A gem artist working in India’s diamond hub of Surat has sadly taken his own life due to overwhelming financial stress caused by the ongoing recession in the diamond industry. The 2-day protests by more than 500 gem artists demanding their promised bonuses highlight the dire financial situation of workers in the industry, who are only receiving a fraction of their usual monthly income. With over 1.3 million employees in the country, the diamond industry is currently facing significant challenges, leaving many workers struggling to make ends meet.
Some bogies of the Ganga Sutlej Express got uncoupled near Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The train, which operates between Ferozepur and Dhanbad, was halted at Seohara railway station. Railway officials are working to resolve the technical issue and the train is expected to resume its journey soon. This incident comes just weeks after a similar one in Gujarat, where two coaches of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Double Decker Express got detached from the running train near Surat city.
A manager at a thread factory in Surat was apprehended for his involvement in a plan to assassinate BJP officials and a Sudarshan TV editor. The accused was found to have been in correspondence with individuals from Pakistan and Nepal in the plot, and materials related to the contract hit were discovered on his mobile devices. Police are investigating the matter and have revealed that this plot could have instigated communal violence during elections. A similar incident took place in Poonch earlier, where an Air Force soldier was killed in a terrorist attack on a convoy.
In a coordinated operation against the rising sale of drugs in Surat, the city's Crime Branch carried out raids at five locations and arrested 10 individuals involved in the illicit trade. The raids resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of Mephedrone (MD drug) and the police are continuing their efforts to dismantle the network. This success comes as part of the ongoing "No Drugs in Surat City" campaign launched by the Surat Police to protect the youth from the dangers of drugs.
Surat police made a major breakthrough in a drug case when they intercepted two youths riding a bike and seized mephedrone (MD) worth Rs 10.06 lakh. Following their arrests, the police also apprehended their agent and seized more drugs worth Rs 17,250. The incident brought to light the prevalence of drug trafficking in the area and sparked discussions on the "one nation, one election" proposal in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.
The third phase of India's General Elections 2024 took place on Tuesday with a record voter turnout of 61.08%. While states like Assam, Goa, and West Bengal saw high voter turnout percentages, opposition leaders alleged instances of booth capturing and tampering in areas like Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri constituency. In Gujarat's Surat, BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal has already won uncontested after all other nominations were rejected or withdrawn.
In a surprising turn of events, Congress leader Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh and was shortly after "welcomed" into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya. This comes after speculation that another Congress candidate in Surat had colluded with the BJP, leading to their nomination being rejected. With the elections in Indore fast approaching and the last day to submit nominations passed, this move could have a major impact on the results.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, P Chidambaram speaks about Congress' manifesto and PM Modi's targeting of the party. The focus of the episode is on the low voter turnout in the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, Sid Sriram becomes the first South Indian to perform at Coachella 2024, while Mukesh Dalal from Surat is the first candidate in 12 years to win a Lok Sabha election unopposed.
Actor Kiku Sharda sings praises of Kapil Sharma's leadership on the successful 10th anniversary of The Kapil Sharma Show. Kiku credits the show's success to Kapil's keen eye for maintaining a balance and hard work. The recent reunion of Kapil and Sunil Grover after their much-publicized feud is also a highlight of the show's success.
The BJP has won its first seat in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections after Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani was disqualified and eight others withdrew from the race. The Congress has accused the Election Commission of unfairly rejecting Kumbhani's nomination papers, which were signed by multiple relatives and associates. This incident raises questions about the role and rules of "proposers" in the nomination process, and highlights the importance of careful scrutiny by the Returning Officer.