Ahmedabad, Aug 3 (IANS) In a tragic incident, five children, including four girls, drowned to death in a pond near Methan village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district on Wednesday. The deceased have been identified as Priyanka Parsingbhai (5), Dinki Parsingbhai (7), Alkesh Parsingbhai (10), Lakshmi Pratapbhai (9) and Sanjala Pratapbhai (7).
It has been learnt that deceased Parsingbhais were residents of Bod village in Chhota Udepur district, while Pratapbhais were residents of Gamta village in Harirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.
According to the police, the children had gone to take bath in the pond located between Methan and Sarawan villages.
The deceased, all aged between five and 10 years, were the children of farm labourers working in the area. After the local people informed the police about the incident, the latter fished out the bodies with the help of firemen and divers. The pond was reportedly overflowing due to the heavy rains that lashed the region recently.
Acting on the interrogation of earlier arrested Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Guramanpreet Singh and contractor Hummy, the police took Dharamsot into custody for the wrongdoings in the Forest Department.
The Chief Minister's Office said the Cabinet gave the nod for promulgation of the session from June 24 with obituary references and motion of thanks on the Governor's Address, followed by a discussion on it.
"The passing away of such a promising life is very saddening and unfortunate. As a mother myself I can feel the pain and anguish of the parents and today, I have come here to share their pain," she said while interacting with the mediapersons.
Special Judge Anil Antil of Rouse Avenue Court noted that the accused Ankur Aggarwal along with his family had absconded and concealed himself for about 15 years in Canada and even after coming to India, he remained elusive for about three years or so.
Addressing a press conference here to highlight the letter written by Majithia's wife and Majitha legislator Ganieve Kaur Majithia to the DGP along with a copy to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, senior SAD leaders Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema demanded the immediate removal of Sidhu from the additional charge of the ADGP, Prisons, besides taking other necessary action in the case.
The Akal Takht Jathedar and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials honoured the families of those who were killed during 'Operation Bluestar'. There was heavy barricading by police around all entry points to the Golden Temple.
