India news Live Updates, 17 July 2026: Three students killed as train rams school van in Bengal’s Murshidabad

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk being attended by a medical professional during a protest by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, at the Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

India News Live: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off India’s first hydrogen train, marking a major milestone in Indian Railways’ push for green and sustainable mobility. Developed by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), this new train will run between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana. The 89-km-long stretch falls under the jurisdiction of Northern Railway’s Delhi Division. With its launch, India will join a select group of countries, including Germany, Japan, China and the United States, that are exploring hydrogen-powered trains for cleaner rail transportation. Recently, Switzerland also unveiled a hydrogen train; however, it was developed for a narrow-gauge (NG) railway network.

Congress leader Pawan Khera met activist Sonam Wangchuk and members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar and expressed support for their protest over alleged NEET exam irregularities. Meanwhile, Aamir Khan said that his 2009 film ‘3 Idiots’ was not inspired by activist Sonam Wangchuk and expressed concern over Wangchuk’s health during his ongoing hunger strike. Speaking at the closing event of the London Indian Film Festival, where ‘Lagaan’ was screened, Khan said that he hopes for Wangchuk to end his fast. The CJP has been protesting for over 25 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks and examination system failures. Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and has been on an indefinite hunger strike since then.

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Three students were killed after a train rammed a school van in West Bengal’s Murshidabad on Thursday morning, in a tragedy that has added to a week already marked by rain deaths and infrastructure failures across the country. Details of the exact circumstances — the crossing, the timing, whether barriers were in place — are still emerging as rescue and relief operations continue at the site.

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