In an unfortunate incident, two bikers lost their lives, and nearly three dozen people were injured in multiple road accidents early on Tuesday as dense smog blanketed Noida and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, severely impacting visibility.

Low visibility due to thick fog on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway led to multiple collisions with a broken truck. Multiple car occupants were injured and sent to Saifai Medical College, while one was admitted to Shikohabad Hospital. 

Reportedly, on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, a truck collided with another due to low visibility, triggering a chain reaction. Further, a bus travelling from Panipat to Mathura crashed into the stationary trucks, injuring around a dozen passengers who were rushed to the hospital. Police were deployed to the scene to clear the pile-up.

Additionally, in Firozabad, near Agra, nearly six vehicles collided on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway after a pick-up truck broke down near Nasirpur. After the drivers failed to spot the stalled vehicle due to the smog, leading to a pile-up of SUVs and other cars.

Meanwhile, a speeding truck rammed a bike on National Highway-34, killing Mansharam, a Manipuri resident in Bulandshahr. The police have detained the truck driver. Another fatal accident occurred in Badaun, where an unidentified vehicle struck the bike of Santosh Singh, a teacher commuting to his school in Mau, leading to his death. Ten other people sustained injuries in similar incidents in the region.

Notably, these accidents come as North India grapples with hazardous air quality, with pollution levels in the ‘severe plus’ category. The air pollution has created a health emergency in the National Capital Region (NCR), with residents reporting sore throats, headaches, and breathing difficulties. Authorities have also urged people to remain indoors to minimise exposure to the toxic air.

Reportedly, the local police and administrations are on high alert as they manage the fallout from the hazardous conditions, which continue to threaten road safety and public health.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised The Sabarmati Report film, stating that it exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the film.

Speaking about the film, Amit Shah said that the ecosystem cannot keep the truth at bay forever no matter how hard it tries. He added that no matter how hard a powerful ecosystem tries, it cannot keep the truth hidden in darkness forever. The Union Home Minister continued that the film The Sabarmati Report defies the ecosystem with unparalleled courage and exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight.

The film portrays the horrific incident of the February 27, 2002 incident when 59 people, including 10 children, were burnt to death in a train by a mob at Godhra in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is also currently on a three-nation visit, endorsed the film on Sunday stating that fake narrative regarding things can last for a short time and the facts have come out through this film.

PM Modi further tweeted that the film is well said, adding it is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. He also said that a fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time, and eventually, the facts will always come out.

Notably, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001 and it was not even a year since when on February 27, 2002, four compartments with the S6 bogey of a train carrying Karsevaks who were returning from a religious event in Ayodhya were set on fire.

Reportedly, the train was running from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur to Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. Several eyewitness accounts revealed that as the train departed Godhra, emergency brakes were pulled and mobs attacked the train from outside and set the bogey on fire, claiming the lives of 59 people.

At present, the incident is widely termed as the trigger for the 2002 Godhra riots. Though there have been several films made on the riots, The Sabarmati Report seems to be the first such film that attempts to portray the painful episode in which 59 human lives were burnt to smoke.

Delhi former Transport Minister and one of the ruling AAP’s senior most leaders, Kailash Gahlot joined the rivals BJP in the presence of Union Minister ML Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. Union Minister ML Khattar described Kailash Gahlot’s induction as a turning point, especially before the February election.

After joining BJP, Kailash Gahlot said that this was not an easy step for him as he was a part of the AAP since the time of Anna Hazare, the anti-corruption activist whose popular movement birthed the AAP, and that he has worked for Delhi throughout as MLA and minister.

He clarified  that he did not take any decision under pressure, adding that some may think that this is an overnight decision or due to pressure. He also rejected speculations that the move was the result of pressure from federal investigative agencies.

Slamming AAP,  he stated that there is a narrative that he switched due to Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate pressure, adding that since 2015, as an AAP member, as MLA, and as Minister he has never done anything due to pressure. He noted that the fact is AAP compromised its values, adding that the party’s political ambitions had overtaken its commitment to the people. Gahlot attributed his resignation decision to the dwindling credibility of AAP on several issues.

This switch by Gahlot, who was incharge of portfolios of Home, Administrative Reforms, IT and Women and Child Development, comes at a time when the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly election slated to be held in February next year.

Notably, he is the third member of the Kejriwal cabinet to have quit the party and the ministerial portfolio. Earlier in April, Raaj Kumar Anand, the minister in charge of social welfare and labour and employment, quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence on the resignation so far. At an event Sunday he declined to answer questions on Kailash Gahlot, passing the microphone to senior leader Durgesh Pathak instead.