Evening brief: Constable kills 2 colleagues in Chhattisgarh

In Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, two jawans of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) were killed, and two others injured when a fellow soldier opened fire on them. The incident occurred around 11am on Wednesday at a CAF camp in Bhutahi Mod, under the Samri Path police station. Constable Ajay Sidar allegedly fired his Insas rifle at his colleagues, killing Constable Rupesh Patel instantly and Constable Sandip Pandey, who died en route to the hospital. Injured personnel Ambuj Shukla and Rahul Baghel are being treated at a local health center. Sidar was quickly captured by his colleagues. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing. Dig deeper
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government faces a potential no-confidence motion next week following a defeat in a Federal by-election in LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, Quebec. Bloc Québécois candidate Louis-Philippe Sauvé won against Liberal Laura Palestini. This loss, along with the earlier defeat in Toronto-St Paul’s, highlights the declining fortunes of Trudeau’s party. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has called for an early election, citing rising taxes and crime. Current polls show Conservatives leading with 43% support, compared to 22% for the Liberals. With the NDP withdrawing support, Trudeau’s minority government faces a precarious situation ahead of the scheduled October 2025 election. Dig deeper
Flood-like situation in south Bengal districts ‘man-made’: Mamata Banerjee Dig deeper
India serves formal notice on Pakistan to review and modify Indus Waters Treaty Dig deeper
‘One nation, one election’ impractical in democracy, says Kharge; Vaishnaw fires back Dig deeper
Why foreign diplomats have a field day in India Dig deeper
Trudeau faces possible no-confidence vote after by-election loss Dig deeper
Lauren Sanchez reacts to ring bearer offer for wedding with Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos Dig deeper
Music composer Aadesh Shrivastava, who died of cancer in 2015, was remembered by his wife and former actor Vijayta Pandit in a recent interview with Lehren Retro. Vijayta discussed their son, Avitesh Shrivastava, who is a singer, music composer, and actor struggling to gain support in the film industry. She appealed to actor Shah Rukh Khan, a close friend of Aadesh, to help her son’s career. Vijayta recalled how Shah Rukh visited Aadesh in the hospital and urged him to assist Avitesh. She emphasised that Shah Rukh’s support would be invaluable, given his own career’s success and past contributions from Vijayta’s family. Dig deeper
2024 has been a challenging year for Virat Kohli, who has struggled in international cricket. Across fifteen innings this year, Kohli has managed only one half-century—a crucial 76 in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. This stands in stark contrast to Joe Root’s impressive form, leaving Root and Kane Williamson as the remaining members of the Fab Four batting group. Kohli’s performance has been inconsistent, with notable struggles in the T20 World Cup and ODI series in Colombo. Although he hasn’t played Test cricket since January and was on paternity leave during England’s series, Kohli remains focused on self-improvement despite the rise of his contemporaries. Dig deeper
The death of a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) employee in Pune has sparked a debate on toxic workplace cultures. Anna Sebastian Perayil, who passed away on July 20, had only been with EY for four months. Her mother, Anita Augustine, accused the company of causing Anna’s death due to overwhelming work pressure. She described how Anna endured excessive workload, working late nights and weekends, leading to extreme exhaustion. Anita’s letter to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani highlighted these issues and revealed that no colleagues attended Anna’s funeral. The letter has resonated on social media, with many sharing similar experiences and calling for reform in workplaces that normalise overwork and exploitation. Dig deeper
(That’s all we have at this hour in our evening briefing. Catch you in the morning)