Page 5 - National News

Govt in talks on lateral entry requirements and future impact: DoPT

The Centre is in consultation with the stakeholders on requirements and impact of lateral entry recruitment, a top government official said on Tuesday. Lateral recruitment in the central government has been undertaken since 2018 to appoint persons for specific assignments, including those from the private sector, keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area. Addressing a presser, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Secretary Rachna Shah said almost 60 officers were taken under the lateral entry in three installments -- at the level of Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary/Director -- and almost 38 to 40 of them are continuing and contributing in various ministries and departments. Shah said that "we are in consultation and discussion with the stakeholder ministries and departments". Asked if the government was considering forming new rules and procedures on lateral entry recruitment, she said if something comes up in the course of consultation

UP SIR schedule revised: Draft electoral roll on Jan 6, final on Mar 6

The Election Commission has revised the schedule for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, with the draft voter list now slated to be published on January 6, 2026, and the final list on March 6, the state's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said in a statement on Tuesday. According to the new schedule, claims and objections will be invited from January 6 to February 6, he said. Rinwa said the notice stage, disposal of claims and objections, and decisions on enumeration forms will continue from January 6 to February 27, after which the final electoral roll will be published on March 6. The revision of the schedule comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state, where a large-scale pruning of voter list has been carried out. The nearly 52-day SIR exercise, conducted with the theme 'Shuddh Nirvachak Namavali, Majboot Loktantra' (Clean Electoral Roll, Strong Democracy), began on November 4 and ...

Delhi Police crack cyber fraud racket using fake stock app; two held

The Delhi Police has busted a cyber fraud syndicate operating through a fraudulent stock trading application and apprehended two men from Haryana for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 22.7 lakh, officials said on Tuesday. The probe began following a complaint lodged by Dr Amita Garg on November 13. The complainant alleged that she was added to a messaging app group 'Stan Chart Dialogue Forum L7', where administrators shared advice on D-mat share investments. DCP (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said one of the group admins, identifying herself as Yalini Guna, persuaded the victim to invest via a mobile application and shared a download link. The complainant, initially, invested around Rs 2.7 lakh through multiple transactions. While the application displayed apparent profits, the victim was pressured to invest further sums when she attempted to withdraw her money. In total, she transferred Rs 22.70 lakh before being blocked from the app, police said. An e-FIR was filed under sections 318(

One dead, over 30 fall ill in Indore amid suspected water contamination

At least 32 people have fallen ill due to suspected water contamination in a locality in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city, prompting the administration to collect samples of drinking water for testing, officials said on Tuesday. According to a local councillor, an 80-year-old man among those affected died during treatment at a hospital. The administration, however, hasn't confirmed the death. Speaking to PTI, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hassani said that at least 32 people from the Bhagirathpura area have been admitted to different hospitals in the city. "Patients complained of vomiting and diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water," he said. Hasani said drinking water samples have been collected for testing from the locality, and reports will arrive in 48 hours. Residents of Bhagirathpura said that they fell ill after consuming water from the Narmada River supplied to homes through municipal tap connections. "We have sent water samples for testing. We

Amit Shah to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands on January 2: Official

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the first week of January to chair a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee, an official said on Tuesday. Shah is likely to arrive here on January 2. He will be received by Lt Governor Admiral D K Joshi (Retd) at the airport, the official said. The Home minister will chair the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 3, he said. "On January 3, Shah will interact with the Parliamentary Consultative Committee in Wandoor, and later he will attend an event on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT) auditorium in Dollygunj," the official said. Shah will depart from the archipelago on January 4. The Home minister had visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 12 to commemorate the 116th anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's (Veer Savarkar) iconic poem, 'Sagara Pran Talamala'. The Chief of Defence S

PIL moved in SC over racial discrimination, attacks on Northeast citizens

A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial intervention to address the "continuing constitutional failure" to prevent and respond to racial discrimination and violence against citizens from northeastern states and other frontier regions. The PIL was filed on December 28 in the backdrop of the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who succumbed on December 27 to grievous injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Selaqui area of Dehradun. Anjel from Unakoti district's Machmara went to Dehradun after completing his graduation in Holy Cross School, Agartala, to pursue MBA, where he was stabbed to death in the presence of his younger brother Michael. The family members of Chakma want capital punishment or at least life imprisonment for all the accused involved in the incident. Anoop Prakash Awasthi, a Delhi-based lawyer, has made the Centre and all the states and Union territories as parties to the PIL. "That the present writ petit

Pahalgam attack, shelling from Pak, floods mark a bleak year for Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir's quest for restoration of statehood suffered twin blows during the year in the form of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Delhi car blast. The elected government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made all the right noises in the first six months in office for the restoration of statehood, but the deadly strike by terrorists on tourists on Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam on April 22 put a halt to any immediate talk of Jammu and Kashmir's returning as a state. The terrorists shot dead 26 men -- 25 tourists and a local ponywalla. Survivors alleged that the assailants chose their targets after confirming that they were not Muslims a revelation that sent communal shockwaves to the rest of the country. The attack was denounced widely across the valley. For the first time in 35 years, spontaneous protests were held across the length and breadth of the valley in condemnation. The protestors unequivocally declared: "Not in my name." On May 7, the Indian forces launched

States will gain ₹17,000 crore due to VB-G RAM G, says SBI paper

The paper has taken seven criteria and divided them into equity and efficiency. To simulate the hypothetical scenario, it takes seven parameters and assigns weights to balance both equity and efficien

Bengal SIR hearings disrupted in Hooghly after TMC MLA stages protest

SIR hearings at Chinsurah-Mogra block office in West Bengal's Hooghly district were halted for some time on Monday after TMC MLA Asit Mazumdar objected to the exclusion of booth-level agents (BLAs) during the process, officials said. The hearings, which are being conducted at the block office for three assembly constituencies, were stopped after Mazumdar insisted that BLAs be allowed to remain present during the process. He demanded that officials either permit BLAs to attend the hearings or give in writing that they would not be allowed. "Unless BLAs are allowed or officials give in writing that they will not be allowed, we will not allow the hearings," Mazumdar told reporters, following which the entry and exit gates of the block office were closed, preventing people from entering the premises. As per Election Commission guidelines, BLAs are not permitted to be present during such hearings. Later, Mazumdar toned down his stand and allowed the hearings to resume, citing humanitar

Truck carrying concrete mixer overturns in Kerala, 2 killed, 13 injured

Two migrant workers were killed and 13 others injured when a truck carrying a concrete mixer overturned at Mutharikkulam near Sreekandapuram in this north Kerala district on Sunday, police said. The deceased were identified as Vishwajith Das (30) and Krishna (35), natives of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. They were among a group of workers returning to their accommodation in Sreekandapuram after completing concreting work at a house in Kunnathur. The accident occurred as the vehicle was descending the Mutharikkulam hill when the driver allegedly lost control of the truck. The truck hit an electric post and overturned, landing upside down, police said. Both Das and Krishna were trapped under the truck and died on the spot. The injured, including the driver and 12 other workers, have been admitted to hospitals in Kannur and Taliparamba, police said. Police have launched a probe after registering a case, officials said.

Ankita Bhandari murder case: Police register 2 FIRs over fresh allegations

The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday said it had filed two FIRs and was probing the allegations made in a video that emerged on social media in connection with the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dr V Murugesan said, "Based on the facts that emerge during the investigation, legal and effective action will be taken." Dr Murugesan appealed to the general public to come up with evidence, if they have any, that may be related to the murder. The officer called the receptionist's murder an "extremely unfortunate and sensitive incident." Murugesan said that, after the killing, the state government immediately constituted a Special Investigation Team under a female IPS officer, which promptly arrested all the accused and ensured that they did not get bail. He said that during the investigation and the trial, petitions were filed in the high court and the Supreme Court requesting that the investigation of this case be handed over to the

Unnao rape case: SC to hear CBI plea against suspending Sengar's life term

The Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by the CBI challenging a Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case on December 29. According to the apex court's cause list for December 29, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih is slated to hear the plea. Besides the plea filed by the CBI, the apex court will also hear a separate petition filed by advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar challenging the high court order. On December 23, the high court suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving a life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison. The CBI challenged the high court's order in the top court on December 26. The high court suspended Sengar's life term till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentencing in the case. Sengar has challenged the Decembe

PM Modi discusses governance, reforms at national chief secretaries' meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a national conference of chief secretaries where he had insightful discussions on various issues relating to governance and reforms, officials said. The conference marked another important milestone in strengthening the Centre-state partnership through structured and sustained dialogue on national development priorities, they said. "Had insightful discussions on various issues relating to governance and reforms during the National Conference of Chief Secretaries being held in Delhi," Modi wrote on X. The event was attended by P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, principal secretaries to the prime minister, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, members of the NITI Aayog, and chief secretaries of all the states and Union territories. Based on the extensive deliberations between the Central ministries, departments, NITI Aayog, states and UTs and domain experts, the conference will deliberate on the theme 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat', coveri

1.05 mn names deleted as EC releases Assam draft electoral rolls after SIR

The names of 10.56 lakh voters have been deleted after the Special Revision of electoral rolls in Assam, where assembly polls would be in less than six months. According to the integrated draft rolls released by the Election Commission on Saturday, the state has a total of 2,51,09,754 voters, excluding 93,021 D-Voters or doubtful voters. Additionally, the names of 10,56,291 voters have been deleted due to death, shifting, or multiple entries. D-Voters are a category of voters in Assam who have been disenfranchised by the government on account of their alleged lack of proper citizenship credentials. D-Voters are determined by special tribunals under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the person declared as a D-Voter is not given a voter card. All related particulars, such as name, age and photograph, of D-Voters have been carried forward to the draft electoral roll without any change. The draft rolls were published after house-to-house verification of the Special Revision was held from .

Given equal chances, women perform at par or better than men: Rajnath Singh

Women have proved that whenever they get equal opportunities, they perform as well as or even better than men, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday. After inaugurating the Shrimad Rajchandra Sarvamangal Centre of Excellence for Women at Dharampur in Gujarat's Valsad district, Singh said the legacy left behind by Jain spiritual leader Shrimad Rajchandraji in his short life will continue to guide people for centuries. In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually laid the foundation stone for the Centre, which is spread over 11 acres and assists women in skill development and improving livelihood. Shrimad Rajchandra was a Jain saint, poet, mystic, philosopher, and a major reformer of the late 19th century. His devotee Gurudev Shri Rakeshji founded Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, a spiritual organisation. I believe that the women who will work here will not only be empowered but also become self-reliant and get the opportunity and time to engage in spiritual ...

Ahead of New Year, Delhi Police apprehend 966 in Op Aaghat 3.0 drive

The Delhi Police has apprehended 966 people and seized arms, drugs, illegal liquor and vehicles during a large-scale preventive crackdown in southeast Delhi ahead of New Year celebrations, an official said on Saturday. The operation, namely Operation Aaghat 3.0, was launched to curb organised crime, street offences and the activities of habitual criminals in view of heightened public movement during year-end festivities, they said. Of the total, 331 accused were arrested under the Delhi Excise Act, NDPS Act and the Public Gambling Act, while 504 people were apprehended under various preventive provisions, the police said. As part of targeted action, police apprehended 116 listed bad characters, arrested five auto-lifters and four proclaimed offenders, officials added. During the operation, police recovered 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges and 27 knives under the Arms Act. They also seized 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, 6.01 kg of ganja and Rs 2.36 lakh from gamblers.

Uttarakhand CM Dhami transfers ₹12 crore to 4,224 beneficiaries via DBT

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the state government is continuously resolving issues faced by workers and implementing several welfare schemes for workers and their dependents

India gets first standard for bomb disposal systems to boost security

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified a dedicated standard for bomb disposal systems to address a critical gap in the country's security preparedness framework and provide manufacturers with clear performance benchmarks. The new standard, IS 19445:2025, was developed at the request of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory. It establishes comprehensive guidelines for evaluating bomb disposal systems against blast loads and splinter effects. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the standard is intended for "voluntary adoption" by procurement agencies, manufacturers, and testing bodies. "Its implementation is expected to bring uniformity in evaluation practices, promote quality-driven manufacturing, and enhance confidence in bomb disposal systems deployed in critical security operations," she said in a statement. The standard specifies requirements for test equipment, test range conditions, and evaluation procedures to ...

Punjab govt moves non-veg, liquor stalls out of Amritsar's walled city

Punjab government has begun shifting temporary kiosks and street vendors selling liquor, meat, eggs, tobacco and other non-vegetarian items from the old walled city of Amritsar, which has recently been declared a holy city, officials said on Saturday. Officials of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation said a detailed survey has identified around 150 temporary shops and stalls operating within the walled city. These include meat shops, pan-bidi kiosks and carts selling boiled eggs, particularly in areas such as the Old Telephone Exchange near Shastri Market and Katra Jaimal Singh. Several other locations, including Hathi Gate, Lohgarh Gate, Hakiman Gate, Bhagtanwala Gate, Guruwali Gate, Guru Bazaar, Lahori Gate, Namak Mandi and surrounding areas were also found to have vendors selling non-vegetarian food and tobacco products, officials said. Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association president Surinder Singh said that excise department has not issued liquor vend licences within the wall

Subsidised onion sale begins as NCCF offers Rs 19/kg in Delhi-NCR

National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) has started subsidised retail sale of onions at Rs 19 per kg in Delhi-NCR, well below the prevailing market price of Rs 25-35 per kg. Onion retailing will be done through mobile vans operating across the Delhi-NCR region at 16 locations, including INA Market, R K Puram, Model Town, and Shalimar Bagh. Onion will also be sold at NCCF's retail store at Nehru Place and outlets located in major metro stations like Udyog Bhawan, Rajeev Chowk and Patel Chowk, the cooperative said in a statement. NCCF is selling onions sourced from Nashik, Maharashtra, and stored in controlled-atmosphere (CA) cold storage using a newly developed irradiation technology recommended by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The new technology has been piloted to reduce storage losses and stabilise supply. "After four months of storage at the CA cold store, the Grade A rabi onions, pink in colour and known for their sweeter taste compared to the red Kharif .