PM Modi said he will celebrate Diwali along with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's BastarPrime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that he will celebrate Diwali with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, describing the region as having been freed from Naxalism. Announcing his visit, Modi said he would salute the brave security forces for their sacrifices, dedication and service to the nation.“I am going to salute our brave security forces for their sacrifices, devotion to nation,” he said.Story continues below this adIf you are just joining us, this is The Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog – where we bring you the latest news updates of the day in real time. Scan the top headlines of the day here, or keep scrolling to see the latest updates stream in.Hauz Qazi building collapse: Death toll rises to 7, rescue operation underway for over 70 hoursThe death toll in the three-storey building collapse in central Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area rose to seven on Sunday after another body was recovered from the debris. The deceased has been identified as Luchhuman Mukhiya, 66, a resident of Bihar’s Darbhanga. His body was recovered during the ongoing search and rescue operation near Chawri Bazar and shifted to LNJP Hospital for further proceedings.The building collapsed around 9.45 am on November 5 while construction work was underway. Rescue personnel have been searching the rubble for over 70 hours and are yet to rule out the possibility of other victims being trapped. The seven deceased have been identified as Sanjeet Kumar, Kishori Sah, Pankaj Sharma, Vipin Ram, Shantu, Dinesh Sah and Luchhuman Mukhiya. Four of the victims were residents of Bihar, while Vipin Ram lived in Mandawali, Delhi, police said.The building owner, identified as Saimullah alias Ayub, and three contractors — Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan — have been arrested in connection with the incident. The contractors were apprehended from Faridabad’s Sirohi.An FIR was registered at Hauz Qazi police station on November 5 under Sections 105, 290, 125(a) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The building was allegedly being constructed without the requisite approvals on a 50-square-metre plot. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said no building plan had been sanctioned for the structure, which had reached the third floor and collapsed while the roof slab was being laid.Delhi chokes on Diwali: AQI hits 384, multiple pockets enter ‘severe’ zoneDelhi continued to grapple with high pollution levels on Diwali, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 384 and several pockets entering the ‘Severe’ category. The worsening air quality has renewed concerns over the health impact of prolonged exposure to polluted air across the national capital.Read the full report: Delhi chokes on Diwali: AQI hits 384, multiple pockets enter ‘severe’ zone.In Bengal’s medical colleges, interns negotiate, buy and sell hospital shifts on WhatsAppA report from West Bengal’s medical colleges examines how interns are allegedly negotiating, buying and selling hospital duty shifts through WhatsApp. The practice raises questions about staffing, accountability and patient care at medical institutions, particularly when interns arrange paid stand-ins for their assigned shifts.Read the full report: Who’s on call at your ER in Bengal? The intern may be a paid stand-in.For Akali Dal, ‘reunion’ with BJP is less about politics, more about survivalThe possibility of a reunion between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP is being viewed against the backdrop of the Akali Dal’s political challenges ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The discussions point to concerns over the party’s political survival, with the prospect of renewed ties raising questions about its electoral strategy and future in Punjab.Read the full report: For Akali Dal, ‘reunion’ with BJP is less about politics, more about survival.Live UpdatesNov 8, 2026 10:00 AM ISTPM Modi to celebrate Diwali with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's BastarPrime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that he will celebrate Diwali with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bastar, describing the region as having been freed from Naxalism. Announcing his visit, Modi said he would salute the brave security forces for their sacrifices, dedication and service to the nation."I am going to salute our brave security forces for their sacrifices, devotion to nation," he said.Heading to Bastar to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces. This is an area where Naxalism once held sway and now, development is flourishing. I am going to salute our brave security personnel for their sacrifices, selfless service and unwavering devotion to the nation. दीपावली के पावन अवसर पर बस्तर जा रहा हूं। कल तक जहां नक्सलियों का कहर था वहां आज विकास की बहार है। वीर जवानों, उनके बलिदान, त्याग और तपस्या को नमन करने जा रहा हूं।— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2026https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsNov 8, 2026 09:54 AM ISTAkhilesh to visit Ayodhya temple on Dec 12, Yogi says should apologise to Ram bhakts firstSamajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has announced his first-ever visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on December 12, a decision coinciding with the completion of his Kedareshwar Dham project in Etawah and arriving ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. While the SP maintains the visit is a religious matter, the BJP has dismissed it as an electoral strategy intended to counter long-standing accusations of minority appeasement and appeal to non-Yadav OBCs and upper castes. Consequently, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders have criticized the move, demanding that Yadav first apologize for his party's historical stance and past actions against Ram bhakts during the 1990s rather than using faith as a political tool.Nov 8, 2026 09:50 AM ISTHauz Qazi building collapse: Death toll rises to 7, rescue operation underway for over 70 hoursThe death toll in the three-storey building collapse in central Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area rose to seven on Sunday after another body was recovered from the debris. The deceased has been identified as Luchhuman Mukhiya, 66, a resident of Bihar’s Darbhanga. His body was recovered during the ongoing search and rescue operation near Chawri Bazar and shifted to LNJP Hospital for further proceedings.The building collapsed around 9.45 am on November 5 while construction work was underway. Rescue personnel have been searching the rubble for over 70 hours and are yet to rule out the possibility of other victims being trapped. The seven deceased have been identified as Sanjeet Kumar, Kishori Sah, Pankaj Sharma, Vipin Ram, Shantu, Dinesh Sah and Luchhuman Mukhiya. Four of the victims were residents of Bihar, while Vipin Ram lived in Mandawali, Delhi, police said.