Five people have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a Chhattisgarh native on suspicion of theft near here, police said on Friday. The accused have been booked for the offence of murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an officer of Walayar police station said. They were produced before a court here and remanded to judicial custody on Friday, the officer said. Police have identified the victim as Ramnarayan Bhayar, 31, a native of Chhattisgarh. His relative told reporters here that, Ramnarayan died due to the injuries suffered in the mob lynching. According to police, Bhayar was attacked by a group of men on Wednesday evening, alleging that he was involved in a theft. As per the FIR, the incident occurred before 7.40 pm, and the injured Bhayar was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police said a detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 11:39 AM IST | Palakkad | AgenciesThe Transport Department denied fuel to nearly 2800 vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates on the first day of ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ enforcement drive in the national capital, officials said on Friday. Three enforcement teams have been deployed by the department and are conducting checks at petrol pumps along with police personnel at key locations to ensure strict compliance with emission norms, they said. Between 6 am on Thursday and 6 am on Friday, around 2800 vehicles were identified without valid PUC certificates, a senior Transport Department official said. On the first day of the drive on Thursday, stringent action was taken against vehicles operating without valid PUC certificates, with a total of 3746 challans issued against violators. The Delhi government said monitoring and strict enforcement will continue in the coming days to reduce vehicular emissions and provide immediate relief to public health. Earlier this week, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control certificate would not be provided fuel at petrol pumps in the city from Thursday. Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday, with the 2 pm AQI reading at 377 according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 377AQI recorded in Delhi till 2 pm on Friday This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 11:38 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesDelhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Saturday, with the India Meteorological Department issuing an orange alert for dense fog conditions expected to persist through the day. "Partly cloudy sky. Dense to very dense fog during morning hours. Mist/shallow fog during night/early hours," the IMD said in its forecast for the national capital. The weather department explained that "very dense fog" is recorded when visibility drops to between 0 and 50 metres, while visibility of 51 to 200 metres is categorised as "dense". Visibility between 201 and 500 metres falls under the category of "moderate" fog, and visibility between 501 and 1,000 metres is termed "shallow" fog. Delhi continues to grapple with severe air pollution Alongside the poor visibility, Delhi continued to grapple with severe air pollution. The Air Quality Index remained in the "very poor" category at 376 as of 6:00 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that pollution levels are likely to worsen further, with the AQI expected to enter the 400-plus "severe" category over the weekend. Several areas across the city recorded alarmingly high pollution levels. According to the CPCB, the AQI at Sarai Kale Khan stood at 428, while Akshardham registered 420. Rao Tularam Marg recorded an AQI of 403, and the Barapullah flyover area logged a reading of 380. Other major pollution hotspots included Anand Vihar with an AQI of 428, Ashok Vihar at 407, and the ITO area at 429, placing large parts of the national capital firmly in the 'severe' air quality category. Amid the worsening situation, the Commission for Air Quality Management has invoked all measures under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR. GRAP Stage IV restrictions include a ban on non-essential construction activities, restrictions on the entry of certain diesel vehicles, and intensified enforcement to curb pollution sources. As per AQI standards, air quality is classified as 'good' between 0 and 50, 'satisfactory' from 51 to 100, 'moderate' between 101 and 200, 'poor' from 201 to 300, 'very poor' between 301 and 400, and 'severe' when it reaches 401 to 500. (With inputs from Agencies)
20 December,2025 11:18 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentBoth Air India and IndiGo, in an attempt to mitigate fog-related disruptions, such as reduced visibility that affects flight operations, issued travel advisories for passengers during the holiday season. The advisories requested passengers' patience as services returned to normal. Air India, in its advisory on Friday, said it would remain vigilant and make every effort to mitigate fog-related disruptions. They said that they understand the importance of their passengers' travel plans, especially during this holiday season, and promised to work around the clock to minimise any inconvenience. The airline said that as the weather department has forecasted dense fog conditions in Delhi and parts of northern and eastern India, flight operations would likely be affected at Delhi, Amritsar (ATQ), Chandigarh (IXC), Lucknow (LKO), Varanasi (VNS), and Patna (PAT), with a ripple effect across the network. Air India claimed that it has taken proactive measures to minimise disruptions and provided a link for reference (learn more at bit.ly/4agYVyF). In the event of delays or cancellations, the airline said that its ground teams would remain available round the clock to assist guests and make alternative arrangements. The advisory said that passengers booked on select flights during the fog window would continue to receive advance alerts under the 'FogCare initiative', with the option to change flights without additional payment or to seek a full refund without penalty. They requested that thier guests check their flight status on thier official website before proceeding to the airport. The airline thanked the passengers for their patience and understanding, and claimed that the safety and well-being of their passengers and crew remain its top priority. Similarly, IndiGo, in its Friday travel advisory, informed passengers that dense fog across Chandigarh and Amritsar continued to significantly reduce visibility, affecting flights to and from these cities. Through its official X handle, it posted, "Travel Advisory Dense fog across #Chandigarh #Amritsar continues to significantly reduce visibility, impacting flight operations to and from these cities. We recommend checking the latest flight status on our website or app before proceeding to the airport http://bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. Please be assured that our teams are working closely to resume regular services as soon as conditions improve. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and look forward to welcoming you on board once visibility improves." Travel AdvisoryDense fog across #Chandigarh #Amritsar continues to significantly reduce visibility, impacting flight operations to and from these cities.We recommend checking the latest flight status on our website or app before proceeding to the airport… — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 19, 2025 The airline recommended that passengers check the latest flight status on its website or app before proceeding to the airport. It stated that its teams are working closely to resume regular services as conditions improve. The airline promised to board the passengers once visibility improves. Further details awaited. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 09:52 AM IST | New Delhi | ANINet direct tax collection grew 8 per cent to over Rs 17.04 lakh crore this fiscal till December 17 on slower refunds and higher advance taxes from corporates, the income tax department data showed on Friday. Net corporate tax mop up grew 10.54 per cent to over Rs 8.17 lakh crore. Non-corporate tax (which includes taxes paid by individuals, HUFs, firms) grew 6.37 per cent at Rs 8.47 lakh crore. Net revenue from Securities Transaction Tax (STT) rose marginally year-on-year at R40,195 crore till December 17 of the current fiscal. Advance tax paid by corporates showed a growth of 8 per cent to over Rs 6.07 lakh crore. Advance tax collection from non-corporates showed a de-growth of 6.49 per cent at over Rs 1.81 lakh crore. Overall, advance taxes grew 4.27 per cent to over Rs 7.88 lakh crore till December 17. Refunds issuance dropped 14 per cent compared to last year to over Rs 2.97 lakh crore. Gross direct tax collections, before adjusting refunds, recorded 4.16 per cent growth at over Rs 20.01 lakh crore till December 17, as per the income tax department data. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 08:49 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it on Thursday, amid strong protests by the opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the existing rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA, who accused the government of putting the financial burden on states. Several INDIA bloc parties said the bill will “kill” the rural employment programme. Several members of the opposition staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of the bill after demanding its withdrawal and raising slogans against the government. They also tore pages of the bill. Overnight dharna The opposition parties sat on a dharna outside the Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex against the bill and claiming that they would launch a country-wide agitation alleging that the bill is “anti-labourer”, “regressive” and brought with a feudal mindset, the opposition parties said many states, already reeling under debt, will find it very difficult to fund the scheme. They said under the new bill, 40 per cent of the total cost will shift to the states, while MGNREGA is fully funded by the Centre. Trinamool Congress MPs held an overnight dharna in the Parliament complex against the passage of the bill, which they said was “bulldozed” through both Houses without any discussion. TMC MPs spent the night at the gate of the Samvidhan Sadan, with banners and portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, slamming the government. TMC leader Sagarika Ghose said, “The Modi government has assassinated Mahatma Gandhi for the second time and it has also insulted Rabindranath Tagore.” A banner at the protest read “Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. Gurudev gave the title Mahatma Tagore is known to have given the title of ‘Mahatma’ to Gandhi”. ‘Bill anti village’ Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Modi government of demolishing 20 years of MGNREGA in a single day, and dubbed the new VB-G RAM G legislation as “anti village”. Noting that the VB-G RAM G Bill is not a “revamp” of MGNREGA. “It demolishes the rights-based, demand-driven guarantee and turns it into a rationed scheme which is controlled from Delhi. It is anti-state and anti-village by design,” he said. Meanwhile, the Secular Progressive Alliance led by the ruling DMK, has announced a state-wide protest on December 24 against the Centre’s newly passed legislation. ThurDay LS and RS cleared the bill This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 08:40 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday approached the Delhi High Court (HC) challenging a trial court order that refused to take cognisance of its prosecution complaint against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case, news agency PTI reported. The plea is likely to come up for hearing next week. The ED has assailed the trial court’s order issued on Wednesday, which held that taking cognisance of the agency’s complaint was “impermissible in law” as it was not based on a first information report (FIR). The court ruled that an investigation and the consequent prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are not maintainable in the absence of an FIR for a scheduled offence, PTI reported. The trial court noted that the ED’s probe stemmed from a private complaint and not from an FIR. It said that as cognisance was being declined on a pure question of law, it was not necessary to examine arguments on the merits of the allegations. The court further observed that despite a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy and the summoning order issued in 2014, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not registered an FIR in connection with the alleged scheduled offence so far, PTI reported. “However, the ED went ahead with recording an ECIR relating to money laundering on June 30, 2021, when no FIR (with the CBI or any other law enforcement agency) existed in relation to the scheduled offence,” the court said. ED alleges Rs 2,000-crore AJL assets were taken over through Young Indian The ED has accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and private firm Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering. The central probe agency has alleged that properties worth around Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper, were acquired through fraudulent means. It has further claimed that the Gandhis held a 76 per cent stake in Young Indian, which allegedly usurped AJL’s assets in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan. (With PTI inputs)
19 December,2025 10:11 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIn a significant step towards strengthening security and accelerating development in Maoist-sensitive areas, the Gadchiroli Police on Thursday established a new police station at Tumarkothi under the Hedri sub-division. The new police station was set up within 24 hours with the deployment of a large security force comprising around 1,000 C-60 commandos, 21 Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams, newly recruited police personnel, 500 special police officers and private contractors. The inauguration of the Tumarkothi Police Station took place in the presence of Additional Director General of Police (Special Operations) Dr Chhering Dorje, Special Inspector General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Gadchiroli Range) Ankit Goyal, Deputy Inspector General (Operations) of CRPF Ajay Kumar Sharma, Superintendent of Police (Gadchiroli) Neelotpal, Commandant of CRPF’s 191 Battalion Satya Prakash, senior officers, and local villagers. Speaking on the occasion, Neelotpal said the establishment of the new police station would prove to be a milestone in enhancing security in the region and bringing local residents into the mainstream of development. He said it was the ninth new police station set up since 2023 as part of a chain to reduce security gaps in remote and extremely remote areas of the district. Gadchiroli, known for its difficult terrain and Maoist activity, has several tribal villages that remain far removed from basic development. The Tumarkothi police station, located about 7 km from Kothi police station and just 2 km from the Chhattisgarh border, is expected to significantly improve security and support all-round development in the region. As part of efforts to strengthen security infrastructure, the Gadchiroli Police have, over the past year, established a police assistance centre at Pengunda on December 11, 2024, a new police station at Nelgunda on January 30, 2025, another police station at Kavande on March 9, 2025, and a police assistance centre at Phulnar Camp Gunturwahi on November 23, 2025. Tumarkothi Police Station built in 24 hours with 1,050 personnel, modern facilities The Tumarkothi Police Station was constructed with the deployment of approximately 1,050 personnel, supported by heavy machinery including four JCBs, seven trailers, two poclains and 25 trucks. Facilities at the police station include Wi-Fi connectivity, 12 porta cabins, a generator shed, an RO drinking water plant, a mobile tower, toilet facilities, security walls, bunkers and sandbag posts. For security, the police station has been staffed with two officers and 52 personnel from the Gadchiroli Police, two platoons of SRPF Group 12 (Hingoli E Company), one Assistant Commandant and 79 personnel from CRPF’s 191 Battalion, and eight special operations teams comprising 200 commandos. During the establishment programme, a public outreach event was also organised, during which essential items were distributed to local residents. Women were given sarees and footwear, men received blankets and tools, while youth and children were provided with clothing, school supplies, sports equipment and other necessities. Police officers said improved security would pave the way for future road construction and the introduction of state transport bus services in the area. Local residents expressed satisfaction over the establishment of the police station and thanked the police administration. Senior officers present at the event included Additional SP (Operations) M Ramesh, Additional SP (Administration) Gokul Raj, CRPF Deputy Commandant Chanchal Parwana, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Dhanora) Aniket Hirde, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Bhamragad) Amar Mohite, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Hedri Yogesh Ranjankar, and the newly appointed officer-in-charge of Tumarkothi police station, PSI Gorkhanath Surase, along with other officers and personnel.
19 December,2025 08:26 PM IST | Gadchiroli | mid-day online correspondentA woman allegedly murdered her husband using an axe and later attempted to kill herself by jumping into a well in Tamlav village in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district on Friday, reported the PTI. According to the news agency, "The incident occurred in Tamlav village under the Rawatbhata area. The accused was rescued from the well by villagers and taken into police custody," the officials said. Furthermore, while briefing more about the incident, the Deputy Superintendent of Police Shankar Lal Meena said that the accused has been identified as Lad Bai. He further asserted that she attacked her husband, Mohan Gurjar (45), with an axe, killing him on the spot. The police said that the preliminary information suggested there were some domestic disputes between the couple. The DSP further said that the body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact causes behind the incident, the DSP said. Woman ends life; kin with whom she had illicit relationship booked In a different scenario, a 30-year-old man was booked on Thursday after his female relative allegedly committed suicide inside their house, a Mumbai police official said. Furthermore, the death of the 45-year-old woman was a fallout of their illicit relationship, he added. As reported by news agency PTI, the incident took place in Pratiksha Nagar in central Mumbai, and the accused has been identified as Saraswat Arvind Yadav, the police official said. While briefing more about the incident, the police official further asserted that "The woman ended her life at their shared residence on Saturday evening. The incident came to light after her daughter came home from work. She is the complainant in the case. She alerted neighbours and also heard the voice of her kin inside, who told her the room could be opened only from outside," the official informed. The official further added, “The woman was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Our probe has found the deceased and her kin had an illicit relationship, and she wanted him to marry her.” “She and her family had been staying with this relative for the past 17 years. The complainant and her father used to go to work every morning and would return in the evening. The deceased was working as a freelance market research analyst,” he added. (With inputs from PTI)
19 December,2025 07:55 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondentThe Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, on Friday facilitated the restitution of Rs 311.67 crore towards long-pending workmen dues of the Kingfisher Airlines Limited (KAL). This marks a significant step in victim-centric restoration of proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The restitution has been enabled pursuant to an order dated December 12, 2025, passed by the Recovery Officer of the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT)-I, Chennai. The order by the DRT directed the release of funds realised from the sale of attached shares, which had earlier been restituted to the State Bank of India (SBI) by the ED under PMLA provisions. As per the orders, the amount will now be transferred to the Official Liquidator for disbursement to former employees of Kingfisher Airlines. Earlier the ED had initiated its investigation based on multiple FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Kingfisher Airlines, its promoter Vijay Mallya, and associated entities for offences relating to bank fraud and criminal conspiracy—scheduled offences under the PMLA. The probe, however, revealed large-scale diversion and syphoning of loan funds, leading to the attachment of movable and immovable properties belonging to KAL, Vijay Mallya, United Breweries Holdings Ltd, and other associated entities. Following that, Vijay Mallya was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, on January 5, 2019. Furthermore, the ED has, to date, restituted properties and assets worth Rs 14,132 crore to SBI under Section 8(8) of the PMLA, creating an asset pool from which the present restitution has been facilitated. Moreover, in furtherance of its mandate, the ED proactively coordinated with all stakeholders to ensure settlement of the long-pending workmen dues. The agency engaged with senior SBI officials and facilitated the utilisation of PMLA-restituted assets for payment of employee claims. Acting on this facilitation, SBI approached the DRT, offering the restituted assets for discharge of workmen dues and expressly consenting to the priority of such dues over secured creditor claims. This led to the DRT directing the Official Liquidator to disburse workmen dues amounting to Rs 311.67 crore to former employees of Kingfisher Airlines. Moreover, the restitution underscores the ED’s continued commitment to depriving economic offenders of the proceeds of crime while ensuring restoration of such proceeds to rightful stakeholders, including affected employees.
19 December,2025 06:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Anish PatilIn an extremely unfortunate incident at Nagpur, three workers died, while six other persons sustained injuries after a water tank collapsed at a solar panel manufacturing plant in Nagpur's Butibori MIDC on Friday. As reported by news agency ANI, the accident occurred while the workers were working on a construction project near the water tank at the Awada company, which manufactures solar panels. The water tank collapsed and trapped them underneath, according to Nagpur Superintendent of Police Harsh Poddar. Out of those injured, three of them sustained serious injuries. While the officials also addressed that the workers are receiving treatment at various private hospitals. The Nagpur Superintendent of Police also emphasised, "The labourers were working on a construction project near the water tank when it collapsed, trapping them underneath," as per ANI. Soon after receiving the information, the police and fire brigade reached the spot to take control of the situation. While further information about the incident is yet to come, further investigation is also underway. Two teenagers die after scooter crashes into truck in Mumbai's Malad In a different scenario in Mumbai's Malad area, two teenagers have lost their lives in a road accident in Evershine Nagar. The unfortunate incident occurred in the late hours of Wednesday after their scooter crashed into a trailer truck allegedly parked dangerously on the roadside. According to police, the accident occurred around 10:09 pm near Ryan International School on Dhiraj Kirti Road. The victims have been identified as Ridge Irwin D’Souza, 18, and Kellyan Alicia Fernandes, 17, who were travelling on a TVS Jupiter scooter when they collided with the rear of the trailer. When police reached the spot, they found the scooter lodged under the rear right wheel of the truck, with both riders lying unconscious and bleeding. Locals helped rush them to Evershine Nursing Home, where doctors found no pulse and advised shifting them to a BMC hospital. They were later taken by private ambulance to Trauma Care Hospital, Jogeshwari East, where doctors declared both dead on arrival around 11:50 pm. Briefing more about the incident, the police officials said that the trailer was parked in a manner that obstructed traffic and endangered lives. They also said, “A case has been registered against the trailer driver,” said senior inspector Ravindra Avhad of Bangur Nagar police station.” (With inputs from ANI)
19 December,2025 06:31 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
