BHOPAL: A tiger created panic after it strayed into Beldi village, located on the fringes of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district, on Monday morning, injured a villager and then entered a house and sat on a cot.After an eight-hour long operation, forest department teams managed to tranquilise and capture the big cat by evening. According to forest officials and villagers, the tiger was first sighted around 10 am after it walked into the village along the edge of agricultural fields.

The forest department was alerted around 10.30 am, and by about 12.30 pm the big cat moved deeper into the habitation, causing fear among residents. Many villagers climbed onto rooftops to catch a glimpse of the tiger, while others locked themselves inside their homes.During the incident, the tiger attacked a villager, identified as Gopal Kol, knocking him to the ground in a single pounce and injuring his leg, say eyewitnesses.He was given first aid at Barhi hospital in neighbouring Katni district and later referred for further treatment. A team from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve remained with the injured man to assist with medical care.Soon after the attack, the tiger entered the house of a villager, Durga Prasad Dwivedi, and sat inside on a cot. Villagers said wild animals frequently move through the buffer zone villages, and residents often try to chase them away using sticks.On Monday, some villagers attempted to surround the tiger in a similar manner, following which the tiger turned aggressive and attacked Gopal Kol.A forest department team from the Panpatha buffer zone rushed to the spot soon after receiving information and cordoned off the area. Using tranquilising equipment and support staff, the team monitored the tiger’s movement throughout the day before finally capturing it around 6 pm.Officials said the operation was carried out cautiously to ensure the safety of both villagers and the animal. Forest officials said this was not the first such incident in the area. In another recent incident, a tigress that had entered the Gadariya Har area of Chilhari was rescued and relocated to another reserve.The tiger, captured on Monday, is expected to be shifted as per protocol after a health check and assessment of its behaviour, officials said, adding that intensified patrolling has been ordered in villages along the buffer zone to prevent similar incidents. “On receiving information about the presence of a tiger in Chhoti Beldi village of the Panpatha buffer zone, forest department teams immediately swung into action under the directions of the Field Director and Deputy Director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. After sustained monitoring and a carefully planned operation, the tiger was safely rescued on December 29 without any harm to villagers or the animal. The operation was carried out by the Wildlife Health Officer and trained staff, with support from forest, revenue and police officials. The rescued tiger has been shifted to the Baherha enclosure of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, where it is being kept under continuous supervision of senior officers and wildlife health experts,” the forest department said in an official release.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally delivered its verdict on some of the most talked-about pitches in recent Test cricket, including the India-South Africa Test series and the Boxing Day Test between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

India vs South Africa pitches escape ICC punishment; Kolkata pitch rating revealed

Despite heavy criticism and debate, the turning track at Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the first Test between India and South Africa has received a “satisfactory” rating from ICC match referee and former West Indies captain Richie Richardson, reported TOI.

Read Also: Cricket Australia SACKS Pat Cummins as captain, announces ‘Best Test XI of 2025’

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That Kolkata Test match ended inside three days last month, with South Africa crushing the Shubman Gill-led Indian cricket team by 30 runs. The Eden Gardens surface produced sharp turns and kept bowlers in the game throughout, yet the ICC was satisfied with the track.

How Kolkata Test Unfolded

The Kolkata Test turned into a wild contest where batting felt almost impossible from the very first day. South Africa were bowled out for 159 and 153 across the two innings, while India managed 189 in the first innings before collapsing for just 93 while chasing 124 on Day Three.

The pitch had uneven bounce and sharp turns, with some balls staying low and others jumping awkwardly. The only fifty of the match came from South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who showed great fight with an unbeaten 55 off 136 balls at the Eden Gardens.

Simon Harmer dominated with eight wickets in the match. Jasprit Bumrah starred with 5/27 on Day 1. Eventually, South Africa won their first Test against India in India since 2010.

ICC Rates Guwahati Pitch ‘Very Good’ as India Suffer Crushing 408-Run Defeat

Interestingly, the pitch for the second and final Test at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati was rated very good by the ICC. South Africa completely dominated the Guwahati Test, as they handed India a humiliating defeat of a massive 408 runs and sealed the Test series 2-0.

Read Also: Gautam Gambhir vs Rishabh Pant! Internal fight between India coach and wicketkeeper EXPOSED

South Africa scored 489 and then 260/5 declared across their two innings, while India could manage only 201 in their first innings and then were bowled out for just 140 while chasing the massive target of 549.

However, the Guwahati surface provided pace, bounce, and eventual turn, striking a balance between bat and ball, but the hosts failed to make the most of the home conditions. With this massive victory, South Africa recorded their first Test series victory in India in 25 years and whitewashed the hosts only for the second time in their history.

MCG Pitch Fails ICC Test and Handed a Demerit Point

On the other hand, Melbourne’s MCG pitch used for the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England came under the scanner after the match ended inside just two days.

The match referee Jeff Crowe rated the MCG surface as “unsatisfactory” on Tuesday (December 30). As a result of the poor rating, the MCG has been handed one demerit point by the ICC.

Crowe explained the decision: “The MCG pitch was too much in favor of the bowlers. With 20 wickets falling on the first day, 16 on the second day, and no batter even reaching a half-century, the pitch was ‘Unsatisfactory’ as per the guidelines, and the venue gets one demerit point.”

A 70-year-old retired railway clerk and his 27-year-old mentally challenged daughter were allegedly held captive and starved in their own house for five years.

KANPUR: A 70-year-old retired railway clerk and his 27-year-old mentally challenged daughter were allegedly held captive and starved in their own house for five years by their domestic help couple in UP’s Mahoba district. The chilling case of cruelty came to light after the man, Omprakash Rathore, died.Some of his relatives, who reached the house on Monday after receiving news of Rathore’s death, were shocked by the scene there and called police. Rathore’s body had considerably shrunk, indicating he could have died a few days ago. His daughter was found in a dark room, looking skeletal. Rathore’s body was sent for autopsy, while his daughter was admitted to a hospital.

Mahoba SP Vandana Singh said the postmortem report stated the cause of death to be chronic lung disease.“The deceased’s daughter was said to be mentally disabled and was found very weak at the scene. Family members have made allegations against the two domestic help. Investigation has revealed these two had been taking care of the deceased and his daughter for the past eight years,” she said.Rathore, his brother Amar Singh said, hired the couple as domestic help after his wife’s death in 2016 to take care of him and his daughter. However, driven by the greed to grab his property, the duo pushed him to death, he alleged. The couple gradually took over the entire house and confined the father and daughter to the ground floor rooms, while they lived comfortably on the upper floor.Singh alleged that the couple never allowed any relative to visit Rathore and his daughter, saying the two did not want to meet anyone.Relatives claimed that the couple had access to the bank accounts of the deceased and had even put their own nameplate on the house.Police, however, said the initial probe had revealed that Rathore’s family members had never made any attempt to take care of him and his daughter.“The allegations made by the relatives are being investigated. Action will be taken based on that,” said an officer.

BAHALGARH: Several people were injured after multiple vehicles collided on the Delhi–Sonipat road on Tuesday morning amid dense fog. An eyewitness stated, “First, one car hit another car. Then, one of the cars drove away, and the other remained stationary and damaged. A little while later, another car came and hit the damaged car from behind. In total, three cars were involved in the collision,” according to news agency ANI.

“One of the cars has already left the scene, which caused the collision. One to two people are injured,” another eyewitness said.Police and emergency teams reached the spot, and the injured were provided medical assistance.Forecasts indicate moderate to dense fog conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said very dense to dense fog is likely to persist during night and morning hours over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and west Uttar Pradesh till December 31, and over east Uttar Pradesh till January 1, after which conditions are expected to improve. Weather experts attributed the fog to low wind speed and high humidity. Fog intensity dropped marginally, but moderate to dense fog will continue at least till Jan 1. Travel will be risky on highways from late night up to 10am. The reasons include light winds, high humidity, low temperature, clear skies, among others,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-chairman, Skymet. Earlier on Monday, IMD had issued a yellow alert for cold day conditions in isolated areas, though such conditions did not materialise. A cold day is declared when the minimum temperature is 10°C or below and the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 degrees below normal. “Cold day conditions are unlikely now despite a drop in maximum temperatures,” Palawat said. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 8.3°C, two notches above normal, compared to 6.3°C on Sunday. The maximum temperature stood at 20.3°C, normal for the season, against 22.5°C a day earlier. Among areas recording lower maximum temperatures were Mayur Vihar at 16.7°C and Palam at 18°C. IMD said no significant change in minimum temperatures is expected over the next two days, followed by a gradual rise of one to three degrees. Minimum temperatures are likely to remain normal over the next three days and turn above normal on January 1. Maximum temperatures are expected to stay above normal, while very light rain is likely on January 1. Dense fog enveloped the city for nearly seven hours on Monday, severely disrupting flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Over 550 flights were delayed, 130 were cancelled and eight Delhi-bound flights were diverted. Delays continued through the day due to a cascading effect, with frequent rescheduling adding to passengers’ inconvenience. According to IMD, visibility at the airport dropped to 50 metres between 2am and 8am. Airport officials said pilots trained in CAT-III operations can land aircraft with visibility as low as 50 metres, while take-offs require a minimum visibility of 125 metres.

India’s explosive wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who was once an all-format player for the national side, has now become a one-format player under Gautam Gambhir’s regime. Rishabh Pant is now struggling to hold his place, and the reason is not just form or competition.

Gautam Gambhir vs Rishabh Pant: Explosive Rift Behind Pant’s Shocking ODI Omission Revealed

A massive internal rift between India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has exploded into the open, and it has directly cost the left-handed batter his place in the ODI team. Under Gambhir’s tenure, Pant has been struggling to maintain his place in the team.

Read Also: Rishabh Pant kicked aside from Best Test XI for 2025

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Competition has intensified with Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel, and Sanju Samson all pushing hard, but the internal issue between Gambhir and Pant has led to his ouster from the white-ball team. Once considered an automatic choice across formats, Pant has now become the one-format player.

What Sparked the Gambhir-Pant Cold War?

🚨Sports Tak Journalist Vikrant Gupta & Nitin Shrivastava talks about Rishabh Pant in ODI Cricket 🚨 (Sports Tak).

– “There is nothing going well between Coach Gautam Gambhir & Rishabh pant. There has been no communication between them since Guwahati Test.
Because of this, Pant… pic.twitter.com/mnRpkZ873x

— MANU. (@IMManu_18) December 30, 2025

According to SportsTak journalists, the relationship between Gambhir and Pant has hit a breaking point. Gambhir has clear preferences for certain players, and others have been paying the price.

It is being said that the past baggage and unresolved issues are influencing decisions, and Pant has become the biggest name affected by this personal fallout. Presently, there is nothing going well between the coach and the wicketkeeper.

Things reportedly turned worse after the Guwahati Test, where India suffered a humiliating defeat.

The Selection Fallout: Kishan and Jurel Step In

The situation has directly affected team selection. Ishan Kishan’s return to the T20I setup is being seen as a move that further pushed Pant out of white-ball plans. In ODIs, KL Rahul remains the first-choice wicketkeeper, while Dhruv Jurel has moved ahead as the preferred backup.

Read Also: Yuvraj Singh tipped to join Gautam Gambhir’s coaching staff amid sacking rumours

Ishan Kishan is also firmly back in the mix thanks to his stunning form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. As things stand, Pant is set to miss out on the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home, with Jurel and Kishan now viewed as the second-choice options.

Gautam Gambhir on Thin Ice as BCCI Tightens Grip

Pressure is mounting rapidly on Gautam Gambhir as India’s head coach, with his future now totally dependent on the results. A Cricket Book YouTube channel hinted that Gambhir was on the verge of losing his job, but the BCCI has given him temporary relief.

However, the warning is clear and non-negotiable. If India fails to win the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Gambhir will be shown the door. Behind the scenes, the BCCI has already started applying pressure with the sudden buzz around bringing VVS Laxman into the Test setup, as per reports.

It was a calculated move by the BCCI to create headlines and remind Gambhir that his position is under constant review. Tensions have also emerged over team decisions. The BCCI and selectors, especially RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha, stepped in and took control of key decisions, asking Gambhir to focus only on winning matches.

NEW DELHI: The Centre has decided to end the subsidy for electric three-wheelers after it met the target of 2.9 vehicles under PM e-Drive on Friday. In the three-wheeler segment, EV penetration is estimated at around 32%, which is in line with the target the Centre had set for itself, and is now leaving it to the states to provide encouragement. “The idea was to take the number to 20-30% and that has been achieved, even the industry is okay with it,” said an official. In case of two-wheelers, however, the penetration is pegged at 7.5% and support for electric two-wheelers may, however, stretch into the next financial year and a call on further support will be taken at the start of the new year. Currently, against a target of nearly 25 lakh units, 18.3 lakh EV two-wheelers have been sold with the number likely to be around 23 lakh by the end of the current fiscal year, resulting in a spillover into the new financial year. While this segment may need further boost, the Centre is now seen to be passing the baton to the states, several of which are contemplating schemes and incentives. Delhi, which has to tackle smog and poor air quality annually, is among those that are expected to announce a package next month. There are several states, which offer registration and other benefits to vehicles with penetration remaining low in the four-wheeler category. When it comes to electric buses and trucks, the PM e-Drive scheme has not seen any demand yet as vehicles are still being tested. In its calculations, govt has provided for support to 14,000 electric buses and 5,643 trucks under PM e-Drive. Auto industry executives said that charging infrastructure is an area where there is need for attention, where a set of service providers will have to step in.

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Director Aditya Dhar‘s spy-thriller ‘Dhurandhar’ is closing 2025 on a high. The film that completed 26 days at the ticket windows saw a growth in collections amid the New Year’s Eve celebrations.Dhurandhar Movie Review Starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna in lead roles, the film has been rewriting several long-standing records as it nears the end of its fourth week at the ticket windows.

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection Day 26

On Tuesday, ‘Dhurandhar’ saw a marginal rise in box office numbers, with the movie earning an early estimated net collection of Rs 11.25 crore. This was a slight uptick from the film’s fourth Monday collection of Rs 10.50 crore India net. With this, the film’s total domestic net collection has crossed Rs 712.25 crore in just 26 days.

‘Dhurandhar’ occupancy

On Monday, ‘Dhurandhar’ recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 23.31% with morning shows starting slow with an estimated 13.18% occupancy and evening shows recording the highest footfalls at 27.64%.

‘Dhurandhar’ week-wise collections

The film reportedly earned an estimated Rs 207.25 crore in week one and saw good growth at the box office in week two, earning its highest collections thus far, with a total earning of Rs 253.25 Crore. Week 3 saw the film’s earnings take a dip with a box office estimate of Rs 172 crore. Meanwhile, the current total of week 4 currently stands at an estimated Rs 79.75 crore. With the New Year’s break coming up, it is only a matter of time before the film breaks past the Rs 100 crore mark for the fourth consecutive week.

‘Dhurandhar’ gross collections

‘Dhurandhar’, which already has the highest net collection, also happens to be the biggest Bollywood grosser of all time, with its gross collections hitting a total of Rs 854.75 crore. With 2 more days still to go before it wraps up another week, it remains to be seen just how far it can push the total.

‘Dhurandhar’ overseas business

The film’s overseas box office collections have also impressed all with a total of Rs 240.75 crore. With this, the film’s worldwide cumulative total stands at an estimated Rs 1095.5 crore, just a little shy of breaking into the Rs 1100 crore mark. As per the film’s production house, ‘Dhurandhar’ has seen higher collections with a net total of Rs 741.90 crore. While the total worldwide total reportedly shot past the Rs 1100 mark on Monday.

‘Dhurandhar’ to become highest earning Bollywood film of all time

The film is now chasing the Rs 1160 crore lifetime collections of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’. Should it be able to hit the mark the end of its run at the ticket windows, it would become the biggest Bollywood grosser of all time.‘Dhurandhar’ has already crossed the Rs 1000 crore gross mark and beaten the likes of the Prabhas and Deepika Padukone starrer, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ which had a total collection of Rs 1040 crore and Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’ which earned a total collection of Rs 1055 crore.