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India news Highlights, 31 July 2026: PM Modi congratulates Andy Burnham on assuming office as UK PM

Case filed against Meta India chief over morphed content targeting PM during CJP protests. Hamas agrees to Trump's 20-point Gaza deal. Nirmal Purja among 10 climbers missing after Broad Peak avalanche.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to Andy Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to Andy Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Instagram/@narendramodi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to Andy Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In a post on X, he said, “Delighted to speak with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Andy Burnham. Congratulated him on assuming office and conveyed my best wishes for a successful tenure.”

He added, “We agreed to work together across sectors such as technology, innovation, defence, security, clean energy, education and people-to-people ties and take the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to new heights. We will also collaborate closely to fully harness the trade and investment opportunities presented by the recently operationalized India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, for the shared prosperity and well-being of both our people.”

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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. This blog is being curated by Sudhakar Singh.

BJP plans huge protest at Karnataka dam over Cauvery order, security stepped up

Police were deployed in large numbers at Karnataka’s Krishnaraja Sagar Dam on Friday ahead of a protest by the opposition BJP against the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, after a central water management body upheld an order directing the state to release 3,500 cubic feet per second for 15 days.

Case against Meta India chief, Insta accounts over CJP posts against PM

Cybercrime police in Hyderabad have registered cases against operators of several Facebook and Instagram accounts and the India head of parent company Meta over allegedly morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cockroach Janta Party-led NEET paper leak protests.

Hamas agrees to Trump’s 20-point Gaza deal

Hamas has formally agreed to a 20-point deal brokered under President Trump’s “Board of Peace” framework, which includes provisions for Gaza’s disarmament. The agreement, if it holds, would represent the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in the conflict since October 2023 — though the distance between a signed deal and durable peace in Gaza has historically been considerable.

Nirmal Purja among 10 climbers feared missing after Broad Peak avalanche

Celebrated mountaineer Nirmal Purja is among ten climbers feared missing after an avalanche struck PoK’s Broad Peak, triggering a rescue operation on one of the world’s highest and most unforgiving mountains. Purja, known for his record-breaking ascents of all 14 eight-thousanders, was part of an expedition on the peak when the avalanche hit.

Supreme Court questions PM panel choosing the Chief Election Commissioner

“Shouldn’t there be a show of fairness?” the Supreme Court asked during a hearing on the appointment process for the Chief Election Commissioner, flagging concerns about a Prime Minister-led panel making the selection — a line of questioning that cuts to the heart of how India’s electoral oversight is structured and perceived.

CJP protest: Delhi dropped 13 FIRs in a day, Maharashtra’s protesters still waiting

Delhi dropped 13 FIRs against CJP protesters in a single day, while Maharashtra’s demonstrators continue to wait for the promised withdrawal of cases — a two-speed implementation of the government’s assurances that is adding friction to what was meant to be a clean resolution.

Pakistan coal mine blast kills 32, traps 10 more

At least 32 miners have been killed and 10 others trapped after a blast at a coal mine in Pakistan’s Quetta, in one of the deadliest mining disasters in the country in recent years — a reminder of the chronic safety failures in Pakistan’s coal sector that have claimed hundreds of lives over the past decade.

Gen Z caught BJP off guard. Now can the Opposition make it count?

The CJP protests revealed a generational fault line the BJP had not fully mapped, and the question now is whether the Opposition has the political infrastructure to convert that energy into durable electoral support — or whether it will dissipate, as so many protest movements in India have before.

Live Updates
Jul 31, 2026 07:06 PM IST
PM Modi extends congratulations to Andy Burnham

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to Andy Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In a post on X, he said, "Delighted to speak with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Andy Burnham. Congratulated him on assuming office and conveyed my best wishes for a successful tenure."

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Jul 31, 2026 05:14 PM IST
CBI arrests 2 who gave contract for killing Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari's aide

Months after investigating and arresting five people, the CBI has arrested two party workers of BJP in West Bengal, who were earlier with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The two have been arrested for allegedly hiring shooters to shoot West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s executive assistant, Chandranath Rath.

According to the CBI, the arrested people have been identified as Sagar Sonkar and Sahib Sonkar. “Probe has revealed that both the arrested men were earlier with TMC and later moved to BJP, but they were in still touch with some party members of TMC. Investigation showed that he was in contact with the office of a rival political party via landline calls while working with Rath,” an official said.

Both of them have been arrested from West Bengal and CBI are likely to be produced before a special court in Kolkata to get their police custody.

-Mahender Singh Manral reports

Jul 31, 2026 04:15 PM IST
Amit Shah, Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal attend meeting with Speaker

Union Ministers Amit Shah, Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal are attending a meeting with Speaker Om Birla, Neeta Sharma reports.

Jul 31, 2026 03:11 PM IST
PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for families of Thane building collapse victims

On the building collapse in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X saying, "I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives due to the building collapse in Thane, Maharashtra. In this tragic incident, my condolences are with the grieving families. My prayers are that the injured in this accident recover as soon as possible..

"The families of those who lost their lives in this accident will be given relief assistance of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, and the injured will receive Rs 50,000," he added.

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Jul 31, 2026 02:54 PM IST
Karnataka to consult Opposition before decision on Cauvery water release: DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the state government will consult Opposition leaders and seek legal advice before deciding on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, following the Cauvery Water Management Authority's direction to release 3,500 cusecs daily. He said the government would work collectively on the issue and assured that there would be no shortage of drinking water in the state over the coming year.

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Jul 31, 2026 02:50 PM IST
Supreme Court stays Senthil Balaji's arrest in TASMAC corruption case

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the arrest of former Tamil Nadu minister and DMK MLA V Senthil Balaji in the alleged TASMAC corruption case while issuing notice to the state on his plea against the Madras High Court's refusal to grant anticipatory bail.

The court directed Balaji to cooperate fully with the investigation, not influence witnesses and deposit his passport, adding that the interim protection would continue until further orders. The matter has been posted for hearing after three weeks.

Reported by Apurva Vishwanath

Jul 31, 2026 02:06 PM IST
Ex-DMK minister Senthil Balaji gets protection from arrest in Supreme Court

Apurva Vishwanath in New Delhi reports that former Tamil Nadu minister V. Senthil Balaji was granted protection from arrest in a corruption case involving alleged irregularities at state-run liquor retailer TASMAC by the Supreme Court on Friday, days after the state’s anti-corruption agency searched dozens of locations and named the senior opposition DMK politician and six others in the case.

Jul 31, 2026 01:45 PM IST
Rohit Pawar seeks FIR against PCMC officials, company over Moshi plant collapse

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday demanded an FIR against senior Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) officials and executives of the firm operating the Moshi waste-to-energy plant, where nine contract workers were killed in a collapse on July 8. Pawar also accused BJP MLA Mahesh Landge of shielding those responsible. Pawar warned of an agitation if action was not taken and sought ₹1 crore compensation for each victim's family.

Jul 31, 2026 01:27 PM IST
Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed member arrested in West Bengal

A suspected member of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been arrested in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district, police sources said. Investigators are probing his suspected links to a wider terror network and are continuing their investigation.

(PTI)

Jul 31, 2026 01:08 PM IST
Bangladeshi Writer Taslima Nasreen returns Kolkata, to make first public appearance since 2007

Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen will make her first public appearance in Kolkata since 2007 at an event on August 1, nearly two decades after protests over her memoir Dwikhondito forced her to leave the city. Speaking to PTI, Nasreen said returning to Kolkata felt like coming back to “my own country” and expressed hope that her visit would reaffirm the importance of freedom of expression and protecting dissenting voices.

Jul 31, 2026 12:34 PM IST
Karnataka calls all-party meet on Cauvery issue after CWMA orders water release to Tamil Nadu

Karnataka has called an all-party meeting on August 2 after the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld a directive asking the state to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The Congress government said it had appealed the decision, while pro-Kannada groups are considering a bandh over the order.

Karnataka has argued it is facing acute hydrological distress due to poor monsoon inflows, while Tamil Nadu has sought higher water releases.

Jul 31, 2026 12:04 PM IST
Supreme Court to hear DMK's Senthil Balaji's anticipatory bail plea at 1 pm before CJI-led Bench

The Supreme Court on Friday said DMK leader V Senthil Balaji's anticipatory bail plea in a corruption case will be heard at 1 pm by another Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The matter was mentioned before the court, which directed that it be placed before the CJI-led Bench.

Jul 31, 2026 11:20 AM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned till noon amid Opposition protest

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 pm on Friday after Opposition MPs continued their protest despite Speaker Om Birla's repeated appeals to allow Question Hour to proceed. The House witnessed noisy scenes as Opposition members refused to relent, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings.

Jul 31, 2026 11:14 AM IST
'How can Karnataka release water when it faces a shortage?' asks BJP's BY Vijayendra on Cauvery row

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Friday opposed the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, saying the state itself was facing a water shortage and farmers' interests must be protected. "How can we release water to Tamil Nadu when Karnataka has a shortage? Farmers' interests must be protected," he said in Mysuru.

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Jul 31, 2026 11:08 AM IST
Bhiwandi building collapse toll rises to 9

The death toll in the Bhiwandi building collapse has risen to nine, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovering another body from the debris on Friday morning. A senior NDRF official said nine people had been retrieved from the rubble as of 10.10 am, while rescue operations continued to search for anyone who may still be trapped.

(Report- Nayonika Bose)

Jul 31, 2026 10:35 AM IST
Punjab NGO reunites Tamil Nadu man with family 23 years after he went missing

A 39-year-old Tamil Nadu man who went missing as a teenager has been reunited with his family after 23 years following the efforts of a Punjab-based NGO, district authorities and volunteers across states. The NGO alleged Prakash had been forced into bonded labour at a dairy farm in Punjab for nearly two decades before being rescued in 2022. After months of rehabilitation and the gradual return of his memory, a clue about his native village helped trace his family in Tamil Nadu. Authorities have initiated steps to provide rehabilitation benefits and legal action against those allegedly responsible for keeping him in bonded labour.

Reported by Raakhi Jagga

Jul 31, 2026 10:27 AM IST
CIBIL flags rising consumer debt, slowdown in first-time borrowers despite credit expansion

India's formal credit market has expanded significantly over the past decade, but rising consumer indebtedness, slowing growth in active borrowers and a shrinking share of first-time borrowers pose fresh challenges, according to a TransUnion CIBIL report. The share of over-leveraged consumers rose from 5% in FY17 to 18% in FY24 before easing to 15% in FY26, while new-to-credit borrowers' share of retail loan originations fell from 32% in 2017 to 13% in 2026. The report also noted a growing shift towards consumption credit, with personal loans, credit cards and consumer durable finance driving retail borrowing.

Read the full story Here

Reported by George Mathew 

Jul 31, 2026 10:07 AM IST
8 dead after portion of unsafe building collapses in Bhiwandi; rescue operation underway

Eight people have been confirmed dead after a portion of the 'B' wing of the Kohinoor building, which had been declared unsafe by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, collapsed in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi on Thursday night. The ground-plus-four-storey building partially gave way while repair work was underway. Rescue teams are continuing operations as several people are feared trapped under the debris. Officials said residents had begun evacuating after hearing cracking sounds from the structure earlier in the evening, helping many escape before the collapse

(Reported by Deepak Joshi)

Jul 31, 2026 09:34 AM IST
Bengaluru student alleges assault over anti-government protest; FIR filed against unknown persons

Bengaluru police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons after a 19-year-old student associated with AISA alleged he was assaulted by four masked men in Jalahalli on July 28. According to the FIR, the assailants allegedly asked whether he wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation before attacking him with a wooden object. AISA has claimed the assault was linked to the student's participation in protests over the NEET issue and alleged the attackers were affiliated with the ABVP. The police have not confirmed any organisational affiliation or motive and said the investigation is underway.

Reported by: Atiya Firdos

Jul 31, 2026 09:29 AM IST
BJP plans protest at Karnataka dam over Cauvery order, security stepped up

Police were deployed in large numbers at Karnataka’s Krishnaraja Sagar Dam on Friday ahead of a protest by the opposition BJP against the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, after a central water management body upheld an order directing the state to release 3,500 cubic feet per second for 15 days.

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Jul 31, 2026 09:28 AM IST
Case against Meta India chief, Insta accounts over CJP posts against PM

Cybercrime police in Hyderabad have registered cases against operators of several Facebook and Instagram accounts and the India head of parent company Meta over allegedly morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cockroach Janta Party-led NEET paper leak protests.

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