Death toll climbs to 17 in fire at cracker factory in Ujjain
Ujjain(MP): The death toll in the fire at a cracker factory in Badnagar town of Ujjain district has risen to 17 with two more persons, including a woman, succumbing to their injuries in a hospital at Indore, police said on Sunday. The blaze had on Saturday claimed 15 lives, including eight women and three children, they said. The fire had broken out last evening in the cracker factory, situated near Khob Darwaza in the city, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Pankaj Shrivastava told PTI. Two more persons succumbed to their injuries on Sunday, he said. A magisterial probe has been ordered by the District Collector in this regard, police said. The factory belongs to one Yusuf Hussain, who was detained by police after the mishap, they said. The fire-tenders took over an hour to control the blaze which caused panic in the area, police said. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh government last night announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the kin of those killed in the incident and Rs 50,000 each to the injured persons. (PTI)
Former DMK minister held for ‘violating’ model code
Ramanathapuram (TN): Former DMK Minister Suba Thangavelan was arrested here on Sunday under provisions of Motor Vehicles Act for violating the poll code and canvassing for the party candidate in a convoy of over 12 vehicles, police said. Thangavelan was canvasing for party candidate Mohamed Jaleel on Arpil 20 at Kulanur for the April 24 Lok Sabha polls, using a convoy of more than 12 vehicles, they said. He had not only violated the model code, but the MV Act by going in a big convoy without police permission and canvassing for Jaleel, police added. Acting on a complaint from the sub-registrar of cooperatives Dhanapal, seeking action against him, a case was registered against him. (PTI)
Shahabuddin shifted from jail for cell phone threats
Patna: Former Bihar MP Mohammad Shahabuddin was Sunday shifted from one jail to another following complaints that he was managing his wife’s poll campaign and threatening rivals on mobile phone, an official said. Shahabuddin, a criminal turned politician undergoing a life term, was shifted from Siwan jail to Gaya jail. His wife Hina Shahab is a Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate from Siwan parliamentary constituency where election is due to take place May 12. “After complaints by the BJP and other political parties that Shahabuddin is using mobile phone to threaten his rivals and is managing his wife’s campaign, the district administration shifted him from Siwan jail to Gaya jail,” a police official said. “He was shifted to ensure free and fair elections in Siwan,” the official added. After the Patna High Court dismissed his plea to suspend his conviction in a criminal case so that he could contest the Lok Sabha elections, the RJD fielded his wife from Siwan. His wife was defeated in the last Lok Sabha polls. Last week, the Election Commission ordered the suspension of half a dozen policemen for allowing a jailed former legislator to use a mobile phone in a court in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. Munna Shukla was shifted from Muzaffarpur jail to Bhagalpur jail following an order of the poll panel after a complaint said he was found using a mobile phone in the court premises. (IANS)
Bank clerk held for raping woman on marriage pretext
Morena (MP): A bank clerk was arrested for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage and sent to judicial remand. Jitendra Jatav, a resident of Morena, had promised to marry the woman, and established sexual relations with her before getting a job at a public sector bank, prosecution said on Sunday. However, after getting appointed as clerk in the bank’s Balaghat branch, he refused to marry the woman and fixed his marriage with someone else, following which the victim filed a complaint against him recently, prosecution said. The accused was arrested by police on Saturday and produced before a local court which, despite his written assurances to marry the woman (complainant), sent him to judicial remand. Jatav was supposed to get married on May 1 and following his arrest, his planned marriage with a Gwalior-based woman also broke. (PTI)
