Latest news with #Thakor
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Man held with firearms, live cartridges near Kaligam
Ahmedabad: The city crime branch on Thursday arrested a 27-year-old man near Kaligam for allegedly carrying illegal firearms and live cartridges. Acting on a tip-off, a detection of crime branch (DCB) team in plain clothes nabbed the suspect, identified as Sagar Thakor, a resident of Navavas in Deesa, Banaskantha. According to a complaint filed by constable Mahesh Khoda, the team received information around 5.30 pm that a man carrying firearms was walking toward New Ranip. They set up surveillance near Kaligam Auda Garden with independent witnesses and soon spotted a man matching the description. On intercepting Thakor and searching the blue bag he was carrying, officers recovered three pistols, a country-made revolver, and five live cartridges. The cache is valued at Rs 75,500. It included two unmarked pistols worth Rs 25,000 each, a smaller pistol worth Rs 20,000, a country-made revolver valued at Rs 5,000, and cartridges worth Rs 500. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad During initial questioning, Thakor claimed he sourced the weapons from a man named Ramesh from Sanchore in Rajasthan, though further details are yet to be confirmed. A case has been registered under various sections of the Arms Act, and Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act. Further investigation is underway to trace the weapon supply chain.
The Star
03-07-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Cool ideas to beat the heat
For 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, riding a crowded bus in the summer months in this western Indian city can be like sitting in an oven. That makes it a treat when he steps off and into a bus stop outfitted with sprinklers that bathe overheated commuters in a cooling mist. 'Everyone is suffering from the heat,' Yadav said. 'I hope they do more of this across the city.' Rising heat is a problem for millions of people in India. In Ahmedabad, temperatures this year have already reached 42°C, a level usually not seen for several more weeks, prompting city officials to advise people to stay indoors and stay hydrated. Chilling out: An elderly woman resting in the shade of a tree in Ahmedabad. — AP And yet, coping with that heat is a familiar challenge in Ahmedabad. After a 2010 heat wave killed more than 1,300 people, city and health officials rushed to develop South Asia's first heat action plan. The plan, rolled out in 2013 and now replicated across India and South Asia, includes strategies for hospitals, government officials and citizens to react immediately when temperatures rise beyond human tolerance. Public health officials said it's helped save hundreds of lives every summer. City officials, with help from climate and health researchers, have implemented two simple yet effective solutions to help those affected most by heat: the poor and those who work outdoors. By painting tin-roofed households with reflective paint, they've reduced indoor temperatures, which otherwise might be up to 5°C hotter than outside. More recently, the city hung curtains woven of straw and water sprinklers at one bus stop so commuters can get relief from the sun and heat. Officials said they plan to expand the idea to other bus stops in the city. Residents said both measures have been a relief even as they brace for months of sweltering summer. Throughout the city's low-income neighbourhoods, hundreds of tin-roofed homes have been painted with reflective paint that helps keep the indoors cooler. Hydration station: People drinking water at a distribution centre at a bus stop in Ahmedabad. — AP Residents said their houses were so hot before the roofs were painted that they would spend most of their time outdoors under any shade they could find. 'Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house,' said Akashbhai Thakor, who works as a delivery van driver and lives with his wife and three-month-old child in Ahmedabad. Thakor's roof was painted as part of a research project that is trying to measure the impact of the so-called cool roofs. Early results have been promising. 'After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night,' said Thakor. People like Thakor are much more vulnerable to extreme heat because their houses aren't insulated and, since most of them depend on a daily wage, they must work regardless of the weather, said Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, who is working on the project. Bhavsar said low-cost solutions could be the only respite for thousands in the city who can't afford to buy an air conditioner. Veer Vanzara, who lives in the same area as Thakor and works in a nearby garment factory, said the heat makes his job much worse, especially since his factory has no ventilation. So his family is grateful for the cool roofs. 'The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house,' he said. In Ahmedabad's city centres, a 25m stretch of a bus stop has been draped with mats made of straw which, when sprinkled with water, immediately cool the hot wind. Sprinklers installed on the bus stop roof lightly spray cool water on the commuters below, providing instant relief from the blazing heat just a step away. 'When nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they've done is really good. 'Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat,' said 77-year-old Ratilal Bhoire, who was waiting under the sprinklers with his daughter. Bhoire said when he was younger, Ahmedabad was hot, but it was still possible to walk many kilometres without feeling dizzy, even at the height of summer. 'Nowadays, you can't do that.' Heat is the city's biggest problem and heat waves – continuous days of extreme heat – are increasing, said Dr Tejas Shah of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, who oversees the city's heat action plan. 'We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect,' said Shah. Shah and other city officials said the onset of summer has become a testing time and efforts such as cool roofs and cool bus stops are reducing heat-related illness and deaths. As climate projections predict only hotter and longer summers for his city, Shah said being prepared is the only thing to do. 'It (the heat) needs to be addressed in the proper way.' — AFP
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Here, Hindu-Muslim sarpanch switch bypasses polls
1 2 Ahmedabad: While 8,329 villages in Gujarat held gram panchayat elections on Sunday, Gathaman village in Palanpur taluka of Banaskantha district followed a different path. The village of about 10,000 residents unanimously chose Imran Patel as their new sarpanch without casting a single vote, continuing a tradition maintained since Independence. Gathaman operates on a unique system, where the sarpanch position alternates between the Hindu and Muslim communities every term through mutual agreement. Thisarrangement was established by village elders to prevent communal tensions and maintain harmony among the diverse population. The population of Gathaman mainly comprises Thakor and Muslim community members, who together form about half of the village. The remaining residents are from communities such as Prajapati, Suthar, Dalit and Darbar. Former sarpanch Kunwarji Thakor said that leadership usually rotates between the Thakor and Muslim communities, but the 12-member panchayat includes representatives from all groups. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad Sakir Malpara, a businessman and social worker from Gathaman, said, "If the sarpanch is from the Hindu community, then the deputy sarpanch is a Muslim and vice versa." He said that while leadership rotation primarily involves the Hindu Thakor and Muslim communities due to their larger numbers, smaller communities like Dalits typically hold panchayat membership positions. The consensus-based system has occasionally faced questions from younger villagers who have often suggested holding elections. However, village elders address these concerns through discussions in temples and mosques and convince them to stick to the traditional method. Malpara says that this approach maintains village unity. "We do not follow the election route. We choose leaders through consensus and understanding. The system helps maintain peace and keeps everyone together." As counting for the gram panchayat elections begins on Wednesday across Gujarat's villages, Gathaman shows how its time-honoured rotation system continues to ensure harmony and peace in the village.
News18
20-06-2025
- General
- News18
Tiffin Seller's Lunch Delivery Saves 80 Doctors From Ahmedabad Plane Crash; Loses Mother, Daughter
Last Updated: On June 12, Ravi Thakor, his wife, father, and a relative left the mess at 1 pm to deliver tiffin. Their daughter Aadhya stayed behind due to the heat For over 15 years, Ravi Thakor and his family have quietly served meals to doctors at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad's Asarwa. But June 12 brought a heartbreaking turn for the family—Thakor's mother and two-year-old daughter were among the victims of the Air India flight crash. In a tragic twist of fate, Thakor's simple act of kindness that day—insisting on delivering lunch to the hospital instead of having doctors come to the mess—ended up saving the lives of nearly 80 medical staff, moments before the crash occurred at 1:40 pm. Thakor's family has long been committed to preparing and serving food at the BJ Medical College hostel mess. On June 12, Ravi Thakor, his wife Lalita, his father Prahlad Thakor, and a relative departed the mess at 1 pm to deliver tiffin. Their two-year-old daughter, Aadhya, wished to accompany them, but they left her behind, concerned about the heat. Thakor's mother, Sarla Thakor, stayed back to cook at the mess. Thakor recounted the events with a heavy heart, 'She was crying and insisted on coming with us. So, when she finally calmed down, we quietly slipped out." 'It was our daily routine to fill the tiffin, deliver the food, wash the utensils, and prepare for the next day. But we couldn't take Aadhya along, especially with the heavy tiffin in the heat," Thakor added. However, everything changed at 1:40 pm when a massive explosion occurred, and Air India Flight 171 crashed into the mess building. Thakor said, 'They were busy with their daily work. But at 1:40 pm, everything changed. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion—flames and black smoke started rising. The flight had hit the mess building, the same place where I had left my mother and daughter. We rushed to the spot, but the police and others stopped us. Some doctors pointed out what might have happened." Hints from doctors suggested the grim reality. For two days, Ravi Thakor and Lalita clung to hope, praying that Sarla and Aadhya were missing, not dead. Their worst fears were confirmed on Thursday morning when the DNA report revealed that both had perished. 'We performed their last rites on Thursday. Our lives once revolved around serving food—now, all that remains is silence," Thakor said. The accident left an unbearable void for Thakor's family. The tiffin service that had been their means of helping others turned into the cause of their own tragedy. The police and administration are investigating the incident, and the family has been promised support. On June 12, Air India flight AI-171, en route to London with 242 people on board, crashed in Ahmedabad. The aircraft collided with a medical complex in the Meghaninagar area shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of all passengers and crew except one, along with 29 individuals on the ground. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: June 20, 2025, 17:52 IST
The Print
19-06-2025
- General
- The Print
After a week's search, family working in hostel mess cremates mother & 2-yr-old killed in Air India crash
'He got a call at 3 pm Wednesday saying his DNA samples had matched at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. We took possession of the bodies today and performed the last rites. The formalities were smooth. The family is doing okay,' Lala Prajapati, Thakor's friend who answered his phone Thursday afternoon, told ThePrint. Thakor—whose family worked in the hostel mess of the BJ Medical College where an Ahmedabad-Mumbai Air India flight crashed within 2 minutes of takeoff on 12 June—performed the last rites for his mother, Sarlaben, and 2-year-old daughter, Adya in Ahmedabad Thursday. Mumbai: After a week of frantically searching for his mother and daughter following the Air India crash, Ravi Thakor Thursday found some closure, though it wasn't the closure he had hoped for. The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into BJ Medical College's hostel building in the Meghnaninagar neighbourhood, which is close to the airport. The flight was carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members. Only one, a British national of Indian origin, survived. Thakor's family had been working in the hostel mess for 15 years. He and his wife, Lalita, would routinely make tiffin deliveries for doctors and MBBS students to the nearby Ahmedabad Civil Hospital complex. That fateful day, too, Thakor and his wife had stepped out to make tiffin deliveries. His mother, Sarlaben, was cooking in the hostel mess kitchen, while his daughter, was taking an afternoon nap next to her grandmother. Thakor's 5-year-old son had finished eating and left the floor. He survived the crash. By the time Thakor and his wife started making their way back to the hostel, they saw thick black smoke in the air and suspected there was a massive fire. The police stopped them just before the site and informed them about the plane crash. Since that moment last Thursday afternoon, Thakor had been desperately searching for his mother and daughter, alternating between the crash site and the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. He had told ThePrint he hoped that they had managed to escape through a staircase not far from the mess. On Friday morning, he and his wife gave their blood samples in the hospital for a DNA test. When they didn't hear anything by Saturday evening, they even filed a missing persons report in Meghaninagar police station. So far, the administration has found 211 DNA matches and handed over 189 bodies. While there is still no official record of the total number of deaths caused by the plane crash, the number is being pegged at about 270. Sixty-eight others were injured in the crash. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also read: Air India crash: Family supplying tiffin to medical college awaits news on missing kin, including 2-yr-old
