Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Vijaya Dashami greetings on Thursday, celebrating the triumph of good over evil and righteousness over falsehood. He visited Raj Ghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti, accompanied by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and honored former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat. Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti coincided this year. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Dussehra with troops in Bhuj, Gujarat, calling on soldiers to embrace new technologies and prioritize training. Singh addressed soldiers at a traditional 'Barakhana,' emphasizing that wars require discipline, morale, and constant readiness, describing Bhuj as a "saga of courage" recalling 1971, 1999, and 2001 resilience.

Gitanjali Angmo, wife of jailed Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking his unconditional release. She urged the President, citing her husband’s peaceful activism and her belief that Murmu, being from a tribal community, would “understand the feelings of Ladakh’s people.” Wangchuk, detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in Leh, has not been allowed to speak to his family. Copies of the letter were sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Angmo described Wangchuk as a “peaceful Gandhian protester” working on climate change, education, and upliftment of Ladakh’s tribal regions. (PC: HT)

Alia Bhatt visited the Durga Puja pandal organised by Kajol and Rani Mukerji’s family in Mumbai. The actor wore a yellow lehenga with a white blouse and smiled as she greeted fans. Alia posed for pictures with Goddess Durga’s idol and spent time with Rani Mukerji. She also clicked a selfie with Rani, her Brahmastra director Ayan Mukerji, and Tanishaa Mukerji. At one moment, she stepped on Rani’s sari, and both laughed. The pandal has seen many stars in recent days, including Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, and Sushmita Sen, who offered prayers during Navratri. (PC: HT)

Singer Shreya Ghoshal shared her Durga Puja memories from growing up in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, to celebrating in Mumbai today. She recalled making bhog, decorating pandals, and taking part in song competitions with her community. Shreya said earlier celebrations felt warm and personal, unlike today’s large, crowded pandals. She still attends Anushakti Nagar and Ramkrishna Mission pujas in Mumbai, which she finds traditional and pure. Proud of her Bengali roots, she continues family rituals with devotion. Shreya hopes to pass the true spirit of Durga Puja to her son, keeping alive the festival’s meaning of faith and unity. (PC: X)

The government has approved a 3% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for employees and pensioners. The hike, effective from July 1, was announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. This is the second increase in 2025, following a 2% rise in March. With the revision, DA payouts will rise from 55% of basic pay to 58%. For example, an employee with a basic salary of Rs 60,000 will now get Rs 34,800 as DA. The hike comes ahead of Dussehra and Diwali and is meant to offset inflation based on Consumer Price Index data. (PC: NDTV)

Delhi Police arrested self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati from Agra in connection with the molestation of female students. Investigators found WhatsApp chats where he asked a student about a “Dubai sheikh” seeking a sex partner. Police also recovered secret photos of women and staff, lewd chats, and evidence of spying on students through a CCTV app. Three women aides, including the institute’s Dean and two wardens, allegedly helped him silence victims. He has been sent to 5-day custody. Police said Chaitanyananda was uncooperative and tried to mislead investigators during questioning, raising concerns about his activities at the institution.  (PC: HT)

Mukesh Ambani has once again topped the Hurun India Rich List 2025 with a net worth of Rs 9.55 lakh crore. Gautam Adani followed with Rs 8.15 lakh crore. Roshni Nadar Malhotra entered the top three, becoming India’s richest woman at Rs 2.84 lakh crore. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan joined the billionaire club for the first time with Rs 12,490 crore. India now has over 350 billionaires, led by Mumbai. Young entrepreneur Aravind Srinivas became the youngest billionaire. The list shows rising women leaders and self-made entrepreneurs shaping India’s wealth. (PC: India Today)

In a major development in the case of singer Zubeen Garg’s death, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and manager Siddhartha Sharma were arrested in Delhi and flown to Guwahati for further questioning. Mahanta was detained upon arrival at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Singapore, while Sharma was picked up from a Gurugram apartment. The duo have been remanded in 14-day SIT (Special Investigation Team) custody as authorities probe their potential involvement and role in the circumstances that led to Garg’s drowning in Singapore on September 19, 2025 . 

Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act after he was accused of instigating violent protests in Ladakh that left four dead. Previously, he had served as a government-appointed expert across domains—education reform, climate advocacy, health, and regional development—and was often invited to lead flagship Ladakh events like Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. His past collaborations with central ministries now contrast sharply with the government’s current framing of him as a security threat.  

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, former chairman of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research, was arrested in Agra on September 28, 2025, following allegations of molesting over 17 female students. Investigations revealed that his phone contained secretly taken photographs of students and multiple devices are under scrutiny. Shocking WhatsApp conversations have emerged, including a request for a "sex partner" for a Dubai king, where he allegedly pressured a student to arrange a female acquaintance. Additionally, he is accused of luring women with false job promises and using a London-based number to continue communications while evading arrest. (PC: PTI)