India news Highlight, 31 August 2026: Air India flight makes emergency landing in Ahmedabad after bomb threat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran President Pezeshkian meet for the first time amid the West Asia crisis on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek.

Manish Sahu from Luckow reports that five people were killed in a blast at a firecracker factory running in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi on Monday.

Circle Officer, Kaushambi, Shivank Singh, said the victims include children. Several people have sustained injuries and rescue operations are underway, he added.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, directing officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured and provide all possible assistance to the bereaved families.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest near the Delhi Secretariat on Monday (Aug 31), demanding a Delhi government probe into the alleged bicycle scam.

AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj, along with party workers, raised slogans calling on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to take action in the matter.

"The chief minister is completely silent on the matter. Government is buying bicycles worth Rs 6,957 on wholesale we bought it on retail rate of Rs 4,200 and the bicycles that they buying they are not good, the brakes are fake, tires are fake, rims are fake, pedals are fake," Bharadwaj said, according to PTI.

He alleged that no inquiry was ordered and no FIR was registered in the matter.

Sweety Kumari from Kolkata reports that a major fire broke out on Monday morning at an eatery near Sealdah station, causing significant disruption during rush hour and necessitating an emergency response from the fire department, Kolkata Police, and the Railway Protection Force. Firefighters, who struggled initially due to the food court’s suppression system failure and a lack of on-site water supply, eventually brought the blaze under control by breaking glass panels to vent trapped smoke and deploying specialised teams to reach the fire's source. The incident, which melted air conditioning vents and engulfed multiple stalls, has raised serious safety concerns, particularly as this is the second fire at the location in recent months, with officials noting that the facility's construction—a converted train coach featuring extensive false ceilings—contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.

Heavy rain and rising Ganga water levels caused waterlogging in Varanasi, with water entering the River Police Commissionerate office.

Pragynesh from Delhi reports that a minor girl in Outer Delhi was allegedly sexually assaulted by her nursery school cab driver, an incident discovered after parents noticed behavioral changes and the child identified the perpetrator via school CCTV footage. Delhi Police arrested the accused, who faces charges under the POCSO Act after his seized phone revealed videos of him offering chocolates to children. In a separate, similar incident at a Northeast Delhi playschool, a minor boy was allegedly assaulted by an attendant, leading to the attendant's arrest and the issuance of a notice to a teacher after parents discovered the child had suffered bruises and eardrum damage.

The Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking mandatory disclosure of ethanol content in petrol sold at fuel pumps across the country.

Water levels in the Yamuna rose sharply after days of torrential rain, with floodwaters breaching the banks and entering riverside localities.

A 16-year-old Class 11 student was allegedly gang-raped inside a sleeper bus in Delhi’s Kashmere Gate area after she sought a ride during heavy rain, police sources said, according to PTI.

The police has arrested the driver and conductor.

The incident took place on August 4 night when the girl, who was travelling from Uttar Pradesh to meet her cousin in Noida, mistakenly got off at Pari Chowk during heavy rain.

She allegedly signalled to the empty sleeper bus, and the driver, identified as Kuldeep, offered her a ride.

The accused allegedly gang-raped her and threatened her before abandoning her near Kashmere Gate, said police.

Nirbhay Thakur from Delhi reports that the Delhi High Court, presided over by Justice Girish Kathpalia, has stayed an “unusual” trial court order that granted future interim bail—scheduled for September 10 to October 8—to Amit, an alleged key operative of the Tillu gang currently facing 15 criminal cases, including murder and extortion. The State successfully challenged the ruling, arguing that granting bail with effect from a future date was legally unsustainable and noting the accused's history of repeatedly securing bail extensions since his 2020 arrest, alongside concerns regarding flight and security risks. Consequently, the High Court has suspended the operation of the impugned order until the next hearing while allowing the accused two weeks to file a reply.

Kiran Parashar from Bengaluru reports that starting September 4, the Bengaluru traffic police are implementing vehicle movement restrictions on five major flyovers—the BGS, Peenya elevated corridor, international airport elevated corridor, double-decker flyover, and Electronic City elevated corridor—to enhance road safety and mitigate traffic congestion. While most regulations begin on September 4, restrictions for the Electronic City elevated corridor will take effect on September 11. These measures involve a mix of bans and time-based restrictions for heavy goods vehicles, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers, tailored to each location to address factors such as road design, accident severity, and pedestrian safety.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Hindus respect and accept all, adding that Bharat has given asylum to persecuted people and welcomed many who came as aggressors.

"Hindus respect and accept all. Bharat has always given asylum to the persecuted and provided guidance to the world. Many came to India as aggressors but are now Bharatiya citizens," he said.

He further urged people to make small improvements over time and become more enlightened and selfless.

"Before leaving this place, you should take some resolve in your mind. You cannot become Bhagwan Ram overnight. You cannot become like our ancestors overnight. But you can take two small steps. Per week, per month, per year, whatever time you want to take, make some small improvements, so that you become a more enlightened human being and a more selfless, serving being. There are many people enlightening society and doing this. Sangha is also one of them," he added.