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NEET row: Sanjay Raut credits CJI for reviving ‘national movement’

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New Delhi/Mumbai, July 20: A tweet by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has sparked widespread political discussion after he publicly thanked Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, for the ongoing agitation over the NEET paper leak case.

In a post on the social media platform X, the Rajya Sabha MP credited the Chief Justice for giving fresh momentum to public protests across the country. He remarked that the credit for the massive protest goes to “just one person, Hon’ble Surya Kant Ji,” thanking him for breathing new life into the country’s social and political movements.

Raut’s statement comes amidst rising political temperatures in the national capital, where thousands of protesters gathered for a ‘Parliament March’ despite police restrictions. His remarks highlighting the judiciary’s role have drawn sharp reactions across political lines, further fuelling the nationwide debate surrounding the paper leak controversy.

Earlier, Raut launched a scathing attack on the Central government against the backdrop of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike, accusing the administration of being “scared of the youth” and suppressing democratic protests through force.

Reflecting on the crackdown on protesters, Raut told the youth gathered at Jantar Mantar that the government initially dismissed prominent voices such as Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijit Dipke as minor distractions.

He said the government thought they could crush these activists like tiny insects, but the so-called “cockroaches” had proven resilient, with people across the nation stepping out to support them.

Raut criticised the government’s refusal to grant permission for peaceful rallies, stating that a truly democratic leadership would engage with protesters rather than ban their marches or forcibly hospitalise activists like Sonam Wangchuk under police pressure.

He said the government should have addressed the youth’s grievances directly and sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to satisfy the younger generation.

Meanwhile, reacting strongly to the protests at Jantar Mantar and the opposition’s demands for the Education Minister’s resignation, BJP Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule launched a sharp attack on the organisers.

He alleged that the so-called “cockroach” protest was nothing but a staged political drama designed to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Bawankule said the ongoing protest was sheer drama, with some youths joining out of frustration. He asked whether he or Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had leaked the exam paper, adding that constructive suggestions for reform were welcome, but demanding the minister’s resignation was purely politically motivated.

Maharashtra

17-year-old among three killed in Mumbai high-end car accident (Lead)

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A 17-year-old was among the three people who were killed in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

Another person is critically injured and is currently receiving treatment.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle due to overspeeding.

The speeding vehicle crashed onto the Coastal Road and hit a boundary wall. It fell off the bridge into an area where construction work was underway.

The severity of the accident was evident from the extent of the damage to the car.

The vehicle tore off through the signboard hanging from the bridge. The roof of the car was pushed inwards, the windshield was shattered, and the bonnet was completely destroyed.

Following the accident, all four occupants of the car were rushed to Nair Hospital, where emergency medical teams assessed their condition.

According to an update issued by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Nair Hospital at around 8.40 a.m., three of the occupants were declared brought dead by doctors.

Two of the deceased have been identified as 21-year-old Shanay Gajjal and 17-year-old Dhirya Seth. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be ascertained.

The injured has been identified as 23-year-old Aditya Oswal.

Speaking about the incident to media, Senior Police Inspector Meena Jagtap said: “At around 5:20 a.m., a black BMW was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali in the northbound direction when it fell from the Coastal Road. There were four people in the car. Three people died, while Aditya is currently at Nair Hospital.”

She said that it is yet to be ascertained whether the occupants of the car were in an intoxicated state when the accident occurred.

Police are investigating the case.

Further details are awaited.

On September 3, several people were booked after Mumbai Police took cognisance of a viral video showing luxury and high-performance cars speeding and racing dangerously inside the Marine Drive-Southbound Coastal Road tunnel.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, three people were critically injured after a speeding off-road SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) hit them near PKC Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

The driver fled the spot after the crash instead of helping the injured.

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Maharashtra

BEST bus driver injured after head-on collision with private travel bus in Mumbai

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A BEST bus operating on Route 496 collided head-on with a private travel bus in Mumbai Mulund West early on Sunday, leaving its driver injured and triggering a minor fire in the vehicle.

The incident took place at around 5.50 a.m. in Mulund West, where ongoing Metro construction work on LBS Marg had restricted traffic movement to a single lane.

The BEST bus was travelling from SEEPZ towards Teen Hath Naka in Thane when it was involved in a collision with an oncoming private travel bus.

The impact of the head-on collision caused the steering wheel of the BEST bus to strike the abdomen of its driver, identified as 40-year-old Sandeep Namdev Karande.

He sustained injuries to his abdomen and right leg and also suffered heavy bleeding following the collision.

Soon after the impact, a minor fire broke out in the bonnet of the BEST bus, creating an additional emergency at the spot.

The conductor of the bus immediately responded by using the fire extinguisher available onboard and managed to douse the flames.

Following the accident, the conductor immediately arranged for the injured driver to receive medical attention, and Karande was rushed to the Agarwal Hospital in Mulund.

Authorities said that Karande was conscious and in a stable condition after being admitted to the hospital.

He was being treated for the injuries sustained in the collision.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, three people were killed, and another was critically injured in a serious accident involving a high-end car on the Mumbai Coastal Road early on Sunday, officials said.

According to information received from the Coastal Road Control Room, the accident occurred at around 5.20 a.m. near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala College.

The car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to overspeeding.

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Maharashtra

8-year-old among two electrocuted to death near Ganpati Pandal in Mumbai Lalbaug

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Mumbai, Sep 20: A tragic incident marred the Ganesh festival celebrations in Mumbai Lalbaug area after an electric shock near the pandal left two people dead and four others injured early on Sunday, officials said.

An 8-year-old girl died in the incident, while four others sustained serious injuries. A second death was reported later, when officials said a woman at Global Hospital had also succumbed to her injuries.

According to preliminary information from the fire brigade, the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sunday when devotees were present near the pandal.

Two boys and three girls, aged between 8 and 20, reportedly came into contact with the electrical current and suffered burn injuries.

Following the incident, all five victims were rushed to Masina Hospital in Byculla for treatment. Doctors declared the 8-year-old girl Raghni Ghanshyam Yadav dead upon arrival.

Kiran Akbar Naik, 19, Tanvi Narsh Hande, 19, Sahil Sandip Tare, 19, and Ruhi Singh, 12, were undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.

Meanwhile, a second victim, a woman who was admitted to Global Hospital in Parel, later succumbed to her injuries. Her identity was yet to be ascertained.

Among the injured, one girl was reportedly in critical condition and was shifted to Global Hospital in Parel for further treatment. The remaining three injured victims are undergoing treatment at Masina Hospital and have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where their condition remains serious.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the festive celebrations in the Kalachowki area.

Further details on the circumstances that led to the electrical current spreading are awaited.

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