India

Dharamsala college student death: Professor, three students booked for ragging and sexual misconduct

Dharamsala college student death: Professor, three students booked for ragging and sexual misconduct

National Times Bureau :- The death of a 19-year-old student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, has triggered widespread outrage after the police registered a case against a college professor and three students on charges of ragging, sexual misconduct, intimidation and acts allegedly linked to her deteriorating health and eventual death. An FIR has been lodged at the Dharamsala police station against Professor Ashok Kumar and three second-year students, Harshita, Aakriti, and Komolika, under Sections 75, 115(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act,…
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Air India Grounds Pilot After Canadian Authorities Flag Fitness Concerns Ahead of Vancouver–Delhi Flight

Air India Grounds Pilot After Canadian Authorities Flag Fitness Concerns Ahead of Vancouver–Delhi Flight

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air India on Thursday confirmed that one of its pilots has been taken off flying duties after Canadian authorities raised concerns over his fitness to operate a Vancouver–Delhi flight last month, leading to a last-minute delay. According to the airline, the incident occurred on December 23, 2025, when Flight AI186 from Vancouver to Delhi was preparing for departure. One of the cockpit crew members was deplaned shortly before take-off after Canadian authorities flagged issues related to the pilot’s fitness for duty. In a statement, Air India said the pilot was subjected to further inquiry by…
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Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Assumes Charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Assumes Charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor SYSM PVSM AVSM VM on Thursday took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, marking a key leadership transition at Air Headquarters. The appointment was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Kapoor was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Flying Branch on December 6, 1986. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has established himself as an accomplished fighter pilot, a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat…
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New Excise Duty on Cigarettes to Take Effect From February 1, Prices Likely to Rise

New Excise Duty on Cigarettes to Take Effect From February 1, Prices Likely to Rise

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Centre has announced a fresh excise duty on cigarettes, a move that is set to increase retail prices from February 1 and impact smokers nationwide. An order issued by the finance ministry said the revised duty will be imposed based on the length of cigarettes, ranging between ₹2,050 and ₹8,500 per 1,000 sticks, in addition to the existing 40 per cent Goods and Services Tax. The new levy comes at a time when the overall tax burden on cigarettes in India is estimated at about 53 per cent, well below the 75 per cent…
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ED Seizes Fresh Cash and Jewellery Worth Nearly Rs 10 Crore in Probe Against Absconding Criminal Inderjit Yadav

ED Seizes Fresh Cash and Jewellery Worth Nearly Rs 10 Crore in Probe Against Absconding Criminal Inderjit Yadav

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized Rs 1.22 crore in cash and jewellery valued at Rs 8.5 crore during fresh searches linked to a money-laundering investigation against UAE-based absconding criminal Inderjit Yadav, officials said. The latest recovery was made from a farmhouse in Delhi owned by Sunil Gupta. According to officials, Gupta had earlier extended loans to Aman Kumar, an alleged associate of Yadav. The agency suspects that Kumar attempted to divert and conceal proceeds of crime by transferring funds to Gupta after the ED initiated its probe. A day earlier, the ED had…
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India to Launch First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on Kolkata–Guwahati Route, PM Modi to Flag Off Service

India to Launch First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on Kolkata–Guwahati Route, PM Modi to Flag Off Service

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: India is poised to achieve a significant milestone in railway travel with the launch of its first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on the Kolkata–Guwahati corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the 16-coach semi-high-speed train in the coming days, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday. The new sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat Express has been designed to offer long-distance passengers a modern, comfortable, and affordable travel option. Capable of carrying more than 800 passengers, the train combines advanced technology with passenger-centric features aimed at enhancing overnight journeys between eastern and northeastern…
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ATF Prices Cut by Over 7%, Commercial LPG Becomes Costlier as Oil Firms Revise Rates

ATF Prices Cut by Over 7%, Commercial LPG Becomes Costlier as Oil Firms Revise Rates

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: State-owned oil marketing companies on Thursday revised fuel prices in line with global benchmarks, reducing the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by 7.3 per cent while increasing the rate of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 111. According to official data, the price of ATF in the national capital was lowered by Rs 7,353.75 per kilolitre, bringing it down to Rs 92,323.02 per kl. The reduction is expected to provide some relief to airlines, for whom fuel accounts for a significant portion of operating costs.In contrast, commercial LPG prices saw an upward revision. The cost…
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New Year Ushers in Showers Across Tricity as Cold Wave Intensifies

New Year Ushers in Showers Across Tricity as Cold Wave Intensifies

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The first day of 2026 began on a cool and cloudy note in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, with light rain reported from several localities. The brief spells of drizzle, forecast in advance by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), further lowered temperatures and added to the winter chill in the region. Across Punjab, Haryana and other parts of northern India, similar weather conditions prevailed, with overcast skies and occasional showers observed through the day. Meteorologists said the ongoing weather activity has strengthened cold conditions, particularly in the plains where sunshine remained limited. Earlier forecasts from the IMD had…
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New Financial and Tax Rules Take Effect From January 1, 2026, Impacting Taxpayers and Bank Customers

New Financial and Tax Rules Take Effect From January 1, 2026, Impacting Taxpayers and Bank Customers

New Delhi, December 31, 2025— As the new year begins on January 1, 2026, a series of major financial and tax-related changes have come into force across India, directly affecting individual taxpayers, salaried employees and banking customers. The changes relate to income tax return filing, PAN-Aadhaar linking, credit score updates, implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission and possible revisions in LPG prices. From January 1 onwards, taxpayers will no longer be allowed to file revised income tax returns for the assessment year 2025–26. The deadline for submitting a revised return ended on December 31, 2025. After this date, those seeking…
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Jaishankar Delivers PM Modi’s Condolence Letter to Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh Bids Farewell to Khaleda Zia

Jaishankar Delivers PM Modi’s Condolence Letter to Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh Bids Farewell to Khaleda Zia

New Delhi/Dhaka (Rajeev Sharma)— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman in Dhaka and handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conveying India’s condolences over the death of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia as large crowds gathered for her funeral. Shortly after his arrival in the Bangladeshi capital, Jaishankar called on Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP and Khaleda Zia’s eldest son, and expressed sympathy on behalf of the Indian government and people. Jaishankar is in Dhaka to represent India at the funeral of the veteran leader,…
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