Indian police have arrested five men accused of conducting a human sacrifice in a temple in Assam. In 2019, the headless body of a woman was found in Guwahati, leading to an investigation.
Shanti Shaw, 64, was beheaded with a machete at the temple as an “offering” to the temple goddess, police said.
“The five people planned the killing of the woman,” police commissioner Diganta Barah said while talking to the media on Tuesday. “A total of 12 people took part,” he added.
He continued by saying, “During investigation, we found this was a case of human sacrifice to please Maa Kamakhya (a Hindu goddess)”. The commissioner added that the alleged ringleader, Pradeep Pathak, 52, had orchestrated the killing as part of a religious rite to mark the anniversary of his brother’s death.
“The accused apparently believed that the sacrifice would appease the soul of the deceased,” he added.
Between 2014 and 2021, 103 instances of human sacrifice were reported to India’s National Crime Records Bureau.
Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are actively promoting their upcoming film Brahmastra as the release date draws closer. There have been calls for the boycott of Brahmastra as well for different reasons. Whether it is Karan Johar’s backing of the film or Alia Bhatt’s controversial comments in a recent interview, the movie has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Recently internet users dug out an old Ranbir Kapoor interview from ten years ago and cited it as a reason to boycott the film.
The video of the interview is being reshared now with fresh calls for a boycott of his forthcoming biggie.
Not just a boycott, the beef controversy resulted in an embarrassing affair for the lead couple of the film. Members of right-wing groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, created a huge row in Ujjain today ahead of the visit of actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji. They were to visit the famous Jyotirlinga at the Mahakaleshwar Temple this evening.
Ahead of the visit, the right-wing workers gathered at the main gate and the conch gate meant for VVIPs to show them black flags. The police had to use batons to bring the crowd under control.
After promoting the film in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, the lead actors of Brahmastra had taken a flight to Ujjain hoping to visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple along with director Ayan Mukerji.
Since Alia Bhatt is pregnant, she decided not to go to the temple amid the ruckus. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor returned to Indore without darshan. From Indore, they will take a flight to Mumbai, said Ashish Singh, the Collector of Ujjain.
After the situation was brought under control, only Ayan Mukerji went to the temple and had darshan, said Mr Singh.
Brahmastra, directed by Ayan Mukerji, also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy in pivotal roles and is a fantasy adventure film that draws heavily from mythology. It is slated for release on September 9.
The much-awaited Koffee With Karan season 7 is back with stirring cups of steamy confessions, secrets, and manifestations. In the season’s second episode, the new Bollywood besties, Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor graced the couch with stories about their style, wits, and misadventures.
Host Karan Johar asked them about life, work and love; the dynamic duo reveals stories of their travel and adventures. Bonding over the scenic beauty of Kedarnath, Janhvi and Sara’s trip hit a roadblock as they faced two near-death experiences.
Recollecting Khan’s choice of a low-cost no-heater hotel in a bid to save Rs 6000, Janhvi shared how this choice nearly froze them. She said, “I had traveled to Kedarnath with two thermals, one puffer jacket, three shawls, two-track pants, and two sweaters. Karan, I wore every single piece of clothing I had owned and was still shivering,” adding that by the time Sara returned to their room after meeting her friends, her lips had turned blue and she was shivering! She even added that apart from the absence of a heater in the freezing -7℃ weather, the bathroom in the hotel was also doubtful, “If I had sat on that pot, it would have shattered,” said Janhvi Kapoor adding to her bad-hotel stay story.
Later Janhvi chose a hike at Bhairavnath over walking a normal path, the duo were faced with an unexpected twist in their adventure. Sara Ali Khan said, “We decided to go to Bhairavnath and there was a normal path for walking. But we thought ourselves to be better. We chose to hike instead. There was an 85 incline of just rocks and Janhvi is like let us just climb this,” Though skeptical of climbing the incline, Sara admitted that she was afraid of being called a buzzkill. However, the adventure turned sour as their climb became very scary. Admitting about fear kicking in, Sara mentioned how at one point, she was sure they would fall off owing to dangerous rocks.
With no escape in sight, they found solace when they saw a fan coming toward them as they hung off the cliff. Much to their dismay, he was of no help, as he only wanted to take a selfie with them. Eventually, Sara’s driver found them after almost 30 minutes of being stuck, and they were rescued with the help of special forces.
A video clip of a mob attacking a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) is doing the rounds on social media. People are urging Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against the mob.
Hundreds of people reportedly vandalised a Hindu temple in Bhong town and blocked the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) after a nine-year-old Hindu boy, who allegedly urinated in a local seminary, was granted bail by a local court on Wednesday.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, said in a tweet that the PM Office had taken notice of the sad and unfortunate incident.
It is very sad & unfortunate incident. PM office took notice of this untoward incident & directed district administration to probe the case & take strict action against the culprits.Pakistani constitution provides freedom & protection to minorities to perform their worship freely https://t.co/RuLOe69VSb
He said that the prime minister had directed the district administration to probe the matter and take strict action against the culprits.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has also taken notice of the attack on the Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan and has set a hearing in relevance to the matter tomorrow.
Pakistan’s chief justice has taken notice of an attack on a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan and fixed the matter for hearing tomorrow.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari tweeted, “The act was a violation of the Constitution and the basic human rights of Pakistanis. Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) is in touch with RYK police since yesterday to ensure action against perpetrators – got a report – following up – our Parl Secy going to visit today.”
The attack on the Hindu temple in RYK is not simply condemnable but violates our constitution & the basic human rights of our citizens. MoHR in touch with RYK police since yesterday to ensure action ag perpetrators – got report – following up – our Parl Secy going to visit today.
There are reports of some old monetary dispute between Hindu and Muslim groups in the area, which was stated to be the actual cause of the unrest.
A small town close to the River Indus and Sindh-Punjab border, Bhong houses a number of gold traders who originally hail from Ghotki and Dehrki (Sindh).
Statues dating back almost 600 years were recovered during a recent campaign in Thar while restoring a heritage site in the area.
According to a report in Dawn News, volunteers of the Endowment Fund for Trust for Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh found the statutes while restoring a temple in the desert district.
“Statues were unearthed during restoration works at the Nagarparkar City Temple by Endowment Fund for Trust for Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh,” read a brief announcement by the organisation. “The temple will shortly be handed over to the Culture Department, Government of Sindh, along with the statues of (sandstone and marble) Mahavira and other Tirthankaras of Jainism.”
Hameed Akhund of the Endowment Fund for Trust for Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh said that the statues were likely to have been discovered long ago.
“We think when the war began in 1971 between India and Pakistan, someone dumped them in a cave-like space where we were doing our project. We found them in the same place,” said Akhund, adding that they will be handed over to the Sindh government.
An ancient Hindu temple, closed since Partition will once again be opened for worshippers after a long hiatus of 72 years.
As per details, the Shawala Teeja Singh Temple, located on Circular Road in Sialkot, is more than a 1,000 years old. Prime Minister Imran Khan directed Evacuee Trust Property Board (EPTB) Chairman Dr Amir Ahmed to facilitate its reopening. Members of the Hindu community had long been demanding for the temple to be opened. Pakistani Hindu community leader Surinder Kumar welcomed the decision and thanked the government for supporting the Hindu community.
Made of granite and sandstone, the temple sits high on a sand dune in a congested, residential neighborhood. Over the years, the temple has fallen prey to neglect as a result of which the intricate carvings on the thick outside pillars have long faded or been scrubbed off by drug addicts. The sacred idols of Lord Shiva in the building have also been stolen or destroyed.
According to Arab News, basic repair work on the temple is underway and a boundary wall has been constructed to mark the perimeters of the building. Doors have also been refitted near the prayer room. Officials said that complete restoration would take up to five years, for which UNESCO and the Karachi-based Aga Khan Foundation have been taken on board.
On August 5, a formal opening ceremony would be held to mark the day Hindus celebrate the snake festival of Nag Panchami. Idols of Hindu deities will be transported to the temple from other temples in Pakistan and India for the ceremony.
Earlier in July, an inauguration ceremony was carried out with several Hindu leaders present.
Punjab is full of religious sites for both Hindus and Sikhs. Earlier, a gurdwara dating back 500 years in Sialkot was opened for Sikh pilgrims.
