Fire breaks out in Alappuzha Express coach

[email protected] (The Hindu)
June 28, 2012
TRAINFIRE
Erode, June 28: A major fire broke out in the luggage-cum-second class coach of the Chennai-Alappuzha Express at Perundurai in Erode district on Thursday early morning, destroying a part of the coach. No passengers were injured in the accident.

The Station Master at the Thottipalayam railway station noticed smoke billowing from the luggage area at the rear of the train when it passed through the station around 4 a.m. He immediately alerted the guard D. Thomas. Engine drivers were asked to stop the train at the Perundurai railway station. Meantime, railway officials alerted fire and rescue services personnel.

By the time the train reached the station, the entire luggage area of the coach was engulfed in flames. Mr. Thomas along with Assistant Sub-Inspector of Railway Protection Force K. Kasilingam helped the passengers at the differently-abled and the ladies compartments to get out of the coach immediately.


The differently-abled section in the coach had only two passengers — Mimoon, a resident of Chennai, and her son J. Maseeb Ali. “We noticed the smoke coming from the luggage area and then flames spreading fast. By the time the train came to a halt, the entire luggage area in the rear of the coach was on fire,” Ms. Mimoon said.


Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas along with the personnel in the station isolated the coach from the train. “We also tried to put out the flames using the fire extinguishers at the guard's room. But we could not control it,” said Mr. Thomas.


Before fire fighters from Perundurai fire station arrived at the spot, flames spread to the differently abled compartment. Five fire engines from Perundurai, Erode, Bhavani and Modakurichi were pressed into service. The fire fighters managed to put out the flames after struggling for about an hour. Most of the goods kept at the luggage area at the rear of the coach were destroyed in the fire.


Salem Divisional Railway Manager Sujatha Jayaraj said that the cause of the fire was not yet known. “We have launched a detailed probe into the incident,” she said.


Several trains in the Salem-Coimbatore section were delayed for more than two hours due to the accident.

The railway officials replaced the burnt coach with another one and the train resumed after a delay of four hours.

Superintendent of Police R. Ponni and senior police officials inspected the spot.

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Agencies
January 15,2020

Chandigarh, Jan 15: A man, who has killed two women over infidelity over the last 10 years was arrested from a news channel studio in Chandigarh when he confessed to these crimes during a live programme, police said.

In the television programme on News18, the 31-year-old accused, Maninder Singh, who is a cab driver, confessed killing his live-in partner, a 27-year-old nurse Sarabjit Kaur at a Chandigarh hotel on New Year's Eve.

Singh, a former murder convict and currently out on bail, also confessed about his crime committed in Karnal in 2010.

"I killed her (Sarabjit Kaur) because she was having an affair with her sister-in-law's brother," Maninder told the news channel.

Confessing his previous crime, Maninder said he had killed Renu in Karnal. "She was also having an affair with a man from Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Singh was arrested while the programme was still on air as police rushed into the studio.

Haryana Police had arrested him for killing the woman in 2010. He was convicted by a trial court, but he later got bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

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Agencies
May 25,2020

Hyderabad, May 25: Indicating foul play in the death of nine people, including six of a family, whose bodies were fished out from a well near Warangal, a forensic expert on Sunday virtually ruled out suicide theory, saying it appeared seven of them had been dragged and thrown into the water body.

Mystery shrouded the death of nine people, including six of a family, whose bodies were found in a well, five of them on Friday and four on Thursday, on the outskirts of Warangal in Telangana.

Police stepped up the probe and forensic analysis was also underway in the case.

The forensic expert, who visited the crime scene as part of the investigation citing preliminary tests, said that the seven of nine people had scratch injuries and appeared to have been "dragged" and "thrown" into the well.

Forensic reports are expected in 10 days, the forensic expert told media on Sunday adding after examining the crime scene it appears that the deaths were not suicides.

"We have preserved all organs and the same were sent to forensic science laboratory (FSL) for examination... some two or three persons might have been involved in the crime. There are scratch injuries on the bodies," he said.

"It appears that they were thrown into the water... There were no injuries on the child's body. We are awaiting the forensic report (to ascertain) whether they were poisoned. It didn't appear as if they committed suicide," the expert, who performed the post-mortem said.

Police sources said at least two people were picked up for questioning.

Bodies of the head of the family, wife, daughter and three-year old grandson were found floating and fished out on Thursday.

On Friday morning, some bodies were seen floating following which police pumped out the water from the well and found others.

The 48-year old man had migrated from West Bengal over 20 years ago and had settled down here. His family had been staying in two rooms on the premises of the unit, police had earlier said.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Kota, Feb 26: At least 24 people died and four others sustained injuries as a private bus carrying a wedding party fell into a river on Kota–Dausa highway in Bundi district on Wednesday morning, police said.

The wedding party with 28 persons on board was headed to Sawai Madhopur from Kota early morning when the driver apparently lost balance of the bus while traversing a bridge near Papdi village under Lekhari police station limits, Lakheri Sub-Inspector Rajendra Kumar said.

The bus, subsequently, plunged into Mej river from the bridge that had no wall or railing, Kumar said.

Thirteen people died on the spot while 10 others succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital, he added.

The deaths include 11 men, 10 women and three children.

The injured were rushed to Lekhari government hospital from where the critically injured are being referred to a government hospital in Kota, the SI further said.

Most of the injured people were rescued with the help of locals in the village, he added.

Mej river is a tributary of the Chambal river in Rajasthan.

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