Major lapse: Delhi Metro train runs with doors open
New Delhi: In a major lapse, a packed Delhi Metro train Thursday sped between two stations on an elevated corridor with doors open on one side. The train operator has been suspended. Hundreds in the Yellow Line train were taken aback as the train left Arjangarh at 9.40 a.m. with its doors still open, the metro realizing the blunder only when it reached Ghitorni station two minutes later. Surprisingly, there was not much of a panic and passengers quickly moved away from the open doors. A few coolly recorded the bizarre scene on their mobile cameras. The train was plying between Huda City Centre in Haryana and Jahangirpuri in Delhi. Arjangarh is the last station in Haryana and Ghitorni the first in Delhi on this section. Delhi Metro admitted that “prima facie it is an error by the train operator and he has been suspended with immediate effect. The matter is being investigated”. A Metro spokesperson told IANS that it would be difficult to guess how many people were in the train as the incident happened during morning peak rush hour. An eight-coach metro train often carries 100-150 people in every coach. Livid passengers hit out at Delhi Metro. “It is a major safety lapse and indicates utter carelessness by Delhi Metro,” Soubhik Mukherjee, who travels on the Yellow Line six days a week, told IANS. Another commuter said Delhi Metro used to be considered as the best public transport system in India. “But it is slowly starting to show cracks with delayed trains, frequent breakdowns and now this. It is very unfortunate,” he said. (IANS)
Now pay more for electricity in Delhi
New Delhi: Delhiites will have to pay more for their electricity consumption as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) Thursday hiked the power tariff. The consumers will have to pay Rs.4 per unit for consuming power up to 200 units, instead of the earlier Rs.3.90 per unit, said DERC chairman P.D. Sudhakar. Each unit consumed between 201 and 400 units will cost Rs.5.95 per unit, as against the present Rs.5.80 per unit. Those paying Rs.6.80 per unit for consuming power between 401 and 800 units, will have to shell out Rs.7.30 per unit. The power cost between 801 and 1,200 units will be Rs.8.10 against the existing Rs.7 per unit. Beyond 1,200 units, price of power per unit will be Rs.8.75. (IANS)
Modi speaks to German Chancellor; wishes her on birthday
Frankfurt: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and conveyed that Germany was a “valued friend” of India and he was looking forward to working with her to make bilateral ties stronger. During his “technical halt” here, Modi, who is on his way back after attending BRICS Summit in Brazil, spoke to Merkel, who extended a standing invitation to him to visit Germany for an official bilateral engagement. Calling the German leader from his hotel Steinberger, Modi invited her to India for India-Germany Consultations (IGC) next year. The Prime Minister wished Merkel on her 60th birthday. “Had a telephonic conversation with Chancellor Merkel. Wished her on her birthday & congratulated her on Germany’s win at the FIFA World Cup,” Modi tweeted after the call. He further tweeted that “Germany is India’s valued friend & I look forward to working with Chancellor Merkel to make India’s relations with Germany stronger.” Modi, who could not meet the German Chancellor when he made a overnight stopover in Berlin while en route to Brazil because she had to go to Rio de Janeiro for the FIFA World Cup final, also congratulated her on Germany’s splendid victory. Describing the talks as “fruitful”, the officials said the Prime Minister conveyed that India regards Germany as a very important partner and that his government will work closely with the German side to strengthen and deepen the bilateral strategic partnership. On her part, Merkel has invited India to participate as ‘Partner’ country in Hanover Trade Fair in 2015. (PTI)
Woman stripped, assaulted in Bihar, CM orders probe
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Thursday ordered a probe over a woman being stripped and assaulted publicly in a village in Jehanabad district. Sangita Devi, in her late 40s, was stripped and assaulted by a group of people Wednesday night for allegedly kidnapping a man, who was involved in a land deal with her in Jehanabad’s Nizamuddinpur village, 50 km from here. “The woman has sustained severe injuries and was admitted to a hospital after she was attacked, stripped and beaten by some people in the presence of other villagers,” said a district police official. Manjhi has ordered a probe into the incident after the issue was raised in the state assembly. “I have ordered an inquiry into it,” Manjhi told reporters here. Anjum Aara, state women’s commission chairperson, has strongly condemned the incident and called for stringent action against those involved in it. (Agencies)
HC upholds life term of man for raping five-yr-old girl
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday upheld the life term awarded to a man for raping a five-year-old girl saying that the minor’s statement had a “ring of truth” and there was no reason to disbelieve her. A bench of justices P K Bhasin and J R Midha dismissed the appeal of Om Prakash and upheld the sentence given by a trial court here in 2011 saying the evidence of witnesses has remained unshattered in their cross-examination. “Evidence of all the witnesses remained unshattered in their cross-examination and all of them render full credence to the prosecution case. In fact, the accused-appellant himself did not explain in his statement under Section 313 CrPC (recording of statement of accused) as to how he came to be apprehended by the public,” the court said. “We are, therefore, of the view that there is no merit in this appeal and accordingly it is rejected,” it said. Om Prakash, a resident of Aman Vihar here, was awarded rigorous imprisonment for life by the trial court. According to the prosecution, on June 6, 2009, the victim was playing outside her house with her four-year-old brother and another boy. After some time, when the victim’s mother came out, she could not find her kids there. During search, her son came and apprised her that one ‘buggiwala’ (Om Prakash) had taken his sister with him towards the fields. When the woman went to the house of Om Prakash, who lived nearby, she saw her daughter crying in his lap. She snatched her daughter from the man and informed the police. He was then arrested by police. (PTI)