Sikh student died after being assaulted during a clash between two groups of youths in Canada on March 14.. File photo of Gurkirat Manocha. (LinkedIn). Gurkirat Manocha, 26, hailed from Ujjain and was pursuing a business management post-degree diploma programme at Northern Lights College in Canada’s British Columbia. Track updates on Iran US war. Gurkirat had gone to Canada approximately 15 months ago for higher studies. The family resides at Parshvanath Colony in Ujjain.. On March 14, after a dispute between college students, he was attacked near Charlie Lake, resulting in his death, his family said.. Also read: Badrinath Kedarnath temple committee says Sara Ali Khan must submit proof of faith as Sanatani to visit | Explainer. Gurkirat’s father Gurjeet Singh stated that the entire matter is being investigated by the Canadian police, and only after the investigation is complete will the cause of the incident and other details become clear.. The family members said that with the help of the government, they want to bring Gurkirat’s body here and perform his last rites.. Also read: Khamenei to Larijani: All faces Israel says it eliminated and Iran now seeks revenge for. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday met the family members of the deceased and assured that the state government would bear the expenses of bringing his body home. “The state government will bear the cost of bringing Gurkirat’s body and performing his last rites,” the statement quoted Yadav as saying. 

 The US department of homeland security has announced free flights and an exit bonus of USD 2,600 for illegal immigrants, including those from India, to return to their home countries. In a social media post promoting the move, the department used images of the Taj Mahal along with prominent landmarks from Colombia and China.. In a social media post promoting the move, the department used images of the Taj Mahal. (X/@DHSgov). The initiative, named Project Homecoming, began in May last year after the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term.. ALSO READ | Fact check: Was Jacob Elordi deported to Australia amid US visa issues? Debunking viral rumor. ‘Go home with a fresh start’. To promote its self-deportation plan aimed at illegal immigrants in the US, the department shared visuals featuring the Taj Mahal and major landmarks from Colombia and China.. “You can go home with a fresh start! Receive a FREE flight home and a USD 2,600 exit bonus when you use CBP Home to self-deport,” DHS said in a post on X.. The department has asked migrants to use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app to start the process. Through the app, they can register their intention to leave, provide their details, and get information about travel help and the financial support available under the scheme.. According to DHS, more than 2.2 million illegal immigrants have used the programme since it started in January 2025.. The cost of deportation. The cost of forcibly deporting one person currently stands at USD 18,245.. DHS said that offering a USD 2,600 payment reduces the cost of one voluntary departure through the CBP Home app to about USD 5,100, saving more than USD 13,000 per person for taxpayers.. The programme allows migrants to “return home as regular travellers without arrest, detention, or restraints. It’s a safe, orderly alternative that provides assistance and flexibility, not fear”, according to the website.. When the scheme was introduced in May last year, DHS offered a USD 1,000 exit payment. This was raised to USD 3,000 during December if migrants chose to leave before the new year.. The payment was later set at USD 2,600 in January this year.. Netizens react to DHS’ post. Social media users responded with sarcasm and memes to the department’s post on X. Some also criticised the use of public money for the scheme.. One user wrote, “Can US citizens get $2,600 instead?”, while another said, “What amazing use of taxpayer dollars”.. “Can you send me some cash for being a legal, employed, natural-born citizen who contributes to society?” a third user asked. Another wrote, “This is what happens when u let internet trolls run federal agencies.”. With inputs from agencies 

 The government announced new guidelines for airlines on Wednesday to improve passenger experience, stating that passengers with the same PNR on their tickets will be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats. (This is a representative image). In a significant relief for passengers, the government has also instructed all airlines to make at least 60 percent of seats on every flight available for booking without additional charges, ensuring equitable access. The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated in a press release that facilitating passengers remains its top priority. It highlighted that India has become the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, with air travel growing more accessible to people. ALSO READ | DGCA allows Air India to extend pilots’ duty time amid West Asia crisis. In keeping with its commitment to passenger facilitation, “the Ministry has launched several passenger-focused initiatives to improve travel convenience, such as UDAN Yatri Cafés for affordable meals, Flybrary for free book access, and complimentary Wi-Fi at airports,” the statement added. Centre’s directives to airlines. Here is a complete list of instructions given to the airlines by the ministry via the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): 1. No additional fee: At least 60% of seats on every flight must be provided free of charge to guarantee equitable access. 2. Passengers booked on the same PNR and traveling together will be seated together, ideally in adjacent seats. 

 A parliamentary panel has expressed concerns that candidates trained under the fourth edition of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) are not meeting the required competency standards, questioning their employability and the efficacy of training in the flagship skill development and entrepreneurship ministry scheme. A report on the ministry’s demand for grants was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. (ANI) In its report on the ministry’s demand for grants presented in Parliament on Tuesday, the panel recommended an independent evaluation of the programme to determine if high dropout rates and assessment failures indicate deeper systemic problems, such as poor training quality, implementation gaps, or insufficient emphasis on employment outcomes. The ministry launched the first edition of PMKVY in 2016, followed by PMKVY 2.0 in 2016-21, PMKVY 3.0 in 2020-2022, and the ongoing PMKVY 4.0 in 2022-25. The ministry informed the 31-member Parliamentary standing committee on labour, textiles and skill development, led by BJP lawmaker Basavaraj Bommai, that over 635,000 of 3.34 million candidates dropped out before their assessment in the fourth edition of PMKVY. “…unless corrective measures are taken, the very purpose of the scheme would be defeated.” The Committee therefore recommended an independent assessment of the effectiveness of the training provided under the scheme. The committee stresses that it should be carried out without delay to determine whether dropouts from the training programme and assessment failures point to systemic issues, inadequate training quality, or insufficient emphasis on employment results,” the panel stated in its report. The panel raised concerns about the underuse of funds, observing that the ministry’s allocation has increased to ₹6,201 crore for 2026–27—a 62% jump from the prior year—yet actual spending continues to lag. For the 2025–26 period, against a revised estimate of ₹3,706 crore, approximately ₹1,700 crore (about 46%) had been spent by February 2026. The panel attributed this to “delayed approvals,” a “slow pace of implementation,” and poor coordination with states and industry. The report stated that the Skill India Programme—an umbrella initiative to expand institutional training and bolster the skilling ecosystem—and PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship University initiative), which aims to establish a network of skill universities, were hampered by delayed approvals, resulting in “restricted expenditure” and a “bunching of spending in the last quarter.” The committee highlighted “negligible expenditure” under PM-SETU in 2025–26, as states did not finalize Strategic Investment Plans and industry partners were not onboarded on time. It noted a “poor response from states” to the Strengthening of Infrastructure for Institutional Training scheme, which aims to establish and upgrade Industrial Training Institutes, leading to underutilization of funds. The pa 

 Thiruvananthapuram : The contours of the poll battle in Kerala became clear on Tuesday as the Congress released a list of 55 candidates and ally Indian Union Muslim League another 25 for the upcoming assembly polls next month.. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been fielded from Haripad constituency.. With this, the ruling Left Democratic Front has announced 130candidates, its main challenger the United Democratic Front 95, and the National Democratic Alliance 75. All 140 assembly seats in Kerala go to the polls on April 9.. Key battleground seats include Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu, Peravoor and Palakkad. The LDF is hoping for a third consecutive term.. In its first list, the Congress dropped one sitting lawmaker Palakkad legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, who is embroiled in multiple sexual assault charges.. It fielded 19 sitting lawmakers including state unit chief Sunny Joseph (Peravoor), Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan (Paravur), senior leader Ramesh Chennithala (Haripad), former minister AP Anilkumar (Wandoor), former youth unit chief Roji M John (Angamaly) and AICC secretary PC Vishnunadh (Kundara).. Instead of Mamkootathil, who was accused by three women of rape and sexual assault, the Congress picked popular actor-director Ramesh Pisharody in Palakkad where a fierce three-way fight will ensue. Pisharody will take on the BJP’s Sobha Surendran. The Left is yet to finalise its candidate.. Former Vadakara MP K Muraleedharan, who lost to the BJP’s Suresh Gopi in Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, was accommodated in Vattiyoorkavu and former Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator P Aisha Potty was fielded in Kottarakkara where she will take on CPI(M) leader and finance minister KN Balagopal.. Former Alathur MP Ramya Haridas was fielded in the SC-reserved Chirayankeezhu constituency, where a section of party leaders have publicly opposed her candidature.. The Congress picked Abdul Rasheed VP Abdul Rasheed (who was the party candidate in 2021 in Thaliparambu constituency) to take on chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Dharmadam, a Left stronghold, and state unit vice-president VT Balram will once again fight sitting minister MB Rajesh in Thrithala.. The Congress list did not name candidates for Perumbavoor and Thripunithura, both of which it holds. In Perumbavoor, the leadership appears unsure about sitting MLA Eldhose Kunnappally, who faces sexual assault allegations. In Thripunithura, the party is yet to find a replacement for MLA K Babu who announced his retirement from electoral politics.. Another question of whether incumbent Lok Sabha MPs will be allowed to contest the assembly elections is also unclear. Kannur MP K Sudhakaran and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash, both of whom have shown interest in contesting the polls, are in Delhi to make their case with the central leadership. Sudhakaran, the former state unit president, has hinted that he may turn rebel if denied a ticket.. He had said on Tuesday, “No one has held any discussi