Maharashtra
Mumbai: Byculla zoo bids final farewell to its last elephant Anarkali
Byculla lost its last elephant when the 59-year-old Anarkali passed away on November 10. With her death, there will be no more elephants at the iconic Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, in compliance with a central government ban on the intake and housing of elephants. “Due to central government regulations, we cannot bring another elephant here,” confirmed an official from the administration. As part of the ’s expansion plans, the enclosure that housed Anarkali will be repurposed for another species.
Rescued from a circus in 1977, Anarkali arrived at the Byculla at the age of 12 along with several other elephants, including her long-time companion, Laxmi. The duo quickly got close, drawing countless visitors and schoolchildren eager to see their playful interactions. Anarkali and Laxmi were once used for joyrides at the until protests by animal activists led to the practice being discontinued in 1992. “Anarkali remained very playful and responsive to her mahout and caretakers. She continued to be one of the crowd-pullers right up until her demise,” said Abhishek Satam, biologist and education officer.
According to officials, Anarkali died of old age complications. Sources at the said that the post-mortem report revealed a stomach tumour, which likely contributed to her declining health. Despite her condition, she maintained a calm demeanour, said her caretakers. Anarkali’s passing follows the death of her companion Laxmi in 2020. Laxmi, believed to be around 64, died of a chronic heart failure brought on by old age. Their bond was so strong that Anarkali reportedly mourned deeply after Laxmi’s death, refusing food for days.
The story of elephants at Byculla stretches back several decades. Five elephants initially lived at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, three female elephants named Radha, Laxmi, and Anarkali, a male elephant that was later transferred to Thiruvananthapuram after showing aggression, and there was another female elephant in the at that time called Champakali.
Radha, died of tuberculosis in 2005, leaving Anarkali and Laxmi to form a close-knit pair until Laxmi died in 2020. “Usually, elephants in captivity have a lifespan of about 62 to 65 years,” said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the Byculla. “Anarkali had a calm attitude and listened to her mahouts. She will be missed. She was buried in the premises with all the rituals, near her old friend and companion Laxmi.”
Byculla zoo to remain open on Christmas: BMC
In a release issued on Monday, the civic body said the zoo is generally shut on Wednesdays but will remain open on the day this week to allow people to visit keeping in mind the Christmas holiday. “As per a resolution passed by the civic body earlier, if there is a public holiday on Wednesday, the zoo will remain open on the day and remain closed the next day. Therefore, the zoo will remain shut on Thursday,” the release informed.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Fraudster targeting senior citizens at ATM centers arrested; 25 ATM cards and cash recovered.

Mumbai: Police has exposed the accused who came to Mumbai from Odisha and cheated the elderly from the ATM machine on the pretext of withdrawing money from the ATM machine. He was wanted for the last four years. Dandoshi police have also claimed to arrest him. According to the details, the complainant Vishwas Sadanand, 51, filed a complaint that when he went to withdraw money from the ATM center in Malad, a suspect withdrew Rs 40,000 from the ATM against his will. In this case, the police registered a case on the complaint of the complainant. The police examined 60 to 70 CCTV footage in this case and then on the basis of this footage and the information of the informant, the police took Krishna Chandra Acharya into custody from Naigaon and during his search, 25 ATM cards and cash were recovered from his possession. The police arrested the accused and presented him in the court. The court has ordered his remand. In this case, after his arrest, four more cases were revealed against him, according to the police. A total of four cases have been registered against him in Dandoshi and Kasturba Marg and he is wanted in these too. This action was taken on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti and DCP Mahesh Chamte had issued orders to arrest this accused. This accused used to commit such crimes in Mumbai, Thane, and Odisha. The police is investigating this matter further.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Metro 2B Inauguration On April 3: Know Route & How Corridor Will Help Ease Congestion & Improve Connectivity Between Chembur & Mankhurd

Mumbai: In a major relief for residents of Mankhurd and Chembur, the first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 2B is set to be inaugurated on April 3. The residents have long demanded the opening of the 5.4-km stretch, which is set to ease congestion and improve connectivity.
The Phase I section of the corridor covers a 5.4-km stretch between Diamond Garden in Chembur and Mandale in Mankhurd, comprising five stations: Diamond Garden, Shivaji Chowk, BSNL Metro, Mankhurd and Mandale.
The entire 23.6-km elevated Metro Line 2B corridor, with 20 stations, will connect several major transport systems, including the Western and Eastern Express Highways, suburban railway networks, the Monorail and other metro corridors such as Mumbai Metro Line 2A, Mumbai Metro Line 3 and Mumbai Metro Line 4. Once the corridor is fully operational, it is expected to reduce travel time along the route by up to 75 per cent.
The route between Chembur and Mankhurd has witnessed severe traffic jams, especially during peak hours. The evening rush between Chembur and Mankhurd is expected to ease, bringing relief to office-goers, students, and senior citizens alike. In Chembur, with the opening of the stretch, connectivity to popular locations such as Diamond Garden, K Star Mall, St. Anthony’s High School, RCF Colony, the Fine Arts Society, and Chembur Railway Station will become easier.
Earlier in the day, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, IAS, also conducted an on-ground inspection of the corridor infrastructure, reviewing safety measures and operational preparedness. Talking to X, Mukhejee added that the corridor with 5 modern stations is set to transform mobility in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs — faster, greener, and smarter connectivity for lakhs of Mumbaikars.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Local Train Tragedy: Fatal Accident Reported At Bhayandar Station’s Platform No 1 – Disturbing Video Surfaces

Mira-Bhayandar: In a tragic incident, an individual was hit by a suburban train at Bhayandar Station’s Platform No. 1 on Tuesday morning. The incident took place at 10:40 am when the deceased was reportedly crossing the tracks to catch the train during peak-hour travel. The victim was hit by the local train, following which he fell under the train and died.
Visuals shared by Gems of MBMC showed the Railway staff rushed to the scene and conducted a rescue operation. Currently, there is no information on the identity of the individual.
Just a few days back, a 39-year-old man allegedly died after being run over by a local train at Ghatkopar railway station. According to GRP, the incident occurred at around 12:35 pm on March 27 on platform number 4, on the Kalyan-bound fast track. The victim was hit by a fast local train (S-24), following which he fell under the train and sustained severe injuries.
The on-duty station master immediately informed police constable Chavan and arranged for the injured man to be rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar East for treatment. However, doctors at the hospital examined him and declared him dead before admission at around 1:26 pm.
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