Thane: A youth in the Mumbra area of Thane district was detained after a fake video claiming an imminent lockdown triggered panic among residents. The youth recorded and circulated a video on social media, falsely claiming that a strict lockdown would be imposed in the area from midnight. The clip quickly went viral, leading to fear and confusion among locals.

In the viral video, the youth can be seen saying, “Ek khabar aayi hai abhi, 12 baje se lockdown hai (I’ve just got news, there’s a lockdown from 12 o’clock). He also claimed that the alleged lockdown would be imposed for an indefinite period due to the ongoing situation. He further suggested the public to stock up their homes with essential goods and medicines to avoid trouble.

As the rumour spread, several residents reportedly stepped out of their homes to purchase essential goods, fearing sudden restrictions. The rumour created a sense of urgency, with people calling each other to verify the claim, which only accelerated its circulation.

Taking serious note of the situation, the Mumbra Police launched an investigation and traced the accused. He was taken into custody, where he admitted to creating and sharing the video without verifying the information.

Police later made the youth publicly apologise for his actions and issued a strict warning against repeating such behaviour. “My name is Arham Uzair Azharuddin and I stay in Mumbra. The video that I made regarding the lockdown was completely fake news. There is no lockdown imposed in Mumbra. I apologise for spreading the rumour. Mumbra Police have made me understand my mistake,” he said with folded hands in the apology video.

Authorities emphasised that spreading unverified information can lead to unnecessary panic and disrupt public order. Officials have appealed to citizens to exercise caution while consuming and sharing content on social media.

Mumbai: A 21-year-old woman allegedly cut the hair of her 20-year-old female friend by force and recorded a video of the act. She is said to have done so because her boyfriend had praised the friend’s hair. The incident occurred in Versova, Andheri West, on March 25. The Versova police registered a case against three persons on the same day.

According to the FIR, the complainant is a resident of Versova, Andheri West, and a student. Through a common friend, she became friends with a 21-year-old girl and her boyfriend. The boy used to chat with the complainant via Instagram.

During his conversations with her girlfriend, he reportedly praised the complainant’s hair and expressed a desire to meet her. However, the complainant and the boy were only friends and did not share any romantic relationship.

On March 7, the accused girl visited the complainant’s residence and checked her mobile phone. She did not find any inappropriate chats between the complainant and her boyfriend. She then thanked the complainant and left.

On March 25, the complainant was at home with her maid. The maid slept in her room. At around 12:30 am, the doorbell rang. The complainant assumed it might be her ice cream delivery. However, upon opening the door, she found the accused girl along with two female friends standing in the passage.

The accused girl allegedly pulled the complainant out of her flat and began cutting her hair with scissors, while her two friends recorded the incident.

When the complainant resisted, Layba said, “Hair, hair, not hair,” and allegedly threatened to make the video go viral. The accused told her to do whatever she wanted, took some of the cut hair with her, and left the building.

In her complaint, she stated, “Her friend and her two friends illegally entered the building and rang the doorbell. She misunderstood that I was in a relationship with her boyfriend, and cut my hair.”

The victim subsequently filed a complaint against her friend and her two friends at the Versova police station. The Versova police said that the individuals involved are known to make social media reels, and they are investigating whether the act was a stunt or carried out with any other intention.

The Versova police registered an FIR against Layba and her two unidentified friends under Sections 329(3) and 329(4) (criminal trespass and house trespass), 351(2) (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 3(5) (general explanation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Mumbai: The BMC’s Rs 2,500 crore bioremediation project to treat 185 lakh tonnes of legacy waste at the Deonar dumping ground is yet to start, pending environmental clearances. The project aims to reclaim 110 hectares of land for productive use.

The contract for scientifically treating legacy waste at the Deonar dumping ground was awarded to Navayuga Engineering Ltd in September last year. The Deonar bioremediation project is one of the largest solid waste management tenders floated by the BMC in recent years.

The contract spans three years, including periods for mobilisation and monsoon. Since the site falls within an eco-sensitive zone, the project requires No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from multiple departments, including the Coastal Regulatory Zone authority.

A senior civic official said, “We are awaiting clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA). An online meeting with the authority for the project was recently held, and since a few questions were raised, we are hopeful. We are now waiting for the official minutes of the meeting. Once all approvals are in place, work on the project can commence.”

The BMC aims to clear 124 acres of the 311-acre Deonar dumping ground, which currently has close to two crore tonnes of legacy waste in it.

Legacy waste is that which accumulates when uncontrolled and unregulated dumping of waste continues for decades on a barren piece of land, mostly on the outskirts, which then becomes part of a city due to urbanisation.

The 9-acre waste-to-energy plant at the Deonar dumping ground is nearing completion. “After securing all approvals, it is expected to become operational soon,” said an official.

The plant, delayed from its original October 2025 schedule due to clearance issues, will process 600 tonnes of waste daily and generate 7 MW of clean electricity, supporting Mumbai’s sustainable waste and energy goals.