A total of five persons were killed on Wednesday in two separate road accidents in Bihar. The first accident occurred in Bihar's Madhubani district. Three youth lost their lives in a road accident involving a speeding cement-laden truck and a motorcycle. The accident occurred near a village under the jurisdiction of the Khajuli police station area in Madhubani district. The speeding truck rammed into the bike carrying the three victims. All three youths on the bike were killed on the spot. The police arrived at the scene and seized the truck. Efforts were underway to apprehend the truck driver, who fled the scene. The deceased have been identified as Sachin Kumar Mandal (22), Rajesh Mandal (27) and Bharat Mandal (28). Rajesh and Bharat Mandal were brothers-in-law of Sachin. They were traveling to visit their sick father-in-law when the accident occurred. The death of three family members has devastated their relatives, causing immense grief and shock. “We have seized the truck and sent the bodies for post-mortem. We are making efforts to nab the errant truck driver,” said the SHO of Khajuli police station. An investigation is underway to locate the absconding truck driver and determine the cause of the accident. The second accident occurred in Jamui district when two siblings lost their lives in a tragic road accident. The accident occurred on the Chakai-Deoghar main road, near Ashana Mor, when a truck hit a bike. Both siblings identified as Abhishek Das and Rishu Kumari died on the spot due to the impact of the accident. The truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. The police have seized the truck and are investigating the incident to identify the driver. Following the accident, an FIR of rash and negligent driving has been registered and the police have been making efforts to nab the accused, an 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
16 January,2025 08:27 AM IST | Patna | IANSA three-year-old boy died after he slipped through the grill of a staircase in a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) facility here on Wednesday, police said. "The boy accidentally fell down while playing with his brother. They came with their parents for darshan (visiting the deity),¿ the official told PTI. The incident occurred around 3:30 pm when the boy slipped from the first floor of Padmanabha Nilayam near verandah number three, said the official. According to police, the family was waiting to visit the deity on Thursday evening when this tragedy happened and it came from Chinna Chow village in Kadapa district. Police registered a case and are probing the incident. 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
16 January,2025 08:27 AM IST | Tirupati | PTIPolice have arrested a man for allegedly beating a van driver to death over an old rivalry in a village, officials said on Wednesday. The incident occurred on Sunday night when Harsh, the victim, was smoking near his hut and Vishal, along with his friends, attacked him with sticks, police said.Vishal was arrested from Sector 40 in Gurugram on Tuesday. During the interrogation, he revealed that Harsh had reportedly assaulted him last year. He had filed a case against him at the Bhondsi Police Station but Harsh kept teasing him, police said. "On Sunday night, Vishal had come to Rithoj village for a birthday celebration. He drank with his friends and went to Harsh's hut, where he and his friends beat Vishal to death. We are conducting raids to arrest the other accused", Gurugram police spokesperson 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
16 January,2025 08:26 AM IST | Gurugram | PTIThe Directorate of Education, Delhi government has issued orders to conduct classes in hybrid mode for students up to Class IX and XI on Wednesday. The decision has been taken following the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) 4 due to the increasing pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. The order applies to all government, government-aided, unaided recognized private schools under DOE, NDMC, MCD and the Delhi Cantonment Board. The official order reads, "All Heads of Schools of Govt., Govt. Aided, Unaided Recognized Private Schools of DOE, NDMC, MCD and Delhi Cantonment Board are directed to conduct classes in schools for children up to Class IX & XI in a 'Hybrid Mode' i.e., both in physical and online mode." Meanwhile, Delhi is experiencing cold waves, which are contributing to elevated levels of air pollution. The air quality in the national capital dropped down to the 'very poor' category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI was recorded at 344 in Delhi on Wednesday. According to the data published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Delhi's air quality has deteriorated with recorded AQI of 287 (IITM) and 291 (IMD) at Lodhi Road. Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium reported 368, Mandir Marg 378, Mundka 372, and NSIT Dwarka 242. Najafgarh recorded 255, Narela 377, Nehru Nagar 394, and North Campus, DU 382 (IMD). Okhla Phase-2 reported an AQI of 380, Patparganj 390, and Pusa recorded 355. R K Puram reported an AQI of 373, Rohini 399, Shadipur 313, and Sirifort 360. Sonia Vihar recorded 315, Sri Aurobindo Marg 222, Vivek Vihar 414, and Wazirpur 408. The data highlights that Vivek Vihar recorded the highest AQI of 414, indicating severe pollution levels. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good,' 51 and 100 'satisfactory,' 101 and 200 'moderate,' 201 and 300 'poor,' 301 and 400 'very poor,' and 401 and 500 'severe.' On January 12, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage-III measures under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), following an improvement in Delhi's air quality. 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
16 January,2025 08:24 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIA special unit of the CRPF that was withdrawn from the security of Parliament last year has been finally disbanded and merged with the VIP security wing of the force that has been recently provided a new battalion comprising over 1,000 personnel, official sources said on Wednesday. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order on Tuesday “changing the nomenclature” of about 1,400 personnel strength Parliament Duty Group (PDG) to VIP Security Group (VSG) under the CRPF. This came after the ministry early this month ordered transferring of the forces’ battalion number 190, located in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, to the VIP security unit of the force. The battalion, with a strength of over 1,000 personnel, was deployed for undertaking anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand. The Central Reserve Police Group (CRPF) VIP security wing is presently providing protection to more than 200 people, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Gandhi family of the Congress comprising Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others. 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
16 January,2025 08:17 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesSlamming the Centre for adopting an “indifferent” attitude towards their demands, a group of 111 farmers began a fast-unto-death on Wednesday in solidarity with their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal whose indefinite strike entered day 51. The protesting farmers have expressed concern over Dallewal’s “deteriorating” health, saying the 70-year-old risks “multiple organ failure” because of the prolonged fasting. The farmers earlier said Dallewal had eaten anything since November 26 last year and was just surviving on water. The farmers have been protesting over various demands, including a legally guarantees minimum support price for their crops. Dallewal’s health reports The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Punjab government for a copy of the health reports of Dallewal, to be examined for an opinion from the medical board of AIIMS. Dallewal has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year and has refused any medical aid. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh wondered how a person, who had been on fast for nearly 50 days had his health parameters improving and asked the state chief secretary to submit test reports during the course of the day. It further directed the apex court registrar to communicate the reports to the AIIMS director. The top court also noted the state’s submission that authorities are in deliberations with the protesting farmers and they are hopeful of a solution. 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
16 January,2025 08:16 AM IST | Chandigarh | AgenciesA case has been registered against six persons, including the director of a private hospital in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly removing a woman's kidney during her treatment in 2017, police said on Wednesday. The court-ordered first information report (FIR) alleges illegal organ trade, they said. Shankar Prasad, Superintendent of Police (City), said, "The complaint has been lodged at Narsona police station on a court directive under Section 156(3). Complainant Kavita Devi alleges that her kidney was removed during her treatment at a Meerut hospital in 2017. An investigation is underway, and further legal action will follow." According to Devi's complaint, she fell ill in 2017 and was treated by a doctor in KMC Hospital in Meerut, news agency PTI reported. "The doctor advised surgery, assuring me it would address internal health issues. I underwent the surgery on May 20, 2017, and was discharged four days later. However, when my condition didn't improve over the years, further tests in 2022 revealed that my left kidney was missing," she said. She alleged that the hospital staff misled her with fake reports showing both kidneys were intact and confiscated her documents when she confronted them. Devi further claimed that the hospital staff had threatened her to kill her and her husband when they confronted them for accountability. The FIR accuses KMC Hospital Director Dr Sunil Gupta and his wife, among others, of being involved in illegal organ trade, PTI reported. However, Dr Gupta has denied the allegations. "All allegations against us are baseless and false. The complainant has no evidence, such as a discharge card, to substantiate her claims." He further alleged, "This is an attempt to extort money. Initially, Rs 5 lakh was demanded, which later increased to Rs 12 lakh. As we refused to pay, they filed a case." Dr Gupta also said that the matter is pending before the Ghaziabad Consumer Forum, with a hearing scheduled on March 21. The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered the case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as Section 18 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, PTI reported. (With PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 10:36 PM IST | Bulandshahr | mid-day online correspondentNagpur Railway Station in Maharashtra, a landmark of Indian Railways has completed 100 years of service, an official statement said on Wednesday. The statement said that it was officially inaugurated on January 15, 1925, by Sir Frank Sly. The station has remained a vital link in India’s rail network, blending historical significance with modern functionality. Strategically situated at the intersection of the Howrah–Mumbai and Delhi–Chennai corridors, Nagpur Railway Station serves as a critical junction in the nation’s transportation map. Its iconic Diamond Crossing, where two major railway lines converge, highlights its unique role in connecting different parts of the country. It said, "Over the years, Nagpur Railway Station has evolved into one of the busiest hubs in Indian Railways. Currently, it handles an average of 283 trains daily, with 96 trains originating or terminating at the station and 18 trains starting their journey here. The station has also witnessed remarkable growth in passenger numbers, recording an average daily footfall of 64,541 during the financial year 2023-24, amounting to a total of 2.36 crore passengers. In the current financial year, the daily average has surged to 68,729 passengers, reflecting its ever-increasing importance." According to the railways, the station’s journey began in 1867 when the railways first reached Nagpur, heralding a new era of connectivity. It was later renamed Nagpur Junction in 1920, the same year it welcomed Mahatma Gandhi during the Non-Cooperation Movement. The current station building, inaugurated in 1925, has since stood as a testament to the city’s enduring legacy in India’s transportation history. The Nagpur Railway Station is on the cusp of a major transformation today. With a redevelopment project worth Rs 488 crore launched in December 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the statement said. It said that the station is set to offer world-class amenities, including a roof plaza, multimodal integration, and eco-friendly infrastructure. This ambitious initiative is aimed at enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency, ensuring the station’s relevance for generations to come. The statement further said that modernisation efforts have also included the introduction of the prestigious Vande Bharat Express in December 2022, underscoring Nagpur’s role as a hub of innovation and progress within the Indian Railways network.
15 January,2025 10:21 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA sessions court in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district (now known as Dharashiv) on Wednesday sentenced a school teacher to life imprisonment after relying on testimonies of multiple people, including a 9-year-old boy, reported the PTI. The teacher was held for killing his colleague over a financial dispute nearly two years ago. District and Additional Sessions Judge Vishwas Ganpat Mohite found the accused -- Dhiraj Babu Humbe -- guilty of the offence covered under IPC section 302 (murder) after relying on testimonies of multiple people, including a nine-year-old boy, presented as an eyewitness by the prosecution, according to the PTI. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him. A detailed order was not available yet. As per case details, the accused, Dhiraj Babu Humbe and the victim, Shamrao Deshmukh, worked as teachers at a school in Osmanabad (Dharashiv), around 400 km from Mumbai, and lived in the same locality. Shamrao Deshmukh had borrowed money from Dhiraj Babu Humbe and his failure to repay it led to a dispute between the two, as per the PTI. During the trial, the prosecution relied on the testimonies of Shamrao Deshmukh's sons, police, doctors and a nine-year-old eyewitness in the murder case. The child witness had testified before the court. He had told the court that on the day of the incident (February 21, 2023), he was playing near his house when he saw Shamrao Deshmukh falling off his motorbike after being hit hard with a stone by the accused Dhiraj Babu Humbe. Blood was oozing out from the victim's head, he told the court. Shamrao Deshmukh's son, Vaishnav, had told the court that a friend called him and informed his father was lying in a pool of blood near the accused's house. Upon arriving at the crime scene, Vaishnav Deshmukh rushed his father to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and doctors declared him dead. The police had later arrested Humbe in the matter. "My father died due to an assault by means of stone by the accused. I went in the Osmanabad city police station and recorded my complaint," he had testified in the court. (with PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA special court for Maharashtra Control Of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in Maharashtra's Beed city on Wednesday remanded Walmik Karad in 7-day custody of SIT, reported the PTI. Walmik Karad, an associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, was on Tuesday booked under the stringent MCOCA. Subsequently, the police approached the special MCOCA court for his custody. Karad is an alleged accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Maharashtra police had sought his custody for ten days. He was produced before the district court in Beed on Wednesday afternoon and remanded in fresh SIT custody till January 22. Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9. Preliminary investigation indicated that Deshmukh had tried to resist an extortion attempt targeting an energy company operating a windmill project in the area, as per the PTI. Walmik Karad was earlier arrested in the extortion case related to the murder after he surrendered before the police in Pune on December 31. The MCOCA action happened after Deshmukh’s brother Dhananjay and fellow villagers protested in Massajog on Monday demanding MCOCA and murder charges. Dhananjay had climbed up a water tank and got down only after the police assured him of action. The state government had also excluded some members of the SIT a day before, and added new officers to it, whose background was verified for any links with the accused, especially Karad. As the news of the MCOCA application spread, Walmik Karad’s supporters and kin protested in Parli town, calling for shutting shops and businesses. Karad’s mother, wife and supporters staged a sit-in protest in front of the police station all day. Supporters of Walmik Karad on Tuesday threw stones at buses and set tyres on fire in Parli town after MCOCA was invoked against him, police said, as per the PTI. Hundreds of supporters of Karad targeted buses with stones, set tyres ablaze, and tried to block roads in Parli, officials said. They raised slogans in support of Karad and called for a bandh. The demonstration was held despite prohibitory orders in place in Beed district till January 28. Police have registered two cases for damaging public property following Tuesday's incidents, an official said. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district till January 28 in view of protests against the murder of a sarpanch and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists. The district administration said in a release issued on Monday that assembly of five or more persons without permission from authorities has been prohibited, and people are not allowed to carry weapons in public places. The Kej police have so far arrested seven persons in the murder case, while another accused is on the run. (with PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 08:02 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat saying that his remark that India got "true independence" after the Ram temple consecration amounts to treason and is an insult to every Indian, reported news agency PTI. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said every party worker is fighting this battle of ideologies under difficult circumstances where institutions have been captured by the BJP and the RSS and investigative agencies are being used against opposition leaders, reported PTI. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also hit out at the Election Commission and alleged that there is a "serious problem" with the country's election system. "Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason... Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid," he said, reported PTI. "He has the audacity to say this publicly. In any other country, he would be arrested and tried. That is a fact," Gandhi said at the inauguration of the Indira Gandhi Bhawan. "To say that India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian. And it is time to stop listening to this nonsense that these people think they can keep parroting out and shouting," he said, reported PTI. The former Congress president said the party has worked with the Indian people and it has built the success of this country on the foundations of the Constitution and that is what this building symbolises. "It is important that we take ideas from this building and spread these ideas in the rest of the country," he said. Gandhi said "we are fighting a civilisational war with these people, they are attacking every day the ideas that we believe in" and asserted that only the Congress can fight them, reported PTI. Hitting out at the Election Commission, he said, the EC has refused to give us information about the increase in the number of voters in Maharashtra from Lok Sabha elections to assembly elections. "What purpose does it serve? Why will it damage the EC? Why are they not giving us the list? It is the duty of the EC to ensure transparency in elections. If there is an increase of one crore in (the number of) voters in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha in Maharashtra, it is the duty and sacred responsibility of the EC to show us exactly why this has happened. There is a serious problem with our election system," Gandhi said. (With inputs from PTI)
15 January,2025 02:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
