MUMBAI: Two persons were killed, and as many others sustained injuries in a landslide amid heavy rains in the eastern suburb of Vikhroli here on Saturday, civic officials said. The incident took place around 2.39 am at Varsha Nagar in Vikhroli Parksite, which falls under the collector's jurisdiction, they said. Soil and stones from a nearby hillock collapsed on a hut, injuring four persons, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. He said the victims, who belong to one

RANCHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, Ramgarh district of Jharkhand will soon have an army of one lakh volunteers named Aapda Mitra. They are trained to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. The target was achieved within two months of Deputy Commissioner Faiz-Aq Ahmed Mumtaz taking charge in June this year. CPR is a life-saving technique in emergencies when someone is facing breathing problems or when the heartbeat has stopped due to a heart attack. Perf

AHMEDABAD: On the eve of Janmashtami, a Rs 201 Makhan mishri offering scheme in the name of Gujarats famed Dwarkadhish temple has been exposed as cyber fraud. The fake offer, floated by an outfit called Ghar Mandir, was dismissed by the temple administration, which clarified that official prasad is available only in person or via its authorised website. The con, unmasked just a day before the festivities, revolves around a website called Ghar Mandir. Posing as a divine service, it offers to deli

Ramgarh Dam rain plan left high and dry Jaipur got a taste of tech comedy on Tuesday as Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meenas AI-powered drones triedand spectacularly failedto make it rain at Ramgarh Dam. The famous Ramgarh, once the biggest source of water for the Rajasthan capital, has turned dry in recent years. Thousands gathered for the grand puja and show that was slated to bring artificial rain to revive Ramgarh. However, the public ultimately ended up watching the drones wobble, crash,

GUWAHATI: The Northeast celebrated the 79th Independence Day despite calls from militant groups ULFA-Independent and the Yung Aung faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland to boycott the event. The celebrations passed off peacefully, except for a petrol bomb attack in Shillong, Meghalaya, by motorcycle-borne miscreants in the early hours. The incident caused no damage. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned, We, the Assamese, cannot stay silent or else, we will lose our rac

NEW DELHI: The failure to seek a legal opinion to understand the rules of appeal has led to the National Medical Commission (NMC) rejecting patients complaints of medical negligence and misconduct against doctors. If the NMC, that regulates medical education, medical professionals, institutes, and research, had sought legal opinion, as many as 162 patients complaints against doctors about medical negligence would not have been rejected. The NMC had internally discussed the patients right to appe

NEW DELHI: The CPM said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising RSS in his Independence Day speech is deeply regrettable. Party general secretary MA Baby said that the organisation, which was banned following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, had no contribution to the freedom struggle and always attempts to weaken national unity. Taking to X, Baby wrote, It is deeply regrettable that Prime Minister Modi, in his #IndependenceDay address from the Red Fort, chose to praise the RSS

NEW DELHI: Terming his Independence Day address stale, hypocritical, and troubling, the Congress on Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the RSS in the speech, alleging that the ruling BJP is ready to go to any extent of immorality to remain in power, and that several irregularities in elections are emerging across the country. After hoisting the national flag at the Congress headquarters, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that oppositions votes are being openl

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday that his government would soon set up a high-powered demography mission to deal with unlawful entry of foreign nationals in the country. The announcement comes in the wake of the Oppositions allegations that the BJP is misusing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar to target immigrants, especially those belonging to the minority community. In his Independence Day speech delivered from the ramparts of the Red F

RANCHI: Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren, 62, who had suffered a head injury after he fell in the bathroom at his residence early in the morning on August 2, finally succumbed to his injuries during treatment at Apollo Hospital in Delhi. Immediately after the incident, Soren was admitted to Tata Motors Hospital in Jamshedpur for treatment, but was referred to Apollo Hospital in Delhi for better treatment. Then he was airlifted from Jamshedpur Airport to Apollo Hospital in Delhi under sp

MUMBAI: After Raj Thackeray asserted the Thackeray brand in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that both the Thackeray brothers-- Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray--after joining hands over the language row, are set to join hands politically for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other municipal corporation elections. Sanjay Raut said that Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are in talks to tie for the upcoming BMC, Nasik, Thane, and other municipal corporation elections

NEW DELHI: Giving a final push towards the selection of the consensus candidate for Vice President, members of the BJP Parliamentary Board will convene on the evening of August 17 to finalise the NDA's candidate for the post of Vice President of India. At a meeting held at the residence of BJP National President JP Nadda on Friday, senior BJP leaders including Union Cabinet Ministers for Home and Defence gathered for hours to deliberate on the Vice Presidential candidature. The NDA has entrust

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modis I-Day announcement to create employment opportunities for 3.5 crore young Indians, saying that it is a rehearsed figure of an old promise, and accused him of running Rs 1 lakh crore rhetoric Season 2 and delivering little in the last 11 years. Rs 1 lakh crore rhetoric - Season 2! Even after 11 years, Modi jis same old rhetoric, same rehearsed figures, Gandhi posted in Hindi on X. In his I-Day add

NEW DELHI: Giving a final push towards the selection of the consensus candidate for Vice President, members of the BJP Parliamentary Board will convene on the evening of August 17 to finalise the NDA's candidate for the post of Vice President of India. At a meeting held at the residence of BJP National President JP Nadda on Friday, senior BJP leaders, including Union Cabinet Ministers for Home and Defence. gathered for hours to deliberate on the Vice Presidential candidature. The NDA has entrust

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann introduced a reward policy to felicitate Police officers performing well in the ongoing anti-drug campaign. Addressing the gathering at the state-level function to mark 79th Independence Day here at Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium in Fardikot, CM Mann said that a first-time reward policy has been started in Punjab Police to felicitate cops performing well in the war against drugs. Under this policy, Rs 1.20 lakh will be given to the officers who re

As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day, both the United States and Russia praised the countrys growing global influence, highlighting the strategic value of their ties with New Delhi, especially significant amid shifting global dynamics and the backdrop President Donald Trumps tariffs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement, called the US-India relationship consequential and far-reaching, despite ongoing trade frictions. Our nations share a vision for a more peaceful and secure In

NEW DELHI: On the first of its launch, nearly 1.4 lakh users purchased annual FASTag pass on Friday. According to the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), the Annual Pass has received an overwhelming response and till 7 PM on the first day of implementation, around 1.4 lakh users purchased abd activated the annual pass and around 1.39 lakh transactions were recorded on toll plazas. The ministry said that officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials have been

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retd.) on Thursday convened a high-level meeting to assess the state's response to the recent disaster in Dharali and to reinforce preparedness for the ongoing monsoon season. Reviewing relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts at the State Emergency Operation Centre in IT Park, the Governor underscored the critical importance of strategic learning and continuous vigilance. Emphasising the need for introspection and future readiness, Governo

NEW DELHI: Hailing the role of women in shaping Indias economic and social progress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that every sector now proudly acknowledges the strength of Indias nari shakti (women power). Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Indias 79th Independence Day, Modi said, Today, everyone has started acknowledging the power of women in India. Our women are not just beneficiaries of the growing economy, they have significantly contributed to its acc

CHENNAI: Governor of Nagaland and former MP and State president of Tamil Nadu BJP La Ganesan passed away here at a private hospital on Friday evening. He was 80. Ganesan has been in the hospital since August 8 after he reportedly sustained a head injury at his residence in T Nagar. He was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state, following which he underwent a surgery as well. His mortal remains will be placed at his T Nagar residence for the political leaders and others to pay their last

PATNA: An interstate criminal carrying a bounty of Rs.50,000 on his head was killed in a fierce encounter with police in Bihars Vaishali district on Friday. Arvind Sahni, 30, had escaped from a court lockup after evading police in Samastipur district on May 28 this year and had been on the run since. According to police, he was involved in at least 22 cases of murder, loot, dacoity, and arms deals across Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, and East Champaran districts. A police constable was inju

GUWAHATI: The Northeast celebrated the 79th Independence Day on Thursday despite calls from militant groups ULFA-Independent and the Yung Aung faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland urging people to boycott the occasion. The celebrations passed off peacefully, except for a minor incident in Meghalayas capital Shillong, where motorcycle-borne miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the Pasteur Beat House in the early hours. The attack caused no significant damage. In his Independence Da

BURDWAN/PATNA: Ten pilgrims from Bihar died and 35 others were injured as their bus rammed into a truck parked on the roadside in West Bengal's Burdwan town on Friday, officials said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the accident and announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased. The pilgrims, who belonged to Motihari in Bihar's East Champaran district, were returning home after visiting Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas district when the accident

LUCKNOW: A shocking case of identity fraud and religious conversion came to light in Varanasi on Wednesday, as Sarnath police arrested Sharaf Rizvi from Farrukhabad for posing as a Hindu man named Samrat Singh and allegedly marrying multiple Hindu women under false pretences. Rizvi was caught after a woman from Sarnath filed a complaint, accusing him of duping her into a relationship by promising marriage, extorting 5 lakh, and pressuring her to convert to Islam. The accused has since been reman

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Finance has proposed restructuring of the existing system of Goods and Services Tax (GST) for ease of compliance, enhanced stability and better rate rationalization, confirmed sources from the Ministry. Additionally, to do away with the confusion and complications due to multiple GST rates levied on several goods and services, the centre has proposed to introduce a two-rate structure -- where the items will be classified as merit goods and de-merit goods. There will be

PUNE: Three workers died of suffocation inside a drainage chamber while laying optical fiber cables in the neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday, police said. The incident took place in Nigdi area, said an official. The deceased were identified as Datta Holare, Lakhan Dhawre and Sahebrao Girsep, all contractual workers. They had got down into the chamber to inspect it when they suffocated, said the police official. Further investigation is on, he said.

KOLKATA: At least 39 school students fell ill due to intense heat and high humidweather conditions during the parade of the Independence Day programme organized by the West Bengal Government in Red Road, Kolkata on Friday. The students were taken to the emergency department of the SSKM Hospital nearby for treatment. According to hospital sources, 39 students have been brought for treatment and all of them are out of danger. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was present in the Red Ro

CHANDIGARH: On the 79th Independence Day, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a series of major initiatives, including the launch of the Anti-Chitta Volunteer Scheme , the formation of the Nasha Mukti Roktham and Punarvas Board , and a 3,000 crore disaster mitigation and livelihood project. Addressing the state-level function at Sarkaghat in Mandi district after unfurling the national flag, the Chief Minister expressed deep concern over the growing problem of chitta

NEW DELHI: At least 12 people were injured on Friday evening after a structure being built near the Humayun's Tomb in Delhi's Nizamuddin area collapsed, officials said. Police said that a total of 10 to 12 victims were rescued from the debris after a call regarding the incident was received at 3.55 PM. They suffered injuries and were sent to different hospitals, including AIIMS Trauma and LNJP hospitals. Multiple rescue agencies, including the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Police, NDRF and De

NEW DELHI: A portion of Humayun's Tomb in Delhi's Nizamuddin area collapsed on Friday with the authorities saying that eight to nine people are feared trapped. A call regarding a portion of a dome falling was received around 4.30 pm, a Delhi Fire Services official said. Eight to nine people are feared trapped and five fire tenders have been rushed, the official said. The monument is a mid-16th century mausoleum that is frequented by tourists. VIDEO | Delhi: A portion of the structure at Humayuns

AHMEDABAD: A shocking case of caste-based violence has emerged from Gujarats Junagadh district, where a Dalit youth and his father-in-law were brutally assaulted for keeping a beard and moustache that their attackers claimed were reserved for upper castes. The incident, which occurred on August 11 in Khambhaliya (Ozat) village, has sparked outrage, with police registering a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The victims, identified as Sagar Makwana, a labourer from Mangnath Pip

KOTA: A portion of a false ceiling at a private school's auditorium in Rajasthan's Bundi fell during Independence Day celebrations on Friday, leaving five students injured, officials said. They were rushed to a hospital where two children, among the five, received stitches on their heads and were discharged after primary medical care, they said. A portion of the false ceiling of the auditorium in St. Paul's Senior Secondary school in Bundi fell on Friday morning when the Independence Day functio

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a veiled dig at the RSS after it was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, saying it should thank the British on completion of its 100 years as some organisations were made by them so that the country could be divided on religious lines. Speaking to reporters at the Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow after hoisting the tricolour, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also questioned the prime minister's

GENEVA: After three years of negotiations, global efforts to finalise the worlds first legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution collapsed without agreement in Geneva on Friday. Delegates from nearly 180 countries failed to reach consensus on a draft treaty, revealing deep divisions over the scope of the deal, decision-making procedures, and whether the treaty should address plastic production itself. Despite night-long discussions and a chaotic final plenary session that stretched into th

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a National Deep Water Exploration Mission aimed at discovering oil and gas reserves beneath the seabed, as part of efforts to boost domestic production and reduce the country's multi-billion-dollar import bill. India is dependent on imports to meet as much as 88 per cent of its needs of crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, and about half of its requirement of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity

SHIMLA: Four people from Punjab were killed and around 25 injured when a pickup truck they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge near Jadrangal in Kangra district, police said on Friday. The vehicle was carrying pilgrims who were returning to Punjab's Moga from Mata Chamunda Devi temple in Kangra when it lost control on Chamunda-Dharamshala road near Ikku Mod and fell into the gorge, they said. A woman died on the spot while leaving the others injured. Police reached the spot when they go

CHANDIGARH: Multiple key road infrastructure projects in Punjab including major national highway developments and those under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY), are facing serious setbacks, with no clear timeline for completion. As many as sixteen national highway projects worth 12,700 crore, being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Punjab Public Works Department (PWD), have either been stalled, significantly delayed, or face termination. The pr

RANCHI: Four people died of suffocation while attempting to clean a septic tank at Nawada village in Garhwa district on Friday. The victims were identified as Ajay Chaudhary (50), Chandrashekhar Chaudhary (42), Raju Shekhar Chaudhary (55), and Maltu Ram. Ajay, Chandrashekhar, and Raju were brothers, all residents of Nawada village. According to Garhwa Sub-divisional Police Officer Neeraj Kumar, This incident took place while opening the shuttering of the tank as all four got stuck after getting

KOLKATA: The father of the RG Kar hospital rape-murder victim has moved the Calcutta High Court, praying for setting aside a lower court order that refused permission to his lawyers to visit the crime scene at the state-run medical institution. The petitioner claimed that he firmly believes that other persons were present along with Sanjay Roy, who has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment till the end of his natural life by the trial court for the rape and murder of the doctor, when the

NEW DELHI: Flagging obesity as a major challenge for the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Friday, once again exhorted people to reduce edible oil consumption by 10 per cent to address this pressing health concern. This is the third time the prime minister has raised an alarm on rising obesity, which leads to heart diseases, strokes, type-2 diabetes, certain cancers, digestive problems, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and fatty liver disease. Addressing the na

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has rolled out a FASTag-based annual toll pass priced at Rs 3,000 for private cars, jeeps and vans. The pass, launched on Friday, allows up to 200 toll booth crossings on National Highways (NH) and National Expressways (NE) in a year, after which it can be renewed. Those who already have a FASTag on their vehicle will not need to purchase a new one, but the FASTag KYC must be completed. The scheme is not available for vehicles registered only with

SRINAGAR: A day after a devastating cloudburst struck the remote Chositi village in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district, killing 60 persons and injuring over 100 others, a massive rescue operation is underway to save dozens feared trapped beneath debris and mud. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said 60 people have so far died in the cloudburst. He said over 100 have been injured and many others are still missing. We don't have the exact number of the missing people, the CM said. An official said th

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday alleged that the ruling BJP is ready to go to any extent of immorality to remain in power and reiterated that several irregularities in elections are emerging across the country. In his Independence Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Congress headquarters at Akbar Road, he alleged that votes of the opposition are being openly cut in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls, even as those aliv

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday announced that he and his colleagues would launch a door-to-door signature campaign for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and hand over the document to the Centre and the Supreme Court before the next hearing in the apex court. Time has come that we have to move out from our offices and take our voices to the doors where these decisions are being taken, Omar said in his Independence Day address at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar. It was t

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday warned people of a pre-meditated conspiracy to change the country's demography through illegal infiltration and said no nation can tolerate intruders, as he announced a high-powered demography mission to tackle the problem. In his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India's 79th Independence Day, he said the country's forefathers made the supreme sacrifice to win freedom for Indians and it is the duty of its citizens to not accept suc

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Friday, highlighted Indias journey towards self-reliance and transformation, stating that over the past decade, the country has been reforming, performing, and transforming. He declared a landmark move of zero tax for annual income up to Rs 12 lakh, a benefit that many could not have imagined even a few years ago. The measure, aimed at providing relief to taxpayers, was accompanied by a series of reform initiatives to mod

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Friday, highlighted Indias journey towards self-reliance and transformation, stating that over the past decade, the country has been reforming, performing, and transforming. He announced a landmark move of zero tax for annual income up to Rs 12 lakh, a benefit that many could not have imagined even a few years ago. The measure, aimed at providing relief to taxpayers, was accompanied by a series of reform initiatives to mo

SRINAGAR: Omar Abdullah on Friday became the first elected Chief Minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory to unfurl the tricolour and preside over the main Independence Day function in Srinagar. He said no major announcement came on the day from Delhi. Omar, who took over as the first Chief Minister of J&K UT in October last year, unfurled the tricolour at the main I-Day function at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar. The CM was presented with a guard of honour before inspecting the contingents

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address on Friday, praised the contribution of the RSS, widely seen as the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP. The Prime Minister's praise for the RSS comes at a time when there is speculation that the RSS and the BJP are at odds over several issues. It has also come amid speculations that the RSS is seeking more changes within the BJPs organisational structure and in government functioning. PM Modi stated, An organisation was bo

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday delivered his 12th consecutive Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, marking the nations 79th Independence Day with the longest speech ever on the occasion. Speaking for 103 minutes, Modi hailed the armed forces over Operation Sindoor and announced GST reforms by Diwali , among other other things. The prime minister announced the launch of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, the countrys state-of-the-art defence system, aimed at enhan