NEW DELHI: Government on Friday suspended three engineers from Delhi Jal Board after a 25-year-old motorcyclist died by falling into a construction pit dug by the water agency in Janakpuri area.According to the police the deceased was identified as Kamal Dhyani, who was returning home from his office on his motorcycle. Here are the top developments‘We visited at least 6 police stations’Dhyani’s family said that it did not receive any help from the Delhi Police and accused it of “gross carelessness.” Dhyani’s brother said that he visited six police station but received information about Kamal’s death only after calling him on his phone in the morning, which was received by an official to extend the news of his death.“When I last talked to him, he said he would reach home in 10 minutes. When I called him again at 12:30 am, he didn’t pick up. We got worried. We started looking for him. I first went to his office in Rohini, then to the Janakpuri police station. The police gave us his last location in this area. We kept looking for him but couldn’t find him. This is gross carelessness,” he said.“My brother was not crazy that he would deliberately crash into the pit… At 1:30 am, I checked this pit, but he was not there at that time. We visited at least 6 police stations but did not receive any help… In the morning, when I again called my brother’s phone number, the police picked up the call and informed us that his body had been recovered from the pit… Had the police got into action on time, my brother would have been alive,” he added.‘7 people were searching for him from midnight’Kamal’s friend also claimed the police him to wait till 11 am to file a complaint. He added that officials agreed to track the phone but did not share the exact location.After receiving no help from the police, a group of seven people tried to find the victim but failed.“I had talked to him last night when he had reached the District Centre. He was just 15 minutes from home. We waited for an hour, but he didn’t come. An hour later, we came to the District Centre. He had been in accidents twice before, so we thought something like that might have happened. He wasn’t picking up our calls. His bike was nowhere to be seen,” Dhyani’s friend said.“When we went to the police station to file a complaint, we were told that our complaint would not be registered before 11 am. Upon request, the police helped us find the location of my friend and asked us to look for him in a 200-metre radius here. 7 people were searching for him from midnight to 7 am, but we could not find him. At 1 am, when we checked the pit, he was not there. We were on this road all the time, but we don’t understand how he ended up here after we checked,” he added.“When we went back home at 7 am, we received a call from my friend’s phone, and the police informed us that he was in the pit. Why could his phone not be traced by the police at night? We suspect he was killed… What must his parents be going through… We still haven’t informed his mother… He was 25 years old and worked at the HDFC Bank call centre in Rohini Sector 10… Police have been deployed, and barricades have been set up around the pit now. Why couldn’t they do it earlier? My friend could have been saved,” he further said.‘We will look into it’Meanwhile, Delhi Police claimed that it tracked Kamal’s phone as soon as his his brother Janakpuri Police Station around 2:45 am. It also claimed that a constable also searched for the deceased with the family members for about 2.5 hours.Deputy comissioner of Police, west Sharad Bhaskar assured that if help was not provided to the family and friends searching for the deceased, the matter would be looked into.“A pit was dug for some work of the Delhi Jal Board. Last night, 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani’s bike fell into this pit, and he unfortunately died. We will investigate all stakeholders of this DJB work. The deceased’s brother came to Janakpuri Police Station around 2:45 am, and he informed that his brother had not reached home yet. The police tracked his mobile phone, which was indicating Janakpuri District Park. Head Constable Ramkesh searched for the deceased with the family members for about 2.5 hours, but they couldn’t find him,” Bhaskar said.“At 8 am today, a woman called the police and informed them that a body was lying in a 15-foot deep pit. This is when everything came to light. As of now, we know that the family visited PS Janakpuri, but if the family says they did not receive help from 6-7 police stations, we will look into it,” he added.Police registers FIRDelhi Police registered an FIR against a contractor and officials of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) over the death of a 25-year-old motorcyclist who fell into a 15-feet deep pit dug by the civic agency in the Janakpuri area here, an official said.“We have registered an FIR under section 105 (culpable homicide) of the BNS at Janakpuri Police Station against the contractor and concerned officials of Delhi Jal Board,” the senior police officer said.The officer said that investigation is being carried out on priority and strict legal action will taken against the guilty as per lawMinister vows strict actionDelhi urban development minister Ashish Sood expressed grief over the incident and stressed that anyone from the Jal Board found responsible for overlooking the safety protocols will not be spared.“I received news of this unfortunate accident around 8:30-9 am, and I have been here since then… Delhi Jal Board work was in progress here, and I have instructed the Jal Board to investigate the safety protocols. If anyone is found responsible, they will not be spared,” Ashish Sood said.“The Jal Board had conducted an audit of all safety protocols and issued circulars… The police are looking into the cause of the accident… Any official from the Jal Board found responsible for jeopardising the safety measures will not be spared…” he added.Delhi Jal Board sets up committeeThe Delhi Jal Board has set up a committee to probe which will submit a report on the incident by the same evening.In a post on X, Water minister Pravesh Verma said, “DJB has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to ensure a transparent investigation into the incident. The committee has been directed to inspect the accident site immediately and review safety arrangements, barricading, signage and traffic management.”The water minister who inspected the construction site after the incident was reported on Friday ordered the suspension of the DJB officers.“We are suspending three officers-executive engineer, assistant engineer and junior engineer, it was the duty of the three officers to monitor the progress of the work ongoing here,” Singh told reporters.Work at the site has been ongoing for the last three months but the pit was dug on Thursday, he said.‘This is not an accident, but murder’Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvid Kejriwal slammed BJP-led Delhi government over the incident and alleged that Kamal’s death was not an accident but a “murder”.In a post on X, the former Delhi chief minister alleged that the BJP learnt nothing from the incident in Noida where a young software engineer died after drowning in a waterlogged plot last month.“This is not an accident, but murder. The BJP has learned nothing even from the Noida incident. Gross negligence and a non-responsible attitude have now become the hallmark of BJP governments, and the common people are paying the price for it,” he added.“May God give strength to that family who lost their child due to the government’s negligence,” he added.‘Real culprit is not the road’Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condemned the death of the motorcyclist claiming that the “real culprit is not the road, but the irresponsible regime.”In a social media post on X, Rahul said, “The epidemic of greed and negligence spreading across Hindustan has claimed another young life today. A son, a dream, the entire world of his parents—all shattered in an instant. This is not an accident; it is murder—and the killer is the power that flees from accountability. The real culprit is not the road, but the irresponsible regime.”“Because here there are no resignations, no punishments are meted out, no one’s conscience ever stirs. Indore’s poisoned water, the road in Noida that took Yuvraj’s life collapsing bridges, colliding trains, suffocating pollution. There is no Accountability and until there is accountability, one after another will continue to fall victim to the epidemic of greed,” he added.

The ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 final in Harare witnessed a historic shift in the landscape of junior cricket, as India dismantled England to secure their record-extending sixth title. The match was defined by a level of aggression previously unseen in a world final, anchored by a 14-year-old prodigy who played an innings for the ages.

While England’s bowlers struggled to find answers under the Zimbabwean sun, the Indian batting unit operated like a well-oiled machine, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in a 50-over game. This wasn’t just a victory; it was a statistical takeover that saw decade-old records shattered within a single afternoon. India’s performance cemented their status as the undisputed powerhouse of age-group cricket, leaving a trail of broken records in their wake.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The ‘six-machine’ records

Vaibhav Suryavanshi‘s 175 off 80 balls (15 fours, 15 sixes) is now officially the greatest individual performance in U19 World Cup history.

• Highest Score in a Final: He shattered Unmukt Chand’s 111* (2012) to become the highest individual scorer in a U19 WC final.
• The 150+ Knockout Club: He is the first batter ever to register a 150-plus score in any U19 World Cup knockout game (Quarter-final, Semi-final, or Final).
• Most Sixes in an Innings: His 15 sixes in the final broke his own previous world record of 14 (set against UAE in 2025). No other batter in history has even hit 13 sixes in a single U19 WC game.
• The All-Time Sixes King: He became the first player to hit 110 sixes in Youth ODIs. His tally is exactly double the next best (Bangladesh’s Zawad Abrar with 55 sixes).
• Fastest Indian Century: He reached his ton in just 55 balls, the fastest by an Indian in the tournament’s history.
• Tournament Dominance: * Finished as the Leading Run-Getter with 439 runs (Average: 62.71, SR: 169.49).
• Most sixes in a single edition: 30 sixes, crushing Dewald Brevis’s 2022 record of 18.
• Indian Legend Status: He is now the highest run-scorer for India in Youth ODIs (1,412 runs), overtaking Vijay Zol (1,404).

Also READ: Fans go gaga as Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashes destructive century in U19 World Cup 2026 final against England

India team records in the U19 World Cup 2026 final against England

India’s collective effort in the 2026 final and the road leading to it established three major world benchmarks.

• The First 400+ Final Total: India’s 411/9 is the highest-ever score in a U19 World Cup final. They are the only team to ever cross the 350 and 400-run marks in a final.
• Playoff Record: They broke their own record for the highest score in a U19 WC knockout game (previously 349/6 vs Namibia in 2016).
• The 400-Club Dynasty: This was India’s third 400-plus total in U19 WC history; no other nation has more than one.
• The Historic Semi-Final Chase: Just days before the final, India set the record for the highest successful run-chase in U19 World Cup history by tracking down 311 against Afghanistan.
• The 10-Final Milestone: India became the first team to reach 10 Under-19 World Cup finals, extending their lead over Australia (6).

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Broadcast, Live Streaming details: When and where to watch in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, USA, UK & other countries

NEW DELHI: Animal feed, ethanol for fuel, poultry, flowers and tea are likely to be among items on the negative list for import concessions given to the US under the first tranche of bilateral trade deal, for which a joint statement is expected in the next few days, reports Sidhartha.In line with commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s assertion that India’s sensitivities in agriculture and dairy have been protected, persons familiar with the deliberations told TOI that rice, wheat, other cereals, dairy products, soymeal, maize, meats and genetically modified food products are the other items on the list where India is not offering any tariff concessions.US corn resisted over GM food concernsIn addition, they said that potatoes, onion, garlic, copra, atta, chicken and tobacco are also expected to be outside the ambit of the first tranche of the framework agreement. Those familiar with the discussions said even in other product segments, govt will go for calibrated opening up, opting for quotas in products such as apples, something it has done with the EU and New Zealand, while also opting for a long phasing period. India has so far managed to keep dairy and agriculture outside the ambit of its trade deals, including the ones with the UK and the European Union, and has made a strong effort to continue with protection for vulnerable sections of society. Officials have argued, including with the US, that Indian farmers have small land holdings with several of them undertaking subsistence farming and allowing even limited quantities of wheat and rice would be detrimental to their interests. Genetically modified food is the other area of concern given that govt has reservations on allowing such products into the country and allowing American corn would have opened the doors to GM food, something that was being resisted. One of the options was to allow ethanol blending but that would upset sugarcane growers. India’s import of agricultural goods from the UK are pegged at over $2 billion, while exports are around $3.4 billion. As part of the framework agreement for BTA, the US agreed to lower reciprocal tariff for Indian exports into its market to 18%, from 50%, which includes 25% secondary or penal tariffs for New Delhi purchasing Russian oil.

Conventional wisdom suggests that a 13-year-old would struggle to even face deliveries bowled at speeds above 90 mph. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has challenged that assumption by striking bowlers such as Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Jofra Archer to all parts of the ground.In traditional cricket coaching, batters are taught to keep their hands close to the body during the backlift to maintain control over the bat swing. Sooryavanshi differs here as well. His backlift moves away from the body, going against what is often described as textbook technique.Still two-years younger than what Sachin Tendulkar’s age was at the time of his India debut, he has a bat-swing that reminds of Brian Charles Lara, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Yuvraj Singh; and like footballer Lamine Yamal, who has emerged as a teenage sensation at the highest level, Sooryavanshi’s age has rarely matched the stage and level he performs on.Talent could never be the question with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. It never was. With the 80-ball 175 knock against England in the Under-19 World Cup final on Friday, he also put to rest any talks of temperament too, with delivering on the biggest of stages.Sooryavanshi produced what can be counted among the most dominant innings in Under-19 World Cup history. His 175, which included 15 sixes, helped India post 411 for 9 against England in the final at Harare.England, under pressure after Sooryavanshi’s innings, were bowled out for 311 in 40.2 overs while chasing a target of 412 against India’s bowling attack.

Sooryavanshi tumbles records

The 14-year-old reached his century in 55 balls, becoming the second-fastest centurion in the history of the Under-19 World Cup.His innings is the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final and came in the match that also produced the highest team total in a final of the tournament.Sooryavanshi reached his first fifty in 32 balls and continued at the same pace against the England bowlers. His second fifty came off 23 balls.Out of his 175 runs, 150 came through boundaries, with 15 sixes and an equal number of fours. During this phase, India’s scoring rate stayed close to 10 runs an over, and the projected total crossed 500 midway through the innings.He now holds the record for most sixes in a Youth ODI innings, surpassing his own mark of 14 sixes against UAE at ICCA Dubai in December.Sooryavanshi also owns the record for the fastest 150 in Under-19 cricket, reaching the mark in 71 balls. The previous record was held by England’s Ben Mayes, who took 98 balls against Scotland at the same venue earlier in the tournament.Vedant Trivedi, batting at the other end, faced only four deliveries between Sooryavanshi’s 100 and 150, underlining the speed at which the runs were scored.

Sooryavanshi’s rise

Sooryavanshi first came into wider attention in November 2024 when he became the youngest player to receive an IPL contract after Rajasthan Royals signed him for Rs 1.10 crore. He was 13 years and 243 days old at the time. By then, he had already represented India Under-19 and scored a century as an opener against Australia Under-19 in a four-day match in Chennai.One of the early highlights of his career was the 58-ball century against Australia Under-19, where he scored 104. At 13 years and 187 days, he became the youngest player to score a century in youth cricket, breaking the previous record held by Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.In the following months, Sooryavanshi continued to add records. On April 19, 2025, he made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants, hitting Shardul Thakur for a six over extra cover off his first ball. He scored 34 off 20 balls in that match.In his third IPL appearance, he scored a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, whose bowling attack included Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Rashid Khan. The hundred was the second-fastest in IPL history, behind only Chris Gayle’s 30-ball century in 2013.In July 2025, Sooryavanshi recorded the fastest Youth ODI century at the time, reaching the milestone in 52 balls. That record was later broken by Pakistan’s Sameer Minhas, who scored a century off 42 balls against Zimbabwe Under-19.He was named Bihar’s vice-captain for the first two rounds of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season in October. The decision followed his performances on India Under-19’s tour of Australia, where he provided quick starts and scored a 78-ball century in the first four-day match in Brisbane. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the series, with 133 runs in three innings as India won 2-0.In November 2025, Sooryavanshi scored 144 off 42 balls for India A against UAE in the Asia Cup Rising Stars. His century came off 32 balls and was then the joint-third fastest by an Indian in men’s T20 cricket.A few weeks later, he scored 171 off 95 balls against UAE Under-19 in the opening match of the Under-19 Asia Cup.At 14 years and 272 days, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a century in men’s List A cricket. He achieved the feat while playing for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He reached his century in 36 balls, later scoring the fastest 150 in men’s List A cricket off 59 balls. He was dismissed for 190 off 84 balls, which included 16 fours and 15 sixes.

Man of the tournament

Sooryavanshi scored 439 runs and took 1 wicket in the Under-19 World Cup and was named Player of the Tournament after India won their sixth Under-19 World Cup title on Friday.“I had faith in my skills that I can contribute in big games and today it happened,” Sooryavanshi said at the post-match presentation.At 14, Sooryavanshi is already a world champion. He has delivered on most opportunities given to him so far. But he’s still a kid. It’s important to give him space and not put too many expectations on him. Leave him freely and watch him take the cricketing world by storm.