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Who Killed DU Professor? Couple From Bengal's Bardhaman Arrested, Property Dispute Under Scanner

DU Professor Murder: The arrested couple had allegedly been trying to acquire the property. However, Dr Paul reportedly opposed any attempt to sell it.

Massive Fire Burns Down 8 Shops In Jammu And Kashmir's Poonch District

The fire at Bufliaz market caused extensive damage to property.

Kolkata couple held for DU professor’s murder in Delhi, property row motive: Police

The arrested couple are distant relatives of the deceased professor and were living as tenants in one of her ancestral properties in Kolkata, police said.

DU professor murder case: Couple arrested, property dispute suspected behind killing

A Delhi University professor, Dr. Debosmita Paul, was found murdered in her east Delhi apartment. Police have arrested a couple known to the victim, with a property dispute suspected as the motive. The 42-year-old English lecturer was discovered by her sister after unanswered calls. Preliminary findings indicate a violent attack with blunt and sharp objects.

Room for less: Next big thing in hospitality?

Can the search for a hotel room lead to a business idea? It did, for Alok Mishra.In 2014, during a trip with his wife, Mishra needed a hotel room for six hours as he did not want to drive late at night. But he was asked to pay for a full day and subjected to a series of intrusive questions despite being married—and was finally refused a room. “That got me thinking that there might be travellers like me who need rooms only for a few hours but have to pay for an entire day. Later, while working in the US, I came across pay-for-use concepts and felt that India needed a more flexible, customer-friendly model,” he says.That experience led to the launch of Bag2Bag in 2019, an online platform for booking hotels, service apartments, homestays and other accommodations, with a focus on hourly stays.The business started gaining momentum around 2021. Bag2Bag’s hourly-stay revenue has risen from roughly Rs 50 lakh in 2021 to Rs 5-6 crore today. The company has served more than 1 lakh customers, lists over 10,000 properties across India and offers hourly stays at 6,000-7,000 of them. The service is available in more than 50 cities, though Bengaluru and Mumbai remain its strongest markets.Also read | The safe keepers: Inside India's booming locker economy“People now understand that this is a practical solution rather than a niche service. One of our biggest achievements has been to help normalise the category. Earlier, hourly stays were often associated with couples seeking privacy,” he says. “We deliberately broadened the use case by allowing family bookings, including travellers with children. We wanted people to see hourly stays for what they really are— a convenient accommodation option.”HOUR OF NEED That convenience is growing as online hotel booking platforms that allow short stays are on the rise. Alongside Bag2Bag, there is Noida-based Brevistay, Bengaluruheadquartered MiStay, Mumbai’s Hourly Rooms and Qwiksta, all specialising in micro stays. Larger travel platforms like MakeMyTrip, Agoda and Goibibo have also introduced hourly booking options.Like Bag2Bag, Brevistay was born out of a travel inconvenience. In 2016, cofounders Prateek Singh, Aditya Naithani, Shubham Agarwal, Avnish Kumar and Nikhil Pathak arrived in Manali at 5 am only to find that hotels would not allow early check-ins without charging for an extra night. The friends went on to cofound the travel tech startup Brevistay, which raised Rs 3 crore in 2023 and today reports revenue of about Rs 18 crore. It has 15 lakh registered users, 4 lakh monthly active users and around 11,000 listed hotels, including brands such as Ginger, Ramada and Blue Motel.LONG JOURNEY Getting there, however, was not easy.Pathak, cofounder and chief technology officer of Brevistay, says, “The challenge in this segment is not customers but hotels. In 2016, many hoteliers would simply bang the phone on us. Some agreed in principle but didn’t want their properties listed publicly and preferred bookings to come through offline calls. It took us nearly two years before we started seeing meaningful traction and recurring bookings,” says Pathak.The same resistance greeted MiStay when it launched in 2016. Starting with a pilot in Delhi, MiStay has since expanded to more than 100 cities. Shwetha Sameernath, general manager, business and growth, MiStay, says, “When we launched, scepticism was high. Most hotels were uncomfortable with the model, concerned about guest quality and operational challenges. Over time, that changed as hotels began seeing it as a revenue opportunity.”MiStay tackled resistance through education and curation. The company worked to show hoteliers that short stays served a broad and legitimate market of business travellers, transit passengers and day-use guests. It also selectively onboarded premium hotel brands, helping build credibility for the category. “When hotels see actual customer segments across varied, legitimate use cases, it builds their confidence that the model won’t compromise their brand,” says Sameernath, adding that the concept is now largely normalised.Also read | Major change in buyer behaviour as e-scooters race deeper into BharatPathak says the customer has evolved as well. Brevistay continues to market actively to couples, but he argues that the category should no longer be viewed through that lens. “There’s nothing illegal happening. In fact, there’s no law that prevents consenting adults from booking a hotel room. The issue was perception, not legality. What eventually changed minds was revenue,” he says. “Once hotels realised they could sell the same room multiple times in a day and generate seven or eight bookings instead of one, the business case became impossible to ignore.”The use cases have expanded too. Back in 2017, couples accounted for nearly 90% of Brevistay’s bookings. Today, that figure is down to 50-60%. Business travellers, transit passengers, tourists looking to freshen up between journeys, students travelling for exams and people attending interviews or meetings have all emerged as important customer segments.Hotels, meanwhile, have had to adapt operationally. Mishra says the biggest challenge is that traditional hotel system was never designed for flexible check-ins and check-outs. Bag2Bag addressed this by developing its own software platform for partner hotels. “Once they realised they could monetise idle inventory and generate additional revenue from rooms that would otherwise remain empty, adoption became much easier,” he says.REVENUE CHECKS IN For Sameernath, the turning point was the entry of premium hotel brands. “Today, acceptance has grown across the ecosystem. Channel managers and property management systems are evolving to support slot-based bookings, and customers increasingly treat hourly booking as the natural way to reserve a room for less than a day,” she says.Also read | Indian tourists go viral for all wrong reasons. Here's how not to become the next horror storyMishra has observed another interesting shift. Reliability and brand trust are becoming increasingly important. “Whether it’s a three-star or a five-star property, even if a branded hotel costs 20-25% more, customers prefer it because they know what they’re getting,” he says. The economics are compelling for hotels too. Sameernath points out that average hotel occupancy in India is under 65%, while daytime occupancy can fall to as low as 30% as guests check out in the morning and new arrivals come in much later. Platforms like MiStay help hotels monetise those idle hours by attracting guests who would never have booked a full-day room. “For hotels near airports or railway stations, the upside is even greater. A room priced at Rs 8,000 for a full night could earn Rs 3,500-4,000 for a daytime slot and another Rs 6,000 for the night—generating `10,000-plus from the same room in a single day,” she says.CHANGING PERCEPTION MiStay today works with brands like IHG, Pride, Ramada, The Park, Radisson and Novotel IHG, while Brevistay is in discussions with Hyatt. Sameernath says that on the demand side, once customers experience flexible booking, they don’t go back. Their repeat rate reflects this, as 48% of MiStay’s monthly business comes from repeat guests “The pay-per-use model in hospitality is the same transformation that happened in transport. You no longer book a cab for a full day; you pay for the distance. Hotels are heading the same way,” she says.Pathak believes the next wave of growth will be driven by younger travellers. “They’re vocal about spending time with their partners and don’t carry the hesitation earlier generations did. In metros, the industry has largely moved beyond the old perceptions, and hourly stays are increasingly viewed as a convenience product rather than something unusual.”The customer, it seems, has reached the destination. The hospitality industry needs to arrive.ChallengesPersistent social stigmaTrust and safety concernsBranded hotels worried about perceptionComplexities in managing multiple check-ins and check-outsLack of awareness among travellersOpportunitiesRise in domestic travel and frequent short tripsGrowth of bleisure (business + leisure) travelYounger consumers demanding flexibilityTech platforms making discovery and booking seamlessHotels looking to monetise vacant rooms

Beyond the bull run: Why affluent Indians are investing in premium homes

Wealthy Indian investors are shifting focus from equities to premium residential real estate, seeking stability and long-term value amid market volatility. Experts highlight that high-quality properties in prime locations are now viewed as a crucial asset for wealth preservation and growth, comparable to traditional investments.

CBI widens probe into ₹661 crore fund scam

The CBI has conducted searches at six locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Delhi-NCR in connection with an alleged Rs 661 crore fraud involving the siphoning of government funds from departments of the Haryana government and the Chandigarh administration, officials said on Sunday. The searches were carried out on Friday at premises linked to senior Haryana cadre public servants and Noida-based Vipam Consultancy Pvt Ltd and its director as part of an ongoing probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds parked with IDFC First Bank and AU Finance Bank, an official statement said.Also read: IDFC First Bank fraud was isolated case involving collusion: KPMG According to the agency, the fraud affected eight departments of the Haryana government and two departments of the Union Territory of Chandigarh - Municipal Corporation Chandigarh and Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST)."During investigation evidences have surfaced suggesting that the public servants had colluded with bank officials and had facilitated in opening of accounts, transfer of funds and subsequent diversion thereof," the statement said. The agency alleged that the public servants received undue advantages for facilitating the transactions and failing to act against the irregularities. The investigating agency also alleged that Vipam Consultancy Pvt Ltd received proceeds of crime in its bank account, which were later transferred to the personal account of its director. "Incriminating documents, digital devices, property documents and other relevant material were seized during the search operations," the agency said. The probe stems from one case taken over from the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau and two cases originally registered by the Economic Offences Wing police station in Chandigarh.Also read: CBI files first chargesheet in Haryana Rs 504 crore fund diversion caseThe cases relate to alleged criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of government funds and related offences committed in connivance with bank officials and public servants, the agency said.The CBI said it has already filed its first chargesheet before a special court in Panchkula detailing the alleged role of public servants from the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd and Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad.The chargesheet also outlined the alleged modus operandi used to siphon off government funds parked with the IDFC First Bank and AU Finance Bank, it said. The investigation is continuing and additional chargesheets will be filed against other accused found involved in the case, it added.

Tenant wins eviction case as he buys 50% property

YSRCP leader Sajjala accuses A.P. govt. of depriving minorities of welfare

The current administration has failed to deliver on Haj assistance commitments, weakened the Minority Finance Corporation, and endangered Waqf properties while treating minorities as a vote bank, he says

Brother, Nephew Accused Of Killing NRI Over Property In Amritsar

Authorities suspect that the victim's body was dumped in the Harike area.

Pandipparambu reels under waterlogging as Thripunithura municipality mulls legal remedy

Water levels rose instead of receding after heavy overnight rain, reaching knee height in certain stretches; municipal authorities attribute the problem to a concrete structure obstructing a drainage channel passing through a private property

Coaching centre firing case: Khan Sir won't surrender in Patna court, says lawyer

Educationist Faisal Khan, known as Khan Sir, will not surrender in Patna Civil Court, with his lawyer stating a bail plea will be filed Monday. The case involves a June 2 attack on his coaching center, where a security guard was assaulted and property damaged. Two of Khan Sir's security guards have already been arrested.

Missed DDA's booking deadline? Buyers for Karkardooma property get another extension

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has extended the booking period for its 'DDA Towering Heights' scheme in Karkardooma until June 30. This offers a renewed opportunity for homebuyers to secure flats in Delhi's tallest residential tower, a 48-storey project developed under the Transit Oriented Development policy.

Got the keys, but is the home really yours? Registry vs possession explained

Many homebuyers mistakenly believe physical possession of a property equates to legal ownership. However, possession merely grants access, while registration under the Registration Act, 1908, formally transfers title and records you as the rightful owner. Without registration, you lack legal rights to sell, mortgage, or defend your claim. Both possession and registry are crucial for complete ownership.

Telangana's New Property Rates Explained: Buying Flat, Plot, Farm Land Will Cost You More Now

Buying a flat, plot or agricultural land in Telangana? New registration values are now in force, with rates rising by up to 100% in some high-demand locations

Three Villagers, Including Woman, Killed In Fresh Violence In Manipur Amid Unrest; 7 Houses Burnt

The assault killed three civilians, including a woman, and seven houses were reduced to ashes, KIM said, adding "substantial damage" occurred to public properties

RPF helps 49 children reunite with parents in May

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is entrusted with the task of safeguarding railway property, passenger areas, and the well-being of travellers

Who Is Lavkesh Bajaj? The Man Behind Delhi's Malviya Nagar Fire | See Full List Of Properties He Owns

Lavkesh Bajaj, believed to be around 60 and a resident of Saket in South Delhi, maintained a deliberately low profile.

Nicobar project largest theft of Indian property to fulfil fantasies of one businessman: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said the Great Nicobar Island project “is not development” but “destruction dressed in development’s language” and “must be stopped”

From Haj Pilgrims To Waqf Properties: How AI Is Reshaping Minority Welfare

Officials believe AI tools can eventually improve utilisation of public resources.