&w=3840&q=100)
2,000 police personnel deployed in Varanasi ahead of first Monday of Sawan
Speaking to ANI, Kashi Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Saravanan Thangamani said, "Adequate police force has been deployed, seeing the possibility of a large number of devotees who arrive in Kashi (during sawan). Nearly 2000 police personnel, 6 companies of CRPF, 10 companies of PAC, one flood relief company, and 1 team of ATS have been deployed."
"For security and traffic arrangements, regular anti-encroachment drives were being carried out in the Varanasi district and also in the Kashi Zone around the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Aerial surveillance via drones is also being carried out," he added.
The ADCP also noted the rising water level of the Ganga River due to continuous rainfall. "Before the first Monday of Sawan, the water level of the river has risen, so we have put a stop to the use of boats. The water level is above 65 metres and the flow is also strong... Social media cells have been activated so that no fake news or rumours are spread on social media. Orders have been given to take immediate action in case of any fake news spread on social media," he said.
Earlier, due to incessant rainfall, several ghats and temples in Varanasi were submerged as the Ganga crossed the danger mark. Locals said that the water level is rising by one step daily at the ghats.
A resident, Sonu Sahani, told ANI, "Water level is rising by one step each day. There were 84 ghats here, and after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the Namo Ghat, there are now 85 ghats here. We are in contact with all the ghats, while some roads are blocked. This happens annually, whenever it rains, it causes difficulty for the public as they get stuck."
Another local, Lakhan Kumar Sahani, said, "The water is rising one or two steps daily. There is difficulty in watching Ganga Aarti and operating boats.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Detention of Bengali migrants: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asks President Murmu to intervene
Flagging the detention and deportation of migrant workers from West Bengal during drives against illegal Bangladeshi nationals in several states of the country, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday urged President Droupadi Murmu to intervene. In a letter to the President, the former Congress MP wrote: 'It's very sad and cruel fact that Bengali-speaking daily wage labourers, who are bonafide Indian citizens, are being targeted due to their physical appearance and accent, which is being mistaken for that of Bangladeshis. This similarity is being used as a pretext to harass, humiliate, physically assault, and hold these innocent people in detention.' Expressing concerns that 'witch-hunting of Bangladeshis' is leading to large-scale repatriation of Bengali migrant workers, Chowdhury wrote: 'I would like to reiterate that those lakhs of migrant workers who were compelled to venture into other states for their livelihoods also contribute significantly to the revenue kitty of the state government through their remittances. Now, those migrants are supposed to be rendered unemployed…' The former state Congress chief said the President should intervene by taking appropriate measures to see that 'innocent Bengali-speaking people, who are bonafide Indian nationals working as labourers in Odisha, Maharashtra and other states are not subjected to harassment, humiliation, torture and loss of livelihood'. A copy of the letter has also been sent to West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose. In recent weeks and months, several Bengali migrant workers on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi nationals have been detained, and some of them pushed into Bangladesh from states like Odisha, Maharashtra, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh – all BJP-ruled states.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Cameroon's 92-year-old President Biya seeks eighth term amid health rumors and political challenges
Cameroon's 92-year-old President announced on Monday (July 14, 2025) he will seek his eighth term in the upcoming October elections. The announcement comes after months of speculation that the aging leader would not run, setting the stage for an electoral showdown. Paul Biya, Africa's second longest serving President after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea, is frequently sick and abroad. Last year, talk spread that he had died, prompting the government to publicly deny the rumors. Cameroon's second President since independence from France in 1960, Mr. Biya has been in power since 1982. Promising that the best is yet to come in his post on social media, Mr. Biya reiterated his determination to rule, saying, 'Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us." The more than 40 years of Mr. Biya's rule have left a lasting impact. His government has faced various challenges, including allegations of corruption and a secessionist movement in Cameroon's English-speaking provinces that has forced thousands out of school and triggered deadly clashes with security forces. 'President Biya's announcement to run again is a clear sign of Cameroon's stalled political transition. After over 40 years in power, what the country needs is renewal — not repetition. Cameroonians deserve democratic change and accountable leadership,' Nkongho Felix Agbor, a human rights advocate and lawyer told The Associated Press. Cameroon has also had to deal with spillover violence by the Islamic extremist Boko Haram group, based in neighboring Nigeria. Recently, several of Mr. Biya's longtime allies defected to announce their own candidacies for President. He cruised to victory in 2018 with over 70% of the vote in an election marred by irregularities and low turnout due to ongoing separatist and jihadi violence. In a region threatened with shrinking democratic space, several other African countries also have presidents accused of using state mechanisms to prolong their stay in power. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni recently sought nomination for a seventh term, a move that would bring him closer to five decades in power in the East African country.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Ties bitter, but Bangladesh mango diplomacy still sweet enough
File photo: PM Modi meeting Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus (ANI) DHAKA: Bangladesh has sent a consignment of the famed Haribhanga mangoes for PM Narendra Modi as it continues its "mango diplomacy", started by former PM Sheikh Hasina , to serve as a sweet symbol of goodwill between Dhaka and New Delhi despite phases of tension between them following her government's fall last year. Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus has sent 1,000 kg of Haribhanga mangoes to PM Modi as a gesture of friendship between the two neighbours. The consignment is scheduled to reach New Delhi on Monday, officials said. The Yunus-led interim government in Dhaka has also sent consignments to states bordering Bangladesh. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Tripura CM Manik Saha are among the recipients. Bangladesh has a long-standing tradition of sending seasonal gifts, particularly mangoes, to the Indian PM and state leaders to reinforce cultural ties and regional diplomacy.
