‘Advantage Assam’ promises turning into projects on ground: CM Sarma

Sabarkantha, April 29 (IANS) At least six people were killed and eight others injured after a speeding private bus collided with a passenger van on a highway in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district on Wednesday, police said, with preliminary findings pointing to excessive speed as a key factor.

The accident occurred near Jasvantgadh Patiya, close to Himmatnagar, on the route connecting Shamlaji and Ahmedabad.

According to police, the van was travelling from Shamlaji towards Himmatnagar when it was struck from behind by a private bus.

Gambhoi police station Inspector Alpesh Chaudhary said six occupants of the van died at the scene. “Six passengers in the van lost their lives on the spot, while four others sustained injuries,” he said.

The impact left the van severely damaged. The injured were immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, police added.

Their condition was described as serious. Initial information suggests the bus was travelling at high speed at the time of the collision.

“The accident appears to have been caused by the excessive speed of the bus. We have taken cognisance of the matter and initiated an investigation,” Chaudhary said.

Police teams and emergency services reached the site shortly after the incident was reported.

Efforts were undertaken to remove the victims from the wreckage of the van.

The collision also led to a temporary disruption of traffic on the highway, with vehicles backed up as rescue operations were carried out.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the crash, including the role of the bus driver.

Officials said statements are being recorded and evidence from the site is being examined.

The identities of the deceased have not yet been officially released. Authorities said post-mortem procedures are being conducted in accordance with standard protocol.

The incident adds to a series of recent road accidents reported on highways in the region, with police reiterating the need for adherence to traffic regulations during the ongoing inquiry.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Oct 12 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Monday said that deciding whether to order a probe into the alleged sting operation targeting Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was the CM’s discretion.

He added that an investigation could be initiated only if those affected came forward and lodged complaints.

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Jarkiholi said he had no information about the alleged second part of the sting operation and that the government could speak only about the details already known.

“We do not know about that. We have to confine ourselves to what we have said so far. We know about part one and have spoken about it, but we have no information about part two,” he said.

Clarifying Shivakumar’s remarks on the issue, Jarkiholi said the Chief Minister had not claimed to possess information that ministers had already been targeted through sting operations. Instead, Shivakumar had advised ministers to remain cautious if anyone approached them with offers of money or other inducements.

“The Chief Minister has not said that sting operations have already been conducted. He has only asked ministers to be cautious and vigilant if anyone approaches them with offers of money or otherwise,” Jarkiholi said.

He added that Shivakumar had not named any minister as a target of a sting operation.

According to Jarkiholi, those who believed they had been affected should come forward for the matter to be investigated. In the absence of anyone coming forward, the decision on whether to initiate a probe rested with the Chief Minister, he said.

Meanwhile, responding to a question about the AHINDA grouping, Jarkiholi said its members would remain united.

“We will remain united when it comes to AHINDA,” he said, adding that there was no dinner meeting planned by the AHINDA group at present.

He further said there would be no such developments until the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls was completed.

It can be recalled that Chief Minister Shivakumar last week claimed that an attempt was made to trap him through a sting operation after he became CM and that he had photographs and documents to substantiate his allegations.

Earlier, Minister Satish Jarkiholi said people from North India, allegedly associated with a private agency, tried to trap CM Shivakumar through a sting operation, adding that the Chief Minister had cautioned his Cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant as they could also be targeted.

It can be noted that Congress MLA Ganiga Ravi, a staunch follower of CM Shivakumar, last Friday claimed that he would release evidence within a week to expose an alleged conspiracy behind the sting operation controversy in Karnataka, displaying a pen drive and asserting that he had documents, CCTV footage, audio and video recordings to substantiate his allegations.

Karnataka BJP President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, had criticised the state government, saying reports that CM Shivakumar had warned his Cabinet colleagues to be cautious as BJP leaders might try to trap them, raised serious questions about the government’s credibility.

–IANS

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Agartala, Feb 5 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considering the huge development and enormous resources of the eight northeastern states, is presenting the region before the country as ‘Astalakshmi’.

Virtually joining from Delhi for the distribution of job offer letters function in Agartala, the Home Minister said that the northeastern region was earlier known as areas of road blockade, violence-prone, terrorism infested, drugs menaces, corruption, smuggling, anti-national activities, infiltration from across the border and ethnic conflict-affected.

“After Modi ji became the Prime Minister, the northeastern region turned into a developed region, with good connectivity, high-quality infrastructures, agriculturally developed, investment friendly, violence-free peaceful region,” the Home Minister said.

He said that to achieve the Prime Minister’s mission of developing northeastern states and to closely supervise the ongoing developmental schemes and projects of the northeastern states, central ministers visited the region over 700 times during the past ten years.

He said that corruption and violence were eliminated in Tripura after the BJP came to power in the state (in 2018).

“Tripura was earlier known as landlocked. However, it is a land-linked state now. Good airports and roads were constructed, and irrigation, water supply, electricity and other infrastructure were built,” he said.

Thanking the newly recruited 2806 candidates in various Tripura government departments, the Home Minister said that without any irregularities or recommendations, 2806 youths got government jobs in a transparent manner.

The Home Minister said that currently there are no militants in Tripura as all the extremists surrendered to the government and joined the mainstream.

He said earlier under the leadership of former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and now under Chief Minister Manik Saha speedy development was taking place in Tripura in all sectors.

“Earlier only communist cadres got jobs during the Left regime. Now the BJP government has been providing government jobs absolutely in a transparent manner. Compared to the rule of the Congress and Left parties, seven years of governance during the BJP regime is incomparable. A changing era is now prevailing in the state,” he said.

The Home Minister further observed that three accords were signed in Tripura to maintain peace and development while a permanent settlement of thousands of Reang migrants from Mizoram was completed in Tripura.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, his 10 cabinet colleagues and Chief Secretary J K Sinha attended Wednesday’s job offer letters distribution function.

–IANS

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