Woman, daughter escape rhino attack during safari in Kaziranga; driver suspended
Kaziranga (Assam), Jan 6: A woman and her daughter had a close shave in Assam's Kaziranga National Park (KNP) when they fell off a safari vehicle with rhinos in close proximity, an official said on Monday.
The driver was suspended and an enquiry was ordered, DFO and Deputy Director of the KNP Arun Vignesh said.
The incident happened when the driver accelerated and took a sharp turn after seeing two rhinos nearby, he said adding that action will be taken on the basis of the enquiry report.
Vignesh appealed to the safari vehicle drivers to be careful while driving inside the Park.
The girl fell from the open vehicle while they were taking a safari inside the Bagori range of the KNP and her mother jumped out to pick her up, the official said.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, two rhinos were seen nearby when the incident happened. PTI, however, could not verify the authenticity of the video.
The driver, however, stopped the vehicle at a distance and the two climbed into it again, the official said.
The two were not injured, except for a few scratches, and were taken for medical aid as they were in a state of shock for a while.
The two were from the nearby Harmoti area in Nagaon district.
The official pointed out that both the drivers of the jeeps and tourists should be careful while taking a safari inside the KNP.
He urged all tourists to follow the rules strictly.
President of Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association Mohen Saikia that such an incident has never occurred before in the history of the Park and it is the ''lack of training and experience of a section of young drivers''.
He urged the authorities to arrange for proper training of the drivers.
Meanwhile, another person was injured in a rhino attack in Burapahar range of the Park when he had gone to help forest guards in some work.
The person, identified as Lakhi Teron, was admitted to a hospital and his condition was stated to be critical, a forest official said.
The KNP is a UNESCO World Heritage site which is home to nearly 3,000 greater one-horn rhinoceros.
The Park also has wild buffalo, elephants, swamp deer and tigers.
📍Assam | #Watch: Major accident during safari in Kaziranga averted as mother and daughter fall in front of rhinos, escape unscathed#Viral pic.twitter.com/AHa64faan0
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
