States

A wild elephant strayed into Ranchi’s Hawai Nagar area on Friday morning, causing panic among residents. Forest officials deployed a team to drive it back safely. Authorities heightened safety measures amid rising concerns over man-elephant conflict fatalities in Jharkhand

The Election Commission of India estimates 2,500 CAPF companies may be needed for a single-phase West Bengal Assembly poll. Final decision on phases depends on feasibility, balancing security deployment with preventing voter intimidation and reducing multi-phase election complexity

A self-proclaimed "godman" in Yadgir, Mallikarjun Mutya, is absconding after a viral video showing him misbehaving with a minor sparked outrage. The KSCPCR registered a suo motu case, and police filed an FIR under the POCSO Act to initiate a manhunt

A public spat erupted between TMC MP Mahua Moitra and Electoral Roll Observer CS Murugan over alleged WhatsApp directions to micro-observers during voter roll revisions. Abhishek Banerjee accused officials of bypassing Supreme Court norms, while Murugan denied issuing improper directives

The Indian Air Force will hold its largest exercise, Vayu Shakti-2026, at Pokhran near the Pakistan border, with President Droupadi Murmu co-piloting LCH Prachand. Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI and Apache helicopters will showcase combat capabilities amid heightened security

Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Indravati river area of Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, with arms and explosives recovered. Separately, a Dantewada court sentenced two Maoists to five years’ imprisonment under the Explosive Substances Act

The Enforcement Directorate has attached Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani’s Mumbai residence ‘Abode’, valued at Rs 3,716 crore, under the PMLA in connection with an alleged bank fraud case linked to Reliance Communications

Ahead of Kerala Assembly polls, the CPI(M) is intensifying cultural outreach to secure a third term for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. By engaging film icons like Mohanlal and other artists, the party aims to strengthen its public image 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath secured MoUs worth Rs 11,000 crore with leading Japanese firms during his Japan visit. Agreements across manufacturing, automotive electronics, infrastructure, hospitality and real estate aim to boost industrial capacity and strengthen India-Japan economic cooperation

Delhi Police arrested a couple in Malviya Nagar for allegedly hurling racial slurs at three women from Arunachal Pradesh during a dispute. The FIR includes SC-ST Act charges. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta condemned the incident and assured strict action

A bride was critically injured after her alleged former lover shot her during the jaimala ceremony at a wedding in Chausa, Buxar district. The accused fled the scene. Police have launched raids and are investigating the suspected love-affair angle behind the attack

In New Delhi, intelligence agencies suspect a proxy terror role in the killing of two Punjab Police personnel at a border outpost in Gurdaspur. A little-known group claimed responsibility, amid concerns of renewed attempts to destabilise Punjab through cross-border and Khalistan-linked operations

South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, has identified seven mine overburden dumps for rare earth element exploration. Scientific studies and tendering are underway, aiming to boost domestic critical mineral supply and reduce import dependence

The Union Cabinet’s approval to rename Kerala as Keralam reflects the State’s linguistic and historical identity. Rooted in Dravidian tradition and ancient records, the move aligns the official name with local usage and long-standing constitutional demands

The Union Cabinet has approved the Kerala government’s proposal to rename the State as Keralam. The decision, taken ahead of Assembly elections, will now move through constitutional procedures under Article 3 before the Bill is introduced in Parliament

A Japanese woman learning a new Marathi word daily went viral, sparking debate on linguistic respect in Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray praised foreigners’ efforts to embrace local language and culture, urging locals to strengthen Marathi through economic and social engagement

Army canine soldier ‘Tyson’, a German Shepherd injured while leading Operation Trashi-I in Kishtwar, is recovering well. His bravery helped neutralize Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Saifullah and associates. Tyson was airlifted for treatment, with White Knight Corps praising his heroism

A Pawan Hans helicopter with seven people crashed into the sea near Sri Vijaya Puram after takeoff from Mayabunder, North and Middle Andaman. All passengers and crew were rescued and admitted to hospital; a technical snag is suspected, and an inquiry is underway

Look-out circulars were issued against four Gajera family members in Surat over an alleged ₹1,928.39 crore fraud linked to Shanti Residency projects. Police are probing their financial connections with fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, while no arrests have yet been made

In Shivamogga, Karnataka, 15-year-old Sanket died after being assaulted while saving his friend from a group attack. Two minors have been taken into custody. The incident sparked communal tension and prompted police to heighten security in the area

  A retired Kannur school principal and motivational speaker, K C Shaju, was arrested for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a 17-year-old girl during a counselling session at his home. He has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody; investigation continues 

Rajasthan Police detained a suspect for the strangulation of a 13-year-old girl in Bikaner. The victim was murdered while walking to her Class 8 board exams. Authorities suspect sexual assault, while local protests over the tragedy have delayed the post-mortem

The Election Commission of India held a National Round Table Conference with State Election Commissioners at Bharat Mandapam, the first in 27 years. Chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, discussions focused on EVMs, electoral rolls, technology sharing and cooperative federalism

Delhi Police arrested Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib over a shirtless protest at Bharat Mandapam during the India AI Impact Summit. Congress leaders termed the action illegal, while police cited evidence and alleged non-cooperation during prolonged questioning