A Car Accident That Wasn't And 3 Bodies: 'Suicide' Mystery Shocks Kolkata

The deaths of two women and a girl at a house in Kolkata which has shocked the city, may not be suicide, postmortem reports have indicated, said sources in Kolkata police. The women -- married to two brothers -- and the daughter of one of them, were found dead yesterday. Their husbands and son of one brother, were involved in a car accident. They have apparently told the police that they were trying to commit suicide.

The women were found with their wrists slit. But the postmortem report indicated other injuries as well. Both had slashes on the throat and died after massive bleeding. The girl, who was 14 years old, had bruises on chest, legs, lips and head. She had also been poisoned, sources said, quoting the report.

The police said the brothers, Pranoy and Prasun Dey, lived at the house in Tangra with their wives Sudeshna and Romi Dey. Pranoy and Sudeshna had a son, Pratik. Prasun and Priyambada's daughter was Priyambada.

The deaths of the woman became known after the two men and the boy were found involved in the crash near Abhishikta crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass --- the arterial road that encircles part of the city - around 4 am.

All three had sustained injuries but survived. They are still in the hospital. 

One of the men told the police that they were attempting suicide and had deliberately crashed the car into a metro pillar. The women, he had added, had already died by suicide. 

The police later recovered the bodies from the house in Tangra and investigated the spot, collecting forensic and other evidence. All three bodies were found in different rooms, the police said. 

The post-mortem examination was conducted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in the presence of a videographer and police personnel.

The police said the family, which used to operate a tannery business, was in financial difficulties. There was a possibility that this was a case of murder-suicide, sources said. 
 

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Ganga Water At Kumbh's Sangam Unsafe On Another Parameter Too: Data

The Ganga water at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, where lakhs of people are taking a holy dip every day during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, is currently unsafe for bathing as it exceeds the prescribed limit for biological oxygen demand (BOD), a key parameter to determine water quality, according to government data.

BOD refers to the amount of oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to break down organic material in a water body. A higher BOD level indicates more organic content in the water.

River water is considered fit for bathing if the BOD level is less than 3 milligrams per litre.

The Central Pollution Control Board recently told the National Green Tribunal that several locations in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj do not conform to the primary water quality standards for bathing with respect to faecal coliform levels.

However, it said that the river water quality met the bathing criteria in terms of BOD after January 13 "due to freshwater intrusion at upstream locations." Government data shows that the river water at Sangam is currently exceeding the safe limit for BOD as well.

The BOD level at Sangam was 5.09 milligrams per litre at 5 am on February 16. It was recorded at 4.6 milligrams per litre at 5 pm on February 18 and 5.29 milligrams per litre at 8 am on February 19 (Wednesday).

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the BOD level at Sangam was 3.94 milligrams per litre on January 13 when the Maha Kumbh started.

It improved to 2.28 milligrams per litre on Makar Sankranti (January 14) and further dropped to 1 milligram per litre on January 15.

However, it rose to 4.08 milligrams per litre on January 24 and was recorded at 3.26 milligrams per litre on Mauni Amavasya (January 29). According to Uttar Pradesh government officials, 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs of water is being released into the Ganga to ensure it meets bathing standards.

The Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will conclude on February 26, Maha Shivaratri day. Over 54 crore people have taken a dip in the sacred waters of Triveni Sangam so far.

Mahakumbh Nagar is the world's largest temporary city, accommodating 50 lakh to 1 crore devotees at any given time.

These pilgrims generate at least 16 million litres of faecal waste and 240 million litres of greywater daily from activities like cooking, washing, and bathing.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told reporters on Sunday that the rise in footfall is due to the government's success in improving river water quality and sanitation since the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.

"Before 2019, there would be no toilets at Kumbh. Officials would earmark an area with a red flag, provide tents, and open defecation used to take place.

"For the first time in 2019, we built 1.14 lakh individual toilets with Sintex (plastic) tanks underneath to collect wastewater and excreta. Desludging would be done every two-three days and the faecal sludge would be taken to open oxidation ponds far away. This time, we have constructed 1.5 lakh individual toilets and two faecal sludge treatment plants," he said.

A 200 km-long temporary drainage network has been set up to connect treatment facilities, Singh added.

"Sanitation is a big hallmark (of Kumbh arrangements), and those who have been to Kumbh previously can distinctly see the difference," he said.

Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP), said the state government has been highly irresponsible in claiming that no harm has come to people who have bathed in the river, despite the water being unfit for bathing.

"It is the government's moral duty to provide clean water for bathing. When the water is not safe, there is always a high risk of infection," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Woman Loses Rs 4.3 Crore, Becomes Homeless, Trying To Find Love Online

A woman based in Perth has been forced to live homeless after losing over Rs 4.3 crore ($780,000) in life savings to scammers while searching for love online. According to a report in news.com.au, Annette Ford, 57, is now couch-surfing in Western Australia and hoping to secure housing at an affordable retirement village as the scammers remain free.

Ms Ford joined the dating pool after her 33-year-long marriage ended in 2018 and her ex-husband moved on quickly. Looking to seek a love life of her own, she joined a dating site called "Plenty of Fish" where she started talking to a man named 'William'.

Over the course of several months, the stranger managed to win Ms Ford's trust before asking her for money. 'Wlliam' said he needed Rs 2,75,000 ($5000) as his wallet had been stolen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"He said he had been mugged outside the site he was working on (in Kuala Lumpur) and they took his wallet and his cards," said Ms Ford.

"The next thing I know he's in hospital and I'm being landed with a $5000 hospital payable to an Australian doctor. I (paid) that. Then there was a hotel bill, and he said he couldn't pay the workers on the site because he didn't have access to his cards."

The requests for money continued and by the time Ms Ford suspected she had been scammed, she was out of Rs 1.6 crore ($300,000), having drained her self-managed super fund. Despite reporting the case to the Australian Federal Police, Ms Ford did not hear anything back.

Also Read | British Woman Duped Of Rs 98 Lakh In Catfish Scam By Friend Of Two Decades

The second scam

Four years later, Ms Ford came across another scammer -- this time on Facebook who went by the name, 'Nelson'. The stranger told her that he lived in Amsterdam and had a friend in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who needed $2500 to help with an ongoing investigation.

Aware of the danger, she refused initially but the stranger told her to deposit money he sent to her into a Bitcoin ATM. Ms Ford said there was money going in and out of her account that she wasn't aware of and before she could realise it, her account was out of Rs 1.5 crore ($280,000).

Having lost everything, Ms Ford is now begging Australians to not fall prey to such scams. "They say all the right things, they sweep you off your feet but they're going to take your money and they're going to leave you broke," Ms Ford warned.

Last month, a British woman was swindled of Rs 98.5 lakh (£92,300) after a friend of two decades, ran a catfish scam against her.

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Jerry Seinfeld's "I Don't Care About Palestine" Comment Sparks Outrage

Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld has received divisive responses after he said he does not care about Palestine when an activist ambushed him in public. In the video posted on social media, an influencer, known as Subway DJ, approached Mr Seinfeld outside the Radio City Music Hall where Saturday Night Live was hosting a 50th-anniversary celebration and asked for a photograph.

Mr Seinfeld readily agreed and even posed for the photograph before Subway DJ brought up the Gaza conflict. Instead of taking a photo, the influencer recorded a video and put up two fingers in a peace sign while saying: "Free Palestine."

Mr Seinfeld appeared uncomfortable in the footage but remained quiet. However, when asked to repeat the phrase, he shook his head and said: "I don't care about Palestine," before walking away from the activist.

"That's sad," Subway DJ said, frowning.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Subway DJ (@subwaydj)

Social media divided

As the video went viral, a section of social media users lambasted Mr Seinfeld for being insensitive while others called out the influencer.

"We don't care about Seinfeld or anyone who supports genocide," said one user, while another added: "The guy gives u a selfie and u pull some dumb move like that. Come on man."

A third commented: "As someone who loved Seinfeld, this is super disappointing."

Also Read | Elon Musk Ignores Ashley St Clair While Reacting To His Other Baby Mama's Post

Jerry Seinfeld supports Israel

Mr Seinfeld is Jewish and has been a staunch ally of Israel in its war against Hamas. He even visited Israel in December 2023 and met with the families of the hostages.

"We believe in justice, freedom, and equality. We survive and flourish no matter what. I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people," he said at the time.

Last year in May, dozens of students walked out of Duke University's commencement ceremony to protest against Mr Seinfeld who was invited as the guest speaker. The video showed students in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, filing out as chants of 'Free Palestine' reverberated.

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50 Film Stars, Industrialists, Diplomats Invited For BJP's Delhi Oath Event

The new Chief Minister of Delhi will take oath at the iconic Ramlila Maidan on Thursday in a grand ceremony that will be attended by BJP leaders and ministers and all the allies. Sources said plans are in progress to make the party's return to power in the national capital after 26 years a truly memorable event. 

The ceremony will begin at 4.30 pm.

A colourful musical programme will be held on the stage of Ramlila Maidan before the swearing-in ceremony, in which Kailash Kher will also perform.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of 20 states will attend the mega event. Diplomats of major countries have also been invited. BJP leaders and workers from other states who campaigned in the Delhi elections are also expected to be present on the occasion.

More than 50 film stars and industrialists, will be present. Besides, Farmers of Delhi, beneficiaries of central government schemes including laadli sisters, and common people from Delhi will also be invited to the ceremony.

The spiritual leaders of the country will be represented by Baba Ramdev, Swami Chidananda, Baba Bageshwar Dhirendra Shastri and other religious figures. 

There, however, is no word on who is going to get the top job. Initially it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France and the US that had delayed a decision. But now, even two days after his return, there has been no announcement, ratcheting up the suspense. 

While Parvesh Verma -- the son of former Chief Minister Saheb Singh Verma -- is seen as the front-runner in the race, sources said the list of probables has no less than 15 names that also include candidates for cabinet and the Assembly Speaker.

Nine names will be chosen, sources said, and Delhi will have eight ministers including the Chief Minister.

The 48 BJP MLAs are expected to meet on Wednesday to select their leader, who will succeed Aam Aadmi Party's Atishi. 

In the election held earlier this month, the BJP had scripted a massive comeback, winning 48 of the assembly's 70 seats and confining AAP to 22 -- down from 62.

The end to the 10-year rule of AAP came on the heels of massive corruption allegations against its leaders, including then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. A number of its leaders, including Mr Kejriwal and his then deputy Manish Sisodia -- spent months in jail. 

Not just the alleged liquor policy scam, the "Sheesh Mahal" allegations against Mr Kejriwal - the Rs 33.6 crore revamp that that turned the official residence of the Chief Minister into an opulent bungalow suitable for the uber-rich - appeared to have taken the sheen off AAP that thrived on its governance records for the better part of the last decade.

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Suits LA: Why It Took 6 Years To Make A Comeback With Gabriel Macht

Suits, the American drama series set in New York's fictional corporate law firm, enjoys a massive fandom. Especially its lead character Harvey Spectre played by Gabriel Macht has been an eternal favourite amongst the fans of the show.

However, now that the spin-off  titled Suits LA is premiering today, it leaves us with the question of why it took six years for the makers to come up with it.

As per a report on Screenrant, Suits gained a rising momentum when it was released on OTT platforms for streaming, in 2023. This was primarily the reason why Suits LA was initiated.

The craze around the show got stronger when Suits dropped on Netflix, beating Wednesday, which was one of the most trending shows at that time.

As per Hollywood Reporter, Suits also broke the viewership record of Steve Carell's The Office, which was set in 2020.

As for the spinoff Suits LA, it comes with an interesting cast featuring Stephen Amell in the role of Ted Black, as per TV Guide, Jost McDermitt as Stuart Lane, Bryan Greenberg as Rick Dodson, Lex Scott Davis as Erica Rollins, Troy Winbush as Kevin, and Alice Lee as Leah, these are all key roles in the upcoming series.

Everyone's favourite Harvey Spectre played by Gabriel Macht also makes a comeback for 3 episodes in the spin-off.
 

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"Kohli Zindabad": Fans In Karachi Shower Love On India Star. Video Viral

Star India batter Virat Kohli enjoys a huge fan following and his popularity across the border, Pakistan, is no secret. Ahead of the Champions Trophy, which will be played in Pakistan and UAE (only India matches) under the hybrid model, Kohli chants gripped the National Stadium in Karachi as fans showered their love towards the former India captain. In fact, a fan even raised chants of "Virat Kohli zindabaad" (long live Virat Kohli) chants outside the stadium. The incident took place after after the tri-nation series final between Pakistan and New Zealand on Friday.

A video of the same incident has now gone viral on social media. In the video, a fan, introduced himself by the name of Karan, labelled himself as Kohli's biggest fan. He even revealed that people in his neighbourhood call him 'Kohli'.

KOHLI KOHLI chants outside Karachi stadium after #PAKvNZ
game
A man even said Virat Kohli zindabad in Pakistan

Truly face of world Cricket.#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/n7oCtMRqyc

— HARSH (@harsh_dean) February 14, 2025

In the same video, some fans were also seen making "RCB, RCB" chants.

Amid uncertainity over his future in the Indian team, former England captain Kevin Pietersen backed Kohli to silence his critics, just like he has done in the past.

While speaking on Star Sports, Pietersen said: "He is one of the greats of the game. There have been too many people who have written him off on too many occasions. You can't write these guys off because of the aura they have when they walk out to bat. The question mark comes down to Virat Kohli."

"The question mark doesn't come down to me, you, the selectors, the coaches, and the other players. Virat Kohli can only answer the question, in terms of how long he wants to continue, and how much fight he has to get better and to create those high standards that everybody expects from him," he added.

The Indian team left for Dubai on Saturday, five days ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh.

India's squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Non-travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.

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