Wayanad landslides: Kin of victims, survivors included in search team
Wayanad (Kerala) (PTI): A massive search operation began on Friday, including survivors and the relatives of the victims in the search team, to find those who are still missing in the aftermath of the devasting landslides that hit Wayanad district on July 30.
According to the state government, 131 people are missing in the landslides that hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala hamlets in the district.
The search operation was planned to be a day-long one, but the authorities informed that it would conclude at 11 am as the area needed to be handed over to the Special Protection Group (SPG) in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit on Saturday.
The authorities have brought four members from each relief camp to assist the rescue workers in identifying the places and locations.
Meanwhile, Minister P A Mohammed Riyas told the media that the search operation, including the relatives of the victims in the search team, will continue on Sunday.
"Today we need to end the search operation due to security reasons. We will continue on Sunday," Riyas said.
The government has arranged excavators and other equipment, and hundreds of rescue workers are also taking part in the operation.
The search operation in the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas are held in six zones.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the relatives are being made part of the search operation as a "last ditch effort" to find people who are still missing as all other possible means have been exhausted.
According to officials, the number of deaths due to the devastating landslides has increased to 226.
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Remarks against St Francis Xavier: Right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar gets bail
Panaji (PTI): A court in Goa on Saturday granted bail to right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar, who was arrested after he allegedly made derogatory comments against St Francis Xavier.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, granted regular bail to Khattar, currently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim for treatment of chest pain after he was shifted from the District Hospital in Mapusa two days back.
A row erupted after a video of remarks by Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, at an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
St Francis Xavier is revered as the patron saint of Goa.
The controversial remarks led to the Vasco Police registering an FIR against Khattar on charges of hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between groups.
He was detained in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, by local police. His custody was later handed over to the Goa Crime Branch, according to officials.
