BSF officer killed in fire at border outpost in Bengal
KOLKATA, April 16: A Border Security Force officer was killed in a fire that engulfed the paramilitary force’s fuel depot in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, officials said.The incident took place at the Bankra border outpost (BOP) in Hingalganj along the India-Bangladesh border.Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Jagi Ram was trapped inside the fuel dump as a huge fire followed a blast, killing the officer, the officials said.The dump fuelled the BSF boats that patrol the riverine areas of the Sundarbans.There were no other casualties or injuries, the officials said.The outpost belongs to the 77th Battalion of the BSF.Jagi Ram had joined the BSF in 1990.Police and the force are conducting an inquiry into the matter, the officials said. (PTI)
Eight devotees killed in Andhra road accident
CHILAKALADONA (AP), April 16: At least eight devotees, five of them women, were killed and 10 others injured after a Light Commercial Vehicle collided with a tanker iin Kurnool district on Thursday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the accident as deeply distressing. ”I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured will be given Rs 50,000,” he said in a post on X. “Eight devotees died on the spot, while several others sustained injuries and were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment,”Yemmiganur Deputy Superintendent of Police N Bhargavi told PTI..The accident occurred when devotees were travelling to Mantralayam for darshan of Sri Raghavendra Swamy, and the vehicle carrying nearly 20 passengers rammed into a tanker. Andhra Pradesh CMN Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock The accident occurred around 3 am on NH-167 when the driver, reportedly drowsy, drove in the wrong direction, leading to the collision, she said.The presence of 20 people in the LCV worsened the impact of the accident, resulting in higher casualties. A minor girl and two men were among those killed. (PTI)





