BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has alleged that his convoy was attacked in Punjab while he was travelling towards Pathankot to attend a party event.

According to Bittu, the incident took place near the Batala-Gurdaspur highway, where a group of people allegedly threw eggs, tomatoes and other objects at his convoy.

The incident occurred as Bittu was travelling to Pathankot for an anti-drug campaign being launched by BJP president Nitin Nabin.

What happened to Ravneet Bittu’s convoy?

Bittu’s convoy, comprising around eight to nine vehicles, came under attack near the Batala-Gurdaspur highway, according to his account.

He alleged that protesters threw eggs, tomatoes and other objects at the vehicles. Bittu further claimed that the windows of two escort vehicles were broken and that a jammer vehicle was also damaged.

The protesters also reportedly blocked the road, making it difficult for the convoy to continue towards Pathankot.

The incident took place near an area where the ‘Babe da viyah’ festival was being celebrated.

Three protesters reportedly caught

Bittu’s office said his security team caught three people who were allegedly involved in the incident.

His office further alleged that the three were linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). However, the allegation was denied by the AAP.

AAP leader Joban Randhawa said the party’s workers were protesting peacefully and alleged that Bittu’s supporters had targeted them.

The competing claims have not been independently established in the report.

What did Ravneet Singh Bittu say?

Bittu said he had informed the Union Home Ministry about the incident. He also held Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the state’s Director General of Police responsible for his safety in the event of any harm to him or people associated with him.

His office called for an investigation into the incident and raised concerns about the safety of political leaders and workers.

Why was Bittu travelling to Pathankot?

Ravneet Singh Bittu was travelling to Pathankot to attend the BJP’s anti-drug campaign event. BJP president Nitin Nabin was scheduled to launch the campaign in Pathankot.

The incident occurred amid preparations for the BJP’s political activities in Punjab ahead of the state’s next Assembly election.

Who is Ravneet Singh Bittu?

Ravneet Singh Bittu is a BJP leader and former Union minister. He served as Minister of State for Railways and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries before resigning from the Union Council of Ministers in July 2026.

His tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP had ended in June 2026.

Apple’s latest Pro iPhones have officially gone on sale in India, with customers turning up early at Apple stores to get their hands on the new devices.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on September 18, with long queues reported at Apple stores in cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida. Some buyers arrived several hours before stores opened, hoping to be among the first customers to collect the new iPhones.

The launch-day rush comes despite the higher starting prices of Apple’s latest Pro models. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900.

Buyers arrive early for iPhone 18 Pro sale

Customers gathered outside Apple stores well before the start of sales. In Bengaluru, one buyer said he reached the store at around 5 am and described the annual iPhone launch as a festival.

In Noida, a customer who travelled from Punjab said he had been waiting since 6 am to buy the new iPhone. As per the report he purchased three iPhone 18 Pro Max devices.

The first-day demand was not limited to customers who were upgrading from older iPhones. Buyers also travelled from other cities to collect their pre-booked devices.

iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max price in India

The iPhone 18 Pro is available in four storage configurations in India.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900 for the 256GB model. The 512GB version costs Rs 2,04,900, while the 1TB and 2TB versions are priced at Rs 2,54,900 and Rs 3,29,900, respectively.

What is new in the iPhone 18 Pro?

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max feature a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture and new Pro camera controls.

The phones are powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip and feature a new vapour chamber aimed at supporting performance, AI capabilities and battery life. The latest Pro models are available in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish.

Apple also launches its first foldable iPhone

Apple’s new lineup also includes the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable iPhone.

The foldable device has a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display and a 5.4-inch outer display. Apple says it is its thinnest iPhone when fully opened.

In India, pre-orders for the iPhone Duo are scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm IST on October 16, while sales are set to start on October 23. The device starts at Rs 2,99,900.

Why are buyers queuing for the iPhone 18 Pro?

Several buyers interviewed during the launch said they arrived early because they wanted to be among the first customers to receive the new iPhones.

Several buyers interviewed during the launch said they had arrived early because they wanted to be among the first customers to receive the new model. One Bengaluru buyer, who said he has purchased iPhones since the iPhone 7, described the annual launch as a festival.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Election Commission after it froze the Trinamool Congress’ election symbol ahead of the upcoming West Bengal bypolls.

Rahul Gandhi accused the poll panel of “colluding” with the BJP and linked the development to his broader allegations concerning “vote chori”. The remarks came a day after the Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress’ “flower” symbol amid competing claims from two factions of the party.

The two factions are led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on one side and a group involving Ritabrata Banerjee and others on the other. Neither faction can use the party’s existing symbol for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls scheduled for October 6.

What Rahul Gandhi said

Rahul Gandhi drew parallels with earlier disputes involving the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party while alleging a similar pattern in the Trinamool Congress case.

He alleged that the BJP and Election Commission work together to split political parties and take away their election symbols.

Gandhi also said the Election Commission’s constitutional responsibility was to protect the people’s mandate. He accused the poll panel of instead helping forces that, according to him, overturn electoral verdicts.

Backing Mamata Banerjee, Gandhi said the issue was not only her fight but also concerned political parties and voters seeking free and fair elections. He also connected the TMC dispute with his repeated allegations of “vote chori”.

Why the Election Commission froze the TMC symbol

The Election Commission’s interim action followed competing claims over control of the recognised political party.

According to the poll panel, a substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968, is required to decide which group represents the recognised party. The interim arrangement will remain in place until that determination.

Both groups were asked to submit three preferred party names and three free symbols by 11 am on September 18 for the upcoming bypolls.

The Election Commission’s proceedings involve rival claims over the party’s organisational control, name and election symbol. The dispute emerged after the Trinamool Congress split following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly election in May, according to the report.

Reference to Shiv Sena and NCP disputes

Rahul Gandhi also referred to earlier disputes involving the Shiv Sena and NCP, where rival factions had contested control over the parties and their election symbols.

In those cases, the factions led by Eknath Shinde and the late Ajit Pawar received the respective party names and symbols, while the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions continued with new party names and symbols.