President Droupadi Murmu on Friday expressed grief over the loss of seven lives in a road accident in Jharkhand’s Khunti district and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

“The news of the deaths in the road accident that occurred in Khunti district of Jharkhand is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of those injured in this accident,” President Murmu posted on X.

The accident occurred in Karra village of Khunti district around 10 p.m. on Thursday near the Jone-Ludru turn on the Karra-Torpa main road. A scooter had met with an accident, following which local residents gathered along the roadside to help the rider.

During this time, an 18-wheeler trailer truck, reportedly speeding from the Torpa side, allegedly ran over the people who had gathered at the spot.

Six people died on the spot, while a 12-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries during treatment at Khunti Sadar Hospital. A young girl was also injured in the accident.

Anger erupted among villagers in Khunti district on Friday morning following the accident.

Enraged residents blocked the main road near the Karra railway crossing by burning tyres, bringing vehicular movement in the area to a complete halt.

The protesters demanded the immediate arrest of the trailer truck driver allegedly responsible for the accident, government jobs for the families of the deceased and adequate compensation for the victims’ kin.

The protesters claimed that poor visibility and the condition of the road at the Jone-Ludru turn significantly increase the risk of accidents. They also alleged that despite the stretch being accident-prone, heavy vehicles frequently pass through the area at high speeds.

The villagers demanded stronger road safety measures at the accident-prone stretch to prevent such incidents in the future.

Following information about the road blockade, police and administrative officials reached the spot and held talks with the demonstrators in an effort to restore normalcy. Authorities assured the protesters that all possible assistance and compensation would be provided to the affected families in accordance with government provisions.

Additional police personnel were deployed in the area as a precautionary measure amid rising tensions.

The Karnataka government has increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners from 15.75 per cent to 18 per cent, with retrospective effect from July 1, 2026.

Announcing the decision on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said the government had issued orders enhancing the DA for employees drawing salaries under the 2024 Revised Pay Scales. The revised DA will be calculated as 18 per cent of basic pay, up from the existing 15.75 per cent.

The same enhancement has also been extended to retired state government employees and family pensioners in accordance with the applicable rules.

Parameshwara said government employees were the backbone of the administration and their dedication, professionalism and commitment played a significant role in implementing government policies and programmes for the people of Karnataka.

He also acknowledged the contribution of retired employees, who had devoted decades of their lives to public service and the development of the state.

At a time when the cost of living was rising, it was the government’s responsibility to safeguard the financial well-being and dignity of serving and retired employees, he said.

The DA hike was a recognition of their contributions and reflected the government’s commitment to supporting employees, pensioners and their families, he added.

The government remained committed to protecting the interests of employees and pensioners and ensuring that their contributions to public service received due recognition and respect, Parameshwara said.

The Karnataka government on Thursday disbursed the first instalment of drought relief to farmers in time for Diwali and announced that another instalment of Rs 2,500 would be released within the next few days, taking the total assistance to Rs 5,000 per farmer.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara launched the release of the first instalment at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. The government released Rs 1,260 crore towards the first phase of input subsidy, which will be directly transferred to eligible farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Addressing the media, Chief Minister Shivakumar said the government had decided to provide Rs 2,500 per acre for up to two acres, with a maximum assistance of Rs 5,000 per farmer. He said Rs 2,500 was being released in the first instalment and another Rs 2,500 would be provided in the coming days.

“Today, the Deputy Chief Minister and I are pressing the button to release the first instalment of Rs 2,500. In another 15 days, we will mobilise funds and provide another Rs 2,500. We have taken this decision,” Shivakumar said.

He said the assistance might not transform the lives of farmers but maintained that the government wanted to stand with them during the crisis, particularly with Diwali approaching.

India, as Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026, has flagged key priorities concerning the global diamond industry, including responsible rough diamond sourcing as part of its outreach ahead of the KP Plenary to be held in Delhi from November 30 to December 4, according to a statement issued by the Commerce Ministry on Thursday.

The issue was discussed at a stakeholder consultation in Angola’s Luanda on Tuesday, chaired by Additional Secretary Yashvir Singh on India’s behalf, which brought together the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of KP Working Groups and Committees (KP Working Bodies), the KP Vice-Chair (of Ghana), and the former KP Chair (of the United Arab Emirates). Representatives of observers and partner organisations, including the World Diamond Council and the African Diamond Producers’ Association (ADPA), also participated in the discussion, the statement said.

India has observer status in the ADPA, providing an institutional platform for engagement with African diamond-producing countries. This offers opportunities for cooperation in securing rough diamond supply chains, technical knowledge exchange, value addition, market access and the promotion of ethical and sustainable practices.

The 13th Extraordinary Meeting of the ADPA Council of Ministers, held alongside the 20th anniversary celebrations, approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), India, and the ADPA. The MoU seeks to strengthen cooperation between the Indian gem and jewellery industry and African diamond-producing countries, including through capacity building and skills development in diamond sorting, valuation and manufacturing, exchange of technical expertise, and the promotion of trade and investment linkages across the diamond value chain, the statement said.

Yashvir Singh said: “India’s chairship places emphasis on confidence, compliance and credibility. The consultation in Luanda provided an opportunity to engage directly with the leadership of the KP working bodies, the KP Vice-Chair and observers on issues that are important to the future of the Process and the diamond industry. Our endeavour is to build a shared understanding of the issues before the New Delhi Plenary and to advance practical outcomes through constructive dialogue and consensus-based decision-making.”

Discussions covered the sustainability of diamond-producing countries and communities, sustainable funding and continuity of the KP Secretariat, digitalisation of certification and statistical processes, and strengthening compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Participants also exchanged views on the reform of the conflict diamond definition, responsible sourcing, artisanal and alluvial diamond production, consumer confidence and the importance of effective reporting and peer-review mechanisms.

The ADPA, established in 2006 in Luanda, seeks to enhance cooperation among African diamond-producing nations. It effectively comprises 15 member countries and 8 observers, including two non-African observers, namely Russia and India. Its member countries collectively account for over 60 per cent of global diamond production.