The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for several parts of north and south India, forecasting continued monsoon activity on Wednesday. A yellow alert has been issued for Delhi-NCR, where the weather office expects a generally cloudy sky accompanied by moderate rainfall during the day.

According to the IMD, Delhi’s maximum temperature is likely to remain around 33 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to be 24 degrees Celsius.

The weather department has also predicted fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and east Uttar Pradesh from August 4 to August 6. Rainfall activity is expected to continue in the national capital until August 10, providing relief from high temperatures but also raising the possibility of waterlogging and traffic disruptions in some areas.

Monsoon likely to remain active across several states

The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall over multiple regions in both north and south India as the southwest monsoon remains active. Residents in affected areas have been advised to monitor local weather updates and exercise caution during periods of intense rainfall.

Delhi remains under a yellow alert, indicating the possibility of weather-related disruptions while conditions generally remain manageable.

Heavy rainfall disrupts normal life in Himachal Pradesh

Heavy monsoon showers continued to affect daily life in Himachal Pradesh, where infrastructure damage and service disruptions persisted on Tuesday.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 153 roads remained blocked, while 191 power distribution transformers (DTRs) were out of service. In addition, 58 water supply schemes were affected as restoration work continued across the state.

Officials said teams have been deployed to clear roads, restore electricity and repair damaged water infrastructure in the affected districts.

Among the districts, Mandi recorded the highest number of blocked roads with 51, followed by Sirmaur (39), Kullu (36) and Shimla (15).

The number of blocked roads showed a slight improvement from 157 reported earlier on Tuesday, though it remained significantly higher than 109 recorded on Monday evening.

The SEOC also confirmed that no National Highway was blocked as of Tuesday evening.

Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin launched a sharp attack on the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government shortly after being released following police questioning over his remarks on actor Trisha Krishnan.

Welcomed by supporters outside the police station in Thanjavur on Tuesday evening, Stalin described his detention as a “comedy” staged by a “circus government” and referred to Chief Minister Vijay as a “dummy Chief Minister”.

He alleged that the action against him was intended to shift public attention away from what he described as the government’s failure to address the Cauvery water issue affecting farmers.

Udhayanidhi Stalin links arrest to Cauvery water issue

Addressing supporters after his release, Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed he had been treated “like a terrorist” despite raising concerns related to farmers, the Mekedatu dam project and the Cauvery river dispute.

He said that during the previous DMK government, water from the Mettur dam was released annually on June 12 for farmers, but alleged that the current TVK government had failed to secure water despite five months in office.

According to Stalin, his criticism was focused on governance and the state’s handling of water-related issues rather than personal attacks.

DMK leader denies insulting women over Trisha remarks

Responding to the controversy surrounding his speech, Udhayanidhi Stalin maintained that his remarks had been taken out of context.

He alleged that portions of his speech had been selectively edited to create a misleading impression. Rejecting allegations that he had used inappropriate language or double meanings, he said his comments were solely about the need for water for farmers.

Stalin also stressed that he had no intention of disrespecting women and said he regarded every mother and sister in Tamil Nadu as members of his own family. He expressed disappointment that some political allies criticised him without watching his complete speech.

Says he is ready to face legal action

In a post on X, the DMK leader asserted that he would not be intimidated by police cases or political pressure.

Referring to his political background, he said he was prepared to fight the matter through legal means and would continue raising the Cauvery issue on behalf of farmers. He also thanked DMK workers and alliance leaders who protested against his detention and demanded the release of those held during demonstrations.

TVK dismisses Udhayanidhi Stalin’s allegations

TVK leader Adhava Arjuna rejected Stalin’s accusations, saying the government was not driven by political revenge.

He argued that the ruling party did not view Udhayanidhi Stalin as a political rival and challenged him to resign as an MLA and contest a fresh election without relying on his family’s political legacy. Arjuna claimed that TVK would field an ordinary woman candidate and asserted that Stalin would struggle to retain public support if such an election were held.

How the controversy began

The controversy stems from Udhayanidhi Stalin’s speech in Thanjavur on the Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka, during which members of the audience repeatedly chanted actor Trisha Krishnan’s name.

The TVK alleged that Stalin’s response carried an inappropriate double meaning and accused him of lowering the standards of political discourse while disrespecting women.

Stalin has consistently denied the allegation, maintaining that his remarks were misrepresented through edited clips. He reiterated that he never intended to offend anyone, particularly women, and said his upbringing and family values would never allow such conduct.

Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, best known for his performances in Ghajini, Lagaan and the television epic Mahabharat, died on Tuesday evening while undergoing treatment for cancer. He was 74.

Rawat breathed his last at around 6 pm. He had initially been admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai before being shifted to a cancer hospital in Bhiwandi around 10 days ago for further treatment. He is survived by his wife and son, Vikramaditya.

Yashpal Sharma pays tribute

Actor Yashpal Sharma paid tribute to Pradeep Rawat through a post on his Instagram handle following the veteran actor’s demise.

Career spanning more than three decades

Pradeep Rawat built a successful acting career across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam cinema over more than three decades.

He gained widespread recognition for portraying the ruthless antagonist in the 2005 Tamil film Ghajini. The performance earned him the opportunity to reprise the same role alongside Aamir Khan in the Hindi remake released in 2008.

Before Ghajini, Rawat had shared screen space with Aamir Khan in the 2001 film Lagaan.

Many television viewers also remember him for portraying Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya, in BR Chopra’s iconic television series Mahabharat. Although he made his film debut with Meri Jung in 1985, the television role brought him widespread recognition.

Memorable performances across languages

Throughout his career, Rawat appeared in several notable films, including Sarfarosh, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Stalin, Veeram, 1: Nenokkadine, Loukyam, Nenu Sailaja, Sarrainodu, Nene Raju Nene Mantri, Aayirathil Iruvar, Market Raja MBBS and Miss Match.

A significant milestone came with SS Rajamouli’s Sye (2004), which marked his debut in Telugu cinema.