Rahul Gandhi slams govt over 'inhumane' working conditions of loco pilots
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the government over the working conditions of loco pilots, saying that being made to work in "inhumane" conditions is not only an injustice to them but also playing with the safety of crores of passengers who travel by trains.
Gandhi also shared a media report on X which claimed that Railways rejected the demand for a break and women staff were quoted as saying that they had to do eight hours duty without a toilet facility.
"Last year, when I met the railway loco pilots, I was deeply worried to know their conditions -- 14-hour shifts, continuous night duty, no adequate rest, no food break and no toilet facilities," Gandhi said
"After accidents, the railway shrugs off the responsibility by calling it 'human error', but does not explain how the employees are made to work in an inhumane manner," the former Congress president said.
Their basic demands were fixed working hours and a better environment but the government formed a committee just for show and there was no intention to find a solution, he alleged.
"Now even demands like food and toilet breaks have been rejected saying that 'it is not practical'. This is not only an injustice to the loco pilots, but also playing with the safety of crores of passengers who travel by trains," Gandhi said.
"This is a fight for justice and we are with the loco pilots in this - as long as the government remains deaf, we will keep raising our voice," he said.
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Leopard that killed 8-year-old boy caught after weeks in Thane
Thane (PTI): Forest officials on Sunday captured a leopard that mauled an eight-year-old child to death nearly a month ago in Shahapur of Maharashtra’s Thane district.
The predator walked into one of the cages set up in the area late Saturday night, ending weeks of panic in several villages in the region, an official from the Dolkhamb division of the forest department said.
"The captured leopard will undergo a thorough medical examination before any further decision is taken regarding its relocation or release," he said.
Senior inspector Suresh Gavit from the Kasara police station confirmed the development, stating that the forest department had successfully secured the animal.
Following the news of the capture, a video surfaced on social media showing a large crowd of villagers, including children, cheering and following the vehicle carrying the caged leopard.
The capture comes as a major relief to the area, which had been on edge since April 16, when the big cat killed an eight-year-old boy.
Krishna Bhaga Agiwale, a resident of Kalbhonde in the Kasara range, had ventured into a forest patch near his house to collect wild fruits when the leopard pounced on him, dragged him into the thicket and killed him on the spot.
