Bengaluru IT body urges probe after Kurnool bus blaze kills 20
Bengaluru (PTI): The Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association (GBITCIA) urged government agencies and stakeholders to conduct a thorough investigation into the bus accident in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, that left 20 people dead.
The association called for urgent action by transport authorities and service providers to ensure the highest safety standards for all intercity commuters, particularly those connected to the technology sector.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time," GBITCIA said in a statement.
Citing initial information, the association said 36 of the passengers were connected to the IT corridor, highlighting the tragedy’s profound impact on the technology ecosystem.
"It is deeply distressing to learn that two software engineers are among those who have lost their lives," it added.
Urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future, GBITCIA said, "We remain committed to providing all possible assistance to the affected families and supporting coordination between our member companies, local administration, and emergency services."
"We join the community in remembering the lives lost and reaffirm our commitment to advocacy for safer travel and working environments for all IT professionals along the corridor," the statement added.
On Friday, a Bengaluru-bound private bus caught fire in Kurnool district after colliding with a two-wheeler. The blaze was reportedly triggered when the motorcycle, with its fuel cap open, was dragged under the bus, killing 20 people.
Most of the victims were charred beyond recognition, police said. The dead included two children and the biker, while nine others sustained injuries.
The bus was carrying 44 passengers at the time of the accident.
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NCB busts secret drug lab in Karnataka's Mysuru; four held
New Delhi (PTI): The Narcotics Control Bureau has busted a secret drug manufacturing laboratory in Karnataka's Mysuru and arrested four people from Rajasthan after seizing narcotics worth Rs 10 crore, the agency said on Friday.
This crackdown began on January 28 in Gujarat's Surat, where federal officials intercepted a SUV in the Palsana area. The vehicle was found carrying about 35 kg of Mephedrone.
Followingthe seizure, the Narcotcis Control Bureau (NCB) arrested the alleged mastermind of this trafficking racket named Mahindra Kumar Vishnoi and three others. All four suspects are residents of Rajasthan's Jalore district.
The investigation led to officials to a "clandestine" drugs manufacturing laboratory located in Hebbal industrial area of Mysuru.
The laboratory was being operated under the guise of a chemical manufacturing unit for cleaning purposes. The facility had been rented by a co-accused and relative of Vishnoi, the NCB said in a statement.
"Drugs worth Rs 10 crore (market value), Rs 25.6 lakh in cash, an SUV and 500 kgs of chemicals used in the manufacturing of drugs have been seized during the operation," it said, adding that the lab is understood to be established in 2024.
According to the NCB, Vishnoi is a "habitual offender" who "conceived" the idea of manufacturing synthetic drugs in secret labs while he was incarcerated in a drugs trafficking case. He has three drug-related cases registered against him in Rajasthan and one in Gujarat, the NCB added.
