Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday reported a 13.7 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 341 crore for the October-December quarter of the current financial year compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 300 crore in the year-ago period.

The total revenue from operations increased 10 per cent to Rs 1224.7 crore during the quarter under review from Rs 1,115.5 crore in the year-ago period, IRCTC said in an exchange filing.

The board of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) approved a second interim dividend of Rs 3 per share along with its financial results for the third quarter of the financial year 2024-25 (FY25) on Tuesday.

During discussion session on Budget, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, AAP's Member of Parliament from Sangrur, cornered the Central Government for completely ignoring Punjab's farmers. Criticizing the neglect of Punjab's farmers and need for crop diversification, he demanded a special package for Sangrur’s agriculture-based industries.

In his address, Meet Hayer said that Punjab led the nation in the Green Revolution, sacrificing its air, water, and soil. Expressing concern over Punjab being completely ignored for crop diversification, Hayer demanded a special package for the state. He said that it is unfortunate that the justified demands of Punjab’s farmers, who have been protesting for over three years for the minimum support price (MSP), have not been acknowledged. He specifically sought a special package for the agriculture-related industries of Sangrur, such as the combine harvester industry of Handiaya.

In response to BJP leader Sunil Jakhar's statement about Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back sharply. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said that Sunil Jakhar should focus on his own problems rather than worrying about Bhagwant Mann. Someone whose own future is uncertain should not be concerned about others.

Neel Garg stated that Sunil Jakhar’s situation is like 'Na Ghar Da, Na Ghat Da'. No one in the BJP is paying attention to him. He is not even invited to party meetings, which is why he has become so restless. Earlier Jakhar had resigned from the position of BJP state president, which was accepted, then he had to beg the BJP leadership to cancel the resignation.

Reacting to Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa's statement in which he claimed that '30 AAP MLAs are in contact with us,' the Aam Aadmi Party has hit back saying that even Bajwa's own party MLAs are not in touch with him.

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang questioned Bajwa, "Are all Congress MLAs in touch with you? If they are, where is Sandeep Jakhar? Why did Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal leave the party?"

Kang said that Pratap Bajwa's own brother, Fatehjang Bajwa, left him and joined the BJP, and he could not stop him. Meanwhile, Congress leaders, MLAs, and former MLAs are continuously leaving the party, yet Bajwa seems worried about AAP MLAs.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sandeep Pathak highlighted the grave issue of drone intrusions from Pakistan into Punjab during a Rajya Sabha session today. Raising this critical concern under Zero Hour, Dr. Pathak emphasized the direct connection of this issue with national security and the everyday lives of residents in border areas.

Dr. Pathak pointed out that Punjab shares a 550-kilometer-long border with Pakistan, making it highly susceptible to cross-border drone activities. He revealed alarming statistics, stating that the number of drones entering Indian territory has seen a significant increase over the years. "In 2020, around 50 drones were detected, and this number has steadily risen each year. By 2024, approximately 300-350 drones were observed entering Indian territory from Pakistan," he said.

The MP expressed deep concern over the limited success in neutralizing these drones. "Security forces are able to neutralize only a small percentage of these drones, meaning the majority land in India, deliver their payloads, and fly back undetected. This is a serious issue and highlights the need for immediate action," Dr. Pathak said.

Three persons, including a woman, were killed while two others were injured in a road accident in Bihar’s Kaimur district on Tuesday morning.

The accident occurred at Muthani village under Mohania police station limits on NH-19 when an auto-rickshaw overturned after crashing into a parked truck.

According to the police, the victims were returning from Prayagraj after taking a holy dip in the Mahakumbh when the incident took place.

The auto driver allegedly fell asleep, leading to the collision with a stationary truck on the highway.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accompanied by AAP MLAs and ministers from Punjab, met with AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal at Kapurthala House, Delhi, to discuss the progress of Punjab and the roadmap ahead. Mann said that they will utilise the expertise to Delhi to make Punjab an example state.

Addressing the media after the meeting, CM Mann highlighted the accomplishments of the Punjab government and outlined an ambitious vision to transform the state into a model of development within two years.

Expressing gratitude to the Punjab team for their tireless efforts in the recently concluded Delhi elections, Mann said, “Our leaders and workers from Punjab worked diligently during the Delhi polls, and their contribution was invaluable. Arvind Kejriwal ji and I are deeply thankful for their dedication.” He added that the party’s focus remains on delivering unparalleled governance in Punjab, with inspiration drawn from AAP’s transformative work in Delhi over the past decade.

After playing a critical role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning campaign in the IPL 2024, Vaibhav Arora is excited to be back in the Purple and Gold for the upcoming 2025 season and said he has an emotional attachment with the franchise.

The right-arm pacer bagged 11 wickets in 10 matches in the 17th edition of the IPL, causing all sorts of problems for the batters with his ability to swing the new ball. Now back with the Knight Riders, he is delighted to return to the franchise that feels like family.

“It was special to be back with KKR. I’ve been with the Knight Riders since the last four seasons, and there is an emotional attachment with the franchise. It feels like my own family. So, when KKR picked me again, I was relieved to go back to the team I won the title with last year. I didn’t want to play for any other team”, he stated.

At least ten Kumbh pilgrims lost their lives in two tragic road accidents in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday morning, officials said.

Seven people were killed in a road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district on Tuesday morning. The mishap took place on National Highway-30 near Sihora when a vehicle carrying Kumbh pilgrims collided head-on with a truck that was reportedly coming from the wrong side.

According to information, the victims were returning from Prayagraj when their passenger vehicle was struck by a truck coming from the opposite direction. The impact of the collision was severe, leaving the vehicle mangled and resulting in the immediate deaths of seven occupants.

Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The accident also involved two other vehicles. A car trailing the passenger vehicle suffered minor damage, but its occupants escaped major injuries due to airbags. Another vehicle was also affected in the crash.