Month: June 2025

Following the death of a 55-year-old man during a rally, former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and five of his aides has been booked for culpable homicide, with the Guntur police confirming that the vehicle involved in the fatal accident was the one he was travelling in.

The case, initially filed under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint by the victim’s wife Cheeli Lurdhu Mary, has now been reclassified under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 49 (act endangering human life or personal safety of others).

This came after an incident occurred during a rally held by Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday (June 18) when Cheeli Singayya was allegedly run over by the YSRCP supremo’s vehicle.

“After examining multiple sources, including video footage, CCTV recordings, drone visuals, and eyewitness accounts, it was confirmed that the deceased was seen under the wheels of the Ex-Chief Minister’s vehicle. Consequently, the charges were altered to Sections 105 and 49 of the BNS,” the police said in its statement.

The police further added, “Permission was granted only for the Ex-Chief Minister’s convoy and three vehicles to travel from Tadepalli to Sattenapalli as part of the tour programme of Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on 18.06.2025. While the convoy was passing near the Anjaneya Swamy statue located at Etukuru Bypass, under the jurisdiction of Nallapadu Police Station, information was received about a road accident. A male person was reported to have sustained bleeding injuries.”

Upon receiving the information, police immediately admitted the injured individual, identified as Cheeli Singaiah, to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

A case was earlier registered based on a complaint filed by his wife, Cheeli Lurdhu Mary, under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police said that six individuals were present in the vehicle, including Ramana Reddy, Car Driver, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Former Chief Minister, K. Nageshwar Reddy, Personal Assistant, Y. V. Subba Reddy, Former Member of Parliament, Perni Nani Venkateswara Rao, Former MLA; and Vidadala Rajini, Former Minister. (ANI)

Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal on Sunday reaffirmed the National Democratic Alliance’s position ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, stating that Nitish Kumar will remain the NDA’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2025 assembly polls.

Speaking to ANI, Jaiswal said the BJP stands firmly behind the leadership of Janata Dal (United) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“We are contesting the elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and we have repeatedly said that he is our Chief Minister’s face,” he asserted.

The state BJP chief also highlighted the coalition’s campaign slogan for the upcoming elections–“2025 Phir Se Nitish.”

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is contemplating an intensive house-to-house verification during the upcoming electoral roll revision before the Bihar Assembly Polls in order to make the Electoral Rolls completely robust and free of any kind of errors, according to ECI sources.

Regular exercise of revision of the Electoral Rolls is undertaken annually throughout the country by the ECI, and also before the holding of Elections/by-elections.

Earlier on Saturday, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said that the coming Bihar assembly will be an “election for change” and accused the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of doing little for Bihar in their rule, saying the state continues to face several challenges, including poverty and unemployment.

He attacked Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the ruling alliance should spell out one development indicator in which Bihar is number one in the country.

He said that despite Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar being in power for nearly 20 years and Narendra Modi serving as Prime Minister for 11 years, Bihar continues to remain at the bottom in key indicators such as per capita income and education.

“Bihar is number one in poverty and unemployment, has maximum migration, has the lowest per capita income and per capita investment, and we are far behind in healthcare and education,” he said.

Tejashwi Yadav said that RJD and other allies of Mahagathbandhan are ready for the assembly polls later this year.

“We were ready last time also, this election is going to be an election of change,” he said, adding that they lost the previous assembly polls by a narrow vote margin.

Political parties are gearing up for the assembly polls later this year. Nitish Kumar announced on Saturday that the pension for widows, senior citizens, and people with disabilities would be increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1100 per month. (ANI)

After the strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said Operation Midnight Hammer was designed to “severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure.”

Dan Caine said this while holding a Sunday press briefing at the Pentagon.

“At approximately 6:40 PM EST, 2:10 am Iran time, the lead B-2 two dropped GBU 57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow,” he said.

“As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40 PM and 7:05 PM EST (2:10 AM local time Iran) with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Isfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation,” he added.

The US military employed “several deception tactics,” including decoys, to maintain tactical surprise, he said.

“As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the US employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the 4th and 5th generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface Air missile threats.”

“The strike package was supported by the US Strategic Command, US Transportation Command, US Cyber Command, US Space Command, US Space Force, and US European Command,” he added.

Further, Caine stated that “at midnight Friday and Saturday morning, a large B2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States. As part of the plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the West and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa.”

“The main strike package, comprised of seven B2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the East with minimal communications,” he added.

Higlighting the capabilities of the US joint forces, he stated, “Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuellings. Once over land, the B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed manoeuvre requiring exact synchronisation across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications. This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world.”

The operation, code-named Operation Midnight Hammer, was executed by US Central Command under the command of General Erik Kurilla.

“Last night, on the President’s orders, US Central Command, under the command of General Erik Kurilla, executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities… This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure,” he said.

“It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theatres with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation’s choosing. This was a highly classified mission, and very few people in Washington knew the timing or nature of this plan,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump said the “very successful” strikes had hit the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan underground nuclear sites in Iran.

Speaking from the White House, Trump announced that America carried out “massive precision” strikes on Iran and warned Tehran of further retaliation if peace was not achieved.

Iran condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of international law and vowed to continue its nuclear program.

A statement issued by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) confirmed that early on Sunday morning, Iran’s nuclear sites were “subjected to savage aggression–an act in violation of international laws, particularly the NPT.” (ANI)

After the US airstrikes on its nuclear installations, Iran is considering closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategically vital chokepoints in the world, and any blockade by Tehran would pose serious risks for Europe, EuroNews reported on Sunday.

Revolutionary Guard commander Sardar Esmail Kowsari told local media in an interview that closing the Strait of Hormuz “is under consideration, and Iran will make the best decision with determination,” as per EuroNews.

“Our hands are wide open when it comes to punishing the enemy, and the military response was only part of our overall response,” added Kowsari, who is a member of Iran parliament in addition to his military position.

Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said the “very successful” strikes had hit the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan underground nuclear sites in Iran.

According to EuroNews, Iran’s short- and medium-range missiles would be capable of targeting oil infrastructure platforms, pipelines in the Strait, or even attacking commercial vessels, and surface-to-surface missiles could target tankers or ports along the Gulf. Airstrikes using aircraft and drones could disable navigation or radar equipment at major shipping ports in the region.

Unmanned drones like Iran’s Shahed models could potentially be used to attack specific shipping lanes or infrastructure in the Strait. Iran could attempt to deploy warships to physically block access to the Strait. In 2012, Iran launched a cyberattack on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, showing its growing capability in this domain, as per EuroNews.

Blocking the Strait was one of the Iranian responses to the conflict, including terrorist acts on mainland Europe, which security expert Claude Moniquet cited in an interview with Euronews.

It would be “a disaster for Europe”, the former French intelligence officer said.

Roughly 20 per cent of global oil and a significant portion of natural gas pass through the Strait. Europe imports oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Gulf states–Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE– much of which travels through the Strait. If Iran blocks it, global oil prices would spike, and Europe could face energy shortages, especially in countries dependent on Middle Eastern fuel, as per EuroNews. (ANI)

Nayanthara joined fans and stars in wishing Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay on his 51st birthday.

The actress took to social media to share a sweet message for her former co-star and wished him success for his upcoming film Jana Nayagan.

On her X (formerly Twitter) handle, Nayanthara wrote, “Happiest Birthday dearest #Thalapathy @actorvijay. Have a great year ahead. Best wishes for #JanaNayagan.”

Take a look

Vijay and Nayanthara have worked together in several Tamil films, including Sivakasi (2005) and Villu (2009). Though Villu received mixed reviews, it was a notable project that brought the two popular stars back on screen.

As part of Vijay’s birthday celebrations, the makers of Jana Nayagan released the first teaser of the film, titled First Roar. The 65-second teaser opens with Vijay’s voice saying, “You guys will live in my heart.” The actor is then seen walking through a battle-like setting in a police uniform, holding a lathi. The teaser features visuals of destruction and calm intensity, setting the tone for a serious action drama.

Jana Nayagan is directed by H. Vinoth and features music by Anirudh Ravichander. Venkat K. Narayana produces the film under the banner of KVN Productions. It is set to release on January 9, 2026, during the Pongal festival.

Meanwhile, Nayanthara was last seen in the thriller Test with R. Madhavan and Siddharth. The film is streaming on Netflix. She has several projects coming up, including Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups with Yash, Mannanagatti Since 1960, Dear Students, Mookuthi Amman 2, and Rakkiye. (ANI)

A complaint has been filed against actor Vijay Deverakonda under the SC/ST Act for allegedly making remarks that hurt the sentiments of the tribal community.

The complaint, lodged by Nenavath Ashok Kumar Naik, the State President of the Joint Action Committee of Tribal Communities, claims that Deverakonda’s comments during a pre-release event for the movie ‘Retro’ were offensive and insulted the tribal community. The case has been registered at the Raidurgam Police Station in Cyberabad, and an investigation is underway.

According to the police FIR Copy, ” On 17.06.2025 at 10:30 hours, received a complaint from Nenavath Ashok Kumar Naik Alias Ashok Rathod, Caste: ST(Rathod), Occu: State President, Joint Action Committee of Tribal Communities….., which reads as follows. Brief facts of the case are that on 26.04.20225, Film Actor Shri Vijay Deverakonda, who participated in the pre-release event of the movie ‘Retro’ starring Hero Surya, made comments that hurt the sentiments of the tribals and seriously insulted them.”

“The remarks were viewed as a serious insult to the self-respect and dignity of the tribal community. Therefore, the complainant requested to take necessary action against Shri Vijay Devarakonda as per law,” the Police FIR stated.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Vijay will be next seen in ‘Kingdom’. The film, which was supposed to be released on May 30, 2025, will now arrive in theatres on July 4, 2025.

Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, ‘Kingdom’ stars Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead. The film is produced by Sithara Entertainments in association with Fortune Four Cinemas.Music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and editing is handled by Navin Nooli. (ANI)

Indian star Rishabh Pant completed 150 catches as a designated wicketkeeper, making him the third from his team to do so.

Pant reached this milestone during the third day of the first Test against England at Leeds on Sunday.

After Prasidh Krishna struck early, removing Ollie Pope after an edge off his bat landed into Pant’s hands, the 27-year-old reached a milestone only touched previously by Syed Kirmani (160 catches) and MS Dhoni (256) among Indians.

Now, Pant has a total of 151 catches and 15 stumpings (166 dismissals), making him the third most successful keeper for India in history. Dhoni is the most successful one, with 256 catches and 38 stumpings, totalling to 294 dismissals.

At the end of the first session, England was 327/5, with Brook (57) and Smith (29) unbeaten. They trail by 144 runs.

England started the first session of the day on 209/3, with Ollie Pope (100) and Harry Brook (0) unbeaten.

Pope and Brook started off on an attacking note, with the latter getting a four and six against Prasidh Krishna in the first over and Pope smacking a length delivery from Jasprit Bumrah on the next over’s very first ball.

However, a delivery wide outside off by Krishna was slashed at hard by Pope, getting an edge and going straight into the hands of Rishabh Pant, who completed his 150th catch as a wicketkeeper. Pope was gone for 106 in 137 balls, with 14 fours. England was 225/4 .

Brook continued stamping his authority on pacers, while skipper Ben Stokes settled from the other end. England reached the 250-run mark in 59 overs. It was simply raining boundaries, and the duo formed a 50-run stand in 78 balls.

However, Mohammed Siraj struck, removing Stokes for 20 in 52 balls (three fours), finding a thick edge of the bat. England was 276/5.

Early in his innings, after two solid boundaries, Jamie Smith survived a leg-before-wicket review, with Shardul Thakur missing out on a golden chance to open his wicket tally as the ball missed the leg stump. England touched the 300-run mark in 71 overs.

Pant dropped a catch of Brook and he capitalised on it, reaching his 12th Test fifty in 65 balls, with seven fours and a six. Jamie and Brook also completed a 50-run stand. (ANI)

Months ahead of the Bihar legislative assembly elections, the political activities in the state have gained momentum. Amid the speculation on the chief ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said it has been decided and will be revealed according to the alliance’s strategy.

In an interview with ANI, when asked about the CM’s face, Yadav said, “Everything is decided. We will reveal this according to our strategy…”

On the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the RJD leader claimed that the NDA appears ‘disjointed’ in Bihar, as he claimed its leaders like Jitam Ram Manhji, Chirag Paswan, and Upendra Kushwaha are speaking in different voices.

He said, “People talk, they say things like INDIA bloc doesn’t look united. But here NDA doesn’t look like this, Jitam Ram Manhji says something else, Upendra Kushwaha says something else, Chirag Paswan says something else.”

Yadav further underlined the enduring alliance between Congress and RJD, saying, “Congress and RJD are the oldest alliance partners and haven’t broken yet. But still, these (NDA) people try to break it, saying that nothing is going right. Everybody knows the relationship of the RJD and the Gandhi family.”

The former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister reiterated, “We have our strategy. Everything is decided who will be the Chief Minister. We will tell when the right time comes.”

Reacting to Lok Janshakti Party’s (Ram Vilas) move to pitch Chirag Paswan as the Chief Ministerial candidate of Bihar, Yadav said that if Chirag Paswan wants to be CM, he should say so clearly.

The Bihar Leader of Opposition said, “I don’t see any problem with that. If in a democracy, a party wants to see its own leader as CM, that’s fine. But they should come out openly. If Chirag Paswan ji or anyone else wants to be CM, they should say so clearly. What’s the need for drama — saying things like ‘Bihar is calling me’? You were driven out of Bihar for so many years. There should be logic. ‘Bihar is calling me’ — you are from Bihar, you were elected from Bihar, you’re a Union Minister from Bihar’s quota — so just say that you wish to become the CM. Say it clearly. Whenever we go out, we say openly — not only do we want to form the government, we want to rebuild Bihar. Just give us one chance.”

Bihar will go for assembly polls later this year. (ANI)

Following the strikes by the United States at Iran’s nuclear facilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke with the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing deep concern at the recent escalations and called for “immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy”.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations,” PM Modi stated.

He emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution and added, “Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability.”

Speaking from the White House, Trump on Saturday (US local time) announced that America carried out “massive precision” strikes on Iran and warned the latter of further retaliation if peace was not achieved.

Iran condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of international law and vowed to continue its nuclear program.

A statement issued by AEOI confirmed that early on Sunday morning, Iran’s nuclear sites were “subjected to savage aggression–an act in violation of international laws, particularly the NPT.”

“This action, which violates international regulations, unfortunately took place under the indifference–and even complicity–of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” it said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the military action under the leadership of Trump, stating that Trump’s bold decision to target Iranian nuclear facilities will change history.

The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its ninth day on Saturday, with the US now joining in support of Israel.

Meanwhile, India continues its evacuation efforts for Indian nationals in Iran, with multiple flights planned to bring back citizens from the conflict-hit region. (ANI)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a comprehensive special audit initiative under General Safety Circular 01 of 2025, announcing the rollout of a Comprehensive Special Audit initiative aimed at providing a 360-degree assessment of the nation’s aviation ecosystem.

The initiative reflects a strategic shift from the conventional silo-based oversight system to an integrated, risk-informed, performance-driven model of regulatory auditing & DGCA’s commitment to fostering a safe, efficient, and sustainable aviation environment. By integrating global best practices–including those from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), and India’s National Aviation Safety Plan–the audits will assess compliance, operational performance, and system resilience across all facets of the aviation industry.

This audit will proactively identify systemic vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience across India’s aviation sector.

Unlike routine checks, the special audits will apply to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from scheduled and private air operators to maintenance firms, training institutions, air navigation providers, and ground handlers. Even supporting elements such as emergency systems and technology vendors fall within its scope, underlining DGCA’s ambition for a truly end-to-end evaluation.

The document reads, ‘The Special Audit applies to all primary aviation entities, including scheduled, non-scheduled, and private air operators, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) organisations, Approved Training Organisations (ATOs), Flying Training Organisations (FTOs), Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), Aerodrome Operators, and Ground Handling Agencies (GHAs).

Additionally, it encompasses supporting elements such as technology providers, emergency response systems, supply chain networks, and regulatory coordination bodies. This broad scope ensures a holistic evaluation of the interconnected components that define the aviation ecosystem.

Audits will be carried out by multidisciplinary teams led by senior DGCA officials and supported by subject-matter experts from various aviation domains. The assessment will include document reviews, on-site inspections, staff interviews, and analysis of safety data trends.

Findings will be classified by severity, with deadlines for corrective action ranging from 7 to 90 days. Entities will be required to submit a corrective action plan within 15 days of the audit’s conclusion, and failure to comply could lead to escalating enforcement, from warnings and fines to suspension of licenses.

The audit process is divided into three phases. The Pre-Audit Phase (5-7 days) involves intelligence gathering, stakeholder consultation, risk profiling, and audit plan development. The On-Site Audit Phase (3-5 days) includes an opening meeting to clarify objectives, followed by document reviews, inspections, interviews, process observations, and daily debriefs to discuss preliminary findings. The Post-Audit Phase (10-15 days) encompasses finding validation, risk assessment, final report preparation, and publication.

This structured process ensures transparency and stakeholder engagement throughout, as mentioned in the document.

The audits may be triggered by critical incidents, regulatory violations, or international findings, but they will also be scheduled proactively, including annual ecosystem-wide reviews. The DGCA has committed to transparency, confidentiality, and due process throughout the audit lifecycle, including provisions for appeal.

With this new framework now in immediate effect, DGCA aims not only to meet international standards but to set them. The agency sees this initiative as central to building a world-class aviation infrastructure that is resilient, accountable, and future-ready. (ANI)