Telangana man accused of stalking minor kills 6

India and New Zealand on Saturday elevated their ties to a strategic partnership and set a five-year target to double theirannual bilateral trade in goods and services to $3.7 billion (€3.21 billion) by 2030.

The trade agreement comes following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his maiden trip to New Zealand, and his counterpart Christopher Luxon.

The meeting between Modi and Luxon resulted in 10 agreements. Key among them were:

• a roadmap to expand ties in the next four years
• a framework for enhancing Indo-Pacific maritime cooperation
• a reciprocal logistics support pact between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force

“We have decided to elevate our ties to a Strategic Partnership. We will move forward across every sector with clear goals and concrete outcomes,” Modi said after the talks.

Modi addressed the Indian community in Auckland on the final day of his two-day trip, saying the futures of India and New Zealand are “intertwined.”

His trip marks the first by an Indian prime minister to New Zealand in 40 years, and comes as part of a tri-country tour.

Before New Zealand, Modi visited Indonesia and Australia as part of his bid to strengthen Indo-Pacific relations.

A boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc island in Vietnam.

At least 15 people have died, local authorities said, adding that 32 Indian tourists and four crew were on board when the vessel capsized.

Local authorities have started a rescue operation, the Indian embassy in Vietnam said Saturday.

“In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago,” the embassy said in a statement on X.

Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing,” it added.

It said it has set up control rooms at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and at the Embassy in Hanoi to provide information and assistance.

A man in the southern state of Telangana is suspected of murdering six people on Friday night, including the 16-year-old girl who had accused him of stalking her.

After he was granted anticipatory bail on charges of stalking, the man reportedly killed the girl, her mother and her grandmother. He is also suspected of killing his own wife and two sons.

After the murders, the man called his father, and confessed to the alleged killings, telling him that he was also planning to end his own life.

“His father immediately alerted the police, who rushed to the scene and launched an investigation,” the police said, according to a report by Indian newspaper Hindustan Times.

The accused was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on May 26.

Police officials have started an investigation and launched a manhunt for the suspect.

Earlier this week, the eastern state of West Bengal also saw violent protests over the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl by four men.

In 2024, nearly 188,000 cases were registered against children. Of which, kidnapping and POCSO made up 77% of all registered cases, according to Indian news outlet IndiaSpends’ report.

Good morning! This is Midhat from the New Delhi Bureau, bringing you all the details on what’s buzzing in India.

Most parts of the country are receiving the Monsoon showers, which have brought the much-needed respite after a long spell of heat waves.

In the southern state of Telangana, a case of a man killing six people, including the minor girl who accused him of stalking, has sent shockwaves across the country.

On the diplomatic front, India and New Zealand have signed a bilateral trade agreement. The pact comes during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden trip to New Zealand.

Meanwhile, India’s first bullet train project has achieved a key milestone.

Stay tuned as we bring you the details about these developments and more.