Blog

ASI Virendra Singh had investigated a case related to corruption in the Railways in 1993 after which the accused was dismissed from service.

An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) with the CBI was attacked by a former railway gangman with a bow and arrow outside the agency’s office in Hazratganj here following which the accused was arrested, police said on Saturday.

ASI Virendra Singh (55), who suffered a chest injury in the incident on Friday, had investigated a case related to corruption in the Railways in 1993 after which the accused was dismissed from service. The accused, identified as Dinesh Murmu, had also attacked a policeman in 2005, they said.

SHO of Hazratganj police station Vikram Singh told PTI that “Dinesh Murmu (65), a resident of Munger (Bihar), attacked ASI Singh with a bow and arrow outside the CBI office located on Naval Kishore Marg”.

The ASI is undergoing medical treatment in Lucknow, and his wound was about five centimetres deep, he said.

The Station House Officer (SHO) said that Murmu has been booked for the offence of attempt to murder under the BNS and has been arrested. After completing the legal process, the accused will be sent to jail today.

The SHO said that Murmu was a railway gangman when Singh had investigated a case related to corruption in 1993 and the accused was dismissed from service.

According to police sources, Murmu had gone to Delhi to meet a CBI officer in 2005 and attacked a policeman, after which he was sent to jail.

In 2015, he was also arrested after a dispute with a GRP jawan at Jaunpur railway station and remained in jail for about three and a half years.

The accused was critically injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment, but died due to injuries.

A man accused of abduction and rape of a three-year-old girl in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was killed in an encounter with police on Friday.

The accused was identified as Deepak Verma by the police after scanning CCTV footage that showed him with the child.

The officials said he was a habitual offender with criminal cases lodged across the city police stations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Ashish Srivastava said five police teams were formed immediately after the incident was reported, and a reward of Rs one lakh was announced for his arrest.

Police, after identifying him through CCTV footage, secured his scooter’s registration details. Later, following a tip-off, police intercepted Verma near Devi Kheda in Cantonment early Friday.

“When asked to surrender, he opened fire at the police team. In retaliatory firing, he sustained injuries,” said Srivastava.

DCP Srivastava gave the details of the case. He said, “On the morning of June 5, at 10 a.m., a complaint was registered that a 2.5-year-old girl had been raped… A case was registered and five teams were formed… As per the CCTV footage of the scooter, the accused was identified as Deepak Verma… The Commissioner of Police was given a proposal to declare a reward of Rs 1 lakh… Within 20 hours, there was an encounter between the police team and the accused.”

The accused was critically injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment, but died due to injuries.

The three-year-old girl was abducted, raped and then abandoned under a metro bridge in an unconscious condition, the police said on Thursday.

The incident occurred in the Alambagh area of Lucknow. The girl used to live near the Chandanagar Metro Station with her parents. After the parents could not find the girl in the morning, they started searching for the minor. After a while, the toddler was found in an unconscious state under the metro bridge.

The parents took the girl to Lok Bandhu Hospital and filed a police complaint at Alambagh Police Station. Upon receiving the information, the police arrived at the spot and started the investigation.

Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said he is excited about the scientific tasks that he and the crew will perform for the next 14 days in the International Space Station (ISS).

Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said he is excited about the scientific tasks that he and the crew will perform for the next 14 days in the International Space Station (ISS). He said he is feeling a bit “lightheaded” but “that is nothing compared to the excitement”.

It was the first time the entire team spoke together since Group Captain Shukla and three other astronauts successfully docked their Dragon spacecraft with the ISS this evening. Visuals beamed from the ISS showed the four astronauts who had just arrived enjoying a healthy drink and laughing.

“I am feeling lightheaded,” the IAF pilot-turned-astronaut said. “But that is not much of an issue compared to the things we will do here for the next 14 days. It is a very proud and exciting moment, a big step in our space journey,” Group Captain Shukla said, flanked by the ISS crew and the three astronauts who came with him – Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and Dr Peggy Whitson of the US.

He reiterated what he said earlier about the tricolour (national flag). “I wear the tricolour on my shoulders with pride.”

Group Captain Shukla’s family along with friends and relatives gathered at the school in Lucknow where he studied and watched the live telecast of the space capsule Dragon’s successful docking at the ISS.

The capsule which is part of the Axiom 4 mission is the fifth and final Dragon in Elon Musk-owned company SpaceX fleet. It was christened “Grace” after reaching orbit.

Asha Shukla, the mother of IAF Group Captain, was seen tearing up as she watched the live telecast of the docking in the ISS.

“We are extremely proud. We have been praying for his success. This is a proud day for us,” his father Shambhu Dayal Shukla told news agency ANI, adding the family will meet with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Indian astronaut has become the 634th astronaut in the world to travel to space. Mission commander Dr Peggy Whitson handed out astronaut pins to him, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu, who marked their first voyage to space.

“I am astronaut 634. It is a privilege to be here,” Group Captain Shukla said in brief remarks at the formal welcome ceremony on the space station. “With your love and blessings, I have reached the International Space Station. It looks easy to stand here, but I’m a bit lightheaded, a minor issue,” he said. “We will get used to it. This is the first step of this journey.”

Lucknow will cheer for Group Captain Shubhanshu ‘Shux’ Shukla when he embarks on a historic journey to the ISS, with his alma mater – City Montessori School – organising a grand public watch party.

Lucknow will cheer for Group Captain Shubhanshu ‘Shux’ Shukla on Wednesday when he embarks on a historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS), with his alma mater – City Montessori School – organising a grand public watch party here to celebrate the lift-off.

Initially scheduled for Tuesday, the launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Shukla and three others to the ISS was postponed to Wednesday due to weather conditions, the ISRO said on Monday evening.

Over 15 hoardings congratulating the 39-year-old Lucknow-born Indian Air Force pilot have been put up across the state capital as India awaits its second national to undertake a spaceflight after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 odyssey.

The feat would propel Shukla into history as the first Indian to step on the ISS.

Shukla is all set to travel with three other crew members onboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will lift off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 5:30 pm (IST) on Wednesday.

As Group Captain Shukla pilots the Dragon with commander Peggy Whitson and crewmates from Poland and Hungary on a 14-day research mission, an impressive crowd — including relatives, friends and teachers of Shulka — will watch the lift-off together as the City Montessori School (CMS) has set up giant screens to relay the launch live with NASA/Axiom commentary.

“A life-size ISS Cupola replica, ‘Defy Gravity’ photo booth and telescope, mock-up of a mission control centre, space-themed live music, art installations and STEM kiosks, and a space fashion parade would be the other highlights of the launch party,” CMS founder-director Bharti Gandhi Kingdon said.

“By counting down together, we will all contribute to the historical milestone being created by ‘hamara beta’ Shux,” she added.

Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, manager, CMS, said there’s palpable excitement among students across the city to witness the extraordinary event.

“Shux has opened the doors to space for Lucknow’s youth, proving that with perseverance, even the cosmos is within reach,” she said.

“We are praying for the success of the mission our son is leading, which holds enormous importance for the country,” Shukla’s father Shambhu Shukla told PTI.

His elder sister Shuchi Misra said, “We are eagerly looking forward to the launch. Shux is incredibly focused yet brimming with joy. All his preparations were for this moment, and CMS laid the cornerstone of that confidence.” Rishi Khanna, head of communications, CMS, said the entire watch party will be live-streamed on CMS’s YouTube channel.

“We will begin our programme at 3.30 pm on Wednesday as the mission launch has been postponed,” Khanna told PTI.

An overweight tourist from the UK was dragged out of Wednesday’s Thai Lion Air flight from the Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) in Bangkok for allegedly demanding the emergency aisle seat, the New York Post reported.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, was reportedly unable to sit on his designated window seat and asked for an emergency aisle seat for more legroom. His request, however, was declined.

He then threw tantrums and got engaged in a heated argument with the flight attendants, who called the authorities to escort the passenger off the plane.

As per the report, the co-passengers also slammed him for creating a scene and delaying the flight by one hour. As quoted, one passenger said, “He is so f**king selfish”.

“At first, I thought we couldn’t take off because the man had fallen ill,” the traveller who filmed the video recalled, as quoted. “It turned out he just thought the economy seat was too crowded and insisted on moving to the emergency exit.”

Another incident of an unruly passenger

News about unruly passengers disrupting the normal operation of the aircraft is often reported. In May, a male passenger on an IndiGo Airlines Delhi to Shirdi flight reportedly sexually assaulted a cabin crew member near the aircraft’s lavatory.

The man, identified as a government employee from Rajasthan, was reportedly intoxicated and was detained upon landing.

As per the report, the co-passengers also slammed him for creating a scene and delaying the flight.

An overweight tourist from the UK was dragged out of Wednesday’s Thai Lion Air flight from the Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) in Bangkok for allegedly demanding the emergency aisle seat, the New York Post reported.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, was reportedly unable to sit on his designated window seat and asked for an emergency aisle seat for more legroom. His request, however, was declined.

He then threw tantrums and got engaged in a heated argument with the flight attendants, who called the authorities to escort the passenger off the plane.

The report mentioned that the authorities dragged him away when he blocked the aisle in protest. The police held his arms and legs to remove him from the aircraft.

As per the report, the co-passengers also slammed him for creating a scene and delaying the flight by one hour. As quoted, one passenger said, “He is so f**king selfish”.

“At first, I thought we couldn’t take off because the man had fallen ill,” the traveller who filmed the video recalled, as quoted. “It turned out he just thought the economy seat was too crowded and insisted on moving to the emergency exit.”

Another incident of an unruly passenger

News about unruly passengers disrupting the normal operation of the aircraft is often reported. In May, a male passenger on an IndiGo Airlines Delhi to Shirdi flight reportedly sexually assaulted a cabin crew member near the aircraft’s lavatory.

The man, identified as a government employee from Rajasthan, was reportedly intoxicated and was detained upon landing.

A man who was abandoned in a plastic bag as a newborn has been reunited with his birth family after 40 years. According to People, Jon Scarlett-Phillips, now 40, was found in a swimming pool car park’s toilet in Milton Keynes, UK, back in September 1984. He was reportedly wrapped in a blanket inside a plastic bag and even had his placenta still attached when he was abandoned by his birth mother. He was discovered by three teenage girls, who called for help and an ambulance. 

Now, after almost four decades, Mr Scarlett-Phillips met his half-siblings during an episode of the UK television show ‘Long Lost Family’. On the show, he said he is grateful to the three girls who found him. “I’m grateful, very grateful that they (the three teenage girls) heard me and found me. They’re the ones that saved my life,” he said, as per the outlet.

The 40-year-old also stated that deciding to look for his birth family had been tough. “I didn’t want to search for a very long time. It’s hard, it’s hard to deal with,” he said. “The question is still there: ‘Why did she do it?’” he added.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips, who was later adopted, is now a chef. He lives with his wife and their 17-year-old son. He said while he had a “good childhood,” he always knew he was a “foundling,” which resulted in “anger issues”. “I had a lot of anger issues, a lot of emptiness, and when you feel empty, you don’t know how to fill that,” he said. 

During the show, Mr Scarlett-Phillips wasn’t able to reunite with his birth mother, but his half-sisters informed that their mother, who was around 20 when she gave birth to him, was suffering from a long-term illness. According to The Independent, she felt “physically and mentally” unable to attend. 

His mother also sent a message for their meet-up, which read, “Hi, I’ve sent this message to the girls so they can let you know the reasons why I’m not with them today. Unfortunately, I feel unable, both physically and mentally, to come today following a long period of illness.”

She added that she’s struggling with feelings of guilt and shame, and that she needs to process them before going any further.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips’ birth siblings, on the other hand, instantly connected. “We’ve always wanted a brother,” they said on the show. “Well, you’ve now got one and I’m not going anywhere,” he stated. 

A man who was abandoned in a plastic bag as a newborn has been reunited with his birth family after 40 years. According to People, Jon Scarlett-Phillips, now 40, was found in a swimming pool car park’s toilet in Milton Keynes, UK, back in September 1984. He was reportedly wrapped in a blanket inside a plastic bag and even had his placenta still attached when he was abandoned by his birth mother. He was discovered by three teenage girls, who called for help and an ambulance. 

Now, after almost four decades, Mr Scarlett-Phillips met his half-siblings during an episode of the UK television show ‘Long Lost Family’. On the show, he said he is grateful to the three girls who found him. “I’m grateful, very grateful that they (the three teenage girls) heard me and found me. They’re the ones that saved my life,” he said, as per the outlet. 

The 40-year-old also stated that deciding to look for his birth family had been tough. “I didn’t want to search for a very long time. It’s hard, it’s hard to deal with,” he said. “The question is still there: ‘Why did she do it?’” he added.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips, who was later adopted, is now a chef. He lives with his wife and their 17-year-old son. He said while he had a “good childhood,” he always knew he was a “foundling,” which resulted in “anger issues”. “I had a lot of anger issues, a lot of emptiness, and when you feel empty, you don’t know how to fill that,” he said. 

During the show, Mr Scarlett-Phillips wasn’t able to reunite with his birth mother, but his half-sisters informed that their mother, who was around 20 when she gave birth to him, was suffering from a long-term illness. According to The Independent, she felt “physically and mentally” unable to attend. 

His mother also sent a message for their meet-up, which read, “Hi, I’ve sent this message to the girls so they can let you know the reasons why I’m not with them today. Unfortunately, I feel unable, both physically and mentally, to come today following a long period of illness.”

She added that she’s struggling with feelings of guilt and shame, and that she needs to process them before going any further.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips’ birth siblings, on the other hand, instantly connected. “We’ve always wanted a brother,” they said on the show. “Well, you’ve now got one and I’m not going anywhere,” he stated. 

Mr Scarlett-Phillips, who was later adopted, is now a chef. He lives with his wife and their 17-year-old son.

A man who was abandoned in a plastic bag as a newborn has been reunited with his birth family after 40 years. According to People, Jon Scarlett-Phillips, now 40, was found in a swimming pool car park’s toilet in Milton Keynes, UK, back in September 1984. He was reportedly wrapped in a blanket inside a plastic bag and even had his placenta still attached when he was abandoned by his birth mother. He was discovered by three teenage girls, who called for help and an ambulance. 

Now, after almost four decades, Mr Scarlett-Phillips met his half-siblings during an episode of the UK television show ‘Long Lost Family’. On the show, he said he is grateful to the three girls who found him. “I’m grateful, very grateful that they (the three teenage girls) heard me and found me. They’re the ones that saved my life,” he said, as per the outlet.

The 40-year-old also stated that deciding to look for his birth family had been tough. “I didn’t want to search for a very long time. It’s hard, it’s hard to deal with,” he said. “The question is still there: ‘Why did she do it?’” he added.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips, who was later adopted, is now a chef. He lives with his wife and their 17-year-old son. He said while he had a “good childhood,” he always knew he was a “foundling,” which resulted in “anger issues”. “I had a lot of anger issues, a lot of emptiness, and when you feel empty, you don’t know how to fill that,” he said.

During the show, Mr Scarlett-Phillips wasn’t able to reunite with his birth mother, but his half-sisters informed that their mother, who was around 20 when she gave birth to him, was suffering from a long-term illness. According to The Independent, she felt “physically and mentally” unable to attend. 

His mother also sent a message for their meet-up, which read, “Hi, I’ve sent this message to the girls so they can let you know the reasons why I’m not with them today. Unfortunately, I feel unable, both physically and mentally, to come today following a long period of illness.”

She added that she’s struggling with feelings of guilt and shame, and that she needs to process them before going any further.

Mr Scarlett-Phillips’ birth siblings, on the other hand, instantly connected. “We’ve always wanted a brother,” they said on the show. “Well, you’ve now got one and I’m not going anywhere,” he stated. 

The DGCA had ordered the immediate removal of three senior Air India officials, including a divisional vice president, from all responsibilities related to flight crew scheduling and rostering as part of the first punitive action after the Boeing crash.

It has also asked the Tata Group-owned airline to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings against the three officials without further delay. Failure to do so would result in severe action, including the possibility of the airline losing its operating licence.

Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun analysing the black box data recovered from the crash site of Air India Flight AI171.

“The black boxes were brought from Ahmedabad to Delhi by IAF aircraft with full security on 24 June 2025. The front black box arrived at the AAIB lab in Delhi with the Director General (DG) of AAIB at 1400 hrs on 24 June 2025,” according to an official statement on Thursday.

“On the evening of 24 June 2025, the team led by the DG of AAIB, along with technical members from AAIB and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), began the data extraction process. The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on 25 June 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB lab,” the statement said.

The Parliamentary Committee on Transport has summoned Boeing executives, Air India representatives, the Civil Aviation Secretary, and DGCA officials for a discussion on air safety issues related to the tragic Boeing Dreamliner crash within seconds of take-off from the Ahmedabad airport. The meeting is likely to be held in the first week of July.

According to sources, “multiple shortcomings” in the aviation sector, with the maintenance of aircraft, are now a matter of huge concern. The committee will also address frequent helicopter accidents that have taken place recently on the Char Dham pilgrim route.

Discussion will include the role of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), aircraft maintenance schedules, and the mental fitness of pilots, sources said.

The committee’s report will likely be tabled in the next session of Parliament.

Before this meeting, the committee is scheduled to hold a consultation in Gangtok to review air and road connectivity to the northeastern states, with the focus on developing tourism. The committee members are expected to travel by an Air India flight to get a first-hand assessment of the airline and its operations.