Ship collides into century-old rail bridge near Tamil Nadu coast

January 13, 2013

ship_collides_rail_bridge

Rameswaram, Jan 13: A naval barge that went adrift close to the Pamban Rail Bridge has collided on the century old structure that's vying for UNESCO's heritage status.

Initial reports suggest the damage to the rail bridge is minor. Railway PRO Mr Venugopal, based in Madurai told NDTV "the damage seems minor and we are looking into it; hopefully it shouldn't take long to set it right."

However its not clear whether the key mechanical part of the rail bridge suffered any damage due to the collision. Southern Railways has suspended rail services to and from Rameswaram as trains bound for the temple town would have go on this rail bridge. Mr Bhoopathy, Senior PRO based in Chennai told NDTV all trains for Rameswaram would stop at Mandapam Railway station".

The ship that was towing a naval barge from Kolkatta to a port near Mumbai first went aground hitting rocks on the January 10 following bad weather. It was a disaster waiting to happen as the vessel remained stuck just 50 metres away from the rail bridge. The barge that was afloat around 100 metres away hit the Pamban Rail Bridge this morning, seen as an architectural and structural marvel.

Local port authorities had deployed four fishing trawlers to rescue the ship and the barge. Speaking to NDTV last night Mr Mari Selvam, the Port Officer told NDTV "the barge is afloat and if everything goes well we should be able to tow the tug by early morning".

The Officer could not be contacted over phone after the collision.

The rail bridge built across the sea in 1913 with limited technology available then opens up on both sides to allow ships to pass through and is a major tourist attraction. It connects Rameswaram and the mainland.

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News Network
July 19,2020

Thane, Jul 19: A 34-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for allegedly killing his wife after picking up a fight as he did not like the food she cooked, Thane police said.

Sachin Godane, a resident of Gaikwad Pada in Ambernath, locked his two children and an aunt in one room of the house on Friday afternoon and brutally beat up his wife Chandrakala (28) with a log and then strangled her, said Assistant Inspector JB Bhoyer of Shivajinagar police station.

Godane has been remanded in police custody for four days, he added. 

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News Network
January 17,2020

Jan 17: Police have busted a "high- profile" sex racket operating in a three-star hotel in suburban Andheri and arrested a 29-year-old woman and rescued three female artists, including a minor, an official said on Thursday.

The Social Service (SS) branch of the city police conducted the raid at the hotel at Andheri East on Thursday, the official said.

"During the raid, three females, including a minor, were found to have been forced into prostitution. They were rescued and a woman, identified as Priya Sharma, who was operating the racket, was arrested," he said.

"Sharma was running tours and travel agency in Kandivali East. However, she was involved in immoral activities," senior inspector of SS branch, Sandesh Revale, said.

While one of the rescued is a woman actor and singer, who has worked in 'Savdhaan India' TV crime show, he said, another one has worked in a Marathi movie and serials.

The minor has worked in a web series, Revale added.

The offence was being registered against Sharma, he said.

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News Network
January 15,2020

New Delhi, Jan 15: The CBI has booked 17 individuals and companies, including three Mumbai-based senior Customs officials, for allegedly being part of a money laundering racket using over-invoiced import of diamonds worth more than Rs 156 crore, official said on Tuesday.

The case was referred to the CBI after a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence probe found alleged involvement of Customs officials in the conspiracy, they said.

The DRI probe had alleged that Hong Kong-based businessman Girish Kadel had imported rough diamonds from Switzerland to Hong Kong in the name of his four companies.

Kadel, who had business interests in India, had exported some of these diamonds to India through 14 consignments in the name of two companies Antique Exim Pvt Ltd and Tanman Jewels showing over-invoiced value of Rs 156.28 crore.

The DRI had found during revaluation that actual value of the consignment was Rs 1.03 crore instead of falsely declared value of Rs 156.28 crore, they said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that Kadel used Import Export Codes (IECs) of Antique Exim Private Ltd and Tanman Jewels through his aide Atul Paldecha for siphoning off the money outside India through import of over-valued diamonds, the officials said.

Rough diamonds were imported at "highly exaggerated value" to siphon off excess foreign exchange overseas to cover the differential cost of other imports and park money abroad for unlawful activities.

It is alleged that the then Commissioner APSC Mumbai, Vinay Brij Singh, influenced subordinate officers to give favourable report, they said.

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