Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Kedarnath: Five pilgrims and a pilot onboard a helicopter had a narrow escape when the aircraft on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical snag during take-off, officials said. The pilot sustained minor injuries and was rushed to a hospital, they said. Videos on social media showed the Kestrel Aviation helicopter standing in the middle of the highway, dangerously close to populated buildings and with a parked car damaged by its tail rotor. The helicopter had flown from Badasu base for Kedarnath when it made the emergency landing shortly after take-off on the main road just below the highway near Sirsi following a technical snag, the officials said. Six people onboard the helicopter including the pilot had a close call. People on the ground got scared as they saw the helicopter losing balance in the air and crashlanding on the road, eyewitnesses said. Kedarnath heli service nodal officer Rahul Chaubey said the incident did not affect the heli shuttle service to the Himalayan temple.Efforts are underway to remove the helicopter from the highway. Police have issued an appeal to pilgrims going to Kedarnath by road to stay wherever they are as removing the helicopter from the highway and unblocking it can take some time.
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) -- Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering. Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy's ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth. Here's what to know abo ...Read More >
Katra (J-K) | Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After his arrival at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in ...Read More >
SRINAGAR: Vedic hymns reverberated in Kashmir hills as Amarnath yatra officially began on Thursday with over twelve thousand devotees paying their respects and having darshan of fully formed natural Shivling or ice-lingam of Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave-shrine. The first day of the annual pilgrimage to the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in the Kashmir Himalayas at a height of 12, 729 feet (3,888 metres) was marked with Prathan Pooja or the first prayer beside several feet -high naturally formed Shivling at the Sanctum-Sanctorum. A report said that the Shivling has been reduced con ...Read More >
Uttarakhand (Dehradun) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand, effective today and tomorrow. In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police have issued a safety advisory for pilgrims undertaking the Chardham Yatra. Pilgrims are advised to exercise caution while travelling, consider the weather conditions, and call 112 in case of any emergency." Authorities are working to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions," said the police authorities. In light of the forecast, the Uttarakh ...Read More >
Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After he arrived at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in retaliat ...Read More >
Gangtok, Jun 8 (PTI) The Sikkim government on Sunday evacuated 28 people, including three minors, stranded in Chaten in the northern part of the Himalayan state, where road connectivity has been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain, officials said. Responding to distress calls from a few locals, some taxi drivers and government officials stationed in Chaten, seeking evacuation, the administration hired a helicopter to rescue them. "The state government arranged a helicopter and successfully evacuated 28 people, including three minors," one of the officials said. All ev ...Read More >
Jammu, June 26: One terrorist was killed on Thursday in an ongoing gunfight between the security forces and the terrorists in J&K's Udhampur district's Basantgarh area. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti said that four terrorists are believed to be trapped in the ongoing encounter. Speaking with reporters, the IGP said the contact with the terrorists was established around 8.30 a.m., but the weather is unfavourable. "The situation will become clear once the weather improves. As per our assessment, a group of four terrorists is holed up," he said. Earlier, the Army sa ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 26: The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that security measures have been strengthened to ensure the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra this year. SInha acknowledged dip in the registration of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims post the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April this year. Addressing media persons at Raj Bhawan, Srinagar, Sinha said that registration dropped by around 10 percent, but maintained that ìthe numbers are now rising again.î ìPublic confidence is returning, and I am hopeful it will continue to grow. Befor ...Read More >
A cloudburst near Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi has caused significant damage to a hotel construction site, leaving several workers missing as rescue operations are underway. Separately, heavy rainfall has blocked the Badrinath-Rishikesh highway, disrupting pilgrimage travel. Chief Minister Dhami has advised caution and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the adverse weather forecast.A cloudburst in Baligarh, along the Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district, caused sign ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Thursday with the first batches of pilgrims setting off from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan towards the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which houses a naturally formed ice-lingam, officials said. The yatra started early morning from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the 14-km Baltal route. Also Read | Federal Court Blocks Trump's Effort to Deny Asylum at Border. The batches of pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, left from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, in ...Read More >
DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced on Thursday that the state government has decided to temporarily suspend the Char Dham Yatra due to the bad weather conditions CM Dhami noted that the safety of the pilgrims is the government's priority. "Considering the weather, the Char Dham yatra has been temporarily halted. In the future, we will proceed with the yatra in accordance with the weather. When the yatra is safe, it will continue... Our priority during the yatra is the safety of all pilgrims... All our district officials, disaster management teams, National Dis ...Read More >
Srinagar: Railway stations across the Kashmir Valley have been beautifully decked out as preparations peak for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flag off the inaugural Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express -- the first-ever train connecting the valley directly to the rest of India. This landmark train will depart from Delhi and travel through Katra, the gateway to the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, before reaching Srinagar. The event marks the successful culmination of one of India's most ambitious infrastructure projects, featuring two engineering marvels: the world's highest railway bridge o ...Read More >
Mhow, Jun 7 (PTI) In a disturbing incident, a stray dog was seen clutching a dead newborn in its jaws near the toilet of a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district on Saturday before a security guard managed to retrieve the body after shooing away the animal. Authorities at the civil hospital in Mhow, some 25 kilometres from the district headquarters, and police have begun a probe into the antecedents of the newborn and the chain of events that followed. ...Read More >
Srinagar: Lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on Thursday said that the Pahalgam attack has impacted tourism and the number of registrations for the Amarnath yatra has fallen 10% so far, compared to last year. Speaking to the media in Srinagar, he said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth yatra and urged all pilgrims to ensure that they move in a security convoy - right from Lakhanpur in Jammu to the holy cave in Kashmir. The LG was hopeful of an increase in the number of yatris. The duration of the yatra, starting from July 3, has been ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 1 (PTI) A group of tourists from Maharashtra is stranded at Yamunotri, a key Char Dham site in Uttarakhand, and efforts are on by local authorities to rescue and move them to a safer location, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Tuesday. The Maharashtra government is in touch with its Uttarakhand counterpart to ensure the safety of devotees, he said. Shinde, however, did not disclose how many tourists from Maharashtra are stranded in the hill state where the sacred Char Dham Yatra is currently on. "Some people from Maharashtra are stuck at Yamunotri Dham. I have personal ...Read More >
JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha will flag off the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims for the twin base camps in Kashmir from here amid tight security on Wednesday. The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high shrine will commence on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks - the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter (14 kilometres) but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The yatra will conclude on August 9. According to officials, more than 3,31,000 devotees have registered for this year's yatra so far. On-the-spot reg ...Read More >
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Chants of "Bam Bam Bhole" and "Har Har Mahadev" echoed through Kashmir valley Wednesday as the first convoy of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims crossed Qazigund-Banihal tunnel, marking the start of the annual Himalayan pilgrimage under unprecedented security.Garlanded with flowers and greeted with traditional Kashmiri hospitality, the pilgrims -- part of a 5,892-strong batch -- were flagged off from the Jammu base camp at Bhagwati Nagar early morning by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha. A convoy of 310 vehicles carried the devotees toward the sacred Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir. ...Read More >
Dhar (MP), Jun 28 (PTI) A couple from Madhya Pradesh, who was killed along with three others in the accident of a minibus in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, was cremated near Rajgarh in Dhar district on Saturday in the presence of a large number of people. Vishal Soni (45) and his wife Gauri (41) were killed after the tempo traveller carrying them fell into the Alaknanda river near Gholthir village in Rudraprayag on June 26. Their bodies were brought to Rajgarh town by the relatives during the day. As a mark of respect for the departed souls, local jewellers kept the shops shut as Soni b ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
Dakpatthar (Uttarakhand) [India], July 3 (ANI): On Thursday, the SDRF Dakpatthar team received information that some workers were stranded in the river near Badhwala Sadhna Kendra Ashram. On receiving the information, the SDRF team immediately left for the site of the incident and rescued the trapped workers. Meanwhile, as heavy rains, along with landslides, continue to affect the state, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "...Considering the weather, the Char Dham yatra has been temporarily halted. In the future, we will proceed with the yatra in accordance with the weather. ...Read More >
Dehradun: A helicopter en route from Sirsi to Kedarnath with pilgrims crash-landed on a road on Saturday due to a possible technical snag. However, no casualties have been reported, and all passengers on board are safe. A car has been damaged due to the sudden landing of the chopper operated by Crystal Aviation Private Limited, police said. As per the preliminary information, a technical fault midair caused the helicopter to opt for an emergency landing. Sensing the fault, the alert pilot acted quickly and brought the chopper down safely, preventing any injury or damage to the passengers. Th ...Read More >
Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): A helicopter carrying five devotees en route to Kedarnath Dham made an emergency landing on a national highway near Bharasu in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday, temporarily disrupting traffic in the region, officials said. According to officials, the chopper - an AW119 operated by Kestrel Aviation Private Limited - developed a sudden technical fault during takeoff, prompting the pilot to carry out a hard but controlled landing on the nearby road. Also Read | ICU Horror at ESIC Medical College in Rajasthan: 32-Year-Old Woman Alleg ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area forming over the north Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of Odisha through July 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Saturday. An upper air cyclonic circulation currently persists over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southwestward with height, the IMD said. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to develop over the region within the next 48 hours. The sy ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Thursday with the first batches of pilgrims setting off from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan towards the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which houses a naturally formed ice-lingam, officials said. The yatra started early morning from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the 14-km Baltal route. The batches of pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, left from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag, and Baltal base camp in Sonamarg area of central ...Read More >
Jammu, July 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) Another batch of Yatris left Jammu for the Valley as the annual Amarnath Yatra begins officially on Thursday, officials said. Officials added that the second batch of 5,246 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on the Canal Road in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys on Thursday. "Of these, 1,993 Yatris are going to Baltal base camp while 3,253 are going to Pahalgam base camp," officials said. The 36-day long Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday as the first batch of Yatris left Baltal base camp for the holy cave shrine in the morning. Other Yatris o ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) Over 12,000 pilgrims had darshan of the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' in the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas on the first day of the pilgrimage on Thursday, officials said. "A total of 12,348 pilgrims paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine on the first day of the pilgrimage," they said. The officials said that it included 9,181 male pilgrims, 2,223 female pilgrims, 99 children, 122 sadhus, seven sadhvis and eight transgenders. The officials further said that they had not expected such high number of pilgrims to attend the pilgrimag ...Read More >
Rudraprayag, Jun 7 (PTI) A helicopter on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical snag during take-off, officials said. However, all pilgrims on board and the pilot are safe, the officials said. The helicopter had taken off from Badasu base for Kedarnath when it made the emergency landing on the highway near Sirsi following a technical snag during take-off, they said. Videos on social media showed the Kestrel Aviation helicopter standing in the middle of the highway was dangerously close to populated build ...Read More >
Rudraprayag, June 7: A helicopter on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical snag during take-off, officials said. However, all pilgrims on board and the pilot are safe, the officials said. The helicopter had taken off from Badasu base for Kedarnath when it made the emergency landing on the highway near Sirsi following a technical snag during take-off, they said. Uttarakhand: Private Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing in Guptkashi Due to Technical Fault, All Passengers Safe (See Pics and Video). Videos on ...Read More >
Jammu, Jun 27 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir administration has made arrangements to house over 50,000 pilgrims in various lodgement centres across the Jammu region for their comfortable pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the South Kashmir Himalayas beginning July 3, officials said. The 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to start on July 3 from the twin routes -- the traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district -- leading to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine. The first batch of pil ...Read More >