18 killed during funeral procession as vehicle hits truck in Bengal's Nadia district
Kolkata, Nov 28: At least 18 people were killed during a funeral procession when a vehicle carrying the remains of the dead rammed into a stationary truck in West Bengal's Nadia district early on Sunday, a police officer said.
The victims included six women and a child, he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have condoled the loss of lives.
A mini truck, carrying over 35 people and the bier, hit another stone-laden truck parked on one side of a state highway in Hanskhali around 3 am, killing 12 on the spot, the officer explained.
Six others succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital or during treatment.
Local people and the police shifted the injured to Shaktinagar General Hospital, where doctors, after examining their condition, referred the critical ones to another medical institution in Krishnanagar.
According to the police officer, low visibility due to fog may have led to the accident.
One of those injured said he and others were heading to Nabadwip cremation ground from Chakdah when the accident took place.
Taking to Twitter, Banerjee wrote, "Heartbroken to hear about the road accident in Nadia."
"I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those who were injured. May God give them the strength to get past this difficult time," she said.
The CM further promised to provide necessary assistance to the families of the victims.
Shah, too, prayed for strength and well-being of the grieving families.
"The road accident in Nadia district of West Bengal is saddening. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. May God give them the strength to bear this grief. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," he tweeted.
पश्चिम बंगाल के नदिया जिले में हुई सड़क दुर्घटना अत्यंत दुःखद है। इसमें जान गँवाने वाले लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूँ। ईश्वर उन्हें यह दुःख सहने की शक्ति दे। घायलों के शीघ्र ही स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूँ।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 28, 2021
Government of West Bengal will extend every necessary assistance and support to the kin of the victims. We are beside you in this sad hour. (2/2)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 28, 2021
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.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
