Tamil Nadu Man Crashes His New Car Into Temple Pillar Minutes After 'Puja'

A man unintentionally crashed his newly purchased car into a temple pillar in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore after a blessing ceremony. A video of the incident has now surfaced on social media. Notably, the owner of the car, identified as Sudhakar recently bought a new car and decided to take part in a customary 'puja' at a nearby temple. After the traditional rituals were completed, Sudhakar, who is an experienced driver, started the car to mark his first drive.

However, he lost control and accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and collided with a pillar-like structure within the temple premises. Another person who was talking to Sudhakar through the window was seen clinging to the car, while a third man was seen running after the vehicle. 

What happened inside the temple has not been captured on camera, but it has been said that the car hit a structure and stopped. The man did not sustain any injury in the accident and escaped unharmed, but his brand-new vehicle suffered some minor damage. 

''A man inadvertently crashed his newly purchased car into a pillar-like structure after a blessing ceremony at a temple in the #Srimushnam area of #Cuddalore district of #TamilNadu,'' the caption of the video shared on X reads.

Watch the video here:

A man inadvertently crashed his newly purchased car into a pillar-like structure after a blessing ceremony at a temple in the #Srimushnam area of #Cuddalore district of #TamilNadu. pic.twitter.com/omC6ppCR8h

— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) May 8, 2024

The video of the incident is now going viral on social media and garnering mixed reactions. While some expressed concern for the driver, some were amused by the embarrassing turn of events. 

One user wrote, ''The driver was excited for off-roading.''

Another commented, ''He risked his life to try to stop his newly bought car. Emotions..''

A third wrote, ''Vehicle take heartiest blessings Frome God.'' A fourth added, ''Insurance claim on 1st day of purchase lol.''

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Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer Arrives In India Amid Strained Ties

Amid a diplomatic standoff, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer on Wednesday arrived in New Delhi on an official visit to India to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries.

During his visit, the two sides will discuss bilateral and regional issues and seek ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also shared details of his arrival on X saying. "Warm welcome to FM @MoosaZameer of Maldives on his official visit to India. Discussions on bilateral and regional issues and seeking ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship lie ahead."

Warm welcome to FM @MoosaZameer of Maldives on his official visit to India.

Discussions on bilateral & regional issues and seeking ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship lie ahead. pic.twitter.com/jTBXjjJO9z

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 8, 2024

According to the MEA release, the Maldivian minister will hold a meeting with the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.

"Moosa Zameer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will be in India on an official visit on 09 May 2024. During his visit to New Delhi, Foreign Minister Zameer will meet the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest," MEA statement said.

"Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Foreign Minister Zameer's visit is expected to lend further momentum to the bilateral cooperation between the two countries," it added.

The visit comes as India said it will replace its military personnel from Maldives before May 10.

On May 3, India and Maldives held the fourth meeting of the bilateral High-Level Core Group and reviewed the replacement of Indian military from the Island nation by May 10 and noted that the government will replace the personnel before the noted time. Earlier, the Mohamed Muizzu-led Maldives government formally requested that India withdraw its troops from Male.

Maldives foreign ministry said in a press release that both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. "Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development and defence cooperation."

"Both sides noted with satisfaction that the Government of India will replace military personnel at the last of the three aviation platforms by May 10, and all the logistical arrangements are going ahead as per schedule," the press release added.

It was further agreed that the fifth meeting of the High-Level Core Group will be held in Male on a mutually agreeable date during the month of June/July.

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the first batch of Indian personnel in the Maldives had been replaced by technical personnel.

The external affairs ministry earlier informed that both India and the Maldives have agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives.

Last month, the MEA said that the first batch of Indian technical personnel reached the Maldives to replace the defence personnel.

India and the Maldives have held two high-level core group meetings, and the third one is expected to take place soon.

The removal of Indian troops from the country was the main election campaign of Muizzu's party. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Lara Backs India Star To Break His Record. Not Kohli, Rohit, Gill, Rahul

Yashasvi Jaiswal's Test career is just 17 games old but the great Brian Lara feels if there is anyone who can get close to his lofty feats, including the record 400 not out, it is the 22-year-old southpaw from India. Lara's high praise for Jaiswal doesn't come out of the blue. The left two-handers share a special bond, having spent a lot of time over the past year following their "4 am conversation" during the IPL when the West Indian was coaching Sunrisers Hyderabad and the young opener was in the Rajasthan Royals' camp.

A lot has changed since IPL 2023 with Jaiswal now becoming an integral part of India's Test and T20 team. His exploits in the longest format stand out as he averages close to 70 with three hundreds including two double tons in the recent home series against England. What has impressed Lara is Jaiswal's ability to change gears as per the situation of the game.

"If I feel my records are threatened, Jaiswal has got a very good chance to do so. He has got capabilities, couple of double hundreds already. He is that good," Lara told PTI editors at its headquarters in an interaction arranged by Star Sports where he is a commentator and expert for the ongoing IPL.

Lara, who recently turned 55, is one of the all-time greats of the game having amassed close to 12, 000 runs in Tests and over 10,000 runs in ODIs. His record of the highest individual total, 400 not out against England in 2004, still stands tall.

Lara fondly looked back at his first meeting with Jaiswal when asked about a light moment they shared on the sidelines of the Rajasthan Royals and SRH clash in the ongoing season.

"The only thing I can reveal about that (conversation) is I think he is an outstanding young cricketer. what I like about him is that he is very humble and willing to work. The first time I met him (last year), I immediately found myself attached to him.

"After the game (SRH vs Royals), I went to the hotel with a friend of mine from the Caribbean who knew Jos Buttler. It was midnight and Jaiswal found me. I promise you I left the hotel at 4 in the morning.

"He just wanted to hear more and more and more. That is one of his amazing traits. His ability to want to learn as much as possible. Our conversations are about trying to make him a better cricketer. I am available for anyone that has my number. I am happy to talk cricket." Being a left-hander himself, it is natural for Lara to be biased towards that tribe. Another southpaw he has great admiration for is Abhishek Sharma with whom he spent time at SRH.

"Again he is someone who I met while I was batting coach of SRH. I spent two years there. I am allowed to a bit biased when I see a left-hander, I just love a left-hander. Myself and Abhishek have developed a very good relationship, these youngsters are very humble. they want to learn.

"What I like about these two, they want to get to great heights. I have great admiration for both." The legend from Trinidad reckons that usually records are threatened by batters who score quickly and Jaiswal has that ability along with the hunger to bat long.

His 400 not out has not been surpassed in 20 years and Lara hopes he is still around to see the day when his record is broken.

"I think now, the pace that these guys are batting at. And you look at the guys over the years who have challenged that 300-mark and plus. It's Chris Gayle. It's Virender Sehwag. It's Sanath Jayasuriya, It's Inzamam-ul-Haq. It's Matthew Hayden. These are guys who destroy bowling attacks.

"...you would not say that for a Rahul Dravid or Steve Smith in the present case. But a player who likes to score quickly, will have an opportunity. You know, Jaiswal, I mean, I was in Australia when David Warner came close and you know, he's an aggressive player.

"So I believe yes, I think it will be broken at some point in time. I think it has to be that person's destiny. Everything has to fall into place. And... I look forward to that time. I hope it happens, while I'm still around," he said.

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Onam Sadya At This Michelin Star Dubai Restaurant Shocks Internet

Onam Sadya has gained popularity as a culinary ensemble that is a hallmark of the Onam festival. It has a photogenic appeal and is served during various religious ceremonies and wedding celebrations. What was once essentially a restaurant phenomenon in South Indian cities like Chennai and Bengaluru is now gradually becoming a global phenomenon.

Usually, the Kerala Sadya is an elaborate meal with at least 20 different dishes and is almost always a vegetarian affair served for lunch. Now, a restaurant has created their version of Onam Sadya and it has shocked many food enthusiasts. A video of the same was shared by an Instagram account Food Porn and shows "a celebration of flavours".

The short clip showcases each component of the dish served by different servers at the restaurant. The reworked dish includes papadam, cream rice, mango pickle, payasam and grilled pineapple served with tomato broth tempered in southern spices. Heena, the host at Tresind Studio, presents the dish, which she describes as a combination of cuisine and art, with exquisite flair. Every component, ranging from the seasoned stone garnish to the marinated pineapple, has been thoughtfully chosen to showcase an array of flavours, according to her.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Foodporn ™ (@foodporn)

"This is the viral dish you may have seen on your feed lately called the "onam sadya" from @tresindstudio in Dubai. It is a performance of food and art, so we thought we'd go and experience it for ourselves. The dish is a celebration of flavors, and is served by each member of the restaurant as follows: grilled pineapple marinated in Indian spices, cream of rice, payasam (condensed milk), mango pickle, banana vinegar, cuddapah almonds, second press of coconut ice cream, grated sugar spiced stone (taken directly from the pot plant sitting on the table!), mela blossom flower, papadam, tomato broth tempered in southern spices"

The Instagram account said, "Tresind Studio is one of the best restaurants we've ever been to, and this was one of the standout dishes." Notably, the restaurant has not mentioned the price of the dish available on their website menu. However, many on the internet are criticising the restaurant for the small portions and for changing the authenticity of the special dish. 

"I'm from where this onam sadhya originated and idk wt* this is," said a user.

Another added, "As a professional onam celebrator from the official onam land, ithenth myr THIS IS NOT ONAM SADHYA."

A person wrote, "As a malayalee - this makes me cry- but not tears of joy"

"The absolute atrocity and insult that this is to onam sadya cannot be articulated politely. On top of all that, "Cuddapah almonds" or any almonds for that matter has never ever made an appearance in the history of sadya," commented a user.

"Cut it into bite size pieces.. the whole thing is a bite size piece," added a person.

"If you really want to know how an Onam sadya looks like just search online you'll find. This dish has nothing to do with onam sadya except for the pappadam maybe," wrote an Instafram user.

Another user said, "Y'all should stop doing extravagant gourmet shit to meals that are meant to celebrate plentifulness and harmony among common folk."

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Manipur Tribal Group With Alleged Links To Khalistanis Holds US Event

Nearly two weeks after India trashed a report by the US State Department alleging human rights abuse in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, a group of people from the Kuki tribes settled in the US held a "congressional briefing", and took swipes at India.

In the event organised by the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), which allegedly maintains ties with Canada-based Khalistani separatists, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commissioner David Curry alleged that violations of religious freedom in India has been growing unchecked.

Mr Curry, who is also the chief of the religious advocacy group Global Christian Relief, connected the alleged "atrocities on the Kuki minority Christians to the broader issues prevalent nationwide."

"Unfortunately, these instances in Manipur mark a broader, widespread pattern of deteriorating religious freedom conditions throughout India," Mr Curry alleged.

NAMTA in a statement on Monday said its Canada chapter head Lien Gangte criticised the "Indian government for failing to fulfil its constitutional obligations."

Mr Gangte was seen in August 2023 giving a speech at the same gurdwara in Canada's Surrey, whose chief and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June that year. In his address then, he had condemned what he called "attacks on minorities in India" and asked Canada for "all possible help".

North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA) Canada chief Lien Gangte in Surrey in August 2023

Sources on Tuesday said NAMTA's handles of its US, Canada, and India chapters on the microblogging website X were blocked in India last year after intelligence agencies started monitoring NAMTA's activities and the group's alleged links with Khalistanis.

The development in August 2023 had alarmed intelligence agencies.

"The NAMTA members have been repeatedly defaming India and maligning the country's image on the world stage. They have become more aggressive, coincidentally, when the Lok Sabha elections are going on," a senior official in India said, requesting anonymity. "We have been monitoring them. Their activities are getting closer to groups that work to sabotage India's standing in the world," the official said.

India on April 25 had termed the US State Department report alleging "significant human rights abuses" in Manipur as "deeply biased" and reflecting "a poor understanding of the country".

"This report is deeply biased and reflects a very poor understanding of India. We attach no value to it and urge you also to do the same," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.

The ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo tribes began over cataclysmic disagreements on sharing land, resources, affirmative action policies, and political representation, mainly with the 'general' category Meiteis seeking to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category. A top factor the state government says led to the crisis was its 'war on drugs' campaign.

"The slow but steady decline in opium cultivation due to the 'war on drugs' campaign would have been a kick in the gut of powerful drug cartels. The Kuki insurgents, too, have been demanding a separate land for a long time. It was a dangerous combination," a senior officer in the Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) had told NDTV on April 30, requesting anonymity.

"The idea of a separate administration did not just fall from a tree after May 2023. The idea was always there," the officer added.

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4,4,4,6,4,6 - 'Crazy Kid From Australia' Decimates India's T20 WC Reserve

Delhi Capitals (DC) young batting sensation Jake Fraser McGurk continued his scorching run of form at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), becoming the first-ever player to have three half-centuries in 20 balls or less in the history of the competition. Fraser McGurk accomplished this feat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL game at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.

The Australian enthralled the audiences with his big hits once again, scoring 50 in 20 balls, with seven fours and three sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 250.00. In one of the overs by Avesh Khan, a reserve bowler in India's T20 World Cup squad, the Australian slammed 28 runs. The balls went like this - 4,4,4,6,4,6

Jake Fraser-McGurk is a crazy kid from Australia. pic.twitter.com/OwQ1PAHbnD

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 7, 2024

Before this, Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) stars Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul, Mumbai Indians (MI) batters Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Sunil Narine and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Travis Head had two fifties each in 20 balls or less.

In this season itself, McGurk has smashed these quickfire 50s, with two of them coming in just 15 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI), which is the fastest half-century in the history of the franchise.

In this season, McGurk has scored 309 runs at an average of 44.14 and a strike rate of 235.87, with four half-centuries. His best score is 84. He has smashed 30 fours and 26 sixes this season.

Within the powerplay itself, McGurk has smashed 245 runs in just 96 balls at an average of 61.2 and a strike rate of 255.20, with 29 fours and 19 sixes.

Also, McGurk is the only DC batter to have scored a half-century within the powerplay in six overs, doing it twice, against SRH and MI.

Coming to the match, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Gulbadin Naib, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal.

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"Should Go To Pak": Kasab Trial Witness Over Congress Leader's 26/11 Remark

Devika Rotawan, the youngest eye-witness in the trial of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, slammed Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar without naming him for his statement about the death of then Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare and said one should not "sprinkle salt on wounds".

Mr Wadettiwar, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, claimed that Hemant Karkare, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief during the 26/11 terror attack, wasn't killed by Kasab but by a bullet fired by a policeman affiliated to the RSS.

The Congress leader made the statement as he attacked the BJP's Mumbai North Central candidate Ujjwal Nikam - the special public prosecutor in the 26/11 trial.

"If Kasab did not fire on 26/11 then who did? No one will ever be able to forget the terror attack. You scratch our wounds and then sprinkle salt into it. If you want to do politics, do it on other topic and not on this," she told news agency PTI.

On November 26, 2008, Ms Rotawan, her father Natwarlal and brother Akash were waiting for a train at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) when Kasab and an accomplice opened fire.

Shot in the right leg, Ms Rotawan, who needed crutches for a long time, became the youngest eye-witness to depose in court during Kasab's trial that eventually saw him being awarded the death penalty.

"What is he (Vijay Wadettiwar) doing in India if he wants to support Pakistan?" Ms Rotawan said, adding that the allegations against Ujjwal Nikam were wrong since the lawyer "did so much for the nation and sent Kasab to the gallows".

Slamming Mr Wadettiwar, she said he was making such statements just at the time of election and asserted he does not have the right to stay in this country.

"Ujjwal Nikam did not lie or betray his country. If you want to praise Kasab, go and stay in Pakistan," she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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