Tribal outfits hit streets to enforce Ranchi bandh, admin on alert
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Ranchi (PTI): Activists of various tribal outfits hit the streets on Saturday morning to enforce an 18-hour bandh in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi to protest against the construction of a flyover near the Sarna Sthal, a sacred tribal religious site.
The protestors were seen burning tyres and blocking roads, mainly on the outskirts of Ranchi.
The Ranchi-Lohardaga road was blocked near Titla Chowk in Ranchi, while agitators gathered at the city's Kanke Chowk and other areas to impose the bandh.
Compared to other days, the number of vehicles on the roads in Ranchi was less during the morning hours.
The protestors are demanding the removal of a ramp being built in Siram Toli, claiming that it obstructs access to the religious site and could disturb its sanctity due to frequent traffic movements.
Several tribal organisations took out a torchlight procession on Friday evening, seeking people's support for the bandh.
The protestors alleged that the government ignored their concerns.
They said when thousands of tribals gather at Siram Toli Sarna Sthal during Sarhul, the most significant tribal festival, the flyover ramp would disrupt access to the site.
In view of the bandh call, the Ranchi police have made elaborate security arrangements.
The administration has urged the organisations to hold the protest peacefully without causing trouble to anyone.
The district administration has issued strict instructions, stating that anyone in support of the bandh or chakka jam should not cause any disruption or obstruction to the traffic, dignitaries, students, members of educational institutions, or the general public, the Ranchi administration said in a statement.
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ED raids Karnataka Cong MLA Satish Krishna Sail, others in illegal iron ore export case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided premises linked to Karnataka Congress MLA Satish Krishna Sail and some others as part of a money laundering investigation against the legislator in a case related to alleged illegal export of iron ore, official sources said.
At least 15 premises in Karnataka, Goa and Mumbai are being searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.
Sail is a Congress MLA representing the Karwar assembly constituency in Uttara Kannada district.
Sail, according to the sources, has been accused of exporting illegally mined iron ore which was seized by forest officials at Belekeri port in Karwar, Karnataka.
This caused "loss" to government exchequer for an amount of about Rs 38 crore but the actual value of illegally exported ore is worth hundreds of crores of rupees, the sources said.
The case originated from a 2010 probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta, which discovered about eight lakh tons of illegally transported iron ore from Bellary to Belekeri port.
The Karnataka High Court last year had ordered the suspension of the seven-year prison sentence of the MLA in this case.
A special court had previously found Sail and others guilty in multiple cases related to the illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port.
