Mrunal Says Her Ex Was Insecure About Hrithik Roshan's Good Looks In Super 30

Amid swirling speculation about her personal life, Mrunal Thakur has spoken candidly about insecurity, relationships, and how fame can impact private lives.

Mrunal Thakur On Her Ex's Insecurity During Super 30

While promoting her upcoming film Do Deewane Seher Mein, Mrunal appeared on Raunaq Rajani's YouTube channel, where she reflected on a past relationship and the challenges that came with it.

She revealed that her former partner became insecure when she was shooting Super 30 alongside Hrithik Roshan.

Recalling the incident, she said, "So this guy, who was a Scandinavian, he thought that I was hanging around and shooting with a lot of men who were good-looking, like Hrithik Roshan. So he started working out, lost like 15-17 kgs, and he got muscles. Later, I found out, because there was a point he just stopped working out and started eating and gained 20 kgs. And I was like what's happening? And he told me, 'I'm just tired catching up.'"

Mrunal further clarified that the decision was never influenced by her, adding, "But I was like, I never asked him to lose weight, but it was his insecurity that I was hanging around with such good-looking men."

She also admitted that while she sometimes feels insecure in relationships, she prefers addressing issues openly rather than letting them grow.

Marriage Rumours With Dhanush 

In recent times, Mrunal has been dealing with persistent marriage rumours linking her to Dhanush.

Speaking to Galatta Plus, she dismissed the speculation and said, "No, I think 14th Feb is going to be 1st April, April Fools day. Because I don't know who started this. First of all, I have been quoted but I never said anything. And they just said Mrunal said so."

The rumours gained momentum after Dhanush attended a special screening of Son of Sardaar 2, starring Mrunal, and when she later appeared at the success party of Tere Ishk Mein.

Clarifying her stand, Mrunal reiterated that neither she nor Dhanush has confirmed any romantic relationship, and urged people to be cautious about misleading online content.

ALSO READ: Mrunal Thakur Reveals How Her Address Was Leaked Amid Wedding Rumours With Dhanush: "Had To Hire A Team To Sort Things"

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"Misinformation Can't Be Encouraged": Centre On Galgotias Row

In its first official reaction to the controversy surrounding Galgotias University and the robotic dog exhibited by it at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, the Centre has said it wants "genuine and actual work" displayed and does not want to encourage misinformation.

The university, located in Greater Noida, has been mocked relentlessly on social media after Neha Singh, a professor of communications, said in an interview to DD News that a robotic dog that was displayed in the pavilion was developed by the "centre of excellences" (sic) at the institution. It quickly emerged that the robodog, which Singh had called "Orion", was the Unitree Go2, developed by China's Unitree Robotics. 

Singh later blamed miscommunication for the entire episode. 

"The controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly. I take accountability that perhaps I did not communicate properly, as it was done with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and very quickly, in a jiffy, so I may not have come across as very eloquent, which is a rare case," she told news agency PTI on Wednesday. 

"Also, the intent may not have been properly understood. One important thing is that the robodog clearly has its branding on top, we have not changed that. So, how can we claim that we manufactured it? I have told everyone that we introduced it to our students to inspire them to create something better on their own," she said.

Pressed by another reporter on the issue, Singh reiterated that she may have been misinterpreted, saying, "Your six can be my nine." That last statement took on a life of its own, being used by several social media users to criticise the professor and the university.

The organisers of the Summit asked Galgotias University to clear the pavilion, and it did so.

Asked about the controversy on Wednesday, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the ministry wanted genuine work reflected and a code followed. 

"We want genuine and actual work to be reflected in the way that people exhibit in expos. The idea is not to sort of use this as an opportunity in any other fashion. So we don't want a controversy around exhibits which are presented here. I think it's essential that a set code is followed there. Misinformation cannot be encouraged. We don't want a controversy around this, around exhibits in the expo. I am not getting into whether they are right or wrong, we just don't want a controversy," he said. 

Asked whether the ministry had not checked how models were being developed, Krishnan said the exhibit was not for sale.  

"These are not things which are intended for sale, or where we have to standardise and certify. Certification happens if it is meant for public distribution or sale. When somebody is demonstrating a product, you presume that they know what they are talking about. If we have to certify even what has to be exhibited, then you'll say we are stifling innovation. Our intention is not to stifle innovation," he asserted.

University's Apology

Blaming Singh for the fiasco, the university said she was "ill-informed" and was not authorised to speak to the media. 

"We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent Al Summit. One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press," the institute said in a statement. 

The university insisted there was no intent to misrepresent the innovation and that it remains committed to "academic integrity, transparency, and responsible representation" of its work. 

It also confirmed that it had vacated the pavilion.

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Video Of Mountain Locals 'Disciplining' Noisy Haryana Bikers Sparks Debate

A video has gone viral on X, showing local mountain residents, known as Pahadis, confronting a group of bikers. Notably, the bikers who were from Haryana were riding through mountain passes using illegal exhausts that produced explosive, firecracker-like sounds. Apart from the noise nuisance, locals expressed frustration that such reckless riding on narrow, winding mountain paths significantly increased the risk of accidents.

Frustrated by the noise and potential safety risks on narrow roads, locals caught the riders and forced them to sit near their own bikes while the engines were revved. This was intended to give the bikers a "taste of their own medicine" by making them endure the deafening roar up close.

Social Media Reaction

The video has fueled a broader debate on tourist behaviour and etiquette in sensitive ecological zones like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

One user wrote, "Individuals who rely on excessive engine noise to command attention often exhibit a profound identity crisis, using external volume to compensate for an internal lack of presence. Basically losers and no other achievement."

Another commented, "Mountains are meant for peace, not sound checks." Fine them legally, but there's no need to make it about where someone's from."

A third said, "This is the only way civic sense in India can be brought back. Concerned citizens unite and stop the stupidity," while a fourth added, "Absolutely! This is the right way to teach these troublemakers a lesson. The locals showed both brains and courage."

A fifth stated, "That's an offence on so many levels; not only does it cause noise pollution, it also pollutes the air AND ruins the engine."

Police Action

Meanwhile, regional authorities like the Himachal Pradesh Police have recently announced state-wide crackdowns on such illegal modifications under the Motor Vehicles Act. The police have said that unauthorised alterations adversely affect vehicle stability, braking systems, and overall road safety. Police in these regions have intensified enforcement, with recent actions including:

• Seizing vehicles in Haridwar and Shimla for modified exhausts.
• Crushing seized silencers with road rollers in public to send a stern message.
• Imposing heavy fines, such as the Rs 10,000 penalty under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act for sound pollution. 

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'Like Sun Rising In East': Expert On India Hitting Pak Nuclear Site Last Year

The question of whether one particular strike was the straw that broke the camel's back and made Pakistan approach the Indian side and push for a ceasefire after Operation Sindoor last year has long been debated. One of the world's foremost aviation historians, analysts and experts may finally have the answer.

Despite the Indian Air Force denying that it had struck Kirana Hills, one of Pakistan's main storage facilities for nuclear weapons and a former nuclear testing site, Tom Cooper is convinced the facility was hit and that "Pakistan was finished by then". 

"It's a place you hit when you want to send a clear message without causing, let's put it this way, too much damage. It means, "Listen, guys in Pakistan, we can hit you severely where we want, whenever we want, with as much ammunition as we want. Stop it, finally'," Cooper told NDTV's Shiv Aroor in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. 

"And considering the timing of that strike, and when one cross-checks what was happening in the background on the diplomatic scene, how Islamabad was calling Washington, calling New Delhi, and begging for a ceasefire. Of course, it was not literally begging for a ceasefire... But eventually, that was that... It cannot be clearer anymore," he asserted.

'Several Pieces Of Evidence'

Asked what proof he had that the attack actually took place, the aviation expert insisted there was not just one piece of evidence, but several, including videos shot by Pakistanis showing contrails from missiles coming in, diving down, and hitting the hillside. Smoke rising from the radar station of what he described as the 4091st Squadron of the Pakistani Air Force, Cooper said, bolsters this theory. 

"And the evidence is so clear that the Indian Air Force hit these radar stations first to disable the Pakistani capability to counter its attack, and then hit at least two entrances to the underground storage facilities. And Kirana Hills is one of the centrepieces of the Pakistani nuclear programme. They have run something like 20-24 non-critical nuclear tests over there. I mean, it's not Disneyland," he said.  

"Pakistan was finished by then. Its Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos (launched in response to Operation Sindoor) had failed. It was blocked by Indian air defence, and then by this massive strike that morning in May," he added.

Cooper said this strike was one of the key reasons he had declared the conflict a clear-cut victory for India. 

"You don't target such places without knowing that the enemy or the other side cannot strike back without having absolute certainty," he explained. 

The other evidence, Cooper said, came from "personal contacts" in Pakistan who confirmed the facility was hit. 

Nuclear Proof

To a question on how he was sure Kirana Hills housed a nuclear facility, Cooper said a bulletin of atomic scientists in the US had described it in that manner, and analysts in India had arrived at the same conclusion. 

"It is really amazing what kind of stuff they are finding. So when you find 40 hardened shelters, two maintenance facilities, 50 or more entrances to underground facilities... When you know the history of the site, with its nuclear tests. I mean, again, it is not a fun park. It is a nuclear facility for testing purposes, for storage purposes. There might not be a reactor over there, but it doesn't mean there are no nuclear weapons," he said.

The expert also pointed to Sargodha, one of the Pakistan Air Force's principal facilities, being very close to Kirana Hills. He asked why a squadron of F-16s was being trained for the delivery of nuclear weapons at the base if there was no storage facility nearby. 

"What can be a better storage facility in this area than Kirana Hills, with all of its tunnels, hardened shelters, three complexes of ammunition depots and so on?" he argued. 

Escalation?

On the possibility of escalation following such a strike, Cooper said the context was important. Pakistan, he highlighted, had fired missiles and other projectiles and sent drones, and all of them were shot down, except for one or two missiles. 

"Everything that was sent India's way was shot down. Several Pakistani Air Force jets were shot down. Pilots were killed. So this operation (Bunyan-un-Marsoos) was a complete failure... And then the Indian Air Force launched a counter-strike, hit 12 or 13 air bases, and Pakistan was still trying," Cooper recalled.

"And then came the strike on Kirana Hills. And with this action, you make it clear to the opponent: 'You can't do anything. You are finished. You can fire whatever you like at us, and we are still going to shut down everything coming our way and hit you very hard. And if you continue, we are going to hit you even harder because we can, and you can't,'" he stressed.

This was a big cause of the clear-cut victory, Cooper insisted, and led to Pakistan calling for a ceasefire and India agreeing to a break in the operations. 

Weaponry, Integration

On whether specialised aircraft or weapons were needed for the precision strikes on Kirana Hills, Cooper said that was not necessary. 

"You had Su-30s launching BrahMos and Rampage - air-launched ballistic missiles. You had Jaguars launching Rampage. You had Rafales launching SCALPs, and so on. This was perfectly enough," he explained. 

Cooper was all praise for India's integrated air defence system and said that it had made all the difference. Not only did the system function very well defensively and thwart wave after wave of Pakistani missiles and projectiles, but it also made it possible to go on the offensive very quickly. 

"...to simultaneously coordinate such a massive operation by the Indian Air Force on the morning of the 10th and to hit Pakistan that hard. This is something that people are not understanding enough," he maintained.

"So Pakistan can now buy, you know, 200 (Chinese-made) J-20s and whatever else. The Indian air defence system is still good enough to detect this one way or the other, because there's plenty of built-in redundancy in this system. There are so many different radars that one of them would pick it up. And when you detect that, stealth is not stealth anymore," Cooper explained. 

Stealth Fighters

This led to the next question, which was whether India's lack of stealth fighters is an issue, considering China already has them.

India's air defence system, Cooper said, has managed to combine indigenous weaponry with those from France, Russia and Israel.  

"I've seen dozens of other countries trying to develop such integrated air defence systems and having trouble, or even failing miserably... For example, with the Russian integrated air defence system, there were something like seven or eight different protocols which cannot communicate with each other. The system crashes if you take out one battery or for some other reason," he pointed out. 

"But India's system survived everything Pakistan has thrown at it. Now, of course, there's a question of whether if it would perform as well in case of a confrontation with China. I don't know. We'll have to see, because the Chinese also have a very good integrated air defence system. But the fact is, the Indian system is working, and that's what matters. Now it has to be developed even more," he stressed. 

Cooper also said he was flummoxed by why the Indian Air Force insisted on denying that it had hit the site when it was so "obvious" it had. 

"I mean, this is like denying that the sun is coming up in the east. For whom is that making sense?" he asked. 

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IPL Franchise Prepares 'Mega Offer' To Lure Gautam Gambhir For CEO's Role

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to approach India head coach Gautam Gambhir to join them as CEO, mentor, and partner, according to a report. Gambhir, who took over as India head coach in July 2024, currently has a contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which will expire after the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to a report in Dainik Jagran, RR is set to undergo a change in ownership, with one of the three potential owners has offered Gambhir a minority equity stake - believed to be in the region of 2-3 per cent - in the franchise.

Gambhir had a highly successful association with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, helping the franchise lift three titles, two as a player and one as a mentor. He also had a fruitful stint during his two seasons as mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who qualified for the playoffs in both campaigns.

However, Gambhir is unlikely to join RR due to his current commitments with the Indian national team. As per the Supreme Court's ruling based on the Lodha Committee recommendations, an individual cannot simultaneously hold a position with the national side and be associated with an IPL franchise. This "one man, one post" rule is strictly enforced to prevent any potential conflict of interest.
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If Gambhir wishes to accept the offer, he must step down from his role as the head coach of the Indian team. He is expected to lead India's charge during the 2027 World Cup, and could also target the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles if he gets an extension.

Gambhir is currently overseeing India's T20 World Cup title defence, with the team already through to the Super Eight stage.

Meanwhile, RR is currently owned by India-born British businessman Manoj Badale through his firm, Emerging Media (holding a 65 per cent majority stake). Other stakeholders include RedBird Capital Partners with a 15 per cent stake and Lachlan Murdoch.

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At India AI Summit, A Robot That Walks Like Dog And Thinks Like Engineer

A quadruped machine that can navigate rubble, climb stairs, and diagnose mechanical failures without human intervention is the centre of attention at the India AI Summit.

This robot, developed for industrial "Physical AI" by Tata Consultancy Services, is designed to operate in industrial environments such as construction sites, warehouses, manufacturing plants and distribution centres. 

By mimicking the movement of an animal and combining it with high-performance onboard processing, the unit can patrol construction sites, factories, and warehouses to perform inspections in complex, noisy, and risky environments. Today, inspections in such places are mostly manual, which increases the risk while checking equipment, recording readings and pointing out errors. 

In heavy industries, even a small, unnoticed issue like a pressure drop or voltage fluctuation can turn into major downtime or a serious safety incident.

That's where this quadruped changes the game.

In the live demonstration, the quadruped robot operates inside a simulated factory setup. It walks independently across uneven surfaces, climbs elevated stairs and accesses restricted or difficult zones.

The robot's autonomy is driven by an integrated suite of LiDAR, depth cameras, and environmental sensors, all managed by an onboard GPU that allows it to interpret data in real time. 

The robot captures readings from critical equipment such as compressors, electrical panels and power distribution units. Rather than simply recording video for a remote operator, the robot uses "closed-loop logic" to investigate anomalies. For instance, if it detects a pressure drop in a compressor, it does not just log the error; it automatically reroutes itself to check the connected power distribution units, attempting to validate the root cause before alerting a human technician. 

When the system finds a problem, it immediately sends a maintenance alert. Technicians are informed at once so they can take action quickly. Humans are still involved in the process. The goal is not to replace workers but to keep them away from dangerous areas and help them work faster and smarter. This ability to cross-reference symptoms makes the machine an active diagnostic tool rather than a passive observer.

Beyond simple equipment monitoring, the robot is capable of detecting gas leaks, thermal fluctuations, and welding defects that the human eye might miss. On construction sites, it functions as an autonomous auditor, scanning structural joints and comparing the physical progress of a building against its digital architectural blueprints. It also serves a safety function by monitoring work zones for compliance, identifying whether personnel are wearing required protective gear and triggering alerts if violations occur.

By taking over the tasks of manual patrolling, the robot keeps workers away from high-voltage panels and chemical-leak zones while providing them with more accurate data. The system is built to bridge the gap between digital AI and the physical world.

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Mani Shankar Aiyar's Prediction On Pinarayi Vijayan Return Sparks Row

Mani Shankar Aiyar's opinion that Pinarayi Vijayan will be back again as the Chief Minister of Kerala has sparked a furore in the Congress. In a post on X, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years. He speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity".

The CPM - to which Pinarayi Vijayan belongs -- and the Congress are at loggerheads in Kerala and the two parties were voted in alternately every assembly election till the last, when the Left-led Front came to power for a second term. 

Aiyar has now predicted a third term for Vijayan.  Applauding Kerala as the country's leader in Panchayati Raj at an event that was also attended by Vijayan, he said, "So, in the presence of the Chief Minister, who I am confident will continue in office, I renew my plea: to reinforce Kerala as the best Panchayati Raj state in the country, state law should be amended based on practical experience." 

Then, declaring that there is no champion for Panchayati Raj left in the country, he said, "Therefore, I must fall at your feet, Chief Minister Vijayan, and request you to pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped. Thank you, and may Kerala prosper".

His words have deeply embarrassed the Congress, which hopes to return to power in the assembly election due this year. Reports said that state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala had earlier warned party leaders about attending the conference where the events took place, saying it was orchestrated to boost the Left. 

Aiyar had earlier embarrassed the Congress multiple times by deviating from the party line. The key occasions include his derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his comment that China had "allegedly invaded" India in 1962 in May 2024. He had apologised after intense criticism. 

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How A Fake Resume Cost A Startup Rs 2 Lakh And Changed Its Hiring Policy

Startup founder Ashutosh Gupta, Chief Business Officer at Praper Media, recently shared a LinkedIn post sharing how hiring a candidate with a fake resume resulted in a loss of over Rs 2 lakh and four months of productivity. Gupta explained that the candidate's hiring happened at a time when Praper was smaller and the company relied heavily on interviews and instinct. "Background verification felt unnecessary. So we hired based on interviews and gut feeling. If someone seemed good in the interview, we brought them on," Gupta wrote.

According to the founder, Chirag came across as confident and experienced. He claimed he was earning Rs 40,000 at his previous agency. The team offered him Rs 45,000 - a raise that seemed fair for someone with three years of experience.

However, Gupta said concerns began to surface about 2 months into the role when the candidate failed to perform basic tasks, such as taking two days to complete a standard video edit that typically takes junior editors only a few hours. 

"We assigned him a reaction video edit. Standard work. Our junior editors handle 3 per day. Chirag took 2 DAYS. And the output was unusable. For someone who claimed 3 years of experience and a ₹40K salary at their last agency? That made no sense. So we called his previous employer," he wrote.

The verification call revealed multiple discrepancies. While Chirag claimed to earn Rs 40,000 at his previous job, his actual salary was only Rs 25,000.  He claimed to have resigned from his previous role, but he had actually been fired for performance issues. The "manager" provided for a reference check turned out to be a friend who gave a glowing, but fabricated, review. 

See the post here:

"It cost us ₹1.35L in salary (3 months), ₹40K in training time, and ₹25K in replacement hiring. Plus: Delayed client work, affected team morale, wasted time. Total: ₹2L+ and 4 months lost. All because we skipped one step," Gupta added.

The incident triggered a major change in hiring policy at Praper Media. "So now every hire gets background verification. No exceptions," Gupta stated. The company's updated process includes emailing the previous employer's HR, calling the previous manager through official company numbers, cross-checking LinkedIn details, and verifying salary slips.

"People try to bypass with fake numbers and photoshopped slips. We catch them 90% of the time. If you're building a team of 15-20+ people, here's what I recommend: Start background verification now. Don't wait for a mistake. We learned at Rs 2 lakhs. You don't have to," he advised other founders. 

Similar Cases:

Other founders have shared similar "hiring horror stories" recently: 

• Tint Cosmetics: Founder Arshia Kaur reported a marketing head used fake salary slips made in Excel to join her company in late 2024, only to be fired months later for incompetence.
• Jobbie: Founder Mohammed Ahmed Bhati recently revoked a Rs 22 LPA offer after a background check revealed the candidate had made derogatory religious remarks on social media. 
   

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"My Father Ravi Shankar Was Never Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma's Guru": Anoushka

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma, a sitarist and music producer from the Rikhi Ram lineage of instrument makers, has a separate fan base among music lovers. From being the first sitarist to perform solo at the White House to advocating music as a therapeutic tool for emotional well-being, the musician carries forward a culturally rich classical tradition. He has, however, often called himself the last and youngest disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar – a claim recently opposed by the legendary musician's daughter, Anoushka Shankar.

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma has often revealed in past interviews how a conversation with Pandit Ravi Shankar marked a turning point in his musical journey. Nullifying his claims, however, Anoushka Shankar mentioned that he was never formally a disciple of her father. “Rishab is really talented, and he is clearly speaking to people in a really wonderful way. I think there is some misunderstanding about his guruship,” Anoushka told Humans Of Bombay.

Although Anoushka praised Rishabh's talents, she clarified, “He learnt very intensively with someone very dear to me, one of my father's senior disciples, Parimal Sadaphal, and he had a couple of lessons with my father, very informally, with Parimal uncle also in the room.”

“We knew him from childhood because he was the son of our instrument maker, Sanjay Rikiram Sharma. So somehow that has gone, blown up into some story of him being his last disciple or the youngest disciple, which isn't true. But he is super talented and deserves all success with or without that story,” she continued.

When Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma Called Himself "The Last Disciple Of Pandit Ravi Shankar"

In a video uploaded on his official Instagram handle, Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma can be seen playing the sitar. While the tunes are magical, it was his caption that instantly grabbed the attention of many. 

The side note read, “Music can heal, believes 24-year-old sitar player Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, who belongs to a family of luthiers and is the last disciple of late sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar.”

Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma (@rishabsmusic)

When Rishab Rikhiram Sharma Spoke Of His Lineage With Ravi Shankar

In a previous conversation, Rishabh revealed his deep-rooted connection with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Calling the legendary musician his guru, he told Bani Anand that Ravi Shankar had once called his father, Sanjay Rikiram, and asked him to bring Rishabh to him. “Once we were there, Guruji was like, ‘OK, take out your sitar and play for me a little bit.' I played, and then he picked up his guitar and played the same composition,” he shared.

Talking about the turning point in his life, Rishabh shared, “After that, he turned to my parents and said, ‘With your permission, your kid has a lot of talent, I would love to be his guru and teach him,' and I saw my parents' jaw drop to the floor because God himself had come down and said, ‘Can I teach your child?' So my dad didn't have the courage to ask him. For him to offer to be my guru was amazing.”

On the work front, Anoushka Shankar is currently on her Chapters Tour 2026 in India, marking 30 remarkable years of celebrating music.

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5 Arrested, Rs 6 Crore Fine After Mumbai Metro Slab Collapse Kills 1

Taking action after a person died and three others were injured in the Metro slab collapse in Mumbai's Mulund on Saturday, the Maharashtra government has suspended an executive engineer and imposed a penalty of Rs 6 crore on the contractors and consultants involved in the project. 

Five employees of the contractors, including the project director, have been arrested. 

A slab of the under-construction Metro Line-4, which connects Wadala to Thane, fell on an auto-rickshaw and a car on the arterial LBS Marg in Mulund on Saturday afternoon. Ramdhan Yadav, a prominent local Samajwadi Party official and village head, who was travelling to a wedding, died, while three others were injured. 

Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde ordered the suspension of Executive Engineer Satyajeet Salve and said penalties totalling Rs 6 crore had been imposed on the contractors and consultants, Milan Road Buildtech and Louis Berger. 

Shinde also ordered a comprehensive safety and structural audit of the entire Metro stretch and announced an increased compensation of Rs 15 lakh for Yadav's family.

Police said they have arrested four employees of Milan Road Buildtech and one from the DB Hill LBG Supervisory company, including Project Director Harish Chauhan and two project managers. 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident and action will be taken against those responsible. 

Hitting out at the government, the Opposition said it does not value people's lives. 

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, "If you notice, pillars are already painted, before the work was completed... Even today, most infrastructure work has terrible barricading that either leads to traffic jams or vehicles falling into open pits... Life has no value under the BJP regime," he said.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also asked whether the lives of Mumbai residents have "become cheap".

"Why are safety rules only on paper when Metro work is underway? Why weren't adequate safety arrangements made when work was in progress on such a busy road?" she asked. 

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'Bangladesh Comes First': Tarique Rahman On His Foreign Policy

After a sweeping victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman, in a press conference, said that Bangladesh's foreign policy will prioritise the country's interests over others. "People come first," he said.

"Freedom loving pro-democracy people of the country have once again brought victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party," he said in English, before switching to Bangla.

"We have cleared ourselves regarding the foreign policy which is in the interest of Bangladesh, and the interest of the Bangladeshi people comes first. By protecting the interest of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people, we will decide our foreign policy," Rahman said.

Answering how the government would approach international relations, senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the party would stick to multilateralism and not go after a country-centric approach.

That being said, Rahman's "Bangladesh First" policy aims to balance ties with neighbouring countries like India, China and Pakistan.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman leaves after addressing a press conference in Dhaka on February 14, 2026
Photo Credit: AFP

The BNP leadership also highlighted how important safeguarding sovereignty, ensuring strategic autonomy and mutual respect would be to shape foreign relations.

How India Views The New Leadership

Humayun Kabir, who handles international relations for Rahman and is set to be a key official in the new regime, said the priority is to build a "stronger cooperation among our people".

He said India will be one of the countries that "we will visit", though he did not give a definite time.

"Obviously there are certain domestic priorities and then international engagements. Of course India will be one of the countries that we will visit, among other countries in the region," Kabir told NDTV.

India views the return of an elected leadership as an "opportune moment" to repair setbacks inflicted on the relationship. The focus now shifts to BNP's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, whom Indian officials describe as someone they are "cautiously optimistic" about.

That optimism was reflected in the swift outreach from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who posted on X that he was "delighted to speak" with Rahman and congratulated him on the "remarkable victory" in the elections. PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to peace, progress, and prosperity for both nations, emphasising the deep historical and cultural ties that bind the neighbours.

The BNP won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, per the Electoral Commission.

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Abhishek Reaches Colombo Ahead Of India vs Pak Game, Says This About Health

Abhishek Sharma's participation in India's match against Pakistan here depends on his recovery from a stomach bug, but the swashbuckling opener arrived with the team on Friday, raising hopes of his return at the Premadasa on Sunday. Abhishek had missed India's match in New Delhi against Namibia on Thursday despite being released from a private hospital in the national capital. India will have a net session on Saturday evening, and Abhishek's fitness will be monitored closely before a final decision is taken.

In a video posted by Punjab Kings (PBKS), pacer Arshdeep Singh can be seen asking him, "How are you?"

To this, Abhishek replied, "Dal-rice, very good. Me? Good."

Daal-rice khao, jaldi theek ho jaao! pic.twitter.com/aKEpKCw08G

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) February 13, 2026

Parents arrive in Colombo

Meanwhile, the parents of the India opener also arrived in Colombo ahead of the Pakistan match. Rajkumar Sharma has been a constant source of support for Abhishek and has coached the left-handed batter since childhood. The parents were also present in Dubai during the Asia Cup.

If Abhishek continues to be unavailable, India can either persist with Sanju Samson or bring in the fit-again Washington Sundar to pair with Ishan Kishan at the top.

Having played his entire T20I career after the T20 World Cup win by the Rohit Sharma-led side in 2024, Abhishek has scored 1,297 runs in 38 matches and 37 innings at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, with two centuries, eight fifties, and a best score of 135. He entered the T20 World Cup as the world's top-ranked T20I batter.

In three matches against Pakistan, he has scored 110 runs at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, with a best of 74.

Following the toss against Namibia on Thursday, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said about Abhishek, "Abhishek is still not fine; he will miss a game or two."

Earlier, the Indian opener was hospitalised due to a stomach infection, according to a BCCI source. The southpaw was not looking well during the team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir's residence on Sunday and was the first to leave the gathering.

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Why A UK-Based Doctor Returned Home To Contest Elections In Bangladesh

Tasnim Jara, a 31-year-old doctor, returned from Britain to join Bangladesh's National Citizens' Party (NCP) but later quit over its alliance with Islamist groups. She is now contesting the parliamentary elections as an independent, driven by what she describes as a desire to build a "genuinely new political culture".

Jara said the July uprising had "opened a window" for people like her to enter politics and help reshape the system. That optimism, she said, dimmed when the NCP aligned itself with Islamist forces.

As voting concluded in Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections on Thursday, Jara told NDTV why this election matters to her and why it compelled her to return home.

One of the most talked-about candidates in this election, Jara's journey from the UK back to the bylanes of Dhaka has drawn wide attention.

Read | "Our Priority": Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami Chief To NDTV On India Ties

She said two factors pushed her into electoral politics. First, while her work as a doctor allows her to help many people, she believes it does not enable her to change the system itself. She wants to pursue lasting reforms in healthcare, education and governance. Second, she said she wants to challenge a political culture dominated by nepotism and corruption and replace it with transparency and accountability.

Jara said there is strong public enthusiasm for a different kind of politics, reflected in the response to her people-powered campaign. A campaign without large rallies or posters plastered across the city. She said voters connected with her door-to-door outreach and personal engagement.

Read | Killing Of Hindu Trader Sparks Minority Fears Ahead Of Bangladesh Polls

She added that the campaign holds particular significance for young Bangladeshis, as the election follows an uprising led largely by young people and women and marked by considerable sacrifice.

"We must make sure that we rebuild our institutions, and we never have to go back to a structure where authoritarianism can only be removed by people risking their lives or limbs," she said.

Jara is contesting as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9, where she faces stiff competition from BNP candidate Habibur Rashid. The constituency has 469,360 registered voters, with 12 candidates in the fray.

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