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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 9:59:04 pm

Safety First

The death of two people and injuries to five others after a 22-foot Ganesh idol collapsed during its arrival ceremony in Mumbai is a deeply disturbing accident. It is particularly unfortunate that such an incident should occur barely three weeks before Ganeshotsav begins on September 14. A festival that is synonymous with devotion, community and celebration must not begin under such a gloomy shadow. The incident took place in Bhuleshwar, as the idol of Bhuleshwaracha Raja was being...

Safety First

The death of two people and injuries to five others after a 22-foot Ganesh idol collapsed during its arrival ceremony in Mumbai is a deeply disturbing accident. It is particularly unfortunate that such an incident should occur barely three weeks before Ganeshotsav begins on September 14. A festival that is synonymous with devotion, community and celebration must not begin under such a gloomy shadow. The incident took place in Bhuleshwar, as the idol of Bhuleshwaracha Raja was being transported from Byculla to its pandal. Preliminary information points to the unravelling of loose nuts and bolts in the idol’s supporting frame. Whatever the final findings of the investigation, the fact remains that a structure weighing many tonnes and being moved through a crowded urban neighbourhood cannot be allowed to become a lethal hazard. The prompt mobilisation of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, traffic police, 108 ambulance service and civic ward staff deserves recognition. But emergency response, however efficient, is no substitute for prevention. By the time emergency services arrive, lives may already have been lost. That is the lesson Mumbai and Maharashtra must absorb before the festival begins. Ganeshotsav is among the biggest public celebrations in the state. Its arrival processions draw enormous crowds, with towering idols, decorated vehicles, music, electrical installations and devotees converging on narrow streets. The scale of the celebrations has grown dramatically, but safety practices must grow with it. Every Ganesh pandal preparing for this year’s festival should treat structural safety as seriously as religious and logistical arrangements. Frames, fasteners, lifting equipment, transport vehicles and securing mechanisms must be inspected by competent personnel before an idol is moved. Organisers should not assume that a structure is safe simply because it has been used before. A single loose bolt can have catastrophic consequences. The authorities, too, cannot leave safety entirely to organisers. Civic agencies should conduct systematic inspections of large idols and their transportation arrangements, particularly where processions pass through densely populated areas. Traffic management, crowd control, overhead electrical infrastructure and emergency access routes need to be planned in advance. Safety checks should be mandatory, documented and meaningful, not just a box-ticking exercise. There is still time to act. The accident should be treated not merely as an isolated mishap but as a warning. Maharashtra has barely three weeks to ensure that every major pandal and procession has robust safety protocols in place. Ganeshotsav should begin with faith, excitement and the unmistakable sense of a city coming together and not with the memory of preventable deaths. The best tribute to those who lost their lives in Bhuleshwar would be to ensure that no family has to suffer such grief during the celebrations ahead.

Six Maoists surrender

Gadchiroli: In a major development, six hardcore senior Maoists, including three women, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 62-lakhs, laid down arms before the Director-General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.


DGP Shukla, along with Additional DGP (Special Operations) Chhering Dorje visited the Maoist-infested Gadchiroli today when the 6 dreaded rebels decided to join the national mainstream.


Appearing impressive in the special ‘camouflage uniform’ of the Gadchiroli Police – DGP Shukla seemed relaxed and smiled as she posed for photos with the 6 Maoists who were presented a copy of the Indian Constitution.


The Reds who surrendered are identified as: Sukhlal Kulmethe, 58, DVCM North Bastar Mass Team, and Shankarakka Vistarayya Sadmek, 56, Maad Division, DK Press Team Incharge – both carrying a bounty of Rs 16-lakhs each on their heads. Post-surrender they will get Rs. 8.50 lakhs assistance each as part of the state government’s rehab package.


The others are: Shanti Mangaru Majji, 34, Commander, West Bureau Tailor Team; Aytal Guddi Madavi, 39, PPCM, Company 10 of Bijapur in Chhattisgarh; Sameer Ayatu Potam, 24, PPCM, South Bureau Technical Team and also from Bijapur. Each carried a reward of Rs 8-Lakhs, and post surrender will receive between Rs. 4.50-Rs. 5.50 lakhs for their rehab.


The last is Surekha Chaitu Madavi, 28, ACM of Aheri LOS, who was wanted with a bounty of Rs. 6-Lakh and will be entitled to Rs. 4.50 lakhs rehab aid. All the 6 were wanted for several heinous crimes including murder, encounters, arson, ambushes, terrorising the locals, etc.


Among these, the two married couples – Kulmethe-Sadmek alias Vimalakka and Madavi-Majji alias Kavita – shall be entitled to an additional Rs 1.50 lakhs each, while a collective Group Surrender award of Rs 4-lakhs shall also be provided to the six who gave up violence.


Since the launch of the rehab policy in 2005, 716 active Maoists have surrendered in Gadchiroli, significantly weakening the banned CPI (Maoist). The year 2025 began on a positive note when 11 hardcore Maoists surrendered on New Year Day," SP Neelotpal told ‘The Perfect Voice’.


Later, on June 6, 12 more Maoists laid down arms before Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and today 6 gave up violence before the DGP, he said.


Acknowledging the efforts of the Gadchiroli Police and its elite Commandos, DGP Shukla felicitated C-60 jawans with commendation certificates, while M. Ramesh, IPS (Addl. SP, Operations, who led the Kawande Forest encounter), and Satya Sai Karthik, (Addl. SP Aheri, who led the Modaske jungle gun-battle), were specially honoured.


She also handed over cheques of Rs 5-Lakhs each to the families of Raoji Chinna Atram (Kapewancha) and Sukhram Mahagu Madavi (Kiyer), who were brutally murdered by Maoists on suspicion of being police informers, said Neelotpal.


Top officers who joined the DGP included: Neelotpal, Chhering Dorje, Sandip Patil (Spl. IGP, ANO, Nagpur), Ajai Kumar Sharma (DIG Ops., CRPF), M. Ramesh (Addl. SP Ops.), Satya Sai Karthik (Addl. SP Aheri), Gokul Raj G. (Addl. SP Admn.), Sumit Verma (DC Int., CRPF), Aniket Hirde (ASP Dhanora), and Vishal Nagargoje (Dy.SP Ops.), besides Officers and jawans from C-60, PHQ, and other branches.


Neelotpal added that due to intensified operations and attractive rehabilitation measures, 73 hardcore Maoists have surrendered in Gadchiroli since 2022, including 40 in 2025 alone – the highest in the past four years – and marks decisive steps in weakening the Maoist movement while restoring peace in the region.

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