Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a hawker for attempting to murder a senior civic officer and against her security personnel during an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 2021.

The accused, Amarjitsingh Shivshankar Yadav, alias Amarjit Yadav, was found guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — including Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 353 (assault on a public servant), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant), Section 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter public servant), and provisions under the Maharashtra Police Act.

About The Incident

The incident took place on August 30, 2021, at the Kasarvadavali junction during a routine anti-hawker and encroachment drive. Kalpita Pimple, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the TMC’s Majiwada-Manpada ward, was overseeing the operation when Yadav, a hawker at the site, suddenly launched a violent assault on her.

In the unprovoked attack, Pimple suffered severe injuries — including the loss of three fingers and a head injury. A security guard accompanying her also suffered injuries while trying to shield her from the assault.

After a detailed trial, the court held Yadav guilty on all counts, reaffirming the severity of the offence and the need to protect public servants carrying out their lawful duties.

The public prosecutor Shishir Hirey said, “There were two victims in the case, in which Pimple lost three fingers while her security personnel suffered injuries in while trying to prevent the attack.”

Navi Mumbai: In a show of unity and resolve, residents of Kharghar gathered today at Shah Arcade, Sector 6, to participate in a sit-in protest demanding a complete ban on liquor outlets in the area.

Organised under the banner of the Liquor-Free Kharghar movement, the protest began at 11:00 AM and witnessed the participation of local citizens, social activists, and community leaders who voiced their concern over the increasing number of liquor shops and their adverse impact on the peace and safety of the neighborhood.

Protesters emphasised that making Kharghar a liquor-free zone is essential to safeguarding the area’s future and ensuring a safe, healthy environment for families and youth.

“Every responsible citizen must stand united to protect Kharghar from the ill effects of alcohol. This movement is not just for today but for the generations to come,” said one of the organizers during the protest.

The peaceful demonstration reflected the community’s collective demand for the authorities to take immediate action and revoke licenses of existing liquor shops to maintain the area’s sanctity and security.

Organisers have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting similar initiatives until their demands are met.

New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that so far, 517 Indian nationals have returned to India from Iran under Operation Sindoor.

Jaiswal stated that a special flight from Turkmenistan’s Ashgabat arrived in New Delhi on June 21. The Indian government has launched Operation Sindoor to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran, given the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

In a post on X, Jaiswal stated, “Operation Sindoor continues. A special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, landed in New Delhi at 0300 hrs on 21st June, bringing Indians from Iran home. With this, so far 517 Indian nationals from Iran have returned home under Operation Sindoor.”

A fresh batch of Indian nationals evacuated from Iran landed safely in Delhi on Saturday under Operation Sindoor, as part of the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to bring back its citizens from conflict-hit regions.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran coordinated the safe movement of students, while the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ensured their safe return. An Indian national who was evacuated from Iran, Zaffar Abbas Naqvi, recounted how he and his family stayed indoors initially after hearing about the attack on Iran. They later moved to Mashhad, which also came under attack, prompting them to contact the Indian government.

Naqvi praised the swift action taken by the government and thanked Prime Minister Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath for their support.

“Everything was going fine, but one day we heard that Iran had been attacked. We stayed indoors for some time. We then moved to Mashhad. Soon Mashhad came under attack. We then contacted the Indian government. The action was so swift that we cannot express our gratitude in words. I want to thank Modi ji and Yogi ji who made all the arrangements for us…,” said Naqvi.

Kulsum, an Indian national evacuated from Iran, expressed relief at being back home safely, saying the situation in Iran was worrisome and the government’s help was invaluable.

Speaking to media, Kulsum said, “The situation in Iran is not good. We were very worried. The government helped us a lot and brought us back home safely.”

Another Indian national who was evacuated from Mashhad, Mohammad Ali Qazim, expressed gratitude towards the Indian government for their help in crossing the border and returning home safely. He mentioned that the situation in Iran, especially in Tehran, was not good.

“I am coming from Mashhad. It feels very good to return home… We had gone on a religious journey. The situation there is not good, especially in Tehran… Indian government helped us a lot in crossing the border and bringing us to India. The UP government is also helping us a lot by taking us back home…” he said.

The operation continues to bring relief to families across India, with coordinated efforts from both the Central and State governments ensuring the safe return of citizens amid the ongoing tensions in the region.

The first batch of 110 Indian students, including 90 from Kashmir, was safely evacuated from northern Iran and transported to Armenia before being flown to New Delhi. These students were primarily from Urmia Medical University.

The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its ninth day on Saturday. The conflict started after Israel, on June 13, launched a massive airstrike on Iranian military and nuclear sites, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion”.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a large-scale drone and missile operation, ‘Operation True Promise 3’, targeting Israeli fighter jet fuel production facilities and energy supply centres.