Author: IND Media

Ahmedabad/Rajkot: What began as a joyful homecoming has turned into a nightmare for a 27-year-old logistics manager from New York. The young professional came to Ahmedabad to spend time with his parents after two years apart, with a Dec 15 appointment for visa stamping on his passport by the US embassy here. Visa stamping is a mandatory official document allowing the visa holder to gain entry back into the US.Then came the email that changed everything. “On Dec 12, I received a message that the appointment has been rescheduled. I am spending sleepless nights wondering when I will get my…

Prayagraj: The Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UP Board) has issued a warning to students about fake question papers circulating on YouTube and other social media platforms related to the 2026 high school and intermediate examinations. The board is concerned that these unauthorized papers might mislead students, and has urged them to rely only on official study materials and announcements.The board has received multiple complaints about the alleged leak of UP pre-board examination papers and the sharing of other purported question papers online. Acting on these complaints, board secretary Bhagwati Singh has issued strict instructions to address the spread of…

Berhampur: State govt on Saturday suspended Baliguda assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Suryakant Behera for shoddy probe into the death of an elephant in Kandhamal district on Jan 17 and cutting of its carcass into 32 pieces before burying them in different places. Forest officers arrested two more persons in the case on Saturday.An office order issued by the forest and environment department said Behera was suspended with immediate effect pending disciplinary proceedings. During the period of suspension, the headquarters of Behera fixed at the office of the principal conservator of forests and he would not be allowed to leave…

Faridabad: The tourism department is considering a news-and-commerce website to showcase and sell products made by artisans at Surajkund Crafts Mela, officials said on Saturday. The move is aimed at giving craftsmen a global exposure, with officials citing how Kolhapuri chappals evolved into an internationally sold Indian brand commanding premium prices. The proposal, currently on the department’s idea list, was shared on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 39th Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Shilp Mela 2026 in Faridabad. Tourism secretary-level officials said the initiative is being explored as a way to ensure that artisans, who currently get a chance to…

Kanpur: A new system was implemented from Feb 10 to streamline traffic for 65,000 e-rickshaws and e-autos operating in Kanpur city, restricting owners to operate only in nearby areas within their home zone. Under the system, the district was divided into seven zones at the police station level. Coloured QR codes, different for each zone, were issued to e-rickshaws and e-autos after verification of five essential documents. Strict action is to be taken against vehicles operating without QR codes or in the wrong zone.Officials said the move was expected to improve traffic flow, provide relief from jams and reduce accidents.QR…

ATTARI/LUDHIANA: Pakistan Saturday repatriated seven Indians on completion of their jail terms in Pakistani jails — including two who were swept across the border by a flooded Sutlej two and a half years ago.The Indian nationals were handed over by Pakistan Rangers to their Border Security Force counterparts at the Attari border. According to sources, the Indian nationals were brought to the border checkpost by Pakistan police by afternoon but were needlessly made to wait until the flag-lowering ceremony.Sources said the delay was deliberate, as Pakistan sought to maximise publicity in the presence of a crowd of tourists at both…

Pune: NCP chief late Ajit Pawar’s media and branding adviser, Naresh Arora, met Sunetra Pawar in Baramati on Friday, shortly before she decided to take on the role of deputy chief minister. Party sources said the meeting focused on discussions about NCP’s future strategy, including her pivotal move to accept the deputy CM position.”Soon after the meeting, Sunetra’s decision (to accept the role of deputy CM) was communicated to senior party members Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel in Mumbai, enabling them to proceed with the next steps,” a source said.Arora, known for his work in political campaign strategy, played a…

Panaji: The three documents which could have turned the Mhadei case in favour of Goa but were never placed before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal were placed before Supreme Court by state govt to show yields in the Mhadei basin in the range of 108 to 131 TMC, as compared to the tribunal’s assessment of 188.1TMC.The three reports include the Central Water Commission (CWC) reports of 1993 and 2019, World Bank documents, and the document titled Assessment of Water Resources of India, Aug 2024, prepared by the CWC.“All these assessments in the reports consistently show yields in the range of…

TNNChandigarh: Prof. Vivek Lal, director of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and Major General Harkirat Singh, commandant of Command Hospital, Chandimandir, set the tone for a two-day National Neuro-Critical Care Summit at PGI on Friday.The summit — ‘Brain Waves–2026′ — marked a powerful convergence of PGI’s clinical excellence and the disciplined medical innovation of the Armed Forces.Major General Harkirat Singh, a nuclear medicine specialist, said that military medical services have long pioneered rapid response systems that are now being integrated into civilian settings to benefit the nation at large.Prof. Lal, who inaugurated the summit, emphasised that neuro-critical…

Ayodhya: Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) on Friday demolished walls and pillars illegally built by private developers to demarcate plots boundaries over an area of 16 lakh sq ft around the proposed Dhannipur mosque site.Soon after the announcement of the mosque to be built in Ayodhya following the Supreme Court’s Babri verdict, local realtors had acquired lands around the proposed site, and later started selling plots at escalated prices. Officials said the plotting was done without mandatory ADA permission and fulfilling other necessary criteria.ADA official Mahendra Kumar Singh said around 29 such places had been identified in the area, where property…