Feb 18 News Live: India beat Netherlands by 17 runs

India stay unbeaten, into Super 8

Varun Chakravarthy (3/14) returned with three wickets after Shivam Dube (66) shone in the first innings as India topped Group A with a 17-run victory over the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

After posting 193/6, India restricted the Dutch to 176/7 in 20 overs to record their fourth win in a row in the tournament. Bas de Leede top scored with 33 as the Netherlands batters kept fighting till the end. Earlier, Dube’s 31-ball 66 took India to a daunting 193/6.

T20 WC: India score 193/6 against Netherlands

Shivam Dube's 31-ball 66 helped India post 193/6 in 20 overs against the Netherlands in their last group game in the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad today. Captain Suryakumar Yadav made 34 while Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya contributed 31 and 30 respectively.

Opener Abhishek Sharma bagged this third duck in a row after India won the toss and chose to bat. Undefeated India have already qualified fro the Super 8 stage.

For the Netherlands, Logan van Beek took three wickets and Aryan Dutt two.

Actor Jayasurya's immovable asset worth Rs 39 lakh attached

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday (February 18) said it has attached an immovable asset worth Rs 39 lakh linked to popular Malayalam actor Jayasurya as part of a money-laundering investigation into alleged cheating of investors.

The actor and his wife Saritha were questioned by the federal probe agency in December 2025 in the case. The ED investigations stem from a Kerala Police FIR against a local man named Swathi Rahim and others on allegations of cheating multiple investors by inducing them to invest money in an online bidding application called 'Save Box', which promised "lucrative" returns, according to the agency.

Rahim is the managing director of Save Box Concepts Pvt Ltd.

ED officials had earlier said Rahim made some payment to Jayasurya, 47, in lieu of obtaining his endorsement as a brand ambassador for the said investment scheme.

Soon after the questioning, Jayasurya had said in a social media post that all his financial transactions were legal.

"How can we guess what people who approach us for advertisements will do in the future?" Jayasurya had posted on his Instagram page.

Stating that he had only entered into legitimate transactions, the actor said, "I am an ordinary, responsible citizen who followed all rules and paid taxes to the government exchequer." The agency said in a statement that a provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday to attach an immovable property in Kerala worth Rs 39.01 lakh (equivalent in value to the quantified proceeds of crime) that was "received by" Jayasurya.

The ED said probe found that proceeds of crime worth Rs 39.01 lakh (from four specific complainants after accounting for partial refunds) were generated through "cheating" and were "diverted" for various purposes including celebrity brand endorsements, cryptocurrency trading losses, personal expenses and others.

The company, which promoted itself as India's first bidding application and later linked to cryptocurrency trading, collected investments from the public but "failed" to honour commitments resulting in closure of operations by late 2022, it said.

The ED registered a case in September 2023 taking cognisance of at least four FIRs registered by the Thrissur East police.

BJP flays Karnataka govt for restricting media activities inside Vidhana Soudha

The Opposition BJP on Wednesday criticised the Congress government in Karnataka over its alleged decision to regulate where media persons can conduct interviews inside Vidhana Soudha, alleging that it reflected an "anti-democratic" approach.

The criticism comes in the wake of a January 9 official communication directing police that accredited media representatives obtain sound bytes and statements only at a designated spot near the West Gate portico of Vidhana Soudha, in the interest of security.

The BJP leaders shared the government order on their social media handles.

"People are saying that the Congress government is inept. Substantiating it, the government has taken a decision where it is restricting the activities of media persons. The BJP condemns this strongly. We are unable to understand why such anti-people stand is taken," BJP state president B Y Vijayendra told reporters.

The purported official communication, issued by the Under Secretary to Government, CAAU (Executive), stated that identity cards would be issued only to media representatives recommended by the Department of Information and Public Relations.

It further directed that all such accredited media personnel should obtain bytes or statements only at the earmarked location and should not follow the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers or other dignitaries within the premises for interviews.

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka also criticised the move in a post on X.

"Emergency in Karnataka! The Congress government, which is attempting to impose restrictions on the media in order to cover up its failures, blunders and corruption, has once again displayed its anti-democratic and authoritarian attitude," he wrote.

Teen sexual assault victim dies by suicide in Kerala's Wayanad

A 16-year-old girl, an alleged victim of sexual assault committed suicide at her residence near Meppadi in Wayanad, Kerala, two days ago, police said on Wednesday. The girl, a class 11 student, had been mentally disturbed for a few years and was undergoing psychiatric treatment, police said. She had made three suicide attempts in the last two years, it said. The girl had revealed the sexual assault suffered by her at the hands of a relative and a neighbour only recently to her psychiatrist who in turn informed her father, police said.

The father informed her school counselor who told the police about it, an officer of Meppadi police station said. The two accused were immediately arrested and booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the officer said.

The duo was remanded to judicial custody last week and thereafter, police were carrying out further case related activities like recording of the victim's statement, collecting evidence, he said. The officer said that according to the girl, the relative sexually assaulted her once, while the neighbour did it several times since 2025. He said that as the girl has been under mental duress even before the incidents of sexual assault and therefore, it needs to be investigated what led to her taking the extreme step. 

Massive blaze guts textile showroom in Kozhikode

Doctors restore vision of blind gynaecologist from Mumbai in ‘world-first’ procedure

Ophthalmologists at Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital in Chennai restored the vision of a 44-year-old Mumbai gynaecologist who was blind in both eyes, performing what they described as a “world-first” procedure, officials said on Wednesday.

The patient regained functional vision in her left eye immediately after a single procedure that combined the advanced 5F-ISHF intraocular lens implantation technique with optical penetrating keratoplasty and structural reconstruction, according to a hospital press release.

Opticalpenetrating keratoplasty is a full-thickness corneal transplant that replaces a damaged cornea with healthy donor tissue to restore vision.

The patient had suffered from 10 years of progressive vision loss caused by severe glaucoma and multiple intraocular pathologies.

Despite undergoing several previous surgeries, her condition had not responded to treatment until the recent intervention.

Dr Soosan Jacob, Director and Chief of the Dr Agarwal’s Refractive and Cornea Foundation, who performed the surgery, said the immediate cause of vision loss was a malpositioned artificial lens in the left eye.

The faulty lens had been pressing against the iris and cornea, causing the anterior layers of the eye to fuse, she added.

The 5F-ISHF technique, developed by Dr Jacob, enables the secure placement of a new intraocular lens without stitches or large incisions by tucking the lens into the eye’s structure.

Dr Ashvin Agarwal, Chief Clinical Officer, said the complexity of the case required extensive reconstruction of the distorted ocular anatomy to provide a durable, long-term solution.

Kerala govt approves Bill aimed at conferring validity to Nativity Card

The Kerala government on Wednesday approved the Kerala Nativity Card Bill, granting legal validity to the scheme announced in December last year.

The Bill was cleared at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, according to a statement from his office.

In December 2025, the Cabinet had given in-principle approval for the introduction of a permanent, photo-embedded Nativity Card in the state.

The card will be issued on the lines of the existing nativity certificate, which certifies that a person hails from Kerala.

A native of Kerala will include those born in the state or those with at least one ancestor born in Kerala, provided they have not acquired foreign citizenship, the statement said.

Those born outside the state while their parents were employed elsewhere will also be considered natives.

Last month, the CM said the initiative was intended to ensure that no individual has to struggle to prove their identity or place of residence in the state.

The statement added that, apart from the existing details, any additional information prescribed by the government from time to time may also be included in the card.

Applicants seeking a nativity card must submit an application in the prescribed format, along with the required documents and fee, to the tahsildar.

Another AAP sarpanch shot dead at wedding in Punjab

An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sarpanch was shot dead by unidentified assailants during a marriage function in Tarn Taran district of Punjab on Wednesday, police said.

The incident comes nearly a month after another sarpanch and AAP leader, Jharmal Singh of Valtoha village in Amritsar district, was shot dead during a marriage function. Harpinder Singh, sarpanch of Thathian Mehta village, had gone to attend a wedding at a marriage palace when three armed men opened fire on him from close range.

Villagers said Singh was an active member of the ruling AAP and a close associate of Punjab cabinet minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.

Police sources said an AK-47 rifle was used in the attack, and two empty cartridges were recovered from the spot. Singh died on the spot. His cousin was seriously injured while trying to chase the attackers and was admitted to a nearby hospital.

The killing took place even as the Punjab government is conducting the second phase of its anti-gangster drive, "Gangsteran Te Vaar".

Police said teams have been formed to arrest the absconding accused.

T20 World Cup: Farhan, Usman take Pakistan to Super 8 with 102-run win over Namibia

Opener Sahibzada Farhan smashed an unbeaten hundred before Usman Tariq snared four wickets as Pakistan defeated Namibia by 102 runs in their must-win Group A match to book their place in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup in Colombo on Wednesday.

Farhan blasted 11 fours and four sixes on way to an unbeaten 100 off 58 balls as Pakistan scored 199 for three. Salman Agha made 23-ball 38, while Shadab Khan also chipped in with 36 off 22 balls.

In reply, Namibia folded for 97 in 17.3 overs with Louren Steenkamp (23) and Alexander Volschenk (20) managing double-digit scores.

Shadab Khan (3/19) and Usman Tariq (4/16) shared seven wickets.

Brief Score: Pakistan: 199 for 3 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 100; Jack Brassell 2/48)

Namibia: 97 all out in 17.3 overs (Louren Steenkamp 23, Usman Tariq 4/16)