Following the death of Class 1 student at a government-aided school in Masvan, Palghar district of Maharashtra, the administration initiated strict action against officials and suspended the suprintendent.

The student, identified as Shreyansh Shailesh Ambat, died on Monday. Officials visited the school the following day to assess the situation and inspect the arrangements. The ashram school’s superintendent was suspended with immediate effect over alleged negligence, according to the information provided by the local administration.

Palghar Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer and Integrated Tribal Development Project, Dahanu, Project Officer Vishal Khatri, IAS, inspected the school and issued necessary directions to the institution’s office-bearers and staff regarding the safety and well-being of the students.

Officials from the Food and Drug Administration Department also visited the school and seized food ingredients, including spices, turmeric, chilli and cooking oil, used in preparing meals for the students. The seized materials have been sent for examination. A water filter has also been installed at the school, the administration said.

At present, 30 students are currently undergoing treatment at the Masvan Primary Health Centre. The group includes 14 boys and 11 girls. On the advice of doctors, four girls and one boy were shifted to the Rural Hospital in Manor for further treatment.

All the students are reported to be out of danger, according to the information provided by the administration.

Show-cause notices have been issued to the president and secretary of Adisi Seva Mandal, Mumbai, which runs the institution, as well as the primary headmaster and the Class 1 teacher.

A special inquiry committee has also been constituted to conduct a detailed investigation into the student’s death.

Further administrative action against those found responsible will be taken based on the committee’s report, the administration said.

Pune, Aug 26: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized suspected narcotic drugs valued at approximately Rs 3.41 crore and arrested a woman passenger at Pune Railway Junction in an intelligence-led operation.

Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the DRI’s Pune Regional Unit, under the Mumbai Zonal Unit, intercepted an Indian woman passenger during the early hours of August 25. The passenger had travelled from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi and was passing through Pune.

Following surveillance based on the intelligence input, DRI officers identified and intercepted the passenger at the railway junction. A detailed search of her baggage led to the recovery of 2,532 grams (gross weight) of a white/yellow-coloured crystalline substance suspected to be amphetamine. Officers also recovered 878 grams (gross weight) of tablets in different colours, suspected to contain 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).

The total value of the seized substances has been estimated at approximately Rs 3.41 crore.

The suspected narcotic drugs were seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The passenger was subsequently arrested, and further investigation is underway to determine the source of the drugs, their intended destination and other possible links in the trafficking network.

The seizure highlights the DRI’s continued focus on intelligence-based enforcement against the illicit smuggling and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, said officials.

According to officials, the operation also reinforces efforts to curb the illegal supply of drugs and support the Government’s vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, aimed at protecting public health and combating drug abuse and trafficking across the country.

Further investigation is underway, and more details may emerge.

MUMBAI, August 25, 2026: Legislative participation among Mumbai’s elected representatives has witnessed a sharp decline, with total questions raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly dropping by 72% compared to the 12th Assembly, according to the ‘Mumbai MLA Report Card 2026’ released by Praja Foundation.

The report evaluated the performance of 33 Mumbai MLAs across the Winter 2024 and Monsoon 2025 sessions based on session attendance, participation, quality of questions raised, and overall constitutional duties. Out of 33 MLAs, only three scored above 80%, with Indian National Congress representatives securing all top three positions.
Top Performing MLAs

Rank 1: Amin Patel (Congress) — Score: 82.89

Rank 2: Aslam Shaikh (Congress) — Score: 80.58

Rank 3: Jyoti Gaikwad (Congress) — Score: 80.30

Key Report Findings

Plunge in Legislative Inquiries: MLAs asked only 2,213 questions in the 15th Assembly (Winter 2024 – Monsoon 2025), down significantly from 7,955 questions in the 12th Assembly (Winter 2009 – Monsoon 2010).

Decline in Question Quality: The quality score of questions asked dropped from an average of 50% in the 12th Assembly to 33% in the 15th Assembly.

Fewer Working Days: In its first year, the 15th Assembly met for only 40 working days, compared to 47 days in the 12th Assembly and 50 days in the 13th Assembly.

Stagnant Overall Scores: The overall average performance score of legislators fell from 61 in the 12th Assembly to 54 in the 14th Assembly, before slightly recovering to 55 in the 15th Assembly.

Aging Representatives: The average age of Mumbai MLAs has progressively increased over time, moving from 52 years (12th Assembly) and 51 years (13th Assembly) to 53 years (14th Assembly) and now 57 years in the 15th Assembly.

Concerns Over Democratic Accountability
Addressing the findings, Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, stated that performance metrics reflect whether citizens’ concerns are reaching the house floor. While top performers demonstrated strong engagement, the overall stagnating scores highlight significant gaps in representation.

Asif Khan, Manager at Praja Foundation, warned that shorter session durations and fewer quality questions deprive citizens of a critical mechanism to hold the government accountable.