India and Fiji strengthen bilateral ties in public health, pharmaceuticals

Khandwa, Aug 29 (IANS) A minor was killed and three others were injured when lightning struck a Ganesh pandal in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district.

According to police, the victims had taken shelter inside a Ganesh pandal to escape the heavy rain when the bolt struck, turning a festive refuge into a scene of horror.

Speaking to IANS, Pandhana Police Station in-charge Dilip Devda said, “The incident occurred around 9.00 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. in Kharkhari-Rajgarh village on Thursday, where the victims and their companions were preparing for Ganesh Chaturthi. All of a sudden, a thunderstorm broke out, and the group – mostly teenagers – sought cover beneath the temporary structure when a lightning bolt struck.”

“One child, identified as Suresh Singh, reportedly aged 17, was hit and died instantly. The police were informed late, around 12.00 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. on Friday,” the officer added.

The other three victims, whose identities are yet to be confirmed, were admitted to the Pandhana Community Health Centre and are reportedly out of danger.

“Their condition is stable, though one remains under close observation,” Devda said.

“They may be discharged today. All of them belong to the same age group – between 17 and 18 years,” he said.

The pandal, constructed with metal frames and tarpaulin sheets, may have inadvertently amplified the impact of the strike.

Officials from the Khandwa district administration have launched an inquiry into the structural safety of such installations, especially during the monsoon season.

A team from the disaster management cell is expected to inspect the site and issue revised safety advisories for upcoming public events. This tragedy adds to the growing number of lightning-related fatalities across India this season.

Experts warn that shifting climate patterns and rising surface temperatures are intensifying lightning activity, particularly in central and northern India.

Madhya Pradesh alone has reported dozens of such incidents this year, prompting calls for improved public awareness and robust early warning systems.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) The India-US trade agreement is the most important deal for the country and will generate more jobs and also add to foreign exchange, said Ashishkumar Chauhan, NSE MD and CEO, on Tuesday.

Speaking to IANS, Chauhan stated that the trade deal between the US and India was expected for a long time, and now will be implemented immediately, unlike the European deal, which is expected to roll out after six months.

“India is the only country that has manpower, high-tech appreciation, and technology adoption. And that is why all countries are ready to negotiate with us. With the deal, India will export more, generating more jobs and adding to its Forex,” Chauhan said.

With a reduction of US reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, “leather goods, garments, marine products — all employment-generating areas, will revive export to the US,” he said, adding that “in the next 10 years, India will have a golden age”.

Chauhan stated that portfolio investors are also positive on the trade deal.

“Everyone is very happy, especially the investors. And because of the deal, the chances of companies increasing their profits are very high,” he said.

“Indian investors have faith in the Prime Minister’s vision for the country’s trajectory. Consequently, an increasing number of domestic investors are backing Indian companies every month. I believe the recent trade deals are a direct result of that confidence, demonstrating that Indian investors are now capable of self-funding their own growth,” the expert told IANS.

Chauhan mentioned that NSE’s own international exchange, which runs in Gift City for about 22 hours, closed at 25,970 — about 2.5 per cent high at 2 o’clock last night.

“Even today, when the Indian market opened, NSE also opened up by 2.5 per cent. I feel that overall, this is the initial reaction. As companies analyse an increase in their profits, they will get the rating further,” Chauhan said.

The expert further noted that for the last 30-35 years, the US and several countries in Europe were supporting China. But now they see China as their competition and are thus moving away from it.

“India needs the right partners who can import from us and to whom we can export our services, skills, and manufactured goods — countries like the US, Japan, Australia, and those in Europe. China is unlikely to import our goods. Therefore, by negotiating with these nations, we are effectively creating competition for China,” Chauhan said.

–IANS

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Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a Mumbai resident suspected to be the kingpin of a transnational racket involving the trafficking of unsuspecting Indian citizens to cyber scam compounds in Myanmar and other countries, an official said on Thursday.​

Sunil Nellathu Ramakrishnan, alias Krish, was arrested by the CBI in Mumbai after he recently returned to India, the probe agency said.​

Subsequent searches at his residential premises led to the seizure of incriminating digital evidence linked to trafficking operations in Myanmar and Cambodia, the CBI said.​

He was found linked to transnational criminal syndicates that lure victims on the pretext of lucrative job opportunities in Thailand but traffic them to scam compounds, including those in the Myawaddy region (notably KK Park) in Myanmar, it said.​

Investigations revealed that the victims are initially transported from Delhi to Bangkok and are thereafter clandestinely diverted to Myanmar, where they are forced to work in cyber scam centres.​

At these facilities, victims are coerced into engaging in various cyber frauds, including “digital arrest” scams, romance frauds, and marketing cryptocurrency investment schemes targeting victims across the globe, including India, the CBI said.​

The trafficked individuals are subjected to wrongful confinement, constant intimidation, physical and mental abuse, and severe restrictions on their movement, it said.​

During 2025, several Indian nationals managed to escape from these scam compounds and reached Thailand, from which they were repatriated to India in March and November 2025, according to a statement.​

The CBI conducted detailed interviews of these victims to understand the modus operandi of the trafficking networks and the functioning of these cyber fraud centres.​

Acting on the intelligence gathered, the CBI carried out a sustained and meticulous investigation to identify the key operatives behind these activities. Sunil alias Krish emerged as one of the main facilitators and kingpins in the trafficking network, playing a crucial role in the illegal transportation and exploitation of victims in Southeast Asia, said the statement.​

The CBI is continuing its investigation to identify and apprehend other accused persons, including foreign nationals, involved in the transnational trafficking network, and to uncover the full extent of these operations.​

–IANS

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