India news Live Updates, 24 August 2026: TN CM Vijay drops

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay confirmed in the Assembly that the Parandur airport project will be dropped, ending the state’s plans for the proposed airport. If 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. ED searches nine premises in UP, Delhi, Haryana in bogus ITC case The Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches at nine premises across Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad and Faridabad under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the fraudulent availment and passing of bogus Input Tax Credit, authorities stated.

For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

Key Analysis and Detailed Timeline

The action is part of a broader crackdown on GST fraud networks operating across state lines. Three newborns killed in Maharashtra medical facility NICU fire Three newborns were killed in a fire that broke out in the NICU of a Maharashtra government medical facility, in one of the most distressing tragedies reported from the state's public health system in recent memory.

Read More: BJP Unveils Month-Long Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan to Mark 25 Years

Forty people were separately hospitalised after a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in Nagpur, with emergency response teams working to contain the situation. Goldy Brar alleges in leaked audio he ordered Nijjar killing Fugitive terrorist Goldy Brar has asserted in a leaked audio that he and his associates killed separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, alleging that Nijjar was using minors to push drugs — a claim that, if verified, would significantly shift the narrative around the killing that triggered the India-Canada diplomatic crisis.

The audio has not been independently authenticated. Two MLAs among six injured in Delhi car crash at ITO A speeding car crashed through a divider and rammed into an SUV near Delhi's ITO, injuring two MLAs and four others. Both legislators have been taken to medical facility for treatment.

Broader Impact and Sector Outlook

Ganeshotsav preparations turn tragic in Mumbai: Two killed in idol collapse Two families in Mumbai are mourning after a night meant for Ganeshotsav preparations ended in tragedy, with two people killed when a Ganesh idol lost consciousness in the Bhuleshwar area — a grim prelude to one of the city's most celebrated festivals. Rs 7,000 crore cocaine haul, Dubai hideout: The story of Virender Baisoya An Indian Express inquiry reconstructs the rise of Virender Baisoya, who allegedly ran one of Delhi's most sophisticated cocaine networks with a Dubai hideout — a case that has exposed the international supply chains feeding India's upper-end narcotics market.