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
July 7,2020

Meerut: The licence of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut has been suspended after a video showing its staff member providing fake Covid-19 report had gone viral.

"A video had gone viral in Meerut. We have registered a case in this regard. We have suspended the licence of the nursing home. Today, we have sealed it also. Strict action will be taken against anybody who will do something like this in this time of crisis,” said Anil Dhingra, District Magistrate, Meerut.

In the video, the person can be heard saying that they provide Covid-19 negative report for Rs 2,500, Dhingra stated.

Meerut CMO Rajkumar said, “In the video, a man from the hospital can be heard saying that he can arrange COVID-19 negative report and the person can get operation or other things done. We have identified the man. We have suspended the licence of the hospital and an FIR has been registered.”

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News Network
July 12,2020

Tamil Nadu, Jul 12: An alleged attempt by a 19-year-old man to "open a branch of the State Bank of India" at Panruti near Tamil Nadu was scuttled and he was arrested for forgery, police said on Saturday.

The man, son of retired SBI employees, had readied fake seals and challans of the public sector lender, and had other paraphernalia like a cash counting machine needed "to run a bank branch," on an upper floor of his residence at Panruti, about 25 km from Tamil Nadu.

He had not, however, put up any signboard. The SBI Panruti branch manager lodged a complaint with police seeking action following a tip-off by a customer that the man was "opening an SBI branch and has challans as well."

A printer who printed the challans and another who had made fake seals were held for similar offences and abetment.

They were produced before a magistrate court and enlarged on bail.

Asked if the man had cheated people by soliciting deposits or facilitating loans, Panruti police inspector K Ambethkar said, "no..we have not received any such complaint so far."

The man's late father had worked for SBI and his mother had retired from the same bank some time back, he said.

To a question, the police inspector said the man's mother, who has mobility issues, and another woman a relative living in the same house had no clue about his "idea."

Investigations revealed that he aspired to work for a bank and since he had closely watched banking operations for long he was "very knowledgeable" about it.

On the suspected motive, he said several of his replies were incomprehensible, childish, and strange notwithstanding his excellent understanding of the banking processes.

"He even calmly told us that he awaited approval from Mumbai to open the (SBI) branch and that he was about to put up a signboard," the inspector said, adding that the man had tried unsuccessfully to get employment on compassionate grounds in the SBI following the death of his father in harness.

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News Network
April 12,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 12: Two police officials have been booked for murder in connection with the alleged custodial death of a theft accused in Bengaluru rural district, police said on Saturday.

A case of murder has been registered against inspector Raghu and sub-inspector Rakesh C for the alleged custodial death of Munikulla on Friday afternoon, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru rural district, Ravi D Channannavar told reporters.

"Yes. A case has been registered and transferred to CID," he said.

Munikulla, a resident of Nadavatti village, was picked up by the police on April 7, his wife Dhanalakshmi told the media on Saturday.

"Policemen took my husband with them. They beat him up and killed him," she said.

Alleging that Munikulla was a victim of police high- handedness, Hoskote MLA Sharath Bachegowda said he had lodged a complaint with the state DGP Praveen Sood demanding a CID inquiry into the case.

An FIR was registered against Munikulla on Friday evening based on a complaint by the cashier of the liquor store, who had claimed that the CCTV footage showed victim's involvement.

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