Rasoolan Bibi, widow of Param Veer Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid, dies
Ghazipur (UP), Aug 2: Rasoolan Bibi, widow of 1965 Indo-Pak war hero and Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid, passed away in her native Dhamupur village here on Friday afternoon.
Company Quartermaster Havaldar Abdul Hamid was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honour, for displaying exemplary courage during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Family sources said 90-year-old Rasoolan Bibi had been unwell for some time.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed profound grief over the death of Rasoolan Bibi and extended their condolences to the bereaved family.
"The governor has condoled the death," a Raj Bhawan release issued here said.
"It is a matter of pride that martyr Abdul Hamid belonged to Uttar Pradesh who displayed exemplary courage for which he was awarded the highest award posthumously and his wife was a brave woman," Adityanath said in his message.
The last rites of Rasoolan Bibi will be performed on Saturday. She is survived by four sons and a daughter, family sources said.
As the news of her demise spread, a large number of people from different parts of the district visited her house to pay their last respects.
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Assam records nearly 18 pc voter turnout in first two hours of assembly polls
Guwahati (PTI): A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago.
Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 17.87 per cent of the state's 2.5 crore voters exercised their franchise till 9 am, officials said.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray for the elections, which is largely witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress.
The river island of Majuli recorded the highest turnout in the first two hours at 20.03 per cent, while Tamulpur in the Bodoland Territorial Region witnessed the lowest at 15.32 per cent.
Voters began queuing outside polling booths since early morning, despite rain in many parts of the state.
Prominent candidates who have cast their votes so far include Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Khowang, and BJP's Pradyut Bordoloi.
Votes are being cast at 31,490 polling stations across the 35 districts of the state, with polling concluding at 5 pm.
Among the heavyweight candidates whose fates would be decided in this election are Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi.
The Congress has fielded the highest number of candidates at 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The AIUDF has 30 candidates, while NDA constituents Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) are contesting 26 and 11 seats, respectively.
In the opposition bloc, Raijor Dal is contesting 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) 10, CPI(M) 3 and APHLC 2. Other parties in the fray include AAP (18), UPPL (18), TMC (22), JMM (16), besides 258 Independents.
Algapur-Katlicherra and Karimganj South have the highest number of candidates at 15 each, while nine constituencies -- Rangia, Jagiroad (SC), Hojai, Naduar, Jonai (ST), Doomdooma, Mahmora, Teok and Lakhipur -- have only two candidates each.
