Encephalitis playing havoc in north Bengal, where 102 people have died, has spread its tentacles to Assam as well taking 43 lives there.
The National Human Rights Commission issued a notice to the West Bengal government and the state's police chief on Thursday in connection with the killing of eight people in Birbhum district, and sought a report within four weeks, detailing the steps taken to ensure the safety of people, officials said.
'At this point of time, West Bengal is doing better than other states in tackling the crisis. We have a chief minister who herself has hit the streets to do what is to be done, and at the same time ensuring a proper lockdown. She is also trying day and night to set up the requisite infrastructure.'
The investigators are unable to join several dots due to lack of evidence from the crime scene.
Notwithstanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's warning of strict action if work is not resumed, the junior doctors carried on with their agitation.
They say new rules that make over-billing by private hospitals a criminal offence will hurt their ability to treat patients properly, says Subir Roy.
After the Trinamool's overwhelming majority in the West Bengal assembly elections last year, the SSC scam has given fresh ammunition to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist. Ishita Ayan Dutt reports.
Mukherjee said he was well and hoped to be back at work after 48 hours.
West Bengal Sport, Transport and Youth Affairs Minister Subhas Chakraborty passed away in a private hospital in Kolkata at 11.35 am on Monday following multiple organ failure.The veteran leader from the Communist Party of India-Marxist was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on July 26 with chest infection and pneumonia. Chakraborty had also been battling cancer for a few years. He was 67 years old.His condition deteriorated on Monday morning.
Three more infants died at the Malda Sadar Hospital in West Bengal on Wednesday after being referred in critical condition from other district hospitals, taking the death toll in recent spell to 31.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee paid rich tributes to Swami Smaranananda.
After 11 days, the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department arrested two men in the gang rape of a 71-year-old nun during an attack on a convent in West Bengal's Ranaghat, about 100 km from Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the building collapse site at Azan Molla Lane in the city's western periphery and assured local residents of stern action against illegal construction.
Under pressure from the opposition after the death of a leader of the Student's Federation of India, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday termed the episode as "unfortunate", but evaded a question on whether a judicial probe would be ordered into the incident.
Briefing reporters on her visit, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said the Singapore Foreign Minister K Shanmugam has invited Banerjee to improve relations and she has accepted it.
Shah said BJP worker's family had complained that his body had been taken away forcibly.
Twelve babies died at a state-run hospital in Kolkata, triggering protests by locals and relatives. The West Bengal government has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Asitava Purakayastha's family refused to take him back until he was certified SARS negative.
The Tata Group on Wednesday announced that it would set up a cancer hospital in Kolkata and make further investment in West Bengal.
The Sikkim Government has confirmed that 14 people have died so far in the flash floods that occurred in Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday.
He indicated his conviction will remain firm even if that "uprising" ultimately puts the party he faithfully served for 13 years in the dock.
More than 170 personnel have been tested till now after they returned to their base in Cuttack, Odisha, from the cyclone-affected West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's surprise visit to a state-run hospital in Kolkata on Thursday led to a sharp exchange with its head who was later suspended for objecting to the presence of the media which followed her in.
In one of the worst hooch tragedies in West Bengal, 57 people, mostly labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, died and over hundred have been hospitalised in serious condition after consuming illicit liquor at Mograhat in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.
In one of the worst hooch tragedies in West Bengal, 57 people, mostly labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, died and over hundred have been hospitalised in serious condition after consuming illicit liquor at Mograhat in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.
"There should be an impartial investigation into the incident as there was a complete lapse on the part of the administration to ensure proper security arrangements. "Around 7,000 people were reportedly present at the venue of the programme where the seating capacity was around 3,000 people. He was mobbed there, which means security arrangements were not in place for a VIP," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
The CBI officials opened the seal placed on Sheikh's home by the ED to enter the premises. They are also conducting videography and mapping the area for their investigation.
The middle-aged woman, Shubra Ghorui, is said to have harboured anger against Chatterjee after the seizure of around Rs 50 crore in cash, along with jewellery, by the ED.
People from all walks of life -- former students of several educational institutions, clay modellers, rickshaw pullers and junior doctors -- separately hit the streets of Kolkata on Sunday in continued protest over the rape and murder of a medic in a state-run hospital a month ago.
It will be interesting to see what shifts have been recorded in the last decade-and-a-half -- from the effects of demonetisation and Covid's second wave to the drop in fertility and increase in farm workers -- but we will only know this if and when the Census is conducted, points out Aakar Patel.
Late-stage diagnosis is a major issue, with over 75 per cent of cases being detected at advanced stages (50 per cent at Stage 3 and 25 per cent at Stage 4). This significantly reduces survival rates.
Those trying to use my father to serve their political interests should be ashamed of themselves, Mukul Roy's son said.
During this period, all government and private offices, shopping complexes, malls, bars, sports complexes, pubs and beauty parlours will remain closed.
A top Catholic functionary arrived West Bengal's Ranaghat to express solidarity with the sister superior of a convent school, who was allegedly gang-raped on Saturday.
A seven-year-old boy was killed and another child injured in a crude bomb explosion in Burdwan city in West Bengal on Monday, triggering tension in the area ahead of the elections amid a political war of words over the law and order situation in the state.
'Even if we have laws in place, which we must, we need a societal change.' 'Rather than telling our daughters that, "Listen, leave your house at so and so time, come back by so and so time," we must tell the men and boys that "Whatever point of time you encounter a woman in public space or wherever, you treat her with respect, dignity, and as an equal participant in these public spaces".'
The CBI, tasked by the Calcutta high court to probe the case, received local court approval to conduct a polygraph test on the accused, days after performing a psychoanalysis test on him.
Over one crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the political fate of 342 candidates.
Since much of the voting was on religious lines, Mamata's rural focus became irrelevant.
Kumudini Dakua (87)who created quite a revolution during our freedom movement, passed away at B C Roy Hospital in Haldia on Wednesday night.
