3 die, 31 fall ill after eating poisonous ‘prasad’
Raipur:Three persons died and 31 others fell ill after consuming ‘prasad’ at a religious event in Chhattisgarh’s Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, police said on Monday. As per eye witnesses, people started feeling uneasy and some of them fainted after eating the ‘prasad’ (consisting of puris and kheer) at the programme held in Boda village under Bhilaigarh police station limits last night, Balodabazar-Bhatapara Collector Rajesh Sukumar Toppo told PTI. They were rushed to a local hospital where three villagers were declared brought dead, Toppo said. The deceased have been identified as Kartik Ram Kewat (50), Rameshwar Kewat (45) and Gorelal Gond (38), he said. Of the sick, 27 were referred to CIMS (Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Science) hospital in Bilaspur while four others were shifted to a hospital in Raipur after being provided primary treatment at a local hospital in Bhilaigarh, he said. A case has been registered in this connection and matter is under investigation, the Collector said. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Balodabazar has also been directed to probe the incident and register cases against those found guilty, he added. Chief Minister Raman Singh has announced a compensation of Rs one lakh each to the kin of the deceased. (PTI)
Naxal commander surrenders in Chhattisgarh
Raipur:A Maoist Janmilitia commander carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s naxal-affected Dantewada district on Monday, police said. Sukhram Kawde (22) turned himself in before senior police and CRPF officials, disillusioned by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) ideology and ill treatment by senior cadres, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI. A native of villager Kodoli of Narayanpur district’s Orchha police station limits, Kawde was actively working as the janmilitia commander of Maduttar Bastar division in naxal den Abhujmad, Kashyap said. He has been involved in several incidents of naxal crimes in the region, the SP said. The surrendered rebel will be rehabilitated as per the policy of the state government, he added. (PTI)
14 mobile phones, chargers, cash seized from Bihar jail
Sitamarhi:A haul of items, including 14 mobile phones, were on Monday seized from the premises of a divisional jail in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, a police official said. A team of civil and police officials led by Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Singh raided the divisional jail premises and seized the mobile phones, 16 chargers, Rs 16,220 cash, besides bottles of foreign liqour from the prison cells, Deputy Superintendent of Police M N Upadhyaya said. A report will be sent to the district administration for initiating action against jail officials for their alleged role in allowing supply of these items to the inmates, he said. (PTI)
Woman beaten to death on suspicion of witchcraft; 12 held
Raipur: A 55-year-old woman was beaten to death in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district allegedly by her family members who suspected her of practising ‘black magic’, police said on Monday. Twelve persons, including five women, were arrested for killing Dukalhin Bai Patel in Banjarpur village on the night of October 25, Bemetara Superintendent of Police (in-charge) Narendra Khare said. As per the statement of the deceased’s son Ashok, Dukalhin Bai’s brother-in-law Nakul Patel suspected that she practised some witchcraft on a child in their family who had been suffering from an illness for a long time, Khare said. The victim was staying at her daughter’s place in Jamul village for the past few months. On Saturday, Nakul along with his two brothers went to Jamul and asked Dukalhin to come to Banjarpur to see Rupendra claiming his condition was deteriorating. When the woman reached her native place, Nakul and his relatives, including his wife and father, asked Dukalhin to treat the child while blaming her black magic practices for his bad health. When she refused to treat the child, they started thrashing her with sticks, the SP said.(PTI)
24 booked in Shamli for stone pelting at police
Muzaffarnagar:Atleast 24 persons have been booked for pelting stones at a police team injuring six policemen in Shamli district, police said on Monday. “The incident took place yesterday when a police team had gone to arrest one person in connection with a loot case. Locals started pelting stones at them, injuring six policemen,” said Incharge Police Post Mukesh Malic, who was also part of the team. 24 persons have been booked under various sections of IPC in this connection while 9 of them have been identified, he said adding, no arrests have been made so far. (PTI)