Activist Varavara Rao admitted to hospital in Mumbai; Family seeks bail for him
Hyderabad: Activist Varavara Rao, who has been arrested and in jail in Maharashtra in the Elgar Parishad case, was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, police said, while his family members on Saturday demanded his immediate release on bail.
"It is learnt that Sri Varavar Rao has been admitted to JJ Hospital at Mumbai while in judicial custody.The matter is being informed to family members and necessary passes are being issued by DCP CZ for family to travel to Mumbai.
We are coordinating with agencies at Mumbai," Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar tweeted. The 80-year-old Rao is currently lodged at the Taloja jail at Navi Mumbai.
Varavara Rao's wife Hemalatha in a statement on Saturday expressed serious concern over his health condition. The family came to know from police in Hyderabad on Friday night that he was admitted to hospital, she said.
The information available to the family about his health and the sequence of events preceding his admission to hospital in Mumbai is unclear, she said.
".. meanwhile, the statement by Telangana police officials that they would make arrangements for the family to visit Mumbai, is much more worrying," she said.
On her part, she is not in a position to travel to Mumbai right now as she is 72 and not in good health. A legal attempt to get permission for the family to meet him is being undertaken in Mumbai, she said.
"It is enough if the government gives permission needed in the context of COVID-19 and we take care of our travel arrangements."
She requested the Centre and the governments of Maharashtra and Telangana to arrange a video conference with him immediately to enable the family members to know the actual status of his health condition.
As Varavara Rao has already undergone 18 months of incarceration on "fabricated charges and without any trial," he should be released immediately on bail, Hemalatha said.
Saying that Rao had pre-existing health issues like coronary artery disease and hypertension, she said a thorough medical examination should be done by an expert team of doctors to ascertain what led to the "present emergency."
The Union Home Ministry should direct the NIA to give up the "vindictive" attitude towards Rao and other co-accused. Union MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy, a Telugu person, should take this responsibility, she said.
"It is the responsibility of the Telangana government to take care of Varavara Rao's health and security as he took part in the separate Telangana agitation since 1969 as a worthy son of Telangana," she added.
Expressing concern over Varavara Rao's health, former CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy sought his release and shifting him to a hospital in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, Union MoS (Home) Kishan Reddy, who addressed a video press conference from Delhi, said he would act as per law.
"Definitely, we want the health of all to be good.We will think as to what help we can do as per law.It is not a matter to be stated openly.
We always have a humanitarian approach. We will think accordingly," he said.
Reddy was asked about an appeal reportedly made by Varavara Raos daughter that Kishan Reddy and Telangana government should help him in getting bail as the Maharashtra government was allegedly opposing it.
Eleven people including Rao have been arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was transferred to the National Investigation Agency by the Centre in January.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 31,2017,which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.
The Pune police also claimed that the conclave was backed by Maoists.
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Akola hottest in India at 46.9 deg C; Vidarbha under grip of heat wave
Nagpur (PTI): Akola in Maharashtra has recorded the highest temperature in the country at 46.9°C, while Nagpur and several other parts of Vidarbha reeled under a severe heat wave, MeT officials said on Monday.
Heat wave conditions are expected to persist across parts of the state's Vidarbha region till Tuesday, as maximum temperatures may reach 45 to 46 degrees Celsius and touch 47 degrees Celsius at isolated locations, they said.
On Sunday, Akola recorded 46.9 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in the country, followed by Amravati at 46.8 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nagpur.
Wardha sizzled at 46.4 degrees Celsius, Yavatmal logged 46 degrees Celsius, Nagpur scorched at 45.4 degrees Celsius, while Chandrapur recorded 45 degrees Celsius, as per the data.
Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Nagpur experienced heat wave conditions, while several other districts reported above-normal temperatures, RMC scientist Dr Praveen Kumar told PTI.
The prevailing above-normal and persistently high temperatures over Vidarbha can be attributed to an anticyclonic circulation over Maharashtra and adjoining areas. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds have been continuously affecting the region, he said.
In addition, weak western disturbances and the absence of moisture incursion or any significant weather systems have contributed to the intensification of heat over the region, the official said.
As per the Met department, heat wave conditions are likely to continue at a few or isolated places over the region till Tuesday.
The IMD has issued an 'orange' alert for Akola, Amravati and Wardha and a 'yellow' alert for Nagpur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal for Tuesday, saying that the maximum temperatures are likely to reach 45 to 46 deg C and possibly up to 47 deg C at isolated locations.
A relief from the heat wave is expected thereafter and the mercury is likely to dip by 2 to 3 deg C, with the possibility of rainfall and gusty winds in the coming days, it added.
The IMD grades the severity of any weather system through colour-coded alerts – green (no warning), yellow (be aware), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).
