National
Death toll in Bengal bus accident rises to 42 (Lead)
Kolkata, Jan 30 (IANS) The death toll in the bus accident in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district rose to 42 on Tuesday as rescue workers recovered six more bodies from a canal into which the vehicle fell, an official said.
The bodies have been sent to Baharampur Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) for autopsy.
A Malda-bound bus with more than 50 passengers crashed through a bridge and plunged into the Gobra Canal in Murshidabad’s Balirghat area on Monday.
As many as 36 bodies were recovered from the canal till Monday night after which the rescue operation had to be suspended due to darkness.
Two of the eight injured passengers died in the hospital later on Monday while the condition of the other six still remain critical.
On Tuesday, divers carried on with the operation to look for the those who are still missing.
The reason for the accident is yet to be ascertained.
One of the accident survivors said he saw the driver talking on phone while driving just before the accident occurred.
“I saw he was using his cell phone while holding the steering with his left hand. I asked him to be careful as the bus was going at a high speed. Moments later, it crashed against the railing and fell into the driver,” the shaken passenger recalled.
The shattered bus was partially lifted out of the canal by deploying cranes, with hundreds of villagers and anxious relatives of the passengers gathered on the canal banks.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot along with Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikari and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families. She also announced Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.