Panic gripped passengers at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) on Sunday after a fire broke out in the departure block, reportedly due to a short circuit in air-conditioning units. No casualties were reported.
The blaze is said to have originated in AC units installed near platforms 48, 49 and 50. Eyewitnesses said flames erupted suddenly and thick smoke spread across the area, creating fear among passengers waiting to board buses.
Several commuters rushed out of the smoke-filled premises, while others alerted officials.
Bus station authorities immediately informed the fire department. Fire services personnel rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control before the fire could spread further inside the busy transport hub.
Officials said a short circuit in the air-conditioning system was suspected to have caused the incident. As a precaution, power supply to the affected section was disconnected and a detailed inspection was taken up to ascertain the exact cause.
Man’s body found 4 days after death on terrace
A man was found dead four days after he reportedly suffered a heart attack in Srinivasapuram village of Gopavaram mandal in Kadapa district.
The deceased, Ramanjaneya Naidu (Anji), is believed to have died of cardiac arrest on April 23 while sleeping on the terrace of his house. No family members were present at home at the time.
As the house is located away from the residential area, no one noticed the body for four days. Locals later found it in a decomposed state, causing concern in the village.
Naidu is survived by his wife Vengamma, a native of Kammavari Palle, and their two children. On receiving information, family members and relatives rushed to the spot and performed the last rites on Sunday, villagers said.
Man held for cheating devotees with fake darshan letters
A 28-year-old man was arrested in Tirumala for allegedly cheating devotees by issuing fake recommendation letters promising break darshan tickets, police said on Sunday.
The accused, Chaganti Naveen Kumar, was taken into custody by Tirumala II Town police following a complaint that he had collected money from devotees on the pretext of arranging break darshan through TTD board member recommendations.
According to police, a woman from East Godavari district approached the accused seeking darshan tickets for 12 members of her family. He allegedly charged ₹3,000 per person, collecting a total of ₹36,000, and later sent recommendation letters through WhatsApp. The documents were found to be fabricated using a format downloaded online.
The fraud came to light when the family visited Tirumala on October 24 and submitted the letters to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams officials, who identified them as fake. A case was then registered and an investigation launched.
Acting on the directions of superintendent of police L. Subba Rayudu, a special team tracked down the accused and arrested him in Tirumala late on Saturday. During questioning, he allegedly admitted to collecting money and sending forged letters. Police recovered ₹36,000 in cash and a mobile phone used in the offence.
He was produced before a court and remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Subba Rayudu cautioned devotees against relying on middlemen or social media assurances for darshan and advised them to use only official booking channels. He said strict action would be taken against those exploiting the faith of devotees and added that surveillance had been intensified to curb such frauds.
ASR police seize 749 kg ganja in Munchingiputtu raid
Alluri Sitarama Raju district police intensified their crackdown on narcotics smuggling under Operation Vajraprahar and seized 749 kg of ganja in Munchingiputtu mandal.
Acting on the directions of district SP Amit Bardar and with support from the EAGLE team, police raided a coffee plantation near Sangamvalasa village in Panasaputtu panchayat and recovered the contraband packed in 39 white gunny bags.
The operation was carried out on April 24 at about 7.30 pm following specific intelligence inputs. Police, accompanied by official mediators, searched the plantation and found the bags concealed among dense bushes.
The ganja was seized on the spot and a case registered at Munchingiputtu police station under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and BNSS.
Investigators suspect traffickers were using the plantation as a storage point and fled after noticing police movement. Efforts are under way to identify and dismantle the network behind the illegal trade.
Amit Bardar said surveillance had been intensified in forest fringe areas and transit routes. He warned of strict legal action against anyone facilitating such activities on their land.
Woman dies in RTC bus mishap in Vizag
A woman passenger died in an accident at the Dwarka RTC Complex in Visakhapatnam on Sunday while alighting from a bus.
Witnesses said the woman slipped near the vehicle after getting down and was fatally run over.
Fellow passengers alleged negligence by the RTC bus driver, claiming the vehicle was moved forward while passengers were still disembarking. The incident triggered anger among commuters, who said safety norms had been ignored.
RTC regional manager A. Appalaraju said officials had reached the spot and were conducting an inquiry. He said disciplinary action would be taken if allegations against the driver were found to be true.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
