Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday backed the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) call for an October 2 protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Wangchuk recalled supporting the CJP during its Jantar Mantar protest over the NEET-UG paper leak, saying he stood with the party when it was “weak.” He said the party now has a “strong voice” and expressed hope that its protest would be able to “shake up the country.” The CJP has called for the October 2 demonstration to raise concerns over the Election Commission and seek accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner. (PC: ANI)

Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma was filmed appearing to slap a man during a heated road inspection in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar on September 27. The confrontation began as Verma and AAP MLA Jarnail Singh argued over the quality of newly laid roadwork. A video shows Verma pulling down the phone of Sahib Singh, who was recording the exchange, before appearing to slap him. Singh later said an FIR had been registered and alleged that Verma’s associates threatened him. Verma acknowledged the incident but said an AAP worker had abused his family, prompting his reaction. 

Heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides across Uttar Pradesh, leaving 56 people dead and 46 injured over September 25–26, according to a state government situation report. More than 1,000 houses were damaged, while 107 animal deaths were also reported. Sitapur recorded the highest number of fatalities at seven, followed by Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur with five each. The state received an average of 66.5 mm of rain in 48 hours, compared with the normal 7.6 mm, representing a 775% excess. Rescue, relief and damage-assessment operations are continuing, while crop losses remain under assessment. (PC: X)

India added two athletics medals at the 2026 Asian Games on September 27. Ancy Sojan won silver in the women’s long jump, while Tejaswin Shankar secured bronze in the men’s decathlon with 7,934 points. Sojan finished second after a closely contested final, while Shankar sealed his podium finish after completing all 10 decathlon events. In the men’s 800m, Mohammed Afsal advanced to the final, giving India another medal opportunity in athletics. The performances strengthened India’s athletics campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with several Indian athletes competing across track and field events. (PC: ANI)

At least 27 people were killed and 26 injured in two separate mass shootings in South Africa, police said on September 27. In Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg, eight armed suspects reportedly opened fire at a bar, killing 17 people and injuring 15. In a separate attack at an entertainment venue in Lwandle, near Cape Town, 10 people were killed and 11 wounded. Police launched investigations and manhunts for the unidentified suspects, with no arrests reported at the time. The attacks occurred days after another shooting near Durban that killed 11 people, highlighting renewed concerns over violent crime. 

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) will observe a nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30, 2026, after talks with authorities failed to resolve key demands. The unions are primarily seeking implementation of a five-day banking week, along with changes concerning performance-linked incentives and other pending service issues. The strike could disrupt branch-based services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearing and account-related work, particularly in public-sector banks. Digital services, including UPI, internet and mobile banking, and ATMs are expected to continue operating. Public-sector and regional rural banks were also directed to open on September 27 to help customers. 

Hundreds of students protested at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab, on Sunday over allegations that a female student was raped on campus on September 24. Protesters gathered near the girls’ hostel, blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway and raised slogans against the university administration. Videos showed students climbing onto a MiG-23 aircraft and a military tank displayed on campus. Some footage also showed damaged windows, flower pots and alleged vandalism. Police registered a case and formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations. The university denied the claims, calling the reports circulating on social media false and baseless. (PC: NDTV)

Indian triple jumper Karthik Unnikrishnan finished sixth at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya after a challenging debut at the age of 33. Persistent rain made conditions difficult, while teammate Praveen Chithravel suffered an injury in the opening round and could not complete a jump. Karthik crossed the 16-metre mark only once across his six attempts. His journey to the Asian Games followed years of setbacks, including COVID-19 disruptions, an ankle injury and a serious tendon problem that forced him to rebuild his jumping technique. Despite missing out on a medal, his debut marked the culmination of a decade-long journey. (PC: India Today)

A 78-year-old Indian-origin woman was robbed of gold jewellery worth around ₹13 lakh during an evening walk in Brampton, Canada, on July 28. According to her son, Raghavendra Kumar, a woman gained his mother’s trust by pretending to be friendly. She allegedly placed fake jewellery around her neck while removing her real gold necklace and bangles before fleeing in an SUV. The stolen jewellery weighed around 110 grams and had strong emotional value, as it was made by the victim’s late husband. Peel Regional Police are investigating the case and have identified a woman and a vehicle as being of interest.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has accused the Assam Police of detaining its leaders and volunteers ahead of its first regional meeting in Guwahati on Sunday. Party co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka was among those detained. Ranka alleged that roads leading to the meeting venue were blocked and volunteers were prevented from reaching the site. He claimed the action was aimed at stopping the party from highlighting issues such as schools, Kaziranga and floods in Assam. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also alleged that police took Ranka and other members to an unknown location. The party has demanded their immediate release.