Breaking news highlights: 3 petrol bombs thrown at RSS member's house in Madurai

Amid massive outrage over the murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari by the son of a now-expelled BJP leader in Uttarakhand, the state government on Saturday sealed five resorts in the Nainital district.

A video showed man throwing three petrol bombs at the house of an RSS member in Tamil Nadu's Madurai. Assistant Commissioner Shanmugam told to news agency ANI that no one were reported to be injured and investigation is under way.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called on Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmeet Singh at Raj Bhavan today. CM discussed several issues with the Governor and also assure him on punishing receptionist murder culprits. 

Russia to facilitate access to citizenship for foreigners serving in Russian army. It toughens punishment for those who voluntarily surrender and refuse to fight. According to AFP reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed amendments toughening punishment for voluntary surrender and refusal to fight by up to 10 years in prison, just days after ordering a partial mobilisation.

A 15-year-old girl was reportedly found hanging on the terrace wall of a building in Mumbai's Lower Parel, NM Joshi Marg Police said on Saturday. Police said no suicide note has been recovered yet and investigation is underway.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in Maharashtra and in the country will not be spared. Responding to the on-going PFI arrests, and slogans, he said action will be taken against those who raise them.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar at Showcasing India-UN Partnership in Action on Saturday said, “India stands committed to strengthen its partnership with United Nations to ensure a brighter future for the planet. We've full faith in the principles of UN & its charter. The world in our view is one family today.” 

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey has been taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) phone tapping case, according to PTI reports. Sanjay Pandey was earlier arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) linked to the same case and is presently under Judicial Custody. Read more

Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been named winner of the first-ever Queen Elizabeth II Woman of the Year award at a ceremony in London.

Over 700 people have been detained by Iranian police in just one province after more than a week of demonstrations ever since a young woman died in custody, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday. Police said there are 60 women among those who were arrested.

Locals on Saturday set Vantara resort in Rishikesh ablaze, which is owned by Pulkit Arya, the expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son. Pulkit Arya is one of the three accused who were arrested for allegedly murdering a 19-year-old woman. 

In a crackdown by Iran's security forces following more than a week of protests that started with the murder of a young lady in detention, the official death toll has nearly doubled to 35, according to AFP reports.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav will meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on September 25, in Delhi. In a statement given by the RJD chief, he said "Nitish Kumar and I will meet Sonia Gandhi. We are making all efforts to unite the opposition,"as he arrives in Delhi.

A Class 12 student in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur opened fire on school Principal with an illegal weapon & fled away.  ASP South NP Singh said the that there was dispute between the student & his classmate on Friday which was intervened by Principal which led to the incident. He said the injured Principal has been admitted to hospital and searches are underway for the student.

In a recorded video shared by ANI, a Scorpio car is seen getting washed away due to flash floods at Chiputa village in Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh.

BJP MP Hema Malini on Saturday commented about the speculation that bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut could contest elections from Mathura "Good, it is good...You want only film stars in Mathura. Tomorrow, even Rakhi Sawant will become," she said to news agency ANI. Read more

Drugs worth over ₹18 crore have been seized and 134 traffickers arrested in the last four months in Meghalaya, Director General of Police L R Bishnoi has said.

The seized drugs include 3.62 kg heroin, 4,500 kg ganja, 150 gm opium, 145 bottles of cough syrup and 11,902 amphetamines tablets. Thirty one vehicles, 90 mobile phones and cash ₹24.22 lakh was also seized during the period, the DGP said.

Ankita Bhandari murder case | BJP expels Vinod Arya and Ankit Arya - the father and brother of main accused Pulkit Arya - from the party with immediate effect.

Softbank-backed e-commerce firm Meesho on Saturday said it registered around 80 per cent jump in the business with close to 87.6 lakh orders on Friday, the first day of its five-day festive season sale.

Hazardous weather killed at least 36 people in northern India over the past 24 hours, including 12 who died after being struck by lightning, officials said as they warned of more heavy downpours in the coming days.

Across the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, some 24 people died after their homes collapsed amid unrelenting rains, Relief Commissioner Ranvir Prasad said.

Protesting farmers in Haryana agree to lift blockade at national highway after demands heeded.

Over the last few days, Punjab has witnessed constant sparring between chief minister Bhagwant Mann and governor Banwarilal Purohit. This went a notch higher on Friday when the state governor sought the details of the agenda of the legislative business of the session called by the AAP government on September 27.

Read more

India reports 4,912 new Covid cases in last 24 hours; active caseload at 44,436.

US President Joe Biden has terminated the designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally, more than a year after the Taliban captured power in Kabul.

In 2012, the United States named Afghanistan a major non-NATO (MNNA) ally, which cleared the way for the two countries to maintain a defence and economic relationship.