Girl's death in drain: Court acquits four BBMP officials

DHNS
June 28, 2017

Bengaluru, Jun 28: A city court has acquitted four Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, who were charged with being responsible for the death of Geetha Lakshmi (9) who was washed away after she fell into an uncovered drain on Bannerghatta Road on October 6, 2014.drainage

The officials who have been acquitted are Shivaprakash K M (53), the then jurisdictional assistant executive engineer, S L K Swamy (45), the then jurisdictional joint engineer, S G Shivakumar (56) and Renukananda V (50).

The girl fell into an uncovered drain during the rain around 8.10 pm in front of Janaka Group office, Pai International Showroom, Bannerghatta Road. Her body was recovered on October 8, 2014.

The victim’s aunt Lakshmi in her complaint to the police had stated that the BBMP officials carried out works in the day, but did not cover the drainage which led to the girl’s death.

Of the 23 witnesses named in the charge sheet, 21 including eye-witnesses, mahazar witnesses and the J P Nagar police, under whose jurisdiction the incident had occurred, did not appear before the court.

Considering the absence of these witnesses, Mala N D, the 44th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate stated in her order that the investigating officer did not secure and produce before the court any of the eye-witnesses, which meant the investigation by the investigating officer remained unproved.

“As a result, the prosecution has failed to prove charges against the accused with convincing and corroborative evidences,” the magistrate noted. Only two witnesses were examined in the case, Lakshmi, the victim’s aunt and Prince Vicky, a worker in a store located near the place of the incident.

Lakshmi told the court that she was holding the hands of Geetha Lakshmi when the girl suddenly fell into the drainage and was washed away. Vicky denied giving any statement to the police and turned partially hostile. He told the court that there was some repair work on that day and the drainage was left uncovered.

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Thursday, 29 Jun 2017

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News Network
May 28,2020

Mangaluru, May 28: A pregnant woman who returned from Dubai in a repatriation flight suffered miscarriage after she was allegedly denied entry to her apartment flat and also refused proper treatment in the institutional quarantine.

Fathima was put in a paid quarantine facility after she returned on May 12 flight for her first delivery.

On the second day of her return, she tested negative for Covid-19 in the first test. As per SOP (Standard operating procedures) for pregnant women, she was ready to shift to her apartment, Shivdeep Residency, located at Shivbhag in the city for home quarantine.

However, the members of the Resident Welfare Association of the apartment who got a whiff of her arrival, called an emergency meeting the previous night and reportedly informed the pregnant woman that her entry to the flat would put other residents in trouble and suggested that she stay away.

Sources said the RWA consists of some serving and retired police officials.

With no other go, the woman continued in the paid quarantine.

Treatment for a pregnant woman?

Fathima's father-in-law Azeez Bastikar said the doctors who attended her during the quarantine did not provide proper healthcare required for a pregnant woman and also refused to touch her, out of fear.

Many a time, they did not even check her BP, saying that they ‘forgot to bring the kit’. When her situation worsened, the family members contacted several hospitals in the city but all of them allegedly refused to admit her, fearing the sealing down of the hospital in case she tests positive on the 14th day COVID test.

Finally, the six and half months pregnant woman was shifted to a clinic on Wednesday after her 14th day test had turned negative.

The doctors who checked her found out that she had suffered a miscarriage and operated on her to remove the stillborn. The doctors said further delay would have costed the woman her life.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Azeez Bastikar approached Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, seeking action against the doctors and hospitals who denied treatment and the RWA who refused her entry to the apartment.

Stating that the ill-treatment meted out to her daughter-in-law by doctors and others added to her trauma resulting in the miscarriage, he appealed to the authorities to ensure that no one else is treated in a similar manner.

He said that Fathima and her husband live in Dubai and that she came to India for a safe delivery as the situation was critical in Dubai.

The paid quarantine facility where she had to continue after RWA denied her access, charged her Rs 60,000 for her stay.

Meanwhile, the MCC commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde on Thursday issued a notice to Shivdeep Apartment for refusing Fathima's entry.

The apartment has to respond within three days, failing which legal action will be initiated against it.

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News Network
April 28,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 28: There are a total of 523 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, Department of Health and Family Welfare of Karnataka informed on Tuesday.
It informed that there are 295 active COVID-19 cases in Karnataka presently, while 207 patients have been discharged, 20 deaths have been reported.

According to a district-wise breakup, a maximum of 131 cases were reported from Bengaluru urban, followed by Mysuru with 87 cases and Belagavi with 52 cases.

India's total number of coronavirus positive cases rises to 29,974 (including 22010 active cases, 7027 cured/discharged/migrated and 937 deaths), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.

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News Network
March 29,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 29: The State government launched a mobile application for people to track the movement history of patients, who tested positive, before their detection so that they can take precautions. The app will give the date and time of visit to spots by the patients.

The mobile app “Corona Watch” can be downloaded from Google Playstore https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ksrsac.drawshapefile

“The app also has a list of government designated first response hospitals for COVID-19 where citizen with symptoms can go. However, before going to a COVID hospital, people should call helplines — 104, 080-46848600 or 080-66692000,” said a message by Munish Moudgil, secretary, Administrative Reforms, who is also in-charge of the State COVID war room.

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