Dehradun, Sep 1: Incessant rainfall across Uttarakhand has disrupted normal life, with rising water levels in rivers and drains, landslides and traffic disruptions reported from several parts of the hill state.

The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms in most parts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday. An Orange Alert has been issued for Dehradun and Tehri districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall. A Yellow Alert has been issued for Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital and Haridwar.

Meanwhile, three members of a family were killed after their house collapsed in Vaduyya village in Almora district amid incessant rainfall. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when the family members were sleeping inside the house.

The structure suddenly collapsed under the impact of the continuous rain. Hearing a loud noise followed by screams, villagers rushed towards the site and immediately informed the police and local administration about the incident.

Soon after receiving the information, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, revenue department, fire services and disaster management authorities reached the spot. A rescue operation was launched with the assistance of local villagers.

After considerable effort and amid heavy debris, the rescue teams managed to pull the three victims out of the collapsed structure. However, by the time they were rescued, all three had already died.

Heavy rainfall in Almora over the past two days has already affected normal life in several areas. Roads have been disrupted at multiple locations, while the threat of landslides continues to remain high across the hilly regions.

In Dehradun, the water level of the Rispana River rose near the bridge on Mohini Road in Dalanwala at around 1 a.m. The strong current and rapidly rising water level triggered concern among residents living in nearby areas.

Police teams have been carrying out regular patrols in locations considered vulnerable to flooding and are keeping a close watch on rivers, drains and other water bodies. Officials are also monitoring developments closely in view of the forecast for continued rainfall.

The persistent rain also triggered landslides along the Mussoorie-Dehradun route on Monday. Traffic movement was disrupted near Pani Wala Bend after debris, stones and trees fell onto the road, blocking the route.

The road was subsequently cleared by the authorities and reopened for traffic. Another landslide was reported near Galogi Dhar, where debris again spilt onto the roadway and affected vehicular movement.

In view of the prevailing weather conditions, all schools from Classes 1 to 12, along with Anganwadi centres, in Dehradun and Pithoragarh have been closed on September 1 as a precautionary measure.

In Uttarkashi, the Yamunotri Highway was completely blocked near Ranachatti after debris and trees fell from the hillside. A team from the National Highways authorities reached the location and undertook clearance work. Traffic was restored after the debris was removed from the highway.

A landslide was also reported in Bageshwar, where debris blocked the Garud-Bageshwar route near Rawaikhal, disrupting traffic movement in the area. Authorities have been working to clear affected roads and restore connectivity wherever possible.

New Delhi, Sep 1: The Delhi Police on Tuesday apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals for violating the conditions of their respective visas by overstaying beyond the permissible period.

The action was taken by the Foreigner Cell of the Special Staff, Central District, during a special verification drive conducted under Operation VISTA 1.0 (Visa Status Verification).

The apprehended foreign nationals were identified as Jomir Hossen, 25, and Maksuda Akter, 39. Both Hossen and Akter are residents of Bangladesh.

According to the police, both foreign nationals had entered India on Double-Entry Visas that permitted them to stay in the country for a maximum of 15 days per visit. During verification, they were found staying beyond the permissible period, thereby violating the conditions of their visas.

As part of the special verification drive, the Foreigner Cell conducted checks at various hotels and guest houses in the Central District area. During the operation, the police team reached a hotel on Arakashan Road in Nabi Karim, where Hossen was found staying. He had entered India on July 9.

Thereafter, the team conducted verification at another hotel in Chandi Walan Main Bazar, Paharganj, where Akter was found staying. She had entered India on July 27.

The police thoroughly checked and verified the passports, visas and other travel documents of both foreign nationals.

The operation was conducted by a dedicated team of the Foreigner Cell, Special Staff, Central District, under the leadership of Inspector Sandeep Yadav, I/C Special Staff, Central District, and under the overall supervision of ACP/Operations Padam Singh Rana.

The team comprised Sub-Inspectors Ombeer Singh Tyagi and Satish, Head Constables Narender, Yogesh, Vikas and Manish, Constable Lokesh and Woman Constable Kiran.

During questioning and verification, the two foreign nationals were asked about their stay in India and their travel documents were scrutinised. The verification established that both had entered India on Double-Entry Visas carrying a condition permitting a maximum stay of 15 days per visit.

The police said both were found to have exceeded the permissible duration of stay and were consequently apprehended for violation of visa conditions.

Following completion of the verification process, both foreign nationals were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for further legal proceedings.

Subsequently, the FRRO issued Restriction Orders directing their placement at the Detention Centre, Sewa Dham, Shahzada Bagh, Sarai Rohilla, Delhi.

Accordingly, both foreign nationals were lodged at the detention centre, where they will remain pending further deportation proceedings as per law.

The Delhi Police said the operation was part of its efforts to verify the visa status and compliance of foreign nationals staying in the Central District.

New Delhi, Sep 1: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that Delhi-NCR has become so unsafe for women that a minor girl was gang-raped for 47 kilometres in a sleeper bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi. He questioned whether anyone would be held accountable for the incident.

Rahul Gandhi took to the social media platform X and said, “Delhi NCR has become so unsafe for women that a minor girl was gang-raped for 47 kilometers in a sleeper bus – from Greater Noida to Delhi. It’s astonishing that neither the entire Delhi police nor the Noida police had the slightest inkling of it.”

He said the bus crossed several key routes and borders without being stopped at any checkpoint.

“This bus crossed the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, Delhi’s Ring Road, the border – all of it – without being stopped even once at a single checkpoint,” he said.

The Congress leader said the alleged perpetrators have no fear of the administration.

“Curtains were drawn over the bus seats so no one could see what was happening inside. And the perpetrators had no fear of the administration whatsoever,” Gandhi said.

He questioned why rules concerning the checking and monitoring of sleeper buses were still not being properly followed despite several years having passed since the 2012 Nirbhaya case.

“Even after so many years since Nirbhaya, after so many such incidents, why are the rules for checking and monitoring such buses still not being followed?” he asked.

Gandhi further said the incident reflected repeated failures in the administration and said such failures were being concealed by the government.

“Those curtains weren’t just drawn on that one bus – they’re the result of curtains drawn year after year by the government over the administration’s failures, leaving women unable even to take a safe journey in the country’s capital,” he said.

He also questioned how many more women and girls would have to suffer before the authorities took corrective measures.

“How many more women and girls will have to endure this before the central and state governments finally fix this system?” Gandhi asked.

He also questioned whether there would be accountability from the Delhi Police under Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Uttar Pradesh Police under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

“Will there be any accountability for the Delhi Police under Amit Shah, or the UP Police under Adityanath? Not a chance – this crime, too, will just have a curtain drawn over it,” he said.

A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped inside an empty sleeper bus by its driver and conductor in Greater Noida earlier this month, police said on Monday, adding that both accused have been arrested in connection with the case.

According to police, the incident took place near Pari Chowk on August 4. The survivor alleged in her complaint that the two accused sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she resisted. They later abandoned her near Kashmere Gate in Delhi.

The accused, identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep, were arrested from a parking area in Timarpur on the same day.

Police seized the bus and sent it for forensic examination. Investigators also collected CCTV footage from the route taken by the bus as part of the probe. Police said the footage was being examined to establish the sequence of events.

The teenager is a resident of Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh. Police said she had left her home without informing her family after her mother reprimanded her over her studies. She was travelling to Noida Sector 63, where her cousin lives.

According to the girl’s statement to police, she mistakenly got down at Pari Chowk amid heavy rain and darkness. After realising that she had reached the wrong location, she tried to find another vehicle and eventually stopped the sleeper bus. Police said there were no passengers inside the bus at the time.