Month: January 2025

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday expressed grief over the stampede at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

At least 30 people were killed while 60 were injured in the pre-dawn stampede that occured at Maha Kumbh, according to officials. 25 bodies had been identified and the rest were yet to be identified.

“The incident is heart-wrenching. We express our deepest condolences to all those families who lost their loved ones. We have been in constant touch with the administration since last night,” CM Yogi said while speaking to the media.

CM Yogi also announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the kins of the deceased, while adding that security forces have been deployed at the site.

“Mela Authority, police, NDRF, SDRF and all other forces have been deployed there,” he said.

“We are also announcing financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased on behalf of the state government. The judicial commission will look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit,” the CM added.

CM Yogi also said that the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) would visit Prayagraj and look into all required issues.

“In this regard, the Chief Secretary and DGP will visit Prayagraj and look into all the issues if required..” he further added.

Recalling the incident, the CM said that a large number of devotees had gathered in Prayagraj to take a holy dip in Mauni Amavasya.

“A large number of devotees had gathered in Prayagraj since 7 PM yesterday to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya. An unfortunate incident took place on the Akhara Marg in which over 90 people were injured and 30 people died. 36 people are undergoing treatment in Prayagraj. This incident took place as the crowd broke the barricades of the Akhara Marg,” he recalled.

He further said that a green corridor was created soon after the incident occurred to rush the injured to the hospital.

“Within some time of the incident, a green corridor was created and injured were rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, these deaths have happened…On all these issues, questions will be raised. The injured who have been discharged have left with their family members,” the CM said.

Adityanath also said that the incident occurred during the main ‘snan’ of the MahaKumbh and due to the large number of devotees in Prayagraj, the routes were choked.

“This was the main snan of Kumbh and due to immense pressure (large number of devotees) in Prayagraj, routes were choked. The administration was making attempts since last night to clear those routes..” he further added.

The Chief Minister further said that a three-member commission would be formed. He added that several meetings were conducted throughout the day and continuous communication was made with the administration regarding the incident.

“A three-member judicial commission will be headed by Justice Harsh Kumar, former DG VK Gupta and retired IAS DK Singh. We have been monitoring the entire incident from the CM’s, Chief Secretary and DGP’s control rooms throughout the day,” he said.

“Meetings went on throughout the day and there was continuous communication with the administration regarding the incidents. Since the morning, we have been receiving necessary guidelines from the Prime Minister, Home Minister, National President JP Nadda, Railway Minister and others,” he said. (ANI)

Sandeep Dikshit, Congress candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency has challenged Aam Admi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for an open public debate at Jantar Mantar on January 31.

Dikshit is up against Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat in the Delhi Assembly Polls. Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Parvesh Verma from the seat.

In a letter addressed to Arvind Kejriwal, Dikshit said that ever since he had been declared a candidate of the Indian National Congress for the New Delhi seat, he has constantly challenged Kejriwal on various claims that he is making regarding his work as Chief Minister of Delhi and MLA from New Delhi.

“I have systematically- using Delhi Government data – not only questioned but also shown your various claims to be either totally false or huge exaggerations, bordering on being lies,” he said.

Lamenting Kejriwal further, Dikshit said he knows Kejriwal “doesn’t have the guts” to face the truth and will “never dare” to stand where his “manufactured lies” will get come out in public.

He added that the debate will be held between 2-3 pm at Jantar Mantar on January 31.

“I was hoping that as (former) Chief Minister of Delhi, you would respond to these questions on your own, or in any public appearance or in a debate where we could come together on a common platform. I have also challenged you for such a debate many times, fully knowing that you don’t have the guts to face the truth and you will never dare to stand where your manufactured lies, with which you have been misleading the people of Delhi, are shown to be lies. However, I was hoping against hope. Now that we are moving towards the last leg of this election, and once again you have started your old rhetoric of total lies and ventured into charging everyone else of being corrupt, it’s time to call you out for what you are a coward and a cheat,” Dikshit said.

“I am inviting you to an open public debate between 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Jantar Mantar on 31 January 2025. I will wait for you to come there and debate out on all that you have been highlighting as achievements,” the Congress candidate said.

Stating he would use the Delhi government’s data in the debate, Dikshit urged Kejriwal to come up with ‘information’ as the debate will be based on “factual reliable data” and not on the “chimerics” of the former Delhi Chief Minister.

“I would urge and advise you to bring in information and data on any claim you make, for I shall use your own government’s documents to show whether you are right or you are wrong. The only rule in this debate shall be that every point made and every counterpoint made has to be based on factual reliable data, and not on your chimerics,” he added.

The Delhi Assembly elections will take place on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8.

A total of 699 candidates are contesting for 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly.

The Congress party, which held power in Delhi for 15 years, has faced major setbacks in the past two elections, while AAP has secured overwhelming victories in 2015 and 2020. (ANI)

A special court in Mumbai issued non-bailable warrants against Anmol Lavindersing Bishnoi, alias AB Bhai, in connection with the murder of National Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddiqui.

BD Shelke, a special judge under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), after hearing submissions from the police, concluded that there was sufficient material on record regarding the complicity of the wanted accused, Anmol Bishnoi, in this case.

“After hearing submissions of ACP Kishorkumar Shinde and Ld. PP, I have gone through the chargesheet, investigating papers submitted alongwith the chargesheet, from which it reveals that there is sufficient material on record in respect of complicity of this wanted accused- Anmol Bishnoi in this case. The document placed on record demonstrates that this accused has provided firearms to the arrested accused in this case,” the order read.

The order further stated that the competent authorities in the United States of America (USA) have been requested to deport the accused, who remains absconding to avoid his arrest in the Baba Siddiqui murder case.

“Even, request has been sent to competent authority of USA for deporting this accused Anmol Bishnoi. In this case even after making all efforts to trace out him, he is not found and he has absconded to avoid his arrest in this case, hence urged for issuing standing non-bailable warrant against him,” it further read.

Named as accused number 3 in the case, the judge said that a non-bailable warrant was necessary since the court believes the accused will not obey the summons.

“This Court believes that wanted accused no.3 has absconded or he will not obey the summons. Hence, standing non bailable warrant is required to be issued against this accused in view of Section 90(a) of BNSS to secure his presence,” the order read.

According to the order, the police have filed a chargesheet in the case, naming 26 accused persons, including Mohammad Yasin Akhtar, Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, and Anmol Lavindersing Bishnoi, who have been shown as wanted.

In connection with the murder of Baba Siddiqui, the police recorded the statements of Zeeshan on October 24 and October 25. Speaking about the day his father was shot dead, Zeeshan in his statement to the police, said, “I reached his office around 6:00 pm and my father reached the office around 7:00 pm and around 9:00 pm, Zeeshan Siddiqui felt hungry and told his father that he would come in after 10 to 15 minutes.”

When Zeeshan Siddiqui was at a restaurant near the Collector’s Office in Bandra East, a party worker informed him that his father had been shot and taken to Lilavati Hospital. Zeeshan reached the hospital and informed his mother and sister. Upon arrival, they were told that Baba Siddiqui was taken to the ICU, where he later died during treatment. (ANI)

As the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital worsened again reaching the ‘severe’ category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has ordered the implemented all actions under Stage-Ill of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect in Delhi and surrounding National Capital Region (NCR).

“The AQI of Delhi which was recorded as 276 on 28.01.2O25, exhibited a sharp increasing trend and has been recorded 365 at 4:00 PM on 29.O1.2025 owing to variable direction/ calm winds, smoggy situation, lout mixing heights & ventilation coefficients for dispersion of pollutants. The forecast from IMD/ IITM suggests similar situations to persist in the coming days,” the order signed by the Director (Technical) and member convenor of the sub-committee on GRAP read.

“We must record here that if the Commission finds that the AQI goes above 350, as a precautionary measure, Staqe-III measures will have to be immediately implemented. If the AQI crosses 400 on a given day, Stage-IV measures will have to be reintroduced,” it further read.

All implementing agencies have been asked to keep strict vigil and intensify measures of the extant schedule of GRAP. Citizens have also been requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-III.

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to ‘very poor’ on Wednesday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 327 at 8 am, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. On Tuesday, air quality in the national capital was in the “poor” category with AQI at 258, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

An AQI rating is categorized as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and 401-500 (severe). (ANI)

At least 30 people have been killed and 60 were injured in the pre-dawn stampede on Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj here, a top police officer said.

Twenty-five bodies have been identified and the rest are yet to be identified, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, said in a press conference.

“A total of 30 people have died unfortunately in the stampede that took place at the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. Twenty-five bodies have been identified and the rest five are yet to be identified,” he said.

Among the deceased, four are from Karnataka, one from Assam and one from Gujarat, the DIG said.

Further, he said that 36 people were being treated at a local medical college.

“36 people are currently being treated at the local medical college. Keeping in mind the convenience of the devotees, the CM Yogi Adityanath has requested all Mahamadaleshwar, saints and Akharas to take their holy dips with some delay. The Amrit Snan of the Akharas has been concluded safely…” he said.

Giving details of the incident, the DIG said that the stampede occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning when a huge crowd on the Akhara Marg broke the barricade to take a holy dip.

“Before Brahma Muhurta, between 1 am to 2 am, a huge crowd gathered on the Akhara Marg. Due to this crowd, the barricades on the other side broke and the crowd ran over the devotees waiting to take a holy dip on the other side. About 90 people were taken to the hospital through ambulances but unfortunately, 30 devotees have died…” he said.

Meanwhile, to monitor the situation of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has postponed his visit to Delhi for the election campaign tomorrow.

Earlier, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, the President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram expressed condolences over the stampede and called it an ‘unfortunate incident’ and stressed the importance of following the instructions of the administration for the safety.

Saraswati said, “Whatever happened was very unfortunate. The administration’s orders and messages should have been followed. People are coming in large numbers and taking a holy dip. I express my condolences to those who lost their lives.” (ANI)

The Beating Retreat ceremony, which marked the end of Republic Day celebrations, saw a synchronised performance by the personnel of three armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces, as they played and marched to foot-tapping Indian tunes.

People remained glued to the appealing ceremony held with traditional grandeur.

President Droupadi Murmu arrived in the traditional buggy, an open six-horse carriage, at Vijay Chowk at the foot of Raisina Hill.

The ceremony began with the massed band’s ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’ tune, followed by captivating tunes such as ‘Amar Bharati’, ‘Indradhanush’, ‘Jai Janam Bhumi’, ‘Nati in Himalayan Valley’, ‘Ganga Jamuna’ and ‘Veer Siachen’ by the Pipes & Drums band.

The CAPF bands played ‘Vijay Bharat’, ‘Rajasthan Troops’, ‘Aye Watan Tere Liye and ‘Bharat ke Jawan’.

The IAF band played ‘Galaxy Rider’, ‘Stride’, ‘Rubaru’ and ‘Millennium Flight Fantasy’. Indian Navy band played ‘Rashtriya Pratham’, ‘Nishak Nishpad’, ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Spread the Light of Freedom’, ‘Rhythm of the Reef’ and ‘Jai Bharati’.

The Indian Army band played ‘Veer Sapoot’, ‘Taqat Watan’, ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’, ‘Dhruv’ and ‘Faulad Ka Jigar’.

The Massed Bands also played the tunes ‘Priyam Bharatam’, ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ and ‘Drummers Call’.

The event came to a close with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’ to be played by the Buglers.

As the ceremony ended, the majestic backdrop of a setting sun over the Raisina Hill at the iconic Vijay Chowk, slowly transformed into varied shades of light coming from the illuminated North Block and South Block.

The audience appeared spell-bound in the evening moment, having earlier witnessed immaculately turned out soldiers with perfectly tuned musical instruments and marching in different formations at varied pace.

Many among the gathering captured the moment on their phones to show it with pride later to their family members and friends.

Commander Manoj Sebastian was the principal conductor of the ceremony. The bands of armed forces and CAPFs played 30 Indian tunes.

The ceremony was attended several dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

PM Modi later briefly walked towards the gathering and waved to the people present.

‘Beating Retreat’ marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat. Colours and Standards are cased and flags lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by. (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding his “poisoned water” remarks, in which he levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana for “poisoning” the Yamuna water coming to Delhi.

Kejriwal stated that the statements made by him were in “furtherance of an imperative public duty.”

“Statements were made in furtherance of an imperative public duty to highlight the severe toxicity and contamination of raw water received from Haryana, which presents an imminent and direct threat to public health,” the letter signed by Kejriwal read.

Earlier in the week, the Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary refuting Kejriwal’s claims while calling them “factually incorrect”. However, Kejriwal, in his response to EC, used the ammonia level table mentioned in the CEO’s letter to further establish his claims.

In his letter, Kejriwal stated that the concerns raised should not be interpreted as an offence, as it would set a dangerous precedent that would undermine state accountability.

“It is impermissible, both legally and constitutionally, to criminalize the act of highlighting governmental lapses in ensuring the availability of safe water for the residents of Delhi. If raising legitimate concerns regarding a fundamental civic necessity – such as access to uncontaminated water – is misconstrued as an offence, it would set a dangerous precedent that undermines state accountability and erodes the very fabric of responsible governance,” the letter read.

Kejriwal also mentioned the health hazards that can be triggered by high levels of ammonia in water, including liver and kidney dysfunction, neurological impairment, and encephalopathy.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the ECI asked Kejriwal to provide factual evidence to substantiate his serious allegations that the Yamuna river was poisoned by the neighbouring Haryana state; the nature and extent of the chemical used for poisoning the Yamuna, which could have killed people in large numbers, resulting in mass genocide; and whether the engineers of the Delhi Jal Board had actually detected and prevented it in time, much before it could mix with the waters of Yamuna in Delhi and cause genocide.

Notably, both BJP and Congress have lodged complaints with the Election Commission against Kejriwal for making serious false allegations on Monday.

The Commission had directed Kejriwal to furnish his response to the complaints, especially on the factual and legal matrix along with evidentiary support, by 8 PM on January 29, so as to enable the Commission to examine the matter and take appropriate action. (ANI)

Shahid Kapoor is gearing up for his next big release, ‘Deva’, where he returns to the action genre as a fearless cop while sporting a “massy” look.

Over the years, the ‘Jab We Met’ actor has become known for undergoing drastic hair makeovers for his film roles. From going bald for ‘Haider’ to experimenting with messy looks, long locks, and different beard styles, Shahid has never hesitated to transform his looks to suit his characters.

On Tuesday, while speaking with ANI, the actor opened up about his hair transformations and shared that as an actor one should learn to “sacrifice” things they are most associated with and also shared how “stepping away” from “physical features” he once relied on allowed him to grow as an actor.

“I think hair has always been a big part of my personality because I had a lot of it in the beginning, and I had that boyish look. What I realized as an actor is that you have to learn to sacrifice things that you think are most associated with you. When you start doing those things–letting go of something that has been a strong part of your personality or something that boosts your confidence, like thinking, ‘my eyes are nice, my hair is nice’–you realize that your confidence doesn’t come from these aspects,” Shahid said.

“But to be a true actor, you have to let go of those crutches you feel support you. Something that is really strong will emerge from you, and it won’t be dependent on any physical aspect. So, I think Haider was one such turning point for me. I tried to do that repeatedly, even before that, with Kaminey and some of the other films I did. I was trying to rediscover myself. I think this has been a part of my learning, my journey, and my growth as an actor. It’s my relationship with myself. I’m always looking for opportunities to explore that, and whenever I feel a role justifies it, I’ll take it,” he added.

Asked if there was ever a moment of hesitation or doubt about shaving his head for a role, Shahid chuckled and said, “Jab bachpan mein bachhe ka mundan hota hai, tab toh koi nahin puchta hai ki baal wapas nahin aayenge. I think your hair grows back better after you’ve shaved it off–that’s what they say. Like, if you want to improve your hair growth, you should shave it off. I never had any of those kinds of issues or fears.”

Shahid’s upcoming film ‘Deva’, an action-thriller marks his return to the big screen after almost a year, following his last appearance in ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’, which also starred actress Kriti Sanon.

Apart from Shahid Kapoor, ‘Deva’ also stars Pooja Hegde as an investigative journalist. The film is directed by Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Zee Studios and Siddharth Roy Kapur.

‘Deva’ is scheduled to be released in theatres worldwide on January 31. (ANI)

Filmmaker Karan Johar is all set to introduce Ibrahim Ali Khan, son of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, to Bollywood.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Johar shared his excitement and fond memories of his bond with Ibrahim’s parents, reminiscing about his long-standing connection with the family.

Reflecting on his relationship with Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, Karan recalled his early encounters with both of them.

“I met Amrita or Dingy, as the loved ones call her, when I was just 12 years old. She did a film for my father, Yash Johar, called Duniya in 1984, and I remember the energy and grace she had. But what I remember the most is the warmest Chinese dinner with her after our first meeting,” Karan shared.

He also fondly remembered meeting Saif for the first time, noting how Saif’s charm and suave demeanour reminded him of Ibrahim’s personality.

Karan Johar expressed his deep admiration for the Khan family, emphasizing their contribution to cinema and the entertainment industry.

“Films are in their blood, their genes and their passion,” he said, revealing his excitement about Ibrahim stepping into the limelight.

The ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ director added that this marks a new chapter in his collaboration with the family, one that spans four decades, as he has also worked with Sara Ali Khan in ‘Simmba’ as one of the producers of the film.

Ibrahim’s sister, actress Sara Ali Khan, also joined in celebrating her brother’s debut by sharing Karan’s announcement on her Instagram stories.

“@iakpataudi welcome to the movies,” she wrote, welcoming Ibrahim to the film industry.

This announcement comes a day after Karan Johar teased the launch of new talent, posting a reel on social media about debutant directors and actors, hinting at a fresh wave of stories being told by his production house, Dharma Productions.

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Ibrahim has previously worked as an assistant director on Karan’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’ which starred Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, and Jaya Bachchan, among others in the lead roles. (ANI)