Punjab Kings Pledge Aid for Flood-Hit Villages in Punjab
Punjab Kings, the Indian Premier League franchise, has pledged more than 3.3 million rupees ($400,000) in relief to support victims of devastating floods that have inundated large parts of Punjab, officials said Saturday. At least 29 people have died and more than 265,000 residents have been displaced across 12 of the state’s 23 districts following days of torrential rain, authorities reported. Entire villages remain submerged, with washed-out roads and collapsed communication lines hampering rescue efforts. Livestock losses have further deepened the crisis. The franchise, co-owned by Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, announced it would contribute 3.38 million rupees to Hemkunt Foundation and Round Table India, both non-profits engaged in providing emergency supplies and relief boats to stranded communities. Zinta, who personally pledged additional funds, said she hoped the contribution would accelerate rescue and rehabilitation work. “Punjab is going through one of its worst humanitarian crises in years. As a team deeply rooted in this state, we feel a strong responsibility to stand with our people,” Zinta said in a social media post. Beyond the immediate donation, Punjab Kings have launched a crowd-funding drive on the online platform Ketto, setting a target of raising 20 million rupees ($2.4 million) by Sept. 15. The funds will be directed to Global Sikh Charity, which plans to distribute relief materials village by village. Organizers said the donations will be used to purchase rescue boats, provide clean drinking water, and supply essential items to flood-hit families. The franchise’s gesture follows earlier expressions of solidarity, including from India’s Test cricket captain Shubman Gill, who hails from Punjab and urged fans to support relief initiatives. The floods have been described by state officials as among the most severe weather disasters in decades, with crop losses stretching into hundreds of thousands of hectares. Authorities continue to appeal for federal aid as rescue teams battle rising waters and logistical challenges. On social media, fans praised Zinta’s initiative, calling it an example of sports teams stepping beyond the field to help communities in crisis.
PM Modi to Visit Flood-Hit Northern States as Death Toll Rises Above 500
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tour several northern states battered by floods and landslides in recent weeks, officials said Friday, as heavy monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across the region. The visit comes as authorities struggle to respond to widespread destruction that has claimed more than 500 lives, washed away infrastructure, and left hundreds of thousands affected. Officials said Modi’s itinerary will focus on the worst-hit areas, where he will meet local authorities, review relief operations, and assure survivors of government support. Himachal Pradesh remains among the hardest-hit states. The State Disaster Management Authority reported that more than 360 people have died since the onset of the monsoon. At least 1,087 roads are blocked, 2,838 power lines disrupted, and 509 water supply schemes damaged. Economic losses are estimated at over 39.7 billion rupees ($478 million), affecting both public and private property. The Indian Air Force has been mobilized for rescue operations, particularly to aid stranded pilgrims during the annual Manimahesh Yatra. In neighboring Punjab, officials described the situation as one of the state’s worst weather disasters in decades. More than 1,900 villages across 23 districts remain inundated, with 43 people confirmed dead. Roughly 171,000 hectares of crops have been destroyed, dealing a severe blow to the state’s agriculture. The Punjab government has appealed for a special financial package from New Delhi. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan toured affected districts earlier this week and is preparing a detailed assessment report for the prime minister. Floodwaters in Jammu and Kashmir have begun to recede, bringing some relief after several days of heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department forecast mainly dry conditions in the next 24 hours, with only isolated showers expected. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a review meeting Friday, ordering reinforcement of vulnerable embankments and evacuation of residents from submerged villages. Control rooms across the state are operating round-the-clock to monitor developments. Uttarakhand and other Himalayan states have also reported deadly flash floods and landslides. Authorities said relief teams from state and central agencies are working together to restore essential services, evacuate stranded residents, and distribute food and medical supplies. Officials stressed that Modi’s visit is intended to assess the disaster’s scale firsthand and ensure relief reaches the most affected. “The prime minister will prioritize areas with the highest damage and coordinate with state governments to accelerate rescue and rehabilitation,” one senior official said. With rivers still running above danger levels and landslides cutting off major transport routes, authorities warned that the humanitarian crisis remains far from over. This monsoon season, they said, is shaping up to be one of the deadliest in decades.
Chinese sailor missing after falling from ship at Paradip port
A Chinese sailor went missing on Friday after he accidentally fell into the sea from a cargo vessel docked at Paradip port in eastern India’s Odisha state, police said. The sailor, identified as Jang Tai, fell while lowering a pilot ladder as the ship MV Lucky Dragon prepared to depart after unloading pig iron, officials said. The vessel had arrived at Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) from the United States on August 27. “A Bangladeshi crew member jumped into the water to save him but could not succeed,” said Smruti Ranjan Kar, additional superintendent of police at Paradip. The Bangladeshi sailor was rescued by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and is undergoing treatment at the port hospital, Kar added. His condition is stable. A search operation involving divers, patrol boats and an Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team has been launched to trace the missing Chinese national.
Teacher on “Teacher’s Day” arrested after 21 students hospitalized in classroom beating
Police in eastern India arrested a schoolteacher on Friday after he allegedly beat dozens of students for failing to read aloud in class, sending 21 of them to hospital, officials and parents said. The incident took place on Thursday morning at Ostichak Surendra Jogendra Vidyapith, a government-aided school in Egra, East Midnapore district of West Bengal. According to parents, English teacher Biplab Panda lost his temper when eighth-grade students could not answer his questions during a reading session. “He began hitting the children one after another,” said a parent outside the school. “By the end, many of them were injured and some fainted.” School authorities admitted 21 students to a local hospital. Doctors said the children were treated for bruises and trauma and were later discharged. News of the incident triggered outrage among guardians, who accused the school of initially shielding the teacher. On Thursday afternoon, parents padlocked the school gates and staged a sit-in demanding Panda’s dismissal and arrest. “The teacher should face strict punishment. We cannot allow our children to be tortured like this,” said another parent. As tensions escalated, police from Egra station deployed officers outside the school to maintain order. “The situation was volatile. We had to ensure the safety of the children and staff,” a senior officer said. On Friday morning, police confirmed Panda had been arrested on the basis of formal complaints lodged by guardians. His detention came on the same day India marked Teachers’ Day, observed annually on Sept. 5 to honour educators. Local education officials have launched an inquiry into the conduct of the school administration amid allegations it attempted to hide the teacher. Child rights activists also condemned the incident. “Corporal punishment is banned in India, yet such cases persist. Authorities must enforce accountability,” said a Kolkata-based campaigner. Police said Panda would be produced in court over the weekend. He faces charges of assault and cruelty to minors, which carry prison terms if proven. The West Bengal education department has asked for a detailed report from the school within a week.
Three killed as mud house wall collapses in southern Bengal
A woman and her two minor daughters were crushed to death when a wall of their mud house collapsed in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district in the early hours of Thursday, police and local residents said. The incident occurred in Kamarpara village under Mandirbazar police station, about 70 kilometres south of Kolkata. According to police, the victims were identified as Brishpati Karmakar, 43, and her daughters Shila, 15, and Priya, 10. They were sleeping inside their mud house when a wall suddenly gave way around dawn following days of incessant rain. Neighbours said they heard a loud crash and rushed out to investigate. “We saw that the wall of the Karmakars’ house had caved in and the three were trapped inside,” a resident told Press. Locals managed to pull the trio from the debris and alerted police. They were taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Police have sent the bodies for autopsy at the Diamond Harbour government hospital. Officials said the house had become fragile due to continuous monsoon showers. “The foundation of the wall had loosened and the mud structure was unstable. Unfortunately, the family continued to stay there despite the risks,” a police officer said. Sources added that the Karmakar family had received financial assistance under the state’s Bangla Awas Yojana housing scheme for construction of a brick house. They had already received the second instalment of funds but the construction work had been delayed. Local residents said Brishpati had planned to start building a permanent home but the old mud dwelling remained their only shelter. The tragedy has sparked concern over the safety of hundreds of rural families in South 24 Parganas and other districts who continue to live in mud houses vulnerable to collapse during heavy rains. Mandirbazar legislator Joydeb Haldar visited the bereaved family and assured government support. “It is a heartbreaking incident. The administration will stand beside them,” he said. Heavy rainfall in parts of southern Bengal over the past week has damaged several mud houses, officials said.
Unprecedented chaos in Bengal assembly over Bengali identity debate
West Bengal’s legislative assembly was rocked by unprecedented chaos Thursday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clashed with opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators during a heated debate on alleged harassment of Bengalis outside the state, resulting in shouting matches, scuffles with marshals and the suspension of two opposition lawmakers. The uproar began almost immediately after Banerjee stood up to deliver her speech in a special session convened to discuss reports of Bengalis facing discrimination in other Indian states. BJP members rose from their benches, shouting slogans and interrupting her remarks. Speaker Biman Banerjee repeatedly urged them to allow the chief minister to speak, even granting them permission to respond once she finished. But the BJP MLAs refused to yield and continued shouting, prompting the Speaker to suspend BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh under Rule 348 of the House. When marshals moved in to escort him out, Ghosh resisted and fell to the floor in the well of the House. Scuffles broke out as other BJP members surrounded him, tearing papers and throwing them in protest. After several minutes of jostling, marshals physically removed him, as BJP MLAs shouted “one-two-three-four, Trinamool is full of thieves.” Banerjee, known for her combative style, hit back immediately. She led ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators in counter-slogans: “one-two-three-four, BJP are the biggest thieves” and “Modi chor (Modi thief).” She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party of being a “party of vote thieves” and charged that the BJP had “sold off the country.” “You are a party of thieves, of vote robbers,” she shouted. “India needs change. Remove BJP, save the country. Remove the anti-Bengal BJP, save the country. You will be reduced to zero.” As tensions soared, Banerjee herself left her chair and entered the well of the House — a rare move by a sitting chief minister — to rein in her.
Calcutta High Court urges stakeholders to resolve Metro viaduct clearance issue
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday suggested that all stakeholders meet to resolve the impasse over police clearance for construction of a viaduct on the Kavi Subhash–Airport Metro line at Chingrighata, across the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. Completion of the viaduct will allow commercial services to begin between Kavi Subhash and Sector V Metro stations, easing travel for thousands of commuters. A division bench presided over by Justice Sujoy Paul, with Justice Smita Das De, said the issue should be addressed in “larger public interest.” The court directed counsels representing the Metro Railway, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL), the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police to inform it on Thursday of the date of a proposed meeting and the names of officers authorized to take decisions. “During the course of hearing, the court suggested that in order to solve the problem which is in larger public interest, why not competent officers of all stakeholders sit together to find out a solution,” the bench noted in its order. The counsels welcomed the proposal and agreed to update the court on scheduling. The bench said it will fix a date and time limit for the joint meeting after receiving inputs on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three new Metro sections in Kolkata on Aug. 22, including part of the Kavi Subhash–Airport line. Services on the line currently operate up to Beleghata from Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Hospital) station. Metro Railway authorities said they are awaiting police permission to launch girders at the Chingrighata crossing, which will link already completed stretches on both sides.
Landslide Kills 6 in Himachal Pradesh, Several Homes Destroyed
Heavy rains triggered a landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, killing at least six people and leaving two others missing, officials said Wednesday. The landslide struck Sundernagar area, where four members of the same family were among the dead. Authorities said 16 houses were completely destroyed in Darki hill area, while another 40 remain in a precarious condition. A red alert was issued, and the entire village was evacuated. “Most residents had already moved out sensing the danger, which helped prevent more casualties,” a local official said. The district administration announced that schools would shift to online classes until further notice. Landslides and flooding have blocked at least 1,333 roads across the region, officials added. The India Meteorological Department had earlier issued a warning of extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Kullu, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts until noon. Forecasts also suggest heavy rain may continue in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan and Una. Deadly monsoon-triggered landslides are common in Himachal Pradesh, where steep terrain and fragile soil make villages vulnerable to heavy rain.
Former Bengal minister Paresh Chandra Adhikari, daughter Ankita surrender in SSC recruitment scam case
Former West Bengal minister Paresh Chandra Adhikari and his daughter Ankita Adhikari surrendered before a special CBI court in Alipore on Wednesday in connection with the multi-crore SSC recruitment scam. Both appeared in court and filed bail petitions. Alongside them, Sukanta Acharya, personal secretary to former education minister Partha Chatterjee, also surrendered. Several others accused in the case, including Partha Chatterjee, Samarjit Acharya and Parna Basu, moved for bail as well. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opposed the bail pleas, arguing that each case carries distinct charges and that the recruitment irregularities have had a “serious impact on society.” The developments come just days after the CBI filed its final charge sheet in the SSC Group C recruitment case. Earlier, the agency had submitted charge sheets in the Class IX-X and Class XI-XII recruitment cases. In total, four charge sheets have now been filed across multiple cases, with around 75 accused summoned to court. Ankita Adhikari, who had secured a teaching post in political science for Classes XI-XII through SSC, was named in the infamous “tainted candidates list” at No. 104. Her appointment was challenged in court by job aspirant Babita Sarkar, leading Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court to cancel her appointment in May 2022 and order her to return nearly Rs 15 lakh in salary. The money was later awarded to Sarkar, though her own appointment was also cancelled due to evaluation errors. Eventually, another candidate, Anamika Roy, was appointed, only to lose her job too when 26,000 appointments were annulled last year. The SSC scam probe began in 2022, and within 51 days the CBI filed its first charge sheet naming senior officials and political figures, including Partha Chatterjee, Samarjit Acharya, ex-adviser Shanti Prasad Sinha and former SSC chairman Soumitra Sarkar. While the final charge sheet includes no new names, sources say it contains fresh evidence, including voice samples collected from five accused. The case, involving illegal appointments in Groups C and D as well as Classes IX-XII, remains one of the largest recruitment scandals in Bengal’s history, with investigations still ongoing.
Kolkata emerges as fertility hub as IVF demand grows across borders
Kolkata is fast emerging as a leading destination for fertility treatments in South Asia, attracting patients not only from across India but also from neighbouring countries and even Western nations. According to Dr Swati Mishra, Centre Head and Senior Consultant at Birla Fertility & IVF Kolkata, patients from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States and the United Kingdom are regularly travelling to the city to seek advanced reproductive care. Dr Mishra said lifestyle-related conditions now play a significant role in fertility challenges. “Issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, azoospermia and reduced sperm health account for nearly a third of cases we see. These reflect broader urban health patterns linked to stress, irregular sleep, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits,” she explained. She also pointed to a noticeable rise in younger women opting for egg freezing, a sign of growing awareness around fertility preservation. “This reflects the confidence women now have in planning their reproductive choices at the right time,” Dr Mishra added. Birla Fertility & IVF, part of the CK Birla Group, has marked four years of operations in Kolkata, having grown from its first centre in 2021 to three facilities across the city, including a recently launched clinic in New Town. “This expansion demonstrates both the rising demand for advanced fertility solutions and the trust patients place in us,” Dr Mishra said. The company’s CEO, Abhishek Aggarwal, said the Kolkata centres serve not just the city but the wider eastern region and beyond. “Completing four years in Kolkata is a reflection of the trust this city has placed in us. Our centres here cater to patients from Kolkata, Eastern India and Bangladesh. As we expand towards building 100 clinics nationwide, our priority will remain affordable, accessible and clinically reliable fertility care,” Aggarwal said. Specialists highlight that Kolkata offers a full spectrum of fertility treatments. Birla Fertility & IVF provides in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), frozen embryo transfer (FET), blastocyst culture, as well as male and female infertility treatments. The centres also cater to advanced needs such as cancer fertility preservation, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). For many patients, Kolkata offers an affordable alternative to treatment in other parts of Asia or the West, without compromising on technology or expertise. Doctors say the city’s growing reputation as a hub for fertility solutions reflects both changing social realities and medical progress in Eastern India.
