Heatwave claims 165 lives across India: Odisha records another 67 fatalities
Bhubaneshwar: In the past 48 hours, Odisha has witnessed a significant rise in temperature, resulting in the tragic loss of 67 lives due to heatstroke, with Balangir district alone reporting 20 fatalities. Over the last 72 hours, the toll has reached 96, as reported by the state government, with confirmation of 15 deaths attributed to sunstroke while autopsy reports are awaited for the remaining 81 cases.
Tragically, five individuals succumbed to the heat in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, adding to the mounting toll. Additionally, a cowherd in Maharashtra's Bhandara district fell victim to sunstroke on May 28.
The nationwide toll due to heatwave-related fatalities now stands at 165, with four deaths reported in Delhi and a staggering 77 deaths recorded across the country on Saturday alone.
Among the casualties in Odisha on Saturday was a booth-level officer from Binjharpur block in Jajpur district, who passed away while on duty. Another incident involved an elderly voter who lost their life while casting their vote in Nilgiris of Balasore district. Sambalpur district witnessed 15 fatalities, contributing to a total of 30 deaths across various parts of western Odisha.
The weather department has cautioned that similar conditions are expected to persist over the next few days, with a gradual decrease in temperatures anticipated thereafter. On Saturday, Titligarh recorded a scorching maximum temperature of 46 degrees Celsius, followed by 45.5 degrees in Balangir and 44.6 degrees Celsius in Bhawanipatna.
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Advocate found dead in car on Nainital court premises
Nainital (PTI): A 55-year-old advocate allegedly died by suicide after shooting himself inside his car at the Nainital district court parking lot here on Monday, police said.
According to the police, Puran Singh Bhakuni, a resident of Mallital, was found in the rear seat of his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his temple.
Police recovered a licensed pistol from his hand and a suicide note from the car’s dashboard. The note stated that Bhakuni was unwell and suffering from depression.
"We received information through lawyers around noon. The deceased was lying in the back seat with a pistol in his hand and blood near his ear," Circle Officer Anjana Negi said.
Forensic teams and ballistic experts reached the spot to collect evidence, as no witness reported hearing the gunshot.
Government counsel Sushil Sharma stated that Bhakuni left home at 9 am and was found dead at 9.30 am.
Sharma raised concerns over the circumstances, noting that the body was in the rear seat, and demanded a thorough probe to rule out foul play. Bhakuni, who worked as a notary, had married six months ago, he said.
Police took the body into custody and sent it for a postmortem to confirm the cause of death.
The forensic laboratory will examine the suicide note and the ballistics of the weapon, the police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
