A bench of the Calcutta High Court headed by justice Rajasekhar Mantha on Tuesday recused itself from hearing matters related to the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, citing an excessive workload and lack of sufficient time to dedicate to the sensitive case.

While stepping aside, the bench observed that there was a surplus of pending matters before the court and noted that, in the interest of justice, the case should be heard by a bench capable of devoting adequate time and attention to the proceedings.

The development comes amid indications that the West Bengal government may constitute a judicial commission in connection with the case.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, the court accepted a status report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is currently probing the matter following directions from the High Court.

At an earlier hearing, Justice Mantha’s bench had clarified that the CBI was free to interrogate the convicted accused as well as any other suspects if required to further the investigation.

“The CBI can interrogate any person to take the investigation forward,” the bench had observed, following which the central agency submitted its updated report.

This is not the first time a bench has withdrawn from hearing the matter. In March 2025, a division bench headed by Justice Debangshu Basak also recused itself from hearing the petition filed by the victim’s family, citing an inability to allocate sufficient time for detailed proceedings. The victim’s family had sought an expedited hearing but the matter could not proceed fully before that bench.

The case relates to the recovery of the woman doctor’s body from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9 August 2024, triggering nationwide outrage and protests over women’s safety and conditions in public hospitals.

A day after the incident, civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested by the Kolkata Police. The investigation was later transferred to the CBI on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.

On 18 January 2025, a court in Sealdah found Roy guilty in the case, and two days later Judge Anirban Das sentenced him to life imprisonment.

However, even before the trial court delivered its verdict, the victim’s parents had approached the High Court raising questions over the CBI probe and seeking further investigation into possible larger conspiracies and additional suspects.

The petition was initially placed before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who declined to hear the matter, noting that proceedings related to the RG Kar case were also underway in the Supreme Court of India.

The victim’s family subsequently moved the Supreme Court. During the hearing, then chief justice Sanjiv Khanna questioned why the same plea should be heard simultaneously in multiple courts and directed that the matter be pursued before the high court.

The case has since continued before different benches of the Calcutta High Court, with the victim’s family continuing to seek answers regarding the scope and direction of the investigation.

With IANS inputs

A year after Operation Sindoor, the Narendra Modi government of India still describes it as proof of a new doctrine, a signal that terrorism traced to Pakistan will invite punishment across borders. That claim has political force. Yet wars are not judged by intent alone.

They are judged by the balance they leave behind. By that measure, Operation Sindoor looks less like a strategic success than a costly misadventure that exposed the limits of India’s military and diplomatic power, revived Pakistan’s relevance, and gave China an unexpected advertisement for its weapons.

The operation began after the Pahalgam massacre of April 2025, in which twenty-six civilians were killed in Kashmir. India immediately blamed Pakistan-linked militants and struck targets across Pakistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir on the night of 6 and 7 May.

New Delhi intended to hit terror infrastructure, keep escalation below the nuclear threshold, and demonstrate that the old restraint after major terror attacks had ended. In that narrow sense, the strike achieved visibility. It showed that India was willing to use force in the heartland of Pakistan despite nuclear risks. But the battlefield quickly slipped beyond the neat script of calibrated punishment.

Pakistan responded militarily and, more importantly, survived and succeeded politically, diplomatically, and psychologically. Before the conflict, India enjoyed not just a larger economy and a larger military, but also a deeply entrenched perception of conventional superiority.

That perception mattered. It shaped diplomacy, deterrence, media narratives, and Pakistan’s own sense of vulnerability. Operation Sindoor punctured it. Whether Pakistan shot down two, five, or more Indian aircraft remains contested.

But even limited confirmation from India’s senior military officials and several outside officials that Chinese made Pakistani aircraft brought down Indian jets, including at least one Rafale, was enough to alter the strategic conversation. A country presumed to be outmatched had shown it could impose visible costs.

This is the central military lesson India should not evade. Conventional superiority is not a slogan. It must be proven across sensors, missiles, electronic warfare, command networks, quality of fighter jets, pilot training, and information discipline.

India may have hit Pakistani air bases and military infrastructure later in the conflict. It may have adapted after initial losses and used long range precision weapons effectively. But in modern conflict, the first images and first claims shape the global story. India’s silence created a vacuum. Pakistan filled it.

China amplified it. The world noticed not India’s declared punitive precision, but the possibility that Chinese platforms and Pakistani tactics had successfully challenged India’s airpower.

Pakistan did not need to prove every claim beyond doubt. It needed only to cast doubt on India’s presumed air dominance. Operation Sindoor therefore did not establish uncontested asymmetry, as BJP supporters argue. It revealed contested asymmetry.

India remains militarily stronger in arithmetic aggregation, but Pakistan demonstrated that strength on paper can be blunted by new weapons, networking, Chinese support, long range missiles, and a carefully managed escalation strategy.

The diplomatic consequences have been no less uncomfortable for India. Washington was closer to India, the Gulf was more pragmatic, and Islamabad was weighed down by debt, political instability, and insurgency. After Sindoor, Pakistan did not become powerful, but it became useful again.

Donald Trump repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire, publicly inserted himself into the crisis, and treated Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir as a consequential interlocutor. For India, which insists that Kashmir and India-Pakistan tensions are bilateral matters, this was a diplomatic setback. The crisis meant to show India’s action reopened space for outside mediation talk.

Munir gained from this. Pakistan’s army, battered by domestic criticism before the conflict, recast itself as the defender that had stood up to India. The general’s global profile rose, especially in Washington’s highly personalized diplomacy under Trump. Pakistan also positioned itself as a useful actor in the West Asia and around Iran and Gulf security. This may not be a durable strategic revival, but it weakened India’s claim that Pakistan no longer matters. Modi wanted to punish Pakistan. He helped Rawalpindi recover attention it had lost.

The China angle is even more consequential. Pakistan has long depended on Chinese arms, but Operation Sindoor has deepened the military and intelligence fusion between the two. China provided Pakistan with real time support and used the crisis as a live laboratory for its weapons against Indian systems.

For Beijing, this was low-cost strategic learning. It did not have to fight India directly. It could watch Indian responses, test Chinese platforms, assess Western aircraft, and gather lessons for a possible future conflict in the Himalayas or the Indo Pacific.

For China’s defence industry, the gains were immediate. The J-10C entered global debate not as an untested Chinese fighter but as an aircraft associated with combat success against India and its French fighter jets. AVIC Chengdu’s revenues and share prices surged, and interest in Chinese aircraft grew among states seeking cheaper and reliable alternatives to Western systems.

Even if Pakistan’s claims were inflated, perception did the work. Defence markets are shaped by narrative as well as performance. A single contested battle can become a sales pitch. India, by launching an operation that allowed Pakistan and China to showcase their systems, unintentionally boosted the prestige of the military ecosystem it should be trying to contain.

This does not mean India should have ignored Pahalgam. No government can remain passive after such a cold-blooded massacre. The question is not whether India had a right to respond. The question is whether Modi’s chosen highly-politicised response improved India’s security.

A punitive strike that triggers aircraft losses, strengthens Pakistan’s military narrative, draws Trump into mediation claims, deepens China-Pakistan cooperation, and raises Chinese fighter stocks is not a clean success. It is a warning about the difference between tactical action and strategic outcome.

The deeper danger is that both India and Pakistan may now believe escalation can be managed. India has announced a new normal in which terrorism will be treated as an act of war. Pakistan believes rapid retaliation can internationalise the crisis and force intervention.

Both sides have learned that drones, missiles, standoff weapons, and information warfare can be used under the nuclear shadow. It lowers the threshold for the next confrontation and compresses decision time for leaders already trapped by domestic divisive nationalism.

Operation Sindoor should therefore be remembered not as a triumphant doctrine but as a stress test India failed to fully control. It exposed serious gaps in intelligence, air combat preparedness, strategic communication, and diplomatic anticipation.

It showed that China is not a distant third party but an active force multiplier. It showed that Washington under Trump cannot be assumed to privilege Indian sensitivities over Pakistani utility. Above all, it showed that performative toughness can produce strategic embarrassment.

A year later, the ceasefire holds, but little else does. The Indus Waters Treaty remains suspended, diplomacy is frozen, and public opinion on both sides has become more militarized. Modi wanted Operation Sindoor to announce India’s arrival as an unrestrained regional power. Instead, it revealed a harsher truth.

Power is not measured by the bravado to strike first. It is measured by the ability to shape what happens after. On that front, Modi’s misadventure gave Pakistan a narrative, China a market, Trump a stage, and South Asia a more dangerous future.

Ashok Swain is a professor of peace and conflict research at Uppsala University, Sweden. More by the author here

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was on Tuesday consulting senior colleagues over his political future amid a widening rebellion within the ruling Labour Party, with reports suggesting several cabinet ministers and nearly 80 lawmakers want him to announce a timeline for stepping down.

The political crisis has erupted less than two years after Labour’s sweeping parliamentary victory, following the party’s poor performance in last week’s local elections and mounting dissatisfaction within its ranks over Starmer’s leadership.

According to British media reports, senior ministers including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have privately urged Starmer to clarify when he intends to leave office in order to pave the way for a leadership contest.

Almost 80 Labour MPs from across ideological factions within the party have reportedly demanded that Starmer announce a departure timetable.

Senior minister Darren Jones said Starmer was speaking to colleagues and weighing his options ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting.

“He’s listening to colleagues, and he’s talking to colleagues. I can’t get ahead of any decision he may or may not take,” Jones told Times Radio.

The pressure on Starmer intensified despite his attempt on Monday to stabilise his position by pledging to govern with greater urgency and boldness in response to Britain’s economic and social challenges.

However, sections of Labour’s parliamentary party openly renewed calls for his resignation soon after the speech, deepening uncertainty around the government’s stability and contributing to a rise in British borrowing costs.

Starmer had warned that another Labour leadership contest could damage the party and revive the political instability that marked British politics in the years following the country’s decision to leave the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Britain has already had four prime ministers in the past five years.

The latest turmoil comes just a day before King Charles III is scheduled to formally outline the government’s legislative agenda during the traditional State Opening of Parliament ceremony on Wednesday.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on 3 May following allegations of a paper leak and other irregularities, with the Union government ordering a comprehensive investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The examination, held for admission to undergraduate medical courses across the country, will now be conducted again on dates that are yet to be announced.

In a statement issued on X, the NTA said the decision had been taken after reviewing inputs received in coordination with central agencies and findings shared by law enforcement authorities.

According to the agency, the material gathered during the preliminary inquiry indicated that the integrity of the existing examination process had been compromised, making it impossible for the results to stand.

The NTA said the cancellation and re-conduct of the examination had been approved by the Government of India in order to preserve transparency and maintain public confidence in the national examination system.

The agency also confirmed that the matter had been formally referred to the CBI for a detailed investigation into the alleged irregularities linked to the examination process.

The NTA said it would extend full cooperation to the central agency and provide all necessary documents, records and logistical support required for the inquiry.

Acknowledging the disruption caused to students and their families, the agency said the decision to cancel the examination had not been taken lightly but was necessary to avoid long-term damage to the credibility of the testing system.

The agency clarified that candidates who had registered for the May 2026 examination would not need to apply again. Existing registration details, candidature records and examination centre preferences would automatically be carried forward for the fresh examination cycle.

It also announced that no additional examination fee would be charged and that fees already paid by students would be refunded. The re-conducted examination, the agency said, would be organised using the NTA’s internal resources.

Fresh dates for the examination and the revised admit card schedule are expected to be announced through official channels in the coming days.

The NTA urged students and parents to rely only on verified updates released by the agency and avoid misinformation circulating online.

The development comes days after the NTA publicly defended the conduct of the examination, stating that strict security protocols had been followed during the May 3 test. According to the agency, question papers were transported in GPS-enabled vehicles carrying traceable watermark identifiers, while examination centres were monitored through AI-assisted CCTV surveillance from a central control room.

The agency had earlier stated that information regarding suspected malpractice was received on the evening of 7 May, four days after the examination, and was subsequently escalated to central authorities for independent verification and further action.

With PTI inputs

Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik has strongly backed fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat amid the ongoing row over her eligibility, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Wrestling Federation of India to allow her to compete and make an international comeback.

Vinesh, who announced her retirement shortly after her dramatic disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, later reversed her decision after becoming a mother last year and has been attempting to return to competitive wrestling after nearly 20 months away from the sport.

However, in a 15-page show-cause notice, the Wrestling Federation of India declared Vinesh “ineligible” to participate in sanctioned competitions until at least 26 June 2026. The decision effectively bars her from competing in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

Backing Vinesh publicly, Sakshi appealed to authorities to permit the wrestler to take part in trials.

“I request my Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and the Wrestling Federation to take Vinesh’s trials so that she can also win medals for the country and make the country proud,” Sakshi said.

She further said Vinesh’s return could become an important example for women athletes balancing motherhood and professional sport.

“And to set such an example, so that women can play in their own country, even after becoming a mother, win medals and make the country proud,” she added.

Sakshi also criticised the federation’s handling of the issue, arguing that many international sports bodies actively support female athletes returning after childbirth.

“I can give many such examples where sports federations of other countries make rules easier for their players so that even after becoming a mother, women can play for the country and win medals,” she said in a video posted on social media.

“Whereas our federation implements such rules two days before so that Vinesh cannot make a comeback,” Sakshi alleged.

Despite being declared ineligible, Vinesh appeared at the Senior National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda and maintained that both the International Testing Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency had cleared her to return to competition from 1 January 2026.

The controversy has sparked wider debate within Indian sports over athlete welfare, federation transparency and support mechanisms for women athletes returning to elite competition after motherhood.

With IANS inputs

Google Search experienced a widespread outage on Tuesday morning, leaving users across several countries unable to access the platform or perform searches for a period of time.

The disruption affected users in India, the United States and multiple other regions, with many encountering an error message stating that an “internal server error” had occurred while processing their request.

The message informed users that engineers had been alerted to the issue and were working to restore services.

The outage sparked a wave of complaints on social media platforms and online outage trackers, with hundreds of users in India reporting problems within a short span.

Many users said they were unable to access search results or experienced intermittent disruptions while attempting to use the service.

The issue was identified as a “500 Internal Server Error”, a technical problem that generally points to a failure on the company’s server side rather than faults with users’ internet connections or devices.

Such errors typically occur when communication between a web browser and backend servers is interrupted due to technical difficulties within the platform’s infrastructure.

Google had not immediately issued a detailed public explanation for the outage at the time reports emerged.

The disruption follows a series of outages affecting major digital platforms and AI services in recent months.

In March, Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek reportedly suffered a prolonged outage lasting more than seven hours. Around the same time, Instagram users worldwide reported problems with direct messages, missing chat themes and malfunctioning search features.

Earlier this year, YouTube also experienced a global service disruption before the platform later confirmed that operations had been restored.

With IANS inputs

The Indian rupee fell to a fresh record low against the US dollar on Tuesday morning as escalating concerns over the fragile Iran ceasefire and rising crude oil prices weighed heavily on market sentiment.

The domestic currency slipped 35 paise in early trade to touch an all-time low of 95.63 against the dollar at the interbank foreign exchange market. The rupee had opened at 95.57 before extending losses, following Monday’s sharp decline of 79 paise, when it closed at a record low of 95.28.

The latest weakness in the rupee came after US President Donald Trump suggested that the ceasefire with Iran was under severe strain, raising fears of prolonged instability in West Asia and tighter global oil supplies.

Speaking at the Oval Office on Monday, Trump described the ceasefire as being on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest response to a US-backed peace proposal. He said hopes of a quick resolution to the conflict had faded and reiterated his administration’s hardline stance against Iran.

The comments triggered renewed anxiety in global energy markets, with investors concerned that the 10-week-old conflict could further disrupt oil supply chains.

Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose more than 0.8 per cent to trade above 105 dollars per barrel in futures trading, while oil prices remained elevated across Asian markets after gaining nearly 3 per cent in the previous session.

Currency market experts said the combination of rising oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty had increased pressure on emerging market currencies, including the rupee.

The dollar index, which measures the strength of the US currency against a basket of major global currencies, also edged higher during the session.

Indian equity markets mirrored the cautious sentiment, with benchmark indices opening sharply lower. The Sensex dropped more than 525 points in early trade, while the Nifty slipped over 160 points.

Investor sentiment was further dampened by continued foreign fund outflows. According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors sold Indian equities worth more than Rs 8,400 crore on Monday.

With PTI inputs

Indian equity markets opened lower on Tuesday, extending losses for a second straight session as rising crude oil prices and mounting geopolitical tensions dampened investor sentiment.

The benchmark Sensex slipped nearly 475 points in early trade to touch an intraday low of 75,541, while the Nifty 50 dropped more than 125 points to trade below the 23,700 mark.

Selling pressure was most visible in information technology, chemicals, real estate, cement and financial stocks, with sectoral indices in these segments falling by more than 2 per cent during morning trade.

Among the major laggards were Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Technologies, Wipro, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti Suzuki, Asian Paints and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.

In contrast, metal, oil and gas, and PSU banking stocks bucked the broader trend and traded in positive territory.

The Sensex had opened at 75,688, down more than 300 points from the previous close, while the Nifty began the session lower by around 93 points at 23,722.

Market analysts attributed the weak sentiment largely to concerns surrounding geopolitical instability and the sharp rise in global crude oil prices.

Experts said sectors with relatively inelastic demand, such as pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), were likely to remain resilient despite broader market volatility. They noted that pharmaceutical companies could also benefit from rupee depreciation.

Analysts also pointed to improving trends in private capital expenditure, particularly in capital goods, automobiles and renewable energy sectors. According to market observers, a strong recovery in private investment activity has been overshadowed by negative global developments, but continued momentum in capex spending could support select industrial stocks.

In the commodities market, Brent crude climbed above $105 per barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude approached the $100 mark, intensifying concerns over inflation and input costs.

Asian markets traded mixed during the session. Japan’s Nikkei index advanced modestly and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng posted gains, while South Korea’s KOSPI fell sharply.

Wall Street had ended marginally higher overnight, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recording slight gains.

With IANS inputs

Pakistan has extended its nationwide austerity measures until 13 June as uncertainty surrounding the conflict in West Asia continues to weigh heavily on the country’s economy and energy security.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the extension following the failure of the United States and Iran to reach an agreement aimed at ending months of hostilities in the region. The decision came after US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Tehran’s latest proposal for a settlement, describing it as “totally unacceptable”.

The austerity measures were first introduced on 9 March after disruptions to energy supplies triggered by military action involving the US, Israel and Iran. The restrictions had initially been scheduled to remain in place for two months.

According to a notification issued by Pakistan’s Cabinet Division on Monday, the government decided to continue the measures immediately after reviewing recommendations submitted by a committee overseeing fuel conservation and austerity implementation.

Under the extended restrictions, fuel allocations for official vehicles will remain reduced by 50 per cent, although emergency and operational vehicles such as ambulances and public transport buses are exempt.

The government has also retained its decision to ground 60 per cent of official vehicles and continue a ban on most foreign visits, except those deemed essential to national interests.

Pakistan’s economy remains highly vulnerable to disruptions in oil supplies from West Asia, and the conflict involving Iran has intensified concerns over energy availability and rising import costs. The country has already witnessed significant increases in fuel prices despite the austerity campaign.

The conflict began after coordinated strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian targets, followed by retaliatory action from Tehran. Although a ceasefire has been in place since 8 April, tensions remain high as negotiations continue to stall.

Islamabad hosted a round of direct talks between Iranian and American officials on 11 April, but no breakthrough was achieved. Key disagreements reportedly persist over Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities and the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

On 21 April, Trump extended the ceasefire indefinitely beyond its initial deadline to provide additional time for diplomacy.

Regional instability has continued despite the truce. Recent reports of drone incursions into the airspace of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, along with a drone strike that caused a minor fire aboard a commercial vessel near Qatar, have raised fresh concerns over the durability of the ceasefire and the broader security situation in the Gulf.

With PTI inputs

Radboud University Medical Center has placed 12 employees under preventive quarantine for six weeks after incorrect safety procedures were followed while treating a patient infected with hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.

The hospital, also known as Radboudumc, said the lapse involved the handling and processing of blood samples as well as the disposal of the patient’s urine.

“This blood was processed according to standard procedure. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” the hospital said in a statement on Monday, without detailing the additional safeguards required.

The medical centre added that it became clear on Saturday that the latest international guidelines for disposing of the patient’s urine had also not been followed.

As a precaution, 12 staff members who may have been exposed have now entered quarantine, although officials stressed the risk of infection remains very low.

“Although the risk of actual infection is very low, these measures have a significant impact on everyone involved,” said Bertine Lahuis, chair of Radboudumc’s Executive Board.

The patient was admitted to the Dutch hospital on Thursday after being evacuated from the MV Hondius, which has been linked to an ongoing hantavirus outbreak involving multiple passengers.

Meanwhile, Spain confirmed a preliminary positive case among evacuees from the same cruise ship. Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said one of 14 Spanish nationals evacuated from the vessel tested preliminarily positive for hantavirus after arriving in Madrid.

Writing on X, Garcia said the individual had been isolated at Madrid’s Gómez Ulla hospital and remained asymptomatic.

“The person remains in isolation, without symptoms and in general good health, under continued clinical observation in accordance with established safety and epidemiological protocols,” she said.

The remaining 13 evacuees tested provisionally negative, although authorities said final results were still pending.

According to health officials and the World Health Organisation, the outbreak is believed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus — a rare variant capable of person-to-person transmission through close contact. Hantaviruses are typically spread through exposure to infected rodent urine, saliva or droppings.

The Spanish evacuees were transferred to Madrid after the MV Hondius arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands over the weekend as part of an international evacuation effort.

Several confirmed and suspected cases linked to the outbreak have now been reported, with passengers transferred to different countries for monitoring and treatment.

The final group of evacuees disembarked from the ship on Monday after the vessel briefly docked at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife due to poor weather conditions. The ship later resumed its journey to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

With IANS inputs

In a major policy move carrying significant political and social implications, the Tamil Nadu government led by chief minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday ordered the closure of 717 TASMAC liquor outlets operating near places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands across the state within the next two weeks.

The decision marks the first major regulatory overhaul of the state-run liquor retail network since the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government assumed office and is being seen as a key step towards fulfilling one of its prominent election promises on alcohol regulation and public welfare.

During the assembly election campaign, Vijay and TVK leaders had repeatedly accused previous governments of expanding liquor sales while ignoring the social and economic impact of alcohol consumption on families and young people.

According to an official government release, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation currently operates 4,765 liquor retail outlets across Tamil Nadu.

Following directions from the chief minister, officials conducted a statewide inspection to identify liquor shops operating within a 500-metre radius of sensitive public locations. The review reportedly found that 717 outlets violated the prescribed distance norms.

Of the identified outlets, 276 were located near temples, mosques and churches, while 186 shops were functioning close to schools and colleges. Another 255 liquor outlets were found near bus stands and transport hubs frequented daily by commuters and the public.

“Considering public welfare, the chief minister has directed that all the identified liquor retail outlets be closed within two weeks,” the official statement said.

Officials said district administrations and TASMAC authorities have been instructed to begin the closure process immediately and submit compliance reports within the stipulated timeframe.

The move is expected to spark political debate, particularly because TASMAC revenues remain one of the Tamil Nadu government’s biggest sources of income. However, the decision is also likely to be welcomed by religious groups, parents’ associations and anti-liquor activists who have long demanded the closure or relocation of liquor outlets near schools, residential neighbourhoods and religious institutions.

Political observers view the crackdown as an early attempt by the Vijay-led government to signal a shift in governance priorities and reinforce its image as a welfare-focused administration willing to take politically sensitive decisions.

With IANS inputs

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday expressed serious concern over the continued sale and use of Chinese manjha — kite strings made of nylon and coated with metal or glass particles — and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain the concrete steps being taken to eliminate the practice.

Hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate M.L. Yadav, a bench comprising Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla questioned the state on its strategy to prevent the manufacture, sale and use of the hazardous kite strings, which have been linked to fatal accidents and injuries.

In response, the state government informed the court that it was in the process of drafting legislation to prohibit the use of such manjha. It also said a six-member committee had already been constituted to prepare the framework for the proposed law.

Taking note of the submission, the bench directed the secretaries of the Home and Environment departments — or officers not below the rank of secretary — to appear through video conferencing at the next hearing scheduled for 13 July.

During the proceedings, counsel representing the central government told the court that nylon and lead-coated Chinese manjha had already been prohibited under orders issued by the National Green Tribunal.

The bench, however, observed that imposing a ban alone was insufficient unless accompanied by effective enforcement measures. The judges said it was the responsibility of the state authorities to ensure strict compliance with the ban and identify locations where the prohibited kite strings were being manufactured or sold.

Meanwhile, the city’s kite association moved an intervention application before the court, alleging that police and local authorities were harassing its members under the guise of taking action against Chinese manjha.

Addressing the concern, the court observed that members of the kite-flying community should also cooperate with efforts to curb the use of banned strings. It further directed the state government to ensure that innocent individuals were not subjected to unnecessary harassment during enforcement drives.

With PTI inputs