Tag: Odisha Govt

Odisha train tragedy: Demolition of Bahanaga high school underway

Balasore: The demolition of the Bahanaga high school in Balasore where bodies of the Odisha train tragedy victims were kept as a transit place is underway. The high school is being demolished in the presence of the Tehsildar and police.

As per reports, the building had been used as a makeshift morgue sanctification in the Bahanga high school. The Bahanga school near the accident site was turned into a mortuary. The body of the deceased was kept in the school.

The villagers decided to sanctify the place. A priest has been entrusted with this responsibility. This step has been taken so that the children do not get scared after the opening of the school.

It is worth mentioning that, the schools in Odisha are now closed for the summer vacation. They are scheduled to reopen on June 19, 2023, after Raja Sankranti. The students and teachers are scared to return to the school, said reports.

The Bahanaga High School building where bodies of train accident victims were kept is demolished after the school managing committee deems it fit. The school committee was asked to intimate its decision following which steps will be taken, said the Balasore Collector.

According to the reports, the Balasore Collector visited the school on Thursday and inspected the school premises.

June 9, 2023
Odisha STF Arrests 4th Accused In OTP-Sharing Scam Involving Pak Agents

Bhubaneswar: The STF of Odisha Crime Branch has nabbed one more accused in the OTP-sharing scam in which three persons, including a teacher, were earlier arrested for allegedly sharing OTPs with operatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agents in Pakistan.

The accuse, identified as Pradyumna Kumar Sahoo of Nayagarh, was arrested on Wednesday.

According to an official release, Sahoo is a graduate and earlier worked as territory sales executive with Idea and as Jio Point manager. Currently, he is engaged at Black Buck, a Fastag company.

“He had supplied/sold more than 500 pre-activated SIMs and 150+ pre-activated Paytm Wallets to Pathani Samanta Lenka who was arrested earlier in this case. These SIMs and wallets were sold to various cyber criminals and Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). Some of the SIMs and wallets were also used by PIOs/ISI agents including some based in Pakistan’s Karachi and Baluchistan,” it added.

Investigation revealed that the accused used to generate multiple SIMs on the same identity by fooling/tricking the unsuspecting customers/SIM buyers on the pretext of some technical issues/glitches. “It was learnt that for activation of different wallets – PhonePe, Google Pay and others – registered mobile numbers linked with the Bank Account are mandatory. But in case of Paytm wallet account, costumers can also share user ID and password with others (having different mobile number) for operating the said account once OTP verification is activated,”

The STF will study/analyse this and if needed, will write to Paytm to change the settings, it added.

Last month, raids were conducted and three accused persons, identified as Pathani Samanta Lenka (ITI Teacher), Saroj Kumar Nayak and Soumya Pattanaik were arrested for allegedly fraudulently procuring huge numbers of SIMs in the name of others and selling the OTPs (linked/generated using the SIMs) to various clients including some PIOs/ISI agents in Pakistan as well as in India. In return, they were paid by some Pakistani agents based in India. They were also in touch with a woman Pakistani agent, who was arrested last year under Official Secrets Act and in a honey-trap case in Rajasthan.

In their greed for making quick money, they were selling OTPs and mule bank accounts to cyber frauds and foreign nationals for at least one year.

These OTPs were being used to create various accounts/channels on social media like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and also on online shopping sites like Amazon and Flipkart. These are also used for opening email accounts. These social media platforms operated by Pakistan-based agents were used for anti-national activities like spying, communication with terrorists, radicalisation, running anti-India propaganda, fuelling anti-India and divisive sentiments. Since these accounts were registered/linked on an Indian mobile number, people found them trustworthy.

Apart from these, they were also in the business of creating and selling mule accounts through social media groups which are again used in various kinds of crimes, the STF added.

Notably, National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against Lenka, the alleged mastermind of the scam. He had allegedly gone into hiding after a suspected ISI agent Guddu Kumar was arrested by West Bengal police in December last year.

June 8, 2023
A third of Odisha’s Sundargarh lacks access to banking services

ROURKELA: A vast rural population of the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district continues to be left out of the financial inclusion network with 96 out of the total 279 gram panchayats (GPs) without access to banking services.

Sources said the majority of the residents of these 96 panchayats depend either on agriculture or work as daily wagers for their livelihood. The remaining 183 GPs, despite having banking services, do not possess adequate branches forcing villagers of far-flung areas to travel miles and spend the entire day at the bank to avail of services.

Lead District Manager, Sundargarh, Don Bosco informed that 96 of the 279 GPs in Sundargarh face difficulties in availing financial services including the financial benefits of different Central and state schemes in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

“The rest 183 GPs have a total of 273 branches of 32 nationalised and private banks, 145 rural post offices and other financial institutions providing bank services along with several banking correspondents and customer selling points (CSPs) meant for any village unit with population over 500,” he added.

Lack of internet access, poor road connectivity and scattered population are to be blamed, Bosco said adding, the district administration is working towards increasing the rural bank branches. “Rural banks play a significant role in the delivery of cooperative and commercial sector agriculture credits but their limited branches impose suffering on farmers seeking loans,” he added.

As many as 17 rural branches of Sundargarh District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd (SDCCBL) disburse cooperative sector agriculture loans through 44 large and multi-purpose cooperative societies.

SDCCB chief executive officer Bhakteswar Mallick said the district’s cooperative sector agriculture credit target for the 2023 kharif and rabi seasons is Rs 1,250 crore. Besides, the commercial sector agriculture credit disbursement target for the Kharif season alone is Rs 240 crore. This speaks volumes of the suffering faced by farmers in getting agriculture loans.

Sources said as per the 2011 census, the district has about 13.55 lakh rural population of which those 96 unbanked GPs conservatively account for about 4.6 lakh population. The scenario is however, expected to change for the better in less than a year. The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) targets to introduce 4G services through BSNL by January 2024 as 140 towers are getting installed from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) for 140 pockets of Sundargarh still lacking mobile and internet networks.

June 8, 2023
Odisha train crash: Separated 48 hours after marriage, couple reunites at SCB MCH

CUTTACK: For Deepika Pali (26), life took a cruel turn just 48 hours after her marriage to Mohammed Rafiq (29). The couple, travelling in the ill-fate Coromandal Express from Shalimar to Visakhapatnam got married on May 31 and were separated two days later.

While Rafiq, who works in a hotel in Visakhapatnam, fractured a leg, Deepika sustained injuries on her head, hand and waist in the mishap. The couple was sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital while they were unconscious after the accident. At the hospital, while Deepika was admitted to the Surgery ward, Rafiq was sent to the Trauma ward.

After regaining senses on Monday, Deepika enquired about Rafiq. Associate Professor Sibabrata Kar, who was in the ward examining the patients got to know of Deepika’s plight and informed hospital manager Debasish Patra. “The hospital administration swung into action checked the admission register and Rafiq was traced to the Trauma ward,” said administrative officer Abinash Rout.

Deepika was taken to the Trauma ward on Tuesday where she saw Rafiq and could not control her tears. “We had married on May 31 and started the journey on June 2. Never had I thought I would be able to see my husband. It is because of the doctors and hospital administration we were reunited,” said an overwhelmed Deepika. While Deepika was discharged on Wednesday, Rafiq is still undergoing treatment and is being looked after by his wife. Meanwhile, sources said necessary surgery has been performed for fixing Rafiq’s fractured leg.

June 8, 2023
Odisha train crash: Bengal Teens shared name and tragic fate

BHUBANESWAR: They were in their early 20s and the best buddies in their village. They even shared the same name- Suman Roy. But little did they know they would meet the same fate and leave for the heavenly abode the same day. The two young men from West Bengal’s Arazi Lalchandpur village bordering Bangladesh were among 288 people who lost their lives in the tragic train crash at Bahanaga.

The youth were among five migrant labourers from their village heading for Chennai to work at a construction site. While the body of one Suman has already been identified and dispatched to his native place, the relatives of the other has arrived at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar to identify the body. Three others, who were injured, have been discharged from hospitals.

“We have already identified the body from the photographs displayed near the help desk. But we are unable to find it as the number on the photo and the token number provided to us to receive the body from the stored container is not matching. We are verifying it again with the records available,” said Suman’s brother Jeet Kumar Roy.

“The two friends had boarded the train from Howrah. This was their first journey as migrant labourers to the South Indian city. As some labourers from our village, already working in Chennai, had assured their work, they sounded happy as they were going to earn for the first time. Everything is shattered now,” said Jeet.

Arazi Lalchandpur village in Dakshin Dinajpur district has a population of around 800 and more than 200 among of them work as migrant labourers in different cities across the country. Like the two Sumans, several migrant labourers from West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha who had boarded the general compartment of the Coromandel Express have been killed in the train crash.

“Suman was the only bread earner of the family. He was working as a daily wager back home and as his earning was insufficient to manage the family, he decided to move to Chennai for better income. He is survived by his parents and two other younger siblings. How will they survive,” asked Pradut Roy, his cousin.

June 8, 2023
CHSE Odisha declares +2 Arts & Vocational results, check result here

CHSE Odisha has published the Plus 2 Arts results the pass percentage stands at 78.88%

Earlier on May 31, the Plus Two Science and Commerce results were announced. While the pass percentage of the Science stream was 83.9%, the pass percentage of the Commerce stream was 81.12%. Last year, the pass percentage of the Science stream was 94.12% and the Commerce stream was 89.10%.

It is to be noted here that the Plus-2 exams were held between March 1 and April 5. Around 3.56 lakh students appeared for the examination in a total of 1145 exam centers across the State.

Later, the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) conducted the evaluation of the answer sheets in two phases. While the first phase of the evaluation was done from April 10 to 22, the second phase was held between April 23 and May 7.

June 8, 2023
Odisha train tragedy: Bahanaga high school to be demolished!

Balasore: The Bahanaga high school in Balasore where bodies of the Odisha train tragedy victims were kept as a transit place is likely to be demolished.

As per reports, since the building had been used as a makeshift morgue sanctification will be done in the Bahanga high school. The Bahanga school near the accident site was turned into a mortuary. The body of the deceased was kept in the school.

Now the villagers have decided to sanctify the place. A saint has been entrusted with this responsibility. This step has been taken so that the children do not get scared after the opening of the school.

It is worth mentioning that, the schools in Odisha area now closed for the summer vacation but, they are scheduled to reopen on June 19, 2023 that is after Raja Sankranti. The students and teachers are sacred to return to the school, said reports.

The Bahanaga High School building where bodies of train accident victims were kept will be demolished if school managing committee deems it fit. The school committee has been asked to intimate its decision following which steps will be taken, said the Balasore Collector.

According the reports, the Balasore Collector had visited the school earlier today and inspected the school premises. Detailed report awaited.

June 8, 2023
World Environment Day: Odisha’s Gopalpur Port Launches Massive Tree Plantation Drive

Following the murder of a toll plaza employee in Bidadi, police have asked the authorities to check the criminal record of toll staff. They have also issued guidelines on the physical appearance of toll plaza staff.

B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Inspector General of Police (Central), said: “Following the murder, I have given instructions to all the superintendents of police (SPs) and inspectors of all the police stations under the Central Range to have a meeting on toll staff about their behaviour. They will be instructed on how to behave with passengers. We will also set guidelines for them on their physical appearance such as hairstyle, dressing, etc. They should look decent and behave decently with the public. The jurisdictional police will give instructions to toll staff. The management will be instructed to get the employees’ antecedents checked by the police.”

The assault on car passengers was the main reason for the murder of a toll plaza employee in Bidadi on Sunday midnight, police investigation shows.

Police verified the CCTV footage of the toll. A mini goods vehicle auto which didn’t have FASTag was passing the toll. The staff were collecting money from the vehicle.

Four men in a car were behind the goods vehicle, all of them were under the influence of alcohol. As the staff was delaying the process of collecting money from the goods vehicle, the car-borne passengers got down from the vehicle and questioned the delay. In the heated argument, the toll staff assaulted the passengers. Since the toll staff numbers were more, the passengers left the place with a warning.

Later, two of the four came near the toll on a two-wheeler. They observed the movements of the deceased toll plaza employee, Pavan Kumar Nayak, who had beaten them more. When he and Manjunatha K left the toll office and went to have liquor near a lake, the duo followed them and attacked them with a wooden log which led to the death of Nayak while undergoing treatment in the hospital.

A senior officer said: “If the toll staff had not assaulted the passengers, the murder wouldn’t have taken place. We have ascertained the details of the killers and traced two others who were in the car but not at the murder spot. Their roles are being verified. All four are residents of Mysuru Road in the city. We are in touch with their family members and have instructed them to alert the police or make the accused surrender. Meanwhile, the efforts are on to nab the duo on the run.”

June 7, 2023
Odisha train accident: Woman fakes husband’s death for compensation

A woman who tried to fake her husband’s death in the Balasore train accident for compensation cash announced by the state government and Railways is in trouble. Gitanjali Datta of Maniabanda in Cuttack district had claimed that her husband Bijay Datta had died in the accident on June 2 and had even identified a body as her husband’s. However, after verification of documents, it was found that her claim was false.

Though police let her go with a warning, trouble started after her husband filed a complaint at Maniabandha police station. The woman has now gone into hiding fearing arrest, police said.

Police said the couple has been living separately for the last 13 years. Bijay has demanded stringent action against Gitanjali for attempting to grab public money and also faking his death. Maniabanda police station in-charge Basant Kumar Satpathy said police have asked Gitanjali’s husband to lodge a complaint at Bahanaga police station in Balasore district as the incident took place there.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary PK Jena asked the Railways and Odisha police to take stringent action against people making fake claimants over bodies.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of the deceased while Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh. On the other hand, the Railway Ministry has declared Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of those who died in the accident.

The Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches at 7 pm on June 2. In all, some 288 people died in the accident and more than 1,200 were injured. A few coaches of Coromandel toppled over the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express which was passing by at the same time.

June 7, 2023
Coromandel Express all set to resume services after Odisha train tragedy

Bhubaneswar: Days after the frightening train accident which claimed lives of at least 275 people and left over 900 people injured the ill-fated Coromandel Express is all set to resume its services on June 7, 2023 as per its scheduled time.

The Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CRPO) Aditya Kumar Chaudhary on June 6, 2023 gave this update about the train timings.

In a tragic three way accident, two passenger trains and a good train collided with each other near Bahanaga Railway Station in Balasore on June 2, 2023.

Around 10-12 coaches of Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga Railway station and ‘infringed’ into the opposite track. Another train coming on the same track, side crashed into the derailed coaches of Coromandel Express and also got derailed.

It is worth mentioning that as many as 288 people lost their lives in the accident and as many as 1000 were injured.

Reportedly, the the down train from Chennai crossed the accident site at 30 kmph on Tuesday.
As many as 70 trains have passed through the accident site since the taring line was restored. There were a number of people who saw the train pass by.

June 7, 2023