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20 dead, over 300 injured in Pak quake

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 At least 20 people were killed and over 300 others injured after an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted Pakistan’s Balochistan on Thursday morning, according to provincial authorities.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre of Pakistan, the 5.9-magnitude quake struck at 3.01 a.m. with focal depth of 15 km and the epicentre located near the Harnai district.

It added the quake had a longitude of 67.96 east and a latitude of 30.08 north.

Tremors were felt in Quetta, Sibbi, Pishin, Muslim Bagh, Ziarat, Qila Abdullah, Sanjavi, Zhob and Chaman, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in its initial report.

It further said the “exact damage” has not yet been confirmed, Dawn news reported.

The death toll was also confirmed by Deputy Commissioner of Harnai District Sohail Anwar Hashmi. He said six children were also among the deceased.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani shared that assistance and evacuation efforts were under way.

“Blood, ambulances, emergency assistance, (helicopters) and rest all things are placed… All departments are working on it,” he tweeted.

Nine critically injured patients were airlifted to Quetta in Pakistan Army helicopters, according to a statement by the army’s media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The ISPR statement said the inspector general of Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan has reached the district for damage assessment and response.

In addition, an urban search and rescue team was being flown in from Rawalpindi to assist in rescue work.

Speaking to Geo News, PDMA Director General Naseer Ahmed Nasir said there had been some landsliding in mountainous areas.

He added that houses within a 15 km radius of Harnai had been destroyed and rescue teams were busy in relief efforts.

The official said that government buildings had been damaged as well.

Separately, Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove said five to six districts were affected on a “major scale” and data was still being collected.

He said the highest number of deaths and injuries had been reported in Harnai, adding that critical patients would be shifted to Quetta immediately.

“They are our people, the state’s resources are for them. People won’t be left helpless. Those who have suffered a loss will be compensated,” the Minister said while speaking to Geo News.

In August, an earthquake of 3.1 magnitude had jolted Karachi, but no casualties or damage were reported.

In June last year, an earthquake of 5.7 magnitude was recorded in several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the provincial capital Peshawar.

Prior to that, another quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale had struck the northern areas of the country as well as Afghanistan. No significant loss to life and property was reported in either incident.

In September 2019, however, an earthquake had struck several areas of southern Pakistan occupied Kashmir, claiming the lives of 38 people and leaving hundreds of others injured.

Crime

RG Kar victim’s parents yet to secure death certificate even after six months

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Kolkata, Feb 22: Over six months have passed since the shocking rape and murder of a junior woman doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital but her parents are still to get a copy of her death certificate.

The body of the victim was recovered from a seminar hall within the premises of the state-run institution early on August 9 last year.

The victim’s parents have alleged that they have been unable to get the death certificate till now as the R.G. Kar and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities are shifting the responsibility onto each other.

According to them, the KMC authorities are claiming that since the “place of death” is R.G. Kar, it is the responsibility of the hospital authorities to provide the death certificate.

On the other, the R.G. Kar authorities claim that if a patient dies within the hospital premises or is even brought dead to the hospital, the death certificate will have to be provided by the KMC authorities, the parents added.

The victim’s parents have further claimed that although they have not got a copy of the death certificate, it has been mentioned in the court documents, as per the statement of a medical officer attached to R.G. Kar.

They now say if the death certificate is mentioned in the court documents, why was a copy of the certificate not handed over to them?

Last week, a special court in Kolkata, which had convicted and sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy in the rape and murder case, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh progress report on its investigation in the matter on February 24.

Since the special court has already pronounced the sentence for the convict in the main crime of rape and murder, legal circles feel that the fresh progress report will be related to the angle of tampering with the evidence in the case.

It is learnt that the special court had directed the CBI to submit a fresh progress report following a complaint filed by the counsel of the victim’s family accusing the central agency of not updating the court on the progress of investigation in the matter periodically.

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Crime

Ten persons arrested for attack on Congress MP, says Assam CM

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Guwahati, Feb 21: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that ten persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on Congress MP Rakibul Hussain.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma said, “The police have identified the individuals involved in the alleged incident of assault on Congress MP Sri Rakibul Hussain.”

He also mentioned that the actions will be taken as per the law.

The Dhubri MP was attacked while attending a public programme in the Nagaon district.

The Congress MP had to run from the spot wearing a helmet to save himself. The security officers of Hussain sustained minor injuries in the attack.

In a viral video, it was seen that some masked miscreants initially showed black flags to the Congress MP and after that attacked him.

In the video, Hussian was seen fleeing from the spot in a two-wheeler to save himself from the attack.

The incident that happened in the Ruporihat locality drew criticism from the opposition with Congress leaders training guns on the BJP government.

Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, launched a sharp attack on the BJP government as Congress MP Hussain was attacked on Thursday.

Gogoi said, “In Assam, a Congress Lok Sabha MP is attacked by thugs in broad daylight in a busy marketplace. The goons even attack the police security officers and try to snatch their weapons. All of this is recorded on camera. Yet the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma refuses to ensure that the thugs will be arrested immediately.”

“The Chief Minister should at least think of his constitutional duty towards Assam Police and the innocent civilians in the marketplace. If the goons had got hold of the machine gun, a terrible tragedy could have taken place. The attitude of the Chief Minister will only embolden the thieves, dacoits, smugglers and those accused of murder. Democracy is under threat and people of Assam want freedom from this gunda raj culture,” he added.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Debabrata Saikia said it was a “failure” of the police and administration.

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Crime

New India Co-operative Bank Scam: EOW Arrests Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan

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Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has made another arrest in the New India Co-operative Bank scam. Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan has been taken into custody, making him the third accused in the case.

The Court has remanded accused into police Custody untill February 28.Bhoan’s arrest follows an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities within the bank, which allegedly led to taken place during his working period.

The authorities suspect his involvement in mismanagement and fraudulent transactions.Further investigation is underway, and officials believe that more arrests may follow in the case.

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