'With vendetta politics as its main plank, the BJP will be looking out for every opportunity to destabilise this Mahagatbandhan government.'
This was confirmed by Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Mishra, who held a press conference nearly 12 hours after the incident took place at 6.40 am on the Desh Ratna Marg.
Fast bowler Akash Deep is expected to be recalled to India's Test squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, following a successful return to domestic cricket after a seven-month injury layoff. The selection committee is also set to pick squads for T20Is, ODIs, and India A's shadow tour.
The incident follows similar harassment cases reported recently in Jamui and Samastipur, raising concerns about women's safety in the state.
According to state government data, the first 10 months of last year -- January to October 2020 -- witnessed 2,649 murders in Bihar, an average of nearly nine murders a day.
Ideology and principle are always put to work to camouflage political ambition. Nitish Kumar is a past master at this. His acceptance of the NDA in the first place was aimed at the top spot of Bihar. Then Delhi became the goal, but Narendra Modi's rise as head of the campaign rang alarm bells. So Nitish suddenly remembered secularism, says Jaya Jaitly.
In a major embarrassment to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's development politics, his party colleague Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav has accused him of not coming out of caste politics.
Nitish Kumar appeared rather grumpy as he was sworn in as Bihar's chief minister for a record 10th time at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Thursday afternoon.
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
A young girl wants to correct her father's name in her school certificate; a man wants his three year unpaid rent from a government doctor, an athlete wants an archery set... Scenes from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Darbar, recorded by Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
The third T20 International between India and West Indies in Indore is anticipated to be another high-scoring affair, with the Holkar Stadium's flat pitch and short boundaries favouring batters, putting immense pressure on bowlers after a 501-run fest in the previous match.
Bihar's political corridors are buzzing with rumours of the star-politician joining hands with Nitish Kumar.
"Best wishes to Nitish Kumar ji on being nominated as the chief minister. I hope he makes his priority positive issues such as aspirations of the people of Bihar, the NDA's promise of 19 lakh jobs-employment, education, health, livelihood, irrigation and justice rather than his ambition for the chair," Tejashwi wrote in a social media post.
'Nitish Kumar has only done what any smart politician will do in his place,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
India's vice-captain Tilak Varma emphasised the need for an aggressive, wicket-taking approach against the West Indies' powerful batting lineup in the upcoming fourth T20I. With India leading 2-1, Varma highlighted the visitors' deep hitting prowess and the team's adjusted strategy after a defensive lapse in the second match. He also discussed his adaptable batting role and the team's approach to the re-laid pitch in Hyderabad.
Nitish Kumar's decision to contest the Rajya Sabha elections signals the end of his long-standing tenure as Bihar's Chief Minister, paving the way for a potential BJP leader to take the helm.
'Nitish Kumar has reverted to the 1990s model. The besetting sin of this type of ministry formation was a fundamental insult to democracy,' argues T V R Shenoy. 'Not only did it not inform the voter who the prime ministerial candidate was, but it also gloried in keeping out the largest party in the Lok Sabha.'
'If Nitish Kumar were to depart from this alliance, it would signal substantial instability in central government politics.'
Naman Dhir's batting flexibility and useful off-spin could address a missing role in India's ODI setup, with Irfan Pathan highlighting his potential following a standout domestic T20 campaign.
'Voters from the forward castes voted for JD-U because they feared Laloo Yadav's return, but since that fear is no longer there they may not see the need to vote for Nitish Kumar anymore.'
Dharmendra Kumar Singh says the Bihar chief minister may be fighting a losing battle.
Kris Srikkanth has questioned Washington Sundar's inclusion for India's Afghanistan T20Is, saying the all-rounder must prove match fitness through competitive cricket after recurring injuries.
'Nitish Kumar is the only leader who gave us everything.'
Hardik Pandya's return to cricket is contingent on him proving full fitness, specifically bowling his complete quota of 10 overs for India A, as selectors eye his potential role in the 2027 ODI World Cup amidst persistent injury concerns.
Bihar police are investigating multiple past incidents of molestation and moral policing across several districts, including Kishanganj, Banka, and Samastipur, following recent public outrage. These cases, some months or even a year old, involve vigilante groups harassing individuals, often for inter-faith interactions, and have led to arrests and significant political controversy.
Rampant crime challenges the chief minister's promise to maintain law and order. But some say there are other forces at play.
Nitish Kumar may be in the chief minister's chair again, but with the BJP grabbing the home department and the assembly speaker's post, the real power in Bihar has shifted unmistakably, reports MI Khan.
Sony Sports Network has secured exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, scheduled from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will feature India led by Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran, with both teams showcasing aggressive T20 cricket. This acquisition strengthens Sony's sports portfolio and offers a platform for Afghanistan to demonstrate its talent against a top-tier team.
India's spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has indicated that Ravindra Jadeja's prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup are strong, with his all-round skills being a crucial factor. The team is actively assessing various spin options, including Axar Patel, and using current series to experiment with combinations and fine-tune the squad for the upcoming showpiece event in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Singh, considered close to RJD president Lalu Prasad and his family, was charged with raising slogans against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on February 13, during a heated exchange in the House.
Abhishek Sharma etched his name in cricket history by smashing the fastest T20 International hundred by an Indian, a blistering 30-ball century against Afghanistan before the hosts won the match by 127 runs to sweep the series.
The BCCI's fitness monitoring system is under scrutiny after pacer Harshit Rana was found overweight despite being cleared for selection for the England tour. This incident, coupled with other player injuries, has prompted the board to introduce stricter, uniform fitness benchmarks, including a fixed Bronco Test standard, to address inconsistencies and improve player fitness assessment.
Kumar has to be elected to the legislative council within six months of assuming power as chief minister.
The rumours have primarily been about the impending resignation of JD-U national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', for alleged proximity towards ally Rashtriya Janaat Dal at the expense of loyalty to his own party.
Bihar Police have arrested three individuals in connection with a deeply disturbing viral video from Jamui showing the harassment of a young couple, an incident that has sparked widespread social media outrage and strong political condemnation.
Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday alleged that "poisonous substances" were being mixed into the food served to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, by those "coveting his chair".
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
VVS Laxman, BCCI's Centre of Excellence chief, will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. Gautam Gambhir, the regular head coach, will be with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. Amol Muzumdar will continue as the head coach for the Indian women's team, who will also defend their title.
Political activity in Bihar is all set to intensify once the inauspicious kharmas period ends on April 14. Will Nitish Kumar pull another rabbit out of his hat? M I Khan reports.
Questioning the secular credentials of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Rashitriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Thursday said Janata Dal-United is in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is being dictated by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
