Bhubaneswar (PTI): The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Friday intensified into a cyclonic storm and will graze past the Sunderbans before making landfall on Bangladesh coast with a maximum wind speed of 80 kmph, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.
The cyclonic storm named 'Midhili' will cross the Bangladesh coast during November 17 night or early hours of November 18, it said.
The system over the Bay of Bengal lay centered at 5.30 am on Friday at about 190 km east of Paradip (Odisha), 200 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 220 km southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), the national weather agency said.
"It is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during November 17 night or early hours of November 18," the IMD said.
The name 'Midhili' was given by the Maldives. Countries affected by the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal cyclones rotationally give names of cyclones in a sequence.
The IMD said the cyclone Midhili will have no major impact on Odisha as it passes above 150 kilometres from the state's coast. However, some districts like Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur likely to get heavy rainfall on Friday, IMD scientist Umashankar Das said.
Meanwhile, Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has put all the District Collectors on alert in the wake of the cyclone in the BoB. "We do not want to take any chance and therefore put the state machinery on alert for any eventuality," SRC Satyabrata Sahoo said.
However, the IMD forecast said West Bengal's coastal districts like North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, East Medinpur and Kolkata are likely to get rainfall in the range of 20 mm to 110 mm within 24 hours of Friday.
This is the second deep depression during this season. The previous cyclone Hamoon also headed towards the Bangladesh coast.
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Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
