Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have thrown up several major stories today. In Bhopal, the health department has cracked down on fake attendance by doctors and staff, while a trader in Bilaspur has been cheated of Rs 15 lakh in the name of cheap grocery supplies. Besides this, a road worth crores in Tikamgarh has caved in within months, arrests have been made in two separate theft cases in Durg and Bhilai, and several people were injured in an accident on the national highway in Khandwa. In Datia, tensions are running high inside the Congress over ticket distribution ahead of the bypoll, while the weather department has issued a heavy rain warning for several districts of the state. Here is a full round up of the big developments from both states.
Bhopal Cracks Down On Attendance Fraud In Health Department
The health department swung into action in Bhopal after irregularities surfaced in attendance being logged through the Sarthak app. An inquiry found that some doctors and staff were marking their attendance on the app while sitting 8 to 10 kilometres away from their actual workplace. As soon as the lapse came to light, the CMHO ordered swift action. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against two doctors and one staff member, and orders were issued to cut their salaries. A senior doctor had 15 days of salary deducted, while in the other cases a full month's salary was cut. The department said the irregularity was caught during a routine review of attendance records and that such monitoring will continue going forward.
Tikamgarh's Rs 68 Lakh Road Crumbles In Just Six Months
A concrete road built by the Tikamgarh municipal council in ward number 17 at a cost of Rs 68 lakh has started crumbling within just six months of construction. Long cracks have appeared across the road, raising serious questions about the quality of the work. Local residents allege that the municipal council has been consistently negligent in its projects and that this is not an isolated case. After the matter came to light, the municipal CMO said a notice would be issued to the contractor who built the road, and that an investigation into the matter is being initiated.
Durg Caretaker Maid And Her Boyfriend Held For Theft
In Durg, a domestic help who was working as a caretaker at an elderly person's home has been arrested along with her boyfriend on theft charges. Police caught both accused in Raipur. Investigators found that the woman, who had been hired to look after the elderly man, stole cash and a mobile phone kept in a cupboard when she got the chance. Police took both the accused into custody and recovered goods worth a total of Rs 45,000 from them. Smriti Nagar police station is now pursuing further legal action in the case.
Bhilai Steel Plant Scrap Theft: Fugitive Accused Arrested
Police have arrested the second accused who was on the run in a case of iron scrap theft from the Bhilai Steel Plant in Durg. One accused in the case had already been caught earlier by the CISF, while the other had remained a fugitive for a while. According to the investigation, the accused were illegally entering the plant premises to steal scrap. In the latest arrest, police recovered 220 kilograms of iron scrap from the accused's scooter. Bhatthi police station is now taking the investigation further to get to the bottom of the entire racket.
Bilaspur Police Nab Four Men Roaming With Knives
A special police patrol team in Bilaspur's Lalkhadan area scored a big success. During patrolling, police arrested four men who were roaming the area with sharp knives, spreading fear among residents. The accused were caught at different locations, and police recovered four iron knives from their possession. The arrested men have been identified as Kushal Pasi, Sumit Pal, Pratham Chauhan and Shivam Chauhan. Torwa police station has registered a case against all four under the Arms Act and launched further legal proceedings.
Bilaspur Trader Cheated Of Rs 15 Lakh Over Cheap Grocery Bait
A major fraud case has surfaced in Bilaspur, in which a trader was cheated of Rs 15 lakh after being lured with cheap grocery goods. The accused initially won the trader's trust by supplying goods at very low prices. Once trust was established, the accused cited various schemes to gradually extract a large sum of money from the trader. As soon as the money was in hand, the accused switched off his mobile phone and fled after vacating his rented house along with his wife and brother in law. Civil Line police station has registered a case on the victim's complaint and launched a search for the accused.
Heavy Rain Alert For Madhya Pradesh Today, 19 Districts On Watch
Heavy rainfall is expected across Madhya Pradesh today. The weather department has issued a heavy rain alert for a total of 19 districts, including Indore and Ujjain. The situation is more serious in Barwani and Khandwa districts, which are under a red alert with a warning of rainfall of up to 8 inches. According to the weather department, the monsoon has now become fully active across the state, and several districts could see thunderstorms along with heavy rain. Notably, the state recorded low rainfall in June this year, but rainfall is expected to pick up pace in July. So far, the state has recorded roughly 13 percent less rainfall than average, though the monsoon has gained momentum in recent days.
Bus, Car And Truck Collide On Khandwa Highway, 8 Injured
A major accident occurred early today on the national highway near Rustampur in Khandwa district's Pandhana police station area, in which a bus, a car and a truck collided head on. About 8 people were injured in the crash, causing brief chaos at the scene. The bus involved in the accident was travelling from Maharashtra towards Indore. As soon as news of the accident spread, a national highway ambulance, a police team and a Dial 112 vehicle reached the spot. The injured were rushed to hospital, where treatment is ongoing.
Congress Ticket Tussle Heats Up Ahead Of Datia Bypoll
Ahead of the bypoll in Datia, a clear tussle has emerged within the Congress party over ticket distribution. In this connection, a Congress workers' convention is being held today at a motel hotel in Datia, where a major decision on candidate selection is expected. State Congress chief Jitu Patwari, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh and Umang Singhar are among the senior party leaders expected to attend the meeting. Awadhesh Nayak's name is prominently doing the rounds in the race for the ticket, while a few other names are also under discussion within the party. The outcome of the workers' convention will make clear who the Congress fields as its candidate in the Datia bypoll.
