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Maharashtra

G-20 delegates soak in Pune’s rich heritage, visit Aga Khan Palace

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Visiting G-20 delegates went around some of the historical and heritage sites of Pune including the Aga Khan Palace, learning about the history and importance of various locations, officials said here on Wednesday.

The G20 team went around the famed Aga Khan Palace where Mahatma Gandhi was incarcerated for nearly two years during the Quit India Movement (1942) along with his Kasturba Gandhi, and his secretary Mahadev Desai, besides Sarojini Naidu.

The delegates were provided information about Gandhiji and Kasturba’s childhood and their life, their pivotal role in the freedom struggle, etc, how Mahadev Desai passed away a few days after he was jailed here (August 15, 1942), and then the passing of Kasturba (February 22, 1944), and their ‘samadhis’ are there.

They went around the museum there, viewed the exhibits displayed there, learnt about Gandhiji’s legacy, the ‘Charkha’ and the ‘samadhis’ in the palace complex.

At the historical Lal Mahal, built by Shahaji Raje Bhosale in 1630, the delegates learnt about the history and life of his son and later the great Maratha warrior-king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and viewed the statues of ‘Bal Shivaji’ who lived here for many years during his childhood along with his mother Rajmata Jijamata Bhosale, and saluted them.

The visitors were thrilled by the grandeur of the Shaniwar Wada built in 1732, an erstwhile fort complex with 5 imposing ‘darwazas'(gates) within which over a thousand people lived, but most of the fort was destroyed in fires and other calamities, though the remnants are still awe-inspiring.

The G20 delegation went around the Nana Wada, believed to be built around 1780 as the residence of the legendary Nana Phadnavis, the chief administrator of the Peshwas and labelled by the British as ‘the Maratha Machiavelli’ and learnt about his contributions to the state history.

The G20 delegates were accompanied at various locations by the Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, top officials like Vikas Dhakne, Santosh Deshmukh, Supriya Karmarkar, Neelam Mahajan, Ajit Apte, Sandeep Godbole, Chandrakant Dalvi, and others.

An official coordinating the trip told IANS that the excited delegates learnt a lot about all these historical or heritage sites, asked many questions, clicked photos and selfies at different venues and returned feeling enriched by the outing.

Maharashtra

No appointment of head of State Women’s Commission, DGPI denies news rumours about Meera Borwankar

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Mumbai: The news viral on social media about the appointment of former Mumbai IPS officer and underworld figure Meera Borwankar as the head of the State Women’s Commission is misleading. She has not been appointed to this post. This news is false. This has been clarified by the DGPIR department. This news has been declared completely baseless. According to the DGPIR, whatever news has been viral on social media is baseless. Till now the state government has not issued any notification regarding Meera Borwankar. Meera Borwankar has not been appointed to any post in the state government. Earlier, Chakankar was the head of the Women’s Commission. After the resignation of Rupali Chakankar, now the news about Meera Borwankar is false and misleading. So far, no one has been appointed as the head of the State Women’s Commission. This has also been clarified.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Mumbai Police decides to check birth certificates on fake documents in the city after the alleged Bangladeshi campaign of Kirit Somaiya

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Mumbai: After BJP leader Kirit Somaiya allegations of fake and forged birth certificates being issued to alleged Bangladeshis in Mumbai city, Mumbai Police has now handed over the investigation of fake birth certificates to a Mumbai Crime Branch team and SIT. Mumbai Crime will investigate the birth certificate case. The investigation into crimes related to the purchase of false registration certificates of birth on the basis of fake documents has been handed over to Crime Branch Mumbai. During the investigation and from other complaints received, it has come to light that a large number of birth registration certificates have been obtained through similar fraudulent means. Keeping in view the vast scope and seriousness of the matter, the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough and effective investigation into these crimes and the complaints received. The said Special Investigation Team is headed by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) and includes the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Mumbai, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) Crime Branch, Mumbai and other officers. In Mumbai, now the investigation of birth certificates through fake documents will be carried out by the SIT of Mumbai Crime Branch. This SIT has also included expert officers and others.

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Maharashtra

Byculla Zoo In Mumbai To Get 2 New Bengal Tigers From Nagpur After Recent Deaths

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Mumbai: Following the loss of two Royal Bengal tigers within six months, Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo, popularly known as Byculla Zoo, is set to bring in a fresh pair of tigers from Nagpur’s Gorewada International Zoo to revive its big cat population.

The zoo, operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has already approached Gorewada authorities, who have agreed in principle to transfer the animals. a formal proposal has now been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), whose approval is mandatory for the relocation and exchange process.

According to a senior civic official, the proposal is currently under review, and final clearance may take some time before the transfer is executed. As part of the proposed arrangement, the BMC has offered to send a few bird species from Byculla Zoo to Gorewada in exchange for the tiger pair.

The move is aimed at strengthening the zoo’s conservation and breeding programme, which has been impacted by recent losses. At present, the facility houses only two tigers, female Karishma and her cub Jay, after its population declined sharply.

The zoo faced a major setback on November 17, 2025, when Shakti, a nine-year-old male Royal Bengal tiger, died due to respiratory failure caused by pneumonia. Earlier, on October 29, 2025, Rudra, the three-year-old cub of Shakti and Karishma, also died.

Rudra had been born at the Byculla facility after Shakti and Karishma were brought to Mumbai in February 2020 from Siddhartha Garden and Zoo. Their arrival had been seen as a major step toward boosting the zoo’s tiger population and enhancing its appeal to visitors.

With the proposed addition of a new tiger pair, authorities are hopeful of restoring the strength of the tiger population and continuing conservation efforts at one of Mumbai’s oldest and most prominent zoological parks. The final decision now rests with the Central Zoo Authority.

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