Under the lens over serious lapses in the donation management system at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Govind Dev Giri, has said that all audit reports were "safe" and that he had no role in the daily donation collection process at the temple.
Heavy monsoon rains have triggered flooding across Varanasi, Guwahati, Patna, and Reasi, disrupting daily life and prompting rescue operations.
Lawyers of the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday took out a protest march here and submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds.
Jewellery worth approximately 1.75 crore has been stolen from a Jain temple in the Lalbag area of central Mumbai. Police are investigating the theft and have identified a suspect through CCTV footage.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has strongly criticised the Faizabad Bar Association's resolution to prevent advocates from representing those accused in the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, calling the move 'unethical and unlawful' and a violation of constitutional principles and professional ethics.
Mumbai police have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly stealing Rs 60,000 from a donation box at the Laxmi Narayan temple in Kandivali West. His associate remains at large, and police investigations involved tracking the accused's travel routes.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of financial mismanagement and missing donations related to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. The move follows a request from the Trust itself, amidst escalating political demands for transparency from various parties including the Samajwadi Party and Congress.
Hotel officials claimed the fire was caused by a short circuit. A woman from Kolkata, who managed to escape the blaze, recalled the panic inside the hotel.
Nearly 600 tribal students abandoned a government-run hostel in Amravati, Maharashtra, after some girls exhibited strange behaviour, leading to claims of spirit possession. Officials suspect mental stress or selective hysteria, while local beliefs attribute the incidents to angry spirits from a cut 'mahua' tree or an encroached temple. Counselling efforts are underway to bring students back.
'What struck me at the time was simply the scale of it -- that something of this magnitude could be unfolding inside the Ram temple itself.' 'It was bewildering. And what troubled me further was the manner in which people were shielding it.'
For the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the timing of Rath Yatra is a matter of scriptural injunction rather than convenience.
Sara Ali Khan's access to the Kedarnath Temple is now contingent on proving her allegiance to Sanatan Dharma, sparking debate about religious requirements for temple visits in India.
Girl students at a government residential school in Amravati, Maharashtra, are moving to a new hostel after nearly 600 students left, claiming some girls were "possessed." Officials attributed the strange behaviour to mental stress and local superstitions, including beliefs about spirits and upset deities. The new hostel aims to alleviate overcrowding and provide a better environment.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan expressed "deep concern" over the persistent disorder and frequent disruptions that "derailed" the business of the House during the Monsoon Session, leading to a productivity of only 39 per cent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens to celebrate Independence Day with honour and pride, urging them to take a pledge for a developed India. This appeal comes amidst parliamentary sessions marked by protests from both ruling and opposition alliances.
The Lok Sabha's monsoon session concluded on Thursday, marked by relentless opposition protests over critical issues like the NEET paper leak and police action on students, yet saw the passage of several key bills without extensive debate. Home Minister Amit Shah expressed readiness to debate the student protest issue, urging the speaker to allocate time.
The Supreme Court has stated it will not make structural changes to religious practices at the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan, hearing a petition challenging administrative decisions affecting traditions.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Muslim community to offer Friday prayers at a dargah adjacent to the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, between 1 pm and 3 pm. This directive comes after the Muslim side alleged non-compliance with a previous order for an alternative prayer site, and follows a Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling declaring the complex a temple.
The chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings resumed their journey to the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, a day after the annual Rath Yatra festival began, following delays in rituals and adverse weather conditions.
One person died and many others fell ill in a temporary crowd surge during the Rath Yatra celebrations in Odisha's Puri on Thursday, official sources said.
The Union Home Ministry has designated 23 individuals based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for their involvement in infiltration, recruitment, logistics, financing, and operational planning targeting India.
The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report on the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The court also issued notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following pleas for a fair and time-bound probe, including demands for a CBI investigation and a CAG audit of the temple trust's finances.
An employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has been suspended following a preliminary inquiry into alleged irregularities in the management of donations at Badrinath Dham. Both the BKTC and the Uttarakhand government have launched separate investigations into the matter, which gained attention after social media allegations and a formal complaint. The government committee is expected to submit its report within 15 days.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to discuss resolving the persistent deadlock in the Lok Sabha's monsoon session, focusing on the Delimitation Bill and FCRA Bill, though no immediate commitment was secured from the Congress leader.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea of the Muslim side alleging that the alternative site identified by the Madhya Pradesh government for offering namaaz was located too far from the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to question people associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and review banking arrangements for donations.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has declared the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar to be a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, suggesting the Muslim community seek land elsewhere for a mosque.
Uttar Pradesh authorities have implemented extensive security and logistical measures for the annual Kanwar Yatra, which began on Thursday and concludes on August 11. These include AI-enabled surveillance, additional security personnel, medical camps, dedicated control rooms, and traffic diversions, all aimed at ensuring a "zero incidents and zero accidents" pilgrimage for lakhs of devotees.
The RSS's annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak in Belagavi addressed alleged irregularities in the counting of donation box offerings at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, expressing confidence in the ongoing SIT probe. The meeting also reviewed training activities, centenary year programmes, and discussed critical issues such as population imbalance and drug abuse.
The Tamil Nadu government has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a Madras High Court order that permitted the lighting of a ceremonial lamp on the Thirupparankundram hill. The state government cited concerns over public order and potential communal tensions, while the High Court had dismissed these fears as "imaginary" and affirmed the land belongs to the Sri Subramania Swamy Temple, not the Waqf Board.
According to the recommendations, reviewed by Business Standard, any dress code shall always be akin to Hindu culture.
The Ram temple trust on Monday accepted the resignations of Champat Rai as its general secretary and member Anil Mishra in the wake of embezzlement of donations. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been named as interim general secretary. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust also announced the formation of a three-member committee to identify a chief executive officer (CEO) for the temple trust.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
Senior Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionary Champat Rai has reportedly resigned, stating his "service in Ayodhya is complete" due to the donation embezzlement controversy. He feels "betrayed," and his future, along with that of Trust member Anil Mishra, will be decided at a July 6 meeting. The controversy began with allegations from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, leading to an SIT investigation, arrests, and Rai's resignation offer.
Saransh Jain's domestic success motivated by his cancer-affected dad's inspiring note. Saransh received his India Test call-up for the Sri Lanka tour on Tuesday.
During his visit to Kedarnath Dham in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani donated Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) to the temple committee to support the development of pilgrim facilities and infrastructure.
The Supreme Court has directed that a separate open space be provided adjacent to the disputed Bhojshala site in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar for offering namaz on Fridays, pending the final resolution of the case. The court emphasised the sensitive nature of the matter and urged both Hindu and Muslim sides to exercise patience.
An elderly Muslim man was allegedly assaulted and forced to chant religious slogans after offering namaz near a temple in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, raising concerns about communal harmony and prompting a police investigation.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged embezzlement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya will conduct a re-audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's accounts for the past five years, following preliminary findings of large-scale irregularities.
The Congress party is set to challenge the Modi government on a range of critical issues, including alleged theft of Ram temple donations, 'systemic corrosion' of the education system, and constitutional amendment bills related to delimitation and dismissal of ministers, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
