A shocking picture of government negligence has emerged in Mirzapur. Where PWD engineers left the hand pump running midway during road construction. This strange mistake not only shocked people but also posed a great danger to the road users. According to the information, after the video went viral on social media, the hand pump was removed by the village head of the area on the request of PWD officials.
Officers left hand pump on the middle of the road
Actually, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had reached Vindhyachal on Tuesday (17 March). To please CM Yogi, PWD officials hastily constructed a road in Mirzapur district. The haste was so great that during the road construction, the officials left the working hand pump in the middle of the road, which is now becoming a problem for the commuters. The entire matter is near Kantit Inara of Vindhyachal police station area.
The matter came to the notice of authorities after the video went viral
Local Ashish Kumar Yadav told that the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath This road was built three days before the arrival of. The road builders did not shift the hand pump and left it in the middle of the road, inviting an accident. However, after the video went viral on social media, the matter has come to the notice of the authorities. Now workers are removing hand pumps from the road.
Hand pump will be shifted soon – official
According to a local resident, Navratri fair is going to be organized from April 19 at the world famous Maa Vindhyavasini temple located in Vindhyachal, Mirzapur. Preparations are being made for this. Roads, water and electricity are being repaired to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience. In this sequence, the engineer and contractor who built the road left the hand pump in the middle of the road to save expenses. Lakhs of devotees will have to travel through the road from Mirzapur to Vindhyachal every day during Navratri. Despite this, such huge negligence has come to light, now it remains to be seen what action is taken against them. Assistant Engineer of PWD Department, BK Pandey told on phone that the municipality had to be shifted but it was not shifted. Will be shifted soon.
Maxx Crosby was set in stone to be the next Baltimore Ravens star, but instead, it appears he will be back with the Las Vegas Raiders for an eighth season.
After the Ravens committed to sending two first-round picks for Crosby, the team backed out of the deal due to concerns with his medicals — Crosby recently had meniscus surgery and missed the final two games of the season.
In what Crosby called “one of the most unique, crazy, wild, up-and-down rollercoasters I’ve ever been a part of,” it started with lots of emotions with his wife, agent and other friends as he celebrated six months of sobriety just as the rumors started to heat up.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby reacts after the Chicago Bears jumped the snap in the third quarter at Soldier Field.(Jamie Sabau/USA TODAY Sports)
But things started off oddly when after the trade was made, he flew to Washington, D.C., and then drove two hours to Baltimore.
“That s— was weak,” Crosby said on his podcast, “The Rush.”
Crosby then said he didn’t see either general manager Eric DeCosta or head coach Jesse Minter for “five hours,” which struck him as odd. Then, once he got to meet Minter, he knew something was up.
“I dap him up, and you can just tell the energy was off … He had a blank face,” Crosby said. “Not thinking anything of it, maybe he’s different. I don’t know him.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) looks on from the sideline during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sept. 28, 2025.(Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)
“I go into the room, they sit me down on the couch and go, ‘I don’t know how to say this. One of our doctors has concerns with the results, with your knee. Some of them are concerned about the future. We really want you. We’re just gonna have to get more and more opinions.’”
That meeting with Minter left Crosby “freaking out,” and he got a call saying that the Ravens were backing out, which left him “f—ing livid” and on a private jet back to Las Vegas.
“It was crazy, bro. It was so much going on,” Crosby said.
However, it did not stop Crosby from waking up before 5 a.m. the next morning to get a workout in at the Raiders facility.
The Ravens quickly pivoted after the Crosby deal fell through, signing former Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract with $60 million guaranteed.
“Everything happens for a reason. Believe nothing you hear & half of what you see. I’m a Raider. I’m back. Run that s—,” Crosby posted to X shortly after the trade was canceled.
Last season, in 15 games, Crosby recorded 73 tackles, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. His sack numbers are particularly impressive because the team was losing so often that Crosby wasn’t afforded the same number of opportunities to rush the quarterback compared to defenders on better teams.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) stands on the field after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 14, 2025.(Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said an overnight strike killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. There has been no confirmation from Iran but Katz says Israel’s military is authorised to target senior Iranian officials without additional approval from the government.
A woman who tried to murder a toddler by repeatedly giving her adult medication is facing a rare life sentence for showing no remorse.
Laura Docherty’s actions were branded “utterly reckless and breathtakingly wicked” by a judge, with the offender additionally described as “dishonest, manipulative and cunning”.
She has now been warned she is facing an order for lifelong restriction (OLR) – a lifelong sentence with a minimum jail term that is usually reserved for the most serious court cases in Scotland that do not involve murder.
A court heard how Docherty, 35, gave the girl antidepressant and painkilling drugs from the age of two, resulting in her needing to be resuscitated and placed on a ventilator.
Judge Michael O’Grady KC said the offender was willing to throw the child’s life away “for nothing more than the drama of the moment, and the attention you seem to seek at every turn”.
Indeed, Docherty posted a string of carefree TikTok videos while standing trial for the attempted murder – with one captioned “#makemefamous”, and another featuring the eye-roll emoji alongside the wording “court again”.
In a later clip, she is seen lip syncing along to Dirty Dancing’s (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
And in another, captioned “#court #screwedup”, she lip syncs to a dance remix of Celine Dion’s Because You Loved Me.
Docherty, formerly of Glenrothes in Fife, denied any wrongdoing, but was convicted of the murder bid in December following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
She was remanded in custody pending a background report and was due to be sentenced on Wednesday.
However, highlighting the prepared report, defence advocate Simon Gilbride told the court his client adheres to her position at trial and “has no insight into her behaviour and accepts no responsibility for her actions”.
An accompanying psychiatric assessment reported that she suffers from an “emotionally unstable personality disorder”.
Judge O’Grady voiced his concerns over Docherty’s “pathological desire for attention”, and said had it not been for the medics in the case, the defendant would most likely have been facing a murder charge.
He also noted she “shows no empathy” for the child and instead “considers herself to be the victim”.
Given the “many troubling aspects” of the case, Judge O’Grady requested an assessment for an OLR.
Under an OLR, the court will set a minimum jail term the offender must serve, and if they are ever released back into the community, they will remain under a lifelong risk management plan.
Image:The High Court in Edinburgh
Docherty carried out her crime against the child between April 2021 and February 2023 at an address in Edinburgh, at a ward at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and elsewhere.
She assaulted and attempted to murder the girl by repeatedly administering drugs which were medications not prescribed for her.
As a result, the victim suffered seizures and episodes of reduced consciousness.
She had to be resuscitated, admitted to hospital, put on a ventilator, and was subjected to medical investigations and procedures.
Judge O’Grady previously acknowledged Docherty’s “troubled and unhappy life”, but stated: “Whatever your own trials and tribulations, whatever the turmoil in your own life, what you did to her was utterly wicked.”
He added: “It is impossible to forget the sight of a young child, who should have been in the flower of her childhood, prone in the back of an ambulance, desperately struggling to breathe, desperately struggling to hang on by a thread to life.”
Over the next several days, perhaps even stretching into next week, the United States Senate, that grave and august deliberative body, will performatively waste time with impassioned speeches over the Save America Act, which they all know will never pass.
There may, however, be an off ramp to this Mobius loop of legislative futility: A proposal from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., would have the upper body vote on a clean, simple, voter ID bill, without provisions regarding mail-in ballots or citizenship.
Sen. John Fetterman says he’ll vote for a “clean” voter ID bill.(AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Make no mistake, President Donald Trump is correct that all the provisions of the Save America Act, including one banning men from women’s sports have broad popular support, and are of vital importance. But if the bill cannot pass, then so what?
The reason the act can’t pass, as we all know by now, is that the filibuster rule can only be overcome with 60 votes, which frankly might as well be a million in today’s fractured Senate, and GOP leadership values this restrictive parliamentary procedure more than protecting American elections.
To the average voter this sounds like the Senate is saying, “Sorry we can’t do anything, but, you see, we made up this rule that says we can’t do anything, so our hands are tied.”
One must ask though, isn’t the whole point of the filibuster to push senators towards compromise, towards a bill both popular and sound enough to carry the 60 votes needed?
Even without the provisions regarding citizenship and mail-in voting, a law requiring a valid ID to vote in federal elections would be a major victory for Republicans, and potentially a first step toward greater election reform.
Politically speaking, such a clean voter ID bill would put Democrats in a much tougher bind than they are in today, because they lose every one of their somewhat plausible-sounding objections to the Save America Act.
As silly, and frankly condescending, as Democrats’ arguments that married women and poor people are too dumb or frazzled to obtain proof of citizenship are, we have all stood in line at the DMV or passport office and can glimpse the grain of truth in it.
But a clean voter ID bill, that accepts military and a variety of other forms of identification, takes all of these objections off the table. It would force Democrats to admit they do not want even the slightest scrutiny over who votes.
To put it bluntly, if Democrats in the Senate cannot say yes to basic voter ID, which truly does have the support of 80% of Americans, then it is reasonable to conclude that it is because they want to cheat in elections.
The American people are frustrated. They are poking the Senate with a stick and saying, “Do something,” but instead, they are treated to name calling and meaningless oratory.
The only thing that is giving Democrats in the Senate and their friends in the media any cover on the voter ID issue is the breadth and scope of the Save America Act. If Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., lacks the will to break the filibuster, he can at least expose the truth.
Politics, they say, is the art of the possible, not the perfect. But it is also the art of the passable, both in the sense of a milquetoast disappointment and a bill signed into law.
Fetterman has become like a big old sweatshirt-wearing lighthouse in the Senate, a beacon of sanity and common sense, and his plan for a clean voter ID bill seems like the only path forward that GOP leadership has left.
If nothing happens, if the Save America Act fails and nothing is passed in its stead, the reaction from voters will almost certainly be a pox on both your parties, but with a little extra venom for the one at least nominally in charge.
The American people neither need nor desire a week of pointless speeches about a bill that can’t pass. Instead, let the Senate do some actual work, and at the very least pass a simple, popular and effective voter ID bill.
Researchers at IBM X‑Force and Flare Research have uncovered data that sheds light on how North Korea’s fake IT worker schemes operate and infiltrate companies in order to funnel money back to the regime and steal sensitive information.
In a published report, “Inside the North Korean infiltrator threat,” the pair detail evidence of the top-level infrastructure used to manage the operations, how workers apply for and secure IT roles, and mitigation strategies businesses can use to avoid falling victim.
The threat of North Korean nationals operating as remote IT contractors or full-time technology staff inside unsuspecting companies has come to light over the past several years, yet the report says security experts are only starting to realize the scale and sophistication of the operation.
It cites information from the US Government that these IT workers can earn more than $300,000 a year, and upwards of 100,000 North Koreans are spread across 40 countries generating approximately $500 million a year for Pyongyang.
The researchers found documents and spreadsheets revealing the roles within the fake IT worker ecosystem, comprising recruiters, facilitators, IT Workers and collaborators/brokers.
Recruiters are, like bona fide recruitment staff, responsible for screening potential IT staff and recording interviews. These are sent to facilitators who decide whether to accept or deny them for employment, much like a hiring manager.
However, it is unclear whether many candidates realize they are being recruited to work for the Norks. Recruiters may tell them the company they are applying to is an “early-stage stealth startup” with no published corporate information, often using the name “C Digital LLC.”
Candidates are mentored in applying for employment at western-based companies and given a US-based identity to use.
Facilitators and IT workers are the most important roles within the system. These are expected to have experience in full stack web app development, .NET and WordPress. Collaborators are Westerners that provide their identities for use in the IT worker fraud scheme, and may assist in other ways.
Timesheets found by the researchers detail hours worked on “Bids” and “Msg” by the fake workers, where “Bids” is how many bids in a day they made on freelancing sites such as Upwork, and Msg likely refers to how many messages or connections a worker made on UpWork, LinkedIn, or Freelancer.
The workers make use of fake identities to pursue work opportunities -counterfeit accounts or verified accounts linked to real individuals who may have unwillingly given the worker access.
Once employed in a full-time role, fake workers are often very successful, since they sometimes have multiple people helping them to produce their work, with the hope of getting a promotion and gaining more privileged access to the IT systems.
One of the most essential tools for North Korean IT workers is Google Translate, the report says. This is used in nearly every part of their online activity, including for translating job descriptions, creating applications and communicating with others as part of their work.
The report identifies some tools associated with fake workers, which companies can watch out for. One is known as OConnect and/or NetKey, – a known North Korean VPN – likely used to connect to internal networks in Pyongyang.
Also common is IP Messenger, or IPMsg, an open-source messaging application that does not require a central server, meaning it doesn’t rely on centralized platforms operated by US companies such as Discord or Google.
The report outlines some mitigation strategies, including warning signs like fake backgrounds, AI face changers, or AI voice changers during online interviews. Employers should also watch for discrepancies between the candidate’s resume and what they say in interviews, such as what languages they claim to speak and where they claim to reside.
Alternatively, there is a killer interview question, as reported by The Register previously: ask them something like “How fat is Kim Jong Un?” and if they are a North Korean, they will terminate the call instantly. ®
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip – Historic landmarks often withstand centuries of volatile change, but when rockets and missiles fall, even the most enduring stones become fragile.
For generations of families in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, the Grain Market was the first stop when they went shopping.
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Reaching it meant walking past the historic Barquq Castle, a centuries-old structure dating back to 1387 and the very foundation of Khan Younis.
But for residents, the castle was more than an old monument; it was a familiar landmark marking the entrance to one of the city’s liveliest commercial spaces.
The aromatic scent of spices and dried herbs would accompany any walk towards the Grain Market.
But that was before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began. Israeli attacks inflicted heavy damage on the Grain Market and the Barquq Castle. The market has now been reduced to shattered alleys, with dust and heavy silence filling the air.
Sitting in his store along a row of damaged old shops, 60-year-old Nahed Barbakh, one of the city’s oldest and most well-known traders of staple food supplies, spent decades watching customers stream through the market. Now, only a handful pass by his shop.
“I’ve been in this spot for decades, day in and day out, watching people bring life to this place,” Nahed said. “Look at it now – it’s empty. These days, there shouldn’t even be space to walk because of the crowds preparing for Eid.”
He paused before gesturing towards the nearby castle.
“We always felt the weight of history here because we are so close to Barquq Castle. Now that history and life itself have been struck by the occupation.”
But Israeli fire did not take into account the market’s historic status. The Grain Market, long considered the economic heart of Khan Younis, was also among the first sites of destruction during the second month of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. More than two years of Israeli bombardment and repeated waves of displacement have left the market unrecognisable.
“The occupation killed many of our friends who worked here,” Nahed said quietly. “Those who survived have been financially broken. That’s why you see most of these shops are still closed.”
He pointed to some shelves behind him.
“My shop used to be fully stocked with goods at its high capacity. We even had extra warehouses to supply what people needed, especially during the busiest seasons.”
Before he could finish his sentence, a deafening blast interrupted him — the sound of an Israeli tank fire.
“And this is the biggest reason people are afraid to return,” Nahed said abruptly. “The yellow line is only a few hundred metres away from this street. At any moment, bullets can reach here.”
The yellow line is the name given to the demarcation line behind which Israeli forces withdrew as part of the first phase of October’s ceasefire agreement. It effectively divides Gaza into two, and Palestinians have repeatedly been shot for approaching it.
The yellow line has divided Khan Younis, dramatically reshaping the city’s geography. Israel has repeatedly shifted the line, moving it deeper into Gaza.
The Grain Market, once firmly at the centre of urban life, now sits close to the yellow line.
What used to be the city’s commercial heart has effectively turned into its edge, where people hesitate to walk, leaving the revival of daily commerce life a distant prospect.
Nahed Barbakh, a 60-year-old shop owner and trader, sits at a table in front of his store [Ahmed al-Najjar/Al Jazeera]
Centuries of endurance
The Grain Market traces its origins to the late 14th century, when the Mamluk ruler Younis al-Nawruzi established Khan Younis in 1387 as a strategic stop along the trade route linking Egypt and the Levant.
Built as an extension of the Barquq Castle, which functioned as a caravanserai for travelling merchants, the market became a central commercial hub where traders and travellers exchanged goods, moving between Africa, the Levant and beyond.
The Grain Market occupies roughly 2,400sq metres (25,830sq feet). Its single-floor shops line a central street running east to west, intersected by narrow alleys branching towards smaller courtyards. The buildings preserve elements of their original construction, including sandstone walls and traditional binding materials that have survived centuries of repairs and modifications.
Over time, the market evolved into the primary commercial centre of Khan Younis, adapting to modern commerce while retaining its historic character.
But today, many of its shops stand damaged or shuttered.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the market is now among more than 200 heritage sites damaged in attacks by Israeli forces across the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
At the southern end of the Grain Market, where rows of vegetable stalls once overflowed with fresh produce, only one makeshift stand has opened.
Om Saed al-Farra, a local, stepped cautiously towards the stall, inspecting the small piles of vegetables laid out on a wooden crate. The expression on her face reflected more than surprise; it was disbelief at what the market had become.
“The market is deplorable now,” she said. “There used to be many stalls here and many choices for people.”
She gestured towards the empty stretch of the market’s vegetable section, once one of its busiest corners.
“These days were once filled with extensive joyful preparations for Eid, when families crowded the market to shop for food and essentials,” al-Farra said. “Now the market feels unusually gloomy, its stalls largely empty and its familiar vibrance gone. Everything is limited. Even if you have money, there are hardly any places left here for us to buy from.”
Rows of damaged and closed shops in Khan Younis’s Grain Market [Ahmed al-Najjar/Al Jazeera]
Economic collapse under fire
Although parts of the market’s infrastructure remain physically standing, many traders have not returned.
According to Khan Younis Mayor Alaa el-Din al-Batta, the Grain Market was once one of the city’s most vital economic lifelines.
“Just as it once connected continents, even under blockade, it continued to connect people across Gaza,” al-Batta said. “It holds a deep place in the memory of our residents. But once again, the occupation has brought destruction, targeting both our history and a critical lifeline for the people.”
For nearly two decades, Israel has controlled Gaza’s land crossings, airspace and coastline under a strict blockade. Since the genocide began in October 2023, restrictions have tightened further, pushing businesses and trade to collapse.
In a narrow western alley where scattered stones cover the ground, two cloaks hung outside a small shop. Inside, 57-year-old tailor Mohammad Abdul Ghafour leaned over his sewing machine, carefully stitching a torn shirt.
His shop was the only one open in the grey alley.
“I’ve been here since childhood,” Abdul Ghafour said. “My father opened this shop in 1956, and I grew up learning the profession right here in the market.”
Israel’s bombardment not only destroyed the place where he worked; it also killed dozens of his family members.
“On December 7, 2023, Israel committed a horrific massacre against my family,” he said. “I lost my father, my brothers, and more than 30 relatives.”
Burying his family members was only the beginning of the long, painful separation from the market and his shop.
“We were forced into displacement more than 12 times. I had many chances to leave as two of my children live in Europe,” Abdul Ghafour said. “But all I could think about was returning to my shop.”
When Israeli forces withdrew to the yellow line, he came back alone.
“I cleaned the street by myself. And if I had to do it again, I would. Whoever loves his land never abandons it,” he said. “I charge my batteries for my machine and come every day. My return encouraged some residents to come back too. But people still need shelter, water, and basic services before more families return.”
Resident Mohammad Shahwan stood in Nahed’s shop checking a list of items he hoped to buy.
“We left the crowded al-Mawasi as soon as we could to return to our damaged home,” he said, referring to the stretch of coastal Khan Younis that thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly displaced to. “But the number of residents here is still very small because of the destruction and lack of services.”
Still, Mohammad Shahwan said he was relieved to find the shop open at all.
“For the first time in two years, we’ll make traditional Eid biscuits,” he said, holding the list of ingredients. “The last two Eids were dark for my family after we lost my 17-year-old son, Salama. He and his aunt were killed by an Israeli strike.”
He could have bought the now-expensive supplies elsewhere, he said, but returning to the Grain Market carried its own meaning. “I wanted to buy them from here, just like we always did.”
Mohammad Abdul Ghafour, 57, a Palestinian tailor in Khan Younis [Ahmed al-Najjar/Al Jazeera]
Waiting for restoration
According to Mayor al-Batta, restoring the historic market will require a major reconstruction effort.
“The Grain Market needs a comprehensive restoration process to function again,” he said. “So far, our work has only been limited to clearing rubble and delivering limited water supplies for returning residents.”
The rebuilding process will require specialised materials and expert restoration work to preserve what is left of the historic structure. Municipal workers have already collected leftover stones from the ruins in the hope that they can one day be used in rebuilding parts of the market.
But reconstruction remains impossible under current conditions.
“More than five months have passed since the ceasefire began, yet not a single bag of cement has entered Gaza,” al-Batta said.
“We want to restore our historic identity and revive life for our people. But neither can happen while Israeli restrictions and violations continue.”
An 18-day-old baby girl suffered a fatal head injury when she was allegedly thrown out of a window by her mother, a court has heard.
Baby Mariam plunged 10 metres (32ft) from her family’s third-floor flat in Westminster, central London, on Saturday.
Zahira Byjaouane had been due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday charged with her daughter’s murder, but was unable to attend the hearing.
Emergency services arrived within minutes of her husband’s 999 call at 7.30am and found Mariam lying on a concrete surface between the block of flats on Great Peter Street and a high metal railing, the court heard.
Mariam was taken to hospital in a “critical condition” where she died at 9am, having suffered a fracture to the skull, prosecutor Philip McGhee said.
Police went inside the flat and found her mother sitting on a bed.
The 43-year-old was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and then charged with murder the following day.
Mariam’s father was present in the flat but was said to have been in the kitchen making baby formula when the defendant allegedly threw the newborn from a sash window.
Mr McGhee said the husband had run outside but was unable to reach his child. He returned inside and called 999.
Caitlin Clark of USA prepares to take a free throw during the Women’s World Cup 2026 Qualifier between Puerto Rico and USA at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on March 12, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.(Alexa Alejandro/FIBA via Getty Images)
The Indiana Fever star, who was making her debut with the senior team, averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists per game as the Americans went a perfect 5-0. The team won games against Senegal, Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand and Spain to round out the tournament.
It’s the second MVP award for Clark on the world stage. She received the honor when she was a part of the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2021.
Clark has taken a long journey back to the basketball court as she only played in 13 games for the Fever during the 2025 season. She averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5 rebounds per game, but an injury right before the All-Star break threw her off course.
Caitlin Clark (17) brings the ball upcourt during a training camp for the U.S women’s national basketball team, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Durham, North Carolina.(AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)
The sharpshooting guard suffered a groin strain and then a bone bruise in her ankle. The Fever closely monitored her recovery and eventually ruled her out for the remainder of the regular season.
“I’ve always been a person that’s going to just rely on my work. I feel like it’s certainly made me work harder,” the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year said earlier this month, referencing her injury setbacks.
“But that’s also probably the part that kind of stunk about it is I felt like I put in so much time and so much energy going into last season and then, obviously, only appeared in about 13 games.”
Despite worries about being rusty, Clark scored 17 points in her first game against Senegal. She nailed four 3-pointers and it set the stage for how the rest of the tournament would go.
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) gestures to the crowd during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Boston.(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Gold prices fell by ₹789 to ₹1,54,879 per 10 gram on Wednesday against ₹1,55,668 on Tuesday. Photo Credit: PTI
Jewelers in India are expecting a 40 percent rise in gold jewelery demand during the Marathi New Year, Happy Padwa, and Telugu and Kannada New Year, उगाडीwhich falls on Thursday. The industry anticipates the recent fall in gold prices to boost demand for light-weight jewelery in particular.
Gold prices fell by ₹789 to ₹1,54,879 per 10 gram on Wednesday against ₹1,55,668 on Tuesday. Gold has crashed by ₹12,592 from ₹1,67,471 since March 2.
Similarly, silver has crashed by ₹2,433 on Wednesday to ₹2,49,907 a kg against ₹2,52,340 on Tuesday. Silver prices have declined by ₹39,941 per kg since the start of this month.
Cultural importance
Rajesh Rokde, Chairman, Gem and Jewelery Council, said despite elevated gold prices, jewelers are optimistic that Gudi Padwa and उगाडी will witness strong consumer sentiment due to deep cultural significance.
While volatility in the international markets may keep prices firm in the near term, the industry expects demand to remain resilient, with consumers increasingly opting for lighter jewelery pieces and innovative designs.
The festive spirit, coupled with the ongoing wedding season, will ensure that sales momentum stays healthy at 7-8 tonne on Thursday compared to 5 tonne last year, he said.
Mindful buying
Sachin Jain, Regional CEO, India, World Gold Council, said the current festive season beginning with Gudi Padwa, उगाडीi, Cheti Chand, Chaitra Navratri comes at a time when gold demand in India is showing both continuity and change. While elevated prices are shaping purchasing decisions, they are also encouraging more mindful buying, with consumers prioritizing value, flexibility and thoughtful purchases, he added.
The demand has widened with interest not just in jewelery but also in bars, coins, ETFs and digital gold, as more consumers look at gold through both a consumption and increasingly an investment lens, he said.
This reflects a more balanced approach, where gold is increasingly part of broader financial planning, especially in a dynamic global environment, said Jain.
Dr Saurabh Gadgil, Chairman and Managing Director, PNG Jewellers, said Gudi Padwa has set a strong start to the season, backed by encouraging pre-bookings and positive consumer sentiment.
“With the upcoming wedding season and Akshay Tritiyademand visibility remains robust across categories. Lightweight jewelery continues to drive volumes, while wedding jewelery is seeing steady traction. We are also witnessing growing interest online in gold bars and coins,” he said.
Overall, PNG Jewelers expects to deliver a healthy value growth of 20–25 per cent over last year, he said.
Neutral sales
Colin Shah, MD, Kama Jewelry, said auspicious occasions like Gudi Padwa attract a large number of buyers, driven by sentimental value. This year, domestic jewelery sales during Gudi Padwa are likely to remain neutral, irrespective of the downtrend in gold prices after a long time.
While some buyers from the investors’ fraternity may leverage this opportunity, the consumer class will be mindful, given the current geopolitical scenario,” he said.
Demand for affordable light-weight gold jewelery in 9k, 14k, and 18k is likely to see traction from young buyers who prefer practicality and the prestige of wearing a precious metal. However, this year will not record any significant festive spike in sales, and business is expected to remain neutral at large.
