Harvinder Singh’s historic archery gold in Paralympics marks a new era for India, PM Modi Meets Singapore Counterpart Lawrence Wong To Discuss Ties, Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse: Sculptor Jaydeep Apte arrested from Kalyan, Doctor rape-murder: 'Reclaim the night' protest by thousands of women in Bengal
In a powerful display of unity and defiance, thousands of women across West Bengal marched on Wednesday midnight as part of the "Reclaim the Night" campaign, demanding justice for a doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at a hospital here last month. As the clock struck 9 pm, Kolkata witnessed a unique and stirring act of civic solidarity with residents turning off their lights for an hour, and descending onto the streets with candles in hand. The darkened city, illuminated only by the flickering flames, mourned the tragic death of the doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital while expressing steadfast support for her grieving family. The "Reclaim the Night" movement, largely driven by social media, gained momentum as protests kicked off at 11:30 pm, marking the second such gathering since a midnight campaign on August 14. Across the state, from small towns to bustling cities, the air reverberated with the rallying cry: "We want justice". Political party flags were notably absent, and protesters were seen holding the national flags aloft, underscoring the unified call for justice beyond partisan lines.
Sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte, wanted in connection with the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot fort last month, was arrested from Kalyan in Thane district on Wednesday night, a senior police official said. Sindhudurg police in Maharashtra were searching for Apte since the statue made by him collapsed on August 26, less than nine months after it was inaugurated. Police had formed seven teams to look for him. After the statue collapsed, Malvan police registered a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur last week. The collapse of the statue of the iconic founder of the Maratha state has triggered a huge political row ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra with the Opposition targeting the Eknath Shinde-led government.
Harvinder Singh’s calm composure and precision turned dreams into reality as he became India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medalist in archery on Wednesday. Pursuing PhD in Economics, the 33-year-old Indian, who lost to Kevin Mather of the USA in the Tokyo semifinals before securing a bronze, showed neither fatigue not nerves to secure five back-to-back wins in a day to bag his second successive Paralympics medal. Reserving his best for the final, Harvinder nailed three 10s in his last four arrows to knock out his 44-year-old opponent from Poland Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 (28-24, 28-27, 29-25) for India's second medal in archery at the ongoing Paralympics. Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi had won a bronze medal in the mixed compound open category on Monday. Harvinder, the first Indian Paralympic medallist in archery, dispatched world No. 9 Hector Julio Ramirez of Colombia 6-2 in the quarterfinals, having earlier eliminated Tseng Lung-Hui of Chinese Taipei 7-3 in the round of 32. In the pre-quarters, he rallied from an initial set deficit to edge out Setiawan Setiawan of Indonesia 6-2. He became the first Indian archer to enter the Paralympic final when he overturned a 1-3 deficit to triumph over Iran's Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri 7-3.
Actors Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde have completed shooting for their upcoming movie "Deva", the makers announced on Wednesday. Billed as a power-packed action thriller, the movie is directed by renowned Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrews of “Udayananu Tharam” and “Notebook” fame. Roy Kapur Films, which has produced "Deva" in collaboration with Zee Studios, shared the news on Instagram. "And it’s a wrap! Get ready to witness Deva’s electrifying action soon," the studio posted along with a photo from the movie's set, showing Kapoor and Hegde cutting a cake. In a statement, the makers said the action spectacle movie wrapped up with a high-energy song sequence, choreographed by Bosco Martis and shot over four days in Mumbai. Hegde, known for films such as "Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo", "Most Eligible Bachelor" and "Beast", also posted about the film's completion on her Instagram. The actor shared a photo of a handwritten message she received from the team, complimenting Hegde for her performance and dedication towards the film.