Satya Niketan PG Collapse: Delhi Police Arrest Fourth Accused Operator Sudhanshu; Partner on the Run

A major political row has erupted in Punjab following the death by suicide of Gulzar Singh, who alleged harassment by the Aam Aadmi Party. The deceased had questioned Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema regarding the rampant sale and easy availability of drugs in the state, noting his son was affected by substance abuse. Before consuming poison, he released a video naming the minister and alleging pressure to tender an apology. While an FIR for abetment to suicide was registered against five persons including a sarpanch, the minister was not named. The opposition, including the Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal, has attacked the Bhagwant Mann government over the handling of the drug crisis and suppression of public dissent.

Political tension has erupted over the presence of a dargah near Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party inspected the ancient fort and raised concerns regarding alleged illegal construction within the protected monument area overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India. Terming the structure land jihad, leaders submitted satellite images to the Revenue Department, Forest Department, and the Archaeological Department, demanding its removal. An ultimatum between eight to fourteen days has been issued, with a warning that failure to act will lead to a hunger strike at the site alongside other organisations.

Indian equity markets opened lower with the Nifty breaching the crucial 23,500 support mark amid rising crude oil prices nearing 100 dollars a barrel. The domestic currency opened at 94.87 against the US dollar, registering a five paise downtick. Major IT stocks including Infosys, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, and TCS emerged as top laggards, pulling the IT index down significantly. Meanwhile, Adani Airport Holdings announced plans to raise 9,825 crore rupees by selling a 5.5 per cent stake to global investors including BlackRock, Temasek, and Premji Invest, valuing the airport business at 1.78 lakh crore rupees. In the auto sector, JSW Group signed a non-binding pact with Skoda Auto Volkswagen Group for a proposed 51-49 joint venture. Additionally, the primary market witnessed a historic rush with six initial public offerings opening on a single day to raise around 4,300 crore rupees.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi authorities have initiated the manual demolition of a tilted residential building in Indira Vihar, Mukherjee Nagar. The action comes after cracks emerged between structures, posing collapse risks in the area populated by students. Although civic notices were pasted earlier identifying the structure as dangerous, formal demolition commenced following ground reports on the site. Ground visuals showed first and second floors undergoing demolition alongside disconnection of power supplies by the electricity department. Local residents reported that the building had remained tilted for several years without prior intervention despite repeated representations to municipal representatives. Furthermore, neighbouring property owners highlighted land subsidence and structural damage linked to continuous water pipe leakage and sewer line issues, alleging that multiple complaints submitted to the Delhi Jal Board regarding water supply seepages and sludge accumulation had remained unaddressed.