Nihangs storm gurudwara, hold manager hostage
Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand, June 21: A group of Nihangs, armed with spears and swords, allegedly stormed a gurdwara here and took the manager hostage on the roof of the shrine to demand the release of four Nihang devotees who were arrested following a clash in Chamoli on June 16, police said on Sunday. A heavy police force was deployed at the scene following the standoff that began Saturday evening, and efforts were underway to persuade the Nihangs to come down. According to the police, the Nihangs engaged in vandalism, then took the manager with them to the roof and started raising slogans. They are armed with spears, swords, axes, and kirpans, they said. (PTI)
Rahul takes coffee break at roadside shop
Raipur, June 21: In departure from schedule, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday visited a roadside shop near Raipur airport where he relished coffee and snacks with senior party leaders after attending a party training camp. He engaged in candid conversations, discussed issues concerning the people, and interacted warmly with locals, the party said. Just as PM Narendra Modi’s impromptu jhalmuri stop was widely analysed as a masterclass in breaking security protocols to appear reachable, many view Rahul’s roadside stop as a strategic response to that exact style of politics. Analysts note that the Congress is actively trying to neutralize the BJP’s long-standing monopoly on “common man” imagery. (PTI)
