A tribal man in Odisha was forced to carry his sister's exhumed skeleton to a bank to prove her death and withdraw her money, sparking outrage and prompting government intervention.
A man was beaten to death and another critically injured by a mob for allegedly sexually assaulting two women on the outskirts of the city on Thursday, following which Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi asked the police to ensure no repeat of such incidents in future.
Several Biju Janata Dal workers and leaders, including two former ministers, were injured in a scuffle with police personnel in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday during a party's protest over the death of a college student, who set herself on fire in Odisha's Balasore district.
Jeetu Munda, who carried his sister's skeleton to a bank in Odisha to withdraw money, has stated he does not want action taken against the bank officials after they released the funds. He received approximately Rs 15 lakh in donations following the incident.
A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district brought the skeleton of his dead sister to a bank to withdraw money deposited in her name after bank officials insisted on the account holder's presence.
Veteran Odisha journalist Ashutosh Mishra has died at the age of 68. His death has been met with grief from political leaders and the journalism community.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced significant progress in combating Maoist insurgency, stating it will soon be a thing of the past. He also addressed concerns about crimes against women, highlighting the government's commitment to justice and a zero-tolerance policy.
The ruling NDA alliance has secured a majority in the Rajya Sabha elections, winning key seats in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana, while other candidates were elected unopposed across multiple states. The elections were marked by cross-voting allegations and political maneuvering.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has issued an unconditional apology for claiming that former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was linked to the CIA during the 1960s. The apology comes after widespread criticism from within and outside the BJP.
Odisha's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed the Assembly that 416 people have died in fire accidents across the state in the last three financial years. The government is providing ex gratia and financial assistance to the victims and their families.
Former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who was chosen as the Biju Janata Dal president for the ninth time in a row, on Saturday called upon party workers to expose the alleged false narrative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Normal life in Odisha's Rairangpur area was disrupted due to a bandh called by the Mayurbhanj Adivasi Ekata Manch, protesting the arrest of 34 tribals following a clash with police during a protest on March 13. The bandh was supported by several political parties and tribal organisations, affecting shops, transport, and educational institutions.
Senior leaders of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in India are calling for action against Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra for allegedly creating confusion among lawmakers regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The controversy arose after Patra, despite the party's announced opposition to the Bill, revealed he had voted in favor of it and stated that MPs could vote according to their conscience. The situation has led to accusations of a possible "deal" between the BJD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Amid a row over change in stand over voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday asserted it is a secular regional outfit and maintains equal distance from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and the opposition Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance bloc led by the Congress.
A section of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders in Odisha are expressing discontent over the party's decision to support the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The issue has sparked internal turmoil, with young leaders submitting a memorandum to party president Naveen Patnaik, urging him to address the situation. Patnaik has held meetings with senior leaders, assuring them that necessary action will be taken to mitigate the fallout and maintain the party's secular image.
The Indian government addressed opposition concerns regarding the West Asia crisis in an all-party meeting, outlining its strategy for ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora, fulfilling energy needs, and maintaining diplomatic relations with key partners. The government also dismissed Pakistan's reported mediation efforts.
The Rajya Sabha elections saw several candidates elected unopposed, including Sharad Pawar and Ramdas Athawale, while Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana prepare for contested elections.
Two-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra is learnt to have quietly tied the knot with Biju Janata Dal leader Pinaki Misra on May 3.
Legislators of the opposition BJD in Odisha sprinkled 'Ganga Jal' in the state Assembly, alleging that the House had been "spiritually polluted" by the entry of policemen. The incident follows a protest by Congress members demanding a House Committee to probe crimes against women, which led to police intervention and the eviction of Congress MLAs from the Assembly. BJD members claim the police action was unprecedented and brought shame to Odisha. The Speaker denounced the act, while the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister asserted the House's inherent purity. The opposition also alleged that police prevented BJD MLAs from leaving the assembly premises on the following day.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati expressed deep anguish over the incident, and stressed the need for a thorough and impartial investigation and strict punishment for the culprits as per the law.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik has stated that his party will take "necessary steps" in response to the INDIA bloc's potential move to bring a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. While Patnaik did not explicitly confirm BJD's support for the motion, he emphasized that the party will take appropriate action. The BJD holds seven seats in the Rajya Sabha, making their stance significant as the opposition lacks the required numbers to pass the motion.
After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms and called for a probe, several opposition leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backed her demand.
The BJD not only supported the BJP in Parliament on different issues over the last few years but also helped Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw get elected to Rajya Sabha in 2019 and 2024.
Although the BJP has never been ballistic about the BJD and Narendra Modi has avoided being critical of Naveen Patnaik, the BJP is optimistic that the party can improve its electoral fortunes in Odisha on its own, notes Rup Narayan Das.
In separate petitions submitted to the Odisha police, both parties alleged that the victim approached multiple police stations -- Puri Ghat, Sadar, and Barang --before her FIR was accepted by the Badambadi police station.
Tension grips Malkangiri district in Odisha after a tribal woman was beheaded, leading to clashes and property damage. Internet services are suspended as authorities work to restore peace.
Results and trends from recent bypolls across eight assembly seats in India show wins for MNF in Mizoram, BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, and Congress leading in Telangana and Rajasthan.
While BJD leaders held a marathon meeting at Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, the BJP leaders had a similar meeting in the national capital, discussing election matters, including a potential alliance.
The 2000-batch IAS officer, who sparked several controversies and was accused of violating the service rule, had taken voluntary retirement from government service on October 23 this year.
Opposition parties in India are demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and national security in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. They raised concerns about federalism, national security, and the purity of voter lists during an all-party meeting.
The Odisha assembly has a strength of 147 MLAs while there are 21 Lok Sabha MP seats in the state.
Nayak had earlier resigned from the BJD and joined the BJP and got a nomination from the saffron party.
Biju Janata Dal founding member and six-time Cuttack Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Thursday, dealing a big blow to the Odisha's ruling party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
A 15-year-old girl, severely burned in an attack in Odisha, has been airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for specialized treatment. The incident is under police investigation.
Talks on pre-poll alliance were being held between the ruling Biju Janata Dal and the opposition BJP for the past few days.
The incident took place this afternoon after the woman student met the Principal of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, Dilip Kumar Ghose. She had earlier lodged a sexual harassment complaint against Samira Kumar Sahu, Assistant Professor (Stage-l) in Educational Studies, who is also the head of the department and demanded action against him.
Samal also claimed that the Odisha BJP was confident of winning both the polls.
'The Odisha government has changed the image of the state by making it a sporting hub of the country with high performance centres, state-of-the-art training facilities and hosting big tournaments. The sports loving people of Sundergarh and Odisha will not forget this while voting.'
Ruling Biju Janata Dal vice-president Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was removed from his post on Tuesday, months before the simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha for allegedly writing critical editorials in his Odia daily.
A 15-year-old girl in Odisha, India, has died after allegedly being set on fire by unidentified assailants. The incident has sparked outrage and prompted investigations by local authorities.
