India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Shimla, Apr 7 (PTI) Heavy rains in the past 24 hours have triggered a massive landslide on the border of Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal, cutting off the tribal Pangi valley from the rest of the state. The local meteorological station issued orange and yellow warnings of hailstorm, thunderstorm and lightning in the plains and higher hills and also predicted a wet spell up to April 13. The remote Pangi valley of Chamba district was completely cut off from the rest of the state after a massive landslide on Monday night destroyed a 60-metre stretch of the Sansari-Kullu-Manali road in the district. About 40-50 people in private vehicles and taxis were stranded at Sugalwas and Kadu Nullah, with nearly all of them spending the night under severe cold wave conditions. The severity of the landslide can be gauged from the fact that there is no trace of any road as a massive stretch of the hillside has collapsed, leaving no space, not even for pedestrians, to pass, eye-witnesses said. The Border Road Organisation has begun the work of reopening the road, SDM Pangi Amandeep Singh told the PTI on Tuesday, adding that several stranded persons have been shifted to safer places. Reports of hailstorms damaging the crops have also poured from some areas in the Shimla district. Scattered rains occurred across the state, and Sarahan was the wettest with 38.5 mm of rain, followed by Bijahi 2 mm, Rohru 16 mm, Khadrala 7.2 mm, Kasol 5mm, Jogindernagar 4 mm and Dharamshala 3.4 mm. The weather office issued an orange alert of hailstorm and thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40 to 60 kmph at isolated places in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Solan districts on April 7. It also issued a yellow warning of thunderstorm with lightning, gusty winds of 40 to 60 kmph at isolated places in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Chamba on April 8 and in Sirmaur district on April 8 and 9. The MeT station predicted light to moderate rains at most places in the lower and mid hills and rains or snow at most places in the higher hills on April 7 and 8, and a wet spell in the region up to April 13 as a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect the Northwestern Himalaya from April 11. Meanwhile, minimum temperatures dropped by a few notches and stayed below normal, and Kalpa and Kukumseri were the coldest with a low of 0.4 degrees each. The maximum temperatures also stayed three to nine degrees below normal, and Una and Solan recorded a high of 23.6 degrees and 18.5 degrees, 9.2 degrees and 9.1 degrees below normal. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
Uttarakhand (Dehradun) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand, effective today and tomorrow. In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police have issued a safety advisory for pilgrims undertaking the Chardham Yatra. Pilgrims are advised to exercise caution while travelling, consider the weather conditions, and call 112 in case of any emergency." Authorities are working to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions," said the police authorities. In light of the forecast, the Uttarakh ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) The pilots of the IndiGo plane, which was damaged in rough weather en route to Srinagar, were denied permission by the Lahore ATC to venture briefly into Pakistan airspace to escape the hailstorm, in complete violation of humanitarian norms. India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, said the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 36,000 feet near Punjab's Pathankot when it ran into a thunderstorm and hailstorm. Experiencing severe turbulence, the crew first requested the Northern ATC of the Indian Air Force to allow the flight to deviate to ...Read More >
Itanagar, Jun 7 (PTI) The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh improved on Saturday with water levels of most rivers receding, even as 33,000 people in 24 districts remained affected, officials said. Twelve people lost their lives and one person went missing in rain-related incidents, including landslides, after the monsoon set in, they said. In its daily report, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said 33,200 people in 215 villages remained affected due to floods and landslides in the state. The water levels of most major rivers and their tributaries were showing a receding trend o ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to France, the European Union (EU), and Belgium from June 8 to 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release on Sunday. The visit marks a significant step in further strengthening India's strategic partnerships with Europe. The EAM will first travel to Paris and Marseille, France, where he will hold bilateral discussions with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean Noel Barrot. Also Read | Indian Citizen Dies in UAE: Civil Engineer Issac Paul ...Read More >
Gangtok, Jun 8 (PTI) The Sikkim government on Sunday evacuated 28 people, including three minors, stranded in Chaten in the northern part of the Himalayan state, where road connectivity has been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain, officials said. Responding to distress calls from a few locals, some taxi drivers and government officials stationed in Chaten, seeking evacuation, the administration hired a helicopter to rescue them. "The state government arranged a helicopter and successfully evacuated 28 people, including three minors," one of the officials said. All ev ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The national capital wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday's maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city's warmest day in the month since 2019. The month's average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi's warmest January since 2019. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, nighttime temperatures were also higher than usual. The average minimum temperature for the month settled at 8.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the LPA of 7.5 deg ...Read More >
Guwahati/Morigaon, Jun 6 (PTI) The flood situation in Assam continued to be critical with over 5.6 lakh people reeling under the deluge in 16 districts, an official bulletin said on Friday. The toll in this year's floods and landslides stands at 21, with two more deaths reported on Thursday. Also Read | Thane Shocker: Wife Booked for Hurling Hot Oil on Autorickshaw Driver During Fight Over Domestic Issues in Kalyan. Wildlife has also been affected with nearly 70 per cent of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district facing inundation, an official said. The Regional Meteorological ...Read More >
Srinagar: Imagine gliding effortlessly above the clouds atop the world's highest railway bridge, with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, lush green valleys, and rivers carving their way through rugged mountains. This is the experience Kashmir's first high-speed train journey offers -- promising to transform travel and tourism in the region forever. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two cutting-edge Vande Bharat trains running between Katra and Srinagar, slashing travel time by hours and providing year-round, reliable connectivity to the Kashmir valley. This train ride doe ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Shimla: At least five people have lost their lives so far after heavy rain and cloudbursts wreaked havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh, throwing life out of gear. Notably, three more bodies were recovered on Thursday in Kangra district. At least 10 workers deployed in the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Project were swept away in the strong current in Manuni Khad, reported IANS. Apart from Kangra, Kullu is also the worst affected district in the state. According to reports, five people are also missing in the flash floods. Over 250 people were rescued in a major operation by state and cent ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jun 7 (PTI) Authorities on Saturday barred Eid prayers from taking place at the Eidgah ground and the Jama Masjid in the old city here, while Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed that he was put under house arrest. "Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar deeply regrets to inform that the authorities have once again disallowed Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Eidgah as well as at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar by closing the gates of the mosque and deploying police personnel outside," the management of the historic mosque said in a statement. ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
Gangtok, Jun 8 (PTI) The Sikkim government has arranged a helicopter to rescue taxi drivers and some local people stranded in landslide-hit areas in the northern part of the state after they sought evacuation from the administration, officials said on Sunday. Responding to distress calls from a few locals and some taxi drivers seeking evacuation, the government hired the chopper to rescue them from Chaten in north Sikkim, where road connectivity has been snapped due to landslides and incessant rain, they said. "In response to requests made by stranded locals, tourist taxi drivers and certain ...Read More >
JAMMU: Three persons, including two minors, drowned while four others were rescued as flash floods triggered by heavy rains occurred in different areas of Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kathua districts in J&K on Thursday. Meanwhile, a fresh landslide near Satya viewpoint along the Himkoti route blocked the new track to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta Hills in Reasi district.In Rajouri district, Shaqafat Ali (14) and his cousin Safeena Kousar (11) were out grazing cattle along with a 10-year-old ...Read More >
New Delhi: Devastating cloudbursts and flash floods have ravaged parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Kullu and Kangra districts, claiming at least five lives and leaving five others missing. The region witnessed three cloudburst incidents, nine flash floods, and three landslides in the past 24 hours, with rescue operations underway on a war footing. The disaster has resulted in significant damage, with 15 houses destroyed near rivers and streams, and several roads severely affected. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh and neig ...Read More >
Shimla, Jan 14 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against two men from Haryana for allegedly raping a married woman in a hotel in Kasauli, officials said on Tuesday. The accused, Mohanlal Badoli and Jai Bhagwan alias Rocky, also made videos of the act and threatened to kill the victim if she disclosed the incident to anyone, they said. The FIR was registered in Kasauli in Solan district on December 13, 2024. A copy of the FIR was doing the rounds on social media on Tuesday. According to the FIR, the woman was staying in a hotel in Kasauli with her boss and friend when she and he ...Read More >
Shimla, June 5 (PTI) Thunderstorm, hail and gusty winds lashed Himachal Pradesh's Shimla in the past 24-hours, since Wednesday evening, the local meteorological office said. Light to moderate rains occurred in some parts of the state with Nagrota Suriyan logging the highest rainfall of 59.2 mm, followed by 39 mm in Bharwain, 20.4 mm in Shillaroo, 14.2 mm in Kufri, 13.2 mm in Guler, 11.4 mm in Shimla, 11.3 mm in Kotkhai, 11 mm in Kahu and 10 mm in Karsog, it said. According to the weather office, thunderstorms also lashed Kangra, Sundernagar, Bhuntar and Jot. The local Met centre has predict ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated one of the most ambitious railway projects ever built in India, which will connect the Kashmir Valley to the vast Indian plains by train for the first time. Dubbed by government-operated Indian Railways as one of the most challenging tracks in the world, the 272-kilometer (169-mile) line begins in the garrison city of Udhampur in Jammu region and runs through Indian-controlled Kashmir's main city of Srinagar. The line ends in Baramulla, a town near the highly militarized Line of Control dividing the Himalayan region between ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
Srinagar, Dec 4 (PTI) Security forces continued their search for militants in the Dachigam forest here on Wednesday, a day after a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was killed in an encounter in the area, officials said. According to officials, the security forces halted their search on Tuesday night but maintained a tight cordon in the area. The search for militants in the vast mountainous and forest area of Dachigam resumed in the morning, they said. Also Read | ISRO PROBA-3 Mission Launch Delayed: Indian Space Agency Reschedules Launch of PSLV-C59 After Detecting 'Anomaly'. "The search operation ...Read More >
Jammu: For railway engineer Tarun Kumar, Friday's inauguration of the Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Rail Link (USBRL) -- Kashmir's historic rail connection to rest of India -- was an emotional culmination of a decade spent overcoming fear and personal sacrifice, including the loss of a colleague to terrorism. Kumar, an engineer with Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON), shared the journey of his association with the project at the Banihal railway station, located 100 km from Srinagar along the national highway. "As a manager in IRCON, I was initially posted in Srinagar and ...Read More >
Shimla, Jun 7 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday emphasised the need to empower the rural youth to become instruments of change in India's enormous but "underutilised" agricultural economy. Interacting with students, faculty and researchers during his visit to Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan, he also called for giving direct subsidy to farmers and claimed it will increase their annual income by Rs 30,000. Dhankhar said that instead of giving indirect subsidies on fertilisers, seeds and other inputs, farmers should get monetary assistance directly ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Gangtok, Jun 8 (PTI) At least 28 people, stranded at Chaten in north Sikkim, and 20 army personnel were airlifted on Sunday as the road connectivity in the region had been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain, officials said. A chopper evacuated 28 civilians, comprising minors, tourist taxi drivers and government officials, from Chaten in the first sortie, while 20 army personnel returned to Pakyong Greenfield Airport in another trip, they said. The MI-17 helicopter also transported essential supplies for Indian Army personnel stationed at Chaten, the officials said. T ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) Despite overcast skies and a drizzle-like atmosphere lingering over the city, the much-anticipated monsoon continues to elude Delhi. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) repeatedly issuing yellow alerts and predicting the monsoon's arrival over the past few days, residents continue to wait as the forecasts have yet to materialise. In its Wednesday bulletin, the IMD stated that the monsoon was likely to cover Delhi within the next 24 hours (by Thursday). Meanwhile, on Thursday, in reference to Wednesday's prediction, the weather department said that cloudy c ...Read More >
Kerala is experiencing intensified monsoon rains, leading to flooding in Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur districts. The IMD has issued an orange alert for seven districts, indicating the possibility of very heavy rainfall. In Wayanad, continuous rains caused the Chooralmala River to swell, raising concerns due to the area's history of deadly landslides. Monsoon rains intensified in Kerala on Thursday with some parts of Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts getting flooded and the India Meteor ...Read More >
Shimla, Jun 27 (PTI) Search and rescue operation by joint teams of national and state disaster response forces, police and home guards to look for six missing people following cloudbursts and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh resumed on Friday morning, officials said. These people are feared to have been swept away following cloudbursts and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra and Kullu districts on Wednesday. So far, five bodies have been recovered from a hydro project site in the Kangra district that was hit by flash floods on Wednesday while the search for three missing people is on. ...Read More >
Guwahati/Rangia, Jun 8 (PTI) The flood situation in Assam continued to improve on Sunday as the number of affected people reduced to 2.59 lakh, even as the toll in this year's deluge and landslides rose to 26 with three more fatalities, officials said. No major river was flowing above the danger level in the state, with ferry services over the Brahmaputra resuming partially during the day, they said. An Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said 32 revenue circlers and 741 villages in 11 districts continued to reel under flood waters. The affected population stands at 2 ...Read More >