9 killed, 80 injured after bus carrying marriage party overturns in Jharkhand's Latehar
Latehar/Gumla (PTI): At least nine people, including five women, were killed and over 80 others injured after a bus carrying wedding guests overturned in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Sunday, police said.
The accident occurred at Orsa Bangladara valley under Mahuadanr police station limits.
"A bus carrying a marriage party was coming from Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh for a wedding at Mahuadanr in Latehar. The bus overturned, and five people died on the spot. Among them, four were women. The injured were taken to a hospital," Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav told PTI.
Two persons died during treatment in Latehar hospital, while two in Gumla Sadar hospital, another official said.
Gumla civil surgeon Shambhu Nath Choudhary said nine injured were referred to the Sadar hospital here, of which two were brought dead.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Hemant Soren asked the Latehar deputy commissioner to provide appropriate medical facilities to the injured.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vipin Kumar Dubey said 60 injured were admitted to Mahuadanr community health centre and over 20 at a private hospital.
"Thirty-two people, who are serious, are being referred to RIMS Ranchi for better treatment," he said.
The deceased were identified as Reshanti Devi (35), Prema Devi (37), Sita Devi (45), Sonamati Devi (55), Sukhna Bhuiyan (40) and Vijay Bhuiyan. Identification of a woman, who died in Latehar hospital, is underway, Dubey said.
The bus driver, Vikas Pathak, said around 90 passengers were on the bus.
"The brakes of the bus failed. Despite attempts to stop the vehicle using the handbrake and switching off the engine, I could not regain control, and the bus eventually overturned," he told reporters.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
