Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS.

BOM7 MP-CRPF-2NDLD SHAH **** CRPF ‘backbone’ of mission to rid country of Naxalism by March 2026: Shah Neemuch (MP): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that Naxalism, which is confined to just four districts in India, will be eliminated by March 31 next year, and the CRPF is the “backbone” of this mission. **** BOM11 GJ-ACCIDENT **** Six killed in collision between bus, autorickshaw in Gujarat’s Patan district Patan (Gujarat): Six persons travelling in an autorickshaw were killed after their vehicle collided with a state transport bus in Gujarat’s Patan district on Thursday, police said. **** BOM17 MH-HC-MALEGAON-JUDGE **** 2008 Malegaon blast: Judge conducting trial gets extension till August days after transfer order Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has extended till August 31 the tenure of special NIA judge A K Lahoti, who is conducting trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, days after it issued an order for his transfer to Nashik. **** BOM18 MH-HERALD-CHENNITHALA **** ED chargesheet in National Herald case: Cong cannot be finished like this, asserts Chennithala Mumbai: The All India Congress Committee’s Maharashtra in charge Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said the Enforcement Directorate’s action in the National Herald case stems from political vendetta and asserted his party “cannot be finished like this” since Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have the backing of the people. **** BOM21 MH-HC-FADNAVIS-SUMMONS **** HC issues summons to CM Fadnavis in petition challenging his 2024 assembly poll win Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Thursday issued summons (notice) to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a poll petition challenging his 2024 win from the Nagpur South West assembly seat. **** BOM9 CG-NAXALS-ARREST **** 22 Naxalites arrested, explosives seized in Chhattisgarh Bijapur: Twenty two Naxalites have been arrested and explosive materials seized from them at three places in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said on Thursday. **** BOM19 GA-BENGAL VIOLENCE-VHP **** VHP seeks President’s rule in WB over violence; announces country-wide protests on Apr 19 Panaji: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday demanded imposition of President’s rule in West Bengal over the recent communal violence in Murshidabad district in the state following protests against the new Waqf law. **** BOM14 MH-FOOD POISONING-STUDENTS **** 31 students hospitalised after eating ‘pani puri’ at roadside stall in Maharashtra’s Nanded Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a suspected food-poisoning case, 31 students of different educational institutes were admitted to a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Nanded city early on Thursday as they fell ill after consuming ‘pani puri’ at a roadside stall, officials said. **** PTI RSY