"People Jumped Over Others, Ran Over Children": Haridwar Stampede Witness
An eyewitness broke down on camera while narrating the events before the stampede. "We had gone for darshan. The temple's main gate was closed since there was a huge crowd inside. People ran from that direction, and they jumped over each other. They ran over my head and our children. There were bodies scattered," she said.
Another injured devotee, who is from Bihar, said a huge crowd had suddenly gathered at the temple. As people tried to jostle their way out of the crowd, he fell and fractured his hand. "People fell down while trying to run," he recounted.
The stampede occurred on the staircases on the temple road leading to the main shrine. Visuals later showed injured devotees being taken to the hospital in ambulances and several others undergoing treatment. Bodies were also seen at the stampede site.
The tragedy unfolded during the auspicious Hindu month of Sawan, which witnesses a rush of devotees at all pilgrimage points in the city. Haridwar is also a major destination for Shiv devotee Kanwariyas who visit the city to collect water from the Ganga during this time.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is in touch with the local authorities and closely monitoring the situation. His government has also announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Over 17,000 cybercrime complaints in two years, but only 244 FIRs registered
Chandigarh recorded an alarming 17,075 cybercrime complaints in the past two years, with the total financial losses amounting to a staggering Rs 95 crore, of which only Rs 14.86 crore, less than 16 per cent, was recovered, disclosed the Chandigarh Cyber Crime Police in an RTI reply, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of existing investigative mechanisms. According to official data, compiled for the period between April 2023 and March 2025, a total of 17,075 complaints were filed, 244 FIRs were registered, and 200 arrests were made, indicating a large number of complaints never progressed to the FIR stage. The data further reveals a consistent rise in the cases of online cheating, phishing, UPI scams, fake job offers and other forms of financial cybercrimes. March 2024 recorded the highest monthly loss, with over Rs 7.97 crore defrauded, followed by February 2024 (Rs 6.26 crore) and May 2024 (Rs 6.24 crore). However, the recovery continues to remain low. February 2025 saw the highest monthly recovery of Rs 2.58 crore, followed by Rs 1.31 crore in January 2025 and Rs 1.04 crore in March 2024. The data also highlights a trend of low FIR registration vis-à-vis the number of complaints. For instance, 923 complaints were received in July 2024, yet only 26 FIRs were registered. In August 2024, out of 864 complaints, just 6 FIRs were filed. Despite the low number of FIRs, arrests were made in several months — 13 in July 2023, 14 in September 2024, and 11 in December 2024. 'The rise in cybercrime is due to the increasing use of digital payments and the internet in daily life, coupled with a lack of awareness among users,' said Ram Kumar Garg, an RTI activist and the president of Second Innings Association. 'Amount-wise and category-wise, the number of frauds is increasing tremendously. The government should take it seriously and seek international coordination and expert manpower to curtail, if not stop it wholly. Supply of SIM, unauthentic Aadhaar and banks need to be tightened,' Garg added. However, DSP (Cyber Crime) A Venkatesh said, 'In several complaints, complainants get their money back during the preliminary investigation, and then do not pursue their complaints further. So, not all complaints turned into FIRs, as every FIR is registered after a thorough inquiry.' Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Police has urged the public to remain vigilant and report such incidents on the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the national cybercrime portal (
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Mumbai Woman's Morphed Nude Photos Sent To Family Despite Loan Repayment
Mumbai: A 25-year-old woman in Mumbai was allegedly harassed by a loan app firm and her morphed nude photographs were shared with her relatives and friends, even as she handed over an amount of money that was more than what she borrowed. According to the police, the victim from Kranti Nagar area in Jogeshwari West said she was in need of money when she came across an advertisement of a mobile app called "Cash Loan" on Instagram. On July 20, she downloaded the app and shared all her personal information and details pertaining to her Aadhaar card and bank account as part of the formalities. The woman, the police added, applied for a loan of Rs 2,000 but received only Rs 1,300 for a period of six days. However, even before the loan period could end, the woman allegedly started receiving threats from a person who introduced himself as an employee of the loan firm. The caller, she told the police, threatened to share obscene photos of her on social media if she did not immediately return the money. Out of fear, the woman sent Rs 1,000 twice to a person named "Sandesh Kumar" via a payment app. However, an hour later, the woman's aunt called her to inform her that she had received a morphed nude photograph of the woman on WhatsApp by an unknown sender. Within minutes, the same photograph was allegedly shared with two of the woman's friends from the same number. Not knowing what to do, the woman approached her father, who then approached the police for help. The accused allegedly threatened to tarnish the woman's reputation, the police said, citing the victim's complaint. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered and a probe is underway.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Malegaon Verdict Is A Damning Indictment Of UPA's ‘Saffron Terror' Farce
Last Updated: The 2008 Malegaon blast, which took 6 lives and injured over 100, was a tragedy that necessitated meticulous investigation and accountability. In the age of reels, it is flabbergasting to know that it took 17 years for truth to extricate itself from the suffocating grip of political machinations and shoddy investigations. On July 31, 2025, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai delivered a resounding verdict, acquitting all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi, Ajay Rahirkar, and Sameer Kulkarni. These 7 hapless people, vilified as terrorists, endured nearly two decades of torment, their lives upended by a narrative that was as malicious as it was baseless. The court's ruling was not just a legal exoneration; it was a scathing rebuke of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime's reckless and politically motivated pursuit of the so-called 'Hindu terror" narrative. The 2008 Malegaon blast, which took 6 lives and injured over 100, was a tragedy that necessitated meticulous investigation and accountability. Instead, it became a political weapon bandied by the UPA to crush the looming Hindu renaissance, tarnish the image of Hindu organizations, and counter the rising tide of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), under the late Hemant Karkare, took no scourge in pointing fingers at Hindu nationalist groups, coining terms like 'Bhagwa Atankwad" (Saffron Terror) and 'Hindu terrorism." From P. Chidambaram to Prithviraj Chauhan to Digvijaya Singh, Congress stalwarts tripped over themselves to peddle this narrative, painting the Hindu community as perpetrators of terror without a shred of credible evidence. This wasn't just a legal failure; it was a grotesque political ploy. The congress, sensing the BJP's growing prowess under Narendra Modi, then Gujarat's chief minister, saw an opportunity to polarize the Muslim vote bank. The 'saffron terror" theory was a carefully crafted mirage, designed to appease Muslim voters and consolidate the electorate. Though neither in the Maharashtra nor central government at the time, Digvijaya Singh, a Congress heavyweight, claimed publicly that Hemant Karkare was updating him every half hour during the Malegaon investigation. Why would a senior police officer brief a politician with no official role? This only insinuates an insider syndicate of the cops and the congress Netas working on a joint mission to realize a nefarious agenda. Further raising eyebrows over the Congress's conduct is the curious case of Parambir Singh, the former Mumbai Police Commissioner and a tainted cop now a fugitive. Singh, who served as ATS chief during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime—a coalition including Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT)—was reinstated despite allegations of corruption and extortion. His reinstatement under the MVA rule, only to later become a fugitive, fuels suspicion of a Congress-police nexus in Maharashtra. Why was a controversial figure like Singh brought back? Does this point to a deeper, systemic manipulation of law enforcement for political ends? The Congress's obsession with the 'saffron terror" narrative is rooted in the Nehru-Ghandhy-Vadra clan's long-standing strategy of Muslim appeasement. Yes, Ghandhy, not Gandhi—the family's Parsi lineage is often obscured by their adopted surname. From Jawaharlal Nehru's supposed secular posturing to Rahul Ghandhy's 2009 remark to a US ambassador that the RSS posed a 'bigger threat" than Lashkar-e-Taiba, this dynasty has consistently prioritized vote consolidation over national unity. Robert Vadra's recent claim that the Pahalgam terror attack was linked to the BJP's 'Hindutva push" is yet another example of this family's compulsion to exploit communal fault lines for electoral gain. The Malegaon case was no different—by branding Hindus as terrorists, the Congress sought to stoke fear among Muslims, positioning itself as their sole protector. The acquittal of Sadhvi Pragya, Lt. Col. Purohit, and their co-accused is a moment of vindication, but it's also a moment of reckoning. The Congress's narrative didn't just fail the accused; it failed the victims of the Malegaon blast, whose quest for justice remains unresolved. The court's ruling underscores a painful truth: while the UPA played its dangerous game of communal politics, the real perpetrators walked scot-free. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called it 'delayed justice. " But the moot point here is if m justice ever be fully served when political agendas taint the process? BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress of a 'well-calculated conspiracy" to frame innocents for vote-bank politics, while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis declared, 'Atankwad Bhagwa Na Kabhi Tha, Na Hai, Na Kabhi Rahega" (Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be). The human toll of this travesty is staggering. Sadhvi Pragya, battling cancer and alleging custodial torture, endured years of stigma. Lt. Col. Purohit, a serving military officer, faced accusations of betraying the nation he swore to protect. The other five suffered similar indignities. Their acquittal cannot erase the scars of a justice system manipulated by political expediency. The Congress owes them—and the nation—an apology, but don't hold your breath. The Malegaon verdict should compel us to confront the broader implications of such political slyness. The Congress's 'saffron terror" gambit wasn't just about one case; it was about reshaping India's communal discourse to entrench division. By demonizing Hindus, the UPA sought to secure its electoral fortress, but at what cost? The erosion of trust in institutions, the vilification of an entire community, and the perpetuation of a divisive narrative that continues to haunt our polity. The trial saw 323 prosecution witnesses, 37 of whom turned hostile, and over 30 died before testifying, further exposing the fragility of the case. Former Bombay High Court judge B.G. Kolse-Patil called the acquittal a 'death of justice," but the real travesty was the UPA's attempt to manufacture a myth at the expense of truth. As we reflect on this verdict, let's not forget the human cost and the systemic failures it exposes. How long will we allow vote-bank politics to dictate justice? Can we afford to let divisive narratives fracture our social fabric? Who will hold the Congress accountable for its role in this travesty? Why did Digvijaya Singh claim such close access to Hemant Karkare's investigation? And what does Parambir Singh's reinstatement and subsequent fugitive status reveal about Congress's influence over Maharashtra's police? Is this judgement served or justice served? Who will compensate for the blooming and fostering years lost by those entangled in the rigmarole of the system? Readers, the answers lie with you—will you demand a system where truth triumphs over political agendas, or will you let the shadows of appeasement linger? About the Author Yuvraj Pokharna Yuvraj Pokharna is a Surat-based author and media panelist who vociferously voices his opinions on issues of Hindutva, Islamist Jihad, politics, policies, and sometimes mules over books. He can be followed on More tags : Malegaon Malegaon blast view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 03, 2025, 10:26 IST News opinion Write Mind | Malegaon Verdict Is A Damning Indictment Of UPA's 'Saffron Terror' Farce Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
