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Sports Minister's Fit India cycling rally in Chennai gets cancelled amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions

Sports Minister's Fit India cycling rally in Chennai gets cancelled amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions

The Hindu09-05-2025
Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya's planned Fit India cycling rally in Chennai on Friday was called off due to the increased tensions between India and Pakistan.
The event was to feature a picturesque cycling route, starting and concluding at the historic War Memorial, traversing the Napier Bridge, and following the Marina Beach coastline.
V. Baskaran, captain of the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal-winning Indian Hockey Team, was suppose to flag off the ceremony.
ALSO READ | Operation Sindoor impact: Fate of IPL 2025 hangs on Centre's advice; safety of stakeholders remain top priority
India, on Wednesday, hit nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), 15 days after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. The targeted sites included Bahawalpur, a known Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) stronghold, and Muridke, the base of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), among others.
A day later, the Ministry of Defence said that Pakistan's military attempted to strike back, aiming at military targets in Northern and Western India — specifically Adhampur, Bhatinda, and Chandigarh.
The Indian defence establishment stated that these attempts were foiled and that in retaliation, the Lahore Air Defence system had been neutralised.
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