State

Mumbai: In a bid to curb the rising number of road accidents, especially those involving two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, the Maharashtra Transport Department has announced a 2026 campaign titled “Save Two-Wheeler Riders and Pedestrians” (‘Dopahiya Swaar–Padchari Bachao’). All Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state have been instructed to implement the initiative. According to official data, Maharashtra recorded over 36,450 road accidents in 2025, resulting in approximately 15,549 deaths and more than 32,147 injuries. Of those who lost their lives, 57% were two-wheeler riders and 21% were pedestrians. The state aims to reduce road accident fatalities by 50% by 2030, in line with global targets. This campaign was approved after reviewing accident trends during the last wee...

Lucknow: In a disturbing case from the Gomti Nagar area of Uttar Pradesh’s capital, several women have accused a man of befriending them under a false identity, recording objectionable videos, blackmailing them, and coercing them into sex work at a spa center. Based on their complaints, police have registered a case and launched a full investigation. According to the complaint, the accused, Mohammad Kamru Jamal, who introduced himself as Rahul, befriended the victim and gained her trust. He allegedly recorded explicit videos and later used them to blackmail her. The victim stated that she first met Jamal and another accused, Kamr Hayat Idrisi, who promised her a job. She was offered a position at a café, but upon arrival, she discovered it was a spa center where women were forced to pro...

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, ...