Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
Transportation of illicit liquor increased before election By Dheeraj Fartode After model code of conduct was enforced in the State for forthcoming elections, State Excise Department geared-up its machinery to crackdown on illegal transportation of liquor. The department have conducted 71 raids in last two weeks and seized liquor worth Rs 7.39 lakh in the district alone. Last year in the month of August, the department had registered 127 cases and seized property worth Rs 8.12 lakh. However, after enforcement of model code of conduct the department have seized around same amount of valuables/liquor in just 15-days time. This indicates the role of liquor in the polls. The figures shows that transportation of illicit liquor from other States has got a boost post announcement of elections. According to official information, Excise Department has conducted 71 raids on the basis of specific tip-off and arrested 43 accused for transportation of illicit liquor. Demands for mahua li...