Pioneer in short
Jharkhand: Man lynched on rumors
A 45-year-old mentally ill man was beaten to death and six women were assaulted in separate mob attacks triggered by childlifting rumours in Jharkhand’s Chatra district and Bokaro district, police said Tuesday. Rambali Rajwar, a resident of Ramgarh district, was thrashed on Sunday night in the Piparwar area after locals suspected him of being a childlifter. He died during treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences on Monday. Police termed it a case of mob lynching and launched a probe; no arrests have been made. Family members said Rajwar, who was mentally ill, had wandered from home a day earlier. In Bokaro, six women from Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur were assaulted near the Damodar river after being mistaken for childlifters. They had travelled for medical treatment and were later rescued. Amid rising rumours, authorities identified over 300 social media accounts allegedly spreading misinformation and warned of strict action. The district administration appealed for calm and urged people not to share unverified messages.
Railways to install jet sprays
The Ministry of Railways has directed all zonal railways to replace low-level water taps and chained stainless steel mugs with jet sprays in train lavatories to curb water stagnation and improve hygiene. In a February 17, 2026 circular, the ministry said water accumulation on coach lavatory floors was leading to unhygienic conditions and negative passenger feedback. Over time, floor undulations contribute to puddle formation, worsening sanitation. The move follows a successful trial by Northern Railway in its Delhi and Ambala divisions, including in Shatabdi Express coaches. According to the ministry, 182 Shatabdi coaches have already been fitted with jet sprays.
Ramzan gets underway in Gulf
Several countries in the Gulf region announced the sighting of the new crescent moon on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the holy and fasting lunar month of Ramzan. Saudi Arabia was the first to announce the news, with its moon-sighting committee announcing the sighting of the moon. "The crescent for the month of Ramadan was seen in Saudi Arabia today. Subsequently, tomorrow i.E. Wednesday (February 18) will be the first day of Ramadan," the committee announced via X. Following this announcement, the UAE's moon-sighting committee also confirmed on Tuesday that Ramzan will officially begin on Wednesday. This means Muslims across the nation will start their fasts and mark the beginning of the holy month on Wednesday. However, local media reports said that the moon was not sighted in countries such as Oman and Turkiye, and the fasting month will begin in these countries on Thursday.
