Gang held in railway mishap case
The C.I.D. dog, Sheroo, which is assisting the investigation into the rail accident yesterday [October 10] near Miraj, has identified a railway gangman. Taking scent of a chappal found near the track at the accident site, the dog spotted him out in a crowd of 20 persons. Disclosing this to-day [October 11], Mr. D.S. Desai, Home Minister of Maharashtra, said the gangman had been arrested, and further investigation was in progress to trace those responsible for the sabotage. Two fish plates were found removed on the railway track on Wadi bridge, two miles from Miraj, where the accident occurred. Nine persons were killed and 132 injured in the accident, the first since the creation of the South Central Railway on October 2. Through running of trains, on the Miraj-Belgaum section was restored this afternoon at 2-35, according to a communication from the headquarters of the South-Central Railway in Hyderabad. An 18-month-old child named Vinayak Anand Majazan of Belgaum is reported to have succumbed to the injuries, sustained in the accident, in the Miraj Mission Hospital, bringing the total number of deaths in the accident, so far, to ten.
Move for Indo-Ceylon joint venture
The Ceylon Government is exploring the possibilities of joint industrial and economic ventures with Madras State. These ventures according to informed sources will comprise establishment of factories for the production of heavy industrial capital goods. Factories are expected to be located in South India and they are to be supplied with Hydro Electric power from Mahaveli Ganga project carried across the Palk Straits through high tension under sea cables. Another phase of this venture which will be undertaken in cooperation with certain foreign firms is for the prospecting for petroleum. Drilling operations will be carried out in the Gulf of Cambat, Andaman islands, Palk Straits and Coromondel coast. A feasibility survey will be conducted shortly by joint teams of research students. A joint loan will be sought from the World Bank for the implementation of the scheme. A spokesman of the Madras Government now in Colombo said that he would welcome the prospect of joint ventures with Ceylon.
32 elephants killed with poisoned fruits
An instance of how ruthless unauthorised settlers and trespassers in the forest areas could be to wild life was cited by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Kerala, Mr. M.P. George, presiding over the Palghat District Wild Life Day celebrations on Sunday [October 9] at the Walayar Forest College grounds, 17 miles from here [Palghat]. He said that 32 wild elephants had been mercilessly killed recently by such people, by mixing poison with plantain fruits and serving them to the animals. Mr. George said that the active encouragement given by certain political parties to the forest settlers had been encouraging them in the wanton and indiscriminate destruction of the fauna and flora of the forests. Such depredations must be put down sternly, he added, if our forests were not to be denuded of everything worthwhile.
