Four people, including three women, died after a BEST bus reversed into pedestrians in Mumbai on Monday night. The accident happened around 10 pm on Station Road in Bhandup West. CCTV footage shows people standing by the roadside before the bus moved back and hit them, causing panic. Nine others were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. Police said the driver has been detained and a case registered. Officials said the bus was being reversed at the end of its route. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each victim’s family. The wet-leased midi bus was hired from Olectra Greentech. 

A tragic accident occurred on Monday night (Dec 29, 2025) when a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus, while reversing on Station Road near Bhandup West, struck pedestrians around 10:05 pm. The collision killed four people and injured nine others, officials said. Emergency teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, BEST staff, and ambulance services rushed to the scene and transported the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities have secured the area and launched an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved defence procurement proposals worth about ₹79,000 crore (≈ $8.8 billion) to significantly strengthen the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The approved acquisitions span advanced systems including loiter munitions for precision strikes, lightweight radars to detect low-flying drones, and long-range guided rockets for the Pinaka rocket system. The Army will also receive integrated drone detection systems, while the Navy gets high-frequency radios and leased high-altitude drones. The Indian Air Force’s plan includes automatic take-off/landing recorders, Astra Mk-II missiles, simulators, and precision guidance kits, bolstering operational readiness and modernisation. (PC: The Telegraph)

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke by phone with Tarun Prasad Chakma, father of 24-year-old MBA student Angel Chakma, who died after a violent attack in Dehradun, and assured strict punishment for the accused, officials said. Dhami expressed grief over the incident and said five suspects have been arrested, while a sixth is believed to be in Nepal, with a reward offered and a team sent to apprehend him. He also spoke with Tripura CM Manik Saha and Union ministers, stressing the state stands with the victim’s family amid rising calls against hate crimes. 

The Supreme Court of India on Dec 29, 2025 stayed the Delhi High Court’s order that had suspended the life sentence and granted bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the former BJP MLA convicted in the 2017 Unnao rape case involving a minor. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant ruled that substantial legal questions, including interpretation of “public servant” under the law, require scrutiny and issued notice to Sengar, giving him four weeks to respond. Sengar will remain in custody, also serving a separate sentence in the custodial death of the victim’s father. (PC: The Hindu)

The Supreme Court of India on Dec 29, 2025, paused its November 20 order that had adopted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges—a move that had raised concerns over potential expansion of regulated mining and loss of ecological protections. A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said key ambiguities in that definition need expert assessment, especially questions over conservation zones, mining eligibility and ecological continuity. The court issued notices to the Centre and four states (Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi) and formed a new expert committee to review environmental impacts before finalising any policy. Hearing set for Jan 21, 2026. (PC: India Today)

Two coaches of the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) caught fire in the early hours of December 29, 2025, near Yalamanchili/Elamanchili in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, while en route from Tatanagar to Ernakulam. Flames broke out around 12:45–1:30 am, leading to a swift halt and evacuation of passengers. About 158 people were aboard the affected B1 and adjacent coach when the fire engulfed them. One man, identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar (70), was found dead in the B1 coach. The remaining passengers escaped safely. The damaged coaches were detached, and an investigation into the cause is underway.

Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, died on December 26, 2025, after a racially motivated attack in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The assault began on December 9 when a group of six men allegedly hurled racial slurs at Anjel and his brother in the Selaqui area. When they protested, the attackers hit Michael with a metal kada and stabbed Anjel with knives and other sharp objects, causing severe head and spinal injuries. He fought for life in hospital for 17 days before succumbing to wounds. Five suspects are in custody while the main accused remains at large, prompting a police search. (PC: X)

A UK employment tribunal has awarded nearly £67,000 to an Indian man who accused his KFC manager of race bias and wrongful dismissal. Madhesh Ravichandran from Tamil Nadu worked at the West Wickham outlet in south-east London from January 2023. He told the tribunal that his Sri Lankan Tamil manager called him a “slave” and said “Indians are fraudsters”. The judge said his holiday requests were denied because of his race and that he was pressured to work long hours. Ravichandran later resigned and was dismissed without notice. The tribunal ruled that the abuse violated his dignity and ordered the company to pay damages and introduce staff training on workplace discrimination. (PC: NDTV)

Rajasthan has allowed new “low-density” activities on large parts of urban hill terrain under rules approved in April. The 2024 regulations replace older norms and divide hills into three slope groups. Areas with slopes above 15 degrees are marked non-developable. Hills with slopes between 8 and 15 degrees can host farmhouses, resorts, wellness centres and solar projects. These zones include parts of the Aravalli range inside cities. The move comes as the Centre faces questions on mining threats to the Aravallis and the Supreme Court starts suo motu hearings. The state says the rules balance growth and conservation and are open to review after court guidance. (PC: The Indian Express)