Hundreds of devotees thronged the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on Monday, marking the auspicious first day of the Malayalam month Vrischikam and the beginning of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The temple witnessed a heavy rush of pilgrims from various states, eagerly waiting to offer prayers and seek blessings.

Pilgrims dressed in traditional black attire carried the sacred irumudikkettu, a symbolic offering for the deity. Starting just before dawn, the temple gates opened at 3 a.m., officiated by the newly appointed melsanthi, E.D. Prasad Namboothiri, amid the melodious chants of Lord Ayyappa’s hymns echoing through the temple complex.

The auspicious opening ceremony included the presence of tantri Kantararu Mahesh Mohanaru and officials from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). TDB Secretary P.N. Ganeswaran Potti and Sabarimala Executive Officer O.G. Biju joined the festivities, highlighting the robust preparations made ahead of the high holy season.

The newly opened shrine witnessed long queues that stretched across the nadapandal, the sacred pathway leading to the temple, and the sopanam, the holy steps. After the opening, the rituals commenced with Nirmalya Abhishekam, Ganapathi Homam, and Neyyabhishekam, creating a spiritually enriching atmosphere.

As part of the pilgrimage schedule, the Sabarimala temple will have a unique timetable, closing at 1 p.m. and reopening at 3 p.m., eventually concluding the day with the chanting of “Harivarasanam,” the sacred lullaby of Lord Ayyappa, at 11 p.m. This year’s pilgrimage season will run for two months, attracting a multitude of devotees from across the globe.

Prior to Monday’s opening, a ceremonial opening took place on Sunday evening to welcome the pilgrims. The TDB anticipates even greater crowds this year, capping the number of daily pilgrims at 90,000 to ensure a smooth experience. This includes a mix of 70,000 through a virtual queue system and 20,000 available for spot bookings.

The Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season stands as a significant event in the religious calendar, drawing thousands who consider it a sacred journey. For many devotees, this pilgrimage symbolizes faith, devotion, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) presented an accused in the Red Fort blast case, Amir Rashid Ali, before a Delhi court on Monday. The court hearing took place amid stringent security protocols to ensure the safety and integrity of the proceedings, reflecting the serious nature of the allegations.

Amir Rashid Ali’s appearance before the Principal District and Sessions Judge marks a significant moment in this high-profile case. Media personnel were barred from entering the courtroom, preventing any revelations about the case details during the preliminary hearings. The court’s decision on further procedures remains pending, and updates are awaited.

The incident at the heart of this case occurred on November 10, when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near the historic Red Fort in Delhi. The explosion tragically resulted in the death of 13 individuals and injured numerous others, causing widespread panic and raising severe security concerns.

According to investigations, officials identified the vehicle’s driver as Umar Nabi, a doctor from the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Law enforcement agencies have linked Nabi to a “white-collar” terror module that was dismantled following the recovery of explosives in Faridabad, Haryana. This connection raises critical questions regarding the depth and reach of terror networks operating in the region.

This case underscores the increasing complexities surrounding national security and how such incidents affect public safety and trust. The NIA’s thorough investigations aim to uncover more about the network behind the bombing and the motivations for the attack.

As the case continues to unfold, officials emphasize the importance of maintaining security and vigilance in sensitive areas like the Red Fort, a significant historical site in India. The NIA remains under pressure to provide clarity on the developments, as both the media and public anticipate further disclosures.

In the coming days, legal experts and analysts will likely monitor the proceedings closely, given the potential implications for national security policies. The outcome of Amir Rashid Ali’s case could pave the way for broader discussions on counter-terrorism strategies within India’s judicial framework.

Further updates regarding this ongoing investigation are expected. The NIA continues to pursue all leads to ensure accountability and justice concerning this devastating attack.

The Delhi Police has issued two summons to Al Falah University chairman in connection with the ongoing probe into the Faridabad terror module case and the two cases registered against the university for forgery and cheating, an official said on Monday.

The summons were sent after investigators found that the university’s chairman Javed Ahmad Siddiqui’s statement was crucial for clarifying several inconsistencies linked to the functioning of the university and the activities of individuals associated with the institution.

The Crime Branch has already registered two FIRs against the Haryana-based university for cheating and forgery, following serious red flags raised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) on Saturday.

Officials said both regulatory bodies flagged “major irregularities” after reviewing the university’s accreditation claims and submitted their findings to law enforcement agencies.

“The FIRs pertain to alleged false accreditation documents and claims made by the university. The matter is being investigated in detail,” a senior officer said.

Police sources said that the issuance of summons to Siddiqui is part of a wider line of inquiry that overlaps with the ongoing investigation into the blast near the Red Fort last week.

Several suspects linked to the blast are believed to have had associations with the university, prompting investigators to examine institutional records, financial transactions and administrative approvals.

Further investigation is underway. (Agencies)

The Punjab Government on Saturday ordered the suspension of Amritsar (Rural) SSP Maninder Singh for his alleged failure in taking strict action against gangsters.

While ordering his suspension, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in a statement that no laxity of any kind will be tolerated in action against gangsters.

This is the major action taken by the AAP Government against an IPS officer.

The AAP government has been facing flak from opposition parties over the issue of law and order, following extortion bids and firing incidents by gangsters and criminals.

During campaigning for the Tarn Taran bypoll, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had vowed to rid the state of gangsters and also warned them to leave the state within a week. (Agencies)

India has called for “greater transparency” in the functioning of the subsidiary organs of the UN Security Council, citing the “obscure” manner in which requests to designate entities and individuals are rejected.

Addressing the UNSC open debate on Working Methods on Friday (local time), India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said that the Security Council is central in the UN architecture as the principal organ that is primarily tasked with the responsibility of maintenance of international peace and security.

“As a UN organ whose sphere of functions covers a range of areas, but membership limited to only 15 members, working methods of the Security Council are critical to its credibility, efficacy, efficiency and transparency. This gains particular salience in a world beset with multiple crises and facing numerous challenges,” Harish added.

He underscored the need for greater transparency in the functioning of the subsidiary organs.

“A case in point is the manner in which listing requests are rejected. Unlike de-listing decisions, these are done in a rather obscure manner, with member states that are not on the Council not being privy to details,” he said.

Harish also pointed out that chairs and pen-holderships of the Council’s committees and subsidiary organs are privileges that come with major responsibilities.

“Discussions in the Council on distribution of Chairs and pen-holderships must prevent Council members with vested interests from being accorded these privileges. Obvious and outright conflicts of interest can have no place in the Council,” he said.

Calling for reform of the powerful 15-nation UN organ, Harish said “the overall endeavour needs to be on redesigning the eight-decade-old architecture to make the United Nations Security Council fit-for-purpose, equipped to meet the ongoing and future challenges and discharge its functions purposefully.”

He stressed the expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of the Council membership with adequate representation for under-represented and non-represented geographies, through text-based negotiations in a time-bound manner.

India also called for greater coordination of the Council with other UN organs, particularly the General Assembly.

“A useful tool in this regard is the discussion of the annual United Nations Security Council report in GA. However, this must not be treated as a mere procedural exercise. The report must be more than a record of the Council proceedings and meetings during the year,” he said.

Matters on which the Council is seized are also to be reviewed from time to time based on their relevance and utility, he said.

India reiterated its call to make the annual United Nations Security Council report analytical in nature.

On peacekeeping, Harish said that as the largest cumulative troop contributor, India stresses the need for factoring in the inputs of the Troop Contributing Countries and Police Contributing Countries for better implementation of peacekeeping mandates.

“Continuation of mandates that have outlived their utility for narrow political interests of certain states must not be allowed. This continued existence in a resource-constrained scenario is a drain on the UN and member states,” he said.

At a time when member states are striving for greater streamlining and better rationalisation under the UN80 framework, Harish urged the Council to undertake necessary measures on this front to bring about sunset clauses. (Agencies)