Maharashtra
Mumbai: Coordinated Maritime Exercise ‘Prasthan’ Tests Readiness and Response Protocols In Offshore Development Area

On Friday, the Indian Navy, in collaboration with defense, state, and civil agencies, conducted a joint exercise named ‘Prasthan’ in the Offshore Development Area off Mumbai. This biannual exercise aims to validate and enhance measures and procedures for responding to contingencies on oil production platforms in the region.
The exercise took place on the R12A (Ratna) platform of ONGC, situated approximately 45 nautical miles west of Mumbai harbor, spanning two phases from the early hours of Friday until late night. The first phase focused on testing security protocols for emergencies such as terrorist attacks and bomb threats from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, based in Mumbai, and also the Commander-in-Chief (Coastal Defence), West, activated the contingency plan. A Crisis Management Committee, comprising senior officials from defense, state, and civilian agencies, gathered at the Indian Navy’s Operation Centre for a coordinated response to potential emergencies.
During the first phase, the Crisis Management Group evaluated various aspects of emergencies and initiated coordinated actions according to established Standard Operating Procedures. The Indian Navy, in conjunction with the Indian Air Force, deployed anti-sabotage teams to neutralize security threats on the oil platform.
The exercise’s initial phase involved actions to counter contingencies such as terrorist intrusions, bomb threats, man overboard incidents, medical evacuation of platform crew, and oil spills. The second phase focused on responding to contingencies like fires on the oil platform and assisting a disabled vessel in the offshore development area.
Several ships and helicopters from the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Director General of Shipping participated. Personnel from Maharashtra Police, Customs, Fisheries Department, Mumbai Port Authorities, JN Port Authorities, India Meteorological Department, and other relevant state and central civilian agencies were also actively involved.
The exercise was conducted in a synergistic and coordinated manner, providing a realistic setting to assess the preparedness of all agencies involved. A thorough analysis of the activities will be undertaken to refine existing procedures and identify areas that require further strengthening and improvement.
Maharashtra
‘Our Dreams Are Not A Joke’: Students Flood Social Media As SSC Exam Glitches Trigger Nationwide Outrage

A storm of protests has erupted online as thousands of SSC aspirants take to social media platforms to voice their frustration under hashtags like #SSCVendorFailure, #SSCMisManagement, and #SSCReform. The uproar follows a series of technical glitches, infrastructure issues, and exam cancellations linked to the new vendor responsible for conducting SSC recruitment exams.
What began as scattered complaints has snowballed into a coordinated digital movement, with aspirants flooding X (formerly Twitter) with testimonies of botched exam experiences, inaccessible centers, and last-minute cancellations. Several students are demanding accountability from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the removal of the current vendor.
Students are alleging that the system crashes during exams, experiences technical glitches, centres 500-1000 km away and has last-minute cancellations. Students are now demanding a thorough investigation, transparent communication, and urgent reforms to restore faith in the SSC recruitment system. The controversy follows widespread technical issues during the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exams, leaving thousands in distress.
SSC Selection Post Phase 13 Exams Cancelled at Select Centres Due to Technical Issues
The SSC has cancelled the Selection Post Phase 13 exams at specific centres due to technical and administrative problems. The exams, which began on July 24 and are scheduled to continue until August 1, faced disruptions on the first day.
As per the official notice, exams held at Pawan Ganga Educational Centre 2 between July 24 and July 26 have been cancelled for administrative reasons. Affected candidates will now appear for the rescheduled exams starting July 28, with revised details to be shared shortly. Additionally, the first shift at Educasa International, Hubbali, scheduled on July 24 (9:30 AM to 10:30 AM), was cancelled due to a technical glitch.
Netizens’ Reactions
Amid widespread disruptions in the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exams, students across India have taken to social media to express their frustration, calling out technical failures, poor management, and lack of transparency.
“Dear SSC, our dreams are not a joke!” wrote one aspirant. “Technical failures, paper leaks, and vendor mismanagement are destroying years of our hard work. We deserve justice and transparency.”
Another user questioned the outsourcing of such a critical process to private firms: “We’ve repeatedly said that instead of outsourcing the exams to private vendors, SSC should develop its own software and take full responsibility. The future of millions of youth should not be handed over to profit-driven companies.”
Many candidates shared emotional accounts of traveling long distances, only to face last-minute cancellations: “Is there no value for students’ efforts in this country? First, they gave us centers 500 km away, and then cancelled the exam. Is this some kind of joke?”
Another user said, “An exam isn’t just for one day — it’s years of preparation. Students traveled 500 km, and then were told the exam was cancelled. Why? Does anyone have an answer?”
Poor exam centre conditions were another major concern raised by aspirants: “We faced extreme discomfort — no fans, broken chairs, suffocating rooms, and image-based questions not loading. Is this what India’s competitive exams have come to? We demand accountability.”
A comprehensive list of recurring issues was also highlighted by students:
“SSC cannot ignore these issues any longer:
– Mouse not working
– Invigilators chatting
– Server crash & last-minute cancellations
– Centres 500-1000 km away
– No security checks
Entertainment
Actress Ruchi Gujjar Hits Actor-Director With Chappal, Protests Against Him At Mumbai Theatre After Filing FIR Over ₹25 Lakh Fraud

A dramatic scene unfolded at a Mumbai theatre during the screening of So Long Valley when actress Ruchi Gujjar hit the film’s producer and actor Man Singh with a chappal, leading to chaos at Cinepolis. The incident, captured in a now-viral video, came amid an ongoing financial dispute between Ruchi and another producer, Karan Singh Chauhan.
In the video, she is heard screaming while arguing with the producers. She then lost her cool and hit one of the producers with her chappal.
It appears that she arrived at the theatre with the intention of staging a protest. During the special screening, where the producers were present, Ruchi showed up along with a group of protestors. People around her were seen raising slogans against the producers.
They held placards with the producers’ photos, marked with red cross signs across their faces. In some of the posters, which can be seen in the video, the producers were depicted sitting on donkeys.
What is the case?
According to Ruchi, Chauhan had approached her last year claiming he was producing a Hindi television serial that would soon air on Sony TV. “He offered to add me as a co-producer and also sent documents related to the project,” she said, according to media reports.
Believing the offer, Ruchi stated that between July 2023 and January 2024, she transferred several payments from her company, SR Event and Entertainment, into accounts linked to Chauhan’s K Studios. However, the promised project never took off.
“Despite repeated contacts, he kept postponing them and lied,” she added in her complaint.
She claims to have discovered that the funds were allegedly used not for the serial, but for the production of So Long Valley. “When I got the information that the film is releasing on July 27, I told him to return my money now, on which he started threatening me,” she alleged.
Mumbai Police has registered an FIR under sections 318(4), 352, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Chauhan, 36, for allegedly cheating actress Ruchiof Rs 25 lakh.
Ruchi has submitted banking records and documents to support her claims. An investigation into the financial transactions and communications is currently underway.
Notably, Ruchi had earlier drawn attention for her Cannes appearance, where she wore a necklace featuring an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Maharashtra
Mumbai 26 July 2005 Floods: When City Was Submerged With 944 mm Of Rain In 24 Hours Leaving 914 Dead, Thousands Displaced

Every year, the monsoon season disrupts life across Indian cities with heavy rainfall, waterlogging and traffic chaos. But July 26, 2005, stands out as a day that etched itself into Mumbai’s history as one of its darkest and most devastating.
On that day, Mumbai received an unprecedented 944 mm of rain in just 24 hours, nearly half of its annual average. Between 8 am and 8 pm alone, 644 mm poured down. It remains the eighth-highest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded anywhere in the world. The city, unprepared for such intensity, was brought to a grinding halt.
Internet Flooded With Old Visuals, Still Haunting Mumbaikars
Several netizens took to social media to share haunting visuals from the 2005 Mumbai floods, recalling the day when the city came to a complete standstill. Many described it as an unforgettable chapter in Mumbai’s history, marked by chaos, resilience and unity.
While some reflected on the overwhelming scale of the disaster, others remembered how the crisis revealed the undying spirit of Mumbai, with strangers helping each other and communities coming together in the face of adversity.
Mumbai’s Lifeline Took Serious Hit, 52 Local Trains Damaged
As floodwaters rose, roads vanished beneath torrents of water. Local trains, the city’s lifeline, stopped completely, with tracks submerged and 52 trains damaged. Thousands were stranded in stations, schools and offices overnight. Low-lying areas like Dharavi and the Bandra-Kurla Complex were heavily inundated, while vehicles were swept away or immobilised.
The scale of disruption was staggering. Over 37,000 auto-rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, 900 BEST buses and 10,000 trucks and tempos were either damaged or rendered unusable. Even the skies were no refuge. For the first time ever, Mumbai’s airports shut down, with Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the Juhu airstrip closed for more than 30 hours. More than 700 flights were cancelled or delayed, creating nationwide ripples in air traffic.
Over 900 Killed, Property Worth ₹5.5 Billion Destroyed
The economic loss was estimated at Rs 5.5 billion (around 100 million USD). But the cost in human lives and suffering was far greater. According to official reports, 914 people lost their lives, many due to drowning, electrocution and landslides. More than 14,000 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands without shelter, food or drinking water.
Communication networks also failed. Around 5 million mobile users and 2.3 million landline connections went dead for several hours, hampering emergency rescue operations. Emergency services were overwhelmed, as the city grappled with a disaster it had never imagined.
The 2005 floods served as a harsh wake-up call, exposing Mumbai’s vulnerability to extreme weather. In the years since, the government has worked on improving disaster preparedness, such as creating specialised disaster management units, upgrading early warning systems and installing floodgates and dewatering pumps at critical points.
Yet, even two decades later, as visuals from 2005 resurface each year, a haunting question persists: Is Mumbai truly prepared to face another flood of that magnitude?
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