UP: Sandalwood tree worth lakhs stolen from KGMU Vice-Chancellor's official residence in Lucknow
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): A sandalwood tree worth lakhs of rupees was stolen from the official residence of the King George's Medical University (KGMU) Vice-Chancellor in Lucknow, despite security arrangements in place.
KGMU spokesperson KK Singh said the 50-year-old tree was cut down and taken away by thieves. The residence, located within the campus, is currently unoccupied.
An FIR has been lodged, and CCTV footage has been handed over to the police. The incident is also being investigated under the Forest Act.
Speaking to ANI, KK Singh said, 'The Vice-Chancellor's residence is inside our campus, but he currently lives in his private house in Nirala Nagar. So, the campus house is vacant, though guards and basic staff stay there. A few days ago, we found out that a very old sandalwood tree at the residence was cut down, and the wood was stolen. It's shocking because the building is considered secure and has guards. We have collected CCTV footage and handed it over to the police. The tree was about 50 years old and worth lakhs. We've also informed the Forest Department, as sandalwood trees are protected under the Forest Act. We were told that this type of wood cannot be sold legally, and its value is set by the government.'
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, one person who was accused of a robbery case worth Rs 1.5 crore was injured in an encounter with the police in Ghaziabad's Kavi Nagar, as per the information by Ghaziabad ACP Bhaskar Verma.
The incident was reported from the intervening night of June 29 and 30, when, during a check at the Diamond Tiraha, the police monitored a four-wheeler approaching suspiciously towards them.
While the police were trying to stop the car, it collided with a tree. The accused tried to flee from the incident spot and started firing at the police officials. However, in self-defence firing from the police officials, the accused got injured. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case: Delhi HC directs SRB to consider afresh Santosh Singh's plea for premature release
ANI 01 Jul 2025, 12:40 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside the order of the Sentence Review Board (SRB) and directed it to consider afresh the plea of life convict Santosh Kumar Singh. His plea for premature release was declined by the SRB. He was convicted and awarded a death sentence by the Delhi High Court for the murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo on January 16, 1996. The Supreme Court later commuted his sentence. Santosh is the son of a former inspector general of police. Justice Sanjeev Narula set aside the recommendation of the SRB and remanded the matter for consideration afresh. 'I have seen some reformation in the petitioner,' Justice Narula said while pronouncing the order. The High Court has also given some directions for the consideration of the matter for premature release by the sentence review board. He had challenged the order of the SRB in 2023. Priyadarshini Mattoo was found dead in her house. A case of rape and murder was registered. Santosh Singh was acquitted by the trial court in 1999, leading to a huge hue and cry. The prosecution had then appealed against the acquittal in 2000. The Delhi High Court had heard the matter. He was sentenced to death by the Delhi High Court on October 30, 2006. His death sentence was commuted to a life sentence by the Supreme Court in October 2010. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Telangana High Court advocate files complaint with NHRC over Sigachi Factory Blast
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 1 (ANI): Telangana state high court advocate, Rama Rao, has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the blast at the Sigachi Industries Limited pharmaceutical factory in Pashamylaram Industrial Area, which occurred on Monday. The complaint alleges that the incident, which resulted in several worker fatalities and injuries, was caused by the company's failure to follow safety protocols and negligence on the part of management. According to the complaint, 'Several workers have been killed after a suspected reactor explosion caused a fire in a chemical factory in Telangana. As per officials, the incident took place at the Sigachi Chemical Industry in Pashamylaram on Monday. As many as 108 workers were at the factory at the time of the blast, which could be heard about five km away. The explosion triggered a huge fire, and 15 fire engines were used to douse the flames. According to eye-witnesses, such was the impact of the explosion that workers were tossed in the air and fell several meters away.' 'As the bodies of some victims were blown to pieces or charred beyond recognition, disaster occasioned due to failure in following the safety protocols, negligence on part of management, post disaster response of authorities was slow, indicating their unpreparedness, fire fighters had to reach the place from Secunderabad which is nearly 40 km away, necessary case may be directed to registered against Chidambarnathan Shanmuganathan, Dhanalakshmi Guntaka, Amit Raj Sinha, Sarveswar Reddy Sanivarapu, Vivek Kumar, Subbarami Oruganti Reddy, Rabindra Prasad Sinha, and Bindu Vinodhan (Directors/Management of Sigachi) for an offence of culpable homicide not amounting to Murder, direct the management to pay a sum of Rs 25,00,000 as compensation in case of deceased alongside a sum of Rs 10,00,000 for injured and disabled, investigations may be directed to be carried out with specific reference to cause of blast, safety audits may be conducted in all establishments through out the industrial areas of Telangana for preventing any repetition,' the complaint further said. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Tuesday visited Sigachi Pharma Industries in Sangareddy district, where at least 34 people were killed and several others sustained injuries in a deadly explosion a day ago. The Chief Minister held a review meeting and directed officials to submit a detailed investigation report into the cause of the blast. While interacting with factory authorities, Chief Minister Reddy asked, 'Don't conclude with assumption or general opinion. I need specific reasons for this accident. Only then can we address what happened here today.' The Chief Minister also enquired about the treatment status and hospital expenses of the injured victims. He said, 'How many people are unskilled and skilled labour? Have you segregated the number of skilled and unskilled workers who died after the blast?' Revanth Reddy emphasised that such incidents should serve as a learning point for both the government and industry stakeholders. 'We need to focus on what instructions we must give to avoid similar problems in other industries like this. There are two things we need from this: first, a detailed report, and second, accountability,' he further said. He directed the officials not to rely on earlier inspections or reports and insisted on fresh evaluations by new experts. The Chief Minister also referred to possible compliance lapses by the industry and called for a review of past notices and penalties. So far, 34 people have lost their lives in the explosion and rescue operations continued at the site of the blast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the explosion. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured has been announced from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. (ANI)
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
CM Revanth Reddy announces Rs one crore ex gratia for kin of deceased in pharma plant blast
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday annouced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for kin of the deceased, Rs 10 Lakh for seriously injuried and Rs 5 Lakh for injured in the Sigachi Chemical Industry explosion at Pashamylaram. Earlier he had annouced a immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh for kin of the deceased and Rs 50000 for injured while directing officials to submit a detailed report on the incident. On Tuesday, the Chief Minister along with Ministers Damodar Rajanarasimha, D Sridhar Babu, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and G Vivek Venkatswamy visited the Pashamylaram Industrial Estate and inspected the explosion site at Sigachi Chemicals. During his visit, at factory premises, he held a review meeting with the officials and representatives of the company and enquired the causes and reasons for the accident. He asked the Director of Factories whether they have undertaken periodic inspections in the factory and found out any deficiencies and reported to the company to address the deficiencies? He instructed the officials to collect opinions of experts on the reasons for the occurrence of the accident. "Don't come to conclusion with general opinions and assumptions. I need specific reasons for this accident", he stated firmly. After inspecting the accident site, the Chief Minister visited the hospital at Patancheru.
