The Evening Wrap: At least 106 killed, several feared missing in Wayanad landslides

Massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district in the early hours of July 30, which buried a large area under debris, killing at least 106 people and leaving scores injured. The death toll is likely to go up further given the number of people missing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased in the landslides that hit Kerala’s Wayanad. Picturesque hamlets known for their beauty — Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha — are now a picture of gloom after landslides hit the areas, cutting them off from other places. Vehicles washed away in floodwaters could be seen stuck in tree trunks and submerged here and there in many places. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that more than 250 people have been evacuated to a safer location and 300 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations after a landslide hit the Meppadi area of Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday. Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Rai said, “Today morning, the Wayanad district of Kerala witnessed a tragic incident of a landslide... two people have been rescued from the debries and around 250 people have been evacuted to safer locations,” he said. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that more than 250 people have been evacuated to a safer location and 300 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations after a landslide hit the Meppadi area of Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday. Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Rai said, “Today morning, the Wayanad district of Kerala witnessed a tragic incident of a landslide... two people have been rescued from the debries and around 250 people have been evacuated to safer locations,” he said. U.P. Assembly passes amendment bill enhancing punishment under Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on July 30 passed the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which provides for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, making the law stricter in cases of fraudulent or forced conversion. Earlier the maximum punishment provided for those found guilty of marrying a woman by deceiving her and converting her religion was 10 years with a fine of ₹50,000. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna introduced the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the House on July 29. It has been proposed that if a person threatens, attacks, marries or promises to marry or conspires for it, or traffics a woman, minor or anyone with the intention of conversion, then his crime will be placed in the most serious category. In such cases, there is a provision of 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment. Under the amended provisions, any person can register an FIR in conversion cases. Earlier, to give information or a complaint, the presence of the victim, her parents, or siblings was necessary. It has been proposed that such cases will not be heard by any court below the Sessions Court and along with this, the bail plea will not be considered without giving an opportunity to the public prosecutor. Also, all the crimes under the amended Act have been made non-bailable. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had taken this initiative with the intention of curbing ‘love jihad’. An ordinance was issued for curbing forced conversion in November 2020 and later, after the bill was passed by both the houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act-2021 came into force. Basement deaths: Delhi court reserves order on bail plea of SUV driver A court in Delhi on July 30 reserved its order on the bail plea of an SUV driver who was arrested in connection with the flooding of a coaching centre’s basement in the Old Rajinder Nagar area which led to the death of three civil services aspirants. Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar reserved the order on the bail plea of Manuj Kathuria. Kathuria has been accused of driving his Force Gurkha car through the street that was flooded by rainwater, causing the water to swell and breach the gates of the three-storey building and inundate the basement. Kathuria’s counsel sought his bail, saying he did not have the knowledge what’s going to happen, or intention to cause the incident. Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava opposed the bail plea, saying Kathuria was not guilty of “contributory negligence”, but he aggravated the incident. The APP played in court a few videos taken from Kathuria’s social media accounts, showing him driving the same SUV, and said, “I am sorry to use this term. But he is mastikhor aur masti mein inhone ye sab kar diya... In having fun he caused the incident.” The public prosecutor said the police investigation is still in a nascent stage and the accused, if let out on bail, may influence witnesses. Kathuria’s counsel argued, “The Delhi Police is arresting people not related to the case; how can I be blamed for the incident?” INDIA bloc protest at Jantar Mantar: Opposition demands release of Delhi CM Kejriwal INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Jantar Mantar here on July 30 to demand the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal amid his declining health and hit out at the BJP-led Centre for “suppressing” the voice of the Opposition. They also blamed the Centre for obstructing the work of the Delhi government, therefore leading to the recent incident in Rajinder Nagar where three students died after getting trapped in a flooded basement of a coaching centre. Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘End dictatorship’ were raised during the protest rally called by the AAP. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said three senior AAP leaders — Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put in jail as “part of a conspiracy”. He also accused the Centre of obstructing the work of the Delhi government, and held them responsible for the situation in the national capital, including the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths. “The Modi government is responsible for the anarchy in Delhi. This anarchy took the lives of the three UPSC aspirants in Rajinder Nagar. BJP took the lives of three UPSC aspirants,” Bhattacharya said during the rally. “They tried to end AAP, weaken Delhi government as part of a conspiracy. The elected chief minister is in jail. Umar Khalid and many activists are in jail in false charges in Delhi riots. Bhima Koregaon fake case, father Stan Swamy was in jail and he even died while in custody. There is a huge conspiracy against leaders, activists,” he said. The BJP-led Centre is “trying to suppress the voice of those who oppose them”, he said. “Six months ago when Arvind ji, Hemant ji were arrested, we knew it was a conspiracy because Lok Sabha elections were there,” he said. “Hemant ji came out, there was an appeal to stop his bail but it was dismissed. Kejriwal ji was released for less than a month. Now though he has been given a bail there is a conspiracy to keep him in jail,” he said. Turkiye approves controversial stray dog cull Turkiye’s Parliament approved on July 29 a move to euthanise some of the country’s four million stray dogs, a measure that opponents say could lead to a vast animal cull. The controversial article, part of a draft law on the fate of the animals, says those who are sick or deemed aggressive must be put down. The rest of the bill is being debated today and expected to be adopted in the next few days. The government says the euthanasia clause is needed to prevent dog attacks and the spread of rabies. It says the other homeless dogs should be captured en masse, placed in animal shelters and put up for adoption. Critics say relying on animal sanctuaries and adoption is ultimately unworkable because of the numbers involved. Animal rights campaigners, who fear the draft law is a cover for a huge cull despite government denials, instead advocate a mass sterilisation campaign. MPs began examining the 17-clause bill on Sunday, when deputies opposed to the measure protested by putting on white gloves stained with fake blood. The emotional debate has revived memories of a 1910 tragedy when the Ottoman authorities rounded up around 60,000 stray dogs in Istanbul and sent them to a deserted rock in the Sea of Marmara. With nothing else to eat, the dogs tore each other to pieces. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ahead of the debate that Turkey faced a problem “like no other civilised country” and which was “growing exponentially”. The president, whose conservative AKP party and its allies hold an absolute majority in parliament, said on Wednesday people wanted “safe streets”. The opposition Republican People’s Party, which controls Istanbul and other major cities, has said its mayors will not apply the law if it is passed. Demonstrations have taken place in recent weeks, including inside parliament. The euthanasia clause adopted on Monday says dogs will be put down if they “present a danger to the life or health of people and animals, display uncontrollable negative behaviour, have a contagious or incurable disease or whose adoption is forbidden”. The government has said Mayors who refuse to carry out the law could be jailed. It has banned visitors’ access to parliament to avoid further protests. In Brief: Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh bag bronze in 10m air pistol at Paris Olympics Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh defeated South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin and Lee Wonho in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event to win bronze, the second medal for India in the Paris Olympics. This is the second bronze for Manu Bhaker, perhaps the first time an Indian has won two medals in a single Olympics since Independence. Both Bhaker and Singh hail from Haryana and have won the 10m air pistol mixed team gold for the state in 2022 National shooting championship at the Madhya Pradesh Academy in Bhopal. Howrah-Mumbai train derailment: 2 killed, 20 injured as 18 coaches derail in Jharkhand Two people were killed after several coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express derailed near Chakradharpur in Jharkhand on July 30 morning. The accident took place around 3:45 a.m., after which Accident Relief Medical Equipment (ARME), with staff and Additional Divisional Railway Managers CKP (Chakradharpur Railway Station), reached on-site to manage the situation. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 30 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Wayanad landslides: At least 106 killed, several feared missing [Massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district]( in the early hours of July 30, which buried a large area under debris, killing at least 106 people and leaving scores injured. The death toll is likely to go up further given the number of people missing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased in the landslides that hit Kerala’s Wayanad. Picturesque hamlets known for their beauty — Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha — are now a picture of gloom after landslides hit the areas, cutting them off from other places. Vehicles washed away in floodwaters could be seen stuck in tree trunks and submerged here and there in many places. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that more than 250 people have been evacuated to a safer location and 300 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations after a landslide hit the Meppadi area of Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday. Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Rai said, “Today morning, the Wayanad district of Kerala witnessed a tragic incident of a landslide... two people have been rescued from the debries and around 250 people have been evacuted to safer locations,” he said. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that more than 250 people have been evacuated to a safer location and 300 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations after a landslide hit the Meppadi area of Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday. Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Rai said, “Today morning, the Wayanad district of Kerala witnessed a tragic incident of a landslide... two people have been rescued from the debries and around 250 people have been evacuated to safer locations,” he said. U.P. Assembly passes amendment bill enhancing punishment under Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on July 30 [passed the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024]( which provides for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, making the law stricter in cases of fraudulent or forced conversion. Earlier the maximum punishment provided for those found guilty of marrying a woman by deceiving her and converting her religion was 10 years with a fine of ₹50,000. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna introduced the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the House on July 29. It has been proposed that if a person threatens, attacks, marries or promises to marry or conspires for it, or traffics a woman, minor or anyone with the intention of conversion, then his crime will be placed in the most serious category. In such cases, there is a provision of 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment. Under the amended provisions, any person can register an FIR in conversion cases. Earlier, to give information or a complaint, the presence of the victim, her parents, or siblings was necessary. It has been proposed that such cases will not be heard by any court below the Sessions Court and along with this, the bail plea will not be considered without giving an opportunity to the public prosecutor. Also, all the crimes under the amended Act have been made non-bailable. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had taken this initiative with the intention of curbing ‘love jihad’. An ordinance was issued for curbing forced conversion in November 2020 and later, after the bill was passed by both the houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act-2021 came into force. Basement deaths: Delhi court reserves order on bail plea of SUV driver A court in Delhi on July 30 [reserved its order on the bail plea of an SUV driver]( who was arrested in connection with the flooding of a coaching centre’s basement in the Old Rajinder Nagar area which led to the death of three civil services aspirants. Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar reserved the order on the bail plea of Manuj Kathuria. Kathuria has been accused of driving his Force Gurkha car through the street that was flooded by rainwater, causing the water to swell and breach the gates of the three-storey building and inundate the basement. Kathuria’s counsel sought his bail, saying he did not have the knowledge what’s going to happen, or intention to cause the incident. Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava opposed the bail plea, saying Kathuria was not guilty of “contributory negligence”, but he aggravated the incident. The APP played in court a few videos taken from Kathuria’s social media accounts, showing him driving the same SUV, and said, “I am sorry to use this term. But he is mastikhor aur masti mein inhone ye sab kar diya... In having fun he caused the incident.” The public prosecutor said the police investigation is still in a nascent stage and the accused, if let out on bail, may influence witnesses. Kathuria’s counsel argued, “The Delhi Police is arresting people not related to the case; how can I be blamed for the incident?” INDIA bloc protest at Jantar Mantar: Opposition demands release of Delhi CM Kejriwal INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Jantar Mantar here on July 30 to [demand the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal]( amid his declining health and hit out at the BJP-led Centre for “suppressing” the voice of the Opposition. They also blamed the Centre for obstructing the work of the Delhi government, therefore leading to the recent incident in Rajinder Nagar where three students died after getting trapped in a flooded basement of a coaching centre. Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘End dictatorship’ were raised during the protest rally called by the AAP. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said three senior AAP leaders — Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put in jail as “part of a conspiracy”. He also accused the Centre of obstructing the work of the Delhi government, and held them responsible for the situation in the national capital, including the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths. “The Modi government is responsible for the anarchy in Delhi. This anarchy took the lives of the three UPSC aspirants in Rajinder Nagar. BJP took the lives of three UPSC aspirants,” Bhattacharya said during the rally. “They tried to end AAP, weaken Delhi government as part of a conspiracy. The elected chief minister is in jail. Umar Khalid and many activists are in jail in false charges in Delhi riots. Bhima Koregaon fake case, father Stan Swamy was in jail and he even died while in custody. There is a huge conspiracy against leaders, activists,” he said. The BJP-led Centre is “trying to suppress the voice of those who oppose them”, he said. “Six months ago when Arvind ji, Hemant ji were arrested, we knew it was a conspiracy because Lok Sabha elections were there,” he said. “Hemant ji came out, there was an appeal to stop his bail but it was dismissed. Kejriwal ji was released for less than a month. Now though he has been given a bail there is a conspiracy to keep him in jail,” he said. Turkiye approves controversial stray dog cull [Turkiye’s Parliament approved on July 29 a move to euthanise some of the country’s four million stray dogs]( a measure that opponents say could lead to a vast animal cull. The controversial article, part of a draft law on the fate of the animals, says those who are sick or deemed aggressive must be put down. The rest of the bill is being debated today and expected to be adopted in the next few days. The government says the euthanasia clause is needed to prevent dog attacks and the spread of rabies. It says the other homeless dogs should be captured en masse, placed in animal shelters and put up for adoption. Critics say relying on animal sanctuaries and adoption is ultimately unworkable because of the numbers involved. Animal rights campaigners, who fear the draft law is a cover for a huge cull despite government denials, instead advocate a mass sterilisation campaign. MPs began examining the 17-clause bill on Sunday, when deputies opposed to the measure protested by putting on white gloves stained with fake blood. The emotional debate has revived memories of a 1910 tragedy when the Ottoman authorities rounded up around 60,000 stray dogs in Istanbul and sent them to a deserted rock in the Sea of Marmara. With nothing else to eat, the dogs tore each other to pieces. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ahead of the debate that Turkey faced a problem “like no other civilised country” and which was “growing exponentially”. The president, whose conservative AKP party and its allies hold an absolute majority in parliament, said on Wednesday people wanted “safe streets”. The opposition Republican People’s Party, which controls Istanbul and other major cities, has said its mayors will not apply the law if it is passed. Demonstrations have taken place in recent weeks, including inside parliament. The euthanasia clause adopted on Monday says dogs will be put down if they “present a danger to the life or health of people and animals, display uncontrollable negative behaviour, have a contagious or incurable disease or whose adoption is forbidden”. The government has said Mayors who refuse to carry out the law could be jailed. It has banned visitors’ access to parliament to avoid further protests. In Brief: Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh bag bronze in 10m air pistol at Paris Olympics [Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh defeated South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin and Lee Wonho in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event]( to win bronze, the second medal for India in the Paris Olympics. This is the second bronze for Manu Bhaker, perhaps the first time an Indian has won two medals in a single Olympics since Independence. Both Bhaker and Singh hail from Haryana and have won the 10m air pistol mixed team gold for the state in 2022 National shooting championship at the Madhya Pradesh Academy in Bhopal. Howrah-Mumbai train derailment: 2 killed, 20 injured as 18 coaches derail in Jharkhand [Two people were killed after several coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express derailed]( near Chakradharpur in Jharkhand on July 30 morning. The accident took place around 3:45 a.m., after which Accident Relief Medical Equipment (ARME), with staff and Additional Divisional Railway Managers CKP (Chakradharpur Railway Station), reached on-site to manage the situation. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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