Tripura: 6 dead, 15 injured as Rath comes in contact with high-tension wire
Agartala, Jun 28: Six people died and 15 others were injured as a Rath caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension wire in Tripura's Unakoti district on Wednesday, police said.
The incident happened around 4.30 pm in Kumarghat area during the 'Ulta Rath Yatra' festival of Lord Jagannath, they said.
During this festival, the sibling deities -- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhdara and Lord Jagannath -- return to their abode, a week after Rath Yatra.
Thousands of people were pulling the Rath, made of iron, when it came in contact with a 133 kv overhead cable, police said.
Six people died on the spot and 15 others received burn injuries, Assistant Inspector General (Law & Order) Jyotishman Das Chowdhury told PTI.
The injured were undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, he said.
Their conditions were stated to be critical, officials said.
Chief Minister Manik Saha condoled the deaths.
"In a tragic accident at Kumarghat, several pilgrims lost their lives and several others were injured due to electrocution while pulling the 'Ulta Rath'. I am deeply saddened by this incident. Deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Also, I wish the injured persons a speedy recovery. The state government stands by them in this difficult time," he said.
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Pal to visit Hubballi & Vijayapura to interact with farmers affected by Waqf Board action: BJP MP
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday said the Chairperson of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 Jagdambika Pal will visit Hubballi and Vijayapura in Karnataka on November 7 to interact with farmers allegedly affected by Waqf Board's "predatory action".
The response came days after Surya had requested Pal to invite farmers from Vijayapura district as witnesses to discuss their land disputes with the Waqf Board.
"Chairman of JPC on Waqf has kindly consented to my request to visit Hubli (Hubballi) and Bijapur (Vijayapura) on 7th November to interact with farmers affected by the Waqf’s predatory action. Chairman will interact with farmer organisations, Mutts and petitions given to him will be placed before JPC," the Bengaluru South MP, who is a member of the Committee, said.
In a October 29 letter, Surya highlighted about his recent meeting with a delegation of farmers from Vijayapura district and other areas in the vicinity and had requested Pal to visit the affected regions in Karnataka to receive complaints and grievances and also have a public hearing with the farmers adversely impacted by the Waqf Board's action.
"These farmers, who have cultivated their lands for nearly a century, maintain records dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. In recent months, however, many of them have been served notices declaring their lands as Waqf property, without any accompanying evidence or explanation. The scale of these claims is substantial, with nearly 1,500 acres being designated as Waqf property in their village alone," he alleged in his letter to Pal.
According to him, the farmers claimed that apart from being served notices, changes have been made in the RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops), 'pahani' and mutation registers for some of the land parcels without following the due process of law.
Following allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, Karnataka Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah has said that none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn.
