Two days after Malayalam actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi were summoned, the Kerala Excise Department on Friday issued summons to three more people asking them to appear for questioning.

The move follows the arrest of Tasleem Sultana and one of her accomplices from a resort near Alappuzha on April 1, after a tip-off.

The operation resulted in the seizure of hybrid ganja worth approximately Rs 2 crore in the open market.

Later, the Excise officials arrested one more person who is closely associated with Sultana.

The names of the three have been withheld as, at the moment, there is a lack of evidence against them, but what has surfaced is that they had frequent interactions with Sultana.

At least five people died in a major industrial fire at the Rajgarhia Rice Mill located in the Dargah area of Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh on Friday, officials said. Three others are injured and undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. Their condition is critical.

According to reports, the fire started in the upper section of the rice mill around dawn, triggering chaos among the workers present.

In an attempt to control the blaze, eight workers rushed to extinguish the fire but were quickly surrounded by the dense, toxic smoke filling the facility. Tragically, five of them lost their lives after suffocating inside the mill.

Bahraich District Magistrate Monika Rani confirmed the incident and explained the circumstances leading to the mishap. “The workers were engaged in operations related to drying paddy. A machine was being used to remove moisture from the grains, and the smoke that emanated during this process proved fatal. Unfortunately, five workers died due to smoke inhalation,” she stated.

In a strong display of solidarity and national mourning, trade unions and market associations across Delhi have called for a one-day bandh on Friday, to honour the victims killed in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which is spearheading the initiative, announced that over 900 markets in the national capital will remain closed.

According to reports, the shutdown is being voluntarily observed by the trading community and is not intended as a protest but rather as a symbolic tribute.

CAIT Secretary General and BJP member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal stated, “This bandh is not a form of protest but a national tribute. We stand with the families of the victims and the government in this moment of grief. All traders are urged to participate voluntarily and ensure the bandh is observed peacefully.”

The organisation has also appealed to Delhi Police and administrative authorities to maintain law and order throughout the day and assist in ensuring a calm and respectful environment during the market closures.

Two Gujarat towns - Idar and Vadali - observed a spontaneous shutdown on Thursday to protest against the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people.

The attack, marked by indiscriminate firing, has left local communities shaken and furious.

In Vadali, residents took to the streets, chanting slogans like 'Pakistan Murdabad', demanding strict action against terrorism and those behind the brutal assault.

"Emotional reactions pouring in from all corners. In Sabarkantha, people expressed deep anguish, staging demonstrations and urging the government to take decisive action against terrorist elements. The incident has reignited debates around security policies and counter-terrorism measures," sources shared.

Business associations and local citizens joined hands in Vadali to condemn the attack, with many traders voluntarily shutting their establishments as a sign of solidarity with the victims and resistance against terrorism.

A 12-hour strike is underway at Jhalda in West Bengal's Purulia district on Thursday in memory of Intelligence Bureau (IB) official Manish Raman Mishra, who was killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam.

Mishra, who used to reside with his wife, son, and daughter in Hyderabad, had his roots at Jhalda, where he spent his school days. His other family members, including his parents, still reside at his ancestral residence at Jhalda.

The strike, which started from 6 a.m., was convened by two organisations -- Jhalda Nagarik Manch (Jhalda Citizens' Forum) and Jhalda Cricket Association.

The residents of Jhalda are peacefully and spontaneously observing the strike in memory of Mishra.

The shops and other commercial establishments also remained closed since morning

A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Chhattisgarh has sentenced three men to seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) each, along with a fine for supplying explosives and other material to Maoists for attacking the police force and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

They were arrested on March 8, 2023, from Belpocha village under Konta Police Station limits in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh.

The three men were apprehended when they were waiting for a person to supply explosive materials to cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) terror outfit in Chhattisgarh.

The accused, identified as Semal Deepak, Nara Bhaskar and Telam Mutta, all residents of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, have been convicted and sentenced by the court under various sections of the UA(P) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. All sentences will run concurrently, entailing seven years in jail for the accused, along with a Rs 500 fine against each.

The final rites of 33-year-old Neeraj Udhwani, who was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, were performed on Thursday at Mokshadham crematorium in Jaipur.

His elder brother, Kishore Udhwani, lit the funeral pyre, surrounded by grieving family members, friends, and a heavy police presence.

It was heart-wrenching to see Neeraj’s wife, Ayushi, who stood near his body with folded hands, unable to hold back her tears. Despite repeated attempts by family members to console her, she remained inconsolable with grief.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma visited Neeraj’s residence at Forest View Apartment in Model Town (Malviya Nagar) to pay his respects. The CM met Neeraj’s mother, Jyoti, who broke down upon seeing him.

The Chief Minister comforted her, wiping her tears and offering words of condolence. Several senior leaders and dignitaries, including Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, were present.

In a significant crackdown against Maoist insurgents, security forces in Chhattisgarh have launched a major operation in the Karregatta hills of Bijapur district. The operation has already resulted in the deaths of three Maoists, with their bodies recovered by the police.

The officials have reported the presence of a large number of Maoists in the area, which has been surrounded by the forces.

The encounter, described as fierce and intense, continues to unfold, with further details expected once the operation concludes.

Following intelligence inputs, this joint operation has been going on since Monday, involving the police forces of Telangana and Chhattisgarh, and is the largest of its kind to date along the border of the two states.

Approximately 150 Maoists have been encircled, and the exchange of gunfire has persisted for three days. Among those surrounded are high-profile Maoist leaders such as Hidma, Deva, and Damodar, each carrying a reward of Rs one crore.

One soldier was killed on Thursday in a gunfight between the security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.

The Army said that based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched on Thursday in Basantgarh, Udhampur.

“Contact was established, and a fierce firefight ensued. One of our Brave hearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite the best medical efforts. Operations are going on,” said officials here.

Further details of the soldier were awaited.

A module of the overground workers (OGWs) of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has been busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, said police on Thursday, adding that four have been arrested.

A police statement said, “Police received credible information that some OGW's affiliated with terrorist outfit LeT have hatched a criminal conspiracy on the directions of their handlers and are seeking a chance to attack Police /Security Forces and non-locals. Acting on this information, Bandipora Police launched a manhunt and special ‘Nakas’ were placed at different places in the district. Accordingly, a joint naka was established by Bandipora Police along with D-Coy 45 Bn (Battalion) CRPF and E-Coy of 13 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) at Kanipora Naidkhai Sumbal."

“During Naka checking, two persons identified as Mohammad Rafiq Khanday, son of Mohammad Afzal Khanday, resident of Khanday Mohalla Watalpira, Banyarai and Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, son of Mohammad Yousuf Dar, resident of Bunpora Mohalla S.K Bala, were apprehended," the statement mentioned.