Lt Gen Satish Dua: 'Darkest Day Of My Life, Lost 18 Lives On My Watch'

A special broadcast of Pollution Ka Solution examines the escalating air pollution crisis across major urban centres, focusing on Delhi NCR and Mumbai, where hazardous Air Quality Index levels and winter toxic smog are creating an influx of pollution refugees. Residents and professionals, including Bharat Singh Kanwal, former advocate Prashant Kalra, and fashion designer Anuradha Prasad Dhawan, detail abandoning their careers and homes to relocate to destinations like Bengaluru and Goa after severe pediatric respiratory emergencies, persistent asthma, and health complications forced their departure. The discussion highlights broader urban systemic issues such as deficient waste management, unchecked deforestation, and rising cancer and respiratory burdens among children and senior citizens, with lifestyle expert Luke Coutinho noting that dietary adjustments cannot reverse cellular lung damage caused by toxic exposure. Panellists address policy implementation challenges surrounding the National Clean Air Programme and Graded Response Action Plan, calling for year-round interstate governance, strict environmental compliance accountability, and civic participation to counter urban air quality deterioration.

Tension escalated at Lovely Professional University in Punjab as student protests over rape rumours turned violent, leading to intense clashes with the police. Protesters pelted stones, shattered vehicle window panes, and set a Punjab Police vehicle ablaze, leaving several police personnel injured, including one with a head injury. In response, police personnel resorted to a mild lathi charge before retreating to seek reinforcements from Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. Protesters had earlier blocked the national highway for hours and ransacked shops on campus while demanding the registration of an FIR, the constitution of a Special Investigation Team, and meetings with university authorities. While university administration refuted the allegations of rape and labelled them as rumours, police registered an FIR and formed an SIT to conduct an investigation. Senior police officers on the ground confirmed efforts to stabilise the area and identify individuals involved in arson and vandalism.

Tension escalated at Lovely Professional University in Punjab following unrest triggered by rumours of rape. Protesting students clashed with law enforcement personnel on campus, resulting in stone pelting, arson, and damage to several vehicles, including media and police vehicles. Heavy projectiles were thrown at officers in riot gear, prompting police to deploy mild lathi charge to push back crowds. Protesters torched a Punjab Police vehicle as smoke billowed across the campus. The university administration denied the allegations of rape, stating that no such incident occurred, while an FIR has been registered and a Special Investigation Team constituted. Senior police officers, including Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora, arrived on the ground to take stock of the situation as additional forces were mobilised across university hostels to restore order.

In an exclusive conversation on India Today, filmmaker Meghna Gulzar and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran discussed their film Dhaira and its exploration of uncomfortable societal questions surrounding crimes against women, judicial delays, and extrajudicial encounter killings. Reflecting on public outrage and the growing demand for instant justice, Meghna Gulzar noted, "Hesitating to talk about it is not going to make it go away." Addressing the dilemma between the rule of law and vigilante justice, she clarified that her intent was not to advocate encounter culture, stating, "I don't believe that we need to become a banana republic and that our police should become trigger-happy." Prithviraj Sukumaran explained his character Raman as an argument reflecting societal frustration with an overburdened judicial system facing millions of pending cases. Gulzar highlighted how the narrative confronts moral gray zones, juvenile justice laws post-Nirbhaya, and the complex reality of justice delivery in India today.