Telangana plant explosion: Toll reaches 42, eight still missing
Hyderabad, July 6: The toll in the Sigachi Industries’ pharma plant explosion in Sangareddy district rose to 42, officials said on Sunday. One person, who suffered burns in the June 30 explosion, succumbed at a hospital today, while the other person’s death was confirmed through DNA profiling, a senior police official said. Eight people are missing after the explosion at the plant in Pashamylaram, the official said. “There are samples at the FSL (Forensic Science Lab). Yesterday also bones were recovered and today other body parts were found (from the explosion site) and if they match (in DNA tests with family members) then the missing persons count will reduce further,” he said. Eighteen people were undergoing treatment in hospitals as of Sunday, while 14 injured persons were discharged earlier. (PTI)
UK sends team to repair stranded Navy jet in Kerala
New Delhi, July 6: A UK F-35B Lightning II fighter jet that made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport nearly three weeks ago, is now set to be moved for repairs, as a UK engineering team has arrived arrived in India to undertake the complex task. According to sources, more than a dozen technicians are a part of this crucial repair-work mission. Confirming this development, a British High Commission spokesperson said, “A UK engineering team has deployed to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion”. “The UK has accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and are in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities. In line with standard procedure, the aircraft will be moved following the arrival of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process. The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams”, it further added. (IANS)
Police nab notorious robbery-murder accused
New Delhi, July 6: In a big breakthrough, Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested Ajay Lamba alias Bansi, a notorious criminal who had been on the run for 25 years. Wanted in four brutal robbery-cum-murder cases across Delhi and Uttarakhand, Lamba was apprehended by the NDR/R.K. Puram team after a long and meticulous operation involving both technical and manual surveillance. The accused, declared a proclaimed offender, has been evading arrest since 2001. A school dropout from Krishna Nagar, Delhi, Lamba took to crime at a young age and was once listed as a Bad Character from PS Vikas Puri. By 1996, he had changed his identity and relocated to Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where he formed a deadly alliance with associates Dhirendra and Dilip Negi. His modus operandi was chilling: the gang would hire taxi drivers, murder them, loot their vehicles, and dump the bodies in remote hilly terrains to avoid detection. (IANS)