Seven people were killed when a mini truck in which they were travelling overturned in this district on Wednesday, police said. The accident occurred in the Chilaka Pakala area of Chinnaigudem in Devarapalli mandal, East Godavari district. "Seven people died. One person survived and he is alright. He is able to speak," East Godavari district superintendent of police Narasimha Kishore told reporters. The mini-truck laden with cashew nuts was going from Borrampalem in T Narasapuram mandal to Tadimalla in Nidadavolu mandal when the driver lost control and it overturned. According to police, the deceased people succumbed to breathlessness after being stuck under sacks of cashew nuts. Locals and police retrieved the bodies from under the sacks and sent them to Kovvuru government hospital for post-mortem. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 September,2024 10:00 AM IST | East Godavari district | PTIA Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was injured when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts in violation of a ceasefire agreement along the border here on Wednesday, officials said. The BSF troops also retaliated but the casualties on the Pakistani side were not known immediately, they said. 'At about 2.35 am, an incident of unprovoked firing in the Akhnoor area from across the border happened and which was befittingly responded by the BSF. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pakistani firing,' a spokesperson of the border guarding force said. He said the troops are on high alert and keeping a strict vigil all along the International Border and Line of Control. The ceasefire violation between the two countries has been very rare ever since India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. Last year, a BSF jawan was killed in Pakistan Rangers firing in the Ramgarh sector, the first loss of life on the Indian side in more than three years. The latest ceasefire violation comes days ahead of the first phase of the three-phase assembly elections scheduled on September 18. The second phase of the elections will be held on September 25 followed by the third phase on October 1. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 September,2024 09:52 AM IST | Jammu | PTIThe bodies of four more pilgrims, including three women, were recovered on Tuesday from the debris of a landslide that occurred on the Kedarnath highway, taking the toll in the incident to five, officials said on Tuesday. The rescue operation, which was resumed at 5 am, concluded at 7.30 am, Ryudraprayag Superintendent of Police Akshay Konde said The landslide occurred at Mankutiya on Monday while a group of pilgrims was returning on foot from Kedarnath. Traffic along the route had been restored only two-three days back after a 150-metre damaged stretch of the road was repaired. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 September,2024 09:42 AM IST | Rudraprayag | AgenciesDelhi BJP President Vijender Gupta, along with seven other MLAs wrote a letter to President Draupadi Murmu and urged for her “urgent intervention” in the alleged constitutional crisis plaguing Delhi. They requested the President Murmu to dismiss the “AAP Government in Delhi”. The letter has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs “for appropriate attention.” Earlier on August 30 also, a delegation of members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly led by Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta on Friday appealed to President Droupadi Murmu for urgent intervention in the alleged constitutional crisis in Delhi. “Due to the continuous constitutional violations and governance failures in Delhi, all the BJP MLAs along with me met Her Excellency President Smt. Draupadi Murmu ji on 30 August 2024 and submitted a memorandum of the failures of the Delhi Government. Taking cognizance of the memorandum, Her Excellency the President has sent it to the Home Secretary, Home Ministry for appropriate action. I am confident that appropriate action will be taken.” Gupta said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 September,2024 09:41 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has issued a notice to 51 doctors for promoting a culture of intimidation, endangering the democratic atmosphere of the institution and has been asked to appear before the enquiry committee on September 11. They have to prove their innocence before the committee, the notice issued by the hospital authority said. According to the decision made by the Special Council Committee of the RG Kar Hospital, access to the institution’s campus is restricted for those 51 doctors unless summoned by the enquiry committee. “Additionally, participation in college activities is prohibited,” the notice signed by the hospital’s principal said. The list includes senior residents, house staffs, interns and professors. Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal said they would continue their ‘cease work’ to demand justice for the RG Kar hospital medic who was raped and murdered, despite SC directions. TMC urges docs to resume work The Trinamool Congress Party on Tuesday renewed its call for doctors to return to work and pointed out that the human cost of doctors abstaining from their duty is mounting. The party also questioned how many more lives must be lost before the medical fraternity fulfils its duty. In a post on X, TMC said, “One tragedy after another, the human cost of doctors abstaining from duty is mounting. We have always acknowledged the concerns behind the protests, but how many more lives must be lost before the medical fraternity rises to the occasion.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 September,2024 09:39 AM IST | Kolkata | AgenciesShiv Sena Pune district president Surendra Jeware sparked a protest by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday after he covered a cut-out of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar with a black cloth. The incident occurred after Deputy CM Ajit Pawar failed to attend a Ganesh festival event organised by Jeware, leading to heightened tensions and police intervention, reported news agency PTI. Jeware, who has organised the Ganesh festival in Pune district in CM Eknath Shinde's name, was subsequently detained by the police. The Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, and NCP, headed by Pawar, are both part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra, which also includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Jeware had organised the 'Eknath Ganesh Festival' at Bhigwan Chowk in Baramati taluka and had put up large cut-outs of Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis at the venue. According to Jeware, he had invited Pawar to inaugurate the festival multiple times. "It was his responsibility to attend, as we urged him three to four times. Dada (as Pawar is affectionately known) visited smaller Ganesh mandals in Baramati, but didn’t attend the Eknath Ganesh Festival. This is an insult to Chief Minister Shinde," said Jeware. In protest, Jeware and his supporters covered the cut-out of Pawar with a black cloth at the venue. This action prompted a strong reaction from NCP workers, who staged a protest in response. As tensions escalated, the police intervened to manage the situation, and municipal authorities removed the festival’s arch as well as the cut-outs of Shinde, Pawar, and Fadnavis, reported PTI. When asked about Jeware's protest, Ajit Pawar downplayed the incident, stating that there was no need for such a reaction. He explained that while he had been visiting various mandals in Pune city, he had also planned to visit those in Baramati. "There was no need for members of the mandal, which organised the Eknath Ganesh Festival, to react in this manner simply because I couldn’t attend. I do not wish to dwell on the matter, and I will have a discussion with Eknath Shinde," said Pawar. (With PTI inputs)
10 September,2024 11:14 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (SP) legislator Jayant Patil on Tuesday claimed that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is now largely influenced by his consultants, news agency ANI reported. Addressing a press conference, Patil said, "Ajit Pawar is no longer the same. I’m not sure if his nature has changed, but he now relies on consultants for his public speeches. A significant amount of money is being spent on them, and they’ve been given the responsibility of advising him on what to say." Patil further alleged that Ajit Pawar speaks according to the guidance provided by his consultants, adding, "He follows the instructions given to him." He also remarked, "The branding work around him is on a large scale. What Ajit Pawar says is not entirely his own, but rather influenced to a great extent by his consultants." This statement follows Ajit Pawar's recent remarks during one of his 'Jan Samman Yatra' events, where he spoke about how society dislikes family disputes. Earlier, Ajit Pawar had denied reports of a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. Pawar clarified that their conversation in Mumbai revolved around agricultural concerns, particularly issues related to cotton, soybean, and onion crops. Pawar said, "There was no such discussion about seat-sharing. I met Amit Shah in Mumbai for Ganpati Darshan and discussed farming-related matters, including ensuring fair prices for onion farmers. The reports in some newspapers are false and baseless." He added that discussions on seat-sharing for all 288 constituencies would take place soon, and most details had already been settled, with only a few seats left to finalise. Pawar also stated, "I have never said I would contest alone. Those making such claims should be questioned directly. My focus is on ensuring that government schemes benefit the people." A day earlier, Patil, who is the state president of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), slammed the Maharashtra administration led by Eknath Shinde, and claimed that it lacks vision. He encouraged the public to vote the Shinde government out in the next assembly elections. Patil made these statements at an event hosted by the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ). (With ANI inputs)
10 September,2024 11:12 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentUnion Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday criticised Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi for his comments made during his visit to the United State of America (USA), stating that discussions on reservations should be confined to India. Athawale also emphasised that the Constitution is not under threat as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power, news agency ANI reported. "Reservation in India will only end when the marginalised sections of society achieve upward mobility. Economic justice, alongside social justice, is essential for all," Ramdas Athawale stated. "However, when Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, he speaks against India. There is no need to travel outside the country to talk about reservations. The Constitution is not in danger. As long as PM Modi and we are alive, there is no threat to it," he added. Rahul Gandhi, while addressing students and faculty at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., reiterated his stance on the need for a caste census and hinted that the Congress party might reconsider reservations if India becomes a truly fair and just society. He pointed out the stark underrepresentation of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in key positions, calling it the "elephant in the room." Gandhi stated, "90% of India's population—OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis—are not fairly represented in the country's institutions. When we talk about the capture of businesses, institutions, and the media, the real issue is that these communities are being left out." He further stressed the importance of a caste census to gauge the participation and progress of these communities since India's independence. Gandhi also highlighted the imbalance within the bureaucracy, noting that of the 70 top bureaucrats running the Indian government, only a small fraction belong to marginalised communities. "Out of 70 secretaries, there is just one tribal, three Dalits, three OBCs, and one minority representative. This means that 90% of the population has access to less than 10% of the decision-making positions in the country." In response to questions about his position on reservations, Gandhi expressed that despite the policy, Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs still struggle for fair representation within the system. He reiterated that India has not yet become a "fair place." Rahul Gandhi: INDIA bloc united to protect Constitution Citing financial inequalities, Gandhi said, "When you examine the financial allocation, Tribals receive only 10 paise out of every ₹100, Dalits get ₹5, and OBCs receive a similar share. This shows the stark disparity in resource distribution." He also emphasised that the opposition alliance, INDIA, is united in its efforts to protect the Constitution. According to Gandhi, most alliance partners agree on the need for a caste census and share concerns about economic power being concentrated in the hands of just a few businessmen. Rahul Gandhi is currently on a visit to the United States. After spending two days in Washington, he will return to Delhi. During his trip, he addressed the Indian diaspora in Virginia and interacted with students at the University of Texas in Dallas. (With ANI inputs)
10 September,2024 10:33 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentAgitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Tuesday rejected Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee's invitation for talks at the state secretariat, expressing discontent over the "tone" of an email from the government. The doctors are protesting the Kolkata rape-murder incident that took place at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month. The state's Health Secretary, N S Nigam, sent an email to the protesting doctors on Tuesday evening, stating, "Your small delegation (maximum 10 persons) may visit 'Nabanna' now to meet government representatives." However, the protesting doctors found the language of the email offensive, reported news agency PTI. "The language used in the communication is not only disrespectful to us doctors, but it's also highly insensitive. We see no reason to respond to this email," said Dr Debasish Halder, a leader of the protesting doctors, during a sit-in outside the state health department headquarters at 'Swasthya Bhavan' in Salt Lake. The doctors maintained that while they are open to dialogue with the state's highest authorities, their agitation would continue until their demands are met. The junior doctors, employed in state-run healthcare facilities, have been on strike for over a month following the Kolkata rape-murder incident. They defied the Supreme Court's 5 pm deadline to return to work and declared their intention to continue their protest outside 'Swasthya Bhavan' until their demands were addressed. Earlier in the day, the protesting doctors organised a 'clean up Swasthya Bhavan' march, demanding the resignations of the Health Secretary, Director of Health Education (DHE), and Director of Health Services (DHS), as well as the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. These were part of a five-point list of demands. The protesters had set a 5 pm deadline, aligning with the Supreme Court's time frame, for the state administration to act on their demands. 'West Bengal CM waited but there was no response from doctors' Addressing the media at 7.30 pm from 'Nabanna', Bengal's Minister of State for Health, Chandrima Bhattacharya, claimed that the CM had taken a "positive approach" by offering to meet the medics. The CM, who also holds the health portfolio, was waiting for the doctors' delegation to arrive for the meeting but left her office at 7.30 pm after receiving no response. "The email was sent to the official ID of the Junior Doctors' Front at around 6.10 pm. The chief minister waited, but as there was no response, she left," Bhattacharya explained. However, the doctors expressed dissatisfaction with the government's restriction on the number of representatives allowed to attend the meeting. "The email did not even come from the state secretariat but from the health secretary, whose resignation we are demanding. This is an insult," Dr Halder stated. He affirmed that the protests and the strike over the Kolkata rape-murder would continue, indicating that the sit-in outside the state health headquarters would likely stretch into the night. (With PTI inputs)
10 September,2024 09:45 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentA court in Surat on Tuesday remanded 23 out of 27 people to two days of police custody after they were arrested on charges of rioting and attempted murder during a protest against the detention of six minors accused of pelting stones at a Lord Ganesh pandal. The protest, which took place outside a police outpost in Surat, turned violent on September 8, injuring several police officers, news agency PTI reported. The 27 accused were presented in court, where the police sought a 14-day remand to investigate if the violence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy. Judicial Magistrate First Class JP Prajapati, after hearing the plea, remanded 23 of the accused to two days of police custody. Four others were sent to jail under judicial remand owing to health issues. The arrests were made on Monday evening, with charges including attempted murder, unlawful assembly, rioting, causing hurt, and destruction of property filed on the accused. They were brought before the court on Tuesday. Inspector KV Patel of Lalgate police station requested a 14-day remand, stating the need for thorough interrogation to determine if the rioting was premeditated. Patel explained that minors had allegedly thrown stones at the pandal during the ongoing Ganpati festival in Saiyedpura locality in Surat, damaging the idol. Following the detention of six minors involved in the incident, a mob of 200 to 300 people gathered outside the Lalgate police outpost, protesting the action. The mob pelted stones at the police, causing head injuries to two officers and minor injuries to several others. The police argued in court that they needed time to investigate whether there was a mastermind behind the riots, potentially aiming to disturb communal harmony in the city. Inspector Patel emphasised that the police needed custody for identity parades and questioning. He raised concerns about how the mob managed to gather such a large number of stones, despite there being no nearby construction site, and whether the mob arrived at the police outpost armed with stones. Three separate FIRs were registered at Lalgate police station in Surat concerning the attacks on both the Ganesh pandal and the police outpost. (With PTI inputs)
10 September,2024 09:10 PM IST | Surat | mid-day online correspondentAn FIR has been registered against a Wing Commander following complaints of rape by a woman flying officer, officials said on Tuesday. Both the IAF officers are currently stationed in Srinagar. After the complaint, the FIR under "relevant sections of the law" was filed at Budgam police station in central Kashmir on Saturday, a senior police officer said. The IAF said it is cooperating with the police. "We are aware of the case. The Air Force Station in Srinagar was approached by the local Budgam police station on the subject. We are fully cooperating towards this case," a senior IAF official said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 September,2024 09:05 PM IST | Srinagar | PTIADVERTISEMENT