Ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal has imposed strict regulations on the sale and slaughter of cows. In response, several Islamic clerics and imams have urged Muslims not to use cows for sacrifice. However, Hindu groups across the state have staged protests demanding that Muslims be allowed to perform cow sacrifices.

A government directive issued on May 13 by the state’s Home Department stated that no cow, bull, calf, or buffalo may be slaughtered without official permission. It requires joint certification from a municipal chairman or panchayat head and a government veterinarian, allowing slaughter only for animals over 14 years old or unfit for work. Violations carry jail and fines. Clerics such as Maulana Shafique Qasmi of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Mosque and Pirzada Ziauddin Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif supported avoiding cow sacrifice out of respect for Hindu sentiments.

Reports indicate that Hindu farmers in South 24 Parganas, who rely on selling cattle before Eid to repay loans, are urging that Muslims be allowed to buy cows so they can recover their investments.

The government of Uttar Pradesh has announced new directives regarding Eid al-Adha prayers and animal sacrifices. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that animal sacrifices will not be allowed in open or public spaces, and roads cannot be blocked for Eid prayers. He emphasized a policy of zero tolerance against the sacrifice of prohibited animals and instructed that prayers must be performed only at designated and traditional locations.

During a high-level law and order review meeting held via video conference, Adityanath directed district administrations to ensure that sacrifices take place only at pre-approved sites. He also ordered that no new customs or practices be introduced during the festival. Legal slaughterhouses must not exceed their approved capacity for holding animals, and authorities were told to maintain security, cleanliness, and electricity supply during the celebrations.

The directives aim to ensure orderly observance of Eid al-Adha across the state while maintaining public safety and adherence to existing regulations.

Two Awami League leaders who fled Bangladesh after the July Revolution and took refuge in India have been arrested by Kolkata Police and placed on seven-day remand. According to diplomatic sources, the arrests occurred on May 20 during a police operation on Marquis Street targeting alleged illegal Bangladeshi entrants. The detainees were identified as Ahad Bappi, general secretary of Banshal Thana Jubo League, and Rohanul Islam, organizational secretary of Savar Thana Chhatra League. A case was filed against them under illegal entry charges, and they were taken into police custody for interrogation.

The arrests have caused concern among other Awami League leaders currently residing in Kolkata. Despite efforts by influential party members to secure their release, the attempts reportedly failed. The incident follows the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal, which has launched special operations to locate alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators.

Uncertainty remains over the fate of hundreds of Awami League leaders who sought refuge in West Bengal after the July Revolution, as the new state government has not clarified its stance on their status.

India has increased petrol and diesel prices again, marking the fourth hike in two weeks. On Monday, petrol prices rose by 2.61 rupees per litre and diesel by 2.71 rupees per litre. Consumers began paying the new rates the same day. The latest adjustment follows a previous increase on Saturday, when petrol went up by 87 paise and diesel by 97 paise.

The repeated fuel price hikes come amid ongoing tensions in West Asia, which have raised concerns about rising costs of essential goods in India. In Delhi, the new prices stand at 102.12 rupees per litre for petrol and 95.20 rupees for diesel. Kolkata recorded the highest rates, with petrol priced at 113.51 rupees and diesel at 99.82 rupees per litre.

The continued upward trend in fuel prices has sparked fears of inflationary pressure on daily commodities, though no official response or policy statement was mentioned in the report.

An Indian citizen, Nikhil Gupta, has confessed in a Manhattan federal court to conspiring to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen and leader of the Khalistan separatist movement. Gupta admitted that he acted under the direction of an officer from India’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), which operates under the Prime Minister’s Office. The confession has caused diplomatic concern and renewed pressure on India. The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on May 29, with Gupta facing 19 to 23 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

The US Department of Justice alleged that the plot was not a rogue operation but a targeted assassination attempt involving an Indian government employee, Vikas Yadav, who allegedly recruited Gupta in 2023. India has not issued an official statement, though a high-level committee was formed to investigate the matter. Media reports suggested involvement of “rogue elements,” but the findings were not made public. The case has strained India’s relations with the US and other Western nations, reviving scrutiny of India’s intelligence operations abroad.

Following Gupta’s plea, the US Justice Department may now seek Yadav’s extradition under the bilateral treaty, though no formal request has yet been made.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has directed the creation of detention or holding centers in every district to confine alleged Bangladeshi and Rohingya entrants. The order, issued to state police at the end of the week, follows a central directive from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs requiring states to establish such centers for foreigners awaiting repatriation or identity verification. Similar facilities have already been set up in several other Indian states over the past year.

Reports indicate that many detained individuals in other states were later found to be Indian citizens, particularly Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal. Some detainees alleged mistreatment and inadequate food while held in temporary facilities such as community halls or office compounds. Activists have raised concerns about human rights violations and wrongful detentions.

Economist and Congress leader Prasenjit Bose questioned the necessity of these centers and demanded data on the number and identity of alleged illegal entrants in West Bengal. He stated that his formal requests for such information from the central government have gone unanswered.

At least 16 people have died from heatstroke in southern India as an intense heatwave continues across several regions, officials said on Sunday. The deaths occurred in Telangana state, where temperatures have soared well above 45 degrees Celsius in some cities. Telangana’s Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy has called for a state-wide alert to protect public health, describing the heatwave’s intensity as unprecedented.

The India Meteorological Department recently forecast higher-than-normal temperatures and severe heatwaves in multiple areas, including the capital New Delhi, where temperatures have remained above 40 degrees Celsius throughout the week. The extreme heat has driven electricity consumption to record levels, while high nighttime temperatures have offered little relief.

Health experts warned that excessive heat can cause dehydration and, in severe cases, organ failure. Local authorities in Telangana have advised elderly people, children, and pregnant women to avoid going outdoors during the day. Scientists have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves in India to climate change, as the country remains heavily dependent on coal for power generation.

In Churulia, West Bengal, the birthplace of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, several of his historical landmarks are disappearing due to neglect and industrial expansion. The century-old Nabakrishna High School, where the poet once stayed, is now set to be demolished for the expansion of Eastern Coalfields Limited’s colliery operations. The school houses personal items used by Nazrul, including his cup, plate, chair, and harmonium. Earlier, the original Nazrul Academy, built on the site of his ancestral home, was also demolished, with a new structure being built by the state tourism department.

Churulia holds deep connections to Nazrul’s life, including the burial site of his wife Promila Devi near the shrine of Pir Haji Palowan Sahib, where the poet once served. Many of the poet’s childhood landmarks, such as his madrasa and the old mosque, have already been replaced by modern buildings. The current demolition plans have placed not only Nabakrishna High School but also other local schools under threat as part of the mining lease area.

The developments mark a continuing erosion of Nazrul’s tangible heritage in his birthplace, raising concerns about the preservation of his cultural legacy.

The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal has imposed a complete ban on cow slaughter and sale, joining 19 other Indian states with similar restrictions. The decision, announced just before Eid al-Adha, has sparked widespread unrest across the state. Hindu farming families have taken to the streets in protest, accusing Chief Minister Suvendu of destroying their livelihoods. Many farmers claim they can no longer sustain their families without the income from selling cattle.

According to Indian media reports and expert analyses cited in the article, the ban has triggered a severe chain reaction across India’s rural economy. Farmers, unable to sell aging cows, face mounting debts and reduced income. The dairy sector has slowed as farmers stop raising new cattle, driving milk prices beyond the reach of ordinary consumers. The meat and leather industries have also collapsed due to raw material shortages, leaving millions unemployed. Stray cattle now roam freely, damaging crops and forcing the government to spend heavily on shelters.

Experts warn that the cumulative impact of these policies has placed immense pressure on India’s national budget and worsened rural poverty, creating a broad economic downturn linked to religiously motivated governance decisions.

An Indian Army Cheetah helicopter crashed in the remote Tangtse area of Ladakh’s Leh region on May 20, 2026. The aircraft carried a lieutenant colonel, a major, and Major General Sachin Mehta, the General Officer Commanding of the 3 Infantry Division. All three officers were injured but survived the crash, which the army officially confirmed on May 23. A selfie taken by Major General Mehta after the incident, showing the officers beside the wrecked helicopter, went viral on social media.

Following the crash, authorities formed an official inquiry committee to investigate the cause. The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of the Indian Army’s aging Cheetah helicopter fleet, which has been in service since the 1970s and has been involved in several accidents over the years. These helicopters have long been used in India’s high-altitude and remote operations, including the 1984 Operation Meghdoot in Siachen.

The army is gradually replacing the Cheetah fleet with domestically built Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, featuring improved speed, altitude capacity, and range.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online political satire movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has accused the Indian government of taking down the group’s official website. Dipke, a student at Boston University, made the claim on X on Saturday, saying the government removed the “iconic” site. The CJP was launched a week ago in response to comments by India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant, who compared unemployed youth to cockroaches. Kant later clarified that his remarks targeted those with fraudulent degrees and reaffirmed his respect for India’s youth.

Dipke said both his personal and the CJP’s Instagram accounts were hacked. The CJP’s Instagram page has gained over 22 million followers in a week, surpassing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s nine million followers. The movement claims one million sign-ups and 600,000 signatures on a petition demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The campaign coincides with nationwide protests over alleged exam paper leaks that led to the cancellation of a medical entrance test.

Dipke told Al Jazeera that the movement reflects frustration with those in power, describing India as a place where “cockroaches breed in rotten places.”

The new BJP government in West Bengal has revised the previously announced public holiday schedule for Eid-ul-Azha. A fresh notification issued on Saturday confirmed that only one day, May 28, will be observed as a public holiday for the festival. The earlier list, published under the Mamata Banerjee administration at the start of 2026, had declared two days of holidays for Eid-ul-Azha.

Since taking office, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has introduced several administrative reforms aimed at improving efficiency and reducing corruption. The government has emphasized minimizing unnecessary leave and ensuring timely public service delivery. Officials have also set fixed office attendance hours for government employees. The reduction of Eid holidays is being viewed as part of this broader effort to strengthen administrative discipline.

According to the new directive issued by Additional Chief Secretary P. K. Mishra, the adjustment aligns the state’s holiday schedule with that of the central government. Some government employees have raised questions about whether similar changes could affect the extended Durga Puja holidays in the future.

India is planning to increase its oil imports from the United States in response to the ongoing disruptions in the strategic Hormuz Strait. Sumit Ritolia, chief energy analyst at business analytics platform Kpler, told Al Jazeera that India is seeking alternative energy sources as the situation in the strait remains uncertain. Discussions are reportedly underway between India and the United States to expand oil and gas imports.

Ritolia cautioned that while the United States has the capacity to export oil and gas, it cannot fully replace the large volumes India currently imports from the Middle East. He also noted that India’s oil imports from Russia have risen, with the country continuing to buy discounted Russian crude despite Western sanctions following the Ukraine war, which has helped strengthen its energy security.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting India, where discussions are taking place on various agreements related to energy and defense cooperation, according to reports.

Hindu cattle farmers in West Bengal are facing financial hardship after the state government’s decision to restrict cow sacrifice ahead of Eid al-Adha. According to reports, Muslim buyers have stopped purchasing cows due to the new law, leaving Hindu farmers unable to sell their livestock. Many of these farmers had taken loans from NGOs to raise cattle, expecting to repay them through Eid sales.

In Bamunia village of South 24 Parganas, most cattle farmers are Hindu and have expressed frustration, urging that Muslims be allowed to perform cow sacrifices so they can sell their animals. Muslim farmers, meanwhile, said they would accept government takeover of their cattle if sacrifices remain banned. Local legislator Naushad Siddique stated that the ruling BJP government’s policy, intended to target Muslims, has instead harmed Hindus. Protests have also erupted in Bhangar, where Hindu men and women rejected the High Court’s decision supporting the ban.

BJP spokesperson Bimal Shankar Nanda commented that some groups are exploiting the situation for their own interests.

A government ban on cattle sacrifice ahead of Eid al-Adha has triggered a severe downturn in livestock markets across West Bengal. The enforcement of the 1950 West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act has left thousands of cattle traders, farmers, transport workers, and market laborers struggling. Hindu cattle traders, who traditionally rely on Muslim buyers during the Eid season, have expressed the most frustration, saying the restrictions have halted sales and caused major financial losses.

Videos circulating on social media show Hindu traders voicing anger and despair over the administration’s decision, claiming Muslim buyers now fear visiting markets. Some traders said they took large loans expecting Eid sales, while others described being unable to sell animals due to police surveillance. Religious leaders have urged restraint and suggested alternatives like goat or sheep sacrifice to prevent unrest.

Human rights activists and analysts noted that the long-standing economic ties between Hindu sellers and Muslim buyers in rural Bengal are under strain. Despite official claims that the move targets no community, the timing and strict enforcement have created uncertainty and hardship for low-income groups dependent on the Eid livestock trade.