Satya Niketan PG Crisis: Food Scarcity, Locked Doors Leave College Students Stranded

Following the building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan that killed seven Delhi University students, police have arrested five people, including building owner Hariram Gupta, his family members, a PG operator, and a labour contractor. Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials have faced suspensions, and civic authorities have initiated a phased demolition of the adjacent dilapidated Kanak Lata PG building. Dilapidated structures in Laxmi Nagar and Pandav Nagar are also facing scrutiny. Additionally, the government has announced curbs on paying guest accommodations, mandating registration, rent caps, CCTV cameras, night guards, and limiting security deposits to three months.

Surging crude oil prices triggered cautious market sentiment as Brent crude breached the 100 dollars per barrel mark and India's crude basket reached a four-month high of 108.99 dollars, driving the rupee down and pushing the Nifty index to settle at 23,431 after dropping nearly 200 points. The India VIX surged over six percent while real estate, IT, and financial stocks faced selling pressure, contrastingly balanced by gains in metal indices and Adani Group shares. In corporate developments, Adani Group planned a 2.5 billion dollar debt refinancing alongside a 9,800 crore rupee stake sale by Adani Airports, while the government evaluated a revised offer from Fairfax Financial Holdings for IDBI Bank's strategic disinvestment. Primary market activity accelerated with six initial public offerings opening simultaneously. Additionally, sugar export constraints persisted due to ethanol blending and El Nino risks, bilateral trade discussions between India and the United States continued over tariff structures and market access, commodity projections pointed toward gold reaching two lakh rupees per ten grams, and Apple prepared product updates in Cupertino for the iPhone 18 Pro.

Discussions are underway regarding the ruling alliance dynamics in Tamil Nadu following the assembly elections. Left parties have decided to offer external support while boycotting the coalition meeting. Meanwhile, consultations are taking place regarding candidates for upcoming by-elections across two constituencies after former opposition legislators switched allegiance. A key talking point within the newly formed alliance between regional and national coalition partners centers on differing projections regarding the prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 general elections. Alliance leaders and representatives are convening to address internal coordination and future political strategies before the scheduled overseas visit of the leadership.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is convening a meeting with alliance partners at the TVK headquarters in Chennai to decide an official name for the ruling coalition. The alliance, comprising the TVK, Congress, VCK, and IUML, marks one hundred days since assuming power. State Congress Chief Manickam Tagore is attending the meeting on behalf of the party, while the Left Front, which provides outside support to the government, is not participating. The meeting follows recent discussions among alliance members regarding a gesture made by the Chief Minister in the state assembly concerning former Chief Minister MK Stalin, which the Chief Minister clarified was not intended as disrespect.