1. Shielding Nephew Lands Kin in Net in Calcutta
This is a curious case of two uncles — one who was said to have accompanied Arsalan Parwez to the police station, while another who allegedly helped the 21-year-old’s elder brother Raghib Parwez flee to Dubai around the same time.
Mohammed Hamza, who is Arsalan’s maternal uncle and helped Raghib escape to Dubai, has been arrested.
“Chhodiye na, (just leave it),” Z.A. Khan, the brother of Arsalan’s father who had accompanied his nephew to the Shakespeare Sarani police station on Saturday, told Metro on Wednesday when asked why the family had helped the real suspect flee and presented someone else before police.
(Source: The Telegraph)
2. Sikkim Expedition Route to Kanchenjungha
The Union home ministry has opened up 137 mountain peaks, including Kanchenjungha (8,586m) — the third- highest in the world — for expeditions from the Sikkim side. The Sikkim government had banned expeditions to the Kanchenjungha in 2001.
For peaks that are “open” to expeditions, both foreign and Indian climbers can obtain permission directly from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), the national body for mountaineering. Earlier, the Centre’s clearance was required.
The ministry of home affairs has decided to open mountain peaks in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, to promote adventure sports.
(Source: The Telegraph)
3. Glare on Culture Hub Scan in Calcutta
A plan to ensure better surveillance of 14 vital installations under the information and cultural affairs (I&CA) department by installing 600 CCTV cameras has set off rumblings in Nabanna after it emerged that most of these sites already have such systems in place.
“The question is why the government has taken up initiatives to install so many cameras afresh, particularly when the majority of the structures have the system in place?” asked an official in the department.
Sources in Nabanna said the department had prepared a list of the installations. They include the Nandan-Rabindra Sadan complex, Uttirna (an open-air auditorium) in Alipore, State Archaeological Museum in Behala, Technician Studio and Madhusudan Mancha.
(Source: The Telegraph)
4. Mamata Stirs Brew of Charm in Digha
Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday stopped her convoy to visit a tribal-dominated Digha village near the Odisha border, the impromptu trip seen as part of Trinamul’s larger outreach drive drawn up by poll consultant Prashant Kishor.
The chief ministerial convoy had been passing by the Podima area around lunchtime when it suddenly it pulled over at Duttapur. Mamata got off her car and entered the village of over 2,000 people, who live off fishing and tourism-related activities.
“I came here to see how you people are doing, whether all is well with you,” said the Trinamul chief, stepping into homes and striking up conversations with the women.
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Kolkata Metro Rake Finishes 22-Station Trip With Doors Open
A Kolkata Metro rake ran from Dum Dum station to Kavi Subhash with its doors open after it developed a technical glitch on Wednesday. The door was guarded by Railway Police Force personnel and other Metro staff to prevent any accident. According to sources, the incident took place at 10:24 am. The Metro was completely packed and covered 22 stations safely.
In a statement, Metro CPRO Indrani Bandopadhyay said the incident took place in the fifth compartment from the motorman coach. The door somehow did not get closed. The train was overcrowded, so instead of sending it back to the carshed, the Metro — escorted by RPF officials and maintenance staff — was allowed to run. The train completed its journey safely. There was some issue in the rubber attached to the door. After fixing the snag, the train was operated again.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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