Latest news with #SweetyKumari
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Over 40 held after violent protests break out at LPG bottling plant in Bengal
Tension gripped the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd's LPG bottling plant in West Bengal's Budge Budge on Tuesday night after a violent protest by drivers and porters broke out. The agitators are demanding payment of 'pending dues of three years'. Over 40 protestors have been arrested for the agitation which saw bikes vandalized, gas cylinders opened and fuel poured onto the streets. The unrest began on Tuesday night following a meeting called to discuss the 'long-pending dues'. The meeting was reportedly scheduled to be led by Jahangir Khan, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and party observer for Budge Budge, known for his proximity to Diamond Harbour MP and TMC All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. According to the protesters, the drivers were called at Khan's office in the area for the meeting when 'several miscreants suddenly came and attacked the drivers' and assaulted them. The assault triggered an immediate protest. On being informed, a large contingent of police from the Budge Budge police station rushed to the spot. The team was led by Additional Superintendent of Police Headquarters Amlan Kusum Ghosh. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) was also deployed. A protesting driver, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'We had to protest for our food. Our backs are against the wall. We were forced to take to the streets. Three meetings were held in a week but no solution was found. The leaders did not come forward to help.' Another protestor said, 'We are 300 drivers and 300 helpers working here. Each driver (is supposed to) get more than Rs 1 lakh. They want to pay 40 percent of our dues. We will not accept it.' Diamond Harbour Superintendent of Police Rahul Goswami said that Budge Budge police have launched an investigation into the incident. 'Police have set up a picket in the area due to tension. I am also keeping an eye on the situation. The police are collecting CCTV footage to identify the culprits,' he said. The protest drew sharp criticism from Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, who posted on X on Wednesday, calling it 'a glaring example of the TMC's syndicate culture spiralling out of control'. Adhikari said that 'a single spark could have ignited a massive fire, potentially engulfing the entire bottling plant near Budge Budge Institute of Technology (BBIT) College, Jagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, and surrounding areas in a deadly inferno.' Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Kolkata law college rape case: SIT analyses call records of accused, college VP questioned twice
The Kolkata Police are continuing their investigation into the alleged rape of a student at a law college in the city, with the SIT questioning college Vice Principal Nayna Chattopadhyay twice so far. The ongoing probe involves an extensive analysis of call detail records of the three arrested accused, police sources said. Sources indicate that Monojit Mishra, identified as the prime accused, allegedly contacted the Vice Principal on June 26, a day after the alleged incident took place. Police are keen to ascertain whether the conversation pertained to the crime in any capacity. Commissioner of Police Manoj Verma, speaking on the sidelines of an event in Kolkata on Tuesday, said, 'This case is very sensitive… We have received a lot of evidence and we are analysing it. We don't want to disclose data to avoid any impact on the investigation.' He said that all 'necessary police action' had been taken and that the investigation would be 'thoroughly' pursued. Verma also claimed that the police response in the case was swift, noting a 'prompt' FIR and the 'immediate' arrest of three accused. According to police, Monojit Mishra, reportedly a history-sheeter with a track record of securing bail or evading consequences through influence, displayed 'overconfidence' on the evening of the incident. Officials said this led him to 'not care' about the college's CCTV camera placements, a factor which police now believe is primary evidence against the accused. Authorities have also said that should they find evidence of video transmissions related to the incident, relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act will also be invoked in the case. The alleged rape in the South Kolkata college, which took place on June 25, has sent shockwaves through the city and prompted widespread protests. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
TMC MLA Madan Mitra apologises for comment on law college rape case: ‘I am a party loyalist'
Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra has submitted a response to the show-cause notice issued to him by the party, following his remarks on an alleged rape case at a law college in South Kolkata. Mitra, the Kamarhati MLA, dispatched his reply to the party on Monday night, adhering to the three-day deadline. On Saturday, he had made comments that drew widespread criticism, stating that the student 'should not have gone to the college alone' on June 25, when the incident happened. The Trinamool Congress distanced itself from Mitra's comments. On Saturday night, the party issued a statement clarifying that Madan's remarks were 'personal' and did not reflect the party's stance. The following day, TMC state president Subrata Bakshi formally issued a show-cause letter to Mitra. The letter stated that Mitra's 'unwanted, unnecessary and insensitive comments' on the incident had 'hurt the image of our party in every way'. It demanded an explanation within three days for this 'behavior that violates party discipline.' The party's top leadership had already expressed deep regret, asserting that the administration was taking 'necessary action', with the accused already 'identified' and arrested. Sources said Mitra's reply to the show-cause notice was brief but two-pronged. In the first part, he reportedly offered an 'unconditional apology to the party for his comments.' The second part of his response aimed to 'explain the context in which he made the comments'. Mitra reiterated his loyalty to the party, stating that he is a 'loyal worker' and will abide by whatever the party decides. He expressed apologies for his words tarnishing the party's image 'in any way'. The incident has put the party under scrutiny, particularly with the accused in the rape case reportedly having links with the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the party. The Kolkata Police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged gangrape, and three individuals have been arrested. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Kolkata law college rape case: SIT sends ‘11th hour' CCTV footage, phones of accused for forensic test
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police probing the alleged rape of a law student on a college campus is confident of building an 'airtight' case after retrieving the cellphones of the four arrested accused and the CCTV footage of the '11th hour' — the hour preceding the crime. On Monday, the SIT sent the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from the college's CCTV cameras for forensic examination, along with the seized mobile phones of the accused. A senior police officer told The Indian Express the student had told the investigators that the video of the crime was on key accused Monojit Mishra's phone. 'We have got the CCTV footage of the eleventh hour. The DVRs have been sent for forensic examination, and those who were there in the college on that day have been questioned,' the senior officer said. Police sources said the CCTV footage shows the woman being dragged from the college gate into the premises. 'A total of eight individuals, including the woman and the accused, were present on the campus on the evening of the alleged crime. Four have been arrested in connection with the case. The remaining three, who were in the students' union room but not implicated directly in the crime, have undergone questioning,' another officer said. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Metro services disrupted in Kolkata amid heavy rain
Commuters in Kolkata faced significant disruptions to metro services this Monday, the first working day of the week, due to severe waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall. While some services are still operating, they are running at a crawling pace. Services between Mahatma Gandhi Road station and Park Street halted, with multiple metro trains stranded at various stations across the network. Metro authorities have issued assurances that the issues will be promptly resolved, but commuters are already feeling the pinch, with many attempting to exit metro stations to find alternative transportation like buses and cabs to reach their workplaces. The disruption has led to an increase in crowds at several stations, with the escalators at Maidan station reportedly closed due to overwhelming pressure from the throngs of passengers. This latest disruption follows a similar incident two days ago. On Saturday afternoon, North-South Metro services (Dakshineswar to Kabi Subhash) were interrupted for nearly an hour when the drainage channel between the tracks in the tunnel suddenly filled with water. The incident, which occurred between Jatin Das Park and Netaji Bhavan stations from 3:40 pm to 4:35 pm, was attributed to a burst water pipe. Metro sources explained that the concrete drainage channel situated between the two tracks, specifically between Jatin Das Park and Kalighat stations, became inundated. Officials highlighted the critical risk posed by a flooded drainage channel to the metro's electrified third rail, which could lead to significant damage and widespread disruption. Consequently, services were suspended on Saturday as per standard metro operating procedures. Metro workers and officials responded by disconnecting the power supply to the third line and commencing repair work. The situation was brought under control after approximately an hour of effort. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
