India's Panwar wins silver in men's 5000m race walk at Youth Olympics
Buenos Aires, Oct 16 : India's Suraj Panwar clinched a silver in men's 5000m race walk event in the ongoing Youth Olympic Games to open the country's medal account in athletics here.
Panwar won the stage 2 competition by clocking 20 minutes and 35.87 seconds on Monday night but finished second overall.
In a new format, there are no finals in track and field (with the exception of 4km cross-country) in the Youth Olympics and each event is held twice, with results from both rounds counting towards the final standings.
The 17-year-old Panwar had finished second in the first stage in 20.23.30s, behind Patin Oscar of Ecuador.
Oscar, who finished second in Stage 2, won the gold with timings of 20:13.69s and 20:38.17s.
Panwar's total time of 40:59.17s was over seven minutes slower than Oscar's 40:51.86s. Puerto Rico's Jan Moreu finished third to claim the bronze.
This is India's first athletics medal in this edition and third overall. Arjun (men's discus throw) and Durgesh Kumar (men's 400m hurdles) had won a silver each in the inaugural edition in 2010.
"It's a great feeling. I am very happy to have won a medal. I had put in a lot of hard work for the Games. It is my first medal for India," Panwar said after winning the silver medal.
"My next target is to better my performance here and win a medal in the senior level also," he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong seeks thorough probe into Goa nightclub fire; Rahul alleges criminal failure of governance
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday demanded a comprehensive investigation and strict accountability for the tragic fire at a nightclub in Goa that killed 25 people, with Rahul Gandhi claiming it was a criminal failure of safety and governance.
The fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub at Arpora village in North Goa, early Sunday, killing at least 25 people, including four tourists and 14 staff members, and injuring six others.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the blaze.
“This avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss, and I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.
ALSO READ: https://english.varthabharati.in/india/25-killed-6-injured-in-fire-at-nightclub-in-goa
“Such tragedies call for a comprehensive investigation, strict accountability, and immediate steps to ensure that all fire safety norms are enforced, so that such devastating incidents are never repeated,” Kharge said in a post on X.
The veteran leader also appealed to all the Congress workers in the coastal region to extend every possible support and assistance to the affected families and stand with them in this hour of grief.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said he was deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora.
“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don't occur again,” Gandhi said in an X post.
Congress general secretary in charge of organisation, K C Venugopal, sought fixing of accountability for the tragic blaze so that such incidents are not repeated.
"The fire at a night club in Arpora, Goa, is shocking and I convey my heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims who lost their lives.
"This tragedy took place because of the negligence of the authorities in enforcing fire safety norms. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation to identify those responsible and to ensure accountability, so that such a tragedy is never repeated," he said in a post on X.
Deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora, Goa that claimed more than 20 lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 7, 2025
This is not just an accident, it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough,…
