The Bihar government has ordered a probe into the stampede at Patna's Gandhi maidan that claimed at least 32 lives. The home ministry has sought a report from that state government about the tragedy.

Dussehra celebrations at the Gandhi Maidan are the biggest in Patna and at least 50,000 people turn up every year.

The event is organised jointly by the district administration and a private organiser.

Those seeking information on the stampede: Helpline number: 0612-2219810

About 50 voluntary blood donors are ready to help at Patna Medical College Hospital. They can be contacted on 9308393446.
 

"The stampede in Patna is deeply saddening. I spoke to the Bihar CM about the situation. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and prayers with the injured," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter. 

NDTV reports: Not all gates at Gandhi Maidan were open for the huge number of people who were leaving after the Dusshera celebrations. The lighting too was very poor.

PM Narendra Modi has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in Patna stampede.

He spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi who was present at the Gandhi Maidan where people watched an arrow setting the 60-feet tall effigy of Ravana into flames.  

CNN-IBN reports: The cause of the stampede at Patna's Gandhi Maidan was not immediately known although some eye-witnesses said that there was a power cut and rumours of a live wire on the ground soon spread leading to the stampede.  

Bihar Home Secretary Amir Subhani has put the death toll in the Patna stampede at 32. 

Officials say that among those killed in the stampede at Patna's Gandhi Maidan there are about 25 women and five children. 

The police and National Disaster Response Force have rushed Gandhi Maidan where the stampede has claimed 32 lives.

Those injured have been rushed to the Patna Medical College.

At least 32 people have been killed and 15 others are injured after a stampede broke out near the Gandhi Maidan in Patna after Dussehra celebrations this evening.

Officials say most of those who were killed were women and children.

More details are awaited.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter

Just in: Two people have been killed and 15 hurt in a stampede at Patna Gandhi maidan during Ravana dhan, when Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran are burnt in effigies. 

Massive crowd had gathered to watch the celebrations. Those injured have been rushed to the hospital 

A civilian has been killed and four others injured in firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Poonch district today, CNN-IBN reports.

Pakistani troops targeted Indian Forward Posts along the Line of Control in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on the third successive day on Friday, drawing retaliation from Indian troops.

"There was a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in the Poonch sector. Pakistani troops resorted to small arms and mortar shelling along the LoC in Sabjian around 14:00 hours," a senior army officer said. Indian troops effectively retaliated resulting in exchanges of gun fire which continued till 15:30 hours, he said. 

PM Modi witnesses the burning of Ravan effigy.  

Addressing the gathering at Subash Maidan, President Pranab Mukerjee greets the nation on the occasion of  Dussehra. "Celebration of Dussehra is the symbol of victory of good over evil," he said.

"Let us all work together for the progress of our nation and also maintain brotherhood in the country," he said.

PM and other dignitaries intently watch a skit that shows the final battle between Lord Ram and Ravana. After Ram's victory, chants of 'Shree Ram, Jay Ram' fill the air at Delhi's Subhash Maidan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukerjee release white doves at the Dussehra celebrations as a symbol of peace.

Don't miss the moment: PM Modi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan seen together at the Dussehra function in New Delhi. 

President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari too join the celebrations in Delhi's Subhash Maidan.

The PM will symbolically shoot an arrow at the Ravana effigy and it will then be set ablaze, which signifies the victory of good over evil.

The area in and around Subhash Maidan has been fortified. SPG and RAF haven been deployed. A no fly zone has been declared over the Red Fort.   

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Delhi's Subash Maidan to attend Dusshera festivities. Also, present with his are former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter

Former news editor at Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct tabloid News of the World today admitted to hacking phones of celebrities like Jude Law and Paul McCartney while at the newspaper, becoming the eight person to be convicted in connection with the case.

Ian Edmondson, 45, is likely to receive a custodial sentence after pleading guilty at the Old Bailey court in London. Edmondson illegally intercepted the voicemails of two home secretaries, ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and actors Jude Law and Sienna Miller.

He had been in the dock at the start of the eight-month trial which ended with his former boss Andy Coulson being jailed for 18 months but was excused due to ill health in December last year. A hearing in July established that Edmondson was fit to continue.

He has now admitted conspiring with colleagues and private detective Glenn Mulcaire to intercept private voicemails between October 3, 2000 and August 9, 2006.

During the phone-hacking trial, it emerged Edmondson had also hacked the voice mails of Coulson and former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks.

Impressed by the "energy and vigour" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the US despite being on fast, President Barack Obama has expressed his interest in yoga, officials have said.            

While the First Lady has been instrumental in introducing yoga inside the White House, Obama appeared to be very impressed by the energy and vigour shown by Modi when he hosted the latter over a private working dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on Monday.            

"They joked about the fact that the rest were eating and the prime minister (Modi) was fasting. The President expressed admiration for the energy and the vigour with which the PM was able to maintain this rigorous schedule on a diet of only warm water," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal told reporters.

The Kashmir issue never popped up during the discussion between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they met at the White House this week, senior US officials have said.   

Obama, however, supported Modi's efforts to invite leaders of the neighbouring countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and establish better relationshipwith them, administration officials said.   

"I'm almost 100 per cent sure that the word Kashmir actually did not come up (during Obama-Modi talks)," Phil Reiner, senior director for India at the National SecurityCouncil at the White House, told a select group of foreign correspondents in a media round table.   

He was responding to a question whether the Kashmir issue was discussed during the talks.

Four months after he assumed charge, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu today finally got an office to function from.   

On the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashami, Naidu today formally stepped into his official chamber on the 8th floor of L Block in the AP secretariat amid vedic chants.  

Only bureaucrats and a couple of advisors to the government accompanied the chief minister on the occasion. Ever since becoming the CM of the truncated state in June, Naidu had been operating from a temporary "camp office" in the Lake View Guest House as his office chamber in the secretariat had to be built afresh.

Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray is confident that his party (Shiv Sena) will manage to form a government in Maharashtra post the upcoming assembly elections even after its break-up with the BJP.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, the Sena's youth wing leader said that the BJP backstabbed the party .

"There were always elements in the BJP that wanted to break the alliance. The BJP and Shiv Sena always had arguments but never had fights. Once BJP's 'acche din' started, they did not want us. We were not treated well. We feel back stabbed. BJP backstabbed us in spite of rising to prominence because of us -- for the benefit of Maharashtra," he said.

Read the full interview here

Two Pakistani intruders have been arrested along the Line of  Control in Pallanwala and Sabjian forward areas of Jammu and Poonch districts respectively, a senior Army officer said today.

Troops guarding the LoC in Pallanwala forward area observed the movement of an infiltrating person yesterday, who was challenged by them, the official said. He tried to run away but was shot in his leg and later captured, he said adding, the 50-year-old man has not revealed his identity yet.

Pakistani currency and a key has been recovered from his possession.

Amid a controversy over the national broadcaster telecasting live a speech of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Doordarshan today said it was covered like any other news event and no special arrangements had been made.

"It was just like a news event to us. So we covered it," Doordarshan's director-general (news) Archana Dutta said, after the DD's hour-long live telecast of an RSS function for the first time came under attack from the Congress and the Left which accused the government of misusing the state broadcaster.   

She said that there was "no special arrangement" that had been made for the event and one of the several Digital Satellite News gathering vans that the broadcaster has in Maharashtra for coverage of the state elections was used for the event.

Describing the just concluded United States visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as extraordinarily successful, the White House has said that his meeting with President Barack Obama has re-energised the strategic relationship between the two largest democracies of the world.   

"In sum, I would say that the assessment on our part is that the Prime Minister's visit was extraordinarily successful. It has provided a boost in terms of the vision and focus that we have for our bilateral relations," Phil Reiner, senior director for India at the National Security Council, told a select group of foreign correspondents in Washington.   

"We're excited to be moving forward with a re-energised strategic partnership. The US continues to strongly support a prosperous India that plays an important role in the global stage, and I think the prime minister's visit really provided the opportunity for the two leaders to discuss that vision that's necessary in order to set the framework under which weare going to operate going forward," Reiner said.   

Modi met Obama at the White House this week and held talks on strengthening the bilateral ties.

Obama hosted Modi for a private dinner at the White House and the next day the two leaders met at the Oval Office. He also joined Modi when the latter visited the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial soon after their meeting.

Music legend K J Yesudas has suggested that women should avoid wearing jeans, saying it goes against Indian culture.

"Women should not cause trouble to others by wearing jeans... What should be covered should be covered," Yesudas said at a function organised as part of the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday.

The 74-year-old singer said jeans went against Indian culture which valued simplicity and amiability as the greatest qualities of women.

Amid row over the live telecast of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's speech on Doordarshan today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi to twitter to wish the Sangh.

"On the Sthapana Divas of RSS, I extend my good wishes to all Swayamsevaks." The right-wing, volunteer Hindu nationalist organisation was formed on Vijaya Dashami in 1925 in Nagpur.

"Mohan Bhagwat ji talked about important national issues in his speech. The issues of social reform that he raised are very relevant today," he said clearing showing his support to the RSS.

He also tweeted the summary of the speech.

The Congress today questioned Doordarshan's telecast of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's Vijaya Dashmi speech. Attacking the government senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid told Times NOW, "Its influence over the media is worrying."    

"DD is run by public money. So how is government using it to broadcast RSS Chief's speech? Very unfortunate," said Rashid Alvi of the Congress.

Bhagwat address to RSS workers was telecast for the first time live on Doordarshan this morning.

Historian and writer Ramchandra Guha said on Twitter: Heads of religious organizations: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, must not be patronized by state TV. They are free to run their private channels.

Here's what Bhagwat said in his speech today

India finishes #AsianGames2014 with 57 Medals (11 Gold, 9 Silver & 37 Bronze) ...In 2010 Asian Games we got 65 Medals with 14 Gold.

National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval met top American officials in Washington and discussed issues like security cooperation, international terrorism and terror finance, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama agreed to enhance Indo-US strategic ties.   

Doval yesterday met US Secretary of State John Kerry and held talks with his American counterpart Susan Rice. "The meeting built on discussions held during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US and covered issues such as defence cooperation, international terrorism, terrorism finance, and law enforcement cooperation," State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters.  

Observing that this meeting was an important step in reinforcing our shared resolve, Psaki said that US-India joint statement issued after meeting between Obama and Modi reflected on their expanding co-operation to bolster national, regional and global security.

Facing the prospect of a ban, Indian boxer L Sarita Devi today offered an "unconditional apology' for refusing to accept her bronze medal during the Asian Games presentation ceremony, the International Boxing Association has said.

In a statement issued in Lausanne, the AIBA has said that the boxer has regretted her actions. "The Head of the Indian Mission at the Incheon Asian Games 2014 Mr Adille J Sumariwalla has forwarded to the President of the International Boxing Association Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, a letter of apology of woman boxer Sarita Laishram Devi (57-60kg) who had refused to receive the bronze medal at the Award Ceremony for the 17th Asian Games,' the AIBA said in a statement.

Devi expressed 'an unconditional apology' for her 'emotional outburst' at the ceremony, writing that 'I regret and apologise. Such an incident will never re-occur in the future',' it added.

A disconsolate Sarita had refused to accept her bronze medal during the medal ceremony to protest her controversial semifinal loss to South Korean Jina Park. Sarita (60kg) had lost the bout despite dominating the proceedings.

The Indian kabaddi team -- both men's and women's -- claimed a gold medal each today to take India to 6th spot in the medals tally in the Asia Games.

Indian women staged a strong second half performance to get the better of a fighting Iran 31-21 to retain the Asian Games kabaddi gold at the Songdo University Gymnasium.

India led 15-11 at the halfway stage of the 30-minute final but then put up a determined show in the second half to maintain their supremacy in women's kabaddi for the second edition running, having clinched gold when the event made its debut four years ago in Guangzhou.

Addressing the nation his his first radio speech, the PM also took up suggestions sent to him by the aam janata. "On mail, lot of people wrote to me that children should begin skill development courses at a very young age. This is a good suggestion. Some wrote to me that we should have more dustbins. This is also a good point."

"I welcome you to write and share your thoughts with me, together let us serve India and take our Nation to new heights. If everyone takes one step forward, the country will take 125 crores steps forward," he said.

In his first radio address, 'Man ki Baat', which was broadcast on the state-owned All India Radio, Prime Minister Modi said: Today is Vijay Dashmi, I wish you all.

He promised that he "will try to speak to you once or twice a month on Sundays at 11 am."

PM Modi urged the nation to purchase khadi to help the poor financially. "Buy at least one khadi article."

"Yesterday we began the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. I have invited nine people for the campaign. I want everyone to join this campaign."

"We have to understand ourselves better and integrate our strengths. We are not lacking in strength. This nation does not belong to the government alone, this nation belongs to everyone."

"We need to implement schemes for differently-abled children."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes his maiden address on radio on the occasion of  Dusshera.

Today is the celebration of good over evil, says Modi.