Special trains announced from Bengaluru for Christmas and Kumbh Mela
Bengaluru, Dec 22: To clear the extra rush of passengers during the Christmas festival, South Western Railway has organised special trains to multiple locations from Bengaluru.
SWR will also run a special one-way express train (06215) from Mysuru to Prayagraj to the Kumbh Mela.
Train No 06507 SMVT Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram North Express Special will depart from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru at 11 pm on December 23 and reach Thiruvananthapuram North at 4.30 pm the next day, according to a press release by SWR.
In the return direction, Train No 06508 Thiruvananthapuram North-SMVT Bengaluru Express Special will depart from Thiruvananthapuram North at 5.55 pm on December 24 and arrive at Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru at 11.15 am the next day.
Enroute, the train will have stoppages at Krishnarajapuram, Bangarapet, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Chingavanam, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikara, Kayankulam and Kollam stations in both directions.
Special Express trains in each direction between Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru and Kalaburagi stations will depart from Bengaluru at 9.15 pm on December 24 and reach Kalaburagi at 7.40 am the next day.
In the return direction, Train No 06590 Kalaburagi-SMVT Bengaluru Express Special will depart from Kalaburagi at 9:35am on December 23 and 25 and reach Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru at 8 pm on the same day.
Enroute, The train will halt at the following stations in both directions: Yelahanka, Dharmavaram, Anantapur, Guntakal, Adoni, Mantralayam Road, Raichur, Krishna, Yadgir and Shahabad.
Train No 06215 Mysuru-Prayagraj One-way Kumbh Express Special will leave Mysuru at 3 am on December 23 and is scheduled to reach Prayagraj jn at 3 am on the respective Wednesday.
Enroute, the train will stop at the following stations: Mandya, KSR Bengaluru, Yesvantpur, Tumakuru, Arsikere, Kadur, Chikjajur, Davangere, SMM Haveri, SSS Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Ghatprabha, Miraj, Sangli, Karad, Pune, Daund Chord Line, Ahmadnagar, Manmad, Bhusaval, Khandwa, Talvadya, Chhanera, Khirkiya, Harda, Banapura, Itarsi, Pipariya, Narsinghpur, Jabalpur, Katni, Maihar, Satna and Manikpur.
The special trains will consist of one AC Two-Tier Coach, two AC Three-Tier Coaches, nine Sleeper Class Coaches, four General Second-Class Coaches and two SLR/D.
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.
South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
