Bangladesh interim government chief Mohammad Yunus on Saturday said that the authorities have arrested seven people after a Hindu youth was beaten to death by a mob and his body set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district on Thursday night following allegations of blasphemy.In a social media post on X, Yunus said that the Rapid Action Battalion conducted operations at various locations after the incident.

“Mymensingh, 20 December 2025: In the incident of beating to death Sanatan Dharma adherent youth Dipu Chandra Das (27) in Valuka, Mymensingh, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested seven individuals as suspects. The arrested individuals are— 1. Md. Limon Sarkar (19) 2. Md. Tarek Hossain (19) 3. Md. Manik Mia (20) 4. Ershad Ali (39) 5. Nijum Uddin (20) 6. Alomgir Hossain (38) 7. Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46)” Yunus said.“RAB-14 conducted operations at various locations and arrested the aforementioned suspects,” he added. The incident took place in the Dubalia Para area of Square Master Bari in Bhaluka upazila. Police identified the victim as Dipu Chandra Das, who worked at a local garment factory and lived in the area as a tenant.Citing local and eyewitness sources, Bangladeshi Bengali media outlet Barta Bazar reported that Dipu was accused of making derogatory comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad during an event at the factory marking World Arabic Language Day. The allegations rapidly spread within the factory and surrounding areas, sparking tension. He was later beaten by an angry mob and reportedly died on the spot.Reports suggest that the situation took a gruesome turn after his death, with the crowd taking the body to the Square Masterbari bus stand area, tying it to a tree with a rope, beating it while shouting various slogans and later setting it ablaze. The crowd then moved the body to the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set it on fire again, disrupting traffic and spreading panic among local residents.Confirming the incident, Bhaluka Upazila Executive Officer, Md. Firoz Hossain said a person was killed over allegations of insulting the Prophet, adding that the body of the deceased is in police custody.Meanwhile, former Bangladesh minister and Awami League leader Mohammad Ali Arafat strongly condemned the incident, asserting that Bangladesh is steadily heading toward full-scale radicalism under the leadership of the interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.A fresh wave of unrest has been ignited following the death of the 32-year-old student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi was shot in the head by masked gunmen in central Dhaka while launching his election campaign and died six days later in a Singapore hospital. His death has reignited political instability at a time when Bangladesh is preparing for a crucial national election and recalibrating its relationship with New Delhi.merging from the July Uprising, Hadi had become the convenor and spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, a platform opposed to all forms of political domination. Educated at the University of Dhaka, he was a fierce critic not only of the Awami League but of mainstream politics as a whole. He rejected established Bangladeshi political elites and positioned himself as a voice of generational rupture.Authorities said Hadi was attacked while riding in a rickshaw near Box Culvert Road in the Motijheel area. He was shot near his left ear, lost significant blood and remained in critical condition before being airlifted abroad.Police initially said it was unclear who carried out the attack or why. His death, confirmed by interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, immediately sparked protests across Dhaka and other cities, with demonstrators vandalising buildings, torching newspaper offices and targeting symbols linked to the political establishment.

Kavem Hodge‘s resilient century, supported by a gritty partnership, helped the West Indies fight back against New Zealand‘s dominant first innings on Day 3 at the Bay Oval Test, Mount Maunganui. The West Indies trail by 194 runs at the close of play, with Hodge unbeaten on 109, as the visitors reach 381/6 in their first innings. New Zealand, who declared their innings at 575/8, set a formidable target for the West Indies, but the visitors responded strongly on Day 3, with Hodge anchoring the innings.

NZ vs WI, Day 3: West Indies’ resilient response led by Kavem Hodge

Hodge’s stoic century on Day 3 was the highlight of the West Indies’ fightback after early breakthroughs by New Zealand. Hodge, who resumed his innings at 94, continued to weather the storm, displaying remarkable patience and skill to reach his hundred off 224 balls. His knock featured 13 boundaries and was a crucial effort for West Indies, who had been under pressure for much of the day. Hodge’s resistance helped steady the innings after key wickets fell earlier in the day, with West Indies at 351/6 when drinks were taken.

The partnership between Hodge and Anderson Phillip, which has now reached 12 runs, will be crucial as the West Indies aim to extend their innings on Day 4. The pair will be tasked with helping their side pass 400 runs, with the target now set on minimizing further damage in an attempt to give their bowlers a chance. Hodge’s ability to keep the scoreboard ticking, despite the challenges posed by the New Zealand bowlers, has given the West Indies a glimmer of hope in this challenging Test.

Kavem Hodge brings up a fighting ton for West Indies 💪#NZvWI pic.twitter.com/LhTaSA3xKN

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 20, 2025

Also READ: Top 5 highest opening partnerships for New Zealand in Tests ft. Devon Conway & Tom Latham

NZ vs WI, Day 3: New Zealand’s bowlers struggle to break through

New Zealand’s bowlers found it challenging to break the West Indies’ resistance on Day 3, despite having early breakthroughs. The West Indies reached 150 runs on the day in 39.1 overs, with Hodge and Alick Athanaze combining for a steady 50-run partnership. The momentum shifted slightly when New Zealand took the second new ball at 80.1 overs, but the West Indies duo fought back to add a crucial 50 runs in 84 balls.

Despite having a substantial first innings lead, New Zealand’s bowlers, including Ajaz Patel and Daryl Mitchell, struggled to extract consistent breakthroughs. The New Zealand spinners tried to control the run flow, but Hodge and Phillip’s determined stand kept them at bay. With six wickets in hand, the West Indies will be looking to Hodge to continue his fine innings and try to reduce the deficit in what looks to be an evenly poised match heading into Day 4.

A fighting effort from West Indies keeps the contest evenly poised 💪🏏#NZvWI pic.twitter.com/HllapxY1yW

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 20, 2025

Also READ: Fans react as Devon Conway and Tom Latham’s triple-century opening stand for New Zealand dismantles West Indies bowling attack on Day 1 of Mount Maunganui Test

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NEW DELHI: India’s Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant has been named captain of the Delhi team for the upcoming National One-Day Championship in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting December 24, with veteran Virat Kohli also expected to feature in a couple of matches.In addition to Pant and Kohli, pacer Harshit Rana and seasoned campaigners Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini have expressed their willingness to participate in the tournament.

The DDCA has, however, not included Pant, Kohli, and Rana in the official 16-member squad, as they will only be available for limited matches — likely two to three — before India’s ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11, 2026. The exact fixtures in which Kohli and Pant will play are yet to be confirmed.Ayush Badoni has been named vice-captain and will assume leadership responsibilities once Pant leaves for national duty, also serving as the second wicketkeeper for the ODI team.Regular Squad: Ayush Badoni (vice captain), Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Sarthak Ranjan, Priyansh Arya, Tejasvi Singh Dahiya, Nitish Rana, Hrithik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi, Simarjeet Singh, Prince Yadav, Divij Mehra, Ayush Doseja, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rohan Rana, Anuj Rawat (wk).Additional Players: Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, Harshit Rana, Ishant Sharma.

NEW DELHI: Government has ordered a probe into the case of an Air India Express pilot beating up a passenger at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday. The two had a verbal spat between the two before Captain Virender Sejwal assaulted the passenger, Ankit Dewan. Why no one, including CISF personnel posted at entrance, intervened in time and the matter escalated to such an extent is being examined.“The ministry of civil aviation has taken serious cognisance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect. A formal enquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Central Industrial Security Force,” the ministry said on X Saturday. No police complaint has been lodged so far in this case.The Air India Express was “dead heading” to Bengaluru — travelling as a passenger to another place to operate a flight from there — on IndiGo. Dewan was travelling with his family on SpiceJet. After the fight, they went to their destinations. AI Express grounded Captain Sejwal and he didn’t operate the flight he was rostered to from Bengaluru.What allegedly happenedThey were at the staff entry gate of T1, where the pilot cut the queue to go ahead of other passengers since staff get priority at this entrance. Sources say this infuriated Dewan and he allegedly mouthed some profanities. On hearing the same — “especially foul language used for his ailing mother,” — Captain Sejwal allegedly hit him. Security personnel intervened and the pilot flew to Bengaluru. On learning of this issue, AI Express has grounded him pending an inquiry and he did not operate a flight that he was rostered to from Bengaluru.Dewan, “a credit card & miles enthusiast”, said on X Friday night: “…one of (AI Express) pilots, Captain Virender Sejwal, assaulted me physically at T1, Delhi Airport. Me & my family were guided to use the security check that the staff uses, because we had a 4 month old baby in a stroller. The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Captain Virender, who himself was doing the same thing, asked me if I was anpadh (uneducated), and couldn’t read the signs that said this entry was for staff. A verbal scuffle broke out. Not able to exercise restraint, the AI Express pilot proceeded to physically assault me, leaving me bloody.”Dewan added that he had to “see a doctor” and that his “7-year-old daughter, who saw her father get assaulted brutally, is still traumatised & scared.” “I have no clue how DGCA and Air India Express can allow such pilots to fly. If they can’t keep their cool in a scuffle, can they be trusted with the lives of hundreds of people in the sky? How can Delhi Airport get away with such mismanagement, combining staff entry with passengers carrying infants, creating chaos at a sensitive security area? I thought airports were safe places!”An AI Express spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident at Delhi Airport involving one of our employees, who was travelling as a passenger on another airline, and had an altercation with another passenger. We unequivocally condemn such behaviour. The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated based on the findings of the inquiry. Air India Express upholds the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, and remains committed to ensuring that its employees act responsibly at all times.”Dewan added on X: “I was forced to write a letter stating that I will not pursue this matter further. It was either write that letter, or miss my flight and throw the 1.2 lakh holiday bookings down the drain. Delhi police, why can’t I file a complaint after coming back? Must I sacrifice my money too, to seek justice? Will the CCTV footage disappear in the two days till I make it back to Delhi?”

Actors Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda have once again found themselves at the centre of social media chatter. The couple, who got engaged in October at Vijay’s Hyderabad residence in the presence of close friends and family, sparked fresh speculation after images from their supposed wedding began circulating online, leading many to believe they had secretly tied the knot.The buzz, however, turned out to be misleading. The viral pictures, shared by Instagram user Gunti Srikala Nagaraju, were later revealed to be AI-generated. The images showed Rashmika and Vijay dressed in traditional wedding attire, adorned with garlands and posing alongside Mahesh Babu and his wife Namrata Shirodkar. Elaborate floral décor and the words “Vijay & Rashmika” in the backdrop added to the illusion.

More recently, fans caught a glimpse of the couple’s chemistry at Rashmika’s ‘The Girlfriend’ success event in Hyderabad. During the celebration, Vijay held Rashmika’s hand and kissed it, a tender moment that quickly stole the spotlight. Rashmika was visibly blushing as he looked at her affectionately, making the moment even more endearing for those in attendance.Recently in an interview, Rashmika broke silence on the engagement and rumours of February wedding. With reports swirling about a possible destination wedding in Rajasthan, Rashmika addressed the speculation during a recent interaction with The Hollywood Reporter India. She neither denied nor confirmed the news but appealed for patience. “I wouldn’t like to confirm or deny the marriage. I will just say when it’s to be spoken about, we shall,” the actress said, choosing not to reveal details publicly just yet.At another promotional event for her film Thamma, Rashmika was asked about her engagement. Smiling coyly, she replied, “Everyone is aware about it,” a response that only heightened fans’ excitement. Meanwhile, Vijay’s team reportedly confirmed that the wedding is planned for next year, much to the delight of their followers.Earlier, Rashmika had also set tongues wagging when she shared a video featuring her pet dog, Aura. In the clip, the duo could be seen listening to Thamma’s song Rahein Na Rahein Hum. Sharp-eyed fans quickly zoomed in on a large, dazzling diamond ring on her finger, mounted on a gold band.The ring was enough to convince fans that Vijay spared no effort in expressing his love for Rashmika, further fuelling admiration for their romance. Rashmika, born on April 5, 1996, is 29 years old, while Vijay, born on May 9, 1989, is 36, a seven-year age gap that fans have also been discussing alongside the couple’s love story.