Your PEEK Into The Day: 5 Stories That Deserve The Front Page

The Fact: More than 100 people died across Uttar Pradesh after a massive hailstorm and lightning strikes impacted several districts on Wednesday night. With some figures placing the death toll at 110, this storm is being called one of the deadliest in the state in recent years. The worst-hit districts were Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Fatehpur, Unnao, and Bareilly. According to reports, nearly 100 houses were damaged, and hundreds of livestock were affected by the heavy rainfall.

The Context: Wind speeds of nearly 100 kilometres per hour were recorded in several regions of UP. This is almost double the windspeed witnessed during usual storms. Videos circulating online showed a man in Bareilly being flung into the air along with a tin shed. Rescue operations have been launched in multiple districts. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced compensation for affected families and directed officials to complete relief operations and provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Surprisingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent a condolence message over the loss of lives caused by the storm.

The Peek Insight: Severe storms are not uncommon in North India during the pre-monsoon months between March and June. However, this storm raises questions over Uttar Pradesh’s weather warning systems and disaster preparedness systems. The Yogi government has repeatedly highlighted investments in hyper-local forecasting models, AI-enabled prediction systems, and advanced early-warning mechanisms. But if such technology and infrastructure are already in place, how did so many people still lose their lives within a matter of hours? The bigger question is whether these systems were actually effective on the ground? Or have these highly publicised technological investments failed to translate into real public protection? And this is far from an isolated incident. Just a month ago, heavy rain in Bengaluru reportedly claimed over 30 lives. Bengaluru is India’s technology capital, yet even there, infrastructure and preparedness appeared overwhelmed by extreme weather. These repeated incidents are increasingly exposing a gap between technological claims and actual preparedness on the ground. At the same time, the fact that condolences came from Vladimir Putin before our own Prime Minister has also raised questions about the deadly storm making global headlines but being ignored in our own country.

The Fact: India’s wholesale inflation surged to a 42-month high of 8.3% year-on-year in April 2026. This is a sharp rise from the 3.88% that was reported in March by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The spike is largely driven by the high crude oil and natural gas prices due to the ongoing war in West Asia. The sharpest increase has been reported from the fuel and power segment, which has recorded an inflation of 24.71% in April compared to just 1.05% in March.

The Context: At the retail level, inflation measured through the Consumer Price Index rose to a 13-month high of 3.5% in April 2026. Inflation in food and beverages also climbed to 4%, caused by a rise in prices of products such as tomatoes and coconut. Similarly, restaurant and accommodation inflation rose sharply to 4.2% from 2.9%. This is partly due to increased LPG costs being passed on to consumers.

The Peek Insight: This inflation is largely due to the disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Around one-fifth of the world's global oil supply passes through the narrow passage. This directly impacts India as well, which imports nearly 85% of its crude oil requirements. The widening gap between wholesale and retail inflation indicates strong producer-level cost pressures that could gradually spill over into consumer prices in the coming months. Although the government has so far absorbed much of the increase in imported crude prices, the increase in petrol and diesel prices could further raise retail inflation across sectors. This also explains why the Prime Minister recently urged citizens to adopt austerity measures. While the two-day summit in Beijing between the US and Chinese presidents might hopefully bring a resolution to the ongoing tensions, concerns over monetary policy and interest rates will continue to hover, especially for India.

The Fact: On the night of May 11, a 30-year-old factory worker was gangraped by two men inside a private sleeper bus in Saraswati Vihar, New Delhi. The men, Umesh and Ramendra, then allegedly threw the woman out of the bus near the Nangloi Metro station. The woman is married with three children, aged 4, 6, and 8. Reportedly, the woman refused to get admitted to the hospital despite sustaining serious injuries. Her husband suffers from tuberculosis, and she has no one to look after her family at home.

The Context: The two men have now been arrested. The vehicle was a Bihar-registered bus. A PCR call was received in the early hours, and a case has been registered at the Rani Bagh Police Station. According to reports, the woman approached the two men to ask what time it is. The men then gestured for her to come closer, after which they abducted her inside the bus. Just last week, a 3-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on the second day of her school by one of the school’s caretakers. A week later, he was granted bail. For these very reasons, Delhi still holds the title of India's rape capital. 

The Peek Insight: This Nangloi incident reminds one of the horror of the Nirbhaya rape case. The parallels are eerily similar: a moving bus, a woman alone at night, and men who weaponised public transport. Despite different governments being in power, the number of rape cases has doubled from 2012 to 2024, as per the latest NCRB data. Every day, almost 3 women are raped in the capital of the sixth-largest economy. Stricter laws without proportionate investment in police sensitisation, judicial capacity, and swift bail restrictions for the accused are, at best, symbolic. What India needs is not just legislation but colossal infrastructure investment, including more trained women officers, fast-track courts that actually function, and a criminal justice system that deters. Nirbhaya was seen to be a turning point, but it clearly wasn't.

The Fact: The Congress leadership has selected V. D. Satheesan as the new Chief Minister of Kerala after the UDF won the state election. Satheesan has been chosen over senior Congress leader K. C. Venugopal, who was also seen as a strong candidate because of his close connection with the party’s central leadership in Delhi. For days after the election mandate, there was a looming uncertainty over the selection of the state’s first CM from a non-left party in a decade.

The Context: Satheesan was the Leader of the Opposition in Kerala for the last few years. He became the main face of the Congress during his campaign against the previous LDF government. Satheesan has been known to strongly criticise the Left government on issues such as corruption, governance, and public welfare. This is what has helped him gain support among party workers and voters. During the election campaign, many UDF leaders and workers believed that Satheesan played a major role in the alliance’s victory. Important allies like the IUML and Kerala Congress factions also openly supported him for the Chief Minister’s post. On the other hand, Venugopal was known more for his influence within the Congress organisation at the national level rather than for leading the campaign in Kerala. Reportedly, Satheesan was chosen as the CM despite Venugopal enjoying maximum support among the newly-elected MLAs.

The Peek Insight: The decision shows that the Congress leadership wanted to give importance to public support and state-level leadership rather than focusing just on organisational power in Delhi. By choosing Satheesan, the party showed that leaders who connect well with workers, allies, and voters can be rewarded with bigger responsibilities. It also reflects the Congress party’s effort to move away from the image of “high-command politics,” where decisions are controlled mainly by leaders in Delhi. At the same time, the episode highlights the growing competition inside the party between regional leaders with strong public support and leaders who are powerful within the organisation.

The Fact: The Congress-led Karnataka government on May 13 withdrew the restriction order issued by the BJP government in 2022, which had banned hijabs in educational institutions. Under the new directive, students are now permitted to wear limited traditional and faith-based symbols, including the hijab, turban, sacred thread, Rudraksha, and Shiva beads alongside their prescribed uniform, provided these do not alter the uniform or interfere with discipline, safety, or student identification. The order emphasises that no student can be denied entry into classrooms or examination halls for wearing these symbols, nor can any student be forced to wear or remove them. 

The Context: The hijab controversy first erupted in January 2022 at a government pre-university college in Udupi. Muslim students alleged they were denied classroom entry for wearing the headscarf. The issue rapidly spread across districts, triggering protests from groups on both sides, with visuals of students in saffron shawls and hijabs becoming iconic images of the standoff. Instances of right-wing groups harassing hijab-clad college girls garnered attention, with many advocating for Muslim women’s right to practice their religion. The Karnataka High Court upheld the ban in March 2022, ruling that the hijab was not an essential religious practice under Article 25 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court later delivered a split verdict in October 2022, leaving the matter pending before a larger bench.

The Peek Insight: The Congress had, while in Opposition, promised to revisit the issue if voted to power. Notably, the new framework is not just about the hijab. It extends equal protection to the sacred thread, turban, and rudraksha, making it harder to frame as a single-community concession. For the critics, this could seem like appeasement politics. And for the supporters, this is a constitutional balance. What it undeniably can be called is a reminder that in India, education policy and identity politics remain deeply and uncomfortably intertwined.

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