CCTV footage of Mira Road attacker

New Delhi: “I’m going to die! I’m going to die! Please save me!” Stuck between life and death, Rajesh Mishra Facing the knife, she shouted into the phone, her voice strained.Rajesh Mishra, a supervisor, was seriously injured when he pleaded with Subroto Sen, a guard, who himself survived a fatal knife attack by Zaib Zubair Ansari.The wounded Subroto Sen had fled behind the building and was waiting in distress for what was about to happen.Narrating to police the sequence of events that fateful night in Mumbai’s Mira Road in which he and his supervisor were seriously injured, Subroto Sen claimed that 31-year-old Zaib Zuber Ansari had come to him hours before with a murderous intention.“He asked, ‘Is there a mosque ahead?’ I said, ‘Yes, there is a mosque ahead on the right.’ Then he asked, ‘What is the name of the mosque?’ I told him, ‘I don’t know the name of the mosque.’ Then Zuber asked, ‘Are you a Hindu?’ “I replied ‘yes’,” Sen said, according to news agency IANS. He said that the accused left first. But hours later, around 4 pm, when Subroto headed towards a tea stall, he saw Zuber there again.At 4.30 in the morning, as he returned to his duty post, he started feeling uneasy. Zuber was following him!Before he could react, the accused allegedly took out a knife, grabbed Subroto’s arm and attacked him. Subroto tried to retaliate, but was injured before he could be stabbed.In an attempt to escape, he pushed away the attacker and ran towards the cabin of his supervisor Rajkumar Mishra.“However, Zuber also entered the cabin. Mishra was sitting on a chair inside. Before I could explain the situation or he could understand what was happening, Zuber – on seeing Mishra – immediately demanded, ‘You are also a Hindu, right? If not, read the Kalma.’ Mishra was unable to read Kalma. After this Zuber started attacking him continuously with the knife. “Being seated on a chair, Mishra was unable to defend himself effectively,” Subroto said.Fearing for his life, Subroto ran towards the back of the building. After some time, when the situation seemed to be calming down, he called Mishra’s mobile. Mishra replied and, in distress, pleaded, “I’m going to die! I’m going to die! Please save me!”According to police officials, the accused approached the guard posted at an under-construction building near Wockhardt Hospital around 4 am on Monday. He reportedly asked them to recite the Kalma, an important Islamic declaration of faith, before launching the attack.Ansari has been detained in connection with the attack, during which he allegedly interrogated the victims about their religious identity before attacking them with a knife, in what investigators suspect may have been a lone wolf-style incident carried out by a radicalized individual.The victims, Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Sen, suffered serious injuries and were admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Mishra managed to reach the hospital on his own despite his condition, while Sen was helped by Nayab Shaikh, a local resident.After the attack, police moved quickly and scanned CCTV footage of the area to trace the suspect. Ansari was tracked down and captured within about 90 minutes. He was later taken to Naya Nagar police station, where a case was registered against him under charges including attempt to murder and promoting enmity between communities.Following his arrest, Ansari was produced before a Thane court, which sent him to police custody till May 4.The scope of the investigation has since expanded, with local police working closely with the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Investigators are examining the electronic devices seized from the accused to ascertain whether the attack was an isolated act or part of a larger design.Initial findings, according to IANS report, point to notes containing references to “ISIS”, “lone wolf”, “jihad” and “Gaza”.The agency also claimed that Ansari has spent several years in the United States, where his family members live. He returned to India after reportedly failing to secure steady employment.Back in India, he lived alone in Mira Road and earned a living by taking online chemistry classes.Investigators suspect that he may have been radicalized through material accessed online.

Here are the top 5 news of the day

ATF prices: ‘Indian airline industry on verge of shutting down operations,’ says FIA; Demand for government intervention

“The airline industry in India is under extreme stress and is on the verge of closure or closure of operations.” This serious warning has been issued by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, in an “urgent” SOS sent to the government, seeking the latter’s “immediate intervention” in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) pricing. Read the full story

‘If he is Singham, I am Pushpa’: TMC protests over UP-cadre IPS Ajay Pal Sharma’s warning against voter intimidation

A political controversy erupted in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas following protests by TMC supporters over alleged threat by election observer Ajay Pal Sharma ahead of the second phase of voting. TMC candidate Jahangir Khan said, “This is Bengal; if he is ‘Singham’, I am ‘Pushpa’. No intimidation or coercion of any kind by BJP-appointed police officers will be allowed here.” Read the full story

Gujarat civic polls: BJP wins all 15 corporations, crosses 50% vote share across the board

BJP won a landslide victory in all 15 municipal corporations. In the home turf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the saffron party crossed the 50% mark in every corporation. Voting took place on Sunday for civic elections, which include 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats. Read the full story

Greece: Gunman opens fire at Social Security office and court; Police are searching for 89-year-old suspect

An 89-year-old man reportedly armed with a shotgun wounded a worker at a Social Security office in Athens before he opened fire in a court, wounding several more people. Police are actively searching for the suspect, the motive behind the attacks is unknown at this time. Read the full story

IS inspired attack in Maharashtra: CM Fadnavis said, ‘The suspect had a desire to attack Hindus.’

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Thane stabbing incident was being investigated as a possible “lone wolf” case of self-radicalisation, with agencies probing any wider conspiracy. Police said the accused, Jaber Zubair Ansari, allegedly asked the guards about their religion and forced one of them to recite an Islamic kalma before attacking him. Read the full story

New Delhi: At a time when centralized leadership and national narratives play a major role in politics, Mamata Banerjee Has stood as one of the strongest regional satraps opposing the national trend. He has ruled West Bengal for the last 15 years, defeating his rivals time and again. But the big question is whether the Trinamool chief will be successful in doing this once again? BJPHer chief rival in West Bengal, this time, is trying everything possible to remove her from the post – putting the brand ‘Mamata’ to perhaps one of the toughest political tests.Little wonder, the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 have literally become a referendum on brand ‘Didi’ – that carefully constructed public identity. TMC Supremo, who has combined grassroots populism, Bengali sub-nationalism and an expansive welfare state based on direct benefit transfers.The question now is whether this brand, once seen as electorally Teflon, can still withstand voter fatigue, allegations of corruption and a much stronger opposition this time from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

its own brand

The brand ‘Didi’ that Mamata Banerjee created was never just about governance; It was about this that he reduced the distance between state power and the individual citizen, turning policy into personal reach.From the anti-Left rebel who came to power in 2011 to the welfare architect of the last decade, Banerjee’s politics have evolved, but its core has remained intact: a direct emotional and physical connection with the voter.

By 2021, this model had reached its peak. Despite a strong campaign by BJP, TMC won 215 seats with 48.5% vote share. However, BJP managed to secure a major share of 77 seats with 38.4% vote share.Five years later, this election will once again test whether the brand holds up.

The Maternal State: Welfare as Political Glue

At the core of brand ‘Didi’ lies what can best be described as a maternalist welfare state, a governance model that prioritizes domestic liquidity over macro-economic signals. Rather than promising long-term infrastructure benefits, it offers immediate, concrete benefits that matter to voters in their daily lives.Schemes like ‘Lakshmi Bhandar’ have become the cornerstone of this model. With the enrollment of about 2.21 crore women, and the monthly stipend increased to Rs 1,500 for general categories and Rs 1,700 for SC/ST beneficiaries, the scheme has effectively created a huge, cross-cutting support base among women voters that transcends caste and religious divides.

The scale of the state’s food security network strengthens this bond. Under ‘Khadya Sathi’ and ‘Duare Ration’, around 9 crore people receive subsidized food grains, with 7.5 crore beneficiaries accessing doorstep delivery. In large parts of rural Bengal, these schemes make the Mamata government a strong monthly presence in many households.This is similar to what J Jayalalitha did Tamil Nadu With its ‘Amma’ initiative, which provided affordable, nutritious food to low-income groups. The flagship programme, Amma Canteen, revolutionized food security, selling idli for Rs 1, sambar rice for Rs 5 and curd rice for Rs 3.

Street Fighter 2.0

Days before the election dates were announced, Mamata Banerjee adopted a sharp strategy to recast her street fighter image. Facing anti-incumbency and growing institutional pressure, he shifted the arena of confrontation from street protests to the courtroom. On February 4, she became a rare sitting chief minister to personally address the Supreme Court, turning the legal hearing into a political moment.

At the center of the move was the SIR of the voter list, in which more than 90 lakh names were removed. While the BJP presented it as a cleanliness drive, Banerjee presented it as a question of disenfranchisement. Appearing in person wearing her trademark cotton saree and slippers, she reinforced her image as a grassroots leader taking on the powerful institutions that had helped her in her early days in politics.The move also marked a subtle restructuring. From being introduced as a combative street politician, he established himself as a “constitutional fighter”, arguing that it is necessary to confront the system from within to protect voters’ rights.

Stress Factors: Corruption and Credibility

Yet, at this time in more than a decade, the brand is clearly under pressure. The 2026 election cycle has exposed fault lines that go beyond routine anti-incumbency.The most damaging challenge is what can be described as an ethics crisis. Incidents like the RG Kar Medical College tragedy and the allegations emerging from Sandeshkhali have struck at the emotional core of Banerjee’s political identity – ‘Maa, Mati, Manush’. The ‘mother’ component, which established him as a protective figure, especially with regard to women’s safety, has come under scrutiny.

During the second phase of the election campaign in Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it to drive a rift in his party, saying: “15 years ago, TMC came to power by talking about ‘Maa, Mati, Manush’. Now they can’t even speak those words. I will tell you the reason behind it. If these people speak those words, their sins will be exposed.” The cruelty of TMC made the ‘Mother’ cry, handed over the ‘Soil’ to the syndicates and infiltrators and forced the ‘Manush’ of Bengal to flee.“In fact, BJP has also given election ticket to the mother of the RG tax case victim, for whom PM Modi had campaigned in Dum Dum on Saturday. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had also given ticket to Rekha Patra, one of the Sandeshkhali victims, from Basirhat, West Bengal. However, Patra lost the election.The growing corruption saga, fueled by investigations by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, complicates the issue of women’s safety. Although TMC has questioned these investigations and Mamata herself has openly fought the institution, they may contribute to a broader credibility challenge.

identity politics

The 2026 election has also been shaped by the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, in which around 91 lakh names were reportedly removed. Voting in the first phase was 92.59%, the highest since independence.Mamata Banerjee made sure to make this exercise by the Election Commission a political issue – to deny identity and vote. By portraying this as an effort to exclude vulnerable populations (read Muslims), they have mobilized their base around a defensive narrative: not just voting for a party, but protecting one’s political survival.On Phase 1 voting, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the increase in voting percentage “has gone decisively in favor of the ruling party” and signals a clear rejection of the BJP.Echoing the same sentiment, TMC minister Bratya Basu said, “In Bihar, we saw a similar pattern where voting increased significantly, but the government remained unchanged. Bengal is also reflecting the same trend.”In contrast, the BJP has framed the SIR exercise as a corrective measure targeting illegal migration. The result is an intensely polarized discourse, where the electoral contest doubles as a battle of belonging.In such a scenario, ‘Brand Didi’ may gain renewed relevance among sections of the electorate – not as a vehicle of aspiration, but as a shield against perceived exclusion.

permanent edge

Despite the adverse circumstances, Mamata Banerjee has retained three important advantages which may work in electoral favor for TMC again this time.First, the lack of a reliable local model. The BJP’s campaign, despite being organizationally strong, still hinges heavily on the promise of national leadership and its ‘double-engine’ governance. This allows TMC to present the election as a contest between the ‘daughter of Bengal’ and outside forces, while strengthening regional identity.TMC has raised the slogan of “Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chai” (Bengal wants its own daughter) this election season, while terming BJP as an outsider who wants to destroy Bengali culture.The second is the depth of the grassroots network. Through self-help groups like Anandadhara, which includes more than 12 lakh groups and more than 1 crore women, TMC has built a decentralized mobility structure.The third is Banerjee’s adaptive populism. Faced with crises, they have continuously recalibrated – launching schemes like Shramshree and expanding the social safety net to regain lost ground. Shramshree Scheme supports the return of Bengali speaking migrant workers who faced harassment or hardship in other states. It provides a one-time travel grant of Rs 5,000, monthly financial assistance up to Rs 5,000 for a year and relocation assistance, which benefits registered workers.This ability to respond quickly has prevented discontent from turning into a unified anti-establishment wave.

brand development

Perhaps the most important change is ideological. The brand ‘Didi’ of 2026 is no longer the aspirational force of 2011, when it promised ‘poriborton’ (change), nor the rebellious force of 2021, captured in the slogan ‘Khela Hobe’.It has now rebranded itself as a utility with welfare schemes. This time, it is also a crusader against the BJP, which is currently the dominant national party.Banerjee has already said that after winning the assembly elections, she will focus her attention on Delhi.“Remember this, you cannot defeat us. We fight against injustice; we fight for our rights. I was born in Bengal, and I will take my last breath in this very Bengal. After winning in Bengal, I will capture Delhi. I will do this by bringing all the political parties together. I don’t want a seat (of power); I want complete eradication of BJP in Delhi. While their destruction in Bengal is inevitable, the BJP must be ousted from Delhi too,” he said at a rally in Kolkata.

So will the ‘Didi’ brand work this time?

Voting has been held for 152 constituencies in the first phase on April 23 in the state and voting for the second phase will be held on Wednesday.Whether she will win power for the fourth time or not will be known when the results are declared on May 4. But at present the last woman is still in power.

New Delhi: Security agencies have foiled a major plot to allegedly target the national capital with advanced weapons, revealing a suspected cross-border syndicate linked to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, sources said.Authorities recovered 18 sophisticated firearms from nine alleged operatives, who were allegedly planning to send the weapons through Munger before distributing them across several states.ANI sources said investigators are also probing the role of Shahbaz Ansari, a wanted accused in the NIA’s Sidhu Moosewala arms supply case and a resident of Khurja in Uttar Pradesh.The latest operation comes days after the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali national, on April 22, 2025.In a related action on April 24, the Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorism squad arrested two alleged gangsters in Noida, who are said to be working under the direct influence of Pakistan-based handlers and the ISI.The suspects, identified as Tushar Chauhan alias Hizbullah Ali Khan and Sameer Khan, 20, were found with a pistol, live ammunition and a knife.According to the ATS, intelligence inputs indicate that the two were attempting to compromise India’s internal security on the instructions of the ISI. Investigators said they were working with terrorist organizations and gangsters to radicalize Indian youth through Instagram and other social media platforms.The ATS further alleged that the two men were working with gangsters Shehzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt and were tasked with creating sleeper cells and conducting reconnaissance of sensitive locations for targeted killings.According to UP ATS, Bhatti had allegedly offered Tushar Rs 3 lakh, a part of which was paid in advance, along with a passport and safe passage to Pakistan via Dubai after carrying out the planned attacks.Investigators said the network was not limited to criminal elements and was linked to ISI operatives identified as Major Hamid, Major Iqbal and Major Anwar, who allegedly helped supply arms and money.(With ANI inputs)

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has indicated the possibility of a return to El Nino conditions as early as May-July this year, with climate models pointing to a rapid increase in sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.WMO said in its latest global seasonal climate update that confidence in the onset of El Nino is increasing after neutral conditions earlier this year. “After a period of neutral conditions at the beginning of the year, climate models are now strongly aligned, and there is high confidence in the onset of El Niño, which will be followed by further intensification in the following months,” Wilfran Moufouma Okia said.He added, “Models indicate this could be a strong event, but the so-called spring predictability constraint is a challenge to the certainty of forecasts at this time of year. Forecast confidence generally improves after April.The report forecasts a “near-normal to near-global dominance of land surface temperatures” over the next three months, with significant regional variations in rainfall. El Niño is part of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which is known to influence global weather, often weakening monsoon systems over parts of Asia.What is El Nino?El Niño is a climate phenomenon marked by increased sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, part of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. It occurs irregularly every two to seven years and typically lasts about nine to twelve months. During an El Niño event, the normal easterly trade winds weaken or may reverse, disrupting global weather patterns. This could lead to dry conditions in parts of Australia, Indonesia and South Asia, while causing heavy rainfall in parts of the Americas, as well as increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also predicted below normal southwest monsoon for 2026, the first such forecast in three years, with rainfall likely to be around 92% of the long period average.Despite growing monsoon concerns, large parts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra are facing a severe heat wave, with temperatures reaching above 45 degrees Celsius and people facing distress. Akola recorded a high of 46.9 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country, followed by Amravati (46.8 degrees Celsius), Wardha (46.4 degrees Celsius) and Yavatmal (46.0 degrees Celsius). Hot winds and dry conditions led to the temperature in Nagpur reaching 45.4 degrees Celsius, the highest so far this season.With little respite expected, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Akola, Amravati and Wardha, warning of extreme heat, while a yellow alert is in place for Nagpur, Chandrapur and Buldhana.Akola not only topped the national charts but was also one of the hottest destinations globally, ranking third in the world that day. Amravati (fourth), Wardha (sixth), Yavatmal (eighth) and Nagpur (tenth) also feature in the global top 10, underscoring the intensity of the heatwave across the region.Authorities in Delhi have intensified preparations. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced measures including making ORS solutions available in schools and ensuring uninterrupted power and water supply. He has also directed the departments to ensure that workers do not face extreme heat between 1 pm and 4 pm.

New Delhi: Leader of the opposition in Delhi and AAP MLA Atishi on Tuesday strongly criticized the Rajya Sabha Secretariat’s notification accepting the merger of seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs with the BJP, calling it “illegal and unconstitutional”.“He said the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority of the legislature party for a merger between political parties, and there is no provision under anti-defection laws to allow two-thirds of MPs or MLAs to merge with another party.“The notification of merger by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat yesterday is illegal and unconstitutional. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has passed clear orders and it is clearly written in the Constitution, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh had also informed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about this – that as per the Constitution, when there is a merger of the parent political party, 2/3rd of the legislature party is also required for that merger. But under anti-defection laws, there is no such provision in this country that 2/3rd MPs or MLAs can merge with another party,” Atishi said.Atishi warned PM Modi that the more atrocities you commit, the worse your fate will be.“But what does it matter to the BJP? The BJP wants to destroy the Constitution and democracy of this country by any means… I would like to tell the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that history says that the more atrocities you commit, the worse your fate will be. It is clear that the end time of BJP and Modi ji’s politics is near. Therefore, their atrocities have increased. But in the history of this world, whenever atrocities have increased, someone or the other has come to end those atrocities.”The comments came after the Rajya Sabha Chairman approved the merger of AAP’s seven Rajya Sabha MPs with the BJP, increasing the BJP’s strength in the Upper House to 113. The MPs who switched sides include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahni and Swati Maliwal.With this development, AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has been reduced to three members.Responding to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s comments on the issue, Atishi also highlighted the party’s performance under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and said it reflected the public’s demand for an alternative political force.“BJP wrote the obituary for AAP 15 times in the last 15 years. Every 6 months, BJP announces that Arvind Kejriwal’s politics is over. But under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, AAP is the fastest growing party in the country. In just 10 years, the party formed the government thrice in Delhi, contested elections in Punjab for the first time and became the principal opposition and won a huge majority when the elections were fought the second time, our MLAs won in Gujarat and Goa, here Even we have an MLA in Jammu and Kashmir,” Atishi said.He said, “This clearly shows that the people of this country are looking for an alternative, for a different politics. AAP is becoming that alternative. Now, when the trial court, CBI court order has exposed the BJP’s conspiracy, they are restless. The country has seen how a conspiracy was hatched against Arvind Kejriwal, how false allegations were leveled…the entire conspiracy is in front of the country, so, once again the ED, CBI are being misused by the BJP.”

New Delhi: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiran Rijiju shared post-session exchange on Tuesday Congress MP Shashi Tharoor To sharpen his attack on the opposition over the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, he claimed that Tharoor also “agreed” with his comment that the Congress could be seen as anti-women.Rijiju said in an interview with ANI, “We took a picture. When the Parliament session ended, Shashi Tharoor in the hall said to me…but no woman will believe that Shashi Tharoor is anti-women. I said, yes, no one will call you anti-women.”“That’s what he meant. Congress may be anti-women, but women will not consider Shashi Tharoor anti-women… He kind of agreed,” she said.The minister also hit out at the opposition parties for opposing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.“Who would have thought that anyone would vote against women? We don’t have a two-thirds majority… but who would have even dreamed that Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party would vote against women?” Rijiju said.He said opposition parties would “face the wrath of women” to oppose the bill, arguing that the issue should not be viewed through a political lens. Rijiju rejected the opposition’s argument that the bill wrongly linked women’s reservation to delimitation.“They say delimitation was linked… It is written in the 2023 law that delimitation will happen after the 2026 census and it will be implemented. Then why was it not opposed?” He said.He also dismissed concerns about the impact on southern states and said the government has clarified that the number of seats will increase equally across all states along with 33% reservation for women.On the demand for implementing women’s reservation within the existing number of 543 Lok Sabha seats, Rijiju argued that the current system is outdated.“The seats were decided on the basis of 1971 population… Some seats have 30 lakh or 40 lakh voters. Is this how democracy is supposed to work?” The population-to-seat ratio in India is much higher than many other countries, he said.Opposition parties had opposed the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on April 17. In the division vote, 298 MPs voted in favor, while 230 voted against, leading to its defeat.Subsequently, the government said it would not pursue two other related bills. The proposals aimed to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats with 33% reservation for women along with delimitation based on the 2011 census.