Old Delhi Building Collapse: 2 Dead, Engineers Suspended, Contractor BookedA building collapsed in Old Delhi's bustling Chawri Bazar during the festive shopping season, leaving two people dead and others injured. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed that an FIR has been registered against the contractor and ordered the immediate suspension of a junior engineer and an assistant engineer from the municipal corporation.
The Chief Minister stressed that ignoring safety and security while constructing structures proves fatal to human life, adding that any official overlooking negligence will not be spared. Rescuers faced severe operational challenges navigating the narrow bylanes of Old Delhi, forcing emergency teams to clear heavy debris by hand without heavy machinery.
The tragedy comes roughly two months after a similar building collapse in Satyaniketan, raising questions over municipal oversight and accountability regarding unauthorised construction work across the national capital.'Focus On Local Emissions': Jai Dhar Gupta Hits Out At Delhi GovtSpeaking on Delhi's severe air quality index levels, environmentalist Jai Dhar Gupta argued that farm fires are being scapegoated year after year, noting that 'even at its worst, farm fires do not contribute more than 10 to 13%' of Delhi's pollution mix. Gupta emphasized that the administration must address local emissions rather than looking outside Delhi whenever AQI spikes past 300.
Criticizing both present and past governments, he termed the failure to declare a public health emergency, issue health advisories, and mandate N95 masks a major failure to protect public health and human life.Nagpur Defence Hub Delivers Nagastra-1 Drones to Army, Exports Guided Pinaka RocketsNagpur is rapidly emerging as a major hub for indigenous defence manufacturing a year after Operation Sindoor. Nagpur-based private firm Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited has delivered a batch of 450 indigenously developed Nagastra-1 loitering munitions to the Indian Army following trials in Rajasthan.
Designed to locate and destroy targets such as enemy tanks and armoured vehicles, the anti-tank suicide drone can monitor movements and execute precision strikes. In addition to bolstering domestic armed forces, the defence manufacturing facility has exported 700 guided Pinaka rockets to Armenia, marking a major milestone in India's defence self-reliance and export drive.Punjab PCS Exam Row: BJP Demands CBI Probe, Flags Irregularities as Students Seek Re-evaluationThe declaration of the Punjab Civil Services examination results has triggered political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging malpractices and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry.
BJP leaders claimed that unusual selection patterns emerged, alleging that 45 percent of candidates qualified from a single room or specific centres, and called for the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. An unidentified speaker questioned the hesitation of the Aam Aadmi Party leadership to order a probe.
Meanwhile, affected candidates have urged the state government to conduct an immediate re-evaluation, stating that deserving candidates were excluded from selection.