Circus Fire Tragedy
Over 60 persons most of them children are feared to have been burnt alive and over 200 seriously injured in one of the worst fire incidents in Okalipuram in Bangalore. The cause of the fire is said to be a short circuit at a Venus Circus premises but it is yet to be confirmed. It is suspected that over 25 per cent of the circus staff and animals, changed or caged, have been burnt. Following a power cut, the police had difficulty in making way for ambulances and pulling hysterical relatives from running behind unrecognisable human forms. Of about 300 admitted to the Victoria Hospital in the city, 30 are said to be in a critical condition.
Anti-quota Stir
Two young men died in police firing and another was found stabbed to death in Ahmedabad. A critically wounded police constable succumbed to his injuries.
With this the death toll in the anti-reservation agitation in the city by medicos has gone up to nine. The police have arrested 11 persons in connection with the violence in the city.
Janata’s Olive Leaf
The Janata Party is ready to cooperate with other parties, including the Congress, in pushing through “urgent programmes” concerning development or distributive justice or make development more equitable. The party, however, made it clear that it cannot strengthen itself or contribute to the creation of a viable alternative by merging with other parties or seeking alliances.
Tribal Deaths
Twenty-five tribals, who first reported to have died due to radio-activity in the Kasipuram forest of Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district had “sacrificed” themselves to the hill deity and refused to take medication. They had dug 100-feet deep pits and came out only after they developed high fever and swelling in different parts of their body.
