A month after Dalit protester Somnath Suryavanshi's death in judicial custody sparked a political uproar, authorities in the Parbhani district of Maharashtra have initiated an inquiry into over 20 complaints, officials stated on Tuesday. Among the complaints is one from Suryavanshi’s mother, who has demanded justice for her family and stringent action against the police personnel involved in her son’s death. A judicial inquiry into the incident has already been ordered, news agency PTI reported. Suryavanshi, 35, died on December 15 at a state-run hospital in Parbhani while in judicial custody. He had been arrested days earlier in connection with the Parbhani violence triggered by the desecration of a glass-encased replica of the Constitution. The police attributed his death to an illness. However, in the aftermath of the incident, Parbhani Police received 23 complaints alleging police misconduct and related concerns, PTI reported. Social activists, organisations, individuals, and Suryavanshi’s relatives have filed these complaints, focusing primarily on alleged police brutality and the circumstances surrounding his death, an official stated. An IPS officer has been appointed to lead the investigation and compile a detailed report covering all aspects of the case, from the vandalism of the Constitution replica to Suryavanshi’s death and its aftermath, the official added. Suryavanshi’s family has accused the police of offering Rs 50 lakh and assistance in a police recruitment pre-training programme for his brothers in exchange for conducting his last rites in Pune or Latur instead of Parbhani, PTI reported. However, the police have denied these allegations, describing them as "misunderstandings." A senior police officer clarified that a proposal had been sent to the state government seeking Rs 50 lakh in financial aid and a government job for one family member following the judicial death of the Parbhani violence accused. Suryavanshi’s brother, Premnath, expressed frustration over the lack of progress. "Despite our repeated visits to the police station and court, we are told the inquiry is ongoing. Many political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have visited us and pledged support, but justice remains elusive. Parbhani Police haven't visited us even once in almost 30 days," he told PTI. Premnath also revealed that Suryavanshi had aspirations of becoming a judge and was preparing for the LLB exam in Parbhani. He had further plans to pursue a PhD in Economics. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 11:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBihar Labour Resources Minister Santosh Kumar Singh on Tuesday alleged that he received death threats from a man who identified himself as gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The minister lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. The police formed a team to investigate the matter. "I received a call today on my mobile phone… The caller identified himself as Lawrence Bishnoi. He demanded Rs 30 lakh. He called again after sometime....reminding me of Baba Siddiqui and threatened to kill me in the same way if I didn’t pay the money”, the minister told reporters. The caller also told the minister how to send the money. "I immediately informed the DGP and also lodged a complaint with the police. I have no cases against me and no political enemies. Police are investigating the matter,” the minister said. Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police Avkash Kumar said, “A case has been registered at Kotwali Police station in this regard and the matter is being investigated. A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe into the matter”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 January,2025 10:31 PM IST | Patna | PTIA tiger attacked and killed a 57-year-old man in the Ballarpur forest range of Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, on Tuesday, forest department officials said. The tiger was tranquilised and captured shortly after the attack, they added. The victim, Lalsingh Maravi, a resident of Manikpur in the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, was performing bamboo removal work in a forest area assigned to contractor Nagin Puglia when the tiger ambushed him, killing him instantly, news agency PTI reported. Upon receiving a report, officials from the Central Chanda Division and Ballarpur range, along with forest staff, rushed to the site. There they discovered the tiger sitting near Maravi’s body. Efforts to drive the tiger away were unsuccessful, prompting the forest department to call in a Rapid Response Team and wildlife experts. The team tranquilised the animal, and a veterinary officer examined it before the tiger was placed in a cage and transported to the Transit Treatment Centre in Chandrapur. The body of Maravi was later handed over to his family following an autopsy, and initial financial assistance was provided to them, PTI reported. The operation to capture the tiger was conducted under the guidance of Shweta Boddu, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Central Chanda Forest Division, Chandrapur), officials said. Chandrapur district, located in eastern Maharashtra, is home to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. Tiger cub found dead near village in Gondia A tiger cub was found dead in the Gondia forest range, Maharashtra, on Tuesday, close to a village, officials said. This follows the discovery of a tiger and a tiger cub dead in separate incidents in Bhandara district over the past 15 days, PTI reported. Forest department personnel discovered the carcass of the male cub, which belonged to tigress T14, in the Dasgaon beat near Kohka village. The cub had been unwell in recent days, officials said. Samples have been collected for lab tests to determine the cause of death. Earlier, a tiger cub was found dead in the Lendezari forest area of Bhandara district on December 30, and a mutilated adult tiger carcass was discovered in the Jhanjhariya beat in the same district, officials added. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:51 PM IST | Chandrapur | mid-day online correspondentAs many as 35 crows were found dead in different parts of Udgir town in Maharashtra's Latur district in two days, and carcasses have been sent for testing, an official said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. According to officials, bird carcasses were found in Hutatma Smarak Garden and Mahatma Gandhi Garden in Latur, among other areas, on Monday and Tuesday. "After receiving complaints from residents, we visited Hutatma Smarak Garden, where eight to ten dead carcases were found, and 10 to 15 dead crows were found at Mahatma Gandhi Garden. Six carcasses were sent to the Regional Disease Investigation Laboratory in Pune to ascertain the cause of death. At least 35 crows have been found dead so far," livestock development officer Dr Prakash Dhond said, according to the PTI. Tehsildar Ram Borgaonkar said that people have been reporting bird deaths since Monday, and the animal husbandry department was asked to collect samples for analysis. Borgaonkar has urged Udgir residents not to panic. Tiger cub found dead near village in Gondia forest range in Maharashtra Meanwhile, in an another incident, a tiger cub was found dead in an area adjoining a village in the Gondia forest range of Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said, as per the PTI. Earlier, a tiger and a cub were found dead in separate incidents in the neighbouring Bhandara district in Maharashtra some 15 days ago. The carcass of the male cub of tigress T14 was spotted by a patrolling team of forest department personnel in Dasgaon beat, located near Kohka village in Gondia, on Tuesday, the PTI reported. Experts have collected samples from the carcass of the tiger cub for testing and sent it to the laboratory to ascertain the exact cause of the death, the officials said. The cub was unwell for the past few days, they added, the news agency reported. A tiger cub was found dead on Deonara-Kurmuda Road under the Lendezari forest area in Tumsar of Bhandara district on December 30. A full-grown tiger's mutilated carcass was found in Jhanjhariya beat also in the Tumsar forest range, officials added. (with PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:45 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondentAt least two men died after their throats were slit by nylon kite strings in separate incidents in Nashik and Akola cities of Maharashtra on Tuesday, police said. The victims were identified as Sonu Dhotre and Kiran Sonone, news agency PTI reported. Dhotre was riding a motorcycle when a nylon manja entangled his neck, causing serious injuries on the Pathardi Phata-Deolali Camp road in Nashik. A police team rushed him to the civil hospital, where he later died from excessive bleeding. He was employed as a contract worker in Gujarat, an official said, adding that a case of accidental death has been registered. In Akola, 40-year-old Kiran Sonone was riding a two-wheeler on a bypass flyover when the kite string, also known as Chinese manja, caused a deep cut to his neck, PTI reported. Sonone, who was bleeding profusely, was taken to the district general hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said. Mumbai cops seize banned nylon manja, book 19 people Mumbai Police seized banned nylon string and other related materials during a special drive over the past four days, an officer said on Tuesday. A total of 19 individuals were either arrested or issued notices under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act between January 10 and 13. The police confiscated nylon string or Chinese manja and related materials worth Rs 35,350 during the crackdown, PTI reported. The use of nylon string for flying kites has been banned due to safety risks, as numerous incidents of grievous injuries and fatalities have been reported in the past. Four dead in Gujarat due to kite string injuries Four people, including a four-year-old boy, died after their throats were slit by kite strings during Uttarayan celebrations in Gujarat on Tuesday, police said. The deaths occurred in Rajkot, Panchmahal, Mehsana, and Surendranagar districts, while numerous injuries were reported across the state, officers added. Kunal Parmar, aged 4, bled to death in Halol town of Panchmahal district after a kite string slashed his neck, an officer from the local police station said. He was riding with his father on a motorcycle to buy kites and balloons when a piece of string wrapped around his neck and caused a deep gash. "He was rushed to the hospital but died during treatment," the official said. Mansaji Thakor, 35, a farmer, also died in Vadnagar taluka of Mehsana district. "He was riding to his farm at his village Vadbar on motorcycle when his neck was slit by kite string. He was taken to hospital but died during treatment," a Vadnagar Police Station officer said. An unidentified man, riding a motorcycle, was similarly killed on the outskirts of Rajkot city. Ishwar Thakor, 35, died in Patdi taluka of Surendranagar district after suffering deep cuts in the neck due to kite string while riding a motorcycle, police said. (With PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:19 PM IST | Nashik | mid-day online correspondentA police constable from Maharashtra's Beed district was suspended on Tuesday for allegedly writing objectionable posts on social media over agitations regarding the Beed sarpanch murder case, an official said, the PTI reported. Gorakh Hadule, posted at Shivajinagar police station in Beed city of Maharashtra, had allegedly circulated these posts on social media four days back, as per the PTI. "An order suspending Hadule was issued today. He will face an inquiry," the police official told PTI. Protests and morchas have been held in Beed district since Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was killed by some persons on December 9. The slain sarpanch's family and opposition parties are demanding Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde's ouster from the state cabinet over his aide Walmik Karad's alleged link in a related extortion case, as per the PTI. Walmik Karad was arrested in the extortion case, while seven persons were held in connection with Santosh Deshmukh's murder. Karad's supporters hurl stones at buses against MCOCA invocation Meanwhile, the supporters of Walmik Karad, arrested in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, on Tuesday threw stones at buses and set tyres on fire in Parli town after MCOCA was invoked against him, police said, according to the PTI. Earlier in the day, an official said that Karad, an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The invocation of MCOCA makes it difficult for the accused to secure bail. Supporters of Karad targeted buses with stones, set tyres ablaze, and tried to block roads, police said. As angry protesters roamed the roads, many shops downed their shutters in the hometown of Karad. The demonstrations were held despite prohibitory orders in place in Beed district till January 28. Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat said two incidents were reported in Parli where tyres were set on fire, and the windshield of a state transport bus was damaged. He said nobody was injured. "We are trying to make people understand that the court's order (remanding Karad to judicial custody) should be accepted," Kanwat said. He said the additional superintendent of police and the sub-divisional police officer reached Parli and appealed to people against taking the law into their own hands. A case was registered for damaging the bus windshield while the process is on to book an offence for burning of tyres, Kanwat added. Supporters of Karad and his mother are staging a sit-in protest in front of Parli city police station, claiming he was implicated in the extortion case and should be released. Some of his supporters climbed a stone tower to press the demand, the news agency reported. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district till January 28 in view of protests against the murder of a sarpanch and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists. (with PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 09:03 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentA tiger cub was found dead in an area adjoining a village in the Gondia forest range of Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said. Earlier, a tiger and a cub were found dead in separate incidents in the neighbouring Bhandara district 15 days ago. The carcass of the male cub of tigress T14 was spotted by a patrolling team of forest department personnel in Dasgaon beat, located near Kohka village, on Tuesday. Experts have collected samples for the laboratory test to ascertain the exact cause of the death, officials said. The cub was unwell for the past few days, they added. A tiger cub was found dead on Deonara-Kurmuda Road under the Lendezari forest area in Tumsar of Bhandara district on December 30. A full-grown tiger's mutilated carcass was found in Jhanjhariya beat also in the Tumsar forest range, officials added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 January,2025 08:54 PM IST | Gondia | PTIThe Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail till March 31 to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving life imprisonment in a 2013 rape case. This comes a week after the Supreme Court granted him bail till March 31 in another rape case, observing that he suffered from various ailments and needed treatment. Soon after the top court granted him relief on medical grounds, Asaram's counsels moved a suspension of sentence plea in the high court. A division bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vineet Kumar Mathur granted interim bail to Asaram considering that the nature of the plea was similar to the one filed in the Supreme Court. "We argued that the plea was similar in nature to that filed in the Supreme Court and the grounds stand valid in this case as well," Asaram's counsel Nishant Bora said. He said the conditions for Asaram's interim bail are the same as those set by the apex court on January 7 except one. "If Asaram wants to travel outside (Jodhpur), he will have to bear the expenses of the three constables who have been asked to accompany him," Bora said. A lower court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment in April 2018 for raping a minor at his ashram in Jodhpur in 2013. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 January,2025 05:37 PM IST | Jodhpur | PTIIn less than a fortnight after a senior Trinamool Congress councillor was murdered in West Bengal's Malda district, a TMC worker was killed and two other party members were injured in a shootout incident in broad daylight in the same region on Tuesday, police said. Like in the previous incident, police suspected that Tuesday's shootout was also a fallout of the party's infighting. The deceased was identified as Ataul Haque alias Hasu Sheikh and the two injured are Bakul Sheikh, a TMC local committee president, and Esaruddin Sheikh, a senior officer said. The incident took place in Kaliaganj area in the morning when the TMC local committee president along with party workers went to a function to inaugurate a road, an officer said. "One of the party workers who were shot at was declared dead by doctors at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. Two others are undergoing treatment there, and their condition was stated to be critical," he said. "We are questioning people and witnesses. So far, we have not arrested anyone in this matter," the police officer told PTI. TMC councillor in Malda Dulal Sarkar was killed on January 2, and seven people have been arrested in this connection. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 January,2025 05:29 PM IST | Malda (West Bengal) | PTIPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged scientists to develop warning systems for earthquakes while noting that advanced weather forecasts have significantly reduced casualties and minimised economic losses caused by cyclones. Addressing a function to celebrate 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), he also lauded the institution as a symbol of India's scientific journey. Modi noted how advanced weather forecasting has significantly reduced casualties during cyclones and minimised economic losses, boosting investor confidence and building economic resilience. The prime minister also launched 'Mission Mausam' for developing cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies and systems, implementing high-resolution atmospheric observations, next-generation radars and satellites, and high-performance computers. "We have launched 'Mission Mausam' to make India weather ready and climate smart," Modi said. The celebrations were attended by the World Meteorological Organisation Secretary General Celeste Saulo, Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh, Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra and a host of dignitaries. Modi also released the IMD's Vision-2047 document for weather resilience and climate change adaptation, a commemorative postage stamp and a coin to mark 150 years of the IMD. "Meteorology offers the most important support for the disaster management capability of any country. To minimise the impact of natural disasters, we need to maximise the efficiency of meteorology," the prime minister said. He recalled how the cyclone in Gujarat's Kandla in 1998 and the 1999 Odisha super cyclone killed thousands. "But loss of life is minimal now because of better forecasts," he said. Referring to his visit to Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate a 6.5 km tunnel on Monday, Modi said the IMD had suggested that the inaugural function be held on January 13 which was a clear weather day in snow-clad Sonamarg. The prime minister said India's disaster management capabilities have significantly improved due to advancements in meteorological technology which has proved to be beneficial not only for the country but also for the global community. "Today, our Flash Flood Guidance system provides critical information to neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka," Modi said. The prime minister stressed on the need to work with future requirements in mind, including developing warning systems for natural disasters like earthquakes. "There is a need to develop warning systems for earthquakes and scientists and researchers should work in this direction," Modi said. The prime minister quoted from scriptures and ancient texts to highlight India's rich history of expertise in understanding weather patterns. He said traditional knowledge was well documented, refined, and deeply studied in ancient texts like the Vedas, Samhitas, and Surya Siddhanta, Tamil Nadu's Sangam literature and the folk literature of Ghagh Bhaddari in the north. Works such as Krishi Parashar and Bruhat Samhita studied cloud formation and the mathematical work on planetary positions, he noted. The prime minister also referred to the book "Pre-Modern Kutchi Navigation Techniques and Voyages" which documents centuries-old maritime knowledge of Gujarat's sailors. Modi said that as IMD's weather forecasts become more accurate, their importance will increase across various sectors, industries, and even in everyday life. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 January,2025 05:15 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIA man died of electrocution while he was allegedly attempting to steal wires from a transformer in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, the police said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The incident occurred in the Jamtha area in Nagpur late on Sunday night, an official said. The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Ankush Rajendra Patel, a resident of Shramik Nagar slum in Parsodi, was stuck on the transformer, and his charred body was discovered on Monday morning, the official said, according to the PTI. Ankush Patel had decided to steal oil and wires from the transformer in Mauli Nagar area of Nagpur. He climbed the transformer thinking the power had been cut off and got electrocuted, he said, the news agency reported. The official said the deceased was allegedly a history sheeter, with several theft cases against him at Hingna and Beltarodi police stations. He was involved in stealing oil, wires, and iron from transformers, as per the PTI. Thief steals cash and valuables from model's flat in Mumbai Meanwhile, in an another incident, an unidentified person allegedly stole cash and valuables worth Rs 15 lakh from the flat of a Mumbai-based model, an official said on Monday, according to the PTI. The model, Nikita Nil Barad, who lives alone in a luxury apartment in Lower Parel area of the city, was away in Karnataka when the incident occurred between December 12 and January 9. The complainant told the police that the crime came to light when she checked her cupboard, following which an FIR was lodged with police which has launched an investigation into the matter. She also told police that two maids work at her flat during the day and that she was not in Mumbai when the theft took place. She told the police that she had left for Karnataka with her brother on December 12. The police have registered a case against an unidentified person on charge of housebreaking and the investigation is being handled by the local police and the crime branch. CCTV footage from the flat and surrounding areas is being analysed, police said, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
14 January,2025 05:02 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
