Through history, the Mela has held different meanings for ascetics, the colonised, colonisers, and tourists, but all have been moved by its grandeur points out Atanu Biswas.
A Hyderabad court granted bail to six people who were arrested for vandalizing the residence of Telugu actor Allu Arjun. The incident sparked a political slugfest with the BJP and the BRS criticizing the Congress government. Meanwhile, Allu Arjun has been issued a notice to appear before police on Tuesday as part of the ongoing probe into a stampede during the screening of 'Pushpa-2'. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, when the six people, claiming to be members of the Osmania University - Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC), damaged flower pots and threw tomatoes at Arjun's residence. They were arrested by police and produced before a local court, which granted them bail on Monday. The incident has been condemned by politicians from various parties, with some alleging a Congress conspiracy.
The aftermath of the tragic stampede at a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, where 116 people -- 108 women, 1 man and 7 children -- died and many were injured on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Among heavy criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on Prayagraj's Mahakumbh, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday supported the CM, saying that the religious event has been mismanaged.
The deportation of Indians from the United States, deaths in the Maha Kumbh stampede and the joint Parliamentary committee report on the Waqf bill were among the issues that led to heated exchanges and some disruptions in an otherwise smooth first part of the Budget session that ended on Thursday.
The devotees from Rajasthan and neighbouring states had been waiting at the temple premises in several queues to seek darshan on the occasion of 'Gyaras', an auspicious day as per Hindu calendar.
'As I entered the water at the Sangam, my son held my hand, offering support.' 'It was a powerful moment of connection not only to the Divine but also to my son, reinforcing his role as a pillar of support in my life,' says Arun Khanna.
Saints and seers gathered at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday cautioned political leaders against misusing Sanatan Dharma and spreading rumours for political gain, and praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over arrangements at the Maha Kumbh.
Ahead of the Basant Panchami Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh, top officials are emphasizing the implementation of "zero error" directives to prevent a repeat of the deadly stampede that occurred during a previous snan. The Uttar Pradesh government has deployed senior IAS officers with experience in crowd management and inter-agency coordination to oversee the event.
The railway authorities have made arrangements by adding special trains for UP and Bihar, with a new train added for Gorakhpur in UP from Udhna on Sunday, officials said.
After spending the night in a Hyderabad prison after being arrested in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of his latest film, actor Allu Arjun walked out of jail on Saturday following an interim bail granted by the Telangana high court.
Indonesia's chief security minister Mahfud MD said on Monday the government would form an independent fact-finding team which would include academics and soccer experts as well as government officials to probe what happened.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday dismissed concerns regarding faecal contamination in the waters at Triveni Sangam, stating that continuous monitoring and purification processes ensure its quality.
The mishap happened when the Leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu was addressing a road show there.
The Uttar Pradesh government, citing a scientist, has asserted that Ganga water at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is as pure as "alkaline water", debunking concerns raised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about water quality. The government claims that a scientist found no bacterial growth or decline in the water's pH level, despite millions of devotees bathing in the river. However, experts caution that the quality of the Ganga water is not static and can vary greatly depending on various factors.
For Yogi Adityanath the successful management of the fair is a crucial part of building 'Brand UP' and making the state a $1 trillion economy.
At least eight fans died and 38 people were injured in a stampede at the Yaounde Olembe Stadium in Cameroon on Monday before the host nation's round of 16 game in the Africa Cup of Nations against Comoros.
A high-powered probe committee set up by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the site and appealed to the general public to share videos, statements or any other evidence about the incident.
The incident took place as a large number of people congregated on Badamba-Gopinathpur T-Bridge on the occasion of Makar Mela, a police officer said.
A stampede at a soccer stadium in Indonesia has killed at least 125 people and injured 180 after police sought to quell violence on the pitch, authorities said on Sunday, in one of the world's worst stadium disasters.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, known for his hardline Hindutva views and 'bulldozer justice' approach, has spoken out about his policies toward Muslims, the Waqf board, and his vision for India. He asserts that Muslims will receive a fair share of development in Uttar Pradesh, but not special concessions. He also criticizes the Waqf board for its alleged appropriation of government properties and calls for its reform. Adityanath defends his 'bulldozer justice' policy, claiming it is necessary for infrastructure development and removal of encroachments. He also discusses his vision for India, emphasizing the importance of Hindi as a national language and the need for unity across different linguistic groups.
India's opposition parties have sharply criticized the Union Budget, calling it inadequate to address the country's economic woes and accusing the BJP-led government of using it to woo voters in Bihar and Delhi ahead of upcoming elections. Leaders from the Congress, TMC, DMK, SP, and CPI(M) voiced their disapproval, highlighting concerns over inflation, unemployment, and the lack of substantial measures to support the agricultural sector and the poor. They also criticized the tax cuts for the middle class as insufficient and coming too late after years of high taxes and rising prices.
The stampede at Gandhi maidan in Patna added to India's notoriety for deaths due to such accidents, when sudden, uncontrollable crowds surge out of control Stampedes at temples and other religious places in India have claimed more than a thousand lives in the last 10 years in the country. Here is a look at some of the deadliest stampede to have happened in India.
Two devotees were killed and seven others injured in a stampede-like situation at the famous Bankey Bihari temple in Mathura during Janmashtami celebrations in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.
Mumbai Police are investigating an incident at Galaxy Theatre in Bandra after a disruption during the screening of the much-awaited movie, Pushpa 2: The Rule.
The police entered the ashram premises of religious preacher Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba in Mainpuri, UP, and later said he was not present there. A police official said they had gone there to check security arrangements.
The Uttar Pradesh government has said that over 65 crore people visited the sacred site in Prayagraj since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13.
A woman was stabbed to death in Kolkata after being chased and allegedly stabbed multiple times outside a popular eatery by three people, including a minor. Police suspect the attack was an honor killing, as the victim was reportedly having an extramarital affair with one of the suspects. The three suspects have been arrested.
Amid heightened security measures, more than two crore devotees took a dip in the Sangam till 6 pm on Wednesday on the occasion of Maghi Purnima during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the district administration officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
The victims mostly women suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the worst such incident in recent years.
For the first time, the Prayagraj Railway Division will install face recognition cameras alongside CCTV at railway stations, specifically for the Mahakumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.
The Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a special crowd management plan called 'Operation Eleven' for the 'Amrit Snan' on Basant Panchami at Maha Kumbh. The plan, devised under strict instructions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ensures a one-way traffic route for devotees and smooth movement on pontoon bridges. The heightened measures are in place following a stampede on Mauni Amavasya that claimed at least 30 lives. 'Operation Eleven' includes measures such as strict enforcement of a one-way route, enhanced security at key locations, crowd control at Tikarmafi Turn, special arrangements at Phaphamau and pontoon bridges, railway station and bus movement regulation, enhanced security at Prayag Junction, crowd management at GT Jawahar and Harshvardhan Chauraha, additional security and traffic control measures, and deployment of extra forces.
Besides the not-so-hidden unease between Modi and Adityanath, Modi chose to address the Lok Sabha to ensure that he could personally claim all the kudos, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Allu Arjun arrived Hyderabad's Chikkadpally police station on Tuesday to appear for questioning in connection with the tragic incident that occurred during the premiere of his movie Pushpa 2 on December 4.
Delhi Police has registered a first information report (FIR) against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for her 'derogatory' social media post on National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma.
Celebrities also have rights like common citizens and cannot be made "vicariously culpable", the Supreme Court observed on Monday while upholding the Gujarat high court decision quashing a criminal case against superstar Shah Rukh Khan and others for causing a stampede at the Vadodara railway station while promoting a film in 2017.
The TMC-led West Bengal government has already started laying the groundwork for the election, setting the tone with the recent Bengal Global Business Summit and the state Budget.
Devotees attending the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj are facing transportation challenges, with many forced to walk long distances in search of transport. Thousands of pilgrims returning from the event are stranded at Varanasi Cantt and Banaras railway stations, with some missing their trains due to the rush and others stuck because of cancellations. Officials say the traffic situation in the district has returned to normal, but some pilgrims report difficulties in finding transport and reaching their destinations.
