The Election Commission has initiated the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories. Booth Level Officers will visit households thrice to distribute pre-filled enumeration forms for verification. The draft rolls are set to be published on December 8, with final rolls expected by February 7, 2026. The first phase in Bihar concluded successfully with no appeals. The exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Assam is excluded due to a separate citizenship verification process.
Cyclone Montha is gaining strength over the Bay of Bengal, resulting in mass train cancellations and flight disruptions along the Andhra coast. Over 65 passenger and express trains have been canceled by the South Central Railway for October 28 and 29. IndiGo and Air India Express flights from Visakhapatnam Airport on October 28 have also been grounded. Cyclone Montha is forecasted to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam with winds up to 110 kmph, leading to evacuations and emergency response deployments.
In a racially motivated attack in the UK, a 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 20-year-old Indian-origin woman in Walsall, West Midlands. The attacker used racial slurs and broke into the victim’s home after following her from the street. The victim suffered a brutal assault and is receiving support from specialized officers. This incident has sparked outrage and condemnation, following a similar racially charged rape of a Sikh woman in Oldbury last month.
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has been admitted to an ICU in Sydney after sustaining a rib injury during the third ODI against Australia, resulting in internal bleeding and a spleen laceration. Iyer’s injury occurred while taking a catch to dismiss Alex Carey, leading to his collapse in the dressing room and immediate medical attention. The BCCI has confirmed his stable condition under close observation by medical staff in Sydney and India, with an expected hospitalization period of 2-7 days and a longer recovery time.
A forensic science student in Delhi orchestrated the murder of a UPSC aspirant with the help of her ex-lover, in a scheme involving a gas explosion to cover up the crime. Delhi Police cracked the case after initially mistaking it for a fire accident, leading to the arrest of the student and her accomplices based on evidence including CCTV footage and confessions. Additionally, Bollywood actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut expressed remorse over a controversial tweet related to the 2020 farmers’ protest, clarifying it was a retweet of a meme and not her original post.
Bangladesh’s interim government has approved a month-long nationwide tour for controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, a wanted Indian fugitive, marking his first visit to the country. This decision represents a shift from the previous ban on Naik’s Peace TV following the 2016 Dhaka terror attack. Naik, accused in India of hate speech and radicalization, has resided in Malaysia since fleeing India in 2016. His upcoming tour in Bangladesh follows a recent visit to Pakistan, where he met members of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.