A minor garbage fire broke out in an open plot belonging to Mafatlal Company at Atkoneshwar Nagar in Kalwa East, Thane, on Saturday morning. The incident was reported to the Thane Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Cell at around 11:38 am Fire brigade personnel and disaster management staff rushed to the spot with a rescue vehicle and brought the blaze under control. The fire was completely extinguished by around 12:15 pm. No injuries were reported in the incident, and the situation is currently stable. Mumbai Fire Brigade to conduct special safety drive from Dec 22–28 ahead of New Year celebrations With large gatherings expected across Mumbai for New Year 2026 celebrations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a week-long special fire safety campaign to ensure compliance and prevent fire-related incidents. The drive will be carried out by the Mumbai Fire Brigade between December 22 and 28 in hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, banquet halls, malls, and establishments that are likely to see high footfall. The initiative comes in the wake of the recent tragic Goa nightclub fire incident which claimed 25 lives. BMC said enhanced vigilance and stricter enforcement are essential to safeguard citizens during festive gatherings. The campaign will be conducted under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani and Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr Ashwini Joshi. Dr Joshi said the Goa incident served as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness and adherence to fire safety measures. She added that Mumbai’s Fire Brigade is equipped to handle emergencies with advanced systems, equipment and trained personnel, but public awareness and preventive measures remain crucial to avoiding disasters. Last year, a similar special drive was undertaken, during which the Fire Brigade inspected 731 establishments across the city. Action was taken against 12 properties for failing to comply with fire safety norms under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. The BMC noted that the inspections proved effective in preventing fire incidents at those locations. This year too, teams will inspect a wide range of establishments, including starred hotels, gyms, party halls, lodging and boarding facilities, crowded malls and popular restaurants. Strict action will be taken against those found violating mandatory safety norms. Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar said non-compliant establishments will face action under the provisions of the 2006 Act. He reiterated that adherence to fire safety conditions is compulsory for the safety of both patrons and property.
13 December,2025 01:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai residents and commuters are advised to plan ahead this weekend as major traffic, water supply, and train service disruptions are expected across the city and neighbouring Thane. Traffic advisory: Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour 2025 – December 14 The Mumbai Police have issued a detailed advisory ahead of Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour event at Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium. The event, starting at 5 pm, is expected to attract large crowds, causing heavy traffic in South Mumbai. Parking Restrictions: No parking at stadiums. Temporary restrictions on C, D, E, F, G Roads, Veer Nariman Road, Dinshaw Vachha Road, Jamshethji Tata Road, and N.S. Road. One-way Traffic: D Road (west-east), E Road (southbound); restricted access on Veer Nariman Road. Road Closures: Coastal Road (Marine Drive–Worli/Tardeo) and Chandra Bose Road. Alternative routes are provided for major junctions. Pay-and-Park: Limited slots near Churchgate, HT Parekh Marg, Dorabaji Tata Road, Jamanalal Bajaj Marg, Vidhan Bhavan. Advice: Use public transport and avoid driving to stadiums. Diversions effective 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Ghodbunder Road traffic diversions – December 12–14 Thane Traffic Police announced major diversions due to road maintenance and resurfacing between Gaimukh Nirakendra, Kajupada, and Fountain Hotel. Heavy Vehicles: From Mumbai/Thane: Stopped at Y Junction and Kapur Bawdi Junction; detour via Kharegaon Toll Plaza – Mankoli – Anjurphata – Kasheli. From Mumbra/Kalwa: Blocked at Kharegaon Toll Plaza; detour via Kharegaon Khadi Bridge – Mankoli – Anjurphata. From Nashik: Blocked at Mankoli Naka; reroute via Ajurphata. Light Vehicles: Can use wrong-side diversion from Gaimukh Chowki near Fountain Hotel. Advice: Follow detours and plan travel to avoid delays. Water supply disruptions Thane: 50 per cent water cut until December 15 due to a fault in a 1000 mm pipeline from Pise Dam to Temghar WTP. Water will be supplied 12 hours daily; residents advised to use water judiciously. Mumbai (BMC Wards K/East, H/East, G/North): 24-hour water shutdown from 9 am December 12 to 9 am December 13 for major pipeline connection work. Some areas may get low-pressure water, others will face complete shutdown. Central Railway mega block – December 14, 2025 Essential engineering and maintenance work will affect suburban train services- Main Line: Fast lines between Matunga and Mulund blocked 11:05 am – 3:45 pm. Trains diverted to slow lines; 15-minute delays expected. Trans-Harbour Line: Services between Thane and Vashi/Nerul suspended 11:10 am – 4:10 pm. Down/up services from Thane, Panvel, Nerul, Vashi cancelled. Special Train: Additional service 01081 from LTT Mumbai to Banaras, departs 8:25 am December 14, reaching 16:05 next day, stopping at Kalyan, Nashik Road, Bhusawal, Jabalpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and others. Commuter Advisory: Residents and travelers are urged to plan routes, use public transport, and cooperate with authorities during these planned disruptions to avoid inconvenience.
13 December,2025 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentClear skies expected across city and suburbs on Saturday, with maximum temperatures around 34 degrees Celsius and minimum 17 degrees Celsius, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Air quality remains moderate, with the SAMEER app reporting an AQI of 115. Sensitive groups, including those with respiratory or heart conditions, may experience breathing discomfort. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions while commuting or spending extended time outdoors. Meanwhile, Maharashtra experienced cool temperatures across most regions on Saturday, with minimums dipping below 10 degrees Celsius in several areas. Hill stations such as Mahabaleshwar and Ahilyanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 12.9 degrees Celsius and 7.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity ranging from 53 per cent to 97 per cent. Both locations reported no rainfall, while seasonal rainfall stood at 296.4 millimetres in Mahabaleshwar and 84.4 millimetres in Ahilyanagar. In the coastal regions, Dahanu recorded a minimum of 15.3 degrees Celsius with 71 per cent humidity, while Ratnagiri reported 17.1 degrees Celsius and 41 per cent humidity. Harnai experienced warmer conditions, with a low of 21.4 degrees Celsius and dry weather. Colaba, the southern tip of Mumbai, recorded a minimum of 20.7 degrees Celsius with 77 per cent humidity. Urban areas of the state saw chilly mornings as well. Thane-Belapur Industrial area recorded a minimum of 19.2 degrees Celsius with 64 per cent humidity, while Pune and Baramati dropped to 8.8 degrees Celsius and 7.7 degrees Celsius, respectively. Nasik, Parbhani, and Dharashiv reported minimum temperatures of 8.6 degrees Celsius, 11.5 degrees Celsius, and 10.2 degrees Celsius. Matheran remained mild at 17.2 degrees Celsius. The interior districts, including Satara (9.5 degrees Celsius), Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (11.2 degrees Celsius), Kolhapur (14.0 degrees Celsius), and Sangli (11.7 degrees Celsius) experienced clear skies with patches of haze. Nanded recorded a slightly warmer minimum of 9.9 degrees Celsius with maximum temperatures touching 29.4 degrees Celsius. No rainfall was reported across the state during the 24-hour period ending Saturday morning, though seasonal rainfall accumulation varied significantly, from 41.2 millimetres in Dharashiv to 405.7 millimetres in Ratnagiri. Residents were advised to carry light woollens during early mornings and evenings as temperatures remain cool across the state.
13 December,2025 12:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday highlighted the growing menace of child abductions and missing children in the state, urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take urgent and concrete action. In a post on X, Thackeray said the number of children being abducted or going missing in Maharashtra has risen by nearly 30 per cent between 2021 and 2024, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. He expressed concern over inter-state gangs that abduct children, force them into labour, or make them beg, and criticised the government’s perceived inaction. प्रति, श्री. देवेंद्र फडणवीस, मुख्यमंत्री, महाराष्ट्र राज्य, सस्नेह जय महाराष्ट्र, एका अत्यंत महत्वाच्या आणि गंभीर विषयाकडे तुमचं लक्ष वेधून घेण्यासाठी हे लिहीत आहे. महाराष्ट्रात लहान मुलं पळवण्याचं, ती बेपत्ता होण्याचं प्रमाण वाढतं आहे. एनसीआरबीच्या आकडेवारीनुसार जरी गेलं… — Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) December 13, 2025 “Some cases are registered, and official responses often mention children recovered and returned safely. Maharashtra does not need such generic answers,” Thackeray wrote. He questioned how many cases never even reach the police and highlighted the psychological trauma children face even after being rescued. Thackeray also raised concerns over children seen begging on streets, bus stands, and stations, urging investigations into whether the adults accompanying them are really their parents, and suggesting DNA tests if necessary. The MNS chief called for legislative discussions on child abductions, missing girls, and illegal land grabs, questioning the effectiveness of the Winter Session if ministers are often absent and critical issues go unaddressed. He added that the central government should coordinate with states to tackle the problem, but suggested it is currently distracted by other matters. “Maharashtra expects the Chief Minister and Home Minister to pay attention and take concrete steps, not just facilitate a discussion in the assembly,” he said. Navi Mumbai reports 499 child kidnappings in 11 months; 41 still missing As many as 499 children were reported kidnapped in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai township between January and November this year and the police managed to trace 458 of them, while 41 remain missing, officials said on December 3. Among the 458 recovered children, the reasons for their disappearance indicated more of emotional distress and personal circumstances rather than criminal intent, as 128 of the cases were linked to love affairs and 114 to children running away after being scolded by parents, they said. Besides, 103 children had gone to relatives, 63 left for trips, and 48 went to a girlfriend's house. One case each involved mental disability and an accidental death report (ADR), a police release said. Among these overall figures, 25 cases pertained to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, it said. Between January 1 and November 29 this year, 499 children, including 349 girls, were reported kidnapped in Navi Mumbai. The police traced 458 of them, including 315 girls, the release said. The 41 children still missing comprise 34 girls and seven boys, it said. The police registered 483 cases of these child kidnappings and solved 442 of them, achieving a detection rate of 91.78 per cent, as per the data. The majority of these cases were registered in the Turbhe area (51), followed by Rabale (49), the release added.
13 December,2025 10:46 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a major capacity-augmentation move, Western Railway has drawn up plans worth Rs 70 crore to expand Dadar station into a bigger midtown terminus, creating space for more express trains and easing pressure on Mumbai Central. The proposal includes new lines, extended platforms, yard rearrangement, and significant overhead equipment (OHE) and signalling upgrades, marking the most ambitious remodelling of Dadar in decades. The new plans will integrate the station with the fifth and sixth lines, which aim to segregate mail express and suburban trains. Dadar already handles platform-return express trains — services that arrive and depart from the same platform. At present, the station has only two terminal lines, from which nine platform-return trains are operated daily. With the sixth line project absorbing one of these terminal tracks, railway planners say the system will soon hit a bottleneck. “With additional platform-return services planned — at least eight more — the existing arrangement would become unmanageable,” a senior WR official said. “The new Line No 8 is essential to sustain future traffic.” The expansion plan The brand new Line No. 8 will be added along the eastern flank of Platform 7, complete with full OHE installation, signalling integration, and crossovers linking the new line with the stabling lines. This additional line will be the backbone of the future platform-return operations. In addition to this, Line No. 6 will be extended towards the Dadar Junction Loop (Line No. 4), providing a new shunt signal, upgraded OHE and crossover connectivity between Lines 5 and 6, allowing better flexibility for routing express trains during peak congestion. Structural modifications To make way for the expanded yard, part of a railway colony quarters block will be dismantled and rebuilt, and the southernmost foot overbridge (FOB) will lose one landing, which will be reconstructed in a new alignment. Additionally, the Passenger Reservation System office will be shifted, while the yard master’s office will be moved slightly eastward. Officials say these interventions will unlock critical space for smooth yard geometry. Why Dadar matters Dadar’s role as a strategic midtown dispersal point for long-distance trains is set to grow as Mumbai Central faces saturation. With new corridors and future long-distance redistribution being planned, Dadar is being positioned as a secondary terminal for select express services. Voices Shailesh Goyal, Former member, National Railway Users Consultative Committee‘If an additional line and platform is built, Dadar station can be used as an intermediate small terminal. Due to it being junction for WR and CR, this new line on the WR side can also connect with the CR main line, and WR can run trains for CR.’ Rajiv Singal, Member, Western Railway Mumbai’s Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee‘The move will help people on the Central Railway side who otherwise need to travel to Bandra or Mumbai Central to catch mail/express trains.’ Benefits on completion >> Capacity to handle 17 platform-return express movements>> Improved yard fluidity>> Reduced conflicts with suburban trains>> Potential future terminal-grade operations
13 December,2025 09:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarShiv Sena (UBT) is trying to corner other Shiv Sena factions over creation of Vidarbha state. Recently, a senior BJP leader had reiterated that the party would continue to stand by its promise of securing statehood, a stand that the undivided Shiv Sena had vehemently opposed. Taking a cue from the BJP leader’s statement, Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, said in Nagpur on Friday: “What is the stand of those [a reference to Eknath Shinde and his party] sitting next to the CM?” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hails from Nagpur and has always supported statehood. Thackeray’s move is seen as an attempt to corner the Shinde Sena. “Supporting Vidarbha would mean taking a stand opposite to that of Balasaheb, one that Shinde will not endorse. On the other hand, opposing the move would be another difference among the ruling allies. Any stand Shinde takes will create a stir in political circles,” said a Sena (UBT) leader. In 1960, Maharashtra was formally declared a separate state, with Mumbai as its capital. Vidarbha comprises 11 districts across two revenue divisions (Nagpur and Amravati). For years, locals have been demanding a separate state, arguing that it would lead to better governance and help address the developmental backlog. The move was always supported by the BJP and opposed by its ally partner, the undivided Shiv Sena. Thackeray said that Sena (UBT) would oppose any move to bifurcate Maharashtra to create another state. 1960Year Maharashtra was formally declared a state
13 December,2025 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarA male adult leopard that had been roaming inside the highly sensitive Pune Airport premises for nearly eight months was tranquilised and captured on Thursday. The rescue involved a 30-member joint team from the Pune Forest Department, RESQ Charitable Trust, the Indian Air Force, and Pune Airport Authorities. The leopard’s presence was first confirmed on April 28. Since then, officials tracked its movement across underground service tunnels, dense vegetation patches, and low-footfall areas within the airport — terrains that made locating and capturing the big cat extremely difficult. On December 4, monitoring teams confirmed that the leopard had entered the airport’s underground tunnel network. ILLUSTRATIONS/UDAY MOHITE Officials confirmed that no injuries occurred during the operation, and airport functioning remained uninterrupted. The Pune Forest Department will now decide on the leopard’s long-term management as per protocol. Authorities sealed most tunnel exit points, strengthened barriers and repositioned cameras to map its movement in real time. A strategic final capture plan was put into action on Thursday, and the team guided the leopard into tunnel — a controlled space chemical immobilisation Despite deploying camera traps, live surveillance systems and trap cages, the leopard had been evading capture and continued to navigate restricted zones since its presence was first reported on April 28 this year. Inside the cramped, low-visibility 80-foot-long tunnel, wildlife veterinarian Dr Gourav Mangla successfully darted the animal. Dr Mangla asserted that success was possible only because every team member stayed calm and followed the plan exactly Voices Dr Gourav Mangla, wildlife veterinarian who darted elusive leopard‘The operation demanded precision, patience and quick reassessment. The leopard had damaged two live cameras. I had to take a clean shot from a very difficult angle inside a confined tunnel’ The leopard was extracted and transported to the Transit Treatment Centre in Bavdhan, where it is recovering well and remains under supervision. The capture underscores the importance of planned, evidence-based wildlife operations in complex urban ecosystems Mahadev Mohite, deputy conservator of forests, Pune Division‘This operation demonstrates strong preparedness and seamless cooperation between the Forest Department, RESQ, the Air Force, and airport authorities. Pune has shown it is capable of handling complex wildlife situations even in highly sensitive urban infrastructure.’ Neha Panchamiya, founder-president, RESQ‘Every wildlife capture is different. Decisions must be driven by strategy and context, not urgency. This rescue proves that data, technology and teamwork can ensure both human safety and wildlife welfare.’
13 December,2025 09:15 AM IST | Pune | Archana DahiwalA late-night copper wire theft in South Mumbai escalated into a violent confrontation after three men allegedly threatened a watchman with knives when he attempted to stop them, police said on Thursday. The accused were arrested from the Wadi Bunder-Dongri belt, while police suspect the involvement of others and have launched a search for the rest of the gang. The incident took place on Tuesday near Manohar bar at Wadi Bunder, where the replacement of old telephone and power cables is underway along the northern carriageway of P D’Mello Road. The complainant, Manikandan Pitchemani Nadar, 36, a supervisor associated with the cable replacement work and a resident of Goregaon East, told police that the accused arrived at the site late at night carrying cutters. The trio was pulling out old telephone and power cables when confronted by watchman Venkatesh Giri on the night of December 9 When watchman Venkatesh Giri, who had been deployed to guard the site, noticed the theft and tried to intervene, the accused allegedly brandished their weapons and restrained him before fleeing with around 23 metres of copper wire, valued at approximately Rs 70,000. The stolen material has not yet been recovered. Based on the complaint, police registered a case of robbery and, under the guidance of DCP (Zone I) Dr Pravin Mundhe, arrested Laxman Hanumant Pawar, 48; Bhima Hanumant Pawar, 39; and Kanya Ganesh Chavan, 22, all residents of the Wadi Bunder footpath area in Dongri. They reportedly are lemon-and-chilli vendors. The arrests were made on December 12 with the help of the police detection staff. Five other suspects — identified as Julie, Ibo, Hasin and Ajay, along with several unidentified men — are absconding. Police believe the gang has been involved in similar thefts.
13 December,2025 09:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilHours after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the legislature about a new framework for the redevelopment of buildings operating under the pagadi system, part of a slab collapsed on the second floor of Kotak Bhavan, a dilapidated pagadi building in Masjid Bunder, killing one and severely injuring two, on Thursday night. While the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) had declared 935 buildings dilapidated in this year’s pre-monsoon audit, Pagadi Ekta Sangh President, Mukesh Shah, said, “Thousands of buildings in the city have not been audited by any authority. If these structures aren’t audited, how can anyone declare what condition they are in?” According to the data available, eight deaths and 33 major injuries occurred due to full or partial collapses of these buildings from 2021 to August 2025. The building Kotak Bhavan, known as Sterling House after its ownership changed a year ago, hasn’t been audited in 33 years. Vitthal Borade, a building resident, said, “Our building is more than 60 years old. The last time our building was repaired was in 1992, when the then-owner changed all wooden poles and pillars to iron beams.” Key points from Eknath Shinde’s speech 1 Three types of FSI will be given: Tenants must get FSI proportionate to their current area; landlords must get FSI proportionate to their land ownership FSI; incentive FSI will be given to redevelop these buildings 2 If any of these three types of FSI cannot be used or all three types cannot be utilised to their maximum use, FSI will be provided in the form of TDR 3 Proper implementation of Rent Control Act, which is applicable to tenants of pagadi buildings, is necessary as the agreements of these tenants are legally valid under this Act 4 The number of cases between landlords and tenants being heard is 28,000 5 Thus, a fast-track court will be set up to solve these matters within the next three years 6 13,000 pagadi buildings are awaiting redevelopment The pagadi system This is a traditional rental housing system where the tenants are partial owners of the house. Under this system, tenants pay a large one-time premium, known as pagadi, to landlords at the time of entry. In return, tenants receive near-permanent occupancy rights. Monthly rents remain extremely low and have often stayed unchanged for decades. The mishap Santosh Kumar Yadav, who took the victims of the collapse to JJ Hospital, said, “Mukesh Dendore, who runs a tea stall, was washing cups while two customers, Shafiq Islam and Shaliram Jaiswal, were sitting on a bench drinking tea when a cement slab fell on them. Other locals and I removed the debris, put the victims on handcarts, and took them to the main road, from where we took them to JJ Hospital ourselves. Unfortunately, Mukesh was declared ‘brought dead’.” Islam, meanwhile, was diagnosed with a broken spine, while Jaiswal lost two toes. Hurdles in redeveloping pagadi buildings Chandrashekhar Prabhu, a housing expert, said, “Provisions in the Rent Control Act fuel ongoing disputes between landlords and tenants. An amendment to the Act permits landlords to evict tenants if they need the premises for their personal use. Taking advantage of this, builders are showing that all their partners and their extended families require the premises for their personal use. Most documents submitted are forged or bogus. Yet lakhs of tenants have been evicted. The government is doing nothing.” “The bigger problem is corruption among all authorities. There is a nexus between builders, politicians, and bureaucrats which wants to evict tenants. Also, when authorities say that the redevelopment of these buildings requires huge funds, the first question is why were they buildings not repaired regularly despite collecting cess from the tenants for this very purpose?” Prabhu further alleged that MHADA wanted to hand over prime portions of South Mumbai’s cessed buildings to builders by evicting tenants. “The practical solution is the correct amendment of Rent Control Act with a view to protecting tenants and honest implementation without corruption,” he said. Pagadi tenants’ activist Jeetendra Ghadge’s analysis “This move will certainly benefit thousands of small buildings and those affected by road-widening projects. But, the government must ensure that tenants are rehabilitated in the same locality and that a minimum guaranteed incentive FSI is provided. Regarding the proposal for fast-track courts, the real focus should be on amending the Rent Act so that disputes between landlords and tenants do not end up in litigation. Most importantly, the government must prioritise redevelopment. Once a pagadi building is redeveloped, it becomes a cooperative society — a transition that will naturally phase out the pagadi system from Mumbai.”
13 December,2025 09:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarA routine night trail near Kumbhargaon-Bhigwan in Pune district turned into an exceptional discovery for three Mumbai birders, who stumbled upon a rarely documented Sykes’s Nightjar — a species known for its elusive behaviour and low detectability in Maharashtra. Wildlife photographer Karan Solanki, along with birders Shantanu Majumdar and Siddharth Jain, was scanning a rocky plateau for the elusive reptile, Leopard Gecko, last week, when the sighting happened. While Karan and Siddharth checked one side of the plateau, Shantanu surveyed the opposite end. “A few minutes later, Shantanu spotted a Nightjar sitting quietly in a small patch of grass,” said Solanki. “When we joined him, he confirmed it was a rare Sykes’s Nightjar. Since our cameras were in the car near the main road, all three of us quickly clicked a record shot on our phones.” Shantanu sprinted back to fetch the gear, and the trio returned to properly document the bird before leaving it undisturbed. Solanki added, “Although this location falls within its wintering range, Sykes’s Nightjar is rarely documented this far south in Maharashtra. It can be distinguished from the similar-looking Savanna Nightjar by the absence of a scapular stripe, more intricate plumage, lighter colour and smaller, compact size.” Did you know? Wildlife enthusiast Akshay Shinde had spotted the Sykes’s Nightjar at Bhandup pumping station in January 2019, marking the first confirmed sighting in Mumbai after 104 years The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) collection has a specimen of the species that was collected in October 1915 from the Kalyan region, after which the bird was not recorded in Mumbai until 2019 The species — also known as Sindh Nightjar — is commonly found in Gujarat and Rajasthan and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List Sykes’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis) is a summer visitor to south-west Afghanistan, mostly resident in Pakistan’s Indus Valley, and disperses widely into western India during winter Despite not being globally threatened, the Sykes’s Nightjar is barely seen in India outside Gujarat and Rajasthan. July 2025: An unfit Sykes’s Nightjar was rescued in Mumbai and released back into the wild after recovery — a case that surprised the city’s birding community. Nightjars seen in Mumbai >> Jungle Nightjar>> Jerdon’s Nightjar>> Indian Nightjar>> Savanna Nightjar>> Subsequent sightings>> A rescue near Mumbai Airport (2025)>> A confirmed sighting from Manori (Nov 2025)>> According to eBird, most records remain concentrated in northwestern Maharashtra, with only one prior record in Pune Hard to spot The species is a migratory winter visitor. Unlike the more common Indian Nightjar, Sykes’s Nightjar is not vocal while migrating, making detection difficult. Its exceptional camouflage allows it to disappear into its habitat. Recent sightings, such as the one in Bhigwan, are shedding new light on the movements of this species in India The name Colonel William Henry Sykes, FRS (25 January 1790 – 16 June 1872) was an English naturalist who served with the British military in India and was specifically known for his work with the Indian Army as a politician, Indologist and ornithologist. He documented and described numerous bird species from the Deccan region in the 1830s, and the bird is named after him.
13 December,2025 09:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavA 2.5-foot marsh crocodile was rescued from a Kurla pond on December 12, nearly 25 days after forest officials first began efforts to track and capture it. The rescue comes just days after mid-day reported increasing concerns over unusual wildlife sightings in the locality. Thane forest officials, along with NGO (Spreading Awareness on Reptiles and Rehabilitation Programe) SARRP India, carried out the operation, which required round-the-clock monitoring of the water body. “As marsh crocodiles can stay submerged for long periods, tracking it was challenging. Our team worked in day-and-night shifts to ensure we didn’t lose sight of it,” said Asif Patrawala of SARRP India. Rescue attempts began on November 19, and the animal was finally secured alive on Friday, bringing relief to residents living around the densely populated lake. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forests Sachin Repal, Assistant Conservator of Forests Sonal Valvi, and Range Forest Officer Santosh Dagale. The Kurla range team — including Forester Janardan Bodekar and Forest Guards Vikram Pawar, Jyoti Bhosale, and Bhise Dada — handled ground operations and crowd control. SARRP India members Santosh Shinde, Asif Patrawala, Shubham Kadam, Shubham Gupta, Sheldon D’Souza, Mihir Jadhav, Pooja Shah, Ashuli Chemburkar, and Rohit Kattimani assisted in the rescue. After its capture, the crocodile underwent a preliminary medical check-up by Dr Deepa Katyal in Chembur. It is now being shifted to the Wildlife hospital, SGNP, for further examination before being released into its natural habitat.
13 December,2025 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavADVERTISEMENT
