Mumbai, July 11: Amid a series of earthquakes in the Marathwada region, Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Maharashtra government, accusing it of prioritising publicity exercises in Mumbai while ignoring growing seismic concerns in parts of the state.

The criticism came through an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, which alleged administrative apathy towards repeated tremors reported in Hingoli, Parbhani and Nanded districts.

The Thackeray camp contrasted the government’s high-decibel public relations exercise during the Mumbai rains with its complete silence on the seismic threats looming over rural Maharashtra. “Mr. Show-Off, do you even understand? An earthquake has hit Marathwada!” the editorial taunted, aiming squarely at the Chief Minister and his Disaster Management Minister.

The editorial heavily criticised the ruling dispensation for prioritizing media spotlight over genuine crisis management. It claimed that while heavy rains lashed Mumbai, the Disaster Management Minister and the Chief Minister rushed to the emergency war room solely for a “photo-op” and a “public relations show”.

In stark contrast, the administration remains “completely unfazed and indifferent” to the tremors gripping Marathwada, where four consecutive tremors rattled Hingoli, Parbhani, and Nanded districts in the early hours of Thursday, July 9, it said.

The editorial noted that the tremors were powerful enough to be felt across a massive geographic expanse stretching 200 to 300 km — reaching as far as Bidar in Karnataka, and Adilabad and Nizamabad in Telangana. For the people of Marathwada, the ground shaking is not a minor event — it is a deeply traumatizing trigger.

The Thackeray camp pointed out that the region has still not healed from the horrific wounds of the catastrophic September 30, 1993, Latur-Killari earthquake, which wiped out an entire generation and stands as one of the worst seismic disasters in independent India’s history.

The editorial also highlighted a grim, symbolic collapse following the latest tremors. Shortly after the ground shook on July 9, a bridge on the National Highway in Nanded’s Vishnupuri area collapsed. It noted that the bridge had been built on a “foundation of sheer corruption,” exposing how the “ruthless human hand” of the current administration is compounding the wrath of nature.

Drawing a sharp line between political theater and real-world disaster, the editorial delivered a scathing commentary on the state’s political climate. “The public wasn’t shocked at all when Shiv Sena MPs from Parbhani, Hingoli, and Dharashiv allegedly sold themselves out for Rs 50 crore each — political betrayal has ceased to surprise anyone. However, the shock of subterranean lava fracturing the earth, destroying homes, and bulldozing human lives is entirely different. While the July 9 tremors may seem mild today, they are a stark warning of tomorrow’s catastrophe,’’ it remarked.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena warned that the geographical and geological reality of Maharashtra is shifting dangerously. Regions that were once classified as stable, non-seismic zones have now transitioned into highly earthquake-prone areas. Tectonic activity is rapidly escalating not just in Marathwada and Vidarbha, but also in Western Maharashtra’s Koyna region, and across a 300 km radius, covering Thane, Shahapur, and Palghar.

Blaming the “Fadnavis-led government” for letting the state’s disaster management system lie completely dormant, the editorial concluded with a fierce warning, ‘’No one knows what lies hidden in the womb of the earth or what the future holds. However, the continuous chain of earthquakes in Marathwada should serve as a massive wake-up call for the government and the administration to shake off their complacency before the destruction occurs.”

Mumbai, July 11: The Vanrai Police have arrested the 14th accused in the high-profile NESCO drug overdose case, taking into custody Nitesh alias ‘Nick’ Khemlani, the twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh alias ‘Mark’ Khemlani.

According to police, Nitesh Khemlani was arrested following an investigation into the suspected financial network linked to the drug case. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody until July 13 for further questioning and investigation.

The arrest comes as part of the ongoing probe into the drug-related incident reported at the NESCO area in Goregaon, Mumbai. Police are examining the alleged drug syndicate’s operations, including its financial transactions and links among the accused persons.

The Vanrai Police said that during the investigation, suspicious financial transactions between Nitesh Khemlani and some of the accused already arrested in the case came to light. Based on these findings, police took him into custody for further investigation.

Investigators are now questioning Nitesh Khemlani to trace the alleged financial network behind the drug operation, identify possible sources of funding and uncover further links connected to the case.

The arrest marks the 14th in the case, with police continuing their probe into the wider network involved in the alleged drug supply and distribution chain.

The NESCO drug overdose case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of multiple accused and the alleged links to a wider drug network. Police officials have said that further arrests and revelations may emerge as the investigation progresses.

The Vanrai Police are focusing on establishing the complete chain of events, including the movement of funds, connections between accused persons and the possible role of other individuals associated with the case.

Mumbai, July 11: A 12-year-old boy lost his life while two of his family members were injured after a section of a neighbouring building collapsed and fell on their house in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said.

The incident took place at around 3:35 p.m. on Friday at Madras Chawl in Azad Nagar, Brahmand, prompting an immediate rescue operation by local authorities and emergency services.

Officials said the affected building was a ground-plus-one-storey structure estimated to be around 25 to 30 years old. Preliminary findings indicate that a portion of the building’s gallery suddenly gave way and crashed onto an adjoining house where members of a family were asleep.

According to NDTV, the deceased has been identified as 12-year-old Jaykumar Jaiswal. He suffered critical injuries in the collapse and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Two other family members, Urmila Jaiswal, 35, and Vinit Jaiswal, 9, sustained head injuries in the incident. Both were admitted to Titan Hospital in Manpada, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Their condition is being closely monitored.

Following the collapse, authorities evacuated three neighbouring houses in Madras Chawl as a precautionary measure to prevent any further casualties. Officials said structural inspections and debris-clearing operations are being carried out jointly by the Majiwada Ward Committee, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Encroachment Department to assess the safety of nearby structures.

Emergency response teams reached the site shortly after receiving information about the collapse. The rescue operation involved two fire engines, a rescue vehicle, a disaster management utility vehicle, and an ambulance. Authorities ensured that the affected area was secured while search and clearance work continued.

The incident comes just days after another fatal house collapse in Mumbai amid heavy rainfall. On July 7, six people were killed and one person was injured after a neighbouring structure collapsed onto their home in Janata Nagar, Mankhurd. The victims belonged to the family of Akhtar Jahan and her husband, labourer Moinuddin Wajid Ali Shah.

According to local residents, the family had become increasingly concerned over the deteriorating condition of the adjoining building and had planned to relocate on Sunday. However, before they could move, the weakened structure collapsed during the spell of heavy rain, resulting in the tragic loss of lives.