Chandigarh: Heavy rains have lashed Punjab over the past few days, causing floods in several parts of the state. Thousands of acres of agricultural land are damaged. while several houses were washed away in floods.

On Monday, Ludhiana recorded the highest rainfall of 216.70 mm. According to the Met department here, several places in Punjab and Haryana received rain during the 24-hour period ending 8:30 am Monday.

Among other places in Punjab which received rain included Amritsar (24.1 mm), Patiala (80.4 mm), Pathankot (3.6 mm), Bathinda (3 mm), Faridkot (10.2 mm), Gurdaspur (2.7 mm), SBS Nagar (112.7 mm), Mohali (64 mm), Mansa (42 mm) and Rupnagar (82.5 mm).

– Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and regional rivulets have swollen due to incessant rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

– Over 1,000 villages have been affected across several districts of the state.

– Villages worst-affected by the floods were in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar districts.

– The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), and the Border Security Force (BSF) are assisting local administration and the Punjab Police in rescue and relief operations.

– Over 11,000 people have been rescued so far from nine flood-hit districts, including Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, and Amritsar, reported Akashvani, citing sources

– The Punjab government on Monday announced the closure of all colleges, universities, and polytechnic institutes till September 3.

“Due to continuous heavy rainfall across Punjab since last night, all colleges, universities, and polytechnic institutes will also remain closed till 3rd September 2025 with immediate effect. The responsibility for the well-being of students residing in hostels lies with the respective administrations. Everyone is requested to strictly follow the guidelines issued by local authorities,” Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said in his X post.

– The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over several districts on Monday.

– According to the IMD’s Nowcast, heavy rainfall is very likely in several districts of Punjab, including Patiala, Anandpur Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala, and Ludhiana.

– Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday spoke to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and took stock of the flood situation.

– During the telephonic conversations, the governor and the chief minister briefed the home minister about the prevailing situation and the steps taken by the administration for the rescue and relief of the people affected. He assured them of all possible help to deal with the flood, officials said.

– A rain alert has also been issued for several districts of Haryana, including Ambala and Panchkula.

Mumbai: Mumbai’s daily life was thrown into turmoil on Monday as Maratha activists intensified their agitation for reservation in education and jobs. Protesters disrupted traffic at multiple points across South Mumbai, including Marine Drive, Mantralaya and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), forcing police and civic agencies to roll out emergency measures.

One of the most dramatic scenes unfolded at Marine Drive, where activists blocked the iconic seafront stretch by parking vehicles in violation of regulations. Protesters were also seen blocking roads and disrupting vehicular traffic. The move caused major disruption during peak hours and drew swift attention from authorities scrambling to ease the logjam.

Meanwhile, the security was tightened around key government establishments, with heightened focus on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ residence, Varsha, in Malabar Hill and the Mantralaya at Nariman Point. Amid fears that demonstrators might march toward the state secretariat, the Mantralaya was turned into a fortress.

Police erected a three-tier barricade system, sealing Madame Cama Road at both ends. Free Press Journal Marg, the arterial link between Vidhan Bhavan and Mantralaya, was shut to the public, while traffic was also suspended on General Jagannath Bhosle Road leading to the YB Chavan Centre. Only officials and staff were allowed entry as policemen stood guard at every point.

The ripple effect was visible at CSMT, one of Mumbai’s busiest railway hubs, where a huge crowd of protestors converged, choking access and creating gridlock during rush hour. Commuters faced long delays as railway authorities and police put contingency plans into action to maintain passenger flow and prevent overcrowding on platforms.

Adding to the congestion, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking announced diversions for several bus routes since morning. Buses that normally operated through Jagannath Bhosale Marg, D.N. Road, and Mahapalika Marg were rerouted via Sant Sewalal Chowk, Rambhau Salaskar Marg, and M.G. Road, though traffic snarls continued across the southern parts of the city.

Mumbai: After a year, there has been no significant progress in the drug-planting incident in Kalina involving four police personnel. The incident occurred on August 30, 2024. However, the police registered an FIR against the four personnel only after more than three months, following directions from the Human Rights Commission. Apart from this, there has been no major development in the case.

The Vakola police have neither taken any action against the accused nor filed a chargesheet or properly recorded eyewitness statements. They have also not added additional NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) sections to the case, applying only bailable sections instead. As a result, the accused were granted anticipatory bail.

The victim’s lawyer, Advocate Akshay Bhole, stated, “There has been no progress in the case and no chargesheet has been filed. The police have not contacted us. The victim has been at home for a year, as no one is willing to offer him a job out of fear. The Human Rights Commission’s hearing date is scheduled for December.”

The incident dates back to August 30, 2024, when PSI Vishwanath Omble and three constables — Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Yogendra Shinde (also known as Dabang Shinde) — in plain clothes from the Khar police station visited Shahbaz Khan’s livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East, where Dylan Estbeiro, 31, was working. They allegedly frisked Dylan and planted 20 grams of mephedrone in his pocket during a staged search, later accusing him of drug possession.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV, which was later reviewed and shared publicly by Shahbaz Khan. Following the release of the footage, Dylan was released by the Khar police. The video sparked public outrage, prompting then-Deputy Commissioner Raj Tilak Roushan to suspend all four police personnel on August 31. Dylan told FPJ, “It has been one year since the incident occurred, yet there has been no major development in the case.

The investigating officer has also been changed. The police came to my residence and told my father that I should visit the police station after Ganapati. My career is over, and I do not know when I will get a new job. The police have not added NDPS sections so far against the accused police personnel.”