Mumbai, July 1: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday questioned the renewed political debate over the number of soldiers martyred during ‘Operation Sindoor’, while recalling that both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force had recognised the loss earlier and had paid tributes to the six personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The controversy over Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement over “no soldiers” deaths in the Parliament, days after ‘Operation Sindoor’, started after six martyred jawans were immortalised by inscribing their names on the National War Memorial in the national Capital on Monday.

In a post on X, Chaturvedi said, “Am I the only one who recalls that during Op Sindoor, the then-DGMO, LG Rajeev Ghai, at an official Press briefing, had paid tribute to the 5 personnel who made the supreme sacrifice during the Operation. Also recall Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, having personally visited Sergeant Kumar’s family to pay his respects. And now, the National War Memorial has their names etched in stone as a tribute for their ultimate sacrifice. Where’s the confusion?”

Chaturvedi referred to the instance when General Rajiv Ghai, then a Lieutenant General serving as the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), had paid solemn tribute to the fallen heroes during an official Press conference on May 11, 2025.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and his wife, Sarita Singh, had also personally visited the family of the late Sergeant Surendra Kumar, who laid down his life during ‘Operation Sindoor’, to pay their respects.

Chaturvedi’s remarks came as Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s ally in the INDIA Bloc, trained guns at the Centre and the Defence Minister, as it claimed that the latter tried to gloss over the supreme sacrifice of soldiers during ‘Operation Sindoor’, thus not giving them the respect and honour that the martyrs deserved.

Congress accused the Centre of deliberately misleading Parliament and demanded Rajnath Singh’s resignation.

The Ministry of Defence firmly rejected these allegations as factually incorrect and warned against politicising sensitive military matters.

The Ministry clarified that this statement was taken out of context. The Ministry explained that he was specifically countering a false, viral rumour spreading online that Indian Air Force pilots had been shot down, rather than denying ground casualties.

The six brave soldiers martyred in ‘Operation Sindoor’ include Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Agniveer Murali Naik, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh, and Indian Air Force Sergeant Surendra Kumar.

Five of these personnel belonged to the Indian Army, while one belonged to the Indian Air Force.

Their names are being inscribed at the National War Memorial to ensure that their supreme sacrifice remains alive in the nation’s memory forever.

Mumbai, July 1: Monsoon activity has gathered momentum across Maharashtra, with several districts witnessing moderate to heavy rainfall as weather conditions become increasingly active. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rain across the state over the next few days, particularly in the Konkan region, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and adjoining districts.

Mumbai received intermittent showers throughout the day, bringing relief from the recent humid conditions. However, the rainfall also led to waterlogging in some low-lying areas, slower traffic movement, and delays in local commuting during peak hours. Civic authorities remain on alert to respond to any weather-related emergencies.

According to the latest weather forecast, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in parts of coastal Maharashtra during the first week of July. An orange alert has been issued for Mumbai and nearby districts, while some coastal regions are under a higher level of rainfall warning due to the possibility of extremely heavy showers.

Officials have advised residents to remain cautious, especially in flood-prone and low-lying areas. People have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall, follow official weather advisories, and stay away from overflowing drains, rivers, and coastal stretches during high tide.

While rainfall activity is expected to strengthen over western Maharashtra and the Konkan belt, weather conditions may vary across other parts of the state. Agricultural experts believe the renewed spell of rain could benefit ongoing kharif sowing in many regions, although continuous heavy rainfall may also pose challenges in vulnerable areas.

Disaster management teams, municipal corporations, and emergency services across Maharashtra have been instructed to remain prepared as the monsoon enters a more active phase. Citizens are encouraged to monitor official weather updates and cooperate with local authorities whenever advisories are issued.

Mumbai, June 30: A student died and four others were injured in an accident in the Chembur area of ​​Mumbai, Maharashtra. A tree suddenly fell onto a bus belonging to Universal School, located on Road No. 11 in Chembur. This resulted in the death of one student on board and injuries to four others.

According to reports, there were 12 children on the school bus at the time of the accident. The sudden fall of the tree caused significant damage to the bus and sparked panic among the children inside. A total of five students sustained injuries, with one being critically hurt. The critically injured student was declared dead at 4:23 PM. He has been identified as 11-year-old Vihan Srivastava.

Upon receiving news of the incident, locals and rescue teams rushed to the scene. All students trapped inside the bus were safely evacuated, and the injured were immediately taken to the hospital.

The four injured students are currently undergoing treatment at Zen Hospital in Chembur under medical supervision. Following the incident, the police, fire department, and other relief and rescue teams arrived at the site and brought the situation under control. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

Officials from various departments, including the BMC, arrived at the scene after the incident and engaged in relief and rescue operations. Work also began to remove the damaged bus, which had been pinned beneath the tree. Describing the incident as heart-wrenching, Mumbai’s Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi stated that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would take strict action against those responsible.

It is worth noting that Mumbai is currently experiencing rainfall. During this period, strong winds pose a risk of trees and dilapidated buildings collapsing. The BMC makes preparations for this every year. However, this incident, occurring right at the onset of the monsoon, has raised several questions.