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At least eight people were killed and about 18 injured in a bus fire accident here in Markapuram district on Thursday, police said. The victims were burnt alive. According to local TV channels, the bus collided with a gravel-loaded tipper. Police said some passengers sustained minor injuries and were undergoing treatment at a hospital, while officials continue to collect further information. "Nearly eight people were burnt alive, and about 18 injured persons have been rescued so far and shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident," Markapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagraju told a TV channel. Rescue teams are working to identify the victims and gather details of their relatives, who will be informed once verification is completed, he said. Nagraju said that some bodies are still believed to be trapped inside the bus, which caught fire following the accident, making retrieval operations difficult. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandra
Three men have been arrested here for allegedly expressing support for extremist ideology on social media and suspected links to terror networks, a police official said on Tuesday. The accused are identified as Mohammad Rahmatulla Sharif (23), Mirza Sohail Baig (23), and Mohammad Danish (27), and they were found during surveillance of online activities linked to radical content and propaganda. "Based on intelligence inputs, our teams arrested three individuals. They were found sharing and promoting extremist content on social media platforms," the official told PTI, adding that further investigation is underway. The trio was apprehended near their residence in the Two Town locality on Monday by Intelligence officials as part of a coordinated operation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the group is part of a network of around 10 members operating across the country and allegedly attempting to influence youth and divert them towards extremist activities, officials said. Polic
The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has risen to 16, while three persons are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, officials said on Sunday. The incident dates back to mid-February when adulterated milk supplied in parts of Lalacheruvu allegedly caused severe health complications among consumers, including vomiting, abdominal pain, anuria and acute renal dysfunction, leading to multiple hospitalisations. The case came to light on February 22 after a cluster of patients with acute kidney failure symptoms was reported from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas, prompting health authorities to launch an epidemiological investigation. Laboratory findings show that the 16 victims died of multi-organ failure triggered by acute renal failure after consuming milk contaminated with the toxic substance ethylene glycol, according to an official press release issued on Sunday. "Preliminary findings indicate that the ..
The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration incident in East Godavari district has risen to 13, while seven persons continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, an official said on Thursday. Health department officials said the cluster of cases was first noticed on February 22 after several elderly residents were admitted to hospitals with symptoms such as anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis. Residents from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas of Lalacheruvu reportedly fell ill after consuming milk suspected to be adulterated and supplied in the locality. "The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has reached 13, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram," the official said. Authorities noted that strong epidemiological indicators point towards milk adulteration as the probable cause and multiple departments have initiated coordinated
The Andhra Pradesh government availed Rs 1.72 lakh crore through special drawing facility, ways and means advances and overdraft during 2024-25, ending up paying Rs 303 crore towards interest, according to a CAG report. The Comptroller and Auditor General report, which was tabled in the Assembly, on Friday said the state government maintained the minimum cash balance with the Reserve Bank of India for only eight days without availing any WMA from RBI. The report further stated that the government's revenue deficit exceeded the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) target of 2.7 per cent of GSDP, remaining at 3.75 per cent even in 2024-25. This forced the state to borrow for day-to-day expenses and significantly increased its interest burden. The fiscal deficit remained at 5.05 per cent against the mandated 4 per cent ceiling, driving total borrowings to Rs 81,071 crore, crowding out capital expenditure, worsening debt sustainability, and severely restricting fiscal spac
The death toll in the cracker unit blast here in Kakinada district rose by one overnight to reach 21, said an official on Sunday. As many as 20 people, including nine women, were killed and nine more were critically injured in a powerful blast at a licensed crackers unit at Vetlapalem village of Samarlakota mandal on Saturday. "Death toll is 21. One death after midnight," the official told PTI. According to the police, the owner of Surya Sri Fire Works, Adabala Srinivas, was also among the dead. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who called on the workers injured in the crackers unit blast and undergoing treatment at Kakinada Government General Hospital, observed that the owner of the crackers unit flouting rules led to the disaster. He noted that an excess number of employees over the permitted number were engaged in work in view of festivals and fairs. "It is deplorable that a workplace which has permission to employ eight people has engaged 31. Will tighten rules t
As many as 20 people were killed and six others critically injured in the cracker unit blast here in Kakinada district on Saturday, a top police official said. "We have information that 20 people were killed in the incident," Kakinada Superintendent of Police G Bindu Madhav told PTI. Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha told PTI that six people were critically injured in the cracker unit blast. Anitha said she was on her way to the blast site. Tourism Minister K Durgesh said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is expected to visit the site. "This is the biggest blast in the state. Full details are yet to come. There is no chance that anyone would survive. Some people are undergoing treatment, he told reporters. The intensity of the explosion at Vetlakpalem village in Samarlakota mandal was so strong that bodies were flung into nearby paddy fields, a police official said. An investigation into the cause of the fire, which led to the blast, is ongoing, police officials sai
One more person has died in the suspected milk adulteration case here in East Godavari district, taking the toll to five, while 15 others are undergoing treatment at various hospitals, according to a press release. Four people had died, and nearly 15 others were hospitalised at Rajamundry after consuming contaminated milk here. The fifth victim was a 76-year-old woman from Gandhipuram. Several of the affected persons are undergoing dialysis and ventilator support following acute renal complications. Strong epidemiological evidence indicates milk adulteration as the probable cause, and coordinated action has been initiated across departments, it said. According to the health department, the cluster was first identified after multiple elderly persons were admitted to hospitals with symptoms including anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis. Clinical findings revealed elevated blood urea and serum creatinine levels, suggestive of toxic exposure
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K Vijayanand on Saturday said an Investment Bazar will be organised in Vijayawada on February 24 to promote energy efficiency investments in the state. The Chief Secretary conducted a virtual meeting with officials of Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL), Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APCPDCL), Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL), Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) and Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation Limited (APTRANSCO) to review preparedness for the workshop. "An Investment Bazar will be organised in Vijayawada on February 24 to promote energy efficiency investments and strengthen the sector across Andhra Pradesh," said Vijayanand in an official press release. Having secured the "top national rank in energy conservation", Andhra Pradesh is strengthening policy frameworks and innovative financing models to attract ...