Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

02 Jan

Ten-Year Prayer Ends in Tragedy as Contaminated Water Claims Six-Month-Old’s Life in Indore

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusinessBhagirathpura outbreak, Indore water contamination, infant death Indore

Indore, January 2, 2026: A six-month-old baby born after a decade of prayers and vows died within days after allegedly consuming contaminated water in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, as a diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak continues to grip the city’s Bhagirathpura area. A heavy silence hangs over Marathi Mohalla, where Avyan Sahu lived with his family. Born after 10 years of fervent prayers, the infant died on December 29 after falling severely ill, his family said. What began as routine feeding turned fatal when packaged milk was diluted with water supplied through a municipal tap. The Sahu family has refused the ₹2…

02 Jan

Shah Rukh Khan Drawn Into Political Storm Over KKR Signing of Bangladeshi Cricketer

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBangladesh violence, IPL controversy, KKR, Mustafizur Rahman, Shah Rukh Khan

Kolkata, January 2, 2025: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has found himself at the centre of a political controversy following reports that his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, signed Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, triggering sharp reactions from leaders across party lines. Leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena criticised the decision, arguing that players from Bangladesh should not be allowed to participate in the IPL amid reports of violence against Hindus in the neighbouring country. BJP leader Sangeet Som went as far as calling the move “treason,” accusing Khan of acting against national interest. “In Bangladesh, Hindus are…

02 Jan

FBI Foils New Year’s Eve Attack Plot on North Carolina Grocery Store, Teen Arrested

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsFBI, Islamic State, New Year’s Eve attack, North Carolina, terror plot foiled

Washington/New York, January 2, 2026: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Friday that it had thwarted a planned terror attack on a grocery store in North Carolina on New Year’s Eve, arresting an 18-year-old who was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group and had pledged allegiance to the extremist organisation. The accused, identified as Christian Sturdivant, has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation. Federal agents arrested him on Wednesday, and he was produced before US District Judge Susan Rodriguez on Friday. Sturdivant has been remanded in custody, with a…

02 Jan

Centre Warns Elon Musk’s X to Take Down Obscene Grok Content or Face Legal Action

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaElon Musk, Grok AI, IT Rules 2021, MeitY notice, obscene content, X platform

New Delhi, January 2, 2026: The central government on Friday issued a stern notice to Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, directing it to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene and unlawful content, particularly material generated through its artificial intelligence tool Grok. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) warned that failure to comply could invite strict legal action under existing laws. In an official order dated January 2, MeitY said it has served a notice on X’s Chief Compliance Officer for India for alleged non-compliance with statutory due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information…

02 Jan

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Writes to Umar Khalid, Reflects on “Bitterness” and Solidarity Amid Prolonged Detention

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsDelhi riots 2020, human rights, UAPA, Umar Khalid, US lawmakers, Zohran Mamdani

New York (USA), January 2, 2026: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a personal handwritten note to jailed activist Umar Khalid, recalling conversations on “bitterness” and stressing the importance of not letting it consume one’s spirit. The note was made public after being shared on social media platform X by Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri. Posting an image of the message, Lahiri wrote that even when prisons attempt to isolate individuals, words continue to travel. In the note, Mamdani said he often reflects on Khalid’s thoughts about bitterness and the need to resist being overtaken by it. He also…

02 Jan

FIR Registered After DoE Complaint Over Alleged Misinformation on Stray Dog Circular

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaArvind Kejriwal, Ashish Sood, Delhi Police, Directorate of Education, FIR, Stray Dogs

New Delhi, January 2, 2026: Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR following a complaint filed by the Directorate of Education (DoE) over the alleged spread of misleading information on social media regarding a government circular related to the appointment of nodal officers for stray dog-related matters. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the action was taken after what he described as false and distorted claims were circulated online, including a social media post by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The post had suggested that school teachers in the capital were being directed to count stray dogs…

02 Jan

After Extensive Ladakh Shoot, ‘Dhurandhar’ Declared Tax-Free in UT

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAditya Dhar, Bollywood box office, Dhurandhar, Kavinder Gupta, Ladakh, tax-free film

Leh (Ladakh), January 2, 2025: The Ladakh administration on Friday announced that filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar has been declared tax-free in the Union Territory, citing the film’s extensive shooting across the region and its contribution to promoting Ladakh’s natural beauty. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta said the decision reflects the administration’s efforts to project Ladakh as a preferred destination for film production and tourism. He added that the Union Territory is in the process of formulating a new film policy and assured full institutional support to filmmakers choosing Ladakh as a shooting location. In a post on X, the Office…

02 Jan

MHA Restores Financial Approval Powers to Ladakh LG for Projects Up to ₹100 Crore

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiafinancial powers restored, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, MHA order, Union Territories

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday restored the delegation of financial powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, allowing appraisal and approval of projects worth up to ₹100 crore under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPRs), 2024. In an official order, the ministry said the Centre has approved similar financial powers for Administrators and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories without legislatures. These include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. The order, issued by MHA Under Secretary Lendup Sherpa, stated that the approval of the…

02 Jan

Afganistan flash floods: 17 dead, thousands affected amid heavy rainfall

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsAfganistan, Floods

National Times Bureau :- At least 17 persons have lost their lives and 11 others have been injured following flash floods triggered by the first heavy rains and snowfall of the season in Afghanistan, officials reported. The sudden floods have impacted multiple regions, causing damage to homes, roads, and livestock. According to Mohammad Yousaf Hammad, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), most fatalities have occurred since Monday in the districts most severely affected by the flooding. The extreme weather has disrupted daily life across central, northern, southern and western provinces. Hammad added that the floods have damaged infrastructure,…

02 Jan

Contaminated water confirmed behind Indore vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak; 9 dead, over 1,400 taken ill

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaContaminated Water, Indore

National Times Bureau :- A laboratory investigation has confirmed that contaminated drinking water was responsible for a severe vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, claiming at least nine lives and affecting more than 1,400 people, officials said on Thursday. The outbreak originated in the Bhagirathpura area, raising serious concerns over water safety in a city that has consistently been ranked India’s cleanest for the past eight years. Leakage in pipeline led to contamination Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, said laboratory tests conducted by a city-based medical college confirmed contamination caused…