VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ director Sandeep Reddy Vanga lauds ‘Ramayana’ trailer: Dharma will always triumph over Adharma’ Perfect start! Preeti Pawar, Ankush Panghal storm into CWG 2026 finals as India goes 2-0 in boxing semis Quote of the day by Taylor Swift: ‘My response to anything that happens, good or bad, is to keep making things,’ and how creativity can outlast every setback A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Spain has deployed its armed forces to Ceuta after more than 49,000 migrants crossed into the North African enclave from Morocco in 24 hours, triggering one of the biggest border breaches in recent years.The Opposition on Friday staged a satirical protest in the Parliament complex over the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations, with Independent MP Pappu Yadav dressed as a priest in a mock street play. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the Centre of targeting students despite assuring them that no action would follow the withdrawal of their July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest. He demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi seek Union home minister Amit Shah’s resignation.Astra Microwave has secured a Rs 2,205-crore order from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to supply key components for the indigenous Uttam AESA radar. The radar will be fitted on the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets ordered by the Indian Air ForceHere are top 5 stories of the day:Delhi riots: Former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, 4 others gets life term for IB officer Ankit Sharma’s murderA Delhi court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The Karkardooma court had convicted the five earlier this month, while the Delhi Police had sought the death penalty, terming the case “rarest of rare”.The prosecution alleged that Sharma suffered 51 injuries, seven of them fatal, and was dragged with a cloth tied around his neck before his body was dumped in a drain. Hussain’s counsel opposed the death penalty, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove his specific role in the killing or any criminal conspiracy. Read full storyFootage shows chaos at Spain-Morocco border as thousands try to swim across; 34 deadSpain has deployed troops to the North African enclave of Ceuta after more than 49,000 migrants crossed from neighbouring Morocco within 24 hours, overwhelming local authorities and reception centres. At least 34 people have died, most by drowning while attempting to swim around border barriers, prompting the European Union to offer support in restoring order.Ceuta, along with Melilla, forms the European Union’s only land border with Africa and has long been a major migration route for people seeking entry into Europe. Read full storyWatch: Saffron-clad Pappu Yadav, opposition stage Ram Temple donation theft skit in ParliamentThe Parliament complex witnessed high political drama on Friday as the INDIA bloc staged a symbolic street play over the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations. Independent MP Pappu Yadav, dressed as a Hindu priest, enacted a skit in which Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition MPs placed money into a donation box before the “priest” pocketed the cash, symbolising the Opposition’s allegation of donation theft. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party leaders and other MPs joined the protest. Read full story’Vendetta by filing FIRs against students’: Kharge demands Amit Shah’s resignation over police actionCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday escalated the Opposition’s attack on the Centre, alleging that the government had reneged on its assurance not to act against students after they withdrew their July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest. In a post on X, Kharge accused the government of filing FIRs, detaining students and acting out of “vendetta”, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek Union home minister Amit Shah’s resignation.Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi echoed the criticism, alleging that the Centre was attempting to intimidate Gen Z protesters through police action and online account takedowns. Read full story’Make in India’ radar programme to help Tejas track targets gets Rs 2,205 crore boostIn a major boost to India’s indigenous defence programme, Astra Microwave has received a Rs 2,205-crore order from HAL to supply 122 Active Antenna Array Units (AAAUs) and 121 Interface Frames for the DRDO-developed Uttam AESA radar. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe radar is slated to equip the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft ordered by the Indian Air Force.The Uttam radar, developed by DRDO’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), is a Gallium Arsenide-based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar capable of air-to-air, air-to-ground and maritime operations. Read full storyGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesFriendship Day Cards 2026: Best friendship day greeting card images to share with your friends7 traditional Kashmiri breads and what makes them so specialInside Archana Puran Singh’s 75-year-old Dehradun home: A lush garden, vintage interiors and a massive living roomThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? Know its benefits, ingredients, and natural alternativesAnanya Panday’s peacock blue Gauri & Nainika gown is the luxe fashion moment everyone will rememberWhat Lord Shiva teaches you based on your birth dateBefore you throw out old glass jars, try these 7 DIY ideas for your kitchen, garden, and homeChef reveals the healthy salad recipe that President Droupadi Murmu asked her team to master10 tiny texting habits that quietly push people away without you realizing it123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up Jul 31, 2026, 17:48 IST India to get plastic notes soon: Why the move is important – explained ‘I never expected Prabhu Deva to make such an unforgivable mistake’: Preethi Sanjeev slams Prabhu Deva’s Bharatanatyam recital in Chennai Healthy Friendships: Is your child being a good friend? Unhealthy friendship habits parents shouldn’t ignore Cancer Monthly Predictions for August 2026: Increased income and business gains are indicated this month Sergey Brin’s 466-foot megayacht Dragonfly, widely called his floating ‘workplace’, has a Gym, game room and ‘hidden’ … Visa revocation, travel ban for reckless drivers: US says no second chance to those who put American lives at risk NEW DELHI: India is continuing to engage with Russia to secure the release of the remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian military, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Friday, adding that 139 Indians have been brought back so far.Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government has been consistently taking up the matter with the Russian authorities.”We have been following up with the Russian side for the release of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army. So far, our efforts have led to the release of 139 Indian nationals. We continue to pursue the release of the remaining two dozen Indian nationals who are reportedly in the Russian army,” Jaiswal said.He also cautioned Indian citizens against falling prey to fraudulent overseas job offers, saying many such recruitment drives are carried out by unscrupulous individuals and agencies.”We would like to caution our people against job offers that are fraught with risk and made by unscrupulous individuals and agencies,” he said.MEA to appoint nodal officer to coordinateThe Supreme Court on Friday directed the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the families of Indians who died, were injured or went missing after joining the Russian military during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.A bench also asked the MEA to facilitate DNA matching of family members with the mortal remains of those killed in the conflict and assist them in filing compensation claims with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. The court further directed that all relevant information be provided to the affected families in their respective vernacular languages.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe issue came to light after several Indian nationals were allegedly recruited by agents on the promise of lucrative jobs in Russia but were later sent to serve in the Russian military amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. India has repeatedly urged Moscow to facilitate the early discharge and repatriation of its citizens.The Centre had earlier informed the Supreme Court that Russian authorities had lured foreign recruits with attractive financial packages, including a signing bonus of around USD 5,000, a monthly salary of $2,500, promises of Russian citizenship, social benefits and compensation of around USD 168,000 in the event of death.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesFriendship Day Cards 2026: Best friendship day greeting card images to share with your friends7 traditional Kashmiri breads and what makes them so specialInside Archana Puran Singh’s 75-year-old Dehradun home: A lush garden, vintage interiors and a massive living roomThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? Know its benefits, ingredients, and natural alternativesAnanya Panday’s peacock blue Gauri & Nainika gown is the luxe fashion moment everyone will rememberWhat Lord Shiva teaches you based on your birth dateBefore you throw out old glass jars, try these 7 DIY ideas for your kitchen, garden, and homeChef reveals the healthy salad recipe that President Droupadi Murmu asked her team to master10 tiny texting habits that quietly push people away without you realizing it123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up Kiara Advani birthday special: Inside her reported rise from Rs 5 crore films to Rs 15 crore paycheque for Yash and Geetu Mohandas’ ‘Toxic’ Scientists fitted GPS collars on four elusive snow leopards, known as the ‘Ghosts of the Himalayas,’ to uncover their secret lives; the breakthrough could transform wildlife tourism In 1966, scientists wiped out nearly every insect on tiny Florida islands to see how nature would rebuild itself Footage shows chaos at Spain-Morocco border as thousands try to swim across; 34 dead Meet Alexander Zanders: The founder revolutionising Africa’s ‘unbankable’ farmers into a $100 billion opportunity with just a credit assessment Rohit Chakravarty led a bat walk at Sunder Nursery on April 17 to mark International Bat Appreciation Day and launch Delhi-NCR’s first bat field guide Nobody grows up wanting to be a bat person. Unless your parents fell in love over dead ones. For Aditya Srinivasulu, bats were never mysterious creatures of the night. They were family lore. Long before he became a bat biologist himself, the UK-trained researcher grew up with the now-famous story of how his parents — renowned zoologists at Osmania University, Chelmala and Bhargavi Srinivasulu — fell in love over dead bats. As college classmates, Bhargavi gifted Chelmala a dead bat instead of roses; years later, Chelmala returned the gesture with another dead bat on their wedding day. Fortunately, Aditya jokes, there is no pressure on him to replicate the romantic gesture. Today, when Aditya is not doing his academic heavy-lifting, he conducts evening bat walks across the sprawling green campus of Osmania University.The setting is a biodiverse, wooded stretch where evening descends over a shrinking summer lake and the sky begins to flicker with movement. “If you stand there and look up, the sky is littered with a swirling mass of bats,” Aditya says. “Think of a swarm of mosquitoes over your head near a lake — that kind of density. Except these are bats.” Most of the tiny, fluttering shapes overhead are pipistrelles, among the smallest bats in South Asia. Then there are the crowd favourites: the flying foxes. “Big leathery boys,” Aditya calls them affectionately. These large fruit bats emerge in dramatic numbers at dusk, soaring overhead while participants stand along the bund walkway. Sometimes they come within ten feet of the group. “As long as people don’t make sudden movements or do flash photography, there’s no issue,” he says. The myth-busting happens organically. Bats are not blind, not aggressive, not waiting to fly into human hair. Fruit bats actually possess excellent eyesight and an extraordinary sense of smell. Families, retirees, students and curious residents from across Hyderabad show up. “Honestly, the children are always the highlight,” Aditya says. The team hands out tiny stuffed bat plushies, and he watches reluctant children transform from “my parents dragged me here” to suddenly being completely fascinated. “Children ask the smartest questions. One child once asked if bats use sound to figure out where they’re going, how do they think so quickly?” Srinivasulu remembers pausing, momentarily stumped by the question. “Anything that goes bump in the night immediately gets associated with witchcraft, bad omens or danger. Animals like bats, owls and snakes are burdened by stigma and misinformation,” says the 28-year-old scion of the OG bat family of Hyderabad; he is now developing booklets and brochures on the city’s bat diversity aimed at everyone from four-year-olds to researchers.Rajesh Puttaswamaiah founded Bat Conservation India Trust in 2014Aditya is not alone. Bat researchers across Indian cities are beginning to trade the lab coat for the headlamp, leading groups of curious oglers through darkening parks and ruins, passing around ultrasound detectors like prized telescopes to catch bat calls and translate them into a crackling chorus of clicks and static bursts. For most participants, it’s the first time they’ve not just seen a bat, but actually heard one “think” with echolocation. These researchers will tell you bats are the unacknowledged night-shift workers. When birds clock out at dusk, bats take over pollinating flowers, scattering seeds and hoovering up the kinds of insects that would otherwise devastate crops. Yet for a country that hosts around 135 bat species — roughly 10 percent of the world’s total — India has remarkably few people who actually study them. That imbalance is precisely why many researchers now say that getting the public on board matters as much as any fieldwork.”One of the biggest challenges is the lack of data or public participation when it comes to bats. Scientists alone cannot monitor every colony or every park. But ordinary citizens can,” says Nikhil John, a naturalist with WWF India’s Nature Connect outreach programme. That idea drove WWF India’s recent bat walks in Delhi, organised around International Bat Appreciation Day in April, which also marked the launch of a first-of-its-kind fold-out guide to the bats of Delhi-NCR. It documents 12 of the 15 species recorded in the region, complete with identification tips, habitats and where people might actually spot them across the city. The first walk at Sunder Nursery last month drew around 65 people. A second walk to Tughlaqabad Fort the next day merged natural history with architecture and storytelling.Kolar Leaf-Nosed Bat by Rajesh PuttaswamaiahWhile birds have long dominated India’s citizen-science culture, bats have mostly remained invisible. There are birders everywhere. WhatsApp groups swap photographs from dawn trails, hobbyists upload sightings onto eBird, entire communities are built around identifying warblers and raptors. Bats instead are heard but not recorded, feared more than followed, thanks to haunted house and vampire movie mythologies. Conversationalists hope these walks become the springboard for a broader base of bat-watchers. John compares it to the rise of dragonfly festivals which transformed a largely ignored insect into a community-led conservation movement. “We now have volunteers and young people who are not from biodiversity or zoological backgrounds, but they can now talk about dragonflies and conduct walks.” The hope is to replicate that energy for bats. “This year we are also trying to do a three-day Bat Festival in Delhi,” John says.Beyond viruses and villainyBack in the pandemic era, when early evidence linked bats to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, they became global villains overnight. Alarming viral spillover theories prompted a wave of widespread—and often misguided—public fear, with calls for culling and roost destruction. And suddenly, bats needed a PR team. “With the unnecessary villainization of bats, we had to step up and be more vocal online in those days,” says Rohit Chakravarty, who has become one of the most visible public voices for bat conservation in India. The 34-year-old speaks at lit fests and schools, gives lectures in bars and cafés through Bengaluru’s ‘Pint of View series, and leads twilight bat walks through lakes, gardens and medieval ruins in Delhi and Bengaluru. He is also one of the editors of a hefty, 200-page ‘State of India’s Bats (2024–2025)’ report, the first-ever national assessment of bat species in India, compiled by 36 experts from 27 institutions, released by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Bat Conservation International (BCI) in collaboration with WWF India . Although released last month, the report’s genesis really was the pandemic years, when researchers across India began collaborating on public statements against the killing of bats. “I think the Covid-era was a great turning point because we managed to convert the crisis into a more positive outcome,” says Chakravarty. One of the report’s central concerns is bats living in monuments. In Delhi, many protected monuments still shelter bat colonies because cities have lost most natural roosting spaces, yet bats are often treated as pests during restoration work. “This has been a cause of friction between the ASI and bat researchers for a long time. We’re trying to understand why bats are disliked in these spaces, how we can conserve them in monuments when there are no natural roosts left around cities, and how these spaces can become opportunities for public awareness,” he says. But he is careful not to romanticise bats as harmless mascots. “Any wild animal is dangerous. If you are in the same room with a tiger, the tiger will eat you. But if you are in the same room with a bat, the bat will not kill and eat you but the risk of disease is there from any wild animal.” During enclosed monument walks, participants wear masks and maintain distance from roosting colonies. “Let’s not single out bats. This applies to every animal.”Rajkumar Patel, another researcher who leads guided bat walks through Mumbai’s ancient rock-cut Buddhist caves at Mahakali in Jogeshwari and Kanheri inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park, gets particularly irritated about bat-blaming when it comes to zoonotic viruses from Covid to Nipah. “Bats carry pathogens but spillover happens when viruses jump species barriers through habitat destruction, wildlife trade, unsanitary conditions in wet markets and contamination like uncovered toddy sap collection sites. People should be more scared of mosquitoes and pigeons. They’re far more likely to transmit disease to you. How many times in your day do you actually come face-to-face with a bat?” Patel asks.His walks have participants hunting for clues in the dark: urine stains on cave ceilings, bat shit (guano) on stone floors, discarded insect wings and, if they’re lucky, spotting insectivorous species like Schneider’s leaf-nosed bat or the black-bearded tomb bat hanging upside down in the shadows. His favourite conversational detour is the false vampire bat, a carnivorous hunter that preys on amphibians, birds and even smaller bats. “False” only because the actual blood-drinkers live in the Americas. “But mosquitoes also suck blood. Leeches too. But as soon as we mention bats, people get really scared. That kind of partiality should be eliminated completely.” He also translates bats into a language everyone understands:F&B. “Mahua flowers, central to local liquor economies in central India, depend on fruit bats for pollination. Bananas, too. Tequila, one of the most trending drinks today, owes its existence to bats who are the primary natural pollinators of the blue agave plant. You won’t get chocolates too without bats. They act as natural pest controllers in cocoa plantations, eating insects that would otherwise damage cocoa pods.”When hobby became conservationNot all of India’s bat advocates came through the academic route. Some simply fell into it and never climbed back out. For Bengaluru-based Rajesh Puttaswamaiah, it started with a stack of forgotten film slides. A corporate lawyer and entrepreneur, he spent the 1990s as a birder and wildlife enthusiast before stumbling, while digitising old slides in 2011, upon bat photographs nobody around him could identify. “Wildlife conservationists back then would talk tiger, elephants, birds, leopards, but how come no one ever talked about bats? The existing public photos online didn’t help either. These images showed bats stretched out with their wings in awkward positions. Not really attractive. There are already so many negative myths about bats, and when you show them in an ugly manner, it doesn’t help.” So he decided to fix both problems. First through better photography, then by founding the Bat Conservation India Trust in 2014. Today his focus is the critically endangered Kolar leaf-nosed bat, rediscovered in 2013 near Hanumanahalli village in Karnataka’s Kolar district by a team led by Bhargavi Srinivasulu, one of the few female bat researchers in India. The bat exists nowhere else on earth. When Puttaswamaiah arrived in 2019, the mood was hostile: quarrying on the granite hillock housing the bats had just been stopped and locals were furious. “They used to come and shout at us, saying, ‘Because of you people, we lost our livelihood.'” Slowly, trust followed. “We tried to instil a sense of pride in them by saying that this is a rare bat found nowhere else in the world except their village,” he says. Hunting dropped, children stopped disturbing roosts, farmers cut back on pesticides and locals were persuaded to protect the tamarind and Pongamia trees the bats feed on. It has since grown into a 10-year management action plan with the forest department.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRajkumar Patel, who leads guided walks through Mumbai’s rock-cut Buddhist caves, explains bat echolation using ultrasound detectorsBut not every conservation story soars. An attempt to work with the Bomrr clan in Nagaland — who traditionally hunted bats — had to be abandoned after running into financial and cultural barriers. Members of the Bomrr clan in Nagaland traditionally hunt fulvous fruit bat colonies every year after the monsoon.”They sometimes smoke out entire caves, killing not just fulvous fruit bats but also other cave-dwelling species,” says Puttaswamaiah. He says his team spent two years and a lot of money trying to negotiate a compromise. “But they were not inclined toward that. For them, it is an annual ritual, and their belief was that unless they hunted and ate these bats, their ancestors would not accept them. So ultimately, the project had to be shelved,” he says. “Without involving local communities, we can’t do any conservation,” says Puttaswamaiah. Bat conservation, he has learned, is as much about navigating culture, livelihoods and identity as it is about science.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSneha BhuraSneha Bhura is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India. She loves exploring stories at the intersection of culture and technology. She is also a published poet and podcaster. Her debut poetry collection ‘Velvet Grapes’ was released in 2021.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesFriendship Day Cards 2026: Best friendship day greeting card images to share with your friends7 traditional Kashmiri breads and what makes them so specialInside Archana Puran Singh’s 75-year-old Dehradun home: A lush garden, vintage interiors and a massive living roomThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? Know its benefits, ingredients, and natural alternativesAnanya Panday’s peacock blue Gauri & Nainika gown is the luxe fashion moment everyone will rememberWhat Lord Shiva teaches you based on your birth dateBefore you throw out old glass jars, try these 7 DIY ideas for your kitchen, garden, and homeChef reveals the healthy salad recipe that President Droupadi Murmu asked her team to master10 tiny texting habits that quietly push people away without you realizing it123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up Jul 31, 2026, 17:10 IST Madhampatty Rangaraj shares emotional post accepting Ragha as his son after DNA results ends legal battle with Joy Crizildaa Gemini Monthly Predictions for August 2026: Month brings career development and support for higher education goals Scientists trained 182 pet dogs to sniff out one of America’s most destructive invasive insects, and most successfully found its hidden eggs Former Army Chief General VN Sharma passes away at the age of 96 Flagstar’s 2021 data breaches affected nearly 2.2 million people; eligible Americans have until August 11 to claim documented losses up to $25,000 from a proposed $31.5 million settlement NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, rejecting the prosecution’s plea for the death penalty after holding that it had failed to prove the convicts were beyond the possibility of reformation.Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh pronounced the sentence after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence on the quantum of punishment. The court said the prosecution had not established that the case met the threshold for awarding capital punishment, even though it had convicted Hussain and four others for Sharma’s murder earlier this month.The judgment was delivered in the physical presence of Hussain and the other convicts amid tight security at Delhi’s Karkardooma Court.Why the court awarded life imprisonment instead of deathWhile the Delhi Police had argued that the case fell within the “rarest of rare” category warranting capital punishment, the court concluded that the prosecution had not proved that the convicts were incapable of reform, a key principle laid down by the Supreme Court for awarding the death penalty.Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh observed that the prosecution was unable to establish that the convicts were beyond reformation, leading the court to impose life imprisonment instead.The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Hussain and the four co-convicts, arguing that the murder was brutal, deliberate and carried out without any provocation.Prosecution sought death penaltyDuring the sentencing hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey described the crime as “anti-social and abhorrent” and argued that it qualified as one of the “rarest of rare” cases.Pandey told the court that Sharma was subjected to a cold-blooded and savage attack with a heavy cutting weapon and that the killing could not be viewed in isolation because it occurred during the northeast Delhi riots in which 53 people lost their lives.According to the prosecution, Sharma sustained 51 injuries, seven of which were independently sufficient to cause death.The prosecution further submitted that the convicts acted without provocation and displayed complete disregard for the consequences of their actions.Earlier, Pandey had argued that the accused had fallen to the “level of being animals” while assaulting Sharma and said:”Those who are asking for mercy today should have shown mercy themselves. No mercy was shown from anyone’s side. No one even took Ankit to the hospital. They are asking for mercy after committing such a brutal murder.”The prosecution also argued that Hussain, being an elected municipal councillor at the time, had a greater responsibility to protect citizens instead of becoming part of the unlawful assembly.Defence argued case did not qualify as ‘rarest of rare’The defence, however, urged the court to show leniency, arguing that not every murder warranted capital punishment and that aggravating and mitigating circumstances must both be considered.Senior advocate Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Hussain, argued that six of the eleven accused in the case had already been acquitted and that the prosecution had failed to establish any conspiracy during the trial.The defence maintained that Hussain’s conviction rested on his membership of an unlawful assembly and common intention rather than evidence showing he personally inflicted fatal injuries on Sharma.The counsel further argued that there had been no preparation or conspiracy, that Sharma had been attacked by a large crowd during widespread rioting and that Hussain’s conduct during custody had remained satisfactory.Advocate Tara Narula also urged the court to consider Hussain’s family circumstances, submitting that he had three children, an elderly father and that his wife was a homemaker dependent on rental income.Counsel representing the other convicts similarly pleaded for leniency, citing their family responsibilities and arguing that both communities had been involved in the violence.The court, however, rejected several of the defence’s contentions before pronouncing the sentence.Court’s conviction orderOn July 13, the court convicted Hussain and four others for Sharma’s murder.In its conviction order, the court held that Hussain was a member of a heavily armed mob that had assembled with animus against Hindus to commit rioting, arson and looting before murdering Sharma in what it described as a “savage and relentless assault.”The court further held that the prosecution had proved members of the unlawful assembly knew that pursuing their common object could result in death.Murder during Delhi riotsAnkit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau officer, was killed during the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020 in the Dayalpur area. His mutilated body was later recovered from a drain.Hussain was convicted under Sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 153A (promoting enmity) and 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, read with Section 149 relating to unlawful assembly.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWith Friday’s sentencing order, Hussain and the four co-convicts will serve life imprisonment, while the court’s decision underscores that despite the brutality of the crime, the legal threshold required for imposing the death penalty was not met because the prosecution failed to prove they were beyond the possibility of reformation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesFriendship Day Cards 2026: Best friendship day greeting card images to share with your friends7 traditional Kashmiri breads and what makes them so specialInside Archana Puran Singh’s 75-year-old Dehradun home: A lush garden, vintage interiors and a massive living roomThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? 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The result sparked one of conservation’s biggest debates India reaffirmed its role as Bhutan’s largest development partner NEW DELHI: India and Bhutan on Thursday reviewed the progress of New Delhi-backed development projects in the Himalayan nation and signed a Rs 4,000-crore concessional line of credit agreement, while also expanding cooperation in the health sector.The decisions were taken during the fifth India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his Bhutanese counterpart Dasho Pema Lektup Dorji in Thimphu.According to a joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two sides reviewed the implementation of India’s Rs 10,000-crore support package for Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2024-29), covering Project Tied Assistance (PTA), High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP), the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and Programme Grants.The two countries approved 12 new Project Tied Assistance projects worth Rs 332 crore in sectors including infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, urban amenities and disaster management. With these approvals, the total number of PTA projects under Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan has reached 82, with a combined outlay of Rs 6,860 crore.India has also released Rs 1,250 crore under the Economic Stimulus Programme, Rs 735.2 crore for High Impact Community Development Projects and Rs 200 crore as Programme Grant. The meeting reviewed the utilisation of these funds.During the talks, the two sides exchanged an agreement for a Rs 4,000-crore (Nu 40 billion) concessional line of credit between the Export-Import Bank of India and Bhutan’s ministry of finance to support development initiatives in the country.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIndia and Bhutan also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health education and research between the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences.As part of India’s support for Bhutan’s green mobility programme, 45 electric vehicles were handed over to the Royal Government of Bhutan.The two foreign secretaries also virtually inaugurated the Thimphu Ecological Park and Olakha Park, developed under the India-funded “Green Infrastructure and Open Spaces in Thimphu” project.Misri was on a two-day visit to Bhutan from July 30 to 31. During the visit, he called on King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Foreign Minister Lyonpo D N Dhungyel.India remains Bhutan’s largest development partner, extending financial and technical assistance for infrastructure, connectivity, education, healthcare and capacity-building projects over several decades.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? 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Six months without income later, he reached $6,300 in monthly profit