CMYK

03
Nearly 67 lakh girls have been empowered
through this unique scheme
WEST BENGAL CHIEF MINISTER MAMATA BANERJEE
TWEETED ON KANYASHREE SCHEME KOLKATA, SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2020

THUMBNAILS
Heightened vigil in Kolkata ahead of I-Day
Quick response teams, heavy radio flying squad vans, members of the combat force of Kolkata Police will be deployed, says Anuj Sharma

Tricolored cakes at a con-

fectionery shop on the Security checks being conducted with the help of sniffer dogs at Red Road on the eve of the
eve of Independence Day, 74th Independence Day celebrations 2020, in Kolkata on Friday. � IANS
in Kolkata on Friday. � IANS

Ex-diplomat no more: A
former Indian Ambas-
sador, Nantu Sarkar bre-
athed his last in Kolkata
on 12 August. He suf-
fered a massive heart att-
ack. Sarkar had joined the
Indian Foreign Service in
July 1976 and was India’s
Ambassador to Lebanon.
Alert police find body in speeding vehicle
SNS aged to duck the first police Mondal, Basu Mandol and the
KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST check-point at Parama cross- driver of the cab. The deceased
ing where they were also has been identified as Suja-
A security personnel keeps a vigil on the eve of the 74th Independence Day celebrations 2020, in Kolkata on Friday. � IANS Police today arrested four per- interrogated by policemen mani Gayen (60), a resident
sons from Chowbhaga area on duty. of Haridevpur, was said to be
SNS&PTI have been briefed on the secu- ings throughout the city will “These establishments are on Basanti Highway, when Finally, on the Basanti the mother-in law of the
KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST rity plan,” Joint Commission- be stringent as a part of the being constantly monitored they stopped the car for Highway, while it was trying woman whose father, moth-
er of Police (Establishment) security arrangements, Shar- as we do not want to take any overspeeding and discov- to avert a speed-braker, the er and maternal uncle were

He also served in senior
positions in missions in
Kuwait, Libya, UK, Iran and
Switzerland. He was born
on 12 January 1946 SNS
Tricoloured masks: TMC
leader from Serampore,
Santosh Singh said, “We
feel it is dishonouring the
national flag but BJP whi-
ch talks of patriotism, are
the ones who are flaunt-
ing it.” Bhaskar Bhat-
tacharya, BJP state mem-
ber said,”The civic body
could have issued direc-
tive against its use.” SNS
S
ecurity has been beefed
up in the city and other
areas of West Bengal,
particularly in border
areas, ahead of the 74th Inde-
pendence Day on Saturday,
senior police officers said.
Some “added arrange-
ments” have also been made
in the wake of the militant
attack in Jammu and Kash-
mir in which two policemen
were killed on Friday, they said.
“Adequate measures have
been taken for the Indepen-
dence Day programme tomor-
row. All entry and exit points
of Kolkata have been kept
under surveillance. All units
Gaurav Sharma said.
At least three watch tow-
ers have been erected at Red
Road, the venue of the official
Independence Day celebra-
tions in the city, where Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee
will unfurl the national flag.
Quick Response Teams,
Heavy Radio Flying Squad
vans, and members of com-
bat forces of the city police will
be present around the venue,
Sharma said. “Drones will
also be used to keep a vigil on
proceedings in and around the
city,” the officer said.
All police stations have
been alerted and Naka check-
ma said. Keeping in mind the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,
all police personnel including
officers will have to wear masks
and maintain physical dis-
tancing, the IPS officer said.
The sitting arrangements at
the Red Road venue have been
made keeping in mind the
physical distancing factor. The
programme would be held
before a “nominal” number of
spectators, official sources said.
Though not many travellers
are coming to the city these days
because of the Covid-19 pan-
demic, the police are keeping
an eye on hotels and lodging
facilities, Sharma said.
chance. We have sought details
of those staying there. All
vehicles coming in and going
out of the city will be scruti-
nised. Sand bag bunkers have
been set up at several key
locations,” another Kolkata
Police officer said.
Security arrangements else-
where in the state have also
been enhanced with a focus
on its international and state
borders, an officer of the West
Bengal Police said.“Foolproof
arrangements have been made
throughout the state espe-
cially in the border areas to
avoid any untoward incident,”
the officer said.
ered a woman's dead body,
covered with vegetables, in
the car trunk.
According to police, the
lid on the alleged murder was
blown off and the arrests
were made, after the cab, in
which the alleged assailants
were travelling at “top speed”,
was brought to halt by the
police on duty at the Chowb-
haga area when they noticed
blood spilling from the trunk
of the car.
An officer at the Pragati
Maidan PS said the investi-
gation revealed that the cab
while trying to escape man-
cab took a jerk and blood
spilled out of the trunk, rais-
ing suspicion.
The police stopped the car
and following a search, they
discovered a dead body of a
woman packed in a gunny
bag covered with vegeta-
bles. During the search, one
of the alleged assailants tried
to flee the spot but a civic vol-
unteer caught hold of him.
Following interrogation, the
trio confessed to the murder,
said an officer at the Pragati
Maidan PS.
The arrested were identi-
fied as Ajay Rang, Malina
allegedly involved in the
murder.
An officer of the homicide
wing of the detective depart-
ment (DD)of Kolkata police
said investigation revealed
that the victim was first
attacked with a heavy object
on her head and then “stran-
gulated”.
The murder was a fallout
of an alleged family feud. The
accused told investigators
their daughter was “tor-
tured” by the mother-in-
law. They had planned to
dump the body in a water-
body at EM Bypass.

Panchayat
chief’s
husband held
for murder
BANKURA, 14 AUGUST
The husband of an incum-
bent chief of a TMC-run
Panchayat was booked by the
police in Bankura, last
evening, in connection with
the murder of a former chief
in the same Panchayat.
Sheikh Babar Ali, the for-
mer chief of Uliara Pan-
chayat, was attacked and
butchered at his native
Beliara village, allegedly by
a rival group of TMC mem-
bers headed by Abdur Rahim
Mondal, the accused and
husband of Tasmina Begam,
the incumbent Panchayat
chief. The group headed by
Mondal allegedly ransacked
the local TMC office at the
village and then attacked the
house of Babar who antici-
pating something foul, tried
to flee. He took refuge in a
neighbour’s house when the
faction led by thge accused
began hurling bombs at his
house. SNS
I-Day: Cong-Left
stir against Centre
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST
Independence day tomor-
row will be marked by
statewide agitations as Con-
gress activists will close ranks
with Left Front supporters
against the Centre.
Though the front leader-
ship was at first clueless as to
whether to induct state Con-
gress in its "Sangbidhan
Bachao Divas", (Save Con-
stitution Day) programme
after some of the district front
leaders got in touch with its
Congress counterparts, who
in turn contacted Pradip
Bhattacharya and received his
nod for the joint stir.
The initial hesitation was
due to Somen Mitra's demise.
Allies were befuddled as to
which faction to hold talks
with.
Bhattacharya has been
running the state Congress
since late Mitra's
hospitalisation.
The decision has been
Govt asks hosps to set up isolation
ward for suspected Covid patients
SNS & PTI
The resumption of KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST
joint stir has lit up the
possibility of an elec- The health department in
toral alliance for next West Bengal has directed all
year’s state Assembly hospitals to set up an isola-
tion ward for suspected coro-
polls, a senior navirus cases, and ensure
Congress leader said. that patients are in stable
condition before transfer-
welcomed by Congress rank ring them to a dedicated
and file following a long inter- Covid-19 facility, a senior
val in joint agitation pro- official said on Friday.
grammes after Mitra's illness The department has also
and death. said that hospitals should
The resumption has lit up not discharge any Covid-19
the possibility of an electoral patient in need of medical
alliance for next year's state attention without getting an
Assembly polls, a senior Con- assurance of admission from
gress leader said. a facility, earmarked for treat-
Maintaining social dis- ing such cases.
tance, tomorrow's rallies will “Every hospital has been
send a message to both Con- advised to arrange isolation
gress and front leadership. ward for suspected Covid-19
It will make the Congress patients. The hospitals have
leaders aware that it cannot been asked to make sure that
afford to ignore aspirations of the patients are in stable con-
grassroot workers for joint agi- dition before transferring
tations with front, while set- them to a dedicated Covid-
ting the apprehension of 19 hospital.
Mitra's successor. “All hospitals and nursing
homes have been told not to
discharge Covid-19 positive
patients requiring medical
attention without assured
admission in a Covid-19 hos-
pital,” the advisory issued by
the department said.
Families of Covid-19
patients in the state have
complained that several med-
ical establishments were
refusing treatment upon fail-
ure to make an advance pay-
ment.
“A referral case summary
should be attached during the
transfer of patients,” said the
advisory, prepared in accor-
dance with the suggestions of
a team of experts that recent-
ly visited several Covid-19
hospitals in the state.
Incidentally, the govern-
ment, in an order last week,
barred private hospitals from
charging more than 20 per cent
of the estimated cost of treat-
ment or Rs 50,000, whichev-
er is less, during the time of
admission.
Insurers to take action
An insurance company can
take action against a hospi-
tal for demanding advance
from a policy holder who is
supposed to get cashless ser-
vice, an official of insurance
regulator IRDA said on Fri-
day.In a recent circular, Insur-
ance Regulatory and Devel-
opment Authority (IRDA) has
put the onus of taking steps
against medical establish-
ments for deficiency in ser-
vice on the insurer, the offi-
cial said.
There has been a sharp
spike in complaints post
Covid-19 outbreak that pri-
vate hospitals are demand-
ing huge advance before
admission even from patients
having cashless medical
insurance. In the wake of
such complaints, IRDA issued
the circular on cashless ser-
vice to policy holders by hos-
pitals, the official told. One of
such “appropriate” actions is
blacklisting the erring hospital,
a senior official of an insur-
ance firm said.
Councillor’s home attacked
over woman’s electrocution
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST
Five persons were arrested
at Maniktala in connection
with a violence that erupt-
ed over electrocution of a
woman.
A mob attacked the house
of the local outgoing KMC
councillor, alleging negli-
gence.
Police sources said that a
woman identified as Puhspa
Verma (47), a resident of
Pukurmath under Manik-
tala PS, was allegedly elec-
trocuted last night when
she went to the toilet.
After the news of her
death became public, locals
raided the house of the local
outgoing councillor, Amal
Chakraborty, and blocked
road.
Police baton charged to
lift the blockade and disperse
the demonstrators.
A local said that the
woman got electrocuted
from the wire that was dan-
gling precariously from a
light post near the toilet.
“The mesh of wire had
killed a person in July. But nei-
ther the death and nor our
repeated reminders to the
both the local councillor and
the CESC had cut any ice with
them,” a local residenct said.
But the day’s develop-
ment had once again brought
factional feud between the
outgoing councillor Amal
Chakraborty and the TMC
MLA Sadhan Pandey.
While Mr Chakraborty
blamed the Trinamul and the
BJP for the fracas and hint-
ed at a clear insistence from
the local MLA for the violence,
Mr Pandey trashed the coun-
cillor’s charge and down-
played his assertion as
“unfounded” and said he
was trying to divert attention
from his own failures.
Supporters of Chakraborty
and Pande clashed with each
other on the issue.
Chakraborty, on his part,
said he was an outgoing
councillor and his powers
were limited.

Our docs to provide Covid

advice in every PS: IMA
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 14 AUGUST
With an alarming surge in the
number of Covid-19 patients
in the city Indian Medical
Association (IMA) has decid-
ed to deploy two doctors in
every police station in the
jurisdiction of Kolkata Police
(KP) area to provide clinical
advice to novel coronavirus
suspects and affected per-
sons.
Doctors affiliated to the
IMA, the largest body of reg-
istered medical practition-
ers in the country, keeping
coordination with the KP will
give necessary clinical guide-
lines to the citizens in the city
free of cost.
Contact numbers of every
two doctors will be given to
the concerned police station
with which they are associated.
People showing symptoms
of Covid-19 and other comor-
bidities will get necessary
advice from the doctors
through the police station.
Senior officers of the con-
cerned police station will get
the people seeking advice
connected with the doctors
through the phone numbers
of the latter.
Dr Santanu Sen, IMA Ben-
gal president and Trinamul
Congress MP, has already
handed over a list of doctors
associated in respective police
stations in the city, to Mr
Anuj Sharma, commissioner
of police.
In a recently held meeting
at the Kolkata Municipal Cor-
poration (KMC) headquar-
ters, Dr Sen had proposed that
doctors with the cooperation
of the KP would provide med-
ical advice related to Covid
pandemic to the citizens of
Kolkata.
The state home secretary
Mr Alapan Bandyopadhyay
was also present in the meet-
ing.
KP has already kicked off
the IMA’s initiative in differ-
ent parts of the city. Sources
at Lalbazar, KP headquar-
ters, said that the move would
help people showing Covid
symptoms get proper advice
on treatment like hospitali-
sation, home quarantine and
safe homes and other relat-
ed issues. Dr Sen was not
available for comment.

India Post tribute to Covid row, the special cover will be

warriors: On the occasion of
the 74th Independence Day,
India Post will release a spe-
cial cover “Brave Hearts of
Bengal” as a tribute to thou-
sands of Covid frontline war-
riors in the state. At a func-
tion in GPO in Kolkata tomor-
inaugurated by Mervin
Alexander, Chief Post Master
General of West Bengal Postal
Circle. He said this gesture is
to honour those people who
risked their lives for India's
independence and to those
who are battling Covid. SNS

CMYK