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Mysterious Disappearance Of 500 Notes Worth 88,032.5 Cr Raises Security Concerns For Indian Economy

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While the Reserve Bank of India had a problem with an extra 339.95 million currency notes deposited in vaults between 1999-2010, more than the output of the government security printing presses, now, it is faced with an altogether different issue. While the mints issued 8,810.65 million pieces of the newly designed Rs 500 note, the RBI has only received 7,260 million.

Value of the missing notes is a staggering Rs 88,032.5 crore

No-one knows the whereabouts of the 1,760.65 million of Rs 500 notes which have mysteriously gone missing, taking into account the 210 million pieces printed in the Nashik mint between April 2015 and March 2016. The value of the missing notes is a staggering Rs 88,032.5 cr.

Despite repeated attempts, RBI spokesperson refuses to comment on the missing notes from RBI vaults

RBI spokesperson did not comment despite repeated attempts.

Data obtained under RTI

India prints its currency notes at three government mints – the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran (P) Limited, Bengaluru, Currency Note Press, Nashik, and Bank Note Press at Dewas and sends them to the RBI vaults, for further distribution in the Indian economy.

According to data obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by activist Manoranjan Roy, 375.450 million pieces of the newly designed Rs 500 note were printed by the Currency Note Press, Nashik, but RBI records having received only 345.000 million pieces printed between April 2015 and December 2016. In another RTI reply last month, the Currency Note Press, Nashik, said for the financial year 2015-2016 (April 2015-March 2016,) 210.000 million pieces of Rs 500 were supplied to the RBI when Raghuram Rajan was the RBI governor.

The Report of the Currency Note Press, Nashik, has shown the newly designed Rs 500 currency notes were supplied to the Central bank but the RBI annual report does not mention receiving any Rs 500 notes with the new design, in its Public Domain Annual Report on Currency Management. Further information provided by the Currency Note Press, Nashik, mentions 1,662.000 million pieces of the newly designed Rs 500 note were supplied to the RBI in 2016-2017.

Huge Mismatch

The Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran (P) Limited, Bengaluru, supplied 5,195.65 million pieces of Rs 500 to the RBI and the Bank Note Press, Dewas, supplied 1,953.000 million pieces to the RBI in 2016-2017, but the RBI has received only 7,260 pieces of the newly designed Rs 500 note from all three printing presses. There is a mismatch, as 8,810.65 million pieces of the newly designed Rs 500 note were printed by the three mints in all, but the RBI received only 7,260.000 pieces.

Missing pieces no joke

“The apex bank is indifferent to the harm caused to the Indian economy with such a huge mismatch in highdenomination Indian currency notes printed in the mints and the total received in the RBI vaults. The missing 1,760.65 million pieces is no joke. It raises security concerns about our Indian economy and its stability,” said Manoranjan Roy.

Activist has written to Central Economic Intelligence Bureau and ED

He has written to the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau and the Enforcement Directorate to investigate the irregularities in the millions of high-value currency notes printed in the three mints. Senior RBI officials have defended the mismatch, citing the huge logistics in the printing and supply of currency notes. But, it is strange it should take so long for notes to reach the RBI vaults.

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241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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