National News
Bengal wary day before political rallies for, against SIR even as poll body initiates process
New Delhi, Nov 3: The process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s electors’ roll has been turned into a political game of narratives – spreading rumours and uncertainty, leading to panic, even alleged deaths by suicide. In a move that can further heighten tensions, West Bengal’s ruling and principal Opposition parties are both reportedly planning two separate rallies in the state on Tuesday to amplify respective narratives around the process of SIR.
Incidentally, the Election Commission of Inda (ECI) begins its house-to-house verification from the same day (Tuesday). As the state election office races against time to train Booth Level Officers (BLOs) on the use of the mobile application, enumeration forms, and other tools and procedures before the process kicks off on November 4, it faces protests over safety concerns and workload from this vital workforce.
Some BLOs have raised concerns over security and safety following threats coming from political parties, including the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.
Threats include “rivers of blood” flowing in case of deletion of voters’ names from rolls, and party Booth Level Agents (BLAs) being told to “shadow” BLOs during the exercise.
Meanwhile, the state’s principal Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have been reiterating their claims that more than a crore of fraudulent entries will be deleted from voters’ list during the process.
Now, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, intends to hold a rally at Agarpara, in nearby North 24 Parganas on the same day, demanding the removal of “intruders” through the SIR.
Incidentally, on Saturday, November 1, Abhishek visited the residence of Pradip Kar, who died by suicide in Agarpara, reportedly mentioning in his diary “fear of NRC” (National Register of Citizens – an effort from the Government of India to document all Indian citizens, aimed at distinguishing legal citizens from illegal immigrants).
Blaming the Union government and the Election Commission for the suicide, he promised to take to the streets in protest.
There have been allegations of illegal immigrants, especially from neighbouring Bangladesh, having registered their names as electors in the state.
The rising political temperature this winter has thus made the enumerators wary of a backlash from either side while discharging their duties on the ground.
The fears have been aggravated with current reports of the Trinamool planning a rally in Kolkata to raise “widespread fears” of “large-scale disenfranchisement” through SIR.
The rally will be led by the party’s top two leaders, Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and her nephew and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool’s three-time MP from Diamond Harbour.
In adjoining Bihar, similar allegations of aiming to arbitrarily remove voters’ names had been raised by the Opposition during the course of the SIR process from ECI.
Days of similar diatribes over “widespread fears” of “large-scale disenfranchisement” ended with the process delisting only 3.66 lakh names, and adding 21.53 lakh eligible electors.
Yet, the exercise has again snowballed into a major war of attrition with the poll body announcing SIR initiation in a dozen states.
In Kolkata, the Trinamool is likely to begin its march from B.R. Ambedkar’s statue and end at the residence of Rabindranath Tagore, in what is being seen as an effort to link SIR with the Constitution of India and the recent language controversy over Bengali.
Between the claims and counter-claims from political parties, West Bengal prepares for Assembly elections, to be held in the earlier part of next year.
Crime
Assam road rage accused arrested, not linked to BJP: Himanta Sarma

Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the accused in the recent road rage incident in Guwahati has been arrested and clarified that the individual has no association with the BJP.
The Chief Minister’s statement came amid social media posts claiming that the accused was a BJP youth leader after a video of the alleged assault surfaced online and triggered widespread outrage.
“The accused has been arrested and is not associated with the BJP,” Sarma said in a post on social media platform X.
Reiterating the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents, the Chief Minister asserted that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in acts of violence on public roads.
“Road rage has no place in Assam. Anyone who indulges in such acts will face the full force of the law,” Sarma added.
The clarification came after several social media users, including public commentators, shared a dashcam video purportedly showing a confrontation between two motorists in Guwahati.
The video allegedly captured a car owner being assaulted following an altercation on the road, prompting calls for immediate action against the accused.
The incident sparked a political debate after claims circulated online that the accused was linked to the ruling BJP.
However, the Chief Minister dismissed those allegations, stating that the accused was not affiliated with the party. Police have already arrested the accused in connection with the incident. However, officials are yet to release detailed information regarding the charges invoked or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.
The viral video has generated widespread public concern over incidents of aggressive driving and road rage in urban areas. Netizens and civil society members have urged authorities to ensure swift prosecution of those responsible and to strengthen enforcement against violent behaviour on the roads.
The Assam government has repeatedly maintained that law and order violations will be dealt with firmly irrespective of the background or affiliation of those involved.
Further investigation into the incident is underway, and police are expected to record statements of witnesses and examine the video footage as part of the probe.
Business
Kutch Copper Ltd’s ‘Adani Copper’ becomes London Metal Exchange-registered brand

Ahmedabad, July 7: Kutch Copper Limited (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has earned London Metal Exchange (LME) certification for ‘Adani Copper,’ according to a statement issued by the company on Tuesday.
“Approval by the world centre for the trading of industrial metals validates KCL’s manufacturing excellence and responsible sourcing practices against strict global benchmarks, enabling Adani Copper cathodes to be delivered with warrants eligible for issuance against LME Copper futures contracts from July 10, 2026,” the statement said.
For the Adani Group, LME’s listing of Adani Copper as a Good Delivery brand for ‘Copper Grade A’ contracts places the brand alongside the world’s leading copper brands, conferring international recognition and market credibility on the Group’s entry into the metals sector and its emergence as a globally competitive producer of refined copper.
“Copper is the backbone of the global energy transition. Achieving LME brand status places Adani among the world’s leading copper producers and strengthens India’s role in building a resilient, responsible supply chain for this vital metal. Kutch Copper’s world-class infrastructure and ESG standards make this recognition both timely and well-deserved. It will enhance the global acceptance of Adani Copper. Apart from reinforcing India’s growing stature in the international metals industry, the registration is a landmark step towards self-reliance in refined copper,” Adani Enterprises’ CEO, Natural Resources, and Kutch Copper Ltd Managing Director Dr Vinay Prakash said.
An LME-brand certification is a rigorous process involving superior quality assurances — covering chemical composition, shape and weight — alongside strict responsible sourcing protocols. The LME listing enables Adani Copper cathodes to be placed on warrant in LME-approved warehouses, strengthening financing flexibility as LME-listed metal is recognised as a highly liquid asset that can be used as collateral. For the LME, the addition of Adani Copper broadens the exchange’s deliverable base with high-quality cathode from a major new production hub, deepening the liquidity and geographic diversity of the global copper market.
The $1.2 billion Kutch Copper facility with production capacity of 0.5 million tonnes — one of the world’s largest single-location custom copper smelting complexes, designed with state-of-the-art technology, advanced process automation, and sustainability-led design principles embedded across operations — strengthens domestic supply, reduces the nation’s dependence on imported copper, and advances India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ ambitions in a metal central to electrification, renewable energy and the energy transition, the Adani Group statement added.
National News
Driver arrested after fatal hit-and-run that killed scooty rider in Northwest Delhi

New Delhi, July 7: Delhi Police arrested the driver of a Mercedes car in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old scooty rider near the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the Outer Ring Road in northwest Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.
The accident took place on July 5 near the Foot Over Bridge at the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the GTK Bypass stretch towards ISBT. Police said they received information about a road accident in which a scooty rider had sustained serious injuries. The victim was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The deceased was identified as Deepak, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi.
According to Delhi Police, the investigation gained momentum after a PCR caller informed officers that a Mercedes car bearing registration number HR-51BT-6304 had hit the scooty before fleeing the spot.
“The vehicle was traced, and after serving notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act to the registered owner, it was revealed that Ansh Pratap Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” Delhi Police said.
Based on the findings of the investigation, police registered FIR No. 436/2026 at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rash or negligent driving and causing death by negligence.
“The accused driver was identified and arrested. Further investigation is in progress,” Delhi Police said.
Police are also examining the circumstances leading to the accident and collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, to establish the sequence of events.
The arrest comes after investigators tracked down the luxury vehicle using its registration details provided by the eyewitness who alerted the police through the PCR helpline. Officials said further legal proceedings will be carried out as the investigation continues.
Delhi Police have not yet disclosed whether the accused was under the influence of alcohol or whether any additional charges may be invoked, stating that the investigation is still underway.
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