India News Live Updates, 19 September 2026: BIT Mesra M.Sc student found dead in hostel in Ranchi, police begin probe

The student was found dead in Hostel No. 9 late at night, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident

A female student was found dead inside a hostel at BIT Mesra in Ranchi late at night, police said. The student, identified as Anjali, was pursuing an M.Sc. course and was found in Hostel No. 9. Police reached the spot and took custody of the body, while a post-mortem examination is scheduled for Saturday. Further details are awaited.

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Delhi University election counting begins amid tight security

Counting of votes for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections began on Saturday amid heightened security and keen interest in the contest between the ABVP, NSUI and the AISA-SFI alliance. The results will decide the four-member central panel for the 2026-27 academic session.

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More than 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Delhi University, with traffic restrictions in place around the counting centre at the Multipurpose Hall of the University Sports Stadium in North Campus. Around 39.77 per cent voting was recorded on Friday. Student welfare, campus facilities, hostel accommodation and safety were among the key issues during this year’s campaign.

13-year-old boy abducted and killed for ransom in Bengaluru, neighbour held

 A 13-year-old boy was allegedly abducted and killed by his neighbour as part of a plan to demand ransom from his family in Bengaluru, police said on Saturday. The accused, 28-year-old Bhaskar Reddy, has been arrested, while police are searching for his alleged accomplice. According to the preliminary investigation, Reddy and his associate allegedly lured the boy into a car on September 16 on the pretext of buying firecrackers and took him to a construction site near Bagalur. Police said the boy was tied up and forced to record a ransom video for his father before he was allegedly killed. The accused then allegedly placed his body in the car boot, where it was discovered after the vehicle collided with other vehicles near Hunsmaranahalli. A case has been registered and efforts are underway to trace the second accused.

Customs seize ganja worth Rs 25.88 lakh at Palakkad railway station

Customs officials seized 51.75 kg of ganja valued at Rs 25.88 lakh from Palakkad Junction railway station in Kerala, officials said on Saturday. The seizure was made on September 17 based on intelligence about the movement of narcotic substances through trains passing through Palakkad. A team of Customs officials spotted five unattended backpacks at the station after some trains had departed. With the assistance of the Railway Protection Force, the bags were taken into custody and found to contain five packets of ganja each, weighing around 2 kg. The packets were concealed in green polythene covers and brown adhesive tape inside the backpacks. An investigation is underway to identify those who left the bags at the station.

Nitish stepped down as CM on his own, BJP did not ask him to, says Samrat Choudhary

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Friday said his predecessor Nitish Kumar stepped down from the chief minister’s post voluntarily and was not asked to resign by the BJP. Choudhary also described Kumar, now a Rajya Sabha MP, as the “NDA’s undisputed leader in Bihar”.

Speaking at an event in Patna, Choudhary said Kumar had chosen to reciprocate the gesture made by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000, when Kumar became chief minister despite the BJP having more MLAs. Choudhary also hit back at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s criticism of his appointment as a “selected, and not elected” leader, while saying his priorities as chief minister were law and order, education and boosting revenue through industrialisation.

Maharashtra TET paper leak: Question papers smuggled in shoe insoles, chargesheet says

 Question papers for the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) were allegedly smuggled out of an Agra printing press by employees who hid them inside their shoe insoles, a nearly 3,500-page chargesheet filed by Thane City Police has stated. The employees were allegedly paid Rs 8,000 each and promised land plots in Agra for stealing the confidential exam material. The chargesheet names 18 accused, including alleged mastermind Bijendra Gupta, who was previously implicated in an examination paper leak in Odisha. Sixteen accused have been arrested, while two others, identified as Ashok Sav and Prakash Misal, remain absconding. A Special Investigation Team is probing the case, with police saying a supplementary chargesheet will be filed as the investigation progresses.

Live Updates
Sep 19, 2026 12:17 PM IST
SP MP’s SUV damaged in stone-pelting during Ganesh immersion procession in UP

The SUV of Samajwadi Party MP Laxmikant alias Pappu Nishad was allegedly damaged in stone-pelting during a Ganesh idol immersion procession in Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place late Friday night near Amardobha village when Nishad was returning after visiting a flood-hit area. According to police, people involved in a roadside protest allegedly surrounded his vehicle and pelted it with stones, breaking a window.

Police intervened and escorted the MP to safety. The incident reportedly followed a dispute during the immersion procession after police action against a DJ vehicle over loud music.

Sant Kabir Nagar Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Meena said police had received a complaint from the MP and were identifying those involved. Action will be taken against those found guilty, he said.

Sep 19, 2026 11:56 AM IST
Congress will not withdraw Nandigram candidate, will make arrest a national issue: Venugopal

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Saturday said the party would not withdraw its Nandigram Assembly bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan, who was arrested in connection with an old case related to the 2007 land acquisition movement.

Venugopal alleged that Pradhan was taken into custody shortly after the Trinamool Congress announced its support for him. He claimed police were pressuring the candidate to withdraw from the contest.

The Congress leader said the party would raise Pradhan's arrest as a national issue and alleged that the BJP was attempting to suppress Opposition voices in West Bengal. He also questioned the Election Commission's response to the development.

Pradhan, who has been named in more than 12 cases linked to the Nandigram land movement, was arrested from a hotel in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district on Friday, according to party sources. Mamata Banerjee had announced her party's support for Pradhan after its candidate withdrew from the contest.

Venugopal said Pradhan had told the party he would continue to contest the bypoll and that Congress leaders and workers would campaign for him.

Sep 19, 2026 11:13 AM IST
One killed, six injured as container hits multiple vehicles near Pune’s Bhumkar bridge

One person was killed and six others were injured after a speeding container collided with multiple vehicles near the Bhumkar bridge in Narhe on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway early Saturday, police said.

The deceased was identified as 22-year-old Sandip Jagarnath Kumar from Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. Police said the container first hit a concrete pump vehicle from behind around 12.15 am before colliding with a truck and a car near the bridge.

Two others travelling in the concrete pump vehicle, Devendra Yadav and Ramsingh Ramnarayan, were injured. The truck driver and cleaner, a car passenger and the container driver also sustained injuries.

The container driver, Dhanraj Vaishnav, 32, from Ajmer, Rajasthan, has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. Police detained him for investigation.

The injured were taken to a hospital for treatment. The accident also caused a temporary traffic jam, with police later clearing the damaged vehicles from the road.

Sep 19, 2026 10:47 AM IST
Delhi Airport assists passengers amid SpiceJet flight disruptions

Delhi Airport authorities on Saturday said their teams were coordinating with SpiceJet and other stakeholders to assist passengers affected by operational disruptions at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

“We regret the inconvenience faced by passengers due to the operational disruption of some SpiceJet flights. Delhi Airport teams are actively coordinating with the airline and relevant stakeholders to support affected passengers and provide necessary assistance to help,” the airport said in a post on X.

The disruption led to delays and cancellations, leaving several passengers affected at the airport. Ground staff and airport teams were assisting passengers and coordinating with airline representatives. SpiceJet has not issued a formal statement on the disruption so far.

The latest disruption comes amid SpiceJet's ongoing financial and operational difficulties. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier said the government was pushing the airline to step up operations and address its financial challenges.

Naidu said SpiceJet was trying to avail funds under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). In May, the Union Cabinet approved ECLGS 5.0 to provide targeted credit support to Indian airlines facing financial stress amid rising aviation turbine fuel prices and other operational challenges.

Sep 19, 2026 10:29 AM IST
DUSU counting begins amid tight security, high anticipation

Counting of votes for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections began on Saturday amid tight security, with the results set to decide the central panel for the 2026-27 academic session.

The RSS-affiliated ABVP, Congress-backed NSUI and Left alliance of AISA-SFI are competing for the four central posts of president, vice president, secretary and joint secretary. Around 39.77 per cent voting was recorded on Friday.

More than 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the university, with security tightened around the counting centre at the Multipurpose Hall of the University Sports Stadium in North Campus. Traffic restrictions are also in place until the results are declared.

The elections have drawn added attention following student protests over the NEET paper leak and examination reforms. Campus facilities, hostel accommodation and student safety also emerged as key campaign issues this year.

Last year, the ABVP won the president, secretary and joint secretary posts, while NSUI secured the vice-president's position.

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