A strong spell of pre-monsoon activity swept across Madhya Pradesh on Monday, bringing down temperatures sharply while triggering heavy winds and power outages in several regions.

High winds lash Sehore and Bhopal

Heavy rain and severe dust storms hit large parts of Madhya Pradesh on Monday afternoon, with Sehore recording wind speeds of up to 61 kmph. The sudden change in weather brought dark clouds over several districts by midday, shifting the focus entirely to pre-monsoon safety. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhopal has issued a fresh alert for the capital city and Gwalior, predicting continued rainfall over the next 48 hours.

An orange alert for severe storms has also been extended to Agar-Malwa and Rajgarh, where local administrative bodies have advised residents to remain indoors during peak afternoon hours.

Widespread damage and power cuts

According to state meteorological officials, a total of 28 districts witnessed varying intensities of rainfall and squalls over the last 24 hours. The storm system left a significant impact on local infrastructure in rural belts. In Rajgarh and Raisen, heavy winds ripped off tin roofs from semi-pucca houses.

The power distribution network took a hit in Khargone and Indore, where uprooted tree branches caused local transformers to trip, snapping power lines. Farmers in Khargone reported that the unseasonal spell has temporarily halted crucial pre-sowing and weeding operations.

Mercury drops across major cities

The intense spell of pre-monsoon rain has brought much-needed relief from the intense summer heat. Daily maximum temperatures across the state's five major urban centers have officially dropped below the 40-degree Celsius mark.

Only four weather stations in the state—Khajuraho, Datia, Nowgong, and Mandla—managed to cross the 40-degree threshold on Monday. Shivpuri recorded the lowest daytime temperature in the plains at 33.2 degrees Celsius.

Wind speeds cross 50 Kmph

Data released by the weather department indicates that the storm was not confined to a single pocket. While Sehore peaked at 61 kmph, Sagar and Guna experienced wind gusts measuring 59 kmph. Capital city Bhopal clocked 57 kmph, closely followed by Jabalpur at 50 kmph and Narmadapuram at 48 kmph. Even western MP districts like Dhar, Khandwa, and Barwani registered consistent wind speeds hovering around 35 to 37 kmph, creating hazy conditions across highways.

Historic June weather trends

The early onset of intense pre-monsoon rain aligns with the state's decade-long climate transitions. Historical data reveals that Bhopal typically transitions into heavy showers post-June 15, having recorded a massive 16 inches of rain in June 2020.

Similarly, Indore usually completes 20% of its seasonal quota in June alone. Gwalior, which frequently sees extreme June temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius, has shifted to a wetter pattern recently, logging over 10 inches of rain in June last year.

Monsoon entry via Jabalpur expected

Meteorologists are closely tracking the advancement of the monsoon system, which traditionally enters the state through the southern parts of the Jabalpur division. Jabalpur has a history of heavy June downpours, including an all-time monthly record of 30 inches in 1998.

Current ground-level wind patterns suggest that the standard monsoon onset remains on schedule. The present pre-monsoon rain is expected to soften the soil across the agricultural belts of Malwa and Mahakoshal, aiding early tilling once the wind speeds stabilize later this week.

Construction of Asia’s largest Ram statue in Gaibandha suspended over funding row and communal harmony concerns.

DHAKA: The construction of an ambitious 82-foot-tall Lord Ram statue project in northern Bangladesh’s Gaibandha district has been temporarily suspended following intense opposition from local Islamic hardliner groups. The project, which was being built within the premises of the prominent Sri Sri Radha Gobind and Kali Temple complex in Palashbari upazila, had been promoted as the largest Ram statue in Asia.

Tensions Halt Local Project

The temple committee formally announced the suspension during a press briefing held at the temple premises, citing a growing necessity to maintain local law and order and preserve social harmony. The decision followed days of escalating tension and demonstrations, including human chains formed along the crucial Dhaka-Rangpur highway by hardline organisations. Local reports indicate that the situation had become increasingly polarized over the last week.

Funding Transparency Questioned

The Imam-Ulema Council and other fundamentalist groups have spearheaded the protests, questioning the financial origins of the multi-crore project. The construction, which began in early 2025 through private financing, is estimated to cost over ₹17 crore.

Opposing factions have formally demanded that national intelligence agencies launch a thorough investigation into the bank accounts and properties of the initiative's organizers, alleging potential foreign government funding. Hardline leaders claimed the scale of the structure threatened regional sovereignty and caused "concern and insecurity" among the majority population.

Calls For Total Demolition

Beyond a temporary halt, the protesting groups are now demanding a complete cancellation of the project and the demolition of the incomplete 82-foot concrete structure. The Imam-Ulema Council has also pressured local authorities to institute a blanket ban on similar large-scale non-Islamic religious installations in the future.

"We believe in peaceful coexistence," said Shyamal Kumar Mahanta, an adviser to the temple committee, during the press brief. He explained that the suspension was an internal choice to de-escalate regional friction, adding that they are open to discussions with all stakeholders to resolve misunderstandings.

Existing Complex Architecture

The Sri Sri Radha Gobind and Kali Temple complex is already a major religious hub in the region, housing more than 100 deities. The premises notably feature a 30-foot Shiva statue and a 53-foot Krishna statue, which were completed prior to the current wave of friction. The Ram statue was intended to be the central attraction of a broader temple development initiative.

Pattern of Minority Friction

The halt in Gaibandha marks the third major Hindu religious project to face severe disruptions in Bangladesh within the last two years. In 2025, a makeshift Durga temple in the Khilket area of Dhaka was razed by authorities following intense pressure from local extremist groups, drawing sharp diplomatic criticism from India. Earlier, in 2024, the venue for a traditional Durga Puja idol installation in Dhaka’s Uttara sector had to be shifted overnight due to public objections.

Rising Human Rights Concerns

According to data compiled by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, minority communities have faced an unprecedented wave of targeting since the political transition in August 2024.

The council documented a staggering 2,839 attacks on minorities across the country over a two-year window. The statistics show 2,010 incidents occurring in the immediate aftermath of the regime change between August 4 and August 20, 2024. This was followed by 522 recorded incidents in 2025, and another 133 incidents in the first three months of 2026 alone. These figures comprise more than 100 documented murders, widespread vandalism of temples, land grabbing, and arson.

Vigilance Increased on Ground

While the atmosphere in Palashbari remains calm but uneasy following the announcement, local law enforcement authorities have significantly stepped up patrolling and intelligence monitoring around the temple complex. Security officials stated that no unauthorized gatherings would be permitted near the site to prevent further communal escalation as discussions between local administration and community leaders continue.

Three members of a family killed and several injured in a late-night residential blaze at Tughlakabad Extension; fire reportedly spread from ground-floor parking area.

NEW DELHI — A devastating late-night fire ripped through a five-storey residential building in Southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad Extension area early Friday morning, leaving three members of a family dead and several others injured. The fire, which initial inquiries suggest was triggered by an electrical short circuit on the ground floor, quickly engulfed seven parked two-wheelers, turning the building's stilt parking area into a raging inferno within minutes.

The emergency calls started flooding the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) control room between 2:35 am and 2:37 am. As thick smoke billowed through the narrow alleyways of Gali Number 1 near the Naya Tara Apartments, trapped residents began screaming for help from their balconies.

Blown short circuit triggers panic

According to local authorities, the building comprises a stilt parking ground floor and five upper storeys. Preliminary assessments point toward an electrical short circuit on the ground floor that instantly caught an electric scooter being charged overnight. The flames then rapidly spread to other parked vehicles, including three scooters, two motorcycles, and a bicycle.

"I woke up after hearing loud cries for help and rushed outside," said Rajender Kumar, an eyewitness living in the adjacent lane. "I saw that the fire was concentrated in the parked two-wheelers inside the building, but the heavy smoke spread upwards with frightening speed."

Local heroism amid heavy smoke

With the structure lacking adequate ventilation, toxic smoke quickly filled the internal staircase, cutting off the primary escape route for the occupants. Before emergency teams arrived, local residents formed a human chain, carrying buckets of water to assist those on the lower floors.

One resident on the second floor reportedly tied his wife’s saree to a balcony railing to climb down, while neighbours gathered below to break his fall with their bare hands. Others used wooden ladders from a nearby shorter building to access the upper floors, using rocks to shatter locked terrace gates and puncturing water tanks to suppress the thick fumes.

Blocked terrace forces desperate rescue

The Delhi Fire Service deployed multiple units to the site, including three water tenders, two water bowsers, a breathing support unit, and a Quick Response Vehicle. However, operations were severely hampered by the highly congested, narrow lanes characteristic of the Govindpuri and Tughlakabad extensions.

Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Yashwant Singh Meena, who led the operations alongside Station Training Officer Mukul Bhardwaj, stated that fire crews had to break open a heavy lock on the terrace gate to rescue two young girls who had taken refuge on the rooftop. A total of eight occupants were evacuated from the building during the operation and rushed to nearby hospitals via CATS ambulances.

The deceased have been identified as Pankaj (28), his mother Guddi (50), and his sister Soni (20), who lived on the third floor. Two other family members, including an elderly 70-year-old grandmother, remain in critical condition at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Firefighters brought the blaze under control by 3:45 am, issuing a final completion message at 4:00 am.

Recurring structural safety concerns

The tragedy at Tughlakabad Extension marks the second major structural fire incident in Delhi within a ten-day window, reigniting intense public debate over systemic violations of residential building bylaws in the national capital.

On June 3, a massive blaze tore through the Flourish Stay Hotel in Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani area, claiming 23 lives. Investigations into that incident revealed that the property was operating 25 guest rooms despite being licensed for only six rooms under the Silver Category Bed & Breakfast scheme.

Municipal authorities have vowed a thorough investigation into the Tughlakabad building's layout, specifically targeting the lack of mandatory ventilation shafts and fire safety clearances in dense residential clusters. Police personnel from the Govindpuri police station have initiated a detailed forensic inquiry to confirm the exact source of the Friday morning blaze.

After fifteen long years, the Bastin Bazar Durga Temple in Asansol finally reopened its doors. This isn’t just about a temple—people see it as a big shift in West Bengal's cultural scene.

It all happened this week. The temple’s gates swung open after years of political wrangling and legal battles. The BJP recently made big election gains in the area, and local MLA Krishnendu Mukherjee kept his campaign promise: daily worship is back at Bastin Bazar.

For fifteen years, the place had been almost off-limits. The Shri Shri Durgamata Charitable Trust managed the temple, and except for the short Durga Puja festival, most people couldn’t get near it.

Tuesday morning felt electric. Devotees crowded inside, conch shells echoed, and chants filled the air. A shopkeeper said, “We’ve waited for this day for 15 years. This temple is the soul of our market.” You could feel the relief and excitement—they'd missed their temple.

The building itself got caught up in political tensions. The BJP and the Trinamool Congress argued endlessly, with BJP leaders saying the government ignored High Court orders about the temple. On the other hand, local officials insisted the closure was about administrative and trust disputes—not politics.

Now, the BJP is calling the reopening a “victory for Hindu identity” in Bengal. Party supporters claim the previous administration suppressed religious life. Krishnendu Mukherjee and senior BJP members were there for the celebrations, leading prayers and marking their win.