Nivedita

Tripura has become the third Indian state after Mizoram and Goa to be declared fully literate, with a literacy rate of 95.6%. The achievement follows the successful implementation of the ‘ULLAS New India Literacy Programme’. According to the Ministry of Education, the state surpassed the 95% benchmark required for full literacy, marking a significant leap from its 1961 literacy rate of just 20.24%.

The Samajwadi Party has expelled three MLAsAbhay Singh, Rakesh Pratap Singh, and Manoj Kumar Pandey for defying the party whip during the Rajya Sabha elections and allegedly supporting the BJP. Terming it an "ideological betrayal," SP’s deputy whip Dr. R.K. Verma said the MLAs acted against the party’s core values and the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) coalition. The party announced the decision via an official statement on its X handle.

The bypolls held on June 19 across five Assembly seats saw the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) scoring key wins in Gujarat and Punjab, while the Congress defeated the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala. In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured a resounding victory in Kaliganj, reinforcing its stronghold in the state.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav filed his nomination for re-election as the party’s national president on Monday, aiming for a 13th consecutive term. The move comes amid the party’s ongoing organisational elections and ahead of crucial Bihar assembly polls. Accompanied by his son Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu’s unopposed re-election appears likely, as no other contender has emerged.

A blackbuck was found dead with its throat slit in Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur district after hunters reportedly opened fire on a herd of the protected species. The incident occurred near Girana-Kevdakhedi Road and has sparked public outrage. Forest officials confirmed that a case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and a probe is underway to trace the suspects involved in the poaching.