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Hyderabad: The Haj Committee of India has released of the first waiting list of applicant for Haj 2026, including 1,928 from Telangana. The selected applicants must deposit '1,52,300 by October 11; the sum includes the advance Haj amount, miscellaneous dues and non refundable processing fee. Pilgrims were advised to upload or submit necessary documents, medical screening and fitness certificate at the stae Haj Committee by October 18. Telangana Haj committee Chairman, Syed Gulam Afzal Biabani has asked the applicants to make payments before the deadline and submit the documents. Failure to meet the deadline will lead to cancellation of Haj seat.
New Delhi: Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has signed the bilateral Hajj Agreement in Jeddah, with the country's quota for India confirmed at 175,025 for the pilgrimage in 2026. Rijiju, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from November 7 to 9, held a bilateral meeting with the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, in Jeddah on Sunday. During the meeting, both ministers reviewed the ongoing Hajj preparations, discussed measures to enhance coordination and logistical support, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further streamline the pilgrimage pr ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Haj Committee of India conducted the draw of lots, known as Qurrah or Qurandazi, here on Wednesday to select pilgrims for Hajj 2026. Applicants who submitted their forms by the August 7 deadline can now check if they have been selected. Hajj 2026 is expected to take place between May 24 and 29, 2026. Pilgrims can check their selection status online after 11:30 AM on 13th August 2025. Follow these steps: Scroll down to the bottom and locate the "Cover Enquiry" section. Enter your complete Cover Number in the given box. Your Pilgrim Details Page will open, showing your selecti ...Read More >
JAMMU: Torrential rain struck a remote Himalayan mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 37 people and injuring many more, officials said. The disaster, reportedly triggered by a cloudburst, took place in Chasoti village by the banks of Chishoti Nullah (a rivulet), a stopover point on a popular pilgrimage route to Mata Machail temple in Padder area. The pilgrimage began on July 25, and over 130,000 pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the shrine. A police officer said a cloudburst in Chishoti Nullah triggered massive flash floods around noon ...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 >
SRINAGAR: At least 12 people were feared dead and more trapped following sudden, heavy rain in Indian Kashmir, an official said today. The disaster occurred in Chasoti town of Kishtwar district, a pit stop on a popular pilgrimage route. It comes a little over a week after a heavy flood and mudslide engulfed an entire village in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. "The news is grim and accurate, verified information from the area hit by the cloudburst is slow in arriving," Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of India's federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said in a post on X. Visuals on te ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >
LUCKNOW: With Kanwar Yatra all set to kick off on Friday with the advent of the holy month of Shravan, the Uttar Pradesh government intensified its food safety and cleanliness campaign along the pilgrimage route. The state government has made it mandatory for all eateries to display QR-code-enabled stickers linked to the Food Safety CONNECT App. While the state government officials claim it to be a digital food safety reform aimed at ensuring hygiene, transparency, and accountability for the estimated four crore pilgrims expected to undertake the Yatra this year, the eatery owners consider i ...Read More >
This comes a day after a woman pilgrim died and three sustained injuries in a landslide along the Baltal route of the yatra in Ganderbal district. The Amarnath Yatra was suspended from here on Thursday following a weather advisory warning of heavy rain in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. This comes a day after a woman pilgrim died and three sustained injuries in a landslide along the Baltal route of the yatra in Ganderbal district. "The yatra has been suspended for today. No fr ...Read More >
New Delhi, May ( وكالة الأنباء السعودية ۔ 29 مايو 2025ء) Saudi Chargé d'Affaires Ahmed Al-Ahmari and other embassy officials were present at the event. Al-Ahmari highlighted Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving pilgrims and the two holy mosques and commended the excellent organization of the Hajj guest program in India. The guests expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership and people for their efforts in serving the two holy mosques and pilgrims. The event concluded with the presentation of travel tickets and a kit containing essential supplies for the Hajj. ...Read More >
Srinagar- Several Hajj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir have expressed deep disappointment over the unexpected curtailment of their stay in Saudi Arabia, calling it a disruption to their spiritual journey and a cause of financial loss. In a formal representation submitted to the Executive Officer of the J&K Haj Committee, the affected pilgrims stated that they were initially scheduled for a 40-day stay in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, their return was advanced by several days without prior notice. "Only the batch that departed on May 30 was affected," the representation said, adding t ...Read More >
Srinagar, July 20: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that the constitutional and administrative changes undertaken in the J&K over the past five years have solidified its full union with the nation. In an interview with National Television, Sinha said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian state has firmly established its authority in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that both goals, ensuring the complete constitutional merger of J&K with India and restoring peace have been achieved, adding that the J&K's return to stability and national mainstre ...Read More >
Mumbai: An article by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi terming the 2024 state assembly polls as 'match-fixing' stirred a political controversy in Maharashtra. Statement Of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Congress leader was insulting the voters and Ladki Bahins of Maharashtra. He said, "Rahul Gandhi has accepted his defeat in Bihar. As long as Rahul Gandhi keeps giving himself false assurances, his party can never win". Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule's Statement Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticised Gandhi, saying his party w ...Read More >
DEHRADUN: A helicopter ferrying pilgrims to the revered Kedarnath Dham was forced to make an emergency landing on Saturday afternoon after developing a technical snag during take-off. While all five passengers aboard the Kestrel Aviation Private Limited chopper escaped unhurt, the pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft and a car parked nearby were damaged in the incident. As the copter was taking off, a sudden technical malfunction hit it prompting the pilot to take immediate action. "Demonstrating exceptional presence of mind, the pilot swiftly assessed the situation and executed an ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, India, Aug 3, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - More than 400,000 Hindus took part in a month-long pilgrimage in contested Indian-run Kashmir, authorities said, shrugging off security worries weeks after conflict with Pakistan. The pilgrimage began on July 3 and closes officially on August 9, but organisers said that lashing rains had damaged narrow paths forcing a premature end. Official Vijay Kumar Bidhuri said in a statement late Saturday that 415,000 pilgrims had taken part. Many of the faithful began their trek to the Amarnath ice pillar from near Pahalgam, where gunmen on April 22 killed 26 ...Read More >
Srinagar: A political confrontation has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir over the tragic deaths of over 100 Hindu pilgrims during recent flash floods in the last fortnight. The National Conference-led government squarely blamed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for permitting the pilgrimages despite severe weather warnings. The Omar Abdullah government has sought a central government probe into the handling of the situation. The deaths, largely concentrated at the Machail Yatra in Kishtwar and the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, have sparked accusations of negligence, leading to demands for acco ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 8: The Ministry of Minority Affairs said on Tuesday that applications for Haj 2026 can be filed by pilgrims through the online Haj Application Form till July 31. The process for registration for the Haj 2026 pilgrimage was opened by Haj Committee of India, under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The Ministry's announcement for Haj 2026 said, "The Haj Committee of India invites applications for Haj-2026 from intending pilgrims through the online Haj Application Form, available on the official website https://hajcommittee.gov.in and the mobile application 'Haj Suvidha' (availabl ...Read More >
SpiceJet has secured rights to operate Haj flights in 2025 from four Indian cities -- Kolkata, Guwahati, Srinagar, and Gaya. The airline plans to operate over 100 flights, expecting 15,500 additional pilgrims compared to this year, with projected revenue of Rs 185 crore. Domestic airline SpiceJet has announced that it has obtained rights to operate Haj flights in 2025 from four major Indian cities: Kolkata, Guwahati, Srinagar, and Gaya. SpiceJet will manage over 100 dedicated flights using both narrow and wide-body aircraft, aiming to transport approximately 15,500 more pilgrims, translating ...Read More >
Should You Buy Mahindra BE 6e Electric SUV? Check 9 Pros And 7 Cons Of THIS Indian 'Tesla'! The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Katra has announced that a prohibition order banning the sale, possession and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian food within the jurisdiction of the sub-division, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. The decision to ban liquor and non-vegetarian food made under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik S ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, Jul 3: Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje visited the Amarnath Yatra base camp in Baltal on Thursday and expressed her joy over the spiritual journey and the ongoing development works in the area. She joined thousands of devotees on the 2025 Amarnath Yatra to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. Speaking to news agency during her visit, she said, "Today, we are all going to have the darshan of Bholenath. It feels wonderful... May God bless us all. The atmosphere here is very pleasant... people are feeling good because development work is happening here too..." The Union Minister praised th ...Read More >
Meerut/Agra (UP), Aug 28 (PTI) A pilgrimage to the revered Vaishno Devi shrine has turned into a nightmare for several families after a deadly landslide claimed several lives. A family from Mawana in Meerut was struck by tragedy when a sudden lightning strike killed two sisters. The deceased have been identified as Neera Verma and her sister Chandni. The incident occurred around 3 pm on Tuesday on the pilgrimage route. Family members said Amit Verma (40), his wife Neera (35), their daughter Vidhi (10) and his sister-in-law Chandni had all left on Monday to visit Vaishno Devi. During the jour ...Read More >
Bhopal: Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing from September 23, an all-party meeting was hosted by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday at his official residence, where a formal resolution to ensure the full 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has been unanimously adopted, marking a decisive shift in the state's legal and administrative posture. Backed by all major parties, the resolution affirms that the remaining 13% of the quota, on top of the 14% already implemented, must be secured through a coordinated legal strategy and judicial affirmation, Yadav told repo ...Read More >
Dehradun, Jul 2 (PTI) The Uttarakhand government has made it mandatory for eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their food licenses or registration certificates. Owners of hotels, dhabas, food carts and stalls along the pilgrimage route will have to display a clean copy of their license or registration certificate prominently so that consumers can easily see it, Health Secretary and Commissioner Food Safety and Drug Administration R Rajesh Kumar said. Small traders and food cart owners will also have to keep and display their registration certificates with them. 'Food S ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said that India's first bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will commence operations "very soon," and it will reduce travel time between the two cities to just 2 hours and 7 minutes. Talking to reporters at the Bhavnagar terminus in Gujarat, after virtually flagging off three trains: the Ayodhya Express, Rewa-Pune Express, and Jabalpur-Raipur Express, Vaishnaw stated that the bullet train project is moving quickly. Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will be connected to major cities of Gujarat, such as Vapi, ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Association (JKHARA) on Saturday urged the administration to provide adequate and efficient facilities for Amarnath pilgrims during the ongoing Yatra, calling for improved crowd management, healthcare support, and infrastructure upgrades. In a statement, JKHARA President Babar Chowdhary said that during a recent civil society interaction with the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha -- also attended by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and other senior officials -- the Association submitted a detailed m ...Read More >
Lucknow: A man accused of kidnapping and raping a three-year-old girl in Lucknow was killed in an encounter with police in the early hours of Friday. The accused was identified as Deepak Verma, 24.Police said he was a habitual offender, and several criminal cases were lodged against him at various police stations. Police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information leading to his arrest.On Thursday, a complaint was registered at Alambagh police station that a three-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped. The minor sustained multiple injuries to her private parts.Deputy commissioner o ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 28: The Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department has achieved a remarkably high score of 92.97% for Dachigam National Park in Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) exercise, conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment, Javed Ahmed Rana, has praised the officers of the Wildlife Department for this outstanding achievement in conservation of protected areas in ecologically sensitive Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to the accomplishment as a benchmark to be emulated in ot ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Telangana Haj Committee is offering a free online application facility for pilgrims intending to undertake Haj in 2026. Minister Adluri Lakshman inaugurated the service at the Haj House on Saturday, assuring that the committee would ensure smooth arrangements. Officials said the last date to submit applications is July 31. Children below 12 years are not eligible. Applicants must complete the process early and ensure that their passports are valid until at least December 31, 2026. ...Read More >
Leh, July 18: Veteran BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta, was sworn as the 3rd Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.Dressed in traditional Ladakhi attire, Gupta took the oath of office in a solemn ceremony held in Leh, administered by Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.Welcoming this new chapter in Ladakh's journey, Gupta emphasized service over power, declaring Ladakh deserves dignity, development, and a voice. "I'm here to serve, not to rule."Speaking to the reporters, Gupta acknowledged the pain of past neglect ...Read More >
More than 400,000 Hindus took part in a month-long pilgrimage in Indian-held Kashmir, authorities said, shrugging off security worries weeks after a military conflict with Pakistan. The pilgrimage began on July 3 and closes officially on August 9, but organisers said that lashing rains had damaged narrow paths, forcing a premature end. Official Vijay Kumar Bidhuri said in a statement late on Saturday that 415,000 pilgrims had taken part. Many of the faithful began their trek to the Amarnath ic ...Read More >