The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Tuesday said it has taken suo moto action against five restaurants — Makhna Deli, Xero Courtyard, Castle Barbeque, Chaayos and Fiesta by Barbeque Nation — for failing to refund mandatory service charges despite judgment held by the Delhi High Court.

The regulator has served notices to the five restaurants in the national capital under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, directing the restaurants to refund the service charge amounts.

“This measure is aimed at reducing the undue pressure on Consumers to pay additional amount at the time of availing services at any Restaurant as no Hotel or Restaurant shall force a consumer to pay Service Charge or Service Charge shall not be collected from consumers by any other name,” said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

In 2022, CCPA issued guidelines to curb unfair trade practices and protect consumer interests regarding service charges in hotels and restaurants.

The heatwave gripping parts of Rajasthan is expected to intensify over the next few days, the Meteorological Department has warned. With the impact of the recent western disturbances having dissipated, the heatwave conditions are set to intensify across many districts in the state, officials said.

The Meteorological Centre has issued warnings about the upcoming heatwave, particularly for the Jodhpur division and parts of western Rajasthan.

Additionally, hot nights are expected on April 28 and April 29.

Meanwhile, Barmer in Rajasthan recorded the highest maximum temperature, which was 46.1 degrees Celsius, four degrees higher than the normal one. A heatwave was recorded in the Jodhpur division, while dry weather conditions continued across the rest of Rajasthan, said Met officials.

However, the minimum temperature was recorded at 19.9 degrees Celsius in Sangaria (Hanumangarh).

The Meteorological Centre in Patna has issued orange and yellow alerts for rain, thunderstorms, and lightning across 36 districts of Bihar over the next two days.

The weather has taken a sudden turn amid the heatwave gripping the state since Sunday.

Strong winds, with speeds ranging between 50 and 60 km per hour, are expected during this period, according to the Met department.

Citizens have been advised to stay indoors and exercise caution during adverse weather conditions.

On Sunday night, two people were killed in Patna and Hajipur due to lightning strikes, while five others sustained injuries amid strong winds and rain in Patna, Hajipur, and Bagaha. The injured have been admitted to local hospitals.

In a tragic incident, at least five villagers lost their lives and three others were seriously injured when a mound of soil collapsed while they were digging in a pond at Tikar Deeh village in the Kokhraj police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district on Monday, officials said.

According to Brajesh Kumar Srivastava, Public Relations Officer of the Superintendent of Police, eight villagers had gone to the pond to dig soil for whitewashing their homes. While they were at work, a large mound of soil suddenly gave way, burying all of them under the debris.

Upon receiving information, police teams rushed to the spot and, with the help of local residents, managed to pull all eight people out.

They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. However, five of them were declared dead on arrival, while the three injured are currently undergoing treatment. Their condition is stated to be serious.

In a sweeping crackdown, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has taken major action against illegal encroachments in the districts near the India-Nepal border, demolishing hundreds of unauthorised structures, including unrecognised religious institutions.

The large-scale drive, which aimed to free valuable government land from unlawful occupation, was carried out in border districts such as Bahraich, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, Maharajganj, and Balrampur.

The special anti-encroachment operation, conducted between April 25 and April 27, targeted areas within a 10 to 15-kilometre radius of the Nepal border. These regions had long seen the proliferation of illegal structures on public land, some of which included unregistered religious sites.

Authorities said the move is part of a broader push to secure sensitive border areas and restore public property.

An atmosphere of fear looms large over the border villages of Gurdaspur, Punjab, where security officials are making regular announcements urging people to stay alert and avoid moving too close to the border with Pakistan.

Pakistan's repeated attempts to facilitate cross-border terrorism in India have heightened tensions between the two nations, leaving people living in border areas deeply worried about what lies ahead if war breaks out.

Fearing for their lives and livelihoods, the residents of Gurdaspur stressed that a war would only lead to the loss of countless innocent lives. While condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, people in Gurdaspur expressed growing unease over the current war-like situation between the two countries.

Under the joint directive of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and security agencies, Noida International Airport (Jewar) and its surrounding areas have been declared a 'Red Zone.' Flying drones or any type of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in this area has now been completely prohibited.

The move aims to enhance airport security and ensure vigilant monitoring of the airspace.

Officials have warned that operating drones in this restricted area without prior permission will be treated as a serious offense under the Airports Authority of India Act, 1934, and UAV operation regulations.

They said strict legal action would be taken against any individual, organisation, or group found violating these orders.

A soldier sustained injuries when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded, striking his leg during an intense operation against Maoists on the Karregutta Hills area of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh.

The explosion caused significant damage, but his fellow soldiers acted swiftly, evacuating him from the danger zone and transporting him to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp for immediate medical attention, police officials said.

This region has become a battleground, with security forces and Maoists locked in a fierce encounter at Karregetta hills on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

Six Maoists were reportedly killed in the ongoing intermittent firing. Among them, the police have recovered the bodies of three female Maoists, along with a significant cache of weapons.

A devastating explosion ripped through an illegal firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Deoband area in Saharanpur on Saturday morning, killing several people and leaving many buried under the debris. According to local reports, nine workers were inside the factory when the blast occurred. The impact of the explosion was so intense that body parts were flung as far as 200 metres from the site.

Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes, with half of a person’s body discovered far from the site and a severed palm found 150 metres away.

Rescue operations are currently underway as police teams have cordoned off the area. The factory, which was operating illegally on a one-bigha plot near National Highway-59, was completely flattened in the explosion.

Local residents, shocked by the incident, rushed to the site and were seen grieving and protesting.

Grief-stricken family members of the victims arrived at the scene and many of them were inconsolable. The explosion triggered widespread anger among the villagers, leading to a blockade on the highway and heated arguments with police personnel.

At least 12 people, including four cops, were injured in a violent scuffle between police and villagers in Dhankhora police station limits of Bihar's Katihar district on Saturday.

The incident occurred after police arrested a known liquor smuggler, Suraj Kumar from his native village Raipur, and detained him at the Dhankhora police station. Following his arrest, around 100 villagers stormed the police station, demanding his immediate release.

As the situation turned tense, villagers allegedly resorted to vandalism and attacked police personnel. In response, police took self-defence measures by firing at least six rounds in the air to control the crowd.

Despite this, four policemen sustained injuries in the confrontation. Villagers alleged that the police were harassing them unnecessarily, which fuelled their anger.

The Karnataka Police, on Saturday, shot two accused persons involved in an ATM robbery case in the leg in Kalaburagi district.

Kalaburagi Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa has told the media that the police opened fire in self-defence when the accused attempted to attack them with sharp weapons.

The accused who were shot in the leg have been identified as Tasleem and Sharif.

Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj and Constables Raju, Manjunath, and Firoz were also injured in the incident.

The injured accused and policemen were shifted to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and are currently undergoing treatment, the Police Commissioner said.

Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, which was effectively retaliated by the Indian Army.

"On the night of April 25-26, unprovoked small arms firing was carried out by multiple Pakistan Army posts all across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

"Own troops responded to the ceasefire violations appropriately with small arms. No casualties have been reported," the Defence Ministry spokesman said.

The Pakistan Army also resorted to small arms firing at some places along the LoC on April 24. The same was effectively retaliated.

Tensions mounted between the two countries after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists sponsored and aided by Pakistan killed 26 innocent civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, on April 22 in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

Following the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Pahalgam area in which 26 people were killed and scores were injured, Rajasthan authorities have initiated the process of identifying and sending back Pakistani citizens currently residing in the state.

This action comes after clear directives to this effect from the Central government.

It has been reported that over 400 Pakistani nationals are staying in Rajasthan.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed Chief Ministers across the country to take immediate action in this regard, with specific emphasis on Rajasthan to ensure the return of all Pakistani citizens present within its borders via the Attari border, which remains open for their return.

In response to these directives, the Rajasthan Intelligence Department and the state police have been actively working to identify individuals who arrived from Pakistan on various visas.

Houses of three active terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were demolished in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts, officials said on Saturday.

Officials said that the house of the terrorist, Ehsan-ul-Haq Sheikh, was destroyed in Muran village of the Pulwama district late Friday evening.

In Kulgam district, in a similar action, the house of terrorist Zakir Ahmad Ganie was demolished in Matalhama village. He has been an active terrorist since 2003.

In the Shopian district, the house of terrorist Shahid Ahmad Kutay was also demolished in Chotipora village. He has been an active terrorist since 2002.

On Friday, the houses of two terrorists, Asif Ahmad Sheikh Tral and Adil Thoker Bijbhera, were demolished after their involvement in the Pahalgam attack surfaced.

Tension continued to prevail outside the historic Jama Masjid in Johari Bazaar, Jaipur, following a dispute over the placement of posters.

The incident late Friday night led to a large gathering at Badi Chaupad, with people from a particular group raising slogans.

Prompt intervention by the Jaipur Commissionerate Police helped to pacify the immediate situation.

The incident occurred against the backdrop of nationwide condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

According to officials, the tension started when Hawamahal MLA Balmukundacharya allegedly pasted posters outside the Jama Masjid and in surrounding areas -- the footpath near Badi Chaupad, Ramganj market, and public toilets.

A statewide bandh in Rajasthan on Friday to protest against the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir evoked good response.

Protests erupted at various locations in the state, with demonstrators raising strong anti-Pakistan slogans.

In response to the terror attack that claimed 26 lives, Hindu organisations and several community groups have called for a statewide bandh (shutdown), which got widespread support across multiple districts.

Markets remained completely closed in Sikar and Kota, where the bandh call saw strong participation.

In Kota, members of Hindu organisations reportedly pressured some offices to shut down.

The houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, Adil Hussain Thoker and Asif Sheikh, who were behind the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were brutally killed, were destroyed in separate blasts in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The blast happened on Thursday night, said sources, adding that some explosives were kept inside their houses, which went off.

Thoker, a native of Anantnag district, is one of the key accused in the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. He had reportedly travelled to Pakistan in 2018, where he received terror training before returning to Jammu and Kashmir last year. Police believe he has been acting as a local guide for the Pakistani terrorists.

Sheikh, a resident of Pulwama, is suspected to be involved in the attack.

Police on Thursday released sketches of Thoker and two other terrorists said to be involved in the Pahalgam attack.

Internet services have been suspended in Gangdhar, Bhawanimandi, and Pidawa areas of Jhalawar district in Rajasthan until midnight on Friday following violence that erupted after the murder of a videographer during a wedding ceremony.

While the situation is currently under control, heavy police deployment continues. The incident occurred in Dag town, where Shambhu Singh, a videographer from Lasudiya who had come to attend a wedding, was shot dead late Thursday night by unidentified assailants in a car.

The murder triggered chaos in the area, with an enraged crowd setting several shops and kiosks ablaze.

In the ensuing violence, Raipur Police Station Officer Banna Lal sustained a serious head injury from stone pelting and was later referred to Jhalawar for treatment.

More than 1,000 tourists have been stranded in various locations in North Sikkim due to continuous heavy rainfall and landslides.

Police sources have informed that around 200 tourist vehicles are currently stuck at Chungthang Gurudwara and the ITBP camp, while approximately 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachung.

Landslides have occurred at Munshithang on Lachen Chungthang road, previously affected by Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, as well as in Lema and Bob on Lachung Chungthang road, on the other side of Chungthang.

Roads till Chungthang are open, but due to heavy rain, the accessibility has been hampered in the night hours, as per information received from the Mangan District Superintendent of Police, Sonam Dechu Bhutia.

Two days after Malayalam actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi were summoned, the Kerala Excise Department on Friday issued summons to three more people asking them to appear for questioning.

The move follows the arrest of Tasleem Sultana and one of her accomplices from a resort near Alappuzha on April 1, after a tip-off.

The operation resulted in the seizure of hybrid ganja worth approximately Rs 2 crore in the open market.

Later, the Excise officials arrested one more person who is closely associated with Sultana.

At least five people died in a major industrial fire at the Rajgarhia Rice Mill located in the Dargah area of Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh on Friday, officials said. Three others are injured and undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. Their condition is critical.

According to reports, the fire started in the upper section of the rice mill around dawn, triggering chaos among the workers present.

In an attempt to control the blaze, eight workers rushed to extinguish the fire but were quickly surrounded by the dense, toxic smoke filling the facility. Tragically, five of them lost their lives after suffocating inside the mill.

In a strong display of solidarity and national mourning, trade unions and market associations across Delhi have called for a one-day bandh on Friday, to honour the victims killed in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which is spearheading the initiative, announced that over 900 markets in the national capital will remain closed.

According to reports, the shutdown is being voluntarily observed by the trading community and is not intended as a protest but rather as a symbolic tribute.

CAIT Secretary General and BJP member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal stated, “This bandh is not a form of protest but a national tribute. We stand with the families of the victims and the government in this moment of grief. All traders are urged to participate voluntarily and ensure the bandh is observed peacefully.”

Two Gujarat towns - Idar and Vadali - observed a spontaneous shutdown on Thursday to protest against the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people.

The attack, marked by indiscriminate firing, has left local communities shaken and furious.

In Vadali, residents took to the streets, chanting slogans like 'Pakistan Murdabad', demanding strict action against terrorism and those behind the brutal assault.

"Emotional reactions pouring in from all corners. In Sabarkantha, people expressed deep anguish, staging demonstrations and urging the government to take decisive action against terrorist elements. The incident has reignited debates around security policies and counter-terrorism measures," sources shared.

The final rites of 33-year-old Neeraj Udhwani, who was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, were performed on Thursday at Mokshadham crematorium in Jaipur.

His elder brother, Kishore Udhwani, lit the funeral pyre, surrounded by grieving family members, friends, and a heavy police presence.

It was heart-wrenching to see Neeraj’s wife, Ayushi, who stood near his body with folded hands, unable to hold back her tears. Despite repeated attempts by family members to console her, she remained inconsolable with grief.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma visited Neeraj’s residence at Forest View Apartment in Model Town (Malviya Nagar) to pay his respects. The CM met Neeraj’s mother, Jyoti, who broke down upon seeing him.

In a significant crackdown against Maoist insurgents, security forces in Chhattisgarh have launched a major operation in the Karregatta hills of Bijapur district. The operation has already resulted in the deaths of three Maoists, with their bodies recovered by the police.

The officials have reported the presence of a large number of Maoists in the area, which has been surrounded by the forces.

The encounter, described as fierce and intense, continues to unfold, with further details expected once the operation concludes.

Following intelligence inputs, this joint operation has been going on since Monday, involving the police forces of Telangana and Chhattisgarh, and is the largest of its kind to date along the border of the two states.

One soldier was killed on Thursday in a gunfight between the security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.

The Army said that based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched on Thursday in Basantgarh, Udhampur.

“Contact was established, and a fierce firefight ensued. One of our Brave hearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite the best medical efforts. Operations are going on,” said officials here.

Further details of the soldier were awaited.

Another encounter broke out on Wednesday in the Kulgam district between the security forces and the terrorists, and was continuing. The operation against the terrorists started with the exchange of gunfire, but since Thursday morning, no exchange of gunfire has been reported.

 A module of the overground workers (OGWs) of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has been busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, said police on Thursday, adding that four have been arrested.

A police statement said, “Police received credible information that some OGW's affiliated with terrorist outfit LeT have hatched a criminal conspiracy on the directions of their handlers and are seeking a chance to attack Police /Security Forces and non-locals. Acting on this information, Bandipora Police launched a manhunt and special ‘Nakas’ were placed at different places in the district. Accordingly, a joint naka was established by Bandipora Police along with D-Coy 45 Bn (Battalion) CRPF and E-Coy of 13 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) at Kanipora Naidkhai Sumbal."

“During Naka checking, two persons identified as Mohammad Rafiq Khanday, son of Mohammad Afzal Khanday, resident of Khanday Mohalla Watalpira, Banyarai and Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, son of Mohammad Yousuf Dar, resident of Bunpora Mohalla S.K Bala, were apprehended," the statement mentioned.

As a precautionary measure following the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam, the authorities have directed the government employees engaged under the PM’s rehab package to work from home till April 27 in Kashmir

Orders issued initially by the district education officer, Baramulla, were later circulated by officials in other districts of the Valley asking PM package employees to work from home till April 27 and not attend their places of posting.

PM’s rehab package was announced by the erstwhile UPA government at the Centre for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to abandon their homes under threats from the terrorists in the 1990s.

Security forces on Wednesday released a photograph and sketches of terrorists suspected to be responsible for the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed and several others were injured on Tuesday.

Three terrorists suspected to have carried out the dastardly attack have been identified as Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha.

The attackers, believed to be members of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam area, 6 kms away from Pahalgam town.

Security forces said at least five to six terrorists, wearing camouflage outfits and kurta pyjamas, came to Baisaran meadow from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran meadow and opened fire with AK-47 rifles.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday advised commercial airlines such as IndiGo and Air India to increase the number of flights to meet the surge in demand from tourists stranded in Srinagar in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

The airlines have been urged to facilitate the return of the tourists to their home destinations across the country and not to charge cancellation or rescheduling charges for the flights.

The advisory issued by the DGCA said: "In the aftermath of the incident in Pahalgam, there is an unexpected demand from tourists seeking to return to their homes. In this regard, the airlines are advised to take swift action to increase the number of flights in response to the heightened demand and also to ensure uninterrupted connectivity from Srinagar to various destinations across India, facilitating evacuation of stranded tourists."

"The airlines are also requested to consider waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and provide all necessary assistance to tourists facing unexpected circumstances and challenges during this difficult time," the advisory said.

Two terrorists were killed on Wednesday as the Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Baramulla district.

The Indian Army confirmed the operation’s success in intercepting the infiltrators, with the Chinar Corps posting on X: “On April 23, 2025, approximately 2-3 terrorists attempted to infiltrate through the general area of Sarjeevan at Uri Nala, Baramulla. Alert troops on the Line of Control (LC) challenged and intercepted them, leading to a firefight. The operation is still underway.”

A Defence Ministry statement said earlier that an exchange of fire took place between the terrorists and the Army when an infiltration bid was foiled after terrorists were engaged by the Army in a firefight near the Uri Nala area of Baramulla district.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the terror attack site in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley on Wednesday, where the terrorists unleashed mayhem a day ago, gunning down several tourists and injuring many others.

The Home Minister arrived at ground zero in an Army helicopter and took first-hand account information from the security officials, about the ghastly attacks that claimed over a dozen innocent lives.

The tourists were targeted, segregated on basis of religion and then brutally murdered by the terrorists in South Kashmir’s ‘mini Switzerland’ on Tuesday.

Before going to Baisaran, HM Shah went to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Anantnag where he met the injured tourists and enquired about the medical facilities there to aid in their speedy recovery.

Three people, including a man-son duo, from Gujarat have been killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

The deceased were identified as Sumit Parmar and his son Yatish Parmar from Bhavnagar, and Shailesh Kalathiya from Surat.

Two people from the state were injured in the attack.

The injured have been identified as Dabhi Vinod and Vijay.

The massacre unfolded around 3 p.m. in Baisaran, a scenic meadow often likened to "mini Switzerland".

US Vice President J.D. Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha Vance and their three children -- Ivan, Vivek, and Mirabel -- arrived in Agra on Wednesday as part of his ongoing India visit and received a warm welcome from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Immediately after landing in Agra, the Vance family made their way to the iconic Taj Mahal.

CM Yogi, sharing pictures from the visit on X, posted, "A warm welcome to Hon'ble US Vice President J.D. Vance and his family to Uttar Pradesh, the sacred heartland of India, renowned for its timeless devotion, vibrant culture, and spiritual legacy."

Security arrangements in Agra were heightened ahead of the high-profile visit, with personnel deployed along key routes and near tourist locations.

A retired banker from Visakhapatnam was among 16 tourists killed in the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

J. Chandramouli, a resident of Pandurangapuram in the coastal city, was on a trip with family members.

According to reports reaching here, Chanramouli tried to flee, but the terrorists chased and shot him dead.

He also reportedly pleaded with the assailants not to kill him, but they showed no mercy. Chandramouli died on the spot. His body was identified three hours after the incident.

On receipt of information, his relatives left for Pahalgam.