Regional, States, West Bengal

Forest fires in Darjeeling threaten breeding centre for red panda, snow leopards

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The forest fire, which started on Thursday morning, was brought under control by the evening with the intervention by the fire operators and officials of the Forest Department, and with the help of local residents.

EOI, DARJEELING, MAY 2, 2024 :  The
sudden forest fire at Topkey Dara,
near 3rd Mile, around 19 km from
Darjeeling, has posed an imminent
threat to the breeding center for red
panda and snow leopards at Topkey
Dara, just one km away. 

The area
falls under the Senchal Wildlife
Sanctuary and is run by the
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan
Zoological Park (PNHZP). 
The forest fire, which started on
Thursday morning, was brought
under control by the evening with
the intervention by the fire
operators and officials of the Forest
Department, and with the help of
local residents. 
Ranger Uttam Pradhan of the
Darjeeling Wildlife Division
Sinchel East Range said: “The fire
might have started around 7 a.m. We
came to know about the fire only
after we got a phone call around 7.20
a.m. when a former forest staff
informed us about it, seeing smoke
coming out of the area. He had seen
the smoke from Mall Road in
Darjeeling. 
Acting on the
information we went for inspection
and found that fire had started from
3rd Mile and was spreading
towards the Breeding Centre.
Another fire had also started at 6th
Mile on the road towards
Kalimpong. We had to face a lot of
difficulty trying to fight two fires.” 
Pradhan said initially fire
extinguishers were utilized to fight
the spreading fire with the Fire
Department from Darjeeling town
also sending one fire tender to help
them. 
A fire tender that has been
kept as reserve by the fire
department in the Dispersion Centre
and Receipt Centre (DCRC) set up
at Darjeeling Government College
(DGC) where strong rooms have
been made for the recently
concluded polls though could not
be utilized. 
“We also requested
water tanks that sell water from
perennial water sources like
Kalikhola close by to this area to
help us in supplying water. They
helped by bringing water in 10
vehicles,” Pradhan said. Each of the
trucks which supply water to
Darjeeling town can carry 2000 litres
of water at a time. The local police
force, staff of the PNHZP and the
forest department along with locals
from nearby villages located in 3rd
Mile, Dabaipani, Naya Basti among
other places where the Joint Forest
Management Committee also exists
pitched in to fight the forest fire. 
Fire lines were also made in places
by cutting grass to ensure that the
fire did not spread. When asked
about how the fire could have
started Pradhan stated, “The exact
reason for the fire starting is not
known but the month of April to
May is a very dry season with the
jungles also very dry. The few days
have also been excessively windy,
and a natural fire could have started
due to friction caused by the wind
and with the forest being dry a
small fire can get out of control.” 
Pradhan also said that though more
than 80 percent of the fire had been
brought under control by the
afternoon, the day being windy and
with chances of ground fires still
burning underneath there, the
surface could ignite again. He said
that this fire was hard to detect. 
“We
will stay on vigil throughout the
night and there could be the danger
of the fire starting again,” he said
while adding that the extent of area
damage could not be ascertained
right now
Crime, Politics, Regional, States, West Bengal

Raj Bhavan employee files complaint of sexual harassment against Bengal Governor

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Refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives….truth will triumph: Bose 

EOI, KOLKATA, MAY 2, 2024 : In a sensational incident that stirred a political furore in the state a female employee of Raj Bhavan today put West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose in the dock for sexual harassment. 

She filed a complaint against the Governor at Hare Street police station under Kolkata Police . The woman, who had been working as a temporary employee of Raj Bhavan used to live in the staff quarters of Raj Bhavan. 
However the Governor refuted the charges vehemently. “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives If any body wants some election benefits by maligning me God bless them. But they can not stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,’’ 
Governor Bose said in a statement. In expected fashion the incident triggered a political slugfest in the state. `
`A Governor is being accused of indulging in sexual harassment. What kind of state we are in,’’ fumed state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. 
Retorted Subhendu  Adhikary, BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. “It could be an attempt to divert people’s attention from the several scams the ruling TMC is reeling under. However the allegation should be probed. `
If it turns out to be a conspiracy the perpetrators should be punished. But if it comes out to be true action should also be taken,’’ Ashikary said. 
However, according to constitutional experts a Governor, while in office enjoys immunity from all criminal proceedings under Article 361 of the Constitution. 
National, Politics

Cong’s twin LS strategy is to divide society on caste, unite vote bank through appeasement: PM

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He was addressing a poll gathering at Surendranagar in Gujarat in support of BJP candidates for Surendranagar and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats 

PTI, Surendranagar, May 02 2024 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress over party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent remark on Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, accusing the opposition party of trying to create divisions among Hindus due to its appeasement politics.
He was addressing a poll gathering at Surendranagar in Gujarat in support of BJP candidates for Surendranagar and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats. “Now, Congress is trying to create divisions among Hindus. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has made a very dangerous statement about Lord Ram and Lord Shiva.
This statement has been made with malafide intentions.


They are playing a game to divide the Hindu community,” he said. “They are creating differences among the devotees of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva so that they fight with each other. Even Mughals could not break our thousands of years of traditions.
And now Congress wants to break it? How low will Congress stoop for appeasement?” Modi added. The PM also alleged that Congress, in its manifesto, has proposed a separate quota for minorities in the allocation of all government tenders.


Addressing a rally in Jamnagarin Gujarat, the PM said the Congress government in Karnataka issued a “fatwa” overnight to include Muslims in the Other Backward Classes
segment to give them quota benefits. “The Congress is contesting elections on two strategies. The first is to divide society in the name of caste and the second is unite its vote bank through appeasement,” Modi said.

He further said the Congress planned to change the Constitution to give reservation on the basis of religion. This is why the Congress party spread an “absolute rumour” regarding (curtailing of) reservations to Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and tried to make it an election agenda, the PM said. The Congress is trying to take away reservations of SCs, STs and OBCs
and give these benefits to Constituent Assembly did not have Muslims.

In Karnataka, 27 per cent OBC quota was “looted overnight” by the Congress to appease its vote bank, whereas those who drafted the Constitution were clear that religion-based quota could not be provided, the PM said.

“The leaders from BJP, RSS. Scholars
like Babasaheb Ambedkar were
present and after detailed
discussions they decided that
reservation cannot be given in the
name of religion as it would create
a grave danger for the country,” he
said.

“The poison sprayed by
Congress has gone very high and I
don’t know to what places it will
spread by end of this election,” the
PM said, adding the opposition
party’s leaders were at the
forefront of supporting “terrorists”
and were now calling for “vote
jihad”. The then prime minster
served as the guest of Kashmiri
separatists and Congress leaders
came forward to save Ajmal Kasab,
the lone gunman arrested after the
26/11 terror attack on Mumbai,
Modi said.

“Books were written to
save jihadis of the Mumbai terror
attack and a Congress leader
released (one such) book. In Delhi,
when terrorists were killed at Batla
House, the ‘madam’ of the Congress
could not stop tears. When Afzal
Guru was sentenced to hang, people
from this ecosystem reached the
Supreme Court and the President,”
the PM said.

These people are now
calling for “vote jihad” (religion
based voting to stop the BJP), he
pointed out. Slamming the
Congress’ manifesto, Modi said it as a sign of danger for the country.
“INDI alliance leaders are asking
Muslim voters to go for vote jihad.
It is not something being uttered by
a child studying in a madrassa but
by Congress leaders who come
from highly educated families,” the
PM said. “

“The kind of language
that the Muslim League used, the
narrative on which the country was
divided are unfortunately the same
on the basis of which they are
seeking votes,” he said.

The
Congress leaves no opportunity to
mock “our faith” but would it dare
to make fun of anything related to
other religions, the PM asked.


“They boycott the Ram Temple,
they call Dwarka a lie. They say we
will make Lord Shiva and Lord
Ram fight and ensure Ram’s defeat.
The ‘shehzada’ of the Congress even
ridiculed my offering prayers in
submerged Dwarka. Therefore, I
say we should be careful of the
Congress,” the PM said.

The
Congress’ politics started with false
propaganda and has now fallen into
despair, Modi said.

“The Congress
has the same frustration and hatred
towards the country’s development
that it once had for Gujarat. While
India’s stature is rising across the
world, the shehzada of the Congress
and his ecosystem go abroad and
defame our country with long
lectures,” the PM said in a swipe at
Rahul Gandhi.

When the Congress-
led UPA was unseated in 2014, the
country’s economy was the 11th
largest in the world, whereas India
was ranked 6th when it gained
Independence, the PM pointed out.
“They were intellectuals. However,
then came a chaiwala who had
Gujarati blood and the economy
rose to 5th rank,” the PM said,
adding he did not seek people’s
blessings for power, prestige and
position but to fulfil the pledge of
making India the third largest
economy.

“You can imagine how
much the world’s attitude will
change towards India when we
achieve third rank. India will be
self-reliant and will not have to
spread its hand before the world for
anything. I need blessings to make
such an India,” Modi asserted.
Slamming the Congress’ “scholars”
for claiming that the country’s
economy would achieve third rank
by itself and for stating that
poverty can be removed in an
instant, Modi said these persons
had never thought about facing and
overcoming challenges and solving
problems. “When the intentions are
clean, the results are grand,” the PM
emphasised.


Modi said he has three
challenges for the Congress, and
these are, firstly, giving in writing
whether it would provide religion-
based quota to Muslims by
changing the Constitution,
secondly, not taking away
reservation benefits of Dalits,
tribals and OBCs, and thirdly, that
its state governments will not run a
hidden agenda of including
Muslims in the OBC segment.

“Will
Modi stay silent when the country
is facing such dangers? Will he
ever allow the country to be
divided? As long as Modi is alive,
he will not allow the country to be
divided again in the name of
religion,” he asserted. The
Congress’ leaders, instead of
responding (to such challenges) are
misleading the public, he added.
Voting on 25 of Gujarat’s 26 Lok
Sabha seats will take place on May
7. The BJP has won the Surat seat
unopposed.

Entertainment, National

In a normal encounter of a sloth bear against a tiger, who would win?

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But tigers only forfeit because they do not want injury, but if a tiger is hungry, dedicated to win, and experienced, they are known to hunt and eat bears.
 
Shared by IAS Sanjay Kumar on X, the video captures the heart-pounding exchange between the animals at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh.

The video begins with the tigress swiftly walking through the sides of the way towards the tall grass when it notices a sloth bear approaching. The tigress then takes a moment and sits at a distance, waiting for the sloth bear to cross the road.

 
As the video progresses, the tigress crosses the road to make sure the sloth bear is gone. However, in the blink of an eye, the sloth bear reappears and aggressively charges at the tigress. The encounter ends with the sloth bear disappearing into the tall grass.
 
Sharing the video, IAS Kumar wrote, “An amazing video has come from Pilibhit TR, where the confidence of a sloth bear wins him the day from a stalking tigress. The aggressive charge by sloth bear caught her unaware.”
 
The video garnered many reactions with one saying, “When physical strength matches the aggressive stance, the challenger derives an advantage.” Another user wrote, “Wonderful interactions!”
 
Last month, a video of a tiger shrewdly using its sense of smell and hunting down a fawn took over the internet. Shared by IAS officer Sanjay Kumar on X, the video also shows how the food chain works in wildlife. The video was from the Jim Corbett Resort in Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park.
Health, Misc

To Combat Heat, Puducherry Installs Green Shade Nets Over Traffic Signals

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 Other than praising this initiative, people also urged the government to plant more trees for a long-term solution.

News 18, MAY 02, 2024: By the time we reach May, many parts of India start recording temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius. Stopping at a signal and waiting for the light to turn green can feel like an hour-long task. Now the Public Works Department in Puducherry has set up green shade canopies for a few meters at the traffic signal. This offers respite to those who are on two-wheelers to escape the direct sun as they wait at the signal. On Thursday, an X user shared a video that showed these shaded nets over a small stretch of roads at the traffic signal.

This small clip got over 7 lakh views in less than 24 hours. In the comments, many people praised the Puducherry government for these considerate gestures.

Installing shades at traffic lights can help deter people from jumping red lights, especially during the summer when some individuals may be tempted to do so to escape the heat.

An X user praised this initiative and said, “What a wonderful initiative by the Pondicherry Public Works Department! Erecting a shaded structure at a busy traffic crossing is a simple yet impactful way to improve the daily lives of local residents and commuters. In the sweltering heat, having a place to find respite from the sun’s relentless rays can make a big difference, both in terms of physical comfort and overall well-being.”

An X user recalled, “Takes me 6 years back. Oh yes, I remember the PY sun. It was summer. I was starting work in a Cafe, as a Barista. Doing supply runs in this heat, on the same exact road. God knows how much I welcome this move. It’s the small things that count.”

Many people also urged the government to plant more trees alongside roads. Making this point, an X user wrote, “Rather than this, perhaps the government can focus on planting more trees, which would provide shade to individuals riding two-wheelers while also benefiting the environment and lowering temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius.”

Another person wrote, “There is a natural shade giver which has 20000 times more use than these tarpaulins- it’s called a ‘TREE’. Plant more trees at junctions out of the way of pedestrian footpaths and traffic, on traffic islands.”

This initiative of covering roads at traffic signals with shade is also implemented in other cities around south India such as Trichy, Bhubaneswar, Gadag-Betgeri and more.

Health, National, Regional, States

Report on Rare Adverse Side Effects of Covishield Causes Panic. But Should It?

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The risks which are now causing paranoia have been known since 2021 – and experts believe they do not outweigh the benefits the vaccine brought at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the adverse effects show up a few months after vaccine delivery, at the latest.
A vial of the Covishield vaccine candidate. Photo: Covid-19 vaccination/Flickr, CC BY NC 2.0

Banjot Kaur, The Wire, 01 May 2024 : New Delhi: The Telegraph‘s report that the maker of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was sold in India as Covishield, has “admitted” to an adverse event called ‘Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome’ or TTS in “very rare cases” has led to deluge of social media posts and a growing sense of paranoia among people.

TTS is a spectrum that involves blot clots along with a low platelet count in the body, which at times can cause serious injury or even death.

While there had been reported cases of deaths and serious adverse effects following the administration of the vaccine, all drug regulators and scientific bodies have categorised them as extremely rare occurrences. All of them have said there are risks, but the benefits of the vaccine, including saving lives, have outweighed the risks.

The Wire breaks down the risk v/s benefits scenario for those who took Covishield in India.

How rare is rare?

One of the keywords that was reported to have been used by AstraZeneca, in terms of adverse events occurring, was ‘rare’ – something that most of the commentary is now missing.

But how rare is it? By looking at the data from the UK and the European Union, the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety assessed that the risk was low. The committee consists of independent vaccine and other domain experts. It advises the World Health Organisation on vaccine safety.

“[The] data from the UK suggest the risk is approximately 4 cases per million adults  who receive the vaccine, while the rate is estimated to be approximately 1 per 100, 000 in the European Union (EU),” it said back in 2021. It was in late 2020 and early 2021 that the Covid-19 vaccination drive picked up globally.

There are several other studies that looked into the rate of TTS caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. One such study looked at the AstraZeneca Global Safety Database in 2022. They found the rate of this adverse event to be 7.5 per million vaccinated persons, while yet another meta-analysis, which studied two mRNA vaccines and the AstraZeneca vaccine, found the rate of severe adverse reactions with the latter as two per million vaccinated in 2020.

For how long does one run the risk of developing clots?

An Australian assessment says the serious adverse events may develop within four to 42 days of administration of the vaccine. The TTS can develop within a short stretch of duration, and not years after the vaccination. Hence any TTS event, or clotting, can’t occur with Covishield/Astrazeneca vaccine unless one has taken it in the immediate past.

“This time period may also stretch to 3-6 months,” Jacob John, an infectious diseases expert with Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, told The Wire.

“The vaccine can’t cause an epigenetic effect. It is not something that it has altered your genes,” he explained, and so can’t lead to the development of clots years down the line.

Is this new information?

Another claim that is doing the rounds is that this is the ‘first time’ we have come to know that TTS could take place in rare instances due to the vaccine. While it may be the first time the information has reached such a wide audience, scientific papers had spoken of the issue back in 2021.

Moreover, the company too had put in the public domain something called a ‘package insert’ while rolling out the vaccine for use. That package insert, shared on the AstraZeneca website, mentions the occurrence of clotting as a rare event.

However, what did not happen was adequate publicising of this information. Neither governments around the world, including India’s, nor the company itself, made meaningful efforts to let the risks be known on a large scale. Therefore, people are now raising questions regarding the transparency of governments and vaccine companies – even if such adverse events were rare.

How does the rare clotting happen?

The British Heart Foundation says the exact pathway is still being studied.

Satyajit Rath, a noted immunologist who has also been associated with Institute of Immunology in India, says  it may be due to an inadvertent event. Apart from making the antibodies against the Covid-19 virus, the autoantibodies against a protein found in blood called platelet-4 also got developed in some rare cases, he explained.

“This, in turn, seems to be contributing to triggering a cascade of platelet clumping, and, therefore, the clots,” Rath said.

He added that why it happens in the case of some people – even though rare – and not in others, is yet to be understood clearly.

Heart attack because of Covid-19

There are ample studies, like this long-term research, now, on Long Covid – a spectrum of diseases that many have developed even after patients have recovered from the initial infection. Heart attacks are the most common among them. The British Heart Foundation says the clots were far more common after a Covid-19 infection than after the vaccine.

This large-scale study looked into the records of 10.17 million vaccinated and 10.39 million unvaccinated people in the UK, Spain and Estonia. The researched concluded:

“[The] COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of post-COVID-19 cardiac and thromboembolic outcomes. These effects were more pronounced for acute COVID-19 outcomes, consistent with known reductions in disease severity;  following breakthrough [or reinfection] versus unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 [virus causing Covid-19] infection.”

Another study by a group of scientists from Oxford University published in 2021 compared the possibility of thrombocytopenia after Covid-19 infection, and after the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

They concluded that there was an ‘increased’ risk of thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) and venous thromboembolism (clotting in veins) in short time intervals after the administration of the first dose of the vaccine.

But they also wrote that these risks were much higher if one got the Covid-19 disease, as compared to the vaccine.

“Importantly, the risks of these outcomes after vaccination were much lower than those associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the same population,” they wrote.

Countries suspended/stopped use of AstraZeneca vaccine for young populations

More than a dozen countries, especially in Europe, suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for an interim period after reports of clotting surfaced in 2021. However, many of them resumed using it a month or so later.

The governments in the UK and Australia have maintained that younger people, especially those below 50, should not take the AstraZeneca vaccine. They recommended alternative vaccines for this age group; Australia recommended Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine for the younger cohort.

Should India have altered its strategy too? The answer heavily rested on the fact that the Indian government did not allow the import of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Therefore, it had limited the options for itself, should a change in strategy have been required.

Moreover, the Indian government had hardly initiated any study, like the other governments, to understand the adverse effects of the vaccine on the younger population after its rollout.

“In order to make a good determination of Covid risk versus vaccine risk to an individual, it would be necessary to have really robust evidence for local transmission situations and clinical risk profiles,” Rath said.

Even though the Astrazeneca vaccine-associated adverse effects were rare, Rath questioned whether India had collected reliable background information as the basis for any potential decision to halt vaccine use in a specific set of the population.

Lack of adverse events monitoring system in India

One of the reasons that a paranoia of sorts has taken over people after the reports of AstraZeneca’s admission is the lack of a proper monitoring mechanism for the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines, or Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFI), in India.

Till date, there is no public platform that the Indian government has built where one can easily look into the data regarding this. As against this, many governments around the world have been transparent.

A case in point is this website of the UK’s drug regulator, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

On this website one can look for the number of adverse reactions caused by each of the three available vaccines in the country – two mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna, and Novovax. Not only have they put in the public domain how many adverse events occurred, they have also put a summary of how many events were reported and studied to be finally characterised as adverse events.

The US’s Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) gives anyone the opportunity to download data for the vaccine’s side effects.

The public availability of this information is one point. Another worrisome point in India, as far as Covid-19 vaccines are concerned, is how one should report if an adverse event has occurred.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India created a toll free number for this. But there were no efforts made to widely circulate that number – definitely much less than the efforts taken to convince people to take vaccines.

There have been reports how registering an AEFI event caused due to Covid-19  vaccination has been an uphill task in India. On the other hand, the MHRA has an easy-to-use ‘yellow card reporting’ website for this.

There have been 180 reported deaths in India following Covid-19 vaccination, but experts don’t rule out some sort of an undercounting here

“Our regulator really needs to learn regarding creating an efficient AEFI reporting system,” CMC’s John said. There have been no post-approval real-life long-term studies in India done by the government to understand how the vaccines performed.

“If such a system [of monitoring] isn’t created, then it is bound to hit the trust of the people in Science. Worse, should an epidemic occur again, how are people going to trust [the vaccines],” John asked.

Other vaccines causing side effects

A panic has now set in among common people. They are questioning why this ‘unsafe vaccine’ was rolled out in India. However, there has been no vaccine against any virus in history which was shown to have 100% safety. Rare side effects have been associated even with those jabs which have been in use for decades now.

“The oral polio vaccine can, in rare instances, lead to vaccine-induced poliomyelitis disease,” Rath explained. He cited another example of the BCG vaccine which, in rare instances, can cause severe inflammation and abscess formation.

It is then not entirely unsurprising – and perhaps not a cause for widespread panic – that the Covid-19 vaccine too can lead to rare adverse events.
Crime, National

Delhi HC seeks Centre’s stand on ‘disappearance’ of 70,000-kg heroin from seizure records

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Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on a petition filed by B R Aravindakshan and asked the Centre to file its response within four weeks

PTI, New Delhi, 02.05.24 : 

The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s stand on a plea alleging disappearance of 70,772.48 kg of heroin from seizure records between 2018 and 2020.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on a petition filed by B R Aravindakshan and asked the Centre to file its response within four weeks.

The petitioner, a journalist, has claimed that there is a huge discrepancy between the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report and the data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding seizure of drugs in the country from 2018 to 2020.

“He (petitioner) states that cumulatively, 70,772.48 kg of heroin has disappeared from seizure records between 2018 and 2020. Issue notice. Let replies be filed within four weeks,” the court said in its order passed on Wednesday.

The petitioner has said “the alarming disappearance” of more than 70,000 kg of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh crore in the international market, raises concerns of national security, social stability and economic repercussions.

The plea says the magnitude of the “discrepancy” is so large that if not sorted promptly, it may result in chaos in the society, but no action has been taken on the issue.

“On 12.09.2022, the petitioner filed a complaint before the MHA representing the data relating to the mismatch of data provided by NCRB and the data provided by Hon’ble Nityanand Rai, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, concerning seizure of heroin during the year 2018 and 2020.

“The petitioner insisted that 70,772.54 kg heroin worth Rs 5 lakh crore seized in India has been missing, thus insisting the ministry that an immediate investigation should be ordered for the safety and welfare of the country,” the petition says.

The petitioner has sought several directions with respect to the alleged mismatch, including a direction to the MHA to order an investigation in a stipulated time period.

The matter would be heard next on September 9.
Crime, National

Man killed while making reel with gun in in Rajasthan’s Kota, two detained for questioning

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 The victim’s father, Rodulal has alleged that two of his son’s friends, Ajay Salvi and a boy conspired to kill Yashwant Nagar under the pretext of shooting a video

PTI, Kota, 02.05.24 : A day after a 22-year-old man died while making a reel with a country-made pistol, two accused have been detained for questioning, police said on Thursday.

The victim’s father, Rodulal has alleged that two of his son’s friends, Ajay Salvi and a boy conspired to kill Yashwant Nagar under the pretext of shooting a video, police said.

The matter came to light on Wednesday when Yashwant Nagar suffered a bullet injury in the chest while shooting a video with a country-made pistol at a tea shop near Maharishi Gautam Bhawan in Mahaveer Nagar Extension. He was immediately rushed to New Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, police said.

While talking to the reporters, Rodulal said that as per the video that he had seen of his son, a boy was loading the gun and shot Nagar in the chest while Ajay was standing nearby.

He further said that Ajay brought Nagar from Kota to Jhalawar a few days ago and conspired to kill him. Based on Rodulal’s complaint, a case has been registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code against Ajay Salvi and a boy, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manish Sharma said.

The police handed over the body to the family after conducting a post-mortem. The two accused were brought in for questioning and further investigation is underway, SHO Mahendra Maru said.
Crime, National

Minor’s sexual assault case: Supreme Court refuses bail to wife of suspended Delhi government officer

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Premoday Khakha has been accused of allegedly raping a minor girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021 and is currently in judicial custody after being arrested in August

PTI, New Delhi, 02.05.24: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant bail to the wife of suspended Delhi government officer Premoday Khakha, who allegedly raped a minor girl several times and impregnated her.

A bench of justices C T Ravikumar and S V N Bhatti dismissed the plea of the official’s wife Seema Rani and said it was not inclined to interfere with the Delhi High Court order which had dismissed her plea.

Khakha has been accused of allegedly raping a minor girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021 and is currently in judicial custody after being arrested in August.

The minor was the daughter of a person known to the accused, according to police.

Rani is also an accused in the case. She allegedly gave the girl medicines to terminate her pregnancy. The woman is in judicial custody.

The couple was arrested after the survivor recorded her statement before a magistrate at a hospital.

The case was registered under the provisions of the POCSO Act and Indian Penal Code sections 376(2)(f) (being a relative, guardian or teacher of, or a person in a position of trust or authority towards the woman, commits rape on such woman) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to outrage the modesty of a woman).

IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 313 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) have also been invoked in the case, police said.
Politics, Regional, States, West Bengal

Modi govt wants country without dalits, backward communities: Mamata Banerjee

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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the constitution, says the Bengal Chief Minister
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.: File picture.

PTI, Tehatta (WB), 02.05.24 :West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of attempting to marginalise the SCs, STs, and OBCs.

Speaking at a rally in support of TMC candidate Mahua Moitra at Tehatta in Nadia district, Banerjee criticised the BJP government’s ‘falsehoods’ about citizenship benefits for marginalised communities, warning that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could jeopardise the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the constitution. But rest assured, we will not let it happen,” Banerjee said.

The TMC chief said for the past 10 years, the BJP has been spreading lies about Matuas and other backward castes getting citizenship through the CAA, which is a ploy to take away one’s already existing bona fide citizenship rights and deport them to concentration camps.

The Krishnanagar constituency has a large population of Matua population.

She also said the UCC will prevent different communities, tribes and sects from practicing their own customs and rituals.

The CM cautioned the electorate against BJP’s ploy “to inflate the voting figure after the actual date of polling by using the Election Commission.” She expressed bewilderment over the Election Commission’s announcement of an increased poll percentage four days after the actual voting took place, stating that while she wasn’t casting aspersions on the EC, she found it unfathomable.

Banerjee cautioned against BJP’s tactics to manipulate voting figures and alleged threats by BJP leaders to IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine the state’s integrity.

“Intimidation, threat and pressure by the Narendra Modi government on state ministers, officials or people will not work in Bengal,” she said.
National, Politics, States, West Bengal

PM Narendra Modi on two-day visit to Bengal from Thursday

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BJP sources said that Modi is scheduled to address election rallies in support of party candidates in Krishnanagar, Bardhaman Purba and Bolpur Lok Sabha constituencies on Friday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.: File picture.

PTI, Calcutta, 02.05.24 : 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to West Bengal from Thursday, during which he is scheduled to address several election rallies, a senior official said.

The PM is scheduled to arrive in Calcutta on Thursday evening and spend the night at Raj Bhavan, he said.

BJP sources said that Modi is scheduled to address election rallies in support of party candidates in Krishnanagar, Bardhaman Purba and Bolpur Lok Sabha constituencies on Friday.

“Tight security arrangements have put in place in the city for the prime minister’s visit. He will spend the night at Raj Bhavan,” the official told PTI.

Owing to the PM’s visit, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose cut short his personal visit to his home state Kerala to return to the city, he said.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Traffic Police has decided to regulate vehicular movement on certain stretches in the city in view of the PM’s visit. 
Economy, Politics, Regional, States, West Bengal

Work suspended in Jalpaiguri tea garden, 850 people lose jobs on International Labour Day

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 Sources said the management had not been paying provident funds and gratuity for the past few months, much to the disgruntlement of the workforce
The factory premises of the Totapara tea estate on Wednesday. Biplab Basak

TT, Jalpaiguri , 02.05.24 : Around 850 people turned jobless on Wednesday when the world observed International Labour Day as the management of the Totapara tea estate in Jalpaiguri district announced the suspension of work, citing lawlessness in the garden.

The tea estate is located in Banarhat block and has around 855 workers.

Sources said the management had not been paying provident funds and gratuity for the past few months, much to the disgruntlement of the workforce.

“In the past few weeks, the management didn’t even pay the wages. We are yet to receive wages of three fortnights,” said worker Ravi Baraik.

A section of the labourers went to Banarhat police station on April 27 and held a demonstration, seeking the intervention of the law enforcers and the administration.

After their demonstration, a tripartite meeting was called in the BDO’s office
in Banarhat but none from the management’s side turned up.

“The management informed the administration that it would clear a fortnight’s wages on Tuesday. Accordingly, the wages were disbursed yesterday (on Tuesday) but later at night, a notice announcing the suspension of work from today (Wednesday) was issued,” said another worker Durga Oraon.

The workers saw the notice when they reached the factory on Wednesday morning to join their duties.

“The management was not paying the workers and when they demanded wages, the garden was closed down on the pretext of lawlessness. The administration should intervene immediately,” said Tabarak Ali, a vice-president of the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union.

Jairaj Biswakarma, the Banarhat block president of the BJP-backed Bharatiya Tea Workers Union, said the management should have held talks with trade unions.

“Instead, they (management) decided to close down the garden at the beginning of the tea season because of financial constraints and put the blame on workers. We condemn such moves,” he said.

Those associated with the Dooars tea industry said the garden had closed down several times in the past over financial issues.

Amitangshu Chakraborty, the principal advisor of the Indian Tea Planters’ Association of which Totapara is a member, said the organisation had received a copy of the suspension notice.

Officials of the state labour department said they hadn’t received any official information about the suspension of work from the company that owns the Totapara garden.

“Even then, we are gathering information from various sources. If the garden has closed down, we will take appropriate steps so that it reopens at the earliest,” said Subhgata Gupta, the deputy labour commissioner of Jalpaiguri.
Politics, States, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court satisfied at CBI probe progress in Sandeshkhali, allows NHRC to be party in the case

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Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, along with Justice Hiranmy Bhattacharyya, reviewed the CBI’s report and granted the agency’s request to keep the details confidential
Calcutta High Court: File

PTI, Calcutta, 02.05.24 : 

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the progress of the CBI’s probe into allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali.

The court permitted the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to be added as a party to the case, following its application.

Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, along with Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, reviewed the CBI’s report and granted the agency’s request to keep the details confidential.

The court had on April 10 directed the CBI to probe the allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali and directed it to file a progress report on Thursday.

The court, which is monitoring the investigation, had also directed the central agency to probe alleged illegal conversion of agricultural land into waterbodies for pisciculture after conducting a thorough inspection of revenue records and physical inspection of land alleged to have been converted.

Holding that its presence will assist the court in the present case, the bench granted permission to NHRC to be added as party to the matter.

The court is hearing a suo motu petition and other PILs with regard to the incidents in Sandeshkhali.

Stating that there are over 900 allegations of land grabbing, the CBI sought the court’s direction to the state authorities for cooperation.

The court directed the state authorities to extend “fullest cooperation” and said if there is any shortage of staff, appropriate authorities will deploy additional staff for the purpose and they will work in tandem with the CBI.

The court scheduled the next hearing for June 13, directing the CBI to submit a further progress report.

Noting that the state had moved a special leave petition before the Supreme Court on the matter, the division bench stated that the apex court has said that the pendency of the appeal cannot be used as a ground for any pause in the ongoing probe. The bench directed that the orders issued by this court have to be scrupulously complied with.

Petitioner-lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal argued that despite filing affidavits detailing the horrifying incidents, some victims of sexual assault were hesitant to speak the truth due to fear. She had previously submitted several hundred complaints, encompassing allegations of sexual violence, land grabbing, assault, and property destruction, to the court during an earlier hearing.

The court asked the CBI to take confidence-building measures in cases where the complainants seek adequate protection.

“As a premier investigating agency, they will have all the wherewithal and the expertise to record the correct statement of the victims,” the court said.

Another petitioner-lawyer, Alakh Alok Srivastava, suggested that deploying women CBI officers in the Sandeshkhali case could help the alleged victims feel more at ease and disclose the truth. The bench left the decision to the discretion of the CBI.

It directed the state to handover documents sought by the CBI from it within a week from this date.

Additionally, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of compliance regarding the installation of LED street lights in certain places in Sandeshkhali, warning of contempt proceedings if not addressed.

It directed the authorities to ensure such installation and submit a compliance report on the next date of hearing on June 13. 
Crime, National

Father, daughter killed after electronic item delivered in parcel explodes in Gujarat

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The parcel was delivered by an unidentified man. As soon as the electronic item was plugged in, there was a blast

PTI, Sabarkantha, 02.05.24 : A father-daughter duo were killed and two children sustained serious injuries on Thursday after an electronic item delivered by an unidentified person exploded in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district, police said.

The incident took place at Veda village, said sub-inspector Jitendra Rabari of Vadali police station.

“The parcel was delivered by an unidentified man. As soon as the electronic item was plugged in, there was a blast,” he said.

While Jitu Vanzara (33) died on the spot, three injured girls were rushed to the Vadali community health centre and from there to the Himatnagar civil hospital.

Vanzara’s 11-year-old daughter died at the hospital, while her sister and cousin were undergoing treatment, the police official said.

One of the injured girls was in a serious condition and put on a ventilator, said assistant resident medical officer Vipul Jani.

A relative of the victims said the parcel was delivered in an autorickshaw. Police were investigating if the family had ordered the item, Rabari said.
Agencies: A father and his daughter were killed after an electronic item delivered by an unidentified person exploded in their home in Gujarat’s Vadali on Wednesday.
The victims have been identified as Jitendra Heerabhai Vanjara and his daughter, Bhumika Vanjara.
The deadly parcel, which was ordered online, also caused injuries to two other family members, young girls aged nine and 10.
Parcel was delivered by an unidentified man
The incident took place in Veda village, according to sub-inspector Jitendra Rabari of Vadali Police Station.
“The parcel was delivered by an unidentified man. As soon as the electronic item was plugged in, there was a blast,” he said.
One of the injured girls was placed on a ventilator due to her critical condition.
A relative of the victims said the package was delivered to them in an autorickshaw
Injured survivors rushed to hospital, police investigation initiated
Following the explosion, the two injured girls were immediately taken to Himmantnagar Civil Hospital for treatment.
During their medical examination, doctors discovered wires embedded with iron fragments in their bodies.
This alarming discovery prompted an immediate police response.
Officers were dispatched to the Vanjara residence to begin an investigation into the origin and cause of the deadly parcel explosion.

Politics, Regional, States, West Bengal

EC directs parties to stop registering voters for beneficiary schemes under guise of surveys

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 The poll authority noted that some political parties and candidates have been engaging in activities that blur the lines between legitimate surveys and partisan efforts to register individuals for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes

PTI, New Delhi, 02.05.24 : The Election Commission Thursday said it has taken a “serious view” of political parties and candidates seeking details of voters under the guise of various surveys for their proposed beneficiary schemes as it amounts to a corrupt practice under election law.

The poll authority noted that some political parties and candidates have been engaging in activities that blur the lines between legitimate surveys and partisan efforts to register individuals for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes.

The Election Commission issued an advisory to all national and state political parties to immediately cease and desist from any activities that involve registering people for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes through any advertisement, survey or mobile application.

It said the act of inviting or calling upon individual electors to register for post-election benefits may create an impression of the requirement of one-to-one transactional relationship between the elector and the proposed benefit, and has the potential to generate a quid pro quo arrangement for voting in a particular way, thereby leading to inducement.
Education, Regional, States, West Bengal

WBBSE Madhyamik 10th Result 2024 declared – 86.31 percent students qualify exam

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A total of 83.90 percent of female students have qualified the exam while for male students the percentage stands at 89.21 percent

TT, 02 May 2024: 

Fifty-seven students have secured their position in the top 10 with eight students from South 24 Parganas making it to the list of top 10 followed by South Dinajpur, Purba Bardhaman, Purba Medinipur, Bankura

A total of 83.90 percent of female students have qualified the exam while for male students the percentage stands at 89.21 percent

The results of West Bengal Madhyamik Exam was declared by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education through a press conference on Thursday morning. As the results were declared, it was found that the districts have outshone Kolkata in the Examinations with Chandrachur Sen from Rambhola High School in Coochbehar district securing the top position with 693 marks.

Fifty-seven students have secured their position in the top 10 with eight students from South 24 Parganas making it to the list of top 10 followed by South Dinajpur, Purba Bardhaman, Purba Medinipur, Bankura. The overall pass percentage of this year’s Madhyamik Exam is 86.31 which is slightly higher than the previous year’s pass percentage of 86.15 percent.

A total of 83.90 percent of female students have qualified the exam while for male students the percentage stands at 89.21 percent.

In Kolkata, Somdutta Samanta from Kamala Girls High School topped the district with 10th rank in Madhyamik Exam.

A total of 9,12,598 students had appeared in the examination at 986 centres throughout the state with a total of 7,76,252 students qualifying the exam. This includes 4,03,900 male students and 5,08,698 female students.

Also Read: West Bengal Madhyamik 2024 Result DECLARED! Check Your Scorecards Here

A total of 1,18,411 students have secured above 60 percent marks in the examination, while 9,961, 24,683 and 83,807 students were graded AA, A+ and A respectively.

The results have been made available on the official website ofWest Bengal Board of Secondary Education at wbbse.wb.gov.in or wbresults.nic.in from 9.45 am.

Students will also be able to check their results through SMS. For checking results through SMS, students will have to send SMS to 56263 or 56070 by writing ‘WB10Your Roll Number’.
Education, Regional, States, West Bengal

Kalimpong with 96.2% pass percentage tops the state :10th Top 5 Toppers of MP Exam

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TT, 02 May 2024 : 

 The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has declared the results for the Madhyamik (Class 10) exams today, May 2.
Students can check their scores on wbbse.wb.gov.in and wbresults.nic.in.
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has declared the results for the Madhyamik (class 10) exams today, May 2. Students can check their scores on wbbse.wb.gov.in and wbresults.nic.in.

This year witnessed a significant rise in female candidates, with 25.95% more girls appearing for the exams. With 7,65,252 students passing out of 9,12,598 examinees, the overall pass percentage stands at 86.31%, a slight improvement from last year’s 86.15%.

Latest: WBBSE Madhyamik 10th Result 2024 declared – 86.31 percent students qualify exam.

Topping the charts is Chandrachur Sen from Rambhola High School, Cooch Behar, scoring a remarkable 693 marks (99%). Following closely behind is Samyapriyo Guru from Purulia Zilla School, Purulia, with 692 marks (98.96%). The third position is shared by Udayan Prosad of Balurghat High School, Dakshin Dinajpur, Puspita Basuri of New Integrated Govt School Illambazar, Birbhum, and Nairit Ranjan Pal of Narendrapur R K Mission Vidyalaya, South 24 Parganas, each scoring 691 marks (98.71%).

Tapojyoti Mandal of Kamarpukur R K Mission Multipurpose School, Hooghly, secured the fourth position with 690 marks (98.57%), while Arghyadip Basak of Paruldanga Nasratpur High School, Purba Burdwan, clinched the fifth spot with 689 marks (98.43%).

In terms of districts, Kalimpong emerges as the top performer with a staggering pass percentage of 96.2%, closely followed by East Midnapore at 95.49% and Kolkata at 91.62%.
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