Morning Digest: U.S. deportations highlight human trafficking syndicates; Odisha govt. summons KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta over student unrest, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on February 21, 2025

Large-scale deportation of illegal immigrants from the United States to India has put the spotlight on human trafficking syndicates. While police forces of many States are looking into the cases, experts suggest that Central agencies like the National Investigation Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Enforcement Directorate, can step in for a comprehensive probe as such agencies have international tie-ups.

Rekha Gupta, the BJP’s debutante MLA from Shalimar Bagh, took oath as the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday (February 20, 2025). Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor Vinay Saxena administered the oath of office to her during a ceremony at the Ramlila Maidan, attended by several BJP and NDA leaders.

Achyuta Samanta, the founder of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), a deemed to be university, has been summoned to appear before a high-level committee on Friday (February 21, 2025) following allegations of ill-treatment of Nepalese students on campus.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday (February 20, 2025) said the Cabinet had decided in its first meeting to implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and also to table 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the Delhi Assembly.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday appealed to the last of the remaining insurgent groups active in the Northeast to lay down arms and join the mainstream. He said by 2027, all the Northeastern States will be connected by air and rail.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that NGOs aligned with the Congress and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi have attempted to influence elections in India, citing the remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump about the previous Biden administration’s decision to allocate $21 million to fund “voter turnout” in India.

Infiltration along the Bangladesh border had “gone down substantially” after the political developments in the neighbouring country in August 2024, Border Security Force (BSF) chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary said on Thursday (February 20, 2025). He further said the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) stood shoulder to shoulder with the BSF to maintain peace and tranquillity throughout the “crisis” period.