Rahul Gandhi slams govt over 'inhumane' working conditions of loco pilots
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the government over the working conditions of loco pilots, saying that being made to work in "inhumane" conditions is not only an injustice to them but also playing with the safety of crores of passengers who travel by trains.
Gandhi also shared a media report on X which claimed that Railways rejected the demand for a break and women staff were quoted as saying that they had to do eight hours duty without a toilet facility.
"Last year, when I met the railway loco pilots, I was deeply worried to know their conditions -- 14-hour shifts, continuous night duty, no adequate rest, no food break and no toilet facilities," Gandhi said
"After accidents, the railway shrugs off the responsibility by calling it 'human error', but does not explain how the employees are made to work in an inhumane manner," the former Congress president said.
Their basic demands were fixed working hours and a better environment but the government formed a committee just for show and there was no intention to find a solution, he alleged.
"Now even demands like food and toilet breaks have been rejected saying that 'it is not practical'. This is not only an injustice to the loco pilots, but also playing with the safety of crores of passengers who travel by trains," Gandhi said.
"This is a fight for justice and we are with the loco pilots in this - as long as the government remains deaf, we will keep raising our voice," he said.
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Kodagu: Five arrested for murder of coffee estate owner
Madikeri: Kodagu police have arrested five men in connection with the murder of coffee estate owner Pradeep Koili, whose body was found at his residence in Kongana village on April 23. Among those arrested is NS Anil, a short film director and actor, who has been identified as the main accused in the case.
Pradeep Koili, a native of Kannur in Kerala, was living alone at his plantation located under the B Shettigeri Gram Panchayat limits. He was found dead at his home last week, allegedly strangled using a nylon rope. The murder, which shocked the local community, triggered an intensive investigation led by a 12-member police team.
Addressing reporters on Saturday, Kodagu Superintendent of Police Ramarajan said that the five arrested individuals have been remanded to judicial custody. The accused have been identified as NS Anil (25) from Mugutageri village, Harish TS (29) from Nalluru village in Ponnampet taluk, Deepak (21) from Abburukatte village, Stefen D'Souza (26) from Nerugalale village, and Karthik HM (27) from Hithalamakki village in Somwarpet taluk.
According to police, Anil, the primary suspect, had been under pressure after a marriage proposal fell through. During the marriage discussions, the prospective bride’s family is said to have expressed reservations about Anil due to his lack of employment and assets. Police believe this setback may have motivated him to plot the murder, allegedly in a bid to acquire wealth quickly.
SP Ramarajan also revealed that Anil had a history of fraud. He had previously duped several residents in Bengaluru, Hassan, and Ponnampet by falsely claiming he could help locate hidden treasure on their properties. Similar fraudulent attempts were also reported in areas like Thithimathi, Konanakatte, and nearby villages.
In the present case, Anil had reportedly approached Pradeep Koili pretending to represent foreign buyers interested in purchasing the estate. He is said to have paid the victim Rs 1 lakh as advance to gain his trust.
CCTV footage from the area showed that the accused had attempted to cover up the crime by burying Koili’s body and trying to destroy surveillance cameras. During the investigation, police recovered Rs 13 lakh allegedly stolen from Koili’s house. They also seized two motorcycles, three mobile phones, and documents related to the estate property.
