Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Tuesday evening conducted a search at the residence of a teacher, identified as Ibrahim Abidi, in the Kausa area of Mumbra, Thane district, over alleged links with the banned terror outfit Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

Abidi, who resides in a rented apartment at Ifayat Housing Society in Mumbra, was associated with a local madrassa and also taught Urdu at a mosque in Kurla every Sunday. He had been under surveillance for suspected online communication with extremist networks.

During the operation, ATS seized Abidi’s mobile phone and the hard disk of his computer for forensic examination. He has been detained for questioning, though no arrests have been made so far, officials confirmed. “We have recovered digital material and are verifying his online activity and contacts. The contents will be examined before deciding the next course of action,” a senior ATS officer said.

Sources said Abidi was suspected of attempting to influence children toward extremist ideologies. ATS teams also conducted a search at a premises linked to his first wife in Kurla, who is also being questioned.

Following the recent car blast in Delhi, central and state security agencies have intensified surveillance on individuals suspected of being sympathizers or associates of banned organizations. The raids are part of an ongoing statewide operation launched by the Maharashtra ATS to trace individuals maintaining contact with radical networks or consuming extremist online content.

Apart from Mumbra, ATS teams also carried out coordinated searches in Padgha and Bhiwandi, focusing on tracing communication and financial networks of individuals suspected of links with radical elements. Officials said the exercise is being conducted in coordination with central intelligence agencies as part of a preventive security drive across the state.

New Delhi, Nov 12: India stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have reportedly been instructed to participate in domestic matches for their respective state teams to stay in the reckoning for ODI team.

The duo are active only in ODIs, having retired from the shortest and longest formats, that is T20Is and Tests. With limited one-day internationals scheduled for now and the focus on the 20-over format as the T20 World Cup approaches quickly, Kohli and Rohit will need game time to stay in contention for a place in the squad for the ODI World Cup scheduled in 2027.

The duo will most likely participate in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to start from December 3, and will probably only be seen again in India colours in January 2026, when the Men in Blue host New Zealand for ODIs from the 11th of the month. Kohli and Rohit will have a month-long break in between, which is when the Vijay Hazare Trophy is set to be played.

A report by the Indian Express suggests that Rohit has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) about his availability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but there haven’t been any updates on this from Kohli’s end.

“The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” BCCI sources were quoted in the report.

Kohli and Rohit last played the ODI series in Australia last month, where their unbeaten partnership in the third and final game helped the Men in Blue secure a nine-wicket win. Rohit shone in two of the three games, including scoring a century in the third, while Kohli recovered from two ducks to score an unbeaten 87 in the final ODI.

Rohit has reportedly informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he could be available for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, set to begin on November 26.

The India captain has been sharpening his skills at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy in recent days. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also hopeful that Kohli will make a return to domestic cricket.

Last season, Rohit and Kohli each played one Ranji Trophy match. In January, Kohli returned to play for Delhi after a 12-year absence, while Rohit appeared for Mumbai after a 10-year hiatus.

New Delhi, Nov 12: In a significant organisational overhaul, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday, approved the appointment of nine new All India Congress Committee secretaries and the reallocation of five existing ones, effective immediately.

The announcement, made through a press release by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, comes as part of the party’s ongoing efforts to strengthen state units and streamline coordination ahead of crucial electoral battles.

The newly appointed AICC secretaries include Srinivas B.V. for Gujarat, TN Prathapan for Puducherry and Lakshadweep, Sanjana Jatav for Madhya Pradesh, Sachin Sawant for Telangana, Rehana Rayaz Chisti for Maharashtra, Hina Kaware and Suraj Thakur jointly for Punjab, Jetti Kusum Kumar for Odisha, and Nivedith Alva for Tamil Nadu.

These leaders will work closely with respective state in-charges and general secretaries to oversee party activities, campaign strategies, and grassroots mobilisation.

Simultaneously, the Congress high command has reallocated existing secretaries to optimise operational efficiency.

Usha Naidu, previously handling other responsibilities, has been reassigned to Madhya Pradesh.

Bhoopendra Marawi moves to Jharkhand, Devendra Yadav to Gujarat, Pargat Singh to Jammu and Kashmir, and Manoj Yadav to Uttarakhand.

These changes reflect a strategic recalibration of leadership roles to address regional challenges and bolster organisational depth.

The appointments signal the Congress leadership’s intent to inject fresh energy into state units, particularly in opposition-ruled or electorally critical regions.

Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, both BJP strongholds, receive focused attention with dedicated secretaries, while Punjab gets dual representation to manage internal factionalism and prepare for potential early Assembly polls.

The inclusion of young and women leaders like Hina Kaware, Sanjana Jatav, and Nivedith Alva underscores the party’s emphasis on diversity and generational renewal.

Party insiders view the reshuffle as a precursor to intensified political activity in 2026, with Assembly elections due in Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal.

The reallocation of experienced hands like Pargat Singh to Jammu and Kashmir indicates heightened focus on the Union Territory following recent Assembly formation.

Similarly, placing Srinivas B.V. in Gujarat aims to revive Congress fortunes in a state where it has struggled to counter the BJP’s dominance.

The AICC has directed all appointed secretaries to immediately assume charge, conduct district-level reviews, and submit action plans within a fortnight.

Regular performance assessments will be instituted to ensure accountability.

This restructuring follows a similar organisational reset in Uttarakhand earlier on Tuesday, where 27 district presidents were named under the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, highlighting a systematic approach to rebuilding the party apparatus from the booth to the national level.

The latest appointments are expected to enhance coordination between the Congress high command and state units, enabling sharper electoral strategies.