West Bengal police, led by Falakata Police in Alipurduar district, have busted a large illegal betel nut syndicate, seizing over 117,000 kg of produce, much of which is believed to be of foreign origin. Two individuals were apprehended, and further raids are ongoing as the state government reaffirms its commitment to combating illicit trade.
A man from West Bengal died by suicide in Gurugram's Sector 56 area by slitting his throat with a blade. Police investigations suggest he was suffering from mental stress and undergoing treatment.
A man accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in West Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur district was killed in a police encounter early on Monday. Dilip Roy allegedly opened fire at a police team attempting to arrest him, leading to police retaliation. This marks the fourth reported police encounter in West Bengal since the BJP came to power in May, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stating police are allowed to retaliate in self-defence in certain cases.
A church inauguration in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district was allegedly disrupted by a group of 30-35 people who vandalised the premises, attacked priests and devotees, and smashed mobile phones. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has led to a police investigation and condemnation from the Bangiya Christiya Pariseba, which called it an attempt to intimidate the minority community.
A West Bengal native, Jownal Abeed, was arrested on Sunday in Angamaly, Kerala, after police seized eight kg of ganja from his possession. The contraband was reportedly procured from Odisha, transported via Bengaluru, and intended for sale in the Perumbavoor area of Ernakulam district.
Two men accused in separate murder and rape-murder cases were killed in alleged gunfights with law enforcers in West Bengal on Tuesday. Both incidents occurred during crime-scene reconstruction after the accused purportedly snatched firearms from officers and opened fire. The cases involved the rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl and the killing of a BJP worker, both of which had triggered public outrage.
West Bengal could be the Bharatiya Janata Party's real test case of its business-friendly policies, points out Kanika Datta.
Kolkata Police have arrested a man in Dum Dum for allegedly posting derogatory comments and circulating false information about West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders on social media. The arrest followed a complaint, and the accused is scheduled to appear in court later on Monday.
A man in West Bengal's Alipurduar district has been arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping his minor sister-in-law, resulting in her nearly seven-month pregnancy. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by the survivor's father, and the accused was tracked down after attempting to evade police.
West Bengal authorities arrested 378 individuals and seized narcotics worth approximately Rs 64 crore during a week-long anti-drug operation. The drive, conducted between October 31 and November 7, also led to the destruction of illegal ganja cultivation and the attachment of properties, reinforcing the state's zero-tolerance policy against illicit narcotics.
West Bengal's Dhruv Singh, Anish Halder, Subha Mita Karmakar, and other young talents have advanced in the All India Sub-Junior (Under-13) Ranking Badminton Tournament held in Kolkata, showcasing strong performances against competitors from across 28 states and five union territories. The tournament features a significant prize purse, encouraging young badminton players.
President Droupadi Murmu has returned the West Bengal government's proposed anti-goonda bill for reconsideration. The objection stems from a provision in the bill that may overlap with a central anti-narcotics law, specifically concerning offences under the NDPS Act, 1985, and the PITNDPS Act, 1988. This raises concerns about potential duplication and repugnancy under Article 254 of the Constitution.
Police in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district have arrested two youths, Joy Pal and Debabrata Mallick, for allegedly raping two girls, including a 13-year-old. The arrests followed a complaint after one victim went missing, and further investigation revealed a second victim. A case has been registered under the POCSO Act.
'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.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will attend the India-Brazil international football friendly in Kolkata on October 3. The city is preparing for the historic match, with Brazil's five-time world champions having arrived and security measures stepped up.
The West Bengal Anti-Corruption Branch arrested an RTO official and a middleman in Kolkata for allegedly demanding and accepting a Rs 90,000 bribe to renew a bus permit. The arrests followed a trap operation based on a bus owner's complaint.
A man accused of rape and murder was killed in an alleged gunfight with police in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday. The incident occurred during a crime scene reconstruction when the accused reportedly snatched an officer's revolver and opened fire, leading to retaliatory firing. This marks the second such incident in the state in three months.
The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that over 37 lakh appeals concerning deletions or inclusions in West Bengal's electoral rolls remain pending under the Special Intensive Revision. The apex court-appointed tribunals have disposed of only a fraction of the 38.20 lakh appeals filed, prompting the Supreme Court to seek data and a plan for streamlining the adjudication process.
West Bengal has launched an Emerging Quantum and Semiconductor Technologies (EQST) section at CSIR-CGCRI to attract investments and position the state as a hub for next-generation technology. Minister Kalyan Chakraborti highlighted India's need to invest in these crucial sectors and outlined the state's plans to collaborate with institutions and leverage budget initiatives to foster research and start-ups.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal government to submit an affidavit within two weeks regarding the investigation into the encounter killing of an accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur. The court also ordered the preservation of all related documents and CCTV footage.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state government will introduce a new recruitment policy in the next Budget session to address irregularities and scams that occurred during the previous Trinamool Congress government.
An Independent candidate for the Rejinagar assembly bypoll in West Bengal, Saiful Islam, was arrested in a five-year-old case related to a clash during the 2021 state elections. This follows another bypoll nominee's arrest, highlighting pre-election tensions. The AJUP chief also faces a notice, and a party secretary was arrested with illegal arms and fake currency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held his first 'janata darbar' after assuming office, hearing people's demands and grievances at a BJP office in Kolkata.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya advocated a new land policy to facilitate large-scale industrialisation and assured investors of a 'fearless' environment in the state.
Newly elected West Bengal legislators, including Chief Minister Sivendu Adhikari, were sworn into the Assembly on Wednesday. Pro tem Speaker Tapas Roy administered the oath to the new members.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has expressed confidence that the BJP will form a government in West Bengal, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and citing high voter turnout as a sign of public trust.
If West Bengal does not begin to reclaim its lost pride, the state would have lost -- perhaps irreversibly, this time, notes Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Bangladesh's deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Suvendu Adhikari on assuming office as West Bengal's Chief Minister after the BJP's victory in the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured the All India Football Federation of full government support to host India's biggest-ever international football fixture against five-time World Cup champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. This historic match will be India's first against a top-five FIFA-ranked nation, offering crucial exposure to the national team despite initial concerns over crowd management.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the West Bengal government's decision to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, highlighting the benefits for the state's residents.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded the imposition of president's rule in West Bengal, citing alleged attacks on Trinamool Congress MPs and accusing the BJP government of sponsoring violence and undermining democracy.
The West Bengal government has appointed Rajdeep Majumder as the state's new additional advocate general, while N G Khaitan will take over as the advocate on record, original side, at the Calcutta High Court.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
A 21-year-old man was arrested in West Bengal's Malda district for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Police are investigating the source of the weapons and potential links to interstate gangs.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that West Bengal has gained infamy due to recruitment scams during the previous government and that there is a need to improve the state's image.
Politicians and celebrities lined up at polling stations to cast their votes.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a prime accused in the West Bengal bomb explosion case, which resulted in one fatality and three serious injuries last month. The accused, Ahidul Islam Molla, was apprehended following investigations into his role in the explosion.
The West Bengal government has restored general consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases involving central government employees and public sector undertakings within the state. This decision reverses a 2018 move by the previous Trinamool Congress government to withdraw such consent, allowing the CBI to operate more freely in these specific matters.
The West Bengal government has transferred 142.79 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to facilitate the construction of outposts and barbed-wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, according to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
A 28-year-old tourist from West Bengal drowned after a boat capsized in Massanjore Dam, Dumka district, Jharkhand. The tourist and four others took a local fisherman's boat without permission and ventured into a danger zone.
