Heavy monsoon rains continued to batter large parts of India on Wednesday, triggering floods, landslides, transport disruptions and widespread damage across several states. Gujarat's Surat emerged as the worst-hit city after receiving nearly 18 inches of rainfall within just 36 hours, leaving large parts of the city underwater and forcing the evacuation of more than 2,100 residents.

The relentless downpour inundated residential colonies, roads and commercial markets, while several vehicles were swept away in floodwaters. Authorities shut schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in Surat and neighbouring Navsari district, urging residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Surat Faces Severe Flooding

The unprecedented rainfall created flood-like conditions across Surat, disrupting normal life and affecting thousands of families. Rescue teams deployed boats in low-lying localities, including the flood-hit Limbayat area, while emergency personnel continued evacuation and relief operations throughout the day.

Business activity also suffered as water entered Poddar Arcade, one of the city's major mobile phone markets. Officials continued monitoring river levels as heavy rainfall persisted across South Gujarat.

Gurugram Hit by Highway Collapse

Heavy rainfall also caused major disruption in Haryana's Gurugram. A section of the Delhi–Jaipur National Highway (NH-48) caved in following continuous rain, leading to a traffic jam stretching nearly 10 kilometres.

Several areas reported up to two feet of waterlogging, while a school bus became stranded in a flooded drain along the service lane. Gurugram Police appealed to corporate offices to allow employees to work from home over the next few days to reduce congestion and ensure public safety.

Transport Services Affected

The weather severely impacted transportation across several states.

In Mumbai, continuous rainfall disrupted suburban railway operations, with local trains running around 30 minutes behind schedule. Waterlogging between Vasai Road and Virar affected railway services, leading to the cancellation of 39 trains, while several others were rescheduled or halted midway.

Air travel also experienced delays in Delhi and Mumbai. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet advised passengers to check flight status before leaving for airports as adverse weather conditions continued. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR through July 9.

Floods, Landslides Continue Elsewhere

The monsoon's impact extended well beyond western India.

In Arunachal Pradesh, floods and landslides have affected more than 94,000 people across 26 districts. Four people have lost their lives, while rescue teams continue efforts in several isolated regions where communication remains disrupted.

Kerala's Wayanad witnessed another landslide tragedy, leaving three people dead and several others missing. Multi-agency rescue operations involving the NDRF, police and fire services are continuing despite difficult weather conditions.

In Rajasthan, heavy rainfall led to flooding in several districts. A jeep overturned in a river in Jalore, while three members of a family were killed after lightning struck them in Chittorgarh.

Meanwhile, a five-storey building collapsed in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, amid persistent rainfall, prompting emergency response teams to secure the area.

Centre Reviews Situation

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the flood situation in Gujarat and Maharashtra by speaking separately with the chief ministers of both states. He assured them of all possible assistance from the Central Government for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Authorities in Maharashtra's Palghar district also reported that 10 people have died since July 1 due to rain-related incidents. More than 1,260 people have been shifted to relief camps as rivers continue to flow close to warning levels.

Experts Warn of Changing Rainfall Pattern

Weather experts believe the ongoing spell reflects an increasingly erratic monsoon pattern influenced by climate change and large-scale atmospheric conditions. While rainfall remained below normal during much of June, the first week of July has witnessed extremely intense, short-duration rainfall events across western and central India.

Meteorologists warn that such high-intensity rain episodes, accompanied by urban flooding and landslides, could become more frequent in the coming years. Several states, including Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Northeast India, remain under red, orange or yellow rainfall alerts over the next two days as authorities prepare for further heavy showers.

Nearly four months after a 27-year-old man was beaten to death over a trivial dispute about applying chandan (sandalwood paste) at a religious fair, police have arrested three key accused from Gujarat’s Surat city. The men had been working incognito as private security guards on a metro rail project.

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Surat Police picked up Akash Singh alias Saurabh Singh Rajput, Satyam Singh Rajput, and Ajit Singh Rajput from Olpad’s Masma village late on Tuesday. According to officials, the trio was living there to evade the Rewa police dragnet.

Hiding in plain sight

Sources familiar with the matter said the accused had been working as private security guards at a metro rail construction site in Surat. They were arrested following a specific tip-off that suspects in the riots and murder case registered at Rewa’s Panwar police station were hiding in the Adajan area. Surveillance was mounted before the arrests.

All three have now been handed over to the Madhya Pradesh Police after initial legal proceedings.

The January dispute

The sequence of violence began on January 1, 2026, during a religious fair in Shivpur, Rewa district. Organisers were applying chandan on visitors’ foreheads as a welcome gesture. The victim, Atif Ahmad Shaikh, who had arrived with friends, refused to have it applied.

What started as a minor objection quickly escalated. Two communities clashed at the fair, leading to a brawl. Police investigations later revealed that the accused held a grudge after that day’s events and planned to “teach him a lesson.”

Brutal attack caught on video

The fatal assault took place on January 27. Atif was travelling in a tempo when the accused intercepted him on the road. The three arrested men, along with unidentified accomplices, attacked him with sticks.

A viral video of the incident shows the victim being pinned to the ground while assailants rain down blows repeatedly. Initial reports indicate he was struck over 40 times in roughly three minutes.

Atif was rushed to a hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

100-member SIT formed

Given the communal undertones and the brutality of the crime, Rewa’s Superintendent of Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising over 100 personnel. Despite multiple raids across the district, the accused remained elusive.

“The accused changed their identities and travelled to Gujarat. They even managed to get private security jobs, which shows careful planning,” a local police officer said on condition of anonymity.

The victim’s family had named five residents of Champagarh village under Panwar police station: Shivam Singh Thakur, Ajit Singh Thakur, Saurabh Singh Thakur, Satyam Singh Thakur, and Shakti Singh Thakur. Three of them are now in custody.

What next

With the arrests closing a four-month manhunt, police are now probing if the accused had local help in Surat. Officials said efforts are on to trace the remaining accused. The case continues to draw attention as the viral video reignites concerns over mob violence over minor disputes.

Fuel prices remained stable for four years despite global cues: Hardeep Puri at Surat VGRC

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday highlighted India’s energy decoupling from global volatility, noting that petrol and diesel prices have remained unchanged for four years, providing a bedrock for industrial growth.

Speaking at the inauguration of the third Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Surat, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri anchored the day’s discussions by focusing on India’s economic resilience. He noted that while global supply chains faced unprecedented disruptions and crude oil prices fluctuated wildly, the Indian government ensured that fuel prices stable for over four years, shielding the domestic economy from the hyper-inflation seen in neighbouring nations.

The minister’s remarks set the tone for a day dominated by high-level diplomatic engagements and massive infrastructure projections for South Gujarat. The conference, held on May 1, saw the participation of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister CR Patil, and several international delegations keen on tapping into Gujarat’s industrial ecosystem.

Stability as an investment magnet

Minister Puri emphasized that the decision to maintain price parity was not just a consumer-centric move but a strategic industrial one. By avoiding sharp spikes in energy costs, the government has provided a "highly reliable, inflation-resistant baseline" for long-term investments. This stability, he argued, is a primary reason why foreign capital continues to flow into the state’s manufacturing and energy sectors.

Singapore and Japan eye GIFT City

The diplomatic corridors of the VGRC were abuzz with specific investment proposals. Singapore’s High Commissioner, Simon Wong, held a detailed session with CM Bhupendra Patel, where he pitched Singapore’s plans to develop massive data centres in GIFT City. Wong also projected the precinct as a future hub for USD-INR bond trading and proposed the creation of AI-driven fintech sandboxes to test new financial technologies.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Ambassador Ono Keiichi expressed strong interest in expanding the semiconductor and medical device footprint in Gujarat. He specifically lauded the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, noting that reduced transit times to 1.5 hours have made the region significantly more attractive for Japanese logistics and manufacturing hubs.

Surat’s 2047 growth roadmap

The conference served as a launchpad for NITI Aayog’s master plan for Surat, which aims to scale the city’s economy twentyfold by 2047. Chief Minister Patel stated that Surat is projected to contribute over 35% of Gujarat’s GSDP in the coming decades. To prevent lopsided development, the state is drafting six separate economic master plans covering 20 priority sectors across Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Dang, and Bharuch.

“We are launching eight new Smart GIDCs spanning over 5,380 acres,” the Chief Minister told the gathering. This expansion is backed by the existing industrial prowess of the region; Union Minister CR Patil reminded the audience that Surat-produced steel was used in the iconic Chenab Rail Bridge, while Hazira’s artillery units remain backbone of national defense.

Shifting energy and agri-tech paradigms

Beyond heavy industry, the VGRC touched upon the "green" shift. Seminars at Auro University detailed India’s ambitious plan to scale nuclear power capacity to 100GW by 2047. Gujarat is expected to be a central pillar of this transition, leveraging the operational 700MW reactors at Kakrapar.

On the agricultural front, panels discussed the urgent need to substitute imported potash and phosphatic fertilizers with domestic urea and nano-fertilizers. This move is seen as essential to securing India’s food supply chain while reducing the fiscal deficit.

Momentum for South Gujarat

Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi, closing one of the sessions, highlighted that the state has already cleared ₹5,619 crore in business incentives recently. He expressed confidence that the Surat edition of the VGRC would shatter the MoU records set by previous regional conferences in Mehsana and Rajkot.

As the first day concluded, it became clear that while the fuel prices stable narrative provided the macro-economic context, the micro-level focus remains squarely on diversifying South Gujarat's economy—from rural tourism in Ukai, which received a ₹125 crore boost, to the high-tech corridors of GIFT City.