Gas death toll rises

Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the Asiatic gas station explosion at Vedvyas of Rourkela on Saturday increased to three on Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Ganesh Das, Murlidhar Behera and Shatrughan Babsha. Meanwhile, labourers of the gas station on Sunday held agitation demanding compensation of Rs 10 lakh and job for families of the deceased. The labourers kept the body of the deceased labourers in their custody and shouted slogans for the fulfilment of their demands. They also demanded immediate arrest of the employees responsible for the mishap.

Bike found

Bhubaneswar: The Sambalpur police on Sunday succeeded in recovering two bikes of the robbers who looted Rs 3.75 lakh from the Maneswar branch of Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Saturday. Five armed dacoits had entered the bank on Saturday afternoon and made away with the booty after threatening the staff and customers at gunpoint.

Health care

Bhubaneswar: The state health and family welfare department stressed the need for strengthening public health system in order to promote health and provide qualitative and timely health care to people in better way during a two-day session held here. Eminent public health experts, attending the session chaired by health secretary Anu Garg, put their opinions on how best the system could be reorganised to deliver the goods. The session was devoted to health promotion, prevention, health care delivery and surveillance keeping in view the emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases, increase in non-communicable lifestyle diseases and child health issues relating.

Six held

Balasore: Khaira police on Sunday arrested 6 persons in connection with an armed dacoity and recovered most of the stolen articles. “We have arrested six persons, while three others are absconding. Efforts are on to nab them,” said Nilgiri SDPO Siba Prasad Mallick. The gang in their mid twenties barged into the house of Trinath Dash of Sargaon on the intervening nights of Friday and Saturday. They escaped with the looted gold ornaments, cash and ATM cards after terrorising the family members. They also injured Dash, his wife and another person in the house.