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Travel agencies ordered to pay for NDTV journalist’s death in Sri Lanka

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Premier travel agencies Thomas Cook and Red Apple Travel have been ordered to pay ₹ 50 lakh to a Delhi man who lost his wife, son and father-in-law in an accident during a visit to Sri Lanka.

Kanupuriya Saigal, who died in the December 2019 accident, was a former journalist and news anchor with NDTV. Her son Shreya Saigal and father, famous Hindi litterateur Ganga Prasad Vimal, had died with her when the van they were travelling in collided with a container truck in Colombo. The 52-year-old driver of the van was also killed in the accident.

Her husband Yogesh Saigal and their daughter Aishwarya Saigal, had sustained severe injuries.

Nearly four years later, the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed the travel agencies to pay compensation to Yogesh Saigal.

“There is negligence/deficiency on part of the Opposition Parties (Thomas Cook and Red Apple Travel) on account of the negligence of the driver hired by them and they cannot be allowed to escape its responsibility and corresponding liability by stating that it was merely booking the places etc at the behest of the complainant,” the Forum said in its order.

The Saigal family had gone to the Forum against Thomas Cook and Red Apple Travel for their negligence and deficiency in services, unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements and cost of legal proceedings, sources said. They had sought damages to the tune of 8.99 crore.

In his complaint, Mr Saigal said he had been unable to attend the funeral and last rites of his wife and son, which took place in Delhi, as he had suffered multiple fractures and was recuperating at a hospital in Sri Lanka. The loss of his wife and father-in-law has hit his mother-in-law hard as she is physically and mentally challenged. His daughter, he said, is battling severe mental trauma. He is unable to walk normally and “finds it difficult to sleep or interact socially”.  

Post a comment The ₹ 50 lakh compensation has to be paid by the travel agencies “jointly and severally” within three months, failing which they have to pay another 10 lakh, the Forum said.

(NDTV)

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Police come out in full force for Lankan contestant Anudi at Miss World

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The Sri Lanka Police have mobilised support for Anudi Gunasekara, daughter of SSP Hemantha Gunsasekara, as she competes in the 72nd Miss World pageant. A congratulatory message was officially shared this week, recognising her as Sri Lanka’s representative at the international event.  

A circular issued by the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya was shared with Senior DIGs, DIGs, commanding officers, directors, OICs, and headquarters inspectors across the country. The directive outlined the importance of supporting Anudi through social media engagement.

The document emphasised that online popularity plays a role in the selection process. It included instructions for downloading the Miss World mobile app, voting for the candidate, and increasing her online presence by liking, commenting, and following her pages.

Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddika Manathunga defended the initiative, describing it as a matter of national pride. “Her representation brings honour to the country,” he said, noting that public funds were not used and drawing parallels with past promotional efforts for Sri Lanka Cricket.

Anudi among 20 finalists

Anudi Gunasekara, Sri Lanka’s representative at the 72nd Miss World pageant, has advanced to the 20 finalists of the Head to Head Challenge. She has also secured a place among the Top 5 finalists from Asia.

The final competition of the Miss World Festival will be held next Saturday, on May 31 at the HITEX Convention Center in Hyderabad, Telangana.

The public have been invited to vote for contestants via the “Miss World” app which can be downloaded via Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

(sundaytimes.lk)

(This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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CIABOC unearths cash-for-favors racket at Motor Traffic Dept

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A Bribery Commission raid at the Motor Traffic Department on Friday resulted in the detection of Rs. 4.1 million in cash in the office of a deputy commissioner, believed to be bundled for distribution among selected staff later in the day as part of collections from private parties during the week.

Investigators from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had found the cash packed in packets and

ready for distribution when they raided the premises armed with a search warrant.

Further investigations have found that the cash amounted to bribes collected from people who had visited the different divisions of the DMT from Monday to Friday of that week, sources added.

Bribery Commission officials who visited the DMT with the search warrant had come upon the cash stacked in a cupboard in the office room of one of the deputy commissioners.

The key to the cupboard, however, had been in the hands of an office assistant, who was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation of why he had the key to a cupboard with so much money in his possession.

CIABOC officials had arrested the deputy commissioner, a management assistant and the office assistant once they uncovered that the cash had been collected to be distributed among DMT employees on Friday.

The three suspects, identified as Deputy Commissioner Dilantha Nuwan Kumara, Pradeep Nishantha and D. Samantha Perera, were produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayatunga and remanded till June 6.

(sundaytimes.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Legendary actress Malani Fonseka passes away

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Veteran Actress Malini Fonseka, widely revered as the “Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema,” passed away this morning (May 24) at the age of 78 while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

Born on April 30, 1947, in Kelaniya as Wanni Arachchige Malani Senehelatha Fonseka, she later rose to fame in Sri Lankan cinema under the name Malani Fonseka.

Fonseka began her acting career on stage in 1963 and made her cinematic debut in 1968 with the film Punchi Baba.

She won the Most Popular Actress award in 1973 and has received numerous accolades, including the President’s Award, Sarasavi Award, OCIC Award, and Sumathi Award, with several honors for Best Actress.

Plays such as Nidhanaya, Bambaru Awitha, Wekande Walawwa, Aradhana, and Ammawarune are regarded as outstanding works that showcased the acting talents of Malani Fonseka.

Beyond her artistic achievements, she entered politics in 2010 and served as a National List Member of Parliament until 2015.

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