300 taken ill after eating contaminated food
Balrampur/Bahraich: At least 300 people, including children, were taken ill after consuming contaminated food during separate marriage ceremonies in two districts, police said on Sunday. At least 100 people, including 45 children, fell ill soon after eating the food served at a wedding ceremony yesterday, they said. They were admitted to the district hospital where condition of 35 people was said to be serious. A doctor at the district hospital said majority of the patients have been discharged. Similarly, 200 people fell ill after consuming contaminated food during two separate marriage ceremonies in Jarwal road area in Bahraich district last night. Sixty people have been admitted to the hospitals. Sub divisional magistrate J P Singh said that samples of food served in both the marriages have been taken for testing. (PTI)
Child rescued from borewell after 19 hours, dies in hospital
Villupuram (TN): After a 19-hour long struggle, a three-year old girl who fell into an abandoned borewell in the district was Sunday rescued, but she later died in hospital. R Madhumita, stuck at around 28-30 ft of the 500-feet borewell at Pallagaseri village since yesterday, was pulled out around 3 am and rushed to the Kallakurichi Government General Hospital, police said. After nearly an hour-long efforts to save her, the doctors declared her dead. “The child was in a state of coma when brought to the hospital… Affected by lack of oxygen for long hours,” hospital Superintendent Dr Udayakumar said. The girl, who was playing in the field owned by her father, fell into the borewell around 8 am Saturday as polythene sacks covering it gave away when she stepped on it. Teams from police, fire and rescue services personnel began resuce efforts, which included supply of oxygen into the borewell and digging a pit parallel to the borewell. TVS Community College personnel from Madurai too pitched in to support the rescue efforts and tried to pull out the girl using robotic arms in vain. The incident exposes yet again failure to enforce the 2010 Supreme Court guidelines on safety measures while digging borewells, issued in the aftermath of increasing number of fatal falls into borewells across the country. In September last year, a six-year old girl child met with a similar fate after falling into a borewell in Pulavanpadi village in Tiruvannamalai District. (PTI)
Toll operators giving money to ministers for campaign: Raj Thackeray
Nashik: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has alleged that toll operators in the state are “sponsoring” campaign of “ministers” for Lok Sabha elections. “Money packets are reaching ministers from toll-nakas in Maharashtra, who are using it to fund their poll campaign. Bhujbal too is pouring out money for Nashik Lok Sabha election…. I ask you not to accept his money and defeat him,” Raj told a public rally Saturday night. He was canvassing for MNS candidate Pradeep Pawar who is in the fray against PWD minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, AAP’s Vijay Pandhare and Shiv Sena’s Hemant Godse. The MNS chief said the central funds can be utilised to develop temple town of Trimbakeshwar on the lines of Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. During his address, MNS nominee Pawar alleged those who have surrendered their land for irrigation projects in the district are yet to be compensated and given employment. Calls made to PRO to Bhujbal’s office Sharad Koshire remained unanswered. District NCP president Ravindra Pagar too was not available for comment. (PTI)