary investigation and speaking to his family members and relatives, we found that Mr Kar had been very depressed due to the NRC. He had been under severe stress for quite some time, especially since yesterday's announcement regarding the rollout of the SIR of electoral rolls, Sharma told reporters. The IPS officer said the deceased had dinner on Monday night and then went to his room to sleep. His family members could not understand what was going on in his mind. On Tuesday morning, he was found hanging from the ceiling of his room, Sharma said. The deceased's elder sister claimed that her brother had been frightened about the implementation of the NRC. My brother was very scared about the implementation of the NRC. He used to tell us that he would be taken away in the name of NRC, the sister said. Responding sharply to the chief minister's comments, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused Banerjee of esorting to lies and theatrics over the incident. The tragic death of Pradeep Kar must be investigated thoroughly - the cause of suicide can and must be determined only by the law and investigating agencies, not through political rhetoric, Malviya said in an X post. Let's also get the facts right - there is NO NRC anywhere in the country. Mamata Banerjee is lying and deliberately spreading panic to stoke fear among people for political gain, he added. Malviya alleged that it was the TMC and not the BJP, that weaponised fear by exploiting the anxieties of poor Hindu refugees who fled religious persecution and sought shelter in India. The same fear was used to loot, assault, and suppress voices, as seen in Sandeshkhali and during the riots in Malda and Murshidabad, the BJP leader wrote. Malviya accused Banerjee of using the incident as a tool to spread anxiety among voters ahead of the now-announced SIR exercise. Mamata Banerjee knows that a proper Special Investigation Report (SIR) will expose the rot in her administration and mark the beginning of her political downfall. The SIR will also ensure that illegal infiltrators, who double up as TMC's votebank, are IDENTIFIED and DELETED from the voter list. That's why she's resorting to lies and theatrics once again. Truth and accountability will prevail - not fear mongering, he stated. Asked to respond to the BJP leader's comment, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee sounded dismissive. Amit Malviya has no understanding of the Bengali language. The suicide note is written in Bangla. Let him learn the language first and then he can make his comments, he said.
Cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal may trigger heavy rains from October 27
A fresh low-pressure area formed over southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 27 and may cause heavy rainfall across Odisha and some parts of West Bengal for three days starting Monday, officials said. Bhubaneswar meteorological department director Manorama Mohanty said the weather system has moved west-northwestwards over the past three hours and is likely to move in that direction further. It will become a depression over the southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal by October 25, a deep depression by October 26, and a cyclonic storm over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 27, Mohanty told reporters here. Asked whether the system will make landfall on the Odisha coast, she said, It is too early to predict, but wherever it makes landfall, Odisha is likely to experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from October 27 to 29.The coastal districts are expected to be most affected. The IMD has issued a yellow warning for light to moderate rainfall in 12 districts on Friday, 21 districts each on Saturday and Sunday, and across the entire state on Monday. Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and prepared to face any eventuality. October is generally considered a cyclone-prone month. There is no need to panic. The government is fully prepared to handle the situation, Pujari said. The system is also likely to bring heavy rainfall in south Bengal districts comprising North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram and Howrah between October 28 and 30, weather officials said. Thunderstorms with lightning are likely in Kolkata and adjoining Hooghly district on October 28. North Bengal districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda are also likely to get heavy rain between October 29 and 30, they said. The low pressure has also triggered a fresh spell of northeast monsoon rains in the North coastal region of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai . An orange alert has been issued for Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts on October 27, warning of heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Parts of Chengalpattu and Ranipet are also expected to receive intense showers during the said period. According to the IMDs five-day forecast, heavy rains are likely in Chennai and neighbouring districts till October 28 with possibilities of waterlogging in low-lying areas. In the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Friday, widespread rainfall were reported across several districts, with Pallipattu in Tiruvallur recording the highest at 15 cm, followed by Nalumukku in Tirunelveli (12 cm) and Oothu (11 cm). Arakonam in Ranipet district recorded 10 cm, while Medavakkam in Chennai received 9 cm. Several parts of southern Tamil Nadu, including Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli, also witnessed moderate to heavy spells. Chennai Corporation officials said field teams have been placed on alert to clear stormwater drains and ensure swift water discharge ahead of the rains this weekend. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea as strong winds are likely to prevail along the Tamil Nadu and south Andhra coast in the coming days. With the northeast monsoon active, IMD officials cautioned that intense rainfall episodes may continue over the next week, particularly in northern coastal districts. (With inputs from SV Krishna Chaitanya , PTI)
Durgapur Rape: Victim's College-Mate 6th Man To Be Held, Police Claim Assault By One Accused
The college-mate of the victim, a resident of Malda district, was arrested after he was questioned repeatedly by the police, with the investigators finding glaring inconsistencies in his replies, a senior officer said.
Two arrested in connection with attack on BJP lawmakers in Bengal's Jalpaiguri
Two persons were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the attack on BJP lawmakers Khagen Murmu and Sankar Ghosh in northern West Bengal's Jalpaiguri. According to police, one of the arrests was made from Jalpaiguri, while the other person was nabbed near Jaigaon, at the India-Bhutan border, in Alipurduar district. Two persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the attacks on BJP leaders in Nagrakata. An investigation is underway. We will soon arrest the others involved in the attack, Jalpaiguri's Superintendent of Police Khandbahale Umesh Ganpat said, reported PTI. Apart from the arrested, another six people have also been named in the FIR lodged in connection with the attack. Sources said all eight people were associated with the TMC. However, the state's ruling party has denied any connection with the perpetrators of the attack. Murmu, the BJP's MP from Maldaha Uttar, and Ghosh, the Siliguti MLA and the party chief whip in West Bengal, were attacked by a mob on Monday when they were visiting Jalpaiguri district's Nagrakata area to assess the flood situation. Bengal BJP demands NIA probe into attack on party MP, MLA in Jalpaiguri, Governor visits injured leaders
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday demanded an NIA investigation into the assault on party MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh during their visit to the flood and landslide-hit Nagrakata area in Jalpaiguri district a day ago. Both Murmu and Ghosh are currently undergoing treatment at a private medical facility in Siliguri. We demand an NIA investigation into the attack on Murmu and Ghosh, the state BJP president said while addressing a press conference here. The party leaders were attacked by a mob during their visit to the flood and landslide-hit Nagrakata area in Jalpaiguri district. Bhattacharya termed the attack on Murmu, the BJP's MP from Maldaha Uttar, and Ghosh, the Siliguti MLA and the party chief whip in the West Bengal assembly, as pre-planned. He alleged that the two BJP leaders were attacked to create an atmosphere of terror and division on religious lines among people of north Bengal. Alleging that the attack was perpetrated by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingyas, the BJP state president claimed that the state police had not taken any action to prevent the assault. The Trinamool Congress is engineering attacks at various places to create a fear psychosis among people before the initiation of special intensive revision of electoral rolls, Bhattacharya claimed. If anyone thinks that by attacking BJP parliamentarians and legislators they can create fear among our workers, they are mistaken, Bhattacharya asserted. It is reported that, Murmu may require a surgical intervention to treat the serious facial injuries, including a fractured bone below his eye. The health condition of Murmu, who is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, is stable, he said. Murmu has sustained serious facial injuries, including a fractured bone below the eye. He is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU. We are evaluating his condition from time to time and found him to be stable, the official said, according to PTI . The MP may undergo a surgical intervention to treat the injuries. Our doctors are diagnosing it, he said. The health condition of Ghosh, who is also undergoing treatment at the same hospital, is stable, the official added. Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the two injured leaders at the hospital, according to a Raj Bhavan official said. Bose inquired about the health condition of Murmu and Ghosh, he said. The governor met the two BJP leaders in the hospital and enquired about their condition. He also spoke to the doctors and the family members of the leaders, the Raj Bhavan official said. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose meets BJP MP Khagen Murmu after he was attacked by a mob in Jalpaiguri district's Nagrakata area while visiting relief sites, in Siliguri, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Bose is in north Bengal to assess the ground situation after landslides, triggered by heavy rains, devastated parts of the Darjeeling hills and killed at least 30 people. The governor had on Monday criticised the attack on the BJP leaders and urged the authorities to ensure that law and order is maintained in the area and such incidents do not recur. (With inputs from PTI) Darjeeling landslide toll rises to 24 as rescue efforts continue amid rainfall
BJP MP Khagen Murmu attacked during relief work in flood-hit north Bengal, party blames Trinamool
Malda Uttar legislator Khagen Murmu and BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh, who were visiting the flood and landslide-hit areas for inspection and relief work, were surrounded and attacked by a large group of locals
BJP MP Khagen Injured On Head After Stones Thrown In Bengal's Jalpaiguri
Khagen Murmu, the BJP MP from Bengal's Maldaha Uttar seat, was seriously injured in an attack in the state's flood-affected Jalpaiguri region Monday afternoon
4,271 voters in single house: AAP alleges major irregularity in UP electoral rolls
LUCKNOW: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday alleged large-scale irregularities in the electoral rolls of Uttar Pradesh, claiming that 4,271 voters have been found enrolled in a single house in Mahoba district. Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, Yesterday I told you about two houses in Mahoba where 243 and 185 voters were found, which was shocking. Today I have found another case where 4,271 voters are registered in a single house. If there are 4,271 votes in one house, the family should have around 12,000 members. Someone will have to find such a large family. Singh also alleged that vote theft started in Uttar Pradesh with the collusion of the BJP and the Election Commission. In a sarcastic remark, the AAP leader said, I want to tell the owner of this house (in Mahoba), if he contests the village pradhan's election, he will win. No one else needs to vote (other than his family members). Singh claimed that in the village where this house is located, there are around 16,000 voters in total, making the alleged anomaly even more serious. He also targeted the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance over land allotment in Bihar's Bhagalpur, alleging that the state government gave 1,050 acres of land to industrialist Gautam Adani's group for three power plants at a nominal price of Re 1 per acre for 25 years. Not only was the land given for Re 1, but a guarantee was also given that whatever electricity you produce will be purchased at Rs 7 per unit for the next 25 years. Whether people get power at Rs 10, Rs 11 or Rs 12 (per unit) doesn't matter to the government. But the prime minister's friend must not face any trouble, Singh said. He also claimed that the land was acquired between 2012 and 2013 by the then BJP-JD(U) government, and compensation was paid to the farmers from the public exchequer. The government could have sold the land at a higher price to generate revenue but it gave it to Adani for Re 1 per acre for 25 years, Singh said. The AAP leader also claimed that official records classify the land as arren in around 70 per cent of its area, while there stand nearly 10 lakh trees, including mango trees that produce the Malda variety of the fruit. The government is only concerned about money-making, not the environment or trees, Singh claimed. He also said that employment, farmers' welfare and environmental issues are not on the government's priority list. The priority is to make money in the name of cricket and by setting up power plants like these. That is why I keep saying that Modi ji is not the prime minister of India, he is the prime minister of Adani, Singh said, as he urged people to decide if they are happy or angry with such policies. AAP's Uttar Pradesh president Sabhajit Singh said the party will hold a meeting of its senior office-bearers in Lucknow on September 20 to discuss electoral roll-related issues, among others. Like in Mahoba, the party will focus on similar irregularities in other districts as well. Our focus is on ensuring that no eligible voter is left out and no bogus voter is added to the list. The issue will be taken up in the meeting, he said. Will interfere in case of illegality: SC sets October 7 for final hearing on pleas against Bihar SIR
Temple Wedding, Abortion, Then Mystery Death: Tale Of Two Bengal Doctors
A junior doctor has been arrested in West Bengal's Malda after his girlfriend -- a 24-year-old MBBS student -- died under mysterious circumstances while she was visiting him
RG Kar Medical College Student Found Dead In Bengal's Malda, Mother Blames Lover
Mystery is shrouding the death of a tribal female medical student of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Malda district of West Bengal.
WB Elections 2026: 79,000 BLOs appointed, BJP raises objection over temporary staff in Malda
West Bengal has appointed 79,000 Booth Level Officers. WB-CEO Manoj Agarwal will attend an ECI meeting in Delhi. Allegations arose in Malda regarding BLO appointments. BJP raised concerns about temporary staff filling BLO positions. Objections to booth bifurcation were accepted until September 8. EC officials reviewed election preparedness.
'Will pour acid': TMC leader threatens BJP MLA over remarks on migrant workers
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Abdur Rahim Boxi sparked controversy after purportedly threatening to pour acid down the throat of anyone speaking against migrant workers from West Bengal. The Malda district TMC president allegedly made the remarks during a public meeting in Malatipur on Saturday night. A video of the incident went viral on social media, though PTI has not independently verified its authenticity. Boxi was reacting to a BJP MLAs comment during an Assembly discussion, in which the latter reportedly referred to migrant workers from Bengal as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. I strongly resent the abominable comments made by a BJP MLA, Boxi said. How dare he insult our Bengali citizens who leave the state in search of work? I caution him, I will pour acid in the throat of anyone making such statements to silence them. He further accused BJP leaders of viewing the people of the state through the prism of a divisive political agenda, adding that they should have their eyes checked. BJPs IT Cell head Amit Malviya condemned the remarks on X, saying, Violence is not new to TMC, it is their political culture. In Malda-Murshidabad, where illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas form Mamata Banerjee's committed vote bank, such threats reflect how TMC sustains its politics.
'Will pour acid': TMC leader threatens BJP MLA for calling migrant workers infiltrators
TMC legislator Abdur Rahim Boxi threatened to pour acid in the throat of anyone criticizing West Bengal's migrant workers, reacting to a BJP MLA's remarks during an assembly discussion. Boxi, the Malda district president of TMC, accused the BJP leader of labeling Bengali migrant workers as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.
Will Burn Your Face With Acid: TMC Leader's Shocking Threat To BJP MLA Draws Condemnation | News18
TMC leader Abdur Rahim Bakshi stoked a controversy after he threatened to pour acid into the mouth of a BJP MLA in West Bengal, drawing sharp criticism from the Opposition.Bakshi is the TMC President of the Malda district and he made the remarks while addressing a gathering on Saturday to protest against alleged atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other parts of the country. n18oc_indian18oc_breaking-newsNews18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube
TMC Malda Chief Threatens BJP MLA with Acid Attack
Abdur Rahim Bakshis remarks over migrant worker row spark BJP protests in Malda
Bengal Shocker: Trinamool MLA Threatens To Pour Acid In BJP Leader's Mouth
A few years ago, he had threatened to cut off the hands and feet of leaders and workers of the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress. Now, Malda district Trinamool Congress (TMC) President Abdur Rahim Bakshi has threatened to pour acid on the throat of a BJP MLA.
Indian Railways rolls out biometric sign-on system for TTEs
NEW DELHI: In a first, Indian Railways has introduced a new biometric sign-on and sign-off system for its ticket checking staff, marking a significant step towards modernising railway operations and enhancing accountability. The first digital TTE lobby of Indian Railways also became operational at Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction under the East Central Railway on August 29 this year. According to the Railways, this innovative system has already been successfully implemented in the Banaras Division of Northern Railway, Sonpur Division in East Central Railway, Ratlam Division in Western Railway, and TTE lobbies at CSMT, Pune and Solapur in Central Railway. It is also operational in Malda Division in Eastern Railway, Mysore Division in South Western Railway, Bhopal in West Central Railway, and Madurai, Palghat, Trichy in Southern Railway, along with the Kota Lobby in West Central Railway. Additionally, it is being phased in across various divisions of the North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and North Western Railway zones. The Jammu Division of Northern Railway is set to roll out the system shortly. ED I&P, Railways Ministry, Dileep Kumar said, The new system integrates biometric authentication with the Ticket Examiner (TTE) Lobby system, allowing staff to authenticate themselves using an Aadhaar-enabled biometric device. This ensures a tamper-proof, transparent, and privacy-compliant attendance process that accurately records working hours and duty status in real time. He outlined the objectives of the biometric system, stating that authentic attendance will ensure that attendance records are accurate and verifiable. He said that the system will also provide real-time data on staff availability and duty status, allowing for more efficient management. He further mentioned that the system also offers effective monitoring of working hours and lobby operations. He added that the system integrates with Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) and duty rosters for streamlined staff deployment. Detailing the initiative, Kumar said that the implementation of this system is a testament to Indian Railways commitment to improving efficiency and transparency. The biometric sign-on/off system will not only streamline staff deployment but also significantly enhance the overall efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the ticket checking staff, ultimately improving the experience for all passengers, he said.
Residents in Bengal's Malda, Murshidabad Rush for Birth Documents Amidst SIR of Electoral Roll Fears
Subhamay Basu, chairman-in-council and TMC councillor of English Bazar Municipality, said over the past two weeks, the trend has intensified, increasing the workload of civic body staff.
Towards eradicating human trafficking in India: A focus on West Bengal
In the past week, two major human trafficking attempts have been foiled in our region the first involved rescuing 56 young women from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway Station near Siliguri in Darjeeling district. The other involved rescuing 34 young women from Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus, in Siliguri. In both cases, the victims are young, vulnerable girls from economically and socially marginalised sections, and hail from remote rural villages of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts, mostly from the tea gardens. In the first instance, the women were promised jobs in Bengaluru; however, they were being taken to Patna when they were rescued. In the second case, the women were being transported to Jharkhand by bus when the rescue took place. In both cases, the traffickers claimed that their final destination was the garment factories of Tamil Nadu. Contrast this with the fact that since 2019, 143 workers from West Bengal, including 60 children, have been rescued from bonded labour in gold manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu. Many such instances of vulnerable people from West Bengal, particularly from the Darjeeling hills, Terai and the Dooars region, being lured by human traffickers are coming to light. What is worrisome is that, unfortunately, this is not a new phenomenon. A cursory look at the data from 2018 to 2022, as reported in Parliament in April this year, reveals: 2,278 cases in 2018, 2,208 in 2019, 1,714 in 2020, 2,189 in 2021, and 2,250 in 2022. The noticeable dip in 2020 may be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which impacted both mobility and law enforcement operations. However, the numbers indicate that trafficking continues to be a widespread concern across the country. One of the most affected states during this period has been West Bengal. Its location along the India-Nepal-Bhutan-Bangladesh border, particularly in districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, Raiganj, Malda, North and South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad, makes it especially vulnerable to cross-border trafficking. West Bengal, sadly, serves as both a destination and a transit point where trafficked individuals are usually forced into labour or sex work. Despite a sharp decline in reported human trafficking cases in West Bengal, from more than 3,500 in 2016 to only 67 in 2022, most experts caution that the drop could be due to better concealment by traffickers, gaps in reporting, obfuscating data by the state administration, or fear among victims and their families. The actual number of victims is believed to be much higher. If we are to tackle the menace of human trafficking, the first act should be to acknowledge that there is a problem. Obfuscating crime data, particularly that related to human trafficking, further harms the victims of trafficking. Hence, the West Bengal government should be more transparent about reporting crime-related data. The root cause of human trafficking is poverty. The majority of those trafficked are from shut-down tea gardens, as substantiated by one of the recently arrested human trafficking suspects from Siliguri, who said to the media, As the women didnt get jobs at the tea gardens due to the closure of most, they were willingly going to Tamil Nadu for jobs. Hence, it is vital to take necessary steps towards addressing poverty through job creation. Availability of employment opportunities locally will encourage youths from our region to remain here itself, instead of taking grave risks to go and work in distant cities. The next step is to promote community-based initiatives as higher participation of the community will contribute significantly towards lowering instances of human trafficking. We also need to leverage technology to monitor vulnerable regions, and take necessary action to address the key vulnerabilities, including strengthening community organisations, providing financial and economic support to vulnerable families, and encouraging local youths to become involved in sensitisation and monitoring processes. Availability of safe accommodation and temporary shelters for the victims of human trafficking, easy access to legal services, educational and vocational training programmes, and provision of counselling and mental health support are important. Additionally, regulating placement agencies and borders can disrupt trafficking networks. I am grateful to MARG, Darjeeling, for taking a unique initiative of hand-crafting purple roses and delivering them to people across the region on Anti-Human Trafficking Day, commemorated globally on July 30. Purple Rose is not a naturally occurring flower; instead, it is created artificially by people for their pleasure. Hence, it symbolises the victims of human trafficking, who have been reduced to becoming objects of pleasure and sources of profit. Raju Bista Member of Parliament from Darjeeling, and the National Spokesperson, BJP
Aabhas Maldahiyars Babur:The Quest for Hindustan is Out
It brings to light revealing findings on the destruction of the Ram Mandir, questions the idealized narrative of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, and uncovers the unequal nature of interfaith marriages under Timurid rule
81 AAI-run airports suffer Rs 10,853 crore loss in 10 years; 22 now non-operational
NEW DELHI: Eighty-one airports operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have suffered a cumulative loss of Rs 10,852.9 crore in past 10 financial years. Today, 22 of these airports have become non-operational. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol presented the data in the Rajya Sabha on August 4 while replying to a query posed by Congress MP Jebi Mather Hisam. The MP wanted to know details of Indian airports operating at a loss and if there were any plans to shut those with negligible flight operations. She also wanted to know if any financial aid was being offered to underperforming airports. Data released for the years from 2015-2016 to 2024-2025 reveals the 81 airports across the country have cumulatively suffered a Rs 10,852.9-crore loss. Delhis Safdarjung airport has suffered the most, incurring a loss of Rs 673.91 crore. Agartala airport with a Rs 605.23-crore loss stands second, while Hyderabad, with Rs 564.97 crore, Dehradun with Rs 488.01 crore, and Vijayawada with Rs 483.69 crore in losses figure among the top five loss-making airport nationwide. Asked for a reason, a senior Aviation Ministry official said Safdarjung airport, though the main airport in the national capital, is now a thing of the past, as it is not actually operational for commercial flights presently. It serves to ferry VVIPS to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, he said. Among other major loss-making airports are Bhopal (Rs 480.43 crore), Aurangabad (Rs 447.83 crore), Tirupati (Rs 363.71 crore), Khajuraho (Rs 355.53 crore), Imphal (Rs 355.19 crore). Airports closed for operations The airports which have become non-operational are Donakonda, Daparizo, Jogbani, Muzaffarpur, Raxaul, Deesa, Chakulia, Dhalbhumgarh, Khandwa, Panna, Shella, Aizawl, Thanjavur, Vellore, Nadirgul, Warangal, Kailashahar, Kamalpur, Khowai, Asansol, Balurghat and Malda. Mohol also said the Regional Connectivity Scheme Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) was launched on October 21, 2016, to boost regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country. The scheme provides Viability Gap Funding to airlines to bridge the gap between operational costs and expected revenues. The budget allocated for the RCS-UDAN for the financial year 2025-2026 is Rs 300 crore, the minister said. This provided financial incentives and concessions to the airlines from the Central and state governments, Union territories and airport operators to lower operational costs and thus promote their operations, he added. A total of 92 unserved and underserved airports, including 15 heliports and two water aerodromes have been operationalised under the scheme, he pointed out.
Mamata Banerjee warns of voter list purge, attacks BJP for insulting Bengali language
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday indicated that her party would bank on issues like voter lists and the Bengali language movement to contest the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking at a programme organised to celebrate World Tribal Day in Jhargram, in the western part of West Bengal, she launched a scathing attack on the BJP, centring around these two issues. In her speech, she expressed her anger over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Chief Minister also made it clear once again that her movement will continue regarding the Bengali language. She targeted the central government and the ECI over the voter list exercise and used the alleged negative comments of BJP leaders regarding the Bengali language as a tool to attack the saffron party. She said, If anyone asks to fill up forms, please do not do it being unaware. They will remove your names from the voter lists and hand an NRC notice to you. We will not tolerate it. It is a plan of the Central Government and they will verify names of the voter list. People will have to cross-check if their names are in the voter list. Those born before 2002 are being asked to show their parents birth certificates. Banerjee claimed that when the Trinamool Congress government came to power in West Bengal in May 2011, the institutional delivery rate in the state was only 60 percent and it was much lower before that. How many people have the birth certificates of their parents now? Those who are asking for it do they have their parents birth certificates? They are born with a silver spoon; how will they understand the woes of the poor? she added. Without naming the BJP, Banerjee also attacked the ruling party at the Centre. Mamata questions EC's directive to suspend four officers, says her govt is with its staffers She said, They even dismissed the existence of the Bengali language. In which language did Rabindranath Tagore or Netaji speak? How useless are they that they say there is no such language as Bengali. As I hold a certain position, I cannot speak ill of them even if they do so. People of Bengal are being persecuted. We have facilitated the return of more than 2,000 workers. They have been kept in detention camps in Gurgaon. Similar persecution is going on in Rajasthan and Assam. A tribal girl from Malda has been pushed back to Bangladesh from Madhya Pradesh. Dalits are being tortured, the Chief Minister alleged. She also asked people to remain cautious about the BJP, while saying, These people will come before elections and ask for votes by giving money. Whose money is that? We know everything. They want to remove the names of the people and send them to Bangladesh. They are labelling people as Rohingyas and Bangladeshis only for speaking Bengali, Banerjee alleged. Asking people not to let go of the voter lists and the honour of the Bengali language, she asked, In which language is our National Anthem written? Who taught us the Bengali alphabets? It was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who was born in Medinipur. The Chief Minister complained, Government employees are being intimidated. Notices were sent to two of my officers yesterday. They were suspended even though the elections have not yet been declared. Under which rule? You are suspending. And you are saying, an FIR will have to be filed. It will not happen. I will not let anyone be punished. Keep this in mind. She once again clarified that the West Bengal government will continue to stand with the state government employees. The ECI had on Tuesday suspended four officials and a casual worker in West Bengal for irregularities in the registration of names in the voter lists. In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the ECI had also ordered the registration of an FIR against these four officials and a data entry operator posted in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts respectively for their alleged criminal activities.
Two men from West Bengal arrested with fake currency notes in Nagpur
NAGPUR: Two men from West Bengal have been arrested in Nagpur for allegedly possessing fake currency notes with a face value of more than Rs 1.21 lakh, police said on Thursday. The duo, Jaminarul Hussain Lokman Sheikh (27) and Azimtanu Sheikh (29), both from Malda district, was caught with 243 counterfeit notes in Rs 500 denomination (face value Rs 1,21,500) on late Wednesday night near a hospital under the Tehsil police station area, they said. The duo initially claimed they were job-seekers, but during a search, police discovered the fake notes hidden in a plastic bag. The men later told cops they had stolen a passenger's bag containing the notes while traveling on the Geetanjali Express from Howrah to Nagpur, the police said. They planned to return home after circulating the notes in Nagpur, they added. The two men were produced in a local court, which remanded them to five-day police custody.
