The News Today: Dr S.Y. Quraishi and Ashok Lavasa on Electoral Roll Deletions

Twenty-two minor girls from classes six to ten at a tribal boarding school in Maharashtra have accused a kitchen helper of sexual harassment and molestation. The accused has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A student alleged that the misconduct continued for nearly a month and complaints made to school authorities were not acted upon. The accused had previously faced a POCSO case in 2024, but his suspension was subsequently revoked, leading to his reposting at another tribal school. An investigation is currently underway.

In an interview with India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka discussed the decision to call off their planned September 5 protest march following Supreme Court proceedings. Ranka noted that all FIRs against protesting students across the country stand quashed under Article 142 and that the central government has committed to a 90-day deadline regarding compensation. Addressing the demand for financial relief, Ranka emphasized, "One crore is the least any government can do," referencing the loss suffered by families affected by the NEET paper leak. He reiterated that the CJP's core demands included ministerial accountability, financial compensation, and the withdrawal of FIRs against peaceful student protesters. Ranka stated that the group would continue campaigning for student rights, with its immediate focus directed towards accountability and infrastructure inspections in government schools across the country.

The death toll from deadly flash floods in Nepal has crossed the 1,000 mark following the disaster that hit the Himalayan nation on August 26. Nearly 4,000 people remain missing, while over 11,000 individuals have been rescued so far. Rescue operations face mounting challenges due to the threat of impending monsoon rains. A significant number of those reported missing include Indian pilgrims and tourists visiting the country.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined regional priorities focusing on security, connectivity, and opportunity, demanding zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism. Following state-sponsored attacks, including the Pahalgam terror attack, India held the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and categorically rejected a ruling by the Court of Arbitration in The Hague regarding hydroelectric projects, citing lack of jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced scrutiny for sharing an edited SCO group photograph that cropped out Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, before re-uploading the original. Footage of Modi interacting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping gained international attention. On the ground in Ladakh, local authorities created two diversions at Stok Nala using JCB machines, redirecting approximately 90 million litres of glacier water daily into the Igoo-Phay Canal to irrigate over 1,000 acres across 12 villages. In domestic developments, ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan secured victory in the Panjab University student union elections for the president's post.