Browsing: India

Varanasi: The Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU organised a special programme on Saturday in the run up to World No Tobacco Day 2026, which is observed on May 31.The event was held under the theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction” to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and strengthening mental health services. Addressing the gathering vice-chancellor, Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, emphasized the need to move beyond symbolic observances and develop sustained, community-level awareness campaigns against tobacco consumption, particularly among school children and young people. He said that tobacco, whether smoked or…

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala state electricity regulatory commission (KSERC) has asked KSEB to submit detailed plans for capacity addition to meet rising demand for power in the state. The commission also cautioned KSEB that it will not grant blanket approval for short-term power purchase through exchanges, at excessive rates, unless KSEB submits a comprehensive plan to meet the peak hour demand with cheaper power. The commission urged KSEB to explore pumped storage options and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to store cheap power available during daytime.During 2024-25, KSEB had purchased about 4911 MU from short-term market and power exchanges, (which constitutes about…

Kolkata/Kalyani/Kharagpur: Police on Saturday arrested 12 persons associated with the Trinamool, including an Amdanga panchayat chief and three municipal councillors, in cases linked to post-poll violence, extortion, intimidation and alleged corruption, as the administration widened its crackdown on criminal complaints that surfaced after the elections.Among those held were Amdanga panchayat chief Anisur Rehman, Titagarh councillor Enam Khan (ward 12), Basirhat councillor Gopal Das (ward 21), Bongaon councillor Prasenjit Ghosh and his wife Uma Ghosh, a former panchayat chief of Chhoygharia in Bongaon. The arrests followed multiple complaints against alleged coercion, threats and illegal collections, police said.In a related development tied…

From nature’s sponges to climate shields, the Valley’s wetlands are being smothered by encroachment, pollution, and apathy YOUNIS QADRI Wetlands in the Kashmir Valley were once spoken of with great pride. They were the winter homes of thousands of migratory birds from Central Asia and Siberia, the natural sponges that absorbed the Jhelum’s fury, and the living pantries for communities that depended on fish, reeds, fodder, and water. Today, that pride is increasingly tinged with anxiety. The Valley’s wetlands from Hokersar and Wular to Mirgund, Shallabugh, and the remnants of Anchar and Brari Nambal are shrinking, silting, and suffocating before…

Bengaluru: When Doddalahalli Kempegowda (DK) Shivakumar walked out of Delhi’s Tihar Jail on the rain-soaked night of Oct 23, 2019, Congress workers waiting outside were visibly surprised. The Kanakapura strongman, known for his spotless white attire and clean-shaven appearance, stepped into the dim streetlights wearing something entirely unfamiliar — a thick salt-and-pepper beard.After 50 days in prison following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, he looked visibly worn out, but those close to him knew the beard was no accident. In his cell, Shivakumar had made a vow: The razor would not touch his face until he became Karnataka chief…

Mumbai: Unlike beginnings that arrive with celebrations and fanfare, endings can often be muted, marked by silent departures. Air India’s Mumbai story is a case in point. The Air India and Indian Airlines colonies that sprawl across 184 acres in Kalina, with the first of the four constructed way back in 1955, have moved into history. In the past few weeks, the last of its 150-odd residents, most of them employed with govt-owned AI Engineering Services Ltd and AI Airport Services Ltd and a few with private carrier Air India, began vacating their flats. On Sunday, the last of the…

New Delhi: Three minor boys have been apprehended for allegedly murdering a 26-year-old man after a quarrel over a request to fetch cigarettes in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on Friday night.The victim, Arbaj, a resident of the area, suffered a fatal stab injury in C-Block. Police said he worked as a driver occasionally. He was taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where he died during treatment.Police said the dispute escalated into a violent confrontation. According to Arbaj’s brother, the incident began around 11 pm on Eid night when either Arbaj or one of his friends asked a boy to bring…

Bengaluru: A bike stolen from KSR Bengaluru parking lot more than two months ago was recovered by Railway Protection Force (RPF) Thursday. They also apprehended a man who allegedly stole the bike, valued at almost Rs 1.2 lakh.Rakesh Chandran (name changed), a resident of Jakkur, reached the station on his Hero XPulse motorcycle, which has a Tamil Nadu registration, on the morning of March 19 and parked it near the main entrance of the station. On returning to the parking lot the same evening, he realised his bike was missing.Following his complaint, govt railway police (GRP), Bengaluru division, registered an…

Hyderabad: A vacation bench of Telangana high court adjourned a habeas corpus petition linked to the alleged murder of advocate Khaja Moizuddin at Masab Tank on May 23.The plea, filed by Syed Sadiq on behalf of suspects Hasan Bin Ali Yafai and Muneer Ahmed, was moved as a lunch motion and carried serious allegations against police conduct.A division bench, comprising Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka and Justice Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy, posted the matter to June 4 without passing interim orders.The petitioner alleged that police illegally detained and tortured family members of the suspects, including elderly parents, and urged the court to direct…

doctors at SRM Prime Hospital Chennai: In a high-risk surgical feat, doctors at SRM Prime Hospital removed a massive 2.8kg spleen from a 23-year-old woman from Bihar. The young homemaker had been struggling with persistent fatigue and weakness for several months. Medical investigations in Bihar revealed abnormalities involving her liver and spleen, prompting doctors to refer her to SRM Prime Hospital in Chennai.Evaluation at the city hospital revealed a combination of non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis, a condition in which the blood vessels supplying the liver become scarred and narrowed without actual cirrhosis and hypersplenism, where an enlarged spleen becomes overactive and…