Two men have been arrested for allegedly robbing their 65-year-old grandmother and strangling her in a village in Maharashtra's Jalna district, the police said on Friday, reported the PTI. The accused, Pradeep Dhakne (22) and his cousin Sandip Dhakne (26), were apprehended near the Madhya Pradesh border on Thursday, an official said. He said the victim, Kesharbhai Dhakne, was found dead at her house in Chandai Eko village in Bhokardan tehsil on April 29. The official said the woman was strangled, and one of her ears had been severed, presumably to steal the gold ornaments she was wearing. "During the investigation, the police noticed that Pradeep and Sandip had gone missing since the incident and had not even attended their grandmother's funeral, which raised suspicion," inspector Sanjay Ahire of Hasnabad police station said. He said the stolen ornaments were recovered from the accused. Man kills father-in-law Meanwhile, in an another incident, a 52-year-old man was allegedly bludgeoned to death by his son-in-law over a domestic dispute in Ulhasnagar town of the district, police said on Thursday, as per the PTI. Accused Bolasingh Jagdishsingh Bhawar (35), a resident of Jalgaon, was absconding, and a manhunt has been launched to trace him, said an official. The deceased was identified as Sushilsingh Gound Sardar. The incident took place on Wednesday when Bhawar arrived at his in-laws' residence to take his wife and children back home to Jalgaon, the official said. The couple were apparently living apart due to domestic quarrels. "When the victim refused to let his daughter and grandchildren leave with the accused, a heated argument broke out between the two men," the police officer said. "Bhawar allegedly picked up a wooden log and repeatedly struck Sardar," he added, according to the PTI. The latter died on the spot. As Sardar's wife attempted to intervene, Bhawar allegedly assaulted her too, before fleeing. A case was registered against him under sections 103(1) (murder), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," said the official, the news agency reported. According to preliminary investigation, the couple had been living apart due to domestic disagreements. (with PTI inputs)
02 May,2025 02:25 PM IST | Jalna (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court on Friday asked authorities to not take coercive action such as deportation to Pakistan against six members of a family, who allegedly overstayed their visa, till an order on verification of their identity documents. The family members are residents of Kashmir and their son works in Bengaluru. They are facing deportation to Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people lost their lives. Observing that the issue involves a human angle, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh gave the family the liberty to approach the Jammu and Kashmir high court in case they are aggrieved by the document verification order. The top court was hearing a plea by Ahmed Tarek Butt and his five family members who claimed they were detained and taken to the Wagah border for deportation to Pakistan despite having valid Indian documents. The bench noted that following the Pahalgam attack, the Centre in a notification dated April 25 has revoked the visa of Pakistani nationals except for those provided in the order itself and gave a specific timeline for their deportation. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 01:55 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIIn a significant boost to conservation efforts, four new Great Indian Bustard chicks have been successfully hatched under the Project Great Indian Bustard (Project GIB) at the national conservation breeding centres in Jaisalmer over the past two weeks. The eggs, laid by four different females after artificial insemination, hatched on April 19, April 23, April 27, and May 1. With these additions, the total number of chicks bred in the 2025 season has reached 15, raising fresh hopes for the future rewilding of this critically endangered species. According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), studies conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India estimate that only around 150 Great Indian Bustards remain in the wild. Of these, approximately 128 are found in Rajasthan, with fewer than 10 individuals each in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. MoEF&CC has undertaken a dedicated conservation breeding initiative in collaboration with the Forest Departments of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, with technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. In 2022, the ministry, with financial backing from the National Authority for Compensatory Afforestation Funds, approved an outlay of Rs 33.85 crore over five years for a comprehensive programme titled ‘Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of the Great Indian Bustard – An Integrated Approach’. The primary goal of the programme is to establish a stable captive population of Great Indian Bustards and facilitate the release of chicks into the wild to help rebuild the species' numbers. It also aims to strengthen in-situ conservation efforts to protect and restore natural habitats for the birds.
02 May,2025 01:28 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe Odisha government is set to announce the Class 10 results on Friday evening. Srikant Tarai, President of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), confirmed that the results for the matriculation examination, along with the State Open School Certificate Examination (for school dropouts) and the Madhyama Examination (for Sanskrit students), will be released simultaneously at 4 PM, reported news agency PTI. The results, for examinations conducted from February 21 to March 6, will be announced on the official website bseodisha.ac.in, as per the state government. Around 5.5 lakh students appeared for the matriculation examination in the state earlier this year. According to President Tarai, the results for Class 10th students will be available online starting from 6 PM. To access their results, students will need their roll number and date of birth. In addition to the official website, results can also be accessed through DigiLocker. Steps to Check Results: Visit the official website: orissaresults.nic.in Click on the “Annual Examination Result 2025” link. Enter your roll number and date of birth in the format (dd/mm/yyyy). After submitting the details, your result will appear. Verify and download the mark sheet once all details are confirmed. It is crucial for students to cross-check all the information on the mark sheet. In case of any discrepancies, they should immediately contact the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Odisha. In addition, the BSE has announced that students residing in remote areas without internet access will receive their results via SMS. The SMS format is: OR10 <Roll Number>, which should be sent to 5676750. To continue their education, students must meet the qualifying criteria set by the board. Those who do not meet the required standards will need to appear for the supplementary examination. It is important for students to adhere to the deadlines specified by the Board of Secondary Education to proceed with their academic journey.
02 May,2025 12:43 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe portals of Himalayan temple Kedarnath were opened on Friday, with more than 12,000 pilgrims attending the ceremony. The gates of the temple located at a height of more than 11,000 ft were opened at 7 am, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) officials told PTI. The Kedarnath temple was adorned with 108 quintals of flowers of 54 varieties, including roses and marigolds brought from different countries like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Of the four Char Dham temples Kedarnath, which is also the 11th Jyotirlinga, pulls the largest crowd of devotees. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is the third temple in the Char Dham circuit to be opened after the winter break. Gangotri and Yamunotri temples were opened on April 30 and Badrinath will open on May 4. The process of opening the gates of Kedarnath began at 5 am, BKTC media in-charge Harish Gaur told PTI. Rawal (Chief Priest) Bhimashankar Ling, priest Bagesh Ling, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, Rudraprayag's District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar, BKTC Chief Executive Officer Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, Tirtha priest Srinivas Posti, religious leaders and Vedpathis entered the temple from the east gate and participated in the worship of the gate of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple before the portals were opened. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also attended the opening ceremony and was the first to perform a puja at the temple after the opening of its gates praying for the well-being and prosperity of all. The temple, which is visited every year by lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad, remains closed during the winter months. A new feature for the pilgrims in Kedarnath this time would be a grand "aarti" on the lines of Ganga Aarti in Varanasi, Haridwar and Rishikesh to be performed at the confluence of the Mandakini and Saraswati rivers near the temple, BKTC CEO Vijay Thapliyal told PTI. All arrangements have been made for the aarti with ramps erected on three sides of the confluence for devotees to view the scene, he said. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shared in a post on X that the sacred procession from Gaurikund to Kedarnath was marked by "reverence, faith, and devotion." "Today, after the ritualistic worship at Gaurikund, the Panchmukhi idol of Baba Kedarnath reached the holy Shri Kedar Dham. When the Doli reached the temple premises, there was an atmosphere of devotion among the devotees, the entire Dham echoed with the chanting of 'Jai Baba Kedar'," CM Dhami posted on X. (With inputs from PTI)
02 May,2025 11:21 AM IST | Kedarnath | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Nifty surges 120 points, Sensex gains 520 points amid positive global cues Indian equity benchmarks opened with gains on Friday, with global cues remaining broadly positive, the uncertainty on the domestic front capped gains for Indian indices due to tensions on the India-Pakistan border. The Nifty 50 index surged to 24,395.90, marking a modest gain of 55.30 points or 0.2 per cent. On the other hand, the BSE Sensex saw an uptick, opening almost flat at 80,290.34 but gained 360 points to 80,607 at the time of filing this report. Mumbai: This 74-year-old woman has been assisting cops for free for over 30 years Anuradha Kulkarni, a 74-year-old resident of Santacruz, has been helping the Mumbai police manage traffic, solve cases, and assist accident victims for the past 30 years—all without any salary. Despite walking with a slight bend due to a back issue, she actively stops motorists from entering the wrong lanes and recently helped the Bandra police catch a thief by chasing him on her bike along with the victim. Read more. Hackers strike hard: Over one million cyber attacks on India since Pahalgam terror attack In the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India now faces a new threat in the form of cyber warfare. A recent report titled ‘Echoes of Pahalgam’, prepared by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, has revealed a sharp surge in cyber attacks targeting India, with nearly 10 lakh attempted breaches recorded since April 23. The report indicates that the education, defence, banking, and communication sectors are the primary targets. Read more. All gone for Rs 8.5L to Indian-origin bizman! Sydney-based businessman of Indian origin, Ram Chhabra won bids for all three Indian cricket related items that were auctioned for charity at The Chappell Foundation’s (TCF) eighth annual dinner in Sydney on Wednesday. Australian-born Chhabra, 48, bought India opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 2024-2025 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series bat (AUD 6000, approx Rs 3.25 lakh), a bat signed by members of the Indian team which participated in the same series for AUD 4500 (approx Rs 2.43 lakh) and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s helmet for AUD 5000 (approx Rs 2.70 lakh). In all, he spent AUD 15,500 (approx Rs 8.5 lakh). Read more. Varun Dhawan and Kartik Aaryan to collaborate on Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 2: Report Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya 2 and Kartik Aaryan’s Naagzilla have been announced as Independence Day 2026 releases, thus paving the way for a box-office clash. While the two actors would be rivals over that weekend, buzz suggests they may soon be co-stars. We’ve heard that Dhawan and Aaryan are the top contenders to play the leads in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 2, the sequel to the 2004 comedy that saw Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar’s characters in a game of one-upmanship as they wooed their ladylove, essayed by Priyanka Chopra. Read more.
02 May,2025 10:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFour people were killed on Friday morning when a house collapsed in the national capital following heavy rains and strong winds that affected flight operations and disrupted traffic due to waterlogging in many parts of the city. Three flights were diverted and over 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport as thunderstorms and gusty winds disrupted operations. Three children and a woman died after a house collapsed in Delhi, where a red alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). "We received a call regarding a house collapse in Kharkari Nahar village in Najafgarh at 5.25 am. We deployed multiple teams on the spot and four people were rescued from the rubble," a Delhi Fire Services official said, reported PTI. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead, he said. "We have informed police about the matter," he added, reported PTI. Visuals from several areas showed uprooted trees and people stuck in waterlogged roads. Videos surfaced on social media that showed a car half-submerged on Minto Road. Minto Road, Major Somnath Marg in RK Puram, and Khanpur were particularly affected by the rain. According to IMD data, in the last three hours, the Safdarjung weather station, the city's primary observatory, recorded 77mm of rainfall. Lodhi Road recorded 78 mm, Palam recorded 30 mm, Najafgarh 19.5 mm, and Pitampura 32 mm of rainfall. Trees were uprooted in many parts of Delhi that also saw a dust storm early morning. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates the airport, in a post on X at 5.20 am, said some flights were affected owing to inclement weather conditions. In another post at 7.25 am, DIAL said the thunderstorm had passed but there was some impact on flight operations due to adverse weather conditions. An official said two flights that were to land at the Delhi airport were diverted to Jaipur and one to Ahmedabad. More than 100 flights were delayed, according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, reported PTI. The weather department, in its Delhi weather update, has issued a red alert for Delhi, urging people to remain extremely vigilant and take necessary precautions. The IMD has predicted moderate to heavy rain, along with moderate to severe thunderstorms and wind speeds reaching 70-80 kmph in parts of Delhi-NCR. Light rain is likely in some other areas of the region. The weather department, in its Delhi weather update, has warned of severe weather over Delhi-NCR during morning hours, with possible uprooting of trees and damage to power lines, standing crops, and vulnerable structures. Hail may also injure people or cattle in open areas, reported PTI. As a precaution, people are advised to stay indoors, avoid sheltering under trees, unplug electronic appliances, and stay away from water bodies and objects that conduct electricity. (With inputs from PTI)
02 May,2025 10:01 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe officials on Thursday said that the Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting retaliation from the Indian Army, reported news agency PTI. This is the eighth consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the LoC, amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed. Civilians living along the LoC and IB have begun cleaning their community and individual bunkers to make them habitable in case of escalation to shelling, reported PTI. "During the night of May 1-2, 2025, Pakistani Army posts resorted to unprovoked small arms fire from posts across the LoC opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Naushera, and Akhnoor areas of Jammu and Kashmir," a defence spokesperson in Jammu told PTI. Indian Army troops responded in a calibrated and proportionate manner, the spokesperson added. Initially beginning with unprovoked small arms firing at several posts along the LoC in the Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, Pakistan swiftly expanded its ceasefire violations to the Poonch sector and subsequently to the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region. This was followed by small arms firing at several posts along the LoC in the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors of Rajouri district. Subsequently, the firing expanded to the Pargwal sector along the International Border in Jammu district. The renewed ceasefire violations come despite a recent hotline conversation between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, during which the Indian side is learnt to have cautioned Pakistan. Since the night of April 24, just hours after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked firing at various places along the LoC in J&K, starting from the Kashmir Valley. On April 24, Pakistan blocked its airspace for Indian airlines, closed the Wagah border crossing, suspended all trade with India, and warned that any attempt to divert water would be considered an "Act of War." The ceasefire along the borders was reaffirmed in February 2021, when both countries agreed to observe the 2003 agreement in letter and spirit. However, the current situation marks a significant departure from the relative calm maintained since then. India shares a total of 3,323 km of border with Pakistan, divided into three parts: the International Border (IB), approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to the northern banks of the Chenab River in Akhnoor, Jammu; the Line of Control (LoC), 740 km long, running from parts of Jammu to parts of Leh; and the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), 110 km long, dividing the Siachen region from NJ 9842 to Indira Col in the north. Civilians living along the LoC and IB have begun cleaning their community and individual bunkers to make them habitable in case of escalation to shelling. Civilians living along the LoC and IB started clearing their community and individual bunkers and are getting them cleaned so as to be make them habitable in case of escalation to shelling. The Union government sanctioned the construction of 14,460 individual and community bunkers in 2017. Officials said that over 8,600 community and individual bunkers have been built in five districts: Samba, Kathua, Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri. While the harvesting of crops along R S Pura and Arnia sectors along the IB has been completed, it is still going on in Kathua, Samba, Rajouri, and Poonch districts. "This is being done in view of the tensions along the borders," an official told PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
02 May,2025 09:35 AM IST | Jammu/Srinagar | mid-day online correspondentRajasthan Intelligence has arrested a Jaisalmer resident, Pathan Khan, for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), an official release said. As per an official release, authorities stated that the accused Pathan Khan visited Pakistan in 2013 and came in contact with officers of the Intelligence Agency of Pakistan. A case has been registered against the Pathan Khan under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. In Pakistan, Khan was lured with money and received training for espionage. Even after 2013, he continued meeting Pakistan Intelligence Agency officers by going there and kept sharing sensitive and confidential information related to the Jaisalmer International Border with Pakistan handlers, the press note stated. Meanwhile, amid mounting tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, villagers who live near the international border in Rajasthan are bracing for all possibilities and say they are ready to provide all assistance to the Indian Army. In some of the last villages on the Indian side before the Indo-Pak international border in Rajasthan, preparedness and patriotism continue to go hand in hand. Bunkers have already been constructed to shelter both civilians and security forces in the event of a military escalation, say locals in these villages. The presence of the Indian Army in the region serves as a constant reminder of the state of preparedness. Locals in the area condemned the April 22 Pahalgam killings and urged the government of India to retaliate accordingly to the situation. Speaking to ANI, Arjun Singh, a local villager, said, "It is absolutely necessary to respond to Pakistan. They keep provoking us, and what they did in Pahalgam, killing unarmed civilians, is unacceptable. The army must strike back." The elderly man recalled the 1971 war, stating, "I was in Ramgarh when bombs were falling. Back then, we helped the army in every way possible. Today also, we are ready to assist, no matter the hardship." Meanwhile, the Pakistani military is continuing its build-up on the borders with India and has deployed air defence and artillery units at forward locations. The Pakistan Air Force is currently conducting three exercises simultaneously: Fiza-e-Badr, Lalkar-e-Momin, and Zarb-e-Haidari. These exercises involve all major fighter aircraft fleets, including the F-16, J-10, and JF-17. On Tuesday, the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan talked over the hotline to discuss the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan, defence sources said on Wednesday. They said India warned Pakistan against the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border. The Indian Army has effectively responded to the Pakistan Army's unprovoked small arms firing across the Line of Control (LoC). The Army responded swiftly to the ceasefire violation on the night of April 27-28 in areas opposite Kupwara and Poonch districts in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Tension have escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people were killed. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 08:22 AM IST | Jaisalmer | ANICongress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the nation won't progress unless Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBC communities move forward. Kharge was addressing the Poura Karmikara (Sanitation/civic workers) at Poura Karmikara Dinacharane event organised by the Government of Karnataka and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike on Thursday. Speaking about the Caste Census, Kharge said that "During the tenure of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh ji, we initiated a Socio-Economic Caste Census in 2010. But the BJP didn't release that report. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly highlighted it, and we spoke about the Caste survey in every state. We insisted on taking up the Caste Census to help the Backward Community." "In 2023, I wrote a letter to the PM, urging him to initiate a Caste Census and add it as a component in the general census format. But the Union government ignored my letter, but now they have approved the Caste Enumeration as a part of the next General Census. BJP and Modiji want to take credit for initiating this Caste Census, therefore, they ignored our previous appeals," he added. Kharge urged the Central government to fulfill three demands of the Congress. He mentioned the Caste Census as his first demand. Secondly, he urged to implementation of Article 15(5), which provides a special provision for the advancement of SC/ST/OBC communities. Lastly, he insisted that the Union government remove the present reservation cap of 50 per cent and include SC/ST/OBC and Economically Weaker Section in the revised reservation quota. "If the government ignores these demands, then people will start agitating in the streets to secure their rights' he warned. He recalled Dr BR Ambedkar's contribution to the Labour law on this occasion. "Modiji is closing PSUs and gifting them to his crony friends, therefore, SC/ST/OBC are getting fewer employment opportunities," Kharge said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 08:20 AM IST | Bengaluru | ANIFlight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi were impacted on Friday morning due to thunderstorms and gusty winds, officials said. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates the airport, said some flights were affected owing to inclement weather conditions. "Our on-ground teams are diligently working with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience," DIAL said in a post on X at 5.20 am. Air India also said that flight operations in parts of northern India were affected due to adverse weather. "Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted, which is likely to impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimise disruptions," the airline posted on X at 5.51 am. The Indira Gandhi International Airport is the country's largest and busiest airport, handling around 1,300 flight movements daily. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 08:17 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIADVERTISEMENT
