Bantwal: In a distressing incident, a young individual identified as Praveen Kulal, hailing from Netla near Kalladka in Bantwal taluk, has committed suicide by jumping into the Netravathi river from a bridge. The motive behind the suicide is suspected to be his ongoing battle with mental illness.

Earlier on the same day hours before Praveen committed suicide , he posted a message about his death on a WhatsApp group comprising his friends from Netla. Deeply concerned upon reading the distressing post, his friends immediately attempted to contact him but were unsuccessful in reaching him. Following which they immediately contacted and lodged a complaint with the police and requested them to identify his whereabouts. It is learnt that he had jumped off the bridge before the police could act.

He stopped the bike on the road near the new bridge and left his slippers there before plunging into the Netravati river. Swift action was taken by divers Mohammed M K, Sameer Chammi, and Ashraf Akkarangadi, who collaborated with the fire brigade and police to locate and retrieve the body within a few hours of the incident.

Bantwal City Station Officer Ramakrishna visited the spot and registered a case.

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Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.

The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.

Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.

“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.

The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.

"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.

Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.

The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).

Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.

"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.

"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.

Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".

The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.

"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.

"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.

TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.

"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.