The grandmother of convicted murderer Vikram Digva has defended his mother’s actions after she helped hide the weapon used in the murder of Henry Novak, saying she “just did what any parent would do.”Speaking publicly for the first time since Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, Bimla Kaur, 75, said the case has devastated both families and her relatives live in fear.“This whole affair has destroyed two families – Henry’s and mine,” she told the Daily Mail.Digva, 23, was convicted of murdering Novak using a kirpan, the Sikh ritual blade, in Southampton on December 3 last year. His mother, Kiran Kaur, 52, was later found guilty of assisting a murderer after hiding a knife at her son’s request. He is currently on remand and will be sentenced later this month.Kaur defended her daughter-in-law, saying, “She did what any mother would do.”The grandmother described Kiran as a devout Sikh and a devoted housewife, whose entire focus was on raising her children in a traditional family environment.“Now he will be punished for this,” he said.Kaur expressed sympathy for the victim’s family and clarified that she does not condone her grandson’s actions.He described DeGwa as a “difficult boy”, saying, “He’s done a lot of bad things – there’s no debate on that.”According to Kaur, her family fears for their safety following the outcome of the case. Following DeGwa’s conviction and the release of police body camera footage, violent protests broke out in Southampton. Some protesters traveled towards the road where the Digwa family lived.Kaur said her son, Moga, and grandson, Gurpreet, have left their home and are staying with relatives at an undisclosed location.“It is not safe for them to stay in their home because it was targeted last night and it is only a matter of time before it is attacked again,” he said.Although she is at home in central Southampton, Kaur said the family has also received threats.She said: “We are all living in fear because we have also received some threats and we are worried that we too might be attacked. But we have been in this city for a long time, our whole family is here, and we have nowhere else to go.”Kaur also spoke about her family’s connection to the Nihangs, a centuries-old Sikh warrior order known for carrying traditional weapons and protecting the Sikh religion. He said several male members of Digva’s family, including his father and brother, belonged to the order.“It’s an important part of our faith and I’m proud of it,” he said.However, he insisted that his grandson’s actions went against those values.He added, “These weapons are not meant to be used on innocents, so something has gone wrong.”During the trial, Degawa was described as “obsessed with weapons” and was found to be in possession of several illegal weapons in addition to ceremonial sabres.People of the Sikh community have also kept distance from him. Jas Singh of the Sikh Federation UK said: “He is a fake Nihang. Yes, weapons are important to us, and we learn to use them, but it is clearly stipulated that they can only be used to defend the faith, maintain justice and protect the innocent, not to kill them. Nihangs are an honest and noble people, but Digwa was none of these. He was a common thug, no different from any other you would normally see on the streets of Britain Are.“

Taking cognizance of the fire that broke out in Malviya Nagar restaurant in Delhi, in which 21 people died, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh… Yogi Adityanath On Thursday ordered special security checks of hotels and commercial establishments in the state.The Chief Minister directed officials of all development authorities, police departments, Public Works Department (PWD), and fire department as well as several other departments to ensure that all high-rise buildings, offices, hotels and commercial establishments should be thoroughly inspected, and fire safety systems should be in place.Furthermore, he directed that all hotels should undergo special security inspection and submit an audit report.Commenting on CM Yogi’s directive, Chief Fire Officer Ankush Mittal confirmed that special teams are actively inspecting local hotels and warned of strict legal action against any establishment violating fire safety norms.On (CM Yogi’s) instructions, the campaign is being run at all hotels and various stations. CFO Mittal told ANI, “All station representatives are inspecting hotels under their areas…If negligence is found, legal action will be taken against them.”Meanwhile, expressing grief over the Delhi tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna announced that fresh instructions are being issued to district magistrates and local authorities to strictly enforce safety compliance.Speaking to reporters, Khanna said, “The incident that happened in Delhi is very sad. From time to time, instructions are given to the people and today again we will give instructions to the District Magistrate and other concerned people on this matter.”21 people, including 12 foreign nationals and 9 Indians, died in a massive fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.

Dawa Sherpa, a mountain guide missing for several days in the Everest region, is treated by doctors after arriving at HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

In what climbers are calling a miracle, a 52-year-old Sherpa guide, who was presumed dead after he went missing while descending Mount Everest on May 29, was found alive near base camp on Thursday morning, six days later.Dawa ‘Hillary’ Sherpa – who earned the nickname for her mountaineering expertise – climbed more than 12 km from the Yellow Band (25,000 ft) to Crampon Point (17,000 ft) in difficult weather without food, water or supplemental oxygen, crossing the dangerous Khumbu Icefall after the climbing season ended and ropes and ladders were removed on the route.His family, having lost hope, were reciting prayers for his funeral when they were told that Dawa had survived, searching for food, water and remnants of discarded bottled oxygen from the surviving tent.Dawa was descending after climbing Everest at 5 pm on May 28 with a group that included British climber Chris Thrall, a former Royal Marine and a Polish climber, when he was last seen near the Yellow Band on May 29. Reports state that the Polish climber reached base camp, but claimed not to be reached. Thrall also “paid tribute” to Dawa on social media, saying “RIP… Mero Dai”. Rest in peace, my big brother.In a 13-minute video posted on Instagram on Wednesday, Thrall said, “Dawa sat down to rest with his backpack. These guys carry heavy stuff…” He added that he examined Dawa before moving on. “I turned to him and said, ‘Hillary, are you okay brother?’ He said, ‘Yes, yes, I’m fine, Chris.’ Please go.”Thrall said that as he descended, he saw a Polish climber from his team who “had frostbite and was out of supplemental oxygen”. He said, “I come from the British Royal Marines – we are taught to never leave anyone behind… I only have half a tank of oxygen left. Do I take the Polish climber who has frostbite, or go back for the Sherpa who will likely recover and do just fine as he has done hundreds of times before? His account of events has not been independently verified.Thrall said he shared oxygen with the Polish climber and descended with him, and later reported Dawa missing after reaching lower camps. After mounting online criticism over why he did not return for the claim, Thrall said he was tired of being called a “killer” on social media. Once Dava was found alive, Thrall said he was “overjoyed and happy for her and her wonderful family”.The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) cleaning team, which was removing root equipment, spotted Dawa near Crampon Point and brought him down before he was taken to a Kathmandu hospital due to frostbite and other complications. “He is in intensive care but out of danger,” a doctor at Kathmandu’s HAMS hospital said.Dawa’s family had already begun funeral prayers when news of the rescue arrived, but the first call brought disbelief rather than relief. “We couldn’t be sure that the man was really our father,” said his daughter Mhendo Lhamo Sherpa. “We asked to send pictures and only then were we convinced and very happy.” After meeting him in hospital, Mhendo said, “He recognized me… is well and speaks. We are happy.”For the climbers and guides, what was most important was not only that Dawa survived for nearly six days without supplies, but that he passed through active crevasses and broken areas. Nima Tenzing Sherpa, an independent high-altitude guide, told times of India“Two days in a crevasse deep below Camp I after a whole week in the death zone? Surviving on ice and a packet of biscuits at that altitude is an incredible feat of mental strength. Most people would lie down and accept the end, but Dawa chose to fight. He is the tiger of the mountains.”Many guides and climbers have raised questions about the delay in search and rescue response to the claim. Mingma Si Sherpa, an independent high-altitude porter, told TOI that climbers often make “dangerous assumptions” about Sherpas because of their experience and achievements at altitude. “Foreign climbers believe we are invincible – a dangerous mentality but a normal mentality. When a client is led by a specific guide so they can relax, they trust that expertise. Thrall made a textbook choice of survival in brutal circumstances.Others accused the Kathmandu-based agency that hired Dawa of “negligence and indifference”. Pasang Geljen Sherpa, an independent expedition logistics coordinator, told TOI, “It is absolutely shameful that Himalayan Traverse overtook him in the race to the finish. This is the dark side of commercial Everest – when the clock runs out, commercial teams disappear, and guides become disposable. Dawa saved himself; his agency gave him no chance.“Attempts were made to reach Himalayan Travers through text messages and calls for comment on the allegations, but his phones remained switched off.

Indian-Americans have established startups worth $96 billion in America. Mohit Aron (left) and Jyoti Bansal founded multi-billion dollar companies.

A new study from the National Foundation for American Policy has revealed that India provides the largest number of founders to the US – more than any other country as Indian founders have launched $96 billion worth of startups in the US. Israel is in second place with 60, followed by the UK with 47, China with 41 and Canada with 30. The report details these immigrant founders and their backgrounds – whether they came to the US as students or for jobs, etc.The report said immigrants founded or co-founded 59% (455 of 775) of America’s privately held startup companies valued at $1 billion or more, up from 55% in NFAP reports released in 2018 and 2022. Two-thirds (66%) of US billion-dollar companies (unicorns) were founded or co-founded by immigrants or children of immigrants. about 80%America’s unicorn companies (privately held, billion-dollar companies) have an immigrant founder or an immigrant in a key leadership role, such as CEO or vice president of engineering.The report comes at a time when hatred towards India is at its peak on social media, with H-1B visa holders being portrayed as the main culprits who, according to MAGA commentators, enter the US fraudulently, steal American jobs, create a housing crisis in American cities.But as the report silenced critics, many commentators praised the Indian-American community.Commentator Richard Hanania wrote, “India has sent 96 people to the US who have started billion-dollar companies. No one is even close to them. There are only 5 million Indians in the US. About one in 50,000 of them is a unicorn founder! What pure, special, beautiful people. I will always fight for them.”“Time to use the old American phrase: “You ain’t seen nothing yet..!” Despite the challenges, Indian Americans will remain as entrepreneurial as ever. But the new phase will take place right here in India where the startup boom has just begun. And it will surprise the world…” wrote Indian business tycoon Anand Mahindra.

Main findings of the study

List of Indians who founded two or more billion dollar companies

Mohit Aaron: Nutanix and CohesityJyoti Bansal: AppDynamics and HarnessAshutosh Garg: Bloomreach and Eightfold.aiArvind Jain: Rubrik and GlanSachin Nayyar: Securionics and SavientAjit Singh: Nutanix and ThoughtSpot