Thane/Kalyan: A 17-year-old Mumbra girl and a 42-year-old Dombivli woman were electrocuted in separate incidents in Thane district on Wednesday after coming into contact with live electric current in waterlogged areas near their respective residences.The Mumbra incident took place around 8.30pm, when Aliya Chandiwala stepped out of Yasmin Apartment on Maulana Hasrat Mohani Road in Kausa. The teenager was near the iron gate when she allegedly came into contact with electricity that had leaked into the accumulated rainwater due to severe voltage fluctuations and collapsed. Residents rushed her to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.In his police complaint, Aliya’s father, Mohammad Sajid Abdul Gafur Chandiwala (41), alleged that residents had been experiencing recurring voltage fluctuation problems in the building for several days. He claimed that a formal complaint regarding the electrical hazard had been lodged with Torrent Power through its official WhatsApp helpline on June 15, but no inspection or corrective measures were carried out. He alleged that the power distribution company’s failure to address the reported fault and ensure electrical safety resulted in his daughter’s death.Based on the complaint, Mumbra police registered a case against officials of Torrent Power Ltd and initiated an investigation into the incident. An official from Torrent company said that they are awaiting the electrical inspector’s report after which they will give an official statement.In the second incident, which occurred in Dombivli’s Hanuman Nagar, Shashi Rahul Chakra allegedly came into contact with electricity from a live power line lying on a waterlogged road when she stepped out to buy snacks for her two children amid heavy rain, said police. Residents tried to rescue her, but she died on the spot. Tilaknagar police have registered an accidental death report and are investigating the exact circumstances that led to the electrocution. They are also examining whether any negligence in the maintenance of electrical lines contributed to the incident.Residents blamed the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd, alleging negligence in maintaining electrical infrastructure during monsoon. They claimed that exposed wires and damaged cables pose a serious threat to public safety, especially during heavy rainfall.

People carrying umbrellas make their way through a waterlogged street amid rainfall at Parel on Thursday

Mumbai: July began on a wet note with the city recording over 300mm of rainfall in the first two days, which is nearly 37% of the month’s average rainfall quota of 855.7mm.IMD’s Santacruz observatory, which is representative of Mumbai, recorded 204.6mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending Thursday 8.30am, just crossing the threshold for “extremely heavy rainfall”, the highest category in IMD’s classification. In the 24-hour period ending Wednesday 8.30am, the Santacruz facility had logged 96.3mm of rainfall.IMD’s Colaba observatory recorded 158.2mm rain between Wednesday 8.30am and Thursday 8.30am, placing south Mumbai in the “very heavy rainfall” category.Rainfall recordings from automatic weather stations across the city during the same period showed that Juhu logged the highest rainfall at 205mm, closely followed by Santacruz at 204.6mm and Vikhroli at 192.5mm. Other areas that received heavy showers included Bandra (183.5mm), Ram Mandir (178mm), Byculla (171.5mm), Tata Power, Chembur (165.5mm), Sion (163.5mm), Vidyavihar (162mm) and Colaba (158.2mm).The upcoming weekend is likely to see heavy rains with the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region either under an ‘orange’ or ‘red’ alert. IMD had issued a nowcast warning indicating a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai at 7.45am on Thursday, with an ‘orange’ alert in place till Sunday. For Thane, a ‘red’ alert has been issued for Saturday.Water stocks in lakes have also shown a slight increase, climbing to 8.1% of the total required quantum of 14.47 lakh million litres from nearly 7.2% on Wednesday. Civic officials said a review of the 10% water cut was to be taken on June 30, but a decision has been put on hold for now. “As continuous rainfall is seen in the city and also catchment areas, the administration has decided to wait before taking any further decision,” said an official.Meanwhile, rainwater flooded the road outside the Sewri Christian cemetery as well as part of the compound and office on Thursday. Residents claimed the graves were at risk of flooding too. The road was recently concretised.The ceiling slab of a shop collapsed in the old Swadeshi Market near Kalbadevi that is awaiting redevelopment. Traders claimed this was the third monsoon mishap in as many days.

Fire brigade personnel and emergency responders conduct a rescue operation after a tree fell on a school van in Chembur on June 30. The incident claimed the life of an 11-year-old student and left several others injured

Mumbai: Even as the Municipal Engineers Association and Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers Union have sought the revocation of the suspension of two BMC roads department engineers in the wake of the Chembur tree collapse that claimed the life of an 11-year-old schoolboy, documents accessed by TOI show that the department had, in March, warned the contractor executing road works in the eastern suburbs to take mandatory measures to protect mature trees and held it liable for any damage arising from excavation.In the letter, the roads department’s executive engineer of eastern suburbs directed Gawar Construction Ltd, which was carrying out road strengthening and improvement works, to immediately implement protective measures for trees located within work zones. The notice, issued in March, observed that several trees in the area were of “advanced maturity”, many showed a “noticeable lean” indicating potential instability, and that excavation activities could increase the “risk of tree failure”.The contractor was instructed to establish root protection zones, adopt trenchless construction methods wherever feasible, and carry out phased excavation to minimise vibrations around trees. The notice warned that these directions were “mandatory and non-negotiable” and stated that if any incident occurred due to excavation near the trees, the contractor would be held “fully responsible and liable for all consequences”, including restoration costs and damages.Pointing to the March notice, the engineers’ association urged BMC commissioner to revoke the suspension of sub-engineer Arun Munde and assistant engineer Yogesh Parte, calling the action “premature and unjust”.In a representation submitted on Thursday, along with photographs of the tree before and after the incident, the association argued that the over 50-year-old peepal snapped at the trunk, while its roots remained intact, suggesting that road and stormwater drain works had not damaged the roots. It also urged the civic administration to await the findings of the inquiry committee before taking disciplinary action against the two engineers. According to the association, the tree withstood an entire monsoon season between May and November 2025, despite heavy rainfall and strong winds, indicating that the earlier civic works had not compromised its stability.

Minister for Marathi language Uday Samant

Mumbai: The state govt has asked the Union govt to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the Marathi language, which has been given the status of a classical language, said minister for Marathi language Uday Samant on Thursday.Replying to a discussion on what measures the state govt had taken to set up the CoE in the legislative council, Samant said Marathi was granted classical status in October 2024 and thereafter it is mandatory to set up the CoE for which a proposal is to be sent to the University Grants Commission (UGC). “There is a SOP to be followed which has been delayed,” he said.However, on average, it takes 12 years to set up the CoE, he said, pointing out that Tamil was granted the status in 2004 but received grants after 16 years in 2020-21. Sanskrit was granted the classical language status in 2005, and the grants were received in 202-23 for the CoE. Similarly, Telugu was declared a classical language in 2008 but received Rs 1.47 crore as a grant in 2020 after 12 years.He said Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali were granted classical status the same time as Marathi but so far no govt has asked for CoE, unlike the Maharashtra govt. While the approval for the CoE is awaited the state govt has started implementing various initiatives for the preservation of the Marathi language, such as organising Vishwa Marathi Sammelan, Warkar, children, youth and workers literary conventions without waiting for funds from the Centre, said Samant.He further said a Global Marathi Language Centre will be established in London named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. For this, the Maharashtra govt has purchased a historic building of the Maharashtra Mandal for Rs 5 crore. The centre will be operational in the next two months, he said.Work on the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan at Charni Road, Mumbai will be completed by December 2027 besides a sub-centre of the Bhasha Bhavan will be set up in Airoli at an estimated cost of Rs 34 crore. The govt, he said has already set up 39 of the proposed 75 forums to promote Marathi worldwide.MLCs Uma Khapre, Jagannath Abhyankar, Amit Gorkhe, Manisha Kayande participated in the discussion.

Mumbai: The functioning of women counselling centres across Maharashtra came under scrutiny in the Legislative Council on Thursday, with members raising concerns over inadequate manpower, poor infrastructure and low honorariums for counsellors who provide support to women and children in distress. Women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare said 135 counselling centres are currently functioning in the state and the govt plans to expand the network to cover all talukas.She further informed the House that a proposal to substantially increase the honorarium of counsellors has been prepared and will be submitted to the govt for approval.Raising a calling attention motion, MLC Madhavi Naik said the counselling centres, operating from police stations and other locations, play a crucial role in addressing cases of domestic violence, abuse and family disputes. However, many centres are struggling due to insufficient funds, delayed grants and inadequate facilities. Naik pointed out that counsellors currently receive an honorarium of only Rs 12,000 per month, revised from Rs 8,000 in 2014, despite increasing responsibilities and workload. She noted that a proposal seeking a revision in honorarium was submitted to the women and child development department in June 2025, but a decision is still pending. She urged the govt to increase the number of centres, enhance financial allocations, ensure timely release of funds and provide better training to counsellors.Tatkare said grants to counselling centres would be increased to strengthen their functioning and improve services for women and children.BJP MLC Chitra Wagh backed the demand for a “respectable and significant” honorarium hike, saying counsellors play a vital role in helping women facing distress and violence. She also sought expansion of One Stop Crisis Centres (Sakhi Centres), noting that one of the facilities in Mumbai had stopped functioning.Tatkare assured members that the govt would examine all suggestions regarding One Stop Centres and continue efforts to strengthen support mechanisms for women across Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Bombay high court on Thursday quashed an externment order against the office-bearer of a party who organised public protests on issues such as the Citizenship Act amendments and said mere opposition to a govt decision cannot be grounds to force a person out of his surroundings.Justice Madhav Jamdar quizzed the prosecution as to why an year-long externment (keeping a person out of a specific jurisdiction) was ordered against Saeed Ahmad Chaudhary, general secretary of the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), by citing five FIRs lodged against him, most of them for staging protests against the central govt.The prosecutor mentioned the slogans raised by him. The judge then referred to the FIR and exhibits presented against Chaudhary and said the petitioner “just raised slogans like ‘BJP Govt murdabad’…‘Amit Shah murdabad’. Can’t citizens raise such slogans? Why externment orders for slogans?”“What is this? Are all citizens being made slaves of Indian Govt… can they not stage protests, or agitate – what is all this?,” said Justice Jamdar.In his order, the single-judge bench said, “The petitioner acting in his capacity has arranged morchas and dharnas against certain decisions taken by the Government of India. That cannot be a ground for a person to be externed under the Maharashtra Police Act. The action taken is mala fide.”Chaudhary, 49, had organised protests against amendments to the Citizenship Act and on the Gyanvapi Masjid issue among other decisions involving the Centre.The HC order said, “As per the Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India not only citizens have the freedom to express their opinion but also to live with dignity. The action taken by the respondents against the petitioner for merely opposing certain decisions of the Government of India affects his fundamental rights.’’The judge said that it was the right of the citizen to raise his voice on issues of public interest. “Now so many papers have been leaked. If people protest, you will slap cases? …It is the right of the citizens to protest,” Justice Jamdar remarked and asked, “Why citizens can’t raise such slogans?”The court also observed that police officers were public servants and “not servants of the Chief Minister or the Prime Minister”. It was the deputy commissioner of police (Zone 6), Mumbai, and the divisional commissioner, Konkan Division, respectively, who had passed orders on Dec 3, 2025 and March 27, 2026 to extern the man for a year.