New Delhi: Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee On Wednesday, he filed his nomination from Bhabanipur and staged a show of strength with a road march from his Kalighat residence in Kolkata to Alipore Survey Building. Supporters raised slogans in his favor Trinamool Congress The (TMC) chief walked for about 800 meters and greeted party workers with folded hands as she tried to project confidence ahead of a high-level contest.Soon after filing her nomination, Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, saying she was “saddened” by the deletion of thousands of names in Bengal. Accusing the Narendra Modi-led Center of interference, he warned that such an exercise could undermine the fairness of the elections and promised legal aid to the affected voters.“I congratulate everyone, thank you, respect, salute, Jai Jinendra and Sat Shri Akal. Today, as I filed my nomination, I want to say that I will work for Bhawanipur constituency as well as every center and every area. TMC supremo said, we will form the government.Bhawanipur, considered Banerjee’s political stronghold for a long time, is now emerging as a major battlefield. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Suvendu Adhikari against him, making the contest a direct one-on-one reminiscent of the 2021 Nandigram elections, where Adhikari had defeated the Chief Minister.

While Banerjee won the 2021 bypoll here with a landslide victory with over 71 percent votes, recent trends show that the competition is stiff. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, TMC’s lead in the region was significantly reduced, with the BJP taking the lead in several municipal wards. The party leadership has since urged workers to avoid complacency by setting ambitious margin targets to retain the seat.The SIR exercise has further intensified the competition. Party sources claim that over 40,000 names have been removed from the list, with several others under investigation, giving rise to competing narratives to target voters. The mixed demographic profile of the constituency – spanning Bengali and non-Bengali Hindus, minorities and migrant communities – adds another layer of unpredictability.

उत्तर प्रदेश के वाराणसी में उस वक्त सनसनी फैल गई, जब रेलवे ट्रैक पर एक एके-47 राइफल पड़ी मिली. खास बात यह थी कि राइफल में मैगजीन भी भरी हुई थी। इस घटना की जानकारी मिलते ही पुलिस और सुरक्षा एजेंसियों में हड़कंप मच गया. बाद में पता चला कि यह राइफल केंद्रीय रिजर्व पुलिस बल (सीआरपीएफ) की एक यूनिट की थी, जो अंबाला से पश्चिम बंगाल जा रही थी. इस मामले ने सुरक्षा व्यवस्था पर भी कई सवाल खड़े कर दिए हैं और अब इसकी गहनता से जांच की जा रही है.

मैगजीन से भरी राइफल रेलवे ट्रैक पर मिली
ये पूरा मामला वाराणसी के जैतपुरा इलाके का है. स्थानीय लोगों ने रेलवे ट्रैक पर एक एके-47 राइफल पड़ी देखी, जिसमें एक मैगजीन भी लगी हुई थी. लोगों ने तुरंत पुलिस को सूचना दी, जिसके बाद पुलिस मौके पर पहुंची और राइफल को अपने कब्जे में ले लिया.

सासाराम पहुंचने पर यूनिट को जानकारी हुई
इसी बीच अंबाला से पश्चिम बंगाल जा रही सीआरपीएफ की एक यूनिट जब बिहार के सासाराम पहुंची तो उन्हें पता चला कि उनकी एक राइफल गायब है. इसके बाद उन्होंने तुरंत अपने वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों को सूचित किया और शिकायत दर्ज कराई।

सीआरपीएफ की टीम जैतपुरा थाने पहुंची
इस मामले में पं. जीआरपी में शिकायत दर्ज करायी गयी थी. चंदौली का दीन दयाल उपाध्याय जंक्शन. जीआरपी ने सिपाहियों से वाराणसी के जैतपुरा थाने से संपर्क करने को कहा क्योंकि वहां रायफल मिलने की सूचना थी। इसके बाद सीआरपीएफ के जवान जैतपुरा थाने पहुंचे और पुष्टि की कि यह राइफल उनकी यूनिट की है. इसकी पुष्टि थाना प्रभारी उपेन्द्र प्रताप सिंह ने भी की.

यूनिट चुनाव ड्यूटी पर जा रही थी
जानकारी के मुताबिक, सीआरपीएफ की यह यूनिट अंबाला से पश्चिम बंगाल चुनाव ड्यूटी के लिए जा रही थी. इस घटना के बाद सीआरपीएफ ने एक आंतरिक जांच कमेटी का गठन किया है, जो पूरे मामले की जांच कर रही है.

पुलिस और अधिकारियों में हड़कंप मच गया
रेलवे ट्रैक पर हथियार मिलने की खबर मिलते ही पुलिस विभाग में हड़कंप मच गया. मौके पर डीसीपी काशी, एडीसीपी और एसीपी चेतगंज समेत कई वरिष्ठ अधिकारी पहुंचे और घटनास्थल का निरीक्षण किया. पुलिस अब यह पता लगाने की कोशिश कर रही है कि इतनी बड़ी लापरवाही कैसे हुई और राइफल ट्रेन से गिरकर ट्रैक पर कैसे पहुंच गई.

Left: Derek O’Brien; Right: CEC Gyanesh Kumar

New Delhi: A meeting between a delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and this Election Commission (EC) Wednesday turned tense, with both sides issuing sharply contradictory accounts of what happened.According to Election Commission sources, during the conversation TMC leader Derek O’Brien reportedly raised his voice and asked the Chief Election Commissioner not to speak.“The Trinamool Congress meeting lasted barely a few minutes. Election Commission sources said Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien shouted at the Election Commission and asked the CEC not to speak,” Election Commission sources said.He further claimed that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had to intervene to restore order. “CEC Gyanesh Kumar requested Derek O’Brien to maintain decorum in the commission room and told him that ‘shouting and rude behavior is not appropriate’,” sources said.However, TMC leaders rejected the allegations outright, calling them “false” and challenged the ECI to make the records of the meeting public.Speaking to reporters, O’Brien gave conflicting accounts of the brief conversation. “Today, we went to the Chief Election Commissioner. He told us to ‘get away’ within 7 minutes of the meeting. The meeting started at 10:02 am and ended at 10:07 am… When we told him you are transferring officials, and how do you want to conduct free and fair elections? And then he said, go away from here… What I saw today is a matter of shame. I challenge the Election Commissioner to release the video or audio of what happened today.”Supporting him, TMC MP Saket Gokhale termed the Election Commission’s version as a “lie”.“This is a lie. I was personally present at the meeting. Nothing like that was said. CEC Gyanesh Kumar only told us to ‘get lost’. We challenge the ECI to release the transcript of the meeting. Otherwise we will do so,” Gokhale said in a post on Twitter.TMC leader Sagarika Ghosh also rejected the claims of the Election Commission.“False. A blatant lie. None of this was told to the four-member delegation. We were told two lines by the Chief Election Commissioner…” First line: Where is your authorized signer. And the second most embarrassing two words: Get lost,” she said on X.The clash comes against the backdrop of growing tension between the opposition and the Election Commission ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.Earlier this week, Om Birla and CP Radhakrishnan rejected separate notices given by opposition parties demanding the removal of the CEC. The notice submitted in March cited allegations such as “prejudicial and discriminatory conduct in office”, “deliberate obstruction of investigation into electoral fraud”, and “mass disenfranchisement”.In their respective orders, both presiding officers stated that the allegations did not meet the constitutional threshold required to initiate removal proceedings, noting the lack of prima facie evidence of misconduct.Voting for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting taking place on May 4. In the 2021 assembly elections, TMC won a landslide victory with 213 seats, while BJP won 77 seats. Congress and Left Front failed to win any seats.

US President Donald Trump

TOI correspondent from Washington: In a sudden turn that pulled the world back from the brink of apocalyptic attack, the United States and Iran have entered into a fragile two-week ceasefire after days of escalating attacks and threats, providing a narrow window for diplomacy to achieve Middle East peace amid residual mistrust and suspicion. Ceasefire declared by US President donald trump Just two hours before his 8pm deadline to “annihilate Iranian civilization”, the move marks a welcome – if chaotic – deceleration in a months-long conflict that has seen global oil prices surge 60% and the world economy boom. However, questions remain about whether the ceasefire, put together through a mix of public signaling and backchannel contacts, is a genuine turning point or merely an intervention in the volatile confrontation.As can be understood from official statements and diplomatic sources, the framework of the ceasefire is limited but significant. Based on a 10-point proposal drafted by Tehran, which Trump initially dismissed as inadequate but now says forms a “viable basis” for talks to be held in Islamabad on Friday, it would involve both sides halting direct military attacks and demobilizing allied or proxy forces for a period of 14 days. Maritime activity in and around the Strait of Hormuz is expected to continue under close monitoring, with informal assurances against interference with commercial shipping. However, no formal written agreement has been released publicly, and key details – including enforcement mechanisms and verification – remain opaque.The breakthrough came not from the United Nations or traditional European mediators, but through intense backchannel negotiations by Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir reportedly engaged US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to end the temporary ceasefire.“On the basis of conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan and Field Marshal Asim Munir, and in which they requested that I stop the destructive force being sent into Iran tonight, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the full, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack on Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a two-way ceasefire!” Trump said in a social media post, presenting himself as a liberal winner. Although he claimed that the reason for agreeing to the ceasefire was because “we have already met and exceeded all military objectives, and are very far from a definitive agreement related to long-term peace with Iran and peace in the Middle East,” Trump acknowledged receiving a 10-point proposal from Iran, which he said “is a practical basis for negotiating.” “Almost all of the various points of previous dispute between the United States and Iran have been agreed upon, but in a two-week period the agreement will be finalized and completed,” he wrote. But that spin was contradicted by an Iranian statement issued through the Tasnim news agency (the semi-official voice of the IRGC), the authenticity of which Trump disputed. The statement congratulated the Iranian people for “forcing the criminal US to accept its 10-point plan”, calling the ceasefire conditional and reversible, while warning that any violations would be met with a “decisive response”.” Trump pointed to a statement by Iran’s foreign minister, dismissing the statement as a “hoax” and “fake news spread by CNN.” Part of the confusion appears to have arisen from overlapping and potentially divergent signals within Iran’s own leadership. Statements attributed to its Foreign Ministry struck a somewhat conciliatory tone, stressing the importance of dialogue and indicating readiness for structured talks. This has fueled speculation about a possible rift between Iran’s diplomatic apparatus and the more radical clerical and security establishment that ultimately holds authority. The diplomatic center of gravity of the ceasefire has now shifted to Islamabad, where talks are scheduled to take place on Friday. However, Pakistan’s role has also not been without controversy. Some commentators have suggested that Sharif and Munir effectively acted as “wingmen” for Trump, helping to bring about a pause that allows the US President to back down from earlier threats without having to back down under pressure. Critics point to the president’s past warnings about excessive force – including rhetoric calling for the destruction of Iranian civilization – as evidence of an overreach that requires a diplomatic off-ramp. In this reading, the ceasefire serves as a face-saving mechanism rather than a negotiated settlement. The social media post showed an edited history of Sharif’s statement to show that he was posting messages directed at her, prompting the day’s events.Trump surrogates reject such characterizations, insisting that the pause reflects strength and strategic discipline rather than a concession. Yet the optics remain controversial, especially in light of growing commentary in political and media circles around the so-called “TACO” label – “Trump Always Chickens Out”. Although such satires are not part of the formal policy discussion, they underscore the domestic dimension of the narrative battle surrounding the ceasefire.

The situation in Israel adds another layer of complexity. Officials in Israel have not publicly opposed the ceasefire, but nor have they explicitly endorsed it, while indicating cautious acceptance as long as it does not hinder their ability to take action against perceived threats. At the heart of the upcoming talks in Pakistan are several unresolved issues that will determine whether the ceasefire can turn into something more durable. These include the scope of sanctions relief, the future of Iran’s nuclear program, the role of a regional proxy, and security guarantees for maritime traffic. Diplomats will be watching for signs of coherence in Iran’s negotiating position, particularly whether the State Department’s tone is in line with broader leadership.

यह सनसनीखेज हत्या 12 अक्टूबर 2020 को रुद्रपुर के भदईपुरा वार्ड नंबर 13 में हुई थी, जहां बीजेपी समर्थित पार्षद प्रकाश सिंह धामी की दिनदहाड़े गोली मारकर हत्या कर दी गई थी. बदमाशों ने पहले उसे घर से बाहर बुलाया और फिर अंधाधुंध फायरिंग कर उसकी हत्या कर दी. यह पूरी घटना सीसीटीवी में कैद हो गई, जिससे इलाके में दहशत फैल गई.

मामले में सात में से छह आरोपियों को पहले ही गिरफ्तार किया जा चुका है.

जांच से पता चला कि हत्या राजनीतिक प्रतिद्वंद्विता और क्षेत्रीय वर्चस्व की लड़ाई का नतीजा थी। इस घटना के लिए मध्य प्रदेश और उत्तर प्रदेश के पेशेवर निशानेबाजों को रुपये की सुपारी दी गई थी. 4 लाख. मामले में सात में से छह आरोपियों को पहले ही गिरफ्तार किया जा चुका था, जबकि रिंकू शर्मा फरार था.

एसएसपी एसटीएफ अजय सिंह के मुताबिक आरोपियों की गिरफ्तारी के लिए विशेष रणनीति बनाई गई और टेक्निकल सर्विलांस और मुखबिर तंत्र की मदद ली गई. टीम पिछले एक माह से उसकी गतिविधियों पर नजर रख रही थी.

ये भी पढ़ें…उत्तराखंड: कांग्रेस प्रभारी के आगमन से नरम होगी गुटबाजी की गरमाहट, पांच दिवसीय दौरा, आज पहुंचेंगे रुद्रपुर

पुख्ता सूचना मिलने पर एसटीएफ और कोतवाली रुद्रपुर पुलिस ने संयुक्त रूप से घेराबंदी कर उसे पकड़ लिया। गिरफ्तार आरोपी मध्य प्रदेश के मुरैना जिले का रहने वाला है और उसके खिलाफ हत्या, हत्या का प्रयास, लूट, डकैती, रंगदारी और गैंगस्टर एक्ट समेत करीब एक दर्जन मामले दर्ज हैं. फिलहाल आरोपी के खिलाफ कोतवाली रुद्रपुर में मामला दर्ज कर लिया गया है और आगे की कानूनी कार्रवाई की जा रही है.

BENGALURU: India’s space missions may make headlines at the time of launch, but their real test begins only after the rocket is decommissioned. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said here on Wednesday that mission operations, the long, invisible phase that keeps satellites alive for years, will define the next phase of the country’s space ambitions.Speaking at the Spacecraft Mission Operations (SMOP) conference, Narayanan underlined that while launches last barely 15 to 25 minutes, the spacecraft must function reliably for years, sometimes up to 15. “Ensuring that the spacecraft remains fully operational in orbit … continuous monitoring, simulation and command operations. This is a very important domain,” he said, placing mission operations at the center of future space efforts.Narayanan spoke at a time when ISRO is grappling with launch failures and project delays, which is drawing criticism, especially given that the Indian space program is transitioning from milestone-driven missions to sustained space activity. He pointed to three major achievements since the last SMOP conference: the successful docking experiment in space, the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing, and the Aditya-L1 solar mission.He described the docking experiment as particularly complex, in which two satellites traveling at more than 15,000 km per hour were brought together with precision. Highlighting the risks involved, he said, “Any wrong order… you know what the end result will be.”On Chandrayaan-3, Narayanan credited the mission operations teams for executing an autonomous landing sequence near the Moon’s south pole. He also mentioned India’s entry into an elite group of countries to study the Sun with the Aditya-L1 mission.The Chairman emphasized that mission operations are not limited to one team but involve designers, software engineers and system experts working together. He described their role as “very important” and often under-recognized.Looking ahead, Narayanan said technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud-based ground systems will become important. “What was considered advanced 10 to 15 years ago is now the need of the hour,” he said.He also placed mission operations in the broader context of India’s expanding space ecosystem, pointing to the increasing involvement of private players and start-ups. Private companies are contributing to both technical capacity and talent development, he said.On human space flight, a program that has been announced several times by the Center and ISRO, Narayanan described it as “not just another activity” but a big step requiring constant operational precision. Drawing comparisons with April 12, 1961 – the date of the first human space flight – he said India is now preparing for its own crewed missions.As ISRO moves towards more complex missions, including the future Chandrayaan-4 and 5 projects and human spaceflight, Narayanan’s message was clear: success will depend less on the spectacle of the launch and more on the discipline of operations that follow.