Bhiwandi, July 31: A four-storey building collapsed in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra Thane district, leaving six people dead, according to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Authorities fear that several others may still be trapped under the debris, and rescue operations are continuing at the site.

The building had started tilting late on the night of July 30 and collapsed on Thursday night. After noticing the danger, several labourers working there evacuated the premises. Repair work was reportedly underway in the building at the time, which is believed to have reduced the number of people inside when the collapse occurred.

During the rescue operation, NDRF personnel recovered two bodies from the debris. The team also rescued a woman alive from the rubble and immediately shifted her to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her condition is reported to be stable.

Deepak Kumar Yadav, a survivor of the incident, told media, “Repair work was being carried out on the pillars of a nearby building. After dinner, we went to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud sound of the collapsing building. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life.”

Neha Singh, a local resident searching for her husband after the collapse, said, “He had gone downstairs saying he needed to check something. The building collapsed barely 10 minutes after he went down. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Some work was going on there. I was not feeling well, which is why I had stayed upstairs. My husband, Ranjeet Singh, has been missing since the collapse. His phone is ringing, but he is not answering.”

Another survivor, Sangeeta Prajapati, said, “I was standing in the parking area when I heard the sound of the building cracking. I tried to run, but the structure collapsed while I was fleeing. I sustained injuries in the incident.”

Abhay Kumar Yadav recounted, “We were in our room after dinner when we heard a loud noise. We immediately tried to run outside, but there was no clear exit route, so I jumped from the first floor. I suffered a leg fracture. Later, some local residents brought a ladder, and others were able to climb down safely. There were around 25 to 30 people inside the building at the time. The building has nearly 45 rooms.”

According to the administration, at least three to four labourers are still feared trapped under the debris. Rescue operations are progressing slowly due to the large volume of rubble.

After receiving information about the incident, teams from the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot. Debris removal operations, assisted by JCB machines and other heavy equipment, continued throughout the night. Officials said darkness and the massive debris have hampered rescue efforts, but teams remain engaged in the operation.

Mumbai, July 31: Maharashtra Cyber Police have registered an FIR regarding the circulation of allegedly AI-generated and morphed videos of Union Minister Piyush Goyal and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The action was initiated following a complaint filed by a BJP social media office-bearer.

According to officials, the Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police have registered a case against unidentified individuals and launched an investigation into the matter. The FIR has been filed under Sections 318(2), 336, 352, 353(1), 353(2), 356(1), and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66(D) and 67 of the Information Technology Act.

The complainant alleged that during recent student protests, morphed or AI-generated videos of Union Minister Piyush Goyal were circulated through various social media accounts. He further claimed that objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also shared online.

According to the complaint, a video was posted from a Facebook account named “Maharashtra Dharma” with a caption claiming that Piyush Goyal had spoken about publicly hanging the protesters, referring to them as “cockroaches”.

The complainant alleged that the minister appeared to be making objectionable remarks in the circulated clip. However, after comparing it with the original video released by a news agency, he concluded that the video had allegedly been digitally manipulated or created using artificial intelligence.

The complainant also highlighted several other social media posts, including an allegedly morphed image of Prime Minister Modi shared through a Facebook account, an objectionable video circulated on Instagram, and another video containing abusive language directed at the Prime Minister.

According to the complaint, the content was circulated with the intention of spreading misinformation, provoking public discontent, and insulting individuals holding constitutional positions.

Police officials said efforts are underway to identify and trace the operators of the social media accounts involved. Further investigation into the case is in progress.

Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that to effectively implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Drug-Free India’ (Nashamik Bharat), it is necessary for everyone to make a collective commitment to make ‘Drug-Free Mumbai,’ ‘Drug-Free Maharashtra,’ and ‘Drug-Free India.’ He stressed that the war on drugs is not just a law and order issue but is linked to the future of the nation, for which collective efforts are indispensable.

The ‘Drug-Free Mumbai’ campaign was launched by Chief Minister Fadnavis in Worli today. Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Minister of Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, and Chairman of the High-Level Committee for Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign), Ashwini Bhide (BMC Commissioner), Devin Bharti (Mumbai Police Commissioner), Rubel Agarwal (Mumbai Commissioner), Sub-Commissioner Katraban (Mumbai Commissioner) and others were also present on the occasion. District), Aanchal Goyal (Collector, Mumbai City District), Prachi Jambhikar (Deputy Commissioner – Education, BMC), Sapna Shroff (non-official member of the committee) along with representatives of various NGOs, councilors, medical experts, students and a large number of citizens participated. Chief Minister Fadnavis said that India is making rapid progress in the fields of science, technology, artificial intelligence, space research and defense. In such a situation, a conspiracy is being hatched to weaken India from within by trapping the youth of the country in the clutches of drugs. Drugs are the most dangerous weapon in this secret war and every citizen should consider the fight against them as his own personal war. To create a drug-free society, coordinated efforts are needed between the police, health, social justice and school education departments as well as parents, teachers, students and all sections of society. Strict action will be taken against those involved in the manufacture, trafficking and sale of drugs. Fadnavis stressed that drug peddling gangs, especially around schools and colleges, will be completely eradicated. Stating that if students take a firm resolve to “say no to drugs”, no one will be able to lure them towards addiction, Fadnavis said the government will make every effort to achieve the goal of ‘drug-free Mumbai’ in the next two to four years. He termed students as the eyes and ears of the society and urged them to provide information about people who are inclined towards addiction and those involved in the drug trade. He announced that letters regarding the matter would be sent to the headmasters of all schools in the state and the principals of all colleges, and assured that the government would extend full support in effectively implementing the concepts of ‘drug-free campuses’ and ‘drug-free schools’. The Chief Minister also announced that the identity of those providing information about drugs will be kept confidential and those providing useful information will be rewarded. Focusing on the rehabilitation of addicted youth and bringing them into the mainstream, Chief Minister Fadnavis noted that if the youth stay away from drugs till the age of 21 or 22, they have a better chance of remaining drug-free throughout their lives. He therefore urged the youth to firmly reject drugs and not succumb to any temptation.

Quoting the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Fadnavis said that the power of youth should prove to be a life-giving force for nation-building instead of a destructive force for society. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bharat Ratna Dr. urged everyone to translate the pledge of ‘Drug-Free Mumbai’ – Inspired by Babasaheb Ambedkar, he administered an oath to the people present to create a drug-free society. Two thousand students from Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools attended the event held at ‘The Dome’ in Worli and took a pledge for a drug-free life. Moreover, students from BMC schools participated in the programme through audio-visual link. BMC students presented dance performances and street plays at the venue.

Let’s turn ‘Drug-Free Mumbai’ campaign into a people’s movement Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha
Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha asserted that ‘Drug-Free Mumbai’ is not just a government campaign but a vast people’s movement driven by active social participation. He said that the campaign will continue till Mumbai is completely drug-free and appealed to every citizen to participate in the campaign as a social responsibility. Stressing that the society should actively engage with the government to thwart conspiracies to lure the youth into the clutches of drugs, Minister Lodha announced that public awareness campaigns, counselling sessions, and anti-drug measures would be implemented in schools, colleges and various educational institutions. He urged parents, teachers, NGOs and every section of the society to take the initiative for a safe future for children. The Central and State Governments are implementing various measures for the all-round development of the youth, he mentioned that the ‘CM Mahadhan’ skill development scheme is set to be launched on August 15.