As soon as the pen cap was removed, the girl felt better

Mumbai: A 10-year-old girl required part of her lung to be removed after a pen cap remained lodged near her left lower lobe bronchus for over seven years, as multiple doctors misdiagnosed her abnormal X-ray as tuberculosis or asthma.Speaking to TOI, the girl’s mother, Dharavi resident Maimuna Shaikh, said that when symptoms like a persistent cough and sudden weight loss appeared, several clinicians treated her for suspected infectious diseases and prescribed antibiotics. She was then referred to a BMC hospital, where doctors put her on presumptive TB treatment even though her sputum sample was negative.A resident doctor, who was with the hospital then and was partly involved in Mysha’s case, said this was likely one of the rare instances where an exact diagnosis was very difficult to establish given the location of the object, and treatment was provided based on clinical presentation.

“We cannot just give out the Anti-Koch’s Therapy (AKT) regimen unless there is a strong indication. The treatment even with a negative result is useful for future doctors to rule out TB,” the doctor said.Even after the TB treatment, when Maimuna saw her child not getting any better, she took her to another private hospital, where doctors told the family Mysha had asthma and prescribed an inhaler for relief.Dr Indu Khosla, a pulmonologist at SRCC Children’s Hospital (Narayana Health) who was involved in the case, said that most doctors saw pneumonia that would not resolve and prescribed anti-TB medicines. “Further investigations for a foreign body inside the lung should have been suspected, but these are differences of opinion, and doctors cannot be blamed for it,” she said.She added that a CT scan showed a collapsed lung, and because the rest of the organ appeared normal, she suspected an external foreign body. “On the bronchoscopy, we saw a pen cap deeply embedded, we had to involve our ENT team and use more anaesthesia to be able to pull it out,” Dr Khosla said.As soon as it was removed, Mysha felt much better. “About two to three weeks after the procedure, her pneumonia, which involved the left lower lobe and the middle lob, had reduced and was confined only to the lower lobe. The part of the lung that was not degenerated opened up,” Dr Khosla said.Doctors waited for a month to check if the rest of the affected lung would re-expand, but it did not. Because of heavy infection and irreversible tissue damage, they ultimately had to remove roughly one-third of her lung. Mysha is expected to live a normal life, but Maimuna said she almost lost her daughter to one clinical miss. “We have lost count of expenses so far,” she said.

MMRDA has completed nearly 90% of the work on the Mahalaxmi Multimodal Connectivity Project

Mumbai: Commuters are set to benefit from a major transport upgrade as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) nears completion of the Mahalaxmi Multimodal Connectivity Project, an integrated interchange that will connect the suburban railway, Metro Line 3 and Monorail networks through India’s first travelator-equipped skywalk.With nearly 90% of the work completed, the project aims to transform daily commuting by enabling seamless transfers between Mahalaxmi railway station, Metro Line 3 station and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk Monorail station. Once operational, it is expected to reduce interchange time by around 20 minutes, making journeys faster and more convenient for thousands of passengers.The key feature of the project is a 283m-long and 11m-wide elevated pedestrian bridge designed to handle nearly 4,500 passengers per hour.

To ease movement, especially during peak hours, the facility will include six travelators with a combined length of 176m and two passenger lifts, ensuring accessibility for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and travellers carrying luggage.Officials said the project will significantly improve access to the Mumbai Monorail from south Mumbai and Worli while encouraging greater use of public transport by eliminating cumbersome and time-consuming transfers between different modes of travel.The project also showcases complex urban engineering in one of Mumbai’s most utility-dense corridors. Before construction began, a massive 1,800mm-diameter storm-water drain was successfully relocated, while nearby water supply and sewerage pipelines remained operational throughout the work, ensuring uninterrupted civic services.An official told TOI that the infrastructure was built without felling a single tree. Construction activities were coordinated with traffic authorities to minimise disruption, while even annual Ganesh immersion processions along Sane Guruji Marg continued unhindered.MMRDA officials said the project is more than just a pedestrian bridge. It represents a crucial step towards creating an integrated public transport ecosystem where Metro, Monorail and suburban rail services function as a single, connected network, offering Mumbai commuters safer, quicker and more efficient travel options.

Mumbai: The East region cyber police station on July 23 registered a case against unknown mobile users for publishing and transmitting material depicting children in sexually explicit acts on social media.The case was registered after the cyber police received a complaint from the state govt, alerting it through a “tip line” about videos and photos related to child sexual abuse being uploaded on social media, and the information also contained mobile numbers.A cyber police officer said information about various social media users exchanging child sexual abuse material on social media platforms was received from the Cybercrime Coordination Center I4C, which coordinates with investigating agencies in the country, and that this information was called a tip line.

“This report contains information such as the user’s name, email ID, IP address, mobile number, etc, as well as videos or photographs uploaded by the user related to child sexual abuse. The received information is analysed, and appropriate action is taken by sending the information to the concerned police station,” said the officer.On July 17, the East cyber police station received information via email through the anonymous operational system under two tip lines. “Upon analysing the information from tip lines, it was observed that tip line, which uploaded videos and photos related to child sexual abuse, contained mobile numbers. In connection with the inquiry into the said tip lines, information and videos were downloaded from the relevant NCCRP portal,” said the cyber police.On July 18, a detailed panchnama (witness report) was conducted in the presence of two witnesses. In the complaint, assistant inspector SS Gaikwad said: “All the said PDF files and MP4 files have been securely stored. However, it has come to light that the mobile numbers mentioned in tip line were used to disseminate objectionable child sexual abuse material through internet on social media platforms, and were being misused. Therefore, a complaint has been filed by the govt against the person who committed the crime using the aforementioned mobile number,” said the officer.The cyber forensic teams are working on gathering details of the internet protocol (IP) address used to upload the objectionable videos and photos, and details have also been sought about the mobile numbers used in the offence.

Mumbai: Sahar police arrested a 36-year-old Bangladeshi man at Mumbai International Airport on July 22 after immigration officials suspected his Indian passport was forged when his dialect resembled that of people who speak in Bangladesh, police said.The accused, identified as Babu Biswas alias Tapas Biswas, allegedly entered India with his wife and family members through the porous border in West Bengal in 2016 and stayed in Kolkata for almost seven years, working as a daily wage worker, police said. He made at least two trips to Maldives and one to Colombo before his journey of flying abroad using an Indian passport came to a halt at the airport, police said.Biswas was aged 26 when he and his family managed to travel to West Bengal. “Biswas is one of the many thousands who infiltrated India and managed to get hold of Indian documents like Aadhaar card, PAN card while staying in Kolkata. Later, in 2023, he used the documents to avail an Indian passport.

He travelled to Maldives and Colombo for work without getting caught. The team is gathering more information about the agents who helped him in getting the forged documents,” said a police officer of the Sahar police station.According to the complaint, Biswas approached the immigration counter for stamping of his arrival using an Indian passport. Assistant immigration officer Sumit Kumar (30), said: “I was assigned duty at Counter No. 23 and was conducting immigration checks for passengers arriving in Mumbai from various countries by different airlines. At 3.30 am, a passenger came to my counter for immigration check and submitted his Indian passport and boarding pass. The said passenger arrived in Mumbai from Colombo by flight No. UL141. When I checked the Indian passport, I suspected that the person was from Bangladesh. Therefore, I asked him some questions, but he could not provide satisfactory information.”Police said Biswas was presented before the immigration wing in charge and duty officers for further enquiry. “It became clear that he was from Faridpur in Bangladesh. His nationality was confirmed after he called his wife, Rakhi Biswas, at home via WhatsApp and asked her to send some documents as proof of his Bangladeshi nationality. He then received a xerox copy of land documents in Bangladesh registered in the name of Babu Biswas’ father,” said Kumar in the FIR.A Sahar police officer said Biswas revealed that he illegally entered India from Bangladesh in 2016 with his family, stayed in Koikhali, District Nadia, in Kolkata and worked as a labourer. “While residing in West Bengal, he obtained a PAN card and Aadhaar card with the help of a local person. He also obtained an Indian passport in 2019 from the Passport Office in Kolkata based on documents. He travelled twice to Maldives in 2023 with the Indian passport,” said the officer.Recently, the Mumbai crime branch said they initiated a process to deport 53 such illegal Bangladeshi nationals caught in the city. Mumbai police probe showed that organised forgery rings were operating that helped Bangladeshi nationals acquire Indian passports by fabricating local identity proofs such as Aadhaar and PAN cards. Investigations by anti-terrorism squads and local police revealed that agent networks, sometimes colluding with local post office or police verification staff, forged documents and manipulated clearance reports.

The Silver Jubilee edition of Khazana festival celebrated the ghazal genre. Veterans and young performers shared the stage, honoring its rich legacy. Special tributes were paid to Asha Bhosle and Pankaj Udhas. Stalwarts like Hariharan and Sonu Nigam delivered memorable performances. The event successfully showcased the enduring magic and future of ghazals.

It was a weekend steeped in nostalgia, poetry and timeless melodies as the Silver Jubilee edition of Khazana – A Festival of Ghazals concluded with two unforgettable evenings celebrating the enduring magic of the ghazal. Bringing together stalwarts of Indian music and a promising new generation of performers, the 25th edition proved, that while the genre’s rich legacy remains intact, its future is in capable hands. Among the standout moments were performances by veterans Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota, Rekha Bhardwaj, Vishal Bhardwaj, Javed Ali, Sudeep Banerji and Sunil Mungee, while talented youngsters, some as young as 10, won hearts with their confident renditions of timeless classics.

The festival opened each evening with a specially curated musical medley paying tribute to legendary singer Asha Bhosle and ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas, setting an emotional tone for the celebrations. Hosted by Rakshanda Khan and Anup Soni, the event also featured performances by young talents Nihira Joshi, Tejas Gambhir, Aleena Bharti, Rizwan Ahmed, Ayaan Khan and Kuhu and Pihu Sharma. Hariharan mesmerised the audience with soul-stirring renditions of Kaash Aisa Koi Manzar Hota, Ye Aaine Se and the evergreen Sarakti Jaaye Hai Rukh Se Naqab Aahista-Aahista, reaffirming why he remains one of the country’s finest ghazal exponents. One of the most emotional performances of the festival came from Sonu Nigam, who paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Pankaj Udhas. He said, “Mujhe accha nahi lagta ke main apne se badon ke gaano ke saath ched khani karoon. Mujhe ghazal ki tehzeeb abhi seekhni hain, iske alag ettiquttes hotein hain.” He then moved the audience with renditions of Aap Jinke Kareeb Hote Hain, Chitthi Aayi Hai and several other beloved ghazals associated with the legendary singer. Composer-filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj charmed audiences with his trademark humility before presenting songs including Pani Pani Re, Hum To Tere Hi Liye The and Ishq Ka Fever. Addressing the audience, he said, “Yehan sab bade kalakar itne pass baithe hotein hain. Aap sab thodi riyaat mujhe dijiye. Main composer hoon, singer nahi, par main koshish karta hoon.” Rekha Bhardwaj’s evocative renditions of Lambi Judai and Ek Woh Din cast a spell on listeners, while Sudeep Banerjee’s moving performance of Allah Tero Naam added a devotional touch to the evening. Javed Ali drew loud applause with powerful renditions of Arziyan and Kun Faya Kun, bringing a Sufi flavour to the festival. The grand finale belonged to Anup Jalota, whose performance of Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho, Chandi Jaisa Rang, Shaam Angdai Le Rahi Hai earned thunderous applause and a standing ovation, bringing the Silver Jubilee celebrations to a fitting close. Adding to the festive spirit was the presence of several distinguished personalities from the music fraternity, including Sivamani, Mitali Singh, Penaz Masani, Runaa Rizvii, Rakesh Chaurasia, Gino Banks, Prithvi Gandharv, Meenal Jain, Purbayan Chatterjee and Gayatri Asokan. As the curtains came down on its landmark 25th edition, Khazana – A Festival of Ghazals once again reaffirmed that while the ghazal continues to honour its glorious past, it is also finding fresh voices and new admirers, ensuring that its timeless legacy lives on for generations to come.

Uddhav Thackeray hails youth’s unity

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday hailed students for their nationwide protests over the alleged exam papers leak, saying the agitation marked the beginning of a larger fight against the BJP and proved that “votes can be stolen, but not people”.He was addressing a gathering at Shivaji Park in Mumbai after his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray led a one-minute silence in memory of 21 students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.Uddhav Thackeray said the youth had written “a golden chapter” in India’s democratic history through their unity.He said the students’ agitation had evolved into a nationwide movement.“People ask us why we are talking about elections when they are still three years away.

The answer is simple. Modi has now realised that votes can be stolen, but not people,” he said.“No election has been won today. Patriots (deshbhakt) have defeated blind followers (andhbhakt). This is the beginning of a bigger struggle. This is a fight between the BJP and India,” he asserted.Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uddhav Thackeray said Union ministers were busy “breaking political parties” instead of governing the country.“I want to tell Prime Minister Modi that it is time to focus on the country. Your ministers are busy breaking political parties. Tell them to start working for the nation,” he said.Launching a sharp attack over the alleged examination paper leak, Uddhav Thackeray questioned why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not been removed from the Union Cabinet.“I want to ask Prime Minister Modi – how painful was it to remove your favourite Dharmendra from the cabinet? Was that pain greater than what the families of the students suffered when their children took their own lives? I cannot forget that pain, and I will never forget it,” he said.Urging the youth to keep up the momentum, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Do not let this awakening fade away. Do not tolerate the arrogance of those in power. You have shown the strength of the people. Do not let anyone weaken this country again.”Further targeting the government, he said the finance minister doesn’t speak about the falling rupee or rising inflation, but explains the “benefits” of a paper leak.“Defence minister Rajnath Singh should be protecting the country’s borders but is defending Pradhan,” he said.In a jibe at Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Thackeray said the “khadda” (potholes) minister is talking about ethanol (E20 petrol). “This is definitely the next issue,” he added.Raj Thackeray said the success of students’ protest proved Gen Z can challenge the government.