Senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar was found dead with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh home on Tuesday, officials said, suspecting that he committed suicide.

The 2001 batch officer was the inspector general, Police Training Centre (PTC), in Sunaria, Rohtak.

Kumar’s wife Amneet P Kumar, an IAS officer and commissioner and secretary of the Department of Foreign Cooperation, Haryana government, is in Japan as part of a delegation led by Chief Minister Nayab Saini.

Police rushed to the Kumars’ home in upscale Sector 11 after receiving information about the incident around 1.30 pm. “The SHO, Sector 11, and his team inspected the scene. A reported suicide had taken place… The body was identified as that of Y Puran Kumar, IPS officer,” Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur told reporters.

Asked if there was any suicide note, she said, “A team of the CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) is inspecting the spot and investigations are on.” Those present in the house at the time are being questioned, the SSP said.

Kumar was earlier posted as Rohtak Range IG and had recently been transferred as IG, PTC, Sunaria. (Agencies)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four multi-tracking railway projects covering 18 districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh with a cost of approximately Rs 24,634 crore.

The projects will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 894 km and help in providing seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services, an official statement said.

These projects are 3rd and 4th line between Wardha and Bhusawal covering 314 km in Maharashtra; an 84 km 4th line between Gondia and Dongargarh in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh; 259 km 3rd and 4th line between Vadodara – Ratlam in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh; and 4th line covering 84 km distance of Itarsi-Bhopal- Bina in Madhya Pradesh.

“The approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 3,633 villages, which have a population of about 85.84 lakh and two Aspirational Districts (Vidisha and Rajnandgaon),” the statement said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while briefing the media persons, said that the increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.

He said that these multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion.

“The projects are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a New India which will make the people of the region ‘Aatmanirbhar’ by way of comprehensive development in the area that will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities,” the statement said.

“The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services,” it said.

Highlighting their benefits for the tourism sector, Vaishnaw said that these upcoming projects will provide connectivity to prominent destinations such as Sanchi, Satpura Tiger Reserve, Rock shelter of Bhimbetka, Hazara falls and Nawegaon National Park, attracting tourists from across the country.

The Railway Minister also outlined the benefits to freight traffic and said, “This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, containers, cement, fly ash, food grain, steel, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 78 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).” “The Railways, being an environmentally friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (28 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (139 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of six crore trees,” he added. (Agencies)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced that Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote Counting on November 14 setting the stage for a high-stakes battle between the ruling NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance comprising the RJD, Congress, and other parties.

With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect across the state.

Key Election Dates

• Phase 1: November 6 — polling in 121 constituencies
• Phase 2: November 11 — polling in 122 constituencies
• Counting on November 14

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the ruling NDA currently holds 138 seats, while the opposition alliance controls 103.

A New Political Force Emerges

This election introduces a third front — Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party — which is expected to make the contest more dynamic.
Adding to the pre-election buzz, the Election Commission has recently concluded a Special Intensive Review (SIR) of voter lists, which Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar described as a “shuddhikaran” (purification) process.

Voter Statistics

According to the CEC, 7.42 crore voters will be eligible to vote across 90,712 polling stations, all of which will be webcast-enabled to ensure transparent polling.
The state has 3.92 crore male and 3.5 crore female voters. Nearly 14,000 voters are aged 100 years or above, and around 14 lakh will be first-time voters.https://himalayanexpress.in/

Voter List Purification and Deletions

Kumar revealed that approximately 69 lakh names have been deleted during the SIR of electoral rolls. However, he declined to specify how many deletions were due to non-citizenship issues.

“A breakup cannot be given in a decentralised set-up. The Electoral Registration Officer prepares the voter lists, which can be appealed before the District Magistrate or Chief Electoral Officer,” Kumar explained.

He added that most deletions were due to deaths, migration, or unproven citizenship, and that this data had already been shared with political parties.

Election Reforms and Transparency Measures

In response to political demands, the CEC announced that counting of postal ballots will now be completed before the last two rounds of vote counting.
Calling the upcoming Bihar elections the “mother of all elections”, Kumar said the Commission will implement 17 new initiatives, which may later be replicated nationwide.

“Thanks to the SIR, the upcoming Bihar elections could be the most transparent in India’s electoral history. Bihar will show the way to the rest of the country on voter list purification,” Kumar stated confidently.

Clarification on Voter Identification

When asked about the identification of women voters wearing burqa or ghunghat (veil), Kumar affirmed that the Election Commission’s verification guidelines would be strictly followed inside polling booths to ensure transparency and respect for privacy.https://himalayanexpress.in/

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh on a writ petition filed by activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, challengingSonam Wangchuk’s Detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate release.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria heard the plea but refused to pass any interim order directing authorities to share the grounds of detention with Wangchuk’s wife. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 14.

“Something has been done for now,” observed the bench during the proceedings.

Background of the Case

Wangchuk, a renowned innovator and environmentalist, was detained under the stringent National Security Act on September 26, two days after violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status resulted in four deaths and over 90 injuries.
Authorities have accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence.

Under the NSA, both the Centre and State governments can detain individuals to prevent acts deemed “prejudicial to the defence of India.” The law allows detention without trial for up to 12 months, though it may be revoked earlier. Wangchuk is currently lodged in Jodhpur Jail, Rajasthan.

Arguments Before the Court

Appearing for Wangchuk’s wife, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal urged the apex court to direct authorities to provide her with the grounds of detention, stating that without them, the order could not be effectively challenged.

In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the detention grounds had been served on the detenue himself, adding that there was no legal obligation to share them with his spouse.

“At this stage, we will not say anything,” Justice Kumar remarked, while noting Mehta’s submission that he would consider the feasibility of providing the detention grounds.

Mehta further alleged that the petitioner was attempting to create unnecessary “hype” over claims that Wangchuk was denied medical care and access to his wife.

The Supreme Court directed the authorities to ensure Wangchuk’s medical needs are met as per prison regulations.

Details of the Petition

The habeas corpus petition, filed through Senior Advocate Vivek Tankha and Advocate Sarvam Ritam Khare, sought an order directing the Ladakh administration to produce Wangchuk before the Court forthwith.https://himalayanexpress.in/

Angmo also challenged the invocation of NSA, calling the Sonam Wangchuk’s Detention“illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional.”
The plea argues that the detention violates Wangchuk’s fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the Constitution.

It further seeks directions to the authorities — including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ladakh UT Administration, Deputy Commissioner of Leh, and Jodhpur Jail Superintendent — to grant her immediate access to her husband, both telephonically and in person

“Wangchuk, an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight Ladakh’s ecological and democratic concerns,” the plea states.

The Supreme Court will next hear the matter on October 14.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday began his 25th year as the head of a government, asserting that improving the lives of people and contributing to the progress of this great nation have been his constant endeavour.

He noted in a post on X that he had taken oath on this day in 2001 as Gujarat’s chief minister for the first time.

“Thanks to the continuous blessings of my fellow Indians, I am entering my 25th year of serving as the head of a Government. My gratitude to the people of India,” Modi said.

He added, “Through all these years, it has been my constant endeavour to improve the lives of our people and contribute to the progress of this great nation that has nurtured us all.”

After spearheading the BJP to victory in three consecutive assembly polls in Gujarat, he has led the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance to win in three successive national elections.

As an incumbent, Modi has never faced an electoral defeat and holds the record as the longest head of a government, including as chief minister for more than 12-and-a-half years, among all prime ministers. (AGENCIES)