Tag: West Bengal

23Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Bengal: FIR against Sukanta over ‘derogatory’ remark on Kolkata police

AN FIR has been filed against BJP state president and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar for allegedly making derogatory remarks comparing the Kolkata Police’s law and order situation to sex workers in Sonagachi, a red-light area in the city. The FIR was registered at Burtolla police station following a complaint lodged by a sex worker at Sonagachi, a police officer said. The allegation stems from an incident on Friday when Majumdar was detained by the police in Bhabanipur. During an argument, he purportedly said, “You (police) have turned the law into a sex worker in Sonagachi!” Story continues below this ad The ruling Trinamool Congress condemned the comment as “indecent and disrespectful,” with State Minister Shashi Panja demanding that Majumdar issue an apology. ...

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20Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Bengal Irrigation minister inspects Durgapur Barrage

Kolkata, West Bengal Irrigation minister Manas Bhuiyan on Friday inspected the Durgapur Barrage to assess water release mechanism amid concerns over potential flooding due to discharge from Damodar Valley Corporation reservoirs. Bengal Irrigation minister inspects Durgapur Barrage In the wake of heavy downpours over the past few days in some districts, downstream rivers have swelled, and the state administration was cautious about flood threats in case of a heavy release of water, officials said. Bhuiyan said he has been holding regular discussions with departmental officials on the issue, and said that although water is being released from DVC system, the Durgapur Barrage is ensuring a gradual discharge to help mitigate any flood risk. Senior administrative officials from...

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20Jun By source belowNo Comments

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‘Serious breach of security, contempt of House’: BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar alleges in letter to Lok Sabha Speaker after attack on convoy

A day after shoes, bricks and stones were hurled at him and his convoy in West Bengal, BJP state president and Union Minister of State for Education and DoNER Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging a “serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House”. In his letter, Majumdar accused the West Bengal police of failing to control the situation and protect him during his visit to Budge Budge in North 24 Parganas district on Thursday. He was in the area to meet party workers who were allegedly injured in political violence. Majumdar’s convoy was reportedly gheraoed by a group of protestors, some of whom allegedly hurled stones, slippers, and abuses at him. The protestors were said to be demanding dues under the MGNREGA and PM Awas Yojana schemes. St...

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20Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Calcutta HC stays stipends for sacked Group C and Group D staff

In another setback for the West Bengal government, the Calcutta High Court on Friday stayed the disbursal of monthly stipends announced for sacked Group C and Group D school employees whose appointments were nullified by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Justice Amrita Sinha passed the interim order on a petition challenging the scheme. The order stated: “The writ petition at this stage is only for passing an interim order… the State is restrained from giving any effect or further effect to the impugned scheme till September 26, 2025 or until further orders. Direction for filing opposition within 4 weeks and reply within fortnight.” The petitioners, Prakash Mandal and Jhantu Kumar Bera, are candidates who appeared for the 2016 recruitment exams and are on the waiting list. Story co...

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19Jun By source belowNo Comments

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‘Provide info on OBC surveys’: West Bengal govt gets notice from National Commission for Backward Classes

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) issued a notice last week to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Panth, seeking detailed information on the surveys conducted for the newly announced Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in the state within three days. According to NCBC sources, they are yet to receive a response, and they may send another notice. The notice came before a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, observed on Tuesday that the state’s recent OBC notifications may not have been issued in accordance with the law. According to sources, the NCBC sought clarity on the criteria and methodology used by the state to prepare the updated OBC list. The commission has specifically asked for details of ...

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19Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Assembly Bypoll: Kaliganj votes today, parties eye early boost

As the bypoll in the Kaliganj Assembly segment in Nadia district comes less than a year before the elections in West Bengal, both the ruling TMC and the Opposition BJP are leaving no stones unturned to win the seat. With the TMC looking confident to win the minority-dominated seat, the BJP believes that “Operation Sindoor” made a huge impact among the voters of Bengal and therefore, it will reflect in the counting of votes on June 23. Traditionally, Kaliganj had once been a strong bastion of the Congress. Other than Congress, the Left allies RSP won four times from there in the past. The Congress won from Kaliganj in the 2016 assembly election in alliance with the Left Front. But their winning candidate later joined TMC. In 2021, TMC’s Nasiruddin Ahamed won from Kaliganj in 2011 but lost i...

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19Jun By source belowNo Comments

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West Bengal plans 25 new fire stations after series of incidents in Kolkata

After a series of escalating fire incidents across Kolkata and its surrounding areas, the West Bengal government said it is planning to propose the construction of 25 new fire stations across the state.State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose addressed the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday, defending his department’s response to a blaze on Monday at a market in Kolkata’s Khidderpore which reportedly destroyed around 1,300 shops. Minister Bose, while rejecting allegations of delayed response and negligence, stated that the new fire stations would be established in districts such as Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Birbhum, and Purba Bardhaman. Notably, one of the proposed stations will be strategically located near Nabanna, the state secretariat in Howra...

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18Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Resume MGNREGA in West Bengal: Calcutta HC to Centre

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which has been stalled in the state for three years following allegations of corruption, be restarted from August 1. During the hearing, Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam observed, “No central project can be sent to the cold storage forever. The Centre can impose any kind of conditions to prevent corruption.” The state government has alleged that the Centre withheld wages for the scheme, while the central government claims there was widespread corruption in its rollout in Bengal. Story continues below this ad The Bench ordered that the Centre can impose special conditions only for West Bengal. The court further observed, “If the Centre wants, it can send mon...

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18Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Priyangu Pandey attack case: NIA names 4 more in third supplementary chargesheet

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted four more accused individuals in connection with the 2024 mob attack on Priyangu Pandey in Bhatpara, West Bengal, officials said on Tuesday. In its third supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Kolkata on Monday, the agency named Pious Prasad alias Sujal, Md. Tipu alias Tipua, Mohit Mahato alias Sahi, and Md. Javed alias Anda. They have been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. “With this, a total of 18 accused have been chargesheeted so far, of whom 17 have been arrested and one remains absconding,” the NIA said in a statement. Story continues below this ad According to the NIA, the four newly named accused were ...

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17Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Red alert in most South Bengal districts as monsoon covers state: IMD

Written by Debasmita Chowdhury The Southwest Monsoon has now covered the entire state of West Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Monday. Consequently, it has issued red alerts for several districts of South Bengal today, June 17. The advancement is accompanied by the development of a low-pressure area over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, which is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify by Tuesday. Story continues below this ad On June 17, extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm) is likely in isolated areas of Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Hooghly. Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20 cm) is expected at one or two locations in other South Bengal districts. Meanwhile, thundersto...

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16Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Mamata targets Centre over MGNREGA funds in West Bengal Assembly; BJP walks out after MLA suspended

A ruckus broke out in the West Bengal Assembly on Monday after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Centre of withholding MGNREGA funds for over two years. The BJP MLAs protested the remark with slogans against the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government, prompting an escalation that led to the suspension of an MLA and a walkout by the Opposition. Banerjee, speaking during the Question-Answer session in the Assembly, alleged, “The Central government has illegally stopped Bengal’s MGNREGA funds. Even states with ‘double engine governments’ have faced corruption charges, but their funds haven’t been stopped. Only Bengal’s legitimate dues have been withheld. This is a corrupt government.” She had stood up and made the remark while State Panchayats and Rural Development Minister ...

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15Jun By source belowNo Comments

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BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay hospitalised in Kolkata with acute pancreatitis

West Bengal BJP MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata Saturday after complaining of abdominal pain. Gangopadhyay, 63, is being treated in the intensive care unit for acute pancreatitis with gastrointestinal sepsis. A Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital official stated that the MP was admitted after he experienced slight discomfort. Investigations are ongoing to evaluate his condition and a team of doctors is closely monitoring him, said the official. “Member of Parliament and former Calcutta High Court judge Mr Abhijit Gangopadhyay, 63, got admitted at Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital on Saturday, with complaints of vomiting, abdominal pain, and abdominal distension. Investigations have indicated acute pancreatitis with ...

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14Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Basirhat police in Bengal arrest 22 ‘Rohingya people’ living in under-construction house

Basirhat police in West Bengal on Friday arrested 22 people, including two pregnant women, alleged to be Rohingya after they recently started living in an under-construction house in Baduria. Sources with the police said that on Friday, residents of Labanga village under Sayestanagar Gram Panchayat in Baduria noticed that some people were staying in an under-construction house in the area. They approached the occupants of the house and questioned them, following which it emerged that they were Rohingya. Subsequently, the villagers detained all of them and informed the police. Officers arrived soon and arrested them, sources said. Story continues below this ad Hossain Mehedi Rehman, Superintendent of Police (SP), Basirhat, said, “We arrested all 22 suspects. We are investig...

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10Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt over monetary support to sacked non-teaching staff

The Calcutta High Court on Monday reserved its judgment on a petition challenging the West Bengal government’s decision to provide monetary relief to Group C and D employees whose jobs were terminated by the Supreme Court in April this year. Before reserving its order, the single bench of Justice Amrita Sinha posed some pointed questions to the state government. Questioning the decision of giving monthly `25,000 and `20,000 monthly allowance to the sacked Group C and D staff, Justice Amrita Sinha said: “…How was the amount decided… Will they get money sitting at home? For how long will they be paid?” Story continues below this ad On being informed by Advocate General Kishore Dutta that the money is being disbursed from April 1, Justice Sinha asked why the State government ...

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7Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Bengal reports 58 active Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours; 10-month-old child in ICU

On Saturday, West Bengal recorded 58 more Covid-19 cases, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 622. With this, the state became the fourth-highest Covid-positive state in the country, only after Kerala, Gujarat, and Delhi. According to the health department, a two-year-old child and a 10-month-old toddler have been admitted to a private hospital, off EM Bypass. Story continues below this ad Sources said the baby with breathing issues is in the ICU in the pediatric ward of the hospital with breathing issues. Covid-testing counters have also been opened at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. Sources in the health department stated that a report has been sent to the Central health department informing the steps taken by the state, the current figures...

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7Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Resolution on Pahalgam terror attack in the offing as Bengal monsoon session to begin from Monday

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee is set to introduce a resolution in the coming monsoon session that will begin on Monday, condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir and commend the Army’s response in the Baisaran valley, after the attack. The resolution will not reference ‘Operation Sindoor’, sources said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to participate in the discussion when the resolution is brought to the House on Tuesday. The CM was scheduled to visit New Delhi on Monday, but according to state administration sources her plan has been deferred. Story continues below this ad “This House expresses its profound sense of shock and anguish at the barbaric and inhumane attack perpetrated on innocent tourists in the Baisaran valley...

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6Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Bengal battles 3,30,000 tonnes of annual plastic waste; escalates campaign for single-use plastic ban

Facing the challenge of generating a staggering 1,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily, the West Bengal government is stepping up its efforts to combat plastic pollution, with a strong emphasis on eliminating single-use plastics (SUPs) across the state. Initiatives range from installing cloth bag vending machines to imposing complete bans in ecologically sensitive and newly developed tourist destinations. On World Environment Day, Additional Chief Secretary (Department of Environment) Roshini Sen reiterated plans to install subsidized cloth bag vending machines in market areas. “One can take a cloth bag in exchange for a small amount of money. These bags are highly subsidized and can be used multiple times,” she stated. The government has already successfully declared the Gangasagar Mela a “f...

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6Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Mamata to visit Delhi next Monday, may meet PM Modi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit New Delhi on June 9 and may meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She is likely to return on June 11. Sources at Nabanna, the state secretariat, said that the CM’s Office has sought an appointment from the PMO for a meeting on June 10. “The chief minister wants to raise the issue of the Centre’s pending funds and dues to the West Bengal government, which has now ballooned to over Rs 2 lakh 27 thousand crore,” an official said. The TMC government in the state has been raising the issue of pending Central funds for schemes like MGNREGA (rural job guarantee scheme) and PM Awas Yojana (housing scheme for the poor), and has even knocked the doors of the Supreme Court. The BJP government at the Centre has justified the blocking of the fu...

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4Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Seven-month-old baby COVID-positive in Bengal, as state reports 432 active cases as of June 4

West Bengal reported 60 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday since Tuesday, bringing the total of the state’s active cases to 432. On Tuesday, a seven month-old in a private hospital in Bengal tested positive. The child’s mother is also symptomatic and is awaiting her test results. The state recently recorded its first COVID-19 death of the season: a 43-year-old woman from Howrah died on Tuesday after she was hospitalized with pneumonia and later tested positive for COVID-19. Story continues below this ad This marked West Bengal’s first COVID-related death this year, with the state having seen a rapid surge in cases after reporting only one in the first week of May, followed by 12 more in the second week, and a sharp increase in the third, according to the Centre’s COVID dash...

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2Jun By source belowNo Comments

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‘Wish I could have done better’: Devdutta Majhi, female topper in JEE Advanced with AIR 16

Devdutta Majhi from the IIT Kharagpur zone has emerged as the top female topper in the JEE Advanced, bagging an All India Rank of 16, scoring 312 marks in the Common Rank List. Hailing from Katwa, her success comes as no surprise: she has consistently excelled at academic milestones. In 2023, she was the West Bengal Madhyamik topper, followed by a perfect 100 percentile and AIR 1 in JEE Main 2025 (Session 2). “For the last two years, I have been studying for this day. I wish I could have done a bit better,” she said. A student of Katwa Durgadasi Chaudhurani Girls’ High School, Devdutta studied for 10-12 hours daily. Her dream is to join IISc Bangalore to pursue a BTech in Computing, followed by research in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Story continues below this ad ...

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2Jun By source belowNo Comments

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June 2 sees 44 fresh COVID cases in West Bengal — bringing total to 331

On Monday, West Bengal recorded the second highest single-day spike in active COVID-19 cases in the country. Delhi recorded the highest at 47 cases since Sunday. Meanwhile, a mere 13 active cases in Bengal in the month of May has shot up to a staggering 331, according to the Centre’s COVID dashboard. Even as 44 fresh cases have been reported on Monday itself, mostly from Kolkata, sources in the state Health department say there is still no cause for concern. Story continues below this ad In the first week of May, the state logged only one COVID case. Twelve more cases appeared by the second week, while, according to sources, there was a rapid rise in cases in the third week. While no advisory has been issued by the Health department yet, the Kolkata Corporation has decided...

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2Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Amit Shah in Kolkata: TMC demands Shah to quit over Pahalgam

The Trinamool Congress has demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over the Pahalgam incident in Jammu and Kashmir, and called on the senior BJP leader to take responsibility for “all the failures” that led to the terrorist attack. Amit Shah, who was on a two-day visit to Kolkata, held a meeting with state BJP leaders and party workers at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, on Sunday. He hailed PM Narendra Modi for “deciding to carry out Operation Sindoor” and came down heavily on the TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “appeasement”, which he also blamed for infiltration from Bangladesh. The TMC, meanwhile, accused Shah of playing politics in the name of Operation Sindoor at a time when TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee is part of a multi-party delegation of MPs, who have been sent ...

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1Jun By source belowNo Comments

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Amit Shah says Mamata opposed Op Sindoor to ‘appease’ votebank; TMC hits back, calls on Home Minister to quit over ‘failures’

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of opposing Operation Sindoor to “appease” the Muslim votebank.Hitting back, Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress denied Shah’s accusation and called on the Home Minister to resign, taking responsibility for “all the failures” that led to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26 civilians on April 22. As part of India’s response to the attack, the armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. Addressing BJP workers in Kolkata, Shah linked the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections with national security. He hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “deciding to carry out Operation Sindoor” and came down heavily o...

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1Jun By source belowNo Comments

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New CFSL building in Rajarhat will bolster evidence-based justice across eastern India: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a new building of the Central Forensic Science Lab (CFSL) at Rajarhat in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district and said it was a significant step towards building a data- and evidence-based justice system in eastern India. “It is a significant step towards building a data and evidence-based justice system in India. The state-of-the-art facility, built at an approximate cost of Rs 90 crore, is poised to serve not only West Bengal but also all North Eastern states, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam, handling complex cases from across the cluster,” he said. Addressing the gathering, Shah talked about the pivotal role of forensic science in the modern criminal justice system, especially with the introduction of the three new criminal laws. St...

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31May By source belowNo Comments

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Bengal CM hits out at BJP, shares data on govt’s work in Alipurduar

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday lashed out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by sharing data on development work done by her government in Alipurduar district – the same constituency where PM targeted the TMC. In a post on X, the CM wrote, “Yesterday a vicious, false campaign was there at Alipurduar… from …politically motivated point of view for … power gains. It … attempted to downplay, erase the significant development works of our government for the people in Alipurduar district.” “The blatant untruths were served from high quarters of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. … I want to share some facts, data relating to actual impactful initiatives for Alipurduar,” the CM wrote. Highlighting Alipurduar’s progress, Banerjee said, “To enhance administrative accessibility, we estab...

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30May By source belowNo Comments

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Deep depression triggers heavy rain & rough seas; control room on alert

A day after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the state is likely to recieve widespread rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and issued a yellow alert for some districts in the state, rains lashed south Bengal, on Thursday under the influence of a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, officials said. The system made landfall between Sagar Island and Khepupara (Bangladesh), close to Raidighi (West Bengal). The deep depression over coastal Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh moved slowly northeastwards with a speed of 5 kmph on Thursday, the Met Department said, adding that it is very likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and weaken into a depression in the next 12 hours and into a well-marked low pressure area during the subsequent 24 hours, it said. S...

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