West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has initiated an investigation into the role of temporary home guards following a stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal that killed 19 people. Adhikari criticised the previous administration and highlighted issues with crowd management and the conduct of home guards during the incident. The probe will also include puja organisers and licensing authorities, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be formed. Seven people, including organisers, have been arrested.
A Kolkata-based lottery firm, Tiger Associates, donated Rs 260 crore to Tamil Nadu's DMK and AIADMK in 2025-26, significantly increasing its contributions from the previous financial year. The firm accounted for nearly 74% of the combined contributions reported by the two parties, highlighting a concentration of political funding. The disclosures also revealed contributions from electoral trusts and a link between Tiger Associates' partner and lottery magnate Santiago Martin, whose other firm was a major electoral bond purchaser.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued notices to properties linked to TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, seeking building plans for scrutiny amid allegations of unauthorised construction.
A committee formed by West Bengal's BJP government is considering proposals to rename several prominent roads, bridges, and public places in Kolkata, including those named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh. This move has sparked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), who view it as "vendetta politics" and an attempt to disrespect differing ideologies.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that only followers of 'Sanatan Dharma' would be permitted to touch Durga idols during immersion in the Hooghly river, citing religious traditions. He also reviewed extensive security and safety arrangements for the immersion process, including NDRF involvement and precautions for spectators at Taki, following a recent stampede incident.
A devastating fire in a central Kolkata building resulted in nine deaths, primarily due to asphyxia, and the rescue of around 80 people. West Bengal minister Kaushik Chowdhury highlighted the quick response of the Fire Brigade but raised concerns about safety norms, lack of windows, and the proliferation of cramped hotels within the building. An investigation committee will be formed, and fire audits will be conducted across all hotels in the state.
The Chhattisgarh Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) has filed its 10th supplementary charge sheet in the alleged liquor scam, accusing 20 individuals, including former state Congress treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal, and 22 firms. The 27,000-page document details illegal liquor production, hawala transactions, and investment of illicit proceeds. The scam, estimated by the ED to be between 2019 and 2022, involved a complex network of illegal liquor sales, duplicate holograms, and routing of funds.
The West Bengal Fire Department has ordered the evacuation of the basement and two floors of a high-rise building in central Kolkata, which houses TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's office, due to a lack of fire safety measures. The order follows the expiry of the building's fire safety certificate and non-compliance with mandatory regulations, posing a threat to life and property.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's comments recalling the role of non-Bengali communities during the 1946 communal riots and alleging past restrictions on Durga Puja have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the TMC, Congress, and CPI(M). Bhattacharya appealed for unity for peaceful Durga Puja celebrations, while opposition leaders accused him of divisive politics and distorting history.
Senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim has resigned as the mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), citing an inability to function properly. His resignation, approved by Mamata Banerjee, comes amidst significant political turbulence within the TMC following recent election defeats and a wave of councillor resignations, raising questions about the party's urban political structure.
A career break does not erase the experience that came before it. But the labour market can act as though it does. The more women invest in building professional careers, the more costly an interruption can become. How, then, do we enable women to make a comeback? Whose responsibility is it? asks Radha Roy Biswas.
A committee constituted by the West Bengal government to carry out a special audit of sanctioned plans for high-rise residential and commercial buildings in and around the city will meet on Friday to begin the exercise, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.
The death toll from the Taratala warehouse collapse in south Kolkata has risen to 10, with rescue operations continuing using advanced Army equipment. Five individuals have been arrested, including the warehouse owner and structural engineer, as police investigate potential safety norm violations.
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Biswajit Mondal, has been arrested on charges of assaulting and molesting a woman. The arrest follows a complaint filed on June 1, detailing an incident from March 2024, and comes amidst a series of arrests of KMC councillors on various charges.
A Trinamool Congress councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was arrested on Tuesday on charges of extortion, cheating, and allegedly collecting kickbacks from beneficiaries of various projects.
A three-storey under-construction warehouse in Kolkata's Taratala area collapsed, killing three people and trapping several others. Rescue operations are ongoing, with 18 individuals already saved, amid allegations of substandard construction materials and illegal building practices.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused armed BJP men of vandalising the party's Camac Street office in Kolkata, damaging property and stealing items. The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them staged. The incident further intensifies the political confrontation between the two parties in West Bengal, following a recent dispute over a billboard at the same premises.
A government bill proposing to widen the remit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) is facing scrutiny from Members of Parliament. Concerns have been raised that the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, could reduce the premier institute's autonomy. The bill, currently under examination by a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, aims to incorporate ISI as a 'body corporate' to strengthen governance and promote academic excellence, but critics fear increased government control.
RBI Deputy Governor S C Murmu stated that the introduction of merchant discount rate (MDR) on UPI transactions is unlikely to cause a shift back to cash, despite some concerns, emphasising that MDR will help the payments ecosystem recover costs.
In south-eastern Kolkata's Patuli, hundreds of residents gathered outside the local police station to protest against Councillor Bappaditya Dasgupta, who was arrested on Saturday evening, on charges, including extortion, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation and attempted arson.
A third generation murtikar and probably one of the first in her family, Manaswi Bagwe, a self-taught sculptor, is quietly pushing the boundaries of idol-making.
Private guards at Ttrinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's office, his supporters and some party leaders on Thursday scuffled with police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, trying to prevent them from entering the building on Camac Street and dismantling an "unauthorised" billboard.
'We have a very demanding electorate which expects us to do something. So we will have to do something which is a bit out of the ordinary while at the same time keeping in mind the risk factors.'
Icra predicts that the top seven Indian cities will see an 8-11 per cent year-on-year growth in housing sales value by FY27, reaching approximately 7.9 trillion, primarily driven by the ongoing trend of premiumisation and a favourable product mix.
Commuters in Kolkata and surrounding areas are experiencing significant difficulties due to a shortage of buses, as many vehicles remain engaged in election duties related to the West Bengal polls. Normal service is not expected to resume until after the counting process on May 4.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that the building plan for the collapsed Kolkata warehouse, which killed 10 people, was approved despite a faulty design and bears the signature of former mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim. Adhikari announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the deceased's families and Rs 1 lakh for the injured, while also suspending all construction work in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area for four weeks for an audit of sanctioned plans.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Mohammed Shami on Tuesday appeared before poll officials in Kolkata for his scheduled hearing under the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has filed fresh police complaints against dissident leader Ritabrata Banerjee and his associates. The complaints accuse the rebels of illegally using the party's name, symbol, and designations to mislead workers, marking a significant escalation in the month-long internal struggle following the assembly poll defeat.
Both the political executive in New Delhi and the newly elected political dispensation in Kolkata must be careful to ensure that their image is not tarnished by induction of undesirable elements in the name of political expediency, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
A rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has formally staked claim to the party's name and symbol before the Election Commission, alleging widespread support and opposing the current leadership's "dynastic politics." The main TMC leadership has strongly criticised the Election Commission for granting an audience to expelled members, accusing the BJP of influencing the poll body.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued notices to properties linked to TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, seeking building plans for scrutiny amid allegations of unauthorised construction.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
Mayor Firhad Hakim has distanced himself from notices issued by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to properties allegedly linked to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, asserting that such matters are handled by the civic body's executive wing.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Chandrima Bhattacharya has resigned as the party's West Bengal president and from all other posts, citing a loss of trust after an admonishment from Mamata Banerjee. She has since been seen meeting with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction, further deepening the organisational crisis within the TMC following its recent Assembly election defeat.
Bharti Airtel added 7.64 trillion in value over the past five years, making it the biggest wealth creator in India's private sector, while the IT sector, including TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, collectively lost 8.5 trillion in value, according to the latest Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 report.
Beijing clearly intends to extend the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to Bangladesh as part of its larger Maritime Belt and Road Initiative to boost its Indian Ocean presence.
The move has sparked a political row, with the opposition accusing the BJP of promoting a vegetarian agenda.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will inaugurate the underground tunnel-boring work from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station in Mumbai on Sunday, marking the maiden use of a tunnel boring machine for the country's first bullet train project, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
