According to reports, the fire broke out on the second floor of Hotel Galaxy around 1 pm near the BMC office in Santacruz East. Four fire engines and as many water tankers were rushed to the spot.
According to PTI news agency, eight people have been rescued from the hotel. “It is a level-one fire. All rescued people have been rushed to the Cooper Hospital,” an official was quoted as saying.
Efforts are on to douse the flames and rescue people stuck in the building.
]]>South Eastern Railway’s General Manager Anil Kumar Mishra, told reporters, “Had the officials been alert, the accident could have been avoided.” ”The railways have so far suspended seven employees, including three who were arrested by the CBI. According to norms, an employee arrested for 24 hours stands suspended,” Mishra told reporters after visiting the accident site. Earlier, the CBI had arrested senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar.
They have been taken on another four-day remand by the CBI from Wednesday. The three employees were produced in the CBI designated court here after completion of their 5-day remand on Tuesday. Earlier, the probe conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, revealed that the accident took place due to lapses in the signalling circuit alteration at the North Signal Goomty of the station. The Howrah-bound Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches on June 2.
A few coaches of Coromandel Express toppled over the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express which was passing by at the same time.
]]>
According to sources, Sumit Dash of Modipara in Sambalpur was admitted to VIMSAR Hospital in Burla after he sustained multiple fractures in his his right leg, foot, and right hand in an accident on the night of November 8, 2017. The attending orthopaedic Suraj Jain allegedly advised his family to shift him to a private hospital for surgery, saying that it would be delayed by four days at VIMSAR.
Dash, who was a software engineer, was operated by Dr Sanjay Bhoi at Sambalpur-based private nursing home. The surgery reportedly cost around Rs 1.26 lakh and went on for 12 days.
“The surgeons fixed stainless steel implants for the fractured bone (connecting knee & ankle) despite the victim insisting for titanium implant, which led to infection and was not managed properly, because of which he was unable to go to work, and subsequently lost his job, seniority and earnings,” Dash’s lawyer Prem Prakash Panigrahy told the media.
During his period, he was unable to take up an offer from Infosys due to his ailing condition.
When his health condition worsened and he had to bear unbearable pain, the victim consulted another doctor who confirmed that the infection was due to the stainless steel implant. After allegedly being turned away by Dr Jain with some excuses, Dash was taken to a private hospital in Visakhapatnam, where he is still under treatment.
The court has directed the doctors to pay Rs 2.41 lakh towards medical expenses and Rs 16 lakh towards loss of earnings. The doctors, jointly along with the nursing home, are liable to pay a compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the victim and in case of non-payment within one month of the court’s order, they are liable to pay interest @12% at 12% per annum from the date of filing till realization.
Meanwhile, Narasingha Mishra, the lawyer of the private hospital’s owner, informed that they will move the Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against the ruling. “The case was referred to the nursing home and treatment was provided as per the advise of Dr Jain, ” he said.
]]>“A cyclonic circulation lies over north Coastal Andhra Pradesh at 3.1 km above mean sea level,” it said.
According to the midday bulletin, heavy rain may occur at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Nabarangpur till 8.30 am on Thursday. Light to moderate rain or thundershower is also likely at many places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal and at a few places in remaining districts of the state during this period.
There is no heavy rain warning for July 13 when the state is likely to witness thunderstorm with lightning at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati,Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Angul and Dhenkanal districts. There is also a forecast for light to moderate rain or thundershower at many places in Balasore, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh and Bhadrak and at a few places in rest of Odisha.
Only July 14, the state will again experience heavy rains at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Angul, Deogarh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Nuapada, Balangir and Bargarh. Light to moderate rain or thundershower is also likely at many places in North Odisha ,Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh and at a few places in the remaining districts of the state.
Heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Angul, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Boudh, Sonepur, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Kandhamal during the subsequent 24 hours (July 15) with light to moderate showers at many places across the state.
The MeT office has forecast heavy rain one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Koraput, Gajapati and Rayagada districts on July 16. Light to moderate rain or thundershower is also likely many places in North Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam and at a few places in rest districts of the state during this period.
Earlier, the IMD had said that the models indicate the likely development of a cyclonic circulation over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Odisha coast around July 16. There is a possibility that the system may intensify into low pressure. The monsoon trough, which is lying north from its normal eastern side, is also expected to return to its normal position by the end of this week, making conditions favourable for Odisha, it added.
Corroborating the prediction, SOA University’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) said south-easterly wind will lead to an increase in rainfall activity and heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur at most places between July 21 and 23 across north and western Odisha.
“There is a probability of the formation of a cyclonic circulation which will increase precipitation in the state from July 18 and lead to the formation of a low-pressure area the same day. The system may gradually intensify into a deep depression by July 20,” said CEC director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
Odisha is recorded a rainfall deficit of 26 per cent so far this monsoon season since June 1, having received 238.8 mm rainfall against the normal 323.6mm.
]]>The victim, identified as Dandadhar Barik, was admitted to a private hospital here for treatment. Hailing from Dhenkanal district, Barik resides with his wife and two children in Nayapalli area here and runs a saloon.
According to reports, an unknown girl had be friended him on Facebook and chatted with him, three days ago.
Later, she made a video call to him on WhatsApp and had a conversation, which was recorded by the girl. Using the video, she started blackmailing Barik and demanded hefty amount of money from him.
Though the victim had approached the Cyber police, the cops, instead of helping Barik, allegedly made fun of him.
Fearing embarrassment, Barik then took the extreme step as he stabbed in his stomach with scissors.
On being found unconscious at the saloon, he was rescued and rushed to the hospital, where he underwent operation.
]]>Meanwhile, the accused – Senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan, and Technician Pappu Kumar have been forwarded to court after completion of their remand.
On the other hand, two of the three accused, Arun Kumar Mahanta and Mohammed Amir Khan have applied for bail.
CBI on Monday had summoned two more Indian Railways employees and interrogated them in connection with the deadly train accident at Bahanaga.
As per reports, the CBI team interrogated them at Chandaka Police Station on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
]]>Bridges have collapsed, cars have been washed away, highways have been flooded and people are stuck due to landslides at several places. Nine people have died so far.
As many as 13 landslides and 9 flash floods have been reported since the early hours of Saturday, PTI quoted the state emergency operation center as saying.
In Tehri Garhwal district, 3 people were killed and 3 others are missing after a vehicle was hit by a landslide and fell into the Ganga on Sunday.
One pilgrim lost his life and 2 others went missing after falling from a hill near Parvati Bagh during Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra, which has been suspended for July 9 and 10, ANI reported.
Traffic between Kullu and Mandi was disrupted after a portion of National Highway 3 was washed away by the overflowing Beas river.
Traffic has also been halted on Kullu-Manali highway and Manali to Atal Tunnel. All trains between Shimla and Kalka have been cancelled because of landslides and falling of trees on railway tracks at several places.
]]>According to a statement given by the Odisha government in the Assembly, the Ratna Bhandar was last opened in 1985 but the latest inventories of the valuables were made in 1978.
Until 1985, nobody had seen the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar, which was divided into two parts. The outer chamber is regularly opened and ornaments are taken out by the priests on festivals.
As per an order of the Orissa High Court, there was an attempt made to open the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar on April 4, 2018. But it could not be opened as the temple administration could not find the keys. The officials, servitors and experts, who went inside the Ratna Bhandar, had to return from the outer chamber.
But the administration did not make it public that the key was missing until the matter was raised in the managing committee meeting two days after the attempts were made to open the Ratna Bhandar.
Interestingly, after some days, following a hue and cry, all of a sudden the Puri district administration claimed that a duplicate key of the Ratna Bhandar was available. Where did the duplicate come from and where has the original key gone? It created a lot of confusion among Lord Jagannath’s devotees across the country.
Later, the Justice Raghubir Das Inquiry Commission on the Ratna Bhandar was set up and Justice Das had submitted the final report to the state government in November, 2018. The Commission report has not yet been placed in the Assembly.
With this background, there has been a demand for reopening the Ratna Bhandar for a long time. During his visit to Odisha in December last year, BJP national president J.P. Nadda had raised the issue and targeted the BJD government. He had asked about the missing keys of the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath temple. The BJP chief had also alleged that the BJD government had failed to protect the valuable gems and assets of Mahaprabhu Jagannath.
On different occasions, the party has demanded the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, which is also reportedly in need of some repairs. Not only the BJP, several opposition parties including the Congress, Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb and many senior servitors of Puri temple have also urged the Odisha government to reopen the Ratna Bhandar, and undertake the repairing work and inventory of the valuables of Lord Jagannath.
Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan has also demanded reopening of the treasure of the temple. However, the state government did not pay any heed to the demand.
With no option in hand, the BJP knocked at the doors of the Orissa High Court very recently. Admitting a petition filed by the former president of the Odisha BJP Samir Mohanty, the High Court, on July 5 served notices to four persons on the opening of the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath temple.
“Though 45 years have passed, the government has not reopened the Ratna Bhandar. When the Puri king and Jagannath devotees across the world are waiting to know whether the valuables of Jagannath are safe in Ratna Bhandar, the government is in deep sleep,” alleged Mohanty.
The BJP leader said he has moved the HC and the court has taken it seriously. The next hearing is set for August 7.
When media persons recently asked about reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, Law Minister Jagannath Saraka said, “We do not know whether the keys of Ratna Bhandar have gone missing or not. The matter is now before the Orissa High Court. The state government will take necessary steps after examining different aspects as per the directive of the court.”
In 2021 then law minister Pratap Jena informed the Assembly that the Ratna Bhandar was opened in 1978. At that time, it had more than 12,831 ‘bhari’ of gold and 22,153 ‘bhari’ silver (one bhari equals 11.66 grams).
The storehouse had 12,831 grams of gold ornaments with expensive stones and other valuables. Similarly, 22,153 grams of silver with expensive stones, silver utensils and other valuables were found.
However, 14 gold and silver items could not be weighed during the inventory process for various reasons. During the process, the value of the items was not assessed, the Minister had said in his written statement.
]]>The official claims that the accused Gehlot, who lived in Mitraon village, went to see the woman on February 9 at her Uttam Nagar home, where she shared a home with her younger sister.
Gehlot remained there for two to three hours before the two of them traveled to the Nizammudin train station. They arrived at ISBT, Kashmere Gate, but shifted their plans to Himachal Pradesh when they were unable to obtain tickets to Goa, according to the officer.
“When the pair arrived at ISBT, they started arguing. Gehlot claims that receiving back-to-back calls from his family during the fight pushed him over the edge and caused him to become aggressive.
Around eight in the morning on February 10, he then strangled Nikki inside the vehicle using the data cord from his mobile phone.
The murder occurred close to the Kashmiri Gate area, and Gehlot, a B. Pharma graduate, drove 45 kilometers with the body to his dhaba in the village of Mitraon. There, he placed it in a refrigerator and continued with his February 10 wedding.
Police have not yet confirmed the accused’s admission, and the investigation team is presently reviewing CCTV video of the whole path to determine the crime’s progression.
]]>According to sources, a scuffle ensued between workers of the saffron party and police when the former took out a huge rally from Ashapali School and were waylaid while attempting to gherao the Collector’s office. Jayanarayan, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, was seen shouting at the Dhanupali police station IIC Anitarani Pradhan and threatening to slap her.
In the video, the cop can also be seen instinctively raising her hands at the MLA after being pushed. “He started hurling abuses at me and then slapped me as I was trying to make my way out and allow male cops to take charge as the women activities of the BJP had withdrawn and their male colleagues had joined the protest,” she said, adding that she would lodge a complaint against Jayanarayan at Town police station.
The legislator, however, claimed that the woman IIC had intentionally shoved him and also alleged that she was involved in corrupt practices. “She stomped on my feet and pushed me twice. First when we reached the spot and again when I mocked her for being a corrupt officer,” he told the media.
Jayanarayan also questioned the behaviour of police toward the Leader of Opposition. “I was initially sitting on a chair. I stood up seeing the women activists being mistreated by police. We were here to protest against the deteriorating law and order situation and this incident clearly indicates the prevailing atmosphere in the state. I suspect that she might have acted at someone’s behest,” he added.
Sambalpur SP Battula Gangadhar told the media that he has sought a report on the incident on basis of which an inquiry will be conducted and accordingly action will be taken.
]]>