The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Madras High Court's decision prohibiting animal sacrifice and granting Muslim devotees limited rights to prayers on the Thiruparankundram hills in Tamil Nadu's Madurai. Underlining that the October 2025 order of the high court was balanced, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale declined to interfere with it. The apex court was hearing a plea which challenged the high court's order, claiming that it violated the fundamental right to freedom of religion. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, said there had never been a law and order problem in the area, to which the bench said that there would not have been a peace committee meeting in the absence of such a problem. "It seems to be a very balanced order...We do not propose to interfere with the order. Without expressing any opinion on the rights of the parties, the impugned order stands upheld," the bench said. The Madras High Court had permitted prayers and gatherings in the Nellithoppu area during Bakrid and Ramzan, subject to the condition that it did not affect the traditional footsteps belonging to the Subramaniya Swamy temple. It had, however, said that animal sacrifice, cooking, carrying and serving of non-vegetarian food cannot be permitted until a decision was made by the competent civil court. 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.
09 February,2026 05:18 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Chandrayaan-4 Mission is at least two years away, but the ISRO has identified a location in the South Polar region of Moon to land its lander. The union government has approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, designed as a lunar sample-return mission and it will be India's most complex lunar endeavour yet. "We are targeting 2028 for Chandrayaan-4," ISRO Chairman V Narayanan had earlier said. According to ISRO officials, they had zeroed in on four sites of the Mons Mouton (MM) and found one of them suitable for landing on the lunar surface. Mons Mouton is a region on the Moon. Officials said they had identified locations -- MM-1, MM-3, MM-4 and MM-5. Of them, MM-4 was chosen for the landing. "The four sites in Mons Mouton area were fully characterised with respect to terrain characteristics using high resolution Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) multi view image datasets," they said. It was found that one kilometre by one kilometre area around MM-4 contains "the less hazard percentage, mean slope of 5 degrees, mean height of 5334 metres and most number of hazard free grids of size 24 metres into 24 metres. Hence, MM-4 could be considered as the potential site of Chandrayaan-4 mission," officials said. Chandrayaan-4 consists of a propulsion module (PM), a Descender module (DM), an Ascender Module (AM), a Transfer module (TM) and a Re-entry Module (RM). The DM and AM combined stack will soft land on moon surface at the designated site. The main soft landing will be done by an appropriate stack (AM+DM) descent trajectory with navigation, guidance and control system while the safe landing can be ensured by a proper selection of the landing site that meets all the constraints of the Lander. 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.
09 February,2026 05:05 PM IST | Bengaluru | PTICongress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided attending the House to reply to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address because he was “scared” of issues raised by the opposition, particularly those linked to former Army chief General M M Naravane’s book, Four Stars of Destiny, reported the PTI. Rahul Gandhi dismissed claims that opposition members posed a threat to the Prime Minister during proceedings last Thursday. He challenged those making such allegations to file a First Information Report (FIR) against anyone who had allegedly threatened PM Modi. “There is no question of Congress members attacking the Prime Minister,” Rahul Gandhi said, adding that if any such threat existed, legal action should be taken immediately, according to the PTI The Congress leader further claimed that the government was reluctant to hold a detailed discussion on the Union Budget, fearing scrutiny over a deal with the United States, the manner in which it was finalised, and its potential impact on Indian farmers. According to Rahul Gandhi, the opposition remains keen on debate but believes the government is deliberately avoiding it. Four Stars of Destiny controversy Rahul Gandhi said the standoff in Parliament began when issues related to General Naravane’s book were raised. He alleged that the government repeatedly stalled proceedings to prevent him from speaking on the subject, the news agency reported. “They first said I could not quote a book, then said I could not quote a magazine, and finally did not allow me to speak at all,” he claimed. Gandhi also accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of making a false statement by claiming that the Naravane book was unpublished. “The book has been published and we have a copy,” Rahul Gandhi said. Allegations of unequal treatment in Parliament The Congress leader criticised what he described as unequal standards in parliamentary proceedings, claiming ruling party members were allowed to quote books and make remarks freely, while opposition leaders were restricted, as per the PTI. He said issues such as the suspension of Congress MPs and allegations that opposition members intended to harm the Prime Minister should be debated openly in Parliament. (with PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 04:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Mahayuti ally, Shiv Sena, were ahead of rivals in early trends of the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti polls in Maharashtra, as counting of votes began on Monday morning, news agency PTI reported. According to TV channels, the BJP has established a lead in 200 out of 731 seats and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in 137 seats of Zilla Parishads till 2 pm. The NCP is ahead in 120 seats, Congress 46, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) 33, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) 13, and others in 29. BJP and Shiv Sena are now dominating in the rural pockets of the state, too, after their success in the urban areas in the recently concluded municipal corporation elections. BJP emerging as the strongest single party in many areas, especially western and southern Maharashtra. In Pune, especially Baramati, the NCP has put up a dominant show. The party registered its first victory with Pallavi Khetre and is leading in 12 out of the 13 seats in Baramati, the stronghold of the Pawar family. In Dharashiv, Dhananjay Sawant fought as an Independent and emerged victorious. The nephew of Shiv Sena legislator and former minister Tanaji Sawant, Dhananjay had rebelled against his party and decided to fight solo. In Parbhani, BJP's Dilip Deshmukh has won from the Zari Zilla Parishad, defeating Sonal Deshmukh, the daughter of former BJP minister Suresh Warpudkar. Sonal Deshmukh had contested the poll on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket. In Latur, candidates from the NCP have secured victories in the Nideban, Togari, and Her District Council in Udgir taluka, while BJP candidates emerged victorious in the Vadhvana and Somnathpur District Council groups. Congress candidates have triumphed in the Lohara and Nalgi groups. Counting began at 10 am for elections to 12 zilla parishads and 125 panchayat samitis. The polls were held on February 7 in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Latur. A total of 731 zilla parishad members and 1,462 panchayat samiti seats were contested. While 2,624 candidates contested the zilla parishad polls, 4,814 were in the fray for the panchayat samiti elections. The results are seen as significant for the NCP factions led by late Ajit Pawar and party founder Sharad Pawar. The two factions had temporarily set aside a bitter two-year rivalry to contest these local body polls in Pune, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli under an informal alliance, fielding candidates under the original ‘clock’ symbol. The two factions had set aside their bitter two-year rivalry to contest these local body polls in an informal alliance in Pune, Satara, Solapur and Sangli, where candidates from both sides contested under the original 'clock' symbol. Maharashtra Zilla Parishad polls 2026: List of winners Parbhani Dilip Prabhakarrao Deshmukh (BJP) — Zari.Suchita Anandrao Bharose (Shiv Sena) — Takli Bobde.Pooja Anil Sawant (Shiv Sena) — Pingli.Pratiksha Prabhulal Jaiswal (Shiv Sena UBT) — Takli Kumbhakarna.Pandurang Balasaheb Khillare (Shiv Sena UBT) — Shingnapur.Aishwarya Chavan (BJP) — Pokharni Sangram Prataprao Jamkar (NCP) — Jamb. Dharashiv Dhananjay Sawant (Independent) - Jawala in Paranda taluka Sangli Sumitra Appasaheb Bedge (BJP)- Jat taluka (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 04:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPolice have arrested a 47-year-old headmaster of a Zilla Parishad school in Yavatmal district in Maharashtra for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl student, police officials said on Monday, reported the PTI. The accused, who headed a school in Ghatanji taluka, was taken into custody on Sunday following a complaint lodged by the victim’s father. According to the police, the Class 7 student was allegedly sexually assaulted by the headmaster on two separate occasions, on February 5 this year and May 1, 2025. The incidents reportedly took place after the accused lured the minor with fruits and cosmetic items. Officials said the accused also allegedly threatened to kill the girl if she disclosed the incidents to anyone, instilling fear and preventing her from speaking out earlier. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case and arrested the accused. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape and criminal intimidation. Additionally, charges have been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for penetrative sexual assault. Further investigation into the case is currently underway, officials said. Man rapes and impregnates speech, hearing impaired daughter; held Meanwhile, in an another incident last week, a 50-year-old conservancy worker from south Mumbai was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping his 20-year-old speech- and hearing-impaired daughter and impregnating her, police said, according to PTI. The arrest came after DNA tests on 17 samples collected from the area confirmed his biological link to the foetus, the official added. “Two persons arrested for sexually assaulting the victim were among the 17 whose samples were collected for DNA testing. The incident came to light on September 22 last year, when the victim complained of stomach pain to her grandmother through gestures. She was admitted to a hospital in the city, where it was found that she was five months pregnant,” he said, reported PTI. Hospital authorities immediately informed the police, following which a case of rape was registered against unidentified persons, the official added. “During the probe, her father, a sweeper, denied sexually abusing the 20-year-old. The man also has two other children, including a daughter, who are speech- and hearing-impaired. He came under suspicion after failing to lodge a complaint regarding the victim. Two others were also arrested from the locality after their roles came to light,” the official said, reported PTI. “The forensic science lab report received on January 27 confirmed a DNA match linking the victim's father to the foetus. He was arrested and later produced before a court that remanded him in judicial custody. The roles of other suspects are under investigation,” the official added. (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 04:19 PM IST | Yavatmal | mid-day online correspondentAt least six people were injured on February 8, Sunday, after a speeding Lamborghini, allegedly driven by the son of a prominent tobacco trader, rammed into pedestrians and two-wheelers on VIP Road in Kanpur’s upscale Gwaltoli area, news agency PTI reported, quoting the police. “The accident occurred around 3.15 pm near Rev-3 Mall when the luxury car, reportedly driven by Shivam Mishra, the son of businessman K K Mishra, went out of control and ploughed into people standing along the roadside and several vehicles, triggering panic in the area,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Atul Kumar Srivastava said. Kanpur Lamborghini accident: Locals allege Shivam Mishra's associates of misbehaviour Eyewitnesses said the car first hit an autorickshaw and then crashed into a parked Royal Enfield motorcycle. The impact of the crash was such that the rider was thrown nearly 10 feet into the air, PTI reported. The car mounted the motorcycle’s front wheel and dragged it for some distance before hitting an electric pole and coming to a halt. One of the injured, Taufiq, a resident of Yamunaganj, was thrown several metres and suffered serious leg injuries, the police said. Others sustained fractures and bruises, PTI reported. Angry locals gathered at the spot and surrounded the car, forcing the driver to remain inside. Witnesses alleged that private bouncers accompanying the accused tried to push back the crowd and behaved aggressively, escalating tensions. The police rushed to the scene, rescued the driver, and shifted him along with the injured to a private hospital. The damaged Lamborghini was seized and taken to the police station, officers said. A chaotic situation later unfolded at the police station as the injured and locals alleged misbehaviour by the accused’s associates and claimed that the police were going soft due to the family’s influence. Some protesters also alleged that pressure was being exerted for a compromise and that there was a delay in registering a case. Kanpur Lamborghini accident: Accused's father KK Mishra runs firm supplying tobacco One of the injured, Sonu Tripathi, told mediapersons that he and his cousin were standing near their parked motorcycle when the car hit them. “My cousin was thrown off the bike, and two others were flung onto the footpath. We have filed a complaint,” said Tripathi. DCP Srivastava said the vehicle has been seized and further action would be taken based on the complaint. “The injured were provided primary treatment. An FIR will be registered, and further legal action will follow,” he added. KK Mishra runs Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd, a firm engaged in supplying tobacco to gutkha manufacturers in the region. (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 04:09 PM IST | Kanpur | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed Seychelles as a full-time member of the Colombo Security Conclave, describing defence and maritime cooperation as key pillars of the relationship between the two countries. He also said India and Seychelles would expand cooperation in renewable energy, climate resilience and climate-adaptive solutions. PM Modi made these remarks during a joint press conference with Seychelles President Patrick Herminie in New Delhi. Before the joint press meet, the two leaders held a bilateral meeting. President Herminie is on a six-day visit to India and has arrived in the national capital, New Delhi after touring Chennai and Mumbai. This is his first visit since assuming office in October 2025 and coincides with the celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles. During his visit, President Herminie also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The Ministry of External Affairs said Mahatma Gandhi’s enduring principles continue to guide and inspire the India–Seychelles partnership. Maritime, Defence and Climate Cooperation Calling India and Seychelles maritime neighbours, Prime Minister Modi said the blue economy is a natural area of cooperation between the two nations.“In the areas of marine research, capacity building and data sharing, India will share its expertise with Seychelles. Defence cooperation and maritime security are important pillars of our cooperation,” PM Modi said, as per ANI. He underlined that defence cooperation and maritime security remain central to bilateral ties and welcomed Seychelles as a full-time member of the Colombo Security Conclave. He said this step would strengthen peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region. The Prime Minister added, “We will expand our cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, resilience and climate-adaptive solutions,” stressing that these sectors are vital for building a sustainable future in the Indian Ocean region. Agreements, Joint Vision and Development Support PM Modi welcomed the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding and agreements aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation. He announced that the India–Seychelles Joint Vision would be launched, serving as a roadmap for future engagement. Referring to digital cooperation, he said, “A digital transformation is taking place. Under this, we will share India’s successful experience with Seychelles.” He added that both countries would work together to ensure the supply of affordable and quality medicines, promote medical tourism and strengthen health infrastructure. Earlier, PM Modi announced a special economic package worth 175 million dollar for Seychelles. “Development partnership has been a strong foundation of India–Seychelles relations. All our efforts have been based on the priorities and needs of Seychelles,” he said. Announcing the package, he added, “This special economic package of 175 million dollars will support concrete projects in areas such as social housing, e-mobility, vocational training, health, defence and maritime security,” as per ANI. People-to-People Ties PM Modi praised the Indian community in Seychelles for its contribution to the country’s social and economic development, saying it has strengthened ties between the two nations across generations. “Through close cooperation in the field of technology, we are giving our partnership a futuristic direction,” he added. India and Seychelles also exchanged several agreements covering pharmacopoeial cooperation, cultural exchange programmes for 2026–2030, digital transformation solutions, and a food procurement agreement between National Cooperative Exports Limited and the Seychelles Trading Corporation. (With ANI Inputs)
09 February,2026 03:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) chief Sharad Pawar was on Monday taken to a hospital in Pune district of Maharashtra he complained of throat-related problems and persistent coughing. A close aide said the 85-year-old veteran leader was shifted from his residence in Baramati to Ruby Hall Clinic, where he is being treated for a throat infection. Ruby Hall Clinic’s chief cardiologist and managing trustee, Dr Parvez Grant, confirmed Sharad Pawar’s admission to the hospital, according to the PTI. “Once he arrives, a team of doctors will examine him and decide the further course of treatment,” Dr Grant said. Further details are awaited.
09 February,2026 03:40 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has buckled under US pressure to finalise a trade deal and has "sold out" the hard work of Indian farmers through the agreement. PM Modi is Compromised.PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 3, 2026 Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex after he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha as he insisted on quoting from an article that cited former Army chief MM Naravane's unpublished "memoir", Gandhi said it is for the first time in history that the Leader of Opposition has not been allowed to speak on the president's address. "We need to understand why a trade deal stuck for about four months was suddenly finalised last evening," Gandhi said adding that "there was huge pressure on Prime Minister Modi". Asked what kind of pressure he was referring to, Gandhi alleged there is a case against industrialist Gautam Adani in the US and a lot more is to come in the Epstein files. He alleged that Prime Minister Modi "has been compromised" and that Indian farmers must understand their hard work "as well as their blood and sweat" has been "sold out" through the India-US trade deal. He also said the entire country had been "sold out". There was no immediate reaction from the BJP or the government. 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.
09 February,2026 03:36 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIAdani Group and Italian major Leonardo on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. The move will be a significant boost for the 'Make In India' efforts and to make the country more self-reliant. The manufacturing ecosystem will look to address military demands and boost India's self-reliance in helicopter production. Adani Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo on Tuesday inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership at an event in the national capital. The partnership will target the Indian Armed Forces' requirements, particularly for Leonardo's advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters. "The collaboration will deliver phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training," a release said. India has a low helicopter penetration density of less than 250 helicopters for the country's population, and the country will need around 100 helicopters annually for the next 10 years. Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said it was laying the foundation for an aviation ecosystem that serves the nation across civil and defence needs.The partnership with Leonardo is rooted not only in shared expertise but in shared purpose, he said. "Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole," he added. Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian Armed Forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, this partnership realises the vision for sovereign manufacturing. Leonardo is a key global player in the areas of aerospace, defence, and security. eonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo said India is a big market and that the country's armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters.The announcement on Tuesday also comes a week after Adani Defence & Aerospace and Brazilian major Embraer announced a strategic collaboration that aims to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India. 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.
09 February,2026 03:32 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Corporator Manjusha Nagpure was elected unopposed as mayor of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Monday, while Republican Party of India (Athawale) Corporator from Bopodi, Parshuram Wadekar, became the deputy mayor, news agency PTI reported. The unopposed elections came after Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP's) Shital Sawant and Congress leader Ashwini Landge withdrew from the mayoral contest while NCP Corporator Dattatray Bahirat and Congress’s Sahil Kedari pulled out of the deputy mayoral race. Nagpure, a corporator from the Sinhagad area, is closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and holds a postgraduate degree in management. In the 165-member PMC, the BJP won 119 seats, while the late Ajit Pawar’s NCP and Sharad Pawar-headed NCP(SP) together secured 30 seats. Congress won 15 seats, and its ally Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) managed just one. Union Minister and Pune Member of Parliament (MP) Murlidhar Mohol expressed gratitude to voters for giving the BJP a majority in the civic body. "As a result, today, our corporators Nagpure and Wadekar were elected unopposed as mayor and deputy mayor," he said. Latur mayoral polls: 'Being sidelined by Congress after civic poll win,' says VBA The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by Prakash Ambedkar, on Sunday accused the Congress of ignoring it after winning elections to the Latur Municipal Corporation and said it would contest the mayoral and deputy mayoral polls if denied a share in power. Congress city president Kiran Jadhav said the party would follow guidance from its state leadership on the matter. In the recent Latur civic polls, Congress won 43 of the 70 wards, followed by the BJP with 22 seats, and the VBA with four. For the mayoral post, Congress corporator Jayshri Sonkamble and VBA’s Nikita Somwanshi submitted nominations on Thursday, while Snehal Utage (Congress) and Sachin Gaikwad (VBA) filed for deputy mayor. The elections are scheduled for February 9. VBA’s Marathwada general secretary Santosh Suryawanshi claimed that Congress benefited from its informal alliance with the VBA and returned to power in Latur, alleging that the party was now sidelining the VBA. He alleged that despite the VBA’s electoral win, the Congress has been delaying giving the party its due representation—such as the deputy mayor’s post or positions in civic committees. Citing local Congress leaders, he added that Latur MLA Amit Deshmukh has been authorised to make the decision. (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 03:27 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1770636876182_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "SC rejects petition challenging prayer restrictions and upholds temple traditions. Representational Image")
-1770631251191_d.png "Pm Modi with President of Seychelles Patrick Herminie during a joint press statement in New Delhi. Pic/PTI")
-1770112063875_d.png "Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. File Pic")
-1770108749258_d.png "The country will need around 100 helicopters annually for the next 10 years. Representational pic")
