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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
2 men arrested for illegaly flying drones near Chintamani Ganapati pandal
Mumbai: The Kalachowki police booked two including a photographer for allegedly flying drones without permission near the Chintamani Ganapati pandal at Chinchpokli, despite a city-wide ban imposed for security reasons. According to the FIR lodged at the Anti-Terrorism Cell, Kalachowki, police constable Ganesh Vishnu Kolekar, who was deployed for security duty during the Ganpati arrival ceremony, spotted two drones hovering over the area. Acting on instructions, officers traced the drones to the terrace of Sitasadan building on Dattaram Lad Marg, where two men were found operating them. The duo were identified as Nilesh Shankar Deole (36), a professional photographer from Vikhroli, and Nikhil Madhukar Jadhav (38), a resident of Mahim. On being questioned, they admitted they had brought the drones to film the Ganpati procession but did not possess any police permission. Police seized two drones – a DJI Air 3S worth around Rs 1 lakh and a DJI Mini 4 Pro worth around Rs 70,000 – along with their remotes and accessories under panchnama. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Gold Rates Today in Mumbai | Silver Rates Today in Mumbai Authorities pointed out that the Commissioner of Police had issued prohibitory orders banning the flying of drones, paragliders, microlights, and similar aerial devices across Mumbai from August 6 to September 4, 2025, in view of law and order and security concerns during the festive season. Both accused have been booked under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for violating the order. Police said further investigation is underway. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Is Tamil Nadu Losing the War on Drugs? The Surge of Meth and Hydroponic Weed Raises Alarms
Ganja is now just one part of the problem, say police. A decade ago, Tamil Nadu's drug enforcement had one primary target: Ganja. Fields were identified and razed. In Chennai, most bulk consignments trafficked from other states or smuggled in by train were incinerated. Today, that market has splintered and diversified. Methamphetamine is at the forefront. Once a rarity in Tamil Nadu, the stimulant now dominates several high-profile seizures. In one case, 25kg was recovered from a suburban home in Red Hills, packed for redistribution. Earlier this year, officers seized 17.8kg in another bust. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Gold Rates Today in Chennai | Silver Rates Today in Chennai 'Seizure of such quantities is evidence of a well-structured distribution chain,' says P Aravindhan, zonal director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). 'Meth is either brought in from larger labs in north India or processed locally in makeshift kitchens on Chennai's outskirts.' Also making its way into the city is a new strain of cannabis — hydroponic weed. Unlike traditional ganja grown outdoors, this version is cultivated indoors under artificial light, climate control and using soil-free methods. Flown in through international courier networks, it is mostly sourced from Thailand, Canada and the United States. Chennai airport customs officers recently intercepted 23.5kg of hydroponic cannabis concealed in carton boxes, making it one of the city's largest seizures of imported weed. Another category showing an exponential rise is pharmaceutical tablets. In 2023, Tamil Nadu's enforcement agencies seized nearly 40,000 tablets. In 2024, the number crossed 1.4 lakh. These include opioids such as tramadol, anti-anxiety medication such as alprazolam and sleeping pills such as nitrazepam. Many of these are legally manufactured drugs diverted from medical supply chains or purchased in bulk from grey-market online vendors. The pills are consumed across a wide range of user profiles, from college students to working professionals. Most users order in small batches to avoid detection by avoiding bulk stockpiling. MDMA and LSD, though limited to niche urban circuits, continue to flow into the city in small but consistent quantities. Typically ordered on the dark web, they arrive as powder or blotter tabs. Party circles in Chennai and Coimbatore remain the key consumption zones. 'Ganja is now just one part of the problem,' says Baskaran M, assistant commissioner of the city Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit. 'We're not just dealing with one substance anymore, or even a few key players. The real work now is in mapping behaviour, finance, and digital footprints, which is essentially compiling detailed profiles of those arrested for peddling, especially repeat offenders, and tracking spending patterns across apps and digital platforms. The task is less about arresting a peddler with a backpack and more about understanding the logistics chain: from how the drug is sourced, to how it's delivered, to who sustains the demand. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
Dharmasthala Claims A Smear Campaign? SIT Finds No Evidence, DK Shivakumar, BJP Smell Conspiracy
Last Updated: SIT stops Dharmasthala excavation, awaits forensic reports: With no evidence of mass burial, many ask whether claims were a conspiracy to defame Karnataka's Hindu pilgrimage site After a painstaking 21-day investigation involving the excavation of 17 locations, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found no mass graves in the temple town of Dharmasthala. No evidence of a mass burial has been found, leading many to question whether the claims were a conspiracy to defame one of Karnataka's most prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites. What the SIT found? What is its plan now? The investigation was launched after a former sanitation worker claimed he was forced to bury the bodies of sexually harassed and murdered women around the Netravathi river. Armed with ground-penetrating radar and other sophisticated forensic technology, the SIT meticulously excavated every site identified by the complainant. His most damning claim—that site 13 held the remains of 60 to 100 bodies—was found to be completely unsubstantiated. While partial skeletal remains were found at site number 6, forensic experts have opined that they belong to a male, not a mass grave of women. The SIT has decided to suspend exhumation and excavation in Dharmasthala till the forensic reports are out. The Home Minister informed the Karnataka assembly that the exhumation has been stopped by SIT for now. 'Chemical analysis at the spot and forensic reports about any possible DNA traces from these sites are awaited. The SIT has decided to stop this till reports come. If chemical analysis shows traces of human DNA, it will take a different route. The SIT has been allowed to decide. It is not the government's call," he said. 'Will take action against those who misused name, created confusion," DK Shivakumar on Dharmasthala caseRead @ANI Story | #DKShivkumar #karnataka #Dharmasthala — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) August 15, 2025 The political firestorm The lack of evidence has ignited a political firestorm, with leaders from both sides of the aisle pointing fingers. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been vocal in its stance, with leaders alleging a 'mega smear campaign" by a 'left lobby and anti-Hindu forces." BJP MLA Bharat Shetty stated, 'Under pressure from the leftists, the state government ordered SIT investigation. The Deputy Chief Minister himself has said there is a conspiracy. They say we are doing politics, but they are hurting Hindu sentiments." Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of the Congress has also acknowledged a 'big conspiracy." Speaking on the matter, he said, 'I won't reveal who is behind it. It is a well-planned strategy to tarnish their name. They are attempting to spoil the tradition and lineage that has been there for hundreds of years. It's about faith." Shivakumar affirmed that the party is committed to getting to the bottom of the matter and taking action against those who are conspiring to defame the temple. #WATCH | Bengaluru | On state government to form SIT to probe wherein bodies were allegedly discovered in Dharmasthala, Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara says, 'The government has constituted an SIT to look into the Dharmasthala issues. There has been a complaint. There has been… — ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2025 On the other hand, Congress MLA Sharath Bachegowda pushed back against the BJP's narrative, saying, 'Dharmasthala temple has been there for centuries; the BJP hasn't built it. Lord Manjunath Swamy doesn't need the BJP, but the BJP needs Manjunath Swamy." BJP State President BY Vijayendra defended his party's stance, arguing, 'If the BJP wanted to politicize the Dharmasthala issue, we could have done it from day one. But we did not interfere until the SIT began its investigation." He questioned why the state government remained silent when 'false propaganda was being spread", suggesting that the government's inaction necessitated the BJP's intervention. With the SIT's finding no mass graves so far, the focus has shifted from the alleged mass graves to the motives of the complainant and his handlers. About the Author Harish Upadhya Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI More First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
