The brother of slain youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi accused Bangladesh’s interim government, of orchestrating the killing to destabilise the country and derail the upcoming national election in February.Sharif Omar bin Hadi, speaking at a protest rally in Shahbagh on Tuesday, said those in power could not evade responsibility for his brother’s murder, which took place just days after the election schedule was announced. Osman Hadi, a convenor of the political platform Inqilab Moncho, was shot on December 12 and later died of his injuries in Singapore on December 18.

‘This killing was meant to sabotage the election’

Addressing a “Shahidi Shopoth” programme organised by Inqilab Moncho outside the National Museum, Omar Hadi accused “a quarter within the government” of planning the killing to disrupt the electoral process. “It is you who had Osman Hadi killed, and now you are trying to foil the election by using this as an issue,” he said as quoted by The DailyStar.He said his brother had been firmly in favour of holding elections by February and had actively worked on the ground to prepare for them. “Respecting his wish, we demand that the election environment is not disturbed,” Omar Hadi said, warning that the government had so far shown “no visible progress” in delivering justice.He claimed Osman Hadi was targeted because he refused to bow to any agency or “foreign masters”. If justice was denied, Omar Hadi warned, those responsible would one day be forced to flee the country. Protesters later took an oath vowing to remain on the streets until “speedy and exemplary justice” was secured.

Inqilab Moncho issues ultimatum, warns of tougher protests

Earlier, Inqilab Moncho’s member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, speaking as the keynote speaker, alleged a “deep conspiracy” involving international intelligence agencies and domestic “fascist associates” aimed at undermining Bangladesh’s sovereignty and the gains of the July uprising.The platform has given the government a 30-working-day deadline to identify and arrest the killers, warning of tougher nationwide programmes if the demand is not met. While the group said it would pause formal protests on December 25, the day BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is due to return to Bangladesh, it announced wall-writing and social media campaigns across December 24 and 25, with further agitation planned from December 26.In a parallel development, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina also blamed the interim government for the deteriorating law-and-order situation, saying the killing reflected “lawlessness” under Yunus.

Government promises speedy trial as arrests continue

The interim government has rejected suggestions of inaction, with Law Adviser Asif Nazrul saying the case would be tried under the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act, requiring completion within 90 days of the investigation report being filed. Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the case was being treated as a top priority.Joint forces comprising police, the Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh have arrested at least 10 people so far, including family members of the prime suspect, Faisal Karim Masud. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to arrest the main accused.Osman Hadi’s killing came a day after the Bangladesh Election Commission announced February 12 as the date for the next national polls. A prominent figure of the ‘July Uprising’ and a potential candidate for Dhaka-8, his death had fuelled major protests in Bangladesh.

KALYAN: A 42-year-old woman teacher working at a reputed school in Kalyan has been arrested by the Khadakpada police in connection with a case of abetment to suicide of her husband, an administrative officer. The arrest comes nearly one and half years after the incident, following fresh evidence that emerged during the investigation.According to police, the deceased, identified as Vivek Mane (44), was serving as an administrative officer at a well-known school in Kalyan. In August 2023, he was found dead by suicide at his residence situated at Radha Nagari area. At the time, police registered a case of accidental death and initiated preliminary inquiries.However, during the course of investigation, the victim’s family members alleged that Vivek was mentally harassed by his wife Namrata and her brother Akshay Manore, which drove him to take the extreme step.They claimed that Vivek had informed his parents and relatives about the harassment he was facing at the hands of his wife and her family members.The case took a significant turn when police examined the deceased’s mobile phone as part of a detailed probe. The forensic analysis and call recordings reportedly revealed objectionable information, including threatening messages, photographs and conversations, which supported the allegations made by the victim’s family. Based on this digital evidence, the police registered a case of abetment to suicide.Khadakpada Police Station’s Assistant Inspector Arjun Dande confirmed that both the woman and her brother were arrested after the incriminating material was recovered from the mobile phone.The police have stated that they are now awaiting the final forensic and cyber analysis reports related to the seized mobile devices to strengthen the case further.Police also revealed that after Vivek’s death, his parents had raised serious doubts and demanded a thorough investigation, suspecting that he was forced to take his life due to sustained mental pressure. The investigation is ongoing, and police have assured that strict action will be taken against others those found responsible named in FIR once the remaining reports are received

KALYAN: After its success in the Ambernath and Badlapur municipal councils, the BJP has intensified preparations for the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) elections and is now moving towards contesting the polls independently. This shift has largely been triggered by the Shiv Sena’s growing proximity at the local level with Team Omie Kalani (TOK), a party considered a strong political rival of the BJP in Ulhasnagar.According to sources, the BJP is preparing to field candidates for all 78 seats of the UMC. More than 800 aspirants have already come forward, and interviews of these hopefuls have been completed. Despite several meetings between BJP and Shiv Sena leaders in Mumbai regarding the Mahayuti alliance, no meeting has taken place so far between local leaders of the two parties in Ulhasnagar concerning the civic elections.

The BJP has held the Shiv Sena responsible for the current deadlock, citing its local alliance with TOK. Notably, ahead of the elections, four former senior BJP corporators left the party and joined TOK, leading to visible differences between the BJP and Shiv Sena at that time.Speaking to TOI, BJP Ulhasnagar District president Rajesh Vadhrya said that no discussions on an alliance have been held with the Shiv Sena so far.Meanwhile, BJP election in-charge Pradeep Ramchandani stated that if the Shiv Sena wishes to form an alliance, seat-sharing must be discussed in clear terms. “The BJP had won 44 seats in the previous elections as part of the alliance, while Shiv Sena had won 25 seats. Only if Shiv Sena agrees to a similar arrangement and discusses the remaining nine seats will we move forward with talks,” he said.On the other hand, Shiv Sena city chief Rajendra Chaudhary claimed that the Shiv Sena, along with its local allies TOK and the SAI party, currently has the support of 55 corporators out of 78. “Under these circumstances, we are willing to offer the BJP the remaining 23 seats,” he said.Sources further revealed that the Shiv Sena has already begun local-level discussions with TOK and the SAI party, while its leaders appear to be avoiding talks with the BJP, adding to the political uncertainty ahead of the Ulhasnagar civic polls.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Live Score: Star power returns to the domestic stage

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.

The charismatic presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has lent the Vijay Hazare One-Day Trophy an aura rarely associated with India’s domestic 50-over competition.

Beginning on Wednesday, the tournament suddenly feels heavier, louder and more consequential, with several of India’s biggest names descending into a grind that is usually defined by anonymity rather than applause.

Alongside Kohli and Rohit, the lineup features Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma, forming a velvety tapestry of elite talent.

Yet, despite that depth, the spotlight inevitably narrows to the Ro-Ko axis. Their return is not incidental; it is directly tied to the BCCI’s decision to mandate at least two Vijay Hazare matches for centrally contracted players.

More than compliance, though, this is symbolism. Kohli, playing the tournament after 15 years, and Rohit, still one of the game’s biggest draws, are reminders that reputation alone no longer guarantees insulation from Indian cricket’s shifting power equations.

Experts are of the view that the stock market could see a year-end rally. (AI image)

The story of Indian stock markets has been defined by the exodus of foreign investors in 2025. But in the last few sessions, foreign investors seem to be back on Dalal Street, with purchases of Indian equities seeing a surge last week, marking the strongest inflows in nearly two months, as the rupee staged a sharp recovery from record lows.Overseas investors bought $644 million worth of domestic shares, the highest level since mid-October, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The renewed buying interest came as the rupee recorded its largest weekly gain in almost six months, reversing part of the pressure seen earlier.The inflows followed a period of sustained selling, during which foreign investors had pulled out nearly $1.8 billion from Indian equities over the previous three weeks. That phase of outflows coincided with a slide of more than 1 percent in the rupee, which had weighed on returns for dollar-based investors.

Foreigners Buy Indian Shares After Three-Week Selloff

The recent turnaround underlines the strong relationship between currency movements and foreign portfolio flows into Indian stocks. Since exchange rate fluctuations directly influence returns for overseas investors, greater stability in the rupee is seen as a crucial factor in maintaining global interest in the country’s equity markets.Meanwhile, experts are of the view that the stock market could see a year-end rally as analysts point to the possibility of a seasonal Santa rally, supported by a mix of historical trends and favourable technical indicators.Data from ICICI Direct shows that the Nifty has delivered gains in 23 of the last 30 years, or about 77% of the time, during the period from December 20 to the end of the year. In those instances, the benchmark index recorded average returns of 2.8%, highlighting a consistent pattern of late-December strength.“This year-end momentum seen in more than 75% instances in the past three decades underscores the strength of the seasonal Santa rally,” said Dharmesh Shah, head of Technicals at ICICI Direct according to an ET report.

Santa Claus Rally

The index has already begun to show upward movement, rising nearly 0.81% over the last two trading sessions. On Tuesday, the Nifty closed at 26,177.15 in a largely flat session.Looking ahead, Chandan Taparia, head of Technical and Derivatives Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, expects the rally to extend further, with the benchmark likely to gain another 1% to 1.2% in the near term and approach levels close to 26,500.“The market has been forming a higher base over the past few sessions, suggesting that benchmark indices could see further upside in the near term,” he said. “Sentiment is supported by stable global cues, a subdued volatility index with the VIX below the 10 mark, and moderating FPI outflows, all of which point to a continued up move over the coming sessions.”(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

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NEW DELHI: Violent protests over alleged illegal non tribal settlement in Assam’s constitutionally protected Karbi Anglong hill region entered the third day on Wednesday, leaving two people dead, dozens injured, and prompting the state government to impose curfew-like restrictions and suspend mobile internet services in two districts.The violence erupted in West Karbi Anglong and adjoining Karbi Anglong district after long simmering tensions over land rights escalated into clashes between tribal protesters and security forces. One tribal protester died in police action, while a non tribal man was killed in a fire that gutted several shops in Kheroni, a small trading town that has emerged as the epicentre of the unrest, police said.

Security forces attacked, senior officers injured

Assam DGP Harmeet Singh said 48 police personnel, including senior officers, were injured after protesters armed with bows, arrows, crude bombs and stones attacked security forces. The DGP and IGP Law and Order Akhilesh Kumar Singh were among those injured during the clashes.Police said protesters attempted to take control of a bridge in the area and turned violent when stopped.“Today, they tried to take over the bridge, and when we tried to stop them, they attacked us. Crude bombs and stones were thrown. I was attacked with bows and arrows,” Singh said, adding that the police have video footage and will take legal action against those responsible.

Land rights and Sixth Schedule at the core

The protests are rooted in opposition by the Karbi community to what they allege is illegal encroachment by non tribal settlers on professional grazing reserve and village grazing reserve lands.The districts fall under the Karbi Anglong autonomous council, governed by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants tribal regions autonomy over land, forests and local governance to protect indigenous communities.Residents have for over a year demanded eviction of alleged encroachers, saying unchecked settlement threatens tribal land rights.

Hunger strike, misinformation triggered violence

Tensions intensified after members of the Karbi community launched a hunger strike on December 6. The situation spiralled on Tuesday after police shifted some fasting protesters to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital due to deteriorating health.According to police, misinformation spread that a protest leader had been arrested, triggering anger and violence.“A huge crowd has gathered here since yesterday. I met the protestors and spoke with them. Last night, their leader was taken to Guwahati for a medical check-up as the doctors thought that his health was deteriorating because of the hunger strike. Still, someone spread misinformation that he is being arrested. Violence does not get anything for anybody,” DGP Harmeet Singh told reporters.

Talks announced, arson continues

State cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu, who met protesters at Kheroni earlier, said the group agreed to call off the hunger strike and participate in tripartite talks on December 26 involving the state government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.“We assured the Karbi community that the government is serious about land rights and other tribal issues,” Pegu said, adding that discussions would address “broader issues related to existence of Karbi community.”Despite the assurance of talks, violence continued through the day, with shops and markets in Kheroni set ablaze. Police said a special investigation team has been formed and video footage is being examined to identify those involved in arson and attacks.

Internet suspended to prevent escalation

In response to the deteriorating law and order situation, the Assam government on Tuesday ordered suspension of internet and mobile data services in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts with immediate effect.“It is, however, clarified that the voice calls and the broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines shall remain functional during this period. Any violation of the promulgation will be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and also under the relevant provision of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885,” said Biswajit Pegu, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Home and Political Department.The government said district magistrates warned that social media could be used to spread inflammatory messages and rumours, further aggravating tensions.

CM monitors situation, appeals for calm

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was closely monitoring the situation and announced deployment of additional forces in Kheroni, about 250 km east of Guwahati.“It is deeply painful that two persons lost their lives during today’s unrest,” Sarma said in a post on X, offering condolences to the families of the deceased and assuring all possible support.Authorities said efforts are under way to restore calm, urging community leaders to restrain youths and prevent further violence ahead of the scheduled talks later this week.

Odisha’s forest department has ordered a special audit by the Accountant General into the procurement of 51 Thar vehicles.

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday ordered a special audit by the Accountant General (AG) into the forest department’s purchase of Thar vehicles, amid allegations that the all-terrain SUVs were procured at prices far above prevailing market rates.In a letter to the AG (Audit-II), the forest department sought the deputation of an audit team to examine the procurement and customisation of Thar vehicles during the 2024–25 financial year. The audit will be conducted in the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) (Wildlife).

“I am directed to request the deputation of an audit team to conduct an audit in the office of the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) (wildlife) on the process of procurement and customisation of vehicles by the former in the financial year 2024-25,” the department stated in its communication to the AG.

Forest department officials said the audit would ascertain whether the Thar vehicles were purchased at rates significantly higher than market value. The customised all-terrain vehicles have been deployed across key wildlife divisions, including Similipal Tiger Reserve, Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary and several other forest and wildlife divisions.Apart from routine patrolling by frontline staff, the Thar vehicles are also used for jungle safaris and nature trails for tourists in protected areas, officials said.

According to sources, the department procured 51 Thar vehicles at an initial cost of around Rs 7 crore, with each unit priced at approximately Rs 14 lakh. A further Rs 5.02 crore was later spent on renovation and customisation, taking the total expenditure to about Rs 12.02 crore. Some official documents place the final cost at nearly Rs 12.35 crore, including all customisation expenses.The procurement came under scrutiny in March after BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo raised the issue in the Odisha Assembly, seeking details on the purchase process and the additional spending on upgrades.Replying in the House, the minister said the Thar vehicles were purchased during the 2024–25 financial year and that each customised unit was fitted with 21 types of equipment. He added that the vehicles are currently being used for various field operations, including transporting fire-fighting equipment during forest fires, wildlife protection, curbing timber smuggling, and monitoring and rescue of tigers and other wild animals.