Imagine watching a supercar roar past you, its engine growling like thunder. That’s what people in Udaipur experienced as global supercar brand McLaren organised a celebration drive to mark the milestone of 50 of its supercars in India. The event, which saw cars racing from Udaipur to Mount Abu, featured 11 McLaren owners, including actor Madhuri Dixit. It was flagged off by Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, a member of the royal family of Mewar. As the supercars crossed sped past the iconic buildings and streets of Udaipur, the ground trembled due to the roar of the engine.

The drive featured a variety of McLaren’s iconic models, including the 720S, GT, Artura and the rare 750S 60th Anniversary Edition, which was produced in a limited run of just 60 units.

For those watching, it wasn’t just a race – it was a spectacle, a moment where luxury and adrenaline merged.

Social media users also posted enthusiastic reactions online. “Wow that’s wonderful,” commented one user.

Others posted heart emojis to show their love for McLaren supercars.

McLaren Automotive is a British-based New Zealand luxury automotive manufacturer based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The main products of the company are sports cars, which are produced in-house in designated production facilities. In July 2017, McLaren Automotive became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the wider McLaren Group, which is wholly owned by Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In India, the price of McLaren cars start from Rs 4.5 crore for the GT, while the most expensive McLaren (the newest model 750S) is priced Rs 5.91 crore.

Popular YouTuber Mithilesh Backpaker recently shared an experience he encountered in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, wherein a group of men harassed his Russian wife. The vlogger captured the incident on camera and later posted it online. In the video, he revealed that a group of men followed his wife Lisa and their two-year-old son during their visit to the City Palace in Udaipur. He also captured the moment his wife was harassed with comments like “6,000 INR?”. 

The YouTuber was recording a video when one man made a sexually-coloured remark directed at his wife. He immediately turned his camera to the eve-teaser and confronted him. He threatened to call the police even as the harasser kept denying that his remark was directed towards the Russian woman.

“6,000 INR kisko bolta, merko samajhta nahi kya? (Don’t I understand whom you are saying 6,000 to?)” the YouTuber asked. “Kikso bola? Meri wife Russian hai toh tu ulta seedha comment dega? (My wife is Russian so you will say these nonsensical things?)” he added.

In the video, the YouTuber said that the men had been following him and his family around even before the “6,000 INR” comment triggered him. He claimed that the City Palace security, instead of assisting him, urged him to drop the matter and not call the police. He criticised India’s security situation for women and the attitude of people. 

“I was so angry. I was with my wife. How can people behave in this manner? It was very shocking and very shameful for me. My wife came to India… I wanted to promote Indian tourism, that India is so beautiful, so safe. And when something like this happens, what do I do?” he asked.

Also Read | Delhi CA Denies Rs 1,000 Raise To Maid, Internet Slams Her “Corporate Lesson”

The YouTuber shared the video earlier this month. Since then, the clip has gone viral and sparked outrage among social media users. “Definitely you should file a police complaint, such things should not be taken lightly, it is deep rooted in young indian minds, and should be punished,” commented one user. 

“Shame on us Shame on India. We just stand, watch and film without helping others. We are a failed society with inhumanity. Not only this case but there so many similar cases rising. I am really sorry for such misbehave Mithilesh bhai and everyone who faced such harassment. I hope one day things will change positively,” said another. 

“You should file a complaint against that boy. Ridiculous to see, how Indian youth trying to damage the picture of India in the eyes of foreigners,” suggested a third user. “absolutely horrendous behaviour ….felt so bad,” expressed another. 

The situation remains tense outside the Udaipur Palace, where a royal family feud led to clashes last night after BJP MLA Vishvraj Singh Mewar and his supporters were refused entry.

Mr Singh, the BJP MLA from Rajsamand who has been anointed the 77th Maharana of Mewar, had gone to offer prayers at the Dhuni Mata temple inside the palace, managed by a trust that is run by his cousin Dr Lakshay Raj Singh and uncle Shreeji Arvind Singh Mewar.

Stone-pelting was reported from both sides as Vishvraj Singh – who is embroiled in a legal dispute with his uncle over the management of palaces and forts – was denied entry into the palace. At least three people were injured in the clashes.

Vishvraj Singh, who reportedly stood with his supporters for hours, left late at night after requests from the district administration. He told his supporters that the administration would take action in the morning and they assured him of darshan. Calling for a peaceful protest, the titular Maharana also appealed to his supporters not to take the law into their own hands.

His supporters are set to gather again in the morning.

“The law-and-order situation is well under control. Talks were going on with palace representatives as well as the society representatives. We have agreed on certain issues while talks are going on for certain others,” said District Collector Arvind Kumar Poswal.

The palace area wore a deserted a look this morning, showed visuals from Udaipur, as police barricades dotted the streets adjacent to the palace. The road connecting the Janana Mahal and the Dhuni Mata temple has been sealed by the authorities.

What Led To The Clash

Vishvraj Singh was anointed as the 77th Maharana of Mewar at a traditional coronation ceremony in the historic Chittorgarh Fort after the death of his father Mahendra Singh Mewar. He had gone to offer prayers at the temple of his family deity, Dhuni Mata, inside the palace and the Ekling Shiv temple after the symbolic coronation.

Since both temples are managed by the Shree Eklingji Trust, run by Arvind Singh Mewar, the administration had requested the Trust to allow a few erstwhile nobles inside the palace for darshan. They had also erected barricades, sensing that the situation could turn violent.

After Vishvraj Singh was denied entry, his supporters got angry and tried to break the barricades and gate close to the gates. Stones were thrown from both sides as the situation escalated.

The Maharana called the incident “unfortunate” and told reporters that dispute over properties should not hinder traditions.

Udaipur witnessed a row in the erstwhile royal family today after the coronation of BJP MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar as the 77th Maharana of Mewar. A stand-off with his cousin Dr Lakshay Raj Singh Mewar followed at the gates of the historic city palace, after Mr Singh was refused entry into the palace, which is now run by a trust managed by his cousin and uncle Shreeji Arvind Singh Mewar. The row it sparked escalated as the day progressed. Post-10 pm, the MLA’s supporters started throwing stones and attempted to storm the palace gates. Others are retaliating from inside the palace. Hectic visuals from palace gates shows stones landing from both sides, Three people have been injured and the police are trying to control the mob. 

Reports say Vishvaraj Singh has been standing with his supporters at the spot for the last 5 hours. The district administration has now decided to intervene. 

Vishvaraj Singh — the BJP MLA from Rajsamand from where his wife Mahima Kumari is the sitting MP — was formally declared the heir to the Mewar dynasty at a traditional coronation ceremony in the historic Chittorgarh fort 12 days after the death of his father Mahendra Singh Mewar. 

The coronation ceremony, conducted by priests who performed pujas and did a havan, saw Vishwaraj’s raj tilak done by an erstwhile noble who slashed his finger on a sword and anointed him in blood. This is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years in the Mewar dynasty, which traces its lineage back to Bappa Rawal in the 8th Century. Its most famous royal was Rana Pratap, who fought the Mughals in the battle of Haldi Ghati. 

After the symbolic coronation, Mr Singh had decided to take the blessings from family deities — the Dhooni mata temple inside the city palace and the Ekling Shiv temple about 50 kilometres from Udaipur. But since both temples are run by the trust, he was denied entry into the city palace. The administration had tried to persuade the Museum Trust to allow not the entire procession, but a few erstwhile nobles to accompany Vishwaraj Singh into the palace for darshan.  

Anticipating trouble, the police had set up barricades and deployed additional personnel in the area around the city palace gates. But when Mr Singh was denied entry into the palace, his enraged supporters broke barricades and tried to get close to the city palace gates. 

“The situation that we see today is unfortunate,” Vishvaraj Singh told media persons. “I am grateful for your support. On one side is properties, but there are also traditions where we seek blessings. This is wrong as far as traditions and society norms are concerned,” he added. 

The new generation of Mewar royals have been involved in a legal dispute over palaces, temples and forts that are now run and managed by nine trusts. All these trusts are handled by the uncle and cousin of Vishvaraj Singh.

Early this morning, the Maharana Mewar Charitable Trust published in the local newspapers that they would not allow anyone to enter the trust premises as they anticipated that this could be done with an intention to trespass on and damage trust properties.  

The dispute goes back to 1984, when the former Maharana of Mewar Bhagwat Singhji made his younger son Arvind Singh the director of the trusts, effectively ousting the elder son Mahendra Singh from the royal properties. 

As the stand-off continues in Udaipur, this is a royal row that’s going to echo in the City of Lakes for some time. 

Jaipur:

Four men have been arrested for firing at a Thai woman after she tried to resist an alleged molestation attempt by one of them in Udaipur, police said on Monday.

The 24-year-old survivor is undergoing treatment at the Udaipur District Hospital and is now out of danger, they added.

The accused were identified as Rahul Gurjar (25), Akshay Khubchandani (25), Dhruv Suhalka (21), and Mahim Chaudhary (20), Superintendent of Police (SP) Yogesh Goyal said.

According to the SP, the victim was staying in a hotel in Udaipur with a female friend and around 1:30 am on Saturday, she left the hotel alone under the pretext of meeting some friends, who took her to another hotel room for a liquor party.

When one of the men, Rahul Gurjar, tried to molest her, the victim bit him in self-defence, the SP said.

In anger, Gurjar allegedly shot at the woman with his country-made pistol, he added.

The four men, however, got panicked and rushed the woman to a private hospital, where they left her and fled. She was later referred to the district hospital for treatment of a bullet injury near her ribs, Goyal said.

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

Jaipur:

A man-eating leopard in Udaipur’s jungles, who had attacked a farmer in the nearby village, was found dead on Friday with an injury mark on its neck, forest officials said.

Forest Department Officer Sunil Kumar said that the body of the leopard was found lying near the farmer Devaram’s house who allegedly attacked him.

There is a major wound on the leopard’s face, which suggests that it was attacked with a sharp weapon or an axe.

According to the forest department, it is yet to be ascertained if this is the same man-eater leopard who has killed around eight people in the Gogunda area in Udaipur.

This incident was reported early Friday morning and comes under the Sayra police station area, nearly 20 km from Gogunda in Kamol village.

The leopard which entered the house of 55 -year-old Devaram here first attacked cows and then the farmer.

Hearing the noise of the locals and the farmer’s family, the leopard left Devaram lying on the ground and ran towards the forest following which the locals chased it with weapons.

The injured Devaram was taken to the nearest health centre and was then referred to MB Hospital in Udaipur.

Devaram’s condition is stable now, but due to fear, he is unable to speak.

Officials said that there is a possibility that the leopard may have been killed by the locals here.

The matter is being investigated, they added.

Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued for the maneater leopard after he killed around eight people here.

For the past month, a search for the man-eating leopard has been underway in the Gogunda and Jhadol areas of Udaipur.

A team of about 300 people is searching for the man-eater in the forests of more than 20 villages using high-tech techniques.

The team also includes experts from different tiger sanctuaries, but the man-eater leopard has not been caught yet.

Meanwhile, after the leopard attacks in the villages of Gogunda and Jhadol area, the attacks in the Sayra area are also raising concerns for the administration.

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

Udaipur:

The forest department in Udaipur district, with the help of the Army, has captured two leopards, bringing a sigh of relief to residents of Gogunda town where three people were killed in attacks by the big cats last week, officials said on Tuesday.

The leopards were captured in separate cages on Monday night, they added.

The traps were set following a wave of panic in the community after the rise in deaths due to leopard attacks.

In response to the fatalities, which included a 16-year-old girl, a 50-year-old man, and a 40-year-old woman, the forest department launched a search operation with local police, according to officials.

A team from the Indian Army was also called in on Saturday to trace the animals. Cages were strategically placed at six locations in the area, they said.

Gogunda police station SHO Shaitan Singh Nathawat said the leopards were rescued and transported to Sajjangarh Biological Park in Udaipur city by the forest department team.

Nathawat said prima facie, one of the two big cats, the older one who is lacking teeth, might have been responsible for the recent fatal attacks on humans.

“The animal’s inability to hunt its natural prey due to broken or lack of canines likely drove it to attack humans, making it easier for the leopard to seek alternative sources of food. However, the forest officials are examining the matter in detail,” he said.

The search operation commenced on Wednesday, and the Army utilised drones for surveillance starting Saturday, the officials said.

Camera traps were also used to capture the leopards’ movements, they added.

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

New Delhi:

At the heart of the tragic billboard collapse in Mumbai, which claimed 16 lives, was an advertising agency, Ego Media Pvt Ltd, that had installed the fateful structure. The owner of the company, Bhavesh Bhinde, managed to evade police for 3 days, but was finally arrested from Udaipur.

He was arrested after an extensive manhunt spanning three states.

The collapse of the 120 feet by 120 feet billboard claimed the lives of 16 and left 75 others injured. The catastrophic incident, which occurred amidst strong winds and unseasonal rains, prompted swift action from law enforcement agencies.

Video | 16 Seconds Of Horror, When Mumbai Billboard Crushed Petrol Pump

https://t.co/FM129UZb0epic.twitter.com/NYWMcu981X

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 16, 2024

Following his realization that the police were closing in on him, Bhavesh Bhinde fled, setting off a pursuit that led through various cities. To evade capture, he kept changing his location and assumed a false identity.

His flight led authorities to Lonavala, Thane, and Ahmedabad before finally ending in Udaipur, where he was found hiding in a hotel under an assumed name. He would be in a new city every time the cops closed in on him, and Mumbai Police had to deploy eight teams, which worked round the clock, to track Bhinde.

The team revealed that Bhavesh Bhinde, upon learning of the impending police action, initially fled to Lonavala before returning to Mumbai the next day. Subsequently, he traveled to Thane, but continued his elusive journey to Ahmedabad, ultimately seeking refuge in a hotel in Udaipur, where he was finally nabbed by the Crime Branch.

He was finally caught after the investigation team utilised a combination of technical expertise and human intelligence.

The Udaipur operation was so discreet that even the local police were not informed that a team was in town to catch Bhinde.

“The operation was a top secret, and even the Udaipur police did not know about it,” said an official on the investigating team.

The hoarding collapsed onto a nearby petrol pump in the Chhedanagar area in Ghatkopar during gusty winds and heavy unseasonal rains, killing 16 people and injuring 75 others.

This incident has highlighted severe lapses in the regulatory oversight of advertising installations in Mumbai, sparking calls for stricter enforcement of safety standards.

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were welcomed with garlands at AAP MP Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra’s sangeet ceremony in Uaipur last night.

Other politicians and film personalities joined the pre-wedding festivities before the main ceremony at The Leela Palace today.

At the couple’s “90s theme” sangeet, Chief Minister Mann was seen shaking a leg to DJ Navraj Hans tunes. DJ Hans, son of veteran Bollywood singer Hans Raj Hans, shared a video of his live performance at the ceremony. Other videos featuring Mr Mann dancing are now viral on social media.

Exclusive : #BhagwantMann grooving on Punjabi tunes in #RaghavChadha – #ParineetiChopra Sangeet ceremony held last night in Udaipur#ParineetiRaghavWedding#RaghavParineetiKiShaadipic.twitter.com/TEMhBq4V1a

— Ritik Gupta (@RitikGupta1999) September 24, 2023

Mr Kejriwal and Mr Mann arrived in Udaipur yesterday morning. AAP MP Sanjay Singh was also among the guests who arrived in the city for the wedding.

“I congratulate Raghav and Parineeti on the new chapter of their lives. May God fulfil all their wishes. Today and tomorrow is the wedding ceremony and all the people will join it,” Mr Singh said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The big fat wedding festivities began today at 10 am with the choora ceremony. This will be followed by a sehrabandi at 1 pm. Raghav Chadha’s baraat will travel on a boat from Udaipur’s iconic Lake Palace to the wedding venue. The jaimala is scheduled to take place at 3 pm which will be followed by the pheras and vidai. The entire wedding is expected to be wrapped up by 6:30 pm before a reception at 8:30 pm.