Pioneer in short
Ram Temple trust to review Crisis
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will meet on Monday in Ayodhya amid parallel investigations into the alleged embezzlement of donations, with the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra expected to dominate the agenda, sources said. The meeting at Mani Ram Chhawni, the first since the controversy surfaced, is also likely to review the Trust’s administrative structure if the resignations are accepted. Discussions are expected on appointing a chief executive officer, the role of special invitee Gopal Rao, and the future management framework for the Ram temple. Trust president Nritya Gopal Das, recently discharged from hospital after treatment for a urinary tract infection and breathing difficulties, is likely to attend, while senior trustee K Parasaran may join virtually. Members are also expected to receive a briefing on the interim findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement and consider approval of the Trust’s unaudited financial statements for 2025-26. The SIT’s tenure has been extended till the end of July, while police are conducting a parallel criminal investigation following an FIR lodged by the Trust. Statements of Rai, Mishra and Rao have been recorded, though no FIR has been filed against any of them.
Thane, Palghar hit by deluge
A 17-year-old boy drowned and two persons were injured as torrential rains triggered structural collapses and tree-fall incidents across Maharashtra’s Thane and Palghar districts on Sunday, officials said. The teenager was swept away by strong currents in the swollen Kamvari River in Bhiwandi while catching crabs with friends. A search was underway to trace his body. In Navi Mumbai’s Vashi, a concrete slab from a second-floor balcony of Ram Niwas Building collapsed, injuring a man and a woman. Both were hospitalised, while fire personnel removed the remaining unsafe portion of the structure. In Thane’s Diva area, five residents were rescued after the collapse of a staircase slab blocked the exit of a two-storey building. Fire brigade personnel cleared the debris and brought all occupants to safety.
A large tree also crashed onto two houses in Thane West’s Pachpakhadi area, damaging roofs but causing no injuries. In neighbouring Palghar district, the under-construction compound wall of a housing complex collapsed in Vasai, crushing 15 parked motorcycles. Firefighters cleared the debris. Authorities urged residents to remain cautious as heavy rain continued across the region.
