Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a subtle dig at US President Donald Trump over recent tariffs on Indian goods, accusing global powers of jealousy and trying to disrupt Indias rapid economic growth. Speaking at a bhoomi pujan ceremony for a new rail coach factory in Madhya Pradesh, Singh praised Indias dynamic economy and highlighted its rise to a top-four global economy since 2014. He also emphasised Indias growing defence exports and condemned terrorism, affirming Indias strong stance against those who threaten the nation.
86,000 engineers, 4,800 doctors and 18,800 MBAs among over 25.68 lakh job seekers in Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: More than 25.68 lakh registered job seekers, including over 86,000 engineers, 4,800-plus MBBS doctors and 18,800 MBAs, are eyeing government sector jobs in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, according to official data. The figures were revealed in the Vidhan Sabha during the recent monsoon session, in the state governments reply to a question by senior Congress MLA and former home minister Bala Bachchan. Bachchan had sought from the government details about job-seeking youth across qualifications, ranging from Class X pass-outs to post graduates and professionals. Minister of State for Skill Development and Employment Gautam Tetwal told the House that, as on June 30, 2025, graduates formed the largest group among registered job seekers on the MP Rojgar Portal (8.3 lakh), followed by Class XII pass-outs (6.22 lakh) and post-graduates (2.38 lakh). Government data shows 10.46 lakh aspirants belong to the OBC category, 6.34 lakh to the general category, 4.69 lakh to the SC category and 4.18 lakh to the ST category. OBCs form over half of the states population, while tribals account for around 22% and SCs about 16%. The minister said the highest number of registrations was in 2023 (33.13 lakh), followed by 31.54 lakh in 2019 and 30.64 lakh in 2022. The number stood at 26.18 lakh in 2024 and 25.68 lakh so far in 2025. Placement figures peaked in 2018-19 with 1.76 lakh offer letters issued, followed by 1.21 lakh in 2021-22 and 78,800 in 2024-25. The lowest was in 2019-20 with just 4,219. Tetwal told reporters that many registered youths are already employed and are seeking better opportunities, which is why the government has shifted from calling them unemployed to aspirational, the aspirants include highly qualified professionals, including doctors, engineers, and MBAs, are lining up for posts. They included as many as 4811 MBBS doctors, 86,000 engineers and 18,800 MBAs. According to figures shared by the state government during the Vidhan Sabhas recent monsoon session, as many as 80 private engineering colleges and 46 private polytechnics have shut down in Madhya Pradesh over the past decade, possibly due to waning interest among youths in engineering courses. Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta, however, alleged the numbers show the grim state of development, pointing out that highly qualified professionals were among the job seekers. He also questioned why registered applicants fell from 33.13 lakh in 2023 to 25.68 lakh in 2025 despite over 62.75 lakh registrations between 2018 and 2025. According to figures shared by the state government during the Vidhan Sabhas recent monsoon session, as many as 80 private engineering colleges and 46 private polytechnics have shut down in Madhya Pradesh over the past decade, possibly due to waning interest among youths in engineering courses.
MP woman studying for judicial service exams disappears mid-trainjourney, co-passengerssay...
A shocking case has come to light in Madhya Pradesh where a young civil judge aspirant suddenly vanished. 28-year-old Archana Tiwari has been studying for judicial services. Her family searched the Katni station but did not find any trace except her bag.
Bhopal Diary: Scindia-Singh bonhomie catches all by surprise
Scindia-Singh bonhomie catches all by surprise The inauguration of Shrewsbury International School Indias campus in Bhopal witnessed a remarkable bonhomie between two bitter political rivals Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and former MP CMDigvijaya Singh. Scindia, who had once orchestrated the fall of the grand old party regime in MP in March 2020 by joining the BJP, was at the inauguration event. Spotting Singh, and his better half Amrita Rai, in the front row, Scindia walked down from the stage, greeted the couple, before holding the septuagenarian MPs hand to bring him to the stage. The surprise amiability from Scindia not just earned him praise from netizens, it also made Singh take to social media to express his heartfelt gratitude for the Guna MPs comity. Ex-minister gets snared in digital arrest bid A former MP minister recently came on the crosshairs of cyber fraudsters who ensnared him in a digital arrest. But before the thugs posing as Mumbai crime branch sleuths could force him to pay up a major sum to evade jail in a money laundering case, the ex-minister rang the cops, having realised he was being scammed. After remaining under digital arrest for some hours, the minister disconnected the call. The fraudsters not only threatened the politician with jail term in a money laundering case, but spooked him by sending forged notices bearing the name of a Supreme Court judge, CBI and the ED. Concerned over his reputation, the former minister, however, hasnt lodged a formal complaint with the police. Rumours rife as BJP may get new state secretary A month after second-time MLA Hemant Khandelwal was elected the state BJP president, now the ruling party circles in Bhopal are abuzz with the possibility of the party getting a new state general secretary (organisation). State BJP insiders also feel that the incumbent of the key organisational post Hitanand Sharma, hailing from Ashok Nagar district, will be succeeded by someone from outside the state. Sharma has been holding the post since March 2022. There are also murmurs within MP BJP circles about a possible rejig of states council of ministers after key appointments to state corporations, boards and commissions. Anuraag singh Our correspondent in Madhya Pradesh singhanuraag.jaurno@gmail.com
West Bengal tops list as over 2.7K kids awaiting adoption in country
NEW DELHI: As many as 2,768 children are currently awaiting adoption across the country, with West Bengal reporting the highest number of pendencies, followed by Uttar Pradesh, government data shows. Despite the Adoption Regulation, 2022 stipulating timelines for authorities and agencies regarding adoption matters, child adoption is taking longer as it involves different stakeholders, officials pointed out. According to data from Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a nodal body for adoption of Indian children, which is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions, West Bengal has the highest pendency with 352 adoption cases. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh (318), Odisha (262), Maharashtra (250), Telangana (201), Bihar (196), Delhi (176), and Madhya Pradesh (139). Officials said the referral and adoption of a child depends upon the preference made by the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) regarding age, health condition, and state of the child during online registration on the CARINGS portal and thus leads to inordinate delay on occasions. To avoid pendency, the Centre has notified the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021), which empowers the District Magistrate to effectively coordinate and monitor the functions of agencies responsible for implementation of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act which include adoption-related matters. The functionaries of States and Union Territories implement the JJ Act through institutions like State Adoption Resource Agencies, local Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), officials said, adding the entire adoption process is online and transparent through the CARINGS portal. Moreover, CARA regularly holds training sessions, including weekly virtual refresher programmes that are accessible nationwide to promote and facilitate adoption, they said. In financial year 2024-25, India was able to register a record 4,515 adoptions. Officials said this was the highest in the past 12 years. Out of the total adoptions in the period, 3,950 were domestic, while 565 were international adoptions.
Civil Judge Aspirant Mysteriously Disappears During Train Journey In Madhya Pradesh
Archana Tiwari, a 28-year-old woman preparing to become a civil judge, disappeared while traveling on the IndoreBilaspur Narmada Express.
Systematic pattern of mischief in maintaining electoral rolls: Kamal Nath
The Congress leader underlined the demand for machine-readable electoral rolls to be given to parties by citing how he had raised issues regarding voter lists in Madhya Pradesh back in 2018
He accused Congress of spreading negativity in the country by targeting the constitutional bodies in the country.
Religious content in Hindi alphabet charts in Madhya Pradesh school sparks row; probe ordered
RAISEN: A controversy erupted in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district after the principal of a convent school allegedly distributed alphabet charts with Islamic references, prompting the education department to launch an inquiry, officials said on Saturday. They said Baby Convent School principal IA Qureshi allegedly handed Hindi alphabet charts mentioning 'Ka' for Kaba, 'Ma' for Masjid and 'Na' for Namaz to students. Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad staged a protest on Friday and gheraoed Qureshi. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Pratibha Sharma said police personnel brought the situation under control. The matter is related to the education department and referred to the district education officer (DEO), Sharma said. DEO D D Rajak said an investigation is being conducted into the allegations. As per the Education department's guidelines, study material containing religious symbols of any particular faith cannot be taught in schools, he added. Principal Qureshi admitted her inadvertent mistake, stating that one or two such books with mixed Urdu-Hindi multiplication tables had reached students. She claimed the charts of alphabets were sourced from Bhopal, and due to the seller's error, three to four such items, generally used in madrasas, were included.
Assam youth strangled to death, set ablaze by friends in Gujarat in bid to erase his identity
AHMEDABAD: Its a murder straight out of a crime thriller, only bloodier. Five months after a charred, mutilated corpse was fished out of a drain in Changodar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, police have unmasked the killers, not strangers, but two friends driven by greed. The victim, Mohibul, 24, a native of Assam and a worker at a printing firm in Ahmedabads Changodar area, loved to talk big. He told friends he had land back home and lakhs in the bank. Those boasts caught the attention of Santalal Gautam from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rohit Singh Gaud from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, who began plotting his death and a Rs 2 lakh loot. The Kill: On March 6, they lured him to the railway tracks on the outskirts of Tajpur village. First, they tried strangling him with a rope, but it snapped. Then, in a grim twist, they used his shoelace, pulling until he went limp. The Cover-up: They stripped him naked, shoved a T-shirt over his face, and set him on fire to wipe out his identity. Their first plan placing the body under a speeding train failed. Plan B, dumping the burnt remains in a roadside drain, worked, at least for a while. The Discovery: Ten days later, on March 16, locals spotted the mutilated corpse near the Changodar railway line. The sight was gruesome burnt skin, missing clothes, and the smell of charred flesh. With no ID and no leads, police began combing through missing persons reports. Injury marks on the neck pointed to murder. The Breakthrough: For months, the case went nowhere until a ping on Mohibuls SIM card reignited the investigation. Technical surveillance led straight to Santalal and Rohit. Arrested and interrogated, the pair confessed, admitting to killing their friend, burning his body, stealing his phone, and planning to siphon money from his account. The duo now face charges under Sections 103(1), 309(4), and 61(2)(A) of the Bhartiya Nayay Sahinta, as police dig deeper into their movements and motives.
Baby Convent School in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district is under scrutiny after distributing alphabet charts with Islamic references. The charts, allegedly defining Hindi letters with Islamic terms, sparked protests from groups like ABVP. Authorities have launched an inquiry, with the principal claiming the material was sourced from Bhopal and contained an inadvertent error.
Madhya Pradesh Man Arrested For Raping Teen Daughter, Throwing Their Newborn In Bushes
A man has been arrested for allegedly raping his 16-year-old daughter, impregnating her and abandoning their newborn baby in the bushes in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district, police said on Saturday.
Uttarkashi cloudburst: Rain halts air rescue as search for missing enters fourth day
DEHRADUN: The relentless search for individuals missing after a devastating cloudburst in Dharali, Uttarkashi, on Tuesday continued into its fourth day on Friday, even as heavy rains forced the suspension of critical air rescue operations. Over 657 people have been rescued so far from the calamity-hit region. Indian Air Force Chinook helicopters had played a crucial role in airlifting heavy machinery and essential supplies to the affected area. However, rescue efforts suffered a fresh setback late Friday evening as the weather worsened in Uttarkashi, with heavy rainfall leading to the immediate grounding of all helicopter operations. Meanwhile, a major impediment to relief work the lack of communication saw a significant breakthrough. After being severely disrupted by the disaster, telecommunication services provided by Jio and Airtel have now been restored, bringing much-needed relief to rescue teams and stranded individuals alike. On Friday, 257 pilgrims and tourists from various states were safely evacuated from the Harsil and Matli helipads in Uttarkashi and brought to Dehradun. A total of 629 individuals have now been airlifted to safety, Police Headquarters spokesperson Mohammed Yaseen told TNIE. The rescued include a majority of pilgrims and tourists from Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat. Among those evacuated are 177 from Uttarakhand, 133 from Maharashtra, 126 from Gujarat, 58 from Uttar Pradesh, 30 from Madhya Pradesh, 31 from Bihar, 11 from Kerala, 5 from Assam, 6 from Karnataka, 4 from Andhra Pradesh, 5 from Punjab, 5 from Haryana, and smaller numbers from other states.
Top Court Stays Madhya Pradesh Order In Saif Ali Khan Family Property Dispute
The Supreme Court on Friday granted an interim stay on a Madhya Pradesh High Court order remanding a decades-old property dispute involving the royal estate of Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan, to the trial court for fresh adjudication.
CSR spending heavily concentrated in six states, report flags neglect of underdeveloped regions
NEW DELHI: Indias Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) investments are geographically skewed, with 60% directed towards only six states, while underdeveloped regions receive just 20% of the total funds. A new report by the Developmental Intelligence Unit (DIU) has found that CSR fund investments lack transparency, often duplicate government schemes, and involve minimal community participation in project design. DIU is a joint initiative of the non-profit Transform Rural India and Sambodhi Research. Its report, Investing in Tomorrow: Need for realigning CSR spends with status of development in districts, mapped Indias CSR fund investment patterns. In 202223, CSR expenditure in India reached Rs 29,989.92 crore, registering a 12.8% growth over the previous year. However, this growth masks a deep structural imbalance in the geographical distribution of CSR funds. Donors preferred to invest in tier headquarters of manufacturing or mining unit locations. As a result, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat accounted for 60% of CSR spending, while Aspirational Districts (per NITI Aayog) received less than 20% of the total CSR pool. These aspirational districts are mostly in low-income states such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and the Northeastern states. These regions remain underfunded despite their greater developmental needs. This geographic misalignment dilutes the redistributive potential of CSR and fails to address the needs of India's most underserved populations, the report noted. Under Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013, Indian corporates must spend a portion of their profits on social development. However, the laws local area preference clause has been misinterpreted as mandatory rather than discretionary. This has led corporates to spend CSR budgets within the periphery of their business operations, contributing to geographical disparity. The report also highlighted that most CSR fund allocations lack alignment with Indias commitment to meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets by 2030. There is also a lack of impact assessment, with most corporations relying on output indicators (e.g., number of people trained, number of toilets built) instead of impact metrics (e.g., long-term employment, reduction in open defecation). Consequently, funding decisions may continue based on legacy projects or board preferences rather than data-driven evidence, it said. Further, CSR funds are often used to duplicate government schemes instead of adopting innovative approaches to address last-mile gaps. Investments frequently go to mid-day meal programmes, sanitation drives, and basic skill development all of which mirror ongoing government initiatives. Finally, the top-down approach in allocating funds results in limited community participation and a lack of nuanced understanding of local needs, aspirations, or systemic gaps.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court denied a man's divorce request. The court commended the wife for staying with her in-laws after her husband left. The court noted her commitment to family values. The court observed her strength and adherence to cultural norms. The court highlighted the sanctity of marriage in Hindu tradition.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced an increase to the Ladli Behna Yojana. The monthly assistance will rise to Rs 1,500, starting from Bhai Dooj. The scheme aims for women's economic self-reliance and improved health. CM Yadav transferred Rs 1,500 to over 1.26 crore sisters on August 7, 2025. Beneficiaries can check their payment status online.
Political analyst and Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav has lent public support to Congress MP Rahul Gandhis explosive allegations of voter list manipulation , warning that the data released by Gandhi could shake public trust in the Election Commission. Addressing the 'Vote Adhikar Rally' in Bengaluru on Friday, Gandhi doubled down on his claim that the BJP stole the Lok Sabha election from the people and accused the Election Commission of aiding the effort. The Election Commission is asking me to submit an affidavit under oath . But I have already taken an oath inside Parliament while holding the Constitution, he said. Gandhi had alleged a surge of one crore new voters who had not participated in the Lok Sabha polls but voted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections , votes that, he claimed, helped the BJP secure a surprise win. Wherever these new voters cast their ballots, the BJP won. The vote count for our alliance remained unchanged, matching exactly the numbers from the Lok Sabha elections. It was these new voters who boosted the BJPs success in the Assembly elections, Gandhi said. He also accused the Election Commission of taking its state portals offline to block public scrutiny. Today, when the people are questioning the Election Commission based on the data we have presented, the EC has shut its website, he said, specifically naming Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. Yogendra Yadav, responding to Gandhis claims in a video posted on social media, said he had for decades defended Indias electoral process and the integrity of the Election Commission , but the evidence now demands serious examination. Ive given umpteen lectures across the world, telling the US and UK to learn from the Indian Election Commission, said Yadav. In just one assembly constituency in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi has shown that over one lakh votes were bogus, with 1520% of the voter list wrong. Thats not a small irregularity. I have defended Indias electoral process for decades, telling the world to learn from our Election Commission. But the evidence presented by @RahulGandhi changes the picture in just one assembly constituency in Karnataka, 100,000 bogus votes; 1520% of the voter list wrong. pic.twitter.com/C5PTsLrrVb Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 8, 2025 He acknowledged having long suspected irregularities but refraining from speaking out without data. After the elections in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra, I felt something was fishy. But I didnt have proof. Now Rahul Gandhi has presented explosive evidence. He slammed the ECs demand for an affidavit from Gandhi instead of initiating an inquiry. Any credible Election Commission would investigate the evidence, correct the rolls, and punish the guilty. Instead, it is threatening the Leader of the Opposition. That only confirms my suspicions. Drawing a stark comparison, Yadav said, In Maharashtra, it happened quietly. In Bihar, where I am right now, its not stealth, its daylight robbery. Dacoity from the front door. He warned the Commission that history would hold it accountable. The Election Commission owes an answer to this country. Its an august institution. It cannot be tarnished like this. History shall record all your misdeeds. Day after 'vote chori' charge, Rahul claims ECI, BJP colluding via SIR to 'institutionalise' theft
Several state governments in India, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, have announced free bus services for women during Raksha Bandhan to facilitate travel for the festival. These initiatives aim to help women visit their families and brothers for Rakhi celebrations, with some states also offering additional benefits like cash bonuses.
Day after 'vote chori' charge, Rahul claims ECI, BJP colluding via SIR to 'institutionalise' theft
Terming the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as an institutionalised chori, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that the Election Commission is openly colluding with the BJP to carry out this heft with the objective of taking away the voting rights of the poor. Gandhi made the charge in a video released on his YouTube channel in which he also claimed that SIR has been brought in Bihar because the EC knows that we have caught their chori. He alleges that the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP are colluding to steal elections. A day after he held a press conference in which he pointed to a vote chori model being allegedly used in various constituencies across the country, Gandhi released the video explaining the investigation done by the Congress and what the analysis of data of an assembly segment in Karnataka from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls suggests. Vote Chori , - , pic.twitter.com/tR7wh589fN Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 8, 2025 Citing the probe, Gandhi goes on to repeat his claims in the video that over 1 lakh votes were stolen through five types of manipulation in the assembly segment of Mahadevapura in Karnataka's Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat. He says that 1,00,250 votes were stolen in the Mahadevapura assembly segment in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. I am confident that there are more than 100 such seats in India. What has happened here has happened in those seats as well, Gandhi says. If the BJP had 10-15 seats less, Modi would not have been the prime minister and there would have been an INDIA bloc government, he says in the video and goes on to talk about the five types of 'vote chori' found in the Mahadevapura assembly segment. Gandhi claims there was a theft of 1,00,250 votes in the Mahadevapura segment, with 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 with fake and invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters or single-address voters, 4,132 voters with invalid photos and 33,692 voters misusing Form 6 of new voters. He goes on to describe each form of manipulation with examples on the screen. Under the 'duplicate voter' header, Gandhi claims that 11,965 such voters were found in the Mahadevapura segment. He cites that Gurkeerat Singh Dang appeared on the voters' list four times at as four different booths. The former Congress chief also cites the example of another person being registered as a voter in different states. 'Father's name dfojgaidf; house no. 0': Inside Rahul Gandhi's 'atom bomb proof' of vote rigging in Karnataka Gandhi claims that there were 40,009 voters with fake and invalid addresses, showing on screen how several people in the Mahadevapura segment were registered with 'House Number 0'. Under the header of bulk voters or single address voters, there were 10,452 voters in Mahadevapura, Gandhi says and cites that 'House number 35' having 80 registered voters. He further claims that there were 4,132 voters with invalid photos and 33,692 voters who misused Form 6, meant for first-time voters. Under this header, Gandhi cites the example of one Shakun Rani, a 70-year-old woman registered twice in two months. The truth is that in India, the ECI and the BJP are colluding to steal elections. The entire evidence is before everyone in black and white, Gandhi says. They know that we have caught their 'chori' and that is why SIR (Special Intensive Revision) has come. SIR is an institutionalised chori. ECI is openly colluding with the BJP to carry out this theft. SIR's objective is to take away the voting rights of the poor, he further charged. In this investigation we have looked only at voter addition. But probably the number of voter deletions is much more than voter additions, he adds. We have caught just one method, we have not probed other methods. I am telling the ECI and its officials clearly that what you are doing is not right. This is treason against the country, Gandhi says, reiterating his warning to the officials. Time will come, we will catch you and you will not be spared. It is critical that we expose voter chori, Gandhi asserts. 'How to steal an election?': Rahul Gandhi claims 2024 Maharashtra polls 'blueprint' for rigging Pointing out that he was born into a political family, Gandhi recalls in the video that when he was small, in 1980, he along with his sister Priyanka (Gandhi) used to go out at night and stick posters for campaigning. I understand elections and have been fighting polls myself for the last 20 years. How polling happens, how polling booths are managed, voters list, form 17, I understand all this. Some time back we felt something was fishy, Gandhi says. Election results would be contrary to the mood. I remember in Uttarakhand, we lost the polls. I asked the candidate to go and find out how many votes we got where a road show was held. Thousands of people came for the road show but none voted in the polling booths. This was impossible, it cannot happen. Then came the results of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and we realised that there is something wrong, he says. Gandhi talks about Madhya Pradesh where the party won 2018. He says the Congress government was stolen later and during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he felt tremendous anti-incumbency against the BJP rule. But in 2023, we only got 65 seats. This is impossible. Then came Maharashtra and we got our evidence for the first time. New voters emerged through magic between the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Wherever these new voters voted their vote went to the BJP, he claims. When we had doubts we did a press conference along with our alliance partner leaders. We asked ECI to give us the voter list and video recording. They neither gave us the voter list nor the video recording which raised doubts. It raised the question in our mind as to whether the ECI is helping the BJP. Is the ECI indulging in stealing elections? We set up a team and asked them to find out the truth, Gandhi says in the video. He points out that ECI does not give digital data but physical data which means lakhs of papers have to be examined physically. The reason ECI does not give digital data is that if it does so, its reality would be out, Gandhi claims. Tagging his video on X, Gandhi said, Vote theft is not just an election scam, it is a big fraud committed against the Constitution and democracy. Criminals of the country should listen - times will change, punishment will definitely be given, he added. Gandhi on Thursday made explosive claims of a huge criminal fraud in polls through collusion between the BJP and the ECI, as he cited an analysis in a constituency in Karnataka and said it was a crime against the Constitution. The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka on Thursday asked Gandhi to share the names of electors he claimed were either included or excluded wrongfully from the voters' list of the state along with a signed declaration for the poll authorities to initiate ecessary proceedings. 'Have 100% proof': Rahul Gandhi claims EC allowed vote fraud in Karnataka
Two Kanwar Pilgrim Dead, Nine Injured As Speeding Dumper Hits Them In Madhya Pradesh
Two Kanwar Yatra pilgrims died and nine were injured when a speeding dumper hit a tractor-trolley in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, on a national highway.
Action against 2 medicos for ragging junior
BHOPAL: Two second-year MBBS students of Dr Laxmi Narayan Pandey Government Medical College in Madhya Pradeshs Ratlam have been expelled from the hostel for the course for allegedly ragging a junior. The duo, identified as Amolik and Ayushman, had reportedly sneaked into the hostel housing first-year students while in an inebriated state on Wednesday night, when there was no security guard around. Once inside, the two consumed more liquor and harassed their juniors. Before slipping away, they also cut a first-year students hair and threatened the juniors with dire consequences if they reported the incident. Undeterred by the threats, the hostellers brought the matter to the attention of the warden, Dr Devendra Chauhan, who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. Taking a serious view of the episode, the anti-ragging panel of the college held a meeting on Thursday morning. The authorities subsequently debarred one of them from academic activities for one year and the other one for six months. Further, both have been expelled from the hostel for the entire MBBS course.
Uttarakhand cloudburst: Army rescues 260 in Dharali, uncertainty persists over missing
DEHRADUN: A massive multi-agency rescue operation gained momentum in Uttarakhand's rain-battered Dharali on Thursday as clearer weather allowed relief teams, spearheaded by the Indian Army, to intensify evacuation efforts for stranded civilians and tourists. A Dharali resident, who wished to remain anonymous, disclosed that over 100 lives were lost in the tragedy. Our village had around 1,400 residents and 25 homestays were destroyed, the villager told, painting a grim picture of the disaster's devastating impact. A team of 1,332 personnel from eight departments, including the Army's Rajputana Rifles, NDRF, and SDRF, is engaged in round-the-clock search and rescue operations. On Thursday alone, 260 individuals were successfully rescued and brought to the Matli helipad in Uttarkashi. Approximately 400 people remain stranded in Gangotri, with Army helicopters actively evacuating them to safety. While official figures list 16 individuals as missing nine Army personnel and seven civilians ground reports from villagers tragically suggest the actual number could exceed 100. Three civilian fatalities have been confirmed, and over 100 people are feared missing, including nine Army personnel, after an Army post sustained extensive damage. The devastating cloudburst on Tuesday in the Harsil valley triggered flash floods and debris flows, leveling multi-story hotels and restaurants in Dharali. Initial rescue attempts were hampered by continuous debris flow in Kheer Ganga and widespread damage to the Gangotri Highway. However, Wednesday's improved weather allowed helicopters to take flight, enabling rescue teams to reach the affected sites. Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed, 274 people have been brought to Harsil from Gangotri and other areas, and all are safe. He detailed the rescued individuals' origins, including 131 from Gujarat, 123 from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, and other states, all transported to Dehradun. Uttarakhand village gone in 34 sec The Indian Army escalated its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, deploying over 225 troops, including specialized engineer and medical teams. PRO (Defence) Lt. Col Manish Shrivastava stated, Rescue and relief tasks are being conducted under extremely challenging conditions, actively supported by drones for aerial reconnaissance. Two helipads at Harsil and Nelong are operational for rapid troop induction and casualty evacuation. Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters are on standby, with an ad-hoc aviation base established at Matli due to extensive road breaches. Recco radar teams and search dogs are aiding efforts. Lt Gen Sengupta, Commander of the Central Command, directly oversees Army operations. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Uttarkashi hospital on Thursday, meeting disaster victims and directing medical officials to ensure their proper care. Arun Mohan Joshi, SDRF Inspector General of Police and a first responder, elaborated on the rescue strategy to TNIE. Affected individuals have been assured evacuation to safe locations through phased helicopter rescue, Joshi stated. He added, A detailed strategy prioritizes helicopter rescue from Nelong for the elderly, sick, immobile, women, and young children. Given limited Nelong sorties, these individuals are identified for immediate rescue. The State Meteorological Center has forecast the possibility of a spell of intense rain across the state until August 11 in the coming days. Rohit Thapliyal, Director of the Center, stated, Heavy rain in the hilly areas of the state can exacerbate problems. Issuing an advisory, he added, Avoid traveling to mountainous regions if not necessary, and those residing near rivers and streams should exercise extra caution.
Mamata Banerjee warns of voter list purge, attacks BJP for insulting Bengali language
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday indicated that her party would bank on issues like voter lists and the Bengali language movement to contest the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking at a programme organised to celebrate World Tribal Day in Jhargram, in the western part of West Bengal, she launched a scathing attack on the BJP, centring around these two issues. In her speech, she expressed her anger over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Chief Minister also made it clear once again that her movement will continue regarding the Bengali language. She targeted the central government and the ECI over the voter list exercise and used the alleged negative comments of BJP leaders regarding the Bengali language as a tool to attack the saffron party. She said, If anyone asks to fill up forms, please do not do it being unaware. They will remove your names from the voter lists and hand an NRC notice to you. We will not tolerate it. It is a plan of the Central Government and they will verify names of the voter list. People will have to cross-check if their names are in the voter list. Those born before 2002 are being asked to show their parents birth certificates. Banerjee claimed that when the Trinamool Congress government came to power in West Bengal in May 2011, the institutional delivery rate in the state was only 60 percent and it was much lower before that. How many people have the birth certificates of their parents now? Those who are asking for it do they have their parents birth certificates? They are born with a silver spoon; how will they understand the woes of the poor? she added. Without naming the BJP, Banerjee also attacked the ruling party at the Centre. Mamata questions EC's directive to suspend four officers, says her govt is with its staffers She said, They even dismissed the existence of the Bengali language. In which language did Rabindranath Tagore or Netaji speak? How useless are they that they say there is no such language as Bengali. As I hold a certain position, I cannot speak ill of them even if they do so. People of Bengal are being persecuted. We have facilitated the return of more than 2,000 workers. They have been kept in detention camps in Gurgaon. Similar persecution is going on in Rajasthan and Assam. A tribal girl from Malda has been pushed back to Bangladesh from Madhya Pradesh. Dalits are being tortured, the Chief Minister alleged. She also asked people to remain cautious about the BJP, while saying, These people will come before elections and ask for votes by giving money. Whose money is that? We know everything. They want to remove the names of the people and send them to Bangladesh. They are labelling people as Rohingyas and Bangladeshis only for speaking Bengali, Banerjee alleged. Asking people not to let go of the voter lists and the honour of the Bengali language, she asked, In which language is our National Anthem written? Who taught us the Bengali alphabets? It was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who was born in Medinipur. The Chief Minister complained, Government employees are being intimidated. Notices were sent to two of my officers yesterday. They were suspended even though the elections have not yet been declared. Under which rule? You are suspending. And you are saying, an FIR will have to be filed. It will not happen. I will not let anyone be punished. Keep this in mind. She once again clarified that the West Bengal government will continue to stand with the state government employees. The ECI had on Tuesday suspended four officials and a casual worker in West Bengal for irregularities in the registration of names in the voter lists. In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the ECI had also ordered the registration of an FIR against these four officials and a data entry operator posted in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts respectively for their alleged criminal activities.
The facility is expected to be a game changer for the country's rail and defence manufacturing capabilities as it will facilitate indigenous design and testing of Vande Bharats
Madhya Pradesh DME has started registration for MP NEET UG 2025 counselling. This is for the 85% state quota. Eligible candidates can register on dme.mponline.gov.in until August 11, 2025. The schedule changed due to AIQ counselling date revisions. This round is for MBBS and BDS admissions in Madhya Pradesh. Candidates should track dates and prepare documents.
Rahul Gandhi alleges 1,00,250 votes rigged in Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka
The Leader of Opposition also said that anti-incumbency hit every party but the BJP retained power in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh
In a series of grave and strongly worded allegations, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections were stolen, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding with the ruling BJP. He also flagged alleged large-scale voter list manipulation in Karnatakas Mahadevapura constituency, raising broader concerns about the credibility of electoral processes in the country. Speaking at a press interaction, Gandhi said his party had long suspected irregularities in the Maharashtra polls, and the final results confirmed their worst fears. The Maharashtra results confirmed our suspicion that the assembly election was stolen, he said. The Election Commission refusing to provide a machine-readable voter list convinced us of its collusion with the BJP. Citing figures, Gandhi alleged that between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra, over one crore new voters were added to the electoral rolls within just five monthsmore than what had been added over a span of five years. This sudden spike, he said, raised serious questions. And then something very interesting they did. They said they are going to destroy the CCTV footage. This was surprising because there was a question in Maharashtra about a massive voting after 5.30 PM for the numbers to add up. Our people knew that in the polling booths, no such thing happened, he said. Gandhi contended that the absence of evidence to justify the late surge in voting, combined with the ECIs decision to destroy CCTV footage, pointed to reasonable certainty of institutional collusion. What is the crux of the problem? The voter list is the property of this country. The Election Commission refuses to give us the voter list, he added. In Karnataka, Gandhi alleged that over one lakh votes were fraudulently cast in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency out of a total of 6.5 lakh. There was vote chori of over one lakh votes, he said, further alleging that the Congress research team had found large numbers of duplicate voters, invalid addresses, and bulk entries in that constituency. The Congress leader also raised broader concerns about the growing disconnect between pre-poll surveys and final results, particularly in states like Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. Anti-incumbency is something that hits every single party in every single democracy. But for some reason, the BJP is the only party in a democratic framework that basically does not suffer this idea of anti-incumbency, he said. Exit polls, opinion polls, our own internal polling were all showing a different picture. Then suddenly, we find the result is in the opposite direction with massive swings. (This is a developing story)
Rahul Gandhi alleges 'vote chori', blasts BJP and EC with data
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission (EC) of manipulating Indian elections in collusion with the BJP, alleging 'vote theft.' Citing discrepancies in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra elections, Gandhi highlighted that the BJP defies anti-incumbency trends. He specifically questioned Maharashtra's results, claiming the EC's refusal to provide machine-readable voter lists strengthens suspicions of collusion and election manipulation.
20-Year-Old Woman Gang-Raped, Fianc Assaulted In Madhya Pradesh; 3 Arrested
A 20-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four men in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district. Three suspects were arrested. Congress criticized BJP over rising crimes.
Kanwar Yatra turns tragic: Four pilgrims die in stampede amid uncontrolled influx of devotees
BHOPAL: At least four devotees from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh have died in the past two days during the massive Kanwar Yatra at Kubereshwar Dham in Madhya Pradeshs Sehore district, as authorities struggled to manage the overwhelming influx of pilgrims. The victims include Jaswanti Ben (56) from Rajkot, Gujarat, and Sangita Gupta from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, who reportedly died in a stampede on Tuesday, just hours before the main procession led by religious preacher Pradip Mishra began at midnight. The same day, two more devoteesChatur Singh (50) from Gujarat and Ishwar Singh (65) from Rohtak, Haryana, collapsed and died, likely due to heart complications after being trapped in suffocating crowds amid humid weather. The fatalities occurred as over 2.5 lakh devotees from across India descended upon the religious site, overwhelming infrastructure and leading to a complete breakdown of basic amenities, including drinking water, food, and sanitation. Traffic chaos compounded the crisis, with the Indore-Bhopal Highway gridlocked since Tuesday night, leaving vehicles stranded for hours. Despite official restrictions on heavy vehicles and alternate routes, enforcement was either poorly executed or ignored entirely. Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Govind Rajput acknowledged the lack of preparedness, stating, Such a massive crowd wasnt expected, which has actually led the system to fall short. I urge the administration to take control and ensure that such a tragedy doesnt repeat. Meanwhile, former MP minister and Congress MLA Rajendra Singh questioned accountability, asking, Who will take the responsibility for the deaths which happened at the Kubereshwar Dham in the last two days? Will the authorities or those associated with the religious event, who is to be held responsible for it? The incident has raised serious concerns over crowd management at large religious gatherings, with calls for stricter safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
Violence against police escalates in Madhya Pradesh: 5 killed, over 600 injured since 2024
BHOPAL: In the past 18 months, police personnel in Madhya Pradesh have faced a alarming surge in violent attacks, resulting in the deaths of five officers and injuries to 612 others. According to data provided by the state government in response to a legislative query, a total of 461 incidents targeting police personnel were recorded between January 2024 and July 2025. The fatalities occurred in Chhindwara, Shahdol, Satna, Mauganj, and Seoni districts, while injuries were reported across various ranks of the police force. The state capital, Bhopal, witnessed the highest number of attacks, with 28 incidents across urban, rural, and railway jurisdictions, leaving 30 officers injured. Neighboring Rajgarh district followed closely with 26 cases, resulting in injuries to 40 personnel. Notably, seven of these attacks occurred in the Boda police station area, including one violent clash that injured ten officers. The region is known to have villages inhabited by the Sansi community, which has been associated with criminal activities. Indore, the states commercial hub, reported 23 attacks on police, injuring at least ten personnel. Meanwhile, Guna district recorded 15 incidents but saw a disproportionately high number of injuries40 in totalprimarily due to clashes during raids on criminal hideouts. In the Bundelkhand region, Sagar and Gwalior districts each reported 19 attacks, injuring 22 and 16 officers, respectively. Tikamgarh and Singrauli also saw significant violence, with 17 and 15 cases, respectively, the latter leaving 27 cops wounded. Other districts with double-digit attack cases included Ujjain (14 cases, 20 injured), Shahdol (13 cases, 12 injured), Ratlam, Dhar, and Sehore (12 cases each), Panna (11 cases), and Bhind and Damoh (10 cases each). The single most violent incident took place in Jhabua districts Kotwali area, where 12 officers were injured in an attack. The data highlights a growing threat to law enforcement in Madhya Pradesh, particularly in regions with entrenched criminal elements. The state government has yet to outline specific measures to address this escalating violence, raising concerns over police safety and public order.
The girl then cooked up an abduction story before her parents to cover up her absence from school and justify her late arrival at home, police said.
Bogus hospital received Rs 50L from CM relief fund, MP govt admits in assembly
Bhopal: A hospital in Guna district which had ceased to operate received Rs 40 to 50 lakh from the Chief Minister Relief Fund fraudulently, the Madhya Pradesh government stated in the assembly on Wednesday. The admission came in response to a question asked by Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh during the Question Hour. Singh had asked 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 .
Dalit woman gang-raped, fiance assaulted in MP; 3 out of 4 accused held
Sidhi: A 20-year-old Dalit woman, who had gone out with her fiance in Madhya Pradeshs Sidhi district, was allegedly raped by four men who also assaulted her male partner, said a police official on Wednesday. Four persons were involved in the gang-rape and three of them have been arrested, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arvind 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 .
Dalit woman gang-raped, fiance assaulted in MP's Sidhi district
SIDHI: A 20-year-old Dalit woman, who had gone out with her fiance in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district, was allegedly raped by four men who also assaulted her male partner, said a police official on Wednesday. Four persons were involved in the gang-rape and three of them have been arrested, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arvind Srivastava told PTI . Five police teams have been deployed to nab the absconding accused, he informed. He said the victim, a resident of an area under Churhat police station limits, had gone out with her fiance on Tuesday. After parking their motorcycle on the roadside near Kathoutha, they went to a nearby hill. Four men roaming in the area spotted the couple. They beat up the woman's fiance and chased him away, said the police officer. After this, the accused took turns to rape the woman, Srivastava stated. The official said after escaping from the clutches of the accused, the woman contacted her fiance and both of them reached the Semaria police station where they narrated the horrific incident to cops. The police immediately registered a case on the duo's complaint and sent them to a community health centre in Semaria for treatment, said the ASP. The opposition Congress targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the gang-rape incident and added the crime has exposed the sorry state of law and order situation in Madhya Pradesh. State Congress president Jitu Patwari said the shameful incident tarnishes the entire humanity and also highlights the 'horrific state' of law and order. In the last three years alone, 7,418 incidents of rape of Dalit and tribal women, 338 gang-rapes and 558 murders have been registered in Madhya Pradesh. On an average, seven Dalit or tribal daughters are becoming victims of this cruelty every day. These figures prove the failure of the BJP government, the former minister maintained. Patwari alleged that due to inaction on part of the BJP government, crimes have increased in the state and victims are not getting justice.
Dalit woman gang-raped, fiance assaulted in MP's Sidhi; three held
SIDHI: A 20-year-old Dalit woman, who had gone out with her fiance in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district, was allegedly raped by four men who also assaulted her male partner, said a police official on Wednesday. Four persons were involved in the gang-rape and three of them have been arrested, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arvind Srivastava told PTI. Five police teams have been deployed to nab the absconding accused, he informed. He said the victim, a resident of an area under Churhat police station limits, had gone out with her fiance on Tuesday. After parking their motorcycle on the roadside near Kathoutha, they went to a nearby hill. Four men roaming in the area spotted the couple. They beat up the woman's fiance and chased him away, said the police officer. After this, the accused took turns to rape the woman, Srivastava stated. Dalit family thrashed, woman disrobed over cattle row in UP village; six booked The official said after escaping from the clutches of the accused, the woman contacted her fiance and both of them reached the Semaria police station where they narrated the horrific incident to cops. The police immediately registered a case on the duo's complaint and sent them to a community health centre in Semaria for treatment, said the ASP. The opposition Congress targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the gang-rape incident and added the crime has exposed the sorry state of law and order situation in Madhya Pradesh. State Congress president Jitu Patwari said the shameful incident tarnishes the entire humanity and also highlights the 'horrific state' of law and order. In the last three years alone, 7,418 incidents of rape of Dalit and tribal women, 338 gang-rapes and 558 murders have been registered in Madhya Pradesh. On an average, seven Dalit or tribal daughters are becoming victims of this cruelty every day. These figures prove the failure of the BJP government, the former minister maintained. Patwari alleged that due to inaction on part of the BJP government, crimes have increased in the state and victims are not getting justice. Dalit families in Uttarakhand village face boycott after community member fails to play drums
Heavy Rain, Lightning Claimed 1,600 Lives Across India Till July This Year, 71 In Uttarakhand: MHA
The top five states with the highest number of deaths due to hydro-meteorological disasters this year are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Bihar
Madhya Pradesh man brutally murdered over alleged extra-marital affair, two arrested
BHOPAL: A 35-year-old man who played dholak in a Bhajan Mandali was brutally murdered over an alleged extra marital affair by two scheduled tribe (ST) men in tribal-dominated Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The incident happened at a village in Khalwa area on Monday-Tuesday intervening night, when 35-year-old Devi Ram Banjara was caught at around 3 am by a tribal man outside his house. Alleging Devi Rams extra marital affair with his wife, the tribal man with the help of his brother-in-law (wifes brother) tied Devi Ram to a tree, flogged him mercilessly with a leather belt and then with wooden sticks. The savagery which reportedly continued for around an hour, ultimately led to Devi Rams death. Confirming the incident, the Khandwa district police superintendent Manoj Rai told TNIE that both the accused men were arrested, produced before the court and sent to jail on courts order on Tuesday. Primary probe revealed that Devi Ram, who hails from a backward caste, was an agricultural labourer and also played dholak with a bhajan mandali in the village. He has a 12-year-old son. Sometime back, he reportedly developed close relations with the tribal mans wife and started meeting her. The tribal man had cautioned him on repeated occasions and asked to stay away from his wife. The brutal murder happened ten days after a 17-year-old scheduled caste Class XII student was tied to a tree, his head tonsured before being brutally beaten to death by the family of a teenage girl he loved in Ratlam district of western MP. All the accused in that case too have been arrested.
MP's anti-conversion law sees 58% acquittals, only seven convictions in five years
BHOPAL: More acquittals and less convictions have marked the first five years of Madhya Pradeshs stringent anti-religious conversion law which is often dubbed as the anti-Love Jihad law of the BJP-ruled central Indian state. The Dr Mohan Yadav-led government provided in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday, the detailed data related to cases which were registered between January 1, 2020 and July 15, 2025 under the MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 and its successor MP Freedom of Religion Act 2021. According to the data shared as part of the written reply to the third-time BJP MLA from Khategaon (Dewas) seat Ashish Govind Sharma, as many as 283 cases were registered under various provisions of the anti-religious conversion law and ordinance in the first five and half years (January 1, 2020 and July 15, 2025) across MP. While 197 or 70% of the registered 283 cases are under trial in different courts, in as many as 86 or 30% cases, the accused have either been acquitted, convicted or the police investigations are still underway. In out of those 86 cases, the accused have been acquitted in 50 cases or 58% of those cases, while the accused have been convicted and awarded punishments by courts in just seven cases, which is merely seven percent of the 86 cases. In one case registered in state capital Bhopal, the case ended following the Razinaamaa agreement between both sides. Among the seven cases in which the accused have been convicted, in one case lodged at Nalkheda police station of Agar-Malwa district and a case of Burhanpur district, the trial court awarded life sentence to the convict. In one case of Mandsaur district, which also involved Section 376 IPC (rape), the accused was convicted and sentenced to ten years in jail. Among the four other cases in which the accused were convicted/awarded punishments by the court, two related to Dhar district, one from Vidisha and one from Rewa district. As per state police sources privy to probe in such cases, lack of evidence to corroborate the prosecutions facts in the cases and many female victims turning hostile during the course of trial, have led to more acquittals and less convictions in the cases. In many cases, during the course of trial in the cases, the female victims stated before the court that they were in consensual relationship with the man of the other religion, they married men from other religion on their volition and were staying with them on their own, bereft of any fear, threat, pressure or enticement, an informed source told TNIE. During the course of trial in some cases where the victims were minor girls, it came to the fore that the families of some victims even got the FIR registered under the anti-religious conversion law due to societal pressures. In many of such cases, the victims and their family members turned hostile before the court, resulting in the acquittal of the accused, sources added. In the 283 cases registered till July 15, 2025, as many as 71 victims were girls aged below 18 years. Maximum cases under the anti-religious conversion law were registered in western and south western MP (Malwa-Nimar region), which is a tribal dominant and communally sensitive region. A district wise break-up of the 283 cases revealed that Indore reported maximum 74 or 26% of all cases, while state capital Bhopal reported 33 cases, followed by Dhar with 13 cases, 12 each in CMs home district Ujjain and Khandwa district of southwestern MP, 11 in Chhatarpur and 10 in Khargone districts. The states administrative-political capital Bhopal and commercial capital Indore with a total 107 cases, constituted 38% of the 283 total cases registered across the state. The state government also informed the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday that a state-level special investigation team (SIT) was constituted in May 2025 to probe all the cases registered under the concerned law so far. The MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 and its successor MP Freedom of Religion Act 2021 were promulgated to regulate religious conversions in the state.It aims to prohibit conversion through coercion, force, misrepresentation, undue influence, allurement, fraud, or marriage. The Act requires individuals seeking conversion, and those performing or organizing the conversion, to declare the proposed conversion to the District Magistrate 60 days in advance.Violations can result in imprisonment and fines.
Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh said that the low recovery rate in cyber scam cases reflects that the police are not at all equipped to deal with the problem of cyber fraud.
2 Killed, 23 Others Injured In Stampede At Religious Event In Madhya Pradesh
The tragedy occurred at around 12.30 pm when devotees started swelling at the shrine ahead of Kanwar Yatra, scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
Peddapalli Emerges As Rakhi Manufacturing Hub
The business now supplies rakhis to 25 states, including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Haryana and Gujarat. Even merchants from West Bengal, traditionally a hub for rakhi production, are now sourcing from Peddapalli.
More Acquittals, Fewer Convictions: 5 Years Of Madhya Pradesh's Anti-Conversion Law
The first five and a half years of Madhya Pradesh's stringent anti-religious conversion law branded in political circles as the 'Love Jihad' law paint a picture far removed from its stated intent.
Two women dead, three injured in fall at religious gathering in Madhya Pradeshs Sehore
Police attribute incident to crowding at Kubereshwar Dham during Rudraksha distribution; no stampede reported
Madhya Pradesh: Cyber Frauds Rob Madhya Pradesh Residents of Rs 1,054 Crore in 4 Years
During investigation, a sum of Rs 105 crore was frozen, but only Rs 1.94 crore could be recovered.
1,054 Crore Lost, 1.94 Crore Recovered: Cybercrime Alert In Madhya Pradesh
Residents of Madhya Pradesh have lost a whopping Rs 1,054 crore to cyber frauds in the past four years, but state police have been able to recover less than 0.2 per cent
Two women died on the spot, and more than ten devotees were injured, two of them grievously, in a stampede on Tuesday at Kathawachak Pradeep Mishra's Kubereshwar Dham, Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh.
FarmPrecise app crosses 1 lakh downloads across Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh
FarmPrecise services include AI-driven crop and nutrient management advisories, precision fertiliser planning, five-day weather forecasts, and real-time updates on market prices
FIR lodged against Indore Youth Cong head over WhatsApp status on 'conversion'
Police in Indore have registered a case against Youth Congress city chief Rameez Khan following a complaint by a BJYM leader. Khan is accused of sharing a WhatsApp status that allegedly promoted religious conversion. The status depicted hearts transforming to suggest conversion to Islam, leading to accusations of inciting religious sentiment and violating the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.
Poshan Tracker data shows persistent malnutrition among children; central, eastern states worst hit
MANGALURU: As of June 2025, 5.46% of children under five in India were found to be wasted (low weight for height), and 15.93% were underweight (low weight for age), according to the latest Poshan Tracker data. Among children aged 06 years, 16.50% were recorded as underweight, indicating that malnutrition continues to pose a significant public health challenge across the country. The figures expose stark disparities among states. Bihar reported 20.98% underweight and 9.31% wasting rates, among the highest in India, followed closely by Madhya Pradesh (24.82% underweight, 8.19% wasting) and Jharkhand (19.13% underweight, 6.68% wasting). Other high-burden states include Tripura, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, with underweight prevalence ranging from 17% to nearly 20%. In the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, wasting reached 11.62%the highest in the countrywhile 22.54% of children there were underweight. Despite a national push to improve nutrition through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the data reveals uneven outcomes. Many states, particularly in central and eastern India, continue to grapple with persistently high malnutrition rates. However, there are clear examples of improvement and effective intervention. Some states have managed to keep both wasting and underweight figures impressively low. Goa reported only 0.78% wasting and 1.96% underweight children. Sikkim (1.95% wasting, 1.69% underweight), Manipur (0.67%, 2.69%), and Himachal Pradesh (2.41%, 6.88%) also performed strongly. Southern states showed moderate success, though with some variations. Tamil Nadu emerged as a top performer in the region, with 3.54% wasting and 6.29% underweight, well below national averages. Kerala reported similarly low wasting (3.20%) but had a higher proportion of underweight children (10.18%). Karnatakas data showed 3.18% wasting, but a relatively high 16.50% underweight. Andhra Pradesh reported 4.97% wasting and 7.68% underweight, while Telangana lagged slightly behind, with 5.93% wasting and 17.00% underweight. These figures suggest that while southern states have managed to contain acute malnutrition to an extent, chronic undernutrition remains a concern, particularly in Karnataka and Telangana. According to data presented in the Lok Sabha, the government's nutrition monitoring system has evolved significantly with the implementation of the Poshan Tracker, launched in March 2021. The tool captures real-time data on growth metrics, daily attendance at Anganwadi centres, and distribution of supplementary nutrition. The integration of facial recognition for Take-Home Ration (THR) distribution and the introduction of dashboard analytics have further improved targeting and transparency. Compared to NFHS-5 (201921), which reported 32.1% underweight and 19.3% wasting among children under five, the current data reflects progress. However, the gap between the projected population of children under six (16.1 crore) and those enrolled in Anganwadi services (8.61 crore) signals the need for expanded coverage and deeper outreach.
Engineering courses lose popularity in Madhya Pradesh; 126 private colleges closed within a decade
BHOPAL: As many as 80 private engineering colleges and 46 private polytechnics have closed in Madhya Pradesh during a decade. Importantly, the state capital Bhopal tops the list, with 45 private colleges (28 engineering colleges and 17 polytechnics) having closed between the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2025. The states higher education minister Inder Singh Parmar, in written reply to questions on the issue by two seniors Congress MLAs -- present Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar and former LoP Ajay Arjun Singh -- attributed the growing inclination among students for other courses (non-engineering courses) at national and state level, for the closure of the engineering colleges. Out of the 80 private engineering colleges which closed between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2025, maximum 16 colleges closed in 2016, followed by 15 in 2018, 12 in 2017, 11 in 2015, eight each in 2019 and 2021, five in 2022, three in 2023 and two in 2020. No private engineering college, however, closed during 2024 or the first three months of 2025. In case of private polytechnics, a maximum 13 colleges shut down operations in 2018, followed by six each in 2021, 2022 and 2024, followed by five in 2016 and three each in 2017 and 2023. During the COVID-19 pandemic years 2020-2022, as many as 15 private engineering colleges closed in the state, while 14 private polytechnics also shut down their operations. Among the 80 private engineering colleges which closed in a decade, 28 closed their operations in states administrative and political capital Bhopal, followed by 17 in Indore, 16 in Gwalior and seven in Jabalpur, which meant that 85% or 68 of them were operating in the four major cities. In the case of the 46 private polytechnics, which downed their shutters within a decade, as many as 30 colleges or 65% of those colleges were located in the four prime cities. Out of those 30 colleges, a maximum 17 were in Bhopal, six in Indore, four in Jabalpur and three in Gwalior. According to the higher education minister Inder Singh Parmar, currently there are around 1.71 lakh students enrolled in 124 private engineering colleges and over 18,600 students enrolled in 69 private polytechnics in the state.
Nandini Agrawal from Madhya Pradesh became the world's youngest female Chartered Accountant at 19, securing AIR 1 in the CA Final with a Guinness World Record.
The workshop will be attended by senior leaders including V.D. Sharma, former Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and a central party invitee, and Chandra Shekar Tiwari, state general secretary (organisation) : Reports
MP Man Stabs Woman, Slits Her Throat For Refusing Conversion Before Marriage
A man in Madhya Pradesh was arrested for murdering a woman after she refused to convert to Islam and marry him.
Fake Passport Racket Busted: Akola Emerges As Key Hub For Afghan Network
In a twist to the recently busted inter-state fake passport racket, the communally sensitive city of Akola in Maharashtra has emerged as the fourth major hub of an Afghan-led network operating across Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh.
Affair, Fake Case Threat: Madhya Pradesh Family's Mass Suicide
Investigation into the case revealed that the man, Manohar Lodhi's wife Draupadi, was having an affair with his childhood friend, Surendra.
BHOPAL:Eastern Maharashtras third largest city -- the communally and politically sensitive Akola has emerged as the fourth major link of the recently busted inter-state fake passport racket allegedly run by an Afghan man from Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Sohbat Khan, the alleged mastermind of the racket , is revealing key details during questioning by the Madhya Pradesh Police's anti-terrorism squad (ATS). As per sources privy to the probe, Sohbats questioning has revealed that a place of worship in Akola district of Maharashtra was a common meeting place of Afghans living in India. It was in Akola, where Sohbat possibly came in contact with Akbar and Iqbal, two other Afghans, who have been illegally living in West Bengal and have managed to get fake Indian passports with the help of the alleged racket operated by Sohbat and local contacts in MPs Jabalpur district. When the first three arrests were made in the case, there were just three cities/states on our radar, including Jabalpur (MP), West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. But Sohbats grilling and the disclosure of Akola in Maharashtra playing an important part in his linkages with Afghan men living illegally in India, has made eastern Maharashtras communally sensitive city too a part of our investigations, a senior cop associated with the probe told TNIE on Monday. Sources added that before coming to Jabalpur in around 2010, Sohbat had lived in parts of Maharashtra also, including Nagpur and Akola. So far six arrests have been made in the case by the MP ATS. While four of the arrests, including Sohbat Khan, his two key aides Dinesh Garg (a forest guard working at the district collectorates election cell), Chandan Thakur (who claims to be an advocate) and Mahendra Kumar Sukhdan have been arrested from Jabalpur, two others Akbar and Iqbal (both Afghans living illegally in India) have been arrested by the ATS from West Bengal, including Howrah. Ongoing investigations by the MP Polices ATS, have revealed that Khan had not only managed to get his Indian passport made with fake documents in 2020, but was helping other Afghan youths living illegally in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh get Indian passports made with fake address proofs and birth certificates of Jabalpur district. The probe has so far revealed that Khan, who has been living in Jabalpur since 2010 and had married a local girl also, had managed to first get a driving licence made with the help of fake address proof and birth certificate which showed him as a permanent resident of MPs cultural and judicial capital. In 2020, he managed to get an Indian passport with the help of the same fake documents, with whose help he had secured Aadhar, PAN and voter ID cards. Along with his aides Garg, Sukhdan and Thakur, Khan subsequently started using the same modus operandi to help other Afghans (living illegally in India, particularly West Bengal and Chhattisgarh) in getting Indian passports. So far the MP ATS sleuths have found evidence about the racket having succeeded in getting Indian passports for three Afghans, including Akbar and Iqbal, who are now in the MP police custody. The same racket was also helping 15-17 other Afghans in getting the Indian Passport, by showing all of them residents of MPs Jabalpur, using fake documents and related Aadhar manipulations.
Four Members Of Family Die By Suicide In MP Over Woman's Illicit Affair, Dowry Threat
Police arrested Draupadi and her lover in connection with a mass suicide case in Madhya Pradesh. Four family members, including died by suicide on July 25-26.
Labourers in Jammu struggle for ration due to technical glitch in FCS&CAs system
Vikas Sharma JAMMU, Aug 3: Despite ample availability of ration stock at fair price shops across Jammu, thousands of labourers working in the region have been left without their monthly food supplies due to ongoing issues within the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp For over a month now, these migrant workers, mainly from Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have repeatedly returned empty-handed from fair price shops. Dealers at these outlets [] The post Labourers in Jammu struggle for ration due to technical glitch in FCS&CAs system appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Monsoon fury claims 252 lives in Madhya Pradesh; over 3,600 rescued so far
BHOPAL: As many as 252 people have lost their lives due to heavy rains, floods, lightning strikes, and related mishaps during the ongoing monsoon in Madhya Pradesh, according to the latest official data. The fatalities include 47 people who died directly due to heavy rainfall, 132 who were swept away by swollen rivers and streams, 60 struck by lightning, and 13 others killed in incidents involving collapsing trees and houses. Animals too have borne the brunt of the deluge. At least 432 animalsmostly milch cattleand around 1,200 poultry perished in the flood-hit areas. The incessant rainfall also caused the complete collapse of 128 houses and partially damaged 2,333 others across the state. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Sunday said that 3,628 people have been safely rescued by combined teams of the Indian Army, NDRF, State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), police and home guards. Of these, 3,065 are currently sheltered in 53 relief camps. So far, a total of Rs 28.49 crore has been disbursed as immediate relief to affected families across various districts. The state government has sanctioned a total of Rs 3,600 crore for ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts. Madhya Pradesh has received 711.3 mm of rainfall so far, which is 59% above the seasonal average. Of the states 55 districts, 40 have recorded above-normal rainfall and nine have received normal rain. Mandla district in the Mahakoshal region, notably, received 51% of its 1,107 mm average rainfall within just four days. The excessive downpour has disrupted infrastructure as well. A total of 254 rural roads were affected, though all have since been restored. Additionally, 94 culverts on highways and major roads were damaged, but alternate routes were provided promptly to maintain vehicular movement. So far, 432 rescue operations have been conducted, leading to the safe evacuation of 3,628 people and 94 animals. To stay ahead of further emergencies with nearly six weeks of monsoon remaining, the state has pre-positioned NDRF teams in Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Dhar, while SDERF teams have been deployed in vulnerable areas. Disaster Response Centres have been set up in 259 sensitive zones, backed by 111 Quick Response Teams and 3,300 trained 'Aapda Mitras' (disaster volunteers) to support local communities.
Ladli Behna Yojana beneficiaries to get Rs 250 on Aug 7 as 'Raksha Bandhan' gift: MP CM Mohan Yadav
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav announced a 250 Raksha Bandhan bonus for 1.27 crore Ladli Behna Yojana beneficiaries, in addition to their 1,250 monthly aid. Calling it a token of love, he praised women's role in the states textile growth. He highlighted rising employment, upcoming welfare schemes, and growing investor interest in Madhya Pradeshs industrial development.
Congress flags concern over women's safety in BJP states, seeks fast-track courts to deal with cases
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday slammed the BJP over recent incidents of crimes against women in states ruled by the saffron party, and demanded proper compensation and security for the victims' families as well as fast-track courts to deal with such cases. Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba attacked the BJP over the death of a 15-year-old girl from Odisha , who was allegedly set on fire by three unidentified miscreants in Puri district. The girl succumbed to her burn injury while undergoing treatment in AIIMS Delhi. You failed to catch the criminals and get them punished. The daughter died and today the police says that no one was involved in this, she said at a press conference here. ' ' , pic.twitter.com/mpjQhztxnB Congress (@INCIndia) August 3, 2025 Lamba also pointed out that during the Assembly session in Madhya Pradesh, Congress MLA Arif Masood asked how many SC-ST women were raped in the state from 2022 to 2024, and the answer was 7,418. A girl from Odisha died. Earlier, a girl studying in Fakir Mohan College alleged sexual harassment but did not get justice. She set herself on fire. That girl died in Bhubaneswar and now a 15-year-old girl has died in AIIMS Delhi, Lamba said. In the name of religion in Chhattisgarh, police arrested our sisters associated with Christian missionaries, she said. Today, we are once again ashamed. In Ahmedabad, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a shameful poster has been put up by the traffic police, which states that daughters in Gujarat should not go out of their homes. If they go out and go to a party at night, they can be raped, the Congress leader said, as she showed a photograph of the poster. Now I come to the case of Karnataka. Prajwal Revanna from Hassan has been convicted of rape . You know that Prajwal Revanna is a mass rapist... Prime Minister Narendra Modi had campaigned for him and sought votes, Lamba said. But today I feel proud to tell you that Rahul Gandhi ji took this issue seriously, and told the Congress government in Karnataka not to come under any pressure because Prajwal Ravanna has the support of two prime ministers... one former and the current. Revanna has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, she added. Women's safety remains a serious issue in the country and that is why Mahila Congress will continue its 'Nyay March', Lamba said. Police are trying to crush the demand for justice but we are not going to stop. Mahila Congress has decided to ensure justice for the victims and punishment for the culprits. Our demands are -- victims' families must be given security and proper compensation, and cases related to women's safety should be tried in fast-track courts and justice be given to the victims, she said.
Indias organ donation rate remains below one per million despite record 18,911 transplants in 2024
NEW DELHI: As many as 18,911 organ transplants were performed last year in India, which continues to face an acute shortage of organs for transplantation, a latest government report said on Saturday. The report, released by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, said that although the number of transplants in India has significantly increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 18,378 in 2023, and 18,911 transplants in 2024 from January to December, the organ donation rate remains low at less than 1 per million population. This starkly contrasts with the highest in the world at around 48 per million population in Spain, it said. India ranks third in the world, after the United States and China, in terms of total organ transplantation, and first in terms of total living donor organ transplantation. The annual report by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Union Health Ministry also showed that Tamil Nadu and Delhi performed the maximum number of heart, kidney, lung and liver transplants. Over 63,000 individuals currently need kidney transplants, and around 22,000 need liver transplants in India. In 2024, there were 13,476 kidney transplants in the country, the highest number of which were performed in Delhi, followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal. Similarly, there were 4,901 liver transplants. Delhi reported the highest number of liver transplants, followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana. A total of 253 heart transplants were performed in the country. The highest number was in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana and Maharashtra. Delhi was in sixth place. In lung transplants, 228, Tamil Nadu again reported the highest number. It was followed by Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi. Just 44 pancreas transplants were carried out, and Chandigarh conducted the most, followed by Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Only nine small bowel transplants were carried out. Tamil Nadu (6) reported the highest number, followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra. As is the norm, more women pledged their organs as compared to men in 2024 as well. Speaking at the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day organised by NOTTO, Nadda said, India achieved a remarkable milestone of performing over 18,900 organ transplants in 2024, the highest ever recorded in a single year, a significant leap from fewer than 5,000 transplants in 2013. Nadda said the central government is continuously streamlining organ donation and transplantation so that more citizens can benefit from them. We are committed to improving the infrastructure and availability of trained manpower to ensure timely and smooth movement of organs between cities and successful organ transplants, he said. Underlining the importance of organ donation, Nadda said, There is an alarming rise in the cases of organ failures posing a serious threat to public health and increasing strain on the healthcare system. Every year, thousands of people wait for organ transplants. Despite the urgent need, there remains a significant gap between the number of patients waiting for transplants and the number of available donors. This gap is not due to a lack of willingness but often due to a lack of awareness and hesitation rooted in the myths and misconceptions. Today is an important day, giving us a platform to spread awareness, encourage conversation, and honour the donors and their families, he added. Unhealthy lifestyle and food habits are among the significant factors leading to organ failure, he pointed out. Nadda said that since the launch of the Aadhar-based NOTTO online pledge website in 2023, more than 3.30 lakh citizens have pledged their organs to donate, marking a historic moment in public participation. He highlighted that India leads the world in hand transplants, showcasing the country's cutting-edge surgical capabilities and the unwavering dedication of medical professionals. Each organ donor is a silent hero whose selfless act transforms grief into hope and loss into lives. One person can save up to eight lives by donating heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. Additionally, countless more lives can be transformed through tissue donations. He said that to make organ transplants more accessible, financial support of up to 15 lakh is provided to poor patients for transplantation of kidneys, liver, heart and lungs under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi. Poor patients are provided support of up to 10,000 per month after transplant to cover medical expenses. A kidney transplant package has also been included in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). It is therefore necessary to take preventive measures and lifestyle interventions, he said, and urged all to adopt Yoga to promote overall well-being. The government has launched the year-long national campaign Angdaan Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyan, which promotes organ and tissue donation nationwide. The campaign emphasises the need for increased public participation, dispelling myths and misconceptions, and motivating citizens to pledge to organ donation.
MP Reserve, Declared Unesco World Heritage Site, Lost 40 Tigers In 43 Months
The tiger reserve spreading over 1,526 sq km in the tribal-dominated district of Umaria in Madhya Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity.
Three Class XII students drown in waterfall in Madhya Pradeshs Narsinghpur district
BHOPAL : Three Class XII students of two different schools reportedly drowned while bathing in the Hathinala-Bildha waterfalls in Madhya Pradeshs Narsinghpur district on Friday. The three teenagers aged between 17 and 18 years, identified as Tanmay Sharma (son of a revenue department Patwari), Ashwin Jat, and Akshat Soni were close friends and students of two different schools. On Friday, the Tourism Department organized a quiz contest in schools. As a result, a holiday was declared for all students except the participants. The holiday had already been notified in advance on Thursday. The three teenagers who lived in separate localities of Narsinghpur town left their homes, telling their parents that they are going to school. When the trio didnt return home till evening, their families reported about it to the police at around 6 pm, after which search operations started. The three boys had left home on two two-wheelers, including a scooter and a motorcycle. As the GPS system was installed in the scooter, it was tracked near the Hathinala-Bildha waterfall, which is located in jungles, around 40 km from Narsinghpur district HQ, local police station in-charge BL Tyagi said. A team of home guards, local police, and divers was pressed into action, after the school uniform and school bag of one boy and clothes of the two other boys were found close to the waterfall. Subsequently, three bodies were retrieved from the deep waterfall between 11 pm and 1 am. A local diver, Babulal, played a key role in extricating the three bodies with the help of a plastic rope fitted with an iron hook.
Rahul Gandhi steps up attack on EC; says 2024 Lok Sabha poll was 'rigged'
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday stepped up his attack on the Election Commission, alleging that the 2024 Lok Sabha election was igged and that the election system in India is dead. Addressing the inaugural function of the day-long legal conclave on the theme 'Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways', the former Congress president reiterated that his party has proof regarding election rigging, which when released would be nothing short of an atom bomb. You will see the shockwave that is going to go through the electoral system when we release this data. It is literally like an atom bomb, Gandhi said. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who won the elections on a significantly lower margin, would not have been sitting in his chair had there been a difference of a few seats. The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. Please remember one thing that the prime minister of India enjoys a very slim majority. If 10-15 seats were rigged, and we suspect the actual figures to be closer to 70-80 to 100, he would not have been the prime minister of the country, Gandhi said. He cited data collected by the Congress from an Assembly constituency in Karnataka, where the party checked the photographs and names of electors physically and reportedly found out that 1.5 lakh votes were fake out of a total of 6.5 lakh voters. In the coming few days, we are going to prove to you without any doubt how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged, and it was rigged, he alleged. Sharpening his attack on the Election Commission, Gandhi said, It's very clear that the institution that protects this (Constitution), and defends it has been obliterated and taken over. Gandhi also said that he did not have the proof earlier and that is why he could not make such statements before. But, I am making this statement confidently now because I have 100 per cent proof. And, whoever I have shown it to has fallen off the chair. They literally said how can it be possible. But it is possible, it's happening, literally, he claimed. Gandhi said he has been speaking about the election system, as he always had a suspicion that there was something wrong. Right from 2014, I had a suspicion that there is something wrong, something is not adding up. I had suspicion about the Gujarat Assembly elections... About this ability to score sweeping victories. Congress doesn't get a single seat in Rajasthan, doesn't get a single seat in Madhya Pradesh, doesn't get a single seat in Gujarat.. This was surprising to me, he said. The Congress MP has repeatedly accused the Election Commission of election fraud and of aiding the BJP in the process. As demands for discussion on the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar have brought the Parliament to a standstill,Gandhi on July 23 said that the Congress has figured out how votes are being stolen in India. Earlier, the Congress MP had also alleged that the BJP and the EC were hatching a conspiracy to steal the assembly elections in Bihar. Gandhi had also drawn parallels between Bihar and Maharashtra accusing the poll body of vote manipulation. In Maharashtra, the mandate was stolen. Now in Bihar, the right to vote is under threat an old conspiracy in a new form. We will continue to expose these anti-Constitutional forces. Together with the people and the youth, we will give a fitting reply, he had said at a protest march in Patna against the SIR exercise. He had also shared his opinion piece published in a newspaper in June, writing How to steal an election? , describing the Maharashtra polls as a blueprint for rigging democracy and outlining, step by step, how he claims it was done. (With inputs from PTI) INTERVIEW | Rahul, Congress trying to defame constitutional institutions: Law minister Meghwal
Afghan kingpin behind fake Indian passport racket busted in Jabalpur, MP
BHOPAL: A major racket facilitating illegal Afghan nationals in acquiring Indian passports has been busted in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three individuals, including the alleged kingpin, an Afghan national identified as Sohbat Khan, who had been living illegally in Jabalpur for the past decade. Khan, who had married a local woman during his stay and managed to obtain an Indian passport in 2020 using forged documents, was reportedly helping other Afghan youths residing illegally in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh to obtain Indian passports using fake address proofs linked to Jabalpur. The two local aides arrested alongside Khan have been identified as Dinesh Garg (40), a resident of Jabalpurs Vijay Nagar area and a forest guard posted at the election cell in the Jabalpur district collectors office, and Mahendra Kumar Sukhdan (45). Afghan national arrested with forged Indian passport at Bhubaneswar airport According to the ongoing probe by Madhya Pradesh Polices ATS, Khan not only secured his own Indian passport fraudulently but also facilitated the same for at least 20 other Afghan youths. Two such individuals, Akbar and Iqbal, both living illegally in West Bengal, have already managed to obtain Indian passports using fake Jabalpur address proofs. Investigations have revealed that original Aadhar cards bearing West Bengal addresses were altered to reflect addresses from Jabalpur. Khan and his aides reportedly paid local youths in Jabalpur to help create forged documents, assist in police verifications, and facilitate the issuance of passports through local post offices. Monetary transactions totalling approximately Rs 10 lakh have been traced so far in connection with the racket. ATS officials are currently interrogating Khan to uncover the wider network, especially individuals involved in forging documents and facilitating official clearances. Khans illegal stay dates back to 2015, when he first obtained a driving licence from Jabalpur, which later helped him secure an Indian passport five years later. The investigation is ongoing, with further arrests and revelations anticipated.
GST mop-up resists geopolitical turmoil, climbs 7.5% in July
Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections in July saw a 7.5% increase, reaching 1.95 lakh crore, despite global economic uncertainties. The growth indicates a stable consumption pattern, with total collections from April to July rising by 10.7%. While some states experienced modest revenue growth, others like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh showed double-digit increases.
IPS Sonali Mishra Assumes Charge As First Woman DG Of RPF
NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Sonali Mishra, a 1983 batch IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre, on Friday assumed charge as the new director general of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), marking a historic first in the forces 143-year journey, the Railway Ministry said. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved her appointment as the director general (DG), RPF, until her superannuation on October 31, 2026. An officer known for her professionalism, dedication and leadership across key policing roles, Ms. Mishra [] The post IPS Sonali Mishra Assumes Charge As First Woman DG Of RPF appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
CHANDIGARH: Between January 20 and July 22 this year, a total of 1,703 Indian citizens were deported from the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed in response to a question in the Lok Sabha. The highest number of deportees was from Punjab, followed by Haryana and Gujarat. Of the total, 767 individuals returned on commercial flights from the US, while 333 were deported via US Customs and Border Protection (Military) flights. In a written reply to a question posed by MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh shared these statistics in the Lok Sabha. Among the deportees, 1,562 were men and 141 were women. The state-wise breakdown is as follows: Punjab (620), Haryana (604), Gujarat (245), Uttar Pradesh (38), Goa (26), Maharashtra (20), Delhi (20), Telangana (19), Tamil Nadu (17), Andhra Pradesh (12), Uttarakhand (12), Himachal Pradesh (10), Jammu & Kashmir (10), Kerala (8), Chandigarh (8), Madhya Pradesh (7), Rajasthan (7), West Bengal (6), Karnataka (5), Odisha (1), Bihar (1), Jharkhand (1), and six cases with the state of origin unknown. Further details on the modes of deportation revealed that 333 individuals were deported by the US Customs and Border Protection (Military) flights on February 5, 15, and 16. Another 231 were deported on charter flights by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 19, June 8, and June 25. Additionally, 300 people were deported on July 5 and 18 via Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charter flights. Seventy-two deportees arrived in India individually or in small groups, as and when their commercial flight tickets were arranged from Panama. Another 767 individuals returned from the US on commercial flights, again in small groups or individually. The Ministry stated that it remains engaged with the US authorities to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during these operations. It said concerns had been strongly registered with the US regarding the treatment of deporteesespecially the use of shackles, including on women and children. Concerns with regard to religious/cultural sensitivities, including the use of turbans and dietary preferences, have also been formally taken up with the US side. The Ministry has not received any complaint pertaining to the treatment of deportees on any flight after February 5, 2025, the reply stated. On the issue of monitoring the status of Indian students and migrants in the US facing deportation or visa-related challenges, including social media-based vetting procedures, the MEA said it had received several representations from Indian students and their families struggling to get student visa appointments. The Ministry took up the matter with the US Embassy in New Delhi as well as the US Department of State, the reply said. In response, the US side informed that additional security requirements for student visas had reduced the capacity of the US Embassy and consulates in India to process visas. However, student visa appointments are now open. For the J-1 physician category, the US side has launched a software-based solution to prioritise their appointments. Several students who had earlier reported difficulty in finding appointment slots under this category have now been able to secure appointments. The US Embassy is working to open a limited number of additional student visa appointments through the end of August in recognition of the urgent need before the start of the new academic year. A student visa fact sheet with frequently asked questions (FAQs) is also being developed to reduce uncertainty around the issue, the reply noted. The Ministry added that while visa issuance remains a sovereign prerogative of the host country, it has consistently raised with both the US Embassy in New Delhi and the US State Department in Washington, DC, the issues faced by Indian students in securing visas.
MP minister Shah faces house heat over remarks on Col Sofia Qureshi; Congress says he must quit
Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah faced opposition calls for his resignation after controversial remarks against Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi. The assembly was briefly adjourned due to the uproar, with Congress members demanding Shah's sacking. The Supreme Court criticized Shah for his initial apology, questioning his sincerity and ordering a SIT investigation into the matter.
Ignore such baseless allegations made on daily basis: EC on Rahul Gandhi's remarks on 'vote chori'
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations against the poll body , accusing it of large-scale voter fraud ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. Gandhi had claimed to have open and shut evidence of alleged poll irregularities by the poll authority and said that it would have no place to hide. The poll body slammed his claims asbaseless and irresponsible, advising EC officials not to pay heed to such daily allegations and threats. The EC in a statement said, The Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis and, despite daily threats being given, urges all election officials to disregard such irresponsible statements and continue to work impartially, fairly, and transparently. The EC said that its primary focus remains on upholding democratic values and ensuring free and fair elections across the country. Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi accused Election Commission of induling in vote chori (vote theft) for the BJP. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament, Rahul claimed that he had open and shut proof of ECI's involvement in vote theft when asked about the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar. Gandhi said his party had suspicions of poll irregularities in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls in 2023, then in the Lok Sabha polls and then the Maharashtra assembly polls. We have said that there is a theft of votes happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in theft of votes. I am not saying it lightly, I am saying it with hundred percent proof. As soon as we release it, the entire nation will come to know that Election Commission is working for the BJP to steal votes, Rahul said.
How much Aniruddhacharya aka Pookie Baba earns in 1 day
Hyderabad: Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, also called Pookie Baba by many, is a popular spiritual leader from Madhya Pradesh. In recent years, he has become very famous on social media, especially on Instagram Reels and Twitter. His powerful and hilarious way of speaking and unique style has made his videos go viral. People love sharing clips from 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 .
NEW DELHI: A total of more than 3.25 lakh cases have been disposed of by 746 fast-track special courts -- including 405 exclusive POCSO courts -- operational across 30 states and Union territories, the Women and Child Development Ministry said on Friday. The fast-track special courts (FTSCs) have been formed to expedite trials in cases of rape and child sexual abuse, the ministry informed Lok Sabha in a written response on Friday. These courts have disposed of more than 3.25 lakh cases as of April 30, 2025, the ministry said. Uttar Pradesh leads with nearly 90,000 disposals, followed by Madhya Pradesh with over 31,000 and Kerala with over 25,000 cases, according to data shared by Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur. Denied POCSO case, father ends life outside Chitradurga police station; SP orders probe In response to another question, Thakur said 2 lakh Anganwadi centres have been approved to be upgraded as 'Saksham Anganwadis' for improved nutrition delivery and imparting early childhood care and education. To ensure that the police stations are more women friendly and approachable, as they would be the first and single point of contact for any woman walking into a police station, 14,658 women help desks (WHDs) have been set up, of which 13,743 are headed by woman police officers, she said in response to another question. To provide help and support to needy women and women in distress, an Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) has been established in all the 36 states and UTs for various emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field/ police resources, Thakur said. Since its launch, more than 43 crore calls have been handled so far.In addition to ERSS, a fully-functional dedicated women helpline (WHL-181) is operational in 35 states/UTs except West Bengal. The WHL has also been integrated with ERSS. So far, the women helplines have handled over 2.10 crore calls and assisted over 84.43 lakh women, the minister said in another written response. Saying I love you in public not sexual assault: Chhattisgarh HC acquits man of stalking, POCSO charges
Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India of vote theft, claiming to possess irrefutable evidence. He alleges the EC is working for the BJP to manipulate votes, citing suspicions from past elections in Madhya Pradesh, Lok Sabha, and Maharashtra. Gandhi warned of exposing this alleged misconduct, deeming it treasonous and promising accountability for those involved.
Have 'open and shut proof' that EC is involved in 'vote theft': Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi escalated his criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, accusing it of induling in vote chori (vote theft) for the BJP. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament, Rahul claimed that he had open and shut proof of ECI's involvement in vote theft when asked about the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar. We have said that there is a theft of votes happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in theft of votes. I am not saying it lightly, I am saying it with hundred percent proof. As soon as we release it, the entire nation will come to know that Election Commission is working for the BJP to steal votes, Rahul said. VIDEO | Parliament Monsoon Session: Congress MP and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi ( @RahulGandhi ) says, We have said that there is a theft of votes happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in theft of votes. I am not saying it lightly, I pic.twitter.com/4NhzijjrTp Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 1, 2025 Stepping up his attack, the Lok Sabha LoP alleged that the Congress had uncovered an atom bomb after investigating evidence of electoral misconduct by the EC, calling it an act of treason. We had suspicion in Madhya Pradesh elections, Lok Sabha elections, our suspicion grew during Maharashtra elections. We conducted our own investigation for six months and what we got is an atom bomb. The Election Commission won't be visible in the country when this atom bomb will explode. Whosoever is doing this in the Election Commission, right from the top to bottom... we won't spare them because they are working against India. This is treason and nothing less than that, he added. Notably, the Congress leader has repeatedly accused the Election Commission of election fraud and of aiding the BJP in the process. As demands for discussion on the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar have brought the Parliament to a standstill, Rahul on July 23 said that the Congress has figured out how votes are being stolen in India. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament House complex, Gandhi had asserted that he would put before the people and the Election Commission in lack in white how the heft of votes is being done. Earlier, the Congress MP had also alleged that the BJP and the EC were hatching a conspiracy to steal the assembly elections in Bihar. Rahul had also drawn parallels between Bihar and Maharashtra accusing the poll body of vote manipulation. In Maharashtra, the mandate was stolen. Now in Bihar, the right to vote is under threat an old conspiracy in a new form. We will continue to expose these anti-Constitutional forces. Together with the people and the youth, we will give a fitting reply, he had said at a protest march in Patna against the SIR exercise. The Lok Sabha LoP had also shared his opinion piece published in a newspaper in June, writing How to steal an election? , describing the Maharashtra polls as a blueprint for rigging democracy and outlining, step by step, how he claims it was done. EC publishes draft voter rolls for poll-bound Bihar after month-long SIR
Suzlon bags 381 MW wind energy project from Zelestra India, its affiliates
NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Renewable energy solutions provider Suzlon on Friday said it has secured a 381 MW wind energy order from Zelestra India and its affiliates for its first-ever Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) project. The 381 MW project, involving 127 of Suzlons S144 turbines, will be spread across Maharashtra (180 MW), Madhya Pradesh (180 MW), and Tamil Nadu (21 MW), a company statement said. Indias energy transition landscape is at a pivotal juncture, where the pursuit [] The post Suzlon bags 381 MW wind energy project from Zelestra India, its affiliates appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Great Relief: Uma Bharati Applauds Malegaon Blast Verdict
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharati said the verdict in the Malegaon case was a great relief to her.
BHOPAL: A distance of five kilometres separates the official bungalows of two saffron-clad women politicians of the ruling BJP in Bhopal. But the celebrations at the residences of these two former Bhopal MPs, to mark the acquittal of one of them, Pragya Singh Thakur, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case , stood in sharp contrast. While Thakur was in Mumbai for the NIA courts judgment in the 17-year-old terror case, a handful of her supporters at the B-29 residence in the 74 Bungalows area danced to drumbeats and distributed sweets, awaiting her arrival in Bhopal two days later for the grand celebrations. Five kilometres away, outside the 6 Shyamala Hills residence of former Madhya Pradesh CM and ex-Union minister Uma Bharti, it was the sound of bursting crackers that marked the acquittal of Thakur and others in the blast case. Recounting her visit to Nashik Jail, where Thakur had been lodged, Bharti, who is considered one of the prominent BJP figures in the Ayodhya Ram Temple movement, turned emotional. I met Pragya at the Nashik Jail, when no one went there to meet her. A Maharashtra police officer had told me that she was tortured unimaginably. I was in tears while meeting her and still remember her having confirmed to me about having been tortured beyond imagination. I didnt carry anything for her it was she who had kept a garland for me, Bharti said. 2008 Malegaon blast: Mere suspicion can't replace real proof; no evidence for conviction, says court She is Durga (goddess), who preferred tolerating extreme mental and physical torture in custody, rather than succumbing under intense pressure. No ordinary woman could have tolerated such extreme torture. At Nashik Jail, she told me, tell all people, that Ill prefer dying and never allow Hindus and the colour saffron to get kalankit (tarnished), Bharti added while recounting her meeting with Thakur in the jail. Welcoming the NIA courts judgment, Bharti said the verdict had not just absolved Thakur and others from allegedly false charges, but had also given her personal relief. Even I stand acquitted in the court of my soul, she said. Bharti alleged that the 2008 blast incident had been deliberately chosen as part of a larger conspiracy to coin the term saffron terrorism as a counter-narrative against Islamic fundamentalism. Lies were added in the case, and those arrested were subjected to horrific torture just to force them to take certain names. Had they taken those names, then most office-bearers of nationalist organisations and most BJP leaders would have been put behind bars and subjected to similar torture, she alleged. All those who coined the term saffron terrorism should now either apologise to the Hindus or jump into the river Ganga or Narmada. The people now need to decide what extraordinary punishment should be given to those politicians, including P Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh and those from left parties, for their deliberate attempts to create fear among Muslims for the consolidation of the minority communitys votes by creating the fake narrative of Hindu fundamentalism to counter Muslim fundamentalism, she added. 'Terrorism was never saffron': Fadnavis hails Malegaon blast verdict; BJP demands Rahul, Sonia Gandhi's apology
MP: CM Yadav Meets PM, HM, Presents 18-Month Progress Report
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and presented the 18-month progress report pertaining to the state to him.
Malegaon blast case: Congress must apologise for 'Hindu terror' term, say MP CM, Uma Bharti
Following the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP leader Uma Bharti are demanding an apology from Congress leaders, particularly Digvijaya Singh, for propagating the Hindu terror narrative. They assert the court's verdict disproves the Congress's claims and defamed Hindu saints and Sanatan Dharma.
Safe, motorable roads part of right to life under Article 21: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has observed that the right to safe, well-maintained, and motorable roads was part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan delivered the judgment on Wednesday, setting aside an order passed by the Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh [] The post Safe, motorable roads part of right to life under Article 21: Supreme Court appeared first on India Legal .
India diverted over 78,000 ha of forest land in 2021-25 for various projects: Govt
Over the past four years, the Indian government has approved the diversion of more than 78,100 hectares of forest land for various development projects across the country. Madhya Pradesh leads with the highest area approved for diversion, followed by Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh. In the first half of 2025 alone, over 12,324 hectares were cleared for non-forest use.
1 Kanwar Pilgrim Dead, 3 Injured As Truck Runs Over Them In Madhya Pradesh
25-year-old Kanwar pilgrim was killed and six others were injured when a speeding truck hit them in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district on Wednesday night, a police officer said.
Incessant Rains Wreak Havoc in Madhya Pradesh
Over 200 villages in at least half-a-dozen districts in the state have been marooned by the flood water, leaving several hundred people trapped, officials said on Wednesday.
Army rescues 300 from flood-hit Shivpuri as 2,900 evacuated across Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: Around 300 people were rescued by the Indian Army, NDRF, SDERF, local police and administration from a flood-hit village in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior-Chambal region on Wednesday. Continued heavy rains have caused flooding in various rivers across northern Madhya Pradesh districts, particularly in Shivpuri, Guna and Ashoknagar. While thanking the Army for their role in the rescue operations in Shivpuri district, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that to expedite relief work, the state government has requested helicopters from the Ministry of Defence. A helicopter from Lucknow is currently deployed and actively engaged in relief and rescue operations in Ashoknagar district. After conducting a live review of the ongoing rescue operations in the flood-hit areas from the state command centre in Bhopal, the Chief Minister said 2,900 people have been safely rescued from Morena, Guna, Shivpuri, Rewa, Raisen, Damoh and Ashoknagar and moved to relief camps. Food, clothing, medicines and other essentials are being provided at these camps. Rescue teams have been deployed in full strength with all necessary resources. Considering the likelihood of continued rainfall over the next two to three days, all district administrations have been directed to remain on high alert and in a constant state of readiness. He appealed to citizens to remain cautious, avoid waterlogged areas and open drains, stay away from electric hazards and dilapidated buildings, and immediately report any emergency to their local tehsil or district flood control room. He reassured the public that the government is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every citizen. The IMD has issued an alert for heavy rainfall in many districts of the state over the next 24 hours. It has predicted 8 to 9 inches of rain in several districts, including Bhopal, Vidisha, Narmadapuram, Raisen, Sehore, Ashoknagar, Guna, Shivpuri and Rajgarh.
More than 23,000 women, girls missing in MP for over a month and up to 1.5 years
BHOPAL: Over 23,000 women and girls have been missing for at least a month and up to 1.5 years in Madhya Pradesh. The information was shared by the state government, while replying to the question on the issue by former home minister and senior Congress MLA Bala Bachchan during the ongoing monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha. As per the written reply to the ex-home ministers question, as on June 30, 2025, more than 21,000 women and 1900-plus girls were missing for more than a month in the state. Surprisingly, those numbers included women and girls, who went missing between January and December 2024 and January and June 2025. The detailed break up of the data shared by the government revealed that in as many as 30 districts the total number of missing women was more than 500. These districts included states political and administrative capital Bhopal, commercial capital Indore, cultural and judicial capital Jabalpur, Sagar, Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Dhar and Rewa districts. The other districts where more than 500 women and girls were missing since more than a month, include Shivpuri and Guna in the Gwalior-Chambal region, Khargone, Khandwa and Barwani in southwestern MP, the districts of Mandsaur, Ratlam, Neemuch, Dewas, Ujjain (CM Dr Mohan Yadavs home district), Jhabua and Dhar in western MP. Those districts also included Katni, Balaghat, Seoni and Mandla (all in tribal dominated Mahakoshal region), Raisen, Vidisha and Narmadapuram in central MP, besides Satna and Rewa districts of Vindhya region and Damoh, Sagar and Narsinghpur in Bundelkhand region. The information shared by the state government also revealed that around 1500 persons accused in various cases of crime against women, among them rape and other sexual offences, besides those accused in abduction of girls and disappearance of women are yet to be tracked by the state police. The accused on the run, included those booked for rape of women and minors. While 292 accused were absconding in cases pertaining to rape with women, as many as 283 were on the run in cases of sexual assault/rape with minors. As many as 443 others were on the run in cases of other sexual offences with women, while 167 persons, who were accused in similar cases of sexual offences with girls too, were untraceable. This meant that as many as 575 accused in cases of rape with women and girls were still on the run, while 600 accused are on the run in cases related to other sexual offences with women and minors. When it came to those accused, who are absconding in the cases pertaining to missing minors and those behind the disappearance of women, as many as 76 were on the run in cases of missing women, while 254 were absconding in cases of abduction of minor girls. As per the state governments reply in the Vidhan Sabha, more than 23,000 women and girls have been missing in Madhya Pradesh for more than a month as on June 30, 2025. The missing 23,000-plus women and girls, include over 21,000 women and more than 1500 girls. In at least 30 districts, the number of women and girls who remain untraced was more than 500. Around 1500 accused in various cases of crime against women remain untraced. Those on the run, included 575 in rape cases and 600 in cases of other sexual offences. As many as 76 accused in cases in missing women and 254 accused in cases of missing girls too are untraced.
JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has upheld the life imprisonment of a former chemistry professor for the murder of her doctor husband by electrocution in Chhatarpur district of the state in 2021. A division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and Devnarayan Mishra on Tuesday upheld the life imprisonment of Mamta Pathak. Sixty-five-year-old Dr Neeraj Pathak, posted in Chhatarpur District Hospital, died on April 29, 2021 at his house in Loknathpuram Colony with electricity burn marks detected at multiple places on the body. The HC said the entire chain of circumstances indicates that the wife first made the husband unconscious by giving him sedatives and later killed him by electrocution. The division bench, while cancelling the temporary suspension given on the sentence earlier, directed the accused to immediately surrender in the trial court to serve the remaining period of imprisonment. In April this year, the high court had reserved its decision after hearing the arguments of all the parties. At the time of the incident, his wife Mamta Pathak was also there She had come to live with him only 10 months prior to his death, the prosecution said. According to the HC, no other person came from outside on the day of the incident, the prosecution said. The relationship between the couple was strained as she would often argue about her husband's affair with some woman. Before 12 noon on the day of the incident, Dr Neeraj called one of his relatives and told that his wife was torturing him, not giving him food and kept him locked inside the bathroom. He also talked about the head injury. After this, the relative contacted the police and the doctor was taken out of the bathroom. The relative gave the recording of this conversation to the police and also recorded a statement in the court. A court in Chhatarpur convicted Mamta Pathak on the basis of the circumstantial evidence and sentenced her to life imprisonment. But she filed an appeal in the high court against the verdict. While presenting her case in the high court in April this year, the former chemistry professor argued that the cause of the death in the post-mortem report was stated to be electric shock. The burn marks found on the body of the deceased were of both types - electric and thermal, but their technical investigation was not done, she told the court. Safety equipment like MCB and RCCB were installed in the house, due to which death due to short circuit or current was not possible. Despite this, neither the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team nor any electrical expert was sent to the house to investigate, she argued in the court. During the initial hearing, she argued the case on her own, but later he lawyers presented her side in the court. In its 97-page order, the division bench upheld her life imprisonment, saying the entire chain of circumstantial evidence was interconnected.
Viral video: Giant python emerges from police jeep in Madhya Pradesh, WATCH
In the video, the police officers were seen keeping an eye on the snake's movements from a distance, without disturbing it.
