Uttar Pradesh

Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, February 3: In a shocking case that has stirred widespread outrage, police in Ballia district have arrested a 42-year-old man for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a minor girl over a period of nearly six months, officials said on Tuesday. According to police reports, the victim, a Class 9 student from Ballia, came into contact with the accused, Rakesh Verma, a resident of Patna district in Bihar, through a mobile phone. Exploiting this contact, Verma allegedly lured the young girl and abducted her, taking her to Valsad in Gujarat, where she was reportedly raped repeatedly over several months. The police were alerted after the girl’s disappearance was reported, leading to an intensive investigation that culminated in Verma’s arrest on Monday. He has s...

Lucknow, February 3: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said it would be premature to assess whether the United States’ decision to reduce tariffs on Indian goods is in India’s interest, cautioning that the complete details of the agreement are yet to be made public. Her remarks followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump, who confirmed the deal after a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. The agreement reportedly reduces the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from a total of 50 per cent to 18 per cent. Reacting to the development, Mayawati emphasized that forming an opinion without examining the full scope of the agreement would be hasty. “The actual impact of this decision can only be understood once it is implemented and ...

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has decided that the appeal filed by former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar will be heard on a daily basis. The decision came in connection with the Unnao custodial death case. The court has listed Sengar’s appeal for daily hearings and has scheduled the next hearing for 11 February 2026. Sengar is challenging his 10-year sentence and conviction in the custodial death of the father of the Unnao rape victim. His earlier plea for suspension of the sentence had already been rejected. Earlier, on 23 December, the Delhi High Court had granted bail to Sengar, who is serving a life sentence. However, the Supreme Court stayed the bail order shortly after it was granted. Background of the CaseSengar was convicted by the trial court in connection with the death of t...

Kanpur: A shocking incident has come to light in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where a woman’s body was found under suspicious circumstances in a flat on Monday evening. The woman’s husband is currently absconding, and the police have launched an investigation into the case. The deceased, Deepika Saini (26), had married Shivam Dubey, also known as Shoaib, just three months ago, following the death of her first husband, Khalid, a truck driver from Hardoi. Deepika had two sons, Rudra (6) and Aniruddh (3), from her first marriage. According to her brother, Ayush, Deepika and Khalid previously lived in Barra 8. Khalid died in a road accident about a year ago. Afterward, Deepika developed a relationship with Shoaib, a resident of her neighborhood whose guardians had passed away and who was raised b...

Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh has received a major boost in the Union Budget 2026 with the announcement of a high-speed rail network. The budget unveiled plans for two new high-speed corridors passing through the state, positioning Varanasi as a key hub. The proposed network will connect Varanasi to Siliguri via Patna, and eventually link to Delhi, allowing bullet trains to operate along this route. The corridor will feature elevated tracks, with trains running at speeds of up to 350 km/h. Notably, the Varanasi–Siliguri high-speed corridor will include an underground section in West Bengal. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the government’s plans for high-speed rail in the general budget, highlighting that Mumbai–Ahmedabad will serve as the first operational corridor. In the secon...

Gorakhpur, Feb 3: Police in Gorakhpur have cracked a sensational murder case in the PPganj area, revealing that the killing of a woman was orchestrated by her ex-lover, Vijay Kumar Sahni, and his wife Sandhya. The duo reportedly carried out the brutal act to end ties with the victim. The incident came to light last Thursday when the body of a woman, around 35 years old, was discovered near the Gobarhiya nala in Barghatta. Local residents alerted the police, who sent the body for post-mortem and launched a detailed investigation. The deceased was later identified as Priya Shetty. Lured from MumbaiDuring police interrogation, Vijay Sahni confessed to the crime, stating that he wanted to rid himself of Priya, who he felt was interfering in his life again. On the night of the murder, he ...

Sambhal, Feb 3:A case related to an interfaith relationship has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, where a Muslim woman has expressed her desire to marry a Hindu man, citing a four-year-long relationship. The woman has recorded her statements before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), asserting that she wishes to live with and marry the man of her own free will. The matter pertains to Nawada village under Hazratnagar Garhi police station area, where Ankit Kumar, a local resident, and Sameerin, a Muslim woman from the same village, have allegedly been in a relationship for nearly four years. According to both individuals, on January 26, Sameerin voluntarily went to Ankit’s house and conveyed her intention to stay with him and marry him. As the case involves individuals from ...

Sambhal, Feb 3:The management committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district has sought permission from the district administration to install loudspeakers during the holy month of Ramzan to facilitate smooth conduct of prayers and religious sermons. The request was formally made by Zafar Ali, President of the Shahi Jama Masjid Intazamia Committee, who has written a letter to the District Magistrate (DM) seeking approval. However, according to sources, permission for installing loudspeakers has not yet been granted by the district administration. Speaking on the matter, Zafar Ali said that the holy month of Ramzan is set to begin on February 18, and during this period it is essential that the Imam’s sermons, prayers, and important religious instructions are cl...

Cyber fraudsters allegedly cheated a retired elderly man of ₹23.33 lakh in Ghaziabad by luring him with promises of high returns through online trading. The accused persuaded the victim to transfer money into multiple bank accounts on the pretext of stock market investments. The victim, Suresh Chandra Shekhar, a resident of Khoda Colony, lodged a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station after realizing he had been defrauded. According to the complaint, on November 25, a person identifying himself as Professor Prem Prakash Verma added the victim to a WhatsApp group named “VIP Eight.” The accused claimed that he was writing a book on stock management, scheduled for release in February, and projected himself as a market expert. On December 23, Verma allegedly began online trading ...

Jhansi, Feb 3:The Union Budget has brought a major development boost for the Jhansi Railway Division, with an allocation of ₹2,598 crore aimed at accelerating key railway infrastructure projects, including gauge conversion, line doubling and station redevelopment. According to railway officials, the allocated budget is 11 per cent higher than last year, reflecting the Centre’s strong focus on strengthening rail connectivity and passenger facilities in the region. A significant portion of the budget has been earmarked for station redevelopment projects. The Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Railway Station has received ₹150 crore for modernization, while Gwalior Railway Station has been allotted ₹100 crore and Khajuraho Railway Station ₹120 crore for redevelopment works. Jhansi Divisiona...