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Nitin Gadkari to review Delhi-Mumbai Expressway after fatal Dausa accident

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is inspecting the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to review safety measures and construction work following the fatal July 1 accident in Rajasthan’s Dausa district.

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Nitin Gadkari

The Centre has stepped up its focus on road safety along the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway as Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari undertakes a road inspection of the corridor just days after a fatal accident in Rajasthan’s Dausa district left eight people dead and 28 others injured.

According to officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the minister is travelling by road from Delhi towards Kota and Ratlam via the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. During the journey, he is expected to inspect various stretches of the highway and review ongoing infrastructure projects.

Inspection to cover safety, maintenance and construction

Officials said Gadkari is likely to pass through Dausa at around 2 pm and may visit the location where the July 1 accident occurred.

The inspection is expected to include a review of road maintenance, safety infrastructure, ongoing construction work and facilities at the Dara Tunnel in the Mukundara Hills near Kota. The visit will also cover sections of the expressway located in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Preparations have been intensified ahead of the minister’s visit, with NHAI and other departments reviewing safety arrangements and facilities along the route.

After crossing Dausa, Gadkari is scheduled to reach the Mukundra Tunnel project near Kota around 5:30 pm, where he will assess construction progress and hold a review meeting with officials.

Deadly July 1 accident renewed focus on highway safety

The minister’s visit comes after a devastating accident on July 1 involving a bus travelling from Haridwar to Indore.

The bus reportedly collided with the rear of a trailer truck near Dhanawda village at Zero Point under Kolwa Police Station in Rajasthan’s Dausa district before plunging into a roadside gorge and catching fire. Eight people lost their lives while 28 others sustained serious injuries.

Data from authorities shows that the Dausa stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has witnessed a significant number of fatal accidents. In 2025, 33 road accidents claimed 35 lives, while 24 accidents recorded till the end of June 2026 resulted in 26 deaths.

Preliminary findings point to signage issues

Initial findings indicate that inadequate road signage may have contributed to the July 1 crash.

Officials believe the trailer truck involved in the accident was supposed to exit towards the Jaipur-Ajmer route but missed the turn at Zero Point because the exit was not clearly marked. After slowing down, it was struck from behind by the bus.

Sources familiar with the matter said drivers approaching from Delhi frequently face confusion while taking the Jaipur 4C Link Expressway due to the absence of clear directional arrows or signboards at Zero Point. Although signboards are placed around two kilometres before the exit, the arrows are reportedly too small to be easily noticed at highway speeds.

Authorities have also identified similar concerns at other locations on the expressway, including insufficient directional guidance for motorists travelling towards Jaipur via Dausa or Kanota.

Committee examining safety shortcomings

Following the accident, the Dausa district administration constituted an inquiry committee to examine safety issues along the affected stretch of the expressway.

On the directions of District Collector Soumya Jha, the District Road Safety Task Force conducted a review of road safety measures.

Committee member Vishnu Sharma said an eight-member inquiry panel headed by the Additional District Collector will inspect Packages 6, 7 and 8 between chainage 150 km and 240 km on July 8 and 9.

The preliminary inspection reportedly found several shortcomings, including non-functional SOS phones, unclear direction signs, and deficiencies in monitoring speeding vehicles and enforcing speed limits. The committee also observed that inadequate signboards at Zero Point could be increasing the risk of accidents.

Meanwhile, temporary encroachments along the expressway between Alwar and Dausa have been removed as part of safety measures. Officials have said the exact cause of the July 1 accident will be determined after the investigation is completed.

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Delhi court orders release of CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke

A Delhi court on Saturday ordered the conditional release of Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, who was detained and subsequently arrested ahead of a planned protest march at Connaught Place.

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Abhijit Dipke

A Delhi court on Saturday ordered the conditional release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, a day after he was detained and subsequently arrested ahead of a planned protest march in the national capital. The march was scheduled to take place at Connaught Place as part of demonstrations against alleged electoral irregularities.

Dipke was asked to furnish a bond and undertake to maintain peace as a condition of his release, according to reports. The court’s order came after he was produced before a Special Executive Magistrate following his arrest on Friday.

Why Abhijeet Dipke was detained

Dipke had planned to participate in the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place, where participants intended to gather and wave the national flag. The proposed demonstration was part of ongoing protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

According to the Delhi Police, Dipke was taken into preventive custody before being formally arrested in a case related to the apprehension of a breach of peace. Police cited Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Neha Bora was also detained

All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was also detained on Friday ahead of the planned march. She was released early Saturday morning after completing the formalities associated with her detention, according to the report.

Bora criticised the police action and called for the release of protesters who remained in custody. She also demanded an end to the SIR exercise and sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. These were her demands and allegations, rather than findings established by the court.

Protests over electoral rolls continue

The demonstrations involving CJP, student groups and opposition supporters have centred on allegations of irregularities in the voter-list revision process. Critics have questioned the exercise, while the Election Commission has maintained that its decisions were approved by the Supreme Court. The BJP has criticised the protests, describing them as attempts to spread anarchy, according to the report.

Dipke’s conditional release marks the latest development in the dispute over the planned Delhi protest. The court’s order concerns his release under specified conditions; it should not be interpreted as a judicial finding on the wider allegations surrounding the electoral-roll revision.

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Anirudh Ravichander to marry Kavya Maran in November, reception on November 21

Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran are set to marry in November, with their Chennai wedding reception scheduled for November 21.

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Music composer Anirudh Ravichander and Sunrisers Hyderabad executive Kavya Maran are set to marry in November. Their wedding reception is scheduled to take place in Chennai on November 21, according to an announcement by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s office.

The development followed a meeting between Revanth Reddy and Kavya’s parents, Sun Group chairman Kalanithi Maran and Kavery Maran, at the chief minister’s residence in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.

According to the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office, the couple’s reception is scheduled for November 21, with Kavya’s parents extending an invitation to the chief minister.

Telangana CM’s office announces reception date

The Telangana CMO shared photographs and videos of the meeting on its official social media account on October 16. The announcement stated that Kalanithi Maran and his wife had met Revanth Reddy to invite him to their daughter’s wedding reception.

The post specifically confirmed that the reception of Kavya Maran and Anirudh Ravichander would be held in Chennai on November 21.

The announcement provided an official confirmation of the reception date and venue, while details about the wedding ceremony itself have also been reported separately.

Who are Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran?

Anirudh Ravichander is a prominent music composer in the Indian film industry. He gained widespread recognition with the song “Why This Kolaveri Di” and has since composed music for several major films, including Leo, Indian 2, Vettaiyan, Vidaamuyarchi and Coolie.

Kavya Maran is the daughter of Kalanithi Maran, chairman of the Sun Group. She serves as an executive director at Sun TV Network and is widely recognised in cricket circles for her association with Sunrisers Hyderabad, the IPL franchise.

Wedding rumours and reported ceremony details

Speculation about a possible marriage between Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran had circulated before the latest announcement. Earlier reports in August 2026 discussed the possibility of a November wedding in Greece.

A subsequent report said the wedding was reportedly scheduled to take place in Greece on November 11. However, the couple had not directly confirmed their wedding plans in the cited report.

The Telangana Chief Minister’s Office has confirmed that the reception is scheduled for November 21 in Chennai. The reported wedding ceremony details should therefore be attributed to reports rather than presented as officially confirmed information.

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ED summons Pinarayi Vijayan in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning in a money-laundering investigation linked to alleged payments by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd to his daughter’s company, Exalogic Solutions.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). Officials said he has been asked to appear before the agency at its Kochi office on October 23.

The summons has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation concerns alleged payments by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct company associated with Vijayan’s daughter, Veena T.

The development comes after Kerala’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registered cases against Vijayan and members of his family in connection with the alleged bribery case.

What is the CMRL-Exalogic case?

The case centres on alleged payments made by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions under the guise of information technology consultancy services.

According to the ED, CMRL allegedly made fraudulent payments of Rs. 2.78 crore to the company. The agency is examining the financial transactions as part of its money-laundering investigation. These remain allegations and should not be treated as established criminal wrongdoing.

The matter came before the Kerala High Court, which on October 9 directed the VACB to register a case based on material submitted by the ED. The state agency subsequently registered cases involving Vijayan and his family members.

Pinarayi Vijayan challenges FIR order

Vijayan approached the Supreme Court on October 16, challenging the Kerala High Court order directing the registration of an FIR against him.

The legal challenge followed developments in the state courts concerning the alleged CMRL-Exalogic transactions. The ED’s summons is a separate step in its investigation under the anti-money-laundering law.

The case involves allegations of financial irregularities linked to payments to Exalogic Solutions. The investigation and legal proceedings are ongoing; the summons itself does not establish guilt.

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