Mumbai: A Mumbai woman has described a frightening episode of street harassment in Bandra that she shared on Reddit, raising concern among residents and online users. In a post titled ‘Never expected Bandra to be Unsafe. Rant,’ the woman, who identified herself as an early-30s resident of Bandra, said she was grabbed and groped by a man on a well-lit, crowded road at about 7:45 pm while running errands.

According to her detailed account, she dresses extremely modestly when out, a point she stressed to counter the notion that clothing invites harassment. She said the incidents of harassment had been recurring over recent months, including being followed home multiple times and being catcalled, but that the latest episode was the most shocking.

“A random guy just walked towards me hastily and hugged me very, very tightly and rubbed up against me,” she wrote. She said she started screaming; the man released her, appeared frightened by her reaction and repeatedly apologised.

The woman added that she struck the man several times with her tote bag during the altercation, but did not physically assault him further because she feared injuring her hand. Initially shaken and questioning whether she had done something to provoke the attack, she later concluded it was not her fault and continued with her tasks, though visibly upset.

Her post drew many replies, and after readers requested details to warn others, she updated her account to specify the location: near the Peace Haven bungalow on Perry Cross Road in Bandra. The thread also reflected broader frustration; she wrote that residents have become desensitised to street harassment and that the city’s reputation for safety for women felt like an illusion.

The post has raised fresh debate about public safety in Bandra, a busy suburb popular with shoppers and office-goers. Several commenters urged the woman to file a police complaint; others shared similar experiences of being followed or harassed. As of this report, there is no confirmation from police or the woman that a formal complaint has been registered, and no arrests have been reported.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handed over a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting urgent financial assistance to support flood-affected people in the state. Amit Shah was in Mumbai on Thursday to attend a public function.

In the letter, CM Fadnavis expressed deep concern over the heavy rainfall and severe flooding that has impacted multiple districts across Maharashtra. He highlighted that the natural disaster has caused unexpected damage to agricultural land and severely affected the livelihoods of millions of farmers.

The letter noted that over 31 districts in Maharashtra have been severely affected by continuous heavy rains and flooding. Extensive crop losses have been reported, particularly affecting farmers who were already struggling to recover from previous agricultural challenges. To provide immediate relief, the state government has allocated Rs 2,215 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for farmers affected by crop losses.

However, with heavy rainfall continuing through the late Kharif season, more than 50 lakh hectares of agricultural land have been damaged so far. To ensure adequate support for affected farmers and to assist in the restoration of their livelihoods, Maharashtra requires maximum relief allocation from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The letter further warned that meteorological forecasts indicate the situation could worsen, potentially causing additional crop losses. Considering the scale of this natural disaster and its far-reaching impact on agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods, and overall food security in Maharashtra, the CM requested prompt financial support from the NDRF.

Additional assistance from the NDRF would enable the state to provide comprehensive compensation for crop and land losses, livelihood support to flood-affected families, aid for livestock loss, and restoration of damaged property. The Maharashtra government has assured that a detailed proposal for NDRF assistance related to flood-affected agricultural land will be sent to the central government shortly.

Mumbai, Sep 26: Brent crude prices have remained steady, trading between $67-$69 per barrel, with no fresh global triggers driving volatility, and India’s Russian oil buying has kept the prices in check, a report showed on Friday.

India, among the biggest importers of crude oil, has reiterated that its top priority is ensuring affordable energy for its citizens.

“The country’s imports currently stand at around 1.50 million barrels per day — a level expected to hold steady — with Russian supplies playing a critical role in keeping costs down,” according to the report by Emkay Wealth Management Ltd, the wealth management arm of Emkay Global Financial Services.

The next big move will hinge on how US sanctions and tariff policies unfold in the coming months, the report mentioned.

China, too, is ramping up Russian oil purchases to meet domestic demand.

The report further stated that with both India and China sourcing heavily from Russia, oil prices are expected to remain range-bound, a trend that comes as a relief to importing nations.

Lower energy costs are particularly significant for India, where they help cushion inflation and stabilise the broader economy.

As energy security moves back into the global spotlight, India’s strategy of securing affordable crude supplies underscores the delicate balance between geopolitical shifts and domestic economic priorities, said the report.

Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has hailed New Delhi as an “awesome ally” and said he is a “huge fan of India,” while calling for deeper energy cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing a press conference in New York this week, Wright praised the country as a “dynamic society” with a “rapidly growing energy demand.”

“A lot of my early time when I arrived in my position was dealing with India, the world’s largest democracy, an awesome ally of the United States, a fast-growing economy, a truly dynamic society that has rapidly growing energy demand because people are increasing their prosperity, their opportunities. I’m a huge fan of India. We love India,” he added.

His statement comes as Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also called for expanding India-US energy trade.