PM Modi-Trump handshake, Telegram blocked in India — The Indian Express Realtime Blog – June 16, 2026

Vallabh Ozarkar in Mumbai is reporting that rumours of “Operation Tiger,” an alleged strategy by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to engineer defections within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), have intensified. Sena (UBT) leaders are scrambling to reassure workers and dismiss claims that seven MPs and 16 MLAs are in touch with the rival Sena. The Sena (UBT) leadership has been reaching out to MPs individually to assess the situation and ensure party unity.

Arun Janardhanan in Chennai reports that former Health Minister and Viralimalai MLA Dr C Vijayabaskar resigned from the Tamil Nadu Assembly, becoming the fifth AIADMK legislator to quit since the recent election. His resignation, unlike the others, carries significant political weight due to his strong constituency influence and past criticisms of the current AIADMK leadership. Vijayabaskar’s departure is likely to be closely watched by both the AIADMK and the ruling TVK.

For the first time in more than a year and amid the strain in India-US relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump just shook hands at the G7 summit in front of TV cameras.

Alok Singh in Delhi has just confirmed that a terror unit backed by Pak-spy agency ISI has been busted in Delhi. Seven people have been arrested, the police said, adding that they smuggled drugs, weapons. Details will be in the article in just a bit on indianexpress.com.

Arun Sharma in Jammu reports that deep, wide cracks have damaged buildings and farmland in Kotli Kalaban village, Rajouri. Four families have been moved to safer locations, and the Geological Survey of India has been called in to investigate. The exact cause of the cracks is unknown, but the geological strata of the area are weak.

Ananthakrishnan G in New Delhi reports that the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of a news report about a blind man and his elderly mother in Odisha struggling to sustain themselves. The court directed the state government to provide them with basic amenities and report on the compliance of its directions. The court also suggested engaging the blind man as a para-legal volunteer to sensitise differently-abled persons about their rights and benefits.

Shubham Tigga in Ranchi reports that with two days left for the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand, the BJP-led NDA has moved its legislators to a hotel in Ranchi. This move comes after seven NDA legislators skipped a meeting, raising concerns about cross-voting. The NDA, with 24 legislators, needs four more votes to secure the second seat for its candidate, Parimal Nathwani.

Sweety Kumari in Kolkata reports that TMC’s Swarup Biswas, already in custody for extortion and harassment charges, faces new charges of extortion and harassment. A woman entrepreneur accused him of demanding 80 lakhs for permission to set up a street food cart and expecting “personal favours”. The New Alipore Police have registered a case and initiated a formal investigation.

Shaju Phillip in Thiruvanananthapuram is reporting on Kerala's shigella outbreak with 146 confirmed cases and 5 deaths, primarily in Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The Health Minister attributes the outbreak to poor pre-monsoon cleaning and plans to form a high-power committee to control communicable diseases. Water quality, particularly in open wells and eateries, is a major concern contributing to the spread of the infection. Story coming on indianexpress.com soon.

Damini Nath in Delhi reports the NCR Planning Board has approved a Rs.5,000 crore scheme to develop four greenfield cities in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The cities will be developed along transport nodes, including the RRTS, and will be named “Namo” cities.

Debadrita Basu and Aleesha Ekka in Kolkata are reporting that hawkers at the Sealdah division of the railway are facing eviction, leaving them anxious and struggling to survive. The eviction drive, which began on May 30, 2026, has destroyed shops and livelihoods, leaving many hawkers with no means of income. Despite approaching the court and expressing willingness to negotiate, the hawkers are still facing eviction and are appealing for a humanitarian solution.

Mustafa Plumber in Bengaluru reports that the Karnataka High Court has disposed of a petition seeking online hearing facilities for RTI appeals. The court stated that providing such facilities is a policy decision and requires significant investment, hence the petition was dismissed.

Asad Rehman in New Delhi reports how the Congress is targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for irregularities in donation funds for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. They allege that the SIT probe is looking at smaller officials while those actually responsible, including high-profile people, are involved in the “robbery”. Congress demands a high court judge-led probe and a report from the SIT within a week.

Ankita Deshkar in Nagpur has sent an important story, coming up soon on indianexpress.com. A 24-year-old woman in Nagpur has accused two men, Ayyaj Taj Madare and Aamin Sheikh, of drugging, assaulting, blackmailing, and forcing her into marriage and religious conversion. The police have arrested the two men and are searching for a third accused, a cleric named Hazrat Maulana. The woman alleges that the incidents began in 2025 and involved extortion, sexual assault, and occult practises.

Asad Rehman in New Delhi reports that Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress's national general secretary, was unable to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla due to ongoing questioning by the Enforcement Directorate. Instead, TMC MP Kirti Azad conveyed Banerjee’s unavailability and the party’s stance against recognising a rebel faction led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The Speaker’s decision on the status of the TMC in Parliament is pending, with the rebel faction claiming protection from disqualification under the Tenth Schedule due to a merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.

Tamil Nadu Chief Vijay announces full waiver of cooperative crop loans of up to Rs 75,000 for farmers. Co-operative crop loan waiver will benefit 14.43 lakh farmers in the state and cost nearly Rs 6,000 crore to the taxpayer, news agency PTI reported.

Kiran Parashar in Bengaluru is reporting that a 38-year-old auto rickshaw driver, Pradeep, stabbed his wife, Manjula, a home guard, multiple times in front of their children in the city. Pradeep, who was addicted to alcohol and online betting, had planned the murder and recorded videos expressing his intentions. He was arrested by the Mahadevapura Police.

The full report is coming up on indianexpress.com in just a bit.

Aiswarya Raj in Dehradun reports that a 27-year-old woman from Delhi was found dead at a homestay while on a vacation with her husband in Mussoorie on Monday morning, police said. The police received information at 7.23 am that P Radha Gayatri was in a critical condition and not responding. The couple were staying in a room at a homestay on the Mussoorie-Dhanaulti Road. Though an ambulance was called, a health professional, who was present in the ambulance, examined the woman and declared her dead.

Anonna Dutt in New Delhi reports that cough syrups will now require a doctor’s prescription due to concerns about contamination and misuse. This decision follows several cases of children dying after consuming contaminated cough syrups, including a recent incident in Madhya Pradesh. The move aims to prevent children from accessing harmful formulations and ensure safer medication practices.

Jatin Anand in New Delhi is reporting that the BJP is expected to announce a significant organisational overhaul, particularly for national vice presidents and general secretaries. The new team, led by party chief Nitin Nabin, is likely to focus on generational, gender, and caste balance, with a focus on youth and women leaders. The announcement is expected soon, possibly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return from a foreign tour.

Centre blocks Telegram app till Sunday over NEET security concerns

Soham Shah is reporting from Pune that hundreds of first year junior college seats allotted in round two of admissions in Maharashtra were revoked as the merit list did not take into account re-evaluated Class 12 marks. The error was realised after the list was announced at 10 am on June 13, informed Director of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Mahesh Palkar.

Amitabh Sinha reports that a new study suggests that heatwaves increase ground-level ozone concentrations, aggravating health risks. The study, published in Clean Air and authored by researchers from IIT Kharagpur and Kerala University, found that heatwaves in 2024 alone caused over 830 deaths in India due to increased ozone levels. The study emphasises the need for agencies like the weather office and the pollution control agency to monitor ground-level ozone concentrations and include this information in their alerts.

The US-Iran peace agreement is dominating global headlines as Tuesday begins. Donald Trump said overnight that Iran has agreed to "never have a nuclear weapon," though Tehran's conditions and the 60-day implementation window mean the deal remains work in progress. In India, the TMC crisis continues with questions emerging about whether rebel MPs could eventually merge back into the Congress. The NCERT has agreed to restore the nude image of the iconic Harappan Dancing Girl figurine in the Class 9 Arts textbook after an Indian Express report. Stay with us for live updates through the day.