Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

18 Sep

Bhagwant Mann Govt Has Facilitated Pilgrimage Of 5.10 Lakh People Under Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme: Tarunpreet Singh Sond

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab, Punjab News

CHANDIGARH (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond today said that the Bhagwant Mann Government's Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme has facilitated 5,10,807 pilgrims to undertake pilgrimages to various religious destinations in and outside Punjab. He said the scheme is aimed at facilitating elderly residents who wish to visit religious places by providing them travel and other essential facilities free of cost. In a press conference,Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said, “The Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme has facilitated 5,10,807 pilgrims to undertake pilgrimages to various religious destinations in and outside Punjab. At…

18 Sep

Kanishka Bombing: Victims’ Families Oppose Possible Move to Scale Back 41-Year-Old Probe

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, Ontario, TrendingCanada, Kanishka

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh/Rajeev Sharma): More than four decades after Air India Flight 182 was destroyed by a bomb over the Atlantic, the investigation into the Kanishka bombing has become the subject of a fresh dispute between Canadian authorities and victims’ families. Relatives of those killed in the June 23, 1985 attack say they were recently informed about the possibility of reducing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) task force investigating the case and placing the investigation in an inactive status. The development has prompted strong opposition from families, who say the investigation should not be wound down without establishing whether…

17 Sep

Supreme Court Seeks Report on Deaths in Manipur Relief Camps, Questions Lack of FIRs and Compensation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingManipur

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a detailed account from the Manipur government over deaths reported at relief camps housing people displaced by the 2023 ethnic violence, with particular concern over cases classified as unnatural deaths. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the state’s chief secretary to submit an affidavit explaining the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the action taken by authorities to investigate them. The court’s directions followed its examination of reports submitted by the Justice Gita Mittal committee and an IAS…

17 Sep

Alleged Bishnoi Gang Letter Claiming 5,000 Members in Canada Surfaces Online

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingCanada

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh/Rajeev Sharma): An alleged letter attributed to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and sent to authorities in Canada has surfaced on social media, drawing attention for its claims about the group’s presence and influence in the country. According to reports, the letter was received by the Abbotsford Police Department in British Columbia in August 2025 and later became part of material presented during an Immigration and Refugee Board proceeding. The document reportedly contains threats directed at Canadian authorities and claims that the gang has more than 5,000 members in Canada, along with access to more firearms than the police.…

17 Sep

Two Suspected JeM Terrorists Killed in Ongoing Udhampur Operation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingUdhampur

Udhampur (Rajeev Sharma): Two terrorists suspected to be associated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have been killed during an ongoing counter-terror operation in the forested upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said on Thursday. The operation is being conducted jointly by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF in the Brattal Sohan and Khubban areas of Majalta. Security personnel continued the operation despite heavy rainfall and challenging conditions in the high-altitude forest terrain. The Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps confirmed that two terrorists had been neutralised during an intelligence-led operation launched in the intervening night of September…

17 Sep

Gippy Grewal Alleges Air Canada Downgraded Him From Business to Economy, Threatened Removal From Flight

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, Ontario, TrendingGippy Grewal

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): Punjabi singer and actor Gippy Grewal has alleged that he faced an unpleasant experience while travelling with Air Canada, claiming that he was moved from Business Class to Economy despite having purchased a Business Class ticket. Grewal took to X to share details of the incident, stating that he was travelling on Air Canada flight AC1504 from Toronto to Newark when his seat was changed. In his post, Grewal alleged that he had paid for a Business Class seat but was instead assigned a seat in Economy. He said that when he approached the airline staff seeking…

17 Sep

Ahmedabad Air India Crash Probe Draws Fresh Scrutiny Over Unreleased Aircraft Records

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingAhmedabad

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Questions are being raised over the handling of technical records linked to the Air India Boeing 787 involved in the Ahmedabad crash after a US-based aviation safety organisation alleged that investigators received extensive data highlighting repeated aircraft-system problems but have not made those findings public. The Foundation for Aviation Safety says hundreds of records concerning Boeing 787 aircraft VT-ANB contain information about recurring issues involving electrical, electronic and flight-computer systems. The organisation argues that the material could help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's condition and operating history before the June 2025 disaster. The claims have not established…

17 Sep

MEA Rejects Online Claims Linking BRICS Summit to Leaders’ Illness

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsHealth, India, Trending, World NewsBRICS

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Ministry of External Affairs has pushed back against social media claims suggesting that several foreign leaders became unwell after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, calling the posts misleading and warning users against spreading unverified information. The ministry's fact-checking team addressed the claims on Thursday through a post on X, describing the circulating messages as fake and urging people to be cautious about material being shared online. The controversy gained attention after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa temporarily stepped away from his public schedule following his return from India. According to the South African…

17 Sep

PM Modi Thanks Creators of Birthday Video Featuring ‘Ashirwad Ka Diya’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingPM Modi

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked his 76th birthday on Thursday by acknowledging a musical tribute that brings together scenes of his interactions with people across the country. The video, built around the song “Ashirwad Ka Diya,” combines footage of Modi meeting citizens with stories highlighting government initiatives in areas such as housing, healthcare, electricity and cooking fuel. One of the video's central moments shows a woman lighting a traditional lamp. Asked by her daughter about the reason, she explains that the diya is meant as a blessing for someone she believes brought light into her family's…

17 Sep

India Signals Tough Response as US Moves Ahead With Russia-Iran Sanctions

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, India, Trending, World NewsIndia, Iran, Russia, US

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India has warned that the latest US sanctions legislation could create fresh complications for bilateral ties, while making it clear that the country will take steps to defend its trade and economic interests. The reaction followed the passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by the US Congress. The legislation gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of as much as 100 per cent on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. For India, the development is particularly significant because Russian crude has become an important…