Female lawyer travelling on Indore-Katni Narmada Express train remains untraced for 12 days
Bhopal, Aug 19 (PTI): It was supposed to be a 12-hour journey from Indore to Katni for a lawyer who was headed home for Rakshabandhan on August 7. However, she never reached the destination, and after 12 days, her kin suspect it to be a case of human trafficking.
According to police, the last location of 29-year-old Archana Tiwari was traced to Itarsi railway station. Her mobile phone was found switched off.
A senior officer on Monday said the case is being investigated from various angles to solve the mystery behind Tiwari's disappearance.
Tiwari was a practicing lawyer at the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. She was also preparing for a civil judge examination.
She left for Katni on August 7 by the Narmada Express train.
Tiwari's family members lodged a missing person complaint at the Rani Kamalapati GRP police station in Bhopal after her location was found at the railway station.
Police searched for clues in areas ranging from Rani Kamalapati railway station to Itarsi and Katni, and scanned CCTV cameras of the station and surrounding areas.
GRP Superintendent Rahul Kumar Lodha stated that all nearby railway stations, bus depots, and travel agencies have been informed.
"Every aspect is being looked into during the investigation, whether it is an accident, kidnapping, or any other reason," he said.
Lodha said Tiwari's last location was Itarsi railway station.
"Some people have seen her in the train at Itarsi railway station. Where she went, and what happened to her, we are trying to find out. We hope to get leads soon," Lodha added.
Meanwhile, Tiwari's family alleged it was a case of human trafficking and has demanded a CBI investigation.
"This is a case of human trafficking; however, police are not investigating this angle. I request the chief minister to hand over the investigation to the CBI," Tiwari's uncle Babu Prakash Tiwari told reporters.
He claimed a youth recently became a victim of poisoning and disappeared from Pipariya town.
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Oracle lays off around 12,000 employees in India, another round likely within a month
New Delhi (PTI): US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".
The company has offered 15 days' salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.
Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.
However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.
An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.
"I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens," Sridhar said.
