West Bengal

IPS officer Sanjay Mukherjee has been appointed the new West Bengal Director-General of Police (DGP) by the Election Commission of India (ECI), a day after the election body transferred the State’s current DGP Rajeev Kumar.

West Bengal, a key battleground state sending 42 MPs to the Lok Sabha, will witness polling in all seven phases, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the electoral contest. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are among the other states slated for voting in all seven phases.

Additionally, sources revealed that the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh, who were holding charge in their respective Chief Minister's Offices, have also been relieved of their positions.

Providing the updates, Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose said, "A building has collapsed. 13 people have just been rescued as part of the rescue operation. More people are likely to be trapped under the debris."

Mamata Banerjee (69), sustained injuries to her forehead and nose in the fall. She received medical attention, including stitches, at the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata before being discharged.

It is reportedly said that CM Banerjee suffered a fall while walking within the premises of her residence, leading to the injuries. She has since been admitted to the SSKM hospital for medical attention.

This development follows the Supreme Court's refusal to intervene in the Calcutta High Court's directive for a CBI inquiry into the attack on ED officials during a search operation at premises connected to suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali.

This move sets the stage for a riveting electoral battle, as Pathan steps into the arena held since 1999 by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress' Bengal unit chief, who is expected to mount a formidable campaign for the same constituency.

The location under scrutiny is the Patharghata Mazar Sharif area in New Town, adjoining Kolkata. Simultaneously, searches are being carried out at the residence of an accountant in the Nagerbazar area, situated in the northern part of the city.

The report sheds light on the violence against women, particularly within the premises of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office in the region. Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates are accused of unlawfully confining women and subjecting them to rape, molestation, and physical abuse, as per the report.