State

Baripada: A sharp fall in temperatures has intensified the cold wave across Mayurbhanj district, with Similipal recording a minimum of 2°C in the past 24 hours. The biting cold has begun to affect wildlife in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, while human activity in urban areas,...

Rajanagar: Forest officials seized a trawler and arrested 19 persons for allegedly fishing illegally inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary near Agarnasi, authorities said Saturday. The patrol team intercepted the trawler Maa Kalijai, reportedly operating from Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, while it was engaged in unlawful...

Kabisuryanagar: A 72-year-old man was killed by his minor neighbour with a sword at Patharapalli village under Kabisuryanagar police limits in Ganjam district Saturday. The deceased was identified as Krushnachandra Mohanty. According to reports, a neighbour’s domesticated mongoose entered Mohanty’s house Friday and ate chicken...

Anandapur: A bridge over the Kukurua nullah on the Tartara–Kantipal main road in Keonjhar district’s Anandapur block collapsed Saturday morning, cutting off travel for residents of five panchayats who depend on the route. Residents said the bridge had developed cracks months back, but despite repeated...

Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on interstate arms trafficking, the Special Crime Unit (SCU) of Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Commissionerate Police arrested two key operatives and seized 11 illegal firearms being transported from Angul to Berhampur, officials said Saturday. The accused have been identified as Sumanta Naik (30)...

Bhadrak: In a major jolt for the Opposition BJD, two sons and the sister of six-time MLA Prafulla Samal joined the BJP Saturday. Samal's sons Prayaskanti and Pranitkanti, along with his sister Urmila Nayak, joined Odisha's ruling party at its state headquarters here in the...

Sundargarh: An undergraduate female student suffered about 90 per cent burn injuries after allegedly attempting self-immolation in Odisha's Sundargarh district, police said Saturday. This is the fifth such incident reported in the state in the past six months. One person, who was allegedly harassing the...

Rourkela: Two persons died Saturday, after their motorcycle collided with a car transporter in Odisha's Rourkela, police said. The accident took place at Gamlei under the Lahunipara block. The duo died on the spot, and the driver of the car transporter has been detained, a...

Berhampur: A 36-year-old man from Chhattisgarh was arrested for allegedly operating at least five 'mule' accounts in private banks in the name of five persons from Berhampur city in Odisha, police said. 'Mule' accounts are bank accounts that facilitate illegal transactions by receiving and transferring...

Bhubaneswar: BJD president Naveen Patnaik Saturday alleged that the BJP government in Odisha has shattered the dreams of job aspirants with frequent cancellations of competitive exams. Patnaik's comment comes a day after the question papers of the Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) examination leaked before the...