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Maharashtra

BJP keeps off Rana couple’s plans to teach ‘Hindutva’ to Thackeray

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday distanced itself from the campaign launched by independent MP and ex-filmstar Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi to ‘teach’ Hindutva lessons to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar categorically said it was the Rana couple’s initiative and the BJP had “nothing to do with it”.

The Ranas reached Mumbai from Amravati ostensibly to recite ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside the private residence of Chief Minister Thackeray, ‘Matoshri’ in Bandra east and to ‘remind’ him of the ‘Hindutva’ he had allegedly abandoned by allying Shiv Sena with Nationalist Congress Party-Congress.

However, a Kherwadi Police Station team rushed to the Ranas home in Khar and slapped prohibitory orders on them under CrPC Sec. 149.

Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks led by senior leaders like Anil Desai, Vinayak Parab, ex-Mayor Kishori Pednekar, Yuva Sena and Women’s Wing gathered outside ‘Matoshri’ to counter the Ranas’ plans.

“Let them come here and render ‘Hanuma Chalisa’, we are ready to serve them ‘Maha Prasad’ (a beating) in Shiv Sena style,” warned Desai.

Parab warned that if the Rana couple tried to target the Thackeray’s home, Shiv Sainiks will not keep quiet and “give them a befitting reply.”

In Nagpur, Sena MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut dismissed the Ranas as ‘Bunty and Babli’ who have reached Mumbai to perform ‘stunts’ to please their political bosses.

Pednekar said those who cannot win elections without the support of the BJP are now trying to foment trouble for Maha Vikas Aghadi government with such ‘nautanki’ (dramatics) to divert attention from the country’s major problems like inflation, fuel price hikes and unemployment.

“Their whole game-plan is to create disturbances in Maharashtra and impose President’s rule and declare Mumbai as a Union Territory ahead of the upcoming civic elections. They have no courage to do this in BJP-ruled states,” Pednekar said.

Taking a cue from the planned ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ crusade outside mosques of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray, the Rana couple jumped into the controversy with their own brand of imparting ‘Hindutva’ lessons to Thackeray.

Barred by the police notice, the Ranas plan to address their stance through a media conference later this afternoon giving anxious moments to the law-enforcing authorities.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police deployed tight security outside Thackeray’s private and official residences and also NCP President Sharad Pawar’s Silver Oak bungalow which was attacked by agitating state transport employees on April 8.

Maharashtra

Mumbai Accident: Elderly Woman Hit By Garbage Truck Near Shitladevi Metro Station In Mahim; Suffers Heavy Blood Loss

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Mumbai: An elderly woman was seriously injured after being hit by a garbage dumper truck in Mahim on a busy stretch. Disturbing visuals showed the woman in glaring pain. The incident took place near the Mumbai Metro 3’s Shitladevi Mandir Metro Station in Mahim.

The victim was attempting to cross the road when the garbage dumper truck hit her. The dumper, reportedly moving at speed, struck her, leaving her with severe injuries and heavy blood loss. Visuals also showed locals rushing to help and taking her to the nearest hospital.

Currently, there is no update on her condition. Though visuals showed police and traffic police on the scene, it is yeh not known if any case was registered against the garbage dumper truck.

Meanwhile, in another recent accident case, three students of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay were killed after their car met with an accident on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway near Lonavala on Thursday morning while returning from Khandala, where they had gone to watch the sunrise.

The deceased, identified as Omkumar Borse (23), a resident of Nashik; Lay (20), from Nagpur; and Shreyansh Sharma (22), from Jaipur, were travelling in a Volkswagen Polo when the accident occurred. Police officials said that the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, as there were no eyewitnesses at the scene.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Local: 395 Without Tickets Fined At Ghatkopar During Evening Peak Hours, Central Railways Collects Over ₹1 Lakh Fine

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Mumbai: A special ‘fortress’ ticket-checking drive by Central Railway at Ghatkopar station during peak evening hours caught hundreds of ticketless passengers, with authorities collecting a whopping fine of over Rs 1 lakh in a day.

According to the update shared by DRM Central Railway, the drive was held on Tuesday, March 18, during the evening peak hours. During the intensive checking operation, “395 ticketless passengers were caught, and a Rs 1,02,260/- penalty was imposed.”

Notably, Ghatkopar railway station sees heavy passenger footfall as commuters from both Central and Western lines connect here due to its direct Metro Line 1 link between Ghatkopar and Andheri, making it a major boarding hub.

Meanwhile, on the same day, a special drive was also held at Mulund station, where the authorities caught 315 ticketless passengers, and a fine of Rs 74,860 was collected in a day.

There has been a rise in ticketless travel cases across Mumbai, with special checking drives being conducted at multiple railway stations. Hundreds of passengers are being caught every day during these operations.

On March 16 and 17, special ticket-checking drives were carried out at Asangaon, Titvala, Ambernath and Badlapur stations. At Asangaon, 312 ticketless passengers were caught and fined, and Rs 78,290 was collected, while 305 passengers at Titvala were penalised, collecting Rs 75,345 in fine.

On March 16, a separate drive at Ambernath and Badlapur during evening peak hours caught 763 ticketless travellers, with a total fine of Rs 1,88,620 collected. Last week, a similar drive was held at Vashi railway station, resulting in action against 393 passengers, with authorities collecting Rs 1,02,260 in fines in a single day.

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Maharashtra

Bomb threat to blow up Mumbai Bandra BKC Passport Office; no suspicious objects or explosives found during search; alert issued in area

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Mumbai: Bandra BKC has been rocked by a bomb threat. A panic has erupted in the area after an email was received stating that 19 cyanide bombs have been planted in the passport office in Mumbai’s BKC. The police immediately received the information about this email and the bomb disposal and bomb disposal teams reached the spot. A panic has erupted after a bomb threat was received at the passport office in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). The threat was given through an email. A threat was made to plant 19 bombs filled with cyanide in the passport office and toilets. There was panic after the email was received. The threatening email said that the bombs would explode at 1.30 pm today. As soon as the information about this threatening email was received, the police and the bomb disposal squad reached the spot. The entire area has been evacuated and the bomb squad searched but nothing was found. Therefore, the police are taking details of the email through which the threat was sent. Mumbai Police is investigating the entire matter in depth.

Threatening mails on three email IDs
On Wednesday, the passport office in BKC received three threatening emails. In which 19 cyanide bombs kept in the passport office and toilets were threatened to explode at 1.30 pm. The threatening mails were received on the email addresses Sourav_biswas21@hotmail.com, rpo.mumbai@mea.gov.in and rpo.mumbai@cpo.gov.in. After this, the security agencies and the Mumbai Police were immediately informed. On receiving the information, the security agencies started immediate action. Senior officers of the BKC police station, an ATS team and officers of Unit 8 immediately reached the spot. They took control of the entire area and started investigation.

Citizens urged to be vigilant
The bomb disposal and bomb disposal team conducted a thorough inspection of the lobby of the passport office, the main entrance, the entrance and exit routes, the trees and bushes in the area and all the surrounding areas as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, they did not find anything suspicious or objectionable in this inspection. Still, the police, taking the matter seriously, have appealed to the citizens to be vigilant. They have also been asked to immediately inform the police if they see anything suspicious anywhere.

Fake threatening emails are also often sent. Such fake emails create an atmosphere of fear. To prevent this, the cyber police have started collecting more information about email IDs. The security personnel of the passport office have also been instructed to be vigilant and follow security standards.

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