Mumbai: ​The top administrative brass of Pune—the Municipal Commissioner and the Police Commissioner—are likely to face unprecedented legal and regulatory action from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over their persistent failure to rein in illegal, deafening sound systems. With civic and police authorities displaying chronic inertia in enforcing mandatory sound limits during recent festivities, the statutory human rights watchdog is poised to hold both top officia

The incident lasts barely a minute. A woman is harassed in public. Heads turn, eyes notice, feet hesitate. Someone reaches for a phone; another walks away. “Don’t get involved,” someone mutters. The crowd becomes a wall of silent faces. Then it ends. She carries the memory home. The perpetrator disappears. The witnesses resume their lives. But did the crowd witness an injustice, or merely watch one? Citizen journalist Meera Vijayann’s own experiences, shared in her TED Talk,

AI generated image As we commemorate International Day Against Trafficking in Persons, let’s think about the many children who tend to get trafficked across borders. They are often lured by promises of education, employment or a better future. While public attention understandably focuses on rescue operations and criminal prosecutions yet by the time a child has disappeared, communities and institutions have already failed. If we are to be serious about ending child-trafficki

Five years after becoming a Union Territory, the Himalayan region is asking whether administrative control has come at the cost of representation, identity and ecological security. Ladakh’s protest movement represents a deeper debate over the balance between central authority and local agency in one of India’s most strategically important and ecologically fragile regions. At the centre of the agitation are four major demands: statehood for Ladakh, inclusion under the Sixth Sc

In a nation that celebrates its women as embodiments of strength and resilience—from goddesses in mythology to leaders in modern boardrooms, the persistent surge in crimes against them paints a damning picture of societal failure. The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2022-2024 reveals not just isolated incidents but a disturbing national trend that demands immediate introspection and action. As India strides toward economic superpower status, the safety of

From January 2025 to January 2026, sewage-contaminated piped water caused disease outbreaks in 26 cities across 22 states and union territories, sickening at least 5,500 people and killing 34. Sixteen state capitals were on that list. In Gandhinagar, Gujarat’s capital, more than 150 children were hospitalised with typhoid in a single week after contaminated water entered the supply. In Bengaluru, residents of an entire layout reported diarrhoea and stomach infections after se

Chennai responded to its water crisis with long-term investments, while Mumbai continues to rely primarily on reservoirs and seasonal rainfall. Every summer, Mumbai faces concerns over its water supply as reservoir levels decline and the city waits for the arrival of the monsoon. This year has been no different, with the city once again imposing water supply cuts. The move has reignited debate over Mumbai's long-term water security and its continued dependence on seasonal rai

Mumbai: For Sai More, an LIC agent, the Friday commute from his home in Century Bazar, Worli to work place in Churchgate, proved as an expensive affair. On a normal day, he spends Rs 12 on a BEST bus fare till Dadar station and then takes the local train to Churchgate. However, he had to shell out more money than his usual spending on the travel. Thanks to the strike by BEST Samyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 unions, pressing for its demands o

AI generated image Pune: Facing the prospect of a weak monsoon and rapidly dwindling water reserves, the Pune Municipal Corporation will begin imposing its proposed water cuts across the city, with residents set to receive water on alternate days from today. As part of the restrictions, vehicle washing centers and swimming pools across the city will be closed, while concerns are mounting over the impact the curbs could have on Pune’s booming construction sector. The move come

Mumbai: The residents of Raheja Complex in Madh Island, a plush colony, are in grief after the death of their beloved dog who is allegedly killed by yet unknown miscreants. They have approached the police to find out the ‘killer’. In an unprecedented scenario, a team of state forensic department visited the society on Wednesday to look for clues of the murder and the murderer. Mikey, an 11-year-old community dog was found dead and packed in a gunny bag. A housekeeping staff m

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently t

Missing children cannot be reduced to numbers — every statistic represents a child, a family, and a future at risk. The recently released National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2024 report should serve as a national wake-up call – one that disturbs every citizen, policymaker and institution in India. Behind the statistics lies a far graver reality: thousands of children disappearing from homes, schools, streets and communities, often into situations of trafficking, exploitation

From unpaid menstrual leave to clandestine hysterectomies, Beed district exposes the hidden violence of informal labour. Sugar is not as sweet as you think, especially if it is coming from Beed District in Maharashtra where hundreds of women workers in their reproductive age are not allowed paid menstrual leave. That is not the only inhuman practice invested in women. Based on 2026 reports, Beed district in Maharashtra is considered a major hub for sugarcane labour, sending a

Mumbai: The Supreme Court’s Tuesday order on the euthanasia for the dogs that are rabid or are aggressive and dangerous has evoked a mixed reactions from animal lovers in Mumbai. Pooja Sathe Gawande, a dog trainer, sees the order as a positive rule not just for the humans but also for the animal, who would otherwise go through a lot of pain. “The order is in the public interest for their health and safety. So the dogs that have rabies or are incurably ill, which means they ca

Representational image Now that the hype around Mother’s Day has come and gone by (wrapped in predictable imagery - flowers, gratitude posts, and carefully worded tributes) it is time to appreciate the role mothers especially those from underprivileged backgrounds playing in reshaping the future through education. This is not a symbolic contribution but a quiet revolution happening, unseen. Consider Prabhas’ mother. Her reality was unforgiving. She sells balloons at the busy

Mumbai: The Central Railway RPF managed to reunite 584 children and adults between January 1 to April 30. The RPF held three operations namely Operation Nanhe Faristey – Reuniting Lost Children with their Families and Operation Dignity – Protection & Care of Needy Vulnerable Adults. The RPF Central Railway rescued 499 children, comprising 331 boys and 168 girls, and reunited them with their families or handed them over to Child Welfare Committees/NGOs. The children were from

Mumbai: On Saturday, a group of people gathered to raise their voice against the destruction of 45,000 mangroves for the construction of the Mumbai Coastal Road. The peaceful protest saw hundreds of people of all ages and backgrounds participating on Carter Road in Bandra West. The protest was initially planned to form a human chain, but ended up becoming a musical event to spread awareness about the importance of mangroves. The co-founder of Save Mumbai Mangroves, Ketaki Yel

Mumbai’s grand transport infrastructure is undermined by potholes, Poor discipline and a last-mile gaps that keeps it crawling Mumbai: It is morning time, and Pawan Khandelwal is all set to leave for work. A creative lead at an ad agency in Malad, Mumbai, Khandelwal should take 12 to 15 minutes to reach the office, but that rarely happens because of the traffic, poor road quality and lack of civic sense among co-drivers on the road. He mostly ends up reaching the office in 30

India’s hidden crisis of abused boys has been sustained by stigma and toxic masculinity, resulting in victims being unheard and perpetrators going unchallenged. “Sexual Abuse” is a term which is both by direct implication and by suggestion, refers to the girl child. So, the idea of a little boy being sexually abused when he doesn't even understand the words “sexual” and “abuse” is not only never questioned by anyone in authority but not believed either. In some tragic cases,

In a society where vulnerable communities often struggle for dignity and opportunity, certain organisations stand out for their selfless dedication. The Homeopathic Academy of Research and Charities (HARC), based in Parbhani, is one such institution that has been consistently working to uplift the underprivileged, orphaned, and HIV-affected sections of society. Under the leadership of Dr Pawan Satyanarayan Chandak and Dr Asha Pawan Chandak, the organisation has carved a niche