Maharashtra sends medical team to Kerala, hawkers too donate
Mumbai, Aug 20 : A team of 110 doctors from Mumbai and Pune left by an Air India flight on Monday with medical relief supplies to help the flood victims in Kerala, an official said.
The team comprises 55 doctors from J.J. Hospital, Mumbai, 26 from Sassoon Hospital (Pune) besides other hospitals, said Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan who has accompanied them on the humanitarian mission.
They will join other medical teams from across the state who are serving the people of Kerala amid apprehensions of outbreak of diseases as the flood waters start receding, Mahajan said.
Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao on Monday appealed to all the 20 universities in the state to extend monetary and material support to Kerala by organizing fund-raising drives.
The governor has also asked the universities, with a total strength of around 2.30 million students, to contribute to the PM's Relief Fund for the floodhit Kerala.
Meanwhile, through efforts of various organisations coordinated by the state government, another five tonnes of relief supplies including food packs, milk powder, blankets, bedsheets, clothes, soaps and sanitary napkins will be sent to Kerala on Monday.
This is in addition to over 30-tonne relief already sent during the past two days besides a cash donation of Rs 20 crore from the state government.
Navi Mumbai's Kerala Bhavan has collected 200 tonnes of material of which 150 tonne has been dispatched through the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard.
A group of 20 persons from Saudi Arabia landed in Mumbai as the Kochi Airport is still closed and they have been given shelter in Kerala Bhavan.
A group of Mumbai-born Kerala youths in Powai have launched coordination efforts between various relief agencies, organizing transport and other logistics, identifying the required materials to be sent to Kerala and streamline the aid pouring in from various sources, said one of the coordinators Pradeep Menon.
A charity show with top Keralite artistes and others in Bollywood is being planned soon after monsoon to raise funds specifically for the poor and displaced flood victims to be handed over to Kerala CM's Distress Relief Fund, Menon said.
Several hundred members of the Azad Hawkers Union, Mira Road (Thane) led by president Dayashankar Singh have donated voluntarily over one tonne of relief material which will be dispatched to Kerala through the Ayappa Swami Temple Trust.
Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas and an NGO, Papers N Parcels will also send a consignment of medical kits and food material to Kerala on Tuesday, said Subhash Talekar and Tilak Mehta of the two organisations respectively.
A large number of Mumbaikars are also contributing to various pick-up points started in Mumbai, suburbs and adjacent districts for relief materials for onward dispatch to Kerala.
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Background of Delhi Assembly breach accused under scanner, booked for attempt to murder
New Delhi (PTI): The man behind the security breach at the Delhi Assembly on Monday is believed to be a supporter of the 2020-21 farmers' agitation with some history of mental health issues, with sources saying his background has raised multiple lines of inquiry for investigators.
Sarabjeet Singh, a 37-year-old resident of Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended two hours after he drove an SUV through one of the boundary gates of the assembly and placed a flower bouquet in the speaker's vehicle parked on the porch. He has been booked forattempt to murder, among other charges.
According to preliminary findings, Sarabjeet left his home on April 1 and remained largely untraceable for five days before the incident. In this period, he contacted his family only once and did not disclose his location or travel plans.
"He travelled to Bareilly on April 2 and subsequently reached Delhi on the day of the breach," the source said.
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He also said that his family members told police that he becomes "difficult to control during such periods of illness" and that he often does not respond to family members during such episodes.
However, police said the exact state of his mental health is still being assessed as part of the ongoing probe and a medical examination is awaited.
The source said Sarabjeet was an active supporter of the farmers protest and had shared multiple posts on social media expressing solidarity with farmer leaders who died during the agitation. Several of these posts and videos were later deleted.
Investigators are also examining videos in which he is allegedly seen driving the same SUV at extremely high speeds, reportedly exceeding 150 kmph on empty roads. The vehicle, bearing a Uttar Pradesh registration number, was purchased recently in February.
On the day of the incident, Sarabjeet is believed to have acted alone. He drove the SUV at a high speed, rammed through Gate No. 2 of the assembly premises to enter the complex. He then allegedly placed a bouquet and garland inside the official vehicle of Speaker Vijender Gupta and briefly sat inside the car before fleeing through the same gate.
Police said the accused has not yet disclosed the motive behind his actions. His movements, call records and digital footprint are being analysed to determine whether he was influenced by any person or group.
He was eventually apprehended along with two other persons from a police picket near a nala in the Roop Nagar area after an alert was issued across the city.
"All individuals are currently being questioned, and further investigation is underway," read the statement.
Delhi Police, in a statement, said that at around 2.10 pm, a white SUV forcefully entered the premises of the Delhi Assembly through Gate No. 2. "One individual, alighted from the vehicle and proceeded towards the porch area carrying a bouquet and a garland (mala) of marigold flowers. It is pertinent to mention that the Vidhan Sabha was not in session at the time," read the statement of the Delhi Police.
The accused drove the vehicle in a dangerous manner with apparent intent to run over security personnel on duty, thereby endangering their lives, a senior police officer said. When security staff tried to catch Sarabjeet, he fled.
A case has been registered at Civil Lines under appropriate sections of law, including attempt to murder, criminal trespass with preparation to commit offence, use of criminal force against a public servant, and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, along with other relevant provisions pertaining to obstruction of public servants in discharge of duty.
