Month: July 2025

The 15-year-old girl, who was set on fire by miscreants at Balanga in Puri, is in critical condition, and on oxygen support at ICU unit, AIIMS Delhi said in a statement.

She was airlifted from Bhubaneshwar to AIIMS Delhi on Sunday at 4:20 pm for her treatment.

“Patient with 75% burns was airlifted from AIIMS Bhubaneswar and received at AIIMS New Delhi at 4:20 PM. She is currently admitted to the Burn ICU in the Burns and Plastic Surgery block. Her condition is critical, and she is on oxygen support. A team of doctors is closely monitoring her condition,” said a statement by AIIMS Delhi.

The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Balanda police station in the Nimapada block of Puri district. According to her cousin, the 15-year-old girl, who had gone out with friends, was abducted and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire by unidentified miscreants. Severely burnt, she managed to reach a nearby house from where she was rushed to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former MP Amar Patnaik condemned the brutal attack on a 15-year-old girl in Odisha’s Puri district, stating that the law and order situation in the state has gone for a toss.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, BJD leader Patnaik said, “Such unfortunate incidents are taking place one after the other. An impression about Odisha is being created that there is no law and order in the state. Criminals do not fear anyone. The victim was just walking on the road and going somewhere. She was pulled aside, tied to a tree, and set on fire. This happened in broad daylight… The law and order situation in the state has gone for a toss. The government is unable to do anything.”Demanding exemplary punishment, Patnaik added, “Such a strict action must be taken against the accused that all criminals think twice before committing any crime…”

The incident has come into light a few days after the self-immolation case of a female student at Balasore’s FM (Auto) college.

The student had attempted self-immolation on July 12 on the college campus, sustaining over 90 per cent burn injuries, and succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 14. (ANI)

The Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested seven members of a cheating syndicate, including five Indians and two Nigerian nationals, who had been operating a nationwide scam using fake lottery and gift schemes, police officials said on Sunday.

According to DCP (Crime Branch) Vikram Singh, the gang duped people by offering fake lottery tickets and prizes, often by impersonating women or foreign businessmen on social media platforms like Facebook and Messenger.

“Five Indians and two Nigerians of a cheating syndicate operating nationwide have been arrested… They used to gain people’s confidence by offering fake lottery tickets, gift or prize schemes, or by impersonating a woman,” DCP Singh told ANI.

The gang collected personal data from Facebook and then sent messages to people through Messenger. The foreign nationals, pretending to be businessmen, called victims from these accounts, built trust over months, and then demanded money under various pretexts.

“Foreign nationals would call the victims posing as businessmen… They would run an account for 5 to 6 months and then deactivate it,” the DCP further said.

The police identified that the group was currently operating an account under the name ‘Vikas’, through which 20-25 victims had already been traced. Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate had been active for over a year.

“Sunday John came to India in 2023. He had a business visa that had expired. He was living illegally here. The second Nigerian came on a medical visa in 2013, and his visa has also expired,” DCP Singh later added.

Among the arrested Indians, Shahrukh and Shahid Raza were identified as the main conspirators. Shahid Raza had previously been jailed in 2016 for a similar crime. He was the first to connect with the Nigerians, while Shahrukh handled the cash flow, Rakesh arranged for the opening of bank accounts, and Faiz created fake Aadhaar cards, the police said.

“Shahrukh used to arrange the money flow. Rakesh used to get the bank accounts opened. Faiz used to get fake Aadhar cards made,” Singh added.

The police found around Rs 3 lakh in cash, along with nine mobile phones, nine passbooks, three cheque books, and multiple ATM cards from the accused. The Nigerians got money deposited into their accounts, while the Indian members would withdraw the money and hand it over to them in cash.

Further investigation is currently underway. (ANI)

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention against the alleged harassment, humiliation, and detention of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Maharashtra and Odisha.

Chowdhury alleged that these daily wage workers are being targeted for speaking Bengali, which is reportedly being mistaken for Bangladeshi.

“It is with immense anguish and a great deal of concern that I am seeking your kind intervention for bringing to end, the unprecedented and unheard of harassment, humiliation, physical torture and “uncalled “for detention that a large number of Bengali migrant workers, who eke out their living by working mainly as daily wage labourers in different parts of Odisha and Maharashtra in particular are being subjected to,” he wrote.

He further stated that the migrant workers are facing harassment for speaking Bengali, as their language sounds similar to that of Bangladesh.

“Your knowledge and understanding of issues relating to migrant labourers, and more specifically, the lakhs of inter-state migrants who hail from West Bengal, their income levels, living standards, as also contribution to the revenues of the State Government are immense,” he wrote. “I, therefore, do not feel it to be necessary to put forth these facts before you. What is deeply saddening – in regard to which your intervention is an urgent necessity – is the fact that the migrants who belong to the poor and down trodden section of Society and are bonafide, Indian Citizens are being harassed, humiliated, held in detention and physically abused and assaulted on the pretext of the fact that their physical appearance and accent of language spoken is similar to the people of Bangladesh,” he added.

Calling the situation “inhumane,” Chowdhury urged the Prime Minister to take urgent steps to ensure the safety, dignity, and livelihood of these inter-state migrant workers.

“The Union Government under your Leadership is bestowed with the responsibility of protecting the lives and livelihood of the Country’s Citizens. Harassment and physical abuse of inter-state migrant labourers who belong to a specific linguistic group or community and are Indian Citizens, and more sadly, on a very large scale, and in the most in-human manner cannot be allowed to continue,” he wrote.

Chowdhury further added, “Given the facts relating to the targeted harassment, humiliation, and torture the poor and innocent Bengali speaking people working as labourers in Odisha, Maharashtra and other States are being subjected to, I would earnestly request you to intervene for protecting these poor and innocent people from the suffering they are being subjected to.”

Chowdhury requested PM Modi to direct the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Union Home Ministry to protect inter-state migrant workers.

“As a step in the direction for protecting the right to life and livelihood of bonafide, Indian Citizens which have been under threat, I would request you to issue appropriate directions to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for taking positive action for protecting the rights. of “inter-state migrant labourers” who hail from the State of West Bengal. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Home Affairs may be asked to ensure that the innocent are not subjected to unwarranted hardship despite being legitimate Indian Citizens who have migrated to other States for earning their livelihood,” the letter read.

“I eagerly look forward for your kind intervention, as the Head of the Government, in protecting the lives of its Bengali speaking citizens, who belong to the poorer sections of the Indian Society and are inter-state migrant workers,” it added.

On July 13, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to the President of India, expressing grave concern over the ongoing harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)- affiliated workers’ union and the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress (INTTUC) staged a protest march against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Siliguri, condemning the alleged harassment and pushback of migrant Bengali-speaking individuals from several BJP-ruled states. (ANI)

Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned an Israeli attack on Gaza’s only Catholic church, which killed three people on Thursday. During his Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope expressed his deep sorrow and appealed for an end to the “barbarity of war,” AL Jazeera reported.

He urged the international community to “observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians”, emphasising the need to avoid collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement.

“As well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population,” he added.

Among those killed were the parish’s 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman who was receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound, according to the Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem.

Israeli attacks across Gaza on Thursday killed at least 32 Palestinians, including 25 in Gaza City alone, as per AL Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that at least 130 people have been killed and 495 wounded by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours.

That brings the death toll since the start of Israel’s war to 58,895, with 140,980 people wounded.

According to AL Jazeera, in the last two years, as well as its war on Gaza and increasingly violent occupation of the West Bank, Israel has launched attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

The most recent attacks on Syria were launched this week, going so far as to hit the country’s Ministry of Defence.

The Israelis point to their justifications for the attacks on Syria, principally, in Israel’s telling, to defend the Syrian Druze minority. In Lebanon, Israel claimed it wanted to stop the threat posed by Hezbollah.

The attacks on Iran, it said, were to end that country’s attempt to build a nuclear bomb. And in Yemen, Israel’s bombing was a response to attacks from the country’s Houthi rebels. (ANI)

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday announced a cash reward of one crore for popular singer Rahul Sipligunj, who rose to global fame through the Oscar-winning song ‘Naatu Naatu’ in ‘RRR’.

‘RRR’ is a 2022 epic period action drama film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, who co-wrote the screenplay with V. Vijayendra Prasad.

CM Revanth Reddy has fulfilled his promise to renowned singer Rahul Sipligunj. The government announced a cash reward of one crore rupees to Rahul on the occasion of the Bonalu festival, as per the Telangana CMO.

Recognising his self-made success, CM Reddy hailed him as an inspiration for the youth of Telangana.

Before the elections, while serving as Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president, Revanth had announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to Rahul at a public event and assured that the Congress government would honour him with Rs 1 crore.

Recently, during the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards, the Chief Minister specifically mentioned Rahul Sipligunj and stated that a government announcement would be made soon. Accordingly, today, on the occasion of the Bonalu festival, the CM announced a reward for Rahul, according to the Telangana CMO.

‘Naatu Naatu’ was the first Telugu song to be nominated in the ‘Original Song’ category at the Oscars. It won the award, trumping big names such as Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

The song was also released in Hindi as ‘Naacho Naacho’, in Tamil as ‘Naattu Koothu’, in Kannada as ‘Halli Naatu’, and in Malayalam as ‘Karinthol’.

The lyrical composition by MM Keeravani, high-energy rendition by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, unique choreography by Prem Rakshith, and lyrics by Chandrabose are all the elements that make this ‘RRR’ mass anthem a perfect dance craze.

‘RRR’ is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Ram Charan and Jr. NTR played the lead roles, respectively. Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, and Shriya Saran also starred in the film. (ANI)

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, beginning Monday, is expected to be stormy as the Samajwadi Party is set to raise several key issues, including Pahalgam terror attack, Milkipur Assembly by-poll results and others.

“Parliament session begins on 21st July. This session is being convened at a time when the country has seen major incidents, heart-rending incidents. After the painful incident in Pahalgam (terrorist attack), the entire country displayed unity…The current government was extended full support. Our leader Akhilesh Yadav had told the Centre that whatever steps are taken, our party would stand with them. All political parties in the country supported the Government. Unfortunately, we need to ask today what constructive steps were taken by the Government in Pahalgam. People of the country are still waiting for a discussion on the steps taken by the Government in Pahalgam. This discussion will be taken up in Parliament,” SP MP Awadhesh Prasad told ANI.

This comes after leaders of 24 parties of the INDIA bloc held an online meeting on Saturday and deliberated their strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on July 21.

The SP leader further said several other key issues, including Milkipur Assembly by-poll results, will also be taken up in Parliament.

“There are several other incidents, elections are due to be held in Bihar. The manner in which voter list and people’s right to vote in Bihar is being ended, is lethal to the democracy of the country…Milkipur Assembly by-poll results are the first dacoity of democracy of the country done by the officers and people of BJP in power, EC stayed silent…So, all such burning issues are being looked at by the country and all these issues will be taken up for discussion,” Prasad further said.

In the upcoming session, the government is likely to introduce and pass the several bills including the Lok Sabha Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Geo-Heritage Sites and Geo-Relics (Conservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2025, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

With a packed legislative agenda and an aggressive opposition, the Monsoon Session is expected to be politically charged. The government is likely to introduce and pass several key bills, which will be closely watched by the Opposition and other stakeholders.

The monsoon session of Parliament will continue till August 21. (ANI)

The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested another accused in connection with the religious conversion syndicate allegedly led by Chhangur Baba alias Jamaluddin, officials said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Rajesh Kumar Upadhyay, was arrested on Saturday, they said.

The arrest comes days after Jamaluddin and his close aide, Nasreen, the alleged masterminds of a covert network involved in religious conversions across Uttar Pradesh and beyond, were arrested from Uttar Pradesh.

According to Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General (ADG) of Law and Order, Amitabh Yash, the gang operated for over 15 years and used a variety of manipulative tactics, including honey-trapping, administrative pressure, targeting minors, and enlisting influential individuals to facilitate conversions.

“A significant amount of foreign funding has been traced to the gang,” ADG Yash had told ANI earlier. “Separate rate cards existed for different types of conversions, and the money was routed through nearly 40 bank accounts. The ATS is tracking the sources of these funds.”

He further stated that any properties acquired using these funds would be seized and demolished as per legal provisions. “Chhangur Baba and his main associate, Neetu alias Nasreen, will be interrogated regarding their network, financial trail, and assets. The process to seize and demolish their illegally acquired properties has begun. All individuals against whom there is evidence have been arrested. Mohammed Ahmed is also named in the case, and further investigation is underway,” he added.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had requested a copy of the FIR from the ATS for a parallel investigation into the financial aspects.

Highlighting concerns of demographic shifts, ADG Yash pointed out that the region in question lies close to the Nepal border, and such changes have been under observation for some time, raising suspicions of a larger conspiracy.

On Wednesday, the ED launched a major search operation in connection with the case. Raids were conducted at 14 different locations, including 12 premises in Utraula in Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur district, and two in Mumbai. (ANI)

Four accused in the Patna Paras Hospital firing case were produced before Alipore Court this evening.

On Thursday, Police reported that unidentified assailants shot a prisoner, Chandan Mishra, who was admitted to a hospital in Patna for treatment.

Bihar Police, in a joint operation with Kolkata Police and Kolkata STF, detained the main accused, Taushif alias Badshah, from Kolkata for the shooting incident. Additionally, Nishu Khan and two others have also been detained.

While being taken to Alipore court, the accused Nishu Khan stated to the media, “I did not know anything about murder plotting. I came here with my girlfriend for my spinal surgery, as in 2023, I was shot due to a land-related fight issue and became bedridden. Taushif is my brother; he told me Sheru said to shoot Chandan. I don’t know why he shot him. After the gunfire incident, he came to me and told me –I didn’t know how to react or what to do… Later on, STF came and raided where I was staying. They arrested me, my nursing staff, caretaker, and later my girlfriend too”

According to Bihar Police, initial investigation has revealed that the conspiracy for this murder was hatched at Nishu Khan’s residence, and Taushif alias Badshah mainly carried out the act.

In the release, the police said, “Interrogation of other suspects related to the incident is ongoing. All arrested accused are being sent to Patna as per legal procedures. Kolkata Police and Kolkata STF have provided commendable support in this case. A team was formed by Kolkata Police, which continuously and actively assisted Patna Police.”

The prisoner, Chandan Mishra, was out on parole on the grounds of required medical attention and was admitted to Paras Hospital for treatment, when unidentified assailants barged into the hospital and shot him, Patna SSP Kartikay Sharma said on Thursday.

Chandan Mishra was a known criminal with dozens of murder cases registered against him. The Police believe that the rival gang has carried out the shooting.

Reacting to the incident, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday questioned the Bihar government, asking if “anyone was safe anywhere” in the state after unidentified assailants shot a prisoner admitted at a hospital in Patna.

In a post on social media platform X, Tejashwi Yadav wrote, “Government criminals stormed into the ICU and shot a patient admitted to the hospital. Is anyone safe anywhere in Bihar? Has this happened before 2005?” (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday reiterated his objections against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being carried out by the Election Commission (EC) and said that the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar will have no meaning if this doesn’t stop.

“If SIR is not stopped, then the Bihar elections have no meaning. I can tell you the result now that if SIR is not stopped, then the BJP will win the Bihar elections,” Singh told ANI.

This comes as twenty-four members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc have decided to raise various key issues during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, beginning on Monday, including the Pahalgam terror attack and the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar.

However, Singh on Wednesday stated that his party is no longer part of the INDIA alliance following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections. AAP and Congress had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi as part of the INDIA alliance. However, both parties contested separately in the Haryana and Delhi Legislative Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, Singh stated, “We have clarified our position that the INDIA alliance was there till the Lok Sabha elections. As far as the Parliament is concerned, we have always opposed all the wrong policies of the government. Currently, the issue for us is the way the homes and shops of people of Bihar, UP, and Purvanchal are being bulldozed and destroyed. This is the issue we will raise in Parliament in the context of Delhi.”

“We said that officially, the Aam Aadmi Party is not with the INDIA alliance as of today. Our alliance was for the Lok Sabha elections,” he added. (ANI)

A virtual meeting of the INDIA bloc was held on Saturday, which was attended by leaders and representatives of the alliance parties.

They included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Smt Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray.

The virtual meeting was also attended by Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Ramgopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party), MA Baby (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), and Tiruchi Siva (DMK).

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said that the INDIA parties expressed their concern over the SIR in Bihar. He said it was felt that there was an undeclared emergency during which voters’ names were being removed from the list.

“The meeting discussed issues related to the people of the country that we will raise during the monsoon session. With everyone’s consent, eight main issues have come up in the meeting – Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, Trump’s statement on ceasefire and trade, SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Bihar, foreign policy, delimitation, and the issue of atrocities against Dalits, STs, and women,” Tiwari said.

Earlier, the Election Commission on Friday said that 95.92% of electors in Bihar have been covered under the draft electoral list as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with six more days remaining.

As per official data, out of 7.89 crore total electors (as of June 24, 2025), over 7.57 crore total electors have been covered.

Around 4.08%, i.e., 32.23 lakh remaining enumeration forms, are yet to be received, the release said.

It said during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Rolls in Bihar, the entire electoral machinery, that is, nearly 1 lakh BLOs, 4 lakh volunteers, and 1.5 lakh BLAs appointed by the political parties and their district presidents, are working together in a mission mode to ensure that the name of no eligible elector is left out from the draft Electoral Roll to be published on August 1, 2025. (ANI)

A day before the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Sunday criticised US President Donald Trump, calling him eager to become the ‘Sarpanch of the world.’

Jha’s remarks came after Trump’s repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in exchange for a proposed US trade deal.

Jha also raised concerns over the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor and called for discussions in the Monsoon session on why India was left isolated globally.

He also criticised the deletion of voter names in Bihar ahead of the assembly polls, calling it a threat to democracy and questioning the Election Commission’s credibility.

Speaking to ANI, Manoj Jha said, “The collective pain of Pahalgam, why did it happen, what were the failures, Operation Sindoor and then why were we left alone at the global level. All these questions are there. These should be discussed. In Bihar, people’s names are being deleted from the voter list, and such a threat to Indian democracy is rarely seen. The credibility of the Election Commission is under question. If this is not discussed then what is the use of Parliament?”

“Trump is eager to become the Sarpanch of the world. He has said 24-25 times that he has stopped the war. Now the time has come to give a message. This message should not be through sources but through the Prime Minister,” Jha said.

As the monsoon session is scheduled to start on July 21, the government plans to push its legislative agenda, which includes some new bills.

The bills on the agenda of the government include the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill of 2025, the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2025, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill 2025, the Mines and Mines (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2025, the National Sports Governance Bill 2025, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025.

The agenda of the government also includes the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024; the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024; the Indian Ports Bill, 2025; and the Income Tax Bill, 2025.

The monsoon session of Parliament will continue till August 21. (ANI)