INDIA

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir's chief cleric has strongly condemned the deaths of four youth in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The violence, which erupted amidst clashes between locals and the police, has sparked widespread outrage and sharp political reactions across India. In a statement, the Mirwaiz described the incident as "distressing and discriminatory," criticizing the government for its failure to protect minority communities. "The life of minorities has become dispensable, a pawn in the pursuit of electoral gains," he stated. He also denounced the rising trend of questioning the status of historical mosques, calling it a divisive tactic aimed at polarizing communities. The violence occurred on Sunday during a survey of the Mughal-era mosque, initiated by a local court following ...

Three people tragically lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district when their car, relying on Google Maps for navigation, was directed onto an unfinished flyover. The vehicle plunged into a river, leading to the fatal incident, India Today reported. The victims, identified as Vivek and Amit among them, were traveling from Gurugram to Bareilly to attend a wedding when the GPS directed them onto the under-construction bridge. The crash occurred on Saturday, prompting families to accuse construction officials of negligence in failing to properly mark or secure the incomplete flyover. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed a series of petitions challenging the inclusion of the terms “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble of the Constitution through the 1976 amendment. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar ruled that the petitions did not warrant a detailed hearing, emphasizing that the inclusion of the terms does not undermine the fact that the Constitution was adopted in 1949. “The arguments around retrospectively, if accepted, would apply to all amendments, which is untenable,” noted Chief Justice Khanna. He further clarified that the inclusion of "socialist" and "secular" reflected the evolving nature of the Constitution in response to societal needs and values, and the 1976 amendment was a legitimate development ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took aim at the opposition parties, accusing them of using hooliganism to control Parliament for their own political gain, despite being rejected by the public multiple times, ANI reported. Speaking to the media before the commencement of Parliament proceedings, Modi stated that the opposition’s actions were obstructing the smooth functioning of the Parliament, undermining democratic traditions. “Their main objective seems to be hindering Parliament's progress rather than contributing to it,” said Modi. He added that while Parliament sessions should be marked by healthy discussions, some opposition members are trying to dominate the proceedings through disruptive tactics. Referring to the upcoming 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, ...

In yet another hate incident from Surjanpur village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, two Kashmiri businessmen faced communal harassment allegedly instigated by the wife of a local Sarpanch. A video of the incident, now circulating widely on social media, shows the woman threatening the men, urging villagers to boycott their business, and coercing them to chant "Jai Shri Ram." "Why should we buy from Kashmiris. Do they give us things for free? Even if they do, we shouldn't but anything from them," the woman is heard urging others. The young man in the video tells the woman that they too are from India, but soon they are seen leaving from the venue. Before asking the duo, including an old aged man to leave, she is heard telling the duo, "Raise Jai Shri Ram slogans," "Do n...

Jammu Kashmir Police successfully apprehended a man accused of raping a woman in Jammu, who had been on the run since the incident. According to a police spokesperson, the accused, Mohd Ali, a resident of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in Lakhimpur Kheri district after months of investigation. He was charged with rape following a complaint filed on October 31, 2024, at the Pacca Danga Police Station. The police managed to track Ali down after extensive efforts, culminating in his arrest and transfer to Jammu for further legal proceedings. Additionally, police on Saturday arrested two absconders—Neeraj Kumar Puri and Sahil Sharma—who had been evading arrest for years in separate cases registered in 2017-18. The men were finally located and apprehended in Bishn...

Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu Kashmir's Reasi district faced hardships as a 72-hour strike by local stakeholders against a proposed ropeway project entered the second day on Saturday. The strike by shopkeepers, and pony and palanquin owners started on Friday amid apprehension that the ropeway project would render them jobless, officials said. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board recently decided to move forward with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track to the shrine after shelving the project in the past due to similar protests. While shops and business establishments remained open in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine, shopkeeper...

As the vote counting for the 2024 elections progresses, the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is on track for a significant victory, leading in over 200 of the state's 288 seats. In contrast, Jharkhand is witnessing a closely contested race, with the JMM-led INDIA bloc holding a slight edge over the BJP-led NDA. The Mahayuti, a coalition of the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and several smaller parties, is securing a commanding position in Maharashtra. With over 221 seats in the early trends, the alliance appears set to retain power in the state. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP-SP, trails with leads in 55 seats. In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP-Shi...

A Delhi court on Thursday directed the District Judge to transfer a case related to Jammu Kashmir militancy-funding to a court designated to handle cases involving lawmakers, noting that one of the accused, Engineer Rashid, is now a Member of Parliament. Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh, who was also set to rule on Rashid’s application for regular bail, forwarded the case file to the District Judge. The matter is expected to be heard on November 25. Engineer Rashid, currently serving as a Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Jammu Kashmir, has been in custody since 2019 under charges of terror funding filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case dates back to 2017 and involves allegations of financia...

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday demanded immediate arrest of industrialist Gautam Adani after the billionaire industrialist was charges in the US for alleged bribery and fraud. Addressing a press conference here hours after the US prosecutors charged Adani and associates for allegedly paying USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials, the Congress leader said it is now pretty clear and established in the US that the businessman has broken Indian as well as American laws. The Adani group has not yet reacted to the charges. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek hain to safe hain' slogan, Gandhi said that as long as the prime minister and Adani are together, they are safe in India. He said Adani should be arrested immediately and interrogated, and his "p...