Rush Hour: 12 killed in Telangana chemical factory blast, four shot dead in Manipur and more
We're building a brand-new studio to bring you bold ground reports, sharp interviews, hard-hitting podcasts, explainers and more. Support Scroll's studio fund today.
A blast and the resulting fire at a chemical factory near Hyderabad has left 12 dead and 35 injured. The explosion took place in a drying unit at Sigachi Industries Private Limited, located in the Pashamylaram industrial area in the Sangareddy district.
The fire caused part of the building to collapse, trapping workers under the debris.
Emergency teams, including 11 fire department vehicles, were deployed and efforts were underway to locate any persons who have ben traipped.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh will be paid from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of those who died. Those who suffered injuries will be given Rs 50,000 each, he said. More on Scroll.
Unidentified gunmen in Manipur's Churachandpur have shot dead at least four persons, including a 60-year-old woman. The firing reportedly occurred near Mongjang village in the district around 2 pm as the victims were travelling in a car.
Initial reports suggested that they were shot at point-blank range, the police said.
Manipur has been mired in ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities that have killed at least 260 persons and displaced more than 59,000 persons since May 2023. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024. More on Scroll.
Telangana MLA T Raja Singh has quit the Bharatiya Janata Party, expressing shock at reports saying that former Member of Legislative Council N Ramachander Rao was set to be the next state party chief. Singh, the MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad, said that the decision disappointed party workers, leaders and voters.
The MLA, however, said he remained committed to the ideology of Hindutva, and that he would 'continue to raise my voice and stand with the Hindu community with even greater strength'.
Singh has frequently made inflammatory remarks targeting Muslims and has been booked in several criminal cases.
In August 2022, he was briefly arrested for allegedly making disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad. The BJP had suspended him for the remarks, but reinstated him in October 2023. Even when he was suspended from the party, Singh had engaged in hate speech against Muslims several times.
Singh went on to contest the 2023 Telangana election, winning his third term from Goshamahal. More on Scroll.
The Supreme Court has declined to entertain a petition seeking directions to hand over the control and management of Bihar's Mahabodhi Mahavira temple in Bodh Gaya to Buddhists. The bench, however, said that the petitioner could approach the Patna High Court instead.
The petition was filed by former Maharashtra minister Sulekha Kumbhare, who sought amendments to the Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949. The Act states that a committee constituted by the Bihar government will look after the 'management and control' of the Mahabodhi temple and its property.
The law says that the committee should include eight members nominated by the state government and four of them should be Hindus. The district magistrate will double as the chairman of the committee, provided the official is a Hindu.
In February, several Buddhist monks began an indefinite hunger strike in Bodh Gaya, demanding full control of the Mahabodhi temple.
This was followed by rallies organised in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, culminating in a massive rally in Bodh Gaya on March 18 and 19. Read more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
38 minutes ago
- The Print
BJP MLA Raja Singh resigns, accuses party leaders of blocking nomination for post of state chief
'I came to the party office, choosing an auspicious time to submit my nomination, but the state council members—supporting my candidature—were threatened with suspensions and forced to back out. They (party elders) have already decided who will become the next president,' Raja Singh told reporters. Earlier in the day, the BJP high command gave its go-ahead to Telangana legislative council ex-member Ramchander Rao, following which the senior leader filed his nomination papers in the afternoon, in the presence of present and former chief Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay and several party MPs, MLAs. Hyderabad: 'Tiger' Raja Singh Lodh , the firebrand three-term MLA from old Hyderabad, announced his resignation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday, alleging that his nomination for the party president post was blocked and accusing leaders 'driven by personal interests' of 'running the show from behind the curtain'. Stating that he handed his resignation letter to incumbent Telangana BJP chief Kishan Reddy, Raja Singh said he asked Reddy to accept the same and that he also asked him to convey the decision to the assembly speaker, 'in order to disqualify him as an MLA too.' 'Since 2014, I have been facing many troubles and challenges in the party. My family and I have become the target of terrorists, but still function in the party's interests. But it is the leaders who are against BJP coming to power in Telangana that have become influential,' said Singh. Singh has been in a feud with the party leadership, especially with Kishan Reddy, for some time now. Earlier in the day, when reports emerged that Rao is the party's nominee, to the chagrin of Singh and other hopefuls, the MLA reportedly said that for the BJP to gain strength and power in Telangana, 'genuine polls should be held to elect its president, with booth-level activists to top-most leaders voting, instead of placing someone deemed favourable in the chair'. Also Read: Months after arrest in Pushpa 2 stampede case, Allu Arjun given Gaddar award by Revanth govt 'Difficult decision, but a necessary one' Mincing no words, Raja Singh, in his resignation letter, said the decision to make Ramchander Rao the next BJP chief came 'as a shock and disappointment, not just to me, but to lakhs of karyakartas, leaders, and voters, who have stood by the party through every high and low'. 'At a time when the BJP stands at the threshold of forming its first government in Telangana, such a choice raises serious doubts about the direction we are heading,' the letter said. Noting that there are 'many capable, credible senior leaders, MLAs, and MPs, who tirelessly worked for BJP's growth and can lead the party forward,' Singh added, 'Unfortunately, it appears that some individuals, driven by personal interests, have misled the central leadership and taken decisions by running the show from behind the curtain.' 'This not only undermines the sacrifices of grassroots workers but risks pushing the party into avoidable setbacks. I find it difficult to stay silent or pretend that all is well. This is not about personal ambition; this letter reflects the pain and frustration of lakhs of loyal BJP karyakartas and supporters, who feel sidelined and unheard.' 'We had the best opportunity in years to bring the BJP to power in Telangana. But that hope is slowly getting replaced with disappointment and frustration, not because of the people, but because of the leadership at the helm.' Singh said his humble appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President J.P. Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh was to reconsider the course. 'Telangana is ready for the BJP, but we must choose the right leadership to honour that opportunity and not let it slip away.' Stating that his resignation was a difficult but necessary decision, Raja Singh further said that though stepping away, he remained 'fully committed to the Hindutva ideology and in service of Dharma and the people of Goshamahal'. 'I will continue to raise my voice and stand with the Hindu community with even greater strength.' Also Read: What's behind Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's new gau raksha focus & what the state plans to do Welcomed back pre-Telangana polls 'Tiger' Raja Singh, 46, rose from humble beginnings, starting his political career with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as a municipal councillor in 2009. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Raja Singh joined the BJP and became MLA of Goshamahal in 2014—the only among five sitting BJP MLAs to retain his seat in 2018. Known as a rabble-rouser, the leader has frequently hit national headlines for his caustic speeches targeting Muslims. Hyderabad police describe Singh Lodh as a 'habitual offender' who delivered 'provocative and inflammatory speeches'. The same, they say, has driven a 'wedge between communities, leading to public disorder'. Of the over 100 criminal cases registered against Raja Singh since 2004, 18 are communal offences. Raja Singh, who has been winning the Goshamahal seat for the BJP since 2014, ran afoul of the party leadership in August 2022 for alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed. The party suspended him, and he spent two and a half months in jail for his offence when the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) was in power. However, the BJP revoked his suspension ahead of the Telangana polls following his declaration that he would quit politics if he did not get a BJP ticket. His candidature was approved by the BJP's central election committee, comprising party chief J.P. Nadda, PM Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and others. Party insiders said former state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay had a hand in bringing Raja Singh back into the fold. While the BJP lost four other sitting seats in 2018, it managed to retain only Goshamahal, with the victory attributed to the popularity of Raja Singh among voters, along with the severe communal polarisation in the constituency. It is the only assembly seat under the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency—represented by Asaduddin Owaisi—not held by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Like father, like son: After cricket, Azhar's son enters politics, named Telangana Congress general secy
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Bihar BJP attempts to break RJD's Muslim votes through Pasmanda
Bihar unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (June 30, 2025) organised a joining ceremony of Pasmanda community, a day after Muslims organisation led by Imarat-e-Shariah held a rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan to protest against Waqf Act. Attacking the Opposition party, BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal said that in Bihar, politics has always been done in the name of Muslims, but no real efforts were ever made to uplift the Pasmanda Muslims. Ahead of the Assembly election, Mr. Jaiswal assured that the BJP will ensure political representation for the Pasmanda. The joining conference was inaugurated by Mr. Jaiswal and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. Among some of the most backward in terms of socio-economic indicators and severely under-represented in jobs, education and electoral politics, Pasmanda Muslims in Bihar constitute over 72% of the State's Muslim population and come under either the OBC or EBC categories. They comprise 29.9% of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) population in Bihar and over 12% of the State's entire population — making them an important part of the BJP's plans in the State to break the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) grip over the Muslim vote. While addressing the community members Mr. Jaiswal said that the unique characteristic of the BJP is its commitment of taking all religions, communities, and sections of society along. 'The party works with the slogan 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'. Although politics has long been played in the name of Muslims, no genuine efforts were made to uplift the Pasmanda Muslims,'Mr. Jaiswal said. He asserted the very term Pasmanda means 'those who were left behind,' but no one tried to bring them forward and they have faced continuous discrimination. 'Most importantly, while they were frequently used in politics, they were never given political representation, 'he added. Dr. Jaiswal asserted that vote-bank politics has made the lives of Pasmanda Muslims miserable and the level of discrimination they faced has affected multiple generations. Praising BJP, he added that it was only after the National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) government came to power that reservations were extended to them. Mr. Choudhary echoed the same and accused Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of using the Muslim vote bank for their own upliftment rather than doing something for the community. BJP Minority Morcha State President Mohammad Kamruzama Ansari and State Media In-Charge Danish Iqbal were also present and addressed the gathering. While addressing the gathering, Mr. Iqbal said that Pasmanda Muslims constitute 70 to 80 percent of the total Muslim population, yet they remain backward. 'It is vote-bank politics that has ruined the Pasmanda Muslims. Ironically, it is their own upper class that exploited them — yet this has never been openly discussed,'Mr. Iqbal said. He further said that even today, they are denied equal rights and are looked down upon. 'This entire section remains marginalized and the discrimination has been so deep-rooted that they were never able to progress. However, since the NDA government came to power both at the Center and in Bihar, efforts have been made to ensure their development in the spirit of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,'Mr. Iqbal said. A large number of individuals from the Pasmanda community joined the BJP and Mr. Jaiswal welcomed them into the party by administering the membership oath. The function was also attended by BJP Minority Morcha National Media Co-In-charge Noor Alam and Pasmanda community leaders like Ghulam Sarwar Ansari, Sabbir Panwariya, Iqbal Ansari and Hasim Hakku along with hundreds of representatives from various districts of Bihar.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Congress leader challenges Haryana power tariff hike, files review petition
Senior Congress leader and former Minister Sampat Singh has filed a review petition before the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) challenging the recent electricity tariff hike that has sparked protests in the State. The tariff revision, which came into effect in April, has been met with resistance from various consumer categories, including industrial associations and domestic users. Prof. Singh, in his petition, has sought a public hearing to address the pressing concerns of consumers. He described the HERC's order as a 'tariff shock', which was experienced by consumers across all categories when they received their electricity bills in June. The Congress leader also questioned the pricing mechanism adopted by power utilities. 'The utilities are purchasing 7,964.28 crore units of power at ₹3.12 per unit, while selling it to consumers at an average rate of ₹7.29 per unit,' he said at a press conference in Chandigarh. According to Prof. Singh, out of the total power purchased, only 6,916 crore units are reaching consumers, implying transmission and distribution losses exceeding 22%, which are effectively being passed on to consumers. He referred to the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) undertaken by the Haryana government in September 2015, which had recovered ₹34,000 crore in liabilities of power utilities. Prof. Singh pointed out that post-UDAY, the discoms reported a profit of ₹800 crore for the first time in March 2021, but instead of reducing tariffs, the burden on consumers has increased. The Congress leader highlighted the impact of the tariff hike on domestic consumers, who now face fixed charges ranging from ₹50 to ₹75 per kW. Additionally, per unit charges were raised by 25-50%, with fixed charges being introduced for domestic consumers for the first time. Commercial consumers have also been adversely affected by the merger of their category with low tension (LT) and high tension (HT) supply, raising fixed charges from ₹165 to ₹290 per kVA and per unit charges from ₹6.65 to ₹6.95. Prof. Singh also criticised the continuation of a 47 paise per unit Fuel Surcharge Adjustment that was supposed to end in June 2024. Furthermore, he highlighted the ₹8,000-crore defaulting dues of around 22 lakh consumers, warning that the remaining consumers are indirectly bearing this cost. Meanwhile, several industrial associations, including the Manesar Industries Welfare Association, NCR Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have separately written to Power Minister Anil Vij and Chief Minister Nayab Saini, seeking a rollback of the tariff hike. They have termed the hike an 'additional financial burden' for micro, small, and medium enterprises. However, Mr. Vij has claimed that approximately 94% of electricity consumers in Haryana fall under Category-I (connected load up to 2 kW and monthly consumption up to 100 units) and Category-II (connected load up to 5 kW), and most of their bills have decreased. He emphasised that there has been no change in the electricity tariff for agricultural consumers. For HT consumers, the tariff revision from 2024-25 to 2025-26 shows a moderate increase of 7% to 10% depending on load and consumption. The Minister added that in the LT category, the increase among various consumers is relatively moderate, ranging from 4% to 7%. The Minister also compared Haryana's electricity tariffs with neighbouring States, claiming that Haryana charges significantly lower electricity tariffs for both LT and HT consumer categories, making it a cost-effective option. He pointed out that in neighbouring States, fixed charges go up to ₹450 per kW for LT and ₹475 per kW for HT categories, while energy charges go up to ₹8.95 per unit for LT and ₹7.75 per unit for HT categories.
