Kulgam police have arrested 26-year-old Mohammad Yousuf Kataria for helping terrorists in the April 22 Pahalgam attack. He guided Lashkar-e-Taiba members through local forests and provided shelter. The attack in Baisaran Valley killed 26 people, including 25 tourists. Kataria worked a contract job and also taught local children before joining the terrorists. Investigators are tracing past movements, hideouts, and Overground Worker support used by the attackers. Earlier, two men were arrested for aiding the terrorists. The three main attackers were killed in July during Operation Mahadev. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed they were Pakistan-based terrorists. (PC: India Today)

Violent protests erupted in Leh as Ladakh’s demand for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status turned tense. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk accused the government of “defeating peaceful protests by forcing youth to take up violence.” He said Gen Z protesters, including school girls, college students, and monks, joined in large numbers for the first time. The unrest began during a hunger strike by Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Wangchuk said delays in talks with the Centre angered the people. “Youth said peaceful protests are not working,” he noted, warning that matters could slip out of control if ignored. (PC: The Hindu)

Gen Z protesters brought Leh, Ladakh to a standstill as violence erupted during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body’s youth wing. Four people were killed and 45 injured, including 22 police personnel. Angry youth torched the BJP office, a police van, and several vehicles, while clashing with security forces. Police responded with teargas and firing to control the mob. The protest was held to demand statehood for Ladakh and Sixth Schedule status. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended his hunger strike, appealed for calm, urging youth to stop violence. Talks with the Centre are scheduled for October 6. (PC: New Indian Express)

Police on Wednesday arrested a man from Kulgam for helping terrorists involved in the April attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack in Baisaran Valley killed 26 people, including 25 tourists. The accused, Mohammad Yousuf Kataria, 26, worked in a contractual job and also taught children. Investigators said he gave shelter and guided terrorists of the Pakistan-backed group, The Resistance Front (TRF). His role was traced after analysis of weapons recovered during Operation Mahadev. Kataria allegedly helped the Lashkar group move through forest routes months before the attack, making him a key link in the planning. (PC: India Today)

A protest in Leh, Ladakh, demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule turned violent on Wednesday. At least 4 people were killed and over 50 injured, officials said. Police used teargas and batons after some protestors threw stones. Demonstrators also set fire to a BJP office and clashed with security forces. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended a 15-day hunger strike, appealed for peace. Authorities imposed restrictions under Section 163 and cancelled the Ladakh Festival. Leaders urged the Centre to hold talks earlier than October 6 to address the anger and growing unrest in the region. (PC: HT)

Protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule turned violent on Tuesday in Leh. The BJP office was set ablaze and a security vehicle torched as demonstrators clashed with police, who used tear gas and baton charges to control the unrest. The agitation was led by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), coinciding with a hunger strike by activists including Sonam Wangchuk. Following health concerns, Wangchuk ended his fast while urging peace. Talks with the Centre and regional representatives are slated for October 6. 

A luxury Rolls-Royce Ghost was left stranded on a flooded road in Kolkata after record rainfall hit the city. The car, stuck in the middle of the waterlogged stretch with branches placed on its hood, quickly went viral online. Locals mocked the situation, writing “Lord Alto zindabad.” Heavy downpour has caused flooding in many areas, blocking traffic and disrupting daily life. Social media users criticized Kolkata’s poor drainage system and linked the crisis to climate change. The city has recorded its heaviest rain in 37 years, leaving 10 people dead and many public transport services suspended ahead of Durga Puja. (PC: HT)

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo has condemned Aryan Khan's directorial debut, The Ba*ds of Bollywood, for allegedly undermining the credibility of anti-drug agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Kanoongo accused the series of portraying law enforcement officials as corrupt or biased, thereby violating their human rights. He also highlighted a scene featuring actor Ranbir Kapoor using an e-cigarette, which contravenes India's 2019 ban on such products. The NHRC has issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Mumbai Police, urging action against the show's producers and distributors.     

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, the head of a prominent ashram in Delhi's Vasant Kunj, is on the run after more than 15 women accused him of molestation. The Sri Sringeri Math administration has removed him from his post as director, and the police have revealed his last known location in Agra. According to the police, Chaitanyananda Saraswati is originally from Odisha and had been living in the ashram for 12 years, serving as both the operator and caretaker. The ashram has lodged complaints with the relevant authorities regarding his illegal acts. This isn't the first time that Chaitanyananda Saraswati, formerly known as Swami Parthasarathy, was accused of criminal charges. In 2009, a case of fraud and molestation was filed in Defence Colony, and in 2016, a woman in Vasant Kunj filed a molestation complaint. 

An all-women police team carried out their first encounter in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and arrested a 22-year-old criminal named Jitendra. Police said he was wanted in several cases of robbery, theft, and snatching. The incident happened late last night when Jitendra, riding a stolen scooter, tried to escape a police checkpoint. He lost control of the vehicle, fell, and fired at the officers. The police fired back, injuring him before arresting him. A pistol, scooter, phone, and tablet were recovered. During questioning, Jitendra admitted to stealing vehicles and snatching phones in Delhi-NCR. Police said further investigation is underway. (PC: NDTV)