At least 12 train passengers were killed on Wednesday after being hit by another service on an adjacent track in western India after they jumped from their coaches in panic to escape a rumored fire incident, the Press Trust of India reported. At least six other people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals, the news agency cited police officer Dattatraya Karale as saying, AP reports. The accident occurred in Maharashtra State, near the Pardhade railroad station, 410 kilometers (255 miles) southwest of Mumbai, India’s financial capital. PTI said the victims jumped off the Pushpak Express train, which had stopped after some passengers pulled an emergency chain. Those who disembarked were hit by another express train on the adjacent railroad track, PTI quoted railway spokesman Swapnil Nila as saying. Man sentenced to life for rape, murder of doctor in India “Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of Pushpak Express due to either ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake-binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down on the tracks. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing on the adjoining track,” a senior railway official told PTI. Despite government efforts to improve rail safety, hundred of accidents occur every year on India’s railways, which is the largest train network under one management in the world. In 2023, two passenger trains collided after derailing in eastern India, killing more than 280 people and injuring hundreds in one of the country’s deadliest rail crashes in decades. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focussing on the modernization of the British colonial-era railroad network in India, which has become the world’s most populous country with 1.42 billion.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on January 21 in Washington, D.C. Rubio and Jaishankar affirmed a shared commitment to continuing to strengthen the partnership between the United States and India, said Spokesperson Tammy Bruce. They discussed a wide range of topics, including regional issues and opportunities to further deepen the U.S.-India relationship, in particular on critical and emerging technologies, defense cooperation, energy, and on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Rubio also emphasised the Trump administration’s desire to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration.

Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has said that if India refuses to return Sheikh Hasina, it would constitute a violation of the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India. "We have written a letter for extradition. If India does not extradite Sheikh Hasina, it will be a clear violation of the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India," he said at a views-exchange meeting with reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday. In that case, he said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take necessary steps to address the matter within the international community.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also making efforts and a red alert has already been issued, he added. Over 2,500 politically motivated cases likely to be withdrawn: Law Adviser "We are doing everything we can. The government will continue all efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back. If necessary, international support will be sought,” said the law adviser. Referring to the trial of July mass killings, the adviser said a second tribunal will be formed, if needed, to expedite the trial of those involved in the massacre. Election as soon as possible after essential reforms: Law Adviser “There is no conflict between the trial of the July mass killing criminals and the upcoming elections. The trial will proceed at its own pace. We will finish the trial work as quickly as possible. If necessary, international judges will be appointed,” he said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that Delhi has become the central office for the ‘Awami fascists’ while India has turned into a safe haven for fascism. Speaking at a tree plantation programme on Dhaka University campus on Monday, he also urged democratic parties to maintain a minimum unity among themselves to resist the resurgence of the ‘fallen fascist Awami League’. No conflict between reform and election: Fakhrul “It seems our neighbouring country has become a safe home for fascism, and Delhi has become the central office for that (Awami) fascism. So, the fascists are not sitting idle. They continue their plots and conspiracies in various ways,” the BNP leader said. He said the democratic forces must tackle such conspiracies through united efforts. The Ziaur Rahman Foundation organised the 'Neem Tree Planting Programme' at Mall Chattar on Dhaka University campus to mark the 89th birth anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. From a democratic standpoint, Rizvi said while democratic political parties may criticise each other and engage in debates, there must be a minimum of unity among them. “If this unity does not exist, it will not be difficult for fascism to resurge.” He also urged democratic parties to remain vigilant, ensuring that those who siphoned off the country's money abroad by keeping the economy locked in a vicious cycle, do not rise again. “All democratic forces must unite and observe these issues.” BNP leader urges interim govt to quickly arrange election Rizvi alleged that many trees were felled in the name of so-called development and mega projects, while many rivers and canals were occupied by land grabbers during the last 16 years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule, destroying biodiversity and the environment, and making the country uninhabitable. “The land grabbers who fled the country after August 5, 2024, filled in rivers, canals, and uprooted trees. It has happened as when autocrats usurp power, they can never do anything good for the people,” he said. The BNP leader also said the threat of global warming, caused by carbon dioxide emissions, primarily from developed countries, putting human lives at risk. He stressed the need for a democratic atmosphere worldwide to allow people in every country to put pressure on their governments to take action on reducing the threat of global warming and making the world livable for all. Rizvi called upon the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and other organisations to turn tree plantation into a strong social movement to protect biodiversity and the environment.

A Kolkata court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 and directed the West Bengal government to provide Rs 17 lakh as compensation to the victim's family, reports Indian media. Following the verdict, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voiced her dissatisfaction with the punishment. Man sentenced to life for rape, murder of doctor in India Speaking in Murshidabad, she said, "We had all demanded the death penalty, but the court has given a life term until death. The case was forcibly taken away from us. If the Kolkata Police had handled it, we would have ensured the death sentence." A 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and killed at the state-run R G Kar hospital in Kolkata on August 9 last year. The victim’s body was found in the seminar room of the hospital. The incident led to nationwide outrage and prolonged protests by junior doctors in West Bengal, demanding justice for and stronger security measures in government hospitals. Bangladeshi, Indian civilians face off along Chapainawabganj border The trial in the rape and murder case commenced in a Kolkata court on November 11, three months after the incident. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the probe from the Kolkata Police on the Calcutta High Court’s direction, sought “maximum punishment” for Roy. The trial was complete on January 9.

An Indian court sentenced a police volunteer to life imprisonment on Monday after he was found guilty of raping and murdering a trainee doctor last year, an incident that sparked nationwide protests over women's safety and led to a swift trial in the country’s slow-moving justice system, reports AP. Sanjay Roy, 33, who has maintained his innocence throughout, has the option to appeal the ruling in a higher court. The death of the 31-year-old doctor, who was on duty at a hospital in Kolkata, brought attention to the persistent issue of violence against women in India. The woman's bloodied body was discovered on August 9 last year in the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. An autopsy revealed she had been strangled and sexually assaulted. A trainee doctor is raped and killed in India, sparking protests and an attack at a medical college Federal police, who took over the investigation, argued that the crime warranted the death penalty. The victim’s parents also demanded the death penalty for Roy, expressing concerns that others may have been involved in the crime. Initially, Kolkata police handled the investigation, but it was later transferred to federal authorities after allegations that state officers mishandled the case. Following the attack, doctors and medical students across India staged protests, calling for enhanced security. Thousands of women took to the streets, demanding quick justice for the victim. Roy was arrested the day after the crime, and court proceedings began in November. In response to the assault, India’s Supreme Court established a national task force to explore ways to improve safety in government hospitals. In India, many crimes against women go unreported due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence and a lack of trust in the police. Women’s rights advocates highlight that the issue is especially severe in rural areas, where victims of sexual assault often face community shaming and families worry about their reputation. The 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus sparked widespread protests across the country. This led to tougher penalties for such crimes, the creation of fast-track courts for rape cases, and the introduction of the death penalty for repeat offenders. Four men convicted for the 2012 crime were executed in 2020. In 2013, rape laws were revised to criminalise stalking and voyeurism and to lower the age at which individuals could be tried as adults from 18 to 16. Sanjay Roy found guilty in RG Kar Medical College rape-murder case However, activists argue that the tougher sentencing requirements have not deterred rapes, as the number of reported rape cases continues to rise. In 2022, police recorded 31,516 rape cases, marking a 20% increase from the previous year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said that the country’s borders are fully secure and measures are being implemented to enhance border security. “Even if blood is shed, the border will remain secure,” the adviser said on Sunday. He was speaking at the certificate distribution and closing ceremony of the 137th Survey and Settlement Training Course, 2024-25, for officers from various sectors on Sunday, the adviser stressed that the security of the border remains a top priority. Officers from the BCS cadre (Administration, Police, Forest, and Railway) and the Bangladesh Judicial Service attended the course. The adviser highlighted that border security has significantly improved under the current administration. “The public is now on our side. Previously, no measures were taken to secure the border. Now, steps are being taken, which is why problems are arising,” Jahangir Alam said, adding that while there are issues at the border, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is consistently on high alert. Read: Bangladeshi, Indian civilians face off along Chapainawabganj border “Though problems may occur, no one from the other side will be able to cross,” Chowdhury said, reaffirming that the situation is under control. He also mentioned that the recent incident along the Chapainawabganj border, which was triggered by a dispute over cutting paddy and trees, was resolved peacefully through dialogue between the BGB and the Border Security Force (BSF) of India. Read more: March for Felani: Sarjis Alam vows justice for border killing victims On the corruption issue, the adviser mentioned its detrimental impact on the country’s progress. "If corruption is not reduced, it will be impossible for the country to advance."  Jahangir Alam pointed out that civil servants often show reluctance in providing services when there is no fear of losing their positions, attributing this to the lack of discipline and political influence among the cadres.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was picked for India's Champions Trophy squad on Saturday despite doubts about his fitness. Bumrah suffered back spasms and didn't bowl on the last day of the fifth and final test against Australia in Sydney two weeks ago. He was the leading wicket-taker in the series. India chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar suggested Bumrah may play the third one-day international against England on Feb. 12 in Ahmedabad to test his fitness for the Champions Trophy, which starts for India eight days later in the United Arab Emirates. “Bumrah has been advised to off load from bowling for five weeks and he won't be available for the first two ODIs against England. We are awaiting news on his fitness and will know in early February from the medical team,” Agarkar said. Captain Rohit Sharma added, “We were not sure about his fitness at the moment, and thus picked Arshdeep Singh to perform his roles with the new and old ball.” Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was included even though he has yet to play an ODI. Jaiswal takes Suryakumar Yadav’s spot and will be the third opener choice after skipper Sharma and Shubman Gill. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer complete the top-four options. Jaiswal averages 54 in List A cricket and he will compete for the second opener’s slot with Gill, who averages 58.20 in ODIs. There will also be a keen spotlight on the batting form of Sharma and Kohli who both struggled in the five tests against Australia. Missing the cut from the squad which reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup were Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has retired, and Yadav and Kishan have been dropped. Rishabh Pant and Lokesh Rahul are the wicketkeeper-batter options. Pacer Krishna and allrounder Thakur lost their spots as India bet heavy on spin. Left-arm spin allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were picked alongside off-spin allrounder Washington Sundar. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav complete India's spin options. Kuldeep Yadav has missed much of the season since October after a groin issue led to hernia surgery. In the pace department, India has opted for Bumrah, Singh and Mohammed Shami. They will be complemented by allrounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy, who impressed with a maiden test century in Australia. Shami has also been picked for the Twenty20s against England before the ODIs. He took 23 wickets in the 2023 World Cup. India will play its Champions Trophy matches in the UAE after the government refused clearance for the team to travel to Pakistan owing to political tensions. While the rest of the tournament will be in Pakistan, India will play its group matches in Dubai against Bangladesh on Feb. 20, Pakistan on Feb. 23, and New Zealand on March 2. If India qualifies for the semifinals or final, both matches will also be in Dubai. If India doesn't qualify for the final, it will be staged in Lahore on March 9. India won the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni and was runner-up to Pakistan in 2017 under Virat Kohli. Both tournaments were in England.

Chief coordinator of the National Citizens Committee Sarjis Alam has vowed to fight to ensure justice for Felani and other victims of border killings by Indian border guards. “If any of our brothers or sisters faces the same fate as Felani at the border, we will organise long marches targeting the barbed wire, breaking through it if necessary,” he said during an event called March for Felani in Kurigram on Thursday. The long march began at 10:30am from the college intersection in Kurigram and concluded at Felani's house in Nakharganj village of Ramkhana union, Nageshwari upazila. Sarjis outlined five key demands — justice for all victims of border killings, including Felani, a ban on the use of lethal weapons at the border, renaming a residential building at Kurigram Agricultural University after Felani, abolishing Bangladesh’s “kneejerk” foreign policy and adopting one based on equality, river reforms to improve the livelihoods of the char (riverine island) residents of Kurigram. Read: Photo exhibition ‘Border That Bleeds’ commemorates Felani killing He called for international trials for all Bangladeshis killed at the border and urged global action to end such killings. “We don’t want to see any more dead bodies on the Bangladesh border,” he said. Sarjis also criticised the state’s foreign policy, saying, “The new Bangladesh, shaped by the public-student movement, will not accept policies that compromise sovereignty. Any leader acting as an agent of foreign powers will meet the same fate as the murderer Hasina.” Felani’s father, Nur Islam, convener of the National Citizens Committee Nasir Uddin Patwary, member secretary Arif Sohel and Zahid Ahsan, office secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement were among those who joined the march. Read more: Felani Murder: Parents accuse AL of failing to secure justice On January 7 in 2011, Felani Khatun, a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl, was shot and killed by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) while attempting to cross the India-Bangladesh border near Phulbari Upazila in Kurigram.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) handed over a Bangladeshi national to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Wednesday, a day after he was detained from Beurjhari border area in Thakurgaon's Baliadangi upazila. Sheikh Alimur Rahman, 42, of Khulna was handed over to the BGB through a flag meeting around 6:30 pm, said Lt Col Tanvir Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB Battalion-50. Flag meeting held between BGB and BSF over Fencing at Naogaon border Earlier, a flag meeting was held between BGB and BSF members regarding the issue, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. On Tuesday night, BSF members detained Alimul Rahman about 300 yards inside Indian territory near pillar No. 380/4-S.