INDIAN authorities clamped down on one of the country's biggest Hindu festivals on Monday (29) as the country passed 12 million coronavirus cases with financial hub Mumbai recording its highest-ever rise in daily infections.
Public celebrations to mark Holi -- a popular festival where people smear colour on each other -- were banned in some states and territories, including the capital Delhi, over fears they could become 'super-spreader' events, with police patrolling streets in Mumbai to prevent large gatherings.
Despite the restrictions, revellers still gathered in neighbourhoods across the country, banging drums and hurling coloured powder at each other.
"We are aware of the pandemic, but we can not ignore the wishes of the people who want to celebrate the festival of colour," TV actor Debdut Ghosh, who is campaigning for an election in West Bengal state, told AFP in Kolkata.
Many people also took to the streets in the northern city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh state, the country's Hindu heartland of 1.3 billion people.
"Had it not been a festival, I would not have stepped out," said septuagenarian B K Tiwari as he carried his colour-smeared facemask.
The muted celebrations went ahead despite a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases.
India reported 68,020 new daily infections on Monday -- a significant rise from below 9,000 in early February -- taking the total number of cases to more than 12 million.
"If the outbreak grows at that pace -- about five times in five weeks -- that's worrisome," said virologist Shahid Jameel, adding that the lack of mask-wearing and social distancing was fuelling the surge.
Mumbai reported more than 6,900 new cases -- a record for the city of 20 million and more than double last year's peak.
The western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, is mulling a full lockdown to tackle the spread of the disease after imposing a nightly curfew from Sunday (28).
India -- the third-most infected nation -- has shied away from harsh restrictions to combat Covid-19, after gradually lifting one of the world's strictest lockdowns last year to revive the devastated economy.
Optimism that India's vaccine drive would ease the impact of the virus has also faltered with sluggish inoculation rates.
More than 60 million shots have been administered since mid-January, a far slower pace than needed to reach the ambitious target of vaccinating 300 million people by the end of July.
India, home to the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, has meanwhile slowed its export of shots due to the spike.
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)