Delivery Rider Falls Into Open Drain, Loses Phone; Union Asks Zomato To Help

A food delivery worker in Hyderabad fell into a drain while on duty amid heavy rains in the city, prompting calls from the Telangana gig workers' union for accountability from the company.

Syed Farhan fell into an open drain on Saturday while on an active Zomato order. His phone was lost in the drain, while his motorcycle got damaged.

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) questioned if the cost of workers' lives is equivalent to a Rs 10 or 15 rain bonus. "This is not just an accident - it is a direct consequence of platforms prioritising profits over worker safety. God blessed Farhan with his life yesterday, but tomorrow may be too late for another worker," said Shaik Salauddin, TGPWU chief.

Urging the food delivery company to take accountability for the accident, Mr Salauddin demanded that the delivery worker's phone be replaced, his bike repaired and his lost income be compensated.

The union further called upon delivery platforms to stop risking workers' lives, provide fair rain and surge bonus, and share real-time weather data to allow informed decisions. "This is not about a Rs 10 or Rs 15 rain bonus - it's about whether a worker returns home alive," Salauddin emphasised.

TGPWU urged the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to act against companies risking delivery workers' lives. The civic body has already issued advisories to aggregator companies about the dangers of sending riders out in extreme weather, but these warnings continue to be ignored, Mr Salauddin said.

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Sholay: From Dharmendra To Big B, Who Was Paid What For The Cult Classic

Sholay, directed by Ramesh Sippy and featuring an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini, was released on August 15, 1975. It failed initially and picked up as the weeks went by.

Interestingly, Amitabh Bachchan was not the highest-paid actor on set; it was Dharmendra. Jaya Bachchan was the lowest paid. 

What's Happening

• A recent report shared by India.com revealed the paychecks received by the cast members of the multi-starrer Sholay.
• Dharmendra had received Rs 1,50,000 for his role as Veeru, while Amitabh Bachchan took home Rs 1,00,000 for his portrayal of Jai.
• Sanjeev Kumar, as the righteous jailer Thakur Baldev Singh, was paid Rs 1,25,000.
• Amjad Khan, as the notorious bandit Gabbar Khan, got Rs. 50,000.
• Hema Malini was paid Rs 75,000 for her role as Basanti, while Jaya Bachchan was the lowest paid with an amount of Rs 35,000.

About Sholay

2025 is a milestone year for Ramesh Sippy's Sholay. The film clocks 50 years, and is one of those films that has continued to garner love over the years.

Be it dialogues, the friendship between Amitabh Bachchan's Jai and Dharmendra's Veeru, Sanjeev Kumar's vengeful turn as Thakur or Amjad Khan's portrayal of the dreaded dacoit Gabbar Singh that went on to redefine the Hindi film villain, Sholay has stayed at the top of the pop culture charts - for five decades and counting.

Crafted by Salim-Javed, the plot revolves around two notorious criminals, Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), who are hired by a former jailer, Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar), as he seeks vengeance to bring down the vile bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan).

The film's cast also includes Sachin Pilgaonkar as Ahmed, Asrani as Jailer, AK Hangal as Imam Saheb, Mac Mohan as Sambha, Jagdeep as Surma Bhopali and Viju Khote as Kalia, among others.

In A Nutshell

Here's a look at what the star cast of Ramesh Sippy's Sholay took back home in 1975 as their paychecks. From Dharmendra being the highest paid actor to Jaya Bachchan being the lowest paid.

Also Read | Exclusive: A Sholay Climax Change That Irked Hema Malini 50 Years Before Raanjhanaa AI Edit Row

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Watch: Newborn Calf Walks Alongside Mother Elephant, Hours After Birth

A stunning video of a mother elephant crossing a road with her newborn calf has gone viral, catching the internet's attention. The nearly 20-second clip, shared by Indian Forest Service officer Parveen Kaswan, showcases the mama elephant carefully guiding the baby elephant, who is still learning to walk, having been born just a few hours earlier.

On average, the newborn elephant calves stand about one metre in height and weigh roughly 120 kilograms. The calf is helped to its feet by the mother and other maternal figures in the herd. Calves are able to stand on their own within minutes of birth. After a couple of hours and a few minor but adorable setbacks, the calf is able to walk.

"An unsteady walk, as the calf just came into world. Elephant calves start walking within one to two hours of birth. In wild, they have to be mobile, necessary for survival," Mr Kaswan captioned the video.

Watch the viral video here:

An unsteady walk, as the calf just came into world. Elephant calves start walking within 1-2 hour of birth. In wild they have to be mobile, necessary for survival pic.twitter.com/dEQO0dPtP1

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) August 7, 2025

'Miracle of nature'

The video triggered a flood of online reactions, with users expressing a range of emotions from awe and admiration for the baby's elephant's determination to cross the road and stay alongside the mother. 

"What a heartwarming moment! The little one's first steps show nature's perfect timing," said one user while another added: "Miracle of nature!"

A third commented: "Favourite animal of all time. Absolute sweethearts and best seen in the wild. No to zoos always. Hope we can shut all Indian zoos and give these guys a chance at a proper life in the wild amongst mates."

A fourth said: "Always stay with Mummy. She'll protect you, little baby elephant."

Video: Delhi Restaurant Denies Entry To Couple For Indian Attire, Chief Minister Takes Note

Last month, another video showed a baby elephant attempting to hoist itself onto a chair and sit like a human. As the video went viral, the baby jumbo's cuteness in trying and failing to climb up the chair mesmerised the internet.

Similarly, another viral post on Instagram showed a tusker enjoying a bath with his caretaker when he spotted an unexpected little visitor - a tiny frog. Despite being relatively large in size, the baby elephant displayed tremendous composure and gently attempted to avoid the croaking frog.

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"He Did Cross The Line": Ex India Star's Big Verdict On Gill's Captaincy

India captain Shubman Gill has been on the receiving end of some massive praise from fans and experts, following his breathtaking tour with the bat in England. Gill raised his stocks in the five-match rubber against England, smashing 754 runs to emerge as the leading runscorer in his debut series as captain. Speaking on Cricbuzz, former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik showered heaps of praise on Gill, saying that the young batter silenced all of his doubters. Karthik also noted the changes made by Gill in his batting technique, as well as the way he dealt with the media pressure during the lengthy tour.

"He's been aggressive at times; sometimes he did cross the line. I think he'll change that about himself to an extent. I hope he doesn't change it too much. But most importantly, the way he handled the English media [he did it very well]. Walking into this series, people were asking - Shubman Gill, away from India, his record can be better. And he said, 'I want to be the best batter across both teams'. It's one thing to have confidence, but you've got to back that up with skill. He came prepared. There was a vulnerability in his batting [against] the ball coming back in. He found a way to work on his technique and counter it," said Karthik.

Karthik suggested that Gill should get a lot of credit for the way he batted in the second Test, saying that his 430-run aggregate in the contest at Edgbaston was the most defining moment of the series.

"What was the defining part of what he achieved was the hunger and determination. That 269 and the hundred he got at Edgbaston, the amount of time he batted was astounding," he added.

Gill's next assignment as captain will see India take on West Indies for two Tests, starting October 2. Before that, he will be leading North Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

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