Evening Bulletin, February 26: India quashes the "Bazball" hoopla surrounding Engineer Nafe Singh Rathee's death; CBI to investigate

Firstly, the Haryana government, as per PTI, has announced its intention to initiate a CBI investigation into the tragic demise of INLD's Haryana chief Nafe Singh Rathee. State Home Minister Anil Vij, addressing the assembly, assured members of considering a CBI inquiry if deemed necessary, following the unfortunate incident where Rathee, a former MLA, along with a party worker, was fatally shot by unidentified assailants in Jhajjar on Sunday. The incident, which occurred while Rathee was traveling, witnessed the assailants unleashing a volley of bullets on their SUV in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town. Additionally, three private security personnel hired by Rathee were also injured in the attack. 

Secondly, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a resolute stance against child marriages, vowed to eradicate this practice within the state and repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, during his tenure. Sarma, addressing the state assembly, expressed his commitment to abolishing child marriages in Assam before the year 2026. This declaration follows the state cabinet's decision to annul the aforementioned act, which drew protests from the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), leading to their walkout from the assembly. 

Next, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz has been elected as the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. This development unfolded after the election commission validated the nomination papers of Maryam Nawaz and Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) Rana Aftab following scrutiny. The session, overseen by newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, witnessed Maryam Nawaz receiving the support of 220 MPAs, thus marking her historic appointment as the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistan’s history. 

Moving on, India secured a convincing 5-wicket victory over England on Day 4 of the Ranchi Test, clinching the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead. Despite facing a challenging period, youngsters Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill steered India to triumph with an unbeaten 72-run partnership, rescuing the team after a tumultuous start. Explore 

Lastly, Randeep Hooda divulges his immersive preparation journey for essaying the role of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the upcoming movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Hooda, in a recent Instagram post, shared insights into his preparatory endeavors, including visiting a cell in Kalapani where Savarkar was incarcerated. He recounted the experience of confining himself in the jail to empathize with the conditions endured by Savarkar during his imprisonment.