India in 2 Minutes for the Week of March 13

Farooq Abdullah survives assassination attempt

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Jammu on March 11 when an attacker fired at him from close range during a wedding event.

National Security Guard commandos pushed the gunman, causing the shot to miss.

The suspect, Kamal Singh Jamwal, 65, was arrested. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the incident as an attempt on his father’s life.

177 Indians repatriated from Lebanon, 500 leave Qatar

The Indian government has stepped up efforts to assist citizens in West Asia amid escalating tensions.

A batch of 177 Indians was repatriated from Lebanon to New Delhi on a chartered flight, while over 500 Indians departed Qatar on commercial flights to India.

Officials said additional flights are scheduled as embassies continue coordinating safe travel for stranded nationals.

Small steelmakers warn of production cuts

Small steel producers in India have warned of major production cuts as Middle East tensions disrupt liquefied natural gas supplies.

Several mills in Gujarat rely heavily on imported LNG and say shortages could halve production.

Rising coal costs and shrinking margins have also added pressure, forcing companies to reconsider pricing and output decisions.

Two arrested over killing of Bangladesh student leader

Police in West Bengal have arrested two Bangladeshi nationals suspected of involvement in the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Authorities said the suspects entered India illegally after the shooting in Dhaka in 2025.

Mr Hadi later died in a Singapore hospital. His death sparked violent protests in Bangladesh and strained ties with India.

Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

Karnataka has announced a ban on social media use for children under 16, becoming the first Indian state to take such a step.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the move aims to reduce the harmful effects of excessive mobile and internet use among minors.

Iranian warship allowed to dock in Kochi

The Indian government allowed an Iranian naval vessel to dock at Kochi port on humanitarian grounds after the ship requested assistance, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said.

The vessel arrived on March 4, the same day the United States sank another Iranian warship near Sri Lanka during ongoing hostilities. Mr Jaishankar said India handled the situation from a humanitarian perspective.

Deal signed for Indonesia to procure BrahMos missiles

Indonesia has signed an agreement with India to procure the BrahMos missile system as part of efforts to modernise its defence capabilities.

The missiles, developed through an India-Russia joint venture, will strengthen Indonesia’s maritime deterrence.

Officials said the deal also deepens defence cooperation between the two countries.

The Philippines earlier became the first foreign buyer.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers resigns

IndiGo chief executive Pieter Elbers has resigned, the airline announced on March 10.

Managing director Rahul Bhatia will oversee operations until a replacement is appointed.

The resignation comes months after thousands of flights were cancelled due to stricter pilot fatigue rules, drawing scrutiny of the airline’s operations in India’s rapidly expanding aviation market.

PM Modi backs Keralam name change

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed central approval to adopt the name “Keralam” for the southern state of Kerala.

Speaking at an event in Kochi, he said the name better reflects the region’s cultural identity.

Mr Modi added that Keralam’s geography, climate and technology sector position it well for growth in tourism, conferences and global events.

India’s largest Dolby cinema to open in Hyderabad

Allu Cinemas in Hyderabad will open with screenings of Dhurandhar 2 and Ustaad Bhagat Singh on March 19, with previews a day earlier.

Located in the Allu Studios complex, the theatre features a 75-foot Dolby Cinema screen, believed to be India’s largest.

The venue offers Dolby Vision projection and Atmos sound for an immersive movie experience.

‘Mahakumbh Girl’ Monalisa marries boyfriend in Kerala

Ms Monalisa Bhosle, the woman who went viral for her smile at the Kumbh Mela, married boyfriend, Farman Khan, in an interfaith ceremony at a Kerala temple under police protection.

The couple reportedly faced opposition from her family over religious differences. After seeking help from police, Ms Monalisa exercised her legal right to marry.

Several Kerala political leaders attended the ceremony.

Accused in Rs20,000 crore crypto scam arrested

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested Ayush Varshney, co-founder of Darwin Labs, in connection with a suspected Rs20,000 crore ($276 million) cryptocurrency fraud.

He was detained while allegedly trying to flee to Sri Lanka. The case is linked to the GainBitcoin scheme, which investigators say operated as a Ponzi network promising high returns from Bitcoin mining.

Government flags 3,100 Telegram channels for piracy

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has directed Telegram to remove pirated films and web series shared on the platform.

Authorities identified more than 3,100 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission after complaints from OTT platforms such as JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video.