Mumbai, July 7: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, Sandeep Deshpande, on Tuesday took a sharp, sarcastic jibe at the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra and mocked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) frequent tendency to blame India’s historical issues on the country’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Pandit Nehru is responsible for the landslide on the Mumbai Pune Missing Link, and those who still want to criticise the government should move to Pakistan,” Deshpande wrote in his satirical post, taking a swipe at the ruling coalition’s typical rhetoric to deflect criticism.

Despande’s move to target the Mahayuti government comes after the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ editorial remarked that the political handling of the incident has followed a predictable pattern.

Whenever such structural failures occur, the ruling politicians shift accountability to nature to cover up administrative lapses.

“In the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis deflected the blame entirely onto the unprecedented weather conditions. He maintained that while the administration had completed all necessary pre-monsoon preparations, the intensity of the downpour exceeded all engineering expectations—a defensive explanation that has become standard practice,” said the editorial.

Earlier, a major political controversy erupted in Maharashtra following a landslide on the recently inaugurated ‘Missing Link’ project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Monday.

Coming just days after the project’s opening, the incident—along with reports of potholes surfacing on the stretch—has triggered intense scrutiny over the quality of construction, with Opposition parties training their guns on the Mahayuti government.

The controversy escalated after nearly 100 tonnes of debris and soil crashed onto the entry point of the Missing Link, which had been heavily promoted by the ruling alliance as an “engineering marvel.”

Opposition leaders swiftly surrounded Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, questioning the standard of work executed under the government’s watch. Opposition parties also questioned the projection of CM Fadnavis as ‘infra man’.

Responding to the allegations, CM Fadnavis defended the project, attributing the landslide to unprecedented rainfall and shifting climate patterns.

His justification, however, triggered a fresh wave of allegations and counter-allegations between the ruling and Opposition factions throughout Monday.

Following the massive landslide, traffic coming from both Mumbai and Pune directions on the Missing Link was completely suspended for the entire day on Monday. The blockade was cleared late at night.

Around 11:00 P.M, Fadnavis shared a video on social media showing the debris being removed, confirming that the stretch had been reopened for vehicles.

Addressing the incident, Fadnavis emphasised that the state machinery acted promptly. “A landslide occurred on the Mumbai-Pune route. These incidents are happening due to changing nature cycles. While the administration was fully prepared, events contrary to expectations took place,” Fadnavis stated.

He further added, “As soon as the landslide occurred on the connecting link, traffic was immediately stopped. Vehicles coming from both Mumbai and Pune sides were either halted or diverted. The state government and all relevant agencies are on high alert. Nearly 100 tonnes of debris came down on the road. Notably, this landslide occurred in an area where no such incident had ever been recorded in the past.”

Mumbai, July 7: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday alleged that the recent spell of torrential rain across Mumbai, the Konkan region and other parts of Maharashtra has exposed the shortcomings of several flagship infrastructure projects showcased by the state government.

From pre-monsoon drain desilting in Mumbai to the state’s heavily publicised “rapid progress”, nature has completely debunked the official narrative, it said.

The Thackeray camp, in the party mouthpiece Saamana, stated that the state government had generated immense publicity around the Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘Missing Link’ project. However, the high-tech corridor was brought to a standstill during the very first spell of heavy rain. On Monday morning, a massive crater opened up within the project area, creating an internal waterfall that effectively washed away the government’s promises of seamless, high-speed travel.

The editorial remarked, “The political handling of the incident has followed a predictable pattern. Whenever such structural failures occur, the ruling politicians shift accountability to nature to cover up administrative lapses. In the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis deflected the blame entirely onto the unprecedented weather conditions. He maintained that while the administration had completed all necessary pre-monsoon preparations, the intensity of the downpour exceeded all engineering expectations — a defensive explanation that has become standard practice.”

The editorial further said that this follows a recent controversy where several potholes appeared along the same Missing Link stretch. Instead of providing a sound technical explanation to the opposition’s criticisms, the leadership brushed it off with a bizarre assertion that the patches were part of an “engineering technique”. For such a highly anticipated flagship project, the need for damage control just months after opening raises serious concerns.

The Thackeray camp claimed that the Missing Link is not an isolated incident. The standard of several other landmark infrastructure projects across the state has come under fire. The Samruddhi Mahamarg, once aggressively promoted as a world-class highway, was torn apart during its first monsoon. Potholes and cracks have now become a permanent fixture. The situation deteriorated to a point where the government had to deploy a dedicated 24-hour special task force to patch up recurring cracks, said the editorial.

According to the editorial, on Sunday, severe roof leakages were reported across two functional metro lines, forcing authorities to place plastic buckets on platforms to collect rainwater. This mirrors last year’s monsoon, where rainwater cascaded like waterfalls inside under-construction and operational underground stations, leaving commuters navigating through accumulated silt. The standard pre-monsoon works and drain-cleaning drives in Mumbai have yielded similarly poor results. Open manholes and uprooted trees have already claimed six to seven innocent lives this season, added the editorial.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that supporters of Devendra Fadnavis frequently label him an ‘Inframan’, pointing toward a massive portfolio of mega-projects including the Samruddhi Mahamarg, Metro Rail network, Atal Setu, Shaktipeeth Expressway, Vadhavan Port, the ‘Fourth Mumbai’ urban plan, Navi Mumbai International Airport, and the Missing Link. However, successive monsoon seasons have acted as a reality check, deflating these claims of “world-class excellence” one by one.

“Monday’s structural breach at the Missing Link — which effectively washed away thousands of crores of public taxpayers’ money into a muddy waterfall — is the latest example,” observed the Thackeray camp.

With claims constantly getting buried in the potholes of Samruddhi or drowned in the leakages of the Missing Link, the citizens of Maharashtra are left asking a fundamental question: “How exactly is he an Inframan?” asked the editorial.

New Delhi, July 7: Delhi Police arrested the driver of a Mercedes car in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old scooty rider near the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the Outer Ring Road in northwest Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.

The accident took place on July 5 near the Foot Over Bridge at the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the GTK Bypass stretch towards ISBT. Police said they received information about a road accident in which a scooty rider had sustained serious injuries. The victim was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The deceased was identified as Deepak, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi.

According to Delhi Police, the investigation gained momentum after a PCR caller informed officers that a Mercedes car bearing registration number HR-51BT-6304 had hit the scooty before fleeing the spot.

“The vehicle was traced, and after serving notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act to the registered owner, it was revealed that Ansh Pratap Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” Delhi Police said.

Based on the findings of the investigation, police registered FIR No. 436/2026 at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rash or negligent driving and causing death by negligence.

“The accused driver was identified and arrested. Further investigation is in progress,” Delhi Police said.

Police are also examining the circumstances leading to the accident and collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, to establish the sequence of events.

The arrest comes after investigators tracked down the luxury vehicle using its registration details provided by the eyewitness who alerted the police through the PCR helpline. Officials said further legal proceedings will be carried out as the investigation continues.

Delhi Police have not yet disclosed whether the accused was under the influence of alcohol or whether any additional charges may be invoked, stating that the investigation is still underway.