At least 9 killed, six injured in massive fire at hotel in Kolkata
At least nine people died, and six were injured in a fire at a hotel on Mirza Galib Street in central Kolkata early on Wednesday night, police said. Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze that erupted around 1.45 am. Police and Disaster Management Department personnel reached the spot for the rescue operation. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital. The dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors. While nine people have died, more deaths are feared, a police officer told PTI. Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused, and the cooling process is underway, he added. West Bengal Fire Department headquarters is located close to the hotel building.
At least nine dead in massive Kolkata hotel fire
Kolkata, Aug 19: At least nine people died, and six were injured in a fire at a hotel on Mirza Galib Street in central Kolkata early on Wednesday night, police said. Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze that erupted around 1.45 am. Police and Disaster Management Department personnel reached the spot for the rescue operation. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital. The dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors. While nine people have died, more deaths are feared, a police officer told PTI. Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused, and the cooling process is underway, he added. West Bengal Fire Department headquarters is located close to the hotel building.
Kolkata hotel fire: Nine dead, six injured in massive blaze at Mirza Ghalib Street in West Bengal
A massive fire erupted at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata. At least nine people died and six others were injured in the incident. All deceased individuals were identified as Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment. Firefighters rushed to the scene and worked through the night to control the blaze. The exact cause of the devastating fire remains under investigation by authorities.
1 blocking order every 68 seconds: Govt takedowns of online content surge
Government directions to restrict online content witnessed a dramatic surge between March and July this year, with nearly 1.95 lakh blocking orders sent to Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, according to data accessed by The Indian Express. The figures mean that, on average, one blocking order was issued every 68 seconds, or nearly 1,275 orders every day. The sharp rise assumes significance as the period coincided with the students protests against examination leaks at Delhis Jantar Mantar, which began in June and continued until July 25. Instagram received the largest share, with nearly one lakh blocking orders, accounting for more than half of the total. Facebook received around 80,000 orders, while YouTube received nearly 15,000, reports Indian Express. Together, the two Meta-owned platforms: Instagram and Facebook accounted for roughly nine out of every 10 orders issued to the three companies. The orders, many of which were issued through the Home Ministrys Sahyog portal, can cover hundreds of individual posts, pieces of content or accounts. The scale of the increase becomes clearer when compared with the previous year. RTI records obtained by The Indian Express showed that between October 2024 and October 2025, only 2,312 blocking orders were sent to 19 online platforms through Sahyog, an average of about six orders a day. A senior government official told the Indian Express newspaper that a considerable share of the latest orders were issued during the student protests as they gathered momentum, particularly on Instagram. The report said Meta has integrated its API (Application Programming Interface) with the Sahyog portal to meet the governments requirement of removing flagged content within three hours. Under the system, content identified through government directions uploaded on the portal can be automatically removed from Meta platforms without a separate human review by the company. Digital rights activists have raised concerns over the arrangement, arguing that automated takedowns could leave little room for platforms to examine whether a particular government direction meets legal requirements. Apar Gupta, advocate and founder-director of the Delhi-based Internet Freedom Foundation, said an automated system could turn a conditional legal obligation into automatic compliance. He questioned whether anyone at the platform checks the authority issuing an order, its legal basis or the reasons cited for the takedown. According to information shared by users on social media, the restrictions appeared to affect several posts supporting the students protests, criticism of the governments ethanol fuel-blending policy and content relating to the West Bengal Assembly elections, besides deepfakes and other material. The surge in takedown orders also comes against the backdrop of tighter government rules. In February, the IT Ministry amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, reducing the compliance window for certain government-directed takedowns from the earlier 24-36 hours to just 2-3 hours. With India having more than 600 million social media users, the growing scale of government takedown requests has opened a wider debate over online regulation, freedom of expression and the safeguards needed before content is removed.
Kolkata High Court Issues Interim Stay on Verification of Caste Certificates in West Bengal
Kolkata, August 19: The Calcutta High Court has ordered an interim stay on a recent notification from the West Bengal government regarding the verification of caste certificates issued in the state. The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Tapa Brata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee, stated that the stay on the governments notification, issued on ... Read more Kolkata High Court Issues Interim Stay on Verification of Caste Certificates in West Bengal
Kolkata High Court Expresses Discontent Over Appointment of School Teachers for Census Work
Kolkata, August 19: The Kolkata High Court expressed its dissatisfaction on Tuesday regarding the appointment of school teachers for census work in West Bengal. Justice Krishna Rao, presiding over a single-judge bench, questioned whether the central government consulted the state government before deciding to appoint school teachers for this task. Earlier, the Kolkata High Court ... Read more Kolkata High Court Expresses Discontent Over Appointment of School Teachers for Census Work
Ritabrata provisional LoP, appointment valid for 2 months: Calcutta HC
HC stays Bengal govt order on review of all TMC-era caste certs
Bengal govt to move judicial panel over tea-garden land scam
Asish Banerjee death case: Police to probe unknown threats, TRDA irregularities
Govt plans kite, balloon fest on Vishwakarma Puja
Man loses Rs 95K to AI voice scam
BJP man in cop net for assault, extortion
ASI arrested on kidnap & rape charges
Fire on second floor ATC bldg terrace, no impact on flight ops
PM scheme for mothers from Oct: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari
JUTA writes to higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay on promotions
Strict attendance by professors a must, says higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay
Calcutta HC rejects PIL on loudspeaker order
1 dead, 26 rescued as 2 dilapidated buildings collapse in north Kolkata
Traffic slows down as potholes show up after rain
Why Centre not consulting state: Calcutta High Court on govt school teachers census duty
Record no. of vacant seats at JU & CU after WBJEE centralised counselling
Shillong, August 18: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday expressed deep condolences over the deaths of five residents of the state in a fire in West Bengal and announced financial assistance of 2 lakh each to the bereaved families. The victims, including two children, were among eight people killed in a fire at... The post CM Conrad Sangma Announces 2 Lakh Aid For Families of 5 Meghalaya Residents Killed In West Bengal Fire first appeared on Northeast Today .
EKW at 25: A Ramsar site in need of rescue
DH Road widening on cards after inspection by MLA, cops, PWD
IIT-Kgp launches Rs 1,000-cr campus modernisation drive on Platinum Jubilee
Tricolour rakhis to liven up Raksha Bandhan
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India holds public finance workshop for 100 West Bengal MLAs
Around 100 West Bengal MLAs attended an ICAI workshop on public financial management and legislative oversight. The session focused on state budgets, government accounting, fiscal responsibility, sustainable financial management and transparency in public spending.
West Bengal to bring tiger back to Buxa, plant 10 crore trees
West Bengal plans to release a tiger into Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2 as part of efforts to revive the big-cat population in North Bengal under NTCA guidelines. The state also plans to plant three crore mangroves in the Sunderbans between September and December and aims to plant 10 crore trees across West Bengal this year.
Weather Update: Heavy rain alert in UP, MP and Jharkhand, cyclonic system activated
Weather Update: India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned in its weather bulletin released on August 18 that heavy rains will be seen in many states of the country in the next 24 to 48 hours. Due to the impact of the depression on the northern parts of Jharkhand and adjacent Gangetic West Bengal, the weather [] The post Weather Update: Heavy rain alert in UP, MP and Jharkhand, cyclonic system activated first appeared on informalnewz .
State govt secures 2,426 free private hosp beds for critical patients
Queries rise for Ayushman admissions
Bengal health min launches drive against child marriage, bats for two-child policy
Bengal police reject CJP claim over Bankura death
The West Bengal police rejected claims that a Bankura man died following a rutal physical assault on the father of a CJP activist, saying he had sustained only a minor injury during an alleged attack at his residence and later died after being admitted to hospital following severe blood pressure fluctuations.
New 'boss' scam to dupe corporate employees busted
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has uncovered a Rs 1.5 crore WhatsApp fraud, leading to the arrest of two key SIM and OTP suppliers in West Bengal. The investigation revealed a sophisticated international cybercrime network spanning China, Pakistan, India, and Hong Kong, operating a oss scam and utilizing a Cybercrime as a Service model. Police recovered a significant portion of the defrauded amount and secured thousands of devices.
10th day of quizzing for Abhisheks PA Sumit Roy
Saugata Roy faces BJP protest at airport
West Bengal Tourism Minister seeks probe into tea garden land sale, usage during TMC regime
West Bengal Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh has alleged that land belonging to several North Bengal tea gardens was illegally transferred and sold during the previous Trinamool Congress government, with the proceeds allegedly diverted to the party fund for elections.
15 hotels sealed in Tarapith fire safety crackdown
Ritabrata Banerjee Remains Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Amid Legal Dispute
Kolkata, August 18: Ritabrata Banerjee, a former Trinamool Congress MLA expelled from the party, will continue to serve as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. The Calcutta High Courts division bench has referred a petition challenging Banerjees appointment back to a single bench. Justices Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Kumar Gupta declined ... Read more Ritabrata Banerjee Remains Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Amid Legal Dispute
L&T Finance plans 500 branches a year to expand gold loan portfolio
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari said the initial budgetary allocation of 36,000 crore would not be sufficient for the cash transfer scheme given the growing number of beneficiaries
TMC's Ritabrata Banerjee to remain Leader of Opposition till Calcutta HC decides issue in two months
In a significant development, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed that rebel T MC MLA Ritabrata Banerjee will continue as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly till a single bench decides on a petition challenging his appointment to the post within two months. The order was passed by the division bench comprising Justices Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Kumar Gupta of the Calcutta High Court.
Kolkata High Court Dismisses Petition Against Public Address System Directives
Kolkata, August 18: The Kolkata High Courts division bench dismissed a petition on Tuesday that challenged the West Bengal polices verbal order to remove loudspeakers and microphones from state mosques. While rejecting the petition, Acting Chief Justice Tapobrata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee clarified that the court would not issue any orders based solely on ... Read more Kolkata High Court Dismisses Petition Against Public Address System Directives
CID to Investigate Death of Former TMC Councillors Husband in West Bengal
Kolkata, August 18: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police has taken over the investigation into the death of Birju Keot, husband of former Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Jenny Sharma, which occurred while he was in police custody. Following the incident, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari acknowledged that there was some negligence on the ... Read more CID to Investigate Death of Former TMC Councillors Husband in West Bengal
Bread has become expensive; now you will have to spend more money for breakfast.
Bread Price Hike: The price of bread has increased in West Bengal. Due to rising raw material costs, the new prices, effective August 17, 2026, will impact the budget of daily bread buyers.Bread becomes expensive in West Bengal.West Bengal Bread Price News: If you start your day with tea...
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has busted a high-profile international cyber fraud network allegedly providing infrastructure and services to cybercriminals based in Pakistan and China. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot said two people have been arrested from West Bengal in connection with the case, while further investigation is underway.The accused have been identified as Imran Ali Piyada and Injamul. Police recovered seven mobile phones from them, including three Android phones and four keypad phones, along with SIM cards and a router.
Payments under West Bengal's 'Annapurna Yojana' started on Monday, targeting 1.45 crore eligible women. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari detailed eligibility, the application process, and highlighted a dedicated portal for assistance to ensure timely payments as part of the BJP's welfare initiatives.
From Puchka to a national QSR: Sagar Daryani-backed Wah! Foods targets Rs. 250 crore revenue by FY30
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 18: Wah! Foods, the company behind Wah! Puchka and Wah! Litti, has outlined plans to achieve 250 crore in annual revenue by FY30 as it builds a nationally recognised Indian street-food QSR platform.
Bengal BJP battles to prevent Trinamoolisation of party
Three months after winning power in West Bengal, the BJP is confronting a significant political challenge: how to expand and consolidate its presence without adopting the very political culture it campaigned against, particularly concerning the integration of former TMC leaders and the need to curb practices like extortion and intimidation among its own cadres.
Over 4,000 criminal cases against legislators; 326 MPs, 14 CMs face cases
A report on criminalisation of politics submitted in the Supreme Court has stated that 251 members out of 543 in the Lok Sabha and 75 lawmakers out of 233 in the Rajya Sabha have criminal cases against them. The affidavit filed in the apex court by senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who has been appointed amicus curiae in a PIL seeking expeditious disposal of criminal cases against MPs and MLAs, said that there are over 4,000 criminal cases against Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). The affidavit stated that the chief ministers of 14 states, out of 28, have declared criminal cases, including serious ones. According to the data, Telangana CM Anumula Revanth Reddy has 89 cases against him, followed by West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari, who has 29 cases, and Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar, who has 19 cases. Hansaria submitted that despite monitoring of cases by the top court and high courts to ensure expeditious trials, the number of pending criminal cas
Baazar Style Retail locked at 5% upper circuit for 3rd day; here's why
Established in 2013, Baazar Style Retail is a value fashion retailer, based out of Kolkata. It has a strong retail footprint across Eastern India, with a dominant presence in West Bengal.
False claim, Minor injury: West Bengal Police denies brutal assault of CJP activists deceased father
CJP officials and Sheikh Abdul Hafiz stated that he had been intimidated by some goons backed by the local BJP MLA Nirmal Dhara, since he returned from the CJPs protest in Delhis Jantar Mantar
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari laid the foundation stone for the company's greenfield integrated steel manufacturing project in Raghunathpur in West Bengal's Purulia district
A biker had a narrow escape after a massive landslide sent rocks, mud and debris crashing onto a road in Bindu, West Bengal's Kalimpong district. The sudden collapse left the rider with only seconds to react as the debris came down across the route, leaving little room to move out of its path.
Jharkhand Governments Delay Criticized by West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh
Kolkata, August 18: West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh has reacted sharply to the Jharkhand governments decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam and all tests conducted by TDP. He stated that the government should have made this decision two weeks ago, avoiding unnecessary drama that has troubled students. Ghosh questioned, Why did the Jharkhand government take ... Read more Jharkhand Governments Delay Criticized by West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh
1 killed, 19 injured after building collapses in Kolkata; rescue operations underway
Fire breaks out on 2nd-floor extended terrace of ATC building at Kolkata airport
TMC MP Mahua Moitra moves privilege notice over late-night order to vacate WB circuit house
Mahua Moitra filed a privilege notice against three West Bengal officials. She alleged a serious breach of protocol and contemptuous conduct occurred. Officials asked her to vacate a circuit house late at night on August 14. Moitra stated this was part of a larger effort to impede her duties. She sought the Speaker's protection from intimidation and harassment.
Health Ministry backs NMC action on work-hour violations
Srinagar, Aug 17:The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed Parliament that the National Medical Commission (NMC) has the power to take action against medical colleges and institutions violating reasonable working hour rules. The statement came in a written reply by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel in the Lok Sabha. In response to questions linked to a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) case and reports of excessive duty hours, Patel said under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023, NMC can take action against the medical colleges not adhering to work and rest hour rules. In her reply, the Minister stated: Case No 441/90/0/2025 of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was referred to Ministry to submit the action taken report on a complaint dated March 17, 2025. The matter was examined in the Ministry in consultation with National Medical Commission (NMC) and submitted the report to NHRC. It was stated that as per regulation 5.2 (ii) of the PGMER, 2023, All post-graduate students will work as full time resident doctors. They will work for reasonable working hours and will be provided reasonable time for rest in a day. The NMC is empowered to take action against the concerned medical college or institution, as per specified under Regulation 9.2 of the PGMER, 2023. Patel has also clarified the constitutional position, stating that public health and hospitals is a state subject and that the respective state governments or UT administrations prescribe norms for doctors working hours. They are also responsible for setting service conditions and the duty rosters in the concerned institutions. The parliamentary response also addressed the situation at R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata. The minister said, The incident at R G Kar Medical College, West Bengal was taken up by the Honble Supreme Court of India in SMW (Crl) No 2 of 2024, wherein the court had constituted a National Task Force (NTF) to formulate recommendations for redressal of the issues regarding safety, well-being and working conditions of medical professionals. The report of NTF had been submitted to the court in November 2024. She said that the NMC Anti-Ragging Committee had met on August 14, 2024, to discuss the various aspects of safety and working conditions of medical students and resident doctors. As an immediate step, the NMC issued an Advisory dated August 13, 2024, to all medical colleges and institutions. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Directorate General of Health Services had also directed all Central Government hospitals and institutes, includinbg AIIMS to ensure filing of institutional FIRs within a maximum of six hours in cases of violence against doctors and healthcare personnel. Advisories had also been issued to states and UTs on August 23, 2024, and September 3, 2024, urging a ramp-up of security to medicos, and safer working environments, especially females. The ministers reply is significant in view of the rising incidents of persistent complaints that postgraduate residents in several medical colleges. The medicos have alleged that they are being made to work 80-100 hours a week. This is far beyond what many consider reasonable. A Public Interest Litigation filed by the United Doctors Front in the Supreme Court seeks enforcement of the Ministrys own 1992 directive limiting resident doctors duty to 12 hours a day, and not more than 48 hours a week. The petition had cited the National Task Force report on the mental health of medical students. It recorded over 150 suicides in 5 years. These, as per the PIL were largely linked to work-related stress and sleep deprivation. The Supreme Court had recently adjourned the hearing after the Centres counter-affidavit was not placed on record. The case is listed for 17 September. In J&K, resident doctors at Government Medical College Jammu, Government Medical College Srinagar and other medical colleges have welcomed the ministrys clear restatement. Several postgraduate students described the ministers written reply as an important official acknowledgment. Reasonable working hours and reasonable time for rest, they said, are obligations on the institutions, they said. A resident from GMC Srinagar said, We welcome this statement. What we need now is a transparent, independent audit of actual duty hours, duty rosters and rest periods across all medical colleges in J&K. Only an audit will show how far the ground reality has drifted from the regulations. He urged both the NMC and the J&K Health and Medical Education Department must invoke the penal provisions under Regulations 9.1 and 9.2 of the PGMER, 2023 against non-complying institutions.
Demands for Investigation into Ashish Banerjees Death Intensify
Kolkata, August 18: Ritabrata Banerjee, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, has raised concerns regarding the death of Ashish Banerjee. He has also addressed allegations against Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and MP Kirti Azad. In a conversation with a news agency on Monday, Ritabrata Banerjee stated, We are demanding an investigation ... Read more Demands for Investigation into Ashish Banerjees Death Intensify
Tragic Fire at Tarapith Hotel Claims Eight Lives, Including Five from One Family
Kolkata, August 18: The death toll from the fire at a hotel in Tarapith, Birbhum district of West Bengal, has risen to eight, according to police reports. Among the deceased are five members of a family from Meghalaya who had come to the sacred city to worship at the Tara Temple. The family was staying ... Read more Tragic Fire at Tarapith Hotel Claims Eight Lives, Including Five from One Family
Adolescent Pregnancy: A Major Concern in West Bengal, Says Health Minister Mukherjee
Kolkata, August 18: West Bengals Health Minister, Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee, has highlighted adolescent pregnancy as a significant concern in the state. This statement comes as the BJP-led government in West Bengal marks its first 100 days in power. The state administration is preparing to present its achievements during this period to the public. Dr. Mukherjee ... Read more Adolescent Pregnancy: A Major Concern in West Bengal, Says Health Minister Mukherjee
West Bengal Police deny assault claims after Abdul Hafiz
The News Mill
Two Leaders from Bengal Join BJPs National Executive Committee
Kolkata, August 18: Following a significant victory in recent elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed two prominent leaders from West Bengal to its National Executive Committee. This move underscores the importance of the partys West Bengal unit to its national leadership. Among the new appointees is Manoj Tigga, the BJP Member of Parliament ... Read more Two Leaders from Bengal Join BJPs National Executive Committee
Moitra seeks privilege action against officials over eviction
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has moved a privilege notice before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against three senior officials, alleging a serious breach of protocol and contemptuous conduct after she was asked to vacate a circuit house in West Bengal's Krishnanagar late in the night on August 14.
No forcible land acquisition, says CM Suvendu Adhikari
Deletion of parents names from voter list cant decide students EWS eligibility: HC
5 of a Meghalaya family among 9 killed in Tarapith fire
Afternoon Rallies, Rain Choke Kolkata Traffic
Blazing entrance, locked exit: Guests climb down 47-ft tree & pipes to escape
Russa Road Building Balcony Collapses, Man Dies
BJP Yuva Morcha neta in food payment dispute
Audit panel formed to check Tarapith hotels, lodges
500 hotels around Tarapith temple complex: Lens on Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority
Tarapith looks at blaze impact on multi-crore religion tourism
App goes offline to help enumerators
Same address but different kitchens? Census will count separate households
Work not part of teachers duty hours, job honorarium-based: Census office
Ayushman patients start to trickle in but tech glitch remains a worry
160 kg plants, seeds seized from 2 flyers at airport
535 buildings out of ban shadow, work resumes
Countdown for Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty
Suhel Seth, Esha Dutta, Rituparna Sengupta, Sundeep Bhutoria, Bickram Ghosh, and Vivek Ojha at the Khuti Puja of Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga Puja, Kolkata Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 17: One bamboo pole for ceremonial worship went into the ground at the Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty premises on Friday evening and with it, north Kolkata []
