Amid global concerns over energy supply disruptions due to conflict in West Asia and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, the Ministry of Shipping on Tuesday assured that all Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe.. Indian LPG carriers, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, carrying 92,612.59 MT of LPG, have transited through the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels have 33 and 27 Indian seafarers onboard, these vessels are destined for India and are likely to reach Ports between 26th & 28th March 2026. (Government of India). Speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, Rajesh Sinha, said two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, have already safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are en-route to India.. “All Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe. No maritime incidents have been reported in the last 24 hours. Late last evening, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, both are loaded with LPG. Both vessels safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are headed towards India,” said Sinha.. He informed that Pine Gas ship, carrying 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG, is expected to arrive at New Mangalore Port on the morning of March 27. Meanwhile, another vessel Jag Vasant, loaded with approximately 47,600 metric tonnes of LPG, is headed towards Kandla and is likely to reach on March 26.. “Pine Gas is carrying 45,000 metric tons of LPG and is due to arrive at the New Mangalore Port, likely in the morning of March 27th. The other LPG carrier vessel, Jag Vasant, is carrying approximately 47,600 metric tons of LPG and is headed towards Kandla, with an estimated arrival date of March 26th,” said Rajesh Sinha.. Sinha further stated that with the departure of these two vessels from the Persian Gulf, there are currently 20 Indian-flagged ships in the region, carrying around 540 Indian sailors. He also confirmed that no congestion has been reported at any ports.. “Thus, with the departure of these two ships from the Persian Gulf, there are now 20 Indian-flagged ships, carrying 540 Indian sailors, in the Persian Gulf…No congestion has been reported at any port,” Sinha added.. After the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28 in joint military strikes by the US and Israel and the subsequent retaliatory strikes and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran have severely disrupted international waterways and global energy markets.. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India has sufficient crude oil reserves and robust arrangements for continuous supply amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.. He highlighted the expansion of strategic petroleum reserves and increased refining capacity, as global trade through the Strait of Hormuz faces disruptions.. Addressing the Rajya Sabha, PM Modi said, “…In the last 11 years, strategic petroleum reserves have been developed to more than 53 lak 

 Three men were arrested in Karnataka’s Bengaluru after a video showing them consuming alcohol while riding a two-wheeler on a busy road went viral on social media platforms.. In the footage, the bike can be seen weaving unpredictably between vehicles. (X@HateDetectors). The clip shows three young men, later identified as doctors engaging in dangerous conduct while riding the bike through traffic.. The incident took place in BTM Layout on Sunday evening, according to a report by India Today. In the footage, the bike can be seen weaving between vehicles, putting not just the riders but others on the road at risk.. What particularly drew public outrage was the sight of one of the pillion riders calmly drinking from a beer bottle mid-ride. While he had a helmet on, the rider and another passenger were without any protective gear, further highlighting the disregard for basic safety norms.. The video quickly triggered backlash online, with many users calling out the stunt as irresponsible and dangerous, especially in a busy urban setting where such actions could easily lead to serious accidents involving pedestrians and other motorists.. Taking note of the viral clip, Bengaluru City Police initiated action on their own. Officials began tracking down those involved by analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area along with the visuals circulating online. This led to the identification and arrest of all three individuals, who were found to be doctors working at separate private hospitals.. Police later confirmed that the accused were released on bail, as the offences filed against them fall under bailable categories.. In a separate update, Bengaluru Traffic Police highlighted the scale of traffic violations in the city. During a special enforcement drive conducted between March 16 and 22, authorities registered 634 cases of drunken driving. Additionally, fines amounting to ₹1.29 lakh were collected for speeding violations over the same period. 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has triggered a serious global energy crisis and disrupted key trade routes, with direct implications for India’s economy and supply chains.. The prime minister underlined India’s push towards reducing excessive dependence on external sources in critical sectors. (PTI photo). Speaking in the Upper House, PM Modi said the crisis has affected the movement of goods and led to uncertainty in the supply of essential commodities such as petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers.. “This situation is a matter of concern for India as well,” he said, noting that the war has already begun to impact commercial shipping lanes.. PM Modi described as “unacceptable” any attempt by Iran to block maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. He said India has engaged with all stakeholders through diplomatic channels and successfully facilitated the movement of Indian vessels out of the affected zone.. Also Read: PM Modi condemns attacks on Kuwait, stresses free navigation in Hormuz. “At this time of crisis, we have adopted the path of dialogue,” Modi said, adding that India has spoken to leaders of most West Asian countries multiple times since the conflict escalated. He reiterated that New Delhi supports a peaceful resolution and de-escalation.. Highlighting the human dimension, Modi said the safety and livelihood of Indians living in Gulf countries remains a top priority for the government. Nearly ten million Indians live and work in the region, he noted, making the situation particularly sensitive.. He also flagged concerns over Indian crew members stranded on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “serious issue” that is being closely monitored. “We are making every effort to ensure their safety and early return,” he said.. PM Modi warned that a prolonged conflict could have far-reaching consequences. “If the war continues, its repercussions will be severe,” he said, adding that the crisis has already “shaken the world” and recovery may take time.. The prime minister underlined India’s push towards reducing excessive dependence on external sources in critical sectors. He cited efforts ranging from shipbuilding to rare earth minerals as part of a broader push for self-reliance.. “We are trying to ensure that in no sector do we remain overly dependent on other countries,” he said. 

 A man and his sister were killed and two others were injured in a cylinder explosion in a dilapidated house near the Lahartara private bus station in Varanasi on Tuesday, police said. The deceased were identified as Om Kumar Chaudhary 28, and Preeti 25, police said. Their brother, Aman Chaudhary, 31, and mother, Girija Devi, 60, are under treatment, police added.. Locals told police about the incident on Tuesday morning in which the four victims were buried under debris. (Representational image/Getty Images/iStockphoto). Locals told police about the incident on Tuesday morning in which the four victims were buried under debris. Police immediately arrived on the scene with the Bomb Disposal Squad and a Dog Squad, rescued the people and admitted them to the BHU trauma centre where Om Kumar and Preeti succumbed to their injuries, police said.. Police said that the incident took place when Girija Devi was cooking. A blast occurred due to a leak in the gas cylinder and the house subsequently collapsed, trapping Girija Devi—along with her three children—beneath the rubble. 

 March 24 – Global air travel remains severely disrupted, with many people still unable to fly as planned to destinations after the Iran war forced the closure of major Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.. Airlines cancel more flights as Middle East conflict escalates. Below is the latest on flights, in alphabetical order:. AEGEAN AIRLINES. Greece’s largest carrier has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until April 22, and to Erbil and Baghdad until May 24. Flights to Dubai have been cancelled until April 19 and to Riyadh until April 18.. AIRBALTIC. Latvia’s airBaltic said all flights to Tel Aviv had been cancelled until April 29. All flights to Dubai stand cancelled until October 24.. AIR CANADA. The Canadian carrier has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 2 and to Dubai until March 28.. AIR EUROPA. The Spanish airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until April 10.. AIR FRANCE KLM. Air France has cancelled Tel Aviv and Beirut flights until March 28 and Dubai and Riyadh flights until March 24, as well as a March 25 departure from Dubai.. KLM suspended flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until May 17 and to Tel Aviv until April 11.. CATHAY PACIFIC. The Hong Kong airline has cancelled all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh until May 31. To cater to a surge in demand to Europe, it will operate three additional return flights to Paris and Zurich, and will provide additional seats on 13 existing flights to London in April.. DELTA. The U.S. carrier has cancelled its New York-Tel Aviv flights until May 31 and Tel Aviv-New York flights until June 1. The restart of its Atlanta-Tel Aviv route has been delayed, with flights to Tel Aviv paused until August 4 and from Tel Aviv until August 5.. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES. The Israeli carrier said operational constraints are preventing regular flights from Israel, except in rare, exceptional cases, and that it is continuing efforts to bring passengers home. The airline has also urged authorities to open Ramon Airport near Eilat.. EMIRATES. The UAE airline said it was operating a reduced flight schedule following a partial reopening of regional airspace.. ETIHAD AIRWAYS. The UAE carrier said it was operating a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and select destinations.. FINNAIR. The Finnish carrier has cancelled its Dubai flights until March 29 and Doha flights until July 2, while continuing to avoid the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Israel.. FLYNAS. Saudi budget airline Flynas has extended its suspension of flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria until March 31.. IAG. IAG-owned British Airways has extended cancellations of flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv until May 31 and to Doha until April 30, while adding flights to Bangkok and Singapore. Flights to Abu Dhabi remain suspended until later this year.. INDIGO. The Indian airline has suspended operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah