A group of 110 Indian students arrived safely in New Delhi on Thursday after being
evacuated from Iran amid rising conflict between Iran and Israel. The students, most of whom
were from Jammu and Kashmir, had been temporarily relocated to Armenia before being
flown back to India under Operation Sindhu.

The students described a terrifying ordeal, witnessing missiles, drone attacks, and buildings
shaking from nearby explosions. “It felt like a war zone,” said MBBS student Mir Khalif.
“We saw missiles in the sky and heard bombs around us. Our building literally shook.”
Another student, Varta from Kashmir, said, “We were the first to be evacuated. The Indian
government and Embassy worked swiftly. When they reached us, it felt like home.”

Ali Akbar, a student from Delhi, recounted seeing a missile and drone crash while traveling
in a bus. “Tehran is in ruins. What you see on the news is real,” he said.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the students at Delhi
airport and confirmed more flights are planned. He thanked Armenia and Turkmenistan for
their support and said 24×7 helplines remain open for Indian nationals seeking evacuation
from Iran.

Ludhiana woman rescued after two months of captivity in Muscat

A young woman from Ludhiana district has returned home safely after being held captive for
nearly two months in Muscat, Oman. Lured by the promise of a clinical job offering Rs
30,000–40,000 monthly salary, she arrived in April on a two-year work visa but was forced
into illegal labor under inhumane conditions.
At a gathering in Sultanpur Lodhi’s Nirmal Kutiya, the woman described her ordeal as “hell.”
Her passport was confiscated, she was denied wages, and even the money she had brought
was taken. She was reportedly threatened with death or being sold if she resisted.

Her rescue came after Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal intervened and contacted the
Ministry of External Affairs. The Indian Embassy facilitated her safe return.

Seechewal has called for a crackdown on trafficking networks and warned against trusting
unverified job agents abroad. The family expressed deep gratitude and urged legal action
against those responsible.

Indian student dies suddenly in Canada; cause of death unclear

An Indian student at the University of Calgary has died unexpectedly, the Consulate General
of India in Vancouver confirmed on Thursday. The student, identified as Tanya Tyagi, passed
away under circumstances that remain unclear.

“We are saddened by the sudden demise of Ms. Tanya Tyagi,” the Consulate posted on X.
“We are in touch with the authorities and will provide all required assistance to the bereaved
family. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with her family and friends.”
Further details on the cause of death have not yet been released by Canadian authorities.

Chennai-born Anantha Chandrakasan appointed MIT’s new provost

Professor Anantha Chandrakasan has been appointed as the new provost of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), making him the first Indian-American to hold the prestigious
role. A Chennai native and MIT’s current chief innovation and strategy officer, Chandrakasan
will assume the role on July 1.

As provost, he will serve as MIT’s chief academic and budget officer, overseeing strategic
planning, academic programs, and faculty development. MIT President Sally Kornbluth
praised his exceptional record in innovation, fundraising, and academic leadership.
Chandrakasan previously served as dean of the School of Engineering and headed MIT’s
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department.

He emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration, stating that future
innovation requires integration between STEM fields and humanities. The Indian Consulate
in New York congratulated him, noting his advocacy for India–U.S. technological
partnerships. Chandrakasan, who earned his degrees at UC Berkeley, has long supported
collaborative research and education initiatives between the two nations.

Two Indian students sentenced for multi-million dollar scams targeting
elderly Americans

Two Indian students in the United States have been sentenced to federal prison in separate
fraud schemes that targeted elderly Americans, leading to millions in losses. Kishan
Rajeshkumar Patel, 20, was sentenced to over five years in prison for conspiracy to commit
money laundering. He used phishing scams impersonating U.S. officials to deceive seniors
into handing over money and gold. Authorities said Patel defrauded at least 25 victims, with
an intended loss of over $2.69 million. He was arrested in Texas in August 2024 while
attempting to collect $130,000.

In a related case, another Indian student, Moinuddin Mohammed, was sentenced earlier this
year to eight years in prison for defrauding elderly victims of nearly $6 million. Both were on
student visas, though their institutions were not disclosed. U.S. officials have emphasized the
need for elderly Americans to remain vigilant against such scams, especially those involving
impersonations of government representatives.

Kerala mountaineer stranded on Mount Denali during mission to honor
Indian Army

Shaikh Hasan Khan, a mountaineer from Kerala, is stranded on Mount Denali in Alaska—the
highest peak in North America—due to a severe snowstorm. Khan had embarked on a
patriotic expedition to hoist the Indian flag in honor of Operation Sindoor, a recent military
initiative by the Indian Army.

A government employee and experienced climber who previously scaled Mount Everest,
Khan sent an SOS on June 10, reporting food and water shortages and an inability to descend.
In a video posted from Talkeetna, Alaska, he showed a climbers’ memorial near a cemetery
and reflected on the risks of the climb.

Since that final communication, there has been no contact.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging
immediate diplomatic intervention. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor also appealed to
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and India’s Ambassador to the United States, sharing
Khan’s passport and satellite contact details.

Describing him as a “heroic young explorer,” Tharoor stressed the need for urgent
coordination with U.S. authorities to ensure Khan’s rescue from the treacherous terrain.

Chicago doctor sentenced to 10 years for health care fraud scheme

Dr. Mona Ghosh, a suburban Chicago OB-GYN, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal
prison for orchestrating a massive health care fraud involving false claims and non-
consensual procedures. Between 2018 and 2022, Ghosh submitted fraudulent claims to
Medicaid, TRICARE, and private insurers for services that were either unnecessary or never
performed, including ultrasounds, biopsies, and lab tests.

Some procedures were done without patient consent, with Ghosh inflating billing codes to
claim higher reimbursements. She also falsified medical records to support the fraudulent
charges. Ghosh, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud and was ordered to pay
approximately $1.5 million in restitution.

Federal authorities described her actions as a grave betrayal of trust, particularly as they
endangered patients’ reproductive health. Her conviction marks a significant victory for law
enforcement agencies seeking to protect public healthcare resources and uphold patient safety
across the U.S. medical system.

Two Indian women sentenced for shoplifting during transit at Singapore
airport

Two Indian women were penalized in Singapore for stealing from stores at Changi Airport
during their transit to Bali earlier this month. Goenka Simran, 29, was sentenced to eight days
in jail after pleading guilty to theft from the Furla store and a cosmetics shop. The stolen
items, including a purse and a perfume bottle, were worth over SGD 500 combined.

Her accomplice, Garg Prasha, 30, received a SGD 700 fine after admitting to stealing a
backpack worth SGD 80 from Charles & Keith. She was caught within an hour of her arrival
by airport security.

Singapore’s Deputy Principal District Judge noted the offense was committed almost
immediately upon arrival and stressed the seriousness of shoplifting in transit zones. Theft in
dwelling can carry a sentence of up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both under
Singaporean law.

U.S.-based Punjabis to honor Ghadar movement with mural and
documentary

A section of the Punjabi diaspora in North Portland, Oregon, is launching a community-led
mural and documentary project celebrating the Ghadar movement and its founder, Baba
Sohan Singh Bhakna. The initiative is part of the “Unity in the Community” celebration and
aims to highlight Bhakna’s historic resistance against anti-immigrant violence in early 20th-
century America.

The mural, to be painted on July 26, will feature Bhakna alongside local civil rights icons
such as Hattie Redmond and Dr. Merriman. The Peninsula Odd Fellows Lodge, a historic
community hub, is leading the project with support from students, artists, and volunteers.

Oregon Public Broadcasting will document the project, which will also include footage for an
upcoming film on Bhakna’s life and the Ghadar movement. Navdeep, a professor and son of
Pashaura Singh Dhillon—who was raised by Bhakna—will inaugurate the mural. Organizers
aim to inspire younger generations by showcasing North Portland’s multicultural legacy and
the enduring relevance of freedom movements led by immigrants.

Italy-based NRI booked in Punjab for immigration scam

Phagwara police have registered a case against Tersem Chand, an Italy-based Non-Resident
Indian originally from Jagatpur-Jattan village, for allegedly duping a local man under the
guise of arranging immigration to Italy. The complainant, Arun Kumar of Khera village,
stated he paid Rs 16 lakh in installments but received no services or documents.

Authorities charged Chand under Sections 420 and 406 of the Indian Penal Code, along with
the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act. Preliminary investigations found Kumar’s
claims credible, and efforts are underway to trace Chand, who remains at large.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora has advised citizens to verify the credentials of
travel agents and report fraud promptly, noting an uptick in such cases across the region.

Indian-origin man dies in Australia after controversial police arrest

A 42-year-old Indian-origin man, Gaurav Kundi, has died in Adelaide after an Australian
police officer allegedly knelt on his neck during an attempted arrest. Kundi, originally from
Modbury North, suffered an “unrecoverable” brain injury and passed away in the hospital
days later.

According to 7News Australia, the police intervened in what they believed was a domestic
dispute between Kundi and his wife, Amritpal Kaur. Kundi was reportedly intoxicated but
non-violent. Footage captured by Kaur showed him protesting his arrest and claiming
innocence before becoming unresponsive.

South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has confirmed an internal and
independent investigation into the incident. The case has drawn comparisons to the 2020
killing of George Floyd in the U.S., sparking outrage among civil rights observers. Kundi’s
death has renewed calls for stricter oversight of police practices, especially involving
minority communities.