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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Assam bridge collapse: 5 arrested, action taken against cops; magisterial probe ordered
Five people have been arrested and disciplinary action has been initiated against three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector, in connection with a bridge collapse incident in Assam's Cachar district, a senior police officer said. The newly repaired bridge over the Harang River on the Silchar–Kalain Road collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday when two overloaded trucks were passing through it, violating weight restrictions. Though there were no casualties, the incident disrupted road connectivity between Assam's Barak Valley and neighbouring states — Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur — via Meghalaya. Locals alleged that the trucks exceeded the permissible weight limit and that police officials were complicit in allowing the overloaded vehicles to pass. Cachar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Numal Mahatta said that preliminary evidence suggests the collapse was triggered by an accident involving one of the trucks. 'It was raining heavily, and one of the trucks, likely speeding, hit a portion of the bridge while crossing. We are investigating the matter, and action has been taken against three police personnel for allowing the trucks through the checkpoint,' Mahatta said. The incident has massively impacted local transportation, as the police, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have begun operating boat services to assist residents. Assam minister Kaushik Rai has ordered a high-level probe and directed officials to submit a detailed report on priority. 'I inspected the site and have ordered an investigation. Boat services have been arranged for residents, and alternate routes have been opened for light vehicles,' Rai said. Cachar district magistrate Mridul Yadav said two alternate routes have been arranged for light vehicles from Barak Valley and neighbouring states. 'It is not true that Barak Valley has been cut off from the rest of the country. We've arranged alternate routes for the movement of light vehicles,' he said. Yadav also announced that a new bridge will be installed over the river using pre-fabricated materials sourced from Patna. 'It's a ready-to-install Bailey bridge. The materials will take five days to reach, and installation will take another 10 days. We expect normal traffic to resume in 15 days,' he said. A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed, and the police have arrested five people: Nizam Uddin Barbhuiya, Kripashindu Baishnab, Altaf Hussain Barbhuiya, Sankhu Bhattacharjee, and Gautam Chandra Paul. Three of the arrested individuals are employees of the Central Weighbridge, an Assam government-approved facility, while two are staffers of Bharat Electronics Weighbridge, a Haryana-based construction firm. Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev alleged that a syndicate engaged in the illegal transportation of limestone and other materials from Barak Valley is behind the incident. 'The bridge collapsed just weeks after repairs, despite crores being spent. The trucks were overloaded, and yet they passed through multiple checkpoints. I believe a major conspiracy is at play, and big names in the government are involved,' Dev said. She also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said, 'When a bridge collapses in West Bengal, the PM calls it an 'act of fraud.' But now that a similar incident has occurred in BJP-ruled Assam, he is silent.'
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Ashoka University opens special window for students reluctant to go to the US
MUMBAI : Ashoka University has opened a 'special admission" round for students who secured admissions in the US-based colleges but are reluctant to move to the US amid the Trump administration's crackdown on campus protests. Analysts expect other private universities to follow suit as the Haryana-based private university claims to have received 'significant interest" from this group of students. 'This announcement has generated significant interest among students who had initially planned to study in the US, reflecting growing interest in high-quality education options within India," the university told Mint. Also Read: Study abroad: From class 9 to Harvard and Yale—how Indian teens are preparing for the Ivy League The announcement comes at a time when many Indian parents are concerned that political clashes and US education visa curbs will impact the future of their children. 'This will be followed by other private universities that have a global standing and want to be seen as an alternative option to a foreign degree," said Narayanan Ramaswamy, partner and leader for education and skill development practice at consulting firm KPMG. No longer the go-to country This may lead to other countries gaining popularity as well. The number of Indian students studying in the US in the 2023-24 academic year hit an all-time high of 331,602, rising 23% on-year, showed data provided by Open Doors, a portal for international students. However, the second Donald Trump administration has come down heavily on Ivy League universities, especially Harvard University, following a series of pro-Palestine protests throughout 2024. Also Read: Uncertainty for Indian students as Harvard loses right to enrol foreigners, sues US government The Trump administration asked Harvard to share information on foreign student misconduct, including its reported collaboration with the Communist Party of China (CPC)-affiliated entities, alleged failure to act against antisemitism, campus violence, and ties to foreign adversaries. When the university refused to comply, the US Department of Homeland Security revoked its certification to host international students for the 2025-26 academic year. The US government website states that the student and exchange visitor programme (SEVP) collects, maintains, analyses and provides information so that only legitimate foreign students or exchange visitors gain entry to the country. The battle is now in the courts. Ashoka University, whose founders include Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder of job site R.K. Damani, founder of DMart; and Ashok Trivedi, co-founder of IGate, opened a special admissions window on Thursday for students who have received confirmed offers from universities in the US but are now seeking admission to the college's undergraduate programmes starting this August. Also Read: Columbia missed the bus of academic freedom that Harvard took 'To be considered, applicants must submit their confirmed offer from a US institution along with the original college application form submitted to that university," said the university.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab cops ready dossier on controversial influencers
Chandigarh: Following the murder of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, popularly known as Kamal Kaur 'Bhabhi', by a self-styled vigilante group led by nihang Amritpal Singh Mehron on June 9, Punjab Police have initiated a crackdown on controversial online influencers. The incident has brought renewed focus on the growing influence — and perceived threat — of certain digital content creators. According to senior officials from the intelligence wing, police are now scrutinising several popular social media accounts alleged to be promoting vulgar content, double-meaning language, or posts that may disturb public order. 'Using human intelligence, we are identifying such accounts and will begin the process of removing objectionable content,' said an official of the intelligence wing requesting anonymity. The cyber cell of Punjab Police has already flagged nearly 100 controversial posts to respective platforms for removal under the IT Act. Many of these include videos and statements from self-styled influencers who have gained notoriety for provocative content, the official said. The case has also led to increased threats against other influencers. Deepika Luthra and Simarjeet Kaur — known online as 'Preet Jatti' — have reportedly received threats from extremist elements. Luthra was specifically threatened by Babbar Khalsa International and has since been provided security by Punjab Police. She deactivated her Instagram account on Tuesday. In a related development, Jasbir Singh, a Ropar-based YouTuber running the channel 'Jaan Mahal', was arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani handlers. He is accused of links with Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra and expelled Pakistani diplomat Ehsan-ur-Rahim, having visited Pakistan three times in the past five years. In Jalandhar, a grenade was hurled outside the residence of influencer Rozer Sandhu in Maqsudan. The attack was claimed by Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, who said it was in response to alleged derogatory remarks made against Islam by the YouTuber. With hardliner factions increasingly clashing with digital personalities, Punjab Police is now treating the monitoring of social media as a matter of internal security, and more action is expected in the coming weeks. 'Free for all on social media' The cyber cell wing of Punjab Police monitors the activities of social media influencers only after receiving formal complaints, said a senior official. Additional director general of police (ADGP), cyber cell, V Neerja said: 'We come into the picture whenever the local police forward a complaint to us. The head of the cyber cell is authorised to take up the matter with the platform where the controversial post has been made.' She added that the state government, through the cyber cell, reports objectionable posts to platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram for removal. If these platforms fail to act, legal provisions under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act come into force. Section 79 generally grants a 'safe harbour' to intermediaries, protecting them from liability for user-generated content. However, Section 79(3)(b) removes this protection if an intermediary, after receiving actual knowledge or government notification about unlawful content, fails to remove or disable access to it promptly without tampering with evidence. Further, Section 67A of the IT Act can be invoked if platforms ignore government requests, leading to intervention by the ministry of electronics and information technology, according to a senior cyber cell official. The official also noted that despite Kamal Kaur's large following — around 4,50,000 on Instagram and a similar number on Facebook — no complaints were ever filed with the police about objectionable content on her accounts. 'Ironically, after her murder, her social media followers increased by around 50,000,' the official said. Over the past two years, Punjab Police's cyber cell has facilitated the removal of approximately 8,000 objectionable posts from various social media platforms.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Haryana: Model killed on suspicion of being in another relationship
A 30-year-old man arrested on charges of murdering 23-year-old Haryana-based model Sheetal Chaudhry told the investigators on Tuesday that he 'killed the model because she was planning to marry another man', police officers aware of the matter said. The accused, who is married and has two children, was produced before a local court in Panipat, which sent him in two-day police remand, officials cited above said, adding that Sheetal's mobile phone and slippers were recovered from the car of the accused Sunil. According to Panipat deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Satish Kumar, CCTV footage from the night of June 14 shows Sheetal and Sunil getting into his car. 'A heated argument took place when Sheetal started talking to a man (whom she wanted to marry) and Sunil lost his temper. He took out a knife from the dashboard of the car and attacked her. Then, he threw Sheetal's body in a canal in Panipat,' the cop added. The body of the model was found in a canal in Kharkhauda area in Sonepat district on Monday, a day after her sister Neha filed a missing complaint on the night of June 15, saying that Sheetal left home to shoot a music video on June 14, but did not return, police said, adding that Sunil was arrested by Monday evening. Neha said that before Sheetal started making music videos, she used to work at Sunil's hotel in Karnal till six months ago. ASI Anil Kumar, investigating officer from Urlana Kalan police check-post in Panipat, said Sunil and Sheetal had reportedly been friends for 4-5 years and she worked at Sunil's hotel in Karnal till six months ago. Kumar said that when she worked at Sunil's hotel, the two were allegedly in a relationship but she started maintaining a distance from him after she got to know that he was a father of two. According to Panipat deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Satish Kumar, Sunil confessed to killing Sheetal with a knife. 'Sunil suspected that Sheetal was in a relationship with another person…On June 14, Sunil went to Ahar village in the district where Sheetal had gone for a music album shoot. After the shoot, he pressured her to go to Panipat with him,' the DSP added. Police said that Sunil was planning to dispose of his car but Sheetal's body was found before he could do it. According to police Sheetal, who also used the alias of Simmy, got married to a man from Panipat, Sandeep Kumar, nine nine-years ago and got divorced four years back due to frequent disputes over her wish to pursue a career in modelling. The couple has two children.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Oswal Pumps IPO subscribed 34.42 times on Day 3; Check latest GMP, subscription status, other details
Haryana-based manufacturer and distributor of pumps, Oswal Pumps Limited's initial public offering (IPO) received a strong response on the final day of the public subscription. The issue was subscribed 34.42 times on the third day as the bidding closed on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. The company offered a book-built issue consisting of a fresh issue of 1.45 crore shares, amounting to ₹ 890 crore, and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 0.81 crore shares, amounting to ₹ 497.34 crore. The company plans to raise ₹ 1,387.34 crore from the Indian stock market. Out of the three bidding segments, the Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) subscribed to the IPO the most, coming in at 88.08 times, as investors bid for 40,01,38,176 or over 40.01 crore equity shares compared to the 45,43,116 shares on offer. The Non-Institutional Investors (NIIs) followed the QIB lead, coming in at 36.70 times subscription as investors bid for 12,84,70,944 or 12.84 crore equity shares compared to the 35,00,959 shares on offer. The retail segment witnessed 3.6 times bidding as investors subscribed for 2,94,33,576 or 2.94 crore shares, compared to the 81,68,905 shares on offer. As of Tuesday, 17 June 2025, the grey market premium (GMP) of the Oswal Pumps IPO stood at ₹ 72 per share. With the upper price band at ₹ 614, the shares are expected to be listed at ₹ 686 per share with a premium of 11.73 per cent, according to data collected from The Grey Market Premium (GMP) is an indicator of investors' willingness to subscribe to a primary issue. After the final day of bidding, the GMP jumped by ₹ 16 to its current level of ₹ 72 per share, compared to ₹ 56 apiece on Monday. Oswal Pumps IPO is a combination of a fresh issue of 1.45 crore equity shares worth ₹ 890 crore, and an offer-for-sale (OFS) component of 81 lakh shares amounting to ₹ 497.34 crore. The company fixed the price band of the public offer in the range of ₹ 584 to ₹ 614 per share, with a lot size of 24 shares per lot. IIFL Capital Services, Axis Capital, CLSA India, JM Financial, Nuvama Wealth Management are the book-runners for the public issue, while MUFG Intime India (Link Intime) is the registrar of the public offer. Read all stories by Anubhav Mukherjee Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
