An all-party protest march was taken out in central Maharashtra's Jalna city on Friday, seeking swift action against the killers in Beed sarpanch murder case and resignation of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, reported the PTI. The march was organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha. The deceased sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, who belonged to the Maratha community, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for allegedly opposing an extortion attempt targeting an energy firm operating a windmill project. Walmik Karad, a close associate of Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case. Participants in the march demanded speedy investigation and called for Munde's resignation, alleging links between Karad and the murder. Leaders of various parties, Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange and family members of Santosh Deshmukh joined the march. Local Congress MP Kalyan Kale warned on this occasion that inaction would lead to more public protests. He also demanded action against police officers responsible for the alleged custodial death of Somnath Suryawanshi, arrested over the violent protests that broke out in Parbhani over the vandalisation of a Constitution replica last month. Manoj Jarange urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take decisive action against the killers in the Santosh Deshmukh case and their associates, while accusing Munde of helping the accused. Ajit Pawar will soon know if Munde has any link to Beed sarpanch murder, claims Dhas Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will come to know "in a few days" if his NCP and cabinet colleague Dhananjay Munde has any link to the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case, claimed BJP MLA Suresh Dhas on Friday, as per the PTI. Munde, MLA from Parli in Beed, is under attack from opposition parties and even some leaders of the ruling Mahayuti as Walmik Karad, the key accused in the extortion case linked to the sarpanch's murder, is his close aide, the news agency reported. Speaking to a regional news channel, Dhas said, "Ajit Pawar will come to know after a few days if there is a connection (of Munde with the murder case) or not. I have never claimed there is a connection. I don't say anything firmly (with firm conviction) on it and they (Munde's backers) must also not say anything firmly as of now." Dhas was answering a query on Pawar backing Munde on the issue. (With PTI inputs)
10 January,2025 07:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA new western disturbance is set to impact North India over the next 24-48 hours, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said while sharing weather updates on Friday. The new western disturbance likely to bring a significant change in weather conditions, including thunderstorms and hailstorms, the weather department said. The disturbance, which is currently approaching from eastern Iran, is expected to affect a wide range of states, including West Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, and northwest Madhya Pradesh. On January 12, the weather will shift to lighter rainfall and thunderstorms over parts of East Madhya Pradesh, southeast Uttar Pradesh, and North Chhattisgarh. Along with these rain and storm conditions, the minimum temperatures across North India are expected to rise for the next 2-3 days due to the influence of the western disturbance. In Prayagraj, dense fog is expected to blanket the area tomorrow morning. However, the fog will clear later in the day, and thunderstorms are likely to begin by Saturday night and is predicted to continue till January 12. The fog conditions are forecasted to return by the morning of January 13, bringing with it a potential dip in minimum temperatures. #WATCH | Delhi | IMD Scientist Soma Sen Roy says, "... A new western disturbance is now approaching from eastern Iran and is expected to affect North India within the next 24-48 hours. This will bring thunderstorms and some hailstorms to regions including West Rajasthan, Punjab,… pic.twitter.com/eBDSwIKBVW — ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2025 Dr. Soma Sen Roy, IMD Scientist told the ANI, "the western disturbance will lead to unsettled weather, with thunderstorms and possible hailstorms in these regions today and tomorrow. This weather system will bring a temporary spike in temperatures and humidity, particularly in northern regions." She said, "A new western disturbance is now approaching from eastern Iran and is expected to affect North India within the next 24-48 hours. This will bring thunderstorms and some hailstorms to regions including West Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh and northwest Madhya Pradesh today and tomorrow... On January 12, light rainfall and thunderstorms are expected over East Madhya Pradesh, southeast Uttar Pradesh and North Chhattisgarh... Minimum temperatures across North India are expected to rise for the next 2-3 days due to this disturbance... In Prayagraj, fog is expected tomorrow morning followed by thunderstorms tomorrow night and the day after... After January 12, fog conditions will return on the morning of January 13, accompanied by a possible drop in minimum temperatures..." (with ANI inputs)
10 January,2025 05:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA thick blanket of fog covered the national capital on Friday morning, causing visibility to plummet to zero and severely impacting normal life. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded a temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am. The forecast predicts a minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius for the day, with "very dense fog" persisting throughout. As per ANI, the dense fog has significantly disrupted flight operations at Delhi Airport. In response, the airport authorities issued an advisory for passengers, warning of delays in flight departures. While flights equipped with CAT III compliance are able to operate, passengers were urged to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates. The advisory stated: "Due to dense fog, there has been impact on flight departures. However, flights which are CAT III compliant are able to land and depart from Delhi Airport. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted." Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital has also deteriorated drastically, falling into the 'severe' category. As per ANI, the Central Pollution Control Board recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 409 at 7 am on Friday, compared to 299 at the same time yesterday. An AQI of 409 places the air quality in the 'severe' category, posing a health risk to residents. The AQI scale classifies air quality as follows: 'good' (0-50), 'satisfactory' (51-100), 'moderate' (101-200), 'poor' (201-300), 'very poor' (301-400), and 'severe' (401-500). As temperatures continue to drop, the plight of Delhi's homeless has worsened. Several night shelters across the city reported full occupancy, with all beds being utilised to protect residents from the biting cold. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has stepped up efforts, setting up 235 pagoda tents in key locations, including AIIMS, Lodhi Road, and the Nizamuddin flyover, to accommodate those without shelter. The combination of dense fog, plummeting temperatures, and worsening air quality has created challenging conditions in the capital, with authorities urging caution and preparedness among residents. (With inputs from ANI)
10 January,2025 09:39 AM IST | New DelhiAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday blamed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, police and revenue officials for the Tirupati stampede in which six people were killed and dozens injured. "Entire police force was deployed for Chandrababu's Kuppam tour for three days and there were no police personnel for crowd management which led to the stampede,' alleged Reddy, addressing a press conference in the temple town. With police occupied with Naidu's tour on January 6, 7 and 8, "no force" was available to handle the crowd, he said, adding that this "shows that the chief minister has neither fear nor devotion towards God". Six devotees died and nearly 40 were injured in the stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds of people jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple on the Tirumala Hills. Hundreds of devotees turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing on January 10. Former chief minister Reddy consoled the injured at a local hospital and demanded the TDP government extend an ex'gratia of Rs 50 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh each for the injured devotees. Every year, lakhs of devotees come on Vaikunata Ekadashi (an auspicious occasion), and arrangements should have been made as it has been the practice. But this time, there was negligence and a lack of manpower to control the crowd, he said. Alleging that the sanctity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, has been degraded, the opposition leader claimed that the stampede shows how the coalition leaders and the TTD top brass treat the devotees who come from far and wide for a darshan. "During our term (2019'2024) we had conducted such events with care and passion, but this year caution was thrown to the winds... The devotees were kept in parks and other places without even giving them food or water," he alleged. Further, Reddy asserted that the FIR over the stampede was booked under "ordinary" sections and claimed that the devotees had come from all the counters to complain about a similar situation and not just from Bairagi Patteda. "He (Naidu) had earlier too done the same thing during Godavari Pushkarams in which 29 persons were killed in a stampede which was the result of his publicity craze,' said the YSRCP supremo, referring to the incident during the erstwhile TDP regime between 2014 and 2019. On Thursday, Naidu suspended two officials and transferred three more, holding them responsible for the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 09:15 AM IST | Andhra Pradesh | PTIThe Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday called India's allegation of the "mistreatment of Indian fishermen" as "baseless and fabricated". The Bangladeshi MOFA said that the allegations undermine the spirit of trust between the two countries. "Bangladesh expresses its utter dismay and deep disappointment over the unfounded remarks and fabricated allegations of ill-treatment including physical abuses of the detained Indian fishermen by the Bangladesh authorities. Bangladesh firmly rejects such unfounded allegations which undermines the spirit of trust, goodwill and mutual respect between Bangladesh and India. Concerned authorities of Bangladesh have confirmed that, under no circumstances, were the detained fishermen physically abused. The matter was thoroughly investigated and it was found that no such ill-treatment or incident of physical abuse happened," the statement said. The MOFA further claimed that they treated the Indian detainees appropriately. "Bangladesh wishes to mention that the detained 95 Indian fishermen/crew members were treated appropriately during their stay in Bangladesh. As per international norms, consular accesses were duly granted to the representatives of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, who visited the fishermen during their detention. The representatives of the Indian diplomatic missions were also present during the release of Indian fishermen from the jails on 02 January 2025 and during the fishermen's departure from Mongla on 04 January 2025. The relevant hospitals completed the health screenings of all Indian fishermen, confirming that they were medically fit. During their journey towards the maritime border, Bangladesh Coast Guard authorities extended all necessary support and provisions," the statement added. The MOFA said that they expected the repatriation from India to be amicably solved. "The reciprocal repatriation process of the fishermen manifests the commitment of the Government of Bangladesh in resolving humanitarian issues amicably and collaboratively with the Government of India. Bangladesh calls upon all parties to avoid making such unfounded allegations that undermine the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect between the two countries," it said. "The reciprocal repatriation of 90 Bangladeshi fishermen/crew detained in India and 95 Indian fishermen/crew detained in Bangladesh was successfully completed in the afternoon of 05 January 2025 near the International Maritime Boundary Line. In the presence of the representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Fisheries, and Border Guard Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Coast Guard received 90 Bangladeshi fishermen/crew members and handed over 95 Indian fishermen/crew members to the Indian Coast Guard. Simultaneously, the exchange of detained vessels was also completed, two Bangladeshi fishing vessels, "FV Laila-2" and "FV Meghna-5", were returned to Bangladesh, while six Indian fishing boats were returned to India," the statement added. In a mutual exchange of fishermen coordinated between the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard, ICG Ship Varad and Amrit Kaur successfully repatriated 95 fishermen along with four Indian fishing boats while handing over 90 Bangladeshi Fishermen including 12 rescued from a sunken fishing boat "Kaushik" on Sunday, as per an official statement. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 09:14 AM IST | Dhaka | ANIJanta Dal (United) working President Sanjay Kumar Jha on Thursday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal of "hating" the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Jha strongly criticised Kejriwal's recent remarks about "fake voters" from these states and demanded an immediate apology from Kejriwal for his comments. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jha expressed his anger, asking, "Why do you hate people from Bihar and UP so much, @ArvindKejriwal ji? You should not forget that Delhi is not your property, it is the capital of the country and belongs to all the countrymen. The people of Bihar and UP have achieved a position not only in Delhi but across the world on the basis of their hard work and talent." "The palace you have built for yourself is also built using the tax money of the people of Bihar and UP living in Delhi. Your repeated insult to the people of Bihar-UP is intolerable. You should apologize immediately," read the post further. Notably, the dispute arose after an AAP delegation led by Arvind Kejriwal met the Election Commission to raise concerns about alleged voter irregularities in the New Delhi Legislative Assembly. The party highlighted a significant surge in voter registrations and deletions on the seat while alleging a "voter fraud" taking place at a large scale. Former Delhi CM Kejriwal said that a total of 5,500 votes were registered in 22 days. He also claimed that out of 89 people who had applied for deletion of 5500 names from the voter list, 18 denied submitting the request. "The Chief Election Commissioner is out, but we met with the other two commissioners. One of the issues we raised was that in the New Delhi Legislative Assembly, between December 15 and January 7, a total of 5,500 votes were registered in 22 days. The total votes in this assembly are 1,00,000. This means that 5.5 per cent of the votes were registered in the last 22 days, which clearly indicates some irregularities. There are issues with these applications," Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the Election Commissioners, here on Thursday. "When the lower officials investigated, the individuals whose names appeared on these applications denied having submitted any request to cut votes. 89 people had applied for 5,500 votes, and 18 of them came to the Election Commission and denied submitting any applications. This means there is a large-scale election fraud happening," he added. Furthermore, the AAP Chief also alleged that from December 15 to January 8, 13,000 new voter applications were received. On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi wrote another letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, raising the issue of adding and deleting the names of voters in the New Delhi Assembly constituency and seeking an immediate meeting on the issue. CM Atishi previously wrote another letter to the CEC regarding the same issue on January 5. The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections and BJP secured eight seats. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 09:14 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIFollowing the release of the documents by the Justice Department of British Columbia, Canada, that showed that all four alleged accused in the murder of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar were no longer in custody, Punjab BJP Vice President Fatehjung Singh Bajwa on Thursday criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's earlier allegations against the Indian government, claiming that his actions have caused significant damage to his international relations. On Thursday, the documents released by the Justice Department of British Columbia, Canada, showed 'N' against the status of being in custody against the four men--Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh--who were charged with the murder of Nijjar and conspiracy to commit murder by the Canadian police. Notably, ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar. However, India has dismissed the accusations as "absurd" and "motivated." According to the Punjab BJP Vice President, Trudeau had failed to provide evidence for his claims and suggested that even Canadians are no longer supporting him. "Today, a Canadian court granted bail to all accused in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder case. Justin Trudeau levelled a huge allegation against the Indian government... The government said that he should produce evidence if he has any... So, I think Justin Trudeau has paid a huge price by souring his international relations. Justin Trudeau used to stand in support of hardliners; today even Canadians are not standing in his support," Bajwa said. Brar, 22; Karanpreet Singh, 28; and Kamalpreet Singh, 22, were all taken into custody in Edmonton on May 3, 2024. A fourth accused, identified as Amandeep Singh (22), was already in custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges and was also arrested for the said crime on May 11, 2024. According to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in British Columbia, they are accused of murder and conspiracy. Police personnel however had not given any evidence of any link to India as was being speculated in the Canadian media. At the time of the arrest of the alleged accused, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that Canada had not provided any "specific" evidence or relevant information in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case and that no "formal communication" had been provided to India over the arrests of three Indians allegedly involved in the matter. Meanwhile, the former General Secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Bhagwant Singh Sialka, voiced his concerns over the matter and questioned the court's decision, expressing dissatisfaction over the accused being "no longer in custody" before the trial. Sialka noted that the situation is upsetting, and many Sikhs in Canada do not accept the decision. He pointed out that this poses a threat to the victim's family and witnesses, which may influence the outcome of the case. "It is not understandable how they got bail despite their trial on February 11. Because when they come out, they can threaten the victim's family and also the witness of this case. This may affect the entire process of the case. It is very upsetting, and all the Sikhs in Canada are not accepting it as well," Sialka said. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023. The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March 2024 showed Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described as a "contract killing." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 09:14 AM IST | Chandigarh | ANIIn anticipation of the massive influx of devotees for the Mahakumbh 2025, Western Railway has launched special trains to ensure smooth and safe travel. Ajay Solanki, PRO of Ahmedabad Division Railway, announced that 98 special trains have been introduced, with a focus on passenger convenience, hygiene, and the proper functioning of electric appliances. RPF teams have also been deployed at stations for guidance and security. "... For the convenience of passengers, Western Railway is running Kumbh special trains and denoting them through flex painting... Hygiene and the working of electric appliances are being taken care of... Up till now, 98 special trains have been started... RPF teams have been deployed at stations to guide passengers and security..." said Ajay Solanki. Notably, Indian Railways has announced robust arrangements to ensure the safe and efficient travel of millions of devotees to and from the holy city. Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, shared details of the comprehensive plan to handle the unprecedented rush. The official said that the Indian Railways will operate more than 10,000 trains, including 3,300 special trains, to cater to the large number of passengers travelling for the Sangam Snan, one of the most significant events of the Maha Kumbh. Kumar said that special measures have been put in place to manage crowds, including colour-coded waiting and holding areas at stations for unreserved passengers. To ensure order and safety, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) officers have been deployed to escort travellers in a systematic manner from designated areas to their trains. The Mahakumbh is being celebrated after 12 years, and over 45 crore devotees are expected for the event. During the Mahakumbh, devotees will gather at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, to take a holy dip believed to absolve sins and grant moksha (liberation). The main bathing rituals (Shahi Snan) of the Kumbh will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 08:49 AM IST | Prayagraj | ANIThe Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) chief Saurabh Rao has asked officials to implement 100-day 'ease of living' action plan, reported the PTI. The decision was taken to improve quality of life of citizens and to better the delivery of services. It must include streamlining office work, enhancing online services and conducting comprehensive cleanliness drives at all premises of the Thane Municipal Corporation, a release quoted Saurabh Rao as saying, according to the PTI. The meeting was held in Majiwada on Wednesday and saw the participation of additional commissioners, engineering department personnel etc. "The 100-day Ease of Living action plan aims to give efficient and transparent governance. There must be meticulous planning at every level," Rao said. The release said TMC has recovered Rs 576 crore in property tax for the financial year 2024-25 against a total of Rs 857 crore, while the figure is Rs 80 out of Rs 225 crore for water bill arrears. "Rao underscored the urgency of meeting revenue collection targets. Property tax and water bill collections form the foundation of the corporation's financial planning," the release said, as per the PTI. TMC directs health department to remain vigilant, issues list of do's and dont's for citizens Meanwhile, the TMC on Tuesday directed the health department in the district to remain vigilant and urged citizens not to panic amid the HMPV outbreak, an official statement said. It said that there have been reports of an outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, and some cases have also been detected in India. However, the Thane Municipal Corporation has urged citizens not to panic. HMPV is a common respiratory virus that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and cough. It is typically a seasonal illness, occurring mostly during the winter and early summer months, just like the flu, the statement said. Thane Municipal Commissioner, Saurabh Rao, has directed the Health Department to remain vigilant. The state’s public health department has analysed the data on respiratory infections, and there has been no significant increase in the number of cases in December 2024 compared to the previous year. Despite this, the public has been advised to follow guidelines to prevent the spread of respiratory infections, it said. (with PTI inputs)
09 January,2025 10:53 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Karnataka government has banned the flying of all sub-conventional aerial platforms from February 10 to 14, while 'Aero India 2025' is in progress. The prohibitory order was issued on Thursday. India's biennial aerospace exhibition Aero India will be held at Yelahanka on the outskirts of Bengaluru from February 10-14 and it will showcase the country as an emerging hub for manufacturing of military aircraft, helicopters, equipment and new-age avionics. The order was issued by B Dayananda, Commissioner of Police and Additional District Magistrate of Bengaluru City exercising the powers conferred under section Los or the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitam (BNSS). In his order, the commissioner has said the ban is “absolutely necessary” to maintain law and order and to avoid untoward incidents. Sub-conventional aerial platforms include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Robotic Process Automation, paragliders, microlights, small aircraft, drones, quad-copters and balloons. According to the commissioner, these can carry explosives and be used as weapons or surveillance objects to threaten, damage, injure and kill people and destroy properties. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 January,2025 10:46 PM IST | Bengaluru | PTIA day after six persons died in the Tirupati temple stampede, the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday announced a judicial inquiry into the incident that seems to have been the result of a policeman's innocuous act of opening the gate with the intention of aiding a sick woman. People were waiting to receive tokens for a holy event at the famous Lord Venkateswara Swamy shrine on Tirumala hills for January 10 when tragedy struck. Following complaints by revenue officials, two FIRs were registered in connection with the stampede which has also left dozens injured. They were registered under Section 194 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) which deals with unnatural deaths, a senior police official said. The government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to the kin of victims of a virtually unprecedented incident that prompted deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan to apologise to the nation and the Hindu community. Heads rolled after Chief Mininster N Chandrababu Naidu took serious note of the matter and sought accountability from officials concerned. He visited the accident spot and also met the injured persons and comforted them. Survivors recounted horrific moments of the tragedy, recalling the crowd surge that led to the stampede while some others complained of long waiting hours to get tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, slated for Friday. Naidu announced a judicial inquiry into the stampede, and transferred three senior officials including the district Superintendent of Police. One deputy SP, who was on the spot, has been suspended. Expressing grief over the Wednesday night incident, Naidu also announced Rs 2 lakh to those injured. Addressing a press conference, he also attacked the previous YSRCP for changing practices in the temple. According to him, a new system of issuing tokens was introduced by the previous regime in Tirupati as opposed to the earlier system of giving them in Tirumala hills. "In the past, so many problems have come up. We are correcting everything, starting with prasadam (consecrated food), annadanam (free food to devotees), even cottages, administration and everything. All of a sudden this incident happened." "This incident also happened due to a legacy problem. Never in my lifetime tokens were given in Tirupati for 'darshan' (to see the deity). For the last five years, they (YSRCP) introduced new practices," Naidu said, without directly naming the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party. He further said he noticed some loopholes in the administration and monitoring mechanisms in Tirupati which should have been 'perfect'. Naidu also said no "adequate precautions" were taken while opening the gates and that triggered the incident. He also urged there should be no politics over the incident. The DSP reportedly opened the gate to help a sick woman come out of the area where the devotees were waiting. However, the crowd apparently thought that the gate had been opened and rushed out, resulting in the stampede. A senior police official said the DSP should have opened the gate with utmost care and as per procedure. "His intentions might have beeen good. But it caused a disaster," he told PTI. A survivor, D Venkata Lakshmi said, "for five minutes we thought all of us were dead. I have been coming to the temple for the past 25 years and it has never happened like this." People rushed forward and up to 10 people fell where she was standing, she said. Naidu's deputy, Pawan Kalyan said some devotees expressed doubts that the stampede must have been staged and that some policemen who should be the first responders, did not act on time. "To the entire nation, to the entire country, to the entire Sanatani believers, to Hindu Samaj, from the state government (side), I profusely (apologise), my wholehearted apologies for what had happened. It is the responsibility of the TTD EO (executive officer) and JEO," he told reporters. Senior YSRCP leader and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman B Karunakar Reddy demanded that CM Naidu should own moral responsibility for the Tirupati stampede and initiate stringent action against the officials responsible. The Congress' state unit held the TTD that governs the Lord Venkatswara temple, responsible for the tragedy and called for immediate probe into the incident Six devotees died and nearly 40 more were injured in the stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds of them jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 January,2025 10:41 PM IST | Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) | PTIADVERTISEMENT
