The Daily Catch-Up: Gurgaon rain crisis, Bihar student protests, Supreme Court OBC row and more

Dear Reader, Welcome to The Daily Catch-Up, your evening briefing from The Indian Express. Today's top news includes Gurgaon’s rain and waterlogging crisis, political and policy debates, key court observations, protests, sports developments, and entertainment updates.

‘Gurgaon is not worth living in’: A man’s rain ordeal to bring his daughter home A father’s struggle to get home with his daughter during Gurgaon’s rain and waterlogging offers a stark account of what happens when a city’s infrastructure collapses.

After food safety crackdown, Tukaram Mundhe takes aim at loose oil The Maharashtra food safety chief’s crackdown widens, putting everything from restaurants to the sale of loose edible oil under inquiry. Podcast of the day After student deaths, anger and questions at IIT Delhi Students protest after a series of deaths on campus, raising difficult questions about institutional support and accountability.

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

Key Analysis and Detailed Timeline

Maharashtra’s anti-conversion law reaches Mumbai prayer meetings As the new law begins to take effect, prayer gatherings and religious activity have become part of its first real-world tests. The OBC creamy layer question, and a Supreme Court candidate at its centre A closer look at the rules governing OBC reservation and the debate over who qualifies for its benefits.

The Farakka Treaty and a fresh India-Bangladesh water dispute Why an old water-sharing arrangement is once again at the heart of tensions between the two neighbours. Why India took a cautious approach to Sergio Gor’s remarks on Trump The government responds to comments surrounding Donald Trump and the evolving India-US equation.

Why Bihar’s students are protesting over TRE-4 and BPSC The demands, the anger and the wider examination and recruitment issues driving protests in Patna.

Why the Parandur airport site was dropped The political and policy story behind Chennai’s proposed second airport and the debate that followed. ExplainSpeaking: What NEET tells us about Indian policymaking An examination of the larger policy questions surrounding India’s most consequential entrance exam.

ChatGPT, teen safety and age checks: What India needs to know As concerns over young users of AI platforms grow, a look at the safety and age-verification debate.

Read More: Will not make such a mistake again’: Gwalior man fined over car

The Daily Catch-Up: Gurgaon rain crisis, Bihar student protests, Supreme Court update

Broader Impact and Sector Outlook

View this post on Instagram A post shared 330 victims, Rs 400 crore: Goa digital-arrest case leads ED to wider cyber fraud network An inquiry into a major scam shows the scale and reach of an alleged pan-India network. A murder, a law enforcement personnel officers officers trail and a Telangana tea shop The chilling details behind a case that led investigators down an unexpected trail.

Rustomjee Crown and the BMC demolition action A look at the dispute over alleged unauthorised building work at the Mumbai project. Clash at Jadavpur University over ‘anti-national’ graffiti Political tensions spill onto campus as a confrontation involving Suvendu Adhikari triggers fresh controversy.

In Surat, a fish market named after PM Modi raises a stink A local naming controversy turns into a political flashpoint.

Distress beacon found, but sailors still missing off Odisha A new development in the search for missing sailors raises fresh questions about what happened at sea. D Deepesh, the 146 kmph pace prospect turning heads in the TNPL Meet the young fast bowler whose pace has made him one of the names to watch.

The man who strung racquets for Lakshya Sen, Lin Dan and more A fascinating look at the specialist craft behind elite badminton.

Gurgaon is not worth living in — unless you can afford to escape it A sharp argument about urban infrastructure, inequality and the increasingly unbearable cost of living in a city built around private escape routes. US may revoke up to 2 lakh visas: Who could be affected and why What the proposed action means, and which categories of visa holders could face the consequences.

Salman Khan steps in to help his body double Parvez Kazi The actor reportedly paid for surgery and medical facility expenses for his longtime body double. Sameera Reddy on her 93-year-old father, fitness and staying mentally strong A conversation about ageing, movement and the habits that can help sustain health and independence. The Daily Catch-Up is published Monday to Friday