Limousine from Putin’s official fleet catches fire in Moscow, sparks assassination peculations
Moscow: A £275,000 Aurus Senat limousine, believed to be part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official car fleet, caught fire and exploded in Moscow on March 29. The incident occurred on a street near the headquarters of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Lubyanka, according to media reports.
Videos of the burning vehicle have gone viral, leading to speculation about a possible assassination attempt on Putin. The footage reportedly shows the fire originating in the engine before spreading inside the car, The Sun reported.
It remains unclear who was inside the vehicle at the time, as no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is also yet to be determined. Witnesses, including workers from nearby bars and restaurants, attempted to assist before emergency services arrived and brought the situation under control.
Reports suggest the incident has heightened concerns over Putin’s security. Russian special services have reportedly intensified protective measures, with Federal Protective Service (FSO) officers recently seen inspecting garbage dumps and sewer drains for potential threats near a venue where Putin was speaking.
Putin, known for using Russian-made vehicles, has also gifted similar cars, including one to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A Kremlin-linked source indicated that security around the president has reached unprecedented levels, with both visible and covert protection measures in place.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
