As many as 87% of IndiGo passengers surveyed want the airline’s service deficiencies to be examined under the Class Action provisions of the Consumer Protection Act (CP Act), 2019, following widespread flight cancellations and delays, according to a survey cited by PTI.The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, comes in the wake of IndiGo cancelling hundreds of flights over the last four days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across airports and triggering sharp criticism over handling of refunds, compensation and customer support, PTI reported.

The Class Action provision under the CP Act allows a group of consumers with a common grievance to collectively seek legal remedy against a company for issues such as deficiency of service, mismanagement or unfair practices.Beyond cancellations and delays, many passengers raised concerns over refund integrity, including deductions and delays, failed “zero-cancellation” or insurance assurances, itinerary changes without consent and the lack of adequate support or compensation when connections were missed, as per the survey findings.The survey posed the question: “Should the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) take up service deficiency of IndiGo under Class Action provision of the Consumer Protection Act 2019?” Out of 32,547 respondents, 87% said “yes, absolutely”, 3% said it was not required, while 10% gave no clear response, PTI said.“To sum up, 87% of airline passengers surveyed want CCPA to take up service deficiency of IndiGo under Class Action provision of the Consumer Protection Act 2019,” the statement said.LocalCircles also noted complaints from passengers who either accepted cancellations or cancelled bookings themselves, claiming that refunds credited were significantly lower than fares paid, despite assurances of “100% refunds”.The survey received responses from more than 30,000 consumers across 303 districts in India, the statement added.

Deliveries of Russian oil to India are projected to decrease to around 600,000 barrels per day next month. (AI image)

Donald Trump’s sanctions on Russian crude majors may have the effect of India’s oil imports from Russia dropping to a four year low in January 2026. The Trump administration has been piling pressure on India to stop procuring crude oil from India. Of the 50% tariffs that the US has imposed on India, 25% are for its crude oil imports from Russia which the Trump government claims indirectly helps fund the war against Ukraine.While the 50% tariffs don’t seem to have impacted India’s imports of Russian crude, the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil announced in October have forced Indian refiners to look for alternative sources, though the option to purchase non-sanctioned Russian oil remains open.

India’s Crude Oil Imports From Russia Set To Drop

While the crude oil imports are set to drop, the important question is – for how long will this be the case? According to a Bloomberg report Russia is cranking up its own charm offensive, and alternative channels of procurement may emerge.

India’s Russian Crude Imports Set To Fall In January

Deliveries of Russian oil to India are projected to decrease to around 600,000 barrels per day next month, individuals involved in the transactions told Bloomberg. They may reach the lowest point since early 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war began. Nevertheless, these oil import projections still remain higher than pre-conflict levels.

What’s next? Will India completely stop Russian crude imports?

In the past, India has benefitted substantially from global restrictions on Russian crude sales, emerging as the main purchaser of Russian seaborne crude amidst price reductions due to sanctions. Indian imports peaked at approximately 2.1 million barrels daily in June, making up about 45% of total crude imports.Refiners and traders suggest volumes could go up as non-sanctioned suppliers enter the market and new trading intermediaries emerge. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Delhi this week to discuss trade relations, offering assurances of “uninterrupted shipments of fuel.”

Russia Quickly Became India’s Biggest Crude Supplier

India’s negotiations for a US trade agreement have progressed slowly, reducing the pressure to align with Washington’s positions, the Bloomberg report said. US President Donald Trump recently indicated a potential reduction in punitive tariffs on India.Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Bloomberg whilst US sanctions create obstacles, they cannot completely halt the trade. She noted that purchasing decisions are based on product suitability and pricing, rather than ideological alignment with Russia, and hence would likely continue.Restrictions on India’s Russian oil imports have intensified since July, beginning with European Union sanctions on Nayara Energy Ltd., which has Rosneft backing. This marked the EU’s first such measure. The Trump administration subsequently shifted from its previous acceptance of purchases under a Group of Seven price cap, openly criticising the trade and implementing a 50% tariff to enhance its exports and apply pressure on Putin.The implementation of the levy and subsequent sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil have not completely halted oil flows, despite significantly impacting trade. Concerns about potential future disruptions led to increased November imports of 1.8 million barrels daily, as transactions were expedited.Also Read | Message for Trump? Putin says Russia ready to continue ‘uninterrupted shipments of fuel’ to India; pitches reliable supply of oilAccording to Sumit Ritolia, lead analyst for refining and modeling at Kpler, December volumes are expected to range between 1 to 1.2 million barrels per day, reflecting the surge in bookings by refiners prior to the sanctions’ implementation.Although the government has not provided official directives regarding Russian crude, state refiners have adopted a cautious approach towards sanctions. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, and HPCL-Mittal Energy have stopped purchases entirely, whilst Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp are accepting only restricted, non-sanctioned quantities, the report said.The extended timeline for Trump to finalise the agreement creates additional opportunities to evaluate the economic and political implications of reducing discounted oil purchases.“If the deal drags on, then more and more people will find ways or more pathways will be made to enable such non-sanctioned barrels to still be bought legitimately by the Indian purchasers,” said June Goh, senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.Indian refiners have shifted to costlier Middle Eastern crude oil varieties to compensate for Russian supplies. They’ve increased their US oil purchases, whilst checking sources in Guyana and Brazil to offset the shortfall. The sudden change led to higher shipping costs and vessel scarcity. Meanwhile, Russia faces financial pressure, with their crude selling at merely $40-$45 per barrel after discounts, industry sources report.A decline is expected in January, raising concerns about whether China, the other significant purchaser, can absorb the excess supply. Future trends will be influenced by various factors, including Trump’s flexibility on tariffs, alongside the swift development of alternative arrangements as supply networks are restructured and price reductions become more substantial.Over the past few weeks, several new entities have emerged in port documentation as suppliers of Russian crude to Vadinar, including Eastimplex Stream FZE, Grewale Hub FZE and Tyndale Solutions FZE.“Indian refiners may also gradually find ways to shift towards non-sanctioned Russian entities, use of shadow carriers, adopt ship to ship transfers, etc in the future to balance geopolitical and economic considerations,” analyst Bineet Banka at Nomura wrote in a note this week.The final amount will depend significantly on Reliance Industries, which until recently stood as the main purchaser of Russian crude exports. Whilst the company has stopped Russian oil purchases for its export-oriented facility and pledged to adhere to applicable sanctions, its existing agreement with Rosneft could potentially contribute up to 350,000 barrels daily in January.As Sumit Ritolia points out, “While India’s oil imports from Russia are likely to decrease, the decline is most likely to be temporary, allowing the supply chain to reorganise itself. Unless more expansive secondary sanctions are introduced, India will continue to buy from a non-sanctioned supplier of Russian oil. The reasons are multiple: the geopolitical and economic dimensions are both essential. Political leaders will not want to be seen as bending down to US sanctions. At the same time, Russian barrels remain highly cost-competitive, and workarounds to maintain flows are likely to emerge. In particular, buyers may increasingly pivot to non-sanctioned Russian entities and opaque trading channels.”

Mumbai: The MIDC police in Mumbai on Friday registered an FIR against two persons for allegedly duping retired L Pinto, 56, of Rs 33.53 lakh by promising MBBS admission for his daughter in a Chennai medical college in 2023. Police are yet to make an arrest.The case dated back to 2022, when Pinto, who lives in Andheri East, sought help after his 19-year-old daughter failed to secure an MBBS seat in Maharashtra in the NEET exam held in July 2022 owing to low marks. “Through a relative, he was introduced to the accused who claimed they could arrange her admission to a medical college in Chennai,” said the MIDC police.Pinto first spoke to one of the accused by telephone, who said that his business partner, a “Global Career Advisor”, could arrange the admission. “In the past, he secured several medical admissions,” the accused told Pinto.On September 19-2022, Pinto formally contacted the accused requesting admission for his daughter. “After verifying her educational documents, the accused informed him that the admission would cost Rs 30 lakh, along with service tax, hostel fees and processing charges, totalling Rs 33.53 lakhs,” said the police.As instructed, Pinto transferred the full amount online via RTGS from his Bank of India account to a Standard Bank account in another person’s name, whose details were provided by the accused.In the complaint, Pinto said: “On December 18, 2022, the accused called Pinto, his wife and their daughter to Madras Medical College. They waited for several hours before the accused arrived, entered the college building and returned after a few hours to inform them that a confirmation email would be sent in January 2023. Trusting him, the family returned to Mumbai.”Subsequently, the accused cited personal reasons for the delay and later claimed that admission would be confirmed in June 2023. However, nothing materialised and the accused switched off their phones and became untraceable.After repeated follow-ups yielded no satisfactory response, Pinto and his wife filed a complaint with the MIDC police.

India has recorded its highest-ever annual addition of clean energy capacity, with 31.25 GW of non-fossil power added in the current financial year so far, Union minister for new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi said on Friday, highlighting the country’s accelerating energy transition. Of the total addition, solar capacity alone accounted for 24.28 GW, underscoring the central role of solar power in India’s renewable push.Speaking at the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit 2025 in Puri, Odisha, Joshi said India has emerged as a key driver of the global surge in renewable energy, noting that while it took the world nearly 70 years to reach 1 terawatt (TW) of renewable capacity by 2022, the second TW was added in just two years, by 2024, ANI reported. He said India’s contribution has been significant, with the country adding 46 GW of solar capacity between 2022 and 2024 to become the world’s third-largest contributor to global solar installations. The minister’s remarks were reported by ANI.Joshi said India’s solar capacity has expanded from just 2.8 GW a decade ago to around 130 GW now, a growth of more than 4,500 per cent over the last 11 years. He noted that while India holds the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves and remains the second-largest coal consumer, it is increasingly balancing fossil fuels with renewable energy as the transition gathers pace, making clean energy strategically critical amid evolving global trade and industrial competitiveness pressures.Announcing new clean energy initiatives for Odisha, the minister said the Centre has approved a consumer-owned Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under the PM Surya Ghar scheme to install 1.5 lakh rooftop solar systems of 1 kW each in the State. The programme is expected to benefit nearly 7–8 lakh people, particularly from economically weaker households. He added that Odisha already has over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, with clean energy accounting for more than 34% of the State’s total installed power capacity.Under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, around 1.6 lakh households in Odisha have applied for rooftop solar installations, with over 23,000 installations completed so far. More than 19,200 families have received subsidies exceeding Rs 147 crore directly into their bank accounts, Joshi said. He attributed India’s renewable energy expansion to an enabling ecosystem created through policy reforms, ease of doing business, investor confidence, demand-driven schemes and strong Centre–State cooperation, expressing confidence that Odisha would play a leading role in the next phase of green growth.

KANPUR: Kanpur police have arrested a Delhi-based businessman, Ravindra Nath Soni, for allegedly running a massive international investment scam that duped hundreds of Indians—both in India and in Dubai—of nearly Rs 970 crore. Investigators say the fraud spans multiple countries, involves cryptocurrency laundering, hawala routes, and may have national security implications. As on date, five FIRs have been registered against him, including one in Dubai, and one each in Aligarh, Kanpur Nagar, Delhi and Panipat.According to police, Soni, originally from Malviya Nagar in Delhi, shifted to Dubai several years ago and floated around 12 shell companies, including a flashy venture named ‘Blue Chip Trading’. Under the guise of high-end forex trading, he lured expatriate Indians with promises of immediate 30–40% returns.For the first few years, Soni allegedly paid returns regularly to build trust—classic Ponzi-model behaviour—before abruptly diverting funds into personal accounts, cryptocurrencies, and offshore channels.Rs 970 crore trail emerges Kanpur police commissioner Raghubir Lal said, “Our analysis of his bank accounts shows that he collected close to Rs 970 crore from at least 400–500 investors. Some amounts were partially repaid to maintain credibility, but large sums immediately disappeared into other accounts. A significant portion was converted into cryptocurrency, while a part was routed through hawala networks. This is a multilayered financial crime spread across jurisdictions. His victims are in UAE, Japanese nationals, Malaysians.”Sources said Soni even spent time in a Dubai jail over financial disputes, returning to India after 4–5 months.Soni’s downfall began earlier this year after a Kanpur man lodged a complaint in January accusing him of defaulting on a ₹42 lakh cheque. When police interrogated him after the arrest, a much wider web began to surface.“During sustained questioning, it became clear that this was not an isolated cheating case. Victims from Kerala, Dubai and other parts of the country have been contacting us. Two complainants alone claim they lost ₹4 crore each. His scheme targeted Indians working abroad, exploiting their trust and aspirations,” Lal said.He added that Soni was earlier arrested in Aligarh in 2019 in another fraud case.Given the use of cryptocurrency, foreign remittances, and suspected links with individuals in the US, Japan, and Dubai, the case is now attracting the attention of central agencies.“This is not a routine cybercrime. The money has moved across countries, into crypto wallets, and via hawala. At least 12 foreign-based associates have been identified so far. We are seriously examining the national security angle, because such large-scale anonymous fund movements can be misused. This appears to be a transnational crime with deep financial footprints,” the commissioner said.Soni has been sent to judicial custody while forensic accountants, cyber teams, and specialised investigators comb through bank records, passport entries, and digital transactions. Police expect the number of complainants to rise sharply in the coming days.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

NEW DELHI: Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his first ODI century as India secured a 2-1 series victory with a dominant nine-wicket win against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.India successfully chased the target of 271 runs, with Jaiswal remaining unbeaten at 116. He formed a crucial 155-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, who contributed 75 runs.

Jaiswal celebrated his century after facing 111 balls in what was only his fourth ODI appearance since his debut this year. The 23-year-old left-handed batsman has now achieved centuries across all three international formats.Rohit Sharma initially led the batting charge while Jaiswal took time to settle. During his innings, Rohit achieved a milestone of 20,000 international runs, joining the elite company of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.Keshav Maharaj dismissed Rohit after his 73-ball innings, which included seven fours and three sixes. Jaiswal then accelerated his scoring rate after reaching his fifty.Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 65 off 45 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. He finished the series with an impressive 302 runs and scored the winning boundary.India’s bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna with four wickets each, restricted South Africa to 270 runs in 47.5 overs.KL Rahul won India’s first ODI toss after 20 consecutive losses and chose to field first.Quinton de Kock‘s aggressive 106 off 89 balls, including eight fours and six sixes, helped South Africa reach a promising position at 168-2 before their batting collapsed.Krishna’s double strike removed Matthew Breetzke for 24 and Aiden Markram for one. He later dismissed de Kock shortly after the batsman’s century.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen attempted to stabilise the innings with a 35-run partnership. However, Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both batsmen in quick succession.Kuldeep finished with figures of 4-41, while Krishna’s crucial wickets helped bowl out South Africa, with Maharaj remaining not out on 20.This ODI series victory follows India’s 2-0 Test series win against South Africa. The team benefited from the presence of Kohli and Rohit, who now only participate in the 50-over format after retiring from T20Is and Tests.The teams will now compete in a five-match T20 series starting Tuesday in Cuttack.

India hosted South Africa in the decisive third ODI of the series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, with the three-match contest locked at 1-1.

Captain KL Rahul finally broke India’s streak of 20 consecutive lost tosses in ODIs by winning the flip and opting to bowl first, factoring in anticipated dew during the chase. This strategic call set the stage for a disciplined Indian bowling effort that restricted South Africa to 270 all out in 47.5 overs, despite Quinton de Kock‘s aggressive seventh ODI century against India (106 off 89 balls, including 8 fours and 6 sixes).​

Virat Kohli-Kuldeep Yadav dance steals spotlight amid wicket fest in Visakhapatnam

Virat Kohli brought infectious joy to the field with a hilarious bromance moment alongside Kuldeep Yadav during South Africa’s innings collapse. In the 43rd over, Kuldeep claimed his third victim, Corbin Bosch, via a sharp return catch off a googly, derailing the Proteas’ late surge. Kohli rushed over, grabbed Kuldeep’s hands, and launched into playful couple-dance moves with a straight-faced swagger that cracked up the spinner and sent the crowd into frenzy.​

The clip exploded across social media platforms, captivating fans with Kohli’s rare lighthearted antics amid his vintage series form featuring back-to-back hundreds. This viral celebration underscored the team’s camaraderie as they shifted momentum decisively. Kuldeep’s wizardry peaked with match figures of 4/41 in 10 overs, including strikes to dismantle the lower order after Bosch’s dismissal.​

Here’s the video:

pic.twitter.com/8IwEBC3trd

— Mayank (@Mayank785353637) December 6, 2025

Also READ: IND vs SA, 3rd ODI: Here’s why Washington Sundar is not playing today’s match in Visakhapatnam

Indian bowlers orchestrate Proteas collapse to a below-par total

Prasidh Krishna sparked the turnaround with a devastating second spell, snaring 4/66 by dismantling South Africa’s middle order – trapping Matthew Breetzke lbw, inducing Aiden Markram‘s catch to Kohli at short cover, and castling de Kock with a full delivery. After de Kock and Temba Bavuma (48 off 67) built a 113-run stand to reach 168/2, India struck back ruthlessly, losing just three overs to claim three wickets and slump the visitors to 199/5.​

Kuldeep then mopped up, dismissing Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, and Bosch to cap South Africa’s innings well short of a competitive total on a batting-friendly Visakhapatnam track. Arshdeep Singh chipped in early by removing Ryan Rickelton, while Ravindra Jadeja snared Bavuma at point off Kohli’s safe hands. This collective effort, blending pace and spin, positioned India strongly for the 271 chase under lights.

Also READ: IND vs SA: Fans go berserk as Quinton de Kock equals Kumar Sangakkara’s record with his 23rd ODI century in Visakhapatnam

Representative image (AI-generated)

NEW DELHI: IndiGo’s nationwide operational crisis entered its fifth day on Satuday, with the airline cancelling over 800 flights, even as the government tightened oversight, imposed fare caps, ordered immediate refunds and warned of regulatory action for any non-compliance. While the disruptions continued to affect thousands of passengers across the country, the airline, in a statement, said that it had restored more than 95% of its network connectivity and was gradually stabilizing operations.Meanwhile, DGCA has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers over the mass flight disruptions that have stranded thousands of passengers since December 2.

IndiGo says 95% connectivity restored

In its latest statement, IndiGo said it deliberately scaled down operations to reboot rosters and systems and was seeing early signs of recovery.“With regards to destinations, over 95% of network connectivity has already been re-established as we are able to operate to 135 out of the existing 138 destinations in operations,” an IndiGo spokesperson in a statement said.

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In its statement, the airlines added that it expected to operate over 1,500 flights by the end of Sunday. The carrier said that the teams were focused on stabilizing schedules, reducing delays and supporting customers. It added that the refund issues were being handled on a priority basis. The airline thanked government agencies, airport partners, staff and customers for their support and patience and apologized again for the disruption.In another press statement, the airline said that it is working to bring its operations back on track across the network. It added that teams are focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays and supporting passengers. The number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights and is expected to decrease further in the coming days.

DGCA issues show-cause to IndiGo CEO over flight chaos

According to the show-cause notice issued, DGCA has sought a response within 24 hours, asking why enforcement action should not be taken against him for alleged operational lapses that led to widespread cancellations and delays. As per the notice, IndiGo’s disruptions were primarily caused by the airline’s failure to make “adequate arrangements” to handle revised roster rules under the new FDTL (flight duty time limitations) scheme. The regulator said this reflected “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management” and amounted to prima facie non-compliance with Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements.

Fifth day of disruptions, cancellations continue

After cancelling over 1,000 flights on Friday, IndiGo grounded more than 800 flights on Saturday. The airline’s on-time performance at six major metro airports plunged to 3.7% on Friday, according to civil aviation ministry data, highlighting the scale of operational breakdown.IndiGo, which normally operates over 2,200 flights per day, was forced to sharply cut services as crew shortages and scheduling issues persisted under the new regulatory framework.

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Government orders refunds, baggage return and passenger support

In response to mounting passenger distress, the civil aviation ministry directed IndiGo to complete all refunds for cancelled and disrupted flights by 8 pm on Sunday. Airlines were also instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers affected by cancellations or long delays.The ministry further ordered the airline to trace and deliver all baggage separated from travellers within the next 48 hours and to maintain constant communication with passengers on delivery timelines.IndiGo has also been directed to operate dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells to proactively reach out to impacted travellers. The ministry said the automatic refund system must remain active until operations fully stabilize.The government warned that regulatory action would be initiated for any violation of these directions. A 24×7 control room has also been activated to monitor the situation and coordinate rapid responses.

Fare caps imposed to curb surge pricing

To curb steep fare surges triggered by seat shortages, the government imposed temporary fare caps across all domestic routes:

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These caps exclude User Development Fee, Passenger Service Fee and applicable taxes and are not applicable to Business Class or UDAN flights.The ministry said the caps would remain in force until the situation stabilises and directed airlines to avoid any unusual upward fare revisions on affected routes. It also clarified that the caps would apply across all ticketing platforms, including airline websites and online travel agents.The intervention followed reports of extreme fare spikes, with fares for some routes shooting up to as high as Rs 90,000, triggering widespread outrage.

Indian Railways deploys special trains

In response to rising passenger demand following widespread flight cancellations, Indian Railways has begun operating special train services across multiple zones. A total of 89 special trains, covering over 100 trips, have been scheduled over the next three days to ensure smooth travel and maintain connectivity during the winter season

10 key directives issued by the Centre

The Central government ordered IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay. The ministry of civil aviation said the intervention was essential to safeguard passengers grappling with uncertainty, soaring ticket prices and prolonged delays.

Industry bodies welcome government action

Tourism and travel industry bodies backed the move. Indian Association of Tour Operators President Ravi Gosain said unpredictable fare spikes damage consumer confidence and disrupt tour planning. FAITH board member Anil Kalsi said the fare cap was essential to protect passenger rights and called for a permanent policy mechanism to prevent such shocks in the future.

FDTL norms at the root of the crisis

The current crisis was triggered by the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, which mandated longer weekly rest periods, extended night hours and fewer permitted night landings. These changes required airlines to deploy significantly more crew.IndiGo had opposed the norms when they were first notified in January 2024, arguing that airlines needed more time to build adequate crew strength. Other domestic carriers, including Air India, had also expressed initial reservations.To help restore services, the DGCA provided temporary relief to IndiGo by rolling back the night-duty definition to 12 am–5 am from 12 am–6 am and allowing pilots more night landings, among other relaxations. The move is intended to enable a faster deployment of cockpit crew and speed up recovery. The Airlines’ Pilots Association (ALPA) India, however, has strongly objected to what it called “selective and unsafe” relief, warning that any dilution of fatigue-mitigation standards could endanger safety and contravene court directions.

India’s campaign at the season-ending ISSF World Cup Final in Doha opened in spectacular fashion as Suruchi Singh produced a commanding performance to capture the women’s 10m air pistol gold on Saturday. Compatriot Sainyam completed India’s dream start by taking silver, securing a superb 1-2 finish for the country. Suruchi’s win became even more special as she shattered the Junior World Record, firing a sensational 245.1 in the final. The previous junior benchmark stood at 241.7, set by Manu Bhaker in 2019. In contrast, the men’s 10m air pistol final delivered intense twists. Reigning world champion Samrat Rana, who looked in prime touch early on, slipped out of gold-medal contention after a couple of costly low shots and settled for bronze. Varun Tomar, who began confidently, finished fourth after fading in the closing stages. Earlier in the day, the rifle shooters endured a disappointing run, but Suruchi’s brilliance revived India’s fortunes. Her exceptional 245.1 put daylight between her and the rest of the field, while Sainyam followed with a composed 243.3. Three-time Olympian Manu Bhaker, also in the final, finished fifth with 179.2. Suruchi, who dominated the World Cup circuit this year with four straight gold medals, entered the 12-shooter final after scoring 586 in qualification, placing second. Bhaker (578) qualified sixth, and Sainyam (573) edged through in eighth position. The final, however, saw a different avatar of Sainyam. The 21-year-old stormed into the lead for much of the contest before a run of four 9.5s halted her charge, enabling Suruchi to reclaim control and seal gold. The champion shooter, daughter of a Havildar from Jhajjar — also Manu Bhaker’s hometown — earned €5,000 for her win, while Sainyam collected €4,000. The men’s final brought its own drama. Samrat Rana, fresh from his world title in Cairo, looked poised for another top finish before China’s Hu Kai — whom Samrat had edged out at the Worlds — turned the script around. Hu clinched gold, Germany’s Rio 2016 Olympic champion Christian Reitz took silver, and Samrat finished with 221.5. Tomar followed in fourth with 201.2. In qualification, Samrat had shot 584 for second place, while Tomar (578) qualified sixth. India’s rifle shooters also fell short. Former world champion Rudrankksh Patil shot consistently in the men’s 10m air rifle final but one early 9.8 — his only sub-par shot — proved decisive as he finished fourth. Arjun Babuta placed sixth. In the women’s 10m air rifle event, Elavenil Valarivan narrowly missed the eight-shooter final, ending ninth with 630. The men’s rifle event was won by Sweden’s Victor Lindgren with 253.0, while China’s double Olympic champion Sheng Lihao finished second with 252.6. Hungary’s Istvan Peni claimed bronze. In shotgun, India’s lone representative Zorawar Sandhu closed Day 1 in ninth place with a score of 70/75 in men’s trap. He will return for two more qualification rounds on Sunday as the race for the final tightens.