Summer is one of the hardest seasons for skin care. Scorching heat, pollution and sweat make it impossible for one to keep their skin clean and glowing. So, activated bamboo charcoal comes as a rescue during the summer.

During the hot summer days, your skin also absorbs impurities from surroundings. This, in turn, results in blemishes and blackheads. In order to prevent your skin from these damages, Vanlalmuanpuii from green trends Unisex Hair & Style Salon and Bina NG, Salon Director from Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio, shares ways in which activated charcoal can be infused into your everyday skin care routine:

1. Scrub: Developing a skin care routine is important because it helps the skin maintain the elasticity while strengthening and paving way to clear, beautiful and smooth skin. With a plethora of products available in the market, it is important to add a basic face wash and scrub with activate charcoal to cleanse and exfoliate one's face regularly. Activated charcoal scrub helps to remove impurities, gently exfoliates, balances oily skin and shrinks appearance of pores.

2. Facial: A bi-monthly facial infused with activated bamboo charcoal will keep your skin free from toxins, impurities, dirt and blemishes. The creams and peel off masks used as part of facials, help in keeping one's skin well hydrated and reduce the puffiness.

3 Mask: Activated charcoal draws bacteria, poisons, chemicals, impurities and other micro-particles to the surface of skin, helping you achieve flawless complexion. A DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Charcoal mask by blending activated bamboo charcoal, aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, tea tree oil and fuller's earth is the perfect anti-aging solution that your skin deserves.

4. Deep cleansing: With your skin exposed to harsh sun rays and pollution, pores in your skin get clogged with toxins leaving your skin dull and lifeless. This in turn affects the overall complexion of the skin during summer. A strong remedy for this is infusing activated bamboo charcoal in a deep cleansing technique, which opens the pores and clears toxins, dirt and protects the skin for acne breakouts as well.

5. Peel off mask: Activated bamboo charcoal peel off masks is one of the soothing ways to help beautify and better one's skin. The mask is one of the powerful ways to clear the skin of toxins, dirt, impurities and blemishes. Not to forget, charcoal peel off mask is also one of the quickest ways to see immediate results.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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Melatonin is a hormone known to promote sleep. But, have you ever wondered how melatonin helps to promote sleep? Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered how melatonin suppresses the neurons in the brain that keeps you awake and alert. The findings of the study, which is published in the Journal of Pineal Research, could lead to new therapies for those who suffer from insomnia.

"We as a society are losing sleep because we are working too hard, and it's causing a variety of health concerns," said Mahesh Thakkar, lead author of the study. "We often don't even think about sleep or consider it important. However, there is nothing more important than sleep. We need to focus on therapies that can help you have quality sleep, not just sleep."

Using a mouse model, Thakkar's research found that melatonin infused in the brain at dark -- when the mice are awake and active -- increased sleep and reduced wakefulness by suppressing specific neurons that stimulate the brain to wake up.

Thakkar also discovered that blocking melatonin receptors in the brain at bedtime significantly increased wakefulness. The experiments singled out one receptor, MT1, as the mechanism via which melatonin acts to inhibit the specific orexin neurons that wake you up. This discovery could help lead to medications that target only the MT1 receptor instead of multiple receptors, which could lead to fewer side effects for those who take sleep-promoting drugs.

"Melatonin has been used as a sleep drug for many years, but people didn't know how it worked," Thakkar said. "Our research suggests that if you target the melatonin MT1 receptor, you will get the most sleep with minimal side effects."

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from PTI)

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Regulating salt consumption is key to prevent hypertension, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke and heart failure, say experts. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adults should reduce consumption of sodium to less than 2 grams a day, or the equivalent of about one teaspoon of table salt to reduce the risk of heart disease. 

Hypertension is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Hypertension is also referred to as high or raised blood pressure. Hypertension can also affect fertility in both males and females, says Rajalaxmi Walavalkar of Cocoon Fertility. Hypertension not only affects fertility but also is also known to cause trouble sleeping. Trouble sleeping leads to signs of premature ageing, like fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity.

"Hypertension can lead to cardiovascular diseases. The rise in blood pressure caused by eating too much salt may damage the arteries leading to the heart," Vijay D'Silva, Director at the Asian Heart Institute, said in statement.

According to a recent study, published in the journal Hypertension, about half of adults living in Asia are suffering from the high blood pressure.

While lifestyle factors, including diet and stress, are behind the high hypertension rates in Asia, one common problem is high salt intake, the study showed.

Asians not only tend to have diets high in sodium, but they are genetically more sensitive to sodium, the researchers said.

"Raised blood pressure due to high salt consumption is the biggest single contributing risk factor for non-communicable diseases and damage to your kidney," explained Bhupendra Gandhi of the NGO Amar Gandhi Foundation.

Previously, it was believed that eating high amounts of fruit and vegetables might help counteract the effect of high salt on blood pressure.

However, another study led by researchers from the Imperial College London and Northwestern University, showed that people eating higher amounts of salt had higher blood pressure -- no matter how healthy a person's overall diet.

"Anyone with hypertension is at an increased risk of infertility. A high salt diet leading to high blood pressure can result in delayed puberty and even impact reproductive health," Walavalkar noted.

Besides affecting the heart and fertility, hypertension can affect the skin too, the health experts said.

"High blood pressure can harden your arteries, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen. An impairment of the flow of oxygen, to an organ such as your face, can cause your skin to dry and wrinkles faster which can make one look less youthful," said Amit Karkhanis - Medical Cosmetologist and founder of Dr Tvacha clinic.

Reducing salt consumption in everyday life, cutting down on fried foods and processed foods, can not only curb the problem of hypertension but also save multiple organs from damage and pave way for a healthy life.

Also read: Mumbai Health: These 7 Lifestyle Changes May Help Lower Heart Disease Risk

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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Eating the right fruits, vegetables and spices can ensure you remain cool during the summer season, suggest experts. Chef Sudhir Nair, Executive Chef at Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott, Bengaluru and Chef Kasiviswanathan, the Executive Chef for Radisson Blu Atria, Bengaluru share some easy and interesting tips that will help your body cope with the heat:

1. Opt for a light breakfast: Eat and enjoy a light breakfast every morning comprising of fresh fruits and lots of liquids. Avoid citrus juices and instead opt for tender coconut or melon juice. Cucumber juice or salad would also be a great option. Try and cut down on a heavy breakfast to keep yourself cool and healthy during the summer months.

2. Avoid high starch food: During summer, it is good to avoid high starch foods, especially rice or wheat. Lunch should be the heaviest meal of the day in summers. Keep low on yoghurt consumption. Instead, increase the intake of buttermilk. Keep your food low on spices and high on liquid.

3. Keep yourself away from aerated drinks: Do not drink chilled water or aerated beverages. This is because chilled water or aerated beverages will disrupt the digestive process in the body. Keep a close watch on your sugar consumption. Ice creams though tempting in this time is rich in sugar and cream but an iced fruit lolly would be a legitimate indulgence.

4. Avoid spicy food: Avoid using spices such as mustard, ginger, and chilli. Also, eat less of tomato, peppers and garlic during summer.

5. Use herbs for cooking: Cook with cooling herbs such as fennel, dill, mint, and coriander. Allow use of spices like cumin, cinnamon, green cardamom in your food. Use vegetables such as white pumpkin, broccoli, snake gourds, drumstick and madras cucumber.

6. Boil, steam, and stew: Milk, coconut, butter and ghee in small proportions is cooling for the body. Best methods of cooking these foods would by boiling, steaming and stewing. It is best to avoid fried foods during summer as they would give undue stress to the digestive tract.

7. Enjoy small meals: Enjoying small meals throughout the day during summer is the smartest way to keep yourself cool during the season. Include fruits like ice apples, varieties of melons, sugarcane, and varieties of ripe mango, cashew apples and jackfruit in your diet. All of these are found in abundance in this season.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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Consuming fish which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids twice a week can help reduce the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest and ischemic stroke, says a new scientific advisory from the American Heart Association.

The Association recommends eating two 3.5-ounce servings of non-fried fish, or about three-fourth cup of flaked fish every week.

Emphasis should be placed on eating oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines or albacore tuna, which are all high in omega-3 fatty acids.

"Scientific studies have established the beneficial effects of eating seafood rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, especially when it replaces less healthy foods such as meats that are high in artery-clogging saturated fat," said Eric B. Rimm, Professor at the Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, US.

Further, the advisory, published in the journal Circulation, laid emphasis on eating fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, bigeye tuna, marlin and orange roughy that are high in mercury.

Even though mercury contamination has been linked with serious neurological problems in newborns, it does not have adverse effects on heart disease risk in adults, the advisory noted.

Moreover, the benefits of eating fish substantially outweighed any risks associated with mercury contamination, especially if a variety of seafood is consumed, it said.

According to a study, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, adding fatty fish to our diet increases the size and lipid composition of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, also known as good cholesterol, in people with impaired glucose metabolism.

Another study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, showed that Omega-3 fatty acids are more beneficial than flaxseed and other oils for preventing cancer.

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A slow and steady weight loss plan is always a good idea, but losing weight too fast means putting your health at a risk which can lead to severe issues. So, be wise about undertaking excessive exercising or going for a crash diet. Pooja Chaudhary, wellness consultant, Healthians, an online diagnostic center that offers at-home services, lists down the common factors to take care of during a weight loss regime:

Losing weight around 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week is a safe bet. But losing more than that can be considered as rapid weight loss which can have an impact on the health. At the start of exercise plan or diet plan, people witness a sudden weight loss of 2-3 kg. This is actually the water weight.

Angeli Misra, Co-founder of Lifeline Laboratory, lists down a few side effects of losing weight too fast:

1. It could damage your liver: Alcohol is not the only factor that puts you at a risk of developing a fatty liver. Sometimes following a surgery to reduce weight can also affect your liver.

2. Loose skin: Rapid weight loss leads to loose skin as skin loses elasticity.

3. It may slow down your metabolism: Excess of everything is bad. Excessive exercises and crash dieting can slow down your metabolism as you easily and soon get tired. Due to that your body works slow and you feel a sense of fatigue.

4. Other side effects: Losing weight fast by doing excessive exercise, swimming and crash diet may be linked to several other side effects like hunger, fatigue, irritability, muscle cramps, dizziness, constipation or diarrhea.

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Researchers have found that a common antibacterial substance found in toothpaste may combat life-threatening diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) when combined with a drug.

The study, published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, found that when triclosan -- a substance that reduces or prevents bacteria from growing -- is combined with an antibiotic called tobramycin, it kills the cells that protect the CF bacteria, known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by up to 99.9 per cent.

CF is a common genetic disease with one in every 2,500 to 3,500 people diagnosed with it at an early age. It results in a thick mucus in the lungs, which becomes a magnet for bacteria.

These bacteria are notoriously difficult to kill because they are protected by a slimy barrier known as a biofilm, which allows the disease to thrive even when treated with antibiotics, the researcher said.

"The problem that we're really tackling is finding ways to kill these biofilms," said lead author Chris Waters, Professor at the Michigan State University.

According to the researcher, there are many common biofilm-related infections that people get such as ear infections and swollen, painful gums caused by gingivitis.

But more serious, potentially fatal diseases join the ranks of CF including endocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, as well as infections from artificial hip and pacemaker implants, the researcher added.

For the study, the researchers grew 6,000 biofilms in petri dishes, added in tobramycin along with many different compounds, to see what worked better at killing the bacteria.

Twenty-five potential compounds were effective, but one stood out, the researcher said.

"It's well known that triclosan, when used by itself, isn't effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. But when I saw it listed as a possible compound to use with tobramycin, I was intrigued. We found triclosan was the one that worked every time," said Alessandra Hunt from the Michigan State University.

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Components in the mosquito saliva can trigger an unexpected and long-lasting immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite, say scientists.

The researchers found that more than 100 proteins in mosquito saliva are mediating the effects on the immune system, or may help the virus become more infectious.

Identifying these proteins could help design strategies to fight transmission of dengue fever as well as other diseases caused by viruses also transmitted by Aedes aegypti, such as Zika virus, chikungunya virus and yellow fever virus, the researchers said.

"We found that mosquito-delivered saliva induced a varied and complex immune response we were not anticipating," said Silke Paust, Assistant Professor at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital.

"Billions of people worldwide are exposed to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, and many of these conditions do not have effective treatments," added Rebecca Rico-Hesse, Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, US.

For the study, appearing in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the team worked with a mouse model of the human immune system.

Previously, the team demonstrated that mosquito-bite delivery and needle-injection delivery of dengue virus in these "humanised mice" led to significantly different disease developments

They found that mosquitoes are not just acting like "syringes" to merely inject viruses, but their saliva seems to contribute significantly to the development of the disease.

In the new study, the team tested the effect of virus-free mosquito saliva on humanised mice and compared the results with those obtained from humanised mice that had not been bitten by mosquitoes.

Evidence to immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite -- was found in multiple tissue types, including blood, skin and bone marrow, the researchers said.

"For instance, both the immune cell responses and the cytokine levels were affected. We saw activation of T helper cells 1, which generally contribute to antiviral immunity, as well as activation of T helper cells 2, which have been linked to allergic responses," Paust said.

"The diversity of the immune response was most striking to me. This is surprising given that no actual infection with any type of infectious agent occurred," he noted.

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Owing to a higher level of outdoor air pollution during summers, dogs born during this time are more likely to be at higher risk of heart disease, according to a study.

For both dogs and humans, outside air pollution during pregnancy and at the time of birth appears to play a role in later development of heart disease.

Overall, dogs have a 0.3 to 2 per cent risk of developing heart disease depending on breed, but among those that are genetically predisposed to the heart disease, the birth month difference in risk was found to be marginal.

However, breeds not genetically predisposed to the disease, such as Norfolk terrier, Berger Picard, American Staffordshire terrier, English toy spaniel, Bouvier des flandres, Border terrier and Havanese were also found to be at highest risk.

This suggests that the effect supports an environmental mechanism, the researchers said, in a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, also supports earlier findings in humans pointing to the role of early gestational exposure to fine air particulates and increased risk of heart disease later in life.

"It's important to study dogs because the canine heart is a remarkably similar model to the human cardiovascular system," said Mary Regina Boland, Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the US.

"Also, humans and dogs share their lives together and are exposed to similar environmental effects, so seeing this birth season-cardiovascular disease relationship in both species illuminates mechanisms behind this birth-season disease relationship," Boland added.

Because dogs' pregnancies are shorter than humans (lasting only 2 months), pollution as a possible mechanism is still thought to be through the mother's inhalation of air pollution effecting the uterine environment, which in turn affects the developing cardiovascular system of the baby or puppy, the study showed.

For the new study, the team examined 129,778 canines encompassing 253 different breeds.

The research team found that risk climbs to the greatest level in dogs born in July, who have a 74 per cent greater risk of heart disease than would typically be expected.

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Many people are so busy that they barely have time to eat, let alone pause for a water break, and you may find you often go hours and hours without quenching your thirst. But staying hydrated has real advantages, including helping you maintain your energy and focus so you can operate more efficiently, so it's important to give your drinking habits the attention they deserve. Dr. Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Atmantan Wellness Centre gives some simple ways to make fueling up with fluid throughout the day a little easier

Always carry a water bottle
If you have a bottle within arm’s reach, it's very likely that you'll mindlessly sip from it throughout the day, without having to make a conscious effort. It is important to drink fluids during your workouts, especially if you are exercising outdoors or in a hotter climate. You should carry water with you while exercising. And it is necessary that you drink water in the few hours, leading up to your workout, as well as you need to be drinking water during the workout as well. It is recommended to drink a glass of water every 15 minutes during your exercise session

Have Infused Water
Drink infused water also called fruit-flavored water or fruit-infused water. Fruit-flavored water is a combination of fruits, vegetables, and herbs immersed in cold water. The health benefits of fruit-infused water include flushing toxins from your system, filling you up, so you don't eat much junk food, keeping your organs healthy while you are sweating, etc.

Electrolyte Drinks
Electrolytes are electrically-charged substances found in your blood, urine and other bodily fluids. They are essential to keep a healthy balance within the body and come in different forms, including chlorine, potassium, phosphate, magnesium, calcium and sodium. Sweat releases electrolytes, so in order to replenish them, you must consume foods and drinks that contain electrolytes like coconut water, citrus fruits, salt water, cranberry drink, watermelon juice, cucumber drink, etc.

Fruits and Vegetables
Another tip for staying hydrated in summer is adding fruits and vegetables with high water content to your diet. Strawberries, cucumbers and watermelon contain about 92 percent of water per volume. Other fruits with high water content are cantaloupe with 90 percent, grapefruit with 91 percent, and peaches with 88 percent. Pineapple, cranberries, orange and raspberries contain 87 percent water by weight. Also, vegetables like tomatoes, beetroot, carrots and celery contain water.

Also Read: Top 7 Tips To Keep Your Skin Hydrated And Healthy During Summer

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Washington D.C: Do you find it difficult to resist food cravings? Researchers have found that stimulating the brain with magnetic energy can help reduce food cravings in obese people. The technique has yielded positive results after just a single treatment session, revealing its potential to become a safer alternative to treat obesity, avoiding invasive surgery and drug side effects.

It has been reported that, in some obesity cases, the reward system in the brain may be altered, causing a greater reward response to food than in normal weight individuals. This can make patients more vulnerable to craving, and can lead to weight gain. This dysfunction in the reward system can also be seen in cases of addiction to substances, e.g. drugs or alcohol, or behaviours, e.g. gambling.

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) is a medical treatment that uses magnetic energy to stimulate neurons in specific areas of the brain. It is used to treat depression and addictive behaviours, and previous studies have suggested that dTMS could be a good option to reduce drug and food cravings. However, the potential mechanism driving these changes had not been investigated until now.

In this study, Professor Livio Luzi and colleagues, from the Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Donato, Italy, investigated the effects of dTMS on appetite and satiety in obese people.

They studied the effects of a single 30-minute session of dTMS, at a high or low frequency, on blood markers potentially associated with food reward in a group of 40 obese patients. They found that high-frequency dTMS significantly increased blood levels of beta-endorphins - neurotransmitters involved in producing heightened feelings of reward after food ingestion - compared to low-frequency dTMS or controls.

"For the first time, this study is able to suggest an explanation of how dTMS could alter food cravings in obese subjects" said Luzi. "We also found that some blood markers potentially associated with food reward, for example glucose, vary according to gender, suggesting male/female differences in how vulnerable patients are to food cravings, and their ability to lose weight."

"Given the distressing effects of obesity in patients, and the socioeconomic burden of the condition, it is increasingly urgent to identify new strategies to counteract the current obesity trends. dTMS could present a much safer and cheaper alternative to treat obesity compared to drugs or surgery", Professor Luzi adds.

The results of the study were presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018.

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Washington D.C.: Want to stay young? According to a study, exercising four to five days a week can slow down your heart's ageing. The optimal amount of exercise required to slow down ageing of the heart and blood vessels has long been a matter of vigorous debate. As people age, arteries - which transport blood in and out of the heart - become prone to stiffening, which increases the risk of heart disease.

Whilst any form of exercise reduces the overall risk of death from heart problems, this new research shows different sizes of arteries are affected differently by varying amounts of exercise.

Two-to-three days a week of 30 minutes exercise may be sufficient to minimise stiffening of middle sized arteries, while exercising four-to-five days a week is required to keep the larger central arteries youthful.

The authors performed a cross-sectional examination of 102 people over 60 years old, with a consistently logged lifelong exercise history. Detailed measures of arterial stiffness were collected from all participants, who were then categorised in one of four groups depending on their lifelong exercise history: Sedentary: less than two exercise sessions/week; Casual Exercisers: Two-to-three exercise sessions per week; Committed Exercisers: four-to-five exercise sessions/week and Masters Athletes: six-to-seven exercise sessions per week. (NB: an exercise session was at least 30 minutes).

Upon analysing the results, the research team found that a lifelong history of casual exercise (two-to-three times a week) resulted in more youthful middle sized arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the head and neck. However, people who exercised four to five times per week also had more youthful large central arteries, which provide blood to the chest and abdomen, in addition to healthier middle sized ones.

The fact the larger arteries appear to require more frequent exercise to remain youthful will aid the development of long-term exercise programmes. They also enable the research team to now focus on whether or not ageing of the heart can be reversed by exercise training over a long period of time.

"This work is really exciting because it enables us to develop exercise programmes to keep the heart youthful and even turn back time on older hearts and blood vessels. Previous work by our group has shown that waiting until 70 is too late to reverse a heart's ageing, as it is difficult to change cardiovascular structure even with a year of training. Our current work is focussing on two years of training in middle aged men and women, with and without risk factors for heart diseases, to see if we can reverse the ageing of a heart and blood vessels by using the right amount of exercise at the right time,¿ said Benjamin Levine, one of the authors of the study.

The study has been published in The Journal of Physiology.

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Want to stay young for long? If so, start exercising four to five times a day as it may help keep your heart stay healthy and slow down ageing, according to researchers. Research showed that different sizes of arteries are affected differently by varying amounts of exercise.

While exercising for about two to three days a week for about 30 minutes may be sufficient to minimise stiffening of middle-sized arteries, exercising for about four to five days a week is required to keep the larger central arteries youthful.

The study would help "develop exercise programmes to keep the heart youthful and even turn back time on older hearts and blood vessels", said one of the study authors, Benjamin Levine from the University of Texas.

With age, arteries -- which transport blood in and out of the heart -- become prone to stiffening, increasing the risk of heart diseases.

For the study, published in The Journal of Physiology, the team examined 102 people over 60 years old, with a consistent lifelong exercise history.

The participants were divided into four groups depending on their exercise history -- Sedentary: less than 2 exercise sessions per week; Casual Exercisers: 2-3 exercise sessions per week; Committed Exercisers: 4-5 exercise sessions per week and Masters Athletes: 6-7 exercise sessions per week.

A lifelong history of casual exercise (two-three times a week) resulted in more youthful middle-sized arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the head and neck.

However, committed exercisers (4-5 times per week) also had more youthful large central arteries, which provide blood to the chest and abdomen, in addition to healthier middle-sized ones.

Larger arteries need more frequent exercise to slow down ageing, the researchers said.

The findings will help see "if we can reverse the ageing of a heart and blood vessels by using the right amount of exercise at the right time", Levine explained.

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A massive fire broke out in a three-storey building in the Kasa area here in the wee hours today, the district rural police said. One person was feared dead, but there was no official confirmation yet, they said. The police received a call around 3.30 am about the blaze in the residential-cum-commercial building, located near a temple in the Kasa area of the Dahanu taluka.

The building's ground floor and the first floor, which housed a provisions store and its godown, were completely gutted in the fire, the police said in a release issued here. However, residents of the four apartments on the building's second floor were evacuated, the police said, adding that one person was feared killed in the fire, but there was no official confirmation yet. Three fire engines were rushed to the spot. The flames were doused but the cooling work was still on, the police added.

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The bus met with an accident soon after the accused drove it out from the depot

Unable to get a rail ticket for his native place Uttar Pradesh, a mentally unstable man decided to drive a state transport (ST) bus to his destination on Tuesday morning. However, his attempt failed when he banged into a roadside tree, soon after driving the vehicle out of the depot in Palghar.

According to the Boisar police, accused Sabir Ali Mansori, who is a Palghar resident, works as a scrap dealer. Around 10 am on Tuesday, he went to the ST bus depot and found a Boisar-Palghar bus parked in one of the slots. He immediately got into it and started the vehicle. The moment he left the depot, the bus collided head on with a roadside tree.

Accused Sabir Ali Mansori. Pics/Hanif Patel

The bus driver Amolsingh Rajput mentioned in his complaint that after parking the bus, he had gone to the control room to inform the officials that he would take the vehicle out on its route. On hearing a lot of commotion outside, he rushed back to see that the bus had met with an accident.

Police sources said that soon after the incident, the people who had gathered at the spot, beat up Mansori and handed him over to the police. The Boisar cops have booked him under sections 379 and 511 of IPC. Speaking to mid-day, Prakash Birajdar, senior inspector, said, "Following his arrest, the accused was produced in court and later sent to police custody. Even he was in a state of shock after the incident. We have received his medical reports, which will be verified before the next course of action."

Also Read: Aadhaar Scheme Helps 31-Year-Old Mentally Ill Woman Reunite With Family

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Cadbury Junction

The picturesque canopies and gentle streams of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) attract not just birds, butterflies and bees, but shutterbugs and couples as well.

Our neighbourhood national park in Borivli has emerged as one of the go to destinations for pre-wedding photoshoots, says Ahmed Anwar, Director and Chief Conservator of Forest (CFO), SGNP. He says, "I can clearly see the increase in the pre-wedding as well as maternity photoshoot in SGNP since last year. What I can gather from this is that youngsters love to picture their memories with greenery." Call it a trend or a tradition, but the pre-wedding photoshoot, replete with wardrobe changes and high-end photo-editing, is part of modern wedding arrangements.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park and inset (Darshan Ambre)

While couples often venture out of the city to local or exotic destinations — say, a vineyard in Nashik or Koh Samui — SGNP's green acres or Ballard Estate are preferred, too. This is especially true for those couples who want to spend about Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 a day— a starting range for pre-wedding photoshoots, making them selective about the destination for their shoots. Other locations that are sought out, say photographers and couples, are the stairs of Asiatic Library in Fort, Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai, Utsav Chowk in Kharghar and forts, such as those in Sion, Worli and Vasai.

Vasai Fort and inset (Tejas Chachad)

Sanket Sawant, a wedding photographer from Thane says, "Couples come ready with ideas about the locations. Their first
choice, very often, turns out to be SGNP. Other places they like to head to are Upvan and Cadbury Bridge in Thane." Couples can getthe permission at SGNP after they pay fixed amount of R3,300. Photography is allowed in a 5 km area that is
accessible for visitors. Security concerns restrict people from venturing further into the core forested areas. Early monsoon and post monsoon, up until winter, is the best time to shoot at SGNP, say photographers.

However, instead of the wilderness offered by SGNP, should couples choose to opt for sunset-lit beaches, there is a problem,
say photographers. Professional photography is not allowed on Juhu Beach and Girgaum Chowpatty specifically for prewedding
shoots. If one wants to shoot there, permission from the civic body has to be taken, which takes time. Therefore, many photographers don’t choose these locations. Vasai Fort, a structure erected in the year 1184, has remained an attraction
for decades, not just for Bollywood, but also couples seeking to replicate a Bollywood moment. What's more attractive, unlike SGNP, is that there is no fees to shoot inside the fort. However, the bigger hurdle is dealing with crowds and local residents that gather around the posing couple.

Photographers say that rather than head there on weekends, make use of the busy weekdays, when the fort is empty. Sagar Mahadik, who has been working as a wedding photographer for the last four years, says, “Many people demand locations with a lot of greenery and seclusion, which SGNP offers. For that matter, Ballard Eastate roads are very much empty on weekends. If a couple is ready to go out of Mumbai, then the ShivTemple atAmbernath, Palava City in Dombivli are also secluded favourites.”

Ambre says that even if SGNP gets crowded during the wedding season, the good news is that photographers cooperate
with each other.

Santosh Kumar Shah

Virar resident and former film distributor Santosh Kumar Shah, 48, has lived through what can only be described as a tragic Bollywood plot, thanks to a landlord and policeman from hell.

Trouble began in January 2013, when he decided to move from Andheri to Virar. Shah had been a distributor for films such as Mahasangram (1990) and Insaaf (1997). He got a 1BHK apartment on a rent of Rs 2,700 and Rs 15,000 deposit, owned by one Ravikant Patil in Virar East.

No amenities
Shah was assured of every possible amenity in the house. But when he moved in, he found out that there was neither electricity nor any water supply. Shah said he complained to Patil about this and was assured it would be sorted out in a few days, but that never happened. He realised Patil had cheated others in the same flat, so he registered a complaint at the Virar police station. Patil was served a notice under Section 149 of the CrPC.

Soon after, Shah alleges Patil verbally threatened and abused him, asking him to withdraw the complaint and vacate the house. Patil then came to the flat with a woman and builder Bhushan Patil. Shah called the cops and went to the police station, when he saw Patil and the builder there. Shah said he was slapped by PSI Asif Baig. Shah's case was transferred to API DF Patil, following a robbery attempt in his flat.

PSI denies allegations
Baig denied all the charges. In fact, he said he would receive complaints against Shah from other society members, as he never paid his utility bills on time, resulting in the disconnection of his electricity and water. He would also call senior officers now and then for every problem.

Meanwhile, Shah alleged that in June 2014, he was assaulted by the accused and some more people. He called the cops, but nobody turned up. Shah attempted to meet Thane SP Rajesh Pradhan, but fainted before he could do so. The SP ordered his team to take Shah to the hospital and file an FIR against the accused.

Framed and locked up
When Shah came back to the police station to register the plaint, the cops ended up arresting him under charges of molestation and the POCSO Act. He ended up spending 20 months in prison for a crime he didn't commit. A court acquitted him and he was released on January 13, 2016. All cases against him were dropped in June 2017.

Shah then went back to the flat to collect his belongings but found nothing there. To his surprise, another tenant was residing there. His car was also missing.

Currently, Shah has no job and little money. He eats food at religious shrines and sleeps at railway stations. Last month, he approached current Thane SP Manjunath Shinde, who has asked Virar police to look into the matter. Palghar district PRO said, "We have received an application from Shah and ordered Virar police to investigate."

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Glass containers in which Arora has collected soil from different parts of Aarey. PICS/ABIGAIL D’Souza 

A conversation with artist Vikram Arora throws up a vital piece of insight into the issue of deforestation at Aarey Colony. Arora, along with four artists from Hong Kong and a Serbian national based in Mumbai, is spending a few days living with locals in the city’s jeopardised green cover, and he tells us, “The tribals here have a family that doesn’t include only the people they live with. It includes the trees they planted, the animals and birds that depend on those trees, the leopards around them and so on. So everything is inter-dependent, and the fallout [of deforestation] is ecological in nature, because the birds don’t have those trees any more. And the leopards will confront humans because their habitat has been taken away.”

This is the issue that forms the backbone of a project called Forest Tales: Mysteries Hidden in Concrete. It involves the six people creating individual works of art based on their experience of living in the heart of Aarey Colony, immersing themselves in the local culture by tilling the soil that nurtures the food that their hosts cook for them.

Chim Chi Ho tilling soil

Arora tells us that one of his projects, for instance, requires him to collect 33 types of soil from different parts of Aarey, symbolic of the 33 hectares of land in the area that is lost to the demands of construction work for the disputed Metro project. “I will put these bits of soil into 33 different containers on which I will draw Warli art, a traditional tribal style. The idea is to archive the memory of the soil in case that land is also taken away in the future. I will present the different glass containers as an installation to show how, if we proceed without long-term planning, we will end up building a fragile future for ourselves,” he says.

The other project he has embarked on is called Cut Me a Slice of That. For it, he will bake a pie inspired by savelya, a local sweet dish made with coconut and jaggery, which his host taught him to make. He will then serve that pie cut into different pieces when the various works of art are showcased to the public at an event later this week. “It’s meant to reflect the sentiment of how the land grab is taking place, piece by piece. For example, every time there is an emergency in the city, the NSG commandos are given a space in Aarey. A veterinary college is also given space here if they want it. Now the Metro wants its chunk too for the car shed. So, they keep taking this land away piece by piece, through rampant deforestation,” he explains.

(From left) Michael Leung, Vikram Arora, Gum Cheng, Yip Kai Chun and Chim Chi Ho, the artists living in Aarey. Katarina Rasic is not in the photo

Arora adds, however, that not everyone in the local community is against displacement. A few padas (settlement clusters), he says, are happy because they think they will get a house in a tower, though they eventually might never get to reach this carrot being dangled before them. “They are driven by economic sensibilities, thinking they will be moving into high society when, and if, they get those houses. But the whole idea is not only about them shifting base. Instead, it’s about the trees that are being cut to facilitate that process,” he says, pointing out how unless this urbanisation challenge is managed in a sensitive manner, ecological concerns are bound to be sacrificed at the altar of rampant concretisation.

Vikram Arora

ON May 20 AT Keltipada, Adivasi Pada, Unit no 18, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon East.
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Chef Cham Hun Chakap plates a portion of chilli chicken. Chilli chicken is one of the spicier dishes that can be traced back to Tangra. But the food of the Kolkata locality is often a lot sweeter than other Indo-Chinese dishes because that’s how the Bengalis prefered it. This can be evidenced in something like honey chilli potato.

Chef Cham Hun Chakap moves around the kitchen with the assurance of a well-set batsman completing a comfortable single down to deep midwicket. He is running the show behind the scenes at a restaurant in an upscale Powai hotel, which is hosting an event called Tangra Festival. The dish that the chef is whipping up for us is chilli chicken, possibly the most ubiquitous item in the culinary spectrum of Indo-Chinese dishes. And he tells us that it was invented in Tangra, the new Chinatown in Kolkata, considered by many to be the Mecca of this particular cuisine.

Tangra does indeed occupy a unique spot in the country’s food-scape. It all goes back to about 100 years ago, when the British — along with Kolkata’s older Chinese community in Tirreti Bazaar — established the area, setting up leather factories there to manufacture boots and other goods for soldiers at the battlefront during World War I. Business picked up further during World War II. But then, the British packed their bags in 1947. So, the Chinese community took over the tanning operations. Their life ambled comfortably along, only to be turned upside down by the Indo-China war of 1962, when many indigenous Chinese people immigrated to safer havens like Canada, Australia and Taiwan. And suddenly, the community in Kolkata found its numbers to have considerably dwindled.

Food to the rescue
What’s worse is that the ones who were left behind, and who had picked up the mantle of the leather business from their predecessors, found themselves on the wrong side of the law after the state government deemed the tanning industry to be an environmental hazard in the mid-’90s. A large number of factories thus faced closure, with some being shifted to the nearby neighbourhood of Bantala. Many of the owners faced overnight financial ruin. So, to get out of the soup they found themselves in, they turned their attention to another business that had been gaining momentum in the area over the ’70s and ’80s — restaurants serving “Chinese” dishes.

“Initially, these restaurants were serving the authentic cuisine of the Chinese mainland. But that did not suit the palate of Kolkata’s Bengalis, who found it to be too bland. So the restaurants were running in losses in the beginning, till their owners decided to alter the recipes, adding Indian herbs and flavours,” chef Cham says, adding that this formed the genesis of what we call Chindian cuisine.

Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

These dishes, of course, bore as much resemblance to true-blue Chinese food as idli-sambar does to tandoori chicken. Instead of being stir-fried, for instance, most of the preparations were gravy-based. The spice quotient was also so much higher than a Shanghai local would put his chopsticks down to fan his mouth after one bite. Plus, while something like a Peking duck is roasted over a length of time, Tangra food was geared to suit the purposes of the quick-service restaurants there. This automatically also meant that the meat — including the fish items — was almost invariably diced into pieces, instead of being served whole, like some of the dishes in mainland China.

Pan-Indian acceptance
Be that as it may, the cuisine gradually started spreading to other parts of the country. Nelson Wang, a Tangra local who opened SoBo’s China Garden in 1984, is widely credited with having invented chicken Manchurian, a dish which if you say is Chinese, you might also say that the giant panda is India’s national animal. Punjabis also caught on to the trend, developing a brand of Sino-Ludhianvi dishes. And with time, Indo-Chinese food became a mainstay of restaurants in various cities, including Mumbai, where lunch home menus reserve equal space for “Chinese” dishes as they do for stuff like chana masala and aloo matar.

The credit for this goes to the original restaurateurs of Tangra who Indianised their indigenous dishes. But things are no longer hunky-dory in the Kolkata neighbourhood, says Dominic Lee, a fourth-generation Tangra local. “Many of the smaller restaurants are finding it difficult to sustain themselves, with only the bigger eateries, which have space for parking, constantly managing to upgrade themselves because they have the requisite capital,” he tells us, adding that the recent controversy around dubious meat being supposedly sold in the city’s restaurants has led to a further dip in fortunes.

Nonetheless, he continues, the legacy of the cuisine has left a permanent imprint on the history of India’s food. Take chilli chicken, something so popular that it’s travelled all the way from the humble Kolkata locality to the swish Powai hotel where chef Cham is making us his version of it. But when he is done in a matter of mere minutes, he recognises the look of doubt on our face after we have had a taste. “I have to make a blander variety because most of our customers are from the West, and they wouldn’t be able to handle something too spicy,” he explains, revealing how Indo-Chinese cuisine of the Tangra variety is a preserve of only our own countrymen.

Looking for it anywhere else in the world would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, for all practical purposes.

Awesome sauce
A huge contribution that Tangra has had is popularising the concept of chilli sauce. “You will find it in all the kathi roll shops dotted around Kolkata. But before we added it to our food to suit Indian taste buds, people had no clue about it,” says Lee.
Till May 27, 7 pm
To 11.30 pm
AT Emperor's Court, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, near Chinmayanand Ashram, Powai.
Call 8291165421

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In a jolt to its ally Shiv Sena which had "hijacked" the family of its late MP, its ally Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday won the bypoll to Maharashtra's Palghar Lok Sabha seat.

BJP's Rajendra Gavit defeated his nearest rival, Shriniwas Vanga of the Sena and the son of sitting MP Chintaman Vanga, whose death in January had necessitated the bypoll.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and all the party leaders and workers for this victory," he said.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

A day after the plane crash at Ghatkopar, family members have now begun laying all five victims to rest, after identifying them with the help of their personal effects and teeth. On the other hand, their doubts and questions are yet to be put to rest, so they have now raised demands for a proper investigation of the mishap. Co-pilot Marya Zuberi was buried at the Shia Kabristan in Govandi's Rafi Nagar on Friday evening, while aircraft maintenance engineer Surabhi Gupta will be taken back to her native place for the last rites.

All five bodies were badly charred, so their DNA samples had been sent to the Kalina forensic laboratory for identification. However, the victims' kin did not want to wait too long, so they decided to go ahead with the last rites. Captain Pradip Rajput was identified by his bracelet, Gupta by her earrings, and Zuberi with the help of her engagement ring. Junior flight technician Manish Pandey's face was partially recognisable. Dr Hemlata Pandey, forensic odontologist from KEM hospital, reconfirmed the identity with the help of photographs where their teeth are visible. "In such cases, when everything turns to ashes, teeth remain intact," said Dr Pandey.

Prabhat and daughter Charvi. Pics/Suresh Karkera

'We want answers'
As Marya's husband and male family members lowered her body into the ground, her daughter Charvi as she wept outside the cemetery. Upon returning to their residence at Mira Road, her husband Prabhat Kathuriya told mid-day, "We are going to file an FIR." In a press statement titled 'Who Killed Marya?', Prabhat, a lawyer, said: "She left the house assuring me that she would return soon, as the weather conditions were clearly not right for a test flight of a small plane. She was sure that the commission to undertake such a flight would not be given."

We know that the aircraft was well beyond its prime. We know it was more than 20 years old. We know it had already had an accident in 2009 and that the UP government chose to sell it rather than spend on its repairs. Considering all the above stated facts we, the family of Marya Zuberi, want answers. We want to know who exactly was at fault and who will bear the responsibility?"

He told this paper, "I am startled that the police haven't enquired about the crew's cell phones. A colleague told me that when she tried Marya's number at 2.30 pm (after the crash), it was ringing, but there was no response. That could reveal something." First pilot in family The family will remember Marya as a trailblazer. She was the first among them to become a pilot, after battling the stigma and restrictions often imposed on women in conservative society. "She was our brave child," said uncle Gauhar Raza.

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Neighbours of Mira Road co-pilot unable to believe she is no more

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A board director of the Bassein Catholic Cooperative Bank, Dilip Mathak, 45, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself on Tuesday afternoon. His body was recovered by his family from his home in Pachubandar, Vasai West. No suicide note has been discovered yet.

Mathak used to reside with his mother, wife —whom he married in January this year — and younger brother. His body was found in a small room behind his bungalow around 5 pm. One of his family members informed the Vasai village police, who rushed to the spot, conducted a panchnama and sent the body for an autopsy at the local government hospital.

According to police sources, Mathak was a prominent name in Vasai, and was also the president of its Koli Yuwa Sanstha. He was a very friendly person. One of his friends said they're in deep shock as Mathak suddenly took this step, even though everything seemed to be going well for him. Speaking to mid-day, a police official from Vasai village police station said, "The reason behind the suicide has not been revealed yet and neither have we found a suicide note. We have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are investigating the matter."

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The Borivali Police on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old accused who allegedly duped and cheated people on the pretext of providing them with confirmed railway reservation ticket by possessing himself as a railway officer. The arrested accused has been identified as Piyush Gyanendra Sharma. The police nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP from Vasai.

Sources from the police revealed "Sharma is a habitual offender and has cheated many people’s including a 35-year-old lady victim identified as Geeta Jain (Name changed on request) who had came to Borivali Railway station to book reservation tickets for a group of people planning to visit Palitana Temple in Gujarat last month.

Speaking with Mid-day the lady who became a victim of Sharma's cheating said, "We are from Palitana district, 60 to 70 people from this district had planned to visit the Paltina temple in the month of December. I came here in order to book the reservation ticket for all of them. I was busy filling the reservation form when the accused arrived and asked whether I am going to use card or cash to pay the reservation amount.  He asked me to fill out the forms and give the money to him and he shall give me all the reservation tickets together."

She further added, "I believed and gave him the form and the money, he took the form and money and asked me to wait after which he went away. I was sitting and waiting for him, even when the reservation window started to shut down. I went and asked the sitting clerk that how you can close the window without giving my ticket. When the clerk asked me I revealed the story then he informed me that such officer does not work here someone might have made you fool, the duty clerk helped and took me to the RPF office, later we went to the Borivali police station and registered a complaint."

The Borivali Police station who nabbed the accused with the help of RPF and GRP said, "The accused is a habitual offender. He revealed and confessed that he has cheated more people in such manner in Vasai, Malad, Bhayandar, and Borivali. He has been booked and arrested under section 170 and 420 of IPC was produced before the court today and remanded in Police custody."

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Over one lakh students from 659 schools will be trained across the country to assemble solar lamps under the `Solar Urja through Localisation for Sustainability' (SoULS) project of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) on October 2.

Workshops will be held for this purpose at various places on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, said Chetan Singh Solanki of IIT-Bombay who heads the SoULS project. It is part of an initiative of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), he said.

The objective is to "sensitise our future generation" about importance of solar technology, he said. The initiative also reaffirms India's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and the MNRE's goal of installation of 100 GW of renewable energy by 2022, he said.

IIT-B will observe October 2 as `International Day of Non-Violence to Environment', Solanki said. The SoULS program has trained several people from rural areas to assemble solar study lamps, he said. The participating students will take home the solar study lamps assembled by them.

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Members of koli society in Naigaon are fed up with the influx of drug addicts in their area. Triggered after the alleged suicide of a young junkie from their society a few days ago, they have decided to catch the menace in their nets, so to speak.

They have started rounding up druggies in the area and, one by one, taking them to be admonished in front of their parents, in a bid to make the elders aware what their kids are up to and work towards putting a stop to it.

Around 400 men and women from Amol Nagar, Parera Nagar, Vijaya Park, Mariyam Nagar, Koliwada and Kuchuda have started patrolling the area at night and have, so far, caught 15-odd drug addicts red-handed. The youths, after being taken to their families, were warned that they would be taken to the police if they were caught again.

Fighting the good fight
A social worker from the area, Ashish Vertak, said, "The population of Naigaon has increased in the past few years and is set to rise further with hundreds of complexes and colonies under construction. While this has brought a lot of people from other parts of the city to stay here, their bad habits have followed too.

"We have seen people sitting by the seashore drinking and getting high at night; many of them are youths from our society. We are simple fisherfolk and don't want such nuisance in our area. Hence, we decided to fight the root of the disease and started communicating with others from the society."

Hundreds of residents have started patrolling the area at night. Pics/Hanif Patel

The residents have created a WhatsApp group and also formed a sangathan, named Naigaon Koli Vyasanmukti Thalaval. The latter's founder members are Yogesh Bhayandarkar, Mahindra Bhayandarkar, Nivrutti Ghusekar, Satish Koli, Pravin Vartak, Sai Bokale, Nandakumar Vaity, Hemant Holekar, Hemant Masnekar, Sada Godavarikar, and Vijay Vaity.

Saving the children
Mayur Bhayandarkar,
sangathan member
'Over the past several years, we have seen more and more youths getting addicted to drugs. Through this campaign, we are trying to save our children and make
them aware how narcotics will destroy their lives. If we don't do this, who will? All we want is for them to come out of this rut'

Satish Koli,
founder member of sangathan
'After seeing teenagers fall prey to the habit, we decided to fight to remove this disease from the root. We held discussions with other locals and started this campaign. We are now planning to meet police officers and request them to take strict action against those involved in selling drugs and destroying the future of our children'

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The Palghar police campaign, 'One camera for the city', wherein they requested shopkeepers to direct one CCTV camera on to the main road in front of their shops, helped nab three people who, last week, tried to kill their friend. The trio and two others had thrashed and left him for dead. The crime was captured on a shop's CCTV camera that was pointed towards the road where it took place.

Friends like these
According to police sources, Shailesh Mal, 28, was attacked by five of his friends, including a woman, who also hit him with stones. They fled the spot after they thought he was dead. Mal's brother later admitted him to a hospital. The police found that the incident was recorded in one of the CCTV cameras installed outside a shop near the Vasai West railway station, under the jurisdiction of Manickpur police station. Mal's brother, Shankar, watched the CCTV footage in the presence of the police and identified the accused.

'Forcing him to rob'
Shankar said, "They were all close friends of Shailesh. They called him on the pretext of a party. Shailesh had dinner with them and later they started forcing him to accompany them for a theft. When he refused, they attacked him with bamboo sticks, tried to smash his head with a stone, and fled the spot, leaving him for dead."
Shankar added that he confirmed the names and identity of the accused when he saw the CCTV footage. "I gave cops the names of the accused. Three of them were caught by the police and rest are still at large," he said.

CCTV helped identify accused
"The CCTV camera installed outside the shop helped us identify the accused. We have arrested three of them, while the others are absconding," said SDPO Dr Ashvini Patil from Palghar district.

Also Read: Watch video: Woman steals mobile-phone from Mulund shop

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In a positive step towards the conservation of wildlife, 295 Indian star tortoise seized from Vasai by Maharashtra Forest Department along with NGO PAWS-Mumbai were successfully released at Banarghatta National Park in Karnataka.

Speaking to mid-day Sunish Subramanian Kunju from NGO PAWS-Mumbai said, "Plant & Animals Welfare Society(PAWS-Mumbai) along with the Range Forest Officer(RFO) Yuvraj Gite and team successfully released 295 Indian Star Tortoise at Banarghatta National Park, Bangalore. Of the 295 tortoises, 293 Star Tortoise were seized from Vasai and two-star tortoise were saved by Amma Care Foundation."

Indian star tortoise is a threatened species and protected under schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 197. It is thus illegal to keep them as pets.

This is not the first instance where Indian star tortoises have been released at Banarghatta National Park. In September 2017, mid-day did a story (Rescued Star Tortoises To Fly Back To Karnataka Today) in which it was 285 star tortoises rescued over the past year by various NGOs and government bodies from Mumbai were released in their natural habitat.

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The SSC paper leak case this year probably has a first — parents of some students are under the police scanner for allegedly buying the question paper for their children. Following preliminary investigations, the cops are likely to pick up some of the parents in the case. Surprisingly, the students who received the papers are academically bright and there is no reason for them to indulge in such an act, the police said.

A police source close to the investigations revealed, "We noticed that students had received these papers and that their parents, too, were aware about it and vice versa in some cases. We have also got the names of a few parents who have bought these question papers for their children. Also, the students who bought these question papers have taken the money from their parents after telling them the reason for it."

Career Classes in Bhiwandi, whose owner, Wazir Rehman Shaikh, allegedly sent out question papers on WhatsApp

On Wednesday, two police stations in Bhiwandi registered separate paper leak FIRs. The first case was registered at Bhiwandi City police station earlier in the day by Govind Sharma, founder of Samvad Foundation, an NGO. He alerted the board after he and several of his colleagues received the History paper on their phones at 10.10 am; the exams begin at 11 am. The police have already arrested Wazir Rehman Shaikh, owner of Career Classes, from Bhiwandi, for sending out the papers on Whatsapp.

Later in the day, the Narpoli police filed an FIR on the complaint of a teacher after three girl students were found discussing the History and Political Science papers on WhatsApp. Preliminary investigations in both cases has put some parents in the dock.

The leaked question papers that were circulated via whatsapp

Questioning everyone
When contacted, DCP Zone-II Ankit Goel said, "We are questioning everyone right from students to their parents. It is part of our investigation to know each one's role in order to reach the main culprit."

He added, "There is a complete trail. We have arrested one accused who is not the main accused in this case, but with his help we are trying to reach the mastermind. We are going back to every message for this. We need a few more days to investigate and reach the main accused who took the photos of the question papers."

The cops are closely monitoring the images circulated on the WhatsApp group and are analysing the photographs to reach the main accused in this case. In both the cases, the paper was leaked from Bhiwandi an hour before the exam. It indicates that someone from the centre had clicked the photos and sent it to students who then forwarded it further, a police officer said.

Paper leak trail
The police are checking every step of the question papers' journey and where exactly in the process it got leaked. The question papers are usually transported from the divisional office to custodies in each area a day before the exams. In the Mumbai division, there are 75 custodies, which are in schools, where the paper reaches a day in advance amid tight security. Depending on the distance between the custody and the exam centre, papers are sent off on the day of the exams to their respective centres. Examiners then break the question paper seal and distribute the papers to students 10 minutes before the exam starts to give students time to read it.

The two cases
On Wednesday morning, the Bhiwandi police registered an FIR under the Information Technology Act under the IPC as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act after receiving a complaint from the Mumbai divisional board.
The same night they made one arrest.

Later that day, the board's flying squad caught three girl students with mobile phones seated inside an autorickshaw. They were in the vehicle despite the last bell being sounded to enter the exam hall.

"The students were supposed to be in the exam hall by 10.15am. They had History and Political Science papers. A day before, they had created a group called 'Toppers' and in the morning they circulated the question papers. We have seized their phones and six others who received these papers. These girls seem to be toppers," said MB Shinde, senior inspector of Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi.

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Bollywood actress and Congress candidate from Mumbai North Urmila Matondkar on Sunday played cricket with the youngsters of Sahyadri Nagar, Charkop in Kandivli. She tweeted a video of her playing cricket and wrote, "Since there is no time to watch the IPL anymore...in a league of my own with the youngsters of Sahyadri Nagar, Charkop Kandivali (W) #AapliMumbaichiMulagi." (sic)

Also Read: Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar races for Lok Sabha polls with rally in Kandivli. See photos

Clad in simple salwar kameez, Matondkar tried her hand at cricket among cheering crowd. Watch video here...

Since there is no time to watch the IPL anymore...in a league of my own with the youngsters of Sahyadri Nagar, Charkop Kandivali (W) #AapliMumbaichiMulagi 😇 pic.twitter.com/JrRZmTNRNx

— Urmila Matondkar (@OfficialUrmila) April 14, 2019

Urmila Matondkar has declared assets worth around Rs 68.28 crore and a clean legal record. As per her affidavit filed with the Election Commission, Matondkar's income was Rs 1.27 crore in 2013-14, which more than doubled to Rs 2.85 crore in 2017-18. Her movable and immovable assets are totally worth Rs 40,93,46,474 and Rs 27,34,81,000, respectively.

Her husband M.A. Mir owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 32,35,752.53 and Rs 30,00,000, respectively, totally around RS 62.35 lakh. Besides, Matondkar has declared an outstanding loan of Rs 32 lakh. Her assets include bank deposits, cash in hand, vehicles, and investments in land and properties.

Also Read: Watch video: Urmila Matondkar enjoys vada pav during election campaign in Mumbai

Urmila Matondkar was born in a small rural hospital in her (maternal) native region of Sindhudurg, to Shrikant and Sunita. Her father Shrikant is a retired officer of the erstwhile Grindlays Bank and her mother Sunita is a retired state government employee.

She was educated at the prestigious century-old King George High Shool, Dadar, which is now renamed as Raje Shivaji Vidyalaya, and then joined the Ruparel College, but couldn't complete her graduation as she got a big break in Bollywood.

With a successful film career behind her, Urmila married a Kashmiri businessman, M.A. Mir and regularly visits her inlaws in the Valley. While her sister is a former actresss-turned-lawyer Mamata A. Bhalekar who lives in Mumbai, her eldest brother, the Pune-based Kedar Matondkar is a retired Indian Air Force officer who saw action during the Kargil War of 1999.

"She loves social issues, reading, and has read all major literary works, especially the pennings of Sane Guruji who has influenced her deeply. Urmila is always dediated and committed in any venture she undertakes, whether acting or social work or politics," her proud father Shrikant said

Mumbai's six Lok Sabha constituencies go to polls in the fourth phase on April 29.

Also Read: Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar, Priya Dutt, Sanjay Nirupam woo youth

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Reacting sharply to a scuffle between Congress workers and BJP sympathisers earlier on Monday, actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar claimed that there is a threat to her life and she requires protection from the police.

Speaking to ANI after the scuffle that took place during her roadshow at Boriwali, Matondkar said, "It is being done to create fear. It is just beginning, it will take a violent turn. I have asked for police protection. There's a threat to my life, I have filed a complaint."

Talking about the scuffle that happened earlier in the day, Matondkar said, "We were peacefully addressing people and from nowhere 15-20 people came and started raising slogans in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Initially, I didn't react to it and thought these kinds of things keep happening. But they all started making vulgar actions and started dancing. They were trying to intimidate women at the back. They were moving forward towards the direction where my vehicle was standing. Because of this, our people had to intervene and asked them to stop doing this. A clash then broke out between them and they even hit some women."

She also said that she has filed a police complaint on today's incident.

Matondkar has been fielded by Congress from Mumbai (North) constituency.

Earlier in the day, when Matondkar was holding a roadshow near a railway station, some onlookers started raising pro-Modi slogans. The sloganeering was countered by 'Chowkidar Chor hai' slogans by Congress supporters.

A scuffle subsequently broke out between the two groups. In a video of the incident, Congress supporters can be seen running towards people raising pro-Modi slogans and roughing up a few of them.

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It all began in 2004 when the late Pandit Chitresh Das, credited with having played an instrumental role in taking kathak to the US and establishing it amongst the Indian diaspora there, joined hands with Emmy-winning tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith. The result was a collaborative performance, India Jazz Suites, which paved the way for artistes practising the two dance forms, continents and ages apart, to unite to celebrate them in the years to come.

Speak – Rhythm in Feet is a performance that carries forward the legacy of Pandit Das, and iconic tap dancers Dr Jimmy Slyde and James Buster Brown. Choreographed by Rina Mehta and Rachna Nivas — disciples of the former and founders of Los Angeles-based Leela Dance Collective — and acclaimed international tap dancers Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, it premiered in San Francisco in 2017. On its maiden tour of India, it will debut in Mumbai tonight, followed by shows in Kolkata and Gurugram.

Edwards and Dorrance perform to the beats of the tabla and drums

"Rhythm, music and dance are universal languages. So, we share a lot of common ground, which allowed us to create a performance of this kind. Also, both Pandit Das and Jason Samuels Smith were keen on seeing women artistes come to the forefront; something we felt strongly about, too," Mehta tells us, before heading to a rehearsal in Andheri. She adds that they are particular about not calling this a fusion performance."It is not a gimmick. The idea is to let the two dance styles come together, but stay true to their essence," says Mehta.

Dorrance shares that though rhythm reigns supreme in kathak and tap dance; their time signatures — notations to specify the number of beats contained in each measure — vary. "One of the compositions sits inside a time signature that has nine and a half beats. I have never tried this in tap dance," she says. These challenges, however, have long been overcome. For, one of the highlights of the show is a "sawaal jawaab with tap and tabla", where Dorrance and Edwards respond to the beats of the tabla with corresponding tap footwork. The sitar, piano, bass and drums are the other musical accompaniments.

In this coming together of the similarities and differences between kathak and tap dance, however, there is a deeper message. "The world is becoming increasingly polarised. But we feel that what makes it a beautiful place is this diversity, of people and art forms. The way we could come together is to find a common ground, and celebrate what makes us unique at the same time."

ON Tonight, 7 pm
AT Royal Opera House, Mama Paramanand Marg, Girgaum 
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Entry Rs 300 onwards

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Our cab pulls up outside Bayroute in Cuffe Parade and through the heavy door, we are transported into a tavern with large cloth lamps that resemble hot air balloons, glass-blown light fixtures, beige sandstone walls and mirrors that make us stop and stare. Natural light floods the space through the windows adorned with heavy curtain drapes. We point our cell phone camera in every direction wondering how similar it is to a set from Aladdin.

The restaurant, which serves Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Greece, is dished out by chef Ajay Thakur. Before we order drinks, we call for hummus. A city food consultant we have with us for company suggests that the iconic dish is the true test of good Middle Eastern fare. So, we pick the baharatli hummus (Rs 475).

Turkish Express

The chick pea mash comes with a shot ofspicy Tunisian chilli pepper that is flaming orange in colour. The pine nuts and olive oil drizzle, too, is a well-rounded upliftment. Next, we try the quwarmah Kuwaiti (Rs 595), a Turkish pide or flatbread folded like a long boat that comes with well-marinated ingredients and is donned with caramel golden fried onions, fresh pomegranate rubies and herbs. This we pair with drink like an Egyptian (Rs 375) and Turkish express (Rs 450). The first beverage has the sweetness of ganna and a punch of dark rum along with the tangy-sweet twist of lime juice and honey. The latter, which is supposed to have a whiskey base, tastes like coffee and cream instead. So, we send it back and are told that they forgot the booze. When we try it again it's a truly indulgent drink spiked with a well-smoked whiskey.

The mains had its own share of hits and misses. We tried Koshari (Rs 645), the national dish of Egypt made with pasta, lentils and rice, in Dubai at a street festival a few years ago. That version was local with the vendor having picked up the recipe from his mother. The one at our table tastes of tomato gravy and pasta. It's a let down.

Arni arakil 

Arni arnaki (Rs 1,395), our non-veg pick, is a portion of za'atar-butter-braised lamb shanks served with roasted veggies, caramelised onion and a pine nut pilaf. Here, the winner is the pomegranate grape jus: a thick, molasses-like juice that perfectly balances the fall-of-the-bone meat.

For dessert, we pick the mint chocolate and Greek yogurt popsicles (Rs 525). As we bite and lick the sweet treat, we're convinced the restaurant, which also has an outlet in Powai, is a go-to spot for the right dose of
Middle Eastern.

TIME 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT Bayroute, Minoo Manor Building, 7, Captain Prakash Pethe Marg, Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade.
CALL 8291156403

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Bayroute didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

Yes, you would have possibly spotted him somewhere. Probably in a movie. Most thi­nk that actor Ash Chand­l­er, who is performing wi­th his outfit Redux this weekend, has taken up mu­sic recently. The tr­uth is he fi­rst came to India (fr­om the US, where he grew up) in 1999 to release a Hindi pop album, and actually started out as stand-up comedian. 

While he paid attention to his acting career, it was when he had an accident four years ago that he felt revived — as did the musician in him. And he formed Ash Chandler Redux with Angelo Colaco (drums), Keith Donald (bass), Rahul Wadhwani (keys), Ulric Sequeira (guitar), Anand Vaity (saxophone, clarinet) and Heather Andrews (vocals).

The gig will include their re­ndition of jazz standards and tango cl­a­ssics in Spanish. "I want to write songs about lo­ve, and the nature of hum­a­ns. My original work hasn't be­en political. But I do be­lieve in spreading the me­ssage that everyone has to start accepting th­e­mselves and not seek va­lidation. It's crucial for pe­ace. Every drop of bl­o­od will result in 10 mo­re drops," he concludes.

ON March 3, 7 pm
AT NCPA,Tata Theatre, Nariman Point 
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 300 onwards

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Embarking on a promotional spree, Sanya Malhotra had a fun interaction with real-life photographers clicking pictures against Gateway of India as well as with the photographers. Sharing her picture from the visit Sanya Malhotra says,

"Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega."

 

 

 

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Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega. . . Smile please!📸 #photograph #gatewayofindia @photographamzn #9daystogo

A post shared by Sanya Malhotra💥 (@sanyamalhotra_) onMar 6, 2019 at 12:39am PST

The film brings to the screen the story of a photographer at Gateway of India who convinces a stranger to act as his love interest to help his ailing grandmother. Nawazuddin Siddiqui will essay the role of the photographer, while Sanya Malhotra plays his muse.

Earlier, Sanya Malhotra who had a working birthday took out time and celebrated the special occasion with the paparazzi. Recently, National Award-winning filmmaker Ritesh Batra hosted a special screening of Photograph for film students prior to its theatrical release. Post the screening, the director interacted with the students and engaged in a discussion about films and their making.

Sanya garnered immense love and appreciation for her performance in Photograph when the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival 2019. The trailer brings to screen a sweet, innocent, and refreshing chemistry with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra's first association.

Written and directed by Ritesh Batra, Photograph is presented by Amazon Studious in association with The Match Factory and is slated to release in India on March 15, 2019.

Also read: Team Photograph shares a video on Nawazuddin Siddiqui's character

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Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta's 'mala and mehendi' function in Mumbai was a fun event that had dance, music. Since the families have urged guests to let the private events remain as private as possible, the social networking world gave just a glimpse into Thursday's celebrations at the Dome, NSCI, Worli.

One video doing the rounds with the wedding's hashtag #AkuStoleTheShlo shows the bride's family dancing away on a fancy stage to "Iski uski" from "2 States". The stage was quite elaborately decorated according to the images that surfaced on social media.

 

 

 

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Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! âÂœ¨

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:10pm PST

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! #BigFatIndianWedding . . . #akashambani #shlokamehta #nitaambani #ishaambani #anantambani #radhikamerchant #antilia #ambani #akashwedsshloka #akashambanipreweddingbash #mukeshambani #india #bigfatindianwedding #richindian #akashshlokawedding #akustoletheshlo #luxurylifestyle #royalwedding #antilia #Decorgoals #weddingdecoration #ambaniwedding #shlokamehtamehndi #shlokaakashmehendi #nscidome #mehendi #mehndi

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:14pm PST

Pre-wedding celebrations have been on in full swing at the Ambani and Mehta houses. Akash is the son of Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, while Shloka is the youngest daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta. There is huge interest in the wedding, especially after the scale at which the industrialist's daughter Isha got married last year.

A dandiya night in Mumbai was followed by a three-day star-studded celebration for Akash and Shloka in St. Moritz, Switzerland, last month. Functions have been on in Mumbai since the beginning of March.

They reportedly had a Harry Potter-themed party where Guru Randhawa took the stage, as well as a musical night concert with Shreya Ghoshal behind the mic. An 'Anna Sewa' was also organised on Wednesday night at the Jio World Centre, which is the venue for all three forthcoming functions.

After the wedding on March 9 is a celebration on March 10, followed by a reception on March 11. The main galas are likely to attend to be attended by a slew of guests from the Bollywood, political and sports world.

Check out the photos and videos here...

 

 

 

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Shloka’s fam, #TeamBride killing it at the dance floor at the Mehendi Night! 🕺🏻💃🏻 . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #Dance #DancePerformance

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 11:48am PST

 

 

 

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First glimpse of how grand the “Mala & Mehendi” function of Akash Ambani & Shloka Mehta is! ♥ï¸Â Love it. Also, zoom into the first picture as much as you can, because, the bride to be, Shloka is sitting right there in the centre! 😍🤩 . Follow @akustoletheshlo for all the latest updates about the Ambani Wedding. ðŸ¤Â— . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #WeddingRituals #BrideToBe

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 6:10am PST

 

 

 

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Shloka Mehta’s Mala & Mehndi to take place today at NSCI Dome 5.15 pm onwards!

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 4:50am PST

Ahead of the wedding of his son, industrialist Mukesh Ambani has sent boxes containing sweets to the around 50,000 police personnel in the metropolis. Every police station in Mumbai is receiving the boxes from the family of the Reliance Industries chairman, whose son Akash Ambani is getting married here on March 9, an official said.

The boxes are accompanied by a small card carrying the names of Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and their children and messages seeking blessings and good wishes, said a police constable, who recently received one such box. "I got the box of sweets from police station and came to know it has been sent by Ambani's family on the occasion of his son's wedding," he said.

Also Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta wedding: Here's all that you need to know

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Disclaimer: The article has been sourced from third-party source and mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data of the text. All information provided on this article is for informational purposes only

Explore the hidden village of Chuim, a small settlement in Bandra. The former farming hamlet is mostly populated by the East Indian community, the city’s original inhabitants. Lesser known than the popular settlements of Pali and Ranwar, Chuim village offers a new and relatively unseen face of the city. Walk 221: ChuimChronicles, the 90-minute tour, involves a deep dive into Chuim and covers interactive sessions about East Indian culture, stories, traditions and the heritage of the settlement.

ON March 16, 5 pm
MEETING POINT St Vincent De Paul Church, Chuim Village, Khar West
CALL 8828100111
COST Rs 499

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Before there was any conflict between India and Pakistan, there was the Bhakti movement, and Sufism. And when Moinuddin Chisti first brought the latter philosophy to our shores in the 13th century, he came with an inclusive mindset that helped assimilate Sufism with the Hindu way of life. And that message of harmony is also the theme of a concert in the city this weekend.

The performance, called Sounds of the Sufis, will also entail the launch of an album, Ek Hi Rang. It's the brainchild of vocalist Anuraag Bhoundeyal, storyteller Priyanka Patel and percussionist Karan Chitra Deshmukh, who have been working on this debut effort for over a year. Bhoundeyal says, "On the face of it, we are tracing the journey of Sufism through the album. But what we are essentially saying is that instead of looking at the periphery, let's look at what lies at the core of Sufism — and that's love and oneness."

ON March 15, 6.30 pm
AT The Royal Opera House, Girgaum
LOG ON TO insider.in
ENTRY Rs 499 to Rs 1,200

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A foot over bridge (FOB) connecting the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) platform 1 north end with BT Lane near Times of India building has collapsed. Around 23 people have been injured in the incident until now. The injured persons are being treated at St George Hospital, Fort. The commuters have been asked to use alternate routes. Senior officers are on spot.

Here's what the Mumbai Police tweeted on the incident:

Foot over bridge connecting CST platform 1 north end with B T Lane near Times of India building has collapsed. Injured persons are being shifted to hospitals. Traffic affected. Commuters to use alternate routes. Senior officers are on spot.

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) March 14, 2019

Mumbai police have diverted the traffic. Commuters have been asked to avoid JJ flyover, Fort, Crawford Market. Traffic has come to a standstill. Many people are feared to be trapped under debris. No official count as yet. A huge crowd has gathered at the site of the accident.

Here's what ANI tweeted:

#WATCH Mumbai: A foot over bridge near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station has collapsed. Multiple injuries have been reported. pic.twitter.com/r43zS5eA0l

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Latest update: Two people have died, and 23 injured people have been injured so far.

#SpotVisuals: Two people died, 23 injured when part of a foot over bridge near CSMT station in Mumbai collapsed earlier this evening. (Pic source: NDRF) pic.twitter.com/LjI1qvRqlE

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Both the lady who died in the incident today are staff of GT HOSPITAL #MumbaiBridgeCollapse via @journofaizan

— mid-day (@mid_day) March 14, 2019

Latest Update: Four people have died in the incident so far. According to BMC, 17 injured people have been admitted at St George Hospital with 2 people dead. While 11 injured have been rushed to G T Hospital, two feared dead.

#UPDATE Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation): Four people have died in the incident where part of a foot over bridge near CSMT railway station collapsed. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/3hojDGKrbL

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Here's what the Ministry of Railways said about the incident:

Ministry of Railways on part of foot over bridge in Mumbai collapse incident: The bridge was of BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). However, we're extending all our supports to the victims. Railway doctors & personnel are cooperating with BMC in relief & rescue operations. pic.twitter.com/Ut6jQkSFVi

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Here's the helpline number to St George Hospital:

4 people dead and several injured. As the rescue operations are underway here is the helpline for
St George 022-22620242. #MumbaiBridgeCollapse #cstbridgecollapse @journofaizan @AnuragANK @patel_bhupen @Swathirishi @rajtoday @AdityaGonsalves

— mid-day (@mid_day) March 14, 2019

Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde reacts to the CSTM bridge collapse. Here's what he had to say:

Maha Min Vinod Tawde: A slab of the bridge had collapsed. Railways&BMC will conduct an inquiry into its maintenance. Bridge wasn't in a bad condition, it required minor repairs for which work was underway. Why was it not closed until the work was completed, it'll also be probed. pic.twitter.com/kkPYIMtNug

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Latest update: Five people feared dead, reports ANI.

#UPDATE Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation): Five people have died in the incident where part of a foot over bridge near CSMT railway station collapsed. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/juiLAQZOvk

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Here's how Maharasthra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted to the incident.

Pained to hear about the FOB incident near TOI building in Mumbai.
Spoke to BMC Commissioner and @MumbaiPolice officials and instructed to ensure speedy relief efforts in coordination with @RailMinIndia officials.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 14, 2019

Maharashtra Minister Vinod Tawde announced that the state will provide for the treatment of the injured...We will give further update to you as and when we get information.

Mumbai police: The number of injured has risen to 36, including 2 people critically injured.

Here's the list of the number of injured people who are taken to St. George hospital.

List of injured people who are taken to St. George hospital. Have a look and help family. @mid_day @rpfcr @RailwaySeva @Central_Railway @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis #MumbaiBridgeCollapse pic.twitter.com/iiBuOgN23Q

— Suraj Ojha (@surajojhaa) March 14, 2019

Here's how Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the CSTM bridge collapse:

Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to the foot overbridge accident in Mumbai. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Wishing that the injured recover at the earliest. The Maharashtra Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 14, 2019

The rescue operation is underway. NDRF and Mumbai police team along with the dog squad is also present at the spot. The toll is likely to rise:

Mumbai: A team of NDRF and dog squad also present at the spot where portion of a foot over bridge near CSMT railways station collapsed earlier this evening. 5 people have died, 36 injured. Toll is likely to rise. pic.twitter.com/KxR4uxQ7BC

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Around five people have lost their lives in the incident so far. Here's a list of the names of the people who have lost their lives in the CST bridge collapse:

Update on #MumbaiBridgeCollapse via @AnuragANK -

36 injured (02 serious), Names of the 5 deceased people are as follows:
Apoorva Prabhu F/35
Ranjana Tambe F/40
Zahid Shiraj Khan M/32
Sarika Kulkarni F/35
Tapendra Singh M/35

May their souls RIP.

— mid-day (@mid_day) March 14, 2019

A taxi driver who was on his way from Churchgate to Mahim along with a customer escaped unhurt, reports Faizan Khan

Taxi driver Mohammed Akhtar Ansari along with a female passenger escape unhurt in #MumbaiBridgeCollapse .Akhtar was on his way from #churchgate to #Mahim, part of bridge fell on his cab. @mid_day @patel_bhupen @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice @MCGM_BMC @DisasterMgmtBMC pic.twitter.com/ev4A2nsRIN

— Faizan فÛÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂŒضاÙ† خاÙ† (@journofaizan) March 14, 2019

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis: Ex-gratia of Rs 5 Lakh each will be given to the families of those who died in the incident and compensation of Rs 50,000 each will be given to the injured, state govt will provide for their treatment, reports ANI.

Maharashtra CM: It's unfortunate. I've ordered for a high level inquiry. A structural audit of the bridge had earlier been done&it was found to be fit. Even after that if such incident happened, it raises question on the audit. Inquiry will be done. Strictest action will be taken pic.twitter.com/h7qHQXKWqb

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Here's the latest update from Disaster Management Unit of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai:

Part of Foot Over Bridge Collapsed, Opp CST Station, near Times of India,Mumbai. @CPMumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/ZGCgQBKG2T

— Disaster Management Department (MCGM) (@DisasterMgmtBMC) March 14, 2019

Pic/ANI

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar arrives at St George Hospital to meet the people who were injured in the CST station foot over bridge collapse.

Injured people are shifted to the following hospitals, reports Disaster Management Unit of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

Disaster Management Department Fire In ESIC Hospital Building,Andheri East Date: 17.12.2018.@CPMumbaiPolice @MCGM_BMC pic.twitter.com/ClKqwHAA09

— Disaster Management Department (MCGM) (@DisasterMgmtBMC) December 17, 2018

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh calls the CST bridge collapse a 'horrible tragedy'. Here's what Riteish had to say about the CST station foot-over bridge collapse:

What a horrible tragedy.. so sad to know that many have lost lives. My deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones & prayers for the injured. This #MumbaiBridgeCollapse should have been avoided. This negligence is unpardonable.

— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) March 14, 2019

Here's what Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had to say about the CST foot-over bridge collapse:

CM @Dev_Fadnavis on #MumbaiBridgeCollapse: “It's unfortunate. I've ordered for a high level inquiry. A structural audit of the bridge found to be fit. Even after that if such incident happened, it raises question on the audit. Inquiry will be done. Strictest action will be taken” pic.twitter.com/FH38lw0EF2

— mid-day (@mid_day) March 14, 2019

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant reaches St George hospital to meet the people injured in the CST foot-over bridge collapse:

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant reaches St George hospital to meet the people injured in the incident where part of a foot over bridge near CSMT railway station collapsed earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/TdKmG5TXwU

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

The collapse of a foot Overbridge in Mumbai is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 14, 2019

Jahid Siraj Khan, 32, a resident of Nityanand Nagar, Ghatkopar lost his life in the CST foot-over bridge collapse while his father is injured and treated at the hospital, reports Anuraag Kamble.

Jahid Siraj Khan,32, resident of Nityanand Nagar, Ghatkopar. Jahid used to sell waist belts near Ghatkopar railway station. Jahid had gone to Crawford Market for buying belts with his father. Jahid lost his life in #MumbaiBridgeCollapse his father is injured@mid_day pic.twitter.com/uaAxMPT39I

— Anuraag Kamble (@AnuragANK) March 14, 2019

Here is a list of all the 32 people injured in the CST foot-over bridge collapse so far:

LIVE UPDATE on the CST Bridge Collapse.

Here is a list of all the 32 people injured due to the #MumbaiBridgeCollapse. They’ve been admitted in the near by hospitals. Let’s pray for their speedy recovery. @journofaizan @MCGM_BMC @MumbaiPolice @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/Kf9CAyUS4z

— mid-day (@mid_day) March 14, 2019

Congress leader, Milind Deora reacts on Mumbai foot over bridge collapse: If the govt wants to send a message to the common Mumbaikars that this won't happen again then they should immediately lodge an FIR under IPC Section 302 which amounts to murder, against the concerned officers & auditors, reports ANI.

"I convey my deepest condolences to the next of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured in the incident", says CH. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor, Maharashtra on CST foot-over bridge collapse, reports Anuraag Kamble.

Dr. Ranjit Patil, MoS Home, Maharashtra says, Footover bridge near ToI Mumbai collapsing is a tragic incident. CM has immediately called for a meeting with BMC commissioner and Railway Ministry. Taking the injured to safety is of utmost importance and it is being done at a war-level, reports ANI.

Dr. Mukund Tayade, GT hospital Medical Superintendent gives the latest developments on those injured at the hospital:

Dr Mukund Tayade, GT hospital Medical Superintendent: We have received 2 bodies, both of them were nurses at this hospital. Body of one more nurse is at St George Hospital. 14 injured have been admitted here, 1 of them has been shifted to JJ Hospital for a neurosurgery. pic.twitter.com/0XyuM6Liro

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

Actress Priya Malik reacts on the CST foot-over bridge collapse incident:

Waiting for the day the government takes responsibility for its actions. Apna time aayega?#MumbaiBridgeCollapse

— Priya Sometimes (@PriyaSometimes) March 14, 2019

Here's the latest update from GT hospital by Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan, reports ANI.

Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan after meeting the injured at GT Hospital: There is sufficient no.of doctors here, the experts are here. There is sufficient blood available in the blood bank. Accountability will come next, our priority is to cater to the injured first. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/CXy1T3C6Zh

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019

NDRF team was withdrawn from the accident spot at 10.34 pm after the completion of the rescue operation. 5 people have died and 36 have been injured in the incident where part of a foot overbridge near CSMT railway station collapsed in Mumbai earlier this evening, reports ANI.

Here are a few photos of the incident:

Pic/Sameer Markande

Pic/Sameer Markande

A picture of the collapsed foot-over-bridge.

Pics Ashish Raje

Pic Anurag Kamble

Following the incident, Mumbai Police to register a case in the incident where a portion of a foot overbridge near CSMT railway station collapsed earlier this evening, reports ANI.

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What is the principle of recycling? You begin with raw material, create something out of it, bring it back to its original state and start over. "So, in a way it's like coming full circle; you start at one point and return to it," says multidisciplinary artist Sajid Wajid Shaikh about the theme of his paintings for Full Circle, an exhibition at the Kala Ghoda gallery, ARTISANS'.

A collaboration between Shaikh and Indigene, a sustainable fashion label, it will also feature re-purposed fabric from past seasons into a new collection of garments, accessories and stationery. The exhibition opens today and a walkthrough with the artists — Shaikh, and Ruchi Tripathi and Jaya Bhatt, founders of the label and textile design graduates from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi — has been scheduled for this evening.

Sajid Wajid Shaikh's artworks for the exhibition feature drawings in loops

"The conversation began a year ago," says Shaikh, who has employed reused garbage and found objects he's stumbled upon as his medium in the past, before moving on to drawing-based work. "I started developing these drawings as loops, letting the subconscious take over. So, in a way, the drawing unfolds before the artist's eyes," he explains, referring to surrealist automatism. The paintings have been done in the medium of ink on translucent paper. For the exhibition, they will be juxtaposed with re-purposed fabrics from the label.

The idea of loops was further substantiated when Shaikh read iconic poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's Rashmirathi. "In it, when Duryodhan tries to bind Krishna, he tells him, "Sab janm mujh hi se paate hain, fir laut mujh hi mein aate hain [All are born from me, and all return to me]. This applies to nature too," he shares.

FROM Today till March 30, 11 am to 7 pm; walkthrough today, 6.30 pm
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In Mumbai and all over India, today 6th April marks the traditional New Year for Maharashtrians which signifies the welcoming of the spring. As people welcome the New Year with much fervour and enthusiasm, thousands of men and women in Mumbai take to the streets and participate in Shobha Yatras. One such yatra is that of Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra, one of the biggest and oldest Shobha Yatras in Mumbai. Every year, the highlight of this Shobha yatra is Dr. Aparna Bandodkar, and her bike 'Bijli; together they have become the face of the Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra. Since 2013, Bandodkar has been actively participating in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra and riding her motorcycle with varied themes, thereby promoting the Maharashtrian culture and ringing in the New Year in style.

Also Read: Gudi Padwa 2019: All you need to know about the festival

Just as the people welcome the New Year across Mumbai, Maharashtra, we had the opportunity to interact with Dr. Aparna Bandodkar who in a candid conversation talks about the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra and more.

Aparna Bandodkar and other women ride motorcycles during the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Since how long have you been taking part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra. How has the journey been so far?

I have been taking part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra since 2013. After I had my own bike, the very first thing that I wanted to do was ride inter-state and complete a part of my bucket list i.e. wearing a nine-yard sari and going to Girgaon. The Girgaon padava celebration started in 2002 and back then I used to see pictures of ladies who used to take part in the yatra. That's how I went to girgaon and they wholeheartedly welcomed me with my bullet. Post that, it became a ritual and this will be my eight year at Girgaon padwa celebration.

I started riding bullet at the Girgaon Shobha yatra in 2013 but before me, there were other women with different types of scooters and bikes who took part in the rally. It was the media who hyped it as I was the first woman to ride a bullet at the Girgaon Shobha yatra. Back then, a woman on a bullet was something new and at the time there were very few women riders. Now, the number of women riders is ever increasing. Today women ride heavier and meaner machines.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Chudiya pehenne ka samay, aa chuka hai ! We wear bangles & ride the mean machines , our motorcycles too! #new look #shobhayatra #happiness #bijli #ridingisthereason #happinessisachoice #happinessishere #royalenfield #bulletjournal #bullet #ladyrider #riderchick #sherides #bulletmania #shobhayatra #womenpower #powerfulwomen #bindi #tattoo #bangles #throttle #getenchanted #soon #keepcalm #bijli #iscomingsoon #ridemode🔛 #bharatmatakijai #svypgirgaon #jaibhavani #jaishivaji #girgoanchapadwa

A post shared by Aparna Bandodkar (@enfieldmaniac) onApr 4, 2019 at 9:13pm PDT

How has the Girgaum Padwa Shobha yatra changed since the time you took part back in 2013?

At that time, the Girgaon padwa was not so glamorous as it is now. It was a very low key affair but today it is celebrated on a grander scale.

When I joined in 2013 there were about 15 women bikers and slowly and steadily the number has increased over the years. Today the majority of the women are on geared motorcycles and then there are scooters, vintage bikes and much more. Last year there were about 80-to 85 women taking part in the Shobha yatra on the bike. Women come far off from Vasai, Mulund, New Bombay to take part in the Gudi padwa celebrations. People are willing to travel and come and take part in the rally. There are a couple of women who even ride Harley Davidson bikes for the rally", says Bandodkar when asked how the Girgaon Shobha yatra has evolved over the years.

Aparna Bandodkar dons biking shoes on her traditional attire during the Girgaon Shobha yatra

Can you share a funny incident that took place with you during one of the Shobha yatras?

The very first day I took part my slippers broke when I tried to kickstart the bike. I was left with no choice but to take out my biking shoes and wear them with the nine-yard sari.

What kind of impact do you feel the Girgaum Padava Shobha Yatra has created?

Once you take part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra, you get confidence and you are not the same person anymore. Many more women come to the rally and then they realise their potential. Taking part in the yatra also boosts your confidence as you see more women taking part and breaking stereotypes.

Also Read: Urmila Matondkar spotted at Gudi Padwa bike rally in Mumbai

Such is the impact that, Aparna had seen a video where Indians who are staying abroad are seen celebrating Gudi padwa and had trained themselves in dhol Tasha Pathak and even replicated the whole parade in the western country.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#girgaonchapadwa itself gave me & my beloved bijli a golden opportunity on television in 2014,after @zeemarathiofficial noticed me in the #shobhayatra & wanted me in the lead to replicate the exact festive charm of #girgaon #gudipadwa #hindunavvarsh #yatra Organised by @svyp_girgaon since 2003. That was my ticket to fame that led to back to back ads that year like zee Marathi Geet & YouTube ad for margarita with a straw ! I owe my gratitude to my dear Girgaon which is also my birthplace ( purandare hospital @ #girgaumchowpatty ) #8daystogo #cantkeepcalm #2019 #girgaonchapadwa #yetoy #sanmaan Marathi #abhimaan #marathi #mimarathi #zeemarathi P.S. and that’s my wedding #nauvari of 2010 that I am wearing in the ad . Makes it truly special, isn’t it 😊 #bijli #throwback #bindi #tattoo #bangles #gajra #throttle #positivevibes #positivityisthekey #ridemode🔛 #royalenfield #bulletjournal #awesome

A post shared by Aparna Bandodkar (@enfieldmaniac) onMar 29, 2019 at 5:11am PDT

What has been your fondest memory till of Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra?

Recalling it quite vividly, Dr, Bandodkar says, "My fondest memory is that of a girl coming to me during the 2015 padwa rally and was all in tears. She started thanking me and said that 'You don't know what have you done'. She revealed that her parents never wanted her to ride a motorcycle but after the saw Dr. Aparna Bandodkar's Shobha yatra video on National television, they allowed her to ride her motorcycle to her workplace and that she was really happy about it. While speaking to me she was in tears and this brought tears into my eyes as well."

View Photos: Gudi Padwa: 10 authentic Maharashtrian dishes to try out

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation seized four cylinders on Monday which were kept illegally in the eatery below the staircase of CSMT's FOB which collapsed last month.

The civic officials have said that all other items in the shop were also seized because the place was not granted permission from the health department.

The CSMT FOB had collapsed partly on March 14 but the entire bridge was razed post that. The staircase was spared hence the eatery resumed operations in a few days.

Also read: BMC to re-audit 38 bridges in Mumbai

A routine inspection by the civic fire compliance cell on Monday morning revealed that the four gas cylinders in the shop were illegal. A senior BMC official said that the shop owner did not have licenses. An official told The Times of India, "We will have to demolish the shop, we will follow the due process."

Also read: Mumbai: BMC assistant engineer held in connection with CSMT bridge collapse

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The Endgame is near, and we are talking quite literally here about the latest instalment in the Avengers series of superhero movies, which releases on April 26. After this week's brouhaha over Game of Thrones Season 8, it's the next big visual experience that has sent fans in a tizzy. And a pub in Khar is now hosting a pre-launch party of sorts for them, with various activities and F&B offers themed around the film.

"We have collaborated with digital community Things2doinMumbai, and brought ticket sponsors on board for the event. In terms of the activities, there are Avenger- related games and trivia, winners for which will get free tickets and discounted ones when the movie releases. We also have an array of themed cocktails in store," says Pragnesh Rai, owner of SamBar, which will host the evening, adding that there are a number of discounts on the existing menu, too, with drinks starting at Rs 39.

The cocktails include a beer-based one called black wid'wow; iron anna, which has whisky; tha end, which is vodka-based; and a super-potent Long Island iced tea that's aptly named hammered by Thor.

As for the games, these include Ant Man, where a player will be given three soda bottles and raisins. The aim is to drop these raisins from eye level into all three bottles, without bending down. Then there's Black Widow. For this, one person will hold a hula-hoop and another will have a fake spider placed on his head. The latter has to go through the hoop in the shortest possible time, without dropping the spider. All in all, it sounds like an event perfectly suited for fans of the Avengers. And even if you aren't one, you can still gain from the cheap booze, meaning it's a win-win.

ON April 18, 6.30 pm
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghralaya (CSMVS) will host the first-ever guided tour of its space and precincts led by eminent conservation architect Vikas Dilawari, who is also involved in the conservation of the museum, a Grade 1 building in the UNESCO World Heritage Precinct. Later in the evening, a panel discussion will be held on The Craft of Architecture.

Vikas Dilawari

Pop quiz

1) Originally called the Church of St John the Evangelist, its steeple was used as a landmark for ships entering Bombay harbour. Name this church.
2) Inside which building in Fort can you spot a splendid stained glass design of the 12 zodiac signs?
3) From which famous landmark did the last British troops leave India after Independence, in 1948?

Answers:

1) Afghan Church;
2) Convocation Hall inside University Library;
3) Gateway of India

ON Today, 11 am (guided tour); 6.15 pm (panel discussion)
AT Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda.
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Winter is finally here, and the wait for Game Of Thrones (GoT) has been long enough to test everyone’s patience. To commemorate the launch of the final season, Star World organised an eventful, five-course Westerosi meal fit for the ruler of Seven Kingdoms earlier this week. With expectations riding high, we ventured into what looked like an inspiration from the red wedding — the dining arena.

As we sat down to ravish the interesting spread created by a culinary team at The A Club helmed by chef Amit Bharadwaj, five iconic scenes from the show were screened. Chef Bharadwaj explained how each dish was conceptualised. For the first course, we tasted sumac chicken tostada, which is soft melted grilled chicken on a tortilla chip with a lace of tangy-spicy red sauce pressed on mayonnaise with fenugreek used as garnishing. It was unanimously one of the better dishes, but who can have just three portions? This one was actually inspired by the red wedding when — spoiler alert — Walder Frey kills the Stark family.

Seared tuna with curry leaf, lemon ice

For the second course, the chef drew inspiration from the scene when the Night King slays Daenerys’ dragon Viserion and turns him into the undead. As envisioned by the scene, the chef laid the next dish and called it seared tuna with curry leaf and lemon ice. While the seared tuna was to indicate the dragon, he used lemon ice to mirror the spear of the Night King. The pan-seared tuna not only looked appetising but was also rich in flavour. The minty feel of the lemon ice on the thin slices of fish left us wanting more.

The third course, eggs in a pyre of root vegetables, looked interesting but didn’t match our palate’s expectations. Interestingly, the dish came served with two different sauces that were shaped like eggs in a basket made of vermicelli along with olives placed on the heap of veggies. As for the main course, the chef tried his own variation on spaghetti and meatballs. Of course, it initially reminded us of Frey’s pie, but the taste didn’t seem any different. The chef got the inspiration from the skull-crushing The Mountain vs Oberyn Martell scene. Called snake spaghetti with mountain goat polpette, this dish was just about average.

And as a fitting finale, gold-crusted coconut panna cotta, heart of dark chocolate olive dust and Verbena glass, was the perfect finish to this meal. Chefs tend to increase the coconut flavour in panna cotta, but this version was well-balanced, with melting chocolate (although not dark) inside and a sprinkle of gold not only making it visually appealing but also delightful to eat.

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The dinner was a one-off event at A Club, Lower Parel.

As musicians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and India stream out of the assembly hall of the Alexandra Girls' English Institution in Fort for a tea break, the mirth and camaraderie that fills the room over plates of samosas and chai is a picture of utopia. One that instantly puts out of focus the strained relationship among several of these countries, and instead, instills hope that one day, when we rise above all differences, this is what South Asia could look like.

It was perhaps this picture that Nirupama Rao, India's former Ambassador to the United States, and husband Sudhakar Rao, who retired as Chief Secretary of Karnataka, had envisioned when they started The South Asian Symphony Foundation (SASF) in July 2018. After months of work involving fine-tuning the artistic vision, logistic coordination of 80 musicians from across the region and those belonging to South Asian diasporas, and galvanising funds, the foundation will present the maiden concert of The South Asian Symphony Orchestra (SASO) in Mumbai.

Taking a break from the five-hour long rehearsals she has been sitting through since last Saturday, Rao tells us about her dream project. "It is something I have had on my mind for the last six to seven years. I am interested in music of all kinds, including symphonic music and the great philharmonic orchestras of the world. When Zubin Mehta conducts the LA or Israel philharmonic, you realise what a powerful expression it is of mankind's ability to transcend the pettiness that may sometimes envelopes our lives. The expression of humanity's will to overcome these small divisions — that's what an orchestra is to me," she shares.

When asked why the Bengaluru-based couple chose Mumbai for the concert, she tells us it was an easy decision. "Mumbai is very much the Maximum City when it comes to creative expression. There is a certain exuberance it has that one identifies with. Also, it is a city that has always looked outward as much as it has encompassed the hinterland of India. That's what makes it special."

After the SASF was founded, Rao went off to teach at the Columbia University in fall last year. There, she got in touch with some prominent names from the world of music including the Carnegie Hall, who mentioned some South Asian musicians from the diasporas there. "The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka [SOSL] have been hugely helpful in building this concert. The chairperson of the SOSL, Sharmini Wettimuny, identified players who could join us in the effort," she says, adding that the Indian Navy happily let its musicians join the orchestra as did the Sri Lankan police force. Sri Lankan-born Tharanga Goonetilleke of New York will be the vocal soloist.

The concert will feature classical compositions and also see the premiere of two commissioned works. Houston-based conductor Viswa Subbaraman, who Rao was in talks with since 2013 before he became the SASO conductor recently says, "The repertoire was an evolving discussion. We wanted it to represent a window to the West but not be dominated by it," he says.

Were the diverse backgrounds of the musicians a challenge? "True musicians are never strangers. The language of music may be different but the musical language is the same. . The goal is for them to transcend the differences of age, country and culture. And that's what you see here, a Bangladeshi musician speaking to his Afghan counterpart about where they will have dinner. That's the normalcy you are trying to create," he says.

Cultural diplomacy through music, in fact, is how Rao contextualises the formation of the SASO. "The orchestra enables walls to crumble. Since you get to know the person sitting next to you, the prejudice evaporates, even if he or she is from a country, with which you may not normally be friends," she says, "When I compare South Asia with regions like South East Asia or Europe until Brexit happened, there is a lot more integration over there. Take countries like Germany and France; they have overcome the challenges of history, through economic integration, people to people contact, and the discovery of common interests. It's that process that we have to set in motion in our region," she says.

And that may have begun in a small way if the contribution of public and private institutions and individuals from India to the SASO is to be considered. "This initiative really belongs to the people of India. And that should encourage us in these times when you hear the talk of war and badla in public spaces. Young people in our region are growing up with a sense of belligerence. But war is a wild thing," Rao says. "My dream is — and people may see this as totally madcap — to get this orchestra to perform at Wagah."

ON Today, 11.30 am to 1 pm (discussion and performance) at YB Chavan Centre, Nariman Point
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A man died after he fell into an uncovered drain near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai. The incident took place last night. The identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

The locals in the area said that they had been facing problems because of the open drain since past few days.

One of the locals told ANI, "There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this for a year."

The body has been shifted to the hospital for autopsy and probe has been initiated.

Maharashtra: Man died after falling in an uncovered manhole near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway last night. Identity of the man is yet to be ascertained. Locals say 'There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this since a yr.' #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Ak63VI2nNQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2018

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Captain Maria Zuberi was at the controls along with Captain P S Rajput, the pilot, with an engineer, identified as Surbhi, and a technician, identified as Manish, onboard when the chartered plane crashed.

One of the deceased brought into Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar

When mid-day reached Zuberi's home in Mira Road, there was no one at home and the area wore a sombre look. Ivy Sarkar, a neighbour, said, "I can't believe she is no more. She was a wonderful woman, always ready with a helping hand. She had thrown a party at her home recently after her 17-year-old daughter cleared her HSC exams with excellent marks. "I am incredibly proud of her for using her presence of mind and manoeuvering the plane away from residential buildings, saving so many lives. I salute her."

The bungalow in Mira Road where Maria Zuberi staye

Zuberi stayed with her husband Prabhat Kasturia and daughter Charvi. Kasturia had messaged her around 1 pm for her whereabouts, but got no reply. Then he saw the crash on TV. He told the media, "My wife, along with Rajput, had earlier informed the company that the weather was not right for flying. The company insisted on the test flight." 

Her domestic help, Aarti Waghmare. Pics/Atul Kamble, Hanif Patel

The domestic help who worked at Zuberi's home, Aarti Waghmare, said, "I have been working there for three months now. Her husband is an advocate, who is in Delhi most of the time. She always addressed and spoke to me like a friend, never made me feel like a servant. I am unable to come to terms with the fact that she is no more. I keep thinking she will be back home in some time."

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Pilot's presence of mind saves hundreds

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Following an outcry from the residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to appoint IIT-Bombay or VJTI engineers for a structural audit of the buildings, to ascertain damage to them due to excavation on the adjoining Krishna Steel plot.

On Monday, a huge landslide at the neighbouring Lloyds Estate raised serious questions about the construction going on Krishna Steel plot, which is being developed by the builder Dosti Realty Ltd. After the accident, residents of Lloyds Estate, Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil alleged that the builder was doing excess excavation at Krishna Steel plot and weak shore piling has been damaging their buildings for the past year. They also claimed no action was taken by BMC and the developer to avert a mishap.

Commissioner's approval needed
Speaking to mid-day, deputy chief engineer of the Building Proposal (BP) Department (city), R S Potdar said, "We have prepared a proposal to appoint experts like IIT-Bombay or VJTI for a structural audit of these buildings. Since we don't do structural audits of private buildings, we will have to take approval from the municipal commissioner. After that we will decide the further course of action." However, residents of Dosti Blossom said that they don't know anything about BMC's plan of appointing IIT-Bombay or VJTI experts. "We met officials from the building proposal department on Wednesday but there was no word about any such plan," said a resident.

'BMC harassed us'
Residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil buildings have alleged that last year when they raised an alarm over the sinking portions of their compound and cracks in their buildings due to excess excavation done at Krishna Steel plot, the BMC harassed them instead of taking action against builder. On Thursday, committee members of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil showed their letters to different civic departments regarding the dangerous condition of their buildings.

Manoj Gurav of Dosti Blossom said, "Last year after April we observed cracks on the building columns and sinking in the parking area which is adjoining the plot where excavation is going on. A huge portion of our parking area had sunk about a foot. Following this we had sent letters to the builder and the BMC to take action and make the premises safe." He added, "Instead of taking action against the builder, the F-North ward of the BMC sent us a letter, and held us liable for the damage done to the building. BMC officials told us to carry out a structural audit otherwise action would be initiated against us."

Also Read: Lloyd estate wall collapse: BMC bars Dosti Realty from construction at Wadala site

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It was a case of so near and yet not near enough for people at the disaster venue, a day after a plane crash shook the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar. An MTNL building at the mouth of this lane gives it its name — MTNL Galli. But now it has been temporarily rechristened as the 'plane crash galli' by the stream of curious visitors that poured in last afternoon.

A cop at the now-barricaded scene good-naturedly asked people to "get into a line and I will allow you to peek through the barricades. Only one minute per person," he grinned. Overhead, planes seemed to skim the buildings. "One day after the crash, every plane we see sends a jolt of fear through us," said someone, as Kalyan resident Jitendra Jaiswal, who works in Ghatkopar, made his way to the crash site. Jaiswal explained, "I keep coming back here, wondering how this could happen. There is still a sense of disbelief." Shakhawat Khan and Dinesh Yadav, both drivers (the latter drives a rickshaw), said, "The sound keeps echoing in our ears. We were eating snacks at a nearby restaurant and heard at least two-three blasts. The sound literally blew us off our chairs."

Policemen keep curious crowds at bay at the crash site. Pic/Sameer Markande

Thank God
A resident ambled to the site to see the progress of the clean-up. "I was in the car with my son at the wheel when we heard at least three blasts. Shaken, my son parked the car a few metres from this site. Everything was covered in black smoke. The smell of that smoke still lingers in my nostrils. No disrespect to the dead, but I cannot stop thanking God for sparing me," finished Pravin Shah.

Wing clip
Conversations in Gujarati dominated as one walked down the lane. Ankita Shah who lives nearby said, "I will never forget the thick, black smoke rising into the sky. It's my most enduring memory of this disaster." A number of people who claimed they witnessed the crash, insisted they saw the wing of the plane clip the pedestrian who died. A woman said dramatically, while others concurred, "one second the wing had clipped him and the next a charred body lay on the ground. It was the man," she stressed, while others agreed that they too saw a "wing clip the man. It was a wing," they shouted as some onlookers snorted in disbelief. Through the drama, an idli seller arrived putting down his wares and joining the queue to peer through the barricades. People shouted "idli, idli" while the cops shooed him off.

Mother-daughter duo of Naina (right) and Tanisha Gala point to an aircraft above them. Pics/Sameer Markande

Terrifying images
Naina Gala, MTNL lane resident, said, "I witnessed the blast and last night, the terrifying images — burnt bodies, fire, smoke and the wreckage came back to haunt me." Her daughter Tanisha said there were tons of questions from her classmates. Naina added, "I feel the pain of the pilots, the crew. They knew they were going to die, they sacrificed their lives to save all of us." Naina and Tanisha said the fire brigade, police and everyone was at the site within minutes. A local informed this reporter, "The birds in the sky were faster though. There were a huge number circling the crash site within minutes. They had smelt death in the air…" Yet another gent walked down the lane wearing a T-shirt with the prophetic lines: 'Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often'. As one exited the lane, one could not help thinking, this must rate as a very surprising twist in Ghatkopar's story.

5
No. of people dead in the plane crash

Pravin Shah (left) tells his story

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Like all responsible parents, Aastha Pashte, 28, took her two-day-old baby to a clinic for vaccinations, never imagining that the life-saving injections could turn life-threatening. It was only three weeks later, when the infant developed a mysterious fever, that Aastha discovered that the clinic had forgotten a 2-cm needle inside her child's bottom.

It took a two-hour surgery to remove the foreign body at the Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children. Once the child is discharged, the family is planning to sue the clinic that forgot the needle.

X-ray shows the needle dangerously close to the hip joint

Scans show needle
The baby boy, who is Aastha's first child, was born in perfect health on June 17. A couple of days later, the Chembur resident's family took the child to a local clinic for vaccination. Everything was normal until the 21st day after birth, when the infant became feverish. "When we took him to a private doctor, she thought it was the flu and prescribed some medicines. But when the baby didn't show any relief, we took him to Wadia hospital, where we were shocked to learn that there was a needle inside his buttock. Suddenly we realised why he cried every time we massaged oil on his buttocks," recalled Aastha, while talking to mid-day from the NICU.

Dr Minnie B

At first, the baby was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone. But X-rays and CT scan showed a persistent shadow, indicating a foreign body. The parents then realised that it was the vaccination needle still stuck in their child's bottom, almost deep enough to graze the hip joint. On July 10, a surgery was performed to remove the needle. The baby is now stable and recovering in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at Wadia hospital.

Rare case
This was a first-of-its-kind case for the hospital. Dr Pradnya Bendre, paediatric surgeon at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital, Parel, said, "The baby was taken for intra-operative surgery for removal of the foreign body. It was difficult to find the exact location; hence, multiple X-rays were taken. It took two hours to remove the needle under C-arm guidance localisations. The 2-cm needle was found embedded in the capsule of the left hip joint and the baby has recovered uneventfully without any complications."

"The needle had gone deep inside, and it was extremely challenging to perform the surgery on a newborn without making a big incision. Thankfully, the child was diagnosed without much delay. We want to highlight the issue so that such a blunder is not repeated in the future," said Dr Minnie Bodhanwala CEO Wadia Hospitals.

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