Kolkata airport marks Rakshabandhan with CISF, security forces
Staff at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport tied rakhis to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel on Saturday, marking the Hindu festival of Rakshabandhan with a show of gratitude for those safeguarding the facility. The event was organised by Kalyanmayee, the Airports Authority of India’s women’s welfare association, along with the airport administration. Participants also distributed national flags under the government’s “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign to encourage citizens to display the tricolour ahead of India’s 79th Independence Day on Aug. 15. “Our security personnel work tirelessly, often away from their families, to ensure the safety of passengers and airport operations,” Airport Director Dr. Beuria said. “Celebrating Rakshabandhan with them is our way of expressing gratitude and affection.” Kalyanmayee, which conducts social and charitable activities across Indian airports, said the celebration sought to reinforce unity and patriotism within the airport community.
RG Kar protesters lathicharged, victim’s mother says Mamata’s cops assaulted her
Clashes in Kolkata as RG Kar doctor’s parents lead the protest march. Police in Kolkata have clashed with demonstrators during a rally led by the parents of a young doctor who was raped and murdered last year at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The unrest broke out on Saturday when the march, which had been given a designated protest site, diverted towards Park Street in central Kolkata. Protesters attempted to breach police barricades in a bid to reach the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna. Police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd, which included senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders such as Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Mr Adhikari alleged that more than 100 people, including BJP legislators and the victim’s parents, were injured. The victim’s mother accused the police of physically assaulting her. “Mamata Banerjee’s police roughed me up without provocation and broke my bangles,” she said. “All we want is to reach the secretariat and seek justice for my daughter.” In January, a CBI court convicted Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, of the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor, whose body was found inside the hospital’s seminar hall in August 2024. A post-mortem report confirmed she had been throttled and smothered. The case sparked widespread protests and led to the resignation of the hospital’s principal. Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in areas around Nabanna, and traffic restrictions were enforced on major roads and bridges, including Howrah Bridge. Some protesters attempted to dismantle 10-foot-high barricades in both Kolkata and Howrah, while others scaled them or used blunt tools to break through. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and other party workers were seen climbing onto barricades. The Kolkata Police said they had deployed heavy security, including the Rapid Action Force, and placed large containers and multi-layered barricades to prevent marches from reaching sensitive locations. Another rally is planned from Hazra crossing to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat.
Global Tourists to Arrive as ISKCON Mayapur to Celebrate Janmashtami 2025 with Grand Festivities
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will mark the 5,252nd anniversary of the divine appearance of Lord Sri Krishna with grand celebrations at its global centres, including its headquarters in Sri Mayapur, Nadia district, West Bengal. The event will be observed with full religious devotion, traditional rituals, and a series of cultural programmes, ISKCON Public Relations Officer Rasik Gauranga Das confirmed. In Sri Mayapur, the Janmashtami festival will be held on Saturday, 16 August 2025, followed the next day, Sunday, 17 August, by the Nandotsav celebrations and the 129th birth anniversary of ISKCON’s founder-acharya, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Thousands of devotees from across India and abroad are expected to gather for the festivities, with elaborate security arrangements in place to manage the large crowds. According to Hindu tradition, Lord Krishna, revered as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared at midnight on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadra, over 5,000 years ago in Mathura. His birth took place in the prison of King Kansa, a tyrant whose reign brought fear and injustice. At that moment of deep crisis, Krishna manifested in his four-armed form, holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus, to protect humanity and re-establish dharma (righteousness). The teachings, ideals, and life of Lord Krishna—marked by his triumph over demonic forces and his message of love, friendship, and peace—remain relevant even today. In the current world scenario, where oppression of the weak, political selfishness, and erosion of human values persist, his example continues to inspire millions. ISKCON Mayapur’s celebrations will feature kirtans (devotional chanting), discourses on Krishna’s pastimes, temple decorations, abhishek (ceremonial bathing of the deity), and distribution of sanctified food (prasadam) to thousands of devotees and visitors. The celebrations will culminate at midnight with the symbolic reenactment of Krishna’s divine birth. On Janmashtami, devotees will offer prayers seeking the Lord’s blessings to remove unrighteousness, restore peace, and guide humanity towards spiritual fulfilment, just as he did thousands of years ago.
Over a Year On, Key Figures in R.G. Kar Doctor Murder Case Still in Office, Probe Stalls
More than a year after the rape and murder of a young woman doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata, two senior officials accused of tampering with evidence remain in their posts, as the investigation by India’s federal probe agency, the CBI, faces mounting criticism for delays. The hospital’s then principal, Sandeep Ghosh, and Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge of Tala police station at the time of the incident, were both arrested last year on suspicion of destroying evidence and conspiracy. Both are now out on bail, and no supplementary charge sheet has been filed against them in the past 12 months. The CBI’s first charge sheet, filed in October, named only one accused — civic volunteer Sanjay Roy, who remains in jail after being convicted. The absence of Ghosh and Mondal’s names from the document has drawn sharp criticism from the victim’s family and protesting junior doctors, who accuse both the central agency and the state administration of negligence. Protests have escalated in recent weeks, with the victim’s family announcing a series of public demonstrations and junior doctors joining in. The family alleges the CBI has been “inactive” and is deliberately slowing the probe. Sources said the CBI recently submitted a status report to the Supreme Court, highlighting lapses in filing complaints and the disappearance of key fingerprint evidence. But critics say no concrete progress has been made. The investigation has also been affected by key personnel changes. Pankaj Kumar Singh, IG of the CBI’s Kolkata Anti-Corruption Branch, who was overseeing the corruption angle in the R.G. Kar case, has been transferred to the Special Crime Branch in Delhi. Meanwhile, Satyavir Singh, in charge of probing the rape and murder aspect, has been shifted to the Anti-Corruption Branch. Officials say these changes have forced new investigators to familiarise themselves with the complex case from scratch, further slowing the process. For now, the family and supporters of the victim say they will continue their protests until all those accused are brought to justice.
Tamil Nadu Rejects National Education Policy, Adopts Two-Language Formula Discards Hindi
Tamil Nadu has unveiled its own state education policy that prioritises only Tamil and English as mediums of instruction in schools, rejecting the Hindi-inclusive framework outlined in India’s 2020 National Education Policy (NEP). Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the policy on Friday in Kotturpuram, saying it was essential to protect regional languages and cultures from what he described as the historical imposition of certain languages at the cost of others. “In the past, regional and people’s languages have been destroyed by forced imposition. We will not allow this to happen in Tamil Nadu,” he said. The move formalises the state’s long-standing two-language formula — Tamil and English — and pointedly excludes Hindi. Work on the policy began in 2022, when a 14-member committee led by retired Justice Murugesan was formed to draft recommendations. The committee submitted its report in July last year. Tamil Nadu has been one of the most vocal critics of the NEP since its launch in 2020, joining states like West Bengal and Kerala in opposing its language requirements. The NEP mandates that students learn their mother tongue as the first language, Hindi or English as the second, and an ancient Indian language as a third — a provision that has triggered protests in several non-BJP-ruled states. Stalin has also publicly opposed what he calls “Hindi imposition” in other contexts, recently expressing solidarity with West Bengal during a controversy over Bengali. He has accused northern states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of losing linguistic diversity due to Hindi dominance, citing the decline of languages like Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Brajbuli and Bundeli. Friday’s announcement cements Tamil Nadu’s stance that education policy should be tailored to the state’s cultural and linguistic identity, even if it means diverging from national guidelines.
Two Freight Trains Derail in Jharkhand, Disrupting Rail Traffic
At least 10 wagons from two freight trains derailed between Chandil and Nimdih stations in Jharkhand early on Saturday, disrupting rail traffic on both up and down lines, railway officials said. No casualties have been reported so far, but several passenger trains, including the Tatanagar-Patna Vande Bharat Express, Tatanagar-Katihar Express and Katihar-Tatanagar Express, have been cancelled, they said. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. when a Tatanagar–Purulia-bound freight train derailed shortly after passing Chandil station in Adra division. A second freight train approaching from the opposite direction on an adjacent track then collided with the derailed wagons, causing it to derail as well, the officials said.
Ex-Awami League leaders open party office near Kolkata after fleeing Bangladesh
Several former senior and mid-level leaders of Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League, now living in India, have set up a party office in a commercial complex on the outskirts of Kolkata, party members said. The leaders, who were among the country’s most influential political figures until a year ago, began frequenting the busy complex only in recent months, drawing attention from regular visitors unfamiliar with them. The move comes after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the country on Aug. 5, 2024. In the months since, Awami League members in India had been holding small meetings and party activities in private homes, while larger gatherings were organised in rented restaurants or banquet halls. Party officials said the new office was needed to coordinate activities among members based in India. The complex, located in a densely populated suburban area with hundreds of businesses, sees thousands of visitors daily.
Air India Express marks Raksha Bandhan with in-flight rakhis
Air India Express marked the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan on Friday by presenting passengers with limited-edition rakhis during flights across India, the airline said. Cabin crew handed out the traditional decorative threads, symbolising the bond between siblings, to passengers on domestic and international services. The carrier said the gesture aimed to connect travellers with cultural traditions even when separated by distance. The Tata Group-owned airline has marked Raksha Bandhan with in-flight rakhis for several years, calling it part of its focus on “meaningful connections” and celebrating Indian culture. This year, it also ran a social media contest inviting passengers to share their festival moments, with winners receiving flight vouchers. Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, operates more than 500 daily flights to 38 domestic and 17 international destinations with a fleet of 116 aircraft, according to the company.
PhD Student at IISER-Kalyani Dies after Falling Ill on Campus
Parallel News Digital Desk, 9th August: A third-year PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kalyani died on Friday, hours after falling ill on campus, police said. Anamitra Roy, 24, was taken to AIIMS-Kalyani in critical condition late on Thursday and died early on Friday, a police officer said, citing hospital officials. His family said they were informed that he suffered sudden heart failure. Roy, from Shyamnagar in neighbouring North 24 Parganas district, had spoken in social media posts about struggling with depression since adolescence and had hinted at suicide in the past, writing that “therapy and medicines somehow kept me alive.” Some batchmates claimed he had recently argued with a faculty guide in the laboratory, though the institute declined to comment beyond confirming his death. Police have ordered an investigation, and a post-mortem examination is under way.
Two soldiers killed, one militant shot dead in ongoing Kulgam gunbattle
Parallel News Digital Desk, 9th August Two Indian soldiers were killed and another two injured in an overnight gunbattle with militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, the army said on Friday. One militant was also killed. The clash is part of “Operation Akhal”, a counter-insurgency mission launched on Aug. 1 in the forested village of Akhal in south Kashmir. So far, five militants have been killed and 10 soldiers wounded in the operation, the army said. The two soldiers killed on Thursday night were identified as Lance Naik Preetpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh. Both were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds but died of their injuries. The other injured soldiers are receiving treatment. The operation began after intelligence inputs about militant presence in the area, prompting security forces to cordon off the village. Intermittent gunfire continued on Friday. Separately, Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament that three militants responsible for the recent Pahalgam attack, which killed a tourist, had been killed in “Operation Mahadev” in Srinagar. Weapons used in the attack were recovered, he said. Do you want me to also prepare a short headline-friendly Reuters snap version for the Kulgam operation? That’s often what wires send out first.
