IIT student commits suicide
A 22-year-old student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the hostel building in Powai here in the wee hours of Saturday, police said. The student, Rohit Sinha, allegedly jumped from the 10th floor of the hostel around 2.30 am, an official said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead, he said. According to the police, Sinha, a native of Delhi, was a fourth-year student of Metallurgical Sciences. An accidental death report has been registered, and a probe has been initiated, the official said.
Amarnath Yatra suspended
Authorities have suspended this year’s annual Amarnath Yatra, just a week before its scheduled conclusion, due to the need for maintenance on the tracks that were damaged by recent heavy rainfall, officials said on Saturday. The yatra, which began on July 3, was scheduled to conclude on August 9 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. However, authorities decided to shorten it by a week, citing “critical repair and maintenance works” to be undertaken in the wake of the heavy rainfall.
“Due to recent heavy rainfall and the need for track maintenance along both the Baltal and Pahalgam axes of the Shri Amarnathji Yatra route, the yatra movement has been closed on both the tracks,” Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, said here.
Pilgrimage to Kedarnath resumes
The pilgrimage to Kedarnath resumed on Saturday via the trek route after remaining closed for a few days. A group of pilgrims was sent to Kedarnath from Sonprayag via Gaurikund when the road meant for pedestrians became walk able to some extent on Saturday, Rudraprayag SP Akshay Prahlad Konde said. However, the national highway going to the temple continues to remain closed between Sonprayag and Gaurikund, and efforts are being made by the PWD to clear it, he said.
Pop-star Akon to perform in India
Grammy-nominated pop star Akon is set to headline an India tour, bringing his chart-topping hits to fans across Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The India Tour 2025, spearheaded by event company White Fox in collaboration with Percept Live, will see the “Smack That” and “Lonely” hit maker perform across three cities — Delhi on November 9, Bengaluru on November 14 and Mumbai on November 16. Akon, who has enjoyed popularity in India with singles like “Chammak Challo” and “Criminal” from Shah Rukh Khan’s “Ra.One”, said he was thrilled to be returning to the country.
Rajnath slams Rahul Gandhi
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for claiming to have an “atom bomb of evidence” which would prove that the Election Commission was committing “vote theft” in Bihar. Addressing a function Singh also likened the upcoming Assembly polls to a crossroad, “with one path (under NDA) leading to further progress and another (under the INDIA bloc) taking Bihar back to its old era of lawlessness and caste strife”. “Rahul Gandhi says he is in possession of an atom bomb. If it is so, he should detonate it at once. He should just ensure that he is himself out of harm’s way”, said the former BJP president.
Fee hikes: Delhi Govt to table bill
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said the Government will introduce a bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in the upcoming Monsoon Session beginning from August 4. The Monsoon Session will be the third session of the Delhi Assembly under the Rekha Gupta-led Government. Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said, “Delhi Government will table the education bill to regulate fee hike by private schools, in the Monsoon Session of Assembly beginning from August 4.”