A man was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a minor girl during an Onam celebration in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, police said on Friday. The accused, identified as Muhammed Rafi, allegedly behaved inappropriately towards an eighth-standard student multiple times while she was watching a tug-of-war competition at an Onam event in Payyoli on August 25.
Following a complaint by the girl’s family, police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Rafi was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.
Story continues below this ad
During the TMCP foundation day rally in Kolkata on Friday, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee said that rebel TMC MLAs who had switched camps would not be allowed to return to the party. “Will not allow a single traitor who switched camps to return to Trinamool Congress,” Banerjee told PTI.
If you are just joining us, this is The Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog – where we bring you the latest news updates of the day in real time. Scan the top headlines of the day here, or keep scrolling to see the latest updates stream in.
J&K politician booked for allegedly duping man of Rs 8.25 lakh
Anantnag Police have booked Aabid Hussain Nengroo after a complaint alleged he took Rs 8.25 lakh by promising a special police officer job and permission to install tents in Pahalgam during the Amarnath Yatra. Police did not disclose his political affiliation.
Nepal: Rescuers race to save 100 trapped inside hydropower tunnel
Rescue teams are in a desperate race to reach approximately 100 people trapped inside a hydropower tunnel in Nepal as the flash flood disaster — now believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse — continues to unfold. People from 30 countries are missing, with Indians among those unaccounted for. A veteran Mumbai mountaineer who gave up medicine for the mountains is among those missing. A glacial collapse is now emerging as the likely trigger, raising questions about India’s own preparedness for similar cascading Himalayan disasters.
Penguin India drops Sonia Gandhi’s book after author rejects changes
Penguin India has decided not to publish Sonia Gandhi’s book after asking for changes that the author rejected. Several Indian publishers are now in the fray for the rights, with HarperCollins reported to be close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the book in India — a development that will keep one of Indian publishing’s more politically sensitive titles in the news cycle.
MPSC 7th rank holder reveals ‘get 10 wrong’ paper leak plot
A candidate who secured 7th rank in the MPSC examination has revealed the mechanics of a paper leak designed to evade detection — including a deliberate instruction to get ten answers wrong to avoid raising suspicion. The disclosure has deepened the Maharashtra public services examination scandal and given investigators a rare inside account of how the fraud was engineered.
Chandipura virus: Two in three confirmed cases in Gujarat have died, toll at 28
The Chandipura virus outbreak in Gujarat has killed 28 people, with two of every three confirmed cases proving fatal — a case fatality rate that has alarmed public health authorities and placed the state’s disease surveillance and containment capacity under urgent scrutiny.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra bookings surged in 2026 — then came the Nepal floods
After four years of pause, bookings for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra had seen a marked surge this year, with many pilgrims taking the Nepal Rasuwa route — the same route now devastated by the flash floods, making the disaster a particular tragedy for a pilgrimage community that had only just been able to return to the journey.
