High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Mahishini Colonne inaugurated Sri Lanka’s Signature Sensations at Tamra, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi, recently (10).

Featuring award-winning Chef Malith Gonaduwa of Shangri-La Colombo, the festival celebrates the richness and diversity of Sri Lankan cuisine, from crisp hoppers and vibrant sambols to fragrant clay pot curries. 

The festival continues until 19 July at Tamra, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi. (Newswire)

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At least 21 people have died in a fire at a hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar this morning. 

According to the police, they received the news of the fire incident at Flourish Stay B&B at 8:48 am and immediately launched rescue, evacuation and relief operations. 

The fire has been extinguished with the assistance of eight fire engines. 

More than 40 persons have been rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. 

Out of the 21 killed in the hotel fire, 17 were foreign nationals from countries like Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh.  

Rescue and search operations are still underway.

Lovkesh Bajaj, the owner of the hotel, is on the run, sources said.

According to sources, Lovkesh and his partners owned three hotels within a 100-metre radius. All the hotels lacked the necessary licenses and documents.  (NDTV)

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Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has expressed his condolences to the victims of a car explosion that ripped through a popular Delhi neighbourhood in India on Monday.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the people of India. 

“Saddened by news of the explosion in Delhi last evening. Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the people of India. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, in a post on ‘X’. 

The blast took place near the city’s iconic Red Fort, a 17th-century monument and a symbol of India’s independence.  

Delhi police are investigating the case under various sections of India’s anti-terror law. 

At least 10 people were killed, and more than 30 other people are reported to have been “badly injured” in the blast. (Newswire)

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More than 200 passengers on a Singapore-bound Air India plane had a harrowing time at the Delhi airport as they were first deboarded from the aircraft due to a cabin temperature issue and were later flown to their destination after a delay of nearly six hours.

The flight, AI2380, was scheduled to be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and was set to take off around 11 pm on Wednesday. 

However, all passengers were deplaned after being seated in the aircraft for nearly two hours as the air conditioning system and electric supply system were faulty, according to a PTI journalist who was on the plane.

In a statement on Thursday, Air India said flight AI2380 operating from Delhi to Singapore was delayed due to a cabin cooling issue on ground prior to departure.

The passengers, more than 200 in number, were taken to the terminal building and the crew did not provide any specific reason for the decision to deplane them, the PTI journalist said.

“Passengers were regularly kept informed of the delay and our ground colleagues in Delhi extended all support to passengers at the airport, including providing refreshments and meals. The flight departed at 0536 hrs IST after a change of aircraft,” it said.

The airline also regretted the inconvenience caused to the passengers.

Later, the aircraft was changed and the flight took off for Singapore after a delay of nearly six hours at 5.36 am on Thursday.

Video clips shared on social media showed passengers using newspapers and magazines to fan themselves inside the aircraft before they were deplaned. (Business Standard)

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SriLankan Airlines says media reports of Flight UL 195 from Colombo to Delhi making an emergency landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in India are false. 

Issuing a statement, SriLankan Airlines stated that no emergency was declared for Flight UL 195 on Wednesday (Aug. 23). 

Stating that the flight did, however, encounter a minor issue with one of its three hydraulic systems, the airline stated that such things happen from time to time, and the airline’s crew is fully trained to handle them. 

“The loss of full functionality of just one hydraulic system neither affects the performance nor calls for an emergency landing of the aircraft. As a routine precaution, the operating crew requested the use of the longer runway for landing in Delhi. The landing was executed safely and without incident and the aircraft taxied to the parking stand for line maintenance work. All passengers onboard the flight exited the aircraft safely and ahead of the scheduled time of arrival, without any interruption to their journey,” the airline said.

SriLankan Airlines added that it always puts the safety of its passengers and employees first and it is in this spirit that the airline’s pilots of UL 195 took prompt action following procedures on landing to ensure the safety of the people onboard the flight. (NewsWire)

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Ten Sri Lankans were arrested for alleged complicity with agents who sought to facilitate their travel to Canada via New Delhi airport by “cheating Indian immigration”, it was reported.

According to the Daily Guardian, Indian Police officials said that those arrested include an agent Mahenthiraraja, a Sri Lankan Tamil, who resides in Chennai. 

They said 10 persons who were near Aero City, could not explain the proper reason “for their presence”.

“They were asked to show their Identity but they did not show their identity. On being suspicious, they were brought to the police station for verification,” a police official said on Monday.

The Police officials further said the investigation revealed that these persons were told to reach Chennai Airport where an agent “will manage all the things required to send them to Canada”.

These people reached Chennai Airport on different dates and Mahenthiraraja came to the airport on Sunday, police said.

They were all brought to a hotel in Paharganj in Delhi and later taken to Aero City, police officials said, adding that the agent told these persons that “due to some problem today” they cannot fly to Canada and asked them to go the hotel.

“They all wanted to travel to Canada by cheating Indian Immigration. A case has been registered, ten persons have been arrested and further investigation is being carried out,” a police official said. (NewsWire)

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The BBC Office in New Delhi, India was on Tuesday (February 14, 2023) raided by the Income Tax Department. 

According to Zee News, the raids were reportedly conducted at BBC’s Office at Kasturba Gandhi Marg. 

As per the latest reports, a team of 60-70 members of the IT department is currently carrying out raids at the BBC Office and the employees have been asked to not use their phones.

Congress, TMC react after BBC Office in Delhi Raided by IT Dept 

Congress reacted to searches at the BBC office by the IT department and called it an “undeclared emergency”.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also took a jibe at the Narendra Modi government and said, “Wow, really? How unexpected.”

The searches at the BBC Office come amid a controversy over a BBC documentary regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Last month, the government issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial documentary. (NewsWire)

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