Governor orders inquiry into irregularities in Jharkhand civil services examination
RANCHI: Taking a serious note of complaints about irregularities in 11th, 12th and 13th civil services examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar has ordered an inquiry. According to Raj Bhavan sources, Governors under secretary has sent a letter to JPSC Chairman asking for investigation and action as per the rules. During his recent meeting with the Governor, former CM Raghuvar Das demanding a high-level inquiry into irregularities in the examination. On behalf of candidates, several people submitted a memorandum to the Governor, raising concerns about transparency of the exam process. In the memorandum, it was alleged that the evaluation of answer sheets was done through digital medium, whereas the SOP prescribed by the Commission has a provision to show answer sheets to the candidates. This process was not possible in digital evaluation. The memorandum stated that a third-party agency was involved in the examination process, which violated its confidentiality. The agency was not selected through a tender process, it said, while also raising concerns about errors in exam results. Reopening of the application portal by the commission a week before the examination also raised doubts. Candidates also alleged that the evaluation was done by contractual and unqualified teachers. As per the rules, evaluation should be done by teachers with at least ten years of experience at university level or at least five years of experience of teaching postgraduate students. According to candidates, many of them received phone calls in August-September 2024, demanding money for increasing their marks. The 11th, 12th and 13th civil services exams were held simultaneously for 342 posts from January 27, 2024. Interviews were conducted from June 10, 2025, where 860 out of 864 candidates appeared.
Former Hockey Player Bimal Lakra Hospitalised After Suffering Head Injury
Former Indian hockey player Bimal Lakra was hospitalised in Ranchi after collapsing and suffering a head injury.
Opposition parties led by the Congress have opposed the SIR saying it would lead to disenfranchisement of a large number of people in the State
Marco 2 release update: Makers reveal major details about controversial Malayalam movie's sequel
Despite lead actor Unni Mukundan announcing his exit from the Marco franchise due to negative feedback and controversy, the film's producers have confirmed that a sequel is still being discussed. The production house, which owns full rights to the project, has ruled out selling or sharing the franchise and expressed confidence in continuing Marcos story. While Mukundan wont return, the makers are exploring new possibilities to take the violent yet commercially successful storyline forward, possibly with a different lead.
EC confused over special intensive revision of electoral rolls, says RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav alleged that the Election Commission (EC) was 'confused' as it was constantly changing its orders regarding time, date and revision of electoral rolls ahead of Bihar assembly elections due in October-November. New orders are being issued every week, which makes people suspect whether the entire strategy has been shared with any political party, he said. RJD leader also claimed that 11 documents that had been sought were not with the people of Bihar, and the arguments given reflected 'indifference'. He also claimed that questions had been raised over the reason for changing the voter list just two months ago. He also asked why the revision was not being done in the entire country and why the entire process was not started two years ago. Election Commission must justify need for Bihar voter roll revision Tejashwi highlighted that the process was not started even after the Lok Sabha elections. He asked if fake voters have come, why the process of special intensive revision of the electoral roll was not taken up earlier. BLO has been instructed to visit the voter's address three times, and the voter will have to be physically present, he claimed, asking how those who migrated to earn a living or to work as labourers would come during the elections. How will they suddenly come for identification? Three crore people migrate and go out to work as labourers and the names of all such people will be deleted from the voter list, most of whom are Dalits, tribals and backward class people, he added. Former deputy chief minister said, It is surprising that the Election Commission does not have time to listen to us. For this, it should have first talked to all the parties. When the electoral roll is revised every year, how did fake voters come? In the Lok Sabha elections, these voters made Narendra Modi the Prime Minister. How did all these voters become fake today? he asked. Meanwhile, CPI-ML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya sought withdrawal of SIR of the electoral rolls in the State. He said that the decision is arbitrary and utterly ill-planned. The Left party further urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the polls on the basis of normal updating of the electoral roll as has been done in every election over the last two decades. The focus must be on facilitating electors in the exercise of their franchise and not creating difficulties and excluding electors from the election process. The more the ECI seeks to provide clarification about the Special Intensive Revision of the Electoral Roll in Bihar, the more confusing and misleading it gets, he said.
The Tribunal noted that the franchise did not take appropriate consent from the police and, instead, created the nuisance by posting on social media, giving the police barely 12 hours to respond.
JAC Class 11 results 2025: Jharkhand Academic Council, Ranchi announced Class 11 results. Students accessed scorecards on the official website. The overall pass percentage reached 98.7%. Out of 349,476 students, 344,987 were promoted. Male students achieved 98.62% and female students 98.79%. JAC also released results for Model School Entrance Exam and Intermediate Vocational Course Exam. Detailed data on enrolment and performance was available.
The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Tuesday announced the addition of two new mens franchises to the Delhi Premier League (DPL), as the tournament gears up for its much-anticipated second season. The expansion increases the number of mens teams in the league from six to eight, marking another significant milestone in the leagues rapid rise as a premier domestic T20 tournament. The Outer Delhi franchise was secured for 10.6 crore by the highest bidder, a consortium led by Savita Paints Private Limited. The New Delhi franchise was acquired for 9.2 crore by a consortium of Bheema Tolling and Traffic Solutions Private Limited and Crayon Advertising Limited. The two new teams will join the six existing franchises Central Delhi Kings, East Delhi Riders, North Delhi Strikers, Purani Dilli 6, South Delhi Superstarz, and West Delhi Lions for the 2025 edition of the tournament. The player auctions for Season 2 will take place in the Capital on 6th and 7th July. The mens auction is scheduled for 6th July, followed by the womens auction on 7th July, as the DPL continues its commitment to gender-inclusive representation in sport. Interestingly, the mens auction will feature a stellar line-up of players, including marquee names like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, and rising stars such as Priyansh Arya, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Suyash Sharma, Mayank Yadav, and Anuj Rawat. Speaking on return of the DPL, DDCA President Mr. Rohan Jaitley said, The Delhi Premier League is more than just a tournament it is a celebration of the Capitals deep-rooted cricketing culture. The kind of talent we saw in Season 1 was truly promising, and with this expansion, we are giving even more players a stage to shine. Talents like Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, and more emerged through DPL and showcased their brilliance during IPL 2025, proving the leagues value as a true breeding ground for future stars. Also Read: LIVE Cricket Score The auctions in July will set the tone for the season, and we are working to ensure the experience is seamless and impactful for franchises, players, and fans alike. We are committed to making Season 2 a landmark moment in the leagues journey, he added.
NEW DELHI: CPI-ML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Tuesday sought withdrawal of special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar. He said that the decision is arbitrary and utterly ill-planned. The Left party further urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the polls on the basis of normal updating of the electoral roll as has been done in every election over the last two decades. The focus must be on facilitating electors in the exercise of their franchise and not creating difficulties and excluding electors from the election process. The more the ECI seeks to provide clarification about the Special Intensive Revision of the Electoral Roll in Bihar, the more confusing and misleading it gets, he said. Bhattacharya further questioned why the ECI is now trying to trivialise the SIR by saying rolls are revised annually. He said that the last time a Special Intensive Revision was conducted was 22 years ago. It is certainly not a routine annual exercise, he added. Revision of Bihar electoral rolls: Congress says will oppose exercise legally, politically Only citizens are entitled to vote, but never before in India were electors asked to prove their citizenship. The onus was on the state to prove otherwise. Now every elector is being doubted and asked to prove his or her citizenship with the help of documents that many in India still do not possess, he alleged. He stated that it is the state's responsibility to register every birth. No birth becomes invalid because of non-registration. Rather than asking people to excavate past records, let the state ensure universal registration of births and deaths to ensure automatic updating of records, Bhattacharya added. The CPI-ML (Liberation) leader also questioned the sudden announcement of the revision. The ECI offers no explanation as to why it had no prior consultation with any political party before launching the SIR? Why was it announced all of a sudden? When demonetisation or Notebandi was announced all on a sudden the government said it wanted to catch black money holders unawares. Why did the ECI want to catch voters off guard?, he said. Move to bring NRC through backdoor: TMC on EC's special intensive revision of electoral roll Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls will have 'devastating' effects: TMC MP Saket Gokhale
Delhi Premier League Adds Two New Franchises For Season 2; Over 10 IPL Players To Feature In Auction
Savita Paints Private Limited: Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Tuesday announced the addition of two new mens franchises to the Delhi Premier League (DPL) ahead of the second season. The Outer Delhi franchise was secured for Rs 10.6 crore by the highest bidder, a consortium led by Savita Paints Private Limited. The New Delhi franchise was acquired for Rs 9.2 crore by a consortium of Bheema Tolling and Traffic Solutions Private Limited and Crayon Advertising Limited. The expansion increases the number of mens teams in the league from six to eight. The two new teams will join the six existing franchises Central Delhi Kings, East Delhi Riders, North Delhi Strikers, Purani Dilli 6, South Delhi Superstarz, and West Delhi Lions for the 2025 edition of the tournament. The player auctions for Season 2 will take place in the Capital on July 6 and 7. The mens auction is scheduled for July 6, followed by the womens auction on July 7. Interestingly, the mens auction will feature a stellar line-up of players, including marquee names like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, and rising stars such as Priyansh Arya, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Suyash Sharma, Mayank Yadav, and Anuj Rawat. Speaking on return of the DPL, DDCA president Rohan Jaitley said, The Delhi Premier League is more than just a tournament it is a celebration of the Capitals deep-rooted cricketing culture. The kind of talent we saw in Season 1 was truly promising, and with this expansion, we are giving even more players a stage to shine. Talents like Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, and more emerged through DPL and showcased their brilliance during IPL 2025, proving the leagues value as a true breeding ground for future stars. The auctions in July will set the tone for the season, and we are working to ensure the experience is seamless and impactful for franchises, players, and fans alike. We are committed to making Season 2 a landmark moment in the leagues journey, he added. DDCA vice-president Shikha Kumar said, With every new team we welcome, DPL evolves into a true city- wide cricketing platform and strengthens its promise of being Delhis cricketing heartbeat. But what truly excites us is the growing footprint of the womens league. By expanding into every zone of the Capital, while keeping the womens competition front and centre, were ensuring that the next generation of Delhi girls sees cricket as their game, played on equal terms and celebrated just as loudly. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma added, The inclusion of two new franchises marks a major step in the evolution of the Delhi Premier League. The overwhelming interest from prospective owners reflects the growing stature of the league. We are confident that the new teams will bring their own identity, energy, and vision, contributing to a richer and more competitive tournament. Notably, Season 2 of the DPL will once again be hosted at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma added, The inclusion of two new franchises marks a major step in the evolution of the Delhi Premier League. The overwhelming interest from prospective owners reflects the growing stature of the league. We are confident that the new teams will bring their own identity, energy, and vision, contributing to a richer and more competitive tournament. Also Read: LIVE Cricket Score Article Source: IANS
Aaryaveer Kohli, Virat Kohli's nephew, and Aaryavir Sehwag, Virender Sehwag's son, are among the players shortlisted for the Delhi Premier League (DPL) auction. The league features eight teams, including two new franchises, and follows a successful inaugural season where East Delhi Riders clinched the title. Emerging talents like Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi earned IPL contracts after standout DPL performances.
CEC allays oppn fears of Bihar 'disenfranchisement'
Video Games Weekly: Summer Game Fest ends when I say so
Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday, broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget. Please enjoy and I'll see you next week. June has passed me by in a haze of air travel, mild illness, protests and Pride, and its now officially time to close the book on Summer Game Fest 2025. We published more than 80 stories around this years show and theyre all worth a read, but before moving on for good, I wanted to highlight a final batch of games that I cant stop thinking about. This week, I present three mini previews straight out of SGF 2025 and only two of them are horror games, which is a stupendous display of growth on my part. Crisol: Theater of Idols Crisol: Theater of Idols wasnt on my radar until I sat down and played it at the Blumhouse booth, but now its pinging loud and clear, as if the booms were emanating directly from the blood-soaked bowels of Hell. Its a first-person survival-horror action game set in a demented version of Spain thats filled with monsters of modern folklore. Murderous marionettes and giant, ornately adorned skeletons hunt you through dark streets and towering gothic buildings, lamplight glinting off of every gross 3D detail. The whole demo felt like getting lost in a terrifying, nightmarish carnival, and I enjoyed every bit of it. In Crisol , blood is your source of ammunition, and you drain the corpses of humans and chickens to refuel your health bar as well as your guns. Crisol is tense and gorgeous, reminiscent of Dishonored or Resident Evil Village , and enemies are both robust and tricky to evade. Crisol is the debut game from independent Spanish team Vermila Studios, which received an Epic MegaGrant for the project in 2020. Its being published by Blumhouse and is due out this year on Steam , PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Grave Seasons Theres something deeply wrong in Ashenridge, the idyllic rural village where Grave Seasons is set. At first glance, Grave Seasons is a cute, narrative-based farming sim with detailed pixel art, juicy romance options and layers of home-maintenance mechanics. You spend time planting, watering, harvesting, crafting items, picking up trash and chatting with villagers and then you dig up a severed hand. Pilar, your flirty neighbor who runs the tailor shop down the road, says something ominous about the fate of your houses previous owner. The vibe shifts; the shadows start to look sinister. Night falls and the real horror is unleashed, sudden, violent and all the more shocking in such a peaceful setting. A supernatural serial killer is on the loose in Ashenridge and, in between planting crops, its up to you to investigate (and maybe date) the murderer. Grave Seasons is a game that will live or die by its tone, and so far, developer Perfect Garbage has absolutely nailed the vibe of nefarious, creeping dread. Ashenridge is a beautiful little town with tons of people to meet and activities to complete, and the character avatars are sexy, sweet and super intriguing. A paranormal murder investigation is simply the cherry on top of a competent farming and dating sim, and Im eager to take a bite out of the full game. At SGF 2025, developers said the complete Grave Seasons experience should take about 20 hours. Grave Seasons is being published by Blumhouse, and its scheduled to hit Steam and consoles in 2026. Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School Escape Academy is one of my favorite games of the past five years and I am inordinately stoked for the sequel, which turns the school into an open world of puzzles, riddles and cringey puns. With Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School , developer Coin Crew is going all-in on the student roleplaying vibe, and the entire campus is littered with mysteries. Its also playable as a split-screen, couch co-op experience, which is one of the series greatest strengths. Frantically screaming solutions at your friend just feels better in person than over a Discord call, you know? I played the original Escape Academy with a local partner, so thats how I tried out the sequel at SGF 2025. I dragged Engadget EIC Aaron Souppouris to the iam8bit booth and we dove in, starting in a classroom covered in sneaky environmental clues. In Escape Academy 2 , the assignment is simple get out but the execution is complex, and we were soon throwing out names, dates and math problems, trying to solve a series of tricky, interconnected puzzles and leave the room. After getting just one hint from the developers, we made our way to the hallway, which was lined with locker-based riddles, and eventually reached the headmasters office, which was a contained playground of puzzle gaming. We had to use a pen and piece of paper to keep track of a few sections, and overall, our interactions felt fresh. Coin Crew isnt just rolling out the same problems with different solutions for the sequel, and the new riddles were clever, innovative and super satisfying. (The same cant be said about all of the puns, but thats part of the charm.) Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School features both local and online co-op, so youll be free to yell at your friends in whichever format you prefer. Coin Crew is still working on the game and theres no release date yet, but its available now to wishlist on Steam . The news 11 Bit Studios left AI writing in The Alters The only thing worse than not disclosing AI use in the creation of a video game is not disclosing it and then deploying it so sloppily that players immediately notice. Indie developer and publisher 11 Bit Studios learned this lesson firsthand with The Alters , a futuristic base-building game starring an astronaut and his alternate-reality clones. Within a week of the games release on June 13, posts started popping up on Reddit and Bluesky showing AI-generated text in the game, across multiple languages. On June 30, 11 Bit released a statement confirming its use of AI in developing The Alters , saying it was utilized only in background text and to help with last-minute localization efforts. No matter what we decided, we should have simply let you know, the studio wrote. Xbox layoffs incoming Id really love to stop writing headlines like this. Microsoft is preparing to lay off a large number of Xbox employees this week, as part of a planned 3 percent reduction in staff across the company. Thats a loss of roughly 7,000 jobs in total, and according to Bloomberg , Xbox leaders are expecting substantial cuts across the entire group. The firings follow a round of 1,900 layoffs at Xbox in January 2024, another 650 layoffs in September , and last years closure of Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games and Tango Gameworks (the latter of which lives on under Krafton). Meanwhile, Microsoft reported a net revenue of $25.8 billion in the first three months of 2025, with an 8 percent yearly increase in revenue from Xbox content and services. Congrats? Netflix is culling its games roster Netflix started beefing up its video games division around 2021, with the acquisition of Oxenfree studio Night School and the rollout of an in-app gaming library offering popular mobile titles at no extra charge to subscribers. Netflix currently supports more than 100 games, including Deaths Door , Hades , The Case of the Golden Idol , The Rise of the Golden Idol , Braid Anniversary Edition , Katana ZERO and the Monument Valley series but these are disappearing in July. A total of 22 games will be deleted from Netflix at various times in July, and the culling follows similar cutbacks in the companys interactive division, including the recent closure of an in-house AAA studio . League of Legends and Valorant esports are betting games now Riot Games is opening up the League of Legends and Valorant esports scenes to betting sponsorships, enabling professional gambling at the highest level in the Americas and EMEA. Riot president of publishing and esports John Needham announced the new allowance on June 27, arguing that betting is already happening off-the-books and an official marketplace allows for regulation. It also allows Riot to consume a piece of that money-flavored pie, but Needham doesn't say that directly in his note. Whatever the catalyst, prepare to see DraftKings and FanDuel alongside Red Bull and MasterCard during your esports ad breaks. The Steam Summer Sale is here to take your money Because we know youre going to get something what are you picking up at the Steam Summer Sale this year? Share your spoils in the comments! If youre overwhelmed, allow me to humbly suggest Blue Prince , Home Safety Hotline , Look Outside or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 . On a related note, don't forget to check out (the nearly complete) Playdate Season 2 . Once upon a time, Resident Evil: Requiem was an open-world game but its definitely not any more. Resident Evil: Requiem producer Masachika Kawata and director Koshi Nakanishi clarified in a video that their new game is an offline single-player experience, but they said that early in development, the team seriously considered making it online and open-world. This experimentation fueled rumors about Requiem introducing a new direction for the Resident Evil franchise, but it turns out the final product will be a familiar, self-contained horror romp with the ability to swap between first- and third-person views. Spooooky . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/video-games-weekly-summer-game-fest-ends-when-i-say-so-213556598.html?src=rss
Is EA Sports reviving its college basketball video game franchise?
EA Sports sent a cryptic tweet that hints at the revival of its college basketball video game franchise
EA Sports is bringing back its college basketball video game. The game is set to return in 2028. This follows the successful revival of its college football franchise. The company will compensate athletes for their name, image, and likeness. Both men's and women's teams will be included. Fans are excited about the return of the popular game.
Netflix July 2025 Releases: Heres complete list of TV shows and movies coming on platform this month
Netflix is set to add a wide mix of movies, series and original content in July 2025. The lineup includes returning franchises, fresh documentaries, classic films and international hits.
DSP plans legal action over 'Oo Antava' copied in Turkey
Allu Arjuns Pushpa franchise became one of the most celebrated in Tollywood, and its pan-India reach turned it into one of the biggest box office successes. However, music composer Devi Sri Prasad has stirred controversy overseas by claiming that his song Oo Antava from the first instalment has been plagiarised by a Turkish pop artist.
RANCHI: Ahead of the special programme organised on Hul Diwas at the historic Bhognadih village in Sahibganj on June 30, Police resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the descendants of tribal freedom fighters Sidho-Kanho. According to police, they had to apply mild force after stones were pelted from the other side. Local sources informed that the police force was also attacked with bows and arrows by the crowd. At least six police personnel, including two havildars, two constables and the Barharwa SDPO, were injured in the incident. The injured police personnel have been identified as havildar Mrityunjay Kumar, havildar Sanjay Yadav, constable Ramesh Kumar and constable Chhotu Ram. In the morning, a few people tried to create a hindrance in garlanding and worshipping the statues of the martyrs in Bhoganadih Park. These people had already locked the park. When the police arrived, a few people attacked them. In this incident, six policemen, including Barharwa SDPO were injured, said Sahibganj SP Amit Kumar Singh. The police had to use mild force to normalise the situation, after which, the situation became normal and the program continued peacefully throughout the day, he added. Notably, on June 30, 1855, Sido-Kanhu started the Hul Revolution at Bhognadih, following which, Hul Diwas is celebrated every year on this day. A state program is also organised at Bhognadih every year to the honour the tribal freedom fighters. A pandal is set up at Bhognadih under the banner of Sido Kanhu Hul Foundation and Atu Manjhi Baisi. On Hul Diwas, the descendants of Sido-Kanhu, including the family members of Vansh Mandal Murmu, worship the tribal hero and bathe him with holy waters of the Ganges. Only after that the Chief Minister or someone else performs puja and garlands him. This time, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren was expected to attend the program as the chief guest. However, the district administration did not permit the descendants of Sido-Kanhu to conduct the programme. Permission was given to worship only before 10 am and after 4 pm through a verbal order of the district administration, due to which, the organisers were angry for the last three days. The police also removed the temporary pandal. In protest, the family members and supporters of the descendant locked the Sidhu Kanhu Bhognadih Park on Monday morning, not allowing anybody to enter inside it, said a local villager requesting anonymity. The police administration tried to open it, but the supporters remained adamant, which further escalated the tension, he added. Tensions rose further after the detention of Mandal Murmu and others, leading to a clash between villagers and the police. To disperse the crowd, police resorted to a lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells. Reports suggest that both policemen and villagers sustained injuries during the altercation. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi strongly condemned the police action against the tribal community on the occasion of Hul Diwas. Brutality witnessed today evokes memories of British colonial rule. On the sacred land of the Hul revolution, six generations later, the descendants of Sidhu-Kanhu are once again compelled to rise against oppression and injustice, posted Marandi on X. The state government, aligned with external forces, appears unwilling to allow the tribal community of Jharkhand to draw inspiration from the heroic legacy of their ancestors and unite in defence of their identity and rights, he added.
Fast and Furious 11: Vin Diesel hints at Paul Walker`s `return` to the franchise
Vin Diesel recently teased the return of Paul Walker to Fast X: Part 2, more than 10 years after his death. He also added that the 11th instalment will also return to its base, Los Angeles
How Sajid-Akshay brought Paresh Rawal back to 'Hera Pheri 3'
The third installment of the iconic Hera Pheri franchise, which is one of the most anticipated films in Indian cinema, was to start rolling in late 2025.
Inaugural edition of World Super Kabaddi League to be held in Dubai
Backed by the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), WSKL will adopt a franchise-based model featuring eight teams in its inaugural season.
Vaani Kapoor`s web series Mandala Murders to hit Netflix on THIS date
Produced by YRF Entertainment and created by Gopi Puthran (of Mardaani franchise fame), who also co-directed the series with Manan Rawat, Mandala Murders is a genre-bending show packed with mystery, crime, myths and suspense
After his controversial exit, Paresh Rawal returns to Hera Pheri 3
Paresh Rawal confirms return to Hera Pheri 3 after controversy, resolving issues with team for upcoming third installment of the franchise
The procedure for revising the states electoral rolls resembles that laid out for preparing the National Register of Citizens, sparking fears of large-scale denial of citizenship and disenfranchisement
Revision of Bihar electoral rolls: Congress says will oppose exercise legally, politically
NEW DELHI: As the EC began its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihars electoral rolls, the Congress on Sunday said it will oppose the move legally, politically, and on all fronts. The move invited scathing criticism from the Opposition parties as the EC on Saturday said around 2.93 crore of 7.89 crore voters, or about 37% of the electorate, will have to submit proof of their eligibility. Speaking with this newspaper, Congress leader Praveen Chakravartyquestioned the methodology adopted by the EC to ascertain that 37% of the Bihar electorate will have to re-register. How did they get the figure of 37%? This means they have the electoral roll of 2003 in a machine-readable format. Otherwise, its impossible to analyse and come up with the figure. The Congress has been demanding the Maharashtra electoral rolls for a long time. If they have the 2003 rolls, why are they not showing us the 2024 Maharashtra voter rolls? said Chakravarty, a member of EAGLE, an eight-member Congress panel tasked with looking into polls. He also pointed out that the EC had mooted a proposal on March 8 for electoral roll cleaning using Aadhaar, which, while not perfect, is a more viable alternative solution than an intensive voter revision in Bihar. Why did the EC abandon that to suddenly announce an SIR three months after the Aadhaar proposal? he asked. The ECs move on June 24, requiring all existing voters who were not on the 2003 rolls to provide proof of their and their parents citizenship, has also sparked concerns of disenfranchisement and exclusion of the poor and marginalised from voter rolls. If I was a voter in 2024 or 2019, that doesnt mean I am a voter now. I have to re-register. Now, they are saying I have to prove my veracity as a voter and prove date and place of birth. Why am I guilty until proven innocent? he said. Chakravarty also said the EC has come up with arduous rules for providing birth certificates of voters and their parents, depending on the year of birth. Besides Union and state government officials will now dictate who has correct documents and who doesnt, thus dictating who gets to vote in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.
Patna Diary: People think I am the next Lalu Prasad, says Tej Yadav
People think I am the next Lalu Prasad: Tej Undeterred by his ouster from the family and expulsion from the party for six years, Tej Pratap Yadav, the eldest son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and RJD MLA, now claims that there are conspiracies against him as people recognise him as the next Lalu Prasad. I would like my brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to become the CM after the elections later this year. I aim to play the role of a kingmaker, Tej said. He, however, made it clear that he would not change his assembly constituencyHasanpurfrom where he won elections in 2020. There were rumours suggesting that he will contest from Mahua, but he has denied it. Bihar, countrys first in e-voting facility Bihar has emerged as the first state in the country where voters exercised their franchise through mobile phones. The e-voting was part of the municipal bypolls and elections in six Nagar panchayats in the state. The districts where voters exercised their franchise through mobile phones include Patna, Buxar, Rohtas, and East Champaran. E-voting facility was made available for senior citizens, disabled persons and pregnant women, who may find it difficult to visit polling booths to cast their votes. Bibha Kumari and Mannua Kumar, both residents of East Champaran, became the first female and male voters to cast their votes through a mobile phone app. Not in CMs race, says Prashant Kishor Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has clarified that he is not in the race for chief ministers post. Kishors statement is contrary to that of the partys newly elected national president Uday Singh, alias, Pappu Singh, who recently stated that Kishor would be the CM if the party gains a majority in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Kishor, however, asserted that his party will contest all the 243 seats in the assembly elections and form the next government in Bihar on its own. He also rules out alliance with any political combination in the state. Ramashankar Our correspondent in Bihar ramashankar@newindianexpress.com
Sub-Jr Womens Hockey team leaves for Nationals
Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 29: The Hockey Jammu and Kashmir Sub-Junior Womens team today departed from Jammu to participate in the 15th Hockey India Sub-Junior Womens National Championship, to be held in Ranchi, Jharkhand from July 3 to 13. As per statement the team was selected after a screening conducted by the J&K Sports Council on June 28, overseen by Ajay Gupta (Manager, K.K. Hakku Stadium), Joginder Kumar, Jagjeet Singh (Hockey Coaches), Tejinder Singh (Secretary, Hockey J&K), Robin Singh [] The post Sub-Jr Womens Hockey team leaves for Nationals appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
INDIA bloc may move court over SIR: Digvijaya
Digvijaya Singh, a senior Congress leader, has threatened legal action by the INDIA bloc if the Election Commission of India (ECI) doesn't address their concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Singh alleges the NDA government is attempting to disenfranchise marginalized voters ahead of the state elections through this drive.
Oppn to seek time with ECI; NDA allies support move
The Election Commission of India's distribution of enumeration forms for electoral roll revision in Bihar has sparked intense political debate. Opposition parties, led by RJD and Congress, are raising concerns about the ECI's intentions, alleging it aims to disenfranchise eligible voters, while NDA allies are supporting the verification process, viewing it as a reform to the election process.
Paresh RETURNS to Hera Pheri 3; fight with Akshay resolved
Paresh Rawal is officially back as Babu Bhaiya in Hera Pheri 3, resolving previous disputes and reuniting the beloved trio. He emphasized the importance of respecting the audience's love for the franchise and delivering a worthwhile film. With all issues settled, the team is focused on working together to create a hilarious and nostalgic blockbuster for the big screen.
INDIA bloc may knock door of judiciary against Special Intensive Revision drive: Digvijaya Singh
Digvijaya Singh criticises the NDA government for disenfranchising voters in Bihar through the Special Intensive Revision drive before assembly polls
Jharkhand braces for heavy rains: IMD issues orange alert for the state
The `orange` alert, which signifies be prepared for heavy rainfall, was specifically issued for the districts of Khunti, Ranchi, Saraikela-Kharswan, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum. Jharkhand has recorded a significant surplus in rainfall this monsoon season, with an 80 per cent surplus observed between June 1 and 28
FEMA Penalty: Lalit Modi Petitions SC Demanding BCCI To Indemnify Him
Foreign Exchange Management Act: Former IPL head Lalit Modi has approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to pay a penalty of Rs 10.65 crore, slapped on him by the ED, on his behalf. Earlier, the Bombay High Court had turned down Lalit Modis petition seeking a direction to the BCCI to pay this penalty imposed on him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for purported infraction of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) during the 2009 IPL season held in South Africa. It had refused to accept his contention that the by-laws require the BCCI to indemnify him, and said that the reliefs sought were wholly misconceived. Not only was Lalit Modis writ petition dismissed, but a bench of Justices M.S. Sonak and Jitendra Jain, in its order passed on December 19 last year, asked him to pay costs of Rs 1 lakh within 4 weeks. In his special leave petition (SLP) filed before the apex court, Lalit Modi contended that as per the Rules and Regulations to Memorandum of Association, the BCCI is under an obligation to indemnify its office bearers out of the board's funds against all losses and expenses incurred by them during the discharge of their official duty. Referring to Rule 34 of the Rules and Regulations of the Memorandum of Association of BCCI, the plea, filed through advocate Vikas Mehta, submitted that Lalit Modi was holding the office of Vice President of BCCI from 2005 to 2010 and Chairman of IPL from 2007 to 2010. The SLP highlighted the discriminatory manner adopted by the BCCI in indemnifying Honorary Secretary N. Srinivasan and Treasurer M.P. Pandove against the penalty imposed on them. It added that Lalit Modi has deposited costs of Rs 1 lakh as he did not want to be seen as being non-compliant or in contempt of the court, but the payment was made without prejudice to his right to challenge the impugned decision of the Bombay High Court. In 2013, Lalit Modi, the former IPL Chairman, was given a life ban from all BCCI affairs. The ban stemmed from accusations of misconduct and indiscipline, particularly concerning irregularities in the bidding process for IPL franchises The SLP highlighted the discriminatory manner adopted by the BCCI in indemnifying Honorary Secretary N. Srinivasan and Treasurer M.P. Pandove against the penalty imposed on them. It added that Lalit Modi has deposited costs of Rs 1 lakh as he did not want to be seen as being non-compliant or in contempt of the court, but the payment was made without prejudice to his right to challenge the impugned decision of the Bombay High Court. Also Read: LIVE Cricket Score Article Source: IANS
Owaisi Opposes Bihar Voter Roll Revision Ahead of Polls
AIMIM chief warns Special Intensive Revision may disenfranchise poor, demands EC explanation.
Owaisi writes to EC against special voter roll revision in poll-bound Bihar
Asaduddin Owaisi, the AIMIM president, has formally raised concerns with the Election Commission regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar, citing its potential to disenfranchise voters due to its proximity to the upcoming elections.
IMD issues orange alert for Jharkhand, predicts heavy rainfall till July 1
Ranchi has been witnessing light to moderate rainfall since Sunday morning, and its intensity is likely to increase as the day progresses, the IMD official added
IMD forecasts heavy rain in parts of Jharkhand till July 1
Ranchi has been witnessing light to moderate rainfall and its intensity is likely to increase as the day progresses, the IMD official said
First rugby franchise league in India features grassroots talent
AIMIM president expressed concern that the proposed SIR could have a deleterious effect and disenfranchise voters ahead of the elections to the Bihar Assembly
Price of Rana Daggubatis family home in Film Nagar, Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Rana Daggubati is more than just a celebrated actor, hes a powerhouse of talent and legacy. Widely recognized for his iconic portrayal of Bhallaladeva in the Baahubali franchise, Rana has carved a unique space for himself in both the Telugu and Hindi film industries. At 40, he continues to impress with his versatility on 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 .
Tejashwi Yadav, RJD leader, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of influencing the Election Commission to cancel Bihar's voter list and create a new one based on pre-1987 documents. He alleged this is a conspiracy to disenfranchise voters and deprive them of welfare benefits. Yadav stated he discussed the issue with opposition alliance members, ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Iran buries top military commanders killed in Israel war; thousands join in historic funeral
Iran held a state funeral in Tehran for approximately 60 individuals, including military commanders and 14 nuclear scientists, who died in the conflict with Israel. The ceremony commenced in Islamic Revolution Square, attended by government officials and mourners waving Iranian flags. Among the deceased were Major General Mohammad Bagheri and nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, both to be buried alongside their families.
Patna-Bound Indigo Flight Grounded At Ranchi Airport After Suspected Tyre Deflation
The flight 6E 6152, which had arrived from Kolkata around 3:15 pm, was scheduled to operate onward to Patna and Lucknow.
Jharkhand's Chatra tops NITI aayog rankings, bags Rs 10 crore incentive
RANCHI: Jharkhand's Chatra district has clinched the top spot in the March 2025 Delta Rankings for aspirational districts, NITI Aayog announced on Friday. Ranking first among 112 districts, Chatra will receive a Rs 10 crore incentive from the central think tank for its outstanding performance, while neighbouring Garhwa district garnered special recognition for its performance in the education sector. This dual success underscores the state's growing momentum in human development. Congratulating her team and the public on this momentous achievement, Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G. stated, This honor is a matter of immense pride for Chatra district. It is a clear testament to our strong initiative and continuous collective effort towards realizing the objectives of the Aspirational Districts Programme. We are all deeply committed to maintaining this momentum and ensuring sustained progress across all development parameters. This success demonstrates Jharkhand's proactive approach to fostering progress and prosperity, she added. With the Rs 10 crore award, Chatra's district administration is planning to invest in key development areas such as, school infrastructure and establishing modern digital classrooms, upgrading rural healthcare facilities, and ensuring safe potable water systems. Authorities are committed to sustaining this high level of performance across all sectors, based on evidence-led planning and community feedback. These achievements highlight the efficacy of NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme, a flagship initiative designed to rapidly improve socio-economic indicators. The programme fosters competitive federalism, incentivizing districts both financially and technically. NITI Aayog provides expert support, feasibility planning, and rigorous data monitoring. Fund allocation is performance-based: Rs 10 crore for the top district, Rs 5 crore for the runner-up, and Rs 3 crore for each top sectoral performer like Garhwa.
Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM President, alleged that the Election Commission is secretly implementing NRC in Bihar. He claimed this could disenfranchise many Indian citizens before the upcoming state elections. Owaisi said new rules require citizens to prove their birth details and those of their parents. He warned this will affect poor citizens who lack necessary documents.
IndiGo flight grounded in Ranchi due to deflated tyre: Official
The flight, originating from Kolkata, was scheduled to fly to Patna and then to Lucknow
J&K Hosts First-Ever Franchise Football League, Athletes Bag Lakhs In Auction
The Kashmir Super League is all set to begin in the first week of July, writing a new chapter in the history of the region as the Union Territory gets first such tournament.
Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls akin to NRC: CPI(M) to Election Commission
There are fears that it may be used to target a certain section of voters leading to their disenfranchisement, says Polit Bureau member Nilotpal Basu
Anshuman Jha Steps Behind The Camera For Lakadbaggha 2 The Monkey Business
Actor Anshuman Jha will direct Lakadbaggha 2 The Monkey Business, stepping in after a creative shift in leadership. The vigilante sequel takes the franchise global.
Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the RSS following Dattatreya Hosabale's call to remove socialist and secular from the Constitution's Preamble. Gandhi argues that the RSS opposes the Constitution's emphasis on equality, secularism, and justice, accusing them of seeking to replace it with Manusmriti to disenfranchise the poor.
Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls will have 'devastating' effects: TMC MP
NEW DELHI: The 'Special Intensive Revision' of electoral roll proposed to be carried out in Bihar will have devastating effects on voting rights and also on citizenship, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MP Saket Gokhale alleged on Friday. In a post on X, he said those failing to provide the documents required for the revision can easily be branded as foreigners, and losing voting rights is not the only danger. Modi Government is taking away your right to vote and bringing in the NRC (National Register of Citizens) using the Election Commission. Yesterday, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee raised a very important issue which will have devastating effects not only on your voting rights but also your citizenship, Gokhale said. He said as per the exercise, voters, new and existing, will have to provide within one month proof of birth and birthplace for those born before July 1987, proof of birth and birthplace for self and one parent for those born between July 1987 to December 2004, and proof of birth and birthplace for self and both parents for those born after December 2004. If these documents are not submitted within a month, your name will be deleted from the voter list. ECI has started this exercise with Bihar polls and will be doing it in West Bengal and all other states after December, he said. The AITC MP said it is dangerous, because a large number of people in India do not have copies of their birth certificate let alone of their parents. Across rural India, many people have had home births - which means they never got a birth certificate. It is impossible for anyone to secure these documents within a month. If they don't they lose their voting rights, he said. Those failing to provide these documents can easily be branded as 'foreigners'. Losing voting rights is not the only danger. The Modi government can easily strip away the citizenship of those who don't have these documents,' he said. Gokhale alleged that through this move, the Modi government is using the Election Commission to make mass deletions of legitimate voters, and use the deletions to question people's citizenship. He demanded the ECI to roll back the decision. The purpose of this new exercise is to manipulate Bengal elections for the BJP and then replicate this model all over India. The ECI must be forced to roll back and scrap this dangerous and sinister program which will be used for deleting voters & even snatching their citizenship, he added. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in the polls slated later this year.
NHL expansion team fees set to exceed $2 billion: Report
The NHL is considering future expansion with franchise fees potentially exceeding $2 billion, as discussed during a recent league meeting. In addition to the fee, new ownership groups would need to allocate $1 billion for arena development. While no formal applications are underway, cities like Atlanta and Houston are being considered as potential locations.
Reptiles added under animal exchange prog saw cockatiels sent to Jharkhand park
ZOO officials told mid-day that the gharials were recently brought from Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park in Ranchi under an animal exchange programme. In return, Byculla zoo sent four white cockatiels and four grey cockatiels
A shocking and dangerous incident took place in Jharkhand when a wild adult male tiger wandered into a residential area in Jharkhand's Ranchi district. More dangerous was the animal entering a house. However, after hours of operation the forest officials tranquilized the animal.
Jharkhand HC imposes fine of Rs 2 lakh on JSSC
RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday quashed the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commissions (JSSC) order to blacklist Vincent Technology in the Jharkhand Diploma level Joint Entrance Competitive Examination paper leak case, terming it as erroneous. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on JSSC. The order was passed by a division Bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Rajesh Shankar. The court directed that the JSSC should pay the company's bank guarantee of Rs 61 lakh back to it besides the outstanding bill of Rs 2.90 crore with 7 percent interest within four weeks. During the hearing, the court observed that a company cannot be blacklisted for lifetime only on the basis of police report. Notably, Vincent Technology was responsible for conducting the CGL exam 2020-21. The paper of this exam held on 3 July 2022 was leaked, after which JSSC canceled the exam and the company was blacklisted. The Staff Selection Commission told the court that the company has been blacklisted in view of the police report. The police report had raised suspicion of the company's involvement. Senior advocates Ajit Kumar and Vikalp Gupta, appearing on behalf of the company, told the court that the agency had delivered sealed papers to all the centers and they have no involvement in the paper leak case. The police had registered an FIR, but have not yet filed any charge sheet. The police gave the report in 2024, in which it was written that there is no truth in the allegations made against the company. JSSC is also not paying the company's bill. Advocates Sanjay Piperwal and Prince Kumar Singh, appearing on behalf of JSSC, said that the commission had to cancel the examination conducted by the company, due to which, the bill could not be paid. Therefore, the court directed the commission to pay the bill given by the company with seven percent interest. The court said that if the security money of the company has been seized, then the commission should return it. The court was informed that the examination was conducted in Ranchi, Bokaro and East Singhbhum districts on July 3, 2022. After the paper leak and police investigation, the examination was canceled on July 25, 2022.
Opposition slams voter list review in Bihar ahead of Assembly Polls
PATNA: The Election Commission (EC) has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties in poll-bound Bihar over its decision to carry out a special intensive review of the voters list, even as a nine-member EC team visited the state to assess preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. The Bihar assembly elections are scheduled to be held in OctoberNovember this year. The EC delegation, led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg, is on a three-day visit to the state. The team held high-level meetings with Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, district election officers, divisional commissioners, and other senior officials to discuss the review process. The delegation is also scheduled to meet Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers on Friday. However, Bihars main opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist), have strongly opposed the move. They argue that such a large-scale exercise so close to the elections is unnecessary and exclusionary. CPI (ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya likened the review to the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC). How can such a massive exercise be completed in just a month? This is wrong. Elections should be held in a democratic manner that ensures inclusion for all, he said. According to state election officials, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have begun going door-to-door to verify voters information. This exercise is set to continue until July 26. RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav accused the EC of attempting to disenfranchise large sections of the population. We have informed the Chief Election Commissioner that lakhs of families in the state do not possess the documents being asked for. This is a conspiracy to deprive them of their right to vote, he alleged. As part of the review, the EC has made it mandatory for both new and existing voters to submit a self-attested declaration confirming their Indian citizenshipwhether by birth or naturalisationalong with documentary evidence of their date and place of birth, as well as that of their parents. A senior election department official said the requirements vary depending on the voters date of birth. Those born in India before 1 July 1987 must submit a pre-filled enumeration form and one supporting document from a prescribed list of 11 to establish their date and place of birth. Those born between 1 July 1987 and 2 December 2004 are required to provide proof of their own birth details along with a document for either parent, verifying their date and place of birth. Sources indicate that the final voter list will be published by 30 September, with the election schedule expected to be announced in the first week of October. Polling is likely to take place in November.
IIIT-Ranchi team wins top prize in cyber hackathon
Mamata Banerjee slams ECIs new voter ID guidelines, alleges bias towards BJP
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday strongly objected to the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) latest guidelines, which mandate a specific identity card proving citizenship and submission of a self-attested declaration of Indian citizenship for inclusion in the voters list. Banerjee alleged that the ECI was working in coordination with the Central Government and accused it of providing emergency weapons to help the BJP. Directly targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, she claimed, Modiji (Narendra Modi) is the Prime Minister. I respect the chair. But the ECI is involved with Amit Shah. He is the one running the country. According to my information, the current Chief Election Commissioner previously served as a secretary in Shahs Cooperation Ministry. Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled later this year, the ECI announced a comprehensive revision of the electoral roll and issued a new set of guidelines. Banerjee criticised the move, arguing that although the announcement is under the pretext of Bihar, the actual target is Bengal. Under the new rules, the ECI has stated that names cannot be included in the voters list without a valid citizenship identity card. Those whose names were not in the 2003 electoral roll will also be required to submit proof of place of birth. Furthermore, every applicant must submit a self-attested declaration of Indian citizenship. As per the Commission's instructions: Voters born before 1 July 1987 must provide proof of date and place of birth (e.g., birth certificate, passport). Those born after 1 July 1987 must submit personal identity documents along with their parents documents. The same rule applies to individuals born after December 2, 2004. Banerjee strongly objected to these provisions, claiming they are aimed at disenfranchising voters in Bengal and among migrant populations. The Commission is using Bihar as an excuse. Since the BJP is in power there, no strict enforcement will happen. The real target is Bengal, she alleged. The Commission is doing exactly what the BJP says they are scared. She also criticised the unilateral nature of the guidelines, saying, The Election Commission cannot make such decisions without consulting political parties. The ECI must remain impartial. We live in a democratic country with a federal system. Elected governments and political parties are not slaves. Banerjee called upon all political parties to unite and oppose the ECIs decision. How can people born before 1987 not be considered Indian citizens? India gained independence in 1947. Why is the period between 1987 and 2004 being targeted? This is extremely serious, she said. She further questioned the feasibility of the new documentation requirements: How will the poor obtain their parents certificates? Is this an attempt to implement NRC by stealth? What exactly is their intention? Let them explain it clearly. While she stated that her party has no objection to a proper and fair revision of the voter list, Banerjee accused the ECI of creating confusion and enabling corruption through its current approach. We only ask that no legitimate voter's name be left out. But the way they are going about it raises serious questions, she concluded.
2025 is packed with highly anticipated sequels across various platforms. From the crime-ridden world of Mirzapur to the visually stunning Pandora, beloved franchises are making a grand return. Audiences can expect thrilling conclusions, new characters, and deeper explorations of familiar universes in both film and streaming series. Get ready for a year of adrenaline-pumping action and emotional storytelling.
Oscar-nominated Canadian filmmaker Villeneuve to direct next James Bond film
Denis Villeneuve, fresh off his Dune success, will direct the next James Bond film, as announced by Amazon MGM Studios. Villeneuve, a lifelong Bond fan, aims to honor the franchise's tradition while paving the way for new missions. Amazon gained creative control after a financial agreement with long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson.
Kartik Aaryan Gearing Up For Bhool Bhulaiyaa 4? Latest Photo Leaves Fans Excited
Kartik took to his IG and dropped a picture in his famous Ruhi Baba avatar from the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' franchise.
Bored on Wednesdays without Love Island? Learn a new language with Babbel
As an OG Love Island watcher (circa 2015), believe me when I say the franchise has never been this big. From memes of the show to viral sounds being used by celebrities and businesses, Love Island USA has taken over my TikTok FYP and my Instagram feed. If you too are tuning in every day besides Hump Day, you know the withdrawal on Wednesdays is real. If youre looking to fill that 9 pm slot, try learning a new language with Babbel, now just $129.99 with StackSocials exclusive code LEARN40 . Whether you need help translating videos from Casa Amor (if you know, you know) or hope to one day speak another language to impress islanders (were manifesting here!), Babbel can help you learn another language. more
Kartik replaced Akshay Kumar in the 2022 horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and has been leading the franchise ever since. Both his films, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 were well received by the audience and even became massive hits at the box office.
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Jharkhand: BJP's poster featuring former CM Madhu Koda raises eyebrows
RANCHI: Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, featuring in the BJPs poster for the block level protest on June 24 on several issues, including deteriorating law and order and corruption prevailing in the Hemant government, has sparked controversy. The ruling alliance has been making a mockery of the BJP for making a person, who himself has been convicted in a corruption case, its face against corruption. Interestingly, in the poster posted by State BJP Chief Babulal Marandi on X, Madhu Koda has been given space at the centre, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed on the left corner and Marandi on the right corner. National President JP Nadda, State BJP Working President Ravindra Kumar Rai, Union Minister Annapurna Devi, Union Minister Sanjay Seth, former Chief Minister Arjun Munda, Raghuvar Das and Champai Soren also feature in the poster Taking a jibe at the BJP's poster over corruption, the Congress party commented, By inducting the corrupt people in its party, the BJP is agitating against corruption. The JMM also posted on X that, Look at the good thing ... BJP has given Madhu Koda ji a place in its poster with full respect. BJP leaders, however, refused to comment, expressing their ignorance over the issue. Seriously, we dont have any idea how Madhi Koda appeared in the poster. The BJP President will be the right person to comment on the issue, said a senior BJP functionary, requesting anonymity. Babulal Marandi could not be contacted for comments. Notably, this is the first time that the BJP has given a place to Madhu Koda, who was the Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2006 to 2008, in its poster. BJP's poster featuring former CM Madhu Koda There are many corruption cases against Madhu Koda, including the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scam, the Coal Scam, in many of which he has been convicted and in many cases are still pending. Madhu Koda was in jail for about 44 months in a corruption case. He was sentenced to three years ' imprisonment in the coal scam case. He even knocked the doors of the Supreme Court seeking a stay on his conviction, but he did not get any relief. Ever since Koda came out on bail, political parties have been keeping a distance from him. Madhu Koda's wife, Geeta Koda, won the 2019 election on a Congress ticket, but just before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, she joined the BJP in the presence of her husband. Despite Kodas presence in the BJPs election rallies, the party kept on denying that he has joined the BJP, keeping people in confusion. Even during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Koda was not given a place in the BJP posters. After the poll debacle in 2024, the BJP once again has started strengthening its organisation. Former Chief Minister Raghuvar Das returned to Jharkhand politics after resigning from the post of Odisha Governor, Arjun Munda is also trying to recover from his crushing defeat in Lok Sabha polls and his wife's defeat in the assembly elections. Babulal Marandi, holding the post of both the leader of the opposition and the state BJP president, claims zero tolerance towards corruption and has the responsibility of reviving the party in Jharkhand. Despite several efforts during the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, he kept Madhu Koda away from the party posters and did not let him become the face of the party. After the assembly elections, Madhu Koda met Babulal Marandi at his residence. It is believed that only after that did the relationship between the two leaders improve, and Madhu Koda, who is guilty in a corruption case, has been given space in the BJPs poster.
Election Commission orders special intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar
The aim is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included in electoral rolls to enable them to exercise their franchise
Poll Body To Begin Special Intensive Revision Of Electoral Rolls In Bihar
The Election Commission on Monday issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in th
The Jharkhand Home Guard Corps has announced recruitment for 1,614 Home Guard posts in Ranchi district, with online applications open from June 15 to June 30, 2025. The vacancies are split between rural and urban areas, with 50% reserved for women. Candidates must meet specific educational, physical, and residency requirements. The selection process includes physical tests, a Hindi writing test, and technical evaluation. Applications can be submitted online at recruitment.jharkhand.gov.in.
Couple crushed to death as house roof collapses during heavy rain in Jharkhand
RANCHI: In a tragic incident, a couple lost their lives when the roof of their dilapidated house collapsed due to heavy rain in Rasoia Dhamna Baratola village, under Barhi police station limits in Hazaribagh district. Habib Ansari (52) and his wife Jumera Khatoon (48) died late on Sunday night while they were sleeping in their room. The roof caved in amid continuous downpour, burying them under the debris. Villagers rushed to their aid, pulling them out from the rubble and taking them to the Barhi Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors declared both of them dead. Barhi Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Johan Tudu said the couple was sleeping in one room at the time of the incident, while other family members who were in separate rooms escaped unhurt. The rescue and relief team reached the spot and cleared the debris to recover the bodies, the SDO said, adding that the victims' family will receive compensation as per government provisions. Both bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Notably, Jharkhand has been witnessing continuous rainfall for the past week, severely disrupting normal life. Torrential rain, accompanied by lightning, has led to over a dozen deaths across the state, including three children, while injuring several others and leaving many stranded in flood-hit areas. The monsoon, which entered Jharkhand on June 17, has since intensified. According to the Meteorological Centre in Ranchi, a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is now moving across the state, resulting in widespread heavy rain. A yellow alert has been issued for several districts including Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla, Saraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Simdega from 24 to June 26. Thunderstorms are also expected in many of these areas during the same period.
RANCH: Chakradharpur (CKP) Division under South Eastern Railway is all set to install an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Elephant Intrusion Detection System (EIDS) soon to prevent elephants from being mowed down by the speeding trains in Jharkhand. The Intrusion Detection System, for which a successful trail was completed recently along the Barabamboo-Chakradharpur-Lotapahar section, detects the presence of elephants close to the rail track and informs the loco pilots on time so that they can 'slow down' the speeding train. Two elephants, Jyoti and Sonu, were arranged from Vantara for the testing to assess the impact of EIDS. The system will operate through fibre optics and sensors. This step will prove to be very crucial in the Kolhan region, where a large number of elephants cross railway tracks regularly and many of them are hit by trains and killed. The system has been developed by Indian Railways in association with the Forest Department. The railway officials have identified such spots where elephants move frequently and will install the system at such places. According to Railway officials, the system works within a radius of 30 meters on both sides of the railway track. When a herd of elephants comes within the radius, the system immediately sends an alert to the nearest station master. The station master will inform the train driver through the wireless system, after which the speed of the train is slowed down, said Senior DCM Adiyta Kumar Chaudhary. After the elephants cross the track, the speed of the train is normalised, he added. Notably, a herd of wild elephants roams in nearly 18 districts of Jharkhand, due to which at many occasions they get killed after being hit by trains on railway tracks. According to the data provided by the Forest Department, on average 12 to 20 elephants are killed in train accidents every year in Jharkhand. Most accidents occur in the Chakradharpur Railway Division, while half a dozen elephants have also been killed in the last five years in the Ranchi Railway Division. Many times, a herd of elephants encamp on the railway track, disrupting rail services. Not only elephants, but Railways also suffer losses due to such incidents, as there is always a danger of the train getting derailed. To prevent such incidents and to save elephants from getting hit by the trains, the Railways is preparing this AI-equipped Elephant Intuition Detection System device for Rs 15 crore and is taking the final step towards installing it.
Polling underway in 3,894 gram panchayats in Gujarat
The State Election Commission (SEC) said 81 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect 3,656 sarpanchs and 16,224 panchayat members
Afghan national arrested with forged Indian passport at Bhubaneswar airport
BHUBANESWAR: Amid rising national security concerns over illegal infiltration and potential espionage threats , an Afghan national masquerading as an Indian citizen was arrested at Biju Patnaik International Airport, police sources said on Sunday. The accused, identified as Mohammad Yousaf alias Yaha Khan, was caught red-handed on his arrival from Dubai on an IndiGo flight. He was using a forged Indian passport. The Airport police arrested Yousaf on Saturday on the complaint of DSP (immigration) Samapika Pattnaik whose team during a routine immigration clearance of Flight No. 6E-1488 arriving from Dubai spotted him with the counterfeit Indian passport (No. U1380251) issued in the name of Yaha Khan, purportedly a resident of Cuttack. Acting on suspicion, the immigration team conducted a thorough background check, which revealed a discreet look out circular (LOC) issued from Kolkata airport against the accused. Further system verification confirmed that the person was, in fact, Mohammad Yousaf, a 54-year-old man from Afghanistan, holding a genuine Afghan passport (No. 02457655). Police sources said he had allegedly illegally entered India in 2018, adopting a false Indian identity and securing official documents through forged means. Investigations revealed that Yousaf had fraudulently acquired multiple Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar (No. 2347 1649 4378), PAN (BERPK1646E), Voter ID (YNY1493030) and Driving License (OR0519910002562) apart from the fake Indian passport. He had been residing in Peyton Sahi, Buxi Bazar area of Cuttack and operating as alias Yaha Khan, successfully blending into society while concealing his true identity. He not only lived undetected for years but also misused the forged documents to travel, conduct business, and open bank accounts across states. Officials have expressed concern that such forged identities could be used for espionage, smuggling, or terror-related activities, especially at a time when India is facing heightened intelligence threats. Sources said Yousaf confessed to his real identity during interrogation and admitted to fabricating multiple Indian documents. The investigating team also seized fake identity cards, foreign currencies, Rs 80,000 in cash, a smartphone, two gold earrings, a motorcycle registration certificate and bank documents in the forged name from his possession. The accused has been produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Further investigation is underway to uncover any wider network and potential national security implications. We are now investigating the network that might have aided him in obtaining these documents and whether he was part of a larger sleeper cell or illegal intelligence operation, said an official. India not 'dharmshala,' Ranchi 'converted to Karachi': BJP wants action against alleged infiltration in Jharkhand
Air India Express Flight To Patna Diverted To Varanasi Due To Bad Weather
Earlier in the week, on Monday, another Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi had to return to the national capital shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue
Traffic cop hit by speeding truck, dies
In a tragic incident on NH-33 in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, a speeding truck struck a police bike, resulting in the death of constable Nand Kishore Thakur. The accident occurred while Thakur and constable Gajender Singh were patrolling near a toll plaza. Singh sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment in a Ranchi hospital as authorities search for the truck driver.
Nandini booths, parlours to get a facelift
Currently, Nandini as 16,644 milk agents, 1,117 parlours, 1,266 franchisees and 198 shoppees
Drishyam 3 big update: Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph crime drama set to start rolling
The third installment of the popular Malayalam film franchise will go on floors in October 2025, the makers have announced
Ranchi Diary | JMM likely to go it alone in Bihar Assembly polls
Days after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was left out of two INDIA bloc meetings held recently to discuss seat-sharing for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, the party has decided to go it alone. Party spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya has exuded confidence in the JMMs ability to hold its own in the polls and stressed that it has its own identity. The party has also expressed dissatisfaction with the INDI alliances preparation for the polls, which are due later this year. The JMM has already identified 12 seats where it wants to field its candidates in Bihar Assembly polls. Police to seek Google help for traffic updates Whats worse than being stuck in a traffic snarl while heading for work or running late for a class? Luckily, some relief is in the offing. The Ranchi Police is set to have an audience with Google India on how to keep the public updated about the latest traffic and road conditions. All congestion points, road blockades and disturbances will be depicted on Google Maps to warn the motorists beforehand and avoid further snarl-ups. This is not the first initiative by cops to ease traffic woes. The Ranchi traffic police have also issued helpline numbers that commuters can call up or message to highlight the cause of snarl-ups across the city. Now, cough up Rs 1,000 if found smoking in public Have you non-smokers ever found yourself enjoying a pleasant day out when the acrid whiff of cigarette smoke spoilt your mood? Well, worry not. President Droupadi Murmu recently gave her assent to an amendment Bill passed four years ago in the Jharkhand Assembly, enhancing the fine for smoking cigarettes at a public place from a measly Rs 200 to Rs 1,000. The fivefold rise in the penalty is likely to deter even the most notorious public smokers. Notably, just a month before the Bill was passed, the state Cabinet had also cleared a proposal to ban hookah bars. The government had clarified that violators would face jail or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
Nine killed in wedding return trip as car collides with trailer on Jharkhand-Bengal border
RANCHI: Nine people died in a road accident on the JharkhandWest Bengal border while returning from a wedding procession in Purulia, West Bengal. The incident took place on Friday morning when the car carrying them met with a horrific accident. Officer-in-charge of Neemdih police station, Santan Tiwari, confirmed the deaths of all nine occupants. According to Tiwari, nine people travelling in a Mahindra Bolero died in a crash at Namshol under the Balrampur police station area of West Bengal, which borders the Chandil subdivision of Jharkhands Seraikela-Kharsawan district. All the deceased were returning from Tilaitan village (Neemdih) after attending a wedding procession. Eyewitnesses said that as soon as the car carrying the wedding guests reached Namshol on the ChandilPurulia National Highway, a speeding trailer coming from the opposite direction rammed into it head-on. The collision was so severe that the car was shattered, killing eight people on the spot. One critically injured person was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to injuries, said an eyewitness on condition of anonymity. Locals stated that the trailer was moving at a very high speed and the driver lost control at a turn. Following the accident, police from Balrampur and Chandil, along with administrative officials, rushed to the spot. The bodies were recovered from the mangled vehicle and sent for post-mortem. Police have seized the trailer, but the driver fled the scene and is currently absconding. A search is on to trace him. The local administration has assured all possible assistance and compensation to the victims' families. The deceased have been identified as car owner Biru Mahato, Banka alias Chandramohan Mahato, Ajay Mahato, Vijay Mahato, Sapan Mahato, Gurupad Mahato, Shashank Mahato, Chittaranjan Mahato, and Munda alias Krishna Mahato. All were residents of Mahato Tola in Tilaitar village under the Neemdih police station area of Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
Untreated sewage discharged into canal irrigating 12,762 acres: Farmers in TN'S Thoothukudi
THOOTHUKUDI: Farmers raised strong concerns over pollution of the Melakal canal and demanded reforms in water distribution from the Thamirabarani river during the agriculture grievance redressal meeting held in the district on Thursday. The meeting, chaired by District Revenue Officer (DRO) A Ravichandran, was attended by officials from the agriculture, revenue, and other departments. P Arumuganainar, a farmer from V Kovilpathu near Seithunganallur, complained that civic bodies in Vittilapuram, V Kovilpathu, Seithunganallur, and other villages under Karungulam union were discharging untreated wastewater directly into the Melakal canal. This canal, branching off from the Maruthur anaicut on the Thamirabarani river, irrigates over 12,762 acres through 17 system tanks. He alleged that Karungulam union authorities had constructed drain canals that led straight into the Melakal canal, contaminating the water and resulting in weed growth, livestock diseases, and health hazards for the local population. When questioned by DRO Ravichandran, Karungulam union officials admitted that the drain canals were indeed connected up to the junction of the streets and canal. They informed the administration that plans are underway to construct soak pits to prevent wastewater from mixing with irrigation water. Meanwhile, Maharaj Paldurai, a farmer from Sathankulam, demanded that the district administration ensure surplus water from the Thamirabarani river be diverted to the Sadayaneri flood carrier canal. He criticised the current system, claiming that surplus water is being directed to system tanks, sidelining arid areas such as Udangudi and Sathankulam. Citing a G.O from 1985, Paldurai pointed out that six tanks, including Vellamadamkulam, Udayarkulam, Muthalaikulam, and Velarikaiyoorani, were granted access to the Sadayaneri canal. He argued that this allocation was unjust and called for the scrapping of the GO, stressing that system tanks should be filled progressively through their respective channels as per traditional British-era practices. The Sadayaneri canal, constructed in 1973, carries floodwater from Kalvai tank to the Sadayaneri tank in Udangudi union. It was further extended to Puthantharuvai in 1991.
Jemimah Rodrigues retained by Brisbane Heat in WBBL draft
Jemimah Rodrigues retained by Brisbane Heat in WBBL draft, with international players picked by other franchises
5 Assembly bypolls in 4 states largely peaceful; Nilambur in Kerala records 73 pc turnout
LUDHIANA/AHMEDABAD: Bypolls were held in five Assembly segments across Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat and Kerala on Thursday, with the Nilambur seat in Kerala registering a voter turnout of 73.26 per cent, and Ludiana West in Punjab recording a polling percentage of 51.33 per cent. The polling that commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm was largely peaceful, with the exception of a few isolated incidents, officials said. While the deaths of the incumbent MLAs necessitated the bypolls in one seat each in Gujarat, West Bengal and Punjab, the resignation of two legislators led to the polling in Kerala and another seat in Gujarat. The counting of votes for all the seats will be taken up on June 23. Nilambur in Kerala saw a steady turnout through the day, recording a turnout of 73.26 per cent, according to the latest figures released by the Election Commission, which said the numbers might be updated later. In the 2021 assembly polls, the turnout in Nilambur was 75.20 per cent. People came out in good numbers at the 263 polling booths across the constituency, which has over 2.32 lakh voters. Among the 10 contestants, the key contenders are ruling LDF's pick M Swaraj, Aryadan Shoukath of the Congress-led UDF, TMC state convenor and Independent nominee P V Anvar and Mohan George of the BJP-led NDA. Anvar, whose resignation as the MLA from Nilambur necessitated the bypoll, claimed that neither of the three fronts -- UDF, LDF and NDA -- discussed local issues like wild-animal attacks during their campaigns. Presently the state convener of the TMC, Anvar resigned as the MLA after severing ties with the CPI(M)-led LDF over certain allegations levelled by him against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his close aides. The final voter list includes 1,13,613 men, 1,18,760 women, and 8 transgender persons, with 7,787 first-time voters, 373 overseas voters, and 324 service voters. In Gujarat, the Visavadar seat in Junagadh district recorded a poll percentage of 56.89, and Kadi in Mehsana district saw a voter turnout of 57.90 per cent, officials said. The state government declared a public holiday on Thursday in both the constituencies. The BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fielded their candidates in the two seats. The Visavadar seat was lying vacant since December 2023 after then AAP legislator Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the BJP. The Kadi seat, reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, fell vacant on February 4 following the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki. Till 5 pm, 41 complaints were received from citizens through the C-Vigil app, out of which 34 were resolved within 100 minutes, officials said. In Visavadar, BJP candidate Kirit Patel and Congress nominee Nitin Ranpariya cast their votes in the early hours. The AAP has fielded its former Gujarat president, Gopal Italia, from Visavadar. He is not registered as a voter in the constituency. Despite its near-total dominance in the state, the BJP has not won the Visavadar seat since 2007. Party leaders are hopeful of overcoming the 18-year jinx this time. In the 2022 Assembly polls, Bhayani defeated BJP's Harshad Ribadiya, a Congress turncoat and former MLA, by 7,063 votes. The BJP has fielded Rajendra Chavda from Kadi, while the Congress has given ticket to former MLA Ramesh Chavda. Chavda won the seat in 2012, but lost it to the BJP's Karsanbhai Solanki in 2017. Like Visavadar, Kadi will also witness a three-way fight, with the AAP fielding Jagdish Chavda. In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, the BJP has 161 legislators, the Congress 12 and the AAP four. While one seat is with the Samajwadi Party, two are with independents. The bypoll to the Ludhiana West Assembly seat in Punjab recorded a turnout of 51.33 per cent, a sharp drop from the 64 per cent polling registered in the 2022 Assembly elections, officials said. The polling, which remained peaceful, sealed the fate of 14 candidates in the fray for the urban constituency, which fell vacant after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. The bypoll's outcome will throw light on the popularity of the AAP regime's policies and programmes among the urban voters of the constituency. Stakes are also high for the Congress, the main opposition party that won the seat six times in the past. Prestige is at stake for the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as well. AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora exercised his franchise along with his family members in the morning, and later paid obeisance at a gurdwara, a temple and the Dargah Pir in Phillaur. Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, BJP nominee Jiwan Gupta and SAD's Parupkar Singh Ghuman also cast their votes. A total of 1,75,469 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise, including 85,371 women and 10 belonging to the third gender. The voting process was monitored real-time from the integrated command and control centre at the district administrative complex. A total of 235 CCTV cameras were installed at the polling stations, officials said. At Kaliganj in West Bengal's Nadia district, a voter turnout of 69.85 per cent was recorded till 5 pm. Polling has been peaceful. There was no report of any incident from anywhere in and around the constituency. Till 5 pm, the polling was 69.85 per cent, an election official told PTI. Sources said the polling percentage may go up as there were queues outside the polling booths. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Trinamool Congress MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed in February. The ruling party has fielded his daughter, Alifa Ahamed, for the bypoll. The BJP has nominated Ashis Ghosh for the contest, while Congress candidate Kabil Uddin Shaikh is in the fray with the support of the CPI(M). Fourteen companies of central forces were deployed across the constituency to ensure free-and-fair polling. Minor tension was reported from a few booths. At Chandghar Adarsha Vidyapith's booth No. 56, the Congress alleged that its polling agent was forcibly removed by Trinamool workers, an allegation denied by the ruling party. BJP nominee Ghosh alleged that officials deliberately applied indelible ink on his middle finger instead of the index finger under the insistence of Trinamool agents. First, they missed putting the ink on my finger when I went to vote. Then, after I noticed it and returned, they deliberately marked my middle finger. This is a pre-planned political conspiracy by the TMC, Ghosh alleged. Poll officials confirmed that no rules were violated but said they have sought a report from the district magistrate regarding the incident. The Election Commission said webcasting was done at all but one polling station of the five seats. A total of 1,354 polling stations were set up for the bypolls and webcasting was held at 1,353 of them, the poll authority said. This was also the first time that the EC provided a mobile-phone deposit facility to the voters. The deposit centres were set up outside the polling stations. So far, no such facility was available and some voters hid phones in their clothes and carried those inside the polling stations, which is against rules.
Ludhiana (West) assembly bypoll sees 51.33% voter turnout in four-cornered contest
CHANDIGARH: The voter turnout in the Ludhiana (West) assembly bypoll as per data uploaded till 7 pm was approximately 51.33%, said Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C. As part of a new initiative, the polling data has been uploaded by the presiding officer at the polling station on the ECINET app. The voting started at all polling booths at 7 am on Thursday morning. Till 9 am, the polling percentage was just 8.50% as a few people gathered at the booths early in the morning to avoid the hot weather later in the day. Till 11 am, it was 21.51% and then went up to 33.42% till 1 pm, 41.04% till 3 pm and 49.07% till 5 pm. At many polling booths, candidates and their supporters arranged lunch or snacks, due to which many voters reportedly went around lunch time to cast their vote. A majority of the electorate belongs to the middle class and they did not seem to be in a hurry to reach the polling stations. The Election Commission of India (ECI) provided vehicle assistance to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The initiative received widespread appreciation. The Congress has fielded 51-year-old Bharat Bhusan Ashu who served as MLA twice from this seat in 2012 and 2017. He was defeated by Gurpreet Bassi alias Gogi by a margin of 7,512 votes in the 2022 Punjab assembly polls. Ashu was food and civil supplies minister in the previous Congress government. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora is the nominee of the ruling AAP. He is a Ludhiana-based industrialist also known for his social work. The 61-year-old runs the Krishna Pran Breast Cancer Charitable Trust. Arora has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2022. The SAD named Parupkar Singh Ghuman as its candidate for the bypoll. He is a lawyer and the former president of the Ludhiana bar. The BJP fielded Jivan Gupta who is a member of the core committee of the Punjab unit of the party. He was earlier the party's state general secretary. Ludhiana (West) bypoll a litmus test for AAP and CM Mann, prestige at stake for Congress, BJP A total of 194 polling stations were set up with live webcasting facility. Also, designated counters were put up at the entrance of polling stations for voters to securely deposit their mobile devices. These counters were managed by trained volunteers using jute or cloth bag mobile holders. Due to the recent decision of the ECI to reduce the number of electors in a polling station to 1200, two auxiliary polling stations were set up to facilitate voting. One all-women personnel polling station, one all-PWD personnel polling station and ten model polling stations were also set up. As per revised instructions of the ECI, candidates were allowed to set up their booths at a distance of 100m from the entrance of the polling stations, which was an added convenience for voters, especially those not carrying their voter information slips. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, all polling stations in Ludhiana West have made arrangements for safe mobile phone deposit aims to enhance the voter experience while at the same time upholding the secrecy of voting, the chief electoral officer said in a post on X. In the morning, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appealed to voters to cast their votes in the bypoll. My appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is that you must exercise your right to vote. You must fulfill your duty for the development and progress of your area. Do not consider today a holiday, definitely go and cast your vote, Mann said in a post on X in Punjabi. The Ludhiana West assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi in January. Fourteen candidates are in the fray and 1,75,469 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise including 85,371 women and 10 from the third gender. The counting of votes will be held on June 23.
Nagaland releases one lakh fingerlings into Chichung river
Dimapur: Fisheries and aquatic resources department on Thursday organised a river ranching programme at Chichung river in Mokokchung district of Nagaland, releasing one lakh fingerlings into the river. The programme was organised under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana Scheme 2024-2025. Speaking on the occasion, director, fisheries and aquatic resources department, Rongsennungba said the department [] The post Nagaland releases one lakh fingerlings into Chichung river appeared first on NorthEast Now .
Jharkhand rains: Bodies of two boys trapped under collapsed well found, girl dies as house caves in
RANCHI : Bodies of the two schoolboys who were trapped for over 22 hours under soil after a well collapsed due to heavy rain in Jharkhand's Khunti district were recovered on Thursday, an official said. A 10-year-old girl was also killed after a mud house in Ranchi district caved in during the day, police said. As rain continued to lash various parts of the state, a bridge and an abandoned residential building also collapsed in different districts, while several rivers were in spate. No casualty was reported in these incidents. The two schoolboys, aged nine and 10 years, were near the under-construction well at Murhu panchayat under Murhu police station limits when it collapsed around 2 pm on Wednesday. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been deployed in the rescue operation, Khunti Deputy Commissioner R Ronita told PTI. The rescue operation continued since Wednesday night and the bodies of the two boys were found around 12.30 pm on Thursday, an official said. A 10-year-old girl also died after her mud house collapsed in heavy rain at Murpa village under Tamar police station area in Ranchi district. She was alone in the house when it collapsed, police said. A portion of a bridge on the Banai River in Khunti's Torpa also collapsed due to heavy rain, blocking the Khunti-Simdega road. Ronita said a diversion was created there and the NDRF team also deployed at that spot. Heavy rain lashed several districts including Ranchi, Seraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum, throwing normal life out of gear. Schools in several districts including Ranchi and Khunti have been closed on Thursday in view of the heavy rains. Ranchi has been witnessing incessant rains for the past two days and its intensity has increased since Thursday morning, a weather official said. An abandoned residential building belonging to Tayo Rolls Company, a subsidiary of Tata Steel, collapsed on Thursday morning at Gamharia in Seraikela-Kharsawan district. In a statement, Tata Steel said the building had earlier been vacated, barricaded and declared unsafe for habitation. An alert has been sounded in the steel city of Jamshedpur in view of the swelling of rivers Kharkhai and Swarnarekha due to incessant rains for the last two days. The water level of both rivers reached near the danger mark, an official statement on Thursday said. The East Singhbhum district administration asked the people living in catchment areas along two rivers to be alert. Deputy director at Ranchi Meteorological Centre Abhishek Anand said a red alert of extremely heavy rainfall has been sounded for Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti and Simdega as a low pressure system is laying over northeast Jharkhand.
NEET-UG paper leak case: ED raids underway in Ranchi, Patna
RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids in Ranchi and Patna in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case since Thursday morning. The ED raid still continues and many important clues related to it are expected to be unearthed. The agency is investigating the identity and money trail of other people involved in this entire racket. According to ED sources, the agency is carrying out searches at multiple locations, including Bariatu in Ranchi and several locations in Patna, particularly those linked to relatives of the alleged mastermind, Sanjeev Mukhiya. The raids are part of the EDs investigation into suspected money laundering related to the NEET paper leak. The ED is now investigating the financial aspects of the case, which includes finding out how much illegal money was earned through the paper leak and how the money was transacted. NEET UG 2024 paper leak mastermind arrested in Bihar The agency initiated the action after registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) based on the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The NEET paper leak came to light following the examination held on May 5, 2024. The initial probe was launched by the Economic Offences Unit in Patna before the case was handed over to the CBI. So far, the CBI has named eight individuals as accused in the case, including Sanjeev Mukhiya, Sikandar Yadavendu, Ayush Raj, Rocky, Amit Anand, Nitish Kumar, Bittu, and Akhilesh. Meanwhile, the ED is now focused on tracing the flow of illegal money generated through the leak and understanding how the financial transactions were conducted. Notably, after the suspicion of the paper leak in the NEET-UG exam held on 5 May 2024, Patna EOU (Economic Offenses Unit) first started the investigation, after which, the case was handed over to the CBI. The CBI registered an FIR and made eight people accused in the case. CBI takes NEET-UG 2024 question paper leak kingpin Sanjeev Mukhiya on four-day remand
Security forces recover 14 IEDs, huge cache of explosives from Jharkhand's Saranda forest
RANCHI: In yet another achievement by the security forces, as many as 14 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a huge cache of explosives weighing more than 50 kg were recovered during a search operation in the forests of Chitpil under Toklo Police Station in Chaibasa. The IEDs were destroyed at the spot by the bomb disposal squad due to security reasons. According to police, following a tip-off, a joint operation was launched involving personnel from Jharkhand Police and the CRPFs 60th Battalion. The operation was focused on forested and hilly areas near the ChaibasaSeraikela border, a region known for frequent Maoist activity. During the search operation, the security forces discovered 14 powerful improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted with an intent to ambush patrolling units. Due to security reasons, these IEDs were safely defused by the bomb disposal squad, stated an official communique from Chaibasa Police. In addition to that, an underground Maoist explosive storage site was found, containing 52 polybags filled with nearly 52 kgs of a white powder suspected to be ammonium nitrate commonly used for making bombs by the Maoists, it said. To prevent any potential misuse, the explosives were destroyed on-site, and the storage facility was dismantled. A case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act, and the CLA Act, stated the official communique. Meanwhile, the security forces continue to monitor the area and are on high alert for any further movement of senior Maoist leaders. Notably, Maoists are now restricted only to the Saranda jungles in Jharkhand as they have been wiped out from other pockets of the state. According to an estimate, around 85 - 90 Maoists are supposed to be hiding in Saranda jungles, where they have planted thousands of IEDs, which have become a challenge for the security forces. The state police have launched a joint operation in Kolhan and Saranda jungles of Chaibasa in November 2022. The joint operation, conducted by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police, was launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders in the region, including Misir Besra, a senior CPI(Maoist) commander with a bounty of Rs one crore on his head.
BCCI Asked to Pay This Former IPL Franchise Rs 538.84 Crore; Here's Why?
As per Bombay High Court's ruling, the BCCI must pay Rs 385.50 crore to Kochi Cricket Private Limited and Rs 153.34 crore to Rendezvous Sports World, the two stakeholders of the now-defunct franchise.
ED raids in Bihar constable recruitment 'scam' linked PMLA case
At least a dozen locations in Patna and Nalanda in Bihar, Ranchi (Jharkhand), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Kolkata (West Bengal) are being covered under PMLA
ED conducts multi-state raids in PMLA case linked to Bihar constable recruitment 'scam'
PATNA: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted multi-state raids in connection with a money laundering investigation into an alleged scam in the recruitment of constables in Bihar during 2023, official sources said. At least a dozen locations in Patna and Nalanda in Bihar, Ranchi (Jharkhand), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Kolkata (West Bengal) are being covered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The masterminds of this alleged scam are the same as that of NEET UG Paper Leak Scam of 2024, they said.
