Jilted lover tries to burn woman, her mother; arrested
New Delhi: A 32-year-old jilted lover was arrested in Delhi on Friday for allegedly dousing a woman, her mother and himself with patrol and trying to set all on fire after she refused to marry him, police said.
The police said accused Chanki Pandey, who had received burn injuries in abdomen and was on the run since the incident, was arrested from his hideout in north Delhi.
According to the police, the incident occurred at 7.30 a.m on Friday when Pandey visited the victim's house in Malviya Nagar in south Delhi and started shouting her name. He was carrying a a bottle filled with patrol.
When victim's mother and brother confronted and asked him to leave, Pandey threatened that he would pour petrol and set them on fire.
"Then he asked the mother and son to call the woman (25) out or he would set himself on fire. The victim -- who is already married and has two kids -- and her family kept asking Pandey to leave.
"He then poured petrol on himself, on the victim woman and her mother. He set ablaze his jacket, took it out and threw at them. But her brother rescued them," Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said.
Thereafter, Pandey fled the spot. The woman's brother and mother received minor burn injuries.
Later she informed the police and a case of attempt to murder was registered against Pandey, Baaniya said.
Pandey, who is a resident of Malviya Nagar and worked as a support staff in a mall in Gurugram, was arrested from Burari, the officer said.
"He and woman were in extra-marital relationship, but she declined his marriage proposal. She was going through a rough phase in her relationship with her husband. The woman and Pandey had even eloped on November 17, but she returned after three days," he added.
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India misses 2025 TB elimination target; cases stand at 185 per 100,000 population
New Delhi: India reported an estimated 2.7 million tuberculosis cases in 2025 which translates into an incidence of 185 cases per 100,000 population, according to the latest official update on the disease burden.
The figure is more than four times the elimination benchmark set under the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis. The plan had aimed to bring down incidence to 44 cases per 100,000 population and mortality to three per 100,000 by 2025. The target was announced in March 2017 and was set five years ahead of the global End TB goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Data indicate that TB notifications have increased by 13 per cent compared to pre-Covid levels, as IndiaSpend reported in July 2025. Public health experts have said higher notification does not necessarily reflect a rise in incidence, but indicate improved case detection. Authorities have stepped up efforts to improve reporting and plug gaps in diagnosis and treatment, under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).
According to a 2019 study published in PLOS Medicine, the most substantial gap occurs during the testing stage, with nearly half of those with incident tuberculosis not receiving diagnostic tests. Experts say stigma, restricted availability to molecular testing, and dependence on sputum microscopy continue to impede early detection.
According to official data, 19.3 million smear microscopy tests were performed in 2023, compared to 6.83 million molecular tests using the CBNAAT/GeneXpert and Truenat platforms, indicating that smear-based diagnosis will continue to be used. While doctors report inconsistent implementation across regions, legislation mandates 100% molecular testing for suspected tuberculosis patients.
Health officials point to the increase of diagnostic infrastructure, which includes approximately 10,000 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test equipment and over 25,000 microscopy centers across the country. Eexperts identify operational difficulties such as specimen transportation, machine maintenance, supplier chains, and unequal distribution of skilled staff.
Under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the government has expanded active case-finding in high-risk areas and identified 1.58 lakh vulnerable villages and urban wards using an AI-based mapping tool. Under which the latest campaign document states that of the 2.73 million cases reported in 2025, 35 per cent were asymptomatic.
Specialists warn that up to half of microbiologically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients may not show characteristic symptoms, contributing to continuous community transmission. To increase early diagnosis of drug resistance, it is advised that chest X-rays and molecular testing be used more frequently.
Specialists warn that up to half of microbiologically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients may not show characteristic symptoms, contributing to continuous community transmission. To increase early diagnosis of drug resistance, it is advised that chest X-rays and molecular testing be used more frequently.
The government increased financial aid for Tuberculosis patients under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana to ₹1,000 per month, as the disease is mostly linked with malnutrition and poor living conditions and those with a BMI less than 18.5 are given energy-dense nutritional supplements for the first two months of therapy.
