Security forces killed three terrorists in two separate counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The encounters took place in Udhampur and Kishtwar districts and came ahead Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the region. BJP MLA Shagun Parihar praised the security forces and called the operations a major achievement. She said, "This is a huge achievement for our security forces. We are getting this good news on the occassion of the Union Home Minister's visit. I congratulate the people of Jammu & Kashmir that these terrorists were neutralised." She also appreciated Amit Shah’s role, saying he has consistently worked for the interests and expectations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and has remained closely connected to the region’s issues. "This is great news. Whenever they have come, they have lived up to the expectations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He has always kept J&K close to his heart...," she told ANI. Home Minister's visit brings renewed hope for people, says National Conference Tanvir Sadiq, chief spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, said the Home Minister’s visit brings renewed hope for the people. Speaking to ANI, he said, "Whenever the Home Minister visits, a ray of hope emerges that he will announce a good package. Most importantly, people want the restoration of statehood, which he promised us in Parliament. The time has come to fulfil that promise. Regarding the attacks happening on Kashmiris outside the state, the time has come to take serious notice of this and put an end to it." He further emphasised that residents are waiting for the restoration of statehood and also urged the Central government to take serious action against attacks on Kashmiris in other parts of the country. Congress criticises Centre’s security claims Jammu and Kashmir Congress President and MLA Tariq Hamid Karra strongly criticised Amit Shah, accusing him of presenting an overly positive picture of the security situation in the Union Territory. According to Karra, militant activities have been reported in several districts over the past few months, but it is not being shared with the public. He claimed that the Home Minister’s security reviews are routine exercises that ignore ground-level concerns. Karra also accused the BJP of putting party interests ahead of national interest and called for a review of its policies in the region. While he said the killing of terrorists is necessary and important, he questioned the government’s earlier claim that militancy had ended after 2019. The continued presence of terrorist activity, he said, raises serious questions about those assertions. (With ANI inputs)
14 February,2026 05:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCongress leaders, along with civil society groups, economists and grassroots activists, organised a meeting on February 9 in Ranchi to discuss the future of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), amid concerns over its proposed replacement by a new central scheme. The meeting focused on preserving the law’s core guarantee of providing 100 days of wage employment on demand to every rural household. Congress leaders said that the MGNREGA has had a measurable impact in villages by generating jobs, creating durable assets such as ponds and roads, and reducing seasonal migration. In Jharkhand, women reportedly hold 52 per cent of job cards under the scheme. They further expressed apprehension over the Centre’s proposed Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G. Further arguing that it could dilute the legal right to work and shift decision-making away from local communities, Congress leaders slammed the VB-G RAM G. The gathering in Ranchi also put forward several demands, including no deletion of job cards without Gram Sabha approval, timely wage payments, issuance of muster rolls at the panchayat level, guaranteed work on demand, and stronger social audits through the Kaam Mango Abhiyan. Jharkhand’s Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Dipika Pandey Singh shared data from the Kaam Mango Abhiyan conducted between February 2 and 5 across 4,080 panchayats. Impact of MGNREGA in Jharkhand According to the figures, 174,245 people participated, over 1 lakh registered work demands were made, nearly 18,000 new job cards were issued, and more than 40,000 workers completed e-KYC. The state has generated over 1,017.65 lakh person-days under MGNREGA so far. Among those who addressed the meeting were economist Jean Drèze, activist Nikhil Dey of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Dayamani Barla, James Herenz of MNREGA Watch, and Sandeep Dixit of Rachnatmak Congress. The leaders also highlighted concerns about preserving the rights-based character of the programme and ensuring transparency and accountability. Furthermore, Congress in-charge K. Raju outlined organisational steps, including setting up a state-level MGNREGA Task Force, appointing district coordinators, conducting training sessions and block-level meetings, and strengthening social audit mechanisms. The meeting concluded with a joint commitment by political leaders and civil society members to continue coordinated efforts aimed at safeguarding MGNREGA’s rights-based framework and rural livelihood protections.
14 February,2026 02:57 PM IST | Ranchi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu. The bridge inaugurated by PM Modi spans over the Brahmaputra River that connects Guwahati and North Guwahati. As reported by news agency IANS, the 2.86-kilometre-long bridge was built at a cost of around Rs 3,030 crore. The 6-lane extradosed prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India. The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu Bridge cuts down travel time to 7 minutes It will cut travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to 7 minutes. Considering the high seismicity of the region, the bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. The advanced technology bridge has been built with high-performance stay cables that have been used to ensure durability and long-term structural performance. To make this an architectural marvel, a Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been incorporated for real-time condition monitoring. The bridge also incorporates early damage detection and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge. PM Modi inaugurates Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Dibrugarh Earlier today, PM Modi inaugurated an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the National Highway in Moran in the Dibrugarh district—the first such facility in the entire northeastern region. PM Modi also witnessed an air show by the Indian Air Force soon after the ELF was inaugurated. The air show included Rafale, Sukhoi and MIG fighter aircraft, as reported by IANS. The fighter planes successfully took off and landed on the highway strip. According to officials, at least 1 lakh people gathered to witness the historic occasion today. Located in Upper Assam, the ELF is being viewed as a major strategic addition to India’s military infrastructure in the Northeast. This will offer the Indian Air Force enhanced operational flexibility in a region that has witnessed heightened tensions in recent years. The Moran ELF has been designed to function as an alternative landing option in situations where Dibrugarh Airport or the Chabua Air Force Station becomes unavailable due to operational constraints or emergency scenarios, reported IANS. For the Indian Air Force, this facility significantly strengthens its ability to respond swiftly to contingencies near sensitive border areas. (With inputs from IANS)
14 February,2026 02:47 PM IST | Guwahati | mid-day online correspondentDuring his day-long visit to Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the River Brahmaputra connecting between Guwahati and North Guwahati on Saturday. The 6-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge, built at a cost of around Rs 3,030 crore, connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India. It will cut travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to 7 minutes. Considering the high seismicity of the region, the bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-term structural performance. A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been incorporated for real-time condition monitoring, early damage detection and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the National Data Centre for North Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district of Assam. The state-of-the-art Data Centre, with a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW per rack, will host mission-critical applications of various government departments and also function as a Disaster Recovery centre for other National Data Centres. This will enable governments in the Northeast to digitally facilitate the delivery of essential citizen-centric services. Aligned with the vision of Digital India, National Data Centre for North Eastern Region has been envisaged as a strategic intervention to strengthen the region's ICT backbone and ensure robust, secure and always-available digital infrastructure. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the temporary campus of IIM Guwahati, which will give a major fillip to higher education and management education in the North-Eastern Region. The Prime Minister will also flag off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in Guwahati (100), Nagpur (50), Bhavnagar (50) and Chandigarh (25). With the launch of e-bus operations under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in these four cities, more than 50 lakh citizens are expected to benefit through access to clean, affordable and reliable public transport services, contributing to improved urban mobility and enhanced quality of life. 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
14 February,2026 12:32 PM IST | Guwahati | AgenciesSecurity forces arrested three militants belonging to two proscribed outfits in Manipur, police said on Saturday. All the arrests were made on Friday, they said. Two active cadres of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Apunba) were apprehended from Imphal West and Imphal East district, while a member of the PREPAK was nabbed from his residence at Moirang Khunou in Bishnupur district, a police statement said. During an operation on Friday, the security personnel also recovered arms and ammunition from the Khulsaibung hill range in Tengnoupal district. The recovered arms include a single-barrel gun, two pistols and eight IEDs, the statement 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
14 February,2026 12:30 PM IST | Imphal | PTIA girl student reportedly died after falling from the fourth floor of a coaching centre near AIIMS Patna, officials said on Friday. Independent MP Pappu Yadav from Purnea visited the family and condemned the incident, raising concerns over law and order in Bihar. Speaking to the media, he said, "No one's sister or daughter is safe. The Home Minister gives long speeches. You've got a good position, use it. Eliminate all the criminals." Yadav further gave reference to the recent NEET aspirant death incident, saying, "The SIT harassed the NEET student's family. If I weren't there, no one would have raised a voice for the student in Parliament." Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun its investigation into the case of an NEET aspirant who died in Patna last month, according to sources. Police said that the NEET aspirant died during treatment in Patna. While there were reports of an alleged sexual assault, the police said that the doctors have not confirmed sexual or penetrative assault in the case. Meanwhile, the parents of the deceased student joined others in protesting at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on February 8, demanding justice. Speaking to ANI, the father said they had been forced to come to the national capital because justice had not been served in Bihar. On January 31, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that the government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has urged the Central government to hand over the investigation to the CBI. Last month, parents gathered outside the Patna hostel, alleging that the hostel authorities were not cooperating and that students were unable to resume their studies following the incident. Additionally, the Patna Police suspended two officers in connection with the case. The suspended officers are the station house officer of Chitragupta Nagar police station, Roshni Kumari, and the additional station house officer of Kadamkuan police station, Hemant Jha. The Patna Police had released a press statement providing this information. According to the statement, the suspension is due to delayed action and failure to collect intelligence in a timely manner. Senior officers of the Patna Police suspended both officers on these grounds. "During the examination conducted by the FSL, traces of human sperm were found on an undergarment allegedly worn by the deceased at the time of the incident. A DNA profile is being prepared from this sample," the press release read earlier. The sample was said to be used to match the DNA of the arrested accused and the suspects identified by the Special Investigation Team to uncover further details. 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
14 February,2026 12:29 PM IST | Patna | ANICongress MPs on Friday held a protest in Parliament House complex demanding the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri after his name figured in the ‘Epstein Files’ released in the United States. Several Congress MPs lined up outside the Parliament building and raised slogans against Puri, while demanding answers from him. They also held a big banner with pictures of Puri and Jeffery Epstein. Puri had on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for “passing innuendo” against him, asserting that he had met Epstein on a “few occasions” but his interactions with him had nothing to do with the crimes the convicted American sex offender was involved in. 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
14 February,2026 09:29 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe tumultuous first leg of the Budget session, which saw heated exchanges over the India-US interim trade deal and unpublished memoir of former army chief M M Naravane, concluded Friday and the House will now reassemble on March 9. The three-week recess period will allow standing committees to examine allocations to various central ministries given in the Union Budget. Earlier in the day, the House was adjourned for one hour after Opposition members raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Puri. The opposition members were also protesting against the India-US interim trade agreement. The first part of the Budget Session began on January 28 with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of the two Houses. The Budget session will conclude on April 2. 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
14 February,2026 09:27 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesTamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said his government has deposited Rs 5,000 each to 1.31 crore women beneficiaries of a government’s women entitlement scheme, a move coming months ahead of the Assembly polls that led to the opposition parties flaying his move as “fear of defeat at the hustings.” Also, the Chief Minister announced to double the monthly grant to Rs 2,000 if his DMK party was voted to power in the upcoming Assembly election. Noting that Rs 5,000 has been directly deposited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Women’s Entitlement scheme, he said, “You would have received R5,000 this morning. I have decided to provide the sum in view of an attempt (by vested interests) to freeze the scheme, citing upcoming elections.” So, in order to counter the move to prevent the women from receiving the monthly financial assistance due for them, he had decided to provide the sum for three months from February and in addition provide Rs 2,000 to meet their expenses during summer, he said in a video message posted on his social media platform ‘X.’ My formula has rattled DMK: Vijay TVK Chief Vijay TVK chief Vijay on Friday asserted that his offer to share power with allies has turned out to be a "political bomb" in Tamil Nadu, as that has become a demand in all alliances and "rattled" DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin, who has refused to share power with Congress. Assuring a social justice-driven regime if voted to power, Vijay, addressing a rally at Seelanaickenpatti, here, dramatically hit back at those who mocked at him by alleging that he merely stayed back at hom,e though claiming to have entered politics. 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
14 February,2026 09:18 AM IST | Chennai | AgenciesThe Delhi High Court on Friday said the vacancies for the posts of chairperson and members in the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions cannot be left unfilled since 2023, even though the law does not prescribe any timeline for such appointments. A bench said the Centre’s stand that the court has no power to direct such appointments is “contrary to the legislative mandate” in the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act. The bench asked the Ministry of Education to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken by it to fill the vacancies. 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
14 February,2026 09:15 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Mizoram government will introduce experience-based curriculum in schools to replace rote learning, in a major transition in the state’s pedagogical approach, an official said on Friday. The government is also planning to introduce standardised annual exams for Std V and VIII in which students from various schools will be required to answer uniform questions, the official 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
14 February,2026 09:13 AM IST | Aizawl | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1770280741777_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Security forces killed three terrorists in two separate counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Representational Pic")
