Families of the two women of West Bengal, who were among the 30 pilgrims killed in Maha Kumbh stampede, alleged on Thursday that the bodies were handed over to them at Prayagraj without death certificates, PTI reported. They claimed that they received only a piece of paper stating that the body was given to them. A senior West Bengal minister alleged that "total mismanagement" prevailed in the Maha Kumbh Mela, PTI cited. As per PTI, the two elderly women from the state - Basanti Poddar of Kolkata's Golf Green area and Urmila Bhuniya of Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district - were killed in the pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday. Poddar's son Surajit while recollecting the incident said, "We were going towards the Sangam Ghat. No policeman was there then. It (the stampede) happened at around 1-1.30 am. We were standing and suddenly there was a mad rush of thousands of people from nowhere." He said he did not get the time to take his mother to a hospital, PTI cited. "Later, we were referred to a medical college. I was given a vehicle and a policeman. No death certificate has been issued. They have told me that the death certificate would be sent to the local police station here," Surajit said. He claimed that the note he was handed over had no official stamp nor was it signed by any official of the government of Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported. Surajit further said that he was made to sign a paper before his mother's body was handed over to him. According to PTI, his version of the story was similar to what happened to the family of Urmila Bhuniya, the other victim. Her brother Dulal said no death certificate was issued for his sister's death by the UP government. "I came to know about the incident when my nephew telephoned me. They are coming back in a vehicle. He told me that no death certificate was issued and the body was handed over to him along with a note," Dulal said, PTI cited. Power Minister Arup Biswas alleged that "total mismanagement" has led to the devastation. "The Uttar Pradesh government has failed to organise the Mela. It's only an advertisement. There was no plan for the safety and security of the pilgrims. They should have handed over the death certificate. This is not the process," said Biswas who is the MLA of Tollyganj, PTI cited. Surajit's residence is in Kolkata's Golf Green which falls under the Tollyganj assembly constituency. Local councillor Tapan Dasgupta suspected a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate, PTI reported. Speaking to PTI, Dasgupta said, "I can sense a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate. I doubt the woman will not get the compensation. If needed I will file an FIR," he said. (With inputs from PTI)
30 January,2025 07:11 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentA four-year-old boy from Ahmedabad city has contracted human metapneumovirus, taking the number of HMPV cases in Gujarat to eight, officials said on Thursday.The child from the city's Gota area is currently being treated at a trust-run hospital and his condition is stable, said medical officer Bhavin Solanki of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.The boy was admitted to SGVP Hospital on January 28 for a fever and cough. A test conducted on the same day confirmed that he was infected with HMPV, said Solanki, adding that the patient had no history of foreign travel in recent times."Prior to this case, Ahmedabad city had recorded six cases of HMPV. Of these, three patients belonged to other places but were admitted to hospitals here. All six patients were discharged following full recovery," said Solanki.So far, eight cases of HMPV have been recorded in Gujarat, including seven in Ahmedabad and one in Sabarkantha district.Discovered in 2001, HMPV belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family. It is closely related to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It is marked by cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces or coming into direct contact with infected individuals. HMPV outbreak: How does the virus affect the body? According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HMPV, discovered in 2001, comes in the Pneumoviridae family along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). However, serological studies have shown that it has existed in humans for more than 60 years and is distributed all over the world. This virus can cause upper and lower respiratory issues. HMPV outbreak: Symptoms HMPV presents flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. According to the US CDC, clinical symptoms of HMPV infection may progress to bronchitis or pneumonia and are similar to other viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections. The estimated incubation period is three to six days. Although the virus can affect people of all age groups, it is most common in young children and the elderly. (With PTI inputs)
30 January,2025 06:55 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondentThe bodies of four devotees from Karnataka's Belagavi who died in Maha Kumbh stampede in Prayagraj on Wednesday will be transported from Prayagraj to Delhi and then airlifted to Belagavi, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Roshan on Thursday, ANI reported. Speaking to PTI reporters, DC Roshan expressed the district's sorrow over the tragic incident, stating, "The incident that occurred in Prayagraj yesterday has deeply saddened all of us. Yesterday night, the district administration of Belagavi district as well as the government of Karnataka has taken steps to coordinate with the district administration of Prayagraj to shift the dead bodies to the district." "The decision was taken late last night to shift the deceased from Prayagraj to Delhi and then airlift the bodies from Delhi to Belagavi...We have made parallel arrangements in the city to do the post-mortem and other procedures in Belagavi," he added. Earlier in the day, Karnataka minister Krishna Byre Gowda stated that senior officials are overseeing efforts to bring back the bodies, ANI cited. "IPS officer Hariram Shankar is coordinating the movement of mortal remains of four people from Kumbh Mela, moving in two ambulances towards Delhi. Special DC, Harsha from Belagavi is reaching Delhi. Both will ensure and also fly with the mortal remains to reach Belagavi this evening," Gowda told ANI. "The 3:20 pm IndiGo flight for the mortal remains and four accompanying family members and officers has also been arranged by the Government of Karnataka. As of now, there is no report of any other injured or hospitalised. However, if directed, the Nodal Officer of Govt of Karnataka, Harshal Boyar, has been asked to take all measures necessary to find out if there are any more injured in any of the hospitals," he added. The tragic stampede took place in the wee hours of Wednesday, where 30 people died and several others injured, prompting an outpouring of condolences from political leaders, ANI cited. Speaking to the press, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna said that 25 bodies have been identified while the rest are yet to be identified. "A total of 30 people have died unfortunately in the stampede that took place at the Mahakumbh at Prayagraj. Twenty-five bodies have been identified and the rest five are yet to be identified," he added. Among the deceased, four are from Karnataka, one from Assam and one from Gujarat, the DIG said, adding that the 36 people are currently undergoing treatment at a local medical college, ANI reported. (With inputs from ANI)
30 January,2025 06:09 PM IST | Prayagraj | mid-day online correspondentBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured victory in the Chandigarh Mayoral Elections after winning 19 votes, news agency ANI reported.BJP's candidate Harpreet Kaur Babla defeated Prem Lata from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who fought the elections in alliance with the Congress.The AAP candidate managed winning 17 of the 36 total votes in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, ANI reported. A total of 19 votes was needed for the majority. Of the total 36 votes, 35 are of councillors and one of the sole Member of Parliament (MP) from the Union Territory. The voting for the post of Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation started around 11 am. During the voting, three councillors of the AAP-Congress alliance cross-voted against Prem Lata, carving a path of victory for BJP, ANI reported.Meanwhile, moments before the Chandigarh Mayoral Elections, a first information report (FIR) was registered against former mayor and AAP Councillor Kuldeep Kumar and his brother-in-law Rahul Chanalia over alleged corruption in the recruitment of sanitation workers on a contract basis in the municipal corporation.The complainant, Ravi Birla, on Tuesday, filed a plaint alleging that Rahul took a bribe of Rs 1 lakh on the pretext of a employment as a sanitation worker, but did not give the job.According to Birla, he had paid Rs 75,000 through online mediums and cash worth Rs 30,000. He also presented 15 recordings and screenshots of the online transactions in support of his complaint.Following his complaint, the Chandigarh Police's Crime Branch registered an FIR within 24 hours, which further heated up the election atmosphere.On October 29, 2024, the municipal corporation passed a resolution to conduct voting by a 'show of hands' instead of the previous practice of secret ballot, with AAP's Kuldeep Kumar presiding over as mayor. Kuldeep Kumar, the AAP candidate, was declared as the winner of the mayoral elections by a division bench of the Supreme Court led by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, in February 2024. The top court had discovered that the then Returning Officer, Anil Masih, had on January 30, 2024, deliberately defaced eight ballots that were cast in favour of Kuldeep Kumar so as to make them invalid. (With ANI inputs)
30 January,2025 04:22 PM IST | Chandigarh | mid-day online correspondentSix Indian fishermen who were detained in Sri Lanka have been released and returned to Chennai. Upon their arrival, they were received by officials from the Fisheries Department, marking the latest instance in the ongoing tensions between Indian fishermen and the Sri Lankan authorities, ANI reported. The release follows a troubling incident where two Indian fishermen from Karaikal sustained injuries after the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire in the Jaffna Sea. As per Rameswaram Fishermen Association (RFA), the two were part of a 13-member group that had sailed out in two boats near Parutthura beach, ANI reported. While they were fishing, a Sri Lankan Navy patrol intercepted their vessels. The fishermen turned their boat toward Indian waters in an attempt to flee, while two Sri Lankan officers remained on board. According to ANI, this prompted the Sri Lankan patrol to open fire, injuring two Indian fishermen, who were then taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the remaining fishermen were handed over to local police, with Sri Lanka's Department of Aquatic Resources reportedly denying responsibility for the arrests. India had lodged a strong protest against firing by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also summoned the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in Delhi to lodge a protest over the incident, ANI reported. India had issued a strong protest against the firing by the Sri Lankan navy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has summoned Sri Lanka's Acting High Commissioner in Delhi to condemn the occurrence. As per ANI, such confrontations over disputed fishing rights in the Palk Strait have become common, resulting in frequent detentions of Indian fishermen. These tragedies have motivated the Indian federal and Tamil Nadu governments to continue diplomatic attempts to gain their release. Just recently, 41 Indian fishermen held by the Sri Lankan Navy were returned to Chennai. Among them 35 people from Ramanathapuram were apprehended On September 8, 2024 near Katchatheevu for allegedly crossing the boundary to fish. Their release was made possible through diplomatic intervention. Additionally, on January 16, 15 Indian fishermen imprisoned in 2024 were released and returned to Chennai. This group includes eight fishermen captured near Mannar Island on September 27 and 12 from Nagapattinam who were held on November 11, ANI reported. In another key endeavour, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) managed the return of 95 Indian fishermen from Bangladesh on January 5, along with four fishing vessels. Amid the ongoing conflicts, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has requested External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to take swift diplomatic action to ensure the release of arrested fishermen and their boats, ANI reported. He emphasised the need of finding a long-term solution and advocated for ongoing efforts to protect fishermen's livelihoods and prevent future conflicts. (With ANI inputs)
30 January,2025 03:46 PM IST | ChennaiThe Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Jagadambika Pal said on Wednesday that today's meeting marks two key developments, the adoption of the JPC report and the amended revised bill, reported news agency ANI. Pal stated that while members have the right to support or oppose the bill, the committee will proceed with formal adoption before informing the Speaker of further procedural actions. "The report and the revised amended bill- both will be adopted today," he said. "We had circulated the 656-page JPC report to all members. Based on all deliberations of the JPC and the report prepared after that, the JPC committee will finally adopt the report... Today is an important day for JPC on Waqf for two reasons- we will present our report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and get it adopted, and also we will present the amended revised bill in front of the JPC and get it adopted... It is a member's right to support or oppose," he said, ANI stated. "As soon as the report is adopted, I will inform the Speaker and he will proceed as per procedure," the JPC Chairman added. Meanwhile, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch National Convener Shahid Sayeed on Tuesday hailed the clearance of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 by the JPC saying that the bill will serve as an effective means to address basic societal needs while empowering the underprivileged and weaker sections, reported ANI. Waqf Bill 1995 with 25 amendments across 14 clauses/sections was cleared by the JPC on Tuesday. The JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is expected to submit its report during the Budget session, with the committee's term extended during the winter session of Parliament. The Budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 and continue till April 4, with the Union Budget 2025 to be presented on February 1, ANI stated. The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (With inputs from ANI)
30 January,2025 02:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have scheduled to visit the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday, carrying the samples of contaminated Yamuna water from Haryana, according to ANI sources. As per ANI, the AAP have been claiming that the water, flowing from Haryana, contains ammonia levels of 7 parts per million (ppm), which they say is harmful to public health. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday responded to AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal to not mix up issues of Yamuna River's increased ammonia levels calling it Yamuna poisoning with mass genocide, equating act of war between the two nations. Kejriwal has been given another chance by the Commission to defend his serious accusations that he is promoting disharmony, the enmity between different groups, overall public disorder and unrest, ANI reported. In order for the Commission to make an appropriate decision, the ECI requested that the AAP Chief, without mixing the poisoning issue with the increased ammonia in Yamuna, present factual evidence by Friday at 11 a.m. that includes specific and pointed responses to the type, quantity, nature, and manner of Yamuna poisoning, as well as the location, method, and engineers involved in the Delhi Jal Board engineers' detection of the poison. The poll body also emphasised that access to enough clean water is a governance issue and that all relevant governments should always work to ensure that everyone has access to it. With agreements and legal directives from the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal already in place, it found no reason for anyone to contest this ]noble stance and will leave it to the competence and discretion of governments and agencies, avoiding arbitration on long-standing water-sharing and pollution issues during the short election period. Arvind Kejriwal responded to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday regarding his "poisoned water" remarks, in which he levied serious allegations against Haryana's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for "poisoning" the Yamuna water flowing into Delhi. Earlier, PM Modi on Wednesday attacked AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks that "poison" is being mixed in the Yamuna, saying that fearing their defeat in the Delhi polls, "AAP-da people" have turned desperate, PTI reported. Speaking in a public meeting in New Delhi's Kartar Nagar in the run-up to the February 5 Delhi assembly polls, he also linked AAP leaders to serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who gained notoriety for duping people. "Those who built 'sheesh mahal' and those who looted public money worth thousands of crores of rupees can never think of the welfare of the poor. That is why they are spreading lies in Delhi. These AAP-da people speak lies with such innocence that people get trapped," Modi said, PTI cited. (With inputs from ANI and PTI)
30 January,2025 02:06 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIndiGo has increased its flights and seat capacity to/from Prayagraj Airport during the period of the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, which commenced on January 13th and will continue until February 26th, 2025. "Initially, IndiGo had already planned a capacity increase; however, given the unprecedented demand for air travel on the Prayagraj route, more flights have been added recently. For this special period, the airline will now operate more than 165,000 seats to/from Prayagraj, more than double its normal capacity to the airport," said a statement from the airline. During this period, IndiGo will connect Prayagraj to 10 locations in India, adding connectivity from Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Jaipur, in addition to the existing connectivity from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Raipur, and Bhubaneswar. "Additionally, the airline has also increased capacity deployed on existing routes to/from Prayagraj by adding frequency and operating A321, its larger aircraft. Overall, the airline will operate around 900 flights to/from the city, up from 490 regular services. IndiGo is committed to supporting the efforts of the government by ensuring smooth travel for pilgrims. Besides the additional capacity that the airline has already activated, it is working on reallocating capacity from other parts of its network to add more flights, to cater to the influx of passengers," the statement continued. "The airline has also ensured the stabilization of airfares and is committed to providing the best possible travel experience to all its customers," said officials from the airline. "IndiGo remains dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and affordable air travel, and this capacity increase from Prayagraj underscores the airline's commitment to connecting people and places, especially during significant cultural and religious events," the statement further read.
30 January,2025 01:35 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariThe Election Commission on Thursday asked AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal not to mix the issue of increased ammonia in Yamuna with his allegation of river poisoning, and gave him an opportunity to explain his charges against the Haryana government, reported news agency PTI. Not satisfied with Kejriwal’s reply, the EC asked the former chief minister to provide factual evidence with specific and pointed response to the type, quantity, nature and manner of poisoning of Yamuna. He was also asked to share details of engineers, location and methodology of detecting the "poison" by Delhi Jal Board staff by Friday 11 am, failing which the Commission will be free to take appropriate decisions in the matter, stated PTI. While responding to the Election Commission notice over his claim the Haryana government was "mixing poison" in Yamuna, Kejriwal on Wednesday said raw water received from the BJP-ruled state in the recent past has been "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health. If such "toxic water" is allowed to be consumed by people, it would lead to grave health hazards and fatality, the former Delhi chief minister said in his 14-page reply to the EC. Delhi Assembly elections 2025: PM Modi attacks Arvind Kejriwal over 'poisoning Yamuna' remark PM Modi on Wednesday attacked AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks that "poison" is being mixed in the Yamuna, saying that fearing their defeat in the Delhi polls, "AAP-da people" have turned desperate, PTI reported. Speaking in a public meeting in New Delhi's Kartar Nagar in the run-up to the February 5 Delhi assembly polls, he also linked AAP leaders to serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who gained notoriety for duping people. "Those who built 'sheesh mahal' and those who looted public money worth thousands of crores of rupees can never think of the welfare of the poor. That is why they are spreading lies in Delhi. These AAP-da people speak lies with such innocence that people get trapped," Modi said, PTI cited. "You may have heard of Charles Sobhraj. He was a known thug, but he was such an expert at duping people with innocence that every time people would get duped by him. That is why one has to remain cautious of such people," he said. Delhi has made it obvious that the "AAP-da" government's excuses, bogus promises, and "loot and lies" would no longer be tolerated, Modi said in an fervent appeal to voters to give him an opportunity to serve after 25 years of Congress and AAP rule. (With inputs from PTI)
30 January,2025 01:02 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra cabinet minister Uday Samant on Wednesday pushed for formulating a strict policy to deal with people who he said prevent state residents from speaking in their mother tongue Marathi, reported news agency PTI. The Marathi language minister asserted any attempt to prevent Maharashtra residents from communicating in their native tongue will not be tolerated and will invite stringent action. Responding to an incident in Thane district's Dombivli area where some non-Marathi residents of a housing society reportedly opposed a socio-religious ceremony (haldi kunku) of the Marathi community on Monday, Samant said there was a need to formulate a policy to stop such episodes. "Marathi is our mother tongue, and any attempt to prevent us from speaking it must be met with stringent action. Such intimidation will not be tolerated. When we communicate with people from other states, we respect their language and do not insult them. Likewise, if anyone tries to stop us from speaking Marathi in our own state or from conducting cultural traditions like 'haldi kunku', then the law must be made more stringent against such acts," said Samant, reported PTI. The minister was speaking at a press conference organised to brief on the 'Vishwa Marathi Sammelan' (World Marathi Conference), which is being organised from January 31 to February 2 at Pune's Fergusson College. Speaking about a recent controversy over Marathi not being used in cricket commentary on Hotstar, a popular streaming platform, during matches, Samant said except for Marathi, commentary is taking place in all other languages, reported PTI. "I have spoken to authorities there about it. Be it, multiplexes, theatres, and any other establishments, I will be instructing them to ensure the Marathi language is not met with any injustice," he asserted. (With inputs from PTI)
30 January,2025 12:10 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentNCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Thursday slammed the Pune civic administration as she blamed the "urban planning failure" and rising pollution for the outbreak of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare never disorder, in the city, reported news agency PTI. There is a need to find the scientific cause behind the prevalence of GBS cases, the parliamentarian representing Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district told reporters. Sule demanded that the government bear all medical expenses of the GBS patients, claiming the disease was prevalent due to the "flawed management", reported PTI. She visited a well, located in Nanded village off Sinhgad Road area in Pune, from where contaminated water is suspected to have been supplied to adjoining localities, leading to the rise in GBS cases. A 56-year-old woman from Pune is suspected to have died of GBS on Wednesday, while a 40-year-old man from Solapur died on Sunday. Till Wednesday, 127 suspected patients of GBS were found in Pune and elsewhere in the state, as per officials. "I visited the well and the (nearby) area to understand the current GBS situation. People in the area are living in tremendous fear. I am going to put forth this issue in today's district planning and development committee meeting," Sule said, reported PTI. Terming the current GBS situation as an "outbreak" (of the disease), Sule said all round efforts are needed to contain it, reported PTI. The MP said she has been writing to the civic body and the state government about these localities, which were recently brought under the purview of the Pune Municipal Corporation. Despite the basic infrastructure such as STPs (sewage treatment plants) lacking, permissions to new buildings and projects are being given, she claimed. "Now the current situation (of GBS) is all because of urban planning failure. After a few days, reports from labs will be available but as of today, it looks that due to urban planning failure, pollution, be it water, air, diseases are increasing and immediate steps need to be taken," she said, reported PTI. "There is a need to find the scientific cause behind this prevalence of GBS cases by consulting experts," the NCP (SP) working president said, reported PTI. Sule said rivers and dams are getting polluted and the government should pay heed to all these things. "Though we are in opposition, we are ready to cooperate with the government on these issues," she said, reported PTI. "The common people should not be held hostage just because your policies are flawed," Sule added. The Lok Sabha member said she has already spoken to the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change over the GBS issue, reported PTI. Authorities on Wednesday said 144 water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to a public health laboratory, and samples from eight water sources found contaminated. GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs, loose motions, etc. Bacterial and viral infections generally lead to GBS as they weaken the immunity of patients, and in the present case, the disease is suspected to have been triggered by contaminated water, according to doctors. (With inputs from PTI)
30 January,2025 11:46 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
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