Devotees throng temples across Bengaluru to offer prayers on Ganesh Chaturthi
Bengaluru (PTI): Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated with fervour as devotees thronged temples and community pandals across Bengaluru to offer prayers to Lord Ganesha on Wednesday.
Long queues were witnessed outside prominent temples, including Dodda Ganapathi temple, where people offered flowers, coconuts and sweets to Lord Ganesha, with police making elaborate security arrangements across the city to ensure smooth conduct of celebrations.
Several residential areas and public places also saw the installation of Ganesha idols, with cultural programmes and community feasts planned as part of the festivities.
According to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh all adequate security measures are in place for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the city.
Extra CCTVs have also been installed at major points, which have been linked with the command centre by aligning them with procession routes. Police officials at the command centre will closely monitor activities to ensure their smooth conduct, he said.
Two Rapid Action Force companies have also been deployed as additional support to the city police personnel.
Many devotees were also seen preferring eco-friendly, colourless clay idols of Ganesha instead of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols coated with chemical paints that are considered harmful to the environment and water bodies.
Ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre had directed local bodies to strictly enforce the ban on the manufacture and sale of Gowri and Ganesha idols made of Plaster of Paris.
In view of large number of public and devotees expected to arrive for the immersion of Ganesh idols at the historic Yediyur Lake in Jayanagar, anticipating the possibility of traffic congestion on Kanakapura main road, suitable traffic arrangements have been made by the police to ensure smooth flow of traffic in and around the place of the event.
Similar arrangements and traffic restrictions have also been made at other prominent lakes in the city where immersion of Ganesh idols is expected.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
