Telangana

Members of Hyderabad’s Bengali community marked the culmination of Durga Puja with Sindoor Khela rituals across the twin cities on Wednesday. Women in traditional attire exchanged vermilion and sweets, while community associations hosted celebrations at prominent pandals and venues.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence arrested five people and seized 3.1 kg of foreign-origin gold, US dollars and euros worth Rs 5.84 crore near Vijayawada. The suspects allegedly smuggled gold from Bangladesh through Kolkata for transportation to Hyderabad

A fresh clash between groups led by Congress MLA Kokkirala Premsagar Rao and M Jaganmohan Rao at Thallapet village in Mancherial left around six people injured. Police deployed additional personnel after the incident, which followed an earlier clash during Saddula Bathukamma celebrations.

Police Commemoration Day was observed at Goshamahal in Hyderabad on Wednesday with a Police Flag Day parade honouring personnel who died in the line of duty. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy attended the programme as the chief guest.

Women conductors at Hyderabad’s Kushaiguda RTC depot alleged that they were prevented from signing the attendance register and pressured to take leave when drivers were absent. Depot officials denied the allegation and said the conductors would receive their full salaries.

A 25-year-old man identified as Kiran was found dead in a lodge in Hyderabad’s Kushaiguda on Wednesday. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and gathering details about his recent activities.

Adibatla police arrested three persons in connection with an iron truss collapse at a Dandiya event at MVSR Engineering College in Nadargul on October 17. The incident killed student Narayanadas Sona Chilikti and injured 22 others. Five persons remain absconding.

BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao extended Dasara greetings to Telangana, highlighting the festival’s cultural significance, the worship of the Jammi tree and the sighting of the Palapitta. They wished people well-being, prosperity and success.

BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao celebrated Dasara at his Erravalli residence on Tuesday, offering prayers to the Shami tree and performing traditional vehicle and weapons pujas. Family members, party leaders and office staff attended the celebrations.

Nearly 22,000 people visited Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park on the Dussehra holiday. Recent additions include two male mandrills and three zebras, while kangaroos, wallabies, ring-tailed lemurs and a cassowary are expected from Vantara.

Yadadri Thermal Power Plant’s 800 MW Unit 5 has been synchronised with the grid. Coal India has agreed in principle to supply 50 lakh tonnes annually from Odisha, while the formal agreement remains pending and the plant reportedly has five days of coal stock.

Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended Vijayadashami greetings, highlighting the festival's message of the triumph of good over evil, righteousness, unity, and social harmony.

A 52-year-old farmer from Guda village in Adilabad district died during treatment after attempting suicide, reportedly distressed over poor cotton growth. The death takes the reported toll to six in 20 days, prompting former minister Jogu Ramanna to demand relief.

The Telangana Association of United Kingdom celebrated Chenetha Bathukamma in London and other parts of the UK, with around 2,000 people attending the London event. Participants wore Telangana handloom clothing, exchanged festive greetings and pledged continued support for weavers.

Long dismissed as comic relief, Telangana’s dialect and identity now take centre stage in mainstream Telugu cinema, exposing Tollywood’s entrenched sexism, caste blindness and cultural imbalance

National Health Mission employees in Nagarkurnool continued their indefinite strike for the seventh day on Monday, wearing nooses around their necks to highlight their distress. They demanded regularisation, equal pay, health benefits, annual increments, loyalty bonuses and maternity leave.

BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao extended Dasara greetings to Telangana, highlighting the festival’s cultural significance and traditions, including worshipping the Jammi tree and sighting the palapitta. He recalled their recognition as State symbols and prayed for peace and prosperity.

Telangana is planning a foodgrain security buffer for 3.42 crore PDS beneficiaries amid El Nino concerns and rising rice prices. Officials estimate that existing stocks and pending receipts will meet combined welfare requirements until September 2027, while additional essential commodities are under consideration.

BRS leader Singireddy Niranjan Reddy blamed power outages for withering paddy crops in Peddagudem Thanda and demanded a State-wide crop-loss assessment and compensation. He also criticised the government’s handling of electricity supply, irrigation pumps and water diversion.

EAGLE Force says it uncovered a suspected drug manufacturing unit at a poultry farm in Maharashtra during a probe into an alleged inter-State synthetic drug trafficking network. Further arrests have been made as investigators trace the supply of precursor chemicals.

Hyderabad witnessed lighter traffic on several arterial roads on Monday as residents left for their hometowns to celebrate Dasara. Fewer vehicles, office closures and reduced commercial activity eased commuting, offering temporary relief from congestion before traffic picks up after the holidays.

Armed Reserve Assistant Sub-Inspector N Prasad, 57, died after his car skidded off the Narsapur-Medak road on Sunday night. He was shifted to a private hospital in Hyderabad after first aid but succumbed to his injuries early Monday.

South Central Railway has operated 120 special trains, carrying around four lakh additional passengers in a week. With over 700 special trains announced for Dasara, Diwali and Chhath Puja, SCR has strengthened security, ticketing facilities and crowd management at busy stations.

TGSRTC has arranged 7,000 special buses for Dasara travellers, with nearly 97 per cent of planned services operated since October 10. Officials have been directed to add buses as needed and monitor the return rush on October 17, 18 and 19.