The owner and manager of Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata have been arrested following a devastating fire that killed 14 people. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered surprise checks of all establishments in the city to ensure fire safety compliance, after the tragedy highlighted serious violations at the hotel. The hotel has been sealed and special committees will be formed to monitor and identify establishments flouting fire safety norms.
A court in Kerala has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for brutally raping and physically assaulting a 19-year-old COVID-19 patient belonging to the Dalit community. The incident occurred in 2020 while the woman was being transported to a treatment center. The accused, Noufal, was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 2,12,000. The court found him guilty after a trial that involved examining 55 witnesses, reviewing 83 documents, and inspecting 12 material exhibits. The investigation was led by R Binu, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) in Adoor at the time.
A college in Madhya Pradesh's Indore has expelled four student leaders after they were found guilty of holding 150 people, including the female principal and professors, hostage for denial of permission to a Holi programme on the campus, its top official said on Friday.
A signboard on Akbar Road in Lutyens' Delhi was defaced on Thursday by unidentified individuals protesting against the alleged vandalism of Maharana Pratap's statue at Kashmiri Gate ISBT. The signboard, under NDMC jurisdiction, was cleaned by civic authorities. An FIR will be filed after a probe, and police are reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits. Authorities have urged citizens to maintain peace.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to investigate a case involving a UK-based Pakistani agent, Mughiz Ahmad Shearachiikh, who has been suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching its anti-corruption code. Shearachiikh and his company, International Cricketers Association (ICA), had signed several centrally contracted Pakistani players last year.
A court in Goa has sentenced a 31-year-old local resident to rigorous life imprisonment for the rape and murder of Irish-British national Danielle McLaughin in 2017. The accused, Vikat Bhagat, was found guilty of raping and murdering the 28-year-old tourist, whose body was found in a forested area in Canacona village of South Goa on March 14, 2017. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for the rape and murder and Rs 10,000 for the destruction of evidence.
Before being elected as secretary general for the 2021-25 term, Kalita had served as the treasurer of the apex boxing body.
Double Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen described a childhood marked by fear and manipulation when he took the witness stand on Tuesday to testify against his father and former coach.
West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar on Thursday said that police will listen to the complaints of every individual in Sandeshkhali and strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
Carlos Alcaraz distanced himself from the class-action lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association
A match defined by mistakes - 11 dropped catches, several misfields, and one team punished more heavily than the other.
Two Indian nationals, Shahjadi Khan and Muhammed Rinash Arangilottu, were executed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and buried in the presence of their family members. Shahjadi, a caregiver from Uttar Pradesh, was executed for allegedly murdering a four-month-old toddler, while Rinash, from Kerala, was executed for allegedly killing a UAE national. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the burials were conducted according to UAE regulations and that embassy officials assisted the families.
The CBI lawyer pleaded for the highest penalty for the convict, calling the crime "rarest of the rare".
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, became the youngest ever centurion in the IPL to propel Rajasthan Royals to an emphatic eight-wicket victory against Gujarat Titans.
The wife of an army Colonel, who has accused 12 Punjab police personnel of assaulting him and his son over a parking dispute, has started a sit-in protest along with ex-servicemen outside the Patiala Deputy Commissioner's office to press for a CBI probe. The family is demanding a CBI probe and the transfer of Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh, accusing him of failing to take action on their multiple requests to file an FIR. Despite Patiala Deputy Commissioner (DC) Preeti Yadav assuring them of a fair and transparent probe, the family refused to lift the 'dharna' and said it would continue until their demands were met.
Bajrang Dal office bearer Amit Kumar alleged that the party had been organised in the "Hindu religious city" as part of a conspiracy to bring outsiders to the college campus.
Amid opposition call for his resignation over the Beed sarpanch murder case, Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde on Wednesday said he is ready to quit if asked by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
Kesari 2 has more style than substance on its mind, feels Sukanya Verma.
The dastardly dimensions of the attack are gradually sinking in even as the Government of India announced its immediate diplomatic and other retaliatory measures. It is generally expected to be followed up with punitive military action across the LoC, sooner than later, observes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, was extradited to India to face charges related to his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The US Department of Justice said Rana allegedly commended the LeT terrorists who carried out the attacks and suggested they should be awarded Pakistan's highest gallantry award. Rana is accused of facilitating a fraudulent cover for his childhood friend, David Headley, to conduct surveillance in Mumbai for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group. He is also accused of helping Headley submit false visa applications to Indian authorities. This extradition follows a lengthy legal process that began in 2020 with India's request for Rana's surrender. Rana, who was previously convicted in the US for providing material support to LeT, will now face trial in India on 10 criminal charges related to the Mumbai attacks.
'I've never been a fan of division in our sport, but I've always fought for better representation and influence of and positioning of the players globally in our sport, which I think is still not where I think it should be.'
'Your marriage now requires a complete RESET. So, push that button and go back to where it all began with no baggage, no expectations, no complaining,' advises rediffGURU Anu Krishna.
If Pitroda's blunder cost him his office, what should the BJP's unrepentant attitude cost it?, asks Shyam G Menon.
The Pakistan cricket team was fined five percent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during their Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand in Karachi.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the CBI to produce the case diary related to its investigation into the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar hospital. The court questioned the CBI about the possibility of gang rape or destruction of evidence in its probe. The parents of the victim, who are petitioners in the case, have requested a court-monitored investigation, alleging a larger conspiracy behind the crime. The CBI has already filed a charge-sheet in the case, leading to the conviction and life imprisonment of Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer, for the crime. However, the court has sought clarification from the CBI on whether it considered investigating the crime under Section 70 (gang rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Yuzvendra Chahal led a stunning comeback for Punjab Kings with 4/28 as they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in their low-scoring Indian Premier League thriller on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday
The Bombay High Court ruled that a comment on a woman colleague's hair, even if accompanied by a song, does not constitute sexual harassment at work. The court set aside a bank's internal report and an industrial court order that had found a senior executive guilty of misconduct under the POSH Act, arguing that the alleged actions did not amount to sexual harassment. The court noted that the complainant herself had not perceived the comment as sexual harassment at the time and later expressed gratitude to the executive.
Prosecutor Marta Durantez requested the trial be repeated, arguing that evidence and many of her questions were not admitted.
Witches, werewolves, pilots, engineers, the OTT scene is bursting with all kinds of extremes this week, and Sukanya Verma lists them out.
Roshmila Bhattacharya shows us just why India has lost her Mr Bharat.
IMAGES from the IPL match played between SunRisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in Hyderabad on Sunday.
A Canadian court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to life after he pleaded guilty to the killing of a Sikh businessman, a suspect in the 1985 Air India bombing who was later acquitted, according to local media reports.
A court in Kerala has sentenced five men from Uttar Pradesh to life imprisonment and an additional 40 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl from Kerala five years ago. The accused, who were migrant workers residing near the victim's home, were involved in the crime that occurred in 2020. They enticed the girl with the promise of a SIM card and then subjected her to sexual assault at various locations. The court also directed the convicts to pay compensation to the victim.
The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, India, has stopped taking deposits from patients at the emergency department after a pregnant woman died after being turned away for non-payment. The hospital faced intense criticism following the incident, which involved the wife of a BJP MLC's personal secretary. The woman was shifted to another hospital where she died after delivering twins.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched a scathing attack on his predecessor Rabri Devi, calling her appointment as Chief Minister "suspension-induced" during a heated debate in the state legislative council. The verbal sparring, marked by accusations and counter-accusations on law and order, saw Kumar accusing the RJD of being unable to handle Hindu-Muslim tensions and engaging in "mischief." Rabri Devi, in response, asserted her right to speak about her achievements during her tenure as Chief Minister. Kumar, however, retorted with a sharp, local phrase, dismissing Rabri Devi's claims. The exchange, which saw both sides engage in mudslinging, ended with the Chairman admonishing the opposition for their unruly behavior.
Bangladesh women's player Shohely Akhter has been banned from all cricket for five years after the spinner was found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption code
Eighteen people were killed and five others injured after a firecracker warehouse exploded and collapsed in Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Tuesday. The incident occurred in an industrial area near Deesa town around 9:45 a.m., killing workers from Madhya Pradesh and their family members. The warehouse was used to store firecrackers, but there is no evidence that firecrackers were being manufactured there. The Gujarat government has announced financial assistance for the victims' families.
A court in Punjab's Mohali has sentenced self-styled pastor Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment in a 2018 rape case. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Vikrant Kumar pronounced the verdict on Tuesday. Bajinder was found guilty under sections 376 (rape), 323 (punishment for voluntary causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The case was registered on a complaint filed by a woman at the Zirakpur police station in Mohali in 2018.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has defended her support for teachers who were dismissed following a Supreme Court verdict, accusing the BJP and CPI(M) of "hatching a conspiracy" to influence the ruling. She dared the BJP to arrest her for supporting the affected candidates, while asserting that her government will abide by the verdict but explore all legal options. The development has triggered political reactions with the BJP demanding Banerjee's resignation, while the CPI(M) expressed concern over the impact on the education system. Banerjee also criticized the BJP's handling of the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, drawing parallels to the school jobs scam in West Bengal.