"Conduct a Caste Census Now": Chhagan Bhujbal Turns Up Heat on Centre Over OBC Quota 2
Senior NCP leader and OBC face of Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal, on Thursday lent strong support to the demand for a nationwide caste census, reigniting the ongoing debate around caste-based reservations in India. Speaking to reporters, Bhujbal emphasized the persistent legal hurdles faced by the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in securing their rightful share in governance and policy.
“We should get our reservation. Even now, the issue of our quota in local self-governing bodies is stuck in the Supreme Court,” said Bhujbal, who represents the Yeola assembly constituency in Nashik district.
“Conduct a caste census,” he asserted, underlining the need for accurate data to ensure fair distribution of opportunities based on population demographics.
His statement aligns with the longstanding demand of the opposition Congress party, which has been pushing for a caste census to better structure welfare and reservation schemes. As calls for caste-based data grow louder, Bhujbal’s remarks mark a clear stance from a key leader in Maharashtra’s political landscape.
"Jobless and Betrayed": Bengal Teachers Launch Hunger Strike After SC Job Axe and Police Crackdown 4
A fresh wave of unrest has erupted in West Bengal as a section of teachers who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court judgment have launched a relay hunger strike, protesting not only their termination but also alleged police brutality during demonstrations. The protest began Thursday outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) office in Salt Lake, where teachers have also staged an overnight sit-in at the commission’s Acharya Sadan building.
These teachers were among the 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments made through a 2016 SSC recruitment drive were annulled after the Supreme Court on April 3 upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict, which described the entire recruitment process as “vitiated and tainted.”
One of the protesting teachers told reporters, “We’ve started a relay hunger strike with one teacher, and more will join. We’ll soon decide our next course of action.”
The teachers also condemned the police action at the District Inspector of Schools office in Kasba, South Kolkata, where their colleagues were allegedly lathi-charged, kicked, and shoved during a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday.
The dismissed educators insist that their jobs were unjustly taken away due to the SSC’s failure to distinguish between fraudulent candidates and those who were legitimately selected. Their anger is now turning into a symbolic hunger protest, calling out what they describe as systemic injustice and government apathy.
Mumbai Faces Water Crisis as Tanker Association Halts Supply Over BMC Crackdown on Private Wells 6
Mumbai’s water supply system has been thrown into disarray as the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) announced an indefinite suspension of services on Thursday, protesting the civic body’s stringent regulations and notices issued to private well owners. These wells are the primary source of water for over 1,800 registered tankers that collectively supply around 350 million litres daily (MLD) to various parts of the city, including high-demand zones like South Mumbai.
MWTA spokesperson Ankur Sharma revealed that the decision comes in response to new requirements imposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which include mandatory land ownership or lease documents, installation of digital flow meters, adherence to BIS standards, daily water intake measurement, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Central Ground Water Authority.
“Implementing these norms in a city like Mumbai is next to impossible without government relaxation. Until then, the supply remains suspended,” Sharma said, adding, “We have shut down our trade.”
Despite efforts by Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar—who wrote to the Jal Shakti Board urging leniency—well owners continue to receive enforcement notices. The MWTA has also approached the Chief Minister’s Office seeking urgent intervention to resolve the crisis that now looms over the city’s water supply.
Broad-Daylight Shooting Rocks Mumbai: Man Shot at Chembur Signal by Bike-Borne Attackers 8
In a chilling incident that sparked panic in Mumbai’s Chembur area, two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on a 50-year-old man at the Diamond Garden signal on Wednesday evening. The victim, identified as Sadruddin Khan, sustained injuries and was rushed to Zen Hospital, where doctors reported his condition as stable.
According to the Chembur police, Khan was on his way to his residence in Belapur, Navi Mumbai, when the attackers approached and fired at him in the middle of traffic. The brazen shooting in broad daylight at a busy city junction has alarmed locals and triggered a full-fledged investigation.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects, who fled the scene immediately after the attack. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and questioning potential witnesses as part of the ongoing probe.
Delhi Court Halts Probe Order Against Kapil Mishra in 2020 Riots Case Till April 21 10
A Delhi court on Wednesday stayed, until April 21, the magisterial court’s order for further investigation into the alleged role of Law Minister Kapil Mishra in the 2020 Delhi riots, providing temporary relief to the BJP leader.
The decision came after Mishra challenged the lower court’s order, which was based on a complaint by Mohammad Ilyas, who had alleged that Mishra, along with his associates and with police complicity, incited violence in Kardampuri on February 23, 2020. The incident was linked to the unrest that erupted following the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja stayed the probe order and issued a notice to the complainant, directing him to respond by April 21. The judge also asked for the records from the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Senior advocate P. K. Dubey, representing Mishra, argued that the magisterial order overstepped the jurisdiction of the Special Court designated for such matters. He stressed that as a public figure, Mishra was under constant reputational threat due to the ongoing legal shadow.
Delhi Police, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, supported Mishra’s position, stating that no evidence linked him to the riots and that the allegations were part of a larger attempt to falsely implicate him. The police maintained that Mishra’s role had already been examined in the broader conspiracy case, with no culpability found.
The magistrate had previously ruled that a cognizable offence appeared to exist and had called for further investigation. However, with the latest stay, the legal proceedings against Mishra will remain paused until the next hearing.
Centre Gears Up for 26/11 Justice: Special Public Prosecutor Appointed Ahead of Tahawwur Rana's Arrival 12
The Centre has appointed a special public prosecutor to lead the trial against Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, as India prepares to receive him following his extradition from the United States. Rana is expected to arrive in the country on Thursday.
In a late-night notification, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs named advocate Narender Mann as the special public prosecutor to conduct the trial and all related proceedings for the NIA case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI, which pertains to the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks that claimed 166 lives.
The appointment, made under Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 and Section 18(8) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, will see Mann represent the National Investigation Agency (NIA) before Special NIA Courts in Delhi and before appellate courts, for a period of three years or until the trial concludes, whichever comes first.
The move signals the government’s intent to push ahead with the long-delayed prosecution of Rana, whose role is linked to Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the key conspirators in the attacks. With the extradition imminent, India is now prepared to intensify legal proceedings in one of its most high-profile terror cases.
After 16 Years, the Mask Falls: Tahawwur Rana's Extradition Marks a Major Breakthrough in 26/11 Mumbai Terror Case 14
After nearly sixteen years, the chilling conspiracy behind one of the most horrific terror attacks in modern history—the 26/11 Mumbai attacks—is again in the spotlight, as a key accused, Tahawwur Rana, edges closer to being brought to justice in India. His story is one woven with deception, hidden motives, and a deep, disturbing connection to terror networks that shook the world on the evening of November 26, 2008.
Once a doctor in the Pakistani Army, Tahawwur Hussain Rana later migrated to Canada and became a citizen. On the surface, he was a businessman, running an immigration consultancy named “First World Immigration Services”. But behind this benign façade lay a sinister purpose. His immigration agency, as investigations would reveal, was nothing more than a cover to facilitate and coordinate terror activities—particularly in India.
Rana’s story is deeply intertwined with that of his childhood friend, David Coleman Headley. The two first met as young boys at Cadet College Hasanabdal in Pakistan’s Attock district, where they forged a bond that would later evolve into a deadly alliance. Headley, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani origin, would go on to become the man who scouted Mumbai’s targets before the attacks, conducting detailed reconnaissance while posing as a business agent under the guise of Rana’s immigration firm.
In 2006, Rana helped Headley set up a Mumbai branch of his company—this became the operational ground zero for the recces of targets that would later be devastated in the coordinated attacks. Headley sent e-mails back to Rana during this time, seeking directions and sharing observations. Indian investigators, in their 2023 supplementary chargesheet, highlighted how Rana stayed at a five-star hotel in Mumbai from November 11 to November 21, 2008—just days before the carnage unfolded. On November 26, ten Pakistani terrorists stormed key locations across Mumbai, launching a 60-hour siege that claimed 166 lives, including those of six Americans, and wounded hundreds more.
In 2009, following mounting evidence, Rana was arrested in the United States. He was charged with providing material support to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and helping orchestrate the Mumbai attacks. A U.S. court found him guilty, and while Headley turned approver and offered detailed testimony, Rana maintained his innocence. Yet, the net around him continued to tighten. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India, in collaboration with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), continued to pursue his extradition.
Over the years, justice began catching up with others involved in the conspiracy as well. Hafiz Saeed, the founder of LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and widely considered the mastermind behind the attacks, was sentenced in April 2022 by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court to 31 years in prison on various terror financing charges. He is currently incarcerated in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Sajid Mir, identified as the chief planner, was convicted in June 2022 and handed a 15-year prison term for terror financing in Pakistan. Operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, too, was sentenced in January 2021 to five years in prison for similar charges.
Meanwhile, David Headley, who had struck a plea bargain with U.S. authorities, was sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in an American federal prison. Another major player, Abdul Rehman Makki—brother-in-law to Hafiz Saeed and a senior LeT figure—died of a heart attack in December 2024 while being treated in a Lahore hospital.
Back in the U.S., the legal battle over Rana’s extradition saw several twists. In early March 2025, Justice Elena Kagan of the U.S. Supreme Court denied his plea seeking a stay on the extradition. Though he filed another application before Chief Justice John Roberts, the process had already gained irreversible momentum. Earlier, in February 2025, former President Donald Trump announced that his administration had approved Rana’s extradition to India, calling him “one of the plotters and very evil people of the world,” and adding that “he will now face justice in India.”
With the “surrender warrant” confirmed, Indian authorities are preparing to bring Rana back. A team of RAW and NIA officials is en route to the U.S. to complete formalities and escort him home. Special high-security cells in Delhi and Mumbai have been readied, although the NIA will likely begin questioning him at its headquarters in the capital. He is expected to be lodged in Tihar Jail under strict security protocols.
As this chapter nears a crucial turning point, the wheels of justice turn slowly but surely. Tahawwur Rana’s impending extradition stands not only as a critical milestone in the long and painful pursuit of justice for the victims of 26/11 but also as a grim reminder of the global networks and cold calculations that fuel such attacks. For India, it is a moment charged with memory, grief, and long-awaited accountability.
Death at the Dance Floor: Roof Collapse at Dominican Nightclub Kills 98, Injures 160 16
A night of music and celebration turned into a deadly disaster when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, collapsed during a packed merengue concert, killing at least 98 people and injuring 160 others, according to local authorities.
The tragedy struck early Tuesday, with victims including politicians, athletes, and music fans. Rescue teams worked tirelessly through the rubble for hours, desperately listening for cries for help as they removed debris with saws and drills. “We continue clearing debris and searching for people. We’re going to search tirelessly,” said Juan Manuel Mendez, Director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
Among the deceased was Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi and sister of MLB star Nelson Cruz. Cruz reportedly called the President while trapped under the debris but later died in the hospital. Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera were also confirmed dead. Merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the time, remains missing.
The roof caved in about an hour after the concert began. Witnesses initially believed it was an earthquake. Pérez’s manager, blood-stained and shaken, recalled, “It happened so quickly. I threw myself into a corner.”
National lawmaker Bray Vargas was among the injured. Officials said they were still investigating the cause of the collapse, with no word on the building’s last inspection. The club’s owner, Antonio Espaillat, returned from abroad and stated the tragedy was “devastating for everyone.”
President Luis Abinader visited the scene, hugging victims’ families and promising full rescue efforts. “We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive,” he said.
Outside the club, families sang hymns, hoping for miracles. Hospitals overflowed with blood donors, while city morgues displayed images of the deceased for identification. Crowds pressed for updates, clinging to hope as emergency officials urged calm and cooperation.
What should have been a joyous evening became one of the deadliest nightclub tragedies in the Caribbean nation’s history, leaving a trail of devastation, unanswered questions, and grieving families.
"My Words Were Twisted": Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara Backpedals After Molestation Remark Sparks Outrage 18
A day after his controversial comment on a recent molestation incident in Bengaluru drew sharp criticism, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has now expressed regret, claiming that his remarks were misunderstood and distorted by the media and others. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Parameshwara said his statement was not intended to trivialize the incident and maintained that he is deeply committed to ensuring women’s safety in the state.
The controversy erupted after Parameshwara, while addressing the April 3 molestation case in Suddaguntepalya, said: “In a big city like Bengaluru, incidents like this do take place here and there.” The remark, seen by many as insensitive, triggered a backlash from the opposition BJP and the National Commission for Women (NCW), which demanded a public apology from the minister.
In a strongly-worded statement, the NCW said, “Such statements trivialise crimes against women. We have written to the Hon’ble Governor and Chief Minister demanding urgent action and an apology.”
Parameshwara, defending his track record, said that under his leadership, the Home Department has actively implemented initiatives like the Nirbhaya scheme, and that Karnataka has spent more on the safety of women than many other states. “I am always for women’s protection. If my words have hurt our sisters and mothers, I express regret,” he said.
Dismissing the BJP’s criticism as political opportunism, Parameshwara added, “If they say nothing happened during their rule, people will laugh. I’ve already shared statistics showing otherwise.” He also stressed that strict action is being taken regularly on harassment and POCSO cases across the state, and assured there would be no leniency under his watch.
Reiterating his stance, he stated, “This is not about making statements for effect. I take women’s safety seriously and continue to monitor every case.”
Indian-Origin Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Co-Passenger Mid-Flight in US 20
A 36-year-old Indian-origin man, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, residing in New Jersey, has been charged with sexual assault on a domestic flight in the United States. The FBI is investigating the case, which involves allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with a fellow female passenger aboard a January 26 flight from Belgrade, Montana, to Dallas, Texas.
According to official reports, Shukla allegedly touched the woman’s thighs, lower back, buttocks, and private parts, despite her clearly objecting the first time. After returning from the restroom, the woman was reportedly assaulted again, with Shukla using his coat to conceal his actions. The woman messaged her husband mid-flight, who alerted authorities. Upon landing, airport police were waiting to detain the accused.
Shukla was later arrested in New Jersey, where he resides, and agreed to be transferred to Montana for prosecution. His court hearing is scheduled for April 17. FBI Special Agent Chad McNiven filed the affidavit, citing that another passenger witnessed and corroborated the victim’s version of events.
Interestingly, Shukla claimed he could not speak English—despite having conversed in English with the victim and her daughter during the flight. Nevertheless, a Gujarati interpreter was arranged for his court appearance in New Jersey. The case has drawn attention to the increasing concerns over mid-air misconduct and the role of federal law enforcement in addressing such incidents.
