Amid growing public concern over fuel availability during the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, the petroleum ministry on Saturday issued an advisory urging citizens not to panic-buy petrol or diesel.. ‘Do not take petrol in loose containers’: Govt issues safety advisory as fuel fears grow (Representative image). In a statement, the petroleum and natural gas ministry said that fuel supplies across the country remain stable and sufficient. “Petrol and diesel are adequately available at retail outlets across the country,” the ministry said, advising consumers not to take or store fuel in loose or inappropriate containers as it could pose serious safety risks.. The ministry reiterated that all petrol pumps have adequate availability of petrol and diesel, and warned that any violation of safety rules at retail outlets would invite strict action.. Safety rules tightened at petrol pumps. The advisory came after authorities found a violation at a fuel station in Tamil Nadu, another statement added.. “It has come to notice that at one retail outlet in Tamil Nadu, petrol was being taken in a loose container, which is unsafe and not advisable,” the ministry said, again urging consumers not to store petrol or other fuels in loose or unsuitable containers due to the risk involved.. The ministry added that the petrol pump involved has already been penalised. “The concerned petrol pump has been suspended, and appropriate action has been taken,” it said, stressing that all retail outlets and dealers have been instructed to strictly follow safety guidelines while dispensing fuel.. Energy minister assures no shortage of fuel. Amid speculation about supply disruptions due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, earlier on Thursday, Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri also sought to calm concerns in Parliament.. Addressing the Lok Sabha, Puri gave a “full” assurance that India is not facing any fuel shortage.. “There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil,” he said, adding that “the availability of petrol, diesel, aviation and fuel oil is fully assured.”. Puri acknowledged that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has created an unprecedented global situation, but said India would manage the consequences.. “What the world is going through currently is something it has not faced in history,” the minister said, adding that India has no role in the conflict but must still navigate its consequences.. According to the minister, India has been able to secure enough crude oil supplies despite the disruption.. Puri credited diplomatic outreach by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring the country’s energy security. He said India had secured crude oil volumes that “exceed what the disrupted Strait could have delivered in the same period.”. LPG supply concerns. The minister also addressed reports of cooking gas shortages affecting restaurants in some parts of the country.. Seeking to re 

 Amritsar Rural Police has busted an ISI-sponsored terror and cross-border arms smuggling module, apprehending two accused and recovering rifles, pistols, and cartridges, according to the Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab.. Amritsar rural police busts ISI terror module, two arrested (Representative image/ANI ). Preliminary investigation reveals that the accused were in contact with foreign-based handlers through social media, The module was also involved in radicalization and spreading Anti-India and Anti-Police narratives.. In an X post, DGP Punjab Police said, “An FIR has been registered at PS Gharinda, #Amritsar Rural. Further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages and dismantle the entire network. @PunjabPoliceInd remains steadfast in its zero-tolerance approach against terrorism, illegal arms trafficking and organized crime.”. One AK-47 rifle with 2 magazines and 36 live cartridges, along with 3 sophisticated Glock 9mm pistols were recovered from the module.. Earlier on February 22, Counter Intelligence Jalandhar, in a joint operation with Counter Intelligence, SAS Nagar, has successfully apprehended two key perpetrators involved in the IED (RDX) blast at Nalagarh Police Station (Himachal Pradesh) on January 1, 2026, police said.. According to the release, the arrested accused have been identified as Mahavir @ Kaka and Manpreet @ Mani, both residents of SBS Nagar, Punjab. During the operation, one 9mm Glock pistol, along with live cartridges, was recovered from their possession.. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused were operating under the directions of foreign-based masterminds Gopi Nawashehria and Jassi Kulam, both associated with the proscribed terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), as stated in the release.. Further, it was established that the accused, along with their accomplices, had procured consignments containing IEDs (RDX) and hand grenades on the instructions of their foreign handlers. From these consignments, one IED (RDX) was utilised in executing the blast at Nalagarh Police Station. 

 Guests had arrived, the stage was set, and the marriage ceremony was about to begin when police stormed the venue and arrested the groom from the mandap. It might sound like a scene from a film, but this is how drama unfolded at a wedding venue in Bhopal on Wednesday as the cops arrested the groom, an alleged gangster, right before the wedding rituals.. Photo for representation (PTI). Also read: Akasa Air also hikes fares, adds ₹199–1,300 surcharge as West Asia war sets oil prices on fire. The situation forced the bride to go to the Koh-e-Fiza police station and plead with the cops to release her fiance at least to complete the wedding rituals, NDTV reported.. “Sahab, my life will be destroyed. What’s my fault? I didn’t know about the crimes he committed. Guests are waiting at home. Haldi and other rituals have been done,” the bride was quoted as saying.. The arrested groom was identified as Akash Neelkanth, the alleged leader of a gang. Police also arrested his associates Rajamji Thakur, Abhishek Upadhyay, Abhishek Meena, Neeraj Khange, and Amit Oswal.. Neelkanth, alias Bhura, is said to be the leader of a gang that goes by the name ‘Illegal Gang’ in Bhopal that has over 50 young men as its members. The members of the gang reportedly have the word “illegal” tattooed on their necks. The gang has been active since 2018.. Also read: Cheap drones that fly close to ground, Russian tactics: How Iran is standing up to US, Israel. Neelkanth has 31 cases registered against him and faces serious charges like murder.. He spent 18 months in jail in connection with murder of BJP Yuva Morcha Mandal vice-president Surendra Kushwah was killed on March 18, 2024. Neelkanth, the main accused in the case, was released on bail just four months ago.. Also read: ‘Spent months on bullying, now begging’: Iran on US waiver for India to buy Russian oil. However, he was arrested on the day of his marriage in an extortion case as the gang had allegedly kidnapped a 26-year-old priest and thrashed him in a flat in Eidgah Hills area as they demanded ₹8 lakh. The kidnapped man was threatened with a false rape case in case he refused to pay, as per the case. The gang reportedly forced the priest’s brother to transfer 50,000 online and pressured his family to arrange the remaining amount in installments.. The kidnapped priest managed to escape the flat on March 11 and approached the police. Police acted quickly and arrested Neelkanth when he was about to get married. 

 Citing a “significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments”, another Indian airline, Akasa Air, announced a hike in fare on Saturday. With effect from March 15, on all new bookings, it will introduce a fuel surcharge ranging from ₹199 to 1,300 on domestic and international routes, a spokesperson said.. An Akasa Air passenger aircraft taxis on the tarmac at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. (Reuters Photo). “This will not be applicable for any bookings made prior to 00:01 hrs on March 15, 2026. The fuel surcharge will be applied per sector and will vary based on the duration of the flight,” they clarified, adding, “We will continue to closely monitor the operating environment and review the fuel surcharge periodically.”. This comes as almost all leading Indian airlines have levied or hiked fuel surcharges as the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel bloc sends aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices spiraling.. Akasa Air holds approximately 5% of the Indian aviation market share and operates about two dozen domestic destinations and some international routes focused on the Middle East/West Asia region, including flights to Kuwait, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi.. IndiGo, India’s biggest carrier by market share, made the fare-hike move on Friday.. The global prices of ATF, which typically accounts for 40% of an airline’s operating expenses, has seen a “sharp surge” since early March 2026 due to regional supply interruptions.. Airfares going up | List and details. Akasa Air has said its tickets will now have additional charge of ₹199 to 1,300. That comes into effect for tickets booked starting March 15.. IndiGo said on Friday it will begin levying a sector-based fuel charge on all domestic and international tickets starting March 14. The sector-wise charges for domestic and Indian subcontinent tickets are ₹425, going up to ₹2,300 for Europe, with other regions in brackets in between.. Air India and AI Express announced a phased rollout of surcharges that began on March 12, 2026. A surcharge of ₹399 now applies to domestic and SAARC routes on its flights. West Asia/Middle East routes attract a $10 surcharge, while Southeast Asia charges rose from $40 to $60. Starting March 18, surcharges on long-haul routes will increase — for Europe it will rise to $125, while North America and Australia will jump to $200. There are future adjustments are planned for Far East markets, including Japan and South Korea, Air India has said.. Budget carrier SpiceJet has warned that airlines have little choice but to impose surcharges if oil remains high. Founder Ajay Singh has urged the government to reduce excise duties and VAT on jet fuel, noting that prices even at $90 per barrel are becoming unsustainable. AirAsia had already confirmed it would raise fares.. Reasons for airfares spiking globally. Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the conflict began on Feb 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress governments of keeping the Northeast far from both ‘Dilli’ (Delhi) and ‘Dil’ (Heart) for many decades following Independence while unveiling projects worth ₹23,550 crore in Assam’s Silchar town.. Modi launches Shillong-Silchar corridor, projects worth ₹23,550 crore, slams Congress for decades of neglect in Barak Valley and Northeast. (@NarendraModi). “In a way, they had forgotten about the region. But the double engine government of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has connected the region in such a way that it has created a buzz everywhere,” Modi added while addressing a public meeting in Silchar on the second day of his two-day visit to the poll-bound state.. Highlighting how the Barak Valley was an important trade route and industrial hub prior to Independence, he said, “North east is the centre of India’s Act East Policy and is the bridge between the country and the South East Asia region. But like the rest of NE, Congress had a big role in alienating Assam’s Barak Valley. They allowed boundaries to be drawn in such a way during Independence that led to the region getting disconnected from the sea.”. Also Read: PM Modi steps up attack on Congress in poll-bound Assam: ‘Used rifts for selfish politics’. The PM laid the foundation stone of the Shillong-Silchar Corridor, the first access-controlled Greenfield four-lane high-speed corridor in Northeast India.. The 166 km corridor, with an investment of around ₹22,860 crore, will significantly improve connectivity between Meghalaya and Assam. The project will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar and cut travel time from 8.5 hours to approximately 5 hours.. “This Silchar-Shillong access-controlled high-speed corridor, which will be the first such one in the Northeast region (besides Assam and Meghalaya), will connect Silchar to Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura. Beyond this, it will improve connectivity to Bangladesh, Myanmar, and South East Asia,” he said.. He also performed Bhoomi Poojan for an elevated corridor on NH-306 from Trunk Road near Capital Point to Rangirkhari Point in Silchar (Phase I), a project aimed to decongest one of Silchar’s busiest roads, improve connectivity with neighbouring states such as Mizoram, Tripura, and Manipur, and contribute to the economic development of the Barak Valley.. Modi accused the Congress of keeping Assam’s youths trapped in violence and terrorism. “Congress got defeated in Assam and in several other states. In the near future, the party will make a century of electoral defeats. Now the Congress’s leaders are busy denigrating the nation like they did in the recently concluded AI Summit in Delhi by taking out a protest by ripping their clothes,” he said.. “Such a party which is anti-national can’t do any good for the country or for Assam. Our government is trying our best to ensure minimum discomfort to citizens due to the present war in Midd