National

Nagpur Police Chief Urges Citizens to Disregard Rumors Amid Rising Tensions

Published

1 year ago

March 18, 2025

Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal urged residents to collaborate with local authorities in preserving peace and order. He noted that tensions escalated following the burning of a specific photo, although calm was subsequently restored. The police have filed a case related to the incident, with investigations currently underway. However, a verbal altercation among some individuals contributed to rising tensions.

Singal stated that police personnel, including senior officers, State Reserve Police, and Rapid Action Force members, have been deployed to help ensure normalcy is reinstated.

The commissioner acknowledged that there was stone pelting and emphasized that those responsible are being apprehended. “I urge citizens to remain cautious, as police officers are present in the area. Please do not fall for rumors. If necessary, reach out to the control room and avoid leaving your homes,” he advised. Singal also informed senior officials, including the state Director General of Police and Additional Director General of Police, about the incident and the police response.

According to police sources, two groups clashed violently in the Mahal area of Nagpur over the destruction of Aurangzeb’s grave, leading to incidents of stone pelting and arson, which resulted in injuries to several police personnel.

Earlier in the day, members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a protest at Shivaji Chowk, demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s grave. They torched an effigy of Aurangzeb and destroyed a poster, which heightened tensions in the Mahal neighborhood.

As a response, additional police forces were deployed, and the situation was initially brought under control. Unfortunately, violent clashes erupted again in the evening, resulting in more stone pelting and arson. The police utilized tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore order but encountered heavy stone throwing, with reports of individuals throwing knives at officers. Several vehicles sustained damage during these unrests.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Ambadas Danve criticized the state government for the clashes occurring in Nagpur. He accused the government of inciting divisiveness between the Hindu and Muslim communities. “It’s ironic that despite the Chief Minister and the Home Minister being from Nagpur, the police appeared unprepared,” he claimed.

NCP SP legislator Rohit Pawar also condemned the state government for the violent incidents. In a statement, he remarked, “What has the government achieved by perpetrating violence against ordinary citizens and destroying their property? The unrest in Nagpur results from inflammatory remarks made by government officials in recent days, and the government is entirely at fault. Ministers who fuel such divisive atmospheres should be removed from their positions. Furthermore, the government lacks the moral authority to remain in power.”

In a post on X, he expressed, “The core issues affecting farmers, workers, youth, students, and the unemployed have been neglected. If these issues had been addressed, families would have found relief. However, to distract from these pressing concerns, the government is promoting communal and religious tensions. It is crucial for the citizens of Maharashtra to recognize these tactics. We cannot allow communal or religious divides to take root; those inciting such divides remain hidden while ordinary people suffer. Therefore, I urge all citizens to work towards maintaining peace!”

National

Delhi Techie Found Dead During Honeymoon Trip

Published

16 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Namma Kudla

National: A 27-year-old IT professional from Delhi was found dead at a homestay in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The woman, P Radha Gayatri, had gone on a honeymoon trip with her husband.

According to police, the couple checked into a homestay on June 14. Her husband said they had consumed alcohol and went to sleep late at night.

The next morning, he found Gayatri unconscious on the floor. Police said she was lying in a pool of urine, and blood was coming from her nose. She was declared dead at the scene.

The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. Police are investigating the case and waiting for the autopsy report to determine the cause of death.

National

Pakistan Ranked World’s Most Polluted Country in 2025

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Islamabad: Pakistan has been ranked as the most polluted country in the world in 2025, according to a new report released by Swiss air quality monitoring company IQ Air.

The report found that Pakistan’s average PM2.5 pollution level was 13 times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 refers to tiny harmful particles in the air that can enter the lungs and cause serious health problems.

IQ Air said that only 13 countries and territories met the WHO air quality guideline of less than 5 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air in 2025. This was an improvement from seven countries in 2024.

The report also revealed that 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories failed to meet the WHO standard.

Bangladesh was ranked as the second most polluted country, while Tajikistan secured the third position. Chad, which was the most polluted country in 2024, ranked fourth in 2025.

Experts said that Chad’s lower ranking may be linked to missing pollution data. In March 2025, the United States ended a global air quality monitoring program due to budget cuts. The program had collected pollution data from US embassies and consulates around the world.

Christi Chester Schroeder, the lead author of the report, said that the loss of data makes it difficult to know the true pollution levels in some countries.

Because of data shortages, Burundi, Turkmenistan and Togo were not included in the 2025 report.

The report also identified Loni in India as the world’s most polluted city. The city recorded an average PM2.5 level of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter. Hotan in China ranked second with 109.6 micrograms.

According to the report, the 25 most polluted cities in the world were all located in India, Pakistan and China.

Only 14 percent of cities worldwide met the WHO air quality standard in 2025. This was lower than the 17 percent recorded in the previous year.

The report noted that large wildfires in Canada increased air pollution levels across the United States and even affected parts of Europe.

Countries that met the WHO air quality guideline in 2025 included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama.

Meanwhile, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia reported significant improvements in air quality. Experts said wetter and windier La Niña weather conditions helped reduce pollution levels in these countries.

Mongolia also recorded a 31 percent drop in average PM2.5 levels during the year.

Overall, 75 countries reported lower pollution levels in 2025, while 54 countries experienced an increase in air pollution, according to the IQ Air report

National

Indian Air Force AN-32 Transport Aircraft Crashes

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Dispur: An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday. The aircraft caught fire after the crash.

According to reports, the AN-32 aircraft went down within the premises of the air base. A fire broke out immediately after the accident.

Rescue and firefighting teams rushed to the spot and launched an operation to control the flames. The fire was brought under control after their prompt response.

The exact cause of the crash is not known yet. Authorities are investigating the incident.

So far, there have been no reports of any deaths or injuries. The Indian Air Force has confirmed the accident and said that more details will be shared after a complete assessment of the situation.

Further information is awaited.