35 killed, 43 injured as man rams car into crowd in Chinese city
Beijing/Zhuhai, Nov 12: Thirty-five people were killed and 43 others injured when a 62-year-old man rammed his car into a crowd of people exercising at a sports centre on Monday in the Chinese city of Zhuhai, which is currently hosting the country's prestigious international air show.
Terming it a "major vicious incident", local police said the incident occurred around 7:48 p.m. Monday when citizens were exercising at the sports centre where a large number of people gathered for physical workouts, the official media reported Tuesday.
The attacker, a divorced man identified as Fan, was quickly brought under control by the police as he was fleeing the scene, they said.
Responding officers found Fan in his vehicle attempting to self-harm with a knife. They swiftly intervened and sent him to the hospital, it said.
Fan is still receiving medical treatment as he was unconscious due to severe injuries to his neck and other areas and is not yet fit to be questioned by the police, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the local police bureau as saying.
A preliminary investigation indicates that Fan's actions stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the property division outcome of his divorce, according to the police.
The police authorities have filed a case to investigate Fan on suspicion of endangering public safety by dangerous means and have placed him under criminal detention. Further investigations into the case and medical treatment for the injured are underway.
While the reports of the incident are widely censored on official and social media, videos posted on Twitter showed distressing pictures of bodies lying on the street with injured people crying for help.
While the incident took place on Monday evening, the Chinese official media released the reports only on Tuesday evening.
The incident took place just as China opened its six-day high-profile air show Tuesday, attended by several foreigners besides overseas media.
The Chinese military displayed a variety of fighter jets, including a new stealth fighter and drone ship, in the air show.
Besides China, other countries like Russia also displayed their new fighter aircraft.
Speculation is rife whether the car-ramming incident targeting a large crowd at a sports centre ahead of the opening of the prestigious air show was aimed at casting a shadow over it.
Expressing concern over the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all-out efforts to treat the injured.
He “demanded” the perpetrator be severely punished according to the law, Xinhua reported.
Xi urged all localities and relevant authorities to draw lessons from the case and to strengthen their prevention and control of risks at the source.
He also emphasised the importance of resolving disputes in time, preventing the occurrence of extreme cases, and making every effort to safeguard the security of the people's lives and social stability.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for appropriate handling of the aftermath of the incident, swiftly investigating the case and severely punishing the perpetrator in accordance with the law.
Li also called for coordinated risk prevention and control efforts to ensure social stability.
Following Xi's instruction, central authorities have dispatched a team to oversee the handling of the case, the report said.
Car ramming incidents, besides knife attacks on civilians, have taken place periodically in China in recent months. The incidents are routinely blamed on disgruntled elements by security officials.
In July, eight people died and five others injured after a vehicle crashed into pedestrians in Changsha City, the capital of China's central Hunan Province.
A 55-year-old man was arrested in the incident.
#Watch: 35 people have been killed and dozens of others were injured in a car ramming in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province.#China #Zhuhai #chinese #Accident pic.twitter.com/cQIxUoF8aw
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
