Madhya Pradesh News
Cheetah cub dies after being hit by unidentified vehicle in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior
GWALIOR: A male cheetah cub that ventured out of the Kuno National Park (KNP) died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on a highway in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district early on Sunday, police said. The incident took place on a national highway in the Ghatigaon area near the Shivpuri district border, about 3540 km from Gwalior, Gwalior Zone IG Arvind Saxena told PTI. The nearly 20-month-old cub had wandered out of Kuno National Park and got separated from its mother. It died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle, he added. A member of the police probe team said they have got some leads about a car suspected of having hit the cheetah. We have reduced traffic and curtailed speed on the highway to prevent any untoward incident, as another male cub separated from the same mother might still be around. Both were earlier spotted together, the official said. Forest officials reached the spot and were searching for the other cheetah cub in the area, police said. The other cub was safe, State Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subharajan Sen told PTI. He said the dead cub was the offspring of Gamini, a cheetah imported from South Africa to help revive India's big cat population, which lost the world's fastest animal seven decades ago. Earlier, a cheetah cub was found dead on Friday, a day after being released into the wild at KNP. Day after being released into wild, 10-month-old cheetah cub found dead in Kuno National Park forests
MP Speaker urged not to fix House session date during marriage season
BHOPAL: Marriages cast their shadow on the Madhya Pradesh Assemblys winter session that concluded on Friday. On the concluding day of the four-day winter session, 14 MLAs from the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, besides the lone Bhartiya Adivasi Party (BAP) legislator Kamleshwar Dodiyar, were absent in the Assembly for reportedly attending wedding ceremonies. On the final day, Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar read out the names of six MLAs who were to raise their questions during the Question Hour, but the legislators werent to be found. Three other MLAs whose questions were also listed were not present, which left the Speaker surprised. The Speaker subsequently read out the names of the 14 MLAs who were absent. They included Kunwar Singh Tekam, Narendra Singh Kushwaha, Dhirendra Bahadur Singh Dhiru, Satish Malviya, Arvind Pateria, Rajesh Shukla, Virendra Singh Lodhi and Bhupendra Singh (all BJP MLAs), Atiq Aqeel, Nitendra Singh Rathore, Mukesh Malhotra, Bhairon Singh Bapu, Rajendra Bharti (Congress legislators) and the lone BAP MLA Kamleshwar Dodiyar. The absence of the MLAs prompted the states parliamentary affairs minister Kailash Vijayvargiya to request the Speaker to keep in mind the wedding days while deciding the sessions in future. Many of the MLAs have skipped the proceedings today (Friday) after informing that they have to attend marriages in their families. Before deciding the session in future, we need to also keep in mind that there are fewer marriages when sessions are to be convened. After all, being public representatives, the legislators have to be present in marriages as well, Vijayvargiya appealed to the Speaker. It was perhaps for the first time in nearly 20 years that the Vidhan Sabha had five full minutes left in Question Hour with absolutely nothing to do due to the absence of the 14 MLAs, a legislator said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
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ODISHA: Two factory workers and three fire brigade personnel were hospitalized following a chlorine gas leakage at a chemical factory in Jaora Industrial Area of western Madhya Pradeshs Ratlam district on Saturday evening. Chaos prevailed in and around a chemical factory in the industrial area, following the leakage of gas from the chlorine tank in the unit. The unit manufactured Ferric Sulphate for Pharma companies. The leakage was reported at around 6 pm from the tank having a capacity of 40 kg. The workers present at the unit first attempted to plug the leakage, but failed. Following it, fire tenders and other rescue teams were rushed to the concerned factory, official sources in Ratlam told TNIE . When the fire brigade personnel rushed to the factory, two workers at an adjoining factory had already developed health problems due to the leaked gas. Three fire brigade personnel also developed health problems and had to be rushed to the government medical college hospital in Ratlam city, where the condition of all five persons is stated out of danger. Two workers who were first admitted at the hospital have already been discharged, while the three fire brigade personnel are stated out of danger, Ratlam district police superintendent Amit Kumar said. Meanwhile, teams from chemical units of Nagda Industrial Area in neighbouring Ujjain district and Ipca Laboratories Pharma company in Ratlam district were called to stop the leakage, which was finally controlled after three hours at around 9.15 pm. According to official sources, the chemical factory where the chlorine gas leak happened in the evening, was not functioning since the last few days and the staff present there, failed to control and plug the leak from the tank. Investigations have started and the concerned chemical units owners and management will be booked for negligence, a senior Ratlam district police officer said. As a precautionary measure, the operations in around ten factories in the vicinity of the chemical unit have been halted till further orders.
Low sittings, key legislations: 25 years on, three state Assemblies present a mixed record
NEW DELHI: Twenty-five years after they were carved out of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, respectively, the Legislative Assemblies of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand have entered a milestone year with a troubling record: some of the lowest numbers of sitting days in the country. Data compiled since their formation in 2000 shows that Chhattisgarhs Assembly met for an average of just 29 days a year, while Jharkhand averaged only 23 sitting days, among the lowest for any State legislature in India. Uttarakhands records remain incomplete for long stretches, including the years 20002015 and 2025, making long-term assessment difficult. These figures fall far short of the recommended national benchmark of 60 sitting days for State legislatures, raising concerns about legislative scrutiny and democratic engagement. The challenges extend beyond sitting days. In all three State Assemblies, the post of Deputy Speaker remained vacant for prolonged periods, signalling what legislators describe as institutional neglect and a weakening of bipartisan norms. Jharkhand has gone over 20 years without a Deputy Speaker, an absence that many members believe undermines legislative balance and accountability. Despite these structural gaps, some States have taken important legislative steps worth emulating. Chhattisgarh, which has 21% women MLAs, one of the strongest representations in the country enacted notable laws in its early years. A 2002 law that enabled private universities to be created through simple notification resulted in over 100 universities being established, but critics point out that many existed only on paper. The Supreme Court struck it down in 2004, flagging serious quality concerns. A decade later, Chhattisgarh passed its own Food Security Act (2012), which became a reference point and model for the national legislation enacted in 2013. Jharkhand was among the first States to introduce 75% reservation for local candidates in private-sector jobs, a move later mirrored by Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Courts struck down Haryanas law in 2023, and challenges remain pending in other States. Uttarakhand, meanwhile, passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in 2024, becoming the first State to implement it. Supporters hailed it as a step toward equality, while critics warned that it risked disrupting social equilibrium and overlooking community practices. Legislators across the three States agree that democratic functioning demands consistent sittings, procedural stability and open debate. Many acknowledge that confrontational politics, repeated adjournments and legislative delays have eroded the Assemblys core responsibilities. As the three States complete 25 years, expectations from State legislatures are rising. Citizens increasingly demand more time spent in the House, faster decisions on longstanding issues, stronger oversight and dependable forums where public concerns can be voiced and debated. The next quarter-century, lawmakers say, must be defined not by institutional gaps but by a renewed commitment to democratic performance.
Supply of first batch of 40,000 Negev LMGs to Army early next year, Israeli firm CEO
PLR Systems, a joint venture between Israel Weapon Industries and Adani Defence & Aerospace, will execute the contract as the LMGs are being co-produced at Adani facility in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh, with intensified strict vigilance, has cracked down on the transportation of paddy from other states and seized over one lakh quintals so far in separate cases ever since the procurement began from November 15. The state has launched special campaigns in different districts, with alert and rigorous monitoring underway. There are continuous checks, check posts set up in districts and along state borders, besides keeping track of GPS-equipped vehicles used for foodgrain transport to prevent illegal paddy transportation. This year, several check posts have undertaken a digital verification oversight process and a resolute inter-state coordination. Meticulous measures are adopted in every procurement centre, having a more accountable and technology-driven system, to record entries on the actual paddy received on a given day. The state government has issued a directive to all district collectors to ensure transparency in the procurement process of paddy in all centres, while illegal transportation and fictitious purchase will not be tolerated. The paddy procurement is to continue till January 31, 2026. According to officials, the Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited (CG-MARKFED) has set up check-posts in border districts and constituted task forces headed by district collectors to check the movement of paddy from neighbouring states. The MARKFED has this year instituted Integrated Command and Control Centre to manage real-time surveillance of the procurement process and closely monitor every border area of the state. Over 16 separate check posts with installed cameras have been set-up in areas connecting Chhattisgarh to other states for round the clock observation at the Command Centre, a senior officer said. The detail of every vehicle entering Chhattisgarh state is recorded by deployed staff at every small or big check post, including those connecting the border areas. Chhattisgarh, often cited as the rice bowl in Central India, offers Rs 3,100 per quintal as minimum support price (MSP) to paddy growers, which is believed to be the highest in the country. There are sneaky attempts from neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Telangana to secure high returns of paddy from the government procurement centres in Chhattisgarh state. There were instances where officials had earlier confiscated paddy illegally transported and stored in the state.
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14 Madhya Pradesh MLAs Skip Assembly Session. They Had Weddings To Attend
In what could pass for a political comedy of errors, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly's Winter Session, scheduled till December 5, ended with a whimper after lawmakers across party lines vanished from the House en masse to attend weddings.
Madhya Pradesh Sees One Deadly Cattle-Related Accident Every Three Days: Data
In the last two years, 94 people have lost their lives in such accidents, according to data presented by the state government in the Assembly on Friday.
Cheetah cub released in wild at Kuno National Park dies
Sheopur: A cheetah cub has been found dead a day after being released into the wild at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a forest official said. On the occasion of International Cheetah Day on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released female cheetah Veera and her two cubs into the parks free-ranging 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 .
BHOPAL: An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has uncovered alleged misuse of land leased in the IT Parks of Bhopal and Jabalpur. These plots, meant for information technology and allied firms, were found to house a nursing college, a medicine storehouse, and units manufacturing electric equipment and water-pump starters. The audit, carried out in June 2023 across IT Parks in Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur, showed that 11 out of 20 completed units were engaged in activities inconsistent with those mentioned in their lease deeds. The findings relate to the Shivraj Singh Chouhan period. According to the CAG report tabled in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, the MP State Electronic Development Corporation Limited (MPSEDC), the agency responsible for developing and promoting IT Parks, didnt act against the lessees/firms. Instead, it supported the 11 firms by paying them Rs 3.96 crore as land subsidy and Rs 61.44 lakh as other incentives/subsidies. One firm that received 0.87 acres in the Jabalpur IT Park in June 2017 for running a BPO-Call Centre, IT Training Centre, and Data Processing Centre, was operating a nursing college, even though MPSEDC had paid a subsidy of Rs 53.36 lakh to the firm. Another firm allotted land to manufacture electronic equipment, and software was using its building to store medicines, after already receiving Rs 15.78 lakh land subsidy. In Bhopal, a firm that was allotted two acres in May 2018 for manufacturing LED lights and electronic products was only assembling components, not manufacturing them. It had been paid a subsidy of Rs 165.4 lakh. The audit also noted severe underperformance: 101 firms allotted 123 plots and expected to create 6,536 jobs by 2023, but had created only 96 jobs. Construction hadnt even started in 84 cases. Four firms recorded as functional were actually locked. Additionally, 13.57 acres in Bhopal and Indore IT Parks were encroached.
BHOPAL: One of the two cheetah cubs released into the wild, along with their mother, at the Kuno National Park the day before, was found dead on Friday. A South African female cheetah, Veera, was released along with its two cubs from the enclosures into the wild by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on International Cheetah Day. One of Veeras cubs, which was aged around 10 months, was found dead in the forest on Friday. The cub had been released into the wild along with its sibling and mother, Veera, on Thursday. During the night, the cub got separated from mother and sibling. The exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report is received, Cheetah Projects field director said in an official statement on Friday night. Veera and the other cub, meanwhile, are together and doing well, the statement said. CM Dr Mohan Yadav had released six-year-old Veera and two cubs (born in February 2025) into the wild in Kuno National Parks (KNP) Parond Forest Area, marking the International Cheetah Day on Thursday. After Friday's tragic development, the KNP in Sheopur district now has 28 cheetahs, including eight Namibian and South African adults (five females and three males) and 20 India-born cubs. As many as 18 out of the 28 surviving cheetahs at the KNP, including Veera and her lone surviving 10-month-old cub, are hunting in the wild, while the remaining ten cheetahs, including 33-month-old Mukhi and her five cubs, are housed in the protected enclosures. The death of Veeras cub is the second death of an India-born cheetah cub in less than three months. On September 15, a 20-month-old female cub of Namibian cheetah Jwala, had died in the KNP jungles, reportedly after an encounter with a co-predator leopard. Jwala, along with four cubs, was released from the enclosure into the jungles in February and now continue to be in the same forests with three surviving cubs.
Interpol Notice And Movie-Style Arrest Of Wildlife Trafficker In Sikkim
In a dramatic covert operation stretching across the icy Himalayan border, the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force (STSF), in coordination with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), has arrested an international wildlife trafficker.
CAG audit finds major gap in allotment, development of land given for IT Parks in Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: Land allocated on lease in IT Parks in Bhopal and Jabalpur for operating information technology and allied companies/firms, has been found housing nursing college, storehouse of medicines and units manufacturing electric equipment and water pump starters, an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has revealed. Audit of IT Parks in Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur conducted in June 2023, to ascertain business activities, construction status and land use, has revealed that 11 out of the 20 completed units were engaged in activities inconsistent with those which were mentioned in the respective lease deeds and didnt fall into the category of activities pertaining to the IT industry. The audit pertained to the period while the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government ruled the state. According to the CAG report, tabled in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, the MP State Electronic Development Corporation Limited (MPSEDC), which is responsible for developing and promoting IT Parks, didnt act against the concerned lessees/firms. It instead supported the concerned 11 firms by paying them Rs 3.96 crore as land subsidy and Rs 61.44 lakh as other incentives/subsidies. One of the firms was allotted 0.87 acres land in the IT Park, Jabalpur in June 2017. Being an IT-enabled services firm, it had to carry out activities relevant to BPO-Call Centre, IT Training Centre and Data Processing Centre. The audit (physical inspection) in June 2023, however, revealed that no such centre existed in the building constructed on the land allotted to the firm. However, a nursing college was found running in the buildings basement. The MPSEDC had paid Rs 53.36 lakh subsidy to the concerned firm. Another firm was allocated land on lease at the IT Park in Jabalpur, for manufacturing electronic equipment and software. But during the audit, the building was found to be used to store medicines. The concerned firm had already been given Rs 15.78 lakh land subsidy. One firm was allotted two plots spread in two acres of land at the IT Park in Bhopal in May 2018 for manufacturing LED lights and electronic product mix. The physical inspection in June 2023, however, revealed that the firm wasnt manufacturing anything, but merely assembling the components of LED lights and bulbs. The MPSEDC had paid Rs 165.40 lakh subsidy to the firm. Further, 101 firms, which were allotted 123 plots, aiming to create 6,536 jobs by 2023, created merely 96 jobs by 2023. In the 101 firms that were yet to commence operations at the time of the audit in 2023, even the construction work hadnt started in 84 cases, while buildings were under construction in 10 cases. Just seven firms had completed the construction. Despite non-completion of construction/non-commencement of operations, the MPSEDC did not act against those firms by terminating the leases and re-allotting to other interested parties/firms. Further, the audit noticed that four firms at IT Parks in Bhopal and Jabalpur, which were shown to be functional in records, were actually locked and non-functional. Also, it was observed during the scrutiny of records that 13.57 acres of land in two IT Parks in Bhopal and Indore were encroached, which resulted in Rs 3.62-crore loss to the government. It also deprived the MPSEDC of Rs 2.28 crore in the form of opportunity cost, which it could have earned as land premium, had it prevented the encroachment and allotted the land to the applicant firms. The audit also observed that the MPSEDC had not prepared any long-term plan or strategic plan to develop IT Parks of the state, in line with the applicable IT Policy, due to which it didnt set any annual target for allotment of plots/space and commencement of production/delivery of services by the firms.
Madhya Pradeshs Ladli Behna Scheme to Come in New Avatar
This will truly empower them financially and make them self-reliant, state women and child development minister Nirmala Bhuria said.
Tensions High In Madhya Pradesh After Obscene Video Of Minor Goes Viral
Tensions were high in Madhya Pradesh's Shamgarh city on Friday after a horrifying case of blackmail and the circulation of an obscene video of a 16-year-old girl came to light.
Travelogue-Madhya Pradesh-Pachmarhi
Pachmarhis beauty lies in its serene forests, cascading waterfalls, and mist-kissed hills that give the entire valley a quiet, timeless charm. Photo: MP Tourism I escaped to Pachmarhi what I found in the queen of Satpura left me spellbound By Souvik Ghosh Hurriedly finishing a wholesome vegetarian lunch of roti, paneer, rice and dal, I almost sprinted to the jeepusually reserved for jungle safarisfor our two evening stops: Pandav Caves and Dhupgarh in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. It had barely [] The post Travelogue-Madhya Pradesh-Pachmarhi appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Madhya Pradesh CM Releases 3 Cheetahs, Including 2 Cubs, Into The Wild At Kuno | Video
The release included a female cheetah, Veera, and her two nine-month-old cubs, who were moved into the open forest near the Parond area of the park.
National T20 Cricket Tournament: Cricket Association of Blind (CAB) Haryana dominated CAB Madhya Pradesh, while CAB Odisha outclassed Bihar with a flawless 6-wicket win in the Nagesh Trophy Mens National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2025 (8th Edition) at the Ranital Sports Complex in Jabalpur on Thursday. Cricket Association of Blind (CAB) Haryana delivered a clinical all-round performance to defeat CAB Madhya Pradesh by 8 wickets in the opening clash of the day. Madhya Pradesh posted 137/9 in their 20 overs, built around skipper Deepak Pahades 32 (off 32), while Haryanas disciplined attackled by Gaurav Singh and Deepak Malikkept the pressure on throughout. Haryana made the chase look effortless, racing to 138/2 in just 12.5 overs. Skipper Deepak Maliks blazing 40 not out off 26 balls and Chandan Thakurs composed 28 off 21 stitched a match-winning stand that sealed the game with authority. Deepak Malik of CAB Haryana was adjudged Player of the Match for a skippers knock that finished the contest in style. In the second match of the day, CAB Odisha romped to a dominant victory, chasing down Bihars 152-run target in a mere 11.4 overs in what is a statement of power and precision. Bihars total was held together by Bicky Oraon (36) and Balkaran Kumar (35), but 30 wides proved costly. Odishas bowlers maintained control, backed by two sharp run-outs that tightened the screws. Odishas reply was electric. Dhanapati Gauda launched the innings with a commanding 55 off 30 balls (7 fours), supported by quick-fire contributions from Lalprasad Soren and Anjan Singh, as Odisha sealed the chase with overs to spare. Bihars total was held together by Bicky Oraon (36) and Balkaran Kumar (35), but 30 wides proved costly. Odishas bowlers maintained control, backed by two sharp run-outs that tightened the screws. Also Read: Live Cricket Score . Article Source: IANS
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav launches 20-strong fleet of Shikaras in Bhopals Upper Lake
BHOPAL:Tourists craving to relish rides on the Shikara boats, but finding the iconic Dal Lake in Kashmir or backwaters of Kerala too far, now have the option to enjoy the same ride in the heart of India Madhya Pradesh. With a 20-strong fleet of Shikaras, the Shikara Boat service was launched in the Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopals Upper Lake on Thursday. The 20 Shikaras, which were launched by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, are equipped with food and comfortable seating arrangements for visitors, and are expected to give Madhya Pradeshs water tourism a new identity at the national and international level. While urging tourists from across the country and residents of Bhopal and the state to enjoy the Shikara Boat service, the CM said that the Madhya Pradesh Tourism is expanding water-sports activities and that tourists will also be able to purchase indigenous products while enjoying the shikara rides. The CM and other dignitaries enjoyed tea, poha, samosas andfruits from the shikara boat restaurant. The CM also purchased traditional Bag & Batik textiles and organic products from the floating boat market. This is for the first time in Madhya Pradesh that Shikaras are being operated on such a large scale. All the 20 Shikaras which were launched on Thursday, have been built using pollution-free, modern technology. They are built from fibre-reinforced polyurethane and high-quality non-reactive materials that do not cause any chemical reaction with water, ensuring the complete safety of the lakes ecology and water purity. This is for the first time in Madhya Pradesh that Shikaras are being operated on such a large scale. These shikaras have been crafted by an internationally renowned organisation whose boats are already popular with tourists in Kerala, Bengal, and Assam. With their addition, Bhopals Boat Club is now ready to welcome visitors with these attractive new vessels. Along with boating, tourists will be able to enjoy bird-watching and purchase handicrafts, local dishes, organic vegetables and fruits during the ride. Each Shikara Boat can accommodate four to six passengers. Each Shikara ride will be 20 minutes long. While four passengers will have to pay Rs 300 for the 20-minute ride, six passengers will have to pay Rs 450 for the same ride. The service will be operational from 9 am till sunset. Importantly, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had reportedlybanned all motorized boats, including diesel and petrol-powered ones, in Bhopal's Upper Lake in September 2023 to protect the wetland. The order had come in response to a petition highlighting the environmental damage caused by these activities, which includes emissions from the boats. The ban applies to cruise boats and other motor-propelled vessels operating on the Upper Lake and other designated wetlands in the state. Later, in March 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the MP Tourism Development Corporation, which challenged the NGT order.
CM Mohan Yadav releases South African cheetah Veera, twin cubs into wild at Kuno National Park
BHOPAL: A South African female cheetah, Veera, and her ten-month-old twin cubs were released into the free-ranging forests of Madhya Pradeshs Kuno National Park (KNP) on Thursday. The release by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, marked International Cheetah Day at KNP, the first Indian home to African (Namibian and South African) cheetahs since September 2022. The mother and cubs, born in India in February, were released in the Parond forest area, a designated tourism zone. Their presence is expected to boost ecotourism and public engagement with Project Cheetah. Post-release monitoring will continue through advanced radio-tracking and field teams to ensure the animals safety and successful integration into the landscape. Veera, known for her adventurous behaviour, previously strayed out of Kuno during the summer of 2024, travelling through villages and jungles of Morena district into neighbouring Gwalior. In May 2024, she attacked a herd of goats, killing three in front of a shepherd. The latest release comes two weeks after a landmark development at Kuno, the birth of five cubs to 33-month-old Mukhi, the first Indian-born female cheetah to an African mother. The six-year-old Veera and her cubs now join 16 other cheetahs and cubs already living and hunting independently in the parks forests, often dispersing into adjacent districts of Gwalior and Morena, as well as parts of Rajasthan. These include two females, Jwala and Asha, and their six cubs each. Namibian female Jwala and her four cubs were released into the forest in February 2025. One of her cubs, a 20-month-old female, died reportedly after a fight with a leopard on September 15. Kuno currently hosts eight adult cheetahs and 21 cubs. Meanwhile, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts is home to three South African cheetahs, a male coalition and a female. On Thursday, the Chief Minister also released Kunos 2026 calendar and the newly developed Field Manual for Clinical Management of Free-Ranging Cheetahs in Kuno National Park. He further inaugurated the parks new souvenir shop, aimed at enriching visitor experience and promoting conservation awareness.
ED arrests educational trust chief in Rajasthan for 'money laundering, radicalisation'
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Mohammed Sadeeque, former President of Alfurkan Educational Trust in Rajasthans Bikaner, on Thursday for money laundering linked to forced religious conversions and radicalisation activities, the agency said. The federal investigations allegedly reveal systematic diversion of public donations, extensive cash-based criminal operations and suspicious foreign associations and conduct indicative of radicalisation. The arrest of Mohammed Sadeeque marks a significant step in dismantling a network of shadow financial operations, suspected radical influences and unlawful activities operating under the guise of charitable and religious work, the agency claimed. Following the arrest, the court granted ED custody of Sadeeque for three days for further investigation. The agency initiated a probe based on two cases registered by Rajasthan Police and credible information wherein it is alleged that Sadeeque was involved in radicalisation activities, Dawah activity and forced religious conversions, association with various overseas radical outfits and suspicious high-value financial transactions routed through his and his family members bank accounts, running into crores of rupees. The police FIRs and chargesheets also mention charges of attempt to murder and use of illegal arms by Sadeeque. The federal agency, during probe, found that Sadeeque formed Alfurkan Educational Trust, which manages Masjid-e-Ayesha and routinely collected sizeable public donations for and through this trust, primarily in cash, with no financial record keeping. The donations collected for religious, social and charitable use were allegedly retained entirely in cash by Sadeeque under his sole, undocumented control. The probe indicates that these unaccounted cash collections became the primary source of funds that he diverted for personal use and deployed to finance a range of illegal activities, including those of undertaking frequent foreign visits and meeting banned and radical outfits overseas and promoting his radical agenda, the agency said. Examination of his foreign travels shows that Sadeeque undertook multiple visits to Bangladesh, Nepal, Qatar and Oman using unverified cash funds, without any lawful financial trail. During his visit to Bangladesh, he worked closely with Md. Salim alias Saurabh Vaidya, later arrested by the Madhya Pradesh ATS for alleged links with the proscribed organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir, the agency said. Further probe established that Sadeeque had no legitimate or consistent source of income for several years and subsisted on unlawful cash-based operations, including gambling, illicit liquor trade and suspected dealings in illegal country-made firearms. The link between these criminal activities and the misappropriated donations is reinforced by the recovery of three country-made weapons and live cartridges from him and his associates in a case already charge-sheeted by the local police. The faade of religious and charitable work was thus consciously used by Sadeeque to conceal deeper networks of unaccounted, clandestine and criminal operations, the agency said. During probe, the agency further said, it also found that Sadeeque met members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB/JuM) and maintained contact with them even after returning to India. He was also encouraged by JMB-linked individuals to travel to Nepal for further meetings and allegedly intended to travel onwards to Syria to access conflict zones, but was intercepted by immigration authorities. The probe also examined a widely circulated video in which an inflammatory speech is attributed to him which was made with the deliberate intention of provoking communal sentiments, the agency added that he was involved in burning of foreign country's flag at public gatherings and then mobilising cash donations by orchestrating such activities.
Madhya Pradesh: Man Cuts Off Leopards Paws After It Died in Snare Meant for Pigs, Arrested
A man in Madhya Pradeshs Indore district was arrested for chopping off a leopards paws after the animal died in a snare set for pigs. Forest officials recovered the paws, an air gun, and weapons. Investigation continues.
Land-for-job 'scam': Delhi court defers order on framing charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, others
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday deferred its order on framing of charges in the alleged land-for-job scam involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members and others. Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne directed the CBI to file a status report after verifying the status of the accused persons in the case. Of the 103 accused persons in the case, four have died. Judge Gogne posted the matter for further proceedings on December 8. The CBI had filed chargesheets against Lalu Yadav, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, their son and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and others in connection with the alleged scam. The prosecution has alleged that the appointments in the Group-D category of the West Central Zone of the Railways based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, were made during Lalu Yadav's tenure as railway minister from 2004 to 2009 in return for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of the RJD supremo's family or associates. The CBI has also claimed that the appointments were made in violation of norms and that the transactions involved benami properties, amounting to criminal misconduct and conspiracy. The accused have denied the charges, claiming the case is politically motivated.
MP records higher stubble burning than 5 states
BHOPAL: As the country grapples with worsening air quality, it has been revealed that Madhya Pradeshthe home state of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhanis contributing the maximum to stubble burning. According to the recent statistics pertaining to monitoring paddy residue burning in the country via satellite remote sensing, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) detected as many as 33,028 active burning events in six study states. The six study states are: Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. As per the recent report, out of the 33,028 active fire events detected across the six states, a maximum 17,067 or 52% events was detected in MP. Importantly, these 17,067 active burning events detected in MP, between September 15 and November 30, 2025, were more than the collective 15,961 similar active events reported in the same period in the five other states. Among the five other states, 5,114 burning events were detected in Punjab, 662 in Haryana, 7290 in UP, just 5 in Delhi and 2,890 in Rajasthan. Similar picture was revealed when it came to 292 crop residue active burning events detected in the six study states on November 30. MP again attained the top position with 160 burning events, which was more than the total 132 burning events in the 5 other states. Burning events detected in the 5 other states on November 30, included 2 in Punjab, 3 in Punjab, 125 in UP, nil in Delhi, and just 2 in Rajasthan. Further analysis of the crop residue burning events detected through the satellite remote sensing technology recently revealed that the Gwalior-Chambal region contributed the maximum to stubble burning in the forest-rich central Indian state. Out of the 17,067 active burning events between September 15 and November 30, a maximum 2,643 were reported in Sheopur district, which borders Rajasthan. As many as 1,930 events were detected in Gwalior district, followed by 1,797 events in the adjoining Datia. Other districts of the same region where significant active burning events were detected included Ashoknagar (506) and 64 in Morena. Raging menace Using satellite remote sensing, ICAR detected 33,028 paddy residue burning events across six states between Sept 15 and November 20, 2025 The six states are Punjab, Haryana , Uttar Pradesh ,Delhi , Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh MPs 17,067 incidents exceeded the combined 15,961 fires reported by the other five states The other states reported Punjab - 5,114 Haryana - 662 Uttar Pradesh - 7,290 Delhi - 5 Rajasthan - 2,890 Burning events in the five states on Nov 30: Punjab 2, Haryana 3, UP 125 Delhi 0, Rajasthan 2.
ICAR data: Madhya Pradesh leads parali burning with 52% of fire events among six states
BHOPAL: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans home state, Madhya Pradesh, is contributing the maximum to parali burning (paddy residue/stubble burning) in the country, data showed. As per the recent statistics pertaining to monitoring paddy residue burning in the country via satellite remote sensing, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said as many as 33,028 active burning events in six study states. The six study states included Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. As per the recent report, out of the 33,028 active fire events detected across the six states, a maximum 17,067 or 52% events were detected in MP. Importantly, these 17,067 active burning events detected in MP, between September 15 and November 30, 2025, were more than the collective 15,961 similar active events reported in the same period in the five other states. Among the five other states, 5,114 burning events were detected in Punjab, 662 in Haryana, 7,290 in UP, 2, 890 in Rajasthan and just five in Delhi. A similar picture was revealed when it came to 292 crop residue active burning events detected in the six study states on November 30. MP again attained the top position with 160 burning events, which was more than the total 132 burning events in the five other states. Burning events detected in the five other states on November 30, included two in Punjab, three in Punjab, 125 in UP, zero in Delhi and just two in Rajasthan. Further analysis of the crop residue burning events detected through the satellite remote sensing technology revealed that the Gwalior-Chambal region contributed the maximum to stubble burning in the forest-rich central Indian state. 'Incorrect to pass burden onto farmers': SC questions blaming stubble burning for Delhi pollution Out of the 17,067 active burning events between September 15 and November 30, a maximum of 2,643 were reported in Sheopur district, which borders Rajasthan. As many as 1,930 events were detected in Gwalior district of the same Gwalior-Chambal region, followed by 1,797 such events in the adjoining Datia district. The other districts of the same region where significant active burning events were detected included Ashoknagar (506) and Morena district (64). Even when it came to the 160 active burning events detected on November 30 in the state, Gwalior district contributed the maximum at 62. At least 98 or 61% of the total 160 active burning events in MP as on November 30 were detected in districts of Gwalior-Chambal region. Jabalpur district in Mahakoshal region, adjoining Hoshangabad district of central MP and Satna district in Vindhya region were close behind the districts of Gwalior-Chambal region. According to informed sources, MP having the dubious distinction of being the leader in paddy stubble burning isnt a new phenomenon, but has been happening at least since the last two years. The state government tabled figures related to cases registered against those indulging in Parali burning since April 2020 in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. A total of 546 such cases were registered against offenders in various parts of the state in little less than five years. Out of those 546 cases, as many as 506 cases were registered between December 2023 and November 2025. According to Gwalior district collector Ruchika Chauhan, the Parali burning incidents have declined significantly this year compared to last two years, due to multi-pronged efforts by authorities, including imposing penalties ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 based on area of cultivation, use of harvesters having machines to ensure that crop residue is negligible and sustained awareness campaigns.
29-Year-Old Woman Gives Birth To Quadruplets In Madhya Pradeshs Indore
A 29-year-old woman gave birth to quadruplets, three girls and a boy, at a charitable hospital in Indore on Wednesday, a hospital official said.
Official Slaps Student, Manhandles Farmers Agitated Over Fertiliser Shortage In Madhya Pradesh
A major controversy erupted during fertilizer distribution in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh when the subsidised fertiliser being distributed by the government ran short.
Confrontation mars Bhopal Gas Tragedy anniversary march over effigy resembling RSS worker
BHOPAL: A peaceful march marking the 41st anniversary of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy on Wednesday was marred by a noisy confrontation between the RSS-BJP workers and members of organisations working for the survivors of the worst industrial tragedy. The noisy encounter was triggered by an effigy, which the BJP and RSS workers claimed portrayed a RSS Swayamsevak, and consequently hurt the religious and organisational sentiments. The representatives of the organisations working for the gas tragedy survivors, however, rejected the RSS-BJP workers allegations, stating that the effigy represented those responsible for the tragedy and was not aimed at targeting any particular outfit or organisation. Just like the previous anniversaries, the organisations working for the gas tragedy survivors took out the remembrance march from the Bharat Talkies underbridge to JP Nagar Gas Memorial in the Madhya Pradesh capital. As the march began, one of the two symbolic effigies carried by the survivors enraged local BJP and RSS workers, who claimed the procession hurt their sentiments. The ruling party and its parent organisations workers, while accusing the organisers of deliberately getting an effigy which was portrayed as an RSS worker, confronted the marchs organisers, demanding that the concerned effigy be removed immediately. A local BJP leader, Ashish Thakur, who was among those who protested the inclusion of the concerned effigy in the march, accused the marchs organisers of vitiating the atmosphere by intentionally carrying the concerned effigy, which resembled an RSS Swayamsevak. The march organisers, however, denied the BJP-RSS workers allegations. The effigy represented the companies responsible for the tragedy and those who aligned with them and didnt target any particular outfit, said Bhopal Group for Information and Action representative Rachna Dhingra. The 1984 tragedy survivors, who formed part of the march, carried banners which blamed the ruling BJP of betraying the cause of the survivors, colluding with those who caused the tragedy and neglecting the interests of the thousands of survivors of the worst industrial tragedy. With the noisy confrontation on the brink of snowballing into a major incident, the police stepped in and seized the effigy. The police officers, however, remained tight-lipped about the entire development. Angered over the effigy, the RSS-BJP workers demanded that a case be registered against those responsible for getting the concerned effigy in the march.
MP killer cough syrup case: ED attaches properties of Sresan Pharmaceutical proprietor in TN
ED's money laundering probe stems from two FIRs registered by the Madhya Pradesh police and Chennai's police anti-corruption branch.
Man Making 'Golden-Hour' Reel Plunges To Death From 50-Foot Bridge
A 25-year-old man died after falling from a 50-foot bridge in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh while allegedly filming a reel with his mobile phone, a police official said on Wednesday.
Sun Pharma unit to invest Rs 3,000 cr on new plant in Madhya Pradesh
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' subsidiary, Sun Pharma Laboratories Ltd, has approved a Rs 3,000 crore investment for a new greenfield formulations manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh. This significant expansion by the Mumbai-based drug major aims to bolster its production capabilities. The announcement comes as Sun Pharma's shares saw a slight increase on Wednesday.
MP Cough syrup deaths: ED attaches assets of Coldrif promoter in Chennai
The Enforcement Directorate has attached two Chennai flats worth 2.04 crore belonging to G. Ranganathan, promoter of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, whose Coldrif cough syrup has been linked to the deaths of at least 20 children in Madhya Pradesh.
Bhopal Gas Relief Scam: Hospitals With No Doctors, Yoga Centres Turned Wedding Halls
Four decades after the Union Carbide disaster, documents accessed by NDTV expose a massive collapse of Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal Gas Relief and Rehabilitation programme
Trident Group Highlights Sustainable Paper Innovation at PaperEx 2025
Trident Group, a leading manufacturer of agro-based, eco-smart paper, participated in the 17th International Exhibition & Conference on Pulp, Paper & Allied Industries (PaperEx 2025), held from 3-6 December 2025 at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC), New Delhi. The Group showcased its sustainability-led paper portfolio, underscoring its commitment to circular manufacturing and conscious resource utilisation. Trident Group Paper Team at PaperEx 2025 At the exhibition, Trident highlighted its pioneering approach to wheat-straw-based paper - a solution enabling zero tree cutting while converting agro-waste into a valuable renewable resource. The stall design further brought the brand’s sustainability philosophy to life through minimalism, natural textures, and an ethos of environmental responsibility. Reinforcing its ongoing transformation, the Group also showcased how automation and digitalisation are being integrated into its paper operations to enhance precision, minimise waste, and improve transparency across production processes. These efforts reflect Trident’s long-term focus on building a more efficient, technology-enabled, and environmentally conscious manufacturing ecosystem. In addition to its current portfolio, Trident announced plans to expand its range with new variants in copier and maplitho, along with refreshed designs within its notebooks category. These additions are designed to meet evolving customer expectations while staying true to the brand’s sustainability-first product philosophy. Speaking on the participation, Rajnish Kumar Gera, CEO - Paper & Chemicals, Trident Group , said, “Our participation at Paperex 2025 was a resounding success, reaffirming Trident Group’s position as a pioneer in sustainable paper solutions. The overwhelming response from corporate customers, partners, and visitors reflects the growing trust in our eco-conscious innovations – The Good Paper. With thousands of potential leads and meaningful conversations, this event has paved the way for stronger collaborations and a greener future.” About Trident Group Trident Limited is the flagship company of the Trident Group, a leading Indian business conglomerate with a global footprint. Headquartered in Ludhiana, Punjab, Trident operates across three major segments - Textiles, Paper, and Chemicals - with world-class manufacturing facilities in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. A vertically integrated producer of textiles (Yarn, Bath & Bed Linen) and wheat-straw-based paper, Trident is among India’s largest home textile players. Its towels, yarns, bedsheets, and writing & printing paper are trusted by millions of customers across India and worldwide. Supplying national brands, captive brands, and leading retailer-owned labels, Trident is widely recognized for its commitment to product excellence, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. The company has been honoured with numerous awards from customers, partners, and government bodies.
Punjab records highest groundwater extraction in India, says CGWB report
CHANDIGARH: Groundwater extraction in the country is the highest in Punjab, followed by Rajasthan and Haryana, according to the latest National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2025 report of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The findings show that 25 per cent of the 6,762 total blocks in India have been categorised as over-exploited, critical or semi-critical, a situation concentrated in nine states, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Puducherry. As per the report, groundwater extraction in Punjab stands at 156.36 per cent, the highest in the country, followed by Rajasthan at 147.11 per cent and Haryana at 136.75 per cent, all significantly above the national average of 60.63 per cent. At the national level, annual groundwater extraction has seen a marginal decline, from 27.66 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2023 to 26.27 BCM last year. The total annual ground water recharge of Punjab has been assessed as 18.6 bcm and annual extractable ground water resource as 16.8 bcm. Out of total 153 assessment units including three urban areas taken for study, 111 assessment units (72.55 per cent) have been categorized as Over-exploited, 10 blocks (6.54 per cent) as Critical, 15 blocks (9.80 per cent) as Semi Critical and 17 blocks (11.11 per cent) as Safe, the report said. Similarly, out of 50175.27 square kilometers recharge worthy area of the state, 34294.3 sq km (68.35 per cent) area are under Over-Exploited, 4353.15 sq. km (8.68 per cent) under Critical, 4478.11 sq km (8.92 per cent) under Semi-critical and 7049.71sq km (14.05 per cent) under Safe category, reads the report. For Rajasthan, the report states,Out of the 302 assessment units (blocks and urban areas), 213 units (70.53 per cent) have been categorized as Over Exploited, 23 units (7.62 per cent) as Critical, 27 units (8.94 per cent) as Semi-Critical, 36 units (11.92 per cent) blocks as Safe and 3 units (0.99 per cent) as Saline. Similarly, out of 317010.74 sq km recharge worthy area of the state, 222266.46 sq km (70.11 per cent) area are under Over-Exploited, 19404.23 sq. km (6.12 per cent) under Critical, 22535.05 sq km (7.11 per cent) under Semi-critical, 43869.11 sq km (13.84 per cent) under Safe and 8935.89 sq km (2.82 per cent) area under Saline categories of assessment units. In Haryana, the situation is similar. While in Haryana, out of total 143 assessment units (blocks/Urban), 91 units (63.64 per cent) have been categorized as Overexploited, 6 units (4.20 per cent) as Critical, 15 units (10.49 per cent) as Semi Critical and 31 units (21.68 per cent) as Safe categories of assessment units. Similarly, out of 43,205.81 sq. km recharge worthy area of the State, 26,828.05 sq. km (62.09 per cent) area are under Over-Exploited, 1,170.46 sq. km (2.71 per cent) under Critical, 4,253.89 sq. km (9.85 per cent) under Semicritical, 10,953.42 sq. km (25.35 per cent) under Safe categories of assessment units, it added. The report assesses the total annual groundwater extraction of the entire country for 2025 at 247.22 bcm. Agriculture remains the largest consumer, accounting for 87 per cent, or 215.10 bcm, followed by 11 per cent for domestic use (27.89 bcm) and 2 per cent for industrial use (4.23 bcm). In the present assessment, total annual groundwater recharge has been pegged at 448.52 bcm, while the annual extractable groundwater resource stands at 407.75 bcm. The average stage of groundwater extraction at the national level is 60.63 per cent. Out of 6,762 blocks in the country, 730 units (10.80 per cent) are categorised as over-exploited, and 201 blocks (2.97 per cent) are classified as critical where extraction ranges from 90 to 100 per cent. Another 758 blocks (11.21 per cent) fall under the semi-critical category, while 4,946 units (73.14 per cent) are considered safe, with extraction below 70 per cent. Additionally, 127 blocks (1.88 per cent) have been listed as saline due to brackish or saline groundwater in phreatic aquifers. The report highlights that the percentage of over-exploited, critical and semi-critical blocks exceeding 25 per cent of total units is found only in nine states, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Puducherry. It attributes the situation to region-specific factors, Over-exploitation of ground water resources could be due to various region-specific reasons. The assessment units located in the north-western part of the country (particularly in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh) have plenty of replenishable ground water resources but because of the over extraction beyond the annual ground water recharge, many of these units have become Over-exploited. Overexploited units are also common in the western part of the country, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat where the prevailing arid climate results in low recharge of ground water and hence stress on these sources, the report stated. It further adds, In peninsular India, over-exploited units are wide spread in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which could be attributed mainly to the low storage and transmission capacities of aquifers of the hard rock terrains, which results in reduced availability of the resource. The report also notes that in Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Lakshadweep, domestic groundwater extraction exceeds 40 per cent. Groundwater extraction stands between 90 and 100 per cent in Delhi, and between 70 and 90 per cent in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In most other states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Lakshadweep, extraction levels are around 70 per cent. The report concludes that compared to the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment of 2024, the total annual groundwater recharge has marginally increased from 446.9 bcm to 448.52 bcm.
Madhya Pradesh Government Spending Rs 21 Lakh On Air Travel Daily, Shows Data
According to the report tabled in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the state spent Rs 290 crore on aircraft rentals between January 2021 and November 2025.
At 3 yrs old, Sarvagya becomes worlds youngest FIDE-rated chess player
Three-year-old Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha from Madhya Pradesh has become the youngest player to earn an official FIDE rating at 1572. He achieved this by defeating three internationally rated opponents, showcasing exceptional talent and discipline. His parents introduced him to chess to limit screen time, leading to his rapid development into a prodigy.
47% rise in child marriages since 20, Bundelkhands Damoh dist hotspot
BHOPAL: Marriages of girls aged below 18 years continue to increase in Madhya Pradesh, despite the government claims of working against it in a focussed manner, especially through public awareness campaigns. Statistics tabled by Mohan Yadav government in the Assembly on Tuesday revealed a 47% increase in such cases in 2025, compared to corresponding figures from 2020. So far, this year, 538 child marriages have been reported across the state, a big rise from 366 in 2020. There were 366 such marriages reported in 2020, which increased by 19% to 436 in 2021, 519 marriages in 2022, 528 in 2023, and 529 in 2024. While Bundelkhand, central MP, Gwalior-Chambal region, besides some tribal dominated districts have reported the maximum number of such weddings, Damoh district of Bundelkhand region has emerged as the prime hotspot with maximum 115 such marriages in 2025. With 115 marriages, Damoh contributed 21% of the total 538 such marriages so far this year. The same district had reported 69 such marriages in 2021, 64 in 2022, 39 in 2023 and 33 in 2024. The other districts which reported significant number of such marriages this year, included Rajgarh with 44 marriages, 35 in Bundelkhands Chhatarpur, 28 in Gwalior-Chambal regions Guna, 24 each in Sagar & Dewas, and 23 in Narsinghpur district. A maximum of 115 weddings in Damoh this year is the first time in five years that any district has reported in 100 or more marriages annually. Concern raised The incidence of marriages involving girls below 18 years has risen from 366 in 2020 to 538 in 2025 Damoh dist in Bundelkhand has recorded 115 child marriages this year This is the first time in five years that a dist has seen over 100 cases in a year
Dead Frog Found In Midday Meal At Madhya Pradesh School, Probe Ordered
A dead frog was found in a midday meal at a Gokulpur school in Gwalior, prompting outrage and an inquiry by Ruchika Chauhan and Sojan Singh Rawat over food safety concerns.
Two Long-billed Vultures that hatched in Haryana settle in MP
The two Jatayu have brought great hope for vulture conservation in India after they completed 15 months of settling in the forests of Madhya Pradesh
Tableaus Around Neck, Madhya Pradesh MLAs Call Attention To Farmer Distress
The second day of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly session saw a unique protest as the Congress launched an offensive against the ruling BJP government over the worsening condition of farmers in the state.
MP dissolved nine caste-based welfare boards without spending allocated funds, state tells assembly
BHOPAL: As many as nine caste/community-specific social welfare boards, which were formed by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government just a month before the 2023 Vidhan Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, were dissolved on September 17, 2025, without receiving even a single rupee during their 23 months of existence. The disclosure was made in the state governments reply to a question by Congress MLA Pratap Grewal during the ongoing winter session of the Vidhan Sabha in Bhopal. A total of 12 boards were created in April and October 2023 by the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP regime. These included the MP Kush Kalyan Board for the welfare of the Kushwaha community, Swarnakala Board for the Soni community, Telghani Board for the Sahu caste, Maa Puri Vayee Keer Board for the Keer community, Jai Minesh Board for the Meena community, Vishwakarma Board for the Vishwakarma community and Veer Tejaji Board for the Jats. They also included the Rajak Samaj Kalyan Board and Maa Ahilya Devi Board for the Pal community, the Devnarayan Board for the Gurjar community, the Maharana Pratap Kalyan Board and the Jain Samaj Kalyan Board. Out of these, nine boards formed in October 2023 were allotted Rs 8.34 crore in 2023, but not even a single rupee of those funds was released until the boards were dissolved in September 2025. The information shared by Minister of State for Skill Development and Employment Gautam Tetwal in a written reply revealed that there was no information about any beneficiary being identified, selected or provided aid under any welfare scheme of the nine boards. While not a single district-level meeting was held by any of the nine boards during the 23 months, three boards held state-level meetings on September 9, 2024, and three others conducted similar meetings in February to March 2025. Three other boards, including the Maharana Pratap Board, Rajak Samaj Kalyan Board and the Telghani Board, did not hold even a single meeting during their entire existence. Among the nine boards, the Maharana Pratap Board failed to appoint its head and secretary in 23 months, while no members were appointed in the Telghani and Jai Minesh Boards. The Rajak Kalyan and Veer Tejaji Kalyan Boards had just one member each instead of the required four. Further, outsourced staff were hired 18 months after formation in November 2024 and then relieved of duties within a few months, between April and August 2025. Importantly, a majority of the boards operated from the AVN Tower in MP Nagar, Bhopal, which houses the headquarters of the Skill Development Directorate. Two boards functioned from privately rented buildings, despite having no operational activity. Congress MLA Pratap Grewal, who shared with journalists the details of the reply given by Minister Gautam Tetwal, said the reply makes it clear that the caste- and community-specific welfare boards were formed solely to secure votes in the 2023 Assembly polls. The specific caste-communities were cheated just for political gain. BJP people were appointed as chairman and members of the board and were given facilities like vehicles, honorarium allowance, telephone, etc., and their work was done through them. In the name of welfare of the board, the amount of Rs 8.34 crore received by the concerned department was not deposited in the board, due to which not a single person from the societies benefited. Now after two years, the dissolution of the boards makes it clear that BJP has done the condemnable act of insulting the societies in the name of the board, he said.
Madhya Pradesh: Parents of Missing Toddler Taken Before Temple Deity for Verification
Ratan Pal had gone missing when he was playing outside his maternal grandmothers house in the village of Mohanpur in Gwalior district in the afternoon of November one
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Begins Performance Review Amid Reshuffle Buzz
With talk of a major cabinet reshuffle gaining momentum in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has begun a week-long review of all ministerial departments.
SMAT 2025-26 | Hyderabad ekes out a win over Uttar Pradesh; Suryavanshis blistering ton goes in vain
Shaw leads from the front to help Maharashtra down Bihar despite the 14-year-olds unbeaten 108; Jammu & Kashmir beats Chandigarh by 29 runs; Goa thumps Madhya Pradesh
Child marriages continue to rise in Madhya Pradesh; 538 cases reported in 2025
Marriages of girls aged below 18 years continue to rise in Madhya Pradesh, despite the governments claims of taking focused measures, particularly through public awareness campaigns to curb the practice. Statistics tabled by Mohan Yadav government in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday, the second day of the assemblys ongoing winter session, revealed a 47% jump in child marriages in 2025 compared to 2020. As many as 538 child marriages have been reported across the state so far this year, up from 366 cases in 2020. The number of child marriages has been steadily increasing over the years: 366 cases were reported in 2020, rising by 19% to 436 in 2021, followed by 519 in 2022, 528 in 2023, and 529 in 2024. These figures were presented in response to a question raised by former minister and three-time Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh. While districts in Bundelkhand, central Madhya Pradesh, the GwaliorChambal region, and some tribal-dominated areas reported the highest number of cases, Damoh district in Bundelkhand has emerged as the biggest hotspot, recording 115 child marriages in 2025. This accounts for 21% of all cases reported in the state this year. The district had earlier reported 69 such marriages in 2021, 64 in 2022, 39 in 2023, and 33 in 2024. Other districts reporting a significant number of child marriages this year include Rajgarh (44), Chhatarpur (35), Guna (28), Sagar (24), Dewas (24), and Narsinghpur (23). The 115 cases reported in Damoh this year mark the first instance in five years of any district crossing the three-digit mark. Before this, the highest figure was 87 cases reported in Rajgarh in 2023. Damoh had also recorded the highest number of such cases in 2021 and 2022. Sagar district, also part of Bundelkhand, continues to report a substantial number of underage marriages: 48 in 2020, 33 in 2021, 27 in 2022, 36 in 2023, and 34 in 2024. Although the figures were shared by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department in the Vidhan Sabha, the states WCD Minister Nirmala Bhuria told journalists that she had no such information. No such question was raised in the Vidhan Sabha. I dont have any such information. Ill find out from where the opposition obtained these figures, she said, despite the data being part of the House proceedings. Bhurias home district, the Bhil-dominated Jhabua, reported 68 child marriages in the last five years, while neighbouring Alirajpur, dominated by the Bhilala tribe, reported just seven cases since 2020. Reacting to the data, Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh slammed the government. In response to my question, the government claimed on Tuesday that public awareness on the issue is growing. But the continuously rising figures shared by the department itself paint a picture contrary to the governments claims, he said.
900 tonnes of toxic ash post-incineration of Union Carbide waste causes unease in MP town
INDORE: About 900 tonnes of toxic ash generated in the process of incinerating waste from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal five months ago is still lying around in Pithampur industrial hub in Madhya Pradesh, anxiety in the area mounting with each passing day. Nearly five months ago, the toxic waste, soil and packaging material brought from the Bhopal unit, the site of the 1984 gas tragedy, was incinerated at a plant in Pithampur, an industrial town in adjoining Dhar district. The incineration of entire 358 tonnes of matter -- 337 tonnes of toxic waste, 19 tonnes of contaminated soil and 2.2 tonnes of packaging material -- from the defunct Union Carbide factory had concluded in the beginning of July, over six months after the consignment was transported from Bhopal. The waste was burned in an incinerator using a scientific process, mixing lime and other materials, producing approximately 900 tonnes of ash, officials said. They said the state government had planned to bury the generated ash in a landfill cell under construction on the premises of the Pithampur plant, located near Tarpura, a village with a population of about 20,000, in Dhar district. However, nearly two months back , the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the state government to find an alternative site to dispose of the ash, saying its disposal near human habitation is unacceptable. According to officials, the ash is currently safely stored in the plant's leak-proof storage shed. At least 5,479 people were killed and thousands were maimed after the highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, making it one of the biggest industrial disasters in the world. The Jabalpur bench of the high court on October 8 this year rejected a proposal to bury the ash of the toxic waste in a landfill cell being constructed on the Pithampur plant's premises, stating that the facility was too close to human habitation. The present containment site for the toxic ash in proximity to human habitation is unacceptable to this court, the HC said. In its order, the court referred to an interim application filed by an intervener, which stated that tests had found mercury levels in the toxic ash to be above the permissible limit. The application has been filed by the intervener, which discloses that the tests conducted on the toxic ash still reveal the presence of mercury, which is higher than the permissible limits as disclosed in the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board's report dated August 12, 2025, the HC said. It also directed the state government to file a report citing alternative sites for containment of this ash. Under the circumstances, the state is directed to file a report citing alternative sites for containment and also inform the court whether a global tender was floated in order to obtain the best technical expertise of companies/agencies, which may have unimpeachable technical prowess in executing a work of this nature and have dealt with similar cases of containment of toxic chemical waste, it said. The government officials refuse to comment on the disposal plan, saying the matter was sub judice. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an official, however, told PTI on Tuesday that the contract awarded to a private company for the disposal of Union Carbide waste includes burying the ash in a dedicated landfill cell within the Pithampur plant premises, and that all safety standards are being observed during this construction. The construction of this landfill cell is in its final stages, he said. Pithampur, about 30 km from Indore, is a major industrial area in the state. This industrial area houses approximately 1,250 units, employing thousands of workers, including migrant workers from various states across the country. Social activists in Pithampur are not in favour of burying the ash in a landfill cell at a waste disposal unit adjacent to human habitation. Hemant Kumar Hirole, head of local organisation 'Pithampur Bachao Samiti', said the toxic ash should be disposed of in a secluded area, because in the event of an accident, a malfunction in the landfill cell could cause serious harm to the human population and the environment. Hirole's petition is among five petitions being heard simultaneously by the HC regarding the Union Carbide waste. He said, At present, we have no information on whether the state government has selected an alternative site for the disposal of the toxic ash. The state government should clarify the status soon. Over the past four decades, several plans to dispose of the toxic waste at plants in India and abroad were made and cancelled amid protests. However, it was finally incinerated and reduced to ashes this year at a waste disposal plant operated by a private company in Pithampur. The State Pollution Control Board officials claimed that emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen fluoride, and nitrogen oxides, as well as mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals, were found to be within standard limits during the incineration of the factory waste. They also said the incineration of Union Carbide factory waste at the Pithampur plant did not cause any adverse health effects to plant workers or residents of the surrounding areas. The waste was transported to the Pithampur plant, about 250 km from Bhopal, on January 2 this year. This led to several protests in Pithampur. Protesters expressed concerns about the potential harm to human populations and the environment from the disposal of this waste, a claim the state government flatly dismissed.
More than 700 cough syrup manufacturers subjected to intense audit: Government tells Rajya Sabha
NEW DELHI: More than 700 cough syrup manufacturers were subjected to intense audit and increased market surveillance sampling of syrup formulations was done by central and state drugs regulators in the wake of children deaths allegedly due to consumption of contaminated cough syrups, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Upon receipt of reports of a cluster of child deaths from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, a central team of experts visited Chhindwara and Nagpur and undertook a detailed investigation of the reported cases and deaths in coordination with the Madhya Pradesh state authorities, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said in a written reply. The team comprised an epidemiologist, a microbiologist, an entomologist, and drug inspectors from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Institute of Virology (NIV), and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). A total of 19 drug samples, reportedly consumed by the affected children, were collected from the treating private practitioners and nearby retail stores for testing, Patel said. Chemical analysis of these 19 samples indicated that 15 samples were of standard quality, while 4 samples were declared not of standard quality (NSQ), she stated. As per the test report, the content of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) in Syrup Coldrif manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical located in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu and consumed by the deceased children was found to be 46.28 per cent w/v, Patel said in her reply. The premises of M/s Sresan Pharmaceuticals was inspected. Several critical and major good manufacturing practices violations including unhygienic storage conditions were observed, the matter regarding the criminal action against the manufacturer was taken up by CDSCO with the Tamil Nadu government, she said. The state drugs controller Nadu cancelled the manufacturing licence. Further, following the incident, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Puducherry, where the impugned cough syrup batches were supplied, ordered immediate ban and recall, Patel informed. Criminal case has been registered in the matter by Madhya Pradesh and strict action has been taken including the arrest of persons involved. An advisory has been issued on October 3 to health departments and healthcare facilities of all states and Union territories to ensure rational use of paediatric cough syrups, Patel said. Further, the Drugs Controller (India) directed all states and Union territories drug controllers on October 7 to ensure strict compliance with testing requirements under the Drugs Rules, 1945, and on October 21 instructed them to maintain heightened vigilance against spurious and substandard drugs and take prompt action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. More than 700 cough syrup manufacturers have been subjected to intense audit in coordination with state authorities and increased market surveillance sampling of syrup formulations by central and state drugs regulators has also been done, Patel stated. In addition to the existing requirements of testing the raw materials, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad has issued an amendment to Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2022, to also mandate the testing for DEG and Ethylene Glycol (EG) in oral liquids at finished product stage before market release, she said.
Cough Syrup Death: Over 700 Manufacturers Under Scrutiny Post Contamination Cases
More than 700 cough syrup manufacturers have been under intense scrutiny, following a spate of deaths in children in Madhya Pradesh after consuming the contaminated syrups.
MP AYUSH NEET UG counselling 2025: Stray vacancy round 2 schedule released; check details here
The Directorate of AYUSH, Madhya Pradesh, has announced the second round of stray vacancy counselling for NEET AYUSH 2025 admissions. Online registration is open until December 3, 2025, with record verification and merit list publication on December 5. Choice filling and locking will be available on December 6, followed by college reporting on December 8.
Madhya Pradesh Welfare Boards Spent 2 Years Without Work But Got Perks
A major political controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after documents tabled in the Assembly revealed that nine social welfare boards formed just months before the 2023 assembly elections spent two years without conducting meaningful work.
Arjun Tendulkar Stars Against IPL Winner-Led Side With Stunning All-Round Show
Arjun Tendulkar impressed with an all-round performance for Goa in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 16 runs and taking three wickets against Madhya Pradesh.
This winter, central and north India are bracing for a colder season with an increased number of cold wave days, according to the IMD. Regions like Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi are expected to experience below-normal temperatures and prolonged cold spells, posing risks to health, transport, and air quality.
Rs 62,944 Crore Debt, Rotting Grain: Madhya Pradesh Admits To Food Supply Failure
Experts say the corporation's condition has reached a breaking point where its financial instability, collapsing storage systems, and the precarious position of farmers and poor consumers are symptoms of a deeper policy paralysis.
MP Man Dies After Bridge Collapses While Returning From Sister's Wedding
A former CRPF jawan died after Nayagaon bridge collapsed on BareillyPipariya State Highway in Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh Farmers' Day-Long Protest At Highway Over MSP Suspended
A massive farmers' protest that began in the early hours of Monday at the Khalghat toll plaza in Madhya Pradesh's Dhamnod was suspended late at night, ending hours of blockade and tension on National Highway 52.
Every School-Going Child Must Have Gita In Schoolbag: Mohan Yadav
The three-day International Gita Mahotsav kicked off with spiritual fervour at Dussehra Ground in Ujjain on Monday as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav inaugurated the festival.
Returning From Sister's Wedding, Madhya Pradesh Man Dies In Bridge Collapse
The tragic bridge collapse in Madhya Pradesh's Nayagaon on the Bareilly-Pipariya State Highway has claimed the life of a 35-year-old man identified as Devendra Singh Dhakad.
Show-Cause Notice To Madhya Pradesh College After Massive Campus Uprising
Five days after violent unrest shook VIT University in Sehore district, the Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Department has finally issued a show-cause notice to the university management, giving it seven days to explain serious violations.
One dead, three injured as major portion of over 50-year-old bridge collapses in MPs Raisen
BHOPAL: A major portion of a more than 50-year-old bridge collapsed in Madhya Pradeshs Raisen district on Monday, killing a 35-year-old man and injuring at least three others. While a three-member enquiry committee has been constituted to probe the matter, AA Khan, who is a manager of the MP Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) has been suspended. The portion of the bridge in Nayagaon area on the Bareli-Pipariya State Highway in Raisen district collapsed while a motorcycle and scooter were passing over it. At least four persons, all of them riding the two-wheelers, sustained serious injuries in the mishap. They were first rushed to Bareli Civil Hospital from where doctors referred some of them to AIIMS-Bhopal. One of the injured, identified as Devendra Dhakad (35), succumbed to wounds during the course of treatment at AIIMS-Bhopal. As per informed sources in Raisen district, Dhakad was returning to his village in Raisen after the Bidai ceremony of his sister, who was married on Sunday. The bridge, built in 1980, was under repair and maintenance work by the MPRDC, when its portion collapsed. The labourers working under the bridge, however, had a close shave. A sum of Rs 98 lakh was sanctioned for the repair and maintenance of the bridge, due to rusting of reinforcement slabs. Owing to the incident, the road traffic on the concerned route has been diverted through the old culvert in the Nayagaon Kalan village. The Raisen district collector Arun Kumar Vishwakarma and district police superintendent Ashutosh went to the spot and later took stock of the condition of the injured at the hospital. Subsequently, the state government suspended AA Khan, a manager at the MPRDC, and issued show-cause notices to the current and former divisional managers and assistant managers, official sources in Bhopal, said. Also, a three-member inquiry committee headed by chief engineer Gopal Singh has been constituted and given a weeks time to submit its fact-finding report.
Government not averse to taking up discussion on SIR, electoral reforms: Kiren Rijiju
NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister, Kiren Rijiju, on Monday stated in Rajya Sabha that the Government is not averse to holding a detailed discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Clarifying the Governments stand on the Oppositions insistence, he said that their request for a debate on the issue is already under active consideration. However, Rijiju urged the Opposition members not to press for a strict timeline for conducting the discussion. Nobody is undermining any matter which was brought out by the Opposition party yesterday in the all-party meeting or Business Advisory Committee (BAC) today. What I am saying is, it is under the consideration of the governmentif you put a condition that it has to be taken up today itself, then it becomes difficult, because you have to give certain space, Rijiju said. The minister also said that certain parties raised matters other than the SIR and stressed the need to protect their rights as well. However, I am saying again, the matter is related to whatever you call it, special intensive revision or electoral reforms or whatever. I have stated before the beginning of the winter session that the Government is not averse to taking up discussion on anything, said Rijiju. As the Opposition continued insisting on a timeline referring to his remarks at the BAC that he would respond by Sunday 9 pm, the minister said, Please give us some time while there are other businesses, which are listed, that can be taken up. The demand, which you have put forward, has not been rejected. So, don't presume that the government is not ready to discuss any matter. Please do not put a condition on the timeline, the minister added. On this, Trinamool Congress (TMC) floor leader Derek O'Brien retorted sharply. Problem is not the timeline but the trust deficit, he shouted back. As the Upper House welcomed Radhakrishnan on his first day of conducting the House proceedings, O'Brien called for the start of a discussion on electoral reforms with immediate effect, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) MP John Brittas said the Parliamentary Affairs Minister should honour his words and the House should hold a discussion on electoral reforms. Earlier, Leader of Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the discussion should start immediately. He also asked the ruling party not to divide opposition parties. Don't divide us. If you try to divide us, we will be stronger, he said. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha chairman CP Radhakrishnan disallowed the notices given by nine Opposition members on several issues, including a discussion on SIR under rule 267, leading to protests by them. The Chairman later asked members to raise their Zero Hour mentions. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had announced SIR in West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, and Goa. Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will go to the polls in 2026. In Assam, where polls are also due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls was announced separately.
Opinion: Opinion | Scindia's Ghost Is Haunting Congress Again - This Time In Karnataka
As Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stakes his claim to the top post, the party's high command is walking a tightrope, acutely aware that one misstep could lead to a repeat of the catastrophic loss it suffered in Madhya Pradesh in 2020.
MP CM Mohan Yadavs son marries in mass ceremony, marking departure from lavish political weddings
BHOPAL: In a significant departure from the extravagant five-star and destination weddings often associated with the families of political heavyweights, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadavs son, Dr Abhimanyu Yadav, married his bride, Dr Ishita Yadav, at a mass marriage ceremony in the familys home city of Ujjain on Sunday. Abhimanyu and Ishita were among 21 couples from various Hindu communities who tied the knot at the vibrant ceremony held in Sawarakhedi, Ujjain. The newly married couples, including the CMs son and daughter-in-law, received blessings from prominent Hindu seers and religious leaders. Among them were Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, Hindu Rashtra proponent and religious preacher Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, and Akhara Parishad head Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj. The event was also graced by several distinguished guests, including Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and D.D. Uikey, Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel, Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, and MP Vidhan Sabha Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar. While congratulating all the newly married couples, Governor Mangubhai Patel praised Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for setting a fine example of social harmony by arranging his younger sons marriage at a mass wedding ceremony. Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, who chanted Vedic mantras to solemnise the 21 weddings under a single sprawling mandap, said the gesture offered an inspiring model for influential, political and affluent families in the country. This model can help reduce extravagance in weddings and motivate middle- and lower-middle-class families. The CMs gesture reflects the true spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas , he stated. Religious preacher Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Bageshwar Dham Sarkar said that collective, low-cost weddings should be encouraged across all sections of society. He asserted that the country now needs innovative ways of thinking, and that through this mass ceremony, the message of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is being realised, with social harmony rising above all discrimination. The ceremony also witnessed Akhara Parishad general secretary Swami Hari Giri Maharaj announcing a contribution of 1 lakh for each of the 21 newly married couples.
On World AIDS Day 2025, the Madhya Pradesh State AIDS Control Society's former website (mpsacsb.org) and official email were hijacked, now displaying fake job opportunities and misleading citizens. This incident highlights administrative oversight after the domain expired and was not renewed, posing a risk of sensitive information being shared with unauthorized parties.
December 2025 offers a mix of holidays and academic events for students across India. Uttar Pradesh schools close for winter break from December 20 to 31. Madhya Pradesh schools begin winter holidays around December 23. Christmas Day on December 25 is a nationwide holiday. Regional festivals like Hornbill in Nagaland and St Francis Xavier in Goa also occur.
Tiger census to start in January
BENGALURU: Amid increasing incidents of man-animal conflict, particularly tiger capture and relocation operations around prime tiger reserves, the Karnataka forest department is training its staffers for the upcoming all-India tiger census. The tiger estimation exercise will be done in the first week of January. The dates are yet to be finalised. The exercise will first be done in Project Tiger areas and then in other forest patches. Training for Bengaluru Circle has been completed, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, PC Rai told TNIE. Under Phase-1, data on carnivore and prey base density will be obtained. Phase-2 will comprise field reports, and Phase-3 will be the camera trap data. The Centre is targeting the release of the all-India estimation report in April 2026. The synchronised all-India estimation will be done in 2026. Karnataka was to start its annual tiger estimation exercise by the end of November, and complete it by mid-December. An official from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said, Due to multiple reasons, including improper training for all staff, it was postponed. All tiger states have been directed to follow one calendar for the estimation, to avoid confusion and duplication in the Monitoring Systems for Tigers -- Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (M-Str-IPES) portal and mobile app. The Status of Tigers, Prey and Other Mammals, in Tiger Reserves of Karnataka for 2024 report, released by the Karnataka forest department tiger cell on March 28, 2025, showed a decline in tiger numbers, compared to previous years. In 2020, Karnatakas five tiger reserves housed 403 tigers, which increased to 417 in 2022, dipped to 408 in 2023 and 393 in 2024. The all-India tiger estimation report, prepared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India, showed a rise in the number of striped wild cats in Karnataka, year-on-year. In 2010, the state recorded 300. This increased to 406 in 2014, 524 in 2018 and 563 in 2022. Karnataka ranks second in the all-India estimation exercise after Madhya Pradesh, with 785 tigers. The all-India estimation also showed that the Central and Eastern Ghats landscape housed 1,439 tigers, while the Western Ghats landscape housed 1,087 big cats. We dont want to compete, but looking at the rising cases of conflict and number of new births, it seems like the number in Karnataka is on the rise. It is also unfortunate that many wild cats have been captured and relocated to rescue centres. Forest cover is shrinking, and the pressure on forest land is rising. Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves house tigers beyond their carrying capacity, thus conflict is increasing. We have now adopted relocation to newer, safer habitats policy, said a senior official. A 3-phase drive The exercise will first be done in the Project Tiger areas Phase-1: Carnivore & prey base density data will be obtained Phase 2 will comprise field reports, and Phase 3 will be the camera trap data. In 2020, Karnatakas five tiger reserves housed 403, which increased to 417 in 2022 and dipped to 408 in 2023 and to 393 in 2024.
After Delhi blast connection, Nuh linked to MP cybercrimes
BHOPAL: Haryanas Nuh district, which is under glare as an operational base of the white-collar terror module linked to 10/11 Delhi blast case, has also come out as the nucleus of Madhya Pradeshs biggest-ever inter-state cybercrime ring. MP polices cybercrime unit has traced masterminds of the racket to Nuh. The cyber fraud ring involved over 1000 bank accounts of people in Vindhya and Mahakoshal region of MP, being used as mule accounts to park and circulate fraud money. More than 25 people from MP, Haryana and Bihar have been arrested and charge-sheeted. As the investigations progress, its becoming clear that operatives based in Nuh are the masterminds of the racket. They sourced SIM cards and mule accounts mostly from MP and used them for their inter-state racket, said a MP police involved in the probe. The men in Nuh operated an illegal call centre at a flat in Gurugram, which was used to make calls to people for duping them. The SIM cards, sourced by operatives in MP and other states, reached the kingpins through middlemen based in Patna. The mule bank accounts served as the pipeline through which more than Rs 3,000 crore was routed. The funds were actually proceeds of cybercrimes committed in various parts of the country, religious charity money as well as money from unknown sources suspected to have been used possibly for terror funding. Large sum of money was routed through mule accounts to the Middle East, the officer added. The fraudsters also operated shell companies in Hyderabad and parts of Maharashtra. The 25-plus men arrested over the last 11 months have been charge-sheeted. Now we are going to zero in on the racket masterminds in Nuh, he said. Years back it was Jamtara in Jharkhand, but crackdown saw newer hotspots in West Bengal. Over last couple of years Nuh and adjoining Rajasthan districts have emerged as the cybercrime hub, SP (cybercrime cell) Pranay Nagwanshi said.
DP busts terror module, nabs 3
NEW DELHI, Nov 30: The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted a Pakistan-backed terror module led by gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, currently based in the neighbouring country, an official said on Sunday. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Police have arrested three key operatives of the module one each from Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and seized a semi-automatic pistol, 10 live cartridges, and mobile phones containing incriminating chats and reconnaissance videos from their possession, Additional [] The post DP busts terror module, nabs 3 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Son Gets Married In Mass Ceremony In Ujjain
Governor Mangubhai Patel on Sunday praised Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for setting a fine example of social harmony by getting his younger son married at a mass ceremony in Ujjain.
Jamiat chief Madanis jihad remark draws sharp criticism from Pasmanda Muslims
Barabanki/Bareilly: A section of Muslim leaders condemned Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (MM) chief Maulana Mahmood Madanis recent remarks against the states bulldozer action and the use of word jihad, saying they could incite unrest among the community. Ulema-e-Hind (MM) chief Maulana Mahmood Madani, during a meeting of Jamiat (MM) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday, accused certain 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 .
'Manjha' Slits Throat Of 16-Year-Old Biker In Indore: Cops
A 16-year-old boy died in Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday after a piece of 'manjha' (kite string) slit his throat while he was riding a motorcycle, a police official said.
Delhi Police busts Pakistan-backed terror module linked to Gurdaspur grenade attack; 3 arrested
Delhi Police Special Cell has dismantled a Pakistan-backed terror network. Gangster Shahzad Bhatti, operating from Pakistan, led the module. Three key operatives were apprehended from Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. They were involved in a grenade attack in Gurdaspur. The module recruited young Indians via social media, luring them with money and glorification.
Delhi Police busts Pak-backed terror module linked to Gurdaspur grenade attack; 3 arrested
NEW DELHI, Nov 30: The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted a Pakistan-backed terror module led by gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, currently based in the neighbouring country, an official said on Sunday. Police have arrested three key operatives of the module one each from Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and seized a semi-automatic pistol, 10 live cartridges, and mobile phones containing incriminating chats and reconnaissance videos from their possession, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Pramod Singh [] The post Delhi Police busts Pak-backed terror module linked to Gurdaspur grenade attack; 3 arrested appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
43 Heritage Bye-laws for over 50 monuments likely to be tabled in Parliament Winter Session
NEW DELHI: Drafts of at least 43 Heritage Bye-laws (HBLs) covering over 50 monuments readied by the National Monument Authority (NMA) are likely to be laid in Parliament during the winter session starting Monday. The documents will subsequently be put in the public domain to seek feedback. So far, 124 HBLs covering about 178 heritage sites have been placed before the both Houses of Parliament. (450) The drafts are approved in Parliament. In this session, we are planning to lay 43 HBLs covering 54 sites. The process, obviously, depends upon the session of Parliament. We have limited days; two days in a week. One day is for Lok Sabha, that is Monday, and Thursday is for Rajya Sabha. So, according to the business of Parliament, it is done, said an official, aware of the matter. The laws are to ensure that new construction and activities around protected sites comply with regulations for heritage conservation. The NMA prepares the draft bye-laws, and once approved by it, they are submitted to Parliament for their final endorsement. The drafts of monuments prepared this year include Triple shrined Temple of Bhavani (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra), Temple of Amriteshwar (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra), Fort and gateway excluding the ancient buildings and tomb of Bismillah Shah Wali (Kadapa District or YSR Kadapa District in Andhra Pradesh), Nahar Jharokha compound, Rupmati Pavilion, Baz Bahadurs Palace, Darya Khans Tomb, and Hathi Mahal (Dhar, Madhya Pradesh), Kailasanatha Swamy temple (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu), Bhimesvara temple (East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh), St Francis Church, Fort Kochi (Ernakulam, Kerala) and Fort including ancient temples (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan). To ensure speedy and transparent approval of construction and repair works in the vicinity of the protected historical sites, the NMA has expedited finalisation of HBLs for 141 monuments. The process is expected to be over within the next six months. Following the directions of the culture ministry to prioritise preparation of HBLs for monuments attracting the highest number of applications seeking permission for construction-related applications, the NMA identified 294 such heritage sites across the country. Out of the 294 identified monuments, bye laws of 151 are already completed, prepared or have been submitted before the Parliament. Most applications are received from Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, where rapid urbanisation is taking place. Fewer applications for approvals are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and parts of the northeast. As mandated by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 2010, there should be separate bye-laws for all 3,693 heritage sites or monuments under the jurisdiction of ASI to regulate development and construction around protected monuments. These rules were to be framed by 2012. However, till January 2020, by-laws for only five monuments or sites were cleared and presented before the Parliament.
Haryanas Nuh emerges as key operational base in white-collar terror module
BHOPAL:The Nuh district of Haryana has emerged as an alleged hideout, operational base for sourcing materials and recruitment ground for the white collar modules operatives. This comes against the investigations' progress into the white-collar terror module and the 10/11 Delhi blast case. The same southeastern Haryana district has also turned out to be the nucleus of Madhya Pradeshs biggest-ever inter-state cyber crime ring, which was busted by the police in early 2025. As the MP polices cyber crime unit accelerates its probe into the inter-state racket, men operating from Nuh (Haryana) have emerged as the kingpins and masterminds, which is believed to be worth more than Rs 3000 crore. Anatomy of a white collar terror module The cyber fraud ring involved more than 1000 bank accounts of people in the Vindhya and Mahakoshal region of MP, being used as mule accounts to park and circulate fraud money and hundreds of SIM cards sourced from MP were used by cyber fraudsters for committing crimes across the country. More than 25 persons, hailing from MP, Haryana and Bihar, have so far been arrested and charge-sheeted in the court in MP. The men in Nuh (mostly school dropouts) operated an illegal call centre at a flat in Gurugram, which was used to make calls to people for duping them via various kinds of cyber-crimes, including job offers, gaming and cryptocurrency investment frauds, etc. The SIM cards, which were sourced by the rackets kingpins from their operatives in MP and other states, reached through middlemen based in the Bihar capital Patna. Cybercrime police bust ATM card cloning racket, nab onefrom Haryana The bank accounts, which were used as mule accounts (around 70 per cent of them were originally held by low-income people in MPs Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions), served as the pipeline through which more than Rs 3,000 crore was routed to various destinations. The funds which were rotated through these accounts were actually proceeds of cybercrime committed in various parts of the country, religious charity money, as well as money from unknown sources suspected to have been used possibly for terror funding. A large sum of money was actually routed through the mule accounts to the Middle East, a MP police officer added. The men operating from Nuh even operated shell companies/firms in Hyderabad and parts of Maharashtra. These shell firms/companies were particularly used for cyber fraud and the transfer of illicit money. The 25-plus men who have been arrested in the case over the last 11 months have already been charge-sheeted in the court. Now we are going to zero in upon the real kingpins/masterminds of the racket in Nuh, the officer maintained. As per MP police sources, its not the first time that Nuhs name has cropped up in a major cybercrime case. Nuh has gradually emerged as a prime cybercrime hotspot in the country. Years back, it was Jamtara in Jharkhand, but a sustained crackdown witnessed newer hotspots emerge in West Bengal, adjoining parts of Odisha and later some parts of western UP. But over the last couple of years, Nuh in Haryana and adjoining districts of Rajasthan have come out as the prime cyber-crime hub of India, Madhya Pradesh polices SP (state cyber crime cell) Pranay Nagwanshi said. Children are linked to cybercrime in at least three of every 3,000 cases, say experts
Jamiat-Ulama-Hind chief Maulana Madanis remarks on judiciary and SC trigger political storm
BHOPAL: A major political storm has erupted after Jamiat Ulama-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, accused the Supreme Court of functioning under government pressure and added that it didnt deserve to be called as Supreme, if it failed to enforce the Constitution fully. Addressing the national governing body meeting of the Deobandi body, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, in Bhopal on Saturday, he said, Supreme Court is entitled to be called as Supreme only until it upholds the Constitution and the rights enshrined in the law. The court verdicts in the last few years, including those on the Babri Mosque and Triple Talaq, have led to a common belief that the judiciary is working under government pressure. It has put a question mark on the role of the judiciary in the country, Madani said. While claiming that attempts aimed at igniting and spreading hatred against Islam and Muslims have intensified, he said that the sacred Islamic concept of Jihad was being intentionally distorted and equated with terrorism. Muslims are being defamed with terms like Love Jihad, Land Jihad and Spit Jihad. In Islam, the term Jihad implies struggle against injustice and oppression; whenever oppression happens, there will be Jihad. Hindu neighbour gifts land after Muslim journalist's house demolished by authorities in Jammu Madani also opposed government attempts to regulate Waqf properties. Waqf is a trust created by Muslims. Interference in it will not be tolerated. While maintaining that the countrys present situation is concerning, particularly as Muslims are being made to feel insecure. They are being deliberately targeted through economic boycott, bulldozer action, mob lynching and hate campaign. Full freedom, on the other hand, is being given to certain groups who are indulgent in Ghar Vapasi activities. None is questioning them, nor is any action being initiated against them. While referring to the ongoing process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, Madani said, Apni hi basti mein apni hi basti ke log pochote hain kaun si basti ke ho, kya naam hai. Voh SIR bhi chalaya hua hai. (People from the same locality are questioning From which locality are you from? What is your name? The SIR process is also underway. He also reiterated the minority communitys opposition to singing the national song Vande Mataram. Madanis speech drew a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP. Maulana Madani has said that the Supreme Court has no right to be called Supreme. The apex court should take suo motu cognisance of this statement by Maulana Madani and conduct a hearing on it, BJPs national spokesperson Sambit Patra said. In Madhya Pradesh, the minister for cooperation, sports and youth welfare, Vishwas Sarang, while condemning Madanis remarks, said, Disrespecting the Constitution and attacking the Supreme Court is unfortunate. If you are living in India, you need to abide by the Constitution. You eat from this land but sing for someone else, will not be tolerated. NC defends admission of Muslim students to Vaishno Devi Medical College, cites govt funding
Video: Family Seeking Justice Dragged Away By Cops In Madhya Pradesh
A shocking incident at Singrauli Collector's office in Madhya Pradesh has raised questions about police conduct after a poor family, who had spent the night outside the premises hoping for justice, was allegedly beaten and dragged away
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Son To Marry In Mass Wedding In Ujjain
At a time when weddings are defined by extravagance and exclusivity, Madhya Pradesh's holy city, Ujjain, is witnessing something beautiful and different: an extraordinary union of tradition, simplicity, and community spirit.
Only 4% have access to palliative care in India
NEW DELHI: Nearly 7-10 million people require palliative care (PC) in India, but less than four per cent have access to it, said the latest study, which found that only Kerala and Chandigarh provide better accessibility to these centres as compared to states like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar. The study, published in the ecancermedicalscience journal, said that the demand for palliative care in India is going to rise as four in ten people are estimated to have at least one chronic disease, and the burden is expected to rise to address serious health-related suffering, which is commonly associated with end-stage chronic diseases like cancer. It said there are various barriers to the poor delivery of palliative care in India, including an inequitable distribution of services and poor geographic access to health centres. Dr Parth Sharma, the lead author of the study, said, Our analysis shows that access to palliative care in the country remains extremely poor, forcing people living with serious pain to travel long distances for adequate relief. Yet improving access to palliative care and essential opioids for pain management does not require new infrastructure. Significant gains can be achieved simply by training more healthcare providers in palliative care and integrating these services across all levels of the existing health system, said Dr Sharma from the Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune. The study, which assessed the geographical accessibility of palliative care in India, said that in 2022, India had 526 palliative care centres-Pallium India (PCC-PI), with a density of four per 10 million population. Chandigarh, Delhi, Kerala, and Goa had good access to PCs, while most other states/UTs, especially in the north and northeastern parts of the country, need to improve accessibility in their regions. Siddhesh Zadey, the corresponding author of the study, added, Geography is often ignored in talks around universal health coverage, although its an important determinant. Where you are placed can change your life, including your health access. He said that the study is part of the larger work on timely access to healthcare within its flagship IndoHealMap project, under which they are building access-to-care maps for around 3,00,000 healthcare facilities.
Class VIII student jumps from third floor of MP's Ratlam school, fearing action over mobile phone
Bhopal: A national-level teen skater and Class VIII student, Rishan Katara, jumped from the third floor of his school building in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, moments after his father was called in to discuss the issue of the boy bringing and using a mobile phone on the campus on Friday. The 14-year-old, who suffered multiple fractures in his legs, spine and jaw, was admitted to a private hospital in Ratlam and referred by doctors to Ahmedabad on Saturday for advanced treatment. The incident occurred around ten days before he was scheduled to participate in a national-level skating competition in Visakhapatnam. Angered by the incident, local residents and activists of the tribal outfit Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) staged a protest outside the private school, demanding an FIR against the principal and action by the school education department. The boy was punished by the school for bringing a mobile phone and using it in the school. Not only was his father called to discuss the issue, but the boy too was mentally tortured by the school staff, including the principal. From what we know, the school administration threatened to take away the medals of the talented skater, a JAYS leader alleged during the protest. Some other protesters, including a woman, alleged that despite the boy apologising multiple times on Thursday to teachers and the principal for bringing and using a mobile phone on the campus, he was still mentally tortured and threatened. According to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Archana Harit, As per the primary information with us, the teenager had brought a phone to the school, due to which the schools female principal had called his father to the school on Friday. Possibly the teenager panicked due to it and jumped from the third floor. Were further probing the incident. The students arent allowed to bring mobile phones in the school, even the teachers have to deposit their mobile phones before going to classes. The boy is a national-level skater, she said. Sources said the boy had brought a mobile phone to the school on Thursday, shot videos and uploaded them on social media, prompting the administration to summon his father the next day. Just as the father arrived to meet the school staff, the boy jumped from the third floor. According to the boys parents, their son is a promising national-level skater who has won multiple gold medals in state tournaments. He was practising hard for the national-level meet slated in Visakhapatnam ten days later, but this incident has left all his dreams shattered, they said. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
52 'Sorrys' In 4 Minutes Ignored: Class 8 Boy Jumps From School Building
A Class 8 student, a national-level skating player, attempted suicide by jumping from the third floor of his private school in Dongre Nagar in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh: ED attaches assets worth over Rs 70 crore in fake liquor challan
The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached 28 immovable assets worth over Rs 70 crore in the Madhya Pradesh fake liquor challan scam. The properties, located in Indore, Mandsaur and Khargone
Viral Wedding Photos Trigger Colour-Shaming, Groom Responds with Grace
Madhya Pradesh couples celebration meets online trolling, prompting a powerful response on love, dignity and racism.
Cyber fraudsters cite terror links to target senior citizens
BHOPAL: Senior citizens in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are facing a new and highly unsettling cyber-fraud tactic, with criminals impersonating anti-terror investigators, placing victims under a so-called digital arrest, and extorting huge sums by falsely accusing them of involvement in terror funding. In Bhopal, the fear triggered by such calls has already claimed a life. Sixty-eight-year-old advocate Shiv Kumar Verma recently died by suicide at his home. A suicide note, purportedly penned by him, revealed the possibility of him being targeted by cyber fraudsters by threatening stringent action against him for funding the April 22 Pahalgam attack. According to investigators, the note and subsequent probe by Jahangirabad police suggested that fraudsters, possibly posing as anti-terror sleuths, had told him that his HDFC Bank account was being used for terror funding. With no one else at home and terrified of being labelled anti-national, Verma hanged himself. Police say it is the first suicide in Bhopal linked to digital arrest. At least five to seven similar incidents have surfaced in the city involving the elderly over the past 10 days. In Bhopals Kohfiza area, another elderly advocate received calls from men posing as anti-terror cops, but unlike Verma, he realised in time that the callers were fraudsters trying to con him. Others, however, were not so fortunate. A retired bank manager lost `68 lakhhis entire savingsafter being kept under digital arrest by callers who claimed to be investigating terror-related offences. A retired government servant lost around `8 lakh, and an elderly housewife has also reported being targeted in a similar manner. A cyber cell officer confirmed the modus operandi. Earlier, such fraudsters posing as cops or sleuths of investigation agencies extorted money from elderlies by triggering fear of their details having been used for money laundering, narcotics smuggling and human trafficking. But with sustained education and awareness about the menace of digital arrest, the cyber thugs novel modus operandi is creating fear of involvement in terror-related, particularly terror funding cases. Rajasthan has also reported similar incidents. In two to three cases in Jaipur and Udaipur, fraudsters have targeted the elderly by linking them to the Delhi blast case, said Shantanu Singh, SP (State CybercrimeJaipur). In Indore, police say the targeting is systematic. Additional DCP (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya said, These gangs work in multi layers, one of those layers comprises men and women, who scan the social media activity of senior citizens. The fraudsters zero in on the victims and put them under a digital arrest.
ED raids 15 locations in nine states including Telangana
New Delhi: In a massive nationwide crackdown, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted simultaneous searches at 15 locations across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Territory of Delhi in connection with large-scale corruption in the inspection and approval process of private medical colleges by the National 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 .
Tribal Woman Dies After Two Days in Queue For Fertiliser in Madhya Pradesh
Guna district collector Kishore Kumar Kanyal said that the woman had high blood sugar and an ambulance could not be arranged at late hours
Saw His Pic Online: How 2 Young Men Caught Madhya Pradesh Rape Accused
In a dramatic late-night twist straight out of a crime thriller, Salman alias Nazar, 23, accused of raping a six-year-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district was finally caught not by police patrols, but by two sharp-eyed local youths.
Man held for raping minor in Madhya Pradesh after six-day manhunt; shot while trying to flee custody
Arrest follows district-wide protests, highway blockade and transfer of senior officers in Raisen rape case

