Regional

Hyderabad, March 10 (IANS) Day after recovering one body from the debris, rescue teams continued intense efforts to search for the remaining seven people in the SLBC tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on Monday.

Rescue teams from various agencies were undertaking digging work at another point identified by the cadaver sniffer dog squad from Kerala.

Rat miners from Uttarakhand, miners from Singareni Collieries and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were carefully digging around the point with mini-excavators.

The search operation continued for the 17th day in the last 70 metres of the 14-km-long tunnel, where the eight workers were trapped after a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed on a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) on February 22.

Rescue workers on Sunday evening exhumed one body from the point identified by the cadaver dog squad.

The body was identified as that of TBM operator Gurpreet Singh. The 40-year-old hailed from Punjab and was working for Robbins Company, which supplies and operates tunnel boring machines.

The body was shifted to government hospital at Nagarkurnool and after completing medical and legal formalities was taken to his hometown in Punjab.

The seven people yet to be traced are Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand.

The rescue agencies hoped that more bodies would be recovered soon based on the sniffer dog leads and the ground probing radar (GPR) scanning information provided by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).

The rescue workers continued to face challenges due to the debris of the TBM and the large amount of muck.

The TBM, which had a total length of 132.5 metres, was buried under silt and rocks in the February 22 incident.

The workers who were present in the front portion of the TBM were trapped while 42 others who were at the back end managed to come out of the tunnel.

The technicians from the South Central Railway (SCR) have so far cut the TBM into pieces for a length of about 60 metres.

The head portion of the TBM remained buried in the debris and the last 70 metres of the tunnel is still filled with 3 to 9 metres deep slush and other debris, posing a risk to the rescue workers.

While continuing dewatering and desilting, the rescue agencies were mobilising special equipment for the workers to carry out their work without the risk of being trapped in the slush.

Two cadaver dogs trained to locate missing humans and human bodies were brought from Kerala by a special helicopter three days ago.

According to officials, these dogs of the Belgian Malinois breed can detect smell even from a depth of 15 feet.

Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Singareni, SCR and other agencies are participating in the search operation.

The authorities on Saturday deployed robots for rescue operations in the tunnel as suggested by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy during his visit to the tunnel on March 2.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced the deployment of robotic technology to accelerate rescue operations.

Robots equipped with cameras, infrared sensors, and robotic arms have been deployed to assess conditions and aid extraction.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed condolences over the death of Gurpreet Singh and announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to his next of kin.

--IANS

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Patna, March 10 (IANS) The Bihar government is set to take strict action against illegal encroachments on Bettiah Raj properties, with senior officials already mobilizing efforts to reclaim government land.

On Monday morning, the Additional Chief Secretary and Chairman of the Revenue and Land Reforms Board, K.K. Pathak, visited Bettiah City to assess the situation.

His visit has created a sense of urgency among officials in the Revenue and Land Reforms Department, that the government is serious about removing illegal occupants from these properties.

A total of 1,326 acres of additional Bettiah Raj land has recently been discovered, which was not included in the 2017-18 land survey. The administration is now expediting the process of registering this land in government records to ensure its protection.

With K.K. Pathak personally reviewing the status of these properties, a major crackdown on encroachments is expected soon. The government’s focus on land reforms could lead to wider action across the state to recover illegally occupied public land.

Following strict instructions from District Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Rai, officials have been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the land records of Bettiah Raj.

K.K. Pathak is expected to review illegal occupations on government lands during his visit. Many long-standing cases of encroachments have surfaced, and strict action is anticipated against those involved.

His visit will also include a review of the digitization of Bettiah Raj properties for better record-keeping and transparency. The government is considering a heritage development plan to restore and develop the palaces and historical sites of Bettiah Raj.

Pathak’s reputation for swift action has put district officials on edge. Even before his arrival, they have started reviewing land records and preparing reports on pending cases. This visit is expected to be a critical test for the revenue and administrative officials in Bettiah.

With the Bihar Assembly passing the bill about the Bettiah Raj during the winter session last year, the property comes under the state government's ownership, which marks a significant development in the state's governance and land management.

The last ruler of Bettiah Raj, Harendra Kishore Singh, passed away in 1893 without leaving an heir, leading to the management of the estate by the "Court of Wards" starting in 1897.

The property, totaling 15,221 acres in Bihar and 143 acres in Uttar Pradesh, has seen significant encroachments. Over 66 per cent of the estate’s land in West Champaran and 60 per cent in East Champaran are reportedly occupied illegally.

Many current residents of the estate are likely to approach the judiciary, contesting their eviction or seeking ownership rights based on long-term occupation or other claims.

--IANS

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Amaravati, March 10 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded its national executive committee member Somu Veerraju as the candidate for the biennial elections to Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.

The Central Election Committee of the BJP on Monday approved the candidature of Somu Veerraju, who had served as the party’s state unit president from 2020 to 2023.

He had earlier served as a Member of the Legislative Council from 2015 to 2021. He was floor leader of the BJP in the Council.

Elections to five MLC seats from the MLAs’ quota are scheduled for March 20.

The vacancies arose due to the retirement of four MLCs of TDP and the disqualification of Janga Krishna Murthy by the Council chairman last year following his rebellion against the YSR Congress Party.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has left a seat each for its alliance partners, the BJP and Jana Sena.

TDP national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday approved the candidature of Kavali Grishma, Beeda Ravichandra Yadav and B.T. Naidu.

Following pressure from the BJP leadership, CM Naidu agreed to leave one seat for the party.

Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan’s brother Naga Babu has already filed the nomination for the MLC polls. CM Naidu has already announced that Naga Babu will be inducted into the Cabinet.

The TDP-led NDA, which has 164 MLAs in the 175-member Assembly, is set to sweep the polls. The TDP has 135 MLAs, Jana Sena 21 and the BJP eight.

YSR Congress Party has only 11 seats in the Assembly.

Due to several contenders in the TDP for the MLC seats, CM Chandrababu Naidu had to convince them to wait till 2027, when seven seats are going to fall vacant.

The notification for the MLC elections was issued on March 3. The last date for filing nominations is March 10. The scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on March 11. The deadline for the withdrawal of nominations is March 13.

--IANS

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Jammu, March 10 (IANS) Ruckus marred the proceedings of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday as ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress MLAs demanded a discussion on the killings of three civilians in the Kathua district.

The NC and Congress MLAs stood on their seats and demanded the suspension of the question hour so that a discussion on the killings of three civilians in the Kathua district was held in the House.

The MLAs alleged that the law and order situation being handled by the Central government in the union territory had worsened during the last few years.

BJP MLAs countered the NC-Congress allegations, holding that the three civilians were killed by terrorists sponsored by Pakistan. The BJP MLAs also said the Lt. Governor has ordered a detailed investigation into these killings and that the House should wait for the probe report on this unfortunate incident.

Congress MLAs brought an adjournment motion so that the question hour is suspended by the Speaker to allow a discussion on these killings.

Independent MLA Rajeshwar Singh came into the well of the House alleging that BJP activists had beaten him when he went to meet the relatives of the victims.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh made it clear on Sunday in his post on X that the three civilians of Kathua district had been killed by the terrorists.

The bodies of three civilians, including a teenager, who went missing while on their way to attend a wedding last Thursday, were found in Kathua district on Saturday.

The murdered civilians were identified as Varun Singh (15) of Dehota, his uncle Yogesh Singh (32) and maternal uncle Darshan Singh (40).

The bodies were sighted in Ishu Nallah in the Malhar area of Kathua district by drones during a joint search operation by the J&K Police and the Indian Army on Saturday afternoon.

The victims had gone missing while traveling to a marriage ceremony in Lohai Malhar village, Billawar Tehsil, on Thursday.

They were part of a wedding procession from Dehuta village. Locals had reported sightings of some "unknown suspects" in the area earlier this week.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera on Monday slammed the Central government for Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at Bhupesh Baghel's residence and called it a part of BJP's conspiracy to distract attention from larger issues, particularly the Parliament.

Khera remarked, "BJP, which is surrounded on all sides and finding it hard to go unscathed on multiple issues, needs a distraction. They want to divert attention, change the headlines, and this could very well be part of that conspiracy."

Khera’s comments come as ED raids continue at multiple locations linked to Bhupesh Baghel and his family.

Further questioning the rationale behind ED raids, he said, "It is happening in an unclear case, and no one knows why it is taking place. Just few days ago, a court dismissed a CBI case against Bhupesh Baghel, so there is no case against him. Still, ED is raiding his premises today. It’s possible that this raid coincides with the start of Parliament’s session."

He also hinted that the central agency might have been brought in, by the ruling dispensation, to disrupt Bhupesh Baghel’s political activities in Punjab, where he recently took over as in-charge for the state.

"It could be an attempt to disturb him as he begins his political activities in Punjab," Khera added. He emphasised that such actions by the BJP, with ED working under their influence, would not be forgotten.

The ED conducted raids on the residence of Chaitanya Baghel, son of Bhupesh Baghel, in the Padumnagar locality of Bhilai, Chhattisgarh.

The teams, arriving in four Innova cars, began their search early in the day, and according to reports, this operation is part of a wider investigation, with approximately 14 locations across the state being raided, some of which are linked to Chaitanya Baghel.

The raids were reportedly conducted in connection with alleged financial irregularities and money laundering cases, including a notorious liquor scam.

Bhupesh Baghel, who is facing accusations of irregularities in the liquor trade during his tenure, has consistently denied these allegations.

--IANS

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Chennai, March 10 (IANS) After experiencing Samba paddy crop failures for the third consecutive year, farmers in Tamil Nadu’s delta region have urged the Stalin government to introduce new high-yield paddy varieties.

They have also appealed for full insurance coverage for the current season’s crop losses, as existing varieties, including the widely used CR 1009, failed to produce the expected yield.

Farmers typically expect a yield of 2,400 kg to 6,000 kg per hectare (40 to 100 bags, each weighing 60 kg). However, this season, they managed only 900 kg to 1,500 kg per acre (15 to 25 bags), with an average of 1,200 kg.

The farmers attributed the poor yield to unpredictable and untimely rainfall. According to Swamimalai Sundara Vimalanathan, a leader of Cauvery Delta farmers, heavy rain hit the region 10 days after transplantation, causing significant damage to young nurseries. Despite farmers’ efforts to replant, another spell of rain led to further losses. Additionally, heavy downpours in the last week of December 2024 affected grain development, resulting in an overall decline in food production across Tamil Nadu.

Though the state government ensured timely water release, erratic rainfall significantly reduced yields, causing financial distress for farmers.

According to Rajashekharan, another farmer leader from the delta region, farmers spent between Rs 35,000 and Rs 45,000 per acre but lost at least Rs 20,000 per acre due to the low yield.

Mariappan, a farmer, pointed out that each paddy stem should ideally contain 220 grains, but this season, they could only find 100 to 120 grains per stem.

Most farmers in the region cultivate CR 1009, a high-yielding variety resistant to floods and droughts. Others grew varieties like ADT 51, ADT 46, ADT 39, ADT 38, IR 20, CO 43, CO 46, Bhavani, MDU, and TRY, but none met the expected yield this year.

Mariappan urged the government to introduce new paddy varieties that offer higher yields and greater resilience to natural calamities.

Farmers also complained about insurance claim rejections, despite insuring their crops on time. He noted that damage assessments are done at the revenue village level, covering around 15 hamlets. This method, he said, often neglects individual farmers who suffered severe losses.

“We demand that crop damage assessments be conducted at the individual farmer level rather than calculating an average across multiple villages,” he added.

With consecutive years of crop failures and mounting financial losses, delta farmers are seeking urgent government intervention to introduce climate-resilient paddy varieties and ensure fair compensation for their losses.”

--IANS

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Jammu, March 10 (IANS) Sunil Sharma, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in J&K raised concerns over the growing incidents of crime, particularly referring to the recovery of three dead bodies from Kathua and said that such incidents of crime won’t be tolerated at any cost.

Speaking to IANS, the J&K LoP said that the Home Ministry has taken cognizance of the matter and also sought to assure people that security forces will be unsparing in their bid to neutralize wicked designs of terrorists.

"Home Secretary and the DIB (Directorate of Intelligence Bureau) were sent to the location. There has been increase in crime activity in recent times, and security agencies have been directed to respond accordingly. We will not tolerate any crime at any cost," he said.

Notably, three people namely Yogesh Singh, Darshan Singh and Varun Singh went missing on March 5 and their bodies were discovered in Kathua’s Ishu Nallah on March 8, triggering widespread outrage in the area. All three went missing while on way to a marriage function in Lohai Malhar.

After the missing complaint was lodged, the security forces launched a massive search operation, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). It was after a marathon 6-hour operation that their bodies were recovered.

This also raised suspicion of terrorists' role behind their disappearance. Union Minister Jitendra Singh claimed they were killed by terrorists and also announced construction of a memorial to honour the victims.

Sunil Sharma further went on to assure the public that their safety stood paramount for the security forces.

"The situation has been explained to them, including how the bodies were discovered. Home Minister has assured me that prompt action will be taken. Based on the investigation’s outcome, there will be strict steps taken to foil the designs," he said.

--IANS

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Guwahati, March 10 (IANS) The Assam government distributed at least Rs 380 crore on Monday to the beneficiaries of the pension and Orunodoi scheme - a flagship scheme of the state administration to transfer cash benefits to eligible women.

The state government provides financial assistance to women under the Orunodoi scheme on the 10th of every month.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on his X handle, “Credited: Pension and Orunodoi for the month of March. Over 43 lakh people will get this message as we transfer over Rs 380 crore to the people of Assam in a short while from now.”

The CM earlier also asserted that to prevent fraudulent claims, the Orunodoi scheme is being linked with ration cards.

The state administration has distributed at least 20 lakh new ration cards to the beneficiaries across the state recently.

CM Sarma highlighted the steadfast commitment of the current state government to ensuring that the needy have regular access to rice. He noted that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was implemented in Assam in December 2015, with the aim of safeguarding the nutritional needs of approximately 2.51 crore beneficiaries.

He emphasized that 85 per cent of rural residents and 60 per cent of urban inhabitants should be entitled to ration cards.

The CM said that following the linking of ration cards with Aadhaar, an additional 60 lakh cards have been issued, thus facilitating the distribution of free rice via biometric verification.

He commended the successful implementation of the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme, which has been in place for the past three years, allowing beneficiaries to access provisions from anywhere in the country.

The Chief Minister clarified that ration cards must be collected between the 1st and 10th of each month and reassured the public that no fraudulent claims would be entertained, as the government has made substantial efforts to ensure that deserving families receive their entitlements.

CM Sarma stated that in the 2023-24 fiscal year, 42,85,745 new beneficiaries have been included, with 10,73,489 new families receiving ration cards in January alone, benefitting more than 52 lakh people.

The Chief Minister also said that families holding ration cards would be eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs five lakh at government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Assam schemes.

--IANS

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Raipur, March 10 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at 14 locations linked to the son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel and others in Chhattisgarh's Durg district under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action is part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam in the state.

ED teams searched the residence of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, as well as premises linked to his close aides and businessman Laxmi Narayan Bansal, also known as Pappu Bansal.

Investigators have reportedly found evidence suggesting that Chaitanya Baghel was among the beneficiaries of the illegally generated money.

In January, the ED had arrested former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, alleging that he played a key role in the scam and failed to act against the illicit liquor trade. Lakhma is accused of receiving Rs 2 crore in illegal payments every month. The agency also claims that proceeds from the scam were funnelled into real estate investments, causing significant losses to the state exchequer.

The ED’s latest action has triggered a political storm in Chhattisgarh. Opposition parties have renewed corruption allegations against the government. Congress workers held a protest outside Bhupesh Baghel’s house against the ED raids.

Office of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, in a post on X, dismissed the raids as politically motivated, stating: "When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in court, the ED arrived at the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, they are mistaken."

The liquor scam, according to the ED, was allegedly carried out between 2019 and 2022, when the Congress government, led by Baghel, was in power. So far, the agency has attached assets worth Rs 205 crore belonging to various accused.

The investigation is still going on, with more revelations expected in the coming days.

--IANS

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Koppal, March 10 (IANS) The Karnataka Police have arrested the third accused in connection with the horrific gang-rape of an Israeli female tourist and an Indian homestay owner, police sources confirmed on Monday.

Another tourist from Odisha, who was pushed into a canal by the accused, drowned and died after being washed away. The attackers also assaulted an American and an Indian male tourist. Although both were pushed into the canal, they managed to survive.

The third accused has been identified as 27-year-old Sharanabasava, a resident of Sainagar in Gangavathi town. The other two accused also belong to the same area.

According to police sources, Sharanabasava was tracked down and arrested in Chennai, where he had fled after the crime. He was taken into custody on Sunday night and brought back to Gangavathi town on Monday morning.

The crime took place on March 6 when four guests staying at the 'Heartland Homestay' -- 23-year-old Daniel from the US, a female tourist from Israel, Pankaj Rao Amrut Rao Patil from Nashik (Maharashtra), and Bebash from Odisha --went out late at night for stargazing near the Tungabhadra canal.

The three accused approached them and demanded money. When the victims gave them Rs 20 and asked them to leave, the attackers insisted on Rs 100, leading to an argument. The accused then assaulted the tourists, pushing Daniel, Pankaj, and Bebash into the canal before gang-raping the homestay owner and the Israeli tourist.

While Daniel and Pankaj managed to swim to safety, Bebash drowned. His body was recovered the next day near the hydel power park close to Mallapura village.

The homestay owner, a 29-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu, and the Israeli tourist later recorded their statements before the magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC on Saturday night.

The Karnataka Police arrested two of the accused, 22-year-old Mallesh (aka Handi Malla) and 21-year-old Chetan Sai Sillekyatar, on Saturday. Both are locals from Sainagar in Gangavathi taluk, Koppal district.

The third accused, Sharanabasava, had managed to escape but was later apprehended in Chennai. Special police teams had intensified the manhunt before capturing him.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused initially approached the victims under the pretext of asking for money for petrol. When denied a larger sum, they became aggressive and assaulted the group with stones.

Two of the accused gang-raped the homestay owner, while the Israeli tourist was sexually assaulted by the third accused.

The victims, who did not previously know each other, had become friends after arriving at the homestay. They are currently recovering in the hospital.

The deceased tourist, Bebash (40), was found in the Tungabhadra Left Canal near Gangavathi town last Saturday. Authorities had launched a search operation after the attack was reported.

Following the recording of their statements, the victims will be taken to Bengaluru before being sent to their respective countries.

In response to the crime, authorities have announced plans to enhance security measures at tourist destinations, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Hampi.

--IANS

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