General
Pongal 2024: Mumbai Celebrates Harvest Festival Reflecting Rich Tamil Culture

Nearly 2000 people participated in Pongal festivities in and around Antop Hill on Monday. Mass Pongal celebration was carried out across various locations of the Sion Koliwada constituency and was facilitated by MLA Captain R Tamil Selvan who continues to organise these events embracing the harvest season and Tamil culture for more than a decade now.
In a beautiful display of cultural richness, locals dressed in traditional attires prepared Pongal reciting folk songs, raising the festival mood. The event saw them setting up their Pongal pots in the midst of sugarcane, flowers, and rangolis. The celebration was notably marked at the Antop Hill Cement Ground with about a thousand people lifting the festival spirit on the auspicious day. Other areas that observed Pongal on a grand scale included New 90 Feet Road, Kamaraj Nagar, Vijay Nagar, and the Malai Mariamman temple in Naik Nagar among a few others.
Captain Selvan was seen visiting the spots and joining the public in the celebration. “Pongal is associated with agriculture. Tamilians of various religious beliefs celebrate this festival together without any discrimination. This is the significance of Pongal,” he said while extending Pongal greetings.
The event was not confined to only the Tamil-speaking people celebrating the occasion as it saw women from diverse cultural backgrounds mark the festival. While Tamilians gathered there to celebrate Pongal, others enjoyed the Makar Sankranti festivities in the region with similar rituals involving boiling water and preparing food in their pots.
“Pongalo Pongal” chants were heard during the celebration as women prayed to seek prosperity for their families while boiling and expecting their pots to overflow with the Pongal preparation.
Throwing more light on the harvest festival, the MLA acknowledged that the first dam built in the world was built by Karikala, a Tamilian. “Tamilians introduced the concept of building dams to stop running (river) water and distribute it for agricultural usage. Karikala from the Chola Dynasty constructed the Kallanai Dam over the Kaveri River running in Trichy.”
Several people admire the Tamil language and its treasurable culture, including PM Narendra Modi who recently inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat in Varanasi and mentioned about Pongal and remembered prominent Tamil personalities like Subramania Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan, and Thiruvalluvar.
Maharashtra
Bihar’s crores thief Aamir Kabir arrested from Mumbai

Mumbai: Mumbai Malad Police has arrested a clever prince thief who used to disguise himself as a woman to escape from the police and used railway tracks to avoid CCTV cameras. Malad Police has seized a gold melting machine, 36 tolas of gold and silver jewellery, women’s clothes and cash from the thief. Police investigation has revealed that the accused thief has many bungalows and flats. He was committing such thefts for a long time, but was not caught yet. However, he has committed dozens of such thefts so far. Malad Police has arrested Prince Aamir Kabir thief after a lot of hard work and further investigation is on.
According to ACP Hemant Sawant of Malad Division, the clever accused Ranjeet Kumar Upendra alias Munna (44) is a resident of Babuganj in Bihar. He was arrested from Malad Malwani area. To escape from the police, the accused used to steal by disguising himself as a woman and sometimes used to walk on the railway track in the guise of a beggar to steal. According to senior Malad police officer Vijay Panhale, property worth about 57 lakhs has been seized from the accused, which includes 16 lakh cash deposited in the bank and jewelry and goods worth 41 lakhs. So far 8 cases have been registered against this clever thief, but he has not been arrested anywhere.
This disclosure has been made after the team of Malad Police Station’s investigating officer Tushar Sukhdev, Santosh Satwase, Amit Govind, Avinash Jadhav, constable Mahesh Doifode examined more than 150 CCTV cameras from the railway track and other places. The police is expecting more such serious revelations as the accused has been cleverly escaping from the spot while committing countless such crimes for the last 10 years and has become the owner of flats, land and bungalows worth crores.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: 3 arrested for fraud in the name of providing gold at cheap price

Mumbai: Mumbai Police has busted a gang that claimed to import gold from abroad and provide gold to people at cheap prices by becoming a self-styled police. The police have claimed to have arrested three members of this gang – according to the details, they gained the trust of the complainant by promising to import pure gold from abroad and sell it at a low price. It may be noted that the accused cheated the complainant by calling him Rs 2 lakh in cash and disguising himself as a police officer on May 27, 2025 at around 3:30 pm at BMW Showroom, CST Road, Kalina, Santa Cruz East Mumbai and not giving the gold to the complainant. The police have registered a case of cheating in this case.
During the search for the accused in this crime, information was received from technical investigation and confidential informant that the said accused was going to come to CST Road, Kalina, Santa Cruz Mumbai on June 2. Accordingly, the BKC Police Station Crime Detection Team had laid a trap at the said place. When the accused CST reached there around 4 pm, the police team identified the accused and kept an eye on him. However, as soon as they suspected the matter, the accused fled from Kurla and got into his motor car parked in front of the BMW showroom. The said motor car and the accused were chased by the police team. At that time, the said accused and his accomplices fled the car leaving the car on the road. The police team chased the accused who had snatched the motor car and out of the 04 accused who were riding in the motor car, 3 accused were arrested and arrested at different places.
The arrested 3 accused are criminals and criminal cases are registered against them in different police stations.
The identity of the accused whom the police have arrested in this case is, Muhammad Mohsin Abu Bilal Chaudhary, 33 years old, against him, Other cases including cheating are registered in BKC, Nowghar, Ghatkopar.
Cases have been registered against Tabrez Younis Qureshi, 39, at BKC, Gujrat, and Nowghar police stations. Cases have been registered against Pradeep Dadaram Thorat, 37, at BKC, Parghar police stations, including cases of assault and violence. DCP Manish Kalaniya has not ruled out further arrests in this case and the police are hopeful of more revelations in the investigation. DCP Manish said that this group used to cheat under the guise of providing gold. The investigation is also underway to find out how many people this group has fooled and cheated through this method so far and the investigation is underway under the guidance of senior officers.
Maharashtra
The decision to keep cattle markets closed on Eid-ul-Azha in Maharashtra was withdrawn

Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also withdrawn the proposal to ensure peace and order on Eid-ul-Adha in Mumbai and to keep the cattle market closed. Earlier, a proposal was made to keep the cattle market closed during Eid-ul-Adha, which was opposed by Muslims, and after that, this decision has also been withdrawn. Before Eid-ul-Adha in Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has issued necessary orders for Eid-ul-Adha in a peaceful atmosphere. In a meeting of Muslim representatives, the Chief Minister accepted all the demands of Muslims and assured them of taking necessary steps during the sacrifice, from providing facilities at the goat market in Deonar to providing necessary facilities. Abu Asim Azmi said that BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya and Nitish Rane are trying to spoil the atmosphere.
They are announcing that there will be no sacrifice to put pressure on the society, but this demand was also made to the Chief Minister that there should be no obstruction in the process of sacrifice in those societies where sacrifice is done. Muslim representatives also demanded to keep an eye on the mischief of miscreants during the sacrifice and take necessary action against anti-social elements. The Chief Minister assured that like every year, the sacrifice process will end peacefully this year too. He has accepted all the demands of the Muslims and given special consideration to every issue. Abu Asim Azmi said that there is a need to curb the mischief of miscreants during the sacrifice so that the situation remains peaceful. Instructions have also been given that animal traders in Deonar do not face any kind of problem. At the same time, the distress of the traders due to the animals’ carts not being emptied for 36 hours was also discussed. The Chief Minister has also banned the collection of additional fees.
In an important meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that like every year, facilities will be provided on Eid-ul-Adha this time too, and peace and order will be maintained. The proposal to close the animal market was withdrawn and the fee for sacrificial animals was reduced from Rs 200 to Rs 20. The Chief Minister also issued an order to take action against those involved in corruption. Those spreading hatred are trying to spoil the atmosphere on Eid by creating Hindu-Muslim differences. Azmi has also demanded a ban on the language of these sectarians. The Chief Minister has directed to pay special attention to maintaining order during the sacrifice.
Abu Asim Azmi told the Chief Minister that an additional fee was collected for emptying the animal cart, Rs. 500 instead of Rs. 200, Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 was collected for parking, the fee of the goat of the trader who is not sold during Eid-ul-Adha should be refunded, earlier the fee of the goat for deonar was Rs. 20, it should be increased to Rs. 200, five gates and five push gates should be set up for unloading the goat in deonar, along with this, there is a rush of buyers during the sacrifice, three windows should be started for the convenience of the customers, the Chief Minister approved all these demands and issued necessary orders.
-
Crime3 years ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
Mumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
False photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News8 months ago
Ministry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Crime8 months ago
Baba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
-
Maharashtra7 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News9 months ago
J&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface