
Sikh devotee dies after slipping into ditch near Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand
The man, identified as Gurpreet Singh of Kale village in Amritsar district, was visiting Hemkund Sahib with a 90-member group, they said.
Police said Singh left the main footpath leading to the Gurudwara and took an old, damaged trail that has been closed due to safety concerns. He slipped and fell into a 100-metre-deep ditch.
Upon receiving information, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and other agencies reached the spot, carried out a rescue operation and retrieved the body, they added.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
'Inhuman': Massive eviction drive launched in Assam's Golaghat; over 1500 Muslim families affected
GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Tuesday launched a massive eviction drive targeting over 1500 Muslim families residing at Uriamghat in Golaghat district and cleared 11,000 bighas of land, which the administration claimed they had encroached upon. Authorities deployed a large number of police and forest protection force personnel, along with over 150 excavators. A senior forest department official told TNIE that 'more than 20 per cent' of the land was cleared. A majority of the "settlers" had vacated the place after receiving notices from the government. Inspector General of Police Akhilesh Kumar Singh, who was at the site, told the media that shops and houses, built in the reserve forest areas, were demolished. "We gave police protection. There are also forest protection force personnel. We received the support of locals. Law and order situation is under control," Singh said. "A lot of the illegal settlers had left the place over the past few days after receiving notices. It was explained to them that they cannot stay inside the reserve forest anymore. They were convinced," he further said. Stating that the area is sufficiently secured, he said the drive would continue. An estimated 15,000 people, mostly Muslims, were affected by the drive. Vast swathes of the land had betel nut plantations. "Around 2,000 families are living in those areas. Out of them, notices were served to about 1,500 families, who illegally settled here. The remaining families are forest dwellers and have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee (FRC)," an official was quoted as saying by PTI. The families whose houses are being demolished belong to the Muslim community, while those having FRC certificates are from Bodo, Nepali, Manipuri and other communities, he added. "Around 80 per cent of the families who had received notices have already vacated their illegal settlements in the last few days. We are only demolishing their homes," the official added.


New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Lawyers 'merely' providing legal opinion to clients under probe should not be summoned by agencies: SC
Echoing similar voices with Singh, Nair expressed deep concern over the issuance of summons under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, highlighting that such actions constitute an impermissible transgression of the sacrosanct principle of lawyer-client privilege. "This pose a serious threat to the autonomy, independence, and fearless functioning of the Bar," Nair stated. SCAORA urged the top court to examine the legality and propriety of such actions, safeguard the constitutional and professional protections afforded to advocates, and lay down appropriate guidelines to prevent any further erosion of the independence of the Bar and misuse of executive power. On the other hand, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, agreed with the court's saying that lawyers should not be summoned merely for offering legal advice. "The privilege of communication between a lawyer and a client must be respected. The profession itself is protected under the proviso,' Mehta pointed out. After being apprised about the laws on summoning of lawyers, the top court directed that written suggestions submitted by SCBA and SCAoRA be forwarded to the SG and the Attorney General within three days, and fixed the matter for further hearing to August 12, when the Centre will respond.


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Bizman confesses to plotting murder of niece's husband
Gaya: A 65-year-old businessman from Aurangabad has confessed to orchestrating the contract killing of his niece's husband, just weeks after the couple's marriage. Police said the victim, 30-year-old Priyanshu, was killed on June 24, barely six weeks after his wedding on May 10 with no known enmity, making the case all the more disturbing. According to Aurangabad DSP Sanjay Pande, who headed the special investigation team, the accused, Jivan Singh, was arrested by Rajasthan police from Sawai Madhopur based on inputs from Aurangabad police. He has been remanded in judicial custody. Singh, police said, was in a long-standing relationship with his niece Gunja, Priyanshu's wife, and both are now in jail. Two contract killers were allegedly hired for Rs 10 lakh and instructed to ensure Priyanshu's death. "He was shot four times at point-blank range while returning from Varanasi," an officer said. A sum of Rs 2 lakh was paid in advance. Police are still searching for the two shooters. Priyanshu was killed between his village Barwan and Nabinagar railway station. He was returning from Varanasi where he had gone to see his sister. In total, four people have been arrested – the uncle and niece and two others accused of providing logistical support, including sim cards. Singh, during interrogation, described the planning in detail. The affair allegedly began over a decade ago when Gunja, then a minor, stayed at his house during a family member's pregnancy. Despite her recent marriage, the relationship allegedly continued. Her cellphone was seized several times by her family and husband, but Singh provided new handsets each time. Police have recovered cellphones, photographs and other incriminating evidence.