Page 15 - Delhi

Citizens' group condemns incidents targeting Bengali-speaking migrants

A group of prominent citizens under the banner Bharatiya Bhasha Samooh has expressed concern over the recent incidents related to Bengali-speaking migrant labourers in various parts of the country. The group said it believed that linguistic attack is a "serious threat to the diversity of our country". "In the last one month, there have been reports from various parts of the country that Bengali-speaking migrant labourers are being harassed, beaten, arrested, deported to Bangladesh, and not released despite valid identity documents being shown to the police," the group said in a statement on Sunday. The group feels that the only "crime" of Bengali-speaking people is that they speak in their mother tongue. It claimed that migrant workers from Delhi, Maharashtra and Odisha were directly sent to Bangladesh despite possessing valid Aadhaar and PAN cards. "We strongly condemn the arrest and harassment of these Bengali-speaking citizens. These actions violate the rights of migrant worker

Delhi may teach non-Hindi languages to children, says CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta proposed the launch of a student exchange programme with students from other states to foster mutual understanding and harmony, officials said on Sunday. This initiative was discussed during a recent meeting with the Department of Art, Culture, and Languages, an official statement said. The chief minister noted that efforts will be made to explore possibilities for teaching non-Hindi languages to children in Delhi, enabling them to understand the social and cultural identities of other states, the statement added. The exchange would give children the opportunity to learn about different cultures and lifestyles, and help foster mutual understanding and harmony, Gupta said, adding that such an initiative would significantly strengthen the nation's unity in diversity. Emphasising the importance of promoting and expanding the art and culture of various states across the national capital, the chief minister noted that the Department of Art, Culture and .

AAP councillor among seven booked in Delhi under Public Gambling Act

An AAP councillor was among the seven individuals held in connection with an illegal betting racket, which was busted in the Swaroop Nagar area of outer north Delhi, an official said on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Swaroop Nagar Police Station conducted a raid and booked seven people allegedly involved in gambling activities under Sections 3 (penalty for owning or keeping, or having charge of, a gaming-house) and four (penalty for being found in a gaming-house) of the Public Gambling Act, 1867. Among those named in the case is Joginder Singh, alias Bunty, a sitting municipal councillor from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), police sources said. A senior police officer confirmed that Singh's name surfaced during the initial investigation, and further inquiry is underway to determine his involvement. Reacting to the incident, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva stated that a new face of the Aam Aadmi Party leaders has emerged ever since the party lost power in the national

Delhi govt gears up for month-long cleanliness campaign from August 1

The Delhi government will launch a month-long cleanliness campaign from August 1, with active participation from schools, resident welfare associations (RWAs), and community groups, Education Minister Ashish Sood said. According to a statement, the preparations for the large-scale campaign were reviewed during a high-level meeting chaired by Sood at the secretariat on Friday. Sood, who is the Education and Urban Development Minister, said the campaign has been initiated in response to a call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Centre has entrusted the Delhi government with the responsibility of ensuring visible and effective cleanliness across the city. He said that the success of this campaign is a collective responsibility and added that the impact of cleanliness efforts must be felt on the ground. The meeting was attended by the chief secretary along with senior officers from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, the Health and Family ..

'Jungle raj' AAP alleges, over 45 schools in Delhi receive bomb threats

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday lashed out at the BJP over the repeated bomb threats to schools in Delhi, alleging that the national capital was in a state of 'jungle raj' and accused the government of failing to protect children. There was no immediate response available from the BJP over the allegations. Over 45 schools across Delhi received bomb threat emails or calls on Friday morning, triggering panic among students, parents, and school staff. This marked the fourth such instance within a week. "This cannot continue," said AAP's Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj. "Parents are facing extreme distress. They drop their children off at school and head to work, only to receive a call saying there's a bomb threat and they need to pick up their kids immediately," he added. Bharadwaj further stated that while the government is portraying itself as completely helpless in the situation, families are being traumatised over the recent developments. "When it comes to fulfilling poli

Mock drills in Delhi on Thursday, Friday to assess emergency preparedness

The two-day exercise is designed to test emergency response systems and evaluate coordination between multiple agencies in the event of an attack or terrorist strike

Dark web makes it tough for Delhi Police to probe bomb threats to schools

A fresh wave of bomb threats targeting schools and colleges has kept Delhi Police on its toes as many education institutes panicked for three days straight, with senior officers saying the emails were sent using encrypted networks, making them hard to track. Cyber experts of the Delhi Police and senior officers investigating the threats said the senders are using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the dark web. The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines and is accessible only through special browsers, allowing illegal activities such as cybercrime, human trafficking and drugs and weapons trade to thrive. VPN adds a layer of anonymity by allowing users to create a secure connection to another network. "Tracking someone on the dark web is like chasing a shadow in a room full of mirrors. The moment you think you have found a lead, it vanishes behind another layer of anonymity," a Delhi Police officer explained. Ten bomb threat emails have

QS2026 rankings: Delhi, Mumbai, B'luru among top global cities for students

Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai have ranked among the top 130 cities in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 list, with Delhi named the world's most affordable city for students

Delhi's St Stephen's College school receives bomb hoax; nothing suspicious

St Stephen's College and St Thomas School here received bomb threats through email on Tuesday, prompting authorities to launch a thorough search operation, with officials saying nothing suspicious has been found so far. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said St Stephen's College reported that they received the bomb threat at 7:15 am. "The mail claimed that four IEDs and two RDX bombs have been planted on the premises and in the library of the college. It further claimed that those would explode by 2 pm," the police officer was quoted as saying in a statement. Teams from the Maurice Nagar Police Station and other agencies reached the spot, and the entire premises were cordoned off. A thorough check was carried out, but nothing suspicious has been found so far, officials said. The Delhi Fire Services said the fire department received a call about the bomb threat in St Stephen's College at 8.50 am, and a call from the St Thomas School was received at 8.01 am. "We hav

St Stephen's College, school in Dwarka get bomb threat, search op underway

The St Stephen's College and St Thomas School in Delhi received bomb threats through email on Tuesday, prompting a rush of emergency services at both premises and a thorough search operation by authorities, police said. A team comprising the Delhi Police, a bomb squad, dog squad, the fire department rushed to the spot and carried out a detailed inspection. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said St Stephen's College reported that they received the bomb threat at 7:15 am. "The mail said that four IED bombs and two RDX have been planted in the premises and library of the college. It further said that it will explode by 2 pm," Banthia was quoted as saying in a police statement. Teams from Maurice Nagar Police Station and other agencies reached the spot. The entire premises was cordoned off and a thorough check is being conducted. So far nothing suspicious has been found, officials said. The fire department received a call regarding bomb in St Stephen's College at 8.50

Four-engine govt failed: Kejriwal after bomb threats to Delhi institutions

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday hit out at the BJP, saying the "four-engine government has completely failed" the people as he raised concerns over Delhi's law-and-order situation following bomb threats to educational institutions on two consecutive days. A school in Dwarka and the prestigious St. Stephen's College received bomb threats on Tuesday morning, prompting a swift emergency response and a thorough search operation by authorities. A similar threat was sent to three schools on Monday, but all of them turned out to be hoaxes. Reacting to the incidents, Kejriwal took to X to say, "What's happening in Delhi? Yesterday, two schools received bomb threats, and today, another school and a college received threats. Children are scared, and parents are extremely worried. The BJP's four-engine governments have completely failed." Another AAP leader, Aatishi, alleged that law and order have completely collapsed in Delhi and rhetorically asked if student safety is of no importanc

Three Delhi schools receive bomb threats, emergency services activated

At least three schools in the national capital received bomb threats on Monday morning, prompting the emergency services to be kicked in, a Delhi Police official said. He said that around 8 am, police received calls regarding the bomb threats from CRPF Schools in Prashant Vihar and Dwarka Sector 16, as well as another school in Chanakyapuri. "Police teams immediately moved in to check the school premises," he said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said, "Early on Monday morning, Dwarka North police station received a PCR call informing about bomb threat at CRPF School here. The area was promptly sanitised. Local police, sniffer dogs and bomb disposal squads reached the school and conducted due checks." He added that cyber police experts are ascertaining the source of the email. "Security has been tightened in the school. Nothing suspicious has been found so far," the DCP said.

Delhi Jal Board faces Rs 1.42 trillion unpaid dues: Parvesh Verma

Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday said the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is staring at an unprecedented financial crisis, with pending water bills around Rs 1.42 lakh crore across the city. The DJB, which is in charge of supplying water, has been facing a major cash crunch. "In three categories, we have identified that the commercial category has the highest amount of dues Rs 66,000 crore followed by the government category Rs 61,000 crore and then domestic Rs 15,000 crore," said Verma. The minister said these are mostly Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC), adding the government plans to waive it off for domestic and government categories. The amount of charge that would be waived off is yet to be decided, he said. The DJB, which as well manages the sewage system, including collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater, in Delhi is also burdened by a debt exceeding Rs 70,000 crore, including principal and interest amounts. Verma said the Delhi government has approached the Centre to

Delhi CM launches pilot project to shift overhead power cables underground

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday launched a pilot project to remove the overhead power lines and shift them underground at BH Block, Janta Flats Colony, in her Shalimar Bagh constituency. The project, with an outlay of Rs 8 crore, is expected to be completed in three months. Launching the product, Gupta said that it will change the face of the densely packed colony by freeing it from the web of overhead wires. The project will also ensure safe and uninterrupted electricity supply in all weather conditions, Power Minister Ashish Sood concurred. In the budget 2025-26, Gupta, who also helms the finance department, had announced that Rs 100 crore will be allocated to shift the overhead power cables in the city underground. According to Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited chief executive officer D Basak, nearly 10 kilometres of power lines will be laid underground.

Delhi CM gives ₹5 lakh each to shop owners affected by Dilli Haat fire

The blaze on the evening of April 30 gutted 24 artisan stalls, leaving several craftsmen without a source of livelihood, no casualties or injuries were reported

Six dead, 8 injured in Delhi building collapse; rescue ops underway

Two people died and eight, including a one-year-old baby, were injured when a four-storey building collapsed in the Welcome area of northeast Delhi on Saturday morning, with a few still feared to be trapped under the rubble, officials said. People who were trapped in the rubble include 10 members of a family who lived in the building and a few others who were near it, they said. The Delhi Fire Services said a man and a woman were found dead after they were pulled out of the debris and their bodies were sent to GTB Hospital. Eight people have been rushed to a hospital for treatment, while attempts to rescue others who may still be trapped in the debris are still underway. A senior police officer said, "Around 7.04 am on Saturday, we received information at Welcome Police Station regarding the collapse of a four-storey building near Idgah, Welcome. When the police team reached the spot, they found that three storeys of the building had collapsed." "So far, eight injured persons hav

3.7 magnitude earthquake felt in Delhi; epicentre in Haryana's Jhajjar

Tremors were also felt a day earlier, when an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck the same location on Thursday

Ecommerce, social platforms told to halt online firecracker sales in Delhi

The Delhi Police has written to e-commerce and social media platforms directing them to immediately cease the listing and delivery of firecrackers in the national capital, an official said on Friday. The action follows directions issued by the Delhi government through an order dated December 19, 2024, and the observations made by the Supreme Court on May 6, 2025, in the matter of MC Mehta vs Union of India and Others, which reiterated the need to curb air pollution caused by firecrackers. In a written communication, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police directed all e-commerce and social media platforms to take immediate steps to ensure compliance with the firecracker ban in the national capital. The platforms have been asked to delist all firecracker-related products and disable the purchase option for customers located in Delhi. They have also been instructed to activate location-based restrictions to prevent any sales or deliveries of firecrackers within the city, Special Commissioner

Three-storey building collapses in Delhi's Bada Hindu Rao area; 1 dead

A 46-year-old man was killed after a three-storey commercial building collapsed in Delhi's Bara Hindu Rao area in the early hours of Friday, an official said. Manoj Sharma, an employee at one of the shops housed in the building, was trapped under the rubble of the collapsed structure. He was pulled out of the debris and taken to the Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was later declared dead, the official said. He said Sharma had been an employee of the shop for nearly three decades. Officials said that a truck parked in front of the building was also severely damaged. According to the Delhi Fire Services, a call about the building collapse near Mithai Pull at Lohia Chowk was received at 1:56 am. Three fire tenders were rushed to the site. By 6:50 am, fire officials reported that the "ground-plus-two (G+2) structure comprising three shops and godowns had collapsed". The shops were on the ground floor, and the storage areas were on the upper floors "The shops formed part of the Azad Mark

Delhi-NCR remains pleasant after rain; IMD predicts more showers ahead

Rain and thunderstorms likely in Delhi today, says IMD; no alert issued. Maximum temperature is likely to be around 31-33 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels touching 95 per cent