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PM Narendra Modi Strikes Another Strategic Partnership, This Time With Greece

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PM Modi has struck yet another strategic partnership – this time with Greece. He has elevated ties with Greece during his maiden visit; interestingly, this is the first official visit by an Indian prime minister to Greece in 40 years. Indira Gandhi, then premier, visited Greece in 1983, at the invitation of her counterpart, Andreas Papandreou.

The focus of their expanding partnership is initially on defence. The Indian Air Force took part in a European military exercise staged in Greece this spring, while India and Greece held a combined naval exercise in Crete. Furthermore, Greek fighter jets are expected to take part in an Indian Air Force drill for the first time in September.

India keen on accessing Greek ports

There is further convergence of interests with India keen on accessing Greek ports for boosting its European exports while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his government want to cast Greece as India’s “bridge” to the EU.

During the visit, the two countries have acknowledged the need to double bilateral trade by 2030 in infrastructure, agriculture, education and new and emerging technologies. Going beyond, the two sides also agreed to have an institutional dialogue framework at the level of national security advisors.

Both sides have excellent coordination

Flanked by Mitsotakis, Modi said in his media statement that both sides have “excellent coordination” on geopolitical, international and regional issues, including that of the Indo-Pacific.

On his part, Mitsotakis said both sides are ready to move forward to deal with various challenges, “especially in a period of upheaval and war in Ukraine”. The two sides also discussed mutual cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism and cyber security. An agreement on agricultural cooperation was also signed following the talks.

The discussions covered digital payments, shipping, pharma, tourism, culture, education and people to people ties. Describing India and Greece as a “natural match”, Modi said a migration and mobility partnership agreement will be inked “soon” to facilitate skilled migration between the two countries.

Grand Cross of the Order of Honour award

Modi also thanked people of Greece and the country’s President Katerina N Sakellaropoulou for awarding him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour award. The MEA said Mitsotakis congratulated Modi on the success of the Chandrayaan mission, terming it as a success for humanity.

Crime

Anti-Narcotics Cell cracks down on Mumbai drug dealers, two drug dealers arrested, drugs worth over Rs 2 crore seized

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The Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell has claimed to have arrested a drug dealer from the Andheri Lokhandwala area of ​​Mumbai’s suburbs.

The ANC Azad Maidan unit had received information that a person was going to come to Lokhandwala to sell drugs. On this, the ANC recovered Rs 18 lakh in cash, 703 grams of hashish and 104 grams of Mephedone MD from the person’s possession. After this, in the second operation, the ANC on July 8 arrested a suspect in the case of selling illegal heroin in the Andheri Versova area and recovered 306 grams of heroin from his possession. Along with this, it was revealed that the accused sells drugs in Andheri and surrounding areas.

Action was taken against both of them under the NDPS Act and both of them have been arrested. It has been claimed that drugs worth over Rs 2 crore have been seized from their possession. The 46-year-old arrested from Andheri Lokhandwala The accused and the second accused are 31 years old and both are under investigation. The operation was led by Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti and was conducted by DCP ANC Nunath Dhole.

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National News

14 Dead, 6 Missing As 45-Year-Old Gambhira Bridge Collapses In Gujarat Despite Prior Safety Warnings In 2022

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Vadodara: The death toll in the collapse of a span of the 45-year-old Gambhira Bridge over the Mahisagar River, connecting Central Gujarat to Saurashtra, has risen to 14, while six persons are still missing. In this incident, vehicles including two trucks, two pickups and a rickshaw passing over the bridge fell into the Mahisagar River flowing on both banks.

Official sources said that 14 people have died in this accident, while more than 8 people were rescued. On Thursday morning, during the search operation of the NDRF, one more body was found, which has been sent to the Padra Community Health Center. Six people are still missing and the rescue operation is going on in the river.

Three members of the same family from Vadodara’s Mujpur village have died in this accident. Mujpur village was in a state of shock as the last rites of a father, son and daughter were done simultaneously. Father Rameshbhai, son Naiktik, and daughter Vaidika were all on their way to complete the Bagdana Badha and met death on the way.

In less than a month of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad killing 260 people, Gujarat witnessed yet another incident where the dilapidated bridge’s span of Gambhira bridge collapsed killing 14 people.

This accident took place around 7 to 7-30 am on Wednesday. According to the locals, three trucks, two Eco, one rickshaw, one pickup and two bikes have fallen into the river due to the collapse of the bridge.

The deceased have been identified as Vaidika Rameshbhai Padhiyar, Naitik Rameshbhai Padhiyar, Hasmukhbhai Mahijibhai Parmar,Rameshbhai Dalpatbhai Padhiyar, age 32, Vakhatsinh Manusinh Jadav, Pravinbhai Raojibhai Jadav, age 26, village-Undel and three other unidentified persons.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel tweeted, “The tragedy caused by the collapse of one of the 23 spans of the Gambhira Bridge connecting Anand and Vadodara is tragic. I pray for the peace of the souls of the deceased who lost their lives in the accident. Instructions have been given to arrange for the immediate treatment of the injured by talking to the Vadodara Collector and making arrangements on priority”

“The fire brigade team of the local municipality and Vadodara Municipal Corporation are working with boats and swimmers at the accident site for rescue and relief operations, as well as the NDRF team has also reached the scene and joined the rescue operation. Orders have been given to the Road Construction Department to immediately investigate this accident”

Ignored Warnings Since 2022

In August 2022, Harshadsinh Parmar, a member of the Vadodara District Panchayat, warned authorities in writing. He addressed a letter to the Executive Engineer of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division, urging an immediate site inspection of the Gambhira Bridge and called for its closure.

“The bridge was in a very dilapidated condition, and I clearly feared an accident due to heavy vehicle traffic,” Parmar told reporters. “I demanded it be shut and a new bridge constructed. But they only did superficial repairs.”

Not only that — Parmar even cited the Morbi Bridge collapse in his correspondence to stress the consequences of neglect. His warnings were echoed by the Additional Secretary of the Vadodara Collector’s Office, who issued an order to inspect the bridge and publish a test report. However, no action followed beyond minor patchwork.

A Bridge Known to Be Unsafe

Despite being officially declared unsafe in 2022, the Gambhira Bridge continued to serve full vehicular traffic, including trucks and buses. Sources reveal that while a new bridge project worth ₹212 crore had been approved, no groundwork ever began.

“The administration chose to ignore every red flag,” said Rekha Solanki, a local activist. “This isn’t an accident. It’s administrative murder.”

The bridge’s collapse comes just two days after the state government held a meeting on infrastructure affected by heavy rains. The timing has only intensified public outrage.

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Crime

Maharashtra Crime: 3 Arrested For Rape & Suicide Case Of 16-Year-Old Girl In Sangli

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Mumbai: In an disturbing incident, Sangli police on Wednesday arrested three men linked to the alleged rape and suicide of a 16-year-old girl in Kargani village, located in Atpadi tehsil. The girl, a Class 10th student, reportedly took her own life on Tuesday after being sexually assaulted and threatened by the accused.

Investigations reveal that the accused had been harassing the girl for several days. They allegedly raped her in the presence of her sister and, along with the others, as reported by Hindustan Times. They also mentioned that the accused allegedly filmed an obscene video and threatened to make it viral.

As per the report, the minor informed her parents about the incident. However, before they could file a police complaint, she died by suicide on Sunday. The suspects, Raju Gend, Anil Kale, and Rohit Kharat, have been taken into custody. A fourth accused, Ramdas Gaikwad, was beaten by angry villagers before being handed over to the police. He is currently receiving medical treatment and will be arrested once discharged.

The sub-divisional police officer, Vipul Chhaya Vijay Patil, mentioned that “We have arrested three accused in this case, while the fourth accused is undergoing medical treatment at a hospital,”

The Vinay Bahir, PI, Atpadi police station said, “Police also enquired about the sister of the deceased girl, and she also didn’t know much about the incident.” Based on the complaint, the police filed a case against the accused for charges of rape and abetment of suicide.

In a separate crime story from Maharashtra, a 16-year-old girl from Adivali in the Dombivli area of Thane was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a 20-year-old man during a train journey to Akola. Senior Police Inspector Pandhari Kande from the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Kalyan reported the case on Monday.

According to the police, the incident occurred on June 30. The man took the girl on a train from Thane to Akola, where he assaulted her during the journey, as reported by the news agency PTI. Upon their arrival in Akola, the man’s parents refused to allow them into their home. He then abandoned the girl at the Akola railway station and returned to his residence.

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