Cars gutted in Aero India fire: Special cell set up at venue for insurance claims

Insurance

The State Transport Department has also opened a centre at the Yelahanka RTO to issue duplicate documents to those who lost them due to the fire.

TNM Staff

PTI

To aid people who lost their vehicles in the massive fire which broke out in one of the parking bays of Aero India airshow in Bengaluru on Saturday, a special insurance cell will be set up at the venue. At least 300 vehicles parked in parking area number 5 at the Yelahanka air base, the venue of the airshow, were gutted in the fire. A court of enquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of fire. The Ministry of Defence has put in a request with the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to set up the special cell that can expediently clear insurance claims. Some insurance companies have also opened up centres at the venue for the purpose, reported the New Indian Express. “If the claims are handled systematically, owners can get the eligible insurance amount within seven to ten days, and the amount will be the same as what they had opted for in the insurance policy,” Lakshman, Senior Divisional Manager, United Insurance India told the newspaper. In a tweet, Aero India organisers said that a helpdesk (9480801415, 080-22942536) for facilitating insurance claims has been set up.   to persons whose vehicles have been damaged for facilitating the insurance claim; 2. Helpdesk Nos. are 9480801415 080-22942536 3. The survey of damaged vehicles by the Insurance Companies is also being facilitated by the Helpdesk.@drajaykumar_ias @SpokespersonMoD @nsitharaman — Aero India 2019 (@AeroIndiashow) February 23, 2019   But, claims will be given to those car owners who had opted for a comprehensive insurance policy as opposed to only “third-party” policies, an official said. “However, the insurance claim is available to only those who have availed the comprehensive motor vehicle policy, which covers the property damage. Whereas, those who have taken only the third-party insurance policy are not entitled to claim any damage for their vehicles,” K Shashidhar, development officer, The Oriental Insurance Company, told Deccan Herald. Even the state transport department has also opened a centre at the Regional Transport Office in Yelahanka to provide duplicate documents, including driving license and vehicle registration certificates. Persons seeking assistance can call 080-29729908/29729909; 9449864050 for this purpose. To get the duplicate documents that were burnt, respective owners have to take a photograph of their burnt vehicle and register a complaint with the police. Owners have to then go to their insurer and seek their policy document. Based on this, the RTO will issue the Registration Certificate and other documents.

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9 arrested for mobbing Karachi Bakery in Bengaluru, forcing them to cover name board

Crime

The arrested men reportedly claimed they were social workers and said the act was a protest over the Pulwama terror incident.

TNM Staff

A day after the Indiranagar outlet of Karachi Bakery in Bengaluru was forced to cover up the word ‘Karachi’ on its main name board by a mob, police have arrested nine persons in connection with the incident. Police are probing others who were also involved in the incident. The Hindu reported that those arrested were identified via CCTV footage and were residents of Halasuru and neighbouring areas. The accused have been identified as Babaji, Srihari, Praveen, Sreeyappa, Shivakumar, Gunashekar, Lakshman, Sanjay and Naveen, all of them between the ages of 30 to 35. Deccan Herald reported they have been booked for rioting and criminal breach of trust. The arrested men reportedly claimed they were social workers and said that the act was a protest over the Pulwama terror incident. Since then, police have arranged security in front of the shop and other sensitive areas. Speaking to TNM, DCP East Rahul Singh confirmed that the nine accused were in police custody. TNM had reported how the mob had on Friday evening insisted that the establishment changes its name with reference to Pakistan, in the wake of the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama that killed 49 CRPF jawans. The staff, fearing repercussions, went on to cover that portion of the name and also put up the Indian national flag on their building. There was no violence or damage to property, according to the proprietors. “The mob stayed for about half an hour. They demanded that we change the name. The men claimed to know people in the army. They thought we are from Pakistan. But we have been using this name for the last 53 years. The owners are Hindus; only the name is Karachi bakery. To satisfy them, we put up the Indian flag,” the store manager had told TNM. Incidentally, the incident at Karachi Bakery took place on the same day that the Supreme Court ordered the central and the state governments to act against the boycott of Kashmiri establishments and attacks on Kashmiris who are away in other states for studies and work.

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Karnataka High Court quashes ED freeze on Greenpeace bank accounts

Courts

The freezing of bank accounts led to financial crisis for the organisation and forced it to reduce its workforce substantially.

IANS

The Karnataka High Court has quashed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) order freezing the bank accounts of Greenpeace India, the Indian arm of the international environmental watchdog said on Saturday. "We welcome the quashing of the ED order by the Karnataka High Court as it unfreezes our bank accounts, which receive donations from thousands of environmentally conscious Indian citizens," said Greenpeace India in a statement here. According to the judgement, sourced by IANS from the high court, Justice Alok Aradhe on February 14 quashed the ED order issued in October 2018, freezing the bank accounts, especially in IDBI Bank. The ED froze the accounts for alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) after a search of the Greenpeace officer here on October 5, 2018  "The court order strengthens our belief in democratic values and constitutional propriety. It also affirms that our organisation functions in accordance with Indian laws," said Greenpeace India Campaign Director Diya Deb in the statement. The freezing of bank accounts led to financial crisis for the organisation and forced it to reduce its workforce substantially. "The impugned notice dated 05.10.2018 has lost its efficacy on account of efflux of time as the period of 60 days has expired," said the judgement, quashing the ED order on a writ petition Greenpeace filed against the agency and others. The watchdog receives donations from Indian donors who want a safe, secure and a sustainable future for their country and planet Earth, said Deb. "The quashing of the ED's order emboldens us to carry our campaigns which are crucial for India to mitigate climate change, reduce carbon emissions and create a sustainable future," Deb said, adding the group remains open "to any investigation or inquiry conducted without the intention of harassment". ED officials did not respond to IANS query on the judgement quashing its order.

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Major fire breaks out at Bandipur Tiger Reserve, hundreds of acres destroyed

Forest fire

"We are working around the clock to stop the fire but the efforts have been affected by strong winds,” said a senior forest official.

Prajwal Bhat

A major fire has broken out in the forest areas of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Saturday. The fire, which had begun on Thursday, continued to spread on Saturday in spite of the efforts of fire fighting officials who are on the spot. Officials on ground estimate that hundreds of acres of forest areas have been destroyed by the fire.  The fire has spread across Kundakere, Bandipur and Gopalaswamy Betta ranges of the tiger reserve aided by strong winds which helped propel it.  "We are working around the clock to stop the fire but the efforts have been affected by strong winds. We are yet to ascertain the damage to the wildlife in the tiger reserve," a senior forest official said.  The officials expect that it will take two more days at least to contain the fire but played down concerns of the fire spreading uncontrollably outside the forest range. There are around hundred officials of the fire and forest department fighting the flames with the help of local residents including tribals. However, the fire fighters are unable to reach the core forest areas and are fighting strong winds which are helping the fire spread.  "There have been no eye-witness accounts yet reporting damage to wildlife but we expect the damage is bad since the fire has spread to the core forest areas. Deer were seen running away from the fire. This is also breeding season for reptiles and there are ground nesting which we expect will be affected," an activist present on ground told TNM. "The fire has spread to the tiger reserve's border with Kerala's Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. The tourism area of the reserve has been gutted. We needed to have had enough rapid action vehicles and fire engines to contain fires. We need to recheck our preparedness to handle fires like this since these fires occur almost annually," says Joseph Hoover, an environmentalist.  The Bandipur Tiger Reserve covers an area of 87,400 hectares and along with the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nagarahole National Park form one of India's ecologically diverse regions. It is home to vulnerable species like elephants, gaurs, tigers and Indian rock pythons.  Tourists who visited Bandipur were stopped at a checkpost at the entrance to the reserve due to the spread of the fire. The fire comes after another minor fire was reported in the BR Hills range of the reserve which affected around 30-50 acres of forest area. It was doused at 8:30 pm on Friday night.  In the last few years, major forest fires have occurred in Bandipur in the month of February in 2017, 2016 and 2014 destroying thousands of acres of wooded area in Bandipur. 

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‘One injury can threaten career’: Meet the women paratroopers of IAF

Aero India

The six women paratroopers kicked off the air display on Saturday at Aero India with a sky diving.

Theja Ram

It was not just the seminar on Women in Aviation that celebrated women in the Defence sector at the Aero India show in Bengaluru. The team of six women paratroopers of Indian Air Force, who kicked off the air display on Saturday with sky diving, was a true inspiration to many women. Known as The Air Devil Team, it comprises Wing Commander Asha Jyotirmayi, Wing Commander Sangita Paulraj, Squadron Leader Seema Sheoran, Flight Lieutenant Remya and Flying Officer Tuhina Gaur. Pushing boundaries, facing apprehensions and took taking life-threatening risks is an everyday affair for these women paratroopers.   Flying Officer Tuhina Gaur was 22 years old when she decided to join the Indian Air Force. An engineering graduate and a former employee of Accenture, Tuhina's life changed soon after her father's demise. "My father was an accounts officer in the Indian Air Force and he wanted me to join the forces but I had decided to do engineering. I completed my Bachelors in Technology and worked for eight months in Accenture until he passed away in 2016. It was my father's dream that I join the Indian Air Force and I wanted to achieve it for him. I applied and I got in," Tuhina told TNM. Toughing it out for the last few years, Tuhina has come a long way and is now one among the six-member team of women paratroopers. "Initially, I was learning flying and when an opportunity came, I decided to take it. There were a lot of concerns about whether I could do it. They warned me that I would never be able to fly if I injured myself. But I told them that this is what I want to do and I went for it," Tuhina says. Just like Tuhina, Wing Commander Sangita Paulraj, a Bengalurean, a member of the team, is a former psychologist who worked for a multinational company until she decided to join the forces, upon her father's suggestion. With 10 years in the IAF, Sangita says that she wants to inspire more women to join the forces. A "When I was working as a psychologist, I thought that the government sector was not for me. My father changed my mind; and so I applied and got selected. It has been 10 years since I joined the IAF and am proud of my achievement and also a proud Bengalurean. There are a lot of hardships but it is definitely the space where women can thrive," Sangita says. 'Every jump is a first jump' "The first jump was the scariest. Although we were trained to jump, and taught the position in which we had to land,” Tuhina says. “That first moment, when I jumped, the moment when I was in the sky, just before I opened my parachute - that was the scariest for me. But it was also the most thrilling moment. That feeling is inexplicable and I loved it," she adds. Tuhina says that the first lesson paratroopers are taught is - every jump is your first jump, as every time, the paratrooper faces the same amount of risks, no matter the experience. "There is a particular way to land and if you do not land in that position, then you may break your ankle. If you injure yourself, then your flying position will come down. We need to be in the A1 G1 category to be a part of the paratroopers. This means our medical certificate must say that we are physically well developed, have normal hearing and binocular visual acuity, and are capable of enduring severe physical and mental stress for prolonged periods and for service flying in any part of the world. If we don't have this, our chances are low. Hence, injuring yourself is the worst punishment," Tuhina says. Wing Commander Sangita believes that the risk factors are a part and parcel of her job. "For me, personally, it never seemed difficult. I always took all the challenges in stride and have an excellent mentor - Wing Commander Asha Jyotirmayi. She had over 20 years of experience and is an inspiration. It is not only the thrill and the adrenaline rush but the fact that I can break barriers that drives me forward," Sangita added. The challenges for women in armed forces "Will you be able to do it? Will you be able to tough it out like the others? These were some of the frequent questions asked us, although it is the reality for women in all sectors. It should not deter any woman to achieve what she wants though," says Wing Commander Asha Jyotirmayi, the leader of the six-member team of women paratroopers. As one of the oldest women serving in the IAF, Wing Commander Asha does not deny that her job is tough. "I don't have a problem with my job being challenging or difficult. Women are expected to take care of family, give time to friends and also do their job with as much dedication as any other. Yes, it is tough, but I have been doing it for 20 years. My friends and family have supported me. One must walk the talk, and that is important," she adds.

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‘Shobha Go Back’: K’taka BJP workers campaign against sitting MP, seek new candidate

Politics

BJP workers in Chikkamagaluru claim that MP Shobha Karandlaje has been unreachable and are unhappy with her performance in the constituency.

Prajwal Bhat

A section of BJP workers from Chikkamagaluru have begun a campaign asking the party leadership to not select sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje as the candidate from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Opposition is mounting against Shobha Karandlaje in her own constituency. "We are unhappy with the lack of development in our area particularly for the OBCs and backward classes. She is unreachable for workers like me because she is heavily involved in state politics. We are answerable to the people in our area," asks Girish.  A campaign was also started on Twitter and Facebook with users posting #ShobhaGoBack asking the BJP to change its candidate from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.  Full support to the #ShobhaGoBack trend. Please give us candidates worthy to vote @BJP4India Of course we want Modiji as the PM, but don’t take the voters for granted! @BJP4Karnataka — Priyanka Shanbhag (@piyukamath) February 22, 2019 I Strongly Oppose if @BJP4Karnataka @narendramodi @AmitShah @BJP4India wil gv LS ticket For @ShobhaBJP In Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Constituency. Here already A Campaign Started That Against Shobha. @JPHegde is good person and he deserv the Ticket. #ShobhaGoBack #jayaprakashhegde #LS — Venkataramana Naibhi (@venkat_naibhi) February 21, 2019 The disgruntled BJP workers from Chikkamagaluru are quick to add that party workers are still in support of PM Narendra Modi and are only asking the party to replace Shobha Karandlaje with a local candidate for the upcoming elections. "We are also against her hate-driven politics and we want politics driven by love. We want Narendra Modi to come to power but Shobha Karandlaje should not be the candidate here," says Girish Uppar, a BJP worker from Uppar.  Girish's statements are echoed by BJP workers from Tarikere, Ajjampura and Kadur, which are located in the northern and eastern parts of the district. Shobha was in Tarikere on Friday to attend a function celebrating the developmental activities undertaken to improve facilities at the Tarikere railway station. However, party workers from Tarikere were unhappy with her for her perceived ignorance of the town in the last five years.  "Workers like us have not seen her here in the last five years. We want a local candidate to be named the candidate. She has no connection with ground-level workers because of her involvement in state politics," says Lohit, a BJP worker from Tarikere.  The disgruntled party workers say that they prefer Jayaprakash Hegde over Shobha Karandlaje as the candidate from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.  Jayaprakash Hegde, a former minister in the state joined the BJP from the Congress in 2017 and is one of the names being considered for the BJP's candidature from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru. He was previously elected from the constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when he contested as the Congress candidate. "I cannot comment on this and I am not expecting a ticket from the party either. If the party chooses me, then I will definitely contest," he said speaking to TNM, Shobha Karandlaje, who hails from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, contested and won from the constituency in 2014. However, in spite of the opposition, sources close to Shobha maintained that she will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency itself. Shobha is a close aide of BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa. She is, meanwhile, attending public events in the constituency including the one in Tarikere on Friday.  

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300 cars gutted at Aero India 2019: MoD orders court of inquiry to probe cause of fire

Aero India

A fire broke out in one of the parking lots of the Aero India show on Saturday morning.

TNM Staff

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that a court of inquiry will be formed to probe the fire which broke out in the parking lot of Aero India airshow in Bengaluru on Saturday. The fire damaged 300 vehicles parked in parking area number 5 at the venue of the airshow in Yelahanka.  In a statement, the MoD stated that the parking area was at a distance from the venue of the airshow.  "Today morning at around 1155hrs an unfortunate incident occurred, wherein fire broke out in one of the parking areas outside the venue of Aero India 2019. The parking area is located well away from the Aero India venue on the other side of the highway," read the statement. Fire fighting services were pressed into service to contain the fire.  "All available fire fighting services, Rapid Action Force and NDRF teams were immediately mobilised. IAF immediately launched one helicopter for aerial assessment, the helicopter assisted by providing effective directions to fight the fire. The fire was brought under control by deploying more than 12 fire fighting vehicles," added the statement.  The cause of the fire is yet to be determined although initial reports suggest that a lit cigarette may have been thrown on the grass, which may have triggered the blaze. There have been no casualties reported in the fire. While the Ministry of Defense statement said that around 150 vehicles were burnt in the fire, fire officials said that the number is around 300.  The airshow resumed in the afternoon as per schedule.  Eyewitnesses told TNM that the fire caused a chain of small explosions as it spread across the parking area causing a huge plume of smoke to rise in the air.  The incident comes days after the accident which killed one pilot of the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team while rehearsing for the airshow. Read: Aero India 2019: 300 cars gutted as fire breaks out in parking lot

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