Mathura, Nov 13: Chief Priest of Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, entered the holy city of Mathura on Thursday as part of his ongoing ‘Sanatan Ekta Padyatra’.

This padyatra is a journey aimed at spreading the message of Hindu unity and underscoring the importance of Sanatan Dharma.

The march, now in its seventh day, received a grand welcome at every stop from the UP-Haryana border to Mathura, with devotees showering flowers and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

Before entering Mathura, Shastri reportedly felt unwell at the UP-Haryana border and had to rest briefly by the roadside. However, showing remarkable determination, he resumed the journey after eating a simple meal of pickles and ‘parathas’.

A salute to ASP Anuj Chaudhary

A heartwarming moment was witnessed in Mathura when Shastri noticed the efficient security arrangements led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anuj Chaudhary. Shastri was impressed by the alertness and discipline of the police team providing security. As a result, Shastri personally saluted ASP Chaudhary. It was seen as a gesture of mutual respect and harmony between spiritual leaders and law enforcement.

The padyatra is set to cover approximately 55 kilometres in the Mathura region over the next four days. In order to manage the massive crowds of devotees and the entire Yatra, elaborate security measures have been put in place, and police personnel are doing a tremendous job.

Mathura city witnessed scenes of devotion and festivity as devotees dressed as Hanuman, tableaux depicting Lord Rama and Sita were seen on the road, and continuous chants reverberated through the streets.

During his address, Shastri referred to the Delhi blast, strongly condemning violence. He assertively said, “We don’t want riots, we want Ganga – purity and peace.”

He also appealed to religious leaders to inspire children to become visionaries like Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Dombivli: In a shocking incident, a 38-year-old man was brutally murdered following a minor altercation outside a bar in Dombivli MIDC area. The Manpada Police cracked the case within 24 hours and arrested six accused from Nashik after a dramatic, film-style chase through narrow lanes.

The arrested accused have been identified as Amar Rajesh Mahajan (36), Akshay Kumar Shankar Waghle (26), Atul Balu Kamble (24), Nilesh Madhukar Thosar (42), Prateek Singh Prem Singh Chauhan (26), and Lokesh Nitin Chaudhary (24).

The incident took place around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 9, near the entrance of Malvan Kinara Bar and Restaurant in the MIDC Phase 2 area. The victim, Akash Bhanu Singh (38), was stabbed to death following a dispute over an accidental push.

According to the complaint filed by Akash’s younger brother, Badal Singh, who works at a call center in Navi Mumbai, Akash had gone to the bar with his friends for dinner. As they entered, Akshay Waghle accidentally brushed against him. Although Akash apologized and explained it was unintentional, Waghle became aggressive, assaulted him, and threatened to kill him.

Soon after, Waghle called his associates to the spot. The six accused dragged Akash out of the bar, brutally assaulted him on the road, and stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot. When Sunil Kagale, a bystander, tried to intervene, the gang attacked him with knives as well leaving him injured.

The case posed a major challenge for police, as there were no immediate clues or CCTV evidence from the crime scene. However, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Jende, Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Hemade, and Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Shinde, the Manpada police team launched an intensive investigation.

A team led by Assistant Police Inspectors Sampat Phadol, Mahesh Rale-bhat, and Sagar Chavan used technical surveillance and local informants to trace the accused to Nashik. Acting on a tip-off, police teams coordinated with Nashik City Police and raided multiple locations. On seeing the police, the accused tried to flee, but officers chased them down in a cinematic-style pursuit through the streets and successfully arrested all six.

Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre commended the Manpada Police team for their swift action and exemplary investigation that led to solving the murder case within 24 hours.

New Delhi, Nov 13: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, discussed ways to further boost bilateral trade and promote investments, it was announced on Thursday.

Sidhu is in India to find opportunities to advance trade and investment linkages between the two nations.

“It was a pleasure to co-chair the 7th India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment as part of the New Roadmap 2025 along with @MSidhuLiberal, Canada’s Minister of International Trade,” Goyal posted on the X social media platform.

The minister further stated that they discussed “avenues to strengthen bilateral trade, promote investments and deepen cooperation between our countries”.

During his India visit, Sidhu is set to promote Canada’s commitment to supporting and growing the well-established commercial ties shared by Canada and India, including artificial intelligence, clean technology and digital industries, and explore new opportunities for partnerships that benefit workers and businesses in both countries.

“This visit to India will reinforce Canada’s commitment to diversifying our trade relationships and attracting new investment,” an official statement quoting Sidhu said. “As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India offers significant opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers. Our commercial ties continue to expand — bilateral trade surpassed $30 billion in 2024 — and there is even greater potential ahead,” the statement added.

India is a key partner as Canada strengthens its economic links in the Indo-Pacific region under a comprehensive strategy for the region. In 2024, India was Canada’s seventh-largest goods and services trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $30.9 billion.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, held discussions on strengthening cooperation across key sectors, including trade, energy and security. Both leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Niagara.

EAM Jaishankar also praised the progress made under the New Roadmap 2025, aimed at enhancing bilateral ties between India and Canada and expressed hope for rebuilding a stronger partnership.