Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) in the matter of cancellation of 5% Muslim reservation, has ordered the state government to file a response within three weeks. On the petition of Senior Advocate Ijaz Naqvi, the Bombay High Court has issued this notice to the government to clarify its position. A bench of Justice Riaz Chagla and Justice Adveed Sadna has heard the matter regarding the cancellation of 5% Muslim reservation. Along with this, Advocate Ijaz Naqvi has told the court in his petition that the cancellation of Muslim reservation is illegal. On February 17, 2026, the government had issued a notification and order canceling the 5% Muslim reservation, against which Ijaz Naqvi had filed this petition. Now the next hearing on this issue has been fixed for May 3. The Bombay High Court has ordered the government to file a response within these three weeks. There is a five percent reservation for Muslims in the field of education and this order was issued by the High Court earlier as well, but the new order issued by the government has been challenged in the court by Advocate Ijaz Naqvi. Ijaz Naqvi successfully argued on this issue and told the court how the Muslim reservation has been canceled on the basis of caste, which is why the court has issued the above order.

Satara: A shocking case of marriage fraud has come to light in the state of Maharashtra, where a woman allegedly married several men and fled with cash and jewellery within days.

The accused, identified as Bhanupriya Bhaurao Bansod from Yavatmal district, is said to have cheated multiple grooms across different regions. She has created a sort of fear among families.

According to available details, Bansod married at least five to six men over a period of time. In each case, she reportedly stayed at her husband’s house for a few days to gain trust. Soon after, she escaped early in the morning, taking valuables from the house.

Victims claim they were left with no way to trace her, as the addresses and details provided were either fake or no longer valid. Police said that the woman gaslighted and manipulated men who were desperate to marry.

The case has raised concerns, especially in rural areas where marriages are often arranged through agents these days due to a lack of suitable matches.

Police sources suspect that such incidents are not isolated. Similar frauds have been reported from districts like Yavatmal, Beed, Latur, and Jalna, pointing towards the involvement of organised gangs.

In many cases, families pay large sums to agents to arrange marriages. However, the bride disappears soon after, leaving the groom and his family cheated out of it.

Victims often hesitate to file complaints, as the accused allegedly threatens to file false cases of harassment or assault against them.

One victim said he married Bansod, and she stayed at his home for eight days before fleeing with cash and jewellery. Later, he discovered she had married multiple times earlier.

There is now a growing demand for strict police action against such frauds. Authorities have urged people to verify backgrounds properly before marriage and avoid trusting agents without proper checks.

Mumbai: At least 10 auto rickshaws were gutted in a fire that broke out under the bridge at Chedda Nagar in Ghatkopar East on Wednesday afternoon.

Officials from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) quickly took charge and brought the blaze under control within an hour. Although traffic in the area was disrupted for some time, fire officials confirmed that, fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Several rickshaws parked under the bridge on the Eastern Express Highway at Ghatkopar East caught fire on Wednesday around 12:30 pm, creating panic in the area. The blaze reportedly started in a safety net and quickly spread to the vehicles.

Local residents alerted the MFB, which rushed to the spot along with local police. “By the time we arrived, some vehicles had been moved by locals, but 10 rickshaws were ablaze,” fire officials said.

Eyewitnesses reported that a few drug addicts who reportedly reside under the bridge were missing at the time of the incident. “Preliminary investigations indicate that cigarette butts dropped by them may have ignited the green safety net lying beneath the bridge, which rapidly spread to the parked rickshaws,” the official added.

Fire engines positioned on the road to control the blaze caused traffic congestion in the area for nearly an hour. The fire was successfully extinguished by 1:34 pm, and officials confirmed that no injuries or casualties occurred.