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The Star
27-05-2025
- The Star
Seven of family die by suicide in India's Haryana, bodies found in car
Seven of family die by suicide in Panchkula. - Photo: IANS NEW DELHI: Seven members of a family were found dead in a car near a house in Sector 27 of Haryana's Panchkula. The family had allegedly consumed poison in what the police suspect to be a case of collective suicide driven by financial distress. According to police officials, the deceased family hailed from Dehradun in Uttarakhand and had travelled to Panchkula to attend a spiritual event at Bageshwar Dham. The deceased include 42-year-old Praveen Mittal, his parents, his wife, and their three children — two daughters and a son. Initial reports indicate that the tragic event occurred on Sunday while the family was returning to Dehradun after the conclusion of the five-day Hanuman Katha at the spiritual centre. While searching for a hotel near Sector 27, Praveen Mittal allegedly took the drastic step, consuming poison along with his entire family, sources said. Locals in the vicinity were the first to notice the family inside a parked vehicle, appearing unwell and struggling. Alarmed by the scene, they immediately informed the police. Responding to the call, the police arrived at the location and forcibly opened the car doors in an attempt to rescue the unconscious family members. The victims were rushed to both a private and a civil hospital in the area, but medical personnel declared all seven individuals dead upon arrival. Following the incident, the bodies were moved to a private hospital in Panchkula for post-mortem examinations. Speaking to the media, DCP Himadri Kaushik said, 'Upon initial probe, it seemed like a case of suicide. However, the investigation is underway. Our forensic team has reached the spot. They are collecting all the evidence from the crime scene and will analyse it scientifically.' According to the sources, a suicide note was also found inside the car. The note, reportedly written by the head of the family, cited overwhelming financial debt and pressure as the main reasons for the tragic decision. Forensic experts are currently examining the note and other material recovered from the scene to verify its authenticity and context. 'The entire matter is under investigation by the forensic team,' said DCP Law and Order Amit Dahiya, who, along with DCP Himadri Kaushik, reached the spot after receiving news of the incident. Sources revealed that Praveen Mittal and his family had been struggling with heavy debts for some time, which may have driven them to this extreme act. Authorities are now working to confirm all details surrounding the incident and are also contacting extended family members to assist with the investigation and last rites. The police have registered the case, and the investigations are underway. - The Statesman/ANN ***Those contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935/ 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999/ 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim's family, social and community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); or Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929/email sam@ in-malaysia).
News18
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Karan Tacker Adds Monochrome Magic To Cannes Red Carpet
Last Updated: For the 78th edition of the film festival, the actor opted for an all-maroon suit paired with a matching shirt, from the shelves of celebrity designer Manish Malhotra. Karan Tacker made his debut at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2025 and how. The actor arrived at the event for the grand premiere of his upcoming drama film, Tanvi: The Great. Interestingly, the film also marks his debut in Bollywood. A while ago, the actor took to Instagram and delighted his fans with a glimpse of his look for the grand event. In the video, the actor is seen flaunting his outfit and walking on a wooden boardwalk. For the 78th edition of the film festival, the actor opted for an all-maroon suit paired with a matching shirt, from the shelves of celebrity designer Manish Malhotra. He accessorised his look with a wristwatch, some rings, black shades and matching formal shoes. Sharing the video, he wrote in the caption, 'Did someone order a bottle of red @manishmalhotra05 #cannesfilmfestival #2025." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Tacker (@karantacker) Fans and admirers were quick to share their reactions to the video. An Instagram user wrote, 'The red suit, the pose, the presence, Cannes just got a lot more charming! So proud of you." Another one commented, 'From screen to red carpet, your journey is so inspiring. You made us all so proud, Karan." One of them shared, 'Cannes wasn't ready for this much fire." In Tanvi: The Great, Karan will portray the role of an army officer, Captain Samar Raina. The film is directed by Anupam Kher and features debutante Shubhangi Dutt alongside Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff and Game of Thrones actor Iain Glenn in significant roles. Speaking about the project, Karan said, 'It was always my dream to have collaborated with Anupam Sir in some way on celluloid. I have always been a fan of his since the time as a young adult when I watched Saaransh to when I saw DDLJ and all the fantastic work that he does globally and the representation that he's commanded over the years! I never thought that it would come with such a beautiful pleasure of being directed by him and to get to play Capt. Samar Pratap Raina, a role I loved," as quoted by The Statesman. Tanvi: The Great had its world premiere at Cannes on May 17 and garnered positive responses from the audience. It will be hitting the big screens on July 18. First Published:
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ICS 2025: Navigating the trust deficit in a world of digital sceptics
HighlightsDeepak Jolly, founder and director of Consocia Advisory, discussed the challenges of building trust in the digital age at the Indian Communication Summit 2025, emphasizing the need for brands to adapt their reputation management strategies. Jolly shared a contrasting experience from his 1987 PR days, illustrating how the slower pace of traditional media allowed for effective reputation recovery, unlike today's rapid social media reactions that can lead to immediate negative publicity. To combat skepticism, Jolly highlighted the importance of listening, transparency, and engaging third-party advocates, asserting that building trust takes time and consistent effort, especially in a cynical environment. The world today is very different from how it used to be. With the rise of the digital age, information is now available at our fingertips. This has made building trust more challenging. Having more knowledge has blurred the line between what is real and what is not, leading many people to constantly question whether they should trust something. In this age of scepticism, building a strong brand reputation is more important than ever. Deepak Jolly , founder and director, Consocia Advisory , recently shared his insights on building trust in the digital age during a fireside chat titled Navigating the Trust Deficit : Building Brand Reputation in a World of Sceptics. This session was hosted at Indian Communication Summit 2025, where Jolly was joined by Devesh Gupta, content lead, product and community, Jolly highlighted the contrast between the digital age and the past by sharing a story from his days as a PR professional at a hotel back in 1987. At the time, a negative review of the hotel's restaurant appeared in The Statesman newspaper, causing bad publicity. While others focused on contacting the newspaper to address the issue, Jolly took a different approach. He reached out directly to the independent writer hired by the paper, inviting them to return for a surprise visit three months later. During that period, the hotel acknowledged its shortcomings and made improvements. When the writer returned, they published a positive review, which helped restore the hotel's reputation. Jolly explained that such a strategy was possible due to the slower, more controlled nature of traditional media. In today's digital age, where information spreads instantly and widely, managing reputation in the same way is far more challenging. Jolly remarked, 'Now think about it—if that hotel review happened today, there would be a hashtag boycott on social media. Imagine the challenge for the PR person. Maybe the guest wasn't served food, or they were served non-veg instead of veg, their food was bad, or they were double-charged. And now, there's a boycott hashtag. How do you deal with that?' Jolly emphasised that dealing with sceptics starts with listening. Understanding the root of scepticism is crucial for building trust. He cited the arrival of Pepsi in India, which came at a time when Indians were wary of multinational corporations (MNCs), a sentiment shaped by the Swadeshi movement. Over three and a half years, the brands worked to bridge this trust gap through consistent engagement and transparent practices. 'It took me three and a half years to build that bridge,' Jolly recalled. 'You know, it was done through media, but I met 100 MPs and 250 MLAs across parties and regions, showing them what we export and what we do. That is where the trust was built. It takes time—building trust for the brand, especially in a cynical world.' It is undeniable that, in the digital age, even a brand trusted for years can face a trust deficit. In today's fragile environment, a single boycott call—no matter how small the issue—can lead to widespread negative PR, with sceptics quick to attack the brand on social media. 'Listening becomes crucial. It has always been the hallmark of good PR, even now,' Jolly said. 'You have to listen to the rising anti-voice—perhaps 30% truth and 40% falsehood packaged as truth. But the fact is, there was some smoke somewhere to begin with. This is the challenge for all brands.' Jolly noted that sceptics will always exist, even if they make up just 1% of the audience. To build trust, he stressed three key elements: fact, information, and transparency. When brands focus on these, third parties often step in to support them. A brand cannot always claim, 'I was the best.' Instead, third-party advocates should assess and speak about the brand's performance openly, lending it greater credibility.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NEET-UG: Memes go viral over tough test
Mangaluru: With the end of NEET-UG exams, social media platforms are flooded with memes and witty commentary on how tough the examination were, and experts widely characterised it as the most challenging examination to suggested that the NTA, which conducts the test, deliberately increased the difficulty level in response to the previous year's issues. Numerous candidates drew parallels between the Physics component and the JEE advanced suggest that the papers were so tough that even NEET coaches could not solve it. "I took half of the time only to solve Physics questions; even Biology and Chemistry questions were tough too," said a candidate on social media. The Young Indian Statesman on X posted: "@TheStatesman Why are we designing systems where one tough paper can break years of discipline? What do you think needs to change — the exam, the system, or our mindset?"Another candidate told, "Probably I will have to drop a year and prepare for the next NEET-UG." Assistant director at Aakash Institute Sham Prasad supported the candidates and said this year's test was exceptionally challenging, lengthy, and time-consuming. "It was the most difficult paper in the last 12 years, with Physics being the toughest subject. Possibly even tougher than JEE. Many questions were from unexplored parts of NCERT. The highest score this year may be around 650. As everyone felt the paper was tough, the relative competition remains same. This year's cut-off score may reach 400+ like in 2019."Medical college heads expressed satisfaction with the format of the entrance test. Dr Bhaskaran Unnikrishnan, dean of KMC, Mangaluru, noted that the assessment was more analytical and effective to evaluate candidates.
The Star
01-05-2025
- The Star
Operation Hawk: India's CBI dismantles cybercrime network involved in child sexual abuse
- Photo: The Statesman file NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on the basis of inputs received from the United States, launched Operation Hawk and has taken swift action to successfully dismantle the cybercrime networks involving online child sexual exploitation with international linkages. The International Operations Division of the CBI registered a case against an alleged accused, Sheik Muizz Ahmed, under relevant sections, including POCSO Act, 2012, and launched an investigation. In March 2024, Ahmed, a resident of Mangalore, operated from a social media platform, 'Discord', under the username, 'heisenberg7343', and engaged in online chats with a minor girl from the USA. During the chats, the accused allegedly induced the minor girl to engage in sex chats with him and induced/enticed her to share her obscene images/videos with him over the said platform. The accused also intimidated the minor victim to engage in obscene sexual activities online. Following registration of the case, the CBI conducted extensive searches at various locations in Mumbai and Mangalore linked to the accused leading to recovery of electronic devices including mobile phone and laptop which contained material obtained by the accused from the minor girl victim by way of inducement. The CBI also registered another case against Mukul Saini under appropriate sections and launched a probe. During the period 2023-2024, Saini, who is a resident of Delhi, operated from the social media platform 'Discord' and engaged in online chats with a minor girl from the USA. During the chats, he induced a minor girl to engage in sexualised chats with him and share her obscene images/videos with him over the said platform. Following registration of the case, the CBI conducted extensive searches at various locations in Delhi linked to the accused leading to recovery of electronic devices like mobile phones and computer hard disks containing incriminating digital evidence relating to the case. - The Statesman/ANN
