The LT Marg police in South Mumbai have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly impersonating a Mumbai-based gold merchant on WhatsApp and attempting to cheat another trader of Rs 25 lakh. According to the police, the complainant, Lalit Kumar Jagawat, 61, who runs a bullion business in south Mumbai, was alerted on February 3 by a fellow gold trader from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, that he had received a call from an unknown person seeking R25 lakh in Jagawat’s name, claiming that the money was urgently required in Mumbai. Police said the caller had used Jagawat’s name and business display picture on WhatsApp to appear genuine. Smelling a rat, Jagawat clarified immediately that he had made no such request. The traders then coordinated to expose the impersonator to prevent any financial loss to others. As part of the plan, Jagawat instructed the Rajasthan-based trader to direct the caller to collect the money from a jewellery shop located in south Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar area. Jagawat simultaneously alerted staff at the shop, and kept local police informed as well. Later that evening, the suspect arrived at the designated shop to collect the cash. He was detained on the spot and subsequently handed over to the LT Marg police. The accused has been identified as Navneet Udaysingh, a resident of Kalbadevi. During preliminary questioning, the accused alleged that he had been sent by other individuals whose identities are still being verified. Police said no money was exchanged during the incident. An FIR has been registered under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for impersonation and attempted cheating. The police suspect involvement of a larger gang, as this was not the first instance of businessmen being contacted using the complainant’s identity.
06 February,2026 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerBJP corporator Sujata Suraj Patil was elected mayor of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Thursday, while Dashrath Sitaram Bhagat was picked as her deputy. The election outcome was formally announced by Thane Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Ranjit Yadav, who served as the presiding officer for the mayoral polls. Patil and Bhagat were felicitated after the declaration. The proceedings began with Municipal Secretary Sanghratna Khillare welcoming the presiding officer. For the mayor’s post, Shiv Sena corporator Saroj Rohidas Patil withdrew her nomination, clearing the way for Sujata Patil’s unchallenged election. Similarly, Shiv Sena candidate Aakash Balkrishna Madhvi pulled out of the deputy mayor’s race. Sujata Patil and Dashrath Bhagat celebrate their win. Pics/By Special Arrangement Dr Kailas Shinde, chief of the 111-seat NMMC, congratulated the newly elected mayor and her deputy by presenting bouquets. Additional Commissioners Sunil Pawar and Dr Rahul Gethe, former MP Sanjeev Naik, former MLA Sandeep Naik, senior civic officials and other dignitaries were present during the proceedings. mid-day posed a few questions to both leaders. Excerpts from the interviews: Sujata Patil, NMMC mayor You have been elected mayor unopposed. How do you view this responsibility?I see this not as a victory but as a huge responsibility. I will work with sincerity and discipline, taking guidance from seniors and eliciting cooperation from all corporators to serve Navi Mumbai. What are your priorities as mayor?Cleanliness, health services, education, environment and traffic planning will be my key focus areas. Providing basic civic facilities to common citizens will remain my priority.As a woman mayor, what is your message?My journey from a homemaker to mayor reflects women’s growing role in public life. I have a Master’s degree in commerce and have been involved in social work and politics for the past 10 years. I will work sensitively for women’s safety and dignity, and inclusive development of the city. Dashrath Bhagat, NMMC deputy mayor What does this victory mean for you?It is a big opportunity and responsibility. I thank all members for their support and will work honestly for the city’s development. What role do you see for yourself in Navi Mumbai’s growth story?Navi Mumbai is known nationwide for its planned development. I will make sincere efforts to contribute to its faster and balanced growth by working with all stakeholders. What assurances would you like to give citizens?Development work will be carried out by taking everyone along. I will focus on issues faced by citizens and ensure their expectations are addressed.
06 February,2026 09:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Amarjeet SinghA routine birdwatching walk turned into a rare wildlife moment on January 24 at TS Chanakya (Indian Maritime University Navi Mumbai), when a birder spotted an albino male curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) — believed to be the first recorded sighting of its kind in the area. Naturalist and experienced birder Sachin Rane, founder of the Naturalist Foundation, told mid-day that he was guiding clients when the group first noticed redshanks and curlew sandpipers resting together. “As we moved closer to observe the flock, we briefly spotted a greater painted snipe among them, which is also the first-ever sighting of the species at TS Chanakya,” said Rane. He added that the group then crossed to the opposite side to try and photograph the painted snipe and waited for it to reappear. “After a long wait with no further sighting, we shifted our focus back to photographing the redshanks and curlew sandpipers. That’s when we noticed an exceptionally rare bird, an albino curlew sandpiper, within the flock,” he said. Rane explained that while true albino curlew sandpipers are extremely rare, birders more commonly encounter leucistic individuals that appear white. “This sighting turned out to be even rarer than the painted snipe we had initially gone looking for, making it a truly memorable outing for everyone present,” he added.
06 February,2026 09:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavA village with a population of 1600 in Nanded district has seen more than 15,000 birth and death entries in the Central Civil Registration System (CRS) portal in 2025, prompting several leaders, including BJP’s former MP Kirit Somaiya, to seek a detailed probe. Savaleshwar in Kandhar tehsil here saw the recording of 15,570 delayed birth and death registrations in 2025 under the ‘Add Old Event’ category, despite a population of 1666 as per the 2011 Census, its gram sevika Bhavana Kawale said on Thursday. “I have registered only one birth entry, that too on the tehsildar’s orders. The remaining entries appear suspicious. A police complaint is being filed and an inquiry is underway,” Kawale added. Somaiya, who visited Nanded during the day, told reporters this was a “new scam”, adding that the website may have been hacked. “Such fraud has been detected in six locations across Uttar Pradesh and four in Maharashtra. Certificates ranging from 6000 to 25,000 were issued within six months, far exceeding the local population. There may be involvement of a large gang from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A comprehensive probe must be carried out,” he said. Somaiya said he has submitted a memorandum to the Nanded District Health Officer, Zilla Parishad CEO, and Kandhar Block Development Officer demanding a detailed investigation into such incidents, including at Savaleshwar. Similar suspicious cases have also been reported from Sendur, Sani and Bhavani villages in Yavatmal district, and Ratale in Jalgaon district, raising concerns about a possible wider network, officials said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 February,2026 08:51 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesThermal drone technology has offered a rare glimpse into the nocturnal behaviour of a tigress in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), capturing footage that would otherwise remain unseen. A thermal drone deployed to monitor radio-collared tigress Tara recorded her separating the carcass of a kill before feeding during night hours — a behaviour seldom seen in the wild. Forest officials said such observations are possible only due to advanced night-monitoring technology. Field Director of STR Tushar Chavan said, “With the help of researchers, we are closely monitoring radio-collared tigress Tara. While the collar provides detailed information on her movement patterns, we are also using advanced thermal drones to track her activity during night hours. The technology has helped us document rare behaviour, including the tigress tigress segregating her prey after a kill before feeding. Such inputs highlight the importance of new technologies like thermal drones in strengthening night-time wildlife monitoring.” Thermal drone image shows Tara Tigress Tara was relocated from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to STR on December 9, 2025, under the Maharashtra Forest Department’s long-term conservation programme. She was radio-collared and released into the core forest area on December 13 after the gates of the soft-release enclosure were opened at 7 am. Officials said the tigress initially stayed within the enclosure, displaying natural wild behaviour by making a successful kill and feeding on it for nearly three days. By December 18, Tara began exploring her new habitat and settled on the Sonarli plateau. The following day, she moved towards the Chandoli dam backwaters and, on December 19 at around 6 pm, swam across the dam to reach the Jolambi plateau. Spread across Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts, the reserve is an important part of the corridor connecting Tilari, Radhanagari, Chandoli, Koyna, and Kali Tiger Reserves in Karnataka. Officials estimate that around 32 tigers use this corridor, with 14 currently in the Sahyadri region of western Maharashtra. The Maharashtra forest department plans to reintroduce more tigers into the landscape and is also working to boost prey populations by increasing herbivore species such as sambar and chital.
06 February,2026 08:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavResearchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), in collaboration with Melbourne-based Monash University, have developed a simpler and gentler method to recover lab-grown immune cells used in T-cell-based cancer therapies. A team from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT Bombay, led by Prof Prakriti Tayalia, developed a new method to gently recover T-cells after growing them in the laboratory, the institute said in a release. The study was carried out in collaboration with Prof Neil Cameron of Monash University. Immunotherapy, which involves boosting the body’s own immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells, has shown promising results in cancer treatment. In immunotherapies such as CAR T-cell therapy, doctors take T-cells (a type of immune cell) from a patient’s blood and modify them in the laboratory so they can better recognise and attack cancer cells. These modified cells are then grown in large numbers and infused back into the patient’s bloodstream to help fight cancer. A key requirement for T-cell-based immunotherapy is an ample supply of healthy, active T-cells. These cells, grown outside the body, must be collected gently so that they remain alive and functional when returned to the patient. Finding safe and efficient ways to grow T-cells and retrieve them is, therefore, an important part of making these therapies work. Prof Tayalia and her team worked with a specific type of scaffold made using a process called electrospinning. Earlier studies by the team and other research groups have shown that T-cells grown on such scaffolds become more active and multiply faster. However, as T-cells move deep into the spaces between the fibres, they become difficult to remove. For any therapy, cells must be collected, tested and finally delivered to patients, and if too many cells remain trapped in the scaffold, the process becomes inefficient. “Cell recovery sounds simple on paper, but in practice it turns out to be one of the biggest challenges,” said Prof Tayalia, adding that without enough healthy cells, they cannot be tested properly for the therapy. To address this problem, the team grew Jurkat T-cells (a human cell line grown and used in the laboratory to study T-cell biology, cancer and HIV) inside electrospun scaffolds made from a material called polycaprolactone. The researchers observed that the cells actively moved into the scaffold and became tightly lodged between the fibres. Even strong flushing with a pipette using the growth medium could not remove all the cells, especially those stuck at fibre junctions. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 February,2026 08:36 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesMaharashtra minister Ashish Jaiswal has urged the forest department to allow non-vegetarian food in rest houses across reserved forests, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves, arguing the ban was driving tourists to private hotels and affecting forest revenue. Jaiswal, the minister of state for finance and planning, wrote to the office of the state forest minister Ganesh Naik last year in which he argued that while the ban on liquor consumption at the state forest department's facilities may continue, the ban on non-vegetarian food should be lifted as it is “not appropriate” and is causing financial losses to the department. Additional Principal Chief Conservator (administration) Rishikesh Ranjan, in a letter written on January 27 to various regional offices of the forest department and tiger projects, has sought their views on the issue. Some forest officials, however, have opposed it, saying such facilities lie in ecologically sensitive areas and allowing non-vegetarian food there would undermine wildlife conservation. Opposing the proposal, a retired divisional forest officer said that restarting non-vegetarian food would amount to neglecting wildlife conservation and protection, noting that such facilities are located in ecologically sensitive areas. As per a policy decision made over a decade ago, consumption of non-vegetarian food and liquor was banned in rest houses in forest areas, and the decision was subsequently incorporated into a government order. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 February,2026 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesIn the filmmaker Rohit Shetty firing incident, the investigation officers have found that the main accused — Shubham Lonkar — was using the ‘Signal’ application to chat with the shooters. The ‘Signal’ application is used for private chats, as per police officials. A police officer said, “We found that the accused were using the Signal app to chat with each other, and after the firing, all deleted the app from their phones. With this app, they were also in touch with the main accused — Lonkar, a gang member of the Bishnoi gang. We are retrieving all the chats and taking help from the cyber experts.” Filmmaker Rohit Shetty. FILE PIC/ASHISH RAJE The Mumbai Police have intensified their probe into the firing incident outside filmmaker Shetty’s residence, with the Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell arresting another accused linked to the supply of the weapon used in the attack. The Anti-Extortion Cell also recovered a revolver, three magazines, and one airgun from Lonkar’s house in Pune while arresting one more accused identified as Aasaram Shrirang Fasle, 42, a resident of Malwadi in Pune. Police have so far arrested five people in the case. Aditya Gayaki, Siddharth Yenpure, Samarth Pomaji, and Swapnil Sakat were arrested on Sunday. The fifth accused, Asaram Fasale, was taken into custody on Thursday. Officials said that all five accused were produced before the Esplanade court (Killa court) on Thursday, and they were remanded in police custody until February 11. The firing incident took place around 12.45 am on Sunday at Shetty’s nine-storey residential building in Mumbai’s Juhu area.
06 February,2026 08:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaA Nitrogen balloon explosion inside a lift at a Goregaon West building late on the night of February 2 left a 21-year-old MBA aspirant with serious burn injuries, bringing her academic plans to an abrupt halt. Kumari Himani Gagan Tapariya, who had arrived in Mumbai a few days earlier for an MBA interview scheduled on February 3, was staying at her maternal aunt’s residence. She was returning home when the incident occurred around 10.30 pm at Anmol Tower, Goregaon West. According to police, a man carrying 10 to 12 air-filled balloons entered the lift, and moments later, the balloons exploded inside the confined space, triggering panic. Tapariya sustained severe burn injuries to her right hand, neck, and abdomen and was rushed to Infinity Multi-speciality Hospital. Doctors said she suffered deep burns covering nearly 15 to 20 per cent of her body. “She has deep burn injuries on her right hand, neck, and abdomen. While no other body parts are directly affected, the depth of the burns increases the risk of infection,” a doctor said, adding that she is under close observation and family access has been restricted. The victim's mother told mid-day, “She had come only for a few days for her interview. We were completely shocked when we heard about the accident and for a few minutes felt like we had lost everything.” The family rushed to Mumbai after being informed. Her brother, Abhishek, said the timing of the incident made it especially distressing. “The interview was scheduled for February 3, but the accident happened the previous night. Thankfully, the authorities took her condition into account and postponed the interview dates,” he said. Tapariya has a long association with Mumbai, having completed her education up to graduation in the city and lived here until about eight months ago. Her family had recently moved from Bhiwandi to Surat, though she continued to travel to Mumbai for academic and personal reasons. Undecided about her MBA specialisation, she has now been forced to pause all plans. Doctors have advised complete rest for at least six months to ensure proper healing and recovery of mobility in her injured right hand. Following the incident, Goregaon police registered a case under Section 125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on Tapariya’s statement. During the investigation, the balloon handler was identified as Raju Kumar Mahto, 32, who reportedly works for an event management company that supplies balloons and decorations for parties. Police said Mahto was not provided with any safety equipment while handling the balloons. Police further revealed that the balloons were allegedly ordered by another resident of the building. Prima facie, investigators believe the incident occurred due to negligence and careless conduct on the part of the employer. Further investigation is underway.
06 February,2026 08:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarActing on a tip-off, officials from the forest department and the Mumbai Police seized a live juvenile crocodile during a raid at a slum in Juhu and arrested one person identified as Imran Ismail Sheikh, a resident of Moragai Shankar Chawl. Officials said they are now probing the source of the protected reptile and how it was illegally procured. A Thane Forest Department (Territorial) official said that based on the tip-off received by Unit 9 of the Crime Branch on February 3, authorities, with the assistance of NGO SARRP President Santosh Shinde, raided Sheikh’s residence and seized one Indian crocodile and one Indian spotted turtle. Following the seizure, the accused was arrested and booked under multiple provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including Sections 2(1), 9, 39, 44, 48, 48(A) and 51, for illegal possession and offences related to protected wildlife species. Sources from the forest department confirmed that further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the animals, possible links to wildlife trafficking networks, and whether similar illegal activities were being carried out in the area. The incident once again highlights the persistent and worrying trend of illegally capturing and keeping protected wildlife within urban settlements, underscoring the urgent need for stronger enforcement, surveillance, and public awareness to curb wildlife crimes. The Indian marsh crocodile, also known as the mugger crocodile, is found across the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and parts of Iran. It thrives in freshwater environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes, and can also adapt to man-made reservoirs. Unlike the saltwater crocodile, the mugger avoids saline habitats. The Indian marsh crocodile is an important species in maintaining the ecological balance in its habitat, playing a critical role as a top predator. However, with increasing human encroachment, efforts to conserve this species are crucial.
06 February,2026 08:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavIs that a truck under a train? Not quite Even the illusion of the train over the truck does little to the uncovered debris being transported through Dahisar. By the way, that’s illegal, too. Miles to milestones Vishak Krishnaswamy during a marathon run This diarist was all ears when she heard that Dombivlikar Vishak Krishnaswamy is on a mission to break a Guinness World Record. The 32-year-old intends to run 42 km every day for a continuous 370 days. “I run around the KDMC (Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation) ground track; I’m now on a 60-day streak. I first attempted the record in 2022, but was surpassed by a Brazilian marathoner.” We wish the runner a smooth sprint to his goal. Bow time with the violin Music is not just for performers,” Mehroo Jeejeebhoy reminded us. The founder-trustee of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation (MMMF) was quick to add that the foundation’s Listeners’ Club that often hosts lecture-demonstrations about music. “It is free for students, music lovers, and parents, too. We wanted to take music away from the formality of concert halls to make it more accessible,” she added. Tomorrow, music educator, violinist, and performer Nanki Chugh (below) will drop by at the Bhulabhai Desai Road institution to play Bach, and talk of music and neuroscience. Those interested can email education@mmmf.org to register. Tiger, tiger, burning bright Bittu Sahgal (left) and Dia Mirza join the crowd in an interaction Wild animals, including tigers, were spotted at a Nariman Point venue on Thursday. But the reaction among people was that of collective giggles and ‘awws’. Children in costumes and with face paint participate in the events. Pics/Ashish Raje Hosted by the Sanctuary Foundation of India, the Kids for Tigers programme at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), sought to educate tomorrow’s adults on the importance of saving our environment through a series of fun activities. While founder Bittu Sahgal and actor Dia Mirza joined the crowd in cheering, the kids put on their finest face paints, make-up, and costume to participate in wildlife games, nukkad nataks and poster-making. Bird calls on Valentine’s Day At the risk of being cancelled, Valentine’s Day is a good time to spot some pretty birds. With the annual edition of the global Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) set to begin on February 13, Indian birders are preparing for the Campus Bird Count. (From left) Red Avadavat. Pic Courtesy/Krishna Murthy, Lineated Barbet. Pic Courtesy/Subhadra Devi and Brahminy Starling. Pic Courtesy/Bhaarat Vyas “In India, it is a collective celebration where birders invite people to join them on walks, and document their sightings,” shared Mittal Gala, project coordinator, Bird Count India. With IIT Bombay (February 13) and Royal College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mira Road (February 15) hosting sessions, interested readers can find out more at birdcount.in.
06 February,2026 08:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-dayADVERTISEMENT
