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Mumbai Crime Branch recovers evidence against Anmol Bishnoi

In the Salman Khan firing case, Mumbai Crime Branch has recovered strong evidence against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi, and hence, both are the main conspirators and have been made the most wanted accused, reported news agency ANI. Mumbai Police has registered a case against four people in the firing case at Salman Khan's house, in which Anmol Bishnoi and Lawrence Bishnoi are also accused. Salman Khan firing case update: Before the firing incident, the shooters had done recce of Salman's house According to the information received from the Mumbai Crime Branch, before the firing incident, the shooters had done recce of Salman Khan's house four times. The shooters had also once recceed Khan's farm house. However, Salman had not gone to his farm house for many weeks, and hence they planned to fire at the house, reported ANI. Mumbai Crime Branch officials informed that when the accused were arrested, a broken mobile phone was recovered from them. The Crime Branch said that the accused had more than one phone and now the Crime Branch is searching for the remaining phones as well, reported ANI. A day earlier, the Mumbai Crime Branch also informed about the recovery of the second pistol from the Tapi river in Surat. Mumbai Crime Branch revealed that they had not only recovered the second pistol but also four magazines and 17 rounds, reported ANI. Salman Khan firing case update: Mumbai Crime Branch recovers pistol In this case, on April 22 the crime branch had recovered one pistol from the river. Shooter Vicky Gupta's footprints were found while going from Mumbai to Bhuj in Gujarat, the shooters had thrown the gun and magazine in the Tapi river near Surat. The police are searching for the phones of the accused in the river as the accused had transferred money to the bank several times. The two men, who came on motorbike, fired four rounds outside the Galaxy Apartments, where the actor resides, around 5:00 am on April 14 and fled. CCTV footage showed that both the accused sported caps and carried backpacks. Earlier, Kutch Police arrested the two accused persons and handed them to the Mumbai Crime Branch. Later, a city court sent the two accused to the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch until April 25 in connection with the Salman Khan firing case, reported ANI. The sections under IPC 506(2) (threatening), 115 (abetment), and 201 (tampering with evidence) have been added in the Salman Khan firing case. Mumbai Crime Branch officials disclosed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi have been declared wanted accused in connection with the Salman Khan firing case, reported ANI. Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, claimed responsibility for the firing outside Salman Khan's house through a Facebook post following the attack. (With inputs from ANI)

24 April,2024 10:30 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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IMD issues heatwave alert for Thane, Raigad and Mumbai from April 27 to 29

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert for Maharashtra's Thane, Raigad districts and parts of Mumbai from April 27 to 29. Maharashtra heatwave alert: Anti-cyclonic circulation will lead to a rise in temperature IMD scientist Sushma Nair on Wednesday told PTI that there is an anti-cyclonic circulation over Thane, Raigad and parts of Mumbai which will lead to a rise in temperature. The temperatures are likely to peak on April 27 and 28, reported PTI. This is the second heatwave alert issued for Mumbai and neighbouring region this month. Maharashtra heatwave alert: Navi Mumbai reached 41 degrees Celsius on April 15 and 16 On April 15 and 16, Mumbai and its neighbouring areas had witnessed severe hot weather and temperatures in parts of Navi Mumbai reached 41 degrees Celsius. The IMD had advised people to avoid prolonged heat exposure, drink sufficient water and stay hydrated, wear light coloured, loose and cotton clothes, cover head or use wet cloth or hat or umbrella while going out during afternoon hours, and schedule strenuous jobs during cooler times of the day.  Maharashtra heatwave alert: Intense heatwave Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that the intense heatwave scorching large parts of east India will continue for another five days. The ongoing spell of heat wave, the second this month, is broiling parts of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. Heatwave conditions have been prevailing in Odisha since April 15 and the Gangetic West Bengal since April 17, according to the MeT department. In a statement, the MD said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are expected in parts of West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand during the next five days. High humidity could add to people's inconvenience in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar, it said. Substantially high night temperatures are likely in east Madhya Pradesh on April 22 and April 23. High night temperatures are considered dangerous because the body doesn't get the chance to cool down. Increasing nighttime heat is even more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings. The threshold for a heat wave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches. A severe heat wave is declared if the departure from normal temperature exceeds 6.4 notches. Amid the prevailing but weakening El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period when around a billion people are expected to exercise their franchise during the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, heightening concerns about vulnerability to heat waves. Voting for the first phase of elections took place on April 19. The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 26. The Met office has said four to eight heatwave days are expected in different parts of the country in April against a normal of one to three days. Ten to 20 days of heatwave days are expected against a normal of four to eight in the entire April-June period. The areas and regions predicted to witness a higher number of heatwave days are Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bihar and Jharkhand. Some places may record more than 20 heatwave days. The intense heat could strain power grids and result in water shortages in parts of India.Global weather agencies, including the IMD, are also expecting La Nina conditions to develop later in the year. El Nino conditions -- periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- are associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India. La Nina conditions -- the antithesis of El Nino -- lead to plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season. (With inputs from PTI)

24 April,2024 10:20 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Bacchu Kadu. Pic/X

Kadu miffed after nod for rally in Amravati revoked as venue allotted to BJP

Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu on Tuesday held a protest at a ground in Maharashtra's Amravati district after permission given to him to hold an Lok Sabha elections 2024 rally there on Wednesday was revoked as the BJP has chosen the same venue for a public meeting to be addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, reported news agency PTI. The development has put the MLA from Achalpur in Amravati district in a confrontation with the ruling 'Mahayuti' alliance though Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sought to downplay the issue, saying priority is given to rallies of "big leaders". The venue in question is Science Core Ground in Amravati, where Shah is scheduled to address a campaign rally at around 2 pm on Wednesday in support of BJP candidate Navneet Rana. In view of Shah's meeting, the Amravati Zilla Parishad (ZP), which controls the ground, revoked its earlier nod given to Kadu to hold his rally at the same venue on Wednesday (April 24) citing security reasons, reported PTI. Kadu is the founder of the Prahar Janshakti Party, which supports the Shinde-led government, but has fielded its own candidate from the Amravati Lok Sabha seat. On Tuesday, Kadu, along with his supporters, held an agitation at the venue and blamed the Shinde government for revocation of the permission given to his party to use the site, reported PTI. The legislator created a ruckus and vented his anger at the police administration and sought to know why his party is not being allowed to use the ground to campaign for its candidate, reported PTI. In Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said priority is given to rallies of "big leaders" and sought to pacify Kadu after speaking to him, reported PTI. "There should be sportsmanship. Such incidents take place several times, but priority is given to rallies of big leaders. There will be a respectable solution. Talks with him (Kadu) were positive," Shinde said, reported PTI. BJP nominee Rana, a bete noire of Kadu, is pitted against Congress candidate Balwant Wankhede and Dinesh Bub of the Prahar Janshakti Party in the seat, which she won in 2019 as an independent candidate. Voting in Amravati will take place on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.  (With inputs from PTI)

24 April,2024 09:42 AM IST | Amravati/Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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258 in fray for 11 Maharashtra LS seats going to polls in third phase

As many as 258 candidates are left in the fray in the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra going to polls in the third phase on May 7 and all eyes will be on Baramati, where two members of the powerful Sharad Pawar family are facing each other, reported news agency PTI. Monday (April 22) was the last date for withdrawal of nominations for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. According to PTI report, Baramati in Pune district has the highest number of candidates at 38 followed by Madha (32), Osmanabad (31), Latur (28), Hatkanangale (27), Kolhapur (23), Solapur (21), Sangli (20), Satara (16), Raigad (13) and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg (9), election officials said. In Baramati, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) candidate Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, is pitted against her sister-in-law and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra, the nominee of the ruling NCP. For the Lok Sabha elections 2024, two royal scions are also in the fray from different seats -- Shahu Chhatrapati in Kolhapur as the Congress candidate and Udayanraje Bhosale in Satara as the BJP nominee. Union minister Narayan Rane is contesting on a BJP ticket from Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri. Congress rebel Vishal Patil stuck to his decision to contest the Sangli Lok Sabha poll as an independent candidate after the seat was allotted to the party's ally Shiv Sena (UBT). Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the symbol of a trumpet-like instrument allotted to an independent candidate contesting from its stronghold, Baramati, in Maharashtra's Pune district, reported PTI. The NCP (SP) has claimed the ECI has allotted a trumpet-like symbol to independent candidate Shaikh Soyalshah Yunusshah and has identified it as "tutari". The ECI has allotted "a man blowing turha" (a traditional trumpet) as the poll symbol for the NCP (SP), reported PTI. The complaint filed by Laxmikant Khabiya, the poll representative of the party's candidate, Supriya Sule, stated that there is a similarity in both names, which can cause confusion among voters. Khabiya submitted the complaint to the returning officer on April 20. "The symbol given to the independent candidate is a trumpet. In Marathi, it cannot be called 'tutari'. We have requested the ECI to call the symbol 'trumpet' instead of 'tutari'," he stated in the complaint, reported PTI. The "turha" in the NCP (SP) symbol is also called "tutari" in Marathi. It is sounded to mark the entry of important persons, ranging from kings earlier to political leaders now. Baramati, which will go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on May 7, is the home turf of the Pawar family, and Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, is seeking a straight fourth term from the constituency. (With inputs from PTI)

24 April,2024 09:34 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Priyanka Chaturvedi. File Photo

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Russian style of democracy, says Priyanka Chaturvedi

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Tuesday took a jibe at BJP after it won its first seat in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 unopposed from Surat, reported news agency ANI. She alleged that the BJP is working to finish off democracy and compared it with the "Russian style of democracy." "One thing we have been saying repeatedly this is the work to finish off democracy; it is called Russian style of democracy," said Chaturvedi, reported ANI. Drawing parallels with recent elections in Russia where opposition voices have been stifled, she pointed out the absence of any significant challengers to President Vladimir Putin, alleging that dissenters face imprisonment or worse. "This is Putin's style of democracy where the opposition is vanished completely. A few days ago there were elections in Russia, and there was no one standing against him because whoever opposes him, lands up in jail, gets the punishment of 'Kaala Pani' and dies and he becomes President after receiving 85 per cent votes. PM Modi is trying to adopt the same model," she added. Ahead of upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, Chaturvedi pointed out the rejection of the main Congress candidate and the subsequent withdrawal of all independent candidates in the Surat Lok Sabha constituency. She argued that such actions undermine the fundamental principles of democracy. "In Surat, the main candidate of the Congress party was rejected, then the substitute candidate was also rejected and all independent candidates withdrew the forms...This will be their democracy, without casting votes, BJP people get elected and PM Modi will keep the government," she said. The election officer, on Sunday, cancelled the nomination papers of the Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani from Surat Lok Sabha constituency over alleged "fake signatures of people who signed as witnesses." While cancelling the nomination, the Collector wrote in the order that the signatures of the people who have signed as witnesses in the nomination form of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and his dummy candidate Suresh Padshala are fake, reported ANI. Following this, BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected 'unopposed' from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency after all other candidates in the fray including independents and candidates from smaller parties also withdrew their nomination papers on the last day. The party now remains with no opposition candidate in the battle for the Lok Sabha seat. All 26 seats of Gujarat will go to the polls in a single phase on May 7. (With inputs from ANI)

24 April,2024 09:04 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
A local temple in Vrindavan

‘Vrindavan needs change’

The city of Mathura holds a profound spiritual aura, with its deep-rooted devotion to Radha-Krishna and the countless temples that dot its landscape. Vrindavan, nestled within Mathura, further amplifies this spiritual essence with its numerous temples and the constant influx of devotees seeking blessings. Vrindavan, spread across a 20 km stretch having around 5,884 temples, with 30 to 40 big temples including the ISKON temple and Premnagar temple, see maximum tourist visits in the region. mid-day visited the bylanes, interacting with locals, shopkeepers, auto-rickshaw drivers and tourists to know what issues they face. Devotees queue up to visit a temple, one of several in the city, where thousands visit daily Several locals highlighted two major issues including the cleanliness of the Yamuna River as it is heavily polluted by industrial waste and untreated sewage discharge. The second issue is the development of the Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, along the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, which will offer devotees three convenient routes to reach the Krishna temple. Rohit Rajput, a hotel manager who moved from Agra to Vrindavan for work, said, “More than 60 per cent of the people staying in Vrindavan are from Madhya Pradesh, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and other parts. Devotion to the lord brings them here and they usually find work locally and continue to stay. Many have been staying here for decades. Even foreigners come to stay here.” Amit Bajpai and Ashish Bajpai who had come for darshan from Kanpur According to Rajput, there is a lack of planning and crowd management by the local administration and police who have put up barricades around 3 km before temples areas. “If barricades are being installed 3 km ahead, proper arrangements need to be made so that people can reach the temple without hassles. There should be government-run e-rickshaws plying. This will bring in revenue and also prevent people from being cheated by local e-rickshaw drivers who charge exorbitant amounts. There should also be fines imposed on rule violators. Also, there has to be public transport like Metro rail or other options to reach the temples,” he said. Pushkar Upadyay, an e-rickshaw driver who is also from another state and came to Vrindavan over his devotion, said, “Vrindavan has seen many changes and developments after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took charge. He used up a lot of funds in developing and beautifying the region.” Regarding actor Hema Malini being given a ticket to contest, Upadyay said, “A ticket should be only given to a local who has an idea about the city and is known to people in the city and villages. Giving celebrities a ticket is just to gain traction. Are they really on the ground, meeting people to know their problems or just campaigning during elections? Also, at times it is a major task to meet a celebrity and so, often locals can’t take up issues with them. The government must develop skills of the people and increase the number of jobs available. Also, the corridor issue has to be resolved to ease the movement of people.” Pushkar Upadyay, an-e-rickshaw driver who visited Vrindavan and decided to stay there with his family Mansi Arora from Haryana moved to Vrindavan five years ago. She says there are thousands who visit daily, and the crowd swells to lakhs of people during festivals. “There should be a queue system at temples here as many times senior citizens and kids get stuck in the crowd. Also, the authorities need to regularly clean the Yamuna River. This will enable local use the water and people would also be able to perform rituals,” she said. Yogita Boche from Maharashtra’s Akola runs a snack and lunch centre in Vrindavan, close to Hema Malini’s house. “Malini-madam has been seen here since Holi and is campaigning regularly. Usually, she visits the area once or twice a week. Many people feel that she is working for betterment,” said Boche. According to Boche, cleanliness is a major issue in Mathura. “Several areas are littered with garbage. The authorities should conduct more cleanliness drives. Visitors should be careful to not litter… to maintain the hygiene and take in the spiritually,” she added. Meanwhile, Advocate Ashish Kumar Bajpai, 42, a visitor from Kanpur, told mid-day that local transport is a major issue. “The complete Parikrama Puri in Vrindavan is almost 21 km long. We have come 2-3 times for darshan in Mathura and always found local transport to be an issue. The e-rickshaw drivers charge too much. There is also a lack of proper toilets and refreshment centres. Metro rail connectivity is essential and due to the daily footfall, It will also be a good revenue generator,” Ashish said. Amit Bajpai, a teacher accompanying Ashish, said he had been coming to Mathura for darshan for decades. “There is an increase in the number of devotees and tourism and many things should have changed accordingly. In the last few years, a major problem is that the Rs 10 coin isn’t accepted here. It is accepted all over India but no one accepts it here. Is it banned in Mathura or is there some other reason?” 5,884Approx no of temples in Vrindavan

24 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mathura | Faisal Tandel
Shiv Sena’s South Central candidate Rahul Shewale. Pic/Kirti Surve

I am Balasaheb Thackeray’s follower, people will vote for that: Rahul Shewale

The city’s South Central seat has been the turf of undivided Shiv Sena since the 90s when it sent the late Mohan Rawale to Parliament, holding the seat for five terms until Indian National Congress (INC) leader Eknath Gaikwad took over in 2009. However, the seat returned to Sena in 2014 when first-time Lok Sabha candidate Rahul Shewale won; he has held it for the past decade. In 2019, Shewale garnered 4,23,743 votes in Mumbai’s South Central constituency, defeating Gaikwad, who stood second with 2,72,774 votes. With areas like Anushakti Nagar, Chembur, Dharavi, Sion Koliwada, Wadala, and Mahim, Shewale describes this seat as the birthplace of Sena. However, this time around, the battle is not between Sena and the INC; it is the battle of Sena vs. Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) after the split in the party in 2022. An interview with Shewale: Do you believe you can still win over the masses without the Thackeray family and with the ‘traitor’ tag?I am Balasaheb Thackeray's follower, and people will vote for that. In a previous election, it was the voters’ attachment to Balasaheb’s name that secured my seat in Parliament. The people in my constituency have a strong affinity for Shiv Sena and Balasaheb, given the party’s deep roots here. Additionally, the Modi wave contributed to my victory last time.  I am also a follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s ideology.It is also worth remembering that the Shiv Sena name and the party symbol are behind me. I am also backed by the party that made Ram Mandir possible and scrapped Article 370. Regarding being labelled a traitor, I was elected to Parliament through the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, not with the Congress. The actions taken by some MLAs do not reflect our approach. My constituents are aware of this. We engaged in a month-long discussion with Uddhav Saheb and tried to convince him to strike another alliance with the BJP. Candidates have yet to be declared in some Shiv Sena strongholds such as Thane. Do you think this will harm the party’s prospects in this election?The elections are scheduled for May 20, and as of now, there has been no notification. Typically, we announce all the candidates a few days before the notification, so the list will be released soon. This won’t give the Opposition any advantage because some of these candidates are already campaigning in their constituencies, even though we haven’t officially announced them. How do you view Anil Desai, your primary opponent from the Thackeray Sena?He is a gentleman, and I have respect for him. We are friends. However, he has spent most of his political career sitting at Shiv Sena Bhavan and not on the field. Uddhav Sahab’s move to put him as the Lok Sabha candidate from South Central is meant to destroy his political career. Do you see any signs of anti-incumbency in your constituency?My performance over the past 10 years speaks volumes. I’ve addressed numerous infrastructure-related issues, improved public transport, and enhanced amenities through collaboration with the state government and municipal corporation. The main issue here revolves around redevelopment. Numerous projects have been stalled due to developer-related issues or other reasons. Over the past five years, I’ve ensured progress on several fronts. Dharavi redevelopment, BDD chawl redevelopment and the improvement of refugee colonies in Sion Koliwada and Chembur are among them. Given the prevalence of slums, SRA projects are of utmost importance. My goal is to complete all significant redevelopment initiatives in the next term. How do you address the concerns raised by residents of Dharavi?People want development in Dharavi. There are two different populations there, one which fits the eligibility criteria as they were able to furnish documents and the other are those who are not as they do not have documents. The project will be providing housing even to the ineligible population only that they will be shifted elsewhere and not in the same area. Uddhav Thackeray’s Dharavi model for dealing with COVID-19 garnered significant praise. How do you reflect on that period?The management of COVID-19 in Dharavi was a success because of me, and I was sidelined by the Thackeray family. Not once was I credited for any work done, and instead, Uddhav-ji praised ward officers like Kiran Dighavkar. This was one of the main reasons for leaving. I was the one who provided vaccine access to people there, brought in health education programmes, arranged for ration kits, and facilitated the journey of migrant labourers in Dharavi back to their homes. All this as the leadership was not venturing out. My anger towards Uddhav-ji is more because of this: no credit or not a single word of appreciation for all the efforts I took. All the credits were only taken by him and Aaditya Thackeray.

24 April,2024 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Eshan Kalyanikar
Uddhav Thackeray waves to the cheering crowd in Parbhani even as it rains

Uddhav Thackeray lambasts prime minister during rain-soaked rally

In a fiery address at a rally in Parbhani Constituency, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray launched scathing criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over recent developments concerning the Election Commission’s directive of omitting the word ‘Bhawani’ from their campaign song. Amidst a downpour, Thackeray remained undeterred, delivering a speech that highlighted his resolve and determination.  Without directly naming the Prime Minister, Thackeray addressed the crowd, highlighting what he perceives as the detrimental impact of the Modi-led government’s policies, particularly on Maharashtra’s industrial landscape. “I am not afraid of challenges. I overcame all of them. So, why are you afraid of this rain?” he told those who had congregated at the rally venue. He then started his speech. Throughout his speech, Thackeray criticized the prime minister without mentioning his name once. He said, “Now, the third series of jumla is on its way. In the first two series, we thought that the country would be developed. But, they destroyed the country, especially Maharashtra. Stop this series now. No one is going to get three meals a day by watching this series. Maharashtra’s industries are being snatched away.” Furthermore, he criticised the PM over EC’s order, asking why there was a grudge against Bhavani. Rally for Sanjay Patil Sanjay Patil is a two-time MP of Parbhani. Thackeray came to Parbhani for Sanjay Patil’s campaign. Thackeray also attacked BJP leader Sudhir Mangutiwar over his statement about women. He said, “In Maharashtra, we respect women. But this man insulted a woman. He insulted brother-sister relations in the prime minister’s rally. Modi, you should speak on this. He insulted women even before; he used bad words for Supriya Sule over the camera.”

24 April,2024 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
CM Eknath Shinde with Rashtriya Samaj Paksha candidate Mahadev Jankar at the Pathri rally. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Eknath Shinde says voters will put Sena UBT in their place

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde responded to Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray’s below-the-belt comment on Tuesday. Addressing a rally in Pathri, Parbhani, Shinde said, “The UBT Chiranjeevi insulted me yesterday. But, I will not answer him. People will answer them by voting. This is not the culture of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, but the language of Congress.” While talking with the media at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), Aaditya said, “I have never seen such a shameless and despicable person like him (Shinde). He stabbed the back of the person who gave him everything. He cheated Maharashtra and ran to Gujarat. Now all industries are going to Gujarat while farmers in the state are committing suicide” In the Pathri rally organised for Rashtriya Samaj Paksha candidate Mahadev Jankar, Shinde further stated, “This is not an insult to me. It is an insult to Shiv Sainiks who believe in Balasaheb Thackeray. This is an insult to the farmer… they can't see that a farmer's son became the chief minister. This is an insult to the common man. He (Aaditya) was born with a golden spoon. This is not Balasaheb’s culture, but that of the Congress and with the language of Mani Shankar Aiyar. They have become crazy since they left the state government. I will not say anything about it. Now the people will speak through the ballot box.” The CM further slammed the Congress and UBT saying that they only look for “cuts, commission and collection”. “For them, corruption comes first, but for us, it’s nation first. Before 2014, India was witnessing bomb blasts and riots, but after that, there haven’t been any. Every community suffered due to these issues. The government can't sit at home and run Facebook live campaigns. We are ground-level workers,” Shinde said. Taking a dig at UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said, “He is dreaming of becoming the prime minister but it is not easy… one needs to work day and night… one can’t run the government online while sitting at home.” According to Shinde, development work in Parbhani was started but was opposed by the local MP. “Will you vote for the person who opposes development? Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav of UBT is contesting the election now. Meanwhile, we are working on the Jalna Nanded Expressway and have planned the Shaktipeeth Expressway. We are also planning an Industrial colony in the surrounding area,” Shinde assured voters. 2014Year Modi came to power

24 April,2024 07:08 AM IST | Parbhani | Sameer Surve
The portion of the balcony which had collapsed (right) Chandani Roshan Siddiqui, who died

Mumbai: Minor succumbs to injuries from collapse of balcony

A 12-year-old lost her life, while two others suffered minor injuries when a balcony of a slum dwelling collapsed at Malvani on Thursday night. It is being alleged that the resident of the upper storey dwelling kicked the balcony in a fit of rage resulting in the crash on those sitting below. The deceased has been identified as Chandani Roshan Siddiqui. According to the police sources, the incident had occurred on Thursday night in New Collector Compound behind Elia Sarwat School near Eidgah Maidan gate number 6 in Malvani at around 1.15 am on Friday. Chandani was sitting in front of the house with her nephew Aryan and her neighbors when the wall of the first-floor balcony house collapsed on them. Speaking with mid-day Bushra Siddiqui, the elder sister of the deceased, said, “The balcony wall did not fall on its own but was brought down. The person living on the first floor had fought with his wife. In a fit of rage, he first closed the door of the house with immense force and kicked the wall of the balcony. The portion of the balcony broke and fell on Chandani and others sitting below.” Chandani suffered serious injuries while Aryan and a woman suffered minor injuries. With the help of neighbors, Bushra first took Chandani to the government general hospital, Jankalyan Nagar, but the doctor sent her to Shatabdi Hospital. Bushra alleged that Shatabdi Hospital did not take the matter seriously. While serious wounds were visible on Chandani’s body, especially on her hand, the doctors also got a CT scan and two X-rays, in which a fracture was visible, she said. The doctors, while appearing casual, bandaged Chandani’s wounds, gave her a one-time medicine and sent her home saying that the girl was fine, she said. “After bringing Chandani home, I changed her clothes and examined her right leg. The right side of her stomach had blackened. At about 8 am when I tried to wake her up for breakfast, her breathing had stopped. Bushra again rushed Chandani to Shatabdi Hospital, where the doctor told her after an hour that Chandani had passed away. The girl had died three hours after being discharged. “While I told them a million times that Chandani had serious injuries, please admit her. If only she had been treated, she would probably be alive today,” said Bushra. The Malvani cops have recorded Bushra’s statement and registered a case but no arrest has been made yet. Bushra had left her husband and resided with her siblings and 3-year-old son Aryan in a rented house earning her livelihood as a real estate broker. She further told mid-day that the family who were responsible for the death of her sister had allegedly asked her to not report the incident to the police, issued threats and told them they could get away scot free by spending some money. “We have registered a case under section 304(a) of IPC against the house owner. Information given to mid-day was not revealed at the time of recording the statement. If it so, we will record a supplementary statement and act accordingly. The accused has been summoned to the police station,” said an officer from Malvani police station. 12 yrsAge of the victim

24 April,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority has held onto 70 hectares of mangroves citing future requirement of land for its projects. Representation Pic/NatConnect

Maharashtra: Fresh survey of tidal plants along state coast

The Maharashtra Mangrove Cell has mandated a fresh survey of tidal plants along the state’s coastal area, amid concerns by environmentalists over the rising threats to the existence of mangroves. The development comes as environmental groups have been raising alarm over the inordinate delay in transferring the mangroves to the forest department for conservation, as per orders of the Bombay Court’s order. The Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) is currently studying coasts across seven districts of the state, including Sindhdurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban and Palghar. Mangrove cell chief S V Ramarao has told the NGO NatConnect Foundation that “the study will help understand the growth of mangroves and assess their destruction as well”. MRSAC is recognised as one of the best state centres for natural resource monitoring and management, offering innovative, effective and optimal solutions by blending remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technologies, the centre’s website says. Meanwhile, official records indicate that as much as 2,011.36 hectares of mangrove land is yet to be handed over to the forest department, as per the Bombay High Court order. Palghar district leads the list as it is yet to hand over 1,277.58 hectares of mangrove land, as per the minutes of the latest meeting of the HC-appointed mangrove committee. NatConnect director B N Kumar said the 2,011 hectares is equivalent to the size of about 200 Azad Maidans put together, and conservation of the mangroves is extremely important. “The minutes of the mangrove committee meeting, however, remained silent on the sea forest area pending transfer from CIDCO,” Kumar pointed out. Over 1,200 hectares of mangrove land is still with CIDCO, as per a response from the mangrove cell to NatConnect, following the NGO’s complaint to the prime minister. NatConnect drew the PM’s attention to the fact that sea forests are being ignored despite his ambitious Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) that envisages comprehensively exploring the possible area for development of mangroves covering approximately 540 sq km, across 11 states and two union territories. The PMO had referred the complaint to the state government which in turn asked the mangrove cell to respond. Nandakumar Pawar, head of NGO Sagar Shakti, expressed his regret over the lacklustre attitude towards mangrove conservation. “Despite the mangrove committee’s repeated directives, local authorities remain inattentive. Shockingly, CIDCO has been allowed to go scot-free despite the city planner holding onto hundreds of hectares of mangrove land,” he said. According to Pawar, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority too holds 70 hectares of mangroves citing future requirement of land for its projects which is “utter nonsense”. “JNPA should immediately hand over the mangrove land to the forest department and seek the Bombay High Court’s permission if at all it needs the area,” he said.

24 April,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
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