Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday extended support to activist Sonam Wangchuk and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke over their ongoing protest against the alleged NEET paper leak, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The agitation entered its 16th day, with the CJP claiming Wangchuk’s health had deteriorated during his fast. Dipke said the protest seeks accountability over the alleged exam paper leak and student suicides linked to the controversy, adding that Wangchuk has lost 7.8 kg and his blood pressure was recorded at 104/66 mm Hg. The CJP also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions filed by around 360 teaching and non-teaching staff of madrassas in West Bengal, refusing their plea for regularisation of service and payment under the state government’s grant-in-aid scheme. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih examined 13 representative cases and held that none of the petitioners had made a case for relief. The court said, “Therefore, we have not only rejected the claims of all 13 petitioners whose cases were scrutinised, but have also rejected the claims of all the remaining petitioners. All the writ petitions are devoid of merit and are accordingly dismissed.”
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Omni bus crashes into TNSTC bus in Madurai
At least five people were killed and more than 40 others injured after an Omni bus collided with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus near Melur, around 30 km northeast of Madurai city on Monday. Police and rescue teams reached the spot after the crash and are carrying out relief operations. Further details are awaited.
Four boys feared drowned in Delhi’s Yamuna
Four minors are feared to have drowned after they were swept away by the current of the Yamuna while bathing near Hiranki village in outer north Delhi’s Alipur area on Sunday evening. Police said five minors had entered the river, but one managed to raise an alarm after the others were caught in the current and went missing. A joint search operation involving the NDRF, DDMA, Delhi Fire Services and local police continued for the second day on Monday. No bodies had been recovered till the latest reports, officials said.
27 dead in Bangkok pub fire
A fire tore through a pub in Bangkok, killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens more, in one of Thailand’s deadliest venue fires in recent years. The blaze has raised immediate questions about fire safety standards and emergency exits at crowded entertainment venues in the city.
1.27 crore bedroll items stolen since 2022
An RTI investigation by The Indian Express found that between January 2022 and May 2026, at least 1.27 crore bedroll items, including bedsheets, blankets, pillows, pillow covers and towels, were stolen from Indian Railways AC coaches. Based on replies from 54 of 69 railway divisions across 16 railway zones, the data show a 56% increase in thefts from 2022 to 2025. While the losses account for only about one bedroll item per 1000 AC passengers, they have caused an estimated Rs 104.51 crore loss to bedroll contractors, with coach attendants alleging that much of the cost is deducted from their salaries.
Maharashtra removes 92 lakh ‘Ladki Bahin’ beneficiaries
A state-wide verification of Maharashtra’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has led to the removal of more than 92 lakh beneficiaries, nearly four in every 10 women enrolled under the flagship welfare scheme, according to government records reviewed by The Indian Express. The largest share of deletions, around 62 lakh, was due to beneficiaries failing to complete mandatory eKYC verification, while others were found ineligible for reasons such as exceeding the income limit, being government employees, receiving benefits under other welfare schemes, or crossing the age limit. The exercise has reduced the scheme’s beneficiary count from about 2.43 crore to over 1.5 crore, with officials estimating that those removed had collectively received around Rs 14,000 crore before payments were stopped.
Iran retaliates to US strikes; sirens sound across Bahrain
Sirens have sounded in Bahrain as Iran retaliated to a fresh wave of US airstrikes, pulling Gulf states deeper into a conflict that has rapidly escalated beyond the Strait of Hormuz. The exchange marks one of the most dangerous phases of the US-Iran confrontation since the ceasefire collapsed.
