Mumbai News LIVE Updates: CM Fadnavis, Dy CMs to visit flood-hit Marathwada Chhatrapati

Six women and a man suffered serious burn injuries when a fire broke out at a shop after a gas cylinder blast in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, civic officials said.

Three of the persons suffered nearly 90 per cent burns, they said.

The blaze erupted at 9.05 am in the shop at Ram Kisan Mestri Chawl, beside Akurli Maintenance Chowki on Military Road in Kandivali (East).

A civic official said the fire was confined to the electric wiring, installations, edibles, LPG cylinder and gas stove in the single-storey shop.

It left seven persons injured, according to officials. "The blaze erupted due to a gas cylinder blast," a fire brigade official said. (PTI)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday directed the administration to ensure immediate assistance to farmers who have suffered crop losses in the recent heavy rains in the state. Pawar toured Karmala taluka of Solapur district and interacted with farmers and local authorities. He urged farmers "not to lose heart" and assured all assistance to them.

Heavy rains have lashed several parts of Maharashtra over the last few days, causing widespread damage.

"Due to continuous heavy rainfall, there has been significant damage to crops. I went to the fields to inspect the crops. I interacted with the farmers to understand their problems and gathered information about the damage that has occurred," he said in a post on X.

The deputy CM said he has given clear instructions that the administration should do meticulous planning and promptly implement the necessary measures to ensure immediate assistance reaches farmers in the flood-affected areas.

"Our government stands firmly behind our farmers," he said.

Pawar said he has instructed the administrative officers concerned to conduct immediate panchnamas and provide swift assistance.

All government and semi-government offices in Maharashtra, including public hospitals and nationalised bank branches, have been notified as 'designated places', where witnesses in criminal cases can record their statements virtually, officials said. The move is aimed at delivering speedy justice, they said.

Witnesses will also be able to attend online court proceedings from these designated places, a senior home department official told PTI. Last year, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Indian Evidence Act by Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).

Considering the changes in the system, which expects speedy justice for the victims, the Maharashtra government is preparing the infrastructure to fulfill the needs of the time. While undergoing changes, the state government has taken steps to adopt modern technology in the criminal justice system, the official said.

Many times, when a witness staying in a village is unable to reach the court in time or the witness is unavailable, the judge gives the next date for hearing, he noted. Such things can be avoided in the near future by the use of technology, and the instances of giving the next date for the hearing can easily be avoided, the official said, adding that it will help the victim get justice in a time-bound manner. (PTI)

Records from the Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation's automatic weather stations show that between 8.00 am on Monday and Tuesday, the island city division received the heaviest rainfall at an average of 46.38 mm rain, followed by 40 mm average rainfall in the western suburbs and 28.28 mm rain in the island city division.

Civic officials maintained that subway as well as railway services are operating normally.

In the past 24 hours ending at 8.30 am, the IMD's Santacruz station received 17 mm rain while the Colaba station clocked in 28 mm rainfall.

Mumbai continues to remain under a yellow alert today, with the weather bureau forecasting the likelihood of moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, gusty winds and lightning activity. Besides Mumbai, the neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad have also been placed under a yellow alert Tuesday.