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Delhi Palam house fire: 9 dead as massive fire engulfs residential building | Delhi News
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Delhi Palam house fire: 9 dead as massive fire engulfs residential building | Delhi News


At least 6 dead as fire engulfs residential building in Delhi’s Palam

NEW DELHI: At least nine people, including three children, lost their lives after a massive fire broke out in a residential building in southwest Delhi’s Palam area on Wednesday morning. Several others are reported to have sustained injuries, with rescue operations ongoing.Chief minister Rekha Gupta said a magisterial inquiry was ordered into the incident.Gupta, in a post on X, said she was “extremely distressed to learn about the unfortunate fire at the residential building.”

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At Least 9 Killed In Massive Building Fire Near Palam Metro As Rescue Operations Continue In Delhi

Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the building, indicating the intensity of the fire. Firefighters were seen using hydraulic lifts and other specialised equipment to reach the upper floors and douse the flames.According to the Delhi Fire Services, a distress call was received around 7 am regarding a blaze near the Palam Metro Station. Despite continuous efforts, the flames raged for nearly three hours, making firefighting operations extremely challenging. Around 30 fire brigades were pressed into service to control the inferno.Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the building, highlighting the intensity of the fire. Firefighters were seen using hydraulic lifts and other specialised equipment to reach upper floors and douse the flames.Residents claimed that the fire was caused by a short-circuit in the early hours of Wednesday. The building reportedly housed 10–15 people at the time of the incident. Speaking with ANI, Raghunandan Sharma, a resident, said, “The short circuit occurred around 6 AM, and it kept spreading. The fire brigade was immediately informed, but they arrived after 40 minutes. Their ladder was not working, and the hydraulic machine also didn’t work properly. If they had arrived on time, the incident could have been less disastrous. Several dead bodies have already been recovered, and more are feared.”



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Teachers: Why no paternity leave for school staff? | Mumbai News
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Teachers: Why no paternity leave for school staff? | Mumbai News


Mumbai: A teachers’ body wrote to CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday seeking extension of paternity leave and childcare leave (CCL) benefits to school and junior college staff, flagging disparities in existing provisions.It said while male staffers in state govt and degree colleges are entitled to 15 days of paternity leave, those working in schools and junior colleges are not covered under the policy. The representation termed the exclusion inequitable and called for uniform application of leave benefits across institutions. “Why should teachers in schools and junior colleges be denied [paternity leave]? The rules need to be uniform for all educators in the state,” said Shriprakash Dixit, president of Mumbai Regional Junior College Teachers Organisation, in the letter. The letter also highlighted gaps in CCL provisions, noting that women staffers in aided schools are eligible for 180 days of leave as per a July 23, 2018, govt resolution, but those employed in unaided schools are excluded. It urged govt to extend paternity leave to male staff in schools and junior colleges and grant CCL to women in unaided institutions.



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‘Fly to India for free’: DHS uses Taj Mahal to promote ‘self-deportation’ with $2,600 incentive for undocumented migrants
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‘Fly to India for free’: DHS uses Taj Mahal to promote ‘self-deportation’ with $2,600 incentive for undocumented migrants


The US Department of Homeland Security promoted a “self-deportation” scheme using imagery of India’s Taj Mahal and offering financial incentives to undocumented migrants who agree to leave the country voluntarily.In a post shared on social media, the department appeared to advertise free flights to India alongside a cash benefit of up to $2,600 for those choosing to exit the United States on their own. The message featured the Taj Mahal, suggesting that the programme was an easier and more beneficial alternative to forced deportation. It also featured China and Colombia, which have large populations in the US as immigrants.

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India On Target? Taj Mahal In Controversial US Deportation Ad Sparks Debate Over Migrant Exit Policy

Under the initiative, migrants without legal status are encouraged to notify authorities of their intention to leave. In return, they may receive assistance with travel arrangements and a financial payout. Officials say the programme is designed to reduce enforcement costs and ease pressure on detention systems, while also allowing individuals to avoid legal penalties linked to formal deportation.However, the campaign has drawn backlash, particularly over its use of cultural imagery. Social media argued that using the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, risks trivialising a serious issue. Some have also questioned whether the messaging unfairly targets specific communities, raising concerns about racism and xenophobia, or oversimplifies the complex realities faced by undocumented migrants.

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Do you think the self-deportation scheme effectively addresses the issue of undocumented migrants?

Immigration advocates say the offer of money and free travel may appeal to those in difficult situations, but warn that such schemes can mask long-term consequences. Leaving the US voluntarily under these programmes may still affect a person’s ability to return legally in the future, depending on their immigration history.The DHS has also advised migrants to use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app to begin the process, allowing them to register their intent to leave the country voluntarily, submit their details, and access information about travel assistance and the financial incentive offered under the programme.



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3 held for bursting crackers outside jail | Mumbai News
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3 held for bursting crackers outside jail | Mumbai News


Kalyan: Khadakpada police in Kalyan have arrested three persons for allegedly bursting firecrackers outside Adharwadi jail to celebrate the birthday of a purported goon who has been lodged in the prison. One of the accused is absconding, police officials said.Police sources said Rohit Jagdale, Kshitij Bhagat, Akash Khadse and another person set off firecrackers to mark the birthday of Ulhasnagar-based goon Satish alias Satya Bhai Kamble. This, they said, created disturbance in the area and raised security concerns. Assistant commissioner of police Kalyanji Ghete said, “After we learned about the bursting of crackers, Khadakpada police registered an offence, launched a search operation and apprehended three of the accused. Efforts are on to trace the fourth suspect.” Police also took out a procession of the three arrested accused as part of strict action initiated to send out a strong message against such unlawful activities. —Pradeep Gupta



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Bengaluru shocker: Man takes 17-year-old fiancé to abandoned house, slits her throat | Bengaluru News
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Bengaluru shocker: Man takes 17-year-old fiancé to abandoned house, slits her throat | Bengaluru News


Image Used For Representational Purpose Only

BENGALURU: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly killed by her fiancé in Bengaluru on Tuesday, police said.According to investigators, the accused, identified as 25-year-old Sabeel, had taken the girl to an abandoned house in the DH Halli area, where he is suspected to have slit her throat.The case came to light after the girl’s body was found lying in a pool of blood. It was discovered by members of the accused’s family, who then alerted the police.Officers said preliminary findings indicate that the two were engaged.“We have registered a case of murder against him and are on the lookout for the suspect, who is absconding. The motive behind the murder is not clear yet and is part of our investigation,” a senior police officer said.Police have launched a search to trace the accused and are continuing their investigation into the circumstances leading up to the killing.



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CM Devendra Fadnavis announces special drive and fresh notification to ban use of plastic flowers at festivals and banquet halls in Maharashtra | Mumbai News
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CM Devendra Fadnavis announces special drive and fresh notification to ban use of plastic flowers at festivals and banquet halls in Maharashtra | Mumbai News


Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the state govt will launch a special drive against the growing use of plastic flowers and issue a fresh notification to ban their use at festivals, banquet halls and similar venues, while prescribing stringent fines and punishment for violators.Replying to a discussion in the legislative council, Fadnavis said natural flowers were being replaced by plastic flowers in a big way, hurting farmers and creating environmental damage. He said the govt would create a mechanism to stop the practice completely and direct the BMC to crack down on markets dealing in such material. Banquet halls and similar establishments will be served notices, and not only sellers but also hall owners where plastic flowers are used will face prosecution. MLC Anil Parab urged the govt to provide a deadline before beginning strict enforcement. Parab said an immediate crackdown could disrupt weddings and lead to the closure of halls across Mumbai. He suggested a window period for offenders to comply before punitive action begins. Accepting the suggestion, Fadnavis said the date for enforcement would be notified soon through a fresh govt order. The notification, he said, will clearly mention penalties and punishment for sellers as well as owners of banquet halls where plastic flowers are found in use. The issue was raised in the council over the large-scale sale of plastic flowers during Ganeshotsav and other festivals, with members pointing out that farmers producing natural flowers were not getting fair prices, causing major losses to cultivators and the flower market. Members also flagged the environmental harm caused by plastic flowers and asked why a ban announced in the previous monsoon session had not yet been formally notified. Environment and Climate Change minister Pankaja Munde said a complete ban on plastic and thermocol used for decorative purposes already exists under the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Notification, 2018. She said the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board also issued a circular in 2025 advising against the use of artificial flowers during the festival season. Munde said from April 2025 to Jan 2026, authorities inspected 1,24,783 establishments under the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Waste Control Act, 2006, took action against 3,390 violators, collected Rs 1.55 crore in fines and seized 67.54 metric tonnes of single-use plastic.



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Mrunaltai Gore flyover extension cost escalation comes under scrutiny | Mumbai News
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Mrunaltai Gore flyover extension cost escalation comes under scrutiny | Mumbai News


Mumbai: Escalating costs in the extension of the Mrunaltai Gore Flyover in Goregaon came under scrutiny at the civic standing committee on Wednesday, with members flagging that the project cost has nearly tripled over the past seven years.The contract for the construction of the extended flyover spanning S V Road from Ram Mandir Road to Relief Road was initially approved at Rs 209.64 crore, including various taxes. However, the project cost has now escalated by Rs 38.33 crore, bringing the total to Rs 247.97 crore. The construction work is being carried out through the joint venture company MEPL-GYAN JV.The escalation proposal, tabled for final approval, was deferred after corporators across party lines raised concerns over delays, planning lapses, and the role of the consultant and contractor. The committee has now decided to conduct a joint site visit with civic engineers before taking a final call.UBT Shiv Sena corporator Yashodhar Phanse, who sought the visit, questioned the prolonged delay in completing the flyover extension, saying that the project has been pending for over seven years. BJP corporator Priti Satam raised doubts over the initial planning and the consultant’s estimates, asking how discrepancies surfaced only after four years. She also flagged the possibility of a nexus between the consultant and contractor.Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar demanded that both the consultant and civic engineers be present during the site inspection to explain the reasons behind the cost escalation.Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi questioned why no penalties were imposed on the contractor despite the prolonged delay. He also raised concerns over the allocation of nearly Rs 15 crore towards resurfacing and installation of noise barriers, asking why such expenditures were not flagged earlier.Standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde said members will visit the project site in Goregaon along with officials to assess the situation on the ground. A decision on approving the revised cost will be taken after the inspection.



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Titanium orthopaedic supply could become a casualty of Gulf crisis | Mumbai News
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Titanium orthopaedic supply could become a casualty of Gulf crisis | Mumbai News



Mumbai: As the ongoing Middle-East conflict chokes global shipping routes, orthopaedic patients risk a spike in costs or delays in treatment for titanium implants. Some manufacturing companies report their raw material is currently stranded in Europe, with no clear timeline for when supplies will resume.Titanium implants are already far more expensive than the alternatives but considered the best due to better safety and biocompatibility. While some manufacturers have a six-month stock of raw materials, others have inventory lasting only a month.Health economist Pritam Dutta at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy said India depends heavily on imports to manufacture medical devices and consumables. If the situation persists, he said, it is likely to lead to both rising prices and localised shortages. “Private hospitals will likely pass on higher costs to patients, while public hospitals may respond by rationing supplies, which could create access barriers for poorer patients,” Dutta said.TOI spoke with titanium implant manufacturers whose products are used by city-based doctors. One such is Jayon Implants, a manufacturer in Kerala, which has about 14 to 15 tonnes of titanium stuck in Germany. T C Jayasankar, the company’s managing director, said, “Our supplies will last for another month. It is just a wait and watch for now. The alternatives are Japan, which is expensive. We can also import from China but in a limited capacity.“Dr Manish Kothari, consultant spine surgeon at Jaslok Hospital, said as of now the pressure companies face is not trickling down to hospitals or patients. He said for spinal procedures it is almost exclusive that titanium is the preferred metal. “There are alternatives like steel but titanium is far safer for the body. The bone binds with the metal so risk of infection is lower.”Dr Nadir Shah, head of the orthopaedics department at JJ Hospital, said stainless steel is the cheapest implant; it is generally safe but still carries the risk of adverse reaction. “In private hospitals where patients face no budget constraints, doctors often opt exclusively for titanium. It can cost three to four times more than alternatives because it is a non-reactive metal. Due to cost factors, public hospitals use it on a case-by-case basis, but we widely use it for spinal surgeries,” he said.Another supplier of titanium-based spinal implants is Gujarat-based Sharma Orthopedic. Nikul Patel, one of the managers there, said their shipment of about 100 to 150 tonnes of titanium rods is stuck in Germany. “With the current inventory, we can stretch it for six months.”Dr Shubranshu Mohanty, professor and unit head at KEM Hospital’s orthopaedic department, said titanium is also commonly used in joint replacement implants. A representative from the Indian arm of Warsaw-based Zimmer Biomet, whose knee and hip replacement implants are used by hospitals in the city, said these are manufactured abroad and imported but shipment is delayed.Meanwhile, Dutta said supply of polypropylene is also disrupted; it is a key raw material in the production of syringes, IV bags and blood bags. “India needs to build strategic reserves and treat medical supply chains as a national health security priority.”



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Delay in initiating Mithi river desilting leads to debate over monsoon preparedness | Mumbai News
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Delay in initiating Mithi river desilting leads to debate over monsoon preparedness | Mumbai News


Mumbai: Delays in initiating desilting work of the 18 km Mithi river led to a large debate at the civic standing committee meeting on Wednesday, with corporators across party lines raising an alarm over the absence of a contractor and the looming monsoon.Members questioned the BMC administration on its preparedness, pointing out that the deadline for the Mithi desilting tender has already lapsed without any response from contractors. They warned that any further delay in beginning the desilting works could aggravate flooding risks, especially if the monsoon arrives early.A point of order was raised by Congress party leader corporator Ashraf Azmi, who flagged the situation in pockets of Kurla, which is his corporator ward, stating that it is already vulnerable during high tide. “Water enters buses in our area during high tide itself. If Mithi desilting does not happen, how will the administration tackle flooding?” he asked, adding that the issue was serious enough to warrant urgent intervention rather than procedural delays.Shiv Sena party leader Amey Ghole said the tidal impact along the Mithi’s outfall affects areas from Dadar to Wadala, and demanded clarity on the administration’s action plan in the coming days. “By March 23, when the BMC house will meet, everyone should be informed about the course of action as concerns over the Mithi are among many elected representatives whose wards get impacted because of the flooding,” he said.Raising concerns over recurring monsoon vulnerabilities, Congress corporator Tulip Miranda questioned whether the administration was “waiting for another calamity”, stating that desilting work was carried out in previous years, so why is starting the work facing so many hurdles. “Have all the police inquiries of the past year led to some kind of a fright?” said Miranda.NCP corporator Dr Saeeda Khan also flagged the tidal impact in her ward and asked how seriously the administration was treating Mithi-related flood preparedness.UBT Shiv Sena corporator Shraddha Jadhav said that, similar to last year, if the city sees early monsoon, it’s unlikely that any amount of desilting works would be done at all of Mithi.Additional municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar said that they haven’t received any bidders yet following an extension but have decided to again extend the deadline. “This is a last seven-day extension that we are giving,” said Bangar. The BMC has also not received any bids for desilting of major nullahs in zone 5, which includes wards of eastern suburbs like M east, M west.



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Cheating cases in SSC & HSC exams drop, but severity rises | Mumbai News
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Cheating cases in SSC & HSC exams drop, but severity rises | Mumbai News


Pune: The SSC and HSC exams that ended on Wednesday were marred by mass copying cases, circulation of question papers on social media, and a security breach in Sangola in Solapur district.A strongroom storing question papers was broken into in Sangola and some 50 papers were stolen early on Tuesday, a day before the SSC geography exam. There were fewer overall malpractice cases, but the violations were more serious. Cheating cases in the SSC exam declined from 93 in 2025 to 72 this time, while HSC cases dropped from 364 to 237. FIRs in SSC-related cases remained at four, but for HSC cases, they increased from 10 to 15, indicating stricter enforcement. Unlike last year, when no staff faced action, three SSC and 100 HSC personnel were suspended this time around for involvement or negligence. State board chairman Trigun Kulkarni attributed the decline in numbers to stronger monitoring systems, but acknowledged that the nature of malpractices has become more serious and organised, raising concerns about exam integrity despite improved detection and enforcement mechanisms. “The drop in overall cases is a result of strengthened monitoring systems. The reduction in numbers shows that our preventive mechanisms are working. At the same time, the detection of serious offences proves that our vigilance systems are robust and capable of identifying malpractice at any level,” he told TOI.Kulkarni said the reporting of such incidents was the result of systemic efficiency, rather than failure. “Earlier, many such cases would go undetected. Today, with CCTV monitoring, flying squads, and digital surveillance, we can identify and act on even the most sophisticated attempts,” he added.Other board officials said such incidents highlight a shift from isolated cheating to organised attempts involving technology and coordinated efforts, making enforcement more challenging.Ramesh Pise, a govt school’s former principal, said while the board claimed success in reducing overall numbers, the seriousness of breaches underscores the need for continued vigilance. “New methods of cheating, ranging from social media leaks to coordinated theft, are beginning to test the system’s resilience.”



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