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)  

After violent protests in Ladakh left four dead and dozens injured, India’s Home Ministry defended police firing as “self-defense” and blamed unrest on “provocative speeches” by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The strong-handed response may alienate Ladakh’s Buddhist and Muslim communities, already sensitive after New Delhi ended the region’s autonomy in 2019. Observers warn that heavy policing and political rhetoric risk deepening mistrust between locals and the central government.   

The cyber crime wing of Greater Chennai Police arrested Felix Gerald, a Tamil-language YouTuber, for allegedly spreading misleading claims about the Karur rally stampede that left 41 dead. The XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court granted him conditional bail, citing insufficient justification for remanding him. Bail conditions include a ban on commenting on the incident. Gerald was picked up from his Nungambakkam home and his wife questioned the state of freedom of expression. Already, 26 social media accounts are being probed for misinformation over the tragedy.