India

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) The government on Saturday tested indigenous mobile emergency alert system nationwide to safeguard its citizens when nature strikes.

The system, called ‘Cell Broadcast Alert’, is currently under pan-India testing, in the form of a flash SMS message from the NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority).

“NDMA will test Cell Broadcast Alerts on 2 May 2026 in your area. On receiving the message on your mobile phone, no action is required. Please do not panic,” the notification read.

When the emergency alert arrived on Saturday, it made the phone ring rather loudly with a sharp alarm tone and a flashing message.

The alerts were delivered by the indigenous Integrated Alert System (SACHET), which is developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).

The system is based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), which is recommended by the International Telecommunication Union.

The system aims to deliver disaster and emergency-related alerts in situations such as tsunamis, earthquakes, lightning strikes, and man-made emergencies like gas leaks or chemical hazards via SMS to mobile users within the targeted areas.

While the government has tested the system a few times in the past, these alerts are currently being conducted to assess the system’s performance and reliability prior to nationwide rollout of this system.

The test alerts were sent by NDMA, which is the apex body for disaster management in India. The test messages were received on mobile phones that have their Cell Broadcast test channels enabled.

You can enable or disable alerts by navigating to Settings Safety and emergency Wireless emergency alerts Test alerts.

After the nationwide testing, the mobile alert system will be operationalised across the country and will disseminate emergency alerts in multiple Indian languages across all mobile handsets.

--IANS

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New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya, on Saturday said a "torch rally” is being witnessed across the country, reflecting women’s anger over key political developments.

“Today, a mashal rally will be seen, where women, representing half the population, are expressing their anger in different ways across the country. In Lucknow, the state capital as well, thousands of women are participating in large numbers…” Maurya said.

Supporting the sentiment, Deputy Chief Minister, Brajesh Pathak, said the government stands firmly with women’s concerns over the issue.

“We strongly support the anger of women regarding the continuous obstruction of the Mahila Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam by the Congress and Samajwadi Party…” Pathak claimed.

The remarks come amid a political row over the Women’s Reservation Bill, which has been a major point of contention between the ruling BJP and Opposition parties, who are against the Bill being linked to delimitation and have asked for it to be implemented in the form it was passed in September 2023.

Earlier on Thursday, women BJP MLAs staged a protest inside the Vidhan Bhawan complex ahead of a one-day special session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. They criticised Opposition parties for allegedly blocking the passage of the Bill linked to the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Law in the Lok Sabha.

The protest followed growing political tensions over the issue, with the ruling party accusing the Opposition of denying greater political representation to women.

In response, Samajwadi Party MLAs held a separate demonstration, alleging that the BJP was misleading the public in the name of women’s reservation for political gain.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, intended to implement one-third women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and the legislative Assembly, failed to get the nod in the Lower House. The Bill fell short of the two-third majority of 352, out of the total 528 members present in the Lok Sabha. During voting on the Bill, 298 MPs voted in favour of it and 230 against the Bill.

--IANS

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Pune, May 2 (IANS) NCP(SP) MP, Supriya Sule, on Saturday condemned the rape and murder of a 4-year-old girl and said that she is in constant touch with the administration and the Maharashtra government, adding that efforts are underway to ensure justice for the victim.

The Baramati Lok Sabha MP said that she talked to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police and he has assured that "strictest possible action" will be taken against the accused.

In a chilling reminder of the growing insecurity being faced by the most vulnerable members of our society, the Bhor Taluka region of Pune has been rocked by a crime of unimaginable cruelty. A 65-year-old man stands accused of the sexual assault and brutal murder of a four-year-old girl, reportedly ending her life by crushing her with a stone.

In a post on X, Sule said, "I have spoken with the Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, regarding the inhuman incident in Nasrapur that has tarnished humanity. He has assured the strictest possible action against the beast who committed this heinous crime. I remain in constant touch with the government and administration on this matter, and efforts are underway to ensure justice for the victim."

"My humble request to fellow citizens is that it is our collective stance that the criminal should face the harshest punishment and the victim should get justice. The police administration has taken note of the aggressive stance adopted by all of us on this issue. Please, let us all maintain restraint in this matter. Strictest possible action will be taken against the guilty party in this case," she added.

In Nasrapur, outraged villagers have staged a blockade on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway. Despite the suspect being in police custody, the community's demand is visceral and clear: They want immediate, uncompromising justice.

As per the initial information, the incident came to light when the girl went missing in the afternoon, and her family started a frantic search. During the search, her mutilated and bloodied body was discovered.

CCTV footage from the area reportedly showed the accused, an old man taking the toddler along, which helped police identify and detain him.

The gruesome crime has triggered a massive wave of anger among residents. On Friday evening, when the child's body was brought near the local police station, emotional scenes unfolded, as grieving family members broke down and villagers gathered in large numbers demanding justice.

The accused has been taken into custody, and an investigation is underway.

--IANS

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Chennai, May 2 (IANS) Food prices at restaurants across the city are set to rise sharply following a steep increase in the cost of commercial LPG cylinders, a move that is expected to significantly impact both eateries and consumers.

Popular breakfast items such as idli, dosa and pongal could see price hikes of up to 40 per cent in the coming days, as restaurants struggle to cope with mounting operational costs.

Industry estimates suggest that a plate of pongal currently priced at ₹80 may increase to around ₹115, while dosa prices could rise from ₹150 to over ₹200.

The surge comes after a substantial hike in the price of 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders, pushing rates in Chennai to above ₹3,200. In contrast, domestic LPG cylinder prices have remained unchanged, creating a widening cost gap for commercial users.

Restaurant operators say the increase leaves little room to absorb additional expenses, forcing them to pass on the burden to customers.

Many establishments rely heavily on LPG for daily cooking, with some consuming between five and ten cylinders a day. As a result, several outlets have begun scaling back the preparation of gas-intensive dishes such as dosa and poori, or limiting service hours to reduce fuel consumption.

While some restaurants have explored shifting to electric cooking alternatives, high electricity tariffs have made the transition financially unviable for most.

The hospitality sector has been calling for relief measures, including reduced power tariffs and tax concessions, to ease the financial strain.

The impact is not limited to restaurants alone. Private hostels and paying guest accommodations are also facing rising costs, as they depend on commercial LPG supplies for cooking.

However, many such operators are not formally recognised as commercial consumers by oil companies, forcing them to rely on private suppliers.

This has led to irregular supply and, in some cases, significantly inflated prices during shortages. Industry stakeholders warn that unless measures are introduced to stabilise fuel costs or provide targeted support, the ripple effects could extend further, affecting affordability for consumers and sustainability for small and mid-sized food businesses.

—IANS

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Banda (Uttar Pradesh), May 2 (IANS) A shocking incident has emerged from Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district, where children studying in a junior high school were allegedly forced to perform manual labour. A video showing students, dressed in their school uniforms, loading sand has gone viral on social media, raising serious concerns about the functioning of the Education Department.

The incident is reported from Achharaund Gram Panchayat in Banda. In the viral clip, several children can be seen using shovels and metal pans to load sand, work considered inappropriate and illegal for minors. Allegedly, the task was assigned to them by school authorities, including teachers.

The video was recorded by Mahendra, son of Rampal and a resident of Acharaundh village. Mahendra claims that his children, Riyansh and Riyansi, are enrolled in the same junior high school. He has alleged that the students are not only being made to carry out manual labour but are also subjected to discriminatory treatment at the school.

Expressing anguish over the situation, Mahendra said, “My children go to school to study, yet they are being made to perform manual labour there. I humbly appeal to the government and the administration to investigate this matter and take the strictest possible action against those responsible.”

The incident has triggered outrage among locals and on social media, with many demanding strict action against those involved. Forcing children into labour within school premises and outside is not only unethical but also a punishable offence under the law.

In response to these allegations, District Basic Education Officer, Avyakt Ram Tiwari stated that all schools were closed on Friday. He added that the viral video had not yet come to his attention; however, if such a video is indeed circulating, an enquiry will be conducted into the matter, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.

Although child labour for children aged 6 to 12 has been declared a criminal offense, children are being turned into labourers by their very teachers within the schools.

--IANS

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Jammu, May 2 (IANS) Three labourers died and one was rescued alive during the nightlong search and rescue operation after an under-construction bridge collapsed in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Jammu city.

Officials said on Saturday that the night-long rescue operation to pull out four labourers trapped under the debris of an under-construction bridge in Bantalab's Thathar area concluded in the early hours of Saturday, with three workers found dead while one trapped labourer was rescued alive.

The rescue operation, which began soon after the bridge section collapsed around Friday evening, continued through the night.

Teams of J&K Police, the Indian Army, SDRF, NDRF and the civil administration worked together, using JCBs and other heavy machinery to clear the debris and locate the trapped men.

The four labourers were working beneath the bridge when the structure gave way suddenly, trapping them under mounds of concrete and steel. At around 1 A.M., the rescue teams managed to pull out one injured labourer alive.

He was immediately shifted to a hospital and is stated to be stable. The bodies of the other three workers were recovered shortly after.

"We worked through the night. The rescue operation concluded at 1 A.M. One worker has been saved, three have died," Additional District Development Commissioner (ADC) Jammu, Thakur Sher Singh told reporters.

Under construction bridges and buildings have previously also caved in occasionally in the past in different parts of the country and even structures declared fit for traffic movement or human habitation have sometimes collapsed causing loss of previous human lives.

Invariably accountability in such cases is ensured and responsibility has been fixed in the past to compensate the survivors, although there can be no compensation enough to meet the loss of a human's life.

One of the worst bridge collapse accident in the country happened on October 30, 2022 when a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchhu River in the city of Morbi in Gujarat collapsed, causing the deaths of at least 141 people and injuries to more than 180 others.

--IANS

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Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh), May 2 (IANS) Four people, including two alleged interstate traffickers, have been arrested following the seizure of 10.270 kg of cannabis (Ganja) valued at Rs 2 lakh in a joint operation carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and police in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district, officials said on Saturday.

The arrested are two couples -- Shankar Behera (45), a resident of Saraipali, his wife Chanchal Behera (30), Kapil Bakul (23), a resident of Odisha's Boudh district, and his wife Rashmi Bakul (20).

Authorities also seized assets worth Rs 3.15 lakh, which include two vehicles used for transporting the contraband and two mobile phones believed to have been used in coordinating the operation.

According to officials, the accused had allegedly sourced the cannabis from Odisha and were planning to distribute it in the Devalbhata area of Saraipali. The plan involved repackaging the contraband into smaller packets for retail sale. The consignment, intended for local consumption within the Mahasamund district, was intercepted before it could be circulated in the market.

Investigators said a husband-and-wife pair among the accused attempted to evade suspicion by posing as a family travelling together, but their movements drew attention during surveillance.

Officials further revealed that in the past three months alone, a total of 5,779.831 kg (57 quintals, 79 kg) of cannabis has been seized in 81 separate cases, with 213 individuals arrested. Of those apprehended, 53 are from Chhattisgarh, while 160 belong to other states, indicating the scale of interstate trafficking networks.

The Anti-Narcotics Task Force has been directed to undertake strict and lawful action against the smuggling, transportation and sale of illicit cannabis, along with conducting "end-to-end" and financial investigations into such operations. Acting on these directives, district police have intensified checking drives and surveillance across the region.

Detailing the operation, officials said that on April 30, police received a tip-off that individuals arriving from Odisha were planning to engage in illegal trade of cannabis with a local contact. Acting on this information, a police team was deployed near Arjunda village under the jurisdiction of Saraipali police station.

Shortly thereafter, one individual approached from the Padampur Road side on an HF Deluxe motorcycle, with a woman riding pillion, and reached the designated spot near Arjunda village.

"A short while later, another individual arrived from Padampur Road on a Hero Glamour motorcycle (Registration No. CG 04 L 1778), carrying a sack of goods placed between himself and a woman seated behind him. He handed over the sack containing the goods to the individual who had arrived earlier and began to leave," officials said.

The police team cordoned off the area and apprehended them. Upon examining the contents of the plastic sack found in their possession, it was discovered to contain 10 kilograms and 270 grams of the illicit narcotic substance 'Ganja' (cannabis), valued at Rs 2,00,000.

The illicit Ganja was seized, and a case was registered against the accused under Section 20(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Authorities said further investigation is underway to trace other links in the trafficking network.

--IANS

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Pune, May 2 (IANS) In a chilling reminder of the growing insecurity being faced by the most vulnerable members of our society, the Bhor Taluka region of Pune has been rocked by a crime of unimaginable cruelty. A 65-year-old man stands accused of the sexual assault and brutal murder of a four-year-old girl, reportedly ending her life by crushing her with a stone.

The sheer depravity of this act, committed against a child who could barely speak, let alone understand the evil she was facing — has sparked a wave of justified fury.

In Nasrapur, outraged villagers have staged a blockade on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway. Despite the suspect being in police custody, the community’s demand is visceral and clear: They want immediate, uncompromising justice.

As per the initial information, the incident came to light when the girl went missing in the afternoon and her family started a frantic search. During the search her mutilated and bloodied body was discovered.

CCTV footage from the area reportedly showed the accused old man taking the toddler along, which helped police identify and detain him.

The gruesome crime has triggered a massive wave of anger among residents. On Friday evening, when the child’s body was brought near the local police station, emotional scenes unfolded, as grieving family members broke down and villagers gathered in large numbers demanding justice.

A social activist said, "I stand with this grief-stricken community. While we operate under a system of law, the recurring failure of fast-track courts to deliver swift verdicts has eroded public trust. When justice is delayed for years, the deterrent effect vanishes, and the cycle of violence continues."

Sandip Singh Gill, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police said, within 15 days the chargesheet will be filed against the accused and the cases will be run in fast track court. Gill assured the protesters, that police will take very strict action in the matter.

The accused has been taken into custody and an investigation is underway.

This tragedy is not isolated. Just days ago on April 30, a 38-year-old man was arrested in Greater Noida for allegedly strangling his 14-year-old stepdaughter and dumping her body in a forest. Preliminary investigations suggest a history of sexual assault.

--IANS

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Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) The re-polling at 15 polling booths under two Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, that started since 7 A.M. on Saturday has been peaceful so far.

The polling process is going on under blanket security coverage of central forces assisted by personnel from the state police forces

The average polling percentage in all the 15 polling booths combined had been 16.23 in the first two hours of polling till 9 A.M.

The average polling percentage for the 11 polling booths under the Magrahat (Paschim) Assembly constituency stood at 16.58 till 9 A.M. On the other hand, the average polling percentage in the four polling booths under Diamond Harbour constituency had been 15.83 per cent, as per figures provided by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

Even the voters standing at the queues of the polling booths, both in Diamond Harbour and Magrahat (Paschim) constituencies, told media persons that there had been absolutely no tension on the re-polling day.

However, some of the voters standing in queues in some booths at Magrahat (Paschim) said they did not understand the justification for re-polling in their respective booths. They contended that they did not witness any violence on the main polling day which was on April 29.

Voting is taking place at booths 46, 126, 127, 128, 142, 214, 215, 216, 230, 231, 232 in Magrahat (Paschim) and 117, 179, 194, 243 in Diamond Harbour.

Officially, the polling at these 15 booths will continue till 6 P.M. However, in case some voters are found standing at the queue at 6 P.M., then polling will continue until the last voter will cast his vote.

Both Diamond Harbour and Magrahat (Paschim) Assembly constituencies went for polls in the second phase of the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal on April 29.

The two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal were conducted on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, there was polling for 152 Assembly constituencies and in the second phase there was polling for the remaining 142 Assembly constituencies.

The counting will be conducted on May 4 and the results will be declared on the same day.

--IANS

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Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) Repolling is underway on Saturday in 15 polling stations across West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, with voters in the Diamond Harbour area expressing mixed reactions while largely acknowledging improved arrangements and security measures.

The repoll is being conducted in 11 polling stations in the Magarhat Paschim Assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour. Polling commenced at 7 A.M. and is scheduled to continue until 6 P.M., with security tightened to ensure a smooth and fair voting process.

Several voters who spoke to IANS appreciated the arrangements put in place by the Election Commission of India (ECI). One voter said, “Last time, the machine had malfunctioned, which is why voting is being held again. The arrangements and security are good.”

Another voter echoed similar sentiments, stating, “I will cast my vote and then go to work. The arrangements are good, and everything is running smoothly.”

However, not all voters were pleased. One resident described the repolling as inconvenient, saying, “This is nothing but harassment. We have our own work, yet we have to come here repeatedly to vote. It’s irritating. We don’t know what has happened internally.”

Other voters noted that voting had been smooth during the initial phase as well. “The voting was good the first time too. This time, the arrangements are good. We haven’t faced any problems, though this is the first time we’ve seen something like this,” a voter remarked.

Another added, “I woke up at 6 A.M. today to do this. The arrangements are good, and we have no reason to fear. Good work has been done, and we hope it gets even better.”

The decision to conduct repolling was taken based on reports submitted by Returning Officers and observers, citing “material circumstances.”

The Election Commission reportedly received 29 complaints from Diamond Harbour and 13 from Magarhat Paschim regarding alleged irregularities.

Repolling is typically ordered in cases of issues such as Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunction, booth capturing, voter intimidation, or violations of voting secrecy. The BJP had alleged widespread electoral malpractices in certain polling stations within the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee.

Following these complaints, the ECI deputed Special Observer Subrata Gupta to verify the allegations on the ground.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed the BJP’s claims, stating that the party demanded repolling because it anticipated a significant defeat.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, however, maintained that irregularities had occurred in several booths to favour the ruling Trinamool Congress.

--IANS

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