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Fri, 06 December 2019
Snatch power from men: Priyanka to women
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23:20 Snatch power from men: Priyanka to women
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday expressed grave concern over the crime against women and urged them to "snatch power from men" to protect themselves from such crime.
"I would say women should get power in the society. I will tell my sisters to snatch power from men, fight panchayat and Vidhan Sabha elections and come forward in politics so that you get power and protect yourself when such incidents take place," said Priyanka Gandhi in an informal interaction with newspersons.
The Congress leader who is in Lucknow on a two-day visit, reiterated that her party will fight for the rights of women at all levels.
Attacking the state government on the law and order situation, specially on crime against women, she said, "In Unnao, it has been seen that there have been almost 90 rape cases in last 11 months."
"When the last incident was reported, the government shielded criminals till the last. You can think how difficult it would have been for the woman and her patience to fight the battle," she said, referring to the Unnao rape case in which a BJP lawmaker is an accused.
"In Mainpuri, Sambhal -- you must have seen what happened? How can the women have faith in this government? UP has become number one state in cases of crime against women. And what is the chief minister saying and what action is being taken by him? He has to take the responsibility," she stressed.
The Congress leader said it should be taken as an emergency like situation and also suggested to the government to extend prompt help to victims.
"My suggestion is that a cell be set up in the office of the chief minister where the SP of every district report directly to the CM about the cases of complaints by women and in 24 hours, FIRs should be lodged and security extended," she said.
"But you are giving security to criminals. It is not a political issue. It concerns women security and should be taken in all seriousness," she stressed. -- PTI
22:42 Thackeray, Pawar discuss portfolio allocation
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar met in Mumbai on Friday evening to discuss allocation of portfolios and expansion of the week-old Maha Vikas Agadhi government in the state.
The meeting at Nehru Center was attended by Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde, Sanjay Raut and Subhash Desai, and the NCP's Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil, sources said.
Pawar stressed the need for allocation of portfolios to the ministers who were sworn in with Thackeray on November 28 at the earliest, sources said.
Portfolio allocation is likely to happen on Monday, but before that another meeting could be held with Congress leaders, they added.
The expansion of council of ministers will be done after the winter session of state legislature, sources said.
It was decided that Thackeray will hold charge of the home ministry till then, they added.
A cabinet meeting would be held on Saturday. It would be the second cabinet meeting of the MVA government. -- PTI
22:40 Hyd encounter: HC asks to keep bodies of accused
The Telangana high court on Friday directed the state government to preserve the bodies of four acccused in the rape and murder of a young veterinarian till 8:00 pm on December 9.
The high court gave the order on a representation received in the office of the Chief Justice, requesting judicial intervention into the incident, alleging it was an extra judicial killing.
The high court directed that the video of the post-mortem in compact disc form or pen-drive be handed over to the principal district judge, Mahabubnagar, after completion of the post-mortem of all the accused.
The court directed the principal district judge, Mahabubnagar to receive the CD or pen drive and hand it over to the registrar general of the high court by Saturday evening.
"We further direct that the dead bodies of the four deceased/accused/suspects who were killed in the encounter be preserved by the state till 8:00 pm on December 9," the high court division bench said.
All the four accused were shot dead by police on Friday during a pre-dawn exchange of fire near Hyderabad, police said.
The four were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the 25-year-old woman by smothering her and later burning her body. -- PTI
22:22 Home Secy writes to states asking them to ensure security of women
The Centre has asked all states to take all possible steps for the security of women, saying it was the highest priority of the government.
In a letter to chief secretaries of all states, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla said he was writing the letter in the wake of the unfortunate incidents of heinous sexual offences against women and girls reported recently.
"Safety of women and girls is a high priority for the government. While government has taken steps to strengthen legislative provisions to deal with such offences in a stringent manner, for effective deterrence, it is imperative that the police is easily accessible and is able to deal with any complaint on crime against women in a timely and pro-active manner," the home secretary said. -- PTI
21:34 'Low conviction rate behind encounter jubilation'
Low conviction rate, tardy probes and prolonged trials result in 70 per cent rape cases remaining unattended in the judicial system and this, experts say, explains the public jubilation over the encounter killings of all four accused in the rape-and-murder of a Hyderabad veterinarian.
People applauding the police action shows a loss of faith in the existing systems, they said.
In the wee hours of Friday, the four accused in the rape-and-murder case of the 25-year-old woman veterinarian were killed in an exchange of fire with police when they were taken to the site of the offence to reconstruct the crime, the Hyderabad police said.
The accused, who were not handcuffed, were shot dead in "retaliatory" firing after they snatched weapons from police and opened fire in a bid to escape, Cyberabad Police Commissioner C V Sajjanar told reporters.
Hours after the incident, a chorus of opinions emerged, with some lauding the encounter killings and others demanding an inquiry into the matter.
Government data shows getting justice is a long-drawn-out process for rape victims.
According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau report, the conviction rate in rape cases in the country was as low as 32.2 per cent in 2017.
The total number of rape cases that went to trial in 2017 was 1,46,201 but only 5,822 of them resulted in conviction.
What is perhaps more worrisome is that while the conviction rate in rape cases has increased marginally in recent years, the charge-sheeting rate has gone down -- which means cases are not going to court.
The charge-sheeting rate in rape cases dropped to 86.6 per cent in 2017 from 95.4 per cent in 2013, the NCRB report shows. -- PTI
21:32 Cong attacks UP govt over Unnao incident, asks why PM is 'silent'
The Congress on Friday attacked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over a rape victim being burnt alive in Unnao district and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the incident.
Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak, while speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, claimed that incidents of crime against women are increasing in BJP-ruled states.
Taking a swipe at the BJP's flagship 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme, she said now people are saying that they need to save their daughters from BJP leaders.
Had the BJP government not "given protection to people like Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Unnao criminals would not have had the courage to burn another daughter", Nayak said.
"Crimes against women are the highest in BJP-ruled states. A big reason for this is the BJP's ideology which is against women," she claimed.
Congress MP Amee Yajnik said no matter what the BJP claims, the ground reality is that women are in panic.
"The prime minister tweets on different topics. But he did not give any statement on Unnao. The women and child development minister did not make any statement. The home minister also did not ask for any report. Why is it so?'' she asked.
The rape survivor from Unnao was set afire by five men, including two accused in the case, when she was on her way to court on Thursday, police said. -- PTI
21:11 MHA rejects Nirbhaya rapist's mercy plea
The Union home ministry has sent to President Ram Nath Kovind the recommendation of the Delhi government rejecting the mercy plea of one of the convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape-murder case, sources said on Friday.
The victim's mother also wrote to Kovind seeking dismissal of the clemency petition.
The development comes on a day when the four accused in the rape and murder of a Hyderabad veterinarian were killed in an encounter by the police.
Seeking to draw a parallel between the two cases, Nirbhaya's parents also said unlike them, the family of the deceased veterinary would not have to wait for justice.
Sources said the file of the convict in Nirbhaya's case had been forwarded to the President for consideration and final decision.
The home ministry has also recommended in the file rejection of the mercy petition of one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape-and-murder case, an official said.
Vinay Sharma, one of the convicts facing the gallows for the rape and murder of the 23-year-old paramedic student, had filed the mercy petition before the President.
Nirbhaya was gang-raped on December 16, 2012.
She later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Singapore.
The brutality of the rape had rocked the nation leading to massive protests.
The Supreme Court on December 12, 2018, dismissed a PIL seeking direction to the Centre to execute the death penalty awarded to four convicts -- Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay and Akshay -- in the case. -- PTI
20:47 Cong accuses Irani of 'politicising' issue of rapes in country
The Congress on Friday accused Union minister Smriti Irani of politicising the issue of rapes in the country and claimed that the treasury benches created a ruckus in Lok Sabha as the government did not want a discussion on security of women.
A heated debate in Lok Sabha on the burning of a rape victim in Unnao snowballed into a massive political row on Friday as the BJP accused two Congress members of showing aggression towards Irani and demanded an apology, leading to adjournment of the House proceedings without much work.
Speaking on the incident at a Congress brieing, party MP Jothimani hit out at Irani, saying "she has politicised rape".
Treasury benches people created a ruckus and got the House adjourned because the government does not want a discussion on women security in Parliament, she said.
"What happened in Parliament today when we wanted to speak on the Unnao (incident), they did not want to discuss it and the Home minister was also not present. Instead, the women and child development minister stood up. Smriti Irani stood up and politicised rape," Jothimani said.
She also hit out at the BJP for accusing Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of politicising the Unnao incident, saying, "We never tried to politicise rape.
"We are sensitive enough to realise what happened in Coimbatore, what happened in Hyderabad, Unnao and Malda," the Congress MP said. -- PTI
20:02 Have applied for Indian passport: Akshay Kumar
Declaring that he never thought he needed a document to prove his Indianness, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Friday said he is replacing his Canadian passport with an Indian one following a controversy over his citizenship, .
The 52-year-old actor, who was in the headlines for his interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April, was the subject of intense speculation about his citizenship after he did not vote in Mumbai during the Lok Sabha polls.
Akshay, in a statement at the time, had said he never denied that he held a Canadian passport.
Akshay opened up about the circumstances behind him getting a Canadian passport at the HT Leadership Summit.
"There was a time when 14 films of mine flopped and I thought that I might have to take up something else to support myself. One of my closest friend stays in Canada and he asked me to come there. He said we will work together on something. He is also Indian but stays there.
"Then I started my process, got my passport and other stuff because I thought my career has ended. I won't get work here anymore. It was just that my 15th film worked and after that I never looked back. I kept going on and on. But I never thought of getting my passport replaced," Akshay said.
Following the controversy, he decided to apply for an Indian passport.
"I have now applied for it because I feel sad that people have stuck to this point that I have to show my passport to prove that I'm an Indian. It hurts me. So I don't want to give anyone an opportunity and so I have applied for it," he said.
"My wife (Twinkle Khanna) is Indian and my son (Aarav) is Indian. Everyone in my family is Indian. I pay all my taxes here. My life is here but some people want to say something, so it's ok," he added.
Akshay also opened up about his interview with Modi in April this year, just before the Lok Sabha elections. It attracted praise as well as criticism with some making fun of the questions he posed to the PM.
"I got the opportunity to do that interview and I'm sure that anyone would have grabbed that chance. I was one of those lucky who got that opportunity to do an interview with the PM. I went without any kind of preparation. I just went in and asked him questions as a common person. It was about whatever came in my head," the actor said.
19:50 NE students body calls for bandh on Dec 10 against CAB
The influential North East Students' Union on Friday called for an 11-hour Northeast bandh on December 10 to protest against the central government's move to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
NESO advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya told PTI that the bandh has been called jointly by all students' organisations of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura.
19:36 Railways retires 32 officers in 'public interest'
In a rare move, the railways has prematurely retired 32 of its officers above the age of 50 years in public interest on grounds of inefficiency, doubtful integrity and conduct unbecoming of a railway servant as part of a periodic review, according to a statement.
The only time in recent history when the railways undertook such a move was in 2016-17 when four officers were prematurely retired.
Periodic review of those attaining a certain age is part of the service rules of government employees, but rarely are they prematurely retired, officials said. -- PTI
19:30 Another depositor of fraud-hit PMC Bank dies
A 71-year-old depositor of fraud-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank died of a heart attack at his residence in Mumbai, his relative said on Friday.
Pratap Jiandani suffered a heart attack on Thursday afternoon at his residence in suburban Mulund, he said.
Earlier, at least eight depositors, who had high quantum of money stuck with the bank, had died in the last couple of months, including one who committed suicide.
The relative said Jiandani had an account in the PMC Bank, which was put under restrictions by the RBI in September after an alleged Rs 4,355 crore scam came to light.
However, his death was nothing to do with the bank scam, said Jiandani's relative Mukesh Chhandiramani.
Jiandani's son is returning from Spain after which his last rites will be performed, he said.
Some of the PMC depositors who died in the aftermath of the scam were under stress due to the RBI-mandated curbs.
On October 14, PMC Bank depositor Gurudas Kaisare, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, died due to stress as he was not able to withdraw his money.
He was admitted for treatment, but was not able to access money to pay medical bills, said his relatives.
Another depositor, Kuldeep Kaur Vig, died of a heart attack in neighbouring Navi Mumbai in the first week of November, her family said.
Vig (64), a resident of Kharghar, was worried about her money getting stuck with the bank and feeling stressed after watching news about depositors protest on TV, her husband Varinder Singh Vig (74) said.
As part of RBI's restrictions, withdrawal from PMC Bank accounts was initially capped at Rs 1,000 and raised in a staggered manner to Rs 50,000 per customer over six months.
18:56 Nitish Kumar blames porn sites for rapes
Blaming porn sites for the rising incidence of sexual crimes against women, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday urged the Centre to ban all such internet platforms which proffered voyeuristic pleasure through video clips of rapes purportedly filmed by the perpetrators themselves.
Referring to the infamous rape and murder case of Hyderabad after which a couple of similar incidents have been reported from Buxar and Samastipur districts of Bihar, Kumar said he was planning to write a letter to the centre seeking a complete ban on such sites across the country.
"A disgusting trend has been witnessed...incidents involving women in far-off Hyderabad, in Bihar, in UP.. in all places. I have always expressed reservations about the social media and the ill-effects of technology, while not
denying its enormous benefits", Kumar who is techno-savvy and an engineer by training said in Gopalganj.
The chief minister was in this north Bihar district on the final day of the first phase of his "Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Yatra" during which he proposes to cover the entire length and breadth of the state with his message for environmental conservation and combating climate change.
In his nearly 45-minute-long address, Kumar referred to sexual crimes after speaking about his thrust on climate change which, he asserted, was in line with his social reform measures like prohibition and campaigns against child marriage and dowry.
Ever since the sale and consumption of alcohol was banned, many people some of them highly learned ones have been unhappy with me. They tend to overlook all the good deeds of our government because of their frustration with prohibition, he remarked wryly.
"But make no mistake. Neither are we going to make any compromise on the step that has already been taken. Nor are we going to let laxity creep in maintaining law and order, he added before veering towards the issue of rapes.
"I am told about these porn sites...people commit heinous acts against girls and women, get these filmed and upload the disgusting clips. Those watching these naturally become vulnerable to perversions. I would urge the youths to stay away from these", Kumar said.
"I have read in newspapers about members of the civil society taking up cudgels against pornography. I laud this effort and I would myself write to the centre to place a complete ban on such sites", Kumar added. -- PTI
18:25 Families of Hyderabad accused in total shock
The families of the four rape-murder accused were shell shocked as the news about their wards' death in alleged police encounter reached.
Key accused Mohammed Arif's mother was at a loss for words and could only say my son is gone.
Arifs father had earlier said his son deserved the toughest punishment if had committed the crime.
Grieving wife of Chennakeshavulu, Renuka, said police should kill her also as she doesnt not have anything to do after her husbands death.
"I was told nothing will happen to my husband and he would come back soon. Now I don't know what to do. Please take me to the place where my husband was killed and kill me also," she told reporters.
Chennakesavulu got married recently.
Jollu Ramappa, father of Shiva said his son might have committed the crime, but didnt deserve such an end.
"Many people committed rapes and murders. But they were not killed like this. Why they were not meted out such treatment," Ramappa asked when mediapersons sought his reaction.
Locals said the four accused belonged to economically weaker families with poor literacy, yet earned well and led a lavish life-style spending on liquor and others.
The 26-year old Arif, from Jakler village in Narayanapet District in Telangana, had worked in a local petrol pump before becoming truck driver.
Another accused Jollu Shiva and Jollu Navin, both 20, were working as cleaners and belonged to Gudigandla village in the same district.
Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu (20) was also a truck driver from the same village.
According to people who know them, Chennakeshavulu was suffering from kidney ailment.
Parents couldn't control them as they were uneducated. These people were earning handsomely and there was no accountability. They indulged in alcohol consumption from young age, a resident of Makthal said. -- PTI
Image: Police personnel at the spot where the four men, accused of the rape and murder of a lady veterinary doctor last week, were killed in an encounter in Hyderabad. Photograph: ANI Photo
18:09 'Right thing happened': Hry minister Anil Vij on Hyderabad encounter
Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Friday said all four accused in the Hyderabad woman veterinarian rape-and-murder case getting killed in an encounter with police was the "right thing" and the victim had got justice.
The four men, all lorry workers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 for raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body.
The woman's body was found under a culvert in Shadnagar, near Hyderabad, on the morning of November 28, a day after she went missing.
According to the Hyderabad police, the accused were shot dead around 6.30 am on Friday when they tried to escape after they were taken to the site of the offence for reconstruction of the crime.
"Hyderabad gangrape accused killed. Whatever happened, howsoever it happened, but the right thing happened," Vij tweeted in Hindi.
"The rape victim has got justice," the minister, who was in Delhi, later told PTI over phone.
Pointing out that the convicts in the Nirbhaya case have not yet got punishment, Vij said summary trial should be held in such heinous cases.
"Changes should be made in the rules and summary trial of such cases should be held. Eminent persons of that area should be included as jury members and whatever decision is taken by the jury, there should be no appeal against that," he said. -- PTI
17:37 When justice fails, instant justice steps in
"It is easy to understand the man on the street celebrating the wanton killing of the accused. What is not, however, is the support this act has evoked among our lawmakers.
"Because, the meting out of instant justice as in Hyderabad is as powered by public support as it is impelled by the failure of our grievance redressal mechanism, for which our lawmakers must share part of the blame."
Saisuresh Sivaswamy/Rediff.com weighs in on the extra-judicial killings of the four accused in the gang-rape and murder of a Hyderabad vet. Do read
17:13 Govt has cancelled Nithyananda's passport: MEA
The government has cancelled passport of controversial self-styled godman Nithyananda and rejected his application for fresh one, External Affairs Ministry said on Friday. Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said that the ministry has sensitised all its missions and posts abroad about Nithyananda.
17:07 Strained relation with coach Shastri? Speculations, says Ganguly
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Friday rubbished, as pure speculation, allegations that he would be vindictive towards chief coach Ravi Shastri, saying that performance alone will be the parameter of judging individuals during his tenure.
Shastri and Ganguly had a public fallout in 2016 when the former reapplied for coach's job and the latter was a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee, which selected Anil Kumble for the position. In 2017, Shastri got back the job after Kumble resigned following his much-publicised difference of opinion with skipper Virat Kohli.
During the 'India Today Conclave (East)' on Friday, Ganguly was asked about conjecture that he has an axe to grind with Shastri because of past differences.
"That's why these are called speculations. I don't have an answer to these questions," said Ganguly, dismissing the supposition. For Ganguly, it all boils down to performance on the field. "You perform and you continue, you don't, someone else takes over. That was also the case when I played," he asserted. "There will be talks, leaks, rumours but concentration should be on what happens on 22 yards," he said. - PTI
17:07 Strained relation with coach Shastri? Speculations, says Ganguly
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Friday rubbished, as pure speculation, allegations that he would be vindictive towards chief coach Ravi Shastri, saying that performance alone will be the parameter of judging individuals during his tenure.
Shastri and Ganguly had a public fallout in 2016 when the former reapplied for coach's job and the latter was a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee, which selected Anil Kumble for the position. In 2017, Shastri got back the job after Kumble resigned following his much-publicised difference of opinion with skipper Virat Kohli.
During the 'India Today Conclave (East)' on Friday, Ganguly was asked about conjecture that he has an axe to grind with Shastri because of past differences.
"That's why these are called speculations. I don't have an answer to these questions," said Ganguly, dismissing the supposition. For Ganguly, it all boils down to performance on the field. "You perform and you continue, you don't, someone else takes over. That was also the case when I played," he asserted. "There will be talks, leaks, rumours but concentration should be on what happens on 22 yards," he said. - PTI
16:16 Is it my fault that I am a woman MP of BJP: Irani on Cong MPs charging towards her
Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday expressed shock over two Congress MPs charging aggressively towards her in Lok Sabha and another asking her why she was speaking in the House.
"Is it my fault that I am a woman MP of BJP and spoke in the House," she told reporters in the Parliament Complex. Irani was speaking in the Lok Sabha on the Unnao rape issue when she was interrupted by two Congress MPs who apparently got up from their seats and rushed towards the treasury benches.
Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, told Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to ask his party MPs to come to the House and seek an apology.
"This is the most condemnable behaviour. They came in threatening position...when she was speaking. She is a lady member of the house. It is most uncalled and they should apologise," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said in the House when it assembled after lunch break. -- PTI
16:15 Killing of accused correct and timely: Bengaluru top cop
Defending the killing of all four accused in the rape-and-murder of a 25-year-old Hyderabad veterinarian by the police on Friday, Bengaluru top cop Bhaskar Rao termed it as "correct and timely action" given the situation.
Had the accused escaped from custody, the police would have been under tremendous pressure, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner said. "During the reconstruction of the crime scene as part of the investigation the accused have tried to escape from the police following which this strong action has been taken," he said.
Last month's brutal incident of rape in the Telangana capital could have happened anywhere and the police there was under pressure to solve the crime and bring the offenders to book, he said.
"The action of Hyderabad/Cyberabad police was correct and timely, there can be no second opinion. If they (accused) had escaped from the custody, they (police) would have been under tremendous pressure.the incident has happened during inquiry and it needs to be defended. Cyberabad police has taken required action," Rao added.
Also, pointing out that Cyberabad police commissioner V C Sajjanar hails from Hubballi in Karnataka, Rao said, he and his team has acted "according to the situation". -- PTI
15:38 Law has done its duty: Telangana top cop
Telangana Police briefs the media on today's encounter of the four men accused in the rape and murder of a vet.
Cyberabad CP VC Sajjanar said law has done its duty and illustrated how the encounter took place:
"On 4 and 5 December, we interrogated the accused after taking the accused into police custody. Today, the police brought the accused to the crime spot as part of investigation. The accused were not handcuffed.
"Two of the accused attacked the police with sticks and then snatched the weapons from us and started firing on the police. The police warned them and asked them to surrender but they continued to fire. Officers maintained restrained and warned them, but they continued to fire at us, We retaliated and opened fire and they were killed in the encounter.
"During the encounter, two policemen have been injured with head injuries and they have been shifted to the local hospital. There were 10 officers at the encounter site.
"The encounter lasted 45 minutes from 5:30 to 6:15 am. We have recovered the victim's cell phone and power banks from the spot. We have also seized two weapons from the accused persons. The body of accused have been shifted to local govt hospital for postmortem."
15:20 Pistol-packing accused
A pistol seen in the hand of one the accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian killed in encounter earlier today by the police.
15:02 NHRC takes cognisance of Hyderabad encounter, orders probe
The National Human Rights Commission on Friday took cognisance of the killing of four men accused of raping and murdering a woman veterinarian in Hyderabad and ordered an inquiry into the police encounter. The apex human rights body said the encounter early morning on Friday is a matter of concern. -- PTI
Image: Dead bodies of the accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian seen at the spot where they were killed in an encounter with the police, in Hyderabad on Friday. (ANI)
14:56 President: Should be no mercy for rape convicts
President Ram Nath Kovind, speaking at a function at Mt Abu says there should be no mercy for rape convicts. "Incidents happening against women in this country is appalling. The incidents of demonic attacks on women have shaken the conscience of our country. Rape convicts under POCSO Act should not be allowed the mercy petition," the president said.
His statement assumes important given that the mercy petition of one of the five rape convicts Vinay Sharma, who is facing the gallows for the gang-rape and murder of the 23-year-old paramedic student in Delhi, is lying with the president.
The Union Home Ministry has sent to President Ram Nath Kovind the recommendation of the Delhi government rejecting the mercy plea of one of the convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case, officials said on Friday.
The move came two days after the file rejecting the mercy plea was sent by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to the Home Ministry. The file has been forwarded to the President for consideration and final decision. The Home Ministry has also commented in the file recommending the rejection of the mercy petition of one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, the official said.
Vinay Sharma, one of the convicts facing the gallows for the rape-and-murder of a 23-year-old paramedic student, had filed the mercy petition before the President.
Nirbhaya was gang-raped on December 16, 2012. She later succumbed to her injuries. The brutality of the rape had rocked the nation leading to massive protests.
Image: Vinay Sharma, one of the four death row convicts in the December 2012 gang rape case of the paramedic, had allegedly tried to commit suicide in Tihar Jail in 2016.
14:32 Telangana's history of encounter deaths and the cop
Telangana has two other encounter deaths of note, apart from the deaths of the four rape accused today.
On April 7, 2015, five persons associated with SIMI and other radical organisations were shot dead by the Telangana Police after the former allegedly attacked the police escort while being brought to Hyderabad for a court hearing, at the border of Nalgonda-Warangal districts, 100 km away from Hyderabad.
In 2008, Warangal police shot dead three persons accused of throwing acid on two girls. Police had claimed that the three accused in the sensational acid attack case were shot dead in self-defence as they had tried to attack the police and escape.
Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, who is handling the Hyderabad rape case, led the 2008 action as the SP of Warangal.
14:22 Why cowardly encounters will never cease in India
As India, (most of it, anyway) rejoices over the custodial deaths or encounter killings of four rape and murder accused, a hark back at Aakar Patel's 2015 column: "... police in Andhra Pradesh murdered 20 men, most of them Tamils, for stealing trees. The same day police in Telangana murdered five men who were in their custody, handcuffed and being driven to court.
Neither of these stories was lead-worthy for the editors of India's two largest English papers, and perhaps rightly so.
The truth is that middle class and Anglicised India doesn't care about either blue collar workers (tree choppers) or Muslims (encounter victims) being dealt with outside the framework of the law."
Read the column here.
14:08 Ram temple being built, while Sita burns: Cong
A remark by Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury that "Sita is being burnt" while plans are afoot to build a Ram temple created an uproar in the House on Friday, with union minister Smriti Irani hitting back at the opposition for politicising and communalising the issue.
Raising the issue of setting afire of a rape survivor in Uttar Praesh's Unnao during Zero Hour, Chowdhury said while on the one hand plans are afoot to build a Ram temple (in Ayodhya), on the other hand Sita is being burnt.
He said while there are talks to make Uttar Pradesh a Uttam Pradesh (best state), it is become "Adharm Pradesh" (broadly land of lawlessness). Intervening, Irani said it was unfortunate that incidents of rape and killing of women are being communalised and politicised. She said the opposition members are not referring to a similar case in Malda in West Bengal.
"Yes, setting afire a woman is condemnable, yes, the rape and killing of a woman is inhuman, but do not politicise the issue. No one has ever communalised the issue in this House," she said.
"The fact that you (Opposition MPs) shout here today, means you do not want a woman to stand up and talk about issues. You were quiet when in West Bengal panchayat polls, rape was used as a political weapon, you were quiet then," Irani said.
T N Prathapan (Cong) came to the aisle near the Well and shouted something. He was pulled back by some Congress and NCP members, following which the Congress stage a walkout from the house.
13:52 Bodies of 4 accused still at encounter spot
The spot where the accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter early this morning by the police. The bodies are still at the spot and will be shifted for post mortem shortly.
13:50 Nirbhaya cop: Never thought of killing accused
Former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar, who handled the Nirbhaya gangrape-and-murder case, on Friday said the thought of killing the accused never crossed his mind. "There was a lot of pressure at that time, but the thought of killing them never came. We were getting messages, asking us to throw the accused in front of hungry lions. But we followed the law," he told PTI over phone.
13:19 Unnao rape survivor's relatives receive death threats
Meanwhile, the family of the Unnao rape survivor, who is currently undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, on Friday claimed they have received death threats and that the callers have also threatened to burn down their shop.
The victim's uncle and aunt and some other relatives who received threat calls are living in fear.
The family has sought security from the police administration. Meanwhile, doctors attending the rape survivor at Safdarjung Hospital, said that her condition is critical and there are minimal chances of her survival.
Image: The 23-year-old survivor was airlifted from Lucknow's SMC government hospital to Safdarjung Hospital last night.
13:08 Encounters should be made legal: BJP MP
BJP lawmaker Locket Chatterjee on Friday lauded Telangana Police after the accused in the veterinarian rape and murder case were killed in an encounter and added that such operations should be made 'legal'.
According to the police, all the four accused were being taken to the scene of the crime, where the charred body of the doctor was found, when they allegedly attempted to escape and were later killed in an encounter.
"This is a very good step taken for our country, I felt really good when I read this news in the morning. The soul of the rape victim must be at peace now. Her family must be at peace. Such encounters should be made legal," Chatterjee told ANI.
"If something of this sort happens then the culprits should be hanged to death or killed in an encounter within seven to fifteen days. I thank Hyderabad Police for the encounter carried today," she added.
13:04 Police need to use weapons when accused try to flee: Lekhi
Seeking to justify the killing of four persons accused of raping and killing a Hyderabad woman veterinarian, a BJP member in Lok Sabha on Friday said police have not been given weapons as a show piece and have to use when accused try to flee.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Meenakshi Lekhi (BJP) said police had to open fire when the accused tried to escape. "Police ko hatiyar sajane ke liye nahin diye gaye" (Police have not been given weapons for keeping as show piece), she said. -- PTI
12:58 Telangana CM, cops have acted as leaders of a lynch mob: Activists
The police cannot act like a lynch mob under any circumstance, several rights activists said after four people accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian were killed near Hyderabad in the early hours of Friday.
The encounter is an attempt by authorities to distract people from the government's failures to safeguard women's rights, the activists said. According to Kavita Krishnan, secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association, this is not justice but a "ploy" to shut down demands for accountability from the police, judiciary, governments, and justice and dignity for women. "Instead of being accountable to his job and answering our questions about his government's failures to safeguard women's rights, the Telangana CM and his police have acted as leaders of a lynch mob," she said.
She described the incident as the admittance of utter incompetence and failure of criminality on the part of the entire political and police system and accused Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of deflecting the "whole issue".
"We are asking tough questions to the police and to the government. In order to avoid answering these questions it is an attempt to say justice has been done," she said.
The incident took place around 6.30 am when the four accused in the rape-and-murder case of the 25-year-old woman veterinarian near Hyderabad were taken to the site of the offence for reconstruction of the scene of the crime as part of the investigation, a senior police official said.
Krishnan said the police personnel responsible must be arrested and prosecuted, and must be asked to prove in court that all four men were killed.
Annie Raja, general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Woman, called for a high-level inquiry. "Why in spite of having all legislations in place in the country are governments failing to implement it. Definitely it was a distraction. It was an attempt to divert attention from the issue. A high level inquiry is needed in the matter is needed," she said. Lawyer and rights activist Vrinda Grover termed the incident "absolutely unacceptable". Asking people to say "no to trigger track injustice", she said, "... so all that the state will do in the name of ensuring that women live as equal and free citizens is to add to its arsenal of unlimited, arbitrary violence."
She also asked for an independent judicial inquiry into the incident. Human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi, founding member of ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), agreed that it might be an attempt by the government to distract people.
"They (BJP) believe in this kind of politics and they are adding to the violence to public discourse and forcing people to a situation where chaos prevails in society... because when people start asking for lynching on the streets and killing people with stones or killing them in fake encounters, it is a very serious situation in society and it has to be strongly condemned," she said. -- PTI
12:19 Worrisome that people have lost faith in justice system: Kejriwal
Another sane voice from our leaders is expectedly that of the Delhi CM. Arvind Kejriwal said while the people of the country are rejoicing the encounter deaths of the four accused in the gang rape and murder case of the Hyderabad veterinarian, it is also worrisome that they have lost faith in the justice system.
"The rape cases that have come to light of late, people are in anger whether it is Unnao or Hyderabad, so people are expressing happiness over the encounter.
"It is also something to be worried about, the way people have lost their faith in the criminal justice system. Together all the governments will have to take action on how to strengthen criminal justice system," he told reporters.
All the four accused in the rape-and-murder case of a 25-year-old woman Hyderabad veterinarian last month were killed in an exchange of fire with police on Friday morning. PTI
12:14 Can't kill people because you want to: Maneka
BJP MP Maneka Gandhi is the only leader from the ruling party to question the extra-judiciary killings of the rapists of the Hyderabad vet.
Speaking to ANI, Maneka, a former minister for Women and Child Development, said, "Jo bhi hua hai bohot bhayanak hua hai is desh ke liye. You cannot kill people because you want to. You cannot take law in your hands, they (accused) would have been hanged by Court anyhow."
12:03 Der aaye, durust aaye: Jaya Bachchan
Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, who had earlier advocated public lynching of rapists, commenting on the Telangana police encounter in which the four accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Hyderabad were killed, reacted to the news, saying, "der aaye durust aaye (better late than never)".
Early this morning, the four accused were shot dead by police after they allegedly attempted to flee when they were being taken to the spot where the body of the veterinarian was found.The four accused were under arrest and were in judicial custody and lodged in high-security cells at Cherlapally Central Jail in Hyderabad.
Police said that the veterinarian was brutally raped and killed by the accused who burned her body in the Shamshabad area on November 27. Her charred body was recovered on November 28.
11:53 Justice has been done: Chhattisgarh CM
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel: When a criminal tries to escape, police are left with no other option, it can be said that justice has been done.
11:49 Jai Telangana Police: Uma Bharti
Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti on Friday hailed the Telangana police after personnel of the force killed the four accused in Telangana rape-murder case in an encounter.
"This is the biggest incident in the 19th year of this century that will guarantee women's safety," Uma Bharti tweeted in Hindi. She said that all the police officers and policemen who executed this encounter deserve greetings.
The BJP leader said, "Grief of the family whose daughter went away from the world after suffering mercilessness will never be alleviated, but that sister's (rape victim) soul will get peace and the fear among other girls of India will be lessened. Jai Telangana Police."
She said that she can now believe governments of other states will find ways to teach criminals an immediate lesson. -- ANI
11:47 Good always prevails over evil in India: BJP's Rathore
Other reactions: Former Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore lauded the Hyderabad police for shooting down all four accused in the rape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana.
He also said that this would set a precedent in the country and will give out the message that in India, good always prevails over evil.
"I congratulate the Hyderabad police and the leadership that allows the police to act like the police. Let all know this is the country where good will always prevail over evil (Disclaimer for holier than thou- police acted swiftly in self-defence) #Encounter #hyderabadpolice," Rathore tweeted.
11:35 Great work Hyderabad police: Saina Nehwal
Shuttler Saina Nehwal on Friday lauded Hyderabad police for killing all four accused in the rape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana."Great work #hyderabadpolice ..we salute u," Nehwal tweeted.
All the four accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter with Telangana police early on Friday.
According to the police, when all the four accused were being taken to the scene of the crime, where the charred body of the doctor was found, they tried to escape and were shot at.
Senior police officials at the site of the encounter said, "The accused Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva and Chennakeshavulu were killed in a police encounter at Chatanpally, Shadnagar today in the wee hours, between 3 am and 6 am. I have reached the spot and further details will be revealed," Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said.
11:24 Maya praises encounter deaths of H'bad rapists
BSP president Mayawati on Friday praised the Hyderabad Police for its strong action against the accused in the gang rape and murder of a 25-year-old veterinarian and asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to take inspiration from them.
"The action that has been taken by the Hyderabad Police is praiseworthy," Mayawati said, reacting to the encounter killings of the four accused arrested in connection with the case.
"In UP, this is happening every day not just in one district but in every district. Be it young girls or aged women, nobody is being spared. There is jungle raj in UP," she said, adding that when she was chief minister she had acted even against members of her own party.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked the state police to take inspiration from Hyderabad police and take strict action against culprits in such cases. "Uttar Pradesh and Delhi police will have to change," she added. -- PTI
11:21 Is death sentence meted out in rape cases?
In March 2013, Parliament passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 to amend the IPC to allow death penalty only in rape cases where the accompanying brutality leads to death or leaves the victim in a persistent vegetative state, and in cases of repeat offenders. The amendments to the justice system were made after the Delhi gang rape. Earlier, death sentence was not prescribed for rapes.
Which is why, if the due course of law was followed in the Hyderabad rape and murder case, it is likely that the four accused would have been given the death sentence.
However, like the Nirbhaya case, where the five men (one died in jail) have been sentenced to death, but are in jail as several mercy petitions were filed by them, it is more than likely that in the Hyderabad case as well, justice will be delayed. And this is why people are celebrating extra-judicial deaths.
Image: Two of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder, the case which ensured laws governing women's security were changed.
11:09 Unnao rape survivor critical and on ventilator
And while the Hyderabad vet's family says justice has been served, let's not forget this young girl from Unnao who was also raped and then set afire and is battling for her life in hospital.
The rape survivor from Unnao, who was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, is extremely critical and on ventilator, doctors attending to her said on Friday. "Even her vitals are very low," said Dr Shalab Kumar, Head of Burn and Plastic Surgery at the hospital.
The Delhi Traffic Police on Thursday provided a "green corridor" for hindrance-free movement of the ambulance carrying her from the airport to the hospital.
"We have set up a dedicated ICU room for the patient. A team of doctors are consistently monitoring her health condition," Dr Sunil Gupta, Medical Superintendent at Safdarjung Hospital, said.
The rape survivor suffered 90 per cent burns after five men, including two of the rape accused, allegedly set her on fire while she was on her way to court, police said. One of the two men accused of raping her last year was granted bail 10 days back. The other man had been on the run. All the five men involved in Thursday morning's attack were arrested within hours and the victim airlifted in the evening from the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital in Lucknow to Delhi. -- PTI
11:09 Unnao rape survivor critical and on ventilator
And while the Hyderabad vet's family says justice has been served, let's not forget this young girl from Unnao who was also raped and then set afire and is battling for her life in hospital.
The rape survivor from Unnao, who was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, is extremely critical and on ventilator, doctors attending to her said on Friday. "Even her vitals are very low," said Dr Shalab Kumar, Head of Burn and Plastic Surgery at the hospital.
The Delhi Traffic Police on Thursday provided a "green corridor" for hindrance-free movement of the ambulance carrying her from the airport to the hospital.
"We have set up a dedicated ICU room for the patient. A team of doctors are consistently monitoring her health condition," Dr Sunil Gupta, Medical Superintendent at Safdarjung Hospital, said.
The rape survivor suffered 90 per cent burns after five men, including two of the rape accused, allegedly set her on fire while she was on her way to court, police said. One of the two men accused of raping her last year was granted bail 10 days back. The other man had been on the run. All the five men involved in Thursday morning's attack were arrested within hours and the victim airlifted in the evening from the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital in Lucknow to Delhi. -- PTI
10:59 Vet's neighbours tie rakhis to Hyderabad cops
Sweets, flowers, and now rakhis. Neigbours of the woman veterinarian who was gang-raped and killed, tie rakhis to police personnel today. The four accused were killed in an encounter earlier today by Hyderabad cops after they allegedly attempted to escape from the scene of the crime where they were taken in the early hours today.
The four men, all truck drivers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 for raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body.
They were remanded to 7 days' judicial custody.
Reacting to the killing of the four accused in the encounter, the victim's sister said they welcomed it. "We are happy. We did not expect this (killing in encounter). We thought they would be hanged through courts. "We thank everyone who stood by us. With this incident people should be scared to indulge in such crimes (against women),' she told reporters.
The gang rape-and-murder triggered a nation-wide outrage with the public and lawmakers demanding speedy punishment to the perpetrators. The state government had ordered setting up of a special court (fast track) to expedite the trial.
10:49 Ajit Pawar gets ACB clean-chit in irrigation scam case
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra's anti-corruption bureau has cleared National Conference Party's leader Ajit Pawar of allegations in an irrigation scam case in an affidavit submitted in the court.
The 16-page affidavit, dated November 27 Nov was submitted at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court by ACB superintendent Rashmi Nandedkar in which she has observed that there is no criminal liability on the part of the then Chairman of the VIDC (Minister of WRD) in respect of the process of granting sanction.
Minister of Water Resources Department is Ex-Officio Chairman of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation. -- ANI
10:46 Rapist killings: H'bad showers rose petals on cops
Hyderabad celebrates the encounter killing of the four rape and murder accused. Locals had showered rose petals on police personnel at the spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter earlier today. DCP Zindabad, ACP Zindabad' slogans raised near the spot where the accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter by police earlier this morning.
Neigbours of the woman veterinarian, celebrate and offer sweets to police personnel.
Amid questions being raised on circumstances surrounding the encounter deaths on Friday of the four accused in the gang rape and murder case of the veterinarian in Hyderabad, Nirbhaya's parents welcomed the move while Congress leader Shashi Tharoor struck a note of caution. Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor, however, said extra judicial killings were not acceptable. "Agree in principle. We need to know more, for instance if the criminals were armed, the police may have been justified in opening fire preemptively. Until details emerge we should not rush to condemn. But extra-judicial killings are otherwise unacceptable in a society of laws," he tweeted.
And Shesh Paul Vaid, former J-K DGP, tweets, "Well done boys- Telagana Police."
10:18 Rapists won't be living on tax-payers money: DCW
After all four accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Telangana were killed in an encounter, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal said 'what will police do if rapists try to escape from custody'.
"What will the police do if rapists try to escape. That is exactly why we are requesting the Centre to create a strong system in the country so that rapists who are committing such heinous crimes need to be given death penalty after all kinds of court procedures," Maliwal said while speaking to ANI.
She said if the system is not strong then the police of this country will "repeat these kinds of incidents much more"."At least these men will no longer be living on taxpayers' money the way Nirbhaya convicts have been doing for the past seven years," she said.
Speaking about her hunger strike against rape incidents in the country, she said: "The hunger strike has entered 4th day and will continue until the Centre meets the demand to create a strong system of deterrence punishment to rapists in this country." -- PTI
09:59 Victim's family: We did not expect an encounter
Reacting to the killing of the four accused in the encounter, the victim's sister said they welcomed it. "We are happy. We did not expect this (killing in encounter). We thought they would be hanged through courts. We thank everyone who stood by us. With this incident people should be scared to indulge in such crimes (against women)," she told reporters.
Victim's father: "It has been 10 days to the day my daughter died. I express my gratitude towards the police and government for this. My daughter's soul must be at peace now," he said.
09:55 NCW: This was the end we all wanted, but...
Rekha Sharma, National Commission for Women, reacts to the Telangana encounter: "As a common citizen I am feeling happy that this was the end we all wanted for them. But this end was supposed to be through the legal system. It should have happened through proper channels. We always demanded death penalty for them, and here police is the best judge, I don't know in what circumstances this happened."
Image: Heavy police presence at the spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter earlier today.
09:34 Police has done a great job: Nirbhaya's mom
Asha Devi, the mother of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape and murder victim, also called Nirbhaya reacts to the encounter killing of the four accused in the Hyderabad vet's rape and murder: "I am extremely happy with this punishment. The police has done a great job and I demand that no action should be taken against the police personnel. I have been running from pillar to post for the last 7 years. I appeal to the justice system of this country and the government, that Nirbhaya's culprits must be hanged to death, at the earliest."
The four accused arrested in connection with the rape-and-murder of a 25-year-old woman veterinarian near here last month were killed in an alleged encounter with the police Friday morning, police said.
"The four accused were killed in an encounter with the police," Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said.
The four men, all lorry workers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body. They were in remanded to 7 days' judicial custody. They were taken to the crime scene Friday morning by the police as part of the investigation, a source said.
"They fired upon the police team and we retaliated in self-defence. Two of our men are also injured in the incident," the source told PTI. The gang rape-and-murder triggered a nation-wide outrage with the public and lawmakers demanding speedy punishment to the perpetrators. The state government has ordered setting up of a fast track court to expedite the trial. -- PTI
09:03 This will set an example: Hyd vet's family
Shortly after the four accused in the Hyderabad rape-murder case were shot dead in an encounter, the father of the young victim has congratulated the Telangana government and police.
He said, "It has been 10 days to the day my daughter died. I express my gratitude towards the police and government for this. My daughter's soul must be at peace now."
The victim's sister also said she is "very happy," adding that the police's action will serve as an example.
Meanwhile, the father of the victim in the 2012 gang rape case, says the Hyderabad vet's family has been spared the ordeal he and his wife, Asha Devi, have been put through in the past seven years.
08:44 Accused tried to escape: Hyd cops on encounter
All four accused arrested last week for the gruesome rape and murder of a 26-year-old veterinarian were shot dead in an alleged encounter early on Friday, Cyberabad Police said.
Police officials said the four accused tried to escape custody when they were taken at 3:30 am to the crime scene near Shadnagar, around 50 km from Hyderabad. Sources said the quartet was taken to the spot for a reconstruction of the crime.
The four bodies have been taken to a government hospital.
08:22 Farooq Abdullah writes to Tharoor, says 'we are not criminals'
In a letter addressed to Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has expressed his discontent over being kept under watch, while asserting that he was not a 'criminal'.
Abdullah's letter, written in a reply to a Tharoor's post to him was shared by the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, on his social media account. I
n his reply, Abdullah thanked Tharoor for writing a letter in October which he claimed was delivered late to him by a magistrate who looks after him in a 'sub-jail'.
"It is most unfortunate that they are not able to deliver me my post in time. I am sure this is not the way to treat a senior MP and leader of a political party. We are not criminals", reads Abdullah's reply.
Sharing the letter on the micro-blogging site, Tharoor also asked for Abdullah to be allowed to attend the session of parliament saying that it was essential for democracy.
"Members of Parliament should be allowed to attend the session as a matter of parliamentary privilege. Otherwise, the tool of arrest can be used to muzzle opposition voices. Participation in Parliament is essential for democracy and popular sovereignty", wrote Tharoor.
On November 29, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MPs held a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament premises demanding the release of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, from his present accommodation where he has been lodged since August 5.
-- ANI
Image: Farooq Abdullah's letter to Shashi Tharoor.
07:48 All 4 accused in Hyd vet's rape case killed
All four accused in the Hyderabad veterinarian rape and murder case have been killed in a police encounter, sources have said.
The police said the four accused were shot dead in an encounter on the NH-44 near Hyderabad -- the same highway where the charred body of the vet was found.
As per initial reports, the four accused had been taken to the spot for recreation of the crime scene when they tried to escape.
The charred body of the 25-year-old woman, working as an assistant veterinarian at a state-run hospital, was found under a culvert in Shadnagar area of Hyderabad on November 28, a day after she went missing.
Four persons were arrested in connection with the incident on November 29.
00:13 After humiliation,WB Guv to visit assembly today
Undeterred by his humiliating experience during his visit to the state assembly on Thursday, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has decided to visit it again on Friday to pay floral tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar on his birth anniversary.
According to the governor's schedule on Friday released by the Raj Bhavan, Dhankhar will visit the assembly along with the first lady and pay floral tributes to the statute of Ambedkar, the dalit icon and architect of the Constitution.
A drama unfolded at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly here on Thursday as Dhankhar was made to wait outside the assembly with the gate designated for his entry being locked and the speaker and staff having gone missing.
Seething with anger, Dhankar, said the "humiliation" meted out to the governor's post has put the country's democratic history to "shame" and reflects the "caged democratic atmosphere" prevailing in the state.
The Trinamool Congress, was quick to react, slamming the governor for overstepping his brief and "aspiring to be the administrative head of the state".
Since assuming office in July, the governor has been at loggerheads with Mamata Banerjee's government over a number of issues, ranging from the seating arrangement at the Durga Puja carnival to his unscheduled visit to Singur. -- PTI
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