ACB raids Udupi excise DySP's office, driver's residence
Mangaluru: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths raided the Udupi excise deputy superintendent of police Vinod Kumar's office and his driver's home here on Friday.
An ACB team led by Chikkamagaluru DySP Brijesh Mathews conducted the raid at 6 a.m. at the residence of Vinod Kumar's driver Dinesh, located behind Ajjarkad excise office.
Later, the team moved to Abkari Bhavan's office and examined and collected certain documents. Meantime, the sleuths held an inquiry with staff and computer operators too. The team consisted ACB inspector Krishnamurthy, constables Devraj, Mohan were present.
The raids were conducted based on a complaint filed with ACB against Vinod Kumar, who is serving in Udupi for four years. In addition to this, total five teams conducted raids at Vinod Kumar's Mangaluru residence, his uncle's residence in Baindur and other relatives' houses at Karkala.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Malfunctioning dryer at rice mill in UP: 5 workers die after inhaling smoke
Bahraich (UP), Apr 25 (PTI): Five workers died and three others were hospitalised allegedly after inhaling smoke emanating from a malfunctioning dryer at a rice mill in Bahraich on Friday, officials said.
The management has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the family members of the deceased workers.
The incident occurred at the Rajgarhia Rice Mill around 5 am, when workers entered the dryer area to inspect the smoke and lost consciousness.
District Magistrate Monika Rani said that the workers were drying paddy when smoke suddenly began to rise from the dryer, resulting in suffocation and the deaths of five of them.
A joint investigation team comprising the Chief Fire Officer, Assistant Labour Commissioner, District Industries Centre General Manager, and technical experts has been constituted to probe the incident, she said.
According to Vinod Agarwal, Director of Rajgarhia Food Products Pvt Ltd, the dryer is a fully automated machine that uses hot air generated from steam to remove moisture from the paddy. He maintained that there is no scope for smoke or fire in the system under normal conditions.
However, a worker noticed smoke inside the dryer early in the morning and switched off the machine to inspect it. When he did not return, seven other workers followed him one after another and also fell unconscious, Agarwal said.
The fire brigade was called to the spot and managed to retrieve the unconscious workers. They were rushed to the district hospital, where five were declared dead and three are undergoing treatment.
Chief Medical Superintendent Dr M M Tripathi identified the deceased as Rajesh Kumar (26), Bablu Prajapati (28), Gaffar (22), Jahoor (60) and Bittu Shah (30) from Madhepura, Bihar.
The injured workers include Surendra (40), Devi Prasad (25) and Sukhdev (30).
Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha stated that there was no fire at the site, but the smoke was overpowering and caused all eight workers to collapse. Further legal action will be based on the findings of the investigative team.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his condolences and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. The Chief Minister's Office posted on social media that necessary assistance must be extended promptly.
In a significant development, Rajgarhia Food Products Pvt Ltd has announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the five deceased workers and Rs 50,000 each to the three injured.
Director Vinod issued an official statement, saying, "The entire board of directors expresses deep condolences to the bereaved families. While we cannot undo this unbearable loss, as a gesture of humanitarian support and solidarity, we recommend Rs 10 lakh for each deceased worker's family. Additionally, we recommend Rs 50,000 along with full medical support for the injured employees."
The incident has raised serious concerns about safety protocols at industrial units, even in highly automated setups. The administration is expected to review existing safety standards in such establishments following the probe.
