Patna: RJD leader and INDIA bloc chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav on Monday criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “not disclosing gender-wise data” of electors who cast their votes in the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls, even after four days of the voting.

An ECI official, however, said gender wise information is provided at the time of final turnout. The second and final phase of polling will be held on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, he claimed that the RJD-helmed opposition coalition will not allow “vote theft or dishonesty”.

“The EC has not disclosed the gender-wise data of electors who cast their votes on November 6 even after four days have passed from the first phase of assembly polls. This is happening for the first time. Earlier, it was given immediately,” he claimed.

Yadav also alleged that the poll panel has stopped functioning properly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

He also warned “officials of dire consequences, if they try to create trouble in collusion with the EC or union Home Minister Amit Shah”.

“We will not allow vote theft or dishonesty under any circumstances,” the RJD leader said.

Yadav also claimed that altogether 208 companies of security personnel from BJP-ruled states have been deployed in Bihar on poll duties.

“Why have the security personnel been deployed from BJP-ruled states? We are keeping a close watch on them. Around 68 per cent of police observers are from BJP-ruled states. Why is it so?” he asked.

Outsiders, including Shah, want to control Bihar, and the people of Bihar will not allow it, the RJD leader said.

He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his poll campaigns, did not talk about issues like unemployment and migration in Bihar and indulged in negative politics.

“I don’t know what sort of web series the PM is watching these days,” Yadav said.

The RJD leader also claimed that Modi did not say anything about the corruption charges against Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, Health Minister Mangal Pandey and state BJP president Dr Dilip Jaisawal.

He alleged that the PM shared the dais with people who are not honest.

Yadav, the chief ministerial face of the INDIA bloc, exuded confidence of winning the polls and said, “We will take oath on November 18.”

The RJD leader also claimed that there would be no compromise with law and order, and “we will take action against criminals, communal forces and corruption if the INDIA bloc wins Bihar polls”.

Responding to the charges, an ECI official said, “The overall gender ratio in voter turnout is generally given at the time of final turnout.

On deployment of security forces for the polls, the official said nearly 80 per cent of the personnel were taken from the Central Armed Police Force.

“Only about 20 per cent are deployed from the State Armed Police which are drawn proportionately from different states as per availability. The SAP has been taken from 24 states including Jharkhand, Telangana, Kerala, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka,” he said.

The states he named are ruled by non-BJP parties.

“Observers have been deployed proportionately from all states irrespective of the ruling party in the respective state. The CCTVs have been functioning at all strong rooms. Wherever any malfunctioning comes to notice, it has been promptly rectified,” the official said.

Bengaluru : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday expressed shock and grief over the blast that occurred near Red Fort in Delhi that claimed at least eight lives and injured several people.

“Deeply shocked and disturbed by the tragic blast near Red Fort, Delhi. The loss of innocent lives is heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured,” Shivakumar said.

A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car near the Red Fort metro station, gutting several vehicles, officials said.

Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.

US President Donald Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump said that India is going to pay “massive tariffs” if it continues to buy oil from Russia, while reiterating that he got assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that New Delhi is going to halt its oil purchases from Moscow. 

Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, Trump said India will “continue to pay massive tariffs” if they do not cease buying oil from Russia, adding that “they (India) don’t want to do that.”

Trump was replying to a question about India’s recent remarks on oil purchases from Russia. 

India last week said it is “broad-basing and diversifying” its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after Trump claimed that Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil.

Trump said he does not believe India made such remarks. 

“But I don’t believe they said that. No, I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” the US President added. 

Washington has been maintaining that India is helping Putin to finance the war through its purchase of Russian crude oil.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.

New Delhi: The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has cancelled all leaves of its officers and staff ahead of Diwali to ensure round-the-clock preparedness, officials said on Monday.

A senior DFS officer said detailed planning is in place to handle any fire-related emergencies during the festive period.

“All our fire stations and quick response teams (QRTs) have been put on high alert. We have instructed every team to respond to all distress calls without delay,” the officer said.

The officer also said besides all the units, many QRTs will be deployed at over 100 locations in Delhi.

According to officials, last Diwali, the DFS control room received over 200 fire-related emergency calls, many linked to firecrackers, short circuits, and mishandling of diyas and candles.

“Every vehicle has been checked thoroughly and is in working condition. Our aim is to ensure that no call goes unattended,” another officer added.

The DFS has conducted several mock drills in residential and market areas across the city to test the response time and coordination among various units.

“Our teams have been trained to act swiftly and effectively. The DFS is fully prepared to tackle any situation that may arise,” an officer said.

Additional staff have been deployed in areas prone to fire incidents, such as Sadar Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Palace, and industrial belts. Fire tenders, water tankers, and hydraulic platforms have also been strategically stationed to reduce response time in case of major incidents, according to officials.

“Diwali is one of the busiest times for us, but also the most important. We play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of citizens during this festival,” added the officer.

In a message to people, the DFS appealed for a safe and responsible Diwali.

Kerala HC

Pathanamthitta: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala is expected to file its first progress report to the Kerala High Court soon, police sources said on Monday.

The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar will hear the case again on Tuesday.

Sources told PTI that the SIT plans to submit the report on the same day.

Officials said the report will cover the current status of the investigation, including the arrest of Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potty, who sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum )door frames in 2019.

It will also detail the investigation carried out at Chennai, where the plates were electroplated, sources said.

The High Court, while assigning the SIT to the case, had directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline to complete the investigation.

The SIT has registered two cases related to gold missing from the plates of Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames. As many as 10 persons have been arraigned as accused in both cases, including Potty and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials.

SIT is expected to interrogate other accused persons soon.

The amicus curiae, retired High Court judge Justice KT Sankaran, assigned to prepare an inventory of valuables, including gold at the hill shrine, is also expected to submit a preliminary report when the case is considered on Tuesday.

Justice Sankaran visited Sabarimala and examined the strong rooms last week.

Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph alleged that the government is protecting the accused persons in the Sabarimala case.

“Even though the court ordered the SIT probe on October 6, the arrest was made only on October 16. When Congress workers are arrested within hours in other cases, those accused of stealing crores of rupees worth of gold from Sabarimala are freely roaming. The government is intentionally protecting them,” he said.

Tej Pratap

Hajipur: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s elder son and Janshakti Janta Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav has been booked for allegedly violating the model code of conduct (MCC) during the filing of his nomination papers from the Mahua assembly seat in Bihar’s Vaishali district, police said.

According to a statement issued by the district police on Sunday, the Circle Officer of Mahua lodged a complaint with the police station concerned after a video, which went viral on social media, showed Yadav using a SUV, bearing a police logo and a beacon light, during a procession for submitting his documents on October 16.

“It was thoroughly examined and found that the police logo and beacon light used on the vehicle were a private one. Therefore, a case was registered for violation of the election code of conduct,” it said.

Yadav floated the party after being expelled from the RJD on May 25 by his father for six years, as he reportedly confessed to being ‘in a relationship‘ with a woman.

He, however, deleted the Facebook post later with a claim that his page was ‘hacked’. Lalu Prasad also disowned Tej Pratap due to his “irresponsible behaviour”.

A few days later, after his expulsion from the RJD, Tej Pratap Yadav had alleged that there was a “conspiracy” to drive a wedge between him and his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav.

He had voiced his sentiments in a couple of posts on his X handle, blaming the crisis on ‘Jaichand’, a metaphor for traitors.

Saharanpur/Agra Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will visit Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district on Saturday and Agra on Sunday as part of his six-day India trip, officials said.

According to Saharanpur police, during his day-long visit to Deoband, Muttaqi will tour Darul Uloom Deoband, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia, and meet senior clerics, scholars and administrators of the institution. He is expected to arrive around noon and return to Delhi by evening.

Superintendent of Police (Saharanpur Rural) Sagar Jain said police and intelligence units have been deployed and “comprehensive security arrangements” have been made ahead of the visit. The district administration has also coordinated with the Darul Uloom authorities to ensure a smooth programme.

Darul Uloom’s office in-charge Mufti Rehan Usmani confirmed the visit and said preparations are being made for the Afghan minister’s reception.

“Earlier, we expected him to stay for two days but due to a packed schedule, the visit has been limited to one day. He will meet Rector Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and other senior clerics,” Usmani told PTI.

During the visit, Muttaqi is also expected to interact with Afghan students enrolled at the seminary and tour its historic library. His arrival has generated considerable excitement among students and local residents.

On Sunday, the Afghan foreign minister will travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. The officials said he will leave Delhi around 8 am via the Yamuna Expressway and reach Shilpgram, near the monument’s eastern gate, by 11 am.

He will be taken to the Taj Mahal in an electric golf cart and is expected to spend about an hour and a half at the site before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.

Agra district authorities said elaborate security measures have been made for the high-profile visit.

“No lapses will be tolerated and security will remain tight throughout his stay,” a senior official said.

Muttaqi’s is the first visit to India by a senior Taliban minister since the group seized power in Kabul four years ago.

The Afghan foreign minister’s visit to India assumes greater significance as it comes at a time when both India and Afghanistan are having frosty relations with Pakistan over a range of issues, including cross-border terrorism.

Bareilly : A fact-finding report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has alleged severe procedural violations, arbitrary arrests, and targeted demolitions following the “I Love Muhammad” demonstration in Bareilly. The report concludes that the state’s response amounted to collective punishment and criminalisation of a religious expression.

The demonstration, led by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, was intended to submit a memorandum supporting the I Love Muhammad campaign after police in Kanpur filed an FIR against Muslims for displaying banners during Eid-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations. Despite prior announcements, the Bareilly administration denied permission for the protest. On September 26, 2025, a large crowd gathered after Friday prayers, most dispersing peacefully before clashes broke out in some areas.

According to the report, police used force without prior warning, leading to injuries and chaos. Over ten FIRs were filed that night, implicating more than 2,000 people, including Maulana Tauqeer Raza, with charges ranging from rioting to offences against the state. The APCR found these FIRs “vague, repetitive, and excessively harsh,” accusing the authorities of using grave criminal sections without evidence of armed rebellion or hate speech.

By October 7, at least 89 people had been arrested, many allegedly without being informed of the reasons or shown arrest memos. The report documents claims of minor Muslim detainees being picked up and held without access to legal counsel. Lawyers told the fact-finding team that FIR copies were withheld, delaying legal recourse.

The APCR also condemned the demolition of properties belonging to Muslims accused in the protests, including the Raza Palace banquet hall owned by a close aide of Maulana Raza, and several shops in Pehalwan Markaz Market, a waqf property under judicial dispute. Shopkeepers told investigators that the sealing occurred without notice, under heavy police presence, and in violation of court stay orders.

The report highlights economic losses, suspension of internet services, and the heavy deployment of armed forces in Muslim-majority areas, creating what it calls a “climate of fear and repression.” Witnesses described contrasting scenes, deserted Muslim neighborhoods under surveillance, and unaffected Hindu-majority areas operating normally.

The APCR concluded that state authorities acted with disproportionate force, failed to follow due legal procedures, and violated fundamental rights of assembly and religious freedom. It called for an independent inquiry into police actions, restoration of due process, and accountability for officers involved in unlawful force or property seizures.

The organisation urged the National Human Rights Commission and the judiciary to intervene, ensure the release of those arrested without proper legal grounds, and initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials responsible for arbitrary actions.

The report frames the Bareilly incident not as an isolated case but as part of a larger trend of criminalising Muslim expression in the name of law and order.

 The AIMIM, which has been spurned by the INDIA bloc in Bihar, on Saturday said it was planning to contest around 100 seats in the upcoming state assembly polls, five times the number it had fought in the last elections.

The party, headed by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, claimed that it was aiming to build a “third alternative” in Bihar, where politics has, for years, been all about the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-RJD combine.

Talking to PTI-Bhasha, the AIMIM’s state president Akhtarul Iman said, “Our plan is to contest 100 seats. Both the NDA and the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (the name by which the INDIA bloc is known in Bihar) will be forced to realise our presence.”

He also claimed that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, which had in 2020 accused the AIMIM of splitting secular votes, can no longer do so.

“It is now common knowledge that I wrote to (RJD president) Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, expressing willingness for a tie-up. But no response came.

“Now, we must do all that we can to expand our footprints. Yes, we are also in talks with like-minded parties to explore the possibility of a third front. It will all be clear in a few days”, said the AIMIM leader.

The elections to the 243-member Bihar assembly will be held on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes will take place on November 14.

The AIMIM had contested the 2020 assembly polls in alliance with former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s BSP and the now-abolished Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, headed by ex-Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who has since floated a new outfit, Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and joined the NDA.

In the last assembly polls, the AIMIM had won five seats and was understood to have damaged the RJD, Congress, and the Left combine in a number of other assembly segments.

In 2022, however, four MLAs of the AIMIM joined the RJD.

Iman, who had himself previously been in the RJD as well as the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is now the lone legislator of the AIMIM.

According to political observers, the AIMIM sees a catchment area in Bihar, where Muslims are more than 17 per cent of the total population but have never got a proportionate representation in the state legislature.

Last month, Owaisi flew down to the Seemanchal region and toured, over a course of four days, districts like Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnea, which have a substantial population of the minority community.

Although Owaisi has been charging the RJD, JD(U) and the Congress with apathy towards Muslims, the barrister-politician is, in turn, accused of being “a B team of the BJP”, which cuts into “secular votes” to help the saffron party.