Pune:

Alleged false claims in the UPSC candidature, misuse of power after assuming the post, and now a complaint against her mother for threatening people with a gun – the troubles for trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar have been rising at an alarming rate.

Pune police registered a case after an old video showing Ms Khedkar’s mother threatening a group of farmers with a gun in her hand went viral online.

The video shows Manorama Khedkar wielding a pistol while engaging in a heated exchange with local farmers over a land dispute in Mulshi. In the footage, she is seen confronting a man and demanding to see land documents reportedly in her name, waving the weapon in his direction before concealing it upon noticing the camera.

Following public outrage and demands for action, the Pune Police registered a case against her for voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation.

Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh clarified that the incident occurred a year ago, and the complainant involved has been identified and verified.

“This incident took place one year ago. We have traced the person with whom this incident took place. We have verified him. Whatever complaint he will give we will lodge that and take legal action further,” he said.

Puja Khedkar is a 2023-batch IAS officer who secured an all-India rank (AIR) 841 in the UPSC exam. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, is also a retired administrative officer.

The 24-year-old is currently under scrutiny for alleged misrepresentation as an OBC non-creamy layer candidate during her UPSC exams, alongside claims of visual and mental disability without substantiation. These issues have further intensified public scrutiny of the family, including accusations against her father regarding property acquisitions and land disputes.

Local farmers have alleged that despite their attempts to file complaints against the Khedkar family previously, they were reportedly turned away by the police.

In exclusively accessed documents, NDTV found that according to a “statement of immovable property for the year 2023”, Puja Khedkar owns five plots of land and two apartments across Maharashtra valued at a staggering Rs 22 crore.

The junior officer is facing serious charges of “abuse of power”. It is alleged that she was using a red beacon, VIP number plates, and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private vehicle, an Audi sedan.

Asked about the allegations against her, Ms Khedkar told reporters, “I am not authorised to speak on the issue. Government rules don’t provide (allow) me to speak on this.”

Thane:

Maharashtra PWD Minister Dada Bhuse on Thursday said cracks that had developed on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have been repaired.

Talking to reporters, Bhuse said instructions have been given to officials to find out if there are more cracks along the 600 kilometre route of the expressway currently operational.

Incidentally, a video went viral during the day of a crater on the expressway in Sahapur in neighbouring Thane district. Traffic on the stretch between Shere Bere and Shendrun villages was affected for several hours due to this development.

Cracks have appeared within a year on the expressway, which was built at a cost of Rs 55,000 crore, due to corruption, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole told reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises.

Only powers-that-be have prospered due to the construction of the expressway, which is being dubbed the highway of death due to the large number of accidents taking place on it, Patole claimed.

“Like the Samruddhi Mahamarg, we exposed cracks in the Rs 18,000 crore Atal Setu connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Cracks on Samruddhi and Atal Setu are a sign of how unreliable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee is,” Patole quipped. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Several passengers travelling from Delhi to Varanasi on the Vande Bharat Express train encountered issues after the roof of the train started leaking. A video of the incident that has gone viral shows water leaking from the roof of the coach, leaving the seats drenched. Many passengers complained about the issue and slammed the Ministry of Railway for the poor management of trains.

”Look at Vande Bharat, one of the top passenger trains of India. Water is dripping from the roof. The track is Delhi-Varanasi and the train number is 22416,” an X user wrote while sharing the video. 

Watch the video here:

भारत की टॉप मोस्ट पैसेंजर ट्रेनों में एक वंदेभारत देखिए. छत से पानी टपक रहा है. दिल्ली-वाराणसी ट्रैक है और ट्रेन नंबर है 22416. pic.twitter.com/OoPiKbkQOr

— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) July 2, 2024

Responding to the video, the official handle of Northern Railway cited ”temporary blockage of pipes” as the reason behind the leakage and apologised for the inconvenience.

They wrote, ”Slight water leakage was observed in coach because of temporary blockage of pipes! The same was attended and rectified by the staff on the train . The inconvenience caused is regretted.”

Slight water leakage was observed in coach because of temporary blockage of pipes! The same was attended and rectified by the staff on the train .

The inconvenience caused is regretted.

— Northern Railway (@RailwayNorthern) July 2, 2024

However, several internet users expressed their anger and frustration at such situations and demanded better services from Railway authorities. One user wrote, ”Wow, incompetency at its peak.” Slight Leakage. It’s a brand-new train, what kind of pathetic manufacturing quality is this?? The roof is leaking clearly.”

Another commented, ”Vande Bharat, the first train with a shower. Passengers can now bathe while sitting in the rainy season.”

A third wrote, ”This is the condition of Vande Bharat train running from New Delhi to Varanasi. Water is dripping from the roof. People are not able to sit in their seats. The price being charged in Vande Bharat train is high, but the service is low.”

Notably, Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set. The train has state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable, and more convenient travel experience. These trains are equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology. 

A video showing Russian President Vladimir Putin waving goodbye to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un through the window of his private jet has gone viral on social media. The Kremlin leader arrived at Pyongyang’s airport early Wednesday. The two leaders spent more than 10 hours together during the one-day visit, as per TASS News agency. From feeding carrots to a horse to taking turns driving each other around in a Russian-built Aurus limousine, both of them were spotted enjoying each other’s company. In the end, Putin was also seen waving goodbye to Kim Jong Un from a plane in Pyongyang. 

In the video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), Vladimir Putin was seen peeping through the airplane window and waving at the North Korean leader. “Putin and Kim Jong Un emotional goodbye,” an X user wrote while sharing the clip. 

Take a look below: 

Putin and Kim Jong Un emotional goodbye pic.twitter.com/3IufORS27H

— HANDS OF DOOM (@handsofdoomtoy) June 21, 2024

Notably, the Russian President’s visit was his first to the country in 24 years. During the visit, they two held wide and one-on-one talks and attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial to soldiers of the Red Army killed in action liberating Korea in World War Two. The two also bonded over animals as Kim fed carrots to a horse while Putin patted it on its head. They also took turns driving each other around in a Russian-built Aurus limousine on Wednesday.

 According to reports, Putin had gifted Kim the Russian-built limousine in February this year and has again gifted him the same vehicle. Kim, who is believed to be a keen automobile enthusiast, now has at least two of the vehicles. 

Also Read | Watch: Putin Takes Kim Jong Un On Drive In Limousine, Later Gifts Him Car

In return, the North Korean leader gave the Russian President a pair of Pungsan dogs, a local breed. Kim and Putin were seen looking at the dogs, who were tied to a rose-covered fence, during a segment aired on the state-controlled Korean Central Television on Thursday. 

Kim described Putin as “the dearest friend of Korean people” and Putin thanked the host nation and its leadership for their “balanced stance” in regard of “the situation on Ukrainian direction,” The Independent reported. 

The leaders of North Korea and Russia also signed an agreement that deepens their military cooperation to include a mutual defence pledge to help each other if attacked, with Kim Jong Un calling the new ties an “alliance”.

As the mercury continues to rise, this summer is becoming unbearable in many parts of the country. Frustrated by the extreme heat, students at an educational institute in Amritsar staged a unique protest to demand air conditioning in their dorm rooms. A video, reportedly from IIM Amritsar, shows students sleeping in the institute’s mess as a mark of silent protest against the management’s failure to provide adequate cooling facilities in the dorms amid the heatwave. 

According to reports, the mess is one of the few areas of the IIM Amritsar hostel where AC has been installed. The video shows students sleeping on canteen chairs with their heads down, with one even lying on a table.

The caption of the video shared on X reads, ”IIM Amritsar students protested against the management to get AC installed in their hostel by sleeping in the library that has AC. One of them said, “Modern problem requires modern solution”. The user further corrected his tweet and mentioned that the place where students slept was the mess area and not the library. 

IIM Amritsar students protested against the management to get AC installed in their hostel by sleeping in the library that has AC. One of them said, “Modern problem requires modern solution” pic.twitter.com/d8D6rl9G9Q

— Shubh (@kadaipaneeeer) June 14, 2024

Several users empathised with the students, while some appreciated them for putting their demands forward without using any aggressive means. Some said that coolers and ACs air should be provided to students, as fans are mostly ineffective these days. 

One user wrote, ”Having just passed out from iim amritsar, I can say that the heat is unbearable at times. This demand was put forward last year too but not much was achieved. Temperature is around 45 but feels like 50. Plus one of the temporary hostels are such that you will feel better outside.”

Another commented, ”The heat is unbearable at times. The demand was put forward last year, too, but not much was achieved. Since hostel accommodations and even the campus are being run on a temporary accommodation, we hope that the shift to new building will resolve the problem.”

A third said, ”It’s already a matter of shame when a top institute cannot provide an AC in 50° Celsius temperature and students have to protest for it.”

A fourth added, ”Gotta love the ingenuity of IIM Amritsar students! Sometimes, you have to think outside the box. Hope the management gets the message!”

Amritsar has been experiencing an intense heat wave for the past few days. On Friday, Amritsar recorded a maximum temperature of 44.8 degrees Celsius, 
 

A viral video of a heated argument between a passenger and Lufthansa staff at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has prompted the airlines to open an investigation into the matter. The video, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user ‘Ghar Ke Kalesh’, shows the passenger repeatedly asking the ground staff why she was denied boarding the plane. It also shows a Lufthansa ground staff member leaving her cubicle and asking a fellow staff member to call security. 

Notably, the specific reason for the passenger’s denied boarding remains unclear, however, the video has received significant attention online and has even caught the attention of Lufthansa Airline. “Kalesh b/w Air lufthansa crew & a passenger for Delhi – Munich – Toronto flights with return ticket (Full context in Clip),” the X user wrote while sharing the video, which has accumulated more than 620,000 views. 

Take a look below: 

Kalesh b/w Air lufthansa crew & a passenger for Delhi – Munich – Toronto flights with return ticket (Full context in Clip) pic.twitter.com/BO4szehD10

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) May 8, 2024

In the video, a ground staff member is seen leaving her cubicle and asking a fellow staff member to call security. The passenger, while recording the confrontation on camera, then asks the staff to answer her query. “I am telling you very politely. I am calling the security,” the staff tells the passenger. “What you are doing, that is anyway not allowed. You cannot take the direct flight. If you want to know the rules, go to the German embassy,” the staff says as the passenger continues to film her.

The clip ends with the ground staff calling security and asking the passenger to tone it down. “I have already called security. Ma’am, please wait, you won’t travel,” the staff says. 

The clip was shared on the microblogging site last week. In the comments section, when one user tagged Lufthansa India, the airline responded saying they are investigating the case and are in contact with the people involved. 

Hi Harpreet, we are investigating this case and are in contact with the people involved. /Aria

— Lufthansa India (@Lufthansa_India) May 8, 2024

Meanwhile, numerous people also flocked to the comments section to share their reactions. 

“There could be a genuine reason to deny boarding to this passenger. But the way she pointed finger on the passenger and using that tone was not at all cool. Imagine you have paid 75k for your ticket and at the airport you are being treated this way. As if she is not calling the security, but a gang of hooligans to scare that person,” wrote one user. 

Also read | CBSE Board Results 2024 Spark Meme Fest On Social Media

“@lufthansa @DGCAIndia – seriously what sort of training are the airlines giving their customers. If this is polite way then god knows what impolite means. Can’t explain her the issue instead want embassy to explain? Is it intentional coz then they won’t refund the tickets also!” said another. 

“How arrogantly she was talking to customer because actually they don’t care, even if customer was wrong but she should have behave politely. I too had faced similar arrogance, so @lufthansa must think to change the staffing agency before it gets too late…” shared a third user. 

“@lufthansa @Lufthansa_India What is harm to guide a customer with proper reason instead of harassing customers.What if someday you will be waiting for customers and customers opt your competitors.Please treat the customers very politely as future is going to be too competitive,” expressed one X user. 

A small plane was forced to make a wheels-up emergency landing at Newcastle Airport in New South Wales after its landing gear failed. As per the Guardian, the plane had been circling above Newcastle for almost four hours with three people onboard, including the pilot, after discovering the mechanical issue. 

Notably, the Beechcraft Super King Air, operated by Eastern Air Services, had taken off at 8.30 am from Newcastle Airport, bound for a 112-mile flight north to Port Macquarie. However, just 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot raised an SOS alarm.

A video showed the plane approaching the runway without its landing gear activated before touching down and skidding along the tarmac until coming to a stop. Emergency response vehicles were on standby and could be seen in the video racing to the aid of the plane.

A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air aircraft (VH-XDV), reporting an issue with its landing gear has made a successful belly landing at Newcastle Airport in New South Wales after three hours of circling in the air to burn off the fuel.

The pilot and passengers walked away from the… pic.twitter.com/Jnk8ZbX8k6

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) May 13, 2024

Meanwhile, authorities who guided the aircraft down and onlookers burst into applause as it safely landed. 

Superintendent Wayne Humphrey from NSW police was all praises for the pilot for executing a successful landing. Neither the pilot nor his two passengers, a 60-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman were injured. Paramedics checked all three at the airport and none needed to be taken to a hospital, Mr Humphrey said.

”After some hours in the air burning off some fuel, he [the pilot] made a textbook wheels-up landing, which I was very happy to see … It ended really well, thank goodness,” he said.

“It was a great result, really well done by the pilot. I could hear him on the air, he sounded very calm to me,” Mr Humphrey added. 

Newcastle Airport said in a statement posted on social media: ”We’re incredibly relieved the aircraft landed safely this afternoon. We’re investigating options to recover the aircraft and re-open the airfield as soon as possible.”

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident. The runway will remain closed for 24 hours while its condition is assessed, but damage to the tarmac appears to be “superficial,” Humphrey said.

A horrific video has surfaced online showing a trans woman in the US running over a man twice with a car before kissing and stabbing him multiple times in broad daylight. According to Fox News, Steven Anderson, 64, was on his way to pick up the mail in his Houston neighbourhood on May 3 when the incident happened. A CCTV clip of the incident which has gone viral on social media, shows Mr Anderson getting struck by a white vehicle that then backed over him, hitting him for a second time. 

The suspect, with a knife in hand, was then seen flipping the elderly man over, straddling him, kissing him and then stabbing him nine times. She then tried to enter another car before leaving the scene on foot, jumping over the victim’s lifeless body. Mr Anderson was found by officers with multiple stab wounds already dead. 

NEW: Man killed by transgender driver who plowed into him, backed over him and stabbed him 9 times before kissing him and prancing over his body.

Absolutely horrific.

20-year-old suspect Karon Fisher is a man according to court papers.

After trying to flee the scene in a car,… pic.twitter.com/XuG8KcPIZw

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 11, 2024

”It’s very disturbing. I have kids here; they could have been out here playing, and imagine them,” one neighbour told Eyewitness News.

”Broad daylight. People around every time and it happened right under our noses,” another added.

Witnesses led officers to the suspect at a nearby location. According to KTRK, the suspect identified as Karon Fisher is identified in court records as a man but was described by officers as a woman. Fisher was eventually arrested and charged with murder, evading arrest with a vehicle, and assaulting hospital personnel, according to Harris County records.

“Charges have been filed against a suspect arrested in the fatal stabbing of a man in 7000 block of Woodridge Square Drive about 7:50 p.m. last Friday (May 3), “The suspect, Karon Fisher, 20, is charged with murder in the 185th State District Court,” the police statement read.

After the disturbing footage of the incident went viral, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also reacted to it and called it ”Terrible.”

Terrible

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2024

She is expected to appear in court on May 24.

Two videos have gone viral on X (formerly Twitter) where officers of Bandhan Bank and Canara Bank can be seen reprimanding their junior employees using foul language over failing to meet targets. The clips capture instances of verbal abuse, intimidation and demands for excessive work hours. They have sparked discussion among social media users on workplace ethics and employee well-being. Both incidents even prompted the banks to issue a clarification on the matter.  

In one of the videos that surfaced on May 4, a Canara Bank officer Lokapati Swain can be seen scolding employees for prioritising personal time over work. He is seen shouting and pressuring staff members to work extra hours, even on holidays and leave their family obligations. “If you will not participate in recovery, including holidays because you want time after working to travel with your family but your hell to your family. What should I do? I don’t care about my family, I don’t care about my family also, I care about Canara Bank. So clear message to all, and if week-wise, Monday to Saturday, work is not happening, Saturday or Sunday, whenever holiday, and if you did not respond kindly, things will be different and for everyone be it officer, chief manager, AGM,” he said

Take a look below: 

At Canara Bank we always value the contribution of our employees and their families, it is proven time and again. The bank does not endorse this kind of individual behaviour and personal opinion of a particular staff. We assure that appropriate action is being taken.

— Canara Bank (@canarabank) May 4, 2024

Responding to the incident, Canara Bank said that it “always values” the contribution of employees and their families, and “it is proven time and again”. “The bank does not endorse this kind of individual behaviour and personal opinion of a particular staff. We assure that appropriate action is being taken,” it said in a statement on X.

Also read | Feeling Extremely Busy Can Damage Brain Health, Says Yale Psychologist

In the second video that surfaced last month, a Bandhan Bank officer, Kunal Bhardwaj, can be seen screaming at a junior employee who apparently did not meet the targets set for the month. The clip, which has now been deleted, captures Mr Bhardwaj using abusive language and questioning the employee’s shame for their performance. When the employee apologised for his mistake and promised to rectify it, Mr Bhardwaj said, “Definitely correct sir?… Are you even ashamed of yourself? This is March?”

The Bank has taken cognizance of the incident. At Bandhan Bank, we place high emphasis on values & we condemn such behaviour. We do not endorse or promote such approach. Necessary action has already been initiated & we will take appropriate steps in line with the Bank’s policy.

— Bandhan Bank (@bandhanbank_in) April 25, 2024

Reacting to this incident, Bandhan Bank said, “The Bank has taken cognizance of the incident. At Bandhan Bank, we place high emphasis on values and we condemn such behaviour. We do not endorse or promote such an approach. Necessary action has already been initiated and we will take appropriate steps in line with the Bank’s policy”. 

Despite clarifications from the banks, the videos have sparked outrage among social media users. “In an organisation as toxic as yours @canarabank thousands of such cases go unnoticed. What action has been done against one such hyped case? Also we will make sure the employee who highlighted this is not harrassed as you have a history of doing so!” wrote one user. 

“What kind of values you people  are talking about!  Subjugation , threatening ,pressurising, abetment of sucide,” expressed another. “Nothing new ! We all know the working culture in Canara Bank. Neither they respond to any emails nor they pick up any call,” commented a third. 

“@canarabank What has been shown in the video is the sad reality. I left the organisation because of the toxic culture. What action have you taken till now? Was there no other senior management staff in this meeting who interrupted during this task? Your policies are only on paper,” shared an X user. 

New Delhi:

Anand Mahindra, chairperson of Mahindra Group, has shared online a video of a young boy who makes rolls on a roadside food cart.

In the clip, the 10-year-old named Jaspreet, can be seen making an egg roll. On being asked, the boy shared that his father recently died from brain tuberculosis. The boy, who also has a 14-year-old sister, said that their mother has left them, refusing to take responsibility. Despite these challenges, Jaspreet manages to attend school in the morning and runs his food cart in the evenings.

In addition to egg rolls, the young boy also sells chicken rolls, kebab rolls, paneer rolls, chowmein rolls, and seekh kebab rolls.

Sharing the clip, Mr Mahindra asked for the boy’s contact details. He wrote, “Courage, thy name is Jaspreet. But his education shouldn’t suffer. I believe, he’s in Tilak Nagar, Delhi. If anyone has access to his contact number please do share it. The Mahindra foundation team will explore how we can support his education.”

Check out the video below:

Courage, thy name is Jaspreet.

But his education shouldn’t suffer.

I believe, he’s in Tilak Nagar, Delhi. If anyone has access to his contact number please do share it.

The Mahindra foundation team will explore how we can support his education.

pic.twitter.com/MkYpJmvlPG

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 6, 2024

Commenting on the post, many people applauded Jaspreet’s courage and appreciated Mr Mahindra for his kind gesture.

A user wrote, “He is not giving up… this kid has decided to take up the responsibility & stand up for self…His courage is inspiring which is pushing him (to) stand during odd times…Salute to him… with right guidance in terms of education he will create many milestones…”

He is not giving up.. this kid has decided to take up the responsibility & stand up for self..

His courage is inspiring which is pushing him stand during odd times..

Salute to him.. with right guidance in terms of education he will create many milestones.. #Motivation

— Nitin Khandvikar (@nitinkhandvikar) May 6, 2024

Another added, “Jaspreet is fearless! Education is crucial. It’s great that the Mahindra foundation is stepping in to support his education.”

Jaspreet is fearless! Education is crucial. It’s great that the Mahindra foundation is stepping in to support his education. #EducationMatters

— Gaurav Mehta (@digitalgauravm) May 6, 2024

“It just made me cry. I really Hope Anand Ji will reach out to this Brave Boy and Help in every Possible Way. You can also raise Crowd Funding to help this Boy. After the Help i want this Boy to Ignore his Mom if she comes back for money,” read a comment.

Its Just made me cry ????

I really Hope Anand Ji will reach out to this Brave Boy and Help in every Possible Way.

You can also raise Crowd Funding to help this Boy.

After the Help i want this Boy to Ignore his Mom if she comes back for money.

— David (@DavidforIndia) May 6, 2024

It’s not the first time Anand Mahindra has extended help to a child. Previously, a young girl heroically saved her little sister from monkeys that had entered their home. Soon after, the business mogul shared a post expressing his admiration and offered her a job at the Mahindra Group when she grows up. Click here to read in detail.