Two people were injured on Saturday afternoon in a blast at a unit making industrial and mining explosives in Nagpur, a police official said, reported the PTI. Those injured were women workers at the unit, the official said. The explosion took place in the unit under Kalmeshwar police station limits, resulting in burn injuries on the hands of the workers identified as Vandana Jangle and Archana Lokhande, he said, according to the PTI. "They have been hospitalised. Police and civic officials are at the site of the blast. The process of registering a case is underway," he said. The unit manufactures slurry, seismic and emulsion explosives as well as low column charge explosives, the official added. Fire breaks out at plywood godown in Bhiwandi; fireman injured Meanwhile, in an another incident, a fireman sustained injuries in a blaze that erupted a plywood factory-cum-godown in Maharashtra's Thane district in the wee hours of Saturday, an official said, reported the PTI. The fire broke out in the three-storey structure at Rahnal village in Bhiwandi area of Thane district at around 3.30 am, the official said, adding that following the information regarding the blaze the firefighters rushed to the spot. The official added that a massive firefighting operation was launched by the fire brigade officials to control the blaze. Rajesh Pawar, chief fire officer of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), said the injured firefighter has been admitted to a hospital with leg fractures, and his condition is stable, according to the PTI. He said the fire quickly engulfed the structure due to the highly combustible stock of plywood stored inside, and local fire teams, along with the disaster management cell, rushed to the scene after receiving the alert. Four fire engines are at the site to douse the flames. Pawar said, "This is a difficult operation. The fire cannot be fully contained for at least another day, as the godown is packed with plywood. The fire load is massive," reported PTI. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that people have been asked to avoid the area. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 11:23 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the process of expelling Pakistani citizens from India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack has begun and legal action will be taken against such individuals overstaying in the state, reported the PTI. CM Fadnavis condemned the killing of innocent tourists and said the Modi government will give a befitting reply. The chief minister met the families of two friends from Pune- Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale- who were killed in the April 22 terror attack. "I met the family members of those killed in the terror attack. The description of the incident narrated by Asawari Jagdale (daughter of one of the victims) is disturbing. I don't want to say anything to those speaking out of turn on the (Pahalgam) incident, according to the PTI. "Our resolution to fight against terrorism has become even stronger. Help will be provided to the six families from Maharashtra," he told reporters. As many as twenty-six persons, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists at a popular meadow in Kashmir's Anantnag district. Ganbote and Jagdale were among six individuals from Maharashtra who fell prey to bullets. Meanwhile, according to a state Home Department official, 55 Pakistani nationals living in Maharashtra on short-term visas have been asked to leave the country by the Central government's deadline of April 27. "Those Pakistanis who are illegally staying in the country will be found soon. The process of expelling Pakistani citizens from the country has begun. The Centre has already decided to suspend the visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect, along with revocation of all existing valid visas issued to Pakistanis," CM Fadnavis added, according to the PTI. He said legal action will be taken against Pakistani nationals overstaying in Maharashtra. The chief minister visited Ganbote's residence in Kondhwa area and consoled his wife Sangita, who survived the terror attack. He then headed to Jagdale's residence in Karvenagar and spoke to Jagdale's daughter Asavari and wife Pratibha, the news agency reported. Ganbote, who owned a 'farsan' (snacks) business, had gone to Kashmir along with his wife and the family of Santosh Jagdale. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 09:22 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentLocals in Amritsar have lauded the decision of the Indian government to shut the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), among other diplomatic measures in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. They also condemned Tuesday's attack and supported the government's decision, even though some of them had to delay or cancel their plans. A tourist from Rajasthan, Surinder Singh, told ANI that they had come to Amritsar with the hopes of crossing through the border to attend a family wedding in Pakistan, but now the plans have been postponed. "I was going to Pakistan today for my brother's wedding, but it will be postponed now. My grandmother and her four sons stay in Pakistan, and her one son stays in India. The attack on tourists (in Pahalgam) was very wrong," he said. Shaitan Singh, a relative of Surinder, expressed uncertainty about his plans. "What the terrorists have done is wrong...We are not being allowed to go (to Pakistan) as the border is closed...Let us see what will happen now," he told ANI. The Central government has also suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption scheme, giving Pakistani nationals 48 hours to return to their country. A Pakistani national, Mohammed Jammeel, also condemned the attack, saying that "whoever's blood is shed is wrong." "Khoon kisi ka bhi bahe woh galat hai (Whoever's blood is being shed is wrong), even if it is mine, or someone else's, everyone's hearts beat the same," Jameel told ANI. At the same time, businessmen in Amritsar said that while their business will be affected, they stand with PM Modi regarding the decision/ A businessman from Attari said, "The closure of the Attari border will definitely affect the business here... but the incident that has happened is also very wrong." Another business said that the attack in Pulwama on innocent people was wrong, adding, "The attack on the tourist was wrong. We stand with the nation. Jis hisab se Modi ji desh chala rahe hain, chalane do. We stand with the decisions of PM Modi," he said. As many as 26 people were killed in the dastardly attack by terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The attack, carried out by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, is one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The attack was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In response, the Central government announced on Wednesday the closure of Attari ICP, reducing the strength of High Commissions in India and Pakistan to 30 officials each, and suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 05:51 PM IST | Amritsar | ANIThe Gurugram Police on Saturday said that it has arrested a man from Madhya Pradesh who had been on the run for as many as 17 years for allegedly killing his friend, reported the PTI. The city police said that he had shifted his hideout quite frequently and had stayed in Mathura, Agra and Indore to evade arrest. According to the police, on August 18, 2007, the man identified as Ramesh had allegedly hit his friend -- Ramlal with a stick and killed him. The accused and the deceased used to work as masons together, a Gurugram Police spokesperson said. After Ramesh fled the spot, an FIR was registered at Badshahpur police station but he could not be arrested, police said, as per the PTI. He was later declared a proclaimed offender by the court. On Thursday, a police team finally arrested the accused from Madhya Pradesh, the police said. Man wanted in murder case held in Thane Meanwhile, in an another incident, earlier this month, a man wanted in a murder case in West Bengal's Kolkata has been apprehended in Maharashtra's Thane district, the police said on Friday, reported the PTI. The accused was identified as 36-year-old Sirajuddin Ahmed Shah alias Captain. According to the police, based on a tip-off, the police on Thursday nabbed the accused from the Pisvali area of Dombivili town in Thane district, according to the PTI. He said that Shah had been on the run for the last two months and was working in a factory in the MIDC area. According to the police, Shah and another accused allegedly shot and killed Bunty Sav in the Dankuni police station limits in Kolkata two months ago over an illicit affair with a woman, and the duo had fled the city, as per the PTI. The official said while the other accused was nabbed early on, Shah evaded arrest. The police verified the accused's identity, and during interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the crime, he said, adding that a special team from Kolkata police has taken Shah's custody, the news agency reported on Friday. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 04:01 PM IST | Gurugram | mid-day online correspondentFlight operations at the Delhi airport might be affected by easterly winds expected between April 26 and May 4, airport operator DIAL said on Friday. In recent weeks, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) had seen flight delays due to air traffic congestion, closure of one runway and easterly winds. As per the forecast from the Indian Meteorological Department, easterly winds are expected between April 26 and May 4, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said. "This change in wind patterns may potentially affect flight operations during this period. "We are actively coordinating with the airlines & ATC to work out the flight schedules to have a minimum impact on flight operations," it said in a post on X. Citing the IMD forecast, SpiceJet, in a post on X, said all departures, arrivals, and connecting flights may be impacted. IGIA is the country's largest and busiest airport, and handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 03:48 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe mother of a 17-year-old boy involved in the Pune Porsche crash, in which two persons lost their lives, walked out of jail on Saturday, four days after the Supreme Court granted her interim bail, reported news agency PTI. She is the first among the 10 accused arrested in the alleged blood sample-swapping case to be released on bail. The others in custody include the teenager's father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Ajay Taware and Shrihari Halnor, hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, and three others, reported PTI. A Porsche allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state fatally knocked down two IT professionals on a two-wheeler in Pune's Kalyani Nagar in the early hours of May 19 last year. The boy's mother is accused of swapping her blood sample with that of her son to conceal his inebriation at the time of the Pune Porsche crash. While granting the mother interim bail, the Supreme Court had directed a Pune court to set the bail conditions. Accordingly, the district and sessions court heard arguments from both sides on Friday, reported PTI. Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray represented the state, while advocates Angad Gill and Dhvani Shah appeared for the woman, reported PTI. Advocate Hiray said, "We sought conditions such as barring her from staying in Pune district, a passport seizure, mandatory police station attendance, and keeping her mobile location on at all times," reported PTI. Additional sessions judge Amol Shinde, however, rejected the prosecution's plea to restrict her from staying in Pune but accepted other conditions. The defence lawyers opposed the condition of her staying out of Pune, citing her husband's custody and the need for her presence in the city to assist in the legal proceedings. They also objected to the proposed Rs 5 lakh surety and daily police station visits. "We argued that since the chargesheet has been filed and no recovery is pending from her, such strict conditions are unwarranted," the defence counsel said, reported PTI. The court accepted the arguments and imposed standard bail conditions, including a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, submission of her passport to the investigating officer, mandatory mobile tower location sharing, and a ban on leaving India without court permission, reported PTI. The court has also barred the woman from disclosing her identity for three months and asked her to report to the police station every Wednesday. (With inputs from PTI)
26 April,2025 02:24 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe officials on Saturday said that Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials questioned 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) office in Delhi, reported news agency ANI. According to Mumbai Police officials, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Tahawwur Rana was questioned for eight hours on Wednesday, during which he gave evasive answers and did not cooperate. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian accused of terrorism, is a former military doctor with an alleged history of involvement in terror-related activities. He was recently extradited from the United States of America to India. Earlier, the Patiala House Court of Delhi dismissed a plea filed by Tahawwur Rana, seeking permission to speak with his family over the phone. Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh on Thursday decided to dismiss his petition, reported ANI. Rana's legal counsel, Piyush Sachdeva, had argued that as a foreign national, he has the fundamental right to communicate with his family, who are anxious about his treatment while in custody, reported ANI. However, the NIA opposed the request, citing the ongoing investigation and expressing concerns that Rana might divulge sensitive information, reported ANI. Rana faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including conspiracy, terrorism, forgery, and waging war. The court noted that under extradition laws, he can only be prosecuted for offences explicitly sanctioned in the extradition agreement. Furthermore, since Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA apply, extended police custody beyond standard Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) limitations may be permitted due to the terrorism-related nature of the case. (With inputs from ANI)
26 April,2025 01:24 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Mumbai: Matunga senior citizen duped of Rs 4.82 cr in fake online court scam In a cybercrime case straight out of a Bollywood thriller, fraudsters “digitally arrested” a 71-year-old woman from Matunga, staged a fake online court trial, and extorted Rs 4.82 crore from her after falsely declaring her guilty in a fabricated case. According to police sources, the Central Cyber Police arrested two men in connection with the case—Bapi Das, 53, and Saurish Nag, 41—both residents of Kolkata. Read more. Elphinstone Bridge row: ‘We will not allow bridge to be shut’ Sentiments ran high at the site of the Elphinstone bridge (also known as Karol bridge) on Friday evening, as locals staged multiple rasta rokos to protest the planned demolition of the bridge without their rehabilitation demands being addressed. The authorities, originally planning to shut the bridge at 9 pm, were forced to delay the closure until midnight after agitated residents converged on the structure and blocked traffic. Read more. Mumbai's dug-up roads: ‘We must hold authorities accountable’ As mid-day wraps up its special campaign ‘Roads to Nowhere’, we bring the spotlight onto voices that matter—those pushing for accountability, accessibility, and intelligent design amid Mumbai’s ongoing infrastructure overhaul and chaos. Read more. Champs KKR struggling but Moeen confident of making Playoffs Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are entwined in a couple of IPL records, both quite embarrassing for the Knights. If the Kings created history last week by defending 111 against KKR at their home in New Chandigarh, they had, on this very day (April 26) last year, scripted the tournament’s highest successful run-chase at the Eden Gardens. Read more. Sharmila Tagore on doing more Bengali films: 'If the role is worth it, I may do it' The chatter in the Bengali film industry is that the Bengal Tigress has roared again. When we mention this to Sharmila Tagore, she laughs, before saying, “The media sometimes called me ‘La Tagore’, and at other times, Bengal Tigress. Since I was married to Tiger Pataudi, the [latter] came easily to them.” Read more.
26 April,2025 11:48 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentUnion Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday assured a smooth Amarnath Yatra, which is set to commence on July 3 this year, despite the Pahalgam terror attack. Despite the attack, Goyal expressed confidence that tourism in Kashmir will resume soon, emphasising that no one can derail Kashmir from its developmental path, highlighting the region's progress and potential. "People of India are capable and confident enough that soon tourism will resume there, Amarnath Yatra will be conducted successfully, and no one can derail Kashmir from the developmental path that it has taken," said Goyal. Registrations for this year's Shri Amarnath Yatra began in Jammu and Kashmir on April 15. They took place at 533 branches of Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, J&K Bank, and Yes Bank across the country. The Amarnath Yatra is set to commence on July 3 this year, simultaneously from both routes--the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. It will culminate on August 9 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Goyal reiterated that the government has already announced the cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals, and they must leave India. "We have already announced it (visa cancellation for Pakistani nationals) and they all must go...," he said. Goyal strongly condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack, emphasising that India will not tolerate terrorism. Goyal stated that India has no interest in having trade relations with Pakistan, labelling it a "terrorist nation." "India has no interest in having a trade relation with a terrorist nation like Pakistan... There will be no place in India where we will let terrorism rise...," added the Union Minister. Referring to Pakistan's persistent challenge, Goyal made it clear that India has already taken steps to sever ties. "The loss caused to Pakistan is of no interest to India. What is the use of trading with a terrorist country like Pakistan?" he said. He further assured that India's decisions, particularly regarding the visa cancellations, would be communicated soon, underscoring that these steps are part of a broader strategy to tackle terrorism. "As long as 140 crore Indians consider patriotism and nationalism their highest duty, such incidents will continue to trouble the nation," he added. Meanwhile on Friday, while extending condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said Central government will identify, trace and punish the terrorists along with their backers. Recalling the remarks of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Goyal said, "I remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism is a menace to civilised society. This is the moment when the entire country comes together and expresses the anger and collective commitment of the nation to give a fitting response to those responsible for this." Reminding people of the resolve taken by Prime Minister Narendra over the terror attacks, Goyal said, "We will identify, trace and punish the terrorists and their backers. This is the resolve of every Indian... We faced the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and came back stronger. We gave a befitting reply to Pulwama attacks." Union Minister also expressed condolences to all the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. "There is outrage across the country from Kargil to Kaniyakumari against the attack on India's very fabric. We are all united in grief, pray for the departed and wish for quick recovery of those injured. We pray that strength is bestowed upon those families who are deeply impacted by this heinous and criminal act of terrorists," Goyal said. The attack in Pahalgam occurred on Tuesday at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, and leaving several others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans. Following the attack, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi reached Srinagar on Friday and assessed the situation in the valley. On Thursday, the central government convened an all-party meeting to deliberate on the security situation and formulate a collective response to the attack. After attending the all-party meeting, Rahul Gandhi said, "Everyone condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The opposition has fully supported the government in taking any action." In the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari Check Post. India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week. The country further decided to cancel any visas provided under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistan to leave the country within 48 hours. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 09:22 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIUnion Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a key meeting to discuss the future course of action on the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan, which has been kept in abeyance, sources said. Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil and senior officials of several ministries will take part in the meeting, sources said. The meeting is expected to discuss the future course of action and how to implement the decision of keeping the treaty in abeyance, they said. To give effect to the decision, the government has also formally issued a notification to suspend the Indus Water Treaty. ‘Pak breached conditions’ India said it has informed Pakistan of its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance with immediate effect, saying Pakistan has breached conditions of the treaty. Sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting Jammu and Kashmir impedes India’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, India’s Secretary of Water Resources Debashree Mukherjee said in a letter addressed to her Pakistani counterpart, Syed Ali Murtaza. Amit Shah “The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter read. The communication to Pakistan also highlighted “significantly altered population demographics, the need to accelerate the development of clean energy, and other changes” as reasons necessitating a re-assessment of the treaty’s obligations. “The Government of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect,” it added. What is the Indus Waters Treaty? The water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan was arranged and negotiated by the World Bank in 1960, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. The treaty gives control over the waters of the three rivers—Beas, Ravi and Sutlej—to India, and control over the waters of the rivers—Indus, Chenab and Jhelum—to Pakistan. The treaty states the rights and obligations of each country for optimum water use in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation. Pakistan, being a downstream nation of both rivers, fears that India could potentially create floods or droughts in Pakistan, especially in times of warlike situations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 09:10 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called up the chief ministers of all the states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani stays in India beyond the deadline set for leaving the country, sources said. India on Thursday announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest, as tensions between the two countries escalated over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, on Tuesday. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility. The home minister personally called up the chief ministers of all the states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani stays in India beyond the deadline, sources said. The chief ministers were also told to identify the Pakistani nationals staying in their respective areas and ensure their deportation, the sources said. The revocation of visas does not apply to the long-term visas already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which “remain valid”. No link with us: Pakistan Amid heightening tensions between the two countries, Pakistan's Senate on Friday passed a resolution rejecting India's “frivolous and baseless attempts” to link the country with the Pahalgam terror attack. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar moved the resolution, which got across-the-board support from parties in the upper house of parliament. “Pakistan remains fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression, including water terrorism or military provocation,” the resolution said. The resolution, rejecting all “frivolous and baseless attempts” to link Pakistan with the attack, said killing innocent civilians was against the values upheld by Pakistan. 111 Pakistani nationals in Pune asked to leave The Pune district administration has identified 111 Pakistani nationals living in the district and directed them to leave India by April 27. The action followed the suspension of all types of visas issued to Pakistani citizens in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. However, the medical visas will be valid for an additional two days. District Collector Jitendra Dudi told reporters that data on Pakistani nationals is being collected from visa-issuing authorities and the passport office. “So far, we have received information about 111 Pakistanis. All of them have been informed that it is mandatory for them to leave the country within the stipulated deadline.” The visas were issued for various reasons, including tourism and medical treatment, the collector said, adding, “Those here for medical reasons have been given a concession to leave by April 29.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 09:07 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
