The accused, who was driving the car recklessly and in the wrong direction was soon taken into custody by the police.

A day after it emerged that a man from Kerala died while fighting in the Russian army on the frontlines of the country’s war against Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that it has strongly taken up the issue with the Russian government. India, the ministry said, has also reiterated its demand for the early discharge of others from the country who have been inducted into the Russian army. 

The family of Binil Babu, 32, from Thrissur in Kerala, had said that he and a relative had been injured in a drone attack. They were later informed that Babu had died while the relative was undergoing treatment after suffering severe injuries. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have learnt of the unfortunate death of an Indian national from Kerala who had apparently been recruited to serve in the Russian Army. Another Indian national from Kerala, who was similarly recruited, has been injured and is receiving treatment in a hospital in Moscow.”

Offering his condolences to the family of the man who was killed, Mr Jaiswal said India’s embassy in Moscow is in touch with both families and is helping them in every possible way. The ministry, he said, is working with the Russian authorities for early transportation of the dead man’s body to India and has also sought “early discharge and repatriation to India” of the injured person.

“The matter has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities in Moscow as well as with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi today. We have also reiterated our demand for the early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals,” the spokesperson asserted. 

In October last year, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said 85 Indians had been discharged from the Russian military and efforts were on the secure the release of 20 more. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue of the early discharge of Indians during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July and reiterated it when the two leaders met during the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan in October. 

“An important issue that came up was the issue of early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army. This figured from both sides in the discussion, and with the support of the Russian side, a number of Indian nationals have, in recent months, been able to return to India,” Mr Misri had said after the summit. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today visited an area in northwest Delhi to highlight the filth-covered underbelly of the national capital while also exposing fissures in the opposition alliance INDIA, which was formed as a united front to fight against the BJP.

“See, this is Delhi, this is shining Delhi,” the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha was heard saying in a video as he walked past an overflowing drain in Rithala.

He looked at the sewage water and the garbage-covered dirt track he was walking on and remarked, ” Paris jaisi Dilli. Sab jagah yahi haal hai (Delhi which is like Paris. This is the situation everywhere).”

And, Rahul Gandhi’s caption for the video on X – “This is (Arvind) Kejriwal’s ‘shining’ Delhi – Paris wali Delhi (Paris-like Delhi)”.

ये है केजरीवाल जी की ‘चमकती’ दिल्ली – पेरिस वाली दिल्ली!#SaafKaroDilli pic.twitter.com/ycSxZa4hUt

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 14, 2025

“Arvind Kejriwal had promised to make Delhi shine like Paris. But, all his claims turned out to be hollow. Today, the people of Delhi are forced to live in clogged sewers, overflowing drains and immense filth,” the Congress posted on X.

Mr Gandhi’s remark was a swipe at Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal who, in 2019, had pledged to transform Delhi into a city as clean as “Tokyo, London and Paris” if he was re-elected. He was re-elected, clearing his way for a second stint as the Delhi Chief Minister.

Rahul Gandhi‘s dig was in continuation to his last evening’s tirade against Mr Kejriwal when he attacked him over “rising pollution and inflation” at his first public rally for the Delhi assembly election.

“Arvind Kejriwal had said he would clean Delhi, eliminate corruption, and make it Paris-like. But today, Delhi struggles with pollution, corruption, and rising inflation,” he said.

The former chief minister of Delhi responded soon after, accusing Mr Gandhi of abusing him. This morning, Mr Kejriwal accused the BJP and Congress of working in tandem and said the elections will expose this “jugalbandi”.

Civic issues, such as pollution, dilapidated roads and choked sewers, are being raised by the opposition to corner the ruling administration in the elections that will see the AAP, BJP and Congress in a three-pronged race to form the next government in Delhi.

The relations between the AAP and Congress, who fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under the opposition INDIA bloc, soured after they failed to enter into a pre-poll alliance for the Haryana Assembly polls last year. The BJP won that election.

In the 2020 assembly elections, the AAP won 62 of the 70 seats and BJP secured eight seats while Congress failed to open its account.

Even as the election results will decide the future of AAP on the national stage, especially in the INDIA bloc, the BJP is riding high on the Haryana and Maharashtra poll results, raising expectations of its supporters.

As far as the Congress is concerned, its campaign focuses on the achievements of its past government in the national capital led by Sheila Dikshit whose 15-year rule was ended by Arvind Kejriwal in 2013. He defeated the three-time chief minister in her constituency of New Delhi.

While escalating its attack on the ruling AAP government, the Congress today also tried to give a throwback of the development drive undertaken during the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government

“Congress party’s promise is – we will return clean and beloved Delhi to the people of Delhi. We did it, we will do it again,” the party wrote in Hindi on X.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and votes counted on February 8.