Evening news wrap: Nana Patekar passes away, stock market crash, Rahul Gandhi's Day 3 protest and more

42 former judges in an open letter extended their support for chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.Veteran actor Nana Patekar passes away at the age of 75 due to cardiac arrest and his last rites to be held in Pune.Canadian author Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in literature, announced by the Swedish Academy.Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government and the Election Commission had "hijacked India" and "stolen votes".BSE Sensex and Nifty50, the Indian equity benchmarks, crashed in trade, with both indices down over 1%.Here are the top stories of the day:'Campaign driven by political interests': 42 ex-judges back CEC in open letterForty-two former judges on Thursday voiced concern over protests targeting chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, objecting to the labels such as "puppet", "thief" and "compromised" being used against him.In an open letter, the former judges described the criticism as a "calculated campaign driven by vested political interests" and cautioned against attempts to undermine election officials through public attacks and intimidation.The signatories also took exception to election officers being subjected to name-calling and public shaming, along with "warning of reprisal once power changes hands"."This appears to be a calculated campaign driven by vested political interests, with little regard to the potentially devastating consequences of destabilising the world’s largest democracy," the 42 former judges said.Read full storyNana Patekar passes away at 75: Actor's last rites to be held at his Pune farmhouseVeteran actor Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest. He was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, following which he was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital, said that doctors attempted to revive the actor through continuous CPR for 45 minutes, but were unsuccessful. A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem examination is underway.Read full storyCanadian author Anne Carson awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in LiteratureHungarian novelist and screenwriter László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature for what the Swedish Academy called his "compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art".Born in 1954 in Gyula, Hungary, Krasznahorkai is recognised for novels featuring lengthy, intricate sentences, bleak settings, absurdity and a recurring sense of impending disaster. His works frequently portray individuals navigating societies characterised by collapse, disorder and uncertainty.Read full story'Criminal conspiracy to hijack India': Rahul ups ante against government, CECThe standoff between the INDIA bloc and the Election Commission intensified as opposition leaders gathered in Delhi for the third consecutive day of protests.Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said around 300 MPs from both Houses of Parliament wanted to hold a peaceful demonstration but had been prevented from doing so for the past two days.Rahul, who was detained during Wednesday's protest, said the opposition would continue its campaign against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that the government and the Election Commission had "hijacked India" and "stolen votes".The Congress leader also said the opposition would pursue the matter until those it holds responsible are brought to justice.Read full storyStock market crash today: BSE Sensex tanks over 1,000 points; Nifty50 at 22,231 - top reasons for fallIndian equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 fell sharply on Thursday, with both indices declining more than 1%, as investors reacted to the Reserve Bank of India’s policy tightening and repo rate hike, continued foreign institutional investor (FII) selling and other negative market cues.The Sensex dropped more than 1,000 points during the session, while the Nifty50 slipped to around the 22,231 level.At the close, the Nifty50 stood at 22,231.80, down 371.25 points, or 1.64%. The Sensex ended at 71,593.24, lower by 1,045.46 points, or 1.44%.The sharp sell-off wiped out more than Rs 11 lakh crore from the combined market capitalisation of companies listed on the BSE.Read full storyGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.