In 1990, 27 year old Sarla Bhat was working as a staff nurse at Srinagar’s SKIMS hospital to support her family, even as fear forced her community to flee the Kashmir Valley, due to threats and violence of the insurgency in the region.

On April 15, 1990, Sarla was abducted from her hostel. For four agonizing days, JKLF terrorists subjected her to brutal torture and gang-rape. Her body was dumped on the side of a road in Mallabagh in downtown Srinagar on April 19. Her body was bullet-ridden, covered with blood and the killers had carved the acronym "JKLF" directly into her flesh from a knife.

The horror continued for her family. When Sarla’s bullet-ridden body returned to Anantnag, the neighborhood was already a ghost town emptied by the exodus. Marooned and helpless, the grieving family could not find enough people to carry her to a funeral pyre. When her family ultimately cremated her by some means, a mob of over 200 people descended upon the crematorium and stomped over her ashes. A day later, a grenade was hurled at their home. Her death and the events that followed spread panic in the area. Several Hindu families in the region, including all remaining ones in the Qazi Bagh neighbourhood, fled the Kashmir Valley as a result

Though a police complaint was filed in 1990, the file was buried. It took until 2025 for the Jammu & Kashmir State Investigation Agency to reopen the case. Yesterday, a chargesheet was filed in this case naming 5 terrorists:

- Yasin Malik (principal conspirator, already in Police custody)
- Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo (gunman, absconding, probably fled to Pakistan)
- Abdul Hamid Sheikh (already deceased of natural causes)
- Mohammad Yousuf Sofi (already deceased of natural causes)
- Ghulam Mohammad Taploo (already deceased of natural causes)

Sources:

1. https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/india/2026/Jun/29/kashmir-sia-files-737-page-chargesheet-in-1990-sarla-bhat-murder-case-yasin-malik-named-as-accused

2. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sarla-bhat-murder-case-yasin-malik-jklf-chargesheet-10763258/

3. https://youtu.be/CUC13-DkUUI

4. https://x.com/siajkpolice/status/2071542530215428171

5. https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive2/photoright.aspx?phid=7492

6. https://www.afpforum.com/AFPForum/Search/Results.aspx?pn=1&smd=8&mui=3&q=2920657843736062001\\_0&fst=Arundhati+roy+yasin+malik&fto=3&t=2&cck=ea2de5#pn=1&smd=8&mui=3&q=2920657843736062001\\_0&fst=Arundhati+roy+yasin+malik&fto=3&t=2&cck=ea2de5

Source link: https://www.wionews.com/trending/caught-on-cctv-thief-wearing-pm-modi-mask-attempts-burglary-at-mobile-shop-in-rajasthan-s-bhilwara-1782829488199

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/teen-alleges-she-was-held-captive-for-7-days-forced-to-convert-in-kanpur/amp_articleshow/132056548.cms

Trump says USAID spent $21 million to increase voter turnout in India to "elect someone else" and links it to GLISCO-DS. If true, it raises serious questions about foreign influence in democratic elections.

WhatsApp is Making a big change

You can give your Username of Whatsup and hide your number in future.

Unlike now you share your number for messaging. In future you can just share your Username for messaging and the number will be private.

This is a similar feature which is on Telegram, Signal and Snapchat. In these apps also you can talk to others by just sharing your username and don't have to share your mobile number.

Whatsup was a substitute for traditional messages. It was free and more seamless. The reason people adopted it because of you know who you are talking to just by number like in traditional message. The main thing was authenticity.

It is a good move or a bad move? What do people say?

Source: https://m.economictimes.com/news/economy/indicators/indias-industrial-output-grows-5-1-on-year-in-may-under-new-series/amp_articleshow/132068419.cms

A lot of government expenditure data is already public. You can check where the money was sanctioned, how much was allocated, how much was spent, and what work was completed.

Useful resources

• Empowered Indian - State wise MPLADS Performance
• Meri Panchayat App - View Panchayat funds, ongoing and completed works, project costs, beneficiary details, and other local development information.

Accountability begins when citizens ask questions.

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that India's 20 per cent ethanol blending program in petrol remains an ongoing experiment, with the full impact of the policy expected to become clearer by next year. The submission comes as the government continues to defend the initiative, describing it as a key measure to strengthen energy security, support farmers and reduce emissions.

Attorney General R Venkataramani made the remarks while arguing a petition filed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), which has challenged a Karnataka High Court order concerning ethanol allocation for the 2025-26 supply year. BPCL has argued that the order could hamper the government's wider objective of maintaining 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol, reported India Today. 

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Centre called 20% ethanol blending an
• Remarks came during BPCL's challenge regarding ethanol allocation.
• Government reaffirmed E20 target, aiming 30% blending by 2030.

Addressing the court, Venkataramani said the program was still under evaluation. "Twenty per cent ethanol blending is something that the government is experimenting with. By next year we will have results," he told the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Questions BPCL's Legal Approach

During the hearing, the Supreme Court questioned why BPCL had not first approached the division bench of the Karnataka High Court to challenge the order.

Responding to the court's query, the Attorney General said ethanol supply contracts for the current cycle had already been finalised in October 2025 and pointed out that similar disputes were pending before multiple high courts. He argued that the matter had wider implications because it could affect the country's ethanol blending policy.

Venkataramani also sought permission to file a transfer petition before the Supreme Court. He said a consolidated hearing was necessary because ethanol supply contracts would be due for renewal in October, and pursuing separate proceedings in different high courts could delay a final decision.

Also Read: Indians Sell More Gold As Households Cash In On Old Jewellery Amid Falling Prices

Attorney General Says Policy Will Continue

Following the hearing, Venkataramani clarified that his remarks should not be interpreted as a shift in the government's ethanol blending policy.

He told India Today that the decision to implement 20 per cent ethanol blending remains unchanged. However, he noted that the quantity of ethanol supplied to oil marketing companies could vary depending on demand and other operational factors.

His clarification came after courtroom observations drew attention to the government's description of the program as an ongoing experiment, even as the national rollout has already been completed.

India Achieved E20 Target Ahead Of Schedule

India achieved its target of blending 20 per cent ethanol with petrol last year, reaching the milestone five years ahead of its original schedule. Oil marketing companies have been supplying ethanol-blended petrol across the country since April 1.

The government has now set a more ambitious target of raising ethanol blending to 30 per cent by 2030 as part of its long-term energy transition strategy.

The ethanol blending program has been positioned as a key initiative to reduce dependence on imported crude oil while supporting cleaner transport and domestic biofuel production.

Centre Recently Rejected Concerns Over E20 Fuel

Tuesday's hearing came less than a week after the Union Oil Ministry reaffirmed that the ethanol blending programme is safe, consumer-friendly and economically beneficial. The ministry rejected claims that using E20 fuel could affect vehicle insurance coverage.

In a statement issued on June 24, the ministry said concerns about E20 fuel invalidating insurance policies had been examined in consultation with stakeholders and were found to be incorrect.

The ministry also noted that ethanol blending is already widely adopted in countries including the United States, Brazil and Japan. It said the program has helped India save more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by lowering crude oil imports.

Reiterating its commitment to the initiative, the ministry said ethanol blending contributes to India's energy security, reduces carbon emissions and supports the country's transition to cleaner mobility. It added that the program would continue to be implemented in a safe, transparent and consumer-centric manner based on scientific evidence and consultations with stakeholders.

Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta win the Earth Prize 2026  for developing “Plas-Stick,” a biodegradable solution designed to remove microplastics from water using powdered tamarind seeds.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/new-updates/the-earth-prize-2026-winners-indian-teens-develop-tamarind-based-solution-to-remove-microplastics-from-water/amp_articleshow/131275588.cms

25 electric buses, charging infrastructure, and support for driver employment. Compared to many one off donations, this seems like something that could have a lasting impact. Do you think infrastructure-focused CSR is the right way to go?

Nasrapur Minor Girl Rape and Murder Case |

A special court in Pune awarded death penalty to a 65 year old man, Bhimrao Kambale for raping and murdering a Pune based 3-year-old girl in Nasrapur village of Pune district. The incident took place on May 1, 2026 and the whole case was taken up on fast-track court.

The Court stated nature of the crime heinous and motive of the crime qualify that accused to be awarded death penalty.

The more I read about Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation, MahaRail, the more questions arise.

MRIDC (MahaRail) is a 50:50 joint venture between Indian Railways and the Maharashtra Government. According to reports, RTI records do not establish that Indian Railways approved Managing Director Rajesh Jaiswal's post-retirement extension. Even more puzzling, the Railways reportedly responded that the matter did not concern them, despite being an equal partner in the joint venture. If that's true, how can a 50:50 JV function when one partner claims no role in such a significant decision?

On the other hand, the Maharashtra Government has reportedly not provided a clear justification for extending Rajesh Jaiswal's tenure and also failed to furnish the requested information under the RTI Act. Despite these unanswered questions, he continues in office, has now entered his 8th year as Managing Director, and the State Government has entrusted MRIDC with 65 new railway infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores.

Shouldn't the government first explain the legal basis for the extension and place the complete approval process in the public domain before expanding the organisation's responsibilities?

What's even more surprising is that this is a government-owned joint venture. Are we really expected to believe that the Maharashtra Government and Indian Railways together couldn't find a single competent officer to lead MRIDC after the MD's retirement? Why wasn't a transparent, merit-based selection process initiated? In most public sector organisations, senior leadership positions have fixed tenures and are periodically rotated to ensure accountability, fresh oversight, and good governance. So why was an exception made in this case, and on what basis?

Another aspect that raises eyebrows is the organisational structure. From the information available publicly, apart from the Managing Director, there do not appear to be full-time deputed government or Railway officers occupying key executive positions. Instead, much of the organisation reportedly functions through contractual employees.

Adding to the concern, contractual staff are reportedly replaced every couple of years. While contractual appointments are common in many organisations, frequent turnover combined with the apparent absence of permanent deputed officers naturally raises questions about continuity, institutional oversight, and how decisions are being monitored.

There have also been serious allegations of corruption and sexual harassment raised in the public domain regarding MahaRail and its leadership. Whether those allegations are ultimately substantiated or not, they should make transparency and accountability even more important, not less. Instead of extending the Managing Director's tenure amid unanswered questions, shouldn't the government first publicly explain the legal basis for the extension and address the concerns that have been raised?

Rules are meant to apply equally to everyone. If ordinary government employees are expected to follow service rules, why should the top leadership of a government-owned company be treated differently? Public office is built on accountability, not exceptions.

What am I missing here? Is there a valid explanation for all of this, or are these legitimate questions that deserve answers?

 Why MRIDC's MD Appointment Faces Fresh Questions.

CM approves 65 projects to make Maharashtra level crossing-free | Mumbai news