Fake passport racket: Police arrest kingpin from North 24 Parganas
Kolkata (PTI): Police arrested the kingpin of the fake passport racket from West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, an officer said on Sunday.
Acting on the inputs of those arrested earlier in connection with the same case, Kolkata Police nabbed the accused identified as Manoj Gupta late Saturday night from a house in Chadapara station road under Gaighata police station limits, the officer said.
Gupta is a resident of Silpara area of Behala and was running a travel agency in Sakherbazar, he said.
"This guy has been the brain behind the fake passport racket. Behind his travel agency, he was running the fake passport racket. It is believed that the man was also involved in issuing visas," the police officer told PTI.
Earlier this month, Kolkata Police arrested a contractual employee of the postal department from Parnasree area of Behala.
Before that, police arrested two persons from the North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.
They seized several fake documents, hard disk drives, a computer, and one laptop, which were used to manufacture the fake passports.
Police had recovered several fake documents during a raid at a house in the southern part of the city's Haridevpur area.
The racket has been manufacturing fake passports, mostly to help Bangladeshis get illegal identities to stay here and roam around the globe.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
