Mumbai: In a tragic incident, a fatal road accident on the Mumbai–Goa Highway claimed the lives of a father and his son after their car rammed into the back of a container trailer in the early hours of Saturday, December 14. The incident occurred when the father-son duo were heading to their home in Raigad’s Goregaon from Mumbai airport.

Citing the police, the Media reported that four passengers were seated in the sedan that crashed into the container trailer. The deceased father has been identified as 58-year-old Sajjad Sarkhot, and his 25-year-old son, Owais, while driver, Usman, and another passenger, 20-year-old Sarjit, suffered minor injuries. The video shared by NavaRashtra showed the wrecked car, highlighting the extent of the damage and also indicating the severity of the crash.

While sharing information on the accident, Constable Mangesh Patil of Kolad informed Media that the t-permit sedan belonged to Usman, who was a friend of the Owais. Owais had accompanied Usman to pick up his father from Mumbai airport, who had returned from Qatar after attending a marriage function.

The police informed that Sajjad and Sarjat were seated in the rear seat while Owais was seated beside the driver, Usman. As the sedan’s left side of the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the container trailer, which led to fatal injuries to the father and son.

an FIR is set to be registered against Usman for rash and negligent driving.

In another tragic incident on Saturday, a seven-year-old boy, Harsh Thori, tragically died after a two-wheeler accident caused by a pothole on the Parol-Shirsad-Ambadi road. The child succumbed to his injuries after being run over by a heavy vehicle’s wheel.

Due to the ban on heavy vehicles entering Thane city since Friday night, the Parol-Bhiwandi route has been permitted as an alternative. This has significantly increased the volume of heavy traffic on the already narrow road. The deteriorating condition of the road, combined with the heavy vehicles, frequently leads to severe traffic congestion.

New Delhi, Dec 15: The government on Monday said it has released Rs 260.20 crore to rural local bodies in Kerala as part of the 15th Finance Commission grants for the financial year 2025-26.

The amount represents the first instalment of untied grants and covers all 14 district panchayats, 152 block panchayats and 9,414 gram panchayats (GPs) in the state, according to an official statement.

Untied grants are meant to be utilised by rural local bodies/PRIs for location-specific felt needs under the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, except for salaries and other establishment expenditures.

Tied Grants, on the other hand, are earmarked for basic services relating to sanitation and maintenance of ODF (open defecation-free) status, including management and treatment of household waste, human excreta and faecal sludge, and supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling.

Last week, the government released Rs 717.17 crore to strengthen rural local bodies in Maharashtra as part of the first instalment of untied grants for the financial year 2025-26. The funds were released to duly elected and eligible rural local bodies in the state, covering two district panchayats (Zilla Parishads), 15 block panchayats (panchayat samitis), and 26,544 gram panchayats.

The government, through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), recommends release of 15th Finance Commission grants to states for Panchayati Raj Institutions, which are then released by the Ministry of Finance.

The allocated grants are recommended and released in two instalments in a financial year.

Earlier in November this year, the Centre released over Rs 223 crore for rural local bodies in Assam and another Rs 444.38 crore to strengthen panchayat bodies in Odisha as part of the 15th Finance Commission grants.

Kolkata, Dec 15: Another person has died by suicide due to alleged fear of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of the voter list being carried out by the Election Commission, in West Bengal’s Nadia district, said the police on Monday.

An elderly man in the Ranaghat area of the district has taken his own life. The deceased has been identified as Sushanta Biswas (60). His family claimed that he committed suicide by hanging himself at his home due to this fear on Monday morning.

According to the police, Sushanta Biswas lived in Matikumra Madhyapara under the Dhantala police station in Ranaghat. He worked in Kolkata.

According to his family, Sushanta Biswas had been living in fear since the SIR process began in the state. He was worried because his name was not on the 2002 voter list. He even stopped going outside. Neighbours tried to reassure him, but his fear persisted. He became increasingly depressed, fearing that his name might be removed from the voter list and that he might have to leave his home and move elsewhere.

A family member said Sushanta Biswas had filled out the enumeration form.

His wife, Namita Biswas, said, “He was always afraid. He had almost stopped talking. We tried to explain things to him, but he would only talk about the SIR. He would say, ‘If they take me to jail, I will get a six-year sentence’. My mother-in-law’s name is on the 2002 list. Our names were removed because we were living away. This morning, I woke up to find him hanging with a towel around his neck.”

A senior officer of Ranaghat Police District said, “The body has been recovered and sent for autopsy. It has been learnt that he died by suicide after living in fear for some days over his name not being on the 2002 voter list. A case has started. Investigation is underway.”

A few days ago, another person had similarly died by suicide in the same district over alleged fear of the Election Commission’s SIR process.