News Analysis India

Tag: Bhopal

  • Bhopal Horror! Man Strangulates Wife Over Suspected Affair; Takes Body In Auto To Burn, Buries Later – Chilling Details |

    Bhopal: A 26-year-old man allegedly strangled his wife to death after suspecting her of having an affair, took the body in his auto-rickshaw, burnt it and then buried it near a dump yard in Bhopal, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on May 21 and the man, identified as Nadeem Uddin, was arrested on Saturday, said Nishatpura police station sub-inspector MD Ahirwar, who is the investigation officer in the case.

    The police have also recovered some unburnt body parts of the 22-year-old victim and sent them for an examination, he said. The woman was staying at her parents’ home in Murli Nagar after her relationship with her husband turned sour, he said.

    She went missing on May 21 following which her parents lodged a police complaint. The Nishatpura police started an investigation and picked up the man who, during questioning, admitted to have killed his wife, the official said. The accused told the police he suspected his wife was in a relationship with another man, he said.

    On May 21, the accused called his wife on her mobile phone and asked her to come to Karond crossing. When she met him, the accused took her mobile phone and after seeing a video in it, he got angry and in a fit of rage, he allegedly strangled her to death, Ahirwar said.

    He then took the body in his auto-rickshaw to a spot about 2 km away and burnt it after pouring kerosene on it at a waste dump where later buried it, the official said. Some unburnt body parts have been recovered and sent for an examination, he said. The accused has been booked under Indian Penal Code section 302 (murder) and other charges, the official said.

    The police were interrogating the accused and conducting further investigation into the case, he added.

  • Maharana Pratap birth anniversary: MP CM announces to set up memorial for warrior king in Bhopal

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to set up ‘Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Lok’ in Bhopal to inspire future generations about legendary Rajput warrior king Maharana Pratap’s struggle.

    Addressing the main event to mark Maharana Pratap Jayanti (which was declared a public holiday in the state) on Monday, Chouhan said the life and words of Maharana Pratap will be depicted at the memorial. Along with it, the contribution of his seven associates Bhamashah, Punjabhil, Chetak and others will also be pictorially depicted.

    The CM further announced that stories of bravery and valour of Maharana Pratap will be taught in the school curriculum in the state. Along with this, Maharana Pratap Welfare Board will also be constituted.

    The event held at the state capital’s Lal Parade Ground, was attended among others by union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar (who hails from the Rajput/Kshatriya caste) and great warrior king’s descendent Maharaj Kumar Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.

    Recalling the commitment of Maharana Pratap to protect the motherland, the CM said, “It is my vow that those who are against the country will not be spared. It is our religion to eliminate terrorists.”

    Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the MP CM has done a historic work by declaring Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary as a holiday in MP and installing the statue of Queen Padmavati in Bhopal.

    The statue was unveiled on Monday.

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to set up ‘Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Lok’ in Bhopal to inspire future generations about legendary Rajput warrior king Maharana Pratap’s struggle.

    Addressing the main event to mark Maharana Pratap Jayanti (which was declared a public holiday in the state) on Monday, Chouhan said the life and words of Maharana Pratap will be depicted at the memorial. Along with it, the contribution of his seven associates Bhamashah, Punjabhil, Chetak and others will also be pictorially depicted.

    The CM further announced that stories of bravery and valour of Maharana Pratap will be taught in the school curriculum in the state. Along with this, Maharana Pratap Welfare Board will also be constituted.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The event held at the state capital’s Lal Parade Ground, was attended among others by union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar (who hails from the Rajput/Kshatriya caste) and great warrior king’s descendent Maharaj Kumar Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar.

    Recalling the commitment of Maharana Pratap to protect the motherland, the CM said, “It is my vow that those who are against the country will not be spared. It is our religion to eliminate terrorists.”

    Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the MP CM has done a historic work by declaring Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary as a holiday in MP and installing the statue of Queen Padmavati in Bhopal.

    The statue was unveiled on Monday.

  • Civic employee hospitalised after inhaling chlorine gas at water filtration plant in Bhopal

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: A civic employee fell ill after inhaling chlorine gas at the same water filtration plant where the gas leaked last week affecting seven people in Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal, an official said.

    Last week, seven people fell sick after chlorine gas leaked from a 900 kg cylinder at the water treatment plant of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the Idgah Hills.

    Talking to PTI, Bhopal Municipal Commissioner KVS Choudhary said an employee fell sick after inhaling the gas while linking a chlorine pipeline at the plant.

    The affected person is being treated and his condition was normal, he said.

    “There was no leakage at the filter plant. The areas around the plant are completely safe in Shahjanabad,” the official said.

    “No leakage has been reported to us. We have come to know that one staffer of the BMC has fallen sick after inhaling the gas while working at the plant,” Shahjanabad assistant commissioner of police Umesh Tiwari confirmed to PTI.

    On October 24, a 900 kg chlorine cylinder leaked at the plant under Shahjahanabad police station area, following which seven people fell ill.

    Seven people living in slums near the plant had complained of some health issues, and were shifted to a hospital and discharged after a few hours, officials said.

    After the gas leak five days ago, some people complained of breathing difficulties, coughing and vomiting due to the foul smell, they said.

    According to the police, after the gas leak was noticed, the cylinder was thrown in the water at the filtration plant and the snag was fixed.

    The BMC’s filtration plant is surrounded by human settlements, especially slums.

    The incident last week brought back grim memories of the Bhopal gas tragedy, in which thousands of people were killed and more than five lakh affected after inhaling a toxic gas that spewed out from the now defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.

    BHOPAL: A civic employee fell ill after inhaling chlorine gas at the same water filtration plant where the gas leaked last week affecting seven people in Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal, an official said.

    Last week, seven people fell sick after chlorine gas leaked from a 900 kg cylinder at the water treatment plant of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the Idgah Hills.

    Talking to PTI, Bhopal Municipal Commissioner KVS Choudhary said an employee fell sick after inhaling the gas while linking a chlorine pipeline at the plant.

    The affected person is being treated and his condition was normal, he said.

    “There was no leakage at the filter plant. The areas around the plant are completely safe in Shahjanabad,” the official said.

    “No leakage has been reported to us. We have come to know that one staffer of the BMC has fallen sick after inhaling the gas while working at the plant,” Shahjanabad assistant commissioner of police Umesh Tiwari confirmed to PTI.

    On October 24, a 900 kg chlorine cylinder leaked at the plant under Shahjahanabad police station area, following which seven people fell ill.

    Seven people living in slums near the plant had complained of some health issues, and were shifted to a hospital and discharged after a few hours, officials said.

    After the gas leak five days ago, some people complained of breathing difficulties, coughing and vomiting due to the foul smell, they said.

    According to the police, after the gas leak was noticed, the cylinder was thrown in the water at the filtration plant and the snag was fixed.

    The BMC’s filtration plant is surrounded by human settlements, especially slums.

    The incident last week brought back grim memories of the Bhopal gas tragedy, in which thousands of people were killed and more than five lakh affected after inhaling a toxic gas that spewed out from the now defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.

  • Stones hurled at garba venue; govt razes houses of three of 19 accused in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Stones were hurled at a garba pandal in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district following a dispute between two groups, police said on Tuesday, adding 19 persons have been booked and houses of three of them razed by officials for “illegal” construction.

    The stone pelting incident occurred on October 2 night at Surjani village under the Sitamau police station limits in Mandsaur district, about 345 km away from the state capital, in which four persons were injured, he said.

    “After receiving information about stone pelting at a garba pandal due to a dispute between two groups, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Anurag Sujania told reporters.

    A case was registered against 19 persons and seven of them were detained after a probe, he said, adding that some of the accused are habitual offenders.

    The SP said the illegal construction of more than 4,500 sq ft worth more than Rs 4.5 crore, belonging to three of the accused, was demolished on Tuesday with the help of the revenue department.

    A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 307 (attempt to murder) for hurling stones at the pandal, the police officer added.

    According to police sources, a man named Salman was performing stunts on a motorcycle and a quarrel erupted between him and another man.

    Later, Salman and his associates reached the garba venue to look for the person with whom he had fought and the matter escalated into stone pelting, they said.

    PTI ADU MAS ARU NSK NSK 10041939 NNNN

    BHOPAL: Stones were hurled at a garba pandal in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district following a dispute between two groups, police said on Tuesday, adding 19 persons have been booked and houses of three of them razed by officials for “illegal” construction.

    The stone pelting incident occurred on October 2 night at Surjani village under the Sitamau police station limits in Mandsaur district, about 345 km away from the state capital, in which four persons were injured, he said.

    “After receiving information about stone pelting at a garba pandal due to a dispute between two groups, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Anurag Sujania told reporters.

    A case was registered against 19 persons and seven of them were detained after a probe, he said, adding that some of the accused are habitual offenders.

    The SP said the illegal construction of more than 4,500 sq ft worth more than Rs 4.5 crore, belonging to three of the accused, was demolished on Tuesday with the help of the revenue department.

    A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 307 (attempt to murder) for hurling stones at the pandal, the police officer added.

    According to police sources, a man named Salman was performing stunts on a motorcycle and a quarrel erupted between him and another man.

    Later, Salman and his associates reached the garba venue to look for the person with whom he had fought and the matter escalated into stone pelting, they said.

    PTI ADU MAS ARU NSK NSK 10041939 NNNN

  • Bhopal Horror: Top brass of school booked under POCSO over lapses in sexual assault of nursery student

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Perhaps for the first time, the top brass of a prominent private school in Madhya Pradesh have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act 2020.

    Three top officials, including the prominent school’s chairperson, director (operations), principal and the transport in-charge were booked by the Bhopal police under Section 188 IPC and Section 21 of POCSO Act late on Thursday night, for lapses in the matter pertaining to the alleged sexual assault on three and half years nursery student by bus driver inside the school bus on September 8.

    According to a senior Bhopal Police commissionerate officer, the four officials of the school were booked after hours of questioning of around 30-40 staff members of the 2200-students strong school.

    The four officials have been found prima facie responsible for non-operability of CCTV camera installed in the bus (in which the minor was sexually assaulted on September 8) and covering up the matter for three days in the name of an internal probe, instead of reporting it timely to the police.

    “Though the parents reported the matter to the school administration on September 9 only (a day after it happened in the bus), instead of reporting it to Bhopal Police immediately, the school administration kept on misleading the nursery student’s parents in the name of conducting an internal probe. It was finally on September 12 that the Bhopal Police came to know about the matter after the girl’s parents themselves reported the matter to the cops,” a senior Bhopal police officer said.

    Both the accused, the middle aged school bus driver and the female caretaker in the bus, were arrested by police on September 12 only and booked u/s 376 AB and provisions of the POCSO Act.

    A special investigation team (SIT) headed by ADCP Shrutkirti Somwanshi has been constituted by the Bhopal Police Commissioner Makarand Deouskar to probe the case, whose probe is being personally monitored by MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The SIT is now working to file a charge sheet in the case before the court within 10 days. 

    Meanwhile, a parallel probe into the matter by the MP State Commission for Child Rights (MPSCPCR) has also led to some shocking revelations.

    “Not just one nursery student girl, but two more nursery students could have been actually sexually assaulted, as the uniform of two more students were changed inside the same school bus the same day, as was in the case with the sexual assault survivor three and half years old minor,” the Commission’s member Brajesh Chouhan told The New Indian Express on Friday.

    “Though CCTV camera was installed in the bus, its Digital Video Recorder (DVR) didn’t have any memory card, meaning there was a digital eye in the bus, but without any brain and memory power. Also, the GPS system of the concerned bus hadn’t been updated. Importantly, it was among the 10 odd buses of that school, whose GPS system was awaiting update,” Chouhan added.

    The child rights body whose team spent around 9-10 hours at the concerned school on Thursday, also strongly felt that the bus driver accused of sexually assaulting the minor on September 8, possibly had no prior experience of operating a school bus. Till 2019, he was driving the personal car of some individual in Indore, but after becoming jobless during the covid-19 pandemic, he was helping his father run the family’s tea shop in Bhopal. He joined the school as a bus driver just a few months back only, the child rights body member said.

    “Also, the counselling of the girl by the state certified counsellor suggests that the concerned bus driver could have molested/sexually assaulted her previously also. We’re going to write to the Bhopal Police Commissioner for investigating on all these aspects also,” Chouhan maintained.

    BHOPAL: Perhaps for the first time, the top brass of a prominent private school in Madhya Pradesh have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act 2020.

    Three top officials, including the prominent school’s chairperson, director (operations), principal and the transport in-charge were booked by the Bhopal police under Section 188 IPC and Section 21 of POCSO Act late on Thursday night, for lapses in the matter pertaining to the alleged sexual assault on three and half years nursery student by bus driver inside the school bus on September 8.

    According to a senior Bhopal Police commissionerate officer, the four officials of the school were booked after hours of questioning of around 30-40 staff members of the 2200-students strong school.

    The four officials have been found prima facie responsible for non-operability of CCTV camera installed in the bus (in which the minor was sexually assaulted on September 8) and covering up the matter for three days in the name of an internal probe, instead of reporting it timely to the police.

    “Though the parents reported the matter to the school administration on September 9 only (a day after it happened in the bus), instead of reporting it to Bhopal Police immediately, the school administration kept on misleading the nursery student’s parents in the name of conducting an internal probe. It was finally on September 12 that the Bhopal Police came to know about the matter after the girl’s parents themselves reported the matter to the cops,” a senior Bhopal police officer said.

    Both the accused, the middle aged school bus driver and the female caretaker in the bus, were arrested by police on September 12 only and booked u/s 376 AB and provisions of the POCSO Act.

    A special investigation team (SIT) headed by ADCP Shrutkirti Somwanshi has been constituted by the Bhopal Police Commissioner Makarand Deouskar to probe the case, whose probe is being personally monitored by MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The SIT is now working to file a charge sheet in the case before the court within 10 days. 

    Meanwhile, a parallel probe into the matter by the MP State Commission for Child Rights (MPSCPCR) has also led to some shocking revelations.

    “Not just one nursery student girl, but two more nursery students could have been actually sexually assaulted, as the uniform of two more students were changed inside the same school bus the same day, as was in the case with the sexual assault survivor three and half years old minor,” the Commission’s member Brajesh Chouhan told The New Indian Express on Friday.

    “Though CCTV camera was installed in the bus, its Digital Video Recorder (DVR) didn’t have any memory card, meaning there was a digital eye in the bus, but without any brain and memory power. Also, the GPS system of the concerned bus hadn’t been updated. Importantly, it was among the 10 odd buses of that school, whose GPS system was awaiting update,” Chouhan added.

    The child rights body whose team spent around 9-10 hours at the concerned school on Thursday, also strongly felt that the bus driver accused of sexually assaulting the minor on September 8, possibly had no prior experience of operating a school bus. Till 2019, he was driving the personal car of some individual in Indore, but after becoming jobless during the covid-19 pandemic, he was helping his father run the family’s tea shop in Bhopal. He joined the school as a bus driver just a few months back only, the child rights body member said.

    “Also, the counselling of the girl by the state certified counsellor suggests that the concerned bus driver could have molested/sexually assaulted her previously also. We’re going to write to the Bhopal Police Commissioner for investigating on all these aspects also,” Chouhan maintained.

  • Sexual assault of nursery student in school bus in Bhopal; CM asks cops to act against lapses

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Three days after the shocking incident of three and half years old nursery student having allegedly been sexually assaulted in the school bus by bus driver in presence of a woman caretaker was reported, the Bhopal police have started specific investigations into the school management’s role in the case.

    Members of Bhopal Police’s special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the case, spent hours at the prominent school on Thursday, recording statements of all possible staff members in connection with the case, particularly the school’s failure to put in place fully operational CCTV cameras inside the bus (in which the alleged incident happened on September 8) and timely report the matter to police, even after coming to know about it from the little girl’s parents on September 9 only.

    Thursday’s development happened just after the state’s chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reviewed the progress of investigations in the case and questioned top police brass of Bhopal, about why action wasn’t taken against the school, when it was found wanting in many key aspects, pertaining to security provisions in the bus as well as timely reporting of the alleged crime to the police.

    “Call the school management and take action against it for whatever lapses have been committed by it. This isn’t a small incident, but a serious incident, which pertains to the safety and security of all school children in the city. We need to send a strong message across to all schools that any lapses and compromise with students’ safety will not be tolerated at any cost,” the CM reportedly told the top brass of Bhopal police at the meeting to review the case’s probe.

    “Irrespective of the prominence of the school, action needs to be taken against its management in case of lapses in students safety,” the CM asked the police officers, while also questioning what was the School Education Department doing in the matter, to ensure safety and security of students of all schools in Bhopal and elsewhere.

    Meanwhile, as per informed sources, the police has got enough evidence to nail the school management (particularly the school’s owner and principal in the case) over the non-operation of the CCTV cameras installed on the bus and the delay in reporting the alleged crime to the police.

    Importantly, the parents of the nursery student girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted had informed about it to the school management on September 9 only (just a day after the shocking incident), but instead of reporting it to Bhopal police, the school management preferred to be inactive in the matter.

    With the school management not reporting the incident to the police, even three days after coming to know about it, the girl’s parents reported the crime to Bhopal Police on September 12, after which the cops not only booked the bus driver and the bus’s woman caretaker under IPC Sections and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act but also arrested the duo the same day.

    BHOPAL: Three days after the shocking incident of three and half years old nursery student having allegedly been sexually assaulted in the school bus by bus driver in presence of a woman caretaker was reported, the Bhopal police have started specific investigations into the school management’s role in the case.

    Members of Bhopal Police’s special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the case, spent hours at the prominent school on Thursday, recording statements of all possible staff members in connection with the case, particularly the school’s failure to put in place fully operational CCTV cameras inside the bus (in which the alleged incident happened on September 8) and timely report the matter to police, even after coming to know about it from the little girl’s parents on September 9 only.

    Thursday’s development happened just after the state’s chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reviewed the progress of investigations in the case and questioned top police brass of Bhopal, about why action wasn’t taken against the school, when it was found wanting in many key aspects, pertaining to security provisions in the bus as well as timely reporting of the alleged crime to the police.

    “Call the school management and take action against it for whatever lapses have been committed by it. This isn’t a small incident, but a serious incident, which pertains to the safety and security of all school children in the city. We need to send a strong message across to all schools that any lapses and compromise with students’ safety will not be tolerated at any cost,” the CM reportedly told the top brass of Bhopal police at the meeting to review the case’s probe.

    “Irrespective of the prominence of the school, action needs to be taken against its management in case of lapses in students safety,” the CM asked the police officers, while also questioning what was the School Education Department doing in the matter, to ensure safety and security of students of all schools in Bhopal and elsewhere.

    Meanwhile, as per informed sources, the police has got enough evidence to nail the school management (particularly the school’s owner and principal in the case) over the non-operation of the CCTV cameras installed on the bus and the delay in reporting the alleged crime to the police.

    Importantly, the parents of the nursery student girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted had informed about it to the school management on September 9 only (just a day after the shocking incident), but instead of reporting it to Bhopal police, the school management preferred to be inactive in the matter.

    With the school management not reporting the incident to the police, even three days after coming to know about it, the girl’s parents reported the crime to Bhopal Police on September 12, after which the cops not only booked the bus driver and the bus’s woman caretaker under IPC Sections and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act but also arrested the duo the same day.

  • Rain fury brings life to a halt in several parts of MP, including state capital Bhopal

    Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Unprecedentedly heavy rains accompanied by blustery winds followed by flash floods over the last two and half days have cast their shadow on a large part of Madhya Pradesh, including capital Bhopal, which witnessed the fiercest rain in the last 24-48 hours since 2016.

    Over 400 people have been rescued by the SDRF and NDRF teams from various flood-hit areas in parts of Vidisha, Rajgarh, Ashok Nagar, Raisen, Jabalpur, Mandla, Sidhi, and Guna districts, where heavy rains have put all major rivers in spate and most dams are either overflowing or replete with water, forcing the opening of their gates to release excess water.

    The state capital Bhopal, which has been reporting rain since the last 54 hours, witnessed the fiercest rain in the last 24-36 hours. The capital city reported 7.5-inch rain in the last 24 hours, which was the heaviest since the deadly rain of 2016.

    Along with rains, the blustery winds blowing at a speed of 33-34 kmph have brought the temperatures down drastically.

    Heavy rains and flooding of ponds and lakes, besides dams, have submerged over 200 residential localities of Bhopal, a large part of which is in the dark due to continued electricity shut down and faults in around 50 residential localities. The Misrod area of the city, particularly, is facing a flood-like situation. Dozens of trees have been uprooted all across the city, which is already on high-security alert owing to the day-long presence of union home minister Amit Shah for a slew of major events.

    In Bhopal, a young motorbike rider was killed after coming in contact with an uprooting tree near Tarun Pushkar.

    Owing to extremely bad weather conditions, the closure of schools in Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Raisen and Sagar districts has been extended for Tuesday also.

    All major rivers in central MP, Mahakoshal and west MP are in spate, with the mighty river Narmada likely to cross the danger mark by midnight.

    As per reports, prolonged rains which are likely to continue on Tuesday also, have badly affected life in around 27 districts of Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Gwalior and Jabalpur divisions.

    In Vidisha, a stop dam built just a year back in Islam Nagar area of Lateri block developed major breach, resulting in massive release of water through the crops in 10-12 adjoining villages. In the same central MP district’s Basoda area, the district administration has sought urgent help from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to airlift over 100 villagers, taking shelter on terraces of houses owing to flash floods.

    In Guna district of Gwalior region, three villagers remained stuck on an island owing to flash floods in the Pipliya village of Bamori area.

    In the adjoining Ashok Nagar district, five people on the way from Bhopal to Ashok Nagar were swept away in a flooded nullah. While three of them swam to safety and spent their night on trees, two others, including a newly elected village sarpanch are missing.   

    Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has sounded red alert of extremely heavy rains in districts of Ujjain and Indore divisions, as well as Rajgarh districts in the next 24 hours, orange alert of heavy to very rains in districts of Gwalior and Narmadapuram divisions as well as Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore and Bhopal districts. A yellow alert has been sounded in Jabalpur and Sagar districts as well as districts of Chambal division over the same period.

    BHOPAL: Unprecedentedly heavy rains accompanied by blustery winds followed by flash floods over the last two and half days have cast their shadow on a large part of Madhya Pradesh, including capital Bhopal, which witnessed the fiercest rain in the last 24-48 hours since 2016.

    Over 400 people have been rescued by the SDRF and NDRF teams from various flood-hit areas in parts of Vidisha, Rajgarh, Ashok Nagar, Raisen, Jabalpur, Mandla, Sidhi, and Guna districts, where heavy rains have put all major rivers in spate and most dams are either overflowing or replete with water, forcing the opening of their gates to release excess water.

    The state capital Bhopal, which has been reporting rain since the last 54 hours, witnessed the fiercest rain in the last 24-36 hours. The capital city reported 7.5-inch rain in the last 24 hours, which was the heaviest since the deadly rain of 2016.

    Along with rains, the blustery winds blowing at a speed of 33-34 kmph have brought the temperatures down drastically.

    Heavy rains and flooding of ponds and lakes, besides dams, have submerged over 200 residential localities of Bhopal, a large part of which is in the dark due to continued electricity shut down and faults in around 50 residential localities. The Misrod area of the city, particularly, is facing a flood-like situation. Dozens of trees have been uprooted all across the city, which is already on high-security alert owing to the day-long presence of union home minister Amit Shah for a slew of major events.

    In Bhopal, a young motorbike rider was killed after coming in contact with an uprooting tree near Tarun Pushkar.

    Owing to extremely bad weather conditions, the closure of schools in Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Raisen and Sagar districts has been extended for Tuesday also.

    All major rivers in central MP, Mahakoshal and west MP are in spate, with the mighty river Narmada likely to cross the danger mark by midnight.

    As per reports, prolonged rains which are likely to continue on Tuesday also, have badly affected life in around 27 districts of Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Gwalior and Jabalpur divisions.

    In Vidisha, a stop dam built just a year back in Islam Nagar area of Lateri block developed major breach, resulting in massive release of water through the crops in 10-12 adjoining villages. In the same central MP district’s Basoda area, the district administration has sought urgent help from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to airlift over 100 villagers, taking shelter on terraces of houses owing to flash floods.

    In Guna district of Gwalior region, three villagers remained stuck on an island owing to flash floods in the Pipliya village of Bamori area.

    In the adjoining Ashok Nagar district, five people on the way from Bhopal to Ashok Nagar were swept away in a flooded nullah. While three of them swam to safety and spent their night on trees, two others, including a newly elected village sarpanch are missing.   

    Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has sounded red alert of extremely heavy rains in districts of Ujjain and Indore divisions, as well as Rajgarh districts in the next 24 hours, orange alert of heavy to very rains in districts of Gwalior and Narmadapuram divisions as well as Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore and Bhopal districts. A yellow alert has been sounded in Jabalpur and Sagar districts as well as districts of Chambal division over the same period.

  • BJP excludes controversial Pragya from local poll panel in her own constituency

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL:  Known for making controversial remarks, which often embarrass her own party, the 2008 Malegaon Blast accused and first-time BJP MP, Pragya Singh Thakur, doesn’t figure in the saffron party’s committee for urban local body polls in Bhopal.

    Recently, the state BJP constituted a selection panel of senior leaders for selecting party’s candidates for the next month’s urban local body elections. The committees were constituted for seven divisions, including Gwalior-Chambal, Sagar, Shahdol-Rewa, Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal-Narmadapuram and Jabalpur divisions.

    For the Bhopal-Narmadapuram division (which comprises three Lok Sabha seats, Bhopal, Vidisha and Hoshangabad), a nine-member strong committee was constituted to select the candidates for the urban local body polls slated to be held in two phases on July 6 and 13.

    The nine committee members included first time MP from Vidisha Ramakant Bhargava (considered close to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan) and third-time sitting MP from Hoshangabad Uday Pratap Singh. But, the third Lok Sabha member of the division, the first time MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, wasn’t included in the panel.

    The development happened the same day when Thakur had defended suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Reacting to the party not considering her in the panel, Thakur tweeted “One reply to all questions is I respect the party organisation’s decision not to include me in the committee for selecting candidates.”

  • Bhopal woman who resisted eve-teasing gets attacked with blade; gets 118 stiches on face

    By ANI

    BHOPAL: A woman was attacked with a blade by few youth for resisting their eve teasing attempts. The injuries she sustained on her face needed 118 stitches. The incident took place in the TT Nagar area of Bhopal city.

    The woman is not able to open one of her eyes nor is she able to speak, the police said, on June 12.

    Speaking about the incident, Sai Krishna S Thota, Deputy Commissioner of Police Bhopal said, “The young woman told us she was on a bike with her husband. The couple went to Shree Palace hotel and her husband stepped inside to buy a water bottle. While she waited for her husband, some youths came up to her and made obscene comments and they were also whistling at her. She opposed it and slapped a youth three or four times.”

    Locals intervened and the youth left. When the couple were leaving the hotel with a water bottle in hand, the youth sprung up from behind and slashed the woman’s face with a blade, police said.

    An FIR was registered against the group of youth and they were then taken into police custody.

    Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met the injured woman at her residence.

    Further investigation into the matter is underway.

  • Shocker in MP, young tribal girl molested repeatedly by tribal youths in full public view in Bhagoria festival procession

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: In a shocking incident, an unidentified young tribal girl was allegedly sexually harassed by a group of young tribal men in full public view during the ongoing Bhagoria festival in the Bhilala tribe dominated Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

    Five men, including three men involved in the shocking act and two others who filmed it before uploading it on social media platforms, have been arrested by Alirajpur district police and the hunt is on to nab three to four others.

    The shocking episode which happened on Friday, came to light after its video clip went viral over social media on Saturday.

    According to Alirajpur district police superintendent Manoj Singh, a case was registered against unidentified men u/s IPC Sections 354, 354A and 354B on Saturday and three accused identified in the video were arrested on Sunday. Two other youths, who were responsible for filming the outrageous act and uploading the video clip over social media, too have been arrested. Three to four others identified in the case are on the run.

    “We’re camping in the concerned area and multiple teams are raiding all possible hideouts of the accused on the run,” Singh added.

    The incident happened in the Walpur area of Alirajpur district on Friday. The video of the shocking incident which went viral over social media, showed the unidentified young girl being molested at least thrice by a group of men, forming part of the Bhagoria festival procession.

    Towards the fag end of the video clip, some men are seen dragging the girl into their procession and molesting her.

    Bhagoria is a festival of tribals in tribal-dominated areas of MP and Maharashtra, which predates Holi celebrations in non-tribal parts of the state.