Passenger Occupies Man's Confirmed Seat In Sleeper Coach, Railways Responds

In recent days, several railway passengers have been taking to social media to show the dire condition of trains, which have been marred by overcrowding and ticketless passengers occupying seats. Now, an X user expressed frustration about his experience on the Gwalior-Barauni Express train. The user shared a video showing the overcrowded sleeper coach and complained that his reserved seat was occupied by another passenger. Despite requesting the Ticket Checker, no action was taken to resolve the situation, and his seat remained occupied by another passenger. 

He wrote, "My seat is occupied by another passenger. I requested the TTE, Sir, to get my seat vacated, but it still hasn't been cleared." 

Watch the video here:

RailwaySeva, the official customer service handle of Indian Railways, replied to the post and requested the passenger's PNR and mobile number to address the issue. 

"We regret the experience you had. Please share your PNR number and mobile no. preferably via DM to enable us to take immediate action. You may also raise your concern directly on https://ift.tt/ajiTLJ4 or dial 139 for speedy redressal," the response read.

The incident highlights a recurring problem in Indian Railways where passengers with unreserved tickets often occupy reserved compartments, particularly sleepers and even AC coaches, due to overcrowding in general compartments. This leads to discomfort and inconvenience for passengers who have paid for reserved seats. 



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"'How Did SRK Win Best Actor?": Urvashi Questions 71st National Award Jury

The 71st National Film Awards were announced on August 1, and Shah Rukh Khan's fans had a big reason to celebrate. The superstar bagged his first-ever National Award for Best Actor for his role in Jawan – a major milestone in his 33-year-long career.

But not everyone is convinced about the decision. South actress Urvashi, who won Best Supporting Actress for Ullozhukku, has opened up about what she feels is a lack of fairness by the jury.

In a chat with Asianet News, she pointed out a major concern: veteran Malayalam actor Vijayaraghavan only received the Best Supporting Actor award, even though his performance, according to her, deserved more.

“Vijayaraghavan is such a great actor. What exactly did the jury consider to distinguish between Vijayaraghavan's and Shah Rukh Khan's performances? How did one become a supporting actor and the other the best actor? On what criteria? We should raise such questions, as we too are taxpaying citizens. Kutettan (referring to Vijayaraghavan) has decades of experience in cinema. The film wasn't a big-budget, 250-day shoot kind of project like those in other languages,” she said.

Urvashi further talked about how committed Vijayaraghavan was to his role in Pookkaalam, where he played a 100-year-old man. She mentioned that she was offered the role of his on-screen partner in the same film but had to say no because of the intense makeup demands.

“I was initially approached to play his pair in Pookkaalam. Still, I declined because the role required me to undergo a significant physical transformation, for which I would have had to be in the makeup chair for several hours. I told them, even if you pay me crores, I wouldn't do it. But he, at his age, endured all of that and performed. That alone deserves at least a Special Mention. How is he only a supporting actor? On what basis was that decided? That's all I'm asking — there must be some fairness,” Urvashi added.

While Shah Rukh Khan shared the Best Actor title with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail, Vijayaraghavan's award came in the supporting actor category. He played opposite veteran actress K. P. A. C. Leela in Pookkaalam, a Malayalam film released in 2023.

Interestingly, Urvashi also shared her Best Supporting Actress award with Janki Bodiwala, who won for her work in the Gujarati film Vash.



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Royal Family "Reluctant" To Reconcile With Meghan Markle, Insider Reveals

A recent report claims that the British royal family is hesitant to reconcile with Meghan Markle, despite being open to talks with Prince Harry. After Harry's aides met with King Charles' team, insiders revealed that trust issues remain the main obstacle in the royal feud, with Meghan reportedly at the centre of the problem. "They just don't trust her," a source told the Daily Express. The source added that the royals are wary of conversations with Meghan being used as material for her projects, such as her Instagram, cooking show, podcast, or interviews.

According to the report, Prince Harry may travel to and from the UK alone, without his wife or their children, Archie and Lilibet.

Notably, the Sussexes have been in a public feud with the Windsors since stepping back from royal duties in 2020 and relocating to the US. Their departure was followed by high-profile projects, including a six-part Netflix documentary, a revealing Oprah Winfrey interview, and Harry's memoir, 'Spare.' The memoir, released in 2023, became the fastest-selling nonfiction book ever, with Harry openly detailing the family conflicts within the royal family.

The memoir also reveals Harry's strained relationships with his father and brother, Prince William, and how his marriage to Markle led him to fully step away from royal life. Since then, they have made only a few visits to the UK.

However, recently, Prince Harry has expressed a genuine desire to reconcile, offering to share his schedule with the royal family for full transparency.

"I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight anymore; life is precious," he told the BBC in May. 

Meanwhile, another royal insider claims Prince Harry's chances of regaining the Royal Family's trust are slim after sharing intimate details in his memoir. The insider claims that the family now hesitates to confide in him, fearing he'll reveal more personal stories in a a second autobiography. 



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Visa Applicants May Need To Post Bond Of Up To $15,000 To Enter US

The State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable for many.

In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department said it would start a 12-month pilot program under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when they apply for a visa.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration is tightening requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the State Department announced that many visa renewal applicants would have to submit to an additional in-person interview, something that was not required in the past. In addition, the department is proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have valid passports from their country of citizenship.

A preview of the bond notice, which was posted on the Federal Register website on Monday, said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication and is necessary to ensure that the U.S. government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the terms of his or her visa.

"Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program," the notice said.

The countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect, it said. The bond could be waived depending on an applicant's individual circumstances.

The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which enables travel for business or tourism for up to 90 days. The majority of the 42 countries enrolled in the program are in Europe, with others in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere.

Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have not been implemented. The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond and because of a possible misperceptions by the public.

However, the department said that previous view "is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Woman Loses 35 Kg In 7 Months, Shares 10 Foods To Avoid. Check List

Losing weight can be a difficult task, especially when it requires making wholesale changes to your lifestyle. It requires dedication, patience, exercising regularly and most importantly, eating healthy. Now, a fitness influencer has shared how they managed to lose 35 kgs in only seven months by avoiding certain foods, in addition to working out religiously.

In a post dated June 8, Neha emphasised consistency, mindset, and balance as the cornerstones of her transformation. Sharing the list of 10 foods that those looking to lose weight should avoid, she wrote: "If you want to lose weight, you should avoid or limit the intake of these foods."

  • Granola: Marketed as healthy but often loaded with sugar and unhealthy oils.
  • Flavoured yogurt: High in hidden sugars that spike insulin and promote fat storage.
  • Packaged fruit juices: Stripped of fibre and packed with sugar, making it worse than soda.
  • Diet namkeen and baked chips: Still highly processed with refined carbs and unhealthy fats.
  • Protein bars: Many are just glorified candy bars with added protein.
  • Honey and jaggery: Natural but still sugar, causing the same insulin spike as white sugar.
  • Brown bread: Often just colored refined flour with little nutritional benefit.
  • Smoothies (store-bought): Loaded with fruit sugars and sometimes artificial flavours, leading to fat gain.
  • Low-fat packaged foods: Stripped of natural fats and replaced with sugar to enhance taste.
  • Soy products (excessive consumption): Can mess with hormones, especially if heavily processed.

See the viral post here:

As the post went viral, social media users lauded Neha for her incredible weight loss journey while others appreciated her for providing the list of food items to avoid.

"Amazing transformation. Kudos to you girl," said one user while another added: "Congratulations on your amazing progress! Your dedication and discipline reflect true commitment to a healthy lifestyle."

Neha's story shows that weight loss does not have to be a long, arduous journey. Simply removing certain food items from your diet might be enough to lose weight.



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Political Differences Aside, Pawars Come Together For Family Event

Two years since a split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) positioned them as political rivals, Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar continued to be part of family affairs without any hint of animosity - this time at the engagement of the former's grandnephew Yugendra Pawar with Tanishka Kulkarni.

The Pawar family attended the traditional engagement ceremony held at Ms Kulkarni's Mumbai residence on Sunday

Apart from Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar also attended the ceremony. Supriya Sule posted photos of the event, wishing the couple on the occasion. "Heartiest congratulations, Tanishka and Yugendra! Wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness. Thank you to the Kulkarni family for the warm hospitality," she wrote on X.

The NCP split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar joined the then Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government. The party name and its clock symbol were given to the now-Deputy Chief Minister's faction, while the one headed by the former Union agriculture minister was christened NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Yugendra Pawar, was a candidate from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, in the Maharashtra Assembly elections against his uncle Ajit Pawar from Baramati. The latter won the election.

Baramati saw another Pawar versus Pawar contest, after Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, defeated Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, during the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

Political ties remained frosty, but the the Pawar clan came together for family events, last seen together at Ajit Pawar's son Jay Pawar's wedding which was held in Pune with great pomp.

In April, the uncle-nephew duo were seen sharing the stage at three events. When asked about his meetings with senior Pawar a matter of weeks, the deputy chief minister downplayed their political significance, saying families come together on occasions like engagements, and there was no need to interpret them from any other perspective.



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'Lost Passport, Visa, Cash': Indian Man Recounts 48-Hour Ordeal In Spain

An Indian entrepreneur has documented his horrific experience after his passport, visa and cash were stolen abroad. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ayush Panchmiya revealed that he had gone to Spain, where he endured the worst 48 hours of his travel life and how he managed to come out of it.

The incident happened when Mr Panchmiya and his team were "editing content for a couple of clients" at a Starbucks outlet.

"We had just landed in Barcelona after a heavy week at Ethereum Community Conference & Workshop (ETHCC) Cannes. It was a chill morning for us. Our team was at Starbucks, editing content for a couple of clients," wrote Mr Panchmiya.

"I stepped outside for a quick call, left my small black bag under the table, something I'd done a hundred times on trips like these."

Having only been gone a few seconds, Mr Panchmiya returned to his bag being gone which had his passport, visa, credit cards and a "good chunk of cash".

Despite approaching the authorities and begging them to show the CCTV, Mr Panchmiya was left hapless. With the Indian embassy shut down over the weekend, he was left with no option but to wait till Monday.

"Walked in as soon as they [embassy] opened. And I cannot thank them enough, they issued me an emergency certificate (a temporary passport) in just 4 to 5 hours. That same evening, I was back on a flight to India."

The entrepreneur said he was sharing his experience not to rant but to help people understand their options if they find themselves in a similar situation.

"If you travel often, especially around Europe, this can happen to anyone," he said. "Ask for an emergency certificate. If your flight is close, they can issue one in hours."

See the viral post here:

Also Read | Auto Driver Drops Woman Passenger Midway, Questions Her Life Choices: 'Why'd You Take The Job...'

'Not to be rude but...'

As the post went viral, a section of social media users empathised with Mr Panchmiya while others questioned why he had kept the bag out of his sight with the important items.

"Not to be rude but Barcelona is literally the most renowned city for pickpocketing. Leaving a bag unattended with your passport in it is insane," said one user, while another added: "In general avoid traveling day to day with your passport on you. It's infinitely safer in your hotel lock box."

A third commented: "Sorry to hear about the trouble and glad to hear all is okay."



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NDTV Exclusive: Fatima On Sam Bahadur Bagging Three National Awards

The winners of the 71st National Awards were announced on Friday. Among the winners was Meghna Gulzar's Sam Bahadur, which won three awards. 

The film bagged the honours of Best Feature Film on National, Social and Environmental Values, Best Makeup and Best Costume Design. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Fatima Sana Shaikh, who played the role of Indira Gandhi in the film, reacted to the big news.

She said, "Huge congratulations to the team of Sam Bahadur for bagging three incredible National Film Awards. It's truly a moment of honour. I truly feel privileged to have played the role of Smt. Indira Gandhi, and I am eternally grateful to be a part of this journey."

"No feeling matches the one of seeing your work getting honoured with National recognition, and there couldn't be a bigger validation as an actor. I'd love to dedicate these honours to our country's bravehearts. It's a reminder that their contributions and sacrifices haven't gone in vain. They will be remembered forever," the actress added. 

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Sam Bahadur chronicles the journey of India's First Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. Vicky Kaushal plays the lead. The film also stars Sanya Malhotra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Kalki Koechlin and others.
 



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Caught Without Ticket, Mumbai Train Passenger Goes On Vandalism Spree

One of the four passengers deboarded from a suburban train in Mumbai turned violent, breaking property inside the ticket checker's office and attacking railway staff.

A video of the incident, which occurred on Saturday afternoon at Mumbai's Borivali railway station after the four passengers were asked to deboard from a Dadar-Virar local train, went viral. While three passengers had second class tickets but were travelling in the first class coach, one passenger was travelling without a ticket.

Inside the ticket checker's office, one of the passengers began hurling abuses. The video then shows the man damaging keyboards, monitors and other computer equipment, even as railway staff tried to stop him. While issuing threats to the staff, the man also allegedly attacked one of the ticket checkers. In the background, another passenger is seen crying uncontrollably and in evident panic.

The man also threatened those recording the incident, while also trying to pacify the woman co-traveller in the office. Both the railway employee and passenger were injured and administered medical aid. He was then handed over to the Government Railway Police for further legal action.



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"Didn't Seem Like Rohit Could...": Ex-Team India Manager On Test Retirement

India's star batter Rohit Sharma called time on his Test career in May this year. He had a poor show during the Australia Test series in 2024-25 and months after the outing, Rohit decided to hang up his boots in the format. Given the player was struggling with his form besides crossing the age of 38, many speculated that some of the top official in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) pressurised the veteran player to retire from the format. Jaydev Shah, Indian cricket team manager during the Australia tour in 2024-25, has clear air on it. He has revealed that decision to retire was taken by Rohit only.

"He had a baby, he came back and he couldn't make runs," Shah said in a podcast named Voices of Impact with Arjun Mirani.

"He was out of form. He was dropped from the last Test, but then he won the Champions Trophy. I think he thought it was time for him to play white ball more than red ball and give another cricketer a chance. I think the board was looking at things like, we have to prepare our team for the next championship. That's a two-year cycle so it's better if new players get set and get there.

"And it didn't seem like Rohit could take it for two more years. He also had his injury, he didn't play a couple of IPL matches because of that either. I think that's what he thought, and left for the team to grow and build nicely in the new cycle. Such big decisions are taken by big people like Rohit themselves," Shah added.

'Hitman' Rohit saw it all in Tests. After making noise in the Mumbai domestic circuit for his knocks in the longer format, it took six years for him to get his Test cap in 2013 after his international debut in 2007. Even after getting the coveted cap, it took the right-hander years to find the consistency and rhythm that could justify his immense talent.

An unstoppable beast at home, but extremely inconsistent away from home, was the story of his entire career. While the home crowd was treated to a 'Hitman' special plenty of times, his fans in the other parts of the world, travelling to the stadiums, have often been left wanting more. Flashes of absolute genius, undeniable technical skill, are surrounded by a myriad of instances when the batter was just too inconsistent and would throw away his wicket.

(With ANI Inputs)



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Slapped On Flight, He Went Missing, Then Found At Railway Station

The man who was slapped by a fellow passenger after suffering a panic attack mid-flight and then went missing has been found at a railway station in Assam's Barpeta, nearly 800 km from Kolkata, where the plane had landed, and 400 km from Silchar, which was supposed to be his destination. 

Hussain Ahmed Majumdar, 32, from Cachar district in Assam, of which Silchar is the headquarters, had boarded a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata on Thursday and was supposed to take another flight from there to Silchar the next day.

Mr Majumdar, 32, was on IndiGo flight 6E-138 from Mumbai to Silchar when he had a panic attack and was being helped by airhostesses. He was being taken down the aisle when a fellow passenger Hafijul Rahman slapped him. In a video, Mr Rahman can be seen assaulting Mr Majumdar and, when confronted, says he did so because he was causing him "problems".

After the flight reached Kolkata, Mr Rahman was detained and handed over to the police, but was released later. Mr Majumdar also left the airport.

The 32-year-old, who works at a hotel in Mumbai, had flown the route several times before and his family, unaware that anything had happened, reached the Silchar airport to receive him on Friday.

They tried to contact him after watching the viral video but his cellphone was switched off, said his father, Abdul Mannan Majumdar. 

A missing complaint was filed and investigation revealed that Mr Majumdar had not boarded the flight to Silchar on Friday and had not flown out from the Kolkata airport on Saturday either. The police then received information that he was at the Barpeta railway station and found him there. An official said he appeared unwell and is now being taken home.

IndiGo has, meanwhile, banned the attacker, Mr Rahman, from flying on any plane operated by the airline. 

"The safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain our foremost priority. In line with our commitment to discourage such unruly behaviour onboard flights, the individual has been suspended from flying on any IndiGo flights, in accordance with regulatory provisions," IndiGo said in a statement.



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Jaiswal Blitz Puts India On Top After Siraj, Prasidh Impress vs England

Mohammed Siraj produced a lion-hearted spell and Prasidh Krishna cleaned up the tail to script India's spirited comeback after a brutal assault from England openers on day two of the fifth and final Test on Friday. After a forgettable opening session where Siraj and Co. were taken to the cleaners by Ben Duckett (43 off 38) and Zak Crawley (64 off 57), the Indian pacers redeemed themselves by bowling out England for 247 in the final session, giving the hosts only a slender 23-run lead. Both Siraj and Prasidh ended with four-wicket hauls.

India lost the reliable K L Rahul (7 off 28) in their second innings to a rare loose shot from the opener. At close, India were 75 for two in 18 overs, leading England by 52 runs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (51 batting off 49) batted with aggressive intent despite being dropped twice while Sai Sudharsan (11) was trapped in front by Gus Atkinson shortly before stumps.

Jaiswal had got going with three fours in Atkinson's opening over including a sublime straight drive before being given a chance on 20 ad 40. He brought up his third fifty of the series with a ramp off Jamie Overton that went all the way.

Close to stumps, a third catch was dropped when Zak Crawley grassed a regulation chance offered by Sudharsan at third slip.

Before that, England were bowled out in the final session following Harry Brook's belligerent 53 off 64 balls. The highlight of his effort was a falling sweep off Siraj that went all the way for six.

In the afternoon session, Siraj struck thrice in a fiery eight over spell. At tea, England were 215 for seven, effectively eight down with Chris Woakes not available to bat due to a shoulder injury.

The wickets to fall were England's batting mainstay Joe Root (29 off 45), Zak Crawley (64 off 57), stand-in captain Ollie Pope (22 off) and Jacob Bethell (6 off 14).

A heated exchange of words between Root and Prasidh was also among the talking points of the session.

After being blown away by the England opener in the opening session, Indian pacers found their lengths post the break. Prasidh sent back Crawley who mistimed a pull to be pouched at midwicket.

Siraj got rid of Pope and Root with a nip backer before firing an inswinging yorker into Bethell's pads. The pitch continues to provide plenty of assistance to the seamers.

Whether it was targeting the pads with the wobbled seam or producing late swing, Siraj was relentless, displaying that he was not a firm believer of workload management.

Prasidh too was impressive and struck thrice in the session including the wickets of Jamie Smith and Overton at the stroke of tea.

In the morning passage, Crawley and Duckett smashed the Indian pacers with absolute disdain on a seaming surface after bundling out the visitors for 224 in the first half hour of play.

Duckett (43 off 38) and Crawley hit boundaries for fun on a green surface where Atkinson took a deserving wicket haul by removing three Indian batters shortly after play began. The hosts raced to 109 for one in 16 overs at lunch.

The trio of Akash Deep, Siraj and Prasidh ran out of ideas against the onslaught from the England openers. Much to their relief, Duckett was caught behind 15 minutes before lunch attempting another reverse hit off Akash. The opening stand yielded 92 runs off just 77 balls.

It was unusual to see Akash wrap his arm around Duckett and give him a send off with a smile on his face.

Crawley collected five of his 12 fours off Siraj, including a straight drive, punch through the covers and flick towards mid-wicket. He completed his fifty with a boundary in the third man region off Akash.

Duckett deliberately disturbed the pacers' rhythm by dancing down the track at will, using the cut on the charge twice against Akash.

He pulled off a reverse scoop off the pacer before playing a ramp off for a maximum off Siraj soon after.

Pope joined Crawley in the middle and began with a couple of sweetly timed cover drives.

In the first half 30 minutes of play, India lost four wickets for just 20 runs after resuming the day at 204 for six.

Overnight batters Karun Nair (57 off 109)and Washington Sundar (26 off 55) perished in quick succession before Atkinson polished off the tail.



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37-Year-Old Man Faints After Workout Session In Pune Gym, Dies

A man was seen drinking water after a workout session at a gym in Pune's Pimpri-Chinchwad this morning. He sipped water from his bottle, turned and then suddenly fainted. The CCTV camera in the gym captured the entire sequence of events.

People at the gym rushed him to a hospital. 37-year-old Milind Kulkarni, however, was pronounced dead on arrival. As per reports, Kulkarni - whose wife is a doctor herself - died of a heart attack.

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As per the initial probe, Kulkarni had been going to the gym for the last six months.

People over 65 years of age are at a higher risk of heart attacks. However, a sharp rise in heart attacks among people below 50 has been observed over the past few years. Several global medical reports also highlight a surge in heart attacks among people in their 30s and 40s.



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