India, China decide to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI): India and China on Monday decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as the two sides agreed to take certain people-centric steps to "stabilise and rebuild" ties.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said this following Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's talks with his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong in Beijing.
It said the two sides also agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries.
"As agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at their meeting in Kazan in October, the two sides reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and agreed to take certain people-centric steps to stabilize and rebuild ties," the MEA said.
"In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025," it said.
The MEA said the two sides also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China expert level mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers.
It said the two sides agreed to take appropriate measures to further promote and facilitate people-to-people exchanges, including media and think-tank interactions.
"They agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries; the relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date," the MEA said.
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Stampede at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj leaves many injured, casualties feared: Reports
Prayagraj: A stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj has left many injured, with reports suggesting casualties as well. The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday at the Sangam, where lakhs of devotees had gathered for a ritual dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant bathing days of the Kumbh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath to assess the situation. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed to manage the massive crowds and restore order.
According to a social media content creator who witnessed the incident, the stampede occurred around 2:30 am as devotees reached the Sangam banks. The confusion arose when people carrying heavy luggage on their heads struggled to find an exit route after their ritual bath. Many tripped over iron dustbins that were not visible in the darkness, leading to a chain reaction of people falling.
"I managed to stand up and help my parents and another woman who were on the ground. Soon, panic spread as some youngsters in the crowd began pushing, triggering the stampede," the eyewitness said.
Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya has urged devotees not to insist on bathing only at the Sangam Ghat due to the heavy crowd. Akhada Parishad General Secretary Mahant Hari Giri also appealed to people to take a dip in the Ganga at safer locations and return to their camps to avoid further chaos.
Authorities have taken steps to restore order, including clearing access routes for akhadas and deploying security personnel at key points. Meanwhile, some akhadas have postponed their scheduled snan due to the incident.
The Mahakumbh, which began on 13 January, has reportedly already witnessed over 15 crore pilgrims taking a holy dip, with more than 4.8 crore participating on Tuesday alone. The festival is set to conclude on 26 February.
Special Executive Officer of the Kumbh Mela Authority, Akanksha Rana, downplayed the severity of the incident, stating, "A stampede-like situation occurred after a barrier broke at Sangam Nose. Some people sustained injuries, but no one is in serious condition."
