What you need to know
– LeT operative Shabbir Ahmed Lone was detained near the border with Bangladesh
– Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister Nitish Kumar has resigned from the state’s legislative council days after being elected to the Rajya Sabha
– He is expected to step down as chief minister before taking oath in the Rajya Sabha but a timeline for his big resignation is unclear
– Speculation is rife in India on who will be Bihar’s next chief minister
March 30, 2026 — Police capture Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Shabbir Ahmed Lone
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Shabbir Ahmed Lone has been arrested near the border with Bangladesh by the Delhi police special cell, Indian media reported. The LeT has been accused by Indian authorities of helping to orchestrate an April 2025 attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 people — mostly Hindu tourists — were killed. Reports say Lone is suspected of running an LeT cell from a hideout in Dhaka. He was first arrested by Indian anti-terror police in 2007 and, according to reports, skipped bail in 2019 and fled to Bangladesh.
Nitish Kumar resigns from Bihar Legislative Council
Nitish Kumar, the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, resigned from his membership in the state legislative council after securing a Rajya Sabha seat on March 16. Rules require he give up his state legislature seat and vacate the chief minister’s post within two weeks of being elected to Parliament. Media reports indicate he is likely to take his Rajya Sabha oath on April 10. The 75-year-old JDU leader has served a record 10 terms as chief minister and is known for frequent coalition shifts between the BJP-led NDA and opposition alliances. His expected exit as CM could alter Bihar’s political balance and potentially strengthen the BJP’s influence.
Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee has drowned
The family of Rahul Arunoday Banerjee confirmed the 43-year-old Bengali actor died in what is presumed to be an accidental drowning. Indian media reported he was swimming alone in the Bay of Bengal after shooting wrapped on his latest television series; his body was recovered shortly after. Local officials said his remains were sent for postmortem. His wife, Priyanka Sarkar, requested privacy. Banerjee rose to fame with 2008’s Chirodini Tumi Je Amar and most recently appeared in 2025’s The Academy of Fine Arts.
Russian photographer blasted for painting elephant pink in Jaipur
Russian travel photographer Julia Buruleva faced backlash after posting images of an elephant painted pink for a photoshoot in Jaipur. She said organic, non-toxic colours used were applied with handlers’ cooperation and the elephant was covered for about ten minutes. The animal later died; the owner reported no connection between the pigment and the death. Critics accused her of animal cruelty, saying animals should not be used as props.
WTO summit ends in deadlock
A World Trade Organization summit in Cameroon concluded without agreement after 166 nations failed to resolve differences over a moratorium on levies over e-commerce. India was among countries disagreeing with the US on extending the moratorium indefinitely.
Welcome to our coverage
It is Monday afternoon in India and these are the headlines: Delhi police say they have arrested an LeT terrorist believed to have led a cell of highly radicalised operatives; Nitish Kumar has vacated his legislative council seat as he moves to Parliament; a foreign photographer’s Jaipur photoshoot sparked outrage after an elephant was painted pink; and global trade talks on e-commerce ended in stalemate.