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CBI director Praveen Sood, who was to retire on May 24, has received a 1-year extension. It is the 2nd extension Sood has got. The development comes a day after LoP Rahul Gandhi gave a dissent note on the process of selection for the post.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

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NEW DELHI: Social media intermediaries must conduct due diligence even at the time of uploading apps, Delhi high court stressed Wednesday as it asked Google and Apple to remove mobile applications hosted on their online platforms that disseminate obscene pornographic content.“We can’t permit a whole generation of the country to be ruined. We understand all kinds of freedom under Article 19 but that does not mean we allow (dissemination of vulgar content),” the court observed, as it reminded the intermediaries that their role was not limited to blocking content on receiving a complaint.A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said, the social media intermediaries must play the “most vital role” by acting against such apps even at the time of uploading.It also asked the Centre’s Indian Computer Emergency Response Team to check dissemination of such content, while hearing a PIL by Rubika Thapa against the hosting of mobile applications offering vulgar and pornographic content on platforms run by Google and Apple. The matter would be heard next on July 17.About the AuthorAbhinav GargAs legal editor for Delhi, Abhinav Garg handles coverage of courts and connected legal challenges shaping the capital. From breaking down complex law related jargon to simplifying how a particular verdict or development in courts may impact the readers, Abhinav brings with him over two decades of experience in the field.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

NEW DELHI: Social media intermediaries must conduct due diligence even at the time of uploading apps, Delhi high court stressed Wednesday as it asked Google and Apple to remove mobile applications hosted on their online platforms that disseminate obscene pornographic content.“We can’t permit a whole generation of the country to be ruined. We understand all kinds of freedom under Article 19 but that does not mean we allow (dissemination of vulgar content),” the court observed, as it reminded the intermediaries that their role was not limited to blocking content on receiving a complaint.A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said, the social media intermediaries must play the “most vital role” by acting against such apps even at the time of uploading.It also asked the Centre’s Indian Computer Emergency Response Team to check dissemination of such content, while hearing a PIL by Rubika Thapa against the hosting of mobile applications offering vulgar and pornographic content on platforms run by Google and Apple. The matter would be heard next on July 17.About the AuthorAbhinav GargAs legal editor for Delhi, Abhinav Garg handles coverage of courts and connected legal challenges shaping the capital. From breaking down complex law related jargon to simplifying how a particular verdict or development in courts may impact the readers, Abhinav brings with him over two decades of experience in the field.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

Vamsikrishna16 seconds ago 0

NEW DELHI: A nine-judge Supreme Court bench on Wednesday appeared to be on the same page with the govt on the narrow ambit of judicial review of religious practices and said constitutional courts should be extremely cautious in questioning a denomination’s collective religious beliefs.This remark came from a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A G Masih, P B Varale, R Mahadevan and J Bagchi when solicitor general Tushar Mehta said there was a plurality of sects and sub-sects, with distinct religious practices and rituals, even though they were part of a denomination.Every denomination, sect and sub-sect was entitled to practice its peculiar rituals and even if certain secular activities were intermingled with these religious practices, then in testing the validity of a law restricting the secular part of that religious activity, courts should lean towards protecting religious practices to maintain the identity of the denomination, sect or sub-sect, Mehta said.Giving an illustration for his argument, the SG said, “The right to light a ‘diya’ undoubtedly is a matter of religion. However, if in a particular denomination, it is mandatory to light 100 diyas every day, the question would be whether there can be a restriction by the state limiting the quantity of ghee to be purchased per day. Though the purchase of ghee is a secular activity, it is intrinsically linked with something which is a matter of religion and, therefore, cannot be interfered with by the state.”Justices Nagarathna and Sundresh said they were of the view that constitutional courts must not question the collective religious beliefs of followers of a denomination. Mehta said reforms through legislation by a state must be on the constitutional grounds — public order, morality and health.Responding to rationalists’ stand advanced by senior advocate Sanjay Hegde that the right to freedom of conscience and right to freedom of religion permitted a person to “wake up a Hindu, have lunch as Muslim and go to sleep at night as a Christian”, Mehta said if any person gets such a thought, he “needs psychiatric treatment”.The bench reserved its verdict on the reference relating to faith vs fundamental right tussle.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

NEW DELHI: A nine-judge Supreme Court bench on Wednesday appeared to be on the same page with the govt on the narrow ambit of judicial review of religious practices and said constitutional courts should be extremely cautious in questioning a denomination’s collective religious beliefs.This remark came from a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A G Masih, P B Varale, R Mahadevan and J Bagchi when solicitor general Tushar Mehta said there was a plurality of sects and sub-sects, with distinct religious practices and rituals, even though they were part of a denomination.Every denomination, sect and sub-sect was entitled to practice its peculiar rituals and even if certain secular activities were intermingled with these religious practices, then in testing the validity of a law restricting the secular part of that religious activity, courts should lean towards protecting religious practices to maintain the identity of the denomination, sect or sub-sect, Mehta said.Giving an illustration for his argument, the SG said, “The right to light a ‘diya’ undoubtedly is a matter of religion. However, if in a particular denomination, it is mandatory to light 100 diyas every day, the question would be whether there can be a restriction by the state limiting the quantity of ghee to be purchased per day. Though the purchase of ghee is a secular activity, it is intrinsically linked with something which is a matter of religion and, therefore, cannot be interfered with by the state.”Justices Nagarathna and Sundresh said they were of the view that constitutional courts must not question the collective religious beliefs of followers of a denomination. Mehta said reforms through legislation by a state must be on the constitutional grounds — public order, morality and health.Responding to rationalists’ stand advanced by senior advocate Sanjay Hegde that the right to freedom of conscience and right to freedom of religion permitted a person to “wake up a Hindu, have lunch as Muslim and go to sleep at night as a Christian”, Mehta said if any person gets such a thought, he “needs psychiatric treatment”.The bench reserved its verdict on the reference relating to faith vs fundamental right tussle.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

Vamsikrishna16 minutes ago 0

The state has lost 32 tigers in the first five months of 2026. Poaching is under control, but electrified fencing outside core areas has emerged as a major threat to the big cat. Adding to worries is the canine distemper virus that killed a tigress and 4 cubs in KanhaFive months, 32 dead tigers and not nearly enough answers. The recent spate of big cat deaths in Madhya Pradesh, including a tigress and her four cubs in Kanha, has once again put the spotlight on the state’s famed tiger reserves. However, the real story behind the rising big cat toll may lie not inside their protected boundaries, but outside them. Forest officials said the most recent deaths have occurred outside core reserve areas, where expanding tiger populations are increasingly colliding with humandominated landscapes. Here, crude electric wire traps — often laid illegally to kill wild boar and other animals for bushmeat or to protect crops — are emerging as one of the biggest threats to big cats.Officials said poaching networks once linked to international wildlife trade syndicates have largely been dismantled. In their place, however, a more localised and difficult-to-monitor threat has spread across the state. Electrocution now lies at the centre of the changing pattern of tiger deaths.Treacherous TerrainAccording to the latest tiger estimate, conducted in 2022, Madhya Pradesh is home to 785 of India’s total tiger population of 3,682. The state has also witnessed one of the sharpest increases in tiger numbers in the country, recording a 49% rise between 2018 and 2022 — nearly double the national growth rate of 24%.But while tiger numbers have surged, their habitat has not expanded at the same pace. The result, officials said, is an increasing spillover of big cats beyond protected forests and reserve boundaries. Tigers are highly territorial animals and frequently come into conflict with members of their own species, often forcing weaker, ageing or younger tigers to move out in search of new territories.As reserves become more crowded, many tigers are increasingly pushing into buffer forests, agricultural belts and village fringes in search of space. Officials estimate that around 40% of the state’s tigers are now frequenting areas lying outside protected zones, while nearly 20% are moving through heavily human-dominated landscapes crisscrossed by roads, farms and electric lines.Forest officials said this expanding overlap between tiger movement routes and human set- tlements is driving the changing pattern of tiger deaths in the state. Nearly 80% of tiger mortalities reported this year have occurred outside protected areas, with several carcasses recovered kilometres away from reserve forests. Dispersal movements frequently bring tigers into direct conflict with villages, while they also face a threat in agricultural zones where illegally electrified wires are used to deter or kill herbivores such as wild boar and nilgai.MP’s chief wildlife warden, Samita Rajora, said electrocution has emerged as one of the most significant threats in these fringe landscapes. “Our analysis shows that seven tiger deaths this year were due to electrocution, largely from wire traps laid for bushmeat hunting or farm protection,” she said.Officials said many such traps involve illegal tapping of conventional 11kV power lines used for domestic and agricultural supply in villages on the fringe of forests. According to Ritesh Sirothia, chief of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), poachers or bushmeat hunters often hook into overhead lines using bamboo poles and extend wires across animal paths to create crude live-wire traps.“When an animal comes into contact with the wire, it receives a severe electric shock, leading to burns, paralysis and, in most cases, death,” Sirothia said. “The electric line tripping record becomes key evidence in such cases. Whenever a person, animal or object touches a live wire, it causes the line to short to ground, triggering a trip in the power supply. These records capture the exact time, date, duration and location of the disruption, and often help establish timelines and corroborate poaching incidents.”According to officials, areas along the fringes of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve are currently emerging as particularly vulnerable zones. Rajora said, “We are focusing on these high-risk zones and strengthening coordination with the electricity and revenue departments. Efforts are underway to analyse power-line trip data along with GPS locations to identify electrocution hotspots.”Numbers Tell A StoryThe broader mortality data reflects the changing nature of threats facing Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population. In 2025, the state recorded 55 tiger deaths — translating into a mortality rate of roughly 7%, slightly higher than the national average of under 5%, though officials said this remains within ecological limits, given the state’s dense, and growing, tiger count.According to state forest department data, nearly 69% of these deaths were due to natural or incidental causes, including territorial fights, disease, age, road and train accidents, and injuries sustained during conflict. At least 13 of the deaths involved cubs aged below one year — a category known to have naturally high mortality rates and, therefore, excluded from national tiger estimates.But officials acknowledge that the more worrying trend lies elsewhere. Nearly one in every five tiger deaths recorded in the state last year was linked to electrocution, largely from illegal live wires. However, officials said most of these incidents did not involve evidence of deliberate tiger hunting or illegal trade in body parts. Around 11% of the deaths fell into the category of confirmed poaching cases — instances where tiger body parts were recovered and accused persons identified or arrested.Officials highlighted that MP’s comparatively high tiger death detection rate also shapes the numbers. Based on 2025 data, the national tiger mortality detection rate stood at around 54%, while MP recorded a much higher detection rate of nearly 84%. Officials attribute this to intensive patrolling and surveillance systems that ensure most tiger deaths, including those occurring in remote territorial divisions and buffer areas, are eventually detected and documented.Wire Traps, Deadly By DesignWhile poaching networks have weakened over the years, officials say the threat has increasingly shifted to decentralised actors — bushmeat hunters and farmers using crude electrified wire traps and fencing to protect crops.Recent cases show how brutal — and hard to detect — these deaths can be. In Seoni, a tigress died after being electrocuted on an illegal live-wire setup near farmland. Its carcass was dumped into a well in what investigators suspect was an attempt to destroy evidence. Burnt wires recovered from the site and forensics conducted under National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols confirmed electrocution as the cause of death.In another case, in Chhindwara, a radio-collared tiger translocated from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Satpura Tiger Reserve was allegedly poisoned and buried, while its collar was burnt to avoid detection. Investigators suspect the killing may be linked to illegal activities, including opium cultivation, in the region. Officials also admitted that delays in responding to collar signals exposed gaps in monitoring systems.The risk is not new, and neither are the warnings. In 2018, the then additional chief secretary (forests) and the principal secretary of the energy department had jointly issued directions to all field officers, calling for coordinated action to curb wildlife deaths due to electrocution, including joint patrolling, monitoring of power lines and realtime response to line faults. But little has changed on the ground.Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said the electricity department had been reluctant to share responsibility. “If they had come forward for joint patrolling and instant data sharing, the problem of electrocution could have been checked,” he added.Officials, however, said that preventive efforts are now being intensified through coordinated patrols in vulnerable zones, monitoring of illegal power connections, awareness campaigns in fringe villages and action under the Electricity Act, 2003.The ‘Killer’ Virus ThreatIf electrocution is increasingly becoming the dominant threat outside of the reserves, disease outbreaks are exposing risks within core habitats. Recently, Kanha Tiger Reserve has been battling an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV), a highly infectious disease transmitted from domesticated dogs to wild carnivores. The outbreak killed five tigers from a single family — a tigress and her four cubs.In response, forest officials launched emergency containment measures across buffer villages adjoining Kanha reserve. Nearly 100 dogs have already been vaccinated across eight villages, while a 2 sqkm forest patch linked to the outbreak has been sealed off.Rajora said the department had activated a multi-layered response to prevent further spread. “Since the virus is transmitted through dogs, vaccination in buffer villages is critical. We have initiated quarantine measures, vaccination drives and intensive monitoring in the affected landscape,” she said.Officials said water bodies inside the quarantine zone were drained, disinfected using lime and bleaching powder, and sealed temporarily to prevent other wildlife from accessing potentially contaminated sources. Forest teams have also restricted tourist movement and closed entry points to the area.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

The state has lost 32 tigers in the first five months of 2026. Poaching is under control, but electrified fencing outside core areas has emerged as a major threat to the big cat. Adding to worries is the canine distemper virus that killed a tigress and 4 cubs in KanhaFive months, 32 dead tigers and not nearly enough answers. The recent spate of big cat deaths in Madhya Pradesh, including a tigress and her four cubs in Kanha, has once again put the spotlight on the state’s famed tiger reserves. However, the real story behind the rising big cat toll may lie not inside their protected boundaries, but outside them. Forest officials said the most recent deaths have occurred outside core reserve areas, where expanding tiger populations are increasingly colliding with humandominated landscapes. Here, crude electric wire traps — often laid illegally to kill wild boar and other animals for bushmeat or to protect crops — are emerging as one of the biggest threats to big cats.Officials said poaching networks once linked to international wildlife trade syndicates have largely been dismantled. In their place, however, a more localised and difficult-to-monitor threat has spread across the state. Electrocution now lies at the centre of the changing pattern of tiger deaths.Treacherous TerrainAccording to the latest tiger estimate, conducted in 2022, Madhya Pradesh is home to 785 of India’s total tiger population of 3,682. The state has also witnessed one of the sharpest increases in tiger numbers in the country, recording a 49% rise between 2018 and 2022 — nearly double the national growth rate of 24%.But while tiger numbers have surged, their habitat has not expanded at the same pace. The result, officials said, is an increasing spillover of big cats beyond protected forests and reserve boundaries. Tigers are highly territorial animals and frequently come into conflict with members of their own species, often forcing weaker, ageing or younger tigers to move out in search of new territories.As reserves become more crowded, many tigers are increasingly pushing into buffer forests, agricultural belts and village fringes in search of space. Officials estimate that around 40% of the state’s tigers are now frequenting areas lying outside protected zones, while nearly 20% are moving through heavily human-dominated landscapes crisscrossed by roads, farms and electric lines.Forest officials said this expanding overlap between tiger movement routes and human set- tlements is driving the changing pattern of tiger deaths in the state. Nearly 80% of tiger mortalities reported this year have occurred outside protected areas, with several carcasses recovered kilometres away from reserve forests. Dispersal movements frequently bring tigers into direct conflict with villages, while they also face a threat in agricultural zones where illegally electrified wires are used to deter or kill herbivores such as wild boar and nilgai.MP’s chief wildlife warden, Samita Rajora, said electrocution has emerged as one of the most significant threats in these fringe landscapes. “Our analysis shows that seven tiger deaths this year were due to electrocution, largely from wire traps laid for bushmeat hunting or farm protection,” she said.Officials said many such traps involve illegal tapping of conventional 11kV power lines used for domestic and agricultural supply in villages on the fringe of forests. According to Ritesh Sirothia, chief of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), poachers or bushmeat hunters often hook into overhead lines using bamboo poles and extend wires across animal paths to create crude live-wire traps.“When an animal comes into contact with the wire, it receives a severe electric shock, leading to burns, paralysis and, in most cases, death,” Sirothia said. “The electric line tripping record becomes key evidence in such cases. Whenever a person, animal or object touches a live wire, it causes the line to short to ground, triggering a trip in the power supply. These records capture the exact time, date, duration and location of the disruption, and often help establish timelines and corroborate poaching incidents.”According to officials, areas along the fringes of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve are currently emerging as particularly vulnerable zones. Rajora said, “We are focusing on these high-risk zones and strengthening coordination with the electricity and revenue departments. Efforts are underway to analyse power-line trip data along with GPS locations to identify electrocution hotspots.”Numbers Tell A StoryThe broader mortality data reflects the changing nature of threats facing Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population. In 2025, the state recorded 55 tiger deaths — translating into a mortality rate of roughly 7%, slightly higher than the national average of under 5%, though officials said this remains within ecological limits, given the state’s dense, and growing, tiger count.According to state forest department data, nearly 69% of these deaths were due to natural or incidental causes, including territorial fights, disease, age, road and train accidents, and injuries sustained during conflict. At least 13 of the deaths involved cubs aged below one year — a category known to have naturally high mortality rates and, therefore, excluded from national tiger estimates.But officials acknowledge that the more worrying trend lies elsewhere. Nearly one in every five tiger deaths recorded in the state last year was linked to electrocution, largely from illegal live wires. However, officials said most of these incidents did not involve evidence of deliberate tiger hunting or illegal trade in body parts. Around 11% of the deaths fell into the category of confirmed poaching cases — instances where tiger body parts were recovered and accused persons identified or arrested.Officials highlighted that MP’s comparatively high tiger death detection rate also shapes the numbers. Based on 2025 data, the national tiger mortality detection rate stood at around 54%, while MP recorded a much higher detection rate of nearly 84%. Officials attribute this to intensive patrolling and surveillance systems that ensure most tiger deaths, including those occurring in remote territorial divisions and buffer areas, are eventually detected and documented.Wire Traps, Deadly By DesignWhile poaching networks have weakened over the years, officials say the threat has increasingly shifted to decentralised actors — bushmeat hunters and farmers using crude electrified wire traps and fencing to protect crops.Recent cases show how brutal — and hard to detect — these deaths can be. In Seoni, a tigress died after being electrocuted on an illegal live-wire setup near farmland. Its carcass was dumped into a well in what investigators suspect was an attempt to destroy evidence. Burnt wires recovered from the site and forensics conducted under National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols confirmed electrocution as the cause of death.In another case, in Chhindwara, a radio-collared tiger translocated from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Satpura Tiger Reserve was allegedly poisoned and buried, while its collar was burnt to avoid detection. Investigators suspect the killing may be linked to illegal activities, including opium cultivation, in the region. Officials also admitted that delays in responding to collar signals exposed gaps in monitoring systems.The risk is not new, and neither are the warnings. In 2018, the then additional chief secretary (forests) and the principal secretary of the energy department had jointly issued directions to all field officers, calling for coordinated action to curb wildlife deaths due to electrocution, including joint patrolling, monitoring of power lines and realtime response to line faults. But little has changed on the ground.Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said the electricity department had been reluctant to share responsibility. “If they had come forward for joint patrolling and instant data sharing, the problem of electrocution could have been checked,” he added.Officials, however, said that preventive efforts are now being intensified through coordinated patrols in vulnerable zones, monitoring of illegal power connections, awareness campaigns in fringe villages and action under the Electricity Act, 2003.The ‘Killer’ Virus ThreatIf electrocution is increasingly becoming the dominant threat outside of the reserves, disease outbreaks are exposing risks within core habitats. Recently, Kanha Tiger Reserve has been battling an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV), a highly infectious disease transmitted from domesticated dogs to wild carnivores. The outbreak killed five tigers from a single family — a tigress and her four cubs.In response, forest officials launched emergency containment measures across buffer villages adjoining Kanha reserve. Nearly 100 dogs have already been vaccinated across eight villages, while a 2 sqkm forest patch linked to the outbreak has been sealed off.Rajora said the department had activated a multi-layered response to prevent further spread. “Since the virus is transmitted through dogs, vaccination in buffer villages is critical. We have initiated quarantine measures, vaccination drives and intensive monitoring in the affected landscape,” she said.Officials said water bodies inside the quarantine zone were drained, disinfected using lime and bleaching powder, and sealed temporarily to prevent other wildlife from accessing potentially contaminated sources. Forest teams have also restricted tourist movement and closed entry points to the area.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

Vamsikrishna31 minutes ago 0

NEW DELHI: Nearly two years after the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy and following the unprecedented cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, central govt is examining a hybrid examination model under which question papers could be digitally transmitted to centres and printed locally under secure conditions. Officials said this is being considered a safer alternative because conducting a fully online exam for 23 lakh candidates remains difficult due to infrastructure and logistical challenges.A senior health ministry official said discussions on possible reforms in NEET are expected in coming days between health ministry, National Medical Commission (NMC) and National Testing Agency (NTA), including whether parts of the examination process can be digitised.Officials said the proposed “computer-assisted secure paper-based test”, recommended by Radhakrishnan Committee, is emerging as a possible middle path between fully offline and fully computer-based examinations. Under the proposal, encrypted question papers would be sent to confidential servers at exam centres or regional hubs shortly before the exam and printed locally using high-speed secure printers.“The idea is to reduce manual handling points during transportation and storage of question papers, which are considered vulnerable stages,” an official said, adding that printing exam papers closer to examination time could reduce risks of leaks.According to officials, the hybrid system could retain advantages of a single-day, single-paper offline examination — avoiding controversies over normalisation and varying difficulty levels across shifts — while continuing to allow a large number of centres, including those in smaller towns and rural areas, to host the exam.Another senior official said shifting NEET fully online was difficult because of the exam’s sheer scale and complications linked to multiple-shift testing. “India currently lacks infrastructure to conduct a single-day computer-based exam for nearly 25 lakh students. At best, only 1 to 1.5 lakh candidates can be accommodated daily. Multiple shifts would bring into play issues of normalisation, fairness and comparisons across sessions,” the official said.The official added that many NEET aspirants from smaller towns and rural areas may not be equally familiar with computer-based testing. Unlike offline exams conducted in schools across districts, online tests require specialised centres, stable internet, uninterrupted electricity and technical manpower.Officials said a fully online system could also significantly reduce the number of centres and force many students to travel to larger cities. Cyber-security risks, server failures and technical disruptions are also issues to be considered. Any transition, they said, would require months of preparation, including infrastructure expansion, mock tests and student familiarisation exercises.The hybrid system, however, would still require pilot testing, infrastructure assessment and detailed operational protocols before rollout. “These are still discussions and nothing has been finalised yet. But after repeated controversies in recent years, there is broad agreement that reforms are needed,” an official said.The Radhakrishnan Committee was constituted after NEET-UG 2024 controversy to recommend reforms for strengthening examination security and transparency.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123PhotostoriesTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list5 deadliest insects on the planet: Small creatures with a massive global impact123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

NEW DELHI: Nearly two years after the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy and following the unprecedented cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, central govt is examining a hybrid examination model under which question papers could be digitally transmitted to centres and printed locally under secure conditions. Officials said this is being considered a safer alternative because conducting a fully online exam for 23 lakh candidates remains difficult due to infrastructure and logistical challenges.A senior health ministry official said discussions on possible reforms in NEET are expected in coming days between health ministry, National Medical Commission (NMC) and National Testing Agency (NTA), including whether parts of the examination process can be digitised.Officials said the proposed “computer-assisted secure paper-based test”, recommended by Radhakrishnan Committee, is emerging as a possible middle path between fully offline and fully computer-based examinations. Under the proposal, encrypted question papers would be sent to confidential servers at exam centres or regional hubs shortly before the exam and printed locally using high-speed secure printers.“The idea is to reduce manual handling points during transportation and storage of question papers, which are considered vulnerable stages,” an official said, adding that printing exam papers closer to examination time could reduce risks of leaks.According to officials, the hybrid system could retain advantages of a single-day, single-paper offline examination — avoiding controversies over normalisation and varying difficulty levels across shifts — while continuing to allow a large number of centres, including those in smaller towns and rural areas, to host the exam.Another senior official said shifting NEET fully online was difficult because of the exam’s sheer scale and complications linked to multiple-shift testing. “India currently lacks infrastructure to conduct a single-day computer-based exam for nearly 25 lakh students. At best, only 1 to 1.5 lakh candidates can be accommodated daily. Multiple shifts would bring into play issues of normalisation, fairness and comparisons across sessions,” the official said.The official added that many NEET aspirants from smaller towns and rural areas may not be equally familiar with computer-based testing. Unlike offline exams conducted in schools across districts, online tests require specialised centres, stable internet, uninterrupted electricity and technical manpower.Officials said a fully online system could also significantly reduce the number of centres and force many students to travel to larger cities. Cyber-security risks, server failures and technical disruptions are also issues to be considered. Any transition, they said, would require months of preparation, including infrastructure expansion, mock tests and student familiarisation exercises.The hybrid system, however, would still require pilot testing, infrastructure assessment and detailed operational protocols before rollout. “These are still discussions and nothing has been finalised yet. But after repeated controversies in recent years, there is broad agreement that reforms are needed,” an official said.The Radhakrishnan Committee was constituted after NEET-UG 2024 controversy to recommend reforms for strengthening examination security and transparency.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123PhotostoriesTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list5 deadliest insects on the planet: Small creatures with a massive global impact123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav

Vamsikrishna1 hour ago 0