Silchar: An unidentified explosion in Assam’s Jorhat district on Saturday killed two people—a 45-year-old scrap collector and an 8-year-old boy—and injured two others, police said. Representative image. (PTI). The incident took place in the Raja Maidam neighborhood of Jorhat town on Saturday afternoon. Locals described the explosion’s sound as enormous. “At first, we believed it was an LPG cylinder blast, but we soon realized it was something else,” said one resident, who added that they hurried to the scene and discovered four injured people. Police reported that the injured were rushed to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, where two were pronounced dead by doctors. The deceased were identified as Noor Mohammad (45) and Mohammad Iqbal (8), both from Rajamaidam New Colony in Jorhat town. The injured are Sehnaj Begum (12) and Noorjahan Begum (35). Also Read: Miya factor continues to dominate discourse as Assam heads to polls. Jorhat’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Sibhrajyoti Bora, stated that Noor Mohammad would gather scrap materials from different areas of the town and keep them at his rented home for later processing. “According to locals, Noor was hammering the scrap when the explosion happened, and nearby playing children were impacted by the blast.” “We’re investigating the reason behind the explosion,” Bora stated. Also Read: NGT issues notice to Assam government regarding illegal water boring in Guwahati. He stated that the materials gathered by Noor Mohammad are under examination to check for any additional factors in the incident. He stated, “We are conducting a deeper investigation into the matter, and the bodies have been sent for autopsy.” The incident has heightened tensions in the area, as residents voice fears and concerns about their safety. 

 A Delhi court granted bail on Saturday to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a money laundering case, clearing the path for his release from jail. Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah. (File). Prashant Sharma, a special judge at Patiala House Courts, issued the order, noting that the Supreme Court had already granted Shah bail on March 12 in the underlying terror funding offense. He noted that this was a material fact in Shah’s favour. The judge stated that necessary bail conditions would be imposed to ensure the accused neither flees justice nor tampers with witnesses. “…[Shah] is granted bail upon providing a personal bond and a surety bond, each worth ₹1 lakh, with two sureties [one of which must be a local surety from Delhi]…,” the trial court stated. It ordered Shah not to leave the country or his state of residence and to surrender his passport. Shah argued that he is over 70 years old and has been imprisoned for more than eight years. On March 12, the Supreme Court approved bail for Shah in the alleged terror funding case, noting that the trial was unlikely to end within a reasonable period and prolonged detention would infringe on his personal liberty. The National Investigation Agency has charged Shah with instigating secessionist protests, praising dead militants, and using hawala networks and cross-Line of Control trade to finance subversive operations. Shah is charged with playing a “substantial role” in supporting a separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir by urging the public to chant pro-secession slogans. 

 During the IPL 2026 opener on March 28 between host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, 11 empty seats were observed. RCB left 2011 seats vacant as a tribute to the 11 individuals who lost their lives in a stampede at the team’s victory celebrations outside the stadium. (A screenshot from RCB’s video on X.) The empty seats sparked surprise, since tickets for RCB home matches are typically in high demand, rendering vacant spots very rare. For those unaware, these empty seats represent the 11 lives lost in a stampede last year during RCB’s victory parade outside the stadium. Former Indian cricketer and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Venkatesh Prasad announced on March 25 that the state board would leave 11 seats vacant at all IPL and international matches as a tribute. Prasad noted that a special prayer was conducted to honor the RCB fans who died in the incident. “A special prayer was held at the KSCA to pay homage to the lives we lost and to assure their families that we care for them.” “We will leave 11 seats empty and unsold, regardless of whether it’s for IPL or international matches,” Prasad told ANI. RCB also shared a video on X prior to the match, conveying the same message. They also announced that all players will wear the number 11 on their jerseys and a black armband during the match against SRH, as a tribute to the 11 fans who tragically lost their lives in last year’s incident. The video was captioned: “In memory of our 11 beloved fans.” Forever etched into Chinnaswamy, eternally part of our RCB family. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that the KSCA has erected a memorial at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to honor the 11 individuals who lost their lives there. “An incident occurred at this exact location where 11 young people died,” he said. 

 Two more India-flagged LPG carriers, BW Tyr and BW Elm, started transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a person aware of the development said, requesting anonymity.. Iran has maintained that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed for vessels linked to the United States and Israel,. The ships are not disclosing their destination ports through transponders for security reasons, and more details can’t be immediately revealed, the person said. Both ships loaded their cargo in the Persian Gulf more than a fortnight ago and were looking for safe passage by Iran, the person added.. If this latest pair transits the strait, six LPG carriers will have been permitted safe passage by Iran. No other details were immediately available.. Track live updates of Iran-US war here. So far, four India-flagged LPG carriers have reached the country after being cleared by Iranian authorities to transit the Hormuz waterway, a vital sea conduit through which a fifth of the world’s crude passes, along with gas and precious commodities.. Iran has attacked several vessels in the strait, effectively shutting the channel critical for global maritime trade, in retaliation for the US and Israel’s strikes.. Also read: Iran’s message to Gulf neighbours it is bombing: ‘If you want security…’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian twice since the hostilities began, calling for de-escalation and dialogue. On Tuesday, he called for the crucial strait to “remain open for the world” for the passage of essential commodities and energy.. India imports nearly 60% of the cooking gas, most of it from the Persian Gulf countries. It has ramped up production of liquefied petroleum gas by nearly 50% to tide over energy shortages due to the West Asian war, a petroleum ministry official said, briefing reporters this week. 

 Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee for playing the “victim card” whenever an election approaches, alleging she created an imaginary monster out of the electoral roll Special Intensive Revision (SIR).. Union home minister Amit Shah. (HT PHOTO). “Mamata has always played the politics of the victim card. Sometimes she breaks her leg, ties a bandage on her head, falls ill, and abuses the Election Commission. But the people of Bengal have understood her politics of playing the victim card,” Shah said in Kolkata as he released a 40-page “charge sheet” attacking the TMC over infiltration, appeasement politics, women’s security, corruption, and deterioration of law and order ahead of April 23 and April 29 assembly polls.. Shah said SIR is being held across the country. “Except for Bengal, in no other state did judicial officers have to be deployed. What is the reason?” He said SIR was also held in election-bound Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but no cases were filed in the courts. “But what happened in Bengal that the Supreme Court had to deploy judicial officers? Mamata Banerjee has to reply to the people on this. Your district magistrates did not work fearlessly. That is why the Supreme Court had to deploy judicial officers.”. He said the only reason for opposing the SIR is that she wants to shield the infiltrators and return to power for another term, so she can allow more for the next five years. “But your dream will never be fulfilled,” Shah said.. Shah promised to “flush out” infiltrators from across the country, calling it the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s commitment and agenda. “Let Mamata allege anything.”. When questioned about the spate of attacks on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states, Shah slammed Banerjee for diluting the difference between them and undocumented Bangladeshi infiltrators. “Mamata has been skilfully doing away with the difference between Bengali-speaking people and Bangladeshis. The infiltrators from Bangladesh also speak in Bengali. I want to assure the people of Bengal that no one will harass the original inhabitants of Bengal. They need not worry. But this does not mean that illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators would be given shelter here.”. He said the people of Bengal have understood the tricks she plays. “Try to come up with some new tricks which might help to create an illusion. The people of Bengal would not be deceived by her old tricks.”. The TMC released a “counter-charge sheet” attacking Shah over Manipur violence, blasts in Delhi, the 2024 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the stopping of funds to West Bengal, and attacks on Bengali-speaking people, etc.. “Shah releasing a charge sheet is equivalent to a judge and a criminal sharing the same chair. A report by your own department states that Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, all three BJP-ruled states, top the list of