The Officer-in-Charge, New Jalpaiguri police outpost, Pankaj Thapa told PTI that the blast took place when four students of Gatebazar Railway school were roaming around in the area and picked up a bottle appearing to have some jelly like substance inside it.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs expressing concern over the recent riots in Murshidabad district and the threat of "radicalisation" and "militancy". The governor has suggested a series of measures, including the establishment of a commission of inquiry and the deployment of central forces in border districts, and has hinted at the possibility of President's rule under Article 356 if the situation deteriorates further. He has also criticized the state government's response to the violence, alleging a lack of coordination and a failure to prevent the escalation of the situation.
The CPI-M leader was the chief minister of the state from 2000 to 2011.
Justice Gavai's comment came while the apex court bench, also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, was considering a fresh plea seeking an inquiry into the recent violence in West Bengal during anti-Waqf law protests.
Lionel Messi's much-hyped visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday lasted 22 minutes, just enough to underline everything that is wrong in Indian football and the state administration's mismanagement.
The protesting doctors said they would not work in the Outpatient Department but would partially work in emergency and essential services.
Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the allegation and said it was only a paper cutting used in a protest.
After recent high-intensity operations in the Bastar region and the neutralisation of several senior Maoist leaders, officials say the insurgency has lost its ability to mount large-scale coordinated attacks.
A high alert has been sounded in Uttar Pradesh's seven districts bordering Nepal. The districts are Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri and Pilibhit.
Eight suspected members of terrorist outfit Ansar-al-Islam Bangladesh, who were recently arrested, had been planning to target the 'Chicken's Neck' connecting West Bengal's Siliguri with the northeastern states, a top police officer said. They wanted to create large-scale instability in the corridor by carrying out synchronised attacks and fomenting instability, he said.
The West Bengal government has drafted new rules to enhance the security of working women, especially those on night shifts. The rules include setting up a mandatory complaint committee and installing CCTV cameras at workplaces.
A female student of primary school was killed in Kaliganj in West Bengal's Nadia district on Monday after bombs were allegedly hurled from a Trinamool Congress victory celebration rally taken out even before the results of the assembly bypoll were officially announced.
Bose is on record that the government cannot evade responsibility and remain silent on the disturbing developments in the state.
The Calcutta high court on Tuesday directed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) be handed over the case of attack on Enforcement Directorate officials at Sandeshkhali and the custody of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh, as it slammed West Bengal Police for 'totally biased' conduct and said every attempt is being made to delay the probe to 'protect' the accused.
Heavy rainfall across North India leads to fatalities, structural damage, travel disruptions, and school closures. Eastern states brace for more rain.
Two petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the violence in West Bengal over the newly-enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act. The petitions call for a special investigation team or a judicial enquiry commission to investigate the incidents, which have resulted in deaths and displacement. The Calcutta High Court has already ordered the deployment of central forces in the violence-hit Murshidabad district.
One person was shot dead while another suffered bullet injury in Burdwan and North 24 Parganas districts as voting began in 91 municipalities across West Bengal on Saturday.
Families in West Bengal allege that Delhi Police illegally detained and deported their relatives, living and working in Delhi, to Bangladesh. They claim the deportations were based on the fact that they spoke Bengali.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud directed the protesting doctors to get back to work by 5 pm on Tuesday and assured them that there will be no adverse action if they resume duty.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to conduct a pan-India investigation into digital arrest scams and questioned the RBI about its lack of AI usage in detecting and freezing accounts used by cybercriminals.
Supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) clashed with police in West Bengal on Monday during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, leading to several injuries and the torching of multiple police vehicles. The clash occurred after police stopped ISF supporters from attending an anti-Waqf Act rally in Kolkata. The protests escalated when the crowd attempted to break through police barricades. The situation was brought under control after a large police force was deployed. ISF leader Naushad Siddique condemned the Waqf Act and accused the BJP of trying to incite communal tension. Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress dismissed the ISF as a "party of no consequence." Communal violence related to the Waqf Act has also occurred in other parts of West Bengal.
It was stated that Mishra was very influential in the conduct of the day-to-day affairs of South Calcutta Law College, of which he is an alumnus.
A delegation from the National Commission for Women (NCW) visited a relief camp in Malda, West Bengal, and reported that women were being harassed and threatened by police. The NCW team, led by chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, met with those displaced by riots in Murshidabad and alleged that the women were being coerced to return home without proper safety measures. The team is scheduled to travel to Murshidabad and Kolkata to continue their investigation.
Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on Tuesday to press for various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments.
Unidentified assailants hurled bombs and opened fire outside the residence of BJP leader and former MP Arjun Singh in Bhatpara, West Bengal, injuring a youth. Singh alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sunita Singh's son, Namit Singh, was behind the attack. Police are investigating the incident and have deployed security forces in the area.
Glimpses from India and around the world that will make you smile and cry.
Justice Chakraborty said that the petitioner BJP will be vicariously responsible for any damage or loss of public property.
Polling for the 144-seat Kolkata Municipal Corporation is underway amid tight security arrangements.
The Maoists in Bastar went from one village to another with kits providing badly needed medical intervention. The medical help was one key reason why the tribals were attracted to the Maoists, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
A 27-year-old event management professional was killed in an accident while trying to escape from eve-teasers who were chasing her in another vehicle in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district. The victim, identified as Suchandra Chattopadhyay, was travelling with three colleagues to Gaya for a function when the accident took place at Panagarh around 3 AM. Two of the other passengers sustained serious injuries. Police have launched a search operation to locate the suspects.
The West Bengal government has assured the Calcutta High Court that the law and order situation in violence-hit Murshidabad district is under control. The court was hearing a petition by the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who alleged bomb blasts during communal riots and sought an NIA investigation. The state government claims adequate steps have been taken to quell the violence, while the Centre has requested an extension of CAPF deployment in the district. The violence erupted during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Murshidabad, displacing several families. The state government has reported that some families have returned to their homes.
The ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday hailed the arrest of absconding party leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of torturing villagers in trouble-torn Sandeshkhali area, and said it was possible only after the court cleared the decks and accused the opposition of exploiting the earlier 'embargo' on his arrest.
Villagers alleged that the minor, who was missing since Friday evening, was raped and murdered, and the police did not act on their complaint immediately.
The junior doctors called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals around 8.30 pm on Friday but threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been accorded 'Z' category VIP security cover by the Union government following an attack on her. The CRPF has taken charge of her security, providing round-the-clock protection.
In a federal democracy, the people must have a say (indirect or direct) in an office as important as that of governor. Especially in a governor who can now effectively veto a bill by simply refusing to sign it, argues Harishchandra.
'The Bengali middle class, who never fully embraced Mamata Banerjee's policies, are now expressing their deep-seated frustration by spilling out on to the streets.'
Gandhi alleged the increase in railway accidents in the last 10 years is a "direct result of the mismanagement and negligence of the Modi government, which has resulted in loss of lives and property of passengers on a daily basis".
On the eve of Durga Puja in October 2008, industrialist Ratan Tata announced that Tata Motors would withdraw from the nearly completed Nano car plant in Singur, attributing the decision to Mamata Banerjee's anti-land acquisition movement, which he claimed had derailed what was meant to be a "groundbreaking project" -- the world's cheapest car.
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