MP: Sidhi urination incident victim seeks release of accused, says latter has realised his mistake
Bhopal (PTI): The victim of the urination incident in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh has urged the state government to release the accused involved in the act, saying that the latter has realised his mistake.
Police on Wednesday arrested Pravesh Shukla, accused of urinating on the victim, Dashmat Rawat, who belongs to a tribal community. A video of the incident went viral on social media platforms on Tuesday, following which the police registered a case against the accused and arrested him.
Besides facing relevant charges under the IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, action has also been initiated under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), against Shukla, who is currently lodged in a jail. An alleged illegal portion of the house belonging to Shukla in Sidhi was also demolished.
"My demand to the government is that a mistake has been committed (by the accused) Now Pravesh Shukla should be released. Whatever has happened in the past, he has realised his mistake," Rawat told reporters on Friday when asked about the action against the accused.
When pointed out that he was making this demand this despite the humiliating act of the accused, the victim said, "Yes, I agree...He is a Pandit of our village, we demand from the government to release him."
Rawat also said that except the construction of a road in the village, he has nothing more to demand from the government.
The urination episode has triggered a political controversy in Madhya Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due by the year-end, with the Congress alleging that the accused was linked to a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and the saffron party denying its connection with him in any way.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday washed the feet of the victim at the CM's residence in Bhopal and also apologised to him over the humiliating incident. But the opposition party dubbed Chouhan's move as mere drama.
The state government also sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the victim and provided an additional sum of Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of his house.
A Brahmin organisation on Friday opposed the demolition of a part of the house of Shukla, saying his act was deplorable but his family members cannot be punished for his behaviour.
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.
Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘missing link’ to open on May 1; will improve travel safety: Shinde
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the long-awaited ‘missing link’ on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, aimed at bypassing the winding Bhor Ghat section and improving safety, will be inaugurated on May 1.
Shinde, who inspected the project site, said the new stretch will make the expressway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the hilly section.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to inaugurate the 13.3-km-long missing link, which connects Khopoli on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala, on Maharashtra Day, which is celebrated on May 1, he said.
The deputy CM said that 99 per cent of the project work has been completed. “I personally inspected the quality of work and found it satisfactory. The remaining minor works will be completed in the next few days,” Shinde said.
Shinde said the new alignment will bypass sharp curves and accident-prone stretches in the ghat section, helping reduce delays and improve commuter safety. He claimed accidents in the section would reduce substantially once the project becomes operational.
“The missing link project will make travel between Mumbai and Pune quicker, safer and more convenient, and will contribute significantly to the state’s development,” he said.
The Rs 6,700-crore project, developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), includes two tunnels, high viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley.
The missing link will reduce the travel distance between Mumbai and Pune by approximately 6 km and shorten the journey time by 20 to 30 minutes, said officials.
Initially, only light motor vehicles and buses will be permitted on the new stretch to reduce congestion on the existing ghat section, officials said, adding that heavy goods vehicles will be prohibited due to safety concerns.
“There will be no toll hike because of the missing link project. No increase has been proposed at the Khalapur toll plaza either,” Shinde said.
The project comprises two eight-lane tunnels of 1.75 km and 8.92 km in length and two viaducts measuring 850 metres and 650 metres, said officials. It has been designed to bypass the old Khandala ghat section, a winding route that has long slowed down traffic and posed safety risks, said officials.
The 650-metre viaduct will feature what officials described as India’s tallest road cable-stayed bridge, with pylons rising to 182 metres, taller than those on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
Officials claimed that the tunnels have a width of 23.75 metres and are among the widest road tunnels in the world. An MSRDC official said the tunnel is likely to be included in the Guinness Book of Records.
The route runs beneath the Lonavala lake area and was executed in difficult terrain marked by heavy rainfall and strong winds, officials said.
Shinde said projects such as the missing link would boost access to tourist destinations such as Lohagad Fort, Visapur Fort and Karla Caves.
MP Shrirang Barne, former corporator Abasaheb Bagul, MSRDC Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad and senior engineers from executing agencies were present during the inspection, officials said.
Krishnamurthy Subramanian, executive chairman of construction and engineering company Afcons International Private Limited, said the journey to completion of “India’s highest road cable-stayed bridge” was challenging.
“The bridge, located in the Sahyadri region, presented extreme challenges, including narrow ridges that left little room for heavy machinery, sudden wind speeds reaching up to 100 kmph, and dense fog reducing visibility to a few metres. Despite these conditions, we are proud to deliver this engineering marvel,” he said.
The expressway, spanning approximately 95 km, holds the distinction of being India's first access-controlled highway.
