Friday, July 17

State

Who is Sangeeta Rod? Village Head Transforms School Attendance, Rewards Students with Washing Machine
State, Uttar Pradesh

Who is Sangeeta Rod? Village Head Transforms School Attendance, Rewards Students with Washing Machine

Shamli, Uttar Pradesh: In a remarkable display of proactive leadership, Sangeeta Rod, the village head of Ahata Gausgarh under Jalalabad town in Shamli district, has become the talk of the town for bringing transformative changes in her village school. Her innovative approach has not only increased student attendance but also inspired parents to take a keen interest in education. Revolutionizing School AttendanceTaking absenteeism seriously, Sangeeta Rod introduced a unique incentive program in her village school. Three months ago, she announced that students maintaining 100% attendance over the next three months would be rewarded through a lottery system. The grand prize—a washing machine—along with cash gifts of up to ₹500 for other qualifying students, motivated both students and par...
Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand to Leave Magh Mela After 10-Day Sit-In Protest
State, Uttar Pradesh

Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand to Leave Magh Mela After 10-Day Sit-In Protest

Prayagraj: Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who had been staging a sit-in outside his camp at Sector-4, Triveni Marg for the past 10 days during Magh Mela 2026, has announced that he will be leaving the fair. The religious leader cited the administration’s failure to apologize for the alleged mistreatment of his disciples and devotees as the reason for his decision to skip the Sangam bath. In a press conference, Swami Avimukteshwaranand revealed that although the mela authorities had sent him a compromise letter, he refused to accept it. On Mouni Amavasya, when he and his followers—including disciples and young devotees—attempted to take a ceremonial dip in the Sangam, they were allegedly stopped and mistreated by police and administrative officials. In protest, he has now decid...
CM Yogi Expresses Deep Condolences on Death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Plane Crash
Politics, State, Uttar Pradesh

CM Yogi Expresses Deep Condolences on Death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Plane Crash

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed profound grief over the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, along with all other passengers on board. CM Yogi paid homage to the departed souls and prayed for strength for the bereaved families. In an official statement shared on social media, CM Yogi said:"The untimely and heartbreaking demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar and others in the unfortunate plane crash in Baramati is deeply saddening. I offer my humble tributes to the departed souls. My condolences are with the bereaved families, and I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls eternal peace and strength to the family to bear this immense los...
Four Friends Die in Tragic Accident While Returning from Ujjain Mahakal Darshan
State, Uttar Pradesh

Four Friends Die in Tragic Accident While Returning from Ujjain Mahakal Darshan

Ghaziabad: Four young men lost their lives and one sustained serious injuries when their car collided with a truck while returning from the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Among the deceased, two were residents of Delhi, leaving their families devastated. The incident occurred late Monday night on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Dausa, Rajasthan. The five friends—Rahul Gupta, Prince, Vikram Singh, Paras Agrawal, and Brijmohan—had visited the Mahakaleshwar temple and were returning home when the tragedy struck. Rahul and Prince were cousins from Khoda, while Vikram, Paras, and Brijmohan were also traveling together. According to reports, Brijmohan was initially driving the car but moved to the back seat to rest, allowing Rahul Gupta to take over. It was during thi...
Opposition to UGC Bill 2026 by Upper Castes Continues; Mayawati Explains the Issue in Three Points
Politics, State, Uttar Pradesh

Opposition to UGC Bill 2026 by Upper Castes Continues; Mayawati Explains the Issue in Three Points

Lucknow: The opposition to the UGC Bill 2026 continues to spark debate across the country. In the midst of growing political discourse, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati has issued a significant statement clarifying her stance on the matter. The University Grants Commission (UGC) implemented the “Rules for Promoting Equality in Higher Educational Institutions, 2026” on January 15, 2026, with the aim of preventing caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities. The rules require all higher education institutions to form an “Equity Committee,” ensuring representation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Students, teachers, and non-teaching staff from these communities can raise complain...
Family Narrowly Escapes as EV Catches Fire While Charging at Home in Ghaziabad
State, Uttar Pradesh

Family Narrowly Escapes as EV Catches Fire While Charging at Home in Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad: A family in Ghaziabad narrowly escaped disaster when their electric vehicle (EV) caught fire while charging at home late Monday night. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. The incident took place in Shastri Nagar, Kavi Nagar, where businessman Girish Kumar and his family reside. The family had plugged in their MG Electric Windsor car for charging at their residence, as they have been doing for the past year. Around 11 PM on Monday, while everyone was asleep inside the house, the car suddenly caught fire. The family and neighbors initially tried to control the blaze themselves, but the fire rapidly spread to the front section of the vehicle, and nearby areas including the room window and the air conditioning unit also caught fire. They promptly informed the fire...
Rajasthan Near-Miss: Sleeper Bus Catches Fire After Collision in Bikaner
Rajasthan, State

Rajasthan Near-Miss: Sleeper Bus Catches Fire After Collision in Bikaner

Bikaner, Rajasthan: Just months after the tragic Jaisalmer bus fire that claimed 29 lives, Rajasthan witnessed another alarming bus fire incident on Wednesday, this time in Bikaner’s Shree Dungargarh area. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. According to police, a sleeper bus traveling from Jaipur to Bikaner collided with a truck carrying fodder (todi) on the National Highway early Wednesday morning. The collision triggered a fire that engulfed both the bus and the truck. Thanks to quick action, around 40 passengers were safely evacuated, averting a potential tragedy. Timing and Circumstances of the Accident The accident occurred at approximately 5:15 AM, near Sesomu School, shortly after the bus crossed Shree Dungargarh. The bus had departed Jaipur the previous night around...
Alwar Murder: Accused Remains Defiant After Killing, Threatens More Bloodshed
Rajasthan, State

Alwar Murder: Accused Remains Defiant After Killing, Threatens More Bloodshed

Alwar, Rajasthan:In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves across the region, a young man from Haryana was shot dead in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, with the prime accused allegedly issuing open threats even after committing the murder. According to police, the incident occurred late Monday night in Bhagwadi village, where Lokesh Yadav, a resident of Mandi in Haryana, was attending a family function at a relative’s house. During the event, local resident Sonu Sharma arrived at the venue along with his brother-in-law Gaurav Sharma and allegedly began hurling abuses, leading to a heated altercation. Eyewitnesses told police that Lokesh and a local man, Sunil, tried to intervene and pacify the situation. However, the dispute escalated rapidly. In a shocking turn of events, Sonu Sha...
Rajasthan High Court Slams Unauthorized Solar Project at Sambhar Lake, Orders Contempt Proceedings
Rajasthan, State

Rajasthan High Court Slams Unauthorized Solar Project at Sambhar Lake, Orders Contempt Proceedings

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has taken a strict stance against alleged unauthorized activities related to a proposed solar energy project in the environmentally sensitive Sambhar Lake region. The court has deemed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed for the solar plant without proper approval as contempt of court and initiated proceedings against the officials responsible. High Court Takes Suo Motu Action A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sangeeta Sharma passed the order on 22 January while hearing a suo motu case on wetland protection along with a public interest litigation filed by Dinesh Kumawat. The PIL had highlighted environmental concerns in the Sambhar Lake ecosystem. Senior advocate R.B. Mathur informed the court that ...
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Assures No Discrimination Under New UGC Rules
Rajasthan, State

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Assures No Discrimination Under New UGC Rules

Didwana, Rajasthan: Amid nationwide debates and protests over the recently notified University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday assured that the new rules would be implemented without discrimination and that their misuse would not be allowed. Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony in Choti Khatu, Nagaur, Pradhan highlighted the government’s commitment to improving the quality of education across India and emphasized that the regulations aim to promote equality in higher education institutions. Minister Reassures Against Discrimination Addressing the media, Pradhan said, “I wish to humbly assure everyone that no one will face any harassment or discrimination. The rules will be applied fairly, and no one will have the right...