Maharashtra
‘Aam Aadmi Pushed’: Viral Videos From Mumbai’s Lalbaug Cha Raja Ganesh Pandal Spark Debate On VIP Culture

Visuals of Lalbaug Cha Raja, one of the most-visited Ganesh Pandals in Mumbai, are widely being circulated online. These include photos of daily darshan of Lalbaug Cha Raja, devotees visiting the pandal, footages of celebrities walking through the darshan lane. There are also drone shots or videos captured from top of buildings showing how the entire street in the area is lit up to mark Ganesh Utsav with an impressive festival spirit.
Of the many videos going viral online, there are few which record bouncers pushing general devotees touching the foot of Bappa in an act of trying to manage the crowd and stagnation.
Not one single video, but a couple of them show female bouncers pushing people soon after their Charan Sparsh is done. They aren’t allowed to stay there for minutes and pray to Bappa and are rather asked to leave the premises allowing others too to take the darshan. While this could be considered to be fair for making way for others by keeping the queue flowing, it sparked an outrage on social media after people compared it to how VIPs were treated at the pandal.
As seen in the video, one of the feet of Bappa was being touched by general public and the other was allegedly being worshipped by VIPs who weren’t pushed to leave the premises immediately. Even seconds after their darshan of Bappa and Charan Sparsh being done, those touching the other foot of Lalbaug Cha Raja, believed to be VIPs, were seen standing next to his foot and clicking pictures together. Videos showed how VIPs stood there for a while within which 5-6 devotees were already been pushed to leave from the other queue.
Netizens react
These visuals from the Ganpati Pandal raised questions on VIP culture and VIP darshan there. “Won’t be surprised if Lalbaugcha Raja Pandal is declared as VIP only in future,” said netizens while reacting to the videos going viral online from Lalbaug Cha Raja’s darshan. “Assign a separate day for VIP darshan only VIPs allowed and all the remaining days keep it open for all devotees irrespective of anything!! Hoping anyone listens,” people added while trying to understand that these important personalities may receive special darshan but others should not face mistreatment.
Netizens offered due respect to Lalbaug Cha Raja and his talked-about miracles, but they highlighted allegedly how the organisers failed to equally treat very devotee visiting the pandal. “Not sure if Lord Ganesha himself approves the behaviour of Lalbaug Cha raja mandal! In front of God you can’t treat ppl so differently,” they wrote.
Celebs at Lalbaug Cha Raja 2024
This year, several celebrities have visited the pandal already along with lakhs and lakhs of general public queueing up to seek a glimpse of Bappa. From politicians to cine stars, some of the popular personalities who recently took darshan of Lalabug Cha Raja are Amit Shah and his wife Sonal Shah, Uddhav Thackeray, Rashmi Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, Deepak Kesarkar, Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra, Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann Khurrana, Shriya Pilgaonka, Bhuvan Bam, and more.
Crime
Strict action against traffic rule violators during Holi in Mumbai, 17495 challans worth Rs 1.79 crore issued

Mumbai, March 15: Mumbai Traffic Police launched a special campaign against those violating traffic rules on the occasion of Holi and Holika Dahan. 17,495 challans were issued in this campaign which ran for two days on March 13 and 14. The total recovery was Rs 1 crore 79 lakh 79 thousand 250. To ensure road safety during the festival, the police blocked major places in the city and took strict action against those breaking the rules.
Mumbai Police had issued guidelines for the people before Holi. It was warned that action would be taken under the Maharashtra Police Act if the rules were not followed.
In this campaign, special attention was kept on those areas where there was a possibility of traffic rules being broken. Special attention was given to violations like drunk driving, speeding, riding a bike without a helmet, carrying three passengers and breaking signals.
In two days, the traffic police caught many cases of violations. 4,949 cases of riding a bike without a helmet were reported, while action was taken against 183 people for drunk driving. 33 challans were registered for driving in the wrong direction, 992 challans for breaking the rules on one-way roads and 1,942 cases of breaking signals.
Apart from this, 425 cases of carrying three passengers and 826 people were fined for driving without a license.
Mumbai Traffic Police says that this campaign was run to maintain the safety of the people and road discipline. During the festival, ignoring the rules amid the crowd and excitement increases the risk of accidents, so strictness was necessary. The police appealed to the people to follow the rules in future, so that the roads remain safe and the festival can be enjoyed without any hassle.
Crime
Maharashtra News: CM Devendra Fadnavis Govt Faces Flak Over Inaction In Harassment Case Involving Union Minister Raksha Khadse’s Daughter

Mumbai: After the gross mishandling of the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case of Beed, the Devendra Fadnavis government has come in for flak again for it failure to arrest all the accused involved in the harassment of the minor daughter of Union minister for sports and youth affairs and BJP leader Raksha Khadse.
On February 28, Khadse’s daughter had gone to the annual Sant Muktai jatra or fair at Muktainagar in Jalgaon district along with her friends. Raksha Khadse was in Gujarat on that day on official work. The girls were stalked, eve teased and their videos taken by a gang of seven men. Even the presence of a policeman deputed by the minister did not deter the men. In fact, the gang manhandled the policeman.
The following day when her daughter complained to her about the shocking incident, Khadse personally went to Muktainagar police station and lodged a complaint. After that four men, including one Aniket Ghui, were arrested. Apparently the gang has been stalking and harrassing girls going to their schools and complaints to the police were not acted upon. Some of the accused allegedly have criminal antecedents.
What is shocking is that even after two weeks of the incident, three of the accused are still absconding. Incidentally, Krishna Andhale, the prime accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder is still absconding. “If the daughters of Union Ministers are not safe, what can be said about the safety of ordinary women in Maharashtra? This question was raised by Rohini Khadse, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) and sister-in-law of Raksha Khadse. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar had earlier slammed the Fadnavis government for its failure to ensure the safety of women. Rohini Khadse alleged that the accused had political backing. This view was shared by Raksha Khadse as well.
“The police no longer have control over criminals, which is why the latter have no fear of law. The government seems indifferent and inactive when it comes to women’s safety, and I feel that it is completely neglecting this issue. Therefore, it is crucial to implement strict laws for the protection of women. Instead of just making big promises, the government must focus on ensuring the safety of its ‘ladki’ sisters,” Rohini Khadse observed.
Since the local police were not responding to her complaint, Raksha Khadse called on Fadnavis, who handles the home portfolio, and drew his attention to the shocking incident. “There is heavy interference by politicians in matters of postings and transfers of police officials because of which these officers are loyal to their political godfathers and not to their uniform,” a former police officer observed. “Huge monies change hands during the postings and transfers,” he added.
Business
New India Cooperative Bank Scam: EOW Uncovers High-Interest Loan Fraud By Key Accused

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police continues to uncover shocking details in the ₹122 crore scam at New India Cooperative Bank. The latest investigation has revealed that the main accused, Hitesh Mehta, illegally disbursed bank funds as high-interest loans to depositors during the Covid-19 period in 2020.
According to EOW sources, many small traders suffered severe financial losses during the pandemic and were in urgent need of funds. Exploiting their vulnerability, Mehta provided them loans worth crores at exorbitant interest rates, bypassing legal banking procedures.
The EOW is now investigating the exact number of traders who received these unauthorized loans and the total amount disbursed. A senior EOW official stated that Mehta, a commerce graduate, joined the bank in 1987 and was later promoted to General Manager and Chief Accountant in 2002. He was set to retire in October this year, but his massive fraud was exposed beforehand.
Sources reveal that an EOW team will soon visit the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to meet with senior officials. The purpose of the meeting is to understand why the RBI conducted a sudden inspection at the bank on February 12 and what triggered the surprise audit.
Additionally, EOW officials will seek a detailed report from the RBI and question why no action was taken earlier, despite financial irregularities occurring since 2019. The investigation is ongoing, and further revelations are expected in the coming days.
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