Padubidri: Bus owners protest against ‘unscientific toll collection’ in Hejamady
Padubidri: Office-bearers of bus owners’ associations staged a protest in Padubidri on Wednesday, objecting to what they termed as an unscientific manner of toll collection at Hejamady and calling it daylight robbery by the officials.
The members of the Canara and the Karavali bus owners’ associations, who gathered in Padubidri for a two-day protest, alleged that they are being charged rates of heavy vehicles for mini buses. They have also warned that, if the system was not stopped immediately, they would park their buses against the toll gates, blocking the road.
Rajavarma Ballal, one of the protesters, explained that the owner of a bus that traversed through Hejamady, Sasthana and Shiroor was made to pay Rs 700 a day in the name of toll.
A second protester, Dilraj Alva, said that they were being fleeced in spite of their vehicles having fastags.
The protesters have also warned that they would intensify the fight if the concerned authorities failed to fulfill their demands.
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Goa nightclub fire: Co-owner Ajay Gupta's police remand extended by four days
Panaji (PTI): A Goa court on Thursday extended by four days the police remand of Ajay Gupta, co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a devastating fire on December 6 killed 25 persons.
Gupta was arrested from New Delhi on December 10. A court in Mapusa had remanded him in police custody for seven days at the time.
Gupta was presented before the lower court, which sent him to four-day police custody as his initial remand was expiring, his advocate Rohan Desai told reporters.
"Gupta had complained about back pain. The court ordered his medical examination, after which he was allowed use of a mattress in custody. He was examined by a specialised doctor at Goa Medical College and Hospital near here," the lawyer said.
Twenty-five persons, including 20 staff members and five tourists, were killed in the major blaze at the nightclub at Arpora in North Goa around midnight of December 6.
Gupta had, during the day, filed an bail application.
So far, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case, including Gupta, and two other owners - Gaurav Luthra and his brother Saurabh - who were deported from Thailand.
Five other staffers of the nightclub arrested in the case are Rajiv Modak (Corporate General Manager), Priyanshu Thakur (Gate Manager), Rajveer Singhania (Bar Manager), Vivek Singh (General Manager) and Bharat Karan Singh Kohli (employee).
A Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against Surinder Kumar Khosla, another owner of the nightclub who is a British citizen, police said.
