Mumbai: Two police constables have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a forex company executive and robbing him of $10,000 (`8.65 lakh) in Juhu. The police said the stolen cash has not yet been recovered, and efforts are on to trace three other accused.

Sandeep Shinde, 33, posted at the BKC police station, and Gajendra Rajput, 40, attached to the Jogeshwari police station, were among five persons who allegedly carried out the abduction on Wednesday afternoon. The incident unfolded when the 30-year-old delivery executive travelled to Juhu to hand over foreign currency to a client.

At 2 pm, near Juhu Circle, he was allegedly cornered and forced into a car, where he was allegedly assaulted. The captors also threatened to frame him in a false case. The group drove him to Dahisar, where they snatched the bag containing $10,000. The victim’s cries for help drew the attention of passers-by, leading to a commotion that caught the eye of a police patrol unit. As the accused tried to flee, Shinde was caught on the spot by Dahisar patrol officers.

He was initially taken to the Dahisar police station before being handed over to the Juhu police. During questioning, investigators uncovered Rajput’s involvement, who was arrested on Friday at his residence in Thane. A case was registered on Thursday under charges including kidnapping, extortion, dacoity, and impersonating a public servant. Shinde was produced before a court and remanded for 10 days of police custody.

Mumbai: Mumbai and its metropolitan region woke up to clear blue skies, with noticeably improved air quality across the city on Saturday morning. Though the temperature remained at 28 degrees Celsius at 9 am, however, heat and humid conditions persisted.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai, has predicted dry weather in the cities of Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar today. Though there are no heatwave-like conditions predicted today, Google Weather has issued a severe weather alert stating that excessive heat is expected, with temperatures reaching up to 37 degrees Celsius.

Overall AQI In Moderate Range

Data from AQI monitoring platforms showed the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 83 at 9.30 am, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. This marks a major improvement compared to previous weeks, when dust and particulate matter had pushed pollution levels higher. In Navi Mumbai, the AQI remained in the ‘poor’ category at 113 with the current temperature at 30 degrees Celsius, with humidity at 70 per cent.

Dry Weather To Prevail Till March 31

According to RMC Mumbai, the dry weather is very likely to be dry in Palghar, Thane and Mumbai. Not just in Mumbai and MMR, the dry weather is also very likely in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nashik, Pune, and Satara, among cities in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, hospitals in Mumbai are witnessing a sharp rise in cases of heatstroke, dehydration, and heat-related neurological complications. Medical experts warn that the ongoing heatwave is not only straining physical health but also posing serious risks to brain function.

Doctors have identified several high-risk groups, including children, senior citizens, and individuals with pre-existing neurological or cardiovascular conditions. Outdoor workers such as construction labourers, traffic police personnel, and delivery workers are particularly vulnerable due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and high humidity levels.

As per the IMD’s Hot Weather Outlook for March to May 2026, Maharashtra is likely to witness more frequent heatwave events in the coming months, particularly in April and May. With temperatures already climbing, the early onset of such conditions signals a potentially harsh summer for the region.

Mumbai: In a special ticket-checking ‘fortress’ drive conducted by the Central Railway during the peak morning hours at Byculla Railway Station, authorities caught over 400 ticketless passengers, collecting a whopping fine of over Rs 1.20 lakh.

According to the update shared by DRM Central Railway, the drive was held on Saturday, March 28, during the morning peak hours. During the intensive checking operation, “511 ticketless passengers were caught, and a Rs 126220/- penalty was imposed.”

Social Media Reaction

Users on social media reacted by calling for more frequent and stricter ticket checks, especially in first-class compartments. Many said inspections are too rare, allowing people to avoid buying tickets and only pay occasional fines. Some suggested deploying more ticket checkers at major stations and increasing penalties to discourage ticketless travel.

“Pls have such drives conducted regularly in first-class compartments,” a user said.

Some other user said, “Regular and sustained checking is needed to instil fear in the minds of commuters. People find it cheaper to pay a fine once in 4-5 months than buy a ticket daily..on harbour line I have not seen a checking-in running train for the last 3-4 years.”

“Good one, I feel that every major railway station should deploy 2 TC now. A lot of people are travelling with FC and AC tickets. They should increase the penalty to 2000 Rs. So that people should have in mind before travelling without tickets,” a commuter said.

Another user questioned why checking is labelled “special” instead of being a regular practice and said,” checking? Why don’t we check regularly? Especially in first class compartments, TC’s never check.’