Haryana: 9 killed, 3 missing as vehicle plunges into Bhakra Canal in Fatehabad
Chandigarh, Feb 1 (PTI): Nine people, including five women and a toddler died, while three are missing after a vehicle carrying 14 passengers plunged into the Bhakra Canal in Haryana's Fatehabad district, police said on Saturday.
A man and an 11-year-old boy were rescued, police said.
The accident took place near Sardarewala village in Ratia on Friday night when dense fog engulfed the area, police said.
Most of the passengers of the Force Cruiser vehicle were residents of Mehmara village. They were returning after attending a wedding ceremony at a village in Punjab's Fazilka district, police said.
Due to poor visibility caused by dense fog, the driver lost control of the vehicle near Sardarewala village and it fell into the Bhakra Canal, they said.
Nine bodies have been retrieved so far and efforts are underway to trace three more missing passengers, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Ratia) Sanjay Kumar said.
The bodies were fished out around 50-55 km away from the spot where the vehicle fell into the canal, said police.
Five women, an 11-year-old girl and a one-year-old child were among those killed, the officer said.
The water level in the canal was reduced, police said, adding teams of the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and divers were conducting the rescue operation.
Around 50 people are part of the rescue operation, said police.
A post-mortem examination of the bodies was conducted at the local hospital.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
