A 17-year-old girl has told Delhi Police that three men posing as police officers allegedly sexually assaulted her at Aastha Kunj Park in south Delhi. According to the FIR, the teenager was visiting the park with a male friend after visiting Kalkaji temple on her birthday. The men allegedly questioned them, took their phones and separated the two. The girl said she was taken to a secluded area, threatened with a firearm and knives, and assaulted. Police arrested three suspects—Asif, Hemant Singh and Mukesh Singh—after the victim provided identifying details. The investigation is ongoing. (PC: ANI)

Bihar Police have registered a case against six unidentified young men after a video allegedly showing a woman being harassed and assaulted at Mandar Hill in Banka district went viral. According to police, the footage appears to have been recorded on September 3 and shows the men allegedly behaving indecently and hitting the woman with a slipper. Police received the video through their social media cell on September 22 and visited Mandar Hill to verify the location. The accused and woman have not yet been identified. Police have recorded the video as evidence and launched an investigation under relevant BNS and IT Act provisions. 

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign within 48 hours over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The group threatened a nationwide agitation and an indefinite sit-in in Delhi, described as “Jantar Mantar 2.0,” if Kumar does not step down. CJP also announced an “Election Commission Thik Karo” campaign and called for an independent investigation into SIR-related decisions. The group cited concerns over voter exclusions and changes to electoral procedures. The Election Commission has said differing views among commissioners are part of its normal decision-making process. (PC: X)

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar within 48 hours, threatening a nationwide agitation and a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” protest if he does not step down. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the Election Commission of undermining voters’ rights and raised allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The organisation also launched an “Election Commission Thik Karo” campaign and called for an independent inquiry into electoral-roll decisions. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of manipulation, stating that its decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously. (PC: AP)

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary faced criticism from the opposition RJD after allegedly revealing the identity of a minor girl who was molested in Jamui. The girl and her family met the Chief Minister, who assured them of speedy justice and strict punishment for the accused. Choudhary posted a photograph with the victim and her family on X, but later removed it. RJD leaders accused him of violating provisions protecting the privacy of minor sexual-assault victims and demanded action. Bihar Police had also registered cases against social-media accounts for circulating material that exposed the girl’s identity. (PC: ANI)

Two drivers and a conductor accused in the Greater Noida sleeper bus fire case were sent to 14-day judicial custody by the District and Sessions Court in Surajpur on September 24. The bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar late on September 23, killing nine passengers. Police arrested the three crew members as the investigation continued. The FIR alleges that passengers noticed a burning smell and warned the crew before flames emerged, while the accused drivers have denied allegations that they were smoking inside the bus. Authorities are investigating the exact cause and circumstances of the deadly fire. 

The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode began a hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on September 24, demanding the arrest of officials named in the FIR concerning their son’s death. Sahil, a second-year BTech student, died by suicide on September 18 after an examination-related incident. His parents have alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination at the institute, while IIT Bombay has denied the allegation and said the matter is under investigation. The parents had earlier been detained while attempting to protest outside the IIT campus. Police said they had permitted the protest at Azad Maidan. 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed nationwide restrictions on manufacturing and selling non-dairy analogue products as “paneer”, aiming to prevent consumers from being misled about their composition. Under the draft amendment, products registered or licensed as “Analogue in Dairy Context” would have to stop using “paneer” in their names, labels and marketing. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions for 60 days before proceeding with the regulatory process. Analogue paneer can contain vegetable oils, starches, plant proteins and emulsifiers instead of milk ingredients. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have already restricted analogue paneer, while Zomato has announced a zero-tolerance policy against dishes containing such products.

Fears of consumers shifting to cash because of merchant fees on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 are “100% misplaced”, government sources said. Officials argued that Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) already applies to credit and debit cards, except RuPay debit cards, without discouraging use. They said merchants have absorbed card MDR and questioned why UPI should be treated differently. Officials also warned that providing UPI services free indefinitely could undermine the system’s sustainability, describing it as a “golden goose”. Only 4% of person-to-merchant UPI transactions exceed Rs 2,000 and would attract the fee. Fees collected from high-value UPI payments are unlikely to cover the full cost of operating payments infrastructure. (PC: X)

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has given Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign, warning of nationwide agitation if he refuses. The demand follows controversy over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that the Election Commission had undermined rights and demanded criminal proceedings against Kumar. The party also called for the SIR exercise to be frozen and for the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners to be repealed. CJP further demanded an independent inquiry into the SIR process. The Election Commission has disputed claims of internal disagreement, saying differing views are part of deliberations and decisions were unanimous.