Several major developments are emerging from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh today, led by a tragic accident in Amarkantak where a student drowned while bathing in a reservoir. In Bhopal, police have made it mandatory for tenants, paying guests and hotel visitors to get themselves verified. Elsewhere, farmers continue a highway blockade in Harda, the Madhya Pradesh High Court heard arguments in the OBC reservation case, a school kitchen was sealed in Indore after bacteria were found in samples, and a government doctor in Khargone faces allegations of holding jobs in three districts at once. Here is a closer look at each of these developments from across the two states.
Student From Bihar Drowns in Amarkantak's Podki Reservoir
21-year-old Aryan Kumar, a student at the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, died after drowning in the Podki reservoir in Amarkantak. Aryan hailed from Gaya in Bihar and was in the second year of his BBA Tourism programme. He had come to the university for the hostel allotment process, a routine campus visit that turned tragic within hours. While there, he went to bathe in the Podki reservoir along with two friends, and drifted into deeper water where he began to drown. His friends raised an alarm, alerting nearby residents and the administration, following which Amarkantak police rushed to the spot.
Farmers' Highway Blockade in Harda Enters Ninth Hour
The Aam Kisan Union's protest on National Highway 47 in Harda has now continued for 9 hours without a break. Farmers remain camped on the highway, showing no signs of calling off their agitation. Food is being prepared at the protest site itself, with organisers saying arrangements have been made to feed between one thousand and fifteen hundred people. Farmers have made clear the blockade will not end until their demands are met. Although the number of farmers present at the site has thinned somewhat compared to earlier, the protest continues and traffic on the highway remains affected, with the stand-off showing how unresolved demands can disrupt a key highway for hours at a stretch.
Bhopal Makes Verification of Tenants and Hotel Guests Mandatory
Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar has issued an order under Section 163 of the BNSS, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Under this order, verification will now be compulsory for tenants, paying guests, domestic help and hostel residents across the city. Hotel, lodge, dharamshala, resort and guest house operators must also maintain complete records of every guest who stays with them, a requirement that applies equally to individual landlords renting out a single room and to large hotels hosting outstation visitors. Details of anyone taking up temporary residence in the city must also be shared with police. Police say the order is meant to strengthen VIP security, tighten monitoring of important establishments and reinforce law and order in the city. They add that it will make it easier to keep watch on terrorists, radical elements, illegal immigrants and criminal elements. All landlords and hotel or lodge operators have been urged to comply strictly with the order.
High Court Hears OBC Reservation Case for Two Hours
The Madhya Pradesh High Court heard arguments in the OBC reservation case for nearly two hours. The matter was taken up by a division bench of Justice Anand Pathak and Justice Vinay Saraf. Senior advocate Aman Lekhi, appearing for the general category, strongly opposed the 27 percent OBC reservation, arguing that pushing total reservation above 50 percent goes against principles laid down by the Supreme Court. In essence, the argument centres on whether Madhya Pradesh's total reservation quota can be allowed to cross the 50 percent mark that the Supreme Court has treated as a general ceiling in earlier rulings. The Indira Sawhney and Jayashree Patil cases were cited during the arguments. Questions were also raised over quantifiable data and how OBC representation is actually assessed. The court too raised questions on the basis for granting reservation beyond the 50 percent ceiling. The case will next be heard on Thursday at 2:30 pm.
Coliform Bacteria Found at Indore's Shishukunj School, Kitchen Sealed
Water samples from Shishukunj School in Indore have tested positive for the same coliform bacteria linked to the Bhagirathpura case, once again putting the spotlight on food and water safety at the school. On June 20, around 150 children at the school had suddenly fallen ill, complaining of vomiting and diarrhoea. Following that, testing has now found that a soybean oil sample taken from the school also failed. A namkeen sample failed to meet standards as well. Most worryingly, an ice cream sample was confirmed to have developed Listeria-like bacteria and also failed the test. As a result, the school's kitchen remains sealed for now. The Collector has set up a team to investigate the matter, and Food Officer Manish Swami has confirmed these findings.
Government Doctor Accused of Holding Jobs in Three Districts at Once
A controversy has erupted over Dr Mahesh Sharma, posted at the Keli health centre in Segaon, Khargone district. He is accused of simultaneously working in three districts, Shahdol, Sheopur and Khargone, meaning salaries would effectively have been drawn against three separate postings for the same period. The Block Congress Committee has submitted a memorandum addressed to the Governor to Tehsildar Antar Singh Kanesh over the matter. Congress has demanded a fair investigation into the entire case. It has also said that if Dr Mahesh Sharma is found guilty, action should be taken against him. Congress has additionally sought action against the officials and staff responsible for releasing his salary, arguing that they too must be held accountable.
Congress's GEN-Z Cyclothon Ends in Bhopal, Patwari Says Paper Leaks Have Hurt Youth
Congress's GEN-Z Cyclothon has concluded in Bhopal. Speaking about the journey, which travelled from Indore to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari said he personally met close to 2 lakh people during the ride. He claimed people are now beginning to understand what Rahul Gandhi has been saying and want the central and state governments to answer questions on the education system. Patwari said cases like the NEET paper leak have affected the future of lakhs of young people. He alleged that the government has been avoiding answers on issues like education, unemployment, inflation and corruption. Congress had organised the cyclothon around these very issues, taking the campaign directly to people along the Indore-Bhopal route, and it wrapped up in Bhopal.
Old Rivalry Turns Violent in Bhopal's Khudail Police Station Area
A dispute between two groups over an old rivalry turned into a violent clash in the Khudail police station area of Bhopal. It is alleged that a young man was first waylaid on a road and beaten with sticks and clubs. Soon after, women from the accused side allegedly arrived at the victim's house carrying weapons and vandalised the property, showing how the feud drew in members of both families rather than staying confined to the men involved. A video of the incident has surfaced, showing women holding weapons. According to the information available, the accused first surrounded and assaulted members of the victim's family on the road because of the old rivalry, after which the situation escalated further.
