Pioneer In Short
Two killed in Ganesh Pandal Tragedy
Overcrowding and jostling preceded an electrocution at a Ganapati pandal in Mumbai's Kalachowki early Sunday, killing an eight-year-old girl and a woman and injuring four others, according to eyewitnesses and locals. The incident occurred around 2.20 am near the entrance of Kalachowki Vibhag Sarvajanik Ustav Mandal’s Mahaganpati on Dattaram Lad Marg. Officials said electric current was detected at a temporary drinking-water and cold-drink stall on the footpath beside the gate. Locals alleged that the huge crowd, estimated by one mandal office-bearer at 50,000 or more, caused barricades near the Mukh Darshan queue to bend or break, choking the narrow road. They also alleged inadequate police deployment and crowd management. An eyewitness said people were pushed into the temporary stall during the jostling, possibly causing its iron beams to come into contact with live electricity. Mandal activists also reportedly received shocks while rescuing victims. The injured were initially taken to a nearby nursing home before being shifted to Masina and Global hospitals.
Akal Takht expels ex-SGPC member, priest
The Akal Takht on Sunday expelled former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Amarjit Singh Chawla and additional head granthi Giani Malkit Singh from the Khalsa Panth, following a meeting of five Sikh head priests. The decision was announced at the secretariat of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Chawla was expelled for allegedly violating Sikh tenets, days after he was booked in Anandpur Sahib on charges of rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation following a woman’s complaint. He resigned as an SGPC member and senior vice-president of the Shiromani Akali Dal after the FIR was registered. Chawla has denied the allegations as false and fabricated.
The Jathedar directed Sikhs to maintain distance from Chawla and barred him from participating in religious activities at Sikh institutions. Giani Malkit Singh, additional head granthi of the Akal Takht, was also expelled. He and another person were accused of sending vulgar messages to the woman complainant.
The decisions followed a meeting attended by five Sikh head priests.
Congress hits out at Trump tariff law
Congress leader Anand Sharma on Sunday urged India to reject the latest US tariff measures and put on hold any trade deal with Washington until tariff-related issues are resolved. Sharma said the US Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, signed by President Donald Trump, could have serious implications for India’s energy security, economy and trade. The law authorises tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including India and China, while giving the US president broad discretion over implementation. Sharma said India, a major importer of Russian crude, should defend its sovereign right to trade with partner countries. He called the proposed measures “unjustified, unacceptable and condemnable” and alleged that exemptions for NATO members such as Turkey, Hungary and Slovakia made the policy discriminatory.
He also argued that US domestic legislation cannot override Washington's commitments under the World Trade Organization. Calling the tariffs punitive, Sharma said they added to existing US duties and sanctions. He also questioned the exclusion of US imports of uranium and fertilisers, worth more than $4 billion annually, from the legislation. The law takes effect within 30 days and could require tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries among the five largest purchasers of Russian crude or natural gas.
