A 42‑year‑old woman and her eight‑year‑old daughter died in Karadigudda village, Dharwad district, Karnataka, after reportedly ingesting poison. Police said the woman had borrowed ₹5 lakh from self‑help groups and private lenders and was allegedly unable to meet repayment obligations. Two other daughters, aged six and nine, are receiving treatment at KIMS Hospital in Hubballi. An investigation is underway. In Odisha, authorities have placed the state on high alert as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm by Monday. Schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will be closed on 28 and 29 October. Forecasts call for heavy to very heavy rainfall and winds of 80–90 km h⁻¹ in several districts. The state has mobilised 60 ODRAF teams, 17 NDRF teams and 225 fire‑service units. President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Odisha has been postponed to 4–5 November. Jamia Millia Islamia has moved all classes online following a confrontation between protesting students and university staff on the 13th day of an indefinite hunger strike. The students, who have not held a student‑union election since 2005, are demanding an election schedule, the withdrawal of disciplinary action against them and the removal of the chief proctor and security adviser. The administration alleged that protesters pushed staff and security guards, while students accused officials of attempting to dismantle their tents and forcibly transporting hunger strikers to hospital. In New Delhi, Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan addressed a gathering at Express Adda on Friday. He urged the central government to engage with Generation Z and restore young people’s confidence, citing concerns over changing job prospects, rising unemployment and a lack of faith in the education system. Satheesan described youth‑led protests as an organic response to their concerns and dismissed claims of a “foreign hand” behind them. He also said anti‑incumbency was building against the BJP‑led centre and that the Congress must convert the sentiment into votes.
Article source: Indian Express | Image credit: Indian Express