Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap Announce Separation 2
In a surprising development from the Indian sports world, badminton stars Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap have announced their mutual separation after over five years of marriage.
Saina took to Instagram on Sunday to share the personal news, writing, “Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways. We’re choosing peace, growth, and healing – for ourselves and each other.”
The 34-year-old Olympic medalist and two-time Commonwealth Games champion added, “I’m grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward. Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time.”
The couple, who trained together at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, tied the knot in December 2018. While Saina achieved international acclaim with a world No. 1 ranking and an Olympic bronze, Kashyap also had a stellar career, notably winning the gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Their separation has left fans stunned, with many expressing support and admiration for their mature handling of the situation.
Glass in Bun Sparks Outrage: Pune's Iconic Café Goodluck Shut Down Over Hygiene Violations 4
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has temporarily suspended the licence of Pune’s iconic Café Goodluck following a shocking food safety violation involving alleged glass pieces found in a bun. The suspension came after a video showing shards of glass in a “bun muska” item at the popular eatery went viral on social media, sparking public outrage.
FDA Joint Commissioner Suresh Annapure confirmed the suspension on Sunday, stating that a swift inspection was carried out after the matter gained attention online. “We found unhygienic conditions during the inspection. The licence has been suspended until further orders, pending necessary compliance,” he said.
The controversy erupted after a couple dining at Café Goodluck claimed they found glass pieces in the food served to them. They documented the incident with a video, which was soon widely shared across platforms, prompting the authorities to act.
Café Goodluck, located on Fergusson College Road, is one of Pune’s oldest and most renowned eateries, drawing customers from across the city and beyond. The suspension has raised concerns about food safety standards even at trusted establishments.
Foreign Nationals Found in Bihar Voter List Review: EC Flags Nepalese, Bangladeshis, and Myanmar Citizens 6
A startling revelation has emerged from Bihar’s ongoing electoral roll revision process as field-level officials of the Election Commission (EC) have discovered a significant number of foreign nationals—allegedly from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar—during door-to-door verification, senior officials said on Sunday.
These findings were made by booth-level officers (BLOs) during the fourth phase of the EC’s special drive to clean up the voters’ list in Bihar, a state headed for polls later this year. Officials stated that a detailed inquiry will commence after August 1, and illegal migrants will be barred from inclusion in the final electoral roll, which is scheduled to be released on September 30.
The presence of such individuals has raised serious concerns, especially as multiple states, including Assam and West Bengal, have intensified crackdowns on illegal immigrants.
The EC is preparing for a nationwide special intensive revision of electoral rolls to eliminate non-citizens by verifying individuals’ places of birth and residency status. In Bihar, the draft electoral roll will be published on August 1 and will only include individuals who submitted valid forms by July 25.
Only Indian citizens aged 18 and above, as defined under Article 326 of the Constitution, are eligible to be enrolled. Electoral officers will rigorously scrutinize all applications to ensure compliance with these criteria.
Recognised political parties will receive free copies of the draft roll, which will also be made available on the EC’s website. Electors who miss the initial deadline may still apply during the claims and objections period (August 1 to September 1) by submitting Form 6 with a declaration. Booth-level agents can continue filing up to 10 applications daily.
Objections to existing entries can also be filed during this period. Crucially, no name will be removed from the roll without a proper inquiry and a fair hearing for the individual concerned.
The EC aims to publish the final updated electoral roll on September 30, just ahead of the assembly elections.
CM War in Karnataka? Siddaramaiah Shuts Down Leadership Buzz, Says "No Vacancy" for Shivakumar 8
Amid mounting speculation of a leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday made it clear there is “no vacancy” for the top post, putting to rest reports suggesting a possible mid-term power shift to Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Siddaramaiah firmly stated, “I am the Chief Minister of Karnataka. D.K. Shivakumar has also said the same. There is no vacancy for the CM post.” His remarks come amid rumours that he may step down in November when the Congress government completes 2.5 years, allowing Shivakumar to take over as part of an alleged power-sharing deal.
Siddaramaiah emphasized that Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, has ruled out any change in leadership, and that the party has not held any discussions on the matter. “Surjewala has clearly said leadership is not under discussion. When the high command says there’s no change, why does the media keep speculating?” he asked.
Dismissing talks of a rotational CM agreement, Siddaramaiah added, “If there had been a deal, I wouldn’t have said I’ll be CM for five years.”
The CM and his deputy are in Delhi discussing appointments to various state boards and filling vacancies in the Legislative Council, further triggering leadership talk. However, sources say the agenda is purely administrative.
Meanwhile, several cabinet ministers met AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru. Some called it a courtesy visit, while others hinted at political discussions. Despite this, ministers close to Siddaramaiah, including Satish Jarkiholi and H.C. Mahadevappa, reiterated that the leadership question has already been settled.
Siddaramaiah’s son and Congress MLC Yathindra also backed his father, stating that he would complete the full five-year term and that only the high command and MLAs have a say in leadership matters.
However, not all within the party seem content. Kunigal MLA Ranganath publicly voiced his desire to see Shivakumar become CM, praising his decades-long contribution to the Congress and his role in the party’s 2023 victory.
The BJP, quick to seize on the internal dynamics, mocked the Congress. Senior leader R. Ashoka said, “Today’s Congress is a courtroom of contenders. Siddaramaiah’s declaration only proves the real high command isn’t in Delhi—it’s in Bengaluru.”
The Congress had faced stiff internal competition for the CM post after its resounding win in the May 2023 elections. While Siddaramaiah emerged as CM, Shivakumar was placated with the Deputy CM post. With these new developments, the party now faces the challenge of containing simmering tensions while projecting unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
"Will Merge Sena with BJP to Become CM": Sanjay Raut's Explosive Claim Against Shinde 10
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleging that Shinde is so desperate to become Chief Minister that he offered to merge his faction of the Shiv Sena with the BJP during a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Addressing reporters, Raut claimed that Shinde told Shah he was unable to function effectively because of constant interference by current CM Devendra Fadnavis, and that the BJP leader was initiating inquiries against Shiv Sena MLAs. “Shinde reportedly told Shah that efforts to unite Marathi voices—like the recent joint rally by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray—were harming his party, and that he could stop this if made CM,” Raut alleged.
According to Raut, when Shah reminded Shinde that the BJP would continue to hold the CM post, Shinde offered to merge his faction of the Shiv Sena with the BJP in return for the top position. “That’s how desperate he is,” Raut said.
The remarks were quickly dismissed by Shiv Sena (Shinde) spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre, who said, “Raut has a habit of making wild, baseless statements. Even his own party doesn’t take him seriously.”
Raut also tied the episode to the recent rollback of controversial GRs on the three-language policy in schools, a move celebrated by the Thackeray cousins in a rare joint rally titled “Awaaz Marathicha.” He suggested that the growing unity of Marathi voices threatens Shinde’s political standing.
This isn’t the first time Raut has made controversial claims about Shinde’s camp. Earlier, he alleged bizarre rituals involving buffalo horns were conducted at the CM’s official residence to secure power. He also speculated that Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant might be elevated as a third deputy CM.
Despite repeated predictions by Raut that the Shinde-Fadnavis government would collapse, the Mahayuti alliance returned to power with a thumping majority, further weakening UBT’s position in the state’s power dynamics.
Girls Forced to Strip in Thane's R S Damani School; Principal Arrested 12
Police have arrested the principal and another staffer of a private school in Thane where girl students were allegedly made to strip to check if they were menstruating, officials said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at the R S Damani school in Shahapur area of Maharashtra’s Thane district on Tuesday after bloodstains were found in its toilet, they said.
It sparked an outrage among the girls’ parents, who protested on the school premises on Wednesday and sought action against its management and teachers involved in the episode.
The police on Wednesday night arrested the school’s principal, and a woman attendant who allegedly stripped the students and checked their private parts for menstruation, an official from Shahapur police station said.
As per the complaint lodged by a parent of one of the students, the girls, studying in classes 5 to10, were called to the school’s convention hall and shown photos of blood stains in the toilet and floor by screening them through a projector.
The students were asked if anyone from them was going through the menstrual cycle.
The girls were then divided into two groups. All those who said they were menstruating were asked to give their thumb impression to the teachers. But those girls who said they were not experiencing it, were taken to the toilet one by one with a woman attendant checking their private parts, the complaint said.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered on Wednesday against the school’s principal, four teachers, the attendant and two trustees, the police said.
When parents learnt about the girls being subjected to this kind of a check, they gathered at the school and demanded action against the teachers involved, Additional Superintendent of Police (Thane rural) Rahul Zalte said on Wednesday.
“The situation turned tense for a while with the irate parents demanding action,” he said.
The police were probing the entire incident, the official said.
The case was registered against the eight persons under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 76 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
Canteen Shut Down After Shiv Sena MLA Assaults Staff Over 'Stale Dal' 14
In a swift regulatory response to public outrage, the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has suspended the licence of Ajanta Caterers, which operates the canteen at the MLA hostel in Mumbai. The move follows a widely circulated video showing Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slapping and punching a canteen staffer over allegations of being served stale food.
The FDA conducted a surprise inspection at the Akashwani MLA hostel on Wednesday and found the caterer in violation of multiple provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its related licensing regulations. In its order, the FDA directed the caterer to halt all food service operations at the site starting Thursday.
The incident sparked political condemnation across party lines. Gaikwad, a legislator from Buldhana affiliated with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, claimed he had made several complaints about the poor food quality at the hostel but received no response. “This has been going on for a while. I’ve raised the issue multiple times. Nothing changed,” he said.
The viral video shows Gaikwad—dressed casually in a vest and towel—storming into the canteen, shoving a packet of dal under the contractor’s nose, and then assaulting him. The act has been condemned by both the government and opposition, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis calling the behaviour unacceptable and saying it sends the wrong message about elected representatives.
Even Shiv Sena president and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde distanced himself from the assault. “If there’s wrongdoing, legal action can be taken. But beating someone is inappropriate,” he said.
The incident has once again sparked debate on the abuse of political power and the need for better oversight in public service facilities.
Bandh or Breakdown? West Bengal Erupts in Clashes as Left, TMC Face Off Over Nationwide Strike 16
West Bengal witnessed sporadic violence and escalating political tensions on Wednesday as supporters of a nationwide general strike clashed with police and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in several districts. The strike, backed by 10 central trade unions, was called to protest against liberalisation, price rise, unemployment, and contractual labour.
Despite heavy police deployment, Left-wing protestors disrupted normal life by blocking roads and railway tracks across the state, leading to chaos in public transport and disruptions in banking services. In Kolkata’s Ganguly Bagan, CPI(M) and DYFI workers clashed with police while trying to enforce the shutdown, threatening shopkeepers and burning effigies. The police quickly intervened, dispersing the crowd and detaining several, including SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya, who alleged that peaceful demonstrators were manhandled.
Violent scuffles were also reported from College Street, Howrah’s Domjur, and Siliguri, where a bandh supporter was caught on camera knocking off a police officer’s cap. In Buniadpur, a police inspector was filmed slapping a CPI-M leader during a heated exchange. In Cooch Behar’s Tufangunj, clashes erupted between CITU and INTTUC workers, further intensifying tensions.
Rampurhat and other towns like Kirnahar and Durgapur saw similar confrontations, with rail tracks and highways becoming battlegrounds. Protestors in multiple areas including Shyamnagar, Uluberia, and Lalgola attempted to halt trains, forcing the authorities to deploy railway police and cordon off key junctions.
The Mamata Banerjee-led government made additional transport and security arrangements to maintain order, sticking to its zero-tolerance policy against enforced shutdowns. However, the CPI-M and Congress accused the TMC of acting like the BJP and suppressing democratic protests.
“This strike targeted BJP policies, yet TMC cracked down harder than anyone,” said CPI-M’s Sujan Chakraborty. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also slammed the TMC, alleging it was acting as a BJP proxy.
TMC hit back strongly, calling the bandh “hooliganism in the name of protest.” Party leader Debangshu Bhattacharya questioned the logic of enforcing strikes in a state that has officially opposed bandhs since 2011. He also pointed out that even the Left-led Kerala government had issued warnings against the strike.
With Bengal turning into a flashpoint for ideological and political confrontations, Wednesday’s events underline the deepening divide and the rising stakes ahead of crucial elections.
IAF Jaguar Fighter Jet Crashes in Rajasthan, Human Remains Found at Site 18
A Jaguar fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the Bhanoda village area where the debris fell.
The aircraft reportedly went down around 1:25 PM in an agricultural field. According to Kamlessh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajaldesar, human body parts were recovered from the crash site, indicating a possible fatality.
Locals rushed to the scene immediately after the crash and were met with a horrific sight—burning wreckage scattered across the field. Emergency services, including the police teams from Rajaldesar and Ratangarh, along with fire brigades and ambulances, were swiftly dispatched to the spot, confirmed Ratangarh Circle Officer Anil Kumar.
Authorities have since cordoned off the area, and further details regarding the crash and the fate of the pilot are still awaited. An investigation is expected to determine the cause of the crash and assess potential security or technical failures.
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad Slaps Canteen Staff Over Stale Food, Video Sparks Outrage 20
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad landed in controversy once again after a video surfaced showing him slapping a canteen employee at the MLA hostel in Mumbai. The incident occurred on Tuesday night at the Akashvani MLA hostel, allegedly over stale food served to the legislator.
In the viral video, Gaikwad is seen shouting at the canteen operator, refusing to pay the bill, and suddenly slapping a staff member seated at the billing counter. Witnesses claimed the Buldhana MLA was enraged after finding that the dal and rice served in his room were stale and had a foul odor.
मुंबईतील आमदार निवास कॅन्टीनमध्ये आमदार संजय गायकवाड एका गरीब कर्मचाऱ्याला निकृष्ट जेवणावरून मारहाण करताना दिसत आहेत. परंतु ते शिंदे गटातील नेते असल्यामुळे यावर कोणतीही गोदी मिडिया तासंतास डिबेट घेणार नाही, गरीबाला मारहाण झाली म्हणून मोर्चा काढणार नाही. याला “गुंडगिरी” असे १/२ pic.twitter.com/LRBl6Dv9be
— Ṅấṃɽấṱấ Ừỉќԑỵ『 नम्रता उईके 』 (@Namrata_Uikey_) July 9, 2025
“This is not the first time I’ve complained. The quality of food is repeatedly substandard. This time it was absolutely unacceptable, and I will raise this issue in the ongoing legislative session,” Gaikwad said in an interview with a regional news channel.
According to sources, Gaikwad, a legislator from the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stormed into the canteen and confronted the manager in a heated exchange before physically assaulting the staff.
This is not the first time the MLA has courted controversy. In September last year, Gaikwad made headlines for announcing a ₹11 lakh reward to anyone who would cut off Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tongue for his remarks against the reservation system. The Buldhana police later registered a case against him for that statement.
The latest assault incident has triggered criticism from opposition leaders and citizens alike, many questioning the culture of entitlement and impunity among elected representatives.
