Latest news with #Balram
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
SCCL CMD N. Balram announces special committees to address losses in Shanthikhani and Adriyala Longwall Projects
Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) Chairman and Managing Director N. Balram has underscored the need for ramping up efforts by SCCL's General Managers to secure the mandatory permissions, mainly forest clearances, for new mines without delay. Mr. Balram on Tuesday held one-on-one meetings with the General Managers of the 12 Areas of the company at the SCCL's head office in Kothagudem of Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Key aspects related to the company's expansion plans, strategies for enhancing coal production with utmost priority for safety of the workforce and future plans were discussed extensively during the review meetings conducted by the SCCL CMD. The lengthy interactive sessions lasted for over 10 hours covering a thorough review of the current status of coal mines in all the 12 Areas of the company and the future mining projects, SCCL sources said. He made it clear that without new mines, SCCL's areas like Yellandu, Manuguru and Bellampalli in the coal belt will face an uncertain future. It is imperative that the GMs play a proactive role to obtain the necessary permissions for the new mines swiftly, he told the GMs during the interactive sessions. Highlighting the need for preventing losses in underground mines, he announced the formation of a special committee to address losses in the Shanthikhani and Adriyala Longwall Projects. He emphasised the need for optimum utilization of heavy machinery to boost productivity. He also reviewed the status of coal production at Naini coal mine in Odisha. He further suggested exploring the possibility of establishing a coal washery at Sathupalli in Khammam district.
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
Detective work needed to solve violent bus attacks in Verulam
A bus driver was killed during an attack on a bus on Tuesday evening. A conductor and a pregnant woman were also injured in the attack. Image: Reaction Unit South Africa The Verulam Community Policing Forum (CPF) believes detective work can help uncover recent violent attacks on buses, which have left bus drivers dead. This comes after another shooting claimed the life of a bus driver in Verulam, two weeks after another fatal shooting. On Tuesday evening, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) responded to a shooting where a bus driver was killed and his conductor and a five-month pregnant woman were shot in Redcliffe, Verulam. Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said the unit and Verulam SAPS Crime Prevention Unit responded to the scene after 6pm. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Balram said first responders learned that two suspects boarded the bus on the corner of Orchid and Redcliffe drives. The suspects produced firearms and opened fire indiscriminately before fleeing on foot. They did not steal any valuables. 'The driver and conductor were expedited to the hospital before the arrival of reaction officers and police. The driver was pronounced deceased shortly after his arrival at the medical facility. The extent of his colleague's injuries remains unknown. 'The 26-year-old pregnant female was seated on the side of the road. She was shot through her right thigh. She was stabilised on scene before being transported to the hospital in a stable condition,' Balram said. A pregnant woman was among three people shot during an incident on a bus in Verulam on Tuesday evening. Image: Reaction Unit South Africa KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that the driver succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. 'Police in Verulam have opened a case of murder and two counts of attempted murder following an incident in which a bus driver and two passengers were allegedly shot by unknown suspects inside a bus on Orchid Drive at Redcliff in Verulam on Tuesday evening,' Netshiunda said. He said the murder motive was unknown. Verulam CPF chairperson Rachel Wilkin said this category of crime falls under police dependent because it is not a social crime. 'There are other motives which require detective work to get to the bottom of this; these now depend on police action. Only when they do their detective work and they put it before the court, will anyone know what is conclusive because even in front of a court, it has to be proved,' Wilkin said. Wilkin said safe spaces are no longer safe. Criminals invade schools, clinics, hospitals, churches, and even cemeteries. 'We have a breed of criminals now that have zero moral conscience. There's zero ethics or humanity governing them or their actions,' Wilkin said. She asked how one goes to bed at night after shooting a pregnant woman. 'We need to question what it is that we are doing as a society that is breeding this kind of inhumanity, this lack of compassion, this entitlement,' Wilkin said. Two weeks ago, a bus driver died in hospital after being shot in the arm and abdomen during a violent attack on a bus in Verulam. Image: Reaction Unit South Africa On May 12, Balram reported that a bus driver shot during a robbery on Buffelsdraai Road in Buffelsdraai died in the hospital. It is alleged that four suspects posed as passengers before producing firearms and shooting the driver while the bus was in motion. The bus left the roadway before stopping. Balram said the driver was shot in the arm and abdomen. The suspects stole cash and robbed passengers before fleeing on foot.
The Citizen
7 days ago
- The Citizen
KZN bus shooting: Driver dead, pregnant passenger wounded
A bus driver was killed, and his conductor and a five-month pregnant woman were injured in a shooting in Redcliffe, near Verulam in KZN, last night. The Witness reports that Prem Balram, the spokesperson for Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said members of Rusa and the Verulam SAPS Crime Prevention Unit arrived on the scene shortly after 18:00. 'First responders were informed that two suspects boarded the bus on the corner of Orchid and Redcliffe Drive. The gunmen thereafter produced firearms and randomly opened fire before they fled on foot. They did not steal anything of value.' Balram said the driver and conductor were taken to hospital before the arrival of reaction officers and police. 'The driver was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at the medical facility. The extent of his colleague's injuries are unknown. The 26-year-old pregnant female was seated on the side of the road. 'She was shot through her right thigh. She was stabilised on scene before being transported to hospital in a stable condition,' he said. Balram added that the motive for the shooting is unknown. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
12-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Robbery suspect killed while trying to flee from crime scene
A male suspect was killed while allegedly trying to flee from a robbery in Verulam north of Durban on Monday afternoon. Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said members of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on the northbound lane of the R102 in Verulam 'On arrival at about 4.07pm, a man who suffered polytrauma injuries was located on the side of the road. He showed no signs of life and was pronounced deceased by paramedics,' said Balram. He said it was later established that the man and an accomplice had robbed two males of their cellphones near Southridge Circle in Southridge. The victims pursued the robbers onto the R102. He said one of the suspects was struck by a white Ford Bantam bakkie on the northbound lane while attempting to make his getaway. A kitchen knife and the victim's cellphones were located next to his body.
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- The Citizen
Bus driver murdered during violent robbery in Buffelsdraai, KZN
The criminals did not stop at shooting the bus driver, proceeding to rob approximately twenty passengers. A bus driver lost his life on Monday after being shot during a robbery on Buffelsdraai Road in KwaZulu-Natal. The incident unfolded when four armed suspects, who initially appeared to be ordinary passengers, launched an assault while the bus was in motion. Violent robbery on bus According to Prem Balram, spokesperson for the Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), 'The suspects produced firearms and shot the driver in the arm and abdomen.' The attack caused the bus to veer off the road, ultimately coming to a stop in overgrown vegetation. The criminals proceeded to rob approximately 20 passengers before fleeing on foot. ALSO READ: Armed robbery suspect killed in shootout with police in Eastern Cape Attempts to save bus driver Balram said that a passerby intervened immediately after the incident, rushing the critically injured driver to a nearby medical facility. Tragically, the driver succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. Balram added, 'Members of Rusa conducted an extensive search for the murderers, but they remain at large.' Rusa urges anyone with information about the robbery and murder to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. NOW READ: Culpable homicide investigation launched into N2 crash that claimed eight lives
