Modi urges Indians to embrace swadeshi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Indians to avoid unnecessary foreign holidays, overseas weddings and gold purchases while embracing locally made products.
In a video message, Mr Modi hailed India’s 7.8 per cent economic growth and said greater emphasis on swadeshi and self-reliance would help the country maintain its momentum and achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by its independence centenary.
Bihar warns against flood-washed fish
The Bihar government has warned people against eating, buying or selling unidentified fish washed in by floodwaters from Nepal after reports of illnesses, News18 reported.
Officials said fish swept from ponds, rivers and lakes could encounter polluted drains, animal carcasses and contaminated material, exposing them to harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Residents were advised to consume unfamiliar fish only after identification and official clearance.
UP firecracker blast toll rises to 13
The death toll from an illegal firecracker factory explosion in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district has risen to 13 after two more victims died, India Today reported. Police arrested factory owner and main accused Naushad, while two women, Shabana and Saina, allegedly involved in the incident were also detained.
Authorities are investigating whether Naushad acquired the factory and other properties through illegal means and are considering action against him under the National Security Act and Gangsters Act.
Three other accused remain at large.
Supreme Court quashes CJP protest FIRs
The Supreme Court has quashed First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against protesters following the July 20 Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demonstrations, except cases involving people with criminal antecedents, NDTV reported.
The decision followed the Central government’s assurance that cases related to the protest would be withdrawn. CJP subsequently called off its planned Sept 5 Delhi march.
Police can continue looking into one FIR involving 2,873 people with alleged serious criminal antecedents.
ALPA flags Air India exodus
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) has warned Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata that the departure of experienced pilots from the Air India Group could become a flight-safety concern, reported NDTV.
In an Aug 31 letter, ALPA India president Capt Sam Thomas called for reviews of pilot retention, fatigue management, training and fleet transitions, saying experienced pilots provide valuable operational judgment and institutional memory.
Court relief for sacked Punjab DSP
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed Punjab government orders dismissing Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gursher Singh Sandhu over the controversial Lawrence Bishnoi jail interview, NDTV reported.
Sandhu was dismissed in January 2025 for alleged dereliction of duty and indiscipline.
Authorities accused him of helping facilitate a televised interview with Bishnoi while the gangster was in police custody in Mohali in September 2022.
Ahmedabad gets hub-and-spoke facility
International passengers flying from Ahmedabad can now complete check-in, customs and immigration locally before transiting through hubs such as Delhi under a new hub-and-spoke facility.
Their baggage will also be tagged to the final destination, reducing repeated procedures during connections, reported NDTV.
Two daily Delhi connections will link Ahmedabad passengers to 15 international destinations within four-hour transit windows.
More than 2,100 travellers have already used the facility.
Vijay releases Mettur water for delta irrigation
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay released water from the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur for delta irrigation, NDTV reported.
The delayed release is expected to primarily support Samba paddy cultivation across more than 400,000 hectares after farmers lost much of the Kuruvai season.
The move comes amid Tamil Nadu’s continuing Cauvery dispute with Karnataka, with the state claiming 107 TMC of water remains due.
Kolkata, Mumbai face rising-sea threat
Millions of residents in Kolkata and Mumbai face an “immediate risk” of losing their homes to rising sea levels and permanent inundation, according to a United Nations report.
The UN warned that sea-level rise is accelerating and already damaging urban infrastructure, water supplies, transport networks, energy grids, buildings and groundwater resources, posing wider threats to human rights, economic stability and long-term development.
Sukesh gets eight years for impersonation
A Delhi court has sentenced conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar to eight years in prison for impersonating a Supreme Court judge during bail proceedings.
Calling his actions “institutional sacrilege”, the court imposed consecutive sentences for impersonating and intimidating a public servant and criminal intimidation through anonymous communication.
Sukesh was convicted on Aug 20, with the court describing his conduct as an attack on the integrity of the judicial process.
Murder suspect arrested after nine years
Delhi Police have arrested a 50-year-old man wanted for nearly nine years in connection with a double murder case in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, India Today reported.
Chumma, alias Naval Kishore, had allegedly evaded arrest since the 2017 case and faced permanent non-bailable warrants.
Police tracked him following information received on Aug 24.
He had previously been involved in 12 criminal cases, police said.
IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman joins Goa airline
Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive in Pakistan for three days following an aerial combat in February 2019, has taken premature retirement and joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a commercial pilot, PTI reported.
The Vir Chakra awardee and former Group Captain served in the IAF for 22 years.
Mr Abhinandan reportedly joined FLY91, which operates ATR 72-600 aircraft, in August.
