The Union Ministry of Health on Friday announced that India has crossed 80 lakh Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, marking an “important milestone” against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers.

In a post on X, the Health Ministry said: “India has crossed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations, marking another important milestone in strengthening preventive healthcare and advancing protection against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers.”

“With every vaccination, India takes another step towards a healthier, cancer-free future for its daughters,” it added.

The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 14 years and above was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Rajasthan’s Ajmer in February.

The initiative aims to eradicate cervical cancer among women in India.

By expanding access to the HPV vaccine, the programme is expected to protect millions of girls across the country from developing life-threatening cancers in the future.

Earlier this year, Indian-American radiation oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori said HPV vaccination could give India a decisive advantage in its fight against cervical cancer and help eliminate the disease in the coming years.

“Now, with the HPV vaccination, we have an upper hand, and in few years, we’ll be able to eliminate cancer of the cervix from India.

The 2026 Padma Bhushan awardee described cervical cancer as preventable, detectable and curable, making the continued loss of lives particularly distressing for doctors working in oncology.

“Cancer of the cervix is preventable, is detectable, is treatable and curable,” he said.

Nori said about 200 women die of cervical cancer every day in India. He welcomed the introduction of free HPV vaccination for girls, saying it could substantially strengthen prevention efforts.

He also praised the changes he said had taken place in India’s healthcare sector over the past 12 years, particularly in cancer prevention and treatment.

“A lot of significant positive changes have happened in healthcare,” he said.

Nori also cited the establishment of the National Cancer Institute and the expansion of cancer treatment facilities among the important steps taken during this period.

Mumbai, Sep 10: Tensions have escalated near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) after the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that a religious structure operating near the high-security zone lacks statutory planning permissions and is unauthorised.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged a deliberate attempt at unauthorised land occupation — characterising the structure as “Land Jihad” — and has pressed state authorities and site operators to initiate criminal action against the trustees and individuals responsible.

Following complaints regarding unauthorised construction near sensitive airport land, MMRDA verified that no official approvals, building sanctions, or permissions were ever granted for the religious structure.

MMRDA has issued formal notices to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) directing the immediate removal and demolition of the unauthorised structure to ensure the perimeter remains clear.

Somaiya has formally requested both MMRDA and MIAL to go beyond physical clearance by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the managing trustees and individuals associated with the illegal construction.

The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding unauthorised encroachments adjacent to critical national infrastructure. Officials note that unregulated structures near VIP corridors, taxi parking lanes, and terminal facilities pose significant security hazards.

The matter aligns with previous judicial observations where courts have emphasised that public safety and secure zones near international hubs supersede unauthorised religious claims or structures erected without explicit administrative approvals.

Authorities from MIAL and local police departments are currently reviewing directives provided by MMRDA regarding execution steps and necessary security arrangements during the scheduled clearance drive.

New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.

Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.

It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.

Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.

“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.

“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.

The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.

Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.

A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.

The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.

In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.