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‘Attack on the roots of democracy’, SC on 2021 Bengal post-poll violence

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New Delhi, June 4: The Supreme Court has termed the 2021 post-poll violence in West Bengal against BJP party workers as a dastardly offence which was “nothing short of a grave attack on the roots of democracy”.

The observation came from a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta as it dealt with a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the grant of bail to several accused in the post-poll violence cases.

The CBI contended that the Calcutta High Court granted bail to the respondents-accused on totally extraneous considerations, and after their release on bail, there was no possibility of a fair trial being conducted.

Ordering cancellation of bail, the Supreme Court said that the allegations against the accused were so grave that the same shook the conscience of the court. “The concerted attack on the complainant’s house was launched on the day of the election results with the sole objective of wreaking vengeance because he had supported the saffron party. This is a grave circumstance which convinces us that the accused persons were trying to terrorise the members of the opposite political party whom the accused respondents were supporting,” said the top court.

It took note of the fact that the trial has not budged an inch to date, though a charge sheet was filed way back in 2022, and this delay was mostly attributable to non-cooperation by the accused persons.

Saying that there was no possibility of a fair and impartial trial being conducted if the accused were allowed to remain on bail, the Supreme Court set aside the bail order passed by the Calcutta High Court.

“The accused respondents shall surrender before the trial Court within two weeks from today, failing which, the trial Court shall adopt coercive measures to secure their presence. Upon surrendering/being arrested, the accused respondents shall be remanded to custody,” ordered the top court.

Further, it asked the trial court to expedite the proceedings and conclude the trial within a period of six months.

The Supreme Court asked the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police of West Bengal to ensure that proper protection was provided to the complainant and all other material witnesses so that they can freely appear and depose at the trial without any fear or apprehension.

It granted liberty to the CBI or the complainant to directly report to the top court any violation of the above direction.

Following the post-poll violence, an FIR was registered against the respondents-accused in December 2021 for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 144, 147, 148, 149, 427, 326, 376 read with 511 and 34 of IPC (Indian Penal Code), 1860.

The complainant, a follower of the Hindu religion, claimed that the majority of the residents in his village belong to the other community and are the supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress. As per the complainant, a few villagers started campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prior to the Assembly election, which drew the wrath of Trinamool supporters, and allegedly, a bomb was thrown at his tea stall.

On the date on which the election results were announced, a gang of 40-50 miscreants gathered together and started throwing bombs towards the house of the complainant.

The complainant’s house was totally vandalised and looted by the accused persons. The wife of the complainant was grabbed by the hair, her clothes were snatched away, and she was forcibly undressed. To save herself, the complainant’s wife poured kerosene oil on her person and threatened that she would set fire to herself on which the miscreants left the spot.

When the complainant and his family approached Sadaipur Police Station the next day, the officer-in-charge did not accept the complaint and advised them to leave the village.

After several writ petitions were filed before the Calcutta High Court containing allegations of non-registration of FIRs in post-poll violence cases, a CBI probe was ordered into all the cases where the allegations involved murder and crimes against women.

The CBI filed its charge-sheet against a number of assailants, including the respondents-accused, for the offences punishable under Sections 34, 148, 149, 326, 354, 511, read with 376D and 450 of IPC.

disaster

Op Jal Rahat-2: Army rescues over 2,500 flood-hit people in Manipur

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Imphal, June 5: As torrential rains and flooding continue to disrupt normal life in Imphal and surrounding areas, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles have been at the forefront of relief and rescue efforts under the ongoing ‘Operation Jal Rahat-II’ relief operation.

A Defence spokesman said on Thursday that since May 31, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles troops have been working tirelessly across multiple flood-affected localities in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, providing critical assistance to the flood-affected population within certain cases, without waiting for formal requisition.

Operating under extremely challenging conditions, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles have evacuated nearly 2,500 civilians to safety during the rescue operation so far.

Major evacuations took place in Imphal’s Wangkhei areas, where 778 individuals were rescued and at government-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) medical college and hospital, where 750 people, including 15 patients requiring urgent care, were safely evacuated.

Continuing the efforts in Imphal’s Khitai Chingangbam Leikai areas, 110 civilians were brought to safety, while 115 were rescued from Laishram Leikai, the spokesman said.

Rescue teams also evacuated 65 individuals from Lamlong and 75 from Heinjang areas, where operations included navigating through challenging terrain and fast flood stream due to breach in the Imphal River embankment.

He said that at other locations in Imphal East and West districts, an additional 408 people including 179 women and 92 children were extricated.

In a testament to their inclusive and compassionate approach, Indian Army and Assam Rifles personnel also carried out special missions to rescue three specially-abled adults from different locations.

The troops not only rescued stranded civilians but also established a medical camp providing aid to over 400 civilians, simultaneously carrying out defogging operations to mitigate health hazards caused by stagnant water.

Their rapid response helped prevent further deterioration of living conditions and safeguarded the health of the community.

According to the Defence spokesman, the unprecedented floods had left the local population struggling for survival, with clean drinking water becoming an urgent necessity in the flood-ravaged village of Soibam Leikai in Imphal East.

Responding swiftly to the crisis, a team led by an Indian Army Officer reached the village with essential supplies and an unwavering resolve to help.

Recognising the immediate need for safe drinking water, the Army established emergency drinking water distribution points, ensuring that the residents had access to clean and potable water.

Also, 5,750 litres of fresh water was supplied to fulfill the immediate requirement.

The official said that equipped with rescue boats, medical teams and essential relief materials, the Indian Army soldiers have been operating in close coordination with Assam Rifles and the civil administration.

The efforts of Indian Army and Assam Rifles reflect the ethos of ‘Service Before Self’ and unwavering commitment to safeguard the lives of citizens, the spokesman said.

He said that as flood relief operations continue, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles remain fully committed to supporting the people of Manipur during this crisis and would persist in extending every possible assistance to mitigate the impact of the ongoing natural disaster.

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National

Bengaluru stampede: K’taka govt releases details of deceased; families raise questions

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Bengaluru, June 5: The Karnataka government on Thursday released the details of the 11 people killed in the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebrations on June 4.

Among the dead, one hailed from Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and the rest are from Bengaluru and other districts of the state.

According to the details shared by the Chief Minister’s Office, the deceased have been identified as 14-year-old Divyanshi, a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru; 26-year-old Akshata Pai, a resident of Karwar; 19-year-old Bhoomik, a resident of M.S. Ramaiah Layout in Bengaluru; 23-year-old Sahana, a native of Kolar; 19-year-old Chinmaya Shetty, a resident of Doddakallasandra in Bengaluru; 20-year-old Manojkumar, a resident of Nagasandra village in Tumakuru district; 20-year-old Shravana K.T., a resident of Kallahalli village in Chikkaballapura district; 17-year-old Shivu aka Shivalinga, a resident of Honigeri village in Yadgir district; 20-year-old Poornachandra, a resident of Rayasamudra village in Mandya district; 29-year-old Kamakshidevi, a resident of Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and 22-year-old Prajwal, a resident of Yelahanka New Town in Bengaluru are the deceased persons.

Laxman, the father of deceased Bhoomik (19), stated he was given information that his son was serious and asked to arrive at the hospital. “My son never watched cricket matches, he had gone along with his friends. I was informed that when the stampede occurred, there was no ambulance, and my son was shifted to the hospital in a police vehicle.”

He further expressed his outrage that he pays the government tax up to Rs 5 lakh per month, and the government wasn’t able to provide an ambulance to his son.

Suresh Babu, the father of deceased Sahana (23), stated his daughter informed him that she is going to attend the RCB victory celebrations at noon. “She had gone to the office in the morning, and later she went to the Chinnaswamy Stadium. “I wanted to see my daughter’s marriage and but now I am garlanding her dead body. She completed her engineering studies and worked at Bosch Company in Bengaluru for two years. She never caused us pain. I had asked her to be careful. The system has failed,” he stated.

The mother of the deceased, Prajwal (22), said she had to run from one hospital to another after being informed about the tragedy. She stated that Prajwal was her only son, and being a labourer, she managed somehow to complete the engineering course. “The government has snatched away my only son. Do they know how it feels to lose a son?” she asked.

The state government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and also ordered a magisterial probe.

The BJP has said that the deaths were government-sponsored murders and demanded the immediate resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara.

Taking cognizance of the stampede incident, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and sought a report from the Congress-led Karnataka government.

The division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressed concern over the tragedy.

Social activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a complaint with the Cubbon Park police on Thursday against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, office-bearers of the KSCA, and others. In his complaint, Krishna demanded that the police register the case under Section 106 of the BNS Act.

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Crime

NIA raids multiple locations in Kashmir in terror funding-conspiracy case

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Srinagar, June 5: Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out raids at multiple locations in Kashmir Valley as officials said these raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a terror funding and conspiracy case.

Assisted by police and the CRPF, NIA sleuths raided many locations in the Reban area of Shopian district, Nildoora and Chak-e-Choland in Kulgam district; Manzgam, Devsar, Sonigam and Bugam in Pulwama district; Sopore in Baramulla district and Kupwara district.

Reports said the NIA raids are going on at 32 locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

NIA sources said a statement would be issued by the agency after the conclusion of the day’s operations by its sleuths.

By the time this report was filed, there was no information available regarding any arrests or recoveries.

More details are awaited.

Sources said the searches were being conducted in a terror conspiracy case against overground workers (OGWs) of various terrorist organisations.

All high-profile crimes, including some dastardly terror attacks in the union territory, are being investigated by the NIA. The April 22 terror attack carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam is also being investigated by the NIA.

Terrorists killed 26 civilians, including one Naeplai national, after segregating them on the basis of religion in Baisaran. The innocent victims of terrorists included 25 tourists and a local pony owner who sacrificed his life while trying to save the tourists. All the victims, except one, were Hindus.

NIA is also investigating the Reasi terror attack carried out by terrorists on June 9, 2024, on a bus carrying pilgrims. Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 others, including women and children. They were killed when terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims to Katra from the Shiv Khori temple.

The NIA arrested and investigated cases against JKLF chief, Yasin Malik, senior separatist leaders, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and MP Engineer Rashid.

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