News in brief from across Gujarat

– An 18-year-old girl, who had fallen into a 540-foot-deep borewell, was pulled out around 4 pm today after over 33 hours but was declared dead at a hospital. The girl fell into the borewell at Kanderai village in Bhuj taluka around 6:30 am on Monday and became stuck at a depth of 490 feet, prompting a multi-agency rescue effort.

– Following the detection of a human metapneumovirus (HMPV) case in Ahmedabad, health authorities have been alerted. As a precaution, a 25-bed isolation ward has been set up at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital’s D-4 block, fully stocked with medicines, injections, and PPE kits. There are currently no suspected cases in Gandhinagar.

– Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today gave the green light to a ₹779 crore proposal aimed at constructing major and minor bridges across 32 roads in the state. The approved projects will involve constructing new bridges and replacing outdated or weak ones with modern structures.

– Six people were injured in a gas explosion at Radha Krishna Society in Surat’s Punagam area early this morning. The explosion, caused by a gas leak from a cylinder, led to severe burns as both rooms on the ground floor caught fire. All victims were rushed to SMIMER Hospital, with three in critical condition, and later transferred to a private hospital for further treatment. The family was living in the house on rent.

– Wagh Bakri Tea Group, based in Ahmedabad, will invest over ₹100 crore in a new plant in Dakor, Gujarat, to boost raw material storage and increase instant tea production. Set to be operational by Q3 2025, the plant aims to quintuple instant tea production capacity, from 3,000-4,000 to 20,000 packets daily. It will also expand storage capacity by 50%, accommodating 15-18 lakh chests, each holding 14-20 kg.

– Around 40 overloaded vehicles, including trucks, dumpers, and tractors, were seized in Amreli. This comes after the district collector ordered the administration to take action against the illegal smuggling. The seized trucks were taken from locations such as Jaffrabad, Lathi, Rajula, and others. The total value of the seized vehicles is estimated at ₹3 crores.

– The Supreme Court of India has granted interim bail to jailed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu on medical grounds until March 31. Asaram has been in jail since his conviction in a 2013 rape case. The court instructed that he will not interfere with any investigation, will not meet his supporters, and will be under police surveillance.