India

Amaravati, July 17 (IANS) With the Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco sector in Andhra Pradesh being gripped by a crisis due to surplus crop, the State government is planning to limit the production in the coming season.

Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Friday that farmers would be sensitised to limit production to 81 million kilograms for the 2026-27 season.

The Tobacco Board had authorised production of 142 million kg for Andhra Pradesh during the 2025-26 season, but actual production is estimated at nearly 240 million kg.

The surplus production, weak exports and sluggish procurement have pushed thousands of farmers into financial distress.

The agriculture minister on Friday held a teleconference on FCV tobacco procurement. Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Social Welfare Minister Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Tobacco Board Chairman, the Executive Director (ED), and the Director of Agriculture participated in the meeting.

According to an official release, the discussions focussed on measures to accelerate tobacco procurement and ensure farmers receive a remunerative price.

Minister Atchannaidu noted that procurement have gained momentum over the past four days, with 8.5 lakh kilograms of tobacco being procured daily.

With the current maximum price at ₹250, Minister Atchannaidu urged the Tobacco Board to pressure tobacco-buying companies to further increase the price.

He stated that with the procurement gathering pace, there is possibility of farmers securing even better prices.

Minister Atchannaidu advised the Tobacco Board Chairman and Executive Director to hold discussions with companies to ensure that even lower-quality tobacco fetches a remunerative price.

During the previous season, FCV tobacco fetched over ₹360 per kg but this time the price has plummeted to below ₹250. The average auction price was only ₹219.50 per kg about 10 days ago.

The distress faced by farmers is attributed to failure in production planning, procurement and export policy.

Taxation has also added to the farmers’ woes. According to farmers, over 70 per cent increase in excise duty on cigarettes disrupted the tobacco value chain.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had written separate letters to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in May about the hardships being faced by FCV tobacco farmers because of the revised taxation policy on cigarettes.

The Chief Minister said the revised tax regime, effective from February 1, 2026, had adversely affected tobacco farmers in the State. He said the increase in GST on cigarettes from 28 per cent to 40 per cent, and a steep hike in excise duty ranging from ₹2,050 to ₹8,500 per 1,000 cigarettes depending on category and length, was affecting the interests of tobacco growers.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) In a continuation of Operation Hard Ball, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Nitish Kaushal, an alleged associate of jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, in Vermont, the USA. The arrest is part of the FBI's ongoing investigation and crackdown on organised crime syndicates linked to gangsters of Indian origin.

Kaushal's arrest came just two days after the FBI placed him on its Most Wanted list.

"Nitish Kaushal is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a transnational criminal organisation engaged in, among other things, acts involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling. This organisation originated in the Punjab state of India and operated in the Central District of California and elsewhere,” the FBI said in a post on X.

The FBI said that the Bhagwanpuria syndicate is involved in several serious offences, including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons smuggling, human trafficking and human smuggling.

Kaushal was part of the organisation and was involved in carrying out serious crimes, including kidnapping and assaults on behalf of the syndicate.

On June 25, the US District Court for the Central District of California had issued an arrest warrant against him. He had been charged with the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisation (RICO) Conspiracy.

Indian officials described the arrest as a welcome development, saying it would help dismantle the gangster-terror nexus. They said both networks operate in close coordination, with their activities backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), whose primary objective is to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab through organised criminal and terror networks.

Operation Hard Ball, which began early this month, has been a sustained action by the FBI, and the drive aims at dismantling gangster networks. As many as 24 arrests have been made across the US, Canada and Spain so far as part of the campaign. There were also 37 indictments made in this case.

At the centre of the investigation is jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. US prosecutors have accused him of orchestrating murders, extortion and international drug trafficking from prison in India through smuggled mobile phones. The FBI is also searching for Bishnoi's close aide, Goldy Brar, who carries a bounty of $50,000.

This action by the FBI and the Canadian authorities also led to a major revelation regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June 2023.

Under then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, India was accused of being involved in the killing, an allegation New Delhi strongly denied. The row led to a sharp deterioration in diplomatic ties between the two countries. However, relations have improved significantly since Mark Carney took over as Canada's Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on several occasions on the sidelines of international events, with the two leaders agreeing to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors, including security. India has repeatedly warned the US, Canada and several other countries about the threat posed by the gangster-terror nexus, stressing that it endangers not only India but the wider international community as well.

An Intelligence Bureau official said Operation Hard Ball has exposed the fact that these syndicates are no longer confined to one region but have grown into a transnational security concern.

"Backed by Pakistan's ISI, these gangs have evolved into transnational criminal syndicates that pose a threat to several countries. They have expanded their drug trafficking operations and use violence and extortion to exert control over sections of the Indian diaspora," the official said.

The official said the biggest victims of these syndicates in Canada have been members of the Indian diaspora. Those who refused to support them were threatened and targeted, while more recently even Canadian nationals have come under attack. Their activities have declined following a sustained crackdown by US and Canadian authorities. The official added that India has consistently shared actionable intelligence, which has played a key role in enabling these operations.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said India has retained the intellectual property (IP) rights for its indigenous hydrogen train technology, paving the way for future exports, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the country's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered train in Haryana.

Speaking to IANS, Vaishnaw said hydrogen is an emerging fuel not only in India but across the world, and Indian Railways has taken several initiatives to promote its adoption.

"Railways has developed a complete 2,400 kW hydrogen propulsion system for the transportation sector, which has been fitted in this train. This technology is completely indigenous and reflects the vision of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," the minister said.

He described the project as a major step towards green energy and said it forms part of the railway modernisation drive undertaken over the past 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"It is a matter of pride that the Prime Minister flagged off India's first hydrogen train from Jind today," Vaishnaw told IANS.

Highlighting the significance of indigenous innovation, the minister said India owns the complete IP rights for the hydrogen propulsion technology, creating opportunities to export the technology in the future.

The 10-coach hydrogen fuel cell-powered train will operate between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, covering the nearly 90-km route in about two hours.

Powered by a 3,200 HP propulsion system, the train generates electricity onboard using hydrogen and emits only water vapour, making it one of the cleanest modes of rail transport.

Developed using indigenous technology, the project places India among a select group of countries operating hydrogen-powered railways and marks a major milestone in the country's green mobility journey.

The launch also reflects Indian Railways' transition towards cleaner energy after electrifying more than 99 per cent of the broad gauge network, reducing dependence on diesel and supporting the country's long-term sustainability goals.

--IANS

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Jaipur, July 17 (IANS) The Income Tax Department has intensified its crackdown on suspected benami transactions, illegal funding, and unaccounted money in Rajasthan's border districts, seizing land registration records worth more than Rs 150 crore from sub-registrar offices in Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar.

The operation was carried out by the Department's Intelligence and Criminal Investigation (I&CI) Wing following directions to strengthen scrutiny of suspicious land transactions in border areas. The action has triggered concern among builders, investors, and property dealers operating in the region. In Jaisalmer, investigators identified 170 land registration files with significant irregularities during a two-day inspection.

According to officials, many of these registrations lacked mandatory Permanent Account Number (PAN) details of buyers despite involving high-value land transactions. The registrations reportedly ranged from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, with several payments allegedly made entirely in cash rather than through banking channels. Authorities suspect suspicious transactions exceeding Rs 80 crore in the district.

A detailed report has been prepared and will be submitted to the Jaipur headquarters for further investigation.

The Jaisalmer operation was conducted by a team comprising Assistant Director Laxmi Narayan Meena, Income Tax Officers Mahesh Kulhari and Anil Bhambhani, and Inspectors Paras Prakash and Abhinash Kumar. In Sri Ganganagar, a nine-member special team from Jaipur inspected the Sub-Registrar office and seized records relating to major property registrations carried out between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2026.

The probe follows an earlier investigation into the Anupgarh Sub-Registrar office, where suspected irregularities involving nearly Rs 75 crore worth of property registrations were detected. The Sri Ganganagar team was led by Income Tax Officer Sumit Tiwari and included Rajesh Kumar Chaudhary, Satyendra Sharma, Pradeep, Vinod Godara, Gayatri, Sandeep Dhalia, Yogesh Dhaka, Pankaj Raheja, and Abdul Rahman.

Officials have prepared a detailed digital database of the registrations and will seek original records from the DIG (Stamps) for further verification.

The Income Tax Department will scrutinise transactions involving cash payments exceeding Rs 2 lakh, particularly cases where mandatory PAN details or other supporting documents are missing. Where irregularities are established, the department may issue show-cause notices and initiate proceedings under the Income Tax Act.

Officials indicated that if investigations establish violations of tax laws and taxpayers fail to provide satisfactory explanations for the source of funds, authorities may recover tax, penalties, and applicable interest in accordance with the provisions of the Income Tax Act. The final tax liability will depend on the facts of each case.

The latest action forms part of a broader effort to monitor land transactions in Rajasthan's border districts, including Jaisalmer, Sri Ganganagar, Barmer, and Bikaner, where land prices have risen sharply in recent years.

Security and financial agencies are examining whether unaccounted money or funds from suspicious sources are being invested in land purchases in these strategically sensitive areas.

Earlier, the Income Tax Department had also conducted similar confidential verification exercises in Barmer and Bikaner as part of its ongoing surveillance of high-value property transactions in border regions.

--IANS

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Jaipur, July 17 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the reported maternal deaths in Rajasthan's Bhilwara and Banswara districts and issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of the Rajasthan government, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The Commission acted on media reports highlighting the deaths of women following childbirth at government hospitals in the two districts.

According to the reports, eight women, including a minor, died within a week after undergoing treatment or childbirth-related procedures.

Five deaths were reported at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara, while three, including a minor, occurred at the District Hospital in Banswara.

In its notice, the NHRC observed that if the reported facts are accurate, the incidents raise serious concerns of human rights violations, particularly regarding access to safe maternal healthcare in the BJP-ruled state.

The Commission has sought a comprehensive report from the Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma government outlining the circumstances surrounding the deaths, findings of ongoing investigations, and the measures being taken to prevent similar incidents. Meanwhile, reports suggest that maternal fatalities have continued in Banswara.

A woman reportedly died following childbirth on Wednesday night, coinciding with the visit of Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvasar to the district.

With this incident, six postpartum women and three newborns have reportedly died in Banswara in recent days.

Preliminary reports indicate that severe anemia may have contributed to several of the maternal deaths. One of the latest cases involved 20-year-old Shilpa, a resident of Kalakhunta village in Sajjangarh block. She reportedly delivered a stillborn baby before reaching a healthcare facility and was later referred from a rural hospital to the district hospital on July 14.

Owing to excessive bleeding and her critical condition, she was referred to Udaipur, where she reportedly died on July 15.

The reported maternal deaths in Banswara include Rekha (29), Ambapura, Reshma (23) Alkakheda, Madhya Pradesh, Lakshmi (21), Savaniya, Ghatol, Leela (32), Kahela, Garhi, Lakshmi (32) and Patela Panda.

In Bhilwara, five women died within six days after undergoing Caesarean deliveries at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.

The deceased were identified as Shimla Gurjar (July 5), Phori Devi (July 7), Isha Pandey (July 8), Divya (July 9), and Sangeeta Jinagar (July 10).

According to reports, all five women were shifted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit after their condition deteriorated but could not be saved.

Reports have also indicated that an infection screening of one of the hospital's operation theatres tested positive, prompting further scrutiny.

However, Mahatma Gandhi Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Arun Gaur, has maintained that the deaths resulted from severe obstetric complications and has denied allegations of medical negligence.

The NHRC is expected to examine the state's response after receiving the Chief Secretary's report.

--IANS

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Kolkata, July 17 (IANS) The preliminary inquiry conducted by the police and the Railways department into the tragic incident at Karnasubarna in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including three schoolchildren, on Friday when a train collided with a van at a railway crossing, has indicated that the negligence of the gateman was the main cause of the accident.

Sources aware of the development said the accused gateman, who was in an inebriated state, ignored his duty of closing the rail gate, even though he was informed that the Nimtita-Katwa local train was coming in high speed over the down line.

Since he did not shut the rail gate, the driver of the school van, unaware of the oncoming train, tried to cross the railway line. Just then, the train directly hit the school van, leading to the death of four, including three schoolchildren.

The railways have immediately suspended the said gateman on charges of serious negligence of duty. Later, he was arrested by the police.

The local people have alleged that in the past, several complaints had been lodged with the local railway authorities about the gateman being in a drunken state even during his duty hours.

“There had been several instances in the past where he forgot to open the rail-gate after the trains had passed, thus creating traffic congestion on both sides of the rail-gate for a prolonged period. Many of us expressed apprehension about such a mishap in case he forgot to close the rail gate. Our apprehension came true this morning, and the mishap happened,” a local resident told media persons after the arrest of the gateman.

While the gateman was being arrested, he was visibly in an inebriated state.

While three schoolchildren died on the spot, four others, including three students, are currently admitted under critical conditions at Baharampur Medical College and Hospital,

Former Congress Lok Sabha member from Baharampur and former state Congress president in West Bengal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, rushed to the spot after the mishap.

“This mishap was due to the fault of the gateman. However, infrastructure issues have remained ignored for a long time. Whether the allegations against the gateman are true or not remains to be seen. Whether the gateman was a government employee or outsourced also remains to be seen. Whether there was proper training or not, that also should be probed,” Chowdhury told media persons.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Police have arrested two accused in connection with a cow slaughter case in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district, including one alleged absconder who was apprehended following an encounter in a nearby forest, officials said on Friday.

According to the Police Media Cell, Mohammad Khan was arrested in connection with a cow slaughter case registered in the Izzatnagar area, while another accused, Aqiluddin alias Gattu, was caught after a police encounter. During the encounter, Aqiluddin sustained a bullet injury to his leg, while a police Constable was also injured.

Police claimed to have recovered bovine meat, cow slaughter equipment and an illegal firearm from the accused.

Sharing details of the operation, ASP Shivam Ashutosh said, “On July 16, 2026, Izzatnagar Police received information that a cow slaughter incident had taken place at the house of Aqiluddin, a resident of Gram Mahlaun. As soon as the information was received, the police team conducted a raid at the spot and found Mohammad Khan, son of Nabu Khan, at Aqiluddin’s house. Around 40 kg of bovine meat, an electronic weighing scale, and equipment used for cow slaughter were recovered from his possession…”

Police said further action is being taken in the case and efforts are underway to gather more information about the involvement of other suspects linked to the incident.

The latest arrests come amid intensified police action against those allegedly involved in cow slaughter cases in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier in June, two wanted criminals accused in cow slaughter cases and carrying a reward of Rs 10,000 each were arrested following a police encounter during a joint operation by the Special Operations Group (SOG), Surveillance Cell, and Kant Police in Shahjahanpur district.

Illegal country-made pistols, cartridges and a mobile phone were recovered from their possession.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Shahjahanpur) Devendra Kumar, police received information late Tuesday night that two wanted criminals, booked under the Gangster Act and carrying cash rewards, were present near Jindon Wali Puliya on the Madnapur-Kant road and were allegedly preparing for cow slaughter.

Acting on the information, a joint police team reached the spot and launched a search operation. Police said some suspects attempted to flee, while two accused allegedly opened fire at the police team.

In the retaliatory firing, accused Mohammad Shakir sustained bullet injuries to both legs. His accomplice Dharmveer was arrested after being surrounded by police. Both accused are residents of Bareilly district.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Anurag Kumar has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Delhi Police, according to a government notification issued on Friday.

A 1994-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, Kumar succeeds Satish Golcha, a 1992-batch officer, who had assumed charge as Delhi Police Commissioner in August last year.

Although Golcha's tenure was scheduled to continue until April 2027, the government has directed him to report to the Delhi LG office.

Kumar's appointment follows his repatriation from the Intelligence Bureau to his parent AGMUT cadre by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday.

"With the approval of the Competent Authority, Anurag Kumar, IPS (AGMUT:1994), is hereby appointed as Commissioner of Police, Delhi, with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders," an official order stated.

With nearly 32 years of experience in policing, administration and intelligence operations, Kumar brings extensive expertise in internal security and law enforcement to one of the country's most challenging policing assignments.

During his tenure in the Intelligence Bureau, India's premier domestic intelligence agency, he handled several critical portfolios related to national security, counter-terrorism strategy, intelligence gathering and analysis, and other sensitive security matters.

An engineering graduate, Kumar has been recognised for his distinguished service with some of the highest honours in policing.

He was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2010 and later received the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2016 for his exceptional contributions to the force.

As the head of the Delhi Police, Kumar will be tasked with overseeing security and law-and-order management in the national capital, which houses the country's key constitutional and administrative institutions, including Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Prime Minister's Office, the Supreme Court and numerous foreign embassies.

The Delhi Police is regarded as one of India's most strategically important police forces due to the sensitive nature of the national capital and the constant security demands associated with it. Kumar's extensive intelligence and security background is expected to play a crucial role in addressing these challenges and further strengthening the capital's policing framework.

--IANS

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Gandhinagar, July 17 (IANS) The Gujarat Health Department has conducted over 94 lakh malaria tests this year as it intensifies surveillance and preventive measures against mosquito-borne diseases during the monsoon, with more than 19,500 health teams covering 6.51 crore people across the state through house-to-house visits.

According to the state government, the campaign is being carried out under the 'National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme' under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of Health Minister Praful Pansheriya to curb the spread of malaria, dengue and chikungunya during the monsoon season.

Health officials said a record 94 lakh blood samples have been collected so far in 2026 for the early detection of malaria. Of these, 486 people tested positive and all have been provided free treatment by the government.

To strengthen diagnosis of other vector-borne diseases, special diagnostic centres have been set up at 42 hospitals attached to medical colleges across Gujarat.

These centres have tested 65,293 serum samples for dengue and 9,963 serum samples for chikungunya. The department has also stepped up field surveillance.

During the second round of the state's house-to-house campaign, more than 19,500 health teams covered a population of over 6.51 crore.

Officials said people with fever symptoms were screened during the visits, leading to the identification of 28 new malaria cases, with treatment initiated immediately.

As part of vector control measures, more than 29 lakh mosquito breeding sites have been destroyed across the state. Fogging operations have also been carried out in more than three lakh houses to reduce mosquito populations.

To provide longer-term mosquito control, larvivorous fish that feed on mosquito larvae have been introduced at 4,998 locations where stagnant water remains throughout the year.

"The first round of insecticide spraying has covered a population of about 1.06 lakh people in 116 villages across 24 districts identified as sensitive to vector-borne diseases. The second round of spraying is scheduled to begin on August 1," officals noted.

Pansheriya appealed to sarpanches across Gujarat to provide administrative and social support to make the campaign against vector-borne diseases a people's movement.

The Health Department said adequate stocks of anti-malaria medicines, insecticides and larvicides have been made available across the state, while awareness campaigns are being carried out through social and print media.

"The overall disease situation is being monitored on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to track the spread of vector-borne diseases and guide the state's response," officials added.

--IANS

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Kolkata, July 17 (IANS) The sports circles in West Bengal have been rocked by the mysterious disappearance of a national level shooter, Damayanti Sen, from the Howrah Station near Kolkata since Thursday afternoon. The 15-year-old girl could not be traced till Friday morning despite frantic searches by her parents and the police.

As per the missing case registered by her parents at the local police station, Damayanti Sen, who had been recently selected for trials in the national team, went out of her residence on Thursday afternoon to purchase some household items and did not return home after that.

According to her parents, when she left the house to purchase some household items, the teenager was carrying her mobile phone.

After Damayanti Sen did not return home for quite some time, her family members started tracking her whereabouts and enquired about the teenager from her friends, shooting associates and relatives. Finally, after being unable to track her, they registered a missing diary at the local police station.

The police immediately started investigating the matter and finally they tracked the CCTV footage at Howrah Station, where Damayanti Sen was spotted moving between platform number four and platform number five of the station.

“That was the last time that she was spotted and we are now trying to track where she went from there,” said a local police officer. However, she could not be traced till Friday morning.

According to police sources, 15-year-old Damayanti Sen is a resident of 30/2, Umacharan Bhattacharjee Lane in Central Howrah.

According to the statement given to the police by her family members, ever since she was selected for the national team trials, she used to rise early daily for practice. Her parents categorically informed the police that she had no disagreement with any of her family members in the recent past.

Now the family members are wondering about the mystery behind the entire development. Her friends, neighbours and shooting teammates are equally worried about the disappearance of the teenager.

This is not the first time that the shooting circles in West Bengal have been rocked by a controversy.

In March last year, the West Bengal Rifle Association (WBRA) suspended Olympian and former Indian rifle coach Joydeep Karmakar from all shooting activities in the state. His suspension came after he made a series of social media posts in January last year accusing the association of corruption

--IANS

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