A case was registered at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station on Friday in connection with alleged irregularities in COVID-19 management. The case was registered on a complaint by Medical Education Department Chief Accounts Officer Dr M Vishnu Prasad against Dr P G Girish, government officer Raghu G P, non gazetted officer in the Health and Family Welfare Muniraju N, two firms Laj Exports, Prudent Management Solutions, unknown public representatives, government officers and others. Prasad in his complaint said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) was misused while buying N95 Masks, Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) kits and other materials which were essential for the prevention of Covid-19 through the Medical Education Department and defrauded all the processes of the law. The government officers along with other individuals connived and collected these essential materials and misappropriated hundreds of crores of rupees in the name of COVID management, he said. The action was taken on the basis of the recommendations of an inquiry panel headed by Justice John Michael D'Cunha, who said that large scale corruption has taken place in the COVID management. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had said a few weeks ago that the government would get the COVID-19 related irregularities investigated. 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
14 December,2024 08:49 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTIWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the local court's decision to hand death penalty to the convict in the rape and murder case of a minor in Farakka. She also recalled the previous instance, where the court handed capital punishment to the convict in Joynagar in 62 days, and further asserted the need for capital punishment for rape convicts. A local court in Bengal's Murshidabad handed a death sentence to a rape convict and a life sentence to the other in the rape-murder case of a minor. Taking to social media platform X, CM Mamata said, "Barely a week ago, @WBPolice and our justice system secured capital punishment within just 62 days for the perpetrator of a brutal rape-murder of a minor in Joynagar. Today, death penalty has been awarded to one of two accused in the heinous rape-murder of yet another minor in Farakka on 13.10.24, with his co-accused getting a life term." She called on people to 'unite' in eradicating the "social malice" through "swift, time-bound trials and punishments" which serve as a powerful deterrent and send a "clear message." "I have said this before, and I will say it again: Every rapist deserves nothing less than the harshest punishment--capital punishment. As a society, we must unite to eradicate this heinous social malice. I believe that swift, time-bound trials and punishments will serve as a powerful deterrent, sending a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated," the Chief Minister said. "I congratulate the state police and all involved in the prosecution process for this achievement, while my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim," she added. Earlier on December 6, a POCSO court sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old in the Joynagar area of South 24 Parganas district. According to officials, the incident took place on October 4, and the conviction was handed within 62 days of the incident. CM Mamata had called the sentence "unprecedented" in the history of the state and lauded the police for the "outstanding achievement." Earlier in September, the state government came up with the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024. It calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for those convicted of rape, aiming to amend sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the new penal code. This came in the wake of the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, which brought a lot of flak for the Trinamool government. 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
14 December,2024 08:46 AM IST | Kolkata (West Bengal) | ANIThe Rourkela Police in Odisha on Friday arrested a man and his brother-in-law, an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police, for hatching a plot to kill the pregnant wife at Jhirdapali village in Sundargarh district. The accused persons were identified as Deben Kumar Behera (35), of Jhirdapali village under the Tikayatpali police limits and Satya Narayan Behera (48), of Gopinathpur village in Ghusura Police Station of Sundargarh district. The accused husband Deben Kumar is a local Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO) while his brother-in-law, ASI Satya Narayan is posted at the Uditnagar Court in Sundargarh. Speaking to media persons, DIG of Police (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said that the victim, Shamyamayee Behera’s husband Deben Kumar gave the statement before police that some miscreants, who came to his house with the intention to commit loot. The victim Shamyamayee engaged in a brawl with the miscreants while they were trying to snatch away her gold chain and Mangalsutra. In the meantime, the miscreants fired bullets at the pregnant Shamyamayee and decamped with the ornaments. She was rushed to the Bonai Sub-Divisional Hospital (BSDH) where doctors declared her brought dead. Rai also revealed that after getting the information he and Superintendent of Police Rourkela Nitesh Wadwani immediately visited the scene of crime and took stock of the situation without delay. A special team was formed by the Rourkela SP to collect the evidence and determine the timeline of events and veracity of statements given by family and neighbours. The investigating team on the basis of the discrepancies in statements, timeline, contradictory forensic evidence and concealing of certain facts by the victim’s husband, Deben Kumar, arrived at the conclusion that this was a premeditated murder. “The police during the course of investigation ascertained that he (Deben Kumar) has murdered his wife. He is engaged in an illicit relationship with another lady which was opposed by the wife. So, the accused husband killed his wife to get rid of her,” said DIG Rai. The police also revealed that the accused Satya Narayan was involved in the concealing of the weapon of offence. He also helped the prime accused Deben Kumar to get away with the crime. Police have seized one Scorpio (OD14AC3531), a country-made pistol with three rounds of live ammunition and one empty case of the ammunition of the country-made pistol. 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
14 December,2024 08:43 AM IST | Bhubaneswar | IANSThe Telangana High Court on Friday granted a four-week interim bail to actor Allu Arjun. The order came shortly after the actor was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a local court. The HC pronounced the order granting bail to Arjun while he was being taken to the jail. The Telugu actor was was arrested by the city police earlier in the day in connection with the death of a woman during the premiere of his latest movie ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son has been hospitalised in the incident which took place on December 4 night when a large number of fans thronged the Sandhya theatre here to have a glimpse of the actor. The police have registered a case against Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management. Dec 4Day when the stampede took place in Sandhya theatre 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
14 December,2024 08:34 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesAs part of its probe into the suicide of engineer Atul Subhash, the Bengaluru City Police on Friday issued a summons to his wife Nikita Singhania and asked her to appear before it within three days. The 34-year-old techie ended his life on Monday in Bengaluru, alleging harassment at the hands of his estranged wife and her family. A four-member Bengaluru City Police team led by sub-inspector Sanjeet Kumar arrived at Singhania's residence in the Khowa Mandi area in this UP district around 11 am and pasted the notice for her summons. "Nikita Singhania to appear before the investigating officer at Marathahalli police station, within three days for interrogation regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband,” the notice read. 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
14 December,2024 08:31 AM IST | Jaunpur (UP) | AgenciesRain continued to batter several districts across Tamil Nadu on Friday and the Thamirabarani river was in spate due to continuous downpour in the southern districts. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin called up the collectors of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Thoothukudi districts and enquired with them about the damage caused by the rain and the steps being taken to ensure people's safety. "I enquired with the district collectors and district monitoring officers about the relief work being carried out to protect the people from the heavy rain," the Chief Minister said in a post on the social media platform X. He instructed the official to take adequate precautions, and have sufficient stock of the essential commodities and medicines. "The three southern districts are experiencing heavy rain. State Ministers and senior officials have been dispatched to the respective districts to monitor the relief and rescue activities," Stalin told reporters after visiting the 24-hour State Emergency Operations Centre at Ezhilagam, here. He was in constant touch with the Ministers and officials and was closely monitoring the situation. "There is no major damage at present. The state government is ready to deal with the present situation," he said. Reservoirs and tanks across the state were fast filling up due to copious inflows and as of today, 90 reservoirs have a combined storage of 83.61 per cent, according to the Water Resources Department. In Chennai, six lakes, which are the source of drinking water supply, have a combined storage of 87.69 per cent i.e. 11,587 Mcft against the total capacity of 13,213 Mcft (million cubic feet). Of them, about 16,500 cusecs of surplus water is being discharged from the Poondi 500 cusecs from Redhills, and 4,500 cusecs is being released from the Chembarambakkam lake. The Thoothukudi district administration has issued a flood warning in the Srivaikuntam and Eral areas owing to the heavy inflows into the Thamirabarani river. People in low-lying areas have been advised to shift to safe places. Due to a torrential rain upstream of Thamirabarani, a flood warning was issued to all villages and towns situated on the banks of the river, the administration said. The revenue officials have been instructed to evacuate the people from all vulnerable places in Srivaikundam and Eral. Police and Fire and rescue services personnel have asked people to shift to safer areas. In Maduranthakam in neighbouring Chengalpattu district, a private bus that got stranded in rainwater had to be towed to safety by the police and public. None of the passengers in the bus or its crew were injured. While a house collapsed in Suthamalli in Tirunelveli district and a Primary Health Centre in Vadakarai in Tenkasi district was inundated following overnight rain, rainwater entered the Sankaranarayana temple in Sankarankoil. The IMD has forecast heavy rain in 14 districts due to a well-marked low-pressure area over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off Sri Lanka coast, which lay over the Gulf of Mannar and neighbourhood. The system is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards towards South Tamil Nadu and weaken gradually into a low-pressure area during the next 12 hours, the IMD 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
13 December,2024 11:09 PM IST | Chennai | PTICongress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to arrange special trains from cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram so that Keralites working and living outside the state can return home for the holidays. In his letter to Vaishnaw, Tharoor said the festive season witnesses a significant increase in travel as people return home to celebrate with their families. He stressed the need for special train services from major cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram during the upcoming holidays, Christmas and New Year. "Regular train-services often face excessive demand, leading to overbooked trains and inconvenience for passengers. Many travellers, including students, professionals and families, are unable to secure tickets due to this surge," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. "To address this issue and provide relief to travellers, I humbly request the Ministry of Railways to arrange special trains between these cities and Thiruvananthapuram during this period," Tharoor said. These additional services will not only alleviate passenger traffic but also ensure safe and comfortable travel for all, he added. "Your prompt consideration of this request will greatly benefit numerous citizens and make their festive season more joyous," Tharoor 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
13 December,2024 11:02 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIHaryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana on Friday inaugurated the 21st livestock census campaign at the government veterinary hospital in Radaur. The event marked the official launch of a state-wide door-to-door survey to collect extensive data on domestic animals and poultry. Highlighting the importance of the livestock census since its inception in 1919, Rana stated, "Conducted every five years, this census serves as the backbone of policy formulation and implementation in the livestock sector". He said the survey would gather data on various livestock species, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, camels, and horses, along with poultry birds. Additionally, it will provide detailed information about dairy equipment owned by citizens engaged in animal husbandry, crucial for shaping effective policies and programmes, he said. Rana detailed the robust veterinary infrastructure developed across Haryana, with 1,079 veterinary hospitals, 1,796 dispensaries, seven veterinary polyclinics, and 41 para-clinical institutions. This network, combined with the state-owned livestock farm in Hisar, has significantly improved disease prevention and treatment, leading to unprecedented growth in livestock productivity, he said. "Thanks to government initiatives and progressive efforts by livestock owners, Haryana's annual milk production has reached 119.65 lakh tonnes. The state boasts a per capita daily milk availability of 1,098 grams, more than double the national average of 459 grams," according to an official statement. However, Rana urged stakeholders to aim higher. "We must strive to increase milk productivity to match the advanced levels of developed nations." The government has allocated Rs 30 crore for free veterinary medicines in 2024-25 to benefit livestock owners. The minister reiterated the government's commitment to supporting rural livelihoods and enhancing Haryana's position as a leader in the dairy and livestock sectors. With this comprehensive census, Haryana aims to set a new benchmark in data-driven livestock management, ensuring sustainable development and prosperity for its rural economy, he added. 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
13 December,2024 10:56 PM IST | Chandigarh | PTIIndia on Friday described the recent murder of three Indian students in Canada as "terrible tragedies" and said its high commission in Ottawa has taken up the matter of safety of Indians with the Canadian authorities. The safety, security and welfare of Indian nationals in Canada remains of utmost importance to us, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. New Delhi has demanded a thorough investigation into the killing of the three Indians. "In the last week or so we have had unfortunate tragedies. Three Indian students have been murdered. We are saddened at these terrible tragedies that have struck our nationals in Canada," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. "We extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families. Our High Commission and Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver are extending all possible help in the matter," he said. Jaiswal said the Indian missions in that country are in touch with the local authorities for thorough investigation of the incidents. India's call for safety of Indians in Canada and demand for thorough investigation into the murders of three students came amid frosty ties between the two countries. "Issues faced by them, especially Indian students, are raised by our high commission and Consulates with the relevant Canadian authorities on a regular basis," he said. "We have also issued an advisory for our nationals and Indian students to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant in view of the deteriorating security environment in Canada as a result of the growing incidence of hate crimes and criminal violence," Jaiswal added. According to official data, over 400,000 Indian students are studying in Canada. In October, India-Canada ties nosedived sharply after Canada linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. India strongly rejected all the allegations made by Ottawa in connection to the case and subsequently recalled the high commissioner. The Canadian government had said the Indian envoy and a few other diplomats were expelled from the country. New Delhi expelled Canadian Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats following the allegations by Canada. Asked about reports in Canadian media about instances of Indian high commission in Ottawa refusing visas to certain individuals, Jaiswal described them as a "disinformation" campaign. "We have seen the said media report. It is yet another example of Canadian media's disinformation to malign India," he said. "Granting of Indian visas is our sovereign function and we have the legitimate right to deny visas to those who undermine our territorial integrity," he said. "The commentary that we see in the Canadian media on this matter is akin to foreign interference in India's sovereign affairs," Jaiswal added. 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
13 December,2024 10:39 PM IST | New Delhi | PTISri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be on a state visit to India from December 15-17, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. According to news agency ANI, during his visit, Dissanayake will meet President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While addressing a weekly media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that it will be President Dissanayake's first visit to India after the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary polls in Sri Lanka. Jaiswal also informed that Dissanayake will participate in a business event in Delhi. "The President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake, will visit India on a state visit on 15-17 December, 2024. This will be the first visit of President Dissanayake to India after the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka. During the visit, President of Sri Lanka will meet Rashtrapatiji and also hold discussions with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest," Jaiswal said, according to ANI. "President of Sri Lanka will be participating in a business event in Delhi. He will also visit Bodh Gaya. The visit of President Dissanayake to India shall further strengthen the multi-faceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries," he added. In a press release, MEA said that Sri Lanka is India's closest maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a central place in Prime Minister's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Earlier in October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on President Dissanayake in Colombo. The two leaders discussed ways to deepen cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties to benefit the people of India and Sri Lanka, ANI reported. A month before that, PM Modi extended his regards to Dissanayake and congratulated him for his win in the Sri Lankan Presidential election. Congratulating Dissanayake, PM Modi said that the island country holds a special place in India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. Fifty-five-year-old Dissanayake, of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna party, was declared the winner of the election in Sri Lanka in September. (With ANI inputs)
13 December,2024 09:44 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOne person died after a massive fire broke out in a sofa manufacturing unit in Pune district of Maharashtra, the officials said on Friday, reported the PTI. The deceased, a 45-year-old man, died in the blaze that had broken out on Friday, an official said. The incident took place in Kondhwa Budruk in Yewalewadi at 1:30 pm and the deceased has been identified as Harun Hamad Khan, he added. The blaze was doused in an hour, the fire brigade official informed. Local residents said that the fire started when a small cylinder exploded while welding work was underway at the unit. "Khan was found at the site with severe burn injuries. He died while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. The cause of the fire is being probed," the official added, as per the PTI. Four-storey building collapses in Mumbai's Bhendi Bazar Meanwhile, a four-storey building located in the densely populated Bhendi Bazar area of South Mumbai partially collapsed in the early hours of Friday, according to officials. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident, they said. The incident took place at approximately 12:30 am on Nishanpada Road near Khoja Jamat Khana. The Husainibai Building, situated at 40 Tan Tanpura Street, was an unoccupied structure that had been deemed dilapidated and unsafe prior to the collapse, as per PTI reports. The Mumbai Fire Brigade received an alert about the incident around 12:06 am and rushed to the site. According to PTI, five fire brigade vehicles, along with personnel from the building department, were deployed to the location to carry out search-and-rescue operations and clear the debris. Although the structure was vacant at the time, officials took no chances and thoroughly inspected the site for any trapped individuals or hazards. The locals, alarmed by the incident, gathered in large numbers near the collapsed building. A fire brigade official said, "The building was already vacated as it was in a dilapidated state. Thankfully, this ensured that there were no injuries or casualties. Our personnel, along with building department staff, are working on clearing the rubble." The exact cause of the collapse is yet to be determined. (with PTI inputs)
13 December,2024 07:30 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
