Month: May 2022

A man arrested for brutally raping and murdering a minor girl in 2018 has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court in the Goalpara district of Assam.

Four years ago, the accused- Sreenus Orang alias Kalu Munda, had committed the crime on a a 6-year-old at the Simolitola tea garden under Rongjuli police station in Goalpara district. On Friday, S Dhar, Judge of Special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) court of Goalpara passed the judgement of life imprisonment.
According to the reports, Orang had lured the victim and allegedly took her to a paddy field, where the incident happened.

Sanjay Sarma, the victim’s advocate informed that the culprit who absconded after committing the crime on December 3, 2018 was arrested by the Rongjuli police from Rongjuli railway station.

“The body of the girl was recovered after three days from a paddy field. Today the judge of special court sentenced life imprisonment to Sreenus Orang,” the advocate added further. (ANI)

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is learnt to have responded positively to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s request to him to quit in the face of the deepening economic crisis along with the imposition of the state of emergency in the island nation.

As per reports, at a special cabinet meeting at the Presiden’s House, headed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to resign from his post as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, reported the Colombo Page.
The Sri Lankan Cabinet had been informed that owing to the failure of the Prime Minister to cope with the country’s ongoing economic crisis, Mahinda Rajapaksa has sought to resign from his position. His resignation will also mark the dissolution of the Cabinet as well. Further, Mahinda Rajapaksa had stated that if the only solution to the persistent economic crisis in Sri Lanka is his resignation, he is willing to do so.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had accepted that amidst strong protests by the people it has become a serious problem to manage the economic and political crisis in the country, reported the Colombo Page. He added that the crisis had resulted in an absence of tourists in the country. Moreover, the closure of factories had also piled up the burden on the already prevalent economic woes.

Further, political sources reveal that Sri Lankan Cabinet ministers, Prasanna Ranatunga, Nalaka Godahewa, and Ramesh Pathirana, have all agreed to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decision of resigning as the Prime Minister of the country. However, in contradiction with the Cabinet ministers, Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake had stated that Mahinda’s resignation will prove futile in dealing with the country’s crisis.

In addition, political sources also show that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to announce his resignation from his post in a special statement on Monday, followed by a cabinet reshuffle in the next week, reported the Colombo Page.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbours. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while the people are being deprived of basic amenities as well.

The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is again dragged into a hilarious meme fest with a video going viral on social media where he is seen as comparing himself to a donkey.

Pakistani Journalist Hasan Zaidi shared a video clip of Imran Khan’s interview. During the interview, Imran Khan said that he couldn’t become a Britisher as a donkey will remain a donkey.

“I never considered it (UK) my home, because I was a Pakistani. Come what may I will not be able to become a Britisher. If you draw lines on a donkey, it does not become a zebra. Donkey will remain a donkey,” Imran is seen as saying in the video shared by the Pakistani Journalist.

The video is going viral and Twitterati is not leaving any stone unturned in taking a jibe at the former PM over his comments.

Jumping into the meme fest, one Twitter user termed his comments as “self-realisation at 69.” Another Twitter user called this Imran Khan’s inferiority complex.

The user said that Imran Khan is mocking the English language and he came back to Pakistan from the UK because being nervous around foreign delegates he could not fit into the society.

“This also proves Imran Khan’s inferiority complexes as a bully mocking people on the English language…being nervous around foreign delegates. He came to Pak because he couldn’t fit in there or only to probably prove some bully in UK his worth,” said the tweet.

Another user while responding to the above tweet wrote, “Imran Khan came to Pakistan because he couldn’t fit in UK society and Nawaz Sharif is not coming back because he couldn’t fit in Pakistani society?”

One of the users called his comments an insult to overseas Pakistanis. The tweet read, “imran calling himself and all the overseas Pakistanis as donkeys?”

This is not the only time when Imran Khan is surrounded by trolls over his statements.

After Imran Khan hosted a live Twitter Space which was attended by an average of 165,000 users, listening at a given time, the highest number ever, the social media was stormed by a barrage of hilarious memes over the live stream.

Over 446,000 people tuned from around the world to interact with Imran Khan on Twitter Space with an average of 165,000 users listening at a given time, according to The Express Tribune.

According to another Pakistan media outlet, a Twitter user referred to Imran Khan’s Twitter Space and took a dig at the then Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry who had announced in 2019 that Pakistan will send its “first person to space” in 2022.

“Fawad Chaudhry meant it when he said they would send someone to space in 2022. We just didn’t know it was Imran Khan.”

Fawad had said in 2019 that 50 people will be shortlisted, the list will then come down to 25 and “in 2022, we will send our first person to space”.

Some memes called out Imran Khan’s record-breaking 160k listeners as mostly “bots”. (ANI)

The Kashmir valley is reverberating with chants of Vedic hymns as a five-day event to commemorate the visit of saint Adi Shankaracharya is being celebrated in Srinagar.

The event is organized by the ‘One India Strong India’ with the support of civil administration and different religious and social groups of Kashmiri Hindus.

Despite the precarious security situation in the Valley, this year, the special programme is organised at the ancient Shankaracharya Temple overlooking the Dal Lake. Nearly 200 saints from south India are camping in Srinagar.

“The event is organized on a big platform. It will be a befitting tribute to the great saint. His visit contributed greatly to the philosophical and spiritual revival of Hinduism. It was in Kashmir where he engaged in debates with scholars,” said Vidhu Sharma organizer of event

Kashmir has been a centre for Vedic traditions and culture for thousands of years. Adi Shankaracharya who hailed from Kerala travelled across India and Kashmir. Shankaracharya popularized the Vedanta philosophy when Buddhism was the dominating religion in the Indian subcontinent, he added. (ANI)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has moved the Supreme Court against the demolition of buildings of the people of South Delhi stating that it is total violation of principles of natural justice, statutes and the constitution under the guise of encroachment removal programme.

The Delhi State Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist), represented by its Secretary, has moved a petition in the Supreme Court alleging that South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (SDMC) action is inhumane and highly illegal.
The petition moved through advocate Biju P Raman said, “They are not unauthorized occupants or encroachers as alleged by the Respondents. Now it has come to the notice of the Petitioner that the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Respondent No 1 (SDMC) has issued letter dated nil for providing necessary police force including lady police to the MCD staff to maintain law and order during the encroachment removal action.”

“Without giving a proper show cause notice and giving breathing time to people residing/working in different areas of South Delhi, the Respondents proposed to start demolition of buildings denying their precious constitutional rights and right to life, ” the petition said.

According to petition, the authorities have not issued statutory notice to owners/ occupants of the buildings to show cause why the buildings should not be demolished but no notice is issued to them as to how encroachment is made by the occupants/ owners of the buildings. The petitioner said that the entire action is absolutely and manifestly arbitrary and in violation of Article 14, 19 and 21.

If this is permitted their only shelter and buildings for their livelihood will be demolished in utter disregard to statutes and the Constitution as the people residing and working in the notified area are generally very poor and marginalized who are incapable of resisting the illegal inhumane action of the Respondents SDMC and others, the petition claimed.

The petitioner also highlighted that on May 4 the authorities demolished buildings with bulldozers in Sangham Vihar area. “They have illegally demolished buildings of the poor people with bulldozers illegally and causing severe trauma and loss to the people, ” the petition said.

But the authorities did not undertake the demolition drive in Kalindi Kunj as per schedule as there was no sufficient police force and now it is reliably understood that they would be demolition of the buildings in Shaheenbagh and other areas on May 9-13, 2022, the petitioner claimed.

“It is most respectfully submitted that the political executive of Respondent Municipal Corporation is maliciously indulging in a political game plan. The entire action of the Respondent is absolutely and manifestly arbitrary and without following any due process of law, ” the petition said.

Hence, the petitioner has urged the Supreme Court to quash and set aside notification of SDMC relating to the encroachment removal actions program and direct the SDMC not to proceed with any action pursuant to and in furtherance of that notification relating to the encroachment removal actions program.

The petition also sought to grant adequate compensation to the victims of the illegal demolition undertaken by the civic bodies.

One similar petition has also been moved by Delhi Pradesh Rehri Patri Khomcha Hawkers Union against the demolition drive in South Delhi. (ANI)

Seven persons were charred to death after a massive fire broke out in a double storey building in Indore’s Swarna Bagh Colony in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

According to preliminary information the blaze is suspected to be have triggered by a electric short circuit inside a house, Indore Police Commissioner Harinarayan Chari Mishra who was present at the site told ANI.
The Police Commissioner said, “Seven people have died and nine people have so fare been rescued by officials present at the spot.”

A fire department official said: “The fire might have started due a short circuit. It took us three hours to bring the fire under control.”

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin took a public bus ride on Saturday morning in Chennai as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government completed one year in office.

The 69-year-old leader inspected the condition of the bus and also spoke with passengers and the conductor of the bus on the one year of his governance.
He also paid respects to his father and ex chief minister Karunanidhi and DMK founder CN Annadurai at their memorials at the Marina Beach.

Later, speaking in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Stalin made five big announcements to mark the completion of one year of office of the DMK government.

These include Breakfast scheme for government school students for classes 1-5,setting up schools of excellence, medical check-ups of school students, PHC (Public health centre)-like centres in urban areas and the expansion of ‘CM in your constituency scheme’.

The DMK) came to power in Tamil Nadu on May 7 last year, after winning 133 seats on its own in the 234-member assembly. The party was returning to power after nearly a decade. This February it won urban local body elections. (ANI)

Following incidents of violence in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, the curfew imposed in the city has been extended till May 8, said District Police Commissioner Rajkumar Chaudhary on Friday.

“The curfew imposed in Jodhpur Commissionerate area on May 3 has been extended till midnight of May 8. Raikabagh Palace Bus Stand and Raikabagh Railway Station have been excluded from the curfew,” read the order.
The order further said, “Students and teachers appearing for examinations have been exempted from the curfew.”

Also, personnel engaged in medical services, bank officials, Judicial officers and media personnel are exempted from the curfew.

As per the order, the newspaper hawkers will also be allowed to distribute the newspapers

“In other special circumstances, if necessary, the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police and the concerned Police Officer will be able to give permission to go out during the curfew,” the order added.

A total of 211 people have been arrested in connection with incidents of communal clashes in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur ahead of Eid celebrations that left several people injured while 19 cases have been registered, said police.

Of the 211, 191 have been arrested under section 151 of the India Penal Code (IPC).

Earlier on Thursday, Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather had said that the situation in Jodhpur is under control and ensured that steps are being taken to maintain law and order.

“Situation in Jodhpur is under control. Police are taking all possible steps to maintain peace, law and order. A total of 211 persons have been arrested so far, and out of these 191 arrested were under section 151 and 20 persons in other cases,” the Rajasthan DGP said.

Tension gripped Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city. There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area. (ANI)

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, India on Thursday handed over 7,725 kg of humanitarian aid comprising essential medicines and medical equipment to Ukraine.

“The newly appointed Ambassador of India to Ukraine Harsh Kumar Jain handed over 7,725 kg of humanitarian aid comprising of essential medicines and medical equipment to H.E Oleksii Yaremenko, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine, in-charge of Humanitarian Aid and EU Integration,” tweeted the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine.

India sent the first tranche of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine on March 1. As per MEA sources, the consignment comprised two tonnes of humanitarian aid including tents, blankets, surgical gloves, protective eye gear, water storage tanks, sleeping mats, tarpaulin and medicines and other relief material.

Later, on March 9, India’s second tranche of humanitarian aid to Ukraine was sent to Romania by an IAF flight. It was handed over to Romanian authorities or onward transmission to Ukraine.

In March, India provided 90 tons of relief material to Ukraine and India focuses on supplying more medicines to Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. (ANI)

A Delhi Court on Friday ordered for framing of charges in a case related to North East Delhi Violence after observing that the accused Tahir Hussain was not only a “mere conspirator” but also an “active rioter”.

The court observed, “it is evident that the accused Tahir Hussain was not only a mere conspirator but an active rioter also. He was not a mute spectator but was taking an active part in the riots and instigating the other members of the unlawful assembly to teach a lesson to the persons belonging to other communities.

“Therefore, apart from being charged with the offence of conspiracy, he is also liable to be charged for the offence of rioting, arson etc,” said the court

The Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat today ordered the framing of charges against former AAP leader Tahir Hussain and 5 others accused of conspiracy under section 120B of IPC.

The court said that further charges under sections 147/148/427/435/436/395 of IPC r/w and section 149 IPC also are liable to be framed against all accused.

In the case, the charge sheet also mentioned that during further investigation, it was revealed that accused Tahir Hussain had got issued a licensed pistol and 100 rounds which he had deposited in the police station Khajuri Khas on January 7, 2020, and got the same released on February 22, 2020, that is, just before the commencement of riots.

The court also noted the case of the prosecution is that six accused namely Tahir Hussain, Anas, Firoz, Javed, Gulfam and Shoaib Alam accused had hatched a conspiracy, the objective of which was to commit riots in the Khajuri Khas area, thereby, targetting the people belonging to Hindu community as well as their properties.

Accordingly, the accused have been charge-sheeted by the police for the offences under sections 109/114/147/148/149/427/454/395/ 435/436/ 153A/ 505 /120B/34 of IPC, by the crime branch of Delhi Police.

The charge sheet further stated that some videos and CCTV footage were received in the Cyber Cell or Crime Branch through social media with regards to the incident that occurred near the building of the accused Tahir Hussain.

It is stated that a large number of rioters are seen in these video footages pelting stones, petrol bombs etc. targeting the persons belonging to the Hindu community as well as their houses from the rooftop and other floors of the building of accused Tahir Hussain.

The prosecution alleged that accused Tahir Hussain, who was the Municipal Councillor of the area at that time and had his office on the first floor of the building, was leading the riotous mob from his house and also from the Mosque near Chand Bagh Pulia in February 2020.

It is stated that he provoked and instigated Muslims against the Hindus and gave riots a communal colour in order to promote enmity between the members of the two religions.

It is also stated that on the provocation or instigation of accused Tahir Hussain, Muslims turned violent and started pelting stones, petrol bombs etc. at the persons belonging to the Hindu community as well as burning their shops or houses. It is in this process that the godown of the complainant was vandalized, ransacked and set ablaze, reads the charge sheet.

On behalf of accused Tahir Hussain, it was submitted by his counsel that no incriminating material has been seized from the building of this accused in this case.

He pointed out that all the seizures had taken place during the investigation and mere copies of those seizure memos have been filed along with the charge sheet in this case, on the basis of which no inference regarding the culpability of the accused in the riotous incident involved in this case can be drawn.

It was also argued by his Counsel that Tahir Hussain has been arraigned as accused in this case only for the offence of conspiracy under section 120B IPC but the material on record does not show the existence of any such conspiracy with the object to cause riots in Khajuri Khas area.

The Counsel would submit that as per the case of the prosecution itself, there was a larger conspiracy hatched between certain persons with the object of causing riots in Delhi to show strong protest against CAA or NRC, which is the subject matter of the charge sheet filed.

He also pointed out that accused Tahir Hussain has been implicated as a conspirator in that case also and therefore, he cannot be signed again as a conspirator in this case which would be tantamount double jeopardy. (ANI)