Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for January 2, 2011

Two killed, 30 injured in Kashmir road accident

JAMMU – Two people were killed and 30 injured when a mini-bus skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s mountainous Doda district Sunday, police said.

The mini-bus, on its way from Thathri to Doda, a distance of 35 km, had covered less than first five km of its …. Original source  : Two killed, 30 injured in Kashmir road accident.

Punjab cops give roses to traffic violators

ZIRAKPUR – Inspired by Bollywood’s “Laage Raho Munna Bhai”, police are giving away roses to traffic violators in Zirakpur, one of the busiest towns in Punjab.

They are also explaining them their faults and distributing pamphlets to spread knowledge about traffic rules.
All this is part of the ‘traffic awareness week’ that began Jan 1. … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Punjab cops give roses to traffic violators.

234 die in New Year’s highway carnage in Thailand

BANGKOK – Road accidents claimed 234 lives in Thailand’s first four days of the seven deadly days of New Year’s driving, officials said Sunday.

Between Wednesday to Saturday some 2,473 road accidents occurred on Thailand’s highways, killing 234 people and injuring 2,656, according to figures released by the government’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
The …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 234 die in New Year’s highway carnage in Thailand.

Bihar kidnappings shock, scare NRIs

PATNA – Non-Resident Indians from Bihar are shocked and worried over the rising incidents of kidnapping in the state as the fear of abductions once again returns to haunt the people.

Many NRI’s expressed their anguish four days after Neelesh Kumar Seth, a businessman, was abducted in Bihar’s Banka district last week. His brother Sanjeev … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bihar kidnappings shock, scare NRIs.

Rape-accused BSP legislator suspended

LUCKNOW – Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Sunday suspended a legislator of her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) accused of raping a minor girl.

In an order, the chief minister said BSP legislator Pushottam Narain Dwivedi has been suspended from the party pending an inquiry by the Crime Investigation Department. If found guilty, Dwivedi will be … Read more >>>.

Police official among three nabbed for car lifting

AMRITSAR – Punjab Police Sunday claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of car thieves with the arrest of three men, including a police official.

According to police, the accused were identified as Gurinderpal Singh alias Pinka, an assistant sub-inspector and resident of Patiala town, Navdeep Singh alias Bablu, an Amritsar resident, and Anil …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Police official among three nabbed for car lifting.

Australia’s coast city braces for ‘biblical’ floods

SYDNEY – Residents of an eastern coastal city called for help filling sandbags Sunday as Australia’s worst flooding in 50 years threatened to isolate it and swamp many of its homes.

Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter said the 75,000 residents were in a race against time after the Fitzroy River broke its banks and cut road [..] Read the original article: here.

RTI activist attacked near Pune

PUNE – Arun Mane, an RTI activist who has been pursuing land scams around Pune, was attacked with a sharp weapon by an unidentified man early Sunday, police said. He sustained injuries on his forehead, chest and hands, but is out of danger.

Mane, who owns a footwear shop in Talegaon-Dabhade, some 40 km from … Read this article on Gaea Times at : RTI activist attacked near Pune.

Indian nabbed in Nepal with firearm

KATHMANDU – Police arrested an Indian near the India-Nepal border Sunday for allegedly carrying a firearm.

Preliminary reports said Munna Lal Kurmi, a resident of Balarampur in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, was arrested from Bahadurganj in southern Nepal’s Kapilavastu district along the border.
Kurmi was said to be carrying a pistol. Further details of the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Indian nabbed in Nepal with firearm.

Five killed in US fire

WASHINGTON – Five people, including four children, were killed in a fire at a building in the US state of Washington, a media report said.

The fire began at a unit of the Sammamish Ridge Apartments building in Redmond city Saturday morning, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Firefighters said the children, all believed to be …. Source article  : Five killed in US fire.

Three killed in Russian plane explosion

Moscow, Jan 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti) At least three passengers were killed and over 40 injured when a Russian jet carrying 134 people exploded shortly after making an emergency landing at a Siberian airport.

The accident took place Saturday when the Russian Tu-154M passenger jet of Kogalymavia Airlines, which was to land at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, … Read more »»».

Three dead in Russian jet blast after landing

MOSCOW – At least three people were killed when a passenger jet carrying nearly 130 people exploded shortly after making an emergency landing in western Siberia, Russian media reported Saturday.

The Kogalymavia Airlines Tu-154 reportedly experienced an engine flameout shortly after take-off from Surgut Airport in Siberia.
The plane was evacuated on landing. Reports said …. Source  : Three dead in Russian jet blast after landing.

Mayawati orders probe into rape allegations against BSP legislator

LUCKNOW – Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday ordered a police inquiry into the allegations of gangrape and illegal confinement of a minor girl by a ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator and his supporters in the state’s Banda district.

In an official press release issued her, the chief minister said: “The Crime Branch of …. Source article  : Mayawati orders probe into rape allegations against BSP legislator.

Three held for murdering 14-year-old boy

NEW DELHI – Three people were arrested in north Delhi in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 14-year-old boy, police said Saturday.

Anil Kumar Sharma, Manish Sharma and Nikhil were arrested early Saturday. They kidnapped Vikas from Vivek Vihar in east Delhi Dec 15 and demanded Rs.15 lakh ransom from his father. … Original article on : Three held for murdering 14-year-old boy.

Men barge into councillor’s home, fire at children

BHIWANI – Two unidentified men Saturday forcibly entered the house of a newly-elected municipal councillor here and opened fire at his two minor children, including a girl, the police said.

According to the police, the miscreants, who had covered their faces, entered the house of Maman Chand, councillor from ward number 22, in Halu Mohalla … Read more : Men barge into councillor’s home, fire at children.

CBI points finger at Aarushi’s parents, but lacks evidence (Roundup)

NEW DELHI – With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) casting strong aspersions on the role of Aarushi Talwar’s father in her murder, the parents Saturday again lashed out at the agency for making “wild” allegations without a shred of evidence.

Fourteen-year-old Aarushi was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in her parents’ Jalvayu Vihar apartment …. Source article  : CBI points finger at Aarushi’s parents, but lacks evidence (Roundup).

CBI’s allegations wild, speculative: Aarushi’s parents

NEW DELHI – Reacting to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) closure report which says that the Aarushi Talwar murder scene was heavily dressed up, which could only have been done by her parents, the Talwars Saturday lashed out at the investigative agency for making “wild” and “speculative” allegations.

“These allegations are so wild, so …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : CBI’s allegations wild, speculative: Aarushi’s parents.

Four held for cheating telecom company Uninor

NEW DELHI – Four people accused of cheating telecommunications company Uninor of Rs.95 lakh have been arrested, police said Saturday.

Manoj Pahwa, 34, Varun Mittal, 23, Rahul Sharma, 33, and Nitin Sharma, 24, were arrested Thursday for having cheated the company – a joint venture of Norway-based Telenor and Indian firm Unitech – through fraudulent …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Four held for cheating telecom company Uninor.

Australian held for peddling drugs

PANAJI – An Australian national was arrested for peddling drugs at a beach party in Anjuna during the wee hours of New Year celebrations.

Oliver Pinz, 25, was arrested for allegedly selling LSD, a banned psychedelic drug, to tourists near Anjuna beach earlier Saturday, according to the police anti-narcotics cell.
He was found …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Australian held for peddling drugs.

Over 364,000 affected in Sri Lanka floods

COLOMBO – At least two people have died and more than 364,000 people were affected by flash floods in several parts of Sri Lanka, Xinhua reported Saturday.

The eastern Batticaloa district was the worst affected with over 330,000 people marooned, the disaster management centre said.
A total of 1,400 houses were destroyed and … Read more : Over 364,000 affected in Sri Lanka floods.