BJP MLA held for firing at Shiv sena leader booked in SC/ST case for abusing woman
Thane, Feb 4: Maharashtra BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who is accused of shooting at a Shiv Sena leader inside a police station in Thane district, has been booked in an SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act case, an official said on Sunday.
Gaikwad was booked on the complaint of a villager who claimed she was subjected to casteist abuse by him and seven others on January 31, the official added.
Gaikwad had pumped six bullets into Kalyan Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad and also injured the latter's associate Rahul Patil late Friday night inside the cabin of the Hill Line police station's senior inspector. The three-time Kalyan East MLA has been charged with attempt to murder and other offences in the case.
"On the complaint of a resident of Dwarli village on Saturday, Ganpat Gaikwad and seven others were charged under the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," a Hill Line police station official said.
"A probe into the allegations of the woman, who is a land owner, is underway," the station house officer of Hill Line police station said.
Meanwhile, doctors treating Mahesh Gaikwad said he continues to be critical.
Thane guardian minister Shambhuraj Desai, who visited the hospital during the day, said he was under observation.
"I was asked not to talk to him or remain in the room for long. His doctors told me his health is a matter of concern and requires a lot of care. He is being given the best treatment," Desai told reporters.
The hospital did not issue a bulletin on Mahesh Gaikwad's health, while its public relations personnel were unavailable for comment.
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One dead, 20 rescued after tourist boat capsizes off Calangute beach in Goa
Panaji, Dec 25: One person died and 20 others were rescued after a tourist boat capsized in the Arabian Sea off Calangute beach in North Goa on Wednesday, police said.
The incident occurred around 1.30 pm, they said.
"A 54-year-old man died and 20 others were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after the boat they were travelling in capsized," a senior police official said.
Except for two passengers, all others were wearing life jackets, he said.
The passengers included children as young as six year old and women, he said.
Spokesman of Drishti Marine, a government-appointed lifesaving agency, said the boat capsized around 60 metres away from the coastline, resulting in all the passengers falling off into the sea water.
A family comprising 13 members from Khed in Maharashtra were among the passengers on board, he said.
On seeing the boat getting capsized, a personnel of Drishti Marine rushed to aid and called for backup, he said.
"In all, 18 on-duty lifesavers rushed to the aid of the struggling passengers and brought them to shore safely," he said.
The injured passengers were administered first aid, while those who were found to be critical were rushed to a medical facility in an ambulance, the spokesman said.
"Of the 20 passengers, two children aged six and seven each, and two women aged 25 and 55 each, were revived and hospitalised," he said, adding that two passengers on the boat were not wearing life jackets.
Goa is a popular tourist destination, especially during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The incident occurred a week after a speeding Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and crashed into passenger ferry 'Neel Kamal' off the Mumbai coast, killing 15 persons. The ferry, carrying more than 100 passengers, was on its way from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist attraction famous for its cave temples.
