Page 2 - Varanasi

Gyanvapi case: Court rejects plea to transfer 1991 suit to another court

A district court here has dismissed a plea seeking the transfer of the original 1991 Gyanvapi suit from the court of the civil judge to another court. Advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi, who is a party to the case, said District Judge Jay Prakash Tiwari rejected the transfer application on Monday, stating that the petitioners were not parties to the original suit and hence had no legal standing to seek such a transfer. The plea was filed by Manikuntala Tiwari, Neelima Mishra and Renu Pandey. They are the daughters of late Harihar Pandey, one of the litigants who filed the original suit. According to Rastogi, the plea submitted that they were not being given adequate time to present their side before the civil judge (senior division) fast track where the original suit is pending since 1991 and sought the case to be transferred to another court. Rastogi argued that the three sisters were not listed as parties in the 1991 suit and therefore did not have the locus standi to file a transfer

UP: Ghats submerged in Varanasi, Prayagraj; waterlogging in Moradabad

In West UP, Moradabad & Kasganj likely to receive rainfall of 15 cm; Aligarh 12cm, Sambhal 9cm; Kasba Tanda, Rath, and Sikandra Rao likely to receive 8 cm, and Khurja to receive 7 cm of rainfall

AppsForBharat raises ₹175 crore Series C to scale Sri Mandir platform

AppsForBharat secures ₹175 crore in Series C funding to deepen digital temple services, expand into 20 towns, and enhance AI-driven devotional experiences

Air India flight from Bali to Delhi diverted to Varanasi due to bad weather

An Air India flight from Bali to Delhi was diverted to Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport due to bad weather in the national capital, an official said on Wednesday. The flight later departed for Delhi the same night after the stop at Varanasi on Tuesday. Puneet Gupta, Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi, said the Air India flight AI 2146 had to be diverted as poor weather conditions over Delhi severely reduced visibility, making it unsafe for the aircraft to land. "The flight, carrying 187 passengers, safely landed at Varanasi airport," Gupta said, adding that "all necessary passenger amenities were ensured during the delay. The plane was cleared for take-off and flown back to Delhi later in the night. A separate Delhi-Bali flight was diverted back to the national capital on Wednesday due to a volcanic eruption near Bali airport. The flight safely landed back in Delhi and all passengers have disembarked, Air India said in a statement.

₹2,400 for 24-hour parking? Passengers cry foul at Varanasi railway station

Varanasi railway station sees rampant overcharging at parking stands; official probe ordered after report suggests ₹2,400 being demanded for 24-hour bike parking

Canadian detained after bomb scare on Varanasi-Bengaluru IndiGo flight

Panic broke out at Varanasi airport after a foreign national aboard a Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight claimed he was carrying a bomb, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday night, police said, adding that the passenger, a Canadian, has been detained. Security sleuths are questioning the man, officials said. Following the bomb scare, the aircraft was moved to the isolation bay for a thorough inspection, but no explosive material was found, said Puneet Gupta, Director of the airport. Gupta said the IndiGo crew promptly informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the threat after the passenger's claim. The flight was grounded and inspected as per standard security protocols. After receiving clearance from security agencies, the aircraft departed for Bengaluru on Sunday morning, officials said. A detailed probe is on in the matter.

Kashi emerging as new health capital with better care access: PM Modi

He further noted that the Ayushman Bharat scheme has saved crores of rupees for lakhs of families in Uttar Pradesh

Kashi undergone significant changes in last 11 years, says CM Yogi

He spoke about the numerous initiatives launched for the betterment of farmers, handicraftsmen, and the poor

PM Modi visits Varanasi, urges strict action in recent gang-rape case

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, on Friday, where he will address a public gathering and inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of 44 projects worth Rs 3,880 crore According to Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma, among the projects to be inaugurated are schemes focused on rural development, including 130 drinking water projects, 100 new Anganwadi centres, 356 libraries, a polytechnic college in Pindra, and a government degree college. The prime minister will also inaugurate a transit hostel at the Police Lines and police barracks in Ramnagar and four rural roads, he said. Focusing on urban development, Modi will inaugurate projects at Shastri Ghat and Samne Ghat, along with various beautification projects carried out by the Railways and the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA). Among the projects for which foundation stones will be laid, 25 are worth Rs 2,250 crore, with a major focus on strengthening the city's ..

PM Modi to visit UP, MP on April 11; to launch projects worth ₹3,880 crore

Prime Minister Modi will then visit Madhya Pradesh, perform darshan and pooja at Guru Ji Maharaj Temple in Isagarh around 3:15 pm, and attend a public programme at Anandpur Dham at about 4:15 pm

Won't stop volunteers from aiding revival of temples in Mathura, Kashi: RSS

The Hindu groups claim that the Muslim invaders destroyed the Srikrishna Temple in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and built mosques over them

Varanasi cricket fans perform 'aarti', pray for India's victory in CT final

Team India will lock horns with New Zealand in the final of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium

No VIP darshan at Kashi Vishwanath from Feb 25-27 due to Mahashivratri rush

Anticipating a heavy rush of devotees during Mahashivratri, authorities have decided to suspend the VIP 'darshan' facility at the Kashi Vishwanath temple here from February 25 to 27. Kashi Vishwanath Temple's Chief Executive Officer, Vishw Bhushan Mishra said on Monday that the number of visitors to the temple has significantly increased due to the return flow of devotees from the ongoing Maha Kumbh in nearby Prayagraj. With Mahashivratri falling on February 26 this year alongside the Kumbh Mela, pilgrims from across the country, along with saints from various akharas, including Naga sadhus, are expected to arrive in large numbers to offer prayers, he noted. "On this occasion, the Naga akharas will also take out a grand procession, which will temporarily block general access through gate number 4 of the temple. This is likely to increase the waiting time for regular devotees. Given the hot and humid weather conditions, prolonged waiting could pose health risks, especially for ...

Maha Kumbh: Ganga Aarti in Varanasi on hold till Feb 5 amid crowd surge

Authorities have stopped the Ganga Aarti performed at the ghats of Varanasi for the general public till February 5, considering a surge in crowd. Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal has appealed to the people of Kashi not to leave their house unnecessarily and to cooperate with the devotees. Ganga Seva Nidhi President Sushant Mishra on Friday said the Ganga Aarti performed at Dashashwamedh Ghat will remain closed for the general public till February 5. Similarly, the committees performing Ganga Aarti at Sheetla Ghat, Assi Ghat and other ghats have also appealed to the general public, visitors and devotees not to come for it till February 5. A large number of devotees returning from Prayagraj Maha Kumbh are still stranded at Varanasi Cantt and Banaras railway stations. Many devotees said that they could not catch their train due to the excessive crowd. In addition, hundreds have stranded at stations due to the cancellation of some of the trains. Bobby Maya Limbu from Assam's Sonicpu

Puri, Varanasi, Haridwar top spiritual destinations in 2024: Oyo report

Puri, Varanasi and Haridwar are the most travelled spiritual destinations while Hyderabad is India's top-booked city this year, according to OYO's 'Travelopedia 2024' annual report unveiled on Tuesday. The report delves into travel patterns and trends, with its findings based on the booking data of the travel tech major for the entire year. "In India, religious tourism continued to be a key focus, with Puri, Varanasi, and Haridwar dominating the pilgrimage sector. However, a significant trend emerged with Deoghar, Palani, and Govardhan experiencing substantial growth, indicating a shift towards less explored spiritual destinations..."OYO stated. Following Hyderabad, cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata rounded out the top spots for bookings, with Uttar Pradesh maintaining its position as the most popular state for travel. High volume of bookings were reported from Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, which continue to be dominant travel contributors. Smaller towns like Patna

Hanuman Chalisa-namaz row: Outsiders barred from entering Varanasi college

Amid escalating tensions at the Uday Pratap College here over a mosque located on its premises, police on Thursday restricted outsiders' entry to the campus, allowing only students with valid identity cards. The move follows Tuesday's unrest after students recited Hanuman Chalisa when namaz was being offered near the mosque. Seven men were briefly detained after the row on Tuesday, according to the local police. Student leader Vivekanand Singh on Thursday said, "Police personnel are stationed at the college gate, checking identity cards to ensure that no outsiders enter the campus. A group of students is also monitoring the gate." He added that no one came to offer namaz on Thursday and that additional precautions will be taken on Friday during the "Jumma" prayers. In a related development, students of the college have formed a "student court" and sent an 11-point letter to the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board, demanding a response within 15 days regarding the status of the mosque and its

Controversy over Varanasi college land; Sunni Board claims Waqf property

Varanasi's Udai Pratap College is in controversy with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board claiming that a mosque on the campus and the land in its vicinity is a Waqf property, a charge rejected by the college administration. A notice was sent to Udai Pratap College in 2018, claiming that the mosque on the campus and the land of the college were donated to the Waqf Board by the Nawab of Tonk. Therefore, the college campus is the property of the Waqf, said Principal DK Singh. "The notice came from Varanasi resident Wasim Ahmed Khan. At that time, the then secretary of the college had responded to the notice. In response to the notice, it was said that the mosque was built illegally, while the property of the college belongs to the trust, it can neither be bought nor sold," he added. Singh also said that the Waqf Board tried to construct a mosque later in 2022. The police stopped it after the college administration complained. The principal alleged that the mosque was stealing

Massive fire at Varanasi Cantt station: 200 vehicles charred, no injuries

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire at Varanasi Cantt station was triggered by a short circuit

SC seeks Gyanvapi Masjid Committee's reply on plea for area's ASI survey

Bench said it will also hear same-day other petitions relating to the case, including an application to consolidate all suits and transfer them from the Varanasi district court to the Allahabad HC

Highlights: BJP releases first list for Maharashtra polls; fields Fadnavis from Nagpur South West

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