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Vinesh Phogat Disqualified From Women’s Wrestling In Paris Olympics 2024; 5 Times India Suffered Heartbreaks Close To Securing A Medal

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In a massive setback for India’s wrestling medal aspirations, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50 kg women’s wrestling event on Wednesday. She was set to compete against the United States’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the Gold Medal match. The Indian Olympic contingent issued a statement revealing that Phogat had exceeded the 50 kg weight limit, leading to her disqualification.

The statement expressed regret over Phogat’s disqualification, noting that despite the team’s best efforts throughout the night, she weighed in slightly over the 50 kg mark. The Indian contingent requested privacy for Phogat and emphasized their focus on the ongoing competitions.

Phogat’s Performance At Paris Olympics

Phogat had advanced to the Gold Medal bout after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday night. Her disqualification is the latest in a series of near-misses for Indian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which has seen several competitors narrowly miss out on medals.

India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been marked by a string of close calls, with athletes like Lakshya Sen, Arjun Babuta, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Ankita Bhakat, Manu Bhaker and now Vinesh Phogat coming real close to securing medals but ultimately falling short.

Here are 5 recent heartbreaks that we suffered just close to securing a medal:

1. Manu Bhaker – Women’s 25m Pistol

Manu Bhaker fell short of securing a medal in the women’s 25m air pistol shooting final. Despite being among the top three for much of the competition, a series of poor shots near the end caused her to drop to fourth place after a shoot-off against Hungary’s Veronika Major. Bhaker missed two targets in the decisive shoot-off, while Major missed only one.

2. Lakshya Sen – Men’s Singles Badminton

Lakshya Sen came close to becoming the first male shuttler from India to win an Olympic medal, but his run ended following losses to Denmark’s Victor Axelsen in the semi-final and Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the bronze-medal match. Sen took the opening game 21-19 before conceding nine points in a row, a setback from which he never recovered.

3. Arjun Babuta – Men’s 10m Air Rifle Shooting

Arjun Babuta came close to a podium finish in the men’s 10m air rifle final, securing fourth place with a score of 208.4. Croatia’s Miran Maricic edged him out for the bronze with a score of 209.8, leaving Babuta just 1.4 points shy of a medal.

4. Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat – Mixed Team Archery

Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat achieved a historic fourth-place finish in the mixed-team archery event. They faced the USA’s Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold in the bronze medal match but lost 6-2. This marked India’s best result in Olympic archery, with Bommadevara and Bhakat becoming the first Indian archers to reach the semi-finals in the Olympics.

5. Anantjeet Singh and Maheshwari Chauhan – Mixed Skeet

In the skeet mixed team event, Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka narrowly missed a bronze medal. They qualified for the bronze medal match with a strong performance in the qualification round, scoring 146 out of 150. However, they fell short 43-44 against China, finishing in fourth place overall.

National

Govt to amend MCOCA to contain smuggling of narcotics: CM Fadnavis

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Mumbai, July 2: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday told the state council that the state government will move an amendment during the ongoing monsoon session to the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to take action against the smuggling of narcotics to deal with the cases in which the accused arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 received bail.

In his reply to a question by BJP legislator Parinay Fuke, the Chief Minister said that a separate NDPS unit has been set up in every police station in the state and officers and other personnel have been appointed in it. Coordination committees have also been set up at the district level. He added that the police have taken action in a large number of cases in the last two and a half years.

Fadnavis said that with the help of the Central Government, the state-level and inter-state coordination has now become more effective. He also said that intelligence sharing is going on with all the states, and due to this, joint action against smugglers has been possible.

The Chief Minister also said that addiction recovery centres are important and that appropriate policies will be formulated to increase their number and quality, and quality addiction recovery centres will be established. Clarifying that cannabis cultivation is banned and is not legal in Madhya Pradesh, he said that strict action will be taken against anyone smuggling cannabis, gutkha or similar substances.

Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis in his reply to another question raised by Shiv Sena UBT legislator Sunil Shinde said that all cases related to compassionate recruitment of police officers will be resolved on a mission mode in the 150-day plan of the state government. At the same time, orders have been given to all departments regarding compassionate recruitment.

Fadnavis said that the concept of 8-hour duty was first implemented in Mumbai itself. Sometimes there are exceptions during festivals, but overall, the 8-hour duty of the police has now become stable. Also, weekly holidays have been started across the state for the police, and if, for some reason, they do not get the leave, their ‘encashment’ has also been increased on a large scale. Earlier, the amount of this encashment was less, but now it has been increased, he added.

Large-scale housing projects for the police are being implemented across the state, including Mumbai. Work is also going on at a rapid pace at the taluka level. He mentioned that the work of the Police Housing Construction Corporation is unprecedented. Referring to the DG Loan Scheme, CM Fadnavis said that this scheme was started, but it was closed during the previous government. Now the scheme has been restarted, and efforts are being made to clear the backlog.

Addressing the increasing incidence of lifestyle-related diseases among the police, health check-ups have been made mandatory once a year for police officers above the age of 40 and twice a year for police officers above the age of 50. The Chief Minister said that a special scheme of counselling and interaction with senior officers is being implemented for the mental health of the police.

State’s home minister Yogesh Kadam said that the government is implementing many measures for the welfare of the police, in which free treatment is being provided for 40 types of diseases. For this, tie-ups have been made with 270 hospitals in the state. Cancer screening camps have been organised with various hospitals, and Yoga, meditation and gymnasium have been started for the police.

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National

Ahmedabad plane crash: Gujarat govt intensifies relief, insurance, identification efforts

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Ahmedabad, June 16: In the wake of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, which claimed 270 lives near Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has swiftly ramped up rescue, relief, and administrative support measures to assist grieving families and ensure a streamlined response to the crisis.

District Collectors have personally reached out to the families of victims, while nodal officers have been appointed across districts to oversee the disbursement of insurance and compensation to legal heirs. These officers, drawn from district-level accounting departments and relevant government bodies, are tasked with ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and empathetically.

To facilitate insurance processes, a joint coordination cell has been set up at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, in line with IRDAI guidelines. New India Assurance has taken the lead for general insurance claims on behalf of the General Insurance Council, and HDFC Life has been designated to handle life insurance claims. Alongside LIC, both companies have established help desks at the hospital to assist families with documentation, claims guidance, and other support.

Meanwhile, district authorities are actively aiding insurance teams by providing key documents, including the passenger manifest, to accelerate claim verifications. Twelve dedicated teams are working in rotational shifts to conduct DNA sample collection and matching. As of now, 250 blood samples have been collected from relatives and local residents.

So far, 62 DNA matches have been confirmed, and 35 mortal remains have been handed over to the respective families — 27 after DNA verification and eight through other forms of identification. Only three passenger identifications remain pending, with relatives currently en route from the United Kingdom to submit samples.

To ensure the dignified and smooth transfer of mortal remains, more than 250 nodal and assistant nodal officers have been deployed. These officers remain in touch with families throughout the process — from initial contact and DNA collection to the final rites — ensuring transportation of remains under police escort, handing over personal belongings, and staying present until funerals are complete.

More than 850 medical personnel, including 100 staff members at the trauma centre, have been deployed as part of the emergency medical response. This includes both permanent hospital staff and additional manpower mobilised specifically for this crisis. Counselling services are also being offered to families coping with trauma.

For families arriving from other states, the Gujarat government is coordinating with State Emergency Operation Centres across the country. Regular contact has been established with nodal officers in other regions to provide logistical and emotional support to affected relatives. A team from Air India remains stationed at the Civil Hospital round-the-clock to assist families. Free air travel arrangements are being provided to relatives based on individual needs.

The Roads and Buildings Department has arranged for accommodation and ground transportation to ensure that visiting families face minimal inconvenience. To manage inquiries and streamline support, state-run helplines and control rooms have been receiving and acting on calls from across the country. Over 1,700 calls have been registered as of Sunday evening, with authorities maintaining active coordination across all departments involved.

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General

New Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules 2025: Indian Railways Announces Compulsory Aadhaar Authentication From July 1; What It Means For Passengers

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New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims “to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users.”

The official communication specified that “With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”

Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings.

New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained:

  • From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways’ Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process.
  • Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations.
  • The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways’ authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings.
  • These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.

The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division.

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