Formalities in process to repatriate bodies of 12 Indians killed in bus accident in Dubai
Dubai: The Indian Consulate in Dubai is in the process of completing formalities related to forensics and other documentation required to repatriate the bodies of the 12 Indians who were among the 17 killed in a horrific road accident here when a bus coming from Oman entered a restricted lane and rammed into a low-clearance sign.
Nine persons were also seriously injured when the driver of the bus, carrying mostly Eid vacationers and coming from Oman's capital Muscat to Dubai, wrongly entered a road not designated for buses towards Al Rashidiya metro station here on Thursday evening.
Eleven clearance certificates have been issued by forensics, while one forensic report is pending from the authorities, Vipul, India's Consul General in Dubai, tweeted late Friday.
"After this, with full documentation mortal remains will be sent for embalming and then to India," he said.
"We hope that all mortal remains will be repatriated to India tomorrow (Saturday) and day after. Air India is providing all help. We would like to sincerely thank Dubai Police and all hospital authorities for their assistance," he said in another tweet.
He said that the Consulate formalities for the deceased Indians were done on the spot and the their team worked with local authorities and community volunteers whole day.
The bus, belonging to the Omani bus transport company Mwasalat, carrying 31 passengers, crashed into a height barrier that cut the left side of the bus and killed passengers sitting on that side.
Dubai Police blamed the Omani driver, who was moderately injured, for the accident, saying "at times a small mistake or negligence can lead to adverse consequences".
The names of the Indians who passed away are: Vikram Jawahar Thakur, Vimal Kumar Karthikeyan Kesavapilaikar, Kiran Johny Johny Vallithottathil Paily, Firoz Khan Aziz Pathan, Reshma Feroz Khan Pathan, Jamaludeen Arakkaveettil, Vasudev Vishandas, Rajan Puthiyapurayil Gopalan, Prabula Madhavan Deepa Kumar, Roshni Moolchandani, Ummer Chonokatavath Mammad Puthen, Nabil Ummer Chonokatavath.
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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee moves SC against SIR
New Delhi (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state, sources said on Sunday.
The petition names the Election Commission (EC) and the chief electoral officer of West Bengal as respondents. It was filed before the apex court on January 28, the sources said.
Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Sunday. She is scheduled to meet Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at 4 pm on Monday to discuss the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo would be accompanied by a delegation of party leaders.
She is also likely to meet party MPs in the Parliament House on Monday.
Talking to reporters at the Kolkata airport before leaving for the national capital, Banerjee claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre is resorting to the SIR exercise because it is certain of its imminent defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls, due in a few months, and said the saffron party should contest the election politically and democratically.
The West Bengal chief minister has written several letters to the CEC, raising concerns over the conduct of the exercise.
In her most recent letter to the CEC on January 31, she alleged that the methodology and approach of the exercise went beyond the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the relevant rules, causing "immense inconvenience and agony" to citizens.
Earlier, TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, had moved the apex court, challenging certain aspects of how the SIR is being carried out in West Bengal.
