New Delhi, June 7: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Navratna company under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, has received an overwhelming response to its newly-launched ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Circuit Train Tour.’

Scheduled to depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, on June 9, the heritage tour is already fully booked. A total of 710 passengers have secured their spots across various classes, with 480 bookings in Economy (Sleeper Class), 190 in Comfort (3AC), and 40 in Superior (2AC).

This six-day train journey has been specially curated to showcase the glorious history and grand legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The tour is the result of a collaborative effort between the Government of Maharashtra, Indian Railways, and IRCTC, aiming to provide travellers with an immersive experience that brings to life the heroic saga of the legendary Maratha ruler.

The train will cover historically significant sites such as Raigad Fort, Shivneri Fort, Pratapgad Fort, Panhala Fort, Lal Mahal, Kasba Ganpati Temple, and Shivsrushti, all closely associated with the key events and life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The journey begins with the train departing from CSMT and heading toward Mangaon station on the Konkan Railway network, the nearest access point to Raigad Fort.

Raigad is the site of Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation and was his capital. After sightseeing, tourists will travel to Pune for an overnight hotel stay. On the second day, they will visit Lal Mahal, a red palace originally built by Shivaji’s father Shahaji Bhosale in 1630, and later rebuilt in 1984.

Tourists will also see the Kasba Ganpati Temple, believed to have been established by Shivaji’s mother Jijabai, and the historical theme park Shivsrushti, where Shivaji’s life story is presented through 3D visuals and interactive exhibits. Visitors will spend a second night in Pune.

On the third day, the tour continues to Shivneri Fort, Shivaji Maharaj’s birthplace located atop a hill near Junnar and will also visit the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India.

After the visit, tourists return to Pune for overnight rest. On the fourth day, the train will proceed to Satara. From there, travellers will explore Pratapgad Fort, the historic site of the 1659 battle between Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan of the Bijapur Sultanate.

After this visit, the group will leave for Kolhapur.

The final day of the tour begins with the train arriving at Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus in Kolhapur.

Following this, there will be a tour of the iconic Panhala Fort, located in the Sahyadri Hills. This fort has deep historical connections with Shivaji Maharaj, who was held captive there for over 500 days before making a dramatic escape.

Known as the ‘Fort of Serpents’ due to its winding structure, Panhala is also famous for the legendary bravery of Baji Prabhu Deshpande, Shivaji’s general, during a crucial battle to retain control of the fort.

The tour package includes train travel, comfortable hotel accommodations, all vegetarian meals, transfers and sightseeing via air-conditioned buses, travel insurance, and the assistance of experienced tour escorts.

IRCTC has assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers while providing a culturally enriching and memorable journey.

Srinagar, June 7: Thousands of devout Muslims gathered across Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to offer Eid al-Adha prayers. Peaceful congregations were also held in various cities and towns throughout the Union Territory.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah joined the devotees in offering Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

Hundreds of Muslims gathered at the shrine’s lawns to offer prayers. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also offered Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine.

This is the holiest Muslim shrine in J&K as it houses the Holy Relic of the Prophet.

Authorities had made adequate arrangements for security, sanitation, and healthcare at different places for the devotees in Srinagar city and all other cities and towns across J&K.

In Jammu city, the main Eid congregation was held at the Eidgah grounds in the Residency Road area of the city. Hindu and Sikh friends of Muslims were the first to greet them at the end of the Eid prayers in Jammu, Poonch & Rajouri districts.

Large Eid congregations were also held in Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian districts.

Children wearing new clothes accompanied their fathers to various Eidgahs, and after the prayers, Muslims embraced each other to carry forward the universal message of inclusive brotherhood of Islam.

After the Eid prayers, the ritual of offering animal sacrifices will begin across J&K.

Animal sacrifices are part of Eid al-Adha as these commemorate the greatest sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham, who, under orders of Allah, decided to sacrifice his son, Ismail. As the blindfolded father tried to move the blade on the son’s throat, a lamb from heaven replaced Ismail under the knife.

When Prophet Abraham unfolded himself, he saw Ismail smiling at a distance when a lamb had substituted him for the sacrifice.

Muslims believe that when Prophet Abraham returned home handholding his son, there was a joyous celebration in the family — Allah had accepted Abraham’s sacrifice and also saved Ismail’s life.

Eid al-Adha is the commemoration of that great event in Islamic history, and each year, the Hajj pilgrimage comes to an end with the pilgrims offering animal sacrifices in Mecca.

The basic spirit behind Eid al-Adha is that the outcome of every event and the destiny of every human being are in the hands of God, with whatever name the faithful choose to remember Him.

It is customary for Muslims to send mutton to their relatives, neighbours, and the poor on this auspicious day so that nobody is left out of the festivities of Eid.

New Delhi, June 7: A man who issued a death threat to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been arrested by a team from the North-West District Special Staff of the Delhi Police.

The accused was apprehended from Ghaziabad following swift investigative efforts after the threatening call was made late on Thursday night.

According to police officials, the threat call was made to the Ghaziabad Police Control Room (PCR) while the accused was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Shortly after the threat was received, the Delhi Police Control Room was alerted, and the matter was escalated due to the high-profile nature of the target.

Investigators identified the caller and tracked his location, but by the time authorities reached the source, the suspect had switched off his mobile phone.

After intensive tracing efforts, the Special Staff managed to arrest him from a hideout in Ghaziabad.

Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the accused is a law graduate (LLB), who had been facing personal turmoil due to a troubled marriage. His wife had recently left him, which reportedly pushed him into emotional distress.

Before making the death threat, he had placed another call in which he demanded to speak to his wife, police said.

Interestingly, the accused was found in possession of fake identification cards that appeared to be police credentials, raising suspicions that he may have attempted to impersonate law enforcement personnel.

Officers stated that he repeatedly tried to mislead the police during questioning.

“Assessment of the threat perception of VIPs or VVIPs is conducted by security agencies on the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),” a senior Delhi Police officer said.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is entitled to Z-category security under the standard protocol. Security agencies are expected to reassess her security cover following this incident, officials confirmed.

Police are continuing their investigation to determine whether the accused has any prior criminal history or links to other disruptive activities.

Authorities have also launched a separate enquiry into the use of forged police IDs found in his possession.