State

While the word “katta” (country-made gun) once dominated political discourse in Bihar—echoing even in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election speeches—the real heat in the state today is over “kattha” (land measurement). With land prices soaring across urban and semi-urban Bihar, disputes and speculation over property have intensified, turning land into the state’s most combustible asset. As demand for housing rises and available land shrinks, builders and real estate intermediaries have aggressively entered the market, particularly in and around Patna. A common model involves purchasing four katthas of land and constructing multi-storey apartment complexes with 15–20 flats, generating massive profits—often at the cost of state revenue. The Registration Game: Huge Gap Between Officia...

A troubling surge in wrong FASTag deductions has sparked widespread concern across Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand, with vehicle owners reporting toll charges from locations hundreds of kilometres away—despite their cars being parked at home or undergoing repairs. The incidents have raised serious questions about the credibility, transparency, and monitoring of India’s FASTag toll collection system, which is operated under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Parked in Patna, Charged in Jamshedpur Patna resident Siddharth Kaushal was left stunned when he received a message on Tuesday evening stating that ₹65 had been deducted at the Putru Toll Plaza near Jamshedpur, even though his vehicle was parked outside his home in Patna. “I was shocked. My car never travelled...

Muzaffarpur, Bihar: The Vande Bharat Express once again became the target of a stone-pelting incident in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. Three train coaches suffered damage when stones were hurled at the moving train near the Kanti area. Local police and railway authorities acted promptly to investigate the matter. Incident DetailsThe Vande Bharat Express train number 26502, coming from Narkatiaganj, was attacked during its journey. The railway control room received information about the stone-pelting, prompting an immediate response from the Railway Police and local police teams. On reaching the site, authorities questioned three suspected minor boys present near the tracks. The minors admitted their involvement, stating that they were playing and had accidentally hit the train while att...