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Mahindra Thar Roxx is one of the most popular SUVs among consumers and hence had the attention of the jury members. During the evaluation round, the SUV managed to impress the jury members with its "stability, pack of features, fit and finish, along with the impressive performance, and refinement of the engine" at the Buddh International Circuit during evaluations at the jury round held on February 11, 2025.
Talking of other nominees for the 'Car Of The Year' Award had multiple models filtered from various segments including models like Maruti Suzuki Dzire, MG Windsor EV, Toyota Camry, Tata Punch EV, and Citroen Basalt.
Mahindra Thar Roxx was launched in the Indian market in August 2024. The off-road capable SUV is presently sold in the country at a starting price of Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 23.09 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-of-the-range version. Here's what the vehicle offers for this price.
Starting with the powertrain, the SUV comes with two engine options: a 2.0-litre TGDi mStallion petrol engine with RWD and a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine that comes with RWD and 4x4 powertrain. The petrol engine has a max output of 174 hp and 380 Nm of peak torque. Meanwhile, the diesel engine has a max output of 172 hp and 370 Nm torque. These units are paired with either a 6-speed MT or a 6-Speed torque converter automatic.
The Mahindra Thar Roxx is available in six trim levels: MX1, MX3, AX3L, MX5, AX5L, and AX7L. These trims have various features, including a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, LED projector headlamps, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, push-button start, front and rear centre armrests, rear AC vents, bigger 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and a panoramic sunroof. For safety, the brand offers features like six airbags, a 360-degree camera, a suite of ADAS Level 2, rear disc brakes, and more.
In terms of dimensions, the Mahindra Thar Roxx stands at 4428 mm in length, 1870 mm in width and 1923 mm in height. It offers a ground clearance of 225 mm and the wheelbase is of 2850 mm. Furthermore, the total boot space is 447 litres. The colour options available are Stealth Black, Tango Red, Everest White, Deep Forest, Nebula Blue, Battleship Grey, and Burnt Sienna.
Citigroup accidentally credited an account with $81 trillion instead of $280 as it meant to before catching the error, the Financial Times reported.
The snafu, a "near miss" in banking industry lingo, eluded a payments employee and a second bank official before being caught by a third employee 90 minutes after it posted, the newspaper reported late Thursday.
The bank said it posted the payment to a client, without specifying what kind of client.
The payment was reversed several hours later and no funds ever left the bank, the newspaper said.
Citigroup, which has $1.7 trillion in assets according to Federal Reserve data, said there was "no impact to the bank or our client," according to a bank statement.
"Despite the fact that a payment of this size could not actually have been executed, our detective controls promptly identified the inputting error between two Citi ledger accounts, and we reversed the entry," Citigroup said.
Citi's snafu stemmed from a system blockage of payments that had to be entered manually under a program that came pre-populated with 15 zeros, according to the Financial Times report.
In July 2024, the Federal Reserve and Office of Comptroller of the Currency fined the bank $136 million for failing to sufficiently upgrade its systems under a 2020 order by the regulators to address poor risk management.
In October 2020, the OCC fined Citigroup $400 million for deficiencies in risk management, data governance and internal controls.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The Liberal Party of Canada has made a stunning comeback, surpassing the Conservative Party in polls for the first time in four years. According to a recent Ipsos survey, the Liberals now hold a 2% lead over the Conservatives, a significant shift from the 26% deficit they faced just six weeks ago.
This dramatic turnaround is largely attributed to the anti-Trump sentiment sweeping Canada. US President Donald Trump's aggressive stance on trade and territorial expansion has led to a surge in Canadian patriotism, with many rallying behind their government in opposition to Trump's policies.
The situation is a far cry from the bleak outlook faced by the Liberal Party just a few weeks ago. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation on January 7, following intense unpopularity and opposition from within his own party, seemed to signal the end of the Liberal Party's chances. However, the party's fortunes have since reversed, with the Liberals gaining significant ground in the polls.
The Ipsos survey published on February 25 reported that 38% of voters now favour the Liberals, while 36% support the Conservatives. This shift is a remarkable reversal of the situation just six weeks prior, when the Conservatives held a commanding 46% to 20% lead over the Liberals.
Trump's aggressive rhetoric, including his claims that the US will annex Canada and make it the 51st state, has been met with widespread criticism and ridicule. Trudeau, in a passionate speech, highlighted the long history of cooperation and friendship between Canada and the US, from fighting together in World War II to providing aid during natural disasters. Trudeau's words struck a chord with Canadians, who are increasingly feeling a sense of betrayal and humiliation at the hands of the US.
As Trudeau so eloquently put it, "We will stand strong for Canada. We will stand strong to ensure our countries continue to be the best neighbors in the world... This is Team Canada at its best."
A 14-year-old student of a municipal school died after suffering a heart attack at a well-known theme park where he had gone on a trip with other pupils in Maharashtra's Raigad district, police said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when students of a Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation-run school in Ghansoli were on an educational trip to Imagicaa Theme Park in Khopoli, a police official said.
While on the trip, an eighth-grade student, Ayush Dharmendra Singh, started feeling uneasy and sat on the bench and then suddenly collapsed on the ground, he said.
The student was rushed to the primary health centre inside the park with the help of the facility's staff and teachers. He was then taken to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the official said.
A post-mortem was conducted in the presence of a government medical officer, in which it was ascertained the boy died due to a heart attack, he said.
An accidental death case has been registered at the Khalapur police station.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he will receive his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Friday, as negotiations are underway on a deal to give the United States access to Ukrainian mineral resources.
"President Zelensky is going to be coming on Friday, that is now confirmed," Trump said Wednesday at his first cabinet meeting.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, the man allegedly responsible for the rape of a 26-year-old woman in Pune, is a history sheeter, who was out on bail, the police have said. A manhunt is on in the city since the young woman reported the rape earlier today. The police have pressed in eight teams and sniffer dogs.
Gade has at least six cases of theft, robbery and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and adjoining Ahilyanagar district. Arrested for a robbery, he has been out on bail snice 2019, reported news agency Press Trust of India quoting un-named officials.
Cases were registered against him in Shikrapur and Shirur police station limits in Pune district. He also faces cases in Ahilyanagar district. As late as last year, a theft case was lodged against him in Pune.
A Pune police team has already questioned his brother to know his whereabouts.
The rape took place at Swargate bus stand, one of the busiest in the city. Today, when Gade tricked the woman into the empty bus, locked its door and assaulted her, there have been people around, the police had said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Smartana Patil, has told reporters that CCTV footage showed the woman walking towards the bus with the accused. In fact, the police identified him from the footage. There were many people and several buses on the station premises when the incident took place, she said.
The woman had been waiting for a bus for Phaltan in Satara district around 5.45 am. The accused, according to MSRTC officials, had taken her to the empty bus claiming to be its conductor. When she pointed out the bus was empty, he said it had people inside who were sleeping.
After the assault, the woman took a bus for her hometown and narrated the incident to her friend on phone while on way, the police said. On her friend's advice, she got off the bus and went to the police to report the matter.
The MSRTC is one of the three public transport bodies in the country, with a fleet of more than 14,000 buses. Every day, more than 55 lakh passengers travel by its buses.
Pakistan might officially be the hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy but Team India's matches in the tournament are being held in Dubai. Even as the Indian team progresses to the semi-finals and the final, Dubai would remain the only venue for Rohit Sharma's men. Whereas for other teams, the Champions Trophy matches are taking place across five venues, with one of them being the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Though Pakistan are the 'hosts', former England greats Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain feel it's the Indian team that is enjoying a 'home advantage'.
"What about the advantage India have in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai? Which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage," said Michael Atherton in conversation with Naseer Hussain on Sky Sports Podcast.
"They're playing at just one venue. They don't have to travel either between venues or, you know, between countries, as a lot of other teams have to do.
The fact that all of India's matches are to be held in Dubai, Atherton feels the situation does give the team management an advantage over player selection.
"Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus on the conditions in Dubai. And obviously, they'll know where they're playing their semi-final as and when they get through to that. That seems to me to be an undeniable advantage, but, you know, kind of hard to quantify how big an advantage," he said.
Even Nasser Hussain feels the saying 'Pakistan host nation, India home advantage', is correct, considering the format that has been created for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain also called the Dubai factor an advantage, while also lauding the team composition they have set up for the venue.
"It is an advantage. So, the best team in the tournament has that advantage. And I saw a tweet the other day saying 'Pakistan host nation, India home advantage.' It sums it up really," he said.
"They are at one place, one hotel, they don't have to travel. They have one dressing room. They know the pitch, they have picked for that pitch.
"They were very smart in their selection. They probably knew what Dubai is going to be like. They picked all their spinners. there was a bit of debate with Indian media saying why don't you have gone for an extra seamer? Why all these spinners? Now we can seen why.
"For example the other sides like England if they do get to the semis they have only one spinner (Rehan Ahmed is added as replacement of Brydon Carse), Pakistan have one frontline spinner. You can says that when the injuries came they should have change that and I have made that argument.
"Other teams will have to pick playing XIs for different conditions in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi and then they have to travel and adjust to those conditions.
"So it is an advantage but what else could have happened. Once India refused to come to Pakistan, what could have happen. You can't have a tournament like this without India-Pakistan. It had to be in Dubai.
"They sit happily and comfortably there. They know they are going to play six games there and if they win all those, they will win another global tournament," he said.
Pakistan might officially be the hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy but Team India's matches in the tournament are being held in Dubai. Even as the Indian team progresses to the semi-finals and the final, Dubai would remain the only venue for Rohit Sharma's men. Whereas for other teams, the Champions Trophy matches are taking place across five venues, with one of them being the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Though Pakistan are the 'hosts', former England greats Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain feel it's the Indian team that is enjoying a 'home advantage'.
"What about the advantage India have in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai? Which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage," said Michael Atherton in conversation with Naseer Hussain on Sky Sports Podcast.
"They're playing at just one venue. They don't have to travel either between venues or, you know, between countries, as a lot of other teams have to do.
The fact that all of India's matches are to be held in Dubai, Atherton feels the situation does give the team management an advantage over player selection.
"Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus on the conditions in Dubai. And obviously, they'll know where they're playing their semi-final as and when they get through to that. That seems to me to be an undeniable advantage, but, you know, kind of hard to quantify how big an advantage," he said.
Even Nasser Hussain feels the saying 'Pakistan host nation, India home advantage', is correct, considering the format that has been created for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain also called the Dubai factor an advantage, while also lauding the team composition they have set up for the venue.
"It is an advantage. So, the best team in the tournament has that advantage. And I saw a tweet the other day saying 'Pakistan host nation, India home advantage.' It sums it up really," he said.
"They are at one place, one hotel, they don't have to travel. They have one dressing room. They know the pitch, they have picked for that pitch.
"They were very smart in their selection. They probably knew what Dubai is going to be like. They picked all their spinners. there was a bit of debate with Indian media saying why don't you have gone for an extra seamer? Why all these spinners? Now we can seen why.
"For example the other sides like England if they do get to the semis they have only one spinner (Rehan Ahmed is added as replacement of Brydon Carse), Pakistan have one frontline spinner. You can says that when the injuries came they should have change that and I have made that argument.
"Other teams will have to pick playing XIs for different conditions in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi and then they have to travel and adjust to those conditions.
"So it is an advantage but what else could have happened. Once India refused to come to Pakistan, what could have happen. You can't have a tournament like this without India-Pakistan. It had to be in Dubai.
"They sit happily and comfortably there. They know they are going to play six games there and if they win all those, they will win another global tournament," he said.
A question of who will apologise first has led to a continuing deadlock in the Rajasthan assembly following BJP minister Avinash Gehlot's "Dadi" remarks on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After Friday's ruckus, both government and the Opposition had agreed to apologise to each other, but now the question of who will go first stalled work in the house on Monday.
Over the weekend, both sides had agreed to reinstate six suspended MLAs, but the dispute arose today over who should apologise first.
The MLAs were suspended on Friday following a chaotic protest over BJP minister Avinash Gehlot's reference to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as "aapki dadi" (your grandmother).
That night, all six suspended MLAs -- Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra, Deputy Leader of Opposition Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Zakir Hussain Gesawat, Hakeem Ali Khan and Sanjay Kumar Jatav -- were seen sleeping inside the House.
Once the apologies were decided on, Mr Dotasra - who had climbed onto the Speaker's dais during Friday's ruckus - apparently did a perfunctory job. Without explicitly apologising, he merely called the incident "regrettable".
The Speaker insisted that he say "I express regret". But Mr Dotasra flatly refused, demanding that Minister Avinash Gehlot first apologise for his controversial remarks.
"The minister's comments on Indira Gandhi sparked the controversy. If the ruling party expects us to express regret, the minister must first apologise for his statement," Mr Dotasra argued.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel objected, citing the agreement that the Opposition will apologise first and accused Mr Dotasra of reneging on the deal.
The Speaker made his exasperation clear.
"I have given multiple opportunities for reconciliation, but the opposition remains adamant. Enough is enough-do whatever you want," said Speaker Vasudev Devnani.
He urged both parties to take responsibility for resolving the dispute and allow the Assembly to function smoothly. But with neither side willing to budge, the deadlock remained unresolved.
On Friday, the Assembly witnessed uproar over a remark by the minister.
While answering a question regarding hostels for working women, Mr Gehlot, the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, pointed to the Opposition and said, "In the 2023-24 budget of also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi' (grandmother) Indira Gandhi."
As Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully strongly objected and demanded that the word be expunged, slogan-shouting Congress MLAs moved towards the well of the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said there was nothing unparliamentary about the word 'dadi'. But the Congress was not mollified and the House was adjourned thrice.
India booked their spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals following New Zealand's comprehensive victory over Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday. Rachin Ravindra scored a brilliant century after a sensational bowling performance from Michael Bracewell as New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by 5 wickets. The result also meant that New Zealand became the second team from Group A to book their spot in the knockout stages of the competition. However, it also meant that Bangladesh and Pakistan were eliminated from the competition as both teams have two losses each. India will face New Zealand in their final group stage match while Bangladesh will take on Pakistan but both encounters will have no significance other than deciding which team will top the group en route to the semifinals.
New Zealand beat Bangladesh by five wickets in a Champions Trophy Group A match here on Monday, a result which sent the Kiwis as well as India into the Champions Trophy semifinals. New Zealand's win meant that Bangladesh and hosts Pakistan, who have lost both their two matches so far, were knocked out of the tournament.
India and New Zealand have four points each from two wins so far in Group A. Top two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals.
Rachin Ravindra (112) struck a magnificent century as New Zealand chased down the target of 237 with 23 balls to spare.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway chipped in with 55 and 30 respectively as New Zealand reached 240 for 5 in 46.1 overs.
Earlier, Michael Bracewell bagged four wickets as New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to a modest 236 for 9 despite skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's 77.
Bracewell accounted for Tanzid Hasan (24), Mushfiqur Rahim (2), Mahmudullah (4) and Bangladesh's last match centurion Towhid Hridoy (7) to return with impactful figures of 10-0-26-4.
A 17-year-old rape survivor was allegedly raped by a police constable at a Bengaluru hotel, officials said on Monday.
The incident took place in December, when constable Arun asked the survivor to meet her at a hotel on the pretext of helping her.
According to officials, the teen initially befriended Vicky, who allegedly raped her on a false promise of marriage. Vicky also assaulted the girl.
The survivor's mother filed a complaint with Bommanahalli police, but Arun befriended the accused.
The constable assured justice to the girl and also promised to find her a job. He allegedly called her to a hotel, where he mixed sedatives in a liquor bottle and forced her to consume it. Arun then raped the survivor and threatened to circulate her private videos if she disclosed the incident to anyone, the officials said.
Both Arun and Vicky have been arrested and charged under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The accused have been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi was diverted to Rome due to a "bomb scare", news agency AFP reported quoting airport officials.
American Airlines flight AA292 departed New York's JFK International Airport on February 22 and was scheduled to arrive at Delhi but was diverted to Rome. The Boeing plane carrying 199 passengers plus crew landed at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Italy's ANSA news agency also said that the diversion was caused by an "alleged bomb threat".
The flight has landed safely at the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport, the airport authorities told ABC News.
"Safety and security are our top priorities and we thank our customers for their understanding," the airline said in a statement.
The aircraft was escorted by two fighter jets - a standard protocol followed by nations during a security threat - to the Italian airport, AFP reported, adding that all passengers deboarded the aircraft and received assistance.
The airport operations were not affected.
According to the flight's status on the American Airlines website, flight AA 292 departed New York's JFK airport at 8:14 pm on February 22 and was estimated to arrive at the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport in Fiumicino, Italy at around 5:30 pm local time.
Visuals on social media showed the Boeing 787-9 aircraft being escorted by the Italian Air Force before landing in Rome.
OTT platforms are not capable of changing Bollywood "forever", celebrated actor-cum-director Rakesh Roshan has said, indicating the grit with which the Hindi film industry has survived all challenges so far, including some black swan events like Covid-19.
Speaking at NDTV's "India Through the Eyes of Its Icons" series, Mr Roshan said: "You can never say forever. When video came, many people thought the same, but it did not change Bollywood."
Drawing from his decades of experience in the industry, Mr Roshan's remarks were in response to a question on whether technology and OTT platforms have the potential to change Bollywood forever.
Mr Roshan agreed with iconic writer Salim Khan that lack of powerful story-telling is proving to be the Bollywood industry's Achilles heel.
He also said "packaging a story" is equally essential and that this "wholesome packaging" is something that is not found in films made these days.
The south Indian industry still makes "wholesome" movies and technology is providing it the "kind of edge that is needed to keep viewers hooked to cinemas today", the distinguished film-maker said.
On the evolving art of movie making and choices of the audience, Mr Roshan said: "Movie making is in An between territory. In a decade from now, either it can evolve into a completely new direction where our movies would be seen as too old or it can return to a larger-than-life cinema that we used to make but is today being substituted by a wave of real-life movies."
Left red-faced after India's national anthem played for a fraction of a second at the start of the Australia-England Champions Trophy match on Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board has blamed the ICC for the fiasco and demanded an explanation from the world body. At the start of the game when the two teams lined up for their national anthems, the spectators were left surprised as the Indian national anthem played for a second before being stopped. A source close to the ICC confirmed that the PCB had sent a letter to the governing body outlining the incident and demanding an explanation.
"The PCB has made it clear that the ICC needs to offer some explanation as their people are responsible for the (national anthem) playlist of teams in the Champions Trophy.
"Since India is not playing in Pakistan, it is hard to understand how their anthem was played by mistake from the playlist," the source said.
India had refused to travel to Pakistan citing security concerns and are playing their share of Champions Trophy games in Dubai. The traditional rivals are due to clash on Sunday in a crucial match a loss in which will knock Pakistan out of the tournament.
The PCB had earlier also written to the ICC about its name logo not being displayed on television screens when India played Bangladesh in Dubai on Friday.
The ICC then assured the PCB that it was a mistake and all matches in Dubai will use the three-line horizontal logo with Pakistan's name.
For the first time, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not distributing free passes for enclosures, VIP areas, or hospitality boxes during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, a departure from past practices for international series in Pakistan. Typically whenever an international series is held in Pakistan, the PCB reserves tickets to be given out as free passes to some stakeholders including the media, government departments, VIPs and sponsors. However, this time except for a few tickets given to the Chairman for his personal guests and sponsors, the PCB has not been allocated any quota for complimentary passes, an official source close to the ticketing process for the Champions Trophy said.
"The PCB officials are facing a lot of pressure as those used to getting free passes are asking them for the freebies but are being told that since the International Cricket Council controls the ticketing of the tournament there are no free passes,” the source said.
"It becomes very difficult explaining this to the government departments involved in the many logistical aspects of the organisation of matches and the VVIPs who expect free passes." The source said even when India visited Pakistan in 2004 after 14 years, there was massive demand for tickets and the then PCB chairman, Shaharyar Khan had initially decided there would be no free passes but had to change his decision due to mounting pressure from stakeholders.
“This time all the people you see in the enclosures in the stadium are paying customers no freebies,” he added.
He said the response to ticket sales have been strong, particularly for Saturday's Australia vs England match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
“Hopefully the stadium will be full by the time the second innings begins in the evening,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A driver from Himachal Pradesh was killed and 17 pilgrims were injured when a bus returning from Mata Vaishno Devi shrine skidded off the road and plunged into a 30-feet gorge near Jammu on Saturday evening, officials said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the accident and praised the rescue teams and officials for their prompt and commendable effort.
The bus, bearing registration number UK-07PA-5640, was on its way to Delhi and the accident took place near Manda, nearly eight kilometres from the Jammu bus stand, the officials said.
They said a rescue operation was launched soon after the driver lost control while negotiating a curve and the bus plunged into the gorge.
All the 17 injured passengers were rescued and evacuated to the Government Medical College Hospital and their condition was stated to be "stable", the officials said.
However, the driver of the bus died on the spot and later his body was retrieved from the scene by a joint party of police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), traffic police and fire and emergency services personnel after a strenuous effort lasting more than two hours, the officials said.
They said the victim was identified as Rakesh. His body was shifted to the GMC Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
The injured pilgrims are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, the officials said.
The chief minister extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim and also wished a swift recovery to the injured.
"Deeply saddened by the bus accident at Manda, carrying pilgrims from Katra to Delhi. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the driver who lost his life in this tragic incident.
"Thankfully, all injured passengers are stable and receiving medical care. Wishing them a swift recovery.
"Grateful to the rescue teams and officials for their prompt and commendable efforts. My office is in touch with the concerned authorities," Abdullah wrote on X.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised Vicky Kaushal starrer historical period drama 'Chhaava' and spoke about Maharashtra's role in shaping both Marathi and Hindi cinema.
Speaking at the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi on Friday, PM Modi highlighted how the film, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has been appreciated across the country. He also spoke about the historical novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant, which introduced many readers to the bravery of Sambhaji Maharaj.
"Ye Maharashtra aur Mumbai hi hai jisne Marathi filmon ke saath-saath, Hindi cinema ko ye unchai di hai. Aur in dino toh, Chhaava ki dhoom machi hui hai. (It is Maharashtra and Mumbai that have elevated Hindi cinema along with Marathi films. And these days, Chhaava is making waves.)," PM Modi said.
"Sambhaji Maharaj ke shaurya se, iss roop mein parichay, Shivaji Sawant ke Marathi upanyas ne hi karaya hai." (It is through Shivaji Sawant's Marathi novel that we have been introduced to the valor of Sambhaji Maharaj in this form.)," he added.
Meanwhile, the film, directed by Laxman Utekar, has been performing strongly at the box office since its release on February 14. According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, Chhaava crossed the Rs 200 crore milestone on Thursday.
Taking to Instagram, Adarsh shared, "200 NOT OUT: CHHAAVA IS SENSATIONAL... RECORD HOLD IN MAHARASHTRA... Chhaava makes a grand entry into the Rs 200 crore club, aided by the #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharajJayanti holiday boost on Wednesday [Day 6]."
The film collected over Rs 30 crore on Wednesday alone, nearly matching its Valentine's Day opening numbers.
Maharashtra has emerged as the strongest market for Chhaava, with Rajasthan and West Bengal also recording increased footfalls mid-week.
The film, a period drama, portrays the legendary story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, with Vicky Kaushal impressing audiences with his role as the Maratha ruler. The film also features Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna in key roles.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
On Sunday, when the Indian cricket team faces off against Pakistan in Dubai, the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will host the beginning of a unique cricket league, with a team led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna playing against a squad captained by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
The 1st SCAORA Cricket Premier League - a T20 tournament - is being organised by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA). The inaugural match of the white-ball league will be played under floodlights at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and will also be telecast live. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) have given special permission for the match.
Chief Justice Khanna's squad will have judges from the Supreme Court, including Justice Surya Kant, and Delhi High Court and will be wearing team colours which are similar to those of the 'Men in Blue'. The SCAORA XI led by Tushar Mehta will include advocates on record, senior lawyers and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley.
The CJI XI and SCAORA XI will play only the inaugural match and will not participate in the rest of the league.
The league will see a total of eight teams - led by senior lawyers Dama Naidu, PB Suresh, Sajan Poovayya, Devadatt Kamat, Buddy Ranganathan, Vikas Pahwa, Sitesh Mukherjee and Chinmoy Sharma - which will be made up exclusively of advocates on record.
SCAORA Vice President Amit Sharma said, "Last year, an international legal conference was organised in Goa and the T20 league is being held this year. In the future, events like lectures by Supreme Court judges will be organised for advocates on record. SCAORA secretary Nikhil Jain and assistant secretary Kaustubh Shukla are also playing a key role in these."
The disappearance of a bride-to-be just hours before her wedding in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, a police complaint alleging abduction, and a social media post about her "death" sent investigators into a tizzy and sparked a massive manhunt, which ended after the woman was found in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior.
According to police sources, the chaos began on Tuesday evening, when the woman, Sushmana Sharma left her house to visit a beauty parlour, just hours before her marriage with Bharat Bhushan.
After the woman failed to return home and could not be traced, her family filed a police complaint, alleging she was abducted.
However, in a bid to save face in front of guests and relatives, the groom's family posted on social media that the wedding could not take place as Sushmana died of a heart attack, the sources said.
The social media post, the sources added, went viral as netizens extended their sympathies to the groom's family over the "devastating" development.
The inconsistent claims by the woman's family and the groom's side left police puzzled, prompting them to launch a thorough investigation into the matter.
New Mandi Circle Officer Rupali Roy Chowdhary told reporters that with the help of CCTV footage, the investigators tracked the bride's movement and after hours of an intensive search, found her in Gwalior at around 8am on Wednesday.
"Immediately upon receiving information about the woman's disappearance, the police registered a case and formed two teams to trace her. She was found in Gwalior the following morning," Ms Chowdhary said.
The police did not provide any details but the sources said the woman escaped because she was not ready to marry Bharat. The sources also said the woman escaped with the help of a female friend.
Asked about the rumour about the woman's death on social media, Ms Chowdhary said: "A probe is underway."
A tractor driver busy making a 'reel' on Thursday by doing stunts on the road hit a bike, killing a Class 10 student and injuring his friend in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, according to police officials.
They said Lalit (17) was on his way to fetch his admit card for the high school examination from Inter College located in Jhanjhar village along with his friend Munesh on a bike.
Rabupura police station in-charge Sujit Upadhyay said a tractor driver was making a video for his reel by doing stunts on the road when his tractor hit the bike.
He said bike rider Lalit died on the spot in the incident, while his friend Munesh was seriously injured.
Upadhyay said the police reached the spot, took the body in their possession and sent it for post-mortem.
He said Munesh, who was in a serious condition, was referred to a hospital in Bulandshahr, where he is being treated.
The video of the incident is going viral on social media.
The officer said the accused driver fled the spot after the incident.
The SHO said the police have registered a case and seized the tractor based on a complaint by Lalit's father Sundar Pal. Search for the accused driver is underway.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
At least two people were confirmed dead after two small planes collided midair at the Marana Regional Airport in the US state of Arizona, officials said.
A Cessna 172S and Lancair 360 MK II collided while upwind of runway 12 on Wednesday morning, according to preliminary information from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The planes that collided were identified as a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, both fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, the NTSB said in a statement on X.
The NTSB, which is leading the investigation into the incident, said that based on preliminary information, the aircraft "collided while upwind of runway 12", which is one of two runways at the airport.
Both planes were smaller fixed-wing single-engine planes, according to the Marana Police Department.
The Marana Police Department is currently on scene at the airport.
The NTSB added that the Cessna "landed uneventfully" while the Lancair "impacted terrain near runway 3 and a post-impact fire ensued".
No information about the victims was provided.
The deadly collision comes just weeks after a helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger plane in Washington DC, killing all 64 passengers and three crew members.
The same week, a small medical transport plane crashed into several buildings in the US city of Philadelphia, killing all six people on board and at least one other person on the ground.
On Monday, a Delta Air Lines flight in Toronto skidded along the runway in flames before flipping over and coming to a dramatic halt upside down. All 80 people on board survived.
on February 6, a small plane carrying 10 people crashed in Alaska after losing speed and altitude and vanishing from the radar. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, heading from the village of Unalakleet to the town of Nome, was recovered. No one survived, the Alaska Department of Public Safety confirmed.
On February 10, two private jets collided at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, killing one person and injuring four.
The flurry of crashes in the US was then followed by one in Canada on Monday. A Delta Air Lines regional jet carrying 80 people crashed and flipped at Toronto Pearson International Airport, leaving nearly two dozen injured but no deaths.
The latest crash comes as the US aviation sector on Wednesday called on Congress for emergency funding for air traffic control technology and staffing.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Citing the Supreme Court's stern words against vulgarity in the Ranveer Allahbadia case, a parliamentary panel Wednesday asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to submit a note on the efficacy of existing laws in dealing with such cases and any amendment needed to bring online platforms under legal scrutiny.
The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to the ministry's secretary S Krishnan over the issue.
It said, "In the light of the above and growing incidents of misuse of digital and social media platforms, the Ministry of Electronics and IT is requested to send a brief note to this committee on the efficacy of existing laws to deal with such cases and need to amend the existing laws/IT Act, 2000, in order to bring such platforms under legal scrutiny".
This is needed to "safeguard the societal values and protect the dignity of women and children" while adhering to the creative expression and freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution, the missive added.
The ministry has been asked to submit its note by February 25 and treat the matter as "most urgent", it added.
The committee asked the ministry to take note of the Supreme Court's observation that sought to draw a line between free speech and vulgarity, as free speech does not grant any right to indulge in obscenity and that the remarks made at the show were offensive to societal norms.
The committee noted that Section 66A of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, which was "intended" to provide protection against offensive or insulting messages, speech or information made online by granting powers to the government to make arrests in cases of misuse of freedom of speech, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
The apex court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia over his comments on a YouTube show while calling it "vulgar" and saying he had a "dirty mind" which put society to shame.
Several FIRs have been lodged against Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, for the comment on parents and sex on comic Samay Raina's YouTube show "India's Got Latent".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The so-called planetary parade which started last month is heading towards its grand finale. For a brief moment on February 28, all planets in our solar system will appear in the night sky - a celestial phenomenon that scientists have described as rare.
After Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune aligned in the night sky between January 21 and 29, it will be the last time until 2040 that all seven planets, including Mercury, will align to create a spectacular night sky.
What is planetary alignment?
Astronomers use planetary alignment to describe the phenomenon when planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. Any number of planets, ranging from three to eight constitutes an alignment. Five or six planets showing up together is known as a large alignment, with five-planet alignments significantly more frequent than six. However, seven-planet alignments are the rarest of all.
Unlike diagrams and illustrations, the planets will not be visible in a queue. Planets orbit the Sun in different orbits in three-dimensional space which makes it almost impossible for them to come together in a straight line.
"While it's true that they [planets] will appear more or less along a line across the sky, that's what planets always do. That line is called the ecliptic, and it represents the plane of the solar system in which the planets orbit around the Sun," NASA explains.
"This is, incidentally, why we sometimes observe planets appearing to approach closely to each other on the sky, as we view them along a line while they careen around the cosmic racetrack."
To witness the parade of planets, get far away from city lights to an open area or hill. If the weather is clear, you will be able to see most planets to the naked eye, bar Neptune and Uranus. A telescope might help you witness these two planets.
Notably, Mars will appear in the east, Jupiter and Uranus in the southeast, and Venus, Neptune, and Saturn in the west. While January was special due to the Quadrantid meteor shower and the partial planetary parade, February has the ingredients to be even more special, owing to the rare alignment.
In a shocking incident caught on CCTV camera, an elderly man was attacked by a stray bull and thrown nearly seven feet in the air in Gujarat's Kutch.
The bull charged the man while he was passing by in Samman Madhapur village in Bhuj Tehsil district.
As the man tried to scare the bull away with a stick, he was violently attacked and flung into the air. The video shows bystanders coming to the man's rescue but were unable to get close to the angry cattle.
The man suffered serious injuries and has been admitted to the hospital for treatment. The stray has been caught by the village administration.
Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the senior of the two election commissioners after Chief Election Commission Rajiv Kumar, will succeed him, the government announced today. The notice came shortly after a meeting of the Election Committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi this evening.
After horror stories from changing rooms in hotels and malls with hidden cameras, several videos of women being examined at a maternity hospital in Gujarat have been uploaded to YouTube and Telegram channels, putting a question mark on the security of women at an institution widely considered to be safe.
The CCTV clips - showing nursing staff administering injections to women patients - from Rajkot's Payal Maternity Home were widely shared online and eventually came to the notice of Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police.
When the hospital's director was questioned, he claimed that the CCTV server was hacked.
"I don't know how the hospital videos went viral. Our CCTV server seems to have been hacked. However, we are also unaware of why this happened and will inform the police. We will also lodge a complaint and cooperate with the police in investigating all the issues," Dr Amit Akbari, who works at the hospital, said.
A case has also been filed by the Rajkot Cyber Crime Police. The team has been interrogating the entire hospital staff, including doctors.
"The content of the videos is being investigated. We are investigating who took these videos and for what purpose. We will file a case under sections 66E, 67 of the Cyber Crime IT Act," police said.
An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the richter scale hit Delhi-NCR this morning with many residents rushing out of their houses. According to National Centre for Seismology, tremors were felt across north India, with Delhi as the epicentre. The depth of the quake was just 5 km.
So far there are no reports of injuries or casualties.
In a post on X, The Delhi Police said, "We hope you all are safe, Delhi!" It also urged citizens to call on the emergency 112 helpline for emergencies.
The strong tremors triggered by the earthquake prompted residents of several high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad to rush out.
A passenger awaiting his train at New Delhi railway station said he felt like as if a train has crashed or a bridge collapsed. "I was in the waiting lounge. All rushed out from there. It felt as if any bridge or something had collapsed...", he said while speaking to the news agency ANI. Follow Delhi Earthquake Live Updates here
A resident of Ghaziabad said he has never felt anything like this before. "Tremors were so strong. Felt like a train was moving nearby. Everything was shaking. I have never felt like this ever before. The entire building was shaking...", he said.
Naresh Kumar, a resident of West Delhi, said this was the first time that he had experienced such a strong tremor.
Another passenger waiting for his train at New Delhi railway station says, "It was for a lesser time, but the intensity was so high. It felt like any train has come with a very high speed."
At New Delhi railway station, a vendor Anish said his payment counter started shaking, everybody around was screaming. "It was strong, the payment counter also started shaking. Everything was shaking, customers started screaming."
Delhi is prone to earthquakes and is located in a high seismic zone (zone IV) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seismic zonation map.
Strong tremors were felt in Delhi and its adjoining areas at 5:36 a.m. today after a 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck the national capital.
The National Centre for Seismology, the nodal agency of the Government of India for monitoring earthquake activity in the country, said in an update that tremors were felt across north India, with Delhi as the epicentre. The quake's depth was just 5 km.
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 17, 2025
Last month, on January 23, strong tremors were felt across Delhi-NCR after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck China's Xinjiang at a depth of 80 kilometres. Two weeks before that, mild tremors were last felt in Delhi and NCR on January 11 after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan.
Delhi is prone to earthquakes and is located in a high seismic zone (zone IV) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seismic zonation map.
Bollywood actress Sagarika Ghatge and cricketer Zaheer Khan got married in 2017. The couple, who are quite active on social media, often share their adorable pictures on Instagram, keeping their fans updated.
The two come from different religious backgrounds, and after years of marriage, Sagarika opened up about their love story and their interfaith marriage. For Sagarika, her partner's religious beliefs were irrelevant; what mattered most was if they were a good person. In a recent interview, she opened up about the same; she also mentioned how none of their families objected to the wedding, but "things were discussed".
In a recent interview with Hauterrfly, Sagarika recalled how Zaheer proposed to her during the IPL. When asked if the topic of religion was discussed with their families, she said, No, not really. I think, like I said, it was more about other people around us who were making that conversation. But, I think, my parents are very progressive." She added, "Of course, things were discussed, but I think, for me, it was important to find the right human being who I could share my life with.".
Talking further, Sagarika also recalled the time when Zaheer met her father for the first time."Once Zaheer met my dad, it was the most beautiful relationship... Even with my mother, I think my mother loves him more than she loves me." When asked when she told her parents about her relationship in 2016, she said, "I remember I went and told my dad I was dating him because I was attending Yuvi's wedding, and I knew it was going to come out, so before that, I had to go tell my father, and my father had to meet Zak. They got along like a house on fire."
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday ordered the registration of a case against a Pakistani national, who is believed to have links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's wife, for "trying to interfere in domestic matters" of the state and the country.
Mr Sarma also said that Elizabeth Colburn, Mr Gogoi's wife, will also be probed over her alleged links with Pakistan and its intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Besides, she will also be investigated over her alleged participation in the Lok Sabha election campaigns despite being a British citizen.
The erstwhile Kaliabor constituency was won by Mr Gogoi twice, from 2014 till 2024.
The developments that took place during a cabinet meeting came a day after Mr Gogoi threatened to approach court over Mr Sarma and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s accusations against his wife.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress leader on Mr Sarma's latest comment but earlier in the day, he said he does not want to get involved in "dirty and baseless" politics. He had also rejected the charges as "laughable and entertaining" in the past.
Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Mr Sarma said: "Multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistan national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Given the broader national security implications of this issue, particularly in Assam, the state cabinet has directed the DGP to register a case against Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and other relevant laws."
The Chief Minister also alleged that an assessment of Mr Sheikh's social media activity and information available in the public domain shows he has been in contact with Ms Colburn.
"Apart from his engagements with Government of Pakistan, Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Elizabeth Gogoi was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Both Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan," he said.
In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the state government took Mr Sheikh's attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the state and India with utmost seriousness, he added.
A controversy erupted on February 12 when BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Ms Colburn shared ties with the ISI while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network in Islamabad under Mr Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan.
Mr Sarma, without naming Mr Gogoi, also raised similar accusations the same day, prompting a sharp retort from the Congress leader. He counter attacked with a movie reference. "If Salman Khan's wife can be an ISI agent like in 'Tiger Zinda Hai', then I must be a RAW agent too," Mr Gogoi said.
On Saturday, Mr Sarma said a police case is likely to be registered and a Special Investigation Team be constituted to probe into the allegations against the opposition leader's wife.
The Chief Minister alleged that after Ms Colburn married Mr Gogoi, Mr Sheikh must have gained access to the Chief Minister's Office.
He also alleged that Mr Gogoi's visit to the Pakistan embassy has been confirmed. "In the Lok Sabha, the MP asked questions on nuclear radars, uranium mines in Meghalaya and other such sensitive matters. What was the need to know such things by an Assam MP? I hope he and his wife will cooperate in the probe, otherwise they will be summoned," he said.
Mr Sarma also alleged that Ms Colburn campaigned for her husband prior to two Lok Sabha elections in Kaliabor constituency.
"How could a British national take part in Indian elections? She was directly involved with the election process and we can see old TV clippings. That means she violated visa norms. If so, the Indian government should examine it and revoke her visa," he said.
The Chief Minister said when he meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah the next time, he will discuss how the state government's proactiveness can be synergised with central agencies.
It looks like Mr Gogoi is just an actor, and not the director, in the entire system, Mr Sarma said. "Maybe, he is trapped unintentionally. So, we will examine the matter with a sympathetic outlook. We don't want to accuse him at this moment," he said.
"The way London, America and Islamabad are involved, he may be blackmailed also, who knows about it? Therefore, the entire subject requires serious deep investigation," he added.
Mr Sarma said he will submit "all documents" to state Congress President Bhupen Borah, so that they can verify the facts themselves. "Perhaps, the Congress is unaware of the full picture," he said.
"When the case is investigated, I will write a letter to Borah to inform him about the background and the reasons behind our decision to pursue the matter. The letter I will give to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) will also be given to INC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Borah. This is a matter of national security," he said.
Earlier in the day, Mr Gogoi said that instead of getting involved in "dirty and baseless" politics, the Congress is working on how to give a new economy, social order, education and health policy to Assam. "I have no objection to that if he (Mr Sarma) wants to spend the next 12 months like this only. I am grateful for that," the Congress leader said.
Ever since announcing his international retirement, veteran cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has become more active on social media, especially YouTube. Ashwin called time on his illustrious international career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December last year. Recently, Ashwin spoke strongly against the "celebrity culture" in the Indian team, insisting that cricketers are not actors or superstars but simply athletes. The veteran all-rounder also urged players to stay grounded in order to be more relatable to the common people.
"It is important to normalise things in Indian cricket. We must not encourage this superstardom and super celebrities within the Indian cricket team. We must normalise all these things going forward. We are cricketers. We are not actors or superstars. We are sportspersons, and we must be someone that the common people should resonate with, and can compare themselves with," Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.
Citing the examples of star batter Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Ashwin urged players to focus on team goals rather than personal accolades.
"For example, if you are a Rohit Sharma or a Virat Kohli, who have achieved so much. When you hit one more century, it is not just about your achievement anymore. It should be business as usual, and our goals should be bigger than these achievements," the former India cricketer added.
With the Indian team set to take part in the Champions Trophy, Ashwin raised concerns over the management's decision to include five spinners -- Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy -- in the 15-man squad. He also shared his views on India's likely team composition during the tournament.
"Five spinners in Dubai? I don't know. I think we are one spinner too many, if not two. The two left-arm spinners are your best all-rounders alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play and Kuldeep will play. If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Else you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer," Ashwin explained.
The Indian team and support staff members left for Dubai on Saturday, just five days ahead of their opening match against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India will play of their matches in Dubai after refusing to travel to Pakistan.
At least 15 people were killed and several were injured in a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday, caused by a sudden rush of passengers who tried to board trains for the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
In a statement, the Ministry of Railways said a high level inquiry has been ordered on the "unfortunate incident".
The injured were rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain (LNJP) Hospital for treatment.
Deputy commissioner of police (railway) said many people were present on platform number 14 when the Prayagraj Express train was standing at the platform. The Swantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express were delayed and the passengers of these trains were also present on platform numbers 12, 13 and 14, the official said in a statement.
Eyewitnesses said due to a huge rush at the station, several passengers fainted due to suffocation.
Here are the updates on New Delhi Railway Station stampede:
At least 10 people were injured after a sudden rush of passengers caused by two trains for the Maha Kumbh being delayed led to an overcrowding situation at the New Delhi railway station on Saturday night, officials said. At least four people fell unconscious and had to be hospitalised.
The chaotic situation developed around 8 pm on platform numbers 14 and 15 of the station as passengers were waiting to board trains to Prayagraj.
Officials said additional security forces have been deployed to control the situation at the railway station and four fire engines were also rushed to the spot. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is on the way to the station, said the situation is under control.
"Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS). Delhi Police and RPF (railway police force reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush," the minister posted on X.
Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS)
Delhi Police and RPF reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush.
Railway authorities have urged people not to believe rumours of a stampede.
Videos showed a massive crowd at the platform as a train rolled in. Officials said there was a rush to board the train as well as panic when passengers realised that not all of them would be able to get in. In the videos, at least two people were also seen lying unconscious as passengers around them attempted to resuscitate them.
"When the Prayagraj Express was on platform number 14, many people were present there. The Swatatantra Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani (both of which pass through Prayagraj) were delayed and passengers of these trains were also present on platforms 12, 13 and 14," said a police official.
Rush Of Devotees
Special trains for the Maha Kumbh have been witnessing ever larger crowds with the festival, which is held only once every 12 years, set to end on February 26. Earlier this week, some passengers at Bihar's Madhubani railway station broke the glass windows of the Swatantrata Senani Express - which goes to Delhi via Prayagraj - after they were unable to board the train.
Similar incidents related to trains heading to Prayagraj have also been reported from other railway stations in Bihar and police cases have been registered.
Former Delhi chief minister Atishi attacked the Centre over the incident at the New Delhi railway station. Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the centre to extend the duration of the Maha Kumbh to ease the rush of devotees who are hoping to take a dip at the Sangam.
"Even now, many people want to go to Maha Kumbh but cannot. In such a situation, the government should extend the time limit of Maha Kumbh," Mr Yadav said, pointing out that the Maha Kumbh lasted for 75 days earlier but is ending sooner this time. The last day of the Kumbh, February 26, is Maha Shivratri.
A plane carrying 119 Indians arrived from the United States at Punjab's Amritsar airport on Saturday, the second such arrival in a span of 10 days, as part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown and decision to deport illegal immigrants.
The first round of deportation had taken place on February 5, when a US military plane transported 104 Indians to Amritsar. A third plane with 157 deportees is expected to land in India on Sunday.
The C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force landed at the Amritsar International Airport close to 11:40 pm on Saturday.
Of the total deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 are from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The families of some of them reached the airport to receive them.
Earlier, those deported were from Haryana (33), Gujarat (33), Punjab (30), Maharashtra (3) Uttar Pradesh (3), and Chandigarh (2). They were sent back on the same military aircraft that took off from San Antonio, Texas.
The deportees were shackled and restrained throughout the flight, only to be freed upon arrival in India - a move that triggered a political storm in India, and led to an uproar in both Houses of Parliament during the then ongoing Budget session.
Amid criticism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Centre is engaging with the US to ensure the deportees are not mistreated. He also said the US' deportation of illegal migrants is not a new development and has been going on for years.
"Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem," he said.
In its defense, the US Embassy in India said "enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States". "It is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens," an embassy spokesperson said.
India is the third source of undocumented immigrants in the US after Mexico and El Salvador.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited the Amritsar airport earlier in the day and said his government has made arrangements to take the residents of Punjab from among the second batch of deportees to their hometowns.
The deportees who hail from other states will head to Delhi from Amritsar in a flight on Sunday morning and then they will be taken to their respective places, he said.
Mr Mann also attacked the Centre over the landing of the planes at the Amritsar airport and asked it not to make the holy city a "deport centre".
Most of the deportees belonging to Punjab earlier said they wanted to migrate to the US for a better life for their families. However, their dreams were shattered when they were caught on the US border and sent back in shackles.
US Vice President JD Vance pledged Friday that Washington sought to secure a "lasting" peace as he held a first meeting with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Donald Trump's push for a deal with Moscow.
The talks in Munich were seen as a key moment for Kyiv as it tries to keep Washington on its side after Trump stunned allies by announcing peace efforts with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"We want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that's going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road," Vance said as the meeting wrapped up.
He said "good conversations" had been had with Zelensky about how they could reach that goal, and they would have more talks "in the days, weeks and months to come".
Zelensky also hailed a "good conversation", saying the encounter with Vance was "our first meeting, not last, I'm sure".
"We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real and guaranteed peace," Zelensky wrote later on X, adding that an envoy from Washington would visit Kyiv.
Trump rattled Ukraine and its European allies on Wednesday by agreeing to launch peace talks in his first publicly announced call with Putin since returning to office.
The dramatic thaw in relations sparked fears Ukraine could be left out in the cold after nearly three years battling against Moscow's invasion.
US officials have insisted that Zelensky will be involved in negotiations -- and the Ukrainian leader said he would be prepared to sit down with Putin after agreeing a "common plan" with Trump.
"Only in this case I'm ready to meet," Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference before seeing Vance.
Vance said ahead of the meeting that the United States was prepared to pressure Russia, adding that Europe should "of course" be at the table.
But he also told Europe to "step up" on bolstering its own defence to allow Washington to focus on threats elsewhere in the world.
US officials have sent mixed messages over Washington's strategy after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appeared to rule out Ukraine joining NATO or retaking all of its territory.
Trump's Phone Number
That has sparked major worries in Kyiv and Europe that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves the continent facing an emboldened Putin.
But Vance told The Wall Street Journal that Trump would put everything "on the table" in potential talks, and that Washington could even use "military leverage" against Russia to force a deal.
He did not give more away in a keenly awaited keynote speech, as he avoided addressing the war in Ukraine and focused instead on scolding Europe over immigration and free speech.
Saudi Arabia, after being named by Trump as a likely venue for a meeting with Putin, said it would welcome holding any talks between the two leaders.
Zelensky appeared to play down fears that Trump was leaving Kyiv out in the cold, saying the US president had given him his personal number when they spoke.
"If he will choose our side, and if he will not be in the middle, I think he will pressure and he will push Putin to stop the war," Zelensky said.
In a bid to keep Washington close, Kyiv has held talks over granting access to its rare mineral deposits in return for future US security support.
European allies, who along with Washington are Ukraine's strongest backers, demanded that they too be included in negotiations that will impact their continent's security.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that forcing Ukraine into a bad deal would harm US interests.
"I believe that by working together, we can deliver that just and lasting peace," she said.
Chernobyl Strike
While Europe nervously monitors the US stance on Ukraine, there is little ambiguity on Trump's determination to get Europe to spend more on its defence.
Fears that Vance could announce a major US troop reduction in Europe did not materialise, but he repeated warnings that Washington needs to focus more on other parts of the globe.
Amid the diplomatic flurry in Munich, Zelensky said that back on the ground in Ukraine a Russian drone had struck a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, though he added that radiation levels were normal.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 133 drones across the country overnight, including attack drones, targeting northern regions of the country where the Chernobyl plant lies.
Zelensky said the attack was evidence that "Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations -- he is preparing to continue deceiving the world".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
US Vice President JD Vance met Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich on Friday for crunch talks on ending Russia's war, as Kyiv insisted it wanted to hammer out a joint plan with Washington.
The sit-down in Germany was seen as a key moment for Kyiv as it seeks to keep Washington on its side after US President Donald Trump stunned allies by launching peace efforts with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"I will meet with Russians -- with only one Russian guy, with Putin -- only after we will have a common plan with Trump, Europe," Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference before seeing Vance.
"Only in this case I'm ready to meet."
Vance in the run-up insisted the United States was prepared to pressure Russia to end its three-year war on Ukraine, as he said Europe should "of course" be at the table.
But the vice president also told Europe to "step up" on bolstering its own defence to allow Washington to focus on threats elsewhere in the world.
US officials have sent mixed messages over Washington's strategy after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appeared to rule out Ukraine joining NATO or retaking all of its territory.
That has sparked major worries in Kyiv and Europe that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves the continent facing an emboldened Putin.
But Vance told the Wall Street Journal that Trump would put everything "on the table" in potential talks, and that Washington could even use "military leverage" against Russia to force a deal.
The vice president did not give more away in a keenly-awaited keynote speech, as he avoided addressing the war in Ukraine and focused instead on scolding Europe over immigration and free speech.
- Trump's phone number -
Trump rattled US allies on Wednesday by agreeing to launch peace talks in his first publicly announced call with Putin since returning to office.
After being named by Trump as a likely venue for a meeting with Putin, Saudi Arabia said it would welcome holding any talks between the two leaders.
Zelensky appeared to play down fears that Trump was leaving Kyiv out in the cold, as he joked the US president had given him his personal number when they spoke.
"If he will choose our side, and if he will not be in the middle, I think he will pressure and he will push Putin to stop the war," Zelensky said.
In a bid to keep Washington close Kyiv has held talks over granting access to its rare mineral deposits in return for future US security support.
- Chernobyl strike -
European allies -- who along with Washington are Ukraine's strongest backers -- demanded that they too be included in negotiations that will impact their continent's security.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that forcing Ukraine into a bad deal would harm US interests.
"I believe that by working together, we can deliver that just and lasting peace," she said.
While Europe nervously monitors the US stance on Ukraine, there is little ambiguity on Trump's determination to get Europe to spend more on its defence.
Fears Vance could announce a major US troop reduction in Europe did not materialise, but he repeated warnings that Washington needs to focus more on other parts of the globe.
Amid the diplomatic flurry in Munich, Zelensky said that back on the ground in Ukraine a Russian drone had struck a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, adding that radiation levels were normal.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 133 drones across the country overnight -- including attack drones -- targeting northern regions of the country where the Chernobyl plant lies.
Zelensky said the attack was evidence that "Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations -- he is preparing to continue deceiving the world."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A village in Bihar is witnessing a massive row after a teacher at a school asked a girl student to become his "girlfriend" as "honorarium". No police case has been filed despite the girl complaining to the school. The school authorities have complained to the state Education Department, but no action has been taken against the teacher yet.
Vikas Kumar -- a teacher of Kisan High School in Kisanganj district -- had called up the student of Class 12 and harassed her multiple times. He even proposed that the two of them go to Siliguri, and made vulgar suggestions, the girl has alleged.
He cited the example of Mahabharat's archer Ekalavya, who had parted with the thumb of his right hand to please Dronacharya, whom he considered his teacher. Why can't his student follow this example and become his girlfriend, he had questioned, she has alleged.
Incensed, the girl had informed her teachers and made a formal complaint against him at the school.
Sources said the teacher had even made similar propositions to a woman teacher of the school to whom he is now married.
Now that a complaint was filed, headmaster Shafiq Ahmed informed the District Education Office. But the Education Office took no action other than calling for an explanation from Vikar Kumar.
The teacher is yet to reply and is serving as an invigilator in the Matriculation examination at a private school in Kishanganj.
Asked about the allegations against him, he refused to respond.
The lack of action infuriated the villagers, who held a dharna outside the school yesterday. The police had to be called in to deal with the situation.
Asked about the matter, the District Magistrate said they are taking the matter seriously. "After investigation, action would be taken," he said.
Gautam Adani, the Chairman of the Adani Group, on Thursday said that failure is never the final destination, adding that life always gives a second chance.
He wrote a post on X about an 18-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur who suicide after failing to clear the JEE exams.
"I have just this request to all of you - never consider failure as the final destination. Because life always gives a second chance…!" the Adani Group Chairman said on X.
अपेक्षाओं के बोझ तले दबकर एक होनहार बेटी का यूं चले जाना हृदयविदारक है।
जीवन किसी भी परीक्षा से बड़ा होता है- यह बात अभिभावकों को खुद भी समझनी होगी और बच्चों को भी समझानी होगी।
मैं पढ़ाई में बहुत सामान्य था। पढ़ाई एवं जीवन में कई बार असफल भी हुआ, लेकिन हर बार जिंदगी ने नया… https://t.co/3s1WnINLcb
Expressing sadness over the death of the student, Mr Adani said: "It is heartbreaking to see a promising daughter go away under the burden of expectations".
The teen had left a note for her parents stating that she was "sorry" for "not fulfilling their dreams".
Sharing the lesson of life, he also advised parents to keep pressures away from themselves and their children.
"Life is bigger than any exam – parents will have to understand this themselves and also explain it to their children," Gautam Adani said.
Further, the Adani Group Chairman also opened up about his personal failures and how he came out of them.
"I was very normal in my studies," he said, adding that he "failed many times in studies and life".
"But every time life showed me a new path," Gautam Adani said.
Meanwhile, to help students fare well in their lives and reduce their exam-related stress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the eighth edition of "Pariksha Pe Charcha' has also discussed mental health and wellbeing.
During the session, the Prime Minister shared valuable lessons on nutrition and wellness; mastering pressure; challenging oneself; the art of leadership; beyond books – 360-degree growth; finding positives and more.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)
Sooraj Barjatya and his penchant for heartfelt family dramas were all the rage back in the '90s, and his secret ingredient still works wonders today.
The ace director also recently made his OTT debut with the show Bada Naam Karenge, as a showrunner. One who has followed his trajectory of films can instantly feel the warmth of the show.
Not just viewers, but the ace director says that Amitabh Bachchan, too, had once appreciated his signature style of storytelling.
Amitabh Bachchan On Sooraj Barjatya's Simple Stories
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Sooraj Barjatya recalls a moment while shooting for Uunchai (2022) with Amitabh Bachchan, and the compliment he received.
Barjatya says, "I remember Mr. Bachchan once told me, 'Sooraj, in your films, one suddenly realizes that life can be simple. Life can be simple and there's joy in those simple things, this was when we were shooting for Uunchai."
Every filmmaker comes with a unique style of bringing a story to life, on the big screen. Sooraj Barjatya ruled the '90s and early '20s with commercial blockbusters such as Hum Saath-Saath Hai (1999), Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Hum Aapke Hai Koun..! (1994), and Vivah (2006), to name a few.
Sooraj Barjatya's Favourite Films
Upon asking him the kind of films he grew up watching, and how that impacted his outlook towards making films, he rewinds back to his favourites.
Sooraj Barjatya says, "We have grown up watching movies by legends like Bimal Roy and Raj Kapoor. But the films that made the biggest impact on me were our own Rajshri films which we grew up on, and LV Prasad movies. They influenced my understanding of cinema, and finding my voice, greatly."
"I Just Wanted To See How Rishi Kapoor Ji Would Dance To Om Shanti Om In Karz"
The ace filmmaker is not on social media. Like every individual who has seen the world of cinema before this phenomenon, Barjatya fondly recalls the craze back when films used to be released.
He says, "Those were very different times. I remember there were times when we would go and buy costumes for the actor, or sometimes the actor came and we just picked up subsidies. It was never about to create an impact. But today you have WhatsApp messages to check everything. The technical bit is okay, but life was simpler at that time. The entire marketing used to be just for trailers and posters, and then we used to do a lot of songs and radio plays. But there was magic at that time, things were hidden."
He adds, "I clearly remember, Om Shanti Om was such a rage when it was released. I was a youngster and I just wanted to see how Rishi Kapoor ji would dance and what he would wear. But now songs are released 15 days prior, so I know exactly what I'm going to see. So there are lessons, but the magic of cinema will always remain."
Sooraj Barjatya's Films With Its Ensemble Cast
One of the other trademark styles of a Sooraj Barjatya film is the ensemble cast he would bring together. Massive sets, and a starry cast that got the excitement soaring all the more.
Hum Saath-Saath Hai was a musical blockbuster with the lead cast featuring Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu, and Mohnish Behl. As was the stellar lineup in Hum Aapke Hai Koun..! with the lead cast featuring Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Renuka Shahane, Mohnish Behl, and Anupam Kher.
It is no easy feat to manage such a huge cast, brimming with A-listers. Wouldn't it be a challenge? But Barjatya remarks that he has always had the knack of bringing people together.
The filmmaker says, "It was a challenge but I always tend to end up bringing everyone together, bringing in all the elements—a chattering dining table, the temple scenes, dancing and singing, and celebrating. Maybe it is the way I have grown up, I always end up in that world."
"I Remember Renuka Making Toast For Salman"
A director can never pick and choose between his films, Sooraj Barjatya, however, has a favourite moment from the sets of the cult classic Hum Aapke Hai Koun..!, starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
He says, "I think we had great fun on the sets of Hum Aapke Hai Koun..! when we were filming the song Didi Tera Devar Deewana. We shot for 9 days and it was great fun because everyone was together. Everyone had gotten to know each other. I clearly remember on one of the days on the set, Renuka making toast for Salman also, right there. So we were living those characters. I would rate all the sets as good, but I think that film set was the most fun."
Sooraj Barjatya and Salman Khan's Enduring Friendship
When you think of romance in Bollywood, it has always been a constant echoing of Shah Rukh Khan in every alley. But one look at Salman Khan's iconic character 'Prem' in Sooraj Barjatya films, and maybe, romance peaked for the actor during that phase.
Sooraj Barjatya takes a trip down memory lane, as he recalls his first meeting with Salman Khan.
The filmmaker says, "I met him for Maine Pyar Kiya because someone told me that Salim saab ka beta hai Salman. However, I came to know later that he was already doing a film. But I was not moving anywhere with my lead, so I contacted him and the first meeting was at our Rajshri office."
He continues, "When I saw him personally, I thought he was very short. At that time his photos were outstanding. I just started narrating, he heard and I think by the time we reached the kabutar sequence (Maine Pyar Kiya), we both knew that we had got what we wanted."
That Sooraj Barjatya and Salman Khan have had a rock-solid friendship for years, is known. In recent interviews, Barjatya has also dropped hints on finding a new 'Prem' for the current generation, and writing a character for Salman Khan that is befitting of his age.
Casting Shahid Kapoor In Vivah
Another actor who recently spoke about Sooraj Barjatya was none other than Shahid Kapoor.
Kapoor had a breakthrough with Barjatya's Vivah, and this came to be after a series of flops he had delivered with films like Deewane Huye Paagal (2005), Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005), and Shikhar (2005).
Shahid had also mentioned in a few media interactions that he had requested Sooraj Barjatya to replace him in Vivah for the above reason.
But does a rough patch define an actor's calibre?
Barjatya remarks, "We all have seen enough life. We all know I have also had lows, and hits, and flops are going to be part of this journey. The law of average catches up with everyone, so as long as I knew Shahid has done his best, it hardly matters because finally, it is the film. It is the innings that you play."
Dealing With Backlash
Having years of experience behind him, and the changing tides of Indian cinema and audience's reception, does dealing with the backlash get easier?
The director says, "We always feel a little anxious. But with time you realise that I should do my best. I think that grounding comes with age and experience and it gives me more chances to do something. I did Uunchai just out of my comfort zone, without bothering about first-day collections, because you don't want to run the race anymore."
Sooraj Barjatya is synonymous with bringing families together, and with each production, he truly adds gravitas to the saying, "Home is where the heart is."
