SURAT: In a noble gesture, a Surat-based builder has accommodated 42 families, who are facing a financial crisis due to COVID-19 and are unable to pay rent, at his constructed buildings by charging only Rs 1,500 as maintenance amount.

Prakash Bhalani has given shelter to many families in need in his own constructed building named Rudraksh Lake Palace. He believes that it is his chance to pay back to the society and community by helping them amid the current crisis.

“My husband’s business was not doing well so we were not able to pay our rent. Our landlord asked us to leave the house. Later, we were leaving for our village and meanwhile, we came across an advertisement of Rudraksh Lake Palace. We then contacted its builder,” said Asha

Gujarat: Prakash Bhalani, a Surat based builder has accommodated 42 families who are facing financial crisis due to covid19 & are unable to pay rent, at his constructed buildings. He says, “We are charging Rs 1500 as maintenance fee. People can stay here as long as they want.

“He invited us to stay here with Rs 1,500 maintenance cost. We are allowed to stay here for as long as we want. We are really happy. The builder is just like a god to us,” she added.

Speaking to ANI, Bhalani said that people here can reside here for as long as they want. They do not have a time limit to vacate the flat.

“During the phase of Unlock 1, just after the lockdown lifted, people were still struggling at work. Many of them did not have work. Their businesses were affected. They are still struggling to make ends meet. Many of them were not able to pay rent,” said Bhalani.

“A resident of Surat city requested me to give me a room to keep his luggage as he was shifting to his village. I gave him a room and thought that so many people like him must be in a need of shelter,” he added.

Later, the builder spread the word via social media following which many people approached him in search of shelter.

“We take Rs 1,500 only as maintenance amount in which they are getting WiFi and water facility along with other necessities. We do not take any rent. As many as 42 people are residing here and many more are still joining,” said Bhalani.

“There are a total of 92 flats here and the remaining flats will also be given to the people in need. They can reside here for as long as they want,” he added.

Punjab DGP confirmed that 3 members of an inter-state gang of robber-criminals were nabbed whereas the search for 11 absconders is on.

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police has solved the case of attack and murder involving cricketer Suresh Raina’s kin with the arrest of three members of an inter-state gang of robber-criminals, while eleven other are yet to be arrested as over 100 alleged suspects were questioned by the police.

Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar a contractor had died on the spot, while his cousin brother Kaushal Kumar succumbed to injuries on August 31 and his aunt (father’s sister) Asha Rani is in hospital in critical condition. Two others injured in the attack had been discharged from hospital.

Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said, “three alleged accused have been arrested and eleven other accused are yet to be arrested in the case which took place on the intervening night of August 19 and 20 in Tharyal village in Pathankot. More than 100 suspected persons were joined in the investigation.”

Soon after the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under IGP Border Range at Amritsar with SSP Pathankot, SP Investigation and DSP Dhar Kalan as its members, to investigate the case thoroughly and expeditiously. The SIT, during the investigation, gathered all the circumstantial and physical evidence related to the case.

On September 15, the SIT received information that three suspects, who were seen at the Defence Road on the morning after the incident were staying in Jhuggis near the Pathankot Railway Station. A raid was conducted and all three were nabbed.

According to the Gupta, a gold ring bearing AK, one Ladies Ring, one Ladies Gold chain and Rs. 1530/- was recovered, along with two wooden sticks, were recovered from the arrested accused, identified as Sawan

Initial investigation has revealed that they were operating as a gang along with others and had committed several such crimes earlier in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and various parts of Punjab, moving to the crime spots in groups of two to three following the natural landmarks like Canals, railway lines, high voltage electricity wires.

“Sawan originally a native of Uttar Pradesh, has told the SIT that on August 12 they had moved as a group from Chirawa and Pilani in an auto owned by one Nausau, also living in the Chirawa jhuggis.  Nausau accompanied the trio, along with Rashid, Rehan, Jabrana, Waphila, Tawajjal Bibi and an unknown person.

They reached Jagraon, Ludhiana, where they were joined by three others  Reenda, Golu and Sajan. They purchased an Aari, two pliers and one screw driver from a hardware shop and few Kacha Banyan (under garments) from garment shop in Ludhiana.

They left for Pathankot after committing a robbery in Jagraon on the night of  August 14, ‘’ said Gupta.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Pathankot, Gulneet Khurana said,“ In Pathankot, one Sanju, who knew the area well, also joined them, the gang conducted a recee of the area. On the night of August 19 at around 7 pm, they moved in groups of two to three persons, as per their modus operandi, and reached a designated spot in the open field where Rashid, Nausau and Sanju went to bring wooden sticks which they cut from Safeda (Eucalyptus) tree.

During recce, they had already identified a shuttering shop, where the bamboo ladders were tied up using chains. The first two houses where they put the ladders turned out to be a godown and an empty home, while the third was of Ashok Kumar. Five of the accused entered the house using the ladder from the side of the roof, where they saw three people lying on the mats. The suspects hit them on the head before moving into the house, where they attacked two others before escaping with cash and gold ornaments.’’

“The accused then crossed the high tension electricity wires through the open field to reach the Canal, where they separated in groups of twos and threes to reach the railway station. After distributing the cash and jewellery among themselves, they dispersed. Further investigations are in progress to arrest the eleven absconders, including one identified person, and solve other robberies in which the gang members were involved,’’ said Gupta.

While today Raina reached Pathankot to meet his relatives.

The new directive came close on the heels of a note from the Industries Secretary that the present quarantine norms are causing a delay in the completion of infrastructure projects in the state\

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when COVID-19 cases are witnessing a spike and the situation is predicted to worsen, the state government has come out with a bizarre decision by allowing migrant labourers with COVID-19 to work if they are asymptomatic. They can work in places exclusively marked for them by taking all precautions, said the government.

As per a directive issued in this regard by the General Administration Department (GAD), such workers shouldn’t mix with any other workers or officers when they are on duty. Also, their stay and food arrangements have to be made as per COVID First-Line Treatment Centre guidelines. The arrangement and responsibility for this rest with the contractor of the project.

The new directive came close on the heels of a note from the Industries Secretary that the present quarantine norms are causing a delay in the completion of infrastructure projects in the state. The directive as released by GAD secretary Satyajeet Rajan also details the new quarantine norms and registration in the Jagratha portal.

“Guest workers who reach the state shall remain in quarantine for 14 days. Guest workers coming without a testing certificate may undergo testing on the fifth day using antigen test with the cost borne by the contractor. If any of them are found positive, they need to be segregated,” reads an excerpt of the directive.

It also added that if any of the asymptomatic COVID positive workers develop any symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhoea, loss of smell, breathlessness or others, they shall be immediately referred to the COVID hospital on the very same day.

The directive also highlights that registration on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal is mandatory for bringing guests/specialised/essential workers to the state.

Mumbai Police said that the security has been enhanced as a precautionary measure after actor turned politician Jaya Bachchan in a fiery speech slammed those who are tarnishing the industry’s image.

MUMBAI: Mumbai Police on Wednesday stepped up the security around celebrity couple Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan’s Mumbai residence – Jalsa.

Mumbai Police said that  the security has been enhanced as a precautionary measure after actor turned politician Jaya Bachchan in a fiery speech slammed those who are tarnishing the film industry’s image in the Upper House of the Parliament.

Without naming BJP MP Ravi Kishan who had on Monday raised the issue of the use of drugs in the film industry, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday stated that she was “ashamed that yesterday one of our members in the Lok Sabha, who is from the film industry, spoke against it.”

The lawmaker also said the government should stand by the entertainment industry when some people are trying to tarnish its image. She also added people working in the entertainment industry are being “flogged” by social media.

Jaya Bachchan, a four-time Rajya Sabha MP had on Tuesday given a zero hour notice in the Upper House over an alleged conspiracy to defame the film industry.