At least 33 people were killed and several others injured after a powerful dust storm accompanied by heavy rain and lightning ripped through five districts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, leaving a trail of collapsed houses, uprooted trees and snapped electricity poles.

The worst-hit district was Bhadohi, where 16 people died in separate storm-related incidents. Fatehpur reported nine deaths, Budaun five, while Chandauli and Sonbhadra recorded two and one fatalities respectively, officials said.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure compensation for affected families and ordered that relief work be completed within 24 hours. He warned that negligence in rescue and rehabilitation efforts “will not be tolerated”.

“District magistrates and officials of all departments must immediately reach affected areas and provide all possible assistance to victims,” Adityanath said, while also ordering damage assessment surveys by the revenue and agriculture departments along with insurance companies.

In Bhadohi, additional district magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said rescue operations were hampered as mobile networks collapsed during the storm. “Reports are coming from several areas about uprooted trees, damaged houses and electricity poles,” he said.

Police in Bhadohi confirmed that six people were injured, two of them critically, besides the 16 deaths caused by the dust storm.

Fatehpur witnessed widespread devastation, with nine people killed and 16 injured. Additional district magistrate Avinash Tripathi said eight deaths, including those of five women, occurred in Khaga tehsil, while another woman died after a wall collapsed in Sadar tehsil.

Budaun saw multiple tragedies unfold as strong winds and rain flattened mud structures and uprooted trees. In Siddhpur Kaitholi village, two minor girls — Mausami (10) and Rajni (9) — died after the wall of a hut collapsed on them while they had taken shelter from the storm along with two women, who sustained serious injuries.

In another incident in Tark Paroli village, a woman identified as Laxmi (40) died after a tree crashed onto a tubewell room where villagers had gathered for shelter. Three others were injured, one of them critically.

Truck driver Yogesh (32) was killed near Bilsi Road after a eucalyptus tree fell on his vehicle, while 22-year-old Anshul Sharma died after a tree collapsed on him when he was delivering food to his father.

Additional superintendent of police Hridesh Kumar Kataria said five people died and around five others were injured in storm-related incidents across Bisoli and Faizganj Behta police station areas.

In Sonbhadra, a man identified as Madhav Singh (38) died after taking shelter under a tree that was uprooted by strong winds. In Chandauli, Munni (55) died in a wall collapse while Prabhavati (65) was killed after being struck by a falling tree.

The chief minister also directed officials to remain on high alert amid forecasts of more adverse weather and instructed authorities to expedite compensation immediately after assessment of losses.

With PTI inputs

Vinesh Phogat’s comeback plans have plunged into further uncertainty with United World Wrestling (UWW), the world governing body of the sport, saying that it’s the national sports federation’s prerogative to allow an athlete to compete in any domestic event. The controversial wrestler, who has had repeated showdowns with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), is back in the news after being barred from participating at the just concluded senior open ranking tournament in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

While the decorated wrestler’s back-up team is preparing to reply to a sudden WFI showcause to her within the deadline of 14 days, the national body got a shot in the arm with UWW saying it doesn’t 'interfere in internal affairs of national federations'. Speaking to New Indian Express, UWW chief Nenad Lalovic said it was not the prerogative of the International Testing Agency (ITA) to clear Vinesh for any tournament in India.

On being informed about the ITA’s mail (which the wrestler posted on her X handle to build her case) and the permission it has given to Vinesh to compete, Lalovic said: ‘’I don’t know what ITA is saying. Everything depends on the NF, the organiser of the competition.’’

Clarifying further, he said the international testing agency can only suspend someone on UWW’s behalf in case of a doping offence. ‘’ITA may only suspend someone on our behalf in case of doping, but it has nothing to do with the organiser of the competition. I don’t even know what competition is in question.’’

Lalovic emphasised that the selection is the prerogative of a national federation: ‘’If she is cleared to compete by ITA/UWW, that is the first part. The second is selection by NF. In that case (ranking series criteria), she (Vinesh) has to be selected and announced by the federation,’’ he added.

The UWW’s stance is not unusual, and in sync with International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines so that there is no interference in the operations of an NF, but there are still a number of points in the showcause notice which questions the neutrality of the WFI.

A contentious issue, of course, is the WFI demanding an explanation from Vinesh about her being found overweight by 100 grams in the weigh-in ahead of the final bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The distraught wrestler, who was agonisingly close to winning at least a silver, had appealed to the Court of Arbitration (CAS), a decision which ostensibly had the backing of both the WFI and IOA. The appeal was rejected and with it, Vinesh’s hopes.

Informed WFI sources, meanwhile, say the ranking event in Gonda was by no means a trial for either the Commonwealth Games or Asian Games. Asked by PTI on Wednesday whether a response by Vinesh to the showcause can pave her way for a return to competitive wrestling (the WFI embargo on her ends on 26 June), WFI president Sanjay Singh reiterated that the matter would depend on the outcome of the disciplinary process.

“I am telling you, she (Vinesh) should give us her clarification. If that clarification is satisfactory, then her return will be accepted,’’ Singh said. Given the history of Vinesh’s face-offs with the WFI (read erstwhile president Brij Bhushan Singh), the episode seems destined for the long haul, with the federation enjoying a clear cut edge.

At least 11 people were killed and several others injured after a powerful storm accompanied by heavy rain lashed parts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction in Bhadohi and Budaun districts, officials said.

The storm uprooted trees and electricity poles, damaged houses and disrupted communication networks, complicating rescue and restoration efforts in several affected areas.

In Bhadohi district, six deaths have been reported so far, according to Additional District Magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya.

Maurya said district authorities had received reports of extensive damage from multiple areas, including uprooted trees, fallen power poles and damaged residential structures.

“Restoration and rescue operations are facing difficulties because mobile networks have been disrupted due to the storm,” he said.

He added that sub-divisional magistrates, tehsildars, police personnel and other district officials had been deployed across all three tehsils of Bhadohi to conduct relief and inspection work.

“So far, we have received information on six deaths, but the number may rise,” Maurya said.

Officials said the exact number of casualties and injured persons would become clear after detailed field reports were compiled.

Five killed in Budaun

In neighbouring Budaun district, five people, including two minor girls, died in separate incidents linked to the dust storm and heavy rain.

According to police officials, 10-year-old Mausami and nine-year-old Rajni were killed in Siddhpur Kaitholi village under Bisoli police station limits after a mud wall of a hut collapsed during the storm.

The girls had reportedly taken shelter inside the hut along with two women identified as Kallo and Neha after strong winds intensified.

The wall collapsed suddenly, trapping all four under the debris. While the two girls died on the spot, the women sustained serious injuries, officials said.

In another incident in Tark Paroli village under Faizganj Behta police station area, a 40-year-old woman identified as Laxmi died after a tree crashed onto a tubewell room where villagers had gathered for shelter during the storm.

The roof of the structure collapsed, injuring three others, including a woman named Geeta, whose condition remains critical.

Police said truck driver Yogesh, 32, was killed near Bilsi Road after a eucalyptus tree fell on his vehicle during the storm.

In a separate incident, 22-year-old Anshul Sharma died after a tree collapsed on him while he was reportedly on his way to deliver food to his father.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hridesh Kumar Kataria said five people had died in storm-related incidents in Bisoli and Faizganj Behta areas, while around five others were injured.

Sharad Pawar faction MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday, 13 May has made the sensational claim that the BJP is running 'Operation Lotus' (the political strategy allegedly used by the BJP to 'capture' opposition leaders) against its own allies in the ruling alliance — the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP and the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena. He also alleged that the operation is being carried out with the support of senior Ajit faction leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare.

According to Rohit Pawar, around 22 MLAs associated with the Ajit Pawar camp are preparing to contest the 2029 Assembly election on BJP tickets. Similarly, preparations are underway for nearly 18 MLAs from the Shinde faction to contest on the BJP symbol as well.

Media reports suggest that leaders and workers in the Ajit Pawar camp are internally pushing for his widow and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar to be elevated further in the power structure. At the same time, there are murmurs within the Shinde faction projecting deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde as the next chief minister. These developments have reportedly caused unease within the BJP leadership.

According to Rohit Pawar, the BJP has therefore begun using 'Operation Lotus' to weaken both factions from within. He also claimed that Ajit Pawar’s ambition of becoming chief minister had remained unfulfilled after the plane crash in January that killed him and altered Maharashtra’s political equations. However, Shinde, he alleged, has been quietly working towards the top post, something the BJP leadership is closely watching.

At present, the possibility of a merger between the two NCP factions appears remote. However, Rohit Pawar had earlier also accused Patel and Tatkare of weakening Ajit Pawar’s party from within.

As party chief, Sunetra Pawar is now said to be closely monitoring developments within the organisation. Recently, the party submitted a list of its executive committee members to the Election Commission from which the names of several senior leaders, including Patel and Tatkare, were missing. The move was seen not only as an internal clean-up exercise but also as an attempt to promote younger faces within the party.

The new list included names such as national general-secretary Parth Pawar and national secretary Jay Pawar. However, amid speculation of internal rebellion, Sunetra Pawar quickly issued a clarification on X, saying the omission of senior leaders’ names was due to a “technical and clerical error” and would be rectified.

After the list became public, Tatkare visited Sharad Pawar at his residence, Silver Oak, triggering fresh political speculation. Tatkare later clarified that he had only gone to inquire about Pawar senior’s health and that no political discussion had taken place during the meeting.

Rohit Pawar also claimed that some MLAs who had joined the Ajit Pawar camp under pressure now wanted to return to the Sharad Pawar faction.

Leaders from the Ajit Pawar camp, however, have outright rejected Rohit Pawar’s allegations and asserted that the party remains united under Sunetra Pawar’s leadership. Local BJP leaders too dismissed Rohit Pawar’s remarks as politically motivated statements aimed at creating confusion within the ruling alliance.

The controversy surrounding the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination intensified on Wednesday, with the Congress accusing the BJP government in Rajasthan of attempting to shield those allegedly linked to the paper leak, while student organisations across Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh demanded sweeping reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) and resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The NTA on Tuesday cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, conducted on 3 May following allegations of a paper leak and examination irregularities. The Centre has handed over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Congress attacks Rajasthan BJP

In Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that one of the accused in the leak case, Dinesh Binwal, was associated with the BJP and questioned why the state government had not registered an FIR earlier despite receiving inputs about the alleged leak.

“The accused arrested in the NEET-UG paper leak case, Dinesh Binwal, is a functionary of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Gehlot claimed in a post on X while sharing a purported poster identifying Binwal as a district office-bearer of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Jaipur Rural.

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully also questioned the BJP government over the delay in filing an FIR and alleged attempts to suppress the case.

The Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group has detained more than 150 people and handed around 20 individuals to the CBI for questioning.

However, Rajasthan BJP vice-president Mukesh Dadhich denied that Binwal held any official position in the party.

Binwal’s family members have claimed he was falsely implicated.

Student protests intensify

In Ranchi, members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) staged a demonstration demanding accountability for the leak and calling for the dismantling of the NTA.

Protesters carried placards reading “Scrap National Testing Agency” and “Re-Examination is not a solution to corruption”.

AISA Ranchi district president Vijay Kumar alleged that the leak had exposed “deep-rooted corruption” within the NTA and affected more than 22 lakh candidates nationwide.

AISA activist Sonali Kewat demanded Pradhan’s resignation and called for creation of a transparent and autonomous examination body.

Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) described the NEET controversy as a “systemic failure” that had shaken public trust in the country’s medical entrance examination system.

AAPSU president Meje Taku demanded structural reforms in the NTA, including independent audits and stronger question paper security mechanisms.

The Arunachal students’ body also highlighted the limited number of NEET centres in the state, noting that only four centres — Itanagar, Basar, Namsai and Pasighat — had been allotted for NEET 2026, forcing many students from remote districts to travel long distances at high cost.

AAPSU demanded additional examination centres in districts including Tawang, Bomdila, Tezu, Ziro and Roing, besides reimbursement for candidates who had already travelled for the now-cancelled examination.

The widening political and student backlash has intensified pressure on the Centre and the NTA, with growing calls for accountability and reforms to restore credibility in India’s competitive examination system.

Despite repeated assurances from the newly elected BJP government that all welfare schemes introduced under the previous Mamata Banerjee administration would continue without interruption, the situation on the ground across West Bengal appears very different. From healthcare to subsidised meals and direct cash transfers, many beneficiaries are already facing uncertainty and disruption.

Serious concerns have emerged regarding the future of the ‘Swasthya Sathi’ health scheme. The West Bengal Doctors’ Forum has written an urgent letter to newly appointed chief secretary Manoj Agarwal, warning that confusion over whether the scheme will continue or be replaced by Ayushman Bharat is already affecting critically ill patients.

The organisation stated that patients dependent on regular haemodialysis, blood transfusions, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, emergency cardiac treatment and life-saving surgeries are facing uncertainty due to administrative confusion. In its letter, the forum stressed that 'no life-saving medical treatment may be halted, postponed, or denied due to administrative uncertainty, for illness does not wait'.

The doctors’ body urged the government to issue immediate written instructions to all hospitals and nursing homes, making it clear that treatment under Swasthya Sathi must continue until any official policy change is announced.

Meanwhile, many private hospitals and nursing homes have reportedly stopped accepting Swasthya Sathi cards altogether. Arindam Mukherjee of Narayan Hospital said, “We are experiencing a technical snag in the Swastha Sathi portal and hence we are not accepting the card for the time being.”

A patient co-ordinator at B.P. Poddar Hospital said, “We have to see the condition of the patient and the status of the card before admitting. In many cases, the cards are showing up as inactive and there are very few seats allotted for the scheme.”

Doctors across Kolkata say their patients are also being denied treatment under the scheme. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr A.K. Roy said, “I have sent two surgery cases to Jagannath Gupta Hospital in Budge Budge and Kasturi Nursing Home in Thakurpukur, but both of them were asked to pay for treatment in cash as hospital authorities said their cards were not active. However, my patients have not received any message regarding their cards being inactive.”

At the same time, the state’s popular ‘Maa canteen’ scheme has also been hit by disruptions. Hundreds of these canteens across West Bengal have reportedly shut down amid uncertainty regarding payments and the continuation of the project under the new administration.

According to government sources, at least 392 Maa canteens across the state have remained closed in recent days. In Kolkata alone, 52 canteens have reportedly stopped functioning, though a few reopened on Wednesday, 13 May, including canteens inside government hospital premises such as Vidyasagar Hospital and SSKM. The canteens, launched by the TMC government during the Covid-19 pandemic, provided rice, dal, vegetables and eggs for just Rs 5 and were widely used by daily wage earners, pavement dwellers and poor families.

Although the BJP government has clarified that the scheme will continue under a different name and that only photographs of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee would be removed, operations remain suspended in many places because of confusion over reimbursements and supplies.

One voluntary organisation involved in food supply said it had stopped cooking because fresh supplies of rice, lentils and eggs had not arrived for several days.

In Cooch Behar district's Mekhliganj, a Maa canteen near the sub-divisional hospital has remained closed since last week because of a shortage of cooking gas. The closure has caused difficulties for poor residents and families visiting patients at the hospital.

Local resident Toton Barman said, “Many people bring patients to the hospital for medical treatment. They used to have their lunch for just Rs 5 at this canteen, conveniently located near the hospital. Many destitute individuals also relied on this place for their meals. However, with the canteen currently closed, they are now forced to spend more money to eat at local hotels.”

Questions are also being raised over the continuation of the TMC government's flagship Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Many women across the state say they have not received their monthly payments for May, causing anxiety among families dependent on the money.

Jyotsna Das, a domestic worker, said, “I have opened a recurring deposit account in my bank where I save this money given by Mamata Banerjee’s government every month. I have two daughters who are studying now. I have been saving this money for their future and marriage. But this month, I have not been able to deposit Rs 1,500 and am now worried whether I will be able to continue this recurring deposit anymore.”

The BJP government has announced that Lakshmir Bhandar will be replaced with a revised scheme called ‘Annapurna Bhandar’, under which women would receive Rs 3,000 through direct benefit transfer. However, ministers have said beneficiary lists will first be verified to remove deceased persons and non-citizens before fresh payments begin from 1 June.

Following the first cabinet meeting of the new government, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had said, “No existing social welfare schemes will be discontinued.” He also stated that all pending work would be completed and that the state would now join Central schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and PM-Kisan.

However, despite these assurances, disruptions in healthcare services, the closure of subsidised canteens and delays in welfare payments have left many ordinary people worried about whether these schemes are truly continuing without interruption.

Amul has increased the price of fresh pouch milk by Rs 2 per litre across India, with the hike set to take effect from 14 May, the company announced on Wednesday.

The decision was announced by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets dairy products under the Amul brand and is headquartered in Anand, Gujarat.

In a statement, GCMMF said the increase would apply to major milk-selling variants and packs across the country.

The cooperative said the price rise translates to an increase of around 2.5 to 3.5 per cent per litre, which it claimed remained lower than the prevailing average food inflation levels.

“The price hike is being done due to an increase in the overall cost of operation and production of milk,” GCMMF said.

The federation cited a substantial increase in the cost of cattle feed, milk packaging film and fuel during the year as the primary reasons behind the revision in retail milk prices.

GCMMF also said its member unions had increased milk procurement prices paid to farmers by Rs 30 per kg of fat, representing a rise of around 3.7 per cent compared with May 2025 levels.

The cooperative stated that the higher procurement prices were intended to support dairy farmers facing rising input costs.

Impact on consumers

The latest revision is expected to affect household budgets across urban and semi-urban areas, where Amul remains among the country’s largest milk suppliers.

Amul is one of India’s biggest dairy brands and supplies milk and dairy products to millions of consumers daily through an extensive cooperative network spanning several states.

The price hike comes at a time when consumers are already facing pressure from rising food prices and inflation in essential commodities.

Milk prices in India have seen periodic increases over the past few years because of higher fodder costs, rising transportation expenses and fluctuations in dairy procurement rates.

Industry observers say sustained increases in cattle feed prices and fuel costs continue to put pressure on dairy cooperatives and private milk producers alike, making periodic retail price revisions increasingly common.

Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son Bhageerath skipped an appearance before the police on Wednesday after being directed to appear in connection with a POCSO case registered against him in Hyderabad following allegations of sexual harassment of a minor girl.

Police teams continued to search for Bhageerath at different locations, a police official said. A notice was served to his uncle on Tuesday directing Bhageerath to appear before the inspector of police of Pet Basheerabad police station in Hyderabad on 13 May at 2.00 pm. "However, he did not appear," the official said.

Bhageerath has moved the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case. The matter is expected to come up for hearing on 14 May. The case was registered on 8 May based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, who alleged that Bhageerath was in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually harassed her. Police said more stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were subsequently invoked in the case.

The development has triggered a political controversy in Telangana, with opposition parties targeting the BJP and demanding strict action in the matter. The case assumes significance as Bandi Sanjay Kumar is one of the BJP’s prominent faces in Telangana politics and currently serves as Union minister of state for home affairs.

A former Telangana BJP president and MP from Karimnagar, Bandi Sanjay played a key role in expanding the BJP’s organisational base in the state over the past few years. Known for his aggressive political style and sharp attacks on the ruling Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), he remains an influential figure in Telangana politics even after the change in leadership within the state BJP unit.

The BJP has so far maintained silence over the allegations involving his son, while leaders from the Congress and BRS have sought to corner the saffron party over the issue. Some opposition leaders alleged that the accused was evading police action and questioned whether there was political pressure on the investigation. BJP leaders, however, have maintained that the matter is sub judice and should be allowed to proceed as per law.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, enacted in 2012, deals with offences involving minors and provides for stringent punishment in cases of sexual assault and harassment of children. Cases registered under the Act are treated as sensitive and are generally investigated through special procedures aimed at protecting the identity and interests of minors.

Police officials have not disclosed specific details of the allegations, citing the involvement of a minor. They said further action would depend on the course of investigation and the outcome of the anticipatory bail plea before the high court.

The case has also gained traction on social media, where supporters and critics of the BJP traded accusations over the handling of the matter. With Bhageerath yet to appear before investigators, the focus is now on the Telangana High Court proceedings and the next steps likely to be taken by the police.

With PTI inputs

The Delhi High Court has ruled that a bank account cannot be frozen in the absence of any FIR, accusation or judicial order against the account holder, observing that such action directly affects an individual’s right to life and economic existence.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav made the observation while hearing a petition filed by a man whose account in a private bank had been frozen following a complaint from the Gujarat Cyber Crime Police in November 2024.

Directing the bank to immediately defreeze the account, the court held that there was no material connecting the petitioner to any offence and termed the action “wholly arbitrary and unsustainable in law”.

“In the absence of there being any justification by the Gujarat Police, the continuing seizure of the petitioner’s account was uncalled for,” the court said in its judgement delivered on 4 May.

The court stressed that a bank account was not merely a financial instrument but central to an individual’s day-to-day survival and dignity.

“A bank account is not just a place to keep money but is the very essence of an individual's economic existence,” the court observed.

Quoting Roman philosopher and jurist Cicero, the judge said the petitioner had effectively been left under suspicion despite there being no formal case against him.

“His account is frozen and his money is stuck, but there is no accusation, no FIR, and no judicial order against him,” the court said.

The judgement further noted that freezing a bank account without proper justification inevitably obstructs an individual’s right to life by restricting access to personal funds and financial activity.

At the same time, the court directed the petitioner to cooperate with any investigation or inquiry that may subsequently be conducted by the concerned authorities.

The ruling is expected to have wider implications for cybercrime-related investigations, where bank accounts are often frozen during preliminary inquiries even before formal criminal proceedings are initiated.

The manicured lawns of Mohun Bagan Club was teeming with members of Kolkata's footballing fraternity — players, media crew and admirers. Inside the tent of the historic club lay the mortal remains of Swapan Sadhan Bose, the club's long-serving former president popularly known as ‘Tutu’ Bose, as numerous VIPs — including new chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, politicians of all hues, and Sourav Ganguly — trooped in to pay their last respects.

Not the usual send-off reserved for a sports official even in this football-crazy city, but then the universal 'Tutu da' was no ordinary sports administrator. Kolkata has seen quite a few of this breed, including those who have wielded enormous clout in the cricket or football ecosystem of the country (Jagmohan Dalmiya, Biswanath Dutta), but Tutu was arguably the most colourful, with his appeal stretching across club loyalties to East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting fans as well.      

“It is with profound grief and deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing away of our very own Mohun Bagan Ratna Swapan Sadhan Bose. His immense contribution, unwavering dedication and lifelong service to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club will forever remain etched in our hearts,” read a Mohun Bagan AC Instagram post.

‘’His contribution to the club has been unparalleled. I have always shared a special relationship with him and the family,’’ remarked Ganguly, former India captain and now president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

A local businessman and former Rajya Sabha member (2005-11) nominated by the Trinamool Congress, Tutu was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata late on Monday, 11 May after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, passing away on Tuesday.

Born on 23 January 1948 in Howrah, Tutu first got involved with Mohun Bagan in 1989-90 and was an integral part of the club in different administrative capacities all the way to April 2025, when he officially announced his retirement from all positions largely due to ill health.

He was secretary of the club from 1991-95 and then became president, a position he held until 2017. The long tenure saw Tutu mastermind a major policy change in the club's recruitment policy, which had until then desisted from signing up a single overseas footballer.

Famed Nigerian striker Chima Okorie was their first foreign professional in 1991, and Tutu's aggressive recruitment style saw the maroon-and-green mariners rope in I.M. Vijayan — one of India’s most gifted strikers — from Kerala Police, while Maidan folklore still talks about the way his team snatched the Krishanu Dey-Bikash Panji combination from archrivals East Bengal.

The emergence of the Indian Super League (ISL) and Mohun Bagan’s entry aided by the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group in 2014 ushered in the so-called era of corporatisation, which in a way also signalled the erosion of Tutu’s stature.

At the peak of his powers, Tutu’s famous pep talks to Mohun Bagan players ahead of the Kolkata derby against East Bengal was something which fired up the supporters as well. However, things will be different ahead of their clash in the Indian Super League on Sunday, 17 May, which could be a title-deciding one.

Go well, Tutu da. It will be difficult to get another one quite like you...

Three church leaders belonging to the Kuki community were killed and several others injured after unidentified armed men attacked their vehicles in Manipur on Wednesday morning, further deepening tensions in the conflict-hit hill districts of the state.

The deceased were identified by Kuki community organisations as Reverend V. Sitlhou, Reverend Kaigoulen and Pastor Paogoulen, all associated with the Thadou Baptist Association.

According to police officials, the attack took place between Kotjim and Kotlen in Kangpokpi district while the group was travelling in two vehicles from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi after attending a meeting of church leaders.

A security official said militant groups were suspected to be behind the ambush, although investigations were still underway.

The killings come amid the continuing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur, which has persisted for nearly three years, as well as rising tensions between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga groups in parts of the hill districts since February this year.

Victim was involved in peace efforts

One of those killed, Vumthang Sitlhou, had previously served as General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention and was reportedly involved in ongoing reconciliation efforts between Kuki and Naga communities.

According to Thangtinlen Haokip of the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity, Sitlhou had recently helped organise a reconciliation meeting between Kuki and Naga representatives in Kohima amid the growing inter-community tensions.

Reacting to the killings, the Kuki Inpi Manipur described the attack as a “merciless and calculated act of violence” against individuals working towards peace.

“It is profoundly heartbreaking and enraging that a man who dedicated himself to peace and reconciliation should fall victim to such a merciless and calculated act of violence,” the organisation said in a statement.

The group also alleged the involvement of the Zeliangrong United Front in the ambush, although no official confirmation has been issued by security agencies.

The statement termed the attack “a direct assault on the spirit of peace itself” and questioned the timing of the killings when church leaders and civil society organisations had been attempting to encourage dialogue and restore harmony between communities.

CM condemns killings

While the Manipur government had not issued an official statement till Wednesday evening, chief minister Neiphiu Rio condemned the attack.

“I strongly condemn the brutal killing of Kuki Church leaders in Manipur. Such barbaric violence against innocent lives is unacceptable and has no place in any civilised society,” Rio said in a statement.

The incident is expected to further complicate peace and reconciliation efforts in Manipur, where ethnic violence since 2023 has already left hundreds dead and displaced thousands across the state’s hill and valley regions.

Within a week of taking over West Bengal’s administration, the new BJP government has unleashed a spate of high-profile arrests. On 11 May, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), powered by the state’s 'double-engine sarkar', arrested former West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sujit Bose.

Bose was arrested for his alleged involvement in a municipal recruitment scam where he, as vice-chairman of South Dum Dum Municipality, recommended nearly 150 candidates for various positions in exchange for financial benefits. The ED has alleged that "proceeds of crime" were laundered through Bose’s business ventures, including a restaurant and a dhaba, and is investigating charges of money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A four-time MLA, Bose recently lost his Bidhannagar Assembly seat to the BJP's Sharadwat Mukherjee.

The second high-profile arrest was that of Garga Chatterjee on 12 May by Kolkata Police's cyber cell. Chatterjee is the founder of the ethno-linguistic organisation Bangla Pokkho, and authorities alleged he made provocative social media posts questioning the integrity of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the counting process, leading to complaints by the district election officer of Kolkata North and the Election Commission of India. The police arrested him after he reportedly failed to appear in response to two previous summons.

Social media went berserk over the arrest. The prevailing narrative was that Chatterjee had been arrested with 20 rounds of ammunition, something Kolkata Police commissioner Ajay Nand later denied and clarified. According to Nand, no ammunition was found on Chatterjee, and itm was the personal security officer from Baruipur Police assigned to his security who was in possession of the ammunition. By the time the clarification came, Chatterjee’s emergence in the social media narrative as a villain was complete.

This was not Chatterjee's first brush with the law. In August 2022, Kolkata Police arrested him following a directive from Gauhati High Court, in a case related to certain remarks Chatterjee had made on social media in 2020 concerning the founder of Assam’s Ahom dynasty, which were deemed offensive to the Assamese community. He was later released on transit bail.

There are fundamental differences in the way the two arrests are playing out in a state that is in the process of coming to grips with its new political landscape and power equations.

Bose’s arrest — he being the quintessential politician with his usual band of supporters and detractors — has not triggered much indignation. He is regarded as a leader who has made his fortune by means fair or foul and has also done some work, as expected, in his constituency.

His opulent Durga Pujas and other seasonal festivals, attended by millions, have long been the talk of the town, while also setting tongues wagging over the source of such opulence. His beaming photographs alongside soccer legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi projected his larger-than-life image, while simultaneously raising serious questions about his alleged backroom manoeuvres.

He is one of several TMC heavyweights being investigated on various charges. The question of political vendetta versus the administrative uprightness of the new government is part of this familiar narrative.

This is where Chatterjee’s arrest differs from Bose’s. Chatterjee comes with a background that Bengalis regard as premium. Apart from founding his pro-Bengali advocacy organisation, Chatterjee comes with an elite academic pedigree.

He earned his MBBS from Kolkata Medical College before shifting his focus to cognitive science. He holds a PhD from Harvard University in the Cognition, Brain and Behaviour programme, where his research specialised in visual perception and face cognition. He furthered his academic career with postdoctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has served as a faculty member in the Psychology Research Unit at the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.

In 2018, Chatterjee founded Bangla Pokkho and began campaigning for the use of Bengali in administration, banking and signage within West Bengal. He advocated 90 per cent reservation for 'sons of the soil' in state government jobs and the private sector. He was a vocal critic of what he terms 'Hindi imposition' and frequently campaigned against the influence of the BJP, which he characterises as a party of 'outsiders'.

The core of Chatterjee’s movement is the allegation that Central government employees, including those in the armed forces stationed in West Bengal, are predominantly staffed by individuals from other states who do not understand local culture or language. He labelled the SSC-GD (Staff Selection Commission-General Duty) examinations as a tool for Hindi imposition and demanded that all recruitment examinations for Central forces be conducted in Bengali as well as English and Hindi.

Chatterjee eventually went a step further, organising and leading protests at recruitment centres, claiming that candidates from other states use fraudulent domicile certificates to steal seats meant for Bengal's youth. While his advocacy contributed to the Union government's 2023 decision to allow CAPF exams in regional languages including Bengali, Chatterjee continued to protest, arguing that the implementation was flawed and biased.

Which is why the two arrests differ in their inherent messaging. While Bose’s arrest is about corruption, the evolving social media narrative around Chatterjee’s arrest is shaping up as a projection of power by a parochial state against the activism of a brilliant academic.

Indeed, it is interesting to watch how Chatterjee’s arrest is playing out on social media — protests against the arrest itself often accompanied by a disclaimer. 'While I do not agree with his methods, I condemn his arrest' is the prevailing refrain.

Condemnation with a disclaimer indicates that it is becoming difficult for fence-sitters, who would otherwise prefer to keep Bangla Pokkho and Chatterjee at arm’s length, to remain aloof. It is resurrecting memories of Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra, who was thrown into jail by Mamata Banerjee’s TMC government in April 2012 for forwarding a cartoon on email.

For Chatterjee’s supporters, the arrest is an attempt to silence his aggressive 'Bengal for Bengalis' message. For now, silencing the message by undermining the messenger does not seem to be working, as Chatterjee emerges as a freshly minted martyr.

Sourabh Sen is a Kolkata-based independent writer and commentator on politics, human rights and foreign affairs. More of his writing here