11 kg ganja seized from Nagercoil bound train in Dindigul
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
43 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Dropped bag caused stampede that killed 18 at New Delhi station: Vaishnaw
Railways to implement sweeping reforms after the February 15 incident that occurred during rush for Bihar-bound trains amid Maha Kumbh Apexa Rai New Delhi The stampede at New Delhi Railway Station in February that left 18 people dead, including 11 women and four children, was triggered by a large piece of luggage falling from a passenger's head, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Friday. The minister was responding in writing to a query from Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman. Citing the findings of a high-level inquiry committee, Vaishnaw said the fallen headload caused panic and tripping on a crowded foot-over-bridge during the peak evening rush. Narrow footbridge, big crowd amplified the impact The incident occurred at 8:48 pm on February 15 on the staircase linking platforms 14 and 15. Thousands of passengers had gathered at the station to board Bihar-bound trains, as the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj fuelled an unusual surge in foot traffic. 'Pressure passed through the crowd following the fall of a headload, leading to passengers tripping on the stairs,' Vaishnaw said, adding that post-mortems confirmed the victims died of traumatic asphyxia. The inquiry found that crowd density on the 25-foot-wide footbridge had been steadily rising since 8:15 pm, worsened by the number of passengers carrying heavy loads on their heads. Despite existing crowd-control measures, the combination of congestion, narrow access points, and unregulated foot traffic proved disastrous. Surge in tickets and platform congestion Railway records from the day revealed that more than 7,600 unreserved tickets were sold, with nearly 1,500 issued per hour. Crowd build-up began as early as 6 pm. This volume of footfall ultimately overwhelmed the station's infrastructure. The tragedy is the worst at an Indian railway station since the 2017 Elphinstone Road stampede in Mumbai, which claimed 23 lives. Experts have continued to criticise railway authorities for what they call avoidable mismanagement. New safety protocols for busy stations In response to the incident, the Ministry of Railways has announced a comprehensive overhaul of crowd management at 73 stations that routinely witness large gatherings. Station directors to get more power Each major station will also have a designated station director with full financial and operational authority to make decisions during emergencies. All departments at the station will report to this individual, streamlining response during crowd surges. The minister noted that station directors will also regulate ticket sales in line with platform capacity and available services. Staff will be issued new identification cards and uniforms to ensure that only authorised personnel are present during high-traffic events. Pilot implementations of these reforms are already underway at stations such as New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Ghaziabad.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas
A special court in Bilaspur on Friday has reserved its order on the bail applications of three people including two Catholic nuns from Kerala who were arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas The accused, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Durg railway station on July 25, following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal member. The complainant alleged that the trio had trafficked and forcibly converted three young tribal women from Narayanpur district. The hearing took place on Friday in the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge (NIA Court) Sirajuddin Qureshi. Public Prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi opposed the bail applications, citing the early stage of the investigation. The court is expected to deliver its order on Saturday. Defence counsel Amrito Das argued that the accused were detained solely on the basis of unverified allegations, and no significant materials were recovered from them. 'The prosecution has not even sought their custodial interrogation. The alleged victims are all adults, already practicing Christianity, and have been sent back home,' he said. He also pointed out that the statements of the women's parents confirmed that they were not being taken away forcibly or fraudulently. The case has taken on political overtones, with a high-profile delegation from the Kerala unit of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) visiting Chhattisgarh on Friday to meet the arrested nuns. The team included MPs Hibi Eden and Kodikunnil Suresh, who alleged that referring the case to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court by the Durg sessions court was a deliberate attempt to delay bail. 'There is a conspiracy behind shifting the case to the NIA court. It's intended to prolong the legal process and keep the nuns behind bars,' said Suresh, speaking to reporters at Raipur airport. He added that protests were already underway in Kerala, condemning the arrests. MP Hibi Eden questioned the legality of the detention: 'If it's not the jurisdiction of local police or the sessions court, and the NIA is taking over, then why are the nuns still in jail after five days?' He described the arrests as 'unlawful and unjust' and blamed the ruling BJP for targeting Christians. Eden also alleged that in some northern states, Christians have to seek approval from right-wing groups to conduct religious services. 'This is unacceptable in a secular country,' he said, adding that the Congress delegation had also approached the Union Home Minister and written to the Prime Minister regarding the case. The arrest has sparked a political row, with both the Congress and the CPI(M) slamming the move. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, however, has accused the opposition of politicising the matter and interfering with a police investigation. Adding another twist to the case, one of the women allegedly being trafficked, 21-year-old Kamleshwari Pradhan, has claimed she was coerced by Bajrang Dal activists into giving a false statement. She also alleged that the police failed to properly record her version of events. According to Pradhan, her family has been practicing Christianity for the last four to five years.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
New Delhi railway station stampede was triggered by luggage dropped by passenger, minister tells Parl
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that February 15 stampede tragedy at New Delhi railway station was triggered by a large piece of luggage falling from a passenger's head read more Visuals during stampede at New Delhi Railway station A tragic stampede at New Delhi railway station in February, in which 18 lives were lost, was triggered by a large piece of luggage falling from a passenger's head, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Friday (August 1). The incident, described as the deadliest railway station tragedy since Mumbai's Elphinstone Road stampede in 2017, which killed 23 people, had prompted widespread criticism and calls for systemic changes. What happened on the night of February 15? The chaos unfolded on February 15 around 8:48 pm on a foot-over-bridge connecting platforms 14 and 15, during the evening rush hour between 9:15 and 9:30 pm. Thousands of passengers had flooded the station, many of whom were heading to Bihar-bound trains during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj. 'There was a big headload falling from one of the passengers and the pressure was passed on to the stairs of platforms 14/15, resulting in the tripping of passengers,' Vaishnaw explained in his parliamentary reply. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The narrow 25-foot-wide footbridge, already congested with passengers carrying large headloads, became a deadly bottleneck. Post-mortem reports confirmed that the victims succumbed to traumatic asphyxia. A committee investigating the incident found that while crowd management protocols were in place, the passenger density on the foot-over-bridge had surged after 8:15 pm. Railway records, cited by Hindustan Times, revealed that 7,600 unreserved tickets were sold that evening, with sales peaking at 1,500 per hour as crowds began gathering from 6:00 pm. The committee noted that the heavy headloads carried by many passengers significantly hindered movement on the narrow bridge, contributing to the catastrophe. Railway experts have sharply criticised the incident, with some labelling it a 'completely avoidable incident' and a case of 'classic mismanagement.' Indian Railways implements preventive measures In response, Indian Railways is rolling out extensive measures to prevent future tragedies at 73 stations identified as prone to heavy passenger rushes. Minister Vaishnaw outlined plans for permanent holding areas outside these stations, building on temporary arrangements tested during the 2024 festival season. Pilot projects are already underway at key stations, including New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Ghaziabad. Under the new system, passengers will only access platforms when their trains arrive, reducing congestion within stations. To further enhance safety, Indian Railways will implement full access control at these 73 stations. Passengers with confirmed reserved tickets will gain direct platform access, while those without tickets or on waiting lists will be directed to designated waiting areas outside. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unauthorised entry points will be sealed to ensure tighter control. Additionally, narrow foot-over-bridges will be replaced with wider 12-meter and 6-meter designs equipped with ramps, a model proven effective during the recent Mahakumbh festival.
