iPhone 17 launch triggers frenzied scenes across India
New Delhi: The launch of Apple’s latest smartphone lineup, the iPhone 17 series, witnessed unprecedented scenes across major Indian cities on Friday, as large crowds gathered outside Apple Stores well before the official opening time. In several locations, the situation escalated into chaos, with reports of scuffles and inadequate crowd control measures.
All four of Apple’s flagship stores in India — located in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune — commenced sales at 8:00 a.m., but enthusiastic customers began queuing up as early as the previous evening. At the BKC Jio World Drive store in Mumbai, tensions escalated when individuals allegedly attempted to bypass the queue, resulting in physical altercations. Videos released by PTI showed several individuals engaging in shoving and fistfights before security personnel intervened and removed those involved.
Shoppers expressed disappointment over the apparent lack of adequate security and crowd management. One customer, Mohan Yadav, told ANI, “I have been standing in line since morning, but the situation is completely disorganized. People are breaking queues, and security is not taking responsibility.”
In New Delhi, long queues were reported at the Select Citywalk Mall in Saket, stretching across multiple floors. Some customers claimed to have arrived as early as 1:00 a.m., while others reported traveling from Punjab and other nearby regions to secure a device on launch day. A number of buyers also admitted to taking leave from work in order to attend the event.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Apple’s stores in Bengaluru and Pune, where thousands gathered from the early hours and waited for several hours. Despite the premium pricing of the devices, the large turnout reflected continued strong demand for Apple products in the Indian market.
Apple’s new iPhone 17 lineup includes the iPhone 17 priced at ₹82,900, the iPhone 17 Air at ₹1,19,900, the iPhone 17 Pro at ₹1,34,900, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at ₹1,49,900. In addition to the smartphones, the company also launched the Apple Watch Series 10 and the third-generation AirPods Pro.
Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the upcoming opening of new Apple Stores in Bengaluru and Pune, further expanding the company's retail presence in India.
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Zubeen Garg's drowning in Singapore highlights vessel operators' responsibility: legal experts
Singapore (PTI): The drowning of Indian singer-composer Zubeen Garg has brought the spotlight on rules and regulations that concern responsibilities of vessel operators when dealing with intoxicated passengers, according to a media report that cited legal experts.
A cultural icon in India’s northeastern region, 52-year-old Garg travelled to Singapore in September 2025 to perform at a live event. A day before his performance, he went on a yacht trip with a group of people. He drowned while swimming in the sea near Lazarus Island, which is a popular diving spot.
His death shook his home state Assam, where millions came out on the streets mourning. Later, police cases were registered against the organiser of the event, his manager and some others.
Nico Lee, managing director of the Triangle Legal law firm, told The Straits Times that Singapore has Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations under which there are provisions to debar drunk passengers.
The owner, agent or captain of the vessel must not allow persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs onboard if they are intoxicated to a point where they endanger safety of the vessel, its crew or any person in it.
“In terms of civil liability, it could be argued that a yacht captain is negligent, as he owes a prima facie duty of care to guests on board under general negligence principles,” Lee was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The singer and his entourage of about 15 individuals were partying on a chartered vessel, which they had boarded at Marina at Keppel Bay.
A death certificate issued by the Singapore General Hospital listed his cause of death as drowning.
An autopsy report suggested that Garg had 333 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood in his system, which was four times the legal limit for driving in Singapore and is likely to have impacted his coordination.
Citing Garg’s case, Lee said the circumstances were serious, as the controller of the vessel knew that the guest was intoxicated. Also, he may not have understood or processed a safety briefing for all passengers.
“That combination makes reliance on an ordinary briefing inadequate. If intoxication reaches a level that endangers the safety of the vessel or persons on board, the person in charge should not permit boarding at all,” he said.
According to Lee, the vessel’s operators could also have assigned a crew member to directly supervise him or ensure that he received a one-to-one explanation when he was capable of understanding.
Part of the responsibility could be attributed to the guest if he chose to enter the water and ignore instructions or behave dangerously despite the yacht owner or charterer’s best efforts, Lee said.
Vanessa Sandhu from Clifford Law LLP told The Straits Times that a key question is whether the yacht captain or operator owed a “duty of care” to the passenger and, if so, whether a breach of that duty caused the death.
“A yacht captain and operator generally owe passengers a duty to take reasonable care for their safety while on board, including swimming or water activities. This may include providing safety equipment and issuing appropriate safety instructions,” the daily quoted Sandhu as saying.
“However, the standard of care is an objective one, based on what a reasonable captain or operator would have done in the circumstances. It is not an absolute obligation to prevent all harm,” she said.
During the coroner’s inquiry, the operators of the vessel had said that no one had forced the singer to consume alcohol or enter the water, and that the entire entourage was informed on the yacht about the necessity of wearing life jackets before going for a swim.
A coroner’s inquiry on March 25 ruled Garg’s death as accidental drowning. On April 1, the police said that investigations into the singer's death had concluded, with no evidence of foul play.
However, in Assam, where seven persons were arrested in connection with Garg’s case, and some of them charged with murder, the matter is being heard in the court. All the suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
