Two workers lost their lives on Wednesday when a section of an under-construction tunnel collapsed near Choral on the Indore-Ichhapur National Highway, officials said.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m. at Tunnel Number 3, the part of a major infrastructure project, aimed at improving connectivity between Indore and Khandwa.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Umakant Choudhary said, "Persistent heavy rainfall loosened the surrounding soil and triggered the collapse. It caused the outer face of the tunnel to give way. One worker died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries in a hospital."

The official also added, "A MERG report has been filed, and we will investigate the matter once the post-mortem reports are received. The investigation will focus on whether safety protocols were adequately followed, especially given the ongoing monsoon season, which often heightens the risk of such accidents."

The police in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district said on Wednesday that it has attached the property of a notorious drug peddler in the city worth Rs 1 crore, officials said.

A police statement has said, "In a major action against the drug menace, the Srinagar police have attached a residential property -- comprising a two-storeyed house along with land -- worth nearly Rs 1 crore, belonging to a notorious drug peddler, Pervaiz Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Takanwari in Karnabal."

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Wednesday, launched a coordinated crackdown across Gujarat and Maharashtra in connection with a massive cyber fraud case involving more than Rs 100 crore, officials said.

Raids were carried out early in the morning at several offices and residences in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Mumbai, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Acting on a complaint filed by the Gujarat Police, the Ahmedabad Zonal Office of the ED initiated searches at properties linked to multiple individuals suspected of orchestrating large-scale digital financial scams.

The key accused named in the case include Maqbool Doctor, Kashif Doctor, Basam Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai, and Maz Abdul Rahim Nada, among others.

In a startling revelation made by the National Investigating Agency (NIA), it has surfaced that the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) had prepared a hit list of 950 people in Kerala.

The list, which surfaced in the media on Wednesday, included a now-retired district judge.

Incidentally, this list was submitted early this month by the NIA at a special court here when the bail applications of four accused in the murder of RSS leader Sreenivasan came up for hearing. The NIA opposed the bail strongly. The four accused, identified as Muhammad Bilal, Riyasudheen, Ansar K.P. and Saheer K.V., were arrested for murdering Sreenivasan at Palakkad, Kerala, in 2022.

The list of 950 was compiled after getting confirmed inputs from different places by the NIA probe team. It includes eight documents seized from the 51st accused, Sirajudheen, which contain a list of 240 people from other communities.

A multi-tier security grid has been put in place nine days ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, which begins on July 1, said officials on Wednesday.

The officials said that the multi-tier security ring manned by the army, CAPFs, including BSF, SSB and CRPF, in addition to J&K Police, is in place and active for the 53-day-long Amarnath Yatra, which ends on August 9.

A mock drill to review the alertness and response of the security grid is being held today along both the south Kashmir Pahalgam and north Kashmir Baltal routes.

In addition to the components of the district police in various districts of Jammu and Kashmir through which the pilgrims will pass, 10 SPs, 15 DySPs, and hundreds of CAPF personnel have been deployed additionally to provide security to the Yatra this year.

To thwart any terrorist design, over two dozen cordon and search operations (CASOs) are carried out daily in the South Kashmir areas, while the ubiquitous presence of security forces dotting the entire route from Srinagar to the cave shrine is maintained on the North Kashmir Baltal route.

A chemical tanker carrying methanol overturned and burst into flames on Wednesday near Maukhampura town on the Jaipur-Ajmer National Highway, resulting in the death of the driver and causing widespread chaos on the busy stretch.

According to Maukhampura Police, the deceased has been identified as Rajendra Zinda, the tanker driver, who died on the spot due to severe burns.

The intense fire engulfed the vehicle rapidly, and thick smoke was seen from over 300 metres away, prompting nearby drivers to stop and run for safety.

In a state of panic, many commuters left their vehicles on the highway and ran into nearby fields, fearing a possible explosion due to the chemical spill.

Eyewitnesses, heading towards Jaipur, said, "The tanker suddenly overturned and turned into a ball of fire. Everyone panicked. We stopped our car and ran back to save ourselves. Thankfully, no other lives were lost."

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has predicted light to moderate rainfall in isolated parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, with eight districts expected to receive showers.

The forecast also includes possible thunder, lightning, and strong winds in some areas due to a change in the westerly wind pattern.

According to RMC officials, the districts likely to witness rainfall include the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Theni, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Dindigul. These areas, particularly those located in the Western Ghats and the southern tip of the state, are more susceptible to moisture-laden winds during the southwest monsoon season.

A statement from the weather office noted that "light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and gusty winds is likely to occur at one or two places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on Wednesday."

At least five motorcyclists were killed in two separate road accidents across Jharkhand within a span of 12 hours.

In the first incident on Tuesday afternoon, a speeding bike rammed into a stationary truck on the Sariya-Bagodar road in Giridih district.

The rider, Gaurav Kumar Rajak alias Tinku, and his father-in-law, Sahdev Mandal, sustained severe injuries in the crash. Local residents rushed them to the trauma centre in Bagodar, but doctors declared both dead on arrival.

Gaurav, a resident of Kalali Road under Sariya police station limits, was reportedly on his way to Bagodar with his father-in-law for some urgent work.

A case of vigilantism has come to light in the Hata police station area of Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh, where two farmers transporting bulls for agricultural use were allegedly assaulted by self-styled cow protectors (Gau Rakshaks).

The assailants, suspecting that the farmers were smuggling cattle, intercepted them late on Monday night and forcibly took them, along with the animals, to the local police station.

A video of the farmers alleging assault later surfaced on social media.

The victims, identified as Puran and Bharat Yadav from Kalakot village under the Kumhari police station area, were transporting four bulls purchased from Bakswaha in Chhatarpur district.

Despite presenting valid purchase receipts, the farmers were reportedly beaten by the group of vigilantes before being handed over to the police.

Hata police station incharge and Investigating Officer Dharmendra Upadhyay confirmed that the bulls had been legally acquired and were being transported for farming purposes.

The Gujarat High Court received a bomb threat via email early on Tuesday morning. A bomb squad and a police team launched a full-scale search operation in and around the High Court complex. While no suspicious object was found, the building remains under heightened security.

At 7:55 A.M. on Tuesday, the chilling message, sent from an ID identified as renee_joshilda@hotmail.com, claimed that three RDX-based IEDs had been planted inside the court complex and warned that a VIP would be targeted.

The email further alleged that similar explosives had been placed in court premises across the state. Immediately after the threat was received by officials at the CPC and Registrar General’s office, security protocols were activated.