India, China agree to push boundary talks
India and China have agreed to accelerate discussions on boundary delimitation and strengthen mechanisms to prevent misunderstandings along the Line of Actual Control, reported the Hindustan Times.
India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reached an eight-point consensus in Beijing, including additional military meeting points and hotlines. An expert-level meeting on trans-border rivers is also planned for September.
77 from Sadhguru’s group caught in Tibet-Nepal flood crisis
Spiritual leader Sadhguru said 77 people from a Kailash pilgrimage group linked to his organisation were at an immigration centre when flash floods struck Gyirong near the Tibet-Nepal border.
Rescue efforts are underway amid disrupted communications, reported NDTV.
Hundreds of pilgrims remain in Tibet and Nepal, while families in India anxiously await information about relatives travelling in the affected region.
Water cannon used on Bihar protesters
Police on Aug 26 used water cannon and detained dozens of protesters in Patna as they attempted to march towards the governor’s residence demanding cancellation of a Bihar civil services recruitment examination.
Protesters allege question-paper leaks and irregularities in the December 2024 test, reported Reuters.
More than 300,000 candidates competed for 2,000 positions, which were eventually filled in June.
‘Cockroach’ group plans Delhi march
The Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical pressure group that emerged from student protests, plans another march in New Delhi on Sept 5, reported Bloomberg.
It accuses the government of failing to honour commitments made in July, including compensation for families of exam candidates who died by suicide and withdrawal of police cases against protesters. The group says the demonstration will be peaceful.
Supreme Court strengthens elephant protection
The Supreme Court has ordered states to take stronger measures to protect wild elephants and keep their migration corridors unobstructed, reported NDTV.
Authorities must survey routes and identify barriers restricting elephant movement.
The court also ordered a ban on “hulla parties”, which use fireballs and burning stakes to drive elephants away, amid increasing habitat loss and human-elephant conflict.
Jewellery ad withdrawn after outfit row
Jewellery brand Giva has withdrawn a Rakshabandhan advertisement featuring Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon following criticism over her outfit.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut questioned the appropriateness of Kriti’s cropped ensemble for the traditional festival.
Kriti defended herself, saying culture and tradition reside in a woman’s heart rather than her neckline, but the company subsequently pulled the advertisement.
MLA says daughter, policewoman both erred
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party MLA B. Suresh Gowda has apologised after his daughter Aishwarya was filmed slapping police sub-inspector Savitha Patil at a temple.
While acknowledging his daughter was wrong, Mr Suresh claimed the officer had abused Ms Aishwarya and her husband, reported NDTV.
A police case has been filed against Ms Aishwarya for offences including assaulting a public servant, but she has not been detained.
Fisherman booked over Gangetic dolphin
A fisherman in Bihar’s Saharsa district has been booked after allegedly catching a Gangetic dolphin in the Kosi river and saying he intended to kill it for its oil, reported NDTV.
A local resident filmed the incident and warned him that hunting India’s national aquatic animal was illegal. The fisherman later allegedly abandoned the dolphin near the riverbank and fled.
Gold capsules found in passenger’s mouth
An Indian passenger was caught at Bengaluru airport allegedly attempting to smuggle 82g of suspected gold concealed inside his mouth, reported NDTV.
Central Industrial Security Force personnel became suspicious of his behaviour during security screening and discovered two capsules.
The passenger, who had arrived from Dubai and was preparing to fly to Ghaziabad, was handed over to police for further investigation.
Cab drivers challenge Marathi requirement
Four app-based cab drivers have challenged Maharashtra’s requirement that taxi, auto-rickshaw and app-based drivers possess practical knowledge of Marathi.
Their Bombay High Court petition argues the rule exceeds the state’s powers under the Motor Vehicles Act and violates constitutional rights, reported NDTV.
They also warned that suspending or cancelling permits for non-compliance could threaten the livelihoods of many commercial drivers.
Five killed in Telangana bus crash
Five people were killed and around 20 seriously injured when a private bus carrying 42 passengers crashed into an iron-rod-laden truck in Telangana’s Suryapet district, reported NDTV.
The accident occurred early on Aug 26 on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. Iron rods pierced the bus following the collision, trapping passengers and forcing police to conduct an hour-long rescue operation.
Food safety lapses found at Delhi hotels
The food safety regulator has issued notices to hotels JW Marriott and Andaz in Delhi after inspections allegedly uncovered serious hygiene violations, reported the Hindustan times.
At JW Marriott, inspectors reported finding cockroaches, fruit flies, spoiled and fungus-affected food, dirty utensils and food-contact surfaces, improper storage and potential cross-contamination risks.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India initiated action following the inspections.
Injured tiger dies during treatment
An adult male tiger rescued in critical condition from Uttarakhand’s Terai West forest division has died while undergoing treatment at Corbett National Park, reported india Today.
Wildlife veterinarians had kept the animal under round-the-clock observation after it was moved to the Dhela rescue centre.
A veterinary panel conducted a postmortem according to National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines.
