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Coronavirus outbreak: Langars feed Bhiwandi's fasting loom workers

Thousands of migrants working in the power looms at Bhiwandi set out on foot for their villages hundreds of kilometres away earlier this week. While these migrants face an enormously difficult journey with almost zero resources, those who have stayed back are also on the brink of starvation.

The Maharashtra government has been assuring of help for migrant workers should they stay back amid the COVID-19-caused lockdown. Though the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) is offering food packets, the power loom workers say the quality of the food is inferior.

"The municipality has been giving khichdi for 15 days and the ingredients are rice and turmeric powder. Sometimes they mix vegetables in it. But the food quality is absolutely inferior, it cannot be eaten by any human being. Being a labourer does not mean that we will eat toxic food. The food smells and makes us nauseous," said Manzar Alam, a native of Bihar.

"It is the month of Ramzan and most of us are fasting. But after eating bad quality food, some of us vomited and had to break the fast," said Alam, adding that power loom owners are not helping either and that many are breaking their fast only with water.

"The power loom owner does not respond to our calls. He either switches off his mobile phone or blocks our number," said Mohammad Sahid, a native of Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh.

Raw ration only for state residents
Another power loom worker, Jalaluddin Ansari said workers get food once a day. "We have not been given raw ration by the state government. In this crisis, we have to wait in long queues for langar distributed by social workers," said Ansari.


There are seven lakh registered power looms in Bhiwandi

"There was a queue of nearly 200 workers on Monday. By the time my turn came, food was over. So, I rushed to another langar half-a-kilometre away and stood in another queue. But here too, the food finished," said Ansari, who did not eat anything on Monday.

"On Tuesday, I got food but it was not very little. This is the reality of many workers who did not dare to walk home. The state government is providing raw ration to only those who are from Maharashtra. We are not given any ration," said Ansari, whose co-workers Abdul Ali and Mohammad Younus echoed his views.


Workers say they are being given khichdi - the ingredients of which are usually rice and turmeric — in the food packet for the past 15 days

A few workers from Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh tried to go home in a truck recently. "A truck driver agreed to transport us to our native place. He took R2,500 from each worker. We started our journey a few days ago, but police at Karjat stopped the vehicle and caned the driver badly. We were forced to return to hell with no food," said Ali.

Nearly 3,000 workers rushed to the State Transport bus depot in Bhiwandi on Tuesday. mid-day spoke to a few of them and asked if they had any idea about when they would return to Bhiwandi to resume work: "Humlogo ke paas aur kya hai kamane ke liye?" said Yashpal, a native of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh.

"It is a pandemic and the whole world is reeling under a financial crisis. We don't know what will happen to us as I have heard that big companies are downsising. We are not sure if the owners of power looms will downsize too," said Sahil.

A ray of light
There is confusion among workers regarding how and where they can get registered to travel home in trains. However, a power loom owner Parvez Alam Ansari has been helping his employees.

"I have told my workers not to panic. I have been providing them with ration, vegetables, etc. and they have been preparing meals for themselves. The power loom is shut but these workers are our assets. I cannot afford to keep them stranded amid a crisis," Ansari said.

Civic body's help mismanaged
"There are seven lakh registered power looms employing around three to four lakh migrant labourers. As per our estimate, more than one lakh people want to leave the city as they don't have work and are not getting food. We are doing our best to provide food but it's been more than a month now and the assistance provided by the local corporation is mismanaged. Now our priority is to help those who want to go to their home states, such as Uttar Pradesh, which is not cooperating with Maharashtra," said local MLA Rais Shaikh.

'We resolved all complaints'
According to Pravin Ashtikar, the chief of BNCMC, initially, there were a lot of complaints regarding food quality and its supply, but all have been resolved. "We are not denying that complaints were received from people but I must tell you that we listen to them and now things have improved in the past week. There have been no complaints about the food as far as quality and supply are concerned. There are several NGOs working with us and we are supplying 80,000 food packets daily. The migrants who want to leave just want to go home because the lockdown has been extended. Most of the migrants have been taken care of by us and their employers," said Ashtikar.

Ashtikar added that so far there are 20 cases of Coronavirus in Bhiwandi city, of which two have recovered and 290 are in institutional quarantine. "We started preparing for COVID-19 in the second week of march — we procured equipment for disinfecting and started sanitising the area much in advance. As you see the result, all positive cases in Bhiwandi have come from other areas. We have successfully stopped community transmission despite a high population. Currently, Bhiwandi has a population of over 8 lakh. We started door-to-door screening last week, targeting the most vulnerable people, and 75 per cent of the survey is complete. So far, 1,011 people are found to be vulnerable as they are suffering from other ailments and we are taking care of them," Ashtikar added.

80K
Food packets Bhiwandi civic body claims it is providing

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Coronavirus outbreak: Panvel civic area goes from orange to red in 24 hours

Six new cases of Corona were found in the Panvel Municipal Corporation jurisdiction on Wednesday taking the count to 113 under the PMC. Among the new cases are two APMC staffers, a police officer, a kidney patient, a homemaker and a BEST employee.

The PMC, which falls under the Raigad district, was initially declared an orange zone, as was the entire Raigad district but within 24 hours, the collector put PMC areas in the red zone.

Ramesh Lengarekar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, PMC, informed mid-day that PMC was a part of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Dombivli, etc, and considering the entire MMR is in the red zone, PMC, too, falls under the said category. "While the government has the power to decide the zones (red, orange, green), the collector has been empowered to list a zone from orange to red or green to orange."

12L population in PMC
So far, two deaths have been reported from the PMC region, which has a population of 12 lakh. The number of positive cases in Raigad district, excluding PMC, is lesser and is, therefore, in the orange zone.

Areas under the PMC — Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Kharghar, Ulve and Taloja — will follow the national lockdown period till May 17 with prohibitory orders under Section 144 (no assembly of more than five people) in force.

"As per the central government directives, we are making an attempt to keep some additional shops (five) other than medical and general stores open. A decision on this will be taken soon," a senior PMC official said.

Infection from Mumbai
The BEST staffer who tested positive is attached to the Govandi bus depot, and the police sub-inspector is attached to a police station in the Central Mumbai region.

The kidney patient was undergoing his dialysis treatment in a private hospital in Sanpada while the two APMC staffers are residents of Kamothe and Kharghar.

Mangal Kamble, founder president of Swachh Kharghar Foundation, said, "People working in Mumbai have been travelling daily between Mumbai and the PMC area, and have caught the infection in the city."

Cases spike in APMC market
"Also, our concern is that most of the vegetables, fruits, and grains are being transported all over the MMR region from the APMC market, which is already seeing an increase in the number of positive cases. A thorough screening of every vehicle entering and exiting APMC should be done and at every entry point within the PMC area. This needs to be done to curtail any community outbreak of the virus," Kamble added.

Over 100 COVID-19 cases in APMC
Dr Satish Choudhari, nodal officer for COVID at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar said, "At present, we have around 24 positive cases in the quarantine centre here. All those people who have a cold, cough, fever for more than three to five days are sent to the Gram Vikas Bhavan for quarantine and are referred to sub-district hospital Panvel or to MGM hospital in Kamothe if they need further treatment."

Twelve new cases have been detected in the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market taking the tally there to over 100.

The market, however, continues to function as per the guidelines of the committee appointed for monitoring the situation.

113
Total no. of COVID cases in PMC area

2
No. of novel Coronavirus deaths in PMC area

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Coronavirus Lockdown: Vasai man's house damaged by 100 goons for helping migrant workers

Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."


Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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Activist writes to CM over Aarey colony's vanishing green cover

City-based environmentalist Stalin D has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray requesting the Maharashtra State Forest Department and Thane Forest Circle to monitor Aarey Milk Colony against encroachers during the lockdown.

This comes after reports on the depleting green cover in Aarey as trees are being chopped down illegally to build hutments.

Speaking to mid-day, Stalin said the deforestation of Aarey continues unabated without the fear of law. "This is to highlight the ongoing destruction of the forests of Aarey Colony. You are well aware of the facts of the matter pertaining to the ecological importance of Aarey and it has been six long years since citizens and NGOs started fighting to protect this forest. Matters are pending in various courts pertaining to this issue, but there is nothing that stops the government from taking a positive stand to protect Aarey. There is a Supreme Court order which directs that no trees should be cut in Aarey, but this order is being violated on a daily basis," his letter states.

The activist has also alleged that taking advantage of the lockdown, antisocial elements and the slum mafia have seized the opportunity to plunder Aarey.

"We are losing at least 30 trees on a daily basis inside Aarey. Slum-dwellers are expanding encroachments, building illegal temples, clearing the vegetation regularly ever since the lockdown was imposed. We have time and again raised the alarm and intimated the facts to the authorities concerned. But, the Aarey police have not acted on any of the complaints and have instead chosen to beat up citizens who sent them proof of tree chopping and expanding encroachments in the area. The green cover in areas such as the VIP guest house area, the New Zealand hostel forest area, Unit number 13 is steadily depleting. Though the Aarey CEO had got some of the encroachments removed, more spring up in their place," the email states.

He has appealed to the government to issue directions to the Forest Department telling them to monitor the area until the current COVID-19 situation improves.

30
No. of trees cut down illegally in Aarey on a daily basis

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Mumbai: BMC allows reopening of single electronics, hardware shops

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday night amended its previous order and allowed reopening of standalone electronics and hardware shops in the city during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent. "It has been observed that many essential and life- saving medical equipment, IT systems related to health systems and machines,vehicles are in a state of disrepair due to closing down of electronics and hardware shops.

"Hence, there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent," read the BMC's amended order signed by Pardeshi. Pardeshi directed all assistant commissioners of wards to permit one standalone electronic and hardware shop on each road to remain open during the lockdown. According to BMC officials, in view of the order some electronics and hardware shops could be opened from Thursday.

On Tuesday night, Pardeshi, in an order, had directed closure of all non-essential services, including liquor shops, in the city.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Mumbai crime: MCA secretary, 3 others booked for opposing burial of COVID-19 victim

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Sanjay Naik and three more members were booked by Bandra police for obstructing burial of a COVID-19 dead body in Muslim Kabaristan. The incident occurred on Tuesday when a dead body of a COVID-19 patient was taken to Naupada Kokani Kabarastan by Raza Academy members for burial. Naik claimed that he objected to the burial as members who had come with the dead body didn't have proper documents.

A few weeks ago, residents near Naupada Kokani Kabarastan objected burial of dead bodies who were COVID-19 patients. The matter went to Bombay High court which rejected the petition of the residents. The matter went to Supreme Court which redirected matter to High court and reportedly allowed burial in between.

The controversy upscaled on the night of May 5 when a 45-year-old died of Coronavirus in Jaslok Hospital. Raza Academy members who had been appointed to carry out the burial rushed to Naupada Kokani Kabaristan. "When we reached Kabaristan, we found that the BMC officials mentioned a Kabarastan of Bandra East, so the permission was changed to Bandra West in Konkani Kabarastan," said Sabir Nirban, member of Raza Academy. "But while burial was going on, Sanjay Naik came with some men opposing it", he said.

Sheikh Izaz Shamshuddin, resident of Bandra registered a complaint against Sanjay Naik, Muzaffar Zarif Khan, Yunus Muzaffar Khan, and Akbar Zarif Khan. 

"We tried to have a word with the men but they weren't listening. They told us about the court orders but we told them that orders are in favour of burial in this particular kabarastan, but they didn't listen to us. Cops came to spot and we finally decided to register a complaint at the Police station," said Shamshuddin.

Bandra police took cognizance of the matter and filed the offence under IPC section 341 (wrongful restraint), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 34 (Common intention) and relevant sections of Epidemic Act 1897. 

Talking about the incident, Sanjay Naik said, "The people who had come with the dead body didn't have any proper permission. They buried the dead body even before we objected, some ran away when we came, it was all fishy. There were many people around hence we didn't create any ruckus." When asked about the offence, he said, "I am not aware of the offence, I wonder what offence they have registered against me". 

Nirban, one of the members of the task force formed by the government has requested the Police Commissioner to take stringent action against such trouble makers and make a precedent for others who cause undue hardships to people working for the society. "Special attention must be given for their protection to overcome this task. These dedicated workers are risking their lives for the society and we must pray for their health and support them morally in this noble cause," Nirban said. 

Swapna Mhatre, local corporator said, "There was some issue with permission of burial but it was resolved later. There is a sense of fear among residents as the burial ground is in the residential zone. I would suggest authorities to choose grounds which are away from residential zones."

DCP (Zone 9) Abhishek Trimukhe confirmed the registration of offence, "The offence has been registered and the investigation is on," he said. 

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Mumbai: Western Railway works on war footing to make city monsoon ready

The Western Railway has worked intensively on the 2020 pre-monsoon works for Mumbai suburban railway while maintaining proper protocol of COVID-19.

A glimpse of some activities

Tree Trimming: Trimming of tree branches alongside the tracks is being done which are infringing with overhead wires in order to avoid tripping in monsoon. Till now total 158 trees have been trimmed.

Insulator Cleaning: Cleaning of insulators is a major precaution against flashing of the insulator during man soon showering. The fitting of the bridges were also checked where clearance are critical. This will help to avoid tripping in monsoon. Till now total 1,395 insulators have been cleaned.

Insulator cleaning on the left and checking of bridge fittings on the right

Bird Nest Removal: This is the season of bird breeding. The bird used to make nests in OHE structures. These nests are identified during foot patrolling and live line inspections and such identified bird nests are then removed from structures. Till now total 454 bird nests have been removed.

Bird gel: The non-toxic bird deterrent gel is also applied on overhead structures and cantilevers to prevent birds from landing on overhead structures thus avoiding the nests. During locked down bird gel at total 969 points have been applied.


Bird deterrent gel and applying gel below FOB

Cross over checking: Most of the suburban section is having unregulated overhead wires and due to temperature variation, the overhead wire of cross overs may get disturbed. To overcome this problem, all cross overs were checked hot line by tower wagon and 22 of them adjusted in power blocks.

During the lock down period despite availability of only 10-15% of the regular field staff it has been ensured that important works for monsoon preparation are going on as per target in suburban section of CCG-VR section

Sufficient number of point machines have been readied by signal workshop and kept as spare for replacement in case of monsoon flooding. Vulnerable signal boxes have been raised in flood prone areas. Staff have been continuously imparted training for monsoon drills.

Earth-resistance of Telecom installations of Churchgate-Virar Section are being checked and maintained at the desired level.

Routers, Switches, LAN Extenders, wire connections of UTS & PRS are being checked, cleaned & where there is wiring issue same is being replaced. Earth resistance of these equipment are also checked.

Testing & cleaning of Train Indicators for Suburban as well as Mail/Express trains, Public Address System is also being done.

Various equipment installed in Telecom OFC rooms of Churchgate-Virar section are also being cleaned. Checking & cleaning of different cards of these equipment are also in progress.

Power Plants for various Telecom equipment are also being maintained. Process of taking measurement of battery voltage, Charger voltage, AC supply voltage cleaning the connection terminals, cleaning battery-charger etc are in progress.

Sr No

Activity

Scope

Progress

1

Cleaning of culverts

41 culverts in BMC jurisdiction

3 Nos in Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation jurisdiction

11 Nos in Vasai Virar Municipal jurisdiction

 Pre cleaning joint inspection has been completed with respective municipal corporation.

Cleaning work completed in 6 culverts.

2

Cleaning of drains

41km of drains to be cleaned

5.5km ( 14% ) of drains has been cleaned.

3

Provision of pumps

153 Diesel and electrical pumps to be provided.

Pumps installation will start from 10th May 2020.

4

Removal of muck

2,80,000 cum

2,50,000 cum of muck/earth/garbage has been removed by deploying JCB, Poclain and specially modified EMU for carrying muck.

5

Scope of track lifting by 50-150 mm

32.581 km

 15.78 km (49 %) of track has been lifted.

6

Provision of automatic rain gauge

10

All 10 provided

7

Provision of flood gauge

36 to be provided

40% completed

 

8

Cutting of vulnerable tress

76 trees identified for cutting

Joint survey of tree done. Letter has been given to tree officers municipal bodies seeking permission for cutting. Joint survey with municipal officers in progress.

9

Joint inspection of Track circuit & yards with Signalling & Telecom

All yard and track circuits of Churchgate-Virar

Work is in progress to be completed by May 30

10

Provision of additional water way

3

2 waterway bridge constructed by Micro tunneling

11.

Inspection of Railway affecting works.

3 - Powai lake, Vihar lake and Tulsi lake

Inspection has been completed jointly with state officials

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Boy, 5, caught by highway patrol for driving family car to buy Lamborghini

A  Utah highway police officer who spotted a car swerving down the freeway thought the driver needed medical attention. But when he asked the driver to pull over, he was in for a surprise to find a five-year-old boy behind the wheels.

The boy was found by the officer sitting at the edge of the seat to reach the brake and accelerator pedals so that he could drive. The officer learnt that the boy had taken the car keys without his parents’ knowledge following an argument with his mother because she refused to buy him Lamborghini. So in the fit of rage, the boy set out with his family car to California to buy a Lamborghini with just USD 3 in his pocket.

Trooper Rick Morgan was quoted by the CBS News as saying that the boy initially did not respond to the lights but pulled over after hearing the siren. "I approached the vehicle and I was expecting to find somebody who needed an ambulance or paramedics," he said.

The Utah Highway Patrol posted the incident on their Twitter page with a photo of the boy seated in the driver’s seat. The tweet reads, “His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet.”

The post shared by the patrol department on micro-blogging site garnered more than 3,800 likes and was retweeted over 1,500 times. Users commenting on the post were amused by boy’s wish for a Lamborghini at such an age!

What do you think about the post?

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Mumbai: Central Railway starts prepping for Mumbai rains amid lockdown

With monsoon around the corner, the Central Railway this week said its preparations to tackle the Mumbai rains were on full swing during this lockdown.

More than 15 excavators have been deployed along with more than 250 desilting labour for cleaning drain and culverts around the railway tracks. The desilting work is in full swing as never before in the past in Mumbai suburban because of the lockdown, which otherwise could never have been possible without implementing a block.

A senior official said three muck special trains are running on daily basis removing huge quantity of muck/ debris. Till now, in Mumbai suburban, around 70km drain cleaning and 42 culvert cleaning has been completed.

The first round of drain and culvert cleaning will be completed by May 15 and second round will be completed by June 15, said CR officials. As part of preparedness, loads of muck have been removed from the railway tracks, to ensure flooding does not take place on tracks during heavy rain days. The total muck disposed off so far via muck special and by road is 59,000 m3.

Coordination meetings are being conducted along with BMC authorities. Several new initiatives have been put in place by the Central Railway as part of the preparedness for monsoon this year. Culvert augmentation works is in progress at Kurla carshed and Wadala for the free flow of the stormwater to avoid flooding in flood prone areas.

In addition, an aerial survey over tracks is also conducted to ascertain the constraints for the free flow of the stormwater. Plan is to increase the number of pump to 110 heavy-duty diesel and electric pumps for fast drainage as compared to last year to ensure free flow of the stormwater so that the water is drained out quickly from the tracks and train operations are not disrupted.

During the monsoon period from June 1 to September 30, monsoon booklet for railway staff is also under preparation. The book will have the dates of the high tides to help the staff be on full alert mode on these particular days.

Rainfall will also be monitored in real-time through Automatic Rain Gauge System of civic authorities. So, all necessary precautions have already been taken and planned to avoid interruptions in the operations of the train during the monsoon season.

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Radio City Harnesses The Power Of Radio To Spread Positivity During The Lockdown

The country has been witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases and to curb that situation, the whole nation has been following the lockdown imposed by the government. The current unprecedented times has left people worried and hence in need of hope and support. In light of this, Radio City, India’s leading radio network, has initiated multiple campaigns across 39 cities to provide hope, entertainment, and support.

Radio City and mid-day joined hands to present the perfect concoction to elevate Mumbaikars’ mood. RJ Palak, during her show Naughty Palak ka Show, connected with famous skincare expert Dr. Jayshree Sharad to share DIY tips; provided tasty and healthy food recipes from famous Chef Ajay Chopra, and brought mental health experts to counsel people and  help them get through this tough time. Additionally, stand-up comedians Atul Khatri and Nishant Tanwar have been adding a dose of laughter and fun to the listeners’ routine, while Vishal Punjabi, Founder of The Wedding Filmer, updated couples about new trends on wedding videos and online weddings.

To promote community culture, Radio City has been hosting a month-long podcast series called ‘Lockdown Rishte Podcast Series’, where Radio City RJs across Hindi speaking markets are broadcasting stories on how we can rediscover and strengthen our relationship with our loved ones. The RJ’s are also requesting citizens to share their stories as well. This podcast also features on radiocity.in

Speaking about the campaigns, Mr. Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Radio City, said, “As we all do our bit by staying at home to ensure safety for all, the challenging situations can take a toll on our mindset. Radio City has always led purpose driven campaigns and has found innovative ways to connect with its audience to keep them entertained. These various campaigns across the 39 cities, aim to leverage the power of radio to bring positivity in the society and appreciate our listeners for always supporting us in our initiatives. I would like to reiterate the fact that we all will overcome this situation together. I urge all our listeners to stay home and stay safe!”

Extending the fun quotient down South and adding some stardust with ‘Lockdown Diary’, RJ Sowjanya in Bangalore has been indulging listeners with stories from celebrities like Raghu Dixit, Priyamani, Vijay Prakash, and many more, on how they are spending their time during the quarantine. RJs in Madurai, with the special show called ‘Nanba Calling’ have been acting as a bridge between long lost friends, allowing them to relive their old memories; RJs in Andhra Pradesh are running a special fun audio series about 3 RJs stuck together during lockdown to engage the listeners. In addition to entertaining listeners, Radio City also ensured they went the extra mile by contributing to the society and help people in need. Radio City in Patna, Bihar partnered with the ‘Super-30’ legend Anand Kumar, to provide the gift of education and help students prepare for civil services, IIT/JEE, and other similar exams. Harnessing the true power of radio, RJ Harshil crossed borders by responding to the plea of 20 students stuck in Greece and tweeting about the situation to the Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Gujarat. This helped in alerting the Indian Embassy in Greece, who came forward to supply food and provide other basic amenities to ensure the students’ safety and well-being.

Radio City RJs in various cities led donation drives to help the citizens trying to make ends meet during the downtime. In Bangalore, RJ Rajas and RJ Nikitha volunteered to help and provide free meals for the daily wage workers; the RJs in Chennai urged listeners to donate groceries to Chennai Corporation, who distributed it to the people in need. Radio City RJ in Bikaner, Rajasthan addressed the concern of low quality and quantity of ration being distributed in Raajiv Nagar society and worked together with Bikaner Sewa Samiti to help more than 40 families. Extending a helping hand towards the Dabbawallas in Mumbai, Radio City’s ‘Dabbawalle Ka Dabba Bharo’ initiative launched a fundraiser and urged Mumbaikars to contribute and help Dabbawallas.

Leading the campaign in Delhi, RJ Ginnie shared the concerns of a man suffering from brain injury who was not able to provide for his family. Her act of kindness saw Delhiites come in tenfold to donate ration and medicines to his family. On the other hand, RJs in Jalandhar, with the help of local authorities and citizens, prepared 300+ meals daily for the needy and teamed up with NGO Divya Drishti to distribute more than 50 packets of groceries. The Radio City team in U.P. also partnered with NGOs to raise around 5 lakh rupees and distributed more than 50,000 packets of food to the poor people. Additionally, Radio City joined hands with Dainik Jagran Inext and became the first radio station to provide live updates of fresh Covid-19 cases. These efforts have been appreciated by Mr. Ranvendra Pratap Singh, State Minister for Food and Civil Supply, Mr. Jai Pratap, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and Mr. Bhupendra Chaudhary, State Minister for Panchayati Raj.

Radio City also conducted various multifaceted national campaigns in the last few months- Concert From Home, Garv Se Ghar Par, and Corona Fighters ko Salaam, across 39 cities of its presence. Radio City also launched a foot tapping anthem called ‘Ghar se na niklenge’, which motivated people to continue staying indoors and urged them to come forward and support the nation by donating to the PM Cares Fund.  Amplifying the core motto of ‘Rag Rag Mein Daude City’, Radio City continues to strengthen the bond with the citizens.

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Lockdown: Police rain lathis on migrants walking home to UP, Gujarat

Migrant workers continue to suffer amid the lockdown. In the latest incident, hundreds of labourers, who had set out for home on foot, were lathi-charged by police at Kashimira on Thursday. Police chased them away towards the city, and now they have nowhere to go.

Over 250 daily-wagers were headed towards Gujarat when they were stopped by the police on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near Ghodbunder Road junction. As police rained lathis on them, many ran down the bridge and crossed to the other side. Others ran to hide behind vehicles. A mid-day team witnessed the baton charge that took place on the north-bound Versova bridge on the highway. With no food and to transportation back home, the workers had decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to reach home.

'Don't know where to go'

"Dhobi ke kutte wali haalat ho gayi hai humari… na ghar ke rahe na ghaat ke... kidhar jayein samajh nahin aata (We don't know where to go anymore)," said Baliram Choudhary, who left his rented house at Dahisar East on Thursday to walk home to Maharajganj in UP.


Police lathi charge workers near Ghodbunder Road junction on Thursday

"I filled the form five days ago to take a train home. But I have not received any response. I got a test done for COVID-19 and my report came back negative. I lost my patience and decided to walk home," he added.

"We are stuck at this tri-junction for three hours because the police are not allowing us to cross Versova bridge," said Choudhary, accompanied by his two friends Naushad Ahmed and Sahban Hussain. "We are all tailors and lived together in the rented room. Now, even if we decide to go back, the landlord won't take us back suspecting we may have contracted COVID-19," said Ahmed. "We are now jobless as well as homeless. Police are beating us up and not allowing us to go to our hometowns," said Hussain.


Gita was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, spouse and a relative

Among the hundreds was Gita, who was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, husband and a relative. They worked at a construction site before the lockdown. She had planned to go to her relative's place at Nalasopara and then arrange a transportation to UP. "Why are cops chasing us away and beating us? What is our fault?" asked her relative Mukesh.

Youth looted by auto driver

A youth Umesh Paswan had boarded an autorickshaw from Bhayandar for Nalasopara, but the driver and his two friends allegedly snatched his phone and Rs 50 cash. "A few minutes after I took the auto, the driver stopped midway and his two friends came, slapped me and snatched my mobile phone and the cash," said Paswan, who did not file a complaint fearing the police would book him for violating the stay-at-home order. He then decided to walk to Nalasopara where his brother stays.

However, the police have refuted the allegations of lathi charge. "I was present there on Versova bridge and they [migrant workers] were not lathi charged," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar, Thane Rural.

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COVID-19: Food takeaway outlet hauled up by cops over no social distancing

The fact that food delivery has been classified as an essential service seems to have escaped some Mumbai Police personnel. Restaurateur Saransh Goila found this out the hard way after three separate instances of a cop entering the Andheri West outlet of his franchise, Goila's Butter Chicken, and beating up the workers there even though they were within their rights to keep the eatery functional.

The latest instance took place at 9 pm on Wednesday, when — according to Goila — an officer hit his workers with a lathi on their legs and shoulders, telling them to shut shop around 9 pm. "I had reached out to the DN Nagar police around 10 days ago [after the first two incidents] and was told that the situation wouldn't arise again since we are allowed to operate our business. So, it's unfortunate that it's been repeated. The incident occurred at 9 pm. That's not an ungodly hour, and as an essential service, we are anyway allowed to function beyond the curfew [of 7 pm]. The fact that they entered the store and beat up my guys has scared them," Goila said.

He added that he'd prefer it if the police made their stand clear. "They should just tell us straight up if they don't want us to operate and we will leave quietly," he said, voicing a thought that National Restaurants Association of India president Anurag Katriar echoed in a tweet after Wednesday's incident.

It read, "Dear @MumbaiPolice — We request u to kindly clarify if the home delivery is permitted or not? If yes, a sincere request to sensitise ur on-ground forces better & if not, do let us know. We will comply as law-abiding citizens. We have utmost respect for u. Thank u [sic]!"

In response, Senior Inspector Parmeshwar Gamne of DN Nagar Police Station said: "There are several restaurants around Golia's Butter Chicken restaurant. Not just their delivery boys, but even customers who come by to pick their orders, don't maintain social distancing rules. The crowding certainly calls for strictest action, considering the threat it poses for spread of the Coronavirus. Similarly on Wednesday, we had to take action and shut the restaurants after they refused to abide to the precautions. Social distancing cannot be compromised on."

With inputs from Shirish Vaktania

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Mumbai: Digital content creator accuses 3D printing startup of 'profiting off a pandemic'

A 3D printing startup in Mumbai has been accused of not fulfilling its part of the deal in a crowdfunded project initiated by a Delhi-based content creator to provide equipment to frontline health workers.

In March, Kusha Kapila contacted Boson Machines (BM) to provide 3D printed face shields for medical personnel at an initially agreed price of R150, by raising Rs 900,000 on Ketto.

With an industry standard yet to emerge, there were a lot of debates between Kapila and BM over the price and the number of masks to be made for raised amount."We then settled on R19 lakh for 18,000 masks," said Kapila. "Even this meant that a shield would cost Rs 105, which was still higher than the price of other 3D printers. The price was again reduced to Rs 75, before they finally agreed to R60. At the same time, the fundraising goal was also increased to Rs 21 lakh. They already had orders and capacity for 14,500 masks and we wanted to help as much as we could."


Kapila’s tweet tagging Aaditya Thackeray where she called out Boson

Boson was paid around Rs 13 lakh for the 14,500 face shields, and the remaining money was with Ketto, to be paid after the second batch of shields were dispatched.

The story gets muddled at this point, with Kapila taking to Twitter on May 1, accusing the company of not honouring its commitment and claiming even Rs 60 per mask was steep.

"After many enquiries, and [BM co-founders and brothers] Arjun and Parth Panchal's consistent unavailability, they finally sent a cost breakdown that I forwarded to various industry experts for verification."

In another tweet, Kapila alleged BM charged more than market price. Both Kapila and Ketto also claim that BM had been evading their questions.

"As of today, suppliers charge anywhere between Rs 35 and Rs 50 for a shield of the same quality," Kapila told mid-day. "This suggests that BM is trying to profit off this fundraiser. Profiting off a pandemic is shameful and anti-national. For instance, the cost of the plastic frame is quoted as R80 and they could only justify Rs 27. That's a difference of Rs 53. Further, the visor cost is quoted as Rs 30, but we found out that a sheet costs Rs 8. The tally says BM has delivered 10,700 pieces but we don't know if this has actually happened. As of today, Boson owes [me and Ketto] Rs 6,76,000," Kapila said.

By this, Kapila means BM has to return her and Ketto R6,76,000 from the initial Rs 13 lakh paid, as per her calculations. "The last time I spoke to them, which is when we reached a price of Rs 60, they agreed to return the money but later said their CA would get in touch and have ghosted me since," said Kapila.


Parth Panchal. Pic/Facebook, Arjun Panchal. Pic/Twitter

BM claims it has already delivered 10,700 face shields to 19 hospitals and other institutions across the country, including Mumbai's Sion Hospital, Kasturba Hospital, KEM Hospital, Wadia Hospitals—and even the BMC.

In an email to mid-day, BM refers to Ketto Online Ventures Private Limited as the buyer, and not Kapila. "We are unaware of the role of Ms Kusha Kapila with the buyer, M/s Ketto Online Ventures Private Limited, and whether she is authorised to represent the company in commercial matters," it said.

BM also alleged Ketto owes them an outstanding R1,31,063 from the orders that they had already fulfilled.

"We have seen the statement put out by Boson and our legal team is taking necessary steps," said Varun Sheth, of ketto.org.

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Aurangabad train accident: Maharashtra government to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to kin of victim

The Maharashtra government on Friday announced a compensation of Rs 500,000 to the next of kin of all the migrants who were run over by a goods train near Aurangabad. Expressing deep anguish over the incident which killed 16 migrants, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that all the expenses for the treatment of all those injured in the mishap will be borne by the state government. "We are in constant touch with the Centre to make arrangements for running as many trains as possible for the migrants to return to their homes. I appeal to them not to give up hopes," Thackeray urged.

The Chief Minister said that the victims were working for a steel company in Jalna and were proceeding along the railway lines, apparently to their homes in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. At night they slept on the railway tracks but early Friday a goods train ran over them, killing 16 and injuring many others.

Thackeray said in the past 4-5 days around 100,000 migrants have reached home safely and more trains are being organized, including from Mumbai, to send the other stranded workers to their respective states.

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Maharashtra seals borders with other states to curb liquor smuggling

In an attempt to prevent smuggling of liquor from neighbouring states during the lockdown, Maharashtra has sealed its borders with them and deployed adequate manpower at a dozen checkposts, an official said on Friday. The move by the excise department has come in the wake of lifting of certain coronavirus-induced curbs, which included allowing reopening of liquor shops. As the demand for alcohol has increased in Maharashtra, there is a possibility of liquor smuggling by inter-state organised syndicates, the official said.

Considering the threat from such syndicates, the excise department has deployed its flying squads and vigilance teams in districts located along the borders with neighbouring states, he said. To avoid any smuggling activity during this period, we have increased our vigil on 12 checkposts and sealed borders with adjoining states," he said. This will help in curbing illegal transportation of liquor or spirit, the official said. With the help of local police, the excise department has initiated action against persons involved in smuggling and transportation of liquor, he said.

Since the lockdown came into force in late March, at least 4,829 offences have been registered for illegal liquor transportation and 438 vehicles seized, he said. Besides, at least 2,104 persons have been arrested so far in such cases, the official said, adding liquor and other material worth Rs 12.63 crore have been seized since the shutdown.

The excise department has started a control room, where people can provide information related to illegal manufacturing or sale of liquor, he said.

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Bois Locker Room case must lead to change

It will be interesting to see what happens after police action in the Bois Locker Room case. The Delhi police have booked members of this Instagram group.

A quick search will show that this online avenue had teenage boys exchanging morphed pictures, obscene content and casual references to sexual assaults and gang-rapes. The most disturbing part of this is that many of those references were to their female classmates.

Plenty has been written about action, blame games, threats and the police machinery doing its work, as it should. What is important now is how the accused families react, talk to their children and see that there is a true change in these youngsters.

There cannot be any excuses about what has been done. Parents must make that clear to their children and to themselves that this is wrong.

Now, the group members who have indulged in this will need talking to from family and from professionals, if need be. Let us not forget that this is a life-changing event for all involved.

There has to be intense, hard counselling for the boys involved. What should this be? Who needs to talk to them? Should teachers talk to them? Should one or two members of the family do it? Should professionals start counselling and continue for months? The accent should be that this is not just criminal but completely unacceptable. The shame should not come from police action alone, but the overarching realisation that this kind of talk is certainly not light-hearted but completely reprehensible.

The bigger effort is the acceptance of a gross mistake, no attempt to sweep anything under the carpet and a long, committed and concerted effort to see true transformation. Like the #metoo movement, it should be times-up for this kind of bois locker room talk.

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Aurangabad train tragedy: Why migrants are still walking on tracks

'Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hain, aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hain (People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on railway tracks)," said a migrant, who was walking on the tracks to reach his hometown in UP, about the tragic incident at Aurangabad. Most migrants are aware of it, but choose to walk on the tracks to avoid police action on the highways.

They fear they will be stopped from walking home and beaten and quarantined by the police. Speaking to mid-day, many of them said they don't have a choice.

mid-day has been reporting about the plight of the migrants who claim the government is not helping them with food and have also spent all their money since the lockdown began as they have been out of work. Many of them also claimed they decided to walk home as despite giving all required documents to board the special trains, local authorities are not telling them of the next procedures. Some of them decided to walk as they don't have the required documents. After the disturbing sight of hundreds of migrants walking home on highways, comes another such sight of them walking on railway tracks.


Tukaram Kuldip and his friends are walking from Mumbai Central to UP

Tukaram Kuldip, a resident of Basti, Uttar Pradesh, started walking from Mumbai Central on Thursday night, and by Friday morning had reached Thane. "We are a group of 30 people going to Basti. We submitted relevant documents at Nagpada police station to board the special trains, but there is no response. We are starving. Sarkar theek hai achche ke liye band kiya hai, lekin ham gareebon ka kya ? Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hai aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hai. (It's good the government has implemented the lockdown, but what about us poor people? People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on the railway tracks) We heard about the Aurangabad incident. Nobody wants to die like that but we have no options left. Ghar par hamare log bhi hain. (We have family at home)."

'Should we starve here?'

Another group of 30 migrants was walking on the railway tracks near Mulund railway station. A member of the group, Jalaluddin Khan, told mid-day. "We know it's dangerous. So should we starve here? Should we get beaten up by the police? Nobody knows what we are going through since the past one month. We are given half-cooked rice by the local civic corporation to eat once a day. We just want the government to take us home." This group belongs to Basti, Uttar Pradesh.

"Our group members submitted the forms at the concerned police station for the special trains but they got rejected. We don't know why. No one told us anything. We will see if there are any arrangements in Thane, otherwise we will continue walking," Khan said.


Udaybhan Yadav and his family are walking to Basti 

Another migrant worker, Udaybhan Yadav, a resident of Basti, started his journey from Mulund along with his wife and eight-year-old child. Yadav used to work at a hotel in Mumbai. "My parents are worried about us as we have no money and are not getting enough food here. We don't know when things will return to normalcy."

Railway speak

"We have been on alert since the lockdown was announced. The gateman and the keymen have been briefed to alert us about the movement of migrants. We have been counselling and taking action against those walking on the tracks," said Atul Pathak, IG Central Railway Mumbai division.

Inputs by Vishal Singh

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Sixteen migrants crushed under train in Aurangabad

Around 16 migrant workers sleeping on rail tracks were crushed to death by a goods train at Satana village in the limits of Karmad police station near Aurangabad district at around 05.30 am on Friday. Of the total 16 deceased, 14 died on the spot while two others died on their way to the hospital.

According to the local police, a group of around 20 migrants started walking from Jalna district to Bhusawal in Madhya Pradesh which is around 170 Kms.

"They were exhausted due to the walk and decided to take rest, but soon they dozed off with 16 of them sleeping on the tracks while the other four slept adjacent to it. Of the four who survived, one has suffered injuries while the other three are in a state of shock. We are speaking to them to verify other details," Mokshada Patil, SP, Aurangabad said.

"During early hours today (Friday) after seeing some labourers on track, loco pilot of goods train tried to stop the train but eventually hit them between Badnapur and Karmad stations in Parbhani-Manmad section. Injured have been taken to Aurangabad civil hospital and an inquiry has been ordered," the Railway Ministry tweeted.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Railway, the survivors left Jalna at 07.00 pm on Thursday. They walked till Badnapore by road and then went onto the track towards Aurangabad. After walking for about 36 km, they decided to take rest in which 14 sat on the tracks, while the rest sat adjacent to it.

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Departing migrants packed like sardines on bus to LTT

All looked well-organised for the 1,111 passengers of the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Kurla)-Basti, Uttar Pradesh train that departed on Friday evening. However, chaos erupted amid delays as migrants were hurriedly packed like sardines into buses and transported to LTT, with social distancing forgotten.

The train transporting migrants from Meghwadi and Jogeshwari was the first to leave from the city. Sources said that of the originally 40 buses planned, just a few seemed to be pressed into service.

According to eyewitnesses, in the beginning, every bus had only 30 passengers and eight such buses arrived at LTT. But the process became tedious with just a handful of buses, which then had to make multiple trips to Jogeshwari.

The buses that came after 3:30 pm did not follow social distancing, with some people standing and some sitting on the footboard.

"We woke up at 5 am and were waiting with our kids and luggage. We expected to be taken to CSMT. But at the last minute, after the medical check-ups, we were packed into buses and brought to LTT. The confusion and chaos drained us, but finally, here we are on the train, going back home," a happy Dinesh Jaiswal, group leader of 13 people from Sonwara village said.

"We had filled forms five to six days ago at the local police station and were told last night that we would be taken to CSMT," said Shakil Ahmed, a tailor and painter, and group leader of 27 people from Gonda village.

Another resident, Manish Yadav, said that at the village they will at least stay with their family and struggle along with other villagers. "Mumbai is where we came to earn, but our roots are in the village. We stay well in the village where needs are minimal. With no sight of when the lockdown will lift, we cannot afford to stay in Mumbai at the mercy of free food," Yadav added.

"After they were brought to the railway station, group leaders were given tickets, which cost about R685 per head and then they were lined up and sent to respective coaches. Only two persons were allowed to sit in one bay. The train will reach Basti district on May 9," a railway official said.

Speaking on the last-minute chaos caused due to the change from CSMT to Kurla, Central Railway's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said special trains are being run only on request of state governments. "We run trains if sending and receiving states agree. As per their request, we kept a train ready at LTT Kurla station," he said.

While nodal officer in-charge of the operation Dinesh Desai did not respond to calls, another official said that it would have been difficult to monitor every stage of the operation and these passengers all had a medical check up before embarking on the bus journey, so it was safe for them to be around each other.

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Mumbai Crime: Case against club members for defying lockdown

A case has been registered against office-bearers of Bandra Gymkhana in the city for violation of lockdown after a video purportedly showed members celebrating its completion of 85 years despite the lockdown restrictions.

A lawyer filed a complaint saying that a video on social media showed Gymkhana members singing and dancing during the celebration of completion of 85 years of the club, a police officer said.

A case under IPC sections 188 (defying public servant's order) and 269 (act which may spread infection) was registered against office-bearers and some members, he said, adding that probe was on.

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Mumbai: Kin of BEST staffer dying from COVID-19 to get job

The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Friday said it would recruit a kin if any employee dies due to the coronavirus infection while on duty. It would be in the Class II or IV categories depending on the kin's educational qualifications, an official said. "Employment will be provided to the wife or son or unmarried daughter of a deceased employee.

If the person who died is a bachelor, then the job would be given to his brother or unmarried sister," an official said.

So far, 64 BEST employees have tested positive for the virus, including four who died of the infection.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: Milkman's technique for supplying milk becomes a hit online!

The ongoing lockdown imposed by the government due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the country has taken a toll on the public lives of the people. With social distancing being the new norm, people have come up with innovative techniques to ensure the supply of essential goods is not affected. Just like this milkman who came up with a creative idea to deliver milk, which netizens are terming as ‘jugaad.’

In a photo of the person posted by IAS officer Nitin Sangwan, the customer is seen standing a few feet away from the milkman carrying four cans of milk behind his motorbike. A pipe is fixed on the back of the bike, with a funnel attached to it. As the milkman pours milk into the funnel, the customer holds a bowl on the other end of the pipe to collect the milk coming out of it.

Sangwan captions on the photo shared with his post, “Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe,” adding how others can help maintain social distancing by staying at home and wearing mask.

The photo of this innovative technique that ensures zero contact was shared on Thursday and has garnered 704 likes. It was also retweeted 105 times. Users commenting on the photo praised the idea and posted about how this ‘jugaad’ can help in maintaining social distance.

What do you think about this post?

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Mumbai Crime: Couple kills senior citizen for scolding after finding them in compromising position

A man has been arrested killing a senior citizen for scolding him and his partner after finding them in compromising position. The accused, identified as Karan Singh Yadav (30), was nabbed by cops from the Shanti Nagar Police in Bhiwandi from a quarantine facility in Parbhani whereas his partner is absconding.

The deceased, Krushna Joshi (72) owned a room in a chawl at Temghar pada. He had rented the room to Yadav’s partner, identified as Lata alias Jyoti Rathod (35). Yadav would often visit Rathod in her home. In April, when Joshi had gone to collect rent, he found the Yadav and Rathod in compromising position. Joshi then scolded the couple and warned Rathod to stop bringing her friends to the room.

According to the police, Rathod and Yadav, enraged by Joshi’s comments, decided to kill him. “On the night of April 11, the couple found Joshi alone at his house and hit him with a stone," said an officer, adding that the duo fled the city the same night.

On  April 12, when Joshi’s son, who stays closeby, tried to contact him, he didn’t respond.  He then rushed to Shanti Nagar Police station and filed a missing person report against his father. The police launched a search for Joshi and found that Rathod also went missing the same night. Senior Inspector Mamta D'Souza formed a team under the leadership of Assistant Police Inspector Amol More and Shailesh Mhatre and started the investigation.

The officer said that they found Rathod’s address in which it was mentioned that she is a native of Parbhani. We didn't have any other details such as her mobile number or the CCTV footage of the spot of the incident, so we decided to go to Parbhani to find her" told API Shailesh Mhatre. "When our team went to Parbhani, we visited the place mentioned in address but there was no one stay there of this name," he added.

The cops then decided to check quarantine centres in the district made for people coming from other districts. "We found a name similar to that of Rathod’s partner, Yadav. We then immediately interrogated him and he confessed to committing the crime, but Rathod is still absconding,” said API Mhatre.

During interrogation, Karan told the police that, he dumped Joshi’s body in a well near the chawl. The police team came back to the city and recovered Joshi’s body, which was found to be completely decomposed. An offence has been registered against Yadav and Rathod under IPC section 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention of committing the crime).

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'My husband has long conversations on the phone...'

Dear Diana,
Of late, my husband has been hooked to his cell phone. His conversations are long and he always steps away to talk. I have even tried to eavesdrop, but he talks so softly that I cannot fathom anything. It is clear that he is looking at something more than just conversations with the caller. I feel he is attracted to another woman from the way he is all smiles after the conversation ends. My husband behaves as if nothing is amiss. A few days ago, we went to a party. Suddenly, he disappeared for an hour. He sent me a message saying that he had to attend an urgent call. On the way back home, I questioned him. He told me not to read too much into the calls. I don't know what to do. If I keep asking my husband, it will surely create problems between us. How do I know who the caller is?
Roshni

Dear Roshni,
You need to know with whom he is indulging in such long conversations. Do not waste any further time in telling your hubby what is on your mind. More importantly, he needs to tell you the truth. He is hiding things from you which is strange. This is making you speculate. It could be a work related call and things could be hectic on his office front, but he needs to tell you. Or it could be someone else. You feel there is another woman in his life. Your hubby may have fallen for someone, but he should realise that he is married. Sooner or later, things could take an ugly turn if he gets more and more involved with these calls. He is ruining things by being secretive. It is time he spills the beans and told you what is going on. If you need help, speak to someone else from the family or a close pal.





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'My broken engagement still haunts me...'

Dear Diana,
I am 33 and single. Six years ago, I was in a relationship with a guy in the neighbourhood. We had got engaged too, but later we broke off. His family felt I was not suitable for their son and they then relocated to Surat. Ever since my engagement broke off, I have not had any guy on the scene. My parents have now registered me on a marriage website. They feel I should settle down. But I believe that I will never get married due to my broken engagement. Will I ever find someone who will love me? Someone who will not ask unwanted questions about my past? I have become a recluse after the break up. My parents are worried about me.
— Rasika

Dear Rasika,
A broken engagement does not mean that you will not find love again. So do not lose heart. You could be second time lucky. Just think that this guy was not meant for you. You needed someone better. Let the engagement break up remain where it is — in the distant past. There is no point brooding about it and crying over it. After the break up, you have cut yourself from the social scene. There is no reason to do so. Hang out with your pals, you never know when and where you will meet Mr Right. Your parents are concerned about you and want you to be happy. Let them register you on a matrimonial website. I am sure they will find the best for you. At the same time, do not put pressure on yourself to get hitched. You cannot go looking for love, it just comes your way.


Diana will solve it!




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'My husband has a roving eye...'

Dear Diana,
I have been married for the last three years. Things were going fine till my husband met one of his old school pals. This friend is not married and has sworn to remain a bachelor all his life. He had relocated to Singapore, but is now back in Mumbai. My hubby has been spending a lot of time with him. In the process, he is also getting influenced a great deal by him. As his friend is single, I feel he is always checking out any women who comes his way. His friend can get away, but not my husband. I find his behaviour disgusting. Sometimes they make things so obvious that I feel they deserve to be pulled up and taken to task. Often, I accompany them on outings and when my husband gangs up with his pal, he goes berserk. I have told him to stop going overboard, but he says it is harmless fun. My hubby was not like this before. How do I tell him to stop checking out any woman who crosses his path?
— Trishala

Dear Trishala,
It is clear that your husband is greatly influenced by his pal. He may have reconnected with him after a gap, but that is no excuse for him to do exactly what he says. The pal is single, but your husband is not. Moreover, it will spell trouble for them if they go berserk, some woman might go and complain about them which may lead to big trouble for them. You need to calmly explain to your husband that his behaviour is not done and that it will lead to problems for him. He cannot go by what his pal is saying. This pal has a roving eye and your hubby is doing exactly what he says. It is time he stopped being dictated by what his pal says. He might think that you are trying to take him away from your pal, but you need to be tactful. He can be friends with him, but he need not go overboard when he sees any woman





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'My husband is behaving strange...'

Dear Diana,
I have been married for eight years. We are a middle-class family. We have a daughter who is six years old. Life is tough, but we are managing. Things were fine till about four months ago, when my husband started behaving strange. He would come home late night almost every day. Even though he has weekends off, he would say he has work and not return till late night. This has been going on for a while and my husband is not saying what is going on. Last week, around 2.30 am he suddenly got up from sleep. He woke me up to say that he was feeling hungry. He said he felt like eating a cheese sandwich. I quickly rushed to make him a sandwich. But by the time I returned, he was getting ready to leave. He said he was going to Pune for a meeting. He told me to pack the sandwich along with tea in a flask. He left and did not return for three days. Whenever I would call on his cell phone, he would say he is busy. He is back home, but refuses to say for what he travelled to Pune. I think something is amiss. What should I do?
— Sagarica

Dear Sagarica,
It is rather strange that your hubby is hiding things from you. He needs to tell you what is going on. It is clear that something is troubling him. It could be on the workfront, but there is no reason to be evasive. He does not care for you even though you are worried sick. Your husband seems to be the least concerned about you. He knows that what he is doing is wrong, yet he continues with his strange behaviour. He cannot just disappear and then appear in your life. It is his duty to tell you his whereabouts. There is no point jumping to conclusions and falling prey to idle talk. There could be a genuine reason that is causing havoc in his life. Tell him that you need to know the truth and may be he needs help.





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'My guy is going abroad...'

Dear Diana,
My boyfriend is moving from Mumbai to Dubai for better job prospects. He is in the hospitality sector and has bagged a good offer. He moves next month, but I have already started suffering from separation pangs. I have my doubts for how long our relationship will last as distance is sure to take a toll. I have already expressed my reservations about it to him, but he says distance will not affect our relationship. He says that we will still see each as other as often as we can, but I know we can't afford to travel so often between Mumbai and Dubai every now and then. I work in a PR company, so work is hectic for me as well. I am sure that we will drift apart as soon as he takes off. I believe in the dictum: Out of sight, out of mind. What do I do? Should I tell him that it is better that we go our way before he leaves?
— Shailaja

Dear Shailaja,
He has not yet moved, but you have already started reacting. First, let him take up the job and see how things work out. At the moment you are overreacting. Give him a chance to settle down in his new job. If you can't meet often, you can talk to each other over the phone, Skype, WhatsApp or chat online. There are many couples who are in a long-distance relationship out there, so it is not that it is something you cannot handle. You two just need to show that you are there for each other. As long as you are on the same page, the geographical distance does not matter. So stop getting anxious for now and give the relationship a chance before severing ties with him.





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'My guy is getting on my nerves...'

Dear Diana,
I have been with this guy for over a year. We met during my cousin's wedding. She had a big fat destination wedding in Goa. The guy is a close buddy of the groom. We got along well ever since we were introduced at the wedding. Back in Mumbai, we kept in touch. We then began hanging out together. My cousin and her hubby felt we were a good match. Things were going fine, till about two months ago. I now find his behaviour irritating. When we used to hang out with my cousin and her hubby, things were fine. Later, he felt we should not accompany the newly-married couple. This is when the problem arose. I got to see a side of him which I had not seen earlier. He began to be demanding, would talk loudly and proved to be suspicious in nature. It is as if he is a different person now. I do not want to be with him, but I do not know how to tell my cousin's hubby as he is his best pal. What do I do?
— Mala

Dear Mala,
Initially, due to the presence of your cousin and her hubby, you thought he was perfect for you. But when you started going out alone with him, things were far from perfect. The things you liked about him, now get on your nerves. You were perhaps drawn to him because of your cousin and her hubby. They felt you were a perfect match for him. If you are thinking about leaving him, there is no need to fear your cousin's hubby. You need to have a talk with your cousin first. You need to tell her exactly how you feel and how things have changed for you. If not, address the problems with your guy and ask if he can change. If not then you need to take a decision.





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'I still long for her...'

Dear Diana,
I had an affair with this girl at my previous workplace. It lasted for about six months. I was married and so was she, so we knew we were playing with fire. We knew it would take us no where and only cause havoc in our respective families. She would often suffer from guilt pangs. Whenever she reminded me about my wife and kids, I would get angry at her. I felt she was the best woman I ever met. She gave me a sense of peace. She was patient and caring. She wanted nothing. I had never felt like this before even though I had my share of relationships. The affair is long over, but I can't get her out of my head. I long for her touch. What should I do? It has been so many years and we have not been in touch, but I cannot forget her. Often, I feel like meeting her, but then I feel I should not. I also wonder if she remembers me and still cares for me.
— Dharam

Dear Dharam,
You found someone special and this woman seems to have filled your life with happiness. She is still stuck in your memory because you have allowed yourself to be in that position. You two were indulging in an extra-marital affair, so sooner or later, you would have been caught causing an upheaval in your life. You have not been in touch with her, but you are still pining for her. The time you spent with her must have been memorable which you do not want to let go, but there is no point trying to get in touch with her again. She used to keep reminding you of the guilt pangs, so let her be. Why do you want to mess up your marital life? Let her remain happy wherever she is. Meanwhile, you should get going with your life as she has and keep all thoughts about her at bay.





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'She keeps calling me...'

Dear Diana,
I met this girl last month at a party. She was introduced to me through a common friend. We exchanged numbers, but I did not give much thought to it. She was just one among the several people I met at the bash. In fact, I forgot about her. A week after the bash, I get a SMS from her. She then sent me some snapshots of the party on WhatsApp. As they were group photos, I could not even recall who she was. She then sent me a solo snapshot of herself. That night, we were all high and I could not even recall who I met at the event. So, I just told her that I remembered her and that we had a great time at the party. Ever since, this girl has been hounding me with calls and messages. She is keen to meet me for some business deal. I know this is just an excuse to get to know me better. I am not the least interested in her. How do I tell her to stop calling and texting me? I often do not reply or tell her I am busy and will catch up with her at a later date, but she just does not give up.
— Avinesh

Dear Avinesh,
She has been bombarding you with calls for some business deal. May be that is the reason, but you feel she is interested in you. One way to get her off your back is to ask her what the deal is about. If it is a genuine business proposition, she will tell you. If not, then you know what is on her mind. By avoiding her calls and telling her that you will meet at a later date, you are sending mixed signals. Just tell her clearly that you are not interested, if you think she is pursuing you. You are not being forthright with her so she is unsure what is on your mind. Tell her the truth. You have no feelings for her nor care for her — so what is stopping you from clearly expressing what is on your mind?





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'I am scared of letting my family down...'

Dear Diana,
My SSC exams just got over and I know for a fact that I am going to fail. The feeling scares me to a point where I can’t sleep or eat. I don’t want to interact with friends or my family. I am scared of letting them down, especially my mother. My parents are pretty strict and I don’t know how they will react if I fail. I tried very hard to learn everything, but when I was about to write my exam, I realised that I couldn’t remember anything. I was completely blank. No one has failed in my family. Please help. I am scared.
— Rohan

Illustraion/ Uday Mohite

Dear Rohan
It’s natural that you are feeling scared of telling your parents that you might flunk in your exams, but instead of being anxious all day, it’s best that you sit them down and tell them exactly what your problems are. Even if they shout at you at that moment, eventually they will understand what you are going through. In fact, who knows, they might be able to help the situation. You mentioned that you tried studying but couldn’t memorise, so may be your parents could help you improvise on the way you learn. Remember, that life is a long journey and these numbers in your exams do not dictate how successful you are going to become in the future. They are mere marks. It also seems that you are scared that your relatives might not think highly of you when they get to know that you have failed but at the end of the day, you have to live your life and are the best judge of your capabilities. Believe in yourself.


Diana will solve it!




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'I bumped into my ex at a shopping mall...'

Dear Diana,
I was in a relationship with a girl for four years before we parted ways three years ago. Our break up was quite bitter and obviously we never tried contacting each other after that. Last week, I bumped into her at a shopping mall. I was with my girlfriend and she was with a guy too, but I don’t know if he was her boyfriend. We were in the same store and happened to cross paths. We smiled at each other, but didn’t talk. Now, just seeing her brought back so many memories. I have never had the same emotional connection I had with her and I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t know if it’s love or just nostalgia, but I can’t get her out of my head. I have been having constant fights with my current girlfriend because she can sense that something is amiss. Please help.
— Abhinav


Illustrastion/Uday Mohite

Dear Abhinav,
Bumping into an ex can get very awkward, but the fact that you can’t stop thinking about her even after just seeing her means that you still have feelings for her. If you were in love with your current girlfriend, meeting your ex flame would have meant nothing to you. So, I feel you should first understand that yourself. Then, talk to your present girlfriend about your feelings because you do owe an explanation to her. Even if both of you decide to take a break or call it off, it will only be for the better. Now, as far as your ex-girlfriend is concerned, try and figure out if she also has feelings for you. There is no point going after her if she is not on the same page as you. Best of luck!





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'My pal is eyeing my girlfriend...'

Dear Diana,
My friend and I have the hots for the same girl. I did not know earlier that he was also interested in her. He would keep showering her with praises, but I used to think it was because she was my girl. My pal is now proving to be an obstacle in my love life. He has been telling common friends that he introduced me to her and that I stole her from him. This is a lie as he barely knew her when he introduced her to me. In fact, he used to tell me that she was not his type of girl. The problem is that I don't know how to tell him. The girl is aware that he likes her, but she tells me that she cares for me. I don't even like the idea of him talking to her now. At the same time, my girl refuses to stop talking to him. I have told her to stop communicating with him, but she is in no mood to listen.
— Mohit


Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Mohit,
First of all your girl is loving the attention you are showering on him as well as your buddy. Why is she encouraging him if she is not interested in him? She is to blame for your state of affairs. You could not muster enough courage to tell him that you liked the girl, so he went ahead showering his affections on her. So you can't blame your buddy. If the girl is interested in you, she would not be extra friendly with this guy too. You need to talk things out with your girl and tell her how you feel. If she does not make amends, then you need to do a rethink. Your girl will then have to choose between you and your friend. If she does not, it is time to get over this girl.





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'He is splurging me with gifts...'

Dear Diana,
I have been with this guy for six months. I am not yet sure if he is the right guy for me. He keeps springing surprises and splurges me with gifts. He seems to have already made up his mind that I am the girl for him. I don't know why I am not yet convinced about him. At the same time, the way he is going about, I don't know how to tell him to go slow. I do not want to break his heart. He thinks I also like him and that we are made for each other. My guy gets carried away too fast. He is all out to prove that he cares for me. Often, I find this irritating. How do I tell him to go slow? I dread to think that if I feel he is not the guy for me, he will be devastated. It is not that I an leading him on. He is going too fast, too soon. On the other hand, I prefer to be cautious and slow in my approach.
— Naina


Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Naina,
Your guy has made up his mind and you also need to take a decision soon. If you want time, you need to tell him clearly. It appears that this man is busy planning a future with you, while you do not even know if he will exist in your scheme of things. He is impulsive and a happy-go-lucky individual while you want to be safe, rather than be sorry. You may not be leading him on, but at least you can tell him to go slow. For starters, stop him when he goes on an overdrive buying gifts for you. This is his way of making you happy and you seem to be enjoying it. At the same time, if you two sit down and talk things out, he will have a clear picture of what is going on in your mind. It is time you were honest and forthright with him as he is with you.





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'He's always making fun of me...'

Dear Diana,
My guy has this peculiar habit of poking fun at me. Whatever I do, he has a problem. He does not like the way I dress, the way I eat and the way I talk. Recently, I enrolled in a gym and he finds it amusing. He has been asking me daily how many inches I have lost. He has been sarcastic and instead of goading me to lose weight and motivate me, he is going on a different tangent. I try hard to please him, but he always takes offence. We have been together for eight years. He says he is afraid to commit, so even though we are in our early 30s, a wedding is not on the horizon for now. I usually do not react to whatever he says, so after a while he has to keep quiet. When we are with friends, he behaves loving and caring, but when we are alone, he shows his true colours. I am fed up of him and his recent behaviour has been obnoxious. He even lands up at the gym to watch me work out and questions the instructor whether I am serious about it. What should I do?
— Sandy


Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Sandy,
Why are you still sticking around with a guy who leaves no opportunity to demean you? Why have you been taking all his nonsense all these years? You seem to have developed low self-esteem because of this man. He needs to accept you, the way you are – just the way you have accepted him. He does not ridicule you in front of his pals because they will chide him. He knows that you are submissive and meek, so he can get away by telling you anything. It is time you stopped being the doormat. More importantly, you need to sit down and take a decision. Do you want to be with a man who ridicules you or respects you? The choice is yours. If you want to stick around, stop complaining. But if you want a man who respects you, walk out on him.





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'My girlfriend is behaving weird...'

Dear Diana,
My girlfriend has been behaving strange lately. There is a 12-year age difference between us. At times, I feel she is childish. She sometimes tells me I'm the one for her, but then she ignores me and, at times, I am like a father-figure to her. In front of my pals, she behaves like a kid and they have started making fun of me. Things were not like this earlier. I liked her as she was mature and far beyond her age of 23. I am 35 and my family is putting pressure on me to wed. But looking at her recent weird acts, I am having second thoughts about marriage. She tells me that she does not mind marrying me for now. I find it strange. Does this mean that when she finds someone else, she will dump me? Her pals tell her I am too old and that she should be with someone in her age group. Things are getting more weird as now she is telling me that we should take a break in our relationship. I don't know what she will do next. Am I better off without her?
— Neel

Dear Neel,
It could be that she doesn't like you and does not want to say it clearly. She is going on this weird trip thinking that you will go your way. You can't be in a relationship with a girl who is all muddled up. Initially, you say, things were fine despite the age difference. This means either she has been influenced by her pals or there is someone else on the scene. Taking a break means that you two might not get back together. Sit down with her and tell her honestly what you feel about the situation. If she continues with her weird act, you need to take a decision. Then you are better off without this woman who keeps changing her stance.





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'She regularly sent me good morning messages...'

Dear Diana,
I met this doctor when I was hospitalised. She took care of me and gave me unconditional attention during my stay there. We exchanged our numbers and she promised to keep in touch. After getting discharged from the hospital, she regularly sent me good morning messages. In fact, the first time she came home, we indulged in some physical romance. However, she doesn't communicate much and is always mum when I tell her that I want to take the relationship ahead. I don't know what to do.
– Confused patient


Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Confused patient,
It's obvious there is some chemistry between the two of you. However, seeing how she keeps ignoring you advances for a relationship, it only suggests that she isn't interested in one. Don't read too much into her text messages, it could be bulk message that she sends to everyone on her list. As for getting physical with you, well may be that all she wanted from the short relationship. If you are still curious and confused about what to do, then talk and express your desire to take the relationship forward. Tell her that you are serious about her. Chances are that you will never hear from her again or she may respond to your gesture and express her true feelings. This could either be positive or negative, so don't be too heart broken if she tells you that she is just not that into you. Take it in your stride, respect her decision and move on. May be the next time you can check out the patient next to you in stead of the doctor or nurse in charge. Statutory warning: There is no medication prescribed for broken hearts, so don't dwell much on it and look for someone who feels the same way about things the way you do.





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Unisex scents by Indian perfumeries shows growing favour for gender fluid smells

Pooja Sudhir's search for a signature scent ended after graduation. She moved from deodorants to body mists and was finally looking to mature into a perfume user, when she found a scent with musky notes that she instantly liked. "The counter manager rushed to me, saying, 'But, ma'am, this is for men.' I think that's where it all started," she says about her fascination for unisex perfumes. Sudhir, an educator with DSB International School, now oscillates between the male fragrances put out by Body Shop, M&S and Titan Skinn.


Pic/Getty Images

A scent is considered unisex when it uses traditionally masculine notes like leather, smoke and wood, but is meant to be worn by both men and women. Historically, women's fragrances have carried floral or fruity notes. "I have often wondered why female perfumes are gentle and mellow, and almost always with a floral base," Sudhir, 32, says.
The gender stereotyping of scents she is alluding to could in fact, be a product of marketing and not so much about preference.


Educator Pooja Sudhir wonders why female scents are distinguished by floral notes only

The head of communications for Forest Essentials', an indigenous beauty brand with foundations in Ayurveda, says it has little to do with nature telling us what we should or shouldn't wear. "Fragrances are best chosen depending on mood, occasion, seasonality, and your personality rather than gender." Their best-selling body mists are proof. They tend to include oud, Kerala lime or vetiver. "For us, choosing the oud and green tea combination was less about gender and more about picking ingredients that are inherently Indian. That these fragrances have male and female appeal is an added advantage."


Gaurav and Jahnvi

Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan heads The Perfume Library, a four-year-old boutique label that operates from New Delhi and Paris. She speaks of the 30 gender-fluid scents that both, men and women have been seen to pick up. "For instance, the Aphtoori perfume combines notes of jasmine and cigar, and it is our fastest selling among women," she says. Nandan's friendship with designer Gaurav Gupta has propelled a collaboration that's now sealed in a bottle. Gupta launched AGAIN, his debut unisex scent last week, one with zero floral tones. "It [decision to launch a unisex scent] was a no brainer. I am gender-fluid by personality, and I don't see the world in slots. Gender divides are more to do with social conditioning."


The just-launched fragrance, AGAIN

Manan Gandhi, the head of Bombay Perfumery, a-young-but-talked-about fragrance house from the city, would agree. Musk is not only for men, he asserts. Chai Musk, one of his best performing perfumes, blends sandalwood, ginger, lemongrass and musk. Of the eight fragrances he currently offers, two are unisex. "Women are not particularly concerned about female-specific infusions. They look for natural ingredients, intensity and retention. They prefer a scent that lasts," Gandhi explains. Internationally, the unisex beauty concept raged in the 1990s when Calvin Klein launched CK One and Comme des Garçons introduced its eponymous fragrance. It was the big, disruptive idea from 27-years ago.


1020 is one of two unisex scents by Bombay Perfumery

In 2017, fashion continues to champion the genderless idea, whether in clothes or fragrance, and the user is more keen to find an intimate perfume story to participate in than be slotted in grooves. Tom Ford, Chanel, Kiehl's, L'Occitane and the homebred Kama are all part of the gender-neutral narrative in India.

Ahsan Hami doesn't quite get the debate over male and female in the world of scents. "It may be a talking point internationally, but in India, we have always patronised unisex scents. All attars are unisex, and India is one of its earliest manufacturers," he says of a tradition that dates back to the Mughal times. His store, A Hami Bros, on the chaotic Mohammad Ali Road, was established in 1939.

The shelves don't hold "for men" and "for women" labelled bottles. Vetiver, an earthy scent, is usually associated with masculine fragrances, but Hami says his experience has proven that its deep notes and instant cooling effects make it a favourite with his women customers, along with smoky oud. He says, "We don't need international trends telling us unisex perfumes are cool. We've known it for 500 years."





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Here's how you can give your skin right detox post-wedding season

Wedding always brings a smile on your face and why not? After all, it also gives you a chance to shop till you drop. But have you ever realised that long hours of makeup, excessive consumption of oily food and sweets and lack of sleep can result in dull, parched skin that is easily acne prone and pigmented? So, this wedding season, be a little smart, say experts. Sangeeta Velaskar, Vice President and Head, Medical Services and R&D, Kaya Limited gives you some easy tips to put your beauty anxieties to rest:

1. Besides opting for a skin detox or a facial, it is crucial to take care of your skin as we embark on the winter season. Therefore, limit the use of makeup products as much as possible and opt for a clean, minimalistic look

2. Incorporate the basic regime of cleansing, toning and moisturizing

3. Once or twice a week, use a gentle exfoliator and massage your face in a slow, circular motion to ensure good blood circulation and remove dead skin cells

4. Moisturize your skin at all times and even when you go out, do not forget to apply sunscreen

5. If possible, incorporate a night time regimen that includes Vitamin C to renew face cells and restore skin elasticity

7. Use products that have ingredients such as marine extracts, tea tree oil and mulberry extracts. They are a rich source of proteins and a powerhouse of nutrients that reverse the effects of ageing

8. A good facial is of course, the perfect way to detox, restore and rejuvenate your skin whether you're tired, run-down, stressed or in need of a quick fix

9. It is rightly said, that you are what you eat so consume lots of fruits, nuts and sprouts in your diet. Drink enough water to keep the body hydrated and include fruits and vegetables that have high water content such as watermelons, cucumbers, strawberries and peaches. If possible, drink at least one glass of vegetable juice to increase the fiber intake

Also, Blatrix Marion, Eau Thermale Avène Sensitive Skin Expert, lists some easy detox tips to give a fresh start to your skin:

1. While cleansing should be a daily habit, you should prefer certain products when undertaking a skin detox: choose a soap-less and gentle formula.

2. Your skin needs a deep, exfoliating clean, but be very careful to be gentle! Choose a 3-in-1 mask-scrub is a clarifying clay that turns into a scrub to deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin leaving the complexion fresh and matte.

3. Once a week indulge in a home spa ritual. Choose a quiet evening and get into the mood with nice soothing music and a cup of nettle tea. Do easy home masks with thermal spring water. It guarantees continuous and prolonged contact of water with skin, thus enabling skin to enjoy the water's soothing and anti-irritating properties more rapidly and recover instant comfort and well being.

4. Use cotton wool pads soaked with thermal spring water placed gently over the eyes to prevent dryness from allergies or use of contact lenses

5. Use SPF based products to protect your skin from external aggressions

6. Always remember that ‘Less is More'. Your skin needing a detox means you should be using as less products as possible for some time. Also prefer products with gentle and minimum number of ingredients





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Fashion: Flaunt your style quotient with matching separates

Men can try it, by wearing a chequered suit, like this Gucci creation. Go bold by opting for large checks. Pic/AFP

Match your accessories like actor Priyanka Chopra, who looks like a rockstar in a Fausto Puglisi dress with matching boots. Pic/Getty Images

Motif repeat is another option to match, as seen at Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2018 show. PiC/AFP

Match the fabric finish like tennis ace Sania Mirza who elevates a simple jacket-trouser combo by going metallic for both. Pic/Sameer Markande

Play with the placement of your pattern like Athiya Shetty in this striped number. Pic/Shadab Khan

For a simple yet bold statement, pick a strong colour for your separates, like designer Victoria Beckham. Pic/Getty Images





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Fashion: Here's how you can make a stunning style statement in plastic

Style book

The sheer dresses and skirt trend is still going strong and if you wish to go a little edgy, try a sheer skirt or trousers over a bodysuit or shorts like Balmain

In a world of oversharing, you can show off the stylish contents of your bag with clear pieces like Chanel’s. Pair a formal trouser suit with the playful bag or plastic shoes

Dia Mirza in an Amit Aggarwal dress made using recycled plastic

Wear clear heels (by Prabal Gurung) or clear-strapped footwear that will help make your legs look longer

Be the fun person in your workroom by carrying a clear briefcase. pic courtesy/ instagram. com/helmut lang

MIU MIU does girly chic with this edgy winter plastic coat over a paillete dress


Go plastic




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Textile designer Vinay Narkar looks to bring back the chandrakala saree


The chandrakala saree

Every Sankranti, many married Maharashtrian women follow the tradition of meeting for the haldi kumkum ceremony, draped in black sarees. However, the black chandrakala saree that is traditionally associated with this festival is hardly worn any more. This week, Solapur-based saree and textile revivalist Vinay Narkar will bring the handwoven saree back into the spotlight with an exhibition.


The traditional motif

"Last year, I worked with the Irkal tradition of sarees, which is predominantly a north Karnataka and Maharashtrian tradition. During the process, I came across the chandrakala saree. I had heard about it since my childhood, through my grandmother and in literature. But I had never seen one; even my grandmother didn't own one. Most Maharashtrian communities follow the tradition of gifting a chandrakala saree in black or indigo blue to a bride on her first Sankranti," says Narkar. Though black is usually considered inauspicious, Narkar feels that it might have to do with the northern movement of the sun and the end of winter. He also found references of the saree in other colours.


A saree inspired by Raja Ravi Varma paintings

With the intent to revive the saree, which represents a starry night, and uses the star or moon motif, Narkar headed to Baroda to find a photo of Maharani Chimnabai Gaekwad in a chandrakala saree. He also found an MV Dhurandhar painting in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya of a woman draped in this saree. The north Karnataka districts of Gulbarga, Bidar and Bijapur also follow this tradition. "Originally, it was a nine-yard Irkal saree with star or moon butas made with khari print. It then extended to other weaving traditions such as the Paithani (with the motif being dots) and Chanderi. The motif of the moon with a flower is seen in the Benarasi tradition too. I have also used the intricate zari kasuti embroidery from Karnataka. Black Paithanis still exist, but chandrakalas were lost," rues Narkar. What sets the chandrakala saree apart from the others is that it's not a weaving tradition but an aesthetic; the saree can be woven using different techniques.


Vinay Narkar

Narkar feels that one of the reasons that led to a decline in popularity was the khari print used to make the motif. It would wear out in places and not last long. "Also, may be the style preferences changed with time. The biggest reason, which applies to most disappearing weaves of Maharashtra, is because it was one of the earliest states to be industrialised. Other regional sarees such as the Vidarbha saree, the Solapur saree, the Poona saree have all disappeared," he explains. For this collection, Narkar has worked on a cotton silk fabric to give the saree a vintage feel associated with the tradition.

'Textiles speak of history'
"Each region of India has different stories associated with its crafts. These fables are even mentioned in ancient Indian treatises. Craftsmen narrate these stories even today. Textiles also speak of recent history, as there was a distinct class segregation for weaves worn by the royals and the masses. The practice of gifting the black saree for Sankranti continues even today. My mother-in-law had gifted me a navy blue saree for Sankranti, which was the closest to black as we don't wear black in our family," says designer Shruti Sancheti who works with various weaving clusters of Maharashtra. Yellow for Saraswati pooja, and gold and red or white and red for weddings, the use of colour and motif bears specific significance. "I am a Rajput, and several people and royals from my community wear black on Diwali as it falls on amavasya," explains Sancheti.

Also check
Narkar will be displaying a set of contemporary sarees with the use of optical art. He has also recreated a Paithani from the Peshwa era, which is displayed in Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Pune. The black saree uses the polka dot motif. "The gaudy Paithanis are a result of modern times. I found the dot motif in Mumbai's old markets where people sell zari from old sarees." Another story from the collection is the Raja Ravi Varma saree. "Ravi Varma was very fond of the nine-yard saree. Almost all his characters were seen wearing it. He has used the same design of the saree in different colours for his paintings - Laxmi in red, Saraswati in white, Radha in pink for romanticism, and Subhadra in blue," says Narkar.

From: January 11 to 13
At: ARTISANS', Kala Ghoda
Call: 9820145397

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12 interesting winter must-haves for men

Winter gives limited options to style up fashionably, especially for men, but layering it differently and accessorising it properly can do the trick. James Doidge, Head of Design, Menswear at Marks & Spencer, and Sandeep Gonsalves, co-founder of SS Homme, share some interesting winter must-haves for an effortless style.


Representational picture

1. For winter, layering is key for men's dressing. Wearing a lightweight knit such as a merino crew neck jumper under a sports-inspired bomber jacket is a great way to dress for the colder weather.

2. For something slightly warmer you can't go wrong with a cashmere jumper. The super soft knit is perfect for feeling comfy in the cold.

3. For a more casual look swap a merino jumper for a sports-inspired sweatshirt. Layer over a classic white tee and pair with jeans and trainers for a laidback weekend look.

4. For truly cold days, wearing a thermal vest or pant is essential. They are everyday basics that you can wear under most looks throughout winter to keep warm with minimum effort.

5. Lastly, accessorising with a chic scarf, simple beanie or classic leather gloves is an easy way to finish winter outfits.

6. Slim fit silhouettes that are extravagant and upbeat create a dynamic structure and are trending this winter with an emphasis on fabric and texture.

7. A quality winter coat in a neutral colour is a versatile piece of clothing that is always a good choice and available in different styles and patterns allowing one to choose from a long line trench coat or a chunky coat that goes up till the waist. Worsted wool, tweed, leather and corduroy fabrics work best for this season.

8. Another winter wardrobe essential would be the simple and practical raincoat that makes for a great layer in case of unexpected downpours.

9. Longer, more streamlined coats like overcoats and trench coats add a hint of sophistication and elegance that works best for office and everyday looks. One can go for neutral and subdued shades, keeping them easy to blend in and complement with a range of formal and smart casual outfits. For a formal look, one can layer a trench coat over a full suit or stay more relaxed with a pair of slim fit jeans and a turtleneck jumper.

10. For a glam party look, one can opt for velvet dinner jackets in hues of black and emerald to add a hint of opulence for a festive vibe.

11. Warm accessories like hats, gloves and scarves are a necessity to complete your look and keep you warm at the same time. One can accessorise their outfit with a pair of gold cuff-links, collar bar, tie bar or lapel pins.

12. Gold is much warmer than silver in general and creates a more winter look. A pair of sturdy and warm boots are a winter classic that help to keep the feet dry. A good lace-up pair or more formal monk strap footwear works well too.

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Insta-stylists are the new big thing

Gone are those days when runways and red carpets were the only places to look out for latest fashion trends and styles, that too, only for the big events.

Thanks to social media, we have insta-looks for our daily life, with the very basic clothes and accessories in the cupboard.

The most influential women in fashion, like Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian West, Selena Gomez, Sonam Kapoor and others, give us major fashion goals, even while going to the gym, airport, a coffee run, and everything in between.

Relating to this, Vogue, in an article, wrote, 'Perhaps that micromanaged, not-quite-genuine feeling has something to do with our interest in the complete opposite: fashion that's less predictable, less deliberate, and maybe a little strange. The coolest stylists we're following aren't necessarily dressing top models or actresses; they're doing editorials for indie magazines, taking raw selfies in their own vintage finds, and getting noticed for it via Instagram.'

The fashion magazine even picked up three new fashion stylists on Instagram- Anastasiia Gutnyk, Leah Abbott, Ewelina Gralak- who can actually be our everyday guide to rule the world in style.

Anastasiia Gutnyk is based in the U.K. and grew up in Ukraine. Following her Instagram, it can be seen that she majorly style herself in fun and quirky manner, with the commonly available clothes and accessories, rarely made by major brands.

'With everything I do, I try to have fun with it. In my case, it's about the energy, which is backed up with lots of colour and kitsch,' she said, as quoted by Vogue.

Leah Abbott first got recognised for her own offbeat style on the streets of London and worked with stylist Luci Ellis before striking out her own.

'I got into styling during my final year at university, because I was constantly being asked where I sourced the pieces I wore on nights out,' Abbott said. 'Most of it was second-hand. As a curvy black stylist, I haven't always been able to fit in major 'markets,' so I guess that made me stand out.'

Ewelina Gralak, who started styling in her native Poland and now lives in downtown Manhattan, is known for her singularly off-kilter vision'a mash-up of ugly-pretty shoes, lace tights, neon camouflage, and street-wear.

'I just surround myself and wear the pieces that I like at the time,' she said. 'That could really be anything'I'm obsessed with Japanese workwear, '90s hip-hop culture, military clothing, early [Nicolas] Ghesquière, [Maison] Margiela, Raf [Simons], and Alaïa. Mix that all together, add my Polish [upbringing] in the early 00's, and that's it.'

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IS the 'tiny sunglasses' trend something you'd follow?


Alexandre Vauthier Spring Summer 2018


Bella Hadid seen sporting the shades at public dos 


Actor Jennifer Aniston at an event in 1998 


Rihanna. Pics/Getty Images


Kangana Ranaut

Ginni Negi, 30 HR professional
"I am very sure they will not suit the shape of my face. I don't prefer tiny sunglasses nor do I like oversized ones. I actually find them funny. For me, the size and fit have to be just right."

Shreya Goenka, 29 brand and product consultant
"They don't serve a purpose, so why wear them? For me, sunglasses are first, a funct­ional thing, and then comes their glam quotient. If the des­ign does not protect the eyes, I will not wear them on a regu­lar basis. The tiny ones do look cool, but so do regular ones.

Pratiksha Phale, 21 student
"I will first see if they suit my face, and if they do, I will go for them. I think the '90s shades look cool. I don't mind experimenting, although usually, I don't go with very edgy frames."

Sakshi Shetty, 22 event manager
"I have seen a lot of bloggers wear these. But I wouldn't as I don't experiment much and prefer classics such as aviators. [The tinies] look cool, but Bella Hadid can pull off anything. Also, the slim frames don't protect your eyes."

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