Sputnik V second dose hits production roadblock

A massive power outage exceeding 24 hours has hit Gurgaon's New Ashok Vihar, severely disrupting essential services, local businesses, and daily life. Residents and shop owners report that small businesses, including kirana shops and medical stores, are suffering heavy losses due to melting perishable goods and spoiled temperature-sensitive medicines. The prolonged blackout has also triggered an acute water crisis, as electric pumps remain non-functional across the colony. Unlike luxury high-rise societies equipped with high-capacity diesel generator sets, local residents depend on inverters that ran out of charge within a day. Citizens expressed severe frustration over unannounced power cuts linked to administrative issues and departmental strikes, noting that official helpline numbers provided by the administration went unanswered or remained switched off. Stressed families with young children, elderly patients requiring electric medical equipment, and students preparing for exams face immense distress as locals question administrative accountability.

Investigation into the Tiger Shroff firing incident has revealed that shooters rehearsed firing in Mumbai's Aarey Forest a day before the attack. Accused Hrithik, Rehan, and Phool Singh received weapons transported from Sonipat via train and collected them in Dadar before test-firing on a cardboard target in Aarey Colony. Police have arrested 10 accused so far, while pursuing other accomplices. Probe details show the suspects used fake Aadhaar cards under aliases to conceal their identities. The Crime Branch has also named absconding accused Anil Pandit in its remand plea, alleging the attack was orchestrated at his behest. Meanwhile, CCTV footage captured the accused movements hours before the shooting.

Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including TVK, DMK, NTK, Congress, and VCK, boycotted an Election Commission meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik at the Chennai Secretariat over the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation while only the AIADMK and BJP attended. Political developments continued as former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai questioned governance models, speculation emerged regarding actor Dhanush entering politics, and NTK leader Karthika secured bail while criticising the TVK administration. In Kerala, police invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against Ebbin Paul over the synagogue area arson case amid investigations into Telegram handlers and terror links. In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore police booked four people after a 16-year-old Dalit student died by suicide over alleged caste harassment, heavy rains in Madurai and Virudhunagar caused waterlogging and a fatal wall collapse, and Thoothukudi police invoked POCSO sections after an attack, murder, and child kidnapping.

Gurugram faced severe power outages and an ensuing water crisis after electricity department employees initiated a three-day strike against the granting of a parallel electricity distribution licence to a private company for Gurugram and Nuh. Over 5,500 complaints were registered with Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam within the first 12 hours. Local residential areas and businesses suffered widespread disruption, with basic essentials, refrigeration, and water availability severely impacted. Employee unions raised concerns that private licensing jeopardises thousands of public sector jobs. In response, the Haryana government announced plans to challenge the regulatory commission's decision before the appellate tribunal, as authorities scheduled talks with striking employees to resolve the ongoing crisis.