Author: TheStateLine

Chandigarh, Jan 21 (IANS) Punjab Police have busted a cross-border illegal arms module linked to Pakistan-based smugglers with the arrest of two operatives and recovered six sophisticated pistols from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Wednesday.Those arrested have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi (22), and Surjit Singh (35). The latter has a criminal history with several cases, including those registered under the NDPS Act, against him. The recovered weapons include two 9MM Glock pistols and four .30 bore pistols, along with two cartridges. DGP Yadav said the accused were involved in illegal arms trafficking and supplying weapons to gangsters under directions of their foreign-based handlers. Further investigations are ongoin...

Betul, Jan 21 (IANS) A road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district claimed the life of a young schoolgirl and left several children seriously injured on Wednesday, sparking concerns over road safety in the region.The incident occurred near the Purna River in the Bhainsdehi police station area, around 60 km from the district headquarters, police officials said.A school van carrying young students collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle, causing the van to overturn violently. The crash occurred in the early hours, turning a routine school journey into a scene of horror.Harshita Patankar, a Class 3 student, died on the spot.A total of 15 school-going children were travelling in the van. Of them, 11 children sustained injuries, with five in a critical condition.Local residents rushed to...

Hyderabad, Jan 21 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has proposed to host a follow-up meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) every July in Hyderabad. The proposal received unanimous support from global business leaders and policy makers during the 'Join The Rise' event held in Davos, according to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) here.Stating that one year is a very long time for follow-ups in modern business cycles and making investment decisions, the Chief Minister proposed to the WEF to organise another follow-up forum every year, in July or August, in Hyderabad.He added that the recent Telangana Rising Global Summit was very successful, attracting investments worth over Rs 5.75 lakh crore. "Normally, we come to Davos to sign MoUs, but this year, after the Global Busine...

Chennai, Jan 21 (IANS) The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, on Wednesday strongly reprimanded a senior advocate for making allegations of judicial bias against a sitting judge while mentioning a criminal matter involving YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar.The remarks were made when the counsel appeared before the first Division Bench, comprising the Chief Justice and Justice G. Arul Murugan, and complained that Justice P. Velmurugan had been biased against his client while hearing a petition filed by the Greater Chennai City Police seeking cancellation of interim bail.Objecting firmly, the Chief Justice said that any judicial order passed by a court must be challenged only through legally recognised remedies, such as appeals.“Any order can be taken on appeal. ...

Chandigarh, Jan 21 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, while interacting with startup founders and entrepreneurs during a pre-budget consultation programme in Manesar, said on Wednesday that young innovators and startups are giving a new direction to the state's economy.The Chief Minister said, 'National Startup Day' was celebrated on January 16, and "today's pre-budget consultation is a continuation of that celebration".Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "Startup India is not merely a government scheme, but a 'Rainbow Vision' that connects different sectors with new possibilities."He said a startup "is an idea that needs to be given a concrete shape. It is a small seed, which with the right support, can grow into a huge tree".The Chief Minister ...

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) The Election Commission of India launched its landmark three-day India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 on Wednesday at Bharat Mandapam, positioning it as the largest global gathering dedicated to election management and democratic practices ever hosted by the country.The event commenced with a formal reception ceremony where Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, warmly welcomed nearly 60 international delegates representing heads of election management bodies from around the world. The grand inaugural session drew an impressive attendance of about 1,000 participants, including representatives from 42 election management bodies, ambassadors and ...

Raipur/Bijapur, Jan 21 (IANS) Maoists struck terror in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district by brutally murdering a former sarpanch, reigniting fear among villagers in this Maoist-affected region of the Bastar division, an official said on Wednesday.The victim, identified as Bhima Madkam (also known as Madakam), a resident of Kanchal village aged around 35-40, was shot dead in his agricultural field at Kaurgatta village under the Pamed police station area.Eyewitnesses reported that armed Maoists ambushed him while he was working in the field, firing multiple rounds from an AK-47 rifle in a cold-blooded attack.The assailants fled immediately after the shooting, leaving the scene in chaos as locals panicked. Police sources confirmed the involvement of Maoists, citing the use of sophisticated weap...

Bengaluru, Jan 21 (IANS) Invaluables Bengaluru has launched ‘Recycle Resolutions’, a culture-led campaign featuring musical reels by comedian-creator Shraddha Jain, popularly known as Aiyyo Shraddha, and musician Vasu Dixit, aimed at encouraging citizens to follow simple waste practices that improve recyclability and uphold the dignity of the city’s waste pickers.Designed as short-form digital reels, the campaign uses rap and music as a storytelling format to deliver clear, relatable messages on responsible waste handling.Invaluables Bengaluru said the reels are seeing growing organic traction on social media, driven by their simplicity and cultural relevance.Through individual musical reels, Jain and Dixit highlight how these actions directly affect the safety, efficiency and dignity of i...