MONDAY 27 MAY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR DON’T NEED MUCH ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN VARANASI: EAM SUNAK VOWS TO BRING BACK MANDATORY NATIONAL SERVICE KTR ACCUSES T’GANA GOVT OF `1,000 CR SCAM IN RICE PROCUREMENT P10 P9 P4 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS AT MOST PLACES AND SEVERE HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS AT A FEW PLACES. STRONG SURFACE WINDS (SPEED 20-30 KMPH) OCCASIONALLY IN GUSTY DURING THE DAY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 46 AND 28 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Min. 21 % Max: 45.4 °C (+5) SUN RISES 05:25 hrs MOON RISES 23:04 hrs Min: 27.0 °C (0) SUN SETS 19:12 hrs MOON SETS 09:31 hrs NEW DELHI, 26 MAY THUMBNAILS Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Pat Cummins and Kolkata Knight Riders' captain Shreyas Iyer pose for a picture with the IPL 2024 trophy ahead of the IPL 2024 final, at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. ANI Army chief Gen Pande gets one month extension: The Appointments Committee of Cabinet on Sunday approved the extension in service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj C Pande for a period of one month, beyond his normal age of superannuation on 31 May i.e. up to June 30, an official announcement said. He was appointed as the COAS on 30 April, 2022. He was commissioned in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). He held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking over as the COAS. I n a heart-wrenching tragedy, six infants were killed in a devastating fire that engulfed Baby Care New Born Hospital in the Vivek Vihar area of East Delhi. According to the police, at the time of the incident, which took place late on Saturday night, there were 12 newborn babies at the medical facility. A child was already dead prior to the incident while six died after the fire broke out in the building and five are currently admitted to another hospital and are being treated. The seven bodies of the deceased infants were sent to the nearby GTB Hospital for postmortem, the police added. An inquiry has been initiated by the police into the matter while appropriate legal action is being taken against the owner of the facility by the Delhi Police. The call about the fire initially landed at the Police Control Room (PCR) at 11:30 pm prompting immediate action by local authorities, including the SHO Firefighters attempt to douse the fire after it broke out at a New Born Baby Care Hospital in Vivek Vihar on Saturday. SURAJ SHARMA and ACP of Vivek Vihar. The rescued infants were relocated at East Delhi Advanced NICU Hospital for treatment for special care. The rescue operation was carried out with the help of locals and a team of Shaheed Bhagat SIngh Seva Dal, including Jitender Singh Shunty, a local social activist and politician, who reached the spot with their ambulances. The infants were retrieved by the rescuers using ladders to reach out to them from back of the illfated building on fire with the help of the locals who had come forward for the rescue mission risking their own lives, local sources Maliwal alleges threats following campaign by AAP leaders, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 26 MAY AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Sunday said that she has been receiving rape and death threats after a “character assassination” campaign allegedly orchestrated by party leaders and volunteers. She said that the situation escalated after the YouTuber Dhruv Rathee posted a one-sided video against her. “After the leaders and volunteers of my party, i.e., AAP orchestrated a campaign of character assassination, victim shaming, and fanning of emotions against me, I have been getting rape and death threats. This got further exacerbated when YouTuber @Dhruv_Rathee posted a one-sided video against me,” Maliwal wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. Maliwal accused the party leadership of trying to intim- idate her into withdrawing her complaint. She also expressed disappointment with Dhruv Rathee, saying that despite her efforts to contact him and share her side of the story, he ignored her calls and messages. “It is shameful that people like him, who claim to be independent journalists, could act like other AAP spokespersons and victim-shame me to the extent that I am now facing extreme abuses and threats,” she added. Maliwal listed several points that she felt were neglected in Dhruv Rathee's 2.5-minute video: She said Rathee failed to mention: why the AAP took a U-turn after accepting that the incident happened; the ?MLC report that reveals injuries due to the assault; selected part of the video was released and then the phone of the accused was formatted; the accused was arrested from the crime scene (CM house). Why was he allowed to enter the place again? For tampering of evidence?; and how a woman who always stood for the right issues, even went to Manipur alone without security could be bought over by the BJP? “How the entire party machinery and its supporters have attempted to vilify and shame me speaks volumes about their stand on women’s issues. I am reporting these rape and death threats to @DelhiPolice. I hope they take strong action against the perpetrators,” Maliwal said. She concluded by noting, “In any case, if something happens to me, we know who instigated it.” Centre issues directions for blocking incoming international spoofed calls STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 26 MAY The government on Sunday said it has issued directions for blocking incoming international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers. ''It has been reported that fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial frauds. These calls appear to be originating within India but being made by the cybercriminals from abroad by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI). Such international spoofed calls have been misused in recent cases of fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drugs/narcotics in courier, impersonation as government and police officials, disconnections of mobile num- P12 Modi hails UP chief minister Yogi for his fight against mafia Rescued infants were relocated at East Delhi Advanced NICU Hospital for treatment AGRAJ PRATAP SINGH Max. 66 % TEMPERATURE Six newborns killed in Delhi hospital fire PV SINDHU COMES UP SHORT As safety and security of the users is an integral part of vision of Digital India, the DoT has already taken many initiatives, including citizen-centric Sanchar Saathi portal (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/) to protect telecom users. bers by DoT/TRAI officials, etc,” an official release said. Therefore, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have devised a system to identify and block such incoming international spoofed calls from reaching any Indian telecom subscriber. Now directions have been issued to the TSPs for blocking of such incoming international spoofed calls. The incoming international spoofed calls with Indian landline numbers are being already blocked by the TSPs as per the directions issued by the DoT. As safety and security of the users is an integral part of vision of Digital India, the DoT has already taken many initiatives including citizen-centric Sanchar Saathi portal (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/) to protect telecom users. “Despite best efforts, there may still be some fraudsters who succeed through other means.” “For such calls, you can help everybody by reporting such suspected fraud communications at the Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi,”the press release added. added. According to the locals, who witnessed the ghastly incident, it all started with the sounds of blast jolting them out of sleep. Soon, the fire spread to an adjacent residential building. Within no time the entire place was engulfed by the raging blaze. According to the Fire Department, a total of 16 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to fight the blaze which could be brought under control in about an hour’s time and was completely doused at 4 am, the Delhi Fire Services added. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained while the probe is on into the fire incident, The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heartrending. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest... NARENDRA MODI PRIME MINISTER the Delhi government announced a thorough inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, in another fire incident also reported from East Delhi on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, three dead while eleven others were injured. The fire broke out at a house in West Azad Nagar in the Krishna Nagar area. Area SHO reached the spot along with his staff. Firefighting teams arrived soon after. While 13 injured victims were taken to the PM announces Rs 2 lakh each for kin of deceased: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased in the fire tragedy at a hospital in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar that claimed the lives of seven newborns. In a post on X, the PMO said, "In the wake of the fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi, the Prime Minister has announced that an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs 50,000 would be given to each of those injured." (P2) hospital with the help of ambulances and PCR Vans, three succumbed to their injuries. On Saturday a massive fire also broke out at a factory in outer Delhi's Mundka Industrial Area, the Fire Department said, adding that 27 fire department vehicles were sent on the spot to douse off the blaze. Specialised firefighting equipment, including a robot, was used in the operation to douse the fire. More reports on page 2 REMAL LOOMS Dark clouds hover over Vidyasagar Setu as Cyclone Remal approaches, in Kolkata on Sunday.As India Meteorological Department sounded the alarm over a cyclonic storm 'Remal', IMD scientist Somenath Dutta said it is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross between Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts around 26 May midnight. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and State Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya during the public meeting ahead of the seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls in Mirzapur on Sunday. ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MIRZAPUR/ MAU, 26 MAY Accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) of running a mafia raj during its governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the mafia had become a vote bank for the party. Addressing an election rally in Majhwan in Mirzapur in favour of Apna Dal candidate Anupriya Patel from Mirzapur, Rinki Kol candidate from Robertsganj, and Shravan Kumar Gaur, a candidate for Duddhi (Sonbhadra) assembly by-election on Sunday, the prime minister hailed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his deterrent action against the mafia. He said, “Yogi Adityanath has embarked on the cleansing campaign against the mafia in Uttar Pradesh taking a cue from my Swachhta Abhiyan. Such was the determination of the chief minister that the mafia is all but vanished from the scene.” Lauding the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in UP in this direction, he said the state government is about to accomplish the 'cleansing' campaign with great courage. During the SP rule, the public used to be scared of these criminals but today, under the BJP Government, it’s the mafia’s turn to shiver in fear. He pointed out that the SP has fielded Yadav candidates from the family (of Akhilesh Yadav, SP chief) in UP. “The Samajwadi Party has never followed the rule of law. The mafia was a vote bank for them. These people can go to any length to appease the vote bank. They want to encroach on the quota of SC/ST and OBC and give their share to Muslims,” he added. Mr Modi further said, “In its 2012 assembly manifesto, the SP had promised to give quota to Muslims. I belong to the most backward caste and know the pain. The court prevented them from doing so because the constitution does not allow quota on the basis of religion,” he said. The PM said that the SPCongress alliance is dedicated to the vote bank while “Modi is dedicated to the interests of the poor, Dalits and backward classes”. He alleged that the INDI Alliance is extremely communal, casteist, and familybased which wants to stab Baba Saheb in the back by implementing reservations on a religious basis. Modi said with the power of each and every vote of the people, on the one hand, Shri Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya, while on the other the grand Dham of Vindhyavasini is also being built rapidly. He said the Hindu month of Jyeshtha was auspicious because the Tuesdays in this month are meant for paying obeisance to Lord Hanuman. “This is the first time when Lord Ram will be in his temple and Lord Hanuman will be the happiest devotee of the lord. This has been possible only because of your vote. June 4 is also a Tuesday when I will be back – phir ek baar (for one more time). The six phases of elections have confirmed that Modi will be back for a third term,” he said. He further said that the INDIA bloc plans to have five prime ministers in five years if they come to power. “When you build a house, do you change the mason every month? Can you build a strong house in this manner? No one should waste his vote on the INDIA bloc because no one buys shares of a sinking company. You should vote for those who are ready to form a strong government,” he said. The PM emphasised that communalism, casteism, and nepotism were the mainstays of the INDIA bloc. Gamezone fire: ` 99 scheme led people to death trap 35 dead, investigations reveal management’s negligence AGENCIES RAJKOT, 26 MAY As the death toll in fire tragedy at the Gamezone amusement park in Rajkot reached 35, it has emerged that the administrators took advantage of the weekend and launched a Rs 99 scheme, drastically reducing the entry fee from Rs 500 to lure the visitors. Sources said this ill-fated decision, driven by profit, pushed people into a death trap. According to sources, the Gamezone saw an overwhelming crowd due to the Rs 99 scheme. The entry fee was slashed from Rs 500 to Rs 99 to attract more holiday and weekend visitors. As a result, approximately 300 people had thronged the Gamezone when the fire broke out. It has come to light that the Gamezone management did not obtain a Fire No AGENCIES RAJKOT, 26 MAY Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi takes stock of the situation at the TRP Game Zone in Rajkot on Sunday. ANI Objection Certificate (NOC). To avoid municipal approvals, the Gamezone was set up in a shed, and a three-story facility was launched after only acquiring a ride certificate. The officials responsible for issuing these certificates are now absconding. The fire reportedly started due to a welding spark on a ladder. With only one staircase available, people on the second and third floors were trapped, leading to a higher casualty rate. The fire spread rapidly due to the structure and materials used in the Gamezone. The Gamezone featured rubber and resin flooring, thermocol sheet partitions, and over a thousand tyres around the car zone, creating a highly flammable environment. Additionally, 1500 litres of diesel stored on-site exacerbated the fire, causing it to become fierce and uncontrollable, the sources added. Investigations into the TRP game zone tragedy in Gujarat's Rajkot that claimed 35 lives have revealed that the incident happened due to its management’s negligence. The investigations revealed that the TRP game zone had been operating illegally in a residential area for four years without the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC). The amusement park was set up in a flimsy shed-like structure to bypass regulatory approvals, the sources said. Despite this, the sources shared that the facility continued to attract visitors, oblivious to the lurking dangers. Rajkot Additional Collector Chetan Gandhi did not respond to the media, while Executive Engineer of the Mechanical Department C. C. Patel has disappeared and is not responding to calls. The Road and Building Department officials are also untraceable, and the officers responsible for issuing the stability certificate are missing. It was found that the game zone managers had expanded the facility to three stories by obtaining a ride certificate. The sources added that they secured permission from the police for the amusement park and sought approval for rides from the mechanical branch, sidestepping comprehensive safety evaluations. Questions have been raised about the management and safety protocols at the Gamezone.
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