SA teacher held with Rs 7cr drugs at airport

March 26, 2013

SA_teacher

Mumbai, Mar 26: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials arrested a South African schoolteacher at Mumbai airport for attempting to smuggle out 7kg of drugs concealed in school bags on Monday morning. The consignment is worth Rs 7 crore.

Around 5.30am, Blantinah Makoti (35) entered the Mumbai airport to board an Ethiopian Airline flight for Mozambique. The AIU officials had got a tip-off about the woman. When Makoti was about to check-in, the officials intercepted her, and sent her bags for a check.

AIU officers said that a search revealed that she had stuffed methamphetamine in the tops of the 14 empty school bags in her baggage. "All school bags had hard tops. The cardboard filling from the top was removed to stuff the drug," said an AIU officer. Each bag had 500gm drug. Makoti was arrested immediately.

In her statement to the AIU, Makoti said that she is a South African schoolteacher, and has three children.

Makoti reportedly told the officers that a friend had given her the baggage in Delhi. "She had landed in Mumbai in the first week of March and travelled to Delhi. She has given the name of the person who gave her the bag and we are trying to track him," said an officer. "She said that she was supposed to hand over the bag to a person in South Africa, whose identity she doesn't know."

AIU officers said drug smugglers are now using well-settled professionals, especially women, as drug carriers. Methamphetamine is a party drug used to induce euphoria for a longer time. The drug is smuggled both in and out of India.

"Methamphetamine can be sold for a margin in South Africa and hence, the demand is high," said another AIU officer.444444444444444444

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Agencies
August 9,2020

Vijayawada, Aug 9: The number of those killed in the fire at a hotel being used as a COVID-19 facility in Vijayawada rose to 10 on Sunday, said Vikrant Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government announced Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.

According to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also ordered an in-depth probe into the accident and directed authorities to take steps to ensure better medical services to the victims of the accident.

"The hotel was taken on lease and run by Ramesh Hospitals, a private hospital where COVID-19 patients were being treated. 40 patients and 10 medical staff were at the hotel at the time of the incident. 

Officials were directed to launch immediate rescue measures," said Mekathoti Sucharitha, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of the lives in the fire mishap and spoke to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy over the phone and enquired about the accident.

The mishap took place in hotel Swarna Palace which was taken on lease and run by a private hospital for COVID patients.

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Agencies
April 11,2020

Hyderabad, Apr 11: With the Telangana government banning spitting in public places in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic, a police case has been registered here against a man for violating the rule.

During vehicle-checking on Friday, police found the man spitting on the road here and registered a case against him for disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant, police said.

Spitting in public places and institutions has been banned in the state in view of the pandemic with the government saying such acts pose a serious threat of leading to spread of infections.

"In the interest of public health and safety, the spitting of paan/any chewable tobacco or non-tobacco product, sputum in public places & institutions is hereby BANNED with immediate effect," a gvernment notification said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of hygiene and cleanliness in both personal as well as public spheres, the April 6 notification issued by the Health, Medical and Family Welfare department said.

"It is of utmost need to impose restrictions on unhealthy practices that may potentially lead to spread of such viruses and other infections," it said.

The habit of public spitting poses a serious threat of leading to spread of such infections, the notification added.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Jun 5: A young woman was forced to drink liquor allegedly by her husband after which he along with four friends assaulted, burnt her with cigarette butts and raped her in front of her five year-old son, police said on Friday.

All the five, who were taken into custody earlier, have been arrested. The shocking incident occurred in the state capital last night.

The incident came to light after the 25-year-old woman, approached police and complained against her husband and his four friends.

A case has been registered against the five accused for kidnapping, assaulting and gangrape.

Since the incident took place in front of the child, a case under Protection of children from sexual offices Act has also been charged against the accused.

Meanwhile, State health and family welfare minister K K Shailaja asked the state police chief to take stringentction against the culprits as "such cruelty happened in front of her child."

The Kerala State Women's Commission on its own registered a case and sought report from the Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP.

She managed to escape from there and pleaded for help from a young man, who saw in heran inebriatedstate, and took her to her house and informed police.

The man later told some television channels that she was crying, had injuries on her face and pleaded for help.

Police have recorded the statement of the woman, who was admitted to a government hospital here and later discharged.

She had also stated that the men had tortured her using cigarette butts.

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