New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called for a swift rescue operation and also demanded enhanced compensation for the victims while participating in the discussion on the tragic landslides in Wayanad on Tuesday.

The Congress MP also demanded that the mapping of landslide-prone areas be done and an action plan be readied by the Centre to address the ‘growing frequency’ of natural calamities in the fragile region.

“Mundakayi village has been cut off and the devastating loss of lives and extensive damage is yet to be assessed due to the scale of the tragedy. I request the Union government to extend all possible support for rescue and medical care, and immediately release the compensation to deceased people if that compensation can be increased as well,” he said.

Further highlighting that the landslide threat looms in many areas of Wayanad and Western Ghats, Rahul said, “The country has witnessed an alarming rise in landslides in the last few years. There is an urgent need for the mapping of landslide-prone areas and to take up mitigation measures and an action plan to address the growing frequency of natural calamities in the ecologically fragile region.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the Congress MP conveyed his condolences to the families affected by the tragedy, which has resulted in the death of more than 60 people and left many trapped.

Taking to his X account, Rahul said, “I am deeply anguished by the massive landslides near Meppadi in Wayanad. My heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones. I hope those still trapped are brought to safety soon.”

“I have spoken to the Kerala Chief Minister and the Wayanad District Collector, who assured me rescue operations are underway. I have requested them to ensure coordination with all agencies, set up a control room, and inform us of any assistance needed for the relief efforts. I urge all UDF workers to assist the administration in the rescue and relief operation,” he added.

–IANS

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Kozhikode, July 30 (IANS) The death toll in the Wayanad landslide tragedy on Tuesday reached 70 and several people were reported missing in the worst affected areas, said officials, adding that hundreds are injured and admitted to different hospitals.

The worst affected areas are Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Pothukalu. The locals from these areas who managed to escape are deeply shattered by the extent of the tragedy.

Bhavya, the principal of the VHSE School in Velarimala, has been frantically trying to reach out to her students. So far she has been able to talk to 560 students and 22 remained unreachable.

“There are 582 students in my school and I am yet to contact 22. I hope they are safe and I only believe that their phones are out of charge. It’s been raining heavily for the past two days. In the fury, there has been damage to our school. I spoke to many of my teachers also,” said Bhavvya.

Mundakayil is another area which has been badly affected by nature’s fury. NDRF members have reached the area and have commenced search operations as the place has been devastated and numerous houses destroyed.

The Army, NDRF, Fire Force, Police and an army of people from nearby affected areas are engaged in what is being termed the biggest rescue operations in the state.

An NDRF official said the inclement weather, especially the heavy rain in the worst affected areas, is hampering rescue operations.

“There are areas which we are yet to reach because of the bad weather and we are doing everything to reach such areas,” said the NDRF official.

Saffad, who hails from Mundakayil, said his parents have been moved to a safe place, but there is a big number who cannot be reached and there is no information about them.

Another resident Shafeek said he along with around 300 people from the area is now staying put in a resort. “We have been informed the NDRF teams have reached near us and we are waiting to be rescued and wish they reach us quickly,” said Shafeek.

Meanwhile, there are reports from Churalpara that a fresh landslide has occurred in the area and it was raining heavily in the area, leaving the rescue team members in a tight spot.

State Revenue Minister K. Rajan, who along with three other Ministers was en route to the affected areas, said teams from MEG Bengaluru and an Army team from the state capital are being airlifted.

“The rain is causing huge trouble and another issue the rescue operations are facing is the presence of a large number of people who are coming to the affected areas. This is affecting the smooth passage of crucial rescue operators to reach the area, as the roads are all crowded. We all know people are empathic towards sufferings, but our request is people should for no reason travel to the affected areas,” said Rajan.

A 50-member Naval team from Kochi was also reaching Wayanad.

The landslides were reported to have occurred at around 2 a.m.

–IANS

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Chennai, July 30 (IANS) Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday urged the MPs from Tamil Nadu to take up the issue of frequent arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and seek help for those who are in custody right now.

He called upon the MPs from Tamil Nadu to meet the Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and bring about a permanent solution to the issue.

It may be recalled that 87 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and 175 mechanised fishing boats are under the custody of the Sri Lankan Navy.

CM Stalin also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure permission to the representatives of fishermen associations to meet the fishers in judicial custody in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government announced several measures for the fishers apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The government has increased the daily allowance given to families of each of the fishermen apprehended by the Lankan Navy from the existing Rs 250 to Rs.350.

The government said that assistance is provided through the respective District Collectors.

The TN government has also decided to increase the compensation granted to owners of the mechanised boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy, from the existing Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

In case of fibre boats, the compensation has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

It may be recalled that the representatives of fishermen associations had met CM Stalin in the Secretariat in Chennai on July 26.

The fishermen association leader, KS Jesudasan told IANS, “The initiative of the Chief Minister is highly appreciated. However there has to be an urgent action to prevent any further torment to the fisher community. Our brethren are not even going into the sea for fishing as they are afraid of the continuous arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.”

—IANS

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Kolkata, July 30 (IANS) Amid the Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Mail accident in Jharkhand on Tuesday, more long-distance trains from the Howrah division have been cancelled.

Two long trains from Howrah, namely Howrah Barbil Jan Shatabdi Express and Kantabanji Ispat Express, which were supposed to depart from Howrah Station in the morning, were cancelled.

As per the latest information available five more long-distance trains during the day have been cancelled including Asansol Tatanagar Express and Kharagpur Dhanbad Express among others.

Meanwhile, relatives of the passengers of the Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Mail were increasingly gathering at the helpdesk centre opened at Howrah station, seeking information about their near ones travelling by that train.

Many of them said since the time they got the information about the accident, they had been constantly trying to contact their relatives and friends travelling by that train. However, they claimed, most of them were unreachable.

Meanwhile, West Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose has issued a statement expressing condolences over those killed in the accident.

“HG has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes fast recovery of those injured in the Howrah-CSMT Express train derailment near Jharkhand’s Chakradharpur today,” read the message posted on the official X handle of the Raj Bhavan Media Cell.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also issued a statement launching a scathing attack against the Railways Ministry on the recurrence of rail accidents.

–IANS

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Navi Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Navi Mumbai Additional Commissioner of Police Deepak Sakore said that the prime suspect – nabbed from Karnataka for the murder of a 22-year-old Belapur girl – has confessed to committing the crime, here on Tuesday.

Sakore said that the suspect, Dawood M. Shaikh was nabbed by a Navi Mumbai police team from Shahapur hills in Gulbarga district, is being brought to Mumbai for further investigations soon.

“As per the preliminary questioning by the police, he has admitted to killing the girl… More details including the motive, shall emerge after we properly interrogate him here,” Sakore told media persons.

The Navi Mumbai Police, deploying tech intel, tracked and arrested Shaikh, a professional driver early on Tuesday, for the gruesome killing of Yashashri Shinde, whose mutilated body was found late on the night of July 26 in the bushes near the Uran railway station.

As the incident snowballed into a huge political row, the Navi Mumbai Police formed eight probe teams which were hot on Shaikh’s trail, though he had gone incommunicado for the past three days after fleeing from here to Karnataka.

Sakore said that from the preliminary autopsy, it has been concluded that the victim died of multiple stab wounds, but her face may have been disfigured by dogs or some other animals in the vicinity.

On July 25, Yashashri left her home in Belapur ostensibly to meet a friend but failed to return, after which her family lodged a missing complaint.

According to Sakore, the victim had gone to meet Shaikh, who lived in Uran for the past several years, and they had been friends for 3-4 years, so the kidnap angle is ruled out.

On July 26 night, her body was found in a mutilated state with multiple injuries and the family immediately accused Shaikh, and the Navi Mumbai lodged a FIR early on July 27, he said.

On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Ambadas Danve and Kishori Pednekar, besides the ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party’s leaders Kirit Somaiya and MLA Mahesh Baldi, called on the family of Yashashri Shinde to express solidarity and assure justice for their daughter; while MLA Nitesh Raut will visit today.

Shaikh has a previous criminal record, including a 2019 complaint by the deceased girl for molestation, and a crime under the POCSO Act, for which he was out on bail.

–IANS

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