West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is scheduled to visit Jalpaiguri on Monday for a series of administrative, religious and political engagements amid elaborate security arrangements across Siliguri and Jalpaiguri in north Bengal.

According to administrative sources, the Chief Minister will arrive at Bagdogra Airport by air before proceeding to Jalpaiguri by helicopter. He is scheduled to visit the office of the Jalpaiguri District Magistrate, where he will hold a meeting with senior district officials to review administrative matters.

Following the meeting, the Chief Minister is expected to hand over ex gratia assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the 11 deceased from tea plantation areas in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts who lost their lives in the recent tunnel tragedy in Sikkim.

Eleven workers from the two districts were among the 25 killed in the tragic incident; the financial assistance will be distributed in accordance with the state government’s announcement.

After the official programme, Adhikari will visit the historic Jalpesh Temple to offer prayers. Later, he is scheduled to address a BJP public meeting at a ground adjacent to the temple premises and the ongoing Shravani Mela.

Highly placed sources also indicated that the Chief Minister may make a brief stop at Uttarkanya, the branch secretariat of the West Bengal government in Siliguri. However, no official confirmation regarding the proposed visit has been issued.

Meanwhile, the Siliguri Police Commissionerate has made elaborate security arrangements ahead of the Chief Minister’s visit. Security personnel have been deployed at key locations, while preparations have been completed along Burdwan Road and Airview More. A stage has also been erected near the flyover at Airview More.

Sources further said there is a possibility that the Chief Minister may inaugurate the flyover, constructed during the previous government’s tenure, though the programme is yet to be officially confirmed.

After completing his engagements in Jalpaiguri and Siliguri, the Chief Minister is expected to return to Bagdogra and depart for Kolkata.

Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced another statement performance with a composed 81, while express pacer Mayank Yadav starred with the ball as India defeated Zimbabwe by 35 runs in the third T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday to complete a comprehensive 3-0 series sweep.

After arriving in Zimbabwe following disappointing T20I series defeats in Ireland and England, India bounced back emphatically with a dominant all-round display across the three-match series.

Sooryavanshi anchored India’s innings with a mature 49-ball 81, helping the visitors post 192/5 on a sluggish surface. In reply, Mayank’s pace and disciplined short-ball tactics ensured Zimbabwe never seriously threatened the target as India restricted the hosts to 157/7 despite spilling five catches in the field.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi anchors India’s innings

The 18-year-old opener showed a different side to his game, balancing aggression with smart strike rotation. He struck eight fours and four sixes while also rotating the strike expertly, sharing crucial partnerships of 75 with Ishan Kishan and 50 with captain Shreyas Iyer.

Rinku Singh’s brisk 25 off 14 deliveries provided the finishing flourish as India collected 40 runs from the final four overs to finish just short of the 200-run mark.

India made an explosive start as Sooryavanshi welcomed Sikandar Raza with two boundaries in a 17-run opening over. Although Blessing Muzarabani once again dismissed Abhishek Sharma cheaply, the teenager continued to dominate, punishing anything overpitched or short with equal authority.

He reached his second T20I half-century in just 31 balls before launching a towering 102-metre six during an innings that combined power with maturity. His knock finally ended on 81 when Brad Evans produced an excellent diving catch at long-off.

Mayank, Thakur put Zimbabwe on the back foot

Zimbabwe’s chase unravelled almost immediately as Mayank struck with the first ball of the innings, removing Brian Bennett with a sharp outswinger that found the edge.

Yash Thakur then turned the game decisively in India’s favour by dismissing Dion Myers before producing a stunning return catch to send back skipper Sikandar Raza off the very next delivery.

Reduced to 30/3 inside the powerplay, Zimbabwe struggled to recover despite a fighting unbeaten 54 from Ryan Burl.

India complete dominant series win

Burl and Wessly Madhevere briefly revived the innings with a 60-run partnership, but Mayank returned to dismiss Madhevere before also accounting for Brad Evans. Debutant Ashok Sharma then claimed his maiden international wicket by clean bowling Tadiwanashe Marumani.

Although Burl completed a battling half-century, Zimbabwe never came close to the target as India sealed a convincing series sweep.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, July 26, announced the constitution of a high-powered task force on examination reforms under the leadership of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani – the brain behind Aadhaar number.

The Prime Minister stated that the task force’s report will be used to take steps to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations.

This comes a day after a nationwide students’ agitation against alleged paper leaks came to an end after the resignation by Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister.

In a video statement, Prime Minister Modi said, “The Government of India is continuously taking various measures for the future of students. Those who tampered with the students’ future are languishing in jail. We have already established fast-track courts. We are also moving towards enacting new legislation in Parliament that incorporates stringent legal provisions.”

“However, we must look to the future. Our examination system needs to be reliable and transparent, and it must make maximum use of technology. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have decided to constitute a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani,” he added.

HIGH POWERED TASK FORCE on examination reforms under the leadership of Shri Nandan Nilekani constituted.@NandanNilekani pic.twitter.com/mMpmPdIEL5

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2026

The Prime Minister said that this task force will focus on examination reforms, and based on its report, steps will be taken to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest.

Besides Nandan Nilekani, the task force includes former ISRO Chairman S. Somnath, former IB Director Tapan Deka, IIT Chennai Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and Logistics Expert Amrit Lal Meena, read an official statement.

The future of West Bengal doesn’t depend on the political modification or a change in the government but an upheaval that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) Saha Prachar Pramukh (Joint Publicity Chief) of Purva Kshetra (Eastern Region), Jishnu Basu terms as ‘social and moral awakening’ leading to a collective introspection in the society, intellectuals and institutions.

In an exclusive interaction with The Statesman, Basu – who is professionally associated with the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics spoke at length on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, corruption in the education sector, youth and social media, border security, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

“The biggest challenge of the Indian youth is to confront the concerted attempt to divide the country through misinformation and ideological influence,” he said.

Basu alleged that foreign agencies were attempting to shape public opinion by using funding, training programmes, digital toolkits and coordinated social media campaigns to influence young minds.

“The social media influencers with large followings are being offered financial incentives to circulate misleading narratives aimed at the country’s youth,” he alleged.

He said protecting the younger generation could not be left solely to educational institutions.

“Families, friends and society at large have an equal responsibility to make young people aware of the importance of preserving India’s unity and integrity,” he said.

Referring to the prolonged recruitment irregularities in West Bengal’s education sector, Basu called for the complete implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, alleging that the policy had yet to be effectively enforced in the state.

“The corruption in school and college recruitment has ruined the future of many deserving candidates who cleared examinations but eventually lost their jobs. Recruitment must be completely transparent and the rights of genuine candidates must be restored,” he said.

Basu also blamed what he termed “Cultural Marxism” for the deterioration of the education system.

“Cultural Marxism and religious fundamentalism had, in certain instances, worked together to create divisions within society, making it imperative to insulate educational institutions from such influences,” he said.

According to him, the ideology seeks to erode faith in India’s democratic institutions among students and teachers.

The lifelong devotee of RSS believes that the destiny of society could not be determined by any single political party.

“Governments must function in the interest of the people, but lasting change can only come when society itself becomes more accountable. Those guilty of corruption must certainly be punished, but legal action alone cannot address deeper social problems,” he said.

Criticising the intellectuals and cultural personalities Basu said, “The poets, writers and the intellectuals should be the harbinger of change but instead of speaking of the change and wrong doings of the society a section of civil society chose to remain aligned with corrupt elements of the society.”

Calling for a broader socio-cultural transformation, Basu said the recent political developments in West Bengal reflected far more than an electoral verdict.

“The people have delivered a verdict against injustice. It is not merely a political victory but a victory of society. Bengal now needs a wider social and cultural awakening,” he said.

In a major breakthrough against cross-border terror networks amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Jalandhar, in a joint operation with Jalandhar Rural Police, busted an ISI-sponsored Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module operated by foreign-based handlers with the arrest of its key operative from Jalandhar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Satbir Singh, a resident of village Padiana in Adampur, Jalandhar. In addition to the explosives, police teams recovered his black Platina motorcycle (PB-08-ET-6736), which he was riding.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said the operation led to the recovery of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) packed with 1.3 kg of high explosive, along with shrapnel and ball bearings, indicating preparations for a high-impact attack aimed at disturbing public peace. “This swift and timely action has successfully averted a major terror threat and safeguarded innocent lives,” he said.

Sharing operational details, he said CI Jalandhar teams received reliable input that a BKI module operative had retrieved a consignment of explosives on the directions of his foreign based handlers. Acting swiftly, police teams from CI Jalandhar and Jalandhar Rural jointly laid a Naka at village Dhandaur and intercepted the motorcycle of suspect Satbir Singh. During the search, a bag containing an IED was recovered, he added.

The DGP said that further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to dismantle the complete terror network, including foreign handlers and local support networks, all involved in the conspiracy.

In this regard, an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Patara Police Station in Jalandhar Rural.

Senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat has evolved into a powerful platform for connecting with people and encouraging citizen-led initiatives that contribute to nation-building.

Tandon was speaking after listening to the 136th episode of Mann Ki Baat along with BJP workers and members of the Mahila Morcha at Mahajan Bhawan in Sector 37, Chandigarh.

Addressing the gathering, Tandon said, “Mann Ki Baat is much more than a radio programme. It has become a people’s movement that highlights inspiring stories from across the country and motivates every citizen to contribute towards building a stronger, more self-reliant and developed India.”

He said Prime Minister Modi consistently uses the platform to recognise the efforts of ordinary citizens who are bringing about extraordinary change in society through innovation, social service, environmental conservation, women’s empowerment and community participation.

“The Prime Minister’s message strengthens the spirit of Jan Bhagidari and inspires citizens to become active partners in India’s development journey. Every episode carries valuable lessons and positive energy that encourage people to work for society and the nation,” Tandon said.

The programme was attended by BJP Chandigarh president Jatinder Pal Malhotra, State Convener for Mann Ki Baat and State General Secretary Ramveer Bhatti, Co-convener Deepak Malhotra, senior leader Subhash Chawla, BJP Mahila Morcha State President Sonam Verma, Deputy Mayor Suman Devi, District President Rekha Sood, besides office-bearers of the BJP and Mahila Morcha from the state, district and mandal levels, along with a large number of women participants.

As the Punjab Police’s anti-gangster campaign ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ entered its 187th day, police on Saturday conducted 532 raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of gangsters across the state.

According to official information, the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, a decisive initiative to make Punjab a gangster-free state, was launched by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on 20 January 2026. Police teams from all districts, in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), have been conducting special operations across the state.

On Day 187 of the campaign, police arrested 353 individuals and recovered one weapon, taking the total number of arrests to 53,248 since the launch of the operation.

Apart from this, preventive action was taken against 212 persons. Police teams also arrested three proclaimed offenders (POs) during the operation.

The Punjab Police has appealed to the public to anonymously report information related to wanted criminals and gangsters, and to share tips about crime and criminal activities through the Anti-Gangster Helpline at 93946-93946.

The Delhi government has appointed Lata Gupta as the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), while Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sanrika Sharma Jha, and Renu Bhalla have been nominated as members of the Commission.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta congratulated the newly appointed Chairperson of the DCW and its newly appointed members, and extended her best wishes to them.

Expressing confidence in the new team, the Chief Minister said it would work in close coordination with the Delhi government to give a new direction to women’s safety, dignity, rights and empowerment, while making a significant contribution to building a sensitive, just, and safe national capital.

She said the DCW plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, dignity, protection of rights, and empowerment of women.

The appointments, she added, would infuse fresh momentum into the Commission’s functioning, making access to justice, protection, and assistance more effective for women.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has also appointed Nirmal Jain as the Chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, while Kuldeep Singh and Mohammad Haroon have been appointed as its members.

The Chief Minister said the Delhi government is committed to protecting the rights, dignity, and welfare of all sections of society, and that these appointments are an important step towards strengthening social justice, promoting communal harmony, and ensuring inclusive development.

Gupta expressed confidence that the new Chairman and members of the Delhi Minorities Commission would work with dedication to strengthen the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ and infuse new energy into social harmony and inclusive development across the city.

Notably, the DCW has finally got a regular Chairperson following the departure of its former chief, Swati Maliwal, in 2024 after she was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The Samajwadi Party on Sunday marked Reservation Day as ‘Samvidhan Maan Stambh Divas'( Constitutional Honour Pillar Day) at all district offices, including the party’s state headquarters in Lucknow.

SP National President Akhilesh Yadav attended the event at the Samajwadi Party state headquarters as the chief guest.

Akhilesh Yadav said that on this day, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, the revered ruler of Kolhapur, implemented reservation in the princely state of Kolhapur, fulfilling the vision of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. He described the occasion as marking the beginning of the reservation system.

“The spirit of ‘social justice’ was put into practice on this day in the form of reservation, which, owing to the noble efforts of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, became the constitutional foundation for ensuring social justice as a public right and a fundamental principle of democracy in the country,” he said.

The SP president said, “What could be a more historic occasion than July 26 every year?” He added that the most effective example of translating this idea into reality was set by respected Shrimant Maharaj Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, who implemented reservation on this day.

Yadav said the idea behind the observance was that the ‘Samvidhan Maan Stambh’, in the form of a ‘PDA Maan Stambh’, should continue to guide and inspire the party’s resolve to establish the rule of social justice. “Reservation will survive only if the Constitution survives. The Constitution is our shield and our armour. Only the Constitution can eliminate inequality, ensure quality and fulfil our ‘collective resolve’ to build a nation based on brotherhood,” he added.

Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu scripted another chapter in her remarkable career by clinching a historic third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event, handing India its first gold medal of the Glasgow 2026 Games.

The 31-year-old, who had previously topped the podium at the Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, completed her hat-trick of titles with another commanding display on Sunday.

Mirabai laid the foundation for victory in the snatch, where she successfully lifted 85kg to set a new Commonwealth Games record and move into the lead.

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: India’s Mirabai Chanu won Gold Medal in the Women’s 48kg Weightlifting event.@mirabai_chanu
#BreakingNews #CommonwealthGames2026 #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/6XHdDXvSIp

— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) July 26, 2026

Mirabai Chanu dominates to complete golden hat-trick

The Indian star opened the clean and jerk with an unsuccessful attempt at 82kg but bounced back immediately to clear the weight on her second lift. She then comfortably completed another successful lift before calling for an impressive 105kg, which she hoisted with authority to seal the gold medal and cap off another dominant campaign.

The triumph made Mirabai the first Indian to win three successive Commonwealth Games gold medals in weightlifting and extended her legacy as one of the country’s greatest athletes.

Rishikanta opens India’s medal account with silver

Earlier in the day, Rishikanta Singh Chanambam claimed India’s first medal of Day 4 with silver in the men’s 60kg category.

The Manipuri weightlifter finished with a total lift of 264kg (121kg snatch + 143kg clean and jerk). He grabbed headlines by breaking the Commonwealth Games snatch record with a 121kg lift before Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq Kasdan matched the mark later in the competition.

Kasdan eventually secured gold with a Games-record total of 273kg (121kg + 152kg), while Kenya’s Joshua Mboya claimed bronze with 260kg.

Rishikanta remained in contention for gold until his final clean and jerk attempt at 151kg but was unable to complete the lift, settling for a hard-earned silver after an impressive performance.

A joint team of the Sigra police station and the Cyber Crime Cell in Varanasi, as part of the statewide ‘Operation Vajra’ campaign, busted a gang involved in forging Aadhaar cards and opening accounts in the names of unsuspecting people.

Police arrested six accused, including the alleged female kingpin of the gang. Bank accounts recovered from their possession were found to be linked to fraud amounting to ₹76,44,476.97 across 21 cybercrime complaints registered in various states.

Police said on Sunday that the arrested accused include Anil Kumar (22), a resident of Shivpurwa, Varanasi; Kumari (20), a resident of Myorpur, Sonbhadra; Mala (22), a resident of Sonbhadra; Umang Kumar (22), a resident of Duddhi, Sonbhadra; Jitendra Kumar Kannaujiya (35), a resident of Jaunpur and currently a resident of Shivpurwa, Varanasi; and Shobhnath (55), a resident of Ranipur, Mahmoorganj, Varanasi. All the accused were arrested on July 26 from Om Public School Tiraha in Mahmoorganj under the Bhelupur police station limits.

Police recovered 11 passbooks of various banks, four cheque books, three sealed cheque books, three sealed debit cards, six Android mobile phones, two PAN cards and three forged Aadhaar cards from their possession. A case has been registered at Sigra police station under the relevant sections, and further legal action is underway.

According to the police, the gang first lured people with money and forged their permanent addresses on their Aadhaar cards, claiming they were residents of the Sigra area of Varanasi. They then opened accounts in various banks using these fake addresses. Bank kits (cheque books, debit cards, and other documents) were collected by postmen before reaching the fake addresses. The mobile SIM cards linked to the bank accounts and the bank kits were then packaged and made available via courier to cyber criminals operating across the country, who then used them to commit online fraud.

The bank accounts recovered during the investigation were linked to 21 cyber fraud complaints registered in various states, including Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Manipur.

Karnataka reported the highest amount of fraud at ₹35,56,508, followed by Rajasthan at ₹9,60,200 (including two complaints), Punjab at ₹14,25,800 in two cases, Manipur at ₹4,31,060, Maharashtra at ₹3,20,200, Bihar at ₹4,58,750, Haryana at ₹99,700, Tamil Nadu at ₹1,10,844, and Assam at ₹99.97. The total amount of fraud in these complaints is ₹76,44,476.97.

According to the police, a case involving cybercrime has already been registered against gang member Jitendra Kumar Kannaujiya in Jaunpur.

Reacting to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the youth and student protests, former Union minister and BJP leader V. Muraleedharan said only a true patriot can take such a stand despite having done nothing wrong.

In a Facebook post, Muraleedharan said Pradhan did not want destructive forces to ignite an agitation that would consume the Indian youth. The Opposition’s tactic of pulling hot chestnuts out of the fire using children has come to an end with Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, he said in a post on Saturday.

“I have personally known Dharmendra Pradhan’s political honesty and sense of justice since my time with the ABVP. The interventions he made for the poor through schemes like the Ujjwala Yojana while he was the Petroleum Minister, and the projects he implemented in the energy sector that boosted the country, all underline the excellence of his administration,” he said.

“Dharmendra Pradhan’s contributions in implementing the National Education Policy, which has radically changed the education sector, are also very great. He will continue to be active in the public sphere as a strong leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The winners here are Narendra Modi and Dharmendra Pradhan. Congratulations to Dharmendra Pradhan, who has resigned from the post of Education Minister to prevent anti-national forces from conquering the Indian youth, “ wrote Muraleedharan in his Facebook post.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Delhi Police Central district successfully rescued two missing girls from Bihar.

According to a senior police official, the police team had launched sustained search operations to trace two missing minor girls in separate kidnapping cases registered at the Paharganj and Anand Parbat police stations, both in Central Delhi.

The first victim, a 13-year-old resident of Paharganj, had been reported missing/kidnapped as per the FIR registered on July 6.

The AHTU accordingly launched a comprehensive search operation, involving meticulous analysis of footage from around 65 CCTV cameras and extensive verification of nearly 140 orphanages, shelter homes, religious places and red-light areas to trace the missing minor girls.

Acting on local intelligence, the team conducted multiple search operations in Punjab and Bihar. Initially, there was no concrete lead, but eventually the police received information along with a mobile number linked to the victim.

When the mobile number placed under technical surveillance initially located the victim in Saharsa, Bihar, on July 22, the team rushed there. To their surprise the mobile phone’s location had shifted to Supaul by that time.

Coordinating with the local police of Supaul, the team, finally traced and recovered the minor girl.

In the second case, the 15-year-old victim, a resident of Anand Parbat, had been reported missing since December 9 last year.

During the probe, it was revealed that she had been seen at Benipatti, Madhubani, Bihar. Accordingly, the AHTU team immediately proceeded to that location. From there, she had been moved to Saharghat, where the police finally located her with the help of the local village chief.

The operation was carried out by Sub Inspector Raj Bahadur Singh, woman constable Manisha and constable Ashish Kumar of the AHTU, Central District, under the supervision of the inspector in-charge of the unit and ACP Sunil Kumar.

It is noteworthy that with the successful recovery of these two victims, the AHTU, has now traced and recovered 46 missing persons during the current year, DCP Central District, Rohit Rajbir Singh stated.

Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the families of fishermen who lost their lives in the recent trawler accident at sea.

This included financial assistance, government employment, social security benefits and enhanced coastal disaster preparedness.

Addressing a special assistance programme at Ramnagar in Purba Medinipur on Sunday, the chief minister handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families on behalf of the state government.

He also assured that eligible young members of the affected families would be considered for employment as Home Guards, Civic Volunteers or in local administrative offices, depending on their qualifications.

“Money can never compensate for the loss of a loved one, but the government has a humanitarian and social responsibility to stand by these families in their time of grief,” Adhikari said.

The chief minister said the tragedy claimed the lives of fishermen not only from Purba Medinipur but also from Howrah and Nadia districts.

He further announced that the families of three fishermen from Odisha who died in the incident would also receive Rs 5 lakh each through the Odisha government.

As part of the rehabilitation measures, Adhikari said orphaned children of the deceased would receive a monthly scholarship of Rs 4,000 until they attain the age of 18 under the ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme.

Eligible women from the affected families would be covered under the Annapurna Yojana, receiving monthly assistance of Rs 3,000, while widows and elderly family members would also be brought under the state’s pension schemes.

The chief minister also directed the Block Development Officer of Ramnagar-I to ensure that homeless families affected by the tragedy receive houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Announcing measures to strengthen coastal safety, Adhikari criticised the previous government’s handling of coastal policing, alleging that although several coastal police stations had been established, they lacked boats and essential equipment, delaying rescue operations during emergencies.

To improve disaster response, he said the state government is revamping the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

A 50-member Quick Response Team will be stationed at Digha to carry out rapid rescue operations across the coastal stretch from Khejuri and Hijli to Udaipur.

Adhikari said Principal Secretary of Disaster Management and Civil Defence Rajesh Sinha and Director General Sanjay Singh have been instructed to constitute the team immediately.

The chief minister also announced that under the Centre’s Sagarmala 2 programme and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, fishing trawlers would be equipped with GPS, modern wireless communication systems and satellite-based weather alert mechanisms to improve the safety of fishermen venturing into the sea.

Targeting the previous administration, Adhikari alleged that nearly Rs 4,000-5,000 crore available under the State Disaster Response Fund from the Centre had remained unutilised.

He said the present government is committed to rebuilding coastal infrastructure and strengthening disaster preparedness along the state’s coastline.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk is all set to be discharged from the Medanta Hospital on Monday and is expected to visit Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi before leaving for Ladakh, according to his team.

Wangchuk broke his 26-day fast late Friday night and is currently recovering at the hospital in Gurugram. He is expected to be discharged by around 11.30 a.m. on Monday, PTI reported.

Later in the day, he is scheduled to visit Rajghat before departing for Ladakh.

Wangchuk earlier paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on June 28 before beginning his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to support students protesting alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.

Since joining the protest on June 28, he had been on an indefinite fast for 26 days. On July 18, he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital, where he claimed to have been kept in detention.

After an order from the Delhi High Court, Wangchuk was later shifted to Medanta Hospital.

Headed by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the 36-day agitation of the students came to an on Saturday with the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister. The protest had initially started on June 20.

A “missing” complaint was filed in jest by a group of BJP supporters against Trinamool Congress MP from Asansol, Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday triggering a political controversy in Bengal’s Paschim Bardhaman district.

The BJP workers claimed that Sinha had remained inaccessible to constituents since the Assembly election results were declared.

Led by local BJP leader Dayal Chatterjee, the protesters marched to the Ukhra Police Outpost under Andal Police Station carrying photographs of the veteran actor-turned-politician marked “Missing”.

They later submitted a symbolic complaint to the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate.

“Shatrughan Sinha has not been seen publicly since May 4, after the Assembly election results. Local residents have been unable to meet their elected representative regarding several issues over the past two months,” Chatterjee alleged.

The protest drew a sharp response from Trinamool Congress MP from Durgapur-Bardhaman, Kirti Jha Azad, who defended his party colleague.

“Shatrughan Sinha has been critically ill and is undergoing medical treatment. Targeting a leader during a health crisis shows how low the state’s political discourse has fallen,” Azad said.

Senior BJP leaders and MLAs from the Asansol organisational district distanced themselves from the protest and declined to comment on the incident.

Sinha was also absent from the Trinamool Congress’ July 21 programme in Kolkata led by party chief Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier this year, he became a voter of the Asansol North Assembly constituency and cast his vote along with his wife during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Though Azad said that Sinha was ill, the legislator surfaced in public discourse by launching a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government over its handling of the recent examination paper leak controversy.

Speaking in an interview in New Delhi on Saturday, the Asansol MP termed the Centre’s response “too little, too late” and said accountability should have been fixed much earlier.

Rishikanta Singh Chanambam announced himself on one of the biggest stages in world sport on Sunday, winning silver in the men’s 60kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026. The Manipuri lifter also etched his name into the record books with a 121kg snatch, setting a new Commonwealth Games record before it was later equalled by Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq Kasdan.

Who is Rishikanta Singh Chanambam?

Born on July 5, 1998, in Imphal West, Manipur, Rishikanta discovered weightlifting at the National Sports Academy in Khuman Lampak. Like many elite athletes from the state, he rose through the grassroots system with discipline and determination before earning a place among India’s top lifters.

His development took him to the Army Sports Institute in Pune, the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, and later to Bulgaria’s National Sports Academy Vasil Levski, where he refined his technique against international standards.

Rishikanta has quietly built one of the strongest resumes in Indian weightlifting.

He won Junior Commonwealth gold in 2016, followed it up with the Senior Commonwealth Championship title in 2019, and remained among India’s top lifters through successive international campaigns.

His biggest breakthrough before Glasgow came at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad, where he lifted 271kg overall (120kg snatch and 151kg clean and jerk) to win gold, set a national record and book his place at the Commonwealth Games.

A new weight class, same success

Having competed in the 55kg division at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Rishikanta successfully transitioned to the 60kg category after changes to international weight classes.

The move proved to be a turning point.

At the 2024 National Weightlifting Championships, he set another national snatch record with 124kg, underlining his consistency and growing confidence.

A record-breaking day in Glasgow

In Glasgow, Rishikanta produced one of the standout performances of the competition.

He lifted 121kg in the snatch to break the Commonwealth Games record before going on to finish with a total of 264kg, securing the silver medal behind Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq Kasdan.

At 28, Rishikanta has now added a Commonwealth Games silver medal to his collection alongside Commonwealth Championship golds, national records and a Commonwealth Games snatch record, cementing his place among India’s leading weightlifters.