Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla passes away
Mumbai, Sep 2: Popular television and film actor Sidharth Shukla, who became a household name with his role in the long-running TV show Balika Vadhu , died on Thursday. He was 40.
Shukla, who is survived by his mother and two sisters, was dead when he was taken to the Cooper Hospital in Juhu around 10.20 am, authorities at the hospital said. The cause of his sudden death is not immediately clear.
"He was brought dead to the hospital. The cause of the death will be known after the post-mortem is conducted... it will take some time" Cooper Hospital Dean Dr Shailesh Mohite told PTI.
The hospital's Dr Jitten Bhavsar said Shukla, who won Bigg Boss 13 in 2020, was declared dead by the principal medical officer when he was taken to the hospital around 10.20 am.
"We are now waiting for the police panchnama', then a post-mortem will happen," Bhavsar said.
Shukla began his career in showbiz as a model and made his acting debut with a lead role in the television show "Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na". He later appeared on shows such as "Jaane Pehchaane Se... Ye Ajnabbi", "Love U Zindagi" but it was"Balika Vadhu" that made him famous.
Other than Bigg Boss 13 , he participated in other reality shows, including "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6" and "Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7".
In 2014, Shukla made his Bollywood debut with the Karan Johar-produced "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" where he had a supporting role opposite Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
The actor's sudden death at a young age came as a shock for his colleagues and others in the industry.
"OMG! This is so shocking! Words will fail to describe the shock and sense of loss of his near and dear ones! May he rest in peace," actor Manoj Bajpayee said on Twitter.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta described Shukla's passing away as extremely tragic.
"No age to have a heart attack. No age to go. This is extremely sad and disturbing. Hope this time for sadness, reflection and mourning does not get converted into a Tamasha by some idiots," Mehta wrote.
Actor Riteish Deshmukh said he was "shocked beyond words."
"Gone too soon . Condolences to his family, loved ones. - He was loved by millions. #SiddharthShukla you will be missed - rest in peace brother. Om Shanti."
"The Lunchbox" actor Nimrat Kaur tweeted that Shukla's passing away was "terribly shocking and distressing".
Actor Rajeev Khandelwal said Shukla's untimely death is sad beyond words.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
