Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Bhubaneswar: VIP culture has come under focus a day after three persons died following a stampede outside Gundicha Temple in Puri. Family members of the deceased alleged that while devotees struggled to catch a glimpse of the deities atop the chariots, police escorted VIP guests right up to the Raths, a charge denied by the police. According to the bereaved, like previous years, barricades were installed around the three chariots to prevent devotees from touching or boarding them, a policy which is in tune with a 2014 Orissa high court order that allows only duty-bound servitors of Jagannath Temple to access the chariots. Dilip Sahu, whose wife Basanti (42) is among the dead, said Rath Yatra festival appeared to cater to VIPs. "I am not claiming that the stampede occurred because of VIP darshan. Despite the barricade regulations, police were seen escorting certain high profile visitors within the barricaded zone, allowing them closer access to the chariots. Ordinary devotees struggled amidst overcrowding outside the fences," Sahu said.Sahu spoke of his children's distress and shock at their mother's death. "My 13-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter, who survived, are traumatised. They haven't stopped crying since seeing their mother's body. Our family is devastated," said Sahu, a resident of Bolagarh area in Khurda district. Devotees expressed their desire for basic amenities, emphasising the need for effective crowd management and ease of darshan. Biswajit Das from Balianta area near Bhubaneswar, who lost his wife Prabhati (52) in the stampede, said, "We have no issues with VIP darshan system. It didn't result in the stampede. However, the complete neglect of common devotees is wrong. We were abandoned without police support."Devotees alleged that despite police presence near the chariots, they neither managed the crowd nor provided immediate assistance when the tragedy occurred. "The police response was abysmal and inadequate. Their numbers were insufficient and barely visible in the crowd," Das said.Denying the allegations, police said VIP darshan was not going on at the time of the stampede. "The unfortunate incident happened despite adequate police deployment," a senior police officer said.The govt said the high-level investigation team would examine all contributing factors behind the stampede. "The probe team will analyse all possible causes of the mishap and suggest actions to the govt. The administrative inquiry is expected to be completed within a month," law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said. The probe committee, headed by development commissioner Anu Garg, visited the stampede site near Gundicha Temple and launched the investigation. She held a discussion with senior officers including new Puri collector Chanchal Rana and SP Pinak Mishra.
Hyderabad, Dec 5 (UNI) A 35-year-old woman died, and her nine-year-old son was critically injured in a stampede that occurred outside a theatre at RTC 'X' Roads during the premiere show of the Allu Arjun-starrer "Pushpa-2: The Rule" in the city on Wednesday night. The incident took place between 10:30 PM and 11:00 PM at the Sandhya 70 mm theatre when Allu Arjun, along with his film crew, arrived in the theatre to watch the show, police said here on Thursday. Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with Sukumar Writings, the movie was released worldwide on Thurs ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Another FIR has been registered against RCB, event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) over the stampede near Chinnaswamy stadium that claimed the lives of 11, police said on Friday. The FIR was registered at Cubbon Park police station under section 125 (a) (act endangering life and personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, based on a complaint by victim Rohan Gomes on June 5, they said. RCB, DNA entertainment private limited and KSCA administration have been named as accused in the case, police said. C ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Digha (West Bengal) [India], June 26 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Lord Jagannath temple in Digha in West Bengal on Thursday, ahead of Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled to start on June 27. CM Mamata Banerjee said, "Lord Jagannath temple has become a major place of pilgrimage. The Rath Yatra will be held on a 1 km route from 9 am to 4 pm tomorrow. The aarti will be performed at 2.30 pm. Our ministerial team has arrived here for this." Also Read | 'Dreamer and Disciplined': School Teachers Recall Fond Memories of Shubhanshu Shukla As Astronaut Becomes First Indian To ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) The city of Puri in Odisha is bracing for the famous Ratha Yatra, as holy siblings -- Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra -- prepare to embark on their nine-day sojourn from their abode, the 12th-century shrine, to Gundicha Temple on June 27. Devotees, gripped with ecstasy, will pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra -- Nandighosh, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalan respectively -- for around 3 km to the Gundicha Temple, believed by some legends to be the birthplace of the Chaturddha Murti (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balab ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 27 -- As the spiritual fervor of Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 engulfs the temple town of Puri, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik joined national leaders in extending his heartfelt greetings to devotees. Taking to social media platform X, Patnaik posted a devotional video message, saying, "On the occasion of the holy Rath Yatra, I extend my best wishes to everyone. Jai Jagannath." Rath Yatra: A Sacred Confluence of Devotion, Culture, and Community Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to X to mark the auspiciou ...Read More >
Bengaluru, June 7: The Special Wing of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will begin its probe into the Chinnaswamy stampede tragedy, which claimed 11 lives on June 4, starting Saturday. Concurrently, the magisterial enquiry by the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district is also progressing. Sources confirmed that the CID probe will be headed by SP Shubanvita and Dy SPs Gowtham and Purushottam were named as investigators. The CID is likely to seek custody of the four arrested accused, who were sent to jail, for questioning on Monday, June 9. The department has already filed a ...Read More >
Digha (West Bengal) [India], June 26 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Lord Jagannath temple in Digha in West Bengal on Thursday, ahead of Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled to start on June 27. CM Mamata Banerjee said, 'Lord Jagannath temple has become a major place of pilgrimage. The Rath Yatra will be held on a 1 km route from 9 am to 4 pm tomorrow. The aarti will be performed at 2.30 pm. Our ministerial team has arrived here for this.' The Rs 250 crore temple in Digha, constructed over 20 acres, was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30 ...Read More >
RCB celebrations stampede LIVE UPDATES: Bengaluru Police have arrested four people, including RCB's marketing head Nikhil Sosale, over the stampede that killed 11 during the victory celebration. Two KSCA officials are absconding as the investigation continues. Bengaluru stampede news live updates: Bengaluru Police have arrested four people in connection with the tragic stampede that killed 11 people during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. One of the arrested is Nikhil Sosale, a top marketing official of the RCB team. He was on his way to the ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 6 (PTI) Karnataka BJP general secretary P Rajeev on Friday said he has filed a police complaint seeking legal action against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara for the June 4 stampede that killed 11 people. The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium here, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident. Also Read | Bengaluru Stampede: Police Complaint Lodged Against Virat Kohli Over St ...Read More >
BENGALURU: A senior police officer had raised red flags over the lack of security personnel and potential crowd control issues just hours before a stampede killed 11 people outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebration on June 4.According to official letter accessed by the TOI, MN Karibasavana Gowda, who oversees legislature security, issued a written warning to the state government on the morning of the event. In a letter addressed to G Sathyavathi, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Gowda cautioned against hol ...Read More >
The CM's reaction came to the DCP (Vidhana Soudha security) letter written before the event warning against holding felicitations at Vidhana Soudha 'hastily', surfaced now Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the decision to go ahead with the RCB victory celebration in front of Vidhana Soudha, saying no untoward incident happened there. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "The police department did not give comprehensive information about the police security arrangements at the ...Read More >
The Odisha government has formed a high-level ministerial committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, to ensure the smooth execution of the Rath Yatra in Puri on June 27. The committee will oversee all arrangements for the festival, expected to draw around 1.5 million attendees. Preparations are also underway for the Snan Yatra on June 11.The Odisha government has constituted a high-level ministerial committee to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannat ...Read More >
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 6 (ANI): Thousands of devotees rejoice as they make their way to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple today, a momentous occasion in the spiritual and cultural landscape of India. Uttam Kumari Sheluwal, a local from Nepal, said,' We've come to Ayodhya to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, where our beloved Bhagwan Shri Ramchandraji resides. Our family's Ishtadev is Bhagwan Shri Ram, and we worship Mata Janaki too. We're thrilled to be here in Ayodhya, the city of Lord Ram, and can't wait to have Darshan of Prabhu Shri Ram. We're grateful to Chief Minister Yogi ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 27 (ANI): Preparations for the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra, set to commence on Friday in Puri, are in their final stages, with elaborate arrangements in place for the grand festival. District Magistrate Siddharth Swain and Superintendent of Police Vineet Agarwal provided updates on the planning underway to ensure a smooth and secure event. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi's Demand for Digital Voter List of 2024 Lok Sabha Elections and Vidhan Sabha Polls Legally Untenable, Say Experts. Officials stated that elaborate security arrangements have been made for the Yatra. Pu ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, June 27: Union Home Minister Amit Shah began his Gujarat visit on a spiritual note early Friday morning by participating in the Mangala Aarti at the historic Shri Jagannathji Temple in Jamalpur, Ahmedabad. The visit coincides with the auspicious occasion of the annual Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra, a major religious event that draws thousands of devotees every year. Arriving at the temple at 3:15 a.m., HM Shah joined in the sacred rituals and offered prayers to Mahaprabhu Jagannath. Sharing his experience on social media platform X, he posted, "On the sacred occasion of Rath Yatra, par ...Read More >
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has denied responsibility for the stampede that took place outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations. The incident led to the deaths of 11 people. In a statement, KSCA claimed it was not involved in organising the event, managing entry gates or handling the crowd. "The decision to hold the event was taken by the government. It was conducted at Vidhana Soudha, not at Chinnaswamy Stadium," the association said, adding that its role is limited to renting out the stadium and managing c ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
Thousands of pilgrims, including foreigners, congregated in Digha, West Bengal, for the Rath Yatra festival. The Chief Minister, along with cabinet members, initiated the chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Rituals commenced in the morning with 'Pahandi Vijay' at the newly-built Jagannath Dham Temple, followed by the idols being placed on the chariots amid devotional chants and festivities.Thousands gathered from different parts of the state to attend the Rath Yatra fe ...Read More >
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday raised questions over the fresh electoral roll revision guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of Bihar assembly polls scheduled this year. Expressing apprehensions, Banerjee said that these fresh guidelines might be implemented in Bengal ahead of the assembly polls in 2026. Speaking to ET, Banerjee said that she has apprehensions that these guidelines may be even worse that National Register of Citizens ( ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Friday greeted citizens on the occasion of Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and prayed for an atmosphere of peace, friendship and affection in the entire world. During the annual yatra, chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath are pulled from Shri Jagannath temple to Shree Gundicha temple in Puri. Lakhs of devotees gather there to be part of the grand festival. Similar yatras are also taken out in other parts of the country. "On the occasion of the holy Rath Yatra, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to the devotees of Mahapr ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday arrived in Odisha and unveiled a statue of Santali writer and educator Pandit Raghunath Murmu here. She also visited the Adim Owar Jarpa Jaher, a sacred place for Santals, in Bhubaneswar and offered prayers. The President was accorded a warm welcome at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), where she landed on a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to commence her five-day visit to Odisha. She was received at the airport by Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other dignitaries. People standi ...Read More >
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) President Raghu Ram Bhat and a few other office bearers moved the Karnataka High Court on Friday seeking to quash the FIR filed against them in the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede case. Police on Thursday registered an FIR against RCB, event management firm DNA entertainment private limited, and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah too on Thursday had instructed the state DGP and IGP to immediately arrest the re ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR/PURI: In a massive incentive, the Law department has approved Rs 2.25 crore for Daitapati servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple if they ensure a smooth Rath Yatra. A proposal in this regard was sent by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) recently. In a letter to the Srimandir chief administrator, the department informed that the government has approved Rs 2.25 crore as a 'special reward' for Daita servitors for disciplined conduct during the annual festival of the Trinity. The money will be paid from the SJTA funds and replenished with the allotment of funds as spe ...Read More >
Imphal, June 7 (UNI) Three militants were nabbed in separate incidents during the last 24 hours in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Manipur Police arrested a militant from Moidangpok Awang Leikai from Khumbong Bazar under Imphal West District, they said. Security forces arrested a militant from the Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area under Kakching district. Security forces apprehended a militant from Wangoo Samushang in Bishnupur district and elected members from Kumbi area. In an operation, one M16 rifle, one bolt-action rifle, three pull-mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars, and fiv ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 26 (ANI): After its vast and largely volunteer-led support effort to feed the multitude at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year, the Adani Group has now turned its attention to another of India's most iconic religious festivals -- the Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha. Held annually at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, the nine-day chariot procession draws millions of pilgrims from across the country and beyond. For the Adani Group, corporate social responsibility has always extended beyond infrastructure, education and healthcare. Increasingly, it includes ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 5 (UNI) A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the event management firm DNA Entertainment, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday in connection with the stampede that left 11 dead and over 30 injured outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium here. The incident occurred during RCB's victory parade and public felicitation ceremony on Wednesday following their maiden IPL title win. According to police, over two lakh fans had gathered outside the stadium, far exceeding its 35,000-seat capacity. Chaos ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Gundicha Temple, where the deities of Jagannath temple were born, is being prepared for a visual transformation through enhancement work before Rath Yatra on June 27."The beautification work includes stone-cladding of the outer boundary wall, landscaping and illumination arrangements to welcome the deities at their place of birth during Rath Yatra. The aesthetic transformation will give a visual delight to the deities and devotees," chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee told TOI.The temple's exterior boundary wall, previously co ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Against the backdrop of the Bengaluru stampede, BJP leader Amit Malviya on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government, alleging that it is ruining the global city's reputation. "Wake up, Bengaluru. Before it is too late. The Congress will destroy what we have built - the reputation, the dignity and the hard-earned global stature of this city," said Malviya on X. The in-charge of the BJP's National Information and Technology Department also lashed out at the Karnataka government for its mismanagement, which led to the trage ...Read More >