State

Aligarh: A group of young women performing as “mermaids” at a local exhibition in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, approached the police after their contractor allegedly failed to pay them for their work. Despite performing their acts for several days, the women claim they have not received full payment. Frustrated, they have been visiting the Banna Devi police station for three consecutive days without any resolution. The mermaids, who perform aquatic stunts at fairs and exhibitions, were hired by a contractor for a show in the Aligarh exhibition. According to them, the contractor has withheld their full payment despite an existing agreement. In protest, the performers recorded a video at the police station highlighting their plight, which has since gone viral on social media. Performers Spe...

Aligarh, UP: In a shocking cybercrime case, Aligarh police have arrested a cyber fraudster who allegedly learned how to clone thumbs from YouTube and siphoned off ₹35 lakh from victims’ bank accounts using the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AEPS). The accused was apprehended from Gurugram. Modus Operandi of the Cyber Thief According to police, the suspect, identified as Shivam Kumar, son of Dinesh Kumar Kushwaha from Fatehpur, purchased an online rubber stamp-making machine for around ₹14,000. Using polymer curing chemicals, he created rubber fingerprint clones of unsuspecting victims. To obtain fingerprints and Aadhaar numbers, he reportedly downloaded PDFs of sale deeds from the revenue department’s website. Once the cloned thumb was ready, he placed it on a biometric machine, ...

Greater Noida, UP: Residents of Paramount Emotions Society in Greater Noida West are on edge following a series of mysterious fire incidents in the housing complex. Over the past week, shoes, children’s bicycles, and even wall wallpapers outside flats in four different towers have caught fire under unexplained circumstances. Fires Spark Panic Among Residents Manish Singh, a resident of the society, described the unsettling incidents: “Two days ago, I noticed a strong burning smell outside my flat. When I stepped out, I saw my neighbor’s shoes on fire. We quickly doused the flames with the help of other residents. Initially, we thought it might have been a stray spark or flammable material, but the fires didn’t stop there.” A few days later, another tower witnessed a bicycle outsid...

Noida, UP, Feb 12, 2026: In a joint operation, Noida police have uncovered a fake call center that duped young job-seekers by promising employment on domestic and international cruise ships. Four individuals have been arrested and approximately ₹1 crore has been recovered from their accounts. The Cyber Cell and Sector-126 Police conducted a raid at an office located in Sector-132, apprehending the accused identified as Rahul, Prashant, Vishal, and Saif Waris (25). According to ADCP Manisha Singh, complaints were lodged on the NCRP portal by victims from Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and other states. The complaints stated that the company, operating under the name CO Hire Marine Services, contacted applicants claiming to secure jobs on cruise ships abroad. The accused allegedly...