India will “very soon” impose specific regulations to combat deepfakes and misuse of AI, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at the NDTV World Summit 2025 in Delhi. He emphasised that merely passing a law will not suffice — the country’s approach will combine legal measures with technical solutions to detect and deter deepfake threats. India’s strategy differs from the EU’s by prioritising innovation alongside societal protection, with efforts already underway at institutions like Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur to develop deepfake-detection tech exceeding 90 % accuracy. (PC: NDTV)  

Just days before Diwali, Delhi’s air quality has plunged to the “very poor” category, with an overall AQI of 254. Pollution hotspots such as Anand Vihar (384), Wazirpur (359), Jahangirpuri (307), Bawana (307), and Siri Fort (303) recorded dangerously high levels. Experts attribute the spike to stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and pre-festive firecracker use. Authorities have deployed anti-smog guns and water sprinklers to curb dust pollution. Health officials have warned of severe respiratory risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with asthma or heart conditions. (PC: PTI)

In a major success for anti-insurgency operations, 210 Maoists, including several senior commanders and 111 women cadres, surrendered before security forces in Jagdalpur, Bastar on October 17, 2025. They handed over 153 weapons, marking one of the largest mass surrenders in the state’s history. Officials credited the move to the government’s revised rehabilitation and outreach policy, which encourages reintegration into society. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh’s DGP hailed the surrender as a turning point in restoring peace across the Bastar and Abujhmad regions, long considered Maoist strongholds. (PC: The Hindu)  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that 303 Maoists surrendered in the past 75 hours, calling it a major step toward ending terrorism in India. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, he said his government’s efforts had reduced Maoist-affected districts from 125 to just 11 in ten years. Modi said the surrender shows that “wayward youth” are returning to the mainstream. He accused past governments of hiding Maoist violence and praised Bastar’s progress, saying, “Now they can celebrate Diwali peacefully.” Modi ended by saying a “Maoist-free India” is part of his “Modi Guarantee.” (PC: NDTV)

Delhi witnessed massive traffic jams on Friday evening as people rushed for Diwali shopping. Major intersections like Moolchand, ITO, Chanakyapuri and Teen Murti Marg saw long queues of vehicles. Heavy congestion was also reported on the Delhi-Gurugram route and near Okhla and IFFCO Chowk. The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory urging people to avoid peak-hour travel and use navigation apps for updates. Officials said ongoing road repair work has worsened delays. To handle the rush, police have cancelled all traffic personnel’s leaves and deployed extra staff across the city to manage movement and prevent bottlenecks.

Three male students were arrested in Madhya Pradesh for secretly filming women while they were changing clothes during a youth festival at Bhanpura Government College in Mandsaur district. Police said CCTV footage showed the accused peeping through a window and taking videos. The men, aged between 20 and 22, are members of the ABVP, the student wing of the RSS. One suspect is still missing. Their phones have been seized for forensic tests. The college principal filed a complaint after noticing suspicious activity. The ABVP has removed one accused from his post. Police are continuing the investigation. (PC: NDTV)

In a dramatic late-night incident at Mumbai’s Ram Mandir railway station, a man named Vikas Bendre delivered a baby on the platform with remote guidance from a female doctor via video call. After a hospital refused the woman earlier, she went into labour aboard the train. Bendre pulled the emergency chain to stop the train, called a doctor, and followed her instructions step-by-step to assist the birth. Social media users have praised his courage, drawing parallels with “Rancho,” the inspirational character from 3 Idiots. 

Vikas Kohli, brother of Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, dismissed recent media reports alleging that Virat and his wife Anushka Sharma handed him a General Power of Attorney to manage their Gurugram property. Taking to Instagram, Vikas condemned the “misinformation and fake news,” sarcastically wishing “good luck” to those spreading it. The reports had suggested that Virat authorized Vikas to oversee maintenance or potential sale of the residence, fueling speculation about the couple’s move to the UK. Vikas clarified that no such legal transfer or decision had occurred. (PC: X)  

In a key development in the Zubeen Garg death case, the court has remanded two accused—Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a band member, and Amritprabha Mahanta, a singer—to 14 days’ judicial custody. Their arrest follows ongoing investigations by the Assam CID into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Garg’s death. Tensions flared outside Baksa District Jail, where supporters clashed with police, leading to property damage and injuries. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged the public to maintain peace and avoid politicising the case. Meanwhile, a judicial inquiry has been ordered to thoroughly examine the events leading to Garg’s death. (PC: PTI)  

A Bengaluru private engineering college student allegedly raped her senior inside the men's washroom on campus on October 10. The 21-year-old fifth-semester accused, known to the seventh-semester victim, called her multiple times during lunch break to meet near the architecture block's seventh floor. He allegedly forcibly kissed her, followed her to the sixth floor, dragged her into the washroom, locked the door, and raped her while confiscating her phone. Post-assault, he allegedly called asking if she needed a pill. After confiding in friends and parents, she filed a complaint October 15 at Hanumanthanagar police station. The accused was arrested, charged under Section 64 (rape), and remanded to judicial custody.