India news: Modi orders fast-track courts for paper leaks Published July 23, 2026last updated July 23, 2026What you need to know - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces fast-track courts to punish paper-leak case accused - Student protests continue in New Delhi and across nation - Cockroach Janta Party urges peaceful demonstrations amid clashes Here's a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Thursday, July 23: Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the "Star" or "Preferred" to keep DW News at the top of your feed.

Sikkim tunnel collapse: death toll rises to 22 At least seven more bodies were recovered from the tunnel of an under-construction hydroelectric project in India's northeastern state of Sikkim, authorities said. This brings the death toll to 22. On Monday, 25 workers were trapped in the tunnel at the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corp Ltd project on the Teesta river, when an explosion occurred.

The explosion was suspected to have been caused by trapped methane in the rocks. The search for the remaining three workers is still underway. "Rescue operations remain in progress, with specialized teams working in close coordination to locate and recover the remaining victims," Sikkim state government said in Facebook post.

Delhi: Metro stations near protest site closed over 'security reasons' Some 16 metro stations in central Delhi were closed on Thursday morning until further instructions due to security reasons, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said. Those stations are the ones surrounding the historical protest site of Jantar Mantar, where hundreds of students and activists have been gathering for the 34th day to demand the dismissal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The announcement came amid growing crowds at the protest site.

Since July 20, authorities have closed several metro stations around the protest site on most days in an effort to control the growing crowds. Many of the protesters are students who depend on the metro to commute to the designated area. Meanwhile, protesters on social media alleged that police had stopped students from heading to the protest site.

The authorities have not commented on the matter, but DW reporters on the scene confirmed that most protesters were able to find a way in, despite some difficulties. Modi directs fast-track courts for paper leak case, vows 'stringent' punishment Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, vowed "strict and stringent" punishment for those involved in leaking entrance exam papers, while announcing fast-track courts for those accused. "Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared," Modi said in a post on X, without addressing the massive protests which have gripped the capital.

"Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students," he wrote. Students, political pressure group Cockroach Janta Party and several opposition parties continue to demonstrate against Modi's education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in central Delhi and several cities across the nation.