Muslim men tied, beaten, paraded in Durgapur; BJP leader among those booked
Durgapur: Two Muslim men were allegedly tied up, beaten, and publicly humiliated by members of a Hindutva outfit accompanied by BJP workers in Durgapur on Friday, after they were seen transporting cattle for agricultural purposes.
A case has been registered against Parijat Ganguly, a leader of the BJP’s youth wing, and others involved in the assault. Police confirmed that two individuals have already been arrested and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused.
A video of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, shows the victims being brutally assaulted, tied by the hands, and forced to perform sit-ups while holding their ears, a form of punishment often used to shame individuals in public.
The Muslim men had reportedly purchased cattle from a weekly market in Hatashuria village of Bankura district and were en route to their village in Jemua, near Durgapur. Despite possessing valid purchase and transport documents, BJP workers allegedly released the cattle by force and confiscated the men’s money and documents.
Further compounding the abuse, the attackers falsely accused the victims, who are Indian citizens and registered voters, of being Bangladeshis.
West Bengal Police issued a statement asserting strict action against the culprits: “A case has been registered over the incident and two of the miscreants have already been arrested. Raids are on to apprehend all those involved. None will be spared.”
Reaffirming its stance on communal harmony, the police added: “Nothing and no one will be allowed to dent our state’s tradition of inclusivity and harmony. We always have, and always will, demonstrate zero tolerance for religious bigotry of any kind.”
Trinamool Congress MLA from Pandabeswar, Narendranath Chakraborty, condemned the attack and directly blamed the BJP.
“BJP leader Parijat Ganguly is harassing local people. This is the true face of the BJP, not service, but oppression,” Chakraborty said.
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Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
