Stampede for Free Clothes at Hindu Temple in India Kills At Least 63
TIMES ONLINE: A stampede at a Hindu temple in northern India killed at least 63 people today – mostly women and children – as thousands of devotees rushed to receive free clothes and food.

Local officials said another 44 people were injured in the crush at a temple compound in Kunda, a small town 110 miles (177km) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of the poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Thousands of farmers and villagers had gathered at the temple at noon to mark the anniversary of the death of the wife of Kripalu Maharaj, a local religious leader, according to local police.

They appeared to have panicked after the temple’s wooden gate collapsed. >>> Jeremy Page, Delhi | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Nehru's Great-grandson Arrested in India
Photo of Varun Gandhi courtesy of Google Images
THE INDEPENDENT: The great-grandson of India's first prime minister was arrested today as police investigated charges against him of making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims ahead of national elections, a court official said.

A political furor erupted after Varun Gandhi, 29, was filmed comparing a rival Muslim politician to Osama bin Laden and threatening to cut the throats of Muslims at two political rallies earlier this month.

Gandhi belongs to the powerful Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, which has produced three prime ministers over six decades and has long promoted a secular government and tolerance for religious minorities. However, he is a member of the opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Gandhi drove through the streets of Pilibhit, a town in the state of Uttar Pradesh where he is seeking a parliamentary seat, accompanied by thousands of supporters waving saffron Hindu flags. Pilibhit is about 135 miles east of New Delhi.

He then turned himself in at the court, said Chief Judicial Magistrate Nitin Kumar. He will be jailed until Monday, when he can seek release on bail, Kumar said.

If convicted, Gandhi could be disqualified from running for office and imprisoned for up to three years. >>> By Biswajeet Banergee, Associated Press | Saturday, March 28, 2009