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Searching porn in incognito? Google is possibly recording you, and now it has been sued for $5 billion

OpIndia Staff
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Searching porn in incognito? Google is possibly recording you, and now it has been sued for $5 billion

Alphabet Inc.’s Google on Tuesday was sued with a proposed class-action suit for violating the privacy of millions of its users by monitoring their internet use from browsers set in “incognito/private” browsing mode. The lawsuit was filed against the tech giant in San Jose, California, and accused the search engine behemoth of “covert and unauthorized data collection from virtually every American with a computer or phone.”

Secretly collecting information of users?

The lawsuit seeks at least $5 billion from the Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, for secretly collecting information about what people view online and what they browse, even if they use what Google calls “incognito” mode.

The law firm Boies Schiller Flexner has filed the class action suit. “People everywhere are becoming more aware and concerned that their personal communications are being intercepted, collected, recorded, or exploited for gain by technology companies they have come to depend on,” the law firm stated in their filing.

The complaint filed against Google states that the organisation collects information from a host of other applications such as Google Analytics, Google Ad Manager, web-site plug-ins and smartphone apps whether they click on Google-supported ads or not. The litigant mentioned that such surreptitious activities by Google help the organisation in learning about the users’ friends, hobbies, interests, food habits and even the “most intimate and potentially embarrassing things” they surf online.

“Billions of times a day, Google causes computers around the world to report the real-time internet communications of hundreds of millions of people to Google,” the complaint read.

Covert methods to gather unauthorised data

The complaint stated that Google cannot continue employing covert methods to gather unauthorised data from every unsuspecting American with a computer or phone. Google spokesperson, Jose Castaneda, said that the organisation will vigorously defend itself against the allegations made against it.

“We explicitly state every time you open an incognito mode that the websites might be able to draw details of your browsing activity,” he added.

While the users may believe that the incognito mode shields them prying online eyes, computer security analysts have long asserted that Google and other rival organisations might extract information from multiple browsing modes used by the users for creating augmented user profiles based on the inputs gleaned from tracking their activities.

The proposed class-action suit reportedly includes millions of users and seeks $5000 as damages per user or three times actual damages, whichever is greater.

Modi 2.0 government asserts its commitment to uproot corruption from India, warns the ‘high and mighty’

OpIndia Staff
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Modi 2.0 government asserts its commitment to uproot corruption from India, warns the ‘high and mighty’

The Modi government recently completed the first year of its second term, known popularly as Modi 2.0. PM Modi, in his address to the people of India, had reiterated his promise for his government’s commitment for a stronger, healthier and corruption-free India.

Chargesheet against P Chidambaram and his son

In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram. As per reports, the chargesheet was filed in the court of special CBI judge Ajay Kumar.

The chargesheet names both Chidambaram and his son Karti as beneficial owners of several shell firms incorporated both in the country and abroad. The Chidambaram duo is facing charges of financial misappropriations and violations regarding the FIPB approval given to INX Media during P Chidambaram’s tenure as India’s finance minister.

It is also notable here that the former union minister, considered ‘untouchable’ for a long time, was arrested by the CBI last year and had spent over 106 days in custody before managing to get released under strict bail conditions.

The INX Media case

P Chidambaram is accused in the INX Media scam which involves charges of bribery and lobbying in granting foreign investments worth over Rs 300 crores to INX Media. INX Media, later known as NewsX, was owned by Peter and Indrani Mukherjee of the sensational Sheena Bora murder case. Chidambaram is accused of misusing his power as the finance minister to grant INX Media an FIPB clearance.

Chargesheet against defence lobbyist Sanjay Bhandari

The crackdown on defence lobbyists and the unearthing of the massive procurement scams done under the UPA was another highlight of the Modi 1.0 government. With extradition of a number of major players involved in the defence dealings, the extent of corruption and international play involved was exposed.

Defence lobbyist Sanjay Bhandari remains a fugitive. However, during the past couple of years, the extent of his dealings with several international defence firms and their extensive roots of corruption, bribery and quid-pro-quo arrangements with a number of politicians and key players have emerged.

Bhandari was under investigation since 2010 in the charges of wrongly influencing defence deals. In May 2016, his offices were raided by the Income Tax Department as part of an investigation in a tax evasion case against Bhandari and his company. During the raids, confidential defence ministry documents were found in his possession, which included documents related to India’s proposal to buy mid-air refuellers.

The charge sheet filed on Monday reportedly details how the arms dealer invested the proceeds of his crime. The ED has also sought a non-bailable warrant against Bhandari to enable it to file an extradition request. An Interpol red-notice is already there against Bhandari.

It is notable here that Bhandari also reportedly had links with Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra. It was accused that Bhandari had helped Vadra launder money through properties in London. Bhandari is also being probed by the CBI for a Rs 2,895 crores deal for Pilatus basic trainer aircraft. The ED had arrested CC Thampi, for his alleged link with Vadra’s property deals and Bhandari last year.

Tweet by PM Narendra Modi’s website

Interestingly, the official Twitter handle of PM Narendra Modi’s website narendramodi.in shared a recent article about the government commitment to continue its war against corruption hours after the chargesheets were filed.

Though the article highlighted the action taken against corrupt bureaucrats and the efforts to remove corruption by promoting digital India and incorporating technology to root out middle-men, it also shares some interesting lines.

It wrote, “The high and mighty, who were earlier considered too powerful to be out of the ambit of law, are finding it impossible to escape justice.”

CNN News 18 withdraws fake news misquoting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Ladakh standoff

OpIndia Staff
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CNN News 18 withdraws fake news misquoting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Ladakh standoff

Media outlet CNN News 18 has withdrawn the story it had based on its interview with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh where they had misquoted and misinterpreted his quote on Ladakh standoff.

CNNNews18 tweet on withdrawal of story

On Tuesday, Defence Rajnath Singh, speaking to Network 18 journalist Amish Devgan, addressed concerns regarding the current stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which has escalated tensions between the two countries.

In the interview, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also acknowledged that China had moved troops in significant numbers near the LAC during the ongoing stand-off. The Defence Minister also expressed hope to resolve the stand-off through diplomatic and military level talks.

Union Minister had also confirmed regarding the large presence of Indian troops to counter Chinese aggression on the LAC and assured that the government will not let anyone hurt country’s self-respect.

In the below video, at 0:50 mins, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refers to differing perceptions of LAC between both China and India while noting about the presence of Chinese troops across LAC. Most importantly, the Defence Minister did not answer or confirm anything regarding presence of Chinese troops the LAC to enter the Indian territory.

However, the usual suspects in the media claimed that the Defence Minister in the interview to Network 18 admitted that a “sizeable number” of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had entered Indian territory, especially into areas in eastern Ladakh despite there were no such statements made by Rajnath Singh in the interview.

Soon, self-proclaimed ‘defence experts’ indulged in a misinformation campaign to target the Modi government over the alleged statements made by the Defence Minister to insinuate that the government allowed China to disrespect India’s sovereignty by allowing the PLA troops to enter eastern Ladakh.

‘The Wire‘ did not waste any time to report misleading statements by attributing false statements to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which he had never made in the first place.

The Wire misquoting Defence Minister

Even other media outlets like Outlook, Business Standard, Economic Times and Scroll also made similar claims stating Defence Minister had admitted to the entering of Chinese troops inside Indian territory near Eastern Ladakh.

Ajai Shukla, a known conspiracy theorist of the Congress era, brazened out to peddle the same misinformation to claim that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh publicly admitted that Chinese soldiers had crossed into India’s side of the LAC in large numbers.

Shukla, who has been pushing false information on social media ever since the current stand-off started between two countries, took to Twitter to state that he was glad that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh publicly accepted what he was saying from the last few days. Ajai Shukla, since few days, has been pushing pro-Chinese narrative claiming China has set in camps, deployed large number of troops. Shukla had also claimed that there was an incursion by the Chinese troops into Indian territory.

Ajai Shukla’s tweet

The misleading claims made by certain media outlets and self-proclaimed security experts were in fact debunked by credible experts immediately.

Later in the day, the official fact-checking agency PIB took to Twitter to fact-check claims made by ‘defence expert’ Ajai Shukla and categorically denied that no such statement was issued by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claiming Chinese troops had crossed Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh.

The PIB fact-checked Shukla to state that the Rajnath Singh was referring to differing perceptions of LAC and the presence of Chinese troops, which was misinterpreted as if Chinese troops entered the Indian side of LAC.

PIB fact-checking Ajai Shukla

Soon after PIB fact-checked Ajai Shukla, the Network 18 itself clarified that their story based on an exclusive interview with Rajnath Singh was an error. The media network said that the headline and story inadvertently said, “Sizeable Number of Chinese Troops Moved into Eastern Ladakh, says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh“.

However, Network 18 said that the minister did not refer to Eastern Ladakh in the interview. “The error is regretted, and the story stands withdrawn,” the network issued corrigendum.

Despite all the clarifications, video evidence that there was no such statement issued by Rajnath Singh admitting that there was sizeable number of Chinese troops allegedly entering the Indian side, the media and the self-proclaimed ‘security experts’ have neither deleted their misleading tweets/reports nor issued a clarification for the same.

Jamia students want to ‘blow up’ proctor’s office, carry out Minneapolis style ‘protests’ over slapping of UAPA on Delhi rioters

OpIndia Staff
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Jamia students want to ‘blow up’ proctor’s office, carry out Minneapolis style ‘protests’ over slapping of UAPA on Delhi rioters

As America burns in flames after protests over George Floyd killing went violent, those in India drawing false equivalence between those riots and anti-CAA riots now want to ape the violence in India again.

Naushad Ahmed Raza studying Masters in History from Jamia Millia Islamia criticised show cause notice sent to JamiaTimes1 Instagram account over derogatory statements on the varsity. One Nadim Iqbal Khan, another Jamia student, suggested that the office of the proctor also needs to be blown up.

In a Facebook post shared by another Jamia student and AISA activist, Gohar Aysha, where she condemned show cause notice for JamiaTimes1 Instagram account, Nausheed quipped that the university administration would not have ‘dared’ to send show cause notice had the campus been open.

In that, when Nausheed commented how the Jamia VC Najma Akhtar aspires to be Governor (of a state, thereby insinuating she has political ambitions and hence working on directions of the Central government), Aysha gleefully said how the Jamia students will start Minneapolis-style violence and rioting.

Gohar Aysha threat of Minneapolis-like riots

JamiaTimes1 was reportedly sent a show cause notice over derogatory remarks against Jamia admin. A Jamia Millia Islamia student on condition of anonymity told OpIndia that these student-activists want the exams which are to be conducted online, be shifted on campus so that they can get back on campus and resume the protests and other violence.

Violence in America

Recently, the United States of America is engulfed in riots after an African-American man, George Floyd, was killed by a white cop even as he tried to plead for help. Far left goons in the US have taken to vandalism, looting, destroying public property and setting things on fire to ‘protest’ against the killing. Gohar Aysha just suggested that Jamia students could take law into their own hands and destroy public property and run a riot like Minneapolis citizens if demands aren’t met.

Anti-CAA riots

In December 2019, after the passing of Citizenship Amendment Act widespread protests took place in India which often turned violent. The CAA fasttracks Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities in three neighbouring Islamic countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Indian Muslims and ‘liberals’ opposed giving Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims in neighbouring countries. The violence broke out outside campuses of Jamia Millia Islamia university in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh amongst others. The Delhi Police recently arrested some of the students and alumni of the varsity and charged them with UAPA Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Delhi riots, 2020

Widespread riots broke out in NorthEast Delhi in February this year when US President Donald Trump was visiting India. These were in extension to the December riots and other violence through January. The details mentioned in the charge-sheet filed in the Jafrabad riot case and Chand Bagh riots case establishes beyond doubt that the anti-Hindu riots that convulsed the national capital in February this year were a part of a deep-rooted, well-planned conspiracy to throw Delhi into a state of anarchy.

Google removes ‘Mitron’ and ‘Remove China Apps’ from Google Play store on all Android devices over ‘policy violation’

OpIndia Staff
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Google removes ‘Mitron’ and ‘Remove China Apps’ from Google Play store on all Android devices over ‘policy violation’

The mysterious behaviour of tech-giant Google over its arbitrary regulation of Android apps has yet again come to the fore as Play Store seems to have succumbed to Chinese pressure and has removed two rival apps which had posed a challenge to the Chinese apps.

‘Mitron’ – the popular alternative for TikTok, which was developed by a Pakistan-based software development company Qboxus and later purchased by an Indian student and another app – ‘Remove China Apps’ have been removed from the Google Play Store after the two apps became a direct threat to Chinese apps that were being used in the country.

Interestingly, the tech giant has not confirmed why the app was removed from the play store and whether it will be available again or not.

Mitron app’s source code issue

‘Mitron’, which was touted as the alternative for the controversial Chinese app – TikTok, had seen a large number of downloads in the last few days. However, it has been removed from the Google Play Store as it posed a threat to the Chinese app. At the time of removal, the app had over 5 million downloads. 

It is being reported that the app was taken down for being repetitive and offering the same content and experience which is already being provided by another app.

In its spam and minimum functionality page, Google claimed, “We don’t allow apps that merely provide the same experience as other apps already on Google Play. Apps should provide value to users through the creation of unique content or services.”

Pakistan connection to Mitron app

Reportedly, Mitron app was first developed by a Lahore-based company named Qboxus. The Pakistan-based company had created an app called TicTac, similar to TikTok. Later, the app was later rebranded in India as ‘Mitron’ whose source code was purchased from a website called CodeCanyon.

According to Irfan Sheikh – the founder of Qboxus, the owners who purchased the source code from them have not made changes to the original app. Interestingly, Mitron has no customisations and is a direct copy of TikTok clone app called TicTac, said Sheikh.

The QBoxus team has claimed that the TicTac app was actually created by them before putting up the source code of the app on sale. The source code was reportedly purchased by an IIT Roorkee student, Shivank Agarwal, who rebranded the app into Mitron. 

‘Remove China Apps’ also taken down from Play Store

Another application ‘Remove China Apps’, which had gained popularity in India in recent weeks has also been removed from the Google Play Store. The app allowed users to detect and easily delete apps developed by Chinese firms.

More than one million people in India had installed the application on their phone to delete Chinese apps present on their smartphone.

The app, developed by Indian firm OneTouch AppLabs, had gained popularity in the country at a time when there is a rising anti-China sentiment among many citizens as tensions between two countries has escalated in recent days over border stand-off.

However, the Google intervened on Tuesday to remove the app from its Play Store after millions of Indians had downloaded the app.

The developer of the app – Jaipur based OneTouchAppLabs announced on Twiter that their app has been suspended from Play store. The firm are not aware of why Google removed the app from Play Store.

If a user has already downloaded the ‘Remove China Apps’ application on their phone it will still work for you, but new downloads cannot be made.

Google bats in favour of Chinese app – ‘TikTok’

Earlier, the tech-giant Google had come to the rescue of controversial Chinese social media platform TikTok by deleting millions of negative reviews from its Play Store, in an attempt to improve the rating of the application.

Google had removed nearly than 7 million negative reviews for TikTok which has ultimately improved its rating. On May 20, the ratings of the controversial app had plunged to 1.3 stars after millions of social media users had massively downrated the Chinese app for enabling its users to promote and glorify various horrific crimes and anti-Hindu propaganda.

However, a week later on May 28, the app had only 20 million reviews on the Play Store, indicating that Google had removed close to 7 million negative reviews reported against the Chinese app. The ratings of the app were upgraded to 4.4 stars from 1.3 stars a week before.

Kerala: Pregnant wild elephant dies after pineapple stuffed with crackers fed by locals exploded in her mouth

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Pregnant wild elephant dies after pineapple stuffed with crackers fed by locals exploded in her mouth

In a shocking case of animal cruelty from Kerala, a pregnant elephant has died after some locals fed her cracker-filled pineapple which later exploded in her mouth. The incident took place in Malappuram district of Kerala when the elephant had wandered into village in search for food. However, some villagers stuffed pineapples stuffed with firecrackers on her tusks while she was walking on the streets.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Surendrakumar said that her jaw was broken and she was unable to eat after she chewed the pineapple which exploded in her mouth. The issue came to light when forest officer Mohan Krishnan shared about it on social media. He said that she was standing in the river with her head dipped in water. “She trusted everyone. When the pineapple she ate exploded, she must have been shocked not thinking about herself, but about the child, she was going to give birth to in 18 to 20 months,” he wrote on Facebook.

“She had a sixth sense that she was going to die. She took the Jalasamadhi in the river in a standing position,” he wrote as he shared her photo from inside the river.

An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons in the case.

As reported by news agency ANI, Mannarkkad forest range officer has said that an FIR under relevant sections of the Wild Life Protection Act has been registered.

Pre independence slavery genes? Kangana Ranaut questions Bollywood’s silence on Palghar Sadhu lynching as they voice solidarity over #BlackLivesMatter

OpIndia Staff
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Pre independence slavery genes? Kangana Ranaut questions Bollywood’s silence on Palghar Sadhu lynching as they voice solidarity over #BlackLivesMatter

Even as celebrities voice their solidarity and put up social media campaign on #BlackLivesMatter, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has questioned their silence on the Palghar Sadhu lynching. In an interview given to online magazine Pinkvilla, wondered if the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaigned where Bollywood celebs have chipped in, is perhaps because of the ‘pre independence slavery genes’.

According to Pinkvilla, Kangana said that the Palghar Sadhu lynching happened a few weeks back but no one said a word. This, especially when it happened in Maharashtra where most of these celebrities reside. “It is a shame they [Bollywood celebrities] continue to live in a bubble and never fail to jump on the bandwagon, which can give them two minutes of fame, but ‘white people’ must drive the bandwagon. Perhaps, it is because of their pre-independence colonial slavery genes,” she told Pinkvilla.

Further questioning Bollywood’s selective outrage, Kangana said that how these celebrities would rather fight and side with a white teenaged kid but don’t have a word to say on Indian environmentalists who are doing exceptionally well without any support of help from anyone. “Some of them were honoured with the Padma Shri award. I was amazed to see their stories, but they never get the same acknowledgement from the industry. Perhaps, sadhus or tribal people aren’t fancy enough for the Bollywood crowd or their followers,” she said.

Various Bollywood celebrities including Priyanka Chopra have spoken up in solidarity with George Floyd killing.

Palghar Mob Lynching incident

On 16th April 2020, two Sadhus associated with the Juna Akhara, 70-year-old Kalpavrishka Giri Maharaj, and 35-year-old Sushil Giri Maharaj along with their driver 30-year-old Nilesh Telgadewere were on their way from Mumbai to Gujarat to give Samadhi to another Sadhu. At Gadakchinchale village, a wild and frenzied crowd of over 100 people attacked them. It was initially reported that the villagers allegedly deemed them as thieves and started attacking them. The police claim that their team which had rushed to the spot to rescue the 70-year-old man also came under the attack of the violent mob.

But later videos emerged which completely debunked the claim of police, as it was seen that the sadhus were in the custody of the police, but the police personnel handed them over to the mob. The mob then proceeded them to beat them to death in front of the policemen.

George Floyd killing

On May 25, a 46-year-old African-American man, George Floyd was reportedly murdered by a Minneapolis white police officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on the former’s neck for 7 long minutes until his body became unresponsive. A shopkeeper had called the cops on Floyd for allegedly trying to pass a ‘potential counterfeit bill’. Despite the victim complaining about not being able to breathe, coupled with verbal protest from onlookers, the said officer was unmoved. On being taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center, Floyd was pronounced dead.

Following his death, widespread riots have taken place in America and dozens of cities have been kept under curfew to bring back law and order.

West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee government quarantines five migrant workers in an abandoned public toilet in Kolkata

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee government quarantines five migrant workers in an abandoned public toilet in Kolkata

West Bengal’s unpreparedness to handle the coronavirus crisis was exposed once again after Calcutta News reported that five returning migrant workers have been quarantined in an abandoned public toilet in Ward No 79 of Taratala, Kolkata, by the Mamata Banerjee government.

According to the local news channel, when approached, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation denied any such occurrence, but visuals of migrants being placed in the erstwhile bathroom, along with their belongings, have been captured on camera by Calcutta News. The migrant workers have been placed in the abandoned public toilet of Taratala Godagacha, which is a densely populated area of the state capital.

The visuals show the migrant workers housed in a public toilet which has been abandoned for a long time. The fixtures in the toilets and bathrooms are broken and the entire facility filled with garbage. The report also mentioned that although power connection was restored after it was the workers spent 24 hours at the quarantine centre set up in the public toilet, it does not have any fan. This means that the quarantined people will have to spend 14 days in such an inhuman condition.

As soon as this news became public, irate locals took to the street, protesting against the government, reported Calcutta News.

The indifference in the West Bengal government’s attitude toward the migrant workers have received flak from Congress leader Abdul Mannan, has accused Mamata Banerjee of showing utter disrespect toward these individuals. He questions the decision of turning the abandoned toilets into a quarantine centre while numerous schools and colleges of the state are standing empty at the moment, as all classes have been stalled for now.

These buildings could have been used as isolation facilities for these destitute individuals, opined the Congress MLA, furthering that this decision has exposed the inhumane side of the TMC government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Calcutta News removed by Cable operators for critising state govt

It may be noted that Calcutta News has been facing the ire of the Mamata Banerjee government for exposing the mismanagement of the Coronavirus pandemic by the state administration. The Channel was blocked by all cable operators in Kolkata and nearby areas. West Bengal BJP termed it as an undeclared emergency in Bengal. They said that after gag order on mainstream media and arrests of Social Media activists, now the channel has been banned as it it has been taken off air by all MSOs.

The channel had confirmed that it was under the attack of state government. They updated the banner image in their social media accounts to inform that their channel was off the air from some areas not due to some technical issue, but due to attack from the state government.

I am helpless, there is nothing I can do

Expressing her utter helplessness to stop coronavirus cases in the state, the Bengal CM stated yesterday: “It is not in my hands any more. Now I have nothing to do. You can sleep with corona by your side. Make it your pillow. I am sorry.”

West Bengal has recorded 5130 cases of coronavirus as of date. 309 people have died in the state so far. 18 out of 22 districts have recorded coronavirus cases. Kolkata has the highest number of cases, followed by North 24 Parganas. Both regions were also badly affected by cyclone Amphan.

Blames migrant workers for increase in coronavirus cases

However, this decision to place migrant workers in public toilets does not come as a surprise as the apathy of the Mamata Banerjee’s government towards them had become evident when she had claimed that the number of coronavirus cases is increasing in the state due to the incoming of the migrant workers and termed the Shramik trains bringing back thousands of labourers of her own state to their homes, as ‘Corona Express’.

Center accused Mamata Banerjee of not cooperating in dealing with migrant worker crisis

Earlier, the Home Minister Amit Shah had levelled serious allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government that they are not supporting the Centre in resolving the migrant crisis. Indian Railways had echoed similar sentiments.

Earlier, reports had emerged that suggested that the Mamata Banerjee government had abandoned the stranded tourists stuck in Uttarakhand as the state government had been unresponsive despite repeated requests that have been made by the migrants.

Death of woman at Muzaffarpur station: Railway affidavit filed in Patna HC states she died 4 hours ago in train, brother-in-law said she had prior ailments

OpIndia Staff
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Death of woman at Muzaffarpur station: Railway affidavit filed in Patna HC states she died 4 hours ago in train, brother-in-law said she had prior ailments

A few days back, a heart-rending video of a hapless child trying to wake up its mother, who was lying motionless on a platform on Muzaffarpur station, was widely circulated on the Internet. The video had gone viral on social media websites after which several media organisations and prominent personalities shared the video and raised questions about the plight of migrant workers who are being transported to their native places even as the coronavirus stalks through the country.

The Patna High Court last week took suo moto cognisance of the death of the woman on board a train from Gujarat to Bihar after the video of the child fiddling with the dead body of his mother provoked outrage on social media. The Railways responded by submitting an affidavit in the court filed by Sarvapriya Mayank, Principal Chief Security Commissioner, RPF in East Central Railway on behalf of the Union of India.

The affidavit mentioned that the train which was boarded by Wazir Alam, Kohinoor Khatoon and her children and sister Arbina Khatoon(deceased) proceeded from Ahmedabad on May 23, 2020 at 11 PM towards Madhubani. The concerned family had to go to Katihar as Md Wazir was a resident of Katihar.

The train reached Muzaffarpur on May 25 at 3.55 PM. The total time of the travel was approximately 41 hours. The route taken by the train was from Ahmedabad to Ajmer—Gorakhpur—Hajipur—Muzaffarpur. The affidavit mentions that the normal running time on the route, traversed by Sabarmati Express (19165), is usually 43 hours but the Shramik train which was boarded by Arbina Khatoon took lesser time than the normal train, dismissing various reports that claimed that the train took multiple diversions and reached its destination very late.

In addition, the affidavit declared that the lady was disembarked from the train at Muzaffarpur station and she was lying in an unconscious state. Inspector of RPF on duty, Ved Prakash Sharma and Muzaffarpur Station Master was informed about the incident. A requisition memo was sent to Railway Doctor who later arrived at the platform 3 and pronounced the lady dead. Finding no apparent cause of death he advised postmortem examination.

The affidavit clearly mentions that the brother-in-law of the deceased lady admitted that Arbina had died at 12 PM on the same day, meaning 4 hours before the train reached Muzaffarpur station, and after discussing with his relatives on phone, he was advised to get down at Muzaffarpur to proceed to Katihar on some vehicle by road. Xerox copy of the Doctor’s report has been attached with the affidavit.

The statement was made by the deceased’s brother-in-law, in front of the officer-in-charge of GRP and with his wife Kohinoor Khatoon by his side. He also claimed that Arbina had become mentally unstable from some time, adding that her husband had deserted her and she was keeping unwell since a while back.

Statement made by the deceased’s brother-in-law

The affidavit said that there has been no negligence or lapses of any nature on the part of Railway administration and/or Railway officials in discharging their duties at any place.

Concerns raised over nuclear and chemical plants in Maharashtra as cyclone Nisarga heads towards the state

OpIndia Staff
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Concerns raised over nuclear and chemical plants in Maharashtra as cyclone Nisarga heads towards the state

As the Cyclone Nisarga is heading towards the coasts of Maharashtra, a huge concern has been expressed regarding the nuclear and chemical plants that may come in its direct path. Expectedly, the cyclone will enter the coasts late Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while updating about the cyclone said, “Care is being taken to prevent power outages. Precautions are being taken at chemical units and nuclear power plants in Palghar and Raigad.”

Maharashtra posses a string of chemical and nuclear plants. In Palghar, the oldest Tarapur Atomic Power Plant complex and other power units are present while Mumbai has the BARC set up and Raigad houses power, petroleum, chemicals, and other major industries besides the Mumbai port trust, the Jawaharlal Nehru Post trust and vital installations of the navy.

People living in non-pucca houses have been shifted to safer shelters for them and slum dwellers have been asked to vacate for their own safety. As per reports, 50 patients were shifted from the Bandra Kurla complex COVID-19 hospital to the Goregaon NESCO hospital.

Rescue operations underway

Several units of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for rescue operations and six more are kept in the reserve. As per reports, a 24×7 control room has been operationalized and the security forces and IMD have been instructed to ensure coordination.

The Western Naval Command(WNC) has claimed that it has prepared itself for emergency response during heavy rain and flooding due to cyclone Nisarga, along with the five flood rescue and three diving teams that would be in place throughout the monsoon.

Cyclone Nisarga to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within 24 hours

The Indian Meteorological Department announced that depression in the Arabian Sea may develop into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours and further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within 24 hours. The deep depression – ‘Cyclone Nisarga’, which is headed towards the coasts in Maharashtra and Gujarat, is likely to hit the western coast on Wednesday.

The IMD said that Cyclone Nisarga is moving at a speed of 11 kmph. “It lay centered over East-Central Arabian Sea about 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 490 km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 710 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat),” said IMD in its release.

“It is very likely to move nearly northwards during the next six hours and recurve north-northeastwards thereafter and cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar (in Maharashtra’s Raigad) and Daman during the afternoon of June 3,” the IMD further said.

The intensity of Cyclone Nisarga is currently picking up and the speed of the winds could go up to 90-100 kmph. The wind speed is expected to be 105-115 kmph gusting to 125 kmph when it nears landfall.

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