MP Evening Wrap:14th death in Indore due to contaminated water; Bharat Taxi claims fares up to 30% cheaper than Ola, Uber more

Bhaskar English brings you the biggest news from Madhya Pradesh and around the world. Here are the top news headlines of the day:
1. 14th death in Indore due to contaminated water: 162 patients hospitalised In Bhagirathpura, Indore, 14 people have died so far due to the consumption of contaminated water. One of the victims, 43-year-old Arvind, son of Hiralal from Kulkarni Bhatta, fell ill after visiting Bhagirathpura for work on Sunday. Read more 2. Bharat Taxi claims fares up to 30% cheaper than Ola, Uber; service to launch in Delhi this month The central government’s cooperative service ‘Bharat Taxi’ may launch in Delhi and Gujarat from January 2026. Read More 3. Bhopal resort rape case: Event manager assaulted: Property dealer used fake identity A property dealer raped a 19-year-old woman at the Kerwa Jungle Camp Resort in Bhopal. He had called the woman to meet him on the pretext of providing financial help on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Read more
4. Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani becomes New York City’s first Muslim mayor, takes oath with hand on the Quran Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani has become the first Muslim mayor of New York City. He took the oath of office on Thursday with his hand placed on the Quran. Read more
5. March and October are packed with most holidays in MP this year: Long weekends fall in these months Madhya Pradesh is set to witness several long weekends in 2026, giving government employees and travellers multiple opportunities for extended breaks. Read more
6. 2026 begins with faith and celebration in MP: Women’s cricket team seeks blessings in Ujjain Madhya Pradesh bid an enthusiastic farewell to 2025 and welcomed 2026 with grand celebrations across major cities and tourist destinations, including Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Pachmarhi, and Mandu. Read more
7. Cigarettes, pan masala to get costlier as govt levies additional tax over 40% GST from Feb 1, 2026 The government of India has notified the levy of additional taxes on tobacco products from 1 February 2026. This may increase the price of these products for consumers. Read more
8. Five-year-old asks, ‘Will I be able to play again?’: Child survives poisonous cough syrup Kunal, a five-year-old boy from Chhindwara, narrowly escaped death after consuming poisonous cough syrup, but his life has been permanently altered Read more
9. IAS IPS officers promoted in MP: Selvendran, Principal Secretary Ashutosh, Special DG Pramod Verma The state government has promoted two senior officers in the administrative and police services. Read more
10. Banks to remain closed for 16 days this month, including weekends and regional holidays across cities In January 2026, the first month of the new year, banks will not operate for a total of 16 days across different states of the country. Read More