Bihar minister and BJP Jamui MLA Shreyasi Singh faced criticism after saying that “moral policing can be done in a more decent and elegant fashion” while discussing the alleged harassment of two minors in Jamui. A viral video showed the teenagers being confronted and mistreated by a group of people on September 19. Singh condemned the treatment and said those responsible should face strict action. Opposition leaders criticised her remarks, arguing that any form of vigilante intrusion is unacceptable. Singh later said her comments had been quoted out of context and stressed that the perpetrators should not escape accountability. (PC: HT)

A young couple travelling on a motorcycle towards Kapilash in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district was allegedly stopped and assaulted by a group of people. A video circulating on social media appears to show several men surrounding the couple, assaulting the man and behaving inappropriately towards the woman, who repeatedly pleaded for them to stop. The circumstances that led to the confrontation remain under investigation. Gondia police said three people—Saroj Nayak, Samir Nayak and Sangram Rath—have been arrested. The incident surfaced days after a similar assault involving two minors in Bihar’s Jamui, drawing renewed attention to public safety and harassment.

A nearly seven-hour hostage standoff in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, ended early Wednesday after Arvind Singh, accused of killing his wife and two priests during a dispute over a puja, was shot by police. Singh had allegedly locked himself inside a room with his three children and refused repeated appeals to surrender. During the standoff, his eight-year-old son was critically injured in the firing and later died in hospital. Police subsequently rescued Singh’s two daughters safely. Singh also died from injuries sustained during the police response. Authorities have launched an investigation, with forensic teams collecting evidence from the scene.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has backed student protests in Odisha over errors in school textbooks and demanded the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond. CJP co-convenor Saurav Das visited Bhubaneswar and inspected three government schools while supporting the Nabnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan (NYCS) agitation. The controversy began after 1,678 factual, typographical and printing errors were found in textbooks for Classes I to VIII. The state government has suspended four officials and started disciplinary action against six others. It has also begun distributing corrected textbooks. The protesters have demanded education reforms and accountability. The NYCS planned to gherao the Odisha Assembly on September 22. (PC: India Today)

Fresh CCTV footage from IIT Bombay shows 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode being questioned and taken out of an examination hall on September 18. He was seen leaving the hall between 12:30 pm and 12:45 pm. Investigators are checking CCTV footage from the campus and hostel to trace his movements. Sahil was found dead in his hostel room around 1:25 pm. His family has alleged caste-based harassment, but these claims have not been established. The case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. IIT Bombay students have submitted an 18-point charter seeking an independent probe, disciplinary reforms and better student support.  

The mother of a 20-year-old IIT Bombay student who allegedly died by suicide said her son had told the family about “torture” and casteist slurs. “Sahil had informed us that he was facing torture and casteist slurs,” she said. She added that the family has faith in the Constitution and hopes her son will get justice. His father alleged that claims of cheating in an exam were meant to divert attention. Police have registered an FIR and transferred the case to the Mumbai Crime Branch. The student was found dead in his hostel on September 18. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been suspended from his administrative post.  

A 40-year-old lawyer died after a speeding Thar SUV hit his scooter in Greater Noida West. Neeraj was riding with his wife when the SUV allegedly came from the wrong side and crashed into them. The impact threw the couple onto the road. Neeraj was declared dead at a hospital. His wife is in a coma and has suffered 18 fractures. Doctors have performed several surgeries. Her family said the medical bills have reached around ₹7 lakh. Witnesses alleged that four people in the Thar had been drinking. The driver fled after leaving the vehicle. Police have seized the SUV and launched a search.  

Bihar Minister and Jamui MLA Shreyasi Singh faced criticism after saying “moral policing can be done in a more decent and elegant fashion” while condemning the harassment of a boy and a Class 10 girl in her constituency. A video showing the two minors being confronted and allegedly harassed by a group had sparked outrage. Singh said the treatment of the children was “absolutely not tolerable” and promised accountability for those involved. Police arrested alleged main accused Nandan Yadav after an encounter and also arrested Hare Ram Yadav, who was injured. Opposition leaders and the AAP criticised Singh’s remarks. (PC: India Today)

The key accused in the Jamui groping case, Nandan Yadav, was shot in the leg during an encounter with Bihar Police on Tuesday morning. Police said Yadav was being taken to the reported crime scene as part of the investigation when he allegedly tried to escape from custody. An encounter followed, during which he was injured and taken to a hospital. Five people have been arrested in the case, while two others are minors. The incident involved two Class 10 students who were returning from coaching classes when a group allegedly assaulted the boy and harassed his female friend. Police have warned against revealing the minor victim’s identity.

Gaurav, originally named Elton, one of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia to Kuno National Park in September 2022 under Project Cheetah, has died. He arrived alongside Freddy, later renamed Shaurya, with the two males becoming known as Kuno’s “Rockstars”. Gaurav was among the first cheetahs to enter the Kuno landscape and became part of the project’s early reintroduction efforts. He survived competition with other males, established a territory and later contributed to India’s growing cheetah population by fathering five cubs with Nirva, a female brought from South Africa, in April 2025. Gaurav was over 10 years old, marking the loss of another original member of Project Cheetah’s first Namibian batch. (PC: X)