Telangana tunnel collapse: Robots join search operation
Nagarkurnool (PTI): Robots on Tuesday joined the operation to locate the seven persons who remain trapped inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel here since February 22.
The team of a Hyderabad-based robotics company along with a robot went inside the tunnel Tuesday morning. 110 rescue personnel also went into the tunnel.
The Telangana government has decided to deploy robots to avoid any danger to the rescue personnel as the conditions inside the tunnel, including water and slush, posed a challenge.
State irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on said the government would spend Rs four crores to undertake the operation by utilizing the services of robot experts (of the Hyderabad-based private company).
Fragments of the huge Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) got submerged under water, soil and stones inside the tunnel caused hazard to the rescue team, he had said.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who visited the tunnel on March 2, suggested to the officials leading the operation to use robots inside the tunnel if necessary, to avoid any danger to the rescue personnel.
The search operations have been continuing with teams from NDRF, state-run miner Singareni Collieries, rat miners and others working at specific spots indicated by cadaver dogs and radar survey to locate the seven persons.
Rescue personnel guided by the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys conducted by the scientists of National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad are focusing efforts at suspected locations.
The search was further aided by Human Remains Detection Dogs (HRDD) of Kerala police.
Two days ago, the rescue personnel recovered the dead body of Gurpreet Singh, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operator who worked for a foreign company involved in tunnel works.
The body was sent to his native place in Punjab in a hearse van.
The Telangana government has provided an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to his family.
Apart from Gurpreet Singh, seven others trapped include Manoj Kumar (UP), Sunny Singh (J&K), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand.
The eight persons -- engineers and labourers -- got trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel after a portion of it collapsed on February 22.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
