Pune Sep 21: A social media influencer was forced to prostrate in front of Raj Thackeray’s photograph for allegedly mocking Raj Thackeray in one of his reels.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers captured the influencer, Mahesh Mote, and forced him to prostrate before a photograph of Raj Thackeray with slippers on his head and black ink smeared on his face. He was recorded while he apologized on camera in the same position while doing sit-ups.

The video showed tears flowing down Mote’s cheeks while the latter apologising to Raj Thackeray and the MNS workers for alleged insult and also pleading before them to be forgiven and let off.

“I inadvertently said something wrong about Raj Saheb, and I also mistakenly spoke inappropriately about Shubham Dada and other MNS office-bearers. Today, I deeply regret my mistake. Because of this reel, I have found myself in this predicament. I sincerely apologise to the MNS party and to all of you,” Mote pleaded, with wet eyes.

According to reports, a sub-divisional president of Hardaspur Assembly constituency, Shubham Jagdale alleged that the influencer used abusive and offensive language against MNS chief Raj Thackeray in a video posted about 15 days ago.

Previously, the influencer was in Keralam but as soon as he returned to Pune, MNS workers got information and brought him to an MNS Public relations’ office, where the apology video was recorded.

Jagdale claimed that Mote was given “mahaprasad”, meaning that the latter was treated roughly. Boasting about the incident, the MNS worker said that anyone who would try to tarnish Raj Thackeray’s image would meet a similar fate.

“We brought him to our office and made him lie down before a portrait of the respected Raj Saheb Thackeray and demanded an apology,” a MNS leader was heard saying.

In further boasting, he stated, “In true MNS style, we gave him a fitting reply in our own language – something you might even call ‘Mahaprasad’. I believe that if anyone makes such remarks against Raj Saheb Thackeray, MNS will respond in exactly this manner.”

Mumbai, Sep 21: The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the investigation into the suicide by IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, with investigators focussing on examining his mobile phone for any suicide note or other digital evidence, as no such note was found at the hostel room.

Investigators are conducting a technical analysis of the seized device and inspecting the crime scene at Hostel No. 4 on the Powai campus to assess the available evidence and circumstances surrounding the September 18 incident.

Authorities are expected to issue summons to individuals named in the FIR, including Professor Suryanarayan Dula, for questioning.

Sahil’s parents have alleged that he faced caste-based harassment and mental harassment by faculty members in the months leading up to his death.

The case has been registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for alleged abetment of suicide, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. An ACP-rank officer is leading the investigation.

Meanwhile, the IIT Bombay administration and protesting students and parents appeared headed for a standoff on Monday over the death of 22-year-old Sahil Wakode.

Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus on Friday, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.

The matter has intensified as both the protesters and the administration have taken strong positions over the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

IIT Bombay apologised and said, “We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil. The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process.”

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has expressed grief over Wakode’s death and extended its support to Professor Suryanarayan Dula, who was the course instructor and invigilator during the examination.

The Faculty Forum expressed deep sorrow over the student’s death and conveyed its condolences to his family, saying that its thoughts were with them during the difficult time.

The Forum also expressed its full solidarity with Professor Dula, stating that he was performing his duties in accordance with the academic policies approved by the institute’s Senate and currently in force.

According to the Forum, a mid-term examination was conducted on September 18, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the examination, Professor Dula, who was the course instructor and invigilator, allegedly observed a student committing an academic irregularity.

According to the statement, the student was in possession of a smartphone and was using it without permission during the examination. As per the institute’s established procedure, Professor Dula reported the incident to the institute authorities for further action.

The Faculty Forum stated that Professor Dula had performed his academic duties and followed the procedures approved by the institution. It also expressed concern over the impact of the incident on the professor’s reputation.

The Forum said it was deeply distressed that the reputation of a professor performing his official and academic duties was being affected. It reiterated its support for Professor Dula, stating that he had acted in accordance with the institution’s existing academic policies.

Mumbai, Sep 21: The Shiv Sena (UBT) has launched a sharp attack on the MahaYuti government, accusing it of displaying insensitivity and extravagance at a time when large parts of Maharashtra are grappling with drought-like conditions caused by scanty rainfall.

The Thackeray camp, in the party mouthpiece Saamana, warned that Maharashtra is falling under a “demonic rule of fear, hunger, and thirst” as the monsoon retreats, leaving behind the grim shadow of severe drought.

“Farmers across Marathwada, North Maharashtra, and Vidarbha are left utterly helpless as standing crops — including soybean, cotton, bajra, maize, tur, moong, and urad — have completely dried up and been ruined. Despite the widespread crop failure, the government is caught up in political manoeuvring and self-serving rivalry instead of focusing on relief,” it remarked.

The editorial highlighted a recent incident in Nanded, where State Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane held an administrative review meeting on the drought situation. Pictures surfaced showing ministers, MLAs, and MPs feasting on plates of cashews, almonds, and premium dry fruits during the meeting. Saamana editorial labelled the spectacle as “rubbing salt on the open wounds of farmers,” contrasting the crying farmers in dried-up fields with politicians burping in air-conditioned rest houses.

Adding fuel to the outrage, Shinde faction MP Bandu Jadhav callously defended the feast, stating, “Why make such a fuss over cashews and almonds, brother? I was starving, so I ate them. Why create chaos over Rs 500-Rs 1,000 worth of dry fruits?”

The editorial termed this remark inhuman, pointing out that those who swallowed thousands of crores are still unsatisfied. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis deflected blame onto the administration, saying such feasting was improper and urging officials to remain sensitive.

However, Thackeray camp fired back, noting that the Chief Minister is the head of the administration and that politicians should have felt enough shame to reject the spread presented to them. The editorial expressed deep skepticism regarding the government’s assurances of official crop assessments (panchnamas) and financial aid.

The editorial mocked the state’s previously announced farm loan waiver, noting that while three lists were allegedly published, the ground reality is so stark that one could offer a “Rs 5,000 reward to anyone who can actually find a farmer who received a loan waiver”.

Concerns were raised that, just like development funds, drought relief funds will be distributed purely on partisan lines — favoring constituencies with ruling-party MLAs while discriminating against opposition areas, alleged the editorial.

The editorial also criticised the burning of oil to light thousands of lamps for the Prime Minister’s birthday celebrations, asking if such grand gestures would do anything to lift the shadow of drought from the state.

To immediately alleviate the plight of farmers, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena made a slew of suggestions. It has called upon the government to declare an official statewide drought without waiting for formal procedural delays, adhering to the recommendation of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, provide immediate direct assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to affected farmers, execute a full and blanket waiver of all agricultural loans without arbitrary conditions and waive tuition fees for the children of drought-affected farmers.

Further, the Thackeray camp has suggested that the government should set up fodder camps (chara chhawani) and ensure drinking water availability across affected regions, convene a special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, and form an all-party task force, putting politics aside to manage drought mitigation.

The editorial concluded that while the drought facing Maharashtra’s farmers is grave, the “abundance of dry fruits” enjoyed by ruling politicians amidst agricultural distress is truly shameful.