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Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Mother killed by falling branch while saving daughter from being crushed
A mother was killed by a falling tree branch in Lancashire as she pushed her daughter to safety. Madia Kauser, 32, died while saving the five-year-old's life during their evening walk on Monday. The pharmacy worker's bravery ensured that her child escaped unscathed in the incident, which happened in Witton Country Park in Blackburn. Wasim Khan, her 33-year-old husband, was walking with their nine-year-old son just yards ahead when the tree branch fell. 'One in a million tragedy' Zamir Khan MBE, a local councillor, former mayor and great aunt of Ms Kauser, paid tribute to her after the 'one in a million tragedy'. 'She was a very bubbly character and kind-hearted,' he told The Telegraph. 'She would go out of her way to help others and was a charming character. The reaction is one of devastation in the community and family alike. She will be a big loss. 'She went to the park in good weather with her two children and husband. They were leaving, and her husband was a few yards in front of her with their son. 'The tree was falling down, and she shoved the child away and died herself. 'They could not believe what had happened. What happened was an act of nature, but it is unbelievable.' He said people were travelling from all over the country to attend Ms Kauser's funeral at Blackburn's Madina mosque on Thursday afternoon. A spokesperson from Blackburn with Darwen Council, which owns the 480-acre park, said the council was 'deeply saddened'. Denise Park, the chief executive, said: 'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the family and friends of the person who has lost their life at this very difficult time. 'Emergency services, including paramedics and the air ambulance, attended the scene. Council staff also supported by cordoning off the area to ensure public safety. As part of precautionary safety measures, the tree involved was being felled this morning. 'Witton Park is a much-loved community space, and the safety of everyone who visits is of the utmost importance to us.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Husband of woman, 32, who died sacrificing herself to push daughter, five, out way of falling branch reveals desperate attempts to save her
The heartbroken husband of a woman who died sacrificing herself by pushing her young daughter out the way of a falling tree branch has revealed how he desperately tried to save his wife. Madia Kauser, 32, was tragically crushed to death while out on a family walk with her husband Wasim Khan, 33, and their two children near Witton Country Park in Blackburn, Lancashire, on Monday night. It's understood her five-year-old daughter was in a pushchair which Mrs Kauser managed to push away before taking the full force of the falling branch herself - so that her daughter survived unscathed. Mr Khan, 33, was playing football just yards ahead with the couple's nine-year-old son when the branch fell. Speaking of the moment he battled to save his wife as she lay injured, he said: 'I rushed to her. I tried to save her, she was still breathing.' He also revealed his wife's haunting last post on Snapchat - a picture of a tree which she had taken while they were leaving the park. Describing how the tragedy unfolded, Mr Khan told The Sun: 'I was playing football with my son and kicked the ball in the wrong direction and we were going after it. 'I heard a crack and the tree just came down. There was no wind, nothing. 'She was hit by a branch but it had the full weight of the tree behind it and that is why the council had to cut it all down.' Mr Khan described his wife as the 'most beautiful and loyal person'. Relatives told the Mail how Ms Kauser was a devoted mother who adored her children. One told the Daily Mail: 'Madia would have done anything for her children.' On Wednesday, Blackburn council had completely cut down what remained of the tree from which the branch fell as well as lopping off branches from several other nearby trees. The area was littered with sawdust. The accident happened just yards from the park's Big Cover wood where trees form the majority of the habitat. On Wednesday relatives from all over the country were gathering at Blackburn's Madina mosque where the family were hoping a funeral could take place sometime in the evening. Former mayor and still sitting councillor Zamir Khan MBE, an uncle in the tight-knit family, said Madia's body was still with the coroner. He said: 'Her little girl told me her mother pushed her out of the way as the branch fell. 'Madia was a loving, doting mother and a very caring person. 'The older boy was walking with his father in front and could not believe what happened. 'It is very hard for the children. I do not think they will ever walk in that park again. 'It is tarnished for them. Their father is not in a good way either. He and other members of the family have taken it very hard. 'People have come from all over the country - from Sheffield, Bradford, Birmingham, London and other places - to be at her funeral which we hoped to have this afternoon in accordance with Muslim tradition. 'But until her body is released by the coroner, we cannot move forward. We are hoping it will be released today. 'What happened was an act of nature but it is unbelievable.' In a statement, the council said it was 'deeply saddened' after the accident on Monday. The authority's chief executive Denise Park said: 'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolence are with the family and friends of the person who has lost their life at this very difficult time. 'Emergency services including paramedics and the air ambulance attended the scene. Council staff also supported by cordoning off the area to ensure public safety. 'As part of precautionary safety measures, the tree involved was being felled this morning. 'Witton Park is a much-loved community space, and the safety of everyone who visits is of the utmost importance to us. 'Our thoughts remain first and foremost with the family at this very sad time.' A Lancashire Police spokesman said the woman's death was not being treated as suspicious and a file would be prepared for the coroner. A cyclist who rides through the park every day said: 'I have seen loads of fallen branches before but it is mainly because of high winds. 'There wasn't even a breeze when this poor woman was killed. It is utterly heartbreaking. 'I shudder to think what her poor children and husband are going through.' Many people walking there today were unaware of the tragedy and thought the council were carrying out unnecessary tree work. One said: 'I was initially cross that they had cut the tree down until someone told me what had happened. It doesn't bear thinking about.' Local councillor Paul Marrow said: 'There have been concerns about ash dieback disease and the number of dead trees in Witton Park and across the borough.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Hero mum saved her daughter, five, by pushing her away - just seconds before 32-year-old was killed by a falling tree branch
A mother killed by a falling tree branch saved her daughter's life by pushing the youngster out of the way in the split second before she was hit. Madia Kauser, 32, was taking the little girl, five, and her older brother for an evening walk in the park when the tree fell directly towards them. It's understood the girl was in a pushchair which Mrs Kauser managed to push away before taking the full force of the falling branch herself - so that her daughter survived unscathed. Her husband Wasim Khan, 33, was just yards ahead with their nine-year-old son when the branch fell but was powerless to act in time during the shocking episode on Monday night. He rushed to her side but little could be done for his tragic wife who relatives say adored her children. One told the Daily Mail: 'Madia would have done anything for her children.' The family are said to be in a state of shock after the freak accident which happened near Witton Country Park in Blackburn, Lancashire, a popular local beauty spot. On Wednesday, Blackburn council had completely cut down what remained of the tree from which the branch fell as well as lopping off branches from several other nearby trees. The area was littered with sawdust. The accident happened just yards from the park's Big Cover wood where trees form the majority of the habitat. On Wednesday relatives from all over the country were gathering at Blackburn's Madina mosque where the family were hoping a funeral could take place sometime in the evening. Former mayor and still sitting councillor Zamir Khan MBE, an uncle in the tight-knit family, said Madia's body was still with the coroner. He said: 'Her little girl told me her mother pushed her out of the way as the branch fell. 'Madia was a loving, doting mother and a very caring person. 'The older boy was walking with his father in front and could not believe what happened. 'It is very hard for the children. I do not think they will ever walk in that park again. 'It is tarnished for them. Their father is not in a good way either. He and other members of the family have taken it very hard. 'People have come from all over the country - from Sheffield, Bradford, Birmingham, London and other places - to be at her funeral which we hoped to have this afternoon in accordance with Muslim tradition. 'But until her body is released by the coroner, we cannot move forward. We are hoping it will be released today. 'What happened was an act of nature but it is unbelievable.' In a statement, the council said it was 'deeply saddened' after the accident on Monday. The authority's chief executive Denise Park said: 'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolence are with the family and friends of the person who has lost their life at this very difficult time. 'Emergency services including paramedics and the air ambulance attended the scene. Council staff also supported by cordoning off the area to ensure public safety. 'As part of precautionary safety measures, the tree involved was being felled this morning. 'Witton Park is a much-loved community space, and the safety of everyone who visits is of the utmost importance to us. 'Our thoughts remain first and foremost with the family at this very sad time.' A Lancashire Police spokesman said the woman's death was not being treated as suspicious and a file would be prepared for the coroner. A cyclist who rides through the park every day said: 'I have seen loads of fallen branches before but it is mainly because of high winds. 'There wasn't even a breeze when this poor woman was killed. It is utterly heartbreaking. 'I shudder to think what her poor children and husband are going through.' Many people walking there today were unaware of the tragedy and thought the council were carrying out unnecessary tree work. One said: 'I was initially cross that they had cut the tree down until someone told me what had happened. It doesn't bear thinking about.' Local councillor Paul Marrow said: 'There have been concerns about ash dieback disease and the number of dead trees in Witton Park and across the borough. 'The council needs to make regular, thorough inspections of the trees in the park to ensure they are safe.'
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Goats perish due to abattoir's neglect, traders claim
MUMBAI: The death of a number of goats, transported in large numbers to the city ahead of Bakri Eid on Saturday, has placed the civic-run abattoir in Deonar under scrutiny. Traders who have brought goats from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, claim that as many as 300 animals have perished due to pitiable conditions at the slaughterhouse, administrative negligence and lack of proper infrastructure. As the trucks carrying the goats lined up to enter the abattoir, the animals were crammed in parked vehicles for several hours, without access to food, water or proper shelter. They died from dehydration, starvation and suffocation; others endured extreme heat before succumbing. An estimated 1.65 lakh goats have been brought to the slaughterhouse ahead of the Bakri Eid festival this year. Traders point out that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which runs the abattoir, should have been prepared for these numbers as this is an annual ritual. The BMC, for its part, denies the scale of the crisis, claiming that only 11 goats have perished. It attributes the deaths to untimely rains, not systemic issues. The losses are particularly heavy for the traders as each animal costs between ₹20,000 and ₹40,000. Wasim Khan, a goat trader from Uttar Pradesh, describes the grim situation. 'Seven of our kids died last Monday, first due to rains, then dehydration as they waited in the sun. We were transporting 200 goats from our village. When the others started bleating in fear, we took them out of the trucks to prevent more casualties. But the police objected,' he said. 'The ones that died were worth between ₹20,000 and ₹40,000 each. It's a major financial blow.' Advocate Abid Abbas Sayyed, representing the AL Abbas Charitable Foundation, has filed a complaint with municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. Sayyed alleged a disturbing pattern of corruption and neglect at the Deonar slaughterhouse, including extortion by personnel and abuse of animals. He demands to know why a single contractor has been awarded the contract for maintenance during Bakri Eid, for the last eight years. 'Traders have told us they were forced to wait two to three days for entry unless they paid bribes,' said Sayyed. 'Animals were kept without water or food, exacerbating their condition in the heat and rain. We have received accounts suggesting that 300 goats died due to such neglect.' He said neglect of this kind violates Sections 3 and 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. It is also a cognisable offence under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Sayyed has called for a legal and departmental inquiry into the matter. Irshad Qureshi, a member of the Al-Jamiatul Quresh Mumbai, backs these claims. 'Traders from Gujarat, UP and Rajasthan were being illegally charged ₹15,000 by private security guards allegedly hired by the BMC, just to use the road or set up temporary facilities for the goats to rest,' he alleged. 'They were told their goats would be seized if they refused to pay. At least five goats died in every vehicle due to delays and congestion.' According to Qureshi, the delayed entry into the slaughterhouse just ten days before Eid instead of the usual 25 created a massive pile-up of vehicles with goats in them. 'There was a 4-km-long traffic jam. Goats were stuck in the heat and fell sick. Many traders who had invested ₹40,000 to ₹1 lakh in livestock faced losses.' Dr K Pathan, general manager of the Deonar abattoir, refuted the allegations. 'There's no truth to reports of hundreds of goat deaths. On one rainy day last week, there was congestion because over 1,000 trucks had arrived instead of the expected 500. Even then, the process of unloading was managed.' Pathan insisted that only 11 goats had died, challenging the traders and others to provide evidence. 'If there were large-scale deaths, where were the bodies disposed of,' he asked. As for the extortion claims, Pathan said complaints about fake security guards had been forwarded to the police for investigation.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
Mumbai peddler, 2 others caught with Rs31 lakh worth MD in city hotel
Nagpur: A Mumbai-based drug peddler, Wasim Khan, was arrested by the crime branch from a hotel at Hanuman Lane, Sitabuldi, along with two others, on Sunday. The three were found in possession of narcotics powder, mephedrone, worth more than Rs31 lakh. The Mumbai-based peddlers received the MD consignment from one Siraj, who is learnt to be the kingpin in the racket. Wasim, earlier arrested by city police in 2023, was held along with Fakruddin Quereshi, from Govandi (E) in Mumbai, in the hotel room. They were found with their city link, Abdul Wasim Shaikh, a resident of Hansapuri. Substantial cash and four mobiles were seized. The Mumbai-linked module was busted by senior inspector Amol Deshmukh of the crime branch under DCP Rahul Maknikar and ACO Abhijit Patil. An offence was registered at Sitabuldi police station. In another raid, the anti-narcotics cell under senior inspector Gajanan Gulhane's team, comprising head constables Manoj Neware and Vijay Jadhav, also arrested three peddlers. Ankit Ambade, Kashyap Patil, and Asif Malik were arrested from Malka Colony in Kapil Nagar on Monday. Around 52 grams of MD worth around Rs2.60 lakh was seized from the trio. An offence was registered against them at Kapil Nagar police station. Ambade had several offences against him. Police said another aide of the three, Kunal Kunal Dongre, is yet to be arrested.
