Nanded: Ganapati Trains, Rising Gold, Badal Attack, and Campus Drug Drive
Nanded, a major pilgrimage city and railway hub in Marathwada, is in the thick of Ganapati season this September with special train services deployed and precious metal prices in focus. The district also drew national headlines when Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked during a visit, while Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University held a campus awareness drive on drugs and women's safety.
🏢 Gold Rate Tracker: Festive-Season Prices in Nanded
Business Today's commodity desk tracks daily gold rates in Nanded, and on 10 September 2026 it published the latest benchmark prices for both 22-carat and 24-carat gold in the city. The festive season traditionally drives heightened demand for gold across Maharashtra as families prepare for weddings, Diwali purchases, and religious ceremonies through the Shraavana and Bhadrapada months. In Nanded, a city known as a major Sikh pilgrimage centre home to Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, gold pricing carries special significance: the gurdwara's langar and community kitchens depend on stable economic conditions, and devotees often make gold-related purchases during pilgrimages. Business Today tracks the rate daily using data sourced from local jewellers and commodity markets, reporting a unified city-level price that reflects transportation and handling costs layered on top of national benchmarks. The 22-carat rate is used for jewellery manufacture, while 24-carat serves as the standard for investment and gifting. Nanded falls within the Maharashtra pricing zone, which may differ slightly from national averages due to local dealer margins. Silver rates for the same date were also published separately, completing the daily precious-metals picture for residents and traders across the Marathwada region ahead of the busy festive calendar. [1]
🎉 South Central Railway Adds Nanded–Sawantwadi Road Trains for Ganapati Rush
The South Central Railway announced special express services on the Nanded–Sawantwadi Road route ahead of Ganapati 2026, seeking to manage the surge in pilgrims and festival travellers heading toward coastal Konkan. The Times of India reported that the railway responded to anticipated demand from Marathwada passengers travelling to visit family or attend Ganapati celebrations in the Konkan region, which draws lakhs of visitors over the ten-day festival. Sawantwadi Road, the terminus in Sindhudurg district, serves as a gateway to coastal towns where elaborate Ganapati pandals and community celebrations are a long-standing tradition. SCR operates several express and passenger services connecting Nanded southward through the Deccan plateau and onward to the Konkan coast, and special seasonal trains are a regular feature during major festivals. The announcement aligned with parallel moves by other zonal railways: Mid-Day reported Central Railway was running four additional services on the same corridor for Ganeshotsav 2026. Passengers were advised to book early as demand on coastal routes spikes sharply in the days before Chaturthi. The move reflects Nanded's role as a major rail junction for Marathwada, channelling festival travel across Maharashtra and reinforcing the city's transport significance beyond its spiritual importance as a Sikh pilgrimage destination. [2]
University Awareness Drive Targets Drugs and Traffic Safety
A senior district official addressed students at Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University in Nanded on 9 September 2026, urging them to refuse drugs, discourage peers from substance abuse, and observe traffic rules strictly, according to a PTI dispatch carried by ThePrint. Speaking at a formal awareness event held on campus, the official highlighted the Dial 112 emergency service as a lifeline for women facing safety risks, urging students to remain alert and use the helpline whenever needed. The event reflected ongoing efforts by state and district authorities to address drug use among youth in Marathwada, a region that has seen periodic warnings from law enforcement about the availability of synthetic substances near educational institutions. The official cautioned students about the growing risks from peer pressure and asked them to actively alert authorities if they observed substance abuse rather than staying silent. Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, named after the freedom fighter and social reformer who worked closely with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, serves as a central higher-education institution for the Marathwada region, enrolling tens of thousands of students across its affiliated colleges and departments. The event was part of a broader awareness calendar coordinated with local law enforcement and civic bodies across Nanded district. [3]
🗳️ Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Badal Attacked in Nanded; Party Demands CBI Probe
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked during a visit to Nanded in Maharashtra, prompting his party to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the incident, the Hindu reported. Badal was in Nanded — a city with a historically significant Sikh community centred around Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, one of the five takhts of Sikhism — when the attack occurred. The Akali Dal called for a CBI probe, arguing that local law enforcement could not be trusted to conduct an impartial investigation given the political circumstances. NDTV, reporting Badal's first public statement after the incident, quoted him as saying he was not afraid, underscoring his resolve to continue political activity. Nanded has long had a connection to Sikh political leadership because of the Hazur Sahib gurdwara, which draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually and gives the city inter-state significance. The Akali Dal has historically maintained deep ties with the Nanded Sikh community. The attack added to tensions within Sikh political circles at a time when Badal had been seeking to rehabilitate his party's standing in Punjab after electoral setbacks. Maharashtra police were reported to be investigating the incident, while the party's demand for a CBI probe indicated a lack of confidence in the state machinery. [8]
🤝 Deaf Man Scales 200-Foot Tower in Nanded to Appeal for Wife's Return
A 40-year-old hearing and speech-impaired man from Betmogara village in Mukhed tehsil of Nanded district scaled a 200-foot mobile telecommunications tower near the Loha bus stand on the morning of 8 September 2026, drawing large crowds and halting traffic. Shadul Shaikh climbed to the top of the tower and unfurled a large hand-painted banner appealing to his wife to return home after she had left following a domestic dispute, the Hitavada reported. The dramatic gesture brought traffic to a standstill from around 8 am as hundreds of onlookers gathered, many recording the scene on their mobile phones. Police arrived and scrambled to formulate a rescue plan as the situation unfolded over several hours. Shaikh's disability — he is both deaf and mute — added to the challenge for authorities attempting to communicate with him and persuade him to descend safely. The incident highlighted the lengths to which individuals sometimes go when facing personal crises, and the speed with which social media amplifies such episodes in contemporary Maharashtra. Local media described the scene at the Loha bus stand as chaotic, with vehicular movement blocked and emergency services on standby. Shaikh was eventually brought down safely after negotiations between police and those who knew him. [5]
Sources: [1] Business Today · [2] timesofindia.indiatimes.com · [3] ThePrint · [8] The Hindu · [5] thehitavada.com