Month: August 2025

The Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on Thursday foiled a major terror attack planned by Pak-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives Harwinder Rinda and terrorist Lakhbir Landa, a release said on Thursday.

According to a release, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, said that teams of the AGTF had received credible human intelligence about the consignment containing an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) pushed from Pakistan.

“Acting swiftly, AGTF, in close coordination with Tarn Taran Police, launched a combing operation in the district and recovered an IED from the area of Naushera Pannuan in Tarn Taran, before it could reach Rinda and Landa’s local associates for potential use in subversive activities,” the DGP said.

The DGP further stated that the IED was immediately secured and safely transported to a designated location, where it was successfully neutralised in a controlled detonation by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

The prompt and coordinated action of Punjab Police personnel averted a major tragedy and ensured public safety, he added.

Sharing more details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that the preliminary investigations have revealed that the recovered IED was pushed into Punjab by the Pakistani agencies backed terrorist modules with intentions to disrupt public peace and target innocent lives in the border state.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) AGTF Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said that a case FIR no 106 has been registered under sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and section 111 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita at Police Station Sirhali in Tarn Taran. Further investigation is ongoing to uncover and apprehend the associates of Rinda and Landa, he said. (ANI)

Shots were reportedly fired at Indian comedian and actor Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Cafe in Surrey, the second such incident reported in less than a month, according to a report by Indo-Canadian Voice.

A viral social media post, allegedly shared by gangster Goldy Dhillon and attributed to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Jai Shri Ram… aaj jo Kapil Sharma ke Kap’s Cafe, Surrey mein firing hui hai, iski zimmedari Goldy Dhillon te Lawrence Bishnoi gang leti hai… next karwai jald hi Mumbai mein karenge, (Goldy Dhillon and Lawrence Bishnoi gang take responsibility for today’s firing at Kaps Cafe in Surrey, we will now do this in Mumbai next), ” the post read.

However, no independent verification of the claim has been made so far. Surrey Police authorities have not shared detail about the firing at Kaps Cafe so far. Further details are awaited.

This reported attack comes less than a month after a shooting incident at the same cafe in the second week of July, when several gunshots were fired. Police had launched an investigation into the attack, the Vancouver Sun had reported.

Several gunshots had rung outside Kap’s Cafe at 1:50 am (local time), according to Surrey Police Service. Police had said some staff members had been present inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting. No one was injured in the incident.

The cafe had opened earlier that week. At least 10 bullet holes were seen in a window at Kap’s Cafe that morning, while another window pane was shattered.

The building where the cafe is located has retail units at ground level and residential apartments above; however, it was not known how many residents live in the building. A multi-faith centre and two other yet-to-be-opened businesses occupy other ground-level units.

Officers were seen in the restaurant gathering evidence while children played across the street outside a daycare in the Newton neighbourhood, which had been cordoned off by police tape, as reported by Vancouver Sun.

Spokesperson Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said police were aware of reports in Indian media claiming that a Khalistani separatist had claimed responsibility for the shooting.

In a statement, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said the investigation was still in the very early stages and that “connections to other incidents and potential motives are being examined.” Police did not have a suspect description and the motive behind the shooting had not been determined, Vancouver Sun reported.

Houghton added officers were still speaking to witnesses and working to obtain CCTV footage. He said, “Once that’s done, we’ll have a better idea of what happened.”

Anyone with information regarding the shooting was asked to call police at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. (ANI)

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced that actress Madhuri Dixit has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the state handloom industry on the occasion of the 11th National Handloom Day.

CM Majhi also extended greetings for the 11th National Handloom Day.

“On the occasion of the 11th National Handloom Day, we extend our heartfelt congratulations. Today, actress Madhuri Dixit has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the state handloom industry. Efforts will be made to promote over 1,30,000 weavers of Odisha. The EKTA Expo will run for 7 days. Today, weavers were also honoured,” the Odisha CM told mediapersons.

A day earlier, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy met with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who called on him in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on advancing key projects and strategic collaborations to strengthen Odisha’s leadership in India’s steel sector.

Kumaraswamy highlighted the pivotal role Odisha plays in India’s steel production capacity and reiterated the Centre’s full commitment to accelerating growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A major point of discussion was the expansion of the Rourkela Steel Plant, a critical facility under SAIL. The Union Minister assured the Chief Minister that the Ministry would extend all necessary support to resolve bottlenecks and scale up production capacity, helping transform Rourkela into a world-class steel hub.

The meeting also saw deliberations on developing new iron ore mines across the state to ensure sustained raw material supply. Shri Kumaraswamy underlined that secure and efficient access to iron ore is essential to power both public and private sector steel plants and to maintain India’s competitive edge globally.

The discussion concluded with a shared vision to make Odisha a model state for industrial growth, mineral development, and steel excellence, contributing meaningfully to Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat @2047 and PM Modi’s vision of 300 MTPA by 2030. (ANI)

Taking suo motu cognisance, the Punjab State Women’s Commission has summoned Punjabi singers and rappers Karan Aujla and Yo Yo Honey Singh for allegedly promoting misogynistic content and ‘objectification’ of women in their recent songs.

The Chairperson of the Punjab State Women’s Commission, Raj Lali Gill told ANI on Thursday that the commission had reviewed complaints and public reactions regarding certain lyrics and visuals in Honey Singh and Karan Aujla’s latest releases, and has written to the state Director General of Police (DGP), urging immediate action.

As per the Chairperson, the lyrics in the latest releases of Ajula and Honey Singh were allegedly found to be derogatory towards women and potentially harmful to societal values.

“The songs that have been used in this have neither been controlled by the language nor has it been thought. When we go on stage, we say to everyone that the biggest role in my life is that of my mother. We respect her a lot. At the same time, you abuse her. So, for whom do you play this double role? To get millions of views? Are you doing this just to earn money? This is having a very big impact on our children. So, I think that the singers should also understand their responsibility. It is not only their responsibility to entertain them,” Gill told ANI.

On further action, Punjab State Women Commission Chairperson said that she has asked DGP and other concerned officials to summon the singers while demanding their apology.

“The action is that I have sent this to BOI (Bureau of Investigation) and DGP and they (Aujla and Honey Singh) should be summoned. And even if I know that they are not in the country at this time, but still I should contact them and get an explanation. They should be summoned to come here. When they give an explanation, apologise, change the words, then we will see what will be the next step,” said Chairperson Raj Lali Gill.

The songs in contention are Karan Aujla’s new single, ‘MF Gabhru,’ from his album ‘P-Pop Culture,’ despite the popularity, ‘Gabhru’ track has been labelled as ‘misogynistic’ and ‘inappropriate.” Similarly, Honey Singh’s track titled ‘Millionaire’ also allegedly contains objectionable language towards women. The song was released in August 2024 as part of his album Glory, which marked his comeback.

Aujla’s new album ‘P-Pop Culture’ is by Warner Music Canada/Warner Music India. It is touted to be a bold fusion of global pop and hard-hitting Punjabi hip-hop. As per a press note, the project is divided into two distinct moods, with side A delving into the emotional and melodic facets of Punjabi Pop, while side B explores the gritty, bass-heavy soundscapes of Punjabi Hip-Hop.

A few months ago, Karan collaborated with American pop superstars OneRepublic on the single ‘Tell Me’.

Karan came into the limelight with his tracks like ‘Yaarian Ch Fikk’, ‘Unity’, ‘Alcohol 2’, and ‘Lafaafe’; subsequently, he achieved mainstream popularity in 2018 with ‘Don’t Worry’. Last year, he gave Bollywood one of the hit tracks, ‘Tauba Tauba’, in the Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Bad Newz’.

As for Honey Singh, the singer’s documentary titled ‘Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous’ won the IIFA Digital Awards for Best Docu-Series/Film at the 25th edition of IIFA in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Directed by Mozez Singh and produced by Sikhya Entertainment, the documentary offers a rare glimpse into the life of the singer Hirdesh Singh, popularly known as Honey Singh.

The docufilm sheds light on the man behind the headlines, from his meteoric rise in the music industry to the challenges and controversies he faced along the way. (ANI)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to carry out relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit areas of Uttarkashi district, following a severe cloudburst and mudslide that left several people stranded near Dharali village.

The state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple agencies. Two cloudbursts on Tuesday, one in Dharali and another in the Sukhi Top area near Dharali, caused widespread destruction, with Dharali bearing the brunt.

So far, 274 people have been rescued from Dharali, with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the missing.

Three civilian deaths have been confirmed so far, while over 50 people are still reported missing, as per the administration.

Meanwhile, Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Pauri Garhwal today to meet those who were rescued from disaster-hit areas of the district.

The Chief Minister assured the survivors that rescue and relief operations were underway at full speed with the support of the Army personnel.

Speaking to mediapersons during his visit, CM Dhami said, “This disaster has caused a lot of damage. The entire area has been devastated. A cloudburst occurred here, and heavy rainfall took place… The road has been completely affected by landslides.”

The Chief Minister shared details of the rescue efforts, saying, “190 people were rescued immediately on the same day… So far, 274 people have been rescued… Food supplies are being sent there… Army personnel are engaged in rescue operations…”

Relief and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing, with the joint efforts from the Uttarakhand Police, SDRF, Army, ITBP and other relief agencies.

According to the Uttarakhand Police, the people rescued under the Uttarkashi Disaster Relief Operation were brought from Harshil to Jollygrant Airport, Dehradun, on Thursday by a Chinook helicopter. Medical check-ups are being conducted for all the evacuees at the airport.

Earlier today, CM Dhami also visited Sainji village and disaster-affected areas, meeting locals and assuring them of all possible help. He reviewed the relief and rescue operations from ground zero.CM Dhami reached the disaster-affected area within 24 hours of the disaster.

The CM also visited a hospital in Uttarkashi to meet people affected by the recent natural disaster. He inquired about their well-being and instructed doctors to ensure proper treatment for all victims. (ANI)

Floor leaders of the NDA parties met on Thursday and authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda, who is also Leader of House in Rajya Sabha, to select their candidate for the Vice Presidential election.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the decision taken by PM Modi will be accepted by all parties of the ruling coalition.

The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

“In the NDA Parliamentary party flood leaders meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, it was unanimously decided that the NDA has given authorisation to start the process, including the selection of candidate to PM and Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda. The decision taken by the Prime Minister will be accepted by all the NDA parties,” Rijiju said.

Nominations for Vice President’s election can be filed till August 21. The polling will be held on September 9 and counting will also be on the same day.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has notified the schedule for the election of the Vice President of India

The election is being held as Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons.

“To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the constitution,” Dhankhar’s resignation letter said.

Opposition parties are also expected to hold deliberations in the coming days on their choice of candidate for the election.

The Election Commission has finalised the Electoral College list for the Vice Presidential Election, 2025.

The Vice President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting in such election is by secret ballot. An election to fill a vacancy caused by the expiry of the term of office of Vice-President is completed before the expiry of the term. In case a vacancy arises by reasons of death, resignation or removal or otherwise, the election to fill that vacancy is held as soon as possible after the occurrence. The person so elected is entitled to hold office for a full term of five years from the date he enters office. (ANI)

Yash Raj Films shared a glimpse of the much-awaited dance face-off between Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s upcoming film ‘War 2’. The song is titled ‘Janaab-e-Aali’.

The makers of War 2 have shared the teaser of the song ‘Janaab-e-Aali’, featuring an intense dance face-off between Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, reminiscent of Hrithik’s dance battle with Tiger Shroff in the prequel.

In the teaser, Hrithik, as usual, was seen nailing his dance steps effortlessly, while Jr NTR ruled the dance floor with his energetic moves. The makers have decided to release the full song in theatres.

‘Janaab-e-Aali’s music is composed by Pritam, while the vocals of the song are given by Sachet Tandon and Saaj Bhatt. The lyrics of the song are composed by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

The dance choreography is handled by Bosco Leslie Martis.

YRF shared the teaser of the song on their official Instagram handle on Thursday.

Earlier, the makers of War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani, shared a romantic track, ‘Aavan Jaavan’, from the film. The superhit ‘Kesariya’ song team reunited to produce another romantic hit for the Yash Raj Films banner film ‘War 2’.

Titled ‘Aavan Jaavan’, the romantic track is sung by Arjit Singh and Nikhita Gandhi while the music is composed by Pritam. The heartwarming lyrics of the song are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

The groovy romantic track features superstars Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani in their coolest ever selves. The song is filled with romance between the actors as they travel to different locations.

Kiara stole the show with her stunning looks in the movie, while Hrithik, as usual, ruled the dance floor with his effortless hook step of the song ‘Aavan Jaavan’.

As per the trailer of the film, Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR are set to lock horns over their contrasting ideology for patriotism, as both are playing the role of Indian soldiers.

‘War 2’ is directed by Ayan Mukerji and is slated to release in theatres on August 14, 2025. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its dissatisfaction over Uttar Pradesh Police’s explanation for not having acted on a prosecution witness’s complaint that he had received a threat, on the ground that the said witness failed to appear before the police despite having been called by the Superintendent of Police (SP).

The said witness, Baljinder Singh, had claimed that he was being induced not to give his testimony in the matter, where the accused ex-Union Minister’s son, Ashish Mishra, allegedly ran his SUV over a group of farmers who were protesting against the Centre’s farm laws.

Following this, the top court had on March 24 permitted Baljinder Singh to approach the local police and file a complaint in this regard.

Today, the UP government informed a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh that the witness has not appeared before the police and refused to disclose his identity despite the SP having called him to do so.

However, the Court, not impressed with the UP government’s submission, was of the view that senior police officials may go to the witness to record his statement if the said witness is reluctant to go to the police.

The Court also directed the SP to file an affidavit regarding the status of Baljinder Singh’s complaint after verifying the same.

During the hearing, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the victims in the matter, sought that the trial in the matter should proceed on a day-to-day basis.

However, the Court, though not agreeing to Bhushan’s request, in this regard, urged the trial court in UP to examine as many witnesses as possible on the days on which the trial in the matter takes place.

The next date of trial in the matter is on August 20, the Court was informed.

On January 25, 2023, the top court granted interim bail for eight weeks to Ashish Mishra and imposed various conditions. Later, it was extended from time to time. The top court had directed Ashish Mishra to inform the concerned court about his location. The Court had also clarified that any attempt by Ashish Mishra or his family to influence witnesses and try to delay the trial may lead to the cancellation of his bail.

Subsequently, in May 2025, the Supreme Court allowed accused Ashish Mishra to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to meet his family. Mishra can see his family each Saturday (evening) till Sunday (daytime) and will return to Lucknow, the top court had said. It had also clarified that Mishra will “strictly” only spend private time with his family while visiting Lakhimpur Kheri and will not participate in any other public meetings. (ANI)

Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government launched the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme in 2023 to help women across the country become financially independent. The goal is to empower 3 crore women by 2027.

In Gujarat, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, consistent efforts have been made to ensure that women receive the full benefit of this initiative. As a result, by July 2025, the income of 5.96 lakh women in the state will have crossed Rs 1 lakh, making them proud ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Gujarat now aims to empower 10 lakh women to become self-reliant.

So far, 10.74 lakh women in Gujarat have been identified by trained Community Resource Persons (CRPs) as having the potential to become Lakhpati Didis. To support their journey, the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, has created a Digital Aajeevika Register (a digital livelihood register).

This register captures each woman’s current livelihood activity, available resources, expenditure, and income. Based on this information, the identified women are being provided with the necessary support in the form of training, assets, financial assistance and marketing, depending on their specific needs.

Lakhpati Didi Yojana helps rural women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) start small businesses and earn an annual income of over Rs 1 lakh. Women can start businesses in agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts and other local trades. To support them, various government schemes provide: Skill training, Financial assistance and Marketing support.

As per Central Government guidelines, a woman’s income under Lakhpati Didi Yojana is calculated based on the following: total income from agriculture and allied activities, income from non-farm activities such as manufacturing, trade, or services and Income from any employed family member.

Including earnings from wage work in both the farm and non-farm sectors, assistance received through government welfare schemes and income earned through commission or honorarium.

To ensure the effective implementation of Lakhpati Didi Yojana, the Gujarat government has taken several key steps. A total of 124 Master Trainers have been appointed at the taluka level, who have so far trained more than 10,000 Community Resource Persons (CRPs). These CRPs work closely with women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), guiding and supporting them in their entrepreneurial journey. The entire process is tracked through Digital Aajeevika Register, which helps in monitoring progress and providing timely training, financial support and marketing assistance to women entrepreneurs.

The successful implementation of the Lakhpati Didi programme has brought meaningful change to the lives of women across Gujarat. One such story is of Ankitaben Pinalbhai Patel from Shekhpur village in Mahuva taluka of Surat.

In 2024, Ankitaben began working as a drone pilot, spraying medicines using drones. Within a year, she earned Rs 2 lakh.

Earlier, she supported her family through farming. Reflecting on her journey, Ankitaben shares, “Now I don’t have to depend on anyone. We receive regular orders, and the income is steady. My husband supports me. This work has made a big difference to our family’s financial situation.” (ANI)

Amid the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff by US President Donald Trump, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Yadav criticised Modi’s silence on the issue and said the Prime Minister has become “weak,” accusing him of “dancing to America’s tune.”

Speaking to the reporters, the RJD leader said, “You all are witnessing how the government is functioning in this country. Trump imposed a 50% tariff. Trump has said 28 times that he brokered the ceasefire. The Prime Minister has not broken his silence yet. The PM still hasn’t said that Donald Trump is lying. The PM has become so weak that he is dancing to America’s tune. A 50% tariff will cause huge damage to the country, and no one is speaking about it. Everyone is silent. These people will damage the country and then go to Bihar and say, ‘Look, we have become a Vishwaguru’.”

On August 6, US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India.

According to the order issued by the White House, Trump cited matters of national security and foreign policy concerns, as well as other relevant trade laws, for the increase, claiming that India’s imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.

After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods will be 50 per cent. While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days and will be imposed on all Indian goods imported into the US, except for goods already in transit or those meeting specific exemptions.

Additionally, Yadav addressed the notice from the Election Commission (EC) regarding alleged duplicate EPIC numbers, stating that he had not received any notice from the Commission itself. He further noted that if two EPIC numbers were issued, it would be the issuing authority’s responsibility.

“I have not received any notice from the Election Commission. I received one from the Patna Zila Nibandhan, and I am going to give a proper reply to that. The point is, if two EPIC numbers are issued, whose mistake is that? I mean, they make the mistake, and then demand an explanation from me? Has this ever happened before? I have always voted from one place. They won’t have an answer for the reply I give,” Yadav said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Patna Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) again requested that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav submit the details of the EPIC card he mentioned in the press conference on August 2.

He has been asked to deposit it by August 8 afternoon so that it can be thoroughly investigated.

In a letter, the Patna Electoral Registration Officer said that despite earlier requests, the desired documents and a copy of the EPIC card had not been submitted for verification.

“The details of the EPIC card mentioned by you in the press conference on 02.08.2025 were requested for thorough investigation, but till now, the desired documents and a copy of the EPIC card have not been provided from your level. Therefore, it is requested again that details should be made available to the undersigned by the afternoon of 08.08.2025 so that it can be thoroughly investigated,” the letter said.

ERO had on Sunday asked the RJD leader to provide the details of the EPIC card he mentioned during his press conference, so that the matter can be thoroughly investigated. Tejashwi had first alleged that his name was not there in the new draft voter list released on August 1, and later he alleged that his EPIC number had been changed.

His allegations were refuted by the poll panel. Officials said they checked the records and found that his name is listed at serial number 416 of polling station number 204, which is located at the Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University. The official EPIC (voter ID) number listed is RAB0456228. But in his press conference, Tejashwi mentioned a different EPIC number.

Officials stated that the number mentioned in the PC or a similar one (RAB2916120) appears to be invalid.

“According to you, from your press conference quote, your import number is RAB2120. As per preliminary investigation import number RAB2916120 does not appear to be officially issued. Therefore, you are requested to kindly provide the details of the mentioned EPIC card (along with the original copy of the card) mentioned by you in the press conference held on 02.08.2025 to the undersigned so that it can be thoroughly investigated,” the letter said. (ANI)