Mumbai: Late NCP leader Baba Siddique’s wife Shehzeen has approached the special MCOCA court, pleading that she be allowed to join the prosecution to conduct the case of her husband’s murder, as her family is the ultimate victim of the act of the accused.

As the court is yet to begin the trial, Baba’s wife Shehzeen has, on Friday, submitted an application through her advocate Trivankumar Karnani, seeking permission to allow her to join the prosecution to conduct the trial in the case. She pleaded that the accused have committed a cold-blooded, gruesome murder in a pre-planned and premeditated manner of the deceased.

“She has suffered an irreparable loss, and that it is of utmost importance for the intervenor to put on record the true and correct facts to assist this Court to come to a free and fair conclusion in the matter at hand,” Shehzeen said in her application, adding that there are several important aspects which require due and proper weightage.

The application emphasis on the right of the victim to be heard as held by Supreme court in numerous pleas. “It has been held that the victim is the defacto sufferer of a crime. The ethos of criminal justice dispensation to prevent and punish crime should not surreptitiously turn its back on the victim. The jurisprudence with respect to the rights of victims to be heard and to participate in criminal proceedings began to positively evolve,” reads the plea.

Siddique, 66, was killed on October 12, 2014, near his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra. Three assailants allegedly part of Bishnoi’s gang had opened fire at the car where Baba sat to leave from the office. As soon as he got into the car, the accused opened fire at him, giving no room for his guards to react. The assailants however were caught by police while they tried to escape.

Shehzeen further pleaded that, “This audacious attack, executed in one of the city’s most affluent and bustling neighborhoods, saw the assailants shoot Siddique at point blank range, before fleeing the scene, leaving behind a trail of grief and outrage for the family of the deceased,’ reads the plea.

So far, police have arrested 26 suspects in connection with the murder. The Mumbai police had, in December, submitted a chargesheet against 26 accused involved in the murder of NCP leader. The police claimed that the murder was ordered by Bishnoi, who is heading the gang.

In its chargesheet, the police claimed that the investigation revealed that the members of the gang had hatred against the Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Besides, Siddique was very close to the actor, and further, the gang wanted to establish terror and supremacy. These were the key motives behind conspiring to kill Siddique.

Mumbai: In a welcome change from the summer heat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted light drizzles and thundershowers for Mumbai and surrounding areas next week. While no alerts are currently in place for Mumbai, a yellow alert has been issued for Thane and Raigad from March 31 to April 1.

The Santacruz observatory recorded 33.6 degrees Celsius, while Colaba noted 31 degrees. Predictions suggest rising temperatures may exceed 36 degrees over the weekend, but this could be tempered by expected rain and thunderstorms starting Monday, with heavier rainfall anticipated in Thane and Raigad.

Post-precipitation, maximum temperatures in Mumbai are expected to fall to around 33 degrees Celsius after April 2. While pre-monsoon showers in summer are unusual, Mumbai has previously experienced such weather, with March 2023 marking a record of about 17 mm of rainfall—its wettest March. Comparatively, the Santacruz observatory recorded 10 mm in 2016 and 13 mm in 2015.

In preparation for the upcoming monsoon, Bhushan Gagrani, chief of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), convened a high-level meeting emphasizing proactive measures, including a joint survey of areas prone to waterlogging across the city.

According to report by Mid-day, During a pre-monsoon meeting at the civic headquarters on Friday, Bhushan Gagrani, chair of the district disaster management authority, instructed BMC ward officials to clear debris and barricades after work completion to prepare for the forthcoming Mumbai monsoon. He underscored the necessity of a joint survey of waterlogging-prone areas for formulating preventive measures and called for effective coordination among agencies to ensure uninterrupted suburban railway services. Gagrani urged Assistant Commissioners to work closely with relevant parties for debris clearance.

The meeting involved all additional Commissioners of the BMC, officials, and representatives from various government agencies. Gagrani highlighted the importance of operational public announcement systems at railway stations and mandated tree trimming on railway premises to be finished by the end of May. To mitigate risks from heavy rains, it was announced that 482 dewatering pumps will be deployed in low-lying city areas. He suggested using geo-tagging technology to monitor pump operations, emphasizing accountability for delays in addressing malfunctions.

Gagrani also raised concerns regarding certain locations in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs at risk of landslides, instructing the district administration to implement precautionary measures, including relocating residents from high-risk zones and providing disaster preparedness training.

Additionally, officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) confirmed their readiness for emergency rescue operations during the monsoon, while the Indian Navy was directed to keep its teams and divers prepared for deployment as necessary. These collective actions reflect a proactive stance toward disaster management, focusing on hazard mitigation, operational readiness, and enhancing community safety amidst the impending monsoon.

Mandalay, March 29: At least 1,002 were killed, 2,376 were injured, and 30 remained missing in the earthquake that rattled Myanmar, according to the Information Team of Myanmar’s State Administration Council on Saturday.

Rescue efforts have intensified in Myanmar despite severe disruptions to transportation and communication networks following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday afternoon.

The quake, which originated near Sagaing, triggered 12 aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude, further worsening conditions in the affected areas.

The devastation has been widespread, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan State, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Myanmar government has declared a national emergency as emergency responders work tirelessly to assist those in need.

A critical transport link, the Yangon-Mandalay highway, suffered severe damage near Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, making relief operations challenging.

People have resorted to using the older Yangon-Mandalay road to arrive at the quake-hit areas and facilitate rescue efforts. Additionally, the collapse of buildings in Mandalay Airport and sections of the highway has further disrupted travel between Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar’s two largest cities.

Rescue teams, including fire service personnel from lower Myanmar, have arrived at the severely affected areas like Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. However, damaged infrastructure, power outages, and disruptions to phone and internet services have complicated relief efforts.

International assistance has begun arriving. A Chinese rescue team landed in Yangon on Saturday morning to support Myanmar’s emergency response and provide aid to affected communities.

As authorities and rescue teams work around the clock to assist those impacted by the disaster, Myanmar faces the daunting task of recovering from one of its most powerful earthquakes in recent history.

With critical infrastructure damaged and essential services disrupted, coordinated relief efforts are urgently needed to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Myanmar leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has called for humanitarian assistance from both local and international communities. On Saturday morning, Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Mandalay to facilitate the rescue operations.