Joint operations to find 3 more missing victims of Ankola landslide continue: Centre tells K'taka HC
Bengaluru: The Central government has informed the Karnataka High Court that the bodies of seven people have been recovered, of the 10 people who went missing after a major landslide on the National Highway 66 at Ankola in Uttara Kannada district on July 16, following intense rainfall, and also stated that the joint operations in the area are still on, to find the three others.
Deputy Solicitor General H Shanthi Bhushan, who filed a status report before the High Court, said that, in response to a request by the district administration authority on July 17, the Indian Navy had deployed two IN diving teams on July 19 to work in coordination with the NDRF team to locate an LPG tanker. The diving teams were equipped with high resolution sonar to locate another truck and the persons missing after the mishap. In addition, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team of the Indian Army was deployed for the work on July 21, the HC was told.
The status report was submitted with the petition filed by two advocates, Siji Malayil and Subhash Chandran KR, seeking deployment of the Indian Army personnel for the rescue operations.
The Supreme Court, in its order on July 22, rejected the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, although it gave liberty to the petitioner to approach the Karnataka High Court and urge for immediate listing of the matter.
The residents of Ankola have said that at least one truck and three cars, which were affected by the landslide, are still under the load of mud that collapsed on the vehicles. On the first four days of rescue operations, however, the local authorities only focused on clearing the path with limited manpower and equipment and without considering the seriousness of the situation, they added.
The petition filed in the High Court states that the inactions of the Karnataka government and the concerned police officers to speed-up the operations had deeply frustrated the petitioners.
They sought a direction to the Karnataka government as well as the Central government for an expedition in the operation work to clear the entire debris and locate the stranded human beings and vehicles using scientific methods.
The next hearing of the case in the Karnataka High Court is scheduled for Wednesday, July 24.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Should I grant bail to Sanjay Roy?: Court criticises CBI over delay in Kolkata doctor's rape-murder
Kolkata: A Sealdah court expressed strong displeasure on Friday after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to present its lawyer on time during the bail hearing of Sanjay Roy, the primary suspect in the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The CBI lawyer arrived 50 minutes late, leading to Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Pamela Gupta to question the agency's commitment. "Should I grant bail to Sanjay Roy?" she asked, highlighting the seriousness of the case and the need for prompt action. Despite the delay, the court rejected Roy's bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody until September 20.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) criticised the CBI's actions, with MP Saket Gokhale alleging that the agency was attempting to secure Roy's release on bail. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to resume its hearing on the case on September 9.
The trainee doctor's body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered in the hospital's seminar hall on August 9. Following the Calcutta High Court's order, the CBI took over the investigation from Kolkata Police on August 14.
