Devastating flashfloods hit Uttarkashi, at least four killed
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) (PTI): A cloudburst led to flash floods in the high altitude villages of Dharali on the way to Gangotri on Tuesday with several houses damaged or swept away in the raging waters and at least four people killed, officials said.
Dharali is the main stopover on way to Gangotri and home to many hotels, restaurants and home stays.
The devastating flashflood came in the wake of a cloudburst somewhere in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, locals said.
According to initial reports, at least four people have died, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya told reporters. An Army team from Harsil has been rushed to the spot.
About 10-12 people could be buried under the debris, Rajesh Panwar, a villager, told PTI. He said 20-25 hotels and homestays may have been washed away.
"The news of heavy losses due to cloudburst in Dharali (Uttarkashi) area is extremely sad and painful. SDRF, NDRF, district administration and other related teams are engaged on war footing in relief and rescue operations," Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in a post on X.
"I am constantly in touch with senior officials in this regard and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to God for everyone's safety," he said.
There was widespread panic in the neighbouring villages following the flashflood.
Videos from the area showed a torrent of muddy water and silt rushing down the slopes towards settlements along the banks of the river. People could be heard screaming in fear.
In one video, people can be heard in the video gasping for breath and trying to call their relatives in affected areas to find out if they were alright.
A voice is heard in the video saying, "Everything is finished."
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TVK chief Vijay declares two pending criminal cases in fresh election affidavit
Chennai (PTI): Amid scrutiny, TVK chief Vijay, who had earlier filed an election affidavit with no pending criminal cases, has declared two pending FIRs in a fresh affidavit filed before the returning officer for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to be held on April 23.
The fresh affidavit, notarised on April 3, was filed on April 4 by a representative, according to sources. It lists two cases in Chennai and Madurai that were not included in the previous document notarised on March 30.
In the latest filing, the actor disclosed FIR number 74 of 2026 registered at the K5 Peravallur Police Station in Chennai for alleged public disturbance during election campaigning on March 30. Vijay stated in the affidavit that he became aware of this case through social media on April 2.
A second FIR, number 108 of 2025 from the Koodakovil Police Station in Madurai district, involves a complaint regarding an incident during a party conference on August 21, 2025. The complainant alleged being pushed and injured by bouncers while attempting to approach the leader during a ramp walk, though Vijay noted he has not yet received a formal summons for the matter.
While the criminal record section saw changes, the financial declarations remained largely consistent across both filings.
Vijay's movable assets are valued at approximately Rs 410.59 crore in the fresh affidavit, compared to the Rs 404.58 crore declared previously. This includes silver articles worth Rs 15 lakh and 883 grams of gold jewellery valued at over Rs 1.20 crore.
The total current market value of his immovable properties, including commercial and residential buildings in locations such as Neelankarai and Saligramam, is estimated at Rs 220.15 crore.
The TVK leader declared a total income of Rs 184.53 crore for the 2024-2025 financial year. He also listed pending income tax demands totaling approximately Rs 3.44 crore across multiple assessment years which are currently under appeal.
Vijay is contesting the elections from the Perambur and Tiruchirapalli East Assembly constituencies. He filed his first nomination for the Perambur Assembly constituency on March 30. He subsequently filed his nomination for the Trichy East constituency on April 2.
The fresh affidavit submitted in Perambur on April 4 was a supplementary filing intended to address discrepancies between the initial Perambur declaration and the one later filed in Tiruchirapalli East. The revised filing ensures the TVK chief remains compliant with Election Commission norms regarding the disclosure of all pending criminal proceedings.
