The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that an oil tanker carrying Indian crew was drifting with its engine switched off near the Strait of Hormuz before it was struck by US forces.

A CENTCOM spokesperson said the vessel had stopped due to engine failure and was drifting after its crew repeatedly sought additional time to carry out repairs. US officials said the tanker was struck only after it failed to comply with directives issued by US forces enforcing a blockade on vessels allegedly transporting Iranian oil. The military said the strike was aimed at disabling the ship by targeting its engine room rather than sinking it.

The incident involved a tanker carrying Indian seafarers near the Gulf of Oman, close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes. The strike triggered a fire onboard, prompting rescue efforts by Omani authorities and maritime agencies. Indian authorities closely monitored the situation and coordinated with local officials regarding the welfare of the crew members.

The incident has drawn concern in India, with the government emphasising the safety of Indian nationals working aboard commercial vessels in the conflict-hit region. The Ministry of External Affairs has remained in touch with the authorities concerned as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to pose risks to international shipping.

In June, three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on another oil tanker. The Strait of Hormuz handles a significant share of the word’s oil trade, and the latest incident has renewed concerns over the security of merchant vessels operating in the region. Maritime experts have warned that escalating hostilities could further disrupt commercial shipping and endanger civilian crews navigating one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

Mumbai’s drinking water reserves witnessed a significant increase after continuous rainfall over the past two days, with the combined storage of the city’s seven reservoirs reaching 61.9% of their total capacity on Wednesday.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the reservoirs received an additional nearly 60,000 million litres of water in the last 24 hours, taking the total storage to 8,95,907 million litres.

Seven reservoirs receive strong inflows

Mumbai depends on seven lakes—Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Vihar and Tulsi—for its drinking water supply. These reservoirs are located across Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Nashik districts and largely rely on monsoon rainfall.

After water levels had dropped below 6% earlier this season, storage gradually recovered to around 50% in early July before inflows slowed as rainfall weakened. A fresh spell of monsoon showers this week has once again accelerated the replenishment of the reservoirs.

During the corresponding period last year, the combined water stock stood at more than 85.32% of total capacity.

Vihar and Tulsi remain full, Tansa nears overflow

Among the seven reservoirs, Vihar and Tulsi continued to remain at 100% capacity.

Tansa reached 97.96% of its storage capacity, making it one of the reservoirs closest to overflowing if rainfall continues. Modak Sagar was more than 90% full, while Bhatsa, the city’s largest source of drinking water, stood at 57.27% capacity.

Meanwhile, Middle Vaitarna recorded 53% storage, while Upper Vaitarna remained at 39% capacity.

BMC data also showed that the catchment areas received between 70 mm and 224 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours, supporting further inflows into the reservoirs.

IMD issues rain alerts for Mumbai and nearby districts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai until Thursday, forecasting heavy rainfall at isolated locations along with strong winds.

The weather department said the city is likely to witness a generally cloudy sky with moderate to heavy rainfall at a few places across Mumbai and its suburbs over the next 48 hours. Gusty winds reaching 50–60 kmph are also expected during this period.

The IMD has also issued an orange alert for Thane and Palghar, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places. Nashik remains under a yellow alert until Thursday due to the possibility of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

With the monsoon remaining active over the reservoir catchment areas, officials expect Mumbai’s water storage to continue improving in the coming days.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the protest held outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday, accusing the Opposition of using students for political purposes amid the controversy over the NEET paper leak and other examination-related issues.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several Congress leaders and workers staged the protest, raising concerns over the alleged NEET paper leak and other examination leaks. The demonstration also highlighted the alleged police action against students who participated in a march to Parliament organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) a day earlier.

The protest continued until the evening before police detained Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders. They were later released the same night.

Pradhan says Parliament discussion was offered

Responding to the protest, Mr Pradhan alleged that the Congress was attempting to create disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament by turning students into political tools. He also claimed the demonstration violated security protocols and caused inconvenience to the public.

The minister referred to remarks made by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who had earlier said he spoke with Rahul Gandhi during the protest. According to Mr Singh, the Centre agreed to hold a discussion in Parliament on the paper leak issue, but Rahul Gandhi later added another demand after that assurance.

Mr Pradhan said the government had already expressed its willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on the issue in Parliament, but alleged that the Congress preferred political confrontation over democratic debate.

Centre reiterates commitment to students

The Education Minister said the government remains committed to discussing the NEET controversy and addressing the concerns of students and young people through Parliament.

In a post on X, Mr Pradhan said students deserve certainty, solutions and accountability rather than political confrontation. He added that the Centre remains committed to delivering reforms and answering students’ concerns while working to strengthen the examination system.