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PUNE:A 32-year-old woman was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Chakan around 2am on Monday when she was returning home from work.Some passersby spotted the body of Shobha Waghmare, hailing from Deglur in Nanded district, in the morning on the service road of Pune–Nashik highway, near Ambethan Chowk. She had come to Chakan two months ago in search of work.The victim’s clothes were torn and the body had injury marks. Residents of the area immediately alerted the Chakan police, suspecting it was a case of murder.
Not the first instance
Senior inspector Jitendra Kadam of the Chakan police said, “When we saw the injuries on the woman’s body, we initially suspected that some animals attacked her. The CCTV footage from a shop along the road revealed that the woman was attacked by a pack of six stray dogs.”The police found the woman’s purse near her body. “We ascertained her identity with the help of the Aadhaar card found in the purse and alerted her relatives in Nashik,” Kadam said.The CCTV footage showed that the six stray dogs surrounded Waghmare when she was walking along the service road, near the flyover on the Pune–Nashik Highway. “The woman picked up stones to shoo them away, but the dogs pounced on her. They bit her all over her body, including hands, legs, face and neck,” Kadam said.The officer said the woman resisted the dogs for about 15 minutes, but in vain. She succumbed to excessive bleeding from the injuries.“The woman’s body was sent to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMCH) in Pimpri for post-mortem. The report confirmed that she died after being attacked by animals. We have registered a case of accidental death,” Kadam said.The victim’s nephew, Prajjwal Kamble from Nashik, came to YCMH after the Pimpri Chinchwad police contacted him. He toldTOI, “My aunt was estranged from her husband. She stayed in Deglur with her 13-year-old physically challenged son.”Kamble said his aunt was worried about her son’s education and future. To earn more money for his education, she came to Chakan.Waghmare did odd jobs in a private company in the MIDC, besides working in a hospital during the night hours. “We don’t know yet if she was returning from the hospital or the company when the dogs attacked her,” Kamble said.
The dust has finally settled on the T20 World Cup 2026, and while the fireworks over the Narendra Modi Stadium have faded, the cricketing world is still buzzing about India’s clinical path to the trophy. It wasn’t just a victory of talent; it was a victory of intent. For many, the turning point wasn’t a specific wicket or a final-over six, but a high-stakes personnel shift initiated by Head Coach Gautam Gambhir and Captain Suryakumar Yadav.
Following a bruising defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage, the Indian camp faced a crossroads. The response was a tactical gamble that shifted the tournament’s momentum: the decision to include Sanju Samson back to the top of the order. The result was a historic blitz that saw Samson amass 321 runs in just five matches, maintaining a strike rate near 200 and walking away with the ‘Player of the Tournament’ accolades.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, a man who knows a thing or two about World Cup-winning strategies, was quick to identify this move as the catalyst for India’s dominance. Speaking on the ICC Review, Ponting highlighted the psychological weight of such a decision. Moving an established name like Ishan Kishan down the order to make room for Samson wasn’t just a change in the batting lineup; it was a statement of belief.
“It was actually a big call to make. As a player, all you really need is the backing of the captain and coaching staff. Sometimes, just a pat on the back or someone saying, ‘We believe in you,’ is all a player needs to hear,” Ponting noted.
This “arm around the shoulder” philosophy clearly resonated with Samson. After being reinstated, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter turned the tournament into his personal highlight reel, hammering unbeaten scores of 97*, 89, and 89. His performances in the do-or-die Super 8 clash against the West Indies and the semi-final against England were masterclasses in modern T20 power-hitting, proving that Gambhir’s intuition was backed by a deep understanding of player psychology.
India’s triumph in 2026 has reignited the debate regarding where this specific squad ranks in the pantheon of great cricket teams. With a blend of fearless youth and calculated aggression, the Men in Blue peaked exactly when the stakes were highest. Ponting went as far as to suggest that this current iteration might be the most formidable T20I side the game has ever seen.
The statistics certainly support the “G.O.A.T.” argument. Beyond just the 2026 trophy, India’s white-ball consistency over the last half-decade has been staggering. By integrating specialized roles like Samson’s aggressive opening or Suryakumar’s 360-degree finishing, Gambhir has moved away from the conservative safety-first approach that often hampered India in previous knockout stages.
As the celebrations continue, the 2026 campaign will be remembered as the moment Gambhir’s process met Suryakumar’s flair. By trusting Samson to lead from the front, they didn’t just win a trophy; they redefined the blueprint for Indian T20 cricket.
Also READ: Sanjay Bangar picks the ideal batting order of CSK for IPL 2026
Injuries, or non-availability, to top pacers close to the start of the IPL can give sleepless nights to franchise coaches and the support staff. While Lucknow Super Giants, for a few years now, have been one of the worst-affected teams, this time around three teams are sweating over their pace resources — Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. For KKR, their top two pacers — Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana — are dealing with injuries. They lost Mustafizur Rahman too due to reasons beyond cricket, but have drafted in Zimbabwean Blessing Muzarabani in his place. SRH, too, are in tricky territory over the fitness of their skipper Pat Cummins while it’s not sure whether RCB will get their spearhead Josh Hazlewood from the beginning of the tournament.
TOI takes a look at how the situation might pan out for these teams.Double jeopardy for KKRHarshit Rana, KKR’s star Indian pacer, is set to miss most of the IPL due to a knee surgery. While under threat to even miss the entire IPL season, the management is not naming a replacement right away hoping that the 24-year-old will be fit towards the business end. KKR have a few Indian pacers in Vaibhav Arora and Akash Deep, and they will have to step up along with Muzarabani and Cameron Green. That brings us to their second injury worry, Matheesha Pathirana. The three-time champions paid Rs 18 crore for the former CSK slinger, who is known to be injury-prone. He missed most of the T20 World Cup with a calf injury but reports suggest that he will be fit in time for the IPL. But given his erratic fitness situation, it will be a miracle if Pathirana is fit for most part. That his remodelled action following his injuries has made him less effective as a bowler will also worry the 2024 champions.Captaincy change for SRH?The SRH pace attack revolves around Pat Cummins, in addition to the fact that he is the captain of the team. But the Aussie Test skipper is still recovering from a back injury that was aggravated when he played an Ashes Test despite not being fully fit. There is no clarity when he will be fit and available, and the buzz is that SRH may hand the captaincy to Ishan Kishan, who had quite a superb T20 World Cup with the bat. There’s absolutely no one in the SRH attack who is close to the quality of Cummins in T20s. The likes of Shivam Mavi, Jaydev Unadkat and Ehsan Malinga can be just about serviceable, but it may be a massive challenge for SRH, despite their superb batting line-up should Cummins remain unavailable for long.Not enough Josh for RCBJosh Hazlewood is still recuperating from his hamstring and Achilles heel injuries and hasn’t played cricket for quite some time. In RCB’s first title triumph last year, the Australian had taken 22 wickets at an average of 17.54 and it’s his ability to strike the crucial blows that made a serious difference. The paceman is running against time to be fit and Kiwi pacer Jacob Duffy is likely to play in his absence.Duffy, though a capable bowler, isn’t exactly a threat on Indian pitches and the RCB management will hoping to have Hazlewood back in time to lead the attack with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal as quality support.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was killed on Tuesday in a strike at his daughter’s home in the Pardis area, according to Iranian state media. The state affiliated, Fars News Agency described him as “one of the country’s prominent and prudent officials” and said the attack also claimed the lives of his son, a deputy, and several bodyguards. Iran labelled him a martyr, honouring his role in shaping the country’s defence and regional policies.US strikes Iran missile sites near Strait of Hormuz – Follow live updatesThe strike came amid escalating hostilities between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Larijani, 68, had been a central figure in Iran’s security apparatus, particularly after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Analysts say he effectively oversaw the country’s defence strategy, regional operations, and internal security, acting as the right-hand man of the late leader. The attack has intensified an already volatile conflict. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and Gulf Arab neighbours, while the US conducted heavy airstrikes on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz. These operations targeted “hardened” facilities deemed a threat to international shipping, using bombs weighing up to 5,000 pounds each. The region, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, is now under heightened tension, raising global concerns over energy supply and oil prices.
Israel confirmed it had carried out the strike that killed Larijani along with General Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force. Israeli officials said the operation aimed to “undermine the Iranian regime” and give the Iranian people an opportunity to challenge their leaders. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his long-term goal of weakening Iran’s authority, though he stopped short of advocating regime change outright.Brigadier General Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesman, said the strikes were designed to target Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has remained largely out of public view since succeeding his father. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that more than ten Basij posts in Tehran had also been targeted. The killings represent a major blow to Iran’s security leadership, particularly as both Larijani and Soleimani had been heavily involved in the country’s crackdown on dissent, including the protests that erupted in January against the regime.In Israel, two civilians were killed after an Iranian missile barrage hit near Tel Aviv, while in the UAE, explosions in Dubai were reported early Wednesday, though the city’s air defences intercepted incoming missiles. These attacks underscore the regional dimension of the conflict, with Gulf states facing a growing threat from Iranian-launched missiles and drones.Iran has signalled it will maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, keeping a chokehold on a crucial artery for global oil transport. The US has demanded allies deploy warships to secure the passage, but few have responded, leaving President Donald Trump to assert that American forces “do not need the help of anyone.” Oil prices have risen sharply in response, reflecting global concerns over supply disruptions.The International Atomic Energy Agency reported a projectile hit the Bushehr nuclear plant complex, though no injuries or damage were confirmed. Meanwhile, Israel continued strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. More than a million people have been displaced there, with many sleeping in cars or crowded shelters. The Lebanese government reports over 900 fatalities from Israeli strikes, while at least 14 have been killed in Israel from Iranian missile fire. More than 1,300 people have died in Iran since the war began on February 28.
LUCKNOW: Central agencies claimed to have busted an international terrorist network involving six Ukrainians and one American, linking the group to allegedly plotting attacks targeting India while equipping anti-junta insurgents in Myanmar’s Chin state with military drone capabilities.Three Ukrainian war veterans – Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak and Ivan Sukmanovskyi – were arrested by Bureau of Immigration officials at Lucknow airport on March 13 and handed over to NIA. They have been charged under UAPA.The alleged network was led by US national, Mathew Aron Van Dyke, arrested at Kolkata airport, while three more Ukrainians – Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor – were held in Delhi recently, investigators said Tuesday.Van Dyke, who describes himself online as founder of a security consulting firm and a filmmaker, has claimed involvement in conflicts in Libya and Ukraine and covert operations in Venezuela.All seven accused are in NIA custody as investigators expand the probe into alleged cross-border links, supply chains and possible threats to Indian security.On Monday, additional sessions judge Prashant Sharma at Patiala House Courts in New Delhi sent the group to 11-day police custody, highlighting that the allegations have a direct bearing on “national security and interests of India”. The court held that interrogation is custody is necessary at this stage of the investigation.According to probe details, the Lucknow detainees flew from UAE to India on tourist visas in Dec 2025, travelled to Mizoram without mandatory restricted area permits, and allegedly crossed into Myanmar, where they established contact with armed groups hostile to India.Investigators said the suspects travelled by bus from Guwahati to Lucknow and checked into a hotel near the airport hours before their planned departure. The hotel owner said the trio claimed to be tourists, with one identifying himself as a chef, but avoided questions about prior movements.“Timely submission of Form C by the hotel played a crucial role in tracking them,” a source said.Investigators alleged the group sourced and moved drone consignments from Europe into India and onward to Myanmar, where they trained ethnic insurgents engaged in conflict with the junta.Mizoram CM Lalduhoma had earlier told the state assembly intelligence inputs suggested presence of Ukrainian war veterans in Chin providing training to rebel outfits.With inputs from Delhi
Bhubaneswar: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said Tuesday, politics had suffered a crisis of trust in the past and stressed that modesty and credibility should always remain the cornerstone of public life.“Till some time ago, there was a perception that politicians don’t speak the truth or practise what they preach. If someone felt misled, they would say, ‘Are you doing politics with me?’ The word ‘rajneeti’ had lost credibility,” he said. But there were leaders who worked tirelessly to restore faith in politics, the minister added.
Singh was speaking at a Smriti Sabha held on the first death anniversary of former Union minister Debendra Pradhan, father of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Remembering him as a “rare personality who upheld the dignity of politics.” Singh said he had witnessed Pradhan’s simplicity, humility and commitment to matching words with action during their years together. TNN
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the ongoing US-Israel military operations against Iran are “proceeding very well,” asserting that the damage inflicted could take at least a decade to rebuild.“The war is proceeding very well… We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon… They would have used it very gladly… We did a good job… Every time you see somebody with no legs, no arms, a face that’s been really so badly damaged, lives destroyed, 95% chance it came right out of Iran,” Trump said, reported ANI.
He further claimed that Iran’s infrastructure has been significantly weakened and suggested that the impact should be made lasting. “They could leave today, and it would take 10 years to rebuild the damage that’s been done. But I think we have to make it a little bit more permanent so that no other President has to go through this,” he added.His vice president JD Vance echoed the administration’s position, citing threats from regional militias. “There have been a lot of militia attacks against our base or our embassy in Iran… There are a lot of terrorists in that region of the world, and we’ve got to eliminate them when we find them,” Vance said,a s quoted by the agency. The remarks come as US and Israel forces continue targeted strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, including missile facilities.The United States central command said on Wednesday that US forces deployed “multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions” against hardened missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz.In a post on X, the command stated, “Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait.”The strikes are part of ongoing operations jointly launched by the US and Israel on February 28, targeting Iran’s military capabilities amid heightened tensions in the region.
MUMBAI: A sessions court recently rejected the discharge plea of city mayor Ritu Tawde in a case involving the alleged assault of school teachers in 2016. The order paves the way for the accused to stand trial for offences including the use of criminal force to deter public servants from their duties. “The two teachers or victims have categorically named the above applicant to be the person who beat them by hands inside the school. Even other witnesses took the name of the applicant being assaulter on the date of incident. This is more than sufficient to frame charge against the applicant (Tawde),” judge YP Manathkar said. Tawde, BJP Corporator has been serving as mayor since Feb, 2026. The order was pronounced on March 12. The prosecution’s relates to an incident on July 29, 2016 at an Urdu medium municipal school in Shastri Nagar, Vakola, Santacruz (E). The dispute reportedly erupted following the sudden transfer of a teacher, Shahin Khan, to a different facility in BKC. It was alleged that Shahin was unhappy with the transfer. The seven accused of the crime including Tawde allegedly started a quarrel with the Headmistress and other teachers of the on the grounds Shahin was transferred despite suffering from cancer. According to the FIR filed by headmistress Sharifa Momin, the confrontation escalated when the accused used criminal force and slapped two male teachers, Mohd Yakub Rahid and Nadim Ahmed Shaikh.During the proceedings, the defence argued that Tawde’s presence at the site was merely coincidental and that her political status as a BJP corporator was being exploited for publicity. The advocate for the accused also pointed to a 13-day delay in registering the FIR, suggesting the allegations were an afterthought born of political vendetta. The defence further submitted that the essential ingredients of the alleged offences, specifically criminal intent or mens rea, were entirely absent from the record.The prosecution countered these claims by pointing to the statements of seven witnesses including eye witnesses. The prosecution argued that the two teachers who were physically assaulted had specifically named Tawde as the primary aggressor. The prosecution submitted that such conduct within an educational institution, where teachers are expected to set an example for students, must be viewed with the utmost seriousness.The judge observed that the court’s role at this stage is not to conduct a “mini-trial” or weigh evidence for a final conviction, but rather to determine if a prima facie case exists. “The Judge has the power to sift and weigh the evidence, but only for the limited purpose of finding out whether a prima facie case against the accused has been made out.” The judge further noted that the statements provided by the victims and other witnesses directly implicated the applicant. The order clarified that at the stage of framing charges, the court should not examine the reliability or probative value of the statements. “If two views are equally possible and the evidence gives rise to grave suspicion (but not just suspicion), the judge is fully justified in framing the charge,” the order noted.
NEW DELHI: Rural development minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday attacked Congress for its opposition to changes in the rural employment guarantee scheme. He reminded them that they failed to organise the agitation demanding restoration of MGNREGA.“Congress declared that it would launch a ‘maha sangram’ and many dates were announced…, but no ‘sangram’ was visible,” Chouhan said, claiming that the protest failed to get public support because of awareness that the new law was better.“We, saw two ‘maha mazdoors’… wearing ‘gamcha’ on their heads, carrying axes on shoulders, but wearing jeans…,” Chouhan said as he showed photos of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.Chouhan took on the claim that the VB-GRAMG patternwhere states are required to fund 40% would kill the scheme as states are “cash strapped”. He said states had made necessary provisions.
