The Mumbai Customs Department has seized 14 crore rupees worth of hydro ganja and smuggled gold in five separate operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport between November 6 and 9. Officials from Zone 3 of the Customs Department carried out the operations, which led to the arrest of multiple passengers arriving from Bangkok, Phuket, and Nairobi.

The first seizure took place on November 6, when a passenger arriving from Bangkok was found carrying 2.87 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis valued at Rs 2.87 crore. The next day, two more passengers flying in from Phuket were caught with nearly 4 kilograms of hydro cannabis, worth approximately Rs 4.2 crore.

On November 8, Customs officials intercepted more passengers arriving from Bangkok and Nairobi, recovering additional hydro cannabis and smuggled 22-carat gold bars weighing 358 grams. The estimated value of the gold is Rs 3.7 lakh.

In total, 13 kilograms and 84 grams of hydro ganja and 358 grams of gold were confiscated over three days. Customs officials stated that strict surveillance measures are being maintained at the airport, and all attempts to smuggle narcotics or gold will be firmly dealt with.

Hydroponic cannabis, often called hydro cannabis, is grown without soil using a nutrient-rich water solution. Common in Thailand, this method enables cultivators to precisely control growing conditions, resulting in faster growth and higher yields. These plants are usually grown indoors under LED or HPS lights, with regulated temperature, humidity, and nutrients. The increasing production of hydro cannabis in Thailand has led to rising smuggling attempts into India.

New Delhi, Nov 11: A young man from Gadarpur in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district was among those injured in the blast near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station. The injured man has been identified as 28-year-old Harshul Setia.

According to information received, Harshul, son of Sanjeev Setia, is a resident of Saraswati Vihar Colony in Gadarpur. His father said that Harshul is scheduled to get married in February. He had travelled to Delhi with his mother, brother, and fiancee for wedding shopping. They were shopping in a lane opposite the blast site when a shard of glass from the explosion struck Harshul on the head.

Sanjeev Setia said he received a phone call last evening informing him about his son’s injury. He added that Harshul is now safe and in stable condition. Following the advice of security agencies, he declined to make further comments.

He said he is leaving for Delhi to bring his son and family back home. After Harshul’s discharge from LNJP Hospital, the family will return to Gadarpur, where he will introduce his son to the media.

Meanwhile, the white Hyundai i20 car that exploded on Netaji Subhash Marg in Delhi near the Red Fort was parked outside a mosque for nearly two hours before the incident, sources said.

The police managed to piece together the route of the vehicle by obtaining CCTV footage from the area.

The blast took place at around 7 p.m., the police said. The car then took a U-turn near the Old Delhi Railway Station and then headed towards Lower Subhash Marg.

The car slowed down at the traffic signal on Chhata Rail Chowk, and then the explosion occurred, the police said.

It is, however, unclear whether the explosion was meant to take place at the signal or the occupants intended to ram the car into the Red Fort, officials said.

The trail of the car’s ownership is also under investigation. It has been found that the car was sold several times.

The vehicle bore the registration number HR26CE7674. It was first registered in 2014 to one Mohammad Salman, a resident of Gurugram. Following this, the car had been sold multiple times.

Salman sold it to a person called Devender, following which it was sold to a person in Ambala.

The current owner of the car remains unknown, and investigators are working on that aspect.

The registered owner, however, is under arrest and being questioned.

Multiple agencies are working on the case.

Patna, Nov 11: Amid brisk voting for the second and final phase of Assembly elections in Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday lodged an FIR against certain individuals over “circulation and distribution” of voter slips inside a polling booth in Motihari district.

Two people have been arrested for violating the model code of conduct, the poll panel said.

The matter came to light after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) flagged “flagrant violation” of electoral guidelines, allegedly by the polling agent of the BJP candidate in booth numbers 229 and 230 of Motihari Assembly.

Accusing the BJP candidate of a forced election campaign on the day of voting, the RJD, on its X handle, shared pictures and videos of voter slips being displayed in the open, with alleged intent to sway voters.

“In booth numbers 229, 230 of Motihari Assembly, voters are being deliberately shown photos and slips with election symbols inside the booth and distributed by the BJP polling agent! Similar complaints are being received from all booths in Motihari,” the party said in the post.

It also slammed the Election Commission for failing to act against violations of the model code of conduct, adding that the distribution of such voter slips with photos of candidates was not immoral but also grossly illegal.

The voter slips, allegedly distributed by the BJP polling agents to electors, reportedly carried pictures of the NDA candidate along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and also an appeal to elect the Nitish-led government again.

The ECI was quick to take cognisance of the incident and informed that a case was lodged against the violators, leading to the arrest of two individuals.

Meanwhile, the second phase of polling started on a brisk note this morning as people, including women, gathered in large numbers to cast their vote in multiple constituencies.

Good voter turnout was recorded in the morning, with more than 14 per cent of voters casting their ballot till 9 a.m.

The constituencies, which saw the highest voter turnout, included Araria (15.34 per cent), Arwal (14.95 per cent), Aurangabad (15.43 per cent), Banka (15.14 per cent), while others like Kaimur, Katihar and Nawada recorded over 13 per cent polling till 9 a.m.