Fourth fodder scam case: Lalu Prasad convicted, Jagannath Mishra acquitted

Udupi, May 24: In a heart-wrenching incident, a college student lost his life after being struck by lightning while standing near a washroom to take a bath in Shirva Manibettu, Udupi district, last night.

The deceased, Rakshit Poojary, only 20 years old, was the beloved son of Ramesh Poojary. A resident of Shirva Manibettu Totadamane, Rakshit was in his second year of BCA studies at Shirva MSRS College.

Rakshit was standing near the washroom to take a bath when the lightning struck him. He was discovered lying on the ground and was rushed to Manipal Hospital by his devastated family. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Rakshit passed away at 10 PM.

The sudden and tragic loss of this young student has left the community in deep sorrow, mourning the untimely death of a bright and promising young man.

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence marred the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls in the nine parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal, as TMC, ISF and BJP workers clashed in various parts of violence-prone Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies.

Although the poll panel has claimed that voting has been peaceful so far, it said it has received 1,450 complaints until 11 am from different political parties alleging EVM malfunctions and agents being stopped from entering booths.

Around 28.10 per cent of over 1.63 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling to the nine Lok Sabha seats, an Election Commission official said.

Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, ISF and the BJP in different pockets of the state as the parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering booths.

A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within Jadavpur constituency between backers of Trinamool Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides. Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.

To quell the situation, security personnel resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the mob, recovering several crude bombs.

Angry voters of Kultuli within Joynagar constituency dumped electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VV-PAT) machines into nearby waterbodies alleging electoral misconduct.

"Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond," the office of CEO West Bengal posted on X.

"Sector Police was a little behind. FIR has been lodged by the Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. The poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer," it further said.

Senior BJP leader and Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya posted on X, "Democracy is up in flames in West Bengal. Bombs have been hurled in Jadavpur's Bhangar, and irate villagers in Joynagar's Kultali have thrown an EVM and VVPAT machine in a pond because TMC goons won't let them vote."

"But the worse affected is Diamond Harbour, where Mamata Banerjee's nephew and heir apparent is contesting from. BJP workers are being intimidated, not allowed to sit in the booths, their polling documents destroyed. WB Police is acting like Abhishek Banerjee's henchmen. Even the Muslims have not been spared because a large number of them are voting for CPI(M) candidate Pratikur Rahman. TMC's 'secularism' dies the moment Muslims start voting against it," he posted on X.

Following this, Kolkata Police claimed that the incident happened in the morning before the poll process began.

"This incident happened in the morning around 6 am much before the polling process in Bengal. Police and CAPF immediately intervened and have taken steps against miscreants. Legal action initiated. Polling in Bhangar started without any interruption and is going on peacefully," Kolkata Police posted on X.

TMC supporters have accused the ISF of orchestrating the violence to intimidate voters. Prompt action from local law enforcement led to lathicharges and the arrest of suspects in Polerhat area of Bhangar.

Another incident occurred where the vehicle of an ISF worker was vandalised in Baghajatin area. Accusations have been levelled against Trinamool Congress supporters for the alleged incident.

Diamond Harbour, where TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is seeking re-election, witnessed clashes between TMC and BJP supporters. BJP candidate Abhijit Das accused the ruling party of malpractices, which the TMC denied. As Das approached a polling booth, TMC activists staged protests and shouted "Go back" slogans. In response, Das got out of his car and shouted counter slogans.

Similarly, CPI(M) candidate Patikur Rehman faced "go back" slogans from TMC workers when he attempted to visit a booth in the Canning area.

In Diamond Harbour's Satganchia, BJP workers were allegedly beaten up by TMC over allegations of intimidation of voters. In Kultuli area, two BJP activists were injured during clashes with TMC workers.

In Jadavpur area's Ganguly Bagan, CPI(M) workers were allegedly beaten by the TMC activists and their camp offices were ransacked. The TMC, however, denied the allegations and accused the Left party of intimidating the voters.

In Baranagar assembly seat, where a by-poll is on, CPI (M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya was allegedly physically assaulted when he was standing outside a booth as TMC workers accused him of trying to influence the voters.

The state Congress unit wrote to CEO Aariz Aftab requesting him to take stern action against alleged irregularities and rigging that are taking place in various pockets.

Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said three persons were injured during the clash between TMC and BJP supporters at Bayramari in Sandeshkhali, adding that one person was arrested in this connection.

Bengaluru: Patients visiting government hospitals in Karnataka recently were shocked when they noticed that some drugs had labels of Animal Husbandry Veterinary Sciences (AHVS) but the department concerned has said it was only a logo related issue and that the medicines were indeed meant for human use.

The Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) said there was an error in the 'logogram' design, but the product was of standard quality and 'human use only'.

As the typo led to panic among patients, KSMSCL Managing Director Chidananda Sadashiva Vatare said in a statement that the product permission copies were submitted and confirmed they were permitted to manufacture as per required medical standards and for human use only.

According to sources in KSMSCL, there were seven drugs which had the AHVS label. This included eye and nasal drops.

These drugs were supplied by a private firm with a total value of Rs 62.9 lakh and it reached the government warehouse on January 5, this year.

The drugs were Methyl Prednisolone injection, Carboxymethylcellulose Eye Drops, Oxymetazoline Pediatric (Nasal) Drops, Flurbiprofen Eye Drops IP, Sodium Chloride (Nasal) Drops, Timolol Maleate Drops and Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride (Nasal) Solution IP.

"The analytical test reports from NABL/government approved laboratories and in-house test reports of the products opined as the products referred above are of standard quality. The test reports from the private empanelled laboratories of KSMSCL have reported these products are of standard quality," Vatare said.

The products were supplied to all the warehouses in the state by the supplier by January 5, he said, adding the supplier requested KSMSCL on January 18 to accept the supplied products by masking the typo.

"It is to be noted that no changes were done in the label of the product information provided. Also, the logogram design was correct in one part of the product and only in another part was there a printing error in the logogram design which was masked, where instead of Health department it was typed as AHVS department."

"The supplier was also imposed a fine of one per cent on the purchase order value and all warehouses were instructed to distribute the products only after masking the error. The supplier was also warned not to repeat the mistake," he said.