Kerala police register case against ED for coercion, conspiracy

Kerala police register case against ED for coercion, conspiracy

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:  20.03.2021 

The crime branch of Kerala police has registered a case against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers who are probing the gold smuggling case, on the basis of the statements of two female civil police officers.

In the FIR submitted on Friday to the judicial magistrate court in Kochi, the crime branch has invoked IPC Sections 116, 120-B, 167, 192, 193 and 195-A for conspiracy, intimidation and forcing to give false statements against the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The crime branch had earlier conducted a preliminary inquiry, in which statements of 18 persons, including that of Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the case related to gold smuggling through diplomatic channels, was recorded. TOI has learnt that a special team will be set up to probe the case.

The state had received legal advice from the director general of prosecutions that a case should be registered against the ED sleuths who had interrogated Suresh in jail. The government had sought legal advice based on the report of the investigation team that had probed the leak of Suresh’s voice clip.

Woman civil police officers Siji Vijayan of Palarivattom police station and S Rejimol of Kadavanthra police station, who were allegedly on duty while the ED sleuths interrogated Suresh, had stated before the probe team that the ED officers were compelling Swapna to give a statement against the chief minister.

HC refuses to stay ED summons to Mehbooba in money laundering case

The Delhi high court on Friday refused to stay the latest summons issued to former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by the enforcement directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and justice Jasmeet Singh said they are not granting any relief to the PDP president, who has been served notice to appear at the ED headquarters in the national capital on March 22.

Representing the ED, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said Mufti just has to appear before the officials. ED had earlier summoned Mufti for March15 but has now sought her presence on March 22. TNN

TTEs thrash man travelling sans ticket, booked

TTEs thrash man travelling sans ticket, booked

Roorkee:  20.03.2021 

Two travelling ticket examiners (TTE) onboard Rishikesh-Barmer Express (04887) allegedly thrashed a passenger for travelling “without ticket” from Haridwar to Jaipur on Wednesday.

According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials, the TTEs also caused a delay of around 50 minutes after creating a ruckus at the Roorkee railway station. Soon after the episode, the RPF and the GRP (Government Railway Police) registered separate cases against the two TTEs and the passenger, a resident of Jaipur. According to sources, the passenger was heading to his hometown Jaipur from Haridwar in coach S-4 of Rishikesh-Barmer Express when he was asked by TTE Karandip Singh to show his ticket. To this, he told the official that his trip was unplanned and that he didn’t get the time to book a ticket. This ensued a brawl between the two. Subsequently, TTE Singh was joined by an unidentified colleague and both of them allegedly thrashed the passenger. TNN

MTC told to pay ₹38.5 lakh to accident victim’s family

MTC told to pay ₹38.5 lakh to accident victim’s family

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.03.2021 

A city accident claims tribunal has directed Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to compensate ₹38.5 lakh to the family of a motorist who was killed after a rashly driven government bus knocked the twowheeler down near Pulianthope four years ago.

D Sumithra of Medavakkam moved the tribunal seeking a compensation of ₹75 lakh for the death of her husband, Deva Manikandan. According to the petition, Deva Manikandan was riding along the junction of 5th street and VOC Nagar, Dr Ambedkar College Road when the MTC bus hit the two-wheeler from behind.

Deva Manikandan suffered multiple fatal injuries and died on the spot. The accident happened in August 2016.

The MTC bus was travelling from Parrys Corner to Periyar Nagar. The transport corporation contended that the bus driver had stopped the bus at Aduthotti bus stop for passengers to alight and had started the vehicle when the motorist overtook the bus from left and lost balance while riding over a heap of blue metal.

In the melee, the motorist hit the bumper of the MTC bus and sustained fatal injuries, the counsel for the transport corporation stated and argued that MTC cannot be held liable to pay the compensation.

The tribunal, after perusing the submissions from both sides, noted that the evidence submitted proves that the accident happened due to the rash driving of the MTC driver and that the transport corporation has not submitted enough evidence to substantiate their claims about negligence by the motorist.

The deceased was 38 years old at the time of the accident and in the engineering business. Considering the age of the deceased and the loss of income to the family, the tribunal arrived at an amount of ₹38.5 lakh as compensation to the family and directed MTC to settle the amount within one month.

Of the total amount, the wife of the deceased, Sumithra, is entitled for ₹18.5 lakh, while the three children of the deceased are entitled for an amount of ₹5.33 lakh each and the parents of the deceased are entitled for ₹2 lakh each.

The tribunal, after perusing the submissions from both sides, noted that the evidence submitted proves that the accident happened due to the rash driving of the MTC driver

City residents meet candidates armed with detailed wishlists

City residents meet candidates armed with detailed wishlists

People In Ambattur Demand Tax Rationalization Ahead Of Polls

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Gone are the days when people would submit a general list of demands to political party candidates. Now, heads of residents’ welfare associations come to meetings with candidates armed with specific data — either based on their own surveys or sourced from government agencies — to show how past promises had remained unfulfilled and how new ones should be met.

Residents of Ambattur want property tax calculated on basic street rate and area of the house. S Swaminathan of the JAMBA United Welfare Association, which includes five residential colonies, trots out government data to show how property tax in Ambattur since 2012 has remained ₹3.30 per sq ft against a mere 50 paise per sq ft in Sholinganallur and not more than ₹1 in Adyar and the posh Boat Club area. “If the candidates concerned don’t promise to rectify this anomaly, we will vote for NOTA [none of the above],” he said.

The Tansi Nagar Residents Welfare Association in Velachery wants an integrated market, with secretary M Balakrishanan adding that the government should come up with a policy for sewage treatment based on the demand and population increase. “An additional sewage pumping station on Taramani Link Road will reduce the load on the existing station during rainy days. Also, an additional EB power substation is needed.”

K Mohan of Saidapet said integrated hospitals are the need of the hour. “People still have to go to Triplicane or central for treatment,” he said visited the area.

Kamakshi Subramaniyan of the Kalakshetra Colony Welfare Association says encroachments on Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar should be cleared and the famous stretch given a revamp. “With the Marina beautification project on, we want the government to focus on Elliot’s beach as well.”

In Perambur, residents say widening of bus route stretches such as Perambur High Road, Madhavaram High Road and Paper Mills Road, providing pedestrian friendly footpaths, laying medians and constructing speed breakers have been promised but never fulfilled.

Finally, residents want the candidates, once elected, to use their office to enforce a proper quality audit system to oversee the infrastructure development work taken up by the local administration. “Put pressure on the state administration to conduct the local body elections and set up a ward committee. Citizens’ participation in matters relating to infrastructure development, security and conservancy can help build a model constituency within the city of Chennai,” several Perambur residents say.

DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY: Residents want candidates to address their concerns

If the candidates concerned don’t promise to rectify this anomaly (property tax rates), we will vote for NOTA (none of the above).

S Swaminathan | AMBATTUR RESIDENT

16-hour surgery relieves cancer patient of pain

16-hour surgery relieves cancer patient of pain

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Surgeons cheered as a 26-year-old patient walked out of the lift and smiled at flashing media cameras. A little more than a fortnight ago, seven surgeons had worked for 16 hours to remove a cancerous tumour that was compressing her spine and abdominal organs.

When the woman, who works at a factory that makes zips for clothes, came to the Cancer Institute (WIA) in Adyar with excruciating pain after concurrent chemo-radiotherapy for four month from August, 2020 failed. Doctors told her surgery was the only option for the tumour, called Chondrosarcoma, which started from the L3 vertebra on the spine.

“We decided to remove the tumour using enbloc resection. This means we would resect the entire tumour in one go,” said senior surgeon Dr Anand Raja.

In the theatre the patient was made to lie down on her stomach. “We started the surgery from the spine. We removed a third of L3, her right kidney and urethra, but we managed to keep all other blood vessels and her bowels intact,” he said.

Five days after the surgery, the patient began to move out of her bed and quickly recovered. TNN

Even relationship claim can’t undo Pocso offence: HC

Even relationship claim can’t undo Pocso offence: HC

It Becomes A Crime Against State: Court

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Offences under the Pocso Act are not compoundable even if the victim girl after becoming major deposes that she was in relationship with the offender and wanted to settle the issue, the Madras high court has held.

“Once a complaint is registered under Pocso Act, it becomes an offence against the state and, therefore, subsequent compromise will not take away the offence,” Justice P Velmurugan said on Friday.

The judge made the observation while dismissing a petition moved by Marudhupandi challenging conviction and 10 years imprisonment ordered by Dharmapuri mahila court for sexually assaulting the minor victim on promise of marriage.

When the appeal came up for hearing, the victim who is now a major filed an affidavit claiming that she was living together with the offender for the past four years and that they had settled the matter amicably. She, therefore, prayed that the appeal be allowed and the conviction and sentence be set aside, so as to enable them live peacefully.

Refusing to accept the same, the judge said, “Even assuming that victim girl had fallen in love with the appellant and admitted that they are living together for four years, as on the date of commission of offence, provisions of the Pocso Act would attract.”

The court further pointed out that the appellant had not challenged the complaint made against him nor claimed that the girl gave such complaint due to coercion or threat. The victim even in her statement under Section 164 CrPC and deposition before the trial court has clearly stated that the appellant had committed the offence, the court said. “The evidence of the victim girl was very clear that she was 17 years on the day of occurrence and the appellant had made a false promise that he would marry her and against her will, he had sexually assaulted her repeatedly and subsequently, refused to marry her,” the judge said.

Kamal offers SEET to help TN students enter MBBS courses

Kamal offers SEET to help TN students enter MBBS courses

Nivedha.Selvam1@timesgroup.com

20.03.2021 

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has promised to replace the National Eligibility -cum Entrance Test (NEET) with State Eligibility cum Entrance Test (SEET) for medical admission in the state if the party is voted to power.

It is one of the biggest promises in the party’s manifesto that was released in Coimbatore on Friday. The party has promised to provide jobs for 50 lakh to one crore people and double the per capita income in 10 years.

Saying that most government school students in the state found it difficult to crack NEET, Kamal said SEET question papers will be framed based on the state board syllabus to make it easy for the students.

The MNM has envisioned a plan to revamp the state’s education system by abolishing Class X and XII public examinations and introducing a four-year-long pre-graduation programme from Class IX. The manifesto said only one examination - either public examination or entrance - will be held.

Terming the manifesto a “living document”, Kamal said it was prepared with a long-term vision and not as a poll stunt.

Kamal took a dig at major political parties, saying freebies and doles promised by them would only add more burden to a debt-ridden state. He said MNM had better ideas other than relying only on tax and getting loans to promote growth, generate revenue and bring the state out of debt.

He said the governmentrun enterprises such as Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation could be turned profitable by making employees shareholders.

Referring to the financial assistance that other parties had promised for homemakers, the actor said MNM will create an environment for them to earn by honing their skills. “With skill development, women will be able to earn better on their own.”

MNM has promised to set up ‘makkal’ canteens, which will be different from ‘Amma’ canteens and ration shops. Here, people can purchase groceries and other items at a reasonable price. It also vowed to implement former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA) plan to make villages self-sufficient and turn unorganized workers into organized workers. “All the schemes mentioned in our manifesto are practically possible to implement,” Kamal said.

Asked about the recent income-tax raid on the premises of the party’s treasurer A Chandrasekaran, Kamal said it was a raid on an individual and had nothing to do with the MNM. “Action will be taken against him if he is proven guilty.”

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது

Added : மார் 18, 2021 23:14 

சென்னை:தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது என, ரயில்வே வாரியம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. சென்னை எழும்பூரில் இருந்து, மதுரைக்கு இயக்கப்படும் தேஜஸ் ரயில், திருச்சி, கொடைக்கானல் ரோடு நிலையங்களில் மட்டும் நின்று செல்கிறது. இந்த ரயில் இரு வழியிலும், ஏப்., 2 முதல், கொடைக்கானல் ரோடு நிலையத்துக்கு பதிலாக, திண்டுக்கல்லில் நின்று செல்லும் என, ரயில்வே வாரியம் அறிவித்துஉள்ளது.

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரம் நிலையத்தில் நின்று செல்ல வேண்டும் என்ற, பலரின் கோரிக்கையை ரயில்வே வாரியம் நிராகரித்துள்ளது.சென்னை, சிட்லப்பாக்கத்தை சேர்ந்த தயானந்த கிருஷ்ணன், தகவல் அறியும் உரிமை சட்டத்தில் கோரிய கேள்விக்கு, ரயில்வே வாரியம் அளித்த பதிலில், இந்த தகவல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Vax drive: Centre places orders for 351m syringes

Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru :  19.03.2021 

The Centre, which had floated a tender in December for 351 million syringes to administer the Covid vaccine, has now placed orders with three companies, at least one of which is expected to begin deliveries from the first week of April.

The Centre had earlier placed orders for 230 million syringes, taking the total number of syringes it will buy to more than 550 million. TOI first reported in December 2020 that the Centre was looking to issue tenders for 350 million syringes specifically to aid the vaccination drive.

Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd (HMD), one of the largest manufacturers of disposable syringes in the world, will make 265 million auto-disable (AD) syringes which will be supplied till September this year. In its original bid to the December 2020 tender, HMD had offered to supply 220 million pieces. Iscon Surgicals, another Indian firm, will make more than 42.3 million syringes.

While HMD and Iscon were the only two firms to secure orders for the initial 230 million pieces, in this round, the Centre has also placed orders with American MNC Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), which will manufacture nearly 44 million syringes at its India plant.

HMD managing director Rajiv Nath told TOI they will begin delivering syringes against fresh orders in April. Nath said: “This is in addition to our ongoing global commitments to support regular global vaccination projects for 0.1ml & 0.5ml AD Kojak syringes and the Covid vaccination requirements of 0.3ml for Pfizer’s vaccine or 0.5ml AD Kojak for Astra-Zeneca/ Serums or Bharat Biotech’s vaccines.”

He said the company’s priority is India, but it must also honour its global commitments. “So, for now we are allocating two thirds of our capacity to the government of India and the rest to our regular global UN clients,” he said. “We are happy to complement vaccine diplomacy with syringe diplomacy and raise the Brand India flag in more than 120 countries.”

Iscon vice-president Sandeep Bhandari said that against their original bid for 35.1 million syringes, the Centre has awarded them a contract of more than 42.3 million. “Aside from this, there is a good demand for syringes and needles from across the world and we recently got orders from the UK for 29 million syringes. We are working on some more contracts from Europe, South Korea and Brazil,” he said.

As cases rise in India, SII ‘delays’ vax supply to UK

As cases rise in India, SII ‘delays’ vax supply to UK

19.03.2021 

The vaccine rollout in the UK “has been hampered” due to the delay in delivery of a promised second batch of 5 million doses by Serum Institute of India, reports Naomi Canton. The vaccine-maker had delivered 5 million AstraZeneca doses to Britain early March; the second batch was expected imminently. But SII told the UK’s Daily Telegraph the second batch would be delivered only once it got the nod from New Delhi, which is concerned about rising Covid cases in India.

India sees sharpest 5-day rise in Covid cases in 10 months

India sees sharpest 5-day rise in Covid cases in 10 months

Maha Records All-Time Peak In Daily Cases

Amit.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

19.03.2021 

Over the past five days, India has seen the sharpest surge in Covid-19 infections in at least the last 10 months, with the seven-day rolling average of daily cases rising by as much as 39% during this period.

The count of daily cases almost touched 40,000 on Thursday, with 39,670 fresh infections recorded in the past 24 hours. This was the highest single-day tally of cases since November 28 last year. Maharashtra logged its highest-ever daily case count of 25,833, while 15 other states/Union territories reported their highest singleday tallies since January or earlier. In the last five days, the seven-day average of daily cases has been growing by over 5% every day. The growth rates during this period have been 5.2%, 5.8%, 6.6%, 7.4% and 8.7%. This is the sharpest rise in daily cases sustained over a period of five days in TOI's records going back to the first week of May.

1,488 +ve cases in Karnataka; 5 clusters in B’luru

Karnataka reported 1,488 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 925 of them. At least five cluster outbreaks — three of them in Yelahanka zone — have been reported from Bengaluru.

N Manjunatha Prasad, BBMP commissioner, said irresponsible behaviour on the part of people and those with travel history are adding to the rise in cases. “Nearly 12% of fresh cases in the city are those with travel history or those who attended functions or visited malls,” Prasad said. In Belagavi, a 69-year-old gram panchayat member from Katakat village in Belagavi district died a day after his vaccination. P 2

Seven-day rolling average of daily deaths crosses 150

Previously, daily growth of over 5% was seen for a maximum of four days, from May 19 to 22. Deaths have also been rising but not at the same pace as the spurt in cases. India reported 154 fatalities from the virus on Thursday, the third successive day of 150-plus toll in the country.

The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths crossed 150 on Thursday for the first time since January 23. Not just Maharashtra, the case count in Mumbai too smashed its previous single-day tally. Mumbai posted 2,877 new infections, more than its previous high of 2,848 cases recorded on October 10, 2020. The silver lining was that Thursday’s Covid-19 deaths in the state were eight times lower than on September 11.

Infections were surging in most states outside the northeast, and places such as Odisha and Bihar. Punjab reported 2,387 fresh cases, the highest tally in the state since September 19. The UT of Chandigarh also reported its highest tally of cases (211) since September 25.

IndiGo hands over 2 more flyers to police

IndiGo hands over 2 more flyers to police

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:19.03.2021 

The number of Covid norm violators facing action while flying is fast rising now. On Wednesday, IndiGo handed over a passenger each from its Delhi-Hyderabad and Nagpur-Goa flights on arrival to security agencies for not wearing their face masks despite repeated announcements from the crew. The airline has also filed a police complaint against these passengers.

This is the fifth action by three airlines so far this week against nine violators — Alliance Air (four from one flight), IndiGo (three from as many flights) and AirAsia India (two from one flight). While AirAsia offloaded passengers from a Goa-Mumbai flight on Monday as they refused to wear PPE gowns, the other seven were handed over to security agencies on arrival for not wearing masks during the flight.

As Maharashtra sees increase in cases, MP stops bus movement

As Maharashtra sees increase in cases, MP stops bus movement

Bhopal:  19.03.2021 

The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday announced a ban on movement of passenger buses to and from Mahrarashtra from March 20 in view of the alarming rise in coronavirus cases in the neighboring state.

The decision was taken by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a meeting to review the Covid-19 situation with municipal commissioners and district collectors, an official said.

The government has already advised officials in border districts to place the passengers arriving from Maharashtra in week- long quarantine.

Markets and business establishments in the districts which are affected most due to the pandemic, including Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Sagar, Betul, Burhanpur, Khargone, Ratlam and Chhindwara, will remain closed from 10pm to 6am, it was decided during the meeting.

In Indore and Bhopal cities, night curfew from 10pm to 6am is already in force from Wednesday. The vaccination target will be raised to 5 lakh doses per day by setting targets for each district. PTI

 MBBS book links Covid-19 spike to TJ, withdrawn

Mumbai:19.03.2021 

The publishers of the third edition of Essentials of Medical Microbiology, a reference book for 2nd year MBBS students, have withdrawn it after objections to the negative description of Tablighi Jamaat. The authors, Dr Apurba Sastry and Dr Sandhya Bhat, have apologised “if they inadvertently hurt the sentiments of a group of people”, reports Mohammed Wajihuddin.

Talking about Covid situation (as of Aug 2020), the book said: “Subsequent to the Tablighi Jamaat, a religious congregation that took place in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz Mosque in March, there was an explosive outbreak of Covid-19 with 4,000 cases.”

‘No study said TJ meet led to Covid spread’

Once it was brought to our notice, we apologised and the publishers have withdrawn the book. Changes will be made in the new edition,” said Dr Sastry. “The matter is closed.”

The “misrepresentation of facts”, said a spokesperson for the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), the student wing of Jamaat-i-Islami (Hind), was flagged when some SIO members saw it.

“There is no epidemiological study that corroborates the claim that Covid-19 spread because of the TJ congregation. It was a vilification by media and the authors of this book too bought it without crosschecking facts. We are glad they have accepted their mistake and withdrawn the book,” said an SIO (Maharashtra) spokesperson.

Nursing colleges under govt scanner

Nursing colleges under govt scanner

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:19.03.2021 

The state government on Thursday said it would conduct an inquiry and take stringent action against nursing colleges operating without basic training facilities and faculty.

Medical education minister K Sudhakar told the legislative council that the government would cancel errant colleges’ licences after the probe. “I will table the inquiry report within 90 days in this house,” he added.

On Thursday, BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar claimed most of the 650 nursing colleges in Karnataka lacked basic amenities and teaching staff. “There are 30 to 40 colleges in Bidar district where people from Kerala write their exams and get a degree. There is no teaching faculty at many colleges,” he said.

JD(S) legislators alleged that running nursing colleges was a huge business that was churning out untrained professionals and putting people at risk. Marithibbe Gowda said that in Manyda, two licences were issued to a single facility.

The proceedings were adjourned after JD(S) members, not satisfied with the government’s response, staged a protest and demanded a probe by a house committee.

Maharani varsity sealed after +ve case

Maharani varsity sealed after +ve case

Nithya.Mandyam@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:19.03.2021 

Maharani Cluster University was closed for all academic activity on Thursday after a student tested positive for Covid-19.

A senior BBMP health official said the 21-year-old student, who resided in a hostel in Malleswaram, was found to be infected. “The girl underwent tests two days ago and the results were confirmed today. She has returned to her hometown, which is a worry,” the official said.

The official said 15 of her hostel mates have also tested positive. The hostel has been sealed off. A statement issued by the registrar of the varsity said: “The college has informed both UG and PG course [students] that classes will be held online with no change in schedule for theory examination for I and III semester UG students. The fifth semester UG examination of BCR will be conducted as per BCU timetable with strict adherence to Covid-19 (SOP).”

Meanwhile, of the five cluster outbreaks in Bengaluru, three are in Yelahanka zone, while east and Bommanahalli zone have one each.

A resident of Govardhan Residency in Yelahanka, who returned from Kerala on March 1, developed symptoms a week after his return. He tested positive on March 8 and officials had asked all members of the apartment to stay in quarantine. The three-floor complex has 19 residents.

“In spite of instructions, a resident visited a temple on March 9 and developed symptoms on March 14,” said senior health officer, BBMP, Yelahanka. “He tested positive on March 16. People violating protocols have put others at risk.”

Similarly, a family that had attended a wedding in RT Nagar on March 2, found out that one of the guests there was infected. The family underwent tests and, on March 12, found they were infected. The rest of the residents in the duplex building are in home quarantine.

N Manjuantha Prasad, BBMP commissioner, said irresponsible behaviour on the part of people and those with travel history are adding to the rise in cases. “Nearly 12% of fresh cases in the city are those with travel history or those who attended functions or visited malls,” Prasad said.

VIRUS INCUBATION? Grade 7 students of a government primary school in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, participate in classes on Thursday. There was no social distancing and most of the students and the teacher either did not have a mask on or wore one improperly. Sources said many of the students come from poor families and cannot afford masks

Train runs backwards for 20km after brakes fail

Train runs backwards for 20km after brakes fail

Prashant Jha & Kanwardeep Singh | TNN

Nainital/Pilibhit:  19.03.2021 

With 43 passengers on board, the Delhi-Tanakpur Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi Special hurtled in reverse for about 20km and crossed two stations until a mound of sand and boulders hurriedly piled on the tracks finally stopped it. The loco pilot, assistant pilot and guard were suspended on Thursday.

The train was close to its destination, Tanakpur, on Wednesday around 4pm when an animal strayed onto the tracks. “The engine brakes failed after the train hit cattle,” Izzatnagar railway division PRO Rajendra Singh told TOI. The loco pilot appears to have hit the brakes hard, because of which the air pressure vacuum pipe burst. “The driver may have lost control of the engine and the train started moving backwards,” a railways official said.

Train did not stop even after passengers pulled the chain

In the train compartments, there was panic. “Initially, we thought the train was going back to change tracks. But it gathered speed, and we realised something was wrong,” said Dev Singh, a TTE on board the train at the time. In video clips that went viral, the train can be seen running in the opposite direction as curious onlookers scream that there are passengers inside. “We were surrounded by passengers who wanted answers, but even we didn’t know what was happening … Those were the most frantic moments of my life,” said Lakshman Singh, the other TTE on board.

Tanakpur, at an elevation of 259m, is higher than the other stations. “The loco pilot could not stop the train as it started rolling backwards. He informed the control room immediately and all nearby stations were alerted. Our team went to several crossings, and placed sand and boulders on the tracks,” the railways official said. All crossings along the route, meanwhile, were shut. “The field staff was advised to alert locals to stay away from the tracks,” Rajendra Singh said.

Some passengers tried pulling the chain, but the train did not stop. “Then, we got calls from our seniors telling us the brakes had failed,” said Lakshman Singh.

Periods at 7? Docs pin spike to lockdown

Periods at 7? Docs pin spike to lockdown

Shobita.Dhar@timesgroup.com

19.03.2021 

Last year’s lockdown proved to be a life-changing experience for sevenyear-old Shanvi* and her parents who live in Delhi. The little girl started undergoing bodily changes associated with puberty, like breast enlargement and sprouting of body hair. Alarmed, Shanvi’s mother consulted a specialist who got a battery of tests and an MRI done. The diagnosis was precocious puberty. In India, a healthy puberty starts between 11 and 12 for girls. But if it hits before the age of 8 in girls and 9 in boys, it’s called precocious puberty (PP).

Paediatricians are reporting an increase in the number of cases of PP in the past year or so. Some of them feel this could be an effect of the lockdown that saw kids holed up in their homes for months, lonely, gaining weight and eating unhealthy food. Dr Vaishakhi Rustagi, paediatric endocrinologist in Delhi who consults at Max hospital, Patparganj, said that between June 2020 and February 2021 she saw 67 cases of PP. “Before Covid, I would see about 25 cases in a year. I think it’s the stress of the pandemic that is causing this rise. Stress causes hormonal imbalance,” she said.

“My daughter is so small, she was confused and disturbed by these changes. She kept asking me why she had body hair when none of her friends did,” said Barkha Verma*, Shanvi’s mother. Barkha took her to a doctor at the right time, before Shanvi started menstruating. Now she’s on medicines that have suppressed her hormones till the time she is older and more mature to handle puberty. But the changes that happened will remain.

Globally, PP is estimated to affect1 in 500 girls and1 in 2,000 boys. In girls, PP is typically idiopathic (with no apparent cause), while in boys PP is often due to the presence of adrenal or pituitary tumours. Prevalence of PP is10 times higher in girls than in boys. All the cases that Rustagi saw since last year were idiopathic.

At Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, Dr Pavithra Nagaraj said she got 12 cases of PP between April last year and now, higher than the five odd cases she got from 2018-2020. “Weight gain is definitely a contributing factor as is hypothyroidism,” she said.

Globally, too, doctors are reporting this trend.

(Names changed on request)

PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

3-year-old drowns in sump in Kanchi

3-year-old drowns in sump in Kanchi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

A three-yearold girl, who went missing, was later found dead in a sump at a relative’s residence near Kancheepuram on Wednesday night. Police said the child likely drowned.

The deceased was identified as Krithikashree, daughter of Varadharajan of Padappai and his wife Nithya.

The couple went to attend a relative’s funeral at Karanai along with their children. While Nithya was feeding her seven-month-old, Varadharajan was busy with the rituals. After nearly 30 minutes, they realised that Krithikashree was missing and launched a search for the child.

A relative, who went to draw water from the sump, found the body and alerted others. The body was sent for postmortem. A case has been registered and further investigations are on.

HC refuses to exempt lawyers from paying electricity charges

HC refuses to exempt lawyers from paying electricity charges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

Calling it a publicity stunt, the Madras high court has dismissed a public interest writ petition filed by a Bar association leader to direct Tangedco not to demand power consumption charges for lawyers’ chambers from March 2020 to February 2021.

“Lawyers are more privileged when compared to many other sections of society affected due to Covid-19,” the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said on Thursday. The bench further added that the petitioner’s attempted publicity could not be permitted by the court.

According to Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry co-chairman G Mohanakrishnan, there was absolutely no power consumed either by the lawyers or the registrar office during the lockdown period between March 22, 2020 and February 28.

However, lawyers have tremendously assisted the court for effective dispensation of justice either from their homes or offices. Therefore, the demand of consumption charges for the non-usage period for the lawyer’s chambers is unjust and unreasonable, he said.

More than 3,000 lawyers use the 550 chambers located on high court premises. But none used the chambers during lockdown as they were denied entry, he added. Claiming that the Tangedco authorities have started disconnecting electricity supply due to nonpayment of charges for the lockdown period, the petitioner sought the court’s intervention .

Deemed Univs Can Now Admit Students As Per New Rule: AICTE

No-maths rule only after a few years

Deemed Univs Can Now Admit Students As Per New Rule: AICTE

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

Engineering admissions counselling based on physics, chemistry and maths marks will continue for a couple of years more, said All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe on Thursday.

In its approval process handbook for 2021-22, AICTE has made maths and physics at Class XII-level optional to join engineering and technology courses. Students who have studied any three subjects of 14, including physics, maths, chemistry, computer science, electronics, information technology, biology, informatics practices, biotechnology, technical vocational subject, agriculture, engineering graphics, business studies and entrepreneurship are eligible to study engineering courses under the new criteria.

The move has kicked up a huge row across the country as educational institutions feared that it may further weaken the quality of engineering graduates.

“The move aims to provide a window of opportunity to students who have not taken physics, chemistry, maths in Class XI and XII. They will do it during the first year of engineering courses. There are four maths papers, two physics and one chemistry paper in engineering curriculum,” the AICTE chief said, while addressing delegates at the national conference, on ‘Approval process handbook 2021-22 for resetting technical education and implementing National Education Policy 2020’, in Chennai.

He further clarified that entrance exams such as JEE will continue to have maths, physics, chemistry for a few more years. “Some autonomous institutions including deemed universities and private universities may admit students based on the new eligibility criteria and conduct bridge courses for them,” he said.

Calling the move a “futuristic step” and the “beginning of transformation”, Sahasrabudhe said: “When the new education policy is rolled out in the next few years, there will be no distinction like arts and science streams in higher secondary.”

The AICTE boss said that under the new 5 + 3 + 3+ 4 system, the last four years will not be based on streamwise at all. “Students will be allowed to take any combination of arts, commerce and science. Students at the age of 14 are too young to make a decision on what they need to do.”

Explaining the changes to APH 2021-22, he said the caveat of 50% admissions last year to start new courses has been introduced following judgments of the Kerala high court and the Supreme Court.

Citing the Covid-19 pandemic and financial crunch faced by private educational institutions, H Chaturvedi, alternate president of the Education Promotion Society of India, sought a financial package from the Centre similar to the one announced by the US government for institutions of higher education.

G V Selvam, vice-president of Vellore Institute of Technology, said there was a shortage of 33 lakh teachers in higher education in the country and urged the AICTE to focus on producing quality teachers.

The All India Council for Technical Education sparked a huge row after it made Class XIIlevel maths and physics optional for students wishing to take up engineering & technical courses

Baba Farid University moves National Medical Commission over colleges ‘fleecing’ MBBS students

Baba Farid University moves National Medical Commission over colleges ‘fleecing’ MBBS students

Updated At: Mar 16, 2021 11:29 AM

Tribune News Service

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 15

Some private medical colleges in the state have collected Rs 1.5 crore from 40 final year MBBS students in the name of “providing them with NOC” and allowing them to do one-year-internship from other medical colleges. However, terming it “fleecing” of students, the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has raised the matter with the National Medical Commission (NMC).

While every medical student owes his one-year internship service to his college after completing the academic part of their MBBS course, the BFUHS has come across many cases where students from private institutions are paying heavy fee to shift to other institutions for their internship.

To give “NOC” to these students for internship in other colleges, some parent colleges have forced students to pay up to Rs 3 lakh per student. These students were also made to pay Rs 60,000 for “NOC” to college where they want to join the internship. Other than paying Rs 3.6 lakh to the parent and receiving colleges, every student has to pay Rs 20,000 to the BFUHS for its approval for shifting of a student for internship.

In a letter to Secretary General, NMC, the BFUHS said many students from private institutions, who got admission on a low percentile, want to shift in top institutions of the state to do their internship. For this shifting of students, some private colleges are forcing them to pay high fee in lieu of NOC, alleges the medical university.

Every internee is paid a monthly stipend by his parent institution, but most of these students don’t get stipend if they opt out of their parent colleges.

“There’s a fixed quota for transfers to and from the colleges for the purpose of internship, so we are not allowing this shifting or migration of students for internship as it is against rules,” said Dr Raj Bahadur, VC, BFUHS.

Surgeon transferred due to charges of sexual harassment

Surgeon transferred due to charges of sexual harassment

15 PG Medicos File Complaints

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:19.03.2021 

An assistant professor of general surgery facing complaints of sexual harassment by at least 15 post-graduate medical students has been transferred out of Stanley Medical College and Hospital. The directorate of medical education, which has issued the transfer order and issued showcause notice against the professor, however, is yet to file a police complaint.

It was in February that Stanley Medical College dean Dr P Balaji received a letter from the chief minister’s cell asking him to inquire into complaints of harassment filed by at least 15 post-graduate medical students against Dr G Chandrasekar working in the department of surgery.

When contacted, Dr G Chandrasekar told TOI that he received an order stating he was transferred to Royapettah Government Hospital on “administrative grounds.” He was then asked to join duty at the Anna Nagar Peripheral Hospital. “I joined duty. I have not received any show-cause notice. When they conducted an inquiry, I denied all charges. I came to know about the allegation against me from the news in the media,” he said.

A 10-member inquiry committee comprising department heads and senior professors conducted a detailed inquiry, speaking to students and the professor. “The committee was convinced that students did face harassment. The women in the group complained to the members about inappropriate behaviour in ward and inside the operation theatre. They also showed some text messages they received from the professor,” said Stanley resident medical officer Dr Ramesh M. The committee’s report was sent to the directorate of medical education by Dr Balaji.

Based on the recommendations of the committee, director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu transferred the assistant professor to Royapettah Government Hospital on March11. “He has been asked to show-cause why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for the complaints. It is the normal procedure followed in government service. If the reply is not satisfactory, we will initiate further action which may include suspension,” he said.

Now, some post-graduate students have urged the health department to file a police complaint under the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. However, Dr Narayanababu said any action will be initiated only after giving him time to explain his stand.

Few flights to Malaysia, Singapore; tickets cost double pre-Covid rates

Few flights to Malaysia, Singapore; tickets cost double pre-Covid rates

Air India’s Vande Bharat Flights With Fixed Fares Are Only Option

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

Travel between Chennai and southeast Asian countries continues to be a hassle as only Air India’s Vande Bharat flights are allowed with fixed fare, which is double the pre-Covid-19 rate.

Air India will fly six flights from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai and 13 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Trichy on different days till April-end. However, the tickets are priced at ₹16,000 and ₹17,000, and people are not allowed to book online and agents are not allowed to book tickets unlike to the Middle East. Travel and tour operators have been urging the Union government to allow airlines to resume flights to southeast Asian countries — Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand — and also to Hong Kong and Philippines.

“Air India is scheduling flights from Chennai and Trichy but these flights may not be enough. It will be hassle-free if passengers are allowed to book online and agents are allowed to book on different airlines. People hesitate to travel because of the curbs. People are worried if they will be able to return on time after reaching Chennai,” said Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).

People are stuck in Malaysia and Singapore because they do not have the confidence to travel for fear of losing their jobs there if they do not return on time. There is no guarantee when the next set of flights will be and whether seats will be available. People awaiting to travel are posting messages in social media forums looking for flights to return. Those who want to return have to take a circuitous route. Those who work in Malaysia and have come to Chennai on emergencies are forced to travel via Dubai. “They have to take a UAE visa, stay in Dubai for a day or two and board another flight to Kuala Lumpur. This costs them a lot of money. This is the way people travel to Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines as there are no direct flights from Chennai and other cities. Transit is not allowed at Dubai airport,” said an airport official.

“The gateway airports in Southeast Asia – Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok --need to be opened for travellers with precautions. Singapore is still hesitating because of high number of Covid-19 cases but Malaysia has been hinting that it will open for leisure travellers,” said Ahmed.

HIKE IN PRICES: The airline fares are double the pre-Covid-19 rates

Words said in anger can’t be abetment to suicide: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal/Jabalpur:18.03.2021 

A singlejudge bench of Madhya Pradesh high court has ruled that words spoken in anger can’t be treated as abetment to suicide and ordered dismissal of a case against a woman. The petitioner, Kamrunisha, had challenged a case registered against her under IPC 306 (abetment to suicide) after the person with whom she had an alleged extra-marital affair killed himself.

According to police, she was forcing her paramour to marry her. On January 17, 2020, she went to stay with him in his house and allegedly threatened to lodge an FIR against him and his family if he refused to marry her. She left after his family members intervened, but went back to his house on January 26 that year and allegedly repeated the threat. The man killed himself on January 28, 2020, and police registered an FIR against her. Kamrunisha moved high court. The man committed suicide because of his circumstances and not because of her, the judge said, while ordering dismissal of the case against her pending in district court.

Baby born on IndiGo flight with help of doc on board

Baby born on IndiGo flight with help of doc on board

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:18.03.2021 

A baby girl was delivered onboard IndiGo’s Bengaluru-Jaipur flight (6E 469) on Wednesday. A doctor passenger on board this flight, assisted by the cabin crew, helped the woman who went in labour during the journey deliver the baby.

“Jaipur airport was immediately informed to arrange for a doctor and an ambulance on arrival. Both the baby and mother are stable,” said the airline in a statement.

“Dr Subahana Nazir, who helped deliver the baby, was welcomed into the arrival hall and a thank you card was handed over by our Jaipur staff. Great teamwork by all our staff concerned,” the airline added.

Last October, a baby was delivered on IndiGo’s Delhi-Bengaluru flight with the help of a doctor who happened to be on board, ably assisted by the cabin crew.

Some airlines abroad have in the past given a lifetime of free travel for babies born on their flight. It remains to be seen if Indian carriers do the same.

BABY AND MOM STABLE

Indore flights to Pune & Chandigarh from Mar 28

Indore flights to Pune & Chandigarh from Mar 28

Indore: 17.03.2021 

Indoreans travelling to Pune and Chandigarh are all set to have regular flight connectivity options from March 28. IndiGo airline has announced plans to start daily flight on Indore-Pune and Indore-Chandigarh routes.

The flight between Indore and Pune will start from Pune and reach Indore at 11.55am. In return, the flight will depart from Indore at 12.25pm, and reach Pune at 01.35pm. Similarly, the flight from Chandigarh will reach Indore at 08.35am. In return, the flight will depart from Indore at 12.05pm and reach there at 01.55pm.

“These two flights would be an addition to the regular flight operations to and from Indore. Both Pune and Chandigarh sectors are in demand since a large number of people travel on these two routes for business, studies and other purposes,” Hemendra Singh Jadon, chairman of Travel Agents Association of India (MP&CG Chapter) told TOI. TNN

Bank strike goes digital amid Covid curbs

Bank strike goes digital amid Covid curbs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:17.03.2021 

As the bank strike entered the second day on March 16, the agitating employees and officials were active on social media following new Covid curbs announced by the state government.

There were standalone agitations by the bank personnel as they stood in one corner of a public place with placards.

Banking business worth over Rs3 crore was affected in Bhopal alone following the two-day strike called byemployees and officials of 12 public sector banks in protest against the privatisation of public sector banks (PSBs) and retrograde banking reforms. All the 500 bank branches were shut down completely after 5000 bank employees participated in the strike on the second day. In all, the banks had been closed for four days — Saturday and Sunday included.

Senior bank employees and officials’ leaders like VK Sharma, Sanjeev Sablok, Madan Jain, Arun Bhagoliwal, Deepak Sharma, Nazeer Qureshi and Naleen Sharma among others were active during the day coordinating with the agitating personnel to ensure that the Covid SOPs are followed during the strike, said a member of the coordinating committee of United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions which called for the two-day nationwide strike on March 15 and 16.

The UFBU claimed that over Rs8 lakh crore money of banks was stuck as non-performing assets (NPAs) when a large number of business houses failed to return loans. “Those who failed to pay the loans may become the bank owners also after privatisation,” a bank personnel feared.

Services such as deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearance and loan approvals were affected completely due to the strike. There were complaints of cash exhaustion in many ATMs of the state capital.

FIGHT FOR RIGHT

Govt orders to pay remaining arrears of 7th pay scale to staff

Govt orders to pay remaining arrears of 7th pay scale to staff

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:17.03.2021 

The state government on Tuesday issued orders for the payment of remaining 75% arrears of the seventh pay scale to the government employees.

The government orders stated that due to Covid-19 crises, the payment of the final installment due on May 1, 2020 was postponed.

Later, to improve the financial status, 25% of the arrears of seventh pay scale were given to the government employees, while the decision on remaining payout was put on hold.

Now, the government has decided to pay the remaining 75% arrears of third and final installment of seventh pay scale to the employees after the due deductions as per rule.

The subscribers of the national pension scheme would also get their dues after the due contribution of the government, the order stated. Finance minister Jagdish Devda made an announcement in this regard in his budget speech earlier this month.

Sudhir Nayak, president of the Mantralayin Karmachari Sangh said, due to escalating prices of essentials government employees are finding it tough to meet the monthly expenses. Government should consider giving salary increment or dearness allowance. Like farmers and traders, the government should also take care of its employees, he added.

On March 3, the government employees protested for ignoring them in the state Budget. Employees union took out a rally outside the secretariat.

Employees union stated that in the state Budget for 2021-2022 presented on March 2 there was no provision for clearing pending dearness allowance or salary increments for the government employees. It led to government employees getting disheartened.

The government employees have not got promotions for the past five years and the future, too, looks bleak. Several other issues of the government employees were left unaddressed, the employees union stated.

Over ₹23,000 fine collected for defying mask mandate

Over ₹23,000 fine collected for defying mask mandate

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:17.03.2021 

In a drive against people not wearing masks at public places in TT Nagar, Ashoka Garden and other areas, the district administration on Tuesday collected Rs 23,640 as penalty. Every person found without a mask is being fined Rs

100. On Sunday, when the district administration’s drive for compliance of “compulsory mask at public places” began, the district administration officials had collected over Rs 36,000.

District collector Avinash Lavania, has asked all the SDMs, revenue and BMC officials to ensure compliance of compulsory mask rule, not only in conventional markets but also markets and haats taking place in open spaces.

He has also asked the officials to organise meetings with traders’ associations, residents’ welfare society of big colonies and other groups of people to seek their help in motivating people to compulsorily wear masks when they are out of their homes.

People without masks at Roshanpura square on Tuesday

IndiGo flight from B’luru to Rajkot

IndiGo flight from B’luru to Rajkot

Bengaluru:  17.03.2021 

After SpiceJet, private carrier IndiGo will ensure air connectivity from Bengaluru to Rajkot, Gujarat, on a daily basis from March 28.

According to sources, Indi-Go airlines flight 6E 6507 will fly from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at 3.55pm daily and reach at Rajkot at 6.30pm. The return flight— 6E 6508— will take off at 7pm from Rajkot and land here at 9.15pm. The Bengaluru-Rajkot leg on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is likely have different departure timings, which will be announced later. TNN