Two coaches of Patalkot Express train catch fire in Agra, 2 injured
Agra (UP) (PTI): Two coaches of Patalkot Express train caught fire in Agra district in Uttar Pradesh Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least two passengers injured, officials said.
The train was heading to Seoni in Madhya Pradesh from Firozpur Cantonment in Punjab when the fire broke out in the third and fourth coaches from the engine around 3.45 pm, they said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) of the Agra Police Commissionerate Sonam Kumar told PTI that two passengers were injured and sent to hospital.
"Five fire tenders and a forensic team have reached the spot," Kumar said.
Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava said the cause of the fire was not immediately known.
"A fire incident in Patalkot Express has been reported between Bhandai and Jajau in NCR (North Central Railway), Agra Division.... Two coaches have been completely burnt. Since two adjacent coaches have also been affected, a total of four coaches have been detached from the train.... The situation is under control," she said.
According to a railway source, Bhandai station is about 10 km from Agra station and the fire broke out when the train left Bhandai for the next station, Jajau.
According to railway officials, the train was stopped when smoke was detected and it was immediately evacuated.
"Train operations on Agra-Dholpur route have been impacted as many trains have been stopped at various stations," the source said.
The express train runs between Firozpur Cantonment in Punjab and Seoni in Madhya Pradesh.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
