Maharashtra: Thirty women trainees of police's Akola centre down with jaundice; Gorhe, Mitkari seek probe

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Thirty women trainees at the Akola Police Training Centre contracted jaundice due to contaminated water, a senior official said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

Additional Director General of Police (Training) Rajkumar Bhatkar, who visited the facility during the day, confirmed the development and said the force will bear medical expenses, reported PTI.

"A probe has begun into the incident, which may have been caused by contaminated water or contaminated food," Bhatkar said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe and MLC Amol Mitkari sought strict action in the matter.

In her letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also handles the home portfolio, Gorhe said the condition of some women trainees deteriorated on March 30 after having contaminated water.

"Thirty of them have contracted jaundice. The incident must be investigated and there should be routine inspection of the training centre. Strict action should be taken if there is laxity on the part of anyone," she said in letter.

Mitkari, part of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, sought an SIT probe into the matter., reported PTI.

In another incident, the Navi Mumbai police have launched a probe after an unidentified individual attempted to impersonate a senior staffer of the Central Industrial Security Force, officials said on Friday, reported PTI.

It was alleged that a person used a photograph of the CISF Director General as WhatsApp display image, sent a message to the CISF control room on Thursday posing as the top official and made casual inquiries, reported PTI.

CISF guards the country's most critical infrastructure facilities like nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports and power plants, reported PTI.

After being alerted about the impersonation attempt, the Kharghar police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code section 420 (cheating) and the Information Technology Act, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI)