India news Highlights, 9 August 2026: All 3 JPSC members quit amid students protest in Jharkhand

The Jharkhand government announces tp set up fast-track courts, and an exam reform panel after the final rounds of talks with the student delegation on Sunday.

Protesters receive medical attention during an indefinite hunger strike as part of a protest against the Jharkhand government over alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC examination, JSSC-CGL and other recruitment tests, demanding a CBI probe and reforms in the recruitment agencies, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (PTI Photo)Protesters receive medical attention during an indefinite hunger strike as part of a protest against the Jharkhand government over alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC examination, JSSC-CGL and other recruitment tests, demanding a CBI probe and reforms in the recruitment agencies, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (PTI Photo)

All three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) resigned on Sunday amid the massive protests over the alleged irregularities in recruitment tests conducted by the agency.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignation of Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad, according to a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan. The resignations came after the CID summoned the three members in connection with the allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks. JPSC chairperson L Khiangte had tendered his resignation on July 22.

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Nineteen people have so far been arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations, while Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.

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Sixth round of talks between Jharkhand government, protesters held

The sixth round of talks between the Jharkhand government and the delegation of protesting students was held on Sunday. The talk began even as the students continued their protest for 16th day in Ranchi over the alleged irregularities in JPSC examination.

“We are hopeful of a positive outcome over our demand of cancelling the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC),” a student leader said.

Three kanwariyas killed in Punjab

Three kanwariyas were killed, while one was seriously injured after a car hit them on the Sirhind GT Road in Fatehgarh Sahib on Sunday. The incident occurred when a group of ‘kanwariyas’ were returning to Kotkapura in Punjab’s Faridkot district after carrying holy water from Gangotri in Uttarakhand. The deceased were residents of Kotkapura in Faridkot district.

UPI free for citizens, merchants may face nominal charge

The government has clarified that UPI will remain free for citizens even as it considers a nominal fee for merchants — a position that emerged after the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed the Lok Sabha and triggered a debate about whether the government was opening the door to charging for transactions that have become embedded in daily life for hundreds of millions of Indians.

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Aug 9, 2026 07:37 PM IST
All 3 JPSC members quit amid students protest in Jharkhand

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignation of Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad, according to a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan. The resignations came after the CID summoned the three members in connection with the allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks. JPSC chairperson L Khiangte had tendered his resignation on July 22.

Nineteen people have so far been arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations, while Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.

Aug 9, 2026 07:00 PM IST
West Bengal CM orders fresh probe into rape-murder of doctor at RG Kar hospital

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday announced a fresh probe into the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Hospital, claiming that the police had failed to do their duty during the probe.

On August 9, 2024, the rape and murder of an on-duty postgraduate trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata had triggered massive nationwide protests demanding workplace safety for medical professionals. The prime accused, civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Aug 9, 2026 04:59 PM IST
Mamata Banerjee faces protest, sloganeering during visit to family of deceased of party worker

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee faced a protest at Halisahar in North 24 Parganas district on Sunday when protesters surrounded her vehicle, shouted 'chor' (thief) and 'dakait rani' (queen of thieves) slogans, and allegedly hurled mud, slippers and stones at her car as she went to meet the family of a deceased TMC worker.

Banerjee was visiting the family of a TMC worker who allegedly died in police custody. She was forced to pass through a police cordon as the demonstration briefly turned the road into a charged political theatre.

"My car has been attacked with stones, shoes and mud. This is nothing but a conspiracy. I had informed the police that I would be coming, but despite that, no security measures were taken," Banerjee told reporters after reaching the area.

Alleging that the large bricks were also thrown at her vehicle, the former chief minister said, "My head could have been smashed. I could have died here," she said, accusing the BJP-led state government of using "goons" to target her.

She was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen, who also lashed out at the state administration following the protest.

(PTI Inputs)

Aug 9, 2026 04:16 PM IST
JNU cancels auditorium booking for discussion on Umar Khalid's book

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled the booking of an auditorium for a discussion on Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power, a book by Umar Khalid. The university said the booking was cancelled due to the "non-disclosure of the full facts" related to the programme.

Aug 9, 2026 04:14 PM IST
Srinagar Police arrest alleged habitual fraudster accused of duping businessmen

Srinagar Police on Saturday arrested alleged habitual fraudster Ubaid Maqbool Khawaja in a case registered at Maharaj Gunj police station under Sections 318(4) and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said he allegedly cheated several businessmen and shopkeepers through impersonation and other fraudulent means, and that multiple complaints and FIRs have been registered against him across the Kashmir Valley. Officials added that he had earlier been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and further investigation is underway to probe his wider network and possible involvement in other fraud cases.

Aug 9, 2026 03:50 PM IST
Ahmedabad: Design student allegedly raped by security guard; accused arrested

A 23-year-old design student from Kutch was allegedly raped by a security guard on the terrace of a rented apartment in Ahmedabad's Anandnagar area on Saturday night. Police said the accused has been arrested and an investigation is underway.

Aug 9, 2026 02:10 PM IST
Trainer aircraft crashes near Baramati airstrip in Pune

A trainer aircraft operated by a private company crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday. There were no reported casualties.

"The incident took place near the airstrip. We are investigating whether the aircraft developed a technical snag or if there were any other technical problems. It is too early to comment on anything," a senior police official told PTI.

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Aug 9, 2026 01:59 PM IST
CM Yogi leads march in Lucknow as part of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led a march from his residence to the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow as part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Addressing the gathering, he paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country and urged people to carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message of ‘nation first’.

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Aug 9, 2026 01:11 PM IST
Three women killed after SUV runs over them in Bihar's Madhubani

A speeding SUV ran over and killed three women in Bihar's Madhubani district on Sunday. The incident occurred on State Highway-52 near Jagdamba petrol pump in Sarisab village, which falls under the Benipatti police station area of the district.

The deceased have been identified as Reeta Devi, Kiran Devi, and Phooldai Devi, all residents of Nautoli village of the Arer police station area in Madhubani. Benipatti DSP Ankur Kumar said that the three women had gone for a walk when, around 5:40 am, a speeding SUV ran over them, resulting in their death.

Aug 9, 2026 12:27 PM IST
Hindu outfit announces plan to offer Ganga water at Darul Uloom in Deoband

A right-wing group has announced its plan to offer Ganga water to a Shivling buried beneath Darul Uloom in Deoband in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Hindu Raksha Dal said members will visit Darul Uloom on August 11 and offer Ganga water, claiming a Shivling exists beneath the Islamic seminary's premises, PTI reported.

According to a video message, Lalit Sharma, Uttarakhand state president of the Hindu Raksha Dal, announced that the organisation's office-bearers, led by its national president Pinky Chaudhary, will carry Ganga water from Haridwar to Deoband. He claimed that a Shiv temple exists on the Darul Uloom premises.

Aug 9, 2026 12:22 PM IST
Amarnath Yatra suspended due to rains, unlikely to resume this year

Amarnath Yatra has been suspended weeks ahead of its schedule due to adverse weather.

Aug 9, 2026 12:19 PM IST
Man killed after J&K Deputy CM’s convoy vehicle hits him in Jammu

A 55-year-old man was killed after being hit by a vehicle reportedly part of the cavalcade of Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary in Jammu on Saturday night, news agency PTI reported. The accident took place at around 9.05 pm in Gangyal, on the outskirts of Jammu, when the cavalcade was returning after dropping the Deputy CM at his residence. The deceased was identified as Bharat Kaper, a resident of Samastipur in Bihar.

Aug 9, 2026 11:49 AM IST
Driver, conductor killed in Kerala transport bus crash on Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway

A driver and a conductor with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation died, and 20 passengers were injured, after their bus crashed into a massive signboard on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway on Saturday morning. The accident took place around 6.30 am near Avaragere Bridge in Bidadi. Driver Mithilesh and conductor N M Arun were attached to the Kozhikode depot of the Kerala transport corporation. Read full report

Aug 9, 2026 10:46 AM IST
Jeep mows down constable in Bihar's Muzaffarpur; 1 held

A jeep mowed down a Bihar police personnel and injured another before it crashed into a roadside eatery in Muzaffarpur , wounding the owner, and overturned, officials said on Sunday. Muzaffarpur's Deputy Superintendent of Police Suchitra Kumari said the incident occurred on Saturday evening when Bihar Special Armed Police Constable Bhargav Bhushan and a sub-inspector, both posted at Motipur police station, were going to a local market.

Aug 9, 2026 10:16 AM IST
Jharkhand government to hold fresh talks with JPSC aspirants

The Jharkhand government will hold fresh talks on Sunday with aspirants. The decision for another round of talks was taken after a series of meetings between the government and student groups on Friday night and throughout Saturday failed to break the deadlock. The condition of student leader Devenedra Nath Mahto, who has been on indefinite hunger strike for around a week now at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Stadium, suddenly deteriorated around 3 am. His blood glucose level was recorded at 53, PTI reported.

Aug 9, 2026 09:48 AM IST
Water level of Yamuna rises after heavy rains in Delhi

After days of heavy rain in Delhi-NCR, the water level of Yamuna has risen in the capital. The national capital has crossed its average monthly rainfall for August in just the first eight days of the month, with the Safdarjung Observatory recording 230.1 mm of rain so far.

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Aug 9, 2026 09:38 AM IST
Man held for attempting to rape minor in UP village

A 20-year-old man allegedly tried to rape an eight-year-old girl in a village in Amethi, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday when the girl had gone out to collect milk.

The man, identified as Vivek Shukla, allegedly intercepted the minor girl and attempted to rape her. Gauriganj Inspector Ravi Singh said a case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act.

Aug 9, 2026 09:27 AM IST
Mild earthquake, tremors in Maharashtra's Nashik; cracks reported in houses

A mild earthquake followed by tremors hit Maharashtra's Nashik, causing cracks in houses in some areas of the district, officials said. There was no report of any loss of life.

An earthquake of 4.3 magnitude struck Nashik at 10 pm on Saturday, followed by a tremor of 3.3 magnitude at 5.33 am on Sunday, as per the National Centre for Seismology. The seismic activity was recorded at a depth of 5 km in the Bhanwad area.

Aug 9, 2026 09:26 AM IST
Jammu and Kashmir Police searches over 20 locations in Sopore in Jamaat-e-Islami UAPA probe

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday searched multiple locations in the Sopore area of Baramulla district as part of an investigation into a terror case, officials said. The searches, part of an investigation into a UAPA case registered by Sopore police, were conducted in more than 20 residential houses linked to individuals associated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI reported.

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