Pune Engineer, 23, Leaves Office Meeting Midway, Dies By Suicide: Cops

Leaving a meeting midway, an engineer in Pune jumped out of his office building and died by suicide, said the police.

The man, identified as Piyush Ashok Kawade, had been working at Atlas Copco (India) Pvt in Pune's Hinjewadi IT hub since July last. 

"At around 9:30 am today, he died by suicide by jumping from the roof of the company," said the police

The 23-year-old left a note for his family, said the police. 

Asked if there was work pressure on the young man, Sunil Kurade, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Pune Police, said: "At first glance, I haven't seen anything like that yet. The investigation is ongoing, but still what he has written in the suicide note will be thoroughly investigated. Relatives, etc. are coming."

A case of accidental death has been registered.

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All You Need To Know About UPI Changes Effective From August 1

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to implement a set of changes to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) from August 1, 2025. The changes, including balance check and transaction status, are aimed at making the interface stable and efficient. In a circular dated April 26, 2025, NPCI stated that they are working to reduce the response time of UPI transactions to improve the performance. It added that the adjustments will benefit remitter banks, beneficiary banks and Payment Service Providers (PSPs), such as PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm.

Later on May 21, 2025, NPCI noted: "PSP banks and/or acquiring banks shall ensure all the API requests (in terms of velocity and TPS - transactions per second limitations) sent to UPI are monitored and moderated in terms of appropriate usage (customer-initiated and PSP system-initiated)."

Also Read | How India's UPI Is Revolutionising Global Digital Payments, Explained Simply

Here are the key changes:

Daily Balance Check Limit: The users can check their account balance only 50 times a day per UPI app. If they use multiple apps, the limit applies to each app separately.

Transaction Status Check Limit: They can check the status of a pending transaction only three times, with a minimum gap of 90 seconds between each check.

AutoPay Timings: AutoPay transactions will be processed in specific time slots: Before 10 AM, Between 1 PM and 5 PM and After 9:30 PM.

Linked Bank Account View Limit: The users can view their linked bank accounts only 25 times a day.

Payment Reversal Cap: They can raise a maximum of 10 payment reversal requests in 30 days, with a cap of 5 per sender.

Beneficiary Name Display: The recipient's registered bank name will be visible before confirming payment, reducing errors and fraud.

Stricter Rules for Banks and UPI Apps: NPCI will monitor API usage, and non-compliant banks and apps may face penalties or restricted access.

"Members are requested to take note of this compliance requirement and communicate it to relevant stakeholders and their respective partners for implementation by 31st July 2025," the circular added.

Also Read | PayPal Partners With NPCI, Others to Build Cross-Border Payments Platform Focused on Interoperability

IMF praises India's UPI

Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised India, saying that the nation makes faster payments than any other country with the quick growth of UPI. The usage of other instruments, including debit and credit cards, is on the decline.

"India now makes faster payments than any other country. At the same time, proxies for cash usage have fallen," the note said.

"Since its launch in 2016, UPI has grown quickly, while some proxies for cash usage have begun to decline. UPI now processes more than 18 billion transactions per month and dominates other electronic retail payments in India," the fintech note said.

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WCL Live: India Eye Solid Start After Bopara Helps Eng Set 224-Run Target

India Champions vs England Champions, WCL 2025 Live Updates: Desperate for a win, both India Champions and England Champions are playing against each other in the 13th game of World Championship of Legends in Leeds. India Champions captain Yuvraj Singh won the toss and opted to bowl first against England Champions. Varun Aaron dismissed Phil Mustard to provide India Champions an early wicket but Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara played solid knocks to put England in control. Bopara even went on to smash his century (110 in 55 balls), helping England post 223 for 3. India Champions eye a solid start in the chase of 224 runs. (Live Scorecard)

India Champions vs England Champions, World Championship of Legends match Live Updates -

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Video: Truck Crushes 2-Wheeler In Bengaluru, Woman Has Narrow Escape

A woman in Bengaluru had a narrow escape when a truck ran over her scooter on Saturday. A video shows the woman on the road and the truck's massive wheels just inches from her legs when the driver realises what has happened and reverses. 

Around 8.30 am, the woman was at Srinivaspura Cross when traffic came to a halt at the crossing. She was waiting to take a left and a truck to her right wanted to do the same. 

CCTV footage shows the woman stopped near the rear wheels of the truck and then moving just ahead of it. As a bus blocking the flow of traffic on their side moves out of the way, the truck begins moving forward while the woman remains static.

The front wheels of the truck hit the scooter, flinging the woman to the ground. The rear wheels then crush the scooter and are about to run the woman over when the driver appears to realise he has hit something. He reverses the vehicle just in time.

The woman is then carried to the side of the road by passersby.

Officials said the woman suffered minor injuries and is undergoing treatment at a local hospital. The lorry has been seized and a case has been registered against the driver. 
 

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Ancient Humans Ate Children 850,000 Years Ago, New Discovery Reveals

In a remarkable scientific discovery, Spanish archaeologists have found evidence that human ancestors ate children, some 850,000 years ago. Digging at the Gran Dolina cave site in Atapuerca, northern Spain, the researchers discovered a human neck bone belonging to a child aged between two and four years old, with clear butchery marks, suggesting that the small children may have been devoured clean.

The team from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES) stated that the site of the marks on the neck bone suggests the youngster was decapitated. Notably, the body parts of the child belong to Homo antecessor, believed to be the last common ancestor of both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

"This case is particularly striking, not only because of the child's age, but also due to the precision of the cut marks," said Dr Palmira Saladie, the co-director of the excavation.

"The vertebra presents clear incisions at key anatomical points for disarticulating the head. It is direct evidence that the child was processed like any other prey."

Although cannibalism is well documented in early humans, it is unusual to find evidence of a child being eaten. If the discovery stands verified, it could mark the earliest evidence of the practice found to date.

“What we are documenting now is the continuity of that behaviour: the treatment of the dead was not exceptional, but repeated,” said Ms Saladie.

Also Read | 'I Love India But...': American Woman Reveals Truth About Living In India

Stockier and shorter on average than modern humans, the Homo antecessor lived between 1.2 million and 800,000 years ago. Their brain size was roughly between 1,000 and 1,150 cubic centimetres, which is smaller than the average 1,350 cubic centimetres brain size of people today.

"The new find reinforces the hypothesis that these early humans exploited their congeners as a food resource," the researchers stated.

“Every year we uncover new evidence that forces us to rethink how our ancestors lived, how they died, and how the dead were treated nearly a million years ago.”

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Tanushree Dutta To NDTV: "I Was Supposed To Do A Film With Sushant"

Actor Tanushree Dutta, who became the face of India's #MeToo movement back in 2018, on Friday said the recent disturbing video of her breaking down into tears was the result of "an emotional outburst" stemming from a long and painful experience of being harassed in Mumbai, a city where she is unsafe.

The actor told NDTV how she finds parallels in life with Sushant Singh Rajput. She also said that she was supposed to feature in a film with the late star who was found dead at his Mumbai apartment in 2020.

"I have been harassed for the past five years, and that video was simply an emotional outburst stemming from that long, painful experience. My building's security was replaced without my consent, the locks of my house were broken into, and a maid was deliberately planted in my home - she was mixing unknown substances into my food. All of this began after the #MeToo movement," Tanushree Dutta told NDTV in the interview.

"I was supposed to do a film with Sushant Singh Rajput, and it gave me hope that an A-lister was willing to work with me. But even he died by suicide - and I believe there is a deeper connection between his death and the kind of harassment I've been facing. His case and mine are not entirely disconnected," she added.

The former Miss India Universe also alleged that on a recent spiritual trip to Ujjain, someone tampered with the brakes of her autorickshaw "with an attempt to kill me". "I strongly believe there is a deliberate effort to mentally torture me to the point that I either end up like Sushant Singh Rajput - forced into suicide - or go insane like Pooja Mishra," she claimed.

Tanushree Dutta also levelled fresh allegations against actor Nana Patekar, whom she accused of sexual harassment and abuse in 2018 under the #MeToo wave in India.

"I had raised questions regarding Nana Patekar's foundation, and ever since then, people have been after me. A contract worth Rs 5 crore was given to the underworld to eliminate me. The underworld still exists - earlier it was figures like Dawood Ibrahim, but now it operates in new, subtler forms. I am constantly being followed."

"But since no one is chasing me with a knife right now, I'm not in a rush. I want to document every incident from the past five years thoroughly so that I can present it to the police in a proper and structured manner. The police hasn't done anything so far - in fact, I place more trust in the media than in law enforcement," she further said.

Earlier in the day, Tanushree Dutta said she is overwhelmed with media requests as she continues to speak out about the harassment she is facing.

"I'm swamped with interviews and haven't been keeping well either. I've lived a slow, low-key sadhana lifestyle last few years. I'm trying the best I can. Please bear with me. I'll talk to everyone slowly, slowly," she wrote on her Instagram Story.

In her previous interview to NDTV, the actor talked about her past experience with the police during the #MeToo movement in 2018. "My experience with the Mumbai Police during the 2018 #MeToo movement left a very bitter taste in my mouth," she said.

"They encouraged me to file an FIR back then. I spent four to five hours at the station, gave a detailed statement, and kept following up and nothing came of it. In Maharashtra, these molesters and harassers are often hobnobbing with politicians. They're protected. So, there's no real scope of justice," she added.

Tanushree Dutta had accused actor Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her during the shoot of a special song in the film Horn Ok Pleassss in 2009. She made these allegations in a Zoom interview in 2018. Nana Patekar, however, denied all the claims.

Also Read | Tanushree Dutta, Who Called For #MeToo In Bollywood, Breaks Down In Video: "I'm Being Harassed At My Own Home"

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Student Takes Raj Thackeray's Name, Asks Others To Speak In Marathi, Thrashed

A student was allegedly beaten up outside a college in Navi Mumbai for - in a semi-threatening tone - asking others to speak in Marathi in a WhatsApp group.

Police sources said the students were all part of a college WhatsApp group and some of them were writing messages in Hindi on Monday. Another student then replied in Marathi, "Speak in Marathi, otherwise Raj Thackeray will come." 

Raj Thackeray is the chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whose workers have assaulted several people in the state for what they termed "insults" to Marathi. The attacks include one on a shopkeeper in Thane and, more recently, on a man working in a public toilet in Nanded. 

The student's comment sparked an argument on the WhatsApp group, which kept escalating.  Around 10.30 am the next day, four students, including one Faizan Naik, attacked the student who asked them to speak in Marathi outside their college in Vashi. Naik also hit the 20-year-old on the head with a hockey stick, leaving him severely injured. 

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vashi) Adinath Budhwant said a case has been registered. 

"A First Information Report has been registered at the Vashi police station in connection with a dispute that arose between two groups. The dispute was a result of an argument between two individuals over comments on the group," Mr Budhwant said. 

"The complainant was also reportedly beaten with a stick. An investigation is on and action will be taken against the accused," he added.

MNS Spokesperson Gajanan Kale and other MNS workers also met police officials and asked for strict action against the attacking students at the earliest. 

"We have met the student and his family as well," Mr Kale said. 

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Pant Surpasses Rohit For Historic Feats But India Struggle vs England

Rishabh Pant continues to break records and win hearts, this time, with the bat in hand even while limping. On Thursday, during Day 2 of the Manchester Test against England, the wicket-keeper batter matched the legendary Virender Sehwag's record for the most sixes by an Indian in Test cricket. Both now have 90 sixes to their name in the longest format. Pant, known for his fearless strokeplay, is now tied at the top with Sehwag, while India captain Rohit Sharma follows closely behind with 88 sixes. MS Dhoni has 78, and Ravindra Jadeja sits fifth on the list with 74 sixes.

If that wasn't enough, Pant also leapfrogged Rohit Sharma to become India's leading run-scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC) era. The southpaw now has 2731 runs from just 38 Test matches, which includes six centuries and sixteen fifties. Rohit, on the other hand, has 2719 WTC runs.

Despite the heroic effort, India finised the day on backfoot as England played Bazball brand of cricket. England were comfortably placed at 225 for two at stumps after bowling out India for 358 on the second day of the fourth Test on Thursday. Openers Ben Duckett (94 off 100 balls) and Zak Crawley (84 off 113 balls) led England's strong response with a brisk 166-run partnership, as the home team trailed India by 133 runs in their first innings at close of play. Ollie Pope (20) and Joe Root (11) were at the crease at stumps. 

What makes Pant's achievement even more special is the context, he returned to bat on Thursday despite suffering a painful toe injury on Day 1 and still made a solid impact.

After Pant's fifty in Manchester in the fourth Test, now he has 14 fifty-plus scores, while Dhoni has thirteen fifties. The left-hander has six hundreds and eight fifties.

Pant smashed 54 off 75 balls, laced with three boundaries and two maximums.

The BCCI has confirmed earlier that Rishabh Pant will not keep wickets for the remainder of the Manchester Test after suffering a toe injury, but he will be available to bat if required.

Team India suffered a setback on Day 1 after Pant was forced to leave the field when a toe-crushing yorker from England pacer Chris Woakes struck him on the right foot. The left-hander was in visible pain and could not continue batting, raised concerns over his participation in the rest of the match.

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Centre In Huddle To Regain Lost Ground On Judge's Impeachment: Sources

Two days after the resignation of Jagdish Dhankhar from the post of the Vice President, the government is brainstorming ways to undo the damage he caused by accepting the Opposition notice for the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma - the judge at the centre of the cash-at-home scandal.

While the procedure of impeachment is complicated at best, Mr Dhankhar's move has made the government's job more difficult.

Earlier, sources had said that the government had wanted to take the lead in the impeachment - introducing the issue from the Lok Sabha - to send a message about its stance on corruption in judiciary. It was also a crucial matter of optics, given its earlier efforts to tweak the judges' appointment system.

The Centre had even readied a motion for Justice Varma's removal, taken signatures from Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha as well.

Following Mr Dhankhar's acceptance of the Opposition notice in the Upper House, a flurry of meetings had started within the government. 

One of these meetings was attended by the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Deputy Chairman of RS Harivansh and the Secretary Generals of both the Houses.

The government has concluded that the notice moved by the Opposition and read out by Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday was technically flawed. There were discussions on whether the motion should be withdrawn or necessary amendments should be made to it to conform to procedure, sources have said.

Sources said it has now been decided to withdraw the Opposition proposal from the Rajya Sabha, so the Lok Sabha Speaker can recommend the formation of a three-member committee to look into the allegations against the judge.

It has also been argued that the Deputy Speaker can reverse Mr Dhankhar's move.

Jagdeep Dhankhar's Resignation

On Monday, after Mr Dhankhar accepted the Opposition's proposal for impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma without apprising the government, it was caught completely by surprise. "If the government had been informed, MPs from the ruling party would have also signed the motion," said a source. 

A series of meetings were held - one of them between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers. BJP MPs were called and asked to sign a significant motion about which they were asked to stay silent.

Getting wind of the government's displeasure, Mr Dhankhar had opted to step down, sources said.
 

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Indian Railways Tweaks Emergency Quota Rules, Big Relief For Passengers

Indian Railways has revised the rules for booking tickets under the Emergency Quota (EQ), making it mandatory for passengers to send their requests earlier than before. This change follows the Railway Ministry's recent decision to prepare reservation charts 8 hours before train departure to improve operational efficiency.

Emergency quota seats are reserved for VIPs, railway staff, and passengers with medical emergencies. However, misuse of this facility and last-minute requests often delayed chart preparation, affecting the confirmation of waiting list tickets and causing inconvenience to passengers.

Under the new rule, passengers seeking an EQ ticket must now submit their request at least a day in advance. 

"Emergency quota request for all the trains leaving between 0000 hours and 1400 hours should reach EQ cell up to 1200 hours on the previous day of journey," said a circular issued by the ministry on Tuesday.

"Emergency quota request for all the remaining trains leaving between 14.01 hours and 23.59 hours should reach EQ cell up to 1600 hours on the previous day of journey," it added.

The ministry has clarified that the requests received on the same day of the scheduled departure of a train will not be entertained.

Regarding Sundays or any other public holidays, the ministry has said the requests for the release of accommodation in trains, for which the emergency quota is to be released on Sundays or clubbed holidays after Sundays, should be given during office hours on the previous working day.

The circular said the reservation cell of the Railway Board receives a large number of requests from VIPs, railway officers, senior officers and other departments.

"All efforts are made to allot the quota judiciously and with common prudence," it said.

The ministry has urged all officers to adhere to these timings so that the allotments are given in time and chart preparation is not delayed, which not only results in extreme difficulties to the travelling public but can also lead to a delay in the departure of trains.

It has also requested the forwarding authority to ensure the genuineness of the person under reference and also ensure strict compliance to existing guidelines regarding the allotment of the emergency quota.

The move is aimed at streamlining the ticketing process, ensuring charts are prepared on time, and improving punctuality. For common passengers, this change means they will know the confirmation status of their waiting list tickets earlier, reducing uncertainty before travel. 

(With inputs from PTI)

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India Makes Big Jump In Passport Index, Visa-Free Entry To 59 Countries Now

According to the Henley Passport Index 2025, the Indian passport has made a long jump and climbed eight places - from 85th to 77th - after dropping five spots last year, despite only gaining two destinations to its visa-free tally. The count of visa-free countries accessible to India stands at 59.

The countries on the list are sorted on the basis of the number of destinations their holders can enter without having a prior visa.

Currently, India has visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 59 destinations in the world. Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, Thailand are some countries that offer visa-free access to Indian passport holders. Countries such as Sri Lanka, Macau, Myanmar etc., offer visa-on-arrival (VOA).

Asian countries are taking the lead when it comes to mobility across the globe.

Singapore provides visa-free entry to 193 destinations. Japan and Korea remain a close second, providing visa-free travel for 190 countries. 

Seven European passports share the 3rd place - Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, all with access to 189 destinations.

Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, jointly take the 4th place. New Zealand ties in 5th place with Greece and Switzerland.

At the other spectrum of global mobility, Afghanistan remains at the bottom, with its citizens only capable of accessing 25 destinations without a prior visa.

Both the UK and US have dropped one place each since January. The two countries rank 6th and 10th respectively, however, both the destinations have enjoyed the status of the most powerful passport in the world - the UK in 2015 and the US in 2014. The UK has visa-free access to 186 destinations while the US passport can access 182 destinations. 

Meanwhile Saudi Arabia has added four destinations since January standing at 91 destinations, making the biggest gain in visa-free access.

China also rose 34 places, from 94th to 60th since 2015, although it is notable to mention that the country has made this gain without visa-free access to Europe's Schengen Area.

According to Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, "Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally. As the US and UK adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security," he said in a press release.

"Your passport is no longer just a travel document - it's a reflection of your country's diplomatic influence and international relationships. In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever," said Steffen.
 

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In Big Win For Homebuyers, Top Court Okays 22 Police Cases Against Builders

The Central Bureau of Investigation has received green signal from the Supreme Court to file 22 cases involving the nexus between the banks and developers to dupe homebuyers in National Capital region. The cases can involve prominent builders in the zone. The agency has also sought more time to investigate builders of other cities.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for CBI, told the bench of Justices Suryakant and N Koteshwar Singh that more time is needed to complete the investigation. The bench gave it six weeks, expressing satisfaction over the investigation done by CBI.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by over 1,200 homebuyers, who booked flats under subvention plans in various housing projects in the NCR. They have alleged that the banks are forcing them to pay EMIs even though they have not received possession of flats.

Under the subvention scheme, banks disburse the sanctioned amount directly to the accounts of builders. They pay EMIs until the flats are handed over to homebuyers. But the builders have defaulted on EMIs, and in line with the tripartite agreement, banks are now demanding that the homebuyers pay the EMIs.

In July last year, the Supreme Court had directed that no coercive action can be taken against homebuyers by banks or builders over non-payment of EMIs and no complaint against them will be entertained in cases of cheque bounce. But a group of lawyers told the court that lower courts, especially in Gurgaon, were still passing harsh orders against homebuyers.

The court has asked the District and Sessions Judge of Gurgaon to investigate and submit a report within 10 days.
 

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"Apologise": Court As Cop Gets Husband, Father-In-Law Jailed In False Cases

An IPS officer has been asked to issue an unconditional public apology to her former husband and in-laws for the "physical and mental agony" they underwent after she filed multiple criminal cases against them during a marital dispute. While ordering this, the Supreme Court also cancelled all the ongoing cases. 

The Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih also dissolved the marriage since the couple were separated since 2018. The court ordered that their daughter will stay with her mother and the husband and family members will be able to meet her.

In its verdict, the court said the husband had to spend 109 days and his father 103 days in jail due to criminal cases filed by the wife. "What they have suffered cannot be compensated in any way," the court said, ordering the officer to tender a public apology.

"The woman and her parents shall tender an unconditional apology to her husband and his family members, which shall be published in the national edition of a well-known English and a Hindi newspaper," said the judges.

This apology shall also be published and circulated on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other similar social media platforms within 3 days of the order, the judges said. It would not be construed as an admission of liability and shall have no effect on the legal rights, obligations or consequences arising under the law. 

The court also asked the woman "not to use her position and power" or that of her colleagues to initiate any proceedings against the husband and his family. The husband was warned not to use her apology in any manner either.

The woman had filed separate criminal cases against the husband and his family and a parallel one in the family court for divorce and maintenance. Her husband too, had filed tit-for-tat cases. Besides, there were cases filed by third parties. 

Both husband and wife had filed an application in the Supreme Court to transfer the cases to their respective jurisdiction.

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