Despite the Education ministry's decision to withdraw the order to restructure the university's governing bodies, students at Panjab University continued to protest for a poll schedule and the conduct of senate elections. The protest, organized by 'Panjab University Bachao Morcha,' included a shutdown and clashes between students and security personnel. The initial order aimed to downsize the senate and make changes to its composition, which prompted the ongoing unrest.
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of India's Congress party, has been strategically targeting the country's Gen Z population, hoping to garner their support and influence their perspectives on the current government and societal issues. Taking inspiration from recent youth-led uprisings in countries like Nepal, Gandhi believes that the tech-savvy and socially aware Gen Z can be mobilised through online networks and dramatic visuals. This was evident in the recent social media ban in Nepal, which sparked a massive protest by young people resulting in violence and ultimately, the ousting of the sitting government.
Ahead of the crucial elections in Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has released its 'Sankalp Patra' promising to create one crore jobs and boost infrastructure in the state. The manifesto was released in the presence of top leaders, including BJP national president JP Nadda and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. This comes after the Mahagathbandhan released its own manifesto, promising free electricity and a crime-free state if voted to power.
Indian intelligence agencies have issued a warning about the Islamic State (ISIS) and its affiliates shifting their focus from traditional bombing attacks to biochemical and psychological forms of terror. This comes in the wake of a major counter-terror operation in Gujarat where police foiled an alleged plot involving the use of ricin, a highly toxic compound, by individuals recruited through "medical radicalisation". The goal, according to sources, is not mass casualties, but rather creating widespread fear and distrust in state institutions.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddu ghee adulteration case has made another breakthrough with the arrest of a Delhi-based chemical trader. The accused, identified as A-16 in the case, allegedly worked with Bholebaba Dairy to supply key chemical components used to dilute pure ghee with palm oil and synthetic additives. The scandal, which came to light in 2024, has sparked public outrage and led to the formation of an SIT under court supervision to probe the matter. This latest arrest is seen as a major step towards uncovering the complex supply chain fraud involving multiple intermediaries across states.
Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is confident in the NDA's "decisive, effective and historic victory" in the second phase of polling in Bihar. Prasad dismissed the Opposition's frustration as a reflection of their acceptance of defeat, pointing to Tejashwi Yadav's post-campaign press conference. In response to Yadav's allegations, Prasad criticized the RJD leader for not doing his homework.
In a major counter-terrorism operation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has uncovered an inter-state and transnational terror module linked to banned groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. The coordinated effort with Faridabad police resulted in the arrest of seven individuals, including two doctors, and the discovery of a large amount of arms and ammunition, as well as 2,900 kg of explosives. This operation has revealed a white-collar terror ecosystem involving radical professionals and students who were using social and charitable causes to raise funds for their illegal activities.
A recent Sky News investigation delved into the algorithm of social media platform X and found that it is favoring right-wing and extreme content, as well as politicians that are supported by owner Elon Musk. By creating nine new X accounts and analyzing the "For You" pages, it was found that the algorithm boosts highly-engaged tweets and prioritizes videos over text-only posts. However, experts say that the code made available to the public is incomplete and does not fully explain the workings of the algorithm, making it a "black box" that has potentially negative implications for political discourse in the UK.
Opposition party BJP has accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of converting a Punjab government bungalow, located near the Chief Minister's residence in Chandigarh, into a luxurious base for his frequent visits. However, AAP denies these claims and justifies Kejriwal's use of the bungalow as a guest. The bungalow, with a history of housing prominent political figures and negotiators, has been temporarily designated as the CM's camp office under the AAP government. This decision has raised questions from the BJP about the allocation of a prime location to a "non-resident" leader, leading to a political controversy.
In a major breakthrough, the Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a doctor for allegedly putting up pro-Jaish-e-Mohammed posters and seized an AK-47 rifle and ammunition from his locker at GMC Anantnag. Following the arrest, another doctor was taken into custody and information from him led to a coordinated raid in Faridabad, Haryana, where 300 kilograms of explosives and another AK-47 rifle were recovered. The investigation began after posters of the terror outfit appeared in Srinagar and the case is currently ongoing.