Page 5 - Kolkata

Mamata Banerjee says Waqf Amendment Act will not be implemented in Bengal

Speaking at a programme organised by the Jain community in Kolkata, CM Mamata Banerjee said she would always stand by the minority communities and protect their rights

Waqf Amendment Bill sparks mass protests in Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad

Thousands staged protests in Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with Mamata Banerjee and Vijay opposing the law and calling it anti-democratic

Chinese envoy hails Tagore's efforts, bats for stronger ties with India

Recalling Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's initiatives to bring India and China culturally closer, Chinese envoy Xu Wei on Tuesday stressed further improving bilateral ties between the two nations. Wei, the Consul General of China in Kolkata, was speaking at a programme in Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan to mark the end of the centenary celebration of Tagore's 1924 visit to China. "Tagore had advocated improving cultural ties between the two countries, and had visited China 100 years ago. Relations between our two countries are very good," he said on the inaugural day of the two-day programme titled 'Marking the end of the centenary celebration of Rabindranath Tagore's visit to China in 1924'. Hailing 75 years of India-China diplomatic relations, Wei said, "There is every possibility, potential and great scope in further improving our bilateral ties and we are proceeding along that path." He was speaking at the function organised by 'Cheena Bhavan', the Department of Chinese Stud

Eastern Railway crosses record 100 mn tonne-mark in freight loading

Eastern Railway achieved its highest-ever freight loading in the 2024-25 fiscal, crossing the 100-million-tonne mark, an official said on Monday. The Kolkata-headquartered railway division recorded 100.28 million tonnes of originating freight loading, an all-time record for the zonal railway, he said. ER's freight loading in 2024-25 is 15.4 per cent higher than its previous highest loading of 86.89 million tonnes in the 2023-24 fiscal, the official said in a statement.

Eid preparations in full swing as markets bustle in Kolkata, Hyderabad

In Kolkata, the markets near Zakaria Street, adjacent to the Nakhoda Mosque, are packed with shoppers

RG Kar case: Calcutta HC directs CBI to submit case diary of Kolkata Police

The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit the case diary initially prepared by the Kolkata Police in connection with the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh also instructed the CBI to present a list of individuals interviewed in the case at the next hearing scheduled for April 23. The CBI submitted a sealed status report on its ongoing probe into the incident, where the doctor's body was discovered in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9, 2024. The court had transferred the case from Kolkata Police to the CBI on August 13. The CBI counsel said he also brought the case diary as directed by the court during the previous hearing. During the hearing, the court inquired whether the crime involved gang rape and if the CBI had identified additional suspects. Deputy solicitor general Rajdeep Majumdar, appearing for the CBI, said the case did n

Kolkata-based Luxmi Group bags two awards at Global Tea Championship 2025

The Luxmi Group produces about 30 million kg across 25 estates in Assam, Darjeeling and Rwanda. The iconic Makaibari estate in Darjeeling is part of the group

Kolkata-based Mihup eyes IPO, in advanced talks with leading automaker

Kolkata-based conversational intelligence firm Mihup on Wednesday said it is in advanced talks with one of India's top passenger automobile makers to integrate its in-car virtual assistant, following its partnership with Tata Motors. The company, which has raised Rs 100 crore in venture funding, including Rs 50 crore in October last year, is also preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) within the next two years, Mihup Co-founder & CEO Tapan Barman told PTI. Mihup's voice assistant, which replaced a global competitor's solution in Tata Motors' vehicles in 2021, is now deployed in over one million cars, and the company expects rapid growth with new OEMs, the official claimed. The upcoming deal with another top passenger car maker is expected to further strengthen its foothold in the automotive sector. "I cannot divulge the OEM now due to confidentiality, but it is one of the largest car makers in India," Barman said. The company aims to scale its proprietary AI-driven voice .

Human Coronavirus HKU1 detected in India What it is and why it matters

In Kolkata, West Bengal, a 49-year-old lady contracted the human coronavirus HKU1. The hospital reports that the patient was admitted after a 15-day period of a persistent fever

Truck rentals stay lacklustre in Feb due to lower infra sector demand

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) raised concerns over the government's draft notification, which proposes increased renewal charges for registration and fitness certificates

Demand strict punishment for those behind RG Kar incident: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday referred to the murdered woman doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as her "sister" and extended deepest condolences to the victim's parents. She also demanded strict punishment for those responsible for the crime. Speaking at a special gathering of senior and junior doctors and medical students at Dhono Dhanyo auditorium here, Banerjee highlighted her government's efforts to ensure justice and emphasised the introduction of the Aparajita Bill, which seeks capital punishment for rape convicts. "I extend my condolences to the family of the sister who was killed in RG Kar hospital. We demand proper punishment in this case," Banerjee said. She added, "I had also taken to the streets in protest against the incident. Our government had passed the Aparajita Bill, but it is still pending (with the President)." A 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and killed at the state-run hospital in Kolkata on August 9 last year, triggerin

WB courts gave 6 death sentences in last 6 months for crimes against girls

While the last judicial execution in West Bengal for the rape and murder of a minor in Kolkata took place over two decades ago, courts across the state have awarded death penalties to six convicts in the last six months for perpetrating sexual assaults on girls. Another convict was also awarded capital punishment for murdering his family members, taking the total number of death penalties in the state in the last half-year to seven. In six of the seven cases, death by hanging sentences were given for the savage nature of rapes and murders perpetrated on girls, qualifying them under the 'rarest of the rare' category, where convicts were booked under the POCSO Act, besides sections of the IPC and, later, of the BNS. The list excludes the sentence for the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder convict Sanjoy Roy who was spared the capital punishment by a Kolkata court, after the gruesome death of the on-duty trainee medic on August 9 last year, and was sentenced to life imprisonment till ...

Parents of deceased RG Kar hospital medic meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

The case involves the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, whose body was found on August 9, 2024, in the RG Kar Hospital's seminar room

Kolkata city gas distribution network expands with pipeline reach: Gail

GAIL (India) Ltd chairman and managing director Sandeep Kumar Gupta on Friday said significant progress in the Kolkata city gas distribution network has been achieved with pipelines now reaching the eastern metropolitan, paving the way for accelerated natural gas adoption in the city and adjoining districts in near future. The development comes after prolonged delays due to challenges in navigating fisheries-rich districts of Midnapore, critical for pipeline routing for the Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline. "The pipeline has reached Kolkata, so city gas distribution will get accelerated. Earlier we had to transport it," Gupta told PTI on the sidelines of the Institute of Internal Auditors India 32nd AGM. Asked about a timeline, he said, "We stand by the minimum work programme under which all the city gas distribution entities have to work. The work programme is decided by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. So, they will be working all in line with that work ...

World's largest curd plant coming to Kolkata as Amul invests Rs 600 crore

Amul is investing Rs 600 crore in Kolkata to set up the world's largest curd manufacturing plant, catering to Bengal's rising demand for dairy products and boosting India's dairy sector

RG Kar rape-murder case: HC accepts CBI appeal against life sentence to Roy

Kolkata case: The Supreme Court has turned down a request for an urgent hearing regarding a new petition by the victim's parents, who are calling for a re-investigation of the case

Best of BS Opinion: A lighter touch makes things easier all around

From the sight of chained and cuffed Indians to electoral campaign, to the regulatory space, our articles today argue that a light touch, firmly enforced, can go a long way

CM Mamata inaugurates ITC's global centre of excellence for AI in Kolkata

Diversified conglomerate ITC Limited on Wednesday announced the opening of its global centre of excellence for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the metropolis. The centre was virtually inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the Bengal Global Business Summit. ITC chairman and managing director Sanjiv Puri highlighted Bengal's potential for investment, noting that the firm, headquartered in Kolkata, has made significant investments in sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing, IT, and agriculture. He emphasised the state's promising future in hospitality and reiterated ITC's commitment to expanding its presence in West Bengal. The global centre, located in New Town, will focus on advanced AI research, positioning West Bengal as a leading hub for AI development in India. Banerjee also virtually inaugurated a state-of-the-art FMCG manufacturing facility at Uluberia in Howrah district. Puri added that ITC has invested over Rs 7,500 crore in West Bengal over t

WB school jobs row: SC to hear pleas against invalidation of jobs on Monday

The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a batch of pleas challenging a Calcutta High Court verdict that has invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal. According to the cause list for the day uploaded on the apex court's website, a bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar is scheduled to hear the matter. On January 15, several petitioners argued that the high court verdict nullifying the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal has adversely impacted the lives and livelihoods of untainted candidates. The CJI acknowledged the arguments and reiterated the need for a balance between addressing illegalities and protecting untainted appointees. He said segregation of cases, wherever possible, may be prioritised to protect innocent candidates. A total of 124 petitions, including one filed by the state government, challenging the

RG Kar case: Legal experts back life sentence, oppose death penalty

Amid the raging debate over a Kolkata court sentencing R G Kar hospital rape-murder convict Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death, legal luminaries are unequivocal in their stand against awarding capital punishment to anyone. The Sealdah sessions court had on January 20 held Roy guilty of the rape and murder of an on-duty medic at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and sentenced him to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life. Holding that death penalty is undemocratic and irreversible, former Supreme Court judge Ashok Ganguly said such a punishment should, therefore, not be continued in a free, democratic country. Asserting that the demand for capital punishment to Roy is not just, he said in more than 150 countries across the world, there is no death penalty. He said that in Europe, there is no country where death penalty is allowed, and in America, too, there are various states where capital punishment is not awarded. "We always cry for death pena