Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for January 8, 2011

Bengal firing: Village tense, Mamata meets locals

LALGARH – Police raids were on in Netai village near this Maoist hub in West Bengal Saturday a day after seven people were shot dead and 12 wounded allegedly by Marxist-backed assailants.

Groups of villagers were seen huddled together, mourning the deaths, while anxiety was writ large on the faces of those whose family members …. Original article  : Bengal firing: Village tense, Mamata meets locals.

Curfew further relaxed in Meghalaya

SHILLONG – With the situation in riot-hit areas limping to normalcy, authorities in Meghalaya Saturday further relaxed curfew in the Resublepara sub-division in East Garo Hills district.

The curfew was relaxed for six hours starting 11 a.m.
Eight people were killed in ethnic clashes between Garo and Rabha tribals along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The … Original source on Gaea Times at : Curfew further relaxed in Meghalaya.

Three killed in Punjab blast

CHANDIGARH – Three women were killed Saturday in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district when a powerful explosion tore through a house where firecrackers were being made illegally, police said.

The blast near Dhariwal town, 250 km from here, also injured five people including a child and destroyed three other houses too. Police said explosive material was stacked …. Source  : Three killed in Punjab blast.

Floods, landslides kill 34 in Philippines

MANILA – At least 34 people were killed and nine were missing in weeks of rains that have triggered floods and landslides in the Philippines, a government agency said Saturday.

The Office of Civil Defence said the latest fatality was a Chinese national who was hit in the head by a rock during a landslide … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Floods, landslides kill 34 in Philippines.

Earthquake Hits San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (GaeaTimes.com)- A mild earthquake was felt sparsely but broadly across the Bay Area on Friday. It had a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale and hit San Francisco and parts around it at around 4:10p.m., reported US Geological Survey. A particular web page of USGS, named “Did You Feel It” was … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Earthquake Hits San Francisco.

Arms smuggler held in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – A man working for an inter-state arms and ammunition racket was arrested with five country-made pistols in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly, police said Saturday.

Guchchan Khan, aged around 45 years, was nabbed Friday from the cantonment area following a joint operation by the special operations group (SOG) and the district police.
According to police, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Arms smuggler held in Uttar Pradesh.

Goods train derails in Bihar

PATNA – Nineteen wagons of a goods train derailed in Bihar’s Kaimur district Saturday morning, damaging tracks and disrupting train services, officials said. No casualties were reported.

The goods train derailed in Gaya-Mughalsarai section of the East Central Railway (ECR) in Bihar.
The derailment blocked tracks as a few wagons rolled down to the side …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Goods train derails in Bihar.

Two suspects detained for role in Taseer killing

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani authorities have detained two suspects for their alleged role in influencing guard Mumtaz Qadri to assassinate Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, a media report said Saturday.

One was picked up from Lahore and the other from Rawalpindi, sources close to the investigation told Dawn News Friday.
Scrutiny by investigators of the killers …. Read the original article  : Two suspects detained for role in Taseer killing.

Seven killed in Colombia accident

Bogota, Jan 8 (IANS/EFE) Seven people were killed and as many injured when a bus carrying miners plunged into a ravine in northeastern Colombia, police said.

The accident occurred Friday on the road linking the towns of Surata and California in Santander province.
Provincial police chief Col. Mario Aurelio Pedraza confirmed the toll and said …. Read the original article  : Seven killed in Colombia accident.

Seven miners killed in bus accident

BOGOTA – At least seven miners died Friday when the bus they were travelling in fell into a 400-metre ravine in the northeastern Colombian province of Santander, authorities said.

The bus was taking the miners home from work, police said. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
Seven people were injured in the …. Source article  : Seven miners killed in bus accident.

Eight dead in attack on bus in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA – An attack on a bus in Honduras claimed the lives of eight passengers including four children, the Honduran daily El Tiempo reported Friday, citing authorities.

The attack was carried out late Thursday in the eastern Honduran province of Olancho, near the town of Punare. Attackers tried to get the bus to stop, and … Read : Eight dead in attack on bus in Honduras.

Agatha Sangma, family escape mob fury in riot-hit Assam areas

SHILLONG – Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha K. Sangma, her brother and Meghalaya’s Leader Of Opposition Conrad K. Sangma and their father and former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A. Sangma Friday had a narrow escape from mob fury in the riot-hit areas of Assam’s Goalpara district.

The Sangmas found their way blocked … Original article on : Agatha Sangma, family escape mob fury in riot-hit Assam areas.

British MP sent to jail for fiddling expenses

LONDON – A long-standing British Labour Party politician Friday became the first parliamentarian to be sent to jail for making false expenses claims, following a scandal exposed in 2009.

David Chaytor, 61, who entered parliament in 1997, was sentenced to 18 months in jail by a court in London for fraudulently claiming expenses on properties …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : British MP sent to jail for fiddling expenses.

After fight with mother, man tries to immolate self

NEW DELHI – Upset over his mother admonishing him on his drinking, a 27-year-old man tried to immolate himself in the capital’s Bengali Market area Friday morning, fire officials said. His brother was injured while trying to save him, and both are in hospital with 70-80 percent burns.

The incident happened in Babar Lane in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : After fight with mother, man tries to immolate self.

Seven killed in Bengal firing, CPI-M blamed (Roundup)

LALGARH – At least seven people were shot dead and 12 wounded allegedly by Marxist-backed assailants near this Maoist hub in West Bengal Friday, prompting union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to summon Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to New Delhi.

Amid allegations that the killers were sheltered in a camp set up by the …. Read the original article  : here.

20 hurt as Muslim sects clash over Bangladesh mosque

DHAKA – At least 20 people were injured in clashes between members of two Muslim sects seeking control of a mosque in Bangladesh’s southeastern Chittagong district Friday, police said.

Police arrested 10 people in Patiya after lengthy clashes between Wahabi and Sunni sect members. During the extended fighting, people set fire to shops and homes …. Original source  : 20 hurt as Muslim sects clash over Bangladesh mosque.

Mob assaults mentally unstable man

LUCKNOW – A mentally unstable man was stripped and brutally assaulted by people here Friday after he reportedly turned violent and started attacking passers-by, police said.

That the man, aged around 30 years, was mentally deranged became evident when he bit a couple of stray dogs and animals in the Naka area.
According to eyewitnesses, …. Read the original article  : Mob assaults mentally unstable man.

Russian trawler sinks in the Pacific

MOSCOW – A Russian fishing trawler with at least 11 crew onboard has sunk in stormy waters west of the island of Sakhalin in the Pacific, the Interfax agency reported Friday.

Rescue vessels were now feverishly searching for the missing crew members, but hopes of finding any survivors were dim due to the stormy conditions …. Original source  : Russian trawler sinks in the Pacific.

Two held for killing migratory birds

BHUBANESWAR – Two men were arrested Friday for killing migratory birds in Orissa’s Chilika lake.

Santosh Swain and Manas Harichandan were taken into custody for using poisoned grains to kill the avian guests near Tangi area, range officer S.C. Behera said.
“We found 17 dead birds in their possession,” Behera told IANS.
The 100-km …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Re-investigate Madhavpura Cooperative Bank scam: Prosecutor

GANDHINAGAR – The special public prosecutor in the over Rs.2,000 crore Madhavpura Mercantile Cooperative Bank Scam Friday demanded reinvestigation of the case and enquiry against the police official who probed it.

Chetan Shah said Friday that he had made a written submission for this before the Ahmedabad special metropolitan magistrate as the charge-sheet lacked evidentiary …. Original source  : Re-investigate Madhavpura Cooperative Bank scam: Prosecutor.