New Delhi, May 21: India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday announced a price hike of up to Rs 30,000 with effect from June 2026.

In its stock exchange filing, the domestic carmaker said that the company has decided to increase the prices of its models across its portfolio.

“In view of the sustained increase in input costs, the company has decided to increase the prices of its models across its portfolio by up to Rs 30,000 with effect from June 2026,” it said in its regulatory filing.

In an official statement, the company attributed the decision to sustained increases in raw material and operational costs impacting the automotive industry.

“For the past few months, the Company has been making continuous efforts to mitigate the cost impact to the extent possible through cost reduction measures,” the carmaker added.

Maruti Suzuki India said it had undertaken several cost-reduction initiatives over the past few months to absorb part of the cost burden, but the adverse cost environment has made a partial pass-through unavoidable.

The company added that it has attempted to minimise the impact on customers as much as possible.

“However, with inflationary pressures now at elevated levels and the adverse cost environment persisting, the company has to pass on a portion of the increased costs to the market, while continuing to ensure that the impact on customers is kept to the minimum extent possible,” it added in its filing.

“The exact quantum of change will vary from model to model,” it added.

The latest announcement comes at a time when several automobile manufacturers in India have revised prices upward in response to higher commodity prices, logistics expenses and inflationary pressures across supply chains.

Earlier, Mahindra and Mahindra announced a price increase across its SUV and commercial vehicle portfolio effective April 6.

The company said prices would rise by up to 2.5 per cent, with an average increase of around 1.6 per cent across models, citing rising input and operational costs.

New Delhi, May 21: Hamza Burhan, one of the key planners behind the Pulwama attack, was killed by unknown gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The incident took place at Muzaffarabad in PoK, and Burhan is said to have been shot multiple times.

He was attacked and killed by unknown assailants and is said to have died instantly due to multiple gunshots.

While designating him as a terrorist in 2022, the Indian government had said, “Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias Hamza Burhan alias Doctor, aged 23 years, is a resident of Kharbatpora, Ratnipora, Pulwama, and one of the associate members of Al Badr, a terrorist outfit designated under the UAPA.”

Hamza, also known as Doctor, was born in the Ratnipora area of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. He had left for Pakistan in 2017, stating that he was pursuing his higher studies. He, however, joined the terror outfit Al Badr and in quick time rose to the rank of commander.

Following his indoctrination into the Al Badr, he returned to Kashmir. He was involved in radicalising the youth and also indoctrinating them into terror groups. His work remained largely focused on South Kashmir.

During his stay in Kashmir, he managed to expand his network from Pulwama to Shopian. His death deals a major blow to the terror networks in Pakistan. He was a key player for the Pakistan-based terror groups, which carry out operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pulwama terror attack is one of the deadliest incidents in India. On February 14, 2019, a convoy carrying Indian security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was targeted in the Lethapora area of Pulwama. A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus within the convoy, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

The attack was carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the bomber was identified as Adil Ahmad Dar. Following this strike, the Indian Air Force retaliated by striking a Jaish-e-Mohammed training base in Balakot.

Hamza’s killing adds to the long list of terrorists being eliminated by unknown gunmen in Pakistan. In May this year, Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Farman Ali was shot dead at Muridke. In April, unknown gunmen shot dead Sheikh Yousuf Afridi, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the same month, the co-founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Amir Hamza, was shot at by unknown gunmen in Lahore. He, however, survived the shooting.

In January, Pakistani Army Lieutenant Colonel Imran Dayal, a handler for the Pahalgam terror attack, was gunned down in Dera Ismail Khan. Jaish-e-Mohammed operative Mushtaq alias Ghazi Baba was shot dead by unidentified assailants near Peshawar in October 2025.

Last year in May, Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Razaullah Nizamani alias Abu Saifullah Khalid was shot in Matli, Sindh province. Pakistan has not released official statements on these shootings, and investigations, too, remain inconclusive.

Such incidents have been on the rise in the past two years. The targeting of top commanders and leaders has left outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed struggling to regroup.

Since Operation Sindoor, both these terror groups, which were hit the hardest, have struggled to revive and also reset operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian agencies had noted that such killings have demoralised these groups, and this has led to reduced recruitments.

New Delhi, May 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his death anniversary.”

Rajiv Gandhi, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, was assassinated on May 21, 1991, in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

Srinagar, May 21:  A houseboat partially sank after water entered the structure along the River Jhelum on Bund area in Srinagar on Thursday, prompting a rescue operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and River Police.

Officials said the incident resulted in waterlogging inside the houseboat and caused partial sinking, triggering concern in the area.

Soon after receiving information, teams of SDRF and River Police rushed to the spot and launched rescue and evacuation measures.

Rescue personnel entered the affected houseboat and shifted belongings to safer locations amid rising water inside the structure.

The operation focused on preventing further damage and securing movable property belonging to the houseboat owner.

Officials said rescue teams successfully evacuated household belongings and ensured that the situation remained under control. [KNT]

Uri, May 21: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday visited Kaman Post in Uri sector and praised the Indian Army for its role and service in the remote border area.

During the visit, Choudhary interacted with Army personnel and reviewed conditions in the frontier zone along the Line of Control (LoC).

He appreciated the work being carried out by security forces in challenging terrain and difficult operational conditions.

The visit also brought renewed attention to the issue of cross-LoC connectivity and confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan.

Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Chief Minister said restoration of cross-LoC trade and bus services required cooperation from both countries.

He said such measures could not move forward through unilateral decisions and depended upon mutual understanding and coordinated engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Cross-LoC trade and travel routes, once regarded as important confidence-building initiatives linking divided families and facilitating limited economic exchange, have remained suspended for several years.

The Uri-Muzaffarabad bus service and associated trade mechanisms had historically carried political and humanitarian significance for border communities and separated families.

Choudhary’s remarks come amid periodic political discussions surrounding people-to-people engagement and revival of communication channels across the LoC. [KNT]

Srinagar, May 21:  The Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday trapped and arrested two government officials, including a Ziladar and a Patwari, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of 1 lakh in Anantnag district.

According to an ACB statement, the bureau received a written complaint alleging that Ziladar Nazir Ahmad Wani, son of Mohammad Akbar Wani, a resident of Utrasoo, Nai Gund Anantnag, and Patwari Bilal Ahmad Wagay, son of Abdul Rehman Wagay, a resident of Sherpora Anantnag, both posted in the Irrigation Division Anantnag, had demanded a bribe from the complainant for disposing of an application filed against him regarding the alleged encroachment of government land at Ashajipora near Dabruna, Anantnag.

The complainant alleged that the accused officials offered to settle or reject the complaint at their level in exchange for a bribe equivalent to the value of one marla of land at the location, estimated at around ₹4 lakh. However, after repeated requests by the complainant, the amount was allegedly settled at ₹1 lakh.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Anti Corruption Bureau seeking legal action against the accused officials.

Following the complaint, the ACB conducted a discreet verification, during which it was found that the land in question was not state land but proprietary land belonging to the complainant. The verification also confirmed the demand for a bribe by the accused public servants. Subsequently, FIR No. 05/2026 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with the Amendment Act of 2018, was registered at Police Station ACB Anantnag and investigation was initiated.

During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted, which successfully caught the accused officials red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount. Both officials were arrested on the spot and the bribe money was recovered from their possession in the presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.

The ACB further stated that searches were later conducted at the residential houses of the accused officials in the presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Srinagar, May 21: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo on Thursday said all necessary arrangements for smooth celebration of Eid-ul-Adha across the city have been finalised, while fencing work on Budshah Bridge and Cement Kadal will also commence shortly.

Speaking to reporters here, the DC said a detailed meeting has been held with all departments, including electricity, water supply, roads, sanitation, food safety and revenue authorities. “Preparations have been finalised in a way so that citizens across Srinagar do not face any kind of difficulty before or after Eid celebrations,” he said.

Labroo extended Eid greetings to the people and wished them a joyful and peaceful festival.

He said the administration recently inspected Budshah Bridge and Cement Kadal and completed the estimation process for the proposed fencing works.

“We visited Budshah Bridge and Cement Kadal around a week ago. The estimation has been completed and the work will be approved soon under the district CAPEX. We will start the work very soon,” the DC said. (KNO)