Evening news wrap: Centre agrees to withdraw FIRs, CJP calls off protest after Dharmendra Pradhan quits & more

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Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Council of Ministers on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. In his resignation letter, he said he wanted to prevent the situation from being exploited by anti-national forces and ensure students could focus on their future.He highlighted the government’s actions, including cancelling the examination, ordering a CBI probe and shifting NEET to computer-based testing from next year. His resignation follows weeks of protests, political pressure and nationwide outrage over alleged examination irregularities. Read full story

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off its 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar after three rounds of talks with the Centre.

The group said the government had accepted two of its three key demands: the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the withdrawal of FIRs and legal cases against protesters. Addressing a joint press conference with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP leaders said the protest was being withdrawn “in good faith”. However, they said their demand for Rs 1 crore compensation to families of NEET-linked suicide victims remains pending. Read full story

A 20-year-old student who had recently returned from the United States died after the car he was driving overturned and fell into an open drain in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj early Friday. The victim, Yashvendra, was travelling with a female friend, who escaped with minor injuries. Police suspect the vehicle skidded on a rain-soaked road before hitting a tree and plunging into the drain.The victim’s father is an Army officer posted in Kolkata. Investigators are examining CCTV footage and other factors, including vehicle speed, to determine the exact cause. Read full story

India captain Shreyas Iyer’s remarkable run of eight consecutive T20I toss wins came to an end after Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza won the toss in the second T20I at Harare. The streak had surpassed MS Dhoni’s previous Indian record of seven straight toss victories. Zimbabwe chose to bowl first, expecting early assistance for their seamers despite improved batting conditions. Iyer said India would have preferred to bat first but urged his players to remain focused after their comprehensive victory in the opening match. India lead the three-match series 1-0. Read full story

The United States has imposed a permanent additional 10% tariff on imports from India under a Section 301 investigation into alleged forced labour, replacing the temporary levy that expired on Friday. While lower than the proposed 12.5%, the tariff will affect a large share of Indian exports to the US.Indian trade experts argued the measure lacks factual basis, noting that India has already strengthened its Foreign Trade Policy to prohibit imports made using forced labour. Read full story