The Supreme Court on September 24 sought Karnataka’s response to Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking additional Cauvery water, with Tamil Nadu claiming a 20 TMC shortfall. Tamil Nadu argued that inadequate water supply had already affected its early Kharif crop and urged the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to address the deficit. Karnataka disputed the claim and said it was facing a severe drought while complying with CWMA release directions. The court observed that Tamil Nadu’s deficit grievance should be considered by the CWMA and gave Karnataka one week to respond. The matter will be heard again on October 12. (PC: X)

9 passengers died after a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. According to an FIR, passengers noticed a burning smell and asked the driver to stop. The driver and conductor allegedly refused and said, “If you want to die, then die; we won’t stop the bus.” The complaint also alleged that both men were smoking bidis and cigarettes inside the driver’s cabin. Flames later spread quickly, filling the bus with smoke. The bus was carrying 35 passengers. The driver and conductor fled after the bus stopped. Police have launched a probe and are searching for them.  

More than 5,000 people have been moved to cyclone shelters in Odisha’s Gajapati district as heavy rain continues. The evacuation was carried out as a safety measure due to the risk of landslides. The district has prepared 264 cyclone shelters and is providing dry rations and cooked food. The India Meteorological Department said the deep depression is likely to enter Odisha near Koraput on Thursday afternoon or evening. Heavy rain is expected to continue for two more days. Strong winds and high waves also caused trouble in Chilika Lake. More than 10 fishing boats sank due to rough weather.  

Two brothers accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl inside Delhi’s Aastha Kunj Park allegedly went to a restaurant after the crime and later washed their clothes to remove evidence, police said. Mukesh Singh, 24, Hemant Singh, 31, and Asif, 30, were arrested on Tuesday. Police said the accused allegedly carried a firearm, knife and condoms and spent around 45 minutes looking for a target before approaching the girl and her male friend. The accused allegedly posed as policemen before attacking the minors. Police also seized phones and an unlicensed firearm and knife, while forensic teams are examining digital and other evidence. (PC: HT)

Two molestation cases involving minor girls have been reported in Bihar’s Samastipur and Muzaffarpur, days after the Jamui incident triggered widespread outrage. In Samastipur, a group of four men allegedly assaulted and molested a minor girl on September 15 after seeing her with a boy near a local embankment. A video of the incident later surfaced online. Police arrested all four accused and registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, POCSO Act and IT Act. In Muzaffarpur, police arrested a man named Lalit after he allegedly assaulted a minor girl and tried to take her away forcibly. Her family filed a complaint. (PC: India Today)

9 people were killed after an AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday. The bus was carrying 35 passengers and was travelling from Noida to Mahoba. Police said the fire started after a spark or blast in the bus’s AC. The flames quickly spread through the vehicle. Some passengers reported a burning smell before the fire. Nine people, including a woman, could not escape. The driver and conductor fled the spot. Police are trying to find them. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and directed officials to provide medical help to the injured.  

Snow leopard tracking in Ladakh has been ranked the world’s fourth-best wildlife experience, scoring 85.5 out of 100 in Bailey Robinson’s Wildlife Experience Index. The index evaluated 30 wildlife encounters using six criteria: rarity, remoteness, conservation importance, exclusivity, accessibility and encounter potential. Ladakh followed mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, emperor penguin expeditions in Antarctica, and saiga antelope tracking in Kazakhstan, while ranking above Arctic polar bear expeditions. India’s Snow Leopard Population Assessment found 718 snow leopards nationwide, including 477 in Ladakh. The recognition highlights community-based conservation and responsible tourism, while increasing attention on protecting high-altitude habitats from tourism-related pressures. It underscores the importance of ensuring tourism benefits local communities. (PC: @sascha.fonseca/Instagram)

Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions linked to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, according to an Indian Express investigation. The objections covered changes to Form 6 for new voters, deletion and restoration of names, and concerns over centralised access to the voter database. Sandhu and Joshi said some decisions were taken without their knowledge. They also questioned the legal basis for restricting access to electoral roll software. In Goa, software problems reportedly prevented officials from recording the eligibility of 97 voters. The concerns were also raised with CEC Gyanesh Kumar. (PC: X)

Cockroach Janta Party co-convener Saurav Das called Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar the “original anti-national” and demanded his arrest over the Election Commission’s voter-roll revision process. His remarks came after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times in 10 months over decisions taken in the poll panel’s name. The report focused on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the deletion of millions of voter names. Das alleged that the process had stolen people’s “right to vote for change”. Election Commission officials, however, said decisions were taken unanimously. (PC: The Telegraph India)

A Hyderabad police constable helped reunite a missing pet dog, Shiro, with its owner after the animal was found nearly 20 kilometres from where it disappeared. Shiro went missing from Madhuranagar, prompting a search across different parts of the city. Constable Deepti joined the effort by circulating Shiro’s photograph and identifying details through multiple WhatsApp groups, expanding the search beyond the local area. The effort led to a breakthrough in Moula Ali, where Shiro was traced. After confirming the dog’s whereabouts, police informed the owner and facilitated the reunion. Shiro was safely returned home to his family, and the owner thanked Constable Deepti for her efforts in locating the missing pet. (PC: X)