Chinese sailor missing after falling from ship at Paradip port
A Chinese sailor went missing on Friday after he accidentally fell into the sea from a cargo vessel docked at Paradip port in eastern India’s Odisha state, police said. The sailor, identified as Jang Tai, fell while lowering a pilot ladder as the ship MV Lucky Dragon prepared to depart after unloading pig iron, officials said. The vessel had arrived at Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) from the United States on August 27. “A Bangladeshi crew member jumped into the water to save him but could not succeed,” said Smruti Ranjan Kar, additional superintendent of police at Paradip. The Bangladeshi sailor was rescued by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and is undergoing treatment at the port hospital, Kar added. His condition is stable. A search operation involving divers, patrol boats and an Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team has been launched to trace the missing Chinese national.
Bangladeshi migrant says U.S. deportation flight left him shackled, hungry
A Bangladeshi man deported from the United States said he was shackled in chains and given little food or water during a 60-hour military flight that carried him and other migrants back home. Rubel, 29, who asked not to use his real name, told Press he travelled to the U.S. on a tourist visa last October in search of a better life but was detained within days. He spent nearly 10 months in a detention centre before being expelled for illegal immigration. “They tied a chain around my waist, handcuffed me and put leg irons on both my feet,” Rubel said, describing the deportation flight that carried him and several other South Asian and African nationals. Rubel alleged the migrants were provided only four slices of bread with cheese and less than half a litre of water over the two-and-a-half-day journey. “We kept asking for water, but they didn’t give us. The officers were drinking bottled water and eating, but we were ignored,” he said. He added that shackles made it difficult to drink or use the toilet. “Even inside the restroom they stood at the door, and if we tried to move from our seats, they forced us back,” Rubel said. U.S. immigration authorities have long faced criticism from rights groups over conditions in detention centres and on deportation flights. Reuters could not independently verify Rubel’s account, and U.S. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Teacher on “Teacher’s Day” arrested after 21 students hospitalized in classroom beating
Police in eastern India arrested a schoolteacher on Friday after he allegedly beat dozens of students for failing to read aloud in class, sending 21 of them to hospital, officials and parents said. The incident took place on Thursday morning at Ostichak Surendra Jogendra Vidyapith, a government-aided school in Egra, East Midnapore district of West Bengal. According to parents, English teacher Biplab Panda lost his temper when eighth-grade students could not answer his questions during a reading session. “He began hitting the children one after another,” said a parent outside the school. “By the end, many of them were injured and some fainted.” School authorities admitted 21 students to a local hospital. Doctors said the children were treated for bruises and trauma and were later discharged. News of the incident triggered outrage among guardians, who accused the school of initially shielding the teacher. On Thursday afternoon, parents padlocked the school gates and staged a sit-in demanding Panda’s dismissal and arrest. “The teacher should face strict punishment. We cannot allow our children to be tortured like this,” said another parent. As tensions escalated, police from Egra station deployed officers outside the school to maintain order. “The situation was volatile. We had to ensure the safety of the children and staff,” a senior officer said. On Friday morning, police confirmed Panda had been arrested on the basis of formal complaints lodged by guardians. His detention came on the same day India marked Teachers’ Day, observed annually on Sept. 5 to honour educators. Local education officials have launched an inquiry into the conduct of the school administration amid allegations it attempted to hide the teacher. Child rights activists also condemned the incident. “Corporal punishment is banned in India, yet such cases persist. Authorities must enforce accountability,” said a Kolkata-based campaigner. Police said Panda would be produced in court over the weekend. He faces charges of assault and cruelty to minors, which carry prison terms if proven. The West Bengal education department has asked for a detailed report from the school within a week.
Three killed as mud house wall collapses in southern Bengal
A woman and her two minor daughters were crushed to death when a wall of their mud house collapsed in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district in the early hours of Thursday, police and local residents said. The incident occurred in Kamarpara village under Mandirbazar police station, about 70 kilometres south of Kolkata. According to police, the victims were identified as Brishpati Karmakar, 43, and her daughters Shila, 15, and Priya, 10. They were sleeping inside their mud house when a wall suddenly gave way around dawn following days of incessant rain. Neighbours said they heard a loud crash and rushed out to investigate. “We saw that the wall of the Karmakars’ house had caved in and the three were trapped inside,” a resident told Press. Locals managed to pull the trio from the debris and alerted police. They were taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Police have sent the bodies for autopsy at the Diamond Harbour government hospital. Officials said the house had become fragile due to continuous monsoon showers. “The foundation of the wall had loosened and the mud structure was unstable. Unfortunately, the family continued to stay there despite the risks,” a police officer said. Sources added that the Karmakar family had received financial assistance under the state’s Bangla Awas Yojana housing scheme for construction of a brick house. They had already received the second instalment of funds but the construction work had been delayed. Local residents said Brishpati had planned to start building a permanent home but the old mud dwelling remained their only shelter. The tragedy has sparked concern over the safety of hundreds of rural families in South 24 Parganas and other districts who continue to live in mud houses vulnerable to collapse during heavy rains. Mandirbazar legislator Joydeb Haldar visited the bereaved family and assured government support. “It is a heartbreaking incident. The administration will stand beside them,” he said. Heavy rainfall in parts of southern Bengal over the past week has damaged several mud houses, officials said.
