Evening News Report: All Indian sailors in Persian Gulf safe, government says; Center withdraws Sonam Wangchuk’s NSA detention; & more

• Two Indian LPG ships safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, the government said, adding that all Indian crew members in the Persian Gulf are safe amid the Iran conflict.
• The Center said LPG supplies remained stable even as panic bookings surged to 8.8 million.
• Sonam Wangchuk was released after the Center revoked his NSA detention.
• Akasa Air will impose a fuel surcharge from March 15 due to the sharp increase in ATF prices.
• TMC and BJP workers clashed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Kolkata.

Here are the top 5 stories of the day:

Indian LPG vessel sails safely through Hormuz as US attacks Iran’s Kharg island

All Indian crew members in the Persian Gulf are safe, the government said, as two Indian-flagged LPG carriers Shivalik and Nandadevi transited the Strait of Hormuz carrying 92,700 tonnes of cargo and will dock at Mundra and Kandla on March 16-17. The update came as U.S. forces attacked more than 90 military targets on Iran’s Khargah island and Tehran warned it could deploy more powerful ballistic and precision missiles. Follow real-time updates

Government says LPG supplies intact, warns against panic bookings amid Middle East tensions

The government said the LPG situation remained critical due to the geopolitical crisis, but stressed that there was no shortage of cylinders and no stock-outs were reported. At an inter-ministerial briefing, officials said there had been a sharp increase in panic bookings, with bookings rising from about 7.5 million to 7.6 million to nearly 8.8 million. Follow real-time updates

Center lifts NSA detention of Sonam Wangchuk, activist released

The Center immediately revoked the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act and released him from Jodhpur Central Jail. The home ministry said the move was aimed at promoting peace, stability and meaningful dialogue in Ladakh. Read more

Akasa Air to increase fuel surcharge from March 15 due to ATF price increase

Alkasa Air will impose a fuel surcharge of Rs 199 to Rs 1,300 on domestic and international air tickets booked from March 15, citing a sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel prices due to tensions in the Middle East. The airline said the fee will be charged on a per-segment basis and will vary depending on the length of the flight. Read more

TMC, BJP workers clash before PM Modi’s rally in Kolkata

Just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters near Girish Park in central Kolkata. A policeman and a BJP leader were injured in the violence, which included stone-pelting and slogan-chanting. Read more