New Delhi, April 14: Indian agencies have reported a sharp rise in counterfeit currency seizures, pointing to a renewed push by organised networks to expand operations.

Investigators say the syndicate linked to Dawood Ibrahim, operating from Pakistan, is increasingly directing operatives in India to print fake notes locally instead of relying on cross-border smuggling routes through Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The trend points to a deliberate attempt to scale up production, with signs of a coordinated effort to undermine the Indian economy. Recent months have seen multiple seizures in border regions due to tighter security. At the same time, attempts to drop counterfeit currency using drones are being detected and intercepted with increasing frequency.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the syndicate is now directing its operatives in India to print fake notes locally and circulate them within the market. They have been advised to keep operations small but frequent to maintain overall volume while avoiding attention.

“To reduce the risk of detection, members are also shifting bases regularly, making it difficult for agencies to track and pin down a single location,” the official added.

The route through the Bangladesh border has also become increasingly difficult for smugglers to use. Enhanced security measures have tightened surveillance, making it harder for operatives to push counterfeit currency into India.

Another official said the strategy now is to expand printing across multiple states, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab. In the past, the syndicate had set up a localised unit in Malda, West Bengal, where high-quality counterfeit notes were produced and were difficult to detect.

“However, after the unit was uncovered, intensified action by agencies led to a sharp decline in operations,” the official said.

Another official said printing capacity in Malda has dropped by more than half after agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), intensified investigations and enforcement.

Officials added that efforts are underway to push in raw materials needed to set up fresh units to expand local production. If these consignments reach operatives in India, output could increase again. Even as the focus shifts to domestic printing, attempts to move counterfeit currency across the border using drones are expected to continue.

Last month, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Amritsar Police seized counterfeit currency worth Rs 2.5 lakh, which officials believe may have been a trial run. While drones have been intercepted carrying drugs, arms, and ammunition on several occasions, their use for moving fake currency has emerged as a growing concern.

Agencies said the syndicate is now relying on smaller consignments that are harder to detect on radar and surveillance systems. An official noted that operatives are adopting varied methods to increase the circulation of counterfeit notes.

Even as local production gathers pace, the use of drones is expected to continue. The broader objective, officials said, is to generate funds for terror activities and to inflict economic damage through the sustained circulation of fake currency.

Patna, April 13: A nine-year-old girl was killed and over a dozen school children were injured after a school van overturned in Bihar Nawada district on Monday morning, police said.

The incident occurred on Kamlapur Road in the Govindpur block around 8.15 a.m. on Monday, where the vehicle reportedly lost control, plunged nearly 20 feet off the road, and overturned multiple times.

Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the vehicle rolled repeatedly before coming to a halt. Local villagers — who were harvesting wheat in nearby fields — rushed to the spot upon hearing the crash. They played a crucial role in rescuing the children, pulling them out of the wreckage and transporting them to nearby hospitals.

According to the police, one student named Arohi Kumari (9) lost her life in this mishap, and two students have critical conditions at the moment. Other students are also under the close observation of doctors.

Preliminary findings suggest that the vehicle belonged to a private school. Local residents have alleged that the vehicle was overloaded beyond capacity. The vehicle has a capacity to transport 15 students, but it was carrying more than 25 at the time of the accident.

The eyewitnesses have also said that the driver of the vehicle was in an inebriated condition and travelling at high speed. These factors are believed to have contributed to the accident.

Police have reached the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident. Authorities are examining all aspects, including vehicle condition, driver’s conduct, and compliance with safety norms.

The Nawada police arrested the errant driver and lodged an FIR against him under the relevant sections of rash and negligent driving at the Govindpur police station. The district police will also conduct a medical check-up of the driver.

The incident has sparked widespread anger among villagers, who are demanding strict action against the school administration. Residents have emphasized the urgent need for enforcing safety regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Kolkata, April 9: A striking visual emerged during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally in Asansol on Thursday, as a person in the crowd held up a poster appealing directly to the Prime Minister with the message, “Respected Modi ji, please save West Bengal.”

The moment came as the election campaign in West Bengal gathered momentum ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.

The state is set to vote in two phases, scheduled for April 23 and April 29.

In the first phase, polling will take place across 152 Assembly constituencies, while the remaining 142 seats will go to the polls in the second phase.

The counting of votes is slated for May 4.

Amid loud cheers and slogans, the Prime Minister addressed a large and enthusiastic gathering in Asansol.

During his speech, attention briefly shifted to a person in the audience, who was seen holding up a poster featuring PM Modi’s portrait along with a map of West Bengal.

The poster prominently displayed the message, “Respected Modi ji, Please save West Bengal”, and also highlighted several issues faced by the public, including “Corruption, law and order, infiltration, women safety and unemployment”.

These concerns mirror the key themes on which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress government in the state.

The visual quickly stood out amid the rally, reflecting the charged political atmosphere as political parties intensify their campaigns in the run-up to the state elections.

Meanwhile, PM Modi launched a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government, claiming that the ruling-party-linked syndicate and mafia were looting the state’s resources and also warned that all those goons will be held accountable and answerable after the election results on May 4.

PM Modi, addressing his second election rally in Asansol, pinned the blame on previous dispensations from the Congress to Trinamool Congress for West Bengal’s “disgraceful decline from prosperity to deprivation” and said that the BJP’s good governance is the only solution for West Bengal’s burgeoning woes.

Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of taking the state back to ‘dark ages’, the Prime Minister said that it is essential for West Bengal’s progress that the state is freed from Trinamool’s clutches.

“For Bengal’s progress, freedom from Trinamool is necessary, because while the entire country is moving ahead at a rapid pace, Trinamool is pushing Bengal backwards,” he added.

“Trinamool’s time is over. The next government will be a double-engine government of the BJP. After May 4, Bengal will enter a new era of development,” he said.

Making a fervent call to the electorate to choose their options wisely in the upcoming state polls, Prime Minister Modi said that the people of West Bengal won’t get fooled this time, as they want a “performing” government with a proven track record.