India
Delhi Oxygen Cylinder Blast Kills One, Injures Four; Rail Traffic Disrupted in Jammu-Kathua Route
An oxygen cylinder explosion near a community hall in Okhla Phase-1, Delhi, killed one person and injured four others around 11 am on Tuesday, officials said. Three water tenders and a multi-casualty first responder vehicle rushed to the scene, and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital, according to PTI.
Separately, rail traffic on the Jammu-Kathua route was disrupted for several hours after a goods train wagon derailed at Chhan Arorian railway station in Kathua district around 9:30 am. Railway authorities cleared the wagon and resumed train movement by noon. No damage to railway property was reported.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear several significant pleas, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's challenge in a case involving alleged derogatory remarks about the Indian Army during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. Other cases on the docket include a plea by Sumit Roy, an aide of TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, in a land fraud matter, a challenge to CBSE's three-language policy, and journalist Ravi Nair's petition to quash a forgery FIR filed at the request of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd.
Meta has launched an AI agent app called Muse, capable of performing tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, and selling items on behalf of users. The app, available only in the US through a dedicated application and WhatsApp, is a key part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision for "personal superintelligence" and offers both free and paid subscription tiers. However, the rollout has drawn scrutiny after internal testing reportedly revealed security vulnerabilities, including difficulties accessing personal photos and monitoring time-sensitive purchases. Meta told Reuters it delayed the launch to enhance safeguards, adding that users can control which apps Muse can access and can opt out of having their data used for AI training.
In Delhi, a gunfight broke out in Rohini between police and shooters linked to gangster Himanshu Bhau's gang, leaving two shooters injured. Three suspects, including a minor, were apprehended. The group is allegedly connected to the murder of property dealer Pramod in Narela, who was killed while heading to a gym. Acting on a tip, the Rohini Police Special Staff intercepted the suspects on Tuesday night, resulting in an exchange of over 10 rounds of gunfire. Investigators believe the killing may be linked to an extortion demand and are examining the motive along with possible involvement of additional individuals.
A major fire broke out at the Shyam Sangini Textile Market in Surat, Gujarat, prompting the deployment of multiple firefighting teams. Drone footage from the scene showed thick smoke rising from the market.
In Kerala, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced that the state government would seek legal opinion on the Enforcement Directorate's request to file an FIR against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others. The ED is seeking action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, son-in-law Mohammed Riyas, and others in a money laundering case tied to Veena's IT firm. A decision will follow the legal review, Satheesan said.
In Kolkata, authorities issued temporary closure notices to 919 hotels and guest houses for violating mandatory fire safety regulations. Joint inspections by the state fire services department, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and Kolkata Police found only 41 of 960 inspected establishments compliant with safety norms. The crackdown follows an August 19 fire at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street that killed nine people, including seven Bangladeshi nationals, according to PTI.
In Rajasthan, voting for the first phase of urban local body elections began at 7 am across 162 civic bodies, involving over 20,000 candidates contesting 5,393 councillor seats. This phase covers four municipal corporations, 27 municipal councils, and 131 municipalities, with 57.52 lakh eligible voters casting ballots at 7,683 polling booths. Technical issues with electronic voting machines were reported in Alwar, Sawai Madhopur, and Jodhpur, triggering voter protests in Alwar and long queues elsewhere, PTI reported. In Jaipur district, voting took place across 18 urban local bodies at 565 booths. Elections for Rajasthan's 309 urban local bodies are being conducted in two phases, on September 9 and 11, with vote counting for councillor posts scheduled for September 14.