Two tribal rights activists, Dr Randall Sequeira and Laxman Naik, have been arrested in Odisha's Rayagada district in connection with a six-month-old clash during an anti-mining protest. While police claim the activists instigated tribals to attack security personnel, a civil society group has condemned the arrests, alleging they are an attempt to suppress protests for tribal rights over natural resources. The activists face serious charges including attempt to murder and rioting.
Keralam police have arrested Siddhab Gamidanga, 24, from Odisha in connection with a rape case in Ernakulam. He allegedly sexually assaulted the complainant, took nude photos, and threatened to circulate them. He fled to Odisha after the case was registered but was traced and brought back to Keralam on a transit warrant.
A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has brought heavy rainfall to parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, leading to the evacuation of at least 3,500 people and prompting authorities to issue red and orange alerts for several districts.
Maoist leader Azad alias Dana Keshab Rao has been released after spending over 15 years in jail as an undertrial prisoner, following his acquittal in all 49 cases registered against him in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
A man was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint in Rayagada, Odisha, and later found murdered. Police have launched an investigation and are searching for the identified suspects.
'There is no need for panic as there is widespread protective immune memory in the population from vaccination as well as prior infections.'
Odisha Vigilance arrested a cooperative official, Tarini Prasad Tripathy, for his alleged involvement in a Rs 75 lakh fraud case at K Singhpur Large Area Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (LAMPCS) in Rayagada district.
A rice-laden van overturned in Odisha's Rayagada district, resulting in two fatalities and seven serious injuries. The accident occurred near Kachapaju village, and investigations are underway.
Four students suffered burn injuries after a schoolboy allegedly hurled a liquid chemical substance at them in Odisha's Rayagada district on Monday, the police said.
Signed by seven experts, the preliminary report said they carefully examined the accident site, available evidence, statements of officials concerned, data logger report and the speedometer chart.
Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania announced that 77 Maoists have surrendered to police in the state between January 2025 and March 2025. He also noted that 23 Maoists from Odisha surrendered in Chhattisgarh during the same period, and 27 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces.
Ghanta Tarkari is a classic Odia dish prepared using a mix of seasonal vegetables, often cooked in large batches and shared with family and neighbours.
Odisha Police have declared an end to the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) threat in the state, announcing the closure of the Maoist surrender window and a shift in focus to eliminating remaining insurgents in Kandhamal district.
Severe cyclonic storm 'Montha' has begun making landfall off the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the process expected to continue for the next three to four hours. The storm is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, with wind speeds of 90-100 kmph.
A tribal couple in Odisha's Rayagada district was allegedly forced to plough a field with a yoke placed on their shoulders as a form of public punishment for marrying against community traditions.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) issued high sea waves, up to 4.7 metres high, warning across several coastal districts.
Two coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Passenger train from the rear and the loco of Visakhapatnam-Rayagada Passenger were derailed as a result of the accident, the railway official said, adding that rescue operations are underway.
A tailor's tag on a blood-stained shirt found near the crime scene helped the Odisha Police to crack a mysterious murder case and arrest three people, an officer said.
Search and rescue operations after two passenger trains collided 40 km from Vizianagaram.
It is suspected that some deaths have occurred in the accident as well, an official said but could not immediately confirm the information.
The Palasa passenger train hit the Rayagada passenger train from behind at Kantakapalli, about 40 Km from Visakhapatnam, causing three coaches to derail.
According to weather officials, wind speeds along and off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts are anticipated to reach 60 km/h from October 23, increasing to 120 km/h from October 24 night to October 25 morning.
The investigating agency has also collected the burnt remnants of Antov and Bidenov from a cremation ground near Rayagada, according to an official statement.
A senior official involved in the investigation of the case said "seizure of burnt remnants of the deceased could be useful for future investigation in the case."
The Odisha police are searching for another man from the same country, a self-proclaimed anti-Ukraine war activist, who has gone missing.
The Russian, identified as Milyakov Sergey, was found dead in a ship anchored at Paradip Port in Jagatsinghpur district.
The cyclonic storm is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur around Sunday evening, the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said.
'It is very likely to move nearly northwards for next few hour and recurve slowly north-northeastwards along Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts during noon to evening on Wednesday and emerge into west central Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coasts by night,' the India Meteorological Department said in its national bulletin.
This is the second death of Russian lawmakers within a week in the same Odisha hotel.
The orange alert has been issued for moderate or heavy thunderstorms and wind speed with 30-40 km per hour to reach some districts of Odisha within the next three hours.
The attackers snatched the walkie-talkie of the station master, and forced staff of a goods train standing outside the station to shut down the engine.
Trains passing through Maoist-hit areas were cancelled and short terminated on the East Coast Railways (ECoR) in view of the two-day Bharat Bandh called by the extremists from Wednesday.
The state government has instructed officials in coastal districts and various departments to be alert to tackle any emergency situation
A minor orphan girl, who was gang-raped and had tried to immolate herself in Odisha's Rayagada district a fortnight ago, died in Visakhapatanam on Tuesday. "The girl passed away around 3.45 pm in a private hospital at Visakhapatanam where she was under treatment," said Rayagada District Collector S S Padhi.
Hours before the visit of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Maoists struck in a big way attacking a railway station, damaging communication towers and looting a block office in Orissa's Koraput district on Thursday.
A fierce encounter is on between the Special Operation Group of the Orissa police and the Maoists in a dense forest in the state's Rayagada district since Sunday evening, the police said.
Three Maoists were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in a forest area of Odisha's Rayagada district, police said on Friday.
The two PSOs who were travelling with the DIG when the incident occurred were questioned on Monday night and had been taken into custody at Rayagada.
Five of those caught in the cross fire died on the spot, while another person succumbed to injuries later, Kandamal superintendent of police Pinak Mishra told media persons.
Of 22 eligible voters in the village, 19 persons -- 12 women and 7 men -- attended the gram sabha, despite heavy rains to voice their opposition to the project. Tadijhola, located on the foothills of Niyamgiri, is predominantly inhabited by the milkmen community.
