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Ram Gopal Varma reveals he wanted to be auto rickshaw driver at the age of 10

Mumbai, March 26, 2026
Indian auteur Ram Gopal Varma has spoken about one of his many childhood dreams. On Thursday, the filmmaker took to his X, formerly Twitter, and shared a long note.

He shared how change is the only constant he has grown up with, and how his dreams constantly changed during his formative years.

He wrote, “I wanted to be an auto rickshaw driver when I was around 10, because I was fascinated with the vrooom vroom sound when the accelerator revs up.

And then around 15, I wanted to live in a forest inspired by a cousin of mine , and then a few years later, I wanted to be an engineer and then once again I changed my mind to become a director. Likewise, I was heavily into Enid Blyton’s books which I abandoned , when I discovered James Hadley Chase, who I thought was the greatest writer ever.

And then after a few years, I discovered Fredrick Forsyth who awed me beyond my imagination. In effect we all keep getting re-shaped from time to time because of newer and newer experiences which keep on elevating our bench marks as they should.

My bench mark films were The sound of music (‘Rangeela’), Exorcist (‘Raat’, ‘Bhoot’) , ‘Godfather’ (‘Satya’, ‘Company’, ‘Sarkar’). In my entire career I was making films derived from those benchmarks and mainly from ‘Godfather’”.

The director lauded the recently released Ranveer Singh-starrer ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, and shared that he has made a conscious decision to put the upcoming part of the ‘Sarkar’ franchise on hold and work on ‘Syndicate’.

He shared, “WHY SYNDICATE and not SARKAR? SYNDICATE is based on a premise “ What if the entire law and order of INDIA collapses in just one single day” It will be almost like a HORROR film , not because of any super natural elements , but because it will bare open the horrors that exist in some human minds which they can enact TERRIFYINGLY SYNDICATE is about the rise of a organization so powerful , so integrated, and so maniacally driven that it threatens the very existence of INDIA I believe that SYNDICATE is something which will match up to the post #Dhrandhar2 era and that is the reason for my decision. Here’s my take on why I want to wipe out my entire past and be a new born or a reborn director post watching #Dhurandhar2 (sic)”.

He expressed his wish to be inspired by the new school of Aditya Dhar, as he wrote, “But now after seeing #Dhurandhar2 all my earlier films look like nothing.

If Godfather was my earlier benchmark in this genre, I now felt #Dhurandhar2 is like Godfather’s GODFATHER in the way, it redefined and reinvented everything, whether it’s craft, storytelling style, character design, background music, laying out emotional landscapes, artistes performances, action choreography etc etc etc.

So it’s common sense that I need to abandon the lessons learnt from the old schools of Coppola and join the new school of @AdityaDharFilms and that’s the only way one can stay updated”.

“It will be a suicidal blunder on the part of any filmmaker-writer-star, not to shed their egos and do an intensive academic research study of #Dhurandhar2 and then take a deep re look and then re-work on whatever they believed so far, and drastically adapt. By not doing so , and if you all will still stick to the same old cinematic beliefs, which were brutally killed on March 19 th 2026”, he added.(Agency)

Assistant professor of Poonch college among two killed in J&K road accidents

Srinagar/Jammu, March 26, 2026
At least two persons were killed, and five others were injured on Thursday in separate road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

An assistant professor of Poonch degree college, identified as Dr Tabassum Naz, was killed and her husband critically injured in an accident in the Kallar area of Rajouri district.

The accident occurred when the car going to Poonch from Rajouri, went out of the driver’s control and veered off the road.

Locals rushed to the site and conducted a rescue operation, immediately shifting the injured to a nearby health facility. Prof. Tabassum Naz succumbed to her injuries during treatment, while her husband, Hameed, is in critical condition.

Police have reached the scene and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.

In another accident at Rail Gund in Ganderbal district, one person belonging to Kargil district in Ladakh was killed, while four others were injured. The injured included two tourists from Maharashtra and two from the Ladakh union territory.

The accident occurred due to a head-on collision between two vehicles.

Earlier, in January, at least ten soldiers were killed, and 11 others were injured after an Army vehicle met with a devastating road accident in the hilly Doda district. The vehicle skidded off the road at the Khanni top along the Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road and plunged into a deep gorge.

The hilly districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar are among the districts in Jammu and Kashmir where the maximum number of road mishaps occur because of the steep and curved roads.

Over-speeding, overloading, road rage and unsafe roads are the main reasons for road accidents in J&K. The traffic department has deployed special checking squads to check violations.

Regional transport officers (RTOs) have issued detailed instructions and publicised these in the media, detailing punishments for traffic rule violations. In case of accidents due to overspeeding and other incidents of rash and negligent driving, authorities cancel driving licences and registration certificates of vehicles and even arrest parents and seize vehicles in cases where minors are found driving.(Agency)

Bengaluru medical school professor assaulted after allegedly proposing to student in classroom

Bengaluru, March 26, 2026
A professor at a private medical college on the outskirts of Bengaluru was allegedly assaulted by students after he reportedly proposed to a female student inside a classroom during a lecture, police said on Thursday.

Authorities have taken the case seriously as the professor and the female student are from different communities.

The incident has been reported from the college under the jurisdiction of the Nelamangala Rural Police Station. Police have launched a hunt for the accused. A video of the incident has gone viral, raising concerns among the public.

According to police, the incident occurred while the class was in progress. The professor allegedly offered a chocolate to a girl student and expressed his feelings in front of the entire class.

The student immediately objected to his behaviour and questioned him in the classroom. The situation escalated when the student allegedly hit the professor with her slipper.

Following the confrontation, other students, angered by the professor’s conduct, reportedly chased him across the campus and assaulted him. He was allegedly thrashed near his car. Fearing further attack, the professor managed to escape from the spot.

According to preliminary information, the professor allegedly said in the classroom that he was proposing to a “very important girl” from the batch and distributed chocolates to students. The girl student, however, firmly rejected his behaviour and asked him to take the matter to the college Principal instead.

The video shows the professor stating in class that he was unable to resist his feelings for a girl from the batch and that he was proposing to her. “I am distributing chocolates to a very important girl of this batch and also to all of you,” he said, before adding: “I love you.”

The female student confronted the professor and questioned when she had ever proposed to him. She further asked him to speak to the principal if he wished to discuss the matter, adding that the entire class would accompany him. The professor then challenged the student, asking how she could have proposed to him, to which the student again responded by asking when she had done so.

The professor claimed that there was proof in the CCTV footage. The student challenged him to show the footage immediately. However, the professor attempted to avoid the situation by saying he would discuss it the next day.

The student replied that she was not interested in discussing it at all. Despite the confrontation, the professor was later seen asking students to take chocolates. Further investigation is in progress.(Agency)

Trinamool to offer legal help to individuals whose names are deleted in judicial adjudication: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, March 26, 2026
Trinamool Congress will provide legal assistance to those voters whose names will be deleted during the ongoing judicial adjudication, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday.

“The voters whose names will be deleted in the judicial adjudication process will be provided with legal assistance from Trinamool Congress. We will arrange advocates for them,” the Chief Minister said while addressing an election campaign at Pandaveswar in West Burdwan district in the afternoon.

Her announcement came a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI), on Wednesday evening, informed that of the 60 lakh cases referred for judicial adjudication, the process had been completed for 32 lakh cases till Tuesday night, and around 40 per cent of those 32 lakh cases have been found excludable.

However, these voters, excluded from the judicial adjudication process, will have the opportunity to approach any one of 19 Appellate Tribunals constituted for that purpose.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister once again said that the women of West Bengal will have to take special initiative to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “However, they might attack us, but finally, Trinamool Congress will emerge as the victor. The women will have to take a lead role in that process,” the Chief Minister said.

She also said that the BJP could go to any level of electoral malpractices. “They can even resort to lockdown, as was done during the Covid-19 pandemic period. But we know how to fight. If we were able to fight during the pandemic period, we would also be able to fight now,” the Chief Minister said.

She also described the forthcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal as the “Kurukshetra Mahayudh”, where Trinamool Congress represents the Pandavas and BJP represents the Kauravas.

He also attacked the Union government regarding the rules of LPG bookings. “Yesterday, I heard that the gas booking period has been reduced to 25 days. I don’t know if it is true or not; I do not trust them. You cannot book before 25 days! What will people do if they run out of gas?” the Chief Minister questioned.(Agency)

Patna High Court revokes death penalty of Arrah court blast accused Lambu Sharma

Patna, March 26, 2026
In a significant judgment, the Patna High Court has granted major relief to Lambu Sharma and other convicts in the Arrah Civil Court blast case. The court acquitted Lambu Sharma of the death penalty, providing him with substantial relief. However, it upheld the convictions of Lambu Sharma and Akhilesh Upadhyay in connection with the charge of escaping from jail.

Additionally, the High Court set aside life imprisonment sentences of several other accused, including Rinku Yadav, Pramod Singh, Shyam Vinay Sharma, Chand Miyan, Naim Miyan and Anshu Kumar, acquitting them of the charges.

The verdict was delivered by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo.

The Bench had earlier reserved its judgment on February 12, 2026, after completing hearings on appeals challenging the lower court’s order.

During the proceedings, the court directed the state government to ensure the online presence of all convicts, noting that they were lodged in different jails.

It also instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide legal counsel to inform the convicts about the ongoing hearings.

The case relates to the January 23, 2015, blast inside the Arrah Civil Court premises, where a female suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, killing herself and two others, and injuring several people.

The attack was allegedly aimed at facilitating the escape of Lambu Sharma, who managed to flee amid the chaos along with his accomplices.

This ruling marks a major development in the long-running case, significantly altering the legal standing of several accused while maintaining certain convictions.

In the earlier trial, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tribhuvan Yadav had, on August 21, 2019, awarded the death penalty to Lambu Sharma under various provisions of the IPC and the Explosives Act, along with a fine of Rs 22,000.

The same court had sentenced seven other accused — including Rinku Yadav, Pramod Singh, Shyam Vinay Sharma, Chand Miyan, Naim Miyan and Anshu Kumar — to life imprisonment on murder charges.

A fine of Rs 42,000 was imposed on Akhilesh Upadhyay, while the remaining convicts were fined Rs 40,000 each.

Challenging these verdicts, the convicts had moved the Patna High Court.(Agency)

50 residents rescued from high-rise fire in Ahmedabad, no casualties

Ahmedabad, March 26, 2026
Around 50 residents were safely rescued after a fire broke out in a residential high-rise in Ahmedabad’s Shela area on Thursday morning, with officials crediting the building’s fire safety systems and a swift response for preventing casualties.

The incident was reported at about 7.58 a.m. in flat C-302 on the third floor at the Sky City building near O7 Road.

According to fire officials, flames spread to the upper floor, and thick smoke quickly filled multiple levels of the building, triggering an emergency response. “Due to heavy smoke, nearly 40 to 50 residents were initially moved to the terrace as a precautionary measure. All of them were later brought down safely through the staircase,” a senior fire department official said.

Officials said the building’s in-house fire system was functional and helped initiate immediate firefighting efforts before fire brigade teams arrived. “The fire was brought under control in time. There were no injuries or casualties reported,” an official added.

A total of 18 vehicles were deployed as part of the operation, including six 20 KL water bowsers, one 12 KL water tanker, a hydraulic platform, a mini fire fighter, eight first responder vehicles (Bolero), one first responder (Scorpio), and an ambulance.

Fire crews focused on containing the blaze and ventilating the smoke-filled structure to enable safe evacuation. In all, 73 personnel took part in the operation, comprising 41 firemen, five jamadars, 19 drivers, three station officers, three divisional officers, one deputy chief fire officer and one additional chief fire officer.

The coordinated effort ensured that residents, including families on higher floors, were evacuated without panic escalating into injuries. Fire officials said the blaze originated in a single flat but spread upwards, likely aided by interior materials, though the exact cause has not yet been confirmed.

“An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the precise cause of the fire,” the official said.

Authorities indicated that a detailed assessment of the building’s fire preparedness and compliance with safety norms will be part of the ongoing inquiry.(Agency)

Maha cop dies by suicide in Amravati using service pistol, probe on

Amravati, March 26, 2026
In a shocking incident, Vijay Dilip Nagapure (35), a police constable attached to the Quick Response Team (QRT) Super Rapid Squad under the Amravati City Police Commissionerate, died by suicide on Thursday morning. He allegedly shot himself in the head with his service pistol inside the office.

Nagapure, a native of Dhamangaon Katpur in Morshi taluka, was residing in Amravati city. He was unmarried and had been serving in the police force since joining the 2014 batch.

According to officials, Nagapure was on night duty on Wednesday. After completing his shift at around 9.00 a.m. on March 26, he remained in the QRT office, located within the Police Commissionerate premises, where he allegedly took the extreme step. The incident sent shockwaves across the police department as news of his death spread.

The incident first came to light when fellow QRT constable Akash Dilip Ambarte noticed the situation and alerted senior officials. Upon receiving the information, Police Commissioner Rakesh Ola, along with Deputy Commissioners of Police Ganesh Shinde and Shyam Ghuge, rushed to the spot to assess the situation.

A forensic team and a dog squad were immediately called in to assist with the investigation. During the preliminary examination, a bullet was recovered from the scene. The body was later sent to the District General Hospital for post-mortem examination as part of the ongoing probe.

Police sources revealed that shortly before the incident, Nagapure had made a phone call to his brother, Shyam Nagapure, who also serves in the city police force. During the call, he reportedly said, “There is a crowd at the petrol pump; I will fill petrol and then return home.” This conversation is believed to be his last.

The exact reason behind the suicide is yet to be ascertained. Officials stated that all possible angles are being investigated to determine the circumstances that led to the incident.

The tragic death has cast a pall of gloom over the police department, with colleagues expressing grief over the loss of a fellow officer. Authorities have assured that a thorough investigation is underway to uncover the cause of the incident.(Agency)

Where talent meets opportunity: Uncapped debutants who are ready to seize IPL 2026 spotlight

New Delhi, March 26, 2026
Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has evolved into more than just a cricket tournament; it embodies the intersection of talent, ambition, and opportunity. The IPL trophy has an inscription on it in Sanskrit, “Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi”, which translates to “where talent meets opportunity”.

The motto represents the tournament’s purpose of providing a platform for talent to thrive. The tournament throws up new talents every season; IANS takes a look at uncapped debutants who are expected to make a mark in the league.

Auqib Nabi Dar (Delhi Capitals)

A swing bowler with impeccable line and length and the ability to move the ball both ways, Aquib Nabi became the toast of the nation after two breathtaking Ranji Trophy seasons where he picked up 104 wickets across the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. He was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 8.40 crore at the auction, his first bid at the IPL.

In the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy, he finished as the season’s highest wicket-taker: 60 wickets in 17 innings at 12.65 as Jammu and Kashmir won a historic maiden Ranji title. Nabi was the architect of J&K’s season and was named the player of the tournament.

Kartik Sharma (Chennai Super Kings)

A serial six-hitter and wicketkeeper from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Kartik Sharma became the joint-most expensive uncapped Indian player at an IPL auction when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) scooped him up for Rs 14.2 crore.

He was the joint-highest six-hitter in the first phase of the 2025-26 Ranji season and the highest six-hitter in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy. After training with CSK’s wider squad during IPL 2025, he broke into their main side for IPL 2026.

Mangesh Yadav (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

The pivotal moment in his career occurred during the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, when Mangesh took 14 wickets in six matches with an impressive average of 12.00. After playing for Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket alongside RCB captain Rajat Patidar, he finally received the long-awaited call from Royal Challengers Bangalore when he was identified as a like-for-like replacement for Yash Dayal.

Mangesh can also pitch in with the bat down the order, and though the sample size in domestic cricket is small, RCB’s scouting network believes that he is good enough to slot into RCB’s XII.

Prashant Veer (Chennai Super Kings)

A left-arm spinner who can hit sixes down the order, Prashant Veer caused a stir in the IPL 2026 auction and joined Kartik Sharma as the joint-most expensive uncapped Indian player when CSK snapped him up for Rs 14.2 crore.

After impressing at a CSK trial in Chennai and in the BCCI Under-23 tournament, Veer was picked by the franchise as a potential replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who was traded to Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026.

He finished the UPT20 league with 320 runs at a strike rate of 155 and pitched in with eight wickets.(Agency)

India has 60 days of crude reserves, 1 month of LPG supply firmly arranged: Govt

New Delhi, March 26, 2026
The government on Thursday categorically stated that India’s petroleum and LPG supply situation is fully secure and under control, calling upon citizens not to be misled by a “deliberately mischievous, coordinated campaign of misinformation” that is being carried out to spread unjustified panic.

India has 74 days of total reserve capacity, and actual stock cover is around 60 days right now (including crude stocks, products stocks and the dedicated strategic storage in caverns), even as “we are on the 27th day of the Middle East crisis”, the Petroleum Ministry said, adding that all retail fuel outlets have enough supplies.

“There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG anywhere in the country,” it said in a statement, adding that nearly two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen, regardless of what happens globally.

“Next 2 months of crude procurement has also been secured. India is completely secure for the next many months, and the quantity in strategic cavern storage becomes secondary in such a supply situation. Therefore, any representation that India’s reserves are depleted or insufficient should be dismissed with the disdain it deserves,” the ministry highlighted.

Across the world, countries are dealing with price increases, rationing, odd-even vehicle restrictions, and forced station closures. Few have declared a “National Energy Emergency”.

“India DOES NOT FEEL THE NEED FOR ANY SUCH MEASURES. While other nations are rationing, there is no shortage of supplies in India. Where isolated instances of panic buying occurred at select pumps, they were driven by deliberate misinformation spread by certain videos on social media,” the ministry emphasised.

Despite the surge in demand at such pumps, fuel was dispensed to all the consumers, and oil company depots have been operational through the night to ramp up supplies.

The ministry further stated that steps have also been taken by oil companies to increase credit to petrol pumps to over 3 days from the earlier allowed 1 day in order to ensure that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel at any pump due to working capital issues of pump owners.

Notably, despite the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, India is today receiving more crude oil from its 41-plus suppliers across the world than what was previously arriving through the Straits.

“Every Indian refinery is running at over 100 per cent utilisation. Crude oil supplies for next 60 days have already been tied up by Indian Oil companies. There is NO supply gap,” the ministry said.

There is also no LPG shortage. Following the LPG Control Order issued by this Ministry, domestic refinery production has been ramped up by 40 per cent, bringing daily LPG output to 50 TMT (more than 60 per cent of our requirement) against a total daily requirement of around 80 TMT.

The net daily import requirement has consequently come down to only 30 TMT — meaning India is now producing much more than it needs to import.

“Over and above domestic production, 800 TMT of assured inbound LPG cargoes are already secured and en route from the United States, Russia, Australia, and other countries, arriving across India’s 22 LPG import terminals — double the 11 terminals that existed in 2014,” the ministry said.

“Approximately one full month of supply is firmly arranged, with additional procurement being finalised continuously,” it added.

Oil companies are successfully delivering over 50 lakh cylinders every day. Commercial cylinder allocations have been raised to 50 per cent in consultation with state governments to avoid hoarding or black marketing.

Moreover, piped natural gas is being promoted — in full coordination with state governments — because it is cheaper, cleaner, and safer for Indian households.

India already produces 92 MMSCMD of natural gas domestically, out of a total daily requirement of 191 MMSCMD, making India far less import-dependent on gas than on LPG.

City gas distribution has expanded from 57 geographical areas in 2014 to over 300 today. Domestic PNG connections have grown from 25 lakh to over 1.5 crore. This transition was well underway before the current situation arose and reflects India’s long-term energy strategy.

“The claim that PNG is being pushed because LPG is running out is misinformation. LPG supply is secure. PNG is simply a better, more affordable and highly convenient fuel for India’s households,” said the ministry.

The ministry urged all citizens to rely only on official government communications for information regarding fuel and gas availability.(Agency)

CBI conducts searches in Mumbai in Reliance Telecom-SBI fraud case

Mumbai, March 26, 2026
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Reliance Telecom Ltd., its then Directors Satish Seth and Gautam B. Doshi, along with unknown public servants and others, in connection with an alleged bank fraud case involving State Bank of India (SBI) amounting to Rs 114.98 crore.

According to officials, the agency has invoked charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions related to criminal misconduct and abuse of official position under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The case was registered following a complaint lodged by the SBI, which alleged that the accused entities and individuals defrauded the bank, resulting in substantial financial losses. The SBI was part of a consortium of 11 banks that had collectively sanctioned a term loan facility of Rs 735 crore to Reliance Telecom Ltd.

Following the registration of the case, the CBI conducted searches at multiple locations in Mumbai, including the residential premises of Seth and Doshi, as well as the registered office of Reliance Telecom Ltd. Officials said that several documents related to loan transactions and financial dealings have been recovered during the searches.

The agency is expected to scrutinise banking records, correspondence, and internal approvals linked to the loan disbursement. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.

Officials said that searches are still underway and more evidence may be collected as the probe progresses.

The latest action comes amid a series of ongoing investigations into alleged financial irregularities involving companies linked to the Reliance Group. In a related development earlier this month, the CBI questioned Reliance Group Chairperson Anil Ambani for nearly eight hours in connection with a separate SBI complaint involving an alleged Rs 2,929 crore fraud linked to Reliance Communications (RCom).

According to officials, the case pertains to alleged misappropriation of loan funds and transactions that were in violation of lending terms. The accounts had earlier been classified as fraud by the bank, prompting investigative action, including searches at company premises and residences of key individuals.

Ambani has been asked to join the probe again, while other individuals, including corporate executives linked to associated entities, have also been examined as part of the widening investigation into multiple financial dealings under scrutiny.(Agency)

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