LIVE! 5 killed in landslide on Amarnath Yatra route

LIVE

Tue, 03 July 2018

5 killed in landslide on Amarnath Yatra route

Timeline Refresh

23:36 5 killed in landslide on Amarnath Yatra route

Five people were killed and three others suffered injures in a landslide on the Baltal route of the Amarnath Yatra in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir tonight, police said.

"A landslide hit between Railpatri and Brarimarg on the Baltal route," a police official said.

He said five people -- four men and a woman -- were killed, while three others were injured.

He said the identities of the deceased and the injured were yet to be ascertained and the bodies were being brought to the Baltal base hospital.

Police and other security forces and rescue agencies were on the job, the official said, adding medical response teams were fully alert.

Earlier, a minor flash flood hit the car parking of the Baltal base camp, but there were no casualties. -- PTI

Image for representation only.

Hours after Uttar Pradesh Minister of State Mohsin Raza claimed that the state government might 'soon propose a new dress code' for madarsa students, his senior ministerial colleague rejected the statement, saying that 'the government has not formed any new policy' in this regard.

Cabinet minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary tonight tweeted, 'Madarso mein dress code ko lekar sarkar ne koi nayi niti nirdharit nahi ki hai. Iss vishay ko lekar vibhaag ka koi mat nahi hai (The government has not formed any new policy pertaining to the dress code of the madrassas. On this issue, there is no view of the department).'

Chaudhary is the Cabinet Minister for Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj. -- PTI

A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator's son who was caught on camera thrashing a car driver presented himself before the police today, tendering an apology over the road rage incident which embarrassed the party in Rajasthan.

Hours earlier, the Bhanswara MLA had apologised on his son's behalf over the incident which took place a month ago.

"The victim submitted in writing that as MLA Dhan Singh Rawat's son has apologised for the incident he does not want to lodge a complaint against him," Banswara Kotwali SHO Shaitan Singh said.

The police had summoned the legislator's son Rajveer Rawat and the victim for questioning, Banswara superintendent of police Kaluram Rawat said.

No police complaint has been lodged by the victim after the incident last month. But the party faced embarrassment after the video clip of the violence surfaced recently on social media.

The MLA initially called it a 'petty matter', which would be settled by the 'children' themselves.

But he withdrew his remarks today as the clip went viral.

"I am in favour of action being taken in the matter. It is a serious matter and not a matter among children. I apologise on behalf of my son and seek an apology from the people of Banswara," the MLA said.

Rawat said he will also ask his son to 'surrender' before the police.

On June 1, Rawat's son had pulled a man driving a car out of his vehicle in Bansara's Vidhyut Colony area, the video appeared to show.

He and his aides are then seen thrashing the driver, allegedly for not giving way to his car.

Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria assured that the matter would be looked into.

Kataria said it would be investigated and the VIP status of the man's father will not come in the way of justice. -- PTI

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today strongly condemned the vicious trolling of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj over the issuance of passport to an interfaith couple.

He is the third Union minister to speak out in support of Swaraj after Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari.

'I strongly condemn the shameful trolling campaign against Smt Shushma Swaraj Ji. She is a very senior Parliamentarian and We must respect each other,' the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution tweeted.

Later, at a national executive meet of the party's farmers' cell, when asked about the trolling issue, the Lok Janshakti Party leader said the use of such language against Swaraj was wrong.

Swaraj had been liking posts of trolls who have been targeting her on the passport controversy, as part of her unique protests.

She had also conducted a poll on Twitter on Sunday asking users whether they 'approve' of such trolling to which 57 per cent respondents had said they oppose it, while 43 per cent supported the trolls.

Swaraj has been targeted by the trolls following the transfer of Passport Seva Kendra official in Lucknow, Vikas Mishra, for allegedly humiliating the interfaith couple.

Mishra was transferred from Lucknow to Gorakhpur after the couple alleged that he humiliated them when they went to the office with their passport applications.

The Congress has been attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party for not coming out in support of the External Affairs Minister.

Yesterday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the trolling of Swaraj was wrong.

Today, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari too came out in support of Swaraj.

When the controversy had broken out, Swaraj was on an official visit to France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

'I was out of India from 17th to 23rd June 2018. I do not know what happened in my absence. However, I am honoured with some tweets. I am sharing them with you. So I have liked them,' she had tweeted on June 24.

On Sunday, after the twitter poll, she had posted, 'In a democracy, difference of opinion is but natural. Pls do criticise but not in foul language. Criticism in decent language is always more effective.' -- PTI

The government today directed WhatsApp to take urgent steps to prevent spread of 'irresponsible and explosive messages' through its platform amid recent cases of lynching provoked by posts circulated on popular messaging apps.

Conveying its deep disapproval to the top brass of WhatsApp, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) stated that the Facebook-owned company 'cannot evade accountability and responsibility', according to an official statement.

The warning to WhatsApp comes in the wake of a spate of incidents involving lynching of innocent people because of certain 'fake and motivated' messages being circulated on the widely used messaging app.

Terming the 'unfortunate killings' in states like Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal as 'deeply painful and regrettable', the IT Ministry said the abuse of platforms like WhatsApp 'for repeated circulation of such provocative content' is a matter of deep concern.

'MEITY has taken serious note of these irresponsible messages and their circulation in such platforms. Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/ sensational messages,' the statement said.

The government directed the company to immediately contain the spread of such messages through application of appropriate technology, even as law and order machinery takes steps to apprehend the culprits.

Noting that miscreants were repeatedly circulating provocative messages triggering a spate of violence, it said the government has 'conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities'.

Over the past few months, there have been a number of instances where mobs were instigated by fake WhatsApp messages.

One such incident took place in a village in Dhule district of Maharashtra, where five people were lynched to death by villagers who reportedly suspected them of being child-lifters.

According to police, there had been rumours that a gang of child lifters was active in the area. -- PTI

After introducing modern education in madrasas, the Yogi Adityanath government has mooted a new dress code for madrasa students to end their 'demarcation' from other school pupils.

The state government is yet to disclose the new dress code for madrasa students, but said it might also fund it.

"The aim of the UP government is to bring madrasas at par with other educational institutions in every sense. Till now, students in madrasas have been wearing 'kurta-payjamas' but now this dress code will make it more formal... We might also try to meet the expenses," said State Minister for Muslim Waqf and Haj Mohsin Raza in Lucknow today.

Stressing that it is only the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments which have doing justice with the minorities, the minister said the other political parties have been considering them as only a vote-bank.

Raza said the current dressing style of madarsa students reflects a clear demarcation between them and the students of other schools which will come to an end now.

The state government has already gone ahead with its plans to introduce NCERT books in the madrasas of Uttar Pradesh in a bid to bring their students at par with their counterparts in other schools and to modernise the education in madarsas affiliated to the State Madarsa Board.

"Till now, students in madrasas wear white kurta-pyjama, which reflects a particular faith. We will very soon propose a new dress code for them," the minister said. He, however, refused to elaborate as to what the new dress code would be.

"Our intentions are absolutely clear as we work with transparency and believe in sabka saath, sabka vikas," he said adding that the prime minister wanted to integrate the Muslim society with the country's mainstream with a Quran in one hand and a laptop in the other.

"Madarsa students are already availing religious education, we are not going to hamper it, we are only going to impart them social education to integrate them with the country's mainstream and help them go to the IIMs or the IITs and clear competitive examinations," he said. -- PTI

Incidents of lynching triggered by rumours claimed 10 lives in 14 incidents in Maharashtra during the last one-and-a-half months, the police said Mumbai today.

In the latest incident, five persons were lynched by a mob in Dhule district on Sunday on the suspicion of being child-lifters, sending shock waves through the state.

In the wake of the horrific crime, police decided to compile data of lynchings so as to devise a preventive strategy, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Bihari told PTI.

Incidents of lynching were reported from Aurangabad, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nashik, Beed, Parbhani, Nanded, Latur, Gondia and Chandrapur districts, he said.

In all these cases, local people set upon strangers on the suspicion, fuelled by social media, that they may be either child-lifters or were moving around with the intentionof committing theft, he said.

"We are witnessing such kind of incidents for the last one-and-a-half months. Apart from ten deaths, 18 persons were injured in these attacks, including, in some cases, thepolicemen who tried to save victims from the mob," he said.

Over 60 persons were arrested in these cases, he added.

Police have appealed to people not to believe rumours circulating on social media, the senior IPS official said.

"We have also issued an advisory and asked police personnel to take measures to prevent such incidents and protect innocent lives," he said.

"People (who resort to violence) must understand that aggression of a few moments will ruin their lives forever (as they will end up facing criminal cases).

"We have ordered the SPs (superintendents of police) and CPs (commissioners of police) to register cases under section 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of IPCagainst the members of lynch mobs," he said.

Asking people not to take law in their hands, he said if they find any suspicious person, they should inform police.

In the July 1 lynching incident in Dhule, where five members of a nomadic tribe were killed on the suspicion of being child lifters, 23 persons were arrested and remandedto police custody, said M Raj Kumar, district SP. -- PTI

20:12 Shimla receives highest rainfall in 68 years

Heavy rains continued to lash most parts of Himachal Pradesh, with Shimla recording the highest rainfall in a day in the last 68 years, the Meteorological (MeT) department said.

"As per the rainfall recorded today, Shimla witnessed 118.6 mm rains during the last 24 hours. This is the highest rainfall in the city in a day in the last 68 years as per the data available with our department since 1951," Met department director Manmohan Singh told PTI.

"The previous highest rainfall in Shimla was at 108.4 mm, recorded on April, 15, 2005," he said. The weatherman said that the rainfall in Shimla occurred due the formation of tall cumulonimbus clouds and moisture incursion from both the Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal.

"When monsoon shifts from south to north close to foothills, such heavy rain occurs," he said.

Heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in Bilaspur, Solan, Sirmaur and Una districts.

During the last 24 hours, 109 mm rain was recorded in Dharampur followed by Berthin 93, Jhandutta 85, Bharwain 74, Pachhad 72, Baijnath and Kahu 68 each, Bilaspur-65, Kasauli-60, Arki- 52, Banjar 48, Dehra Gopipur, Mandi and Gohar-45 each, Ghumarwain and Bangana-44 each, Naina Devi-40, Aghar-39, Solan and Sarkaghat and Sunnibhaji-27 each, Amb-25, Gaggal-24, Paonta Sahib, Rajgarh and Jogindernagar 22 mm each. Rainfall is likely to occur at isolated parts of the state tomorrow, Singh said, adding that scattered rains will take place in the state from July 5 to 7. -- PTI

The road overbridge (ROB) that collapsed on the railway tracks in Mumbai's Andheri today was last inspected in November, 2017, an official said.

"The audit was done in November, 2017 as a part of the routine inspection. No structural flaw was found in the audit," Ravinder Bhakar, spokesperson, Western Railway, said.

The structure was one of the 2,000 bridges and 550 ROBs that were thoroughly inspected last year, railway officials said.

All the bridges are inspected at least twice a year -- before the monsoon and after the monsoon -- they said, adding that some of the structures are inspected more frequently, depending on their condition.

While it is not clear what led to the incident, the Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS), Western Circle has been entrusted with carrying out a probe by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

The railways has set a target of inspecting 10,000 bridges and 2,870 ROBs at least once over a period five years.

The officials said after a foot overbridge (FOB) collapsed at the Elphinstone Road station in Mumbai in September last year, killing 23 people, all the FOBs in the Mumbai suburban area were inspected by the Western Railways and the Central Railways.

The railways had a total of 1,47,523 bridges in the country, including 2,870 ROBs, 3,422 FOBs, road underbridges (RUBs) and subways, as of April. -- PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's wife Latha in connection with non-payment of money to an advertising agency.

The apex court quizzed as to why Latha did not pay Rs 6.20 crores to the Ad Bureau Advertising Pvt Ltd.

The case pertains to selling the rights of the movie Kochadaiiyaan, when the tussle between Ad Bureau, Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited and Latha Rajinikanth.

The ad firm had alleged that they had lent money to Latha when the post-production of Kochadaiiyaan was underway.

On February 20, the apex court gave a 12-week deadline to the actor's wife to pay up the amount.

Later, the Ad Bureau filed a petition alleging that they were brought on board to help with the post-production work of Kochadaiiyaan and loaned an amount of Rs 10 crores to complete the film.

However, Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd sold the Tamil Nadu distribution rights to Eros International without consulting Ad Bureau.

On July 8, 2016, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Latha Rajinikanth on a plea by the Ad Bureau Advertising Pvt Ltd over the selling rights of the historical fiction epic released in 2014.

Railway minister Piyush Goyal announces a Rs 5 lakh award to the motorman who saved lives during the Andheri bridge collapse.

The hero of his story is Chandrashekhar Sawant, a motorman, who ensured the safety of passengers inside his train.

According to a report by Zee News, on noticing that a portion of the over-bridge was coming down, Sawant slammed the brakes to ensure the local train was not caught under the debris.

Speaking to Zee News, Sawant says, "It was a regular day when I suddenly noticed that the bridge ahead was beginning to fall. My instant reaction was to hit the emergency brakes." Sawant, who has been employed with the Railways since 1997, managed to bring his train to a complete halt just short of the bridge.

While five pedestrians got trapped under the debris and were injured, the scale of the incident could have been far more tragic had even a single compartments of the train passed under the bridge.

17:13 WR services fully operational tonight: Goyal

Railway minister Piyush Goyal at the site of the foot overbridge in Andheri which collapsed this morning.

Goyal said it was an unfortunate incident and the government has ordered an inquiry into it. "The Commissioner of Rail Safety will give a report in 15 days. The five people who were injured will be given an ad hoc compensation of Rs 1 lakh and the expenses of their treatment will be borne by the railways," he said. A safety audit of 445 railway bridges will also be carried out, the minister added.

Goyal said that two lines on the Western Railway will be operational by 8 pm, while all lines will be operational by night. As of now, services between Bandra and Goregaon are suspended, while Harbour Line trains on the Western Railway between Andheri and CST have resumed.

A road overbridge collapsed on rail tracks in Mumbais suburban Andheri amid heavy rains this morning which had brought local services of the Western Railway to a halt and affecting some long distance trains, an official said. Five people were injured in the incident, the Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation said, adding that two of them were seriously hurt.

Image: Railway minister Piyush Goyal at the site of the FOB crash at Andheri.

As heavy rains threw the normal life out of gear in the city, Mumbai University has announced that those who missed the examinations today can reappear later. The schedule of fresh exams will be announced soon, the varsity said in a statement. Incessant rains have been lashing the metropolis since morning. Collapse of a road over-bridge in Andheri crippled the Western Railway's local train services. -- PTI

In an interview to Swarajya magazine on 30 June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the challenges faced by the National Democratic Alliance government when it took over from the United Progressive Alliance in 2014. Read the second and final part of the interview.

And more on Ms Swaraj.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the ministry has requested the Government of Nepal to provide their army helicopters in evacuating stranded Indian nationals along the route of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

"We have requested Government of Nepal for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indian nationals. #IndiansStrandedInNepal," Swaraj said on Twitter.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said that the Indian Embassy in Nepal has deployed representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot to provide help to the stranded pilgrims at Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

"Indian Embassy in Nepal has deployed representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot. They are touch with the pilgrims and ensuring that food and lodging facilities are available to all the pilgrims," Swaraj said.

The minister also confirmed that about 525 pilgrims are stranded in Simikot, 550 in Hilsa and another 500 in Tibet side.

"Indian pilgrims stranded in Nepal - There are about 525 pilgrims stranded in Simikot, 550 in Hilsa and another 500 in Tibet side. #IndiansStrandedInNepal," she said on Twitter.

She further assured people that the concerned officials are in constant touch with the pilgrims while also ensuring that food and lodging facilities should be available to all.

Meanwhile, a proper medical help is being provided to the needy in Simikot, she added. "In Simikot a health check up has been done on all the elderly pilgrims. They are being provided required medical help. In Hilsa we have requested police authorities for necessary assistance," she added.

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu has assured all possible support to pilgrims stranded in Nepal following a heavy downpour. The embassy has stationed its representatives in Nepal's Nepalganj and Simikot, who are personally in touch with all the stranded pilgrims and have ensured arrangements for best possible stay and availability of food and water.

According to the sources, the local airlines operating in the route have been requested to ensure availability of extra aircrafts to have maximum possible sorties as soon as the weather clears up so that all stranded pilgrims can be taken back home.

The mission is also looking at the possibility of helicopter evacuation for critical cases.

Nearly 250 pilgrims from Karnataka are stranded in Nepal's Simikot after heavy rains caused landslips along the route of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

A tourist from Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district, Granthi Subbarao, passed away in Nepal's Hilsa. His body is being brought to Nepalgunj. The body will be sent to his hometown in AP after a post mortem.

Thousands of Indian pilgrims take part in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra every year via Nepal in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China ahead of monsoon season.

The tour is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs each year between June and September in cooperation with the government of People's Republic of China through two different routes - Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).

Image: Two commercial flights landed at Simikot to rescue 525 pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra stranded in the area. Pic: ANI

Only one of two ministers in PM Narendra Modi's cabinet to have found their voice and lent their support to colleague Sushma Swaraj over the the incessant and rabid trolling is Nitin Gadkari.

Speaking to ANI today, the Road Transport & Highways minister today said, "This is very unfortunate. She wasn't present in the country when this decision was taken. She has no connection with it and the decision isn't wrong either."

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also came out in support of Swaraj calling the trolling "wrong".

The Foreign Minister has been at the brunt of vicious attacks on Twitter over her ministry's clearance for the passport of a Hindu-Muslim couple. Several days after the incident, the abuse on Twitter hasn't let up.

Today Swaraj, who is known for her wit and instant comebacks on social media, respondend to Sonam Mahajan
@AsYouNotWish who tweeted, "Yeh good governance dene aaye the. Yeh lo bhai, achhe din aa gaye hain. @SushmaSwaraj ji, I was once a fan and fought against those who abused you, ab aap please, mujhe bhi block kar ke, inaam dijiye. Intezaar rahegaa."

@SushmaSwaraj replied with a spiffy, "Intezaar kyon? Lijiye block kr diya."

Tanvi Seth and Anas Siddiqui had complained to the minister last month that they were humiliated by an officer when they went to renew a passport. Tanvi said she was asked to change her name; her husband said he was asked to change his religion. The couple did get their passport and the official was transferred by the ministry.

On Sunday, Swaraj tweeted, "In a democracy, difference of opinion is but natural. Pls do criticise but not in foul language. Criticism in decent language is always more effective."

14:48 Andheri's Harbour line tracks restored

Update on the foot overbridge collapse at Andheri. Harbour line tracks near Andheri have been restored. Railways is working to reinstate all remaining railway sections too.

14:38 Mira Road ticket office on fire

Sounds Apocalyptic, but news coming in now of a fire at a suburban train ticket booking office at Mira Road. No reports of anybody injured.

Putting the onus on states to check cow vigilantism, the Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on pleas seeking directions to formulate guidelines to curb such violence, saying no one can take law into their hands.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said this was a law and order issue and each state has to be responsible.

The bench said it will pass an order on the pleas. During the hearing, the bench observed that the instances of vigilantism was actually mob violence, which is a crime.

Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha said the Centre was alive to the situation and trying to deal with it. He said the main concern was maintaining law and order.

The bench said nobody can take law into their hands and the onus was on the state governments to prevent such incidents.

On September 6 last year, the apex court had asked all the states to take stern measures to stop violence in the name of cow protection, including appointing of senior police officers as nodal officer in every district within a week and acting promptly to check cow vigilantes from behaving like they are "law unto themselves".

The apex court had sought response from Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments on a plea seeking contempt action for not following its order to take stern steps to stop violence in the name of cow vigilantism, today led the Supreme Court to seek responses from the three states.

The contempt petition has been filed by Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, saying the three states have not complied with the top court order of September 6 last year. -- PTI

Image: A protester at the #Notinmyname rallies against lynchings in the name of cow protection.

Heavy rain, flooded roads, a bridge collapse and now a double-decker bus that crashed into an overhead height restriction barrier at the Western Express Highway near Vakola. Half the roof of the bus was scraped off, but miraculously not a single passenger has been injured.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has ordered an inquiry over the collapse of a foot overbridge on the Western Railway tracks in Mumbai.

Two passers-by were reportedly injured in the incident, civic sources said.
It is suspected that some people are trapped under the debris of the collapsed overbridge, a senior fire brigade official said, adding that a search and rescue operation is underway.

Office-goers bore the maximum brunt of the incident as many of them could not reach their work places.

'Rajmata' of the erstwhile Marwar principality and former MP, Krishna Kumari, passed away here early today, a representative of the royal family said. She was 92.

Krishna Kumari was admitted to a private hospital in Jodhpur on Sunday after she suffered a cardiac arrest.

"Her condition had began showing signs of improvement but she suffered a cardiac arrest again on Monday night which proved fatal and she breathed her last around 1.00 am today," a doctor said.

She is survived by two daughters - former Jodhpur MP Chandresh Kumari and Shailesh Kumari - and a son Gaj Singh, erstwhile ruler of Marwar and ex-Rajya Sabha member.

"The funeral will take place at the royal cremation ground, Jaswant Thada, at 4 pm," a representative of the royal family, Rajendra Singh, told PTI.

"Before this, her body will be placed at Umaid Palace for public to pay tribute to their Rajmata," he said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her predecessor Ashok Gahlot will attend the funeral, sources said. -- PTI

11:48 30 goats killed in hyena attack in UP

In the other India, 30 goats were killed in a suspected hyena attack at Jolla village in Muzaffarnagar, police said today. The incident came to light today after farmer Hafiz Munfed reported the matter at the Budhana police station, they said. The goats were killed last night. The injuries on their necks indicate that the goats were killed by an animal, suspected to be hyenas, Sub Divisional Magistrate Kumar Bhupender said. The Tehsildar has visited the spot and found paw marks, he said. -- PTI

11:45

Senior Gujarat Congress MLA and OBC leader Kunwarji Bavaliya resigns from party; likely to join BJP: Sources.

11:42 Over 1,500 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims from India stranded in Nepal

Over 1,500 Indian pilgrims, undertaking Kailash Mansarovar yatra, have been stranded in mountainous region in Nepal near Tibet due to inclement weather and India has sought assistance from Kathmandu to evacuate them. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said about 525 pilgrims are stranded in Simikot, 550 in Hilsa and another 500 are stuck in Tibet side.

She said India has requested the Nepal government for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indian nationals. In a series of tweets, Swaraj said India has set up hotlines for pilgrims and their family members who will be provided information in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages.

The pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibetan region of China is considered holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Every year, hundreds of Indians undertake the 'yatra' which involves trekking under inhospitable conditions.

"Indian Embassy in Nepal has deployed representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot. They are in touch with the pilgrims and ensuring that food and lodging facilities are available to all the pilgrims," Swaraj said.

In Simikot, the minister said, a health check up has been carried out on all the elderly pilgrims and they are being provided required medical help. "In Hilsa we have requested police authorities for necessary assistance," she said.

Sources said the Indian Embassy in Nepal have asked all tour operators to try and hold pilgrims back in Tibet side as far as possible since the medical and civic facilities on Nepal side are inadequate. They said the mission is looking at various alternatives to evacuate the stranded people from Simikot, including through separate routes. -- PTI

The Supreme Court today declined urgent listing of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking enforcement of his fundamental right to worship at the disputed Ram temple at Ayodhya and asked him to mention it again "later on".

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered Swamy's submission for urgent listing and hearing of his petition relating to the dispute.

"You mention it later on," the bench said. Swamy said the term "later on" was very subjective and added that he would mention his plea for hearing after 15 days again.

The apex court had refused urgent listing of Swamy's plea for enforcement of his fundamental right to worship at Ram temple earlier as well. -- PTI

11:25 Tharoor moves court seeking anticipatory bail

In the world outside Mumbai, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has moved the Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. The Patiala House court said it will take up his plea at 10 am tomorrow.

Tharoor's counsel told ANI, "SIT categorically stated in a chargesheet that the probe is concluded and no custodial interrogation of any person is required. The law is very clear that if the chargesheet is filed without arrest, bail is inevitable. Matter fixed for consideration at 10 am tomorrow."

Tharoor has been summoned by the trial court on July 7 as an accused in the case. He is charged with abetting the suicide of his wife and subjecting here to cruelty. Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in May naming Tharoor as an accused. Pushkar, according to the chargesheet, killed herself by overdosing on antidepressant pills.

11:11

The site of the bridge collapse at Andheri. Pic: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

11:05

Another image of Sion station.

11:04 Parts of CR go under

If Western Railway commuters woke up to a suspended services, Central Railway commuters woke up to submerged rail tracks. As is the norm, rail tracks get flooded at and near Kurla, Sion and Matunga stations and services come to a halt.

The CR, to its credit, kept services running on all corridors. In a tweet, @Central_Railway said there is some delay due to heavy rains. "We are consciously reducing number of rakes in non peak time to avoid marooning and to avoid bunching. Services will continue on local line."

Image: Nearly submerged rail tracks at Sion station.

10:54 Bridge collapse: WR services partially resume

Andheri bridge collapse: A NDRF team with a dog squad is present at the spot. Two people have been rescued from under the debris so far. A total of six people have been injured even as rescue operation are underway.

Train services on the Western Railway, which had come to a complete halt after the footover bridge collapsed this morning, have partially resumed. Trains are running between Churchgate and Bandra and Virar and Goregaon.

The Western Railway, in a tweet, has requested commuters to travel on WR only when very necessary. "Limited services being run between Borivali-Goregaon. However, 18 extra buses have been arranged from Borivali for south Mumbai. More extra buses being arranged.Trains working bet Virar-Borivali ," @WesternRly said in a tweet.

The WR has also been distributing food packets and water bottles for stranded passengers in long-distance trains.

No casualties were immediately reported. Overhead Equipment have been damaged and a team of engineers have swung into action to restore it, chief PRO of Western Railway Ravinder Bhakar told PTI.

" Our officers have reached to the spot and accessing the situation," he said. An official from Disaster Management Unit said that fire brigade jawans and other agencies have been mobilised to clear the debris.

"Around 7.30 am, the part of East Western Railway FOB fell down towards Andheri east station. Fire brigade, Mumbai police and ward staff have rushed to the spot," said the official adding no casualty was reported so far.

He also said that it seems that incessant rain caused cracks in the FOB, which later resulted in the collapse. Thankfully, no train was passing beneath the track," he added.

Meanwhile, the stoppage of the Western Railway suburban services have paralysed the city. Prashant Ghag, who works in media house at Fort said, "When I reached Borivili to board a Churchgate bound train, I came to know that all the lines of Western Railway have come to halt. Therefore, finding no alternate means of commute in such a rainy season, I had to return at my home." Dabbawalas, who supply Tiffin boxes to the working professionals, have also expressed their inability to work today, as the all the four lines of the Western Railway suburban services have come to halt. -- PTI

Image: A NDRF team at the bridge collapse site.

10:17

Heavy rains in Mumbai has caused water-logging in various parts, including Matunga.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter

10:12 Mumbai bridge collapse: Rains hampering efforts to remove debris

The NDRF has been pressed into action to aid efforts to remove the debris after a footover bridge near Andheri station collapsed early this morning.

Mahesh Nalavade Deputy Commander says, "NDRF has a 40 member team. Our major problem is the heavy rain. We can't remove debris through machines. It has to be done manually."

According to reports, water has accumulated on the railway tracks at Vikhroli, Kurla, Sion stations.

Senior Railway officials claim train services between Bandra-Goregaon are unlikely to resume before 3 pm as wires have been damaged due to the collapse,

Meanwhile, The Mumbai traffic police has issued the following advisory: "Commuters might face traffic congestion on roads leading to the airport. Request to keep it in mind to ensure one reaches on time for their flights."

10:02 1 killed, 2 injured in wall collapse in Thane

A 35-year-old man was killed and two other persons were seriously injured when the compound wall of a housing society collapsed amid heavy rains in Thane, an official said today.

The 30-ft long compound wall of the society, located in Patlipada area on the city's Ghodbunder Road, collapsed on houses situated in the vicinity around midnight yesterday, Thane Municipal Corporation's Regional Disaster Management

Cell chief Santosh Kadam said.

One person, identified as Prakash Sakharam Wavale, died on the spot, he said.

A 29-year-old woman and a 10-year-old boy sustained serious injuries and were admitted to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, he said.

Four houses located next to the compound wall suffered damages, Kadam said, adding that five houses near the mishap site were evacuated.

As a precautionary measure, the remaining portion of the compound wall, which could pose a danger to people living in the vicinity, was demolished by the civic and fire brigade personnel, he said.

-- PTI

One person has been rescued from the debris after a bridge collapsed in Mumbai near Andheri station.

NDRF officials have been quoted by NDTV as saying that there are no others trapped in the debris.

Early Tuesday morning, a part of the Gokhale bridge in Andheri -- that connects the east to west -- collapsed, leaving thousands of commuters stranded owing to train services on the Western line being suspended.

Railway officials have clarified that trains between Churchgate to Bandra and Virar to Goregaon are working, but services between Bandra and Goregaon have been cancelled.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded for the first time to an allegation of sexual misconduct dating back almost two decades, saying he does not recall any "negative interactions" on the day in question.

The avowed feminist was asked on Sunday to comment on allegations that he had groped a journalist during a music festival in the western city of Creston, British Columbia in 2000.

He was speaking to reporters in the central city of Regina on Canada's national day.

"I remember that day in Creston well, it was an Avalanche Foundation event to support avalanche safety," he said.

"I had a good day that day," he added. "I don't remember any negative interactions that day at all." Trudeau became involved with the charity after his younger brother Michel died during an avalanche in 1998.

A few days after the festival, an unsigned editorial appeared in the Creston Valley Advance which alleged Trudeau, who was 28-year-old at the time and not involved in politics, had apologised to the reporter in question.

It also quoted him as saying "I would not have been so forward" had he known she was a reporter.

The article did not name the journalist and did not provide further details about the alleged incident.

As the mystery deepened over the deaths of 11 members of a family in north Delhi's Burari locality, the relatives insisted that they were killed and it was not a case of suicide.

The relatives said the Bhatia family was gearing up for the wedding of Priyanka who got engaged last month. She was among those found dead at the house yesterday.

Police are investigating whether the 11 members of the family, aged between 15 and 77 years, killed themselves as part of a suicide pact, after they found handwritten notes from the house, which indicated a "religious or spiritual angle" to the deaths.

The handwritten notes stated "the human body is temporary and one can overcome fear by covering their eyes and mouth".

Sujata Nagpal, the daughter of the 77-year-old Narayan Devi found dead on the floor, said the media was speculating things and circulating suicide theories.

"I used to speak to my mother every alternate day. Everything was going fine within our family. We are a well educated family and do not believe in babas. It is not a case of suicide. The media has been speculating things and publishing wrong information that my family members committed suicide," she said.

Devi's niece Geeta Thakral suspected that someone from outside the family was involved in the deaths. She came to know about the incident at 6.30 pm yesterday.

"They were religious like any other normal family. After hearing about various cases involving babas and tantriks, our family hardly believed in them.

"The family business was going fine. There was no fight within the family. They were busy with wedding preparations. They were all happy. So why would they commit suicide at all," she asked.

-- PTI

A part of a footover bridge has collapsed at Mumbai's Andheri area around 7.30 am.

No casualties have been reported.

As of now, all trains have been stopped on the western line.

Four fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. An official from the Mumbai Fire Brigade has said, "It's part of Gokhale bridge that connects Andheri east & Andhari west. We are at the spot & trying to check with the locals if some one is missing as they might be trapped under the debris."

Mumbai in has been recieving continuous heavy rains since Monday evening. The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain in parts of Mumbai and Thane on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. The IMD said rainfall is expected through the week.

The heavy rains have once again left Mumbaikars vulnerable with reports of water-logging slow traffic movement being reported from several parts of the city. Overflowing drains are only adding to the problem as Mumbai wakes up to another rainy day.

08:39

Another update from Western Railway: Services between Churchgate and Bandra and from Goregaon to Virar have resumed.

However, services between Bandra and Goregaon have been suspended until further information

08:36

Another visual of the bridge that has collapsed in Mumbai's Andheri area.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter

08:13

JUST IN: Part of a bridge collapses in Mumbai's suburban area of Andheri West; 4 fire brigade vehicles have been rushed to the spot.

More details awaited.

00:04 Sushma Swaraj is a victim of BJP's 'Frankenstein's Monster', says Congress

The Congress today alleged that Union minister Sushma Swaraj was a victim of the "Frankenstein's Monster" the BJP created, as it condemned her trolling on Twitter on a day when opposition party leader Priyanka Chaturvedi was threatened on the microblogging site with rape of her 10-year-old daughter.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said while he had condemned Swaraj's trolling by tweeting in her favour, no BJP leader had come out in her support.

"Anybody who creates a Frankenstein Monster must remember that (it)...swallow you up. Anybody who rides a tiger must know that the tiger has to decide when to eat you up, you cannot decide as to when to dismount. This is a tiger put beneath Ms Sushma Swaraj by the party to which she belongs," Singhvi said.

"She cannot say so - let me say on her behalf. She is the victim of the Frankenstein Monster and the tiger which her party and her party's thinking has created... How many of her party colleagues have condemned it? The Congress has condemned it?" he told reporters.

Singhvi also raised the issue of Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi being trolled in the "worst" manner.

"It does not matter whether it is Priyanka Chaturvedi or Sushma Swaraj. The point is - is this the India we want to live in? We had social media earlier also... social media was not invented four years ago... Tomorrow it will bite you," he said. -- PTI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES