The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday said they have arrested six sevadars (volunteers), including two women, of the organising committee in connection with the Hathras stampede that killed 121 people.
A total of 121 people, mostly women, died in the stampede at self-styled godman Baba Bhole's satsang in Hathras on Tuesday.
"We never thought that such an incident would take place," father of a three-year-old boy, who died in the stampede at a religious congregation in Hathras, said on Wednesday.
After an FIR was lodged against them, KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, secretary A Shankar and treasurer E S Jayaram submitted in the Karnataka high court that the gate management and crowd management were not the responsibility of the association.
The Hathras SP said the investigation also revealed that some political parties had contacted him some time back.
The self-styled godman, who is called Baba Narayan Hari and Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, is not named in the list of the accused in the FIR filed in the incident though his name is in the complaint.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru said they were 'deeply anguished' by the incident and promptly adjusted their programme once they were made aware of the situation.
A number of bodies were kept at the district hospital in Hathras.
One person was injured on Friday during the Rath Yatra procession in Ahmedabad, when a male elephant, agitated by excessive noise, broke a barricade and rushed into a narrow lane, officials said.
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India's marquee women's ODI World Cup match against Pakistan will be held at the neutral venue of R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 5, the ICC announced on Monday.
Former Union railway minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, on Sunday, said that the Railway's mismanagement led to the stampede at the New Delhi railway station.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has slammed the Maha Kumbh as a "Mrityu Kumbh" (Death Kumbh), accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of suppressing the actual toll in the stampede that occurred at the religious gathering. Banerjee also criticized the lack of planning and management at the event, highlighting the plight of Bengal residents who died in the stampede. The BJP, however, has condemned Banerjee's remarks, calling her an "anti-Hindu chief minister" and accusing her of political opportunism.
"We don't deny the deaths, which were all related to heat conditions as the people remained under the hot sun from 11 am till 1 pm. Let me make it clear, we made arrangements anticipating 15 lakh people for the IAF's 92nd Day celebrations and even provided more than what the IAF had sought," the minister told reporters in Chennai.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday due to noisy protests by the opposition, who demanded answers regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Mahakumbh. Opposition members protested after PM Modi's statement and demanded the inclusion of stampede deaths in the statement. The House proceedings were initially adjourned until 1 pm, and when the House resumed, opposition members continued their protests, forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings for the day.
Soon after the Lok Sabha met at 11 am, opposition MPs raised slogans over the January 29 stampede, which claimed 30 lives.
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He said retired administration and police officials will also be part of the judicial inquiry to probe the stampede.
A stampede-like situation occurred near the Mumbai airport where thousands of job aspirants gathered to apply for a limited number of vacancies for the post of loader at the facility, police said on Wednesday.
The stampede broke out after people gathered there stopped to collect mud from the way the baba's vehicle was passing.
'Initially, some staircases of platforms were closed to manage the crowd. However, due to delays, more passengers were attempting to take the staircases. At the last moment, the closed staircases were opened, which caused congestion and the crowd swelled'
A war of words erupted in the Indian Parliament on Tuesday between Samajwadi Party (SP) MPs and BJP MP Hema Malini over the alleged mismanagement at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. SP leaders accused the Uttar Pradesh government of failing to provide adequate food, water, and fuel, leading to the deaths of devotees. Hema Malini, however, defended the event's organization, claiming it was well-managed despite a stampede that occurred on January 29th.
'If you have 270 bodies and each body is fragmented into 10 parts, you cannot do (so many) DNA tests and even if you do it will be a long procedure.'
Following a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives on Saturday night, authorities have implemented stringent security measures, including prohibiting loitering on the foot overbridge. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is also monitoring trains heading towards Prayagraj and deploying additional personnel to manage crowds. CCTV surveillance has been enhanced, and announcements are being made to guide commuters and prevent panic. The stampede occurred due to a mix-up in train announcements, leading to a surge of passengers rushing towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway.
The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for the 'satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba.
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'While suppression of information is acceptable for the government, the Opposition's efforts at pinning the government and its leaders is labeled anti-national,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh last month, many influencers, models and actors have had their brief moment in the sun of virality: model-turned-sadhvi Harsha Richaria, garland seller Mona Lisa, 'IIT baba' Abhay Singh and actor Mamata Kulkarni to name a few.
A stampede of sports fans trying to enter Madagascar's national stadium for the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Island Games killed 12 and injured around 80.
The tragedy occurred during the university's anniversary celebrations.
The Indian Railways has established holding areas at various stations across northern India in anticipation of a surge in pilgrims during the final week of the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. This comes after a stampede at New Delhi Railway station claimed 18 lives due to confusion over train names. The holding areas are located outside the platforms to control passenger flow and prevent overcrowding, ensuring safe and smooth travel operations.
Videos of Zinta asking spectators to vacate the stadium in an orderly manner also started doing rounds of the social media.
The flag will be taken down on July 24, 2028, which will mark the conclusion of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which is held once in 12 years.
Following the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj early on Wednesday, which killed at least 30 people and injured 60 others, many devotees find themselves trapped due to blocked exit routes and severe traffic jams.
A senior railway official in Bihar was left stunned when a group of rural women claimed that they had been allowed to travel without tickets by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident occurred at the Buxar railway station bordering Uttar Pradesh, where the official was inspecting the station due to the higher-than-expected rush of pilgrims visiting the Maha Kumbh. The official, Danapur Divisional Railway Manager Jayant Kumar, asked the women if they had tickets, and when they replied in the negative, he asked who told them they could travel without tickets. The women replied "Narendra Modi told us so," leaving the official speechless for a few seconds before he corrected them, stating that neither the prime minister nor any other authority had allowed this. The video of the conversation has gone viral on social media.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
Allu Arjun has been arrested days after a woman killed in a stampede outside a theatre screening his new film, Pushpa: The Rule in Hyderabad.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has removed all references to the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate from its class 7 textbooks. The new textbooks, released this week, have been designed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasize incorporating Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education. The textbooks now include new chapters on ancient Indian dynasties, sacred geography, and government initiatives like Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. The revamp has been met with criticism from opposition parties who equate it with "saffronisation."
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Multiple casualties were feared after the stampede at the Sangam as millions of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on 'Mauni Amavasya', the most significant ritual at the Maha Kumbh.
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